Index Values Research Articles

Antimicrobial activity of ceftibuten/polymyxin B combination against polymyxin/carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae.

To evaluate the synergistic effect of a ceftibuten and polymyxin B combination and to determine its capacity to overcome polymyxin B resistance in polymyxin/carbapenem-resistant (PC-R) Klebsiella pneumoniae. To investigate the combination's antibacterial efficacy, antimicrobial susceptibility tests using broth microdilution methods, chequerboard assays and time-kill testing were performed. Antibiofilm activity was also assessed. The treatment's effect on the bacterial cell membrane was examined by quantifying intracellular protein leakage and conducting scanning electron microscopy. Haemocompatibility tests were conducted to evaluate toxicity. Additionally, an infection model was established using Swiss mice to assess in vivo antimicrobial activity. The ceftibuten/polymyxin B combination demonstrated synergistic effects against several PC-R strains of K. pneumoniae, as determined by the FIC index (FICI) values, which ranged from 0.15 to 0.37. This combination was efficacious, exhibiting bactericidal activity at twice the MIC. Ceftibuten/polymyxin B also demonstrated antibiofilm activity. Additionally, ceftibuten/polymyxin B neither damaged the bacterial membrane nor exhibited haemolytic activity. Based on these findings, the in vivo therapeutic potential was investigated and it was found that ceftibuten/polymyxin B significantly decreased the bacterial load in the peritoneal lavage fluid of mice, revealing its effectiveness in treating infections caused by PC-R K. pneumoniae. The ceftibuten/polymyxin B combination exhibited synergistic effects in vitro and in vivo, and thus might be a promising therapeutic alternative for treating PC-R K. pneumoniae infections. As the combination was efficacious in preclinical models, researchers may further investigate its potential in clinical studies.

The Relationship Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and Forage Value of Rubus Species Collected from Türkiye’s Flora

The increasing drought caused by climate change makes it difficult for rural areas reliant on pasture-based livestock farming to sustain their agricultural practices. Blackberries, a spreading species, have been selected as the material for this study due to their perennial shrub nature and their tolerance to adverse environmental conditions. Türkiye, the gene center for blackberries, is part of the Mediterranean belt and is located at the intersection of three flora regions—Mediterranean, Euro-Siberian, and Irano-Turanian. This study aims to determine the forage value of the Rubus species and other shrub/tree species (Quercus, Pistacia, and Rosa) collected and identified from these flora regions. Furthermore, a linear regression analysis established a relationship between the forage values and the SPEI, a drought index, considering the combined effects of rainfall and temperature in the collection regions. Among the Rubus species, the highest organic matter content (887.8 g kg−1) was obtained from R. pruinosus. In comparison, the highest protein content (240.1 g kg−1) was found in cultivated blackberries in the Euro-Siberian flora region. P. lentiscus had the highest Ca content (14.4 g kg−1) and offered feed at the “Prime” level with 154 of RFV. The SPEI explained 87% of the variation in fructan, 89% in Mg, and 92% in ADF. Due to the perennial nature of the species studied, a strong relationship was found between their growth and forage values over a 48-month time scale using the SPEI. Consequently, the equations related to ADF, Mg, and fructan content obtained in this study can be recommended for woody species.

Comparison of nutritional value of the wild and cultivated spiny loaches at three growth stages.

Environmental pollution and overfishing of wild spiny loach have led to the increased demand for breeding the fish. However, the nutritional value between the wild and cultivated spiny loaches was unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the nutritional components among the wild and cultivated spiny loaches at different growth stages by analyzing and comparing the proximate compositions, fatty acids, amino acids and volatile compounds. Results showed that the cultivated ones had significantly higher energy and fat contents than the wild. Particularly, the cultivated second-age spiny loach contained the highest contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids (4.83 ± 0.01%) and EPA + DHA (0.85 ± 0.02%). Besides, the total essential amino acid content of cultivated second-age spiny loach was 2201.28, exceeding that recommended in the FAO/WTO scoring pattern (2,190). And it had the highest flavor amino acid (6.24 ± 0.04 g/100 g), essential amino acid index value (71.82) and higher contents of volatile compounds. Overall, the cultivated spiny loach, especially that at the second growth stage, displayed the highest nutritional value. The findings of this study would help farmers to harvest the suitable breeding stage of spiny loaches from the perspective of nutritional value, which is beneficial to the sustainable fish farming.

