Weight Range Research Articles

Effect of Molecular Weight on the Structural and Emulsifying Characteristics of Bovine Bone Protein Hydrolysate.

The emulsifying capacity of bovine bone protein extracted using high-pressure hot water (HBBP) has been determined to be good. Nevertheless, given that HBBP is a blend of peptides with a broad range of molecular weights, the distinction in emulsifying capacity between polypeptide components with high and low molecular weights is unclear. Therefore, in this study, HBBP was separated into three molecular weight components of 10-30 kDa (HBBP 1), 5-10 kDa (HBBP 2), and <5 kDa (HBBP 3) via ultrafiltration, and the differences in their structures and emulsifying properties were investigated. The polypeptide with the highest molecular weight displayed the lowest endogenous fluorescence intensity, the least solubility in an aqueous solution, and the highest surface hydrophobicity index. Analysis using laser confocal Raman spectroscopy showed that with an increase in polypeptide molecular weight, the α-helix and β-sheet contents in the secondary structure of the polypeptide molecule increased significantly. Particle size, rheological characteristics, and laser confocal microscopy were used to characterize the emulsion made from peptides of various molecular weights. High-molecular-weight peptides were able to provide a more robust spatial repulsion and thicker interfacial coating in the emulsion, which would make the emulsion more stable. The above results showed that the high-molecular-weight polypeptide in HBBP effectively improved the emulsion stability when forming an emulsion. This study increased the rate at which bovine bone was utilized and provided a theoretical foundation for the use of bovine bone protein as an emulsifier in the food sector.

Length-weight Relationship and Condition Factor of Siluriformes Fish Species, Endangered Eutropiichthys vacha, Hamilton (1922) and Endemic Deccan Catfish Rita kuturnee (Sykes, 1839) of Godavari River Andhra Pradesh, South India

Background: The present study of the length-weight relationship and condition factors of two Eutropiichthys vacha and Rita kuturnee, from Godavari River Andhra Pradesh, from the year August 2021 to July 2023 at fortnightly intervals. Methods: The log transformation formula was employed to establish length-weight relationships (LWRs) [3]. The length-weight equation used was W = aLb, in the usual notations. Linear regression of the log-transformed equation, log(W) = log(a) + b log(L), was utilized to calculate the parameters ‘a’ (intercept) and ‘b’ (slope) of the relationship. Result: A total of 1453 specimens of E. vacha and 1273 specimens of R. kuturnee were collected by using gill nets. The collected specimens exhibited a total length range of 10 to 27 cm for E. vacha and 7 to 18.5 cm for R. kuturnee. Correspondingly, the body weight range was recorded as 12 to 140 gm for E. vacha and 8 to 50 gm for R. kuturnee. Statistical analysis revealed a negative allometric growth trend for both males and females of E. vacha and R. kuturnee, with b values ranging from 2.569 to 2.711 for E. vacha and 2.53 to 2.61 for R. kuturnee. The fluctuation in the relative condition factor ranged from 1.06 to 1.09 for E. vacha and 1.001 to 1.12 for R. kuturnee. Furthermore, the overall health conditions of these two species were determined to be favorable.

An evaluation of CT radiation doses within the Yorkshire Lung Screening Trial.

To evaluate radiation doses for all low-dose CT scans performed during the first year of a lung screening trial. For all lung screening scans that were performed using a CT protocol that delivered image quality meeting the RSNA QIBA criteria, radiation dose metrics, participant height, weight, gender, and age were recorded. Values of volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) and dose length product (DLP) were evaluated as a function of weight in order to assess the performance of the scan protocol across the participant cohort. Calculated effective doses were used to establish the additional lifetime attributable cancer risks arising from trial scans. Median values of CTDIvol, DLP, and effective dose (IQR) from the 3521 scans were 1.1mGy (0.70), 42.4mGycm (24.9), and 1.15mSv (0.67), whilst for 60-80kg participants the values were 1.0mGy (0.30), 35.8mGycm (11.4), and 0.97mSv (0.31). A statistically significant correlation between CTDIvol and weight was identified for males (r = 0.9123, P < .001) and females (r = 0.9052, P < .001), however, the effect of gender on CTDIvol was not statistically significant (P = .2328) despite notable differences existing at the extremes of the weight range. The additional lifetime attributable cancer risks from a single scan were in the range 0.001%-0.006%. Low radiation doses can be achieved across a typical lung screening cohort using scan protocols that have been shown to deliver high levels of image quality. The observed dose levels may be considered as typical values for lung screening scans on similar types of scanners for an equivalent participant cohort. Presentation of typical radiation dose levels for CT lung screening examinations in a large UK trial. Effective radiation doses can be of the order of 1mSv for standard sized participants. Lifetime attributable cancer risks resulting from a single low-dose CT scan did not exceed 0.006%.

