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Aiming to address the problem of low classification accuracy caused by the different shapes of meniscus tears in the computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system for meniscus, a multidimensional information fusion network (MDIFNet) model for menissus tear classification was proposed. Firstly, a convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture consisting of four sub-networks was used to obtain meniscus feature information from different perspectives and dimensions. Simultaneously, multi-scale attention mechanism was proposed to enrich fine-grained features. Finally, a multi kernel model based on support vector machines (SVM) was constructed as the final classifier. The experimental results on the MRNet dataset show that the proposed method has a meniscal tear classification accuracy of 0.782, which has promotion compared to the existing state-of-the-art meniscus tear classification methods based on deep learning.

Low back pain (LBP) is one of the common chronic pains in clinical practice, affecting about two-thirds of LBP patients continue to deteriorate into Chronic low back pain (CLBP) after the initial onset. CLBP imposes a significant financial burden on both patients and society. At present, pharmacological treatments remains the primary treatment approach in clinical practice, but its long-term efficacy is limited. Long-term use of analgesics may result in some adverse effects in such patients, including the increased risk of depression and fracture. Notably, patients with CLBP have abnormalities in brain function and structure involved in pain regulation and stimulation of the brain region involved in pain processing may be an effective treatment for them. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a burgeoning non-invasive brain neuromodulation technique, which has the advantages of improved safety and few negative side effects. It applies specific low-intensity current to specific brain areas through electrodes, regulate synaptic plasticity, change cortical excitability, and achieve the regulation of neural activity in the brain, and has shown certain efficacy in the treatment of chronic pain. However, due to the complexity of the pathogenesis of CLBP and the inconsistency of stimulus parameters, the results of clinical studies on tDCS in this disease are quite different. This article reviews the current domestic and international research progress of tDCS in CLBP rehabilitation in recent years and discusses the factors that affect its curative effect (e.g., stimulation target, frequency, and synergistic treatment scheme) and possibly effective treatment modes. Additionally, the paper summarized the potential analgesic mechanism of tDCS in the treatment of CLBP, aiming to provide new ideas for the nonpharmacologic treatment of this disease. The review found that a single session of tDCS or a combination of tDCS and peripheral intervention significantly improved the pain intensity of patients with CLBP, but the effects of multiple sessions of tDCS on CLBP were not significant. Compared with the primary motor cortex, the prefrontal area showed a better therapeutic effect as the stimulating site for tDCS treatment of CLBP. In addition, the mechanism of the effect of tDCS on CLBP may be related to its regulatory effects on pain-related neural signaling pathways, regional cerebral blood flow, and synaptic plasticity. In the future, high-quality clinical studies with multi-center, large samples, long-term follow-up, and comparison of different stimulus parameters of tDCS should be further carried out to explore the therapeutic potential of tDCS to treat patients with CLBP from multiple dimensions and optimize the stimulation protocols of tDCS.

The influence of the process parameters of SiC ceramics on the processing quality was discussed. The corrosion mechanism of SiC ceramics was analyzed. The corrosion rate and porosity of samples were measured by the method of weight-loss and Archimedes respectively. The surface morphology and structure of the specimen were characterized by XRD, SEM and roughness tester. The results show that the corrosion rate increases with the increase of temperature and KOH concentration, and the corrosion effect is significantly improved when the temperature is higher than the boiling point of the alkali solution. The high concentration of alkali solution causes the porosity to decrease, and the increase of temperature can slow down the decrease of porosity. Under the optimized process parameters, the high temperature chemical corrosion can reduce the roughness of the sample, and the minimum roughness(Ra) of the surface is 1.6 μm. The surface quality is improved, the length of contour support is increased, and Rmr (50%) reaches 89.70%. The excessive corrosion temperature or too long time causes the grains to fall off, resulting in a sharp drop of surface quality. In addition, compared with the machining samples, no cracks are found on the sample of high temperature chemical processing. After simple cleaning, the surface has no reactant residue.

