Apparent diffusion coefficient values of normal testis and variations with age

The usefulness of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging （DWI） in the evaluation of scrotal pathology has recently been reported. A standard reference of normal testicular apparent diffusion coefficient （ADC） values and their variations with age is necessary when interpreting normal testicular anatomy and pathology. We evaluated 147 normal testes using DWI, including 71 testes from 53 men aged 20-39years （group 1）, 67 testes from 42 men aged 40-69 years （group 2） and nine testes from six men older than 70years （group 3）. DWI was performed along the axial plane, using a single shot, multislice spin-echo planar diffusion pulse sequence and b-values of 0 and 900 s mm-2. The mean and standard deviation of the ADC values of normal testicular parenchyma were calculated for each age group separately. Analysis of variance （ANOVA） followed by post hoc analysis （Dunnett T3） was used for statistical purposes. The ADC values （x 10-3 mm2s-1） of normal testicular tissue were different among age groups （group 1：1.08 ± 0.13; group 2：1.15 ±0.15 and group 3：1.31± 0.22）. ANOVA revealed differences in mean ADC among age groups （F= 11.391, P〈 0.001）. Post hoc analysis showed differences between groups 1 and 2 （P= 0.008） and between groups 1 and 3 （P= 0.043）, but not between groups 2 and 3 （P= 0.197）. Our findings suggest that ADC values of normal testicular tissue increase with advancing age.

Apparent Activation Energy of Concrete in Early Age Determined by Adiabatic Test

The apparent activation energy of concrete in early age was determined by adiabatic temperature rise test with different initial temperatures. The influence of mineral admixtures such as fly ash, slag and silica fume on the apparent activation energy of concrete was investigated. The equivalent age that expresses the maturity of concrete was calculated to evaluate the cracking risk of concrete in structures. The results reveal that a substitution of 20% fly ash for Portland cement obviously decreases the apparent activation energy of concrete, however, a substitution of 10% silica fume for Portland cement increases the apparent activation. Finite element method analysis of a simulating concrete wall shows that the concrete containing 20% fly ash has the lowest cracking risk.

Pharmacoepidemiologic study of association between apparent treatment resistant hypertension, cardiovascular disease and interaction effect by sex and age

BACKGROUND A limited number of studies have been conducted to test the magnitudes of the association between apparent treatment resistant hypertension(aTRH)and risk of cardiovascular disease(CVD).AIM To investigate the association between aTRH and risk of CVD and examine whether sex and age modify this association.METHODS We applied an observational analysis study design using data from the United States Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial(ALLHAT).ALLHAT recruited participants(n=25516)from 625 primary care settings throughout the United States,Canada,Puerto Rico,and United States Virgin Islands,aged 55 and older with hypertension and at least one additional risk factor for heart disease.aTRH was assessed from the year 2 visit.CVD event was defined as one of the following from the year 2 follow-up visit:Fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarction,coronary revascularization,angina,stroke,heart failure,or peripheral artery disease.Cox proportional hazards regression was used to examine the effect of aTRH on CVD risk.Potential modifications of sex and age on this association were examined on the multiplicative scale by interaction term and additive scale by joint effects and relative excess risk for interaction.RESULTS Of the total study participants(n=25516),5030 experienced a CVD event during a mean of 4.7 years follow-up.aTRH was associated with a 30%increase in risk of CVD compared to non-aTRH[hazards ratio(HR)=1.3,95%CI:1.19-1.42].Sex and age modified this relationship on both multiplicative and additive scales independently.Stratified by sex,aTRH was associated with a 64%increase in risk of CVD(HR=1.64,95%CI:1.43–1.88)in women,and a 13%increase in risk of CVD(HR=1.13,95%CI:1.01–1.27)in men.Stratified by age,aTRH had a stronger impact on the risk of CVD in participants aged<65(HR=1.53,95%CI:1.32–1.77)than it did in those aged≥65(HR=1.18,95%CI:1.05–1.32).Significant two-way interactions of sex and aTRH,and age and aTRH on risk of CVD were observed(P<0.05).The observed joint effect of aTRH and ages≥65 years(HR=1.85,95%CI:1.22–2.48)in males was less than what was expected for both additive and multiplicative models(HR=4.10,95%CI:3.63–4.57 and 4.88,95%CI:3.66–6.31),although three-way interaction of sex,age,and aTRH on the risk of CVD and coronary heart disease did not reach a statistical significance(P>0.05).CONCLUSION aTRH was significantly associated with an increased risk of CVD and this association was modified by both sex and age.Further studies are warranted to test these mechanisms.

Using a Gaussian mathematical model to define eruptive stages of young volcanic rocks in Tengchong based on laser 40Ar/39Ar dating

Reconstruction of Quaternary environments,late Cenozoic geodynamics and evaluation of volcanic hazards,all depend on the precise delineation of eruptive stages.In recent years,laser 40Ar/39Ar dating methods have been widely used for dating young volcanic rocks,given their stable automated testing process,very low background level and high sensitivity,which meet the requirements for precise dating of young samples.This paper applied high-precision laser 40Ar/39Ar dating to the main volcanic units in the Tengchong area and obtained ages in the range of 0.025–5.1 Ma using conventional data processing methods.However,conventional dating highlighted issues related to very low radiogenic 40Ar content,accidental errors and poor data stability,which led to huge age deviations.Moreover,lacking a unified timescale,conventional methods were unable to strictly define the stages of the Tengchong volcanic eruptions,leading to ongoing controversy.In this study,we applied a Gaussian mathematical model to deal with all 378 original ages from 13 samples.An apparent age-probability diagram,consisting of three independent waveforms,have been obtained.The corresponding isochron ages of these three waveforms suggest there were three volcanic eruptive stages,namely during the Pliocene(3.78±0.04 Ma),early Middle Pleistocene(0.63±0.03 Ma)and late Middle Pleistocene to early Late Pleistocene(0.139±0.005 Ma).These results accurately define eruptive stages in the Tengchong area.

AGE, ARTERIAL STIFFNESS AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK

The recent researches on the structure and function of large artery find that increasing pulse pressure is associated with greater cardiovascular risk, especially risk of coronary events. Such risk is not explicable on the basis of increasing systolic pressure with age, and is apparent even when the major reason for increased pulse pressure is a relative decrease of diastolic pressure. The finding challenges the conventional approach to arterial pressure where diastolic pressure is traditionally viewed as the most robust indicator of caridovascular risk. An explanation is available. This is based on the perception of Harriet Dustan that hypertension in the older popula-

^(14)C measurement of forest soils in Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve

Organic carbon in forest soils of Qingyunsi and Wukesong profiles can be divided into fast and slow components. Δ14C values of these profiles decrease with increasing of depth. The Δ14C values in 30—40 cm depth interval of Wukesong profile are decreasing sharply until a very low value,showing that a strong geological environment change occurred about 1 560 years ago. The 14C apparent ages of Wukesong profile show that the coniferous and broad-leaf mixed forests around Wukesong profile have been developing since 425 a BP, which is consistent with historical documents. The penetrating depths of "bomb 14C" in Qingyunsi and Wukesong profiles are 10 and 20 cm, respectively.