Search

Subtypes of microglia/macrophage regulate the inflammation in the opposite direction during ischemic stroke. JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway participates in the development of stroke-related inflammation via ischemic stimulation. However, the relationship between JAK2/STAT3 pathway and microglia/macrophage phenotype transformation is unclear.This study established a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) model in male STAT3For the conditioned STAT3-KO mice, the infarction was significantly increased after MCAO, accompanied by the aggravation of neurological deficit. Higher expression of iNOS and CD16/32 than Arg-1, Ym-1, and CD206 in vivo and in vitro, and decreased p-STAT3/STAT3 ratio in STAT3Collectively, these results reveal that JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway regulates the microglia/macrophage polarization (skewing toward the M2 polarization) during the CIRI, thus alleviating brain damage. Therefore, approaches targeting JAK2/STAT3 activation are promising therapies for ischemic stroke.

Steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) technology is highly promising for heavy oil and extra heavy oil reservoirs exploitation. Proper monitoring of the SAGD process is essential to improve production efficiency and avoid operational issues. Among all the monitoring techniques, seismic monitoring can provide useful information about the steam-chamber development. In this paper, we demonstrate a seismic monitoring system based on dual-pulse heterodyne demodulation technique, of which the structure is very simple and easy to be installed into downhole. Field trials have been conducted in Xinjiang Oilfield, China. The results validate the performance of the system and indicate its applicability in SAGD process monitoring.

Background Asthma exacerbations commonly lead to unplanned health care utilization and are costly. Early identification of children at increased risk of asthma exacerbations would allow a proactive management approach. Objective We evaluated common asthma risk factors to predict the probability of exacerbation for individual children aged 0-21 years using data from the electronic medical record (EMR). Methods We analyzed longitudinal EMR data for over 3000 participants with asthma seen at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center over a 7-year period. The study population was divided into 3 age groups: 0-4, 5-11, and 12-21 years. Each age group was divided into a derivation cohort and a validation cohort, which were used to build a risk score model. We predicted risk of exacerbation in the next 12 months, validated the scores by risk stratum, and developed a clinical tool to determine the risk level based on this model. Results Risk model results were confirmed with validation cohorts by calendar year and age groups. Race, allergic sensitization, and smoke exposure were each important risk factors in the 0-4 age group. Abnormal spirometry and obesity were more sensitive predictors of exacerbation in children >12 years. For each age group, a higher expanded score was associated with a higher predicted probability of an asthma exacerbation in the subsequent year. Conclusion This asthma exacerbation prediction model, and the associated clinical tool, may assist clinicians in identifying children at high risk for exacerbation that may benefit from more aggressive management and targeted risk mitigation.

Due to the ever-increasing energy demand, the study of gas production from marine methane hydrate attracts intensive interest around the world. Vertical wells were adopted in most of the previous production tests, although horizontal well might be with significant advantage over vertical well in production performance. To evaluate the gas production performance from a high irreducible water saturated hydrate reservoir with free gas underlain using horizontal well, a multilayered hydrate reservoir model is established, of which all the sediment layers are with high saturation of irreducible water and a free gas layer occurs beneath the hydrate zone. Gas production performances on single horizontal well and two paralleled horizontal wells are investigated. The simulation results obtained show that gas production with horizontal well can yield a high gas production rate, especially at the early stage of production with the contribution of free gas. A horizontal well located at the bottom of the hydrate layer is recommended, because it can not only extract free gas in gas production but also induce more dissociation of hydrate. When two paralleled horizontal well-configuration is applied, the middle and bottom well pattern can generate a synergistic effect that accelerates hydrate dissociation and reduces water production. The sensitivity analyses of free gas saturation and irreducible water saturation show that either of the two factors can result in a high gas-to-water ratio.

Housing and health studies rarely concentrate on aggregate health indicators. There is a need for more research to disentangle the complexity within housing types and between housing and socioeconomic development as they influence health. To enhance the evidence base for the understanding of the association between housing and health, from a geographic perspective, we applied spatial multilevel analyses to census and statistical yearbook data of China to investigate what and how housing conditions were associated with life expectancy at birth (LEB). The results found significant spatial auto-correlation of LEB across nearby counties and significant spatial clustering of LEB across provinces. Spatial multilevel models fit the data better than regular regression models. Housing conditions, including housing tenure and internal housing quality, were significantly associated with LEB independent of socioeconomic factors. Compared to access to clean energy and tap water, where the associations with LEB were conditional on housing tenure, having a washroom inside the house, crowding and housing tenure were robustly related to LEB. The associations between internal housing quality and LEB were confounded by housing tenure. The coefficients of housing facilities decreased or became insignificant and the coefficients of crowding increased after housing tenure was considered. Housing tenure might be one of the mediators of the economy to indirectly impact LEB, and an independent social indicator which might affect LEB directly. The associations between housing conditions and LEB were stronger in counties situated in less-developed provinces. These findings indicate that, to narrow regional gaps in life expectancy, improving the housing facilities in the least developed regions should be a priority. With rapid urbanization and the vast migration, ensuring urban dwellers have access to houses and reducing housing congestion should be the primary policy concerns all over China, but especially in the less-developed regions.

ObjectiveTo investigate the role of large decompressive craniectomy (LDC) in the management of severe and very severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and compare it with routine decompressive craniectomy (RDC).MethodsThe clinical data of 263 patients with severe TBI (GCS≤8) treated by either LDC or RDC in our department were studied retrospectively in this article. One hundred and thirty-five patients with severe TBI, including 54 patients with very severe TBI (GCS≤5), underwent LDC (LDC group). The other 128 patients with severe TBI, including 49 patients with very severe TBI, underwent RDC (RDC group). The treatment outcome and postoperative complications of the two treatment methods were compared and analyzed in a 6-month follow-up period.ResultsNinety-six patients (71.7%) obtained satisfactory treatment outcome in the LDC group, while only 75 cases (58.6%) obtained satisfactory outcome in the RDC group (P