•An event-driven method is proposed to simulate multi-scale dropwise condensation.•The computing efficiency can be improved by one to two orders of magnitude.•Effects of various parameters on droplet ...departure and heat flux are explored.•The contribution of droplet jumping to condensation heat flux is dominant.
Simulation of the multi-scale dropwise condensation on hydrophobic/superhydrophobic surfaces is of great significance for exploring condensation mechanism and guiding related engineering applications. However, the computational time cost of the conventional time-driven simulation is very expensive because the dropwise condensation covers multiple temporal and spatial scales and involves various behaviors between droplets. Here, an event-driven simulation method is proposed to efficiently simulate the multi-scale three-dimensional dropwise condensation with its simulation accuracy verified against the theoretical model and experimental results in literature. The dynamic octree data structure and its related algorithms are adopted to improve computational efficiency. Compared with the two-dimensional time-driven simulation, the computing efficiency of the three-dimensional event-driven simulation is improved by one to two orders of magnitude. The influence of droplet departure modes on dropwise condensation is then discussed and the results show that when droplets mainly depart through droplet jumping instead of droplet sliding, the surface coverage rate is smaller but the droplet population density and heat flux are larger. The increase of subcooling degree and nucleation density, or the decrease of critical sliding and jumping radius, can promote droplet departure and enhance condensation heat transfer, and the contribution of droplet jumping to heat flux is dominant. This work provides a new method that is efficient and reliable for multi-scale simulation of dropwise condensation and advances the understanding of dropwise condensation.
Moiré patterns are periodic superlattice structures that appear when two crystals with a minor lattice mismatch are superimposed. A prominent recent example is that of monolayer graphene placed on a ...crystal of hexagonal boron nitride. As a result of the moiré pattern superlattice created by this stacking, the electronic band structure of graphene is radically altered, acquiring satellite sub-Dirac cones at the superlattice zone boundaries. To probe the dynamical response of the moiré graphene, we use infrared (IR) nano-imaging to explore propagation of surface plasmons, collective oscillations of electrons coupled to IR light. We show that interband transitions associated with the superlattice mini-bands in concert with free electrons in the Dirac bands produce two additive contributions to composite IR plasmons in graphene moiré superstructures. This novel form of collective modes is likely to be generic to other forms of moiré-forming superlattices, including van der Waals heterostructures.
Objective and design
Several works in the setting of early experimental diabetic nephropathy using anti-inflammatory drugs, such as the calcineurin inhibitor FK506, have shown prevention of the ...development or amelioration of renal injury including proteinuria. The exact mechanisms by which anti-inflammatory drugs lower the albuminuria have not been still clarified well.
Materials
The diabetic rats were induced by using streptozotocin.
Treatment
The diabetic rats were subjected to oral FK506 treatment at a dose of 0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg daily for 4 weeks.
Methods
Renal histology for the ultrastructural evaluation was determined by electron microscope, followed by analyses of renal nephrin and podocin and detection of renal iNOS
+
macrophages and NF-κB-p-p65
+
.
Results
Elevated 24-h urinary albumin excretion rate was markedly attenuated by FK506 treatment. In diabetic model rats, FK506 treatment at a dose of 0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg significantly increased the expression of nephrin and podocin when compared to control. As expected, rats in control diabetic group had an increase in GBM thickening and foot process effacement when compared to normal rats; increased GBM thickening and foot process effacement were ameliorated by FK506 treatment with 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg. Histologically, there was marked accumulation of ED-1
+
cells (macrophages) in diabetic kidneys, and FK506 treatment failed to inhibit it. In contrast, FK506 treatment at 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg doses significantly inhibited the elevated ED-1
+
/iNOS
+
cells in the kidneys of diabetic rats. ED-1
+
/NF-κB-p-p65
+
cells were significantly increased in positive diabetic kidneys compared to those of normal rats. FK506 treatment at 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg significantly attenuated the elevated ED-1
+
/NF-κB-p-p65
+
cells in diabetic kidneys. Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between ED-1
+
/iNOS
+
cells and albuminuria (
r
= 0.87,
p
< 0.05). Likewise, ED-1
+
/iNOS
+
cells were correlated negatively with both nephrin and podocin protein (
r
= −0.70,
p
< 0.05;
r
= −0.68,
p
< 0.05, respectively).
Conclusion
Our results show that FK506 not only upregulates expression of nephrin and podocin but also inhibits macrophage activation to protect against podocyte injury.
