Distinct Points Research Articles

Labor patterns of spontaneous first-stage labor in Chinese women with normal neonatal outcomes.

Friedman's standards, developed almost 50 years ago, may no longer align with the needs of today's obstetric population and current pregnancy management practices. This study aims to analyze contemporary labor patterns and estimate labor duration in China, focusing on first-stage labor data from Chinese parturients with a spontaneous onset of labor. This retrospective observational study utilized data from electronic medical records of a tertiary hospital in Changsha, Hunan. Out of a total of 2,689 parturients, exclusions were made for multiple gestations, preterm, post-term, or stillbirth, cesarean delivery, non-vertex presentation, and neonatal intensive care unit admission. Average labor curves were constructed by parity using repeated-measure analysis, and labor duration was estimated through interval-censored regression, stratified by cervical dilation at admission. We performed an analysis to assess the impact of oxytocin augmentation and amniotomy on labor progression and conducted a sensitivity analysis using women with complicated outcomes. Nulliparous women take over 180 minutes for cervical dilation from 3 to 4 cm, and the duration from 5 to 6 cm exceeds 145 minutes. Multiparous women experience shorter labor durations than nulliparous. Labor acceleration is observed after 5 cm in nulliparous, but no distinct inflection point is evident in the average labor curve. In the second stage of labor, the 95th percentile for nulliparous, with and without epidural analgesia, is 142 minutes and 127 minutes, respectively. These findings provide valuable insights for the reassessment of labor and delivery processes in contemporary obstetric populations, including current Chinese obstetric practice.

Poster 369: Medial and Lateral Posterior Tibial Slope in the Skeletally Immature: A Cadaveric Study

Objectives: Increased knee posterior tibial slope (PTS) angle is risk factor for primary and secondary ACL injury. Adult biomechanical research indicates that decreasing the PTS may reduce ACL injuries, and osteotomy techniques have been developed to alter tibia slope to reduce risk of re-injury. Pediatric and adolescent athletes have the highest rates of primary and secondary ACL injury, and many in this age group may have abnormal PTS angle. The purpose of this study was to evaluate PTS in medial and lateral tibial plateaus in large database of CT scans, and to develop normative PTS data in this age group. Methods: IRB approval was waived, as the specimens were donated for research, no genetic information was collected, and there were no plans for family contact. 83 pediatric knee CT scans, ranging from ages 1 to 12, were analyzed using OsiriX imaging software. The PTS was evaluated at two distinct points on sagittal CT sections: (1) At the medial tibia plateau and 2) lateral tibial plateau, both aligned with the central part of on a coronal view of the medial femoral and lateral femoral condyles respectively condyle. Results: The average medial PTS angle was 6.56° ± 3.84° and 6.81° ± 3.62° for the lateral PTS. There was not a significant statistical difference between the medial and lateral PTS (P = 0.6632, determined using an independent-samples t-test and analysis of variance). When plotting the age versus PTS, we observed a positive correlation with the medial PTS (R2 = 0.0385) and a negative correlation with the lateral PTS (R2 = 0.0393). Conclusions: The data demonstrate variability in medial and lateral pediatric PTS and provides normative values for pediatric PTS values. For pediatric patients undergoing ACL surgeries, consideration of increased PTS values that are associated with higher rates of recurrent ACL injury may influence surgical treatment techniques. Correction of increased PTS to lower ACL injury risk is performed in adults with major corrective osteotomy surgery, but such procedures have not been performed in children due to osteotomy-induced damage to growth plates. Due to open growth plates, pediatric patients may be treated with minimally invasive guide growth procedures to lower PTS, with minimal complication risk. Guided growth procedures have a long history of successful alignment correction in the coronal plane. Future animal and clinic studies may also demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of guided growth sagittal plane correction as applied to increased PTS. PTS developmental anatomy and its relationship to ACL injury is crucial for surgical advancements, including the use of low risk guided growth interventions to reduce PTS and ACL injury in pediatric patients with high risk of recurrent injury.

Unraveling dynamic immunological landscapes in intracerebral hemorrhage: insights from single-cell and spatial transcriptomic profiling.

