Significant Difference In Distribution Research Articles

A Study on the Screening of Children at Risk for Developmental Disabilities Using Facial Landmarks Derived From a Mobile-Based Application

Objective Early detection and intervention of developmental disabilities (DDs) are critical to improving the long-term outcomes of afflicted children. In this study, our objective was to utilize facial landmark features from mobile application to distinguish between children with DDs and typically developing (TD) children.Methods The present study recruited 89 children, including 33 diagnosed with DD, and 56 TD children. The aim was to examine the effectiveness of a deep learning classification model using facial video collected from children through mobile-based application. The study participants underwent comprehensive developmental assessments, which included the child completion of the Korean Psychoeducational Profile-Revised and caregiver completing the Korean versions of Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale, Korean version of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Social Responsiveness Scale, and Child Behavior Checklist. We extracted facial landmarks from recorded videos using mobile application and performed DDs classification using long short-term memory with stratified 5-fold cross-validation.Results The classification model shows an average accuracy of 0.88 (range: 0.78–1.00), an average precision of 0.91 (range: 0.75–1.00), and an average F1-score of 0.80 (range: 0.60–1.00). Upon interpreting prediction results using SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), we verified that the most crucial variable was the nodding head angle variable, with a median SHAP score of 2.6. All the top 10 contributing variables exhibited significant differences in distribution between children with DD and TD (p<0.05).Conclusion The results of this study provide evidence that facial landmarks, utilizing readily available mobile-based video data, can be used to detect DD at an early stage.

The distribution and abundance of woody invasive alien plants in small towns in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

AbstractInvasive alien plants (IAPs) are rapidly increasing around the world, mainly due to land transformation, climate change, and urbanisation. Whilst urban areas are highly susceptible to invasion by IAPs, crucial information on the distribution and abundance of woody invaders in small towns is limited. Here, we determined the distribution and abundance of woody IAPs across different suburbs and land use types in 12 small towns in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. We enumerated 38 427 individual woody IAPs, and their abundance and distribution varied across surveyed towns. Although species such as Melia azedarach, Pinus elliotti, Jacaranda mimosifolia, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, and Ligustrum lucidum were the most distributed, species density varied across towns. More than half of the woody IAPs were identified in affluent (56%) suburbs compared to the townships (23%), Central business district (CBD) (16%), and low-income housing neighbourhoods (5%). There were significant differences in woody IAPs distribution across different land use types, with more than half (54%) found in the residential areas compared to road verges (32%) and public urban green spaces (14%). Some socio-economic and environmental predictors such as town population, mean temperature, unemployment rate, and Gross domestic product (GDP) showed significant and positive correlations with woody IAPs species richness and density. Our findings suggest an uneven spatial distribution and diversity of woody IAPs across the different small towns, suburbs, and land use types in the region. It is recommended that small towns in South Africa need financial and human resources support to effectively manage IAPs.

How group structure impacts the numbers at risk for coronary artery disease: polygenic risk scores and non-genetic risk factors in the UK Biobank cohort.

The UK Biobank is a large cohort study that recruited over 500,000 British participants aged 40-69 in 2006-2010 at 22 assessment centres from across the UK. Self-reported health outcomes and hospital admission data are two types of records that include participants' disease status. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common cause of death in the UK Biobank cohort. After distinguishing between prevalence and incidence CAD events for all UK Biobank participants, we identified geographical variations in age-standardised rates of CAD between assessment centres. Significant distributional differences were found between the pooled cohort equation scores of UK Biobank participants from England and Scotland using the Mann-Whitney test. Polygenic risk scores of UK Biobank participants from England and Scotland and from different assessment centres differed significantly using permutation tests. Our aim was to discriminate between assessment centres with different disease rates by collecting data on disease-related risk factors. However, relying solely on individual-level predictions and averaging them to obtain group-level predictions proved ineffective, particularly due to the presence of correlated covariates resulting from participation bias. By using the Mundlak model, which estimates a random effects regression by including the group means of the independent variables in the model, we effectively addressed these issues. In addition, we designed a simulation experiment to demonstrate the functionality of the Mundlak model. Our findings have applications in public health funding and strategy, as our approach can be used to predict case rates in the future, as both population structure and lifestyle changes are uncertain.

Habitat-specific allocations of elements in Atriplex lentiformis seeds hint at adaptation to metal toxicity.

