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BackgroundBacterial infections have long been a significant cause of child mortality worldwide; however, models for predicting the risk of death in children with bacterial infections that combine predictive ability and interpretability are scarce. Here we try to explore a new method to complete the task. MethodsWe use Paediatric Intensive Care Database (PIC) to carry out the research. Data from hospitalized children with positive bacterial culture results was extracted and categorized into three groups: the positive culture group, the gram-positive group, and the gram-negative group, which were divided into 80% training and 20% test sets. Then we extracted the demographic information, vital signs, and laboratory data within 24 hours of admission of the datasets. We use the XGBoost algorithm to select the features and rank their importance，and the Logistic Regression (LR) algorithm for model development based on various numbers of feature. All the models were evaluated by Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (ROC), area under the ROC curve (ROC-AUC), Precision-Recall curve (PR), the area under the PR curve (PR-AUC), and compared with Paediatric Mortality Risk Score III (PRISM III), the paediatric logistic organ dysfunction score-2 (PELOD-2), and the paediatric multiple organ dysfunction scores (P-MODS).ResultIn total, 3695 children with bacterial infection were included, with an average age of 20.17 ± 36.74 months, average paediatric intensive care unit stay of 18.51 ± 28.84 days, and overall mortality rate of 8.39%. The following predictors appeared in the 64 most important predictors of the three datasets: average white blood cell count, maximum value of white blood cell technology, average value of anion gap, minimum value of anion gap, maximum value of type B natriuretic peptide, and maximum value of thrombocytocrit. Finally, we established a LR model for bacterial infected children with 4 features and a LR model for gram-negative bacterial infected children with 10 features, which achieve a 0.7244 and a 0.7848 ROC-AUC score respectively. The ROC-AUC scores of the two models were better than PRISM III、PELOD-2 and P-MODS. ConclusionThis study developed models to predict the risk of death in children with bacterial infections. The final models use fewer features and achieve better mortality prediction performance than traditional scoring models, and the models are easier for paediatricians to understand.

To analyze the clinical characteristics of multiple myeloma(MM) patients with early relapse.A total of 50 MM patients with early relapse (≤12 months) and 50 matched controls with late relapse (12 months) were selected. The time from diagnosis to relapse and related clinical data of the 100 patients were retrospectively analyzed, and the factors associated with early relapse were identified. Kaplan-Meier curve was used to analyze the overall survival (OS) time of the whole cohort. Area under the curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the effect of circulating plasma cells on early recurrence of the patients.The results showed that high-risk cytogenetics (FISH) (P=0.005), and ISS stage III (P=0.008) were associated with early recurrence of the patients. For patients with early relapse, high-risk FISH showed poor survival. Compared with the patients with late relapse, most of the chromosome karyotype of patients with early relapse showed quantitative and structural abnormalities. The expression of circulating plasma cells was significantly increased in patients with early recurrence group (P=0.0318). The response to initial treatment was poor in the early recurrence group (P=0.001), and the prognosis was significantly worse than those in the late recurrence group (median OS: 38 vs 81 months, P=0.002).Early relapse is a marker poor prognostic in MM patients, and such patients should be focused on the improving their prognosis.多发性骨髓瘤早期复发患者临床特征的分析.分析多发性骨髓瘤（MM）早期复发患者的临床特征.纳入50 例早期复发(≤12个月) MM患者，另50 例晚期复发MM (12个月)作为对照组。回顾性分析这100例MM患者从诊断到复发的时间及相关临床资料，并确定与早期复发相关的因素。Kaplan-Meier曲线分析整个队列的总生存(OS)时间。应用曲线下面积（AUC）评估循环浆细胞对早期复发的影响.高危细胞遗传学(FISH) (P=0.005)、ISS分期 III期 （P=0008）与早期复发相关。对于早期疾病复发的患者，高危FISH在单变量分析中显示出较差的生存结果，并且与晚期复发患者相比，早期复发患者的染色体核型多数出现数量和结构上的异常。循环浆细胞在早期复发组患者中的表达显著增高（P＝0.0318）。早期复发组患者对初始治疗的反应较差(P=0.001)，预后也显著差于晚期复发的患者（中位OS为38 vs 81个月，P=0.002）.早期复发是MM患者不良预后的标志，此类患者应重点关注，以改善其预后.

Objectives Clinical data with respect to the impact of meconium on the prognosis of neonatal bacterial meningitis are scarce. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to determine whether meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF) represents a risk factor for poor prognosis of neonatal bacterial meningitis in a confirmed case population. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of 256 neonates diagnosed with bacterial meningitis hospitalized at one of three hospitals in Shantou, China, between October 2013 and September 2018. Clinical manifestation, laboratory test results and treatment were compared between the two groups, with outcomes dichotomized into ‘good’ or ‘poor’ prognosis. Multivariate analysis and follow-up logistic regression analysis were used to identify predictive factors of a poor outcome. Results Of the 256 neonates with BM, 95 (37.1%) had a good prognosis at discharge and 161 (62.9%) had a poor prognosis. In the poor prognosis group, 131/161 (79.4%) neonates had a permanent neurological sequelae and 19 (11.8%) had ≥2 sequelae. Of note, 11 neonates died. The rate of poor prognosis of BM was significantly higher among neonates with than without MSAF (26.1% vs. 12.6%, respectively; p Conclusion MSAF is significantly associated with poor prognosis of neonatal bacterial meningitis. Therefore, in case of MSAF, more attention should be paid to neonatal bacterial meningitis.

With the increase in pet keeping among families in China, there has been a corresponding increase in the incidence of allergic diseases such as bronchial asthma and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. Pet allergies pose important social and health problems, making their management in children crucial. There is an increasing trend of sensitization to cat and dog dander among Chinese children. The process underlying allergic sensitization is complex and is associated with an IgE-mediated type I hypersensitivity reaction that involves the upregulation of type 2 T-helper (Th2) cells, resulting in Th2 immunity. Compared with traditional serum-specific IgE (sIgE) and skin tests, molecular diagnosis may be better at predicting the progression of diseases. The association between pet keeping and allergic diseases in children remains controversial. Although the hygiene hypothesis is widely accepted in Chinese children, exposure to pets in early life remains a risk factor for allergies. Pet avoidance and allergy immunotherapy (AIT) are recommended for children with pet allergies. However, pet avoidance is difficult to maintain, and AIT is not widely available in China. There is an imbalance between the increase in allergic diseases and the shortage of prevention and treatment options. We hope that advancements in medicine, diagnosis, and healthcare policies will help resolve this issue.