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) poses a formidable challenge in stroke management, with limited therapeutic options, particularly in the realm of immune-targeted interventions. Clinical trials targeting immune responses post-ICH have encountered setbacks, potentially attributable to the substantial cellular heterogeneity and intricate intercellular networks within the brain. Here, we present a pioneering investigation utilizing single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptome profiling at hyperacute (1h), acute (24h), and subacute (7 days) intervals post-ICH, aimed at unraveling the dynamic immunological landscape and spatial distributions within the cerebral tissue. Our comprehensive analysis revealed distinct cell differentiation patterns among myeloid and lymphocyte populations, along with delineated spatial distributions across various brain regions. Notably, we identified a subset of lymphocytes characterized by the expression of Spp1 and Lyz2, termed macrophage-associated lymphocytes, which exhibited close interactions with myeloid cells. Specifically, we observed prominent interactions between Lgmn+Macro-T cells and microglia through the spp1-cd44 pathway during the acute phase post-ICH in the choroid plexus. These findings represent a significant advancement in our understanding of immune cell dynamics at single-cell resolution across distinct post-ICH time points, thereby laying the groundwork for exploring critical temporal windows and informing the development of targeted therapeutic strategies.

A surface registration-based approach for assessment of 3D angles in guided growth interventions in the growing femur.

Postoperative assessment of surgical interventions for correcting femoral rotational deformities necessitates a comparative analysis of femoral rotation pre- and post-surgery. While 2D assessment methods are commonly employed, ongoing debate surrounds their accuracy and reliability. To address the limitations associated with 2D analysis, we introduced and validated a 3D model-based analysis method for quantifying the angular and rotational impact of corrective rotational osteotomy in the growing femur. The method is based on surface registration of the pre- and post-intervention 3D femoral models. To this end, 3D triangulated surface models were generated using CT images for the right femurs of 11 skeletally immature pigs, each scanned at two distinct time points with a 12-week interval between scans. In our validation procedures, femoral corrective rotational osteotomy of the post-12-week femur was simulated at varying angles of 5, 10, 15and 20 degrees in three dimensions. Subsequently, a surface 3D/3D registration-based approach was applied to determine the 3D femoral angulation and rotation between the two modelsto assess the method's detection accuracy of the predefined twist angles as ground truth references. The results document the precision and accuracy of the registration-based method in evaluating rotation angles. Consistently high accuracy was observed across all angles, with an accuracy rate of 92.97% and a coefficient of variance of 8.14%. This study has showcased the potential for improving post-operative assessments with significant implications for experimental studies evaluating the effects of correcting rotational deformities in the growing femur. Not applicable.

Molecular profile of vestibular compensation in the medial vestibular nucleus after unilateral labyrinthectomy.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as crucial regulators in the central nervous system, yet their role in vestibular compensation remains elusive. To address this knowledge gap, we employed unilateral labyrinthectomy (UL) in rats to establish animal models of peripheral vestibular dysfunction. Utilizing ribonucleic acid sequencing (RNA-seq), we comprehensively analysed the expression profiles of genes dysregulated in the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) of these rats at distinct time points: 4 h, 4 days, and 14 days post-UL. Through trans-target prediction analysis integrating differentially co-expressed messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and lncRNAs, we constructed lncRNA-mRNA regulatory networks. Validation of selected mRNAs and lncRNAs was performed using RT-qPCR. Our RNA-seq analysis revealed significant aberrant expression of 3054 lncRNAs and 1135 mRNAs compared to control samples. By applying weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), we identified 11 co-expressed modules encompassing all genes. Notably, within the MEmagenta module, we observed an initial upregulation of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at 4 h, followed by downregulation at 4- and 14-days post-UL. Our findings indicated that 3068 lncRNAs positively regulated 1259 DEGs, while 1482 lncRNAs negatively regulated 433 DEGs in the MVN. The RT-qPCR results corroborated the RNA-seq data, validating our findings. This study offers novel insights into the lncRNA-mRNA expression landscape during vestibular compensation, paving the way for further exploration of lncRNA functions in this context.

Determining phase-transition temperatures of molten salt mixtures through microsecond-scale staircase voltammetry

Determining the phase-transition temperature is crucial in the design of molten salt reactors, as operational temperatures need to be established considering the safety margins related to the thermodynamic stability of the molten salt system. This study introduces a novel approach to determine the phase-transition temperature based on rapid electrical conductivity measurements using a microsecond-scale staircase voltammetry technique. The phase-transition temperature is determined near distinct points where the electrical conductivity abruptly changes, indicating phase transitions. The phase-transition temperatures of three LiCl–KCl molten salt systems, determined using the proposed approach based on electrical conductivity measurements, are with relative errors less than 3% compared with reported phase transition data based on conventional thermal analysis techniques.

