A 63-Year-Old Male with D-Transposition of the Great Arteries Who Had an Early Form of the Arterial Switch Operation

We describe a 63-year-old male who appears to have undergone an early form of the arterial switch operation for D-transposition of the great arteries performed in the mid-1960s.We review the clinical and imaging data that support our conclusion.He had a diagnostic cardiac catheterization which demonstrated severe pulmonary hypertension responsive to epoprostenol and oxygen.Our case may represent one example of the experimental surgical work done prior to Dr.Adibe Jatene’s description of thefirst successful arterial switch performed in 1975.

Celebrate Chinese New Year with Great Joy

Series of Activities for 2024 Chinese New Year Launched by the Ministry of Cultureand Tourism From January 18 to March 11, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism ofthe People's Republic of China organizes the 2024 Chinese New Yearthemedcultural and tourist activities "Celebrate the Chinese New Year withGreat Joy", which includes 25 main activities in 7 major sections, coveringpeople-benefit art performances, public service activities, demonstration ofintangible cultural heritage experience, tourism and leisure consumption,ice & snow research and tourism, cultural exhibitions, international anddomestic interaction and other fields, with supply of high-quality cultural andtourist products, so as to enrich the holiday life of the people and to meet thepeople's requirements for a happy New Year.

Genetically modified pigs:Emerging animal models for hereditary hearing loss

Hereditary hearing loss(HHL),a genetic disorder that impairs auditory function,significantly affects quality of life and incurs substantial economic losses for society.To investigate the underlying causes of HHL and evaluate therapeutic outcomes,appropriate animal models are necessary.Pigs have been extensively used as valuable large animal models in biomedical research.In this review,we highlight the advantages of pig models in terms of ear anatomy,inner ear morphology,and electrophysiological characteristics,as well as recent advancements in the development of distinct genetically modified porcine models of hearing loss.Additionally,we discuss the prospects,challenges,and recommendations regarding the use pig models in HHL research.Overall,this review provides insights and perspectives for future studies on HHL using porcine models.

Geochronology and Geochemistry of Early Cretaceous A-type Granites in Central-Eastern Inner Mongolia,China:Implications for Late Mesozoic Tectonic Evolution of the Southern Great Xing'an Range

The southern Great Xing'an Range is the most critical Sn-polymetallic metallogenic belt in northeast China.However,the tectonic setting of the Early Cretaceous magmatic-metallogenic”flare-up“event remains uncertain.This paper presents an integrated study on the occurrence,petrology,zircon U-Pb ages,whole-rock geochemistry,and in situ zircon Hf isotopes for Wenduerchagan granites of Xi Ujimqin Banner,central-eastern Inner Mongolia.These granites consist primarily of granite porphyry(with ages of 137±1 Ma and 138±1 Ma)and(porphyritic)alkali feldspar granite(with an age of 141±2 Ma),corresponding to the early Early Cretaceous.They are A-type granites characterized by high silicon,alkali,and TFeO/MgO contents while being depleted of Ba,Nb,Ta,Sr,P,and Ti.They show right-dipping trend rare-earth element distribution characteristics with negative Eu anomalies(Eu/Eu^(*)=0.01-0.20)and weak heavy rare-earth element fractionation((Gd/Yb)_(N)=0.77-2.30).They demonstrate homogeneous zircon Hf isotopic compositions(positiveε_(Hf)(t)values from+5.3 to+7.1 and young two-stage Hf model ages of 851-742 Ma)and high zircon saturation temperatures(av.810℃).These geochemical characteristics indicate that Wenduerchagan granites originated from the partial melting of juvenile crust under high-temperature and low-pressure conditions.Wenduerchagan granites most likely formed in a post-collisional compression-extension transition regime caused by the closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean,when combined with regional geology.Such a transition regime can probably be attributed to the upwelling of the asthenospheric mantle caused by the break-off of a subducted Mongol-Okhotsk oceanic slab.Upwelling asthenospheric mantle provided sufficient energy and favorable tectonic conditions for magmatism and mineralization of the Early Cretaceous.

