Repeated pregnancy losses with multiple aneuploidies and major genomic imbalance:A case report

Rationale:If one of the partners is having balanced autosomal translocation,it is usually observed that the offspring inherit either normal chromosomes,balanced translocation identical to one of the parent or unbalanced chromosomal rearrangements of the same parental chromosome having translocation.Concern:A unique case presented with history of 8 miscarriages for genetic counseling.The last abortus material evaluation showed monosomy of chromosome X(Turner syndrome)in all the analyzed cells.There was a history of infertility and also repeated second trimester abortions on the paternal side.On the maternal side,there was a history of intellectual disability.Diagnose:History of repeated abnormal pregnancy outcomes.Wife’s karyotype is normal;however,husband shows translocation between chromosome 4 and 22.Intervention:Peripheral blood sample around 3 mL was collected for karyotype.Embryo biopsy was done and DNA was extracted and processed for whole exome sequencing.Outcomes:Wife’s karyotype is normal and husband has translocation between chromosome 4 and 22.Surprisingly,the entire pregnancy outcome including embryo screening has different,complete or partial aneuploidies of chromosomes other than chromosome 4 and 22.Main lesson:Though the translocation in one of the parent is balanced,we have to think beyond traditional ways for evaluating a couple with repeated pregnancy loss as we cannot predict the errors at cell division.Option of in vitro fertilization and preimplantation genetic diagnosis in couples having balanced translocations should be discussed so that early intervention can prevent the agony of pregnancy loss.

Drip fertigation and plant hedgerows significantly reduce nitrogen and phosphorus losses and maintain high fruit yields in intensive orchards

A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of drip fertigation combined with plant hedgerows on nitrogen and phosphorus runoff losses in intensive pear orchards in the Tai Lake Basin.Nitrogen and phosphorus runoff over a whole year were measured by using successional runoff water collection devices.The four experimental treatments were conventional fertilization(CK),drip fertigation(DF),conventional fertilization combined with plant hedgerows(C+H),and drip fertigation combined with plant hedgerows(D+H).The results from one year of continuous monitoring showed a significant positive correlation between precipitation and surface runoff discharge.Surface runoff discharge under the treatments without plant hedgerows totaled 15.86%of precipitation,while surface runoff discharge under the treatments with plant hedgerows totaled 12.82%of precipitation.Plant hedgerows reduced the number of runoff events and the amount of surface runoff.Precipitation is the main driving force for the loss of nitrogen and phosphorus in surface runoff,and fertilization is an important factor affecting the losses of nitrogen and phosphorus.In CK,approximately 7.36%of nitrogen and 2.63%of phosphorus from fertilization entered the surface water through runoff.Drip fertigation reduced the accumulation of nitrogen and phosphorus in the surface soil and lowered the runoff loss concentrations of total nitrogen(TN)and total phosphorus(TP).Drip fertigation combined with plant hedgerows significantly reduced the overall TN and TP losses by 45.38 and 36.81%,respectively,in comparison to the CK totals.Drip fertigation increased the vertical migration depth of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients and reduced the accumulation of nitrogen and phosphorus in the surface soil,which increased the pear yield.The promotion of drip fertigation combined with plant hedgerows will greatly reduce the losses of nitrogen and phosphorus to runoff and maintain the high fruit yields in the intensive orchards of the Tai Lake Basin.

MPC-based Torque Distribution for Planar Motion of Four-wheel Independently Driven Electric Vehicles:Considering Motor Models and Iron Losses

The most critical obstacle for four-wheel independently driven electric vehicles(4WID-EVs)is the driving range.Being the actuators of 4WID-EVs,motors account for its major power consumption.In this sense,by properly distributing torques to minimize the power consumption,the driving range of 4WID-EV can be effectively improved.This paper proposes a model predictive control(MPC)-based torque distribution scheme,which minimizes the power consumption of 4WID-EVs while guaranteeing its tracking performance of planar motions.By incorporating the motor model considering iron losses,the optimal torque distribution can be achieved without an additional torque controller.Also,for this reason,the proposed control scheme is computationally efficient,since the power consumption term to be optimized,which is expressed as the product of the motor voltages and currents,is much simpler than that derived from the efficiency map.With reasonable simplification and linearization,the MPC problem is converted to a quadratic programming problem,which can be solved efficiently.The simulation results in MATLAB and CarSim co-simulation environments demonstrate that the proposed scheme effectively reduces power consumption with guaranteed tracking performance.

