Search Results (12)

Introduction: Recent data indicate that approximately 10–20% of patients with severe asthma (SA) receiving benralizumab (BENRA) do not achieve the desired outcomes. Emerging evidence suggests that clinical remission (CRem) is possible with biologics, warranting investigations into predictive factors. Methods: In this retrospective, single-center study, we analyzed 103 SA patients treated with BENRA for 12 months. CRem was defined as meeting four criteria: no exacerbations requiring oral corticosteroids (OCSs), discontinuation of chronic OCS therapy, improvement in FEV1 ≥100 mL, and an ACQ score < 1.5. Logistic regression identified predictors of remission. Results: After 12 months, 33% of patients achieved CRem, while 10% discontinued treatment due to lack of improvement. BENRA reduced the annual exacerbation rate from a median of 2 to 0 (p < 0.0001) and eliminated OCS use in 80% of patients. Lung function improved significantly, with a +13.5% predicted increase in FEV1 (p < 0.0001). Asthma control also improved, with ACQ scores decreasing from 3.2 to 1.5 (p < 0.0001) and mini-AQLQ scores increasing from 3.4 to 5.0 (p < 0.0001). Key predictors of remission included baseline eosinophil count ≥740 × 10³/μL (OR = 3.91, p = 0.02), SA duration (OR = 0.90, p = 0.02), baseline quality of life (OR = 2.18, p = 0.04), and pre-treatment FEV1 (OR = 1.07, p = 0.005). The logistic regression model for these parameters showed strong predictive accuracy (AUC = 0.855, 95% CI 0.78–0.93). Importantly, the SA phase, rather than total asthma duration, was the critical factor, with each additional year reducing the odds of remission by ~10%. Conclusion: Clinical remission is a realistic goal in severe asthma, and early initiation of biologic therapy is vital for improving remission rates and long-term outcomes. Full article

In this paper, a new U-shaped ring spoof surface plasmon polariton (SSPP) structure is proposed as part of a bandpass filter (BPF) combined with short-circuited stubs (SCSs). The U-shaped ring unit offers miniaturization and multiple adjustable parameters. Furthermore, the lower and upper cutoff frequencies of the passband for the BPF can be adjusted by modifying the structural parameters of the SSPP units and SCSs, respectively. To validate the design, a prototype filter was first created with a frequency range of 2 to 3.7 GHz for the passband and an extended stopband that reached up to 15 GHz. On the basis of the designed BPF, a tri-band filter was realized by introducing multiple transmission zeros by loading multiple open-circuited stubs (OCSs) onto the transmission portion of SSPPs. The center frequencies of the three passbands were 1.20 GHz, 2.03 GHz, and 2.96 GHz, respectively. At the same time, the upper stopband rejection reached up to 12 GHz with an attenuation of −30 dB, about 10 times the center frequency of the first passband. The experimental results demonstrate a strong correlation between the measured and simulated outcomes, thereby validating the proposed structure and design methodology. Notably, the filter measures only 0.38λg × 0.13λg, highlighting its compact size as a significant advantage. Full article

Conventional cropping systems (CCSs) rely heavily on large-scale and intensive crop production, using mechanical tillage and synthetic inputs such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides. While these methods can be economically beneficial, they can also be environmentally destructive. Organic cropping systems (OCSs), on the other hand, offer a more sustainable approach with less harmful effects on the environment. CCSs exhibit higher prevalence rates compared to OCSs. This means that there is less research on soil processes in organic fields and the impact of these processes on soil quality. In this study, we aim to assess the functional potential of soils by analyzing their ability to transform carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. We use shotgun sequencing data to predict the activities of enzymes involved in these cycles. These predictions are then compared to the actual enzyme activity measured in the soil. The objects of study are samples of Chernozem soil from fields cultivated for 11 years using the OCS method and 20 years using the CCS method. It was found that the chemical properties of the studied soils differed significantly in terms of total carbon and total and available nitrogen and phosphorus. Except for phosphorus, the concentration of these elements was significantly higher in the CCS than in the OCS. We assessed the quality of the soils by measuring their enzymatic activities. A comparison of the two cropping systems showed that the activities of the enzymes involved in the C, N, P, and S cycles were, on average, 2.91, 1.89, 1.74, and 1.86 times higher in the CCS than in the OCS, respectively. A two-way PERMANOVA showed that the cropping system was the main variable (F = 14.978, p < 0.01) determining the enzymatic activity of soils, followed by soil depth (F = 9.6079, p < 0.01). We used shotgun sequencing to identify functional genes involved in C, N, P, and S metabolism, as well as genes encoding the measured soil enzymes. Compared to the OCS, the CCS soils had a higher relative abundance of genes involved in N-conversion (log2(FC) +0.22), C-conversion (log2(FC) +0.14), P-conversion (log2(FC) +0.47), and S-conversion (log2(FC) +0.24). At the same time, we found no significant differences between the systems in the relative abundance of genes encoding the measured soil enzymes. Thus, the comparison of the two cropping systems studied showed that the soil microbiome in the CCS has a greater functional potential to support biogeochemical cycles of the key biogenic elements than in the OCS. In addition, this study links the data on the representation of functional genes with the actual activity of enzymes. Based on the results, it would be helpful to focus more specifically on actual enzyme activity or to combine several indicators to obtain a more accurate understanding of soil quality. Full article