Experimental evaluation on dynamic performance of medium–low-speed maglev vehicle running on low-positioned subgrade

ABSTRACT As a novel urban rail transit system with relatively low construction costs, medium–low-speed maglev transportation is currently experiencing rapid development in China. However, there have been rare studies on the experiments of medium–low-speed maglev vehicle passing curves and low-positioned subgrade. Therefore, this paper systematically conducts on-site dynamic tests on the Qingyuan Maglev Tourism Line. The experiment provides a detailed analysis of the dynamic characteristics of the vehicle system and subgrade under varying speeds up to 132 km/h. The study explores the impacts of operating speed, track layout, and type of girder structure. The results indicate that a significant increase in operating speed and the application of emergency braking intensify the dynamic response of the vehicle system. When passing through the R700m curve and low-positioned subgrade sections at different speeds, the primary vibration frequency of the sprung structure is below 2.5 hz, while the unsprung structure shows a wide frequency distribution. The peak frequencies of the vibration for the low-positioned subgrade are mainly distributed in the 60–140 hz range, and the vibration response of the girder remains at a low level. The Sperling index values, levitation gap, and lateral offset of the levitation electromagnet of the testing vehicle do not exceed 2.5, 4 mm, and 10 mm, respectively, indicating excellent ride comfort and stable levitation performance. The results of this test study provide a reliable assessment of the safety of the vehicle and subgrade system and would help precise modelling of vehicle and subgrade system in the future.

Assessment of heavy metals concentration and health hazard indices in soil and plants from Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Human dependence, on the plants grown on soil and the threat posed by contaminated soil to the ecosystem and general public has become a source of concern. The health risks caused by heavy metals concentration to the study area were evaluated. Fifteen (15) plant samples and soil samples each from the study area were collected and analyzed using an Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (EDXRF) for Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu), and Zinc (Zn). The Measured concentrations of these heavy metals were in the order of Cd>Ni>Cu>Zn>Pb>Cr for the plant samples and Cr>Cd>Ni>Cu>Pb for soil samples with Cd and Cr as the highest contributors to cancer risk in term of the carcinogenic risk estimate. The Health Hazard Index value for all pathways were found to be 7.34 x 10-1 making non-carcinogenic risk component less significant to the adult population and in case of children, the Hazard Index value was 1.21, a value greater than unity (1), which present a severe non-carcinogenic risk component to children living in the study area. The carcinogenic risk was found to be 8.68 x 10-6 implying that 1 person in every 5882 adults may be affected and 1 in 2725 children may be affected (9.6 x 10-5) These carcinogenic risk values were both higher than acceptable values.

Heavy metals in roadside soil along an expressway connecting two megacities in China: Accumulation characteristics, sources and influencing factors.

Transportation is widely recognized as a significant contributor to heavy metal (HM) pollution in roadside soils. A better understanding of HM pollution in soils near expressways is crucial, particularly given the rapid expansion of expressway transportation in China in recent years. In this study, 329 roadside topsoil samples were collected along the Beijing-Tianjin Expressway, which connects two megacities in China. Chemical analysis showed that HM concentrations in the soil samples were generally below national limits. The mean pollution index (Pi) values for As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn ranged from 0.94 to 1.01, while Cd and Hg exhibited slightly higher mean Pi values of 1.19 and 1.13, respectively. The Nemerow integrated pollution index values for all samples ranged from 0.71 to 4.97, with a mean of 1.26. This suggests a slight enrichment of HM above natural background levels, especially for Cd and Hg. Source apportionment using positive matrix factorization revealed that natural sources contributed the most to soil HMs (64.51 %), followed by agricultural sources (19.15 %), traffic sources (9.77 %), and industrial sources (6.57 %). The Shapley additive explanation analysis, based on the random forest model, identified soil organic carbon, deep soil HM content, altitude, total soil K2O, urbanization composite impact index, and total soil P as primary influencing factors. This indicates that the impact of transportation on roadside soils along the Beijing-Tianjin Expressway is currently relatively limited. The prominent influence of soil properties and altitude underscored the importance of "transport" and "receptor" in the soil HMs accumulation process at the local scale. These findings provide critical data and a scientific basis for decision-makers to develop policies for expressway design and roadside soil protection.