•We investigated the effect of selenium supplementation on CHD mortality and influencing factors.•Se decreased the serum CRP and increased the GSH-PX level, which implicated a positive effect on ...reducing oxidative stress and inflammation for CHD.•Selenium was not associated with the CHD mortality and lipid profile.
Selenium is a crucial mineral with antioxidant and immune functions, and selenium deficiency may increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). However, the effect of selenium supplementation on CHD is still controversial according to numerous randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The aim of our meta-analysis study was to investigate the impact of selenium on CHD.
PUBMED, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were systematically searched to identify RCTs evaluating the effect of selenium supplementation on CHD mortality, blood lipid profile (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and total cholesterol), serum C-reactive protein (CRP), and the level of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) from inception until September 20, 2016. Odds ratio of CHD mortality and the associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the fixed effect model. Weighted mean difference or standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to determine the lipid profile, serum CRP, and GSH-PX using fixed effect or random effect models depending on the observed heterogeneity.
A total of 16 eligible RCTs with 43998 participants were included. Significant effects were observed for serum CRP (SMD=−0.48; 95% CI, −0.96 to 0; p=0.049) and GSH-PX (SMD=0.5; 95% CI, 0.36–0.64; p<0.001) after selenium supplementation. However, selenium supplementation was not statistically associated with CHD mortality and an aberrant lipid profile.
Selenium supplementation decreased serum CRP and increased the GSH-PX level, suggesting a positive effect on reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in CHD. However, selenium supplementation is not sufficient to reduce mortality and to improve the lipid status.
Background
Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is an unusual illness that may be associated with human herpes virus 8 (HHV‐8) infections, and appears mainly in Jews, Italians and Greeks. There is a lack of patient ...data in Xinjiang regarding the clinical characteristics of KS.
Objectives
To review the clinical characteristics of a series of patients with KS in Xinjiang, Northwest China, over 16‐year period.
Methods
A retrospective analysis of patients referred to a Xinjiang hospital in Northwest China with classic KS (CKS) and AIDS‐associated KS (AIDS‐KS) between January 1997 and April 2013 was performed. Reviewed information included demographics, clinical features, histopathological traits, treatment and presence of HHV‐8 infection.
Results
During the study period, 105 patients with a diagnosis of KS, including 77 CKS and 28 AIDS‐KS, were referred to our hospital. Mean age at diagnosis was 55.8 ± 16.8 years (range: 25–85 years). There were 70 (90.9%) males and 7 (9.1%) females (male‐to‐female ratio: 10 : 1) having CKS and 21 (75.0%) males and 7 (25.0%) females (male‐to‐female ratio: 3 : 1) with AIDS‐KS. Most of the patients were Uyghur, including 67 CKS and 24 AIDS‐KS. The rate of multifocal lesions at diagnosis was 98.1% (103/105). The most common area of lesions was between 1% and 5% of CKS and AIDS‐KS. The main types of lesions were nodules, patches and plaques. The lower extremity and foot were the most common locations for CKS and AIDS‐KS. In addition to skin damage, the penis, mouth, lymph nodes and interstitial lung tissues were involved in some cases. No second primary malignancy was diagnosed. Systemic chemotherapy and radiotherapy were effective treatments for CKS. The HHV‐8 positivity rate was 98.98% in 98 KS cases.
Conclusions
In Xinjiang, most CKS and AIDS‐KS patients were older Uyghur men. AIDS‐KS was found predominantly among 30‐year‐old Uyghur patients, compared with 60 years for those having CKS. The latter exhibited certain characteristics such as disseminated skin disease; in some patients, the condition was accompanied by lymphedema, visceral or lymph node involvement, but no secondary malignancies. In addition, the HHV‐8 positivity rate associated with KS was very high.
