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Lu Wang,1 Jingwei Liu,2 Liping Peng1 1Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Liping Peng, Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, People’s Republic of China, Email penglp@jlu.edu.cnPurpose: To summarize the clinical characteristics of progressive pneumonia caused by Chlamydia psittaci (C. psittaci) and to explore the effect of high-dose tigecycline on severe C psittaci.Patients and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of three progressive pneumonia patients caused by C. psittaci in our hospital in the past three years.Results: All three patients showed high fever and progressive dyspnea, and all of them were finally diagnosed by bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS). Case 1 rapidly developed into multilobar infiltration after raising a parrot with a normal appearance one week before. Respiratory failure occurred despite the use of moxifloxacin, requiring non-invasive ventilator-assisted ventilation. Case 2 developed discomfort one day after sightseeing in the forest park. Moxifloxacin was ineffective for her and she quickly developed respiratory failure, requiring invasive ventilator-assisted ventilation. Case 3 kept chickens and ducks at home. Respiratory failure and renal failure still occurred rapidly despite the use of doxycycline, requiring invasive ventilator-assisted ventilation and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). After adjusting the antibiotic to high-dose tigecycline (100mg, I.V., q12h), all three patients were treated effectively and no side effects occurred.Conclusion: C. psittaci pneumonia is one of the causes of progressive pneumonia. High-dose tigecycline is safe and effective for the treatment of severe C. psittaci.Keywords: Chlamydia psittaci, progressive pneumonia, metagenomic next-generation sequencing, high-dose tigecycline

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Background and Objectives. Owing to the complexity and heterogeneity of tumors, cancer’s early diagnoses and treatment have become a provocation. Structure-specific recognition protein-1 (SSRP1) is a histone (H3-H4 or H2A-H2B) chaperone in chromatin-related processes such as transcription, cell cycle control, and DNA replication, reported in various tumor tissues. It may also be used as a biomarker. This study aimed to highlight the role of SSRP1 in cancer with a focus on the current progress and future perspective. Methods. We search PubMed and Web of Sciences with keywords “SSRP1” and “Cancer.” Only English literature was included, and conference papers and abstract were all excluded. Results. Transcription factors are classified into three groups based on their DNA binding motifs: simple helix-loop-helix (bHLH), classical zinc fingers (ZF-TFs), and homeodomains. The tumor-suppressive miR-497 (microRNA-497) acted as an undesirable regulator of SSRP1 upregulation, which led to tumor growth. The siRNA (small interfering RNA) knockdown of SSRP1 hindered cell proliferation along with incursion and glioma cell migration. Through the AKT (also known as protein kinase B) signaling pathway, SSRP1 silencing affected cancer apoptosis and cell proliferation. Conclusion. The MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) signaling pathway’s phosphorylation was suppressed when SSRP1 was depleted. The effect of curaxins on p53 and NF-B (nuclear factor-κB), and their toxicity to cancer cells, is attributable to the FACT (facilitates chromatin transcription) complex’s chromatin trapping.

