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To screen all of the obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)-characteristic pronunciations, explore the pronunciations which provide a better OSA classification effect than those used previously, and further clarify the correlation between speech signals and OSA.A total of 158 adult male Mandarin native speakers who completed polysomnography at the Sleep Medicine Center of Beijing Tongren Hospital from November 15, 2019, to January 19, 2020, were enrolled in this study. All Chinese syllables were collected from each participant in the sitting position. The syllables, vowels, consonants, and tones were screened to identify the pronunciations that were most effective for OSA classification.The linear prediction coefficients of Chinese syllables were extracted as features and mathematically modeled using a decision tree model to dichotomize participants with apnea-hypopnea index thresholds of 10 and 30 events/h, and the leave-one-out method was used to verify the classification performance of Chinese syllables for OSA. Chinese syllables such as [leng] and [jue], consonant pronunciations such as [zh] and [f], and vowel pronunciations such as [ing] and [ai] were the most suitable pronunciations for classification of OSA. An OSA classification model consisting of several syllable combinations was constructed, with areas under curve of 0.83 (threshold of apnea-hypopnea index = 10) and 0.87 (threshold of apnea-hypopnea index = 30), respectively.This study is the first comprehensive screening of OSA-characteristic pronunciations and can act as a guideline for the construction of OSA speech corpora in other languages.Ding Y, Sun Y, Li Y, et al. Selection of OSA-specific pronunciations and assessment of disease severity assisted by machine learning.

The large-distance penetration capability of an annular-shaped charge under multipoint synchronous initiation was experimentally investigated. For different annular charge structures and different multipoint initiation settings, incident angle, collision type of detonation waves, and overpressure on the shaped charge’s liner at adjacent initiation points were analyzed using the detonation wave propagation theory. Furthermore, the shaped charge’s penetration capability at a standoff distance of 1–15 m from a 20 mm thick 45# steel plate (the target) was determined through penetration experiments. It was found that the annular cutter formed by the 500 mm diameter annular shaped charge (charge width: 100 mm) completely penetrated the target for a large distance, namely a distance of 150 times the charge width. The ratio of the width of the ring gap penetrated by the annular cutter to the liner’s initial radial width was about 1.07; this indicated that the annular cutter’s width was equivalent to the liner’s radial width for the above flight distance, which in turn implied that the annular cutter had superior circular degree. The annular cutter formed in the case of Mach reflection had better circular degree, integrity, and penetration capability than that formed by regular reflection.

Emodin, a major component of Chinese herbal rhubarb, delays the progression of chronic renal failure. However, the effect and working mechanisms of Emodin on renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis remains elusive. We hypothesized that emodin inhibits renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis through EZH2, a histone methyltransferase. Our in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrate that emodin reduced extracellular collagen deposition and inhibited Smad3 and CTGF pro-fibrotic signaling pathways, which were correlated with the down-regulation of EZH2 and reduced trimethylation of histone H3 on lysine 27 (H3k27me3) in NRK-49F fibrotic cells and UUO kidneys. Inhibition of EZH2 by 3-DZNeP blocked or attenuated the anti-fibrotic effect of emodin in UUO kidneys and NRK-49F cells. These data indicate that emodin inhibits renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis in obstructed kidneys and this effect is mediated through EZH2.

Renal injury resulting from hyperuricemia has gained a lot of interest. Pyroptosis refers to inflammatory cell death. The activated caspase-1 cleavage, and the pivotal protein - GSDMD could have an association with the hyperuricemic kidney lesion pathogenesis. ROS is a vital NLRP3 inflammasome antagonist in various cells. We investigated the mechanism through which ROS stimulates NLRP3 to modulate pyroptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells as well as hyperuricemic rat kidneys.MethodsIn vitro cultured renal tubular epithelial cells (NRK-52E cells) were incubated with a gradient concentration of uric acid for 24 hr to investigate the pyroptosis through flow cytometry. Next, we used the inhibitors of ROS, mitochondrial ROS, NLRP3 and Caspase-1 respectively to intervene in uric acid treated cells to analyse pyproptosis and activation of ROS- NLRP3 inflammasome signal pathway. Finally, we evaluated the mechanism of hyperuricemia triggering renal tubular epithelial pyroptosis in rat kidney tissues.ResultsThe levels of ROS and mitochondrial ROS, the mRNA and protein expression of pyroptosis-associated factors Caspase-1 (p45, p20/10), NLRP3, and GSDMD were upregulated in uric acid, the induced NRK-52E cells as well as hyperuricemic model kidneys. The inhibition of ROS, mitochondrial ROS, NLRP3, or caspase-1 in the uric acid-induced NRK-52E cells may help in controlling pyroptosis. The expression of mRNA and protein by the cytokines IL-18 and IL-1β also increased.ConclusionsGenerally, hyperuricemia triggered renal tubular epithelial pyroptosis via excessive ROS to modulate NLRP3 inflammasome activation in uric acid stimulated renal tubular epithelial cells as well as the oxonic acid potassium induced hyperuricemia.

