Central apneas are a prevalent yet complex phenomenon, particularly among children. This retrospective study, conducted over a decade (from 2012 to 2022), analyzed central apneas in a cohort of 612 pediatric patients who underwent ventilation at the Sleep Medicine and Long-Term Ventilation Unit of the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome, Italy. Among this group, 67 patients met the inclusion criteria for central apneas. Central apneas often arise within the context of various underlying pathologies, including neurological disorders, genetic syndromes, and brain tumors. We categorized patients into three main groups including patients with “exclusively central apneas”, “predominantly central apneas”, and “predominantly obstructive apneas”. Ventilation modes were diverse, with pressure-controlled ventilation and pressure support being commonly used, reflecting the individualized nature of therapy. The choice of ventilation mode has been influenced by the underlying diagnosis and the severity of central apneas, with pressure support ventilation being the most frequently employed mode. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure was also employed in select cases. A statistically significant reduction (p<0.05) in mean cAHI was observed in patients with multimalformation syndromes, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and Prader-Willi Syndrome. The reduction in mean cAHI was not statistically significant in the case of patients with brain tumors. While non-invasive ventilation was commonly used, invasive mechanical ventilation was selectively employed in more severe cases. The study highlights the need for personalized therapeutic strategies when managing central apneas in pediatric patients.

A document by Tahseen Al-kinani. Click on the document to view its contents.

Processing negative stimuli holds profound significance for survival, yet excessive focus on this information can lead to poor social adaptation. Trust violations, common occurrences in negative interpersonal interactions, result in individuals allocating greater cognitive resources towards processing negative stimuli. However, it is still unclear how trust violations influence the ability to control interference from negative stimuli. Therefore, this study employed the Emotional Stroop paradigm (Experiment 1) and the cued Ultimatum game (Experiment 2), using ERP technology to explore how trust violations influence emotional interference control abilities. In Experiment 1, the results showed that the violation group exhibited smaller SP amplitudes in the negative interference condition compared to the no-interference condition during the emotional Stroop paradigm. In Experiment 2, the violation group exhibited smaller SP amplitudes when benign cues were contaminated by threatening information relative to when they were not. Moreover, the violation group displayed higher P3 amplitudes for untrustworthy cues and angry faces than for trustworthy cues and happy faces, respectively. These findings were not observed in the control group. Collectively, these results suggest that trust violations not only draw more cognitive resources towards processing negative stimuli but also undermine interference control ability towards these stimuli.

Puerto Rico harbors a diverse vertebrate fauna with high levels of endemism. However, while several books for vertebrate diversity and local checklists for birds have been published, checklists of amphibians, reptiles, and bats are lacking or nonexistent at both local and regional scales. In this study, we documented the amphibian, reptile, and bat faunas at Mata de Plátano Field Station and Nature Reserve, in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. We document four species of amphibians, seven lizards, three snakes, and nine bats. Despite prior works using samples from this nature reserve, this represents the first vertebrate checklist for the Mata de Plátano Field Station and Nature Reserve. We provide additional natural history observations based on our survey results and highlight the importance of including local and regional checklists of species for downstream research and conservation.

In the realm of neurointerventional treatment after ischemic stroke, ineffective reperfusion represents a significant challenge, with the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) serving as a pivotal determinant of outcomes. This review sheds light on the unique characteristics and roles of brain endothelial cells within the context of stroke with ineffective reperfusion. We address the distinctiveness of brain endothelial cells relative to their counterparts in different tissues, outlining their pathophysiological transformations, functional impairments, and inflammatory cascades post-stroke. The differential gene expression between brain endothelial cells and those from other organs provide a deeper understanding of their intrinsic roles in neuroprotective therapy. Looking ahead, exploring analogies between brain endothelial cells and those from organs with similar ischemia-reperfusion injury profiles could lead to innovative therapeutic strategies. This review highlights the paramount importance of understanding the nuanced roles of endothelial cells in mediating BBB dynamics, ultimately influencing reperfusion outcomes.

