Germanene saturable absorber for mode-locked operation in an all-fiber laser with multiple dispersion environments.

In this paper, a high-quality germanene-polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) saturable absorber (SA) with a modulation depth of 3.05% and a saturation intensity of 17.95M W/c m 2 was prepared. Stable conventional mode-locking and harmonic mode-locking (HML) were achieved in germanene-based Er-doped fiber lasers (EDFL) using dispersion management techniques. In a cavity with a net dispersion value of -0.22p s 2, the conventional soliton had a center wavelength of 1558.2 nm, a repetition frequency of 19.09 MHz, and a maximum 3 dB spectrum bandwidth of 3.5 nm. The highest repetition frequencies achieved in cavities with net dispersion values of -2.81p s 2, -1.73p s 2, and -1.09p s 2 were 9.48 MHz, 12.75 MHz, and 12.10 MHz for HML, respectively. Furthermore, the effects of dispersion, power, and the polarization state on HML were systematically investigated. Our research results fully demonstrate the capability of germanene as an optical modulator in generating conventional mode-locked and harmonic mode-locked solitons. This provides meaningful references for promoting its application in ultrafast fiber lasers.

Nonpharmacological Therapies for the Management of the Cognitive Dysfunctions in Poststroke Patients: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to investigate the comparative effects of nonpharmacological therapies for managing global, attention, memory, and execution cognitive functions in stroke patients. DESIGN: We searched PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PEDro, and Google Scholar for randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effects of nonpharmacological therapies for treating stroke cognitive dysfunctions. We performed a network meta-analysis to estimate the mean treatment effect of 95% credible interval. RESULTS: Seventy-three randomized controlled trials were included in the network meta-analysis for evidence syntheses. All therapies had significant effects than control on global cognition in stroke patients. Combined therapy was superior to other therapies for global cognition of all patients (vs. cognitive task therapy: 0.71, 95% credible interval = 0.14 to 1.29; vs. exercise: 0.88, 95% credible interval = 0.31 to 1.45, vs. physical modality therapy: 0.77, 95% credible interval = 0.16 to 1.40). Different therapies have effects on specific cognitive domains in stroke patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that nonpharmacological therapies are effective in improving global cognitive function in stroke patients, with cognitive task therapy, exercise therapy, physical modality therapy, and combined therapy being viable options (most optimal approach: combined therapy). Precise selection of therapies based on the time since stroke onset and specific cognitive domains can further enhance treatment outcomes.

Exercise Rehabilitation and Chronic Respiratory Diseases: Effects, Mechanisms, and Therapeutic Benefits.

Chronic respiratory diseases (CRD), is a group of disorders, primarily chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, which are characterized by high prevalence and disability, recurrent acute exacerbations, and multiple comorbidities, resulting in exercise limitations and reduced health-related quality of life. Exercise training, an important tool in pulmonary rehabilitation, reduces adverse symptoms in patients by relieving respiratory limitations, increasing gas exchange, increasing central and peripheral hemodynamic forces, and enhancing skeletal muscle function. Aerobic, resistance, and high-intensity intermittent exercises, and other emerging forms such as aquatic exercise and Tai Chi effectively improve exercise capacity, physical fitness, and pulmonary function in patients with CRD. The underlying mechanisms include enhancement of the body's immune response, better control of the inflammatory response, and acceleration of the interaction between the vagus and sympathetic nerves to improve gas exchange. Here, we reviewed the new evidence of benefits and mechanisms of exercise intervention in the pulmonary rehabilitation of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchial asthma, bronchiectasis, interstitial lung disease, and lung cancer.

Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training and Combined High-Intensity Interval Training Programs on Cancer-Related Fatigue and Cancer Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the effectiveness of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) alone and combined HIIT programs compared with usual care on cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and pain related to cancer or cancer-related treatments. METHODS: Articles published prior to January 2023 were searched in the following digital databases: PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Cochrane Controlled Clinical Trials (CENTRAL), Web of Science, Scopus and ScienceDirect. Randomized controlled trials were included that met the following criteria: (i) adult cancer patients and survivors (>18 yr old); (ii) HIIT or combined HIIT programs versus usual care; (iii) assessment of fatigue and pain. Cochrane tool was used for assessing Risk of Bias (RoB) and Review Manager (RevMan 5.2) was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Based on limited number (12) of studies included, we found HIIT and combined HIIT interventions have significant effect sizes on reducing both CRF (standardized mean difference, 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.42-0.84; P < 0.001) and cancer-associated pain (standardized mean difference, 0.44; 95% confidence interval, 0.25-0.63; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review and meta-analysis indicate that HIIT and combined HIIT programs can reduce CRF and pain.

The potential value of Copeptin and Pentraxin3 for evaluating the severity of coronary stenosis in patients with coronary artery disease.

INTRODUCTION: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is an ischemic heart disease due to the narrowing of the coronary arteries resulting from atherosclerosis. Blood biomarkers have been well utilized for the diagnosis and prognosis of CAD. However, the value of biomarkers for evaluating coronary atherosclerosis remains to be clarified. This clinical investigation aimed to explore the potential value of biomarkers for evaluating the severity of coronary stenosis in CAD patients. METHODS: The extent of coronary atherosclerosis was accessed by the angiography-based quantitative measurement Gensini score (GS). Blood levels of Brain natriuretic peptide, Copeptin (CPP), Phosphodiesterase 9A, and Pentraxin3 (PTX3) were measured in 56 patients divided into three levels as low GS (n = 17), intermediate GS (n = 19) and high GS (n = 20) based on GS tertiles. RESULTS: We found that plasma concentrations of CPP and PTX3 were significantly elevated in patients with high GS compared with the low GS group. In addition, Pearson correlation analysis showed that CPP and PTX3 were positively correlated with the GS. Furthermore, Receiver operating characteristics analysis demonstrated that both CPP and PTX3 exhibited discriminative capacities for evaluating the extent of coronary stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: Laboratory tests of CPP and PTX3 via non-invasive means may provide novel information for risk stratification and disease management in CAD patients before invasive angiographic approaches. This study opens the door for enormous opportunities to explore new biomarkers with better efficiency, sensitivity and specificity as alternative/additional methods for evaluating the severity of coronary atherosclerosis in CAD patients in future research.

Cardiac Rehabilitation with Targeted Intensity Improves Cardiopulmonary Functions Accompanying with Reduced Copeptin Level in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease.

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) plays an important role in cardiovascular disease prevention. Understanding the key component of CR such as training intensity and biomarkers reflecting cardiopulmonary functions may help to better target the rehabilitation program. Thirty-four consecutive patients with coronary artery disease after percutaneous coronary intervention participated in the CR program. The difference between intervention group and control group was mainly the training intensity. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and blood biomarker measurements were performed before and after CR. The results demonstrated that it was safe and feasible to perform CR, while sufficient training intensity was required to significantly ameliorate CPET parameters. Among numerous biomarkers tested, vasopressin surrogate marker copeptin (CPP) improved significantly after CR. Moreover, improved CPP was correlated with exercise intensity and peak oxygen uptake, two most important indicators of cardiopulmonary exercise capacities. Therefore, CR may have a novel role in maintaining plasma osmolality and cardiovascular homeostasis. Graphical Abstract Cardiac rehabilitation training improves cardiopulmonary exercise parameters El and PVO2 which are correlated with reduced CPP level. CPP, copeptin; El, exercise intensity; POV2, peak oxygen uptake.

