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With a view to investigating the effect of wheat sprouting degree on the cooking quality, textural characteristics and sensory evaluation of dried whole wheat noodles, whole wheat flours with different degrees of wheat sprouting (bulging, revealing, sprout length equal to 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 the grain length, and the grain length) were used to prepare dried whole wheat noodles. The results showed that the surface brightness of whole wheat noodles first increased and then decreased with the increase in wheat sprouting degree. The moisture absorption rate of dry matter reached the maximum when the sprout length was 1/2 the grain length, and the dry matter loss rate reached the minimum at the revealing stage. The viscosity and adhesion capacity of whole wheat noodles reached the minimum when the sprout length was 1/2 the grain length, and the hardness and shear work reached the maximum when the sprout length was 1/4 the grain length, and the breaking strength, tensile strength, elasticity and sensory score were the maximum when the sprout length was 1/2 the grain length. Overall, the eating quality of dried whole wheat noodles prepared from whole wheat flour at the stage of wheat revealing to sprout length equal to 1/2 the grain length was the best, and the overall eating quality of noodles prepared from sprouted whole wheat flour was improved compared with that of the control prepared from un-sprouted whole wheat flour.

Mass resolution of Foureir transform mass spectrometer (FTMS) highly depends on the acquisition time of image charge/current signal. In order to achieve higher resolution with a shorter transient time, apart from increasing the field strength of the analyzer, the high order harmonics in the image charge signal may also be exploited. The image charge or current signal obtained from the planar electrostatic ion trap has a non-sinusoidal waveform which contains many high-order harmonic components. However, presence of high harmonics increases the complexity of spectral analysis, such as identification of a peak for its correct harmonic order, and avoiding quantitation error due to the peak overlapping from different harmonic groups. A new quantitative algorithm consists of a scoring-based peak classification and the least square fitting (SC-LSF), which has been developed to convert image charge or current signal to mass spectrum. The scoring process will go through all the peaks identified above the noise background, for assumptions that the peak belongs to a certain harmonic order. The score will go up when a relevant lower harmonic peak is confirmed. The harmonic order which achieves the highest score, is assigned to the peak so its fundamental frequency can be determined. Through the SC tests, the candidates of all fundamental frequencies are found for all possible m/z of ions. The basis signals for all possible m/z are constructed using the identified fundamental frequencies and are brought to the LSF to determine the intensities of each species. The SC-LSF algorithm was tested using simulated signal from a mixture of 48 different m/z ions. Different levels of artificial noise were added to the signal to challenge the algorithm. The results show a wide range of mass and ion numbers in the sample mixture can be accurately returned through the SC-LSF algorithm even if the transient signal is under high noise condition. LSF in frequency domain is more efficient than in time domain because a subset of frequency points may be selected, so the amount of calculation is massively reduced. In addition, the test proves that good quantitation can be achieved only when LSF is carried out using data in complex number, while fitting with magnitude data results in large errors for ions in the closed mass group. This is because those closed mass peaks are overlapping at certain low-order harmonics and the amplitudes of a FFT spectrum are not addable, thus leading to the fitting errors.

Objective Closed reduction combined with external fixation is a frequently utilized approach for treating distal radial fractures in adults. Nonetheless, the potential for re‐displacement following external fixation remains. Analyzing the factors influencing re‐displacement after nonsurgical treatment of distal radial fractures in adults is vital for preventing re‐displacement and making prognostic assessments. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 884 patients who underwent nonsurgical treatment for distal radius fractures in the reduction room of the Orthopedics and Traumatology Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine at Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China, between July 2019 and December 2022. Patients were categorized into two groups, namely displaced and nondisplaced, based on radiographic outcomes. Factors affecting fracture re‐displacement were examined, including sex, age, side, AO/OTA type, external fixation, and radiographic outcomes at pre‐reduction and immediate reduction. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify the risk factors for fracture re‐displacement, and ROC curves were constructed. Results Among the 884 patients, 563 (63.69%) experienced re‐displacement after fracture reduction. There were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) between the two groups in terms of gender, external fixation method, and palmar tilt angle at pre‐reduction and immediate reduction, while significant differences (p 3.26 mm at pre‐reduction, and ulnar variance >2.055 mm at immediate reduction were high‐risk factors for fracture re‐displacement. Conclusions Nonsurgical treatment of distal radius fractures exhibits a higher rate of re‐displacement. Age, AO/OTA type, pre‐reduction, and immediate reduction ulnar variance are key factors predicting fracture re‐displacement.