Minimization of Electric Power Losses on 132 kV and 220 kV Uganda Electricity Transmission Lines

The classical minimization of power losses in transmission lines is dominated by artificial intelligence techniques, which do not guarantee global optimum amidst local minima. Revolutionary and evolutionary techniques are encumbered with sophisticated transformations, which weaken the techniques. Power loss minimization is crucial to the efficient design and operation of power transmission lines. Minimization of losses is one way to meet steady grid supply, especially at peak demand. Thus, this paper has presented a gradient technique to obtain optimal variables and values from the power loss model, which efficiently minimizes power losses by modifying the traditional power loss model that combines Ohm and Corona losses. Optimality tests showed that the unmodified model does not support the minimization of power losses on transmission lines as the Hessian matrix portrayed the maximization of power losses. However, the modified model is consistent with the gradient method of optimization, which yielded optimum variables and values from the power loss model developed in this study. The unmodified (modified) models for Bujagali-Kawanda 220 kV and Masaka West-Mbarara North 132 kV transmission lines in Uganda showed maximum power losses of 0.406 (0.391) and 0.452 (0.446) kW/km/phase respectively. These results indicate that the modified model is superior to the unmodified model in minimizing power losses in the transmission lines and should be implemented for the efficient design and operation of power transmission lines within and outside Uganda for the same transmission voltages.

Financial Losses Associated with Bovine Brucellosis (Brucella abortus) in Carchi-Ecuador

Brucellosis is an infectious disease of worldwide distribution, which has a great economic impact due to the productive and reproductive losses that it causes, in addition to the serious public health problem. The aim of this study is to estimate the economic losses, through financial analysis, caused by bovine brucellosis in the province of Carchi, over a one-year period. A random sampling was used to determine the prevalence in the study area, where 2976 animals were considered, and the Rose Bengal (RB) test was used as a screening test and the Fluorescence Polarized Assay (FPA) as a confirmatory test, obtaining a prevalence of 8.2% (244/2976). In addition, parameters associated to the losses caused by brucellosis in cattle were determined by literature review. To estimate costs, field information was collected through a survey of a total of 100 randomly selected farmers. The loss estimated due to calves lost as a result of abortions and neonatal death was USD. 79170.00. The loss due to death of 4 cows as a result of metritis was estimated at USD. 5000.00. The cost of examination and treatment of aborted cows was USD. 20100.00. The losses due to reduction in milk production from aborted and non-aborted seropositive cows were estimated at USD. 158114.21. The financial losses due to brucellosis in province of Carchi were estimated at USD. 262384.21.

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.

Post-Harvest Constraints: Fungi and Insects Responsible for Rice (Oryza spp) Losses during Storage in Cameroon

The magnitude of rice grain losses during storage is huge and warrants critical attention. We investigated the diversity of fungi and insect contamination related to losses of domestic and imported rice from local mills and markets, stored under room conditions for 10 weeks in Cameroon. The highest percentage discolored grain was on imported milled white rice (3.5%), 10 weeks after storage. In general, imported rice samples contained the highest fungal load with a proportion of 65.90% compared to 34.3% for domestic samples. Weight loss due to insect damage was up to 19.9% in white milled domestic rice. Among the 67 isolated fungi strains, the genus Aspergillus had the highest prevalence (63.8%). From all the samples, 877 insects were collected with 719 (81.9%) of Sitophilus. It is urgent to develop sustainable and affordable storage methods to limit insect and fungi infestation on rice in Cameroon.

