Relative preferences of 90 images of forest stands, photos and virtual reality images were investigated by the intemet to develop a quantitative model for estimating scenic beauty preferences at the stand level, The r...Relative preferences of 90 images of forest stands, photos and virtual reality images were investigated by the intemet to develop a quantitative model for estimating scenic beauty preferences at the stand level, The relative priority values obtained from the questionnaire of a total of 259 judges were analyzed using regression methods for pairwise comparisons. Two models were developed based on two different groups of stands. Both models indicate that the priority of a forest stand increases with an augment in the number of bushes and trees, and also with the mean diameter of trees. On the other hand, the priority is low with large number of pines and small trees. Stands represented by photos receive better priority values than those represented by virtual reality images. When the background of the judges （gender, country or occupation） was included into the model as additional predictors, no significant improvements are achieved.展开更多
Background: Pacemaker implantation is a very old activity which has revolutionized the cardiology practice throughout the world. This activity is effective at the Haute Correze Hospital Center since more than 20 years...Background: Pacemaker implantation is a very old activity which has revolutionized the cardiology practice throughout the world. This activity is effective at the Haute Correze Hospital Center since more than 20 years. Due to progress in this area, and the increasing request within this center located at the outskirts of town, we set out to evaluate our pacemaker activity in general and more specifically to assess the post-procedural complications in our series patients. Methodology: This was a retrospective longitudinal study. Data were recorded for period of 90 months from 27/05/2016 to 19/11/2023. This data collection was possible via a specific register completed by computerized patient data from the SillageTM software. All files of patients implanted with single or dual chamber pacemakers were included, generator replacements, upgrading procedures and addition of leads were excluded. The sampling was non-probabilistic, consecutive and non-exhaustive. Statistical analysis was carried out using the Excel 2019 spreadsheet and SPSS version 23 software. The quantitative variables were presented as mean ± standard deviation, the qualitative data as proportions. Results: A total of 303 first-time pacemaker’s implantations were carried out during the study period (rate of 40 per year). The average age in the population was 79.7 ± 9.4 years (44 - 99 years) with a male predominance of 63.7% (n = 193). Atrioventricular block (2nd and 3rd degree) was the main indication for pacemaker implantation in 42.9% of cases (n = 130). Patients were most often implanted with a dual-chamber pacemaker (57.7%, n = 175). The approach was most often cephalic in 72.6% of cases (n = 220), followed by the subclavian access in 27.4% of cases (n = 84). The average fluoroscopy time was 7.9 min ± 2.4 (1 - 43). The average irradiation dose in gray/cm2 was 12.4 ± 9.3 (0.22 - 117.5). The average length of hospitalization was 7 ± 4 (2 - 26) days. The overall complication rate at one year was 12.9% (n = 39). These complications are distribu展开更多
Brucella suis is responsible for swine brucellosis worldwide. Of the five different B. suis biovars （by.）, bv. 2 appears restricted to Europe where it is frequently isolated from wild boar and hares, can infect pigs...Brucella suis is responsible for swine brucellosis worldwide. Of the five different B. suis biovars （by.）, bv. 2 appears restricted to Europe where it is frequently isolated from wild boar and hares, can infect pigs and can cause human brucellosis. In this study, the differ- ential gene expression profile was characterized in spleens of Eurasian wild boar naturally infected with B. suis bv. 2. Of the 20,201 genes analyzed in the microarray, 633 and 1,373 were significantly （fold change 〉 1.8; P 〈 0.01） upregulated and downregulated, respectively, in infected wild boar. The analysis was focused on genes that were over represented after conditional test for biological process gene ontology. Upregulated genes suggested that B. suis bv. 2 infection induced cell maturation, migration and/or proliferation in infected animals. The genes downregulated in infected wild boar impaired the activity of several important cellular metabolic pathways such as metabolism, cytoskeleton organization and biogenesis, immune response and lysosomal function and vesicle-mediated transport. In addition, the response to stress, sperm fertility, muscle development and apoptosis seemed to be also impaired in infected animals. These results suggested that B. suis bv. 2 may use strategies similar to other smooth brucellae to facilitate intracellular multiplication and the development of chronic infections. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the analysis of gene expression profile in hosts infected with B. suis bv. 2, which is important to understand the molecular mechanisms at the host-pathogen interface in the main reservoir species with possible implications in the zoonotic cycle of the pathogen.展开更多
