Randomness of Eigenstates of Many-Body Quantum Systems

The emergence of random eigenstates of quantum many-body systems in integrable-chaos transitions is the underlying mechanism of thermalization for these quantum systems. We use fidelity and modulus fidelity to measure the randomness of eigenstates in quantum many-body systems. Analytic results of modulus fidelity between random vectors are obtained to be a judge for the degree of randomness. Unlike fidelity, which just refers to a kind of criterion of necessity, modulus fidelity can measure the degree of randomness in eigenstates of a one-dimension (1D) hard-core boson system and identifies the integrable-chaos transition in this system

First-principles design of high strength refractory high-entropy alloys

Valence electron concentration (VEC) is widely accepted as an effective guideline for designing the mechanical properties of Ti-containing refractory high-entropy alloys (RHEAs). In the present work, a series of Ti–Zr–Nb–Ta and Ti–Zr–Nb–Mo RHEAs with body-centered-cubic (bcc) structure are carefully designed by tailoring their VEC through changing the alloying composition. The elastic properties and mechanical properties are systematically calculated by using a first-principles method. Comparison with available experimental data demonstrates that the employed approach accurately describes the VEC dependence of the elastic and mechanical properties of RHEAs. In general, the elastic stability, elastic properties, ideal shear strength, Vickers hardness, and yield strength increase, whereas Zener anisotropy decreases with increasing VEC. Among all the considered RHEAs, the most isotropic RHEA Ti30Zr30Nb20Mo20 has the best strength-ductility trade-off. Mo has a stronger solid solution strengthening effect than Ta. The higher strength associates with larger lattice distortion induced by increasing VEC. Both elastic stability and mechanical properties are related to the electronic density of states of the alloys. The present work sheds deep insight into the design of high-performance RHEAs through tailoring the VEC

New insights into ω-embrittlement in high misfit metastable β-titanium alloys: Mechanically-driven ω-mediated amorphization

ω-embrittlement is ubiquitous in metastable β-titanium (Ti) alloys, while the fundamental understanding on the damage-fracture mechanism hitherto remains elusive. In this study, we systematically investigate ω-embrittlement of high misfit Ti-10Cr (wt.%) alloys by coupling experiments and first-principles calculation. It is found that brittle cleavage-like fracture prevails in tensile samples, irrespective of the quenching or subsequent aging states. Microscopically, cracks nucleation and propagation proceed along slip bands, inside which ω-lattices are first disordered and then the localized (β + ω)-amorphous-like structures are developed in the shape of white patches. The underlying mechanism of mechanically-driven localized amorphization is that due to the remarkable covalent character of atomic bonding of ω-precipitates caused by composition partitioning of the Cr element, ω-precipitates impart extremely high energy barrier opposed to dislocation gliding and render dislocations pile-up ahead of ω-precipitates, thus leading to their lattice disordering. It is unveiled that the hydrostatic pressure, serving as the driving force for dislocations pile-up, plays a critical role in this unusual cleavage-like fracture of Ti-10Cr alloys caused by mechanically-driven ω-mediated localized amorphization. Accompanied by the transition from the co-operation of deformation twining and ordinary dislocation slip in the quenched Ti-10Cr alloys to the exclusive ordinary dislocation slip in the long-time aged Ti-10Cr samples, it is unexpected that the resulting tensile fracture strength monotonically decreases to a stress level of ~ 100 MPa. These findings provide new insights into the damage and fracture behavior of high misfit β-titanium alloys, such as Ti-Cr alloys

Risk factors of cardiovascular involvement in patients with Behcet's disease

Objectives: Behcet's disease (BD) is a multi-systemic inflammatory vasculitis which may be life-threatening if combined with cardiovascular problems. The aim of the study was to identify potential risk factors associated with cardiovascular involvement in BD. Methods: We reviewed the medical databases of a single center. All BD patients identified as fulfilling the 1990 International Study Group criteria or the International Criteria for Behcet's Disease criteria. Cardiovascular involvement, clinical manifestations, laboratory features, and treatments were recorded. The relationship between parameters and cardiovascular involvement was analyzed. Results: 111 BD patients were included: 21 (18.9%) had documented cardiovascular involvement (CV BD group) and 99 (81.1%) had no cardiovascular involvement (non-CV BD group). Compared with non-CV BD, the proportion of males and smokers were significantly increased in CV BD (p = 0.024 and p < 0.001, respectively). Levels of activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), cardiac troponin I and C-reactive protein were significantly higher (p = 0.001, p = 0.031, and p = 0.034, respectively) in the CV BD group. Cardiovascular involvement was associated with smoking state, the presence of papulopustular lesions, and higher APTT in multivariate analyzed (p = 0.029, p = 0.021, and p = 0.006, respectively). The ROC curve showed that APTT predicts the risk of cardiovascular involvement (p < 0.01) at a cut-off value of 33.15 s with a sensitivity of 57.1% and specificity of 82.2%. Conclusion: Cardiovascular involvement in BD patients was associated with gender, smoking state, the presence of papulopustular lesions, and higher APTT. All patients newly diagnosed with BD should be systematically screened for cardiovascular involvement

