Time Research Articles

Software solution for integration of frozen section quality assurance into daily practice.

Diagnoses rendered using the frozen section (FS) technique during surgical procedures are used to guide intraoperative decisions. Therefore, diagnostic FS errors have the potential to affect patient safety and quality of care. Diagnostic FS errors arise due to both technical and interpretative factors and present a challenge to surgical pathology laboratories to recognize, document, and manage in a timely fashion. Thus, there is a need to monitor discrepancies between FS and permanent diagnoses and effectively communicate with the clinical teams when an error is discovered to ensure an opportunity for timely interventions, if clinically indicated. Our FS practice is complex, with many contributing variables, such as a partially generalized FS pathology practice model among pathology faculty and/or surgeons with specific subspecialty expertise and different physical locations of FS facilities. We implemented a comprehensive frozen section quality assurance (FSQA) program using custom software solutions aimed at improving patient safety by monitoring recognition, increasing documentation, and facilitating communication in cases where there is a discordance between intraoperative and permanent diagnoses. Our FSQA program allows for categorizing frozen section discrepancies according to the source of error, such as interpretive vs technical errors, to understand how errors arise and todevelop appropriate mitigation strategies for reducing errors. Overall, our intervention to improve FSQA has engaged pathology faculty in a uniform and systematic manner, and our data show that our new FSQA program led to a markedly shortened time interval of FSQA, allowing for timely management and resolution of errors.

Optimal liquidation with conditions on minimum price

The classical optimal trading problem is the closure of a position in an asset over a time interval; the trader maximizes the expected revenues under the constraint that the position be closed by terminal time. Since the asset price is stochastic, the liquidation constraint is too restrictive; the trader may want to relax it or slow down/stop trading depending on price behavior. We consider two additional parameters that serve these purposes within the Almgren-Chriss framework: a binary valued process that prescribes when trading takes place and a set that prescribes when full liquidation is required. The permanent price impact parameter enters the problem as the negative part of the terminal cost. A terminal cost that can take negative values implies that the BSDE associated with the value function of the control problem can explode backward in time and that existence results on solutions of BSDE with singular terminal values are not directly applicable. When liquidation costs are quadratic, the problem is convex and, under a general filtration, the minimal supersolution of the BSDE gives the value function and the optimal control. For the non-quadratic case, we assume a stochastic Markovian volatility model. These give PDE/PDE-system representations for the value functions.

Article Retraction in Otolaryngology Journals: A Thirty Year Analysis.

To gain insight into the integrity of research in Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery (OHNS) literature through characterising retracted articles, analysing the reason for their retraction, and the trends in the collected data. Pubmed, Embase, and Retraction Watch Database were queried for retracted articles published between the dates of 1/31/92 and 9/30/22. Articles with titles relating to OHNS subjects and published in OHNS journals, as determined by Scimago Journal and Country Ranking, were selected for further analysis. Variables recorded included journal name, journal impact factor, article type, article subspecialty subject, reason for retraction, whether re-published, number of authors, time to retraction, and article citations. Based on title and article content, 245 articles related to the field of OHNS were identified, of which 68 were published in OHNS journals and analysed for reason of retraction. Of those, 16 (23.5%) were replaced due to erratum concerns (spelling, formatting, etc.) rather than content or data-related issues and were excluded. Among the 52 (76.5%) permanent retractions the most common reasons for retraction include article duplication (n = 26), concerns/issues/errors with data (n = 7), and plagiarism (n = 5). The median time between publication and retraction was 2 years (range, 0-19). The median impact factor was 1.64 (range, 0.08-4.68). The median number of citations per article was 7 (range, 0-86). Retractions continue to occur in the field of OHNS despite increasing education in ethical publication standards and safeguards. There are, however, improved time intervals to retraction indicating improved surveillance of published articles.

Impact of Acute Energy Drink Consumption on Heart Rate Variability in Children and Adolescents. A Randomized Trial.