The mammalian internal circadian clock system has been evolved to adapt to the diurnal changes in the internal and external environment of the organism to regulate diverse physiological functions, such as the sleep-wake cycle and feeding rhythm, thereby coordinating the rhythmic changes of energy demand and nutrition supply in each diurnal cycle. The circadian clock regulates glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, and hormones secretion in diverse tissues and organs, including the liver, skeletal muscle, pancreas, heart, and vessels. As a special "organ" of the host, the gut microbiota, together with the intestinal microenvironment (tissues, cells, and metabolites) in a co-evolutionary process, constitutes a micro-ecosystem and plays an important role in the process of nutrient digestion and absorption in the intestine of the host. In recent years, accumulating evidence indicates that the compositions, quantities, colonization, and functional activities of the gut microbiota exhibit significant circadian variations, which are closely related to the changes of various physiological functions under the regulation of host circadian clock system. In addition, several studies have shown that the gut microbiota can produce many important metabolites such as the short-chain fatty acids through the degradation of indigestive dietary fibers. A portion of gut microbiota-derived metabolites can regulate the circadian clock system and metabolism of the host. This article mainly discusses the interaction between the host circadian clock system and the gut microbiota, and highlights its influence on energy metabolism of the host, providing a novel clues and thought for the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases.

The nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat-containing family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is involved in various acute and chronic liver diseases, however, it is not clear whether NLRP3 contributes to d -Galactosamine (D-GalN) plus lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute liver failure (ALF). This study aims to investigate the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in D-GalN/LPS-induced fatal hepatitis. We found that Nlrp3−/− and WT mice showed similar mortality against a lethal dose of D-GalN/LPS treatment. Serum ALT and AST levels, as well as liver necrosis area and hepatocyte apoptosis, were not significantly different between Nlrp3−/− and WT mice at 6 h after D-GalN/LPS injection. Moreover, the numbers of intrahepatic F4/80+ cells and Ly6G+ cells were comparable in two genotype mice following D-GalN/LPS treatment. Besides, Nlrp3−/− mice had reduced IL-1β levels but similar TNF-α, IL-6, and MCP-1 levels compared with WT mice upon D-GalN/LPS administration. Our findings revealed that NLRP3 ablation does not protect mice from D-GalN/LPS-induced fatal hepatitis and has a marginal effect on intrahepatic inflammatory response upon D-GalN/LPS treatment. This suggests that NLRP3 inflammasome does not appear to be a major contributor to D-GalN/LPS-induced ALF.

Three novel dimeric sesquiterpenoids named sarglanoids A-C (1-3), two undescribed monomeric sesquiterpenoids named sarglanoids D (4) and E (5), and seven known compounds (6-12), were isolated and characterized from Sarcandra glabra. Compound 1 represents the first heterodimeric sesquiterpenoid composed of a eudesmane and an eremophilane moiety. Compound 2 possesses two eremophilane monomers featuring an undescribed dimerization pattern. Compound 3 is a symmetric eudesmane dimer with a rare 1,4-epoxy bridge. The structures of 1-5 were fully identified by spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments. Compounds 3 and 6 suppressed the LPS-triggered inflammatory responses in RAW 264.7 cells.

The physiological activity of the 50% ethanolic extract of

BACKGROUND Diarrhea is a major infectious cause of childhood morbidity and mortality worldwide. In clinical trials, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG ATCC 53013 (LGG) has been used to treat diarrhea. However, recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) found no evidence of a beneficial effect of LGG treatment. AIM To evaluate the efficacy of LGG in treating acute diarrhea in children. METHODS The EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science databases, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched up to April 2019 for metaanalyses and RCTs. The Cochrane Review Manager was used to analyze the relevant data. RESULTS Nineteen RCTs met the inclusion criteria and showed that compared with the control group, LGG administration notably reduced the diarrhea duration [mean difference (MD) -24.02 h, 95% confidence interval (CI) (-36.58, -11.45)]. More effective results were detected at a high dose . 1010 CFU per day [MD -22.56 h, 95%CI (-36.41, -8.72)] vs a lower dose. A similar reduction was found in Asian and European patients [MD -24.42 h, 95%CI (-47.01, -1.82); MD -32.02 h, 95%CI (- 49.26, -14.79), respectively]. A reduced duration of diarrhea was confirmed in LGG participants with diarrhea for less than 3 d at enrollment [MD -15.83 h, 95%CI (-20.68, -10.98)]. High-dose LGG effectively reduced the duration of rotavirus-induced diarrhea [MD -31.05 h, 95%CI (-50.31, -11.80)] and the stool number per day [MD -1.08, 95%CI (-1.87, -0.28)]. CONCLUSION High-dose LGG therapy reduces the duration of diarrhea and the stool number per day. Intervention at the early stage is recommended. Future trials are expected to verify the effectiveness of LGG treatment. (Less)

A sequential multistep reaction toward 5-thio- or 5-selenotriazoles has been established by generation of both copper(I) triazolides and sulfenylating or selenylating agents in situ, starting from elemental sulfur or selenium. This reaction features mild conditions, readily available and broad-scope substrates, good functional group compatibility, high efficiency and regioselectivity, easy operation, and ligand-free CuI.

Background No comprehensive analysis is available on the viral etiology and clinical characterization among children with severe acute lower respiratory tract infection (SALRTI) in Southern China. Methods Cohort of 659 hospitalized children (2 months to 14 years) with SALRTI admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in the Guangzhou from May 2015 to April 2018 was enrolled in this study. Nasopharyngeal aspirate specimens or induced sputum were tested for eight categories respiratory viral targets. The viral distribution and its clinical characters were statistically analyzed. Results Viral pathogen was detected in 326 (49.5%) of children with SALRTI and there were 36 (5.5%) viral coinfections. Overall, the groups of viruses identified were, in descending order of prevalence: Influenza virus (IFV) (n = 94, 14.3%), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (n = 75, 11.4%), human rhinovirus (HRV) (n = 56, 8.5%), adenovirus (ADV) (n = 55, 8.3%), parainfluenza (PIV) (n = 47, 7.1%), human coronavirus (HCoV) (n = 15, 2.3%), human metapneumovirus (HMPV) (n = 14, 2.1%) and human bocavirus (HBoV) (n = 11, 1.7%). The positive rate in younger children ( 5 years) (52.5% vs 35.1%, P = 0.001). There were clear seasonal peaks for IFV, RSV, HRV, ADV, PIV, and HMPV. And the individuals with different viral infection varied significantly in terms of clinical profiles. Conclusions Viral infections are present in a consistent proportion of patients admitted to the PICU. IFV, RSV, HRV, and ADV accounted for more than two‐thirds of all viral SALRTI. Our findings could help the prediction, prevention and potential therapeutic approaches of SALRTI in children., Highlight Viral infections are present in a consistent proportion of patients admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.Influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, human rhinovirus and adenovirus accounted for more than two‐thirds of all viral SALRTI.

