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Objectives The hospital environment has been implicated in the enrichment and exchange of pathogens and antibiotic resistance, but its potential in shaping the symbiotic microbial community of hospital staff is unclear. This study was designed to evaluate the alteration of the gut microbiome in medical workers compared to non-medical controls. Methods A prospective cross-sectional cohort study was conducted in the intensive care unit (ICU) and other departments of a centre in north-eastern China. Faecal samples of 175 healthy medical workers—short-term (1–3 months) workers (n = 80) and long-term (>1 year) workers (n = 95)—and 80 healthy non-medical controls were analysed using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The hospital environmental samples (n = 9) were also analysed. Results The gut microbiomes of medical workers exhibited marked deviations in diversity and alteration in microbial composition and function. Short-term workers showed significantly higher abundances of taxa such as Lactobacillus, Butyrivibrio, Clostridiaceae, Clostridium, Ruminococcus, Dialister, Bifidobacterium, Odoribacter, and Desulfovibrio and lower abundances of Bacteroides and Blautia than the controls. Long-term workers showed higher abundances of taxa such as Dialister, Veillonella, Clostridiaceae, Clostridium, Bilophila, Desulfovibrio, Pseudomonas, and Akkermansia and lower abundances of Bacteroides and Coprococcus than the controls. The medical workers' department (ICU versus non-ICU) and position (resident doctor versus nursing staff) also impacted their gut microbiome. Compared with the non-ICU workers, workers in the ICU showed a significant increase in the abundances of Dialister, Enterobacteriaceae, Phascolarctobacterium, Pseudomonas, Veillonella, and Streptococcus and a marked depletion of Faecalibacterium, Blautia, and Coprococcus. In contrast with the nursing staff, the resident doctors showed a significant increase in Erysipelotrichaceae and Clostridium and a decrease in Bacteroides, Blautia, and Ruminococcus in the gut microbiome. Moreover, we found that the microbiota of hospital environments potentially correlated with the workers' gut microbiota. Conclusions Our findings demonstrated structural changes in the gut microbial community of medical workers.

We present an experimental study on terahertz (THz) magneto-optical (MO) properties of tri-layer graphene on quartz substrate, grown by chemical vapor deposition. The MO conductivities are measured...

ObjectiveHospital environment has been implicated in enrichment and exchange of pathogens and antibiotic resistances, but its potential in shaping the symbiotic microbial community of the hospital staff is unclear. This study was designed to evaluate the alteration of gut microbiome in medical workers compared to non-medical controls.DesignProspective cross-sectional cohort study.SettingIntensive care unit (ICU) and other departments from a center in northeast China.Subjects175 healthy medical workers (1-3 months short-term workers, n = 80; >1 year long-term workers, n = 95) and 80 healthy normal controls.InterventionsNone.Measurements and Main ResultsFecal samples of all subjects were analyzed using the 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Medical workers exhibited remarkable deviation in gut microbial within-sample diversity and enterotypes stratification, and shift in overall microbial structure. Short-term workers were significantly more abundant in taxa including Lactobacillus, Butyrivibrio, Clostridiaceae_Clostridium, Ruminococcus, Dialister, Bifidobacterium, Odoribacter and Desulfovibrio, and with lower abundances of Bacteroides and Blautia compared with the controls. While long-term workers were enriched in taxa including Dialister, Veillonella, Clostridiaceae_Clostridium, Bilophila, Desulfovibrio, Pseudomonas and Akkermansia, with lower abundances of Bacteroides and Coprococcus compared with the controls. In addition, medical worker’s working years (short-term vs. long-term), hospital department (resident doctor vs. nursing staff) and work position (ICU vs. not-ICU) revealed considerable effects on their gut microbiome. Moreover, by analyzing the environmental samples (n = 9) around the inpatient wards and the hospital, we showed that the gut microbiota of medical workers was closer to environmental microbiota than that of the normal controls, probably in correlation to lasting exposure to the pathogenic taxa (e.g. Pseudomonas) in health workers.ConclusionsOur findings demonstrated structural changes in the gut microbial community of the medical workers. Further studies are proposed for investigating the potentially physiological influence of the altered gut microbiome in medical participants.IMPORTANCEIn this study, we for the first time focused on the influence of hospital environmental factors on gut microbiota of medical workers. The significance of our study is not limited to revealing the remodeling effect of the hospital environment on the gut microbiota of medical workers. Based on these, we also propose targeted and operational recommendations that can promote the health of hospital staff.

By using printability tester for printing on ordinary white cardboard and light beam hologram paper, measuring spectral information and chrominance information of the two samples, and then perform spectral fitting by analyses their color characteristics, The aim of this research was to propose one method for color calculation of printing on light beam hologram papers, according to the color information of ordinary white cardboard.

