1.36 J nanosecond laser at 1 kHz repetition based on a slab amplifier chain.

A high beam quality diode-pumped Nd:YAG master oscillator power-amplifier (MOPA) laser with three end-pumped slab amplifiers is developed. The Q-swtiched side-pumped rod oscillator presented a pulse energy 3.1 mJ with beam quality factors of M x2=1.17 and M y2=1.15 at a repetition of 1 kHz. The MOPA system delivered a pulse energy of 1.36 J with a pulse width of 48.2 ns and an extraction efficiency of 44.8%. The beam quality factors of M x2=1.72 and M y2=3.85 are measured without any phase-conjugators or adaptive optics.

Reevaluation of Hemoparasites in the Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura similis) with the First Pathological and Molecular Characterizations of Lankesterella desseri n. sp. and Redescription of Hepatozoon gamezi.

Hemoprotozoa are microorganisms that parasitize the blood and possess intricate life cycles. Despite the complexity of their nature, little is known about the biology of hemoprotozoa in reptilian hosts. In this study, we conducted disease surveillance on blood samples collected from six black spiny-tailed iguanas (Ctenosaura similis) exhibiting clinical signs. We found two different types of hemoparasites in the blood films and further confirmed they belong to the genera Lakesterella and Hepatozoon through molecular methods. In the tissue section from a dead iguana infected only with Lakesterella sp., parasites were also found in melanomacrophages of the liver and kidney. Since Lakesterella sp. infection has not been reported in C. similis, we propose this hemococcidian as a new species, Lankesterella desseri n. sp. The Hepatozoon parasites discovered in this study were classified as Hepatozoon gamezi based on their morphological characteristics, particularly the notable deformation of all infected erythrocytes, and this classification was further corroborated through molecular biological and phylogenetic analyses. This is the first hemoprotozoa investigation in C. similis with pathological and molecular characterization of these pathogens. We suggest that more studies are needed to understand the epidemiology, transmission, and impact of these parasites on their hosts and ecosystems.

The effects of different endometrial preparation regimens on pregnancy outcomes in frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles: a prospective randomized controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: An increasing number of research have emerged to compare the pregnancy outcomes between the natural cycle and the hormone replacement therapy (HRT) cycle in preparing the endometrium for frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET), but the results are controversial. This prospective randomized controlled study was hence designed to obtain more solid evidence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, patients with regular menstrual cycle length (21-35 days) who underwent FET between January 2010 to December 2017 were recruited for this study. Upon further filtering with the selection criteria of patients being, a total of 405 patients were recruited and randomized. Finally, analysis was performed on 384 patients: 178 belonged to the natural cycle group whereas the remaining 206 were in the HRT group. The primary outcome was live birth rate, while the secondary outcomes were implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, early miscarriage rate, late miscarriage rate, multiple birth rate and low birth weight rate. RESULTS: The live birth rate (37.6% vs 30.1%, p = 0.119) of natural cycle group were higher than those of the hormone replacement therapy group, although the difference was not significant. The secondary outcomes were not found to differ significantly between the two groups. Nonetheless, the endometrium was found to be thicker in the natural cycle group (10.75 mm) than the HRT group (9.00 mm) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: No significant differences were observed between the pregnancy outcomes of the natural cycle group and the HRT group which comprised of patients with regular menstrual cycle length.

Ureido Hyperbranched Polymer Modified Urea-Formaldehyde Resin as High-Performance Particleboard Adhesive.

The performance of urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin and its formaldehyde emission is a natural contradiction. High molar ratio UF resin performance is very good, but its formaldehyde release is high; low molar ratio UF resin formaldehyde release is reduced, but the resin itself performance becomes very bad. In order to solve this traditional problem, an excellent strategy of UF resin modified by hyperbranched polyurea is proposed. In this work, hyperbranched polyurea (UPA6N) is first synthesized by a simple method without any solvent. UPA6N is then added into industrial UF resin in different proportions as additives to manufacture particleboard and test its related properties. UF resin with a low molar ratio has a crystalline lamellar structure, and UF-UPA6N resin has an amorphous structure and rough surface. The results show that internal bonding strength increased by 58.5%, modulus of rupture increased by 24.4%, 24 h thickness swelling rate (%) decreased by 54.4%, and formaldehyde emission decreased by 34.6% compared with the unmodified UF particleboard. This may be ascribed to the polycondensation between UF and UPA6N, while UF-UPA6N resin forms more dense three-dimensional network structures. Finally, the application of UF-UPA6N resin adhesives to bond particleboard significantly improves the adhesive strength and water resistance and reduces formaldehyde emission, suggesting that the adhesive can be used as a green and eco-friendly adhesive resource for the wood industry.

