Objective: To quantify the changes in blood glucose, blood lipids, blood pressure, and the intima-media thickness (IMT) of large arteries in patients with new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus who received either intensi...Objective: To quantify the changes in blood glucose, blood lipids, blood pressure, and the intima-media thickness (IMT) of large arteries in patients with new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus who received either intensive multifactorial treatment or conventional treatment. Methods: Two-hundred and ten patients with new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomly assigned to two groups: an intensive treatment group (n=110) and a conventional treatment group (n=100). Fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure, blood lipids [total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein C (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein C (HDL-C)], and IMTs of large arteries (carotid, iliac, and femoral arteries) were determined before and at one and two years after starting treatment. The patients in the conventional treatment group received routine diabetes management in our outpatient department. Targets were established for patients in the intensive treatment group. Their blood glucose, blood lipids, and blood pressure levels were regularly monitored and therapeutic regimens were adjusted for those whose measurements did not meet the target values until all the parameters met the established targets. Within-group and between-group differences were evaluated. Results: A significantly greater percentage of patients in the intensive treatment group had LDL-C levels that reached the target value one year after starting treatment than those in the conventional treatment group (52.04% vs. 33.33%, P<0.05). No significant differences were found be- tween groups for FBG, HbA1c, blood pressure, TG, TC, or HDL-C. The percentages of patients with TG (51.02% vs. 34.48%), TC (52.04% vs. 33.33%), and LDL-C (61.22% vs. 43.67%) who met the respective target values in the in- tensive treatment group were all significantly higher than the corresponding percentages in the conventional treatment group two years after starting treatment (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the percentages of patients with FBG, HbA1c, and blood pressure values meeting the respective targets between the groups at the two-year follow- up. One year after starting treatment, the LDL-C level, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and the IMTs of the femoral and iliac arteries of the intensive treatment group were significantly lower compared to those of the conventional treatment group (P<0.05), although there was no significant difference in other metabolic parameters. Two years after starting treatment, the TC, LDL-C, blood pressure [systolic blood pressure (SBP) and DBP], and the IMTs of the carotid and femoral arteries of the intensive treatment group were significantly lower than those of the conventional treatment group (P<0.05). No significant differences in other metabolic parameters existed between the two groups two years after starting treatment. Conclusions: Early comprehensive and intensive treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus can delay or even reverse the increase in IMT of large arteries. Lowering blood pressure and blood lipid regulation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus have great significance in decreasing the risk of diabetes-related macrovascular lesions.展开更多
Objective To evaluate whether waist circumference （WC） 〉85 cm is related to asymptomatic preclinical atherosclerosis in women from Shanghai, China. Methods A total of 2365 females aged 〉20 years recruited from 4 c...Objective To evaluate whether waist circumference （WC） 〉85 cm is related to asymptomatic preclinical atherosclerosis in women from Shanghai, China. Methods A total of 2365 females aged 〉20 years recruited from 4 communities underwent physical examination and carotid artery scanning. Their carotid intima-media thickness （C-iMT） was measured. Results The C-IMT was significantly higher in overweight or obese women with their BMI 〉25.0 kg/m2 {P〈O.01） and in those with their WC _〉85 cm than in those with their WC 〈85 cm （P〈O.01）. Spearman and partial correlation analysis showed that the C-IMT was significantly correlated with WC which was independent of menopausal status. The C-IMT significantly increased with the increasing WC and reached to a platform in about 85 cm. An increment tendency was found in the subgroup with its WC 〈 85 cm （P〈O.01） while no significant tendency was found in the subgroup with its WC_〉85 cm （P=0.07）. Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that the WC was an independent risk factor for C-IMT. In logistic regression model, the odd ratio of WC _〉80 cm, _〉80 cm and 〈85 cm and 〉85 cm for evaluating the risk of C-IMT elevation was 2.632, 2.501, and 1.878, respectively. Conclusion WC is significantly correlated with C-IMT in women from Shanghai, China, and WC_〉85 cm may be used in identifying the risk of subclinical carotid atherosclerosis.展开更多
Background To report quality control methods and baseline reproducibility data of the ultrasound measurements of carotid artery intima-media thickness in the project of Establishment of an Integrated System for Corona...Background To report quality control methods and baseline reproducibility data of the ultrasound measurements of carotid artery intima-media thickness in the project of Establishment of an Integrated System for Coronary Heart Disease Prevention and Treatment. Methods Standard ultrasound scanning and measuring protocols were established by the study group. All sonographers and readers were trained by the carotid ultrasound core lab and all digital ultrasound images were centrally read. Ten subjects were scanned twice （with 1 week interval） by 2 sonographers independently and images were read by a single reader to evaluate the sonographer variability. Twenty subjects＇ images were read twice （with 1 week interval） by a single reader to assess the reader variability and the reproducibility of IMT measured at different carotid segments. Results The intraclass correlation （ICC） of intra- and inter-sonographer and intra- reader for mean IMT measurements was 0.99, 0.98 and 0.97 respectively; while for max IMT, it was 0.97, 0.99 and 0.95 respectively. Among different carotid segments and sites, ICC for mean 1MT measurements of common carotid （CCA）, carotid artery bulb （Bulb）, internal carotid artery （ICA）, overall near wall and overall far wall was 0.97, 0.99, 0.89, 0.93 and 0.98 respectively. Conclusion The reproducibility of IMT measurements according to our protocol is acceptable, although better reproducibility is found when measuring the mean IMT than max IMT, CCA and Bulb IMT than ICA IMT, and far wall IMT than near wall IMT.展开更多
Renal transplant （RT） recipients have a high risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. However, the effects of renal transplantation on the development of arteriosclerosis have been controversial. The carotid inti...Renal transplant （RT） recipients have a high risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. However, the effects of renal transplantation on the development of arteriosclerosis have been controversial. The carotid intima-media thickness （CIMT） and diameter （CD） are important indicators of vascular remodeling and arteriosclerosis. In this study, 31 patients with hemodialysis （HD）, 31 RT recipients and 84 age- and gender-matched control subjects were enrolled. Their CIMT and CD were measured by ultrasonic radiofrequency tracking, and the linear regression models and Z test were used to identify the progression of arteriosclerosis and the risk factors. Compared with HD group, RT group had significantly lower CIMT and CD. CIMT was found to be associated with age, body weight, resistance index and diastolic velocity, while CD was associated significantly with age, body weight, pulsatility index, end diastolic velocity and diastolic blood pressure （DBP）, respectively. The correlation curves between CIMT and age showed the slopes of curves were decreased successively in control, RT and HD groups, and the curves between CD and age showed the slopes were decreased in order of RT 〉 control 〉 HD groups. It was concluded that CIMT and CD were significantly correlated with age in RT and moderately with age in HD patients. RT could reduce the progress of arteriosclerosis in patients with end-stage renal disease.展开更多
