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Switched reluctance motors (SRMs) have attracted much attention in industry due to the advantages of low cost, robust structure, high fault tolerance and high torque density. However, several disadvantages like high torque ripples and coil temperatures hinder their industrialization for some applications requiring high dynamic performance, like electric vehicles (EVs). In this paper, a multiobjective and multiphysics design optimization method considering both thermal and electromagnetic performance is presented for a 12/10 SRM. First, the topology of the SRM is introduced and the optimal parameters are defined. Then, the electromagnetic finite element model (FEM) is introduced and the improved transient lumped-parameter thermal model (TLPTM), considering both axial and radial heat transfer for the SRM, is proposed. Second, the objectives and constraints of the optimization are determined. To improve the optimization efficiency, the sequential subspace optimization strategy is employed to find the optimal solution of this high-dimensional design optimization problem. Finally, to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, both simulation and experimental results are given and discussed. Compared with the initial design, the optimal solution exhibits lower temperature, higher torque, lower torque ripple and less loss.

Objective The skin is the second most affected organ after articular involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Cutaneous involvement occurs in approximately 80% of patients during the course of SLE. Interaction between the host and skin microorganism is a complex process. There are few studies on the diversity of skin microbes in SLE patients. Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationship between skin microorganisms and SLE. Methods A total of 20 SLE patients, 20 controls with rosacea and 20 healthy controls were selected as study subjects. Both the skin microbiota of rash region and non-rash region for each SLE patient were collected.16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to detected skin microbiota from 80 specimens. α-Diversity and β-diversity of skin microbiota were analyzed based on operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and minimal entropy decomposition (MED). Using Wilcoxon test and Linear Discriminate Analysis Effect Size (LEfSe), skin microbial diversity and composition were analyzed. Functional capabilities of microbiota were estimated through Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database. Results Compared to rash region of SLE, diversity and richness were increased in healthy controls, and decreased in non-rash region of SLE and rash region of controls with rosacea. Additionally, changes of skin microbial composition were found at different taxonomic levels between four groups. For example, genus Halomonas was increased and genera Pelagibacterium, Novosphingobium, and Curvibacter were decreased in rash region compared to non-rash region of SLE based on OTUs and MED. Based on OTUs, metabolic pathways were also found differences in SLE patients, such as Xenobiotics Biodegradation and Metabolism. Conclusion Compositions and diversity of skin microbiota in SLE patients are changed. This pilot study provides some suggestive evidence for further exploration of skin microbiota in SLE patients with cutaneous involvement.

Objectives The relationship between the 18FDG PET-CT maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) and the type of lung adenocarcinoma is still not established. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between SUVmax value and histological grade and pathological subtype of lung adenocarcinoma, and to determine the optimum SUVmax cutoffs for distinguishing different histological grades. Materials and Methods The data of 618 lung adenocarcinoma patients were retrospectively analyzed. The relationship between SUVmax measured on preoperative 18FDG-PET-CT and the histological grade and pathological subtype was examined. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare differences among groups, and the Bonferroni-Dunn test for pairwise comparison among groups. ROC analysis was applied to determine the optimal cut-off values for distinguishing different groups. In addition, the cut-off value was verified in an independent cohort of 85 consecutive lung adenocarcinoma cases. Results The SUVmax was significantly different between the low, intermediate, and high-grade groups(p Conclusion SUVmax can be used to predict pathological subtype and histological grade of lung adenocarcinoma. Thus, 18FDG PET-CT can serve as a noninvasive tool for precise diagnosis and help in the preoperative formulation of patient-specific treatment strategies.

Objective To observe the effects of the thumb-tack needling therapy on knee joint pain and joint function in the elderly patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and compared with medication. Methods A total of 60 patients were randomized into a thumb-tack needling group and a medication group, 30 cases in each one. In the thumb-tack needling group, the therapy with the thumb-tack needle retaining and waiting for qi was adopted. The acupoints were Hedĭng (EX-LE2鹤顶), Neixīyan (内膝眼EX-LE4), Dubi (犊鼻ST35), Xuehai (血海SP10), Liangqiū (梁丘ST34) and Ashi points on the affected side. The needles were retained for 24 h. This therapy was given once every two days, 3 times a week. The treatment for 2 weeks was as one course and consecutive 2 courses of treatment were required. In the medication group, diclofenac sodium sustained release tablets were taken orally, 75 mg each time, once daily, consecutively for 4 weeks. Successively, the score of visual analogue scale (VAS) at the affected knee before treatment, after treatment and 3 months after treatment as well as Lequesne indicator before and after treatment were evaluated. The clinical therapeutic effect was observed in the patients of the two groups after treatment. Results (1) After treatment, VAS scores were reduced as compared with those before treatment in the patients of the two groups (both P Conclusion The thumb-tack needling therapy effectively relieves knee joint pain and improves joint function in the patients and the therapeutic effect is better than medication group. Hence, this therapy deserves to be promoted in clinical practice.

BACKGROUND Arterial supercharging and venous superdrainage have been the commonly used vascular augmentation techniques for resolving partial loss of flaps in reconstructive surgery. It remains controversial which one of them is more effective in improving flap survival. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of distal venous superdrainage and arterial supercharging on the survival of an extended dorsal perforator flap in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 20 in each group). An extended dorsal perforator flap with the size of 3 × 12 cm based on the deep circumflex iliac artery and vein was elevated in each rat. In arterial supercharging group, the thoracodorsal artery was retained as the distal supercharging vessel; In venous superdrainage group, the thoracodorsal vein was retained as the distal superdrainage vessel. In control group, no other arteries and veins were retained except the main vascular pedicle. On the seventh day after operation, the survival area of flap was calculated as a percentage of viable area to the total flap. Vascular changes in the choke zones were assessed by angiography. Microvascular density and diameter were assessed via immunohistochemistry staining of CD31 on the fifth day after operation. RESULTS The flap survival area in arterial supercharging group was significantly higher than that in venous superdrainage group (98.9 ± 0.8% vs. 81.5 ± 3.5%, p