Distributed dynamic event-based finite-time dissipative synchronization control for semi-Markov switched fuzzy cyber-physical systems against random packet losses

This paper is concerned with the finite-time dissipative synchronization control problem of semi-Markov switched cyber-physical systems in the presence of packet losses, which is constructed by the Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy model. To save the network communication burden, a distributed dynamic event-triggered mechanism is developed to restrain the information update. Besides, random packet dropouts following the Bernoulli distribution are assumed to occur in sensor to controller channels, where the triggered control input is analyzed via an equivalent method containing a new stochastic variable. By establishing the mode-dependent Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional with augmented terms, the finite-time boundness of the error system limited to strict dissipativity is studied. As a result of the help of an extended reciprocally convex matrix inequality technique, less conservative criteria in terms of linear matrix inequalities are deduced to calculate the desired control gains. Finally, two examples in regard to practical systems are provided to display the effectiveness of the proposed theory.

Robust fault detection for delta operator switched fuzzy systems with bilateral packet losses

Considering packet losses, time-varying delay, and parameter uncertainty in the switched fuzzy system, this paper designs a robust fault detection filter at any switching rate and analyzes the H∞ performance of the system. Firstly, the Takagi-Sugeno(T-S) fuzzy model is used to establish a global fuzzy model for the uncertain nonlinear time-delay switched system,and the packet loss process is modeled as a mathematical model satisfying Bernoulli distribution. Secondly, through the average dwell time method and multiple Lyapunov functions, the exponentially stable condition of the nonlinear network switched system is given. Finally, specific parameters of the robust fault detection filter can be obtained by solving linear matrix inequalities(LMIs). The effectiveness of the method is verified by simulation results.

Optimal Placement and Sizing of Distributed Generations for Power Losses Minimization Using PSO-Based Deep Learning Techniques

The integration of distributed generations (DGs) into distribution systems (DSs) is increasingly becoming a solution for compensating for isolated local energy systems (ILESs). Additionally, distributed generations are used for self-consumption with excess energy injected into centralized grids (CGs). However, the improper sizing of renewable energy systems (RESs) exposes the entire system to power losses. This work presents an optimization of a system consisting of distributed generations. Firstly, PSO algorithms evaluate the size of the entire system on the IEEE bus 14 test standard. Secondly, the size of the system is allocated using improved Particles Swarm Optimization (IPSO). The convergence speed of the objective function enables a conjecture to be made about the robustness of the proposed system. The power and voltage profile on the IEEE 14-bus standard displays a decrease in power losses and an appropriate response to energy demands (EDs), validating the proposed method.

Hemoglobin loss method calculates blood loss during pancreaticoduodenectomy and predicts bleeding-related risk factors

BACKGROUND The common clinical method to evaluate blood loss during pancreaticoduoden-ectomy(PD)is visual inspection,but most scholars believe that this method is extremely subjective and inaccurate.Currently,there is no accurate,objective me-thod to evaluate the amount of blood loss in PD patients.We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 341 patients who underwent PD in Shandong Provincial Hospital from March 2017 to February 2019.According to different surgical methods,they were divided into an open PD(OPD)group and a laparoscopic PD(LPD)group.The differences and correlations between the in-traoperative estimation of blood loss(IEBL)obtained by visual inspection and the intraoperative calculation of blood loss(ICBL)obtained using the Hb loss method were analyzed.ICBL,IEBL and perioperative calculation of blood loss(PCBL)were compared between the two groups,and single-factor regression analysis was performed.RESULTS There was no statistically significant difference in the preoperative general patient information between the two groups(P>0.05).PD had an ICBL of 743.2(393.0,1173.1)mL and an IEBL of 100.0(50.0,300.0)mL(P<0.001).There was also a certain correlation between the two(r=0.312,P<0.001).Single-factor analysis of ICBL showed that a history of diabetes[95%confidence interval(CI):53.82-549.62;P=0.017]was an independent risk factor for ICBL.In addition,the single-factor analysis of PCBL showed that body mass index(BMI)(95%CI:0.62-76.75;P=0.046)and preoperative total bilirubin>200μmol/L(95%CI:7.09-644.26;P=0.045)were independent risk factors for PCBL.The ICBLs of the LPD group and OPD group were 767.7(435.4,1249.0)mL and 663.8(347.7,1138.2)mL,respectively(P>0.05).The IEBL of the LPD group 200.0(50.0,200.0)mL was slightly greater than that of the OPD group 100.0(50.0,300.0)mL(P>0.05).PCBL was greater in the LPD group than the OPD group[1061.6(612.3,1632.3)mL vs 806.1(375.9,1347.6)mL](P<0.05).CONCLUSION The ICBL in patients who underwent PD was greater than the IEBL,but there is a certain correlation between the two.The Hb loss method can be used to evaluate intraoperative blood loss.A history of diabetes,preoperative bilirubin>200μmol/L and high BMI increase the patient's risk of bleeding.

