Association between Free Triiodothyronine Levels and Peripheral Arterial Disease in Euthyroid Participants

This current cross-sectional study investigates the relationship between thyroid hormones and peripheral artery disease （PAD） among euthyroid Chinese population aged 40 years and above. Serum free triiodothyronine （FT3）, free thyroxin （FT4）, thyroid-stimulating hormone （TSH）, and thyroid antibodies were measured.

Free triiodothyronine level correlates with statin responsiveness in acute myocardial infarction

Background Although thyroid hormone （TH） has important effects on lipid metabolism, the relationship between TH and statin responsiveness has never been investigated. We hypothesize that TH plays an important role in statin responsiveness in patients with acute myocardial infarction （AMI）. Methods Consecutive 1091 hospitalized AMI patients in Fuwai hospital （Beijing, China） were enrolled into this current study. The study population was divided into three groups based on the intensity of statin treatment： low-intensity （n = 221）, moderate-intensity （n = 712） and high-intensity （n = 158）. Lipid levels were measured after statin therapy lasting for 10-14 days. The association between TH, lipid profile levels and achievement of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C） lowering goals was explored in patients with AMI on statin therapy. Results By general linear analysis, a significant linear trend between free triiodothyronine （FT3） and LDL-C level （linear coefficient r = -0.082, P = 0.001） and FT3 and total cholesterol （TC） level （r = -0.105, P = 0.031） was observed in the moderate-intensity statin group. A more apparent linear trend was detected in the high-intensity statin group （for LDL-C： r = -0.113, P = 0.005; for TC： r = -0.172, P = 0.029, respectively）. However, no significant correlation was observed in the low-intensity statin group. Compared with the low-FT3 group （defined as FT3 〈 1.79 pg/mL）, the OR （95% CI） for attaining a LDL-C 〈 3.0mmol/L was found to be 2.217 （1.001–4.839） in the higher FT3 group （〉 2.95 pg/mL）. The OR （95% CI） for attaining the more intensive goal （LDL-C 〈 1.8mmol/L） was 2.836 （1.014–5.182）. Conclusions Our study reveals that variation in FT3 levels is related to the cholesterol-lowering responsiveness of statins in AMI patients. These findings suggest that low FT3 may be a factor responsible for lack of LDL-C goal attainment and patients’ poor responsiveness to statin treatment.

Free triiodothyronine in relation to coronary severity at different ages： Gensini score assessment in 4206 euthyroid patients

Objective To study whether free triiodothyronine （FT3） within normal range has effects on the presence and severity of coronary ar- tery disease （CAD） in different gender and age groups. Methods A total of 4206 euthyroid patients were consecutively enrolled and di- vided into CAD group （n = 3306） and non-CAD group （n = 900）. All patients underwent coronary angiography （CAG）. Gensini score （GS） was used to determine the severity of coronary artery stenosis. Severe CAD was defined as GS 〉 32 and mild CAD was defined as GS 〈 32. Logistic regression analysis and linear regression analysis were conducted to determine the association of FT3 with CAD in patients with different gender and ages. Results Concentration of FT3 was lower in patients with CAD than that in angiography-normal control group （P 〈 0.05）. In addition, concentration of FT3 was lower in severe CAD than that in mild CAD. After adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors and potential confounders, FT3 was negatively correlated with the presence of CAD, but not in the old patients （〉 65 years old）. Mul- tivariable linear regression analysis showed that FT3 was negatively associated with GS in male and young patients with stable CAD, but not in the old patients. Conclusions Low FT3 within normal range was negatively associated with the presence and severity of CAD in young patients, but not in the old ones. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Constraints on Characteristics and Distribution of Gas Hydrate and Free Gas Using Broad-Band Processing of Three-Dimensional Seismic Data