Background Thalassemic patients demonstrate an increased rate of extracardiae vascular complications and increased carotid wall intima-media thickness （cIMT）, but very low prevalence of coronary artery disease （CAD...Background Thalassemic patients demonstrate an increased rate of extracardiae vascular complications and increased carotid wall intima-media thickness （cIMT）, but very low prevalence of coronary artery disease （CAD）. We investigated the atheroma burden by assessing the coronary artery calcium （CAC） and elMT in these patients. Methods We examined 37 patients with β-thalassemia and 150 healthy control volunteers with multi-detector computer tomography （CT） and ultrasonography to determine CAC score and cIMT, respectively. Results Propensity score matching （C-statistic： 0.88; 95% CI： 0.83-0.93） resulted in 27 pairs of patients; severe CAC was observed in 2 （7.4%） and 0 of β-thalassemia patients and healthy volunteers respectively （P = 0.5）. Median calcium score was 0 （0-0） in β-thalassemia patients and 0 （0-4） in healthy volunteers （P = 0.8）. Median intima-media thickness was higher in β-thalassemia patients compared to control group [0.45 （0.06-0.65） vs. 0.062 （0.054-0.086）; P = 0.04]. Conclusions Patients with β-thalassemia in comparison with healthy control subjects exhibit similar CAC score and increased cIMT. Our findings indicate a disparate rate of progression of atherosclerosis between coronary and extracardiac arteries in these patients lending support to the epidemiological evidence.展开更多
Stroke and heart attack,which could be led by a kind of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease named as atherosclerosis,would seriously cause human morbidity and mortality.It is important for the early stage diagn...Stroke and heart attack,which could be led by a kind of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease named as atherosclerosis,would seriously cause human morbidity and mortality.It is important for the early stage diagnosis and monitoring medical intervention of the atherosclerosis.Carotid stenosis is a classical atherosclerotic lesion with vessel wall narrowing down and accumulating plaques burden.The carotid artery of intima-media thickness(IMT)is a key indicator to the disease.With the development of computer assisted diagnosis technology,the imaging techniques,segmentation algorithms,measurement methods,and evaluation tools have made considerable progress.Ultrasound imaging,being real-time,economic,reliable,and safe,now seems to become a standard in vascular assessment methodology especially for the measurement of IMT.This review firstly attempts to discuss the clinical relevance of measurements in clinical practice at first,and then followed by the challenges that one has to face when approaching the segmentation of ultrasound images.Secondly,the commonly used methods for the IMT segmentation and measurement are presented.Thirdly,discussion and evaluation of different segmentation techniques are performed.An overview of summary and future perspectives is given finally.展开更多
Background Increased plasma level of Lp-PLA2 is a potential risk factor for atherosclerosis. Nevertheless, whether Lp-PLA2 has effects on both vascular function and structure changes is still unclear. Method One hundr...Background Increased plasma level of Lp-PLA2 is a potential risk factor for atherosclerosis. Nevertheless, whether Lp-PLA2 has effects on both vascular function and structure changes is still unclear. Method One hundred and eighty-six outpatient subjects without overt cardiovascular disease were enrolled and anthropomet- ric data, plasma level of Lp-PLA2 and other related laboratory parameters were collected. Measurements of pulse wave velocity （PWV） and carotid intima-media thickness （CIMT） were performed by an experienced investigator. According to plasma level of Lp-PLA2, all the subjects were divided into two groups as follows： 〈 200 ng/mL （n = 96） and ≥200 ng/mL （n = 90）. Result Body mass index, smoking, diabetic mellitus, systolic blood pressure, and LDL-C level were positive correlation with plasma level of Lp-PLA2, while use of statins was negatively correlative. Both PWV and CIMT positively correlated with smoking, systolic blood pressure, LDL-C level and plasma level of Lp-PLA2, while negatively correlated with HDL-C level and usage of statins. CIMT in the group with plasma level of Lp-PLA2 〈 200 ng/mL （0.9 ± 0.2 mm, n = 96） was sig- nificantly less than that with plasma level of Lp-PLA2≥200 ng/mL （1.2 ±0.4 mm, n = 90, P = 0.32）, and similar finding was also observed in PWV （9.1± 0.5 m/s vs 12.7 ± 0.4 m/s, P = 0.38）. Conclusion Our present study shows that in subjects without overt CVD, increased plasma level of Lp-PLA2 is associated with vascular function （PWV） and structure （CIMT） deterioration.展开更多
Objective:To explore the relationship of plasma homocysteine(Hcy),soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1(sICAM-1)and high mobility group box 1 protein(HMGB1)with carotid intima-media thickness(c-IMT)in elderly pati...Objective:To explore the relationship of plasma homocysteine(Hcy),soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1(sICAM-1)and high mobility group box 1 protein(HMGB1)with carotid intima-media thickness(c-IMT)in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods:A total of 100 elderly patients who were diagnosed as type 2 diabetes mellitus in Baogang Hospital of Inner Mongolia from June 2017 to May 2020 were chosen as research objects.According to c-IMT,they were divided into the normal group(n=35),the mild to moderate group(n=41)and the severe group(n=24).The expression levels of plasma Hcy,sICAM-1 and HMGB1 were compared between groups respectively.Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to analyze the relationship of plasma Hcy,sICAM-1,HMGB1 with c-IMT.Results:The comparison in plasma Hcy,sICAM-1,HMGB1 and c-IMT among the three groups of patients was of statistical significance(p<.05).The results of correlation analysis showed that the expression levels of plasma Hcy,sICAM-1 and HMGB1 were positively correlated with c-IMT in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(r=.627,.598,.614;p<.05).Conclusions:The expression levels of plasma Hcy,sICAM-1 and HMGB1 are abnormally increased in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus,and related to c-IMT,which can provide a strong evidence for clinical diagnosis and treatment by detecting their levels in clinical practice.展开更多
Objective:To explore the correlation between epicardial fat thickness(EFT),aortic velocity propagation(AVP),and abdominal aortic intima-media thickness(AA-IMT)in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism(SH).Additional...Objective:To explore the correlation between epicardial fat thickness(EFT),aortic velocity propagation(AVP),and abdominal aortic intima-media thickness(AA-IMT)in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism(SH).Additionally,to compare these indicators between SH patients and healthy individuals,providing a new theoretical basis for the clinical prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.Method:Clinical data from 50 SH patients(23 males and 27 females)and 50 healthy outpatient examinees(22 males and 28 females)were analyzed.The participants were selected from January 2022 to December 2023 at Loudi Central Hospital.EFT,AVP,and AA-IMT were measured,and their correlations were analyzed.Results:SH patients had significantly higher EFT and AA-IMT levels than the control group,while their AVP was significantly lower,with these differences being statistically significant(P<0.05).Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between EFT and AVP(P<0.001),a significant positive correlation between EFT and AAO-IMT(P<0.001),and a significant negative correlation between AVP and AAO-IMT(P<0.001).Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis identified increased EFT,decreased AVP,and increased AAO-IMT as independent risk factors for SH patients.Conclusion:In SH patients,EFT and AAO-IMT are elevated,whereas AVP is reduced.EFT and AVP are significantly correlated with AAO-IMT.EFT and AAO-IMT can serve as reliable indicators for evaluating subclinical atherosclerosis in SH patients,providing a diagnostic basis for clinical practice.展开更多