Pure phase polycrystalline BiFeO₃ film was deposited onto FTO substrate by RF magnetron sputtering method. SEM result shows that BiFeO₃ film has the obvious porosity and large clusters which lead to the poor ferroelectric and photovoltaic properties in FTO/BiFeO₃/Ag device. However, these properties are improved in p-i-n structured FTO/TiO₂/BiFeO₃/HTM/Ag device by incorporating the electron and hole transport materials. The hysteresis loop measurement demonstrates the excellent ferroelectric property with large remnant polarization (2Pr = 180 μC/cm²) and low leakage current. The J-V curve shows the short-circuit current density is dozens of times larger than that of FTO/BiFeO₃/Ag device. Moreover, the photovoltaic output depends on the poling field where the positive poling improves the short-circuit current density to -85 μA/cm₂ and the negative poling reduces both the photocurrent and photovoltage. It is believed that the ferroelectric polarization plays a dominant role in the photovoltaic effect.

A polycrystalline BiFeO₃ film was deposited on ITO substrate by RF magnetron sputtering method. Small crystallite size and compact structure are obtained for BiFeO₃ film which has the excellent ferroelectric properties. The measured photovoltaic response reveals an open-circuit voltage of ~0.52 V and a short-circuit current density of ~10 μA/cm² under the illumination of 100 mW/cm² irradiance. Moreover, a tunable photovoltaic effect with light illumination is observed under different voltage sweep mode. High initial sweep voltage can enhance the photovoltaic effect largely, however, the photovoltaic response decreases with the increase of voltage sweep interval. The results indicate the ferroelectric polarization plays an important role in the photovoltaic effect.

Background Endophthalmitis caused by Enterococci is rare, and cases involving vancomycin-resistant enterococci are even rarer. We report the first case of Enterococcus casseliflavus endophthalmitis associated with injury caused by a pig. We also review reported cases of exogenous endophthalmitis caused by Enterococcus casseliflavus and discuss the clinical management and prognosis of this disease. Case summary A 43-year-old man with no previous visual problems complained of endophthalmitis in his left eye following injury caused by a pig. Visual acuity was light perception and B-ultrasonography revealed vitreous opacities with retinal detachment. He was treated with intravitreal vancomycin and ceftazidime after refusing vitrectomy. However, the vitreous opacities and retinal detachment deteriorated and he underwent vitrectomy 5 d post-injury. Intraoperatively, advanced rhegmatogenous and tractional retinal detachment with proliferative vitreoretinopathy were observed. On postoperative day 5, vitreous cultures grew Gram-positive cocci identified as Enterococcus casseliflavus. A 2-wk course of intravenous ampicillin and dexamethasone was commenced. On postoperative day 14, visual acuity improved to hand movement. At 6 mo post-injury, visual acuity improved to 20/667, but optic atrophy was present. Conclusion Systemic administration of linezolid in the treatment of Enterococcus casseliflavus endophthalmitis can improve visual acuity. However, intravitreal amikacin should be considered despite concerns of toxicity when oral linezolid fails to prompt improvement.

Background. Accumulating evidence has suggested that Nei-like DNA glycosylase 3 (NEIL3) is associated with human tumors. However, there are few studies on the role of NEIL3 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to investigate the expression profile of NEIL3 and its clinical relevance in HCC. Materials and Methods. A total of 130 HCC and corresponding nontumor tissues were collected to perform immunohistochemistry (IHC). The clinical relevance and prognostic value of NEIL3 in HCC were analyzed by the chi-square test, Kaplan–Meier analysis, the Cox proportional hazard model, and nomogram. Results. IHC showed that the NEIL3 protein level was remarkably upregulated in tumor tissues compared with nontumor tissues (fold change = 1.24; P < 0.001 ). High NEIL3 expression was significantly correlated with BCLC stage ( P = 0.004 ) and TNM stage ( P = 0.005 ). Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates in the high NEIL3 expression group were significantly worse than those in the low NEIL3 expression group ( P = 0.007 and P = 0.004 , respectively). Furthermore, subgroup analysis showed that high NEIL3 expression predicted worse OS and DFS for HCC patients with advanced TNM stage, poorly differentiated tumor, HBsAg positive, or cirrhosis. Multivariate analysis and the prognostic nomograms revealed that tumor NEIL3 level may serve as a promising prognostic indicator for OS and DFS in HCC patients. Conclusion. Our findings suggested that NEIL3 might be a potential prognosis assessment marker and therapeutic target for HCC patients.

Sleep-stage classification is essential for sleep research. Various automatic judgment programs including deep learning algorithms using artificial intelligence (AI) have been developed, but with limitations in data format compatibility, human interpretability, cost, and technical requirements. We developed a novel program called GI-SleepNet, generative adversarial network (GAN)-assisted image-based sleep staging for mice that is accurate, versatile, compact, and easy to use. In this program, electroencephalogram and electromyography data are first visualized as images and then classified into three stages (wake, NREM, and REM) by a supervised image learning algorithm. To increase the accuracy, we adopted GAN and artificially generated fake REM sleep data to equalize the number of stages. This resulted in improved accuracy, and as few as one mouse data yielded significant accuracy. Because of its image-based nature, it is easy to apply to data of different formats, of different species of animals, and even outside of sleep research. Image data can be easily understood by humans, thus especially confirmation by experts is easy when there are some anomalies of prediction. Because deep learning of images is one of the leading fields in AI, numerous algorithms are also available.

