State-of-the-art ensemble learning and unsupervised learning in fatigue crack recognition of glass fiber reinforced polyester composite (GFRP) using acoustic emission.

Fatigue strength is one of the most important properties of composite materials because it directly relates to their lifespan. Acoustic emission (AE) is a passive structural health monitoring (SHM) technique that provides real-time damage detection based on stress waves generated by cracks in the structure. This study evaluates the damage progression on glass fiber reinforced polyester composite specimens using different approaches of machine learning. Different methodologies for damage detection and characterization of AE parameters are presented. Three different ensemble learning methods namely, XGboost, LightGBM, and CatBoost were chosen to predict damages and AE parameters. SHAP values were used to select AE key features and K-means algorithms were employed to classify damage severity. The accuracy of these approaches demonstrates the reliability of various machine learning techniques in predicting the fatigue life of composite materials using acoustic emission.

Body image mediates the impact of pain on depressive symptoms in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease with treatment manifestations that can cause changes in appearance, including skin rashes, alopecia, vitiligo, and scars. SLE has been shown to adversely impact body image outcomes, and previous research has identified that greater disease activity is associated with worse body image outcomes which, in turn, are associated with greater depressive symptoms. For patients with SLE who also experience significant pain, poor body image outcomes may further compromise wellbeing and lead to greater depressive symptoms. The role of pain in body image has not been explored in SLE. Thus, the present study examined whether body image (specifically, body image-related quality of life) serves as a mediator of the relationship between pain and depressive symptoms among patients with SLE. METHODS: Multiple mediation analysis was used to examine the hypothesis that body image-related quality of life mediates the relationship between pain and depressive symptoms in a sample of patients with SLE (N = 135) from an urban region in Los Angeles, California. RESULTS: The sample was predominately female (92.6%) with a mean disease duration of approximately 17 years. Approximately one-quarter of the sample had elevated depressive symptoms. Body image-related quality of life was a significant mediator in the relationship between pain and depressive symptoms. The model accounted for 51% of the total variance in depressive symptoms (R2 = 0.51). CONCLUSION: This cross-sectional study suggested that body image-related quality of life may mediate the effects of pain on depressive symptoms among patients with SLE.

Psychometric validation of the Arthritis Helplessness Index in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective Helplessness is a relevant construct in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an unpredictable chronic illness with no known cure characterized by relapsing and remitting features. However, no measure of helplessness has been validated in this population. The present study examined the structural validity, reliability, and convergent validity of the Arthritis Helplessness Index, a measure initially developed for rheumatoid arthritis populations, in a sample of patients with SLE. Methods Patients with SLE ( N = 136) receiving medical care at a private hospital completed the Arthritis Helplessness Index and other self-report measures. The structural validity of the Arthritis Helplessness Index was examined using confirmatory factor analysis. Internal consistency reliability was evaluated with Cronbach's coefficient alpha. Pearson product-moment correlations were used to examine convergent validity with measures of depression, anxiety and mastery. Results The five-item Arthritis Helplessness Index-Helplessness measure demonstrated a tenable factor structure (comparative fit index 0.98, root mean square error of approximation 0.06, standardized root mean residual 0.04). Internal consistency reliability was fair (α = 0.69). Convergent validity was evidenced by significant correlations with measures of depression, anxiety and mastery. Conclusion The five-item Arthritis Helplessness Index-Helplessness scale can confidently be used as a measure of helplessness in SLE.

The mediational role of helplessness in psychological outcomes in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that can result in disability and psychological distress. Although pain has been associated with depressive symptomatology and stress in SLE, a paucity of theoretical models have been used to explain the relationship between pain and psychological distress in this population. Thus, the present study examined helplessness as a mediator of the relationship between pain and psychological distress among patients with SLE. Methods Multiple mediation analysis was used to examine the hypothesis that learned helplessness mediates the relationship between pain and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress in a sample of patients with SLE ( N = 136) receiving medical care at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. Results The mean score on the Helplessness subscale was 14.5 ( SD = 5.4). Helplessness fully mediated the relationship between pain vitality and symptoms of anxiety (BCa 95% CI (-0.073, -0.015)), depression (BCa 95% CI (-0.502, -0.212)), and stress (BCa 95% CI (-0.063, -0.027)). Conclusion Participants reported a high level of perceived inability to control one's disease. Helplessness fully mediated the relationship between pain and measures of anxiety, depression, and perceived stress among patients with SLE.