Background Capillary leak syndrome (CLS) is a rare disease characterized by profound vascular leakage and presents as a classic triad of hypotension, hypoalbuminemia and hemoconcentration. Severe CLS is mostly induced by sepsis and generally life-threatening in newborns, especially in premature infants. Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) plays an important role of supportive treatment for severe CLS. Unfortunately, CRRT in preterm infants has rarely been well defined. Case presentation We report the case of a 11-day-old girl with CLS caused by sepsis, who was delivered by spontaneous vaginal delivery (SVD) at gestational age of 25 weeks and 4 days, and a birth weight of 0.89 Kilograms(kg). The infant received powerful management consisting of united antibiotics, mechanical ventilation, intravenous albumin and hydroxyethyl starch infusion, vasoactive agents, small doses of glucocorticoids and other supportive treatments. However, the condition rapidly worsened with systemic edema, hypotension, pulmonary exudation, hypoxemia and anuria in about 40 h. Finally, we made great efforts to perform CRRT for her. Fortunately, the condition improved after 82 h’ CRRT, and the newborn was rescued and gradually recovered. Conclusion CRRT is an effective rescue therapeutic option for severe CLS and can be successfully applied even in extremely-low-birth-weight premature.

Objective: Observe the clinical characteristics of children with SLE, namely, to observe the symptoms and laboratory examinations, such as blood routine, blood lipid, immunoglobulin, complement, autoantibodies, serum 25 (OH) D and other indicators, and to explore the clinical characteristics, the difference and the significance of vitamin D supplements between male and female SLE patients in children respectively. Methods: We enrolled 64 cases of SLE patients in children who were admitted into the department of pediatrics and rheumatology of the third affiliated hospital of sun yat-sen university in guangzhou from May 1, 2011 to February 1, 2019, They were analyzed retrospectively, adopting ?² test for statistical analysis. Results: 64 cases of SLE in children, which included 10 cases of male and 54 cases of female. Clinical manifestations: facial skin rash in 48 patients (75%), fever in 38 cases (59.4%), arthritis in 28 cases (43.8%), oral ulcer in 18 cases (28.1%), serositis in13 cases (20.3%), and the sun allergy in 9 cases (14.1%), the damage of central nervous system in 7 cases (10.9%) . Laboratory examination: 30 cases of leukopenia (46.9%), anemia in 30 cases (46.9%), thrombocytopenia in 12 cases (18.8%), hematuria in 18 cases (28.1%), proteinuria in 33 cases (51.2%), 6 patients with renal impairment (9.4%), antinuclear antibody positive in 63 cases (98.4%), anti-double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) antibody positive in 48 cases (75%), anti SSA antibody positive in 44 cases (68.7%), SSB antibody positive in 33 cases (51.6%), Sm antibody positive in 40 cases (62.5%), nucleosome antibody positive in 28 cases (43.8%) .Among these children, male SLE patients were higher than female children with SLE in the damage of kidney, Sm antibodies and resisting nucleosome antibody positive rates (?²= 4.451, 8.336, 6.803, P

Background: The NOD-like receptor family protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is involved in the progression of liver inflammation. NLRP3 inactivation has been shown to protect mice against multiple types of experimental liver injury. However, it is unclear whether NLRP3 contributes to D-Galactosamine (DGalN) plus lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced fatal hepatitis. This study aims to examine the function of NLRP3 inflammasome in DGalN/LPS induced acute liver failure.Method: The expression of inflammasomes was detected by quantitative PCR. Wild type (WT) mice and NLRP3 knockout mice were given an intraperitoneal injection of DGalN plus LPS. Liver damage was examined at 6 h post DGalN/LPS administration by histological analysis and serum aminotransferases measurement. Hepatocyte apoptosis and pyroptosis was detected with TUNEL assay, immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining, and western blot. Hepatic macrophages (F4/80+) and neutrophils (Ly6G+) were analyzed by IHC staining. The proinflammatory cytokines levels in serum and liver were examined using cytometric bead array and quantitative PCR. Hepatic IL1β level was further detected by western blot.Result: The hepatic NLRP3 activity was upregulated in WT mice treated with DGalN/LPS. Nlrp3−/− and WT mice showed similar mortality against lethal dose of DGalN/LPS. Serum aminotransferases levels and liver necrosis area of Nlrp3−/− mice did not differ from that in WT mice after DGalN/LPS injection. The numbers of liver TUNEL positive cells and cleaved caspase3 positive hepatocytes were comparable between Nlrp3−/− and WT mice. The hepatic GSDMDNterm peptide production also showed no difference between Nlrp3−/− and WT mice. Mice treated with DGalN/LPS displayed significantly increased numbers of intrahepatic F4/80+ cells and Ly6G+ cells, but the cell numbers in Nlrp3−/− mice livers were similar to those in WT mice. Consistently, serum and hepatic TNFα, IL6, and MCP-1 levels were similar between Nlrp3−/− and WT mice upon DGalN/LPS administration, but serum IL1β and hepatic mature IL1β level in Nlrp3−/− mice was reduced.Conclusions: NLRP3 ablation does not protect mice from DGalN/LPS induced acute liver failure, nor affect hepatocyte apoptosis and pyroptosis. Deficiency of NLRP3 has a limited effect on intrahepatic inflammatory response induced by DGalN/LPS treatment. NLRP3 inflammasome does not appear to be a major contributor to DGalN/LPS induced fatal hepatitis.

Pharmacologically inhibiting nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat-containing (NLR) family, pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation results in potent therapeutic effects in a wide variety of preclinical inflammatory disease models. NLRP3 deubiquitination is essential for efficient NLRP3 inflammasome activity, but it remains unclear whether this process can be harnessed for therapeutic benefit. Here, we show that thiolutin (THL), an inhibitor of the JAB1/MPN/Mov34 (JAMM) domain-containing metalloprotease, blocks NLRP3 inflammasome activation by canonical, noncanonical, alternative, and transcription-independent pathways at nanomolar concentrations. In addition, THL potently inhibited the activation of multiple NLRP3 mutants linked with cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS). Treatment with THL alleviated NLRP3-related diseases in mouse models of lipopolysaccharide-induced sepsis, monosodium urate-induced peritonitis, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, CAPS, and methionine-choline-deficient diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Mechanistic studies revealed that THL inhibits the BRCC3-containing isopeptidase complex (BRISC)-mediated NLRP3 deubiquitination and activation. In addition, we show that holomycin, a natural methyl derivative of THL, displays an even higher inhibitory activity against NLRP3 inflammasome than THL. Our study validates that posttranslational modification of NLRP3 can be pharmacologically targeted to prevent or treat NLRP3-associated inflammatory diseases. Future clinical development of derivatives of THL may provide new therapies for NLRP3-related diseases.

