Rising utilization of stable isotopes in tree rings for climate change and forest ecology

Analyses of stable isotopes(C,O,H)in tree rings are increasingly important cross-disciplinary programs.The rapid development in this field documented in an increasing number of publications requires a comprehensive review.This study includes a bibliometric analysis-based review to better understand research trends in tree ring stable isotope research.Overall,1475 publications were selected from the Web of Science Core Collection for 1974-2023.The findings are that:(1)numbers of annual publications and citations increased since 1974.From 1974 to 1980,there were around two relevant publications per year.However,from 2020 to 2022,this rose sharply to 109 publications per year.Likewise,average article citations were less than four per year before 1990,but were around four per article per year after 2000;(2)the major subjects using tree ring stable isotopes include forestry,geosciences,and environmental sciences,contributing to 42.5%of the total during 1974-2023;(3)the top three most productive institutions are the Chinese Academy of Sciences(423),the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest,Snow and Landscape Research(227),and the University of Arizona(204).These achievements result from strong collaborations;(4)review papers,for example,(Dawson et al.,Annu Rev Ecol Syst 33:507-559,2002)and(McCarroll and Loader,Quat Sci Rev 23:771-801,2004),are among the most cited,with more than 1000 citations;(5)tree ring stable isotope studies mainly focus on climatology and ecology,with atmospheric CO_(2) one of the most popular topics.Since 2010,precipitation and drought have received increasing attention.Based on this analysis,the research stages,key findings,debated issues,limitations and direc-tions for future research are summarized.This study serves as an important attempt to understand the progress on the use of stable isotopes in tree rings,providing scientific guid-ance for young researchers in this field.

Cover story: Neuromodulation Brings Sunshine to Diseased Brains

Various invasive and non-invasive brain modulation methods are widely used to regulate sensory,cognitive,and motor functions both within local and large brain networks.This special issue provides innovative studies to optimize relevant methods and understand their neural mechanisms,paving the way for personalized neuromodulation of cognitive function.The cover of this issue uses the image of the four heavenly Kings in Chinese culture who are in charge of good weather.It compares the process of neuroregulation technology that integrates the principles of sound,light electricity or magnetism in treating the diseased brain,to the moment when these gods cast their spells to bring sunshine and peace to the human brain in the midst of lightning and thunder.

Effectivity and safety of trifocal intraocular lenses and capsular tension rings implantation for cataract patients with axial high myopia

●AIM:To assess effectivity and safety of trifocal intraocular lenses(IOLs)and capsular tension rings in treating cataract patients with axial high myopia.●METHODS:A prospective nonrandomized controlled clinical trial was conducted.Totally 98 eyes(74 patients)who underwent femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery(FLACS)with trifocal IOLs were enrolled in the study and followed up for 2y after surgery:46 eyes(33 patients)with capsular tension ring implantation in the long axial lengths(AL)group(26<AL<29 mm)and 52 eyes(41 patients)in the normal AL group(22<AL<24.5 mm).Postoperative outcomes about effectivity and safety,including the subjective and objective visual quality,and postoperative complications were assessed.●RESULTS:Uncorrected distance visual acuity at 5 m and uncorrected intermediate visual acuity at 60 and 80 cm in the long AL group were significantly worse than those in the normal AL group at 3mo postoperatively(P<0.05).The differences in reading speed,spectacle independence and potential visual complaints between the two groups were not statistically significant(P>0.05).The dysfunctional lens index and total modulation transfer function(MTF)average height were similar between the two groups.The postoperative internal coma aberrations in the axial high myopia eyes were significantly higher than that in the normal AL group(P<0.05).The total satisfaction score in the long AL group(91.32±2.76)was slightly higher than that in the normal AL group(90.36±3.47),but there was no difference(P=0.136).A statistically negative correlation was found between corrected distance visual acuity(CDVA)and dysfunctional lens index(r=-0.382,P=0.009),and between CDVA and the total MTF average height(r=-0.374,P=0.01).But there was no significant correlation between CDVA and total satisfaction score(r=0.059,P=0.696).Postoperative complications mainly presented as posterior capsular opacity(PCO),retinal detachment and cystoid macular edema.There was no difference in the incidence of fundus disease(6.5%vs 3.8%,P=0.663)or PCO(17.4%vs 7.7%,P=0.217)between the two groups at two years.●CONCLUSION:The utilization of trifocal IOL and capsular tension ring implantation is beneficial for cataract patients with axial high myopia undergoing FLACS.This approach not only ensures excellent subjective feelings and objective visual quality,but also does not increase the incidence of postoperative complications.

