Similar Parameters Research Articles

Preparation and characterization of colorless and transparent semi‐alicyclic fluoro‐containing polyimide nanocomposite films with enhanced high‐temperature dimensional stability via incorporation of colloidal silica nanofillers

AbstractColorless and transparent semi‐alicyclic fluoro‐containing polyimide (PI) nanocomposite films with enhanced high‐temperature dimensional stability and sustained optical transparency were designed and prepared via incorporation of nano‐sized colloidal silica (SiO2) fillers into the PI matrix derived from hydrogenated pyromellitic dianhydride (HPMDA) and 2,2′‐bis[(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]hexafluoropropane (BDAF). The derived PI composite films, abbreviated as 6FCPI‐X in which X stands for the weight percent of the SiO2 in the composite films, exhibited superior thermal and comparable optical properties to the pristine 6FCPI‐0 (6FDA‐BDAF) matrix film. For example, as for the thermal properties, 6FCPI‐35 composite film showed a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 279.1°C and a residual weight ratio at 750°C (Rw750) of 66.1%, which were apparently higher than those of 6FCPI‐0 matrix (Tg = 272.2°C; Rw750 = 47.1%). More importantly, the 6FCPI/SiO2 nanocomposite films showed obviously lower linear coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) values as compared with that of the 6FCPI‐0 matrix. 6FCPI‐35 composite film showed a CTE value of 36.1 × 10−6/K in the temperature range of 50–250°C, which was lower than half of that of the 6FCPI‐0 matrix (CTE = 77.9 × 10−6/K) in the same range of temperature. In addition, incorporation of nano‐sized colloidal SiO2 particles basically maintained the intrinsically good optical properties of the pristine 6FCPI‐0 matrix film. 6FCPI‐35 composite film showed the optical transmittances of 81.7%, 85.3%, and 87.2% at the wavelength of 400 nm (T400), 450 nm (T450), and 500 nm (T500), respectively, which were in the same level with those of the 6FCPI‐0 film (T400 = 84.0%; T450 = 86.3%; T500 = 87.6%). The 6FCPI series of nanocomposite films also exhibited similar CIE Lab color parameters, including the yellow indices (b*) lower than 2.0 and haze values lower than 1.0%.

Modern possibilities of functional glaucoma screening (part 1)

Nowadays methods of standard and non-standard computerized perimetry using stationary devices are widely used in functional screening of glaucoma. The information about new portable devices for perimetry has appeared in foreign literature in recent years, describing such advantages as economic availability, autonomy and mobility, which open up new possibilities for their use. New possibilities include cloud storage of data, the use of telemedicine technologies, artificial intelligence, examination of patients with disabilities, including those who are bedridden, as well as examination outside of medical institutions. All of this can allow glaucoma patients to receive ophthalmic care when in-person visits are unavailable, including social distancing needed during a pandemic or quarantine. This review of the literature describes the latest portable devices and applications for perimetry, attempts to classify them according to similar parameters, and assesses their advantages and disadvantages, as well as the prospects for their use in functional screening of glaucoma.

MATHEMATICAL MODELS OF METHANE CONSUMPTION BY SOILS: A REVIEW

MATHEMATICAL MODELS OF METHANE CONSUMPTION BY SOILS: A REVIEW

Production of 13.5 nm light with 5% conversion efficiency from 2 μ m laser-driven tin microdroplet plasma

We demonstrate the efficient generation of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light from laser-produced plasma (LPP) driven by 2 μm wavelength laser light as an alternative for 10 μm CO2 gas LPP currently employed in EUV lithography machines for high-volume manufacturing of semiconductor devices. High conversion efficiencies of laser light into “in-band” EUV photons up to 5.0% are achieved by homogeneously heating the plasma that is laser-generated from preshaped tin microdroplet targets. Scaling the laser pulse duration, spot size, and intensity yields a high in-band EUV energy output of up to 12.5 mJ. The EUV emission source size is studied under a similar parameter range and is shown to match typical etendues of EUV optic columns. Our findings make 2 μm LPP a particularly promising candidate to power future EUV nanolithography.

Which range of streamflow data is most informative in the calibration of an hourly hydrological model?