Nitrogen use efficiency for seed and oil yield in some Moroccan rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) varieties under contrasting nitrogen supply

In the actual context of climate change and increasing oil and nitrogen prices, oil crops varieties with high nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) will be highly appreciated. As no studies on NUE in spring rapeseed have been carried out in Mediterranean area, including Morocco, this work aimed to assess responses of six rapeseed varieties to six nitrogen levels (0, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 Kg N/ha) and their NUE for grain and oil yields. The experiment was conducted according to a split-plot design with three replications, during two cropping seasons. Results showed that increasing nitrogen rate from 0 to 120 kg N/ha led to a significant increase in seed, oil and dry matter yields up to 85.3, 72.35 and 97.9%, respectively. NUE, NUpE (nitrogen uptake efficiency) and NUtE (nitrogen utilization efficiency) decreased by increasing nitrogen application. Regarding oil content, it was negatively affected by nitrogen fertilization, declining from 40.78% for control to 37.77% for 150 kg N/ha. Likewise, nitrogen use and nitrogen utilization efficiency for oil production (ONUE & ONUtE) were negatively affected by nitrogen application. The genotypic variation was statistically significant for all investigated traits. The variety hybrid ‘Trapper’ was the most interesting for ONUE, NUE, seed yield and dry matter. However, for oil yield it was comparable to ‘Moufida’ and ‘Alia’ which showed the highest values for harvest index, branching, pods number per plant, oil content and ONUE. These varieties grown under 120 kg N/ha treatment can be recommended for Morocco.

Investigating the Limitations of Multi‐Model Ensembling of Climate Model Outputs in Capturing Climate Extremes

ABSTRACTIn the context of climate change, the widespread practice of directly employing Multi‐Model Ensembles (MMEs) for projecting future climate extremes, without prior evaluation of MME performance in historical periods, remains underexplored. This research addresses this gap through a comprehensive analysis of ensemble means derived from CMIP6‐based models, including both simple and weighted averages of precipitation (SEMP and WEMP) and temperature (SEMT and WEMT) time series, as well as simple (SEME) and weighted (WEME) averages of extremes based on model‐by‐model analysis. The study evaluates the efficacy of MMEs in capturing mean annual values of ETCCDI indices over India for the period 1951–2014, utilising the IMD gridded data set as a reference. The results reveal that SEME and WEME consistently align closely with IMD data across various precipitation indices. At the same time, SEMP and WEMP consistently display underestimation biases ranging from 20% to 80% across all precipitation indices, except for CWD, where there is an overestimation bias. Moreover, SEMP and WEMP consistently underestimate CDD and overestimate CWD, indicating a systematic bias in these ensemble means, while WEME and SEME demonstrate satisfactory performance. SEMT and WEMT exhibit notable underestimation in temperature indices. In summary, adopting SEME and SEMT leads to a more robust assessment of precipitation and temperature extremes, respectively. These findings highlight the limitations of traditional MME methodologies in reproducing observed extreme precipitation events across various climatic zones in India, offering essential insights for refining climate models and improving the reliability of climate projections specific to the Indian subcontinent.

