Accelerating attribute-focused process and product development through the development and deployment of autonomous process analytical technology platform system.

Enabling real-time monitoring and control of the biomanufacturing processes through product quality insights continues to be an area of focus in the biopharmaceutical industry. The goal is to manufacture products with the desired quality attributes. To realize this rigorous attribute-focused Quality by Design approach, it is critical to support the development of processes that consistently deliver high-quality products and facilitate product commercialization. Time delays associated with offline analytical testing can limit the speed of process development. Thus, developing and deploying analytical technology is necessary to accelerate process development. In this study, we have developed the micro sequential injection process analyzer and the automatic assay preparation platform system. These innovations address the unmet need for an automatic, online, real-time sample acquisition and preparation platform system for in-process monitoring, control, and release of biopharmaceuticals. These systems can also be deployed in laboratory areas as an offline analytical system and on the manufacturing floor to enable rapid testing and release of products manufactured in a good manufacturing practice environment.

Tools for assessing quality of studies investigating health interventions using real-world data: a literature review and content analysis.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to identify existing appraisal tools for non-randomised studies of interventions (NRSIs) and to compare the criteria that the tools provide at the quality-item level. DESIGN: Literature review through three approaches: systematic search of journal articles, snowballing search of reviews on appraisal tools and grey literature search on websites of health technology assessment (HTA) agencies. DATA SOURCES: Systematic search: Medline; Snowballing: starting from three articles (D'Andrea et al, Quigley et al and Faria et al); Grey literature: websites of European HTA agencies listed by the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment. Appraisal tools were searched through April 2022. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: We included a tool, if it addressed quality concerns of NRSIs and was published in English (unless from grey literature). A tool was excluded, if it was only for diagnostic, prognostic, qualitative or secondary studies. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two independent researchers searched, screened and reviewed all included studies and tools, summarised quality items and scored whether and to what extent a quality item was described by a tool, for either methodological quality or reporting. RESULTS: Forty-nine tools met inclusion criteria and were included for the content analysis. Concerns regarding the quality of NRSI were categorised into 4 domains and 26 items. The Research Triangle Institute Item Bank (RTI Item Bank) and STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) were the most comprehensive tools for methodological quality and reporting, respectively, as they addressed (n=20; 17) and sufficiently described (n=18; 13) the highest number of items. However, none of the tools covered all items. CONCLUSION: Most of the tools have their own strengths, but none of them could address all quality concerns relevant to NRSIs. Even the most comprehensive tools can be complemented by several items. We suggest decision-makers, researchers and tool developers consider the quality-item level heterogeneity, when selecting a tool or identifying a research gap. OSF REGISTRATION NUMBER: OSF registration DOI (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/KCSGX).

A literature review of quality assessment and applicability to HTA of risk prediction models of coronary heart disease in patients with diabetes.

This literature review had two objectives: to identify models for predicting the risk of coronary heart diseases in patients with diabetes (DM); and to assess model quality in terms of risk of bias (RoB) and applicability for the purpose of health technology assessment (HTA). We undertook a targeted review of journal articles published in English, Dutch, Chinese, or Spanish in 5 databases from 1st January 2016 to 18th December 2022, and searched three systematic reviews for the models published after 2012. We used PROBAST (Prediction model Risk Of Bias Assessment Tool) to assess RoB, and used findings from Betts et al. 2019, which summarized recommendations and criticisms of HTA agencies on cardiovascular risk prediction models, to assess model applicability for the purpose of HTA. As a result, 71 % and 67 % models reporting C-index showed good discrimination abilities (C-index >= 0.7). Of the 26 model studies and 30 models identified, only one model study showed low RoB in all domains, and no model was fully applicable for HTA. Since the major cause of high RoB is inappropriate use of analysis method, we advise clinicians to carefully examine the model performance declared by model developers, and to trust a model if all PROBAST domains except analysis show low RoB and at least one validation study conducted in the same setting (e.g. country) is available. Moreover, since general model applicability is not informative for HTA, novel adapted tools may need to be developed.

