In this work, a novel neural-adaptive nonlinear delay stochastic filter is designed to address the attitude estimation problem. This filter is represented using the special orthogonal group SO ( 3 ) , and employs low-cost sensors’ units. Specifically, the Brownian motion is introduced to characterize the noise that maps the system dynamics to stochastic differential equations (SDEs), ensuring that the attitude estimation problem can be analyzed in a stochastic sense. Neural networks (NNs) are employed to design an attitude filter that accounts for sensor measurement delay and noise by incorporating a Lyapunov function. This stochastic filter design ensures that the closed-loop system is almost semi-globally uniformly ultimately bounded (SGUUB) in the mean square sense. Finally, simulations to verify the efficiency of the proposed attitude filter.

Objective: To determine whether certain medication use during pregnancy is associated with restless legs syndrome (RLS). Design, Setting, Participants: A secondary analysis of a cohort study of first-time pregnant individuals enrolled at 8 U.S. sites between 10/1/2010 and 9/30/2013. Main Outcome Measures: RLS symptoms were ascertained in early (6 0-13 6) and mid (22 0-29 6) pregnancy based on the International RLS Study Group diagnostic criteria. Methods: Throughout their pregnancy, participants reported all medications taken. In early and mid-pregnancy, we created a set of dichotomous variables to indicate whether participants took any ‘at-risk’ medication from the 5 pre-specified categories, including first-generation antihistamines, serotonergic antidepressants, dopamine antagonists, tricyclic antidepressants, and mirtazapine. We estimated the relative risks of RLS symptoms by each category of medication use using Poisson regression, adjusting for age, race and ethnicity, and tobacco use. Results: Of 8,390 participants (27.2±5.6 years), 11.9% and 8.6% took ‘at-risk’ medications in early and mid-pregnancy, respectively. The most frequent medications were first-generation antihistamines and serotonergic antidepressants. The prevalence of RLS symptoms was 17.8% in early pregnancy and 30.0% in mid-pregnancy. Participants taking first-generation antihistamines (aRR [95% CI], 1.28 [1.08-1.53]) or serotonergic antidepressants (aRR [95% CI], 1.81 [1.53-2.14]) were more likely to experience concurrent RLS symptoms in early pregnancy. These associations were weaker in mid-pregnancy. Conclusions: The use of first-generation antihistamines and serotonergic antidepressants is prevalent in pregnancy and is associated with a higher prevalence of RLS symptoms. Awareness of this association may help both pregnant people and their clinicians make individualized decisions regarding medication use.

Photocatalytic processes of carbon dioxide (CO2) conversion and molecular hydrogen (H2) production could potentially address two major global challenges: greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation and clean energy generation, respectively. During photocatalysis, the energy harvested via the light absorption in photosensitizers drives the important chemical reactions using the photogenerated charges to convert water into H2 or CO2 into value-added products. Recent decades have witnessed the widespread popularity of photocatalytic technology owing to its sustainable, renewable, and greener pathway to produce fuels and chemicals. Given this, a wide range of materials have been explored for photocatalytic applications. Among the developed materials, Ni-based photocatalysts have received considerable attention due to their distinct properties including low cost, stability, abundance, and high activity. This review addresses recent developments concerning nickel (Ni)-based photocatalysts used in photocatalytic CO2 conversion and H2 production. The use of Ni-materials plays a crucial role in enhancing photocatalytic activity through improved light-absorption, charge-separation, along with suppressed charge recombination to enhance the efficiency of hydrogen evolution and CO2 conversion. The performance of nickel-based photocatalysts during CO2 reduction and water splitting reactions is summarized, which provide a comprehensive overview of Ni-based photocatalyst efficiency and selectivity. Finally, challenges and future prospects are examined in detail for further optimization of Ni-based photocatalysts. This review also provides an update on the studies that have been conducted on Ni-based materials for H2 generation and CO2 reduction.

The Yarlung Zangbo River (YLZB), as the highest plateau river in the world, has a particularly fragile ecological environment and is easily impacted by global climate change. Studying the changes in its habitat quality and the driving mechanisms behind them is crucial for the ecological protection and sustainable development of the YLZB. Based on land use data from 2000 to 2020, using a habitat quality model, optimal parameter geographical detector, and partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM), we conducted a quantitative study on the spatiotemporal changes and driving mechanisms of habitat quality in the YLZB from 2000 to 2020. The results show that: (1) Forests, grasslands, and unused land account for 94.14% of the basin area. The areas of unused land, forest land, and water bodies have continuously increased, while the areas of grasslands, permanent glaciers, and snowfields have continuously decreased. The decline was most pronounced from 2005 to 2010. The habitat quality in the study area is higher in the southeast and lower in the west. The area of degraded habitats is significantly larger than that of improved habitats. (3) NDVI, elevation, and annual average temperature are key factors affecting changes in habitat quality. Elevation indirectly affects NDVI by influencing climate conditions, leading to a decline in habitat quality. Our research findings help to better understand the ecological dynamics within the basin and provide scientific insights for sustainable management and conservation efforts.

