Search Results (16,934)

Background/Objective: Congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO) is commonly treated by probing, but recurrence remains a clinical issue. This study investigates the potential role of inflammatory biomarkers, such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), in predicting recurrence after probing in children with CNLDO. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 172 patients who underwent initial probing for unilateral CNLDO. The patients were then categorized into two groups: those who experienced the complete resolution of symptoms after primary probing, and those who required Ritleng tube intubation due to recurrence following primary probing. Blood samples for calculating inflammatory biomarkers in all subjects were collected during general anesthesia preparation prior to initial probing. NLR, MLR, and PLR values were compared between the groups using the independent samples t-test. The predictive performance of the inflammatory biomarkers for recurrence was assessed using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: A total of 110 patients were included in the probing group, while 62 patients were in the recurrence group. The mean age at the time of the initial probing procedure was 15 ± 4.06 months in the probing group and 15.83 ± 4.02 months in the recurrence group. There was no difference in the duration of the probing procedure between the groups. The mean age at the time of Ritleng tube intubation in the recurrence group was 37.80 ± 13.34 months. The recurrence group exhibited significantly higher values in all analyzed inflammatory markers compared to the probing group, including the NLR (1.12 ± 0.56 vs. 0.86 ± 0.39, p = 0.002), MLR (0.16 ± 0.06 vs. 0.14 ± 0.06, p = 0.005), and PLR (95.13 ± 24.34 vs. 82.23 ± 22.77, p < 0.001). ROC curve analysis indicated that these inflammatory biomarkers demonstrated moderate performance in predicting recurrence. Conclusions: Recurrence following probing in children with CNLDO was associated with complete blood cell count-derived inflammatory biomarkers. The preoperative assessment of these biomarkers may aid in the individualization of disease management and inform the development of new therapeutic strategies. Full article

Sustainable development in the agriculture of the future will lead to innovative production, providing the possibility of obtaining better quality agricultural products. In turn, these innovative agricultural products will fit into new social lifestyles. Therefore, in this study, the authors asked the following research questions: (i) How do respondents perceive innovative agricultural production and innovative products in the area of food economy?; (ii) what is the relationship between selected lifestyle elements and the perception of innovative agricultural production and products? The research tool was a survey questionnaire. The diagnostic study was conducted using the CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interview) technique. The study was partial and non-probabilistic in nature. Participation in the study was voluntary and anonymous, and completion of the form could be interrupted at any time. The target group were adults aged ≥ 18 years. They were residents of south-eastern Poland, from the Podkarpackie and Lublin provinces. The study was of a correlational nature, as it sought relationships between the elements studied, without the possibility of influencing the level of individual variables. A five-point Likert scale with a neutral value was used for the assessment. Spearman correlation analysis (r_S) was performed to find the relationship between the items. This type of correlation was chosen because the variables subjected to calculations were on an ordinal scale. The Kruskal–Wallis H test was also calculated to determine the effect of independent variables (lifestyle elements) on dependent variables (perception of innovative production and food products). The Mann–Whitney U test was utilized to calculate and identify differences between groups (sex and place of residence). Statistical significance was assessed at the level of α = 0.05. To illustrate these differences more clearly, categorized graphs of the average ratings of the items studied were also drawn up. The research results indicate a different approach from men and women to the issues studied. The place of residence and the approach of the respondents from south-eastern Poland to the studied lifestyle elements influenced their perception of sustainable agricultural production and innovative features of agricultural products. The examined lifestyle elements demonstrated a varied impact on the perception of innovative production and innovative food products. Full article

