Association between serum calcium and prognosis in patients with acute ischemic stroke in ICU: analysis of the MIMIC-IV database.

BACKGROUND: While serum Ca has proven to be a reliable predictor of mortality across various diseases, its connection with the clinical outcomes of ischemic stroke (IS) remains inconclusive. Our research aimed to explore the relationships between serum total Ca (tCa) and serum ionized Ca (iCa) and mortality among acute IS (AIS) patients. METHODS: We gathered data from 1773 AIS patients in the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care Database IV, including baseline demographic data, comorbidities, vital signs, laboratory-based data, and scoring systems. Endpoints for the study encompassed 30-d, 90-d, and 365-d all-cause mortalities. Employing restricted cubic spline Cox regression, we explored potential nonlinear relationships between admission serum iCa and tCa levels and mortality. Participants were categorized into four groups based on serum iCa and tCa quartiles. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was then conducted to evaluate the independent association of iCa and tCa quartiles with all-cause mortality. RESULTS: The restricted cubic spline revealed a U-shaped association between iCa and 30-d and 90-d mortality (P<0.05), while the relationship between iCa and 365-d mortality was linear (P<0.05). After adjusting for confounders, multivariable Cox analysis demonstrated that the lowest serum iCa level quartile was independently associated with increased risks of 30-d, 90-d, and 365-d mortality. Similarly, the highest serum iCa level quartile was independently associated with increased risks of 30-d and 90-d mortality, but not 365-d mortality. Notably, serum tCa level showed no association with increased risks of 30-d, 90-d, and 365-d mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that serum iCa, rather than tCa, is linked to ischemic stroke prognosis. Both high and low serum iCa levels are associated with poor short-term prognosis, while only low serum iCa is associated with poor long-term prognosis in AIS patients.

In-situ low-temperature sulfur CVD on metal sulfides with SO2 to realize self-sustained adsorption of mercury.

Capturing gaseous mercury (Hg0) from sulfur dioxide (SO2)-containing flue gases remains a common yet persistently challenge. Here we introduce a low-temperature sulfur chemical vapor deposition (S-CVD) technique that effectively converts SO2, with intermittently introduced H2S, into deposited sulfur (Sd0) on metal sulfides (MS), facilitating self-sustained adsorption of Hg0. ZnS, as a representative MS model, undergoes a decrease in the coordination number of Zn-S from 3.9 to 3.5 after Sd0 deposition, accompanied by the generation of unsaturated-coordinated polysulfide species (Sn2-, named Sd*) with significantly enhanced Hg0 adsorption performance. Surprisingly, the adsorption product, HgS (ZnS@HgS), can serve as a fresh interface for the activation of Sd0 to Sd* through the S-CVD method, thereby achieving a self-sustained Hg0 adsorption capacity exceeding 300 mg g-1 without saturation limitations. Theoretical calculations substantiate the self-sustained adsorption mechanism that S8 ring on both ZnS and ZnS@HgS can be activated to chemical bond S4 chain, exhibiting a stronger Hg0 adsorption energy than pristine ones. Importantly, this S-CVD strategy is applicable to the in-situ activation of synthetic or natural MS containing chalcophile metal elements for Hg0 removal and also holds potential applications for various purposes requiring MS adsorbents.

SEG-SLAM: Dynamic Indoor RGB-D Visual SLAM Integrating Geometric and YOLOv5-Based Semantic Information.

Simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) is crucial in mobile robotics. Most visual SLAM systems assume that the environment is static. However, in real life, there are many dynamic objects, which affect the accuracy and robustness of these systems. To improve the performance of visual SLAM systems, this study proposes a dynamic visual SLAM (SEG-SLAM) system based on the orientated FAST and rotated BRIEF (ORB)-SLAM3 framework and you only look once (YOLO)v5 deep-learning method. First, based on the ORB-SLAM3 framework, the YOLOv5 deep-learning method is used to construct a fusion module for target detection and semantic segmentation. This module can effectively identify and extract prior information for obviously and potentially dynamic objects. Second, differentiated dynamic feature point rejection strategies are developed for different dynamic objects using the prior information, depth information, and epipolar geometry method. Thus, the localisation and mapping accuracy of the SEG-SLAM system is improved. Finally, the rejection results are fused with the depth information, and a static dense 3D mapping without dynamic objects is constructed using the Point Cloud Library. The SEG-SLAM system is evaluated using public TUM datasets and real-world scenarios. The proposed method is more accurate and robust than current dynamic visual SLAM algorithms.