Background One of the great challenges in the emergency department (ED) is to accurately differentiate critically ill from stable patients. Although there are many triage systems in the world, these all rely to varying degrees on the subjective judgment of triage officers, which may contribute to mis-triage errors. To accurately differentiate critically ill from stable patients, we present a machine learning system (MLS) that can provide a second opinion to ED triage officers to help recognize critically ill patients. The system also provides individual explanations, visible to triage officers, as to why a patient scored the way they did. Methods To derive the MLS, an existing dataset of 22,272 patient encounters from 2012 to 2019 from our institution’s electronic emergency triage system (EETS) was used for algorithm training. Once the MLS was derived, we conducted a prospective randomized cohort study of ED patients between March and April 2020. The mis-triage rate (defined as a patient initially triaged to a EETS level 3 or 4 acuity that was then up-triaged or taken to the resuscitation room) was calculated with and without the input of the MLS. Results The MLS system achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) value of 0.86 in a retrospective validation dataset of 2,000 cases. In the prospective cohort study, compared to the traditional triage system’s 1.2% mis-triage rate in the control group, the mis-triage rate in the MLS-assisted group was 0.9%. Conclusion This MLS method with a real-time practical explanation for triage officers was able to lower the mis-triage rate of ED patients in need of critical care.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction(HQGZWWD) is a Traditional Chinese Medicine formula from Synopsis of Golden Chamber used to treat blood arthralgia. According to the principle that the same treatment can be used for different diseases, HQGZWWD has proven effective for IgA nephropathy (IgAN) associated with spleen and kidney yang deficiency. Aim of the study In this study, we investigated the mechanism by which HQGZWWD alleviates proteinuria and protects renal function in rats with IgAN by regulating the AT1R/Nephrin/c-Abl pathway. Methods Rats were randomly divided into six groups: control, IgAN model, IgAN model treated with low-dose HQGZWWD, IgAN model treated with medium-dose HQGZWWD, IgAN model treated with high-dose HQGZWWD, and IgAN model treated with valsartan. IgAN was induced using bovine γ-globulin. We evaluated the mediating effects of HQGZWWD on podocyte cytoskeletal proteins, the AT1R/Nephrin/c-Abl pathway, upstream tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and TNF-α receptor-1 (TNFR1). Results The IgAN rats displayed proteinuria, IgA deposition in the mesangial region, and podocyte cytoskeletal protein damage. The expression of TNF-α, TNFR1, AT1R, and c-Abl was increased in the IgAN rat kidney, whereas the expression of nephrin, podocin, ACTN4, and phosphorylated nephrin (p-nephrin) was reduced. HQGZWWD treatment significantly alleviated podocyte cytoskeletal protein damage in the IgAN rats, upregulated the expression of nephrin, podocin, and ACTN4, and the colocalized expression of F-actin and nephrin. This study demonstrates that HQGZWWD attenuates podocyte cytoskeletal protein damage by regulating the AT1R–nephrin– c-Abl pathway, upregulating the expression of p-nephrin, and downregulating the expression of AT1R and c-Abl. Conclusions These results indicate that HQGZWWD attenuates podocyte cytoskeletal protein damage in IgAN rats by regulating the AT1R/Nephrin/c-Abl pathway, providing a potential therapeutic approach for IgAN.

