Application Value Research Articles

The role of perceived value, trust, and characteristics of mobile banking applications in shaping continuance intention: evidence from Saudi Arabia

The role of perceived value, trust, and characteristics of mobile banking applications in shaping continuance intention: evidence from Saudi Arabia

Clinical application and prognostic value of computed tomography examination in foals diagnosed with osteomyelitis: Forty-four cases.

Computed tomography (CT) is increasingly recognized as superior to conventional imaging methods for diagnosing osteomyelitis in foals. However, comprehensive studies in this area are limited. This study aims to report on clinical cases of osteomyelitis in foals, establishing a relationship between CT findings and survival outcomes. Additionally, it compares CT imaging with conventional methods such as radiography and ultrasound. We hypothesized that CT variables would more accurately predict survival than other clinical factors and provide more detailed information about osteomyelitis lesions. This retrospective study included foals presenting at a single equine referral hospital between July 2019 and December 2022. Inclusion criteria were: (1) foals less than 9 months of age, (2) presumptive clinical diagnosis of osteomyelitis, and (3) CT examination for further evaluation. Forty-four foals met the criteria; 29 (66%) survived to discharge, and 23 (55%) had long-term survival. Key variables associated with survival included joint collapse (P=.011, OR, 0.054, 95% CI, 0.006-0.506) and lesions in multiple locations (P=.015, OR, 0.19, 95% CI, 0.05-0.7). In 93% of cases, CT examination modified the diagnosis, revealing improved lesion localization (72%), lesion size (76%), or detecting additional lesions (45%). Common lesions involved the axial and proximal appendicular skeletons, with 8 foals (18%) having only axial skeleton involvement and 5 (11%) presenting with both axial and appendicular lesions. Coxofemoral joint involvement was diagnosed in 12 foals (27%), while pelvic lesions were found in 8 (18%). These findings underscore the critical role of CT in identifying and localizing complex lesions, ultimately improving prognostic assessments.

Roasted ground pepper seed press-cake sauce

Pepper seed press-cake, the by-product of the pepper seed oil pressing process, can be reused to prepare high-quality sauces with significant potential for application and commercial value. In this study, pepper seed press-cakes obtained by roasting at four temperatures (0, 140, 170, and 200°C) were processed with sunflower oil into sauces. The physical properties, rheological characteristics, texture, microstructure, and sensory characteristics of these four sauces were analyzed. The results indicated that sauces made from pepper seed press-cake roasted at 140 and 170°C exhibited better quality. Roasting decreased the oil separation rate (from 10.90 g/100 g to 8.09 g/ 100 g) and enhanced the storage stability of the sauces. Rheological and textural analyses revealed that roasting reduced both the viscosity and the textural properties of the sauces. The sensory evaluation indicated that sauces prepared from pepper seed press-cake roasted at 170°C exhibited the most intense roasted and nutty aromas, followed by those roasted at 140°C. In a comprehensive assessment, sauces prepared from press-cake roasted at 140–170°C were deemed more suitable for consumer consumption. This study provides strong technical support for the conversion of pepper seed press-cake into a high-value-added commodity.

Design and fabrication of 2.5D Janus hybrid woven SiCf/SiC metamaterials for broadband absorption and high load-bearing

SiCf/SiC composites have been widely used in hot end parts of aircraft because of advantages of high strength, high temperature resistance and oxidation resistance. However, their narrow-band electromagnetic (EM) waves absorption features limit the realization of structure–function integration. To break this limitation, a 2.5D Janus hybrid woven SiCf/SiC absorbing metamaterial (JHWMM) composed of three different permittivity SiC fibers is proposed, and the genetic algorithm is used to optimize the thickness and permittivity of each layer. Further, the absorption properties and mechanisms were studied by combining experiment and simulation. Compared with the 2.5D woven SiCf/SiC composite composed of only a single permittivity fibers, the effective absorption bandwidth (EAB, 11.2 GHz) of the JHWMM is increased by 2.7 times, and the average reflection loss (RL, −12.4 dB) increased by 1 times. Its excellent absorbing performance is attributed to the synergistic effect of strong structural loss, dielectric loss and excellent impedance matching. In addition, the JHWMM also exhibits good wide-angle (0°-40°) absorption characteristics and excellent load-bearing properties (the bending strength is 222.3 MPa). The 2.5D Janus hybrid woven structure proposed in this study provides an important reference for the development of high-bearing, wide-absorbing and high-temperature absorbing materials for a new generation of aircraft, and has important engineering application value.