Single-Mode Control and Individual Nanoparticle Detection in the Ultraviolet Region Based on Boron Nitride Microdisk with Whispering Gallery Mode.

Optical microcavities are known for their strongly enhanced light-matter interactions. Whispering gallery mode (WGM) microresonators have important applications in nonlinear optics, single-mode output, and biosensing. However, there are few studies on resonance modes in the ultraviolet spectrum because most materials with high absorption properties are in the ultraviolet band. In this study, the performance of a microdisk cavity based on boron nitride (BN) was simulated by using the Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The WGM characteristics of a single BN microdisk with different sizes were obtained, wherein the resonance modes could be regulated from 270 nm to 350 nm; additionally, a single-mode at 301.5 nm is achieved by cascading multiple BN microdisk cavities. Moreover, we found that a BN microdisk with a diameter of 2 µm has a position-independent precise sensitivity for the nanoparticle of 140 nm. This study provides new ideas for optical microcavities to achieve single-mode management and novel coronavirus size screening, such as SARS-CoV-2, in the ultraviolet region.

The safety and efficacy of NOACs versus LMWH for thromboprophylaxis after THA or TKA: A systemic review and meta-analysis.

The differences in the safety and efficacy of anticoagulation between different types of new oral anticoagulants(NOACs) and low molecular weight heparin(LMWH) are still controversial. The main purposes of this study were to analyze safety and efficacy of NOACs versus LMWH for thromboprophylaxis, and perform subgroup analyses stratified by individual NOACs and different populations after total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Literature search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CNKI and Wanfang databases until June 31, 2022. This systematic review and meta-analysis included 46 randomized controlled trials (RCT) with 39, 924 patients. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of thromboprophylaxis between LMWH and NOACs. NOACs were more effective in reducing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) (RR0.59; 95%CI 0.49-0.71) and adverse events (RR: 0.96; 95%CI: 0.93-0.99) than LMWH. The subgroup analyses for different anticoagulants revealed that rivaroxaban (RR:0.49; 95%CI:0.36-0.66), apixaban (RR: 0.54; 95%CI: 0.36-0.81) and edoxaban (RR:0.49; 95%CI: 0.32-0.75) have the lower risk of DVT than LMWH. Apixaban (RR:0.89; 95%CI: 0.80-1.00) had superior prevention of bleeding to LMWH. Edoxaban exhibited a lower risk of VTE (RR: 0.46; 95%CI: 0.33-0.65), advantage events (RR: 0.87; 95%CI: 0.82-0.93), and drug-related adverse events (DRAEs) (RR: 0.64; 95%CI: 0.53-0.76) than LMWH. East Asian population was superior to western population for preventing DVT, advantage events, and DRAE using NOACs. In conclusion, NOACs are more effective than LMWH at preventing DVT and adverse events after arthroplasty. Apixaban has lower bleeding than LMWH, and East Asian populations may benefit more than western population from NOACs.

Preparation and properties of polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan-based hydrogel with dual pH/NH3 sensor for naked-eye monitoring of seafood freshness.

To address the issue of food spoilage causing health and economic loss, we developed a pH/NH3 dual sensitive hydrogel based on polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan (PVA/CS) containing chitosan-phenol red (CP). The CP was synthesized via Mannich reaction and immobilized it in PVA/CS hydrogel through freezing/thawing method to prepare the final PVA/CS/CP hydrogel. The synthesis of CP was confirmed by 1H NMR, FT-IR, XRD, UV-vis, and XPS. The characteristics of hydrogel were evaluated by FT-IR, XRD, SEM, mechanical properties, thermal stability, leaching, and color stability tests. The PVA/CS/CP hydrogel showed distinctly different color at various pH and NH3 vapor levels (yellow to purple). The hydrogel exhibited obvious color changes (ΔE = 46.95) in response to shrimp spoilage, stored at 4 °C. It showed positive and strong correlation between the ΔE values of the indicator hydrogel and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) as (R2 = 0.9573) and with pH as (R2 = 0.8686), respectively. These results clearly show that the PVA/CS/CP hydrogel could be applied for naked-eye real-time monitoring of seafood freshness in intelligent packaging.