Instant analgesic effect of radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy on primary dysmenorrhoea according to functional magnetic resonance imaging: study protocol for a randomised placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Primary dysmenorrhoea (PDM) is defined as a series of pain-dominated symptoms during and after menstruation without organic lesions. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and oral contraceptives are usually recommended as first-line therapy for the clinical treatment of PDM, but their widespread long-term application is controversial. Radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT) has been widely applied in musculoskeletal rehabilitation because of its secure and noninvasive characteristics and its confirmed effect in improving pain symptoms. This research seeks to explore the efficacy of rESWT for PDM and the changes in brain function of patients with PDM. METHODS: This clinical research will be a randomised, blind, sham-controlled trial. Thirty-six patients with PDM will be randomly divided into the rESWT group (n = 18) and the sham rESWT group (n = 18). In the rESWT group, treatment will be applied once within 48 h of menstruation at six abdominal myofascial trigger points. The sham rESWT group will receive sham shockwave therapy on the same sites but without energy input. Other dysmenorrhoea-related treatments in both groups will be limited. The main indicators include the short form of the McGill Pain Questionnaire and the Cox Menstrual Symptom Scale. The secondary indicators include the Zung Self-rating Anxiety Scale and Self-rating Depression Scale and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) changes in brain regions. Results will be evaluated at the screening, at baseline, and before and after treatment, and adverse treatments will be examined. Inter- and intragroup analyses will be performed. DISCUSSION: This randomised controlled study is designed to explore the immediate efficacy of rESWT for PDM. After rESWT treatment, PDM symptom tests and pain tests, as well as fMRI data, will be investigated for the potential connections between immediate neuroanalgesic mechanisms, which are associated with pain and brain networks. The main results will be used to assess the efficacy of rESWT, and secondary results will focus on improving the neurobiological understanding of disease treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: China Clinical Trial Register, ChiCTR1900020678. Registered on 13 January 2019.

[Effect of plant density on population yield and economic output value in maize-soybean intercropping].

The effects of plant density on population yield and economic output value in maize and soybean intercropping were studied with the design of the double saturated D-optimal regression. A mathematical model was developed, in which the densities of maize and soybean were independent variables, and population grain yield, dry matter accumulation and economic output value were dependent variables, respectively. The result showed that the plant density significantly affected the population grain yield, dry matter accumulation and economic output value, and the effects of density of maize on population indices were greater than those of density of soybean. Under the low level conditions of density, the population grain yield, dry matter accumulation and economic output value increased with the density of maize and soybean. The maximum population grain yield was 8101.31 kg · hm(-2) the optimized combination of 72023 plant maize · hm(-2) and 99924 plant soybean · hm(-2), while the maximum population dry matter accumulation was 15282.45 kg · hm(-2) with the optimized combination of 75000 plant maize · hm(-2) and 93372 plant soybean · hm(-2), and the maximum population economic output value was 23494.50 Yuan · hm(-2) with the optimized combination of 73758 plant maize · hm(-2) and 87597 plant soybean · hm(-2). The optimum combination of densities of maize and soybean calculated by computer were 58554-71547 plant · hm(-2) for maize and 82217-100303 plant · hm(-2) for soybean in order to obtain grain yield greater than 7500 kg · hm(-2), dry matter accumulation greater than 14250 kg · hm(-2) and economic output value greater 22500 yuan · hm(-2) under the condition of this experiment.

Detection, occurrence and fate of indirubin in municipal sewage treatment plants.

Indirubin which has been isolated from human urine is an extremely potent AhR agonist. This paper first established an analytical method based on liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) for indirubin in complex environmental waters, and then applied this method to investigate its occurrence and fate in sewage treatment plants (STPs). For the various types of aqueous matrices considered, the absolute recoveries were from 64 to 81%, and the limits of quantification were below 0.05 ng/L Among the seven STPs studied, the average concentrations of indirubin in influents ranged from 8.3 to 29.7 ng/L, and their aqueous-phase removal rates were 72-91%. In the receiving waters, the Tonghui and Qinghe Rivers, the concentrations of indirubin (0.65-3.7 ng/L) in some samples were much higher than those in their corresponding STP effluents, suggesting that there is random discharging of untreated sewage. The fate of indirubin was investigated in mechanical and biological sewage treatment as well as in sewage-sludge treatment at a STP consisting of anoxic, anaerobic, and aerobic tanks. The indirubin was largely removed in the anoxic tank and the secondary clarifier mainly due to the biodegradation and sorption on sludge, respectively. An increase of indirubin was observed in the aerobic tank, which was due to the cleavage of indirubin conjugates.