Musculoskeletal diseases such as neck, shoulder, back and leg pain are extremely common in clinic. Diseases of the joints of the extremities, especially sputum, wrist sprains, and periarthritis of the shoulders, and even lumbar disc herniation, use X-shaped balance acupuncture therapy to relieve pain and improve motor function. The method of obtaining acupoints is simple and easy to operate. Many of clinical comparison shows that this therapy is simple to conventional acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of local pain and joint diseases. This review concluded the advantaged about the X-shaped balance acupuncture therapy and it worth to clinical promotion.

Multi-track InSAR data have been widely applied to decompose 2D (East-West and Up-Down) co-seismic deformation in order to intuitively interpret the co-seismic deformation. Most of the previous efforts well studied the decomposition of single earthquake deformation using a pair of ascending and descending InSAR data. However, the deformation decomposition of multiple earthquake events in a short time period is rarely discussed and hard to implement. That's because it's hard to make sure that deformation related to each earthquake can be imaged by a pair of ascending and descending track. In this paper, a Pseudo-Small BASeline (SBAS) method is developed to decompose 2D deformation of each earthquake in a sequence event. The rationale behind is that several interferograms with different imaging geometries contain co-seismic deformation related to single or multiple earthquakes, and it provides us the opportunity to separate the 2D deformation of a single or multiple events by fusing the short temporal baseline interferograms from multi-track and multi-temporal SAR observations. The proposed method has two parts. The first part is to correct phase unwrapping errors using a compressed sensing method based on redundant SBAS interferograms. In the second part, we incorporate strain model and the conception of SBAS technique into 2D deformation decomposition. We used our proposed Pseudo-SBAS method and four tracks Sentinel-1 data to study the deformation decomposition of an earthquake sequence hit the Central Greece in March 2021. The comprehensive comparisons on synthetic and real Sentinel-1 data confirm the validity of the proposed method. The experimental results also indicate that a triggering mechanism of cascading rupture process can explain the occurrence of these three sequent earthquakes, and the decomposed post-seismic deformation of the first earthquake in EW direction move towards the opposite direction to the co-seismic deformation.

Background Jiangniaosuan formula (JNSF) is commonly used in China for treating hyperuricemia, but there is little research-based evidence to support its use. This randomized controlled trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of JNSF. Methods A total of 72 patients with hyperuricemia will be selected and randomly assigned in a ratio of 1:2 to receive either Western medicine, i.e., febuxostat 40 mg (WG group; n = 24), or Chinese herbal medicine, i.e., Jiangniaosuan formula + febuxostat 20 mg (WJNSG group; n = 48). After 12 weeks, the WJNSG will be randomly divided into two groups of 24 patients each; one group (WJNSG; n = 24) still will receive febuxostat 20 mg + Jiangniaosuan formula, and the other group (JNSG; n = 24) will continue to receive Jiangniaosuan formula + placebo. Participants will be followed up at 4-week intervals. The primary outcome will be the change in serum uric acid level, and the secondary outcome will be the change in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome scores. Serum creatinine, blood glucose, and insulin levels will also be measured. Discussion We hypothesize that patients with hyperuricemia will benefit from JNSF. This study will provide evidence-based recommendations for clinicians. Dissemination The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated by academic conferences. The datasets analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trials Register ChiCTR2000041083. Registered on 3 May 2021. The protocol version number is V3.0, 20210301.

