Research on duck egg recognition algorithm based on improved YOLOv4.

1. The following study addressed the problem of small duck eggs as challenging to detect and identify for pick up in complex free-range duck farm environments. It introduces improvements to the YOLOv4 convolutional neural network target detection algorithm, based on the working conditions of egg-picking robots.2. Specifically, one scale of anchor boxes was removed from the prediction network, and a duck egg labelling dataset was established to make the improved algorithm YOLOv4-ours better match the working state of egg-picking robots and enhance detection performance.3. Through multiple comparative experiments, the YOLOv4-ours object detection algorithm exhibited superior overall performance, achieving a precision of 98.85%, recall of 96.67%, and an average precision of 98.60% and F1 score increased to 97%. Compared to the original YOLOv4 model, these improvements represented increases of 1.89%, 3.41%, 1.32%, and 1.04%, respectively. Furthermore, detection time was reduced from 0.26 seconds per image to 0.20 seconds.4. The enhanced model accurately detected duck eggs in free-range duck housing, effectively meeting the real-time egg identification and picking requirements.

Research for correlation between heart rate variability parameters and bone mineral density in patients of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PURPOSE: The relationship of CAN and BMD, fracture risk is still unclear in T2DM. The aim of the present study is to investigate the correlation between heart rate variability (HRV) and BMD in T2DM. METHODS: The study included 276 patients with T2DM aged ≥ 50 years, and Cardiovascular Autonomic Reflex Tests (CARTs) were applied to divide patients into two groups: CAN ( ±). 24 h Ambulatory ECG was assessed for HRV, BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray bone densitometry, and FRAX scores were calculated for 10-year hip fracture risk (HF1) and major osteoporotic fracture risk (MOF). Adjusted regression analysis was performed to investigate influence factors for BMD and fracture risk. ROC curve was used to analyze the optimal cut-off point of LF/HF for screening osteoporosis. RESULTS: Baseline data showed significant differences in the duration of T2DM, insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), 25-hydroxyvitamin D[25(OH)D], femoral neck BMD, hip BMD, lumbar BMD, HF1, and MOF between the CAN ( +) and CAN (-) groups. The proportion of patients with osteoporosis increased as the degree of CAN lesion increased. Correlation analysis showed that LF/HF was significantly correlated with BMD, especially with hip (r = - 0.534, p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that LF/HF was a risk factor for reduced BMD and increased fracture risk. The optimal cut-point value for LF/HF to predict osteoporosis by ROC curve analysis was 3.17. CONCLUSIONS: CAN is associated with reduced BMD and increased fracture risk in patients with T2DM, and LF/HF may have the potential to be a predictor of diabetic osteoporosis and have some clinical value in early diagnosis of diabetic osteoporosis and non-traumatic fractures in T2DM.

[Evaluation of root resorption after surgical orthodontic treatment of skeletal Class â ¢ malocclusion by three-dimensional volumetric measurement with cone-beam CT].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the method of measuring root volume with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) three-dimensional reconstruction technology, and to study root length and root volume of upper and lower central incisors in patients with skeletal Class Ⅲ malocclusion treated by surgical orthodontic treatment. METHODS: Twenty patients with skeletal Class Ⅲ malocclusion undergoing surgical orthodontic treatment were selected. CBCT data at three time points, before decompensation treatment (T0), after decompensation treatment (before orthognathic surgery, T1), and the end of post-operative orthodontic treatment (T2) were collected. Three-dimensional reconstruction technology was used to measure the root length and root volume of the upper and lower central incisors (including total root volume, cervical root and apical root), calculate the percentage of reduction volume, and measure the distance of tooth movement after orthodontic treatment. Data were statistically analyzed by SPSS 20.0 software. Least significant difference (LSD) method was used for pair comparison between the groups subject to normal distribution, and non-parametric test was used for comparison between the groups not subject to normal distribution. The differences of root length and root volume of upper and lower incisors were compared, and the characteristics of root absorption were analyzed. RESULTS: Root length and root volume of the upper and lower central incisors were reduced during the surgical orthodontic treatment (P < 0.05) in cases. Both the root volume of cervical root and apical root were significantly reduced (P < 0.05), the reduction of apical root was more significant. The percentage of root volume reduction of the upper central incisor was (30.51±23.23)%, and lower central incisor (23.24±11.96)%. Compared with the upper central incisor, the root volume reduction amount and percentage of the lower central incisor were smaller, and apical root volume reduction of the upper central incisor was greater than that of the lower central incisor, which was statistically significant (P < 0.05). During pre-surgical orthodontic treatment, maxillary central incisor palatal moving was in a controlled tipping manner, and the mandibular central incisor tipped labially. CONCLUSION: In patients with skeletal Class Ⅲ malocclusion, root length and total root volume of upper and lower central incisors decreased during surgical orthodontic treatment. Root volume measurement indicated that the cervical root also had root resorption. The difference in root resorption of the upper and lower central incisors might be related to the distance and direction of teeth movement. CBCT three-dimensional reconstruction will compensate for the limitation of root length measurement in evaluating root resorption.

