Genetic diversity and haplotype distribution patterns analysis of cytb and RAG2 sequences in Rana hanluica from southern China.

Rana hanluica: an endemic amphibian of China, is found in the hills and mountains south of the Yangtze River. In this comprehensive study, we collected 162 samples from 14 different localities to delve into the genetic diversity of Rana hanluica using mitochondrial Cytb and nuclear RAG2 as genetic markers. Our findings reveal that the Nanling Mountains, specifically regions like Jiuyi Shan, Jinggang Shan, Mang Shan, and Qiyun Shan, are genetic hotspots harboring remarkable diversity. The research results also indicate that there is gene flow among the various populations of the species, and no distinct population structure has formed, which may be due to migration. Moreover, populations in some regions, as well as the overall population, show signs of a possible genetic bottleneck, which we speculate may have been caused by climate change. However, given the exploratory nature of our study, further investigations are warranted to confirm these observations. Through phylogenetic analyses, we uncovered indications that R. hanluica might have originated within the Nanling region, dispersing along the east-west mountain ranges, with a significant contribution originating from Jiuyi Shan. The genetic distributions uncovered through our research reflect historical migratory patterns, evident in the distinct haplotypes of the RAG2 gene between the western and eastern parts of the studied area. Moreover, Heng Shan and Yangming Shan exhibited unique genetic signatures, possibly influenced by geographic isolation, which has shaped their distinct genotypes. The insights gained from this study hold profound implications for conservation efforts. By identifying regions rich in genetic diversity and crucial gene flow corridors, we can develop more effective conservation strategies. Preserving these genetically diverse areas, especially within the Nanling Mountains, is vital for maintaining the evolutionary potential of R. hanluica. In conclusion, our research has laid a solid foundation for understanding the genetic landscape of R. hanluica, shedding light on its origins, population structures, and evolutionary trajectories. This knowledge will undoubtedly guide future research endeavors and inform conservation strategies for this endemic amphibian.

In-situ precipitation zero-valent Co on Co2VO4 to activate oxygen vacancies and enhance bimetallic ions redox for efficient detection toward Hg(II).

Despite the widespread utilization of variable valence metals in electrochemistry, it is still a formidable challenge to enhance the valence conversion efficiency to achieve excellent catalytic activity without introducing heterophase elements. Herein, the in-situ precipitation of Co particles on Co2VO4 not only enhanced the concentration of oxygen vacancies (Ov) but also generated a greater number of low-valence metals, thereby enabling efficient reduction towards Hg(II). The electroanalysis results demonstrate that the sensitivity of Co/Co2VO4 towards Hg(II) was measured at an impressive value of 1987.74 µA µM-1 cm-2, significantly surpassing previously reported results. Further research reveals that Ov acted as the main adsorption site to capture Hg(II). The redox reactions of Co2+/Co3+ and V3+/V4+ played a synergistic role in the reduction of Hg(II), accompanied by the continuous supply of electrons from zero-valent Co to expedite the valence cycle. The Co/Co2VO4/GCE presented remarkable selectivity towards Hg(II), with excellent stability, reproducibility, and anti-interference capability. The electrode also exhibited minimal sensitivity fluctuations towards Hg(II) in real water samples, underscoring its practicality for environmental applications. This study elucidates the mechanism underlying the surface redox reaction of metal oxides facilitated by zero-valent metals, providing us with new strategies for further design of efficient and practical sensors.

Sensor Fault Reconstruction Using Robustly Adaptive Unknown-Input Observers.

Sensors are a key component in industrial automation systems. A fault or malfunction in sensors may degrade control system performance. An engineering system model is usually disturbed by input uncertainties, which brings a challenge for monitoring, diagnosis, and control. In this study, a novel estimation technique, called adaptive unknown-input observer, is proposed to simultaneously reconstruct sensor faults as well as system states. Specifically, the unknown input observer is used to decouple partial disturbances, the un-decoupled disturbances are attenuated by the optimization using linear matrix inequalities, and the adaptive technique is explored to track sensor faults. As a result, a robust reconstruction of the sensor fault as well as system states is then achieved. Furthermore, the proposed robustly adaptive fault reconstruction technique is extended to Lipschitz nonlinear systems subjected to sensor faults and unknown input uncertainties. Finally, the effectiveness of the algorithms is demonstrated using an aircraft system model and robotic arm and comparison studies.