Gas hydrate drilling expeditions in the Pearl River Mouth Basin,South China Sea,have identified concentrated gas hydrates with variable thickness.Moreover,free gas and the coexistence of gas hydrate and free gas have been confirmed by logging,coring,and production tests in the foraminifera-rich silty sediments with complex bottom-simulating reflectors(BSRs).The broad-band processing is conducted on conventional three-dimensional(3D)seismic data to improve the image and detection accuracy of gas hydratebearing layers and delineate the saturation and thickness of gas hydrate-and free gas-bearing sediments.Several geophysical attributes extracted along the base of the gas hydrate stability zone are used to demonstrate the variable distribution and the controlling factors for the differential enrichment of gas hydrate.The inverted gas hydrate saturation at the production zone is over 40% with a thickness of 90 m,showing the interbedded distribution with different boundaries between gas hydrate-and free gas-bearing layers.However,the gas hydrate saturation value at the adjacent canyon is 70%,with 30-m-thick patches and linear features.The lithological and fault controls on gas hydrate and free gas distributions are demonstrated by tracing each gas hydrate-bearing layer.Moreover,the BSR depths based on broad-band reprocessed 3D seismic data not only exhibit variations due to small-scale topographic changes caused by seafloor sedimentation and erosion but also show the upward shift of BSR and the blocky distribution of the coexistence of gas hydrate and free gas in the Pearl River Mouth Basin.

GLOBAL SOLUTIONS TO 1D COMPRESSIBLE NAVIER-STOKES/ALLEN-CAHN SYSTEM WITH DENSITY-DEPENDENT VISCOSITY AND FREE-BOUNDARY

This paper is concerned with the Navier-Stokes/Allen-Cahn system,which is used to model the dynamics of immiscible two-phase flows.We consider a 1D free boundary problem and assume that the viscosity coefficient depends on the density in the form ofη(ρ)=ρ^(α).The existence of unique global H^(2m)-solutions(m∈N)to the free boundary problem is proven for when 0<α<1/4.Furthermore,we obtain the global C^(∞)-solutions if the initial data is smooth.

A solid phase radioimmunoassay for free triiodothyronine in serum:assay development and validation

A solid phase radioimmunoassay for free triiodothyronine in serum was developed based on double-antibody coated tubes. The method was turned out to be reliable with good reproducibility, higher sensitivity and easy performance. The measurable range of FT3 in serum was 1.2 to 38 pmol/L. The mean coefficients of variation within and between assays were 1.79%-3.18% and 4.72%-9.31%, respectively. The FT3 concentrations in euthyroid serum as determined by this method were 2.8 to 7.8pmol/L. The FT3 values determined by this new method correlated well with those measured by a commercial radioimmunoassay （r=0.853）.

Metagenomic analysis revealing the metabolic role of microbial communities in the free amino acid biosynthesis of Monascus rice vinegar during fermentation

Free amino acid(FAA)is the important component of vinegar that infl uences quality perception and consumer acceptance.FAA is one of the major metabolites produced by microorganisms;however,the microbial metabolic network on FAA biosynthesis remains unclear.Through metagenomic analysis,this work aimed to elucidate the roles of microbes in FAA biosynthesis during Monascus rice vinegar fermentation.Taxonomic profiles from functional analyses showed 14 dominant genera with high contributions to the metabolism pathways.The metabolic network for FAA biosynthesis was then constructed,and the microbial distribution in different metabolic pathways was illuminated.The results revealed that 5 functional genera were closely involved in FAA biosynthesis.This study illuminated the metabolic roles of microorganisms in FAA biosynthesis and provided crucial insights into the functional attributes of microbiota in vinegar fermentation.

