Tag: pubmed

Sci Rep. 2023 Nov 25;13(1):20763. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-47327-x.

ABSTRACT

When nanoparticles are dispersed and stabilized in a base-fluid, the resulting nanofluid undergoes considerable changes in its thermophysical properties, which can have a substantial influence on the performance of nanofluid-flow systems. With such necessity and importance, developing a set of mathematical correlations to identify these properties in various conditions can greatly eliminate costly and time-consuming experimental tests. Hence, the current study aims to develop innovative correlations for estimating the specific heat capacity of mono-nanofluids. The accurate estimation of this crucial property can result in the development of more efficient and effective thermal systems, such as heat exchangers, solar collectors, microchannel cooling systems, etc. In this regard, four powerful soft-computing techniques were considered, including Generalized Reduced Gradient (GRG), Genetic Programming (GP), Gene Expression Programming (GEP), and Group Method of Data Handling (GMDH). These techniques were implemented on 2084 experimental data-points, corresponding to ten different kinds of nanoparticles and six different kinds of base-fluids, collected from previous research sources. Eventually, four distinct correlations with high accuracy were provided, and their outputs were compared to three correlations that had previously been published by other researchers. These novel correlations are applicable to various oxide-based mono-nanofluids for a broad range of independent variable values. The superiority of newly developed correlations was proven through various statistical and graphical error analyses. The GMDH-based correlation revealed the best performance with an Average Absolute Percent Relative Error (AAPRE) of 2.4163% and a Coefficient of Determination (R²) of 0.9743. At last, a leverage statistical approach was employed to identify the GMDH technique’s application domain and outlier data, and also, a sensitivity analysis was carried out to clarify the degree of dependence between input and output variables.

PMID:38007563 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-023-47327-x

Nat Commun. 2023 Nov 25;14(1):7738. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-43551-1.

ABSTRACT

Bottom-up grown nanomaterials play an integral role in the development of quantum technologies but are often challenging to characterise on large scales. Here, we harness selective area growth of semiconductor nanowires to demonstrate large-scale integrated circuits and characterisation of large numbers of quantum devices. The circuit consisted of 512 quantum devices embedded within multiplexer/demultiplexer pairs, incorporating thousands of interconnected selective area growth nanowires operating under deep cryogenic conditions. Multiplexers enable a range of new strategies in quantum device research and scaling by increasing the device count while limiting the number of connections between room-temperature control electronics and the cryogenic samples. As an example of this potential we perform a statistical characterization of large arrays of identical quantum dots thus establishing the feasibility of applying cross-bar gating strategies for efficient scaling of future selective area growth quantum circuits. More broadly, the ability to systematically characterise large numbers of devices provides new levels of statistical certainty to materials/device development.

PMID:38007553 | DOI:10.1038/s41467-023-43551-1

Sci Rep. 2023 Nov 25;13(1):20723. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-48206-1.

ABSTRACT

This study introduces the Bayesian adaptive exponentially weighted moving average (AEWMA) control chart within the framework of measurement error, examining two separate loss functions: the squared error loss function and the linex loss function. We conduct an analysis of the posterior and posterior predictive distributions utilizing a conjugate prior. In the presence of measurement error (ME), we employ a linear covariate model to assess the control chart’s effectiveness. Additionally, we explore the impacts of measurement error by investigating multiple measurements and a method involving linearly increasing variance. We conduct a Monte Carlo simulation study to assess the control chart’s performance under ME, examining its run length profile. Subsequently, we offer a specific numerical instance related to the hard-bake process in semiconductor manufacturing, serving to verify the functionality and practical application of the suggested Bayesian AEWMA control chart when confronted with ME.

PMID:38007541 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-023-48206-1

Bone Marrow Transplant. 2023 Nov 25. doi: 10.1038/s41409-023-02147-5. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) has curative potential counterbalanced by its toxicity. Prognostic scores fail to include current era patients and alternative donors. We examined adult patients from the EBMT registry who underwent alloHCT between 2010 and 2019 for oncohaematological disease. Our primary objective was to develop a new prognostic score for overall mortality (OM), with a secondary objective of predicting non-relapse mortality (NRM) using the OM score. AI techniques were employed. The model for OM was trained, optimized, and validated using 70%, 15%, and 15% of the data set, respectively. The top models, “gradient boosting” for OM (AUC = 0.64) and “elasticnet” for NRM (AUC = 0.62), were selected. The analysis included 33,927 patients. In the final prognostic model, patients with the lowest score had a 2-year OM and NRM of 18 and 13%, respectively, while those with the highest score had a 2-year OM and NRM of 82 and 93%, respectively. The results were consistent in the subset of the haploidentical cohort (n = 4386). Our score effectively stratifies the risk of OM and NRM in the current era but do not significantly improve mortality prediction. Future prognostic scores can benefit from identifying biological or dynamic markers post alloHCT.

PMID:38007531 | DOI:10.1038/s41409-023-02147-5

Fa Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2023 Oct 25;39(5):447-451. doi: 10.12116/j.issn.1004-5619.2021.511207.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To establish the menstrual blood identification model based on Naïve Bayes and multivariate logistic regression methods by using specific mRNA markers in menstrual blood detection technology combined with statistical methods, and to quantitatively distinguish menstrual blood from other body fluids.