Aquaculture is considered one of the most important food production systems both in terms of economic impact and food security,and the ongoing development of this industry is a key factor in the strategy to guarantee ...Aquaculture is considered one of the most important food production systems both in terms of economic impact and food security,and the ongoing development of this industry is a key factor in the strategy to guarantee global nutritional safety.Nowadays,different types of nanotechnology-based systems have been employed to increase its production,efficiency and sustainability.Recent efforts have been made in the fields of health management,enhancement of fish and shellfish development by dietary supplementation with nutraceuticals,but also in the processing and preservation of seafood and water treatment,among others.Therefore,nanotechnology has a significant role to play in the improvement of the efficiency and the environmental impact of this industry.Given this perspective,we propose to review the current situation of nanotechnology in the field of aquaculture and fisheries,emphasizing not only in current applications,and future prospects,but also in the ethical and governance aspects associated with this topic.展开更多
Several results about convolution and about Fourier coefficients for X-valued functions defined on t he torus satisfying the condition sup ｜｜y｜｜=1∫-π^π｜｜ B （f （e^iθ）, y）｜｜dθ/2π〈 ∞ for a bounded bil...Several results about convolution and about Fourier coefficients for X-valued functions defined on t he torus satisfying the condition sup ｜｜y｜｜=1∫-π^π｜｜ B （f （e^iθ）, y）｜｜dθ/2π〈 ∞ for a bounded bilinear map B ： X × Y → Z are presented and some applications are given.展开更多
Background During the COVID-19 pandemic,decreased volumes of stroke admissions and mechanical thrombectomy were reported.The study’s objective was to examine whether subarachnoid haemorrhage(SAH)hospitalisations and ...Background During the COVID-19 pandemic,decreased volumes of stroke admissions and mechanical thrombectomy were reported.The study’s objective was to examine whether subarachnoid haemorrhage(SAH)hospitalisations and ruptured aneurysm coiling interventions demonstrated similar declines.Methods We conducted a cross-sectional,retrospective,observational study across 6 continents,37 countries and 140 comprehensive stroke centres.Patients with the diagnosis of SAH,aneurysmal SAH,ruptured aneurysm coiling interventions and COVID-19 were identified by prospective aneurysm databases or by International Classification of Diseases,10th Revision,codes.The 3-month cumulative volume,monthly volumes for SAH hospitalisations and ruptured aneurysm coiling procedures were compared for the period before(1 year and immediately before)and during the pandemic,defined as 1 March-31 May 2020.The prior 1-year control period(1 March-31 May 2019)was obtained to account for seasonal variation.Findings There was a significant decline in SAH hospitalisations,with 2044 admissions in the 3 months immediately before and 1585 admissions during the pandemic,representing a relative decline of 22.5%(95%CI−24.3%to−20.7%,p<0.0001).Embolisation of ruptured aneurysms declined with 1170-1035 procedures,respectively,representing an 11.5%(95%CI−13.5%to−9.8%,p=0.002)relative drop.Subgroup analysis was noted for aneurysmal SAH hospitalisation decline from 834 to 626 hospitalisations,a 24.9%relative decline(95%CI−28.0%to−22.1%,p<0.0001).A relative increase in ruptured aneurysm coiling was noted in low coiling volume hospitals of 41.1%(95%CI 32.3%to 50.6%,p=0.008)despite a decrease in SAH admissions in this tertile.Interpretation There was a relative decrease in the volume of SAH hospitalisations,aneurysmal SAH hospitalisations and ruptured aneurysm embolisations during the COVID-19 pandemic.These findings in SAH are consistent with a decrease in other emergencies,such as stroke and myocardial infarction.展开更多
AIM: To determine the clinical reasons for conversion to everolimus(EVL) and long-term outcomes in heart transplant(HT) recipients.METHODS: A retrospective 12-mo study has been carried out in 14 Spanish centres to ass...AIM: To determine the clinical reasons for conversion to everolimus(EVL) and long-term outcomes in heart transplant(HT) recipients.METHODS: A retrospective 12-mo study has been carried out in 14 Spanish centres to assess the efficacy and safety of conversion to EVL in maintenance HT recipients.RESULTS: Two hundred and twenty-two patients were included(mean age: 53 ± 10.5 years; mean time from HT: 8.1 ± 4.5 years). The most common reasons for conversion were nephrotoxicity(30%), chronic allograft vasculopathy(20%) and neoplasms(17%). The doses and mean levels of EVL at baseline(conversion to EVL) and after one year were 1.3 ± 0.3 and 1.2 ± 0.6 mg/d and 6.4 ± 3.4 and 5.6 ± 2.5 ng/mL, respectively. The percentage of patients receiving calcineurin inhibitors(CNIs) at baseline and on the final visit was 95% and 65%, respectively. The doses and mean levels of CNIs decreased between baseline and month 12 from 142.2 ± 51.6 to 98.0 ± 39.4 mg/d(P < 0.001) and from 126.1 ± 50.9 to 89.2 ± 47.7 ng/mL(P < 0.001), respectively, for cyclosporine, and from 2.9 ± 1.8 to 2.6 ± 1.9 mg/d and from 8.3 ± 4.0 to 6.5 ± 2.7 ng/mL(P = 0.011) for tacrolimus. In the subgroup of patients converted because of nephrotoxicity, creatinine clearance increased from 34.9 ± 10.1 to 40.4 ± 14.4 mL/min(P < 0.001). There were 37 episodes of acute rejection in 24 patients(11%). The most frequent adverse events were oedemas(12%), infections(9%) and gastrointestinal problems(6%). EVL was suspended in 44 patients(20%). Since the database was closed at the end of the study, no further followup data is available.CONCLUSION: Conversion to EVL in maintenance HT recipients allowed minimisation or suspension of the CNIs, with improved kidney function in the patients with nephrotoxicity, after 12 mo.展开更多
Unconstrained Optimization Reformulations of Equilibrium Problems Li Ping ZHANG Ji Ye HAN We generalize the D-gap function developed in the literature for variational inequalities to a general equilibrium problem(EP)....Unconstrained Optimization Reformulations of Equilibrium Problems Li Ping ZHANG Ji Ye HAN We generalize the D-gap function developed in the literature for variational inequalities to a general equilibrium problem(EP).Through the D-gap function,the equilibrium problem iS cast as an unconstrained minimization problem.We give conditions under which any stationary point of the D-gap function is a solution of EP and conditions under which it provides a global error bound for EP.Finally,these results are applied to box-constrained EP and then weaker conditions are established to obtain the desired results for box-constrained EP.展开更多