Serum Total Triiodothyronine versus Free Tetraiodothyronine and TSH in Patients with HCV Related Cirrhosis and Their Correlation to the Severity of Cirrhosis

Background and Aim: The levels of thyroid hormones and their binding proteins are altered in patient with cirrhosis. We aim to study the changes in triiodothyronine level in HCV related cirrhosis and its correlation to the severity of liver decompensation. Patients and Methods: This study included seventy two patients with HCV related cirrhosis in three groups Group I: 24 patients with Child A class Group II: 24 patients with Child B and C classes without hepatic encephalopathy Group III: 24 patients with Child B and C classes with hepatic encephalopathy. Results: T3 level was significantly lower in group III than group I and II (0.74 ng/ml vs 1 and 1.3 ng/ml in group II and I in succession). The correlation between Child’s score and T3 level was highly significant (r = -0.64, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Triiodothyronine level is lower in cirrhosis and its level is correlated to the severity of decompensation.

CONVEXITY OF THE FREE BOUNDARY FOR AN AXISYMMETRIC INCOMPRESSIBLE IMPINGING JET

This paper is devoted to the study of the shape of the free boundary for a threedimensional axisymmetric incompressible impinging jet.To be more precise,we will show that the free boundary is convex to the fluid,provided that the uneven ground is concave to the fluid.

Yolk free egg substitute improves the serum phospholipid profile of mice with metabolic syndrome based on lipidomic analysis

In this study,the impacts of egg consumption on mice model of metabolic syndrome(Met S)were comparatively investigated.Mice were divided into five groups(n=8):normal diet group(ND),high-fat diet group(HFD),HFD with whole egg group(WE),HFD with free-yolk egg substitute group(YFES),and HFD with lovastatin group(Lov).Main biochemical indexes and a non-targeted lipidomic analysis were employed to insight the lipid profile changes in serum.It was revealed that WE could significantly improve serum biochemical indexes by reducing body weight,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)and total cholesterol(TC),while increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.YFES exhibited remarkably better performance in increasing phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidic acids,while decreasing phosphatidylinositol than WE.A total of 50 differential lipids biomarkers tightly related to glycerophospholipids metabolism were screened out.Carnitine C18:2 and C12:1,SM(d18:0/12:0),and SM(d18:1/14:1)were significantly upregulated in YFES compared to WE.YFES reduced expression of SREBP-1c and Cpt1a,while did not affect the expression of PPAR-α.Sphingomyelin biomarkers were positively related to the TC(|r|>0.6),while PPAR-αwas negatively correlated with triglyceride and LDL-C levels.To sum up,YFES attenuated HFD-induced Met S by improving the serum phospholipids,which account for its modulation of glycerophospholipid metabolism.

母体产前血清AFP、Freeβ-HCG、uE3检测对筛查胎儿染色体异常的临床价值

目的探讨产前母体血清甲胎蛋白(AFP)、游离β绒毛膜促性腺激素(Free-β-HCG)、雌三醇(uE3)检测对筛查胎儿染色体异常的临床价值。方法选取我院2021年9月—2023年3月100例高风险孕妇进行无创DNA检测,根据染色体状态分为阳性组、阴性组。对比2组孕12周时血清AFP、Freeβ-HCG、uE3及NT值水平,Logistic回归分析血清各指标对胎儿染色体异常的影响因素;ROC分析孕12周时血清各指标联合检测对胎儿染色体异常的预测价值。结果阳性组孕12周时血清AFP、uE3均低于阴性组、血清Freeβ-HCG及NT值均高于阴性组(P<0.05);分析认为孕12周时血清AFP、uE3为胎儿染色体异常的保护因素、Freeβ-HCG及NT值为胎儿染色体异常的危险因素(P<0.05);ROC分析孕12周时检测母体血清AFP、Freeβ-HCG、uE3水平对预测胎儿染色体异常的AUC分别为0.654、0.673、0.664,其联合检测对预测胎儿染色体异常的AUC为0.717。结论产前母体血清AFP、Freeβ-HCG、uE3联合检测在胎儿染色体异常的筛查中均具有较高的预测价值,3者联合检测的预测效能更高,可广泛应用于早期临床筛查中。