Conventional methods for tumor diagnosis suffer from two inherent limitations: they are time-consuming and subjective. Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) is an important approach for addressing these limitations. Pathology whole-slide images (WSIs) are high-resolution tissue images that have made significant contributions to cancer diagnosis and prognosis assessment. Due to the complexity of WSIs and the availability of only slide-level labels, multiple instance learning (MIL) has become the primary framework for WSI classification. However, most MIL methods fail to capture the interdependence among image patches within a WSI, which is crucial for accurate classification prediction. Moreover, due to the weak supervision of slide-level labels, overfitting may occur during the training process. To address these issues, this paper proposes a dual-attention-based multiple instance learning framework (DAMIL). DAMIL leverages the spatial relationships and channel information between WSI patches for classification prediction, without detailed pixel-level tumor annotations. The output of the model preserves the semantic variations in the latent space, enhances semantic disturbance invariance, and provides reliable class identification for the final slide-level representation. We validate the effectiveness of DAMIL on the most commonly used public dataset, Camelyon16. The results demonstrate that DAMIL outperforms the state-of-the-art methods in terms of classification accuracy (ACC), area under the curve (AUC), and F1-Score. Our model also allows for the examination of its interpretability by visualizing the dual-attention weights. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to use a dual-attention mechanism, considering both spatial and channel information, for whole-slide image classification. Full article

In order to gain insight into the unique characteristics of manufacturing large-scale products with intricate geometries, experimental nozzle-shaped samples were created using wire-feed electron beam additive technology. Bimetal samples were fabricated from nickel-based alloy and copper. Two distinct approaches were employed, utilizing varying substrate thicknesses and differing fabrication parameters. The two approaches were the subject of analysis and comparison through the examination of the surface morphology of the samples using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. It has been demonstrated that the variation in heat flux distributions resulting from varying the substrate thicknesses gives rise to the development of disparate angles of grain boundary orientation relative to the substrate. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that suboptimal choice of the fabrication parameters results in large disparities in the crystallization times, both at the level of sample as a whole and within the same material volume. For example, for the sample manufacturing by Mode I, the macrostructure of the layers is distinguished by the presence of non-uniformity in their geometric dimensions and the presence of unmelted wire fragments. In order to characterize the experimental nozzle-shaped samples, microhardness was measured, uniaxial tensile tests were performed, and thermal diffusivity was determined. The microhardness profiles and the mechanical properties exhibit a higher degree of strength than those observed in pure copper samples and a lower degree of strength than those observed in Inconel 625 samples obtained through the same methodology. The thermal diffusivity values of the samples are sufficiently close to one another and align with the properties of the corresponding materials in their state after casting or rolling. The data discussed above indicate that Mode II yields the optimal mechanical properties of the sample due to the high cooling rate, which influences the structural and phase state of the resulting products. It was thus concluded that the experimental samples grown by Mode II on a thinner substrate exhibited the best formability. Full article

One method to reduce the spread of pathogens is to use clean surfaces. These have long-acting components, and their use would reduce the massive consumption of disinfectants and cleaning products. In order to ensure the safety of these surfaces in water-based systems and prevent mishandling and potential health and environmental risks, this study analyzed the stability of clean surfaces made of polyethylene with three silver compounds with different water solubility. The surfaces were subjected to erosion at 40 °C by immersing them in aqueous solutions of 3% acetic acid (w/v), 50% ethanol (v/v), and deionized water. The ionic silver release was monitored in real-time in situ via voltammetry using an Ag/S²⁻ electrode. Analytical methods such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) were employed to elucidate the surface alteration. The plastic residue after immersion varied depending on the pH and the type of solvent used, with a higher plastic migration observed when in contact with the water-ethanol mixture. Furthermore, a correlation was identified between surface stability, oxygen composition in the antibacterial, and water solubility, influencing increased surface oxidation. Full article

Objective: This study assessed the pharmacokinetic (PK) interactions between clarithromycin (a P-glycoprotein [P-gp] inhibitor) and four direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) (P-gp substrates) using physiologically based PK (PBPK) models to elucidate the influence of P-gp in the interaction between them. Methods: PBPK models for clarithromycin, DABE–dabigatran (DAB), rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban were constructed using GastroPlus™ (version 9.9), based on physicochemical data and PK parameters from the literature. The models were optimized and validated in healthy subjects. We evaluated the predictive performance of the established model and further assessed the impact of P-gp on the PK of the four DOACs. Successfully validated models were then used to evaluate potential drug–drug interactions (DDIs) between clarithromycin and the DOACs. Results: The established PBPK models accurately described the PK of clarithromycin, DABE–DAB, rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban. The predicted PK parameters (C_max, T_max, AUC_0-t) were within 0.5–2 times the observed values. A sensitivity analysis of P-gp parameters indicated that an increase in P-gp expression was reduced by in vivo exposure to DOACs. The models demonstrated good predictive ability for DDIs between clarithromycin and the anticoagulants, and the ratio of the predicted values to the observed values of C_max and the area under the curve (AUC) in the DDI state was within the range of 0.5–2. Conclusions: Comprehensive PBPK models for clarithromycin, DABE–DAB, rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban were developed, which can effectively predict DDIs mediated by P-gp’s function. These models provide theoretical support for clinical dose adjustments and serve as a foundation for future PBPK model development for DOACs under specific pathological conditions. Full article