METHODS: Body fluids including 86 menstrual blood, 48 peripheral blood, 48 vaginal secretions, 24 semen and 24 saliva samples were collected. RNA of the samples was extracted and cDNA was obtained by reverse transcription. Five menstrual blood-specific markers including members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family MMP3, MMP7, MMP11, progestogens associated endometrial protein (PAEP) and stanniocalcin-1 (STC1) were amplified and analyzed by electrophoresis. The results were analyzed by Naïve Bayes and multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS: The accuracy of the classification model constructed was 88.37% by Naïve Bayes and 91.86% by multivariate logistic regression. In non-menstrual blood samples, the distinguishing accuracy of peripheral blood, saliva and semen was generally higher than 90%, while the distinguishing accuracy of vaginal secretions was lower, which were 16.67% and 33.33%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: The mRNA detection technology combined with statistical methods can be used to establish a classification and discrimination model for menstrual blood, which can distignuish the menstrual blood and other body fluids, and quantitative description of analysis results, which has a certain application value in body fluid stain identification.

PMID:38006263 | DOI:10.12116/j.issn.1004-5619.2021.511207

J Hum Lact. 2023 Nov 25:8903344231210813. doi: 10.1177/08903344231210813. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding is very important for maternal and infant health. With first pregnancies, many pregnant people face obstacles to achieving their breastfeeding goals.

RESEARCH AIMS: We aimed to investigate the outcomes of a breastfeeding education program and nurse-led online breastfeeding counseling system (BMUM) on breastfeeding self-efficacy, attitudes about breastfeeding, breastfeeding problems, breastfeeding frequencies and postpartum depression.

METHODS: This study was a randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 36), or control group (n = 36). Assessments were conducted during pregnancy, between 32- and 37-weeks gestation, and on postpartum Day 1, Week 1, Week 3, and 6 months.

RESULTS: The means of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy-Short Form scores, and the Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS) scores were similar between the groups at the first assessment (p = 0.733). IIFAS scores in the intervention group were significantly higher in the follow-up measurements on postpartum Day 1, Week 1, Week 3, and 6 months compared to scores in the control group (p = 0.006; p = 0.000; p = 0.002; p = 0.001) Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) scores were similar between the two groups at 1 week (p = 0.678). EPDS scores were significantly higher in the control group on Day 1 and at 3 and 6 months postpartum (p = 0.000; p = 0.038; p = 0.042). There was no statistically significant difference in breastfeeding problems between the two groups (p > 0.05 across breastfeeding problems examined). The mean values of breastfeeding frequency were similar between groups on Day 1, and significantly higher in the intervention group on follow-up measurements.

CONCLUSION: The results of this intervention appear to promote positive attitudes toward breastfeeding and decrease feelings of postpartum depression. However, further randomized controlled trials are needed to support our outcomes.

PMID:38006250 | DOI:10.1177/08903344231210813

Hum Reprod. 2023 Nov 24:dead244. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dead244. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

STUDY QUESTION: What is the impact of clinically significant weight change on outcomes related to IVF cycle performance?

SUMMARY ANSWER: While individual weight loss did not significantly impact ovarian response to stimulation or other cycle outcome parameters in our study, some positive associations were found for individual weight gain.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: The role of weight-change in patients undergoing IVF has been largely studied by comparing weight loss in different cohorts of patients stratified by a static BMI. Specifically, obesity has been extensively studied in relation to its negative effects on assisted or unassisted conception outcomes and ovulatory function. Previous research has shown conflicting results, while BMI, which is commonly used as a marker of obesity, may not accurately reflect the underlying factors affecting fertility in obese patients.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This study utilized a retrospective within-patient repeated measurement analysis design to assess the impact of weight change on IVF outcomes in cycles where all embryos were cryopreserved at the blastocyst stage for transfer at a later date.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: The study was conducted at an academically affiliated fertility center. The data included 961 women who underwent at least two IVF cycles between December 2014 and June 2020, with documented short-term weight gain (n = 607) or weight loss (n = 354) within 1 year from their initial IVF cycle. Multivariable generalized estimating equations (GEE) and generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) were employed to assess associations between weight change and outcomes across cycles.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: The multivariable models indicated that weight loss did not show any significant associations with the numbers of oocytes retrieved, or mature oocytes, the fertilization rate or the blastulation rate. However, weight gain demonstrated a minor positive association with the number of oocytes retrieved in both GEE models (coefficient: 0.01, 95% CI: 0.00-0.01) and GLMM models (0.01, 95% CI: 0.01-0.00). There was also a potential increase in the fertilization rate with weight gain, as indicated by a positive coefficient in both GEE models (coefficient: 0.01, 95% CI: 0.00-0.02) and GLMM models (coefficient: 0.01, 95% CI: 0.00-0.01). However, the association between weight gain and the embryo blastulation rate was not statistically significant in any model.

