Alexandersenmahler1633
Highly sensitive and multimodal sensors have recently emerged for a wide range of applications, including epidermal electronics, robotics, health-monitoring devices and human-machine interfaces. However, cross-sensitivity prevents accurate measurements of the target input signals when a multiple of them are simultaneously present. Therefore, the selection of the multifunctional materials and the design of the sensor structures play a significant role in multimodal sensors with decoupled sensing mechanisms. Hence, this review article introduces varying methods to decouple different input signals for realizing truly multimodal sensors. Early efforts explore different outputs to distinguish the corresponding input signals applied to the sensor in sequence. Next, this study discusses the methods for the suppression of the interference, signal correction, and various decoupling strategies based on different outputs to simultaneously detect multiple inputs. The recent insights into the materials' properties, structure effects, and sensing mechanisms in recognition of different input signals are highlighted. The presence of the various decoupling methods also helps avoid the use of complicated signal processing steps and allows multimodal sensors with high accuracy for applications in bioelectronics, robotics, and human-machine interfaces. Finally, current challenges and potential opportunities are discussed in order to motivate future technological breakthroughs.A cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment can trigger distress, negatively impact coping resources, and affect well-being as well as quality of life. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate feasibility and clinical effects of a VR intervention on quality of life, well-being and mood in cancer patients undergoing surgery compared to a non-VR intervention and a control group. 54 patients with colorectal cancer or liver metastases from colorectal cancer undergoing elective curatively intended surgery were recruited and randomised to one of two intervention groups or a control group receiving standard treatment. Participants assigned to one of the intervention groups either received a VR-based intervention twice daily or listened to music twice daily. Adherence to the intervention was 64.6% in the music group and 81.6% in the VR group. The VR intervention significantly reduced heart rate (- 1.2 bpm; 95% CI - 2.24 to - 0.22; p = 0.02) and respiratory rate (- 0.7 brpm; 95% CI - 1.08 to - 0.25; p = 0.01). Self-reported overall mood improved in both groups (VR + 0.79 pts; 95% CI 0.37-1.21; p = 0.001; music + 0.59 pts; 95% CI 0.22-0.97; p = 0.004). There was no difference in quality of life between the three groups. Both interventions groups reported changes in feelings. Adherence rates favoured the VR intervention over the music group. Observed clinical outcomes showed stronger intragroup effects on mood, feelings, and vital signs in the VR group. The study demonstrated feasibility of a VR intervention in cancer patients undergoing surgery and should encourage further research investigating the potential of VR interventions to positively influence well-being and mood in cancer patients.
Septic patients requiring intensive care unit (ICU) readmission are at high risk of mortality, but research focusing on the association of ICU readmission due to sepsis and mortality is limited. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a machine learning (ML) model for predicting in-hospital mortality in septic patients readmitted to the ICU using routinely available clinical data.
The data used in this study were obtained from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC-IV, v1.0) database, between 2008 and 2019. Saracatinib The study cohort included patients with sepsis requiring ICU readmission. The data were randomly split into a training (75%) data set and a validation (25%) data set. Nine popular ML models were developed to predict mortality in septic patients readmitted to the ICU. The model with the best accuracy and area under the curve (A.C.) in the validation cohort was defined as the optimal model and was selected for further prediction studies. The SHAPELY Additive explanations (SHAP) rks in terms of explaining risk of death prediction in septic patients requiring ICU readmission.
The ML models reported here showed a good prognostic prediction ability in septic patients requiring ICU readmission. Of the features selected, the parameters related to organ perfusion made the largest contribution to outcome prediction during ICU readmission in septic patients.
