Protocol for lower back pain management: Insights from the French healthcare system

In this editorial we comment on the article published in a recent issue of the World Journal of Clinical Cases.This article described a novel ultrasound-guided lateral recess block approach in treating a patient with lateral recess stenosis.The impact of spinal pain-related disability extends significantly,causing substantial human suffering and medical costs.Each county has its preferred treatment strategies for spinal pain.Here,we explore the lower back pain(LBP)treatment algorithm recommended in France.The treatment algorithm for LBP recommended by the French National Authority for Health emphasizes early patient activity and minimal medication use.It encourages the continuation of daily activities,limits excessive medication and spinal injections,and incorporates psychological assessments and non-pharmacological therapies for chronic cases.However,the algorithm may not aggressively address acute pain in the early stages,potentially delaying relief and increasing the risk of chronicity.Additionally,the recommended infiltrations primarily involve caudal epidural steroid injections,with limited consideration for other injection procedures,such as transforaminal or interlaminar epidural steroid injections.The fixed follow-up timeline may not accommodate patients who do not respond to initial treatment or experience intense pain,potentially delaying the exploration of alternative therapies.Despite these limitations,understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the French approach could inform adaptations in LBP treatment strategies globally,potentially enhancing patient outcomes and satisfaction across diverse healthcare systems.

Whole petroleum system in Jurassic coal measures of Taibei Sag in Tuha Basin,NW China

Based on the latest results of near-source exploration in the Middle and Lower Jurassic of the Tuha Basin,a new understanding of the source rocks,reservoir conditions,and source-reservoir-cap rock combinations of the Jurassic Shuixigou Group in the Taibei Sag is established using the concept of the whole petroleum system,and the coal-measure whole petroleum system is analyzed thoroughly.The results are obtained in three aspects.First,the coal-measure source rocks of the Badaowan Formation and Xishanyao Formation and the argillaceous source rocks of the Sangonghe Formation in the Shuixigou Group exhibit the characteristics of long-term hydrocarbon generation,multiple hydrocarbon generation peaks,and simultaneous oil and gas generation,providing sufficient oil and gas sources for the whole petroleum system in the Jurassic coal-bearing basin.Second,multi-phase shallow braided river delta–shallow lacustrine deposits contribute multiple types of reservoirs,e.g.sandstone,tight sandstone,shale and coal rock,in slope and depression areas,providing effective storage space for the petroleum reservoir formation in coal-measure strata.Third,three phases of hydrocarbon charging and structural evolution,as well as effective configuration of multiple types of reservoirs,result in the sequential accumulation of conventional-unconventional hydrocarbons.From high structural positions to depression,there are conventional structural and structural-lithological reservoirs far from the source,low-saturation structural-lithological reservoirs near the source,and tight sandstone gas,coal rock gas and shale oil accumulations within the source.Typically,the tight sandstone gas and coal rock gas are the key options for further exploration,and the shale oil and gas in the depression area is worth of more attention.The new understanding of the whole petroleum system in the coal measures could further enrich and improve the geological theory of the whole petroleum system,and provide new ideas for the overall exploration of oil and gas resources in the Tuha Basin.

Performance Evaluation of Three-Dimensional UWB Real-Time Locating Auto-Positioning System for Fire Rescue

Fire rescue challenges and solutions have evolved from straightfor-ward plane rescue to encompass 3D space due to the rise of high-rise city buildings.Hence,this study facilitates a system with quick and simplified on-site launching and generates real-time location data,enabling fire rescuers to arrive at the intended spot faster and correctly for effective and precise rescue.Auto-positioning with step-by-step instructions is proposed when launching the locating system,while no extra measuring instrument like Total Station(TS)is needed.Real-time location tracking is provided via a 3D space real-time locating system(RTLS)constructed using Ultra-wide Bandwidth technology(UWB),which requires electromagnetic waves to pass through concrete walls.A hybrid weighted least squares with a time difference of arrival(WLS/TDOA)positioning method is proposed to address real path-tracking issues in 3D space and to meet RTLS requirements for quick computing in real-world applications.The 3D WLS/TDOA algorithm is theoretically constructed with the Cramer-Rao lower bound(CRLB).The computing complexity is reduced to the lower bound for embedded hardware to directly compute the time differential of the arriving signals using the time-to-digital converter(TDC).The results of the experiments show that the errors are controlled when the positioning algorithm is applied in various complicated situations to fulfill the requirements of engineering applications.The statistical analysis of the data reveals that the proposed UWB RTLS auto-positioning system can track target tags with an accuracy of 0.20 m.