Application of Video Game Algorithm Based on Deep Q-Network Learning in Music Rhythm Teaching

The difficulty of music rhythm teaching makes its teaching effect limited. Some game algorithms show problems of stuttery and unclear picture when they are introduced into teaching, which greatly restricts the development of teaching content. Therefore, it is proposed to activate the deep Q network and improve the filter to improve the processing performance of game image data and the integrity of information retention. The model fuses the extracted features and processes them through the neural network. According to the performance characteristics and forms of music rhythm, constant Q transformation, dynamic programming algorithm and hidden Markov model are proposed to analyze and design music signal, beat point analysis and signal traveling speed, so as to realize the identification and matching of music rhythm. The performance test and application analysis of the proposed fusion improvement algorithm are carried out: the video game algorithm can effectively extract data feature information, and its accuracy rate is basically 90% or above. The improved Deep Q-network (DQN) and Artificial Fish Swarms Algorithm (AFSA) algorithms can maintain an accuracy of over 75%, followed by the ABC algorithm, which maintains an accuracy of over 70%, but exhibits significant fluctuations in the curve changes and nodes. The recognition accuracy of music signal feature extraction is over 70%, and it is less affected by signal-to-noise ratio. The improved activation function showed that the highest game score exceeded 10 points, while the scores of Rectified Linear Unit (ReLU) function and Hyperbolic tangent function (Tanh) function were basically hovering below 5 points, and the overall score curve fluctuated significantly. The recognition accuracy of music signal features extraction is above 70% and is less affected by Signal to Noise Ratio. The algorithm has a good effect of music rhythm teaching, the students' interest in classroom learning is more than 45%, and the learning weakness is less. The average score of students in music style judgment, rhythm division and index is 85 points and 90 points respectively, which is much higher than the 40 points and 63 points of traditional teaching. The proposed algorithm can better combine video games with music teaching and help students improve their learning effect under the gamification teaching method, and has good application value

Application Value of Clinical Nursing Pathway Model Combined with Quality Control Circle Activities in Patients with Cerebral Infarction in the Recovery Period

Application Value of Clinical Nursing Pathway Model Combined with Quality Control Circle Activities in Patients with Cerebral Infarction in the Recovery Period

Significance of Combining Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid With Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing in the Pathogen Detection-Based Diagnosis of Pulmonary Infections.

In this study, we investigated the application value of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) combined with targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) in the pathogen detection-based diagnosis of patients with lung infections. A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent tracheoscopy and conventional microbiological tests (CMTs) on BALF, coupled with metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) or tNGS. This investigation encompassed individuals with suspected lung infections at Tianjin First Central Hospital from March 2023 to July 2023. Diagnostic rates based on pathogens detected via tNGS were compared with CMTs within the tNGS group. Additionally, diagnostic rates obtained through tNGS were compared with mNGS between the two groups. The data of a total of 169 patients (78 in the tNGS group and 91 in the mNGS group) were collected, and 145 patients (67 in the tNGS group and 78 in the mNGS group) were finally diagnosed with lung infections. The comprehensive positive pathogen detection-based diagnosis rate for tNGS was 86.6%, with a single-pathogen lung infection diagnosis rate of 85.7% and a mixed-pathogen pulmonary infection diagnosis rate of 88.0%. In contrast, the overall positive pathogen detection-based diagnosis rate for CMTs was 38.8%, comprising a single-pathogen pulmonary infection diagnosis rate of 28.6% and a mixed-pathogen pulmonary infection diagnosis rate of 20.0%. The difference in positive diagnosis rate was deemed statistically significant (p < 0.05). In the mNGS group, the overall pathogen detection-based diagnosis rate was 89.7%, with a single-pathogen pulmonary infection diagnosis rate of 84.9%, and a 100% diagnosis rate for mixed-pathogen pulmonary infections. There was no statistically significant difference in the positive diagnosis rate when compared with the tNGS group (p > 0.05). In patients with pulmonary infections, the diagnosis rate based on BALF pathogen detection using tNGS exceeded that of CMTs, showing no statistically significant difference compared to mNGS.