Clinical trial and performance evaluation of the Wantai HBsAg (CMIA) diagnostic kit for screening blood donors in China.

In China, according to the 'Technical Operating Procedures for Blood Stations (2019 Edition),' blood stations are authorized to utilize Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (CLIA) to detect pathogen markers linked with transfusion-transmissible infections. However, currently, there is no approved CLIA reagent for the screening of blood-borne diseases in China, specifically for the detection of Hepatitis B surface antigen. The objective of this research project is to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the performance of the Wantai Chemiluminescent Microparticle Hepatitis B surface antigen reagent. This study evaluates the performance of the Wantai Chemiluminescent Microparticle Immunoassay (CMIA) on the Wan200 + analyzer in screening for Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) in blood samples. The clinical trial component of this evaluation is included as part of the documentation submitted to the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China for the approval of blood screening reagents. The evaluation plan of this study encompasses two main components: clinical trials and performance assessment. We adopted a controlled trial design, utilizing the WanTai Chemiluminescent Microparticle Immunoassay (CMIA) on the Wan200 + analyzer and the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) to screen for Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) in routine blood donor samples and reference serum panel samples. To ensure the accuracy of the screening, we additionally employed Abbott's ELISA reagents and HBV DNA for validation. The assessment primarily focused on key performance indicators such as sensitivity, specificity, and analytical sensitivity. Moreover, this clinical trial data has been included as part of the submission to China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). In the clinical trials of this study, a total of 10,470 blood donor samples underwent simultaneous testing using both CMIA and ELISA methods. Across two clinical trials, there was remarkable concordance between CMIA and the two ELISA reagents, with Kappa values exceeding 0.82. Among the 269 samples that were double-reactive in the enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) tests, CMIA exhibited a 100% reactivity detection rate. However, CMIA produced 14 and 6 false-positive results in the respective clinical trials, resulting in specificities of 99.73% and 99.89%. In contrast, the specificities for Wantai ELISA and Xin Chuang ELISA were both greater than 99.94%.When testing samples in the gray zone serum plates, CMIA's detection limit significantly exceeded that of the two ELISA assays. CMIA had a detection cutoff of 0.05 IU/mL, while the two ELISA reagents had cutoffs of 0.1 IU/mL and 0.09 IU/mL, respectively. CMIA's detection limits for the adr and adw subtypes were 0.05 IU/mL, and for the ay subtype, it was 0.1 U/mL. The detection limit for 10 HBV mutant samples was 0.5 U/mL. In 165 cases where ELISA tested negative but HBV DNA tested positive, CMIA detected 5 HBsAg-positive samples. This study evaluated the performance of the Wantai CMIA in screening for HBsAg among blood donors. The results demonstrate outstanding performance of CMIA in both clinical trials and performance assessments, detecting all true positive samples with a sensitivity of 100%. It exhibits excellent concordance with the two ELISA assays. Of particular note is its superiority in early detection of HBsAg in the screening of early-stage hepatitis B infections, reducing the window period compared to ELISA. CMIA achieves a specificity exceeding 99.73% for negative blood donors, aligning with the European Union's standards for blood screening assay specificity. In summary, Wantai's CMIA displays high sensitivity and specificity in blood donor screening, making it suitable for screening blood donors in China.

Synaptic input and Ca2+ activity in zebrafish oligodendrocyte precursor cells contribute to myelin sheath formation.

In the nervous system, only one type of neuron-glial synapse is known to exist: that between neurons and oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), yet their composition, assembly, downstream signaling and in vivo functions remain largely unclear. Here, we address these questions using in vivo microscopy in zebrafish spinal cord and identify postsynaptic molecules PSD-95 and gephyrin in OPCs. The puncta containing these molecules in OPCs increase during early development and decrease upon OPC differentiation. These puncta are highly dynamic and frequently assemble at 'hotspots'. Gephyrin hotspots and synapse-associated Ca2+ activity in OPCs predict where a subset of myelin sheaths forms in differentiated oligodendrocytes. Further analyses reveal that spontaneous synaptic release is integral to OPC Ca2+ activity, while evoked synaptic release contributes only in early development. Finally, disruption of the synaptic genes dlg4a/dlg4b, gphnb and nlgn3b impairs OPC differentiation and myelination. Together, we propose that neuron-OPC synapses are dynamically assembled and can predetermine myelination patterns through Ca2+ signaling.