Background The prevalence rates of gout worldwide have increased annually. Acute gouty arthritis (AGA) accounts for a large proportion of gout patients and causes severe physical and mental pain in patients. Controlling the occurrence and development of gout inflammation is the first step in the treatment of gout. The main treatment drugs in gout are Non-Steroid Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS), colchicine and glucocorticoids, but these treatments have many adverse reactions which limit their clinical application. Baihu and Guizhi decoction (BHGZ) is one of the classic prescriptions in the Synopsis of the Golden Chamber, and is a good prescription for AGA. Previous clinical studies have shown that BHGZ confers a strong benefit for treating AGA. However, the literature shows a lack of high-quality RCT research on BHGZ with respect to AGA. Therefore, in this study, we use a randomized, double-blind, controlled study with a placebo to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of BHGZ on the AGA of moist heat arthralgia spasm syndrome. Methods This study is a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial. A total of 102 adult participants with AGA of moist heat arthralgia spasm syndrome will be enrolled, with balanced treatment allocation (1:1). The experimental intervention will be BHGZ plus the low-dose colchicine and the control intervention will be placebo plus the low-dose colchicine for 10 days. To study the clinical efficacy (including VAS score; joint tenderness, joint swelling, joint movement disorder; TCM evidence efficacy score) and the changes of inflammatory indexes. At the same time, the improvement of joint inflammation in patients with AGA will be observed from musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging, and the safety evaluation will be carried out. Discussion This study will be the first placebo-controlled RCT to assess whether BHGZ plus low-dose colchicine have beneficial effects on changing reducing inflammation of joints for patients with AGA of moist heat arthralgia spasm syndrome. The results of this trial will help to provide evidence-based recommendations for clinicians. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trials Register, ChiCTR1900024974. Registered on 5 August 2019.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to examine whether body mass index (BMI) had an impact on clinical outcomes of laparoscopic radical cystectomy with intracorporeal urinary diversion. Furthermore, we analyzed the optimization of enhanced recovery protocols (ERPs) on the impact of BMI on clinical outcomes. METHODS: By searching our database, data of 83 consecutive patients were retrospectively collected, including 37 patients with a BMI 0.05). The 30-day overall complication rate, operative time, and length of stay were similar between the two groups (P>0.05). But post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) was higher in group A than in group B (32.4% vs. 8.7%, P=0.014). Group A was associated with lower serum albumin level pre-operatively and on post-operative days 1–3. ΔALB(min) was higher in group A than in group B (33.08%±9.88% vs. 27.92%±8.52%, P0.05). Multivariable analysis showed that PONV and CRPs were independently associated with ΔALB(min) ≥34% (P

Background The prevalence rates of gout worldwide have increased annually. Acute gouty arthritis (AGA) accounts for a large proportion of gout patients and causes severe physical and mental pain in patients. Controlling the occurrence and development of gout inflammation is the first step in the treatment of gout. The main treatment drugs in gout are non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), colchicine, and glucocorticoids, but these treatments have many adverse reactions which limit their clinical application. Baihu and Guizhi decoction (BHGZ) is one of the classic prescriptions in the Synopsis of the Golden Chamber and is a good prescription for AGA. Previous clinical studies have shown that BHGZ confers a strong benefit for treating AGA. However, the literature shows a lack of high-quality RCT research on BHGZ with respect to AGA. Therefore, in this study, we use a randomized, double-blind, controlled study with a placebo to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of BHGZ on the AGA of moist heat arthralgia spasm syndrome. Methods This study is a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial. A total of 102 adult participants with AGA of moist heat arthralgia spasm syndrome will be enrolled, with balanced treatment allocation (1:1). The experimental intervention will be BHGZ plus the low-dose colchicine, and the control intervention will be placebo plus the low-dose colchicine for 10 days. To study the clinical efficacy (including VAS score; joint tenderness, joint swelling, joint movement disorder; TCM evidence efficacy score) and the changes of inflammatory indexes. At the same time, the improvement of joint inflammation in patients with AGA will be observed from musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging, and the safety evaluation will be carried out. Discussion This study will be the first placebo-controlled RCT to assess whether BHGZ plus low-dose colchicine have beneficial effects on changing reducing inflammation of joints for patients with AGA of moist heat arthralgia spasm syndrome. The results of this trial will help to provide evidence-based recommendations for clinicians. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trials Register ChiCTR1900024974. Registered on 5 August 2019

Freeform progressive addition lenses (PALs) are mainly divided into distance vision zone, near vision zone, astigmatism channel and peripheral astigmatism zone. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of the width of the astigmatism channel by changing the near vision area of PALs on the basis of the minimal model method. The change of the near vision area was mainly achieved by changing the distribution function of the main curvature difference and the average curvature weight. Firstly, two weight distribution matrices of different near vision areas were designed, and the second-order partial differential equations of the minimized model were solved by the finite element method. The surface shape of two PALs was obtained. Secondly, the freeform verifier software (FFV) (ROTLEX, Israel) was used to simulate the shapes of the obtained surfaces, and used computer numerical control machine tools to process two groups of PALs. Finally, the Visionix VM-2500 lens measuring instrument was used to measure the PALs. The simulated and measured power and astigmatism distribution contours showed that the width of the astigmatism channel increased with the increase of the near vision area, however, the peripheral astigmatism was increased. Therefore, the near vision zone with an appropriate area can provide a reference for the optimal design of PALs.