Ultrasound Detection of Fetal Palate Development in the Early Stages of the Second Trimester and Its Clinical Application.

To establish normal values of palatal bone growth in fetuses at different gestational weeks in the early stages of the second trimester and to explore the clinical application value of the four-step ultrasound screening method for fetal cleft lip and palate. A prospective study of prenatal ultrasound screening. Secondary maternal and child health institutions. 300 fetuses of 12 to 20 +6 weeks gestation without cleft lip and/or palate; 8538 fetuses at high risk of cleft lip and palate with malformations or karyotypic abnormalities. None. palatomandibular diameter (PMD) and transverse palatal diameter was measured and establish their typical values. (1) There is a typical "superimposed line" sign in the median sagittal section of the typically developing fetal face from 12 to 20+6 weeks of gestation. (2) The PMD and hard palate transverse diameter of fetuses from 12 to 20+6 weeks of gestation increased linearly with time. (3) Among 8538 high-risk fetuses, 21 cases of cleft lip and palate were diagnosed by the four-step ultrasound screening method in the early stages of the second trimester. The median sagittal section of the typically developing fetal face in the early stages of the second trimester presents a typical "superimposed line" sign, and the PMD and transverse palatal diameter increase with time. The four-step ultrasound screening method for fetal cleft lip and palate in the early stages of the second trimester has high clinical application value.

Study on the Clinical Application Value of Serum Inflammatory Markers in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.

The aim of this study was to explore the clinical application value of serum inflammatory markers in the diagnosis and treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in elderly men. From April 2023 through July 2023, 110 BPH patients and 120 healthy individuals who underwent examinations at our hospital were selected as study subjects. The concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), serum amyloid A (SAA), complement 3 (C3), and complement 4 (C4) were measured in both groups. The concentrations of CRP and SAA in the BPH patient group were significantly higher than those in the healthy control group (p < 0.05). There was a significant correlation between BPH and the concentrations of CRP and SAA, but no correlation with PCT, C3, or C4. ROC curve analysis indicates that both SAA and CRP have high diagnostic efficacy for BPH. Furthermore, the combined use of SAA and CRP provides the better diagnostic performance. This combined approach has the potential to support physicians in guiding diagnosis and treatment. Serum inflammatory markers can serve as independent factors for BPH. Among them, CRP and SAA are significantly positively correlated with BPH, which is of great significance for the non-invasive diagnosis of BPH.

Optimization of fatigue life of the seismic vibrator baseplate considering the coupling effect of welding residual stress

The seismic vibrator baseplate (SVB) is a welded structure. Ignoring welding residual stress (WRS) and only considering cyclic stress can decrease the accuracy of fatigue life assessments. This study aims to investigate the fatigue life prediction and optimization of SVB under the influence of WRS. A welding model of SVB and an SVB-ground excitation model were developed, and the stress distribution of SVB was determined using the finite element method. A fatigue life prediction study that incorporates WRS, based on a modified S-N curve, was conducted. A multi-objective fatigue life optimization analysis was performed using genetic algorithms. The results shows that the backing weld (BW) of the SVB is the most susceptible area to fatigue failure. Under the combined effects of WRS and working stress, the fatigue life of the SVB is 8.14 years. When considering WRS, the prediction results align well with field data, showing an error margin of less than 5 %. WRS is identified as a critical factor influencing the fatigue life of SVB, and optimizing welding parameters can effectively reduce WRS, thus extending the service life. The optimal welding parameters were found to be welding interpass temperature of 105 °C and welding speed of 10.23 mm/s. After optimization, the fatigue life of the SVB increased to 10.23 years, a 25.68 % improvement over the pre-optimization condition. Previous studies did not consider the influence of WRS, whereas this work integrates it into the fatigue analysis, producing a modified S-N curve that enhances the accuracy of life prediction. Furthermore, multi-objective optimization algorithms and fusion decision-making methods were applied to the fatigue life optimization of the SVB, offering novel research approaches and methodologies. This study provides theoretical guidance for the structural design and optimization of the SVB, aligning with practical engineering needs and showing substantial application value.

