Temporal niche partitioning among sympatric wild and domestic ungulates between warm and cold seasons.

The coexistence of sympatric species with similar ecological niches has been a central issue in ecology. Clarifying the daily activity patterns of sympatric wild ungulates can help understand their temporal niche differentiation and the mechanisms of coexistence, providing information for their conservation. The Baotianman National Nature Reserve in northern China is rich in wild ungulates, but little is known about the daily activity patterns of wild ungulates in the area, making it difficult to develop effective conservation strategies. We studied five representative wild ungulates (i.e. forest musk deer, Chinese goral, Reeve's muntjac, Siberian roe deer, and wild boar) of the region using camera-trapping data, focusing on the seasonal daily activity patterns and effects of seasonal grazing of domestic sheep, to reveal their coexistence based on temporal ecological niche differentiation. Comparative analyses of the seasonal daily activity showed that forest musk deer exhibited a single-peak activity in the warm season. Other ungulates exhibited multipeak activity. All five ungulates differed significantly in daily activity patterns. Notably, wild boar and Reeve's muntjac showed high overlap coefficients between the cold and warm seasons. In both cold and warm seasons, the five wild ungulates and domestic sheep displayed low overlap in their daily activity rhythms potentially indicating temporal ecological niche differentiation. The results suggest that temporal isolation might be a strategy for wild ungulates to avoid domestic sheep and reduce interspecific competition, and that temporal ecological niche differentiation potentially promoted the coexistence among the studied sympatric ungulates. This understanding may provide new insights for the development of targeted conservation strategies.

Association of inflammatory markers based on routine blood with prognosis in patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention.

Inflammation contributes to the pathophysiological processes of coronary artery disease. We evaluated the association between inflammatory biomarkers, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), red cell distribution width (RDW), systemic inflammatory index, platelet-lymphocyte ratio, and 1-year all-cause mortality in patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In this retrospective cohort, we consecutively enrolled 4651 patients who underwent PCI. Baseline demographic details, clinical data, and laboratory parameters on admission were analyzed. The primary outcome was 1-year all-cause mortality after PCI. We performed Cox regression and restricted cubic spline analysis to assessed the association between the inflammatory biomarkers and the clinical outcome. The area under the curve from receiver operating characteristic analysis was determined for the ability to classify mortality outcomes. A total of 4651 patients were included. Of these, 198 (4.26%) died on follow-up. Univariate Cox regression showed that NLR (heart rate [HR]: 1.070, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.060-1.082, P < .001), RDW (HR: 1.441, 95% CI 1.368-1.518, P < .001), systemic inflammatory index (HR: 1.000, 95% CI 1.000-3.180, P < .001), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (HR: 3.812, 95% CI 1.901-3.364, P < .001) were significant predictors of 1-year all-cause mortality. After adjusting for other confounders in multivariate analysis, NLR (HR: 01.038, 95% CI 1.022-1.054, P < .001) and RDW (HR: 1.437, 95% CI 1.346-1.535, P < .001) remained significant predictors. Restricted cubic spline analysis showed the relationship between RDW, NLR, and 1-year all-cause mortality was linear after adjusting for the covariables (P for non-linearity < 0.001). The multivariable adjusted model led to improvement in the area under the curve to 0.83 (P < .05). Nomogram was created to predict the probability of 1 year mortality. Among the laboratory indices, RDW and NLR showed the best performance for mortality risk prediction. Multivariate predictive models significantly improved risk stratification.

AudioGest: Gesture-based Interaction for Virtual Reality using Audio Devices.

Current virtual reality (VR) system takes gesture interaction based on camera, handle and touch screen as one of the mainstream interaction methods, which can provide accurate gesture input for it. However, limited by application forms and the volume of devices, these methods cannot extend the interaction area to such surfaces as walls and tables. To address the above challenge, we propose AudioGest, a portable, plug-and-play system that detects the audio signal generated by finger tapping and sliding on the surface through a set of microphone devices without extensive calibration. First, an audio synthesis-recognition pipeline based on micro-contact dynamics simulation is constructed to generate modal audio synthesis from different materials and physical properties. Then the accuracy and effectiveness of the synthetic audio are verified by mixing the synthetic audio with real audio proportionally as the training sets. Finally, a series of desktop office applications are developed to demonstrate the application potential of AudioGest's scalability and versatility in VR scenarios.

Dual-step Redox Engineering of Two-Dimensional CoNi-Alloy Embedded B, N-Doped Carbon Layers towards Tunable Electromagnetic Wave Absorption and Light-Weight Infrared Stealth Heat Insulation Devices.

