We present the third data release from the Parkes Pulsar Timing Array (PPTA) project. The release contains observations of 32 pulsars obtained using the 64-m Parkes ‘Murriyang’ radio telescope. The data span is up to 18 yr with a typical cadence of 3 weeks. This data release is formed by combining an updated version of our second data release with $\sim$3 yr of more recent data primarily obtained using an ultra-wide-bandwidth receiver system that operates between 704 and 4032 MHz. We provide calibrated pulse profiles, flux density dynamic spectra, pulse times of arrival, and initial pulsar timing models. We describe methods for processing such wide-bandwidth observations and compare this data release with our previous release.

Trematodes of the genus Ogmocotyle are intestinal flukes that can infect a variety of definitive hosts, resulting in significant economic losses worldwide. However, there are few studies on molecular data of these trematodes. In this study, the mitochondrial (mt) genome of Ogmocotyle ailuri isolated from red panda (Ailurus fulgens) was determined and compared with those from Pronocephalata to investigate the mt genome content, genetic distance, gene rearrangements and phylogeny. The complete mt genome of O. ailuri is a typical closed circular molecule of 14 642 base pairs, comprising 12 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes and 2 non-coding regions. All genes are transcribed in the same direction. In addition, 23 intergenic spacers and 2 locations with gene overlaps were determined. Sequence identities and sliding window analysis indicated that cox1 is the most conserved gene among 12 PCGs in O. ailuri mt genome. The sequenced mt genomes of the 48 Plagiorchiida trematodes showed 5 types of gene arrangement based on all mt genome genes, with the gene arrangement of O. ailuri being type I. Phylogenetic analysis using concatenated amino acid sequences of 12 PCGs revealed that O. ailuri was closer to Ogmocotyle sikae than to Notocotylus intestinalis. These data enhance the Ogmocotyle mt genome database and provide molecular resources for further studies of Pronocephalata taxonomy, population genetics and systematics.

Objectives: Medical devices and the hospital environment can be contaminated easily by multidrug-resistant bacteria. The effectiveness of cleaning practices is often suboptimal because environmental cleaning in hospitals is complex and depends on human factors, the physical and chemical characteristics of environment, and the viability of the microorganisms. Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) lamps can be used to reduce the spread of microorganisms. We evaluated the effectiveness of an ultraviolet-C (UV-C) device on terminal room cleaning and disinfection. Methods: The study was conducted at an ICU of a medical center in Taiwan. We performed a 3-stage evaluation for the effectiveness of UV-C radiation, including pre–UV-C radiation, UV-C radiation, and a bleaching procedure. The 3 stages of evaluation were implemented in the ICU rooms from which a patient had been discharged or transferred. We collected the data from adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence testing, colonized strains, and their corresponding colony counts by sampling from the environmental surfaces and air. We tested 8 high-touch surfaces, including 2 sides of bed rails, headboards, footboards, bedside tables, monitors, pumping devices, IV stands, and oxygen flow meters. Results: In total, 1,696 environmental surfaces and 72 air samples were analyzed. The levels of ATP bioluminescence and colony counts of isolated bacteria decreased significantly after UV-C radiation and bleaching disinfection for both the environmental and air samples (P < .001). Resistant bacteria (vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, VRE) were commonly isolated on the hard-to-clean surfaces of monitors, oxygen flow meters, and IV pumps. However, they were also eradicated (P < .001). Conclusions: UV-C can significantly reduce environmental contamination by multidrug-resistant microorganisms. UV-C is an effective device to assist staff in cleaning the hospital environment.

A single-shot measurement of electron emittance was experimentally accomplished using a focused transfer line with a dipole. The betatron phase of electrons based on laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) is energy dependent owing to the coupling of the longitudinal acceleration field and the transverse focusing (defocusing) field in the bubble. The phase space presents slice information after phase compensation relative to the center energy. Fitting the transverse size of the electron beam at different energy slices in the energy spectrum measured 0.27 mm mrad in the experiment. The diagnosis of slice emittance facilitates local electron quality manipulation, which is important for the development of LWFA-based free electron lasers. The quasi-3D particle-in-cell simulations matched the experimental results and analysis well.

