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Abstract Background Telomere shortening and epigenetic modifications are key factors in aging and hematologic diseases. This study investigates the relationship of telomere length and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) with hematologic cancers, blood cells, and biochemical markers through the epigenetic clocks. Methods This study primarily utilizes genome-wide association studies of populations of European descent as instrumental variables, exploring the causal relationships between exposures and outcomes through a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. MR techniques include inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR Egger, and weighted median modes. Heterogeneity and pleiotropy in MR are assessed using Cochran's Q test and the MR Egger intercept, with the robustness of the conclusions further validated by multivariable MR (MVMR). Results Our research shows that longer telomere lengths significantly increase the risk of multiple myeloma, leukemia, and lymphoma (OR > 1, P

Abstract Relationships between the visceral adiposity index (VAI) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been underexplored. The purpose of this study is to explore association between VAI and T2DM in adults in the US. Based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2018, 11,214 participants aged 20 years or older were included in a cross-sectional study. Multifactorial logistic regression analysis and smoothed curve fitting analysis were performed to investigate links between VAI and the prevalence of T2DM, as well as the stability and incidence between subgroups. In a fully adjusted continuous model, the aggregate population risk of T2DM increased 0.43-fold with each 1-unit increase in VAI [odds ratio (OR) = 1.43; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.35–1.50]. In the fully adjusted categorical model with VAI scores stratified by quartiles, results showed a higher T2DM advantage among participants in the second, third, and fourth quartiles (Q2: OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.06–1.71; Q3: OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.95–3.11; Q4: OR 4.42, 95% CI 3.55–05.50). Compared with Q1, the prevalence of T2DM in the total population increased 3.42-fold in Q4. The above results indicated that VAI was positively associated with the prevalence of T2DM, which was consistent and nonlinear with the smoothed curve-fitting analysis (P for non-linear = 0). Subgroup analyses after adjusting for covariates showed that keeping with the overall population results, it also was found that there was an interaction between sex and hypertension in the subgroups. VAI was positively associated with the prevalence of T2DM and was more prevalent in women, non-hypertensive than in men, hypertensive populations.

BackgroundWe employed Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate the causal relationship between the gut microbiota and lymphoid leukemia, further exploring the causal relationships among immune cells, lymphoid leukemia, and potential metabolic mediators.MethodsWe utilized data from the largest genome-wide association studies to date, encompassing 418 species of gut microbiota, 713 types of immune cells, and 1,400 serum metabolites as exposures. Summary statistics for lymphoid leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) were obtained from the FinnGen database. We performed bidirectional Mendelian analyses to explore the causal relationships among the gut microbiota, immune cells, serum metabolites, and lymphoid leukemia. Additionally, we conducted a two-step mediation analysis to identify potential intermediary metabolites between immune cells and lymphoid leukemia.ResultsSeveral gut microbiota were found to have causal relationships with lymphoid leukemia, ALL, and CLL, particularly within the Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes phyla. In the two-step MR analysis, various steroid hormone metabolites (such as DHEAS, pregnenolone sulfateprogestogen derivatives, and androstenediol-related compounds) were identified as potential intermediary metabolites between lymphoid leukemia and immune cells. In ALL, the causal relationship between 1-palmitoyl-2-docosahexaenoyl-GPE (16:0/22:6) and ALL was mediated by CD62L-plasmacytoid DC%DC (mediated proportion=-2.84%, P=0.020). In CLL, the causal relationship between N6,n6,n6-trimethyllysine and CLL was mediated by HLA DR+ CD8br AC (mediated proportion=4.07%, P=0.021).ConclusionThis MR study provides evidence supporting specific causal relationships between the gut microbiota and lymphoid leukemia, as well as between certain immune cells and lymphoid leukemia with potential intermediary metabolites.

