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Background Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common and serious cardiovascular disease, which is prone to complications of limb ischemia and adverse cardiovascular events. There is a gender difference in the prevalence of PAD, which has been relatively poorly studied. A full understanding of gender differences in prevalence of PAD in China is essential for public health policy development. Objective To analyze the gender differences in the prevalence of PAD in China and their causes, providing a theoretical basis for targeted screening and preventive measures. Methods The number of PAD cases, prevalence, age-standardized prevalence, attributable risk factors for disease burden, and corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UI) were extracted from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database for males and females in China and females in Japan, Korea, India and globally. R language was used to analyze the data and visualize the analysis of this study. Joinpoint software was used to analyze the trend of PAD prevalence in males and females in China over time from 1990 to 2019, and the annual percentage change (APC) and average annual percentage change (AAPC) of PAD prevalence and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. A Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) model was used to predict the number and prevalence of PAD in 2020—2035. Results The estimated prevalence of PAD in China in 2019 was 71.74×100 000 for males and 213.15×100 000 for females. Compared with 1990, the number of PAD cases in 2019 increased by 154.22% in males and 181.27% in females. In 2019, the number of cases and prevalence of PAD among males in Japan, Korea, India and globally were all higher than those in 1990, but the age-standardized prevalence was lower. In 1990, the age-standardized prevalence of PAD among women in China was 57.80% and 76.35% of those in Japan and Korea, 1.10 times and 1.33 times of those in Japan and Korea in 2019. The prevalence of PAD in Chinese men was 462.40/100 000 in 1990 and 989.79/100 000 in 2019, with an increase of 114.05%, and showed an upward trend during 1990 to 2019. The prevalence of PAD in Chinese women was 1 321.44 per 100 000 in 1990 and 3 055.85/100 000 in 2019, with an increase of 131.25%, and showed an upward trend from 1990 to 2019. The prevalence of PAD in Chinese women was 3.09 times higher than that of men in 2019. The age-standardized prevalence of PAD in Chinese males was 731.02/100 000 in 1990 and 744.96/100 000 in 2019, with an increase of 1.91%, showed an increasing trend from 1990 to 1993 and from 1993 to 2005, and a decreasing trend from 2005 to 2019. The age-standardized prevalence of PAD in Chinese women was 1 839.43/100 000 in 1990 and 2 022.13/100 000 in 2019, with an increase of 9.93%, showing an increasing trend from 1990 to 2005 (P0.05). In 2019, the age-standardized prevalence of PAD in Chinese women was 2.71 times of men. BAPC model predicts that the number of PAD cases will reach 101.30×100, 000 in Chinese men and 319.24×100 000 in Chinese women by 2035. In 2035, the number of Chinese women with PAD will increase by 49.77% compared with 2019. In terms of age, the largest number of Chinese women aged 65-69 with PAD in 2019 will be 35.15×100 000, and the largest number of women aged 70-74 with PAD in 2035 will be 55.89×100 000. In 2035, the number of Chinese women aged 40 to 44, 45 to 49, 50 to 54 and 55 to 59 with PAD will be lower than that in 2019, and the number of Chinese women aged 60 to 64, 65 to 69, 70 to 74, 75 to 79, 80 to 84, 85 to 89, 90 to 94 and≥95 with PAD will be higher than that in 2019. In 2035, the age-standardized prevalence of PAD in Chinese men and women will be 712.09/100 000 and 1 945.97/100 000, respectively, decreasing by 4.41% and 3.77% compared with 2019. By age, the prevalence of PAD in Chinese women in 2035 will increase with age, and the prevalence of PAD in all age groups will be decreased compared with 2019 except for those aged≥95 years. The disease burden of PAD in China in 2019 can be attributed to six risk factors, including hypertension, smoking, diabetes, renal insufficiency, high-salt diet and lead exposure. The most important risk factor for men was smoking (44.32%), followed by hypertension (18.97%) and diabetes (16.11%). The most common risk factor for women was hypertension (32.31%), which was followed by diabetes (24.81%) and renal insufficiency (17.27%) . Conclusion The number of cases, prevalence and age-specific prevalence of PAD in Chinese women are significantly higher than those in men, and the age-standardized prevalence has already exceeded that of Japan and Korea. In the foreseeable future, the number of Chinese women suffering from PAD will further increase, and the number of elderly women suffering from PAD will increase more and more obviously. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the changes in gender and age, and gender differences in risk factors of PAD patients, and necessary screening and prevention measures should be taken.