Existence Results for Systems of Nonlinear Caputo Fractional Differential Equations

We aim, in this work, to demonstrate the existence of minimal and maximal coupled quasi-solutions for nonlinear Caputo fractional differential systems with order q ∈ (1,2). Our approach is based on mixed monotone iterative techniques developed under the concept of lower and upper quasi-solutions. Our results extend those obtained for ordinary differential equations and fractional ones.

Selection of Surgical Approach and Clinical Significance of Lower Cervical Spine Injuries Guided by SLIC Scoring System

Objective: To explore the feasibility and clinical significance of surgical approach selection for cervical spine injury guided by SLIC scoring system. Methods: The clinical data of 75 patients with lower cervical injury surgery from January 2020 to November 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including 48 males and 27 females. Age: 28 - 65 years old. Causes of injury: 39 cases of traffic accidents, 15 cases of ice and snow sports, 12 cases of falling from high places, 9 cases of heavy objects. There were 12 cases of C3-4, 33 cases of C4-5, 21 cases of C5-6, and 9 cases of C6-7. Time from injury to medical treatment: 4 h - 2 d. Cervical spine X-ray, MRI, MDCT examination and preoperative SLIC score were performed on admission. Anterior approach was performed by subtotal cervical vertebrae resection or discectomy, titanium Cage or cage supported bone grafting and anterior titanium plate fixation. Posterior approach was performed with cervical laminoplasty, lateral mass or pedicle screw fixation and fusion. The combined anterior-posterior operation was performed by the anterior methods+ posterior methods. The time from injury to surgery is 12 h to 3 d. The function before and after operation was evaluated by JOA efficacy evaluation criteria. The correlation between the three surgical approaches and postoperative efficacy and SLIC score was compared. SPSS 22.0 software was used for statistical analysis of the data. Results: In this group of 75 patients, 32 cases of anterior operation, 22 cases of posterior operation and 21 cases of combined operation were followed up for no less than 12 months. There was no significant difference in age, gender, injury cause, injury segment, time from injury to treatment, and time from injury to operation among the three surgical approaches, which were comparable. The SLIC scores of mild, moderate and severe injuries of anterior surgery, posterior surgery and combined anterior and posterior surgery, They were (5.26 ± 1.24, 5.86 ± 1.67, 8.25 ± 0.21), (5.57 ± 1.43, 5.99 ± 1.85, 9.00 ± 0.25), (0, 5.98 ± 0.33, 9.44 ± 0.34), respectively. By comparing the SLIC scores and JOA scores of anterior surgery and posterior surgery, there was no difference in SLIC scores and JOA scores between the two groups for mild and moderate injuries (P > 0.05). However, the JOA scores at 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after surgery were different from those before surgery, and the postoperative efficacy and JOA scores were significantly improved (P & lt;0.05), indicating that the two surgical methods had the same therapeutic effect, that is, anterior or posterior surgery could be used to treat mild or moderate injuries (P > 0.05). There were differences in SLIC scores among the three surgical approaches for severe injury (P 0.05). The postoperative efficacy and JOA score of combined anterior-posterior approach were significantly improved compared with those before operation (P Conclusion: SLIC score not only provides accurate judgment for conservative treatment or surgical treatment of cervical spine injury, but also provides evidence-based medical basis and reference value for the selection of surgical approach and surgical method. According to the SLIC score, the surgical approach is safe and feasible. When the SLIC score is 4 - 7, anterior surgery is selected for type A injury, and posterior surgery is selected for type B injury. When the SLIC score is ≥8, combined anterior-posterior surgery should be selected. It is of great significance for clinical formulation of precision treatment strategy.

