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Background The correlation between osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), both significant components of arthritis, and erectile dysfunction (ED) has yet to be thoroughly investigated. Aim In this study we aimed to assess the association of OA and RA with ED. Methods In this observational study we used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which was conducted between 2001 and 2004. Various statistical analyses were employed to investigate the associations of OA and RA with ED, including multivariable logistic regression analysis and subgroup analysis. Outcomes The primary outcome for this investigation was arthritis as assessed through self-reporting. Results In this comprehensive nationally representative survey spanning 4 years, our findings revealed a notably elevated incidence of ED within both OA and RA populations in comparison to the general population. Additional research is imperative to provide a deeper understanding of these correlations and their potential implications for both pathogenesis and treatment strategies. Clinical Implications The research outcomes reported here may serve as a valuable guide for clinicians to assist OA and RA patientsin staying vigilant in addressing their sexual health concerns. Strengths and Limitations We explored the association of OA and RA with ED. However, this is only a cross-sectional study. Conclusion In this comprehensive nationally representative survey spanning 4 years, our findings revealed a notably elevated incidence of ED within both OA and RA patient populations in comparison to the general population. Ongoing research is imperative to provide a deeper understanding of these correlations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Although oxidative stress is a recognized factor of inflammation, the correlation between oxidative balance score (OBS), a biomarker indicating the balance of oxidation and antioxidant, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an immune system disease that tends to occur in women, remains unexplored. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential association between OBS and RA in women. Methods: Observational surveys were performed by employing information extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the period 2007–2018. Various statistical techniques were employed to investigate the association between OBS and RA, encompassing multivariable logistic regression analysis, subgroup analyses, smooth curve fitting, and threshold effect analysis. Results: The study included 8219 female participants, including 597 patients with RA. The results showed that higher Total OBS (TOBS) significantly correlated with lower RA prevalence in the entirely modified model [odd ratio (OR) = 0.968; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.952 to 0.984; P = 0.0001]. Dietary OBS (DOBS) and lifestyle OBS (LOBS) also negatively correlated with RA. This association was remarkably consistent across TOBS subgroups by age, race, education level, family poverty-to-income ratio (PIR), hypertension and diabetes. Smooth curve fitting and threshold effect analysis also revealed the linear relationship between OBS and RA. Conclusions: Overall, OBS was negatively associated with RA in female. This study suggested that an antioxidant diet and lifestyle may be promising measures to prevent RA in female. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread use of nanomaterials in daily life has led to increased concern about their potential neurotoxicity. Therefore, it is particularly important to establish a simple and reproducible assessment system. Representative nanomaterials, including cobalt nanoparticles (CoNPs), titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs), and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), were compared in terms of their neurotoxicity and underlying mechanisms. In 0, 25, 50, and 75 μg/ml of these nanomaterials, the survival, locomotion behaviors, acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity, reactive oxygen species production, and glutathione-S transferase 4 (Gst-4) activation in wildtype and transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) were evaluated. All nanomaterials induced an imbalance in oxidative stress, decreased the ratio of survival, impaired locomotion behaviors, as well as reduced the activity of AchE in C. elegans. Interestingly, CoNPs and MWCNTs activated Gst-4 , but not TiO2-NPs. The reactive oxygen species scavenger, N-acetyl- l -cysteine, alleviated oxidative stress and Gst-4 upregulation upon exposure to CoNPs and MWCNTs, and rescued the locomotion behaviors. MWCNTs caused the most severe damage, followed by CoNPs and TiO2-NPs. Furthermore, oxidative stress and subsequent activation of Gst-4 were involved in nanomaterials-induced neurotoxicity. Our study provides a comprehensive comparison of the neurotoxicity and mechanisms of typical nanomaterials, which could serve as a model for hazard assessment of environmental pollutants using C. elegans as an experimental model system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the transfer learning approach