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The bottom hole of multi-stage hydraulic fracturing horizontal well has obvious temperature response. Based on the temperature prediction model, the dynamic temperature data measured in the process of well injection and shut in in the complex flow system can be interpreted to quantitatively diagnose fractures. During fracturing fluid injection, it passes through vertical well section and horizontal well section respectively, and enters into fracture section at perforation location. The fracturing fluid shows corresponding temperature changes at different locations. In this paper, the wellbore temperature model of horizontal well section is established considering the influence of heat conduction and convection heat transfer, which can predict the bottom hole temperature of fracturing fluid at different times. The effects of injection flow rate, filtration coefficient, fracture width and fracture length on fracture half length, filtration distance and temperature distribution during fracturing fluid injection are analyzed in horizontal well section. The results show that the greater the flow rate into the fracture in the same time in the horizontal well section, the longer the half length of the fracture, the greater the filtration distance, and with the injection of more cold fluid, the temperature in the fracture decreases as a whole. At the same time, the size of the filtration coefficient determines the expansion degree of the fracture. With the increase of the filtration coefficient, too much fracturing fluid will be injected into the formation, and the filtration distance will continue to expand, while the extension distance of the fracture will continue to shrink. The increase of fracture length and width leads to the gradual decrease of fracture half length and the overall decrease of fracture temperature under the same injection flow rate. This paper further carried out the calculation and analysis of a model example. The results show that the model can have an obvious temperature response at the fracture location during the hydraulic fracturing of horizontal wells, and has excellent prediction ability. This study can provide guidance for predicting temperature distribution in fractured wellbore of the same type of horizontal wells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancer accounts for a large number of new-onset malignant tumors caused by infection annually. Exogenous genes integrated into the tumors, mainly HPV E6 and E7, are ideal targets for therapeutic vaccines. Although there are no officially approved therapeutic HPV vaccines, several breakthroughs have been made in peptide-based, vector and DNA vaccines against HPV-related tumors and precancerous lesions. Therapeutic HPV vaccines alone showed limited clinical efficacy against HPV-related tumors, but preliminary results with combination treatments have been encouraging. Thus, more studies should focus on the role of HPV in tumorigenesis and tumor microenvironment to overcome therapy resistance and improve clinical efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regression of human papilloma virus is multifactorial and could be possibly targeted by using life-mode form of intervention. The purpose of this trial is to clarify the effect of aerobic exercise on the regression in outpatients firstly diagnosed with human papilloma virus(HPV) infection. Patients were randomly allocated into exercise group (Arm A) and control group (Arm B). Patients in Arm A received the 45-minute aerobic exercise thrice per week using the bicycle ergometer at gym. Patients in Arm B received their usual care at home. The physical exercise spanned a period of 6 weeks. The characteristics at baseline were documented and HPV specimens were tested at initiation, three months and six months after project launching. The primary endpoint was current HPV infection incidents as well as stratified by age at 3-months and 6-months. The secondary endpoint was newly diagnosed HPV incidents. In total, 125 patients in arm A and 136 patients in arm B were enrolled. The mean follow-up period was 7.5 ± 1.5 months (range 6.0-9.2). Post physical training, no significant difference of HPV 16/18 in groups was observed at 3-months or 6-months. As to current rate, physical exercise was superior to the patients with non-16/18 high-risk human papilloma virus(HR-HPV) infections at 6-months (p = 0.01). Stratified by age, the strength was still strong regarding age span of 18-25 years, 30-35 years, 35-45 years (p = 0.02, p = 0.04, p = 0.01, respectively). Additionally, the newly diagnosed HPV infection (HPV16/18 excluded) significantly decreased from 29 (21.3%) in Arm B to 14 (11.2%) in Arm A (p = 0.02). The current trail indicates that the 6-week aerobic exercise positively affects the regression of HPV infection, especially regarding the non-16/18 HPV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magic matrix-based data hiding schemes are applied to transmit secret information through open communication channels safely. With the development of various magic matrices, some higher dimensional magic matrices are proposed for improving the security level. However, with the limitation of computing resource and the requirement of real time processing, these higher dimensional magic matrix-based methods are not advantageous. Hence, a kind of data hiding scheme based on a single or a group of multi-dimensional flexible magic matrices is proposed in this paper, whose magic matrix can be expanded to higher