Nitrogen doped compound defect in black phosphorene for enhanced gas sensing

Point defects are widely recognized for their ability to fine-tune the surface reactivity and chemical selectivity of two-dimensional materials. This study delves into the surface adsorption of five environmentally detrimental gas molecules, namely NO2, SO2, CO, CO2, and NH3, on black phosphorene, employing first-principles calculations to explore the compound effect of two distinct point defects, specifically, P vacancy and N dopant. Our calculations unveil that the existence of dangling bonds in BP monolayers disrupts the N-O bond in the NO2 molecule, leading to an increase in adsorption energies to -5.74 eV and -4.40 eV. Interestingly, the monolayer with compound defect demonstrates promising results for detecting SO2 gas molecules but exhibits a decrease in adsorption energy by 44% and 76% when only one type of defect is present. In contrast, for CO, CO2, and NH3 molecules, insignificant changes near the Fermi level suggests that both systems, the one with the compound defect and those with a single defect, remain entirely insensitive. This nontrivial and distinctive study of a BP gas sensor incorporating compound point defect could provide ample insights into revealing its sensitivity and reliability in detecting environmentally harmful, toxic gases.

Retrospective, Multi-center, Cohort Study Evaluating Clinical, Technical, Biological, and Esthetic Outcomes of Implant Supported Zirconia Single Crowns Cemented on Titanium-base Abutments: 7-year Mean Follow-up.

To retrospectively evaluate the long-term clinical, technical, biological, and esthetic outcomes of implant supported single zirconia crowns (ISCs) intraorally cemented to Ti-base hybrid-abutments up to 16 years after placement. A total of 63 ISCs (Xive S, Camlog Screw Line, Replace Select TC NP, Branemark MK II, and 3i Osseotite) were evaluated in 36 patients at two different centers. Original Ti-bases were selected and zirconia meso structures and zirconia crowns were designed using CAD/CAM software and then milled from partially stabilized zirconia blocks. After the meso structures were cemented extraorally onto the Ti-bases, the ceramic crowns were intraorally luted to the hybrid abutments. The Ti-base ISC restorations were followed up for up to 16 years, and their clinical, biological, and esthetic outcomes were recorded at distinct time points (T1; T2) at three-year intervals. 36 patients (18 men, 18 women) received 32 ISCs in the anterior region and 31 in the posterior region of the maxilla and mandible. The mean follow-up of the Ti-base ISCs was 6.93 ± 2.60 years. The mean follow-up of the implants amounted to 8.11 ± 3.26 years. No implants were lost during follow-up, resulting in a cumulative implant survival rate of 100%. Abutment screw loosening was observed in two ISCs after one year in service. The overall cumulative restorative survival rate of the Ti-base restorations reached thus 96.83%. At T2 follow-up 24% of the ISCs exhibited an increase in PD despite maintaining clinically healthy peri-implant tissue. An 11% increase in BOP and a 3.17% decrease in PI were recorded. Despite spectrophotometrically measured ΔE values indicating visible discoloration of some restorations and their peri-implant soft tissue, a low incidence of esthetic complications was observed with an average PES/WES score of ≥ 12. No correlation was found between PES (R = -0.25; p = 0.27) and WES (R = -0.18; p = 0.43) scores and digital shade determination. The results of the present retrospective, multicenter, cohort study indicate satisfactory clinical outcomes for intraorally cemented single zirconia crowns (ISCs) supported by Ti-base hybrid abutments. An overall esthetic superiority of Ti-base ISCs could not be confirmed.