The Lochkovian, Pragian, and basal part of the Emsian, which represent the post-Kwangsian Orogeny strata in the South China Block, are mainly composed of siliciclastic rocks. This lithological composition impedes investigation of Pragian and Lochkovian conodont biostratigraphy in the South China Block, which results in a persistent controversy on the age of relevant lithological units. The present study provides new evidence by reporting for the first time Lochkovian conodonts obtained from the South China Block, specifically the Gaoling Member of the Nahkaoling Formation at the Lingli section, central Guangxi. The conodont fauna, consisting of Pandorinellina exigua lingliensis Lu n. subsp., Pandorinellina exigua exigua, Zieglerodina? tuojiangensis Lu n. sp., Amydrotaxis praejohnsoni, and Eognathodus cf. E. irregularis, places the studied interval of the Gaoling Member in the lower or middle Lochkovian (contingent upon varying definitions for the base of the middle Lochkovian) to lower Pragian. Moreover, Amydrotaxis praejohnsoni, which was reported previously only in North America and eastern Australia, is herein also recorded in the South China Block, and thus may play an important role in intercontinental biostratigraphical correlation. By shedding light on the age of the upper limit of the underlying Lianhuashan Formation at the Lingli section, the present study indicates that the Kwangsian Orogeny ended before the late Lochkovian. This date is slightly earlier than the previously estimated late Lochkovian based on studies of fossil plants from the siliciclastic rocks deposited after the Kwangsian Orogeny.

UUID: http://zoobank.org/8010f983-4f6f-43dd-949f-de4653e53d9d

Immunoprophylaxis has not completely eliminated hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection due to hyporesponsiveness to hepatitis B vaccine (HepB). We explored the impact of folic acid supplementation (FAS) in pregnant women with positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) on their infant hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) and the mediation effect of infant interleukin-4 (IL-4). We recruited HBsAg-positive mothers and their neonates at baseline. Maternal FAS was obtained via a questionnaire, and neonatal anti-HBs and IL-4 were detected. Follow-up was performed at 11–13 months of age of infants, when anti-HBs and IL-4 were measured. We applied univariate and multivariate analyses. A mediation effect model was performed to explore the mediating role of IL-4. A total of 399 mother–neonate pairs were enrolled and 195 mother–infant pairs were eligible for this analysis. The infant anti-HBs geometric mean concentrations in the maternal FAS group were significnatly higher than those in the no-FAS group (383·8 mIU/ml, 95 % CI: 294·2 mIU/ml to 500·7 mIU/ml v. 217·0 mIU/ml, 95 % CI: 147·0 mIU/ml to 320·4 mIU/ml, z = –3·2, P = 0·001). Infants born to women who took folic acid (FA) within the first trimester were more likely to have high anti-HBs titres (adjusted β-value = 194·1, P = 0·003). The fold change in IL-4 from neonates to infants partially mediated the beneficial influence of maternal FAS on infant anti-HBs (24·7 % mediation effect) after adjusting for confounding factors. FAS during the first trimester to HBsAg-positive mothers could facilitate higher anti-HBs levels in infants aged 11–13 months partly by upregulating IL-4 in infants.

There is limited evidence on fruit and vegetable intake in relation to cognitive function. This study aimed to evaluate the associations of quantity and variety in fruit and vegetable intake in midlife with cognitive impairment in late life. We used data from 16 737 participants of the Singapore Chinese Health Study, a population-based cohort study. The participants provided dietary data at recruitment at median age of 52·5 (range: 45–74) years and also participated in the third follow-up interview 20 years later at median age of 72·2 (range: 61–96) years. Quantity and variety of fruits and vegetables consumed at baseline were measured using a validated FFQ. Cognitive impairment at the third follow-up was defined using a Singapore-modified version of Mini-Mental State Examination. About 14·3 % participants had cognitive impairment. In multivariable logistic regression models, comparing extreme quartiles for intake of fruits and vegetables combined, the OR (95 % CI) associated with cognitive impairment was 0·83 (95 % CI: 0·73, 0·95; P-trend = 0·006) for quantity and 0·76 (95 % CI: 0·67, 0·87; P-trend< 0·001) for variety scores. Independently, those with increased variety of fruit intake or higher quantity of vegetable intake also had significantly 22 % and 15 % reduced odds of cognitive impairment, respectively. Finally, compared with those with low intake for both quantity and variety, those with both high quantity and variety for fruits and vegetables had 23 % reduction in odds of cognitive impairment. In conclusion, increase in quantity and variety of fruits and vegetables in midlife may reduce the risk of cognitive impairment in late life.