Tailoring MXene Thickness and Functionalization for Enhanced Room‑Temperature Trace NO_(2) Sensing

In this study,precise control over the thickness and termination of Ti3C2TX MXene flakes is achieved to enhance their electrical properties,environmental stability,and gas-sensing performance.Utilizing a hybrid method involving high-pressure processing,stirring,and immiscible solutions,sub-100 nm MXene flake thickness is achieved within the MXene film on the Si-wafer.Functionalization control is achieved by defunctionalizing MXene at 650℃ under vacuum and H2 gas in a CVD furnace,followed by refunctionalization with iodine and bromine vaporization from a bubbler attached to the CVD.Notably,the introduction of iodine,which has a larger atomic size,lower electronegativity,reduce shielding effect,and lower hydrophilicity(contact angle:99°),profoundly affecting MXene.It improves the surface area(36.2 cm^(2) g^(-1)),oxidation stability in aqueous/ambient environments(21 days/80 days),and film conductivity(749 S m^(-1)).Additionally,it significantly enhances the gas-sensing performance,including the sensitivity(0.1119Ωppm^(-1)),response(0.2% and 23%to 50 ppb and 200 ppm NO_(2)),and response/recovery times(90/100 s).The reduced shielding effect of the–I-terminals and the metallic characteristics of MXene enhance the selectivity of I-MXene toward NO2.This approach paves the way for the development of stable and high-performance gas-sensing two-dimensional materials with promising prospects for future studies.

Effect of ankle versus thigh tourniquets on post-operative pain in foot and ankle surgery

BACKGROUND Tourniquets are commonly used in elective extremity orthopaedic surgery to reduce blood loss,improve visualization in the surgical field,and to potentially reduce surgical time.There is a lack of consensus in existing guidelines regarding the optimal tourniquet pressure,placement site,and duration of use.There is a paucity of data on the relationship between the site of a tourniquet and postoperative pain in foot and ankle surgery.AIM To explore the relationship between tourniquet site and intensity of post-operative pain scores in patients undergoing elective foot and ankle surgery.METHODS Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on 201 patients who underwent foot and ankle surgery in a single institution was undertaken.Intraoperative tourniquet duration,tourniquet pressure and site,and postoperative pain scores using Visual Analogue Score were collected in immediate recovery,at six hours and at 24 h post-op.Scatter plots were used to analyse the data and to assess for the statistical correlation between tourniquet pressure,duration,site,and pain scores using Pearson correlation coefficient.RESULTS All patients who underwent foot and ankle surgery had tourniquet pressure of 250 mmHg for ankle tourniquet and 300 mmHg for thigh.There was no correlation between the site of the tourniquet and pain scores in recovery,at six hours and after 24 h.There was a weak correlation between tourniquet time and Visual Analogue Score immediately post-op(r=0.14,P=0.04)but not at six or 24 h post-operatively.CONCLUSION This study shows that there was no statistically significant correlation between tourniquet pressure,site and postop pain in patients undergoing foot and ankle surgery.The choice of using a tourniquet is based on the surgeon's preference,with the goal of minimizing the duration of its application at the operative site.

ON INFORMATION THEORY METHOD FOR RELIABILITY ASSESSMENT OF SYSTEMS CONSISTING OF DIFFERENT SUCCESS FAILURE MODEL UNITS

Using the characteristic of addition of information quantity and the principle of equivalence of information quantity, this paper derives the general conversion formulae of the formation theory method conversion (synthesis) on the systems consisting of different success failure model units. According to the fundamental method of the unit reliability assessment, the general models of system reliability approximate lower limits are given. Finally, this paper analyses the application of the assessment method by examples, the assessment results are neither conservative nor radical and very satisfactory. The assessment method can be popularized to the systems which have fixed reliability structural models.