ABSTRACT From which part of the streamflow time series does a hydrological model learn most about the behaviour of a catchment? How does this part change with the objective function used for model calibration? We calibrated the hourly model GR4H (Génie Rural à 4 paramètres au pas de temps Horaire) on data subsets selected based on the flow duration curve, which narrowed the range of streamflow that influenced the identification of model parameters the most. Using 658 catchments in the United States and France, we found that calibrating GR4H on the highest 50% of streamflow values of a given period provided similar parameters to calibration on the whole period, with the top 10% dominating the identification of parameters. The logarithmic transformation of streamflow balanced the contribution from high and low flows, but only the reciprocal transformation emphasized low flows. The proposed methodology identifies the informative ranges of streamflow data and allows anticipating potential model failures in nonstationary hydroclimatic conditions.

Insulin-euglycemia therapy in acute aluminum phosphide poisoning: a randomized clinical trial

Introduction: Aluminum phosphide is a pesticide that is used in developing countries. Aluminum phosphide poisoning has a high mortality rate and there is no known antidote. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of insulin-euglycemia therapy in the management of patients with acute aluminum phosphide poisoning. Methods: This trial was prospectively registered in the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR202008534546951). A total of 108 patients were randomly allocated to two groups. The intervention group received insulin-euglycemia therapy in addition to standard treatment (norepinephrine and supportive care); the control group received standard treatment plus placebo. The main outcome measures were survival, blood pressure, and laboratory investigations. Results: The two groups had similar baseline parameters. Insulin-euglycemia therapy was associated with a significant reduction in mortality compared with that in the control group (64.8 percent and 96.3 percent, respectively; P value <0.001). Patients randomized to insulin-euglycemia also required lower doses of vasopressors (median was 7 mg versus 26 mg in control group; P value 0.006) and fewer patients needed intubation (61.1 percent versus 81.5 percent in the control group; P value 0.019). Insulin-euglycemia therapy significantly improved blood pressure (systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure) (median at 6h post-admission was 80 mmHg, 55 mmHg and 65 mmHg compared with 20 mmHg, 10 mmHg and 13 mmHg in the control group respectively; P value <0.001) and bicarbonate and lactate concentrations. Conclusion: Insulin-euglycemia therapy appears to be a safe and effective treatment option for patients with aluminum phosphide poisoning. Vasopressor only therapy was associated with very poor outcomes in acute aluminum phosphide poisoning.

Параметры опорного давления около очистной выработки, отрабатывающей угольный пласт с непрочными породными слоями его кровли и почвы

The problem of the stressed state of a carboniferous massif containing a coal seam worked out by a working belongs to the class of flat elastically plastic problems. To construct the stress field in the marginal extremely stressed zone of the seam, the Coulomb–Mohr criteria for the transition of the seam to the limiting state, as well as the methods of bulk medium mechanics developed by V.V. Sokolovsky, were used. If the rock layers of the soil and the roof of the coal seam are not strong enough, then the limiting state occurs first in it, and then at some distance from its edge and in the layers of rocks of the massif. It occurs when the reduced stress in the rock layers reaches the value of the reduced stress in the seam corresponding to the strength limit of the layers for uniaxial compression. After that, the seam and rock layers work together. Based on the constructed stress field of the seam, the problem of the stress state of the array is reduced to the problem of elasticity theory and solved by the method of boundary elements and successive approximations. According to the results of the computational experiment, the parameters of the reference pressure of the reservoir being worked out, depending on the width of the working, were obtained. Comparative estimates are given with similar parameters when mining a seam in the soil and roof of which there are strong layers of rocks.

White matter hyperintensities in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia and semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia

AbstractBackgroundWhite matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are imaging abnormalities of white matter noted by hyperintense signals on fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). When present among patients with CVRF (hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesteremia and smoking), WMHs are interpreted as cerebral vascular changes. However, WMHs in older individuals can be a feature of late onset leukodystrophies or varied neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease, and Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD). Additionally, WMHs can be present before symptom onset in neurodegenerative disorders and have been linked to the presence of some mutations, including progranulin (GRN). A clearer understanding of the underling etiology of WMHs in bvFTD and svPPA may improve management and treatment considerations.MethodsIn this cross‐sectional study, we included all participants meeting research diagnostic criteria for bvFTD (n = 152) and svPPA (n = 49) from ongoing studies at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center between the dates of September 2008 and December 2021 in comparison to a group of healthy controls enrolled at the same center with similar imaging parameters (n = 152, 1:1 matching for age and sex). All participants underwent a 3T FLAIR MRI and automated quantification of WMHs was performed. Linear regression analyses were performed to determine if WMHs were more frequent in participants with bvFTD or svPPA in comparison to controls and to explore associations with CVRF.ResultsAfter adjusting for age, sex, apolipoprotein E4 (APO‐E 4) status, and intracranial volume (ICV), both groups demonstrated a higher burden compared to controls (bvFTD (p = 0.012, R2 = 0.146) and svPPA (p = 0.008, R2 = 0.329). Modeling cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) as none or at least one, we did not find an association between CVRFs and WMH volume in models adjusting for ICV, ApoE4, and age among those with svPPA and bvFTD combined (p = 0.450).ConclusionIndividuals with bvFTD and svPPA appear to face a greater burden of WMHs compared to age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls. WMHs in bvFTD and svPPA do not appear to be related CVRF.