Masking is a reporting bias where drug safety signals are muffled by elevated reporting of other medications in spontaneous reporting databases. While impacts of masking are often limited, its effect on restricted designs, such as active comparators, can be consequential. We used data from the United States Food and Drugs Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (1999Q3-2013Q3) to study masking in a real-world example. Rosiglitazone, a thiazolidinedione with elevated reporting after safety concerns over cardiovascular risks, was the masking candidate. We hypothesized stimulated reporting masked signals for another thiazolidinedione, pioglitazone. We computed estimates of proportional reporting ratios and information components, using the Bayesian confidence propagation neural network, for pioglitazone-myocardial infarction and pioglitazone-cardiac failure under unrestricted and active comparator designs, both with and without the mask, and before (1999Q3-2007Q1) and after (2007Q1-2013Q3) safety concerns. Relative change-in-estimates were computed to compare results with and without rosiglitazone. From 1999Q3-2007Q1, relative change-in-estimates of proportional reporting ratio for pioglitazone-myocardial infarction was 0.00 in unrestricted design and 0.10 in active comparator; For pioglitazone-cardiac failure, the change was 0.01 and 0.62, respectively. From 2007Q2-2013Q3, relative change in estimate for pioglitazone-myocardial infarction was 0.41 in unrestricted design and 18.00 in active comparator; the change for pioglitazone-cardiac failure was 0.04 and 1.03, respectively. Relative changes in estimates of information component mirrored these trends. In conclusion, masking can influence signal detection in active comparator designs where external events impact reporting rates in reference sets. Evaluating masking in related contexts is essential for drug safety monitoring and resource allocation for follow-up studies.

Background: Post-COVID-Syndrome (PCS) is the term for a condition with persistent symptoms in a proportion of COVID-19 patient after asymptomatic, mild or severe disease courses. Numbers vary but the current estimate is that after COVID-19 approximately 10% develop PCS. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and associations with the development of PCS with fatigue, post-exertional malaise (PEM), orthostatic dysregulation, autonomous dysregulation and/or neurocognitive dysregulation. Methods: By combining medical record data from a prospective observational study with symptom analysis before, during, and after SARS-CoV-2 infection, we aimed to identify potential risk factors and predictive markers for PCS. Additionally, we analyzed blood, saliva, and stool samples from this well-characterized PCS patient cohort to biologically validate our findings. Results: We identified significant associations between pre-existing GI complaints and the development of PCS Fatigue. PCS patients showed higher LBP/sCD14 ratios, lower IL-33 levels, and higher IL-6 levels compared to control groups. Our results highlight the critical role of the GI tract in PCS development of post-viral Fatigue. Conclusion: We propose that the viral infection disrupts pathways related to the innate immune response and GI barrier function, evidenced by intestinal low-grade inflammation and GI barrier leakage. Monitoring GI symptoms and markers before, during and after SARS-CoV-2 infection is crucial for identifying predictive clinical phenotypes in PCS. Understanding the interaction between viral infections, immune responses, and gut integrity could lead to more effective diagnostic and treatment strategies, ultimately reducing the burden on PCS patients.

The microbiome plays a key role in animal health, and is an important aspect of any natural or farmed ecosystem. Here we present the first environmental microbiome study of Ostrea edulis, as well as the first of a natural wild spawning event of any oyster species. Larval abundance was hypothesised to be correlated with specific microbial signatures. Water samples were collected throughout a natural spawning event of O. edulis at Loch Ryan, Scotland, UK. Samples were collected on 4 different dates from June to September 2019, across 8 different sampling sites on the loch at mid, bottom and surface levels within the water column to remove effects of salinity and tidal fluctuations. Larval count data was obtained from these samples before full-length sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene using Oxford Nanopore Technologies. Significant microbial differences were only found between samples collected on different dates, and not at different sites or water column depths. Differences in the microbiome throughout the spawning season were driven by changes in the abundance of certain taxa, most notably those belonging to the Rhodobacteraceae family. Inverse abundance profiles of Rhodobacteraceae and Vibrio over time are also discussed. This study provides important microbial baseline data about the spawning environment of O. edulis.

A document by Zhaoping Du. Click on the document to view its contents.