The concept of gene therapy for glaucoma:the dream that has not come true yet

Gene therapies,despite of being a relatively new therapeutic approach,have a potential to become an important alternative to current treatment strategies in glaucoma.Since glaucoma is not considered a single gene disease,the identified goals of gene therapy would be rather to provide neuroprotection of retinal ganglion cells,especially,in intraocular-pressure-independent manner.The most commonly reported type of vector for gene delivery in glaucoma studies is adeno-associated virus serotype 2 that has a high tro pism to retinal ganglion cells,res ulting in long-term expression and low immunogenic profile.The gene thera py studies recruit inducible and genetic animal models of optic neuropathy,like DBA/2J mice model of high-tension glaucoma and the optic nerve crush-model.Reported gene therapy-based neuroprotection of retinal ganglion cells is targeting specific genes translating to growth factors(i.e.,brain derived neurotrophic factor,and its receptor TrkB),regulation of apoptosis and neurodegeneration(i.e.,Bcl-xl,Xiap,FAS system,nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyl transferase 2,Digit3 and Sarm1),immunomodulation(i.e.,Crry,C3 complement),modulation of neuroinflammation(i.e.,e rythropoietin),reduction of excitotoxicity(i.e.,Com KIlα)and transcription regulation(i.e.,Max,Nrf2).On the other hand,some of gene therapy studies focus on lowering intra ocular pressure,by impacting genes involved in both,decreasing aqueous humor production(i.e.,aquaporin 1),and increasing outflow facility(i.e.,COX2,prostaglandin F2a receptor,RhoA/RhoA kinase signaling pathway,MMP1,Myocilin).The goal of this review is to summarize the current stateof-art and the direction of development of gene therapy strategies for glaucomatous neuropathy.

Early-diverging Titanosauriform(Dinosauria,Sauropoda)Teeth from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Southeastern Inner Mongolia,Northeast China

Three eusauropod teeth(SDUST-V1064,PMOL-AD00176,PMOL-ADt0005)are reported from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Ningcheng,southeastern Inner Mongolia,China.Two of them(SDUST-V1064,PMOL-AD00176)are assigned to early-diverging titanosauriforms in having slightly mesiodistal expansion at the base of the tooth crown,a slenderness index value>2.0 and<4.0,and D-shaped cross section.Furthermore,SDUST-V1064 and PMOL-AD00176 are referred as an Euhelopus-like titanosauriform on the basis of having a sub-circular boss on the lingual surface and an asymmetrical crown-root margin which slants apically,respectively.CT scan data of SDUST-V1064 reveals new dental information of early-diverging titanosauriforms,for example,the enamel on the labial side thicker than that on the lingual side,an enamel/dentine ratio of 0.26 and a boss present on the lingual side of the dentine of the crown.

Organic Matter Accumulation in the Upper Permian Dalong Formation from the Lower Yangtze Region,South China

The Late Permian was marked by a series of important geological events and widespread organic-rich black shale depositions,acting as important unconventional hydrocarbon source rocks.However,the mechanism of organic matter(OM)enrichment throughout this period is still controversial.Based on geochemical data,the marine redox conditions,paleogeographic and hydrographic environment,primary productivity,volcanism,and terrigenous input during the Late Permian in the Lower Yangtze region have been studied from the Putaoling section,Chaohu,to provide new insights into OM accumulation.Five Phases are distinguished based on the TOC and environmental variations.In Phase I,anoxic conditions driven by water restriction enhanced OM preservation.In Phase II,euxinic and cycling hydrological environments were the two most substantial controlling factors for the massive OM deposition.During Phase III,intensified terrestrial input potentially diluted the OM in sediment and the presence of oxygen in bottom water weakened the preservation condition.Phase IV was characterized by a relatively higher abundance of mercury(Hg)and TOC(peak at 16.98 wt%),indicating that enhanced volcanism potentially stimulated higher productivity and a euxinic environment.In Phase V,extremely lean OM was preserved as a result of terrestrial dilutions and decreasing primary productivity.Phases I,II and IV are characterized as the most prominent OM-rich zones due to the effective interactions of the controlling factors,namely paleogeographic,hydrographic environment,volcanism,and redox conditions.

Neural Network Robust Control Based on Computed Torque for Lower Limb Exoskeleton

The lower limb exoskeletons are used to assist wearers in various scenarios such as medical and industrial settings.Complex modeling errors of the exoskeleton in different application scenarios pose challenges to the robustness and stability of its control algorithm.The Radial Basis Function(RBF)neural network is used widely to compensate for modeling errors.In order to solve the problem that the current RBF neural network controllers cannot guarantee the asymptotic stability,a neural network robust control algorithm based on computed torque method is proposed in this paper,focusing on trajectory tracking.It innovatively incorporates the robust adaptive term while introducing the RBF neural network term,improving the compensation ability for modeling errors.The stability of the algorithm is proved by Lyapunov method,and the effectiveness of the robust adaptive term is verified by the simulation.Experiments wearing the exoskeleton under different walking speeds and scenarios were carried out,and the results show that the absolute value of tracking errors of the hip and knee joints of the exoskeleton are consistently less than 1.5°and 2.5°,respectively.The proposed control algorithm effectively compensates for modeling errors and exhibits high robustness.

