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Background Older adults are at high risk for atrial fibrillation (AF). Improving the efficiency of AF screening among the community-based elderly population can help to reduce the risk of AF-related stroke. Objective To compare the screening efficiency of different AF screening methods in the elderly population. Methods A total of 1 300 cases of older adults were selected from three neighborhood committees of Xiangshan, Huangshan, and Luoshan in Jinyang Community, Pudong New Area, Shanghai from July 2022 to January 2023. AF screening was detected using palpation of radial artery pulse, electronic sphygmomanometer with AF detection function, and single-lead ECG recorder. A positive result of any one of the three methods was considered positive for AF, and finally an electrocardiogram (ECG) was performed and interpreted by a physician in the ECG room. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of the subjects with different screening methods were plotted, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the screening value; the association between AF stroke score (CHA2DS2-VASc score) and AF was analyzed using the chi-square test for trend. Results AF was detected in 93 of the 1 300 people, including 57 asymptomatic people; 375 people had a positive palpated pulse, 331 people had a positive electronic blood pressure monitor with AF detection function, and 128 people had a positive result of single-lead ECG recorder. The AUCs for the diagnostic value of palpation pulse, electronic sphygmomanometer with AF detection function and single-lead ECG recorder in the elderly was 0.750 (95%CI=0.697-0.803, P

Rare-earth titanate oxides are believed to be prospective functional materials for photocatalytic and photoluminescent applications because of their excellent optical properties and thermal stability of their physical properties. However, the relationships between optical properties and photoelectron trapping mechanisms are unclear. Herein, the structure, electronic, and optical properties of pyrochlore-structure Re2Ti2O7 (Re = Sm and Eu) were investigated using the first-principles approach with the Hubbard parameter U (GGA + U). The calculated bandgap is 2.5 eV for Sm2Ti2O7 and 2.4 eV for Eu2Ti2O7, which is in good agreement with the experimental observation. The results indicate that the strongly localized f states at the top of valence band are charge-trapping sites for photoexcitation of Re2Ti2O7, where electrons can absorb photon energy and transfer from the valence band to the conduction band, resulting in the photocatalytic and/or fluorescent effects in the visible and early UV regions. The important optical parameters, dielectric function ε (ω) , refractive index n (ω) , extinction coefficient k (ω) , reflectivity R (ω) , absorption coefficient I (ω) , optical conductivity σ (ω) , and electron energy-loss L (ω) were studied in detail, indicating that these optical parameters of Sm2Ti2O7 and Eu2Ti2O7 are insensitive to the ultra-violet (UV) radiation, but both Sm2Ti2O7 and Eu2Ti2O7 exhibit excellent optical properties in the visible and early UV regions. This work provides a clear understanding on the photoelectron trapping mechanism of pyrochlore-structure Re2Ti2O7, which will help to improve the photocatalytic and photoluminescent performance of Re2Ti2O7 and broaden their applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic polymorphisms of microsatellite locus BMS2508, which was closely linked to the ovine fecundity gene FecB, were detected in prolific (Small Tail Han sheep) and non-prolific breeds of sheep (Texel, Dorset and Chinese Merino). The linkage disequilibrium between microsatellite locus BMS2508 and FecB gene of Small Tail Han sheep was also analyzed. There was the same mutation (A746G) of BMPR-IB gene in Small Tail Han sheep as that of FecB in Booroola Merino ewes, but the FecB mutation was absent in Texel, Dorset and Chinese Merino sheep. The genotype frequencies of BB, B+ and ++ were 0.485, 0.398 and 0.117 in Small Tail Han sheep, respectively. There were eight alleles varied from 94 bp to 116 bp and 15 genotypes detected at BMS2508 locus in four sheep breeds totally 438 individual. The preponderant allele was 100 bp, 94 bp, 94 bp, 112 bp, 100 bp, 100 bp, 112 bp, and the frequency was 0.453, 0.544, 0.802, 0.475, 0.483, 0.439, 0.389 in Small Tail Han (n=307), Texel (n=45), Dorset (n=46), Chinese Merino (n=40), and BB group (n=149), B+ group (n=122), ++ group (n=36) from Small Tail Han, respectively. In Small Tail Han sheep, linkage analysis indicated that there was certain linkage disequilibrium between 100 bp allele of microsatellite BMS2508 and B allele of FecB gene (D' =0.408), and certain linkage disequilibrium between 110 bp and 114 bp alleles of microsatellite BMS2508 and + allele of FecB gene (D'=0.513).