Aminoglycosides are a widely used class of antibacterials renowned for their effectiveness and broad antimicrobial spectrum.However,their use leads to irreversible hearing damage by causing apoptosis of hair cells as ...Aminoglycosides are a widely used class of antibacterials renowned for their effectiveness and broad antimicrobial spectrum.However,their use leads to irreversible hearing damage by causing apoptosis of hair cells as their direct target.In addition,the hearing damage caused by aminoglycosides involves damage of spiral ganglion neurons upon exposure.To investigate the mechanisms underlying spiral ganglion neuron degeneration induced by aminoglycosides,we used a C57BL/6J mouse model treated with kanamycin.We found that the mice exhibited auditory deficits following the acute loss of outer hair cells.Spiral ganglion neurons displayed hallmarks of pyroptosis and exhibited progressive degeneration over time.Transcriptomic profiling of these neurons showed significant upregulation of genes associated with inflammation and immune response,particularly those related to the NLRP3 inflammasome.Activation of the canonical pyroptotic pathway in spiral ganglion neurons was observed,accompanied by infiltration of macrophages and the release of proinflammatory cytokines.Pharmacological intervention targeting NLRP3 using Mcc950 and genetic intervention using NLRP3 knockout ameliorated spiral ganglion neuron degeneration in the injury model.These findings suggest that NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis plays a role in aminoglycoside-induced spiral ganglion neuron degeneration.Inhibition of this pathway may offer a potential therapeutic strategy for treating sensorineural hearing loss by reducing spiral ganglion neuron degeneration.展开更多
This editorial critically evaluates the application of foot reflexology as a treatment for sensorineural hearing loss(SNHL)in infants,as proposed in a case report published in the World of Clinical Cases.SNHL is a con...This editorial critically evaluates the application of foot reflexology as a treatment for sensorineural hearing loss(SNHL)in infants,as proposed in a case report published in the World of Clinical Cases.SNHL is a condition characterized by damage to the cochlea or the neural pathways that transmit auditory information to the brain.The etiology of SNHL is often complex,involving genetic mutations,prenatal factors,or perinatal insults.Reflexology,an alternative therapy involving the application of pressure to specific points on the feet,is based on the hypothesis that these points correspond to different organs and systems in the body,including the auditory system.However,the biological plausibility and clinical efficacy of foot reflexology in addressing SNHL lack empirical support.This editorial examines the pathophysiology of SNHL,assesses the clinical claims of reflexology practitioners,and emphasizes the necessity of evidence-based approaches in treating infant hearing loss.While complementary therapies may provide ancillary benefits,they should not supplant validated medical treatments in managing SNHL in infants.Further research is needed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of foot reflexology and other alternative therapies in pediatric audiology.展开更多
Hearing loss is the third leading cause of human disability.Age-related hearing loss,one type of acquired sensorineural hearing loss,is largely responsible for this escalating global health burden.Noise-induced,ototox...Hearing loss is the third leading cause of human disability.Age-related hearing loss,one type of acquired sensorineural hearing loss,is largely responsible for this escalating global health burden.Noise-induced,ototoxic,and idiopathic sudden sensorineural are other less common types of acquired hearing loss.The etiology of these conditions is complex and multi-fa ctorial involving an interplay of genetic and environmental factors.Oxidative stress has recently been proposed as a likely linking cause in most types of acquired sensorineural hearing loss.Short non-coding RNA sequences known as microRNAs(miRNAs)have increasingly been shown to play a role in cellular hypoxia and oxidative stress responses including promoting an apoptotic response.Sensory hair cell death is a central histopathological finding in sensorineural hearing loss.As these cells do not regenerate in humans,it underlies the irreversibility of human age-related hearing loss.Ovid EMBASE,Ovid MEDLINE,Web of Science Core Collection,and ClinicalTrials.gov databases over the period August 1,2018 to July 31,2023 were searched with"hearing loss,""hypoxamiRs,""hypoxia,""microRNAs,""ischemia,"and"oxidative stress"text words for English language primary study publications or registered clinical trials.Registe red clinical trials known to the senior author we re also assessed.A total of 222studies were thus identified.After excluding duplicates,editorials,retra ctions,secondary research studies,and non-English language articles,39 primary studies and clinical trials underwent full-text screening.This resulted in 11 animal,in vitro,and/or human subject journal articles and 8 registered clinical trial database entries which form the basis of this narrative review.MiRNAs miR-34a and miR-29b levels increase with age in mice.These miRNAs were demonstrated in human neuroblastoma and murine cochlear cell lines to target Sirtuin 1/peroxisome proliferato r-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1-alpha(SIRT1/P GC-1α),SIRT1p53,and SIRT1/hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha signaling pathways resulting in increased apoptosis.Furthermore,hypoxia and oxidative stress had a similar adve rse apoptotic effect,which was inhibited by resve ratrol and a myocardial inhibitorassociated transcript,a miR-29b competing endogenous mRNA.Gentamicin reduced miR-182-5p levels and increased cochlear oxidative stress and cell death in mice-an effect that was corrected by inner ear stem cell-derived exosomes.There is ongoing work seeking to determine if these findings can be effectively translated to humans.展开更多
Gels and conductive polymer composites,including hydrogen bonds(HBs),have emerged as promising materials for electro-magnetic wave(EMW)absorption across various applications.However,the relationship between conduction...Gels and conductive polymer composites,including hydrogen bonds(HBs),have emerged as promising materials for electro-magnetic wave(EMW)absorption across various applications.However,the relationship between conduction loss in EMW-absorbing materials and charge transfer in HB remains to be fully understood.In this study,we developed a series of deep eutectic gels to fine-tune the quantity of HB by adjusting the molar ratio of choline chloride(ChCl)and ethylene glycol(EG).Owing to the unique properties of deep eutectic gels,the effects of magnetic loss and polarization loss on EMW attenuation can be disregarded.Our results indicate that the quantity of HB initially increases and then decreases with the introduction of EG,with HB-induced conductive loss following similar pat-terns.At a ChCl and EG molar ratio of 2.4,the gel labeled G22-CE2.4 exhibited the best EMW absorption performance,characterized by an effective absorption bandwidth of 8.50 GHz and a thickness of 2.54 mm.This superior performance is attributed to the synergistic ef-fects of excellent conductive loss and impedance matching generated by the optimal number of HB.This work elucidates the role of HB in dielectric loss for the first time and provides valuable insights into the optimal design of supramolecular polymer absorbers.展开更多