Timosaponin Aâ ¢ induces drug-metabolizing enzymes by activating constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) via dephosphorylation of EGFR signaling pathway.

This study aims to assess the impact of Timosaponin AⅢ (T-AⅢ) on drug-metabolizing enzymes in anticancer treatment. In vivo experiments were conducted in nude mice and ICR mice. Following 24 days of T-AⅢ administration, nude mice exhibited induction of CYP2B10, MDR1, and CYP3A11 in the liver. In the liver of ICR mice, CYP2B10 and MDR1 were up-regulated after 3 days of T-AⅢ administration. In vitro assessments were conducted using HepG2 cells to ascertain the effects and underlying mechanisms. In HepG2 cells, T-AⅢ induced the expression of CYP2B6, MDR1, and CYP3A4, along with CAR activation. CAR siRNA reversed the T-AⅢ-induced increases in CYP2B6 and CYP3A4. Furthermore, other CAR target genes displayed significant up-regulation. Up-regulation of mCAR was observed in the livers of nude mice and ICR mice. Subsequent findings demonstrated that T-AⅢ activated CAR by inhibiting ERK1/2 phosphorylation, partially reversed by the MAPK/MEK activator t-BHQ. Inhibition of the ERK1/2 signaling pathway was also observed in vivo. Lastly, T-AⅢ inhibited the phosphorylation of EGFR at Tyr1173 and Tyr845, and it suppressed EGF-induced phosphorylation of EGFR, ERK, and CAR. Additionally, T-AⅢ inhibited EGFR phosphorylation in nude mice. Our results demonstrated that T-AⅢ is a novel CAR activator through inhibition of the EGFR pathway.

Highly Stable Solid Contact Calcium Ion-Selective Electrodes: Rapid Ion-Electron Transduction Triggered by Lipophilic Anions Participating in Redox Reactions of CunS Nanoflowers.

Solid contact (SC) calcium ion-selective electrodes (Ca2+-ISEs) have been widely applied in the analysis of water quality and body fluids by virtue of the unique advantages of easy operation and rapid response. However, the potential drift during the long-term stability test hinders their further practical applications. Designing novel redox SC layers with large capacitance and high hydrophobicity is a promising approach to stabilize the potential stability, meanwhile, exploring the transduction mechanism is also of great guiding significance for the precise design of SC layer materials. Herein, flower-like copper sulfide (CunS-50) composed of nanosheets is meticulously designed as the redox SC layer by modification with the surfactant (CTAB). The CunS-50-based Ca2+-ISE (CunS-50/Ca2+-ISE) demonstrates a near-Nernstian slope of 28.23 mV/dec for Ca2+ in a wide activity linear range of 10-7 to 10-1 M, with a low detection limit of 3.16 × 10-8 M. CunS-50/Ca2+-ISE possesses an extremely low potential drift of only 1.23 ± 0.13 µV/h in the long-term potential stability test. Notably, X-ray absorption fine-structure (XAFS) spectra and electrochemical experiments are adopted to elucidate the transduction mechanism that the lipophilic anion (TFPB-) participates in the redox reaction of CunS-50 at the solid-solid interface of ion-selective membrane (ISM) and redox inorganic SC layer (CunS-50), thereby promoting the generation of free electrons to accelerate ion-electron transduction. This work provides an in-depth comprehension of the transduction mechanism of the potentiometric response and an effective strategy for designing redox materials of ion-electron transduction triggered by lipophilic anions.

Revealing quality chemicals of Tetrastigma hemsleyanum roots in different geographical origins using untargeted metabolomics and random-forest based spectrum-effect analysis.