n the current world,it is easy to listen that everybody and everything is connected.Over this connected world,the concept of location-based services has grown in order to provide digital services in everyplace and at ...n the current world,it is easy to listen that everybody and everything is connected.Over this connected world,the concept of location-based services has grown in order to provide digital services in everyplace and at every time.Nevertheless,this is not 100%true because the connection is not guaranteed for many people and in many places.These are the Degraded Communications Environments(DCE),environments where the availability of high-speed communications is not guaranteed in at least the 75%of the time.This paper works over the experience of a previous work in developing light protocols that do not need broadband for communication.This work provides an extension of these protocols for the inclusion of mobile devices as elements of the communication process and a set of libraries to allow the development of applications in DCE.The work done has involved the development of two frameworks:an Android framework that makes the incorporation of Android devices easier and a server-based framework that provides the server side for the development of the referred applications.A use case that uses these two frameworks has been developed.Finally,all technology developed is available throw a public Git repository.展开更多
Isolated noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium is thought to be caused by arrest of normal embryogenesis of the endocardium and myocardium. Clinical manifestations are highly variable, from no symptoms to conges...Isolated noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium is thought to be caused by arrest of normal embryogenesis of the endocardium and myocardium. Clinical manifestations are highly variable, from no symptoms to congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, and systemic thromboemboli. Both familial and sporadic forms have been described, and mutations of certain genes have been related with this entity. Partial penetration of the disease is reported. We report an asymptomatic infant accomplishing the echocardiographic criteria, and his mother, showing prominent trabeculations and recesses, but not fulfilling all the diagnosis criteria.展开更多
Acute-on-chronic liver failure(ACLF) is increasingly recognized as a complex syndrome that is reversiblein many cases. It is characterized by an acute deterioration of liver function in the background of a pre-existin...Acute-on-chronic liver failure(ACLF) is increasingly recognized as a complex syndrome that is reversiblein many cases. It is characterized by an acute deterioration of liver function in the background of a pre-existing chronic liver disease often associated with a high short-term mortality rate. Organ failure(OF) is always associated, and plays a key role in determining the course, and the outcome of the disease. The definition of ACLF remains controversial due to its overall ambiguity, with several disparate criteria among various associations dedicated to the study of liver diseases. Although the precise pathogenesis needs to be clarified, it appears that an altered host response to injury might be a contributing factor caused by immune dysfunction, ultimately leading to a pro-inflammatory status, and eventually to OF. The PIRO concept(Predisposition, Insult, Response and Organ Failure) has been proposed to better approach the underlying mechanisms. It is accepted that ACLF is a different and specific form of liver failure, where a precipitating event is always involved, even though it cannot always be ascertained. According to several studies, infections and active alcoholism often trigger ACLF. Viral hepatitis, gastrointestinal haemorrhage, or drug induced liver injury, which can also provoke the syndrome. This review mainly focuses on the physiopathology and prognostic aspects. We believe these features are essential to further understanding and providing the rationale for improveddisease management strategies.展开更多
Dementia is one of the greatest global challenges for health and social care in the 21st century.Alzheimer’s disease(AD),the most common type of dementia,is by no means an inevitable consequence of growing old.Severa...Dementia is one of the greatest global challenges for health and social care in the 21st century.Alzheimer’s disease(AD),the most common type of dementia,is by no means an inevitable consequence of growing old.Several lifestyle factors may increase,or reduce,an individual’s risk of developing AD.Much has been written over the ages about the benefits of exercise and physical activity.Among the risk factors associated with AD is a low level of physical activity.The relationship between physical and mental health was established several years ago.In this review,we discuss the role of exercise(aerobic and resistance)training as a therapeutic strategy for the treatment and prevention of AD.Older adults who exercise are more likely to maintain cognition.We address the main protective mechanism on brain function modulated by physical exercise by examining both human and animal studies.We will pay especial attention to the potential role of exercise in the modulation of amyloid b turnover,inflammation,synthesis and release of neurotrophins,and improvements in cerebral blood flow.Promoting changes in lifestyle in presymptomatic and predementia disease stages may have the potential for delaying one-third of dementias worldwide.Multimodal interventions that include the adoption of an active lifestyle should be recommended for older populations.展开更多
