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As a promising material for the advanced thermal barrier coatings (TBCs), scandium oxide (Sc 2 O 3) and yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3) co-stabilized zirconia (ScYSZ) has been given increasing attention during the past decade. In this study, three types of TBCs including YSZ, ScYSZ and ScYSZ-YSZ double ceramic layer (DCL) coatings were deposited by a wide-velocity range high-energy plasma spraying technology. The thermal physical property, phase stability and thermal cycling performance of TBCs were comparatively studied. The results suggested that the thermal conductivity from 200 °C to 1000 °C of ScYSZ coating was reduced by approximately 30 % compared to the YSZ coating. After exposure at 1400 °C for 1000 h, the ScYSZ coating still kept the initial tetragonal phase structure, while the tetragonal phase was completely disappeared in the YSZ coating after 300 h at 1400 °C. Notably, the ScYSZ-YSZ DCL coating demonstrated the highest thermal cycling life within the temperature range of 1320∼1370 °C, exhibiting a remarkable 43 % increase over the single ScYSZ coating and doubling that of the single YSZ coating. The outcomes of this study hold significant promise for practical applications in the realm of high-performance TBCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is causing extreme heating events and intensifying infectious disease outbreaks. Animals harbour microbial communities, which are vital for their survival and fitness under stressful conditions. Understanding how microbiome structures change in response to infection and warming may be important for forecasting host performance under global change. Here, we evaluated alterations in the microbiomes of several wild Caenorhabditis elegans isolates spanning a range of latitudes, upon warming temperatures and infection by the parasite Leucobacter musarum. Using 16S rRNA sequencing, we found that microbiome diversity decreased, and dispersion increased over time, with the former being more prominent in uninfected adults and the latter aggravated by infection. Infection reduced dominance of specific microbial taxa, and increased microbiome dispersion, indicating destabilizing effects on host microbial communities. Exposing infected hosts to warming did not have an additive destabilizing effect on their microbiomes. Moreover, warming during pre-adult development alleviated the destabilizing effects of infection on host microbiomes. These results revealed an opposing interaction between biotic and abiotic factors on microbiome structure. Lastly, we showed that increased microbiome dispersion might be associated with decreased variability in microbial species interaction strength. Overall, these findings improve our understanding of animal microbiome dynamics amidst concurrent climate change and epidemics. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sculpting the microbiome: how host factors determine and respond to microbial colonization'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To describe patterns of antipsychotic switching among patients hospitalized for schizophrenia and to correlate antipsychotic switching with hospital readmission risk. We identified 3295 patients with index hospitalizations for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder from New York State Medicaid claims 2017–2018 who had filled at least one prescription for an antipsychotic in both the 44 days (one month +14 day grace period) prior to and after their admission. We identified patients who had kept or switched any of their antipsychotic medication between the pre- and post-periods surrounding their index hospitalization. We compared the kept and switched any groups, adjusting for patient characteristics. Of patients who had filled antipsychotic prescriptions in both the 44 days prior to and after their hospitalization, 1599 (48.6 %) had switched at least one antipsychotic and 1215 (36.8 %) had switched their primary antipsychotic. Switching any antipsychotic was associated with increased hazards of readmission, HR = 1.21, 95%CI 1.09–1.35, which was slightly concentrated during the first 90 days after hospital discharge. Switching antipsychotic medications during hospitalization occurs commonly and is associated with higher rehospitalization risk following hospital discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low sensitivity of working electrodes is usually the bottleneck of the electrochemical testing method. In this work, bismuth antimonate nanosheets have excellent electrochemical performance and are used as the modified materials for glassy carbon electrodes. Bismuth antimonate nanosheets were prepared by a simple coprecipitation method. By changing the calcination temperature and holding time, the effects of these factors on the morphology and structure of the bismuth antimonate nanosheets were investigated. The bismuth antimonate-modified electrode was used for the electrochemical detection of benzoic acid. The results showed that a pair of semi-reversible redox peaks appeared at − 0.48 V and + 0.05 V, and the intensity of the redox peaks gradually increased with the increase of benzoic acid concentration and scan rate. The bismuth antimonate nanomaterial-modified glassy carbon electrode has a wide linear detection range (0.0002–2 mM), low detection limit (0.053 µM) and good cycling performance for detecting benzoic acid. The good electrochemical performance shows that bismuth antimonate nanomaterials have potential application value in the detection of benzoic acid. The glassy carbon electrode modified by bismuth antimonate nanosheets can effectively detect benzoic acid, with linear detection range (0.0002–2 mM) and detection limit (0.053 µM) and good repeatability [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel reaction microscope designed for ion–atom collision investigations, established at the Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China. Its time-of-flight (TOF) spectrometer employs an innovative flight-time focusing method consisting of two acceleration regions, providing optimal time focusing conditions for charged fragments with diverse initial velocities. The TOF spectrometer's axis intentionally tilts by 12° relative to the ion beam direction, preventing potential obstructions from the TOF grid electrodes. The introduced focusing method allows for a flexible time-focusing TOF spectrometer design without restricting the length ratio of the two regions. In addition, this configuration in our case significantly suppresses noise on the recoil ion detector produced by residual gas in the ion beam trajectory, which is a considerable challenge in longitudinal spectrometers. In a test experiment on the single electron capture reaction involving 62.5 keV/u He2+ ions and a helium atomic beam, the recoil longitudinal momentum resolution achieved 0.068 atomic units. This novel configuration and successful test run show excellent precision for ion–atom collision studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Next Generation Simulation (NGSIM) vehicle trajectory dataset is a significant public dataset in the field of transportation. However, the presence of outliers in the dataset due to measurement errors, environmental influences, and data transmission errors undermines the reliability of research based on this dataset. To address this issue, this study proposes a vehicle trajectory reconstruction method for NGSIM based on the isolation forest algorithm, Gaussian kernel regression algorithm, and wavelet analysis. Firstly, the isolation forest algorithm is employed to detect outliers. Secondly, the Gaussian kernel regression algorithm is utilized to correct these outliers. Lastly, wavelet analysis is applied for denoising purposes. Through experimental analysis of the NGSIM vehicle trajectory dataset 1-80, the results demonstrate that using Sym3 as the basis