Numerical study of alpha particle loss with toroidal field ripple based on CFETR steady-state scenario

Effects of plasma equilibrium parameters on the alpha particle loss with the toroidal field ripple based on the CFETR steady-state scenario have been numerically investigated by the orbit-following code GYCAVA. It is found that alpha particle losses decrease and loss regions become narrower with the plasma current increasing or with the magnetic field decreasing. It is because the ripple stochastic transport and the ripple well loss of alpha particle are reduced with the safety factor decreasing. Decrease of the plasma density and temperature can reduce alpha particle losses due to enhancement of the slowing-down effect. The direction of the toroidal magnetic field can significantly affect heat loads induced by lost alpha particle. The vertical asymmetry of heat loads induced by the clockwise and counter-clockwise toroidal magnetic fields are due to the fact that the ripple distribution is asymmetric about the mid-plane, which can be explained by the typical orbits of alpha particle. The maximal heat load of alpha particle for the clockwise toroidal magnetic field is much smaller than that for the counter-clockwise one.

Ionically Imprinting-Based Copper(Ⅱ)Label-Free Detection for Preventing Hearing Loss

Copper is a microelement with important physiological functions in the body.However,the excess copper ion(Cu^(2+))may cause severe health problems,such as hair cell apoptosis and the resultant hearing loss.Therefore,the assay of Cu^(2+)is important.We integrate ionic imprinting technology(IIT)and structurally colored hydrogel beads to prepare chitosan-based ionically imprinted hydrogel beads(IIHBs)as a low-cost and high-specificity platform for Cu^(2+)detection.The IIHBs have a macroporous microstructure,uniform size,vivid structural color,and magnetic responsiveness.When incubated in solution,IIHBs recognize Cu^(2+)and exhibit a reflective peak change,thereby achieving label-free detection.In addition,benefiting from the IIT,the IIHBs display good specificity and selectivity and have an imprinting factor of 19.14 at 100μmol·L^(-1).These features indicated that the developed IIHBs are promising candidates for Cu^(2+)detection,particularly for the prevention of hearing loss.

An Improved Solov2 Based on Attention Mechanism and Weighted Loss Function for Electrical Equipment Instance Segmentation

The current existing problem of deep learning framework for the detection and segmentation of electrical equipment is dominantly related to low precision.Because of the reliable,safe and easy-to-operate technology provided by deep learning-based video surveillance for unmanned inspection of electrical equipment,this paper uses the bottleneck attention module(BAM)attention mechanism to improve the Solov2 model and proposes a new electrical equipment segmentation mode.Firstly,the BAM attention mechanism is integrated into the feature extraction network to adaptively learn the correlation between feature channels,thereby improving the expression ability of the feature map;secondly,the weighted sum of CrossEntropy Loss and Dice loss is designed as the mask loss to improve the segmentation accuracy and robustness of the model;finally,the non-maximal suppression(NMS)algorithm to better handle the overlap problem in instance segmentation.Experimental results show that the proposed method achieves an average segmentation accuracy of mAP of 80.4% on three types of electrical equipment datasets,including transformers,insulators and voltage transformers,which improve the detection accuracy by more than 5.7% compared with the original Solov2 model.The segmentation model proposed can provide a focusing technical means for the intelligent management of power systems.