ObjectivesThis study focused on the association between visceral adiposity index (VAI) and the prevalence of hypertension in a nationally representative population of American adults.MethodsThe study obtained data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database from 2003–2018 for a large-scale study. This study incorporated participants ≥18 years of age. Multivariate logistic regression modelling and smoothed curve fitting were applied to investigate the existence of a correlation between VAI and hypertension prevalence. Subgroups were analyzed to confirm the stationarity of the association between VAI and hypertension prevalence. In addition, an interaction test was conducted in this study.ResultsIn completely adapted sequential models, the risk of hypertension prevalence in the overall population increased 0.17-fold with each 1-unit increase in VAI [odds ratio (OR) = 1.17; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12–1.22]. In the wholly adapted categorical model, there was a 0.95-fold increased risk of hypertension in the population of VAI quartile 4 (Q4) vs. VAI quartile 1 (Q1) (OR = 1.95; 95% CI 1.62–2.35). These results indicate that VAI was strongly related to the occurrence of hypertension, and smoothed curve-fitting analysis showed nonlinearity. Adjustment for covariates revealed no apparent interactions in the subgroup analyses, and results were stable across subgroups.ConclusionThis cross-sectional study suggests a nonlinear and positive correlation between elevated VAI and the adult risk of developing hypertension in U.S. adults.

BackgroundThere is growing evidence that antioxidant-rich diets may prevent hyperlipidemia. However, the relationship between the Composite Dietary Antioxidant Index (CDAI) and hyperlipidemia is unclear. The CDAI is a composite score reflecting the antioxidant content of an individual’s diet, and this study aimed to investigate the relationship between CDAI and hyperlipidemia.MethodsThe study used the 2003–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database for cross-sectional analyses and included 27,626 participants aged 20 years and older. The CDAI, which includes vitamins A, C, and E, zinc, selenium, and carotenoids, was calculated based on dietary intake reported in a 24-h recall interview. Hyperlipidemia was defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP). Covariates included age, sex, race, education, marriage, household poverty-to-income ratio (PIR), glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), body mass index (BMI), energy, carbohydrates, total fat, cholesterol, smoking, alcohol consumption, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, and lipid-lowering medications. The association between CDAI and hyperlipidemia was explored through multiple logistic regression analyses and smoothed curve fitting. We also performed subgroup analyses and interaction tests to verify the relationship’s stability.ResultsAfter adjusting for potential confounders, CDAI was negatively associated with the risk of developing hyperlipidemia (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96–0.99, p

Abstract Purpose This study aims to explore the effects of two endophytes of Epimedium koreanum Nakai on host plant growth and development and medicinal material quality and to promote the growth and development of ingredients derived from Epimedium koreanum Nakai. Methods The effects on the biomass, photosynthesis parameters, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, activity of key enzymes, and active components in the process of growth and development in Korea were examined. Results From the analysis of biomass and photosynthesis data, both the S3 (Diaporthe cotoneastri) and S10 (Ilyonectria cyclaminicola) strains promoted the growth of Epimedium koreanum Nakai. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that the activity of S3 and the content of epimedin A were negatively correlated and that the peroxidase (POD) activity was positively correlated with the total flavonoid content. Conclusion The application of the S3 (Diaporthe cotoneastri) and S10 (Ilyonectria cyclaminicola) strains can significantly increase the biomass and contents of total flavonoids, icariin, epimedin B, and epimedin C, but not epimedin A, in Epimedium koreanum Nakai host plants grown in field conditions. The S10 strain promotes faster growth of Epimedium koreanum Nakai than the S3 strain, and flavonoid 3-hydroxylase (F3H) catalyzes the synthesis of epimedin A and icariin by different pathways using the same substrate. POD plays a key role in total flavonoid synthesis in Epimedium koreanum Nakai.

The effect of surface crystallization on the magnetomechanical properties is studied for amorphous ribbons with a nominal composition of Fe80Si9B11 that are prepared with the single roller melt-spinning method. Our results indicate that the magnetomechanical power efficiency of surface crystallization ribbons is twice as higher as that of its amorphous counterpart. The surface configuration for such ribbons has been investigated through a prism of microstructures and chemical compounds. The surface crystallization with quenched-in α-Fe(Si) crystallites is confirmed by means of x-ray diffraction measurements and the surface polishing process, inducing irregular in-plane domain patterns, which are observed by magneto-optical Kerr effect microscopy. The vibrational absorption peak for polymerized B–O bonds is observed by means of a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, being ascribed to the presence of pre-precipitated boron atoms from the crystalline film, which is confirmed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The mechanism that enhances the magnetomechanical power conversion efficiency in FeSiB ribbons with quenched-in crystallites is quite different from the ones with annealing induced “surface-interior” configurations in the previous investigations.