Two-dimensional layered metallic graphite composites as promising electromagnetic wave absorption materials (EWAMs) for their combined properties of abundant interlayer free spaces, rich metallic polarized sites and high conductivity, but the controllable synthesis remains rather challenging. Herein, a dual-step Redox engineering strategy was developed by employing cobalt boron imidazolate framework (Co-BIF) to construct a two-dimensional CoNi-alloy embedded B, N-doped carbon layers (2D-CNC), as a promising EWAM. In the first step, a chemical etching oxidation process on Co-BIF was used to obtain an optimized 2D-CoNi-layered double hydroxide (2D-CoNi-LDH) intermediate and in the second, high-temperature calcination reduction was implemented to modify graphitization the degree of the 2D-CNC. The obtained sample delivers superior reflection loss (RLmin) of -60.1 dB and wide effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 6.24 GHz. The synergy mechanisms of interfacial/dipole polarization and magnetic coupling were in-depth evidenced by the hologram and Lorentz electron microscopy, revealing its significant contribution on multireflection and impedance matching. Further theoretical evaluation by COMSOL simulation in different fields based on the dynamic loss process towards the test ring reveals the in situ EW attenuation process. This work presents a strategy to develop multifunctional light-weight infrared stealthy aerogel with superior pressure-resistant, anti-corrosion and heat-insulating properties for future applications. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Characteristics and Risk Factors for Pediatric Sepsis.

OBJECTIVE: Sepsis is considered a major cause of health loss in children and had high mortality and morbidity. Currently, there is no reliable model for predicting the prognosis of pediatric patients with sepsis. This study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of sepsis in children and assess the risk factors associated with poor prognosis in pediatric sepsis patients to identify timely interventions and improve their outcomes. METHODS: This study analyzed the clinical indicators and laboratory results of septic patients hospitalized in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China, from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2021. Risk factors for sepsis were identified by logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 355 children with sepsis were enrolled, with 333 children (93.8%) in the good prognosis group, and 22 children (6.2%) in the poor prognosis group. Among them, there were 255 patients (71.8%) in the sepsis group, and 100 patients (28.2%) in the severe sepsis group. The length of hospital stay in the poor prognosis group was longer than that in the good prognosis group (P<0.01). The levels of interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß) in the poor prognosis group were higher than those in the good prognosis group (P>0.05), and the platelet (PLT), albumin (ALB), and hemoglobin (Hb) levels were lower in the poor prognosis group (P<0.01). The IL-8 levels in the severe sepsis group were higher than those in the sepsis group (P<0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis suggested that lower Hb levels, ALB levels, peak PLT counts, and higher IL-1ß levels were independent risk factors for poor prognosis in children with sepsis. CONCLUSION: Lower Hb, ALB, and PLT counts and elevated IL-1ß are independent risk factors for poor prognosis in children with sepsis.

Proteomic, single-cell and bulk transcriptomic analysis of plasma and tumor tissues unveil core proteins in response to anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy in triple negative breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment has achieved durable responses in TNBC patients, whereas a fraction of them showed non-sensitivity to the treatment and the mechanism is still unclear. METHODS: Pre- and post-treatment plasma samples from triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients treated with immunotherapy were measured by tandem mass tag (TMT) mass spectrometry. Public proteome data of lung cancer and melanoma treated with immunotherapy were employed to validate the findings. Blood and tissue single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data of TNBC patients treated with or without immunotherapy were analyzed to identify the derivations of plasma proteins. RNA-seq data from IMvigor210 and other cancer types were used to validate plasma proteins in predicting response to immunotherapy. RESULTS: A random forest model constructed by FAP, LRG1, LBP and COMP could well predict the response to immunotherapy. The activation of complement cascade was observed in responders, whereas FAP and COMP showed a higher abundance in non-responders and negative correlated with the activation of complements. scRNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq analysis suggested that FAP, COMP and complements were derived from fibroblasts of tumor tissues. CONCLUSIONS: We constructe an effective plasma proteomic model in predicting response to immunotherapy, and find that FAP+ and COMP+ fibroblasts are potential targets for reversing immunotherapy resistance.

Involvement of Chemosensory Protein CrufCSP3 in Perception of the Host Location in a Parasitic Wasp Cotesia ruficrus.