High-performance bamboo composites based on the chemical bonding of active bamboo interface and chitosan.

Nowadays, green, clean, and efficient sustainable development has become the world's mainstream industrial development. However, the bamboo/wood industry is still in the status quo with high fossil resource dependence and significant greenhouse gas emissions. Herein, a low-carbon and green strategy to produce bamboo composites is developed. The bamboo interface was modified directionally to a bamboo carboxy/aldehyde interface by using a TEMPO/NaIO4 system, and then chemically cross-linked with chitosan to produce active bonding bamboo composite (ABBM). It was confirmed that the chemical bond cross-linking (CN, N-C-N, electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding) in the gluing region was helpful to obtain the excellent dry bonding strength (11.74 MPa), water resistance (5.44 MPa), and anti-aging properties (decreased by 20 %). This green production of ABBM solves the problem of poor water resistance and aging resistance of all-biomass-based chitosan adhesives. It can replace bamboo composites produced using fossil-based adhesives to meet the requirements of the construction, furniture, and packaging industries, changing the previous situation of composite materials requiring high temperature pressing and highly dependent on fossil-based adhesives. This provides a greener and cleaner production method for the bamboo industry, as well as more options for the global bamboo industry to achieve green and clean production goals.

Activated wood surface and functionalized cellulose co-building strong chemical wood bonding performance.

Herein, an activated wood surface rich in CHO groups was constructed by spraying a sodium periodate aqueous solution on a natural wood surface. Besides, microcrystalline cellulose was functionalized to obtain aminated cellulose, which was dissolved in an aqueous solution and used as a specific adhesive. Subsequently, an ultrastrong wood bonding interface was co-constructed with the activated wood surface and aminated cellulose, which was formed by a chemical covalent reaction between aldehyde groups at the activated wood interface and amino groups on aminated cellulose. The dry, hot-water, and boiling-water lap shear strengths of the plywood specimens were 1.47, 1.07, and 1.08 MPa, respectively. The boiling-water strength of the plywood made from the activated wood surface achieved increased to 1.08 MPa from 0 MPa of the plywood constructed on the nonactivated wood surface. The chemical crosslinking reaction and bonding mechanism between the adhesive and activated wood surface were clarified by density functional theory calculations, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results showed that chemical bonding (aminal NCN and imine CN) at the bonding interface played an important part in improving the water resistance and bonding strength. This work provides new concepts for designing durable and moisture-resistant wood products.

Iron overload modulates follicular microenvironment via ROS/HIF-1α/FSHR signaling.

Iron is essential for the health of reproductive system, and women with iron overload suffer from ovarian dysfunction and lack effective treatment in fertility preservation. However, the underlying mechanism of the detrimental effects of iron overload on ovarian function remains ambiguous. Here, we confirmed the excess iron in the circumjacent follicle near endometriomas, which negatively impacted the oocyte development in the affected ovaries. Further, by integrating cell line and chronic iron overload mice model, we demonstrated that iron overload can function as a ROS inducer to amplify mitochondria damage, which significantly elevated the release of cytochrome C and ultimately induced the apoptosis of granular cells. Besides, for the first time, our findings revealed that disruption of HIF-1α/FSHR/CYP19A1 signaling was critical for decreased estrogen synthesis of granular cells in response to iron overload, which can lead to apparent oocyte maldevelopment and subfertility. Overall. this study uncovered that iron overload modulated the follicular microenvironment and generated a deleterious effect on female infertility via ROS/HIF-1α/FSHR signaling. These results might provide potential implications for future clinical risk management of patients with endometrioma and hemopathy.

Truncation mutations in MYRF underlie primary angle closure glaucoma.

