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Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients exhibit characteristics of impaired working memory (WM) and diminished sensory processing function. This study aimed to identify the neurophysiologic basis underlying the association between visual WM and auditory processing function in children with ADHD.
Methods
The participants included 86 children with ADHD (aged 6–15 years, mean age 9.66 years, 70 boys, and 16 girls) and 90 typically developing (TD) children (aged 7–16 years, mean age 10.30 years, 66 boys, and 24 girls). Electroencephalograms were recorded from all participants while they performed an auditory discrimination task (oddball task). The visual WM capacity and ADHD symptom severity were measured for all participants.
Results
Compared with TD children, children with ADHD presented a poorer visual WM capacity and a smaller mismatch negativity (MMN) amplitude. Notably, the smaller MMN amplitude in children with ADHD predicted a less impaired WM capacity and milder inattention symptom severity. In contrast, the larger MMN amplitude in TD children predicted a better visual WM capacity.
Conclusions
Our results suggest an intimate relationship and potential shared mechanism between visual WM and auditory processing function. We liken this shared mechanism to a total cognitive resource limit that varies between groups of children, which could drive correlated individual differences in auditory processing function and visual WM. Our findings provide a neurophysiological correlate for reports of WM deficits in ADHD patients and indicate potential effective markers for clinical intervention.
The emerging era of big data in radio astronomy demands more efficient and higher-quality processing of observational data. While deep learning methods have been applied to tasks such as automatic radio frequency interference (RFI) detection, these methods often face limitations, including dependence on training data and poor generalization, which are also common issues in other deep learning applications within astronomy. In this study, we investigate the use of the open-source image recognition and segmentation model, Segment Anything Model (SAM), and its optimized version, HQ-SAM, due to their impressive generalization capabilities. We evaluate these models across various tasks, including RFI detection and solar radio burst (SRB) identification. For RFI detection, HQ-SAM (SAM) shows performance that is comparable to or even superior to the SumThreshold method, especially with large-area broadband RFI data. In the search for SRBs, HQ-SAM demonstrates strong recognition abilities for Type II and Type III bursts. Overall, with its impressive generalization capability, SAM (HQ-SAM) can be a promising candidate for further optimization and application in RFI and event detection tasks in radio astronomy.
Interface-resolved direct numerical simulations (DNS) of clustered settling suspensions in a periodic domain are performed to study the filtered drag force for clustered particle-laden flows. Our results show that, for the homogeneous system, the filtered drag is independent of the filter size, whereas for the clustered particle-laden flows, the averaged drag becomes smaller than the homogeneous drag at the filter size above 4 particle diameters. The drag reduction saturates at the filter size being comparable to the cluster size in the horizontal direction in our simulations. A new correlation is proposed to account for the mesoscale effect on the filtered drag force by using drift velocity and variance of the solid volume fraction, based on the modification of existing subgrid drag models for the inhomogeneous system. The existing models for the drift velocity and the variance of the solid volume fraction are assessed using our DNS data. A new model for the drift velocity and the variance of the solid volume fraction is proposed, based on the combination and modification of the previous models. All mesoscale models considered can predict well the filtered drag with comparable accuracy, and are superior to the homogeneous drag model for the clustered system. Our models with the same parameter values obtained from the large-scale system can also predict well the filtered drag for smaller computational domain sizes.
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been shown to play a significant role in oxidative stress across various tissues and cells; however, its role in sperm function remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of GYY4137, a slow-releasing H2S compound, on sperm damage induced by H2O2. We assessed the effects of GYY4137 on motility, viability, lipid peroxidation and caspase-3 activity in human spermatozoa in vitro following oxidative damage mediated by H2O2. Spermatozoa from 25 healthy men were selected using a density gradient centrifugation method and cultured in the presence or absence of 10 μM H2O2, followed by incubation with varying concentrations of GYY4137 (0.625–2.5 μM). After 24 h of incubation, sperm motility, viability, lipid peroxidation, and caspase-3 activity were evaluated. The results indicated that H2O2 adversely affected sperm parameters, reducing motility and viability, while increasing oxidative stress, as evidenced by elevated lipid peroxidation and caspase-3 activity. GYY4137 provided dose-dependent protection against H2O2-induced oxidative stress (OS). We concluded that supplementation with GYY4137 may offer antioxidant protection during in vitro sperm preparation for assisted reproductive technology.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI)-induced anxiety is a common but under-investigated disorder, for which neuroinflammation is a significant contributor. Here we aim to investigate the protective effects of genistein, a plant-derived anti-inflammatory drug, against TBI-induced anxiety, and the underlying mechanisms.