Obesity, bone marrow adiposity, and leukemia: Time to act.

Obesity has taken the face of a pandemic with less direct concern among the general population and scientific community. However, obesity is considered a low-grade systemic inflammation that impacts multiple organs. Chronic inflammation is also associated with different solid and blood cancers. In addition, emerging evidence demonstrates that individuals with obesity are at higher risk of developing blood cancers and have poorer clinical outcomes than individuals in a normal weight range. The bone marrow is critical for hematopoiesis, lymphopoiesis, and myelopoiesis. Therefore, it is vital to understand the mechanisms by which obesity-associated changes in BM adiposity impact leukemia development. BM adipocytes are critical to maintain homeostasis via different means, including immune regulation. However, obesity increases BM adiposity and creates a pro-inflammatory environment to upregulate clonal hematopoiesis and a leukemia-supportive environment. Obesity further alters lymphopoiesis and myelopoiesis via different mechanisms, which dysregulate myeloid and lymphoid immune cell functions mentioned in the text under different sequentially discussed sections. The altered immune cell function during obesity alters hematological malignancies and leukemia susceptibility. Therefore, obesity-induced altered BM adiposity, immune cell generation, and function impact an individual's predisposition and severity of leukemia, which should be considered a critical factor in leukemia patients.

Moving beyond Weight: A Narrative Review of the Dietary and Lifestyle Management for Reducing Cardiometabolic Risk in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder experienced by women. PCOS is a lifelong condition associated with reproductive, metabolic, and psychological presentations. PCOS is also linked with increased prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors. While an association between body weight and PCOS has been noted, cardiometabolic risk factors are prevalent in individuals with PCOS across body weights. Currently, no consensus exists as to the most appropriate lifestyle strategy for mitigating cardiometabolic risk in PCOS. A large proportion of the literature is focused on weight loss for individuals with PCOS who are overweight or experience obesity, despite PCOS being prevalent across body sizes. The aim of this narrative review is to assess dietary and lifestyle interventions aimed at reducing cardiometabolic risk in individuals with PCOS across body sizes. A total of 51 articles are included in this review. Overall, randomized controlled trials are limited and most studies focus on weight loss, excluding individuals classified within a healthy body weight range. Studies that modified the dietary pattern without an energy deficit saw improvements in cardiometabolic risk. Thus, less restrictive dietary approaches may be effective at reducing cardiometabolic risk in this population. This review also highlights the need for more sustainable lifestyle interventions that meet the needs of individuals with PCOS of varying body weights.

Effect of Short-Term Extra Maltodextrin during a Diet Break on the Resistance Training Performance of Rattus norvegicus