function yields optimal denoising effects whether by correcting original velocity data with Gaussian kernel algorithms followed by wavelet denoising or directly applying wavelet denoising alone. The signal to noise ratio (SNR) and root mean square error (RMSE) values obtained from correcting original data with Gaussian kernel algorithms followed by wavelet denoising are 24.02 and 1.40 respectively. These values indicate higher SNR and lower RMSE compared to directly applying wavelet denoising on original data alone. Wavelet analysis exhibits superior denoising effects when applied after correcting original data with Gaussian kernel algorithms while preserving relevant characteristics of the original data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the monotone extended second-order cone (MESOC), which is related to the monotone cone and the second-order cone. Some properties of the MESOC are presented and its dual cone is computed. Projecting onto the MESOC is reduced to the pool-adjacent-violators algorithm (PAVA) of isotonic regression. An application of MESOC to portfolio optimization is provided. Some broad descriptions of possible MESOC-regression models are also outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the efficacy and safety of dual antiplatelet treatment, combining clopidogrel and aspirin, initiated within 72 hours after mild ischemic stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack (TIA). Topics discussed include the risk reduction of recurrent stroke with dual antiplatelet therapy initiated within 72 hours after mild ischemic stroke or high-risk TIA, involving clopidogrel and aspirin.

Methionine sulfoxide reductases (MSRs) serve an important role in maintaining the redox balance in plant cells, but the function of the Brachypodium (Brachypodium distachyon (L.) P. Beauv.) homologs have not been reported to date. Previous studies have demonstrated that Brachypodium distachyon MSRB1.1 gene belongs to the MSRB subfamily and is induced by salinity or osmotic stress. In the present study, we found that the BdMSRB1.1 protein localized to the chloroplast. In our experiments, we used transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana with constitutive expression of BdMSRB1.1 and a loss-of-function msrb1 mutant, verified by MSR enzyme activity assays and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. When treated with NaCl, mannitol, H2O2 or abscisic acid, the phenotype of the BdMSRB1.1 overexpression line exhibited higher tolerance than that of the wild type, whereas the msrb1 mutant was more sensitive. Under conditions of salt stress, constitutive expression of BdMSRB1.1 in Arabidopsis promoted reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging capacity, supported by increased activity of ROS-removal enzymes, increased transcription levels of several ROS-clearance genes, and decreased malondialdehyde content; the msrb1 mutant plants exhibited the opposite results. Furthermore, BdMSRB1.1 overexpression led to increased soluble sugar content, in accordance with the observed upregulation of the sucrose synthase and sucrose phosphate synthase genes, which are key in the soluble sugar synthesis pathway. These findings suggest that BdMSRB1.1 plays a positive role in responses to salinity and osmotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anxiety and depression are frequently comorbid yet phenotypically distinct. This study identifies differences in the clinically observable phenome across a wide variety of physical and mental disorders comparing patients with diagnoses of depression without anxiety, anxiety without depression, or both depression and anxiety. Methods: Using electronic health records for 14 994 participants with depression and/or anxiety in the Mayo Clinic Biobank, a phenotype-based phenome-wide association study (Phe2WAS) was performed to test for differences between these groups across a broad range of clinical diagnoses observed in the electronic health record. Additional analyses were performed to determine the temporal sequencing of diagnoses. Results: Compared to patients diagnosed only with anxiety, those diagnosed only with depression were more likely to have diagnoses of obesity (OR 1.75; p = 1 × 10−27), sleep apnea (OR 1.71; p = 1 × 10−22), and type II diabetes (OR 1.74; p = 9 × 10−18). Compared to those diagnosed only with depression, those diagnosed only with anxiety were more likely to have diagnoses of palpitations (OR 1.91; p = 2 × 10−25), benign skin neoplasms (OR 1.61; p = 2 × 10−17), and cardiac dysrhythmias (OR 1.45; p = 2 × 10−12). Patients with comorbid depression and anxiety were more likely to have diagnoses of other mental health disorders, substance use disorders, sleep problems, and gastroesophageal reflux relative to isolated depression. Conclusions: While depression and anxiety are closely related, this study suggests that phenotypic distinctions exist between depression and anxiety. Improving phenotypic characterization within the broad categories of depression and anxiety could improve the clinical assessment of depression and anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using 5‐year dual‐polarization radar observations, variations of convective and microphysical characteristics of extreme precipitation features (EPFs) with increasing rainfall extremity over a monsoon coastal region (Pearl River Delta; PRD) in South China are investigated through comparing three groups of EPFs (ER1, ER2, and ER3). The more extreme rainfall shows a notable increase and decrease in the fractions of "intense" convection and "weak" convection, respectively. The higher rainfall extremity is accompanied by statistically significant increases in ice and liquid water contents but a roughly equal fraction of coalescence in liquid‐phase processes. While the raindrop size distributions of ER1 to ER3 similarly feature a mean size larger than "maritime‐like" droplets and a concentration much higher than "continental‐like" raindrops, the mean size and concentration of raindrops tend to increase slightly with the increasing rainfall extremity. Two sensitivity experiments on EFP definition confirm the robustness and representative of the above results. Plain Language Summary: Extreme precipitation could induce flooding and severe hazards and may increase in the warming climate. It has recently been shown that extreme precipitation can be produced by very intense convection with presence of large solid precipitating particles such as graupel and hail, or by weak convection with much shorter vertical extension through rapid growth of many raindrops, or by moderate convection in between. However, we do not know well to what extent extreme precipitation overlaps with intense convection and how the convective and microphysical characteristics change with increasing rainfall extremity. To answer these questions, we use 5‐year dual‐polarization radar observations over a monsoon coastal region combined with distrometer observations, and comparatively analyze the convective and microphysical characteristics of rainfall with three different extreme levels. Results show that, with higher rainfall extremity, probability distribution of the extreme rainfall‐producing convection tends to shift toward stronger convective intensity, producing larger liquid and ice water contents (significant at 0.01 confidence level) and also slightly higher concentration with larger mean size of raindrops. Key Points: With more extreme rainfall, the extreme precipitation features tend to grow in horizontal size from the meso‐γ‐ to meso‐β‐scaleOverlap between extreme precipitation and extreme convection increases substantially with more extreme rainfallEnhanced mixed‐phase processes, larger liquid/ice water contents, slight changes in liquid‐phase processes are with more extreme rainfall [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although shift work has been reported as having