Objective: Seasonal influenza associated neurological complications had high mortality and morbidity rates in children. In this study, we aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and mortality risk factors in children with influenza-associated encephalopathy. Methods: Retrospectively analyze the clinical data, laboratory tests, and imaging examinations of 68 children diagnosed with influenza-associated encephalopathy from January 2016 to December 2019 at Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, and the cases were divided into survival and non-survival groups by disease outcome and analyzed between two groups Results: Among the 68 children with influenza-associated encephalopathy, 40 were male, and 28 were female, aged from 3 months to 13 years, of which 66.18% (45/68) were under 5 years old. Pathogenetic tests showed that influenza virus type A accounted for 63.24% (43/68), and influenza virus type B accounted for 36.76% (25/68). Typical brain MRI changes in childhood influenza-associated encephalopathy were bilateral symmetrical lesions of the thalamus, basal ganglia, brainstem, and cerebellum. 68 patients had a mortality rate of 20.59% (14/68), with a significantly higher proportion of fever peak >39°C, Acute Disturbance Of Consciousness (ADOC), and cardiac arrest in the non-survival group than in the survival group (P

We theoretically study the role of the exceptional point (EP) in a non-Hermitian cavity magnomechanical (CMM) system, with a tunable dissipative magnon-photon coupling. We find that the EP emerging in such a system can radically change the properties of photons and phonons. As a result, flexible on-off optical transmission, coherent switching of slow and fast lights, and enhanced mechanical cooling deep into the ground state can be achievable by approaching the EP. Detailed comparisons between this system and its Hermitian counterpart are given. Our results show that EP-assisted CMM devices can serve as tools for applications in optical communications and electromechanical switching or sensing.

Tocilizumab, a humanized anti-IL-6 receptor monoclonal antibody, showed its therapeutic efficacy on neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). To assess the immunological effects of this drug on B cells, follicular T helper (Tfh) cells, and peripheral T helper (Tph) cells in patients with NMOSD, peripheral B cell and Tfh cell phenotypes were evaluated in 26 patients with NMOSD before and after tocilizumab treatment by nine-color flow cytometry, as well as the expression of costimulatory and co-inhibitory molecules on B cells. Results showed that the frequency of CD27+IgD− switched memory B cells, CD27-IgD- double-negative B cells, and CD27highCD38high antibody-secreting cells was increased in patients with NMOSD. Tocilizumab treatment led to a significant shift of B cells to naïve B cells from memory B cells after 3 months. Three markers on B cells associated with T-cell activation (i.e., CD86 CD69, and HLA-DR) were downregulated after tocilizumab treatment. The frequencies of total Tfh and Tph cells were decreased, whereas that of follicular regulatory T cells tended to increase. Intrinsic increased PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression was characteristic of B cells in patients with NMOSD. Tocilizumab selectively restored PD-L1 on B-cell subsets. These results provided evidence that tocilizumab enhanced B- and T-cell homoeostasis by regulating B-cell differentiation and inhibiting lymphocyte activation in patients with NMOSD.

The Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (HXMT) named Insight is China's first X-ray astronomical satellite, with the Low Energy X-ray Telescope (LE) as one of its main payloads onboard. The detectors of LE adopt swept charge device CCD236 using L-shaped transfer electrodes. To measure the time response distribution resulted from the continuous readout of charges in detection area along specific paths, a long exposure readout mode has been designed. In this mode, CCD236 firstly performs exposure without readout, then all charges generated in preceding exposure phase are read out completely. And an analysis of the photons readout time in this mode is carried out, to obtain the time response distribution.

Background and ObjectivesTo assess the molecular landscape of B-cell subpopulations across different compartments in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD).MethodsWe performed B-cell transcriptomic profiles via single-cell RNA sequencing across CSF, blood, and bone marrow in patients with NMOSD.ResultsAcross the tissue types tested, 4 major subpopulations of B cells with distinct signatures were identified: naive B cells, memory B cells, age-associated B cells, and antibody-secreting cells (ASCs). NMOSD B cells show proinflammatory activity and increased expression of chemokine receptor genes (CXCR3 and CXCR4). Circulating B cells display an increase of antigen presentation markers (CD40 and CD83), as well as activation signatures (FOS, CD69, and JUN). In contrast, the bone marrow B-cell population contains a large ASC fraction with increased oxidative and metabolic activity reflected by COX genes and ATP synthase genes. Typically, NMOSD B cells become hyperresponsive to type I interferon, which facilitates B-cell maturation and anti–aquaporin-4 autoantibody production. The pool of ASCs in blood and CSF were significantly elevated in NMOSD. Both CD19− and CD19+ ASCs could be ablated by tocilizumab, but not rituximab treatment in NMOSD.DiscussionB cells are compartmentally fine tuned toward autoreactivity in NMOSD and become hyperreactive to type I interferon. Inhibition of type I interferon pathway may provide a new therapeutic avenue for NMOSD.

According to the deformation mechanism of parts in the process of UV curing rapid prototyping, the equivalent mechanical model of layer by layer accumulation was established, and the warpage of multi-layer plate parts was simulated by ABAQUS software. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental results, which shows that the simulation model can simulate the growth and deformation of the parts accurately. It can provide theoretical support and quantitative basis for improving the manufacturing scheme of parts, such as the selection of growth direction and the addition of support. It provides theoretical support and quantitative basis for improving the process and improving the precision of forming parts.

The Follow-up X-ray Telescope (FXT), a key payload onboard the Einstein Probe sallite (EP), is equipped with a Wolter-I x-ray focusing mirror system. We introduce the principle of such a mirror system and analyze the influence of the mirror gap in the multishell nested mirror of the FXT on the effective area, stray-light ratio, and vignetting. To ensure that no occlusion occurs within adjacent shells and minimize stray-light ratio, the size of the gap is set to a optimized value for corresponding shell. We finished a design of a 54-shell mirror system according to these results. The optical performance of the design was then simulated using a Monte Carlo algorithm and the ray-tracing principle. The simulation shows that the effective area is 414.5 ± 0.2 cm2 at 1.25 keV (considering the spider), and the field of view is 64 arcmin in diameter. These parameters meet the optical requirements of the FXT.

