Morphology-based classifcation of the fying capacities of aquatic insects: A frst attempt

Flight is a key feature of the reproduction and dispersal of emerging aquatic insects.However,morphological measurements of insect fight are mostly available for terrestrial taxa and dragonfies,while aquatic insects have been poorly investigated.We analyzed 7 fight-related morphological parameters of 32 taxa belonging to 5 orders of emerging aquatic insects(Ephemeroptera,Trichoptera,Plecoptera,Diptera,and Megaloptera)with different life history traits related to fight(dispersal strategy,voltinism,adult lifespan,and swarming behavior).After correcting for allometry,we used an a priori-free approach to cluster the individuals according to their fight-related morphology.Then,we explored the levels of agreement between these clusters,taxonomy,and several life history traits of the taxa.All orders were scattered among several clusters,suggesting a large range of fight capacities,particularly for Diptera.We found swarming taxa in each cluster,showing that morphological adaptations to swarming are not identical in all aquatic insects.The clusters did not match the expected dispersal capacity of the taxa as derived from the literature or databases.Heavy wide-winged insects notably gathered taxa traditionally described as good or weak dispersers.Flight capacities based on morphology partly matched with the taxonomy and life-history traits of aquatic insect imagoes.Other parameters such as fight propensity,energy stores,and wing kinematics should help refne their fying and dispersal capacity.

Guest Editorial:Special issue on intelligence technology for remote sensing image

With the development of artificial intelligence,remote sensing scene interpretation task has attracted extensive attention,which mainly includes scene classification,target detection,hyperspectral classification,and multi‐modal analysis.The remote sensing scene interpretation has effectively promoted the development of the Earth observation field.It was the intention for this Special Issue to serve as a platform for the publication of the most recent research concepts from remote sensing image.

Modeling and Analysis of UAV-Assisted Mobile Network with Imperfect Beam Alignment

With the rapid development of emerging 5G and beyond(B5G),Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAVs)are increasingly important to improve the performance of dense cellular networks.As a conventional metric,coverage probability has been widely studied in communication systems due to the increasing density of users and complexity of the heterogeneous environment.In recent years,stochastic geometry has attracted more attention as a mathematical tool for modeling mobile network systems.In this paper,an analytical approach to the coverage probability analysis of UAV-assisted cellular networks with imperfect beam alignment has been proposed.An assumption was considered that all users are distributed according to Poisson Cluster Process(PCP)around base stations,in particular,Thomas Cluster Process(TCP).Using thismodel,the impact of beam alignment errors on the coverage probabilitywas investigated.Initially,the ProbabilityDensity Function(PDF)of directional antenna gain between the user and its serving base station was obtained.Then,association probability with each tier was achieved.A tractable expression was derived for coverage probability in both Line-of-Sight(LoS)andNon-Line-of-Sight(NLoS)condition links.Numerical results demonstrated that at low UAVs altitude,beam alignment errors significantly degrade coverage performance.Moreover,for a small cluster size,alignment errors do not necessarily affect the coverage performance.

Association between ACTN3 R577X genotype and risk of non-contact injury in trained athletes:A systematic review

Purpose:The aim of this study was to review,systematically,evidence concerning the link between the ACTN3 R577X polymorphism and the rates and severity of non-contact injuries and exercise-induced muscle damage in athletes and individuals enrolled in exercise training programs.Methods:A computerized literature search was performed in the electronic databases PubMed,Web of Science,and SPORTDiscus,from inception until November 2020.All included studies compared the epidemiological characteristics of non-contact injury between the different genotypes of the ACTN3 R577X polymorphism.Results:Our search identified 492 records.After the screening of titles,abstracts,and full texts,13 studies examining the association between the ACTN3 genotypes and the rate and severity of non-contact injury were included in the analysis.These studies were performed in 6 different countries(Spain,Japan,Brazil,China,the Republic of Korea,and Italy)and involved a total participant pool of 1093 participants.Of the studies,2 studies involved only women,5 studies involved only men,and 6 studies involved both men and women.All the studies included were classified as highquality studies(≥6 points in the Physiotherapy Evidence Database(PEDro)scale score).Overall,evidence suggests there is an association between the ACTN3 R577X genotype and non-contact injury in 12 investigations.Six studies observed a significant association between A CTN3 R577X polymorphism and exercise induced muscle damage:2 with non-contact ankle injury,3 with non-contact muscle injury,and 1 with overall non-contact injury.Conclusion:The present findings support the premise that possessing the ACTN3 XX genotype may predispose athletes to a higher probability of some non-contact injuries,such as muscle injury,ankle sprains,and higher levels of exercise-induced muscle damage.