Effective capture and safe disposal of radioactive iodine (129I or 131I) during nuclear power generation processes have always been a worldwide environmental concern. Low-cost and high-efficiency iodine removal materials are urgently needed. In this study, we synthesized two aniline-based hypercrosslinked polymers (AHCPs), AHCP-1 and AHCP-2, for iodine capture in both aqueous and gaseous phases. They are obtained by aniline polymerization through Friedel–Crafts alkylation and Scholl coupling reaction, respectively, with high chemical and thermal stability. Notably, AHCP-1 exhibits record-high static iodine adsorption (250 wt%) in aqueous solution. In the iodine vapor adsorption, AHCP-2 presents an excellent total iodine capture (596 wt%), surpassing the most reported amorphous polymer adsorbents. The rich primary amine groups of AHCPs promote the rapid physical capture of iodine from iodine water and iodine vapor. Intrinsic features such as low-cost preparation, good recyclability, as well as excellent performance in iodine capture indicate that the AHCPs can be used as potential candidates for the removal of iodine from radioactive wastewater and gas mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop a more efficient and optimal artificial kidney, many experimental approaches have been used to study mass transfer inside, outside, and cross hollow fiber membranes with different kinds of membranes, solutes, and flow rates as parameters. However, these experimental approaches are expensive and time consuming. Numerical calculation and computer simulation is an effective way to study mass transfer in the artificial kidney, which can save substantial time and reduce experimental cost. This paper presents a new model to simulate mass transfer in artificial kidney by coupling together shell-side, lumen-side, and transmembrane flows. Darcy's equations were employed to simulate shell-side flow, Navier-Stokes equations were employed to simulate lumen-side flow, and Kedem-Katchalsky equations were used to compute transmembrane flow. Numerical results agreed well with experimental results within 10% error. Numerical results showed the nonuniform distribution of flow and solute concentration in shell-side flow due to the entry/exit effect and Darcy permeability. In the shell side, the axial velocity in the periphery is higher than that in the center. This numerical model presented a clear insight view of mass transfer in an artificial kidney and may be used to help design an optimal artificial kidney and its operation conditions to improve hemodialysis. [DOI: 10.1115/1.1589776] Keywords: Artificial Kidney, Mass Transfer, Model, Computer Simulation

We used an innovative, nonintrusive MRI technique called the two-dimensional (2D) Phase-Contrast (2DPC) velocity-imaging technique to investigate the effect of flow baffles on the dialysate-side flow distribution in two different hollow-fiber hemodialyzers (A and B); each with flow rates between 200 and 1000 mL/min ([3.33X10.sub.-6] and 1.67 [X1O.sup.-5 m.sup.3]/s). Our experimental results show that (1) the dialysate-side flow distribution was nonuniform with channeling flow occurred at the peripheral cross section of these hollow-fiber hemodialyzers, and (2) the existing designs of flow baffles failed to promote uniform dialysate-side flow distribution for all flow rates studies. [DOI: 10.1115/1.1590355]

According to the organizational-activational hypothesis, the organizational effects of testosterone during (prenatal) brain development moderate the activational effects of adult testosterone on behavior. Accumulating evidence supports the notion that adolescence is another period during which sex hormones organize the nervous system. Here we investigate how pubertal sex hormones moderate the activational effects of adult sex hormones on social cognition in humans. To do so, we recruited a sample of young men (n = 507; age, ∼19 years) from a longitudinal birth cohort and investigated whether testosterone exposure during adolescence (from 9 to 17 years of age) moderates the relation between current testosterone and brain response to faces in young adulthood, as assessed with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Our results showed that the cumulative exposure to testosterone during adolescence moderated the relation between adult testosterone and both the mean fMRI response and functional connectivity (i.e., node strength). Specifically, in participants with low exposure to testosterone during puberty, we observed a positive relationship between current testosterone and the brain response to faces; this was not the case for participants with medium and high pubertal testosterone. Furthermore, we observed a stronger relationship between the brain response and current testosterone in parts of the angry-face network associated with (vs without) motion in the eye region of an observed (angry) face. We speculate that pubertal testosterone modulates the relationship between current testosterone and brain response to social cues carried by the eyes and signaling a potential threat. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Accumulating evidence supports the organizational effects of pubertal testosterone, but the body of literature examining these effects on social cognition in humans is in its infancy. With a sample of young men from a longitudinal birth cohort, we showed that the cumulative exposure to testosterone during adolescence moderated the relation between adult testosterone and both the mean BOLD signal change and functional connectivity. Specifically, we observed a positive relationship between adult testosterone and the brain response to faces in participants with low exposure to testosterone during puberty, but not in participants with medium and high pubertal testosterone. Results of further analysis suggest that sensitivity to cues carried by the eyes might underlie the relationship between testosterone and brain response to faces, especially in the context of a potential threat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular injuries during lumbar surgery are rare, but complications such as false aneurysm of the iliac artery, arteriovenous fistula, and lower limb artery embolism are even rarer. These complications can easily be misdiagnosed and result in the inability to choose an appropriate surgical approach, leading to serious consequences. A 36-year-old male patient experienced swelling in both lower limbs, along with numbness, coldness, and dysfunction in his right lower limb, after undergoing a "posterior lumbar discectomy" surgery. On the 20th day post-surgery, a clear diagnosis was established through CTV: 1) Right common iliac artery injury with pseudoaneurysm formation; 2) Right iliac arteriovenous fistula; 3) Right popliteal artery embolism. The patient underwent hybrid surgery to address multiple complications simultaneously and made a good recovery after the procedure. Rarely, lumbar spine surgery can concurrently lead to conditions such as pseudoaneurysm, arteriovenous fistula, and lower limb artery embolism. Due to atypical symptoms and signs, it is often misdiagnosed. Hybrid surgery involves incising the femoral artery, using a thrombectomy catheter to remove clots from the iliac artery above and the popliteal artery below, and then re-implanting a covered stent to treat pseudoaneurysm and arteriovenous fistula. With a solid clinical knowledge, one can make a timely diagnosis and choose an appropriate surgical method to intervene, thereby improving the prognosis. Hybrid surgery combines the minimally invasive and safe effects of endovascular techniques with the precise effects of open surgery, and it also allows for the simultaneous treatment of multiple comorbidities. • It is rare to experience pseudoaneurysm, arteriovenous fistula, and lower limb artery embolism simultaneously after lumbar spine surgery, and it is extremely easy to be misdiagnosed. • At the outset, the symptoms can be atypical and easily misdiagnosed, leading to serious consequences. • Maintain a solid clinical knowledge to make a timely diagnosis and choose an appropriate surgical intervention to improve prognosis. • Hybrid surgery simultaneously offers the minimally invasive and safe advantages of vascular endovascular techniques and open surgery, allowing for the treatment of multiple comorbidities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The social relationships that individuals experience at different life stages have a non‐negligible influence on their lives, and this is particularly true for group living animals. The long lifespan of many primates makes it likely that these animals have various tactics of social interaction to adapt to complex changes in environmental or physical conditions. The different strategies used in social interaction by individuals at different life stages, and whether the position (central or peripheral) or role (initiator or recipient) of an individual in the group social network changes with age, are intriguing questions that remain to be investigated. We used social network analysis to examine age‐related differences in social interaction patterns, social roles, and social positions in three affiliative social networks (approach, allogrooming, and social play) in a group of