Highlights: 1. The ongoing advancement of dietary research has significant importance in the exploration of strategies to optimize the impact of nutrition on performance during resistance training.2. This study provides a prompt for future research to explore the effectiveness of incorporating an additional dietary strategy that may enhance resistance training performance. Abstract: The problem of dieting down to a certain body weight or body fat can impair muscle protein synthesis, resulting in muscle loss and poor performance in physical training, particularly resistance training. This study aimed to determine the short-term effect of extra carbohydrate, specifically in the form of maltodextrin, during a diet break on the resistance training performance of rats. This study was an experimental laboratory study with a randomized posttest-only control group design. Twenty-seven male rats, aged 3 months with a weight range of 140–165 g, were randomly and equally assigned into three groups: KN (standard diet), KP (75% calorie intake), and K1 (65% calorie intake with a diet break and extra maltodextrin every week). These diets were administered for four weeks, during which the rats had ad libitum feeding. Additionally, the rats underwent ladder-climbing training three times a week. The bodyweight was measured pre- and post-treatment, while the performance in resistance training was evaluated post-intervention using a ladder climbing platform. There was no significant difference in the weight before and after treatment, with p&gt;0.05 for the increments (∆) among KN (14.00±9.89 g), KP (13±9.5 g), and K1 (20.89±14.77 g). During the posttest assessment, only 17 out of 27 rats succeeded in the maximum weightlifting test. This study showed that a short-term high-carbohydrate diet break does not improve the resistance training performance of rats. Further research is necessary to ascertain the outcomes of the treatment implemented over an extended period of time.

Outcomes of Unplanned Extubations in a Large Children's Hospital.

Unplanned extubation (UE) is defined as unintentional dislodgement of an endotracheal tube (ETT) from the trachea. UEs can lead to instability, cardiac arrest, and may require emergent tracheal re-intubation. As part of our hospital-wide quality improvement (QI) work, a multidisciplinary committee reviewed all UEs to determine contributing factors and evaluation of clinical outcomes to develop QI interventions aimed to minimize UEs. The objective was to investigate occurrence, contributing factors, and clinical outcomes of UEs in the pediatric ICU (PICU), cardiac ICU (CICU), and neonatal ICU (NICU) in a large academic children's hospital. We hypothesized that these would be substantially different across 3 ICUs. A single-center retrospective review of UEs in the PICU, CICU, and NICU was recorded in a prospective database for the last 5 y. Consensus-based standardized operational definitions were developed to capture contributing factors and adverse events associated with UEs. Data were extracted through electronic medical records by 3 respiratory therapists and local Virtual Pediatric Systems (VPS) database. Consistency of data extraction and classification were evaluated. From January 2016-December 2021, 408 UEs in 339 subjects were reported: PICU 52 (13%), CICU 31 (7%), and NICU 325 (80%). The median (interquartile range) of age and weight was 2.0 (0-4.0) months and 5.3 (3.0-8.0) kg. Many UE events were not witnessed (54%). Common contributing factors were routine nursing care (no. = 70, 18%), ETT retaping (no. = 62, 16%), and being held (no. = 15, 3.9%). The most common adverse events with UE were desaturation < 80% (33%) and bradycardia (22.8%). Cardiac arrest occurred in 12%. Sixty-seven percent of UEs resulted in re-intubation within 72 h. The proportion of re-intubation across 3 units was significantly different: PICU 62%, CICU 35%, NICU 71%, P < .001. UEs occurred commonly in a large academic children's hospital. Whereas UE was associated with adverse events, re-intubation rates within 72 h were < 70% and variable across the units.

Combination of Intranasal Dexmedetomidine and Midazolam for Sedation in Pediatric Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Intranasal dexmedetomidine associated with midazolam has been used for pediatric magnetic resonance imaging studies because immobility is a fundamental requirement for correct execution. Many studies have shown dexmedetomidine to be a good option for non-operating room sedation. However, identifying the optimal dose remains a key challenge, especially for pediatric patients. All medical records of 139 pediatric patients who underwent sedation for magnetic resonance imaging studies between September 2021 and November 2022 at the University Hospital of Salerno, Italy, were retrospectively reviewed about success rate and adverse events. Our protocol required dosing 30 minutes before the procedure. Patients weighing up to 40 kg received intranasal dexmedetomidine (3 μg/kg) with intranasal midazolam (0.2 mg/kg). Those weighing more than 40 kg received intranasal dexmedetomidine (2 μg/kg) with midazolam orally (0.3 mg/kg; maximum dose, 15 mg). A total of 139 pediatric patients, with age range between 2 months and 16 years, median (95% confidence interval) of 3 (3-5) years, and weight range between 4 and 70 kg, median (95% confidence interval) of 19 (15-24) kg, were reviewed.The procedure was satisfactorily completed in 93.5% (130 patients) ( P < 0.01). Only 9 (6.5%) patients completed the procedure with general anesthesia; there are hot adverse events. Our experience with association of intranasal dexmedetomidine and midazolam has a high success rate, with high effectiveness and safety.

