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360° images, with a field-of-view (FoV) of $180^{\circ}\times 360^{\circ}$, provide immersive and realistic environments for emerging virtual reality (VR) applications, such as virtual tourism, where users desire to create diverse panoramic scenes from a narrow FoV photo they take from a viewpoint via portable devices. It thus brings us to a technical challenge: 'How to allow the users to freely create diverse and immersive virtual scenes from a narrow FoV image with a specified viewport?' To this end, we propose a transformer-based 360° image outpainting framework called Dream360, which can generate diverse, high-fidelity, and high-resolution panoramas from user-selected viewports, considering the spherical properties of 360° images. Compared with existing methods, e.g., [3], which primarily focus on inputs with rectangular masks and central locations while overlooking the spherical property of 360° images, our Dream360 offers higher outpainting flexibility and fidelity based on the spherical representation. Dream360 comprises two key learning stages: (I) codebook-based panorama outpainting via Spherical-VQGAN (S-VQGAN), and (II) frequency-aware refinement with a novel frequency-aware consistency loss. Specifically, S-VQGAN learns a sphere-specific codebook from spherical harmonic (SH) values, providing a better representation of spherical data distribution for scene modeling. The frequency-aware refinement matches the resolution and further improves the semantic consistency and visual fidelity of the generated results. Our Dream360 achieves significantly lower Frechet Inception Distance (FID) scores and better visual fidelity than existing methods. We also conducted a user study involving 15 participants to interactively evaluate the quality of the generated results in VR, demonstrating the flexibility and superiority of our Dream360 framework.
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AIM To explore the effect of Heidihuang Pills on renal fibrosis in a rat model of chronic renal failure(CRF)and its mechanism.METHODS Wistar rats were randomly divided into the blank group for normal feeding and the model group for the establishment of CRF rat models by 5/6 nephrectomy.Subsequently,the successfully established rat models were randomly divided into the model group,the Heidihuang Pills group(10.43 g/kg),and the Heidihuang Pills+IGF-1R blocker(JB1)group for a regimen of 7-day subcutaneous injection of 18 μg/kg JB1 followed by gavage of 10.43 g/kg Heidihuang Pills.Eight weeks after the administration,the rats had their serum levels of Scr and BUN detected;their pathological changes of renal tissue observed by HE and Masson staining;their renal protein expressions of TGF-β,HIF-1α and α-SMA detected by immunohistochemistry;their renal protein expressions of IGF-1R and TGF-β detected by Western blot;and their renal mRNA expressions of IGF-1R and TGF-β detected by RT-qPCR.RESULTS Compared with the blank group,the model group displayed increased serum levels of Scr and BUN(P<0.05);increased,degree of renal fibrosis,and renal fibrosis area(P<0.05);increased renal expressions of TGF-β,HIF-1α,α-SMA proteins and TGF-β mRNA(P<0.05);and decreased expressions of IGF-1R mRNA and protein(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the Heidihuang Pills group displayed decreased serum Scr and BUN levels(P<0.05);decreased inflammatory cells in renal interstitium and the fibrosis degree(P<0.05);decreased renal expressions of TGF-β,HIF-1α,α-SMA proteins and TGF-β mRNA(P<0.05);and increased expressions of IGF-1R mRNA and protein(P<0.05).However,the administration of JB1 could weaken the improvement effect of Heidihuang Pills on renal fibrosis in CRF rats(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Heidihuang Pills can inhibit the renal fibrosis in CRF rats,and the inhibition process is related to up-regulated IGF-1 expression and promoted combination of IGF-1 and IGF-1R.
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Cities play an important role in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) to promote economic growth and meet social needs. Especially satellite imagery is a potential data source for studying sustainable urban development. However, a comprehensive dataset in the United States (U.S.) covering multiple cities, multiple years, multiple scales, and multiple indicators for SDG monitoring is lacking. To support the research on SDGs in U.S. cities, we develop a satellite imagery dataset using deep learning models for five SDGs containing 25 sustainable development indicators. The proposed dataset covers the 100 most populated U.S. cities and corresponding Census Block Groups from 2014 to 2023. Specifically, we collect satellite imagery and identify objects with state-of-the-art object detection and semantic segmentation models to observe cities' bird's-eye view. We further gather population, nighttime light, survey, and built environment data to depict SDGs regarding poverty, health, education, inequality, and living environment. We anticipate the dataset to help urban policymakers and researchers to advance SDGs-related studies, especially applying satellite imagery to monitor long-term and multi-scale SDGs in cities.
