Shallow mud detection algorithm for submarine channels based on improved YOLOv5s.

Submarine mud poses a risk to channel navigation safety. Traditional detection methods lack efficiency and accuracy. As a result, this paper proposed an enhanced shallow submarine mud detection algorithm, leveraging an improved YOLOv5s model to increase accuracy and effectiveness in identifying such hazards in marine channels. Firstly, the sub-bottom profiler was employed to assess the submarine channel of Lianyungang Port to acquire the image data of the shallow mud sound print. Concurrently, the analysis incorporated the characteristics of changes in sound intensity peaks to precisely identify the shallow mud's location. Furthermore, the incorporation of C2F feature module into the backbone module enhances the gradient flow of the algorithm, augments the feature extraction information, and improves the algorithm's detection performance. Subsequently, Efficient Multi-Scale Attention (EMA) mechanism is incorporated into the neck module, aiming to optimize the algorithm's channel dimensions, minimize computational overhead, and enhance its detection efficiency. Finally, the study introduced Normalized Wasserstein Distance (NWD) loss function into bounding box regression loss function. This integration effectively addresses the issue of multi-scale defects, emphasizes the transformation of target planar position deviation, and improves the accuracy of the algorithm's detection capabilities. The results indicate that the improved YOLOv5s-EF algorithm outperforms the original YOLOv5s algorithm and other widely used detection algorithms. It achieved a validation set precision rate of 97.8%, recall rate of 97.6%, F1 value of 97.7%, mean Average Precision (mAP)@0.5 of 98.2%, mAP@0.95 of 69.6%, and Frames Per Second (FPS) of 51.8. YOLOv5s-EF algorithm proposed in this study offers a novel technical approach for detecting mud in submarine channels, which is importance for ensuring the safe operation and maintenance of dredging in such channels.

Prevotella histicola Transplantation Ameliorates Cognitive Impairment and Decreases Oxidative Stress in Vascular Dementia Rats.

Vascular dementia is a type of dementia from brain damage caused by cerebrovascular lesions and vascular risk factors. Prevotella histicola is a species of Prevotella, belonging to the category of obligate anaerobe. The purpose of our work was to study the protection of Prevotella histicola on cognitive function in rats subjected to vascular dementia (VaD) and investigate underlying molecular mechanisms. The rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group, 2VO group and 2VO + Prevotella histicola group. The VaD rats (the 2VO group and 2VO + Prevotella histicola group) were generated by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (2VO). Rats in the 2VO+ Prevotella histicola group were administered with Prevotella histicola twice daily. In comparison with the rats in the 2VO group, rats in the 2VO + Prevotella histicola group presented an enhanced cognitive ability, increased synapse-associated protein expression, a downregulation of proinflammatory factors and an upregulation of neurotrophic factors. The relevant mechanism of the protective effect of Prevotella histicola may be associated with the inhibition of glial cell-associated inflammation by regulating phosphorylation of CaMKII. In conclusion, Prevotella histicola attenuates neurological impairments via regulating synapse-associated protein expression and the liberation of inflammatory elements in vascular dementia rats. The findings above might benefit the development of Prevotella histicola transplantation as a promising treatment of VaD.

The Relationship Between Neuron-Specific Enolase and Clinical Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Mechanical Thrombectomy.

Purpose: Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) is considered a biomarker for the severity of nervous system diseases. We sought to explore whether serum NSE concentration in ischemic stroke patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is related to 3-month functional outcome and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH). Patients and Methods: We retrospectively collected the data of acute ischemic stroke patients with anterior circulation infarction receiving MT within 6 h in our stroke center. Favorable outcome and poor outcome at 3 months were defined as modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score 0-2 and 3-6, respectively. sICH was defined according to the Heidelberg bleeding classification. We used multivariate logistic regression model and receiver operating characteristic curves to investigate the correlation between NSE and clinical outcomes. Results: Among the 426 patients enrolled, 40 (9.4%) patients developed sICH. Three-month favorable outcome in 160 (37.6%) and poor outcome in 266 (62.4%) patients were observed. Serum NSE levels was significantly correlated with 3-month mRS score (R = 0.473, P < 0.001). A cutoff value of 15.29 and 23.12 ng/mL for serum NSE was detected in discriminating 3-month poor outcome (area under the curve, 0.724) and sICH (area under the curve, 0.716), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that high serum NSE levels were independently associated with 3-month poor outcome (odds ratio [OR] 5.049, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.933-8.689, P<0.001) and sICH (OR 5.111, 95% CI 2.210-11.820, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that high serum NSE levels after receiving MT were independently associated with 3-month poor outcome and sICH in acute ischemic stroke patients. Serum NSE levels could be a good predictor of clinical outcomes for patients receiving MT.