Mutations in myelin regulatory factor (MYRF), a gene mapped to 11q12-q13.3, are responsible for autosomal dominant high hyperopia and seem to be associated with angle closure glaucoma, which is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness worldwide. Whether there is a causal link from the MYRF mutations to the pathogenesis of primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) remains unclear at this time. Six truncation mutations, including five novel and one previously reported, in MYRF are identified in seven new probands with hyperopia, of whom all six adults have glaucoma, further confirming the association of MYRF mutations with PACG. Immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrates enriched expression of MYRF in the ciliary body and ganglion cell layer in humans and mice. Myrfmut/+ mice have elevated IOP and fewer ganglion cells along with thinner retinal nerve fiber layer with ganglion cell layer than wild-type. Transcriptome sequencing of Myrfmut/+ retinas shows downregulation of Dnmt3a, a gene previously associated with PACG. Co-immunoprecipitation demonstrates a physical association of DNMT3A with MYRF. DNA methylation sequencing identifies several glaucoma-related cell events in Myrfmut/+ retinas. The interaction between MYRF and DNMT3A underlies MYRF-associated PACG and provides clues for pursuing further investigation into the pathogenesis of PACG and therapeutic target.

Construction of a novel electrochemical sensor based on biomass material nanocellulose and its detection of acetaminophen.

In this work, acidic sulfated cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were used as green carriers, and a novel composite material was synthesized and used to design sensors for paracetamol (AP) detection. There are negatively charged acidic sulfate groups on the surface of CNCs, which can enhance the electrostatic repulsion between nanoparticles, thereby increasing the stability and dispersibility of AgNPs in the system, making them less prone to agglomeration. Cationic pillar[5]arene (CP5) with a strong host-guest effect was used as a stable ligand for silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). AgNPs have good electrical conductivity and large specific surface area, which can significantly increase the peak current. In addition, CP5 has excellent supramolecular recognition performance, which can specifically recognize the guest molecule AP to form an inclusion complex, so that a large number of AP molecules are attached to the electrode surface, which is beneficial to the amplification of electrochemical signals. The prepared sensor is more attractive in terms of sensitivity and recognition performance; the host-guest binding constant was (3.37 ± 0.26) × 104 M-1, which can be obtained with good linearity (R 2 = 0.996), low detection limit (90 nM, LOD = 3σ/k, S/N = 3) and a wide linear range (0.5-500 µM). The electrochemical sensor showed good performance in quantitative analysis, stability, selectivity, reproducibility, and actual sample detection, providing high feasibility for real-time monitoring of paracetamol; it also provides a new idea for a green sensor.

Functionalization of cellulose with amine group and cross-linked with branched epoxy to construct high-performance wood adhesive.

Sustainable biomass resources are favored by researchers on account of their biodegradability and biocompatibility, which is a replacement for non-renewable fossil fuels. The development of low-carbon, green, and high-value bio-based adhesives are the inevitable trend of the industry development. However, the main factors limiting their application are poor water resistance and low bonding performance. Herein, the crosslinking network was constructed based on the reaction between the epoxy groups of trimethylolpropane glycidyl ether (TMPEG) and the amino groups of the synthesized aminated cellulose (AC) to form an interlocking bond. Through the synergy of covalent bond, electrostatic interaction, and hydrogen bond, the bonding strength and water resistance of the proposed adhesive can be effectively improved. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (13C NMR) demonstrated the formation of epoxy-amine network. The excellent bonding strength and water resistance of the adhesive made with AC and TMPEG (AC-TMPEG) are mainly reflected by the dry lap shear strength of 2.56 MPa and the wet lap shear strength of 1.94/2.09 MPa after soaking in 63 °C/boiling water for 3.0 h. This study reveals an approach for manufacturing wood adhesive with superior bonding performance and exceptional water resistance.

Gastrointestinal Mast Cell Tumor in an African Dormouse (Graphiurus sp.).

Mast cell tumors (MCTs) are well-known neoplasms derived from either mucosal or connective tissue mast cells. While well studied in several domestic species, MCTs are rarely documented in rodents. A three-year-old, male African dormouse (Graphiurus sp.) presented with a history of vomiting and anorexia for 3 months. Sonography revealed thickened gastric mucosa and hyperperistalsis. The patient died after receiving symptomatic treatment for 2 months. At necropsy, locally extensive, pale, thickened mucosal foci obscuring the first half of the stomach lumen was noted. Histological examination revealed moderately polymorphic, round, oval to spindle cells with amphophilic cytoplasmic granules infiltrating the mucosa to tunica muscularis, with moderate numbers of eosinophils. The mucosa was severely ulcerated with the proliferation of granulation tissue. The granules in most tumor cells exhibited metachromasia with the toluidine blue stain. Neoplastic cells revealed positive membranous immunoreactivity to KIT. Herein, we report the first case report of MCT in dormouse but also the first gastrointestinal MCT in a rodent species.

Estrogen-increased SGK1 Promotes Endometrial Stromal Cell Invasion in Adenomyosis by Regulating with LPAR2.