Plasma Nicotine Pharmacokinetics of Oral Nicotine Pouches Across Varying Flavours and Nicotine Content *

SUMMARY Background In recent years several nicotine products have been introduced that aim to offer smokers an alternative to cigarettes. As well as having fewer toxicants than combustible cigarettes, such nicotine products must be able to deliver nicotine efficiently. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the pharmacokinetics of nicotine absorption from nine oral tobacco-free smokeless nicotine pouches with varying nicotine content and flavours. Methods In a randomised, open-labelled, controlled, crossover clinical study, nicotine pharmacokinetics and product-liking were compared between nine nicotine pouches (Velo, BAT; 4- or 7-mg nicotine per pouch and in eight flavours). During a 10-day confinement period, 42 healthy adult participants, who were current smokers of combustible cigarettes, used a single study product once each day during a 45-min use period following overnight nicotine abstinence. Results Maximum plasma nicotine concentration and area under curve for nicotine concentration versus time 180 min after the start of study product use were significantly greater for the 7-mg than for the 4-mg Velo pouches (p &lt; 0.0001). These values did not differ between flavours among the 7-mg Velo nicotine pouches after adjustment for multiple comparisons (both p &gt; 0.003). The median time to maximum plasma nicotine concentrations and mean product-liking scores were similar regardless of nicotine content and flavour. Conclusions Regardless of flavour, nicotine pouches with the same nicotine content and formulation produce similar pharmacokinetic parameters and can deliver nicotine efficiently. Nicotine pouches could be a satisfying alternative for smokers switching from conventional cigarettes. [Contrib. Tob. Nicotine Res. 32 (2023) 130–139]

Comparison of Antibiotic Coated Vicryl Vs Non-Coated Vicryl in Abdominal Fascial Closure After Laparotomy in Children

Objective: To compare the outcome of antibiotic-coated vicryl versus non-coated vicryl in abdominal fascial closure after laparotomy in children regarding surgical site infections in contaminated wounds. Material and Method: This randomized control study (NCT06129773) was conducted for one year at The Children's Hospital and University of Child Health Sciences, Lahore. According to the operational criteria, 100 patients were included in the research and randomly divided into two groups (50 patients in each Group). All patients were assessed for surgical site infection on the 3rd, 7th, and 30th postoperative days using the Southampton wound grading system. The student's t-test and Chi-square tests were applied in SPSS version 24 to interpret the associations between different variables. A P-value of &lt;0.05 was considered significant. Results: Both groups have similar demographic parameters like age and weight distribution. The mean age of the children in abdominal fascial closure with antibiotic-coated vicryl was 64.09±50.14 months, while in non-coated vicryl was 64.26± 53.45 months (p-value of 0.164). There was a male predominance in the study population, with 70 % males and 30 % females. The total surgical site infection (SSI) incidence following laparotomy was 37%. Surgical site infections occurred in 22% of patients in abdominal fascial closure with antibiotic-coated vicryl and 52% in the non-coated vicryl Group (p-value: 0.002). The hospital stay in the antibiotic-coated vicryl Group was significantly shorter than non-coated group. (4.20 versus 8.24 days. P- value: 0.001). Conclusions: The results of our study concluded that antibiotic-coated vicryl is superior to uncoated vicryl for abdominal fascial closure after laparotomy in contaminated wounds in children

The role of noise in denoising models for anomaly detection in medical images.