In order to study the LED light source illumination and the correlated color temperature effect on the human eye visual performance and physiological changes, through the comparative experiments of visual task performances under the different color temperature (3000K low color temperature, 4000K intermediate color temperature) and the different illumination (1145lux high intensity, 500lux middle intensity, 288lux low illumination), study the relationship between the biological effect and visual performance from two aspects of the visual perception performance and the physical efficiency such as blood pressure and pulse. Research indicates that color temperature 3000K or 4000K, intensity of illumination in about 500lux LED light source is suitable to visual task.

According to the characteristics of the dynamic force of jet elements, a kind of simple pendulum test system was presented. The dynamic jet force value was obtained indirectly by the acceleration value of the jet element under its force. The mathematic model of the test system was established and the test errors of the amplitude and delay time were analyzed. A processing method of dynamic force test data was presented based on the test curve and the parameters of amplitude and delay time were obtained. The result indicates that the test method can satisfy the testing requirements of dynamic force and it has advantages of simple structure, low demands of testing condition and simple method of data processing.

Use gas-driven light gas gun is one of the techniques extensively used to achieve hypervelocity projectiles. The device was made up of a compressed gas gun as the first-stage drive. A new type high pressure pneumatic injecting system of gas-driven light gas gun for hypervelocity launching is introduced. As a critical component of the injecting system, the high pressure pneumatic valve was designed. Functions of the pneumatic valve were preserved and relevant techniques were discussed. Besides, a high pressure pneumatic mass flow control test-bed using inert medium was built in order to study the dynamic response characteristic of high pressure pneumatic valve in gas-driven light gas gun. To ascertain the response delay time of the valve, several turn-on and turn-off experimental tests of the valve were initiated. The results suggest that: the pressure of pneumatic electromagnetic valve gas supply circuit seriously influenced the properties of high pressure pneumatic valve; the mean delay time of the high pressure pneumatic valve was 190ms approximately at 6.5MPa gas pressure of the pneumatic electromagnetic valve gas supply circuit.

A control mathematical model in pitch and yaw direction is presented to apply on missiles controlled by double-channel with style canard. Based on the mathematical model, the influence of deflection angle measurement error and actuator performance on actuator control is analyzed. The results show that the measure error of lean angle and actuator delay will produce control coupling in pitch and yaw direction and that will reduce control efficiency.

A high-pressure-pneumatic mass flow control test-bed using inert medium was built in order to study the transient flow characteristic of high pressure gas feed system in ram accelerator. The structure of a new type measurement system of transient flow characteristic experiments applied to the test-bed was introduced as also. Measurement tests that high pressure gas-flow ejecting into a tank with exhaust-back-pressure through a high pressure fueling valve were conducted to ascertain the transient discharge coefficient. The results suggest that: The transient discharge coefficient increases with the inlet pressure difference of high pressure fueling valve according to polynomial law. Correlations between inlet pressure difference and transient discharge coefficient was obtained based on the experimental data. The correlation coefficient between the least square fitting curve of the correlations and experimental results reaches 0.994.The system could be used to study the change regularity of pressure and time in the fueling process of high pressure gas.

The traditional valve control hydraulic systems have serious challenges in the harsh environment underground. The mathematical model of this new form of "motor - quantitative pump" controll system was established and simulated by using AMESIM software in this paper. According to the results of comparative analysis of the orifice parameters and the way to input signal, related parameters was determined, which can meet the characteristics of the system.

Augmented and virtual reality have the potential of being indistinguishable from the real world. Holographic displays, including head mounted units, support this vision by creating rich stereoscopic scenes, with objects that appear to float in thin air - often within arm's reach. However, one has but to reach out and grasp nothing but air to destroy the suspension of disbelief. Snake-charmer is an attempt to provide physical form to virtual objects by revisiting the concept of Robotic Graphics or Encountered-type Haptic interfaces with current commodity hardware. By means of a robotic arm, Snake-charmer brings physicality to a virtual scene and explores what it means to truly interact with an object. We go beyond texture and position simulation and explore what it means to have a physical presence inside a virtual scene. We demonstrate how to render surface characteristics beyond texture and position, including temperature; how to physically move objects; and how objects can physically interact with the user's hand. We analyze our implementation, present the performance characteristics, and provide guidance for the construction of future physical renderers.

The integrated optimization of structure and control systems is investigated for 2-D single structure using a typical planar frame taken from a building. The vibration control model is established for the plane frame, and the LQR algorithm is used to obtain equivalent stiffness and damping parameters of assigned passive controllers. The integrated optimization model, including design variables, the objective function and constraint function, is built. The design variables are the size parameters of structural elements, the parameters of the weighted matrix, the number and locations of the controllers. The maximal displacement of the controlled system in time domain is introduced as the objective function. Genetic algorithm is adopted to solve such a kind of optimization problem with discrete and continuous design variables. The results of a numerical example show that the proposed method is reasonable and effective for the integrated design of control/structural systems subjected to seismic load.