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and retrochiasmatic area (RCA) innervate the paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus (PVH) that projects to the brainstem arousal parabrachial nucleus (PB), which may form a neural circuit regulating arousal, independent from the circadian control circuit of arousal. To test the hypothesis, we used DREADDs (Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs) to activate these regions and examine wakefulness. We found that chemo-stimulation of the PVH, the SCN, the RCA, and the PVH-PB pathway all significantly promoted wakefulness, suggesting that a neural circuit consisting of these nodes regulating arousal.

Nonlinear systems; vector-valued differential equations; higher order equivalent differential equations; semi-analytical solutions

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is widely applied in the food and pharmaceutical industries, and glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) is the core enzyme for the biosynthesis of GABA. GAD exhibits high activity but poor stability under acidic conditions, and low activity under neutral conditions. In this study, GAD from Priestia flexa ( PfGAD) with high activity was screened out and characterized, and a variant with significantly improved stability was obtained through molecular modification strategies. We constructed an engineered strain that coexpressed PfGAD and a transporter protein for GABA and L-glutamic acid. Furthermore, the consumption of GABA was suppressed by knocking out the pepD gene, confirming a novel downstream metabolic pathway of GABA in Escherichia coli. The continuous accumulation of GABA in the engineered strain led to a yield of 154.7 g·L -1, with a conversation rate of 100%, meanwhile the cell growth was remained normal. The problem of the trade-off between cell growth and GABA accumulation was solved, which was one of the urgent problems according to previous reports. Our study provides important insights into the optimization of GABA production through enzyme engineering and strain modification, which could have significant implications for the industrial application of GABA.

Obesity has been identified as an independent risk factor for severe outcomes in humans with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and other infectious diseases. Here, we established a mouse model of COVID-19 using the murine betacoronavirus, mouse hepatitis virus 1 (MHV-1). C57BL/6 and C3H/HeJ mice exposed to MHV-1 developed mild and severe disease, respectively. Obese C57BL/6 mice developed clinical manifestations similar to those of lean controls. In contrast, all obese C3H/HeJ mice succumbed by 8 days post-infection, compared to a 50% mortality rate in lean controls. Notably, both lean and obese C3H/HeJ mice exposed to MHV-1 developed lung lesions consistent with severe human COVID-19, with marked evidence of diffuse alveolar damage (DAD). To identify early predictive biomarkers of worsened disease outcomes in obese C3H/HeJ mice, we sequenced RNA from whole blood 2 days post-infection and assessed changes in gene and pathway expression. Many pathways uniquely altered in obese C3H/HeJ mice post-infection aligned with those found in humans with severe COVID-19. Furthermore, we observed altered gene expression related to the unfolded protein response and lipid metabolism in infected obese mice compared to their lean counterparts, suggesting a role in the severity of disease outcomes. This study presents a novel model for studying COVID-19 and elucidating the mechanisms underlying severe disease outcomes in obese and other hosts.

The double-line frequency ripple power exists inherently in single-phase power converters. To address this problem, active power decoupling technique (APD) is widely used. It diverts the ripple power into a small energy storage element through introducing passive and active power devices. This inevitably involves more voltage and current sensors for corresponding control, which raises the cost while decreasing reliability and power density. In this paper, a Lyapunov-based methodology is proposed to achieve APD control without adding any sensor. According to the designed controller laws, the practical decoupling capacitor voltage will converge to its reference. The decoupling voltage reference is given by taking into account buffering the double-line frequency ripple power. Afterwards, the robustness against parameter perturbations of the proposed method is discussed. Finally, the experimental results verify the feasibility of the proposed control strategy.

Background – While the definition of anaphylaxis is clear, its grade of severity remains a subject of debate, especially since different published classifications provide different grading score, and the same reaction may not receive the same score from different classifications. The objective of this study was to evaluate the possible discrepancies in severity scoring system for anaphylaxis in patients with a positive food challenge (OFC), using the WHO for the 11 th version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as the main reference. Methods – We conducted a retrospective observational study at the University Hospital of Montpellier, France, including patients with a positive OFC, between 2018 and 2022. We classified the severity of each reaction, as per the ICD-11 classification, but also as per four other widely used and validated classifications for grading anaphylaxis severity. Results – 235 patients presented a positive OFC between January 2018 and December 2022: 143 suffered from anaphylaxis, according to the ICD-11 classification. 76.2% of them were classified as grade 2 according to the ICD-11 classification, and 23.8% as grade 3. When comparing the different classifications, a complete concordance was recorded in 8 patients (5.6%) only. All classifications showed a good sensitivity (ranging from 99.3 to 100%), but different specificity (from 67.4 to 93.5%), and discrepancies between them were shown in most patients. Conclusion – Our work highlights the need to refine the different scoring systems, to accurately capture anaphylactic reactions and ensure appropriate management, and, in the end, to adopt a universal, intuitive, and easy-to-use classification, such as the ICD-11 one.