Objective Waist circumference, as a brief indicator of visceral obesity, is associated with multi-metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases. The present study was aimed to find out the relationship between waist...Objective Waist circumference, as a brief indicator of visceral obesity, is associated with multi-metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases. The present study was aimed to find out the relationship between waist circumference and carotid intima media thickness （C-IMT）, as well as the best waist circumference cutoff for identifying C-IMT elevation in Chinese male patients with newly-diagnosed diabetes. Methods Five hundred and seventy-eight patients from Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism in Shanghai Sixth People＇s Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University were enrolled. Both physical examination （for measurement of waist circumference） and carotid ultrasonography （for measurement of C-IMT） were performed. Results After grouping according to the quartiles of C-IMT, the waist circumference increased across all its quartiles. The waist circumference in 3rd and 4th quartiles （90.7_＋9.8 cm and 90.8＋9.6 cm） was significant higher than in 1st and 2nd quartiles （P〈0.05）. When subjects were divided into 4 groups according to waist circumference, the C-IMT of subjects with waist circumference 90-95 cm was significant higher than that of subjects with waist circumference 85-90 cm and less than 85 cm respectively （P〈0.05）. Both spearman and partial correlation analysis showed that C-IMT was positively correlated with waist circumference （P〈0.01）. C-IMT was found significantly elevated with the increase of waist circumference. Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that waist circumference was one of the independent risk factors of C-IMT. After an average of 2.23_＋0.85 years follow up, there was a significant elevation of C-IMT in the group with baseline waist circumference over 90 cm P〈0.05）, while no significant difference was detected in the group with baseline waist circumference less than 90 cm （P=0.27）. Logistic regression showed that baseline waist circumference over 90 cm was associated with a relative risk to C-IMT elevation of 1.132 （95% CI 1.043-1.431, P〈0.05）. Conclusion Among newly-diagnosed diabetic male patients, waist circumference over 90 cm not only reflects sub-clinical atherosclerosis in early stage, but also predicts the progression of atherosclerosis.展开更多
Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is frequently associated with atherosclerosis with changes in the thickness of the intima-media of carotid arteries which causes increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Cardiova...Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is frequently associated with atherosclerosis with changes in the thickness of the intima-media of carotid arteries which causes increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in this group of patients. The carotid artery reflects the degree of atherosclerosis in the various vessels especially coronary arteries. Measurement of the carotid artery thickness with real time, relatively cheap and non-invasive ultrasonography method is used in monitoring atherosclerotic disease progression and response to treatment. This study is aimed at ultrasonographic evaluation of the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in adult Type 2 Diabetic patients compared to non-diabetic healthy controls matched for age, gender and body mass index (BMI). And to also determine its association if any with selected clinical factors among a native Black African population. Methodology: This was a prospective case control study involving 54 adult type 2 diabetics and 54 adult non-diabetic controls. CIMT was measured at 3 segments of the extracranial carotid arteries by a 7.5 - 10 MHz linear transducer of a portable Mindray M5 ultrasound machine. Results: Among the native black African population studied, there was significant difference in CIMT of adult type 2 diabetics compared to healthy non-diabetics adults (p value = 0.012 and 0.001 on the right and left respectively). The mean carotid intima-media thickness in diabetics was 0.81 mm and 0.85 mm, while in non-diabetics it was 0.74 mm and 0.75 mm on the right and left respectively. The presence of diabetes showed independent positive correlation with CIMT (beta: 0.24, p value = 0.004). Age (beta: 0.30, p value = 0.001) and plasma cholesterol level (beta: 0.30, p value = 0.013) also had positive correlation with CIMT. Conclusion: There was statistically significant difference in carotid intima-media thickness between adult type 2 diabetics and age, sex matched non-diabetics. DM showed independent correlation with CIMT.展开更多
Background: Many factors can contribute to atherosclerotic-type vascular changes in older individuals or men. Thus, confining the investigation to young women with no clinical evidence of the condition could enhance u...Background: Many factors can contribute to atherosclerotic-type vascular changes in older individuals or men. Thus, confining the investigation to young women with no clinical evidence of the condition could enhance understanding of the early stages of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to determine whether carotid mean/max intima-media thickness (IMT) and brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD) values, which are well-known event-related indices, are associated with laboratory data and the other vascular indices of atherosclerosis in healthy young women. Methods: Carotid mean/max IMT and brachial FMD were measured in young women with no clinical evidence of atherosclerosis (n = 110;mean age, 39 years) who were instructed not to eat, drink or smoke after 9 PM the evening before testing. All participants also underwent laboratory assessment, including simultaneous measurements of arterial stiffness such as augmentation index (AI), cardioankle vascular index (CAVI) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Results: Mean IMT was signifi-cantly and positively associated with age (p = 0.002), CAVI (p = 0.044), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C, p = 0.047) and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP, p = 0.002) values but was not related to FMD, AI, baPWV or triglycerides (TG) in the multivariate regression analysis. Similarly, max IMT was positively associated with age (p p = 0.003) and hs-CRP (p = 0.005) values but was not related to FMD, AI, CAVI, baPWV, TG or blood pressure level in the multivariate regression analysis. The association between LDL-C and max IMT was much stronger than that between LDL-C and mean IMT. Brachial FMD was positively associated only with heart rate in the multivariate regression analysis. Conclusions: These results suggest that mean IMT more closely represents the sclerotic aspect of vascular change, whereas max IMT represents the atherotic aspect in healthy young women. Although the relationship between the autonomic nervous system and heart rate is well-known, there may be a complex interaction between the autonomic nervous system and endothelial function.展开更多
Purpose: To study the association between carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) and high sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) level as markers for PAD in elderly patients with DM. Subjects: A case-control study on 90 participants...Purpose: To study the association between carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) and high sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) level as markers for PAD in elderly patients with DM. Subjects: A case-control study on 90 participants aged 60 years and older divided into 60 cases (30 patients with DM alone and 30 patients with DM and comorbidities) and 30 healthy controls. All were assessed by measuring CIMT, ankle brachial index (AB), and markers for cardiovascular disease such as high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and low density lipoprotein (LDL). Results: hs-CRP levels showed statistically significant difference being highest among patients with DM and comorbidities and lowest among controls (P < 0.001). Also, symptoms of PAD were significantly higher among cases than controls. ABI was able to detect PAD in many asymptomatic patients. Color changes were present in only 43.30% (n = 26) of positive PAD cases while delayed wound healing, claudication pain, rest pain, cold extremities, and trophic changes were present in 23.30% (n = 14), 16.71% (n = 10), 16.71% (n = 10), 45.00% (n = 27), and 21.7% (n = 13). Using logistic regression analysis revealed that DM, CIMT, and hs-CRP were independent predictors for PAD (OR = 4.194, 7.236, 1.003;P value = 0.044, 0.25, 0.031) after adjustment of other coronary risk factors such as sex, smoking, hypertension, TC, and TG. Conclusion: Diabetic elderly have higher prevalence of asymptomatic PAD thannon-diabetics using solely ABI. DM, CIMT, and hs-CRP are independent predictors for the occurrence of PAD. Hs-CRP levels are highest among diabetics with comorbidities.展开更多
The dependence of interface structure and mechanical properties on the modulation layer thickness of VN/TiN−Ni nano-multilayered films deposited on Si substrates using a reactive magnetron sputtering technique was sys...The dependence of interface structure and mechanical properties on the modulation layer thickness of VN/TiN−Ni nano-multilayered films deposited on Si substrates using a reactive magnetron sputtering technique was systematically investigated. The films were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and nanoindentation. The results show that the TiN−Ni layer grows epitaxially on the VN layer, forming a coherent interface between the two sublayers. When the deposition time ratio of the two sublayers (TTiN−Ni꞉TVN) is 10꞉12, the films exhibit remarkable mechanical properties, with hardness, elastic modulus, and fracture toughness values of 25.9 GPa, 317 GPa, and 1.88 MPa·m^(1/2), respectively. Meanwhile, fracture toughness is improved by approximately 50% compared to the VN monolithic film. This enhancement is attributed to the coherent interface between the sublayers and the phase separation in the TiN−Ni layer.展开更多