Clinical characteristics and outcome of elderly onset adult-onset Still's disease: A 10-year retrospective study

Objective: Our objective was to retrospectively analyze the clinical characteristics and outcome of adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) patients with elderly onset. Methods: Retrospective data of patients diagnosed with AOSD in our institute during 2013–2021 were analyzed. The diagnoses were based on the Yamaguchi criteria for AOSD. All long-term follow-up data were collected from medical records and phone calls. Results: In total, 281 AOSD patients were enrolled in this study, with the median follow-up interval of 47 months. Thirty-two (11.4%, ≥65 years) AOSD patients were classified into the elderly onset groups. Compared to the younger onset group, the percentage of patients with skin rash (p = 0.047), sore throat (p = 0.001), myalgia (p = 0.001), splenomegaly (p = 0.039), hepatosplenomegaly (p = 0.002) and the Pouchot's score (p = 0.002) were significantly lower in the elderly onset group. The death rate (p = 0.014) of elderly onset group is higher than younger onset group, and the independent risk factors of mortality in all AOSD patients were age at onset (HR: 1.115, p = 0.044), disseminated intravascular coagulation (HR: 391.576, p = 0.001) and pleuritis (HR: 23.162, p = 0.033). The probability of relapse was significantly increased in the patients with macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) compared with the patients without MAS (p < 0.001), though the different age groups of AOSD patients with MAS showed no difference in the probability of relapse (p = 0.737). Conclusion: Elderly onset AOSD patients were distinguished by several distinct clinical features compared to younger onset AOSD patients. The frequency of relapse and complications were similar to that of AOSD patients with elderly or younger onset. A higher mortality rate was observed in elderly onset AOSD patients, and the mortality of AOSD patients was related to age at onset, DIC and pleuritis

Bimekizumab for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

Background: Bimekizumab is a monoclonal IgG1 antibody that selectively inhibits both interleukin (IL)-17A and IL-17F, and is a promising drug for patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of bimekizumab in treating patients with psoriasis and to determine the optimal maintenance dosing schedules of bimekizumab. Methods and design: Eligible trials were identified from PubMed, Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Chinese medical databases. Only double-blind, randomized, active comparator, or placebo-controlled trials of bimekizumab treatment on patients with psoriasis were included in this study. Results: Five studies were identified, which included 2473 patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. The results indicated that bimekizumab had better efficacy than placebo or active comparator for Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 90 [risk ratio (RR) = 29.29, 1.52; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 10.30–83.30, 1.06–2.19], PASI 100 (RR = 59.87, 2.06; 95% CI = 15.06–237.99, 1.12–3.79), and Investigator’s Global Assessment scores of 0 or 1 (IGA 0/1) (RR = 21.55, 1.36; 95% CI = 9.25–50.19, 1.02–1.81). Faster onset of clinically meaningful responses was observed with bimekizumab compared with both active comparators (RR = 2.59; 95% CI = 1.32–5.10) and placebo (RR = 40.46; 95% CI = 13.19–124.13), with PASI 75 response observed at week 4 after one dose. Subgroup analysis showed no significant difference in the reduction of PASI scores between 320 mg q4w dosage and q8w dosage (RR = 1.00; 95% CI = 0.96–1.03). Rates of patients with adverse events (AEs) were comparable in the bimekizumab and active comparator groups (RR = 1.13; 95% CI = 1.01–1.26), and oral candidiasis was one of the most common treatment-emergent AEs. Conclusion: The results of this meta-analysis suggest that bimekizumab is more efficacious and has a rapid onset of action than active comparators and placebo in the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. After 16 weeks of initial maintenance treatment, both bimekizumab maintenance dosing schedules (320 mg every 4 and 8 weeks) had similar efficacy