Cemented backfill represents a significant trend in mine filling methods; however, it often exhibits high brittleness and limited resistance to failure, which can restrict its practical application. This study investigates the mechanical properties and damage evolution of fiber-reinforced coal gangue cemented materials (CGCMs) at various curing times using uniaxial compressive tests, acoustic emission (AE) analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Specimens were created with different fillers, including carbon fibers (CFs), steel fibers (SFs), and carbon black (CB), and subjected to uniaxial compression until failure. Control specimens without fillers were also tested for comparison. The microstructure of the specimens was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The findings indicate that (1) the compressive strength of filler-reinforced CGCMs increases between 7 and 14 days of curing but decreases thereafter, with CB significantly improving early-age strength; (2) specimens reinforced with CFs and SFs exhibit significantly enhanced toughness in their post-cracking response; (3) AE events during specific stages can effectively identify the reinforcing effects of CFs and SFs; (4) the presence of fillers improves resistance to shear cracks, with CFs and SFs being more effective than CB; and (5) adding CB results in a denser and more stable hydration product structure, while CFs and SFs lead to a more porous structure with increased cracking. Full article

Granular systems, no matter whether they are dry or saturated, are commonly encountered in both natural scenarios and engineering applications. In this work, we tackle the compaction problem of both dry and saturated granular systems under gyratory shearing compaction, where particles are subjected to constant pressure and continuous shear rate, which is quite different from the traditional cyclic shearing compaction. Such phenomena are crucial to the compaction of asphalt mixtures or soils in civil engineering and can be extended to other areas, such as powder processing and pharmaceutical engineering. In this study, we investigated the behavior of both dry and fully saturated mono-dispersed granular materials under gyratory shearing compaction using the discrete element method (DEM) and found that the gyratory speed or interstitial fluid viscosity has almost no impact on the compaction behavior, while the pressure and the particle size play more important roles. Additionally, it is the inertial time scale which dictates the compaction behavior under gyratory shearing in most cases; meanwhile, the viscous time scale can also have influence in some conditions. This work determines the similarity and unity between the granular gyratory compaction and the rheology of granular systems, which has direct relevance to various natural and engineering systems. Full article

On short video platforms, individuals can not only passively browse videos but also actively engage in behaviors such as liking and commenting on videos. However, the mechanisms by how active and passive usage of short videos affect subjective well-being remains unclear. Thus, this study aims to explore these mechanisms through path analysis and network analysis. We employed the Short Video Usage Questionnaire, Subjective Well-Being Scale, and Interaction Anxiety Scale to survey 1086 participants. The results indicated (1) the active usage positively predicted life satisfaction and positive affect, while passive usage failed to predict any of them. (2) Social anxiety mediated the relationship between short video usage and subjective well-being. Active usage enhanced life satisfaction and positive affect by alleviating social anxiety, while reducing negative affect by decreasing social anxiety. At the same time, passive usage reduced life satisfaction and positive affect by exacerbating social anxiety while increasing negative affect by intensifying social anxiety. (3) Network analysis revealed that “live interaction” behavior was a core activity for alleviating social anxiety and enhancing subjective well-being. The findings highlight the significant role of short video usage in subjective well-being and provide empirical evidence to guide users in the rational and positive usage of short video platforms. Full article