ObjectivesThis review aimed to summarize the recent literature on positive-pressure extubation.DesignA scoping review was conducted under the framework of the Joanna Briggs Institute.Data sourcesWeb of Science, PubMed, Ovid, Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health, EBSCO, Cochrane Library, Wan Fang Data, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and China Biology Medicine databases were searched for studies on adults and children.Study selectionAll articles describing the use of positive-pressure extubation were considered eligible for inclusion. The exclusion criteria were articles not available in English or Chinese, and those without full text available.Data extraction and synthesisThe database searches identified 8,381 articles, 15 of which could be included in this review, with an aggregated patient number of 1,544. Vital signs, including mean arterial pressure, heart rate, R-R interval, and SpO2 before and after extubation; blood gas analysis indexes, including pH, oxygen saturation, PaO2, and PaCO2 before and after extubation; and incidence of respiratory complications, including bronchospasm, laryngeal edema, aspiration atelectasis, hypoxemia, and hypercapnia, were reported in the included studies.ResultsThe majority of these studies reported that the positive-pressure extubation technique can maintain stable vital signs and blood gas analysis indices as well as prevent complications during the peri-extubation period.ConclusionsThe positive-pressure extubation technique has a safety performance similar to that of the traditional negative-pressure extubation technique and may lead to better clinical outcomes, including stable vital signs, arterial blood gas analysis, and a lower incidence of respiratory complications.

The resonant magnetoelectric (ME) effect of Fe78Si9B13/Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (FeSiB/PZT) composites with a surface-modified Fe78Si9B13 amorphous alloy has been studied. The surface-modified FeSiB can improve the ME coefficient at the resonant frequency by optimizing the magnetomechancial power conversion efficiency. The maximum ME coefficient of the surface-modified ribbons combined with soft PZT (PZT5) is two-thirds larger than that of the composites with fully amorphous ribbons. Meanwhile, the maximum value of the ME coefficient with surface-modified FeSiB ribbons and hard PZT (PZT8) is one-third higher compared with the fully amorphous composites. In addition, experimental results of magnetomechanical coupling properties of FeSiB/PZT composites with or without piezoelectric layers indicate that the power efficiency of the composites first decreases and then increases with the increase in the number of FeSiB layers. When the surface crystalline FeSiB ribbons are combined with a commercially available hard piezoelectric ceramic plate, the maximum magnetoelectric coupling coefficient of the ME composite reaches 5522 V/(Oe*cm), of which the electromechanical resonant frequency is 23.89 kHz.

BackgroundPsychological workplace violence (WPV) is the primary form of workplace violence suffered by nursing interns. Psychological WPV not only damages the physical and mental health of nursing interns, but also has a negative impact on their work quality and career choice.AimTo investigate the characteristics and types of psychological WPV suffered by nursing interns in China, analyze the influencing factors of psychological WPV among nursing interns, and explore the influence of psychological WPV on the professional commitment of nursing interns.MethodsThe subjects were 1,095 nursing interns from 14 medical colleges in Shandong Province. The data were collected electronically using the psychological WPV against nursing interns questionnaire and the professional commitment scale of nursing. The frequency and component ratio were used to describe the incidence and characteristics of psychological WPV. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of psychological WPV, and linear regression investigated the influence of psychological WPV on the professional commitment of nursing interns.ResultsIn the study, 45.0% (n = 493) of nursing interns suffered at least one incidence of psychological WPV during clinical practice, mainly discrimination and verbal abuse. Patients and their relatives were the main perpetrators of psychological WPV. Discrimination and lack of trust were the two main reasons behind psychological WPV. Furthermore, 75.9% of psychological WPV incidents were not effectively reported. Logistic regression showed that clinical internship duration, place of family residence, and hospital level were the influencing factors of psychological WPV among nursing interns. Linear regression results showed that psychological WPV had a negative effect on nursing interns' professional commitment.ConclusionPsychological WPV against nursing interns is highly prevalent in China, negatively impacting their professional commitment. It is suggested that colleges should introduce courses for nursing interns to understand and cope with psychological WPV before entering clinical practice, and hospitals should establish a mechanism to prevent, cope with, report, and deal with psychological WPV to effectively reduce the incidence of psychological WPV against nursing interns, improve their ability to cope with psychological WPV, and enhance their professional commitment.

