Global, regional, and national burden of incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for facial fractures from 1990 to 2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease study 2019.

BACKGROUND: Facial fractures are common injuries causing cosmetic, functional, and psychological damage. The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability (YLDs) of facial fractures from 1990 to 2019 using the Global Burden of Disease (GBD). METHODS: Detailed data for the disease burden of facial fractures were obtained from online available public data (Global Health Data Exchange) derived from the GBD study. The incidence, prevalence, and YLDs of facial fractures from 1990 to 2019 were analyzed by country, region, age, gender, sociodemographic index (SDI), and cause. The age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR), age-standardized YLDs rate (ASYR), and estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) were calculated to evaluate the disease burden and quantify the trends over time. The main causes of facial fractures in different years and ages were assessed. RESULTS: Globally, there were 8.9 million incident cases, 1.5 million cases prevalent cases, and 98.1 thousand years YLDs in 2019. Compared with 1990, the number of incident cases, prevalent cases, and YLDs increased, while ASIR (EAPC, - 0.47; 95% uncertainty interval [UI], - 0.57 to - 0.37), ASPR (EAPC, - 0.39; 95% UI, - 0.46 to - 0.31), ASYR (EAPC, - 0.39; 95% UI, - 0.47 to - 0.32) showed a downward trend. The high SDI region held the highest ASIR, ASPR, and ASYR both in 1990 and 2019, such as New Zealand, Slovenia, and Australia. The burden was higher in men than in women from 1990 to 2019, while the ASRs in women exceeded that of men in the elderly. The ASIR peaked in the young adult group, however, the ASPR and ASYR increased with age. Falls and road injuries were the leading causes of facial fractures. CONCLUSIONS: Facial fractures continue to cause a heavy burden on public health worldwide. More targeted strategies need to be established to control the burden of facial fractures.

Assessment of using Google Trends for real-time monitoring of infectious disease outbreaks: a measles case study.

Measles remains a significant threat to children worldwide despite the availability of effective vaccines. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the situation by leading to the postponement of supplementary measles immunization activities. Along with this postponement, measles surveillance also deteriorated, with the lowest number of submitted specimens in over a decade. In this study, we focus on measles as a challenging case study due to its high vaccination coverage, which leads to smaller outbreaks and potentially weaker signals on Google Trends. Our research aimed to explore the feasibility of using Google Trends for real-time monitoring of infectious disease outbreaks. We evaluated the correlation between Google Trends searches and clinical case data using the Pearson correlation coefficient and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient across 30 European countries and Japan. The results revealed that Google Trends was most suitable for monitoring acute disease outbreaks at the regional level in high-income countries, even when there are only a few weekly cases. For example, from 2017 to 2019, the Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.86 (p-value< 0.05) at the prefecture level for Okinawa, Japan, versus 0.33 (p-value< 0.05) at the national level for Japan. Furthermore, we found that the Pearson correlation coefficient may be more suitable than Spearman's rank correlation coefficient for evaluating the correlations between Google Trends search data and clinical case data. This study highlighted the potential of utilizing Google Trends as a valuable tool for timely public health interventions to respond to infectious disease outbreaks, even in the context of diseases with high vaccine coverage.

Magnetocardiography-based coronary artery disease severity assessment and localization using spatiotemporal features.