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: This study focused on cycle performance parameters instead of reproductive outcomes, which restricted our ability to evaluate the impact of weight change on cumulative live birth rates. Additionally, the study did not account for variables such as stimulation protocols, potentially introducing confounding factors and limiting the generalizability of the results.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Although obesity is associated with adverse obstetrical risks, there is less evidence of adverse reproductive outcomes in IVF cycles. We therefore recommend that an IVF cycle should not be delayed due to weight, so that the patient is not adversely affected by increasing age. The IVF cycle should aim to freeze all embryos, so that embryo transfer can then occur after weight loss, so as to limit the recognized obstetrical risks.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): The study was not funded and there were no competing interests.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

PMID:38006233 | DOI:10.1093/humrep/dead244

Nucleosides Nucleotides Nucleic Acids. 2023 Nov 24:1-10. doi: 10.1080/15257770.2023.2282572. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Major depressive disorder (MDD), which is a prevalent psychiatric disorder, is characterized by sleep-wake disturbances. An underlying circadian rhythm disorder mainly may cause these disturbances. The study presented here was designed to investigate the existence of Period Circadian Regulator 3 (PER3) gene VNTR variant in MDD patients in Turkish population. A sample of 118 patients with MDD and 150 healthy volunteers were included in the study. The PER3 VNTR genotyping was performed on DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific primers. The prevalence rates of genotypes of 5/5, 5/4, and 4/4 profiles for the PER3 variant were 30.5%, 55.9%, and 13.6%, respectively, in patients with MDD, and 23.3%, 57.3%, and 19.3%, respectively in the control group. No significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of either genotype distributions or allele frequencies of the VNTR variant of the PER3 gene (p > 0.05). There was no statistically significant association between the patients and the controls in terms of 5/5 + 4/5 versus 4/4 and 5/5 versus 4/5 + 4/4 (p > 0.05). The present results suggest that the PER3 VNTR variant was not associated with MDD in the Turkish population. However, further studies with other gene variants in different ethnic populations are needed to address the exact role of this variant in MDD.

PMID:38006223 | DOI:10.1080/15257770.2023.2282572

HGG Adv. 2023 Nov 23:100258. doi: 10.1016/j.xhgg.2023.100258. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Ebstein’s anomaly, a rare congenital heart disease, is distinguished by the failure of embryological delamination of the tricuspid valve leaflets from the underlying primitive right ventricle myocardium. Gaining insight into the genetic basis of Ebstein’s anomaly allows for a more precise definition of its pathogenesis. In this study, two distinct cohorts from the Chinese Han population were included: a case-control cohort consisting of 82 unrelated cases and 125 controls without cardiac phenotypes, and a trio cohort comprising 36 parent-offspring trios. Whole-exome sequencing data from all 315 participants were utilized to identify qualifying variants, encompassing rare (minor allele frequency < 0.1% from East Asians in gnomAD database) functional variants and high-confidence (HC) loss-of-function (LoF) variants. Various statistical models, including burden tests and variance-component models, were employed to identify rare variants, genes, and biological pathways associated with Ebstein’s anomaly. Significant associations were noted between Ebstein’s anomaly and rare HC LoF variants found in genes related to the matrisome, a collection of extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Specifically, 47 genes with HC LoF variants were exclusively or predominantly identified in cases, while nine genes showed such variants in the probands. Over half of unrelated cases (n=42) and approximately one-third of probands (n=12) were found to carry one or two LoF variants in these prioritized genes. These results highlight the role for the matrisome in the pathogenesis of Ebstein’s anomaly, contributing to a better understanding of the genetic architecture underlying this condition. Our findings hold the potential to impact the genetic diagnosis and treatment approaches for Ebstein’s anomaly.

PMID:38006208 | DOI:10.1016/j.xhgg.2023.100258

Polymers (Basel). 2023 Nov 20;15(22):4469. doi: 10.3390/polym15224469.

ABSTRACT

As a light-weight solution for electromagnetic shielding, this paper aims to investigate the development of electrically conductive composites that shield from electromagnetic radiation while providing sustainability by using recycled fibers in the structure of nonwoven reinforcement materials. The main novelty of this research is the conversion of waste fabrics into functional composites via a fast and inexpensive method. For this purpose, waste fabrics were recycled into fibers, and the recycled fibers were processed into needle-punched nonwovens to be used as reinforcement materials for electromagnetic shielding composites. Electrically conductive composite structures were obtained by adding copper (II) sulfate and graphite conductive particles with different ratios to polyester resin. The hand lay-up method was used for the production of composites. Electromagnetic shielding, electrical resistivity, and some mechanical properties of the composites were investigated. The results were analyzed statistically using IBM SPSS software version 18. The results have shown that up to 31.43 dB of electromagnetic shielding effectiveness was obtained in the 1-6 GHz frequency range. This result corresponds to a very good grade for general use and a moderate grade for professional use, according to FTTS-FA-003, exceeding the acceptable range for industrial and commercial applications of 20 dB. The composites developed in this research are good candidates to be used in various general and professional applications, such as plastic parts in household applications, electronic industry, building and construction industries, and other applications where light weight shielding materials are needed.

PMID:38006193 | DOI:10.3390/polym15224469