Numerical modeling of hydraulic fracturing is complicated when a fracture reaches a stress barrier. For high barriers, it may require changing the computational scheme. In view of the strong influence of stress barriers on the final footprint and opening of a hydraulic fracture, for decades, their modeling has been the subject of special investigations. Actually, classical models of propagation within a pay layer with impenetrable boundaries referred to the case of extremely high-stress contrast in neighbor layers. Further improvements tended to account for the fracture growth in these layers by including stress contrasts as input parameters of a model. This tendency resulted in the suggestion and successive enhancements of pseudo-three-dimensional models. All of them have used stress intensity factors (SIFs) to characterize the combined resistance caused by stress contrasts, material strength, and fluid viscosity. Specifically, the SIFs served to formulate the conditions that control the front penetration into a neighbor layer. This key concept presents the background of our research. Despite examples of modeling propagation through barriers, there is no general theory clarifying when and why conventional schemes may become inefficient and how to overcome computational difficulties. This paper presents the theory and practical recommendations following it. We start with the definition of the barrier intensity, which exposes that the barrier strength may change from zero for contrast-free propagation to infinity for channelized propagation. The analysis reveals two types of computational difficulties caused by spatial discretization as follows: (i) general, arising for fine grids and aggravated by a barrier, and (ii) specific, caused entirely by a strong barrier. The asymptotic approach, which avoids spatial discretization, is suggested. It is illustrated by solving benchmark problems for barriers of arbitrary intensity. The analysis distinguishes three typical stages of the fracture penetration into a barrier and provides theoretical values of the Nolte–Smith slope parameter and arrest time as functions of the barrier intensity. Special analysis establishes the accuracy and bounds of the asymptotic approach. It appears that the approach provides physically significant and accurate results for fracture penetration into high, intermediate, and even weak stress barriers. On this basis, simple practical recommendations are given for modeling hydraulic fractures in rocks with stress barriers. The recommendations may be promptly implemented in any program using spatial discretization to model fracture propagation. Full article

Background/Objectives: Inflammation and analgesia are two prominent symptoms and often lead to chronic medical conditions. To control inflammation and analgesia, many marketed drugs are in practice but the majority of them have severe side effects. Methods: This study involved the synthesis of a pivalate-based Michael product and evaluated it for in vitro COX-1, COX-2, and 5-LOX inhibitory potentials using specific assays. Molecular docking studies were also assessed. Based on the in vitro results, the compound was also subjected to in vivo anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive studies. Results: The pivalate-based Michael product (MAK01) was synthesized by an organocatalytic asymmetric Michael addition of ethyl isobutyrate to N-phenylmaleimide with an isolated yield of 96%. The structure of the compound was confirmed through ¹H and ¹³C NMR analyses. The observed IC₅₀ values for COX-1, COX-2, and 5-LOX were 314, 130, and 105 μg/mL, respectively. The molecular docking studies on the synthesized compound showed binding interactions with the minimized pockets of the respective enzymes. In a carrageenan model, a percent reduction in edema when administered at 10 mg/kg (a reduction of 33.3 ± 0.77% at the second hour), 20 mg/kg (a reduction of 34.7 ± 0.74% at the second hour), and 30 mg/kg (a reduction of 40.58% ± 0.84% after the fifth hour) was observed. The compound showed a significant response at concentrations of 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg with latency times of 10.32 ± 0.82, 12.16 ± 0.51, and 12.93 ± 0.45 s, respectively. Conclusion: In this study, we synthesized a pivalate-based Michael product for the first time. Moreover, based on its rationality and potency, it was found to be an effective future medicine for the management of analgesia and inflammation. Full article

The “Exposome” is a concept that indicates the set of exposures to which a human is subjected during their lifetime. These factors influence the health state of individuals and can drive the development of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs). Artificial Intelligence (AI) allows one to analyze large amounts of data in a short time. As such, several authors have used AI to study the relationship between exposome and chronic diseases. Under such premises, this study reviews the use of AI in analyzing the exposome to understand its role in the development of chronic diseases, focusing on how AI can identify patterns in exposure-related data and support prevention strategies. To achieve this, we carried out a search on multiple databases, including PubMed, ScienceDirect, and SCOPUS, from 1 January 2019 to 31 May 2023, using the MeSH terms (exposome) and (‘Artificial Intelligence’ OR ‘Machine Learning’ OR ‘Deep Learning’) to identify relevant studies on this topic. After completing the identification, screening, and eligibility assessment, a total of 18 studies were included in this literature review. According to the search, most authors used supervised or unsupervised machine learning models to study multiple exposure factors’ role in the risk of developing cardiovascular, metabolic, and chronic respiratory diseases. In some more recent studies, authors also used deep learning. Furthermore, the exposome analysis is useful to study the risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders or evaluating pregnancy outcomes and child growth. Understanding the role of the exposome is pivotal to overcome the classic concept of a single exposure/disease. The application of AI allows one to analyze multiple environmental risks and their combined effects on health conditions. In the future, AI could be helpful in the prevention of chronic diseases, providing new diagnostic, therapeutic, and follow-up strategies. Full article

The Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) is a group of bacteria with similar biological properties which are an important cause of opportunistic infections. Identification of the Bcc species is important to understand clinical outcomes in human patients. However, there are few studies of Bcc species infecting companion animals such as cats. This report shows for the first time an infection with B. pseudomultivorans, a member of Bcc, in veterinary medicine. A 9-year-old, FIV-positive, mixed-breed cat was subjected to immunosuppressive therapy, developed septic shock, and died. In the bone marrow specimen collected postmortem, numerous short bacilli—some of which were phagocytosed by leukocytes—were observed. By bacteriological examination, the Bcc-like bacteria were isolated from the bone marrow sample. Genetic analysis showed that the recA gene sequence detected from the present case exhibited the highest homology (98–100%) to that of B. pseudomultivorans. Based on these examinations, the present case was diagnosed as B. pseudomultivorans infection. The findings of this study highlight the need for investigation of the Bcc species in veterinary practice to help in treatment decisions and the prognostic evaluation of Bcc infections. Full article

Background: SARS-CoV-2 enters cells primarily by binding to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, thereby blocking its physiological functions, affecting the apelinergic system, and inhibiting the cleavage of its peptides. The appropriate concentration of peptides in the apelinergic system influences the maintenance of homeostasis and protects against cardiovascular diseases. In our research, we determined the level of selected parameters of the apelinergic system—apelin (AP), elabela (ELA), and the apelin receptor (APJ)—in repeat blood donors. Methods: We analyzed 120 serum samples obtained from 30 repeat donors (study group) within four time periods after a SARS-CoV-2 infection: <60 days, 61–90 days, 91–120 days, and >120 days. We compared the results from the study groups with those of the control group, which consisted of 30 serum samples collected from donors donating blood in the years 2018–2019. Results: We observed that the AP, ELA, and APJ concentrations in the control group are higher than in any period in the study group. In the study group, the concentrations of AP and ELA increased in subsequent study periods. AP and ELA concentrations were lower shortly after SARS-CoV-2 transfection and then slowly increased in subsequent periods. APJ concentrations, on the other hand, were lowest at 61–90 days after the infection, but the decrease, relative to their level in healthy subjects, was significant in every period studied. Conclusions: The results suggest that infection with SARS-CoV-2 causes changes in the parameters of the apelinergic system, both after a short period of time has passed since the onset of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, and even up to 4 months after the infection. Full article

The operation of vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) to generate low-carbon electricity is growing in popularity. Their advantages over the widely used horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) include their low tip speed, which reduces noise, and their cost-effective installation and maintenance. A Farrah turbine equipped with 12 blades was designed to enhance performance and was recently the subject of experimental investigation. However, little research has been focused on turbine configurations with more than three blades. The objective of this study is to employ numerical methods to analyse the performance of the Farrah wind turbine and to validate the findings in comparison with experimental results. The investigated blade pitch angles included both positive and negative angles of 7, 15, 20 and 40 degrees. The k-ω SST model with the sliding mesh technique was used to perform simulations of a 14.4 million element unstructured mesh. Comparable trends of power output results in the experimental investigation were obtained and the assumptions of mechanical losses discussed. Wake recovery was determined at an approximate distance of nine times the turbine diameter. Two large complex quasi-symmetric vortical structures were observed between positive and negative blade pitch angles, located in the near wake region of the turbine and remaining present throughout its rotation. It is demonstrated that a number of recognised vortical structures are transferred towards the wake region, further contributing to its formation. Additional notable vortical formations are examined, along with a recirculation zone located in the turbine’s core, which is described to exhibit quasi-symmetric behaviour between positive and negative rotations. Full article