The increasing demand for concrete reduces natural resources, such as sand and gravel, and also leads to a sharp increase in the amount of waste concrete produced. Due to the fact that the physical and mechanical properties of waste concrete made of recycled aggregates (RAs) differ greatly, it is difficult to use directly as a raw material for reinforced concrete (RC) components, which greatly restricts the popularization and application of RAs in actual projects. Utilizing the alkali aggregate properties of RAs to capture CO₂ from industrial waste gases is an innovative way of enhancing their properties and promoting their application in real projects. However, the extent of the influence of original concrete strength (OCS) and coarse aggregate size (CAS) on the accelerated carbonation modification of RA is not clear, and a quantitative description is still required. For this purpose, accelerated carbonation tests on recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) samples under completely dry condition were carried out, and the variation laws for the physical property indicators of RCA samples before and after accelerated carbonation versus the OCS and CAS were revealed. Moreover, the influence degrees of the two factors, OCS and CAS, on the property enhancement of RCAs after accelerated carbonation were clarified, and the results of OCS and CAS corresponding to the best accelerated carbonation effects of RCAs were determined. By analyzing the micromorphology of RCA before and after accelerated carbonation, the reasons for property enhancement of RCAs with various OCSs and CASs under the best carbonation modifications were clarified. The findings will contribute to the development of basic theoretical research on accelerated carbonation modification of RA and have important scientific value. Full article

The oral transmission of HPV and, consequently, the risk of oral cancer has increased in the last years. Oral sex has often been implicated among the risk factors for oral HPV infections, however, there is still no consensus on these topics, nor on the relationship between genital and oral HPV infections. The present study aimed to evaluate the coexistence of papilloma virus, at the levels of the oral and genital mucosa, in women with a histologically confirmed HPV lesions (and a positive HPV test) at the genital level and a negative HPV control group. We also evaluated how some risk factors, such as smoking, the number of partners, age, and sexual habits can influence the possible presence of the virus itself in the oropharynx of the same women. In total, 117 unvaccinated women aged between 18 and 52 were enrolled. We found that the prevalence of oral HPV infection was high among the women with concomitant genital HPV infection (22%) compared to the HPV-negative women (0%), and the estimated odds ratio was 17.36 (95% CI: 1.02, 297.04). In none of the women with oral HPV did we find any relevant clinical lesions. The potential risk factors for HPV infections in the oropharynx and genitals were analyzed based on questionnaire responses. A multivariate analysis showed that genital HPV infections were significantly associated with a number of sexual partners > 10 (OR 138.60, 95% CI: 6.04–3181.30, p < 0.001), but the data also referred to having between 3–5 or 6–10 partners as being significant, as were a high level of education (OR 6.24, 95% CI: 1.67–4.23.26 p = 0.003), a frequency of sexual intercourse >10 (OR 91.67 95% CI: 3.20–2623.52, p = 0.004), oral sex (OR 6.16, 95% CI: 1.22–31.19, p = 0.014), and >20 cigarettes/day (OR 6.09 95% CI: 1.21–30.61, p = 0.014). Furthermore, being “separate” and having multiple sexually transmitted diseases were also significantly associated with genital HPV infection. In contrast, oral HPV infections were significantly associated with women aged 36 to 50 years (OR 27.38, 95% CI: 4.37–171.37; p = 0.000202) and oral sex (OR 95.5, 95% CI: 5.13–1782.75, p = 0.001126).Additionally, being separate, being cohabitant, lifetime sexual partners of >10, 3–5 lifetime sexual partners, <20 years of age, >10 sexual intercourse per month, occasional and regular anal sex, >20 cigarettes per day, a history of sexually transmitted disease (herpes and multiple), and having a history of genital warts were significant. Screening and early diagnosis are considered to be practically unfeasible for this category of cancer, given the lack of visible lesions; the 9-valent HPV vaccine remains the only means that could help to successfully counter the growing incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Full article