The EDUCATE study investigated the acute impact of energy drink (ED) consumption on heart rate variability (HRV) in children and adolescents, with a focus on how these stimulant-rich beverages influence cardiac autonomic function. Given the popularity of EDs among young people, this study assessed the immediate cardiovascular response to ED intake. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial involved 26 healthy participants aged 10-18 years. Each participant consumed a weight-adjusted ED or placebo in two separate test sessions. HRV was monitored via a 24-h Holter ECG, with analysis centered on time-domain measures, such as the standard deviation of normal RR intervals (SDNN) and root-mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), along with frequency-domain metrics. Statistical analysis included a two-way repeated-measures ANOVA to examine the effects of "beverage" and "time." The study revealed a significant increase in the SDNN in the ED group within the first hour post-consumption, with a mean difference of 17.692 ms compared with that in the placebo group (SDNN: ED = 133.346 ± 50.217ms vs. placebo = 115.654 ± 47.583ms, p = 0.023). However, no significant differences in the SDNN were observed in the subsequent time intervals (60-240min). In addition, frequency-domain parameters, such as total power, RMSSD, LF, HF, and the LF/HF ratio, showed no significant changes across the four-hour observation period, indicating that sympathetic activation was transient. The findings suggest that ED consumption in children and adolescents leads to a temporary increase in autonomic activity, marked by elevated SDNN, without lasting dysregulation. While the cardiovascular effects are brief, acute sympathetic activation underscores the need for regulated ED intake among minors. Further studies are recommended to explore the long-term effects of regular ED consumption on cardiovascular health in youth.

DMMR status and synchronous lesions predicts metachronous lesions after curative resection for rectal cancer.

There are no established standard colonoscopy surveillance protocols for patients after curative rectal cancer resection. We investigated the predictive factors for colorectal neoplasms during surveillance colonoscopies to identify patients who are at risk of developing metachronous neoplasms in the residual colorectum. This was a single-center, retrospective study that included patients with diagnosis of rectal carcinoma who had undergone curative resection from October 2012 to June 2018. Clinicopathological variables were analyzed by logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors independently associated with metachronous neoplasms in patients that underwent curative rectal cancer surgery. In all, 554 patients were included in the analysis. Deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) status was recorded in 20 (3.6%) patients. At the surveillance colonoscopies, 118 patients (21.3%) had metachronous neoplasms while 169 patients (30.5%) had metachronous polyps. The median time interval between index colonoscopy and the last surveillance colonoscopy was 736.5 (476.75-1,082.25) days. Univariable and multivariable analysis showed dMMR status, synchronous adenomas/polyps, surveillance time > 3, and longer surveillance period patients were significant risk factors for development of metachronous lesions; in subgroup analysis, we also found that among rectal cancer patients with synchronous adenomas, adenomas located in the left colon and rectum, and longer surveillance period were independent risk factors for detecting metachronous adenomas. This study underscored the importance of extended follow-up protocols and targeted surveillance for identifying and managing metachronous lesions in dMMR rectal cancer patients, especially with synchronous adenomas. Further prospective, multicenter studies are needed to validate these results.

Results of the Latin American Pediatric Oncology Group (GALOP-2011) Trial for Patients With Localized Ewing Sarcoma: A Multicentric Study of Interval-Compressed Multiagent Chemotherapy.

GALOP investigators developed a prospective cooperative protocol for localized Ewing sarcoma (ES) incorporating interval-compressed chemotherapy (VDC/IE, vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide/ifosfamide and etoposide). After completing conventional treatment, patients were randomized to 1year of metronomic chemotherapy (vinblastine and cyclophosphamide). Phase III randomized prospective trial. Induction consisted of six alternating cycles of VDC/IE every 14days, followed by local control, and eight cycles of consolidation every 21days. After consolidation, patients were randomized 1:1 to metronomic chemotherapy or stop treatment, balanced by age (>/<14years-old), sex (M/F), site (pelvic/non-pelvic), and size (>/<8cm). The results of randomization will be published elsewhere with longer follow-up. Between 2011 and 2019, 315 patients (59.7% male, median age 11.0years) were recruited across 34 centers in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay. The most frequent localizations were axial (45.1%), extremity (38.1%), and pelvic (16.8%). The median time interval between cycles was 19 and 22days at induction and consolidation, respectively. There were no unexpected toxicity or toxic deaths related to interval compression. The overall response rate post-induction was 81.6%. Local treatment with surgery (50.8%), radiotherapy (19.7%), or a combination (26%) was performed in 304 (96.5%) patients. With a median follow-up of 50months (range: 1.67-121.7), the 5-year overall and event-free survivals were 68.6% (SE: 0.030) and 63.7% (SE: 0.029), respectively. Implementation of a multi-institutional protocol with the strategy of interval-compressed induction for ES in South America was feasible with favorable results. This success is attributed to rigorous protocol adherence, extensive educational efforts, and a strong emphasis on data quality maintenance, demonstrating a reproducible model for countries with similar resource limitations.