Improving students’ responsibility in tennis courses: “The Silent Movement” model for physical education programme

Background: Tennis courses are a mandatory component prepared for prospective physical education teachers in universities. However, many students do not achieve optimal learning outcomes due to the irresponsible attitude of students, which can hinder the learning process. Research Objective: The purpose of this study is to develop and produce a tennis learning model (Silent Movement Tennis) for increasing the sense of personal and social responsibility in students. Silent Movement Tennis is the latest model in tennis learning, and there has been no previous research. Method: This research used the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation) method in producing a learning model called “Silent Movement Tennis,” which consists of 4 movement skill activity posts that must be carried out by every student with a sense of responsibility. The respondents of this study are all 4th semester students (academic year 2023-2024), totalling 30 people, consisting of 9 females and 21 males at a university in the city of Palembang. The Silent Movement Tennis model was also validated by 3 experts consisting of 1 learning planning expert, 1 tennis practitioner, and 1 developmental psychologist and analysed using the Content Validity Index (CVI) and Content Validity Ratio (CVR). Finding/Result: The results of validation by experts who have been analysed show the value of the Content Validity Index (CVI) shows an average score of 3.63, and the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) analysis shows an average score of 0.27, which means the model developed is appropriate, relevant, or good, and also high content validity to increase the sense of social and personal responsibility for students. Conclusion: Silent Movement Tennis model as an alternative model to improve basic tennis skills and student responsibility. Future research efforts must focus on the design and implementation of sports values programs, namely by developing learning games and other sports based on the TPSR model to foster and develop a sense of personal and social responsibility that is important for students to become an adaptive and resilient generation, which ultimately contributes to their future success.

Assessment of socioeconomic and health vulnerability among urban slum dwellers in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundBangladesh is rapidly urbanizing and approximately half of its urban population resides in deprived slums with limited access to basic needs. However, there is a dearth of information on vulnerability levels among slum dwellers. We aimed to assess the level of vulnerability within and between slums via various socioeconomic and health indicators.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of 810 randomly selected households was conducted in two purposively selected slums, Korail and Shyampur, in Dhaka from November to December 2021. Data was collected on various indicators, including demographics, education, employment, access to utility, and healthcare services. Principal component factor analysis was employed to identify the key indicators to construct the socioeconomic and health vulnerability index for the urban slums of Bangladesh (SEHVI-BD). Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin, Bartlett’s test, and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient test were used to assess indicators’ suitability. The selected indicators were used to generate an index on a scale of 100, with a higher index value indicating a higher level of vulnerability. The estimated scores were used to categorize the vulnerability status into three levels: mild, moderate, and severe vulnerability. The Mann-Whitney-U test and Kruskal-Wallis test were applied between the generated index and other socioeconomic variables to validate the relationship.ResultsA total of 27 socioeconomic and health indicators were identified that explained 60% of the variance. The indicators were then grouped into six domains on the basis of their relevance. The prevalence of severe vulnerability in the Korail slum was approximately 9% and moderate vulnerability was 30% whereas these values were approximately 58% and 37%, respectively, in the Shyampur slum. The difference in the vulnerability level between the two slums was also evident across the domains. Households in the poorest wealth quintile, with lower education levels of household heads, and having irregular income experienced higher levels of vulnerability.ConclusionsThe SEHVI-BD offers a critical tool for policymakers to identify and address vulnerabilities, facilitating more targeted public health interventions in urban Bangladesh and similar low-income settings. This study further emphasizes the importance of integrating comprehensive vulnerability assessments into public health policies to reduce inequalities and improve well-being, especially for the urban marginalized slum population.

Fuzzy black hole models in f(G) Gravity

Abstract In this manuscript, we explore the concept of dark matter black holes, inspired by the Einasto density profile in the background of $f(\mathcal{G})$ gravity, where $\mathcal{G}$ is a Gauss-Bonnet invariant. This work extends the scope beyond the noncommutative tiny black hole structure which incorporates dark matter as a constituent forming the black hole. Our investigation demonstrates the feasibility of constructing black hole solutions for various Einasto index values, $f(\mathcal{G})$ gravity parameters, and parameters of mass function adopting anisotropic fluid configuration to characterize the matter sector. Specifically, by adopting an equation of state in which the radial pressure equals the negative of the energy density, we derive black hole solutions exhibiting a horizon structure with the central singularity replaced by a regular de Sitter core akin to the Reissner-Nordstr"{o}m black holes. Furthermore, we explore an alternative scenario where the equation of state is nonlocal, resulting in the construction of self-gravitating fuzzy dark matter droplets together with the dark source $f(\mathcal{G})$ corrections.