BRCA1/BRCA2-containing complex subunit 3 (BRCC3) is a lysine 63-specific deubiquitinase involved in multiple biological processes, such as DNA repair and immune responses. However, the regulation mechanism for BRCC3 protein stability is still unknown. Here, we demonstrate that BRCC3 is mainly degraded through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. The HECT-type E3 ubiquitin ligase WWP2 modulates BRCC3 ubiquitination and degradation. ABRO1, a subunit of the BRCC36 isopeptidase complex (BRISC), competes with WWP2 to bind to BRCC3, thereby preventing WWP2-mediated BRCC3 ubiquitination and enhancing BRCC3 stability. Functionally, we show that lentivirus-mediated overexpression of WWP2 in murine macrophages inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activation by decreasing BRCC3 protein level. This study provides the first insights into the regulation of BRCC3 stability and expands our knowledge about the physiological function of WWP2.

To detect substation faults for timely repair, this paper proposes a fault detection method that is based on the time series model and the statistical process control method to analyze the regulation and characteristics of the behavior in the switching process. As the first time, this paper proposes a fault detection model using SARIMA, statistical process control (SPC) methods, and 3σ criterion to analyze the characteristics in substation’s switching process. The employed approaches are both very common tools in the statistics field, however, via effectively combining them with industrial process fault diagnosis, these common statistical tolls play excellent role to achieve rich technical contributions. Finally, for different fault samples, the proposed method improves the rate of detection by at least 9% (and up to 15%) than other methods.

BACKGROUND Intestinal dysbiosis has been shown to be associated with the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease (ALD), which includes changes in the microbiota composition and bacterial overgrowth, but an effective microbe-based therapy is lacking. Pediococcus pentosaceus (P. pentosaceus) CGMCC 7049 is a newly isolated strain of probiotic that has been shown to be resistant to ethanol and bile salts. However, further studies are needed to determine whether P. pentosaceus exerts a protective effect on ALD and to elucidate the potential mechanism. AIM To evaluate the protective effect of the probiotic P. pentosaceus on ethanol-induced liver injury in mice. METHODS A new ethanol-resistant strain of P. pentosaceus CGMCC 7049 was isolated from healthy adults in our laboratory. The chronic plus binge model of experimental ALD was established to evaluate the protective effects. Twenty-eight C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups: The control group received a pair-fed control diet and oral gavage with sterile phosphate buffered saline, the EtOH group received a ten-day Lieber-DeCarli diet containing 5% ethanol and oral gavage with phosphate buffered saline, and the P. pentosaceus group received a 5% ethanol Lieber-DeCarli diet but was treated with P. pentosaceus. One dose of isocaloric maltose dextrin or ethanol was administered by oral gavage on day 11, and the mice were sacrificed nine hours later. Blood and tissue samples (liver and gut) were harvested to evaluate gut barrier function and liver injury-related parameters. Fresh cecal contents were collected, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to measure short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations, and the microbiota composition was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. RESULTS The P. pentosaceus treatment improved ethanol-induced liver injury, with lower alanine aminotransferase, aspartate transaminase and triglyceride levels and decreased neutrophil infiltration. These changes were accompanied by decreased levels of endotoxin and inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-5, tumor necrosis factor-α, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, keratinocyte-derived protein chemokine, macrophage inflammatory protein-1α and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. Ethanol feeding resulted in intestinal dysbiosis and gut barrier disruption, increased relative abundance of potentially pathogenic Escherichia and Staphylococcus, and the depletion of SCFA-producing bacteria, such as Prevotella, Faecalibacterium, and Clostridium. In contrast, P. pentosaceus administration increased the microbial diversity, restored the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Prevotella, Clostridium and Akkermansia and increased propionic acid and butyric acid production by modifying SCFA-producing bacteria. Furthermore, the levels of the tight junction protein ZO-1, mucin proteins (mucin [MUC]-1, MUC-2 and MUC-4) and the antimicrobial peptide Reg3β were increased after probiotic supplementation. CONCLUSION Based on these results, the new strain of P. pentosaceus alleviated ethanol-induced liver injury by reversing gut microbiota dysbiosis, regulating intestinal SCFA metabolism, improving intestinal barrier function, and reducing circulating levels of endotoxin and proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Thus, this strain is a potential probiotic treatment for ALD.

Background: The implementation of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) requires extensive knowledge of allergen distribution in the region to identify high-risk regions for AIT utilization. However, the geographical distribution patterns of the major Dermatophagoides allergens in China remain unclear despite the increasing prevalence of these allergens. Methods: We performed comprehensive database searches of articles demonstrating the distribution patterns of Dermatophagoides-sensitized allergic rhinitis (AR) and allergic asthma (AA) in China, published between 1990 and 2017. Results: We retrieved 163 articles encompassing 114,302 allergen-positive cases to generate the distribution maps. The rate of sensitization to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus(D. pteronyssinus)and Dermatophagoides farinae (D. farinae) was similar in patients with AR (75.1 vs. 75.2%, p > 0.05) but not in those with AA (78.5 vs. 77.7%, p = 0.041). Patients with AR and AA shared similar regional distribution patterns of both D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae sensitization, which were highest in the southern and central parts of China and lowest in the northern regions, especially in the Northwest. The overall rate of sensitization to D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae was significantly higher in patients with AA (p < 0.001). Additionally, the annual mean temperature and humidity were the 2 major determinants of D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae sensitization in AR and of D. pteronyssinus sensitization in AA, whereas the annual mean temperature was the sole determinant for D. farinae sensitization in AA. Conclusion: These findings may inform clinicians of the strategies for the prevention of Dermatophagoides sensitization and may be of benefit to the future clinical management of allergic diseasesassociated with sensitization to Dermatophagoides mites.