Robotic-assisted laparoscopy in pediatric surgical oncology: a narrative review.

Robotic surgical oncology in children calls for experienced surgeons in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and a solid oncological background. The aim of this review was to analyze the current state of robotic-assisted laparoscopy in pediatric tumor resection, assess the necessary framework of minimally invasive surgical oncology and describe future developments of the robotic technology. A literature search of the MEDLINE/PubMed database was conducted, using the terms "robotic surgery", "pediatric" or "children" and "oncology" or "tumor". All relevant English-language studies published between 2008 and 2022 were reviewed. Although concerns have been raised regarding the use of MIS in surgical oncology, current literature reports similar oncological outcome if surgeons comply with the oncologic principles. The benefits of MIS have been established for robotic surgery in adult studies, including a shorter time to adjuvant chemotherapy. Surgical feasibility should be assessed based on tumor characteristics, preoperative imaging focusing on vascular involvement and surgeon's experience until clear guidelines are issued. The difficulties in establishing eligibility criteria for robotic resection of pediatric tumors lie in the great variability of indications, heterogeneity in tumor histology with their own surgical specificities, and wide range of age and weight, as shown by the literature review we performed. Between 2008 and 2022, 31 studies reported 171 cases with three studies including at least ten patients. The most reported procedure was adrenalectomy (41 cases). Current research in pediatric surgical oncology focuses on intraoperative locoregional treatment, improved vision with fluorescence and dyed-loaded specific probes and the many possibilities of enhancement software using the robotic console. The robotic technology allows the surgeon to push the boundaries of conventional laparoscopy. Specific surgical guidelines are necessary.

Acute Achilles tendon rupture: modern management

Achilles tendon rupture is a common injury and its incidence is increasing. There is a large body of literature on the subject and much of it debates the influence of management on re-rupture rates. Operative treatment was thought to be superior in reducing the risk of re-rupture. However, it must be balanced against the risks, in particularly wound infection and breakdown, and sural nerve injury. Minimally invasive surgery aimed to reduce wound complications but has frequently been associated with a higher risk of sural nerve damage and irritation. The introduction of functional rehabilitation, which includes early weight bearing and range of motion within an orthosis, has been pivotal in improving outcomes particularly in non-operatively managed patients. More recent evidence suggests that re-rupture rates are now similar between operatively and non-operatively managed patients when incorporating a functional rehabilitation protocol. The publication of the Achilles Tendon Rupture Score, which has been validated specifically for this injury, has been helpful in providing a more detailed picture of post-injury symptoms and function. The studies which have included this as an outcome measure have also shown comparable results between operatively and non-operatively treated patients.

Disability Adjusted Life-Years (DALYs) As a Measure of the Changing Lifetime Disease Burden in Long-Term Survivors of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (HCT)