There have been efforts dedicating to investigating the effect of high levels of oxytetracycline (OTC) on tetracycline (TC) resistance among zoonotic pathogen Aeromonas hydrophila (AH), an antibiotic-resistant bacterial indicator. However, the dynamic behavior of TC-resistant AH in response to environmentally relevant OTC concentrations at a population-level has not been fully understood. Here we developed a bacterial population dynamic model to quantify TC-resistant AH posed by OTC-dependent resistance selection pressure. The key environmental factors known as water temperature, water activity, and pH were incorporated into model to produce pattern-oriented simulation outcomes. We estimated resistance acquisition number (R0) and showed that R0 was >1 at water temperature

Objective: This study compared the long-term outcomes between rotational atherectomy (RA) for specific indications and on-label use of RA for severely calcified coronary lesions. Methods: Data for patients who underwent RA between 2015 and 2020 in a single-center registry were analyzed. The specific indication group included patients with ostial lesions, unprotected left main coronary artery stenosis, chronic total occlusions, stent ablation, angulated lesions, and cardiac dysfunction, whereas patients with none of the above-mentioned characteristics were included in the on-label group. The primary endpoint was compared between groups. Results: A total of 176 patients in the on-label group and 125 patients in the specific indication group were included. Patient clinical characteristics were comparable between groups. The incidence of complications during the procedure was higher in the specific indication group than in the on-label group (20.0% vs. 10.8%, P=0.018). No significant difference was observed in in-hospital MACCE between groups (12.5% vs 9.7%, P=0.392). During 35 (10–57) months of follow-up, MACCE occurred in 46 patients (15.3%). The incidence of MACCE was much higher in the specific indication group than the on-label group (25.6% vs 13.6%, P=0.034). Conclusions: RA for specific indications, compared with on-label use, had a higher incidence of complications during the procedure and poorer long-term clinical outcomes.

Abstract Background Kounis syndrome is an acute coronary syndrome that appears in the setting of anaphylactic reaction or hypersensitivity. Many drugs and environmental exposures have been identified as potential offenders, and diagnosis and treatment can be challenging. Case presentation A 62-year-old man with recurrent bladder cancer underwent an intra-iliac artery epirubicin injection. After the injection, he developed chest pain and a systemic allergic reaction, with electrocardiographic alterations and elevated troponin-I levels. Emergent coronary angiography showed right coronary artery spasm and no stenosis of the other coronary arteries. This reaction was considered compatible with an allergic coronary vasospasm. A diagnosis of Kounis syndrome was made. Conclusions Kounis syndrome is common, but a prompt diagnosis is often not possible. This case is the first to suggest that an intraarterial epirubicin injection could potentially be one of its triggers. All physicians should be aware of the pathophysiology of this condition to better recognize it and start appropriate treatment; this will prevent aggravation of the vasospastic cardiac attacks and yield a better outcome.

In 2018, the Chronic Total Occlusion Club China (CTOCC) presented a new CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (CTO PCI) algorithm. At the end of 2020, an updated CTOCC algorithm was proposed by this group after the adoption of innovative concepts and novel techniques in CTO PCI. The updated CTOCC algorithm summarizes the contemporary CTO PCI practices in China, in which simultaneous contralateral injection and careful angiographic review, along with strategic changes, are emphasized. Additionally, we provide some new recommendations for techniques such as the “move the cap” and “active greeting” techniques and investment procedures.

Background: The National Chest Pain Centers Program (NCPCP) is the largest nationwide, hospital-based, multifaceted, continuous quality improvement initiative, which aims to monitor and improve the quality of care for patients with acute chest pain. The accreditation of the standardized chest pain center is central to the project. The purpose of establishing chest pain centers is to develop a mechanism for “sending acute chest pain patients to a hospital with capabilities for the best treatment in the shortest time possible.” Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of the chest pain center accreditation and to identify factors that may influence its implementation in local settings. Study Design and Methods: Hospitals that have been accredited between January 2016 and September 2020 will be recruited in this study. We will conduct a self-controlled retrospective cohort study by comparing the care performance before, during, and after the accreditation. Measures for care performance will be selected based on the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical practice guidelines, which will be divided into prehospital processes, in-hospital processes, and in-hospital outcomes. For the implementation of the chest pain center accreditation, we will use a modified reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintenance (RE-AIM) framework to investigate the implementation process, and the consolidated framework for implementation research will be used to identify factors that emerge within the local context and influence the implementation fidelity and feasibility. Progress to Date: As of September 2020, there were 4,621 hospitals that registered the NCPCP, of which 1,507 hospitals were accredited. A total of 5,228,973 patients with a primary diagnosis on admission were enrolled from the registered hospitals, among which 34.6% were acute coronary syndromes. Conclusions: In this study, we proposed recommendations for improving the implementation of chest pain center accreditation, which will improve the quality of care for patients with acute chest pain and promote the sustainable development of chest pain center.