Navigating Silence: A Comprehensive Review of Parental Roles in the Rehabilitation of Children with Hearing Loss

This narrative literature review delves into the multifaceted realm of parental involvement in the rehabilitation of children with permanent hearing loss. While existing research has made strides in elucidating parental roles in this context, critical gaps persist, necessitating a comprehensive exploration to inform future endeavors. Our review synthesizes a wide array of studies, identifying these gaps and emphasizing the significance of addressing them. Themes emerging from the literature include the varying degrees of parental engagement, the impact of cultural and socio-economic factors, and the challenges faced by families navigating rehabilitation processes. The synthesis of this literature not only highlights the current state of knowledge but also provides a roadmap for future research efforts. By addressing these gaps, we aim to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of parental involvement in the rehabilitation of children with permanent hearing loss, ultimately fostering improved support systems and holistic care for affected families.

Understanding the correlation between energy-state mismatching and open-circuit voltage loss in bulk heterojunction solar cells

Photoinduced intermolecular charge transfer(PICT)determines the voltage loss in bulk heterojunction(BHJ)organic photovoltaics(OPVs),and this voltage loss can be minimized by inducing efficient PICT,which requires energy-state matching between the donor and acceptor at the BHJ interfaces.Thus,both geometrically and energetically accessible delocalized state matching at the hot energy level is crucial for achieving efficient PICT.In this study,an effective method for quantifying the hot state matching of OPVs was developed.The degree of energy-state matching between the electron donor and acceptor at BHJ interfaces was quantified using a mismatching factor(MF)calculated from the modified optical density of the BHJ.Furthermore,the correlation between the open-circuit voltage(Voc)of the OPV device and energy-state matching at the BHJ interface was investigated using the calculated MF.The OPVs with small absolute MF values exhibited high Voc values.This result clearly indicates that the energy-state matching between the donor and acceptor is crucial for achieving a high Voc in OPVs.Because the MF indicates the degree of energy-state matching,which is a critical factor for suppressing energy loss,it can be used to estimate the Voc loss in OPVs.

Modified intratympanic steroid therapy for sudden sensorineural hearing loss via tympanic tube and gelfoam as a salvage treatment

Background: Sudden sensorineural hearing loss(SSNHL) is a prevalent emergency in ear, nose, and throat practice. Previous studies have demonstrated that intratympanic steroid therapy(IST) can serve as a salvage treatment for SSNHL after the failure of systemic steroid therapy(SST).Objective: This study aimed to analyze the efficacy of modified IST involving the insertion of a tympanic tube and gelfoam as a salvage treatment for patients with SSNHL, and to explore its associated factors.Methods: Totally, 74 patients who were aged 22–81 years with SSNHL were enrolled and allocated to either the control group(n = 25) or the treatment group(n = 49) based on their treatment modalities. All patients received SST lasting for at least 7 days. Subsequently, patients in the treatment group, after SST failure, underwent IST twice a week for 2–6 weeks, while the control group did not. Efficacy was assessed by the improvement in pure tone average at the affected frequency at the beginning and end of IST.Results: Hearing improvement in all patients after IST in the treatment group was 9.71 ± 14.84 dB, with significant improvement at affected frequencies(250-8000 Hz) compared with the control group(P < 0.05). The findings indicated the duration from the onset of SSNHL to the beginning of IST as an independent factor for pure tone average improvement after treatment(P = 0.002), whereas age, duration of SST, and time of IST were not(P > 0.05).Conclusion: The modified IST was demonstrated to be a safe and effective method as a salvage treatment for SSNHL. This study explored the efficacy of a modified IST approach, incorporating the utilization of tympanic tubes and gelfoam as key components. The findings underscore the advantages of gelfoam as a strategic drug carrier placed in the round window niche. By minimizing drug loss, extending action time, and increasing perilymph concentration, gelfoam enhances the therapeutic impact of IST, contributing to improved hearing outcomes in patients with SSNHL.

