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Surface plasmon coupled emission (SPCE) is a new analytical technique that provides increased and directional radiation based on the near-field interaction between fluorophores and surface plasmons but suffers from the limitation of insufficient sensitivity. The assembly of hollow-porous plasmonic nanoparticles could be the qualified candidate. After the introduction of gold nanocages (AuNCs), fluorescence signal enhancement was realized by factors over 150 and 600 compared with the normal SPCE and free space emission, respectively, with a fluorophore layer thickness of approximately 10 nm; hence, the unique enhancement of SPCE by the AuNCs effectively overcomes the signal quenching induced by resonance energy transfer (in normal SPCE). This enhancement was proven to be triggered by the superior wavelength match, the enhanced electromagnetic field, and new radiation channel and process induced by the AuNC assembly, which provides an opportunity to increase the detection sensitivity and establish an optimal plasmonic enhancement system. The amplified SPCE system was employed for multiwavelength simultaneous enhancement detection through the assembly of mixed hollow nanoparticles (AuNCs and gold nanoshells), which could broaden the application of SPCE in simultaneous sensing and imaging for multianalytes.

To clarify the influence of the changes in the overlying water environment on the internal nitrogen release from reservoir sediments in different seasons, the quantitative linear relationship between the intensity of the nitrogen release from the sediment and the environmental factors of the overlying water was established, and their contribution rate to the nitrogen pollution of the reservoir during different storage periods was investigated. In this study, the sediment samples were collected from the Dahekou Reservoir in the Xilingol League, and the orthogonal simulation experiments were conducted in the laboratory. The mathematical model, which was established using multiple linear regression methods, revealed the following. The order of the significance of the influences of the environmental factors on the nitrogen release from the sediments in the Dahekou Reservoir is water temperature (T) > dissolved oxygen (DO) > pH value > hydrodynamic force (K). The total nitrogen release flux from the sediments in the Dahekou Reservoir was 14.278 t/a in 2018, accounting for 27.91% of the total nitrogen (TN) pollution load input during the same period. In particular, in winter, the contribution rate of the nitrogen released from the sediments reached the highest level (57.06–63.26%), which was significantly higher than the river’s contribution to the total nitrogen pollution load of the reservoir. The nitrogen released from the sediments became the main source of nitrogen nutrients in the reservoir in the ice-sealed period.

Concern has been expressed regarding the impacts of climate change on river ice and ice jam formation in cold regions. Ice jams are easily initiated in bends and narrow channels and cause disasters. In this study, observations and remote sensing monitoring are used to study the freeze-up ice jam formation of bends. Sediment transport and freezing process of the river interact, influencing bed changes profile and sedimentary budget. River ice processes, channel evolution, ice hydro-thermodynamics, and ice jam accumulation are explored. The results show that the channel topography determines the river thalweg, and that the channel elevation interacts with the river ice through sediment transport. The channel shrinkage increases the probability of ice jam, and the sharp bend is prone to ice jam formation. Under the effect of secondary circulation flow in the bend and in the outer bank, the juxtaposed freeze-up and the hummocky ice cover occur in the same location, and frazil ice accumulates under the junction of the main channel and the shoals. Affected by the increase of the hydraulic slope and the velocity downstream, open water reaches develops downstream of the ice accumulation. An open water section is emerged upstream of the bend, due to the ice deposition, and partly cut-off supply of the frazil.

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection in infancy or early childhood leads to high rate of persistent infection (25-90%). The immunological basis of high rate of viral persistence in vertically acquired HBV infections is not completely understood. Dendritic cells (DCs) are one of the most potent antigen-presenting cells (APC) and play pivotal roles in the enhancement or regulation of antiviral immune reactions. Aim of the present study was to investigate whether an HBV-infected maternal environment might influence the infants’ DC phenotype and function. Monocyte-derived DC (MoDC) of neonates born to HBsAg-positive mothers were studied phenotypically by Flow Cytometry (FCM) and functionally by mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). An electron microscope was used to analyze the morphological changes of MoDC. MoDC from neonates whose maternal HBV DNA was>5×107 copies/ml showed a reduced surface expression of CD80, CD86, and HLA-DR as compared to that in neonates whose maternal HBV DNA was negative (CD80: t=3.238, P=0.002; CD86: t=3.543, P=0.001; HLA-DR: t=2.785, P=0.008). T-cell proliferation assays also showed an impaired allostimulatory capacity in comparison to that in neonates whose maternal HBV DNA was negative, especially in the cultures at a DC: T cell ratios of 1:5 and 1:10 (t=-5.442, P