Quantum electrodynamics (QED) is a foundation of modern physics, yet access to the strong-field QED regime in the laboratory remains a formidable challenge. Currently, high-power lasers at the multi-petawatt level and above are generally believed to be an important approach to test QED physics. Here, we present a different approach by use of an electron beam self-pinched to near-solid-density. The beam self-pinching is realized while it transports through a properly designed hollow cone target, where strong azimuthal magnetic fields are generated by the beam-induced plasma return currents at the inner surface of the cone target. In this way, the beam diameter can be reduced by more than an order of magnitude down to submicron and its density is increased by hundreds of times. The produced ultradense electron beams can unlock a new regime of QED-dominated beam–plasma interactions, for example, more than 60% of the beam energy can be converted into GeV gamma-rays with unprecedented brilliance when such a beam passes through a thin solid foil. Moreover, with proper parameter design, this beam-focusing scheme can also be applied to positron beams and thus may find applications in broad areas, such as particle colliders and strong-field physics.

To enhance the mechanical performances of traditional honeycombs, a novel combined honeycomb (HKH) was proposed based on the regular hexagonal honeycomb (RHH) and Kagome honeycomb (KH). A systematic investigation of the in-plane dynamic crushing behaviors of the honeycombs was conducted via the finite element method, and the crashworthiness characteristics of the three honeycombs were examined. Using one-dimensional shock wave theory and least squares fitting, a fitting formula of the plateau stress was obtained, and the deformation mechanism of the HKH was determined based on the elastic buckling of the cell wall. The results showed that the HKH exhibited a higher plateau stress than the RHH for any velocity impact, while the negative Poisson’s ratio effect was more significant than that of the KH for low-velocity impacts (the peak Poisson’s ratios of the HKH and KH were −0.312 and −0.286, respectively). Furthermore, the effects of the impact velocity and relative density on the energy absorption and auxetic performances were explored. In this study, a novel design was proposed by combining various cell elements to obtain better crashworthiness, providing a new concept to promote the development of lightweight materials.

Abstract Background To compare outcomes of bailout and planned rotational atherectomy (RA) in the treatment of severe calcified coronary lesions. Methods Data of patients treated with RA from 2017 to 2018 at a single-center registry were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were divided into planned RA and bailout RA groups, data between two groups were compared. Results A total of 190 patients were included in this study, 138 patients received planned RA and 52 patients received bailout RA. Baseline clinical characteristics had no significant differences between groups. The number of implanted stents and total stents length were similar. But the number of balloon (1.6 ± 0.8 vs. 2.7 ± 1.3, P

Novel (Ti33Zr33Hf33)x(Ni50Cu50)100−x with x = 40–80 at.%, high entropy alloys (HEAs) developed by equiatomic substitution, each element is varied with five levels so that their microstructure and mechanical properties could be compared to define the effect of different contents. Above all, the (Ti33Zr33Hf33)60(Ni50Cu50)40 HEA exhibits enhanced the plasticity with maintaining high strength due to the occurrence of the C14-type phase of homogeneity morphology.Consequently, in this series of HEAs with equiatomic substitution selected composition with a relatively simple phase, and proceeded with the addition of other elements with good chemical compatibility factors such as atomic size different, valence electron concentration, and mixing enthalpy to induce phase transformation.

