| 1. |
- Li, Shaohan, et al.
(author)
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Pushing the limit of thermal conductivity of MAX borides and MABs
- 2022
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In: Journal of Materials Science & Technology. - : Elsevier. - 1005-0302. ; 97, s. 79-88
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The emergence of MAX borides as well as MAB phases attracted great attention because of the renewable developments of ternary ceramics and offering great opportunities in potential applications. However, the number of borides remains limited, and further fundamental descriptions and detailed investigations on various properties are still lacking. In this report, we employ an integrated computational scheme that combines density functional theory with the evolutional algorithm to search for the favorable structures of P- and S-glued ternary borides terminated by Nb metal. We discover that the structures of 212-type, as e.g. Nb2PB2 and Nb2SB2, belong to the P‾6m2 space group, while those of 211-type, as e.g. Nb2PB and Nb2SB, prefer to crystallize in the P63/mmc space group, and the corresponding carbides Nb2PC and Nb2SC are also considered for the sake of completeness and comparative analsys. The predicted Nb2PB2, Nb2PB, Nb2SB, Nb2PC and Nb2SC are energetically stable, as revealed by the negative formation energies and by the proposed reaction paths with respect to the most competing phases, as well as dynamically stable, as suggested by the non-imaginary phonon spectra. The thermal conductivities of the six materials show unusual behaviors, particularly for the acoustic and optical contributions, and are accompanied by a strong anisotropy. Most importantly, Nb2PB2 is found to be an excellent thermal conductor with a total thermal conductivity of ~65 W/(m K), while Nb2SC is found to be an ultra-low thermal conductor, with a total thermal conductivity of ~5 W/(m K). These values are clearly outside the currently reported range of thermal conductivities, which makes Nb2PB2 and Nb2SC extremely interesting for fundamental research as well as prospective applications with the aid of artificial tunings on the almost independent MB block and the A layer. The discovery of these novel materials is expected to contribute substantially to the rapid development of ternary ceramics and to accelerate attempts in the applicability of MAX phases for heat conduction.
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| 2. |
- Chen, Zhibin, et al.
(author)
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Summary of the 3rd International Workshop on Gas-Dynamic Trap based Fusion Neutron Source (GDT-FNS)
- 2022
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In: Nuclear Fusion. - : IOP Publishing. - 0029-5515 .- 1741-4326. ; 62:6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The 3rd International Workshop on Gas-Dynamic Trap-based Fusion Neutron Source (GDT-FNS) was held through the hybrid mode on 13-14 September 2021 in Hefei, China, jointly organized by the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (HFIPS), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics (BINP), Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS). It followed the 1st GDT-FNS Workshop held in November 2018 in Hefei, China, and the 2nd taking place in November 2019 in Novosibirsk, Russian Federation. With the financial support from CAS and China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), this workshop was attended by more than 80 participants representing 20 institutes and universities from seven countries, with oral presentations broadcast via the Zoom conferencing system. Twenty-two presentations were made with topics covering design and key technologies, simulation and experiments, steady-state operation, status of the ALIANCE project, multi applications of neutron sources, and other concepts (Tokamaks, Mirrors, FRC, Plasma Focus, etc). The workshop consensus was made including the establishment of the ALIANCE International Working Group. The next GDT-FNS workshop is planned to be held in May 2022 in Novosibirsk.
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| 3. |
- Li, Xinxuan, et al.
(author)
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Genetically predicted high IGF-1 levels showed protective effects on COVID-19 susceptibility and hospitalization : a Mendelian randomisation study with data from 60 studies across 25 countries
- 2022
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In: eLIFE. - : eLife Sciences Publications Ltd. - 2050-084X. ; 11
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Epidemiological studies observed gender differences in COVID-19 outcomes, however, whether sex hormone plays a causal in COVID-19 risk remains unclear. This study aimed to examine associations of sex hormone, sex hormones-binding globulin (SHBG), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and COVID-19 risk. Methods: Two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR) study was performed to explore the causal associations between testosterone, estrogen, SHBG, IGF-1, and the risk of COVID-19 (susceptibility, hospitalization, and severity) using genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary level data from the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative (N=1,348,701). Random-effects inverse variance weighted (IVW) MR approach was used as the primary MR method and the weighted median, MR-Egger, and MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO) test were conducted as sensitivity analyses. Results: Higher genetically predicted IGF-1 levels have nominally significant association with reduced risk of COVID-19 susceptibility and hospitalization. For one standard deviation increase in genetically predicted IGF-1 levels, the odds ratio was 0.77 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.61-0.97, p=0.027) for COVID-19 susceptibility, 0.62 (95% CI: 0.25-0.51, p=0.018) for COVID-19 hospitalization, and 0.85 (95% CI: 0.52-1.38, p=0.513) for COVID-19 severity. There was no evidence that testosterone, estrogen, and SHBG are associated with the risk of COVID-19 susceptibility, hospitalization, and severity in either overall or sex-stratified TSMR analysis. Conclusions: Our study indicated that genetically predicted high IGF-1 levels were associated with decrease the risk of COVID-19 susceptibility and hospitalization, but these associations did not survive the Bonferroni correction of multiple testing. Further studies are needed to validate the findings and explore whether IGF-1 could be a potential intervention target to reduce COVID-19 risk.