Background: Although HCT is curative for many hematologic diseases, long-term survivors face a high burden of morbidity and premature mortality compared to the general population. Standard risk measures (prevalence, incidence, hazard, and standardized mortality ratios) do not convey a holistic picture of chronic disease burden because they do not account for degradation in quality of life associated with living with health conditions preceding death. DALY is an established risk measure that accounts for quality of life; it is the sum of years of healthy life lost due to disability (YLD) and years of life lost (YLL) to premature death. YLD weighs the years lived with a health condition by its disability weight (range: 0 for full health, 1 for death). Higher DALY, YLL, YLD indicate worse outcomes. We used microsimulation to estimate DALYs in 5-year survivors of HCT done over four decades, taking into consideration the changing practice of transplantation and the evolving burden of morbidity and mortality over time. Methods: The cohort included 1577 patients who underwent HCT at age ≥18 years (y) at City of Hope in 1976-2011, survived 5y, and were followed to December 31, 2016. Vital status and cause of death (COD) were determined using medical records and the National Death Index Plus. CODs were grouped into eleven broad categories used in a Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study ( Chang et al., Lancet Public Health, 2019). All cause and cause-specific mortality risks by attained age and other risk factors were estimated from deceased patients' data. These risks were applied in microsimulation to project age at death and COD for patients known to be alive. The onset age of COD was estimated for each patient using the age-specific disease incidence rates in GBD (https://www.healthdata.org/gbd). Life expectancy (LE) at time of death was determined from the US Life Tables. YLL was calculated as LE minus age at death. YLD was calculated as age at death minus disease onset age, weighted by disability weights of the COD available at Global Health Data Exchange (https://ghdx.healthdata.org). DALY was computed as YLL+YLD. Microsimulation, performed 1000 times, provided mean YLL, YLD, DALY for each patient. Results: Patient and treatment characteristics evolved over 35 years of HCT era ( Table). Patients who underwent HCT in the earliest era (1976-1989) had characteristics consistent with more favorable post-HCT outcomes compared to patients transplanted in later eras. From 1976-1989 to 2005-2011, there was an increase in patients who were older (median, 28y to 49y), had high relapse risk (26% to 42%), had an unrelated donor (0% to 45%), and developed chronic graft vs host disease (54% to 84%). Conversely, fewer patients received total body irradiation over time (88% to 36%). The proportion of patients transplanted for chronic myeloid leukemia declined from 24% to 5%, and there was a relative increase in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (4% to 17%). Sex and race/ethnicity remained steady. The most common causes of death were relapse (35%), subsequent malignant neoplasms (22%), cardiovascular disease (10%), diabetes, kidney disease (10%), and infection (8%). Despite more patients with higher risk features receiving HCT in recent eras, median DALY was projected to decline from 19.2y to 15.5y from the earliest to latest HCT era (p&amp;lt;0.0001) ( Figure). YLL also declined from a median of 18.0y to 14.2y across eras (p&amp;lt;0.0001). Although YLD constituted a small portion of DALY, patients were projected to lose a median of 1.6y (1976-1989) to 1.2y (2005-2011) of healthy life due to disease-related disability. The projected age at death for the cohort (median, 67.5y to 73.4y across era) adjusted for rising life expectancy (median, 85y to 88y) suggested that survival after HCT increased in more recent HCT eras: age at death / life expectancy ratio median, 0.79 (1976-1989) to 0.84 (2005-2011) (p&amp;lt;0.0001). Conclusion: Outcomes after HCT have improved during the past four decades in spite of the evolving pattern of higher risk disease and patient characteristics with time. There was notable reduction across all measures (DALY, YLL, YLD), suggesting improvements in both the quantity and quality of survival. Our results highlight the importance and utility of DALY when characterizing health outcomes after HCT, as it provides a more comprehensive assessment of the changing pattern of efficacy associated with transplantation.

Revisiting the forgotten "full-right full-left" liver division: Simplified technique and new strategical considerations for clinical implementation in Italy.

Full-right/full-left liver splitting was introduced early in the 90s as part of the great wave of technical innovations that characterized that decade. One approach was to divide the liver on the right of the Cantlie's line and leave the middle hepatic vein with the left graft, with both grafts allocated to adults. Both grafts had some functional disadvantages and exposed the adult recipients to some early hepatic dysfunction, and the results were not great. An alternative approach consisted of an ex situ division of the liver, exactly along Cantlie's line, thus sharing the middle hepatic vein between the two grafts. None of these two techniques were really adopted, and there has been nearly no transplantation of this type in the last decade worldwide. The authors propose a variation of the latter technique that was used recently with success: The division of the liver is made simpler; the two grafts are prepared ex situ and need a simple vascular reconstruction (one venous patch on each graft); and the grafts can be implanted using very standard techniques. Because candidates for liver transplantation weighing 25-60 kg (old children, teenagers, and some small adults) are often at some disadvantage in getting size-matched livers (this range of weight is less represented in the donor population), implementing the latter technique would help provide adequate grafts for them. In Italy, where many livers offered for splitting are not used, there would be ample room for implementing this option within the actual donor pool and allocation system.

