Fractal analysis of the effect of particle aggregation distribution on thermal conductivity of nanofluids

This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41572116), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan) (No. CUG160602).Peer reviewedPostprin

Accurate Reconstruction of Molecular Phylogenies for Proteins Using Codon and Amino Acid Unified Sequence Alignments (CAUSA)

Based on molecular clock hypothesis, and neutral theory of molecular evolution, molecular phylogenies have been widely used for inferring evolutionary history of organisms and individual genes. Traditionally, alignments and phylogeny trees of proteins and their coding DNA sequences are constructed separately, thus often different conclusions were drawn. Here we present a new strategy for sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree reconstruction, codon and amino acid unified sequence alignment (CAUSA), which aligns DNA and protein sequences and draw phylogenetic trees in a unified manner. We demonstrated that CAUSA improves both the accuracy of multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic trees by solving a variety of molecular evolutionary problems in virus, bacteria and mammals. Our results support the hypothesis that the molecular clock for proteins has two pointers existing separately in DNA and protein sequences. It is more accurate to read the molecular clock by combination (additive) of these two pointers, since the ticking rates of them are sometimes consistent, sometimes different. CAUSA software were released as Open Source under GNU/GPL license, and are downloadable free of charge from the website www.dnapluspro.com

Generalized uncertainty principle and correction value to the black hole entropy

Recently, there has been much attention devoted to resolving the quantum corrections to the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of the black hole. In particular, many researchers have expressed a vested interest in the coefficient of the logarithmic term of the black hole entropy correction term. In this paper, we calculate the correction value of the black hole entropy by utilizing the generalized uncertainty principle and obtain the correction term caused by the generalized uncertainty principle. Because in our calculation we think that the Bekenstein-Hawking area theorem is still valid after considering the generalized uncertainty principle, we derive that the coefficient of the logarithmic term of the black hole entropy correction term is negative. This result is different from the known result at present. Our method is valid not only for single horizon spacetime but also for double horizons spacetime. In the whole process, the physics idea is clear and calculation is simple. It offers a new way for studying the condition that Bekenstein-Hawking area theorem is valid

Container CT scanner: a solution for modular emergency radiology department during the COVID-19 pandemic

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic period, container computed tomography (CT) scanners were developed and used for the first time in China to perform CT examinations for patients with clinically mild to moderate COVID-19 who did not need to be hospitalized for comprehensive treatment, but needed to be isolated in Fangcang shelter hospitals (also known as makeshift hospitals) to receive some supportive treatment. The container CT is a multidetector CT scanner installed within a radiation-protected stand-alone container (a detachable lead shielding room) that is deployed outside the makeshift hospital buildings. The container CT approach provided various medical institutions with the solution not only for rapid CT installation and high adaptability to site environments, but also for significantly minimizing the risk of cross-infection between radiological personnel and patients during CT examination in the pandemic. In this article, we described the typical setup of a container CT and how it worked for chest CT examinations in Wuhan city, the epicenter of COVID-19 outbreak

One-year weight losses in the Tianjin Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Prevention Programme : A randomized clinical trial

Aims: To report the weight loss findings after the first year of a lifestyle intervention trial among women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: A total of 1180 women with GDM were randomly assigned (1: 1) to receive a 4-year lifestyle intervention (intervention group, n = 586) or standard care (control group, n = 594) between August 2009 and July 2011. Major elements of the intervention included 6 face-to-face sessions with study dieticians and two telephone calls in the first year, and two individual sessions and two telephone calls in each subsequent year. Results: Among 79% of participants who completed the year 1 trial, mean weight loss was 0.82 kg (1.12% of initial weight) in the intervention group and 0.09 kg (0.03% of initial weight) in the control group (P=.001). In a prespecified subgroup analysis of people who completed the trial, weight loss was more pronounced in women who were overweight (body mass index = 24 kg/m(2)) at baseline: mean weight loss 2.01 kg (2.87% of initial weight) in the intervention group and 0.44 kg (0.52% of initial weight) in the control group (P Conclusion: The 1-year lifestyle intervention led to significant weight losses after delivery in women who had GDM, and the effect was more pronounced in women who were overweight at baseline.Peer reviewe

High risk of metabolic syndrome after delivery in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes

Aims: To investigate the risk of postpartum metabolic syndrome in women with GDM compared with those without GDM in a Chinese population. Methods: Tianjin GDM observational study included 1263 women with a history of GDM and 705 women without GDM. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess risks of postpartum metabolic syndrome between women with and without GDM. Postpartum metabolic syndrome was diagnosed by two commonly used criteria. Results: During a mean 3.53 years of follow up, 256 cases of metabolic syndrome were identified by using the NCEPATPIII criteria and 244 cases by using the IDF criteria. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios of metabolic syndrome in women with GDM compared with those without GDM were 3.66 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.02-6.63) for NCEP ATPIII criteria and 3.90 (95% CI 2.13-7.14) for IDF criteria. Women with GDM had higher multivariable-adjusted odds ratios of central obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, and high blood pressure than women without GDM. The multivariable-adjusted odds ratios of low HDL cholesterol and hyperglycemia were not significant between women with and without GDM, however, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratio of hyperglycemia became significant when we used the modified criteria. Conclusions: The present study indicated that women with prior GDM had significantly higher risks for postpartum metabolic syndrome, as well as its individual components. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Microbiota Changes in the Musk Gland of Male Forest Musk Deer During Musk Maturation

The musk gland in an adult male forest musk deer is an organ that synthesizes, stores, and secretes musk, a cream-colored liquid upon initial secretion that gradually transforms into a blackish-brown solid substance upon full maturation. In this study, four healthy adult male forest musk deer were selected and a total of 12 musk samples were collected for analysis. The samples were in three different states depending on the different seasonal collection dates, which were in June, August, and October. High-throughput 16S-rRNA gene sequencing technology was used to detect microbiota changes in the gland. The results indicate that microbial richness gradually declined during the musk maturation process. The microbiota composition between the initial liquid and final solid musk samples was varied significantly (P < 0.05). The dominant bacterial phyla were similar at all three stages included Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. However, the abundances were differences in terms of the dominant bacterial genera. PICRUSt analysis showed the highest represented category was “Amino acid transport and metabolism” (24.8%), followed by “Transcription” (22.04%), and “Carbohydrate transport and metabolism” (20.74%). Our findings indicate that the microbiota in the musk gland plays an important role in the maturation process of musk