1. In oviparous vertebrates, maternal androgens can alter offspring immune function, particularly early in development, but the potential for negative health effects of maternal androgens in mammals remains unclear. 2. We investigated the relation between maternal androgens, particularly in late gestation, and offspring health in the meerkat (Suricata suricatta) by comparing offspring from (a) normative dominant and subordinate matrilines, whose dams naturally express high versus lower circulating androgen concentrations, respectively, and (b) normative dominant and antiandrogen-treated dominant matrilines, whose dams’ androgen function was intact versus blocked owing to experimental antagonism of the latter’s androgen receptors (using Flutamide©). Foetal offspring thus experienced three different endocrine environments (‘high,’ ‘lower,’ ‘blocked’ androgens) late in prenatal development. We assessed parasitism, immune function, steroid concentrations and survivorship in these three offspring groups, both during juvenility and early adulthood. 3. The juvenile offspring of subordinate control and dominant treated dams generally had lower intensities of parasite infections and greater immune function than did their peers from dominant control dams – patterns not found in adult offspring, nor in relation to the offspring’s concurrent hormone concentrations. Survivorship to adulthood was greatest in the progeny of treated dams. 4. Descendants of dominant female meerkats – those in the ‘high’ prenatal androgen category – suffered increased parasitism and decreased immunocompetence as juveniles, as well as reduced survivorship relative to antiandrogen-exposed peers, providing evidence in mammals that maternal androgens can negatively impact offspring health and survival. These intergenerational, androgen-mediated, health effects represent early costs imposed by female intrasexual competition and its associated selection pressures.

Clinical images of band acro-osteolysisSusan Khezri: Department of Internal medicine, Ghaem hospital, Mashhad university of medical science: [email protected] Sahebari: Rheumatic Diseases Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.  [email protected] ORCID: 0000-0003-3609-9041Mohammad Hadi Samadi: Nuclear Medicine Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, [email protected] Ghamari: Rheumatic Diseases Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran\RL، email: [email protected], ORCID: 0009-0006-6142-161XCorresponding Author:Mozhdeh Ghamari; Rheumatic Diseases Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran\RL، email: [email protected] clinical message: Acro-osteolysis in scleroderma patients typically affects the entire distal phalangeal bones. The band form of Acro-osteolysis is a rare occurrence and educational.

Aspergillus infection of the shoulder in an immunocompetent patient: A case report and literature review

A document by BATOUL NUAMAN. Click on the document to view its contents.

Marker gene sequencing or “metabarcoding” is the primary sequencing approach currently used for molecular biodiversity surveys, but this approach is taxonomically limited and hampered by amplification biases. Shotgun metagenomes offer a PCR–free approach to environmental DNA (eDNA) sequencing, theoretically capturing the full taxonomic breadth of the eDNA pool. However, eukaryotic DNA is often a small component of metagenomes and it has seen limited use for metazoan biodiversity surveys. Here, we compare metabarcoding and shotgun metagenomes on a large (>200 sample size) set of marine water column eDNA samples and show that metagenomes can provide biodiversity information comparable to that of metabarcoding surveys. Moreover, as a result of biases in reference database composition, shotgun sequencing can outperform marker genes for certain taxa. Taxonomic database gaps remain an obstacle to accurate and comprehensive biodiversity surveys for both metabarcoding and shotgun metagenomes. We provide examples of taxa that may benefit from one approach over another and highlight cases of metagenomic utility.

The Domain Name System (DNS) plays a critical role in the functioning of the Internet. It provides a hierarchical name space for locating resources. Data is typically stored in plain text files, possibly spanning gigabytes. Frequent parsing of these files to refresh the data is computationally expensive: processing a zone file can take minutes. We propose a novel approach called simdzone to enhance DNS parsing throughput. We use data parallelism, specifically the Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) instructions available on commodity processors. We show that we can multiply the parsing speed compared to state-of-the-art parsers found in Knot DNS and the NLnet Labs Name Server Daemon (NSD). The resulting software library replaced the parser in NSD.

Imbalance in the levels of ascorbic acid (AA) can pose a risk to human health. Therefore, it’s essential to establish an accurate method for the detection of AA. In this work, a novel N-doped carbon composite (MnOx@NC) with dual enzyme-like activities to detect AA was prepared by calcination of Mn-MOF containing H3TTPCA ligand. Interestingly, the •O2− that leads to its oxidase-like activity was not formed by dissolved oxygen, but came from the synergistic effect of lattice oxygen generated by calcination and the transformation of MnⅡ/MnⅢ/MnⅣ, and the presence of H2O2 provided much •OH, which cause its peroxidase-like activity. Meanwhile, the residual N element came from H3TTPCA ligand assisted the catalytic process. Accordingly, a dual-signal sensing platform and smartphone-assisted recognition for detection of AA was developed and a colorimetric sensor array was established to distinguish three antioxidants. This work also demonstrates considerable promise for the detection of AA in authentic pharmaceuticals.

