Browse Articles

A holistic stochastic model for precipitation events

Abstract In the western United States, much of the annual precipitation falls during relatively few storm events. When precipitation is measured as daily (or hourly, etc.) accumulations, these events appear as sequences of various durations. We describe a trivariate probability distribution and assert that it provides a natural description for the durations, magnitudes, and maximum intensities of such events. We show that this distribution, in its most straightforward application, indeed describes precipitation events composed of daily observations at most long-term weather stations across the western United States, allowing for a flexible assessment of specific event probabilities and return periods with respect to their three defining components. This characterization opens the door to further understanding of risk associated with out-of-sample meteorological events.

Association of dietary niacin intake with all-cause mortality in chronic kidney disease: A retrospective cohort study of NHANES

Background Dietary niacin intake has a positive influence on several chronic diseases, while the impact of dietary niacin intake on prognosis in chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains unknown. The study would explore the association between dietary niacin intake and all-cause mortality in CKD patients. Methods Data about 4,659 CKD patients in this retrospective cohort study were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examinations Survey (NHANES). Dietary niacin intake data were acquired based on the 24-hour dietary recall interviews. Weighted univariate Cox regression models were utilized to select potential covariates. The association of dietary niacin intake with all-cause mortality was explored using weighted univariate and multivariate Cox regression models. The results were presented as hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results In total, 4,659 CKD patients were included in the study. The mean age of patients was 58.03 (0.42) years old, and 2,502 (58.45%) were female. During a mean follow-up of 73.92 (1.14) months, 1,325 (28.44%) CKD patients died. Compared to CKD patients with lower niacin intake ≤19mg, those with niacin intake >33 mg were associated with lower all-cause mortality risk (HR = 0.79, 95%CI: 0.64–0.98). The association also found in subgroups of age ≥65 years old (HR = 0.68, 95%CI: 0.53–0.88), males (HR = 0.68, 95%CI: 0.51–0.92), BMI <25 kg/m2 (HR = 0.63, 95%CI: 0.39–0.99), smoking (HR = 0.68, 95%CI: 0.49–0.94), dyslipidemia (HR = 0.71, 95%CI: 0.56–0.91), and non-hyperphosphatemia (HR = 0.73, 95%CI: 0.58–0.91). Conclusion Adequate dietary niacin intake was related to lower odds of all-cause mortality in CKD patients. Niacin supplements may have potential benefits for prognosis in CKD patients.

Effect of some growth substances application on growth and seasonal yield of acid lime trees (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) in Delta

Abstract This work aims to investigate the impact of chitosan and hydrogen peroxide on the growth and seasonal yield of lime trees cultivated in commercial orchards in Qalyubiyya Governorate, Egypt, during the 2021 & 2022 seasons. The treatments include foliar spraying of two concentrations of CHI (100 & 200 ppm) and H2O2 (2 & 4 cm/L), either individually or in combination, at two distinct times, one month after fruit set (1st week of September) and after two months. The hypothesis was that applying chitosan and hydrogen peroxide would improve tree growth, fruit quality, and total production. The obtained results indicated that the combinations of CHI with H2O2 improved tree growth, leaf mineral composition, seasonal yield, and fruit quality parameters. CHI at 200 ppm + H2O2 at 4 cm/L was the most efficient treatment and achieved the largest tree canopy. Treatment of 100 ppm CHI with 2 cm/L H2O2 showed superior yield in terms of tree yield (23.56 & 29.64 kg/tree), total production (8.15 & 9.16 t/ha) compared to other treatments. Likewise, combinations of CHI and H2O2 improved fruit characteristics. Findings of this study demonstrated that the foliar application of CHI with H2O2 could be a promising application to improve seasonal lemon yield and fruit quality in commercial orchards.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of romosozumab for severe postmenopausal osteoporosis at very high risk of fracture in Mexico