Developing effective strategies to regulate graphene’s conduction loss and polarization has become a key to expanding its application in the electromagnetic wave absorption(EMWA)field.Based on the unique energy band ...Developing effective strategies to regulate graphene’s conduction loss and polarization has become a key to expanding its application in the electromagnetic wave absorption(EMWA)field.Based on the unique energy band structure of graphene,regulating its bandgap and electrical properties by introducing heteroatoms is considered a feasible solution.Herein,metal-nitrogen doping reduced graphene oxide(M–N-RGO)was prepared by embedding a series of single metal atoms M–N_(4) sites(M=Mn,Fe,Co,Ni,Cu,Zn,Nb,Cd,and Sn)in RGO using an N-coordination atom-assisted strategy.These composites had adjustable conductivity and polarization to optimize dielectric loss and impedance matching for efficient EMWA performance.The results showed that the minimum reflection loss(RL_(min))of Fe–N-RGO reaches−74.05 dB(2.0 mm)and the maximum effective absorption bandwidth(EAB_(max))is 7.05 GHz(1.89 mm)even with a low filler loading of only 1 wt%.Combined with X-ray absorption spectra(XAFS),atomic force microscopy,and density functional theory calculation analysis,the Fe–N_(4) can be used as the polarization center to increase dipole polarization,interface polarization and defect-induced polarization due to d-p orbital hybridization and structural distortion.Moreover,electron migration within the Fe further leads to conduction loss,thereby synergistically promoting energy attenuation.This study demonstrates the effectiveness of metal-nitrogen doping in regulating the graphene′s dielectric properties,which provides an important basis for further investigation of the loss mechanism.展开更多
To investigate the evolution of load-bearing characteristics of pre-stressed beams throughout their service life and to provide a basis for accurately assessing the actual working state of damaged pre-stressed concret...To investigate the evolution of load-bearing characteristics of pre-stressed beams throughout their service life and to provide a basis for accurately assessing the actual working state of damaged pre-stressed concrete T-beams,destructive tests were conducted on full-scale pre-stressed concrete beams.Based on the measurement and ana-lysis of beam deflection,strain,and crack development under various loading levels during the research tests,combined with the verification coefficient indicators specified in the codes,the verification coefficients of bridges at different stages of damage can be examined.The results indicate that the T-beams experience complete,incom-plete linear,and non-linear stages during the destructive test process.In the complete linear elastic stage,both the deflection and bottom strain verification coefficients comply with the specifications,indicating a good structural load-bearing capacity no longer adheres to the code’s requirements.In the non-linear stage,both coefficients exhi-bit a sharp increase,resulting in a further decrease in the structure’s load-bearing capacity.According to the pro-visions of the current code,the beam can be in the incomplete linear stage when both values fall within the code’s specified range.The strain verification coefficient sourced from the compression zone at the bottom of theflange is not recommended for assessing the bridge’s load-bearing capacity.展开更多
In the Internet era,recommendation systems play a crucial role in helping users find relevant information from large datasets.Class imbalance is known to severely affect data quality,and therefore reduce the performan...In the Internet era,recommendation systems play a crucial role in helping users find relevant information from large datasets.Class imbalance is known to severely affect data quality,and therefore reduce the performance of recommendation systems.Due to the imbalance,machine learning algorithms tend to classify inputs into the positive(majority)class every time to achieve high prediction accuracy.Imbalance can be categorized such as by features and classes,but most studies consider only class imbalance.In this paper,we propose a recommendation system that can integrate multiple networks to adapt to a large number of imbalanced features and can deal with highly skewed and imbalanced datasets through a loss function.We propose a loss aware feature attention mechanism(LAFAM)to solve the issue of feature imbalance.The network incorporates an attention mechanism and uses multiple sub-networks to classify and learn features.For better results,the network can learn the weights of sub-networks and assign higher weights to important features.We propose suppression loss to address class imbalance,which favors negative loss by penalizing positive loss,and pays more attention to sample points near the decision boundary.Experiments on two large-scale datasets verify that the performance of the proposed system is greatly improved compared to baseline methods.展开更多
Foot reflexology is a non-invasive and safe complementary therapy that works by massaging the reflex zones of the feet and exerts systemic or whole-body regulation through meridian nerve conduction.This therapy is com...Foot reflexology is a non-invasive and safe complementary therapy that works by massaging the reflex zones of the feet and exerts systemic or whole-body regulation through meridian nerve conduction.This therapy is commonly used in the treatment of various conditions such as autism and Parkinson's disease.However,there is limited reporting on the use of foot reflexology therapy for infants with sensorineural hearing loss(SNHL).Currently,there is no definitive conclusion on how foot reflexology therapy can influence hearing.This editorial holds some guiding significance regarding this clinical issue.The aim is to present physiological evidence of how foot reflexology therapy can impact infants with SNHL,thereby enhancing clinician’s awareness of foot reflexology in treating infants with SNHL.展开更多
Early intervention for sensorineural hearing loss(SNHL)in childhood is crucial for auditory and language development.In recent years,innovative auditory stimulation techniques and speech therapy strategies,such as mid...Early intervention for sensorineural hearing loss(SNHL)in childhood is crucial for auditory and language development.In recent years,innovative auditory stimulation techniques and speech therapy strategies,such as middle ear implants,cochlear implants,auditory brainstem implants,and midbrain implants,have provided new avenues for improving patient outcomes.Additionally,basic research advancements in cell reprogramming and regeneration,stem cell therapy,and targeted drug delivery offer promising approaches to meet the individualized needs of children with SNHL.However,many challenges and unresolved issues remain in the treatment of SNHL.This article comments on the case report,which describes a female pediatric patient with SNHL who underwent foot reflexology which led to the normalization of hearing thresholds.Reflexology is considered to have potential benefits in physical rehabilitation,but its efficacy in hearing restoration requires further scientific validation through rigorous clinical trials and large-scale prospective studies.展开更多