An ANSYS finite element analysis of temperature field is carried out aiming at laser quenching process of a large modulus gear used in the overloading car,which involve the establishment of 3D model,load method,command flow of moving heat source,longitudinal section temperature distribution,determination of the hardening layer depth.According to ANSYS Post-processing methods,the case of heat flow in the processing,the temperature variation of typical nodes along the scanning line of the heat source and the depth direction as well as the cause and the solution of the widely different temperature between the surface before and after the laser speckle（which is caused momentarily "heat flux accumulation effect"）are analyzed.The analysis results show that laser quenching on the gear tooth surface can achieve good effect,which is validated by the experiment.

Theaflavin is a high-quality component of black tea, which has good medical and health functions. Highspeed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) has been applied for the separation of theaflavins and catechins, and examined the cytotoxic activity of the individual theaflavins against human liver cancer (HepG2) cells, Colonic adenocarci-noma(Caco-2)cells. Six components were separated and prepared by HSCCC. Further analysis of these compounds by HPLC indicated that that each component F4 contains theaflavin (TF), F5 contains theaflavin-3-gallate (TF-3-G) and theaflavin-3'-gallate (TF-3'-G), and F6 contains theaflavin-3, 3'- gallate (TFDG). The results show TFDG was selected to study the inhibitory effect on cancer cells. CCK-8 was used to assess cell proliferation. TFDG has a significant inhibitory effect on HepG-2 and Caco-2 cells in a time-dependent and dose-dependent manner with the increase of concentration and time. It found a solvent system for the preparation of theaflavins in large quantities was selected based on the partitioning coefficient K and separation factor a. Also, we acknowledged that there is a certain relationship between cancer prevention and quinone reductase (QR). Combining experimental data with theory, by linking molecular docking technology was used to verify that TFDG and QR can form stable complexes, It also inducing QR activity can enhance the anticancer effect, it can providing a basis for further research on the effect of theaflavin on cancer cells. Keywords high speed countercurrent chromatography; hepatoma cells; colon adenocarcinoma cells; molecular docking [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study observed the effect of Wendan Ningxin Granules (WDNX) on the BDNF/TrkB/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in rats with myocardial infarction and depression, and explored its possible mechanism of action. Methods: A rat model of myocardial infarction combined with depression was prepared by subcutaneous multi-point injection of isoproterenol (ISO) and chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). After 28 days of intervention with WDNX, changes in cardiac function were detected by transthoracic echocardiography; Evaluate the depression status of rats based on sugar preference and open field experiments; Using hematoxylin eosin (HE) and Nissl staining to observe pathological changes in myocardial and brain tissue, as well as neuronal damage; Finally, the expression levels of the BDNF/TrkB/PI3K/Akt pathway were detected using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting techniques. Results: In vivo experiments have confirmed that compared with the blank group, the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular short axis shortening rate (LVFS) of the model group rats were significantly reduced (P<0.01). A large amount of fiber edema and cytoplasmic looseness were observed in the myocardial tissue, and myocardial fiber dissolution was observed at the tissue edge, accompanied by a small amount of lymphocyte infiltration; There is obvious diffuse damage to brain tissue, interstitial swelling, aggregation of inflammatory cells, and irregular morphology; Nissl staining observation showed that the number of neurons in the model group significantly decreased, with irregular morphology, loose and disordered arrangement, increased intercellular spaces, and also led to the consolidation of Nissl body morphology, resulting in pathological changes; The preference for sugar water, activity time in the central region, and number of central crossings in the model rats were significantly reduced (P<0.01); Compared with the model group, the WDNX group showed a significant increase in LVEF and LVFS (P<0.01), with improvements in myocardial fiber edema, cytoplasmic looseness, inflammatory infiltration, cell cavity degeneration, and fiber dissolution. The morphology of neurons in the brain tissue was more regular, arranged neatly and tightly, and the number of neurons was relatively increased. It was also possible to restore the morphology of Nissl bodies; The preference for sugar water, activity time in the central region, and number of central crossings in the WDNX group of rats significantly increased (P<0.05). Immunohistochemical staining results; Compared with the blank group, the BDNF protein expression in the myocardial and brain tissues (hippocampus, cortex, and hypothalamus) of the model group rats was significantly reduced (P<0.01), while the expression of TrkB, PI3K, and Akt proteins in the myocardium was significantly reduced (P<0.01); Compared with the model group, the expression of BDNF protein in the myocardium and brain tissues (hippocampus, cortex, and hypothalamus) of the WDNX group was significantly increased (P<0.05), while the expression of TrkB, PI3K, and Akt proteins in the myocardium were significantly increased (P<0.01); Western blotting test results: Compared with the blank group, the expression of BDNF, TrkB, PI3K, and Akt proteins in the myocardium of the model group rats was significantly reduced (P<0.01); Compared with the model group, the expression of BDNF, TrkB, PI3K, and Akt proteins in the myocardium of the WDNX group was significantly increased (P<0.05). Conclusion: WDNX can effectively improve myocardial injury and depressive behavior in rats with myocardial infarction and depression, which may be related to the activation of the BDNF/ TrkB/PI3K/Akt pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theory of "heart housing shen (mind)" elaborated on in Huangdi Neijing (Huangdi's Internal Classic) has important guiding significance in clinical practice. In view of the prevalence and morbidity of coronary heart disease with anxiety and depression, which is considered to be the disorder of heart's function, the heart failing to house shen could be used in explanation of its pathogenesis. This paper explains the theoretical connotation of "heart housing shen" and the intrinsic connection between