The Predictive Value of Perioperative Inflammatory Indexes in Major Arterial Surgical Revascularization from Leriche Syndrome

Objectives: The role of inflammation in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis is extensive. Our study aims to assess the predictive role of inflammatory indexes regarding in-hospital mortality in major vascular surgery of Leriche syndrome as a convenient, low-cost, and noninvasive prognostic marker to optimize the patient’s perioperative course. Methods: Our retrospective single-center study enrolled consecutive patients diagnosed with aortoiliac occlusive disease, Leriche syndrome, who underwent elective major vascular surgery between 2017 and 2023 in a tertiary cardiovascular center. Preoperative, postoperative, and day-one after-surgery data, including systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), systemic inflammation response index (SIRI), aggregate index of systemic inflammation (AISI), neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet–lymphocyte ratio, and monocyte–lymphocyte ratio, were studied to the endpoint, in-hospital death. We also tested the delta values of the indexes to the endpoint. The indexes were compared to the Revised Cardiac Risk Index (RCRI) and Vascular Surgery Group Cardiac Risk Index (VSG-CRI) for outcome prediction. Results: The tested inflammatory indexes significantly increased from the preoperative to postoperative and, further, to the day-one settings. Preoperative AISI (p = 0.040) emerged as the only independent risk factor regarding in-hospital death occurrence in Leriche patients who underwent major revascularization surgery. While RCRI did not significantly predict the endpoint (AUC = 0.698, p = 0.057), VSG-CRI (AUC = 0.864, p = 0.001) presented the best result in ROC analysis. Postoperative NLR (AUC = 0.758, p = 0.006) was next, followed by NLR postoperative–preoperative (_Preop-_Postop) delta value (AUC = 0.725, p = 0.004), postoperative SIRI (AUC = 0.716, p = 0.016), SIRI_Preop-_Postop delta value (AUC = 0.712, p = 0.016), postoperative SII (AUC = 0.692, p = 0.032), and SII_Preop-_Postop delta value (AUC = 0.631, p = 0.030). Conclusions: Inflammatory indexes are valuable tools for assessing perioperative risk in major vascular surgery, enhancing the value of the already validated risk scores.

Evaluation of lipid profiles in selected fresh and dry-cured game meats

This study examined and compared the fatty acid (FA) composition and fat quality indices of four types of wild game meat (deer, roe deer, mouflon, and wild boar) from Croatia, and two types of dry-cured game meat products (deer and wild boar) available on the market, in relation to their impact on consumer health. FAs were analysed by gas chromatography coupled with a flame ionization detector, and fat quality indices were calculated based on the determined FAs. Wild boar meat clearly differs from other game meat (ruminants), due to its higher fat content and higher proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) compared to saturated fatty acids (SFA). Palmitic and stearic acids made up the greatest proportion of the SFA component, with stearic acid most represented in mouflon and roe deer meat, and palmitic acid predominating in wild boar and deer meat. Oleic acid was the largest component of MUFAs, with wild boar meat having the significantly highest and deer meat the lowest values. Linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid made up the largest proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), with the highest proportion of α-linolenic omega-3 acid found in deer meat. The determined PUFA/SFA ratio was lower, while the thrombogenic index was above the recommended values. Wild boar meat, along with roe deer and mouflon meat, was compliant with the recommendations concerning hypo- to hypercholesterolemic fatty acids and atherogenic indices, while deer meat and roe deer meat were compliant only for the n-6/n-3 ratio. According to health recommendations, roe deer meat showed the most favourable values for most fat quality indices, while deer meat showed the least favourable values. When comparing fresh meat and dry-cured products from the same species, no significant differences were observed.

Effect of Lead, Cadmium, and Their Combination on the Heart Rate Regulation in Nonlinear Rats.

