Selective sensing of a heterogeneous population of units with dynamic health conditions

<p>Monitoring a large number of units whose health conditions follow complex dynamic evolution is a challenging problem in many healthcare and engineering applications. For instance, a unit may represent a patient in a healthcare application or a machine in a manufacturing process. Challenges mainly arise from: (i) insufficient data collection that results in limited measurements for each unit to build an accurate personalized model in the prognostic modeling stage; and (ii) limited capacity to further collect surveillance measurement of the units in the monitoring stage. In this study, we develop a selective sensing method that integrates prognostic models, collaborative learning, and sensing resource allocation to efficiently and economically monitor a large number of units by exploiting the similarity between them. We showcased the effectiveness of the proposed method using two real-world applications; one on depression monitoring and another with cognitive degradation monitoring for Alzheimer’s disease. Comparing with existing benchmark methods such as the ranking-and-selection method, our fully integrated prognosis-driven selective sensing method enables more accurate and faster identification of high-risk individuals.</p

Designed Microbial Biosynthesis of Hierarchical Bone-Mimetic Biocomposites in 3D-Printed Soft Bioreactors

The creation of 3D biomimetic composite structures has important applications in tissue engineering, lightweight structures, drug delivery, and sensing. Previous approaches in fabricating 3D biomimetic composites have relied on blending or assembling chemically synthesized molecules or structures, making it challenging to achieve precise control of the size, geometry, and internal structure of the biomimetic composites. Here, we present a new approach for the creation of 3D bone-mimetic biocomposites with precisely controlled shape, hierarchical structure, and functionalities. Our approach is based on the integration of programmable microbial biosynthesis with 3D printing of gas-permeable and customizable bioreactors. The organic and inorganic components are bacterial cellulose and calcium hydroxyapatite via a mineral precursor, which are generated by Komagataeibacter xylinus and Bacillus simplex P6A, respectively, in 3D-printed silicone bioreactors in consecutive culturing cycles. This study is of high significance to biocomposites, biofabrication, and tissue engineering as it paves the way for the synergistic integration of microbial biosynthesis and additive manufacturing

I₂‑Catalyzed Oxidative Cross-Coupling of Methyl Ketones and Benzamidines Hydrochloride: A Facile Access to α‑Ketoimides

An iodine-catalyzed oxidative cross-coupling of C–H/N–H has been demonstrated. This simple and efficient approach constructed α-ketoimides in good to excellent yields from methyl ketones and benzamidines hydrochloride under metal-free and peroxide-free conditions. This synthetic strategy was achieved via an in situ iodination-based oxidative coupling pathway

Povarov-Type Reaction Using Methyl as New Input: Direct Synthesis of Substituted Quinolines by I₂‑Mediated Formal [3 + 2 + 1] Cycloaddition

A highly efficient molecular iodine mediated formal [3 + 2 + 1] cycloaddition reaction for the direct synthesis of substituted quinolines from methyl ketones, arylamines, and styrenes is developed. The methyl group of the methyl ketone represents uniquely reactive input in the Povarov reaction. A self-sequenced iodination/Kornblum oxidation/Povarov/aromatization mechanism has been proposed as a possible reaction sequence to account for the results observed in this study

Povarov-Type Reaction Using Methyl as New Input: Direct Synthesis of Substituted Quinolines by I₂‑Mediated Formal [3 + 2 + 1] Cycloaddition

A highly efficient molecular iodine mediated formal [3 + 2 + 1] cycloaddition reaction for the direct synthesis of substituted quinolines from methyl ketones, arylamines, and styrenes is developed. The methyl group of the methyl ketone represents uniquely reactive input in the Povarov reaction. A self-sequenced iodination/Kornblum oxidation/Povarov/aromatization mechanism has been proposed as a possible reaction sequence to account for the results observed in this study

Cost-effectiveness analysis.