Methods:
A rat model of TBI was constructed using the lateral fluid percussion injury method. Genistein at the doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg were used to treat rats at 30 min, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h up to 14 days after TBI. The evaluation of neurological deficit was performed preoperatively, on days 1, 3, 7, and 14 after TBI. The elevated plus maze test was carried out to assess anxiety and explorative behaviours, and the open field test was performed to assess locomotive activities. Brain injury was assessed by measuring brain water content and TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling staining. Inflammatory responses were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mRNA and protein expression were analysed using real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively.
Results:
In the behavioural level, genistein treatment alleviated TBI-induced anxiety behaviours and neurological deficit in rats. In the meanwhile, brain oedema was also reduced by genistein treatment, showing alleviating effects of genistein at the pathological level. TUNEL staining also showed reduced apoptosis in rats treated with genistein. Genistein also inhibited Nlrp3/caspase-1 signalling, unveiling the effects of genistein in altering molecular pathways in brains with TBI.
Conclusion:
Genistein alleviates anxiety-like behaviours in TBI rats, which may be mediated via inhibiting Nlrp/caspase-1 signalling pathway.
Microstates of an electroencephalogram (EEG) are canonical voltage topographies that remain quasi-stable for 90 ms, serving as the foundational elements of brain dynamics. Different changes in EEG microstates can be observed in psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia (SCZ), major depressive disorder (MDD), and bipolar disorder (BD). However, the similarities and disparatenesses in whole-brain dynamics on a subsecond timescale among individuals diagnosed with SCZ, BD, and MDD are unclear.
Methods
This study included 1112 participants (380 individuals diagnosed with SCZ, 330 with BD, 212 with MDD, and 190 demographically matched healthy controls [HCs]). We assembled resting-state EEG data and completed a microstate analysis of all participants using a cross-sectional design.
Results
Our research indicates that SCZ, BD, and MDD exhibit distinct patterns of transition among the four EEG microstate states (A, B, C, and D). The analysis of transition probabilities showed a higher frequency of switching from microstates A to B and from B to A in each patient group compared to the HC group, and less frequent transitions from microstates A to C and from C to A in the SCZ and MDD groups compared to the HC group. And the probability of the microstate switching from C to D and D to C in the SCZ group significantly increased compared to those in the patient and HC groups.
Conclusions
Our findings provide crucial insights into the abnormalities involved in distributing neural assets and enabling proper transitions between different microstates in patients with major psychiatric disorders.
The release of GNSS raw data on Android smartphones provides the potential for high-precision smartphone positioning using multi-constellation and multi-frequency signals. However, severe multipath and low observation quality in kinematic environments make double-differenced uncombined ambiguities difficult to resolve reliably. To address this, the paper proposes an improved wide-lane (WL) integer ambiguity resolution (IAR) method that combines integer rounding and the Least-Square AMBiguity Decorrelation Adjustment (LAMBDA) methods. The proposed method achieved fix rates of 57% to 70% in challenging environments, with an average improvement of 7 · 7% in horizontal positioning accuracy compared to the float solution. The traditional partial integer rounding method only improved accuracy by 1 · 1%.
Tuberculosis (TB) infection prevention and control (IPC) in healthcare facilities is key to reducing transmission risk. A framework for systematically improving TB IPC through training and mentorship was implemented in 9 healthcare facilities in China from 2017 to 2019.
Methods:
Facilities conducted standardized TB IPC assessments at baseline and quarterly thereafter for 18 months. Facility-based performance was assessed using quantifiable indicators for IPC core components and administrative, environmental, and respiratory protection controls, and as a composite of all control types We calculated the percentage changes in scores over time and differences by IPC control type and facility characteristics.
Results:
Scores for IPC core components increased by 72% during follow-up when averaged across facilities. The percentage changes for administrative, environmental, and respiratory protection controls were 39%, 46%, and 30%, respectively. Composite scores were 45% higher after the intervention. Overall, scores increased most during the first 6 months. There was no association between IPC implementation and provincial economic development or volume of TB services.