for grading diagnosis of ACL injury on a new modified dual precision positioning of thin-slice oblique sagittal FS-PDWI (DPP-TSO-Sag-FS-PDWI) sequence. And compare the prediction performances between artificial intelligence (AI) and radiologists. Materials and Methods: Patients with both DPP-TSO-Sag-FS-PDWI sequence and arthroscopic results were included. We performed a transfer learning approach using the pre-trained EfficientNet-B0 model, including whole image and regions of interest (ROI) image inputs, and reset its parameters to achieve an automatic hierarchical diagnosis of ACL. Results: A total of 235 patients (145 men and 90 women, 37.91 ± 14.77 years) with 665 images were analyzed. The consistencies of AI and arthroscopy (Kappa value > 0.94), radiologists and arthroscopy (Kappa value > 0.83, p = 0.000) were almost perfect. No statistical difference exists between the whole image and radiologists in the diagnosis of normal ACL (p = 0.063) and grade 3 injury (p = 1.000), while the whole image was better than radiologists in grade 1 (p = 0.012) and grade 2 injury (p = 0.003). Conclusion: The transfer learning approach exhibits its feasibility in the diagnosis of ACL injury based on the new modified MR DPP-TSO-Sag-FS-PDWI sequence, suggesting that it can help radiologists hierarchical diagnose ACL injuries, especially grade 2 injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The classical approaches for total hip arthroplasty (THA) are the direct lateral approach (DLA) and posterior lateral approach (PLA). There are few studies comparing implant orientation with these two approaches, and the impact of surgical approaches on implant orientation remains controversial. With the rise of the EOS imaging system, we aimed to use it to identify the differences between and factors associated with implant orientation after THA using DLA and PLA. Methods: In our department from January 2019 to December 2021, 321 primary unilateral THAs that used PLA and DLA were enrolled. A total of 201 patients who received PLA and 120 patients who received DLA were included in this study. Two blinded observers measured each case using EOS imaging data. Postoperative imaging metrics and other relevant influencing factors of the two surgical approaches were compared. Postoperative imaging metrics, including the anteversion and inclination of the cup, anteversion of the stem, and combined anteversion were measured based on EOS. Other relevant influencing factors included age, approach, gender, laterality, BMI, anterior pelvic plane inclination, femoral head diameter, femoral offset, lateral pelvic tilt, pelvic incidence, pelvis axial rotation, sacral slope, sagittal pelvic tilt, and surgery time. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to identify the predictors of acceptability for each imaging data point. Results: No dislocation was found in the 321 patients who underwent primary THA during this period. The mean anteversion and combined anteversion of the cups using the DLA were 21.33° ± 17.31° (−51.7°–60.8°) and 33.71° ± 20.85° (−38.8°–77.6°) and PLA were 25.34° ± 12.76° (−5.5°–57.0°) and 42.37° ± 18.85° (−8.7°–84.7°), respectively. The DLA group had smaller anteversion (p = 0.038) and combined anteversion (p < 0.001). We found that surgical approach (p < 0.05), anterior pelvic plane inclination (p < 0.001), gender (p < 0.001), and femoral head diameter (p < 0.001) were important factors affecting acetabular cup anteversion (R2 = 0.375) and combined anteversion (R2 = 0.525). Conclusions: In total hip arthroplasty, different prosthesis installation directions should be made according to different surgical approaches. Compared with the direct lateral approach, the acetabular anteversion can be intentionally enlarged when using the posterolateral approach. Surgical approach, anterior pelvic plane inclination (APPI), gender, and femoral head diameter were significant predictors of prosthesis orientation. The anterior pelvic plane inclination may be a useful standard for assessing the position of the prosthesis using EOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoperiod is an essential environmental factor that affects physiological activity and feeding behavior in crustaceans. The current study aimed to investigate the mechanism by which photoperiod influences gut bacterial community composition in the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis). In this study, high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing was used to identify variations in E. sinensis gut bacteria under three different light: dark conditions (24 L:0 D, 0 L:24 D, and 12 L:12 D). Shannon and Chao1 indexes of community richness and diversity differed significantly between the complete light group and complete dark group on day 4, but these differences disappeared by day 6, suggesting that the gut bacterial community became disrupted on day 4, but adjusted to the new environment by day 6. Tenericutes and Proteobacteria were the dominant phyla under all conditions. Clostridium abundance increased significantly on day 6 under conditions of complete light and complete darkness. These data suggest that the biological clock of E. sinensis minimized