We studied heart rate variability (HRV) and the concentrations of heavy metals in the heart tissue after 14-fold peroral administration of heavy metal salts: lead acetate (50 mg/kg), cadmium chloride (5 mg/kg), and their combination. After administration of lead, its concentration in the myocardium exceeded the control values by 1.2 times or did not change in case of combination with cadmium; after administration of cadmium, its concentration in the myocardium exceeded the control value by 6.1 times or by 2 times after combined administration. After lead administration, a moderate increase in HR, low values of stress and centralization indices, and an increase in the power in all ranges of the HRV spectrum were recorded. After cadmium intoxication, a tendency to a decrease in heart rhythm variability, a moderate increase in HR, stress and centralization indices, and an increase in the contribution of VLF waves in the HRV spectrum were observed. After combined administration, a pronounced increase in HR and stress index and a moderate increase in the centralization of heart rhythm control were recorded, which was similar to changes in HRV observed after administration of cadmium alone. In the experiment, the concentration of cadmium in the myocardium increased to a much greater extent than the concentration of lead. After lead administration, the autonomous type of regulation persisted and parasympathetic influences increased. Cadmium apparently acts as a stress factor and increases the role of sympathoadrenal influences and central ergotropic structures in the heart rhythm regulation.

Evaluation of the applicability of beach erosion and accretion index in Qiongzhou Strait of China

In coastal erosion studies, the erosion and accretion index is a vital research tool for analyzing types of erosion and accretion. This index is primarily empirical or semi-empirical and is usually validated through tank experiments or open beach datasets, resulting in significant variation across different beach environments. In this study, 11 beach profiles of eight beaches measured along the Qiongzhou Strait in China, measured from 2018 to 2021, were analyzed to quantitatively determine coastal erosion or accretion by calculating each profile’s volume change per unit width. Additionally, sediment and wave data were used to calculate five erosion and accretion indices monthly to determine erosion and accretion conditions. These conditions were then compared with actual beach erosion and accretion data to evaluate the applicability of various discriminant indices. Furthermore, optimizing the threshold values of discriminant indices. The results show that: (1) Overall annual erosion and accretion are minimal, but seasonal variation is significant for beaches on both sides of the Qiongzhou Strait; (2) The five discriminant indices have some limitations in this study area, necessitating careful consideration when applying them to headland bay arc-shaped beaches with fetch-limited environments like the Qiongzhou Strait; (3) The selection of discriminant index parameters and their respective contribution degree of each parameter affects the formula’s applicability, with two-parameter formulas proving superior to the three-parameter formula in the study area; (4) Beach environmental factors, particularly those influenced by headlands and fetch-limited environments, impact the indices’ applicability; (5) Increasing the threshold value to a certain extent can improve the formula’s applicability.

Predicting the prognosis of patients with renal cell carcinoma based on the systemic immune inflammation index and prognostic nutritional index

The aim of the study was to analyze and discuss the value of preoperative systemic immune inflammation index (SII) and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in predicting the prognosis of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) after operation, and to establish a nomogram prediction model for patients with RCC after operation based on SII and PNI. From January 2014 to December 2018, 210 patients with RCC who underwent surgical treatment at the Xuzhou Central Hospital were selected as the research object. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to determine the optimal cut-off value for preoperative SII, PNI, LMR, PLR, NLR and the patients were divided into groups according to the optimal cutoff values. The survival rate of patients was evaluated. The risk factors that affect the prognosis of patients with RCC were determined by LASSO and Cox regression analysis, and a prognostic nomogram was constructed based on this result. The bootstrap method was used for internal verification of the nomogram model. The prediction efficiency and discrimination of the nomogram model were evaluated by the calibration curve and index of concordance (C-index), respectively. The average overall survival (OS) of all patients was 75.385 months, and the 1-, 2-and 3-year survival rates were 95.5%, 86.6% and 77.2%, respectively. The survival curve showed that the 5-year OS rate of low SII group was significantly higher than that of high SII group (89.0% vs. 64.5%; P < 0.05), and low PNI group was significantly lower than those in high PNI group (43.4% vs. 87.9%; p < 0.05). There were significant differences between preoperative SII and CRP, NLR, PLR, LMR, postoperative recurrence, pathological type and AJCC stage (P < 0.05). There were significant differences between preoperative PNI and BMI, platelet, NLR, PLR, LMR, postoperative recurrence, surgical mode and Fuhrman grade (P < 0.05). The ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC of PNI (AUC = 0.736) was higher than that of other inflammatory indicators, followed by the AUC of SII (0.718), and the difference in AUC area between groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The results from multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that SII, PNI, tumor size, tumor necrosis, surgical mode, pathological type, CRP, AJCC stage and Fuhrman grade were independent risk factors for postoperative death of patients with RCC. According to the results of Cox regression analysis, a prediction model for the prognosis of RCC patients was established, and the C-index (0.918) showed that the model had good calibration and discrimination. The subject’s operating characteristic curve indicates that the nomogram has good prediction efficiency (the AUC = 0.953). Preoperative SII and PNI, tumor size, tumor necrosis, surgical mode, pathological type, CRP, AJCC stage and Fuhrman grade are closely related to the postoperative prognosis of patients with renal cell carcinoma. The nomogram model based on SII, PNI, tumor size, tumor necrosis, surgical mode, pathological type, CRP, AJCC stage and Fuhrman grade has good accuracy, discrimination and clinical prediction efficiency.