Mechanism of Qili Qiangxin Capsule for Heart Failure Based on miR133a-Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pharmacological mechanism of Qili Qiangxin Capsule (QLQX) improvement of heart failure (HF) based on miR133a-endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) pathway. METHODS: A left coronary artery ligation-induced HF after myocardial infarction model was used in this study. Rats were randomly assigned to the sham group, the model group, the QLQX group [0.32 g/(kg·d)], and the captopril group [2.25 mg/(kg·d)], 15 rats per group, followed by 4 weeks of medication. Cardiac function such as left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), fractional shortening (FS), left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP), the maximal rate of increase of left ventricular pressure (+dp/dt max), and the maximal rate of decrease of left ventricular pressure (-dp/dt max) were monitored by echocardiography and hemodynamics. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Masson stainings were used to visualize pathological changes in myocardial tissue. The mRNA expression of miR133a, glucose-regulated protein78 (GRP78), inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1), activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6), X-box binding protein1 (XBP1), C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and Caspase 12 were detected by RT-PCR. The protein expression of GRP78, p-IRE1/IRE1 ratio, cleaved-ATF6, XBP1-s (the spliced form of XBP1), CHOP and Caspase 12 were detected by Western blot. TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining was used to detect the rate of apoptosis. RESULTS: QLQX significantly improved cardiac function as evidenced by increased EF, FS, LVSP, +dp/dt max, -dp/dt max, and decreased LVEDP (P<0.05, P<0.01). HE staining showed that QLQX ameliorated cardiac pathologic damage to some extent. Masson staining indicated that QLQX significantly reduced collagen volume fraction in myocardial tissue (P<0.01). Results from RT-PCR and Western blot showed that QLQX significantly increased the expression of miR133a and inhibited the mRNA expressions of GRP78, IRE1, ATF6 and XBP1, as well as decreased the protein expressions of GRP78, cleaved-ATF6 and XBP1-s and decreased p-IRE1/IRE1 ratio (P<0.05, P<0.01). Further studies showed that QLQX significantly reduced the expression of CHOP and Caspase12, resulting in a significant reduction in apoptosis rate (P<0.05, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The pharmacological mechanism of QLQX in improving HF is partly attributed to its regulatory effect on the miR133a-IRE1/XBP1 pathway.

Disease severity-based subgrouping of type 2 diabetes does not parallel differences in quality of life: the Maastricht Study.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Type 2 diabetes is a highly heterogeneous disease for which new subgroups ('clusters') have been proposed based on disease severity: moderate age-related diabetes (MARD), moderate obesity-related diabetes (MOD), severe insulin-deficient diabetes (SIDD) and severe insulin-resistant diabetes (SIRD). It is unknown how disease severity is reflected in terms of quality of life in these clusters. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the cluster characteristics and cluster-wise evolution of quality of life in the previously defined clusters of type 2 diabetes. METHODS: We included individuals with type 2 diabetes from the Maastricht Study, who were allocated to clusters based on a nearest centroid approach. We used logistic regression to evaluate the cluster-wise association with diabetes-related complications. We plotted the evolution of HbA1c levels over time and used Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression to evaluate the cluster-wise time to reach adequate glycaemic control. Quality of life based on the Short Form 36 (SF-36) was also plotted over time and adjusted for age and sex using generalised estimating equations. The follow-up time was 7 years. Analyses were performed separately for people with newly diagnosed and already diagnosed type 2 diabetes. RESULTS: We included 127 newly diagnosed and 585 already diagnosed individuals. Already diagnosed people in the SIDD cluster were less likely to reach glycaemic control than people in the other clusters, with an HR compared with MARD of 0.31 (95% CI 0.22, 0.43). There were few differences in the mental component score of the SF-36 in both newly and already diagnosed individuals. In both groups, the MARD cluster had a higher physical component score of the SF-36 than the other clusters, and the MOD cluster scored similarly to the SIDD and SIRD clusters. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Disease severity suggested by the clusters of type 2 diabetes is not entirely reflected in quality of life. In particular, the MOD cluster does not appear to be moderate in terms of quality of life. Use of the suggested cluster names in practice should be carefully considered, as the non-neutral nomenclature may affect disease perception in individuals with type 2 diabetes and their healthcare providers.

Assembly and Characterization of the Mitochondrial Genome of Fallopia aubertii (L. Henry) Holub.