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Coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic. To add to the scarce information on this disease, here, we investigated the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 93 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Jilin, China from January 22 to March 15, 2020. We retrospectively investigated the demographic information, recent exposure history, clinical symptoms or signs, comorbidity, chest computed tomographic (CT) scan or X-ray results, laboratory test results, diagnostic classification, treatment, length of hospitalization, complications, and outcomes. Of the 93 patients, 54 were male and 39 female. More than half of these patients had a history of exposure to infected patients. The mean incubation period was 10.4 days in 87 patients, where the data was available. The 5 most common symptoms of illness onset were fever, cough, expectoration, fatigue, and dyspnea. One patient was asymptomatic. The imaging results were abnormal in majority of the patients. Almost one-third of the patients had lymphopenia. All patients received antiviral therapy, 84 patients were treated with antibiotics and 54 received different doses of the hormone for methylprednisolone. In addition, 72 patients used traditional Chinese medicine. Oxygen therapy, high nasal flow oxygen, non-invasive ventilator, invasive ventilator and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) were used symptomatically in different patients. Except 1 patient who died during treatment, all others were discharged. The average incubation time is prolonged in the present analysis, as compared to that in other reports. A few patients symptoms improved but CT exacerbated. Therefore, we suggest that close follow-up observation is still required after discharge.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is considered to be a joint-associated disorder and one of leading reasons for disability, however, potential mechanism has never been clarified. The purpose of this research was to evaluate protective-effects of Achyranthes Bidentata extracts (ABE) on chondrocytes function in osteoarthritis. We performed a systematic investigation of transcriptional and proteomic landscapes to identify the underlying mechanisms behind effects of ABE on chondrocytic functions. OA animal models were generated in the present research. Chondrocytes were isolated and cultured, and then prepared for GeneChip analysis. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and LC-MS/MS analysis were conducted to analyze samples. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blotting were used to evaluate expression of protein kinase B (AKT), β-tubulin and β-action. Apoptosis and glycolysis pathway were significantly compromised in chondrocytes with ABE stimulation as revealed by both transcriptional and proteomic data. Consistently, ABE suppressed chondrocytes apoptosis and glycolytic activity in vitro through modulating multiple genes, such as Plk2, Casp1/12 and Cers1 as well as Pkm2, Eno1/3 and Pgk2. Mechanically, ABE activated MAPK signaling pathway and suppressed AKT signaling pathway, therefore, reducing the glycolysis to provide survival benefits. We extended our analysis by verifying insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and MAP kinase 1 (MEK1) in chondrocytes function. Depletion of either IGF-1 or MEK1 impaired AKT expression and phosphorylation, leading to the enhanced chondrocyte apoptosis and reduced cell proliferation. In conclusion, our study provided systematic view and molecular basis for ABE to serve as potential intervention of OA via suppressing AKT signaling.

Tree peonies (Paeonia Sect Moutan DC) are an emerging oil crop because of their high oil and α-linolenic acid (ALA) content. This research was to investigate the potential use of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) for estimating the major fatty acids contents, such as palmitic acid (C16:0), oleic acid (C18:1), linoleic acid (C18:2) and linolenic acid (C18:3) in tree peonies. A total of 115 small seed samples and 447 single seeds were selected to calibrate the predictive models. NIRS absorbance spectra were collected using a Fourier transform near infrared (FT-NIR) spectrometer for the small seed samples, and acousto-optic tunable filter-near infrared (AOTF-NIR) for the single seed samples. Statistical analysis was performed with partial least squares (PLS). For the husked samples, C18:3, C18:1 and C18:2 showed the highest correlation coefficient of validation (R v; = 0.9756, 0.9467 and 0.8485, respectively) and the ratio of performance to deviation (RPD; = 3.58, 1.91 and 2.17, respectively); however, C16:0 did not reach expectations (R v = 0.7783, RPD = 1.32). For intact samples, C18:3 showed the best prediction (R v = 0.9096, RPD = 3.14), followed by C18:2 (R v = 0.8479, RPD = 1.96). The results for C18:1 were poor (R v = 0.7237, RPD = 1.70). For single seeds, only the results for C18:3 (R = 0.9150, RPD = 1.73) were good in the husked seed samples. It was concluded that NIRS can be used to rapidly assess the content of the major fatty acids in small samples.

The vibration property of a rectangular-hollow-sectional beam with an external crack were theoretically and experimentally studied in this paper. The external part-through crack and through-thickness crack were considered. Linear elastic fracture mechanics were employed to establish the theoretical formula for computing the equivalent torsion spring stiffness of the two external cracks. Then, the experimental method of obtaining the equivalent torsion spring stiffness was developed. It is seen that the test data match fairly well with the analytical data. On this basis, the transfer matrix method was introduced to obtain the frequency equations of these cracked beams under three classic boundary conditions, and followed by the numerical method for calculating natural frequencies. Experimental tests on clamped–free beams were used to verify the accuracy. It should be noted that a part-through crack may lead to a more distinct natural frequency reduction than the through-thickness crack.

Since twenty-first century, many countries have accelerated their development, and the energy on the earth has been gradually consumed, which not only has caused the lack of energy, but also the environmental pollution. Therefore, people have paid much attention to the related problems. Based on the research of big data theory, the credibility algorithm of new energy was established in this paper. And through the establishment of wind farm power generation model, its reliability and indicators were analyzed. Thus, the feasibility of replacing old energy with new energy sources was explored. And through the analysis of the data, the reliability of wind farms and photovoltaic power plants was evaluated.

