Search

Introduction. The association between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and depression and anxiety has been reported in the literature. The aim of this meta‐analysis is to investigate the association of H. pylori infection with depression and anxiety. Methods. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Chinese databases for observational studies that reported the incidence or prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with H. pylori infection. We conducted meta‐analysis with a random‐effects model. Results. A total of twelve studies were included in this meta‐analysis. Significant and positive association was found for H. pylori infection with anxiety (OR 2.49, 95% CI 1.83–3.39), but not depression (OR 1.40, 95% CI 0.75–2.58). Subgroup analysis from study design noted a significant positive association between H. pylori infection and anxiety (case‐control and cross‐sectional study, OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.65–3.38; cohort study, RR 1.72, 95% CI 1.28–2.32). The similar trend among studies used the Self‐Rating Anxiety Scale (OR 2.43, 95% CI 1.78–3.32) and other questionnaires (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.50–3.87) have been observed. However, subgroup analysis of the association between H. pylori infection and depression yields different results. Subgroup analysis from cohort studies noted a significant association between H. pylori infection and depression (RR 1.99, 95% CI 1.33–2.99), but not case‐control and cross‐sectional studies (OR 1.20, 95% CI 0.59–2.46). A significant positive association has been observed among studies used the Self‐Rating Depression Scale (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.11–3.70), as opposed to studies using other questionnaires (OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.31–3.44). Conclusion. This meta‐analysis provide the support that a significant positive association between H. pylori infection and anxiety disorders. However, the association between H. pylori infection and depression appears to be insignificant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Desmoid tumors (DTs), also called desmoid‐type fibromatoses, are locally aggressive tumors of mesenchymal origin. In the present study, we developed a novel mouse model of DTs by inducing a local mutation in the Ctnnb1 gene, encoding β‐catenin in PDGFRA‐positive stromal cells, by subcutaneous injection of 4‐hydroxy‐tamoxifen. Tumors in this model resembled histologically clinical samples from DT patients and showed strong phosphorylation of nuclear SMAD2. Knockout of SMAD4 in the model significantly suppressed tumor growth. Proteomic analysis revealed that SMAD4 knockout reduced the level of Cysteine‐and‐Glycine‐Rich Protein 2 (CSRP2) in DTs, and treatment of DT‐derived cells with a TGF‐β receptor inhibitor reduced CSRP2 RNA levels. Knockdown of CSRP2 in DT cells significantly suppressed their proliferation. These results indicate that the TGF‐β/CSRP2 axis is a potential therapeutic target for DTs downstream of TGF‐β signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ash fusion characteristics including ash properties and morphological changes in high‐temperature fusion test were studied among four types of fuels comprising two woody biomass, three straw biomass, two bituminous coals, and three biomass/coal mixtures. On the basis of ash fusion behavior and kinetic analysis of the ash melting process, a high‐precision acquisition method for ash fusion temperatures (AFTs) was developed. First, a reading index of AFTs was proposed; that is, in high‐temperature fusion test, initial deformation temperature (IDT), softening temperature (ST), and fluid temperature (FT) could be identified by the height shrinkage of 38%, 86%, and 98%, or the area shrinkage of 50%, 77%, and 97%, respectively. Kinetic analysis conducted on height/area shrinkage indicated that activation energy was highly related to temperature difference among IDT, ST, and FT, and low activation energy facilitated the enlargement of the temperature differences of ST‐IDT and FT‐ST. XRD patterns illustrated low activation energy had a promotion effect on the generation of higher melting substances such as KAlSi3O8 and CaSiO3, causing the elevation of the ST and FT. At last, a calculation method for AFTs based on activation energy and average height/area shrinkage was performed, which had high repeatability within an average error of ~6°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urea pyrolysis, from which the denitration reactant ammonia is produced, plays an important role in the urea-based NOx removal process. Research into urea pyrolysis is mostly focused on three parts: urea pyrolysis pathway, catalytic hydrolysis of HNCO, and catalytic pyrolysis of aqueous urea solution. In this paper, detailed overview on research progress of urea pyrolysis was conducted. From the review, it could be concluded that although much research has been carried out, concentration was mainly in analysis of urea pyrolysis products and exploration of catalysts used to improve ammonia yields. Little work has been done on mechanism study and development of a kinetic model with high accuracy, which are still in great need nowadays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of Mn loadings and precursors, catalyst preparation methods, incineration durations and temperatures, and the addition of Co and Ce on NO‐reduction efficiency and selectivity (N2O formation) during the preparation of MnOx/Ti‐based catalysts were studied by