FLAIR vascular hyperintensity predicts early neurological deterioration in patients with acute ischemic stroke receiving endovascular thrombectomy.

Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery vascular hyperintensity (FVH) is frequently observed in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). FVH is associated with functional outcome at 3 months in AIS patients receiving endovascular thrombectomy. In the present study, we assessed whether FVH predicted early neurological deterioration (END) and hemorrhagic transformation (HT) within 72 h in AIS patients receiving endovascular thrombectomy. We retrospectively analyzed 104 patients with acute internal-carotid-artery or proximal middle-cerebral-artery occlusion within 16 h after symptom onset. Before thrombectomy, all patients underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging. END was defined as an increase of 4 points or more from baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) during 72 h following onset. HT was assessed by brain computed tomography. Statistical analyses were performed to predict END and HT. The proportion of high FVH score, high American Society of Intervention and Therapeutic Neuroradiology/Society of Interventional Radiology (ASITN/SIR) grade in non-END group was higher than that in END group (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). FVH score was positively correlated with ASITN/SIR grade (r = 0.461, p < 0.001). FVH score was a predictor factor for END (adjusted OR, 13.552; 95% CI, 2.408-76.260; p = 0.003), while FVH score was not a predictor factor for HT. Furthermore, NIHSS at admission (adjusted OR, 1.112; 95% CI, 1.006-1.228; p = 0.038) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (adjusted OR, 18.865; 95% CI, 2.998-118.683; p = 0.002) were predictor factors for HT. To assess FVH score before thrombectomy might be useful for predicting END in AIS patients receiving endovascular thrombectomy.

A Novel Nomogram for Predicting Prognosis after Mechanical Thrombectomy in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND: Mounting evidence has shown that mechanical thrombectomy (MT) improves clinical outcomes for large vessel occlusions (LVOs) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) of the anterior circulation. The present study aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of risk factors associated with clinical outcomes in AIS patients receiving MT. METHODS: A total of 212 consecutive patients who underwent MT for AIS were enrolled in the present study. Clinical characteristics were recorded at admission. Two endpoints were defined according to the 3-month modified Rankin scale (mRS) score after AIS (good outcome, mRS 0-2; and death, mRS 6). Additionally, we compared the clinical outcomes and safety of MT alone and bridging therapy in AIS patients. RESULTS: Of the 212 patients treated with MT, 114 (53.77%) patients had a good outcome and 31 (14.62%) died. The incidence of a worse outcome after MT was significantly elevated in males and patients with high WBC counts, high admission blood glucose levels, high baseline NIHSS scores and a long interval time from groin puncture to reperfusion in AIS patients treated with MT after adjustment for covariates (P<0.05); these risk factors were further confirmed by our constructed nomograms. In addition, we observed no significant benefit of bridging therapy compared to MT alone in AIS patients. CONCLUSION: Our constructed nomogram based on male sex, admission WBC, admission blood glucose, NIHSS, and the interval time from groin puncture to reperfusion predicts prognosis after mechanical thrombectomy in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Hypersensitive C-reactive protein-albumin ratio predicts symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage after endovascular therapy in acute ischemic stroke patients.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 10% of patients would develop symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) after endovascular therapy. The aim of our study was to explore the ability of hypersensitive C-reactive protein-albumin ratio (HAR) in predicting sICH after endovascular therapy. METHODS: From April 2016 to December 2018, 334 consecutive patients with anterior circulation infarction undergoing endovascular therapy were enrolled in our study. sICH was defined using Heidelberg bleeding classification after endovascular therapy. Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the potential risk factors of sICH after endovascular therapy. We used receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and nomogram analysis to assess the overall discriminative ability of the HAR in predicting sICH after endovascular therapy. RESULTS: Among these 334 patients enrolled, 37 (11.1%) patients with anterior circulation infarction were identified with sICH after endovascular therapy. Univariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that patients with higher levels of HAR may be inclined to develop sICH (odds ratio, 10.994; 95% confidence interval, 4.567-26.463; P = 0.001). This association remained significant even after adjustment for potential confounders. Also, a cutoff value of 0.526× 10- 3 for HAR was detected in predicting sICH (area under curve, 0.763). Furthermore, nomogram analysis also suggested that HAR was an indicator of sICH (c-index was 0.890, P< 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that high levels of HAR could predict sICH after endovascular therapy.

