[en] Objective: To evaluate the value of MRI in the diagnosis of jejunal and ileal atresia in fetus. Methods: This study included thirteen neonates with surgically and pathologically confirmed jejunal or ileal atresia without other gastrointestinal diseases treated in our institution between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2018. MRI was performed on all fetuses subsequent to routine prenatal sonographic examinations indicated bowel dilation or ascites. MR images were analyzed by two radiologists, and MRI diagnosis was compared with surgical and pathological results. Results: On prenatal MRI, eight fetuses exhibited single or multiple dilated small bowel loops, one of them exhibited a cystic mass in the abdomen;five fetuses exhibited massive ascites, and collected bowels. On final surgical and pathological diagnosis, nine fetuses had ileal atresia, five of them had intestinal perforation; four fetuses had jejunal atresia, one of them had intestinal perforation and a meconium pseudocyst. Among the 7 cases without intestinal perforation, the atresia location was diagnosed correctly in 5 cases. The 6 fetuses with intestinal perforation were diagnosed as intestinal atresia and meconium peritonitis by prenatal MRI, but the location of atresia could not be determined. Conclusions: Jejunal and ileal atresia have their characteristic manifestations on prenatal MRI. The location of atresia can be inferred from the distribution of amniotic fluid and meconium in the intestine. Prenatal MRI has a complementary role in the assessment of fetal bowel abnormalities after standard obstetric ultrasound. (authors)

[en] Objective: To strengthen the understanding of the imaging features in congenital aberrant left pulmonary artery (CALPA). Methods: All 4 patients underwent chest film and Doppler echocardiography. Three cases were examined by enhanced spiral CT examination. In addition, MRI and DSA were performed in 2 cases respectively. Three cases were proven by surgery or autopsy. Results: (1) appearances on chest films included cardiomegaly, pulmonary over vascularity, left hilum a little lower than the right one, emphysema, atelectasis, and pneumonia. (2) bronchography showed stenosis of trachea and/or bronchia. (3) Barium esophagram showed an imprint on the left anterior wall of esophagus. (4) Contrast-enhanced spiral CT and MRI showed marked dilatation of main pulmonary artery (MPA) and the root of MPA extended backward to become right pulmonary artery (RPA), the left pulmonary artery (LPA) arose from the RPA directly. (5) echocardiography indicated LPA arose from RPA. (6) DSA showed MPA was marked dilated, and LPA arose from RPA. (7) other abnormalities included 3 PDA, 2 PLSVC, and 1 ASD. Conclusion: CT and MRI are the best methods to diagnose CALPA. (authors)

[en] Axonemal and cytoplasmic dyneins share a highly conserved 8 kDa light chain (DLC8) for motor assembly and function. Other than serving as a light chain of dynein complexes, DLC8 has been shown to bind a larger number of proteins with diverse biological functions including cell cycle control, apoptosis, and cell polarity maintenance. Therefore, DLC8 is likely a multifunctional regulatory protein. DLC8 exists as a dimer in solution, and the protein dimer is capable of binding to two target molecules. In this work, the backbone dynamics of DLC8, both in its apo- and target-peptide bound forms, were characterized by ¹⁵N NMR relaxation studies. The relaxation data were analyzed using model-free approach. We show that the target peptide-binding region of apo-DLC8 experiences microsecond-to-millisecond time scale conformational fluctuation, suggesting that the target-binding region of the protein is capable of adjusting its shape and size in responding to its various targets. The conformational breathing of the target-binding region of apo-DLC8 was also supported by backbone amide exchange experiment. Such segmental conformational motion of the protein is significantly reduced upon forming a complex with a target peptide. The dynamic properties of DLC8 in solution provide insight into the protein's diverse sequence-dependent target binding