Leaf thickness in rice critically influences photosynthetic efficiency and yield,yet its genetic basis remains poorly understood,with few functional genes previously characterized.In this study,we employ a pangenome-w...Leaf thickness in rice critically influences photosynthetic efficiency and yield,yet its genetic basis remains poorly understood,with few functional genes previously characterized.In this study,we employ a pangenome-wide association study(Pan-GWAS)on 302 diverse rice accessions from southern China,identifying 49 quantitative trait loci(QTLs)associated with leaf thickness.The most significant locus,qLT9,is fine-mapped to a 79-kb region on chromosome 9.Transcriptomic and genomic sequence analyses identify LOC_Os09g33480,which encodes a protein belonging to Multiple Organellar RNA Editing Factor family,as the key candidate gene.Overexpression and complementation transgenic experiments confirm LOC_Os09g33480(OsLT9)as the functional gene underlying qLT9,demonstrating a 24-bp Indel in its promoter correlates with the expression levels and leaf thickness.Notably,OsLT9 overexpression lines show not only thicker leaf,but also significantly enhanced photosynthetic efficiency and grain yield,establishing a link between leaf thickness modulation and yield enhancement.Population genomic analyses indicate strong selection for OsLT9 during domestication and breeding,with modern cultivars favoring thick leaf haplotype of OsLT9.This study establishes OsLT9 as a key regulator controlling leaf thickness in rice,and provides a valuable genetic resource for molecular breeding of high-yielding rice through optimization of plant architecture.展开更多
In order to eliminate the meshing interference between the flexspline and circular spline after the taper deformation of the flexspline,the radial deformation difference method,major and minor axis fitting method,and ...In order to eliminate the meshing interference between the flexspline and circular spline after the taper deformation of the flexspline,the radial deformation difference method,major and minor axis fitting method,and ellipse fitting method are used to modify the tooth thickness of the flexspline and analyze the performance indexes such as the assembly stress,transmission error,and fatigue life.Firstly,the conjugate tooth profile is solved based on the quadruple-circular-arc tooth profile and modified kinematic method.Then,based on the finite element radial deformation of the flexspline,the principle and characteristics of three modification methods are analyzed,and the modification amount of each section of the flexspline tooth is calculated.Finally,the influence of the three modification methods on the performance of the harmonic drive is compared.The results show that the radial deformation difference method can initially determine the modification amount.The minimum static assembly stress is 406.22 MPa by the major and minor axis fitting method.The ellipse fitting method has the best dynamic performance,small transmission error fluctuation,a peak-to-peak value of 3.060",and a maximum fatigue life of 10^(7.558)cycles.展开更多
AIM:To investigate the changes of retinal vascular parameters and retinal layer thickness in patients with multiple sclerosis(MS).METHODS:This single-centered case-control study was performed on a MS group of 42 patie...AIM:To investigate the changes of retinal vascular parameters and retinal layer thickness in patients with multiple sclerosis(MS).METHODS:This single-centered case-control study was performed on a MS group of 42 patients diagnosed with MS and a control group of 43 healthy hospital staff matched in terms of age and sex at Iran University,department of neurology and ophthalmology from March 2020 to March 2021.The ophthalmic parameters of each patient were recorded,and optical coherence tomography was used to evaluate the retinal thickness in the layers.RESULTS:This study enrolled a total of 85 participants,with a mean age of 40.44±11.52 years,including 61 females(72%).The control group consisted of 43 individuals with a mean age of 39.49±11.07 years,while the MS group comprised 42 participants with a mean age of 41.40±12.01 years.The mean disease duration in the MS group was 8.45±6.04 a.The thickness of the ganglion cell layer in the right eye was significantly lower in the MS group compared to the control group(P=0.034).In addition,except for the left nasal sector(P=0.106),the mean peripapillary neurofibrillation in all examined sectors were significantly lower in the MS group than in the control group(P<0.05).The average vessel density in both the deep and superficial capillary plexuses across all regions of both eyes was lower in the MS group than in the control group,with all comparisons for the superficial capillary plexus showing statistical significance(P<0.05 for all except the left nasal sector).CONCLUSION:The thickness of the retina of patients with MS is significantly reduced.Therefore,optical coherence tomography results can be used as a reliable tool to evaluate disease progression and prognosis in MS patients.展开更多
BaFe_(12)O_(19)(BaM)thin films with thicknesses ranging from 15 nm–200 nm were deposited on Al_(2)O_(3)(0001)substrates by pulsed laser deposition(PLD).X-ray diffraction patterns show that a buffer layer with a thick...BaFe_(12)O_(19)(BaM)thin films with thicknesses ranging from 15 nm–200 nm were deposited on Al_(2)O_(3)(0001)substrates by pulsed laser deposition(PLD).X-ray diffraction patterns show that a buffer layer with a thickness of nearly 60 nm forms on the substrate,and then a c-axis perpendicularly oriented Ba M thin film grows on the buffer layer.Atomic force microscopy results indicate that the Ba M thin film exhibits a spiral island growth mode on the buffer layer.Magnetic hysteresis loop results confirm that the buffer layer exhibits no significant magnetic anisotropy,while the Ba M thin film exhibits perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.The out-of-plane coercivity decreases with increasing Ba M thin-film thickness due to the combined effect of grain size growth and lattice strain relaxation.The 200 nm thick film exhibits optimum magnetic properties with M_(s)=319 emu/cm^(3) and H_(c)=1546 Oe.展开更多
In dry-coupled ultrasonic thickness measurement,thick rubber layers introduce high-amplitude parasitic echoes that obscure defect signals and degrade thickness accuracy.Existing methods struggle to resolve overlap-pin...In dry-coupled ultrasonic thickness measurement,thick rubber layers introduce high-amplitude parasitic echoes that obscure defect signals and degrade thickness accuracy.Existing methods struggle to resolve overlap-ping echoes under variable coupling conditions and non-stationary noise.This study proposes a novel dual-criterion framework integrating energy contribution and statistical impulsivity metrics to isolate specimen re-flections from coupling-layer interference.By decomposing A-scan signals into Intrinsic Mode Functions(IMFs),the framework employs energy contribution thresholds(>85%)and kurtosis indices(>3)to autonomously select IMFs containing valid specimen echoes.Hybrid time-frequency thresholding further suppresses interference through amplitude filtering and spectral focusing.Experimental results demonstrate the framework’s robustness,achieving 92.3%thickness accuracy for 5 mm steel specimens with 5 mm rubber coupling,outperforming conventional methods by up to 18.7%.The dual-criterion approach reduces operator dependency by 37%and maintainsΔT<0.03 mm under surface roughness up to 6.3μm,offering a practical solution for industrial nondestructive testing with thick dry-coupled interfaces.展开更多
Background Controlling plasma glucose levels, blood pressure and lipid levels is proven to reduce the risk of vascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This has prompted intensive multitherapy ...Background Controlling plasma glucose levels, blood pressure and lipid levels is proven to reduce the risk of vascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This has prompted intensive multitherapy targeted at several macrovascular risk factors. Carotid intima-media thickness （cIMT） is a reliable measure of early atherosclerosis. We sought to determine whether a 6-month intensive mutiltherapy program resulted in better goal attainment than usual care and its effect on the development of cIMT among patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods The study randomly assigned 220 patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus to intensive or traditional therapy groups. The clinical parameters, such as fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, blood pressure, body weight and insulin were assessed at the baseline and after the 6-month therapy, cIMT of the patients was also obtained. Results The average levels of fasting plasma glucose, hemoglobin Alc, total cholesterol （TC） and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C） in the intensive group were significantly lower than those in the control group at the end of 6-month treatment. By 6 months, a higher proportion of patients in the intensive therapy group than in the control group attained goals for fasting plasma glucose （FPG）, TC, LDL-C and hemoglobin Alc. With intensive multherapy the level of carotid intima-media thickness in the intensive therapy group was lower than that in the control group （（0.88±0.26） mm vs （0.96±0.22） mm, P 〈0.01）. Conclusions The evidence from this clinical trial demonstrates that intensive glucose, lipid and blood pressure control in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes is associated with diabetic macrovascular benefits. Intensive multitherapy allows more patients to achieve aims of control and may reduce macrovascular complications and delay disease progression.展开更多