Oxytetracycline (OTC), one of the most important antibiotics in aquaculture industry, has been linked to emergence of antibiotic resistant genes in the aquatic environment. Given rapid growth of the aquaculture industry and unregulated use of antibiotics, it is necessary to implement measures to mitigate the impact of antibiotic resistance risk on environmental and human health. However, there is a lack of quantitative models to properly assess risk of antibiotic resistance associated with environmentally relevant antibiotic residues. To address this issue, here we developed a computational framework to assess antibiotic resistance risk posed by low-concentration OTC in aquaculture ponds and rivers across Taiwan regions. To this end, estimated amount of aquaculture used OTC as a crucial input parameter was incorporated into a multimedia fugacity model to predict environmental concentrations of OTC in surface water/sediment. A pharmacodynamic-based dose–response model was used to characterize the OTC concentration–antibiotic resistance relationships. The risk of antibiotic resistance selection in an aquatic environment could be assessed based on a probabilistic risk model. We also established a control measure model to manage the risks of substantial OTC-induced antibiotic resistance impacts. We found that OTC residues were likely to pose a high risk of tetracycline resistance (tetR) genes selection in aquaculture ponds among all the study basins, whereas risk of tetR genes selection in rivers experienced a variably changing fashion. We also showed that it was extremely difficult to moderate the tetR genes selection rates to less than 10% increase in aquaculture ponds situated at northeastern river basins in that the minimum reductions on OTC emission rates during spring, summer, and autumn were greater than 90%. On the other hand, water concentrations of OTC during spring and summer in southwestern rivers should be prioritized to be severely limited by reducing 67 and 25% of OTC emission rate, respectively. Overall, incorporating a computational fugacity model into a risk assessment framework can identify relative higher risk regions to provide the risk-based control strategies for public health decision-making and development of robust quantitative methods to zero-in on environment with high risk of tetR genes selection in relation to aquaculture-used pharmaceutical residues.

Due to the unstable structural characteristics of square cell elements, square honeycombs undergo slip deformation to the sides when the honeycomb is impacted at middle and low velocities, and consequently, the energy absorption capacities are low. To improve the energy absorption and modify the dynamic crushing behavior of the square honeycomb, a novel square honeycomb was proposed in which rods are added to the interior of the square cell elements. Subsequently, two graded gradient honeycombs and a “buffer” honeycomb were established based on the novel square unit cell, and their energy absorption properties were investigated. Through numerical simulations of the in-plane impact, it was demonstrated that one of the gradient square honeycombs exhibited the best specific energy absorption (34.92% higher than that of the square honeycomb) under low-velocity crushing, and the buffered square honeycomb showed the best crushing force efficiency (218.68% larger than that of the square honeycomb) for a mid-velocity collision. Furthermore, the slip degree of the honeycomb deformation mode was strongly inhibited for one of the novel square honeycombs, which exhibited the zero Poisson ratio effect. In addition, the effects of various factors, such as the geometric configuration and impact velocity, on the energy absorption performance were explored. This study offers novel ideas for improving the abilities of traditional honeycomb structures.

Summary: Urbanization is a pressing challenge for earth’s humans because it is changing not only natural environments but also agricultural lands. Yet, the consequences of cropland loss on pest insect populations that largely depend on these habitats remain largely unclear. We used a 17-year data set to investigate the dynamics of three moth pest species (i.e., striped stem borer, yellow stem borer, and pink stem borer) and their driving forces across the largest mega-urban region of China. Total abundance of three pest species is declined by about 80%, which was strongly associated with cropland loss during rapid urbanization. Our findings indicate that not only the increasing conversion of natural areas to human-dominated landscapes but also that of agricultural lands to urban landscapes can be critical to insect populations. It is therefore essential to monitor and understand the insect dynamics in rapidly urbanizing regions, which are currently found in many developing countries worldwide.

Objective A retrospective analysis of the clinical and pathological features of an anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) with cavernous sinus syndrome as its first symptom. Methods and Results A 35-year-old woman had head and facial pain for a month, diplopia for 7 d, right eyelid drooped for 4 d. Head MRI showed abnormal signals in right cavernous sinus, and pituitary adenoma or carvernous sinus syndrome were considered. Partial tumor resection was performed after hormone therapy was failed. Histological manifestations revealed that the tumor cells were diffuse and heterogeneous with abundant and pink stained cytoplasm, round, oval, irregular or kidney-shaped nuclei. Immunohistochemical staining showed that CD30 and CD56 were positive on the membrane, and epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) was positive on membrane and cytoplasm, and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) was negative. Ki-67 labeling index was 80%. Unfortunately, this patient died 3 weeks later after the operation, because of severe illness and intolerance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Conclusions The diagnosis of ALCL should be considered when cavernous sinus syndrome as the clinical symptom, and pathological examination should be performed if necessary. It should be differentiated from some tumors, such as undifferentiated non-keratinizing nasopharyngeal carcinoma, germinoma, plasmablastic lymphoma, malignant melanoma and Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). DOI:10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2019.09.014