Free radicals trigger the closure of open pores in lignin-derived hard carbons toward improved sodium-storage capacity

The chemical activation of various precursors is effective for creating additional closed pores in hard carbons for sodium storage.However,the formation mechanism of closed pores under the influence of pore-forming agents is not well understood.Herein,an effective chemical activation followed by a high-temperature self-healing strategy is employed to generate interconnected closed pores in lignin-derived hard carbon(HCs).By systematic experimental design combined with electron paramagnetic res-onance spectroscopy,it can be found that the content of free radicals in the carbon matrix influences the closure of open pores at high temperatures.Excessively high activation temperature(>700 C)leads to a low free radical concentration,making it difficult to achieve self-healing of open pores at high tempera-tures.By activation at 700°C,a balance between pore making and self-healing is achieved in the final hard carbon.A large number of free radicals triggers rapid growth and aggregation of carbon microcrys-tals,blocking pre-formed open micropores and creating additional interconnected closed pores in as-obtained hard carbons.As a result,the optimized carbon anode(LK-700-1300)delivers a high reversible capacity of 330.8 mA h g^(-1) at 0.03 A g^(-1),which is an increase of 86 mA h g^(-1) compared to the pristine lignin-derived carbon anode(L-700-1300),and exhibits a good rate performance(202.1 mA h g^(-1) at 1 A g^(-1)).This work provides a universal and effective guidance for tuning closed pores of hard carbons from otherprecursors.

Lithium-Metal Free Sulfur Battery Based on Waste Biomass Anode and Nano-Sized Li_(2)S Cathode

The realization of a stable lithium-metal free(LiMF)sulfur battery based on amorphous carbon anode and lithium sulfide(Li_(2)S)cathode is here reported.In particular,a biomass waste originating full-cell combining a carbonized brewer's spent grain(CBSG)biochar anode with a Li_(2)S-graphene composite cathode(Li_(2)S70Gr30)is proposed.This design is particularly attractive for applying a cost-effective,high performance,environment friendly,and safe anode material,as an alternative to standard graphite and metallic lithium in emerging battery technologies.The anodic and cathodic materials are characterized in terms of structure,morphology and composition through X-ray diffraction,scanning and transmission electron microscopy,X-ray photoelectron and Raman spectroscopies.Furthermore,an electrochemical characterization comprising galvanostatic cycling,rate capability and cyclic voltammetry tests were carried out both in half-cell and full-cell configurations.The systematic investigation reveals that unlike graphite,the biochar electrode displays good compatibility with the electrolyte typically employed in sulfur batteries.The CBSG/Li_(2)S70Gr30 full-cell demonstrates an initial charge and discharge capacities of 726 and 537 mAh g^(-1),respectively,at 0.05C with a coulombic efficiency of 74%.Moreover,it discloses a reversible capacity of 330 mAh g^(-1)(0.1 C)after over 300 cycles.Based on these achievements,the CBSG/Li_(2)S70Gr30 battery system can be considered as a promising energy storage solution for electric vehicles(EVs),especially when taking into account its easy scalability to an industrial level.

USP19 Stabilizes TAK1 to Regulate High Glucose/Free Fatty Acid-induced Dysfunction in HK-2 Cells