Objective.This study aimed to develop an automatic and accurate method for severity assessment and localization of coronary artery disease (CAD) based on an optically pumped magnetometer magnetocardiography (MCG) system.Approach.We proposed spatiotemporal features based on the MCG one-dimensional signals, including amplitude, correlation, local binary pattern, and shape features. To estimate the severity of CAD, we classified the stenosis as absence or mild, moderate, or severe cases and extracted a subset of features suitable for assessment. To localize CAD, we classified CAD groups according to the location of the stenosis, including the left anterior descending artery (LAD), left circumflex artery (LCX), and right coronary artery (RCA), and separately extracted a subset of features suitable for determining the three CAD locations.Main results.For CAD severity assessment, a support vector machine (SVM) achieved the best result, with an accuracy of 75.1%, precision of 73.9%, sensitivity of 67.0%, specificity of 88.8%, F1-score of 69.8%, and area under the curve of 0.876. The highest accuracy and corresponding model for determining locations LAD, LCX, and RCA were 94.3% for the SVM, 84.4% for a discriminant analysis model, and 84.9% for the discriminant analysis model.Significance. The developed method enables the implementation of an automated system for severity assessment and localization of CAD. The amplitude and correlation features were key factors for severity assessment and localization. The proposed machine learning method can provide clinicians with an automatic and accurate diagnostic tool for interpreting MCG data related to CAD, possibly promoting clinical acceptance.

Quantitative assessment of inframammary fold in Asians: an MRI study.

Background: The inframammary fold (IMF) is a critical structure affecting the aesthetics of the breast, yet the anatomy and location of the IMF remain controversial. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the thickness and location of IMF utilizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: The MRI images of 240 breasts from 120 Asian women were analyzed. The quantitative measurements consisted of breast width, breast projection, nipple to inframammary fold, breast volume, IMF tissue thickness, and IMF position. The IMF position was evaluated by referring to the ribs, as well as measuring the distance between IMF and the inferior of the fifth rib. Results: The mean values of central thickness, medial thickness, and lateral thickness were 1.50±0.59, 1.46±0.60, and 1.76±1.04 cm, respectively. IMF central thickness demonstrated a moderate positive correlation with breast projection (r=0.559, P<0.001) and breast volume (r=0.523, P<0.001). The proportions of IMF located at the fourth intercostal, the fifth rib, the fifth intercostal, the sixth rib and the sixth intercostal were 5.8%, 29.2%, 43.3%, 20.4% and 1.3%, respectively. The average distance between IMF and the inferior of the fifth rib was 0.69±1.40 cm. 60.0% of women had near-symmetrical IMF, while 17.5% had left higher IMF and 22.5% had right higher IMF. Conclusions: This study used MRI to quantitatively assess the anatomy of IMF. The detailed knowledge of IMF would facilitate the ideal aesthetic outcome of mammaplasty.

Evaluation of agricultural and rural pollution under environmental measures in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, China.

In this study, material flow and spatial analysis methods were used to evaluate and predict the spatial-temporal pattern evolution of agricultural and rural nitrogen (N) flow in the Yangtze River Economic Belt in China from 1949 to 2050 and to analyze agricultural and rural pollution control by environmental measures. The results showed that since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the crop harvest in the Yangtze River Economic Belt has shown an overall upward trend, and the increase in the period from 1979 to 1997 was the fastest, with an average annual increase rate of 3.8%. Since the reform and opening up, N loss (storage) increased from 50.97 × 108 kgN in 1978 to 140.15 × 108 kgN in 2014, a 2.75-fold increase. In 2015, China began to implement measures to prevent and control agricultural and rural pollution, and N loss (storage) decreased yearly. In 2019, the N loss (storage) decreased by 18.22% compared with that in 2015, but it was still high. Each year, 113.44 × 108 kgN was still lost to the atmosphere, water and soil, which was 1.53 times the amount of N harvested with crops. The N loss rate was as high as 60%. Before 2014, N discharge into surface water from agricultural and rural areas in the Yangtze River Economic Belt increased annually, especially after 1978, with an average growth rate of 4.76%, leading to severe nonpoint source pollution. With the implementation of the pollution control policy, the N lost to surface water began to show a downward trend in 2015, but it was still 2.17 times higher than the environmental risk threshold in 2019. According to the prediction, under the scenarios of the business-as-usual, fertilizer reduction, engineering and rural improvement patterns, the N emissions from the system to surface water in 2050 are expected to be reduced by 25.76%, 45.5%, 30% and 30%, respectively, compared with those in 2019, but will still be higher than the environmental risk threshold. Under the integrated pattern, the N emissions to surface water are reduced to 4.32 × 108 kgN in 2050, which is lower than the environmental risk threshold and can achieve the goal of nonpoint source pollution control. A single environmental measure cannot effectively control nonpoint source pollution. It is necessary to promote an integrated pattern to achieve green and sustainable development of agriculture in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

