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Infrared spectroscopic study on residual chitosan-based composite seed coating in kaolin

Analysis of the structure and robustness of the global semiconductor trade network

Amidst the global restructuring of the semiconductor supply chain, this paper constructs a global semiconductor trade network (2007, 2012, 2017, 2021) encompassing three segments (raw materials, equipment, and finished components), based on the CEPII database. After initially exploring trade flows among different regions, the paper conducts an in-depth analysis of the network’s overall structure and the significance of its nodes. Furthermore, the evolution of the trade network’s community structure is discussed and its robustness and dynamics over recent years are assessed through computer program simulation. The findings are as follows: First, semiconductor trade flows are concentrated primarily among a few regions in Asia, US, and EU. Second, the network has grown in size and exhibits significant “small-world” characteristics in all segments, deviating from the typical "sparsity" seen in large-scale networks. Third, Japan, the US, and a few European regions wield significant influence in semiconductor materials and equipment trade, while Asian economies such as Chinese mainland, Chinese Taiwan, and Korea dominate semiconductor components trade. Fourth, the raw materials trade network has diversified in recent years, while the trade networks for equipment and finished components remain in a state of continuous “polarization.” Fifth, the semiconductor trade network demonstrates robustness against random attacks but collapses quickly under targeted attacks. Among the three segments, the trade network of finished components, being larger in scale, exhibits greater resilience against both random and targeted attacks. This paper not only enhances the construction of the global semiconductor trade network but also introduces a dynamic perspective, offering deeper insights into its structure and robustness. The insights gained from this analysis provide valuable guidance for policymakers and companies, especially amidst rapid technological change and geopolitical tensions.

Optimizing concrete sustainability with bagasse ash and stone dust and its impact on mechanical properties and durability

Familiarity of an environment prevents song suppression in isolated zebra finches

Despite the wide use of zebra finches as an animal model to study vocal learning and production, little is known about impacts on their welfare caused by routine experimental manipulations such as changing their social context. Here we conduct a post-hoc analysis of singing rate, an indicator of positive welfare, to gain insights into stress caused by social isolation, a common experimental manipulation. We find that isolation in an unfamiliar environment reduces singing rate for several days, indicating the presence of an acute stressor. However, we find no such decrease when social isolation is caused by either removal of a social companion or by transfer to a familiar environment. Furthermore, during repeated brief periods of isolation, singing rate remains high when isolation is induced by removal of social companions, but it fails to recover from a suppressed state when isolation is induced by recurrent transfer to an unknown environment. These findings suggest that stress from social isolation is negligible compared to stress caused by environmental changes and that frequent short visits of an unfamiliar environment are detrimental rather than beneficial. Together, these insights can serve to refine experimental studies and design paradigms maximizing the birds’ wellbeing and vocal output.

Severe obesity, high inflammation, insulin resistance with risks of all-cause mortality and all-site cancers, and potential modification by healthy lifestyles

Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity does not improve mortality in type 2 diabetes patients with severe abdominal aortic calcification

Background The impact of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on all-cause mortality in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with severe abdominal aortic calcification (SAAC) remains unclear. Methods We analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013–2014, including T2D patients aged 40 years and older. AAC was assessed using the Kauppila scoring system, with SAAC defined as a score >6. Self-reported MVPA was categorized based on weekly minutes of activity. The weighted Cox regression model was used to investigate risk associations. Results Among the weighted sample of 20,328,606 T2D participants, 16.39% had SAAC. SAAC was significantly associated with increased all-cause mortality (HR 2.57, 95% CI 1.52–4.35) after adjusting for confounders. MVPA did not significantly reduce mortality risk in patients with SAAC (HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.40–2.49). Conclusion SAAC is a robust predictor of mortality in T2D patients, and MVPA does not improve mortality outcomes in this high-risk group. Future studies should conduct more detailed subgroup analyses to identify the specific indications for MVPA.

