Research Progress on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in the Sequelae of Stroke

The research progress of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the treatment of sequelae of stroke is an important topic. Stroke is among the diseases with the highest mortality and disability rates among the elderly in China. BDNF plays an important role in the development and functional maintenance of the nervous system. In recent years, the application value of BDNF in rehabilitation therapy has gradually received attention. This study has adopted a systematic literature review method, searched Chinese and English databases, screened relevant studies, and conducted data extraction and quality evaluation. This review systematically introduced the research progress of BDNF in the correlation with post-stroke sequelae, with special attention to its application in post-stroke depression, motor dysfunction, and cognitive dysfunction. The results showed that a decrease in BDNF levels is closely related to the exacerbation of depressive symptoms, limited recovery of motor dysfunction, and the occurrence of cognitive dysfunction. BDNF, as a key neurobiological factor, has shown significant potential in the rehabilitation treatment of stroke. By exploring the potential of BDNF as a therapeutic target to prevent and treat sequelae of ischemic stroke, the current research bottlenecks, and the development trends of future treatment strategies.

Application of Chinese Medicine Nursing Techniques in the Sequelae of Pelvic Inflammatory Diseases: A Review

Sequelae of Pelvic Inflammatory Diseases (SPID) is a common and frequent disease in gynecology, which adversely affects women’s reproductive health and quality of life due to its prolonged course. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in China has gradually shown its clinical advantages in the treatment of SPID. Therefore, the present review summarizes the etiology and pathogenesis of SPID, the evidence typology, and the clinical application effects of moxibustion, herbal retention enema, acupoint compresses, external application of traditional Chinese medicine, auricular pressure beans, tuina massage, traditional Chinese medicine gongfu, and other commonly used Chinese medicine nursing techniques, with the aim of providing references and experiences for the subsequent related studies.

Total hip arthroplasty for sequelae of childhood hip disorders:Current review of management to achieve hip centre restoration

Adults requiring total hip arthroplasty(THA)for childhood disorder sequelae present with shortening,limp,pain,and altered gait.THA,which can be particularly challenging due to altered anatomy,requires careful planning,assessment,and computed tomography evaluation.Preoperative templating is essential to establish the appropriate acetabular and femoral size.Information regarding neck length and offset is needed to ensure the proper options are available at THA.Hip centre restoration must be planned preoperatively and achieved intraoperatively with appropriate exposure,identification,and stable fixation with optimum-size components.Identifying the actual acetabular floor is essential as changes include altered anatomy,distortion of the margins and version changes.Proximal femur changes include anatomical variation,decreased canal diameter,cortical thickness,changes in anteversion,and metaphyseal and diaphyseal mismatch.Preoperative assessment should consist of limb assessment for variations due to prior surgical procedures.Evaluation of the shortening pattern with the relationship of the lesser trochanter to the teardrop would help identify and plan for subtrochanteric shortening osteotomy,especially in high-riding hips.The surgical approach must ensure adequate exposure and soft tissue release to achieve restoration of the anatomical hip centre.The femoral components may require modularity to enable restoration of anteversion and optimum fixation.

Treatment and Sequelae of Panfacial Fractures in the Maxillofacial Surgery and Stomatology Department of the Hospital University of Treichville-Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire)

Introduction: The treatment of panfacial fractures is complex and constitutes a challenge for the maxillofacial surgeon, who, despite therapeutic progress, frequently suffers functional and aesthetic sequelae. This study aimed to describe the treatment and evaluate the functional and aesthetic sequelae of panfacial fractures in the stomatology and maxillofacial surgery department of the Treichville University Hospital. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study over a 6 years in the stomatology and maxillofacial surgery department of Treichville University Hospital. Forty-two patients with panfacial fractures were included in the study. Results: Forty-two patients were registered. The average time to osteosynthesis was 12.4 days. Nasotracheal intubation was used most often (88%), and in the majority of cases, mixed osteosynthesis combining a screwed plate and steel wire was performed (64.29%). The “Bottom-up and Outside-in” surgical sequence was the most commonly used (64.29%). All patients had at least one functional and/or cosmetic sequela after treatment. Functional sequelae were dominated by occlusal problems and aesthetic sequelae by nasal deformities. Discussion: Panfacial fractures are characterised by their complexity, presenting maxillo-facial surgeons with a therapeutic and evolutionary challenge. The quality of the initial, often multidisciplinary, management of panfacial fractures is an essential factor in both functional and aesthetic prognosis. Conclusion: The treatment of panfacial fractures, even if well managed, is sometimes a source of sequelae, requiring often complex secondary management.