BACKGROUND: Fallopia aubertii (L. Henry) Holub is a perennial semi-shrub with both ornamental and medicinal value. The mitochondrial genomes of plants contain valuable genetic traits that can be utilized for the exploitation of genetic resources. The parsing of F. aubertii mitochondrial genome can provide insight into the role of mitochondria in plant growth and development, metabolism regulation, evolution, and response to environmental stress. METHODS: In this study, we sequenced the mitochondrial genome of F. aubertii using the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform and Nanopore platform. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the mitochondrial genome of F. aubertii, which involved examining various aspects such as gene composition, repetitive sequences, RNA editing sites, phylogeny, and organelle genome homology. To achieve this, we employed several bioinformatics methods including sequence alignment analysis, repetitive sequence analysis, phylogeny analysis, and more. RESULTS: The mitochondrial genome of F. aubertii has 64 genes, including 34 protein-coding genes (PCGs), three rRNAs, and 27 tRNAs. There were 77 short tandem repeat sequences detected in the mitochondrial genome, five tandem repeat sequences identified by Tandem Repeats Finder (TRF), and 50 scattered repeat sequences observed, including 22 forward repeat sequences and 28 palindrome repeat sequences. A total of 367 RNA coding sites were predicted in PCGs, with the highest number (33) found within ccmB. Ka/Ks values estimated for mitochondrial genes of F. aubertii and three closely related species representing Caryophyllales were less than 1 for most of the genes. The maximum likelihood evolutionary tree showed that F. aubertii and Nepenthes ×ventrata are most closely related. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we obtained basic information on the mitochondrial genome of F. aubertii and this study investigated repeat sequences and homologous segments, predicted RNA editing sites, and utilized the Ka/Ks ratio to estimate the selection pressure on mitochondrial genes of F. aubertii. We also discussed the systematic evolutionary position of F. aubertii based on mitochondrial genome sequences. Our study revealed variations in the sequence and structure of mitochondrial genomes in Caryophyllales. These findings are of great significance for identifying and improving valuable plant traits and serve as a reference for future molecular studies of F. aubertii.

Condylar resorption post mandibular distraction osteogenesis in craniofacial microsomia: A retrospective study.

The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of condylar resorption in craniofacial microsomia (CFM) patients following mandibular distraction osteogenesis (MDO). Patients with unilateral type-IIa and type-IIb CFM, who had completed MDO and mandibular distractor extraction (MDE), were recruited. The height and volume of the condyle were measured on three-dimension models created by the analysis of computed tomography (CT) data. Normality analysis was performed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Data for the affected and unaffected sides were compared using the paired t-test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Data for both type-IIa and type-IIb CFM were compared using the independent-samples t-test or Mann-Whitney U test. The Pearson or Spearman correlation was used to determine the correlations of condylar resorption rate with related measurements. In total, 48 type-IIa and 48 type-IIb CFM patients were included. The condylar resorption rate in type-IIa CFM (0.35 ± 0.32) was significantly associated with the height of the condyle (r = 0.776, p < 0.001) and distraction distance (r = 0.447, p = 0.001), while the condylar resorption rate in type-IIb CFM (0.49 ± 0.46) was significantly associated with the height of the condyle (r = 0.924, p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in condylar resorption rate between type-IIa and type-IIb CFM (p = 0.075). In addition to occlusal changes, no other negative symptoms of the TMJ were observed with condylar resorption. Condylar resorption was evident in CFM patients following mandibular distraction osteogenesis, and the condylar resorption rate showed a relationship with distraction distance and condylar height.

Bibliometric analysis of post-traumatic growth after childbirth.

AIM: To make a bibliometric analysis on post-traumatic growth (PTG) after childbirth. METHODS: The topic advanced search strategy extracted the information from the Web of Science Core Collection. Descriptive statistics were performed using Excel, and bibliometric analysis was performed using VOSviewer. RESULTS: A total of 362 publications were published in 199 journals were obtained in the WoSCC from 1999 to 2022. Postpartum post-traumatic growth is in a trend of fluctuating growth, and the United States (N = 156) and Bar-Ilan University (N = 22) were the top contributing countries and institutions, respectively. Research hotspots mainly focus on theoretical models of PTG, postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a predictor of PTG, facilitators of PTG, and the relationship between mother-infant attachment and PTG. CONCLUSION: This bibliometric study provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of research on PTG after childbirth, an area that has received considerable scholarly attention in recent years. However, research on post-traumatic growth after childbirth is lacking, and further research is needed.