基于EAR算法的司机疲劳驾驶检测系统

为有效减少司机疲劳驾驶导致的交通事故发生率,设计了一套基于EAR算法的司机疲劳驾驶检测系统。系统由硬件和软件两部分构成。硬件部分包括STM32单片机、OLED12864液晶显示模块、DS18B20温度传感器模块、光电测速传感器模块、CN-TTS语音播报模块、ESP8266数据存储和传输模块以及K210人脸识别模块。软件部分采用EAR检测算法进行疲劳检测。通过单片机和手机上运行的APP双端监测,系统能够实时监测司机状态,在司机出现疲劳特征时发出提醒,从而有效避免疲劳驾驶带来的安全隐患。经测试,系统的综合准确率达到92.4%,能够有效提醒司机避免疲劳驾驶。

Mutural Learning Among Civilizations with Great Rivers as the Medium 2023 World Great Rivers Civilizations Forum

The 2023World Great Rivers Civilizations Forum(Zhengzhou,China)was organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism,People's Daily,the National Cultural Heritage Administration and the Henan Provincial People's Government.

Review of 6 Years of Middle Ear Surgery in the ENT-Laryngology Department of the Donka National Hospital and a Literature Review

Introduction: Middle ear surgery is increasingly performed in our department. Our goal was to take stock of this activity in the ENT department of the Donka National Hospital. Equipment and Methods: It was a descriptive and retrospective study;it involved 71 patients’ records operated from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2023. We included the files of patients who had a middle ear surgery including the post-operative report and follow-up. Incomplete or illegible records were excluded. The parameters studied were epidemiological, otoscopic, tomodensitometric, surgical indications, surgical techniques and results. Results: We recorded 71 middle ear surgeries out of 548 ENT surgeries, the prevalence was 12.96%. The average age was 23 years (type-deviation = 17, 29 years) with extremes of 3 to 75 years. According to the preoperative audiometry, the deafness was medium (48.8%), mild (36.9%) and severe (14.3%). The operative indications were among others: perforation of the tympanic sequellar (52.5%), chronic otomastoiditis (23.8%), cholesteatoma (15%) and seromuqueous otitis (8.7%). We performed 70 tympanoplasties (90.9%), 50 mastoidectomies (64.9%) and 7 trans-tympanic aerators (9.1%). One month after surgery, the neotympanum was constituted in 86%, and the hearing gain was between 11 and 15 dB in 18.3% of cases. Conclusion: Middle ear surgery was infrequent. Young subjects are the most concerned. Tympanoplasty and mastoidectomy are the main surgical techniques. The anatomical and functional results are appreciable.

Evaluation of Ear and Facial Indices of Ibibio and Efik Female Children of Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, Nigeria

Background: The ear and face are indispensable and distinctive features for hearing and identification. Objectives: This study was designed to generate anthropometric data of the ear and facial indices of females of Efik and Ibibio children in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States, show morphological and aesthetic differences and ethnicity. Methods: A total of 600 female children (300 Efiks and 300 Ibibios) aged 2 to 10 years that met the inclusion criteria were chosen from selected primary schools in Calabar Municipality, Calabar South of Cross River State and from Uyo, Itu of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Standardized measurements of face length, face width, ear length, and ear width were taken with a spreading caliper;the facial (proscopic) and ear (auricular) indices were determined. Results: Efik subjects presented a mean face length of 8.36 ± 0.06 cm, face width of 11.04 ± 0.04 cm, ear length of 4.92 ± 0.02 cm, and ear width of 3.06 ± 0.01 cm. Ibibio subjects had mean values for face length, face width, ear length, and ear width as 8.17 ± 0.05 cm, 10.75 ± 0.05 cm, 4.77 ± 0.03 cm, and 2.94 ± 0.02 cm respectively. The mean facial index and ear index for Efik subjects were 75.68 ± 0.31 and 62.16 ± 0.27 respectively;while the mean facial and ear indices for Ibibio subjects were 74.79 ± 0.36 and 61.80 ± 0.34 respectively. Statistical analysis demonstrated significant differences in face length, ear length, ear width and facial index, with the Efik subjects having higher values than Ibibio subjects (p Conclusion: The results showed hypereuryproscopic face as the prevalent face type among females of both ethnic groups, therefore can be of importance in sex, ethnic, and racial differentiation, and in clinical practice, aesthetics and forensic medicine.