BackgroundInterleukin-6 receptor blockade is effective in reducing the risk of relapses in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). However, its efficacy during acute attacks of NMOSD remains elusive.ObjectiveWe investigated the effects of tocilizumab on disability during acute attacks, as well as its maintenance, in patients with moderate-to-severe myelitis.MethodsNineteen patients with NMOSD received tocilizumab treatment as add-on to high-dose methylprednisolone (HDMP) in acute myelitis and twenty-two patients who only received HDMP were compared. Disease disability was assessed using a multi-level scaling system that included the expanded disability status scale (EDSS), Hauser ambulation index (HAI), modified Rankin scale (mRS), pain numerical rating scale (NRS), functional assessment of chronic illness therapy-fatigue scale (FACIT-F), activity of daily living (ADL), EuroQol five-dimensions-three-level questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L), and sensory function score and bowel and bladder function score in Kurtzke functional systems scores (FSS).ResultsImproved EDSS, HAI, and mRS, as well as increased ADL and EQ-5D-3L were significant in patients on tocilizumab compared with those on steroids as monotherapy at 3 months (p < 0.05). Both groups of patients showed improved pain, fatigue, sensory function, and autonomic function at follow-ups, compared with baseline respectively. The changes in NRS, FACIT-F, and sensory and autonomic FSS showed no significant differences between the two groups. Tocilizumab significantly lowered the risk of relapses (HR = 0.21, 95% CI 0.06–0.76, p = 0.017) and reduced the annualized relapse rate compared with those by steroids (0.1 ± 0.2 vs 0.5 ± 0.6, p = 0.013).ConclusionEarly initiation of tocilizumab provided a safe and effective add-on alternative during attacks, and its maintenance contributed to a significant reduction of relapse rate in NMOSD.

Distal pancreatectomy with En-bloc celiac axis resection (DP-CAR) is a challenging procedure that has yielded certain clinical efficacy in the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic body/tail cancer, especially in patients with invasion of abdominal vessels. However, the clinical efficacy and safety of DP-CAR remain controversial. The study aimed to systematically review efficacy and safety of DP-CAR in the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic body/tail cancer. We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases from inception to 1 October 2020. Two studiers independently accomplished the study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment. Initially, of 1032 studies were searched, among which 11 high quality studies including 1072 patients were finally identified. The pooled results showed that DP-CAR versus Distal pancreatectomy (DP), the rate of R0 resection (RR = 0.76; 95%CI: 0.66 to 0.88; p = 0.0002) and 3-year survival (RR = 0.65; 95%CI: 0.43 to 0.98; p = 0.04) was lower, postoperative mortality (RR = 2.48; 95%CI: 1.02 to 6.03; p = 0.04) was higher, the operation time (MD = 104.67; 95%CI: 84.70 to 124.64; p

The Einstein Probe (EP) is an X-ray astronomical mission mainly devoting to time-domain astronomy. There are two main scientific payloads onboard EP, the Wide Field X-ray Telescope (WXT) based on the lobster eye optics and the Follow-up X-ray Telescope (FXT). FXT contains two Wolter-1 mirrors with a pnCCD detector on each focus. The total effective area is about 600 cm2 and the energy range is 0.3-10 keV. The pnCCD detector cooled by a pulse tube cooler enables high-resolution spectroscopy and imaging combined with excellent time resolution. It will also have several working modes with time resolution ranging from tens of microseconds to 50 milliseconds. Currently, the FXT is in its qualification model phase. The mirror assemblies (STM and TCM) as well as the pnCCD EM module have been manufactured and tested.

Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been strongly associated with an increased risk of developing cognitive dysfunction and dementia. The mechanisms of diabetes-associated cognitive dysfunction (DACD) have not been fully elucidated to date. Some studies proved lower cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the hippocampus was associated with poor executive function and memory in T2DM. Increasing evidence showed that diabetes leads to abnormal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and CBF changes in humans and animal models. In this study, we hypothesized that DACD was correlated with CBF alteration as measured by three-dimensional (3D) arterial spin labeling (3D-ASL) and VEGF expression in the hippocampus. Aim To assess the correlation between CBF (measured by 3D-ASL and VEGF expression) and DACD in a rat model of T2DM. Methods Forty Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into control and T2DM groups. The T2DM group was established by feeding rats a high-fat diet and glucose to induce impaired glucose tolerance and then injecting them with streptozotocin to induce T2DM. Cognitive function was assessed using the Morris water maze experiment. The CBF changes were measured by 3D-ASL magnetic resonance imaging. VEGF expression was determined using immunofluorescence. Results The escape latency time significantly reduced 15 wk after streptozotocin injection in the T2DM group. The total distance traveled was longer in the T2DM group; also, the platform was crossed fewer times. The percentage of distance in the target zone significantly decreased. CBF decreased in the bilateral hippocampus in the T2DM group. No difference was found between the right CBF value and the left CBF value in the T2DM group. The VEGF expression level in the hippocampus was lower in the T2DM group and correlated with the CBF value. The escape latency negatively correlated with the CBF value. The number of rats crossing the platform positively correlated with the CBF value. Conclusion Low CBF in the hippocampus and decreased VEGF expression might be crucial in DACD. CBF measured by 3D-ASL might serve as a noninvasive imaging biomarker for cognitive impairment associated with T2DM.

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD), a type of chronic liver disease that is prevalent worldwide, is still identified to have a poor prognosis despite many medical treatment protocols. Thus, it is urgent to develop and test new treatment protocols for ALD. Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) has been widely used in the clinical treatment of digestive system diseases, but studies on the protective effect of L. reuteri on ALD are considered to be rare. Therefore, in the present study, we examined the effect of L. reuteri on ALD and provide data that are significant in the development of new treatment protocols for ALD. An ALD model has been established in C57BL/6J mice treated according to the Gao-binge modeling method. Mice in the treatment group were administered with L. reuteri. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, oil red O staining, immunohistochemistry, and biochemical analyses were performed to detect the phenotypic changes in the liver among mice in the different treatment groups. L. reuteri treatment reversed inflammatory cell infiltration and lipid accumulation. Moreover, AST, ALT, TG, and TCH levels were also reduced in the probiotics-treatment group. Five candidate biomarkers were found in the liver metabolites of different treatment groups by UPLC/QTOF-MS and a multivariate analysis. Several fatty acid metabolic pathways such as linoleic acid metabolism and glycerolipid metabolism were involved. All these findings suggested that L. reuteri treatment reversed the phenotype of ethanol-induced hepatitis and metabolic disorders. These findings provide evidence that L. reuteri might serve as a new therapeutic strategy for ALD.