Recurrent oral ulcer (ROU) is a common disease, and seriously affects the quality of life. There are obvious advantages in improving clinical symptoms, maturity of regenerated mucosa and healing quality, and reducing recurrence rate of ROU. But there is a lack of sufficient experimental data. Tongue diagnosis is an important basis for disease differentiation, syndrome differentiation and treatment, and clinical efficacy monitoring. Tongue coating can reflect the local and global pathological state. The back of the tongue forms a relatively complete and independent microecosystem. The change of tongue body may be a colony indicator for ROU. The pathogenicity of colonized bacteria in ROU may be used as a potential diagnostic marker. Based on microecology, the author reviews the pathogenesis of ROU and the correlation between microecology and both the therapeutic effect and mechanism of ROU in traditional Chinese medicine. DOI: 10.11855/j.issn.0577-7402.2018.09.15

To investigate the relationship between maternal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalenty closed circular deoxyribonucleic acid (cccDNA) and other HBV serological markers and its effects on HBV intrauterine transmission.We enrolled 290 newborns and their hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive mothers. HBV cccDNA in PBMC and HBV DNA in serum were detected by a real-time PCR-TaqMan probe while HBV serological markers were detected with an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.There was a positive correlation between the levels of PBMC HBV cccDNA and serum HBV DNA and HBeAg (r = 0.436 and 0.403, P0.001). The detection rate of pattern A ['HBsAg (+), HBeAg (+), and anti-HBc (+)'] was significantly higher in the PBMC HBV cccDNA positive group than in the control group (χ2 = 48.48, P0.001). There was a significant association between HBV intrauterine transmission and PBMC HBV cccDNA (χ2 = 9.28, P = 0.002). In the presence of serum HBV DNA, HBeAg, and PBMC HBV cccDNA, the risk of HBV intrauterine transmission was three times higher (OR = 3.69, 95% CI: 1.30-10.42) than that observed in their absence. The risk of HBV intrauterine transmission was the greatest (OR = 5.89, 95% CI: 2.35-14.72) when both PBMC HBV cccDNA and pattern A were present. A Bayesian network model showed that maternal PBMC HBV cccDNA was directly related to HBV intrauterine transmission.PBMC HBV cccDNA may be a direct risk factor for HBV intrauterine transmission. Our study suggests that serological markers could be combined with PBMC-related markers in prenatal testing.

A novel Mo–Si–B double-layer coating was prepared for the carbon/carbon (C/C) composites by pack cementation in an argon atmosphere. The structures of the double-layer coatings were characterized by XRD and SEM. The as-received coating shows an excellent oxidation resistance at high and intermediate temperature. It could effectively protect C/C composites from oxidation for 30 h with a weight loss of 0.9% in air at 1873 K, and for 25 h with a weight loss of l.7% at 1173 K. The oxidation protective coating was principally due to producing eutectic glass film for decreasing oxygen diffusing through the penetrable cracks in the coating.

Background The abnormality of interleukin-21 (IL-21)-IL-21-receptor (IL-21R) system has been found in many autoimmune diseases including autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs). In this study, we investigated whether polymorphisms of the IL-21 and IL-21R are associated with Graves’ disease (GD) and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT), two major forms of AITDs, among a Chinese population. Methods Rs907715, rs4833837, rs2221903 and rs2055979 of the IL-21 gene and rs3093301 and rs2285452 of the IL-21R gene were explored in a case–control study including 405 GD, 228 HT patients and 242 controls. These genes were genotyped by the PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and the MASS spectrometry method. Results For IL-21 gene, we identified and confirmed a higher prevalence of A alleles of rs2221903 (P = 0.018, OR = 1.50 95% CI = 1.07-2.09) in GD patients. We also found a significant association between rs2221903 and HT (allele: P = 0.009, OR = 1.69 95% CI = 1.13-2.51; genotype: recessive P = 0.021, OR = 11.72 95% CI = 1.46-94.13). For the IL-21R gene, compared with controls, the genotype frequencies of rs3093301 and rs2285452 were significantly different in HT patients using dominant genetic model (P = 0.023, OR = 1.61 95% CI = 1.07-2.42; P = 0.031, OR = 1.71 95% CI = 1.05-2.80, respectively). Furthermore, the haplotype AA containing the major alleles of rs4833837 and rs2221903 was associated with increased susceptibility to GD with an OR of 1.50(95% CI =1.08-2.09, P = 0.016), and to HT with an OR of 1.69(95% CI =1.14-2.52, P = 0.009). Conclusion Our results indicated that the SNPs of the IL-21 gene is associated with the development of GD. In addition, we found that individuals with the SNPs of the common IL-21 and IL-21R may have higher risk of HT.