The ML models reported here showed a good prognostic prediction ability in septic patients requiring ICU readmission. Of the features selected, the parameters related to organ perfusion made the largest contribution to outcome prediction during ICU readmission in septic patients.The photosynthetic cyanobacterium Trichodesmium is widely distributed in the surface low latitude ocean where it contributes significantly to N2 fixation and primary productivity. Previous studies found nifH genes and intact Trichodesmium colonies in the sunlight-deprived meso- and bathypelagic layers of the ocean (200-4000 m depth). Yet, the ability of Trichodesmium to fix N2 in the dark ocean has not been explored. We performed 15N2 incubations in sediment traps at 170, 270 and 1000 m at two locations in the South Pacific. Sinking Trichodesmium colonies fixed N2 at similar rates than previously observed in the surface ocean (36-214 fmol N cell-1 d-1). This activity accounted for 40 ± 28% of the bulk N2 fixation rates measured in the traps, indicating that other diazotrophs were also active in the mesopelagic zone. Accordingly, cDNA nifH amplicon sequencing revealed that while Trichodesmium accounted for most of the expressed nifH genes in the traps, other diazotrophs such as Chlorobium and Deltaproteobacteria were also active. Laboratory experiments simulating mesopelagic conditions confirmed that increasing hydrostatic pressure and decreasing temperature reduced but did not completely inhibit N2 fixation in Trichodesmium. Finally, using a cell metabolism model we predict that Trichodesmium uses photosynthesis-derived stored carbon to sustain N2 fixation while sinking into the mesopelagic. We conclude that sinking Trichodesmium provides ammonium, dissolved organic matter and biomass to mesopelagic prokaryotes.Lanthanoid-containing polyoxometalates (Ln-POMs) have been developed as effective and robust catalysts due to their Lewis acid-base active sites including the oxygen-enriched surfaces of POM and the unique 4f. electron configuration of Ln. As an extension of our interest in Ln-POMs, a series of as-synthesized nanocatalysts K15[Ln(BW11O39)2] (Ln-B2W22, Ln = La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Gd, and Er) synthesized and fully characterized using different techniques. The Ln3+ ion with a big ionic radius was chosen as the Lewis acid center which is sandwiched by two mono-lacunary Keggin [BW11O39]9- units to form Ln-containing sandwiched type cluster. Consequently, the catalytic activity of nanocatalysts with different Ln was examined in the synthesis of bioactive isatin derivatives and compared under the same optimized reaction conditions in terms of yields of obtained products, indicating the superiority of the nano-Gd-B2W22 in the aforementioned simple one-pot reaction. The effects of different dosages of nanocatalyst, type of solvent, reaction time, and reaction temperature in this catalytic system were investigated and the best results were obtained in the presence of 10 mol% of nano-Gd-B2W22 in water for 12 min at the reflux condition.The clinical impact of nucleic acid amplification (NAA) tests on reducing delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis of pulmonary TB (PTB) has rarely been investigated. PTB patients were classified into a frontline NAA group, an add-on NAA group, and a no NAA group. The outcomes of interest were the proportion of PTB case died before anti-TB treatment, the interval between sputum examination and initiation of treatment, and misdiagnosis of PTB. A total of 2192 PTB patients were enrolled, including 282 with frontline NAA, 717 with add-on NAA, and 1193 with no NAA tests. Patients with NAA tests had a lower death rate before treatment initiation compared to those without NAA tests (1.6% vs. 4.4%, p less then 0.001) in all cases. Patients with frontline NAA compared to those with add-on NAA and those without NAA, had a shorter interval between sputum examination and treatment initiation in all cases (3 days vs. 6 days (p less then 0.001), vs 18 days (p less then 0.001)), and less misdiagnosis in smear-positive cases (1.8% vs. 5.6% (p = 0.039), vs 6.5% (p = 0.026)). In conclusion, NAA tests help prevent death before treatment initiation. Frontline NAA tests perform better than add-on NAA and no NAA in avoiding treatment delay in all cases, and misdiagnosis of PTB in smear-positive cases.Coronary artery endothelial cells (CAEC) exert an important role in the development of cardiovascular disease. Dysfunction of CAEC is associated with cardiovascular disease in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, comprehensive studies of the effects that a diabetic environment exerts on this cellular type are scarce. The present study characterized the molecular perturbations occurring on cultured bovine CAEC subjected to a prolonged diabetic environment (high glucose and high insulin). Changes at the metabolite and peptide level were assessed by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS2) and chemoinformatics. The results were integrated with published LC-MS2-based quantitative proteomics on the same in vitro model. Our findings were consistent with reports on other endothelial cell types and identified novel signatures of DNA/RNA, amino acid, peptide, and lipid metabolism in cells under a diabetic environment. Manual data inspection revealed disturbances on tryptophan catabolism and biosynthesis of phenylalanine-based, glutathione-based, and proline-based peptide metabolites. Fluorescence microscopy detected an increase in binucleation in cells under treatment that also occurred when human CAEC were used. This multi-omics study identified particular molecular perturbations in an induced diabetic environment that could help unravel the mechanisms underlying the development of cardiovascular disease in subjects with T2DM.
Worldwide, 1 % of the population receives anticoagulation therapy, with prevalence higher in older adults. Difficulties in the adequate management of these patients have led to the development of strategies focused on achieving therapeutic control and reducing adverse events with efficient use of resources.
To estimate the cost utility and budget impact on the Argentinean health system of implementation of anticoagulation clinics (ACs) (with and without use of point-of-care [POC] CoaguChek
devices [Roche Diagnostics International Ltd]) compared with the traditional laboratory method (non-AC settings) for the management of anticoagulated patients.
For the cost-utility analysis, a cohort-based state transition model was designed to compare costs and health outcomes of implementing ACs for outpatient management of anticoagulated patients. The budget impact analysis used an analytical model to estimate the differential costs of implementing an AC and the expected adverse events avoided, and the differential costs of an international normalized ratio (INR) determination using a POC device rather than a conventional laboratory.