Establishment of an immune-related gene prognostic model for head and neck tumors.

This study aimed to screen the key immune-related genes (IRGs) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) and construct the IRGs-related prognostic model to predict the overall survival (OS) of patients with HNSC. The RNA-seq data and clinical data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database, and IRGs were obtained from the Immunology Database and Analysis Portal. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between HNSC and normal samples were identified, followed by integration with IRGs to screen differentially expressed IRGs. After univariate and multivariate proportional hazard regression analyses, an IRG-based risk model was constructed. Meanwhile, data chip of GSE65858 as the validation set to assess the predicted performance of established model. Next, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to identify the independent prognostic factor of HNSC, and the Nomogram model was developed to predict patient outcome. Furthermore, the correlation between immune cell infiltration and risk score was analyzed. A total of 65 differently expressed IRGs associated with prognosis of HNSC were screened, and finally a 26-gene IRG signature was identified to construct a prognostic prediction model. The AUC of ROC curve was 0.750. Survival analysis showed that patients in the high-risk group had a worse prognosis. Independent prognostic analysis showed that risk score could be considered as an independent predictor for HNSC prognosis. Nomogram assessment showed that the model had high reliability for predicting the survival of patients with HNSC in 1, 2, 3 years. Ultimately, the abundance of B cells and CD4+ T cell infiltration in HNSC showed negative correlations with risk score. Our IRG-based prognostic risk model may be used to estimate the prognosis of HNSC patients.

Extracellular vesicles derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells alleviate neuroinflammation after diabetic intracerebral hemorrhage via the miR-183-5p/PDCD4/NLRP3 pathway.

OBJECTIVES: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) induced by diabetes results in further brain injury and nerve cell death. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) transplantation contributes to attenuating neurological deficits after ICH. This study investigated the mechanism of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from BMSCs in reducing neuroinflammation after diabetic ICH. METHODS: BMSC-EVs were isolated and identified. The rat model of db/db-ICH was established and the model rats were administered with EVs. miR-183-5p expression in brain tissues of db/db-ICH rats was detected. The brain injury of db/db-ICH rats was evaluated by measuring neurobehavioral score, brain water content and inflammatory factors. BV2 cells were cultured in vitro to establish high-glucose (HG)-Hemin-BV2 cell model. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory factors in BV2 cells were measured, and BV2 cell viability and apoptosis were assessed. The targeting relationship between miR-183-5p and PDCD4 was predicted and verified. The activation of PDCD4/NLRP3 pathway in rat brain tissues and BV2 cells was detected. RESULTS: miR-183-5p expression was reduced in db/db-ICH rats brain tissues. BMSC-EVs ameliorated cranial nerve function, decreased brain water content and repressed inflammatory response by carrying miR-183-5p. BMSC-EVs mitigated HG-Hemin-BV2 cell injury, reduced ROS level and suppressed inflammatory response. miR-183-5p targeted PDCD4. PDCD4 promoted BV2 cell inflammation by activating the NLRP3 pathway. BMSC-EVs inhibited HG-Hemin-BV2 cell inflammation through the miR-183-5p/PDCD4/NLRP3 pathway, and inhibition of miR-183-5p reversed the protective effect of EVs. CONCLUSION: BMSC-EVs carried miR-183-5p into db/db-ICH rat brain tissues and repressed the NLRP3 pathway by targeting PDCD4, thus alleviating neuroinflammation after diabetic ICH.