Self-sustaining vegetation in metal-contaminated areas is essential for rebuilding the ecological resilience and community stability in degraded lands. Metal-tolerant plants originating from contaminated post-mining areas may hold the key to successful plant establishment and growth. Yet, little is known about the impact of metal toxicity on reproductive strategies, metal accumulation and allocation patterns at the seed stage. Our research focused on metal tolerant Atriplex lentiformis, examining the effects of toxic metal(loid) concentration in soils on variability in its reproductive strategies, including germination patterns, elemental uptake, and allocation within the seeds. We employed advanced imaging techniques like synchrotron X-ray Fluorescence Microscopy (XFM; 2D scans and 3D tomograms) combined with ICP-MS to reveal significant differences in metal(loid) concentration and distribution within the seed structures of A. lentiformis from contrasting habitats. Exclusive Zn hotspots of high concentrations were found in the seeds of the metallicolous accession, primarily in the sensitive tissues of shoot apical meristems and root zones of the seed embryos. The findings of this study offer novel insights into phenotypic variability, metal tolerance and accumulation in plants from extreme environments. This knowledge can be applied to enhance plant survival and performance in land restoration efforts.

Effects of Maitland mobilization technique on upper extremity function in stroke survivors with spasticity: An experimental study.

The recovery of upper limb function is of great significance for stroke patients to regain their self-care ability, yet it is still a difficult point in clinical practice of neurological rehabilitation. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Maitland joint mobilization technique on the recovery of upper extremity function in patients with spasticity after stroke. From August to December 2023, 71 patients with upper extremity flexor spasm after stroke were recruited and randomly divided into experimental group (n = 35) and control group (n = 36). The control group was given conventional rehabilitation treatment, while the experimental group was treated with Maitland mobilization technique treatment of upper extremity joints on the basis of the control group. The experiment lasted for 8 weeks. Participants of the 2 groups were observed for Fugl-Meyer motor assessment-upper extremity (FMA-UE), box and block test (BBT) and Brunnstrom stage, modified Ashworth scale (MAS), and functional independence measure (FIM) at pre- and post-8 weeks study. There was no significant difference in gender distribution, hemiplegic side, diagnosis, past history, age, duration, body mass index, and mini-mental state examination between the 2 groups (P > .05). After 8 weeks of intervention, both groups showed significant improvement in FMA-UE, Brunnstrom stage, BBT, FIM, and MAS of the shoulder (P < .05); however, there was no significant change in MAS of the elbow, wrist, and finger joints (P > .05). The posttreatment values showed a significant improvement in FMA-UE, BBT, and FIM in the experimental group compared to the control group. Comparing the changes in pretreatment and posttreatment, FMA-UE, BBT, and FIM in the experimental group were significantly improved compared with those in the control group (P < .05). Maitland joint mobilization can improve the motor function of upper extremity and the spasticity of shoulder joint complex in patients with stroke.

Comparison of Conservative and Arthroplasty Treatment for 3 or 4 Part Proximal Humerus Fractures in the Elderly

Aim: Proximal humerus fractures are common injuries in the elderly population. This study hypothesizes that arthroplasty is not superior to conservative treatment in the management of multi-part proximal humerus fractures in elderly patients. Material and Method: Patients aged 65 and above with 3–4-part proximal humerus fractures, treated either conservatively or with arthroplasty, were included in the study. The minimum follow-up period was set at 12 months. Functional evaluations of the patients were performed using the Quick Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (Q-DASH) scoring system. Statistical analysis comparing the two groups was conducted using the SPSS software. The mean values of numerical data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test, while categorical data were compared using the Chi-square test. A significant level of 0.05 was considered. Results: A total of 67 patients who received adequate clinical follow-up were included in the study (50 conservative 17 arthroplasty). The average age of the patients was 76.12 years, with 9 male and 58 female patients. The average follow-up period was 22.61 months (range: 12-82). There were no statistically significant differences in age, gender, side, follow-up period, and fracture type distribution between the two groups. However, a significant difference in Q-DASH scores was observed (p

Analysis and Reflection on the Green, Low-Carbon, and Energy-Saving Design of the Super High-Rise Building