Wearable photothermal materials can capture light energy in nature and convert it into heat energy, which is critical for flexible outdoor sports. However, the conventional flexible photothermal membranes with low specific surface area restrict the maximum photothermal capability, and loose structure of electrospun membrane limits durability of wearable materials. Here, an ultrathin nanostructure candle soot/ multi-walled carbon nanotubes / poly (l-lactic acid) (CS/MWCNTs/PLLA) photothermal membrane is first prepared via solvent-induced recrystallization. The white blood cell membrane-like nanowrinkles with high specific surface area are achieved for the first time and exhibit optimal light absorption. The solvent-induced recrystallization also enables the membrane to realize large strength and durability. Meanwhile, the membranes also show two-sided heterochromatic features and transparency in thick and thin situations, respectively, suggesting outstanding fashionability. Nanowrinkled photothermal membranes by novel solvent-induced recrystallization show high flexibility, fashionability, strength, and photothermal characteristics, which have huge potential for outdoor warmth.

This article presents the first ever fully autonomous UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) mission to perform gas measurements after a real blast in an underground mine. The demonstration mission was deployed around 40 minutes after the blast took place, and as such realistic gas levels were measured. We also present multiple field robotics experiments in different mines detailing the development process. The presented novel autonomy stack, denoted as the Routine Inspection Autonomy (RIA) framework, combines a risk-aware 3D path planning D + ∗ , with 3D LiDAR-based global relocalization on a known map, and it is integrated on a custom hardware and a sensing stack with an onboard gas sensing device. In the presented framework, the autonomous UAV can be deployed in incredibly harsh conditions (dust, significant deformations of the map) shortly after blasting to perform inspections of lingering gases that present a significant safety risk to workers. We also present a change detection framework that can extract and visualize the areas that were changed in the blasting procedure, a critical parameter for planning the extraction of materials, and for updating existing mine maps. As will be demonstrated, the RIA stack can enable robust autonomy in harsh conditions, and provides reliable and safe navigation behavior for autonomous Routine Inspection missions.

Coronary artery aneurysms and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are seldom encountered in clinical practice and pose a management challenge. We describe the case of a patient diagnosed with anterior wall myocardial infarction with a complete occluded left main coronary artery (LMCA). After the establishment of partial blood flow within the

Rubber tree powdery mildew, a major fungal leaf disease of Heveae brasiliensis trees caused by obligate parasitic fungi (Erysiphe quercicola), is among the most important diseases affecting rubber planting areas worldwide. Phyllosphere microbiomes are currently a new research hotspot in molecular ecology, and their biological community is extremely rich. This study used high-throughput sequencing and other molecular techniques to analyze the structure and diversity of dominant fungi and bacteria in the communities of rubber tree leaves (N=16) in four representative rubber-producing regions in Hainan Province, China, after the occurrence of white powder disease. The sampled area had high species richness and stable biodiversity. This study mainly focused on (i) the dominant bacterial and fungal phyla and genera of the sampled regions; (ii) differences in the phyllosphere microbial community structure and relative abundance between healthy leaves and powdery mildew Level 3-diseased leaves within the same region; and (iii) differences in the phyllosphere microbial community structure and relative abundance between healthy leaves and diseased leaves, as well as their correlations with environmental factors, in different regions. This work is innovative in three respects: (i) distinguishing the dominant populations of phyllosphere microbes for rubber trees with powdery mildew via high-throughput detection technology to determine the impact of powdery mildew on these microbes; (ii) exploring the effects of pathogenic bacteria on phyllosphere microbes and hosts from a relatively macro perspective; and (iii) investigating the effects on phyllosphere microbial communities before and after the infection of obligatory parasite leaf pathogenic bacteria. This project is among the first conducted in China’s representative rubber-producing areas to study Erysiphe’s influence on rubber tree leaf microorganisms. These findings provide data support to better understand the biological evolution of powdery mildew diseases and establish new strategies for their ecological control in rubber tree plantations.