Microstructural differences in the osteochondral unit of terrestrial and aquatic mammals.

During evolution, animals have returned from land to water, adapting with morphological modifications to life in an aquatic environment. We compared the osteochondral units of the humeral head of marine and terrestrial mammals across species spanning a wide range of body weights, focusing on microstructural organization and biomechanical performance. Aquatic mammals feature cartilage with essentially random collagen fiber configuration, lacking the depth-dependent, arcade-like organization characteristic of terrestrial mammalian species. They have a less stiff articular cartilage at equilibrium with a significantly lower peak modulus, and at the osteochondral interface do not have a calcified cartilage layer, displaying only a thin, highly porous subchondral bone plate. This totally different constitution of the osteochondral unit in aquatic mammals reflects that accommodation of loading is the primordial function of the osteochondral unit. Recognizing the crucial importance of the microarchitecture-function relationship is pivotal for understanding articular biology and, hence, for the development of durable functional regenerative approaches for treatment of joint damage, which are thus far lacking.

In Vitro Wound Healing Potential of a Fibroin Film Incorporating a Cannabidiol/2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin Complex.

This study aimed to develop a film dressing prepared by incorporating a complex of cannabidiol and 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (CBD/HP-β-CD) into a fibroin-based film and to investigate its wound healing capabilities. The fibroin from silkworm cocoons exhibited a total protein content of 96.34 ± 0.14% w/w and a molecular weight range of 25 to 245 kDa. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed the presence of characteristic amide peaks (I, II, and III) in the isolated fibroin. The CBD/HP-β-CD complex, prepared with a molar ratio of 1:2 (CBD to HP-β-CD), had 81.5 ± 1.2% w/w CBD content, as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and FTIR analyses demonstrated successful encapsulation of CBD's hydrophobic aromatic rings by HP-β-CD. Blending the fibroin solution with the CBD/HP-β-CD complex produced a transparent, slightly yellowish film. Mechanical testing revealed a tensile strength of 48.67 ± 2.57 MPa and a % elongation at a break of 1.71 ± 0.21%. XRD and FTIR analyses showed distinctive crystalline and chemical structures of the film. In subsequent in vitro experiments with normal human dermal fibroblasts, the film demonstrated potential for wound healing. An increase in cell division (G2/M phase) was observed compared to the fibroin film without the CBD/HP-β-CD complex. Additionally, fibroblasts treated with the film exhibited enhanced cell migration in a scratch assay and increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor protein compared to the control group. Overall, these findings underscore the film's potential for enhancing wound healing outcomes.

Excessive weight gain onset-age and risk of developing diabetes mellitus: a large, prospective Chinese cohort study.

Excessive weight gain and obesity are widely accepted as risk factors for diabetes mellitus, and the age at which obesity onsets may be related to the development of cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers. Here, we aimed to investigate associations between the onset-age of overweight/obesity and risk of developing diabetes mellitus in China. 42,144 people with the normal weight range and without diabetes at baseline, were enrolled from the Kailuan cohort which began on the 1st June 2006. All participants were followed-up, biennially, until 31st December 2017. During follow-up, 11,220 participants had become overweight/obese. For each case, one normal-weight control was matched according to age ( ± 1 year) and sex. Our final analysis included 10,858 case-control pairs. An age-scaled Cox model was implemented to estimate hazard ratios (HR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) for diabetes mellitus incidence across age-groups. At a median follow-up of 5.46 years, 1,403 cases of diabetes mellitus were identified. After multivariate adjustments, age-scaled Cox modelling suggested that risk gradually attenuated with every 10 year increase in age of onset of overweight/obesity. Diabetes mellitus adjusted HRs (aHRs) for new-onset overweight/obesity at <45years, 45-54 years, and 55-64 years were 1.47 (95%CI, 1.12-1.93), 1.38 (95%CI, 1.13-1.68), 1.32 (95%CI, 1.09-1.59), respectively. However, new-onset of overweight/obesity at ≥65 years did not relate to diabetes mellitus (aHR, 1.20; 95%CI, 0.92-1.57). This trend was not observed in women or the new-onset obesity subgroup but was evident in men and the new overweight onset subgroup. Participants with early onset of excessive weight gain issues are at considerably higher risk of developing diabetes mellitus compared to those who maintain a normal weight.