Application Value of STOP-Bang Questionnaire in Predicting Abnormal Metabolites.

To evaluate the application value of STOP-Bang questionnaire (SBQ) in predicting abnormal metabolites. Totally 121 patients were included into the study and filled the questionnaires, and their clinical data were collected at the same time. These patients were grouped according to the questionnaire scores. The clinical data of patients in various groups were compared using R4.3.1 statistical software. Based on the SBQ score, the patients were divided into the following groups: low-risk group (0-2 scores), mid-risk group (3-4 scores), and high-risk group (5-8 scores). SBQ score was related to several abnormal metabolites. A higher SBQ score indicated elevated uric acid (UA), waist circumference (WC), fasting blood glucose (FBG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and triacylglycerol (TG), but notably lower high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C). In respect of liver function, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) were both in low/mid-risk group than in high-risk group. With respect to renal function, there was a statistically significant difference in serum creatinine (SCr) (lowest in the low-risk group and highest in the high-risk group) but no such difference in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) among the three groups. The diagnosability analysis showed that the AUROC proved the good performance of SBQ in predicting metabolic syndrome (MetS) and hyperuricemia (HUA). OSA frequently co-occurs with various metabolic disorders. SBQ, a widely used tool for assessing the risk of OSA, may also be a potential tool for predicting the presence of metabolic diseases. A higher SBQ score indicates a heightened susceptibility to more abnormal metabolites, but SBQ is poor in predicting liver and renal functions. The patients with SBQ score ≥3 are suggested to pay a visit to the Endocrine Department and Sleep Disorders Center for a comprehensive evaluation of comorbid Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the management of systematic metabolism.

Ta&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;5&lt;/sub&gt; 980/1550 nm wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer based on segmented cascaded multimode interference

On-chip erbium-doped/erbium-ytterbium co-doped waveguide amplifiers (EDWAs/EYCDWAs) have received extensive research attention in recent years, As an important component of EDWA, there has been relatively little research on integrated wavelength division multiplexing/demultiplexing devices for 980 nm pump light and 1550 nm signal light. This article aims to propose a compact Ta&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;5&lt;/sub&gt; 980 / 1550 nm wavelength diplexer based on multimode interference effects. The device employs a structure of symmetric interference and paired interference cascade, which reduces the total length of the segmented multimode interference waveguide to one-third of the ordinary paired multimode interference waveguide without using any complex structures such as subwavelength gratings to regulate the beat length of the pump and signal light. The three-dimensional finite difference time domain (3D-FDTD) tool was used to analyze and optimize the established model. The results demonstrate that the designed MMI diplexer has low insertion loss and high process tolerance, with an insertion loss of 0.4 dB at 980 nm and 0.8 dB at 1550 nm, and the extinction ratios are both better than 16 dB. Moreover, the 1-dB bandwidth is up to 150 nm around the 1550 nm wavelength and up to 70 nm around the 980 nm wavelength. The segmented structure designed in the article greatly reduces the design difficulty of MMI devices and reduces the overall size of 980 / 1550 nm wavelength division multiplexers/demultiplexers. It is expected to be applied in on-chip integrated erbium-doped waveguide amplifiers and lasers. In addition, the segmented design approach of cascading the hybrid multimode interference mechanism provides a technical reference for separating two optical signals with far apart center wavelengths such as 800 / 1310 nm and 1550 / 2000 nm, and has potential application value in communication and mid infrared diplexing devices.