Aberrant epithelial remodeling and/or abnormalities in mucociliary apparatus in airway epithelium contribute to infection and inflammation. It is uncertain if these changes occur in both large and small airways in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (non-CF bronchiectasis). In this study, we aim to investigate the histopathology and inflammatory profile in the epithelium of bronchi and bronchioles in bronchiectasis.Excised lung tissue sections from 52 patients with non-CF bronchiectasis were stained with specific cellular markers and analyzed by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence to assess the epithelial structures, including ciliated cells and goblet cells morphology. Inflammatory cell counts and ciliary proteins expression levels of centrosomal protein 110 (CP110) and dynein heavy chain 5, axonemal (DNAH5) were assessed.Epithelial hyperplasia is found in both bronchi and bronchioles in all specimens, including hyperplasia and/or hypertrophy of goblet cells. The median cilia length is longer in hyperplastic epithelium [bronchi: 8.16 (7.03-9.14) µm, P0.0001; bronchioles: 7.46 (6.41-8.48) µm, P0.0001] as compared to non-hyperplastic epithelium (bronchi: 5.60 µm; bronchioles: 4.89 µm). Hyperplastic epithelium is associated with overexpression of CP110 and decreased intensity of DNAH5 expression in both bronchial and bronchiolar epithelium. Though infiltration of neutrophils is predominant (63.0% in bronchi and 76.7% in bronchioles), eosinophilic infiltration is also present in the mucosa of bronchi (30.8%) and bronchioles (54.8%).Aberrant epithelial remodeling with impaired mucociliary architecture is present in both large and small airways in patients with refractory non-CF bronchiectasis. Future studies should evaluate the interplay between these individual components in driving chronic inflammation and lung damage in patients.

Airway remodeling is a hallmark of bronchial asthma. Our group has previously reported that the thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), an airway epithelial-derived cytokine, has a central role in the pathogenesis of airway remodeling, and that toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 signaling in epithelial cells may trigger T-helper 2 (Th2) immune responses by overexpression of TSLP. However, it is currently unclear whether TLR4 is a target in the treatment of airway remodeling in asthma. The present study established a house dust mite (HDM)-induced chronic asthmatic model in female BALB/c mice and treated the HDM-exposed mice with 3 mg/kg TAK242, as a TLR4 antagonist, 30 min prior to HDM challenge for up to 2 weeks. General structural changes in the airways were subsequently evaluated and the levels of TSLP in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13 and interferon (IFN)-γ in the blood serum were determined. Results indicated that TAK242 treatment markedly reduced pathological changes in the airways of HDM-induced asthmatic mice, as demonstrated by reductions in airway wall thickening, peribronchial collagen deposition and subepithelial fibrosis. Furthermore, airway hyperresponsiveness to inhaled methacholine and the levels of TSLP in the BALF and IL-4, IL-13 and IFN-γ in the peripheral blood were significantly reduced by TAK242 treatment (P

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) activates lung dendritic cells (DCs) to promote a T helper type 2 lymphocyte (Th2) response in animal models. However, the mechanism behind this process remains unclear. In this study, we investigate the role of a nuclear factor for activated T-cells 1 (NFATc1) in the TSLP-induced polarisation towards a Th2 response. A cluster of differentiated (CD)14

This study investigated the concentrations and seroprevalence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps and rubella among children in Guangzhou, China. We conducted a cross-sectional study focusing on the post-vaccination immune statuses of children on scheduled immunisation. Human IgG antibody against six diseases were measured using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Of 620 subjects, the male-to-female ratio was 2.04 (416/204). Seroprevalence (81.97% vs 90.20%) and IgG concentrations (686.55 IU/mL vs 884.26 IU/mL, P 0.05) for measles, tetanus (0.94 IU/mL vs 1.21 IU/mL) and rubella (34.33 IU/mL vs 47.37 IU/mL) were all higher in females. No differences based on sex were observed in the seroprevalence and IgG concentrations for anti-pertussis antibodies, anti-diphtheria antibodies and anti-mumps. Slight increase in seroprevalence and IgG concentration occurred with anti-pertussis antibodies after primary and booster vaccinations (from 0.00% [1 m], 5.45% [6 m], to 17.14% [1.5 yr]; and from 8.57% [5 yr] to 15.79% [6 yr]). Although no booster vaccination was given after age 6 yr, the seroprevalence and IgG concentration for anti-pertussis antibodies remained relatively stable. For diphtheria, tetanus, measles and rubella, seroprevalence reached their peaks after the primary and first booster vaccination. A plateau occurred after age 1.5 yr with a declining trend in subjects 8-10 yr. The IgG concentrations of these 4 pathogens showed a dramatic increase after primary vaccination, with steadily declining trends thereafter. For mumps, subjects showed increased seroprevalence and IgG concentration after the primary mumps-containing vaccination in 1.5-yr-olds (from 7.14% to 57.14%; 52.13 IU/mL to 214.18 IU/mL); however, following that low seroprevalence levels (from 42.86% to 80.00%) were observed. The post-vaccination immune statuses against diphtheria, tetanus, measles and rubella were relatively satisfactory, compared to those against pertussis and mumps. Booster vaccination against pertussis and mumps at appropriate time should be considered.

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) suffer from abdominal pain, bloating, and abnormal defecation. Reducing the dietary intake of fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs) has been shown to be beneficial in reducing IBS symptoms. However, diet modification plays an important role in the composition of colonic microbiota. Currently, the effects of a FODMAP diet on the composition of the gut microbiome are not known. We conducted a systematic review to determine (1) the effectiveness of low-FODMAPs diet to reduce symptoms of patients with IBS and (2) the association between a low-FOMAPs diet and the composition of gut microbiome. Four electronic databases were searched using key words "IBS" or "irritable bowel syndrome," and "FODMAP" or "FODMAPs" or "fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols," and "microbiome." Two reviewers (H.S. and Y.T.L.) selected and reviewed articles according to our inclusion criteria. A total of 87 articles were reviewed and 7 met inclusion criteria. Based on the systematic review, low FODMAPs appear to reduce gastrointestinal symptoms for a least a subset of patients with IBS. However, due to the heterogeneity of reviewed studies, the influence on patients' gut microbiome composition and/or microbiota metabolites requires additional studies.

Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) functions as a probiotic in animals, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We aim to evaluate the protective effects and definite mechanism by which orally administered B. cereus prevents D-galactosamine (D-GalN)-induced liver injury in rats. Twenty-one Sprague–Dawley rats were equally assigned into three groups (N = 7 animals per group). B. cereus ATCC11778 (2 × 109 colony-forming units/ml) was administered to the B. cereus group via gavage, and phosphate-buffered saline was administered to the positive control (PC) and negative control (NC) groups for 2 weeks. The PC and B. cereus groups received 1.1 g/kg D-GalN via an intraperitoneal injection to induce liver injury. The blood, terminal ileum, liver, kidney and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) were collected for histological examinations and to evaluate bacterial translocation. Liver function was also determined. Fecal samples were collected for deep sequencing of the 16S rRNA on an Illumina MiSeq platform. B. cereus significantly attenuated D-GalN-induced liver injury and improved serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and serum cholinesterase levels (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). B. cereus modulated cytokine secretion, as indicated by the elevated levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) in both the liver and plasma (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively) and the substantially decreased levels of the cytokine IL-13 in the liver (P < 0.05). Pretreatment with B. cereus attenuated anoxygenic bacterial translocation in the veins (P < 0.05) and liver (P < 0.05) and upregulated the expression of the tight junction protein 1. The gut microbiota from the B. cereus group clustered separately from that of the PC group, with an increase in species of the Ruminococcaceae and Peptococcaceae families and a decrease in those of the Parabacteroides, Paraprevotella, and Desulfovibrio families. The potential probiotic B. cereus attenuated liver injury by restoring the gut flora balance and enhancing the intestinal barrier function.