Background: Tooth loss results in impaired mastication, which in turn, makes it difficult to chew hard food, consequently leading to deteriorate dietary habits and to develop hypertension. The purpose of this study wa...Background: Tooth loss results in impaired mastication, which in turn, makes it difficult to chew hard food, consequently leading to deteriorate dietary habits and to develop hypertension. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of tooth loss on blood pressure among Congolese population. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2019 until December 2023 among Congolese population aged at least 30 years reporting to the living in DR Congo. All participants were enrolled from Dental Clinic located in the DR Congo. To be eligible to participate in the study, were the willing to participate and having signed informed consent;had a missing tooth;had carried out blood pressure measurement (hypertension/normotensive). The exclusion criteria were determined: being less than 30 years old, being pregnant for women considering the risk of existing gestational hypertension, obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, and diabetes. Hypertension was defined as the mean of three measurements of systolic blood pressure (SBP) (140 mmHg or higher), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (90 mm or higher) or physician diagnosed hypertension confirmed from medical records. We determined the number of tooth loss from oral examination. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to investigate the effect of tooth loss on blood pressure. Results: In all, 25,396 participants were enrolled among Congolese population for this study. After oral examination, 13,421 were excluded for no tooth loss and 11,975 participants were selected. The average number of tooth loss among study population was 11.06. Among the participants with hypertension had lost an average of 11 teeth, significantly higher than those without hypertension (6.09) (p = 0.001). After adjusting for covariates (socio-demographic characteristics), tooth loss (>10) was significantly associated with hypertension, with OR = 1.32 (95% CI 1.073 - 2.38). Conclusion: Tooth loss maybe associated with severe hypertension among Congolese population adults. Prevention of tooth loss is very important to the overall health of this population.展开更多
Maxillary bone loss impairs essential functions (chewing, swallowing, speech) and gives patients a very unaesthetic appearance due to the removal of facial support tissues, leading to serious psychological consequence...Maxillary bone loss impairs essential functions (chewing, swallowing, speech) and gives patients a very unaesthetic appearance due to the removal of facial support tissues, leading to serious psychological consequences. Treatment is multidisciplinary and requires a resective surgery if the cause is tumor-related, or an additive surgery if the cause is traumatic. This article aims to show the role of making a prosthesis to restore function (chewing, swallowing, speech) and aesthetics following maxillary bone loss. We will eighter present a clinical case involving a right maxillary tumor that was surgically resected followed by radiotherapy, and subsequently rehabilitated with a maxillofacial prosthesis in the consultation and dental treatment center of the university hospital center of Casablanca.展开更多
This paper introduces an optimized planning approach for integrating photovoltaic as distributed generation (PV-DG) into the radial distribution power systems, utilizing exhaustive load flow (ELF), loss sensitivity fa...This paper introduces an optimized planning approach for integrating photovoltaic as distributed generation (PV-DG) into the radial distribution power systems, utilizing exhaustive load flow (ELF), loss sensitivity factor (LSF), genetic algorithms (GA) methods, and numerical method based on LSF. The methodology aims to determine the optimal allocation and sizing of multiple PV-DG to minimize power loss through time series power flow analysis. An approach utilizing continuous sensitivity analysis is developed and inherently leverages power flow and loss equations to compute LSF of all buses in the system towards employing a dynamic PV-DG model for more accurate results. The algorithm uses a numerical grid search method to optimize PV-DG placement in a power distribution system, focusing on minimizing system losses. It combines iterative analysis, sensitivity assessment, and comprehensive visualization to identify and present the optimal PV-DG configurations. The present-ed algorithms are verified through co-simulation framework combining MATLAB and OpenDSS to carry out analysis for 12-bus radial distribution test system. The proposed numerical method is compared with other algorithms, such as ELF, LSF methods, and Genetic Algorithms (GA). Results show that the proposed numerical method performs well in comparison with LSF and ELF solutions.展开更多
Objective: To study the relationship between cortical auditory evoked potential (CAEP) thresholds and behavioral thresholds in pediatric populations with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Methods: Fifteen children (m...Objective: To study the relationship between cortical auditory evoked potential (CAEP) thresholds and behavioral thresholds in pediatric populations with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Methods: Fifteen children (mean age 6.8 years) with bilateral SNHL underwent behavioral pure-tone audiometry and CAEP testing at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz. CAEP thresholds were determined using tone bursts, and correlations between CAEP and pure-tone thresholds were analyzed using Pearson correlation and t-tests. Results: A strong positive correlation was observed between P1 thresholds and behavioral thresholds across all test frequencies: 0.5 kHz (r = 0.765, p Conclusion: The strong correlation between P1 and behavioral thresholds demonstrates the reliability of CAEP testing for estimating auditory thresholds in children. These findings support the use of CAEP testing as a reliable objective tool for threshold estimation, particularly in cases where behavioral responses cannot be reliably obtained. When adjusted with frequency-specific correction values, CAEP testing provides a reliable method for assessing hearing thresholds in pediatric populations.展开更多