Objective Obesity-induced kidney injury contributes to the development of diabetic nephropathy(DN).Here,we identified the functions of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 19(USP19)in HK-2 cells exposed to a combination of high glucose(HG)and free fatty acid(FFA)and determined its association with TGF-beta-activated kinase 1(TAK1).Methods HK-2 cells were exposed to a combination of HG and FFA.USP19 mRNA expression was detected by quantitative RT-PCR(qRT-PCR),and protein analysis was performed by immunoblotting(IB).Cell growth was assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8)viability and 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine(EdU)proliferation assays.Cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry.The USP19/TAK1 interaction and ubiquitinated TAK1 levels were assayed by coimmunoprecipitation(Co-IP)assays and IB.Results In HG+FFA-challenged HK-2 cells,USP19 was highly expressed.USP19 knockdown attenuated HG+FFA-triggered growth inhibition and apoptosis promotion in HK-2 cells.Moreover,USP19 knockdown alleviated HG+FFA-mediated PTEN-induced putative kinase 1(PINK1)/Parkin pathway inactivation and increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species(ROS)generation in HK-2 cells.Mechanistically,USP19 stabilized the TAK1 protein through deubiquitination.Importantly,increased TAK1 expression reversed the USP19 knockdown-mediated phenotypic changes and PINK1/Parkin pathway activation in HG+FFA-challenged HK-2 cells.Conclusion The findings revealed that USP19 plays a crucial role in promoting HK-2 cell dysfunction induced by combined stimulation with HG and FFAs by stabilizing TAK1,providing a potential therapeutic strategy for combating DN.

A novel efficient energy absorber with free inversion of a metal foam-filled circular tube

In this paper, a novel efficient energy absorber with free inversion of a metal foam-filled circular tube(MFFCT) is designed, and the axial compressive behavior of the MFFCT under free inversion is studied analytically and numerically. The theoretical analysis reveals that the energy is mainly dissipated through the radial bending of the metal circular tube, the circumferential expansion of the metal circular tube, and the metal filled-foam compression. The principle of energy conservation is used to derive the theoretical formula for the minimum compressive force of the MFFCT over free inversion under axial loading. Furthermore, the free inversion deformation characteristics of the MFFCT are analyzed numerically. The theoretical steady values are found to be in good agreement with the results of the finite element(FE) analysis. The effects of the average diameter of the metal tube, the wall thickness of the metal tube, and the filled-foam strength on the free inversion deformation of the MFFCT are considered. It is observed that in the steady deformation stage, the load-carrying and energy-absorbing capacities of the MFFCT increase with the increase in the average diameter of the metal tube, the wall thickness of the metal tube, or the filled-foam strength. The specific energy absorption(SEA) of free inversion of the MFFCT is significantly higher than that of the metal tube alone.

Exponential Time Differencing Method for a Reaction-Diffusion System with Free Boundary

For reaction-diffusion equations in irregular domains with moving boundaries,the numerical stability constraints from the reaction and diffusion terms often require very restricted time step sizes,while complex geometries may lead to difficulties in the accuracy when discretizing the high-order derivatives on grid points near the boundary.It is very challenging to design numerical methods that can efficiently and accurately handle both difficulties.Applying an implicit scheme may be able to remove the stability constraints on the time step,however,it usually requires solving a large global system of nonlinear equations for each time step,and the computational cost could be significant.Integration factor(IF)or exponential time differencing(ETD)methods are one of the popular methods for temporal partial differential equations(PDEs)among many other methods.In our paper,we couple ETD methods with an embedded boundary method to solve a system of reaction-diffusion equations with complex geometries.In particular,we rewrite all ETD schemes into a linear combination of specificФ-functions and apply one state-of-the-art algorithm to compute the matrix-vector multiplications,which offers significant computational advantages with adaptive Krylov subspaces.In addition,we extend this method by incorporating the level set method to solve the free boundary problem.The accuracy,stability,and efficiency of the developed method are demonstrated by numerical examples.

Estimation of free core nutation parameters and availability of computing options