[Clinical characteristics and related factors of systemic lupus erythematosus with interstitial pneumonia].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical features, radiologic scores and clinically relevant risk factors prognosis of secondary interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: In this study, 60 SLE patients in Department of Rheumatology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College and Taizhou First People's Hospital from January 2015 to March 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. All of those 60 patients with SLE underwent lung high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) examination. We used a 1 ∶1 case-control study. There was a matching of age and gender between the two groups. Thirty patients with SLE related ILD (SLE-ILD) were in the case group, and 30 patients with SLE without ILE (SLE non-ILD) were in the control group. The clinical features, pulmonary function test, radiologic characteristic of SLE patients were collected and were used to analyze SLE-ILD. RESULTS: In this study, we reached the following conclusions: First, there were statistically significant differences in chest tightness/shortness of breath, Raynaud's phenomenon, and Velcro rale between SLE-ILD and SLE non-ILD patients (both P < 0.05); Second, hemoglobin (Hb) and albumin (ALB) in the patients of SLE-ILD had a significant decrease compared with the patients of SLE non-ILD. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) increased in SLE-ILD patients compared with SLE non-ILD patients, the difference had statistical significance (P < 0.05); Third, for SLE-ILD patients, the most common type was non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP), followed by usual interstitial pneumonia and lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia; Fourth, there was no significant difference in clinical-radiology-physiology scores between the different ILD types (P>0.05), similarly, the lung HRCT score and lung function between different ILD types had no significant difference (P>0.05); Fifth, multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that decreased albumin and chest tightness/shortness of breath might be the risk factor for SLE-ILD. CONCLUSION: There are statistically significant differences between the SLE-ILD group and SLE non-ILD group in terms of chest tightness/shortness of breath, Velcro rale and Raynaud's phenomenon. Decreased albumin and chest tightness/shortness of breath in SLE patients should be alerted to the occurrence of ILD. NSIP is the most common manifestation of SLE-ILD.

Education intervention for older adults with osteoporosis: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Various education interventions were developed for preventing or managing OP, but the effects of those interventions on older adults were inconclusive. PURPOSE: This study evaluated the effectiveness of educational interventions in preventing osteoporosis in older adults. A literature search was performed in MEDLINE (PubMed), Cochrane Library, and CBM (China BioMed Database) from the initial date of each database to Oct 2016. DATA EXTRACTION: Two investigators independently extracted essential data from qualified studies concerning the settings, population, interventions, follow-ups, and outcomes of interest, namely effects of bone mineral density tests, changes in behavior, knowledge increase, self-efficacy, medication adherence (calcium and vitamin D), and quality of life, respectively. DATA SYNTHESIS: A total of 17 studies met the inclusion criteria and therefore were included in the current study. The overall quality of the included studies was moderate. We were unable to carry out a meta-analysis due to the heterogeneity of these studies. We fond that compared with control groups, patients' knowledge of osteoporosis increased significantly (p < .05) through all five interventions, which included PowerPoint presentations and discussion, class-based educational programs, osteoporosis self-management courses, revised health belief model and classes, computerized support programs and brush-up courses. LIMITATION: Studies included in the present study were all conducted in Western countries and only descriptive methods were applied in synthesis due to heterogeneity in interventions and outcomes. CONCLUSION: Education interventions were effective in preventing osteoporosis in older adults. Future research should focus on approaching this issue quantitatively (i.e., through meta-analysis).

Traumatic fractures in China from 2012 to 2014: a National Survey of 512,187 individuals.