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Location-Based Services (LBS) have been prosperous owing to technological advancements of smart devices. Analyzing location-based user-generated data is a helpful way to understand human mobility patterns, further fueling applications such as recommender systems and urban computing. This dataset documents user activities of location-based services through LBSLab, a smartphone-based system implemented as a mini-program in the WeChat app. The dataset contains activity data of multiple types including logins, profile viewing, weather checking, and check-ins with location information (latitude and longitude), POI and mood indicated, collected from 467 users over a period of 11 days. We also present some temporal and spatial data analysis and believe the reuse of the data will allow researchers to better understand user behaviors of LBS, human mobility, and also temporal and spatial characteristics of people's moods.
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AIM: To analyze the changes of serum homocysteine(Hcy), vitamin B12(VitB12)and folic acid in the serum of patients with diabetic retinopathy(DR), and to explore their significance in the occurrence and development of DR.METHODS: A case-control study was designed. A total of 95 patients with DR(DR group), 94 patients with diabetes mellitus(DM group)treated in endgcrinology department and 87 patients with age-related cataract(normal control group)from the ophthalmology department of Shenzhen People's Hospital between July 2021 and January 2022 were selected. Fasting venous blood was collected and serum was separated. The concentration of Hcy in serum was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), and chemiluminescence immunoassay was used to detect the concentration of VitB12 and folic acid. Pearson linear correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between Hcy and clinical parameters. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the main factors which affect Hcy level. Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was designed to analyze the diagnostic value of serum Hcy, VitB12 and folic acid in DR.RESULTS: The concentration of serum Hcy in DR group was 16.52±3.54 μmol/L, which was significantly higher than that in DM group(10.86±3.47 μmol/L)and control group(6.84±1.39 μmol/L; all P<0.05); The concentration of VitB12 in the serum of the control group was 501.79±108.95 pmol/L, which was higher than that in DM group(478.57±57.85 pmol/L)and DR group(455.88±181.49 pmol/L), but the difference was not statistically significant(P=0.054); The concentration of folic acid in serum of control group was 10.31±2.43 nmol/L, which was higher than that of DM group(9.94±1.90 nmol/L)and DR group(7.27±2.79 nmol/L), and the difference between DR group and DM group was statistically significant(P<0.05); In DR group, Hcy expression was weakly positively correlated with triglyceride and low density lipoprotein(r=0.208, P=0.043; r=0.240, P=0.019). Multivariate linear regression showed that low density lipoprotein was an important factor which affect the expression of Hcy in DR patients. ROC curve shows that Hcy has important value in the diagnosis of DR.CONCLUSIONS: Hcy, VitB12 and folic acid are differentially expressed in DR group, DM group and normal control group. Hcy may be involved in the pathogenesis of DR, and it has important value in the diagnosis of DR. In addition, low density lipoprotein is also an important factor which affects the expression of Hcy.
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OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with electroacupuncture (EA) on rehabilitation after abdominal surgery.@*METHODS@#A total of 320 patients undergoing abdominal surgery were randomly divided into a combination group (80 cases), a TEAS group (80 cases, 1 case discontinued), an EA group (80 cases, 1 case discontinued) and a control group (80 cases, 1 case discontinued). The patients in the control group received enhance recovery after surgery (ERAS) standardized perioperative management. On the basis of the treatment in the control group, the TEAS group was treated with TEAS at Liangmen (ST 21) and Daheng (SP 15); the EA group was treated with EA at Neiguan (PC 6), Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36), Shangjuxu (ST 37) and Xiajuxu (ST 39); the combination group was treated with TEAS combined with EA, with continuous wave, 2-5 Hz in frequency, and the intensity was tolerable to the patients, 30 min each time, once a day, from the first day after surgery, until the anus resumed spontaneous defecation and the oral intake of solid food was tolerated. The gastrointestinal-2 (GI-2) time, first exhaust time, first defecation time, first tolerance of oral intake of solid food time, time of first get out of bed and hospital stay were observed in all the groups; the pain visual analogue scale (VAS) score and incidence rates of nausea and vomiting 1, 2, 3 days after surgery were compared in all the groups; after treatment, the acceptability of each treatment was evaluated by patients in each group.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the control group, the GI-2 time, first exhaust time, first defecation time, first tolerance of oral intake of solid food time were shortened (P<0.05), the VAS scores 2, 3 days after surgery were decreased (P<0.05) in the combination group, the TEAS group and the EA group; those in the combination group were shorter and lower than the TEAS group and the EA group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the time of hospital stay in the combination group, the TEAS group and the EA group were shortened (P<0.05), and that in the combination group was shorter than the TEAS group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#TEAS combined with EA can accelerate the recovery of gastrointestinal function in patients after abdominal surgery, relieve postoperative pain, and shorten hospital stay.