wild rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Our results showed that social interaction patterns of rhesus macaques differ between age classes in the following ways: i) young individuals tend to allocate social time to a high number of groupmates, older individuals prefer to focus on fewer, specific partners; ii) as they grow older, individuals tend to be recipients in approach interactions and initiators in grooming interactions; and iii) regardless of the different social interaction strategies, individuals of all ages occupy a central position in the group. These results reveal a possible key role played by immature individuals in group social communication, a little‐explored issue which deserves closer investigation in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Determination of the transport properties of hollow fiber membranes contained within modern hemodialyzers is indispensable for assessing device design and optimizing the hemodialysis process. To measure these transport properties, a new and simplified experimental system employing dialyzer mini-modules was developed. In comparison to a full-size dialyzer, the advantages of using mini-modules for experimental purposes are: (1) each hollow fiber is assured to be patent; (2) interaction among the fibers is negligible. Mini-module dimensions were 15cm (length) and 1.2cm (diameter) and each device contained 10 hollow fibers. A special syringe pump was used to ensure the steady flow in the experiments. We applied this system to measure hydraulic permeability (L p), the diffusive permeability (P s) and reflection coefficient (σ) of four solutes (urea, creatinine, vancomycin and inulin), for several different types of hollow fiber membranes. These determinations allowed mean pore sizes to be calculated, and these measurements were in close agreement with estimates obtained by SEM image analysis. This approach provides fundamental transport property data necessary for optimal membrane and, ultimately, dialyzer design. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hemodialyzers used for renal dialysis rely upon ultrafiltration to eliminate middle molecular-weight uremic solutes. It is valuable to measure the ultrafiltration rate locally to better understand dialyzer operation and to ensure there is no backfiltration of potential pyrogens into the patient’s blood stream. We used a magnetic resonance flow imaging method to measure the local variation of the ultrafiltration rate along the length of a SYNTRA·160 hemodialyzer. The technique uses magnetic resonance fourier velocity imaging (MRFVI) to determine the percentage of flow in different velocity ranges. From these velocity profiles we estimate the maximum flow velocity in the lumen of the dialyzer fibers. Assuming laminar flow with a parabolic flow profile we estimated the variation in the total volume flow rate at each location where images are made. The local ultrafiltration rate declined uniformly over the length of the dialyzer, and the total rate is in agreement with independent measurements of ultrafiltration rate using pure water. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hemispheric lateralization and its origins have been of great interest in neuroscience for over a century. The left-right asymmetry in cortical thickness may stem from differential maturation of the cerebral cortex in the two hemispheres. Here, we investigated the spatial pattern of hemispheric differences in cortical thinning during adolescence, and its relationship with the density of neurotransmitter receptors and homotopic functional connectivity. Using longitudinal data from IMAGEN study (N = 532), we found that many cortical regions in the frontal and temporal lobes thinned more in the right hemisphere than in the left. Conversely, several regions in the occipital and parietal lobes thinned less in the right (vs. left) hemisphere. We then revealed that regions thinning more in the right (vs. left) hemispheres had higher density of neurotransmitter receptors and transporters in the right (vs. left) side. Moreover, the hemispheric differences in cortical thinning were predicted by homotopic functional connectivity. Specifically, regions with stronger homotopic functional connectivity showed a more symmetrical rate of cortical thinning between the left and right hemispheres, compared with regions with weaker homotopic functional connectivity. Based on these findings, we suggest that the typical patterns of hemispheric differences in cortical thinning may reflect the intrinsic organization of the neurotransmitter systems and related patterns of homotopic functional connectivity.