a link to dementia, evidence remains inconsistent, and a comprehensive dose-response meta-analysis of the association is still lacking. We therefore conducted this meta-analysis to explore the association between shift work and the risk of dementia. Systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were systematically searched. Fixed or random-effects models were used to estimate the summary relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Generalized least squares regression was used to estimate dose-response associations, and restricted cubic splines were used to examine possible linear or non-linear associations. Five articles (10 studies) with 72,999 participants and 23,067 cases were eventually included in the meta-analysis. The summary RRs and 95% CIs of dementia risk with shift work and night shift work versus daytime work were 1.13 (95% CI: 1.05–1.21, I 2 = 46.70%) and 1.13 (95% CI: 1.03–1.24, I 2 = 9.20%), respectively. The risk of dementia increased by 1% (RR = 1.01, 95% CI: 1.01–1.02, I 2 = 41.3%) with each 1-year increase in the duration of shift work. We found a non-linear dose-response association between the duration of shift work and the risk of dementia (P non-linearity = 0.006). Though the shape of the curve was steeper with the duration of shift work <7 years, the increase was more gradual after 7 years. Our findings suggest that shift work may be a risk factor for future dementia and that controlling the length of shift work is a feasible measure that may contribute to prevent dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shearer cutting drum plays an important role in improving the mining efficiency of the coal mine. Starting from the basic theoretical mechanics, this paper analyzes the force on the shearer cutting drum of a certain model, establishes the mathematical model of the force on the cutting drum, sets the shearer calculation parameters, and calculates the load of the cutting tooth on the shearer cutting drum. Through the analysis, it is concluded that the threeway instantaneous load of the drum cutting tooth is irregularly distributed, and the axial force has sudden changes in magnitude and direction. The research content of this paper has certain guiding significance for the layout design of shearer drum and cutting tooth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Baked carbohydrate-rich foods are the main source of acrylamide (AA) in the general population and are widely consumed by teenagers. Considering the crucial development of the reproductive system during puberty, the health risks posed by AA in adolescent males have raised public concern. Methods: In this study, we exposed 3-week-old male pubertal mice to AA for 4 weeks to evaluate its effect on spermatogenesis using computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) and historical analysis. Flow cytometric analysis and meiocyte spreading assay were conducted to assess meiosis in mice. The expression of meiosis-related proteins and double-strand break (DSB) proteins were evaluated by immunoblot analyses. Additionally, isolated spermatocytes were used to explore the role of resveratrol in AA-induced damages of meiosis. Results: Our results showed that AA decreased the testicular and epididymal indexes, reduced sperm count and motility, and induced morphological disruption of the testes in pubertal mice. Subsequent meiotic analysis revealed that AA increased the proportion of 4C spermatocytes and decreased the proportion of 1C spermatids. The expression levels of meiosis-related proteins (SYCP3, Cyclin A1 and CDK2) were downregulated, and signaling proteins (γH2AX, p-CHK2 and p-ATM) expression levels were upregulated in AA-treated mice testes. Similar expression patterns were observed in primary spermatocytes treated with AA and these effects were reversed significantly by resveratrol. Conclusions: Our results indicate that AA induces meiotic arrest via persistent activation of DSBs, which may contribute to AA-compromised spermatogenesis. Resveratrol could serve as a potential therapeutic agent against AA-induced meiotic toxicity. These data highlight the importance of natural product supplementation for treating AA-related reproductive toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prolonged sedentary behaviour is detrimental to health due to low contractile activity in large lower extremity muscle groups. This muscle inactivity can be measured with electromyography (EMG), but it is unknown how methodological factors affect responsiveness longitudinally. This study ranks 16 different EMG inactivity thresholds based on their responsiveness (absolute and standardized effect size, responsiveness) using data from a randomized controlled trial targeted at reducing and breaking up sedentary time (InPact, ISRCTN28668090). EMG inactivity duration and usual EMG inactivity bout duration (weighted median of bout lengths) were measured from large lower extremity muscle groups (quadriceps, hamstring) with EMG-sensing shorts. The results showed that the EMG inactivity threshold above signal baseline (3 μV) provided overall the best responsiveness indices. At baseline, EMG inactivity duration of 66.8 ± 9.6% was accumulated through 73.9 ± 36.0 s usual EMG inactivity bout duration, both of which were reduced following the intervention (−4.8 percentage points, −34.3 s). The proposed methodology can reduce variability in longitudinal designs and the detailed results can be used for sample size calculations. Reducing EMG inactivity duration and accumulating EMG inactivity in shorter bouts has a potential influence on muscle physiology and health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an inverse problem to derive the stress distributions that drive the tissue flows during gastrulation in the epiblast of the chick embryo, from measurements of the tissue velocity fields at different stages of development. We assume that the embryonic tissue can be described as a highly viscous fluid, characterized by the Stokes equations. Using the theory of the optimal control, the stress distributions are determined by minimizing an objective functional, which is constructed such that it can match the numerical velocity of the flow with the experimental velocity data by choosing the stress as the control variable. The Lagrange multiplier method is utilized to derive the optimality system. The finite element method is used to approximate these partial differential equations numerically and we use the conjugate gradient algorithm to solve the optimal control problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tribaloys are Cobalt-based alloys with general composition M–Mo–Cr–Si (M = Co), with a microstructure of Laves intermetallic phases dispersed in a Co solid solution. The chemical composition plays a major role in volume fractions of the strengthening phases in these alloys, which in turn dictate the mechanical properties and tribological performance of these materials. In this study, two Co-based Tribaloy powders, i.e., Co-28.5Mo-17.5Cr-3.4Si and Co-28.5Mo-8.5Cr-2.6Si, were coated on mild steel substrate by high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) spraying. Microstructure and distribution of Laves phases were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis as well as electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI). Detailed phase analysis of powders and coatings was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) was conducted on sprayed coatings to reveal the distribution of phases in coatings. Co3Mo2Si and Co3Mo were found to be the main constituent of intermetallic Laves phases in HVOF-sprayed coatings. A significantly lower volume fraction of Laves phases was identified in both coatings as compared to similar alloys in the literature, due to an extremely high cooling rate and solidification in HVOF. The Laves-free solid solution featured nano-crystalline microstructure with