There are upper airway abnormalities in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and their speech signal characteristics are different from those of unaffected people. In this study, the severity of OSA was evaluated automatically by machine learning technology based on the speech signals of Chinese people. In total, 151 adult male Mandarin native speakers who had suspected OSA completed polysomnography to assess the severity of the disease. Chinese vowels and nasal sounds were recorded in sitting and supine positions, and the accuracy of predicting the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of the participants using a machine learning method was analyzed based on features extracted from the speech signals. Among the 151 participants, 75 had AHI > 30 events/h, and 76 had AHI ≤ 30 events/h. Various features including linear prediction cepstral coefficients (LPCC) were extracted from the data collected from participants recorded in the sitting and supine positions and by using a linear support vector machine (SVM); we classified the participants with thresholds of AHI = 30 and AHI = 10 events/h. The accuracies of the classifications were both 78.8%, the sensitivities were 77.3% and 79.1%, and the specificities were 80.3% and 78.0%, respectively. This study constructed a severity evaluation model of OSA based on speech signal processing and machine learning, which can be used as an effective method to screen patients with OSA. In addition, it was found that Chinese pronunciation can be used as an effective feature to predict OSA.

Toroidal, spherocylindrical, ellipsoidal, and combined surfaces were used to correct astigmatism in aspheric spectacle lenses, and the differences among the proposed techniques were compared. Four astigmatic spectacle lenses were designed with the same optical parameters. A freeform measuring machine was used to evaluate posterior surfaces of aspheric spectacle lenses, and spherical and cylindrical power maps were generated and compared. The measured data were analyzed via commercial software. The toroidal lens helped to extend the clear vision range around the lens, and the ellipsoidal and spherocylindrical surfaces resulted in a more accurate centering of the lens around the optical axis of the eye, avoided astigmatism, and provided better visual perception.

We employed two-dimensional convolution processing and spline interpolation methods to process the weight distributions (WDs) of the spherical and cylindrical power deviations, and assess their effect in designing progressive addition lenses (PALs), based on the minimized error function. Eight power deviation and astigmatism WDs were constructed with different convolution processing schemes and transition area widths connecting the high- and low-weight areas, respectively. Correspondingly, eight PALs were designed, simulated, machined, and evaluated by commercial software. The results show that the number of multiple convolution processing changes from 0 to 15, areas of the far and near areas increase by 35.7% and 76.5%, and maximum peripheral astigmatism increases from 0.75 to 1.5 addition power, respectively. When the width of the transition zone changes from 0 mm to 9 mm, the area of the far and near regions increase by 27.2% and 58.2%, respectively, and the maximum peripheral astigmatism increases from the original value of 1 addition power to 1.25 addition power, respectively.

To improve the utilization of the active materials and the cyclic performance of the lithium sulfur (Li-S) battery, we designed a sulfur-salt composite cathode that was prepared by the simplest ball-milling method and employed lithium bis(trifluoromethane) sulfonamide (LiTFSI) as one of the cathode components. It is found that the presence of LiTFSI salt plays an important role in increasing the lithium ionic conductivity, enlarging the ion exchange area of the aggregation insulating sulfur particles, and promoting the electrochemical reaction kinetic performance to optimize the utilization of active materials. As a result, the as-prepared cathode shows a pronounced high capacity of 1342 mAh g −1 and excellent coulombic efficiency of nearly 100%. Additionally, the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images confirmed the alleviated loss of active materials in the resultant sulfur-salt cathode. Furthermore, the high–capacity retention and improved electrochemical kinetic performance were validated by charging and discharging tests, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). This effective and simple method provides a new methodology for attaining high-energy Li-S batteries via electrode materials preparation without complex chemical synthesis procedures.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused serious damage to public health. COVID-19 has no vaccine or specific therapy; its mortality rate increases significantly once patients deteriorate. Furthermore, intensive monitoring of COVID-19 is limited by insufficient medical resources and increased risks of exposure to medical staff. We therefore aim to build an early warning and rapid response system (EWRRS) to address these problems. METHOD: The research is designed as a prospective cohort study, to verify a dynamic and interactive evaluation system; it includes patient self-reporting, active monitoring, early alarming and treatment recommendations. Adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19 will be recruited from Sept 2020 to Aug 2021 at a tertiary contagious hospital. Patients with life expectancy

