A cyclone׳s performance can be optimized by changing its configuration, which is a very challenging task that depends on critical performance indicators. In this work, a comprehensive overview of the ...effects of a cyclone׳s longitudinal and radial dimensional ratios (including a/Dc, b/Dc, De/Dc, S/Dc, h/Dc, H/Dc, B/Dc) on its cutoff size, pressure drop, as well as the steepness of the sampling curve, was briefly reviewed. In addition, systematic experimental examinations were conducted to investigate different effects of geometric configurations on cyclone performance, and the optimal ranges for the geometric dimensional ratios were proposed. The results were analyzed according to four cyclone geometric components: the overall cyclone body, the cyclone contraction cone, the vortex finder (V.F.), and the inlet, and were compared to the observations reported in the literature. It was found that the effect of the overall cyclone body height (H) is closely related to the natural vortex length (Lv). The optimal H/Dc value based on the compromise between small dimensionless cutoff size (d50˜) and dimensionless pressure drop (ΔH) is around 5.5–7.0, which is slightly larger than the traditional Stairmand design. A cyclone with a short and wide cone would have a steeper cutoff curve and larger optimal H/Dc value than one with a long and sharp cone. Although a cyclone with cone results in higher collection efficiency, the slope of the efficiency curve is less steep than one without cone. On the other hand, both the collection efficiency and sharpness of the collection curve of a cyclone could be improved by reducing the outlet diameter and using an inlet with higher aspect ratio. The d50˜ can be double and ΔH can be reduce 70% by varying the De/Dc from 0.28 to 0.71, while the effect of the inlet aspect ratio (a/b) is relatively insignificant.
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•The effects of geometric parameters on cyclone performance were investigated.•Cutoff size and pressure drop, and curve steepness were studied systematically.•A higher efficiency cyclone generally comes with a higher pressure drop.•Cone has significant effects on collection efficiency and efficiency steepness.•Efficiency could be improved by reducing De/Dc and increasing inlet aspect ratio.
Obesity has been associated with cognition in observational studies; however, whether its effect is confounding or a reverse causality remains inconclusive. This study aimed to investigate the causal ...relationships of overall obesity, measured by body mass index (BMI), and abdominal adiposity, measured by waist-hip ratio adjusted for BMI (WHRadjBMI), and cognition across European and Asian populations using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.
We used publicly available genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data of European ancestry, including BMI (n = 322,154) and WHRadjBMI (n = 210,088) from the GIANT consortium, and cognition performance (n = 257,828) from the UK Biobank and COGENT consortium. Data for individuals of Asian ancestry were retrieved from Taiwan Biobank to perform GWAS for BMI (n = 65,689), WHRadjBMI (n = 65,683), and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE, n = 21,273). MR analysis was carried out using the inverse-variance weighted method for the main results. Further, we examined the overall pleiotropy by MR-Egger intercept, and detected and adjusted for possible outliers using MR PRESSO.
No causal effect of BMI on cognition performance (beta 95% CI = 0.00 -0.07, 0.07, p value = 0.91) was found for Europeans; however, a 1-SD increase in WHRadjBMI was associated with a 0.07 standardized score decrease in cognition performance (beta 95% CI = -0.07 -0.12, -0.02, p value = 0.006). Further, no causal effect of BMI on MMSE (beta 95% CI = 0.01 -0.08, 0.10, p = 0.91) was found for Asians; however, a 1-SD increase in WHRadjBMI was associated with a 0.17 standardized score decrease in MMSE (beta 95% CI = -0.17 -0.30, -0.03, p = 0.02). In both populations, overall pleiotropy was not detected, and outliers did not affect the robustness of the main findings.
This trans-ethnic MR study reveals that abdominal adiposity, as measured by WHR adjusted for BMI, impairs cognition, whereas weak evidence suggests that BMI impairs cognition.
Unilateral sinus disease (USD) can sometimes be difficult to accurately diagnose before surgery. The application of nasal nitric oxide (nNO) for USD diagnosis and its surgical outcome in USD has not ...been reported in the literature. We prospectively enrolled sixty-six USD patients who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery for fungal rhinosinusitis (n = 19), chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) without nasal polyps (n = 13), CRS with nasal polyps (n = 12) and sinonasal mass lesions (n = 22). nNO levels were measured preoperatively and at three and six months postoperatively. Correlations between nNO levels and potential clinical parameters, type of disease, disease severity, and disease-related quality of life (QOL) were assessed. Unlike bilateral CRS, in USD, nNO levels did not correlate with disease severity or postoperative QOL improvements. Except for fungus group, there were no differences in nNO levels between lesion and non-lesion sides in all the other groups. nNO levels on both sides were significantly elevated six months postoperatively in all groups. Fungal rhinosinusitis patients had the lowest preoperative nNO levels, and a cutoff of 239.3 ppb had the best sensitivity (79.0%) and specificity (87.2%) for preoperative diagnosis. While preoperative nNO levels cannot serve as an alternative marker for disease severity of USD, they were lower in fungal rhinosinusitis patients than in other USD patients and may be useful for more accurate diagnosis prior to surgery.