Abstract Myocardial fibrosis detected by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) has been reported in patients with desmin‐related myopathy, although its characteristics remain unclear. Here, we describe a case of desmin‐related restrictive cardiomyopathy wherein CMR imaging revealed myocardial oedema, ischaemia, and fibrosis in the left ventricle; the different types and processes of myocardial injury were detected by CMR. Middle wall left ventricular enhancement may be a feature of late gadolinium enhancement, and the lateral wall is often involved in cases of myocardial injury. CMR is useful for the early detection of cardiac involvement and the prediction of prognosis in patients diagnosed with desmin‐related myopathy.

Understanding the correlation between magnetomechanical coupling factors (k) and damping factors (Q−1) is a key pathway toward enhancing the magnetomechanical power conversion efficiency in laminated magnetoelectric (ME) composites by manipulating the magnetic and mechanical properties of Fe-based amorphous metals through engineering. The k and Q−1 factors of FeSiB amorphous ribbons annealed in air at different temperatures are investigated. It is found that k and Q−1 factors are affected by both magnetic and elastic properties. The magnetic and elastic properties are characterized in terms of the magnetomechanical power efficiency for low-temperature annealing. The k and Q−1 of FeSiB-based epoxied laminates with different stacking numbers show that a −3 dB bandwidth and Young’s modulus are expressed in terms of the magnetomechanical power efficiency for high lamination stacking.

The atomic magnetometer is currently one of the most-sensitive sensors and plays an important role in applications for detecting weak magnetic fields. This review reports the recent progress of total-field atomic magnetometers that are one important ramification of such magnetometers, which can reach the technical level for engineering applications. The alkali-metal magnetometers, helium magnetometers, and coherent population-trapping magnetometers are included in this review. Besides, the technology trend of atomic magnetometers was analyzed for the purpose of providing a certain reference for developing the technologies in such magnetometers and for exploring their applications.

ObjectiveThe long-term impact of COVID-19 on patient health has been a recent focus. This study aims to determine the persistent symptoms and psychological conditions of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 15 months after onset, that patients first developed symptoms. The potential risk factors were also explored.MethodsA cohort of COVID-19 patients discharged from February 20, 2020 to March 31, 2020 was recruited. Follow-ups were conducted using validated questionnaires and psychological screening scales at 15 months after onset to evaluate the patients' health status. The risk factors for long-term health impacts and their associations with disease severity was analyzed.Findings534 COVID-19 patients were enrolled. The median age of the patients was 62.0 years old (IQR 52.0–70.0) and 295 were female (55.2%). The median time from onset to follow-up was 460.0 (451.0–467.0) days. Sleep disturbance (18.5%, 99/534) and fatigue (17.2%, 92/534) were the most common persistent symptoms. 6.4% (34/534) of the patients had depression, 9.2% (49/534) were anxious, 13.0% (70/534) had insomnia and 4.7% (25/534) suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Multivariate adjusted logistic regression analysis showed that glucocorticoid use during hospitalization (OR 3.58, 95% CI 1.12–11.44) was significantly associated with an increased risk of fatigue. The OR values for anxiety and sleep disorders were 2.36 (95% CI 1.07–5.20) and 2.16 (95% CI 1.13–4.14) in females to males. The OR value of PTSD was 25.6 (95% CI 3.3–198.4) in patients with persistent symptoms to those without persistent symptoms. No significant associations were observed between fatigue syndrome or adverse mental outcomes and disease severity.Conclusions15-month follow-up in this study demonstrated the need of extended rehabilitation intervention for complete recovery in COVID-19 patients.