(1) Background: Over the past 20 years, monoclonal antibodies have been developed for the treatment of severe asthma, with numerous randomised controlled trials (RCTs) conducted to define their safety and efficacy. The growing availability of biologics, which until now have only been available for T2-high asthma, has been further enriched by the arrival of tezepelumab. (2) Methods: This review aims to evaluate the baseline characteristics of patients enrolled in RCTs of biologics for severe asthma to understand how they could potentially predict outcomes and how they can help differentiate between available options. (3) Results: The studies reviewed demonstrated that all biologic agents are effective in improving asthma control, especially with regard to reducing exacerbation rates and OCS use. As we have seen, in this regard, there are few data on omalizumab and none yet on tezepelumab. In analysing exacerbations and average doses of OCSs, pivotal studies on benralizumab have enrolled more seriously ill patients. Secondary outcomes, such as improvement in lung function and quality of life, showed better results—especially for dupilumab and tezepelumab. (4) Conclusion: Biologics are all effective, albeit with important differences. What fundamentally guides the choice is the patient’s clinical history, the endotype represented by biomarkers (especially blood eosinophils), and comorbidities (especially nasal polyposis). Full article

Cancer treatment related infertility (CTRI) affects more than one third of young women undergoing anti-cancer protocols, inducing a premature exhaustion of the ovarian reserve. In addition to ovarian suppression by GnRHa, oocyte and cortex cryopreservation has gained interest in patients with estrogen-sensitive tumors for whom the hormonal burst to prompt the multiple follicular growth could provide a further pro-life tumor pulsing. On the other hand, cortex reimplantation implies a few drawbacks due to the unknown consistency of the follicles to be reimplanted or the risk of reintroducing malignant cells. The capability of ovarian stem cells (OCSs) from fresh ovarian cortex fragments to differentiate in vitro to mature oocytes provides a tool to overcome these drawbacks. In fact, since ovarian cortex sampling and cryopreservation is practicable before gonadotoxic treatments, the recruitment of OSCs from defrosted fragments could provide a novel opportunity to verify their suitability to be expanded in vitro as oocyte like cells (OLCs). Here, we describe in very preliminary experiments the consistency of an OSC population from a single cryopreserved ovarian cortex after thawing as well as both their viability and their suitability to be further explored in their property to differentiate in OLCs, thus reinforcing interest in stemness studies in the treatment of female CTRI. Full article

As vital infrastructures, high-speed railways support the development of transportation. To maintain the punctuality and safety of railway systems, researchers have employed manual and computer vision methods to monitor overhead contact systems (OCSs), but they have low efficiency. Investigators have also used light detection and ranging (LiDAR) to generate point clouds by emitting laser beams. The point cloud is segmented for automatic OCS recognition, which improves recognition efficiency. However, existing LiDAR point cloud segmentation methods have high computational/model complexity and latency. In addition, they cannot adapt to embedded devices with different architectures. To overcome these issues, this article presents a lightweight neural network EffNet consisting of three modules: ExtractA, AttenA, and AttenB. ExtractA extracts the features from the disordered and irregular point clouds of an OCS. AttenA keeps information flowing in EffNet while extracting useful features. AttenB uses channel and spatialwise statistics to enhance important features and suppress unimportant ones efficiently. To further speed up EffNet and match it with diverse architectures, we optimized it with a generation framework of tensor programs and deployed it on embedded systems with different architectures. Extensive experiments demonstrated that EffNet has at least a 0.57% higher mean accuracy, but with 25.00% and 9.30% lower computational and model complexity for OCS recognition than others, respectively. The optimized EffNet can be adapted to different architectures. Its latency decreased by 51.97%, 56.47%, 63.63%, 82.58%, 85.85%, and 91.97% on the NVIDIA Nano CPU, TX2 CPU, UP Board CPU, Nano GPU, TX2 GPU, and RTX 2,080 Ti GPU, respectively. Full article