Photonic quantum memory is the core element in quantum information processing (QIP). For the scalable and convenient practical applications, great efforts have been devoted to the integrated quantum memory based on various waveguides fabricated in solids. However, on-demand storage of qubits, which is an essential requirement for QIP, is still challenging to be implemented using such integrated quantum memory. Here we report the on-demand storage of time-bin qubits in an on-chip waveguide memory on the surface of a $^{151}$Eu$^{3+}$:Y$_2$SiO$_5$ crystal, utilizing the Stark modulated atomic frequency comb protocol. A qubit storage fidelity of $99.3\%\pm0.2\%$ is obtained with a input of 0.5 photons per pulse, far beyond the highest fidelity achievable using the classical measure-and-prepare strategy. The developed integrated quantum memory with the on-demand retrieval capability, represents an important step towards practical applications of integrated quantum nodes in quantum networks., 6 pages, 4 figures and 1 table

This paper discusses the developments of employee attendance system via face detection and facial recognition, using the enhanced featured supervised learning technique. The main goal of the proposed system, FaceAuth is to uniquely identify a person without the use of Internet connection and cloud services. The developed system can identify the face of a user using the k-nearest neighbors (k-NN) algorithm for both training and testing phases. Then, a suitable distance threshold is configured to exclude the unregistered person from the prediction. Meanwhile, it marks the attendance of individual, whenever the person's face has trained within five seconds. For 40 participants in this experiment, the developed system can achieve 92.5% in accuracy, without false positive error occur.

Azathioprine is used as a first-line treatment to prevent relapses of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Tocilizumab has been reported to reduce NMOSD disease activity in retrospective case reports. We aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of tocilizumab and azathioprine in patients with highly relapsing NMOSD.We did an open-label, multicentre, randomised, phase 2 trial at six hospitals in China. We recruited adult patients (aged ≥18 years) with highly relapsing NMOSD diagnosed according to 2015 International Panel for Neuromyelitis Optica Diagnosis criteria, who had an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of 7·5 or lower, and had a history of at least two clinical relapses during the previous 12 months or three relapses during the previous 24 months with at least one relapse within the previous 12 months. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to intravenous tocilizumab (8 mg/kg every 4 weeks) or oral azathioprine (2-3 mg/kg per day) by an independent statistician using computer-generated randomisation software with permuted blocks of four. The central review committee, EDSS raters, laboratory personnel, and radiologists were masked to the treatment assignment, but investigators and patients were aware of treatment allocation. The minimum planned duration of treatment was 60 weeks following randomisation. The primary outcome was time to first relapse in the full analysis set, which included all randomly assigned patients who received at least one dose of study drug, and the per-protocol population, which included all patients who used azathioprine or tocilizumab as monotherapy. For the analyses of the primary outcome, the patients were prespecified into two subgroups according to concomitant autoimmune disease status. Safety was assessed in the full analysis set. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03350633.Between Nov 1, 2017, and Aug 3, 2018, we enrolled 118 patients, of whom 59 were randomly assigned to tocilizumab and 59 were randomly assigned to azathioprine. All 118 patients received one dose of study drug and were included in the full analysis set. 108 participants were included in the per-protocol analysis (56 in the tocilizumab group and 52 in the azathioprine group). In the full analysis set, median time to the first relapse was longer in the tocilizumab group than the azathioprine group (78·9 weeks [IQR 58·3-90·6] vs 56·7 [32·9-81·7] weeks; p=0·0026). Eight (14%) of 59 patients in the tocilizumab group and 28 (47%) of 59 patients in the azathioprine group had a relapse at the end of the study (hazard ratio [HR] 0·236 [95% CI 0·107-0·518]; p0·0001). In the per-protocol analysis, 50 (89%) of 56 patients in the tocilizumab group were relapse-free compared with 29 (56%) of 52 patients in the azathioprine group at the end of the study (HR 0·188 [95% CI 0·076-0·463]; p0·0001); the median time to first relapse was also longer in the tocilizumab group than the azathioprine group (67·2 weeks [IQR 47·9-77·9] vs 38·0 [23·6-64·9]; p0·0001). In the prespecified subgroup analysis of the full analysis set stratified by concomitant autoimmune diseases, among patients without concomitant autoimmune diseases, three (9%) of 34 patients in the tocilizumab group and 13 (35%) of 37 patients in the azathioprine group had relapsed by the end of the study. Among patients with concomitant autoimmune diseases, a lower proportion of patients in the tocilizumab group had a relapse than in the azathioprine group (five [20%] of 25 patients vs 15 [68%] of 22 patients; HR 0·192 [95% CI 0·070-0·531]; p=0·0004). 57 (97%) of 59 patients in the tocilizumab group and 56 (95%) of 59 patients in the azathioprine group had adverse events. Treatment-associated adverse events occurred in 36 (61%) of 59 tocilizumab-treated patients and 49 (83%) of 59 azathioprine-treated patients. One death (2%) occurred in the tocilizumab group and one (2%) in the azathioprine group, but neither of the deaths were treatment-related.Tocilizumab significantly reduced the risk of a subsequent NMOSD relapse compared with azathioprine. Tocilizumab might therefore be another safe and effective treatment to prevent relapses in patients with NMOSD.Tianjin Medical University, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, National Key Research and Development Program of China, National Science Foundation of China.