Pathological brain lesions exhibit diverse appearance in brain images, in terms of intensity, texture, shape, size, and location. Comprehensive sets of data and annotations are difficult to acquire. Therefore, unsupervised anomaly detection approaches have been proposed using only normal data for training, with the aim of detecting outlier anomalous voxels at test time. Denoising methods, for instance classical denoising autoencoders (DAEs) and more recently emerging diffusion models, are a promising approach, however naive application of pixelwise noise leads to poor anomaly detection performance. We show that optimization of the spatial resolution and magnitude of the noise improves the performance of different model training regimes, with similar noise parameter adjustments giving good performance for both DAEs and diffusion models. Visual inspection of the reconstructions suggests that the training noise influences the trade-off between the extent of the detail that is reconstructed and the extent of erasure of anomalies, both of which contribute to better anomaly detection performance. We validate our findings on two real-world datasets (tumor detection in brain MRI and hemorrhage/ischemia/tumor detection in brain CT), showing good detection on diverse anomaly appearances. Overall, we find that a DAE trained with coarse noise is a fast and simple method that gives state-of-the-art accuracy. Diffusion models applied to anomaly detection are as yet in their infancy and provide a promising avenue for further research. Code for our DAE model and coarse noise is provided at: https://github.com/AntanasKascenas/DenoisingAE.

Food-induced anaphylaxis during infancy is associated with later sleeping and eating disorders.

Accumulating evidence suggests that food-induced anaphylaxis (FIA) may induce different psychological disorders (PDs). In this study, we aimed to further evaluate the effect of FIA, specifically when occurring in early life, on subsequent PDs development. We conducted a population-based, retrospective, matched-cohort study of pediatric patients (age ≤ 18 years) treated at the "Clalit" healthcare organization during the period 2001-2021. Children diagnosed with FIA were propensity score-matched with patients without any allergies (controls) of similar demographic parameters. Associations between FIA and different PDs were examined by multivariable regression models. The cohorts comprised 545 FIA patients and 4514 controls. Most patients were <3 years old [87.6% of controls (N = 3955) and 87.3% of the FIA cohort (N = 476)]. In this age group, the major food allergens were cow's milk (N = 258; 54.2%), eggs (N = 60; 12.6%), and peanuts (N = 20; 4.2%). The multivariable regression model identified an association between FIA and any PDs (p < .001), sleeping disorders (p < .001), and eating disorders (p = .050). Kaplan-Meier curves revealed that patients who experienced FIA before 3 years of age had an increased cumulative risk over the follow-up time of developing any PDs, sleeping disorders, and eating disorders. FIA during the first 3 years of life increases the risk of later developing eating and sleeping disorders, which can last into adulthood. Further attention should be focused on accurately diagnosing these children.

Статистичний метод визначення параметрів поля зсувних напружень в площині ковзання в багатокомпонентному сплаві

A method has been developed in which atomic sizes misfit and elastic modulus misfit at crystal lattice nodes are considered as discrete random variables and the definition of their dispersion allows to obtain analytical expressions for standard deviations and correlation lengths of the short- and long-wave components of stochastic shear stress field created by solute atoms in the glide plane in a multicomponent alloy. This makes it possible to significantly reduce the amount of calculations when determining the shear stress field parameters. The developed method was applied to calculate these parameters for the CrCoNiFeMn alloy. The calculated parameters were well correlated with similar parameters determined from the analysis of shear stress distributions in the glide plane, which were calculated by the method of direct summation of solute atoms contributions. In addition, it was found that there are separate effective crystal lattice distortions for the short- and long-wave components that differ from the average distortion that was proposed earlier. This results from the fact that these components are determined by solute atoms with different distance from the glide plane. Effective distortion is greater, the greater this distance from the glide plane. In addition, there is no single empirical constant for all alloy to determine the yield strength as a function of their shear modulus and average distortion. But the proposed method makes it possible to determine the main parameters of the shear stress field in a specific multicomponent alloy. These parameters can be used to calculate the yield strength of this alloy. Keywords: shear stress, multicomponent alloy, glide plane, solid solution.

ИНТЕЛЛЕКТУАЛЬНЫЙ АНАЛИЗ КЛИМАТИЧЕСКИХ ПАРАМЕТРОВ ПОЧВЫ

This article presents an intelligent approach to the analysis of soil parameters using machine learning methods and statistical data analysis. Seasonal trends in changes in soil indicators were analyzed. The results of clustering revealed regions with similar parameters of humidity and air temperature. ARIMA and LSTM methods were used to predict the time series of soil moisture, light and air temperature parameters. An intelligent approach to the analysis of soil parameters demonstrates the effectiveness and prospects of using machine learning methods and data analysis in agriculture. Such an approach can be useful for improving land management, increasing crop yields and sustainable agricultural development. The study used the Python programming language, which has a rich set of libraries and modules for data analysis, which allows you to flexibly approach solving complex problems and create custom solutions that best suit the requirements of the project.