Context: Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is associated with levels of total testosterone (total-T), and both total-T and SHBG are associated with obesity., Objective: We aimed to clarify the nature of the relationship between testosterone and SHBG and improve our understanding of their relationships with obesity. We hypothesize that the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis contributes to the homeostasis of testosterone by increasing the production of gonadal testosterone through a feedback mechanism that might operate differently at different pubertal stages., Methods: We investigated the dynamics of the relationship between SHBG, total-T, and body mass index (BMI) throughout puberty (from age 9 to 17) using longitudinal data obtained in 507 males. The directionality of this relationship was explored using polygenic scores of SHBG and total-T, and a two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) in male adults., Results: Consistent with our hypothesis, we found positive relationships between SHBG and total-T at age 15 and 17 but either no relationship or a negative relationship during the earlier time points. Such shifting relationships explained age-related changes in the association between total-T and BMI. Polygenic scores of SHBG and total-T in mediation analyses and the two-sample MR in male adults suggested an effect of SHBG on total-T but also a somewhat weaker effect of total-T on SHBG. Two-sample MR also showed an effect of BMI on SHBG but no effect of SHBG on BMI., Conclusion: These results clarify the nature of the relationship between testosterone and SHBG during puberty and adulthood and shed new light on their possible relationship with obesity., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The use of spoken and written language is a fundamental human capacity. Individual differences in reading- and language-related skills are influenced by genetic variation, with twin-based heritability estimates of 30 to 80% depending on the trait. The genetic architecture is complex, heterogeneous, and multifactorial, but investigations of contributions of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were thus far underpowered. We present a multicohort genome-wide association study (GWAS) of five traits assessed individually using psychometric measures (word reading, nonword reading, spelling, phoneme awareness, and nonword repetition) in samples of 13,633 to 33,959 participants aged 5 to 26 y. We identified genome-wide significant association with word reading (rs11208009, P = 1.098 × 10 -8 ) at a locus that has not been associated with intelligence or educational attainment. All five reading-/language-related traits showed robust SNP heritability, accounting for 13 to 26% of trait variability. Genomic structural equation modeling revealed a shared genetic factor explaining most of the variation in word/nonword reading, spelling, and phoneme awareness, which only partially overlapped with genetic variation contributing to nonword repetition, intelligence, and educational attainment. A multivariate GWAS of word/nonword reading, spelling, and phoneme awareness maximized power for follow-up investigation. Genetic correlation analysis with neuroimaging traits identified an association with the surface area of the banks of the left superior temporal sulcus, a brain region linked to the processing of spoken and written language. Heritability was enriched for genomic elements regulating gene expression in the fetal brain and in chromosomal regions that are depleted of Neanderthal variants. Together, these results provide avenues for deciphering the biological underpinnings of uniquely human traits.

Outer hair cells are critical to the amplification and frequency selectivity of the mammalian ear acting via a fine mechanism called the cochlear amplifier, which is especially effective in the high-frequency region of the cochlea. How this mechanism works under physiological conditions and how these cells overcome the viscous (mechanical) and electrical (membrane) filtering has yet to be fully understood. Outer hair cells are electromotile, and they are strategically located in the cochlea to generate an active force amplifying basilar membrane vibration. To investigate the mechanism of this cell's active force production under physiological conditions, a model that takes into account the mechanical, electrical, and mechanoelectrical properties of the cell wall (membrane) and cochlear environment is proposed. It is shown that, despite the mechanical and electrical filtering, the cell is capable of generating a frequency-tuned force with a maximal value of about 40 pN. It is also found that the force per unit basilar membrane displacement stays essentially the same (40 pNnm) for the entire linear range of the basilar membrane responses, including sound pressure levels close to hearing threshold. Our findings can provide a better understanding of the outer hair cell's role in the cochlear amplifier.

A computational model is proposed to analyze the active force production in an individual outer hair cell (OHC) under high-frequency conditions. The model takes into account important biophysical properties of the cell as well as constraints imposed by the surrounding environment. The biophysical properties include the elastic, piezoelectric, and viscous characteristics of the cell wall. The effect of the environment is associated with the stiffness of the constraint and the drag forces acting on the cell due to the interaction with the external and internal viscous fluids. The study concentrated on a combined effect of the transmembrane potential, frequency, and stiffness of the constraints. The effect of the voltage-dependent stiffness of the cell was particularly investigated and it was found to be twofold. First, it results in higher sensitivity and nonlinearity of the OHC active force production in the physiological range. Second, it determines smaller active forces in the hyperpolarization range. The resonant properties of the active force as functions of voltage and the constraint stiffness were also analyzed. The obtained results can be important for a better understanding of the OHC active force production and the contribution of cell electromotility to the cochlear amplification, sensitivity, and nonlinearity.