Background: Adiponectin has been implicated to play a role in the pathophysiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Many studies have assessed serum adiponectin concentrations in COPD patients. However, results from different reports were not consistent. To assess the association of serum adiponectin concentrations and COPD, a meta-analysis was performed. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library were searched for eligible studies. Data were extracted, and then standard mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results: Thirteen studies involving a total of 1131 cases and 689 controls were included in this meta-analysis. Combined data indicated that the serum adiponectin levels were higher in COPD patients than those in controls (SMD: 1.09, 95% CI [0.73–1.45], P < 0.001). In the subgroup analyses by disease period, there were similar results in stable COPD patients (SMD: 0.77, 95% CI [0.47–1.07], p Conclusions: This meta-analysis indicates that patients with COPD have higher serum adiponectin concentration than healthy controls.

In this paper, we present graphics rendering instruction extension to RISC-V ISA. In order to achieve high performance at low power consumption, the fragment rendering process is designed to be fixed-pipeline. The proposed system on a chip (SOC) is fabricated into a 3.5 × 3.5 mm2 chip using 110-nm CMOS technology. The RISC-V core with programmable vertex engine consumes 1.10 mm2 and runs at 102 MHz. The fragment engine consumes 7.44 mm2 and runs at 200 MHz. Experiment Results show that the whole chip only consumes 20 mW at full speed, and the performance per milliwatt is over 200 times more than modern MCU chip with GPU core.

Bacterial diseases are common opportunistic infections among HIV/AIDS patients. Skin and mucosa are the primary and predilection sites of infection. The incidence of bacterial infection significantly increased in HIV/AIDS patients, and sepsis is a common cause of death. In this chapter, the authors present many cases of bacterial infection in HIV/AIDS patients, including folliculitis, furuncle, carbuncle, erysipelas, acne, abscess, impetigo, cellulitis, mycobacteriosis, nontuberculous mycobacterium infection, and nocardiosis.

Rhodiola rosea L., a worldwide botanical adaptogen, has been confirmed to possess protective effects of inflammatory injury for many diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, sepsis, and cancer. This paper is to review the recent clinical and experimental researches about the anti-inflammatory effects and the related mechanisms of Rhodiola rosea L. extracts, preparations, and the active compounds. From the collected information reviewed, this paper will provide the theoretical basis for its clinical application, and provide the evidences or guidance for future studies and medicinal exploitations of Rhodiola rosea L.

Background To investigate predictors of postoperative acute intracranial hemorrhage (AIH) and recurrence of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) after burr hole drainage. Methods A multicenter retrospective study of patients who underwent burr hole drainage for CSDH between January 2013 and March 2019. Results A total of 448 CSDH patients were enrolled in the study. CSDH recurrence occurred in 60 patients, with a recurrence rate of 13.4%. The mean time interval between initial burr hole drainage and recurrence was 40.8 ± 28.3 days. Postoperative AIH developed in 23 patients, with an incidence of 5.1%. The mean time interval between initial burr hole drainage and postoperative AIH was 4.7 ± 2.9 days. Bilateral hematoma, hyperdense hematoma and anticoagulant drug use were independent predictors of recurrence in the multiple logistic regression analyses. Preoperative headache was an independent risk factor of postoperative AIH in the multiple logistic regression analyses, however, intraoperative irrigation reduced the incidence of postoperative AIH. Conclusions This study found that bilateral hematoma, hyperdense hematoma and anticoagulant drug use were independently associated with CSDH recurrence. Clinical presentation of headache was the strongest predictor of postoperative AIH, and intraoperative irrigation decreased the incidence of postoperative AIH.

Nickel oxide (NiOx) films were deposited onto ITO-coated glass at room temperature by DC magnetron sputtering and the electrochromic properties were investigated. The effects of film thickness on structure, morphology, electrochemical and electrochromic properties of NiOx films were systematically studied. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy results indicate NiOx films have the polycrystalline structure and the crystallinity improves with the increase of thickness. In atomic force microscopy analysis, the surface roughness of NiOx films increases as the thickness increases and large roughness is obtained in the films of more than 300 nm. The electrochemical properties were measured by using conventional three-electrode configuration in 1 M LiClO4-PC electrolyte and all the samples show good cyclic stability. A transmittance modulation of 62% between colored and bleached state at 550 nm wavelength is obtained for 500 nm thick film and the high color efficiencies of more than 62 cm2C-1 are obtained in NiOx films. However, coloring and bleaching response times increase with the increase of thickness because of the larger depth of charge insertion/extraction. The results confirm that magnetron sputtering technology provides a feasibility for electrochromic devices with excellent electrochromic performance.

This study aims to investigate the curative effect of synthetic treatment for refractory acute myocardial infarction (AMI).A total of 76 patients with coronary AMI accompanied by shock, who were treated with combined therapy from August 1999 to April 2017, were included into this study. Sixty patients received emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Among these patients, 39 patients received intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP), eight patients had failed PCI underwent emergency off-pump coronary artery bypass (E-OPCAB), and eight patients were treated by hybrid cardiac surgery.All patients were successfully rescued. However, two patients died afterward due to postoperative complications.For AMI patients complicated with shock, especially when emergency PCI fails or is difficult to perform, PCI + IABP, emergency E-OPCAB and hybrid cardiac surgery should be carried out, in order to achieve a good outcome and improve the success rate of rescue for this group of patients.Acute myocardial infarction (AMI); emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI); intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP); emergency off-pump coronary artery bypass (E-OPCAB); hybrid cardiac surgery.