Noise-induced hearing loss is the primary non-genetic factor contributing to auditory dysfunction.However,there are currently no effective pharmacological interventions for patients with noise-induced hearing loss.Her...Noise-induced hearing loss is the primary non-genetic factor contributing to auditory dysfunction.However,there are currently no effective pharmacological interventions for patients with noise-induced hearing loss.Here,we present evidence suggesting that the lysine-specific demethylase 1 inhibitor–tranylcypromine is an otoprotective agent that could be used to treat noise-induced hearing loss,and elucidate its underlying regulatory mechanisms.We established a mouse model of permanent threshold shift hearing loss by exposing the mice to white broadband noise at a sound pressure level of 120 d B for 4 hours.We found that tranylcypromine treatment led to the upregulation of Sestrin2(SESN2)and activation of the autophagy markers light chain 3B and lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein 1 in the cochleae of mice treated with tranylcypromine.The noise exposure group treated with tranylcypromine showed significantly lower average auditory brainstem response hearing thresholds at click,4,8,and 16 k Hz frequencies compared with the noise exposure group treated with saline.These findings indicate that tranylcypromine treatment resulted in increased SESN2,light chain 3B,and lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein 1 expression after noise exposure,leading to a reduction in levels of 4-hydroxynonenal and cleaved caspase-3,thereby reducing noise-induced hair cell loss.Additionally,immunoblot analysis demonstrated that treatment with tranylcypromine upregulated SESN2 expression via the autophagy pathway.Tranylcypromine treatment also reduced the production of NOD-like receptor family pyrin domaincontaining 3(NLRP3)production.In conclusion,our results showed that tranylcypromine treatment ameliorated cochlear inflammation by promoting the expression of SESN2,which induced autophagy,thereby restricting NLRP3-related inflammasome signaling,alleviating cochlear hair cell loss,and protecting hearing function.These findings suggest that inhibiting lysine-specific demethylase 1 is a potential therapeutic strategy for preventing hair cell loss and noise-induced hearing loss.展开更多
Background:Epilepsy is a disease characterized by unprovoked seizures,and it affects around 70 million people worldwide.Standard treatment is ineffective in one third of all epilepsy patients.Temporal Lobe Epilepsy wi...Background:Epilepsy is a disease characterized by unprovoked seizures,and it affects around 70 million people worldwide.Standard treatment is ineffective in one third of all epilepsy patients.Temporal Lobe Epilepsy with Hippocampal Sclerosis(TLE-HS)is the most drug-resistant form of epilepsy,and it also impacts physical,mental,and psychological well-being of patients.Carum carvi extract has demonstrated anti-convulsant,anti-depressant,and anxiolytic properties.This study was designed to investigate if Carum carvi extract can alleviate depression and memory loss symptoms in a TLE-HS animal model.Methods:Male Sprague Dawley rats were used to create a model of TLE-HS and Carum carvi extract treatment,along with appropriate controls,was used to test the efficacy of this herbal extract in reducing the symptoms of depression and memory loss.Results:Forced swim test showed that Carum carvi extract treated TLE-HS rats resulted in significant improvement of the symptoms of depression.However,novel object recognition test showed that memory improvement did not occur.Conclusion:Depression significantly impacts the quality of life in TLE-HS patients,and this study has shown that Carum carvi extract should be explored further as an adjuvant treatment for TLE-HS patients to improve their quality of life.展开更多
A new ideological and theoretical model—a technology to control weld hot cracks by transverse compressive pre-stress in the welding of aluminum alloy was put forward,which was further proved by the subsequent self-de...A new ideological and theoretical model—a technology to control weld hot cracks by transverse compressive pre-stress in the welding of aluminum alloy was put forward,which was further proved by the subsequent self-designed test setup.Experiments are conducted on the fishbone shaped specimen under conventional welding and welding with various pre-stress values.The experimental results turn out that,the initiation rate of the weld hot cracks decreases with increasing values of the compressive pre-stress.When the pre-stress reaches 0.3-0.4 of the yield stress,the cracks even disappear.In mechanical viewpoint,the researches here develop a new way to control weld cracks.展开更多
BACKGROUND Our study contributes to the further understanding of the mechanism of foot reflexology.Foot reflexology has been reported to affect hearing recovery,but no physiological evidence has been provided.This lac...BACKGROUND Our study contributes to the further understanding of the mechanism of foot reflexology.Foot reflexology has been reported to affect hearing recovery,but no physiological evidence has been provided.This lack of evidence hampers the acceptance of the technique in clinical practice.CASE SUMMARY A girl was taken to North Sichuan Medical University Affiliated Hospital for a hearing screen by her parents.Her parents reported that her hearing level was the same as when she was born.The girl was diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss(SNHL)by a doctor in the otolaryngology department.After we introduced the foot reflexology project,the parents agreed to participate in the experiment.After 6 months of foot reflexology treatment,the hearing threshold of the girl recovered to a normal level,below 30 dB.CONCLUSION Foot reflexology should be encouraged in clinical practice and for families of infants with SNHL.展开更多
Sweat loss monitoring is important for understanding the body’s thermoregulation and hydration status,as well as for comprehensive sweat analysis.Despite recent advances,developing a low-cost,scalable,and universal m...Sweat loss monitoring is important for understanding the body’s thermoregulation and hydration status,as well as for comprehensive sweat analysis.Despite recent advances,developing a low-cost,scalable,and universal method for the fabrication of colorimetric microfluidics designed for sweat loss monitoring remains challenging.In this study,we propose a novel laserengraved surface roughening strategy for various flexible substrates.This process permits the construction of microchannels that show distinct structural reflectance changes before and after sweat filling.By leveraging these unique optical properties,we have developed a fully laser-engraved microfluidic device for the quantification of naked-eye sweat loss.This sweat loss sensor is capable of a volume resolution of 0.5µL and a total volume capacity of 11µL,and can be customized to meet different performance requirements.Moreover,we report the development of a crosstalk-free dual-mode sweat microfluidic system that integrates an Ag/AgCl chloride sensor and a matching wireless measurement flexible printed circuit board.This integrated system enables the real-time monitoring of colorimetric sweat loss signals and potential ion concentration signals without crosstalk.Finally,we demonstrate the potential practical use of this microfluidic sweat loss sensor and its integrated system for sports medicine via on-body studies.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.81800919(to YX),82171140(to PW)the International Cooperation and Exchange of the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.82020108008(to HS),81720108010(to SY).