Shanghai Tower has become a new landmark of Shanghai. In the current trend advocating green building and energy efficiency, considerations of wind loads and thermal characteristics of the perimeter structure of Shanghai Tower are crucial. This paper conducts comparative simulation studies on the wind environment of Shanghai Tower using Ecotect software, and stress analyses and thermal simulations of the perimeter structure using ANSYS software. The study compared three buildings’ surface wind pressure distributions using models with equal-volume and circular cross-sections. We found that the unique exterior design of the Shanghai Tower results in a more regular and uniform distribution of wind pressure on its surface compared to both circular and square planar models, with a lower average wind pressure value. In addition, the stress analysis results indicate significant differences in deformation and stress distribution between the windward and leeward sides. Enhancing the bending moment detection of the peripheral structure and optimizing the layout of detection points are recommended. Thermal simulation results show excessive heat conduction flux in winter conditions, suggesting optimization using passive energy-saving methods such as light-sensitive thermal insulation materials during winter. This research is a reference for designing other super-tall buildings prioritizing low-carbon energy efficiency and structural safety.

Impact of primary duodenogastric reflux and Helicobacter pylori infection on gastritis and antibiotic resistance in children

To investigate the risk factors for Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection in children with primary duodenogastric reflux (DGR) and its impact on gastritis and antibioticresistance. A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 2 190 children who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in Wuxi Children's Hospital from January 2019 to February 2022, among whom 308 children were diagnosed with primary DGR. According to the presence or absence of HP infection, the children were classified to HP infection group (53 children) and non-HP infection group (255 children). The risk factors for HP infection and its impact on the incidence rate and severity of gastritis were analyzed. According to the presence or absence of primary DGR, 331 children with HP infection were classified to primary DGR group (29 children) and non-primary DGR group (302 children), and then the impact of primary DGR with HP infection on antibiotic resistance was analyzed. The HP infection group had a significantly higher age than the non-HP infection group (P<0.05), and there was a significant difference in the age distribution between the two groups (P<0.05), while there were no significant differences in the incidence rate and severity of gastritis between the two groups (P>0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that older age was a risk factor for HP infection in children with DGR (P<0.05). Drug sensitivity test showed that there were no significant differences in the single and combined resistance rates of metronidazole, clarithromycin, and levofloxacin between the primary DGR group and the non-primary DGR group (P>0.05). Older age is closely associated with HP infection in children with DGR. Primary DGR with HP infection has no significant impact on gastritis and antibiotic resistance in children.

The four seasons of pancreatitis - Etiology of acute pancreatitis during the course of the year.

Whether seasonality is a factor that influences the incidence of acute pancreatitis (AP) is an under-investigated area. If seasonal incidence peaks can be detected, specifically with regard to biliary pancreatitis, has so far been answered in contradictory ways in the literature. All AP cases from two tertiary German referral centers were identified between 2016 and 2022 based on ICD-10 discharge codes. The χ2 test for goodness of fit was applied to test significant differences in monthly and seasonal distributions of AP admissions. In total, 3597 AP cases were included. We observed significantly more idiopathic and biliary cases in May to July (p-values 0.041 and 0.027, respectively). Furthermore, most drug-induced APs were identified during the winter months (p-value 0.006). Moreover, there was a significant peak of alcohol-induced pancreatitis in summer and fall (p-value 0.038). Our data indicate a seasonal impact on AP incidences for certain etiologies.

Safety, efficacy, and survival of different transarterial chemoembolization techniques in the management of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: a comparative single-center analysis