Global, regional and national burden of orofacial clefts from 1990 to 2019: an analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

BACKGROUND: Orofacial clefts are the most common congenital malformation, but the global burden and trends of orofacial clefts have not been comprehensively analysed. The aim of this study was to assess the global incidence, deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of orofacial clefts by countries, regions, sex and sociodemographic index (SDI) from 1990 to 2019. METHODS: The data on orofacial clefts were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. The incidence, deaths and DALYs were analysed by countries, regions, sex and SDI. Age-standardized rates and estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) were calculated to evaluate the burden and temporal trend of orofacial clefts. The association between EAPC and the human development index was assessed. RESULTS: Globally, the incidence, deaths and DALYs of orofacial clefts decreased from 1990 to 2019. The high SDI region showed the biggest downward trend in incidence rate from 1990 to 2019, along with the lowest age-standardized death rate and DALY rate. Some countries, such as Suriname and Zimbabwe, experienced increased death rate and DALY rate over time. The age-standardized death rate and DALY rate were negatively associated with the level of socioeconomic development. CONCLUSION: Global achievement is evident in the control of the burden of orofacial clefts. The future focus of prevention should be on low-income countries, such as South Asia and Africa, by increasing healthcare resources and improving quality.KEY MESSAGESThis is the most recent estimate of the global epidemiology of orofacial clefts, with some countries not previously assessed.The global burden of orofacial clefts showed downward trends from 1990 to 2019; however, some low-income countries are still suffering from increasing burdens.Effective measures should be taken to reduce the burden of orofacial clefts in the uncontrolled regions.

Spatiotemporal evolution of nutrients and the influencing factors in Laizhou Bay over the past 40 years.

The nutrient status in Laizhou Bay has changed in composition and structure as a result of anthropogenic activities and climate change, which has led to several environmental problems (e.g., eutrophication, organic pollution and red tides). To better understand the spatiotemporal variations in dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP), and eutrophication in the Laizhou Bay, we collected historical research data and conducted four cruises in 2021. The highest surface DIN was found to occur in autumn and predominantly concentrated in the southwestern bay. The highest surface DIP content was found in winter and distributed in the northwestern bay. Surface organic pollution showed estuaries as the most polluted areas. In the past 40-60 years, the DIN, DIP, and eutrophication have shown an inverted U-shaped trend, and the bay has changed from N limitation to P limitation. Economic development, phytoplankton absorption, and bottom mineral release are factors influencing the content and distribution of nutrient in the bay.

Demand sensing and digital tracking for maternal child health (MCH) in Uganda: a pilot study for 'E+TRA health'.

BACKGROUND: Thirteen essential maternal child health (MCH) commodities, identified by the UN Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children, could save the lives of more than 6 million women and children in Low-and-Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) if made available at the point of care. To reduce stockout of those commodities and improve the health supply chains in LMICs, the Electronic TRAcking system for healthcare commodities (E+TRA Health), an all-in-one out-of-box solution, was developed to track and manage medical commodities at lower-level health facilities in rural areas. It aims to support real-time monitoring and decision-making to (1) reduce the time needed to prepare orders, (2) reduce stockout and overstock cases of targeted medical supplies, (3) help improve patient outcomes. In this study, we adopted an integrated approach to analyze the process of information flow, identify and address critical paths of essential supplies associated with maternal health in the Ugandan health system. METHODS: We apply system engineering principles and work with community partners in hospitals to develop care process workflow charts (based on essential services) for the lifecycle of maternal health continuum of care. Based on this chart, we develop a cloud-based offline-compatible smart sync platform named "E+TRA Health" to triangulate (1) patient admission, diagnoses, delivery information, testing reports from laboratories, (2) inventory information from main store, stores in MCH unit, and (3) lab, to identify the critical list of medical and laboratory supplies, their lead times for procurement and then generate reports and suggested procurement plans for real time decision-making. RESULTS: The E+TRA Health platform was piloted in two Healthcare Center IV facilities in Uganda over a period of 6 months. The system collected more than 5000 patient records and managed more than 500 types of medicines. The pilot study demonstrated the functionalities of E+TRA Health and its feasibility to sense demand from point of care. CONCLUSION: E+TRA Health is the first to triangulate supply and demand data from three different departments (main store, lab, and MCH) to forecast and generate orders automatically to meet patient demands. It is capable of generating reports required by Ministry of Health in real time compared to one-week lead-time using paper-based systems. This prompts frontline stakeholders to generate efficient, reliable and sustainable strategic healthcare plans with real time data. This system improves patient outcomes through better commodity availability by sensing true patient demands.