a similar local hardness to those of Laves phases. Highly flattened splats that contained nano-crystalline supersaturated solid solution displayed weak interfaces within the microstructure where cracks initiated and propagated along boundaries during splat cohesion testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the cardiometabolic effects of atypical antipsychotics have been well-described in clinical samples, less is known about the longer-term impacts of these treatments. We report rates of metabolic syndrome in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adult inpatients 1993-2018 admitted for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (n = 1,785,314), any mental health disorder (n = 8,378,773), or neither (n = 14,458,616) during a period of widespread atypical antipsychotic use. Metabolic syndrome, derived from additional diagnoses, was defined as three or more of hypertension, dyslipidemia, type II diabetes, hyperglycemia, and overweight or obese. Using an ecological age and period design, a 4-level period variable was constructed to proxy for atypical antipsychotic exposure as the minimum of age minus 20 years or the calendar year minus 1997 in accord with the disease course for schizophrenia-spectrum illness and the market share of atypical antipsychotics in the U.S. Logistic regression models, adjusted for age, year, and exposure main effects, estimated odds ratios (ORs) of metabolic syndrome. Relative to other mental health or other discharges, schizophrenia-spectrum discharges had an elevated risk for metabolic syndrome regardless of potential atypical antipsychotic exposure (OR = 1.46; 95 % CI, 1.30-1.64). For schizophrenia-spectrum discharges, periods of potential atypical antipsychotic exposure conferred additional metabolic syndrome risk OR = 1.21; 95 % CI, 1.04-1.41 for exposures of 1-2 years, OR = 1.29; 95 % CI, 1.13-1.46 for 3-7 years, OR = 1.27; 95 % CI, 1.12-1.44 for 8-12 years, and OR = 1.10; 95 % CI 0.98-1.24 for >12 years. In summary, cardiometabolic disease and related risks were elevated among a nationally representative sample of adult inpatients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders during a period of pervasive atypical antipsychotic use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In plants, members of the large PP2C gene family regulate development, growth, and responses to stress exposure. While the tobacco genome is now readily available, there have been few analyses regarding the evolution, expression, and function of PP2C family genes in tobacco plants. Herein, a genome-wide identification strategy was used to explore PP2C gene structures, motifs, and expression patterns in different Nicotiana tabacum L. tissues, with their expression further being evaluated via real-time PCR under a range of stress conditions. In total, 183 NtPP2C genes were identified within the tobacco genome, and phylogenetic analyses revealed these genes to harbor similar gene structures and conserved motifs, and to be clustered within the same clade. The tissue-specific expression patterns of NtPP2C genes from Clade A were additionally characterized. Notably, NtPP2C11 and NtPP2C12 exhibited the highest levels of expression, while NtPP2C18 and NtPP2C19 transcripts were largely undetectable. Specific NtPP2C genes were found to be upregulated in response to low temperature, salt, and drought treatment conditions. Of these, NtPP2C11 and NtPP2C12 were significantly upregulated in response to these treatments, suggesting that they may play important roles in regulating plant responses to exogenous stressors. Overall, these data provide a robust foundation for further functional analyses of NtPP2C genes in tobacco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To estimate the contribution of insurance on rates of inpatient admission for emergency department visits with depression diagnoses. We identified 3,681,581 visits for depression in the National Emergency Department Sample (2007–2018). We classified them by concurrent injury, suicidal ideation, or neither. Payer categories were defined, non-exclusively, as Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, and no insurance. Logistic regression models, adjusted for age, year, and comorbidities, were used to describe differences in rates of inpatient admission by payer type, stratified by visit features. Rates of inpatient admission for visits with neither injury nor suicidal ideation (31.9%; 95%CI, 30.8–33.0) were lower than for visits with injury (37.9%; 95%CI, 36.7–39.1) or with suicidal ideation (39.7%; 95%CI, 37.3–42.1). Rates of admission were significantly lower for those without insurance (26.6%; 95%CI, 25.5–27.8) than for those with insurance (37.1%; 95%CI, 36.1–38.1). In adjusted models, insurance was associated with increased likelihood (OR = 1.81, 95%CI, 1.69–1.94) of admission. Insurance continued to be a significant predictor of admission among ED visits for depression with concurrent injury (OR = 1.39; 95%CI, 1.29–1.51). After controlling for demographic characteristics and medical comorbidities, patients with depression who have insurance are significantly more likely to be admitted to the hospital compared to those without insurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the monotone extended second-order cone (MESOC), which is related to the monotone cone and the second-order cone. Some properties of the MESOC are presented and its dual cone is computed. Projecting onto the MESOC is reduced to the pool-adjacent-violators algorithm (PAVA) of isotonic regression. An application of MESOC to portfolio optimization is provided. Some broad descriptions of possible MESOC-regression models are also outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking a certain type of shearer as the research object, using the large-scale Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software ANSYS, according to the actual situation of load distribution, the stress model of the shearer body is established, the stress and deformation of the shearer body are analyzed, and the deformation curve and equivalent stress nephogram of the shearer body under working state are fitted, The stress and strain distribution of fuselage structure under working conditions are analyzed. The calculation results show that the structural design of the shearer body is more reasonable and has better stiffness and strength under normal working conditions. The calculation results have a certain reference value for the analysis and research of high-power shearer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The NITRATE TRANSPORTER 1/PEPTIDE TRANSPORTER family (NPF) proteins play important roles in transporting substrates, such as nitrate, peptides, amino acids, dicarboxylates, malate, glucosinolates, indole acetic acid, abscisic acid, and jasmonic acid. However, there is limited information on the NPF genes in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), in contrast to Arabidopsis. Our study aimed to reveal general information about tomato NPFs and to analyze the transcriptional responses of some members using plant nitrogen status. We identified 85 SlNPF genes, and a phylogenetic analysis organized them into nine major clades. Thirty motifs were found based on NPF amino acid sequence alignments. Chromosomal locations and gene duplication events of SlNPF family genes were also analyzed. An uneven distribution of SlNPF genes was discovered among tomato chromosomes. Twenty-five SlNPF genes resulted from whole-genome triplication (WGT)/segmental duplication in Solanaceae. Our results showed that ancient whole-genome triplication and tandem duplication mainly contributed to the expansion of the SlNPF genes. In the NPF family, 19 orthologous genes were identified between tomato and Arabidopsis, suggesting that at least 19 NPF genes were present in a common ancestor before Arabidopsis and tomato differentiated. In addition, we analyzed