Abstract Background Although early ambulation (EA) is associated with improved outcomes in post-operative patients, implementation of EA in elderly patients is still a challenge. In this study, we aimed to design and assess a precision early ambulation program for cardiac rehabilitation. Methods We conducted a single-center, randomized and controlled clinical trial in elderly patients aged over 60 years after off-pump coronary artery bypass graft (OPCABG) surgery. Patients were randomly assigned to a precision early ambulation (PEA) group or a routine ambulation (Control) group. Age-predicted maximal heart rate (APMHR) and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) were used as a reference to formulate and monitor the PEA regimen. The primary end-point was the postoperative length of stay in hospital (PLOS). The secondary end-points included 90-day mortality, incidence of early discharge, laboratory tests, length of ICU stay, the incidence of multiple organ complications and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Ambulation outcomes were also recorded. Results In total, 178 patients were enrolled (n = 89 per group). In the intent-to-treat analysis, PLOS in the PEA group was shorter than that in the Control group (9.04 ± 3.08 versus 10.09 ± 3.32 days, respectively. Mean difference 1.045 days; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.098–1.992; P = 0.031 in the unadjusted model; mean difference 0.957 days; CI 0.007–1.907; P = 0.048 in adjusted model). The incidence of early discharge differed significantly between the PEA and control groups (41[46.1%] versus 24[27.0%] patients, respectively. Odds ratio [OR] 0.432; CI 0.231–0.809; P = 0.009 in unadjusted model; OR 0.466; CI 0.244–0.889, P = 0.02 in adjusted model). The time of first bowel movement, partial pressure O2 and post-traumatic stress disorder score in the PEA group were better than those in the Control group. Participants walked much longer distances on day 3 in the PEA group than those in the Control group (76.12 ± 29.02 versus 56.80 ± 24.40 m, respectively, P < 0.001). Conclusion APMHR and VO2max are valuable for implementation of PEA according to an established security threshold. PEA after OPCAPG surgery is safe and reliable for elderly patients, not only reducing the hospital stay, but also improving their physiological and psychological symptoms. Trial registration This study is a component of a protocol retrospectively registered: Application of ERAS in cardiovascular surgery. Trial registration number: ChiCTR1800018167 . Date of registration: 3rd September, 2018. URL of trial registry record: http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx

Fe-based amorphous alloys have advantages of low iron loss and high effective permeability, which are widely used in sensors and actuators. Power efficiency is one of the most important indicators among power conversion applications. We compared the magnetomechancial power conversion factors of metallic glassy ribbons FeCoSiB (Vitrovac 7600) and FeSiB (Metglas 2605SA1). We investigated the crystallization process under different annealing temperatures and tested the magnetomechancial coupling factors (k) and quality factors (Q) by using resonant and anti-resonant methods. We found that the maximum coupling factor of the annealed Vitrovac ribbons was 23% and the figure of merits k2Q was 4–7; however, the maximum coupling factor of the annealed Metglas ribbons was 73% and the maximum value of k2Q was 16. We can observe that the Metglas 2605SA1 ribbons have higher values of the magnetomechanical power efficiency than those of the Vitrovac 7600 ribbons, which means they are better to be used in subsequent research regarding acoustically driven antennas.

We aimed to explore whether motor function and activities of daily life (ADL) could be improved with the application of visual deprivation in two patients with Pusher syndrome complicated by hemispatial neglect after right basal ganglia stroke. We assessed two stroke patients suffering from severe motor disturbances, both tilting heavily to the left, with diagnoses of Pusher syndrome and left hemispatial neglect. Vision in the left eye was deprived using patches during clinical rehabilitation. Motor function promotion was confirmed using the Burke Lateropulsion Scale (BLS), Fugl–Meyer Balance Scale (FMBS), and Holden grade (HG), while the Barthel index (BI) assessed ADL immediately and 1 week after intervention. Both patients regained standing balance immediately using visual deprivation, as well as walking ability, although both scored 0 on the FMBS and HG. After 1 week of treatment, one patient increased to 11 and 3 on the FMBS and HG, respectively, while the BLS score decreased from 12 to 2, and the ADL increased from 23 to 70. The other patient demonstrated increases to 10 and 3 on the FMBS and HG, respectively, with the BLS decreasing from 13 to 3, and the ADL increasing from 25 to 60. Therefore, in the rehabilitation treatment of Pusher syndrome complicated by hemispatial neglect due to basal ganglia stroke, visual deprivation can significantly improve motor function and shorten the treatment course.