Tetrastigma hemsleyanum root is a popular functional food in China, and the price varies based on the origin of the product. The link between the origin, metabolic profile, and bioactivity of T. hemsleyanum must be investigated. This study compares the metabolic profiles of 254 samples collected from eight different areas with 49 potential key chemical markers using plant metabolomics. The metabolic pathways of the five critical flavonoid metabolites were annotated and enriched using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway. Moreover, a random forest model aiding the spectrum-effect relationship analysis was developed for the first time indicating catechin and darendoside B as potential quality markers of antioxidant activity. The findings of this study provide a comprehensive understanding of the chemical composition and bioactive compounds of T. hemsleyanum as well as valuable information on the evaluation of the quality of various samples and products in the market.

Highly Accurate Determination of the Total Amount of Pb2+ and Pb(OH)+ in a Natural Water Environment Revealed by Dynamic Simulation and DFT Calculation: Benefit from the Electron Inverse Effect of Pt Nanoclusters over Defective g-C3N4.

Although utilizing nanomaterial-modified electrodes for lead ion detection has achieved great success, most of them are carried out under acidic conditions and ignore the variation of Pb(II) speciation at different pH conditions, leading to the potential inaccuracy of Pb(II) detection in a neutral natural water environment. Thus, designing a novel catalyst with high accuracy for the detection of various forms of the total amount of Pb(II) (Pb2+ and Pb(OH)+) in neutral waters is significant. Herein, Pt nanoclusters (Pt NCs) were elaborately constructed and stabilized on the Co single-atom-doped g-C3N4 with abundant N vacancies (Pt NCs/VN-C3N4), which achieved the ultrasensitive detection (102.16 µM µA-1) of Pb(II) in neutral conditions. The dynamic simulation and theoretical calculations reveal that the parallel deposition of Pb2+ and Pb(OH)+ occurs on the electrode surface modified by Pt NCs/VN-C3N4, and the current peaks of Pb(II) are cocontributed by Pb2+ and Pb(OH)+ species. An "electron inverse" phenomenon in Pt NCs/VN-C3N4 from the VN-C3N4 substrate to Pt NCs endows Pt NCs in an electron-rich state, serving as active centers to promote rapid and efficient reduction for both Pb2+ and Pb(OH)+, facilitating the accurate detection of the total amount of Pb(II) in all forms in the actual water environment.

Mentally healthy living after pandemic social distancing: a study of older Canadians reveals helpful anxiety reduction strategies.

BACKGROUND: Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, older Canadians were the most at risk of severe physical harm, including death, and their return to post-COVID life was expected to be especially anxiety-provoking. A study was conducted to obtain nationally representative evidence of older Canadians' self-perceived anxiety levels and their strategies to manage or mitigate it as public health restrictions were lifting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study had a cross-sectional descriptive design. An e-survey was used to collect data from 1327 Canadians aged 60+ stratified by age, sex, and education to resemble the larger general population. Participants completed the Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS-10) and indicated which of the 16 Centre for Addictions and Mental Health's (2022) Coping with Stress and Anxiety strategies they were using to manage or mitigate their anxiety when social distancing was lifting. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis were used to explore the data. RESULTS: While, on average, older Canadians were mildly anxious, nearly one-quarter of responders rated their anxiety as severe. Age, sex, perceived health, were statistically significant correlates of anxiety. Six coping strategies were associated with significantly lower anxiety scores. Moreover, accepting some fear and anxiety as normal, challenging worries and anxious thoughts, and practising relaxation/meditation appeared to increase anxiety. CONCLUSION: Older Canadians used multiple strategies to manage or mitigate their anxiety, and seemingly, with more successful than detrimental tries. Practitioners have much to learn and understand about older people's mental health promotion efforts after social distancing, now and for future pandemics.

Targeting pro-inflammatory T cells as a novel therapeutic approach to potentially resolve atherosclerosis in humans.