Morphologic Changes of the Temporomandibular Joint in Pruzansky-Kaban Type IIa Hemifacial Microsomia Postmandibular Distraction Osteogenesis.

OBJECTIVE: Mandibular distraction osteogenesis (MDO) is a powerful tool for the correction of hemifacial microsomia (HFM). The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the focus of attention in the diagnosis and treatment of HFM. This observational retrospective cross-sectional study aimed to investigate morphologic changes in TMJ post-MDO in type IIa HFM. METHODS: We recruited 48 patients with unilateral type IIa HFM who had completed MDO and mandibular distractor extraction (MDE). Data relating to the length, distance, angle, and volume of the TMJ were measured on 3-dimension models created by the analysis of computed tomography data. Normality analysis was performed by using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Data were compared with the paired t test and Wilcoxon signed-ranks test. RESULTS: The spaces between the affected condyle and the affected glenoid fossa before MDO were all significantly larger than before MDE (P<0.05). The breadth of the affected glenoid fossa before MDO was significantly longer than before MDE (P<0.001). The height of the affected condyle before MDO was significantly longer than before MDE (P<0.001). The volume of the affected condyle before MDO was significantly larger than before MDE (P<0.001). The ratio between the volume of the affected condyle and unaffected condyle before MDO was 0.20±0.13. The ratio between the volume of the affected condyle before MDE and MDO was 0.65±0.32. The resorption rate of the affected condyle post-MDO was 0.35±0.32. CONCLUSION: Herein, we characterized anatomic changes of the TMJ in type- IIa HFM post-MDO. Condylar resorption and the compression of space between the condyle and the glenoid fossa on the affected side were 2 typical manifestations. Our findings enhanced the understanding of the application of MDO on HFM.

The satisfaction of the undergraduate nursing classroom teaching quality based on the Kano model in China.

Objectives: To investigate the satisfaction of the undergraduate nursing classroom teaching quality based on the Kano model and provide a reference for improving the overall quality of educational services. Methods: A total of 621 sophomores and juniors of nursing at Hubei University of Medicine were selected to conduct questionnaires based on the Kano model using convenient sampling. Results: The 16 items are all a one-dimensional factor. The satisfaction and importance are 0.77 to 0.86 and -0.58 to -0.80, respectively. In the quadrant analysis chart, there are four items in the dominant area, three items for improvement, three in the observation area, and six in the retention area. Conclusion: Analyzing the satisfaction of nursing undergraduates' classroom teaching quality can help us effectively understand the intrinsic needs of students and improve the overall quality of nursing undergraduates' curriculum teaching services.

Internet of Things (IoT)-Based Environmental Monitoring and Control System for Home-Based Mushroom Cultivation.

The control and monitoring of the environmental conditions in mushroom cultivation has been a challenge in the mushroom industry. Currently, research has been conducted to implement successful remote environmental monitoring, or, in some cases, remote environmental control, yet there is not yet a combination of both these systems providing live stream images or video. As a result, this research aimed to design and develop an Internet of things (IoT)-based environmental control and monitoring system for mushroom cultivation, whereby the growth conditions of the mushrooms, such as temperature, humidity, light intensity, and soil moisture level, are remotely monitored and controlled through a mobile and web application. Users would be able to visualize the growth of the mushroom remotely by video and images through the Internet. The respective sensors are implemented into the mushroom cultivation process and connected to the NodeMCU microcontroller, which collects and transfers the data to the cloud server, enabling remote access at any time through the end device with internet connection. The control algorithm regulates the equipment within the cultivational chamber autonomously, based on feedback from the sensors, in order to retain the optimum environment for the cultivation of mushrooms. The sensors were tested and compared with manual readings to ensure their accuracy. The implementation of IoT toward mushroom cultivation would greatly contribute to the advancement of the current mushroom industry which still applies the traditional cultivation approach.