such a theory and the coronary heart disease with anxiety and depression. Based on that, it is stated that "treatment to restore the heart's dual functions" and "simultaneous treatment of the body and mind" are the fundamental treatment principles for that disorder. Besides, as the onset of the coronary heart disease with anxiety and depression is also closely related to the liver, both the heart and liver should be addressed by nourishing the heart and calming the shen, promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, and regulating the liver qi to relieve qi stagnation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The special construction technology of 3D printed concrete puts forward new requirements for concrete materials. The reasonable selection of the type and dosage of admixtures effectively adjusts the rheology, setting property, strength and durability of 3D printed concrete, and ensures the constructability and useability of 3D printed concrete. In this paper, the performance requirements of 3D printed concrete were firstly discussed, and then the action mechanism and usage of admixtures were analyzed, and theoretical suggestions for the selection of admixtures for 3D printed concrete were provided. At last, the future development of admixtures for 3D printed concrete were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The semi-humid and prone-to-drought Loess Platform is a typical rain fed agricultural region, in which the planting system is mostly one harvest a year or one harvest two years. Winter wheat and spring maize are main grain crops cultivated in this region. A long-term practice of applying single soil tillage measures in this area causes soil compaction, poor ability of retaining rainwater and providing nutrition. Many studies and practices have demonstrated that reasonable soil rotational tillage systems matching different crop rotation cropping systems played a very important role in maintaining the sustainable development of farmland ecosystem, creating suitable environment (soil, nutrients, water, air, temperature) condition for crop growth and promoting crop yields. In order to investigate the effects of different rotational tillage systems on soil production performance in wheat-maize fields, the soil bulk density, soil porosity, soil nutrients contents, water storages, crop yields and water use efficiency (WUE) as well as economic benefits were determined on the Loess Platform of China, which will provide a theoretical basis to establish a reasonable soil tillage system for a cop rotation system under a certain fertilizing method in the semi-humid and prone-to-drought Loess Platform. A six-year field experiment was carried out from 2007 to 2013 in Dryland Agricultural Research Station, Ganjing Town (latitude 35°33ʹN; longitude 110°08ʹE; 900 m above sea level), Shaanxi province. Six kinds of different rotational tillage systems of this experiment included no-tillage/sub-soiling rotation (NT/ST), sub-soiling/ploughing rotation (ST/PT) and ploughing/no-tillage rotation (PT/NT), no-tillage/ploughing/sub-soiling rotation (NT/PT/ST), no-tillage/no-tillage/sub-soiling rotation (NT/NT/ST), ploughing/ploughing/sub-soiling rotation (PT/PT/ST). The continuous no-tillage (CK1), continuous sub-soiling (CK2) and continuous ploughing (CK3) for six years were used as control. Results revealed that, 1) ST/PT was the best to decrease soil bulk density, increase soil porosity, improve soil structure and permeability in six kinds of rotational tillage systems, followed by PT/PT/ST; 2) Comparing with other rotational tillage systems, NT/ST and ST/PT increased the soil organic matter and total nitrogen content significantly in 0-40 cm soil layer, ST/PT and PT/PT/ST increased the available nutrient content apparently; 3) Comparing with other rotational tillage systems, NT/ST and NT/NT/ST got higher soil water storage before sowing, and the same results was founded after harvesting; 4) Considering the overall effects of grain yields, WUE, and economic benefits, ST/PT was the highest, followed by NT/ST, thirdly NT/PT/ST, NT/NT/ST was the lowest. ST/PT increased grain yields by 5.4%-14.1%, WUE by 1.9%-14.1%, economic benefits by 8.2%-22.6%, compared with other rotational tillage systems. NT/ST increased grain yields by 2.8%-8.2%, WUE by 5.7%-11.5%, economic benefits by 5.1%-13.3%, compared with other four rotational tillage systems. In conclusion, appropriate rotational tillage systems are beneficial for protecting soil environment, improving soil structure, retaining soil water, increasing crop yield and economic benefits. sub-soiling/ploughing rotation system (ST/PT) had good production performance in reducing soil bulk density, improving soil structure, promoting soil increasing water storages and soil nutrients contents, promoting crop yields and WUE, which is more suitable soil rotational tillage system in winter wheat and spring maize rotation fields. No-tillage/sub-soiling rotation system (NT/ST) could increase rainwater infiltration, protect soil, and enhance water reserving and soil moisture keeping, and its crop yields and economic benefits were only inferior to ST/PT. Hence, NT/ST was also a good soil rotational tillage system in this region. Considering the local conditions, ST/PT could be recommended as suitable soil tillage patterns to match the "one crop one year" crop rotation system, followed by NT/ST. These two systems can be employed to achieve better production performance on the basis of the specific situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sweet potato is a kind of low-calorie root food that has also been used for medicinal purpose. It is rich in a variety of essential nutrients and bioactive ingredients for the human body, and can be used to prevent various diseases. The quality of sweet potato directly affects its product quality, classification and quality grading and economic value. Rapid and efficient detection technologies play an important role in ensuring the quality and safety of sweet potato. Many studies on the rapid detection and analysis of sweet potato quality based on near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) have been reported. This paper comprehensively summarizes recent progress in the application of NIRS in the detection of the general chemical components (protein, starch, sugar, and water), active components (flavonoids and carotenoids), adulterants, heavy metals and microbial contamination in sweet potato as well as in its varietal identification. Moreover, this paper proposes future trends and research priorities for the application of NIRS in the quality detection of sweet potato. This review is expected to provide more references for further improvement of rapid quality assessment of sweet potato by NIRS and for the development of related fast testing equipment.