Aims/hypothesis
Psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia (SCZ), major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BPD), are highly comorbid with type 2 diabetes. However, the mechanisms ...underlying such comorbidity are understudied. This study explored the familial aggregation of common psychiatric disorders and type 2 diabetes by testing family history association, and investigated the shared genetic loading between them by testing the polygenic risk score (PRS) association.
Methods
A total of 105,184 participants were recruited from the Taiwan Biobank, and genome-wide genotyping data were available for 95,238 participants. The Psychiatric Genomics Consortium-derived PRS for SCZ, MDD and BPD was calculated. Logistic regression was used to estimate the OR with CIs between a family history of SCZ/MDD/BPD and a family history of type 2 diabetes, and between the PRS and the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Results
A family history of type 2 diabetes was associated with a family history of SCZ (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.08, 1.40), MDD (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.13, 1.26) and BPD (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.15, 1.39). Compared with paternal type 2 diabetes, maternal type 2 diabetes was associated with a higher risk of a family history of SCZ. SCZ PRS was negatively associated with type 2 diabetes in women (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.88, 0.97), but not in men; the effect of SCZ PRS reduced after adjusting for BMI. MDD PRS was positively associated with type 2 diabetes (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00, 1.07); the effect of MDD PRS reduced after adjusting for BMI or smoking. BPD PRS was not associated with type 2 diabetes.
Conclusions/interpretation
The comorbidity of type 2 diabetes with psychiatric disorders may be explained by shared familial factors. The shared polygenic loading between MDD and type 2 diabetes implies not only pleiotropy but also a shared genetic aetiology for the mechanism behind the comorbidity. The negative correlation between polygenic loading for SCZ and type 2 diabetes implies the role of environmental factors.
Graphical abstract
Some personality traits, especially neuroticism, has been found to be associated with suicide attempt (SA) in mood disorder patients. The present study explored the association between personality ...traits and SA using polygenic risk scores (PRS) for personality among patients with mood disorders. We also investigated the effects of a variety of psychosocial variables on SA. Patients with bipolar disorder (BPD, N = 841) and major depressive disorder (MDD, N = 710) were recruited from hospitals in Taiwan. Lifetime SA and information on psychosocial factors was collected. We calculated the PRS of neuroticism and extraversion. A trend test for SA was performed across quartiles of the PRS for neuroticism and extraversion, and logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the associations between psychosocial factors and SA, accounting for the PRS of personality traits. The prevalence of SA was higher in MDD than in BPD patients. The risk of SA was elevated in MDD patients with a higher quintile of PRS in neuroticism and a lower quintile of PRS in extraversion. The multiple regression analysis results demonstrated that later age of onset, higher family support and resilience, and lower overall social support were protective factors against SA. From the perspective of suicide prevention efforts, strengthening family support and conducting resilience training for patients with mood disorders may be beneficial interventions in clinical settings.
This population-based cohort study aimed to examine the association with childhood attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and bullying experiences during adolescence among Digital Generation ...individuals, exploring both traditional and cyberbullying.
This study included data from 15,240 participants, collected from the Taiwan Adolescent to Adult Longitudinal Study project. Participants, initially in seventh and 10th grade in 2015, were selected through a multistage stratified sampling approach. Self-report questionnaires assessed traditional and cyberbullying victimization experiences during adolescence, with 5-year longitudinal follow-up. Childhood ADHD diagnoses were identified by linking data to Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database from 2000 to 2015. Logistic regression models were employed to examine the relationship between childhood ADHD and bullying victimization while controlling for relevant covariates.
Individuals diagnosed with childhood ADHD exhibited a significantly higher likelihood of experiencing bullying during adolescence (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.52, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.28–1.80). This association extended to various forms of bullying, including physical (aOR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.20–1.68), verbal (aOR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.20–1.67), relational (aOR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.22–1.71), and cyber (aOR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.14–1.61). Additional factors positively associated with bullying victimization included male, binge drinking, and depression, while a positive campus atmosphere was protective against bullying. However, there is no evidence for interactions between these factors and ADHD in their associations with bullying.