Timing for a surgically safe and oncologically prompt pancreatoduodenectomy after preoperative biliary drainage in patients with bile duct cancer.

Preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) is commonly performed in patients with bile duct cancer (BDC). However, data regarding the timing of pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) after PBD are insufficient. This study aimed to investigate the optimal timing for surgically and oncologically safe PD after PBD. Data of patients who underwent PD for BDC between 2018 and 2020 were reviewed. Risk factor analysis was performed to determine clinical associations of PBD with surgical and survival outcomes. Dose-response curves were plotted to indicate the effect of the time interval between PBD and PD on each outcome. A total of 109 patients underwent PBD before surgery. In multivariable analysis, PD after 20 days of PBD was significantly associated with improved survival after adjusting for other risk factors (hazard ratio 0.119, 95% confidence interval 0.028-0.5000; P = 0.004). Dose-response graphs showed that rates of postoperative complications and survival were lower when PD was performed around 20 days after PBD. In BDC patients, the rate of postoperative complications was lower with fair survival outcomes when PD was performed around 20 days after PBD. A large-scale, prospective study is needed to investigate surgical and oncological effects of PBD in BDC patients.

Ethnic-racial discrimination, identity, and out-group contact in context: A systematic review of daily process studies.

Understanding how ethnicity and race shape individuals' everyday experiences in context is critical for advancing scientific rigor and addressing ethnic-racial inequities. Daily process studies (e.g., experience-sampling method, ecological momentary assessment, daily diary methods) offer unique utility for studying ethnic-racial discrimination (ERD), ethnic-racial identity, and ethnic-racial out-group contact. The goals of this systematic review were to (a) summarize novel contributions of research using daily process designs to understand these ethnic-racial-related processes in everyday life, and (b) inform avenues for future research directions using daily process approaches to understand everyday ethnic-racial experiences and their implications for health and well-being. We identified a total of 97 studies from 77 unique study samples that used daily process approaches to measure ERD (52 studies), ethnic-racial identity (33 studies), and ethnic-racial out-group contact (22 studies). Novel contributions of daily process studies include enhancing external validity by centering individuals' everyday experiences as they go about typical life routines; using time-lagged approaches to test directionality of effects; and identifying within-person variability as a function of social context, individual differences, and time interval. Our recommendations for advancing integrative daily process studies of ethnic-racial experiences and identity are to include measures of multiple ethnic-racial-related constructs to understand their interrelations and interactions and broaden the representation of study samples in this research (e.g., ethnic-racial backgrounds, developmental periods, regional contexts). Despite limitations (e.g., missing data), daily process approaches offer considerable promise for advancing research on the dynamics and consequences of ERD, identity, and out-group contact in context. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

An investigation into cleaning quality of suction-type metal lumen instruments: a cross-sectional study

The highest unqualified cleaning rate of suction-type lumen instruments is a major challenge for a central sterile supply department (CSSD). However, A few comprehensive studies have analyzed the main factors affecting cleaning quality. In response, this study aimed to explore the current state and the factors affecting the cleaning quality of reused suction-type metal lumen instruments in CSSD. The results revealed that the qualified cleaning rates determined by the 5x magnifier visual inspection with light source method, OB reagent method, and ATP bioluminescence detection method were 94.2%, 72.6%, and 60.5%, respectively. The results also showed a significant difference between the three methods (X2 = 60.293, P < 0.001). Meanwhile, the binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the time interval between instrument recycling and cleaning, pollution level, pretreatment soaking time, cleaning technique, and the presence of visible bloodstains or dirt after pretreatment are independent risk factors that influence the cleaning quality of suction-type metal lumen instruments. Based on these results, the cleaning quality of suction-type metal lumen instruments needs further improvement.