Chemosensory proteins (CSPs) constitute a class of olfactory proteins localized in insect sensory organs that serve a crucial function in decoding external chemical stimuli. This study aims to elucidate the involvement of CrufCSP3 in olfactory perception within the context of Cotesia ruficrus, an indigenous endoparasitoid targeting the invasive pest Spodoptera frugiperda. Through fluorescence-competitive binding assays and site-directed mutagenesis, we pinpointed four amino acids as pivotal residues involved in the interaction between CrufCSP3 and five host-related compounds. Subsequent RNA interference experiments targeting CrufCSP3 unveiled a reduced sensitivity to specific host-related compounds and a decline in the parasitism rate of the FAW larvae. These findings unequivocally indicate the essential role of CrufCSP3 in the chemoreception process of C. ruficrus. Consequently, our study not only sheds light on the functional importance of CSPs in parasitic wasp behavior but also contributes to the development of eco-friendly and efficacious wasp behavior modifiers for effectively mitigating pest population surges.

Glycerol Triacetate-Based Flame Retardant High-Temperature Electrolyte for the Lithium-Ion Battery.

Rechargeable batteries that can operate at elevated temperatures (>70 °C) with high energy density are long-awaited for industrial applications including mining, grid stabilization, naval, aerospace, and medical devices. However, the safety, cycle life, energy density, and cost of the available high-temperature battery technologies remain an obstacle primarily owing to the limited electrolyte options available. We introduce a flame-retardant electrolyte that can enable stable battery cycling at 100 °C by incorporating triacetin into the electrolyte system. Triacetin has excellent chemical stability with lithium metal, and conventional cathode materials can effectively reduce parasitic reactions and promises a good battery performance at elevated temperatures. Our findings reveal that Li-metal half-cells can be made that have high energy density, high Coulombic efficiency, and good cycle life with triacetin-based electrolytes and three different cathode chemistries. Moreover, the nail penetration test in a commercial-scale pouch battery using this new electrolyte demonstrated suppressed heat generation when the cell was damaged and excellent safety when using the triacetin-based electrolyte.

Application of artificial intelligence in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmia.

The rapid growth in computational power, sensor technology, and wearable devices has provided a solid foundation for all aspects of cardiac arrhythmia care. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been instrumental in bringing about significant changes in the prevention, risk assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of arrhythmia. This review examines the current state of AI in the diagnosis and treatment of atrial fibrillation, supraventricular arrhythmia, ventricular arrhythmia, hereditary channelopathies, and cardiac pacing. Furthermore, ChatGPT, which has gained attention recently, is addressed in this paper along with its potential applications in the field of arrhythmia. Additionally, the accuracy of arrhythmia diagnosis can be improved by identifying electrode misplacement or erroneous swapping of electrode position using AI. Remote monitoring has expanded greatly due to the emergence of contactless monitoring technology as wearable devices continue to develop and flourish. Parallel advances in AI computing power, ChatGPT, availability of large data sets, and more have greatly expanded applications in arrhythmia diagnosis, risk assessment, and treatment. More precise algorithms based on big data, personalized risk assessment, telemedicine and mobile health, smart hardware and wearables, and the exploration of rare or complex types of arrhythmia are the future direction.

Preparation and characterization of chitosan-based corn protein composites constructed with TG enzyme and their preservation performance on strawberries.

This study describes the synthesis of Chitosan - corn protein (CSZ-TG) composites using TG enzyme (TG) as a cross-linking agent and the preparation of chitosan-based composite membrane material (CSZEO-TG) by blending citrus essential oil (EO) with the synthesized CSZ-TG. The prepared composite membrane material was used for fresh strawberry preservation and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-spectral diffraction, tensile properties, and water vapor and CO2 permeability. Scanning electron microscopy results showed a smooth surface of the composite membrane material after the addition of TG enzyme, while Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy results showed a structural change of the composite membrane material after the addition of corn protein (Z). The tensile results showed an increase in the tensile strength of the composite membrane material after the addition of TG enzyme, while the flexibility of the composite membrane material was enhanced after the addition of EO. Compared with the pure chitosan membrane (CS), the water vapor and CO2 barrier properties of the composite membrane material after the addition of Z, TG, and EO did not change much, and they all showed better water vapor barrier properties. The results of the antioxidant analysis of the solution of the CSZEO-TG composite membrane material showed that the composite membrane material had efficient antioxidant properties. The effects of the composite film material on the storage period and quality of strawberries were evaluated by the indicators of weight loss, hardness, decay rate, soluble solids, titratable acid content, MDA content, and the content of four enzymes, SOD, POD, PPO and CAT. Comprehensive freshness data analysis showed that CSZEO-TG had the best freshness preservation performance and effectively extended the shelf life of strawberries.