Smartphone-assisted colorimetry and array test strip integrated platform for urine multi-index simultaneous precise quantification and personalized healthcare monitoring

As a non-invasive monitoring method, urine analysis is one of the “three routines” of medical examination, which is of great significance for the early diagnosis, therapeutic effect judgment and long-term fine monitoring of chronic diseases such as metabolic system diseases and kidney diseases. It is imperative to develop a home urine routine detection system. In this paper, Smart Urine Analyzer is innovatively developed by combining smartphones with array urine dipsticks, and equipped with the unique design of adjustable bracket suitable for camera position of different smartphones. The optimal colorimetric value was selected for analysis based on chromogenic response characteristics combined with digital image colorimetry, and the breakthrough from qualitative semi-quantification to precise quantification of 9 kinds of urine biomarkers was completed. And a smartphone App for automated image recognition and processing was developed, which was applied for at-home routine healthcare. 100 clinical urine samples were used to evaluate the reliability of the system. Among them, the ROC curve showed a high consistency between Smart Urine Analyzer and the Dirui H-800 urine analyzer in hospital, which further verified the practicability. As a result, the user-friendly Smart Urine Analyzer can share health data and condition with doctors in real time, which provides a new scheme and means for the home detection of urine biomarkers, and has great practical application value as a potential home medical service assistant.

Intra-Mode Backward Stimulated Brillouin Scattering in Lithium Niobate Micron Fibers

The Brillouin sensing technology in multimode optical fibers has garnered significant attention due to its capability for simultaneous modal transmission of multiple parameters, such as temperature and strain, which confer it higher information capacity and transmission efficiency. Additionally, lithium niobate, with their excellent electro-optical properties, show potential application value in the sensing field and are expected to provide higher sensitivity and precision. However, owing to the maturity of manufacturing processes, current research on fiber optic sensing predominantly focuses on silicon-based materials, with relatively fewer studies dedicated to fibers using lithium niobate as the core material, thus underestimating its application potential. This paper investigates the theoretical aspects of Brillouin scattering effects in lithium niobate optical fibers. We simulate the intra-mode backward Brillouin scattering characteristics of the first five orders of LP modes in micrometer-scale lithium niobate fibers by means of finite-element simulation, in order to explore its intrinsic law.&lt;br&gt;First of all, the relationship between the Brillouin frequency shift and gain for the first five optical mode interactions is analyzed in detail. The results showed that in the case of intra mode BSBS, the peak of BFS would exhibit a significant redshift, ranging from 20.63 GHz to 18.747 GHz. The Brillouin gain coefficient would also decrease from 13.503 m&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;·W&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; to 4.0115 m&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;·W&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; with increasing mode order, in which mode LP&lt;sub&gt;01&lt;/sub&gt; having the strongest gain intra modal interaction means the best sensing sensitivity. In addition, compared with ordinary silica fiber, the Brillouin gain of lithium niobate fiber is increased by about 5 orders of magnitude, which means that fibers with lithium niobate as the core can have higher sensing sensitivity. In addition, we found that although there are significant differences in the Brillouin frequency shift values of each order of optical modes under intra modal interactions, the sound velocity of their corresponding acoustic modes is always consistent under the same acoustic mode. In data processing, we noticed that this is because as the mode order changes, the corresponding effective refractive index also decreases to ensure that each acoustic mode of the material always has the same sound velocity. These findings provide the basis for lithium niobate fiber sensors with electro-optic properties.

Predictive Value of Urinary KIM-1, TIMP-2 and sTREM-1 for Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury in Elderly Patients After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