Airway inflammation represents an important characteristic in asthma, modulating airflow limitation and symptom control, and triggering the risk of asthma exacerbation. Thus, although corticosteroids represent the cornerstone for the treatment of asthma, severe patients may be dependent on oral corticosteroids (OCSs). Fortunately, the current humanised monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) benralizumab, dupilumab, mepolizumab, omalizumab, and reslizumab have been proven to induce an OCS-sparing effect in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), thus overcoming the problem of OCS dependence in severe asthma. Nevertheless, a large discrepancy has been recognized between selected patients enrolled in RCTs and non-selected asthmatic populations in real-world settings. It is not possible to exclude that the OCS-sparing effect of mAbs resulting from the RCTs could be different than the real effect resulting in clinical practice. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and correlation analysis to assess whether mAbs are effective in eliciting an OCS-sparing effect and overcoming the OCS dependence in severe asthmatic patients in real-world settings. Overall, real-world studies support the evidence that OCS dependence is a real condition that, however, can be found only in a small number of really severe asthmatic patients. In most patients, the dependence on OCS can be related to modifying factors that, when adequately modulated, may lead to a significant reduction or suspension of OCS maintenance. Conversely, in severe asthmatics in whom OCS resistance is proved by a high daily dose intake, mAbs allow reversion of the OCS dependence, leading to the suspension of OCS therapy in most patients or >50% reduction in the daily OCS dose. Full article

The level of competency in object control skills (OCSs) during early childhood is considered to be a possible determinant of the successful generalization of these skills during later childhood. This study aimed to determine if an association exists between competency in object control skills during early childhood (6–9 years) and the application of these skills during later childhood (12 years). The NW-CHILD longitudinal study (2010–2016), included a baseline and two time-point follow-up measures in grades 1, 4, and 7 of South African children. A total of 374 participants (boys = 178, 47.59% and girls = 196, 52.41%) completed testing at all three time-points and were analyzed. The Test of Gross Motor Development, Second Edition, and the Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment were used to determine associations between object control skill competency during early and later childhood by using descriptive statistics, Spearman rank order correlations, and stepwise regression analysis. The level of object control skill competency at 6 and 9 years, significantly influences the application of these skills at 12 years. A high overall and significant contribution of OCS (4.6%, p < 0.01) to the variance in the skills and time scores at 12 years; p < 0.05 were found. Competence in object control skills at an early age can provide a baseline from where opportunities for progression or transfer of skills can result in more advanced skillful executions which consequently can be considered to be a cornerstone of improved future physical activity and healthier lifestyles. Full article

An effective algorithm for solving quadratic Riccati differential equation (QRDE), multipantograph delay differential equations (MPDDEs), and optimal control systems (OCSs) with pantograph delays is presented in this paper. This technique is based on Genocchi polynomials (GPs). The properties of Genocchi polynomials are stated, and operational matrices of derivative are constructed. A collocation method based on this operational matrix is used. The findings show that the technique is accurate and simple to use. Full article

The rapid development of online car-hailing services (OCSs) has a huge impact on traditional taxi service (TTS) and is triggering a revolution in the taxi industry. Due to the differences in age, monthly income level, etc., travelers’ using frequencies of taxi service are different. It is necessary for online car-hailing platforms and traditional taxi companies to know the choice behavior of different types of passengers to enhance competitiveness. Based on the survey data of taxi passengers in Nanjing, China, the passengers are characterized by using frequency per week as infrequent passengers, moderately frequent passengers, and frequent passengers. The group characteristics and the differences among groups are analyzed. Further, three binary logit models are applied to analyze the taxi service choice behavior of different groups. The model results show the significant factors vary among three types of passengers. The result indicates that the impacts of safety level improvement, comfort level improvement and travel cost reduction for OCS on passengers’ choice behavior are higher than that of safety level decreasing, comfort level decreasing, and travel cost increasing. Moderately frequent passengers are more sensitive to comfort level than travel cost. The conclusions contribute to both the OCS and TTS business strategies. The results also provide insights into taxi industry management for governments. Full article