Tuina Inhibits Chondrocyte Apoptosis by Regulating the FAK/PI3K/Akt Pathway in Rabbits with IVDD.

BACKGROUND: Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD), a key contributor to degenerative spinal diseases such as cervical spondylosis, significantly influences the quality of life of patients. Tuina, historically employed in the clinical management of cervical spondylosis, has demonstrated positive therapeutic outcomes; however, the mechanism of Tuina remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the efficacy of Tuina in correcting the imbalanced structure of the cervical spine and its impact on apoptotic chondrocytes within the cervical disc. The underlying mechanisms were explored using a rabbit model of IVDD induced by dynamic and static imbalances. METHODS: The IVDD rabbit model was established by restraining the head in a downward position for 12 weeks (Model group). In the Tuina1 group, treatment was performed on the posterior cervical trapezius muscle daily for 2 weeks, whereas in the Tuina2 group, treatment was performed on both the posterior cervical trapezius and anterior sternocleidomastoid muscles daily for 2 weeks. After treatment, X-ray, micro-computed tomography (CT), histological staining, qRT-PCR, and western blotting were used to evaluate the mechanism by which Tuina inhibits chondrocyte apoptosis. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that Tuina treatment inhibited chondrocyte apoptosis in cervical discs by adjusting the neck structure balance, and a more significant therapeutic effect was observed in the Tuina2 group. Lateral cervical spine X-ray and CT scans in rabbits revealed notable improvements in cervical spine curvature and vertebral structure in the treatment groups compared with those in the Model group. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and TUNEL staining further confirmed the positive impact of Tuina treatment on intervertebral disc tissue morphology and chondrocyte apoptosis. Additionally, western blotting and immunohistochemical analysis showed that Tuina treatment suppressed chondrocyte apoptosis by downregulating Bax and caspase-3 while upregulating Bcl-2. Western blotting results further indicated that Tuina could activate the FAK/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by mediating integrin-ß1. CONCLUSION: Tuina treatment inhibited chondrocyte apoptosis in cervical discs by activating the FAK/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, providing convincing evidence to support Tuina treatment as a promising method for IVDD.

Jailed high-pressure balloon technique is superior to jailed wire technique in protecting side branch of coronary bifurcation lesions.

Objectives. This study investigated the influence of higher pressure protection with a small diameter balloon of side branch (SB) on bifurcation lesions. Background. Of the different coronary stent implantation techniques, the modified jailed balloon technique has become a viable option for bifurcation lesions. However, there was no detailed study on the relationship between the balloon inflation pressure of the main vessel (MV) and SB. Methods. In this study, we collected information of patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for bifurcated lesions between March 2019 and December 2022. They were divided into two groups according to the operation way: active jailed balloon technique (A-JBT) group and jailed wire technique (JWT) group. Results. A total of 216 patients were enrolled. The A-JBT group had a larger SB stenosis diameter (1.53 ± 0.69 vs. 0.95 ± 0.52, p < .001), the lower degree of stenosis (44.34 ± 18.30 vs. 63.69 ± 17.34, p < .001) compared to the JWT group. However, the JWT group had a higher incidence of SB occlusion (18.0% vs. 1.9%, p < .001) compared to the A-JBT group. Nevertheless, the success rate for both groups was 100%. Conclusions. This novel high inflation pressure and small diameter balloon approach we propose has significant advantages. There is a lower rate of SB occlusion and SB dissection, which is more cost-effective and provides better clinical outcomes for the patient. This method should be considered in the future for treating bifurcation lesions.

Microglial repopulation restricts ocular inflammation and choroidal neovascularization in mice.

Introduction: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a prevalent, chronic and progressive retinal degenerative disease characterized by an inflammatory response mediated by activated microglia accumulating in the retina. In this study, we demonstrate the therapeutically effects and the underlying mechanisms of microglial repopulation in the laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) model of exudative AMD. Methods: The CSF1R inhibitor PLX3397 was used to establish a treatment paradigm for microglial repopulation in the retina. Neovascular leakage and neovascular area were examined by fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and immunostaining of whole-mount RPE-choroid-sclera complexes in CNV mice receiving PLX3397. Altered cellular senescence was measured by beta-galactosidase (SA-ß-gal) activity and p16INK4a expression. The effect and mechanisms of repopulated microglia on leukocyte infiltration and the inflammatory response in CNV lesions were analyzed. Results: We showed that ten days of the CSF1R inhibitor PLX3397 treatment followed by 11 days of drug withdrawal was sufficient to stimulate rapid repopulation of the retina with new microglia. Microglial repopulation attenuated pathological choroid neovascularization and dampened cellular senescence in CNV lesions. Repopulating microglia exhibited lower levels of activation markers, enhanced phagocytic function and produced fewer cytokines involved in the immune response, thereby ameliorating leukocyte infiltration and attenuating the inflammatory response in CNV lesions. Discussion: The microglial repopulation described herein are therefore a promising strategy for restricting inflammation and choroidal neovascularization, which are important players in the pathophysiology of AMD.