Screening for Precancerous Cervical Lesions in Women of Reproductive Age in the Kara Region of Togo in 2022

Introduction: Worldwide, cervical cancer is the 4th most common cancer in women and is a public health problem. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of precancerous cervical lesions and to describe its associated factors among women of reproductive age in the Kara region of Togo. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March 6 to 14, 2022 in 11 health centers in Kara. Data were collected using a standardized questionnaire and screening for precancerous cervical lesions was performed by visual inspection of the cervix, after application of 5% acetic acid and Lugol’s. Logistic regression analysis was performed to describe factors associated with precancerous lesions. Results: A total of 728 women with a median age of 36, interquartile range [31 - 41] were enrolled. The prevalence of precancerous cervical lesions was 3.9%, 95% confidence interval (95% CI: [2.6 - 5.4]. Factors associated with the presence of precancerous lesions were age at first sexual intercourse ≥ 18 years (adjusted odds ratio (aOR = 3.67;95% CI [1.17 - 18.4]) and being a sex worker (aOR = 8.14;95% CI [1.96 - 27.1]). HIV infection was not associated with the presence of precancerous lesions. Conclusion: The results of this study underscore the importance of intensifying cervical cancer screening efforts in resource-limited countries for better management. These efforts should prioritize vulnerable populations such as female sex workers.

Tb^(3+)掺杂透明锗酸盐微晶玻璃:制备与面向X射线探测的增强发光

通过熔融淬火和后续热处理,成功制备了Tb^(3+)掺杂含LaF_(3)纳米晶透明锗酸盐微晶玻璃。详细研究了所制备的玻璃和微晶玻璃的发光性质。X射线衍射结果表明,玻璃基体中析出的晶相为纯LaF_(3)晶体,晶粒尺寸在16~21 nm之间。在377 nm紫外光和X射线激发下,Tb^(3+)掺杂含LaF_(3)纳米晶的微晶玻璃比Tb^(3+)掺杂的锗酸盐玻璃表现出更强的绿光发射,且绿光发射强度随热处理温度升高和时间的延长而增强。微晶玻璃在X射线激发下的最大积分发光强度约为商用闪烁晶体Bi_(4)Ge_(3)O_(12)的40.3%。本研究表明,掺Tb^(3+)含LaF_(3)纳米晶锗酸盐微晶玻璃在X射线探测中具有潜在的应用前景。

Effect of alcohol consumption on liver stiffness measured by transient elastography