Interactions between plants and insects evolved during millions of years of coevolution and maintain the trophic balance of terrestrial ecosystems. Documenting insect damage types (DT) on fossil leaves is essential for understanding the evolution of plant–insect interactions and for understanding the effects of major environmental changes on ecosystem structure. However, research focusing on palaeoherbivory is still sparse and only a tiny fraction of fossil leaf collections have been analysed. This study documents a type of insect damage found exclusively on the leaves of Parrotia species (Hamamelidaceae). This DT was identified on Parrotia leaves from Willershausen (Germany, Pliocene) and from Shanwang (China, Miocene) and on their respective endemic modern relatives: Parrotia perisca in the Hyrcanian forests (Iran) and Parrotia subaequalis in the Yixing forest (China). Our study demonstrates that this insect DT persisted over at least 15 Myr spanning eastern Asia to western Europe. Against expectations, more examples of this type of herbivory were identified on the fossil leaves than on the modern examples. This mismatch may suggest a decline of this specialized plant–insect interaction owing to the contraction of Parrotia populations in Eurasia during the late Cenozoic. However, the continuous presence of this DT demonstrates a robust and long-term plant–herbivore association, and provides new evidence for a shared biogeographic history of the two host plants.

Background: LINC01614 was abnormally expressed in myocardial infarction and other heart failures. We attempted to detect the effects of LINC01614 in myocardial ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury. Methods: H9c2 cardiomyocyte cells were treated with hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) to establish myocardial ischemia (MI) model. Results: Clinical data of Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database indicated that LINC01614 was highly regulated in first acute myocardial infarction, whereas miR-138-5p was downregulated in unstable angina pectoris. LINC01614 inhibition promoted cell proliferation and repressed the apoptotic property after H/R treatment using Cell Counting Kit-8 and flow cytometry analysis. Downregulation of LINC01614 enhanced the expression of Bcl-2 but attenuated Bax and cleaved caspase 3 expression after H/R treatment. Bioinformatics prediction and dual-luciferase reporter assay determined that LINC01614 directly targeted miR-138-5p and negatively regulated the expression of miR-138-5p. Furthermore, the overexpression of miR-138-5p significantly strengthened the function of si-LINC01614 in H/R groups. Conclusion: Our results illustrated that reduction in LINC01614 attenuated H/R treatment-induced myocardial damage via sponging miR-138-5p.

Research on the retaining structures for high-steep slopes is extremely significant because of its real-world applications and far-reaching implications. A flexible geocell-reinforced ecological retaining wall as a high-steep slope protection scheme was developed and applied to the slope protection project of the Ji-Lai Expressway by analyzing the reinforcement mechanism of the geocell used. The lateral displacement and Earth pressure distribution on the flexible ecological retaining wall applied to the high-steep slope were studied using finite element numerical simulations and verified using field experiments. Results reveal that the wall maximum horizontal displacement is 2/3 H away from the wall toe because of the replacement of the upper part of soil. There is an obvious bucking effect on the active Earth pressure around the stiffened site, and the flexible deformation of the retaining wall helped effectively release some of the Earth pressure. Consequently, the measured value is lower than the theoretical value. Through this case study, it is demonstrated that the flexible ecological retaining wall as a slope protection technology can be successfully applied to steep slopes with a height of more than 15 m. Moreover, it brings significant advantages for protecting the ecological environment and improving the highway landscape.