The China National Fracture Study has been conducted to provide a national dataset of traumatic fractures across China. A national representative sample of 512,187 individuals was selected. The population-weighted incidence rates, distribution, injury mechanisms, and risk factors for traumatic fractures were identified for various groups of individuals. INTRODUCTION: The China National Fracture Study (CNFS) has been conducted to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date national dataset of traumatic fractures across China. This study aims to report the national incidences and distributions of traumatic fractures that occurred in 2012, 2013, and 2014 and to analyze the risk factors. METHODS: A national representative sample of individuals was selected from 24 rural counties and 24 urban cities of 8 provinces using stratified random sampling and the probability proportional to size (PPS) methodology. Participants were interviewed to identify whether they sustained traumatic fractures of the trunk and/or four extremities that had occurred in 2012, 2013, and 2014. The main risk factors associated with traumatic fractures were analyzed by multiple logistic regression models. RESULTS: A total of 512,187 individuals, including 259,649 males and 252,538 females, participated in the CNFS. The population-weighted incidence rates of traumatic fractures in China were calculated to be 2.5 (95% CI, 2.2-2.8) per 1000 population in 2012, 2.8 (95% CI, 2.5-3.3) in 2013, and 3.2% (95% CI, 2.8-3.6) in 2014. The population-weighted incidence rates of fragility fractures among participants aged 65 years and older were calculated to be 27.4 (95% CI, 21.4-33.4) per 1000 population in 2012, 36.0 (95% CI, 28.6-43.5) in 2013, and 42.4 (95% CI, 34.9-49.9) in 2014. The most common cause of fracture was low-energy injuries, followed by traffic accidents. For all age groups, sleeping less than 7 h was a risk factor for traumatic fractures. Alcohol consumption and previous fracture history were identified as risk factors for adults aged 15 years and over. Cigarette smoking was found to be a risk factor for males aged 15-64 years old. For individuals aged 15-64 years old, underweight incurred a risk effect for males and overweight for females. Alcohol consumption, sleeping less than 7 h per day, living in the central and eastern regions, a body mass index less of than 18.5, and having a previous fracture history were identified as strong risk factors for fragility fractures. CONCLUSION: The national incidence, distribution, and injury mechanisms for traumatic fractures were revealed in the CNFS. Risk factors were identified for various groups of individuals.

TIR-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-ß contributes to TLR3/TLR4 triggered apoptosis and inflammation in nucleus pulposus cells.

The senescence and degeneration of the intervertebral disc are closely related to the reduction of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells caused by apoptosis. TIR-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-ß (TRIF) is an adapter for Toll-like receptors 3/4 (TLR3/4), which involves in cell apoptosis. The aim of this study is to detect the role of TRIF in the apoptotic progress of NP cells. The expression of collagen II, aggrecan, TLR3/4, and TRIF were analyzed in different degrees of degenerated human NP samples from patients. NP cells were isolated from mild degenerated tissues and cultured with IL-1ß to accelerate the degradation, and treated with TLR3/4 protein. siRNA was used to silence TRIF gene expression, and TRLF-plasmid was used to upregulate TRLF gene expression. We used flow cytometry assay to analyze cell apoptosis. The expression of collagen II, aggrecan, TLF3/4, TRIF, caspase-8/3, MMP-13, TNF-α was determined by immunofluorescence, Western blot, or RT-PCR. That the expression of collagen II and aggrecan markedly decreased, but TLF3/4, TRIF, caspase-8/3, MMP-3, TNF-α, and IL-1ß were increased in severely degenerated disc tissues. IL-1ß treatment induced NP cell degeneration and TLF3/4, TRIF, caspase-8/3, MMP-3, TNF-α overexpression. TLF3/4 protein treatment promoted NP cell degeneration and apoptosis by upregulation of TRIF, caspase-8/3, MMP-3, and TNF-α. Furthermore, TRIF silencing reversed the negative effect of TLF3/4 overexpression, and TRIF overexpression played the same role in NP cell apoptosis. Based on these results, we believe that TRIF is activated in a degenerated intervertebral disc. TLF3/4 promotes NP cell apoptosis and inflammation through the TRLF adaptor. TRLF expression is positively related to the apoptosis and inflammation in NP cells. These results suggest a therapeutic potential of the TRIF in the treatment of disc degeneration.

Downregulation of nuclear protein-1 induces cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase in glioma cells in vivo and in vitro via P27.