Revealing spatial-temporal impact of industrial effluent towards DOM in Riverine employing PARAFAC and MW-2D COS

Industrial activities often disrupt the natural equilibrium of water bodies, with discharged wastewater introducing dissolved organic matter (DOM) and pollutants. This study investigated the water quality along a riverine system subjected to heavy industrial influence by collecting samples from distinct points at before, during, and after industrial discharge across four seasons. By employing EEM-PARAFAC, four fluorescent components were identified at the discharge point including C1 (microbial/ terrestrial humic-like), C2 (anthropogenic humic-like materials), C3 (microbial humic-like), and C4 (wastewater/nutrient enrichment tracer). Specifically, C2 and C4 which contained wastewater and anthropogenic-like material are not found at the pre-pollutant point. Additionally, fluorescence characteristics parameters such as FI, HIX, and BIX are analyzed. Kernel Principal Component Analysis was employed to elucidate the non-linear relationships inherent in the data that able to covered up to 97 % of the data variance, offering nuanced insights into complex behavior of water characteristics across seasonal variations. Two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) was further employed to evaluate the sequence variation of DOM components and further identify the temporal effect across season with moving window 2D-COS. The sequence order of the DOM fractions was identified as C2→C4→C1→C3 by following the Noda’s rule. In order to understand the interactions between the water characteristics and the DOM components, an empirical polynomial regression model is developed with an average MAPE of 2.2 %. The interaction between DOM-related parameters was identified using structural equation modeling. These findings underscore the dynamic nature of DOM composition under industrial influences considering the spatial-temporal impact.

Estimation of Consolidation and Settlement Characteristics of Madhupur Clay Formation from Dhaka City and Adjacent Area (Savar), Bangladesh

Pleistocene Madhupur Clay covers mostly the investigated region including Dhaka and the surrounding area (Savar). Without knowing the consolidation characteristics and settlement of this Clay, it is difficult for any construction sites to build infrastructure. In Bangladesh, the research on this parameter is limited hence for better understanding the consolidation and settlement behavior of Madhupur Clay samples in this area, a detail investigation is carried out by conducting one dimensional consolidation test. The undisturbed samples, Pleistocene Madhupur Clay and the fill materials which are also partly composed of the Madhupur Clay, are collected from 2.4 m to 4.11 m depths of many distinct points. The compression index Cc and coefficient of compressibility, av of the samples are range from 0.073 to 0.23 and from 0.059 to 0.14m2/mn respectively. The values recommend that both types of specimens are medium plastic clay. The Madhupur Clay are stiff consolidated clay and slightly compressible in nature whereas the Madhupur Clay fill samples are less stiff over consolidated and moderately compressible in nature. Fill samples are settled more with time and are not suitable for Shallow foundation of light or heavy infrastructure. However, the Madhupur Clay samples are only appropriate for light infrastructure foundation. The Dhaka University Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vol. 12(2), 2023, P 27-39

Assessing water position through distributed temperature sensing using Rayleigh-based optical frequency-domain reflectometry: a laboratory feasibility study

This study demonstrates the ability of the Rayleigh-based phase-noise compensated optical frequency-domain reflectometry (PNC-OFDR) sensing method to monitor the distributed temperature field with an ultra-short data acquisition period of 2 ms, a spatial resolution of 2 cm, and a temperature resolution of 0.1 °C. A heating cable (H-cable) was embedded within a cylindrical concrete mortar specimen and subjected to various heating powers. A sensing optical cable (T-cable) was placed adjacent to the heating cable to monitor the temperature distribution continuously. Two water-holding boxes were installed along the specimen at two positions to retain water. The results of the study indicated that the PNC-OFDR technique demonstrated a high sensitivity to even small temperature changes, enabling it to accurately pinpoint the locations of water at two distinct points. The research determined the minimal heating power required for successfully locating the water positions. The magnitude of the heating power exerted a significant impact on the temperature change. Three distinct phases of temperature increment were observed for a given heating period: rapid, fast, and gentle increase. The insights gained from this study have the potential to be applied in natural fields, allowing for the detection of groundwater and seepage phenomena in vulnerable slopes.

Study of particle equilibrium based on the combination of light-actuated AC electroosmosis and light-actuated dielectrophoresis.