Laparoscopic orchidopexy for the treatment of cryptorchidism in adults: a description of the technique and outcomes.

BACKGROUND: There are few studies on cryptorchidism in adults, and its treatment is still controversial. METHODS: To summarize the surgical strategy and clinical efficacy of laparoscopic orchidopexy for the treatment of cryptorchidism in adults, 37 adult cryptorchidism patients were retrospectively analyzed between September 2017 and February 2022. All 37 patients underwent laparoscopic orchidopexy, of whom 33 underwent inguinal hernia repair without tension. The intraoperative procedures and surgical techniques were recorded in detail. Preoperative examination and regular postoperative review of color Doppler ultrasound, and reproductive hormone, alpha-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin, and lactate dehydrogenase levels were performed. RESULTS: All testes descended successfully into the scrotum, including 25 through the inguinal route and 12 through Hesselbach's triangle route. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were observed. The follow-up time was 38.6 (± 19.4) months, and no evidence of testicular malignancy was found during the follow-up period. After analyzing the reproductive hormone levels at 1 year postoperatively in 28 patients with more than 1 year of follow-up, it was found that the patients had a significant increase in testosterone levels and a decrease in follicle-stimulating hormone levels after surgery. None of the patients showed any significant improvement in semen quality after surgery. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that laparoscopic orchidopexy is a safe and feasible surgical procedure for the treatment of cryptorchidism in adults, especially high cryptorchidism, which is difficult to treat. After comprehensive consideration, preserving the testis should be preferred for treating cryptorchidism in adults to maximize the protection of the patient's reproductive hormone secretion function.

Mitochondria-targeted neutral and cationic iridium(III) anticancer complexes chelating simple hybrid sp2-N/sp3-N donor ligands.

Most platinum group-based cyclometalated neutral and cationic anticancer complexes with the general formula [(C^N)2Ir(XY)]0/+ (neutral complex: XY = bidentate anionic ligand; cationic complex: XY = bidentate neutral ligand) are notable owing to their intrinsic luminescence properties, good cell permeability, interaction with some biomolecular targets and unique mechanisms of action (MoAs). We herein synthesized a series of neutral and cationic amine-imine cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes using Schiff base ligands with sp2-N/sp3-N N^NH2 chelating donors. The cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes were identified by various techniques. They were stable in aqueous media, displayed moderate fluorescence and exhibited affinity toward bovine serum albumin (BSA). The complexes demonstrated promising cytotoxicity against lung cancer A549 cells, cisplatin-resistant lung cancer A549/DDP cells, cervical carcinoma HeLa cells and human liver carcinoma HepG2 cells, with IC50 values ranging from 9.98 to 19.63 µM. Unfortunately, these complexes had a low selectivity (selectivity index: 1.62-1.98) towards A549 cells and BEAS-2B normal cells. The charge pattern of the metal center (neutral or cationic) and ligand substituents showed little influence on the cytotoxicity and selectivity of these complexes. The study revealed that these complexes could target mitochondria, cause depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane, and trigger the production of intracellular ROS. Additionally, the complexes were observed to induce late apoptosis and perturb the cell cycle in the G2/M or S phase in A549 cells. Based on these results, it appears that the anticancer efficacy of these complexes was predominantly attributed to the redox mechanism.

Zeolitic Imidazole Framework (ZIF)-Sponge Composite for Highly Efficient U(VI) Elimination.

Herein, a zeolitic imidazole framework (ZIF-67) composite was prepared by a rapid, simple and inexpensive situ hybridization technique applying polyurethane sponge (PU) as support, which was designated as ZIF-67-PU. The ZIF-67 nanoparticle was successfully supported on the surface of sponge skeletons mainly through electrostatic attraction as well as probable π-π stacking interactions with PAM modification of the sponge. The resultant ZIF-67-PU exhibited a remarkably enhanced U(VI) elimination capacity of 150.86 mg∙g-1 on the basis of the Langmuir isotherm model, in comparison to pristine sponge. Additionally, the mechanism for U(VI) elimination was mainly achieved through the complex reaction between C-N(H)/-OH groups in ZIF-67 and U(VI), based on XPS investigations. ZIF-67-PU represents a simple, feasible and low-cost disposal option for preparing ZIF-coated sponges of any shape that can enhance the U(VI) elimination capacity. Furthermore, this approach can be widely applied to the preparation of various kinds of MOF-sponges through this situ hybridization technique.

