In recent decades, tokamak discharges with zero total toroidal current have been reported in tokamak experiments, and this is one of the key problems in alternating current(AC) operations.An efficient free-boundary eq...In recent decades, tokamak discharges with zero total toroidal current have been reported in tokamak experiments, and this is one of the key problems in alternating current(AC) operations.An efficient free-boundary equilibrium code is developed to investigate such advanced tokamak discharges with current reversal equilibrium configuration. The calculation results show that the reversal current equilibrium can maintain finite pressure and also has considerable effects on the position of the X-point and the magnetic separatrix shape, and hence also on the position of the strike point on the divertor plates, which is extremely useful for magnetic design, MHD stability analysis, and experimental data analysis etc. for the AC plasma current operation on tokamaks.展开更多
Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia and insulin resistance.The global prevalence of T2DM has reached epidemic proportions,affecting approximately 463 million ad...Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia and insulin resistance.The global prevalence of T2DM has reached epidemic proportions,affecting approximately 463 million adults worldwide in 2019.Current treatments for T2DM include lifestyle modifications,oral antidiabetic agents,and insulin therapy.However,these therapies may carry side effects and fail to achieve optimal glycemic control in some patients.Therefore,there is a growing interest in the role of gut microbiota and more gut-targeted therapies in the management of T2DM.The gut microbiota,which refers to the community of microorganisms that inhabit the human gut,has been shown to play a crucial role in the regulation of glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.Alterations in gut microbiota composition and diversity have been observed in T2DM patients,with a reduction in beneficial bacteria and an increase in pathogenic bacteria.This dysbiosis may contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease by promoting inflammation and impairing gut barrier function.Several gut-targeted therapies have been developed to modulate the gut microbiota and improve glycemic control in T2DM.One potential approach is the use of probio-tics,which are live microorganisms that confer health benefits to the host when administered in adequate amounts.Several randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that certain probiotics,such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species,can improve glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in T2DM patients.Mechanisms may include the production of short-chain fatty acids,the improvement of gut barrier function,and the reduction of inflammation.Another gut-targeted therapy is fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT),which involves the transfer of fecal material from a healthy donor to a recipient.FMT has been used successfully in the treatment of Clostridioides difficile infection and is now being investigated as a potential therapy for T2DM.A recent randomized controlled trial showed that FMT from lean donors improved glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity in T2DM patients with obesity.However,FMT carries potential risks,including transmission of infectious agents and alterations in the recipient's gut microbiota that may be undesirable.In addition to probiotics and FMT,other gut-targeted therapies are being investigated for the management of T2DM,such as prebiotics,synbiotics,and postbiotics.Prebiotics are dietary fibers that promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria,while synbiotics combine probiotics and prebiotics.Postbiotics refer to the metabolic products of probiotics that may have beneficial effects on the host.The NIH SPARC program,or the Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions,is a research initiative aimed at developing new therapies for a variety of health conditions,including T2DM.The SPARC program focuses on using electrical stimulation to activate peripheral nerves and organs,in order to regulate glucose levels in the body.The goal of this approach is to develop targeted,non-invasive therapies that can help patients better manage their diabetes.One promising area of research within the SPARC program is the use of electrical stimulation to activate the vagus nerve,which plays an important role in regulating glucose metabolism.Studies have shown that vagus nerve stimulation can improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood glucose levels in patients with T2DM.Gut-targeted therapies,such as probiotics and FMT,have shown potential for improving glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in T2DM patients.However,further research is needed to determine the optimal dose,duration,and safety of these therapies.展开更多
Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSA) is a disease of obstructive apnea or hypopnea caused by a repeated partial or complete collapse of the upper airway during sleep. The inspiratory part of the ...Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSA) is a disease of obstructive apnea or hypopnea caused by a repeated partial or complete collapse of the upper airway during sleep. The inspiratory part of the flow-volume curve (F-V curve) can be used as an auxiliary means to evaluate upper airway obstruction in adults. This study is to evaluate the ability of the F-V curve to predict the OSA and explore inspiratory indicators related to airway obstruction during sleep. Methods: There were 332 patients included in this cross-sectional study, who were accompanied by snoring, daytime sleepiness and other symptoms, with suspicion of OSA. According to the nocturnal polysomnography, the subjects were distributed into mild to moderate OSA group, severe OSA group and non-OSA group. A pulmonary function test was used to collect the subjects’ spirometry and F-V curves. Results: There was no significant difference in a variety of indices derived from the F-V curve between OSA and normal subjects, including 25% inspiratory flow rate, middle inspiratory flow rate, 75% inspiratory flow rate, peak flow rate, and forced inspiratory flow rate in the first second. The pulmonary function parameters were significantly correlated with the weight, age and sex of the subjects. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the inspiratory curve of pulmonary function cannot evaluate the upper airway abnormalities in patients with obstructive apnea-hypopnea syndrome.展开更多
Surface ground motion produced by underground blasts is significantly influenced by near-surface geological conditions.However,near-surface low-propagation velocity layers were always ignored in past analyses of groun...Surface ground motion produced by underground blasts is significantly influenced by near-surface geological conditions.However,near-surface low-propagation velocity layers were always ignored in past analyses of ground motions due to their thin thickness.With the rising concern about surface ground motions produced by the ascendant scale and frequentness of underground excavation and mining,close attention is gradually paid to ground blast vibrations.Therefore,systemic experiments were conducted and took seven months in an underground mine to clarify the variation of motion from underground rock to surface ground.The attenuation of surface ground peak particle velocities(PPVs)is compared to that in underground rock,and horizontal amplitudes are compared to vertical amplitudes.Differences between bedrock and surface ground vibrations are analyzed to illustrate the site effect of near-surface lower-propagation velocity layers.One-dimensional site response analysis is employed to quantify the influence of different geological profiles on surface ground vibrations.The experimental data and site response analysis allowed the following conclusions:(1)geological site effects mainly produce decreasing dominant frequency(DF)of surface ground vibrations;(2)the site amplification effect of blast vibration needs to be characterized by peak particle displacement(PPD);(3)shear waves(S-waves)begin to dominate and surface Rayleigh waves(R-waves)develop as blast-induced ground vibrations travel upward through rock and lower-velocity layers to the surface.The comparison of response relative displacement to a critical value is best to assess the potential for cracking on surface structures.展开更多
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 12075276)partly by the Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Technology Program of China (No. 2018000052-73-01-001228)。
文摘In recent decades, tokamak discharges with zero total toroidal current have been reported in tokamak experiments, and this is one of the key problems in alternating current(AC) operations.An efficient free-boundary equilibrium code is developed to investigate such advanced tokamak discharges with current reversal equilibrium configuration. The calculation results show that the reversal current equilibrium can maintain finite pressure and also has considerable effects on the position of the X-point and the magnetic separatrix shape, and hence also on the position of the strike point on the divertor plates, which is extremely useful for magnetic design, MHD stability analysis, and experimental data analysis etc. for the AC plasma current operation on tokamaks.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.82074532,No.82305376,and No.81873238the Open Projects of the Discipline of Chinese Medicine of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine supported by the Subject of Academic Priority Discipline of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions,No.ZYX03KF012the Postgraduate Research&Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province,No.KYCX22_1963.