Atherosclerosis (AS), a leading cause of cardio-cerebrovascular disease worldwide, is driven by the accumulation of lipid contents and chronic inflammation. Traditional strategies primarily focus on lipid reduction to control AS progression, leaving residual inflammatory risks for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). While anti-inflammatory therapies targeting innate immunity have reduced MACEs, many patients continue to face significant risks. Another key component in AS progression is adaptive immunity, but its potential role in preventing AS remains unclear. To investigate this, we conducted a retrospective cohort study on tumor patients with AS plaques. We found that anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody (mAb) significantly reduces AS plaque size. With multi-omics single-cell analyses, we comprehensively characterized AS plaque-specific PD-1+ T cells, which are activated and pro-inflammatory. We demonstrated that anti-PD-1 mAb, when captured by myeloid-expressed Fc gamma receptors (FcγRs), interacts with PD-1 expressed on T cells. This interaction turns the anti-PD-1 mAb into a substitute PD-1 ligand, suppressing T-cell functions in the PD-1 ligands-deficient context of AS plaques. Further, we conducted a prospective cohort study on tumor patients treated with anti-PD-1 mAb with or without Fc-binding capability. Our analysis shows that anti-PD-1 mAb with Fc-binding capability effectively reduces AS plaque size, while anti-PD-1 mAb without Fc-binding capability does not. Our work suggests that T cell-targeting immunotherapy can be an effective strategy to resolve AS in humans.

The storm runoff management strategy based on agricultural ditch nutrient loss characteristics in Erhai Lake, China.

Initial flush management is an effective measure to control non-point source pollution (NPSP) in storm runoff. However, determining the parameter of the initial flush in different areas may pose challenges in storm runoff management strategies. To address this issue, Erhai Lake in China, Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, was selected as an example for the study. Erhai Lake is a typical mesotrophic lake with the profound influence of NPSP. The NPSP control strategy in this area will provide a valuable reference for other lakes. In 2021, 289 storm events and 190 ditchwater samples were detected around Erhai Lake. The average flow in the ditches ranged from 0.004 to 0.147 m3/s, the instant total nitrogen (TN) concentration ranged from 0.28 to 91.43 mg/L, and the instant total phosphorus (TP) concentration ranged from 0.26 to 7.35 mg/L in the storm events. It was found that the concentration of pollutants was lower than expected in the initial flush period. Instead, the event mean concentrations of TN and TP were 9.3 and 2.1 times higher than in the wet seasons, showing high nutrient concentration levels throughout the entire rainfall period. To manage storm runoff effectively, a flow-processes-division method was proposed to analyze the inflow condition and pollutant removal rate in different runoff periods. The peak flow interception strategy was recommended as the optimal stormwater management plan, as it showed the highest inflow conditions and 50% pollutant removal rate. Considering the need to reduce the constant flush of stormwater runoff, it is essential to establish a healthy water cycle system to alleviate NPSP and raise the Erhai water level. The storm runoff management method can serve as a practical tool for lake areas that do not exhibit initial flush characteristics.

Rapid analysis technologies with chemometrics for food authenticity field: A review.

In recent years, the problem of food adulteration has become increasingly rampant, seriously hindering the development of food production, consumption, and management. The common analytical methods used to determine food authenticity present challenges, such as complicated analysis processes and time-consuming procedures, necessitating the development of rapid, efficient analysis technology for food authentication. Spectroscopic techniques, ambient ionization mass spectrometry (AIMS), electronic sensors, and DNA-based technology have gradually been applied for food authentication due to advantages such as rapid analysis and simple operation. This paper summarizes the current research on rapid food authenticity analysis technology from three perspectives, including breeds or species determination, quality fraud detection, and geographical origin identification, and introduces chemometrics method adapted to rapid analysis techniques. It aims to promote the development of rapid analysis technology in the food authenticity field.

Event-Triggered Interval Observer Fault Detection and Isolation for Multiagent Systems.

