Collapse and reappearance of magnetic orderings in spin frustrated TbMnO3 induced by Fe substitution

We studied the temperature dependent magnetic phase evolution in spin frustrated TbMnO3 affected by Fe doping via powder neutron diffraction. With the introduction of Fe (10% and 20%), the long range incommensurate magnetic orderings collapse. When the Fe content is increased to 30%, a long-range antiferromagnetic ordering develops, while a spin reorientation transition is found near 35 K from a canted G-type antiferromagnetic ordering to a collinear G-type antiferromagnetic ordering. This work demonstrates the complex magnetic interactions existing in transition metal oxides, which helps to understand the frustrated spin states in other similar systems and design magnetic materials as well

Clinical features of febrile seizures in children with COVID-19: an observational study from a tertiary care hospital in China

BackgroundFebrile seizures are a common neurologic manifestation in children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Compared to seasonal respiratory viruses, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has a pronounced neurological impact, with the result that febrile seizures with COVID-19 may exhibit unique clinical features.Materials and methodsWe conducted a retrospective study in a tertiary care hospital in China. We collected medical record information on febrile seizures with COVID-19, including demographic characteristics, clinical features, laboratory tests, and disease burden. Subsequently, the data were then analyzed descriptively.ResultsA total of 103 children diagnosed with febrile seizures and positive COVID-19 PCR results were included in our study. Among them, 81 (78.6%) were males and 22 (21.4%) were females. The age of onset of febrile seizures ranged from 14 to 57 months, with a mean age of 34.9 ± 6.24 months. Complex febrile seizures were observed in 34 (33%) cases. Antiseizure medications were administered to 24 (23.3%) patients. Laboratory tests showed a white blood cell count of (27.05 ± 8.20) × 103/µl, a neutrophil count of (20.09 ± 5.66) × 103/µl and a lymphocyte count of (6.44 ± 1.86) × 103/µl. A creatine kinase level was significantly elevated, with a mean value of (412.00 ± 158.96) U/L. The mean length of stay was 4.36 days. Twelve patients (11.7%) required intensive care services, but there were no deaths or patients remaining on antiseizure medications after discharge.ConclusionIn the post-epidemic era of COVID-19, pediatric clinicians should be aware of the changing clinical features of febrile seizures associated with COVID-19. The average age of onset has increased, with a higher proportion of males. Length of stay and hospitalization costs did not increase significantly. The prognosis remained favorable, although a small number of children required intensive care services during the acute phase

Erythrocyte transfusion limits the role of elevated red cell distribution width on predicting cardiac surgery associated acute kidney injury

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the more serious complications after cardiac surgery. Elevated red cell distribution width (RDW) was reported as a predictor for cardiac surgery associated acute kidney injury (CSAKI). However, the increment of RDW by erythrocyte transfusion makes its prognostic role doubtful. The aim of this study is to elucidate the impact of erythrocyte transfusion on the prognostic role of elevated RDW for predicting CSAKI.Methods: A total of 3207 eligible patients who underwent cardiac surgery during 2016–2017 were enrolled. Changes of RDW was defined as the difference between preoperative RDW and RDW measured 24 h after cardiac surgery. The primary outcome was CSAKI which was defined by the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes Definition and Staging (KDIGO) criteria. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to identify predictors for CSAKI.Results: The incidence of CSAKI was 38.07% and the mortality was 1.18%. CSAKI patients had higher elevated RDW than those without CSAKI (0.65% vs. 0.39%, p < 0.001). Multivariate regression showed that male, age, New York Heat Association classification 3–4, elevated RDW, estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, cardiopulmonary bypass time > 120 min and erythrocyte transfusion were associated with CSAKI. Subgroup analysis showed elevated RDW was an independent predictor for CSAKI in the non-transfused subset (adjusted odds ratio: 1.616, p < 0.001) whereas no significant association between elevated RDW and CSAKI was found in the transfused patients (odds ratio: 1.040, p = 0.497).Conclusions: Elevated RDW is one of the independent predictors of CSAKI in the absence of erythrocyte transfusion, which limits the prognostic role of the former on predicting CSAKI

The impact of the atmospheric turbulence-development tendency on new particle formation : a common finding on three continents

A new mechanism of new particle formation (NPF) is investigated using comprehensive measurements of aerosol physicochemical quantities and meteorological variables made in three continents, including Beijing, China; the Southern Great Plains site in the USA; and SMEAR II Station in Hyytiala, Finland. Despite the considerably different emissions of chemical species among the sites, a common relationship was found between the characteristics of NPF and the stability intensity. The stability parameter (zeta = Z/L, where Z is the height above ground and L is the Monin-Obukhov length) is found to play an important role; it drops significantly before NPF as the atmosphere becomes more unstable, which may serve as an indicator of nucleation bursts. As the atmosphere becomes unstable, the NPF duration is closely related to the tendency for turbulence development, which influences the evolution of the condensation sink. Presumably, the unstable atmosphere may dilute pre-existing particles, effectively reducing the condensation sink, especially at coarse mode to foster nucleation. This new mechanism is confirmed by model simulations using a molecular dynamic model that mimics the impact of turbulence development on nucleation by inducing and intensifying homogeneous nucleation events.Peer reviewe

Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Neutralize the Anti-tumor Effect of CSF1 Receptor Blockade by Inducing PMN-MDSC Infiltration of Tumors.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) contribute to all aspects of tumor progression. Use of CSF1R inhibitors to target TAM is therapeutically appealing, but has had very limited anti-tumor effects. Here, we have identified the mechanism that limited the effect of CSF1R targeted therapy. We demonstrated that carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAF) are major sources of chemokines that recruit granulocytes to tumors. CSF1 produced by tumor cells caused HDAC2-mediated downregulation of granulocyte-specific chemokine expression in CAF, which limited migration of these cells to tumors. Treatment with CSF1R inhibitors disrupted this crosstalk and triggered a profound increase in granulocyte recruitment to tumors. Combining CSF1R inhibitor with a CXCR2 antagonist blocked granulocyte infiltration of tumors and showed strong anti-tumor effects

The physical principle of magnetic phase transition for the magnetocaloric materials: RCo2Mnx AND Tb1-xYxMn2Ge2 (R = Tb, Ho, Dy, 0 ≤ ≤ . ) series compounds

Since Gd5(Si2Ge2) was found to have huge magnetic entropy near room temperature, various magnetocaloric materials have been produced and investigated. Meanwhile, different methods were used to optimize their magnetic properties, such as element doping, applying strong magnetic fields or mechanical pressure, etc. My work during this PhD study has been mainly focused on the Mn doped RCo2Mnx (R = Tb, Ho, Dy，0 ≤ ≤ 1.0) series compounds. It was found that all the Mn doped samples are isostructural to RCo2 series compounds with the cubic MgCu2 structure (Fd3 m space group). To further investigate the Mn doping effect on the magnetic properties such as the Curie temperature (TC), the coercivity (HC), the spontaneous magnetic moment (MS), and the magnetic entropy change (−ΔS), magnetic measurement were performed on a physical properties measurement system (PPMS). Meanwhile, critical exponent analysis was conducted for all the second order transitions belonging to the three-dimensional (3D) Heisenberg model, mean-field theory, or 3D Ising model. High resolution neutron and synchrotron measurements were then carried out to clarify the magnetic transitions and the crystal structure transitions during the magnetic-state transitions. By the way another series compounds Tb1-xYxMn2Ge2 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2) was studied and included in the thesis