We have reviewed a set of recently published studies that compared the anterior chamber depth（ACD） and/or white-to-white（WTW） distance obtained by means of different measuring devices.Since some of those studies r...We have reviewed a set of recently published studies that compared the anterior chamber depth（ACD） and/or white-to-white（WTW） distance obtained by means of different measuring devices.Since some of those studies reached contradictory conclusions regarding device interchangeability,this review was carried out in attempting to clarify which clinical devices can or cannot be considered as interchangeable in clinical practice to measure ACD and/or WTW distance,among these devices：A-scan,ultrasound biomicroscopy,Orbscan and Orbscan Ⅱ（Bausch＆Lomb Surgical Inc.,San Dimas,California,USA）,Pentacam and Pentacam HR（Oculus,Wetzlar,Germany）,Galilei（Ziemer,Switzerland）,Visante optical coherence tomography（Visante OCT,Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc.,Dublin,California,USA）,lOLMaster（Carl Zeiss Meditec,Jena,Germany）,and Lenstar LS 900/Biograph（Haag-Streit AG,Koeniz,Switzerland/Alcon Laboratories Inc.,Ft Worth,Texas,USA）.展开更多
Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) play an important role in human biochemistry. They originate primarily from the digestive system through carbohydrates microbial fermentation. Most SCFA produced in the colon are absorbe...Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) play an important role in human biochemistry. They originate primarily from the digestive system through carbohydrates microbial fermentation. Most SCFA produced in the colon are absorbed by the intestinal wall and enter the bloodstream to be distributed throughout the body for multiple purposes. At the intestinal level, SCFA play a role in controlling fat storage and fatty acid metabolism. The effects of these beneficial compounds therefore concern overall health. They facilitate energy expenditure and are valuable allies in the fight against obesity and diabetes. SCFA are also involved in the regulation of the levels of several neurotransmitters such as GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid), glutamate, serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Their role is also highlighted in many inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or Parkinson’s disease (PD). To have a realistic picture of the distribution of SCFA in different biological compartments of the human body, we propose to study SCFA simultaneously in five human biological samples: feces, saliva, serum, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and urine, as well as in Dried Blood Spot (DBS). To evaluate their concentration and repeatability, we used 10 aliquots from pooled samples, analyzed by 3-nitrophenylhydrazine (3-NPH) derivation and liquid chromatography coupled with high sensitivity mass spectrometry (LC-QqQ-MS). We also evaluated the SCFA assay on Dried Blood Spot (DBS). In this work, we adapted the pre-analytical parts for each sample to be able to use a common calibration curve, thus facilitating multi-assay quantification studies and so being less time-consuming. Moreover, we proposed new daughter ions from the same neutral loss (43 Da) to quantify SCFAs, thus improving the sensitivity. In conclusion, our methodology, based on a unique calibration curve for all samples for each SCFA, is well-suited to quantified them in a clinical context.展开更多
Three-dimensional(3D)laser micro-and nanoprinting based upon multi-photon absorption has made its way from early scientific discovery to industrial manufacturing processes,e.g.,for advanced microoptical components.How...Three-dimensional(3D)laser micro-and nanoprinting based upon multi-photon absorption has made its way from early scientific discovery to industrial manufacturing processes,e.g.,for advanced microoptical components.However,so far,most realized 3D architectures are composed of only a single polymeric material.Here,we review 3D printing of multi-materials on the nano-and microscale.We start with material properties that have been realized,using multi-photon photoresists.Printed materials include bulk polymers,conductive polymers,metals,nanoporous polymers,silica glass,chalcogenide glasses,inorganic single crystals,natural polymers,stimuliresponsive materials,and polymer composites.Next,we review manual and automated processes achieving dissimilar material properties in a single 3D structure by sequentially photo-exposing multiple photoresists as 3D analogs of 2D multicolor printing.Instructive examples from biology,optics,mechanics,and electronics are discussed.An emerging approach–without counterpart in 2D graphical printing–prints 3D structures combining dissimilar material properties in one 3D structure by using only a single photoresist.A controlled stimulus applied during the 3D printing process defines and determines material properties on the voxel level.Change of laser power and/or wavelength,or application of quasi-static electric fields allow for the seamless manipulation of desired materials properties.展开更多
文摘Relative preferences of 90 images of forest stands, photos and virtual reality images were investigated by the intemet to develop a quantitative model for estimating scenic beauty preferences at the stand level, The relative priority values obtained from the questionnaire of a total of 259 judges were analyzed using regression methods for pairwise comparisons. Two models were developed based on two different groups of stands. Both models indicate that the priority of a forest stand increases with an augment in the number of bushes and trees, and also with the mean diameter of trees. On the other hand, the priority is low with large number of pines and small trees. Stands represented by photos receive better priority values than those represented by virtual reality images. When the background of the judges （gender, country or occupation） was included into the model as additional predictors, no significant improvements are achieved.