[en] Highlights: • Effects of side ratio on energy harvesting from galloping of rectangles are studied. • The onset galloping velocity decreases with increasing the side ratio. • A side ratio of ∼1.0 is good for energy harvesting at high reduced flow velocities. • Side ratios within1.62–2.0 is beneficial for harvesting at low reduced velocities. Rectangular cylinders have been identified as ideal bluff bodies for galloping-based energy harvesting, while a systematic study of the effects of the side ratio (i.e., the ratio between the cylinder width and the cylinder height) remains unavailable. This study investigates the influences of the side ratio on the piezoelectric energy harvesting from the transverse galloping of a rectangular cylinder based on a representative electro-aero-mechanical model, in which the aerodynamic force is calculated by the quasi-steady theory. The existing experimental aerodynamic coefficients for rectangular cylinders with side ratios of 0.62–3.0 are utilized as inputs of the quasi-steady aerodynamic force model. The influences of the side ratio and load resistance on the onset velocity, displacement, and power output of the galloping-based energy harvester are investigated. The results show that the onset velocity of galloping is dependent on the load resistance while this dependency becomes less significant with increasing the natural frequency. The onset galloping velocity of the energy harvester decreases with increasing the side ratio, and the lowest onset velocity is achieved by a rectangular cylinder with a side ratio of around 2.50. The largest vibration amplitude is achieved by the cylinder with a side ratio of 1.62 or 2.0 at low flow velocities, while the largest vibration amplitude is always achieved by the square cylinder at high flow velocities. Therefore, the side ratio of a galloping-based energy harvester should be designed according to its working environment: the optimal side ratio is around 1.0 if the harvester is expected to work at relatively high reduced flow velocities, while the optimal side ratio is around 1.62–2.0 if the harvester is expected to be effective at relatively low reduced flow velocities. These conclusions can provide references for designing galloping-based energy harvesters with rectangular cylinders as bluff bodies.

[en] Highlights: • A methodology for design optimization of lightweight and robust HRSG is proposed. • Flow-induced vibration models and criteria are integrated to optimization model. • Vibration constraints are satisfied and alter design of HRSGs. • The optimization model enables both geometric and operating variables. Design of compact, lightweight, and robust heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs) is important for the implementation of offshore bottoming cycles. In this work, a novel methodology integrating flow-induced vibration analysis is proposed for the design optimization of HRSG. The vibration analysis considers four main flow-induced vibration mechanisms, namely turbulent buffeting, vortex shedding, fluidelastic instability, and acoustic resonance. The corresponding sub-models are selected from literature for estimating vibrations of finned tube bundles. The design criteria for vibration are included in the optimization problem as constraints, which affect the decision of the solver simultaneously. The methodology is demonstrated by three cases, in which not only geometric parameters but also operating parameters are set as design variables. With activating vibration constraints, the solver finds appropriate geometric and operating parameters to meet the design requirements. The comparison between the optimizations with and without the vibration constraints shows a trade-off between compactness, lightweight, efficient heat transfer, and the possibility of flow-induced vibration problems. This indicates the importance of consideration of vibration problems when designing such HRSGs.

[en] The mid-infrared (MIR) luminescent properties of Dy³⁺ ions in a new chalcohalide glass host, Ga₂S₃–Sb₂S₃–CsI, are investigated; and the suitability of the doped glass for MIR fiber lasers is evaluated. The Dy³⁺-doped chalcohalide glasses exhibit good thermal stability and intense MIR emissions around 2.96 μm and 4.41 μm. These emissions show quantum efficiencies (η) as high as ∼ 60%, and have relatively large stimulated emission cross sections (σ _em). The low phonon energy (∼ 307 cm⁻¹) of the host glass accounts for the intense MIR emissions, as well as the high η. These favorable thermal and emission properties make the Dy³⁺-doped Ga₂S₃–Sb₂S₃–CsI glasses promising materials for MIR fiber amplifiers or lasers. (paper)