Ulmus chenmoui is of great ecological and horticultural importance and a national Class III protected plant endemic to China. However, previous studies of it suffered from insufficient genomic resources. Here, using the paired-end shotgun sequencing technology, we determined the complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequence of U. chenmoui. Our results showed the cp genome of U. chenmoui was 159,371 bp long and displayed a typical quadripartite structure which consisted of a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) with a length of 26,296 bp, separating by two single-copy regions (LSC, 88,084 bp and SSC, 18,695 bp). Besides, the cp genome of U. chenmoui contained 120 genes, including 83 protein coding genes, 29 transfer RNAs and eight ribosomal RNAs. Moreover, a maximum likelihood (ML) phylogenetic analysis based on the 13 cp genomes demonstrated the monophyly of Ulmaceae and U. chenmoui was closely related to Ulmus gaussenii.

Parrotia subaequalis is an endangered Tertiary relict tree from eastern China. Despite its important ecological and horticultural value, no transcriptomic data and limited molecular markers are currently available in this species. In this study, we first performed high-throughput transcriptome sequencing of two individuals representing the northernmost (TX) and southernmost (SJD) population of P. subaequalis on the Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform. We gathered a total of 69,135 unigenes for P. subaequalis (TX) and 84,009 unigenes for P. subaequalis (SJD). From two unigenes datasets, 497 candidate polymorphic novel expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeats (EST-SSRs) were identified using CandiSSR. Among these repeats, di-nucleotide repeats were the most abundant repeat type (62.78%) followed by tri-, tetra- and hexa-nucleotide repeats. We then randomly selected 54 primer pairs for polymorphism validation, of which 27 (50%) were successfully amplified and showed polymorphisms in 96 individuals from six natural populations of P. subaequalis. The average number of alleles per locus and the polymorphism information content values were 3.70 and 0.343; the average observed and expected heterozygosity were 0.378 and 0.394. A relatively high level of genetic diversity (HT = 0.393) and genetic differentiation level (FST = 0.171) were surveyed, indicating P. subaequalis maintained high levels of species diversity in the long-term evolutionary history. Additionally, a high level of cross-transferability (92.59%) was displayed in five congeneric Hamamelidaceae species. Therefore, these new transcriptomic data and novel polymorphic EST-SSR markers will pinpoint genetic resources and facilitate future studies on population genetics and molecular breeding of P. subaequalis and other Hamamelidaceae species.

This paper analyzes the noise sources in photoelectric detection circuits with several low-noise operational amplifiers cores. The fabricated circuits are low-noise pre-amplifiers that are used for optically pumped magnetometers. In the proposed circuits, the noise levels of equivalent output voltage are calculated, and the results are in accordance with measurements. With a cooperation of several operational amplifiers, we select LT1028 from linear technologies as the core for our detection circuit, which has an output signal-to-noise ratio of more than 2 × 105 up to the frequency of 100 kHz. By analyzing the individual noise sources in the detection circuit, the dominant noise source is confirmed as the photocurrent shot noise below 200 kHz. Beyond this frequency, the voltage noise source in the operational amplifier dominates. Besides, the lamp power, the radio frequency (RF) power, the temperature variations, and their influences on the sensitivity are studied and optimized. Finally, an optically pumped magnetometer with cesium head is established, showing an intrinsic sensitivity of 85 fT/√Hz. This sensitivity is realized under a geomagnetic magnetic field strength of 53 μT.

WeChat has increasingly become an important platform for users to acquire and share health information in China. However, little is known about elderly adults’ sharing behavior. This study aims to explore the characteristics and influencing factors of health information sharing behavior among Chinese older adults on WeChat, with the method both of questionnaire survey (N = 336) and in-depth interviews (N = 40). The study finds that sharing health information, mainly represented by four specific methods of forwarding, consulting, replying, and posting, has become an important part of the daily life of elderly adults on WeChat. Social media provide a good opportunity for the flow of health information. However, the purpose to share health information of Chinese older adults is mainly based on relationship maintenance more than real information support; they share health information to friends and relatives first, then to spouses and children, which does not follow the trust model as usual. Experience in online health information, authority orientation, and relationship orientation is positively associated with health information sharing behavior, however, there is no significant correlation between perceived health information credibility and health information sharing behavior. Moreover, social and cultural factors are the important explanation mechanism.