Purpose: To compare the structure and antioxidant activity of arabinoxylan (AX) extracted from wheat bran of different varieties by different methods. Methods: AX was extracted from wheat bran from the cultivars ‘Bainong 207’, ‘Baihan 207’, ‘Guanmai 1’, ‘Huayu 198’ and ‘Huayu 166’ by alkali extraction, ultrasonic-assisted xylanase extraction or ultrasonic-assisted cellulase extraction, and its chemical composition, relative molecular mass, molecular structure, thermal stability and antioxidant activity were determined. Results: Among the three extraction methods, alkali extraction gave higher levels of AX yield and total sugar content, while enzymatic extraction retained polyphenols to a greater extent, which may contribute to the better antioxidant capacity of the AX-rich extract, but reduced the relative molecular mass of AX to a certain extent. The monosaccharide composition of enzymatically extracted AX was significantly different from that of alkali extracted AX, and the glycosidic linkage types in enzymatically extracted AX were more complex. Compared with ultrasonic-assisted cellulase extraction, higher AX yield and total sugar content were obtained using ultrasound-assisted xylanase, while the polyphenol content of AX obtained by ultrasound-assisted cellulase extraction was higher, and monosaccharide composition and glycosidic linkage types were also different between AXs extracted by the two enzymatic methods. In addition, the relative molecular mass, the monosaccharide composition, and the types and proportions of glycosidic linkage of AX extracted from wheat bran of different varieties were different. Conclusion: The structure and activity of AX extracted from wheat bran by alkali extraction, ultrasonic-assisted xylanase extraction and ultrasonic-assisted cellulase extraction were obviously different. Compared with alkali extraction, AX obtained by enzymatic extraction had lower yield and molecular mass, but higher polyphenol content and better antioxidant performance. Compared with ultrasound-assisted cellulase extraction, AX obtained by ultrasound-assisted xylanase extraction had higher yield and total sugar content, but lower polyphenol content. The structure of wheat bran AX varied with different extraction methods and varieties.