Nuclear protein-1 (NUPR1), also named as p8 or Com1, has been since found overexpressed in several human malignant tumor cells, such as glioma. NUPR1 also regulates cell cycle progression, however, the role of NUPR1 in regulating glioma cell cycle remains poorly understood. Knockdown efficiency of U87 and U251 cells infected with the lentiviral vector was detected by quantitative real-time PCR and western blot in vitro and in vivo. Flow cytometry and western blot were used to explore a mechanism by which NUPR1 modulates cell cycle in U87 and U251 cells. Immunohistochemistry was applied to detect expression levels of P27, CDK2, and cyclin E in human glioma tissues with NUPR1 positive expression and tumorigenesis in nude mice. We confirmed that the downregulation of NUPR1 arrested the cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase in U87 and U251 cells in vitro. Furthermore, the expression level of P27 was increased, and CDK2 and cyclin E were decreased upon silencing NUPR1 expression in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, the knockdown of NUPR1 induces cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase in glioma cells via P27.

Combination therapy with parathyroid hormone analogs and antiresorptive agents for osteoporosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Combination therapy with parathyroid hormone (PTH) analogs and antiresorptive agents may be more effective than monotherapy for the treatment of osteoporosis. This study aimed to estimate the effectiveness and safety of this combination therapy for osteoporosis. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to May 1, 2018, including randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a duration of at least 6 months on adults with osteoporosis treated with combination therapy versus monotherapy. Outcomes included fractures, bone mineral density (BMD) changes, and adverse events. A meta-analysis was performed using a random-effect model, to estimate risk ratios (RRs) for fractures, and mean differences (MDs) for BMD changes. A total of 19 RCTs and 2177 patients were included. Compared with monotherapy, combination therapy had an advantage of 36% (RR, 0.64; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.42-0.98) regarding fracture risk reduction. It also appears to improve lumbar spine BMD by 4.06% (95%CI = 2.60-5.53) and total hip BMD by 1.89% (95%CI = 1.25-2.53). No RCT reported an increased risk of serious adverse events. Among patients with osteoporosis, combination therapy was superior to monotherapy regarding improvement of the lumbar spine and total hip BMD, without risk of serious adverse events. Combination therapy also had an advantage over monotherapy on fracture risk reduction. However, owing to the limited sample size, additional larger studies are required to confirm this benefit.

Metal-Organic Framework MIL-101-NH2-Supported Acetate-Based Butylimidazolium Ionic Liquid as a Highly Efficient Heterogeneous Catalyst for the Synthesis of 3-Aryl-2-oxazolidinones.

A novel heterogeneous catalyst, the ionic liquid (IL) of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (BmimOAc) immobilized on MIL-101-NH2, denoted as IL(OAc-)-MIL-101-NH2, was prepared by the "ship-in-a-bottle" strategy. The IL of BmimOAc was prepared in the MIL-101-NH2 nanocages primordially, in which the condensation product of MIL-101-NH2's amine group with 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) reacted with 1-bromo butane, and then the intermediate exchanged with potassium acetate. The structure and physicochemical properties of IL(OAc-)-MIL-101-NH2 were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, DRS UV-vis, nitrogen adsorption-desorption, and elemental analysis. The results indicated that BmimOAc was anchored in the MIL-101-NH2 skeleton via the acylamino group and confined in the nanocages in the form of a single molecule. The composite material of IL(OAc-)-MIL-101-NH2 exhibited excellent catalytic activity and catalytically synthesized 3-aryl-2-oxazolone in an excellent yield of 92%. It can be reused up to six times without noteworthy loss of its activity and demonstrated distinct size-selective property for substrates. It was conjectured that the diffusion kinetics of reactants could be controlled by the aperture size of the metal-organic framework support.

Micro-CT analysis of chronic apical periodontitis induced by several specific pathogens.