Hard life for sons in the nest?Sex-dependent offspring mortality in Great Tits in urban and forest areas

Sex-biased mortality can occur in birds during development,for example due to sexual differences in energy requirement and/or environmental sensitivity,or the effects of sex hormones or sex differences in the expression of mutations linked to sex chromosomes.The extent of sex-bias in mortality may also be related to environmental conditions that influence offspring development and survival.Urban areas often provide poorer conditions for nestling development resulting in higher offspring mortality compared to natural areas,which may accelerate sex differences in offspring mortality in cities.To test this hypothesis,we examined the sex ratio of dead offspring in Great Tits(Parus major),using 427 samples of unhatched eggs and dead nestlings collected in two urban and two forest sites between 2013 and 2019.The ratio of males in the whole sample of dead offspring(56.9%)was significantly higher than expected by an 1:1 ratio,and the strongest sex biases were detected in urban areas(57.6%males)and in young nestlings(<14 days old,59.0%males).However,the sex ratios of dead offspring did not differ significantly among study sites and between offspring developmental stages.29.3%of unhatched eggs contained a visible embryo,and the proportion of embryo-containing unhatched eggs did not differ significantly between urban and forest study sites.These results suggest male-biased offspring mortality in Great Tits,and highlight the need of large datasets to detect subtle differences between habitats and developmental stages.

Influence of ear tags on the results of body composition analysis in mice

Background:The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of marking meth-ods on the outcomes of body composition analysis and provide guidance for the se-lection of marking methods in mouse body composition analysis.Methods:Male C57BL/6J mice aged 6 weeks were randomly assigned for pre-and post-ear tagging measurements.The body composition of the mice was measured using a small animal body composition analyzer,which provided measurements of the mass of fat,lean,and free fluid.Then,the mass of fat,lean and free fluid to body weight ratio was gained.Further data analysis was conducted to obtain the range and coeffi-cient of variation in body composition measurements for each mouse.The distribution of fat and lean tissue in the mice was also analyzed by comparing the fat-to-lean ratio.Results:(1)The mass of all body composition components in the ear tagging group was significantly lower than that in the control group.(2)There was a significant in-crease in the range and coefficient of variation of body composition measurements between the ear tagging group and the control group.(3)The fat-to-lean ratio in the ear tagging group was significantly lower than that in the control group.Conclusions:Ear tagging significantly lowered the results of body composition analy-sis in mice and higher the results of measurement error.Therefore,ear tagging should be avoided as much as possible when conducting body composition analysis experi-ments in mice.

The environment,especially the minimum temperature,affects summer maize grain yield by regulating ear differentiation and grain development

Ear differentiation,grain development and their interaction with factors in the growing environment,such as temperature,solar radiation and precipitation,greatly influence grain number and grain weight,and ultimately affect summer maize production.In this study,field experiments involving different sowing dates were conducted over three years to evaluate the effects of temperature factors,average solar radiation and total precipitation on the growth process,ear differentiation,fertilization characteristics,grain filling and yield of summer maize varieties with different growth durations.Four hybrids were evaluated in Huang-Huai-Hai Plain(HHHP),China from 2018 to 2020 with five different sowing dates.The results showed that the grain yield formation of summer maize was strongly impacted by the environment from the silking(R1)to milking(R3)stage.Average minimum temperature(AT_(min))was the key environmental factor that determined yield.Reductions in the length of the growing season(r=–0.556,P<0.01)and the total floret number on ear(R^(2)=0.200,P<0.001)were found when AT_(min) was elevated from the emerging(VE)to R1 stage.Both grain-filling rate(R^(2)=0.520,P<0.001)and the floret abortion rate on ear(R^(2)=0.437,P<0.001)showed quadratic relationships with AT_(min) from the R1 to physiological maturity(R6)stage,while the number of days after the R1 stage(r=–0.756,P<0.01)was negatively correlated with AT_(min).An increase in AT_(min) was beneficial for the promotion of yield when it did not exceeded a certain level(above 23°C during the R1–R3 stage and 20–21°C during the R1-R6 stage).Enhanced solar radiation and precipitation during R1–R6 increased the grain-filling rate(R^(2)=0.562,P<0.001 and R^(2)=0.229,P<0.05,respectively).Compared with short-season hybrids,full-season hybrids showed much greater suitability for a critical environment.The coordinated regulation of AT_(min),ear differentiation and grain development at the pre-and post-silking stages improved maize yield by increasing total floret number and grain-filling rate,and by reducing the floret abortion rate on ear.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Middle Ear: Case Report and Literature Review

