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The heterogeneous land surface spanning the Yellow River irrigated oasis and the adjacent Kubuqi and Ulan Buh Desert (Hetao area) in Inner Mongolia, China, has been noted to frequently generate planetary boundary layer convergence line (BLCL), providing an important source of low-level lifting for convection initiation (CI). As the first field experiment to collect comprehensive observations of vegetation-contrast-resulting thermal circulations that consistently generate BLCLs and lead to CI, the Desert-Oasis Convergence Line and Deep Convection Experiment (DECODE) was conducted from 5 July to 9 August 2022 in the Hetao area. Two oasis and four desert observation sites were set up in the region that exhibits the highest frequency of BLCL and CI occurrences, equipped with a suite of advanced instruments probing land-atmosphere interactions, planetary boundary layer processes, and evolution of BLCLs and their associated CI, including Doppler lidars, microwave radiometers, soil temperature and moisture sensors, eddy covariance systems, portable radiosondes, C-band polarimetric Doppler radar, aircraft, and Geostationary High-speed Imager onboard FY-4B satellite. DECODE captured 29 BLCLs (16 with CI), 66 gust fronts, 12 horizontal convective rolls, and one tornado. The observations unveiled full thermal circulations spanning the desert-oasis boundary characterized by a horizontal width of ~25 km, a convergence height of ~1 km above ground level (AGL), and divergence from 2 to ~3.5 km AGL, with vertical wind speeds of up to 2 m [s.sup.-1]. Future publications stemming from DECODE will delve into a spectrum of scientific inquiries, including but not limited to land surface and boundary layer processes, BLCL dynamics, CI mechanisms, convective organization, predictability, and model evaluation. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The purpose of Desert-Oasis Convergence Line and Deep Convection Experiment (DECODE) is to collect intensive observations around desert-oasis divide to better understand the physical processes of boundary layer convergence lines (BLCLs), their associated thermal circulations, convection initiation (CI), and organization over heterogeneous land surfaces. This is important because deep convection initiation poses a major challenge for weather forecasting over heterogeneous land surfaces due to limited understanding of land-atmosphere interactions. In addition, the targeting divide between a desert and an irrigated oasis facilitates a unique situation where human activities can change the weather. This campaign captured 29 BLCLs (16 with CI), which provided a rich dataset for studies not only on convection dynamics and microphysics but also on land-atmosphere interactions, boundary layer processes, and even interdisciplinary studies such as wind farm impact and convective dust storms. KEYWORDS: Complex terrain; Convection lines; Convective-scale processes; Boundary layer; Vegetation; Orographic effects, 1. Background In early October 2016, by fortuitously clicking on a radar image folder labeled 'Linhe' on a computer at the Training Center of the China Meteorological Administration, the first [...]

Poor medication adherence of patients with bipolar affective disorder is associated with stigma, drug adverse reactions and family economic burden. However, high-quality studies about n medication adherence in patients with bipolar affective disorder are relatively scarce. This paper reviewed studies on influencing factors, assessment tools and interventions of medication adherence in patients with bipolar affective disorder. Efforts should be made to investigate the intelligent tele-healthcare system and tele-healthcare-based interventions, and provide reference for establishment of a long-term accessible extended care. (双相情感障碍患者因病耻感、药物不良反应、家庭经济因素等原因, 其用药依从性水平较低。目前国内针对双相障碍服药依从性的高质量研究仍较少。本文对双相情感障碍服药依从性现状进行综述, 包括影响因素、评估工具及干预措施等。建议未来进一步探索适合我国的远程智能医疗系统、开展基于远程医疗的护理干预, 为患者提供更加便捷、远期的延续护理干预。)