SPIRIT 2013 checklist. Recommended items to address in a clinical trial protocol and related documents. (PDF 127 kb)

Objective. Renal anemia in patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease is closely related to the deterioration of cardiac function, renal function, and quality of life. This study involved adenine-induced renal anemic rat models and evaluated the treatment effect of Siwu granules and/or erythropoietin (EPO). Methods. Fifty SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control, model, Siwu, EPO, and Siwu plus EPO groups. The expression levels of NO, MDA, SOD, CAT, IL-6, TNF-α, EPO, EPOR, α-SMA, and TGF-β1 were detected in rats after 8 weeks of treatment with Siwu granules and/or EPO. Results. After modeling, 47 rats entered the stage of treatment. Siwu plus EPO treatment significantly increased the rat hemoglobin content (p<0.05) and reduced blood urea nitrogen (p<0.05) and serum creatinine (p<0.001). Compared with the control group, the expression of EPO and EPOR in the kidney of rats with renal failure was significantly decreased (p<0.05). Moreover, the Siwu plus EPO group improved the level of oxidative stress in rats with chronic renal failure and reduced the expression of inflammatory factors. The expression of α-SMA and TGF-β1 in rats with renal failure was higher, but there was no expression in the control group. Conclusion. Combined treatment of Siwu granules with EPO increased the expression of EPO and EPOR in the renal tissues and inhibited oxidative stress and inflammatory factors, improving the renal function and anemia.

Bio-drying has been proved to be a promising method for treatment of MSW (municipal solid waste) and sewage sludge due to its high energy efficiency and low operating cost. In this study, bio-drying was adopted to treat kitchen waste, which has quite different features from MSW and sewage sludge. The main operating factors of bio-drying, including sludge inoculation, initial moisture content, and different bulking agents, were systematically investigated. The trial with a high inoculation ratio showed a shorter lag phase and better temperature profile, thus resulting in a better drying performance with higher evaporation efficiency. Furthermore, 71.7 % of initial moisture content, which is relatively higher than the values reported in other studies, was found to be favorable for microbial activity, which could save the operating cost by reducing bulking agent in bio-drying of kitchen waste. Among the tested bulking agents (i.e., corncob, sawdust, and straw), straw was found to be the best in terms of better temperature profile and water removal efficiency due to its high water absorption capacity and the proper FAS. These results will provide some valuable information for efficient bio-drying of the kitchen waste.

Objective. To explore the effect and mechanism of ShiZhiFang on uric acid metabolism. Methods. 40 rats were divided into normal group, model group, ShiZhiFang group, and benzbromarone group. The hyperuricemic rat model was induced by yeast gavage at 15 g/kg and potassium oxonate intraperitoneal injection at 600 mg/kg for two weeks. During the next two weeks, ShiZhiFang group rats were given ShiZhiFang by gavage, and benzbromarone group rats were given benzbromarone by gavage. The serum uric acid, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, XOD activity, urinary uric acid, urinary β2-MG, and histopathological changes were observed in the rats of each group after treatment. Results. The hyperuricemic model was established successfully and did not show the increase of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen. Compared with the model group, the serum uric acid, serum XOD activity, and urinary β2-MG were significantly decreased (p<0.05), and 24 h urinary uric acid excretion was significantly decreased (p<0.01) in ShiZhiFang group, whereas the two treatment groups were of no statistical significant in above indicators (p>0.05); renal histopathology showed that the lesions in two treatment groups were reduced compared to the model groups. The gene and protein expression of uric acid anion transporters rOAT1 and rOAT3 in the kidney was significantly higher than that in model group (p<0.01). Conclusion. The model is suitable for the study of primary hyperuricemia. The mechanisms of ShiZhiFang on uric acid metabolism in hyperuricemic rats may be involved in reducing the activity of serum XOD and promoting the transcription and expression of rOAT1 and rOAT3 in the kidney.