the expression patterns of the SlNPF family genes in various tomato tissues. We monitored 49 root-specific SlNPF genes that showed varied expression patterns under different N status. Among them, SINPF9, -34, ‑58 and -60 were significantly induced by both low and high levels of nitrate. Our findings provide a foundation for future research on this gene family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to design and fabricate a three-dimensional (3D) printed artificial ovary. We first compared the printability of gelatin-methacryloyl (GelMA), alginate and GelMA–alginate bioinks, of which GelMA was selected for further investigation. The swelling properties, degradation kinetics and shape fidelity of GelMA scaffolds were characterized by equilibrium swelling/lyophilization, collagenase processing and micro-computed tomography evaluation. Commercial ovarian tumor cell lines (COV434, KGN, ID8) and primary culture ovarian somatic cells were utilized to perform cell-laden 3D printing, and the results were evaluated by live/dead assays and TUNEL detection. Murine ovarian follicles were seeded in the ovarian scaffold and their diameters were recorded every day. Finally, in vitro maturation was performed, and the ovulated oocytes were collected and observed. Our results indicated that GelMA was suitable for 3D printing fabrication. Its scaffolds performed well in terms of hygroscopicity, degradation kinetics and shape fidelity. The viability of ovarian somatic cells was lower than that of commercial cell lines, suggesting that extrusion-based 3D culture fabrication is not suitable for primary ovarian cells. Nevertheless, the GelMA-based 3D printing system provided an appropriate microenvironment for ovarian follicles, which successfully grew and ovulated in the scaffolds. Metaphase II oocytes were also observed after in vitro maturation. The GelMA-based 3D printing culture system is a viable alternative option for follicular growth, development and transfer. Accordingly, it shows promise for clinical application in the treatment of female endocrine and reproductive conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study takes multitemporal Landsat images as data source to explore the changes of Fractional Vegetation Cover (FVC) and ecological quality (EQ) of the Wugong Mountain (WGM). The regression model obtained from MODIS NDVI data was used to correct the temporal difference of Landsat normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data in 2019, and the Remote Sensing based Ecological Index (RSEI) was calculated to assess the change of FVC and EQ in WGM. Results showed that, in the past 25 yr, the mean value of FVC has increased from 0.795 in 1994 to 0.890 in 2019, which consequently improved EQ from 0.746 to 0.773 respectively. The relationship among topographic factors, FVC and EQ was analyzed by using elevation, slope, and aspect. The effect of topographic factor on FVC and EQ in WGM was in the order of slope, aspect, and elevation. The value of FVC and RSEI increased first and then decreased with increment of elevation and slope. In detail, the favorable terrain of FVC and EQ was the area with an elevation of 500–1,400 m and a slope of 8°–35°. The value of FVC and RSEI in semi‐sunny and sunny slopes were higher than that of shady slopes. The unfavorable terrain of FVC and EQ was the area of the meadow with an elevation greater than 1,700 m. This work highlights the importance of FVC and EQ which can provide scientific decision‐making for the sustainability of WGM, and coordinate development of ecological environment protection and economic construction. Key Points: Remote Sensing based Ecological Index (RSEI) can enable quickly monitor and evaluate the regional ecological environmentFrom 1994 to 2019, the average RSEI increased from 0.746 to 0.773, indicating that the ecological quality has been significantly improvedThe influence of slope, aspect, and elevation factors on the distribution of Fractional Vegetation Cover and RSEI decreased in turn [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the nitrogen fixation, legume crops are often inoculated with selected effective rhizobia. However, there is large variation in how well the inoculant strains compete with the indigenous microflora in soil. To assess the success of the inoculant, it is necessary to distinguish it from other, closely related strains. Methods used until now have generally been based either on fingerprinting methods or on the use of reporter genes. Nevertheless, these methods have their shortcomings, either because they do not provide sufficiently specific information on the identity of the inoculant strain, or because they use genetically modified organisms that need prior authorization to be applied in the field or other uncontained environments. Another possibility is to target a gene that is naturally present in the bacterial genomes. Here we have developed a method that is based on amplicon sequencing of the bacterial housekeeping gene rpoB, encoding the beta‐subunit of the RNA polymerase, which has been proposed as an alternative to the 16S rRNA gene to study the diversity of rhizobial populations in soils. We evaluated the method under laboratory and field conditions. Peanut seeds were inoculated with various Bradyrhizobium strains. After nodule development, DNA was extracted from selected nodules and the nodulating rhizobia were analysed by amplicon sequencing of the rpoB gene. The analyses of the sequence data showed that the method reliably identified bradyrhizobial strains in nodules, at least at the species level, and could be used to assess the competitiveness of the inoculant compared to other bradyrhizobia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photon detectors are important elements of optical analytical systems, such as electrochemiluminescence (ECL), and are used to determine the signal intensity. To accurately receive the photon signal in ECL, the detector should cover the wavelength range from approximately 400 to 700 nm for ECL experiments. However, the signal intensity is often too weak and cannot be observed by the naked eye or quantified digitally. Therefore, it is important to align the detector to the surface of the reaction site for the ECL system. In this minireview, a summary and comparison of photon-collecting tools to facilitate further study for choosing the proper detector of each ECL system is provided. Among all devices, charge couple device (CCD) cameras have gained significant attention in recent years. A CCD-integrated ECL device helps capture instant images and possess benefits such as miniaturization, portability, and low cost, which is in contrast to the alternatives. CCDs are utilized for diverse applications, including single-cell imaging, detection of molecules in cells and real samples, and the development of point-of-care testing, and are highly specific and provide ultra-sensitive detection. The signal collection is the last step in developing an ideal ECL system. The superior selectivity and sensitivity for the target of interest is promising for the construction of highly effective ECL biosensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Betalain is a natural plant pigment known to elicit various biological activities. However, studies on the protective effect of betalain against heart failure have not reported yet. The experimental model of heart failure was created in Wistar rats using isoproterenol (ISO). The animals were randomly assigned into four groups such as sham-control, ISO-induced heart failure, betalain pretreated before ISO induction (50 mg/kg/day), and betalain drug control group were maintained for 6 weeks. At the end of the experimental period, anti-oxidant enzymes, inflammatory markers, matrix proteins, cardiac-specific markers, and micro RNAs were elucidated using RT-PCR, and ELISA analysis. The results demonstrated that the rats induced with ISO displayed