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| 4. |
- Yu, Lili, et al.
(author)
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GDF-15 as a Therapeutic Target of Diabetic Complications Increases the Risk of Gallstone Disease : Mendelian Randomization and Polygenic Risk Score Analysis
- 2022
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In: Frontiers in Genetics. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 1664-8021. ; 13
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) levels have been revealed as a robust biomarker for metformin use. We conducted Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to explore the association between GDF-15 and gallstone disease to inform potential therapeutic effects targeting GDF-15. Four genetic variants associated with GDF-15 levels at p < 5 x 10(-8) were selected as instrumental variables from a genome-wide association meta-analysis including 21,758 individuals. Two-sample MR analysis was conducted using summary-level data from UK Biobank (10,520 gallstone cases and 350,674 controls) and FinnGen consortium (19,023 gallstone cases and 195,144 controls). Polygenic risk score analysis using individual-level data in UK biobank was performed to complement the MR findings by examining the non-linearity of the association. Diabetic complications were taken as positive controls to validate the therapeutic effect of targeting GDF-15. Linear and nonlinear associations between genetically predicted GDF-15 levels and gallstones were estimated with stratification by the diabetic status. In the two-sample MR analysis, the odds ratio (OR) of gallstones was 1.09 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03-1.15; p = 0.001) for one standard deviation increase in genetically predicted GDF-15 levels in the meta-analysis of two datasets. Polygenic risk score analysis found this association to be U-shaped (p = 0.037). The observed association was predominantly seen in nondiabetic population (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.01-1.21; p = 0.003). An inverse association between genetically predicted GDF-15 levels and diabetic complications (OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.62-0.96; p = 0.023) was observed, validating the potential therapeutic effects of targeting GDF-15 levels. This MR study indicates that the increased risk of gallstone disease should be taken into account when considering GDF-15 as a therapeutic target for diabetic complications.
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| 5. |
- Yuan, Shuai, et al.
(author)
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Genetically predicted sex hormone levels and health outcomes : phenome-wide Mendelian randomization investigation.
- 2022
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In: International Journal of Epidemiology. - : Oxford University Press. - 0300-5771 .- 1464-3685. ; 51:6, s. 1931-1942
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), testosterone and oestradiol have been associated with many diseases in observational studies; however, the causality of associations remains unestablished.METHODS: A phenome-wide Mendelian randomization (MR) association study was performed to explore disease outcomes associated with genetically proxied circulating SHBG, testosterone and oestradiol levels by using updated genetic instruments in 339 197 unrelated White British individuals (54% female) in the UK Biobank. Two-sample MR analyses with data from large genetic studies were conducted to replicate identified associations in phenome-wide MR analyses. Multivariable MR analyses were performed to investigate mediation effects of hormone-related biomarkers in observed associations with diseases.RESULTS: Phenome-wide MR analyses examined associations of genetically predicted SHBG, testosterone and oestradiol levels with 1211 disease outcomes, and identified 28 and 13 distinct phenotypes associated with genetically predicted SHBG and testosterone, respectively; 22 out of 28 associations for SHBG and 10 out of 13 associations for testosterone were replicated in two-sample MR analyses. Higher genetically predicted SHBG levels were associated with a reduced risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, diabetic complications, coronary atherosclerotic outcomes, gout and benign and malignant neoplasm of uterus, but an increased risk of varicose veins and fracture (mainly in females). Higher genetically predicted testosterone levels were associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, coronary atherosclerotic outcomes, gout and coeliac disease mainly in males, but an increased risk of cholelithiasis in females.CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that sex hormones may causally affect risk of several health outcomes.
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