Magnetoelectric (ME) power efficiency is a more important property than the ME voltage or the current coefficients for power conversion applications. This paper introduces an analytical model that describes the relation between the external magnetic field and the power efficiency in layered ME composites. It is a two-phase model. The first fragment establishes the expression between the magnetic field strength and the temperature increase within an operating period. It uses a magneto-elasto-electric equivalent circuit model that was developed by Dong et al. Following previous investigations; the main loss source is the mechanical power dissipation. The second fragment links the power efficiency and the temperature increase in a heat-balanced system. This method is generally used by researchers in the piezoelectric field. The analytical model and the experimental data shows that the decrease of the power efficiency in a laminated composite is between 5% and 10% for a power density of 10 W/in3 (0.61 W/cm3) to 30 W/in3 (1.83 W/cm3). The failure mechanism/process of ME composites under high power density can be estimated/monitored by the proposed method for ME composites in practical applications.

This report is on a new class of magnetostatically tunable magneto-impedance and magneto-capacitance devices based on a composite of ferromagnetic Metglas and ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT). Layered magneto-electric (ME) composites with annealed Metglas and PZT were studied in a longitudinal in-plane magnetic field-transverse electric field (L-T) mode. It was found that the degree of tunability was dependent on the annealing temperature of Metglas. An impedance tunability (ΔZ/Z0) of ≥400% was obtained at the electromechanical resonance (EMR) frequency (fr) for a sample with Metglas layers annealed at Ta = 500oC. This tunability is a factor of two higher than for composites with Metglas annealed at 350oC. The tunability of the capacitance, (ΔC/C0), was found to be 290% and -135k% at resonance and antiresonance, respectively, for Ta = 500oC. These results provide clear evidence for improvement in static magnetic field tunability of impedance and capacitance of ME composites with the use of annealed Metglas and are of importance for their potential use in tunable electronic applications.

Magneto-elasto-electric (ME) coupling heterostructures, consisting of piezoelectric layers bonded to magnetostrictive ones, provide for a new class of electromagnetic emitter materials on which a portable (area ~ 16 cm2) very low frequency (VLF) transmitter technology could be developed. The proposed ME transmitter functions as follows: (a) a piezoelectric layer is first driven by alternating current AC electric voltage at its electromechanical resonance (EMR) frequency, (b) subsequently, this EMR excites the magnetostrictive layers, giving rise to magnetization change, (c) in turn, the magnetization oscillations result in oscillating magnetic fields. By Maxwell’s equations, a corresponding electric field, is also generated, leading to electromagnetic field propagation. Our hybrid piezoelectric-magnetostrictive transformer can take an input electric voltage that may include modulation-signal over a carrier frequency and transmit via oscillating magnetic field or flux change. The prototype measurements reveal a magnetic dipole like near field, demonstrating its transmission capabilities. Furthermore, the developed prototype showed a 104 times higher efficiency over a small-circular loop of the same area, exhibiting its superiority over the class of traditional small antennas.

The pressboard surface is the electric weak link of the oil-paper insulation in transformers, and long-term partial discharge (PD) erosion is the dominant cause of degradation in pressboard. To explore the development processes of surface tracking under the effect of tip curvature, the typical needle-plate model was selected to initiate an electric field with a high tangential component on pressboard surface under needle tip curvature of 4~42 μm. With the help of a high-speed camera and a PD detecting system, the development processes of surface tracking and PD were recorded under a sustained AC voltage. A profound difference between surface tracking under different curvatures was discussed. Pressboard surfaces after tests were observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the damage degree of cellulose fibers was dependent on the tip curvature.

A triple band-notched ultrawide band (UWB) antenna is presented to avoid the interference of services working in the UWB band, such as WLAN, WiMAX and X-band satellite systems. The arc H-shaped slot on the radiating patch creates a low frequency notched band, while the other two band-notched bands are formed by cutting narrow slots on the ground plane. The presented antenna can operate on the ultrawide band efficiently and inhibit interference from three different kinds of narrow band communication systems. The simulation and measurement results show that the antenna has excellent band-notched function on the rejectband and almost omnidirectional radiation pattern on the passband.