This article investigates an event-triggered interval observer (ETIO) fault detection and isolation method for multiagent systems. First, an event-triggered mechanism is developed to reduce unnecessary communication transmission. Then, a distributed ETIO is designed by combining an interval observer and the proposed event-triggered mechanism. Furthermore, for achieving the desired tradeoff between the robustness to disturbances and the sensitivity to faults, the ETIO is formulated as a multiobjective optimization with l1 / H∞ performance. Second, a bank of ETIOs are interpreted to isolate the faulty agent on a local agent using only the output information from itself and its neighbors. Comparison result with the existing method is given to highlight the superiority of our methodology. Finally, the multiunmanned aerial vehicles system is utilized as the case research, and specific simulation results are presented.

QRISK3 underestimates the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with COPD.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The extent to which the excess CVD risk is captured by risk factors in QRISK, a widely used CVD risk scoring tool, is not well studied. METHODS: We created an incidence cohort of diagnosed COPD patients from the United Kingdom (UK) Clinical Practice Research Datalink GOLD database (January 1998-July 2018). The outcome was a composite of fatal or non-fatal CVD events. Sex-specific age-standardised incidence ratios (SIR) were compared with values for the UK primary-care population. The observed 10-year CVD risk was derived using the Kaplan-Meier estimator and was compared with predicted 10-year risk from the QRISK3 tool. RESULTS: 13 208 patients (mean age 64.9 years, 45% women) were included. CVD incidence was 3.53 events per 100 person-years. The SIR of CVD was 1.71 (95% CI 1.61 to 1.75) in women and 1.62 (95%CI 1.54-1.64) in men. SIR was particularly high among patients younger than 65 years (women=2.13 (95% CI 1.94 to 2.19); men=1.86 (95% CI 1.74 to 1.90)). On average, the observed 10-year risk was 52% higher than QRISK predicted score (33.5% vs 22.1%). The difference was higher in patients younger than 65 years (observed risk 82% higher than predicted). CONCLUSION: People living with COPD are at a significantly heightened risk of CVD over and beyond their predicted risk. This is particularly the case for younger people whose 10-year CVD risk can be >80% higher than predicted. Risk scoring tools must be validated and revised to provide accurate CVD predictions in patients with COPD.

A mobile health intervention for improving the technique of inhaled medications among children with asthma: A pilot study.

Objective: BreatheSuite MDI is a Bluetooth-enabled inhaler attachment and mobile application which aims to improve asthma control. The objective was to compare pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI) technique and asthma control test (ACT) scores pre- and post-use of the device and mobile application. Secondary objectives were to assess user satisfaction and therapy adherence. Methods: Patients between the ages of 8 and 18 were recruited from several pediatric asthma clinics. Technique and ACT scores were assessed at baseline. Users were given no prompts on technique during the first month of device use. For the subsequent three months, users were given technique scores through the mobile application after each inhaler use and provided weekly performance summaries. At the end of the study, technique and ACT scores were analyzed and an exit survey was completed. Conditional logistic regression was used to examine the association between well-controlled asthma (ACT score > 19) and the intervention. Results: 24 patients completed the study. Technique scores improved following the use of Breathesuite (44.19 vs. 62.54; P = 0.01). Well-controlled asthma did not significantly improve (OR = 1.20 [0.4-3.9], P = 0.76). 87% of study subjects agreed or strongly agreed that their asthma control improved while using BreatheSuite; 79% were satisfied with the device and mobile application; and 91% preferred using the device compared to a standard logbook to track inhaler usage. Conclusions: In this pilot study, the use of BreatheSuite device was associated with improved technique scores. These results need to be confirmed by a randomized controlled trial. There was high user satisfaction with the BreatheSuite device.

A Sensor-Fault-Estimation Method for Lithium-Ion Batteries in Electric Vehicles.