Network pharmacology uncovers that secoisolariciresinol diglucoside ameliorate premature ovarian insufficiency via PI3K/Akt pathway

Frequencies and functions of vocalizations and gestures in the second year of life

Speculations on the evolution of language have invoked comparisons across human and non-human primate communication. While there is widespread support for the claim that gesture plays a central, perhaps a predominant role in early language development and that gesture played the foundational role in language evolution, much empirical information does not accord with the gestural claims. The present study follows up on our prior work that challenged the gestural theory of language development with longitudinal data showing early speech-like vocalizations occurred more than 5 times as often as gestures in the first year of life. Now we bring longitudinal data on the second year (13, 16 and 20 mo), showing again that vocalizations predominated, and especially in conventional (learned) communication; > 9 times more spoken words were observed than gestures that could be viewed as functionally equivalent to words (i.e., signs). Our observations also showed that about ¾ of gestures across these second-year data were deictics (primarily pointing and reaching), acts that while significant in supporting the establishment of referential vocabulary in both spoken and signed languages, are not signs, but have single universal deictic functions in the here and now. In contrast, words and signs, the primary semantic components of spoken and signed languages, are functionally flexible, making possible reference to abstractions that are not bound to any particular illocutionary force nor to the here and now.

Serological insights from SARS-CoV-2 heterologous prime and boost responses in Thailand

AbstractDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, heterologous vaccination strategies were employed to alleviate the strain on vaccine supplies. The Thailand Ministry of Health adopted these strategies using vector, inactivated, and mRNA vaccines. However, this approach has introduced challenges for SARS-CoV-2 sero-epidemiology studies. Our study analysed 647 samples from healthcare workers who received CoronaVac, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, and BNT162b2 vaccines. The serological profile encompassed responses to various SARS-CoV-2 variants and vectors, measuring IgG, IgM, and IgA isotypes, alongside IgG avidity assays. The results demonstrated that heterologous CoronaVac/ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 schedules elicited significantly stronger antibody responses compared to homologous schedules (IgG: 1.2-fold, IgM: 10.9-fold, IgA: 3.1-fold increase). Additionally, a heterologous BNT162b2 boost at 4-weeks post-initial vaccination showed greater antibody levels than a ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 boost (IgG: 1.1-fold, IgM: slight decrease, IgA: 1.5-fold increase). Using a combination of three analytes, IgG against wild-type Spike trimer, nucleoprotein and Omicron receptor binding domains, enabled the clustering of responses within a statistical Gaussian mixture model that successfully discriminates between breakthrough infections and vaccination types (F-score = 0.82). The development of statistical models to predict breakthrough infections can improve serological surveillance. Overall, our study underscores the necessity for vaccine (re-)development and the creation of serological tools to monitor vaccine performance.

Futility in TAVI: A scoping review of definitions, predictive criteria, and medical predictive models

Background Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) procedures are rapidly expanding, necessitating a more extensive stratification of patients with aortic stenosis. Especially in the high-risk group, some patients fail to derive optimal or any benefits from TAVI, leading to the risk of futile interventions. Despite consensus among several experts regarding the importance of recognizing and anticipating such interventions, the definition, and predictive criteria for futility in TAVI remain ambiguous. Aim The purpose of this study is to explore the literature addressing the definition, predictive criteria, and medical predictive models for futility in cases of TAVI. Design A scoping review was conducted by two researchers and reported in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Eligibility criteria Studies addressing futility in TAVI, including definitions, predictive variables, and models, were included without restrictions on study design but were excluded study only on surgical valve replacement, valve in valve or aortic stenosis causes by other pathology than calcification. Information sources We identified 129 studies from five key sources: CINAHL, PUBMED, the Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, and EMBASE. The literature search was conducted in two rounds—first in February 2024 and again in October 2024—using no restrictions on the year of publication or the language of the studies. Additional references were included through cross-referencing. Results The definition of futility is not unanimous, although most researchers agreed on 1-year survival as a cutoff. The majority of studies focused on single variables that can predict 1-year survival, employing either prospective or retrospective designs. Frailty was the major concept studied. Numerous predictive models have been identified, but no consensus was found. Conclusion Futility concepts generate interest in the TAVI procedure. In this review, numerous articles state that 1-year mortality serves as a cutoff to define futile procedures. Some variables, cardiac or otherwise, are independent predictors of 1-year mortality. Medical predictive models showed moderate sensitivity and specificity, except for machine learning, which shows promise for the future. However, few articles delve deeply into non-quantifiable parameters such as patient goals and objectives or ethical questions. More studies should focus on these parameters.