文摘Aminoglycosides are a widely used class of antibacterials renowned for their effectiveness and broad antimicrobial spectrum.However,their use leads to irreversible hearing damage by causing apoptosis of hair cells as their direct target.In addition,the hearing damage caused by aminoglycosides involves damage of spiral ganglion neurons upon exposure.To investigate the mechanisms underlying spiral ganglion neuron degeneration induced by aminoglycosides,we used a C57BL/6J mouse model treated with kanamycin.We found that the mice exhibited auditory deficits following the acute loss of outer hair cells.Spiral ganglion neurons displayed hallmarks of pyroptosis and exhibited progressive degeneration over time.Transcriptomic profiling of these neurons showed significant upregulation of genes associated with inflammation and immune response,particularly those related to the NLRP3 inflammasome.Activation of the canonical pyroptotic pathway in spiral ganglion neurons was observed,accompanied by infiltration of macrophages and the release of proinflammatory cytokines.Pharmacological intervention targeting NLRP3 using Mcc950 and genetic intervention using NLRP3 knockout ameliorated spiral ganglion neuron degeneration in the injury model.These findings suggest that NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis plays a role in aminoglycoside-induced spiral ganglion neuron degeneration.Inhibition of this pathway may offer a potential therapeutic strategy for treating sensorineural hearing loss by reducing spiral ganglion neuron degeneration.
文摘This editorial critically evaluates the application of foot reflexology as a treatment for sensorineural hearing loss(SNHL)in infants,as proposed in a case report published in the World of Clinical Cases.SNHL is a condition characterized by damage to the cochlea or the neural pathways that transmit auditory information to the brain.The etiology of SNHL is often complex,involving genetic mutations,prenatal factors,or perinatal insults.Reflexology,an alternative therapy involving the application of pressure to specific points on the feet,is based on the hypothesis that these points correspond to different organs and systems in the body,including the auditory system.However,the biological plausibility and clinical efficacy of foot reflexology in addressing SNHL lack empirical support.This editorial examines the pathophysiology of SNHL,assesses the clinical claims of reflexology practitioners,and emphasizes the necessity of evidence-based approaches in treating infant hearing loss.While complementary therapies may provide ancillary benefits,they should not supplant validated medical treatments in managing SNHL in infants.Further research is needed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of foot reflexology and other alternative therapies in pediatric audiology.
文摘Hearing loss is the third leading cause of human disability.Age-related hearing loss,one type of acquired sensorineural hearing loss,is largely responsible for this escalating global health burden.Noise-induced,ototoxic,and idiopathic sudden sensorineural are other less common types of acquired hearing loss.The etiology of these conditions is complex and multi-fa ctorial involving an interplay of genetic and environmental factors.Oxidative stress has recently been proposed as a likely linking cause in most types of acquired sensorineural hearing loss.Short non-coding RNA sequences known as microRNAs(miRNAs)have increasingly been shown to play a role in cellular hypoxia and oxidative stress responses including promoting an apoptotic response.Sensory hair cell death is a central histopathological finding in sensorineural hearing loss.As these cells do not regenerate in humans,it underlies the irreversibility of human age-related hearing loss.Ovid EMBASE,Ovid MEDLINE,Web of Science Core Collection,and ClinicalTrials.gov databases over the period August 1,2018 to July 31,2023 were searched with"hearing loss,""hypoxamiRs,""hypoxia,""microRNAs,""ischemia,"and"oxidative stress"text words for English language primary study publications or registered clinical trials.Registe red clinical trials known to the senior author we re also assessed.A total of 222studies were thus identified.After excluding duplicates,editorials,retra ctions,secondary research studies,and non-English language articles,39 primary studies and clinical trials underwent full-text screening.This resulted in 11 animal,in vitro,and/or human subject journal articles and 8 registered clinical trial database entries which form the basis of this narrative review.MiRNAs miR-34a and miR-29b levels increase with age in mice.These miRNAs were demonstrated in human neuroblastoma and murine cochlear cell lines to target Sirtuin 1/peroxisome proliferato r-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1-alpha(SIRT1/P GC-1α),SIRT1p53,and SIRT1/hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha signaling pathways resulting in increased apoptosis.Furthermore,hypoxia and oxidative stress had a similar adve rse apoptotic effect,which was inhibited by resve ratrol and a myocardial inhibitorassociated transcript,a miR-29b competing endogenous mRNA.Gentamicin reduced miR-182-5p levels and increased cochlear oxidative stress and cell death in mice-an effect that was corrected by inner ear stem cell-derived exosomes.There is ongoing work seeking to determine if these findings can be effectively translated to humans.
基金supported by the National Nat-ural Science Foundation of China(Nos.51872238,52074227,and 21806129)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China(Nos.3102018zy045 and 3102019AX11)+2 种基金the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation,China(No.2024A1515010298)the Natural Science Basic Research Plan in Shaanxi Province of China(Nos.2017JQ5116 and 2020JM-118)the Key Laboratory of Icing and Anti/De-icing of CARDC(No.IADL20220401).