In recent years, electric vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries have developed rapidly, and the safety and reliability of lithium-ion batteries have been a paramount issue. Battery management systems are highly dependent on sensor measurements to ensure the proper functioning of lithium-ion batteries. Therefore, it is imperative to develop a suitable fault diagnosis scheme for battery sensors, to realize a diagnosis at an early stage. The main objective of this paper is to establish validated electrical and thermal models for batteries, and address a model-based fault diagnosis scheme for battery sensors. Descriptor proportional and derivate observer systems are applied for sensor diagnosis, based on electrical and thermal models of lithium-ion batteries, which can realize the real-time estimation of voltage sensor fault, current sensor fault, and temperature sensor fault. To verify the estimation effect of the proposed scheme, various types of faults are utilized for simulation experiments. Battery experimental data are used for battery modeling and observer-based fault diagnosis in battery sensors.

Effects of intravenous sivelestat sodium on prevention of acute respiratory distress syndrome in patients with sepsis: study protocol for a double-blind multicentre randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Sepsis is one of the most common risk factors for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Neutrophil elastase (NE) is believed to be an important mediator of ARDS. When sepsis occurs, a large number of inflammatory factors are activated and released, which makes neutrophils migrate into the lung, eventually leading to the occurrence of ARDS. Sivelestat sodium is an NE inhibitor that can inhibit the inflammatory reaction during systemic inflammatory response syndrome and alleviate lung injury. Therefore, we hypothesise that intravenous sivelestat sodium may prevent the occurrence of ARDS in patients with sepsis. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a prospective, investigator-initiated, double-blind, adaptive, multicentre, randomised, controlled clinical trial with an adaptive 'sample size re-estimation' design. Patients meeting the inclusion criteria who were transferred into the intensive care unit will be randomly assigned to receive sivelestat sodium or placebo for up to 7 days. The primary outcome is the development of ARDS within 7 days after randomisation. A total of 238 patients will be recruited based on a 15% decrease in the incidence of ARDS in the intervention group in this study. A predefined interim analysis will be performed to ensure that the calculation is reasonable after reaching 50% (120) of the planned sample size. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of ZhongDa Hospital affiliated to Southeast University (identifier: Clinical Ethical Approval No. 2021ZDSYLL153-P03). Results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and presented at relevant conferences and meetings. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04973670.

Association between diastolic blood pressure during the first 24 h and 28-day mortality in patients with septic shock: a retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Although the mean arterial pressure (MAP) target of 65 mmHg was achieved, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was still low in some septic shock patients. The effects of DBP on the prognosis and optimal target for patients with septic shock are unclear. We sought to investigate the relationship between DBP and 28-day mortality in septic shock patients. METHODS: In this retrospective observational study, we obtained data from the Chinese Database in Intensive Care (CDIC). We included patients with an admission diagnosis of septic shock and shock was controlled. DBP was measured every 1 h, and the mean DBP during the first 24 h (mDBP24h) was recorded. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality. Multivariable logistic regression determined the relationship between mDBP24h and 28-day mortality. RESULTS: In total, 1251 patients were finally included. The 28-day mortality of included septic shock patients was 28.3%. The mDBP24h, not mSBP24h, was higher among 28-day survivors compared with non-survivors. 28-day mortality was inversely associated with mDBP24h (unadjusted OR 0.814 per 10 mmHg higher mDBP24h, P = 0.003), with a stepwise increase in 28-day mortality at lower mDBP24h. The 28-day mortality of patients with mDBP24h < 59 mmHg had an absolute risk reduction of 9.4% (P = 0.001). And mDBP24h < 59 mmHg was the remaining high risk factor inversely associated with 28-day mortality after multivariable adjustment (adjusted OR 1.915, 95% CI 1.037-3.536, P = 0.038), while mMAP24h and mSBP24h were not. CONCLUSION: In patients with septic shock after initial resuscitation, we observed an inverse association between mDBP24h and 28-day mortality. The poor outcomes in patients with mDBP24h < 59 mmHg provide indirect evidence supporting a further DBP goal of 59 mmHg for patients with septic shock after MAP of 65 mmHg was achieved.