Optoelectronic tweezers (OETs) represent a flexible, high-throughput method for manipulating micro/nano particles or cells. This technique involves not only light-actuated dielectrophoresis (LDEP) but also light-actuated AC electroosmosis (LACE), which occurs concurrently in OETs devices. Despite this, the combination of negative LDEP and LACE has been relatively unexplored in previous research. To this end, particle equilibrium in OETs devices under the combined influence of negative LDEP and LACE was hereby proposed for what we believe is the first time. The findings revealed that particles experiencing negative dielectrophoresis encountered opposing forces from LDEP and LACE, reaching equilibrium near the light pattern. The location of the equilibrium point was frequency-dependent. The research further demonstrated the rapid differentiation between individual particles and adherent particles by leveraging the distinct equilibrium point positions. These phenomena were corroborated through numerical simulations, which showed a strong correlation between the theoretical analysis results and the experimental data. Overall, the particle equilibrium phenomenon in OET systems exhibits high stability and holds promising potential for future applications in particle or cell sorting and patterning two-dimensional structures.

Metabolomic profiling unravels divergent adaptive responses of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) seedlings to drought stress under shaded and unshaded conditions

Abstract. Adrian M, Wulandari R, Sembiring E, Natawijaya A. 2024. Metabolomic profiling unravels divergent adaptive responses of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) seedlings to drought stress under shaded and unshaded conditions. Biodiversitas 25: 2404-2414. This research takes a unique approach by investigating the metabolomic responses of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) seedlings to drought stress under both shaded and unshaded conditions. Drought stress poses a significant threat to oil palm cultivation, with profound implications for global palm oil production. Our study aims to unravel the adaptive mechanisms of oil palm seedlings through metabolomic profiling, specifically focusing on amino acids and isoprenoids. The methodology involved collecting samples at distinct time points, including normal conditions, 7 days after drought stress (7 DAT), and 14 days after drought stress (14 DAT). Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) was used for comprehensive metabolite analysis. The results unveiled substantial changes in metabolite profiles, particularly in amino acids and isoprenoids, indicating the plant's concerted efforts to maintain biochemical homeostasis and vitality during drought stress. Cluster analysis revealed distinct metabolic responses between shaded and unshaded conditions, suggesting an initial conservative response followed by subsequent adaptive measures over time. The fold-change analysis identified key compounds such as Proline, Methyl Palmitate, and octadecylamine, which are crucial for the plant's adaptation to drought conditions. ROC analysis further confirmed Proline and D-Glucuronic Acid Amide as potential biomarkers for distinguishing plant responses to drought stress. This comprehensive metabolomic investigation provides valuable insights into the adaptive strategies employed by oil palm seedlings, thereby offering practical implications for developing sustainable cultivation practices and mitigating drought stress in oil palm cultivation.

Distributed fiber optic sensing based on multipath data compression fusion

In conventional distributed sensing systems, the sampling rate exceeds the requisite sampling rate for system spatial resolution due to direct sampling of electrical signals. Furthermore, unrelated sensing paths exhibit distinct coherent fading points. Through the application of sampling point compression and multipath fusion, this study effectively resolves issues such as coherent fading and low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) commonly encountered in single-path distributed sensing systems. In the initial stage, within two independent single-mode optical fiber structures, a consistent rotation of data along different fiber paths is performed. Subsequently, a segmentation compression and fusion method is applied. Experimental results demonstrate effective suppression of coherent fading along the sensing paths, an improvement of 9 dB in SNR, unaffected spatial resolution, and a significant reduction in data processing load for subsequent processing modules. This method can be widely applied in distributed sensing systems that allow for multipath division.

T cell hybrid immunity against SARS-CoV-2 in children: a longitudinal study

Hybrid immunity to SARS-CoV-2, resulting from both vaccination and natural infection, remains insufficiently understood in paediatric populations, despite increasing rates of breakthrough infections among vaccinated children. We conducted a prospective longitudinal study to investigate the magnitude, specificity, and cytokine profile of antigen-specific T cell responses elicited by breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection in a cohort of mRNA-vaccinated children (n=29) aged 5-11. This longitudinal analysis involved six distinct time points spanning a 16-month period post-vaccination, during which we analysed a total of 159 blood samples. All children who were followed for at least 12months (n=26) experienced a breakthrough infection. We conducted cytokine release assays using minimal blood samples, and we verified the cellular origin of these responses through intracellular cytokine staining. After breakthrough infection, children who had received mRNA vaccines showed enhanced Th1 responses specific to Spike peptides. Additionally, their Spike-specific T cells exhibited a distinctive enrichment of CD4+ IFN-γ+IL10+ cells, a characteristic akin to adults with hybrid immunity. Importantly, vaccination did not impede the development of multi-specific T cell responses targeting Membrane, Nucleoprotein, and ORF3a/7/8 antigens. Children, previously primed with a Spike-based mRNA vaccine and experiencing either symptomatic or asymptomatic breakthrough infection, retained the ability to enhance and diversify Th1/IL-10 antigen-specific T cell responses against multiple SARS-CoV-2 proteins. These findings mirror characteristics associated with hybrid cellular immunity in adults, known to confer resistance against severe COVID-19. This study was funded by the National Medical Research Council (NMRC) Singapore (COVID19RF-0019, MOH-000019, MOH-000535, OFLCG19May-0034 and MOH-OFYIRG19nov-0002).