changes in gut bacterial community composition under different light conditions. Considering that the gut bacterial community has profound effects on the host, understanding various mechanisms of its influence (including interactions with photoperiod) should be useful for improving E. sinensis aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feeding time is an important factor affecting the physiological activity and feeding rhythm of crustaceans. However, little is known about the factors and mechanisms contributing to variations in feeding time in aquatic species or their impacts. Moreover, the gut microbiome largely affects host physiology and is associated with diet. To investigate the effects of different feeding times on the composition of intestinal bacterial communities, high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing was used to monitor the gut bacteria of the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis over a 10-day period under different feeding times: 06:00 h, 12:00 h, 18:00 h, and 24:00 h. Weight gain of the day-fed groups was significantly higher than that of the night-fed groups. Two probiotics, Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, were detected in the intestines of crabs in the 12:00 group. In addition, the diversity and richness of the flora in the 12:00 group were slightly higher than those in the other treatment groups. These results collectively indicate that different feeding times change the intestinal flora composition of Chinese mitten crabs, and further identified specific feeding times associated with a more significant weight gain effect. Our findings provide important insights into improving farming strategies for Chinese mitten crabs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanobubble technology has promising development and application prospects in the fields of sewage treatment, soil and groundwater remediation, animal and plant growth, and biomedicine. However, few studies have investigated its effect on shrimp aquaculture. In this study, we investigated the effect of nano-aerators on microbial communities of the water, sediment, and shrimp gut in a Litopenaeus vannamei aquaculture pond using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing. The results indicated that the nano-aerator significantly increased the microbial community diversity and species abundance in the pond, and the microbial community diversity of the pond sediment increased under short-term aeration conditions. Compared to that with ordinary aerators, nano-aerators increased the proportion of beneficial bacteria, such as Exiguobacterium and Acinetobacter, in the water and sediment microbial communities. Moreover, the proportions of beneficial bacteria in the gut, including Rhodobacter, Oscillospira, and Faecalibacterium, were all increased by using the nano-aerator. Therefore, our findings suggest that nano-aerators could promote the activity of beneficial bacteria in aquaculture ecosystems, thereby regulating water quality, reducing disease incidence, and improving aquaculture efficiency and benefits. Our findings provide new insights into the effects of nano-aerators on microbes in crustacean culture ponds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The daily rhythm affects a series of physiological functions in crustaceans. To study its effect on the physiological function in Eriocheir sinensis, a crustacean species of high economic value, we analyzed the hemolymph transcriptome during the daily rhythm by high-throughput sequencing. We sampled the hemolymph from crabs at four time points in a single day (06:00, 12:00, 18:00, and 24:00 h) and identified 3,01,661 and 1,03,998 transcripts and unigenes, respectively; some of the unigenes were annotated as core clock genes. Moreover, 15,564 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were divided into nine different clusters. Functional enrichment analysis of DEGs indicated that the molting, metabolism, and immunity processes in E. sinensis were impacted by its daily rhythm. In addition, we mapped the DEGs involved in the daily entrainment pathway. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comparative transcriptome analysis of crustacean hemolymph during the day–night cycle, and provides multi-level information for unraveling the finer regulatory effects of the daily cycle in crustaceans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circadian rhythm of aquatic animals has been a subject of research in a diverse range of studies. However, research on the circadian rhythm of the economically important crustacean Eriocheir sinensis is scarce although this species exhibits an obvious circadian rhythm. In this study, we applied liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry‐based metabolomics to identify key metabolites in the hepatopancreas of E. sinensis under the 24‐h circadian rhythm. Through comparative analysis of the metabolites obtained at different time points (06:00 vs. 12:00 h, 06:00 vs. 18:00 h, and 06:00 vs. 24:00 h), 431 differentially expressed metabolites were identified and classified. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis showed that the differentially expressed metabolites were enriched in some circadian rhythm‐related pathways, especially metabolic pathways related to nutrient digestion and absorption. Moreover, several pathways with high impact factors such as "Intestinal immune network for IgA production" were identified, and their functions were mostly related to immunity. This is the first study to identify the metabolites in the hepatopancreas of a crustacean through metabolomic analysis. It provides novel insights into the circadian rhythm of E. sinensis, which could benefit its culture and further increase its economic value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dielectric energy-storage ceramics have the advantages of high power density and fast charge and discharge rates, and are considered to be excellent candidate materials for pulsed power-storage capacitors. At present, the application of dielectric energy-storage ceramics is hindered by their low energy density and the fact that most of them contain elemental lead. Therefore, lead-free dielectric energy-storage ceramics with high energy storage density have become a research hot spot. In this paper, we first present the requirements that dielectric energy-storage capacitors impose on the properties of ceramic materials. We then review our previous research work combined with research progress into bismuth (Bi)-based lead-free energy-storage ceramics including Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 (BNT), BiFeO3, and Bi0.2Sr0.7TiO3, in which the composition design ideas and related energy-storage characteristics of BNT-based lead-free energy-storage ceramics are emphasized. At the same time, we highlight the problems faced by Bi-based lead-free energy-storage ceramics and some strategies for addressing them. Finally, we examine the future prospects of research into Bi-based lead-free energy-storage ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although co-culture of paddy fields with aquatic animals is lucrative, the ecological impacts of high-protein content entering the agricultural soil via animal pellet feed and feces have not been well studied. Moreover, the effects of dietary protein on soils and soil microbes remain unclear. To elucidate this, we examined soil bacterial and fungal community composition and temporal changes in paddy fields subjected to different protein-content diets via 16S/18S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing analysis with a high-throughput next-generation sequencer. MiSeq sequencing revealed that protein content significantly impacted fungal community structure. High-protein diets reduced bacterial community diversity and relative abundance in both July and October. The phylum-level bacterial taxonomic composition was not affected by diet treatment, while in fungi, a major phylum-level shift was evident. Hierarchically clustered analysis showed that high-protein diets significantly reduced the relative abundance of Brevundimonas in both July and October. Saprotrophic macrofungal diversity was negatively related to dietary protein content. Considering microbial community structure and environmental factors, ca. 15% protein content is appropriate for the rice-crab co-culture system that we studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-efficient hybrid light-emitting diode (LED) driver is introduced in this article. By combining the merits of conventional switching-converter-based and inductor-less driving solutions, the proposed topology fully utilizes the input power from the ac mains without causing considerable switching loss or excessive voltage stress. With the help of a small-size inductor and the hybrid scheme, the proposed driver automatically alternates between switching mode and linear mode as the rectified input voltage changes. In addition, the driver can be configured either in a single stage for a high power factor (PF) and high efficiency or in the second stage of a two-stage solution for alleviating harmful low-frequency flicker. The proposed driver-integrated circuit is implemented in a 0.35- $\mu \text{m}$ high-voltage CMOS process and tested under 110-VAC 60-Hz input. Measurement results show that, when operating in the high PF configuration, the proposed driver achieves 95.1% power efficiency and 0.986 PF. For the low flicker configuration, it achieves 92% efficiency and 15% flicker while maintaining a 0.918 PF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an ac-powered inductor-less light-emitting diode (LED) driver, which can simultaneously provide efficient illumination and data transmission capability by modulating light output. The proposed driver does not have passive components’ speed limitation compared to the conventional switching converter-based driving solutions for visible light communication (VLC). Besides this, harmful low-frequency flicker is mitigated with an accurate 1/ ${x}$ circuit and the dimming compensation method. In addition, the digitalized power stage and controller utilized in the proposed driver can achieve smooth transitions among multiple current paths, while the keep-and-restore technique and auxiliary turn-on switch help to further increase the VLC data rate. The integrated