an abnormality in cardiac functions, increased oxidative stress markers (p < 0.01), inflammatory cytokines (p < 0.01) while abrogated the expression of miR-18a, and increased miR-199a. While betalain pre-treated rats prevented the cardiac failure significantly (p < 0.01) with improved anti-oxidant enzymes, abrogated the inflammatory signals with restored matrix proteins, cardiac biomarker genes, and attenuated miR-423 and miR-27 compared to heart failure rats. The results of the study suggest that the betalain treatment protected the hearts from failing via microRNA mediated activation the anti-inflammatory signaling and restoring the matrix protein modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Suilysin is a critical pore‐forming virulence factor of Streptococcus suis that has been demonstrated to substantially contribute to its pathogenicity. We have demonstrated that formononetin alleviates S. suis infection both in vivo and in vitro by targeting suilysin. However, the molecular mechanism of the effect is unclear. Our aim was to determine the molecular mechanism of the effect of formononetin on suilysin. Methods and Results: The mechanism of interaction between formononetin and suilysin was investigated by molecular modelling. The results indicated that formononetin was bound at the junction of domain two and domain four of suilysin. The binding free energy values indicated that the A415, Y412, E414, N413, T61, T62 and G416 residues are critical for this binding, this observation was confirmed by the changes in the flexibility of these residues and the distances between these residues and formononetin. The inhibitory effect of formononetin on the pore‐forming activity of suilysin, binding constant and binding free energy were significantly decreased by site‐specific mutagenesis of Y412 and N413. Finally, we analysed the spatial configuration of suilysin before and after formononetin binding, the results indicated that the binding changed the conformation of suilysin, especially the angle between domain two and domain four, resulting in the disruption of cholesterol binding to suilysin and in the loss of pore‐forming activity. Conclusions: Formononetin is located at the junction of domain two and domain four of suilysin, and Y412 and N413 play critical roles in the binding. Formononetin binding changes the angle between domain two and domain four of suilysin, resulting in the loss of the pore‐inducing activity of suilysin. Significance and Impact of the Study: This work will promote the application of formononetin to combat S. suis infections and may contribute to the development of new inhibitors or modification of existing inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prediction of the remaining life of remanufacturing blanks is crucial to evaluate their remanufacturability. To overcome the deficiency of obtaining insufficient fatigue damage characteristic information using a single non-destructive testing method, a new magnetoacoustic fusion life prediction method based on Dempster-Shafer (D-S) evidence theory optimised by a weighted fusion algorithm is proposed. The characteristic parameters of metal magnetic memory (MMM) and acoustic emission (AE) signals are first extracted on the basis of a fatigue experiment and data layer fusion is carried out to establish the mapping relationship between MMM and AE characteristic parameters and specimen life based on a back-propagation (BP) neural network. The basic probability distribution of the life is assigned in a fuzzy manner according to the normal distribution and the reliability function of each life interval is obtained by data fusion based on D-S evidence theory. Furthermore, the basic probability distribution value is modified based on a weighted fusion algorithm and the corrected data are fused to obtain a more accurate life prediction result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Late recovery in patients following prolonged coma from carbon monoxide poisoning have been reported, but the probability is unclear. The purpose of this research was to assess the prognosis of patients in prolonged coma after severe carbon monoxide poisoning and related clinical and imaging features. Methods: There were 13 patients who had been in a state of coma for >7 days after acute carbon monoxide poisoning in the retrospective observational study, and demographic data, clinical data, laboratory data, complications, and image data were collected. Outcome was assessed by means of the Glasgow outcome scale after 1 year. The relationship between complications and imaging manifestations and prognosis was also analyzed. Results: One year after severe carbon monoxide poisoning, two patients (15.4%) had died (GOS 1), nine (69.2%) were in a persistent vegetative state (GOS 2), one (7.7%) was moderately disabled (GOS 4), and one (7.7%) achieved a good recovery (GOS 5) with minimal disability. Conclusions: Most patients with prolonged coma after severe carbon monoxide poisoning had a poor prognosis, although the younger patients had a better prognosis. Respiratory failure, hypotension and renal failure during the course of the disease were associated with a poor prognosis. The prognosis of patients with injuries in two sites in early CT was poor. Multiple lesions (≥3) and extensive white matter damage (Fazekas grade (PVH or DWMH) = 3) on MRI of chronic phase were also associated with a poor prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ti2AlNb‐based self‐lubricating composite material reinforced with silver particles of 0 wt% to 15 wt% was prepared by spark plasma sintering, and the microhardness, compression performance and high‐temperature tribological properties were investigated. The results show that the silver is distributed in the Ti2AlNb matrix as small islands. The microhardness reaches the maximum at 5 wt% silver content but then decreases sharply. The compressive strength is reduced due to the silver‐rich areas have become the initiation points of cracks, and the softening of silver at high temperatures intensifies the process. The friction coefficient and wear rate of the composite material at 500 °C are significantly reduced by silver, and the lubrication mechanism is attributed to the synergistic effect of silver and oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compare the laser performance of two laser-diode dual-end-pumped 3 at.% b-cut Tm:YAP slab lasers with a concave-plane resonator and a plane–plane resonator. At an incident pump power of 564 W, we achieve the maximum output power equal to 214 W in the Tm:YAP laser with two resonators; the corresponding optical conversion efficiency reaches 37.9% and the slope efficiency is 50.6%. The emission wavelength is 1938.6 nm with an FWHM of about 0.47 nm. At an output power of 200 W, the beam quality factor M2 equal to 142 in the x direction and 5.3 in the y direction. This laser is useful for pumping a Ho:YLF slab laser, which provides the 2.05 μm laser radiation for CO2 differential absorption Lidar measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper established a finite element model of angle steel to have an numerical simulation on angle steel’s stress field and strain field in the process of controlled cooling by using the finite element analysis software ansys. Contrasting the natural cooling and controlled cooling, could get angle steel’s each parts about the temperature changes and the angle section’s temperature field in all directions.Analysis results show that: Controlled cooling could increase the cooling rate, making the temperature distribution of steel more uniform, improve the temperature field distribution, and increase mechanical property and general performance, which have a good reference value for the study to angle steel’s controlled cooling on temperature field. This paper established a finite element model of angle steel to have an numerical simulation on angle steel’s