Comprehensive transcriptomic profiling and mutational landscape of primary gastric linitis plastica.

BACKGROUND: Primary gastric linitis plastica (GLP) is a distinct phenotype of gastric cancer with poor survival. Comprehensive molecular profiles and putative therapeutic targets of GLP remain undetermined. METHODS: We subjected 10 tumor-normal tissue pairs to whole exome sequencing (WES) and whole transcriptome sequencing (WTS). 10 tumor samples were all GLP which involves 100% of the gastric wall macroscopically. TCGA data were compared to generate the top mutated genes and the overexpressed genes in GLP. RESULTS: Our results reveal that GLP has distinctive genomic and transcriptomic features, dysfunction in the Hippo pathway is likely to be a key step during GLP development. 6 genes were identified as significantly highly mutated genes in GLP, including AOX1, ANKRD36C, CPXM1, PTPN14, RPAP1, and DCDC1). MUC6, as a previously identified gastric cancer driver gene, has a high mutation rate (20%) in GLP. 20% of patients in our GLP cohort had CDH1 mutations, while none had RHOA mutations. GLP exhibits high immunodeficiency and low AMPK pathway activity. Our WTS results showed that 3 PI3K-AKT pathway-related genes (PIK3R2, AKT3, and IGF1) were significantly up-regulated in GLP. Two genes were identified using immunohistochemistry (IHC), IGF2BP3 and MUC16, which specifically expressed in diffuse-type-related gastric cancer cell lines, and its knockdown inhibits PI3K-AKT pathway activity. CONCLUSIONS: We provide the first integrative genomic and transcriptomic profiles of GLP, which may facilitate its diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment.

Three-Dimensional Measurement of the Temporomandibular Joint in Pruzansky-Kaban Type IIa Hemifacial Microsomia.

OBJECTIVE: This observational retrospective cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the morphological characteristics of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in type IIa hemifacial microsomia (HFM). METHODS: We recruited 88 patients with unilateral type IIa HFM. Data relating to the length, distance, and angle of the TMJ, were measured on 3-dimensional models created by the analysis of computed tomography data. Normality analysis was performed by using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Data were compared with the paired t test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS: The height, long axis, and short axis of the affected condyle were significantly shorter than the unaffected side ( P <0.001); the ratios were 0.41±0.15, 0.75±0.20, and 0.95±0.24, respectively. The spaces between the condyle and the glenoid fossa were significantly larger in affected TMJs ( P <0.001). The ratio between the ipsilateral and contralateral anterior space in the sagittal plane was 4.62±2.59; this was significantly different than the ratio of inner space (1.50±1.70), superior space (1.70±0.97), and lateral space (1.28±0.62) in the coronal plane ( P <0.001) and the ratio of superior space (1.43±1.05) and posterior space (1.47±0.98) in the sagittal plane ( P <0.001); there were no statistical differences between the 5 spaces ( P >0.05). The breadth and depth of the glenoid fossa were significantly shorter in affected TMJs ( P <0.001), the ratio of the breadth in the affected and unaffected glenoid fossa was between 0.5 and 1 and the depth of the affected glenoid fossa was almost half of that on the unaffected side. The ratio between the ipsilateral and contralateral height of the condyle was significantly different when compared with the length of the mandibular ramus ( P <0.001). The ratio between the ipsilateral height of the condyle and the length of the mandibular ramus was significantly different when compared with that of the contralateral side ( P <0.001). The height of the affected condyle were significantly different ( P =0.005) among different ages. CONCLUSIONS: We found that hypoplasia was more severe in terms of the height of the condyle than the long axis and short axis of the condyle. The degree of condyle deformity was more severe than the mandible. And the affected condyle still had growth potential in the vertical direction with age.

Understanding innovation of health technology assessment methods: the IHTAM framework.