Energy storage technology can help provide renewable energy and is an efficient solution for solar energy use. Metal hydroxides are promising candidates for long-term heat storage that rely on overcoming the intrinsically weak kinetics of dehydration. In this study, we show the excellent heat storage performance of magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2) doped with cerium nitrate (Ce(NO3)3 and lithium hydroxide (LiOH). These additives reduced Mg(OH)2 dehydration temperatures by 76 °C. The dehydration rate and heat storage rate of Mg(OH)2 at 270 °C notably increases by factors of 222 and 92, respectively. The activation energy of the dehydration reaction is decreased from 184.7 to 90.0 kJ/mol (51%) and pre-exponential factor lnA is reduced by 50%. We also derived and examined the dehydration mechanism functions and kinetic control equation. This study demonstrated the excellent reversibility of the dehydration–hydration cycle for heat storage, meaning that these Mg(OH)2-Ce(NO3)3-LiOH composites are promising heat storage materials.

Mobile advertising researchers have suggested that the advertising effect is caused by the advertising features. However, research on mobile advertising effectiveness is scant. This article explores advertising formats and interactive modes related to the effectiveness of advertising by adopting the attention, interest, desire and action (AIDA) model. This utilized an experimental procedure and questionnaire. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) results showed a significant format and interactive mode effect, but no interaction between the format and interactive modes. Moreover, rich media showed higher advertising effectiveness than the dynamic banner. The playfulness interactive mode was better than user control and connectedness on advertising effectiveness. In conclusion, this study provided results that promote consumer’s willingness to buy. Rich media and playfulness interactive advertising modes should be adopted.

Item does not contain fulltext We describe a 6-week-old female infant with cutaneous invasive aspergillosis accompanied with hemophagocytic lymphohistocytosis. Aspergillus flavus was isolated from biopsies of necrotic skin lesions on the forehead and scalp; morphologic identification was confirmed by molecular analysis. In vitro antifungal susceptibility testing showed that amphotericin B and triazoles had potent activity. The patient responded well to treatment with intravenous amphotericin B combined with oral posaconazole and local wound care. The hemophagocytic lymphohistocytosis abated after treatment of cutaneous aspergillosis. Both cutaneous invasive aspergillosis and hemophagocytic lymphohistocytosis are severe disorders with high morbidity and mortality requiring prompt diagnosis and treatment.

Long-term heat storage provides an efficient way to utilize solar energy. Hydroxides are potential candidates for this purpose by dehydration-hydration. In this study, we investigated the effect of doping calcium hydroxide with ZrO(NO3)2 on the thermodynamic and kinetic performance for heat storage. ZrO(NO3)2 improved the heat-storage performance of calcium hydroxide and significantly decreased the dehydration temperature. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric data indicated that both the dehydration rate and heat-storage capacity of Ca(OH)2 at 310 °C notably increased by doping with ZrO(NO3)2. The Coats–Redfern integral method and Archar–Brindley–Sharp–Wendworth differential method were used to calculate the pre-exponential factor and the activation energy. The activation energy of the dehydration reaction decreased from 176 to 130 kJ/mol by doping with 10 wt% ZrO(NO3)2 (ZrO(NO3)2-Ca(OH)2-x composite, x = 10). The dehydration-mechanism functions for both the ZrO(NO3)2-Ca(OH)2-10 composite and pure Ca(OH)2 were determined to be the same. The kinetic control equation of the ZrO(NO3)2-Ca(OH)2-x composites was derived and tested. The cycling stability for heat storage was investigated. The results showed that these composites are promising materials for long-term heat storage.

In recent years, the electricity industry has become increasingly important to social and economic development. For sustainability of the power industrial business, an accurate electricity consumption forecasting model can be used to adjust the production and consumption patterns of electricity, it can also support energy policy decision-making, such as load unit commitment, operational security of plants, and economic load dispatching. Using electricity consumption data to study electricity production and consumption patterns is useful in identifying the regulation of electricity economic development. This paper combines several machine learning approaches (the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) method, the support vector regression (SVR) model, and the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm), thermal reaction dynamics theory, and the econometric model (AR-GARCH model), to develop a novel hybrid forecasting model, namely EMD-SVR-PSO-AR-GARCH model, for forecasting electricity consumption. It adopts a new perspective on electricity usage and consuming economic behaviors. Using electricity consumption data from the New South Wales (NSW, Australia) market, the developed model is used to forecast electricity consumption. Then, the Nash equilibrium and Porter’s five-force model are used to analyze the complex electricity usage and consuming economic behaviors, to identify the regulation of electricity and economic development, supporting the sustainable development of electricity.

The implementation of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) requires extensive knowledge of allergen distribution in the region to identify high-risk regions for AIT utilization. However, the geographical distribution patterns of the major Dermatophagoides allergens in China remain unclear despite the increasing prevalence of these allergens.We performed comprehensive database searches of articles demonstrating the distribution patterns of Dermatophagoides-sensitized allergic rhinitis (AR) and allergic asthma (AA) in China, published between 1990 and 2017.We retrieved 163 articles encompassing 114,302 allergen-positive cases to generate the distribution maps. The rate of sensitization to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus(D. pteronyssinus)and Dermatophagoides farinae (D. farinae) was similar in patients with AR (75.1 vs. 75.2%, p0.05) but not in those with AA (78.5 vs. 77.7%, p = 0.041). Patients with AR and AA shared similar regional distribution patterns of both D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae sensitization, which were highest in the southern and central parts of China and lowest in the northern regions, especially in the Northwest. The overall rate of sensitization to D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae was significantly higher in patients with AA (p0.001). Additionally, the annual mean temperature and humidity were the 2 major determinants of D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae sensitization in AR and of D. pteronyssinus sensitization in AA, whereas the annual mean temperature was the sole determinant for D. farinae sensitization in AA.These findings may inform clinicians of the strategies for the prevention of Dermatophagoides sensitization and may be of benefit to the future clinical management of allergic diseasesassociated with sensitization to Dermatophagoides mites.