文摘Background: Pacemaker implantation is a very old activity which has revolutionized the cardiology practice throughout the world. This activity is effective at the Haute Correze Hospital Center since more than 20 years. Due to progress in this area, and the increasing request within this center located at the outskirts of town, we set out to evaluate our pacemaker activity in general and more specifically to assess the post-procedural complications in our series patients. Methodology: This was a retrospective longitudinal study. Data were recorded for period of 90 months from 27/05/2016 to 19/11/2023. This data collection was possible via a specific register completed by computerized patient data from the SillageTM software. All files of patients implanted with single or dual chamber pacemakers were included, generator replacements, upgrading procedures and addition of leads were excluded. The sampling was non-probabilistic, consecutive and non-exhaustive. Statistical analysis was carried out using the Excel 2019 spreadsheet and SPSS version 23 software. The quantitative variables were presented as mean ± standard deviation, the qualitative data as proportions. Results: A total of 303 first-time pacemaker’s implantations were carried out during the study period (rate of 40 per year). The average age in the population was 79.7 ± 9.4 years (44 - 99 years) with a male predominance of 63.7% (n = 193). Atrioventricular block (2nd and 3rd degree) was the main indication for pacemaker implantation in 42.9% of cases (n = 130). Patients were most often implanted with a dual-chamber pacemaker (57.7%, n = 175). The approach was most often cephalic in 72.6% of cases (n = 220), followed by the subclavian access in 27.4% of cases (n = 84). The average fluoroscopy time was 7.9 min ± 2.4 (1 - 43). The average irradiation dose in gray/cm2 was 12.4 ± 9.3 (0.22 - 117.5). The average length of hospitalization was 7 ± 4 (2 - 26) days. The overall complication rate at one year was 12.9% (n = 39). These complications are distribu
基金supported by the Grupo Santander and Fundación Marcelino Botín,Spain (Project Control of Tu-berculosis in Wildlife), Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (MECProject AGL2005-07401)FEDER,Spain. R.C. Galindo was funded by MEC,Spain
文摘Brucella suis is responsible for swine brucellosis worldwide. Of the five different B. suis biovars （by.）, bv. 2 appears restricted to Europe where it is frequently isolated from wild boar and hares, can infect pigs and can cause human brucellosis. In this study, the differ- ential gene expression profile was characterized in spleens of Eurasian wild boar naturally infected with B. suis bv. 2. Of the 20,201 genes analyzed in the microarray, 633 and 1,373 were significantly （fold change 〉 1.8; P 〈 0.01） upregulated and downregulated, respectively, in infected wild boar. The analysis was focused on genes that were over represented after conditional test for biological process gene ontology. Upregulated genes suggested that B. suis bv. 2 infection induced cell maturation, migration and/or proliferation in infected animals. The genes downregulated in infected wild boar impaired the activity of several important cellular metabolic pathways such as metabolism, cytoskeleton organization and biogenesis, immune response and lysosomal function and vesicle-mediated transport. In addition, the response to stress, sperm fertility, muscle development and apoptosis seemed to be also impaired in infected animals. These results suggested that B. suis bv. 2 may use strategies similar to other smooth brucellae to facilitate intracellular multiplication and the development of chronic infections. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the analysis of gene expression profile in hosts infected with B. suis bv. 2, which is important to understand the molecular mechanisms at the host-pathogen interface in the main reservoir species with possible implications in the zoonotic cycle of the pathogen.
