Wenchuan Earthquake Deformation 3D Modelling based on ALOS/PALSAR Data

A devastating earthquake of magnitude Mw 7.9 occurred in Wenchuan area of Sichuan Province, China on 12th May 2008 and caused great casualties and economic damage. This study is aiming to investigate the faulting geometry and motion of the major seismic faults in Longmenshan fault thrust belt that caused this earthquake, based on the surface rupture displacement data measured using differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar (DInSAR) and SAR amplitude pixel-offset techniques. The cross-event Japanese ALOS PALSAR data have been used for this study. First, the methodology for recovering the missing data in the decoherence zone of the DInSAR line-of-sight (LOS) surface motion maps was developed. In the area along the seismic fault zone, the coherence between pre- and post-event SAR images is completely lost because of the earthquake induced violent and chaotic destruction on the land surface and as the result, no surface displacement can be measured using the DInSAR technique. An Adaptive Local Kriging (ALK) technique has then been developed to retrieve the interferometric fringe patterns in the decoherence zone. The novel ALK operating in a multi-step approach enables to retrieve and interpolate the values with high fidelity to the original dataset. Thus a map of continuous radar LOS displacement was generated. Then, the horizontal displacement motion maps in ground range and azimuth direction were derived from cross-event SAR amplitude image pairs using advanced sub-pixel offset technique, Phase Correlation based Image Analysis System (PCIAS). Though the ground range pixel-offset is proportional to the LOS displacement, the azimuth pixel-offset data provide extra information of the coseismic motion. Thus the horizontal displacement vector field can be obtained in order to constrain the faulting motions in key areas. Finally, with the constraints of the ALK refined DInSAR data and the horizontal displacement data together with the published seismic focal mechanism solutions, seismic reflection profiles and field observations, forward modelling was proceeded using the Poly3D software to decide the most likely faulting geometry based on the optimal matching between the simulated and the measured surface displacement. In the much disputed Beichuan – Pengguan area, the best fit is achieved only when the Pengguan fault is set as the main fault that intercept the Yingxiu-Beichuan fault at a depth of about 13 kilometres. This geometric relationship between the two faults and the distribution of slip is compatible with them being two adjacent splay faults on a propagating thrust

Acute immune thrombocytopenic purpura in an adolescent with 2009 novel H1N1 influenza A virus infection

AbstractAlthough both leukopenia and thrombocytopenia are not uncommon hematological findings among patients with novel 2009 H1N1 influenza virus infection, immune thrombocytopenic purpura has rarely been shown to be associated with this novel influenza A infection. Here, we describe a previously healthy adolescent who presented with fever, influenza-like symptoms and acute onset of generalized petechiae and active oral mucosa bleeding on the third day of his illness. Severe leukopenia and thrombocytopenia were found. There was neither malignancy nor blast cells found by bone marrow aspiration. Real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was positive for novel 2009 H1N1 influenza infection. Novel influenza-associated atypical immune thrombocytopenic purpura was diagnosed. The patient recovered uneventfully after oseltamivir and methylprednisolone therapy

Risk of liver dysfunction and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases in people with hidradenitis suppurativa: A systematic review and meta-analysis of real-world evidences

BackgroundTo date, evidences with high evidence-level evaluating the association between liver diseases and hidradenitis suppurativa was lacking. Given that inconsistency exists in some of the previous observational studies, evaluating the prevalence of liver diseases in HS patients could potentially serve as a reference of future guidelines for HS comorbidity screening. The aim of the current study was to evaluate potential association between hidradenitis suppurativa and liver diseases and provide integrated evidences.MethodsA search in PubMed, Web of Science and Embase based on the syntaxes ‘‘hidradenitis suppurativa’’ or ‘‘acne inversa’’ with “comorbidities”, “liver diseases”, “fatty liver” or “hepatitis” was performed. Observational studies evaluating epidemiological association between hidradenitis suppurativa and the risk of all liver diseases, including specific diseases as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hepatitis B, hepatitis C were targeted to be extracted in this systematic review and meta-analysis.ResultsWithin the initial 702 records, there were finally 8 real-world observational studies extracted. Results suggest that patients with HS are associated with all liver diseases (OR= 1.50; 95% CI, 1.27, 1.76), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (OR= 1.78; 95% CI, 1.28, 2.48) and hepatitis B (OR=1.48; 95% CI, 1.12, 1.94), but not hepatitis C (OR= 1.27; 95% CI, 0.78, 2.07). HS patients were associated with significantly increased risk of liver diseases, especially the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and hepatitis B.ConclusionsClinicians should be alert to the clinical relationship while caring people with hidradenitis suppurativa and the screening of liver function should be recommended to HS patients. Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42022296034

Association of early childhood constipation with the risk of autism spectrum disorder in Taiwan: Real-world evidence from a nationwide population-based cohort study

BackgroundAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental problem that presents with limited interests, repetitive behaviors, and deficits in reciprocal communication and social interactions. Mounting evidence indicates that an imbalanced gut microbiota contributes to autism via the gut-brain axis. Constipation may result in alteration of the gut microbiota. The clinical influence of constipation on ASD has not been fully researched. Thus, in this study we aimed to evaluate whether early childhood constipation influenced the risk of developing ASD using a nationwide population-based cohort study.MethodsWe identified 12,935 constipated children aged 3 years or younger from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) in Taiwan from 1997 to 2013. Non-constipated children were also selected from the database and propensity score matching of age, gender, and underlying comorbidities was conducted with a ratio of 1:1. Kaplan–Meier analysis was applied to determine different levels of constipation severity and cumulative incidence of autism. Subgroup analysis was also applied in this study.ResultsThe incidence rate of ASD was 12.36 per 100,000 person-months in the constipation group, which was higher than the rate of 7.84 per 100,000 person-months noted in the non-constipation controls. Constipated children had a significantly higher risk of autism when compared to the non-constipation group (crude relative risk = 1.458, 95% CI = 1.116–1.904; adjusted hazard ratio = 1.445, 95% CI = 1.095–1.907).Moreover, among constipated children, a higher number of laxative prescriptions, male gender, constipation during infancy, and atopic dermatitis were significantly associated with higher risks of ASD when compared to the non-constipation group.ConclusionConstipation in early childhood was correlated with a significantly increased risk of ASD. Clinicians should pay attention to the possibility of ASD in constipated children. Further research is necessary to study the possible pathophysiological mechanisms of this association

Real-time observation of magnetization and magnon dynamics in a two-dimensional topological antiferromagnet MnBi2Te4

Atomically thin van der Waals magnetic materials have not only provided a fertile playground to explore basic physics in the two-dimensional (2D) limit but also created vast opportunities for novel ultrafast functional devices. Here we systematically investigate ultrafast magnetization dynamics and spin wave dynamics in few-layer topological antiferromagnetic MnBi2Te4 crystals as a function of layer number, temperature, and magnetic field. We observe laser-induced (de)magnetization processes that can be used to accurately track the distinct magnetic states in different magnetic field regimes, including showing clear odd-even layer number effects. In addition, strongly field-dependent antiferromagnetic magnon modes with tens of gigahertz frequencies are optically generated and directly observed in the time domain. These measurements present the first comprehensive overview of ultrafast spin dynamics in this novel 2D antiferromagnet, paving the way for potential applications in 2D antiferromagnetic spintronics and magnonics as well as further studies of ultrafast control of both magnetization and topological quantum states