Improved Image Caption Rating - Datasets, Game, and Model.

How well a caption fits an image can be difficult to assess due to the subjective nature of caption quality. What is a caption? We investigate this problem by focusing on image-caption ratings and by generating high quality datasets from human feedback with gamification. We validate the datasets by showing a higher level of inter-rater agreement, and by using them to train custom machine learning models to predict new ratings.

Deep learning algorithms for predicting renal replacement therapy initiation in CKD patients: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) requires accurate prediction of renal replacement therapy (RRT) initiation risk. This study developed deep learning algorithms (DLAs) to predict RRT risk in CKD patients by incorporating medical history and prescriptions in addition to biochemical investigations.

Methods: A multi-centre retrospective cohort study was conducted in three major hospitals in Hong Kong.

Can environmental information disclosure spur corporate green innovation?

How can the disclosure of environmental information (EID) stimulate corporate green innovation (CGI)? This research challenges the prevailing assumption that environmental regulations impact CGI by influencing corporate compliance costs. Instead, it offers a fresh theoretical framework to explain how EID affects CGI. This study combines signal theory and resource dependence theory to develop a moderated mediation model, illustrating how EID reduces information asymmetry and alleviates corporate financial constraints (CFC).

Intestinal microbiome and metabolome signatures in patients with chronic granulomatous disease.

Background: Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is caused by defects in any 1 of the 6 subunits forming the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase complex 2 (NOX2), leading to severely reduced or absent phagocyte-derived reactive oxygen species production. Almost 50% of patients with CGD have inflammatory bowel disease (CGD-IBD). While conventional IBD therapies can treat CGD-IBD, their benefits must be weighed against the risk of infection.

Discovery of a Potent Chloroacetamide GPX4 Inhibitor with Bioavailability to Enable Target Engagement in Mice, a Potential Tool Compound for Inducing Ferroptosis .

Compounds that inhibit glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) hold promise as cancer therapeutics in their ability to induce a form of nonapoptotic cell death called ferroptosis. Our research identified , a structural analog of the potent GPX4 inhibitor RSL3, that has much better plasma stability ( > 5 h in mouse plasma). The bioavailability of provided efficacious plasma drug concentrations with IP dosing, thus enabling studies to assess tolerability and efficacy.

Metabolomic, proteomic, and transcriptomic changes in adults with epilepsy on modified Atkins diet.

Objective: High-fat and low-carbohydrate diets can reduce seizure frequency in some treatment-resistant epilepsy patients, including the more flexible modified Atkins diet (MAD), which is more palatable, mimicking fasting and inducing high ketone body levels. Low-carbohydrate diets may shift brain energy production, particularly impacting neuron- and astrocyte-linked metabolism.

Methods: We evaluated the effect of short-term MAD on molecular mechanisms in adult epilepsy patients from surgical brain tissue and plasma compared to control participants consuming a nonmodified higher carbohydrate diet (n = 6 MAD, mean age = 43.

Surgeon-designed patient-specific instrumentation improves glenoid component screw placement for reverse total shoulder arthroplasty in a population with small glenoid dimensions.

Purpose: Glenoid component loosening is a potential complication of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA), occurring in part due to lack of adequate screw purchase in quality scapular bone stock. This study was to determine the efficacy of a surgeon-designed, 3D-printed patient-specific instrumentation (PSI) compared to conventional instrumentation (CI) in achieving longer superior and inferior screw lengths for glenoid component fixation.

Methods: A multi-centre retrospective analysis of patients who underwent rTSA between 2015 and 2020.

Urine Metabolome Dynamics Discriminate Influenza Vaccination Response.

Influenza represents a major and ongoing public health hazard. Current collaborative efforts are aimed toward creating a universal flu vaccine with the goals of both improving responses to vaccination and increasing the breadth of protection against multiple strains and clades from a single vaccine. As an intermediate step toward these goals, the current work is focused on evaluating the systemic host response to vaccination in both normal and high-risk populations, such as the obese and geriatric populations, which have been linked to poor responses to vaccination.

Impact of COVID-19 on lifestyle and financial behaviour: The implications to research in financial vulnerability.

The outbreak of coronavirus pandemic in late 2019 posted unprecedented social-economic challenges and disruptions to societies and individuals. The "new-normal" styles of living and working could intertwined with other determinants complicating the investigation of individual's financial vulnerability. The purpose of this paper is to conduct literature survey to review and consolidate the recent scattered literatures to identify some possible factors to be considered in the research related to financial vulnerability, including pandemic's impact of COVID-19 to different aspects of personal finance issues, pandemic-driven digitisation of the economy activities, changes in financial behaviour and addiction to digital technology.

Pilot study evaluating everolimus molecular mechanisms in tuberous sclerosis complex and focal cortical dysplasia.

Background: Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and some focal cortical dysplasias (FCDs) are associated with dysfunctional mTOR signaling, resulting in increased cell growth and ribosomal S6 protein phosphorylation (phospho-S6). mTOR inhibitors can reduce TSC tumor growth and seizure frequency, and preclinical FCD studies indicate seizure suppression. This pilot study evaluated safety of mTOR inhibitor everolimus in treatment resistant (failure of >2 anti-seizure medications) TSC and FCD patients undergoing surgical resection and to assess mTOR signaling and molecular pathways.

Predicting Survived Events in Nontraumatic Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Comparison Study on Machine Learning and Regression Models.

Background: Prediction of early outcomes of nontraumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) by emergency physicians is inaccurate.