Establishing the relationship between land use land cover,normalized difference vegetation index and land surface temperature:A case of Lower Son River Basin,India

The study explores the intricate interplay between land use land cover(LULC),normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI),and land surface temperature(LST)within the Lower Son River Basin in India from 1991 to 2020.The region’s ecological balance has been increasingly strained due to rapid urbanization and changing land use patterns.Through a combination of Landsat TM&OLI/TIRS satellite imageries and geospatial analysis techniques,this study unveils the intricate connection between land use and land cover changes,vegetation,and land surface temperature variations.The study area is classified into three altitudinal zones(Zone Ⅰ:39–300 m,Zone Ⅱ:301–600 m and Zone Ⅲ:601–1,247 m)to examine the changes in depth.The area has seen significant changes in LULC,vegetation and LST in all the three altitudinal zones.The findings hold significant implications for sustainable land management and environmental conservation strategies in the Lower Son River Basin.As per the result,103,438 ha of vegetation was converted into agriculture land and 82,572 ha of agricultural land was transformed into settlements from 1991 to 2020.This trend shows human pressure on the land resource in the study area.Minor increase in water body is seen which is attributed to commissioning of Bansagar dam.Zone Ⅰ has seen highest settlement growth while Zone Ⅲ experienced severe deforestation of around 15%.Zone Ⅱ and Ⅲ needs attention for holistic sustenance.Analysis of LST shows that it has increased by 0.82℃ from 1991 to 2020 which is a red flag.The study underscores the critical importance of balanced land use practices to preserve ecological integrity and mitigate the adverse effects of urbanization and climate change.

Model Parameters Identification and Backstepping Control of Lower Limb Exoskeleton Based on Enhanced Whale Algorithm

Exoskeletons generally require accurate dynamic models to design the model-based controller conveniently under the human-robot interaction condition.However,due to unknown model parameters such as the mass,moment of inertia and mechanical size,the dynamic model of exoskeletons is difficult to construct.Hence,an enhanced whale optimization algorithm(EWOA)is proposed to identify the exoskeleton model parameters.Meanwhile,the periodic excitation trajectories are designed by finite Fourier series to input the desired position demand of exoskeletons with mechanical physical constraints.Then a backstepping controller based on the identified model is adopted to improve the human-robot wearable comfortable performance under cooperative motion.Finally,the proposed Model parameters identification and control are verified by a two-DOF exoskeletons platform.The knee joint motion achieves a steady-state response after 0.5 s.Meanwhile,the position error of hip joint response is less than 0.03 rad after 0.9 s.In addition,the steady-state human-robot interaction torque of the two joints is constrained within 15 N·m.This research proposes a whale optimization algorithm to optimize the excitation trajectory and identify model parameters.Furthermore,an enhanced mutation strategy is adopted to avoid whale evolution’s unsatisfactory local optimal value.

Assessment of post-myocardial infarction lipid levels and management:Results from a tertiary care hospital of Pakistan

BACKGROUND Lipid treatment practices and levels in post-acute myocardial infarction(AMI)patients,which are crucial for secondary prevention.AIM To evaluate the lipid treatment practices and lipid levels in post-myocardial infarction(MI)patients at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan.METHODS In this cross-sectional study,we analyzed patients who had experienced their first AMI event in the past 3 years.We assessed fasting and non-fasting lipid profiles,reviewed statin therapy prescriptions,and examined patient compliance.The recommended dose was defined as rosuvastatin≥20 mg or atorvastatin≥40 mg,with target total cholesterol levels set at<160 mg/dL and target low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)at<55 mg/dL.RESULTS Among 195 patients,71.3%were male,and the mean age was 57.1±10.2 years.The median duration since AMI was 36(interquartile range:10-48)months and 60% were diagnosed with ST-segment elevation MI.Only 13.8% of patients were advised to undergo lipid profile testing after AMI,88.7% of patients were on the recommended statin therapy,and 91.8% of patients were compliant with statin therapy.Only 11.5% had LDL-C within the target range and 71.7% had total cholesterol within the target range.Hospital admission in the past 12 months was reported by 14.4%,and the readmission rate was significantly higher among non-compliant patients(37.5%vs 5.6%).Subsequent AMI event rate was also significantly higher among non-compliant patients(43.8%vs 11.7%).CONCLUSION Our study highlights that while most post-AMI patients received the recommended minimum statin therapy dose,the inadequate practice of lipid assessment may compromise therapy optimization and raise the risk of subsequent events.