This study empirically identifies critical assessment criteria used by tramp shipowners and container shipowners in Taiwan, and how they perceived the importance of the criteria to their operations. Through an extensive literatures review, twelve green performance indicators are categorized into four underlying assessment criteria, namely shipowners’ green policy, cooperation between green shipping stakeholders, reverse logistics management, and green design and promise. An Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) approach was employed to pairwisely compare the degree of importance of these major green assessment criteria and used by the shipping industry. Further analysis by ranking the weight of each of the four major criteria indicated that shipowners’ green design and promise is the most important criteria in the shipowners’ context, followed by, shipowners’ green policy, cooperation among shipping stakeholders, and reverse logistics management. Differences between container shipowners’ and tramp shipowners’ perceptions on the importance level of the twelve green performance indicators are found. This study advances knowledge by empirically and theoretically validates the degree of importance of green shipping assessment criteria. Institutional theory has greater importance on shipowners’ green practices than the stakeholders theory does.

Aims: A previous genome-wide association study of high myopia identified five genome-wide loci for ocular axial length (C3orf26, ZC3H11B, RSPO1, GJD2, and ZNRF3). The aim of our study was to investigate the association between high myopia and genetic variants in the five loci in Han Chinese subjects. Methods: Five single nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped in 296 unrelated high-myopia subjects and 300 matched emmetropic controls by the SNaPshot method. The distribution of genotypes in the cases and controls was compared in codominant, dominant, and recessive genetic models by using SNPStats online software. Results: Significant associations between rs994767 near ZC3H11B (p = 0.001), rs4074961 in RSPO1 (p < 0.001), and rs11073058 in GJD2 (p = 0.029) and high myopia were observed. Odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 1.532 (1.200-1.955), 1.603 (1.267-2.029), and 1.290 (1.027-1.621) for the rs994767 T allele, rs4074961 T allele, and rs11073058 T allele, respectively. But rs9811920 in C3orf26 and rs12321 in ZNRF3 were not associated with high myopia. Conclusion: Our findings suggested that genetic variants in ZC3H11B, RSPO1, and GJD2 are associated with susceptibility to the development of high myopia in a Han Chinese population. Functional roles of ZC3H11B, RSPO1, and GJD2 in the pathology of high myopia need to be further investigated.

Genome-wide association studies have identified many genes associated with digestive tract neoplasms. However, the published findings have been conflicting. The aim of our study was to evaluate the involvement of two polymorphisms (miR-146a rs2910164, miR-196a2 rs11614913) in digestive tract neoplasms risk and explore how miR-146a and miR-196a2 influence this risk. Systemic research of the PubMed, EBSCO, CBM and VIP databases was performed. The software STATA 12.0 was used to calculate odd ratios and 95 % confidence intervals. There were 14 studies (6,053 cases and 6,527 controls) available for rs2910164 and 15 studies (5,648 cases and 6,607 controls) involved in rs11614913. Rs2910164G>C was statistically significantly associated with digestive tract neoplasms (OR 1.134, 95 % CI 1.076–1.194, P < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, significant association was observed in Asian individuals (OR 1.145, 95 % CI 1.084–1.209, P < 0.001). We found a correlation between rs11614913 and only colorectal cancer (OR 1.325, 95 % CI 1.102–1.594, P = 0.003). This study suggested that digestive tract neoplasms might associate with miR-146a variants, but not miR-196a2 variants.

As the external environment of the international construction project has become increasingly complex, risk management is emphasized in the project management. BIM(Building Information Model) has bring change to the Construction Industry in China. It has contributed to the schedule and cost management. However, BIM is not widely used to solve the problem of risk management. This thesis cites the possibility about BIM application to risk management and evaluates the progress it may bring to the process of risk management. Furthermore, a BIM-Risk System is proposed for Chinese international contractors to solve some major risks the international contractors may face. By using this system, the level of the project risk management will significantly improve. Then the barriers and the potential problems of applying BIM to risk management in China are analyzed. The BIM application to risk management has great value to be further researched.

Objective: Fibrocyte localization to the airways and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) overexpression in the lung are features of severe asthma. The aim of this study was to determine whether TSLP contributes to fibrocyte trafficking and airway remodeling in a mouse model of allergic asthma. Methods: We established a chronic asthma animal model by administering house dust mite (HDM) extracts intranasally for up to 5 consecutive weeks. Mouse anti-TSLP monoclonal antibody (mAb) was given intraperitoneally starting the 4th week. Fluorescence-labeled CD34/collagen I (Col I)-dual-positive fibrocytes were examined by confocal microscopy. The level of TGF-β1 in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was determined by ELISA. Results: We found significantly increased levels of TSLP and TGF-β1 in the lung of the mice subjected to repeated allergen exposure, which was accompanied by increased number of fibrocytes in the sub-epithelial zone and the BAL fluid. However, blocking TSLP markedly decreased the production of TGF-β1, reduced the number of fibrocytes and subsequently prevented alterations of both airway and vascular structures. Conclusions: Our data suggested that TSLP might function in airway remodeling by promoting circulating fibrocyte recruitment to the lung in the mice subjected to chronic allergen exposure. These results provide a better rationale for targeting the interaction between TSLP and fibrocytes as a therapeutic approach for chronic allergic asthma.

Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis (IPH) is an extremely rare cause of massive pulmonary hemorrhage in children. During the acute phase, death due to massive alveolar hemorrhage and subsequent severe respiratory failure. We report two cases of IPH children who developed hypoxemic respiratory failure and massive pulmonary hemorrhage. One case of a 10-year-old boy was treated with methylprednisolone pulse therapy (10mg/kg/d) for the first three days and followed by systemic steroid therapy, he successfully decannulated 10days later and discharged with a favorable quality of life. Another case of a 4year-old female child with Down's syndrome diagnosed as IPH for over one year and treated with oral corticosteroids for maintenance therapy. She sudden suffered severe hypoxemia with rapid falls in the hemoglobin level. We applied methylprednisolone pulse therapy (10mg/kg/d) for three days and other supportive therapies, the girl survived through complicated with oxygen dependence. We suggest that methylprednisolone pulse therapy provides a chance of recovery and survival for patients with IPH at the acute phase, even if accompanied by severe pulmonary hemorrhage.