Objective: Our aim was to develop and validate practical machine learning (ML)-based models to predict early outcomes of nontraumatic OHCA for use in the emergency department (ED). We compared their discrimination and calibration performances with the traditional logistic regression (LR) approach.

Total Synthesis of Leiodermatolide A via Transfer Hydrogenative Allylation, Crotylation, and Propargylation: Polyketide Construction beyond Discrete Allyl- or Allenylmetal Reagents.

The total synthesis of leiodermatolide A was accomplished in 13 steps (LLS). Transfer hydrogenative variants of three carbonyl additions that traditionally rely on premetalated reagents (allylation, crotylation, and propargylation) are deployed together in one total synthesis.

The study of 2-dimensional computed tomography scans of the glenoid anatomy in relation to reverse shoulder arthroplasty in the Southern Chinese population.

Background: Reverse shoulder arthroplasty is becoming an increasingly common surgical procedure in Hong Kong, as well as in many other countries worldwide. The aim of this study is to describe the glenoid anatomy in the Southern Chinese population. We are interested to know whether commercially available glenoid implants are suitable for this population and whether there are any steps or precautions we can take during surgery to optimize the clinical outcome for these patients.

Metabolomic Expression of Laryngeal and Hindlimb Muscles in Adult versus Senescent Rats.

Objectives: (1) Determine the feasibility of obtaining a global, unbiased metabolomic profile on laryngeal muscle in a rat model; (2) evaluate the impact of biological aging on the laryngeal metabolome; and (3) characterize biochemical expression differences between aged and non-aged laryngeal and hindlimb muscle.

Methods: Thyroarytenoid laryngeal muscle and plantaris hindlimb muscle were harvested from 5 young adult (9 months old) and 5 older adult (32 months old) F344BN rats. Tissue was processed and analyzed using LC-MS methods.

CRL4 is a master regulator of D-type cyclins.

D-type cyclins are central regulators of the cell division cycle and are among the most frequently deregulated therapeutic targets in human cancer, but the mechanisms that regulate their turnover are still being debated. Here, by combining biochemical and genetics studies in somatic cells, we identify CRL4 (also known as CRL4) as the ubiquitin ligase that targets all three D-type cyclins for degradation. During development, loss of Ambra1 induces the accumulation of D-type cyclins and retinoblastoma (RB) hyperphosphorylation and hyperproliferation, and results in defects of the nervous system that are reduced by treating pregnant mice with the FDA-approved CDK4 and CDK6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor abemaciclib.

Considerations from the Innovation and Quality Induction Working Group in Response to Drug-Drug Interaction Guidance from Regulatory Agencies: Guidelines on Model Fitting and Recommendations on Time Course for In Vitro Cytochrome P450 Induction Studies Including Impact on Drug Interaction Risk Assessment.

Translational and ADME Sciences Leadership Group Induction Working Group (IWG) presents an analysis on the time course for cytochrome P450 induction in primary human hepatocytes. Induction of CYP1A2, CYP2B6, and CYP3A4 was evaluated by seven IWG laboratories after incubation with prototypical inducers (omeprazole, phenobarbital, rifampicin, or efavirenz) for 6-72 hours. The effect of incubation duration and model-fitting approaches on induction parameters (E and EC) and drug-drug interaction (DDI) risk assessment was determined.

Chinese water managers' long-term climate information needs.

Decision-makers can use climate information to adapt to the risks of climate variability and change. The adequate provision of climate information is critical for adaptation planning in climate-sensitive sectors. However, for climate products to be appropriately tailored for these sectors, it is necessary to identify and understand users' specific information needs.

Metabolic disposition of H3B-8800, an orally available small-molecule splicing modulator, in rats, monkeys, and humans.

H3B-8800, a novel orally available modulator of the SF3b complex, which potently and preferentially kills spliceosome-mutant tumor cells, is in clinical development for the treatment of advanced myeloid malignancies. We characterized the pharmacokinetics, metabolism and disposition of H3B-8800 in rats, monkeys and humans., H3B-8800 is a substrate of CYP3A4/5, flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMOs) and P-glycoprotein (P-gp), and showed a favorable drug-drug interaction profile as a perpetrator.

Nomination of controls of various layouts for heavy machinery.

Background: Control selection in heavy machinery may be a problem due to the poor compatibility of the commonly-used single line of vertical levers for controls.

Objective: This study examined the effects of control arrangements on directional compatibility and participant responses in terms of choice/function of controls.

Methods: We investigated experimentally, for a number of new designs of control arrangements, the selection of controls for requested functions of four different machines: fork lift trucks, excavators, tower cranes, and telescopic cranes.

Prehospital electrocardiogram shortens ischaemic time in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Introduction: Total ischaemic time should be shortened as much as possible in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This study evaluated whether prehospital 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) could shorten system delay in STEMI management.

Methods: From November 2015 to November 2017, 15 ambulances equipped with X Series Monitor/ Defibrillator (Zoll Medical Corporation) were used in the catchment area of Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.

Minimally Invasive and Endoscopic Treatment of Haglund Syndrome.

Haglund syndrome is a triad of posterosuperior calcaneal prominence (Haglund deformity), retrocalcaneal bursitis, and insertional Achilles tendinopathy. The sources of pain include the posterior calcaneal wall cartilage, retrocalcaneal and subcutaneous adventitial bursa, and the Achilles tendon. Resection of the posterosuperior calcaneal tubercle, bursectomy, excision of the Achilles tendon pathology, reattachment of the Achilles tendon, gastrocnemius aponeurotic recession, and flexor hallucis longus transfer have been proposed as surgical treatment options.