Main controlling factor and mechanism of gas-in-place content of the Lower Cambrian shale from different sedimentary facies in the western Hubei area, South China

The Lower Cambrian shale gas in the western Hubei area,South China has a great resource prospect,but the gas-in-place(GIP)content in different sedimentary facies varies widely,and the relevant mechanism has been not well understood.In the present study,two sets of the Lower Cambrian shale samples from the Wells YD4 and YD5 in the western Hubei area,representing the deep-water shelf facies and shallowwater platform facies,respectively,were investigated on the differences of pore types,pore structure and methane adsorption capacity between them,and the main controlling factor and mechanism of their methane adsorption capacities and GIP contents were discussed.The results show that the organic matter(OM)pores in the YD4 shale samples are dominant,while the inorganic mineral(IM)pores in the YD5 shale samples are primary,with underdeveloped OM pores.The pore specific surface area(SSA)and pore volume(PV)of the YD4 shale samples are mainly from micropores and mesopores,respectively,while those of the YD5 shale samples are mainly from micropores and macropores,respectively.The methane adsorption capacity of the YD4 shale samples is significantly higher than that of the YD5 shale samples,with a maximum absolute adsorption capacity of 3.13 cm^(3)/g and 1.31 cm^(3)/g in average,respectively.Compared with the shallow-water platform shale,the deep-water shelf shale has a higher TOC content,a better kerogen type and more developed OM pores,which is the main mechanism for its higher adsorption capacity.The GIP content models based on two samples with a similar TOC content selected respectively from the Wells YD4 and YD5 further indicate that the GIP content of the deep-water shelf shale is mainly 34 m^(3)/t within a depth range of 1000—4000 m,with shale gas exploration and development potential,while the shallow-water platform shale has normally a GIP content of<1 m^(3)/t,with little shale gas potential.Considering the geological and geochemical conditions of shale gas formation and preservation,the deep-water shelf facies is the most favorable target for the Lower Cambrian shale gas exploration and development in the western Hubei area,South China.

Lower synaptic density and its association with cognitive dysfunction in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Background Understanding synaptic alteration in obsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD)is crucial for elucidating its pathological mechanisms,but in vivo research on this topic remains limited.Aims This study aimed to identify the synaptic density indicators in OCD and explore the relationship between cognitive dysfunction and synaptic density changes in OCD.Methods This study enrolled 28 drug-naive adults with OCD aged 18-40 years and 16 healthy controls(HCs).Three-dimensional T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging and 18F-SynVesT-1 positron emission tomography were conducted.Cognitive function was assessed using the Wisconsin Cart Sorting Test(WCST)in patients with OCD and HCs.Correlative analysis was performed to examine the association between synaptic density reduction and cognitive dysfunction.Results Compared with HCs,patients with OCD showed reduced synaptic density in regions of the cortico-striatothalamo-cortical circuit such as the bilateral putamen,left caudate,left parahippocampal gyrus,left insula,left parahippocampal gyrus and left middle occipital lobe(voxel p<0.001,uncorrected,with cluster level above 50 contiguous voxels).The per cent conceptual-level responses of WCST were positively associated with the synaptic density reduction in the left middle occipital gyrus(R^(2)=0.1690,p=0.030),left parahippocampal gyrus(R^(2)=0.1464,p=0.045)and left putamen(R^(2)=0.1967,p=0.018)in patients with OCD.Conclusions Adults with OCD demonstrated lower 18Flabelled difluoro analogue of 18F-SynVesT-1 compared with HCs,indicating potentially lower synaptic density.This is the first study to explore the synaptic density in patients with OCD and provides insights into potential biological targets for cognitive dysfunctions in OCD.