PurposeTransarterial chemoembolization (TACE) has become the standard of care for the treatment of intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, current clinical practice guidelines lack consensus on the best selection of a specific TACE technique. This study aims to compare safety, tumor response, and progression-free survival (PFS) of conventional TACE (cTACE), drug-eluting bead TACE (DEB-TACE), and degradable starch microsphere TACE (DSM-TACE).MethodsThis retrospective study included n = 192 patients with HCC who underwent first TACE with unbiased follow-up at 4–6 weeks at our center between 2008 and 2021. Eligibility for TACE was BCLC intermediate stage B, bridging/down-staging (B/D) to liver transplantation (LT), or any other stage when patients were not suitable for resection, LT, local ablation, or systemic therapy. Patients were grouped into three cohorts (n = 45 cTACE, n = 84 DEB-TACE, n = 63 DSM-TACE), and further categorized by TACE indication (B/D or palliative). Liver function and adverse events, response assessed by the modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (mRECIST) 4–6 weeks post-TACE and PFS were analyzed.ResultsThere were no significant differences in age, gender distribution, BCLC stage, or etiology of liver disease among the three TACE groups, even in the B/D or palliative subgroups. DEB-TACE induced slight increases in bilirubin in the palliative subgroup and in lactate dehydrogenase in the entire cohort 4–6 weeks post-TACE, and more adverse events in the palliative subgroup. DEB-TACE and DSM-TACE showed significantly higher disease control rates (complete and partial response, stable disease) compared to cTACE, especially in the B/D setting (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in PFS between the groups [median PFS (months): cTACE, 10.0 vs. DEB, 7.0 vs. DSM, 10.0; p = 0.436].ConclusionOur study provides valuable perspectives in the decision-making for a specific TACE technique: DEB-TACE and DSM-TACE showed improved tumor response. DEB-TACE showed a prolonged impact on liver function and more side effects, so patients with impaired liver function should be more strictly selected, especially in the palliative subgroup.

The associations of IGF2, IGF2R and IGF2BP2 gene polymorphisms with gestational diabetes mellitus: A case-control study.

To investigate the associations of Insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF2) gene, Insulin-like growth factor-II receptor (IGF2R) gene and Insulin-like growth factor-II binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2) gene polymorphisms with the susceptibility to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Chinese population. A total of 1703 pregnant women (835 GDM and 868 Non-GDM) were recruited in this case-control study. All participants underwent prenatal 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) examinations during 24-28 gestational weeks at the Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province from January 15, 2018 to March 31, 2019. Genotyping of candidate SNPs (IGF2 rs680, IGF2R rs416572, IGF2BP2 rs4402960, rs1470579, rs1374910, rs11705701, rs6777038, rs16860234, rs7651090) was performed on Sequenom MassARRAY platform. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the associations between candidate SNPs and risk of GDM. In addition, multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) method was applied to explore the effects of gene-gene interactions on GDM risk. There were significant distribution differences between GDM group and non-GDM group in age, pre-pregnancy BMI, education level and family history of diabetes (P < 0.05). After adjusted for age, pre-pregnancy BMI, education level and family history of diabetes, there were no significant associations of the candidate SNPs polymorphisms and GDM risk (P > 0.05). Furthermore, there were no gene-gene interactions on the GDM risk among the candidate SNPs (P > 0.05). However, the fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels of rs6777038 CT carriers were significantly lower than TT carriers (4.69±0.69 vs. 5.03±1.57 mmol/L, P < 0.01), and the OGTT-2h levels of rs6777038 CC and CT genotype carriers were significantly lower than TT genotype carriers (8.10±1.91 and 8.08±1.87 vs. 8.99±2.90 mmol/L, P < 0.01). IGF2 rs680, IGF2R rs416572, IGF2BP2 rs4402960, rs1470579, rs11705701, rs6777038, rs16860234, rs7651090 polymorphisms were not significantly associated with GDM risk in Wuhan, China. Further lager multicenter researches are needed to confirm these results.

Association between serum sodium trajectory and mortality in patients with acute kidney injury: a retrospective cohort study

IntroductionDysnatremia is strongly associated with poor prognosis in acute kidney injury (AKI); however, the impact of sodium trajectories on the prognosis of patients with AKI has not yet been well elucidated. This study aimed to assess the association between sodium trajectories in patients with AKI and mortality at 30-day and 1-year follow-up.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study used data from Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV database, and patients diagnosed with AKI within 48 h after admission were enrolled. Group-based trajectory models (GBTM) were applied to map the developmental course of the serum sodium fluctuations. Kaplan–Meier survival curve was used to compare differences in mortality in AKI patients with distinct serum sodium trajectories. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated to determine the association between trajectories and prognosis using Cox proportional hazard models.ResultsA total of 9,314 AKI patients were enrolled. Three distinct sodium trajectories were identified including: (i) stable group (ST, in which the serum sodium levels remained relatively stable, n = 4,935; 53.0%), (ii) descending group (DS, in which the serum sodium levels declined, n = 2,994; 32.15%) and (iii) ascending group (AS, in which the serum sodium levels were elevated, n = 1,383; 14.85%). There was no significant difference in age and gender distribution among the groups. The 30-day mortality rates were 7.9% in ST, 9.5% in DS and 16.6% in AS (p < 0.001). The results of 1-year mortality rates were similar (p < 0.001). In adjusted analysis, patients in the DS (HR = 1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.43, p = 0.015) and AS (HR = 1.68, 95% CI, 1.42–2.01, p = 0.013) groups had higher risks of 30-day mortality compared to those in the ST group.ConclusionIn patients with AKI, the serum sodium trajectories were independently associated with 30-day and 1-year mortality. Association between serum sodium level trajectories and prognosis in patients with AKI deserve further study.