Association between lipoprotein(a) and premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aims: High lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] level has been demonstrated as an important risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) amongst the older populations, whereas its effects in the younger population remain unclear. This study evaluated the associations between Lp(a) and the risk of premature ASCVD. Method and results: PubMed and Embase were searched for related studies until 12 November 2023. Fifty-one studies including 100 540 participants were included. Mean age of patients ranged from 35.3 to 62.3 years. The proportion of male participants ranged from 0% to 100%. The mean follow-up was provided in five studies ranging from 1 year to 40 years. The definition of elevated Lp(a) varied among studies, such as >30 mg/dL, >50 mg/dL, the top tertiles, the top quartiles, the top quintiles, and so on. Higher Lp(a) was significantly associated with the composite ASCVD [odds ratio (OR): 2.15, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.53-3.02, P < 0.001], especially for coronary artery disease (OR: 2.44, 95% CI: 2.06-2.90, P < 0.001) and peripheral arterial disease (OR: 2.56, 95% CI: 1.56-4.21, P < 0.001). This association remained significant in familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) (OR: 3.11, 95% CI: 1.63-5.96, P < 0.001) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients (OR: 2.23; 95% CI: 1.54-3.23, P < 0.001).Significant results were observed in South Asians (OR: 3.71, 95% CI: 2.31-5.96, P < 0.001), Caucasians (OR: 3.17, 95% CI: 2.22-4.52, P < 0.001), and patients with baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) level ≥ 2.6 mmol/L. Conclusion: Elevated Lp(a) predicts the risk of the composite or individual ASCVD in young, regardless of study design, gender, population characteristics (community or hospitalized), different premature definitions, and various Lp(a) measurement approaches. This association was important in South Asians, Caucasians, FH patients, T2DM patients, and patients with baseline LDL-c level ≥ 2.6 mmol/L.

Short-term effects of nitrogen dioxide on inpatient acute myocardial infarction in Lanzhou, China.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) represents a deleterious effect on acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but few relevant studies have been conducted in China. We aim to evaluate the acute effects of NO2 exposure on hospitalization for AMI in Lanzhou, China. In this study, we applied a distributional lag nonlinear model (DLNM) to assess the association between NO2 exposure and AMI hospitalization. We explored the sensitivity of various groups through stratified analysis by gender, age, and season. The daily average concentration of NO2 is 47.50 ± 17.38 µg/m3. We observed a significant exposure-response relationship between NO2 concentration and AMI hospitalization. The single pollutant model analysis shows that NO2 is positively correlated with AMI hospitalization at lag1, lag01, lag02, and lag03. The greatest lag effect estimate occurs at lag01, where a 10 µg/m3 increase in NO2 concentrations is significantly associated with a relative risk (RR) of hospitalization due to AMI of 1.027 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.013, 1.042]. The results of the stratified analysis by gender, age, and season indicate that males, those aged ≥65 years, and the cold season are more sensitive to the deleterious effects caused by NO2 exposure. Short-term exposure to NO2 can enhance the risk of AMI hospitalization in urban Lanzhou.

A "food insecurity poverty line" to replace the official threshold in Canadian rural and urban settings? A single-person household perspective.

Household food insecurity is associated with both low income and high cost of living, it is a potentially better measure for consumption compared to income. We use data on food insecurity and income from 10 years of the Canadian Community Health Survey (2007-2017) of single-person households (n = 145,044) to estimate the probability of being food insecure at the Canadian poverty thresholds (Market Basket Measure thresholds, or MBMs), and determine the income required to reach that probability in each MBM region, aggregated by province and rural/urban status. A regression model shows the probability of being food insecure at the MBM is approximately 30% which we call the Food Insecurity Poverty Line (FIPL). The income required to meet the FIPL is substantially different from the MBM, sometimes 1.25 times the MBM. This implies that food insecurity is a potential sentinel measure for poverty.