Adenomyosis is an estrogen-dependent gynecological disorder. The abnormal migration and invasion of the eutopic endometrium is thought to be the primary role in the pathogenesis of adenomyosis. However, the exact underlying mechanism remains unclear. This study investigated involvement of serum and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 1 (SGK1) in the pathogenesis of adenomyosis. The SGK1 expression level was higher in the eutopic endometrium of adenomyosis. Upregulation of SGK1 can promote the migration, invasion of human stromal endometrial cells (HESC). Through RNA sequencing and other technical methods, we found that SGK1 regulates the expression of the important downstream molecule Lysophosphatidic acid receptor 2 (LPAR2), and ultimately regulates the expression level of functional proteins such as matrix metalloproteinase 2 and matrix metalloproteinase 9, which are related to migration and invasion. Then, we found that 17ß-estradiol (E2) upregulated the expression of SGK1 in endometrial cells in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, SGK1 shRNA significantly suppressed the migration and invasion induced by E2 in endometrial cells, as well as the related factors. Our study revealed the possible role of SGK1 in the migration and invasion in the development of adenomyosis.

Dynamic reversible adhesives based on crosslinking network via Schiff base and Michael addition.

It is of practical interest to obtain polymers with complex material properties in a simplified synthetic manner for a broader range of practical applications. In this work, we constructed a dynamic reversible adhesive based on branched polyamine (PA) and p-formylphenyl acrylate (FPA) by simultaneously performing Michael addition reaction and Schiff base reaction. Branched polyamines provide a large number of amino groups as reaction sites that can react with both carbon-carbon double bonds and aldehyde groups. This enables the branched polymeric adhesive system to have a large number of Schiff base bonds within it, an important property of Schiff base bonds is that they are dynamically reversible. This allows us to prepare adhesives with hyperbranched crosslinking networks and recycling properties, and we have verified that FPA-PA adhesives do not exhibit significant fatigue after multiple recycling through the gluing-destruction-gluing process. The resulting FPA-PA adhesives produce tough bonding on multi-substrates such as steel, aluminum, glass, PVC, PTFE, birch and moso bamboo, which exhibited by lap shear strength of 2.4 MPa, 1.7 MPa, 1.4 MPa, 1.3 MPa, 0.4 MPa, 1.6 MPa, and 1.8 MPa, respectively. The feasibility of the synthesis idea of simultaneous Michael addition reaction and Schiff base reaction was demonstrated, as well as the excellent performance and great application potential of FPA-PA adhesives to be recyclable on multi-substrates.

Long-term GnRH agonist pretreatment before frozen embryo transfer improves pregnancy outcomes in women with adenomyosis.

RESEARCH QUESTION: Do frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles following long-term gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) pretreatment have better pregnancy outcomes than fresh embryo transfer cycles with long or ultra-long GnRHa protocol in these patients? DESIGN: This study included 537 women with adenomyosis divided into three groups: (Group A) FET cycles following long-term GnRHa pretreatment (192 patients); (Group B) fresh embryo transfer cycles with the ultra-long GnRHa protocol (241 patients); (Group C) fresh embryo transfer cycles with the long GnRHa protocol (104 patients). RESULTS: The total gonadotrophin dose and stimulation duration were significantly lower in Group A than in Groups B and C. The implantation and live birth rates were significantly higher in Group A than in Groups B and C. In the long-term GnRHa pretreatment and FET treatment of Group A, implantation (odds ratio [OR] 1.729, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.073-2.788, P = 0.025), clinical pregnancy (OR 1.665, 95% CI 1.032-2.686, P = 0.037) and live birth rates (OR 1.694, 95% CI 1.045-2.746, P = 0.033) increased and miscarriage rate (OR 0.203, 95% CI 0.078-0.530, P = 0.001) decreased when compared with Group C. Comparison of Groups A and B showed that with the long-term GnRHa pretreatment, FET was a protective factor for live birth rate (OR 1.350, 95% CI 1.017-1.792, P = 0.038). CONCLUSION: FET following long-term GnRHa pretreatment has a better IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcome, and a potential benefit in terms of a lower gonadotrophin dose, and a shorter stimulation duration than fresh embryo transfer combined with a long or ultra-long GnRHa protocol.

Antimicrobial resistance genes and genetic characteristics of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli in a veterinary hospital in Taiwan.