We aimed to address the predictive value of urinary kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2) and soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) for contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) in elderly patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). One hundred thirty-six patients who underwent PCI were separated into the CI-AKI group (n = 36) and the non-CI-AKI group (n = 100) based on CI-AKI occurrence after operation, and their general data were collected. Blood and urine specimens were collected before operation (at the time of admission) and 6h, 12h, 24h and 48h after the operation and preserved for future use. Serum creatinine (Scr) levels were tested and an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was counted. Urinary KIM-1, TIMP-2 and sTREM-1 levels were assessed and the preoperative and general data as well as postoperative urinary KIM-1, TIMP-2 and sTREM-1 levels were compared. The early diagnostic value of urinary KIM-1, TIMP-2 and sTREM-1 at 6hours postoperatively for CI-AKI was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. After 48h of operation, Scr in the CI-AKI group was higher versus the non-CI-AKI group. At 24h and 48h postoperatively, eGFR in the CI-AKI group was lower versus the non-CI-AKI group; urinary KIM-1 and sTREM-1 in the CI-AKI group were higher in contrast to the non-CI-AKI group; TIMP-2 in the CI-AKI group was higher versus that in the non-CI-AKI group. ROC curve analysis showed that the areas under the curve (AUCs) for urine KIM-1, TIMP-2, and sTREM-1 in diagnosing CI-AKI at 6hours postoperatively were 0.852 (95% CI: 0.768-0.936), 0.810 (95% CI: 0.723-0.898), and 0.874 (95% CI: 0.804-0.943), and the cut-off values were 45.93 ng/L, 1.63 ng/mL, and 61.48 ng/L, respectively, with sensitivities of 66.70%, 58.30%, and 72.20%, and specificities of 95.00%, 93.00%, and 91.00%, respectively (all P < 0.05). Urinary KIM-1, TIMP-2 and sTREM-1 can respond to early changes in renal function after PCI and have good application value in the early diagnosis of CI-AKI.

Role of mutation G255A in modulating pyrethroid sensitivity in insect sodium channels.

A voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) plays a crucial role in insect electrical signals, and it is a target for various naturally occurring and synthesized neurotoxins, including pyrethroids and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane. The type of agent is typically widely used to prevent and control sanitary and agricultural pests. The perennial use of insecticides has caused mutations in VGSCs that have given rise to resistance in most insects. These mutations are located among the two pyrethroid receptors, i.e., PyR1 and PyR2, as predicted by previous studies. The two binding regions are relatively symmetrical, and here we focus on the linkers between S4 and S5 of Domains I and II. The S4-S5 linker can promote a rapid increase in sodium current and the onset of action potential. By predicting mutations in 19 other amino acids at all the amino acids on S4-S5 linkers, their harmfulness is analyzed, and whether they affect protein stability and drug binding is determined. Through molecular docking and based on docking scores, four mutations were predicted to affect the binding of sodium channels to pyrethroids. Mutations G255V, G255A, A906V, and A906T were introduced into the VGSC of Blattella germanica (BgNav1-1), and their effects on channel gating and pyrethroid sensitivity in Xenopus oocytes were studied. The treatment of VGSCs with two types of pyrethroids (1nM), Types I (permethrin, bifenthrin) and II (deltamethrin, λ-cyhalothrin), produced tail currents. Among the four, mutant G255A exhibited a certain degree of increased sensitivity to the two types of pyrethroids. This finding was in contrast with the three other mutations, which demonstrated a certain degree of sensitization to one or two pyrethroids. We predicted and validated the critical mutation G255A on the insect VGSC Domain I S4-S5 linker using by electrophysiological technology. In generally, under the pressure of many insecticides, gene modifications, such as transcriptional changes and point mutations in the coding region make insects resistant to insecticides. This phenomenon leads to a higher detoxification rate of insecticides and makes the target site insensitive. However, we found that G255A mutation could promote the combination of pyrethroid and VGSCs by changing the binding force with insecticides. This finding has potential application value in reversing insect resistance. The discovery of mutation G255A exhibits considerable significance for the current use of gene editing and gene drive technology to control pests and delay their resistance development.

Improving the thermal stability and luminescence of Sr3Ga1.98In0.02Ge4O14:0.03Cr3+ through the efficient energy transfer

In this work, in order to explore the near-infrared (NIR) phosphor converted light emitting diodes (pc-LEDs), the NIR phosphor Sr3Ga1.98In0.02Ge4O14:0.03Cr3+, 0.05Yb3+ was achieved by the high temperature solid-state method, which presents a broadband emission with a large full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 291 nm due to the energy transfer from Cr3+ to Yb3+. The emission intensity (at 423 K) of Sr3Ga1.98In0.02Ge4O14:0.03Cr3+, 0.05Yb3+ can be maintained at 77% of room temperature, which is 14% higher than that before co-doping, indicating that this phosphor has better thermal stability. The NIR pc-LEDs can be fabricated by combining the phosphor Sr3Ga1.98In0.02Ge4O14:0.03Cr3+, 0.05Yb3+ with the blue LED, which can be applied in night vision. The results demonstrated its potential application value.