The Earth’s Free Core Nutation(FCN) causes Earth tides and forced nutation with frequencies close to the FCN that exhibit resonance effects.High-precision superconducting gravimeter(SG) and very long baseline interferometry(VLBI) provide good observation techniques for detecting the FCN parameters.However,some choices in data processing and solution procedures increase the uncertainty of the FCN parameters.In this study,we analyzed the differences and the effectiveness of weight function and ocean tide corrections in the FCN parameter detection using synthetic data,SG data from thirty-one stations,and the 10 celestial pole offset(CPO) series.The results show that significant discrepancies are caused by different computing options for a single SG station.The stacking method,which results in a variation of0.24-5 sidereal days(SDs) in the FCN period(T) and 10^(3)-10^(4) in the quality factor(Q) due to the selection of the weighting function and the ocean tide model(OTM),can effectively suppress this influence.The statistical analysis results of synthetic data shows that although different weight choices,while adjusting the proportion of diurnal tidal waves involved,do not significantly improve the accuracy of fitted FCN parameters from gravity observations.The study evaluated a series of OTMs using the loading correction efficiency.The fitting of FCN parameters can be improved by selecting the mean of appropriate OTMs based on the evaluation results.Through the estimation of the FCN parameters based on the forced nutation,it was found that the weight function P_(1) is more suitable than others,and different CPO series(after 2009) resulted in a difference of 0.4 SDs in the T and of 103 in the Q.We estimated the FCN parameters for SG(T=430.4±1.5 SDs and Q=1.52×10^(4)±2.5×10^(3)) and for VLBI(T=429.8±0.7 SDs,Q=1.88×10^(4)±2.1×10^(3)).

Method of fabricating artificial rock specimens based on extrusion free forming(EFF)3D printing

Three-dimensional(3D)printing technology has been widely used to create artificial rock samples in rock mechanics.While 3D printing can create complex fractures,the material still lacks sufficient similarity to natural rock.Extrusion free forming(EFF)is a 3D printing technique that uses clay as the printing material and cures the specimens through high-temperature sintering.In this study,we attempted to use the EFF technology to fabricate artificial rock specimens.The results show the physico-mechanical properties of the specimens are significantly affected by the sintering temperature,while the nozzle diameter and layer thickness also have a certain impact.The specimens are primarily composed of SiO_(2),with mineral compositions similar to that of natural rocks.The density,uniaxial compressive strength(UCS),elastic modulus,and tensile strength of the printed specimens fall in the range of 1.65–2.54 g/cm3,16.46–50.49 MPa,2.17–13.35 GPa,and 0.82–17.18 MPa,respectively.It is capable of simulating different types of rocks,especially mudstone,sandstone,limestone,and gneiss.However,the simulation of hard rocks with UCS exceeding 50 MPa still requires validation.

Prostate cancer with elevated free prostate-specific antigen density:A case report

BACKGROUND Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men worldwide,and prostate-specific antigen(PSA)is often used in clinical practice to screen for prostate cancer.Normal total PSA(tPSA)level initially excludes prostate cancer.Here,we report a case of prostate cancer with elevated free PSA density(fPSAD).CASE SUMMARY A patient diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia underwent prostatectomy,and the postoperative pathological results showed acinar adenocarcinoma of the prostate.The patient is currently undergoing endocrine chemotherapy.CONCLUSION We provide a clinical reference for diagnosis and treatment of patients with normal tPSA but elevated fPSAD.

Fast solution to the free return orbit's reachable domain of the manned lunar mission by deep neural network

It is important to calculate the reachable domain(RD)of the manned lunar mission to evaluate whether a lunar landing site could be reached by the spacecraft. In this paper, the RD of free return orbits is quickly evaluated and calculated via the classification and regression neural networks. An efficient databasegeneration method is developed for obtaining eight types of free return orbits and then the RD is defined by the orbit’s inclination and right ascension of ascending node(RAAN) at the perilune. A classify neural network and a regression network are trained respectively. The former is built for classifying the type of the RD, and the latter is built for calculating the inclination and RAAN of the RD. The simulation results show that two neural networks are well trained. The classification model has an accuracy of more than 99% and the mean square error of the regression model is less than 0.01°on the test set. Moreover, a serial strategy is proposed to combine the two surrogate models and a recognition tool is built to evaluate whether a lunar site could be reached. The proposed deep learning method shows the superiority in computation efficiency compared with the traditional double two-body model.