Corrosion of Q235 carbon steel induced by sulfate-reducing bacteria in groundwater: corrosion behavior, corrosion product, and microbial community structure.

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is one of the reasons leading to the service failure of pipelines buried in the soil. In this work, the effect of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) on the corrosion behavior of Q235 carbon steel in groundwater was investigated by electrochemical methods, surface analysis, and biological analysis. The results show that SRB utilizes iron as electron donor to sustain the vital activities of organic carbon-starved groundwater during the 14-day experimental period. The microbial community composition analysis at the genus level demonstrate that the diversity and richness decrease after corrosion, and the dominant SRB species has changed from Desulfovibrio to Desulfosporosinus. Moreover, the impedance of the carbon steel in the presence of biofilm was 1 order of magnitude higher than that of other periods in the electrochemical test, indicating that the biofilm and formed ferrous sulfide layer impeded the occurrence of corrosion. Although the 3D topography indicated that the surface of carbon steel was more uneven and pits were increased in the presence of SRB, the average weight loss (0.0396 ± 0.0050 g) was much higher than that without SRB (0.0139 ± 0.0007 g). These results implied that the growth of SRB makes the corrosion process of Q235 carbon steel more complicated.

Hydrolyzed Hydrated Titanium Oxide on Laser-Induced Graphene as CDI Electrodes for U(VI) Adsorption.

Recently, laser-induced graphene (LIG), which has been successfully applied in CDI technology (directly without a complex preparation process), has gained considerable attention. However, the raw LIG electrode with a limited number of active sites exhibits low adsorption efficiency. Therefore, the search for a suitable and effective method to modify LIG to improve its electroadsorption performance is significant. Herein, a very simple titration hydrolysis method is adopted to modify LIG, resulting in a layer of hydrated titanium oxide (HTO) being synthesized on the surface of LIG. The LIG/HTO composites possess a good adsorption property since covering the surface of LIG with a layer of HTO can greatly improve the adsorption capacity of LIG. Moreover, with the addition of HTO, not only the proton transfer ability of LIG has been enhanced but also considerable specific capacitance has been enlarged. As a result, LIG/HTO composite as CDI electrode displays a maximum theoretical adsorption capacity of 1780.89 mg/g at 1.2 V, and the capacitance of LIG/HTO composite material is 4.74 times higher than LIG. During the electroadsorption process, Ti4+ is reduced to Ti3+ under external voltage, and O2- is produced through oxidation. Meanwhile, part of the U (VI) is hydrolyzed into UO3·2H2O under the action of -OH, and some combine with O2- to produce UO4·4H2O.

Random Online Hashing for Cross-Modal Retrieval.

In the past decades, supervised cross-modal hashing methods have attracted considerable attentions due to their high searching efficiency on large-scale multimedia databases. Many of these methods leverage semantic correlations among heterogeneous modalities by constructing a similarity matrix or building a common semantic space with the collective matrix factorization method. However, the similarity matrix may sacrifice the scalability and cannot preserve more semantic information into hash codes in the existing methods. Meanwhile, the matrix factorization methods cannot embed the main modality-specific information into hash codes. To address these issues, we propose a novel supervised cross-modal hashing method called random online hashing (ROH) in this article. ROH proposes a linear bridging strategy to simplify the pair-wise similarities factorization problem into a linear optimization one. Specifically, a bridging matrix is introduced to establish a bidirectional linear relation between hash codes and labels, which preserves more semantic similarities into hash codes and significantly reduces the semantic distances between hash codes of samples with similar labels. Additionally, a novel maximum eigenvalue direction (MED) embedding method is proposed to identify the direction of maximum eigenvalue for the original features and preserve critical information into modality-specific hash codes. Eventually, to handle real-time data dynamically, an online structure is adopted to solve the problem of dealing with new arrival data chunks without considering pairwise constraints. Extensive experimental results on three benchmark datasets demonstrate that the proposed ROH outperforms several state-of-the-art cross-modal hashing methods.

YDD-SLAM: Indoor Dynamic Visual SLAM Fusing YOLOv5 with Depth Information.