Objective To observe the expression of adhesion molecule CD226 on the small intestinal group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3) in mice. Methods The bioinformatics was used to analyze the expression of CD226 on murine ILCs. Small intestinal mucosal lamina propria lymphocytes (LPL) were isolated from wild-type C57BL/6J mice, and the expression of CD226 on ILC1 and ILC3 was detected by flow cytometry. A mouse model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis was constructed to observe the changes in the expression of CD226 on ILC3. Results Both ILC1 and ILC3 in the mice small intestine expressed CD226 molecules; the proportion of ILC3 was reduced, while the expression level of CD226 on ILC3 was increased in the colitis model. Conclusion CD226 is expressed on the small intestines of mice, and although the proportion of ILC3 decreases in the DSS-induced colitis, the expression of CD226 on ILC3 increases.

Objective To investigate the immunoregulatory effects of CD226 on the chronic restraint stress (CRS)-induced depression-like behavior and its underlying mechanism in mice. Methods Male C57/BL6J mice and CD226 gene knockout (KO) mice with the same strain (4-6 week old) were adopted to establish CRS models. The stress-induced depression scores of mice were evaluated through behavioral testing such as forced swimming test and sucrose preference test. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the differences of the intraepithelial lymphocytes in the spleens, peyer's patches, and intestines between the two groups. Results Compared with WT CRS group, mice in CD226KO CRS group showed significantly decreased immobility time in forced swimming test and increased sucrose preference rate. The ratio of CD4 + T cells to CD8 + T cells in spleen was significantly reduced, combined with the remarkably elevated proportion of TCRαβ and TCRαβCD8αβ cells in the small intestinal IELs of CD226 KO mice with CRS. Conclusion Knockout of CD226 alleviates CRS-induced depression-like behavior in mice, alters the proportion of immune cells in murine spleen and intestine, and improves the overall immune status of mice under stress.

Objective To prepare mouse-derived monoclonal antibody against human suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) molecule and make initial identification. Methods BALB/c mice were immunized with the recombinant human ST2 molecule, and the conventional B-cell hybridoma technology was used to prepare the anti-ST2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Their application in western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry were evaluated. The sandwich ELISA detecting soluble ST2 was established to test the serum levels of ST2 in patients with heat stroke. And the ST2 luciferase reporter gene detection system was established to detect their neutralization activity. Results Thirty-eight hybridoma cell lines secreting mouse anti-human ST2 mAb were obtained and named from XA325.1 to XA325.38. Preliminary screening and identification of them showed that they can be used to identify the purified recombinant ST2 proteins and cellular expressed ST2 using western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Two of them can be used for flow cytometry to identify the exogenously transfected ST2 molecule on the cell surface. Using XA325.16 mAb coating, combined with XA325.5-labeled biotin, an ELISA kit detecting soluble ST2 in serum was established. It was found that the serum levels of ST2 in patients with heat stroke increased significantly. Moreover, XA325.5 was found with neutralizing activity which can block the biological effect of IL-33. Conclusion A set of mouse anti-human ST2 mAbs was prepared, which can be used in a variety of immunological detection techniques. Besides, XA325.5 neutralizing antibody has a potential value in clinical application.