Subject(s)
Humans , Electroacupuncture , Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation , Acupuncture Points , Gastrointestinal Tract , Pain, PostoperativeABSTRACT
Objective: To explore the long-term effect of combined surgery for the treatment of congenital tibial pseudarthrosis in children. Methods: The clinical data of 44 children with congenital tibial pseudarthrosis who underwent combined surgery (tibial pseudarthrosis tissue resection, intramedullary rod fixation, Ilizarov external fixator fixation, wrapped autologous iliac bone graft) from August 2007 to October 2011 at the Department of Pediatric Orthopedics, Hunan Children's Hospital were collected retrospectively. There were 33 males and 11 females. The age at the time of surgery was (3.7±2.2)years (range:0.6 to 12.4 years), including 25 cases under 3 years old and 19 cases above 3 years old.Among them, 37 cases were complicated with neurofibromatosis type 1.The operation status, postoperative complications and follow-up results were recorded. Results: The follow-up time after surgery was (10.9±0.7)years (range:10 to 11 years).Thirty-nine out of 44 patients (88.6%) achieved initial healing of tibial pseudarthrosis, with an average healing time of (4.3±1.1)months (range:3 to 10months).In the last follow-up, 36 cases (81.8%) had unequal tibial length, 20 cases (45.4%) had refractures, 18 cases (40.9%) had ankle valgus, 9 cases (20.4%) had proximal tibial valgus, and 11 cases (25.0%) had high arched feet.Nine cases (20.4%) developed distal tibial epiphyseal plate bridging.17 cases (38.6%) had abnormal tibial mechanical axis.Seven cases (15.9%) developed needle infection, and one case (2.3%) developed tibial osteomyelitis. 21 patients (47.7%) had excessive growth of the affected femur.Five patients (11.3%) had ankle stiffness, and 34 patients (77.2%) had intramedullary rod displacement that was not in the center of the tibial medullary cavity.Among them, 8 cases (18.1%) protruded the tibial bone cortex and underwent intramedullary rod removal.18 children have reached skeletal maturity, while 26 children have not been followed up until skeletal maturity. Conclusion: Combined surgery for the treatment of congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia in children has a high initial healing rate, but complications such as unequal tibia length, refracture, and ankle valgus occur during long-term follow-up, requiring multiple surgical treatments.