Clinical manifestations,diagnosis and long-term prognosis of adult autoimmune enteropathy:Experience from Peking Union Medical College Hospital

BACKGROUND Autoimmune enteropathy(AIE)is a rare disease whose diagnosis and long-term prognosis remain challenging,especially for adult AIE patients.AIM To improve overall understanding of this disease’s diagnosis and prognosis.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the clinical,endoscopic and histopathological characteristics and prognoses of 16 adult AIE patients in our tertiary medical center between 2011 and 2023,whose diagnosis was based on the 2007 diagnostic criteria.RESULTS Diarrhea in AIE patients was characterized by secretory diarrhea.The common endoscopic manifestations were edema,villous blunting and mucosal hyperemia in the duodenum and ileum.Villous blunting(100%),deep crypt lymphocytic infiltration(67%),apoptotic bodies(50%),and mild intraepithelial lymphocytosis(69%)were observed in the duodenal biopsies.Moreover,there were other remarkable abnormalities,including reduced or absent goblet cells(duodenum 94%,ileum 62%),reduced or absent Paneth cells(duodenum 94%,ileum 69%)and neutrophil infiltration(duodenum 100%,ileum 69%).Our patients also fulfilled the 2018 diagnostic criteria but did not match the 2022 diagnostic criteria due to undetectable anti-enterocyte antibodies.All patients received glucocorticoid therapy as the initial medication,of which 14/16 patients achieved a clinical response in 5(IQR:3-20)days.Immunosuppressants were administered to 9 patients with indications of steroid dependence(6/9),steroid refractory status(2/9),or intensified maintenance medication(1/9).During the median of 20.5 months of followup,2 patients died from multiple organ failure,and 1 was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.The cumulative relapse-free survival rates were 62.5%,55.6%and 37.0%at 6 months,12 months and 48 months,respectively.CONCLUSION Certain histopathological findings,including a decrease or disappearance of goblet and Paneth cells in intestinal biopsies,might be potential diagnostic criteria for adult AIE.The long-term prognosis is still unsatisfactory despite corticosteroid and immunosuppressant medications,which highlights the need for early diagnosis and novel medications.

Long-term outcomes after endoscopic removal of malignant colorectal polyps:Results from a 10-year cohort

BACKGROUND Choosing an optimal post-polypectomy management strategy of malignant colorectal polyps is challenging,and evidence regarding a surveillance-only strategy is limited.AIM To evaluate long-term outcomes after endoscopic removal of malignant colorectal polyps.METHODS A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate outcomes after endoscopic removal of malignant colorectal polyps between 2010 and 2020.Residual disease rate and nodal metastases after secondary surgery and local and distant recurrence rate for those with at least 1 year of follow-up were invest-igated.Event rates for categorical variables and means for continuous variables with 95%confidence intervals were calculated,and Fisher’s exact test and Mann-Whitney test were performed.Potential risk factors of adverse outcomes were RESULTS In total,135 lesions(mean size:22.1 mm;location:42%rectal)from 129 patients(mean age:67.7 years;56%male)were enrolled.The proportion of pedunculated and non-pedunculated lesions was similar,with en bloc resection in 82%and 47%of lesions,respectively.Tumor differentiation,distance from resection margins,depth of submucosal invasion,lymphovascular invasion,and budding were reported at 89.6%,45.2%,58.5%,31.9%,and 25.2%,respectively.Residual tumor was found in 10 patients,and nodal metastasis was found in 4 of 41 patients who underwent secondary surgical resection.Univariate analysis identified piecemeal resection as a risk factor for residual malignancy(odds ratio:1.74;P=0.042).At least 1 year of follow-up was available for 117 lesions from 111 patients(mean follow-up period:5.59 years).Overall,54%,30%,30%,11%,and 16%of patients presented at the 1-year,3-year,5-year,7-year,and 9-10-year surveillance examinations.Adverse outcomes occurred in 9.0%(local recurrence and dissemination in 4 patients and 9 patients,respectively),with no difference between patients undergoing secondary surgery and surveillance only.CONCLUSION Reporting of histological features and adherence to surveillance colonoscopy needs improvement.Long-term adverse outcome rates might be higher than previously reported,irrespective of whether secondary surgery was performed.