Understanding the Disparities of PM2.5 Air Pollution in Urban Areas via Deep Support Vector Regression.

In densely populated urban areas, PM2.5 has a direct impact on the health and quality of residents' life. Thus, understanding the disparities of PM2.5 is crucial for ensuring urban sustainability and public health. Traditional prediction models often overlook the spillover effects within urban areas and the complexity of the data, leading to inaccurate spatial predictions of PM2.5. We propose Deep Support Vector Regression (DSVR) that models the urban areas as a graph, with grid center points as the nodes and the connections between grids as the edges. Nature and human activity features of each grid are initialized as the representation of each node. Based on the graph, DSVR uses random diffusion-based deep learning to quantify the spillover effects of PM2.5. It leverages random walk to uncover more extensive spillover relationships between nodes, thereby capturing both the local and nonlocal spillover effects of PM2.5. And then it engages in predictive learning using the feature vectors that encapsulate spillover effects, enhancing the understanding of PM2.5 disparities and connections across different regions. By applying our proposed model in the northern region of New York for predictive performance analysis, we found that DSVR consistently outperforms other models. During periods of PM2.5 surges, the R-square of DSVR reaches as high as 0.729, outperforming non-spillover models by 2.5 to 5.7 times and traditional spatial metric models by 2.2 to 4.6 times. Therefore, our proposed model holds significant importance for understanding disparities of PM2.5 air pollution in urban areas, taking the first steps toward a new method that considers both the spillover effects and nonlinear feature of data for prediction.

Cardiovascular health of patients with cancer: Challenges abound.

Patients with cancer have elevated cardiovascular risks compared to those without cancer. As cancer incidence increases and cancer-related mortality decreases, cardiovascular diseases in patients with a history of cancer will become increasingly important. This in turn is reflected by the exponentially increasing amount of cardio-oncology research in recent years. This narrative review aims to summarize the key existing literature in several main areas of cardio-oncology, including the epidemiology, natural history, prevention, management, and determinants of the cardiovascular health of patients with cancer, and identify relevant gaps in evidence for further research.

Efficacy and safety of colchicine for atrial fibrillation prevention: An updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common arrhythmia, is closely related to inflammation. Colchicine has the potent anti-inflammatory effects. Several randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have evaluated the efficacy and safety of colchicine in the prevention of AF but the results are inconsistent. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the impact of colchicine on AF. METHOD AND RESULTS: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched for related studies until Jan 8, 2024. A total of 17 studies including 16,238 participants were included. Compared to the placebo group, there were fewer incidences of AF in the colchicine group (RR: 0.75, 95%CI: 0.68-0.83, P < 0.001). The incidence of overall adverse events and overall gastrointestinal intolerance did not differ significantly between the two groups. However, diarrhea, nausea, and discontinuation occurred more frequently in patients treated with colchicine. CONCLUSION: Colchicine can prevent patients from the incidence of AF, regardless of the mean age of patients, type of atrial fibrillation, maintenance dose, duration of colchicine use, cumulative daily dose, and follow-up time with more diarrhea, nausea and discontinuation. These adverse events can be avoided by low doses (0.5 mg once daily) and long period time of colchicine use.

Deep Probabilistic Principal Component Analysis for Process Monitoring.

Probabilistic latent variable models (PLVMs), such as probabilistic principal component analysis (PPCA), are widely employed in process monitoring and fault detection of industrial processes. This article proposes a novel deep PPCA (DePPCA) model, which has the advantages of both probabilistic modeling and deep learning. The construction of DePPCA includes a greedy layer-wise pretraining phase and a unified end-to-end fine-tuning phase. The former establishes a hierarchical deep structure based on cascading multiple layers of the PPCA module to extract high-level features. The latter builds an end-to-end connection between the raw inputs and the final outputs to further improve the representation of the model to high-level features. After constructing the model structure of DePPCA, we first present the detailed training processes of the pretraining and fine-tuning stages, then clarify the theoretical merits of the proposed model from the perspective of variational inference. For process monitoring purposes, we develop two statistics based on the established DePPCA. The monitoring performance of these two statistics can remain superior even if the features extracted by DePPCA are significantly compressed to univariate. This makes the feature extraction process and online monitoring procedure of DePPCA quite fast. In other words, the proposed DePPCA can achieve accurate and efficient process monitoring by only extracting one feature for each sample. Finally, the effectiveness of DePPCA is evaluated on the Tennessee Eastman (TE) process and the multiphase flow (MPF) facility.