dimensional ones with less computing resource. Furthermore, an adaptive mechanism is proposed to reduce the embedding distortion. Adapting to the secret data, the magic matrix with least distortion is chosen to embed the data and a marker bit is exploited to record the choice. Experimental results confirm that the proposed scheme hides data with high security and a better visual quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ambitious literary translators have endeavored to render Shakespeare's sonnets into Chinese in a way that recreates the variety of their poetic virtues and values: abundant lexica, polished wording and phrasing, novel simile and metaphor, well-wrought structure, musical cadence and sonority, marvelous smoothness, and even a slight sugariness in the diction where appropriate. Among these translators, Gu Zhengkun stands out due to his original and indeed experimental rhyming scheme, which employs one single rhyme throughout the entire sonnet in the target language. The success of Gu's domesticated rhyme scheme is related to the extent to which its musical rhyming effect appeals to the ears of Chinese readers well-versed in ancient Chinese poetry. However, it does not represent the aesthetics or the poetics of the original couplet, which serves to bring the preceding stanzas toward a decisive finale, one that bears philosophical as well as aesthetical weight. Drawing on a comparative poetics deriving from English literature, Chinese literature, and Taiwanese folk literature, this article attempts to reveal the problematic issues involved in Gu's creative domestication of Shakespeare's sonnets. It argues that Gu's Chinese sonnets, despite their having been rendered with superb bilingual mastery, sing with a single changeless rhyme. As such, they lack the sudden deviation, musical variation, metaphysical twists and turns, and, above all, the aesthetic suspense and ensuing concluding power that collectively characterize the finales of Shakespeare's immortal sonnets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distribution of nutrients (organic matter, total nitrogen and phosphorus contents) and heavy metal elements(zinc, copper, lead, cadmium, chromium, nickel and arsenic)in the sediments, collected from three selected locations of the Shiwei River, Shenzheng city. Sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) and integrated index analyses method containing pollution index(PI)and potential ecological risk index (PERI),was used to estimate risks of nutrients and heavy metal pollution in the Shiwei River sediments. Furthermore, the environmental dredging depth was calculated through critical-risk-depth method was used in this study.Sediments collected from areas recorded elevated nutrient and heavy metal concentrations,which exceeded SQGs. Also, the higher value of PERI value in the surface sediment suggested that Shiwer River was in considerable ecological risk. Among that, Cd posed the chief ecological risk on the Shiwer River. Based on the critical-risk-depth method,the recommended dredging depth for the Shiwei River should between 134cm and 95cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although alcohol drinking is an established risk factor of head and neck cancer (HNC), less is known about its role in the prognosis of HNC. The current study investigated the association between pretreatment alcohol consumption and the overall survival (OS) of HNC patients. Methods: Cox proportional hazards models were performed to evaluate the association between prediagnosis alcohol drinking and the OS of HNC patients. In addition, the influence of the polymorphisms of two ethanol-metabolizing genes, ADH1B and ALDH2, on this relationship was also evaluated. Results: The results showed a significant positive dose-response relationship between prediagnosis alcohol use and worse OS of HNC patients. This association was more significant for oropharyngeal cancer, hypopharyngeal cancer, and laryngeal cancer than for oral cancer. The association between alcohol use and the poorer OS of HNC patients was mainly through its association with a higher stage of HNC at diagnosis. The worst OS associated with alcohol use was observed among HNC patients with the fast ADH1B and the slow/nonfunctional ALDH2 genotype combination. Conclusions: Our analysis showed a significant positive dose-response relationship between prediagnosis alcohol use and a worse OS of HNC. This association was mainly due to the higher stage of HNC among alcohol drinkers. In addition, the polymorphisms of the ethanol-metabolizing genes, ADH1B and ALDH2, modified the relationship between prediagnosis alcohol use and the OS of HNC patients. Impact: Prediagnosis alcohol use may be a prognostic indicator of HNC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microstructure and bio-corrosion behavior of as-cast Mg-2Zn-0.5Ca-Y series alloys were investigated for biomedical application by optical microscopy, scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), immersion tests and electrochemical measurements in Hank's solution and NaCl solution (3.5wt%). The morphologies of the Mg-2Zn-0.5Ca-Y series magnesium alloys indicate that the corrosion is not uniform and a lot of cracks are formed on the surface of the corrosion layer after immersion tests. The corrosion resistance of as-cast Mg-2Zn-0.5Ca-Y series alloys increases owing to the addition of the rare earth element Y and that of Mg-2Zn-0.5Ca-1.0Y alloy is the best. All of the potentiodynamic polarization curves obtained in the tests in Hank's solution