circuit of the proposed driver is implemented and fabricated with a 0.35- $\mu \text{m}$ , 120-V high-voltage CMOS process. Measurement results show that under a 110- $V_{\text {AC}}$ , 60-Hz input, the peak efficiency of the proposed design is over 89% and the low-frequency flicker is reduced to below 10%. The driver supports up to 8-Mb/s on–off keying non-return-to-zero data transmission for a 1-m distance between the LED module and the receiver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An auto-zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) quasi-resonant LED driver with gallium nitride (GaN) FETs for general lighting applications is presented. The proposed LED driver switches at high frequency to minimize the inductors to microhenry range. ZVS can be automatically achieved with the proposed controller to eliminate switching loss. The GaN FETs enable high-frequency operation and improve the power efficiency. A fully integrated LED shunt protector is proposed to bypass the failed LEDs in series-connected LED strings. The overall lifetime of the LED strings can be improved, and the maintenance cost can be reduced. The characteristics of the ZVS quasi-resonant LED driver with small inductors and the conditions for ZVS are also discussed in detail. The LED driver is fabricated with a 0.35- \mu \textm 120-V high-voltage process. It can provide up to 25-W power to the LED with 2 \times 3.3\,\,\mu \textH inductors and achieves 91.4% peak efficiency and a 0.973 peak power factor from 60-Hz 100- to 120- \textV\mathrm {ac} input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter reports the design and characterization of high-power flip-chip high-voltage light-emitting diodes (HVLEDs), driven by a single converter-free LED driver for a compact and low-flicker lighting system. The HVLED chips show small forward voltage variation, uniform light emission, good optical output linearity, and stable thermal performance. All these characteristics well satisfy the demanding requirements of the novel quasi-constant power control scheme adopted in the converter-free LED driver. After bonding 12 HVLED chips (60 LED cells in total) and a single driver onto a silicon carrier through metal bonding, a low lighting flicker of 15.2%~17% was demonstrated, showing great potential for high-quality illumination applications that require low flicker, high light output, and good thermal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a novel switching-converter-free ac–dc light-emitting diode (LED) driver with low-frequency-flicker reduction for general lighting applications. The proposed driving solution can minimize the system size as it enables the monolithic integration of the controller and power transistors while both the bulky off-chip electrolytic capacitors and magnetics are eliminated. Moreover, the driver can effectively reduce the harmful optical flicker at the double-line-frequency by employing a novel quasi-constant power control scheme while maintaining high efficiency and a good power factor (PF). The proposed driver is implemented with a single controller integrated circuit chip, which includes the controller and high-voltage power transistors, and the off-chip diode bridge and valley-fill circuit. The chip is fabricated with a 0.35- \mu \textm 120-V high-voltage CMOS process and occupies 1.85 mm2. The driver can provide up to 7.8-W power to the LED and achieves 87.6% peak efficiency and an over 0.925 PF with only 17.3% flicker from a 110-Vac 60-Hz input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the actual situation of Zhejiang Province, an objective and quantitative mathematical model used to assess the tourism index of scenic spots was proposed to extend fine and personalized meteorological services to scenic spots and tourists, in which effects of sunshine, wind power, temperature and relative humidity on the comfort of the human body were considered fully, and warning of weather disasters and occurrence of characteristic meteorological landscapes were also considered. The results show that the comprehensive evaluation index model of tourism has full functions of assessment, has guiding significance to the travel of travel enthusiasts and can provide reference for tourism management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This brief presents a monolithic high-voltage light-emitting diode (LED) driver for lighting applications. The LED driver is able to operate at high switching frequency because large switching loss is eliminated by zero-voltage switching. Inductor values are therefore reduced. A constant-duty-ratio frequency regulator (CDFR) is proposed to regulate the LED current, and the small signal characteristics of the proposed LED driver with CDFR are analyzed. The proposed design, including the controller and power transistor, was fabricated in MagnaChip 0.35- \mu\mboxm 700-V bipolar-CMOS- LDMOS process. The LED driver with 2 \times 3.9\ \mu\mboxH inductors switches at around 5.4 MHz and powers up 16–28 1-W LEDs. Experimental results show that the LED driver achieves peak efficiency of 92.8% within the input voltage range of 55–120 V. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]