文摘Gels and conductive polymer composites,including hydrogen bonds(HBs),have emerged as promising materials for electro-magnetic wave(EMW)absorption across various applications.However,the relationship between conduction loss in EMW-absorbing materials and charge transfer in HB remains to be fully understood.In this study,we developed a series of deep eutectic gels to fine-tune the quantity of HB by adjusting the molar ratio of choline chloride(ChCl)and ethylene glycol(EG).Owing to the unique properties of deep eutectic gels,the effects of magnetic loss and polarization loss on EMW attenuation can be disregarded.Our results indicate that the quantity of HB initially increases and then decreases with the introduction of EG,with HB-induced conductive loss following similar pat-terns.At a ChCl and EG molar ratio of 2.4,the gel labeled G22-CE2.4 exhibited the best EMW absorption performance,characterized by an effective absorption bandwidth of 8.50 GHz and a thickness of 2.54 mm.This superior performance is attributed to the synergistic ef-fects of excellent conductive loss and impedance matching generated by the optimal number of HB.This work elucidates the role of HB in dielectric loss for the first time and provides valuable insights into the optimal design of supramolecular polymer absorbers.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC 52432002,52372041,52302087)Heilongjiang Touyan Team Program,the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Grant No.HIT.OCEF.2021003)the Shanghai Aerospace Science and Technology Innovation Fund(SAST2022-60).
文摘Developing effective strategies to regulate graphene’s conduction loss and polarization has become a key to expanding its application in the electromagnetic wave absorption(EMWA)field.Based on the unique energy band structure of graphene,regulating its bandgap and electrical properties by introducing heteroatoms is considered a feasible solution.Herein,metal-nitrogen doping reduced graphene oxide(M–N-RGO)was prepared by embedding a series of single metal atoms M–N_(4) sites(M=Mn,Fe,Co,Ni,Cu,Zn,Nb,Cd,and Sn)in RGO using an N-coordination atom-assisted strategy.These composites had adjustable conductivity and polarization to optimize dielectric loss and impedance matching for efficient EMWA performance.The results showed that the minimum reflection loss(RL_(min))of Fe–N-RGO reaches−74.05 dB(2.0 mm)and the maximum effective absorption bandwidth(EAB_(max))is 7.05 GHz(1.89 mm)even with a low filler loading of only 1 wt%.Combined with X-ray absorption spectra(XAFS),atomic force microscopy,and density functional theory calculation analysis,the Fe–N_(4) can be used as the polarization center to increase dipole polarization,interface polarization and defect-induced polarization due to d-p orbital hybridization and structural distortion.Moreover,electron migration within the Fe further leads to conduction loss,thereby synergistically promoting energy attenuation.This study demonstrates the effectiveness of metal-nitrogen doping in regulating the graphene′s dielectric properties,which provides an important basis for further investigation of the loss mechanism.
文摘To investigate the evolution of load-bearing characteristics of pre-stressed beams throughout their service life and to provide a basis for accurately assessing the actual working state of damaged pre-stressed concrete T-beams,destructive tests were conducted on full-scale pre-stressed concrete beams.Based on the measurement and ana-lysis of beam deflection,strain,and crack development under various loading levels during the research tests,combined with the verification coefficient indicators specified in the codes,the verification coefficients of bridges at different stages of damage can be examined.The results indicate that the T-beams experience complete,incom-plete linear,and non-linear stages during the destructive test process.In the complete linear elastic stage,both the deflection and bottom strain verification coefficients comply with the specifications,indicating a good structural load-bearing capacity no longer adheres to the code’s requirements.In the non-linear stage,both coefficients exhi-bit a sharp increase,resulting in a further decrease in the structure’s load-bearing capacity.According to the pro-visions of the current code,the beam can be in the incomplete linear stage when both values fall within the code’s specified range.The strain verification coefficient sourced from the compression zone at the bottom of theflange is not recommended for assessing the bridge’s load-bearing capacity.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant numbers:2021YFF0901705,2021YFF0901700)the State Key Laboratory of Media Convergence and Communication,Communication University of China+1 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universitiesthe High-Quality and Cutting-Edge Disciplines Construction Project for Universities in Beijing(Internet Information,Communication University of China).
文摘In the Internet era,recommendation systems play a crucial role in helping users find relevant information from large datasets.Class imbalance is known to severely affect data quality,and therefore reduce the performance of recommendation systems.Due to the imbalance,machine learning algorithms tend to classify inputs into the positive(majority)class every time to achieve high prediction accuracy.Imbalance can be categorized such as by features and classes,but most studies consider only class imbalance.In this paper,we propose a recommendation system that can integrate multiple networks to adapt to a large number of imbalanced features and can deal with highly skewed and imbalanced datasets through a loss function.We propose a loss aware feature attention mechanism(LAFAM)to solve the issue of feature imbalance.The network incorporates an attention mechanism and uses multiple sub-networks to classify and learn features.For better results,the network can learn the weights of sub-networks and assign higher weights to important features.We propose suppression loss to address class imbalance,which favors negative loss by penalizing positive loss,and pays more attention to sample points near the decision boundary.Experiments on two large-scale datasets verify that the performance of the proposed system is greatly improved compared to baseline methods.
基金Supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,No.2022CDJYGRH-004.
文摘Foot reflexology is a non-invasive and safe complementary therapy that works by massaging the reflex zones of the feet and exerts systemic or whole-body regulation through meridian nerve conduction.This therapy is commonly used in the treatment of various conditions such as autism and Parkinson's disease.However,there is limited reporting on the use of foot reflexology therapy for infants with sensorineural hearing loss(SNHL).Currently,there is no definitive conclusion on how foot reflexology therapy can influence hearing.This editorial holds some guiding significance regarding this clinical issue.The aim is to present physiological evidence of how foot reflexology therapy can impact infants with SNHL,thereby enhancing clinician’s awareness of foot reflexology in treating infants with SNHL.