Neutralization of omicron subvariants and antigenic cartography following multiple COVID 19 vaccinations and repeated omicron non JN.1 or JN.1 infections

Enhancing stroke disease classification through machine learning models via a novel voting system by feature selection techniques

Heart disease remains a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, necessitating the development of accurate and reliable predictive models to facilitate early detection and intervention. While state of the art work has focused on various machine learning approaches for predicting heart disease, but they could not able to achieve remarkable accuracy. In response to this need, we applied nine machine learning algorithms XGBoost, logistic regression, decision tree, random forest, k-nearest neighbors (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), gaussian naïve bayes (NB gaussian), adaptive boosting, and linear regression to predict heart disease based on a range of physiological indicators. Our approach involved feature selection techniques to identify the most relevant predictors, aimed at refining the models to enhance both performance and interpretability. The models were trained, incorporating processes such as grid search hyperparameter tuning, and cross-validation to minimize overfitting. Additionally, we have developed a novel voting system with feature selection techniques to advance heart disease classification. Furthermore, we have evaluated the models using key performance metrics including accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC AUC). Among the models, XGBoost demonstrated exceptional performance, achieving 99% accuracy, precision, F1-Score, 98% recall, and 100% ROC AUC. This study offers a promising approach to early heart disease diagnosis and preventive healthcare.

The tolerance balancing optimization with multiple constraints on the form and function of the discrete functional surface

The efficacy of acupuncture for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in college students: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Introduction Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is the most common type of anxiety disorders. GAD usually occurs in adolescence or early adulthood, and the prevalence of GAD is higher among college-enrolled young adults than in the general adult population. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of GAD. This study’s objective is to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of GAD in college students and its stability. Methods A total of 142 subjects will be recruited for the randomized controlled trial (RCT) of current undergraduate and graduate students with GAD and will be randomized into treatment and control groups. The treatment group will receive conventional acupuncture, while the control group will receive sham acupuncture using Streitberger needles. Both groups will be administered 8 acupuncture treatment (2 times per week for 4 weeks). The follow-up duration will be 2 months. The Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) will be used as the primary outcome of the study to measure the severity of anxiety disorder. The secondary outcomes of this study will be included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Self-rating anxiety Scale (SAS). The study will also evaluate the success of blinding and the safety. Discussions Findings of this RCT will help evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture treatment for GAD in college students, potentially promoting it as an alternative treatment option. The protocol was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (Identifier: ChiCTR2400080688)

Study on the efficacy of fractional CO2 laser treatment for vaginal relaxation syndrome combined with recurrent bacterial vaginitis

Exploring the perceptions of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental well-being and medical education of medical students in Northern Ireland, in addition to the perceived barriers to seeking support; a qualitative study

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative effect on population mental health. Medical students may have been particularly affected, whom prevalence of mental health conditions was already high before the pandemic hit, due to the difficult and stressful academic programme. In Northern Ireland specifically, mental well-being levels are the lowest across the UK; however limited research exists examining the medical student cohort. This study explores Northern Irish medical students’ perceptions on how the pandemic affected their mental health, their progress within medical education and perceived barriers to accessing support services in Northern Ireland. Methods A qualitative study of phenomenological design involving 15 in-depth semi-structured interviews. The interviews were conducted amongst individuals who were 1st-4th year medical students when the pandemic was officially declared in Northern Ireland in March 2020. The interviews were transcribed, and thematic analysis was carried out using NVivo V12 qualitative data analysis software. Results Results demonstrated the COVID-19 pandemic had a considerable negative impact on participants’ mental health; a variety of interlinked social, individual and/or psychological and organisational factors led to increased levels of stress, anxiety and depression. This had a secondary negative impact on participants’ medical education progress through reducing motivation, causing burnout and impostor syndrome. Unexpectedly; there were some perceived positive outcomes, including improved appreciation for work-life balance and resilience. Participants reported various barriers to seeking help amongst this difficult time period; also categorizable into social, individual and/or psychological and organisational factors, for example; stigmatisation, fear and perfectionistic tendencies. Discussion and conclusion There is a pressing demand for heightened support availability, personally tailored mental health assistance and an effort to reduce mental health stigma in Northern Ireland. This study highlights the complex multifactorial nature of mental health. Medical schools must provide additional services to protect well-being during particularly challenging periods and dismantle the barriers preventing individuals from accessing vital support.