Kinematics ofmandibular advancement devices(MADs):Why do some MADs move the lower jaw backward duringmouth opening?

Mandibular advancement devices(MADs)are widely used treatments for obstructive sleep apnea.MADs function by advancing the lower jaw to open the upper airway.To increase patient comfort,most patients allow the mouth to be opened.However,not all systems maintain the lower jaw in a forward position during mouth opening,which results in the production of a retrusion that favors the collapse of the upper airway.Furthermore,the kinematic behavior of the mechanism formed by the mandible-device assembly depends on jaw morphology.This means that,during mouth opening,some devices cause lower jaw protrusion in some patients,but cause its retraction in others.In this study,we report the behavior of well-known devices currently on themarket.To do so,we developed a kinematic model of the lower jawdevice assembly.Thismodelwas validated for all devices analyzed using a high-resolution camera system.Our results show that some of the devices analyzed here did not produce the correct behavior during patient mouth opening.

Monitoring and evaluation of the water quality of the Lower Neches River, Texas, USA

Increasing bacteria levels in the Lower Neches River caused by Hurricane Harvey has been of a serious concern.This study is to analyze the historical water sampling measurements and real-time water quality data collected with wireless sensors to monitor and evaluate water quality under different hydrological and hydraulic conditions.The statistical and Pearson correlation analysis on historical water samples determines that alkalinity,chloride,hardness,conductivity,and pH are highly correlated,and they decrease with increasing flow rate due to dilution.The flow rate has positive correlations with Escherichia coli,total suspended solids,and turbidity,which demonstrates that runoff is one of the causes of the elevated bacteria and sediment loadings in the river.The correlation between E.coli and turbidity indicates that turbidity greater than 45 nephelometric turbidity units in the Neches River can serve as a proxy for E.coli to indicate the bacterial outbreak.A series of statistical tools and an innovative two-layer data smoothing filter are developed to detect outliers,fill missing values,and filter spikes of the sensor measurements.The correlation analysis on the sensor data illustrates that the elevated sediment/bacteria/algae in the river is either caused by the first flush rain and heavy rain events in December to March or practices of land use and land cover.Therefore,utilizing sensor measurements along with rainfall and discharge data is recommended to monitor and evaluate water quality,then in turn to provide early alerts on water resources management decisions.

Hydrocarbon accumulation history in Lower Cretaceous in northern slope of Bongor Basin in Chad,Central Africa

Based on the analysis of the fluid inclusion homogenization temperature and apatite fission track on the northern slope zone of the Bongor Basin in Chad,this paper studied the time and stages of hydrocarbon accumulation in the study area.The results show that:(1)The brine inclusions of the samples from the Kubla and Prosopis formations in the Lower Cretaceous coexisting with the hydrocarbon generally present two sets of peak ranges of homogenization temperature,with the peak ranges of low temperature and high temperature being 75–105℃ and 115–135℃,respectively;(2)The samples from the Kubla and Prosopis formations have experienced five tectonic evolution stages,i.e.,rapid subsidence in the Early Cretaceous,tectonic inversion in the Late Cretaceous,small subsidence in the Paleogene,uplift at the turn of the Paleogene and Neogene,and subsidence since the Miocene,in which the denudation thickness of the Late Cretaceous and after the turn of the Paleogene and Neogene are~1.8 km and~0.5 km,respectively.The cumulative denudation thickness of the two periods is about 2.3 km;(3)Using the brine inclusion homogenization temperature coexisting with the hydrocarbon as the capture temperature of the hydrocarbon,and combining with the apatite fission track thermal history modeling,the result shows that the Kubla and Prosopis formations in the Lower Cretaceous on the northern slope of the Bongor Basin have the same hydrocarbon accumulation time and stages,both of which have undergone two stages of hydrocarbon charging at 80–95 Ma and 65–80 Ma.The first stage of charging corresponds to the initial migration of hydrocarbon at the end of the Early Cretaceous rapid sedimentation,while the second stage of charging is in the stage of intense tectonic inversion in the Late Cretaceous.