A novel method for evaluating shale gas preservation conditions in an area on a regional scale

The Youjiang Basin is the main area of the Middle Devonian shale gas resources in southern China, with complex geological conditions, diverse stratigraphic structures, low level of exploration and limited hydrocarbon geological data. In this study, a method is proposed for evaluating the regional shale gas preservation conditions, by which it is easy to obtain information (using available data from regional geological maps) and to process data (processed by computer software). This method was applied to the evaluation of the preservation conditions of the Middle Devonian shale gas in the Youjiang Basin. Information extracted from geologic maps includes exposed stratum, magmatic rock distribution, stratigraphic occurrence and surface fracture distribution. Evaluation criteria for three indexes (stratigraphy index, dip angle index and fracture index) were established to classify the preservation conditions into five types from good to bad. Based on the calculated values of comprehensive index (CI), the comprehensive evaluation each area: 11621.23 km2 for CI of 0.7–1.0, 37162.67 km2 for CI of 0.5–0.7, 57784.43 km2 for CI of 0.3–0.5, 69303.77 km2 for CI of 0.1–0.3, and 69303.77 km2 for CI of 0.0–0.1, accounting for 3.19%, 10.19%, 15.84%, 18.99% and 51.80% of the whole area, respectively. These results are highly consistent with the actual exploration discoveries, showing that in the northern and central parts of the Guizhong Basin, the southern part of the Xidamingshan Uplift, and the northern part of the Qiannan Basin, there are large areas with good shale gas preservation conditions.

Correlation between Immune Factor Expression and Prognosis of Plasma Cell Mastitis Surgery and its Predictive Value for Prognosis

Background: To study the correlation between the expression of immune factors and the prognosis of surgical treatment of plasma cell mastitis (PCM) and to analyze its predictive value for the prognosis of patients. Methods: 89 female patients with PCM treated in our hospital from June 2020 to September 2022 were divided into good prognosis group (69 cases) and poor prognosis group (20 cases). Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of poor prognosis of surgical treatment for PCM, and to explore the correlation between these immune factors and the prognosis of surgical treatment for PCM. Draw the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to analyze the predictive value of the above indexes for the prognosis of patients with PCM. Results: After 4 weeks of treatment, the levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) were significantly lower than before treatment (p &lt; 0.05), and the level of interleukin 10 (IL-10) was significantly higher than before treatment (p &lt; 0.05). At the time of admission, there was no significant difference in the clinical data and the levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 between the two groups (p &gt; 0.05). After 4 weeks of treatment, the indexes of TNF-α and IL-6 in the poor prognosis group were higher than those in the good prognosis group (p &lt; 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the levels of TNF-α (odds ratio (OR) = 1.551, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.276–1.886) and IL-6 (OR = 1.082, 95% CI: 1.046–1.119) were increased, which were risk factors for the prognosis of PCM (OR &gt;1). Correlation analysis showed that TNF-α and IL-6 were negatively correlated with the prognosis of PCM, while IL-10 was positively correlated with the prognosis of PCM. ROC curve analysis showed that the areas under the curve for TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 to predict the prognosis of surgical treatment of PCM were 0.896, 0.931 and 0.709 respectively. Conclusions: The expression of immune factors such as TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 is closely related to the prognosis of surgical treatment of PCM, which has high predictive value for its prognosis.