AIM: To conduct three-dimensional micro-CT analysis of bone destruction, periapical sclerotic changes and inflammatory root resorption (IRR) to compare the differences between Enterococcus faecalis (Ef)- and Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg)-induced chronic apical periodontitis (CAP). METHODOLOGY: Mono-species bacteria-induced CAP was established in the first and second molars of the right maxilla and mandible of male Sprague-Dawley rats. Fifteen animals were divided into three groups with five rats in each group: control group, Ef-CAP group and Pg-CAP group. The maxilla and mandible were harvested and then scanned by micro-CT. Alveolar bone destruction was evaluated by measuring the volume of alveolar bone resorption, bone volume fraction (BV/TV), trabecular thickness (Tb. Th), trabecular number (Tb. N) and trabecular spacing (Tb. Sp). The results were analysed using one-way analysis of variance and Fisher's least significant difference methods (LSD). The sclerotic changes in the periapical bone were graded and the IRR indexes were scored. The data were analysed using the chi-square test. RESULTS: The alveolar bone resorption volume of the Pg-CAP group was significantly larger than that of the Ef-CAP group (P < 0.01). In the maxilla, both Pg-CAP and Ef-CAP groups had a significant decrease in BV/TV and increase in Tb. Sp (P < 0.01) with the more significant changes of trabecular bone in the Pg-CAP group. A significant reduction of Tb. N was only found in the Pg-CAP group (P < 0.05). There was no significant change in Tb. Th in either group (P > 0.05). In the mandible, except for an increase in Tb. Sp in the Pg-CAP group (P < 0.05), there was no significant change in BV/TV, Tb. Th or Tb. N (P > 0.05). No obvious sclerotic change was observed. IRR was detected in significantly more root surfaces in the Pg-CAP group (240 surfaces, 60%) than those in the Ef-CAP group (178 surfaces, 44.5%) (P < 0.001). The IRR extension was also significantly more advanced in the Pg-CAP group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pg-CAP caused more substantial alveolar bone destruction and IRR than Ef-CAP. The maxilla was more susceptible to CAP in terms of microstructural changes of trabecular bone than the mandible. Tb. Sp was the most sensitive index for evaluating the residual alveolar bone of CAP.

Hip fracture patients who experience a greater fluctuation in RDW during hospital course are at heightened risk for all-cause mortality: a prospective study with 2-year follow-up.

This study aims to detect whether there remains valuable prognostic information in fluctuation of red cell distribution width (RDW) in hip fracture patients. Results show that this readily available parameter may provide a more effective strategy for assessment of mortality risk, therefore providing a reference for clinical planning and decision-making. INTRODUCTION: Prognostic values have been found in the fluctuation of some hematologic parameters. The red cell distribution width (RDW) routinely reported with all complete blood cell counts (CBC) has proven to be associated with poor outcomes in various diseases. However, whether the fluctuation in RDW is predictive of long-term mortality in hip fracture patients treated with surgery remains unknown. METHODS: One thousand three hundred thirty hip fracture patients who underwent surgery from January 1, 2000 to November 18, 2012 were recruited in this prospective cohort study. Fluctuation in the RDW between admission and discharge was measured, and a Kaplan-Meier (KM) analysis and multivariable Cox regression model were applied to evaluate the relationship between this fluctuation and mortality. Risk factors for a larger fluctuation were detected by using Logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: In addition to the admission RDW, a high RDW level at the time of discharge was also associated with an increased risk of death, while no significant difference was found in the postoperative RDW. Fluctuation in the RDW between admission and discharge was an independent risk predictor for 2-year mortality (HR 1.45 95%CI 1.06-2.00, p = 0.022). Factors affecting the change in the RDW between admission and discharge included both the demographic characteristics of the patients and clinical interventions. CONCLUSION: Hip fracture patients who experience a greater fluctuation in RDW during the hospital course are at a heightened risk for 2-year all-cause mortality.

Multichannel continuous-wave fiber cavity ringdown gas sensing utilizing frequency-shifted interferometry.