Subject(s)
Male , Female , Humans , Child , Child, Preschool , Pseudarthrosis/congenital , Follow-Up Studies , Retrospective Studies , Tibia/surgery , Neurofibromatosis 1 , Tibial Fractures/surgeryABSTRACT
Objective To summarize the clinical characteristics and RNF216 gene mutation of a patient with Gordon Holmes syndrome (GHS), and to improve the understanding of the genetic and clinica characteristics of this disease through literature review. Methods We collected the clinical data of the patient with GHS, extracted the DNA from 2 mL peripheral venous blood of the patient and his parents for whole exome gene detection, and then we analyzed the clinical and genetic characteristics of all previously reported patients with RNF216 gene mutation. Results The young male patient was short in stature at sixyearsold and was diagnosed growth hormone deficiency.He had no secondary sexual characteristics by the age of 15 and was diagnosed hypogonadal hypogonadism.After the age of 22, he gradually developed abnormal gait and had progressive decline in speech, motor, and cognitive functions.Whole exome sequencing revealed a homozygous, nonsense mutation c.1549C>T (p.R517*) in the RNF216 gene.His parents were consanguineous and were heterozygous carriers of the mutations with phenotypic normality.Combined with literature review and this case report results showed that a total of 21 patients of the disease in the world and among them 15 had pathogenic variants of RNF216 gene mutation.7 of the 15 had truncated mutations, 5 had missense mutations, and 1 synonym mutation, 1 splice mutation, and 1 deletion mutation respectively.RNF216 gene mutation can be seen in neurodegenerative diseases with multiple overlapping symptoms of GHS, Huntington-like disease, and 4H syndrome.The main clinical manifestations are hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and early-onset progressive neurological dysfunction in adolescence or early adulthood.The median age of onset of neurological symptoms is 28 years old, featuring cerebellar ataxia, dysarthria, and cognitive impairment, as well as imaging manifestations of extensive white matter lesions and cerebellar atrophy. Conclusions The mutation of RNF216 gene can cause GHS.Genetic testing is helpful to the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases.
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Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics and genotype of a patient with congenital systemic lip-odystrophy(CGL)type 1 associated with exudative xanthoma caused by AGPAT2 gene mutation,and to provide ev-idence for clinical and genetic diagnosis of the disease.Methods Clinical data of the patient such as medical histo-ry,physical examination and laboratory examination were collected.Peripheral venous blood was collected for whole exome sequencing analysis and Sanger sequencing verification,and treatment was provided to patients according to the changes of condition.Results The clinical manifestations of the patient were subcutaneous fat reduction,fatty liver,spleen enlargement,kidney enlargement,high blood sugar and lipids,severe insulin resistance,scattered yellow rash on limbs,which was confirmed as xanthoma.The results of whole exon sequencing showed that the AGPAT2 gene of the patient had a heterozygous nonsense mutation of c.202C>T:p.R68?and c.646A>T:p.K216?,and the former was the pathogenic mutation site.Follow-up therapy covers improvement of lifestyle,low-fat diet and regular exercise.The rashes subsided after active lipid-lowering therapy.Conclusions Apart from typical lipody-strophy,the patient was accompanied by exanthemous xanthoma.No CGL1 patient with exanthemous xanthoma has been reported in the domestic literature database up to now,and the genetic test results showed that there was a c.202C>T heterozygous mutation of AGPAT2 gene.This gene site has not been reported in the literature,and its functional verification needs to be further studied.
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Objective:To investigate the characteristics of wideband acoustic immittance(WAI) measurements in patients with unilateral Ménière's disease(MD) and evaluate the clinical value of WAI in diagnosis of MD. Methods:WAI was performed in 30 patients with unilateral MD(30 ears for symptomatic and 30 ears for asymptomatic) and in 26 healthy individuals(52 ears)(control group). The WAI measurements, including the frequency first appearing two peaks in energy absorbance(EA) tympanogram, resonance frequency(RF), the peak value of absorbance(PVA), the integral area of absorbance(IAA), EA curve at peak pressure, were analyzed. Results:①The occurrence of two peaks in EA tympanogram in both the MD symptomatic and asymptomatic ear was observed in 27 ears(84.4%), and 38 ears(70.4%) in the control group, with no significant difference in the frequency of first appearing in two peaks onset between the groups(all P>0.05). ②The RF of the MD symptomatic ears was significantly lower than that of the asymptomatic ears(t=-3.544, P=0.001) and that of the control subjects(t=2.084, P=0.041); there was no difference of RF between the MD asymptomatic ears and the control group(P>0.05). ③The PVA were significantly lower in both MD symptomatic(t=4.240, P<0.01) and asymptomatic ears(t=4.202, P=0.001) than in controls. ④The IAA in MD symptomatic(t=3.295, P=0.001) and asymptomatic ears(t=3.193, P=0.003) was significantly lower than in the control group. ⑤Comparison of the EA curve at peak pressure of the three groups: the EAs of MD symptomatic ears were lower than those of the control group at the range of 1 059-2 911 Hz(all P<0.05); the EAs of MD symptomatic ears were lower than those of MD asymptomatic ears within 1 000 Hz and 1 834-2 119 Hz(all P<0.05); the EAs of MD asymptomatic ears were lower than those of the control group at the range of 515-2 748 Hz(all P<0.05). Conclusion:Symptomatic ears in unilateral MD patients show alterations in some WAI measurements compared to asymptomatic ears and/or controls, suggesting that middle ear mechanical fuction of the affected side may be modified due to the endolymphatic hydrops. The clinical significance of WAI needs to be further explored in the context of evaluating MD.