文摘Aquaculture is considered one of the most important food production systems both in terms of economic impact and food security,and the ongoing development of this industry is a key factor in the strategy to guarantee global nutritional safety.Nowadays,different types of nanotechnology-based systems have been employed to increase its production,efficiency and sustainability.Recent efforts have been made in the fields of health management,enhancement of fish and shellfish development by dietary supplementation with nutraceuticals,but also in the processing and preservation of seafood and water treatment,among others.Therefore,nanotechnology has a significant role to play in the improvement of the efficiency and the environmental impact of this industry.Given this perspective,we propose to review the current situation of nanotechnology in the field of aquaculture and fisheries,emphasizing not only in current applications,and future prospects,but also in the ethical and governance aspects associated with this topic.
文摘Several results about convolution and about Fourier coefficients for X-valued functions defined on t he torus satisfying the condition sup ｜｜y｜｜=1∫-π^π｜｜ B （f （e^iθ）, y）｜｜dθ/2π〈 ∞ for a bounded bilinear map B ： X × Y → Z are presented and some applications are given.
文摘Background During the COVID-19 pandemic,decreased volumes of stroke admissions and mechanical thrombectomy were reported.The study’s objective was to examine whether subarachnoid haemorrhage(SAH)hospitalisations and ruptured aneurysm coiling interventions demonstrated similar declines.Methods We conducted a cross-sectional,retrospective,observational study across 6 continents,37 countries and 140 comprehensive stroke centres.Patients with the diagnosis of SAH,aneurysmal SAH,ruptured aneurysm coiling interventions and COVID-19 were identified by prospective aneurysm databases or by International Classification of Diseases,10th Revision,codes.The 3-month cumulative volume,monthly volumes for SAH hospitalisations and ruptured aneurysm coiling procedures were compared for the period before(1 year and immediately before)and during the pandemic,defined as 1 March-31 May 2020.The prior 1-year control period(1 March-31 May 2019)was obtained to account for seasonal variation.Findings There was a significant decline in SAH hospitalisations,with 2044 admissions in the 3 months immediately before and 1585 admissions during the pandemic,representing a relative decline of 22.5%(95%CI−24.3%to−20.7%,p<0.0001).Embolisation of ruptured aneurysms declined with 1170-1035 procedures,respectively,representing an 11.5%(95%CI−13.5%to−9.8%,p=0.002)relative drop.Subgroup analysis was noted for aneurysmal SAH hospitalisation decline from 834 to 626 hospitalisations,a 24.9%relative decline(95%CI−28.0%to−22.1%,p<0.0001).A relative increase in ruptured aneurysm coiling was noted in low coiling volume hospitals of 41.1%(95%CI 32.3%to 50.6%,p=0.008)despite a decrease in SAH admissions in this tertile.Interpretation There was a relative decrease in the volume of SAH hospitalisations,aneurysmal SAH hospitalisations and ruptured aneurysm embolisations during the COVID-19 pandemic.These findings in SAH are consistent with a decrease in other emergencies,such as stroke and myocardial infarction.
文摘AIM: To determine the clinical reasons for conversion to everolimus(EVL) and long-term outcomes in heart transplant(HT) recipients.METHODS: A retrospective 12-mo study has been carried out in 14 Spanish centres to assess the efficacy and safety of conversion to EVL in maintenance HT recipients.RESULTS: Two hundred and twenty-two patients were included(mean age: 53 ± 10.5 years; mean time from HT: 8.1 ± 4.5 years). The most common reasons for conversion were nephrotoxicity(30%), chronic allograft vasculopathy(20%) and neoplasms(17%). The doses and mean levels of EVL at baseline(conversion to EVL) and after one year were 1.3 ± 0.3 and 1.2 ± 0.6 mg/d and 6.4 ± 3.4 and 5.6 ± 2.5 ng/mL, respectively. The percentage of patients receiving calcineurin inhibitors(CNIs) at baseline and on the final visit was 95% and 65%, respectively. The doses and mean levels of CNIs decreased between baseline and month 12 from 142.2 ± 51.6 to 98.0 ± 39.4 mg/d(P < 0.001) and from 126.1 ± 50.9 to 89.2 ± 47.7 ng/mL(P < 0.001), respectively, for cyclosporine, and from 2.9 ± 1.8 to 2.6 ± 1.9 mg/d and from 8.3 ± 4.0 to 6.5 ± 2.7 ng/mL(P = 0.011) for tacrolimus. In the subgroup of patients converted because of nephrotoxicity, creatinine clearance increased from 34.9 ± 10.1 to 40.4 ± 14.4 mL/min(P < 0.001). There were 37 episodes of acute rejection in 24 patients(11%). The most frequent adverse events were oedemas(12%), infections(9%) and gastrointestinal problems(6%). EVL was suspended in 44 patients(20%). Since the database was closed at the end of the study, no further followup data is available.CONCLUSION: Conversion to EVL in maintenance HT recipients allowed minimisation or suspension of the CNIs, with improved kidney function in the patients with nephrotoxicity, after 12 mo.