Is the Discount Really Favorable? The Effect of Numeracy on Price Magnitude Judgment: Evidence From Electroencephalography.

Attractive price promotion will induce an unreasonable willingness to purchase, especially through shopping. However, it is not clear how numeracy, one of the essential abilities for understanding and applying numbers, influences the process of purchase judgment. In total, 61 participants were recruited to perform a price promotion task using electroencephalography. The results showed that consumers with low numeracy performed worse than their peers with high numeracy at the behavioral level, and they also had lower P3b amplitude and less alpha desynchronization, regardless of price promotion frameworks. These findings provided evidence on the processing of price information and provided further insights into how numeracy impacts price magnitude judgment.

Development of a risk assessment scale for perinatal venous thromboembolism in Chinese women using a Delphi-AHP approach.

BACKGROUND: The treatment and prevention of perinatal venous thromboembolism (VTE) are challenging because of the potential for both fetal and maternal complications. METHODS: This study developed a rapid assessment scale for VTE and evaluate its validity based on Delphi-AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) method in China. The research was conducted by literature retrieval and two rounds of Delphi expert consultation. The item pools of the scale were developed and a questionnaire was designed according to literature retrieval published between 2010 and 2020. A survey was conducted among experts from 25 level A hospitals in China, and data of experts' opinions were collected and analyzed by the Delphi method. RESULTS: A perinatal VTE risk assessment scale was formed, including 5 first-level items, 20 s-level items and 40 third-level items. The response rates in the two rounds of expert consultation were 97.4% and 98.0%, and the authoritative coefficients were 0.89 and 0.92. The coefficients of variation ranged from 0.04 to 0.28. CONCLUSIONS: The scale is significantly valid and reliable with a high authority and coordination degree, and it can be used to assess the risk of perinatal VTE and initiate appropriate thrombophylactic interventions in China.

Financial Development and Health Outcomes: Do Financial Globalization Matter in Selected Asian Economies?

The importance of health is well documented in the development economics literature because of its increasing effects on economic growth in the long-run. Financial development and financial globalization are essential resources for health. This study examines the role of financial development and financial globalization in the rapid rise of life expectancy in China, India, and Japan by using the annual data covering the period of 1991-2019. The ARDL bounds testing approach confirm the long-run relationship between financial development, financial globalization, and life expectancy in the presence of GDP, health expenditure, and the internet. The long-run findings indicate that financial development positively affects life expectancy by 0.599% in China. The novel findings also indicate that financial globalization positively affects life expectancy by 1.247% in Japan and 1.121% in India. Our findings offer new empirical insights to policymakers crucial to improving life expectancy in China, India, and Japan.

The pneumonia severity index: Assessment and comparison to popular machine learning classifiers.