Subject(s)
Humans , Meniere Disease/diagnosis , Endolymphatic Hydrops/diagnosis , Ear , Hearing Tests , AcousticsABSTRACT
Tris(4,7'-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline) ruthenium (II) dichloride [Ru(dpp)32+] was used for the first time to construct a regenerable electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensor. The Ru(dpp)32+-modified carbon paste electrode (CPE) showed several unique features in comparison with commonly studied Ru(bpy)32+-modified electrodes. On the one hand, a quite reversible reduction peak was observed at -0.96 V where no obvious hydrogen evolution occured, enabling the sensitive detection of S2O82-. Moreover, our proposed S2O82- sensor showed a good linear range from 3 × 10-9 to 3 × 10-4 M with a detection limit of 2 nM, indicating higher sensitivity for the same analyte than previously reported ECL methods by about two orders of magnitude. On the other hand, the Ru(dpp)32+-modified electrode showed an irreversible oxidation peak because electrogenerated Ru(dpp)33+ is very reactive in aqueous solutions, while Ru(bpy)32+-modified electrode showed a reversible oxidation peak. Moreover, the present sensor showed a good linear range from 10-7 M to 10-3 M for oxalate with a detection limit of 60 nM. It detected oxalate in urine samples with nice recoveries. The regenerable ECL sensor presented good characteristics, such as low cost, simple fabrication procedure and fast response time. The Ru(dpp)32+ based regenerable sensor is an attractive alternative to Ru(bpy)32+-based regenerable sensor, as it can be used for both anodic and cathodic ECL analysis with high sensitivity in aqueous media.
Subject(s)
Ruthenium , Luminescent Measurements/methods , Electrodes , OxalatesABSTRACT
Objective:The decline in nutritional status in patients with severe pneumonia may contribute to an increase in in-hospital mortality. Enteral nutrition support can improve the nutritional status of patients, and is relatively easy to manage, with low cost and fewer serious complications. On the other hand, adverse reactions such as gastric retention and gastric microbiota translocation may increase the incidence of nosocomial pneumonia and increase the uncertainty of patient prognosis. There is no predictive model for in-hospital death in severe pneumonia patients receiving enteral nutrition support. The objective of this study was to investigate the risk factors of in-hospital death in patients with severe pneumonia receiving enteral nutrition support and to establish a prognostic model for such patients.Methods:This was a single-center retrospective study. Patients with severe pneumonia who were hospitalized in Peking Union Medical College Hospital and received enteral nutrition support were included from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2020. The primary endpoints were in-hospital mortality rate and unordered discharge rate. The independent risk factors were determined using univariate and multifactorial logistic regression analysis, the nomogram scoring model was constructed, and the decision curve analysis (DCA) was performed.Results:A total of 632 severe pneumonia patients who received enteral nutrition support were included. Patients were divided into death and survival groups according to the presence or absence of in-hospital death, and 24 parameters were found with significant differences between groups. Nine parameters were independent predictors of mortality, namely the duration of ventilator use, the presence of malignant hyperplasia diseases, the maximal levels of platelet and prothrombin during hospitalization, and the nadir levels of alanine aminotransferase, serum albumin, sodium, potassium, and blood glucose. Based on these variables, a risk prediction scoring model was established (ROC = 0.782; 95% CI: 0.744 to 0.819, concordance index: 0.772). Calibration curves, DCA, and clinical impact curve were plotted to evaluate the goodness of function, accuracy, and applicability of the predictive nomogram, using the training and test sets. Conclusion:This study summarized the clinical characteristics of patients with severe pneumonia receiving enteral nutrition support and developed a scoring model to identify risk factors and establish prognostic models.