Perspectives on multidimensional assessment of post-stroke sequelae: fromclinimetrics to holism

In this work,we intended to connect clinimetrics with holism in traditional Chinese medicine towards multidimensional assessment of post-stroke sequelae in real-world setting,as a bridge between inheritance and innovation.Firstly,a systematic search of current evidence that supported integrated treatment of traditional Chinese and Western medicine for post-stroke sequelae sufferers was performed.Secondly,on the basis of available evidence,we presented couples of implications.Lastly,as psychosomatic perspective is one of the main academic paradigms of traditional Chinese medicine holism,we chiefly proposed comprehensive assessment for both motor and non-motor severities to probably match consonance with traditional Chinese medicine practice that treats psycho-/somatic-complains simultaneously.

Tailoring Iron-Ion Release of Cellulose-Based Aerogel-Coated Iron Foam for Long-Term High-Power Microbial Fuel Cells

The presence of iron(Fe) has been found to favor power generation in microbial fuel cells(MFCs). To achieve long-term power production in MFCs, it is crucial to effectively tailor the release of Fe ions over extended operating periods. In this study, we developed a composite anode(A/IF) by coating iron foam with cellulose-based aerogel. The concentration of Fe ions in the anode solution of A/IF anode reaches 0.280 μg/mL(Fe^(2+) vs. Fe^(3+) = 61%:39%) after 720 h of aseptic primary cell operation. This value was significantly higher than that(0.198 μg/mL, Fe^(2+) vs. Fe^(3+) = 92%:8%) on uncoated iron foam(IF), indicating a continuous release of Fe ions over long-term operation. Notably, the resulting MFCs hybrid cell exhibited a 23% reduction in Fe ion concentration(compared to a 47% reduction for the IF anode) during the sixth testing cycle(600-720 h). It achieved a high-power density of 301 ± 55 mW/m^(2) at 720 h, which was 2.62 times higher than that of the IF anode during the same period. Furthermore, a sedimentary microbial fuel cell(SMFCs) was constructed in a marine environment, and the A/IF anode demonstrated a power density of 103 ± 3 mW/m^(2) at 3240 h, representing a 75% improvement over the IF anode. These findings elucidate the significant enhancement in long-term power production performance of MFCs achieved through effective tailoring of Fe ions release during operation.

Long-Term Performance and Microstructural Characterization of Dam Concrete in the Three Gorges Project