Abstract PO1-15-04: Young Black Women With Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Molecular Subtypes: Population-Specific Patterns and Batch Effect Considerations

Abstract Introduction: While triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) molecular subtypes have been associated with biological differences and clinical outcomes, studies have overwhelmingly been conducted in populations of European or Asian ancestry. Data collected across diverse populations is required to better leverage clinical directions from translational studies in TNBC. Through females recruited through the Black Women: Etiology and Survival of Triple-Negative Breast Cancers (BEST) study, we sought to characterize subtypes and explore associations. Methods: Our study included Black women diagnosed with early-stage (I-III) invasive TNBC at &amp;lt; = age 50 from 2005 to 2016, with recruitment from Florida and Tennessee state cancer registries. Germline DNA, tumor RNA, clinical outcomes, and risk factor data were collected. TNBC status in the BEST study was based on immunohistochemistry from pathology reports, cancer registry data, and self-reported data. Analyses on banked tumor samples, extracted at multiple time points, were conducted through PAM50 (Nanostring) and whole-transcriptome RNA-seq. TNBC subtype was assessed using TNBCtype-4 (Lehmann et al. 2016). Sources of batch effect were evaluated using PCA and corrected via limma. Genetic ancestry based on OncoArray or MEGA genotyping data was inferred using 1000Genomes continental reference samples. Immune cell characterization was performed via CIBERSORT and ESTIMATE. Statistical significance in comparing differences across subtypes was assessed via Chi-square test. Kaplan-Meier estimates and log-rank test were used for survival analysis. Results: RNA-seq from 114 self-reported Black females with TNBC was analyzed. TNBC subtype distribution in the BEST study cohort included 31.6% basal-like 1 (BL1), 28.9% basal-like 2 (BL2), 16.7% luminal androgen receptor (LAR), and 21.9% mesenchymal (M). While results were largely consistent with prior studies in patients of European or East Asian ancestry, a higher percentage of BL2 subtype was observed (28.9% vs. 21.0%, p=0.053). Based on PAM50 subtyping, 100% of tumors with BL1 and M were basal, whereas 68.8% of LAR and 86.7% of BL2 subtypes were basal. Tumors without subtype decreased from 9.8% to 1.1% after batch correcting for location at which RNA was extracted (Moffitt vs. Vanderbilt) and time between RNA banking and sequencing. All TNBC subtypes in this population demonstrated monocyte/activated dendritic cell predominance, with no significant subtype-specific associations with immune cell patterns. A lower relative proportion of M subtype was found in tumors from BRCA1/2 carriers, but this was not statistically significant due to the small number of carriers (8% vs. 18%; p=0.22). With a median follow-up time of 9 years, there was no significant difference in 10-year overall survival by TNBC subtype (p=0.18). However, patients with M subtype appeared to have worse survival relative to other subtypes combined (p=0.036). Conclusion: Our study is among the largest to date that interrogates TNBC subtypes and associated molecular/clinical data in self-reported Black females with invasive breast cancer. Our findings suggest that established TNBC subtyping can be applied in patients of African ancestry. Furthermore, data to correct for lab-based confounders remains critical; in this study, it enabled us to use many samples that could not be subtyped initially. Several population-specific patterns were observed, including no difference in 10-year overall survival across TNBC subtypes (consistent with prior data), but worse initial outcomes in M subtype; a preliminary association between BRCA1/2 carriers and non-M subtypes (in contrast to prior data); and no significant difference in immune cell distributions (in contrast to prior data mainly from patients of European ancestry). Studies of associations between TNBC subtypes, additional clinical data, and treatment data (type and response rates) are ongoing. Citation Format: Padma Rajagopal, Sonya Reid, Run Fan, Lindsay Venton, Anne Weidner, Mya Roberson, Susan Vadaparampil, Xuefeng Wang, Sean Yoder, Marilin Rosa, Jibril Hirbo, Jennifer Whisenant, Jennifer Pietenpol, Fei Ye, Tuya Pal, Brian Lehmann. Young Black Women With Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Molecular Subtypes: Population-Specific Patterns and Batch Effect Considerations [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-15-04.