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Turner syndrome is a disease resulted from the complete or partial loss of an X chromosome, and the typical karyotype is 45, X. Patients with Turner syndrome are susceptible to many medical problems, including short stature, congenital agenesis of ovaries and cognitive function impairment. More specifically, recent studies reported that these patients’ brain structure and brain function are different with normal people, especially in the occipital area, the amygdala, the prefrontal cortex and temporal lobe.And they also show a particular pattern of cognitive impairment(including visuospatial ability, abstract reasoning and excutive function) and social impairment and an increased risk of specific neurodevelopmental disorders. Additionally, haploinsufficiency of escape genes, gonadal steroid deficiency and failure to express parentally imprinted genes may contribute to the differences in brain structure and brain function between these patients and normal people, causing cognitive and social impairment in patients with Turner syndrome. This study reviewed the alterations and biological mechanisms in brain structure, brain function and cognitive profile in patients with Turner syndrome.
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Exercise is a crucial method for preventing and controlling chronic diseases, as well as promoting the health of Chinese residents.As guidelines for residents' exercise, traditional exercise prescriptions have limitations such as copying foreign experiences, uneven quality control, and general classification of population characteristics, which affect the applicability and practicality of their application in the Chinese population.A new model of exercise prescription is put forward and named evidence-based and differentiated exercise prescription.In terms of evidence selection, only studies based on Asian populations are selected.In terms of evidence quality control, standardized quality assessment processes are required.In terms of evidence application, accurate classification of candidate populations and personalized application of evidence are achieved.Evidence-based and differentiated exercise prescription provides scientific and accurate exercise prescription guidance for Chinese residents, realizes the integration of sports and medicine, which is conducive for the prevention and control of chronic diseases and the improvement of residents' health level.
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Objective:To systematically evaluate the effect of exercise on blood pressure of middle-aged and elderly Asian populations with prehypertension and hypertension, and to provide theoretical basis for formulating accurate exercise prescriptions.Methods:Randomized controlled trials on the effect of exercise on blood pressure in middle-aged and elderly patients with prehypertension and hypertension were collected by PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI and Wanfang Database.The quality of the included studies was evaluated by the Cochrane risk bias assessment tool, and the meta-analysis was performed with Stata 15.0 software.Results:A total of 23 articles and 2 095 subjects were included.Meta analysis showed that compared with the control group, aerobic exercise(WMD=-9.94, 95% CI=-12.59--7.29, P<0.001), resistance exercise(WMD=-11.15, 95% CI=-18.36--3.95, P=0.002) and aerobic combined resistance exercise(WMD=-6.09, 95% CI=-8.87--3.31, P=0.005) could reduce the systolic blood pressure level.Aerobic exercise(WMD=-6.46, 95% CI=-8.20--4.72, P<0.001) and resistance exercise(WMD=-4.38, 95% CI=-8.07--0.69, P=0.02) could reduce the level of diastolic blood pressure, while aerobic combined resistance exercise(WMD=-4.88, 95% CI=-12.87-3.11, P=0.232)had no significant effect on diastolic blood pressure.The results of subgroup analysis indicated that the differences of age, baseline blood pressure, exercise intensity, exercise time, exercise frequency, and motion cycle were the main sources of heterogeneity.The funnel plot and Egger's test indicated that there was no publication bias in this Meta-analysis. Conclusion:Aerobic exercise and resistance exercise both have positive effects on reducing blood pressure of middle-aged and elderly Asian populations with prehypertension and hypertension.
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Cold agglutinins(CA),autoantibodies against the antigen I or i on the surface of red blood cells,are mainly of IgM class,and the majority have κ light chains.They can lead to red blood cell agglutination at decreased body temperature and are usually associated with infections,drug reactions,autoimmune diseases,and hematological malignancies.However,solid tumors with CA are rare.We reported two cases of CA in the peripheral blood of patients with solid tumors.Peripheral complete blood cell count of the patients at admission showed reduced erythrocyte count and hematocrit,mismatching between erythrocyte count and hemoglobin,abnormally elevated levels of mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean cell hemoglobin concentration.Peripheral blood smear showed erythrocyte aggregation.After the sample was preheated at 37 ℃ for 30 min,the reversibility of red blood cell aggregation was observed,and the erythrocyte parameters were corrected.