Objective. Uric acid (UA) activates the NLRP3-ASC-caspase-1 axis and triggers cascade inflammatory that leads to hyperuricemic nephropathy and hyperuricemia-induced renal tubular injury. The original study aims to verify the positive effects of the traditional Chinese medicinal formula Shizhifang (SZF) on ameliorating the hyperuricemia, tubular injury, and inflammasome infiltration in the kidneys of hyperuricemic lab rats. Method. Twenty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: control group, oxonic acid potassium (OA) model group, OA + SZF group, and OA + Allopurinol group. We evaluated the mediating effects of SZF on renal mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress (OS) products, protein expression of NLRP3-ASC-caspase-1 axis, and downstream inflammatory factors IL-1β and IL-18 after 7 weeks of animals feeding. Result. SZF alleviated OA-induced hyperuricemia and inhibited OS in hyperuricemic rats (P<0.05). SZF effectively suppressed the expression of gene and protein of the NLRP3-ASC-caspase-1 axis through accommodating the ROS-TXNIP pathway (P<0.05). Conclusion. Our data suggest that SZF alleviates renal tubular injury and inflammation infiltration by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation triggered by mitochondrial ROS in the kidneys of hyperuricemic lab rats.

The purpose of this study was to compare the optical properties of different astigmatic optical surfaces by direct physical measurement of their surface shapes. The back-surface heights of different astigmatic optical lenses were measured with a freeform measuring machine (FMM). In order to calculate the function of the part point cloud fitting surface for the dispersed data points of the astigmatic lenses, the measured shape data were modeled through surface fitting of a bicubic spline. The principal curvatures of each point on the surface were calculated, and the optical properties of each surface and their combinations were generated as contour plots using custom MATLAB routines. The fitting surface of the actual measurement points was compared with the design surface to determine the surface error. Analyses showed that this nonoptical method using an FMM can be used to effectively evaluate a cylindrical lens by surface height measurements alone. Compared to the optical measurement method, the optical properties derived directly from the surface shape can provide information not accessible by other methods. Therefore, this approach is potentially useful to clinicians who want to better understand the design of astigmatic optical lenses for making better recommendations to their clients.

In the present paper, an anionic polymer electrolyte (APE) is facilely prepared using the surface-charged latex nanoparticles as the building blocks for the flexible lithium-ion batteries. Driven by the self-assembly of surface-charged latex, the APE demonstrates nanoporous structure, which provides continuous pathway for lithium conduction. The anionic polymer membrane exhibits mechanical flexibility before and after swollen with liquid electrolyte. Performance benefits of the anionic polymer membrane, as compared to commercialized polyethylene (PE) separator, are elucidated in terms of thermal shrinkage, liquid electrolyte wettability, mechanical bendability and open circuit voltage (OCV). Based on comprehensive characterization of the anionic polymer membrane/electrolyte characteristics, feasibility of applying the APE to electrolytes for flexible lithium-ion batteries is explored. The well-developed ion-conductive channel of the APE, in conjunction with stability of the surface-charged nanoparticles during cycling, plays a crucial role in providing excellent in cell performance.

Herein, we report the effect of parecoxib on the structure and function of human serum albumin (HSA) by using fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD), Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR), three-dimensional (3D) fluorescence spectroscopy, and molecular docking techniques. The Stern-Volmer quenching constants K(SV) and the corresponding thermodynamic parameters ΔH, ΔG, and ΔS have been estimated by the fluorescence quenching method. The results indicated that parecoxib binds spontaneously with HSA through van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds with binding constant of 3.45 × 10(4) M(-1) at 298 K. It can be seen from far-UV CD spectra that the α-helical network of HSA is disrupted and its content decreases from 60.5% to 49.6% at drug:protein = 10:1. Protein tertiary structural alterations induced by parecoxib were also confirmed by FTIR and 3D fluorescence spectroscopy. The molecular docking study indicated that parecoxib is embedded into the hydrophobic pocket of HSA.