INTRODUCTION: Pneumonia is the top communicable cause of death worldwide. Accurate prognostication of patient severity with Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) allows better patient care and hospital management. The Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) was developed in 1997 as a tool to guide clinical practice by stratifying the severity of patients with CAP. While the PSI has been evaluated against other clinical stratification tools, it has not been evaluated against multiple classic machine learning classifiers in various metrics over large sample size. METHODS: In this paper, we evaluated and compared the prediction performance of nine classic machine learning classifiers with PSI over 34,720 adult (age 18+) patient records collected from 749 hospitals from 2009 to 2018 in the United States on Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Area Under the Curve (AUC) and Average Precision (Precision-Recall AUC). RESULTS: Machine learning classifiers, such as Random Forest, provided a statistically highly(p < 0.001) significant improvement (∼33% in PR AUC and ∼6% in ROC AUC) compared to PSI and required only 7 input values (compared to 20 parameters used in PSI). DISCUSSION: Because of its ease of use, PSI remains a very strong clinical decision tool, but machine learning classifiers can provide better prediction accuracy performance. Comparing prediction performance across multiple metrics such as PR AUC, instead of ROC AUC alone can provide additional insight.

The feasibility of 18F-FDG gated positron emission tomography (PET) for left ventricular dyssynchrony assessment in comparison with 99mTc-MIBI gated single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) among patients with prior myocardial infarction.

Background: Phase analysis by 99mTc-MIBI gated single-photon emission computed tomography (GSPECT) has been considered to be an adequate method in the validation of left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony. Compared with GSPECT, prior myocardial infarction patients with myocardial perfusion defects but myocardial viability usually show preserved uptake of 18F-FDG, and extensive myocardium is detected by 18F-FDG gated positron emission tomography (GPET). Thus, theoretically, it should be more accurate. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of GPET for LV dyssynchrony assessment in comparison with GSPECT among infarction patients. Methods: A total of 146 patients with infarction underwent 2 consecutive days of GSPECT and GPET examinations. Quantitative gated SPECT-derived LV phase analysis was applied to GPET and GSPECT data to assess the presence of LV dyssynchrony via histogram bandwidth (BW) and phase standard deviation (SD). The correlation and agreement of BW and SD between GSPECT and GPET were examined. Factors (i.e., total perfusion defect, scar and mismatch) related to the discrepancies of LV dyssynchrony (i.e., BW and SD) in GPET and GSPECT were assessed by univariate and multivariate regression analysis. Results: A moderate correlation between GPET and GSPECT was found in the measurements of BW (r=0.554) and SD (r=0.537). Bland-Altman analysis revealed that GPET overestimated both BW and SD (20.5° and 9.5°, respectively). In addition, the BW and SD measured by GPET were still overestimated after subgroup analysis. Between GPET and GSPECT, multivariate regression analysis revealed that total perfusion defects were related to the difference in BW measurement (P<0.001), and mismatch was associated with the difference in SD measurement (P<0.01). Conclusions: In patients with infarction, GPET moderately correlated with GSPECT in assessing LV dyssynchrony. GPET overestimated both BW and SD, so these analyses should not be interchangeable in individual patients.

Fractionation, source, and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in cropland soils across a 100-year reclamation chronosequence in an estuary, South China.

Coastal reclamation for cropland has led to the accumulation of heavy metals in soils, bringing about pervasive and severe risks for environment and human health. However, less is known about the influence of long-term reclamation on heavy metals risk, mobility and bioavailability in cropland soil. In this study, we determined six heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb) and their fractionations in soils from five croplands across a 100-year reclamation chronosequence in the Pearl River estuary. Results showed that across five reclaimed soils, Cd posed seriously ecological risk and bioavailability according to assessments based on both total contents (single-metal pollution index: Cd > Cu > Zn > Ni > Cr > Pb) and fractionations (risk assessment code: Cd > Zn > Cu > Ni > Pb > Cr). Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb posed slightly to moderately ecological risks, and were mainly bound to residual (73.70%) and reducible (15.86%) fractions with lower mobility and bioavailability. With the highest risks level, mobility, toxicity and bioavailability (5.67% exchangeable and 11.75% carbonate fractions bound), Cd was identified as the main pollution factor in study area. Principal component analysis and Pearson's correlation analysis revealed that anthropogenic reclamation activities (including phosphate fertilizers, pesticides and sewage irrigation) were the major sources of these heavy metals. Long-term reclamation activities induced the increases of soil organic matter, clay contents, total concentrations and non-residual fractions of heavy metals by 46.14%, 538.98%, 42.87% and 219.78%, respectively, demonstrating significant promotions in level and mobility of heavy metals due to longer-term agricultural activities, higher soil clay and organic matter content.