A Rigorous Integrator and Global Existence for Higher-Dimensional Semilinear Parabolic PDEs via Semigroup Theory

In this paper, we introduce a general constructive method to compute solutions of initial value problems of semilinear parabolic partial differential equations on hyper-rectangular domains via semigroup theory and computer-assisted proofs. Once a numerical candidate for the solution is obtained via a finite dimensional projection, Chebyshev series expansions are used to solve the linearized equations about the approximation from which a solution map operator is constructed. Using the solution operator (which exists from semigroup theory), we define an infinite dimensional contraction operator whose unique fixed point together with its rigorous bounds provide the local inclusion of the solution. Applying this technique for multiple time steps leads to constructive proofs of existence of solutions over long time intervals. As applications, we study the 3D/2D Swift–Hohenberg, where we combine our method with explicit constructions of trapping regions to prove global existence of solutions of initial value problems converging asymptotically to nontrivial equilibria. A second application consists of the 2D Ohta–Kawasaki equation, providing a framework for handling derivatives in nonlinear terms.

Investigating the preventive effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields on glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in rats

The use of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) has demonstrated effectiveness in the management of femoral head osteonecrosis as well as nonunion fractures; however, the effects of PEMF on preventing glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) have not been extensively studied. The aim of this investigation was to explore the effectiveness of PEMF stimulation in averting GIOP in rats and uncover the potential fundamental mechanisms involved. A total of seventy-two adult male Wistar rats composed the experimental group and were subsequently assigned to three groups for treatment. (1) On the first day (day 0), 24 rats in the PEMF group were intravenously injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at a concentration of 10 μg/kg. This was followed by intramuscular injections of methylprednisolone acetate (MPSL) at a dose of 20 mg/kg for the subsequent three days (days 1–3). Subsequently, the rats were exposed to PEMF for 4 h daily, with the duration varying from 1 to 8 weeks. (2) Adhering to the injection schedule of the PEMF group, the MPSL group (consisting of 24 rats) was administered LPS and MPSL, omitting PEMF stimulation. (3) The PS group (n = 24) was administered injections of 0.9% saline solution in an identical manner and at the same time intervals as the other two groups. At 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after the last MPSL (or saline) injection, bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC), and the expression levels of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) mRNA and protein in the proximal femur were measured. Analysis of the PS and PEMF groups at 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after the final saline (or MPSL) injection revealed no statistically significant differences in BMD or BMC (P > 0.05). From weeks 2 through 8, the MPSL group rats displayed a marked decrease in BMD and BMC compared to those of the PS group, and at the 4-week and 8-week time points, these values were significantly lower than those of the PEMF group (P < 0.05). Compared with those in the MPSL and PS groups, the expression levels of BMP-2 mRNA markedly increased after PEMF treatment, peaking one week later and sustaining a heightened state for four weeks, but decreased only at the eighth week. Conversely, BMP-2 protein expression exhibited a similar upward trend, peaking two weeks after PEMF treatment and then remaining elevated for the subsequent eight weeks. PEMF stimulation has been shown to have prophylactic potential against GIOP in rats, possibly through the upregulation expression of BMP-2 expression.

Dynamics of biologically active compounds and antioxidant activity of coffee during cold extraction at different temperatures

Introduction. Cold brewing is a relatively new method of preparing coffee. The goal research was to study the dynamics of biologically active compounds and antioxidant activity during cold extraction of coffee using Arabica coffee sold on the Russian consumer market. The Methods. Extraction was carried out for 24 hours in two versions differing in the temperature of the water for extraction (+20 °C and +4 °C). At different time intervals (5 minutes, 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 hours) the following were determined in the extracts: spectrophotometrically for caffeine content, the amount of chlorogenic acids, phenolic compounds; antioxidant activity by the coulometric method. The coffee extract brewed in a French press for 5 minutes using the hot method served as a control sample. The Results. The main part of biologically active compounds passed into the extract after 6 and 12 hours when using water at a temperature of +20 °C and +4 °C for extraction, respectively, constituting more than 90 and 95 % of their total amount extracted in 24 hours. At the same time, their antioxidant activity was only 83.89 and 87.45 %. The content of biologically active compounds and the antioxidant activity of the extracts reached or exceeded the control after 24 hours of extraction. In drinks prepared for 6 and 24 hours (water temperature +20 °C) and 12 and 24 hours (water temperature +4 °C), soluble dry substances, pH, titratable acidity, and brown color intensity were additionally determined. At a higher temperature, coffee acquires a bitter taste during 24 hours of extraction, which reduces its organoleptic assessment. The Conclusion. To form optimal organoleptic and antioxidant properties when preparing Arabica coffee using cold brewing method, water at a temperature of +20 °C and +4 °C can be used with an extraction time of 6 and 24 hours, respectively.