Background:Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignancy with distinct geographical distribution and varying prognostic factors. Understanding the impact of various clinical and demographic factors on survival outcomes is crucial for optimizing treatment strategies. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from 6,560 NPC patients obtained from the SEER database. Patients were categorized based on the AJCC 6th edition staging, race, age, marital status, histologic type, tumor size, and treatment modalities. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify significant prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and cause-specific survival (CSS). Kaplan-Meier survival curves and log-rank tests were utilized to compare survival differences among subgroups. Results:The study revealed significant differences in survival outcomes based on the AJCC 6th edition metastasis classification. Patients with M0 status had substantially higher OS and CSS compared to those with M1 status (p < 0.0001). Age was a significant prognostic factor, with patients aged 60 years and above having a significantly higher mortality risk (HR=5.19, 95% CI=3.93-6.86, p < 0.001) compared to those aged 0-29 years. Marital status also influenced survival, with married patients showing better survival rates than single patients (HR=0.67, 95% CI=0.57-0.78, p < 0.001). Histologic type and tumor size were critical factors, with non-keratinizing SCC having a better prognosis. Radiation therapy was associated with improved survival (HR=0.27, 95% CI=0.16-0.45, p < 0.001), while the absence of chemotherapy increased mortality risk (HR=1.66, 95% CI=1.37-2.01, p < 0.001). Conclusions:The findings highlight the significant impact of metastasis status, age, marital status, histologic type, tumor size, and treatment modalities on survival outcomes in NPC patients. These factors should be considered when devising personalized treatment plans to improve survival rates.

Rationale: These experiments were conducted to measure the diversity of organo-U(IV) and U(III) ions created using multidimensional tandem MS and collision-induced dissociation of halogen-substituted U VIO 2-phenide complexes [UO 2(C 6H 3FX)] +, X = Cl, Br, or I. Methods: Samples of UO 2(O 2C-C 6H 3FX) 2 were prepared by digesting UO 3 with appropriate halogen-substituted carboxylic acids in deionized water. Solutions for ESI were created by diluting the digested sample in 50:50 H 2O/CH 3OH. Precursor ions for multiple-stage tandem MS were generated by electrospray ionization (ESI). Multiple-stage collision-induced dissociation (He collision gas) in a linear quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer was used to prepare species such as [U IVFX(C≡CH)] + and U IIIF(C≡CH)] + for subsequent study of ion-molecule reactions with adventitious neutrals in the ion trap. Results: Multiple-stage CID of the [UO 2(C 6H 3FX)] +, X= Cl, Br, or I, complexes caused removal of both “yl” oxo ligands from of the UO 2 2+ moiety to create ions such as [U IVFX(C≡CH)] + and [U IIIFX] +. For [U IVFXC≡CH] + and [U IIIFC≡CH] + products, hydrolysis to generate [U IVFX(OH)] + and [U IIIF(OH)] +, with concomitant loss of HC≡CH, was observed. When X = Cl and Br, elimination of HX was competitive with loss of HC≡CH. CID of [UO 2(C 6H 3FBr)] + and [UO 2(C 6H 3FI)] + caused reductive elimination of the respective halogen radicals to generate interesting organo-U(III) species such as [U IIIF(C≡CH)] + and [U IIIC 2] +. Conclusions: The use of “preparative” tandem mass spectrometry and a suite of halogen substituted benzoic acid ligands can be used to remove both oxo ligands of UO 2 2+ and generate a group of homologous organo-U(IV) and organo-U(III) ions for studies of intrinsic reactivity.

Enzymatically modified cheeses (EMC) aim to achieve, in a shorter time frame, a composition and sensory characteristics akin to those of aged cheese. This study analyzed the lipid profile, composition, free fatty acid (FFA) content, and sensory attributes of EMC pastes with the objective of emulating the flavor profile of a red smear-ripened cheese (SR). Two different smear ripened cheeses were utilized as references: SR1, aged for 2–3 months, and SR2 aged for 10 months. Twelve formulations of EMC were prepared using a fatty medium moisture cheese corresponding to Mercosur’s Danbo type cheese (MD) as sole base, with the addition of the two types of SR cheeses and enzymes including exopeptidase, endopeptidase, and lipase, with varying concentrations of the latter. The EMC formulations exhibited a different physicochemical composition compared to the SR cheeses, with higher moisture, ash content, lower fat, and protein content. The highest total FFA contents were found in formulations with SR2, followed by formulations with SR1. As the concentration of lipase increased in the formulations, a greater degree of lipolysis was observed. Sensory profile was not influenced by the concentration of lipase, but rather depended on the type of cheese used as the base. All samples prepared with SR1 besides those prepared with SR2 as the base cheese and the highest concentration of lipase, exhibited sensory profiles more closely resembling that of lightly aged SR1. The enzymatic modification of cheeses proved to be a useful tool for generating sensory profiles similar to slightly aged SR cheese.