Spiking information processing in a single photonic spiking neuron chip with double integrated electronic dendrites

Dendrites, branches of neurons that transmit signals between synapses and soma, play a vital role in spiking information processing, such as nonlinear integration of excitatory and inhibitory stimuli. However, the investigation of nonlinear integration of dendrites in photonic neurons and the fabrication of photonic neurons including dendritic nonlinear integration in photonic spiking neural networks (SNNs) remain open problems. Here, we fabricate and integrate two dendrites and one soma in a single Fabry–Perot laser with an embedded saturable absorber (FP-SA) neuron to achieve nonlinear integration of excitatory and inhibitory stimuli. Note that the two intrinsic electrodes of the gain section and saturable absorber (SA) section in the FP-SA neuron are defined as two dendrites for two ports of stimuli reception, with one electronic dendrite receiving excitatory stimulus and the other receiving inhibitory stimulus. The stimuli received by two electronic dendrites are integrated nonlinearly in a single FP-SA neuron, which generates spikes for photonic SNNs. The properties of frequency encoding and spatiotemporal encoding are investigated experimentally in a single FP-SA neuron with two electronic dendrites. For SNNs equipped with FP-SA neurons, the range of weights between presynaptic neurons and postsynaptic neurons is varied from negative to positive values by biasing the gain and SA sections of FP-SA neurons. Compared with SNN with all-positive weights realized by only biasing the gain section of photonic neurons, the recognition accuracy of Iris flower data is improved numerically in SNN consisting of FP-SA neurons. The results show great potential for multi-functional integrated photonic SNN chips.

Identification of the CDPK gene family in patchouli and functional analysis in response to continuous cropping stress

To further reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of continuous cropping disorders in patchouli, this study analyzed the function of calcium dependent protein kinase (CDPK) genes at the molecular level in patchouli continuous cropping disorders. The findings unveiled the presence of 45 PcCDPK genes within the complete patchouli genome dataset. These genes exhibited a range of molecular weights from 50.78 to 78.96 kDa and aliphatic index values spanning from 74.42 to 88.49, and are shown to be hydrophilic proteins. The evolution of 45 PcCDPK members was divided into 4 subfamilies, with a total of 65 pairs of collinear genes. Each PcCDPK contains a STKc-CAMK domain and four EF-hand structures exhibiting a certain degree of conservatism during evolution. Transcriptome data further supported the significance of PcCDPK25 and PcCDPK38 genes, showing substantial upregulation, which was corroborated by qRT-PCR results. The 1629 bp and 1716 bp CDS sequences were obtained by cloning the PcCDPK25 and PcCDPK38 genes, respectively, and subcellular localization showed that both proteins were localized on the plasma membrane. This comprehensive study provides molecular-level confirmation of the pivotal roles played by CDPK genes in the emergence of continuous cropping challenges in patchouli plants, establishing a crucial foundation for a deeper comprehension of the molecular mechanisms underpinning these obstacles.

Effects of Boom-Corridor and Selective Thinnings on Harvester Productivity in Dense Small Diameter Pyrenean Oak (Quercus pyrenaica Willd.) Coppices in Spain

Due to socioeconomic transformations in the 20th century, Quercus pyrenaica Willd. coppices in Spain, as well as other European coppices, have experimented an abandonment and lack of intervention leading to stagnant high density stands with fragile health due to competition. Thinnings are often required to ensure their stability and health, producing forest products such as firewood or biomass, which are key energy sources in a carbon-neutral economy. However, thinnings are seldom performed because they lack economic sustainability due to a low productivity, high costs and low biomass prices. In this study, two thinning methods, selective thinning (ST) and boom-corridor thinning (BCT), were tested carrying out a time study in a high-density small-diameter Q. pyrenaica stand in the León province (Castilla y León, Spain) with a forest harvester base machine, on which an accumulating felling head Bracke C16c was mounted. The residual stands were significantly different regarding the final density (greater in BCT) and the final average DBH (bigger in ST), while thinning intensity (odt·ha-1) was the same. In most work elements, time per tree was not significantly different. BCT showed a significant 48.6% increase in harvester productivity when compared to ST, with averaging 4.43 and 2.99 odt·pmh-1, respectively, due mainly to the average weight per extracted tree, 42% greater in BCT. When considering the common range of unit tree weight, the productivity was 16–23% greater for BCT, far less than observed in the trials. These results show the potential of BCT over ST in the studied conditions, although there is room for improvement. Further studies could include the future evolution of the treated stands and perform a cost analysis.