Assessment of respiratory support decision and the outcome of invasive mechanical ventilation in severe COVID-19 with ARDS.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing pandemic. Invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) is essential for the management of COVID-19 with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We aimed to assess the impact of compliance with a respiratory decision support system on the outcomes of patients with COVID-19-associated ARDS who required IMV. Methods: In this retrospective, single-center, case series study, patients with COVID-19-associated ARDS who required IMV at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, China, from January 8th, 2020, to March 24th, 2020, with the final follow-up date of April 20th, 2020, were included. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, imaging, and management information were collected and analyzed. Compliance with the respiratory support decision system was documented, and its relationship with 28-day mortality was evaluated. Results: The study included 46 COVID-19-associated ARDS patients who required IMV. The median age of the 46 patients was 68.5 years, and 31 were men. The partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2)/fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) ratio at intensive care unit (ICU) admission was 104 mmHg. The median total length of IMV was 12.0 (interquartile range [IQR]: 6.0-27.3) days, and the median respiratory support decision score was 11.0 (IQR: 7.8-16.0). To 28 days after ICU admission, 18 (39.1%) patients died. Survivors had a significantly higher respiratory support decision score than non-survivors (15.0 [10.3-17.0] vs. 8.5 (6.0-10.3), P = 0.001). Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to assess the discrimination of respiratory support decision score to 28-day mortality, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.796 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.657-0.934, P = 0.001) and the cut-off was 11.5 (sensitivity = 0.679, specificity = 0.889). Patients with a higher score (>11.5) were more likely to survive at 28 days after ICU admission (log-rank test, P < 0.001). Conclusions: For severe COVID-19-associated ARDS with IMV, following the respiratory support decision and assessing completion would improve the progress of ventilation. With a decision score of >11.5, the mortality at 28 days after ICU admission showed an obvious decrease.

Network-Based Driving Force of National Economic Development: A Social Capital Perspective.

Network science has been widely applied in theoretical and empirical studies of global value chain (GVC), and many related articles have emerged, forming many more mature and complete analytical frameworks. Among them, the GVC accounting method based on complex network theory is different from the mainstream economics in both research angle and content. In this paper, we build up global industrial value chain network (GIVCN) models based on World Input-Output Database, introduce the theoretical framework of Social Capital, and define the network-based indicators with economic meanings. Second, we follow the econometric framework to analyze the hypothesis and test whether it is true. Finally, we study how the three types of capital constituted by these indicators interact with each other, and discuss their impact on the social capital (economic development level, i.e., GDP). The results prove that the structural capital (industrial status) has a positive impact on the social capital; the relational capital (industrial correlation) has a positive impact on both social capital and structural capital; the cognitive capital (industrial structure) has a small impact on the social capital, structural capital, and relational capital.

CTPA pulmonary artery distensibility in assessment of severity of acute pulmonary embolism and right ventricular function.