Objective To prepare and preliminarily identify anti-mouse CD226 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) using CD226 knockout (CD226 KO) mice as immunized animals. Methods Animals were immunized by recombinant mouse CD226 protein expressed by eukaryotic cells. Anti-mouse CD226 mAbs were prepared by conventional B-cell hybridoma technology. The application of the generated mAbs for flow cytometry and Western blotting was tested. A sandwich ELISA system was established for the detection of soluble CD226 in mice. And the concentrations of plasma soluble CD226 was determined by this sandwich ELISA system in an LPS-induced sepsis mouse model. Results Two hybridoma cell lines secreting mouse anti-mouse CD226 mAbs were successfully prepared. The clones were named mA1.1 and mA1.3, respectively. The antibody subclasses were both IgG1, and the light chains were κ. The obtained mAbs could be applied for flow cytometry to detect exogenous transfected CD226 on the cell surface and natural CD226 on the mouse platelet membrane. In Western blot assay, the mAb could bind to lymphocyte membrane proteins with a relative molecular mass (M r ) of 67 000 that was consistent with the M r of CD226. In the sandwich ELISA system, the purified mAbs of mA1.3 were coated on ELISA plates as capture antibody, and the mAbs of mA1.1 were labeled with horseradish peroxidase or biotin as detection antibody. The detection sensitivities were 3.0 and 0.25 ng/mL, respectively. The concentration of plasma soluble CD226 of the septic mice was lower than that of the normal mice in the control group. Conclusion The mouse mAbs for identifying mouse CD226 have been prepared successfully and can be applied in various detection techniques.

Objective To investigate the regulatory effects of Mycobacterium tuberculosis major secreted protein Ag85B and Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) on the immune function of dendritic cells (DCs) in the patients with tuberculosis who have received an initial treatment. Methods The peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected and separated in 26 healthy subjects and 31 patients with tuberculosis who had been treated initially. Every specimen was divided into 4 groups and DCs were induced and cultured. On the 6th day, the DCs in the three experimental groups were treated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), BCG, Ag85B, respectively and no-treated DCs served as a control group. After 24-hour treatment, DCs were collected and examined for the levels of CD83, CD86, HLA-DR and CD11c using flow cytometry. Moreover, the levels of interleukin 12 (IL-12), IL-10 and interferon γ (IFN-γ) in the supernatants were measured by ELISA. Results The expression levels of CD83 and IL-10 in the patient control group were significantly lower than those in healthy subject control group. The levels of CD83, CD86 and IFN-γ in the Ag85B treated group were obviously high than those in the control group. The level of IFN-γ in the BCG treated group was significantly high than that in the control group. The levels of CD83, CD86, HLA-DR and IL-10 in the LPS treated group were remarkably higher than those in the control group. The levels of CD83, CD86 and IL-10 in the healthy subject LPS treated group were significantly higher than those in the healthy subject control group. Conclusion The immune-enhancing effect of Ag85B on DCs is superior to that of BCG in the patients with initially treated tuberculosis.