[en] Objective: To analyze the outcomes of radiotherapy for keloids by high energy electron beams and the factors influencing the treatment outcome. Methods: From Jan 1998 to Jun 2012, 846 lesions in 578 patients received radiotherapy. The median age is 29 years old (range 580 years old). There are 841 lesions with postoperative radiotherapy and 39 lesions with skin-grafting. 656 lesions treated within 1 day after operations. The max diameter of 348 keloids are > 5 cm. We used 6 MeV and 7 MeV electron-beam radiation therapy. The total dose ranging from 16-18 Gy/2f (interval 1 week). Treatment fields including entire keloid scars, and any suture/puncture holes with a 1 cm-margin around the lesion were used. The skin grafting patients need radiotherapy after the flap survived (about 10-15 days after the operation). The median follow-up period was 36 months (range 8-185 months). Results: There are 736 (87.0%) of 846 lesions with radiotherapy effective. Other 89(10.5%) lesions relapse in 4-33 months (median 12 months). 21 lesions were of no avail. The univariate analysis shows that keloids length, keloids location, skin-grafting, interval between operations and irradiations are the influencing factors of outcomes (P = 0.007, 0.000, 0.000, 0.001). The multivariate analysis shows that keloids location and skin-grafting remained statistically significant differences (P = 0.001, 0.001). Most of the recurrence cases are large and bent scars. Conclusions: High-energy electron-beam radiotherapy for keloids can receive good outcomes. Treatment fields flat is very important for electron-beam radiotherapy. (authors)

[en] Combining sol-gel process and electro-spinning, the submicron lithium titanate materials are prepared with lithium acetate and titanium tetraisopropanolate respectively as the lithium and titanium sources, and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as the template. It's found by scanning electron microscope(SEM )that, the prepared lithium titanate materials are characterized by the fiber diameter 150∼200nm, a large number of irregular indentations in the surface, and the larger specific surface area than that before calcination. The lithium titanate cell receives charge-discharge test and cyclic voltammetry. The capacity of the submicron lithium titanate materials is up to 160mAh·g-1 at the rate of 0.1C, and it's revealed by cyclic voltammetry that the cell in the charge or discharge process undergoes a single redox reaction, but having good reversibility. (paper)

[en] We report on low-temperature electron transport properties of MnSb₂Te₄, a candidate of ferrimagnetic Weyl semimetal. Long-range magnetic order is manifested as a nearly square-shaped hysteresis loop in the anomalous Hall resistance, as well as sharp jumps in the magnetoresistance. At temperatures below 4 K, a lnT-type upturn appears in the temperature dependence of longitudinal resistance, which can be attributed to the electron-electron interaction (EEI), since the weak localization can be excluded by the temperature dependence of magnetoresistance. Although the anomalous Hall resistance exhibits a similar lnT-type upturn in the same temperature range, such correction is absent in the anomalous Hall conductivity. Our work demonstrates that MnSb₂Te₄ microflakes provide an ideal system to test the theory of EEI correction to the anomalous Hall effect. (paper)

[en] Background: Chemotherapy-related coronary artery disease (CAD) is becoming an emerging issue in clinic. However, the underlying mechanism of chemotherapy-related CAD remains unclear. Objective: The study investigated the association between chemotherapy and atherosclerotic anatomical abnormalities of coronary arteries among lung cancer patients. Methods: Patients undergoing coronary angiography (CAG) between 2010 and 2017, who previously had lung cancer, were examined. Risk factors associated with CAD and information about lung cancer were evaluated. We assessed coronary-artery abnormalities by SYNTAX score (SXscore) based on CAG. In logistic-regression analysis, we defined high SXscore (SXhigh) grade as positive if ≥22. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and regression analysis. Results: A total of 94 patients were included in the study. The SXscore was higher in the chemotherapy group than in the non-chemotherapy group (25.25, IQR [4.50-30.00] vs. 16.50, IQR [ 5.00-2.00], p = 0.0195). The SXhigh rate was greater in the chemotherapy group than in the non-chemotherapy group (58.33% vs. 25.86; p = 0.0016). Both univariate (OR:4.013; 95% CI:1.655-9.731) and multivariate (OR:5.868; 95% CI:1.778-19.367) logistic-regression analysis revealed that chemotherapy increased the risk of greater SXhigh rates. Multivariate stepwise logistic-regression analysis showed the risk of more severe anatomical CAD is increased by chemotherapy as a whole by 5.323 times (95% CI: 2.002-14.152), and by platinum-based regimens by 5.850 times (95% CI: 2.027-16.879). Conclusions: Chemotherapy is associated with anatomical complexity and severity of CAD, which might partly account for the higher risk of chemotherapy-related CAD among lung cancer patients (author)