Simultaneous location and mapping (SLAM) technology is key in robot autonomous navigation. Most visual SLAM (VSLAM) algorithms for dynamic environments cannot achieve sufficient positioning accuracy and real-time performance simultaneously. When the dynamic object proportion is too high, the VSLAM algorithm will collapse. To solve the above problems, this paper proposes an indoor dynamic VSLAM algorithm called YDD-SLAM based on ORB-SLAM3, which introduces the YOLOv5 object detection algorithm and integrates deep information. Firstly, the objects detected by YOLOv5 are divided into eight subcategories according to their motion characteristics and depth values. Secondly, the depth ranges of the dynamic object and potentially dynamic object in the moving state in the scene are calculated. Simultaneously, the depth value of the feature point in the detection box is compared with that of the feature point in the detection box to determine whether the point is a dynamic feature point; if it is, the dynamic feature point is eliminated. Further, multiple feature point optimization strategies were developed for VSLAM in dynamic environments. A public data set and an actual dynamic scenario were used for testing. The accuracy of the proposed algorithm was significantly improved compared to that of ORB-SLAM3. This work provides a theoretical foundation for the practical application of a dynamic VSLAM algorithm.

Potent Half-Sandwich 16-/18-Electron Iridium(III) and Ruthenium(II) Anticancer Complexes with Readily Available Amine-Imine Ligands.

The synthesis and biological evaluation of stable 16-electron half-sandwich complexes have remained scarce. We herein present the different coordination modes (16-electron or 18-electron) between half-sandwich iridium(III) complexes and ruthenium(II) complexes derived from the same amine-imine ligands chelating hybrid sp3-N/sp2-N donors. The 16-electron iridium(III) and 18-electron ruthenium(II) complexes with different counteranions were obtained and identified by various techniques. The promising cytotoxicity of these complexes against A549 lung cancer cells, cisplatin-resistant A549/DPP cells, cervical carcinoma HeLa cells, and human hepatocellular liver carcinoma HepG2 cells was observed with IC50 values ranging from 5.4 to 16.3 µM. Moreover, these complexes showed a certain selectivity (selectivity index: 2.1-3.7) toward A549 cells and BEAS-2B normal cells. The variation of metal center, counteranion, 16/18-electron coordination mode, and ligand substituents showed little influence on the cytotoxicity and selectivity of these complexes. The mechanism of action study showed that these complexes could target mitochondria, induce the depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane, and promote the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Further, the induction of cell apoptosis and the perturbation of the cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase were also observed for these complexes. Overall, it seems that the redox mechanism dominated the anticancer efficacy of these complexes.

Proximal femoral bionic nail-a novel internal fixation system for the treatment of femoral neck fractures: a finite element analysis.

Introduction: Currently, cannulated screws (CSs) and dynamic hip screws (DHSs) are widely used for the treatment of femoral neck fractures, but the postoperative complications associated with these internal fixations remain high. In response to this challenge, our team proposes a new approach involving triangular-supported fixation and the development of the proximal femoral bionic nail (PFBN). The primary objective of this study is to investigate the biomechanical differences among CSs, DHSs, and the PFBN in their capacity to stabilize femoral neck fractures. Methods: A normal proximal femur model was constructed according to the CT data of a normal healthy adult. A femoral neck fracture model was constructed and fixed with CSs, DHSs, and the PFBN to simulate the fracture fixation model. Abaqus 6.14 software was used to compare the biomechanical characters of the three fracture fixation models. Results: The maximum stresses and displacements of the normal proximal femur were 45.35 MPa and 2.83 mm, respectively. Under axial loading, the PFBN was more effective than DHSs and CSs in improving the stress concentration of the internal fixation and reducing the peak values of von Mises stress, maximum principal stress, and minimum principal stress. The PFBN fixation model exhibits superior overall and fracture section stability in comparison to both the DHS fixation model and the CS fixation model under axial loading. Notably, the maximum stress and peak displacement of the PFBN and bone were lower than those of the DHS and CS fixation models under bending and torsional loading. Conclusion: The PFBN shows considerable improvement in reducing stress concentration, propagating stress, and enhancing the overall stability in the femoral neck fracture fixation model compared to DHSs and CSs. These enhancements more closely correspond to the tissue structure and biomechanical characteristics of the proximal femur, demonstrating that the PFBN has great potential for therapeutic purposes in treating femoral neck fractures.