Nitrite stimulates HONO and NOx but not N2O emissions in Chinese agricultural soils during nitrification.

The long-lived greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) and short-lived reactive nitrogen (Nr) gases such as ammonia (NH3), nitrous acid (HONO), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) are produced and emitted from fertilized soils and play a critical role for climate warming and air quality. However, only few studies have quantified the production and emission potentials for long- and short-lived gaseous nitrogen (N) species simultaneously in agricultural soils. To link the gaseous N species to intermediate N compounds [ammonium (NH4+), hydroxylamine (NH2OH), and nitrite (NO2-)] and estimate their temperature change potential, ex-situ dry-out experiments were conducted with three Chinese agricultural soils. We found that HONO and NOx (NO + NO2) emissions mainly depend on NO2-, while NH3 and N2O emissions are stimulated by NH4+ and NH2OH, respectively. Addition of 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) and acetylene significantly reduced HONO and NOx emissions, while NH3 emissions were significantly enhanced in an alkaline Fluvo-aquic soil. These results suggested that ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and complete ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (comammox Nitrospira) dominate HONO and NOx emissions in the alkaline Fluvo-aquic soil, while ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) are dominant in the acidic Mollisol. DMPP effectively mitigated the warming effect in the Fluvo-aquic soil and the Ultisol. In conclusion, our findings highlight NO2- significantly stimulates HONO and NOx emissions from dryland agricultural soils, dominated by nitrification. In addition, subtle differences of soil NH3, N2O, HONO, and NOx emissions indicated different N turnover processes, and should be considered in biogeochemical and atmospheric chemistry models.

The prevalence of pediatric asthma hospitalizations at different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a highly prevalent chronic inflammatory lung disease and is a frequent cause of hospitalization in children. The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced several challenges that have impacted the delivery of care for vulnerable patients, including asthmatic children. Asthmatic children without immediate access to healthcare services can face severe and fatal consequences. Furthermore, various governmental restrictions and viral mutants have been introduced throughout the pandemic, affecting COVID-19 cases and hospitalization rates. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prevalence of asthma hospitalizations during various stages of the pandemic. We also aim to compare asthma hospital admissions during the pandemic to pre-pandemic periods. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The databases PubMed (MEDLINE), EMBASE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane library will be used to identify relevant articles between the start of the pandemic and the date of the search strategy. Studies will be included if they examine hospital admissions for pediatric (0 to 18 years) asthma patients, regardless of asthma severity, sex, ethnicity or race. Observational retrospective cohort, prospective cohort, and cross-sectional studies will be included. A meta-analysis will be conducted if there are ≥2 articles. Else, a narrative review will be used to report our results. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022337606.

Remifentanil versus Fentanyl for Analgesia in Mechanically Ventilated Patients: A Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group Clinical Trial.

Purpose: Fentanyl is approved for use in many countries as an analgesic for patients requiring mechanical ventilation. However, it redistributes and accumulates easily in the plasma because of its long half-life. Remifentanil is a short context-sensitive half-life analgesic with a lower risk of redistribution and accumulation. Materials and methods: We conducted a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, non-inferiority trial. Critically ill patients requiring mechanical ventilation were randomly allocated to receive an infusion of either remifentanil or fentanyl for up to 72 h. The primary outcome was the analgesic success rate. A 95% confidence interval lower boundary greater than -8% for the difference between the groups was considered to indicate non-inferiority between the drugs. Results: A total of 137 patients received remifentanil (69) or fentanyl (68). Remifentanil's non-inferiority to fentanyl concerning its analgesic success rate was established (difference, 5.97%; 95% confidence interval: -3.99% to 16.35%). Mechanical ventilation duration, extubation duration, successful extubation, intensive care unit discharge, intensive care unit length of stay, and adverse events did not differ significantly between the two groups. Conclusions: Remifentanil was non-inferior to fentanyl regarding the analgesic success rate in critically ill patients requiring mechanical ventilation.