文摘Unconstrained Optimization Reformulations of Equilibrium Problems Li Ping ZHANG Ji Ye HAN We generalize the D-gap function developed in the literature for variational inequalities to a general equilibrium problem(EP).Through the D-gap function,the equilibrium problem iS cast as an unconstrained minimization problem.We give conditions under which any stationary point of the D-gap function is a solution of EP and conditions under which it provides a global error bound for EP.Finally,these results are applied to box-constrained EP and then weaker conditions are established to obtain the desired results for box-constrained EP.
基金the Aragon regional government(project GCP-2016-0035-00,program PDR co-financed by FEDER from EU)the Spanish national government(project RTC-2016-4790-2,program Retos Colaboración).
文摘n the current world,it is easy to listen that everybody and everything is connected.Over this connected world,the concept of location-based services has grown in order to provide digital services in everyplace and at every time.Nevertheless,this is not 100%true because the connection is not guaranteed for many people and in many places.These are the Degraded Communications Environments(DCE),environments where the availability of high-speed communications is not guaranteed in at least the 75%of the time.This paper works over the experience of a previous work in developing light protocols that do not need broadband for communication.This work provides an extension of these protocols for the inclusion of mobile devices as elements of the communication process and a set of libraries to allow the development of applications in DCE.The work done has involved the development of two frameworks:an Android framework that makes the incorporation of Android devices easier and a server-based framework that provides the server side for the development of the referred applications.A use case that uses these two frameworks has been developed.Finally,all technology developed is available throw a public Git repository.
文摘Isolated noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium is thought to be caused by arrest of normal embryogenesis of the endocardium and myocardium. Clinical manifestations are highly variable, from no symptoms to congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, and systemic thromboemboli. Both familial and sporadic forms have been described, and mutations of certain genes have been related with this entity. Partial penetration of the disease is reported. We report an asymptomatic infant accomplishing the echocardiographic criteria, and his mother, showing prominent trabeculations and recesses, but not fulfilling all the diagnosis criteria.
文摘Acute-on-chronic liver failure(ACLF) is increasingly recognized as a complex syndrome that is reversiblein many cases. It is characterized by an acute deterioration of liver function in the background of a pre-existing chronic liver disease often associated with a high short-term mortality rate. Organ failure(OF) is always associated, and plays a key role in determining the course, and the outcome of the disease. The definition of ACLF remains controversial due to its overall ambiguity, with several disparate criteria among various associations dedicated to the study of liver diseases. Although the precise pathogenesis needs to be clarified, it appears that an altered host response to injury might be a contributing factor caused by immune dysfunction, ultimately leading to a pro-inflammatory status, and eventually to OF. The PIRO concept(Predisposition, Insult, Response and Organ Failure) has been proposed to better approach the underlying mechanisms. It is accepted that ACLF is a different and specific form of liver failure, where a precipitating event is always involved, even though it cannot always be ascertained. According to several studies, infections and active alcoholism often trigger ACLF. Viral hepatitis, gastrointestinal haemorrhage, or drug induced liver injury, which can also provoke the syndrome. This review mainly focuses on the physiopathology and prognostic aspects. We believe these features are essential to further understanding and providing the rationale for improveddisease management strategies.
基金TagedPThis work was supported by the following grants:Instituto de Salud Carlos III and co-funded by FEDER(Grant number PIE15/00013)SAF2016-75508-R from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science(MEC)+2 种基金CB16/10/00435(CIBERFES)PROMETEOII2014/056 from Conselleria,de Sanitat de la Generalitat Valenciana and EU Funded CM1001 and FRAILOMICHEALTH.2012.2.1.1-2ADVANTAGE-724099 Join Action(HP-JA)3rd EU Health Programme and DIALBFRAIL-LATAM(825546 H2020-SC1-BHC).