Mechanical Properties and Cushioning Effectiveness of FPUF-EPS Combination Materials.

Based on flexible polyurethane foam (FPUF), which is reversible after compression, and expanded polystyrene foam (EPS), which has a high cushioning energy absorption capacity, the parallel and series combinations of FPUF and EPS are provided. According to experimental data of FPUF and EPS uniaxial compression large deformation, the mechanical properties and cushioning effectiveness of the FPUF-EPS combination materials with different structural scale parameters were investigated by theory analysis and finite element simulation. The mechanical response and the cushioning effectiveness influencing factors of FPUF-EPS parallel (FE-P) and FPUF-EPS series (FE-S) combination materials under single compressive load, single-impact load, and multiple compressive loads were obtained. The differences in mechanical properties and cushioning effectiveness of FE-P, FE-S, FPUF, and EPS are analyzed. The influence law of structural scale parameters and load strength on the mechanical properties and cushioning effectiveness of FE-P and FE-S is provided. It indicates that the cushion properties of combination materials should be adjusted to satisfy product protection requirements. It is beneficial for the design optimization of cushioning and packaging protection.

A modified Blumgart anastomosis with a simple and practicable procedure after laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy: our center's experience.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy(LPD) has become the goal of lots of minimally invasive surgical centers in recent years. Postoperative pancreatic fistula(POPF) is still the barrier to attaining the above goal. Thus, improving anastomosis techniques to reduce the rate of POPF has been a hotspot of surgery. Blumgart pancreaticojejunostomy is considered one of the best anastomosis procedures, with low rates of POPF. However, the original Blumgart pancreaticojejunostomy method is not easy for laparoscopic operation. In consequence, we modified a Blumgart pancreaticojejunostomy technique with a simple and practicable procedure and applied to LPD. METHODS: We collected and retrospectively analyzed the perioperative clinical data of patients who underwent modified Blumgart anastomosis from February 2017 to September 2022. The above patients included 53 cases in open pancreaticojejunostomy(OPD) and 58 cases in LPD. After propensity score matching, 44 cases were included for comparison in each group. RESULTS: After propensity score matching, the average time for pancreaticojejunostomy was about 30 min in the LPD group. The Clinically relevant POPF(CR-POPF) rate was 9.1%. The length of postoperative hospitalization was 13.1 days. Compared with the OPD group, The CR-POPF rate in the LPD group are not significant differences. But the postoperative length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the LPD group. Besides, there were no other severely postoperative complications between two groups. CONCLUSION: The modified Blumgart anastomosis technique applied to LPD in our Center not only has simple and convenient properties but also low rate of CR-POPF. And this method may be a good choice for surgeons to begin to carry out LPD.

Prediction of Early Antidepressant Efficacy in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder Based on Multidimensional Features of rs-fMRI and P11 Gene DNA Methylation: Prédiction de l'efficacité précoce d'un antidépresseur chez des patients souffrant du trouble dépressif majeur d'après les caractéristiques multidimensionnelles de la méthylation de l'ADN du gène P11 et de la IRMf-rs.

OBJECTIVE: This study established a machine learning model based on the multidimensional data of resting-state functional activity of the brain and P11 gene DNA methylation to predict the early efficacy of antidepressant treatment in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). METHODS: A total of 98 Han Chinese MDD were analysed in this study. Patients were divided into 51 responders and 47 nonresponders according to whether the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 items (HAMD-17) reduction rate was ≥50% after 2 weeks of antidepressant treatment. At baseline, the Illumina HiSeq Platform was used to detect the methylation of 74 CpG sites of the P11 gene in peripheral blood samples. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scan detected the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), and functional connectivity (FC) in 116 brain regions. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analysis method was used to perform feature reduction and feature selection. Four typical machine learning methods were used to establish support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), Naïve Bayes (NB), and logistic regression (LR) prediction models based on different combinations of functional activity of the brain, P11 gene DNA methylation and clinical/demographic features after screening. RESULTS: The SVM model based on ALFF, ReHo, FC, P11 methylation, and clinical/demographic features showed the best performance, with 95.92% predictive accuracy and 0.9967 area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, which was better than RF, NB, and LR models. CONCLUSION: The multidimensional data features combining rs-fMRI, DNA methylation, and clinical/demographic features can predict the early antidepressant efficacy in MDD.