and NaCl solution show current plateaus which are due to the presence of a protective corrosion product film. The electrochemical impedance curves of the alloys in the test solutions have only one capacitive loop. The appearance of a capacitive loop at high frequency is caused by the stable double-layer capacitance. The capacitive loop at low frequency is attributed to diffusion control at film-free areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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BACKGROUND: The purpose of this observational study was to investigate the relationship between upper-airway configuration assessed by CT imaging during the Müller maneuver state and the severity of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). METHODS: A total of 358 snoring subjects who underwent standard polysomnography and upper-airway configuration by using CT imaging were enrolled. According to the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), subjects were classified into 4 groups: snoring group (simple snoring), AHI < 5; mild OSAS, 5 ≤ AHI < 15; moderate OSAS, 15 ≤ AHI < 30; and severe OSAS, AHI ≥ 30. We also divided the upper airway into 3 parts, named the nasopharynx, oropharynx, and hypopharynx, from the CT scan and evaluated the minimal cross-sectional area (mCSA) and the shape of each airway level and calculated upper-airway length and distance from mandibular plane to hyoid bone (MPH). RESULTS: Multivariate logistic stepwise regression analysis identified body mass index (BMI), mCSA of nasopharynx, upper-airway length, and MPH as risk factors for the severity of OSAS. When subdivided for BMI and sex, upper-airway length was a risk factor for OSAS in non-obese (BMI < 27 kg/m²) and male subjects, and MPH was a risk factor only in obese (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m²) subjects. Meanwhile, mCSA of nasopharynx was significantly associated with the severity of OSAS independent of BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with severe OSAS have more significant abnormalities of the upper airway. Obesity, mCSA of nasopharynx, upper-airway length, and MPH may contribute to the severity of OSAS. Obesity and sex should be taken into account when evaluating the abnormalities of upper-airway anatomy in snorers and patients with OSAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adipose tissue dysfunction related to obesity is overwhelmingly associated with increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. In the setting of obesity, (pro)renin receptor (PRR) is increased in adipose tissue of mice. We sought to determine the physiological consequences of adipocyte-PRR deficiency using adiponectin-Cre mice. We report a unique model of adipocyte-PRR-deficient mice (PRR(Adi/Y)) with almost no detectable white adipose tissues. As a consequence, the livers of PRR(Adi/Y) mice were enlarged and demonstrated a marked accumulation of lipids. Adipocyte-specific deficiency of PRR increased systolic blood pressure and the concentration of soluble PRR in plasma. To determine whether adipocyte-PRR was involved in the development of obesity-induced hypertension, mice were fed a low-fat or a high-fat diet for 16 weeks. Adipocyte-PRR-deficient mice were resistant to diet-induced obesity. Both high-fat- and low-fat-fed PRR(Adi/Y) mice had elevated insulin levels. Interestingly, adipocyte-PRR deficiency improved glucose tolerance in high-fat-fed PRR(Adi/Y) mice. In response to feeding either low-fat or high-fat diets, systolic blood pressure was greater in PRR(Adi/Y) mice than in control mice. High-fat feeding elevated soluble PRR concentration in control and PRR(Adi/Y) mice. In vitro knockdown of PRR by siRNA significantly decreased mRNA abundance of PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma), suggesting an important role for PRR in adipogenesis. Our data indicate that adipocyte-PRR is involved in lipid homeostasis and glucose and insulin homeostasis, and that soluble PRR may be a predictor of metabolic disturbances and play a role in systolic blood pressure regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

California's pediatric palliative care program Partners for Children uses family-centered care coordination to offer hospice-like therapeutic, respite, and pain management services for children delivered concurrently with curative care and regardless of the child's life expectancy. As an early implementer of concurrent care for children, the program provides evidence of the impact of concurrent care on children and their families. Program impact on caregivers' perceptions of their levels of stress and worry was measured using random effect growth curve models that included survey wave, caregivers' perceived family support, and the child's age and disease severity. All other data were descriptive and subject to univariate analysis. Worry and stress improved in the overall study population between the baseline and follow-up surveys. Family support was predictive of reductions in stress and worry. Disease severity was predictive of stress. Family-centered care coordination is a promising tool to enhance care for children with life-threatening health conditions and reduce caregiver stress and worry. Program strategies, including individualized care planning, access to a 24/7 nurse line, and a focus on the entire family, can be a model for other states as the need for integration of pediatric palliative care for seriously ill children becomes a national public health priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]