Gender and Racial Disparities in Risk and Outcomes of Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura Admissions: An Analysis of the National Inpatient Sample 2016-2019

Introduction: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare disorder associated with severe deficiency in ADAMTS13 leading to microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and end organ damage. The purpose of this study is to compare incidence and outcomes of TTP hospitalization between genders and races. Methods: We studied the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 2016 to 2019 for hospitalizations with the primary diagnosis of TTP. We fitted a multivariable logistic regression model to compare the risk of TTP amongst different races and genders. The model also accounted for age and comorbidities including solid or hematologic malignancies, history of thrombophilia, obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, chronic coronary artery disease, chronic liver disease, and chronic kidney disease. To compare mortality outcomes, we narrowed our analysis to TTP admissions only and fitted a multivariable logistic regression model with similar parameters. All reported confidence intervals were adjusted for multiplicity using the Bonferroni method. Results: A total of 7845 patients met the inclusion criteria of which 65.4% were female and 34.6% were males. The distribution of age and co-morbidities were different between the different racial groups. On adjusted analysis, females had higher rates of hospitalization due to TTP, with OR 1.32 (95% CI 1.24 to 1.41) compared to males, while there was no significant difference in mortality with OR 0.98 (95% CI 0.76 to 1.28). African American patients had significantly higher rates of hospitalization compared to Caucasian patients with OR of 3.62 (95% CI 3.38 to 3.88), followed by Asian and Hispanic patients respectively. Interestingly, the mortality in the African American patients was lower compared to Caucasian patients with OR of 0.74 (95% CI 0.55 to 0.98). There was no significant difference in mortality in other races. Conclusion: African American patients and females experienced significantly higher rates of hospitalization with TTP. However, African American patients experienced lower mortality. More research is needed to understand the cause behind these differences and modify our diagnostic and management to improve outcomes for patients with TTP.

The Simple prEservatioN of Single cElls method for cryopreservation enables the generation of single-cell immune profiles from whole blood.

Current multistep methods utilized for preparing and cryopreserving single-cell suspensions from blood samples for single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) are time-consuming, requiring trained personnel and special equipment, so limiting their clinical adoption. We developed a method, Simple prEservatioN of Single cElls (SENSE), for single-step cryopreservation of whole blood (WB) along with granulocyte depletion during single-cell assay, to generate high quality single-cell profiles (SCP). WB was cryopreserved using the SENSE method and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated and cryopreserved using the traditional density-gradient method (PBMC method) from the same blood sample (n=6). The SCPs obtained from both methods were processed using a similar pipeline and quality control parameters. Further, entropy calculation, differential gene expression, and cellular communication analysis were performed to compare cell types and subtypes from both methods. Highly viable (86.3 ± 1.51%) single-cell suspensions (22,353 cells) were obtained from the six WB samples cryopreserved using the SENSE method. In-depth characterization of the scRNA-seq datasets from the samples processed with the SENSE method yielded high-quality profiles of lymphoid and myeloid cell types which were in concordance with the profiles obtained with classical multistep PBMC method processed samples. Additionally, the SENSE method cryopreserved samples exhibited significantly higher T-cell enrichment, enabling deeper characterization of T-cell subtypes. Overall, the SENSE and PBMC methods processed samples exhibited transcriptional, and cellular communication network level similarities across cell types with no batch effect except in myeloid lineage cells. Comparative analysis of scRNA-seq datasets obtained with the two cryopreservation methods i.e., SENSE and PBMC methods, yielded similar cellular and molecular profiles, confirming the suitability of the former method's incorporation in clinics/labs for cryopreserving and obtaining high-quality single-cells for conducting critical translational research.