Admission blood cell counts are predictive of stroke-associated infection in acute ischemic stroke patients treated with endovascular therapy.

Stroke-associated infection (SAI) is a major medical complication in acute ischemic stroke patients (AIS) treated with endovascular therapy (EVT). Three hundred thirty-three consecutive patients with AIS caused by a large vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation who received EVT (142 (42.6%) of them were given IV tPA as bridging therapy) and 337 AIS patients who received IV tPA only (non-EVT) were enrolled in the study and evaluated to determine the association of inflammatory factors on admission with SAI. Among the 333 AIS patients undergoing EVT, SAI occurred in 219 (65.8%) patients. Patients with SAI had higher baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) total scores, white blood cell (WBC) and neutrophil counts, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) than those without SAI (P < 0.05). The multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that older age in addition to higher diastolic blood pressure (DBP), NIHSS score, fasting blood glucose, WBC and neutrophil counts, NLR, and PLR were significantly associated with SAI (P < 0.05). However, these associations were not revealed in 337 non-EVT AIS patients. Furthermore, based on the inflammatory markers, we developed a nomogram that provided the opportunity for more accurate predictions (compared with conventional factors) and appeared a better prognostic tool for SAI according to the decision curve analysis. In summary, if proven externally valid, our nomogram that included WBC count, NLR, and PLR may be a useful tool for SAI prediction in clinical practice.

Low triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio predicts hemorrhagic transformation in large atherosclerotic infarction of acute ischemic stroke.

The ratio of triglyceride (TG) to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is an objective approach to predicting poor outcomes in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The impact of TG/HDL-C on hemorrhagic transformation (HT) after AIS remains unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the accurate effect of TG/HDL-C on HT after AIS. We enrolled a total of 1423 patients with AIS in the training cohort from a prospective, consecutive hospital-based stroke registry. Of the 1423 patients, HT occurred in 155 (10.89%) patients. The incidence of HT after AIS was significantly increased when there were low levels of TG (P=0.016) and TG/HDL-C (P=0.006) in patients with AIS attributable to large artery atherosclerosis (LAA), but not in those who suffered from cardioembolic stroke. After adjustment for covariates, a lower TG/HDL-C (OR=0.53, 95%CI=0.20-0.93) that was more than TG alone (OR=0.61, 95%CI=0.27-0.98) independently increased the risk of HT in LAA. Furthermore, our established nomogram indicated that lower TG/HDL-C was an indicator of HT. These findings were further validated in the test cohort of 558 patients with AIS attributable to LAA. In summary, a low level of TG/HDL-C is correlated with greater risk of HT after AIS attributable to LAA.

Acute ischemic dissection of an "S"-shaped carotid artery: The "one-stop" value of using a detachable Solitaire AB stent.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of endovascular repair using detachable Solitaire AB stents for acute ischemic dissection of "S"-shaped carotid arteries. From May 2015 to December 2016, a total of 127 patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) underwent endovascular treatment in our center. Among them, five AISs were due to acute dissection of an "S"-shaped carotid artery. Coexisting carotid embolism was identified in all five patients, who first underwent successful Solitaire AB stent-based retrieval of the embolism. All patients then underwent Solitaire AB stenting to reopen the occluded carotid arteries, all of which were successfully recanalized. There were no procedure-related complications, except for minor hemorrhage transformation in one patient. The mean NIHSS scores were 12 ±â€¯3.7 and 3.8 ±â€¯3.4 at admission and 90 days after stenting, respectively (P = 0.018). The median modified Rankin Scale score at 90 days was 2.0 ±â€¯1.4. Follow-up computed tomography angiography demonstrated in-stent patency in four of the five patients. Dissection of an "S"-shaped carotid artery infrequently leads to AIS. Such dissected arteries can be safely and reliably repaired by this stenting, ensuring successful reconstruction of the carotid arterial circulation.

TREM2 p.H157Y Variant and the Risk of Alzheimer's Disease: A Meta-Analysis Involving 14,510 Subjects.

We recently revealed that p.H157Y (rs2234255), a rare coding variant of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 gene (TREM2), was associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) susceptibility in Han Chinese. Contrastingly, although p.H157Y was previously identified in both AD cases and controls by several sequencing studies, no association of this variant with disease susceptibility was reported. To gain a credible conclusion on the association between p.H157Y and AD risk, a meta-analysis involving 7,102 cases and 7,408 controls was conducted. Our results indicated that p.H157Y was associated with an increased risk of AD (OR=3.65, 95% CI: 1.61-8.28; P=0.002), further establishing TREM2 as an important susceptibility gene for this disease.