β-Ga_(2)O_(3) junction barrier Schottky diode with NiO p-well floating field rings

Recently,β-Ga_(2)O_(3),an ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor,has shown great potential to be used in power devices blessed with its unique material properties.For instance,the measured average critical field of the vertical Schottky barrier diode(SBD)based onβ-Ga_(2)O_(3) has reached 5.45 MV/cm,and no device in any material has measured a greater before.However,the high electric field of theβ-Ga_(2)O_(3) SBD makes it challenging to manage the electric field distribution and leakage current.Here,we showβ-Ga_(2)O_(3) junction barrier Schottky diode with NiO p-well floating field rings(FFRs).For the central anode,we filled a circular trench array with NiO to reduce the surface field under the Schottky contact between them to reduce the leakage current of the device.For the anode edge,experimental results have demonstrated that the produced NiO/β-Ga_(2)O_(3) heterojunction FFRs enable the spreading of the depletion region,thereby mitigating the crowding effect of electric fields at the anode edge.Additionally,simulation results indicated that the p-NiO field plate structure designed at the edges of the rings and central anode can further reduce the electric field.This work verified the feasibility of the heterojunction FFRs inβ-Ga_(2)O_(3) devices based on the experimental findings and provided ideas for managing the electric field ofβ-Ga_(2)O_(3) SBD.

AusMed Brings Game-Changing Healthcare Innovations from Hong Kong,China to the World——An interview with Christine Yip,Founder and CEO of AusMed Global Limited

“As a non-invasive alternative to the traditional finger-prick blood ketone testing devices,boasting a high level of accuracy comparable to industrial gold standards typically attainable only through bulky and expensive specialty equipment,we proudly introduce the world’s first-of-its-kind handheld breath ketone(BrAce)analyser,empowered by our patented disruptive photonic sensing technologies.These innovations are aimed at providing a more effective approach to managing diabetes and ketosis(fat metabolism),”said Christine Yip,founder and CEO of AusMed Global Limited,during a recent interview with China’s Foreign Trade magazine.

Stability of neodymium:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy in eyes with capsular tension rings

·AIM: To evaluate the stability of neodymium(Nd):YAG laser posterior capsulotomy in eyes with capsular tension rings(CTRs).·METHODS: A total of 60 eyes that underwent cataract surgery and laser posterior capsulotomy postoperatively were included in this retrospective cohort study. To evaluate the safety and stability of capsulotomy, changes in the size of posterior capsulotomy and anterior chamber depth(ACD) in three groups: the group without CTR, the group with 12 mm CTRs, and the group with 13 mm CTRs, at 1wk, 3, 12, and 15mo after capsulotomy, were compared. ·RESULTS: In the group without CTR and the group with 12 mm CTR, there was no significant change in ACD at every post-laser follow-up. In the group with 13 mm CTR, the ACD change was significant until 3mo after capsulotomy. In all groups, there was a significant increase in the area of capsulotomy between 1wk and 3mo post-laser. Between 3 and 12mo post-laser, only the group with 13 mm CTR showed a significant increase in the area of capsulotomy(P<0.01). ·CONCLUSION: Laser posterior capsulotomy is safe in all three groups. The capsulotomy and ACD become stabilized and have not shown significant changes since 1y postlaser, even with larger CTRs. The maintenance of centrifugal capsular tension can last longer with larger CTRs, and the stability of the capsulotomy site can be reached about 12mo after capsulotomy in pseudophakic eyes with larger CTRs.