Abstract PO2-09-03: Twenty-one gene recurrence scores in individuals with breast cancer associated with PALB2 germline pathogenic variants

Abstract Background: The 21-gene recurrence score assay (Oncotype DX, Genomic Health Inc., CA) is prognostic, quantifies predicted benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy, and informs clinical decisions for patients with early-stage, hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) breast cancer (BC). Differences in Oncotype recurrence scores (RS) in individuals with and without BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BRCA1/2) pathogenic variants (PV) have been demonstrated, but the results of this assay in patients with BC and germline PALB2 PV have not previously been described. This is of particular relevance as PALB2 BC has demonstrated biologic features similar to BRCA1/2 BC such as poly(adenosine diphosphate ribose) polymerase inhibitor (PARPi) sensitivity. Methods: Patients with early-stage, HR+, HER2-, invasive breast cancer and a germline PALB2 PV were ascertained from academic cancer center databases and the Prospective Registry of MultiPlex Testing (PROMPT), an online research registry for individuals who have had multigene panel testing for inherited cancer susceptibility. Study participants (pts) were categorized by age &amp;lt; 50 and ≥50. Oncotype DX RS were retrospectively reviewed and categorized as those that would and would not warrant consideration of chemotherapy (≥16 and &amp;lt; 16, respectively, for pts &amp;lt; 50; ≥26 and &amp;lt; 26, respectively, for pts ≥50). Yates corrected Chi-square tests were used to compare RS distributions between carriers and a previously published genetically unselected reference population. Results: Oncotype DX reports were reviewed for 20 pts with BC and germline PALB2 PV. Median RS was 19 (range 6-41) overall. Four patients were diagnosed under the age of 50 (range 33-48); median RS for these individuals was 19 (range 12-41). Sixteen patients were diagnosed at age 50 or greater (median 59, range 50-70); median RS for these individuals was also 19 (range 6-31). Compared to the genetically unselected reference population, Oncotype DX RS in pts with PALB2-associated BC demonstrated a numerical but not statistically significant shift in distribution towards categories in which chemotherapy would be considered. Among pts under the age of 50, 75% had Oncotype DX RS for which chemotherapy would be considered and 25% had Oncotype DX RS for which endocrine therapy alone would likely be recommended (p=0.726 compared to reference). Among pts aged 50 and older, 25% had Oncotype DX RS for which chemotherapy would be considered and 75% had Oncotype DX RS for which endocrine therapy alone would likely be recommended (p=0.579 compared to reference). Conclusions: Compared to data from the published genetically unselected commercial database, BC associated with PALB2 PV may have higher Oncotype DX RS reflective of intrinsically less favorable biology and greater therapeutic sensitivity. Larger datasets are forthcoming to confirm presence of significant differences in Oncotype DX RS distributions between BC with and without PALB2 PV. Table 1. Oncotype DX RS distribution by age among pts with gPALB2 PV and genetically unselected reference *Jakubowski et al., J Surg Oncol 2020. PMID 3249731 Citation Format: Payal Shah, Siddhartha Yadav, Jamie Brower, Jada Hamilton, Erica Simmons, Judy Garber, Kenneth Offit, Mark Robson, Fergus Couch, Susan Domchek. Twenty-one gene recurrence scores in individuals with breast cancer associated with PALB2 germline pathogenic variants [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO2-09-03.