This study investigates the long-term performance of laboratory dam concrete in different curing environments over ten years and the microstructure of 17-year-old laboratory concrete and actual concrete cores drilled from the Three Gorges Dam.The mechanical properties of the laboratory dam concrete,whether cured in natural or standard environments,continued to improve over time.Furthermore,the laboratory dam concrete exhibited good resistance to diffusion and a refined microstructure after 17 years.However,curing and long-term exposure to the local natural environment reduced the frost resistance.Microstructural analyses of the laboratory concrete samples demonstrated that moderate-heat cement and fine fly ash(FA)particles were almost fully hydrated to form compact micro structures consisting of large quantities of homogeneous calcium(alumino)silicate hydrate(C-(A)-S-H)gels and a few crystals.No obvious interfacial transition zones were observed in the microstructure owing to the longterm pozzolanic reaction.This dense and homogenous microstructure was the crucial reason for the excellent long-term performance of the dam concrete.A high FA volume also played a significant role in the microstructural densification and performance growth of dam concrete at a later age.The concrete drilled from the dam surface exhibited a loose microstructure with higher microporosity,indicating that concrete directly exposed to the actual service environment suffered degradation caused by water and wind attacks.In this study,both macro-performance and microstructural analyses revealed that the application of moderate-heat cement and FA resulted in a dense and homogenous microstructure,which ensured the excellent long-term performance of concrete from the Three Gorges Dam after 17 years.Long-term exposure to an actual service environment may lead to microstructural degradation of the concrete surface.Therefore,the retained long-term dam concrete samples need to be further researched to better understand its microstructural evolution and development of its properties.

Soil bacterial and fungal communities resilience to long-term nitrogen addition in subtropical forests in China

Atmospheric nitrogen(N)deposition is predicted to increase,especially in the subtropics.However,the responses of soil microorganisms to long-term N addition at the molecular level in N-rich subtropical forests have not been clarified.A long-term nutrient addition experiment was conducted in a subtropical evergreen old-growth forest in China.The four treatments were:control,low N(50 kg N ha^(-1)a^(-1)),high N(100 kg N ha^(-1)a^(-1)),and combined N and phosphorus(P)(100 kg N ha^(-1)a^(-1)+50 kg P ha^(-1)a^(-1)).Metagenomic sequencing characterized diversity and composition of soil microbial communities and used to construct bacterial/fungal co-occurrence networks.Nutrient-treated soils were more acidic and had higher levels of dissolved organic carbon than controls.There were no significant differences in microbial diversity and community composition across treatments.The addition of nutrients increased the abundance of copiotrophic bacteria and potentially beneficial microorganisms(e.g.,Gemmatimonadetes,Chaetomium,and Aureobasidium).Low N addition increased microbiome network connectivity.Three rare fungi were identified as module hubs under nutrient addition,indicating that low abundance fungi were more sensitive to increased nutrients.The results indicate that the overall composition of microbial communities was stable but not static to long-term N addition.Our findings provide new insights that can aid predictions of the response of soil microbial communities to long-term N addition.

Long-term thinning decreases the contribution of heterotrophic respiration to soil respiration in subalpine plantations

Interest in the dynamics of soil respiration(R_(S))in subalpine forest ecosystems is increasing due to their high soil carbon density and potential sensitivity to environmental changes.However,as a principal silvicultural practice,the long-term impacts of thinning on R_(S) and its heterotrophic and autotrophic respiration components(R_(h) and Ra,respectively)in subalpine plantations are poorly understood,espe-cially in winter.A 3-year field observation was carried out with consideration of winter CO_(2) efflux in middle-aged sub-alpine spruce plantations in northwestern China.A trench-ing method was used to explore the long-term impacts of thinning on Rs,Rn and R_(a).Seventeen years after thinning,mean annual Rs,Rn and R_(a) increased,while the contribu-tion of R_(h) to R_(s) decreased with thinning intensity.Thinning significantly decreased winter R,because of the reduction in R_(n) but had no significant effect on Ra.The temperature sensitivity(Q_(10))of R_(h) and R_(a) also increased with thinning intensity,with lower Q_(10) values for R_(h)(2.1-2.6)than for Ra(2.4-2.8).The results revealed the explanatory variables and pathways related to R_(n) and R_(a) dynamics.Thinning increased soil moisture and nitrate nitrogen(NO_(3)^(-)-N),and the enhanced nitrogen and water availability promoted R_(h) and R_(a) by improving fine root biomass and microbial activity.Our results highlight the positive roles of NO_(3)^(-)-N in stimulating R_(s) components following long-term thinning.Therefore,applications of nitrogen fertilizer are not recommended while thinning subalpine spruce plantations from the perspective of reducing soil CO_(2) emissions.The increased Q_(10) values of R_(s) components indicate that a large increase in soil CO_(2) emissions would be expected following thinning because of more pronounced climate warming in alpineregions.