Conclusions:
TB IPC policies and practices showed most improvement early during implementation and did not differ consistently by facility characteristics. The training component of the project helped increase the capacity of healthcare professionals to manage TB transmission risks. Lessons learned here will inform national TB IPC guidance.
The Righi–Leduc heat flux generated by the self-generated magnetic field in the ablative Rayleigh–Taylor instability driven by a laser irradiating thin targets is studied through two-dimensional extended-magnetohydrodynamic simulations. The perturbation structure gets into a low magnetization state though the peak strength of the self-generated magnetic field could reach hundreds of teslas. The Righi–Leduc effect plays an essential impact both in the linear and nonlinear stages, and it deflects the total heat flux towards the spike base. Compared to the case without the self-generated magnetic field included, less heat flux is concentrated at the spike tip, finally mitigating the ablative stabilization and leading to an increase in the velocity of the spike tip. It is shown that the linear growth rate is increased by about 10% and the amplitude during the nonlinear stage is increased by even more than 10% due to the feedback of the magnetic field, respectively. Our results reveal the importance of Righi–Leduc heat flux to the growth of the instability and promote deep understanding of the instability evolution together with the self-generated magnetic field, especially during the acceleration stage in inertial confinement fusion.
In the present study, acid-modified attapulgite was used, as an adsorbent, to remove as much Cd2+ as possible from aqueous solution. Static adsorption experiments using powdered acid-modified attapulgite, and dynamic adsorption using granular acid-modifed attapulgite, were conducted to explore the practical application of modified attapulgite in the adsorption of Cd2+. The modified attapulgite had a larger specific surface area and thinner fibrous crystals than the unmodified version. No obvious differences were noted, in terms of the crystal structure, between the natural attapulgite and the modified version. The effects of initial concentration, pH, contact time, and ionic strength on the adsorption of Cd2+ were investigated, and the results showed that the adsorption capacity of the modified attapulgite was increased with increasing pH and the initial Cd2+ concentration. The adsorption properties were analyzed by means of dynamic adsorption tests with respect to various Cd2+ concentrations and flow rates. The maximum adsorption capacity of 8.83 mg/g occurred at a flow rate of 1 mL/min and at an initial concentration of 75 mg/L. Because there was better accord between the data and a pseudo-second order model than a pseudo-first-order model, external mass transfer is suggested to be the rate-controlling process. The experimental data were also fitted for the intraparticle diffusion model, implying that the intraparticle diffusion of Cd2+ onto the modified attapulgite was also important for controlling the adsorption process. The Bohart-Adams model was more suitable than the Thomas model for describing the dynamic behavior with respect to the flow rate and the initial Cd2+ concentration. This research provided the theoretical basis for the dynamic adsorption of Cd2+ on the modified attapulgite. Compared to the powdered modified attapulgite, the dynamic adsorption by granular modified attapulgite appeared more favorable in terms of practical application.
Fast neutron absorption spectroscopy is widely used in the study of nuclear structure and element analysis. However, due to the traditional neutron source pulse duration being of the order of nanoseconds, it is difficult to obtain a high-resolution absorption spectrum. Thus, we present a method of ultrahigh energy-resolution absorption spectroscopy via a high repetition rate, picosecond duration pulsed neutron source driven by a terawatt laser. The technology of single neutron count is used, which results in easily distinguishing the width of approximately 20 keV at 2 MeV and an asymmetric shape of the neutron absorption peak. The absorption spectroscopy based on a laser neutron source has one order of magnitude higher energy-resolution power than the state-of-the-art traditional neutron sources, which could be of benefit for precisely measuring nuclear structure data.
All-fiber coherent beam combiners based on the self-imaging effect can achieve a near-perfect single laser beam, which can provide a promising way to overcome the power limitation of a single-fiber laser. One of the key points is combining efficiency, which is determined by various mismatches during fabrication. A theoretical model has been built, and the mismatch error is analyzed numerically for the first time. The mismatch errors have been numerically studied with the beam quality and combining efficiency being chosen as the evaluation criteria. The tolerance of each mismatch error for causing 1% loss is calculated to guide the design of the beam combiners. The simulation results are consistent with the experimental results, which show that the mismatch error of the square-core fiber is the main cause of the efficiency loss. The results can provide useful guidance for the fabrication of all-fiber coherent beam combiners.
