64 research outputs found
Diagnosis of covert coarctation of the aorta in adolescents
ObjectivesBy reviewing the diagnostic process for adolescents with coarctation of the aorta (CoA) in our institution, we analyzed the reasons for delayed diagnosis of CoA. We also proposed a diagnostic protocol to improve the detection rate of CoA.MethodsIn this retrospective study, we included 48 patients aged 12â18 years who were diagnosed with CoA in our hospital from January 2000 to November 2022. Clinical data from involved cases in local hospitals and our institution were collected.ResultsAll patients had blood pressure (BP) measurements in upper and lower extremities in our institution. They all had hypertension, 29 (60.4%) of whom had known histories of the same. BP in the upper limbs of 47 (97.9%) patients was â„20â
mmHg higher than that in the lower limbs, and BP in the upper limb of 1 (2.1%) patient was greater than 0 and less than 20â
mmHg than that in the lower limb. Echocardiography (ECHO) was performed in all patients, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed in 44 patients (91.7%). There were 38 (79.2%) patients who visited local hospitals. Among them, a total of 20 (52.6%) patients had their right upper extremity BP measured, 18 (47.4%) only had their left upper extremity BP measured, and 16 (42.1%) had their lower extremity BP measured. ECHO was performed in 27 (56.2%) patients and CT/MRI was performed in 18 (37.5%) patients. The detection rate for CT/MRI was 100%, and those of ECHO were 72.9% and 18.5% at our institution and a local hospital, respectively. Forty-eight (100%) and 23 (60.5%) patients were detected in our institution and local hospitals (Pâ<â0.0001).ConclusionWe recommend measuring BP in the bilateral upper extremities. Measurement of BP in the lower extremities is recommended if hypertension is diagnosed. MRI/CT is recommended when BP in the upper extremity is greater than that in the lower extremity
Multi-dimensional vibration sensing and simultaneous self-homodyne optical transmission of single wavelength net 5.36 Tb/s signal using telecom 7-core fiber
We present a high-capacity self-homodyne optical transmission system that
enables simultaneously multidimensional vibration sensing based on a
weakly-coupled 7-core fiber. To our knowledge, we demonstrate for the
first-time detection of fiber vibration direction along with strength,
frequency, and location of the vibration source, while transmitting in the
meantime single-carrier 16 QAM signal reaching a net date rate of 5.36 Tb/s
over 41.4 km of telecom 7-core fiber.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Advancements in culture technology of adipose-derived stromal/stem cells: implications for diabetes and its complications
Stem cell-based therapies exhibit considerable promise in the treatment of diabetes and its complications. Extensive research has been dedicated to elucidate the characteristics and potential applications of adipose-derived stromal/stem cells (ASCs). Three-dimensional (3D) culture, characterized by rapid advancements, holds promise for efficacious treatment of diabetes and its complications. Notably, 3D cultured ASCs manifest enhanced cellular properties and functions compared to traditional monolayer-culture. In this review, the factors influencing the biological functions of ASCs during culture are summarized. Additionally, the effects of 3D cultured techniques on cellular properties compared to two-dimensional culture is described. Furthermore, the therapeutic potential of 3D cultured ASCs in diabetes and its complications are discussed to provide insights for future research
A mixed black and whitelist approach for wildlife trade regulation in China: Biodiversity conservation is made of shades of gray
The KunmingâMontreal Global Biodiversity Framework requires effective actions to bend the curve of biodiversity loss by 2030. Wildlife trade, a direct drive of biodiversity decline, calls for more effective regulations to both protect wildlife populations in the wild and facilitate sustainable use of wildlife resources to meet human needs. This call has become particularly urgent in light of the COVIDâ19 pandemic. In 2021, China's List of State Key Protected Wild Animals, a list of fauna under the strictest protection by national legislation, has been updated in the year 2021, 32 years after its first release, increasing its coverage (from the original 13%) an 11% of species across taxa. Combined with the updated List of State Protected Terrestrial Wild Animals which covers species with lower protection priority, these two national lists already cover 77% terrestrial vertebrate species of China. Such a blacklist approach, placing threatened species under a list of legal protection, is a common practice globally in species conservation. We discussed pros and cons of this dominant strategy and further explored the potential integration with a whitelist approach, listing all wildlife and only permitting regulated uses of certain species. We propose a mixed approach combining black and whitelists at different administration levels which could perhaps be first adopted in China. This is mainly due to the fact that in addition to illegal harvesting from the wild, traded wildlife in China are mostly from captive breeding and related laundering of wildâcaught animals
A significant carbon sink in temperate forests in Beijing: based on 20-year field measurements in three stands
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