基金Project(Nos.30700485 and 30771333)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of Chinathe Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(No.Y306641)the National Science & Technology Pillar Program in the Eleventh Five-Year Plan Period of China(No.2006BAI02B08)
文摘Objective: To quantify the changes in blood glucose, blood lipids, blood pressure, and the intima-media thickness (IMT) of large arteries in patients with new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus who received either intensive multifactorial treatment or conventional treatment. Methods: Two-hundred and ten patients with new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomly assigned to two groups: an intensive treatment group (n=110) and a conventional treatment group (n=100). Fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure, blood lipids [total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein C (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein C (HDL-C)], and IMTs of large arteries (carotid, iliac, and femoral arteries) were determined before and at one and two years after starting treatment. The patients in the conventional treatment group received routine diabetes management in our outpatient department. Targets were established for patients in the intensive treatment group. Their blood glucose, blood lipids, and blood pressure levels were regularly monitored and therapeutic regimens were adjusted for those whose measurements did not meet the target values until all the parameters met the established targets. Within-group and between-group differences were evaluated. Results: A significantly greater percentage of patients in the intensive treatment group had LDL-C levels that reached the target value one year after starting treatment than those in the conventional treatment group (52.04% vs. 33.33%, P<0.05). No significant differences were found be- tween groups for FBG, HbA1c, blood pressure, TG, TC, or HDL-C. The percentages of patients with TG (51.02% vs. 34.48%), TC (52.04% vs. 33.33%), and LDL-C (61.22% vs. 43.67%) who met the respective target values in the in- tensive treatment group were all significantly higher than the corresponding percentages in the conventional treatment group two years after starting treatment (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the percentages of patients with FBG, HbA1c, and blood pressure values meeting the respective targets between the groups at the two-year follow- up. One year after starting treatment, the LDL-C level, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and the IMTs of the femoral and iliac arteries of the intensive treatment group were significantly lower compared to those of the conventional treatment group (P<0.05), although there was no significant difference in other metabolic parameters. Two years after starting treatment, the TC, LDL-C, blood pressure [systolic blood pressure (SBP) and DBP], and the IMTs of the carotid and femoral arteries of the intensive treatment group were significantly lower than those of the conventional treatment group (P<0.05). No significant differences in other metabolic parameters existed between the two groups two years after starting treatment. Conclusions: Early comprehensive and intensive treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus can delay or even reverse the increase in IMT of large arteries. Lowering blood pressure and blood lipid regulation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus have great significance in decreasing the risk of diabetes-related macrovascular lesions.
基金supported by National Key Technology R&D Program of China(2009BAI80B01)National Natural Science Foundation of China(81170788)Special Scientific Research Fund of Medical Sanitary(201002002)
文摘Objective To evaluate whether waist circumference （WC） 〉85 cm is related to asymptomatic preclinical atherosclerosis in women from Shanghai, China. Methods A total of 2365 females aged 〉20 years recruited from 4 communities underwent physical examination and carotid artery scanning. Their carotid intima-media thickness （C-iMT） was measured. Results The C-IMT was significantly higher in overweight or obese women with their BMI 〉25.0 kg/m2 {P〈O.01） and in those with their WC _〉85 cm than in those with their WC 〈85 cm （P〈O.01）. Spearman and partial correlation analysis showed that the C-IMT was significantly correlated with WC which was independent of menopausal status. The C-IMT significantly increased with the increasing WC and reached to a platform in about 85 cm. An increment tendency was found in the subgroup with its WC 〈 85 cm （P〈O.01） while no significant tendency was found in the subgroup with its WC_〉85 cm （P=0.07）. Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that the WC was an independent risk factor for C-IMT. In logistic regression model, the odd ratio of WC _〉80 cm, _〉80 cm and 〈85 cm and 〉85 cm for evaluating the risk of C-IMT elevation was 2.632, 2.501, and 1.878, respectively. Conclusion WC is significantly correlated with C-IMT in women from Shanghai, China, and WC_〉85 cm may be used in identifying the risk of subclinical carotid atherosclerosis.
文摘Background To report quality control methods and baseline reproducibility data of the ultrasound measurements of carotid artery intima-media thickness in the project of Establishment of an Integrated System for Coronary Heart Disease Prevention and Treatment. Methods Standard ultrasound scanning and measuring protocols were established by the study group. All sonographers and readers were trained by the carotid ultrasound core lab and all digital ultrasound images were centrally read. Ten subjects were scanned twice （with 1 week interval） by 2 sonographers independently and images were read by a single reader to evaluate the sonographer variability. Twenty subjects＇ images were read twice （with 1 week interval） by a single reader to assess the reader variability and the reproducibility of IMT measured at different carotid segments. Results The intraclass correlation （ICC） of intra- and inter-sonographer and intra- reader for mean IMT measurements was 0.99, 0.98 and 0.97 respectively; while for max IMT, it was 0.97, 0.99 and 0.95 respectively. Among different carotid segments and sites, ICC for mean 1MT measurements of common carotid （CCA）, carotid artery bulb （Bulb）, internal carotid artery （ICA）, overall near wall and overall far wall was 0.97, 0.99, 0.89, 0.93 and 0.98 respectively. Conclusion The reproducibility of IMT measurements according to our protocol is acceptable, although better reproducibility is found when measuring the mean IMT than max IMT, CCA and Bulb IMT than ICA IMT, and far wall IMT than near wall IMT.
文摘Renal transplant （RT） recipients have a high risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. However, the effects of renal transplantation on the development of arteriosclerosis have been controversial. The carotid intima-media thickness （CIMT） and diameter （CD） are important indicators of vascular remodeling and arteriosclerosis. In this study, 31 patients with hemodialysis （HD）, 31 RT recipients and 84 age- and gender-matched control subjects were enrolled. Their CIMT and CD were measured by ultrasonic radiofrequency tracking, and the linear regression models and Z test were used to identify the progression of arteriosclerosis and the risk factors. Compared with HD group, RT group had significantly lower CIMT and CD. CIMT was found to be associated with age, body weight, resistance index and diastolic velocity, while CD was associated significantly with age, body weight, pulsatility index, end diastolic velocity and diastolic blood pressure （DBP）, respectively. The correlation curves between CIMT and age showed the slopes of curves were decreased successively in control, RT and HD groups, and the curves between CD and age showed the slopes were decreased in order of RT 〉 control 〉 HD groups. It was concluded that CIMT and CD were significantly correlated with age in RT and moderately with age in HD patients. RT could reduce the progress of arteriosclerosis in patients with end-stage renal disease.