Using data samples collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring, the cross section of the inclusive process e + e − → η + X , normalized by the total cross section of e + e ...− → hadrons , is measured at eight center-of-mass energy points from 2.0000 to 3.6710 GeV. These are the first measurements with momentum dependence in this energy region. Our measurement shows a significant discrepancy compared to the existing fragmentation functions. To address this discrepancy, a new QCD analysis is performed at the next-to-next-to-leading order with hadron mass corrections and higher twist effects, which can explain both the established high-energy data and our measurements reasonably well. Published by the American Physical Society 2024
Previous studies have investigated the association between cognitive frailty and falls among older adults in community; however, no study investigated this relationship among older patients living in ...hospital. This study aimed to examine the relationship of cognitive frailty with falls among older inpatients in Chinese hospital. Methods: This analysis consisted of 9192 older inpatients aged 65 years or over from six hospitals in China. We used FRAIL scale and Mini-Cog to assess frailty and cognitive impairment, respectively. A generalized estimating equation was used to examine the relationship between cognitive frailty and falls at 30-day follow-up. Results: Among 9192 older inpatients enrolled in this present study, the mean (SD) age was 72.40(5.72) years, with 3850(41.88%) women. The cross-sectional analysis found that after controlling for variables (age, gender, education, depression, and hospital ward cluster effect), hospitalized patients with cognitive frailty, frailty only, or cognitive impairment only at baseline were all associated with history of falls (P<0.05). At 30-day follow-up, generalized estimating equation with full-adjustment showed that inpatients with cognitive frailty were at greater risk of falls than those of non-frail and cognitive intact (OR=3.0,95%CI:1.32–6.83). This association was also observed in individuals with frailty only (OR=2.11,95%CI:1.04–4.27) but not for patients with cognitive impairment only((OR=1.11,95%CI:0.43–2.85). Conclusion: Our study suggested that hospitalized Chinese older adults with cognitive frailty were independently associated with falls. Early screening frailty and cognitive impairment were significant for older patients by clinicians, and corresponding interventions, exercise training and nutritional programs, should be implemented to prevent falls.
The c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) constitute one of the three major types of mitogen-activated protein kinases. Previous studies showed that JNK mediates multiple signaling transduction pathways ...implicated in cell proliferation, differentiation, inflammation, stress response and apoptosis in mammals. In the present study, we use goldfish as a model system and demonstrate that JNK kinases are necessary to promote embryonic survival and regulate eye development in vertebrates. During goldfish development, JNK1 and JNK2 are expressed at every stage from cleavage to hatching larvae. JNK3 is turned on at the gastrulation stage and then expressed at similar level to that of JNK2. JNK1 activity remains slightly fluctuated during different developmental stages. Inhibition of JNK activity caused massive apoptosis of blastula cells and significant death of goldfish embryos, which are associated with altered expression of the anti-apoptotic regulator, Mcl-1 and the proapoptotic regulator, Bak. These results provide novel information regarding the mechanisms by which JNKs promote embryonic survival. In addition, the embryos that survived inhibition of JNK activity displayed severe phenotype in the eye with clear microphthalmia and lens coloboma. To confirm that the observed phenotype is derived from JNK activity deficiency, we expressed JNK dominant negative mutant (DNM-JNK) in goldfish. Expression of DNM-JNK also caused similar phenotypes with altered expression of pax-6, Sox-2 and β-crystallin. Together, our results demonstrate that JNKs play important roles in promoting survival of vertebrate embryos and regulating development of vertebrate eye.
PGC-1α is a coactivator of nuclear receptors and other transcription factors that regulates several metabolic processes, including mitochondrial biogenesis and respiration, hepatic gluconeogenesis, ...and muscle fiber-type switching. We show here that, while hepatocytes lacking PGC-1α are defective in the program of hormone-stimulated gluconeogenesis, the mice have constitutively activated gluconeogenic gene expression that is completely insensitive to normal feeding controls. C/EBPβ is elevated in the livers of these mice and activates the gluconeogenic genes in a PGC-1α-independent manner. Despite having reduced mitochondrial function, PGC-1α null mice are paradoxically lean and resistant to diet-induced obesity. This is largely due to a profound hyperactivity displayed by the null animals and is associated with lesions in the striatal region of the brain that controls movement. These data illustrate a central role for PGC-1α in the control of energy metabolism but also reveal novel systemic compensatory mechanisms and pathogenic effects of impaired energy homeostasis.
The process e^{+}e^{-}→D_{s}^{*+}D_{s}^{*-} is studied with a semi-inclusive method using data samples at center-of-mass energies from threshold to 4.95 GeV collected with the BESIII detector ...operating at the Beijing Electron Positron Collider. The Born cross sections of the process are measured for the first time with high precision in this energy region. Two resonance structures are observed in the energy-dependent cross sections around 4.2 and 4.4 GeV. By fitting the cross sections with a coherent sum of three Breit-Wigner amplitudes and one phase-space amplitude, the two significant structures are assigned masses of (4186.8±8.7±30) and (4414.6±3.4±6.1) MeV/c^{2}, widths of (55±15±53) and (122.5±7.5±8.1) MeV, where the first errors are statistical and the second ones are systematic. The inclusion of a third Breit-Wigner amplitude is necessary to describe a structure around 4.79 GeV.
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