Childhood ADHD increases the risk of both traditional and cyberbullying during adolescence. Recognizing this risk is essential for targeted interventions and further research on underlying mechanisms.
This study explored the phenotypic association of mood disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BPD), with a range of substance involvement, including lifetime ...experience and age at initiation of tobacco, alcohol, and betel nut use. Additionally, we elucidated polygenic risk score (PRS) association.
In total, 132,615 community participants were recruited from the Taiwan Biobank. Genome-wide genotyping data were available for 106,806 unrelated individuals, and the PRS for MDD and BPD was calculated. The significance of mood disorders and PRSs associated with substance involvement were evaluated using a linear/logistic regression model with adjustment for potential confounders. Sex differences were assessed.
MDD and BPD were associated with regular alcohol consumption, drinking cessation, tobacco smoking, smoking cessation, betel nut chewing, and earlier onset of drinking. BPD was associated with an earlier onset of smoking. MDD PRS was associated with regular alcohol use (odds ratio OR per standard deviation increase in PRS = 1.03, p = 0.018), alcohol cessation (OR = 1.05, p = 0.03), regular tobacco use (OR = 1.08, p < 0.0001), and betel nut chewing (OR = 1.06, p < 0.0001), whereas BPD PRS was not associated with substance use. Phenotypic association strengths between MDD/BPD and regular drinking/smoking and the polygenic association between MDD PRS and regular smoking were larger in females than in males.
Retrospective self-reported MDD/BPD diagnoses and substance involvement.
Mood disorders were associated with a range of substance involvement. Shared genetic architecture contributed to the co-occurrence of MDD and substance involvement. These findings may help design prevention and cessation strategies for substance use.
•Depression and bipolar disorder were associated with a range of substance involvement.•Polygenic risk for depression was associated with alcohol, tobacco, and betel nut uses.•Phenotypic and polygenic associations between depression and tobacco use were larger in females.•Shared genetic etiology contributed to the co-occurrence of depression and substance involvement.
Tumor microenvironment plays a critical role in regulating tumor progression by secreting factors that mediate cancer cell growth. Stromal fibroblasts can promote tumor growth through paracrine ...factors; however, restraint of malignant carcinoma progression by the microenvironment also has been observed. The mechanisms that underlie this paradox remain unknown. Here, we report that the tumorigenic potential of breast cancer cells is determined by an interaction between the Robo1 receptor and its ligand Slit2, which is secreted by stromal fibroblasts. The presence of an active Slit2/Robo1 signal blocks the translocation of β-catenin into nucleus, leading to downregulation of c-myc and cyclin D1 via the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway. Clinically, high Robo1 expression in the breast cancer cells correlates with increased survival in patients with breast cancer, and low Slit2 expression in the stromal fibroblasts is associated with lymph node metastasis. Together, our findings explain how a specific tumor microenvironment can restrain a given type of cancer cell from progression and show that both stromal fibroblasts and tumor cell heterogeneity affect breast cancer outcomes.
Few studies investigated the combination of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) and angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors (ARNIs) in patients with heart failure with reduced ...ejection fraction (HFrEF) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
During 2016 to 2018, patients with HFrEF and T2DM were identified from Chang Gung Research Database; a database deriving from the original electronic medical records of 7 hospitals in Taiwan. They were classified into four subgroups according to the medications received as follows: 1) SGLT2i and ARNI; 2) SGLT2i and no ARNI; 3) ARNI and no SGLT2i; and 4) no SGLT2i and no ARNI. We examined clinical and safety (hyperkalemia and acute renal dysfunction) outcomes over 1-year of follow-up.
A total of 2312 patients were eligible for analysis, including 169, 285, 338, and 1520 in subgroups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. There were large differences in baseline characteristics and treatments among subgroups. Subgroup 1 had the lowest rates of HF hospitalizations, all-cause death, and the composite of both, and subgroup 4 had the highest event rates. A similar pattern was observed for the safety outcomes. These differences were attenuated after adjusting for differences in baseline variables and therapy.
Treatment with a combination of SGLT2i and ARNI was well tolerated in diabetic patients with HFrEF and was associated with lower risk of heart failure hospitalization.
•Few studies investigated the combination of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) and angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors (ARNIs) in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).•A total of 2312 patients were eligible for analysis.•Treatment with a combination of SGLT2i and ARNI was well tolerated in HFrEF patients with T2DM, and was associated with favourable cardiovascular outcomes.
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