AIM:To determine the evolution of transient elastography(TE) in patients with alcoholic liver disease according to alcohol cessation or continuation.METHODS:We retrospectively selected in our local database all patients who had two TE between June 2005 and November 2010 with chronic alcohol excessive consumption and excluded those with associated cause of liver disease.TE was performed at least one week apart by senior operator.TE examinations with less than ten successful measures or with an interquartile range above 30% were excluded.We retrospectively reviewed file of all patients to include only patient followed up by trained addictologist and for which definite information on alcohol consumption was available.Concomitant biological parameters [aspartate amino transferase(AST),alanine amino transferase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase(GGT)] within 4 wk of initial and final TE were recorded.Putative fibrosis score according to initial and final TE were determined with available cut-off for alcoholic liver disease and hepatitis C.Initial and final putative fibrosis score were compared according to alcohol consumption during follow-up.RESULTS:During the study period 572 patients had TE examination for alcoholic liver disease and 79 of them had at least two examinations.Thirty-seven patients met our criteria with a median follow-up of 32.5 wk.At the end of the study,13(35%) were abstinent,and 24(65%) relapsers.Eight patients had liver biopsy during follow-up.TE decreased significantly during follow-up in 85% of abstinent patients [median(range):-4.9(-6.1,-1.9)],leading to a modification of the putative fibrosis stage in 28%-71% of patient according to different cut-off value.In relapsers TE increased in 45% and decreased in 54% of patient.There was no statistical difference between initial and final TE in relapsers.In the overall population,using 22.6 kPa as cut-off for cirrhosis,4 patients had cirrhosis at initial TE and 3 patients had cirrhosis at final TE.Using 19.5 kPa as cut-off for cirrhosis,7 patients had cirrhosis at initial TE and 5 patients had cirrhosis at final TE.Using 12.5 kPa as cut-off for cirrhosis,16 patients had cirrhosis at initial TE and 15 patients had cirrhosis at final TE.Evolution of biological data was in accordance with the relapse or abstinent status:abstinence ratio(duration of abstinence/duration follow-up) was correlated with AST ratio(r =-0.465,P = 0.007) and GGT ratio(r =-0.662,P<0.0001).GGT was correlated with initial(r = 0.488,P = 0.002) and final TE(r = 0.49,P<0.005).Final TE was correlated with AST(r = 0.362,P<0.05).Correlation between TE ratio and AST ratio(r = 0.44,P = 0.01) revealed that TE varied proportionally to AST for all patients irrespective of their alcohol status.The same relationship was observed between TE ratio and GGT ratio(r = 0.65,P<0.0001).Evolution of TE was significantly correlated with the ratio of time of abstinence to observation time(r =-0.387,P = 0.016) and the evolution of liver enzymes.CONCLUSION:TE significantly decreased with abstinence.Results of TE in alcoholic liver disease cannot be interpreted without taking into account alcohol consumption and liver enzymes.

Influence of Traditional Chinese Values on Consumer Behavior:the Case of Mobile in Shanghai

This study investigates how traditional Chinese values influence Chinese consumer behavior directly and indirectly through the impact on people's lifestyles and perceived values.The empirical research is conducted in the context of the mobile phone market in Shanghai.The study establishes measurement scales of Confucian value,lifestyle,and customer perceived value for Chinese market.Relationships of multiple factors are tested in the structural equation model and their impacts on consumer behavior are elaborated.Findings indicate that Confucian values not only have a direct impact on Chinese consumer behavior but also indirectly influence this behavior through impacting people's lifestyles and perceived values.

Iron metabolism imbalance at the time of listing increases overall and infectious mortality after liver transplantation

BACKGROUND Liver transplantation(LT)is the best treatment for patients with liver cancer or end stage cirrhosis,but it is still associated with a significant mortality.Therefore identifying factors associated with mortality could help improve patient management.The impact of iron metabolism,which could be a relevant therapeutic target,yield discrepant results in this setting.Previous studies suggest that increased serum ferritin is associated with higher mortality.Surprisingly iron deficiency which is a well described risk factor in critically ill patients has not been considered.AIM To assess the impact of pre-transplant iron metabolism parameters on posttransplant survival.METHODS From 2001 to 2011,553 patients who underwent LT with iron metabolism parameters available at LT evaluation were included.Data were prospectively recorded at the time of evaluation and at the time of LT regarding donor and recipient.Serum ferritin(SF)and transferrin saturation(TS)were studied as continuous and categorical variable.Cox regression analysis was used to determine mortality risks factors.Follow-up data were obtained from the local and national database regarding causes of death.RESULTS At the end of a 95-mo median follow-up,196 patients were dead,38 of them because of infections.In multivariate analysis,overall mortality was significantly associated with TS>75%[HR:1.73(1.14;2.63)],SF<100μg/L[HR:1.62(1.12;2.35)],hepatocellular carcinoma[HR:1.58(1.15;2.26)],estimated glomerular filtration rate(CKD EPI Cystatin C)[HR:0.99(0.98;0.99)],and packed red blood cell transfusion[HR:1.05(1.03;1.08)].Kaplan Meier curves show that patients with low SF(<100μg/L)or high SF(>400μg/L)have lower survival rates at 36 mo than patients with normal SF(P=0.008 and P=0.016 respectively).Patients with TS higher than 75%had higher mortality at 12 mo(91.4%±1.4%vs 84.6%±3.1%,P=0.039).TS>75%was significantly associated with infection related death[HR:3.06(1.13;8.23)].CONCLUSION Our results show that iron metabolism imbalance(either deficiency or overload)is associated with post-transplant overall and infectious mortality.Impact of iron supplementation or depletion should be assessed in prospective study.