Cysteine cathepsins are described as lysosomal proteases with housekeeping and highly specialised functions in many organisms. In this study, cysteine cathepsins were identified from the transcriptome profile of blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala). A total of 41 cysteine cathepsin-like sequences were found and divided into groups of cathepsin (Cts): B, C, F, H, K, L, S, and Z. Twenty-nine of these sequences contained coding sequences, encoding 92-473 amino acids, which exhibited the highest (78%-95%) homology to the counterparts from zebrafish (Danio rerio). Multiple sequence alignment of the amino acids showed highly conserved domains among the cysteine cathepsins of M. amblycephala to its homologs. The putative proteins, including maCtsb1, maCtsc1, maCtsf2, maCtsh1, maCtsk5, maCtsl5, maCtss1, and maCtsz5 were characterised and structured using in silico methods. Additionally, codon usage of full length open reading frame sequences of these cathepsins was analysed. This study provided basic information for further studies on the specific functions of cysteine cathepsins of M. amblycephala in the future.

Abstract Background Weight loss, especially fat mass reduction, helps to improve blood glucose control, insulin sensitivity, and β-cell function. This study aimed to compare the effect of exenatide and glargine on body composition in overweight and obese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) who do not achieve adequate glycemic control with metformin. Methods We performed a prospective, randomized study of 37 overweight or obese patients with T2DM who had inadequate glycemic control with metformin. The patients were treated with either exenatide or glargine for 16 weeks. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to assess body composition. Results Post-intervention weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, body mass, and fat mass were lower in patients treated with exenatide, while weight and BMI significantly increased with glargine. Reductions in weight, BMI, body fat mass, and percent fat mass (except for gynoid) were greater with exenatide than with glargine, and percent lean tissue (other than the limbs) increased with exenatide. In all body regions except for the limbs, fat mass decreased with exenatide to a greater extent than lean tissue. Glucose control, insulin resistance, and β-cell function were not different between the treatment groups. Conclusions For overweight and obese patients whose T2DM was inadequately controlled with metformin, exenatide and glargine achieved similar improvements in glycemic control, insulin sensitivity, and β-cell function.However, exenatide produced better weight and fat mass reduction, which were beneficial for blood glucose control. Our findings may guide the selection of appropriate drugs for glycemic and weight control. Trial registration NCT02325960, registered 25 December 2014.

Laser-driven radiation pressure acceleration (RPA) is one of the most promising candidates to achieve quasi-monoenergetic ion beams. In particular, many petawatt systems are under construction or in the planning phase. Here, a stable radiation pressure acceleration (SRPA) scheme is investigated, in which a circularly-polarized (CP) laser pulse illuminates a CH2 thin foil followed by a large-scale near-critical-density (NCD) plasma. In the laser-foil interaction, a longitudinal charge-separated electric field is excited to accelerate ions together with the heating of electrons. The heating can be alleviated by the continuous replenishment of cold electrons of the NCD plasma as the laser pulse and the pre-accelerated ions enter into the NCD plasma. With the relativistically transparent propagation of the pulse in the NCD plasma, the accelerating field with large amplitude is persistent, and its propagating speed becomes relatively low, which further accelerates the pre-accelerated ions. Our particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation shows that the SRPA scheme works efficiently with the laser intensity ranging from 6.85×1021 W cm−2 to 4.38×1023 W cm−2, e.g., a well-collimated quasi-monoenergetic proton beam with peak energy ∼1.2 GeV can be generated by a 2.74 × 1022 W cm−2 pulse, and the energy conversion efficiency from the laser pulse to the proton beam is about 16%. The QED effects have slight influence on this SRPA scheme.

The generation of highly polarized high-energy brilliant γ-rays via laser–plasma interaction is investigated in the quantum radiation-reaction regime. We employ a quantum electrodynamics particle-in-cell code to describe spin-resolved electron dynamics semiclassically and photon emission and polarization quantum mechanically in the local constant field approximation. As an ultrastrong linearly polarized (LP) laser pulse irradiates a near-critical-density (NCD) plasma followed by an ultrathin planar aluminum target, the electrons in the NCD plasma are first accelerated by the driving laser to ultrarelativistic energies and then collide head-on with the laser pulse reflected by the aluminum target, emitting brilliant LP γ-rays via nonlinear Compton scattering with an average polarization of about 70% and energy up to hundreds of MeV. Such γ-rays can be produced with currently achievable laser facilities and will find various applications in high-energy physics and laboratory astrophysics.