Penile and scrotal strangulation by stainless steel rings in an human immunodeficiency virus positive man: A case report

BACKGROUND Penoscrotal constriction devices are either used as autoerotic stimuli or to increase sexual pleasure or performance by maintaining an erection for a longer period,and a variety of metallic and non-metallic objects are used.On the other hand,penile strangulation is a rare urologic emergency that requires prompt evaluation and intervention to prevent long-term complications.The goal of treating penile incarceration is to remove the foreign object as soon as possible.On the other hand,removal can be very challenging,and often requires resourcefulness and a multidisciplinary approach.CASE SUMMARY A 47-year-old man who has sex with men was transferred to our hospital for persistent phallodynia and scrotal pain,accompanying swelling due to strangulation by stainless steel rings.His medical history included acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.One day prior,he had put three stainless steel rings on his penis and scrotum before sexual intercourse.After sexual intercourse,he was unable to remove them,due to swelling of his penis and scrotum.The swelling persisted,and he felt pain in the affected area the next day,then he was transferred to our hospital by ambulance.The emergency department found that his penis and scrotum were markedly engorged and swollen.We established a diagnosis of penile and scrotal strangulation by stainless steel rings.We unsuccessfully attempted to cut the rings using a cutter,then requested a rescue team via emergency medical service.They cut through each ring in two places,using an electric-powered angle grinder,and successfully removed all of the pieces.Finally,he was discharged and went home.CONCLUSION We report the first case of penile and scrotal strangulation by stainless steel rings in an human immunodeficiency virus positive person.

Relative Ding Projective Modules over Formal Triangular Matrix Rings

Let U be a (B, A)-bimodule, A and B be rings, and be a formal triangular matrix ring. In this paper, we characterize the structure of relative Ding projective modules over T under some conditions. Furthermore, using the left global relative Ding projective dimensions of A and B, we estimate the relative Ding projective dimension of a left T-module.

Studying Tuff Rings and Volcanic Hazards in a Tropical Setting: The Case of the Batoke Tuff Ring, Limbe, SW Region Cameroon

In subtropical volcanic environments, there are often few accessible outcrops. These are often highly weathered and of very poor quality. Soil development is rapid (1 cm/y) and small eruptions are unlikely to be preserved in the geological record. Reconstructing past eruptions and assessing hazards is a challenge. Here, we studied a poorly outcropping tuff ring (very poor, incomplete sections) with the best outcrop observed at a beach cliff (up to ca. 5 - 10 m high) at Batoke, to the south of Mt Cameroon volcano. Mt Cameroon has a few tuff rings, currently of unknown ages, near the SW coast of Cameroon. In the Batoke case, the sequence is dominated by gently dipping tuff beds varying in the proportion of lithics, juvenile clasts, and accretionary lapilli (acc-laps). Several beds are close-packed with acc-laps of up to 10 - 15 mm diameter. Part of the section is gullied by mud flow deposits. The rocks are highly weathered but differential weathering enhances relationships. Quantitative data can be extracted from a detailed study of outcrops’ external surfaces. The preserved section is close to where the deposits were initially thickest and where acc-laps were most abundant and largest. There is an empirical correlation between maximum acc-lap size in the thickest outcrop and eruption column height. This and the deposit features suggest that the Batoke eruption was pulsating but dominated by fallout, with a water and ice-rich eruption column reaching 10 - 15 km high. Recycling of water drops and ice-coated fine ash accumulated during eruption. At switch off, wholesale gravitational collapse of this material produced the mud flows, which gullied the previously-laid down deposits. Such ash fall and mud flows can represent a substantial hazard, e.g. they can gully down through towns and roads and cut evacuation routes. This study illustrates how, at subtropical tuff rings, it is possible to extract key data needed for hazard assessment from only 1 - 2 poor outcrops.

On Extensions of Right Symmetric Rings without Identity

Let us call a ring R (without identity) to be right symmetric if for any triple a,b,c,∈R?abc = 0 then acb = 0. Such rings are neither symmetric nor reversible (in general) but are semicommutative. With an idempotent they take care of the sheaf representation as obtained by Lambek. Klein 4-rings and their several generalizations and extensions are proved to be members of such class of rings. An extension obtained is a McCoy ring and its power series ring is also proved to be a McCoy ring.

On Commutativity of Semiprime Right Goldie C<i>_k</i>-Rings

This short exposition is about some commutativity conditions on a semiprime right Goldie Ck-ring. In particular, it is observed here that a semiprime right Goldie Ck-ring with symmetric quotient is commutative. The statement holds if the symmetric ring is replaced by reduced, 2-primal, left duo, right duo, abelian, NI, NCI, IFP, or Armendariz ring.

K-THEORETICALLY COMPLETE VON NEUMANN REGULAR RINGS

The authors introduce the concept of Ko-complete ring and study the properties of Ko-complete unit-regular rings.