There is an increasing gap between the fast growth of data and the limited human ability to comprehend data. Consequently, there has been a growing demand of data management tools that can bridge this gap and help the user retrieve high-value content from data more effectively. In this work, we aim to build interactive data exploration as a new database service, using an approach called "explore-by-example". In particular, we cast the explore-by-example problem in a principled "active learning" framework, and bring the properties of important classes of database queries to bear on the design of new algorithms and optimizations for active learning-based database exploration. These new techniques allow the database system to overcome fundamental limitations of traditional active learning, in particular, the slow convergence problem. Evaluation results using real-world datasets and user interest patterns show that our new system significantly outperforms state-of-the-art active learning techniques and data exploration systems in accuracy while achieving desired efficiency for interactive performance.

Despite a considerable progress in verification and abstraction of random and control logic, advances in formal verification of arithmetic designs have been lagging. This can be attributed mostly to the difficulty in an efficient modeling of arithmetic circuits and datapaths without resorting to computationally expensive Boolean methods, such as Binary Decision Diagrams (BDDs) and Boolean Satisfiability (SAT), that require “bit blasting”, i.e., flattening the design to a bit-level netlist. Approaches that rely on computer algebra and Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT) methods are either too abstract to handle the bit-level nature of arithmetic designs or require solving computationally expensive decision or satisfiability problems. The work proposed in this thesis aims at overcoming the limitations of analyzing arithmetic circuits, specifically at the post-synthesized phase. It addresses the verification, abstraction and reverse engineering problems of arithmetic circuits at an algebraic level, treating an arithmetic circuit and its specification as a properly constructed algebraic system. The proposed technique solves these problems by function extraction, i.e., by deriving arithmetic function computed by the circuit from its low-level circuit implementation using computer algebraic rewriting technique. The proposed techniques work on large integer arithmetic circuits and finite field arithmetic circuits, up to 512-bit wide containing millions of logic gates.

Demand for large vibrating screen is huge in the mineral processing industry. As bending and random vibration are not considered in a traditional design method for beam structures of a large vibrating screen, fatigue damage occurs frequently to affect the screening performance. This work aims to conduct a systematic mechanics analysis of the beam structures and improve the design method. Total motion of a beam structure in screening process can be decomposed into the traditional followed rigid translation (FRT), bending vibration (BV) and axial linear-distributed random rigid translation (ALRRT) excited by the side-plates. When treated as a generalized single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) elastic system analytically, the BV can be solved by the Rayleigh’s method. Stochastic analysis for random process is conducted for the detailed ALRRT calculation. Expressions for the mechanics property, namely, the shearing force and bending-moment with respect to BV and ALRRT, are derived, respectively. Experimental and numerical investigations demonstrate that the largest BV exists at the beam center and can be nearly ignored in comparison with the FRT during a simplified engineering design. With the BV and FRT considered, the mechanics property accords well with the practical situation with the maximum error of 6.33%, which is less than that obtained by traditional method.

FeCrAl alloys wires with different Cr contents were investigated as a broadband radiation source for the spectral region from 1100 to 100 cm−1. Due to the change in temperature, the radiation intensity depends on the driven current. Compared with commercial mercury arc lamp and terahertz quantum cascade laser sources, the FeCrAl alloys wires source generates a pronounced THz broad spectrum from 400 cm−1 to 100 cm−1. Using FeCrAl alloys wires source, the optical phonon absorption and zone-edge two-phonon absorption were observed for typical GaAs substrate transmission. The measurement of the little absorption from 400 cm−1 to 100 cm−1 for polyethylene film further confirms the potential application of FeCrAl alloys wires source in terahertz field.

In this paper, a new approach to identify cross-section deformation modes is presented and utilized in the establishment of a high-order beam model for dynamic analyses of thin-walled structures. Towards this end, a systematic procedure to extract cross-section in-plane vibration shapes for a thin-walled cross-section is developed based on elastic plate/shell theory. Then the distortion shapes are separated from vibration shapes by removing the components of classic modes involved with the minimum value problem of 2-norm. Sequentially, curve fitting method is utilized to approximate the distortion shape functions along the cross-section midline. It should be noticed that these distortion modes are arranged in hierarchy consistent with the order that they are identified and the number of distortions to be identified depends on the required model precision. Based on this, Hamilton's principle is applied to formulate the dynamic governing equations of the beam by constructing its displacement field with the linear superposition of the cross-section mode shapes including distortions. Numerical examples are also presented to validate the new approach and to demonstrate its efficiency in the reproduction of three-dimensional behaviours of thin-walled structures in dynamic analyses.