Background/Aims: Fish is a protein-rich food and is increasingly favored by consumers. It has been well recognized that the flesh composition of fish is closely related to its maturation and growth stage, but few studies have explored these differences. Additionally, hormone residues in fish after artificial induction of reproduction also attract consumer concern. In this study, we attempt to address these concerns by using a combination of transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses to identify key regulated pathways, genes, and metabolites that may affect the flesh nutrition of one typical aquaculture species in China, blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala). Methods: The four groups of fish were used for transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses, including one-year-old immature (group I), two-year-old immature (group II), two-year-old mature (group III) and successfully spawned (group IV) female M. amblycephala after artificial induction of reproduction. Results: We identified a total of 1460 differential compounds and 1107 differentially expressed unigenes in muscle among the different groups. Differential metabolites related to fish age (group II vs group I, group III vs group I) were largely enriched in “Glycerophospholipid metabolism”, “Linoleic acid metabolism”, “α-Linolenic acid metabolism”, and “Biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids”. Between these two pairwise comparisons, metabolites that are beneficial to human health, such as docosapentaenoic acid, α-Linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid were found to be significantly decreased in two-year-old (group II, group III) compared with one-year-old (group I) M. amblycephala. Only one differential metabolite related to fish maturation, a triglyceride, was detected between groups III and II. Transcriptomics data showed that differently expressed genes (between group III vs group II, group III vs group I) related to maturation were highly enriched in “Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs)”, “Sphingolipid metabolism” and “Phagosome”. DEGs (between group II vs group I, group III vs group I) relating to fish age were enriched in the “cGMP-PKG signaling pathway”, “FoxO signaling pathway”, and “AMPK signaling pathway”. The gene-metabolite interaction network showed pivotal genes, including fumarate hydratase and GNPAT, which played a major role in the regulation of glycerphospholipid metabolism. The nutritional components were also measured, which verified the metabolomics results. Moreover, the metabolomics results showed that after 24 hours of artificial hormone injection, the drug was completely metabolized. Conclusion: Integrated analysis demonstrated that the nutrition value of fish fillet was much more related to fish age compared with maturation status in M. amblycephala females.

Abstract Background Global trend of the introduction of high levels of relatively cheap carbohydrates to reduce the amount of costly protein in the aquatic animal feed production has affected the aquaculture of an economically important cyprinid fish, blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala). This dietary shift has resulted in increased prevalence of metabolic disorders, often causing economic losses. High dietary intake of carbohydrates, associated with obesity, is one of the major causes of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in humans. Results We have conducted an eight-week feeding trial to better understand how a high-carbohydrate diet (HCBD) affects the liver health in this fish. Hepatosomatic index and lipid content were significantly (P

A scheme is proposed for generating a polarized positron beam via multiphoton Breit-Wheeler process during the collision of a 10-GeV-level, 20-pC seeding electron beam with a second 10-GeV, multi-nC driving electron beam. The high-density driving beam with the length and transverse size less than 1 μm provides a strong self-generated field. The field experienced by the seeding beam can be unipolar by incorporating a proper impact parameter, which is crucial to realizing the positron polarization. We employ semiclassical Monte Carlo simulations to calculate the spin- and polarization-resolved photon emission and electron-positron pair production in the locally constant-field approximation. The simulation results show that a highly polarized positron beam with a polarization degree above 40% can be generated in several femtoseconds, which is robust against the beam parameters. The positron polarization degree can be further increased to 60% provided the seeding beam is initially polarized.

The spin effect of electrons/positrons ( e ^− / e ^+ ) and polarization effect of γ photons are investigated in the interaction of two counter-propagating linearly polarized laser pulses of peak intensity 8.9 × 10 ^23 W cm ^−2 with a thin foil target. The processes of nonlinear Compton scattering and nonlinear Breit–Wheeler pair production based on the spin- and polarization-resolved probabilities are implemented into the particle-in-cell (PIC) algorithm by Monte Carlo methods. It is found from PIC simulations that the average degree of linear polarization of emitted γ photons can exceed 50%. This polarization effect leads to a reduced positron yield by about 10%. At some medium positron energies, the reduction can reach 20%. Furthermore, we also observe that the local spin polarization of e ^− / e ^+ leads to a slight decrease of the positron yield about 2% and some anomalous phenomena about the positron spectrum and photon polarization at the high-energy range, due to spin-dependent photon emissions. Our results indicate that spin and polarization effects should be considered in calculating the pair production and laser-plasma interaction with the laser power of 10 PW to 100 PW classes.