ON THE CHARACTERIZATION OF CYCLIC CODES OVER TWO CLASSES OF RINGS

Let R be a finite chain ring with maximal ideal （7） and residue field F,and letγ be of nilpotency index t. To every code C of length n over R, a tower of codes C = （C ： γ0） C_ （C： 7） C ... C_ （C： γ2） C_ .-. C_ （C：γ^t-1） can be associated with C, where for any r C R, （C ： r） = {e C Rn I re E C}. Using generator elements of the projection of such a tower of codes to the residue field F, we characterize cyclic codes over R. This characterization turns the condition for codes over R to be cyclic into one for codes over the residue field F. Furthermore, we obtain a characterization of cyclic codes over the formal power series ring of a finite chain ring.

TOWERS OF DERIVATION FOR LIE RINGS AND SOME RESULTS ON COMPLETE LIE RINGS

The well-known tower theorem of groups （resp. Lie algebras） shows that the tower of automorphism groups （resp. derivation algebras） of a finite group （resp. a finite dimensional Lie algebra） with trivial center terminates after finitely many steps. We generalize these results for Lie rings, and present some necessary and sufficient conditions for Lie rings to be complete.

NC-Rings and Some Commutativity Conditions

Sum of two nilpotent elements in a ring may not be nilpotent in general, but for commutative rings this sum is nilpotent. In between commutative and non-commutative rings there are several types of rings in which this property holds. For instance, reduced, NI, AI (or IFP), 2-primal, reversible and symmetric, etc. We may term these types of rings as nearby commutative rings (in short NC-rings). In this work we have studied properties and various characterizations of such rings as well as rngs. As applications, we have investigated some commutativity conditions by involving semi-projective-Morita-contexts and right Ck-Goldie rings.

Anti-rods/rings autoantibody generation in hepatitis Cpatients during interferon-α/ribavirin therapy

Chronic inflammation associated with hepatitis C virus(HCV) infection can lead to disabling liver diseases with progression to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite the recent availability of more effective and less toxic therapeutic options, in most parts of the world the standard treatment consists of a weekly injection of pegylated interferon α(IFN-α) together with a daily dose of ribavirin. HCV patients frequently present circulating non-organ-specific autoantibodies demonstrating a variety of staining patterns in the indirect immunofluorescence assay for antinuclear antibodies(ANA). Between 20% to 40% of HCV patients treated with IFN-α and ribavirin develop autoantibodies showing a peculiar ANA pattern characterized as rods and rings(RR) structures. The aim of this article is to review the recent reports regarding RR structures and anti-rods/rings(antiRR) autoantibody production by HCV patients after IFN-α/ribavirin treatment. Anti-RR autoantibodies first appear around the sixth month of treatment and reach a plateau around the twelfth month. After treatment completion, anti-RR titers decrease/disappear in half the patients and remain steady in the other half. Some studies have observed a higher frequency of anti-RR antibodies in relapsers, i.e., patients in which circulating virus reappears after initially successful therapy. The main target of anti-RR autoantibodies in HCV patients is inosine-5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase 2(IMPDH2), the rate-limiting enzyme involved in the guanosine triphosphate biosynthesis pathway. Ribavirin is a direct IMPDH2 inhibitor and is able to induce the formation of RR structures in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, these observations led to the hypothesis that anti-RR autoantibody production is a human model of immunologic tolerance breakdown that allows us to explore the humoral autoimmune response from the beginning of the putative triggering event: exposure to ribavirin and interferon.

Hot deformation in nanocrystalline Nd-Fe-B backward extruded rings

Radially oriented Nd-Fe-B rings are prepared by backward extrusion of fine grained melt-spun powder. Melt- spun powder with the nominal composition of Nd30.5Febal.Co6.0Ga0.6A10.2B0.9 （wt%） is used as starting material. The effects of process variables, such as deformation temperature （Td）, strain rate （ε） and height reduction （△h%）, on the magnetic properties of the rings are investigated. A scanning electron microscope （SEM） equipped with an energy spectrum device is used to study the metallograph and microfracture of the extruded rings. The Br and （BH）max reach the optimum values at Td =800℃,ε= 0.01 mm/s, and △h% = 70%. It is found by SEM observations that the particle boundaries, which seemingly correspond to the interfaces of the starting melt-spun powders, emerge after the corrosion of metallography specimens. This is helpful for studying the effects of powder-powder interface on the local deformation and deformation homogeneity in the rings. For different spatial positions of the extruded rings, there are characteristic metallographies and microfractures. The upper end of the rings has the least deformation and worst texture, and therefore the worst magnetic properties. The magnetic properties in the radial direction increase slightly along the axis from the bottom to the middle, then steeply decrease at the upper end of the ring. The deformation and the formation-of-texturing processes are discussed. The deformation and the texturing formation of melt-spun Nd-Fe-B alloys probably involve grain boundary sliding and grain rotation, the solution-precipitation process and preferential growth of Nd2Fel4B nanograins along the easy growth a-axis.