Adequate methods are urgently needed to guarantee the good practice of health technology assessment (HTA) for technologies with novel properties. The aim of the study was to construct a conceptual framework to help understand the innovation of HTA methods (IHTAM). The construction of the IHTAM framework was based on two scoping reviews, one on the current practice of innovating methods, that is existing HTA frameworks, and one on theoretical foundations for innovating methods outside the HTA discipline. Both aimed to identify and synthesize concepts of innovation (i.e., innovation processes and roles of stakeholders in innovation). Using these concepts, the framework was developed in iterative brainstorming sessions and subsequent discussions with representatives from various stakeholder groups. The framework was constructed based on twenty documents on innovating HTA frameworks and fourteen guidelines from three scientific disciplines. It includes a generic innovation process consisting of three phases ("Identification," "Development," and "Implementation") and nine subphases. In the framework, three roles that HTA stakeholders can play in innovation ("Developers," "Practitioners," and "Beneficiaries") are defined, and a process on how the stakeholders innovate HTA methods is included. The IHTAM framework visualizes systematically which elements and stakeholders are important to the development and implementation of novel HTA methods. The framework could be used by all stakeholders involved in HTA innovation to learn how to engage dynamically and collaborate effectively throughout the innovation process. HTA stakeholders in practice have welcomed the framework, though additional testing of its applicability and acceptance is essential.

Environmental filtering affects fungal communities more than dispersal limitation in a high-elevation hyperarid basin on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

The Qaidam Basin is the most extensive (120 000 km2) basin on the Qinghai-Tibet Plataea (QTP). Recent studies have shown that environmental selection and dispersal limitation influence the soil fungal community significantly in a large-scale distance. However, less is known about large-scale soil fungal community assemblages and its response to the elevation gradient in the high-elevation basin ecosystems. We studied fungal assemblages using Illumina sequencing of the ITS1 region from 35 sites of the Qaidam Basin. As the increase of elevation, fungal species richness and Chao1 index also increased. The Ascomycota was the most abundant phylum (more than 70% of total sequences), and six of the 10 most abundance fungal family was detected in all 35 soil samples. The key factors influencing the soil fungal community composition in the Qaidam Basin were environmental filtering (soil properties and climate factors). The Mantel test showed no significant relationship between geographic distance and community similarity (r = 0.05; p = 0.81). The absence of the distance effect might be caused by lacking dispersal limitation for the soil fungal community.

Development, reliability, and validity testing of the Sense of Security Scale for Medical Staff / 中国职业医学

OBJECTIVE: To establishment the Sense of Security Scale for Medical Staff and test its reliability and validity. METHODS: The pre-test version scale was formulated through methods of literature review, semi-structured interviews with clinical medical staff, discussion with members of research groups, and consultation with medical experts. A total of 350 and 403 medical staff who worked in a tertiary A hospital in Guangdong Province were selected as the prediction and the verification samples, respectively, by convenience sampling method. The reliability and validity of the final version scale were tested by item analysis, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factory analysis. RESULTS: Through item analysis, it was determined that the scale was mainly composed of 24 items. Exploratory factory analysis extracted five characteristics: environmental factors, patient factors, self factors, organizational management, and social support, that explained 72.8% of the total variation. The results of confirmatory factory analysis showed that the ratio of chi-square to degree of freedom was 2.851, the mean square error of approximation was 0.068, the standardized mean square residual was 0.078, the goodness of fit index was 0.883, the normative fit index was 0.904, the comparative fit index was 0.935, the non-standard fitting index was 0.924, and the incremental fitting index was 0.936. The results of reliability and validity test showed that the total Cronbach alpha coefficient, Spearman-Brown coefficient and retest reliability were 0.939, 0.967 and 0.808, respectively. The item reliability of each item was 0.420-0.814, the composite reliability was 0.775-0.920, the content validity ratio was 0.904, the convergent validity was 0.514-0.741, and the discriminative validity was 0.717-0.861. CONCLUSION: The reliability and validity of each dimension of the Sense of Security Scale for Medical Staff is good, and it can be used as an evaluation tool to measure the sense of security in medical staff.

Toward a less costly but accurate calculation of the CCSD(T)/CBS noncovalent interaction energy.