Acoustic radiation force impulse imaging for assessing liver fibrosis in alcoholic liver disease

AIM: To evaluate the performance of elastography by ultrasound with acoustic radiation force impulse(ARFI) in determining fibrosis stage in patients with alcoholic liver disease(ALD) undergoing alcoholic detoxification in relation to biopsy.METHODS: Eighty-three patients with ALD undergoing detoxification were prospectively enrolled. Each patient underwent ARFI imaging and a liver biopsy onthe same day. Fibrosis was staged according to the METAVIR scoring system. The median of 10 valid ARFI measurements was calculated for each patient.RESULTS: Sixty-nine males and thirteen females(one patient excluded due to insufficient biopsy size) were assessed with a mean alcohol consumption of 132.4 ± 128.8 standard drinks per week and mean cumulative year duration of 17.6 ± 9.5 years. Sensitivity and specificity were respectively 82.4%(0.70-0.95) and 83.3%(0.73-0.94)(AUROC = 0.87) for F ≥ 2 with a cut-off value of 1.63m/s; 82.4%(0.64-1.00) and 78.5%(0.69-0.89)(AUROC = 0.86) for F ≥ 3 with a cut-off value of 1.84m/s; and 92.3%(0.78-1.00] and 81.6%(0.72-0.90)(AUROC = 0.89) for F = 4 with a cut-off value of 1.94 m/s.CONCLUSION: ARFI is an accurate, non-invasive and easy method for assessing liver fibrosis in patients with ALD undergoing alcoholic detoxification.

Context-Aware Service IVlodes in the Cloud Computing Environment

This paper discussed the differences of context-aware service between the cloud computing environment and the traditional service system.Given the above differences,the paper subsequently analyzed the changes of context-aware service during preparation,organization and delivery,as well as the resulting changes in service acceptance of consumers.Because of these changes,the context-aware service modes in the cloud computing environment change are intelligent,immersive,highly interactive,and real-time.According to active and responded service,and authorization and non-authorized service,the paper drew a case diagram of context-aware service in Unified Modeling Language(UML) and established four categories of context-aware service modes.

Experimental and numerical investigation of mid-infrared laser in Pr^(3+)-doped chalcogenide fiber

We report on a chalcogenide glass fiber doped with Pr^(3+) that can be used for commercialized 1.5-μm and 2-μm laser excitations by emitting broadband 3 μm–5.5 μm fluorescence, which is extruded into a preform and then drawn into a step-index fiber. The spectroscopic properties of the fiber and glass are reported, and the mid-infrared fiber lasers are also numerically investigated. Cascade lasing is employed to increase the inversion population of the upper laser level. The particle swarm approach is applied to optimize the fiber laser parameters. The output power can reach 1.28 W at 4.89-μm wavelength, with a pump power of 5 W, excitation wavelength at 2.04 μm, Pr^(3+) ion concentration at 4.22 × 10^(25) ions/m^3,fiber length at 0.94 m, and fiber background loss at 3 dB/m.

Outcomes of nonresected main-duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas

AIM:To compare characteristics and outcomes of resected and nonresected main-duct and mixed intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas(IPMN).METHODS:Over a 14-year period,50 patients who did not undergo surgery for resectable main-duct or mixed IPMN,for reasons of precluding comorbidities,age and/or refusal,were compared with 74 patients who underwent resection to assess differences in rates of survival,recurrence/occurrence of malignancy,and prognostic factors.All study participants had dilatation of the main pancreatic duct by ≥ 5 mm,with or without dilatation of the branch ducts.Some of the nonsurgical patients showed evidence of mucus upon perendoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or endoscopic ultrasound and/or after fine needle aspiration.For the surgical patients,pathologic analysis of resected specimens confirmed a diagnosis of IPMN with involvement of the main pancreatic duct or of both branch ducts as well as the main pancreatic duct.Clinical and biologic follow-ups were conducted for all patients at least annually,through hospitalization or consultation every six months during the first year of follow-up,together with abdominal imaging analysis(magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography or computed tomography) and,if necessary,endoscopic ultrasound with or without fine needle aspiration.RESULTS:The overall five-year survival rate of patients who underwent resection was significantly greater than that for the nonsurgical patients(74% vs 58%; P =0.019).The parameters of age(< 70 years) and absence of a nodule were associated with better survival(P < 0.05); however,the parameters of main pancreatic duct diameter > 10 mm,branch ductdiameter > 30 mm,or presence of extra pancreatic cancers did not significantly influence the prognosis.In the nonsurgical patients,pancreatic malignancy occurred in 36% of cases within a mean time of 33 mo(median:29 mo; range:8-141 mo).Comparison of the nonsurgical patients who experienced disease progression with those who did not progress showed no significant differences in age,sex,symptoms,subtype of IPMN,or follow-up period; only the size of the main pancreatic duct was significantly different between these two sub-groups,with the nonsurgical patients who experienced progression showing a greater diameter at the time of diagnosis(> 10 mm).CONCLUSION:Patients unfit for surgery have a 36% greater risk of developing pancreatic malignancy of the main-duct or mixed IPMN within a median of 2.5 years.

Haemochromatosis revisited

Haemochromatosis is a genetic disease caused by hepcidin deficiency,responsible for an increase in intestinal iron absorption.Haemochromatosis is associated with homozygosity for the HFE p.Cys282Tyr mutation.However,rare cases of haemochromatosis(non-HFE haemochromatosis)can also be caused by path-ogenic variants in other genes(such as HJV,HAMP,TFR2 and SLC40A1).A working group of the International Society for the Study of Iron in Biology and Medicine(BIOIRON Society)has concluded that the classification based in different molecular subtypes is difficult to be adopted in clinical practice and has proposed a new classification approaching clinical questions and molecular complexity.The aim of the present review is to provide an update on classification,pathophysiology and therapeutic recommendations.

Prediction of adolescent subjective well being: A machine learning approach

Background Subjective well-being(SWB),also known as happiness,plays an important role in evaluating both mental and physical health.Adolescents deserve specific attention because they are under a great variety of stresses and are at risk for mental disorders during adulthood.Aim The present paper aims to predict undergraduate students1 SWB by machine learning method.Methods Gradient Boosting Classifier which was an innovative yet validated machine learning approach was used to analyse data from 10518 Chinese adolescents.The online survey included 298 factors such as depression and personality.Quality control procedure was used to minimise biases due to online survey reports.We applied feature selection to achieve the balance between optimal prediction and result interpretation.Results The top 20 happiness risks and protective factors were finally brought into the predicting model.Approximately 90%individuals'SWB can be predicted correctly,and the sensitivity and specificity were about 92%and 90%,respectively.Conclusions This result identifies at-risk individuals according to new characteristics and established the foundation for adolescent prevention strategies.

Upconversion Luminescence of Er3＋ Ions in Transparent Germanate Glass Ceramics Containing CaF2 Nanocrystals

The visible upconversion and near-infrared luminescence of Er3＋ ions in germanate glass ceramics containing GaF2 nanocrystals are investigated. The nanocrystals are characterized by x-ray diffraction （XRD） and transmission electron microscopy, showing their mean sizes less than 20hm. High transmittance of the glass ceramics is displayed by absorption spectra. The upconversion luminescence intensity in the glass ceramics increases significantly with increasing temperature. Both the shifts of the XRD peaks and the Stark-split shown in the luminescence spectra indicate the entrance of the Er3＋ ions into the CaF2 nanocrystals, which is confirmed by a Judd-Ofelt analysis. Possible mechanisms of the upconversion luminescence are analyzed.