Analysis of Oil Consumption in Cylinder of Diesel Engine for Optimization of Piston Rings

The performance and particulate emission of a diesel engine are affected by the consumption of lubricating oil. Most studies on oil consumption mechanism of the cylinder have been done by using the experimental method, however they are very costly. Therefore, it is very necessary to study oil consumption mechanism of the cylinder and obtain the accurate results by the calculation method. Firstly, four main modes of lubricating oil consumption in cylinder are analyzed and then the oil consumption rate under common working conditions are calculated for the four modes based on an engine. Then, the factors that affect the lubricating oil consumption such as working conditions, the second ring closed gap, the elastic force of the piston rings are also investigated for the four modes. The calculation results show that most of the lubricating oil is consumed by evaporation on the liner surface. Besides, there are three other findings： （1） The oil evaporation from the liner is determined by the working condition of an engine; （2） The increase of the ring closed gap reduces the oil blow through the top ring end gap but increases blow-by; （3） With the increase of the elastic force of the ring, both the left oil film thickness and the oil throw-off at the top ring decrease. The oil scraping of the piston top edge is consequently reduced while the friction loss between the rings and the liner increases. A neural network prediction model of the lubricating oil consumption in cylinder is established based on the BP neural network theory, and then the model is trained and validated. The main piston rings parameters which affect the oil consumption are optimized by using the BP neural network prediction model and the prediction accuracy of this BP neural network is within 8%, which is acceptable for normal engineering applications. The oil consumption is also measured experimentally. The relative errors of the calculated and experimental values are less than 10%, verifying the validity of the simulation results. Applying the established simulation model and the validated BP network model is able to generate numerical results with sufficient accuracy, which significantly reduces experimental work and provides guidance for the optimal design of the piston rings diesel engines.

STUDY ON SYNTHESES AND PROPERTIES OF SOME NOVEL POLYIMIDES CONTAINING BISTHIAZOLE RINGS

Some novel polyimides containing bisthiazole rings were prepared by reacting 2,2'-diamino-4, 4'-bisthiazole (DART) with different aromatic dianhydride. The polyimides obtained had inherent viscosities of 0.37-0.82 dl/g. Thermogravimetric analysis of the polyimides showed good thermal stability, the temperature at 5% weight loss being from 450 degrees to 560 degrees C. The permeability of two polymer membranes to H-2, O-2 and N-2 was determined, respectively. Three kinds of polyimide films were converted into electrical conductor by pyrolysis at high temperature in nitrogen atmosphere. The maximum room temperature conductivity as high as 3.9x10(2) S/cm for PI him pyrolyzed at 1200 degrees C for 10 min was obtained, and it was very stable in air.

August–September Runoff Variation in the Kara Darya River Determined from Juniper(Juniperus turkestanica) Tree Rings in the Pamirs-Alai Mountains, Kyrgyzstan, Back to 1411 CE

A 606 year runoff reconstruction of the Kara Darya River was developed, based on the tree-ring width chronology of Turkestan juniper(Juniperus turkestanica) from the Pamir-Alai Mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Preliminary comparison between the snow cover variation and these climate/runoff reconstructions found that Central Asian snow cover may have strong associations with large-scale ocean-atmosphere-land circulations. The runoff reconstruction demonstrated that instrumental runoff was not representative of runoff over the past 606 years. The drought of the 1960 s-1990 s resulted in low runoff levels during the past 50 years;however, this probably does not represent a worst-case scenario for the Kara Darya because the runoff reconstruction showed additional extremely low runoff prior to the 20 th century. The reconstruction will provide a long-term perspective on runoff variation in the Kara Darya River basin, aid sustainable water resource management and be useful in guiding expectations of future variations and water resource planning.