Malignant tumors originating from the middle ear are rare. The literature identifies chronic inflammation and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection as the most common risk factors. A CT scan to assess bony invasion and an MRI to evaluate soft tissue involvement, depth of invasion, and perineural invasion, followed by a biopsy, are indispensable for diagnosis and treatment. There is no standard treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the middle ear, however, most reported cases are treated with surgical resection followed by postoperative radiotherapy. Given the challenges of achieving complete surgical excision, radiotherapy plays a crucial role in controlling middle ear cancers, as demonstrated in our case. We present a case of squamous cell carcinoma of the middle ear in a 63-year-old female with a history of chronic suppurative otitis media. The patient underwent a right subtotal petrosectomy without lymph node dissection followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy. At the one-year follow visit, no recurrence or metastasis was detected.

m^(6)A modification of lncRNA in middle ear cholesteatoma

Objective:Middle ear cholesteatoma is a non-tumorous condition that typically leads to hearing loss,bone destruction,and other severe complications.Despite surgery being the primary treatment,the recurrence rate remains high.Therefore,exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying cholesteatoma is crucial for discovering new therapeutic approaches.This study aims to explore the involvement of N6-methyladenosine(m^(6)A)methylation in long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs)in the biological functions and related pathways of middle ear cholesteatoma.Methods:The m^(6)A modification patterns of lncRNA in middle ear cholesteatoma tissues(n=5)and normal post-auricular skin tissues(n=5)were analyzed using an lncRNA m^(6)A transcriptome microarray.Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway analyses were conducted to identify potential biological functions and signaling pathways involved in the pathogenesis of middle ear cholesteatoma.Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation(MeRIP)-PCR was used to validate the m^(6)A modifications in cholesteatoma and normal skin tissues.Results:Compared with normal skin tissues,1525 lncRNAs were differentially methylated in middle ear cholesteatoma tissues,with 1048 showing hypermethylation and 477 showing hypomethylation[fold change(FC)≥3 or<1/3,P<0.05].GO enrichment analysis indicated that hypermethylated lncRNAs were involved in protein phosphatase inhibitor activity,neuron-neuron synapse,and regulation ofα-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid(AMPA)receptor activity.Hypomethylated lncRNAs were associated with mRNA methyltransferase activity,secretory granule membrane,and mRNA methylation.KEGG analysis revealed that hypermethylated lncRNAs were mainly associated with 5 pathways:the Hedgehog signaling pathway,viral protein interaction with cytokines and cytokine receptors,mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)signaling pathway,cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction,and adrenergic signaling in cardiomyocytes.Hypomethylated lncRNAs were mainly involved in 4 pathways:Renal cell carcinoma,tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway,transcriptional misregulation in cancer,and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction.Additionally,MeRIP-PCR confirmed the changes in m^(6)A methylation levels in NR_033339,NR_122111,NR_130744,and NR_026800,consistent with microarray analysis.Real-time PCR also confirmed the significant upregulation of MAPK1 and NF-κB,key genes in the MAPK signaling pathway.Conclusion:This study reveals the m^(6)A modification patterns of lncRNAs in middle ear cholesteatoma,suggests a direction for further research into the role of lncRNA m^(6)A modification in the etiology of cholesteatoma.The findings provide potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of middle ear cholesteatoma.