We present a multichannel continuous-wave (CW) fiber cavity ringdown (FCRD) gas sensing method based on frequency-shifted interferometry (FSI). This scheme detects gas concentration by measuring the intensity decay rates of continuous light from different ringdown cavities in the spatial domain, unlike conventional FCRD techniques, which measure the decay rates of pulse light in the time domain. This method shares one CW light source, one slow detector, and one slow data collector. In order to illustrate the theory, acetylene gas concentration measurement in a two-channel FSI-FCRD system was experimentally conducted in the range of 0%-1%. A linear relation was established between concentration and absorption loss, which is proportional to the intensity decay rate, and the measurement resolutions of 3.871%/dB and 3.658%/dB were achieved, respectively. The results reveal that the proposed system has the advantages of low cost, high sensitivity, high precision, and good stability in multichannel gas detection.

The association between serum uric acid level and the risk of fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Controversy has arisen in regarding the association between serum uric acid (UA) and fracture risk. Therefore, we conducted a systemic review and meta-analysis by pooling estimate of five prospective studies (29,110 participants). Results showed that an increased serum UA level is associated with a lower risk of fracture. Numerous studies have demonstrated that high serum UA is a relevant risk factor for a wide variety of diseases, whereas new understanding in serum uric acid follows recent reports demonstrating a protective role of UA in health status. However, the association between serum UA and fracture remains controversial. Therefore, we conduct a systemic review and meta-analysis to determine whether elevated UA level is a protective factor for fracture among prospective studies. We searched for studies published before May 6, 2016, using PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases, without any language restriction. The inclusion criteria were published studies investigating the association between UA and fractures. Two authors independently screened the retrieved articles in accordance to the predefined inclusion criteria. We pooled the study-specific relative risk estimates using a random-effect model for comparison of persons whose UA levels were in the top tertile with those in the bottom tertile. Factors that may predict these associations were evaluated in subgroup analysis and meta-regression. The five included prospective studies included 29,110 participants. In random-effect models that included all five included studies, the summary hazard ratios (HRs) (top vs bottom tertiles) were 079 (95% CI, 0.69 to 0.89), without evidence of heterogeneity (P for heterogeneity = 0.458; I 2 = 0%). Similar results were shown when pooling estimate of three higher-quality studies (HR 0.80 95% CI, 0.69 to 0.93). The association between UA and fracture remained in sensitivity and subgroup analyses. An increased serum UA level is shown to be associated with a lower risk of fracture, albeit additional large, high-quality prospective studies or a meta-analysis of individual data are still needed to verify the association.

Unipolar Nonvolatile Resistive Switching in Pt/MgO/Ta/Ru Structures Deposited by Magnetron Sputtering.

The recent realization of memristors, nanodevices exhibiting non-volatile resistive switching, has sparked tremendous interest for applications in fields such as nonvolatile memories. Here we report unipolar resistive switching in Pt/MgO/Ta/Ru structures, with an oxide barrier thickness of only 15 nm. No electroforming process was required to achieve resistive switching and an ohmic conduction mechanism is associated with the ON state. We observed an inverse dependence of the ON state resistance on the SET current compliance and average values of 1.61 V and 1.38 V for the SET and RESET voltages, respectively. We show the stability of the switching for over 40 cycles and a clear separation of the ON (10¹ Ω) and OFF (10² Ω) states during at least 104 s.

Combination of red cell distribution width and American Society of Anesthesiologists score for hip fracture mortality prediction.

UNLABELLED: The prognostic value of red cell distribution width (RDW) and a combination of RDW and the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score for long-term hip fracture mortality remains unknown. Our data showed that both RDW and ASA were independent risk predictors. A combination of these two parameters may provide a more powerful strategy for the prediction of hip fracture mortality. INTRODUCTION: Red cell distribution width (RDW) has recently been suggested as an independent predictor of prognosis in a variety of disorders. The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) system has been widely used to stratify patients for outcome evaluations. However, the prognostic value of RDW and a combination of RDW and the ASA score for long-term hip fracture mortality has yet to be studied. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 1402 subjects from 2000 to 2011 with a follow-up study over a 2 year period. Cox proportional hazards models with a bootstrap validation were used to evaluate associations of RDW, ASA, and a combination of both with long-term mortality. The global fit and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for model discrimination were further analyzed. RESULTS: Both RDW and ASA exhibited as independent risk predictors of 2-year mortality. The population with elevation of either RDW or ASA increased the risk of mortality (bootstrap validated hazard ratio (HR) 1.971 95 % confidence interval (CI) [1.336-3.005] p < 0.01) while those with an increase in both assessments (bootstrap validated HR 2.667 95 % CI [1.526-4.515] p < 0.01) were at the highest risk for mortality. The addition of the combination of ASA and RDW improved the discrimination power of risk prediction models (AUC increased from 0.700 to 0.723, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Both RDW and ASA exhibited as independent risk predictors of 2-year hip fracture mortality. The combination of these two readily available parameters may provide a more powerful and effective strategy for the assessment of all-cause mortality in hip fracture patients.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors of postoperative pneumonia after hip fracture surgery: a prospective cohort study.