文摘Background Thalassemic patients demonstrate an increased rate of extracardiae vascular complications and increased carotid wall intima-media thickness （cIMT）, but very low prevalence of coronary artery disease （CAD）. We investigated the atheroma burden by assessing the coronary artery calcium （CAC） and elMT in these patients. Methods We examined 37 patients with β-thalassemia and 150 healthy control volunteers with multi-detector computer tomography （CT） and ultrasonography to determine CAC score and cIMT, respectively. Results Propensity score matching （C-statistic： 0.88; 95% CI： 0.83-0.93） resulted in 27 pairs of patients; severe CAC was observed in 2 （7.4%） and 0 of β-thalassemia patients and healthy volunteers respectively （P = 0.5）. Median calcium score was 0 （0-0） in β-thalassemia patients and 0 （0-4） in healthy volunteers （P = 0.8）. Median intima-media thickness was higher in β-thalassemia patients compared to control group [0.45 （0.06-0.65） vs. 0.062 （0.054-0.086）; P = 0.04]. Conclusions Patients with β-thalassemia in comparison with healthy control subjects exhibit similar CAC score and increased cIMT. Our findings indicate a disparate rate of progression of atherosclerosis between coronary and extracardiac arteries in these patients lending support to the epidemiological evidence.
基金This work is supported by Projects of International Cooperation and Exchanges,National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(Grant No.:30911120497)the National 973 project Grant No.:2011CB933103.
文摘Stroke and heart attack,which could be led by a kind of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease named as atherosclerosis,would seriously cause human morbidity and mortality.It is important for the early stage diagnosis and monitoring medical intervention of the atherosclerosis.Carotid stenosis is a classical atherosclerotic lesion with vessel wall narrowing down and accumulating plaques burden.The carotid artery of intima-media thickness(IMT)is a key indicator to the disease.With the development of computer assisted diagnosis technology,the imaging techniques,segmentation algorithms,measurement methods,and evaluation tools have made considerable progress.Ultrasound imaging,being real-time,economic,reliable,and safe,now seems to become a standard in vascular assessment methodology especially for the measurement of IMT.This review firstly attempts to discuss the clinical relevance of measurements in clinical practice at first,and then followed by the challenges that one has to face when approaching the segmentation of ultrasound images.Secondly,the commonly used methods for the IMT segmentation and measurement are presented.Thirdly,discussion and evaluation of different segmentation techniques are performed.An overview of summary and future perspectives is given finally.
文摘Background Increased plasma level of Lp-PLA2 is a potential risk factor for atherosclerosis. Nevertheless, whether Lp-PLA2 has effects on both vascular function and structure changes is still unclear. Method One hundred and eighty-six outpatient subjects without overt cardiovascular disease were enrolled and anthropomet- ric data, plasma level of Lp-PLA2 and other related laboratory parameters were collected. Measurements of pulse wave velocity （PWV） and carotid intima-media thickness （CIMT） were performed by an experienced investigator. According to plasma level of Lp-PLA2, all the subjects were divided into two groups as follows： 〈 200 ng/mL （n = 96） and ≥200 ng/mL （n = 90）. Result Body mass index, smoking, diabetic mellitus, systolic blood pressure, and LDL-C level were positive correlation with plasma level of Lp-PLA2, while use of statins was negatively correlative. Both PWV and CIMT positively correlated with smoking, systolic blood pressure, LDL-C level and plasma level of Lp-PLA2, while negatively correlated with HDL-C level and usage of statins. CIMT in the group with plasma level of Lp-PLA2 〈 200 ng/mL （0.9 ± 0.2 mm, n = 96） was sig- nificantly less than that with plasma level of Lp-PLA2≥200 ng/mL （1.2 ±0.4 mm, n = 90, P = 0.32）, and similar finding was also observed in PWV （9.1± 0.5 m/s vs 12.7 ± 0.4 m/s, P = 0.38）. Conclusion Our present study shows that in subjects without overt CVD, increased plasma level of Lp-PLA2 is associated with vascular function （PWV） and structure （CIMT） deterioration.
文摘Objective:To explore the relationship of plasma homocysteine(Hcy),soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1(sICAM-1)and high mobility group box 1 protein(HMGB1)with carotid intima-media thickness(c-IMT)in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods:A total of 100 elderly patients who were diagnosed as type 2 diabetes mellitus in Baogang Hospital of Inner Mongolia from June 2017 to May 2020 were chosen as research objects.According to c-IMT,they were divided into the normal group(n=35),the mild to moderate group(n=41)and the severe group(n=24).The expression levels of plasma Hcy,sICAM-1 and HMGB1 were compared between groups respectively.Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to analyze the relationship of plasma Hcy,sICAM-1,HMGB1 with c-IMT.Results:The comparison in plasma Hcy,sICAM-1,HMGB1 and c-IMT among the three groups of patients was of statistical significance(p<.05).The results of correlation analysis showed that the expression levels of plasma Hcy,sICAM-1 and HMGB1 were positively correlated with c-IMT in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(r=.627,.598,.614;p<.05).Conclusions:The expression levels of plasma Hcy,sICAM-1 and HMGB1 are abnormally increased in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus,and related to c-IMT,which can provide a strong evidence for clinical diagnosis and treatment by detecting their levels in clinical practice.
基金Innovation Project of Loudi Science and Technology Bureau(Project No.Lou Caijiaozhi(2022)No.2)。
文摘Objective:To explore the correlation between epicardial fat thickness(EFT),aortic velocity propagation(AVP),and abdominal aortic intima-media thickness(AA-IMT)in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism(SH).Additionally,to compare these indicators between SH patients and healthy individuals,providing a new theoretical basis for the clinical prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.Method:Clinical data from 50 SH patients(23 males and 27 females)and 50 healthy outpatient examinees(22 males and 28 females)were analyzed.The participants were selected from January 2022 to December 2023 at Loudi Central Hospital.EFT,AVP,and AA-IMT were measured,and their correlations were analyzed.Results:SH patients had significantly higher EFT and AA-IMT levels than the control group,while their AVP was significantly lower,with these differences being statistically significant(P<0.05).Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between EFT and AVP(P<0.001),a significant positive correlation between EFT and AAO-IMT(P<0.001),and a significant negative correlation between AVP and AAO-IMT(P<0.001).Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis identified increased EFT,decreased AVP,and increased AAO-IMT as independent risk factors for SH patients.Conclusion:In SH patients,EFT and AAO-IMT are elevated,whereas AVP is reduced.EFT and AVP are significantly correlated with AAO-IMT.EFT and AAO-IMT can serve as reliable indicators for evaluating subclinical atherosclerosis in SH patients,providing a diagnostic basis for clinical practice.
基金funded by National Key Technology R&D Program of China(2012BAI02B03)Key Discipline of Public Health of Shanghai(Epidemiology)(12GWZX0104)
文摘Objective Waist circumference, as a brief indicator of visceral obesity, is associated with multi-metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases. The present study was aimed to find out the relationship between waist circumference and carotid intima media thickness （C-IMT）, as well as the best waist circumference cutoff for identifying C-IMT elevation in Chinese male patients with newly-diagnosed diabetes. Methods Five hundred and seventy-eight patients from Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism in Shanghai Sixth People＇s Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University were enrolled. Both physical examination （for measurement of waist circumference） and carotid ultrasonography （for measurement of C-IMT） were performed. Results After grouping according to the quartiles of C-IMT, the waist circumference increased across all its quartiles. The waist circumference in 3rd and 4th quartiles （90.7_＋9.8 cm and 90.8＋9.6 cm） was significant higher than in 1st and 2nd quartiles （P〈0.05）. When subjects were divided into 4 groups according to waist circumference, the C-IMT of subjects with waist circumference 90-95 cm was significant higher than that of subjects with waist circumference 85-90 cm and less than 85 cm respectively （P〈0.05）. Both spearman and partial correlation analysis showed that C-IMT was positively correlated with waist circumference （P〈0.01）. C-IMT was found significantly elevated with the increase of waist circumference. Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that waist circumference was one of the independent risk factors of C-IMT. After an average of 2.23_＋0.85 years follow up, there was a significant elevation of C-IMT in the group with baseline waist circumference over 90 cm P〈0.05）, while no significant difference was detected in the group with baseline waist circumference less than 90 cm （P=0.27）. Logistic regression showed that baseline waist circumference over 90 cm was associated with a relative risk to C-IMT elevation of 1.132 （95% CI 1.043-1.431, P〈0.05）. Conclusion Among newly-diagnosed diabetic male patients, waist circumference over 90 cm not only reflects sub-clinical atherosclerosis in early stage, but also predicts the progression of atherosclerosis.