Multi-scale utilization of lignin: A catalytic hydrogenation strategy based on catechyl lignin nanoparticles

With an abundance of oxygen-containing groups on the hydrophilic shell of lignin nanoparticles (LNPs), this biomaterial can serve as a catalytic support to adsorb and load metals. Herein, catechyl lignin oligomers from castor seed coats (Cas) were extracted via solvothermal pretreatment and prepared as LNPs using the solvent shifting method. Pd2+ ions were then stabilized and reduced in situ on the surface of LNPs, which were further utilized for the catalyzed hydrogenation of lignin-derived aldehydes. Due to the homogeneous building units and linear linkages, the lignin oligomers from Cas exhibited superior self-assembly capacity with a lower π-π interaction energy than those from conventional lignocelluloses, resulting in a high yield of LNPs with a smooth surface. The high content of phenolic hydroxyl groups in catechyl-dominant LNPs resulted in efficient Pd2+ ions adsorption via chemisorption of monomolecular layer and a partial reduction of the Pd2+ ions into metallic states. In addition, the Cas-derived Pd/LNPs exhibited exceptional catalytic activity for the hydrogenation of lignin-derived aldehydes with high selectivity to alcohols under mild conditions. This could be attributed to the interaction preference of the reaction substrate according to the construction of LNPs: strong hydrogen bond between the aldehyde group of the substrate and the hydrophilic shell of LNPs, as well as the hindered π-π interactions between the benzene ring of the substrate and the hidden hydrophobic core of LNPs. This study, therefore, successfully employed lignin with a broad range of molecular weights from oligomers to monomers, paving the way for a comprehensive lignin biorefining industry.

Emicizumab prophylaxis for people with hemophilia A: Waste estimation and the Brazilian perspective

Costs of hemophilia A treatment are increasing. Waste of clotting products should be avoided. To estimate the first-year waste of emicizumab prophylaxis for people with hemophilia A and inhibitors (PwHAi) who failed immune tolerance induction (ITI), in Brazil. We evaluated the manufacturer and the Brazilian Ministry of Health (MoH) protocol-recommended regimens in a budget impact model. The loading dose consisted of 3.0 mg/kg/Q1W for 4 weeks, for both recommendations. The manufacturer maintenance regimens comprised 1.5 mg/kg/Q1W, 3.0 mg/kg/Q2W, and 6.0 mg/kg/Q4W. The MoH protocol maintenance regimen encompassed a hybrid Q1W/Q2W administration, depending on the body weight. The Q4W regimen was not recommended by the MoH protocol. Analyses were performed to estimate waste given its expense based on the World Health Organization body weight range (percentiles [P] 15, 50, and 85). The first-year emicizumab waste was estimated individually and for the disclosed PwHAi who failed ITI (n = 114). The highest emicizumab waste was estimated for the lowest body weights and the Q1W regimen. The Q4W regimen resulted in the lowest emicizumab waste, followed by the MoH protocol regimen. The total reconstituted costs estimated for the PwHAi who failed ITI according to the hybrid MoH protocol ranged from US$32,858,777 (P15) to US$47,186,858 (P85), with emicizumab waste ranging from 7.9 % (US$2,594,515) to 3.7 % (US$1,738,750), respectively. Lost resources due to current protocols for emicizumab prophylaxis for PwHAi who failed ITI in Brazil are considerable. Waste was more pronounced due to lower body weight and shorter administration intervals.