文摘Dementia is one of the greatest global challenges for health and social care in the 21st century.Alzheimer’s disease(AD),the most common type of dementia,is by no means an inevitable consequence of growing old.Several lifestyle factors may increase,or reduce,an individual’s risk of developing AD.Much has been written over the ages about the benefits of exercise and physical activity.Among the risk factors associated with AD is a low level of physical activity.The relationship between physical and mental health was established several years ago.In this review,we discuss the role of exercise(aerobic and resistance)training as a therapeutic strategy for the treatment and prevention of AD.Older adults who exercise are more likely to maintain cognition.We address the main protective mechanism on brain function modulated by physical exercise by examining both human and animal studies.We will pay especial attention to the potential role of exercise in the modulation of amyloid b turnover,inflammation,synthesis and release of neurotrophins,and improvements in cerebral blood flow.Promoting changes in lifestyle in presymptomatic and predementia disease stages may have the potential for delaying one-third of dementias worldwide.Multimodal interventions that include the adoption of an active lifestyle should be recommended for older populations.
文摘We have reviewed a set of recently published studies that compared the anterior chamber depth（ACD） and/or white-to-white（WTW） distance obtained by means of different measuring devices.Since some of those studies reached contradictory conclusions regarding device interchangeability,this review was carried out in attempting to clarify which clinical devices can or cannot be considered as interchangeable in clinical practice to measure ACD and/or WTW distance,among these devices：A-scan,ultrasound biomicroscopy,Orbscan and Orbscan Ⅱ（Bausch＆Lomb Surgical Inc.,San Dimas,California,USA）,Pentacam and Pentacam HR（Oculus,Wetzlar,Germany）,Galilei（Ziemer,Switzerland）,Visante optical coherence tomography（Visante OCT,Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc.,Dublin,California,USA）,lOLMaster（Carl Zeiss Meditec,Jena,Germany）,and Lenstar LS 900/Biograph（Haag-Streit AG,Koeniz,Switzerland/Alcon Laboratories Inc.,Ft Worth,Texas,USA）.
文摘Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) play an important role in human biochemistry. They originate primarily from the digestive system through carbohydrates microbial fermentation. Most SCFA produced in the colon are absorbed by the intestinal wall and enter the bloodstream to be distributed throughout the body for multiple purposes. At the intestinal level, SCFA play a role in controlling fat storage and fatty acid metabolism. The effects of these beneficial compounds therefore concern overall health. They facilitate energy expenditure and are valuable allies in the fight against obesity and diabetes. SCFA are also involved in the regulation of the levels of several neurotransmitters such as GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid), glutamate, serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Their role is also highlighted in many inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or Parkinson’s disease (PD). To have a realistic picture of the distribution of SCFA in different biological compartments of the human body, we propose to study SCFA simultaneously in five human biological samples: feces, saliva, serum, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and urine, as well as in Dried Blood Spot (DBS). To evaluate their concentration and repeatability, we used 10 aliquots from pooled samples, analyzed by 3-nitrophenylhydrazine (3-NPH) derivation and liquid chromatography coupled with high sensitivity mass spectrometry (LC-QqQ-MS). We also evaluated the SCFA assay on Dried Blood Spot (DBS). In this work, we adapted the pre-analytical parts for each sample to be able to use a common calibration curve, thus facilitating multi-assay quantification studies and so being less time-consuming. Moreover, we proposed new daughter ions from the same neutral loss (43 Da) to quantify SCFAs, thus improving the sensitivity. In conclusion, our methodology, based on a unique calibration curve for all samples for each SCFA, is well-suited to quantified them in a clinical context.
基金funding by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft(DFG,German Research Foundation)under Germany’s Excellence Strategy for the Excellence Cluster“3D Matter Made to Order”(EXC 2082/1–390761711)by the Carl Zeiss Foundation,by the Helmholtz program“Materials Systems Engineering(MSE)”by the Karlsruhe School of Optics and Photonics(KSOP).
文摘Three-dimensional(3D)laser micro-and nanoprinting based upon multi-photon absorption has made its way from early scientific discovery to industrial manufacturing processes,e.g.,for advanced microoptical components.However,so far,most realized 3D architectures are composed of only a single polymeric material.Here,we review 3D printing of multi-materials on the nano-and microscale.We start with material properties that have been realized,using multi-photon photoresists.Printed materials include bulk polymers,conductive polymers,metals,nanoporous polymers,silica glass,chalcogenide glasses,inorganic single crystals,natural polymers,stimuliresponsive materials,and polymer composites.Next,we review manual and automated processes achieving dissimilar material properties in a single 3D structure by sequentially photo-exposing multiple photoresists as 3D analogs of 2D multicolor printing.Instructive examples from biology,optics,mechanics,and electronics are discussed.An emerging approach–without counterpart in 2D graphical printing–prints 3D structures combining dissimilar material properties in one 3D structure by using only a single photoresist.A controlled stimulus applied during the 3D printing process defines and determines material properties on the voxel level.Change of laser power and/or wavelength,or application of quasi-static electric fields allow for the seamless manipulation of desired materials properties.