Objective: To explore the prevalence and related factors of essential tremor (ET) in permanent residents of Hetian, Xinjiang., Methods: By cluster random sampling, the local residents ( ≥ 10 years) at the age of 45 years and above in Hetian, Xinjiang received an epidemiological survey covering 1 city and 7 counties. Hetian City, Yutian County, Moyu County and Luopu County were randomly selected. According to the diagnostic standard of ET, the ET patients were screened face-to-face to understand the factors related to the pathogenesis of ET. And for this case control study, a ratio of 1: 1 was used to randomly select healthy subjects without ET as the control group. Both groups were matched with regards to gender, nationality and age ( ± 2 yr). The EpiData 3.1 software was employed. And the data were independently entered to analyze the prevalence of ET in various age groups. The statistical software SPSS 19.0 was used for single factor analysis and multivariate conditional Logistic regression analysis. P < 0.05 was statistically significant., Results: A total of 5 932 patients responded to the questionnaire and there were 216 cases of ET patients. The total prevalence rate of ET was 3.64% in those aged over 45 years old and the prevalence rate over 45 years of age was 3.76% for males and 3.52% for females. The prevalence of 45-54, 55-64, 65-74 and ≥ 75-year old were 3.08%, 3.72%, 4.08% and 4.31% respectively. Multivariate conditional Logistic regression analysis showed: the pesticide exposure history (B = 2.664, χ(2) = 86.773, P < 0.05, OR = 14.347, 95% CI 8.192-25.127) and family history (B = 3.191, χ(2) = 61.430, P < 0.05, OR = 24.303, 95%CI 10.943-53.972) were associated with increased risk of ET while occupation, education, sports, social activities, drinking tea, eating habits and the incidence of ET had no obvious correlation., Conclusion: ET has a prevalence rate of 3.64% in Hetian, Xinjiang, And it has a rising trend with advancing age. The pathogenesis of ET is probably correlated with age, pesticide exposure history and family history. Thus theoretic rationales may be provided for early prevention and treatment of ET in the area.

Objective: To study the pathological features of progressive massive fibrosis (PMF) in the lung tissues of patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP)., Methods: A retrospective analysis was made on the autopsies from 8 patients with CWP, which were observed under a microscope by HE staining, given their occupational history., Results: The age of 8 cases ranged 47-71 years (mean, 59.9 years), and their dust exposure time was 18-32 years (mean, 25.1 years). All the 8 cases were complicated by chronic bronchitis as well as emphysema, 7 cases by pulmonary heart disease, and 4 cases by pulmonary tuberculosis. In this group of patients, PMF was mainly distributed in the hilum and the upper lobe of the lung, including 7 cases of nodular fusion type and 1 case of PMF type. The collagen fibers around PMF extended radially and destroyed its surrounding tissue., Conclusion: Nodular fusion type is the main form of PMF in the lung tissues of CWP patients. It has a progressive and destructive process, which is the manifestation of advanced CWP.

Objective: To observe the damage depth on normal canine trachea by using argon plasma coagulation (APC) at different power settings or cryoablation with different freezing duration , and to discuss the efficacy and safety of these different treatments., Methods: APC (the power settings were 30 W and 60 W) and cryoablation (the freezing durations were 30 s and 60 s) were performed on the trachea of 8 dogs. The animals were killed 48 h after the treatment. The tracheal specimens were processed and divided into 5 groups: Cryoablation 30 s (Group A) , Cryoablation 60 s (Group B), APC 30 W (Group C), APC 60 W (Group D) and the control group. Gross observation, histopathological study and electron microscopic examination were performed., Results: The tracheal injury in Group A and Group B reached the shallow part of airway cartilage layer, and 2 in Group B reached the deep part of airway cartilage layer. In Group A, cartilage cell degeneration could be seen, but in Group B, cartilage cell degeneration was worse and even necrosis was found. In Group C, the damage depth also reached the shallow part of the cartilage layer and necrosis of cartilage cells could be seen. In Group D, the damage depth reached the deep part of airway cartilage layer and even outer membrane of the trachea. More necrosis of cartilage cells was found., Conclusion: When using cryoablation or APC with normal parameters, the injury in normal canine trachea could reach the shallow part of cartilage layer and cartilage cell degeneration could occur. When using APC 60 W, damage depth could reach the deep part of cartilage layer and even outer membrane of the trachea, leading to cartilage cell necrosis and even irreversible damage on airways. Therefore, it is highly recommended that, when managing lesions adjacent to or in the airway wall, APC ablation should be avoided and cryoablation time should be controlled within 30 s.