In this paper, we design and fabricate dual-tunable waveguides in a two-dimensional periodic plate with threaded holes. Dual tunability is realized by using rods held with nuts as well as assembly prestress of the nuts. A straight waveguide, a bent waveguide, and a wave splitter are designed by changing the distribution of rods and nuts in different circuits. The experimental and numerical results show that the frequencies of guided waves can be tuned by the assembly prestress. By increasing the amount of prestress, the frequency range of the passing band can be shifted upward. Confinements, guiding, and splitting of Lamb waves are clearly observed in both experimental measurements and numerical simulations. This work is essential for the practical design of reconfigurable phononic devices.
This article aims to analyze the relationship between user characteristics on social networks and influenza.
Methods:
Three specific research questions are investigated: (1) we classify Weibo updates to recognize influenza-related information based on machine learning algorithms and propose a quantitative model for influenza susceptibility in social networks; (2) we adopt in-degree indicator from complex networks theory as social media status to verify its coefficient correlation with influenza susceptibility; (3) we also apply the LDA topic model to explore users’ physical condition from Weibo to further calculate its coefficient correlation with influenza susceptibility. From the perspective of social networking status, we analyze and extract influenza-related information from social media, with many advantages including efficiency, low cost, and real time.
Results:
We find a moderate negative correlation between the susceptibility of users to influenza and social network status, while there is a significant positive correlation between physical condition and susceptibility to influenza.
Conclusions:
Our findings reveal the laws behind the phenomenon of online disease transmission, and providing important evidence for analyzing, predicting, and preventing disease transmission. Also, this study provides theoretical and methodological underpinnings for further exploration and measurement of more factors associated with infection control and public health from social networks.
The discharged capillary plasma channel has been extensively studied as a high-gradient particle acceleration and transmission medium. A novel measurement method of plasma channel density profiles has been employed, where the role of plasma channels guiding the advantages of lasers has shown strong appeal. Here, we have studied the high-order transverse plasma density profile distribution using a channel-guided laser, and made detailed measurements of its evolution under various parameters. The paraxial wave equation in a plasma channel with high-order density profile components is analyzed, and the approximate propagation process based on the Gaussian profile laser is obtained on this basis, which agrees well with the simulation under phase conditions. In the experiments, by measuring the integrated transverse laser intensities at the outlet of the channels, the radial quartic density profiles of the plasma channels have been obtained. By precisely synchronizing the detection laser pulses and the plasma channels at various moments, the reconstructed density profile shows an evolution from the radial quartic profile to the quasi-parabolic profile, and the high-order component is indicated as an exponential decline tendency over time. Factors affecting the evolution rate were investigated by varying the incentive source and capillary parameters. It can be found that the discharge voltages and currents are positive factors quickening the evolution, while the electron-ion heating, capillary radii and pressures are negative ones. One plausible explanation is that quartic profile contributions may be linked to plasma heating. This work helps one to understand the mechanisms of the formation, the evolutions of the guiding channel electron-density profiles and their dependences on the external controllable parameters. It provides support and reflection for physical research on discharged capillary plasma and optimizing plasma channels in various applications.
High-power femtosecond mid-infrared (MIR) lasers are of vast importance to both fundamental research and applications. We report a high-power femtosecond master oscillator power amplifier laser system consisting of a single-mode Er:ZBLAN fiber mode-locked oscillator and pre-amplifier followed by a large-mode-area Er:ZBLAN fiber main amplifier. The main amplifier is actively cooled and bidirectionally pumped at 976 nm, generating a slope efficiency of 26.9%. Pulses of 8.12 W, 148 fs at 2.8 μm with a repetition rate of 69.65 MHz are achieved. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest average power ever achieved from a femtosecond MIR laser source. Such a compact ultrafast laser system is promising for a wide range of applications, such as medical surgery and material processing.
