Anticancer Therapy-Induced Atrial Fibrillation: Electrophysiology and Related Mechanisms

Some well-established immunotherapy, radiotherapy, postoperation, anticancer drugs such as anthracyclines, antimetabolites, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 blockers, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, alkylating agents, checkpoint inhibitors, and angiogenesis inhibitors, are significantly linked to cardiotoxicity. Cardiotoxicity is a common complication of several cancer treatments. Some studies observed complications of cardiac arrhythmia associated with the treatment of cancer, including atrial fibrillation (AF), supraventricular arrhythmias, and cardiac repolarization abnormalities. AF increases the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality; it is associated with an almost doubled risk of mortality and a nearly 5-fold increase in the risk of stroke. The occurrence of AF is also usually researched in patients with advanced cancer and those undergoing active cancer treatments. During cancer treatments, the incidence rate of AF affects the prognosis of tumor treatment and challenges the treatment strategy. The present article is mainly focused on the cardiotoxicity of cancer treatments. In our review, we discuss these anticancer therapies and how they induce AF and consequently provide information on the precaution of AF during cancer treatment

Household, community, sub-national and country-level predictors of primary cooking fuel switching in nine countries from the PURE study

Introduction. Switchingfrom polluting (e.g. wood, crop waste, coal)to clean (e.g. gas, electricity) cooking fuels can reduce household air pollution exposures and climate-forcing emissions.While studies have evaluated specific interventions and assessed fuel-switching in repeated cross-sectional surveys, the role of different multilevel factors in household fuel switching, outside of interventions and across diverse community settings, is not well understood. Methods.We examined longitudinal survey data from 24 172 households in 177 rural communities across nine countries within the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology study.We assessed household-level primary cooking fuel switching during a median of 10 years offollow up (∼2005–2015).We used hierarchical logistic regression models to examine the relative importance of household, community, sub-national and national-level factors contributing to primary fuel switching. Results. One-half of study households(12 369)reported changing their primary cookingfuels between baseline andfollow up surveys. Of these, 61% (7582) switchedfrom polluting (wood, dung, agricultural waste, charcoal, coal, kerosene)to clean (gas, electricity)fuels, 26% (3109)switched between different polluting fuels, 10% (1164)switched from clean to polluting fuels and 3% (522)switched between different clean fuels

The Principal Parametric Resonance of Coupled van der Pol Oscillators under Feedback Control

The principal parametric resonance of two van der Pol oscillators under coupled position and velocity feedback control with time delay is investigated analytically and numerically on the assumption that only one of the two oscillators is parametrically excited and the feedback control is linear. The slow-flow equations are obtained by the averaging method and simplified by truncating the first term of Taylor expansions for those terms with time delay. It is found that nontrivial solutions corresponding to periodic motions exist only for one oscillator if no feedback control is applied although the two oscillators are nonlinearly coupled. Based on Levenberg-Marquardt method, the effects of excitation and control parameters on the amplitude of periodic solutions of the system are graphically given. It can be seen that both of the two oscillators can be excited in periodic vibration with proper feedback. However, the amplitudes of the periodic vibrations are independent of the sign of feedback gains. In addition, the influence of time delay on the response of the system is periodic. In terms of numerical simulations, it is shown that both of the two oscillators can also have quasi-periodic motions, periodic motions about a new equilibrium position and other complex motions such as relaxation oscillation when feedback control is considered

Dual-Band Laser Stealth Based on Quasi Photonic Crystals

A quasi photonic crystal (QPC) dual-band absorber for laser stealth is designed and numerically studied. It consists of a defective two-dimensional photonic crystal on a thick Ni film. The defective photonic crystal is a continuous Ge layer with air holes, but some of the holes are periodically removed. Under a normal incidence that is perpendicular to the plane of the defects, the absorptivity can achieve 92.8% at the 1.064 μm wavelength and 93.2% at the 1.55 μm wavelength. Within large incident angles (80%. Additionally, the emissivity is as low as 5.8%~20.0% and 2.8%~5.8% in the 3–5 μm and 8–14 μm atmospheric windows. It is found that the introduced defects can couple the incidence into the structure and lead to spectral peaks (electromagnetic resonances) even without the bottom Ni film. With the help of the high-loss Ni film, the resonances are transformed into magnetic or/and electric modes of different orders. As a result, the QPC generates four absorption peaks. They are superimposed in pairs, resulting in enhanced absorption of the two laser wavelengths