Spectroscopic Properties and Effect of Radiation Trapping of a New Er^(3+)/Yb^(3+) Co-Doped Tellurite-Silicate Glasses

A new serials of Er^3＋/Yb^3＋ co-doped tellurite-silicate glasses were prepared by the technique of high-temperature mehing. The thermal stability, absorption spectra, emission spectra and upconversion spectra were measured and investigated. It is found that these kinds of glasses have good thermal stability, broad FWHM and large stimulated emission cross-section. The three upconversion emission at 525, 546, 658 nm, corresponding to the ^2H11/2→^4Ⅰ15/2, ^4S3/2→4^Ⅰ15/2 and ^F9/2→^4Ⅰ15/2 transitions of Dr^3＋ ions,

Exercise and antioxidant supplements in the elderly

Both exercise and aging increase reactive oxygen species （ROS）, which can result in damage to cells. Aging is the result of damage caused by ROS to the mitochondrial genome in post mitotic cells and numerous studies have demonstrated an increase in ROS or their byproducts with exercise. ROS can cause oxidative stress as they overwhelm the antioxidant cellular defenses. Therefore interventions aimed at limiting or inhibiting ROS production, such as supplementation with antioxidant vitamins, should be able to reduce fatigue during muscle contraction and the rate of formation of aging changes with a consequent reduction of the aging rate and disease pathogenesis. However, it has been shown that ROS are essential signaling molecules which are required to promote the health benefits of exercise and longevity. In young individuals, ROS are required for normal force production in skeletal muscle, for the development of training-induced adaptations in endurance performance, as well as for the induction of the endogenous defense systems. Thus, taking antioxidants during training, in young athletes, seems to be detrimental. However, antioxidant supplementation may be expected to be beneficial and is receiving growing attention in the active old population. In this manuscript we review the literature associated with the main areas of interest in this topic.

Nematodes for Soil Quality Monitoring: Results from the RMQS BioDiv Programme

A French programme, “Réseau de mesure de la qualité des sols: biodiversité des organismes” (RMQS BioDiv) was developed in Brittany (27,000 km2 in the western part of France) as an initial assessment of soil biodiversity on a regional scale in relation to land use and pedoclimatic parameters. The nematode community assemblages were compared among the land use categories. Crops were characterised by a high abundance of bacterial-feeders, particularly opportunistic bacterial-feeders belonging to Rhabditidae. Meadows presented a higher total abundance of nematodes than did crops (20.6 ind·g-1 dry soil vs. 13.1 ind·g-1 dry soil), and they were mainly linked to the great abundance of plant-parasitic nematodes, particularly Meloidogyne, but with a very high heterogeneity between sampled plots. The nematodes were most abundant in forests (23.7 ind·g-1 dry soil) and presented the most structured community (SI = 82.2 in forests vs. 58.6 and 55.5 in crops and meadows, respectively). Forests had also the higher fungal component (fungal-feeders and facultative plant-feeders belonging to the Tylenchidae) leading to a significant higher part of the fungal decomposition pathway in forests than in crops. The ability of different taxonomic levels of nematode identifica- tion to discriminate among different cropping systems (i.e., continuous cropping system, crop with meadow in the rota- tion, meadow with crop in the rotation and permanent meadow) was also tested. The family level (48 families identified in these samples) was more efficient than the other taxonomic levels (86 taxa, 17 functional guilds and 6 trophic groups): best statistical significant discrimination for time spent in identification. The relation between the nematode ecological indices, the abundance of nematode trophic groups and the crop management practices were studied. The effects of fertilization, ploughing frequency, use of pesticides and management systems on ecological indices, particu- larly on the Maturity Indices, were observed.

Noncanonical intercellular communication in immune response

The classical view of signaling between cells of immune system includes two major routes of intercellular communication:Through the release of extracellular molecules or a direct interaction between membrane bound receptor and its membrane bound ligand,which initiate a cascade of signaling in target cell.However,recent studies indicate that besides these canonical modes of signaling there are also noncanonical routs of intercellular communications through membrane stripping/membrane exchange/trogocytosis,extracellular traps,exosomes and ectososmes/microparticles.In this review we discuss what are the components of noncanonical pathways of signaling and what role they play in immune cells interactions.