micropore‐size analysis (XRD, XPS, SEM, and FTIR), while considering changeable parameters. Meanwhile, the performance of low‐temperature SCR of NO with NH3 over the designed catalysts was tested under various gas hourly space velocities (GHSVs), NH3/NO molar ratios, and contents of NO, NH3, O2, H2O, and SO2 in a lab‐scale reactor. Overall, the Mn(0.3)Ce(0.1)/Ti catalyst, which had high NO‐reduction efficiency and selectivity (low N2O formation), was recommended, with the following preparation methods: ultrasonic impregnation; manganese acetate precursor; and incineration at 500 °C. Appropriate textural properties (high surface area and small pore and crystallite sizes), well‐dispersed amorphous manganese (rather than crystalline) on the anatase surface (rather than rutile), abundant active sites, and long residence time are essential for high NO‐reduction efficiency. In practice, NO‐reduction efficiency decreased with increasing GHSV and the NH3 and NO contents; however, it initially increased and then became saturated with an increasing NH3/NO molar ratio and O2 content. Water deactivated the catalyst to a recoverable state, whereas SO2 resulted in unrecoverable deactivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of air distribution (excess ratio of primary air, ERPA; excess ratio of secondary air, ERSA; and excess ratio of total air, ERTA) on furnace temperature and CO/NO/N2O/SO2 emissions were systematically studied in a 0.2 MW lab-scale circulating fluidized bed (CFB) furnace cofiring both biomass/coal and petroleum coke/coal. Unlike the ERSA, the high ERPA proved to be conducive to an even temperature distribution along the height of the furnace. As a result of the interaction of the heat release of combustion and endothermic air, a high ERPA equated to a low temperature in the dense phase zone while a low ERSA equated to a high temperature in the dilute phase zone. The generation and transformation of NO/N2O/SO2 depended greatly not only on the N and S contents of the fuel but also on the temperature and ERPA or the oxygen injected into the dense phase zone; the effect of ERSA was minimal. Meanwhile, the concentration of CO was mainly affected by the ERTA. Along with increased ERPA, the concentration of CO decreased, the concentrations of NO and N2O increased, and the SO2 content increased and then decreased. The high petroleum coke cofiring ratio caused high furnace temperature in the dense phase zone and low furnace temperature in the dilute phase zone. In addition, increasing petroleum cofiring ratio resulted in high NO and SO2 emissions because of the high N and S contents of the fuel. The results provide guidance for both biomass/coal and petroleum coke/coal cofiring in CFB furnace. © 2016 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The effect of MnO x/Ti catalyst doped with Ce prepared by sol-gel method at a low temperature on N2O formation during the selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH3 was studied in detail. Results showed that the production of N2O was primarily controlled by two paths: (1) direct reaction of NO and NH3 and (2) oxidation of NH3 with O2. The overoxidation of NH3 was the dominant step in N2O reduction. Addition of Ce to MnO x/Ti catalyst increased the proportion of lattice oxygen on the catalyst surface. Meanwhile, the stability of lattice oxygen, which contributed to the decrease in N2O formation by inhibiting the overoxidation of NH3, on the catalyst surface was the best when the Ce/Ti mole ratio reached 0.1. © 2014 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aiming to the vacant research on slagging rate calculation of biomass, a method based on crystallization theory is proposed here. First, KCl-K2SO4-Na2SO4 ternary eutectic system, as main inducing factor of biomass slagging, is verified by slagging sample analysis, ternary eutectic experiment, and equilibrium calculation of FACTSAGE. Second, we assume that flue gas was solvent; the KCl-K2SO4-Na2SO4 ternary eutectic system and the refractory components were two solutes supersaturated in the solution. The slagging process is approximated as the combined effect of nucleation and solidification of the KCl-K2SO4-Na2SO4 eutectic system and the conglutination of the refractory components. Third, on the basis of nucleation rate equation, a formula for the slagging rate calculation is developed as J = k(Δ cmax) m, where k defined as slagging constant is the empirical function of fly ash concentration and flue gas velocity, △ cmax is the concentration difference of KCl + K3Na (SO4)2 in fly ash up and downstream of heating surfaces, and m is defined as slagging order, which is an empirical parameter dependent on the concentrations of KCl and K3Na(SO4)2. Meanwhile, an example is given on the calculation of m. However, additional experiments are required in order to improve the formulation of functions k and m. © 2013 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pollution emissions from the utilization of fuels have become a troublesome global problem due to its severe hazard to both human health and the environment. The pollutants emissions, such as SO SB 2 sb , nitric oxides (NO SB I x i sb ), CO SB 2 sb , heavy metals, and particulate matters (PM), have limited the utilization of environmental-friendly fuels and require to be reduced [[1]-[4]]. They quantitatively studied the power consumption demand, primary energy consumption structure, CO SB 2 sb emission characteristics, emission reduction potential, and cost of different carbon tax levels. [Extracted from the article]