stress field and strain field in the process of controlled cooling by using the finite element analysis software ansys. Contrasting the natural cooling and controlled cooling, could get angle steel’s each parts about the temperature changes and the angle section’s temperature field in all directions.Analysis results show that: Controlled cooling could increase the cooling rate, making the temperature distribution of steel more uniform, improve the temperature field distribution, and increase mechanical property and general performance, which have a good reference value for the study to angle steel’s controlled cooling on temperature field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Good conductivity is conventionally considered as a typical reference standard in terms of selecting water electrolysis catalysts. Cobalt hydroxide (Co(OH)2) has received extensive attention for its exceptional properties as a promising electrocatalysis catalyst. However, research on Co(OH)2 so far prefers to its crystal phase instead of amorphous phase because the former generally exhibits better conductivity. Here, we have demonstrated that the amorphous Co(OH)2 electrocatalyst synthesized via a simple, facile, green, and low-cost electrochemistry technique possesses high activity and long-term cycle stability in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The as-synthesized Co(OH)2 electrode was found to be a promising electrocatalyst for mediating OER in alkaline media, as evidenced by the overpotential of 0.38 V at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 and a Tafel slope of 68 mV dec-1. The amorphous Co(OH)2 also presented outstanding durability and its stability was just as well as that of crystalline Co(OH)2. Generally, the integrated electrochemical performances of the amorphous Co(OH)2 in the OER process were much superior to that of the crystalline Co(OH)2 materials. We also established that the short-range order, i.e., nano-phase, of amorphous Co(OH)2 creates a lot of active sites for OER which can greatly promote the electrocatalysis performance of amorphous catalysts. These findings showed that the conventional understanding of selecting electrocatalysts with conductivity as a typical reference standard seems out of date for developing new catalysts at the nanometer, which actually open a door to applications of amorphous nanomaterials as an advanced electrocatalyst in the field of water oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to prospectively identify the prevalence of generalized headache and associated risk factors in Chinese midlife women.Methods: We identified 411 qualified women from a Chinese urban community, contributing a total of 2544 surveys. The presence of generalized headache was measured. Climacteric symptoms and other risk factors were evaluated by generalized estimating equations.Results: The prevalence of headache complaints is associated with menopausal stages. Perimenopausal women have relatively high prevalence of headache symptoms, especially stage +1a women (59.0%) compared to late postmenopausal women (37.8%), although menopause stages were not statistically significant in the multivariate analysis. Women who had headache at baseline and depression were much more likely to have headache during menopause. According to the univariate and multivariate analyses in women without headache at baseline, starting menopausal status, insomnia, sweats, and depression were independently associated with newly developed headache.Conclusions: Symptoms of generalized headache were less prevalent in late postmenopausal women. Our findings highlight the association between headache and climacteric changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphatidic acid (PA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) play roles in regulating plant responses to abiotic stress. The objective of this study was to determine effects of H2O2 or PA, individually and interactively, with a H2O2 scavenging molecule, N,N'‐dimethylthoiurea (DMTU), on plant tolerance to heat stress in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea).Plants were treated with PA (25 µm), H2O2 (5 mm) and PA (25 µm) + DMTU (5 mm) by foliar application and then exposed to heat stress (38/33 °C) or optimal temperature (23/18 °C, day/night) for 28 days.Foliar application of PA and H2O2 alone resulted in increases in leaf fresh weight, chlorophyll content, photochemical efficiency and cellular membrane stability in plants exposed to heat stress, whereas addition of DMTU suppressed the positive effects of PA. Expression levels of genes encoding the PA synthesizing enzyme, FaPLDδ, were significantly up‐regulated by H2O2. Phosphatidic acid‐ or H2O2‐enhanced heat tolerance was associated with the activation of stress signalling components (FaCDPK3, FaMPK6, FaMPK3), transcription factors (FaMBF1 and FaHsfA2c) and heat shock proteins (FaHSP18, FaHSP70 and FaHSP90).Phosphatidic acid and H2O2 may work in coordination to further improve heat tolerance, involving up‐regulation of transcription factors in stress signalling cascades and heat protection systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Digital image correlation (DIC) method is a non-interference and non-contact full-field optical measurement technology. DIC's measurement accuracy is largely determined by the image acquisition system and the quality of the speckle pattern. Objective: Although the optimal speckle pattern has been designed theoretically, the optimization process does not consider the influence of the imaging system. Furthermore, the optimal aperture has not been yield. The objective of this paper is to improve the measurement accuracy through optimization of aperture and speckle pattern. Methods: In this paper, speckle images with different apertures and different speckle generation parameters were captured, and the corresponding measurement errors were evaluated. Results: (1) The influence of aperture and the optimization of speckle are independent of each other. The optimal speckle generation parameters (speckle size and density) are determined experimentally, which turn out to be consistent with existing theoretical models. (2) The optimal aperture is 5.6, because excessively large F-number causes the loss of high-frequency information and excessively small F-number leads to significant lens aberrations, both of which will reduce the measurement accuracy. Conclusions: The optimal aperture and speckle generation parameters (speckle diameter and density) are found and proved to be uncorrelated through actual experiments in practical conditions. These results provide experimental basis for the selection of parameters in actual engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the dynamics of a diatomic chain is investigated with ↑↑↓↓ spin order in which the dispersion relation characterizes the effect of magnetic interactions on the lattice dynamics. The optical or acoustic mode softening in the center or boundary of the Brillouin zone can be observed, indicating the transitions of ferroelectric state, antiferromagnetic state, or ferroelastic state. The coexistence of the multiferroic orders related to the ↑↑↓↓ spin order represents a type of intrinsic multiferroic with strong ferroelectric order and different microscopic mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome the defect of conventional nonlinear piezoelectric cantilever vibration energy harvesters, in this paper we conceive an elastic-support model to study the performance of energy converters under two types of variable-intensity excitation conditions: filtered Gaussian noises and pink noises. When excitation intensity is insufficient, thanks to the system's variable potential function, frequent bistable transition oscillations between two wells occur in elastic-support systems, while only weak oscillations in either well could be observed in rigid-support systems. In practical applications, the structural parameters of energy harvesters are not allowed to make real-time changes. If considered remaining the magnet interval and the spring's elastic stiffness unchanged while receiving stable maximum output voltage, elastic-support systems can be made full use toward variable-intensity filtered Gaussian noises. It has been proven that elastic-support systems are capable of adapting to random excitations with variable intensity, through which maximum power output and sufficient electromechanical energy conversion of the system can be accomplished. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A subgroup H of a group G is called an I C Φ -subgroup of G if H ∩ [ H , G ] ≤ Φ (H) . We investigate the structure of a finite group G under the assumption that some subgroups of G are I C Φ -subgroups of G, and some results of p-nilpotency and supersolvability of finite groups are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytokine storm syndrome (CSS) is a critical clinical condition induced by a cascade of cytokine activation, characterized by overwhelming systemic inflammation, hyperferritinaemia, haemodynamic instability and multiple organ failure (MOF). At the end of 2019, the disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) emerged in Wuhan, China, and rapidly developed into a global pandemic. More and more evidence shows that there is a dramatic increase of inflammatory cytokines in patients with COVID‐19, suggesting the existence of cytokine storm in some critical illness patients. Here, we summarize the pathogenesis, clinical manifestation of CSS, and highlight the current understanding about the recognition and potential therapeutic options of CSS in COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past decades, space missions to small bodies (Galileo, OSIRIS‐REx, Hayabusa, Hayabusa2, Chang'e 2, Rosetta, etc.) have enriched us greatly with voluminous new knowledge on our solar system. In situ observations by these missions have revealed the extreme complexity and remarkable diversity of the spatial environment around their target asteroids. A study on the motion of objects in such complex environments is of great importance for understanding the evolution history of surface/subsurface materials on the asteroids. Establishing a reasonable dynamic model is obviously a crucial step. This paper proposes a method for tracking the motion of an object near the surface of an arbitrary asteroid. This method combines the irregular shape, an unlimited rotational state and asymmetric gravitational field, which are three key factors that dominate the complex movement of an object on and off the asteroid's surface. The gravitational attraction and potential are computed using the polyhedral method with corrections for the possible singularities. The asteroid's surface is then approximated using a continuous and differentiable surface, and the parametric representation forms of the body are derived based on polynomial series. An event‐driven scheme is designed, so that the orbital motion and surface motion are processed separately by checking the triggering events. The algorithm was implemented using C++. Benchmarking tests are organized on a local cluster, showing a satisfactory performance in both accuracy and efficiency. This method was further applied to improve the control accuracy of the landing spot of an asteroid surface lander. Key Points: A new numerical method is proposed for modeling the surface of asteroids using smooth parameter mappingIn this paper, we present a method to model the migration of an individual object around asteroid's surfaceWe simulate the deployments of the lander on asteroid Ryugu [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of pre-existing oxide in the initial degradation mechanism of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors during ON-state stressing was systematically studied. The pre-existing oxide was revealed to exist as an amorphous oxide layer consisting primarily of Ni and Ga oxides with a small amount of Al oxide at the GaN-cap/Ni-gate interface. Through an ON-state stressing experiment carried out in vacuum that excluded the influence of atmospheric oxygen, we discovered that the pre-existing interfacial oxide participated in an electrochemical reaction, accounting for the initial degradation in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. The thickening of the oxide layer at the gate edge reduces the effective gate length of the device, thereby causing a decrease in the drain saturation current. • Pre-existing interfacial oxide participates in an electrochemical oxidation at the GaN-cap/Ni-gate interface • The thickening of the oxide layer at the GaN-cap/Ni-gate interface results in a reduction in effective gate length • Reduced effective gate length decreases 2DEG channel's charge carrier density, causing an initial drop in I Dsat [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 50% of the study patients have continued to receive anti-TNF therapy, the median duration of such therapy so far being 8.29 months (range: 4-15 months). The treatment of LV is challenging and controversial; however, anti-inflammatory therapy is of proven effectiveness in its acute ulcerative stage.1,2 Patients with LV have also been successfully treated with adalimumab, rituximab and tofacitinib.3-5 In a pilot study, we found etanercept therapy to be effective in patients with refractory LV, particularly for rapid relief of pain.6 However, no randomized controlled clinical trials or real-world data regarding pain management and effectiveness of anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) therapy for LV have been reported. From January 2018 to March 2021, patients with clinically and histopathologically confirmed LV gave written informed consent to inclusion in this study and received anti-TNF therapy for 12 consecutive weeks at the dermatology department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital. [Extracted from the article]

Study Objectives: Age-related changes in sleep include a reduction in total sleep time and a greater incidence of sleep disorders, and are also an integral part of neurodegenerations. In the present study, we aimed to: a) identify common genetic variants that may influence self-reported sleep duration, and b) examine the association between the identified genetic variants and performance in different cognitive domains.Methods: A sample of 197 cognitively healthy participants, aged 20-80 years, mostly non-Hispanic Whites (69%), were selected from the Reference Abilities Neural Network and the Cognitive Reserve study. Each participant underwent an evaluation of sleep function and assessment of neuropsychological performance on global cognition and four different domains (memory, speed of processing, fluid reasoning, language). Published GWAS summary statistics from a Polygenic Score (PS) for sleep duration in a large European ancestry cohort (N = 30,251) were used to derive a PS in our study sample. Multivariate linear models were used to test the associations between the PS and sleep duration and cognitive performance. Age, sex, and education were used as covariates. Secondary analyses were conducted in three age-groups (young, middle, old).Results: Higher PS was linked to longer sleep duration and was also associated with better performance in global cognition, fluid reasoning, speed of processing, and language, but not memory. Results especially for fluid reasoning, language, and global cognition were driven mostly by the young group.Conclusions: Our study replicated the previously reported association between sleep-PS and longer sleep duration. We additionally found a significant association between the sleep-PS and cognitive function. Our results suggest that common genetic variants may influence the link between sleep duration and cognitive health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]