Plant responses to multifactorial stress combinations are seldom studied, but combinations of abiotic and biotic stresses may cause drastic yield reductions in crops. While an abiotic stress, the salinization of agricultural soil, affects crop production, added pressures of insect herbivores could lead to further losses. In this paper, we investigate the effects of salinity on an insect herbivore, the corn earworm caterpillar ( Helicoverpa zea), feeding on tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum cv. Better Boy) plants. We show that salt-stressed tomato plants are poor hosts for H. zea, impacting caterpillar growth rates, caterpillar feeding preference, and moth oviposition. We further show that these observations are best explained by reductions in both relative leaf water content and leaf total protein content, along with ionic toxicity and imbalance. We observe that salt stress does not influence anti-insect herbivory defense protein (PPO and TPI) levels. Finally, we observe that salt treatment leads to differences in specific volatiles, with lower emissions of 2-carene, α-phellandrene, β-phellandrene, α-humulene, and β-caryophyllene in salt-treated plants. We demonstrate that salt exposure changes tomato plant quality and chemical composition, which in turn negatively affects insect herbivores feeding on these plants.

Introduction The aims of this study were to update our experience with biodegradable polydioxanone (PDO) airway stents in children focusing on effectiveness and safety, and to analyse the factors involved in the different outcomes observed. Materials and methods Retrospective study of patients managed with PDO stents from 2012 to 2023. Variables collected: demographics, comorbidities, indication , clinical baseline, stent size, location, complications, clinical outcome, and time of follow-up. Statistical analyses were performed in order to detect the eventual contribution of variables in the different outcomes observed. Results 54 PDO stents were placed in 26 patients (median age, 4 m). All showed severe symptoms of central airway obstruction due to: tracheomalacia 9 patients, bronchomalacia 5, tracheobronchomalacia 10, and tracheal stenosis 2. Stent placement was uneventful in every case: 29 stents in the trachea and 25 in main bronchi. 53,8% of patients needed successive stenting and all exhibited comorbidities. Complete clinical resolution was observed in 8 cases (30.7%), partial improvement in 13 (50%), unchanged in 4 (15.3%), and worsen in one. Age had a significant positive impact in outcome (6 months vs 3 m.; p=0.024). Additionally, smaller stents were associated with a better outcome (20 vs 26 mm; p=0.044). Granulation tissue was the most frequent complication (34.6%). Five patients (19.2%) died due to severe comorbidities, follow-up was complete in survivors (median, 58 m). Conclusions PDO stents are safe and effective when dealing with severe tracheobronchial obstruction. Stent-related granulation tissue continues to be a relevant matter of concern. This issue together with increased degradation times deserve further research.

The long transmission distance in wireless power transmission(WPT) system will lead to a sharp decline in transmission efficiency, this paper presents a novel ortho-octagonal double helix metamaterial that can effectively enhance the transmission efficiency of WPT systems, theoretically derived and experimentally verified the enhancement of evanescent wave transmission by this metamaterial dielectric plate. A WPT simulation system operating at 10.78 MHz is constructed by HFSS software, and the effects of adding passive relay coils and different shapes of metamaterials on the transmission efficiency are comparatively investigated. Both simulation and experimental results show that the transmission efficiency of the WPT system can be improved to different degrees after inserting different shapes of metamaterials at the transceiver end of the system. When the transceiver coil spacing of the WPT system is greater than 22 cm, the effect of metamaterials on the system transmission efficiency enhancement shows an increasing and then decreasing trend as the distance increases. The positive octagonal metamaterial improves 12% over the circular metamaterial in the mid-range transmission distance due to its better magnetic coupling effect. When the transceiver coil spacing is 22 cm, the open-circuit voltage of the receiving coil after loading the metamaterial is stabilized to be enhanced by nearly 5 times, and it has the best effect at 30 cm, and the transmission efficiency is enhanced from 30% to 60%, which verifies the effective enhancement of the metamaterial on the transmission efficiency of the WPT system.