Novel CoFe2O4/Bi2WO6 S-scheme heterostructure photocatalyst for effective and rapid visible-light-driven reduction of toxic nitrobenzene into industrially valuable aniline

Photocatalytic transformation of toxic nitrobenzene (NB) into highly industrially valuable aniline (AN) has emerged as a promising and prospective strategy. In this work, mesoporous S-scheme CoFe2O4/Bi2WO6 (CFO/BWO) heterostructure photocatalysts were constructed using a simple surfactant-aided sol–gel technique for visible-light-induced reduction of NB into AN. The characterization findings demonstrated the successful loading of p-type CFO nanoparticles (NPs) on a 2D n-type BWO framework, forming a p-n heterostructure. The as-synthesized heterostructure exhibited enhanced visible light absorbance, with superior photosensitivity up to 564.43 nm, which surpassed the optical absorbance of bare BWO by ∼ 1.26 times. In addition, PL and photoelectrical measurements demonstrated significantly enhanced separation and kinetics for light-generated charge carriers for the constructed CFO/BWO heterostructures compared to bare specimens. Therefore, the CFO/BWO heterostructure photocatalysts exhibited superior efficacy compared to pristine CFO and BWO. The NB was reduced into AN with a conversion efficacy of 100.0 % within 40.0 min on the 12.0 % CFO/BWO with a reaction rate constant of ca. 0.07616 min−1, which outperformed the pure CFO and BWO by more than 3.5- and 4.2-folds, separately. This optimized heterojunction exhibited excellent repeatability (98 %) during five cycles. This superb photocatalytic effectiveness can be pinned to the effective growth of the S-scheme heterostructure between CFO and BWO, substantially accelerating the transmission of carriers and their spatial separation by forming an inherent electric field and band curving at the interface. Our contribution offers novel and distinct hot points for the design of scalable and highly effective S-scheme heterostructures for multiple promising photocatalytic purposes.

Fusing differentiable rendering and language–image contrastive learning for superior zero-shot point cloud classification

Zero-shot point cloud classification involves recognizing categories not encountered during training. Current models often exhibit reduced accuracy on unseen categories without 3D pre-training, emphasizing the need for improved precision and interoperability. We propose a novel approach integrating differentiable rendering with contrastive language–image pre-training. Initially, differentiable rendering autonomously learns representative viewpoints from the data, enabling the transformation of point clouds into multi-view images while preserving key visual information. This transformation facilitates optimized viewpoint selection during training, refining the final feature representation. Features are extracted from the multi-view images and integrated into a global multi-view feature using a cross-attention mechanism. On the textual side, a large language model (LLM) is provided with 3D heuristic prompts to generate 3D-specific text reflecting category-specific traits, from which textual features are derived. The LLM’s extensive pre-trained knowledge enables it to capture abstract notions and categorical features relevant to distinct point cloud categories. Visual and textual features are aligned in a unified embedding space, enabling zero-shot classification. Throughout training, the Structural Similarity Index (SSIM) is integrated into the loss function to encourage the model to discern more distinctive viewpoints, reduce redundancy in multi-view imagery, and enhance computational efficiency. Experimental results on the ModelNet10, ModelNet40, and ScanObjectNN datasets demonstrate classification accuracies of 75.68%, 66.42%, and 52.03%, respectively, surpassing prevailing methods in zero-shot point cloud classification accuracy.