运用密度泛函理论计算了氧（O）在Nb3Ge表面的吸附，结果表明O倾向于吸附在Nb原子周围，并与Nb的电子轨道发生了明显的交叠，O与Nb形成兼具共价键和离子键特性的化学键。利用X射线光电子能谱对自然氧化的Nb3Ge表面进行成分分析发现：氧化层中只存在Nb的氧化物，理论计算结果与实验结果一致。由于O容易与Nb结合，最外层的Nb因逐渐氧化而耗尽，在接触势的驱使下，内部的Nb原子与最外层的Ge原子交换，最终使得Nb与O的形成氧化物在Nb3Ge表面聚集，在该氧化层下面是由于Nb的耗尽而形成的Ge聚集层。

In the present study, electrical stimulation to the rat insular cortex induced apnea or respiratory disturbance, reduced amplitude of genioglossal electromyogram, and decreased electromyogram integrals. In addition, arterial blood gas analysis showed arterial blood acidosis, reduced pH values, increased alkali reserve negative values, decreased peripheral blood 5-hydroxytryptamine content, and increased 5-hydroxytryptamine expression in cerebellar Purkinje cells. Following lidocaine injection to block the habenular nucleus, abnormalities in breath, genioglossal electromyogram, and blood gas values disappeared, and peripheral blood 5-hydroxytryptamine content returned to levels prior to electric stimulation. However, 5-hydroxytryptamine expression in cerebellar Purkinje cells remained high. The results suggested that 5-hydroxytryptamine expression in Purkinje cells did not correlate with ventilation function involving insular cortex and habenular nucleus.

Zn1-xCdxO/ZnO single quantum well is grown by laser molecular beam epitaxy on Al2O3(0001) substrate. Single quantum well samples respectively with the well-widths of 1.0 nm, 1.5 nm, 4 nm are obtained by controlling the epitaxial temperature and oxygen pressure in the vacuum chamber. The chemical compositions, surface morphologies, crystal structures of the samples are carefully studied, and the results show that the Zn0.98Cd0.02O single quantum wells are of high quality with very smooth surface (with the root mean square value of 0.6 nm in 20 μm×20 μm area) and good crystal structure. Quite a strong photoluminescence emission is obtained at 3.158-3.219 eV from the ZnCdO single quantum well at 4 K under a 325 nm He-Cd laser by tuning quantum well-width. The full width of half maximum of the photoluminescence emission peak of the 1.0 nm quantum well reaches 60 meV, which indicates a strong quantum confinement effect.

To evaluate the effect of noninvasive Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) ventilation on the severe influenza A virus associated with pneumonia and acute respiratory failure (ARF).Based on conventional therapy via face mask using BiPAP ventilator positive airway pressure ventilation in the treatment of severe pneumonia caused by influenza A (H1N1) virus with acute respiratory failure (ARF) in 18 cases, we observed and evaluated the therapeutic effects.PaO2 and SaO2 before and after treatment were (48.85 ± 12.15)mmHg, (68.56 ± 16.25) mmHg and (80 ± 6)%, (92 ± 5)%, respectively. The results were significantly different (P0.05) before and after treatment. Endotracheal intubation rate was 25% (6/24) and case-fatality rate was 8.3% (2/24).BiPAP ventilator airway pressure by face mask ventilation can reduce the rate of endotracheal intubation in the treatment of severe pneumonia caused by influenza A (H1N1) virus in acute respiratory failure. It could be an effective approach in the emergency treatment with clinical value.

Gold spherical shell photocathode was prepared by seed-mediated growth on polystyrefle template and dispersed on the aluminum substrates by spin-coating procedure. Polystyrefle template was then removed by heat treatment. SEM surface morphology shows that Au spherical shell of ～10 μm in diameter can be self-supported after polystyrefle substrate is removed. The thickness of Au shell is about 70-90 nm and the grain size on the surface is about 30-60 nm. X-ray photoemission characteristics of Au reflection photocathodes in the 400-1400 eV photon energy region are obtained, indicating that the Au shell photocathodes can emit 3 times more photoelectrons than the plane Au photocathode; this results from the special surface morphology of Au spherical shell and the reduction of surface potential.