Introduction This study aims to assess the cost effectiveness of romosozumab versus teriparatide, both sequenced to denosumab, for the treatment of severe postmenopausal osteoporosis at very high risk of fractures in Mexican women. Methods A Markov model was used to assess the relative cost effectiveness of 1 year of romosozumab versus 2 years of teriparatide, both sequenced to denosumab for a total treatment duration of 5 years. Outcomes for a cohort of women with a mean age of 74 years, a T-score ≤-2.5 and a previous fragility fracture were simulated over a lifetime horizon. The analysis was conducted from the perspective of the Mexican healthcare system and used a discount rate of 5% per annum. To inform relative fracture incidence, the bone mineral density (BMD) advantage of romosozumab over teriparatide was translated into relative risks of fracture, using relationships provided by a meta-regression of osteoporosis therapy trials. Outcomes were assessed in terms of lifetime costs (2023 Mexican pesos), quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and life-years gained (LYs). Results Base case results showed that, compared with teriparatide/ denosumab, romosozumab/ denosumab reduced costs by $51,363 MXN per patient and yielded 0.03 additional QALYs and 0.01 LYs. Scenario analyses and probabilistic sensitivity analyses confirmed that results are robust to uncertainty in model assumptions and inputs. Conclusions Results show that romosozumab/ denosumab produces greater health benefits at a lower total cost than teriparatide/ denosumab.

Atomic-scale intercalation and defect engineering for enhanced magnetism and optoelectronic properties in atomically thin GeS

A classification scheme of active faults in engineering

Fault displacement hazard, along with ground shaking hazard and earthquake-induced geohazard, are the primary forms of disaster in major earthquakes. Buildings located on areas of strong seismic surface displacement are likely to be damaged if anti-displacement design is not carried out. Therefore, a reasonable and targeted active fault classification scheme is helpful for avoidance and anti-displacement hazard of active fault in engineering construction. However, the existing classification schemes are rough, and some have no quantitative classification basis, which makes it difficult to apply these classification schemes in actual work. Also, they did not specify whether all active faults should be avoided. In this paper, considering the physical mechanism of earthquakes, using two activity parameters of active faults, “strong earthquake recurrence period” (TRP) and “strong earthquake elapsed time ratio” (Ret), and referring to the probabilistic seismic hazard analysis method (PSHA), the maximum magnitude of potential earthquake on the fault under different exceedance probabilities (EP) is calculated, and was divided into six levels. The fault displacement hazard level under different exceedance probabilities may be different. For buildings with different importance levels, we recommend six hazard classification schemes with different exceedance probabilities. Standard buildings should avoid active faults with a fault displacement hazard level of Ⅰ ~ Ⅲ (faults that can generate earthquakes of magnitude m0 and above under a 4% exceedance probability over 100 years). Special buildings and key buildings should avoid active faults with a fault displacement hazard level of Ⅰ ~ Ⅳ (faults that can generate earthquakes of magnitude m0-0.5and above under a 1% exceedance probability over 100 years). The fault displacement hazard classification scheme given in this paper takes into account the physical mechanism of earthquake occurrence and the importance of buildings, which makes this classification scheme both scientific and practical, helps provide technical support for the design and construction of buildings. This study is still quite preliminary, and there are many issues that need further study.

Effectiveness of antipsychotic medication in patients with schizophrenia in a real world retrospective observational study in Ethiopia

Influence of teaching a structured and humanized method of care on the perception of medical student attitudes in the doctor-patient relationship

Introduction The humanization of care can be defined, in a generic way, as the act of making an empathetic and respectful approach to patients. This study proposed to evaluate the perception of attitudes of medical students regarding the doctor-patient relationship, after implementation of teaching a humanized and structured care method. Materials and methods Single-blind, randomized controlled experimental study that evaluated medical students in relation to patient care, based on a pre-post design, using the Patient-Practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS). This scale has been validated to assess patient-centered attitudes, as the prime outcome measure. The intervention, with a group of randomized students, included teaching the structured and humanized method of patient care, denominated the SEAGULL (Subjective, Exams, Analysis, Goal, Ultimate Action), and was carried out at the university outpatient clinic. Results Fifty-nine medical students participated in the study, with a mean age of 21.3 years (SD = 2.8) and a higher prevalence of female students (71.2%). The increase in the final scores was greater in the intervention group (p = 0.025) when comparing means of the total PPOS scores. The intervention group presented a larger effect size and higher mean scores (d = 0.49, Δ = +0.38, p<0.001) than the control group (d = 0.21, Δ = + 0.10, p = 0.004). It is noteworthy that the analysis of the initial and final means of the PPOS scores of the sharing domain revealed larger effect sizes in the intervention group compared to the control group (Δ = +0.42, d = 0.63; p<0.001). Discussion and conclusion The findings showed that training in the use of the SEAGULL structured method led to a significant increase in PPOS scores related to the humanization of care by these students, with emphasis on the domain of sharing information, power, and responsibility with patients.