The popular method of calculating the noncovalent interaction energies at the coupled-cluster single-, double-, and perturbative triple-excitations [CCSD(T)] theory level in the complete basis set (CBS) limit was to add a CCSD(T) correction term to the CBS second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2). The CCSD(T) correction term is the difference between the CCSD(T) and MP2 interaction energies evaluated in a medium basis set. However, the CCSD(T) calculations with the medium basis sets are still very expensive for systems with more than 30 atoms. Comparatively, the domain-based local pair natural orbital coupled-cluster method [DLPNO-CCSD(T)] can be applied to large systems with over 1,000 atoms. Considering both the computational accuracy and efficiency, in this work, we propose a new scheme to calculate the CCSD(T)/CBS interaction energies. In this scheme, the MP2/CBS term keeps intact and the CCSD(T) correction term is replaced by a DLPNO-CCSD(T) correction term which is the difference between the DLPNO-CCSD(T) and DLPNO-MP2 interaction energies evaluated in a medium basis set. The interaction energies of the noncovalent systems in the S22, HSG, HBC6, NBC10, and S66 databases were recalculated employing this new scheme. The consistent and tight settings of the truncation parameters for DLPNO-CCSD(T) and DLPNO-MP2 in this noncanonical CCSD(T)/CBS calculations lead to the maximum absolute deviation and root-mean-square deviation from the canonical CCSD(T)/CBS interaction energies of less than or equal to 0.28 kcal/mol and 0.09 kcal/mol, respectively. The high accuracy and low cost of this new computational scheme make it an excellent candidate for the study of large noncovalent systems.

Efficacy of Modified Qufeng Runmian Powder () on Acne Vulgaris with Syndromes of Dampness and Blood Stasis: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a Chinese medicine (CM) Modified Qufeng Runmian Powder (, MQFRMP) for the treatment of acne vulgaris with CM syndromes of dampness and blood stasis. METHODS: In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 220 acne vulgaris patients with CM syndrome of dampness and blood stasis were included and randomly assigned using a central area group random design to receive either MQFRMP or the placebo, with 110 cases in each group. MQFRMP or a placebo at 145 g/bag were administered once daily for 4 weeks, respectively. The primary index of efficacy was the effective rate according to the acne severity score (ASS). The secondary indices of efficacy included the changes in the dermatology life quality index (DLQI) score, VISIA scores (spots, pores, brown spots, porphyrins and red areas) and skin assessment (skin pH, sebum amount and hydration) according to a SOFT skin multianalyzer. RESULTS: (1) Follow-up: a total of 204 patients completed the follow-up, with 103 in the treatment group and 101 in the control group. (2) Effective rate: the total effective rate of the treatment group was significantly higher than the control group [83.5% (86/103) vs. 31.7% (32/101), P<0.01)] with 95% confidence interval of 39.3%-66.4%. (3) DLQI: DLQI scores were significantly decreased the treatment and control groups (both P<0.01), but the treatment group was more obvious than the placebo group (P<0.01). (4) VISIA scores: the scores of spots, brown spots and red areas in the treatment group decreased compared with baseline (P<0.05). In the control group, the scores of brown spots and pores decreased compared with baseline (P<0.05). The improvement was more obvious in the treatment group than in the control group for all items (P<0.05). (5) Skin assessment: the pH and sebum score in the both groups decreased drastically compared with the baseline (all P<0.01), however, the improvement was more obvious in the treatment group than in the control group (P<0.01). The hydration amount in the two groups showed no statistically significant difference compared with the baseline (both P>0.05). (6) Safety: two cases of mild drug allergy were observed in the treatment group. CONCLUSION: MQFRMP was effective and safe for the treatment of acne vulgaris with syndromes of dampness and blood stasis. (No. ChiCTR1900020479).

Prediction of Precision for Purity Methods.

Methods that determine the relative purity of biopharmaceuticals represent the most widely used form of analysis for the pharmaceutical industry. The ability to rapidly assess method capability or the uncertainty of measurements under actual use conditions continues to present significant challenges. We have refined and applied the model of Uncertainty Based on Current Information to predict the precision of the purity measurements and compared the predicted precision to the measured variability for several different types of purity methods. The measured method variability was derived from the analysis of data sets ranging from hundreds to thousands of measurements for each different method type. The predicted precision was found to be in excellent agreement with the statistically obtained values with R2 = 0.94. This demonstration of concurrence between the predicted and actual precision provides an opportunity for streamlining laborious conventional (statically derived) assessment of method precision and leveraging the Uncertainty Based on Current Information model utilizing much smaller data sets or even a single experiment.