文摘Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is frequently associated with atherosclerosis with changes in the thickness of the intima-media of carotid arteries which causes increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in this group of patients. The carotid artery reflects the degree of atherosclerosis in the various vessels especially coronary arteries. Measurement of the carotid artery thickness with real time, relatively cheap and non-invasive ultrasonography method is used in monitoring atherosclerotic disease progression and response to treatment. This study is aimed at ultrasonographic evaluation of the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in adult Type 2 Diabetic patients compared to non-diabetic healthy controls matched for age, gender and body mass index (BMI). And to also determine its association if any with selected clinical factors among a native Black African population. Methodology: This was a prospective case control study involving 54 adult type 2 diabetics and 54 adult non-diabetic controls. CIMT was measured at 3 segments of the extracranial carotid arteries by a 7.5 - 10 MHz linear transducer of a portable Mindray M5 ultrasound machine. Results: Among the native black African population studied, there was significant difference in CIMT of adult type 2 diabetics compared to healthy non-diabetics adults (p value = 0.012 and 0.001 on the right and left respectively). The mean carotid intima-media thickness in diabetics was 0.81 mm and 0.85 mm, while in non-diabetics it was 0.74 mm and 0.75 mm on the right and left respectively. The presence of diabetes showed independent positive correlation with CIMT (beta: 0.24, p value = 0.004). Age (beta: 0.30, p value = 0.001) and plasma cholesterol level (beta: 0.30, p value = 0.013) also had positive correlation with CIMT. Conclusion: There was statistically significant difference in carotid intima-media thickness between adult type 2 diabetics and age, sex matched non-diabetics. DM showed independent correlation with CIMT.
文摘Background: Many factors can contribute to atherosclerotic-type vascular changes in older individuals or men. Thus, confining the investigation to young women with no clinical evidence of the condition could enhance understanding of the early stages of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to determine whether carotid mean/max intima-media thickness (IMT) and brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD) values, which are well-known event-related indices, are associated with laboratory data and the other vascular indices of atherosclerosis in healthy young women. Methods: Carotid mean/max IMT and brachial FMD were measured in young women with no clinical evidence of atherosclerosis (n = 110;mean age, 39 years) who were instructed not to eat, drink or smoke after 9 PM the evening before testing. All participants also underwent laboratory assessment, including simultaneous measurements of arterial stiffness such as augmentation index (AI), cardioankle vascular index (CAVI) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Results: Mean IMT was signifi-cantly and positively associated with age (p = 0.002), CAVI (p = 0.044), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C, p = 0.047) and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP, p = 0.002) values but was not related to FMD, AI, baPWV or triglycerides (TG) in the multivariate regression analysis. Similarly, max IMT was positively associated with age (p p = 0.003) and hs-CRP (p = 0.005) values but was not related to FMD, AI, CAVI, baPWV, TG or blood pressure level in the multivariate regression analysis. The association between LDL-C and max IMT was much stronger than that between LDL-C and mean IMT. Brachial FMD was positively associated only with heart rate in the multivariate regression analysis. Conclusions: These results suggest that mean IMT more closely represents the sclerotic aspect of vascular change, whereas max IMT represents the atherotic aspect in healthy young women. Although the relationship between the autonomic nervous system and heart rate is well-known, there may be a complex interaction between the autonomic nervous system and endothelial function.
文摘Purpose: To study the association between carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) and high sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) level as markers for PAD in elderly patients with DM. Subjects: A case-control study on 90 participants aged 60 years and older divided into 60 cases (30 patients with DM alone and 30 patients with DM and comorbidities) and 30 healthy controls. All were assessed by measuring CIMT, ankle brachial index (AB), and markers for cardiovascular disease such as high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and low density lipoprotein (LDL). Results: hs-CRP levels showed statistically significant difference being highest among patients with DM and comorbidities and lowest among controls (P < 0.001). Also, symptoms of PAD were significantly higher among cases than controls. ABI was able to detect PAD in many asymptomatic patients. Color changes were present in only 43.30% (n = 26) of positive PAD cases while delayed wound healing, claudication pain, rest pain, cold extremities, and trophic changes were present in 23.30% (n = 14), 16.71% (n = 10), 16.71% (n = 10), 45.00% (n = 27), and 21.7% (n = 13). Using logistic regression analysis revealed that DM, CIMT, and hs-CRP were independent predictors for PAD (OR = 4.194, 7.236, 1.003;P value = 0.044, 0.25, 0.031) after adjustment of other coronary risk factors such as sex, smoking, hypertension, TC, and TG. Conclusion: Diabetic elderly have higher prevalence of asymptomatic PAD thannon-diabetics using solely ABI. DM, CIMT, and hs-CRP are independent predictors for the occurrence of PAD. Hs-CRP levels are highest among diabetics with comorbidities.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51971148)the Key Project Foundation of Hanjiang Normal University,China(No.XJ2024A09)+1 种基金the Excellent Young and Middle-aged Science and Technology Innovation Team Project in Higher Education Institutions of Hubei Province,China(No.T2020024)the Shanghai Engineering Research Center of High-Performance Medical Device Materials,China(No.20DZ2255500)。
文摘The dependence of interface structure and mechanical properties on the modulation layer thickness of VN/TiN−Ni nano-multilayered films deposited on Si substrates using a reactive magnetron sputtering technique was systematically investigated. The films were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and nanoindentation. The results show that the TiN−Ni layer grows epitaxially on the VN layer, forming a coherent interface between the two sublayers. When the deposition time ratio of the two sublayers (TTiN−Ni꞉TVN) is 10꞉12, the films exhibit remarkable mechanical properties, with hardness, elastic modulus, and fracture toughness values of 25.9 GPa, 317 GPa, and 1.88 MPa·m^(1/2), respectively. Meanwhile, fracture toughness is improved by approximately 50% compared to the VN monolithic film. This enhancement is attributed to the coherent interface between the sublayers and the phase separation in the TiN−Ni layer.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32301845)GuangDong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(2022A1515012339)+3 种基金the National Key R&D Program of China(2024YFD1200801)Seed industry revitalization project of special fund for rural revitalization strategy in Guangdong Province(2024-NPY-00-001)Modern Seed Industry Innovation Capacity Enhancement Progject of Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences,Elite Rice Plan of GDRRI(2023YG01)Guangdong Key Laboratory of Rice Science and Technology(2023B1212060042).