In this paper, we mainly prove the following conjectures of Z.-W. Sun (J. Number Theory133 (2013), 2914–2928): let $p>2$ be a prime. If $p=x^2+3y^2$ with $x,y\in \mathbb {Z}$ and $x\equiv 1\ ({\rm {mod}}\ 3)$, then
In the Late Neoarchaean, the lithosphere of the North China Craton (NCC) experienced a strong extensional event, which is of great significance for understanding the evolution of the continental crust in the Precambrian. In this study, a suite of mafic dykes from Shandong province in the northeastern NCC were investigated to determine the nature, timing and source of rift-related magma activities using zircon U–Pb data, whole-rock geochemistry and Nd–Hf isotopes. Zircon U–Pb dating of four dolerites by laser ablation – inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) yielded weighted mean 207Pb/206Pb ages in the range 2509 ± 6.1 to 2537 ± 6.2 Ma (2σ, 95 % confidence interval). The mafic dykes are classified as alkaline rocks based on their K2O + Na2O contents (6.78–7.21 wt %) and belong to the shoshonitic series according to their K2O contents (3.23–3.36 wt %). The dolerites show low concentrations of light rare earth elements ((La/Yb)N between 7.17 and 8.55), positive Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* between 1.12 and 1.27), positive Ba, K, Pb, Sr, Eu, Dy and Lu anomalies, and depleted U, Nb, Pr, Ta, P, Nd and Ti anomalies. The dykes are characterized by low initial (87Sr/86Sr)i (∼0.6969), positive εNd(t) values (0.2–0.8) and εHf(t) values (0.5–8.6) and relatively old mean Nd and Hf model age (2.73 Ga). Collectively, the data suggest that the mafic dykes were derived from the partial melting (10–20 %) of an isotope-depleted garnet–lherzolite mantle source that was hybridized through interaction with subducted lower crustal material. The parental magmas of these dykes underwent a certain number of crustal contaminations during magma ascent. The mafic magmatism represented in the form of the dyke swarms is considered to be a response to widespread lithospheric extension which affected the NCC at c. 2.5 Ga during the Neoarchaean.
Sleep apnea is one of the most common sleep disorders. The consequences of undiagnosed sleep apnea can be very serious, increasing the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease over a long period of time. However, many people are often unaware of their condition. The gold standard for diagnosing sleep apnea is nighttime polysomnography monitoring in a specialized sleep laboratory. However, these diagnoses are expensive and the number of beds is limited, and there is insufficient monitoring in terms of time dimension. Existing methods for automated detection use no more than three physiological signals, but all other signals are also associated with the patient’s sleep. In addition, the limited amount of medical real annotation data, especially abnormal samples, lead to weak model generalization capability. The gap between model generalization capability and medical field needs still exists. In this paper, we propose a method for integrating medical interpretation rules into a long short-term memory neural network based on self-attention with multichannel respiratory signals as input. We obtain attention weights through a token-level attention mechanism and then extract key rules of medical interpretation to assist the weights, improving model generalization and reducing the dependence on data volume. Compared with the best prediction performance of existing methods, the average improvements of our method in accuracy, precision, and f1-score are 3.26%, 7.03%, and 1.78%, respectively. The algorithm tested the performance of our model on the Sleep Heart Health Study data set and found that the model outperformed existing methods and could help physicians make decisions in their practices.
There is still controversy about optimal dietary iodine intake as the Universal Salt Iodization policy enforcement in China. A modified iodine balance study was thus conducted to explore the suitable iodine intake in Chinese adult males using the iodine overflow hypothesis. In this study, thirty-eight apparently healthy males (19·1 (sd 0·6) years) were recruited and provided with designed diets. After the 14-d iodine depletion, daily iodine intake gradually increased in the 30-d iodine supplementation, consisting of six stages and each of 5 d. All foods and excreta (urine, faeces) were collected to examine daily iodine intake, iodine excretion and the changes of iodine increment in relation to those values at stage 1. The dose–response associations of iodine intake increment with excretion increment were fitted by the mixed effects models, as well as with retention increment. Daily iodine intake and excretion were 16·3 and 54·3 μg/d at stage 1, and iodine intake increment increased from 11·2 μg/d at stage 2 to 118·0 μg/d at stage 6, while excretion increment elevated from 21·5 to 95·0 μg/d. A zero iodine balance was dynamically achieved as 48·0 μg/d of iodine intake. The estimated average requirement and recommended nutrient intake were severally 48·0 and 67·2 μg/d, which could be corresponded to a daily iodine intake of 0·74 and 1·04 μg/kg per d. The results of our study indicate that roughly half of current iodine intakes recommendation could be enough in Chinese adult males, which would be beneficial for the revision of dietary reference intakes.