Objective: To explore the effects of Chinese herbal medicine radix rehmanniae, radix arnebiae and cortex moutan on the proliferation of HaCaT cells and explore their potential curative mechanisms., Methods: The main monomers of catalpol, l-shikonin and paeonol were extracted. And 10 ng/ml keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) was used to induce HaCaT cell to build an in vitro model of hyperproliferation of epidermal keratinocytes. CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry were applied to examine the effects of herbal monomers on cell proliferation and cell cycle., Results: Both l-shikonin ( ≥ 10(-6) mol/L) and paeonol ( ≥ 1.88×10(-4) mol/L) inhibited cell proliferation while catalpol ( ≥ 10(-6) mol/L) enhanced cell proliferation.L-shikonin ( ≥ 10(-6) mol/L) and paeonol ( ≥ 1.88×10(-4) mol/L) inhibited the HaCaT cell during S and G2M phases while catalpol ( ≥ 10(-6) mol/L) enhanced HaCaT cell during S phase but not G2M phase., Conclusion: L-shikonin and paeonol inhibits the proliferation of HaCaT cells while catalpol has opposite effects.

Objective: To investigate the pathological characteristics of draining pulmonary lymph nodes in coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) and study their significance for the early diagnosis of CWP., Methods: The autopsy materials of 12 coal workers were subjected to HE staining and observed under a light microscope, and a retrospective analysis was performed considering the occupational history., Results: The age range of 12 cases was 46∼71 years (mean, 58 years), and the exposure time range was 3∼32 years (mean, 22.8 years). The draining pulmonary lymph nodes of 1 case with dust reaction mostly had coal dust deposition, mild pulmonary fibrosis, and local dust fibrosis in the medullary sinus; 1 case of stage I anthracosilicosis mainly showed extensive dust fibrosis and coal dust deposition; 8 cases of stage II anthracosilicosis mainly showed dust fibrosis and silicotic nodules; 1 case of stage III anthracosilicosis and 1 case of stage III silicosis mainly showed silicotic nodules' fusion with each other, and lymph nodes' adhesion and formation of massive fibrosis, and the formation of silicotic nodules was especially obvious in cases of stage III silicosis., Conclusion: The dust lesions of draining pulmonary lymph nodes become severer with higher severity of pulmonary lesions in cases of CWP. The cases of simple silicosis have earlier and severer lesions in draining pulmonary lymph nodes than in lung tissue.

Objective: To detect peptide toxins in Amanita pallidorasea and to study the antifungal activities of peptide toxins against Blastomyces albicans., Methods: We separated and identified peptide toxins and determined its contents in the fruiting body, pileus and the mixture of stipe and volva from A. pallidorasea by HPLC and ESI-MS methods. Meanwhile, we detected antifungal activities of the crude toxin and the separated peptide toxins against Blastomyces albicans JLC31680 and JLC31681 by the paper disk method., Results: We totally got three peptide toxins: alpha-amanitin (alpha-AMA), beta-amanitin (beta-AMA) and phalloidin (PHD). The contents of alpha-AMA, beta-AMA and PHD were 30.3 mg/g, 6.99 mg/g and 9.95 mg/g in fruiting body, and 45.0 mg/g, 11.1 mg/g and 11.3 mg/g in pileus. The contents of alpha-AMA and PHD were 11.7 mg/g and 7.98 mg/g in the mixture of stipe and volva , but the beta-AMA was not detected in this part. The inhibition ratio of the crude toxin and alpha-AMA, beta-AMA and PHD to B. albicans JLC31680 were 11.96%, 32.52%, 23.29% (P<0.01) and 15.46% (P<0.05). The inhibition ratio of the crude toxin and beta-AMA to B. albicans JLC31681 was 10.16% and 11.10% (P < 0.01), while that of alpha-AMA's was 6.89% (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: A. pallidorasea is a new resource of peptide toxins with antifungal activity.