Background and purposeTetramethylpyrazine (TMP) was originally isolated from the traditional Chinese herb ligusticum and the fermented Japanese food natto and has since been synthesized. TMP has a long history of beneficial effects in the treatment of many cardiovascular diseases. Here we have evaluated the therapeutic effects of TMP on pulmonary hypertension (PH) in animal models and in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) or chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).Experimental approachThree well-defined models of PH -chronic hypoxia (10% O2 )-induced PH (HPH), monocrotaline-induced PH (MCT-PH) and Sugen 5416/hypoxia-induced PH (SuHx-PH) - were used in Sprague-Dawley rats, and assessed by echocardiography, along with haemodynamic and histological techniques. Primary cultures of rat distal pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) were used to study intracellular calcium levels. Western blots and RT-qPCR assays were also used. In the clinical cohort, patients with PAH or CTEPH were recruited. The effects of TMP were evaluated in all systems.Key resultsTMP (100 mg·kg-1 ·day-1 ) prevented rats from developing experimental PH and ameliorated three models of established PH: HPH, MCT-PH and SuHx-PH. The therapeutic effects of TMP were accompanied by inhibition of intracellular calcium homeostasis in PASMCs. In a small cohort of patients with PAH or CTEPH, oral administration of TMP (100 mg, t.i.d. for 16 weeks) increased the 6-min walk distance and improved the 1-min heart rate recovery.Conclusion and implicationsOur results suggest that TMP is a novel and inexpensive medication for treatment of PH. Clinical trial is registered with www.chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR-IPR-14005379).

The discharge mode of a multi-hollow dielectric barrier discharge (MHDBD) plays an important role in the treatment outcomes but has not been well studied. In this study, an MHDBD is fabricated to investigate the discharge characteristics and the mode transition from both electric and optical perspectives. Three discharge modes are recognized with the increase of the applied voltages: inner-wall discharge, mode A (12–13.3 kV); hole-inside discharge, mode B (13.4–14.3 kV); and hole-surface hybrid discharge, mode C (≥14.4 kV). It is found that the transferred charges and the produced reactive species increase slowly in mode A, then augment rapidly in mode B, and finally saturate in mode C. The micro-process of the mode transition shows that the discharging domain initiates at the edge of the hole (mode A), subsequently extends toward the center (mode B), and ultimately extends beyond the hole boundary (mode C). To further understand these transitions, finite element simulations and an equivalent circuit model of MHDBD are conducted, which reveal enhanced discharge strength and discharge area as the system progresses from mode A to mode B and C. The speculative mechanism of a mode transition involves the variation of the electric field distribution and the resulting acceleration of the electrons, and the following collision responses. Additionally, the effect of pulse frequency and hole diameter of the MHDBD on the mode transition conditions is also investigated, and the results show that higher frequencies are easier to prone mode transition, while large holes have fewer discharge modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem: Uterine contractions signal labor onset, with elevated pro‐inflammatory cytokines playing a pivotal role. Prior studies have explored their effects on prostaglandins, oxytocin, and signaling pathways, but have overlooked their direct effects on uterine contractions. Here, we aim to investigate the direct effects of interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) on contractions to ascertain if they have immediate observable effects like those reported for lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and other effects. Method of Study: Tension recordings were used to assess the direct effects of cytokines and/or LPS on mouse uterine contractions. Calcium imaging was employed to observe calcium oscillations in cytokine‐pretreated myometrial smooth muscle cells (MSMCs) in response to oxytocin. The release of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines from uterine explants after LPS and/or cytokines application was investigated using Luminex. Results: IL‐1β, IL‐6, and TNF‐α rapidly enhanced contractions of term pregnant mouse uterus. LPS combined with TNF‐α intensified contractions compared to LPS alone, although this effect was not statistically significant in our results (p > 0.050). Pretreatment of MSMCs with IL‐1β, IL‐6, or TNF‐α increased calcium oscillations in response to oxytocin. LPS and/or cytokine significantly stimulated the release of IL‐1β, IL‐6, TNF‐α, Chemokine (C‐X‐C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1), and monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP1) from uterine explants in vitro. Conclusions: Inflammatory cytokines have short‐term and long‐term effects on mouse uterine contractions, which together contribute to progressively stronger contractions during labor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A touchable plasma device based on coplanar dielectric barrier discharge (CDBD) is designed for hand hygiene. The biological safety is evaluated from the aspects of electrical and thermal properties. The peak value of current through the human body (~3.5 mA) and the highest device surface temperature (~40°C) are lower than the threshold of perception current and thermal damage temperature, respectively. The typical bacteria that are present on our hands in daily life Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus are selected to verify the sterilization performance of the device. The results of human contact safety evaluation and sterilization test have demonstrated that this proposed CDBD device is reliable and user‐friendly for applications in hand hygiene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]