Efficacy of laparoscopic cardiectomy combined with side overlap anastomosis for the treatment of terminal achalasia

The role of the microbiota and metabolites in the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis with UC-MSCs: Integrating fecal metabolomics and 16S rDNA analysis

Introduction Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a chronic and irreversible interstitial lung disease characterized by a lack of effective therapies. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have garnered significant interest in the realm of lung regeneration due to their abundant availability, ease of isolation, and capacity for expansion. The objective of our study was to investigate the potential therapeutic role of umbilical cord-derived MSCs (UC-MSCs) in the management of PF, with a focus on the alterations in the gut microbiota and its metabolites during the use of UC-MSCs for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis, as well as the possible mechanisms involved. Methods Bleomycin injection was utilized to establish a mouse model of lung fibrosis, followed by the application of 16S rDNA sequencing and LC–MS/MS metabolomics to explore the underlying mechanism of UC-MSC treatment for lung fibrosis. Seventy-five mice were allocated into five groups, namely Control, Model, and low/medium/high dose of UC-MSCs groups, and survival metrics, lung morphology, and the levels of the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and TGF-β1 were subsequently evaluated. Fecal samples from six mice in each of the Control group, Model group, and UC-MSCs-M groups were collected randomly for 16S rDNA sequencing to analyze the gut microbiota and nontargeted metabolomics. Results In comparison to IPF model mice, the three treatment groups exhibited increased survival rates, restored alveolar morphology, and reduced levels of the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and TGF-β1, confirming the anti-inflammatory properties of UC-MSCs in IPF treatment. The findings from the 16S rDNA assay indicate that UC-MSCs treatment effectively lower α-diversity induced such as Chao 1 and ACE, as well as β-diversity, leading to a decrease in microbiota abundance. The findings from the metabolomics analysis revealed that the metabolites exhibiting notable variances were primarily composed of Lipids and lipid-like molecules, Organoheterocyclic compounds, Organic acids and derivatives, and Benzenoids, indicating the potential of UC-MSCs to exert antifibrotic effects via these metabolic pathways. Conclusion Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) ameliorate bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis symptoms in mice by exerting anti-inflammatory effects and mitigating pulmonary fibrosis through the modulation of gut microbiota disorders and their metabolism. These findings offer novel insights into the potential mechanisms and clinical utility of stem cell therapy for pulmonary fibrosis.

The BAMBOO method for correcting batch effects in high throughput proximity extension assays for proteomic studies

Evaluating the effects of time-restricted eating on overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized controlled trial study protocol

Background Time-restricted eating (TRE) manages weight effectively, but choosing how long and what time window remain debatable. Although an 8:00 a.m. to 16:00 p.m. time frame is reported to show positive results in most weight loss trial, its safety and efficacy in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is uncertain. This randomized controlled trial is conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of TRE in specific populations. Objective This study aims to assess the 6-month effects of TRE on weight change, metabolic improvement, reproductive recovery, and health-related quality of life in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), compared to those who did not receive TRE. Methods This randomized controlled trial will enroll 96 overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), who will be randomly assigned to either a TRE group (with an eating window from 8:00 a.m. to 16:00 p.m.) or a control group (without eating time restrictions), with 49 participants in each group. Evaluators and data analysts will remain blinded to group allocation throughout the study. The primary outcomes, including changes in weight and body mass index (BMI), will be assessed weekly. Secondary outcomes, encompassing alterations in sex hormones, metabolic parameters, body composition, sleep quality, quality of life, anxiety, and depression, will be evaluated monthly. Compliance and safety will be continuously monitored throughout the study. Additionally, a 6-month follow-up will be conducted at the end of the trial to assess the long-term effects of TRE. Statistical analysis will include the Anderson-Darling test for normality, T-test/Wilcoxon test based on distribution, mixed-effects models for assessing time/group effects, Cox model for time-to-event analysis, repeated ANOVA for change analysis, and sensitivity analysis. All tests will be conducted using appropriate software, with a significance level set at P<0.05. Missing data will be imputed. Discussion The purpose of this study protocol is to further evaluate the effects of TRE in overweight and obese women with PCOS through a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Findings from this study are expected to provide new dietary intervention strategies for overweight and obese PCOS participants. Ethics and dissemination This study has received ethics approval from the Medical Ethics Committee of the University of South China (Number: NHHL027). Participants are included after signing informed consent. Results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals. Trail registration Trail registration number: ChiCTR2400086815.