Chemical fault diagnosis network based on single domain generalization

Recent developments in fault diagnosis have leveraged domain generalization to address the issue of domain shift. Most existing methods focus on learning domain-invariant representations from multiple source domains. However, collecting valuable fault samples from varying operational conditions is challenging, and it is common for available data to originate from a single operational condition. Thus, this paper introduces a Multi-scale generative and adversarial Metric networks (MGAMN) for Chemical Process Fault Diagnosis.To enhance model generalization, a domain generation module was developed to create augmented domains with significant distributional differences from the source domain. The diagnostic task module then extracts domain-invariant features from both the source and augmented domains. A multi-scale generation strategy is established, utilizing multi-scale deep separable convolutions (Dsc) to ensure that the generated samples contain rich state information. Additionally, an adversarial training and metric learning strategy is designed to learn generalized features capable of resisting unknown domain shifts. Extensive diagnostic experiments on the non-isothermal continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and the Tennessee Eastman Process (TEP) chemical datasets validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Moreover, ablation studies confirm the effectiveness of the proposed modular strategy, demonstrating significant potential for practical applications.

Evaluating two high-throughput phenotyping platforms at early stages of the post-harvest pipeline of sweetpotatoes

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence and big data analytics introduce new tools that can enhance the packing efficiency of sweetpotatoes (Ipomoea batatas) (SPs). In this study, we focused on the quantification of inventory as early in the packing process as possible to allow for effective storage planning, smarter inventory selection to fulfill orders, and ultimately reduce the need for refrigeration of excess packed SPs. We built and implemented two scanners to quantify phenotype distributions at different stages of the post-harvest pipeline. Testing and validation were conducted through a collaboration with an industry-partner's packing facility in North Carolina, gaining access to their packing methods, warehouse data, and resources. The first scanner imaged all SPs during the conveyance stage, immediately after they are washed but before they are sorted. The second scanner, positioned to view the top bins after harvest, scanned the top layer of bins on harvesting trucks as they entered the storage warehouse for receiving. We compared the output of our first scanner to the output of a commercial optical sorter under a controlled packing simulation, and then compared our two developed scanners against each other in an observational commercial packing operation. We evaluated millions of SPs, assessing length, width, length-to-width ratio (LW ratio), and weight. We computed a pairwise t-test for each phenotype across scanner pairs and evaluated the Cohen's d effect size to interpret our results. We observed no significant differences in the grade distributions across the scanners, except for the “Giant” weight class, which showed variation between the top bin and eliminator table scanners. In summary, both systems demonstrated promising outcomes, suggesting a potential enhancement in packing efficiency through the timely delivery of comprehensive inventory data.

Tumour stage and overall survival in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and primary sclerosing cholangitis – a retrospective cohort study

Abstract Background Patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) carry increased risks for malignancy, among which cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the most frequent. We aimed to characterise a cohort of patients with PSC and intrahepatic CCA (iCCA) and to compare this cohort with CCA in different localisations. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of our medical database from 01.01.2007 to 30.06.2023 and differentiated CCA according to its localisation within the biliary tract into iCCA, perihilar CCA (pCCA), distal CCA (dCCA), and gallbladder carcinoma (GBC). Results We identified 8 (28%) patients with iCCA, 14 (48%) patients with pCCA, 6 (21%) patients with GBC, and 1 (3%) patient with dCCA without significant differences in gender distribution and mean age. Mean time between diagnosis of PSC and CCA was 158±84 months for iCCA, 93±94 months for pCCA, and 77±69 months for GBC (p=0.230). At the time of CCA diagnosis, advanced-stage disease was present in 6 (75%) patients with iCCA, 13 (93%) patients with pCCA, and 2 (40%) patients with GBC (p=0.050). Only 5 (63%) patients with iCCA received curatively intended surgery, of whom 4 (80%) patients developed recurrence after a mean time of 38±31 months. Mean survival time in patients with iCCA (35±33 months) lay between patients with pCCA (14±8 months) and patients with GBC (57±58 months), but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.131). Conclusion Patients with PSC and iCCA showed an advanced tumour stage at diagnosis and limited long-time survival, which was classified between pCCA with worse prognosis and GBC with better prognosis.