The Anopheles stephensi odorant binding protein 1 (AsteObp1) gene: a new molecular marker for biological forms diagnosis.

Anopheles (Cellia) stephensi Liston 1901 is known as an Asian malaria vector. Three biological forms, namely "mysorensis", "intermediate", and "type" have been earlier reported in this species. Nevertheless, the present morphological and molecular information is insufficient to diagnose these forms. During this investigation, An. stephensi biological forms were morphologically identified and sequenced for odorant-binding protein 1 (Obp1) gene. Also, intron I sequences were used to construct phylogenetic trees. Despite nucleotide sequence variation in exon of AsteObp1, nearly 100% identity was observed at the amino acid level among the three biological forms. In order to overcome difficulties in using egg morphology characters, intron I sequences of An. stephensi Obp1 opens new molecular way to the identification of the main Asian malaria vector biological forms. However, multidisciplinary studies are needed to establish the taxonomic status of An. stephensi.

Molecular detection of knockdown resistance (kdr) in Blattella germanica (Blattodea: Blattellidae) from northwestern Iran.

Pyrethroid insecticides are highly insecticidal compounds that are widely used against the German cockroach, a significant household insect pest. In several insect species, there is a point mutation in the para-type sodium channel gene associated with knockdown resistance (kdr). In the current study, genomic DNA was analyzed in the region where the kdr and super-kdr (an enhanced form of pyrethroid resistance) mutations reside in Blatella germanica (L., 1767) (Blattodea: Blattellidae) collected from Iran. Studies on the extracted DNA from hand-captured German cockroach specimens were conducted by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing to detect related mutations. The kdr mutation, substitution of G for C (L1014F), which results in amino acid replacement (leucine with phenylalanine), was detected in all 18 sequenced specimens from three different locations. However, the super-kdr mutation (M918T), which is detected in super-kdr house flies, was not found in the sequences of the current study. The high ratio of the kdr mutation in a field population of B. germanica in Urmia confirms that the individuals are homozygous. These data should be helpful in designing and implementing a control program and resistance management.

Pathways to drug development for autism spectrum disorders.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are neurodevelopmental disorders whose prevalence has risen over the past two decades. Current drug treatments for ASDs and the related disorders--fragile X syndrome (FXS) and Rett syndrome--target specific symptoms but do not address the basic underlying etiologies. However, based partly on an improved understanding of the neurochemical underpinnings of FXS, pharmacotherapy for this syndrome has progressed to the point of clinical trials of several novel drug treatments. By contrast, our overall understanding of the neuropathophysiology of ASDs is still rudimentary. There is hope in the field that knowledge and experience gained in the study of fragile X and Rett syndromes may be applicable to the larger autism patient population. In this review, we discuss how recent advances in our understanding of the biochemistry and neuropathology of these disorders could lead to new more effective treatments for ASDs.

First record of a new member of Anopheles Hyrcanus Group from Iran: molecular identification, diagnosis, phylogeny, status of kdr resistance and Plasmodium infection.

The current study aimed to provide further evidence on the status of species composition, insecticide resistance, and vectorial capacity within the members of Anopheles (Anopheles) Hyrcanus Group in Ardebil, Giulan, and Khuzestan provinces of Iran. Sequencing the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of ribosomal DNA gene led to identification of two members of Hyrcanus complex: Anopheles hyrcanus Pallas and a new species/form, hereafter called Anopheles hyrcanus sp(IR) as a world record. Furthermore, we identified and compared partial sequences of exons I and II and the whole intron I region of insecticide resistance-related voltage-gated sodium channel (vgsc) gene in populations of Hyrcanus Group and other main old world Anopheles species. The ITS2 and vgsc sequences in members of Hyrcanus Group and other Anopheles species were used for construction of phylogenetic tree, which demonstrated the evolutionary relatedness among Western and Eastern Palearctic taxa within the Hyrcanus Group. A nested polymerase chain reaction assay for detection of Plasmodium species revealed the infection of Plasmodium falciparum within An. hyrcanus collected from Fooman district in Guilan province. The data from this study led to the introduction of a new member/form within the Hyrcanus Group, identification and definition of the status of knockdown resistance related to pyrethroids and DDT in their vgsc gene, detection of Plasmodium infection, and further evidence on genetic relatedness within these taxa. The overall results may suggest reconsidering the role ofAn. hyrcanus in malaria transmission, which would be useful for implementation and evaluation of malaria control programs in Western Palearctic region.