SH2B3 Mutations in Patients with JAK2-Negative Erythrocytosis

Introduction: Erythrocytosis is a common reason for referral to Hematology clinics. Molecular testing for JAK2 mutations, often by next-generation sequencing (NGS), has become part of the diagnostic workup of patients with erythrocytosis, increasing the molecular characterization of this previously undifferentiated patient population. A recent study (Bhai et al. 2022) found that 4% of patients referred for JAK2-negative erythrocytosis harboured variants in the SH2B3 gene, which encodes the LNK protein, a known negative regulator of JAK2/STAT5 signaling. The objective of this study was to characterize a cohort of patients with JAK2-negative erythrocytosis with SH2B3 mutations, evaluating clinical presentation, hematologic parameters, as well as cardiovascular and thrombotic outcomes. Methods: All adult patients referred to the London Health Sciences Centre, a tertiary care centre in Southwestern Ontario, for assessment of erythrocytosis (hemoglobin &amp;gt;160g/L in women; &amp;gt;165g/L in men) between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2022 and who underwent NGS testing were reviewed. NGS testing was performed using the Oncomine Myeloid Research Assay (Thermofisher Scientific, MA, USA). Patients with JAK2, CALR, MPL, or BCR::ABL1 mutations were excluded. Patients without JAK2 mutations ( JAK2-negative) with variants in SH2B3 were further characterized. Clinical variables included risk factors for secondary erythrocytosis and occurrence of arterial/venous thrombotic events. Laboratory variables included complete blood count and white cell differential. Results: Sixteen patients with JAK2-negative erythrocytosis met inclusion criteria with mutations in SH2B3. All mutations in SH2B3 were characterized as Tier III variants (Variants of Uncertain Significance). Laboratory and clinical parameters in this patient population are presented in Table 1. Mean hemoglobin was 181 g/L, hematocrit 0.54 L/L, leukocyte count 7.2 x10 9 cells/L, and platelets 229 x10 9 cells/L. Secondary causes of erythrocytosis were identified in 13 (81%) patients: 10 (63%) reported active smoking or had a smoking history, 4 (25%) had obstructive sleep apnea, 2 (13%) had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 1 (6%) had a right-to-left cardiac shunt, 4 (25%) were on an SGLT2 inhibitor, and 1 (6%) reported testosterone use. Of note, one patient had a history of stroke and another had a myocardial infarction both of which predated the development of erythrocytosis and NGS testing. One patient had a recurrent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) at the time of NGS testing. Full molecular data and comparative analysis with other cases of JAK2-negative erythrocytosis will be presented at ASH. Discussion: SH2B3 mutations have been identified in rare cases of congenital erythrocytosis and implicated in the pathogenesis of erythropoiesis. To our knowledge, this is the largest cohort of patients with JAK2-negative erythrocytosis with variants in SH2B3 reported to date. This cohort showed similar laboratory parameters and prevalence of secondary risk factors for erythrocytosis as previously reported in the general population of patients with JAK2-negative erythrocytosis at our centre (Chin-Yee et al. 2022). Thrombotic outcomes were also similar, and lower than patients with polycythemia vera. Given the high prevalence of potential secondary causes of erythrocytosis in our cohort we cannot confirm that SH2B3 mutations are causally implicated in elevated hemoglobin in these cases. Nonetheless, we cannot exclude that SH2B3 variants may confer an additional risk factor for erythrocytosis in this patient population. Further research is required to elucidate the potential impact of SH2B3 variants in patients with JAK2-negative erythrocytosis.

Ultra-low tidal volume ventilation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation shows no mitigating effect on pulmonary end-organ damage compared to standard ventilation: insights from a porcine model

ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine whether ultra-low tidal volume ventilation (ULTVV) applied during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) compared with standard ventilation (intermittent positive pressure ventilation, IPPV) can reduce pulmonary end-organ damage in the post-resuscitation period.MethodsA prospective, randomized trial was conducted using a porcine model (n = 45). The animals were divided into three groups: IPPV, ULTVV, and a sham control group. Juvenile male pigs underwent CPR after inducing ventricular fibrillation and received the designated ventilation intervention [IPPV: tidal volume 6–8 ml per kilogram body weight (ml/kg BW), respiratory rate 10/min, FiO2 1.0; ULTVV: tidal volume 2–3 ml/kg BW, respiratory rate 50/min, FiO2 1.0]. A 20-h observation period followed if return of spontaneous circulation was achieved. Histopathological examination using the diffuse alveolar damage scoring system was performed on postmortem lung tissue samples. Arterial and venous blood gas analyses and ventilation/perfusion measurements via multiple inert gas elimination technique (MIGET) were repeatedly recorded during the experiment.ResultsOut of the 45 experiments conducted, 28 animals were excluded based on predefined criteria. Histopathological analysis showed no significant differences in lung damage between the ULTVV and IPPV groups. ULTVV demonstrated adequate oxygenation and decarboxylation. MIGET measurements during and after resuscitation revealed no significant differences between the intervention groups.ConclusionIn the short-term follow-up phase, ULTVV demonstrated similar histopathological changes and functional pulmonary parameters compared to standard ventilation. Further research is needed to investigate the long-term effects and clinical implications of ULTVV in resuscitation settings.