Cochlear outer hair cells (OHC) are critically important for the amplification and sharp frequency selectivity of the mammalian ear. The microchamber experiment has been an effective tool to analyze the OHC high-frequency performance. In this study, the OHC electrical stimulation in the microchamber is simulated. The model takes into account the inertial and viscous properties of fluids inside and outside the cell as well as the viscoelastic and piezoelectric properties of the cell composite membrane (wall). The closed ends of the cylindrical cell were considered as oscillatory rigid plates. The final solution was obtained in terms of Fourier series, and it was checked against the available results of the microchamber experiment. The conditions of the interaction between the cell and pipette was analyzed, and it was found that the amount of slip along the contact surface has a significant effect on the cell electromotile response. The cell's length changes were computed as a function of frequency, and their dependence on the viscosities of both fluids and the cell wall was analyzed. The distribution of the viscous losses inside the fluids was also estimated. The proposed approach can help in a better understanding of the high-frequency OHC electromotility under experimental and physiological conditions.

Recent research indicated that the dialysate flow distribution inside a hemodialyzer was not uniform ("channeling" of the dialysate flows). However, effect of the channeling on the solute clearance has not been directly and quantitatively examined. In this report, a novel experiment approach is presented to test the hypothesis that hollow fibers in different regions within a given hemodialyzer may contribute differently to the solute clearance. Water solution with urea (molecular weight 60) and creatinine (molecular weight 113) were made as "blood," and pure water was used as dialysate. Two high flux dialyzers, dialyzer A (cellulose triacetate) and dialyzer B (polyethersulfone), were used in this study. The hollow fiber potting area at the blood inlet of a dialyzer was divided into equal area concentric rings. In each experiment, only one of the rings was open for blood flow, and the other rings were blocked by epoxy. The "blood" was pumped at 120 ml/min while the dialysate flow rate (Qd) varied at 500, 800, and 1,000 ml/min, respectively. The solute clearance with a specific ring open (local clearance) was determined by measuring solute (urea/creatinine) concentration at the "blood" inlet and outlet. For dialyzer A, local clearance of urea and creatinine were significantly higher in the outer ring than in the inner ring. With increasing Qd, local solute clearance increased significantly for all rings. For dialyzer B, at any given Qd, solutes local clearance also increased from the inner to outer rings. In comparison, the effect of increasing Qd on solute clearance was greater for dialyzer B than for dialyzer A. In conclusion, using the new experimental method, the authors quantitatively evaluated the solute clearance contributed by the hollow fibers at different locations (concentric rings) in dialyzers. Hollow fibers at different locations did contribute differently to the solute clearance, which may be caused by the channeling of dialysate flow. A careful design of the dialyzer to minimize the channeling is needed.

Blood side and dialysate side flow distributions play an important role in determining the optimal use of dialysis membrane in hemodialyzers for the removal of uremic solutes. In this article, we used two nonintrusive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques called the two-dimensional phase contrast (2DPC) and two-dimensional Fourier transform (2DFT) velocity imaging techniques to (1) study the effect of space yarns on the dialysate side flow distribution, (2) investigate the effect of flow baffle on the dialysate side flow distribution, and (3) characterize the blood side and dialysate side flow profiles of hemodialyzers with flow rates ranging from 200 to 1000 ml/min. We investigated two types of hollow fiber hemodialyzers: hemodialyzers A (with spacer yarns) and B (without spacer yarns). We used a 3 mmol cupric sulfate solution as the compartmental fluid and imaged five transverse cross sections of these hemodialyzers. The hemodialyzer with spacer yarns had a more uniform dialysate side spatial flow distribution than that without spacer yarns. In addition, the design of flow baffle in these hemodialyzers can be further improved to promote uniform dialysate side flow distribution, and the blood side flow had a fully developed laminar flow profile. Our experimental results showed that these velocity imaging techniques provide an innovative, nonintrusive tool for characterizing flow distribution in hemodialyzers.