Spatial-temporal variation and correlation between vegetation coverage and soil conservation of Ten Kongdui watershed in the Yellow River basin

The Ten Kongdui watershed is an essential part of the upper Yellow River baisn of China. The ecosystem in this region has low stability and hazards of sandstorm and soil erosion are serious. By studying the spatio-temporal changes and spatial correlation between vegetation cover and soil conservation, the inhibition effect of vegetation on soil erosion in time and space can be clarified, and the driving factors of soil erosion in a certain area can be further explained. The research results provide data support for artificial vegetation construction and soil erosion control in the Yellow River basin in the future. In this study, the invest model was used to calculate the soil retention of the watershed, and then the spatial autocorrelation analysis was used to analyze the vegetation coverage and soil retention in space. The relationship between changes of the vegetation coverage and soil conservation during 2000–2020 in the Ten Kongdui watershed is analyzed in this paper. The research shows that: (1) During the research period, the vegetation coverage maintained an increasing trend in Ten Kongdui watershed; (2) From 2000 to 2020, with the increased vegetation coverage, soil retention increased, indicating that increasing vegetation coverage can effectively prevent soil erosion; and (3) Vegetation coverage and soil conservation presented a local spatial auto-correlation, Moran’s I index was less than 0, but the years from 2000 to 2020 witnessed gradual growth of the correlation coefficient. There are significant differences in spatial distribution. ‘High-high’ and ‘low-low’ are sporadically distributed in the sandstorm area on the middle reaches of Kubuqi and sporadically in the hilly and gully areas on the upper reaches. Moreover, ‘high-low’ and ‘low-high’ correlation coefficients were distributed in gully areas on the upper reaches and alluvial plains on the lower reaches. The alluvial plains on the lower reaches are mainly farmland ecosystems, with a high NDVI in the growing season but poor soil erosion resistance and weak soil conservation ability. The results emphasized the importance of vegetation coverage change in space for soil conservation of different type of underlying surfaces. The vegetation coverage change effects of soil conservation in plain terrain will be muted. This work provided a certain theory and criterion for us to further research the predictive model of soil erosion .

Blood Group Variations in COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma and Regular Blood Donors: A Comparative Analysis in the Serbian Population.

This research explores the association between ABO blood groups and susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection, analyzing Convalescent COVID-19 plasma (CCP) donors (n = 500) and healthy whole blood donors (BDs) (n = 9678) during the pandemic (1 May 2020 to 30 April 2021). A comparison is made with pre-pandemic BDs (n = 11,892) from 1 May 2018 to 30 April 2019. Significant differences in blood group distribution are observed, with blood group A individuals being three times more likely to be CCP donors. Conversely, blood groups B, O, and AB are less associated with CCP donation. Notably, blood group O is more prevalent among regular BDs, suggesting potential resistance to SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study underscores variations in blood group distribution during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic periods. The findings support previous research indicating a link between blood group antigens and viral susceptibility, including SARS-CoV-2. Understanding these associations has implications for public health strategies, with potential for predicting COVID-19 outcomes and transmission patterns. Further research is crucial to explore molecular and immunological mechanisms, providing valuable insights for targeted preventive strategies and personalized healthcare in managing the impact of COVID-19.

Preoperative veterans RAND-12 mental composite score of < 35 is associated with increased length of stay and high rates of discharge to rehab after primary total joint arthroplasty.

The association between preoperative mental health and immediate postoperative ambulation in primary Total Joint Arthroplasty (TJA) has sparsely been studied. Thus, this study's objective was to investigate the association between mental health (measured by the Mental Component Score (MCS) from the Veterans RAND 12 (VR-12)) and peri-operative metrics. We conducted a retrospective study of patients who underwent primary TJA and completed a VR-12 questionnaire between January 2018 and June 2023 at a single academic hospital. Patients were stratified into terciles based on preoperative MCS. Patient demographics, ambulation within 4h postop, LOS, and discharge location were compared. The effect of MCS on LOS while controlling discharge location was assessed using negative binomial regression. 1120 patients were included in this analysis (432 THA and 688 TKA). After stratification into terciles (Low: 34.7 ± 6.6, Middle: 49.3 ± 3.7, High:62.1 ± 4.4), comparison of demographics revealed significant differences in age (p = 0.005) and sex distribution (p = 0.04) but no difference in surgery type (p = 0.857). There was no significant difference in ambulation rate between MCS groups (p = 0.789) or in distance covered during first ambulation (p = 0.251). Low MCS patients had a longer LOS (p = 0.000, p = 0.002) and a lower rate of discharged home (p = 0.016). After controlling discharge location, no significant association was found between MCS and LOS (p = 0.288). Patient with low MCS tended to be younger, women, and had poorer preoperative HOOS/KOOS scores. Low MCS was associated with longer LOS and lower rates of discharge home. However, MCS was not associated with early ambulation rate and LOS after controlling discharge location.