It is known that heat transfer between two liquid-reservoirs maintained at different temperatures and connected to each other by a capillary bundle is markedly enhanced by oscillatory flow in the bundle. In this paper, first, the effects of physical properties of the working liquid on the enhanced heat flow rate are investigated. Second, the optimum operating condition maximizing the ratio of the enhanced heat flow rate to power input is examined. Finally, to increase further the ratio, a novel type with a phase shift between oscillatory flows in adjacent tubes is proposed.

We compared clinical data from two related Chinese patients with fatal familial insomnia (FFI) and collected information about their pedigree. The clinical features in the two cases were similar and included initial progressive insomnia and sympathetic activation, which persisted throughout the clinical course. A total of 135 members of this family, across seven generations, were retrospectively investigated. Eleven family members, including the two FFI cases, were found to have died with similar neurological problems. Analysis of PRNP in 32 family members revealed eleven carrying the D178N allele, including the two FFI patients. Spongiform degeneration in brains was not found, but gliosis was obvious in the thalamus of the two cases at postmortem. Proteinase K-resistant prion protein (PrP) was not found in proband's brain by immunohistochemistry, but observed in some areas of brain for both cases by PrP-specific Western blot. Investigation of the pedigree has led to the identification of an additional 9 family members who had similar clinical symptoms and 9 currently healthy individuals with the D178N mutation.

AIM: To explore Chinese physicians’ perceptions towards fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and to provide information and an assessment of FMT development in China. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire was developed according to the FMT practice guidelines and was distributed to physicians in hospitals via Internet Research Electronic Data Capture (REDcap) software and electronic mails to assess their attitudes toward and knowledge of FMT. The questionnaire included a brief introduction of FMT that was followed by 20 questions. The participants were required to respond voluntarily, under the condition of anonymity and without compensation. Except for the fill-in-the-blank questions, all of the other questions were required in the REDcap data collection systems, and the emailed questionnaires were completed based on eligibility. RESULTS: Up to December 9, 2014, 844 eligible questionnaires were received out of the 980 distributed questionnaires, with a response rate of 86.1%. Among the participants, 87.3% were from tertiary hospitals, and there were 647 (76.7%) gastroenterologists and 197 (23.3%) physicians in other departments (non-gastroenterologists). Gastroenterologists’ awareness of FMT prior to the survey was much higher than non-gastroenterologists’ (54.3 vs 16.5%, P < 0.001); however, acceptance of FMT was not statistically different (92.4 vs 87.1%, P = 0.1603). Major concerns of FMT included the following: acceptability to patients (79.2%), absence of guidelines (56.9%), and administration and ethics (46.5%). On the basis of understanding, the FMT indications preferred by physicians were recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (86.7%), inflammatory bowel disease combined with Clostridium difficile infection (78.6%), refractory ulcerative colitis (70.9%), ulcerative colitis (65.4%), Crohn’s disease (59.4%), chronic constipation (43.7%), irritable bowel syndrome (39.1%), obesity (28.1%) and type 2 diabetes (23.9%). For donor selection, the majority of physicians preferred individuals with a similar gut flora environment to the recipients. 76.6% of physicians chose lower gastrointestinal tract as the administration approach. 69.2% of physicians considered FMT a safe treatment. CONCLUSION: Chinese physicians have awareness and a high acceptance of FMT, especially gastroenterologists, which provides the grounds and conditions for the development of this novel treatment in China. Physicians’ greatest concerns were patient acceptability and absence of guidelines.