Investigation and prediction of fatigue performance of SLM 316 L stainless steel based on small build orientation variations and heat treatment effects

Respiratory pathology in the mdx/utrn -/- mouse: A murine model for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked devastating disease caused by a lack of dystrophin which results in progressive muscle weakness. As muscle weakness progresses, respiratory insufficiency and hypoventilation result in significant morbidity and mortality. The most studied DMD mouse model- the mdx mouse- has a milder respiratory phenotype compared to humans, likely due to compensatory overexpression of utrophin. mdx/utrn-/- mice lack both dystrophin and utrophin proteins. These mice have an early onset of muscular dystrophy, severe muscle weakness, and premature death, but the respiratory pathophysiology is unclear. The objective of this study is to characterize the respiratory pathophysiology and histopathology using whole body plethysmography to measure breathing and metabolism, diaphragm muscle functional analysis, histology, and immunohistochemistry. The mdx/utrn-/- mice have significant respiratory and metabolic deficits with respiratory insufficiency and hypoventilation when exposed to hypoxia and hypercarbia as early as 6 weeks of age. They also have significant diaphragmatic weakness and disrupted diaphragmatic structural pathology. The mdx/utrn-/- mice display respiratory dysfunction that mimics the DMD phenotype and therefore can provide a useful model to study the impact of novel therapies on respiratory function for DMD.

Movement traits important to conservation and fisheries management: an example with red snapper

Abstract Site fidelity, space use, and dispersal are commonly estimated with acoustic telemetry (AT) to help inform management and conservation. These behaviors can change with age, habitat and environmental conditions and our ability to accurately estimate them is affected by a study’s inference power (design components that affect how accurately detection data represents a species’ movements). Red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) have been extensively studied with AT over a range of time periods and regions, although primarily at artificial reefs (AR). Here, we use large (> 12 km2) acoustic positioning arrays to monitor a study area with low-relief hard bottom, a reef ledge, and an AR. Annual fidelity to the study area was estimated to be 54%, but estimates were affected by fate uncertainty and model choice. Emigration increased with storms and in early summer. Abundance was greatest at small habitat patches but space use did not scale with patch size. Although uncommon, long-distance movements and connectivity between habitats occurred, with a maximum dispersal of 206 km. Previous red snapper AT studies varied greatly in array size, study duration, and number of fish tracked, impacting inference power. This made it difficult to compare results and highlights the need for greater standardization in AT methods.

Integrative analysis of SEPN1 in glioma: Prognostic roles, functional implications, and potential therapeutic interventions

Background SEPN1, a selenoprotein involved in redox regulation and endoplasmic reticulum stress response, has an unclear role in cancer. This study aims to investigate the expression, prognostic significance, and tumor microenvironment (TME) relevance of SEPN1 across pan-cancer, with a particular focus on glioma. Methods We analyzed SEPN1 expression and prognosis using the TCGA pan-cancer cohort. SEPN1 in glioma was further examined using data from TCGA, CGGA, GEO, and ZN-GC cohorts, along with survival analysis, single-cell RNA sequencing analysis, and enrichment analysis. We developed an SEPN1-related risk score (SRS) based on SEPN1-related long non-coding RNAs and validated its prognostic value. Drug sensitivity data and connectivity map analysis identified potential anti-glioma drugs based on the SRS. Results We found that SEPN1 was significantly upregulated in glioma, associated with poor prognosis, functioned as an independent risk factor, and predominantly expressed in malignant glioma cells. Enrichment analysis indicated the involvement of SEPN1 in immune-related processes and signaling pathways. Suppressing SEPN1 in glioblastoma cells inhibited proliferation and induced G2/M arrest and apoptosis. The SRS demonstrated strong prognostic value and correlated with enhanced immune infiltration in the glioma TME. Potential anti-glioma drugs were identified based on the SRS. Conclusions SEPN1 emerges as a novel biomarker and therapeutic target in glioma, providing a basis for future development of targeted therapies.