Introduction. Antimicrobial resistance associated with animal hosts is easily transmitted to humans either by direct contact with resistant organisms or by transferring resistance genes into human pathogens.Gap statement. There are limited studies on antimicrobial resistance genes and genetic elements of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli in veterinary hospitals in Taiwan.Aim. The aim of this study was to investigate antimicrobial resistance genes in multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli from animals.Methodology. Between January 2014 and August 2015, 95 multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli isolates were obtained from pigs (n=66), avians (n=18), and other animals (n=11) in a veterinary hospital in Taiwan. Susceptibility testing to 24 antimicrobial agents of 14 antimicrobial classes was performed. Antimicrobial resistance genes, integrons, and insertion sequences were analysed by polymerase chain reaction and nucleotide sequencing. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and multi-locus sequence typing were used to explore the clonal relatedness of the study isolates.Results. Different antimicrobial resistance genes found in these isolates were associated with resistance to ß-lactams, tetracycline, phenicols, sulfonamides, and aminoglycosides. Fifty-five of 95 E. coli isolates (55/95, 57.9 %) were not susceptible to extended-spectrum cephalosporins, and bla CTX-M-55 (11/55, 20.0 %) and bla CMY-2 (40/55, 72.7 %) were the most common extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL) and AmpC genes, respectively. Both bla CTX-M and bla CMY-2 were present on conjugative plasmids that contained the insertion sequence ISEcp1 upstream of the bla genes. Plasmid-mediated FOX-3 ß-lactamase-producing E. coli was first identified in Taiwan. Forty isolates (40/95, 42 %) with class 1 integrons showed seven resistance phenotypes. Genotyping of 95 E. coli isolates revealed 91 different XbaI pulsotypes and 52 different sequence types. PFGE analysis revealed no clonal outbreaks in our study isolates.Conclusion. This study showed a high diversity of antimicrobial resistance genes and genotypes among MDR E. coli isolated from diseased livestock in Taiwan. To our knowledge, this is the first report of plasmid-mediated ESBL in FOX-3 ß-lactamase-producing E. coli isolates in Taiwan. MDR E. coli isolates from animal origins may contaminate the environment, resulting in public health concerns, indicating that MDR isolates from animals need to be continuously investigated.

Construction and Validation of a Ferroptosis-Related Prognostic Model for Endometrial Cancer.

Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most common female reproductive system tumors, with close to 200,000 new cases each year. It accounts for approximately 7% of the total number of female cancers, but until now the cause of EC has remained unclear. Ferroptosis is regulated cell death that distinguishes apoptosis and caused by oxidative damage. The process has unique biological effects on metabolism and redox biology. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between EC and ferroptosis. According to the different expression levels of related genes, we first divided 544 EC samples into four clusters and found that most of the infiltrating immune cells were significantly different among the four groups. A differential gene expression analysis between Fe.cluster groups was performed, and the samples were again divided into three Fe.gene.cluster groups. The molecular characteristics and clinical characteristics of the groups were significantly different. Finally, 13 characteristic genes were selected as ferroptosis gene signatures, and the Fe.score was obtained by calculation. The Fe.score is closely related to the clinical and molecular characteristics of EC, and a low Fe.score has a significant survival advantage. The GDSC predicts that the IC50 of multiple chemotherapeutic drugs is also significantly different between the two groups. In conclusion, our research has explored the relationship between EC and ferroptosis in detail, provides comprehensive insights for ferroptosis-mediated EC mechanism research, and emphasizes the clinical application potential of Fe.score-based immunotherapy strategies.

Ultra-Long GnRH Agonist Protocol During IVF/ICSI Improves Pregnancy Outcomes in Women With Adenomyosis: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the ultra-long gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) protocol and the long GnRH-a protocol during in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm (ICSI) treatment on fertility outcomes in women with adenomyosis. Materials and Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort study. From January 2011 to May 2018, a total of 371 fresh IVF/ICSI cycles were included. Among the cycles included, 237 cycles of 212 women underwent the ultra-long GnRH-a protocol, while 134 cycles of 116 women underwent the long GnRH-a protocol. The rates of implantation, clinical pregnancy per embryo transfer, live birth, and early miscarriage were estimated between the compared protocols. Results: In the study, the early miscarriage rate in women undergoing the ultra-long GnRH-a protocol was significantly lower than those undergoing the long GnRH-a protocol (12.0% versus 26.5%, p = 0.045), whereas the differences in the rates of biochemical pregnancy, implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth in women between the two groups showed no statistical significance. The pregnancy outcomes were also sub-analyzed according to the adenomyotic region (diffuse and focal). As for diffuse adenomyosis, the rates of clinical pregnancy and live birth in women undergoing the ultra-long GnRH-a protocol were significantly higher than those undergoing the long GnRH-a protocol (55.3% versus 37.9%, p = 0.025; 43.4% versus 25.9%, p = 0.019, respectively). However, pregnancy outcomes showed no difference between the two protocols in women with focal adenomyosis. Conclusions: The ultra-long GnRH-a protocol during IVF/ICSI improves pregnancy outcomes in women with adenomyosis, especially in women with diffuse adenomyosis when compared with the long GnRH-a protocol.