Impact of Earthquakes During COVID-19 Lockdown on the Pediatric Injury Pattern in the Zagreb Urban Area.

Background/Objectives: Previous works on the epidemiology of pediatric trauma during the COVID-19 lockdown observed a decrease in pediatric surgical emergency consultations and fracture referrals. None of those works describes a unique situation in which there is the coexistence of another opposing factor, like an earthquake, that influences the number of injured children's referrals. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the influence of earthquakes during the COVID-19 lockdown on pediatric injury pattern referrals at a tertiary care hospital in a urban setting. Methods: A retrospective single-center case-control study comprised a time interval at the time of the COVID-19 lockdown, starting with a day when the biggest earthquake happened and finishing at the end of the confinement period in Zagreb, Croatia (22 March-27 April 2020). The control group comprised the identical time interval in 2019. We identified all successive pediatric trauma patients referred to the Pediatric Emergency Department. Demographics and leading injury characteristics were analyzed. Results: We analyzed data from 1166 patients. In the case group, the median age was lower than in the control group but without gender differences. We detected a decrease in Pediatric Emergency Department referrals and a reduced proportion of pediatric trauma patients in the case group. Additionally, the proportion of shoulder/elbow injuries and head injuries was higher, and the proportion of foot/ankle injuries was lower in the case period than in the control period. Conclusions: Earthquakes during the COVID-19 lockdown changed the pattern of pediatric injuries. These data can be used to restructure health resources during similar conditions to provide optimal health care to children.

Cyclist safety assessment using autonomous vehicles.

Proactive and holistic safety management approaches should consider multi-modal crash risk. Cyclist crash risk should be prioritized given the high-severity of vehicle-cyclist crashes. Cyclist crash risk is difficult to quantify given the sparse nature of cyclist collisions and collisions in general. There is thus a need to develop a more proactive approach for multi-modal road-safety management by leveraging new technologies. This study proposes a conflict-based methodology to estimate cyclist crash risk using autonomous vehicle data, extrapolating from observed conflicts to real-time dynamic crash risk. Using 87hours of data from an autonomous vehicle dataset from downtown Boston (nuPlan), traffic conflicts were identified. A Bayesian Hierarchical Extreme Value model was created representing driver and cyclist crash risk over short time intervals. This allows for identifying the real-time crash risk of various intersections and mid-blocks, enabling route-level safety metrics. The spatiotemporal characteristics of crash risk were examined in this study. Routes with cyclist facilities were found to be safer for cyclists, on average, than those with shared facilities. However, substantial fluctuations in crash risk were observed at different time intervals, with the shared facilities sometimes being safer than those with painted or buffered bicycle lanes. This highlights the need for real-time safety monitoring. At the user-level, a safest route application was also proposed, allowing for an impedance function to be developed based on real-time crash risk and the comparison of any number of nodes and links along a particular route.

Bias in Discontinuous Elevational Transects for Tracking Species Range Shifts.

Climate change is compelling species to seek refuge at higher elevations and latitudes. While researchers commonly study these migrations using discontinuous elevational transects, this methodology may introduce significant biases into our understanding of species movement. These potential biases could lead to flawed biodiversity conservation policies if left unexamined. To address this concern, we utilized species distribution data from a novel continuous elevational transect to evaluate the accuracy of discontinuous transect methods. Our analysis focused on how quadrat spacing and survey time intervals affect bias in estimating species range shifts. The results were striking: the widely used settings for discontinuous transects failed to detect 7.2% of species, inaccurately estimated shift distances for 78% of species, and produced an overall error rate of 86%. Wider quadrat spacing increased these error rates, while longer survey intervals generally reduced them. Moreover, discontinuous transects consistently underestimated species shift distances, with this underestimation becoming more pronounced over longer survey periods. Our pioneering assessment of bias in discontinuous elevational transects demonstrates that a 50 m quadrat spacing combined with a 60-year survey interval optimizes monitoring species range shifts for conservation planning. This baseline protocol could be further strengthened through supplementary, frequent surveys targeting high-elevation species-a strategic approach that maximizes accuracy while maintaining cost-effectiveness.