A data and physical model dual-driven based trajectory estimator for long-term navigation

Long-term navigation ability based on consumer-level wearable inertial sensors plays an essential role towards various emerging fields, for instance, smart healthcare, emergency rescue, soldier positioning et al. The performance of existing long-term navigation algorithm is limited by the cumulative error of inertial sensors, disturbed local magnetic field, and complex motion modes of the pedestrian. This paper develops a robust data and physical model dual-driven based trajectory estimation(DPDD-TE) framework, which can be applied for long-term navigation tasks. A Bi-directional Long Short-Term Memory(Bi-LSTM) based quasi-static magnetic field(QSMF) detection algorithm is developed for extracting useful magnetic observation for heading calibration, and another Bi-LSTM is adopted for walking speed estimation by considering hybrid human motion information under a specific time period. In addition, a data and physical model dual-driven based multi-source fusion model is proposed to integrate basic INS mechanization and multi-level constraint and observations for maintaining accuracy under long-term navigation tasks, and enhanced by the magnetic and trajectory features assisted loop detection algorithm. Real-world experiments indicate that the proposed DPDD-TE outperforms than existing algorithms, and final estimated heading and positioning accuracy indexes reaches 5° and less than 2 m under the time period of 30 min, respectively.

RuO_(2)/CoMO_(2)O_(x) Catalyst with Low Ruthenium Loading for Long-Term Acidic Oxygen Evolution

We must urgently synthesize highly efficient and stable oxygen-evolution reaction(OER) catalysts for acidic media. Herein, we constructed a series of Ti mesh(TM)-supported RuO_(2)/CoMo_(y)O_(x) catalysts(RuO_(2)/CoMo_(y)O_(x)/TM) with heterogeneous structures. By optimizing the ratio of Co to Mo, RuO_(2)/CoMO_(2)O_(x)/TM with low Ru loading(0.079 mg/cm^(2)) achieves remarkable OER performance(η = 243 mV at 10 mA/cm^(2)) and high stability(300 h @ 10 mA/cm^(2)) in 0.5 mol/L H_(2)SO_(4) electrolyte. The activity of RuO_(2)/CoMo_yO_x/TM can be maintained for 50 h at 100 mA/cm^(2), and a water electrolyzer with RuO_(2)/CoMO_(2)O_(x)/TM as anode can operate for 40 h at 100 mA/cm~2, suggesting the remarkable OER durability of RuO_(2)/CoMo__(y)O__(x)/TM in acidic electrolyte. Owing to the heterogeneous interface between CoMO_(2)O_(x) and RuO_(2), the electronic structure of Ru atoms was optimized and electron-rich Ru was formed. With modulated electronic properties, the dissociation energy of H_(2)O is weakened, and the OER barrier is lowered. This study provides the design of low-cost noble metal catalysts with long-term stability in an acidic environment.

Imperative for long-term management and surveillance in Kawasaki disease

Kawasaki disease(KD)is a significant pediatric vasculitis known for its potential to cause severe coronary artery complications.Despite the effectiveness of initial treatments,such as intravenous immunoglobulin,KD patients can experience long-term cardiovascular issues,as evidenced by a recent case report of an adult who suffered a ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction due to previous KD in the World Journal of Clinical Cases.This editorial emphasizes the critical need for long-term management and regular surveillance to prevent such complications.By drawing on recent research and case studies,we advocate for a structured approach to follow-up care that includes routine cardiac evaluations and preventive measures.