This study investigates the dynamics of low-viscosity nanodroplets impacting surfaces with static contact angles from θ = 73° to 180° via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Two typical morphologies of impacting nanodroplets are observed at the maximum spreading state, a Hertz-ball-like in a low-Weber-number range and a thin-film-like in a high-Weber-number range. Only inertial and capillary forces dominate the impact for the former, whereas viscous force also becomes dominant for the latter. Regardless of morphologies at the maximum spreading state, the ratio of spreading time to contact time always remains constant on an ideal superhydrophobic surface with θ = 180°. With the help of different kinematic approximations of the spreading time and scaling laws of the contact time, scaling laws of the maximum spreading factor ${\beta _{max}}\sim W{e^{1/5}}$ in the low-Weber-number range (capillary regime) and ${\beta _{max}}\sim W{e^{2/3}}R{e^{ - 1/3}}$ (or ${\beta _{max}}\sim W{e^{1/2}}O{h^{1/3}}$) in the high-Weber-number range (cross-over regime) are obtained. Here, We, Re, and Oh are the Weber number, Reynolds number, and Ohnesorge number, respectively. Although the scaling laws are proposed only for the ideal superhydrophobic surface, they are tested valid for θ over 73° owing to the ignorable zero-velocity spreading effect. Furthermore, combining the two scaling laws leads to an impact number, $W{e^{3/10}}O{h^{1/3}} = 2.1$. This impact number can be used to determine whether viscous force is ignorable for impacting nanodroplets, thereby distinguishing the capillary regime from the cross-over regime.

Modified sericite mica was prepared by combining the intercalation of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) through ion exchange and surface modification of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (KH550) with the following steps: high-temperature activation of sericite mica, acid activation, sodium modification, LiNO3 treatment, the ion-exchange intercalation of the cetyltrimethylammonium cation (CTA+) and surface modification of KH550. High-temperature activation was the most critical step for the modified sericite mica, and the number of hydroxyl groups of mica under high temperature directly affected the surface modification of KH550. The effects of various activation temperatures on the surface modification of sericite mica were investigated. The structure of activated sericite mica was intact when activation temperature was 600°C or 700°C, and the surface modification of sericite mica was not affected. The structure of activated sericite mica was partially destroyed at 800°C. The optimal temperature for activating sericite mica was 700°C. The structure and morphology of modified sericite mica were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis and loose bulk volume. The KH550 could not only chemically graft onto the surface of sericite mica, but also enter into the interlayer through electrostatic attraction after its end amino group was protonated. The interlayer spacing of modified sericite mica increased to 3.22 nm, indicating that it might be an excellent layered silicate for preparing clay–polymer nanocomposites.

High-resolution X-ray flash radiography of Ti characteristic lines with a multilayer Kirkpatrick–Baez microscope was developed on the Shenguang-II (SG-II) Update laser facility. The microscope uses an optimized multilayer design of Co/C and W/C stacks to obtain a high reflection efficiency of the Ti characteristic lines while meeting the precise alignment requirement at the Cu Kα line. The alignment method based on dual simulated balls was proposed herein, which simultaneously realizes an accurate indication of the center field of view and the backlighter position. The optical design, multilayer coatings, and alignment method of the microscope and the experimental result of Ti flash radiography of the Au-coned CH shell target on the SG-II Update are described.

The relationship between exposure to famine in early life and the risk of ascending aorta dilatation (AAD) in adulthood is still unclear; therefore, we aimed to examine the association in the Chinese population. We investigated the data of 2598 adults who were born between 1952 and 1964 in Guangdong, China. All enrolled subjects were categorised into five groups: not exposed to famine, exposed during fetal period, and exposed during early, mid or late childhood. AAD was assessed by cardiac ultrasound. Multivariate logistic regression and interaction tests were performed to estimate the OR and CI on the association between famine exposure and AAD. There were 2598 (943 male, mean age 58·3 ± 3·68 years) participants were enrolled, and 270 (10·4 %) subjects with AAD. We found that famine exposure (OR = 2·266, 95 % CI 1·477, 3·477, P = 0·013) was associated with elevated AAD after adjusting for multiple confounders. In addition, compared with the non-exposed group, the adjusted OR for famine exposure during fetal period, early, mid or late childhood were 1·374 (95 % CI 0·794, 2·364, P = 0·251), 1·976 (95 % CI 1·243, 3·181, P = 0·004), 1·929 (95 % CI 1·237, 3·058, P = 0·004) and 2·227 (95 % CI 1·433, 3·524, P < 0·001), respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that the effect of famine exposure on the association with AAD was more pronounced in female, current smokers, people with BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2 and hypertensive patients. We observed that exposure to famine during early life was linked to AAD in adulthood.