Tian-Xiang Chen,1 Bigyan Pudasaini,1 Jian Guo,2 Su-Gang Gong,1 Rong Jiang,1 Lan Wang,1 Qin-Hua Zhao,1 Wen-Hui Wu,1 Ping Yuan,1 Jin-Ming Liu1 1Department of Cardio-Pulmonary Circulation, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pulmonary Function Test, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China Background: Sex differences in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) have been revealed in few studies. Although right heart catheterization (RHC) is the gold standard for clinical diagnosis and assessment of prognosis in pulmonary hypertension (PH), cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) has been a more widely used assessment of functional capacity, disease severity, prognosis, and treatment response in PH. We hypothesized that the “sex-specific” CPET indices could estimate the severity of inoperable CTEPH.Methods: Data were retrieved for 33 male (age, mean ± standard deviation [SD] =62.5±13.4 years) and 40 female (age, mean ± SD =56.3±11.8 years) patients with stable CTEPH who underwent both RHC and CPET at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from February 2010 to February 2016. Univariate and forward/backward multiple stepwise regression analysis was performed to assess the predictive value of CPET indices to hemodynamic parameters. Event-free survival was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method and analyzed with the log-rank test. Cox proportional hazards models were performed to determine the independent event-free survival predictors.Results: Numerous CPET parameters were different between male and female patients with CTEPH and the control group. There were no significant differences in both clinical variables and RHC parameters between male and female patients with CTEPH. O2 pulse, workload, minute ventilation (VE), and end-tidal partial pressure of O2 (PETO2) at anaerobic threshold, as well as peak O2 pulse, workload, VE, and nadir VE/CO2 were significantly higher in male patients than in female patients (P

Purpose Aiming at the traditional multivariate grey forecasting model only considers the modelling of real numbers; therefore, the purpose of this paper is to construct an MGM(1, m) model based on the interval grey number sequences according to the grey modelling theory. Design/methodology/approach First, the multivariable grey number sequences are transformed into the kernel and grey radius sequences which are two feature sequences of interval grey number sequences. Then the MGM(1, m) model for kernel sequences and grey radius sequences are established, respectively. Finally, the simulation and prediction of the upper and lower bounds of the interval grey number sequences are realized by the reductive calculation of the predicted values of the kernel and grey radius. Findings The model is applied to the prediction of visibility and relative humidity, the identification factors of the haze. The results show that the model has high accuracy on the simulation and prediction of multivariable grey number sequences, which is reasonable and practical. Originality/value The main contribution of this paper is to propose a method to simulate and forecast the multivariable grey number sequence that is to establish the prediction models for the whitening sequences of multivariable grey number sequences which are kernel and grey radius sequences and extend the possibility boundary of kernel by grey radius. The model can reflect the development trend of multivariable grey number sequence accurately. When the grey information is continuously complemented, the multivariable grey number prediction model is transformed into the traditional MGM(1, m) model. Therefore, the MGM(1, m) model based on interval grey number sequence is the generalisation and expansion of the traditional MGM(1, m) model.

Workers' unsafe behaviors have been recognized as one of the main causes to construction accidents, while the existing research shows that workers' psychological status on site has a direct influence on their behaviors. Thus monitoring workers' psychological status may benefit the reduction of unsafe behaviors on site, thus preventing accident from occurring. However, due to the lack of appropriate methods to collect jobsite workers' psychological data, it is difficult for the existing research to reveal the relationship between psychological status and unsafe behavior. This research proposes an efficient wearable technology-based method to collect jobsite workers' psychological data to support such an analysis. Wearable-device-based physical data collection has been regarded as a promising approach to study human's psychological status in the field of psychology, and applied to pedagogy and clinical psychology, but seldom in the construction industry. The purpose of this research is to study the availability of the approach in construction safety management. To do this, an on-site experiment was conducted to collect workers' physical data via using wearable devices, as well as psychological data through the use of PANAS (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) and DRM (Day Reconstruction Method). Based on the data, the correlations between workers' psychological status and physical data are analyzed. The results show that jobsite workers' physical data is available for the measurement of workers' psychological status. This research will contribute to the research on jobsite workers' psychology in the context of real construction sites, as well as the identification of the mental causes of workers' unsafe behaviors on site, thus improving the performance of construction safety management.

Objective To explore the feasibility and safety of using tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) to prevent graft restenosis after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods In this prospective observational study, 37 patients underwent CABG between June 2009 and May 2013. These patients were grouped according to the anti-coagulation strategy after surgery: t-PA (n = 12) and conventional treatments (n = 25). In the t-PA group, the patients received acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and clopidogrel plus intravenous infusion of t-PA (0.25 mg/kg/day) starting at 24 h after surgery and that lasted for 3 days. In the conventional group, the patients received only ASA and clopidogrel. 64-row spiral computed tomographic coronary angiography was performed at 1 week, 1, and 3 months after surgery to evaluate the patency of the graft vessel. Results The mean stenosis severity of the saphenous vein grafts was lower in the t-PA group compared with the conventional group at 3 months after surgery (p 0.05). The patency rate of the grafts was not significantly different between the two groups at 1 week, 1, and 3 months after surgery (p > 0.05). Conclusion Early application of t-PA after CABG was feasible and safe, and might help prevent early restenosis of SV grafts. Additional clinical randomized trials are necessary to address this issue.

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) has been used for prognosis in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). We explored whether sex differences had an impact on prognostic assessments of CPET in IPAH. Data were retrieved from 21 male and 36 female incident IPAH patients who underwent both right heart catheterization and CPET from 2010 to 2016 at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to assess the prognostic value of CPET. The mean duration of follow-up was 22±15 months. Nine men and 15 women had an event. The differences in clinical parameters in the whole population were not the same as the inter-subgroup differences. Event-free women had significantly higher cardiac output, lower pulmonary vascular resistance and percentage of predicted FVC compared with event men (all P

Objective Fibrinogen is believed to play a role in the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and many studies have assessed circulating fibrinogen concentrations in OSA patients. However, the results from these studies were not consistent. To assess the association of circulating fibrinogen levels and OSA, a meta-analysis was performed. Methods PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases were searched for eligible studies. Data were extracted, and then weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results A total of 25 studies involving 1480 cases and 2312 controls were included in this meta-analysis. Combined data indicated that the circulating fibrinogen levels were higher in OSA patients than in controls (WMD: 0.38 g/L, 95% CI [0.29–0.47 g/L], p Conclusions This systematic review and meta-analysis reveals that circulating fibrinogen levels are elevated in patients with OSA.