Speak and you shall predict: evidence that speech at initial cocaine abstinence is a biomarker of long-term drug use behavior.

Valid scalable biomarkers for predicting longitudinal clinical outcomes in psychiatric research are crucial for optimizing intervention and prevention efforts. Here we recorded spontaneous speech from initially abstinent individuals with cocaine use disorder (iCUD) for use in predicting drug use outcomes. At baseline, 88 iCUD provided 5-minute speech samples describing the positive consequences of quitting drug use and negative consequences of using drugs. Outcomes, including withdrawal, craving, abstinence days, and recent cocaine use, were assessed at three-month intervals up to one year (57 iCUD included in analyses). Predictive modeling compared natural language processing (NLP) techniques, specifically sentence embeddings with established inventories as targets, with models utilizing standard demographic and baseline psychometric variables. At short time intervals, maximal predictive power was obtained with non-NLP models that also incorporated the same drug use measures (as the outcomes) obtained at baseline, potentially reflecting their slow rate of change, which could be estimated by linear functions. However, for longer-term predictions, speech samples alone demonstrated statistically significant results, with Spearman r ≥ 0.46 and 80% accuracy for predicting abstinence. Hence speech samples may capture non-linear dynamics over extended intervals more effectively than traditional measures. These results need to be replicated in larger and independent samples. Compared to the common outcome measures used in clinical trials, speech-based measures could be leveraged as better predictors of longitudinal drug use outcomes in initially abstinent iCUD, as potentially generalizable to other subgroups with cocaine addiction, and to additional substance use disorders and related comorbidity.

Differences in Characteristics of Peripartum Patients Who Did and Did Not Require an Upgrade to the Intensive Care Unit: A Propensity Score Matching Study.

Background and Objectives: This study sought to identify predictors for peripartum patients admitted to non-intensive care wards who later upgraded to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective observational study of patients admitted to the Maternal Fetal Ward between 01/2017 and 12/2022, who later upgraded to the ICU. Upgraded patients were 1:1 propensity score matched with those who remained on the Maternal Fetal Ward (control). The Classification And Regression Tree, a machine learning algorithm, was used to identify significant predictors of ICU upgrade. Multivariable ordinal regression analysis was used to assess the time interval to upgrade. Results: From 1855 peripartum patients, we analyzed 37 control and 34 upgrade patients. Mean maternal age (±Standard Deviation) and gestational age for the group was 29.5 (±5.8) years and 31.5 (±7.5) weeks, respectively. The Median Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score [Interquartile] at ward admission for the controls was 0 [0-1] versus 2 [0-3.3, p = 0.001] for upgrade patients. The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score at Maternal Fetal Ward admission was most predictive, followed by the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score, and lactate dehydrogenase levels. The APACHE II score was also associated with ICU upgrade within 12 h of hospital admission (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.08-1.91, p = 0.01). Conclusions: Compared to control patients, peripartum patients upgraded to the ICU are associated with higher physiologic scores at Maternal Fetal Ward admission. Until further studies are performed to confirm our observation, clinicians should pay attention to these physiologic scores, since they may be associated with higher-risk patients.

Autophagy serves as a protective effect against inflammatory injury of oxidative stress in ARPE-19 cell.

To test the effect of autophagy on inflammatory damage resulting from oxidative stress in adult retinal pigment epithelial cell line (ARPE-19). ARPE-19 cells were pretreated with 200 and 600 µmol/L hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at various time intervals. The changes of cell morphology, cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, autophagic activity, and the inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-6, and TGFβ) were measured at baseline and after treatment with autophagy inducer rapamycin (Rapa) and suppressor wortmannin (Wort) or shATG5. The levels of ROS, cytokines (TNFα, IL-6, and TGFβ), and autophagic activity were significantly increased in ARPE-19 cells after pretreated with H2O2 (all P<0.05) and IL-10 was significantly decreased (P<0.05). By upregulating autophagy, Rapa significantly reduced oxidative stress-induced secretion of pro-inflammatory factors (TNFα and IL-6) and ROS (all P<0.05), yet elevated the production of TGFβ (P<0.05). In contrast, suppression of autophagy through Wort or ATG5 knockdown reduced cell viability, increased cell apoptotic rate, and exacerbated the generation of ROS and inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-6, and TGFβ; all P<0.05). Autophagy demonstrates a protective effect on ARPE-19 cell through mitigating oxidative damage and oxidative stress-induced inflammatory response. Regulation of autophagy may be a potential way for age-related macular degeneration.