<p>(A) The graph plots the incremental discounted QALYs (<i>y</i>-axis) and incremental discounted lifetime costs (<i>x</i>-axis) for each combined screening and treatment strategy. The solid line represents the cost-effectiveness frontier, those strategies that are potentially economically efficient depending on one’s willingness-to-pay per unit of health benefit gained. (B) The bar graph shows the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of each combined screening and treatment strategy at different levels of treatment uptake at each opportunity (varied over the range 0–50%). The asterisk denotes that, at 5% uptake, birth-cohort screening followed by universal triple therapy for screen-detected, treatment-eligible individuals is dominated. For both panels, IL-28B = interleukin-28B; QALY = quality-adjusted life-year.</p

I₂‑Promoted Selective Oxidative Cross-Coupling/Annulation of 2‑Naphthols with Methyl Ketones: A Strategy To Build Naphtho[2,1‑<i>b</i>]furan-1(2<i>H</i>)‑ones with a Quaternary Center

A highly efficient and selective molecular iodine-promoted oxidative cross-coupling/annulation between 2-naphthols and methyl ketones has been realized. The reaction successfully constructed a new quaternary carbon center within 3­(2<i>H</i>)-furanones. Our synthetic strategy provided an in situ iodination-based oxidative coupling pathway. Based on the experimental results, a self-sequenced iodination/Kornblum oxidation/Friedel–Crafts/oxidation/cyclization mechanism was proposed

Glyceryl Trinitrate for Prevention of Post-ERCP Pancreatitis and Improve the Rate of Cannulation: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Trials

<div><p>Background</p><p>Acute pancreatitis is the most common complication of diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Several clinical trials used glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) to prevent the incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP). However, the results were still controversial.</p> <p>Objective</p><p>To conduct a meta-analysis of published, full-length, randomized controlled trials evaluating the effect of prophylactic GTN on the prevention of PEP, improve the rate of cannulation and the prevention of hyperamylasemia.</p> <p>Methods</p><p>Literature searches were conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library and Web of Knowledge databases, using keywords "post-ERCP" and "pancreatitis" and limited in randomized controlled trials.</p> <p>Results</p><p>Twelve RCTs involving 2649 patients were included. Eleven RCTs compared GTN with placebo for PEP prevention. Meta-analysis showed the overall incidence of PEP was significantly reduced by GTN treatment (RR 0.67; 95% CI, 0.52-0.87). Nevertheless, GTN administration did not decrease the incidence of moderate to severe PEP (RR 0.70; 95% CI, 0.42-1.15). Subgroup analyses revealed that GTN administered by sublingual was more effective than transdermal and topical in reducing the incidence of PEP. Besides, the prophylactic effect of GTN was far more obvious in the group of high PEP incidence than in the group of low PEP incidence. Additionally, the incidence of hyperamylasemia was significantly reduced by GTN treatment (RR 0.69; 95% CI, 0.54-0.90). No differences of the successful cannulation rate of bile ducts (RR 1.03; 95% CI, 0.99-1.06) attributable to GTN were observed.</p> <p>Conclusion</p><p>Prophylactic use of GTN reduced the overall incidence of PEP and hyperamylasemia. However, GTN was not helpful for the severity of PEP and the rate of cannulation.</p> </div

The influence of personification representation in learning materials on retention of learned knowledge

In this master thesis, we studied the effect of the use of graphical personification in multimedia learning materials on positive and negative affect, and retention and transfer of the acquired knowledge. According to the Cognitive-Affective Theory of Learning with Media, graphical personification, as one of the main forms of emotional design, could increase the learning outcomes by means of elevated positive affect. The theoretical section of the thesis describes the underlying theories of emotions, emphasizing the Cognitive-Affective Theory of Learning with Media. The respective subsections are dedicated to cognitive multimedia learning principles, emotional design and the Cognitive Load Theory. The experimental section describes a replication and an extension of the original study by Mayer and Estrella. In our experiment, we used an incomplete 2 x 3 between-subject design with independent factors being the use of personification in learning materials (three levels) and the presence of eye tracker in the experimental setup (two levels). We have found no significant effect of graphical personification in learning materials on positive affect, retention or transfer of acquired knowledge. The participants that were given learning materials containing personification and were subject to eye tracking..

Cost-effectiveness of birth-cohort screening by age group.

<p>The graph plots the incremental discounted QALYs and incremental discounted lifetime costs for screening various birth cohorts. The analysis shown in the graph assumes that the treatment strategy used is universal triple therapy. For clarity, the graph shows only those strategies on the cost-effectiveness frontier (i.e., those that are not dominated) although all combinations of birth-cohort groups (40–44, 45–49, 50–54, 55–59, 60–64, 65–69, 70–74 years of age) were considered in the analysis.</p