Development and validation study of a non-alcoholic fatty liver disease risk scoring model among adults in China

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common liver diseases in China. It is usually asymptomatic and transabdominal ultrasound (USS) is the usual means for diagnosis, but it may not be feasible to have USS screening of the whole population. Objective: To develop a risk scoring model for predicting the presence of NAFLD using parameters that can be easily obtain in clinical settings. Methods: A retrospective study on the data of 672 adults who had general health check including a transabdominal ultrasound. Fractional polynomial and multivariable logistic regressions of sociodemographic and biochemical variables on NAFLD were used to identify the predictors. A risk score was assigned to each predictor using the scaled standardized β-coefficient to create a risk prediction algorithm. The accuracy for NAFLD detection by each cut-off score in the risk algorithm was evaluated. Results: The prevalence of NAFLD in our study population was 33.0% (222/672). Six significant factors were selected in the final prediction model. The areas under the curve (AUC) was 0.82 (95% CI: 0.78–0.85). The optimal cut-off score, based on the ROC was 35, with a sensitivity of 76.58% (95% CI: 70.44–81.98%) and specificity of 74.89% (95% CI: 70.62–78.83%). Conclusion: A NAFLD risk scoring model can be used to identify asymptomatic Chinese people who are at risk of NAFLD for further USS investigation.published_or_final_versio

Counting defects with the two-point correlator

We study how topological defects manifest themselves in the equal-time two-point field correlator. We consider a scalar field with Z_2 symmetry in 1, 2 and 3 spatial dimensions, allowing for kinks, domain lines and domain walls, respectively. Using numerical lattice simulations, we find that in any number of dimensions, the correlator in momentum space is to a very good approximation the product of two factors, one describing the spatial distribution of the defects and the other describing the defect shape. When the defects are produced by the Kibble mechanism, the former has a universal form as a function of k/n, which we determine numerically. This signature makes it possible to determine the kink density from the field correlator without having to resort to the Gaussian approximation. This is essential when studying field dynamics with methods relying only on correlators (Schwinger-Dyson, 2PI).Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures

Vacuum Topology of the Two Higgs Doublet Model

We perform a systematic study of generic accidental Higgs-family and CP symmetries that could occur in the two-Higgs-doublet-model potential, based on a Majorana scalar-field formalism which realizes a subgroup of GL(8,C). We derive the general conditions of convexity and stability of the scalar potential and present analytical solutions for two non-zero neutral vacuum expectation values of the Higgs doublets for a typical set of six symmetries, in terms of the gauge-invariant parameters of the theory. By means of a homotopy-group analysis, we identify the topological defects associated with the spontaneous symmetry breaking of each symmetry, as well as the massless Goldstone bosons emerging from the breaking of the continuous symmetries. We find the existence of domain walls from the breaking of Z_2, CP1 and CP2 discrete symmetries, vortices in models with broken U(1)_PQ and CP3 symmetries and a global monopole in the SO(3)_HF-broken model. The spatial profile of the topological defect solutions is studied in detail, as functions of the potential parameters of the two-Higgs doublet model. The application of our Majorana scalar-field formalism in studying more general scalar potentials that are not constrained by the U(1)_Y hypercharge symmetry is discussed. In particular, the same formalism may be used to properly identify seven additional symmetries that may take place in a U(1)_Y-invariant scalar potential.Comment: 89 pages, 13 tables and 12 figures (version as to appear in JHEP

全科医学理念和模式在综合医院健康体检和建康管理中应用

随着人们对健康体检和健康管理需求的日益增加,国内健康体检服务在快速发展,但仍存在一些不足.在综合医院将健康体检中心与全科门诊、慢性病综合门诊有效地结合起来,应用全科医学“全人照顾”和“持续照顾”的理念和管理模式,能提高健康体检和健康管理的服务质量,这种模式值得进一步研究、总结