文摘Leaf thickness in rice critically influences photosynthetic efficiency and yield,yet its genetic basis remains poorly understood,with few functional genes previously characterized.In this study,we employ a pangenome-wide association study(Pan-GWAS)on 302 diverse rice accessions from southern China,identifying 49 quantitative trait loci(QTLs)associated with leaf thickness.The most significant locus,qLT9,is fine-mapped to a 79-kb region on chromosome 9.Transcriptomic and genomic sequence analyses identify LOC_Os09g33480,which encodes a protein belonging to Multiple Organellar RNA Editing Factor family,as the key candidate gene.Overexpression and complementation transgenic experiments confirm LOC_Os09g33480(OsLT9)as the functional gene underlying qLT9,demonstrating a 24-bp Indel in its promoter correlates with the expression levels and leaf thickness.Notably,OsLT9 overexpression lines show not only thicker leaf,but also significantly enhanced photosynthetic efficiency and grain yield,establishing a link between leaf thickness modulation and yield enhancement.Population genomic analyses indicate strong selection for OsLT9 during domestication and breeding,with modern cultivars favoring thick leaf haplotype of OsLT9.This study establishes OsLT9 as a key regulator controlling leaf thickness in rice,and provides a valuable genetic resource for molecular breeding of high-yielding rice through optimization of plant architecture.
文摘In order to eliminate the meshing interference between the flexspline and circular spline after the taper deformation of the flexspline,the radial deformation difference method,major and minor axis fitting method,and ellipse fitting method are used to modify the tooth thickness of the flexspline and analyze the performance indexes such as the assembly stress,transmission error,and fatigue life.Firstly,the conjugate tooth profile is solved based on the quadruple-circular-arc tooth profile and modified kinematic method.Then,based on the finite element radial deformation of the flexspline,the principle and characteristics of three modification methods are analyzed,and the modification amount of each section of the flexspline tooth is calculated.Finally,the influence of the three modification methods on the performance of the harmonic drive is compared.The results show that the radial deformation difference method can initially determine the modification amount.The minimum static assembly stress is 406.22 MPa by the major and minor axis fitting method.The ellipse fitting method has the best dynamic performance,small transmission error fluctuation,a peak-to-peak value of 3.060",and a maximum fatigue life of 10^(7.558)cycles.
文摘AIM:To investigate the changes of retinal vascular parameters and retinal layer thickness in patients with multiple sclerosis(MS).METHODS:This single-centered case-control study was performed on a MS group of 42 patients diagnosed with MS and a control group of 43 healthy hospital staff matched in terms of age and sex at Iran University,department of neurology and ophthalmology from March 2020 to March 2021.The ophthalmic parameters of each patient were recorded,and optical coherence tomography was used to evaluate the retinal thickness in the layers.RESULTS:This study enrolled a total of 85 participants,with a mean age of 40.44±11.52 years,including 61 females(72%).The control group consisted of 43 individuals with a mean age of 39.49±11.07 years,while the MS group comprised 42 participants with a mean age of 41.40±12.01 years.The mean disease duration in the MS group was 8.45±6.04 a.The thickness of the ganglion cell layer in the right eye was significantly lower in the MS group compared to the control group(P=0.034).In addition,except for the left nasal sector(P=0.106),the mean peripapillary neurofibrillation in all examined sectors were significantly lower in the MS group than in the control group(P<0.05).The average vessel density in both the deep and superficial capillary plexuses across all regions of both eyes was lower in the MS group than in the control group,with all comparisons for the superficial capillary plexus showing statistical significance(P<0.05 for all except the left nasal sector).CONCLUSION:The thickness of the retina of patients with MS is significantly reduced.Therefore,optical coherence tomography results can be used as a reliable tool to evaluate disease progression and prognosis in MS patients.
文摘BaFe_(12)O_(19)(BaM)thin films with thicknesses ranging from 15 nm–200 nm were deposited on Al_(2)O_(3)(0001)substrates by pulsed laser deposition(PLD).X-ray diffraction patterns show that a buffer layer with a thickness of nearly 60 nm forms on the substrate,and then a c-axis perpendicularly oriented Ba M thin film grows on the buffer layer.Atomic force microscopy results indicate that the Ba M thin film exhibits a spiral island growth mode on the buffer layer.Magnetic hysteresis loop results confirm that the buffer layer exhibits no significant magnetic anisotropy,while the Ba M thin film exhibits perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.The out-of-plane coercivity decreases with increasing Ba M thin-film thickness due to the combined effect of grain size growth and lattice strain relaxation.The 200 nm thick film exhibits optimum magnetic properties with M_(s)=319 emu/cm^(3) and H_(c)=1546 Oe.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,grant number U24A20135Inner Mongolia Natural Science Foundation major project,grant number 2023ZD12+7 种基金Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region key research and development and achievement transformation plan project,grant number 2023YFHH0090Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia,grant number 2022MS05006Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Talent Development FundUniversity basic research business expenses,grant number 2023RCTD012University basic research business expenses,grant number 2023QNJS075Postgraduate Research Innovation Program and of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,grant number KC2024053BUniversity basic research business expenses,grant number 2024YXXS012National Key Laboratory of Special Vehicle Design and Manufacturing Integration Technology,grant number GZ2023KF012.
文摘In dry-coupled ultrasonic thickness measurement,thick rubber layers introduce high-amplitude parasitic echoes that obscure defect signals and degrade thickness accuracy.Existing methods struggle to resolve overlap-ping echoes under variable coupling conditions and non-stationary noise.This study proposes a novel dual-criterion framework integrating energy contribution and statistical impulsivity metrics to isolate specimen re-flections from coupling-layer interference.By decomposing A-scan signals into Intrinsic Mode Functions(IMFs),the framework employs energy contribution thresholds(>85%)and kurtosis indices(>3)to autonomously select IMFs containing valid specimen echoes.Hybrid time-frequency thresholding further suppresses interference through amplitude filtering and spectral focusing.Experimental results demonstrate the framework’s robustness,achieving 92.3%thickness accuracy for 5 mm steel specimens with 5 mm rubber coupling,outperforming conventional methods by up to 18.7%.The dual-criterion approach reduces operator dependency by 37%and maintainsΔT<0.03 mm under surface roughness up to 6.3μm,offering a practical solution for industrial nondestructive testing with thick dry-coupled interfaces.
文摘Background Controlling plasma glucose levels, blood pressure and lipid levels is proven to reduce the risk of vascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This has prompted intensive multitherapy targeted at several macrovascular risk factors. Carotid intima-media thickness （cIMT） is a reliable measure of early atherosclerosis. We sought to determine whether a 6-month intensive mutiltherapy program resulted in better goal attainment than usual care and its effect on the development of cIMT among patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods The study randomly assigned 220 patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus to intensive or traditional therapy groups. The clinical parameters, such as fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, blood pressure, body weight and insulin were assessed at the baseline and after the 6-month therapy, cIMT of the patients was also obtained. Results The average levels of fasting plasma glucose, hemoglobin Alc, total cholesterol （TC） and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C） in the intensive group were significantly lower than those in the control group at the end of 6-month treatment. By 6 months, a higher proportion of patients in the intensive therapy group than in the control group attained goals for fasting plasma glucose （FPG）, TC, LDL-C and hemoglobin Alc. With intensive multherapy the level of carotid intima-media thickness in the intensive therapy group was lower than that in the control group （（0.88±0.26） mm vs （0.96±0.22） mm, P 〈0.01）. Conclusions The evidence from this clinical trial demonstrates that intensive glucose, lipid and blood pressure control in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes is associated with diabetic macrovascular benefits. Intensive multitherapy allows more patients to achieve aims of control and may reduce macrovascular complications and delay disease progression.