Migraine Is More Prevalent in Advanced-Stage Endometriosis, Especially When Co-Occuring with Adenomoysis.

Background: Emerging data suggest a significant association between migraine and endometriosis, however the relationship between migraine and endometriosis severity or adenomyosis is unclear. Our objectives were to explore the relationship between migraine and endometriosis, according to the endometriosis severity and co-exist with adenomyosis or not. Methods: This case-control study of 167 endometriosis patients verified by surgery and 190 patients for other benign gynecological conditions (control subjects) was performed from September 2017 and January 2021. There is 49 adenomyosis detected by transvaginal ultrasound or histologic diagnosis among the endometriosis patients. Besides, we also included 41 adenomyosis but without endometriosis patients as a subgroup. All women completed a self-administered headache questionnaire and diagnosed as migraine according to the International Headache Society classification. The severity and stage of endometriosis was evaluated with revised American Society of Reproductive Medicine (rASRM) score. We used logistic regression to estimate the association between the presence of migraine and endometriosis severity while accounting for important confounders, including age, body mass index (BMI) and family history of migraine. We also estimate the risk of adenomyosis alone and adenomyosis with co-occurring endometriosis in migrainous women. Results: Migraine was significantly more prevalent in endometriosis patients compared with controls (29.9% vs. 12.1%, p<0.05), but the prevalence was similar between isolated adenomyosis patients and controls (9.8% vs.12.1%, p>0.05). For all endometriosis and control participants, migraineurs were 4.6-times (OR=4.6; 95% CI 2.7-8.1) more likely to have severe endometriosis. However, the strength of the association decreased when the analysis examined in moderate stage (OR=3.6, 95% CI 2.1-6.2). The risk of mild and minimal endometriosis was not significant (OR=1.9, 95%CI 0.9-4.0; OR=1.6, 95% CI 0.8-3.4; respectively). When we divided the endometriosis patients according to whether co-occurring with adenomyosis. We found in migrainous women, the risk of endometriosis co-exist with adenomyosis increased, with nearly fivefold greater odds compared with control (OR=5.4;95% CI 3.0-9.5), and nearly two times higher than the risk of endometriosis without co-exist adenomyosis patients (OR=2.2; 95% CI 1.2-3.8). Conclusion: Our study supports the strong association between migraine and endometriosis. We found migrainous women suffer more frequently from sever endometriosis, especially endometriosis with co-occurring adenomyosis. It is advisable to heighten suspicion for patients who presenting with either these conditions in order to optimize therapy.

20 kW class high-beam-quality CW laser amplifier chain based on a Yb:YAG slab at room temperature.

A continuous-wave-operation laser amplifier chain consisting of three multi-concentration-doped Yb:YAG slab gain modules (GMs) at room temperature is presented. The output power of 22.3 kW with the beam quality of 3.3 times the diffraction limit is achieved from this chain. To the best of our knowledge, based on a Yb:YAG slab at room temperature, the highest power to date while maintaining excellent beam quality laser output. An extraction efficiency of 36% from the single slab GM is obtained and can be further enhanced to 46% by optimizing the parameters of GM. These results have confirmed that the Yb:YAG slab has an excellent scaling performance and is suitable for the development of high-average-power lasers.

High brightness laser based on Yb:YAG MOPA chain and adaptive optics system at room temperature.

We demonstrate a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) architecture based on Yb:YAG amplifiers and adaptive optics (AO) systems with a high power and high beam quality laser output. With two conduction cooled, dual-end-pumped Yb:YAG zigzag-slab amplifiers at room temperature, the fiber laser of 300 W was scaled to 11.9 kW. Moreover, AO system positioned downstream was utilized to correct wavefront of amplified laser. The beam quality ß at maximum output power was 2.8 times diffraction limited with closed-loop AO system.