Effects of Nitrogen Forms on Root Morphology and Nitrogen Accumulation in <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> carr. Seedlings under Exponential Fertilization

In this study, the effects of different fertilization methods and nitrogen forms on the root morphology and nitrogen accumulation of Pinus tabuliformis carr. were investigated, and the interaction mechanism between roots and nitrogen fertilizer was analyzed to provide a theoretical basis for the rational fertilization of Pinus tabuliformis. The total amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied to seedlings was 100 mg·plant−1; four nitrogen form treatments of ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, ammonium nitrate 1:1, and amide nitrogen were set up; and two fertilization methods of conventional and exponential fertilization were applied, with a total of eight experimental treatments. By measuring root parameters, plant biomass, and nitrogen accumulation, the correlation between fertilization method and nitrogen form on the root index of seedlings was analyzed, and the effects of fertilization methods and nitrogen forms on the root growth of seedlings were discussed. Compared with conventional fertilization, exponential fertilization significantly promoted root growth and development, and amide nitrogen was the best nitrogen form. The total length, total surface area, total volume, average diameter, root tips, root/shoot ratio, root tissue density of seedlings’ roots, biomass, and nitrogen accumulation of seedlings in exponential fertilization with amide nitrogen EF3 treatment all increased substantially compared with the others, The effects of fertilization mode, nitrogen form, and their interaction on the partial growth of Pinus tabuliformis seedlings were significant (p < 0.05). The correlation analysis of each index showed that the correlation between nitrogen accumulation and biomass was strongest. Therefore, considering the morphological and structural characteristics of the root system and the nitrogen accumulation in the root system, amide nitrogen in the experimental fertilization can better promote the growth and development of the root system of seedlings

Development of risk prediction nomogram for neonatal sepsis in Group B Streptococcus-colonized mothers: a retrospective study

Abstract Neonatal clinical sepsis is recognized as a significant health problem, This study sought to identify a predictive model of risk factors for clinical neonatal sepsis. A retrospective study was conducted from 1 October 2018 to 31 March 2023 in a large tertiary hospital in China. Neonates were divided into patients and controls based on the occurrence of neonatal sepsis. A multivariable model was used to determine risk factors and construct models.The utilization and assessment of model presentation were conducted using Norman charts and web calculators, with a focus on model differentiation, calibration, and clinical applicability (DCA). Furthermore, the hospital’s data from 1 April 2023 to 1 January 2024 was utilized for internal validation. In the modelling dataset, a total of 339 pairs of mothers and their newborns were included in the study and divided into two groups: patients (n = 84, 24.78%) and controls (n = 255, 75.22%). Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between various factors and outcome. The results showed that maternal age < 26 years (odds ratio [OR] = 2.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06–4.42, p = 0.034), maternal gestational diabetes (OR = 2.17, 95% CI 1.11–4.27, p = 0.024), forceps assisted delivery (OR = 3.76, 95% CI 1.72–5.21, p = 0.032), umbilical cord winding (OR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.32–2.67, p = 0.041) and male neonatal sex (OR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.00–2.62, p = 0.050) were identified as independent factors influencing the outcome of neonatal clinical sepsis. A main effects model was developed incorporating these five significant factors, resulting in an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.713 (95% CI 0.635–0.773) for predicting the occurrence of neonatal clinical sepsis. In the internal validation cohort, the AUC value of the model was 0.711, with a 95% CI of 0.592–0.808. A main effects model incorporating the five significant factors was constructed to help healthcare professionals make informed decisions and improve clinical outcomes