Through the mediating effect analysis of society informatization, discuss the internal relation in the influence of IT transformation on residents' travel behavior change, and then find the influence path. Proposes the hypothesis research model and verifies it empirically based on the “IT transformation and public travel” behavior survey in Tianjin (663). The result shows that IT transformation not only has a directly marked impact on changing travel behavior of residents; information literacy and information resources play a role of mediating effect between the IT transformation and residents’ travel behavior change.

Development of advanced materials with high energy density for thermochemical energy storage may contribute to the efficient utilization of solar energy and waste heat. In this work, Ce(NO3)3/Mg(OH)2 as a new heat storage material for TCEs was investigated. The effect of Ce(NO3)3 on dehydration of Mg(OH)2 was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry techniques. The addition of Ce(NO3)3 can significantly reduce the dehydration temperature and accelerate the dehydration of Mg(OH)2. The temperature reduction depends on the Ce(NO3)3 content W and reaches 29 ?C at W = 10 wt%, while the dehydration heat was reduced only slightly (1086 J/g). The new material exhibits an adjustable decomposition temperature, fast dehydration rate and large heat storage density, and may be considered as a promising candidate for thermochemical storage of concentrated solar energy.

Objectives To evaluate the effect of Matrix metalloproteinase 7 -181A/G polymorphism (rs11568818) on the risk of cancer, we performed a meta-analysis. Design and methods 24 case-control studies were identified by searching Pubmed, Embase, ISI, OVID MEDLINE and EBSCO databases. Odd ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals were applied to assess the strength of association between MMP7 -181A/G polymorphism and cancer risk. Results Between MMP7 -181GG genotype and cancer risk, statistically significant association could be observed from overall cancer risk, evidently noted in Asians, observed in high-quality subgroup, and apparently witnessed in PCR-RFLP genotyping subgroup. Conclusions Our meta-analysis indicates that MMP7 -181GG genotype is associated with overall cancer risk in Asian populations (especially China and India) among high-quality studies.

Many theoretical derivation of the energy model requires extensive simulation in Internet of Things (IoT). Network Simulator 3 (ns-3) provides a simulation platform for various experimental studies including energy harvest. However, the function of charge schedule and wireless energy transfer model is not yet implemented. To address this problem, in this paper we propose an extension to ns-3 for simulating mobile charging with wireless energy transfer. First, we utilize a WET Harvest Class to harvest energy from the environment and a Charge Schedule Class for the mobile charger to choose the optimal node charging in the charging request queue in ns-3. Second, we use Charge Energy Model to judge what the mobile charger will do next when the energy of current node is higher or lower than energy threshold. Evaluation results show that our improvements are feasible and helpful with charge schedule and energy model in ns-3.

This study investigated the effects of particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) produced from burning three incense types on and their bioreactivity in the RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cell line. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to determine the levels of 16 identified PAHs. Macrophages were exposed to incense particle extracts at concentrations of 0, 3.125, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 μg/mL for 24 h. After exposure, cell viability and nitric oxide (NO) and inflammatory mediator [tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α] production of the cells were examined. The mean atomic hydrogen (H) to carbon (C) ratios in the environmentally friendly, binchotan charcoal, and lao shan incenses were 0.69, 1.13, and 1.71, respectively. PAH and total toxic equivalent (TEQ) mass fraction in the incenses ranged from 137.84 to 231.00 and 6.73–26.30 pg/μg, respectively. The exposure of RAW 264.7 macrophages to incense particles significantly increased TNF-α and NO production and reduced cell viability. The cells treated with particles collected from smoldering the environmentally friendly incense produced more NO and TNF-α compared to other incenses. Additionally, the TEQ of fluoranthene (FL), pyrene (Pyr), benzo[a]anthracene (BaA), chrysene (Chr), benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF), benzo[k]fluoranthene (BkF), benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene (INP), dibenz[a,h]anthracene (DBA), and benzo[g,h,i]perylene [B(ghi)P] had a significant correlation (R2 = 0.64–0.98, P

Development of functional hydrogels for use in anterior lamellar keratoplasty can potentially eliminate the risk of corneal endothelial rejection associated with penetrating keratoplasty. This study aims to copolymerize 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with acrylic acid (AAc) to fabricate a transparent, bioinert keratoprosthesis base material that evokes minimal ocular cell/tissue response and suppresses corneal epithelial cell attachment and growth. In the presence of varying amounts of monomers (i.e., 72–92% HEMA and 0–20% AAc), initiators (i.e., 2–6% 2,2-diethoxyacetophenone (DEAP)), and cross-linkers (i.e., 2–6% trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TMPTMA)), the photopolymerized samples were synthesized successfully by varying reaction time (i.e., 10–50 min), and were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and contact angle measurements. While the introduction of PAAc into the structure of PHEMA can enhance the water content and oxygen and nutrient permeability, it simultaneously reduces mechanical and suture strength as well as resists protein adsorption and cell adhesion. For an incomplete cross-linked hydrogel prepared with lowest DEAP and TMPTMA content or least UV irradiation time, significant cytotoxicity and inflammation were noted, probably due to the presence of more unreacted CC bonds. The in vitro and in vivo studies showed that the membranes obtained from optimized photopolymerization conditions had good compatibility with the corneal epithelial cell cultures and the anterior segment of the eye. Additionally, the properties of this poly(HEMA-co-AAc) material were comparable to those of native corneas, suggesting that it may be a promising candidate for direct application in artificial cornea or further surface functionalization during keratoprosthesis design.

The delivery of intact sheet transplants to the subretinal space can prevent cell loss that is generally associated with the injection of cell suspensions or cell aggregates. The aim of this study was to develop chemically modified gelatin matrices that enhance the delivery efficiency and analyze whether the gelatin membranes cross-linked with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) can be considered as potential carriers for retinal sheets. The characteristics of EDC cross-linked gelatin membranes were determined by mechanical and in vitro degradation tests, melting point measurements, cell proliferation assays, cytokine expression analyses, and tissue delivery studies. Gelatin membranes without cross-linking and glutaraldehyde cross-linked gelatin samples were used for comparison. Results of this study indicated that introduction of cross-links is capable of rendering the gelatin network more stable against mechanical stresses and deformations as well as rapid hydrolysis during intraocular delivery of delicate tissue sheets. In comparison with the glutaraldehyde treated samples, the EDC cross-linked gelatin membranes showed a better degradation profile and a relatively higher cytocompatibility. In addition, after EDC cross-linking, the gelatin matrices having an acceptable melting point could be used for the fabrication of a sandwich-like carrier with a high transfer and encapsulation efficiency. These findings suggest that the cross-linking agent type gives an influence on delivery functionality of gelatin membranes. In summary, the EDC cross-linked gelatin is an ideal candidate for use as a carrier material in retinal sheet delivery applications.