Loss of heterozygosity for chromosomes 16q in Wilms tumors predicts outcomes:A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND The research findings suggest that the prognosis of children with Wilms tumor(WT)is affected by various factors.Some scholars have indicated that loss of heterozygosity(LOH)on chromosome 16q is associated with a poor prognosis in patients with WT.AIM To further elucidate this relationship,we conducted a meta-analysis.METHODS This meta-analysis was registered in INPLASY(INPLASY2023100060).We systematically searched databases including Embase,PubMed,Web of Science,Cochrane,and Google Scholar up to May 31,2020,for randomized trials reporting any intrapartum fetal surveillance approach.The meta-analysis was performed within a frequentist framework,and the quality and network inconsistency of trials were assessed.Odds ratios and 95%CIs were calculated to report the relationship between event-free survival and 16q LOH in patients with WT.RESULTS Eleven cohort studies were included in this meta-analysis to estimate the relationship between event-free survival and 16q LOH in patients with WT(I^(2)=25%,P<0.001).As expected,16q LOH can serve as an effective predictor of eventfree survival in patients with WT(risk ratio=1.95,95%CI:1.52–2.49,P<0.001).CONCLUSION In pediatric patients with WT,there exists a partial correlation between 16q LOH and an unfavorable treatment prognosis.Clinical detection of 16q chromosome LOH warrants increased attention to the patient’s prognosis.

Systemic Inflammation Response Index and weight loss as prognostic factors in metastatic pancreatic cancer: A concept study from the PANTHEIA-SEOM trial

BACKGROUND The prognostic value of the Systemic Inflammation Response Index(SIRI)in advanced pancreatic cancer is recognized,but its correlation with patients´nutritional status and outcomes remains unexplored.AIM To study the prognostic significance of SIRI and weight loss in metastatic pancreatic cancer.METHODS The PANTHEIA-Spanish Society of Medical Oncology(SEOM)study is a multicentric(16 Spanish hospitals),observational,longitudinal,non-interventional initiative,promoted by the SEOM Real World-Evidence work group.This pilot study sought to analyze the association between weight loss and inflammatory status as defined by SIRI.The cohort stems from a proof-of-concept pilot study conducted at one of the coordinating centers.Patients with pathologically confirmed metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma,treated from January 2020 to January 2023,were included.The index was calculated using the product of neutrophil and monocyte counts,divided by lymphocyte counts,obtained within 15 days before initiation chemotherapy.This study evaluated associations between overall survival(OS),SIRI and weight loss.RESULTS A total of 50 patients were included.66%of these patients were male and the median age was 66 years.Metastasis sites:36%liver,12%peritoneal carcinomatosis,10%lung,and 42%multiple locations.Regarding the first line palliative chemotherapy treatments:50%received gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel;28%,modified fluorouracil,leucovorin,irinotecan and oxaliplatin,and 16%were administered gemcitabine.42%had a weight loss>5%in the three months(mo)preceding diagnosis.21 patients with a SIRI≥2.3×10^(3)/L exhibited a trend towards a lower median OS compared to those with a SIRI<2.3×10^(3)/L(4 vs 18 mo;P<0.000).Among 21 patients with>5%weight loss before diagnosis,the median OS was 6 mo,in contrast to 19 mo for those who did not experience such weight loss(P=0.003).Patients with a weight loss>5%showed higher SIRI levels.This difference was statistically significant(P<0.000).For patients with a SIRI<2.3×10^(3)/L,those who did not lose>5%of their weight had an OS of 20 mo,compared to 11 mo for those who did(P<0.001).No association was found between carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels≥1000 U/mL and weight loss.CONCLUSION A higher SIRI was correlated with decreased survival rates in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer and associated with weight loss.An elevated SIRI is suggested as a predictor of survival,emphasizing the need for prospective validation in the upcoming PANTHEIA-SEOM study.