Towards equitable multilingualism: promoting transdisciplinary, collaborative dialogue between English as a lingua franca and translingualism

Abstract Inspired by Hult’s (2010. Theme-based research in the transdisciplinary field of educational linguistics. In Francis M. Hult (ed.), Directions and prospects for educational linguistics, 19–32. Springer) discussion of theme-based research within educational linguistics that focuses, first and foremost, on solving problems rather than adhering to disciplinary boundaries and conventions, this article calls for transdisciplinary collaboration to resolve educational problems related to monolingualism, native-speakerism, and the hegemony of colonial ideologies. More specifically, we make a case for transdisciplinary dialogue between English as a lingua franca (ELF) and translingualism. We argue that these two research fields, with their increasingly converging interests and goals as well as distinct strengths, can make a greater impact in addressing persistent educational problems through targeted collaboration, research, and (language) pedagogy based on equitable multilingualism (e.g., Ortega, Lourdes. 2019. SLA and the study of equitable multilingualism. The Modern Language Journal 103. 23–38). In this conceptual paper, we first introduce translingualism and ELF as equally legitimate multilingual theories. Next, we identify shared key tenets and orientations as well as distinctive vantage points of each approach that researchers and educators can take advantage of for collaboratively addressing problems within classrooms and beyond. Finally, we lay out a vision for how this transdisciplinary, collaborative dialogue can help realize more equitable multilingualism.

Effect of air-abrasion pretreatment with three desensitizing agents on efficacy of in-office tooth bleaching.

To evaluate the influence of air-abrasion of enamel with three different desensitizing powders on the whitening effect of a bleaching gel containing 40% H2O2, which was used for in-office tooth bleaching. Forty human incisors, extracted and prepared, were acquired for this study and subsequently randomized into four groups (n = 10). The control group specimens underwent no pretreatment prior to the bleaching procedure, whereas the remaining three groups underwent air abrasion using distinct desensitizing powders; (a) Sylc, which contains bioglass 45S5; (b) BioMinF, which contains calcium phospho-fluoro-silicate glass; and (c) MI Pearls, which contains nano-hydroxyapatite, 1 h preceding the Opalescence Boost PF 40% bleaching procedure. Color measurements were conducted using a double-beam UV-Vis spectrophotometer at four distinct time points (prior to bleaching, 24 h, 15 days, and 30 days post-bleaching). Tooth color change outcomes revealed that there were no statistically significant results with respect to the interaction of the two criteria (treatments and time) (p = 0.990). Additionally, there were no statistically significant results with respect to the main effects of treatments (p = 0.385), while there were statistically significant effects with respect to the time criterion (p = 0.013). The use of the tested desensitizing powders prior the bleaching procedure did not affect the tooth color change induced by the tested bleaching agent. Tooth color change and whiteness are not affected by air-abrasion desensitizing treatments when applied prior to in-office bleaching procedures.

COVID-19 Infection in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease and Chronic Kidney Disease Patients: Progression of Kidney Disease.

the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the intricate interplay between viral infections and preexisting health conditions. In the field of kidney diseases, patients with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) and Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) face unique challenges when exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This study aims to evaluate whether SARS-CoV-2 virus infection impacts renal function differently in patients suffering from ADPKD and CKD when compared to patients suffering only from CKD. clinical data from 103 patients were collected and retrospectively analyzed. We compared the renal function of ADPKD and CKD patients at two distinct time points: before COVID-19 infection (T0) and 1 year after the infection (T1). We studied also a subpopulation of 37 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min and affected by ADPKD and CKD. clinical data were obtained from 59 (57.3%) ADPKD patients and 44 (42.7%) CKD patients. At T1, ADPKD patients had significantly higher serum creatinine levels compared to CKD patients, and a significantly lower eGFR was observed only in ADPKD patients with eGFR < 60 mL/min compared to CKD patients (p < 0.01, p < 0.05; respectively). Following COVID-19 infection, ADPKD-CKD patients exhibited significantly higher variation in both median serum creatinine (p < 0.001) and median eGFR (p < 0.001) compared to CKD patients. the interplay between COVID-19 and kidney disease is complex. In CKD patients, the relationship between COVID-19 and kidney disease progression is more established, while limited studies exist on the specific impact of COVID-19 on ADPKD patients. Current evidence does not suggest that ADPKD patients are at a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection; however, in our study we showed a significant worsening of the renal function among ADPKD patients, particularly those with an eGFR < 60 mL/min, in comparison to patients with only CKD after a one-year follow-up from COVID-19 infection.