Optimism,Social Support,and Caregiving Burden among the Long-Term Caregivers:The Mediating Effect of Psychological Resilience

Background:As the elderly population grows,the demand for long-term care services is increasing.Despite significant investments in care quality and workforce training,long-term care workers often face challenges such as work fatigue,heavy workloads,and inadequate support.These issues can impact job satisfaction,mental health,and care quality,leading to staff turnover.This study examines how optimism,social support,and psychological resilience relate to caregiving burden,aiming to understand their effects on caregivers’well-being and performance to enhance the quality of long-term care services.Methods:The participants were 542 long-term care workers.Descriptive statistics,t-tests,one-way ANOVA,and hierarchical regression were used for data analysis.Results:(1)Optimism and social support were significantly and positively correlated with psychological resilience and significantly and negatively associated with caregiving burden.(2)Regarding differences in optimism,social support,psychological resilience,and caregiving burden among long-term care workers,females scored significantly higher than males in“social support;”married workers scored significantly higher than unmarried workers in“optimism,”“social support,”and“psychological resilience”;workers aged 45–65 scored significantly higher than those aged 25–45 in“optimism”;workers aged 25–45 scored significantly higher than those aged 45–65 in“caregiving burden”;social workers scored significantly higher than nursing staff in“optimism.”(3)Psychological resilience partially mediated the relationship between social support and caregiving burden concerning explanatory and predictive power.Conclusions:These findings suggest that optimism,social support,and psychological resilience are essential factors in reducing the caregiving burden among long-term care workers.The study highlights the importance of promoting psychological resilience and providing social support to alleviate the burden of caregiving.

Effect of long-term thermal exposure on microstructure of laser-welded UNS N10003 alloy

The evolution of the microstructure and tensile rupture mechanism of laser welds in UNS N10003 alloy exposed to 700℃are investigated.Fine M_(6)C carbides precipitate around the primary eutectic M_(6)C-carbides in the fusion zone after 100 h of exposure.During long-term thermal exposure,the size of the fine M_(6)C carbides increased.The eutectic M_(6)C-carbides in the as-welded fusion zone transformed into spherical M_(6)C carbides as the exposure time extends to 10000 h.Additionally,the spherical M_(6)C particles exhibit size coarsening with increasing exposure time.The tensile properties of the welded joints are not adversely affected by the evolution of eutectic M_(6)C-carbides and the coarsening of M_(6)C carbides.

Development of a new Cox model for predicting long-term survival in hepatitis cirrhosis patients underwent transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts

BACKGROUND Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)placement is a procedure that can effectively treat complications of portal hypertension,such as variceal bleeding and refractory ascites.However,there have been no specific studies on predicting long-term survival after TIPS placement.AIM To establish a model to predict long-term survival in patients with hepatitis cirrhosis after TIPS.METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of 224 patients who un-derwent TIPS implantation.Through univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses,various factors were examined for their ability to predict survival at 6 years after TIPS.Consequently,a composite score was formulated,encompassing the indication,shunt reasonability,portal venous pressure gradient(PPG)after TIPS,percentage decrease in portal venous pressure(PVP),indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min(ICGR15)and total bilirubin(Tbil)level.Furthermore,the performance of the newly developed Cox(NDC)model was evaluated in an in-ternal validation cohort and compared with that of a series of existing models.RESULTS The indication(variceal bleeding or ascites),shunt reasonability(reasonable or unreasonable),ICGR15,post-operative PPG,percentage of PVP decrease and Tbil were found to be independent factors affecting long-term survival after TIPS placement.The NDC model incorporated these parameters and successfully identified patients at high risk,exhibiting a notably elevated mortality rate following the TIPS procedure,as observed in both the training and validation cohorts.Additionally,in terms of predicting the long-term survival rate,the performance of the NDC model was significantly better than that of the other four models[Child-Pugh,model for end-stage liver disease(MELD),MELD-sodium and the Freiburg index of post-TIPS survival].CONCLUSION The NDC model can accurately predict long-term survival after the TIPS procedure in patients with hepatitis cirrhosis,help identify high-risk patients and guide follow-up management after TIPS implantation.