Allergic diseases, mainly mediated by T helper type 2 (Th2) immunity, have become a worldwide public health problem. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has long been used in treating and preventing allergic symptoms. As the new target of anti-allergy TCM, basophils, after approximately 140 years since their discovery, are just now gaining respect as important contributors in the pathogenesis underlying allergic inflammation and disease. In addition to their role as effector cells, basophils can release early IL-4, migrate from circulatory system into draining lymph nodes, present antigen to naive CD4+ T cells, and promote the differentiation of Th2 cells. Herein, we briefly summarized the recent research advances of the essential contributions of basophils in the initiation of Th2 immune responses.

We study optomechanically induced transparency (OMIT) in a compound system consisting of an optical cavity and an acoustic molecule, which features not only double OMIT peaks but also light advance. We find that by selectively driving one of the acoustic modes, OMIT peaks can be amplified either symmetrically or asymmetrically, accompanied by either significantly enhanced advance or a transition from advance to delay of the signal light. The sensitive impacts of the mechanical driving fields on the optical properties, including the signal transmission and its higher-order sidebands, are also revealed. Our results confirm that selective acoustic control of OMIT devices provides a versatile route to achieve multiband optical modulations, weak-signal sensing, and coherent communications of light.

With the acceleration of social rhythm and the exacerbation of psychological problems caused by stress, psychological relief and adjuvant therapy based on relaxation and decompression have become the focus of research. Different from the traditional psychological relaxation therapy methods that using images, audios and videos, VR-based relaxation therapy is a promising way as the interaction of the VR system and dynamics of virtual environment affect the effectiveness of relax through more immersive and authentic audio-visual scenes. It makes the patient's emotion adjust to the normal state by generating a simulated environment in a VR system to comfort the subject and relieve subject mental stress. This paper presents a novel VR relaxation scenes design and evaluation framework where subject sensitive tourism VR videos were selected and combined with alpha wave induced background music. The relaxation effectiveness of VR scenes were evaluated by SAM scale, relaxation questionnaire and frontal EEG signals. A number of frontal EEG features from various analysis domains were explored to obtain the best stress-relevant features and to establish a stress-frontal EEG correlation model for stress evaluation, including time, frequency, entropy, geometric analysis, subband spectra, multiscale entropy, etc. 13 students aged between 20 and 30 were recruited in the evaluation experiment of 6 newly designed VR relaxation scenes. During which subjects frontal EEG signals were recorded as well as the SAM scale and questionnaire, the features that demonstrate an significant difference before and after watching VR scenes were identified, such as Energy, Energy ratio, the mean square root of frequency, frequency domain symmetry, Energy entropy and Shannon entropywhere frequency bands of delta, theta, low alpha and high alpha were considered. Finally, the features that demonstrate an significant difference before and after watching VR scenes were identified. The best stress-relevant features were selected to establish a stress-frontal EEG correlation model for stress evaluation which could be used to validate the effectiveness of VR relaxation scenes.

Background Early diagnosis of congenital syphilis (CS) is difficult. This study aimed to determine the serological response discipline of syphilis passive antibody (SPA) in infants born to mothers with syphilis and provide the basis for the early diagnosis of CS. Methods Thirty-three infants born to mothers with syphilis and six infants with CS were recruited. The toluidine red unheated serum test (TRUST) and Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) titers were followed up after birth. Results The results showed that serological response in the serum of infants with the TPPA titer decreased threefold at 3rd month, or the titer dropped to a minimum of 1:40 at 9th month was SPA. The TPPA titer of 6 CS cases remained positive after 3-year follow-up, and the titer did not decline after treatment and maintained longer. The infants with TRUST titer ≥ 1:4 at birth were prone to become syphilis serofast, while TRUST titer

Purpose: Intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) has been used to treat various solid tumors, and demonstrated advantages. However, no IORT has been reported to treat invasive thymoma. The current study tried to determine the safety profile of applying INTRABEAM IORT to the treatment of invasive thymoma. Materials and methods: Among the patients admitted to our hospital from September to December, 2016 who was diagnosed with invasive thymoma, 14 were selected as subjects. They were inquired for medical history and divided into 8 stage IIA cases and 6 stage IIB cases according to Masaoka staging system. Of the 14 patients, 5 had myasthenia gravis (MG). INTRABEAM radiation (8–10 Gy, low energy) was delivered to the postoperative tumor bed of each patient during operation. The intra- and post-operative complications were detected and evaluated, and the improvement of symptoms assessed. Results: One month after operation, only one patient presented cough and increased hemogram levels, chest CT (computerized tomography) showed pulmonary inflammation. Postoperative chest CT at 3 and 12 months showed that all the patients returned to normal, without cough or pulmonary fibrosis surrounding the radiation field. In addition, ultrasonic cardiography and electrocardiogram (ECG) demonstrated no significant difference before and after surgery. At the end of the follow-up, all the patients were alive, no relapse or remote metastasis had been found. Conclusion: It is safe to administer INTRABEAM IORT at a dose of about 10 Gy with low energy to patients with stage II invasive thymoma. The INTRABEAM IORT does not significantly increase operation- or radiation-related complications, has no significant effect on the vital organs around the radiation field, such as lung and heart. The long-term efficacy is worth expecting.

We propose and demonstrate a low-power 2×2 total internal reflection thermo-optic switch based on an X-junction configuration formed with a silicon oxynitride (SiON) core and polymer cladding. Unlike X-junctions reported thus far, our proposed configuration features a slot formed on the center of the X-junction and filled with polymer cladding. With such a configuration, the opposite thermo-optic characteristics of SiON and polymer and, hence, heat utilization efficiency can be fully utilized. Our fabricated proof-of-principle switch shows extinction ratios of larger than 15.34 dB and switching powers of less than ∼59.6 mW. The rise time and fall time of switching are 1.42 and 0.85 ms, respectively. The insertion losses are less than 10.6 dB for all channels, and the polarization-dependent loss is ∼0.3 dB.