Characterization of Italian honeys: integrating volatile and physico-chemical data

This article focuses on the comprehensive characterization of Italian honeys using various physico-chemical analyses and their volatile organic compounds (VOCs) fingerprint obtained through the PTR-ToF-MS technology. Honey characteristics, including pH, electrical conductivity, moisture content, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), and sugar content, were analyzed to assess their quality and origin. Honey samples from different flowers, including acacia, chestnut, citrus, linden, and multifloral, were collected and investigated. Furthermore, a few aged honeys were collected and analyzed and compared with the fresh ones. Physico-chemical analysis revealed that chestnut honey is characterized by high pH and EC values. Acacia honey has a higher fructose content, while aging appears to influence HMF levels, a vital indicator of honey quality, with aged samples exhibiting significant increases in HMF content. The VOC profiles have been found to vary among different honey types, suggesting that VOCs could be used as indicators of honey origin. Multivariate statistical analyses, such as partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), have been applied to the VOCs data to differentiate honey types based on their volatile profiles. Acacia honey exhibited different physicochemical parameters but on the contrary, in the VOCs analysis, it displayed similarities with the linden honey due to their shared low emissions of volatile compounds. Citrus honey had similar chemical parameters to linden and multifloral honeys, but its distinctive VOCs emission allowed for a more accurate identification. In conclusion, the analysis performed with the PTR-ToF-MS was successful in obtaining specific volatile fingerprints of those samples and was effective for improving the characterization of honeys.

Baseline characteristics from a 3-year longitudinal study to phenotype subjects with COPD: the FOOTPRINTS study

BackgroundFOOTPRINTS® is a prospective, longitudinal, 3-year study assessing the association between biomarkers of inflammation/lung tissue destruction and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) severity and progression in ex-smokers with mild-to-severe COPD. Here, we present baseline characteristics and select biomarkers of study subjects.MethodsThe methodology of FOOTPRINTS® has been published previously. The study population included ex-smokers with a range of COPD severities (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease [GOLD] stages 1–3), ex-smokers with COPD and alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (A1ATD) and a control group of ex-smokers without airflow limitation (EwAL). At study entry, data were collected for: demographics, disease characteristics, history of comorbidities and COPD exacerbations, symptoms, lung function and volume, exercise capacity, soluble biomarkers, and quantitative and qualitative computed tomography. Baseline data are presented with descriptive statistical comparisons for soluble biomarkers in the individual GOLD and A1ATD groups versus EwAL.ResultsIn total, 463 subjects were enrolled. The per-protocol set comprised 456 subjects, mostly male (64.5%). The mean (standard deviation) age was 60.7 (6.9) years. At baseline, increasing pulmonary symptoms, worse lung function, increased residual volume, reduced diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLco) and greater prevalence of centrilobular emphysema were observed with increasing disease severity amongst GOLD 1–3 subjects. Subjects with A1ATD (n = 19) had similar lung function parameters to GOLD 2–3 subjects, a high residual volume comparable to GOLD 3 subjects, and similar air trapping to GOLD 2 subjects. Compared with EwAL (n = 61), subjects with A1ATD had worse lung function, increased residual volume, reduced DLco, and a greater prevalence of confluent or advanced destructive emphysema. The soluble inflammatory biomarkers white blood cell count, fibrinogen, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and plasma surfactant protein were higher in GOLD 1–3 groups than in the EwAL group. Interleukin-6 was expressed less often in EwAL subjects compared with subjects in the GOLD and A1ATD groups. Soluble receptor for advanced glycation end product was lowest in GOLD 3 subjects, indicative of more severe emphysema.ConclusionsThese findings provide context for upcoming results from FOOTPRINTS®, which aims to establish correlations between biomarkers and disease progression in a representative COPD population.Trial registration number: NCT02719184, study start date 13/04/2016.