文摘Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia and insulin resistance.The global prevalence of T2DM has reached epidemic proportions,affecting approximately 463 million adults worldwide in 2019.Current treatments for T2DM include lifestyle modifications,oral antidiabetic agents,and insulin therapy.However,these therapies may carry side effects and fail to achieve optimal glycemic control in some patients.Therefore,there is a growing interest in the role of gut microbiota and more gut-targeted therapies in the management of T2DM.The gut microbiota,which refers to the community of microorganisms that inhabit the human gut,has been shown to play a crucial role in the regulation of glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.Alterations in gut microbiota composition and diversity have been observed in T2DM patients,with a reduction in beneficial bacteria and an increase in pathogenic bacteria.This dysbiosis may contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease by promoting inflammation and impairing gut barrier function.Several gut-targeted therapies have been developed to modulate the gut microbiota and improve glycemic control in T2DM.One potential approach is the use of probio-tics,which are live microorganisms that confer health benefits to the host when administered in adequate amounts.Several randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that certain probiotics,such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species,can improve glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in T2DM patients.Mechanisms may include the production of short-chain fatty acids,the improvement of gut barrier function,and the reduction of inflammation.Another gut-targeted therapy is fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT),which involves the transfer of fecal material from a healthy donor to a recipient.FMT has been used successfully in the treatment of Clostridioides difficile infection and is now being investigated as a potential therapy for T2DM.A recent randomized controlled trial showed that FMT from lean donors improved glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity in T2DM patients with obesity.However,FMT carries potential risks,including transmission of infectious agents and alterations in the recipient's gut microbiota that may be undesirable.In addition to probiotics and FMT,other gut-targeted therapies are being investigated for the management of T2DM,such as prebiotics,synbiotics,and postbiotics.Prebiotics are dietary fibers that promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria,while synbiotics combine probiotics and prebiotics.Postbiotics refer to the metabolic products of probiotics that may have beneficial effects on the host.The NIH SPARC program,or the Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions,is a research initiative aimed at developing new therapies for a variety of health conditions,including T2DM.The SPARC program focuses on using electrical stimulation to activate peripheral nerves and organs,in order to regulate glucose levels in the body.The goal of this approach is to develop targeted,non-invasive therapies that can help patients better manage their diabetes.One promising area of research within the SPARC program is the use of electrical stimulation to activate the vagus nerve,which plays an important role in regulating glucose metabolism.Studies have shown that vagus nerve stimulation can improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood glucose levels in patients with T2DM.Gut-targeted therapies,such as probiotics and FMT,have shown potential for improving glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in T2DM patients.However,further research is needed to determine the optimal dose,duration,and safety of these therapies.
文摘Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSA) is a disease of obstructive apnea or hypopnea caused by a repeated partial or complete collapse of the upper airway during sleep. The inspiratory part of the flow-volume curve (F-V curve) can be used as an auxiliary means to evaluate upper airway obstruction in adults. This study is to evaluate the ability of the F-V curve to predict the OSA and explore inspiratory indicators related to airway obstruction during sleep. Methods: There were 332 patients included in this cross-sectional study, who were accompanied by snoring, daytime sleepiness and other symptoms, with suspicion of OSA. According to the nocturnal polysomnography, the subjects were distributed into mild to moderate OSA group, severe OSA group and non-OSA group. A pulmonary function test was used to collect the subjects’ spirometry and F-V curves. Results: There was no significant difference in a variety of indices derived from the F-V curve between OSA and normal subjects, including 25% inspiratory flow rate, middle inspiratory flow rate, 75% inspiratory flow rate, peak flow rate, and forced inspiratory flow rate in the first second. The pulmonary function parameters were significantly correlated with the weight, age and sex of the subjects. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the inspiratory curve of pulmonary function cannot evaluate the upper airway abnormalities in patients with obstructive apnea-hypopnea syndrome.
基金supported by Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province,China(Grant No.BK20220975)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.51874350 and 41807259).
文摘Surface ground motion produced by underground blasts is significantly influenced by near-surface geological conditions.However,near-surface low-propagation velocity layers were always ignored in past analyses of ground motions due to their thin thickness.With the rising concern about surface ground motions produced by the ascendant scale and frequentness of underground excavation and mining,close attention is gradually paid to ground blast vibrations.Therefore,systemic experiments were conducted and took seven months in an underground mine to clarify the variation of motion from underground rock to surface ground.The attenuation of surface ground peak particle velocities(PPVs)is compared to that in underground rock,and horizontal amplitudes are compared to vertical amplitudes.Differences between bedrock and surface ground vibrations are analyzed to illustrate the site effect of near-surface lower-propagation velocity layers.One-dimensional site response analysis is employed to quantify the influence of different geological profiles on surface ground vibrations.The experimental data and site response analysis allowed the following conclusions:(1)geological site effects mainly produce decreasing dominant frequency(DF)of surface ground vibrations;(2)the site amplification effect of blast vibration needs to be characterized by peak particle displacement(PPD);(3)shear waves(S-waves)begin to dominate and surface Rayleigh waves(R-waves)develop as blast-induced ground vibrations travel upward through rock and lower-velocity layers to the surface.The comparison of response relative displacement to a critical value is best to assess the potential for cracking on surface structures.