UNLABELLED: In this study, we attempt to determine the clinical characteristic and risk factors of postoperative pneumonia (POP) after hip fracture surgery in a well-defined hip fracture cohort. We find that intrinsic factors as well as major clinical interventions were all important risk factors of POP. INTRODUCTION: Postoperative pneumonia (POP) is one of the major complications following hip fractures surgery. However, the risk factors of POP are not well studied in hip fracture cohorts. We attempt to determine the clinical characteristic and risk factors of POP after hip fracture surgery in a well-defined hip fracture cohort. METHODS: Datasets from a prospective hip fracture cohort study with a 2-year follow-up period, from 2000 to 2011, were reanalyzed for characteristics of POP. Multivariate Cox proportional regression was used to evaluate the association between the incidence of POP and all-cause mortality. Multivariate logistic regression was used to screen for potential risk factors of POP by analyzing demographic factors, comorbidities, major clinical interventions, and hematological parameters. RESULTS: In 1429 patients who underwent hip surgery, the incidence of POP was 4.9 % (n = 70). All-cause mortality of patients with POP was significantly higher than that of patients without POP at 30 days (hazard ratio (HR) 3.05, 95 % confidence intervals (CI) 1.88-4.94), 1 year (HR 1.87, 95 % CI 1.41-2.48), and 2 years (HR 1.57, 95 % CI 1.23-1.99) postoperatively. Multivariate logistic regression showed that intrinsic factors (advanced age, anemia, diabetes, prior stroke, number of comorbidities, ASA score ≥III, and some laboratory biomarkers) as well as major clinical interventions were all significant risk factors for POP. CONCLUSION: Intrinsic factors and major clinical interventions were all important risk factors of POP in patients after hip fracture surgery. Targeted preventive measures to mitigate the above risk factors may help in reducing the incidence of POP.

Redox Imbalance in the Peripheral Mechanism Underlying the Mirror-Image Neuropathic Pain Due to Chronic Compression of Dorsal Root Ganglion.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain, but few studies have examined the role of oxidative stress in the mirror-image neuropathic pain (MINP). The present study was to investigate the role of ROS in MINP caused by chronic compression of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) (CCD) in a rat model. SD rats were randomly divided into sham group and CCD group. CCD was conducted to induce MINP. CCD rats were intraperitoneally injected with α-Phenyl-N-tert-butyl-nitrone (PBN) at 7 days after surgery. Paw withdrawal mechanical threshold (PWMT) was measured at -1, 1, 3, 5 and 7 days after surgery in sham group and CCD group, and at 8 time points after PBN injection. Rats were sacrificed at 3 and 7 days after surgery in sham group and CCD group and at 0.5 and 2 h after PBN injection, and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities, as well as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malonaldehyde (MDA) contents were determined in the contralateral DRGs. Results showed bilateral PWMT reduced significantly in sham group and CCD group, but it returned to nearly normal level in sham group. MDA content, H2O2 content and SOD activity increased significantly, while catalase activity remained unchanged in CCD rats. PBN at 100 mg/kg significantly attenuated bilateral mechanical hyperalgesia accompanied by the improvement of oxidative stress in the contralateral DRGs. Our results demonstrate that ROS produced in the contralateral DRG are involved in the pathogenesis of CCD induced MINP, and ROS scavenger may be a promising drug for the therapy of MINP.