Lysosomes are integration hubs for several signaling pathways, such as autophagy and endocytosis, and also crucial stores of ions, including Zn2+. Lysosomal dysfunction caused by changes in their morphology by fusion and fission processes can result in several pathological disorders. However, the role of Zn2+ in modulating the morphology of lysosomes is unclear. The resolution of conventional epifluorescence microscopy restricts accurate observation of morphological changes of subcellular fluorescence punctum. In this study, we used a modified epifluorescence microscopy to identify the center of a punctum from a series of z-stack images and calculate the morphological changes. We stained primary cultured rat embryonic cortical neurons with FluoZin3, a Zn2+-sensitive fluorescent dye, and Lysotracker, a lysosome-specific marker, to visualize the distribution of Zn2+-enriched vesicles and lysosomes, respectively. Our results revealed that treating neurons with N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine, a cell-permeable Zn2+ chelator, shrank Zn2+-enriched vesicles and lysosomes by up to 25% in an hour. Pretreating the neurons with YM201636, a blocker of lysosome fission, could suppress this shrinkage. These results demonstrate the usefulness of the modified epifluorescence microscopy for investigating the homeostasis of intracellular organelles and related disorders.

While having social support can contribute to better health, those in poor health may be limited in their capacity to receive social support. We studied the health factors associated with social support among community-dwelling older adults in Singapore. We used data from the third follow-up interviews (2014–2016) of 16,943 participants of the Singapore Chinese Health Study, a population-based cohort of older Singapore Chinese. Participants were interviewed at a mean age of 73 years (range 61–96 years) using the Duke Social Support Scale (DUSOCS). We first applied ordinary least squares regression to DUSOCS scores and found that those with instrumental limitations, poor self-rated health, cognitive impairment and depression had lower social support scores. We then applied latent class analysis to DUSOCS answer patterns and revealed four groups of older adults based on the source and amount of social support. Among them, compared to the ‘overall supported’ group (17%) with the highest social support scores and broad support from family members and non-family individuals, the ‘family restricted’ (50%) group had the lowest social support scores and only received support from children. Health factors associated with being ‘family restricted’ were instrumental limitations (odds ratio (OR) = 1.33, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.19–1.49), poor self-rated health (OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.28–1.53), cognitive impairment (OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.04–1.37) and depression (OR = 2.50, 95% CI = 2.22–2.82). We found that while older adults in poor health have lower social support scores, they were more likely to receive a lot of support from children. Our results showed that lower social support scores among Singaporean older adults in poor health may not indicate lack of social support, but rather that social support is restricted in scope and intensified around children. These results may apply to other Asian societies where family plays a central role in elder-care.

In this paper, the generation of relativistic electron mirrors (REMs) and the reflection of an ultra-short laser off this mirrors are discussed, applying two-dimensional particle-in-cell (2D-PIC) simulations. REMs with ultra-high acceleration and expanding velocity can be produced from a solid nanofoil illuminated normally by an ultra-intense femtosecond laser pulse with a sharp rising edge. Chirped attosecond pulse can be produced through the reflection of a counter-propagating probe laser off the accelerating REM. In the electron moving frame, the plasma frequency of the REM keeps decreasing due to its rapidly expanding. The laser frequency, on the contrary, keeps increasing due to the acceleration of REM and the relativistic Doppler shift from the lab frame to the electron moving frame. Within an ultra-short time interval, the two frequencies will be equal in the electron moving frame, which leads the resonance between laser and REM. The reflected radiation near this interval and the corresponding spectra will be amplified due to the resonance. Through adjusting the arriving time of the probe laser, certain part of the reflected field could be selectively amplified or depressed, leading to the selectively adjusting of the corresponding spectra.