Comparative performance of tuberculin and defined-antigen cocktails for detecting bovine tuberculosis in BCG-vaccinated cattle in natural settings

Abstract Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a threat to cattle health and public safety. The current control programs are hampered by wildlife reservoirs and socioeconomic barriers. Vaccinating cattle with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) effectively reduces transmission, offering a potential solution for controlling bTB. A key requirement for vaccination strategies using BCG is the validation of defined antigens to differentiate infections among vaccinated animals (DIVA). We compared tuberculin with DIVA peptide cocktails (ESAT-6, CFP-10, and Rv3615c) in 67 unvaccinated and 67 BCG-vaccinated cattle exposed to M. bovis in a natural setting. The cattle were tested every 4 months with a skin test and every 2 months with interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) release assays (IGRA) over a year of exposure. Before exposure, the DIVA skin, DIVA IGRA, and tuberculin tests showed 100% specificity in unvaccinated control calves. After exposure, the DIVA skin, DIVA IGRA, and comparative cervical tuberculin (CCT) tests had comparable sensitivities of 46% (95% CI 36, 56), 45% (95% CI 35, 55), and 47 (95% CI 37, 57), respectively, when assessed against animals positive by M. bovis culture PCR. The results suggest that test-and-slaughter control strategies using tests with low sensitivity are not expected to be effective in controlling bTB in high-prevalence herds, and highlight an urgent need to improve the sensitivity of diagnostic tests for bTB in these settings.

Genomic characterization of foodborne Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli isolates from Saboba district and Bolgatanga Municipality Ghana

Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli are well-known bacteria commonly associated with foodborne illnesses in humans and animals. Genomic characterization of these pathogens provides valuable insights into their evolution, virulence factors and resistance determinants. This study aimed to characterized previously isolated Salmonella (n = 14) and E. coli (n = 19) from milk, meat and its associated utensils in Ghana using whole-genome sequencing. Most of the Salmonella serovars (Fresno, Plymouth, Infantis, Give and Orleans) identified in this study are yet to be reported in Ghana. Most Salmonella isolates were pan-sensitive, but genes conferring resistance to fosfomycin (fosA7.2) and tetracycline (tet(A)) were detected in one and three isolates, respectively. Seven of the Salmonella isolates carried the IncI1-I(Gamma) plasmid replicon. Although antimicrobial resistance was not common among Salmonella strains, most (11/19) of the E. coli strains had at least one resistance gene, with nearly half (8/19) being multidrug resistant and carried plasmids. Three of the 19 E. coli strains belonged to serovars commonly associated with enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) pathotype. While strains belonging to virulence-associated lineages lacked key plasmid-encoded virulence plasmids, several plasmid replicons were detected in most of the E. coli (14/19) strains. Food contaminated with these pathogens can serve as a vehicle for disease transmission, posing a significant public health risk and necessitating stringent food safety and hygiene practices to prevent outbreaks. Hence, there is need for continuous surveillance and preventive measures to stop the spread of foodborne pathogens and reduce the risk of associated illnesses in Ghana.

Tumor characteristics and survival rate of axillary metastatic breast cancer patients: a three decades retrospective cohort study

Abstract Background: Lymph node (LN) involvement, as an important prognostic factor in breast cancer (BC) patients, has a crucial role in their therapeutic approach. Consequently, a great desire is to thoroughly assess the patients based on their axillary LN status. The present study evaluated the characteristics and survival rate of axillary metastatic BC patients in a Tertiary and referral center. Method: The overall survival, disease-free survival, and clinicopathological characteristics of axillary metastatic BC patients referred to the Cancer Research Center in Tehran, Iran, from 1991 to 2022 were assessed retrospectively. We obtained patients’ clinical data from prospectively maintained registries. Result: Among the total 3399 recruited patients, 49.1%, 26.3%,13.1%, and 6.4% were pN0, pN1, pN2 and pN3, respectively. The pN0 group patients showed a significantly lower Hazard Ratio (HR) for DFS and OS compared to others. Moreover, estrogen and progesterone receptors, human epidermal growth factor2, tumor pathology type and tumor grade were prognostic factors of axillary LN status. Accordingly, pN0 patients had a lower recurrence risk than the others (P = 0.01). Conclusion: The axillary lymph node status has been considered as one of the fundamental factors determining the therapeutic strategy and prognosis of BC patients, which has an association with tumor characteristics. Regarding the crucial impact of the LN status on the survival landscape of breast cancer patients, accurate detection of the involved one and close screening follow-up of patients with more metastatic LNs during the surgery have a high value.