Evidence of the Great Attractor and Great Repeller from Artificial Neural Network Imputation of Sloan Digital Sky Survey

The Sloane Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) has been in the process of creating a 3D digital map of the Universe, since 2000AD. However, it has not been able to map that portion of the sky which is occluded by the dust gas and stars of our own Milkyway Galaxy. This research builds on work from a previous paper that sought to impute this missing galactic information using Inpainting, polar transforms and Linear Regression ANNs. In that paper, the author only attempted to impute the data in the Northern hemisphere using the ANN model, which subsequently confirmed the existence of the Great Attractor and the homogeneity of the Universe. In this paper, the author has imputed the Southern Hemisphere and discovered a region that is mostly devoid of stars. Since this area appears to be the counterpart to the Great Attractor, the author refers to it as the Great Repeller and postulates that it is an area of physical repulsion, inline with the work of GerdPommerenke and others. Finally, the paper investigates large scale structures in the imputed galaxies.

DeepBio:A Deep CNN and Bi-LSTM Learning for Person Identification Using Ear Biometrics

The identification of individuals through ear images is a prominent area of study in the biometric sector.Facial recognition systems have faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic due to mask-wearing,prompting the exploration of supplementary biometric measures such as ear biometrics.The research proposes a Deep Learning(DL)framework,termed DeepBio,using ear biometrics for human identification.It employs two DL models and five datasets,including IIT Delhi(IITD-I and IITD-II),annotated web images(AWI),mathematical analysis of images(AMI),and EARVN1.Data augmentation techniques such as flipping,translation,and Gaussian noise are applied to enhance model performance and mitigate overfitting.Feature extraction and human identification are conducted using a hybrid approach combining Convolutional Neural Networks(CNN)and Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory(Bi-LSTM).The DeepBio framework achieves high recognition rates of 97.97%,99.37%,98.57%,94.5%,and 96.87%on the respective datasets.Comparative analysis with existing techniques demonstrates improvements of 0.41%,0.47%,12%,and 9.75%on IITD-II,AMI,AWE,and EARVN1 datasets,respectively.

The Great Relocation of the Global Supply Chain:New Opportunity for the Global South

The global supply chain relocation,often referred to as the"Great Relocation"by HSBC and other financial institutions,can now be seen as a strategic risk management process.DuringIn this process,manufacturers shift their industrial capacity from high—risk"regions to new destinations-(primarily in the Global South)-to secure stable revenue streams,and maintain competitiveness.This marks a reversal of the trend that has dominated for the past four decades.

Case Report: Surgical Correction of Transposition of the Great Arteries with Aortopulmonary Window

Introduction:Transposition of the great arteries(TGA)with aortopulmonary window is a rare type of congenital heart disease with limited experience.We reported a neonate aged 25 days receiving the arterial switch operation and assisted with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.Conclusion:TGA with aortopulmonary window can be safely correctly with the arterial switch operation.

Ear keloid and epidermal cyst following auricular cartilage harvest for rhinoplasty:A case report

BACKGROUND This case report highlights a rare instance of concurrent keloid and epidermal cyst development at an ear cartilage harvest site following rhinoplasty in a 25-year-old woman.Both conditions,which typically stem from skin trauma,seldom occur together,demonstrating the exceptional characteristics of this case.CASE SUMMARY The patient underwent successful surgical removal of both the keloid and the epidermal cyst.Postoperative treatment included the use of silicone sheets,gel,and oral tranilast to reduce scarring.No recurrence was observed over a 6-mo follow-up period,indicating effective management of the condition.CONCLUSION The effective management of complex skin trauma cases underscores the need for individualized treatment strategies in plastic surgery.

Asia-Pacific Security Situation and Strategic Response Under Great Changes

Our world today is going through accelerated transformation unseen in a century.The new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is gaining steam,the international balance of power is undergoing profound adjustment,and China’s development is facing new strategic opportunities.

Consumer Culture in The Great Gatsby

F.Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby successfully portrays the“Jazz Age”.In the early 20th century,the United States transitioned from a production-based society to a consumer-based society,leading to an era of unparalleled prosperity.However,in the context of consumer culture,individuals often transition from being masters of their possessions to becoming enslaved by them.As a result,their behaviours and values become increasingly associated with extravagance and consumption.This paper uses Baudrillard’s theory of consumer society and textual analysis to explore the impact of consumer culture on human beings through the symbolization of men and objectification of women in The Great Gatsby.The meanings embedded in the novel are revealed from a different perspective.