ABSTRACT: To investigate the characteristics of pulmonary artery distensibility (PAD) in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE) and to assess the correlation of PAD with APE severity and right ventricular function. A total of 33 patients who underwent retrospective electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) with a definite diagnosis of APE were included in the study. According to APE severity, the patients were divided into severe (SPE) and non-severe (NSPE) groups. Data from a control group without APE matching the basic demographics of the APE patients were collected. Pulmonary artery distensibility (PAD) and right ventricular function parameters were compared among the 3 groups, their relationships were investigated, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the above parameters for the diagnosis of APE severity. The PAD values of the control, NSPE, and SPE groups were (7.877 ±â€Š2.637) × 10-3 mm/Hg, (6.050 ±â€Š2.011) × 10-3 mm/Hg, (4.321 ±â€Š1.717) × 10-3 mm/Hg, respectively (P < .01). There were statistically significant differences in right ventricular function parameters among the 3 groups (P < .05). The correlation analysis between PAD and right ventricular function parameters showed a weak negative correlation (r = -0.281--0.392). The area under the ROC curve of PAD was 0.743, the critical value was 4.200, and the sensitivity and specificity were 62.5% and 94.1%, respectively. The PAD obtained by retrospective ECG-gated CTPA could accurately evaluate APE severity and right ventricular function. As the severity of APE increases, PAD decreases, which is helpful to identify patients at high risk of APE.

The effects of social comparison and depressive mood on adolescent social decision-making.

BACKGROUND: Based on social comparison theory, two experiments were conducted to explore the effects of depression and social comparison on adolescents, using the ultimatum game (UG). METHODS: Before the formal experiment began, a preliminary experiment tested the effectiveness of social comparison settings. This study used the UG paradigm to explore adolescents' social decision-making in the context of gain and loss through two experiments. These experiments were designed as a 2 (group: depressive mood group, normal mood group) × 2 (social comparison: upward, downward) × 3 (fairness level: fair 5:5, unfair 3:7, extremely unfair 1:9) three-factor hybrid study. RESULTS: (1) The fairer the proposal was, the higher the sense of fairness participants felt, and the higher their acceptance rate. (2) The acceptance rate of the participants for downward social comparison was significantly higher than that for upward social comparison, but there was no difference in fairness perception between the two social comparisons. (3) Under the context of gain, the acceptance rate of the depressive mood group was higher than that of the normal mood group, but there was no difference in the acceptance rate between the depressive mood group and the normal mood group under the loss context. Depressive mood participants had more feelings of unfairness in the contexts of both gain and loss. (4) The effects of depressive mood, social comparison and the fairness level of distribution on social decision-making interact. CONCLUSIONS: The interaction of social comparison, depressive mood and proposal type demonstrates that besides one's emotion, cognitive biases and social factors can also have an effect on social decision-making. These findings indicate that behavioral decision boosting may provide an avenue for appropriate interventions in helping to guide adolescents to make social decisions.

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microspectroscopy: an emerging technique for non-invasive optical assessment of a local bio-nano-environment.

Raman spectroscopy provides a non-invasive, chemically-specific optical imaging of biological objects without relying on endogenous labels. Nonlinear Raman spectroscopy allows non-invasive imaging at much faster speed with an improved spatial resolution and axial sectioning capability. In this report we propose a novel use of nonlinear Raman spectroscopy as a sensor of local nano-environment. Time-resolved coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectrograms are found to be sensitive to small variations of local structural changes, which are not normally observed using conventional Raman spectroscopy.

KIBRA and APOE Gene Variants Affect Brain Functional Network Connectivity in Healthy Older People.

Genetic factors play a critical role in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Kidney and brain expressed protein (KIBRA) and apolipoprotein E (APOE) are involved in episodic memory performance and AD. However, the interactions between KIBRA and APOE on brain functional network connectivity (FNC) remain unknown in healthy older people. Using independent component analysis, we systematically investigated additive and epistatic interactions of KIBRA rs1707045 and APOE on FNC in 170 healthy older Chinese people of Han ethnicity. We found significant additive KIBRA-APOE interactions on brain FNC in the right medial prefrontal cortex, the posterior cingulate cortex in the default-mode network, and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex in the salience network. We also found significant epistatic KIBRA-APOE interactions on brain FNC in the left superior frontal gyrus and left angular gyrus in default-mode network. No significant KIBRA-APOE interactions were detected in other brain resting-state networks. These findings suggest that healthy older people have additive and epistatic interactions of KIBRA and APOE gene variants, which modulate brain FNC and may partly elucidate their association with episodic memory performance and AD.