文摘Early intervention for sensorineural hearing loss(SNHL)in childhood is crucial for auditory and language development.In recent years,innovative auditory stimulation techniques and speech therapy strategies,such as middle ear implants,cochlear implants,auditory brainstem implants,and midbrain implants,have provided new avenues for improving patient outcomes.Additionally,basic research advancements in cell reprogramming and regeneration,stem cell therapy,and targeted drug delivery offer promising approaches to meet the individualized needs of children with SNHL.However,many challenges and unresolved issues remain in the treatment of SNHL.This article comments on the case report,which describes a female pediatric patient with SNHL who underwent foot reflexology which led to the normalization of hearing thresholds.Reflexology is considered to have potential benefits in physical rehabilitation,but its efficacy in hearing restoration requires further scientific validation through rigorous clinical trials and large-scale prospective studies.
文摘Background: Tooth loss results in impaired mastication, which in turn, makes it difficult to chew hard food, consequently leading to deteriorate dietary habits and to develop hypertension. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of tooth loss on blood pressure among Congolese population. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2019 until December 2023 among Congolese population aged at least 30 years reporting to the living in DR Congo. All participants were enrolled from Dental Clinic located in the DR Congo. To be eligible to participate in the study, were the willing to participate and having signed informed consent;had a missing tooth;had carried out blood pressure measurement (hypertension/normotensive). The exclusion criteria were determined: being less than 30 years old, being pregnant for women considering the risk of existing gestational hypertension, obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, and diabetes. Hypertension was defined as the mean of three measurements of systolic blood pressure (SBP) (140 mmHg or higher), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (90 mm or higher) or physician diagnosed hypertension confirmed from medical records. We determined the number of tooth loss from oral examination. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to investigate the effect of tooth loss on blood pressure. Results: In all, 25,396 participants were enrolled among Congolese population for this study. After oral examination, 13,421 were excluded for no tooth loss and 11,975 participants were selected. The average number of tooth loss among study population was 11.06. Among the participants with hypertension had lost an average of 11 teeth, significantly higher than those without hypertension (6.09) (p = 0.001). After adjusting for covariates (socio-demographic characteristics), tooth loss (>10) was significantly associated with hypertension, with OR = 1.32 (95% CI 1.073 - 2.38). Conclusion: Tooth loss maybe associated with severe hypertension among Congolese population adults. Prevention of tooth loss is very important to the overall health of this population.
文摘Maxillary bone loss impairs essential functions (chewing, swallowing, speech) and gives patients a very unaesthetic appearance due to the removal of facial support tissues, leading to serious psychological consequences. Treatment is multidisciplinary and requires a resective surgery if the cause is tumor-related, or an additive surgery if the cause is traumatic. This article aims to show the role of making a prosthesis to restore function (chewing, swallowing, speech) and aesthetics following maxillary bone loss. We will eighter present a clinical case involving a right maxillary tumor that was surgically resected followed by radiotherapy, and subsequently rehabilitated with a maxillofacial prosthesis in the consultation and dental treatment center of the university hospital center of Casablanca.
文摘This paper introduces an optimized planning approach for integrating photovoltaic as distributed generation (PV-DG) into the radial distribution power systems, utilizing exhaustive load flow (ELF), loss sensitivity factor (LSF), genetic algorithms (GA) methods, and numerical method based on LSF. The methodology aims to determine the optimal allocation and sizing of multiple PV-DG to minimize power loss through time series power flow analysis. An approach utilizing continuous sensitivity analysis is developed and inherently leverages power flow and loss equations to compute LSF of all buses in the system towards employing a dynamic PV-DG model for more accurate results. The algorithm uses a numerical grid search method to optimize PV-DG placement in a power distribution system, focusing on minimizing system losses. It combines iterative analysis, sensitivity assessment, and comprehensive visualization to identify and present the optimal PV-DG configurations. The present-ed algorithms are verified through co-simulation framework combining MATLAB and OpenDSS to carry out analysis for 12-bus radial distribution test system. The proposed numerical method is compared with other algorithms, such as ELF, LSF methods, and Genetic Algorithms (GA). Results show that the proposed numerical method performs well in comparison with LSF and ELF solutions.
