Numerical reconstruction of the spatial component in the source term of a time-fractional diffusion equation

In this article, we are concerned with the analysis on the numerical reconstruction of the spatial component in the source term of a time-fractional diffusion equation. This ill-posed problem is solved through a stabilized nonlinear minimization system by an appropriately selected Tikhonov regularization. The existence and the stability of the optimization system are demonstrated. The nonlinear optimization problem is approximated by a fully discrete scheme, whose convergence is established under a novel result verified in this study that the $H^1$-norm of the solution to the discrete forward system is uniformly bounded. The iterative thresholding algorithm is proposed to solve the discrete minimization, and several numerical experiments are presented to show the efficiency and the accuracy of the algorithm.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figures, 2 table

Medicinal Plants in the Northwestern China and Their Medicinal Uses

The Northwestern China is a typical arid and semi-arid region of inner Asia, where some important medicinal species such as Angelica sinensis, Radix astragali, Radix codonopsis, Radix et rhizoma rhei, Radix glycyrrhizae, Lycium barbarum L are found and grew in the mountains areas, or desert areas. Among them, A. sinensis, R. astragali and R. glycyrrhizae are frequently used in traditional Chinese medicines and herbal prescriptions, thus encouraged many researchers to investigate and develop them. Our purpose is to provide a review of recent advances about three typical medicinal plants of A. sinensis, Astragalus membranaceus and R. glycyrrhizae in Northwestern China, mainly referring to botanical identity, chemical constituents, pharmacological studies, application in formulation, safety and cultivation practices. That will provide some valuable information for the further study and development of medicinal plants in Northwestern China

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Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/88118/1/24749_ftp.pd

Polysaccharide–dextrin thickened fluids for individuals with dysphagia:Recent advances in flow behaviors and swallowing assessment methods

The global aging population has brought about a pressing health concern: dysphagia. To effectively address this issue, we must develop specialized diets, such as thickened fluids made with polysaccharide–dextrin (e.g., water, milk, juices, and soups), which are crucial for managing swallowing-related problems like aspiration and choking for people with dysphagia. Understanding the flow behaviors of these thickened fluids is paramount, and it enables us to establish methods for evaluating their suitability for individuals with dysphagia. This review focuses on the shear and extensional flow properties (e.g., viscosity, yield stress, and viscoelasticity) and tribology (e.g., coefficient of friction) of polysaccharide–dextrin-based thickened fluids and highlights how dextrin inclusion influences fluid flow behaviors considering molecular interactions and chain dynamics. The flow behaviors can be integrated into the development of diverse evaluation methods that assess aspects such as flow velocity, risk of aspiration, and remaining fluid volume. In this context, the key in-vivo (e.g., clinical examination and animal model), in-vitro (e.g., the Cambridge Throat), and in-silico (e.g., Hamiltonian moving particles semi-implicit) evaluation methods are summarized. In addition, we explore the potential for establishing realistic assessment methods to evaluate the swallowing performance of thickened fluids, offering promising prospects for the future

Prenatal diagnosis and molecular cytogenetic characterization of hereditary complex chromosomal rearrangements in a Chinese family

Objectives: To report a family with an extremely rare and previously undescribed complex chromosomal rearrangement (CCR). To explore the molecular cytogenetic mechanism of ‘octaradial chromosome’. Material and methods: G-banding karyotype analysis was performed on all the members of the family. Chromosomal microarray analysis(CMA) was performed on the five members of the family. Results: This case presented with a karyotypically balanced CCR (46,XX,t(2;4;11;5)(p21;q34;q21;p15)). The familial CCR was stably transmitted across three generations. Conclusions: We report an extremely rare and previously undescribed complex chromosomal arrangement that is transmitted across three generations. The clinical outcome of this CCR is complex. Careful characterization of all the breakpoint regions is required for prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling

Iron accumulation in the ventral tegmental area in Parkinson's disease

IntroductionThe ventral tegmental area (VTA) is less affected compared to substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) in Parkinson's disease (PD). This study aimed to quantitatively evaluate iron content in the VTA across different stages of PD in order to help explain the selective loss of dopamine neurons in PD.MethodsQuantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) data were obtained from 101 PD patients, 35 idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) patients, and 62 healthy controls (HCs). The mean QSM values in the VTA and SNc were calculated and compared among the groups.ResultsBoth RBD and PD patients had increased iron values in the bilateral SNc compared with HCs. RBD and PD patients in the Hoehn–Yahr (H & Y) stage 1 did not show elevated iron values in the VTA, while PD patients with more than 1.5 H & Y staging had increased iron values in bilateral VTA compared to HCs.DiscussionThis study shows that there is no increased iron accumulation in the VTA during the prodromal and early clinical stages of PD, but iron deposition increases significantly as the disease becomes more severe