Physical and motivational effects of Exergames in healthy adults—A scoping review

Exergames have the potential to be used as physical-cognitive training tools. Although numerous studies investigated the physical and motivational effects of Exergaming, a comprehensive summary of training effects in healthy adults is still missing. This scoping review aims to identify available evidence and research gaps on absolute and relative effects of Exergame training on physical indicators (effectiveness) and motivation (attractiveness) compared to no or conventional training in healthy adults. A systematic literature search was performed in EBSCOhost, WoS CC, SURF, and Science Research for studies meeting the following criteria: a) randomized controlled trials with Exergames compared to conventional training and/ or no treatment; b) healthy adults (age: 18 to 64 years); c) Exergame training interventions; d) assessment of pre-post differences, primary outcomes: endurance, strength, flexibility, speed, balance, sensorimotor coordination, sports skills, player experience; secondary outcomes: adverse events, physical activity level, attitudes, and knowledge. Methodological quality of included studies was assessed using the PEDro Scale. Charted data were categorized according to the PICOS framework. Mean differences, 95% confidence intervals, and effect sizes (ES) were calculated for continuous outcomes. Evidence Maps were created to illustrate the estimated Risk of Bias, estimated effect, and sample sizes. Eighteen publications with 907 participants were included. The number of studies per outcome was low (2 to 9balance:). Studies on coordination and knowledge were lacking. No study analyzed the relative effects of speed training with Exergames. Absolute effects of Exergame training ranged from no to large effects. Significant ES were consistently found for skill training. Negative effects were found for individual parameters. Relative effects of Exergame training ranged from no to large effects (one exception). A moderate absolute effect favoring traditional training was found for skill training. The remaining results suggest that Exergaming elicited similar training effects compared to conventional training. A high variance of applied training, corresponding training parameters (FITT-VP), outcome measures, as well as methodological deficits and incomplete reporting were identified in included studies. Therefore, a lack of high-quality studies and reviews was identified. Future research should conduct high quality RCT studies analyzing the effectiveness and attractiveness in Exergames. In addition, more suitable, well-designed Exergames should be developed.

Mechanistic elucidation of human pancreatic acinar development using single-cell transcriptome analysis on a human iPSC differentiation model

More than a feeling: A global economic valuation of subjective wellbeing damages resulting from rising temperatures

When estimating economic and welfare effects from climate change, impact models must make broad assumptions because of a lack of data and the complexity of damage mechanisms. In this paper, we apply a novel approach to try and address this issue. We use an experienced utility approach to measure how extreme heat affects subjective wellbeing. The data comes from a life evaluation question collected on nationally representative surveys covering 160 countries, conducted annually for 13 years. We take advantage of 40 years of variation in daily land surface temperature data, finding that one additional exceptionally hot day significantly lowers wellbeing, by roughly 0.5% on average. This is equivalent to the wellbeing loss resulting from GDP decreasing by several percentage points. The effect size varies substantially between, and within, countries, highlighting the importance of having local data. Further, we analyze the source of wellbeing damages, by looking at income and non-income pathways. Suprisingly, we find that income pathways accounts for only a small proportion of wellbeing damages caused by extreme temperatures. This indicates current models that focus on income pathways are likely missing sources of climate-caused damages.

A data-driven cluster analysis to explore cognitive reserve and modifiable risk factors in early phases of cognitive decline

Does the social credit system construction reduce enterprises’ overinvestment? quasi-natural experimental evidence from China

As an important part of improving the socialist market economic system, the social credit system focuses on the market’s micro behavior, which emphasizes the credit self-discipline of enterprises in financial management and checks the orientation for enterprises’ investment decisions. This study selected Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share listed companies for 2012–2023 as samples and used the pilot reform of China’s social credit system as a quasi-natural experiment to test the impact and mechanisms of the construction of the social credit system on enterprises’ overinvestment. The main findings show that the social credit system construction alleviates enterprises’ overinvestment behaviors, realized by the inhibiting effect of internal controls, the reverse effect of risk monitoring, and the guiding effect of business environment optimization. Heterogeneity analyses illustrate that the social credit system construction has a more obvious inhibitory effect on overinvestment for enterprises that are less subject to financing constraints, have higher internet penetration, have better financial development levels, are eastern, non-manufacturing, and large-scale. The conclusions provide new perspectives and references for the government and enterprises to re-examine the economic effects of the social credit system construction, which can promote capital usage efficiency and guide enterprises toward rational management.