Analysis of co-seismic ionospheric disturbance of the Qinghai Mw 7.4 earthquake on May 21, 2021

ABSTRACT In this study, the total electron content (TEC) was extracted from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data provided by the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China (CMONOC). The ionospheric disturbances related to the Qinghai earthquake on 21 May 2021 were analysed. Significant coseismic ionospheric disturbances (CIDs) were observed near the earthquake epicentre. To further investigate the propagation characteristics of ionospheric anomalies associated with this earthquake, the epicentral area was divided into eight regions, each corresponding to a 45° sector, to analyse the characteristics of ionospheric disturbances. Firstly, based on the spatial and temporal characteristics of the slant total electron content, different degrees of ionospheric disturbances were identified at various time intervals after the earthquake. Secondly, the earthquake generated two types of coseismic ionospheric disturbances at the epicentre. The first type, with velocities of approximately 1.4 km s− 1, 1.8 km s− 1, and 1.0 km s− 1, were triggered by acoustic waves generated by the ground surface rupture induced by the earthquake. The second type, with velocities of about 0.8 km s− 1, represented another form of ionospheric disturbance induced by acoustic waves from the ground surface rupture. Thirdly, the ionospheric anomaly was most pronounced within the 90°–135° sector relative to the epicentre, corresponding to the southeast direction from the epicentre. Finally, based on the data from 15 GNSS stations at the epicentre, the coseismic deformation displacement of the earthquake was determined, with a maximum displacement of 0.24 m, and the leptokurtic slip characteristics of the earthquake were revealed.

Femoral neck system (FNS) versus 4 cannulated compression screws (CCSs) in the treatment of young patients with Pauwels type III femoral neck fracture: a retrospective comparative study

ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of the femoral neck system (FNS) compared to four cannulated compression screws (CCSs) for managing Pauwels type III femoral neck fractures in young patients.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on young patients with Pauwels type III femoral neck fractures treated at our hospital from January 2021 to December 2022. Patients were categorized into two groups based on their respective internal fixation methods: the FNS group (32 cases) and the CCSs group (41 cases). Various demographic and clinical variables, including age, gender, fracture side, mechanism of injury, Garden classification, and time interval between injury and surgery, were collected. Comparisons were made between the two groups regarding operative duration, intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay, hospitalization expenses, time to fracture healing, and Harris hip score at one year post-surgery. Additionally, postoperative complications such as wound infections, nonunion, femoral neck shortening, avascular necrosis of the femoral head, and hardware failure were analyzed. Follow-up duration ranged from 12 to 24 months for all patients.ResultsThere were no significant differences between the FNS and CCSs groups in terms of demographic characteristics, fracture characteristics, time to fracture healing, duration of hospital stay, and Harris hip score at one year post-surgery (p > 0.05). However, the CCSs group exhibited significantly shorter operative time, reduced intraoperative blood loss, and lower hospitalization costs compared to the FNS group (p < 0.05). Patients treated with FNS had longer operative durations (82.33 ± 28.85 min vs. 66.58 ± 14.38 min, p = 0.006), higher blood loss (106.67 ± 65.83 mLvs.70.00 ± 27.39 mL, p < 0.001), and increased hospitalization expenses (58,345.98 ± 3706.57 RMB vs. 35,427.63 ± 3019.30 RMB, p < 0.0001). The incidence of postoperative complications was 21.8% in the FNS group and 26.8% in the CCSs group (p > 0.05), with no significant differences observed in the rates of wound infections, femoral neck shortening, femoral head necrosis, nonunion, and hardware failure between the two groups (p > 0.05).ConclusionIn the management of Pauwels type III femoral neck fractures in young patients, FNS demonstrates clinical efficacy comparable to CCSs. However, considering factors such as operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and hospitalization costs, CCSs may be preferred.