A superior tool for predicting sepsis in SAH patients: The nomogram outperforms SOFA score.

This study aimed to develop and validate a nomogram to predict the risk of sepsis in non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients using data from the MIMIC-IV database. A total of 803 SAH patients meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into a training set (563 cases) and a validation set (240 cases). Independent prognostic factors were identified through forward stepwise logistic regression, and a nomogram was created based on these factors. The discriminative ability of the nomogram was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and compared with the SOFA score. The model's consistency was evaluated using the C-index, and the improvement in performance over the SOFA score was calculated using integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) and net reclassification improvement (NRI). Five independent predictive factors were identified through LASSO regression analysis: mechanical ventilation, hyperlipidemia, temperature, white blood cell count, and red blood cell count. The AUC of the nomogram in the training and validation sets were 0.854 and 0.824, respectively, both higher than the SOFA score. NRI and IDI results indicated that the nomogram outperformed the SOFA score in identifying sepsis risk. Calibration curves and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test demonstrated good calibration of the nomogram. Decision curve analysis showed that the nomogram had higher net benefit in clinical application. The nomogram developed in this study performed excellently in predicting the risk of sepsis in SAH patients, surpassing the traditional SOFA scoring system, and has significant clinical application value.

Preparation and properties of β-carotene-loaded sanxan emulsion gel microcapsules

Sanxan has important application value in the field of bioactive substance delivery. However, the current sanxan emulsion gel method has certain limitations in delivering heat-sensitive lipophilic bioactive substances. In this study, the acid-gelling properties of sanxan were utilized to prepare sanxan emulsion gel microcapsules (SEGMs) by extrusion dripping method. The sanxan Pickering emulsion had a particle size of 298.4 nm and an absolute ζ-potential of 48.6 mV, exhibiting better stability. As the concentration of sanxan increased from 0.5 % to 0.9 %, the hardness of SEGMs prepared with gluconolactone as the fixing solution increased by 104.1 %. SEM results showed that oil droplets in the emulsion gels were uniformly distributed in the network of sanxan gels, resulting in smooth and dense wavy structures. Moreover, the porosity of SEGMs could be adjusted by the concentration of sanxan and the oil phase fraction jointly. The in vitro digestion simulation test indicated that SEGMs had a protective effect on β-carotene in simulated gastric fluid, with a release rate of 0.56 %. In simulated intestinal fluid, SEGMs slowly released β-carotene with a release rate of 66.20 %. The results of this study provide theoretical support for the use of sanxan-based emulsion gels or oleogels as lipophilic nutrient delivery systems.

Fluorescence-enhanced detection of sulfide ions through tuning the structure-activity relationship of gold nanoclusters.

The concentration of S2- is a vital environmental indicator for evaluating the quality of source water, surface water, and wastewater, and it has a significant impact on biological systems, particularly human health. Therefore, it is crucial to detect S2- selectively and sensitively. In this study, we developed a simple and rapid one-pot method to prepare a gold nanocluster (BSA-AuNCs) probe for fluorescence-enhanced detection of S2- toxemia and analyzed the morphological characteristics of BSA-AuNCs and its complex with S2- using various characterization techniques. The principle of the sensor is based on the interaction between S2- and amino acids in the BSA molecular layer coated with gold clusters, regulating the rigid structure changes of gold clusters, and thus affecting the fluorescence properties of gold clusters. Through the specific interaction mechanism between proteins and gold-sulfur ions, this sensor exhibits excellent selectivity. It responds to S2- in the range of 0 to 30μM, with a detection limit of 0.395 μM, and shows no response to other heavy metal ions, anions, or amino acids. The sensor is environmentally friendly, simple to operate, has strong practicability, good precision, and recovery rate, and has potential application value in biological and environmental fields.