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Autoantibodies/isolation & purification , Breast Neoplasms/immunology , Ovarian Neoplasms/immunologyABSTRACT
Balancing social utility and equity in distributing limited vaccines is a critical policy concern for protecting against the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and future health emergencies. What is the nature of the trade-off between maximizing collective welfare and minimizing disparities between more and less privileged communities? To evaluate vaccination strategies, we propose an epidemic model that explicitly accounts for both demographic and mobility differences among communities and their associations with heterogeneous COVID-19 risks, then calibrate it with large-scale data. Using this model, we find that social utility and equity can be simultaneously improved when vaccine access is prioritized for the most disadvantaged communities, which holds even when such communities manifest considerable vaccine reluctance. Nevertheless, equity among distinct demographic features may conflict; for example, low-income neighbourhoods might have fewer elder citizens. We design two behaviour-and-demography-aware indices, community risk and societal risk, which capture the risks communities face and those they impose on society from not being vaccinated, to inform the design of comprehensive vaccine distribution strategies. Our study provides a framework for uniting utility and equity-based considerations in vaccine distribution and sheds light on how to balance multiple ethical values in complex settings for epidemic control.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 Vaccines , COVID-19 , Humans , Aged , Pandemics/prevention & control , COVID-19/prevention & control , Organizations , VaccinationABSTRACT
The strength of autocatalytic reactions lies in their ability to provide a powerful means of molecular amplification, which can be very useful for improving the analytical performances of a multitude of analytical and bioanalytical methods. However, one of the major difficulties in designing an efficient autocatalytic amplification system is the requirement for reactants that are both highly reactive and chemically stable in order to avoid limitations imposed by undesirable background amplifications. In the present work, we devised a reaction network based on a redox cross-catalysis principle, in which two catalytic loops activate each other. The first loop, catalyzed by H2O2, involves the oxidative deprotection of a naphthylboronate ester probe into a redox-active naphthohydroquinone, which in turn catalyzes the production of H2O2 by redox cycling in the presence of a reducing enzyme/substrate couple. We present here a set of new molecular probes with improved reactivity and stability, resulting in particularly steep sigmoidal kinetic traces and enhanced discrimination between specific and nonspecific responses. This translates into the sensitive detection of H2O2 down to a few nM in less than 10 minutes or a redox cycling compound such as the 2-amino-3-chloro-1,4-naphthoquinone down to 50 pM in less than 30 minutes. The critical reason leading to these remarkably good performances is the extended stability stemming from the double masking of the naphthohydroquinone core by two boronate groups, a counterintuitive strategy if we consider the need for two equivalents of H2O2 for full deprotection. An in-depth study of the mechanism and dynamics of this complex reaction network is conducted in order to better understand, predict and optimize its functioning. From this investigation, the time response as well as detection limit are found to be highly dependent on pH, nature of the buffer, and concentration of the reducing enzyme.
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In this paper, we present the design, implementation, and evaluation of SEAR, a collaborative framework for Scaling Experiences in multi-user Augmented Reality (AR). Most AR systems benefit from computer vision (CV) algorithms to detect, classify, or recognize physical objects for augmentation. A widely used acceleration method for mobile AR is to offload the compute-intensive tasks (e.g., CV algorithms) to the network edge. However, we show that the end-to-end latency, an important metric of mobile AR, may dramatically increase when offloading AR tasks from a large number of concurrent users to the edge. SEAR tackles this scalability issue through the innovation of a lightweight collaborative local caching scheme. Our key observation is that nearby AR users may share some common interests, and may even have overlapped views to augment (e.g., when playing a multi-user AR game). Thus, SEAR opportunistically exchanges the results of offloaded AR tasks among users when feasible and leverages compute resources on mobile devices to relieve, if necessary, the edge workload by intelligently reusing these results. We build a prototype of SEAR to demonstrate its efficacy in scaling AR experiences. We conduct extensive evaluations through both real-world experiments and trace-driven simulations. We observe that SEAR not only reduces the end-to-end latency, by up to 130×, compared to the state-of-the-art adaptive edge offloading scheme, but also achieves high object-recognition accuracy for mobile AR.