文摘Objective: To study the relationship between cortical auditory evoked potential (CAEP) thresholds and behavioral thresholds in pediatric populations with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Methods: Fifteen children (mean age 6.8 years) with bilateral SNHL underwent behavioral pure-tone audiometry and CAEP testing at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz. CAEP thresholds were determined using tone bursts, and correlations between CAEP and pure-tone thresholds were analyzed using Pearson correlation and t-tests. Results: A strong positive correlation was observed between P1 thresholds and behavioral thresholds across all test frequencies: 0.5 kHz (r = 0.765, p Conclusion: The strong correlation between P1 and behavioral thresholds demonstrates the reliability of CAEP testing for estimating auditory thresholds in children. These findings support the use of CAEP testing as a reliable objective tool for threshold estimation, particularly in cases where behavioral responses cannot be reliably obtained. When adjusted with frequency-specific correction values, CAEP testing provides a reliable method for assessing hearing thresholds in pediatric populations.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China,No.2022YFC2402701(to WC)Key International(Regional)Joint Research Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81820108009(to SY)+5 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.81970890(to WC)and 82371148(to WG)Fujian Provincial Healthcare Young and Middle-aged Backbone Talent Training Project,No.2023GGA035(to XC)Spring City Planthe High-level Talent Promotion and Training Project of Kunming,No.2022SCP001(to SY)the Natural Science Foundation of Hainan Province of China,No.824MS052(to XS)the Sixth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital Innovation Cultivation,No.CXPY202116(to LX)。
文摘Noise-induced hearing loss is the primary non-genetic factor contributing to auditory dysfunction.However,there are currently no effective pharmacological interventions for patients with noise-induced hearing loss.Here,we present evidence suggesting that the lysine-specific demethylase 1 inhibitor–tranylcypromine is an otoprotective agent that could be used to treat noise-induced hearing loss,and elucidate its underlying regulatory mechanisms.We established a mouse model of permanent threshold shift hearing loss by exposing the mice to white broadband noise at a sound pressure level of 120 d B for 4 hours.We found that tranylcypromine treatment led to the upregulation of Sestrin2(SESN2)and activation of the autophagy markers light chain 3B and lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein 1 in the cochleae of mice treated with tranylcypromine.The noise exposure group treated with tranylcypromine showed significantly lower average auditory brainstem response hearing thresholds at click,4,8,and 16 k Hz frequencies compared with the noise exposure group treated with saline.These findings indicate that tranylcypromine treatment resulted in increased SESN2,light chain 3B,and lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein 1 expression after noise exposure,leading to a reduction in levels of 4-hydroxynonenal and cleaved caspase-3,thereby reducing noise-induced hair cell loss.Additionally,immunoblot analysis demonstrated that treatment with tranylcypromine upregulated SESN2 expression via the autophagy pathway.Tranylcypromine treatment also reduced the production of NOD-like receptor family pyrin domaincontaining 3(NLRP3)production.In conclusion,our results showed that tranylcypromine treatment ameliorated cochlear inflammation by promoting the expression of SESN2,which induced autophagy,thereby restricting NLRP3-related inflammasome signaling,alleviating cochlear hair cell loss,and protecting hearing function.These findings suggest that inhibiting lysine-specific demethylase 1 is a potential therapeutic strategy for preventing hair cell loss and noise-induced hearing loss.
基金supported by the URC Aga Khan University(Project ID:212003)Pakistan Science Foundation(Project Code:710110-201-20001-500-53413-0000).
文摘Background:Epilepsy is a disease characterized by unprovoked seizures,and it affects around 70 million people worldwide.Standard treatment is ineffective in one third of all epilepsy patients.Temporal Lobe Epilepsy with Hippocampal Sclerosis(TLE-HS)is the most drug-resistant form of epilepsy,and it also impacts physical,mental,and psychological well-being of patients.Carum carvi extract has demonstrated anti-convulsant,anti-depressant,and anxiolytic properties.This study was designed to investigate if Carum carvi extract can alleviate depression and memory loss symptoms in a TLE-HS animal model.Methods:Male Sprague Dawley rats were used to create a model of TLE-HS and Carum carvi extract treatment,along with appropriate controls,was used to test the efficacy of this herbal extract in reducing the symptoms of depression and memory loss.Results:Forced swim test showed that Carum carvi extract treated TLE-HS rats resulted in significant improvement of the symptoms of depression.However,novel object recognition test showed that memory improvement did not occur.Conclusion:Depression significantly impacts the quality of life in TLE-HS patients,and this study has shown that Carum carvi extract should be explored further as an adjuvant treatment for TLE-HS patients to improve their quality of life.
文摘A new ideological and theoretical model—a technology to control weld hot cracks by transverse compressive pre-stress in the welding of aluminum alloy was put forward,which was further proved by the subsequent self-designed test setup.Experiments are conducted on the fishbone shaped specimen under conventional welding and welding with various pre-stress values.The experimental results turn out that,the initiation rate of the weld hot cracks decreases with increasing values of the compressive pre-stress.When the pre-stress reaches 0.3-0.4 of the yield stress,the cracks even disappear.In mechanical viewpoint,the researches here develop a new way to control weld cracks.
基金Graduate Student Project of Xi’an International Studies University,No.2021BS012Nanchong City-Universities Project,No.22SXCXTD0004.
文摘BACKGROUND Our study contributes to the further understanding of the mechanism of foot reflexology.Foot reflexology has been reported to affect hearing recovery,but no physiological evidence has been provided.This lack of evidence hampers the acceptance of the technique in clinical practice.CASE SUMMARY A girl was taken to North Sichuan Medical University Affiliated Hospital for a hearing screen by her parents.Her parents reported that her hearing level was the same as when she was born.The girl was diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss(SNHL)by a doctor in the otolaryngology department.After we introduced the foot reflexology project,the parents agreed to participate in the experiment.After 6 months of foot reflexology treatment,the hearing threshold of the girl recovered to a normal level,below 30 dB.CONCLUSION Foot reflexology should be encouraged in clinical practice and for families of infants with SNHL.
基金support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.62174152)。
文摘Sweat loss monitoring is important for understanding the body’s thermoregulation and hydration status,as well as for comprehensive sweat analysis.Despite recent advances,developing a low-cost,scalable,and universal method for the fabrication of colorimetric microfluidics designed for sweat loss monitoring remains challenging.In this study,we propose a novel laserengraved surface roughening strategy for various flexible substrates.This process permits the construction of microchannels that show distinct structural reflectance changes before and after sweat filling.By leveraging these unique optical properties,we have developed a fully laser-engraved microfluidic device for the quantification of naked-eye sweat loss.This sweat loss sensor is capable of a volume resolution of 0.5µL and a total volume capacity of 11µL,and can be customized to meet different performance requirements.Moreover,we report the development of a crosstalk-free dual-mode sweat microfluidic system that integrates an Ag/AgCl chloride sensor and a matching wireless measurement flexible printed circuit board.This integrated system enables the real-time monitoring of colorimetric sweat loss signals and potential ion concentration signals without crosstalk.Finally,we demonstrate the potential practical use of this microfluidic sweat loss sensor and its integrated system for sports medicine via on-body studies.