Long-term variation of Arctic Sudden Stratospheric Warmings(SSW)and potential causes

Utilizing the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast(ECMWF)Reanalysis v5(ERA5),for the first time,we have confirmed close links among Sudden Stratospheric Warmings(SSWs)in the Northern Hemisphere(NH),the polar vortices,and stratospheric Planetary Waves(PWs)by analyzing and comparing their trends.Interestingly,within overall increasing trends,the duration and strength of SSWs exhibit increasing and decreasing trends before and after the winter of 2002,respectively.To reveal possible physical mechanisms driving these trends,we analyzed the long-term trends of the winter(from December to February)polar vortices and of stratospheric PWs with zonal wave number 1.Notably,our results show that in all three time periods(the entire period of 41winters,1980 to 2020,and the two subperiods—1980-2002 and 2002-2020)enhancing SSWs were always accompanied by weakening winter polar vortices and strengthening polar PWs like Stationary Planetary Waves(SPWs)and 16-day waves,and vice versa.This is the first proof,based on ERA5 long-term trend data,that weakening polar vortices and enhancing stratospheric PWs(especially SPWs)could cause an increase in SSWs.

Long-Term Mortality of Children with Congenital Heart Disease Admitted to the Departmental University Hospital of Borgou/Alibori from 2011 to 2022

Background: Congenital heart disease is a public health issue due to its incidence and mortality rate. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term mortality of children with congenital heart disease admitted to the Departmental University Hospital of Borgou/Alibori (CHUD-B/A) from 2011 to 2022. Methods: This descriptive longitudinal study with analytical aims covered 11 years (April 1, 2011 to December 31, 2022). It consisted of a review of the records of children under 15 years of age with echocardiographically confirmed congenital heart disease. This was followed by an interview with the parents to assess the children’s current condition. Data were entered using Kobocollect software and analyzed using R Studio 4.2.2. software. Results: A total of 143 complete files were retained. The median age at diagnosis was 14 months (IIQ: Q1 = 4;Q3 = 60) with a range of 2 days and 175 months, and the sex-ratio (M/F) was 0.96. Left-to-right shunts were the most frequent cardiopathy group (62.9%). Only 35 children (24.5%) benefited from restorative treatment. The mortality rate was 31.5%. Median survival under the maximum bias assumption was 114 months and 216 months under the assumption of minimum bias. Survival was significantly better in children with right-to-left shunts (p = 0.0049) under the assumption of minimum bias. The death risk factors were: age at diagnosis less than 12 months (aHR = 7.58;95% CI = 3.36 - 17.24;p Conclusion: The long-term mortality of congenital heart disease is high and favoured by the absence of restorative treatment. Local correction of congenital heart disease and medical follow-up will help to reduce this mortality.

Long-term performance of recycled asphalt mixtures containing high RAP and RAS

The application of reclaimed asphalt pavement(RAP)and reclaimed asphalt shingles(RAS)on asphalt pavement can reduce the asphalt paving cost,conserve energy and protect the environment.However,the use of high contents of RAP and RAS in asphalt pavement may lead to durability issues,especially the fatigue cracking and thermal cracking.It is necessary to conduct a series of analyses on asphalt mixtures containing high RAP and RAS,and seek methods to enhance their long-term performance.This paper provides a comprehensive over-view of the long-term performance of recycled asphalt mixtures containing high contents of RAP and RAS.The findings in this research show that rutting resistance of high recycled asphalt mixtures is not a concern,whereas their resistance to fatigue and thermal cracking is not conclusive.Recycling agents can be used to improve the thermal cracking resistance of high recycled asphalt mixtures.An optimum decision on recycling agents will improve the durability properties of high recycled asphalt mixtures.It is recommended that to use a balanced mixture design approach with testing of the blended asphalt binders will provide better understanding of long-term performance of recycled asphalt mixtures containing high RAP and RAS.