Risk factors for early subsidence of 3D Printed Artificial vertebral after anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion

ObjectiveThe subsidence of vertebral body replacement may occur after anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF) , which may lead to cervical kyphosis, spinal cord compression and neurological dysfunction. The authors aim to investigate the risk factors for early subsidence of 3D printed artificial vertebral (3D-PAVB) after ACCF surgery and to provide guidance for clinical practice. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of consecutive patients with cervical spondylosis who underwent ACCF surgery at Bethune Hospital of Shanxi from 2017 to 2020. The statistical data included age, gender, disease type, body mass index (BMI), surgical segment, vertebral height, Cobb Angle, and Hounsfeld Units (HU) values of the vertebral body and endplate. The clinical efficacy of the surgery was evaluated using Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA), and Neck Disability Index (NDI). Follow-up data, such as VAS, JOA, NDI, and Cobb Angle, were obtained using a repeated-measures ANOVA analysis. Univariate analysis was conducted to identify the factors contributing to the early subsidence of the3D-PAVB, and independent risk factors were determined using logistic regression. The HU value was analyzed using the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the Area Under Curve (AUC) to predict the subsidence of the 3D-PAVB. ResultsA total of 66 patients were included in the study, out of which 19 patients experienced subsidence of 3D-PAVB,resulting in an incidence rate of 28.8%. The postoperative JOA, VAS, and NDI scores showed significant improvement in both the subsidence and non-subsidence groups. Upon conducting univariate analysis, significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of age, diabetes, smoking, and lower vertebral Computed Tomography (CT) values. The average HU value of the subsidence group (251.39±52.615, n=19) was significantly lower than that of the non-subsidence group (317.06±73.587, n=47, p＜0.01). Multivariate analysis revealed that smoking and HU of the lower vertebra were independent risk factors for 3D-PAVB subsidence, with an AUC of 0.772 and an optimal threshold of 272 for HU (sensitivity 78.9%, specificity 74.5%). ConclusionThe occurrence of early subsidence of 3D-PAVB post ACCF surgery is influenced by two independent risk factors - smoking and low HU. To predict the likelihood of this outcome, it is advisable to consider smoking history and measure CT HU value prior to surgery. A lower CT HU value is indicative of a greater risk of subsidence.

Exploring Genetic Variation and Trait Correlations in ‘Shiqian Taicha’ Tea Based on Comprehensive Analyses of Morphological and Biochemical Diversity

This study explores the genetic variation and trait correlations within a collection of 52 ‘Shiqian Taicha’ tea germplasms originating from Shiqian County, Guizhou Province, China. The ‘Shiqian Taicha’ landraces exhibit substantial genetic diversity and are characterized by unique morphological and biochemical attributes. The Shannon-Weaver diversity index (H’) values for the morphological traits ranged from 0.37 to 2.06, with an average value of 1.02, which suggests a greater level of genetic diversity than those of other domestic tea germplasms. The biochemical analysis demonstrated considerable variation, with coefficients of variation (CVs) for biochemical components ranging from 3.73 to 54.05% (mean CV: 20.35%). In addition, 25 germplasms had epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) contents ≥ 10%. The correlation analysis revealed significant associations between morphological traits and biochemical components, with particularly positive correlations between the leaf texture and key biochemical components such as total catechins (TC) and EGCG (p &lt; 0.01). The clustering analysis, which was based on morphological and biochemical profiles, further categorized the tea germplasms into distinct groups. Notably, SWD-G, SLD005, SWXD005, and SWD004 were identified as superior germplasms with comprehensive biochemical qualities and high EGCG contents. These unique resources have potential for the cultivation of specific tea varieties with regional characteristics.