In this report, mechanically compliant gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) for flexible lithium-ion batteries is facilely fabricated. The GPE that based on the poly(methyl acrylate-co-acrylonitrile)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (P(MA-co-AN)/PVA) was prepared via emulsion polymerization. Herein, the P(MA-co-AN) copolymer is anticipated to exert beneficial for the bendability of the GPE, as well as swollen with the liquid electrolyte to provide a facile pathway for ion movement. The PVA serves as a stabilizer during the emulsion polymerization and a mechanical framework for the compliant polymer membrane. Performance benefits of the mechanically compliant membrane are elucidated in terms of mechanical behavior, thermostability and ionic conductivity. The GPE is still self-standing and mechanical flexible after swollen with liquid electrolyte. The GPE displays a conductivity of 0.98 mS cm −1 with the uptake electrolyte up to 150% of its own weight at 30 °C, excellent electrochemical stability window (5.2 V vs. Li/Li + ) and favorable interfacial characteristics. When used in flexible lithium-ion batteries, such a GPE demonstrates satisfactory compatibility with LiCoO 2 and graphite electrodes.

Berberine (BBR) has previously been found to exert beneficial effects on renal injury in experimental rats. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects are not yet fully understood. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-associated factor 5 (TRAF5) has been demonstrated to mediate the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of BBR on kidney injury and the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway in mouse podocytes. TRAF5 was found to be overexpressed in patients with CKD and chronic renal failure (CRF) (data obtained from the dataset GSE48944, as well as from patients at Shuguang Hospital). TRAF5 overexpression significantly inhibited cell viability and induced the apoptosis of mouse podocytes. However, BBR prevented the decrease in cell viability and the apoptosis induced by TRAF5 overexpression. The NF-κB inhibitor, caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), mimicked the protective effects of BBR, as evidenced by the increased expression of nephrin and podocin, and the decreased the expression of caspase-3 and the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2. Moreover, BBR prevented the decrease in cell viability decrease and the apoptosis induced by TNF-α, interleukin (IL)-6 and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Taken together, our data indicate that BBR exerts protective effects against CRF partly through the TRAF5-mediated activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway in mouse podocytes.

Novel solid polymer electrolytes (named as SR x ( x = 1–6)) containing trifluoromethane sulfonates (LiCF 3 SO 3 ) are prepared based on the blend of poly (acrylonitrile- co -vinyl ethylene carbonate) poly (AN- co -VEC) and ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA). The structural properties of the polymer electrolytes SR x are systematically investigated by varieties of techniques, and the electrochemical performance including ion conductivity and Li + transference number are studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The surface morphology of solid polymer electrolyte are subjected to transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements, by which highly collected spherical grains are found on the picture of SEM and TEM. It is noteworthy that the special structure probably affords fast transport paths for Li + , enhancing ionic conductivity (= 6.0 × 10 − 5 S cm − 1 ) and Li + transference number ( t + = 0.74), and the former is higher than that of conventional solid polymer electrolytes which is up to now mostly 10 − 7 to 10 − 8 . The reason may be due to excellent solubility of VEC for Li + salt, besides, the spherical structure of the solid polymer electrolyte may play an important role. This is perhaps the first report of VEC used as host copolymer for the solid polymer electrolytes.

In this work, a special structural poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN)-based microporous membrane for lithium-ion batteries is prepared from PAN emulsion by simple casting and extracting techniques. It is found that the microporous membrane is fabricated by PAN particles with uniform size (about 580 nm), and a lot of micropores exist among the particles. The Gurley number of the microporous membrane obviously depends on the amount of additive but the porosity does not. The PAN-based microporous membrane is activated by non-aqueous liquid electrolyte to form microporous gel electrolyte (MGE), and its ionic conductivity increases with the decrease of the Gurley number. The resulting MGE shows typical thermal shut-down action because of the swelling–incorporating behaviors of PAN-based particles by the help of the solvent of liquid electrolyte at high temperature. In addition, the electrochemical stability window of the MGE can extend to 5.5 V vs. Li+/Li. The test cell using MGE as separator shows high initial discharge capacity (143 mAh g-1 based on LiCoO2) and high capacity retention ratio (around 94.8% at the 50th cycle). Generally, the special structural microporous membrane is promisingly used to prepare high-safety lithium-ion batteries.