In this paper, we introduce a novel technique for mining fuzzy association rules in quantitative databases. Unlike other data mining techniques who can only discover association rules in discrete values, the algorithm reveals the relationships among different quantitative values by traversing through the partition grids and produces the corresponding Fuzzy Association Rules. Fuzzy Association Rules employs linguistic terms to represent the revealed regularities and exceptions in quantitative databases. After the fuzzy rule base is built, we utilize the definition of Support Degree in data mining to reduce the rule number and save the useful rules. Throughout this paper, we will use a set of real data from a wine database to demonstrate the ideas and test the models.

Based on lots of gas emission from gob in mining faces, and the actual situation that gas accumulates in the top corner of the working face in Chang Ping coal mine, it is introduced in the paper that the successful experience about the technology of gas drainage to gob with long bore-holes along roof strike, the conclusion would be had obtained obvious security and economic benefits.

High prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in China offers a unique setting to examine HBV's influence on the presentation of dengue fever. In 398 patients admitted for suspected dengue fever, 89% (353/398) were positive for dengue IgM antibodies. Among dengue-infected patients, 8% (29/353) had chronic HBV co-infection. Only dengue virus serotype 1 was identified by virus isolation and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assays. No case of dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome was diagnosed. In addition to routine clinical tests, interleukin 2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, interferon gamma (IFNgamma), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) levels were measured in the sera of 95% (334/353) of dengue-infected subjects as well as controls. Surprisingly, HBV/dengue co-infected patients made less IL-6 (P < 0.05) and TNFalpha (P < 0.05) than patients with only dengue infection. Similar levels of IL-4, IL-10, and IFNgamma were found in both groups. Thus, HBV co-infection seems to alter the cytokine production pattern when patients contract dengue infection.

Random skin flap transplantation is used frequently in plastic surgery1. However, distal flap necrosis remains challenging. Although flap design and surgical techniques have improved over the years, the length-to-width ratio cannot be >1.5-2:1, limiting the clinical applications of such flaps. Previous studies found that inadequate blood supply2, inflammatory reactions3, and oxidative stress4 are three important factors contributing to flap necrosis. Calcitriol (C27H44O3), also known as “1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3”, exerts many functions associated with bone calcium metabolism and plays a key role in osteoporosis. However, calcitriol has recently been shown to exhibit various other bioactivities. For example, it increases vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression by binding to a vitamin D response element in the VEGF promotor5. Moreover, VEGF levels in vascular endothelial cells are specifically affected; the cells are stimulated to proliferate and regenerate, promoting angiopoiesis6. Calcitriol has also recently been shown to exert anti-inflammatory effects in a model of diabetic nephropathy7. Sezgin et al.8 showed that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 reduced oxidative stress status in a model of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. It has been demonstrated that calcitriol stimulates autophagy9, which relieves oxidative stress10. Moreover, autophagy is a process whereby cells degrade cytosolic macromolecules and organelles in lysosomes, and is thus generally considered to be a survival tactic protecting against stress (e.g., starvation, pro-oxidant conditions)11. Hence, we hypothesized that calcitriol might enhance the survival of random skin flaps. The anti-inflammatory properties of calcitriol, together with its ability to accelerate vascularization, suppress oxidative stress, and induce autophagy, should be helpful in this context. We investigated whether calcitriol exerted such effects in a random skin flap model, via histological and protein analyses.

To explore the effect of Benefit Liver Granule (BLG), a traditional Chinese medical preparation, in antagonizing liver fibrosis and its possible mechanism. Carbon tetrachloride was used to establish the experimental liver fibrosis model of rat. The model rats were randomly divided into 4 groups and BLG, Astragalus (As), Salvia (Sa) and normal saline (for control) respectively were given to them by gastrogavage. Changes of serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), transforming growth factor α(TGF-α), interleukine-6 (IL-6), liver content of hydroxyproline (Hyp), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malonyldialdehyde (MDA) as well as liver pathology after treatment were observed. A normal control group was also established for control. Pathological examination showed that in the saline group, the structure of normal hepatic lobuli was destroyed with swelled liver cells, focal necrosis, extensive fatty degeneration, and focal inflammatory cell infiltration. Small amounts of proliferated fiber tissue were found in the intra-lobular area, peri-central vein area, portal area and limiting plate area, and formation of pseudolobuli was also seen. In the 3 treated groups, the serum ALT, AST, TGF-α and IL-6 as well as liver content of Hyp, and MDA were lower and SOD were higher than those in the control group significantly,P

In the last decade, the overexpression of hepatoma upregulated protein (HURP) has been reported in hepatocellular carcinoma, adrenocortical tumors and urogenital carcinoma. However, the role of HURP in breast cancer remains unknown. In the present study, a comprehensive analysis was performed to examine the HURP expression level in 43 breast cancer tumor samples and paired adjacent normal tissues. The correlation between the HURP expression level and the clinicopathological characteristics was evaluated. The role of HURP in breast cancer was investigated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blot analysis and cell proliferation assays. HURP expression was found to be significantly increased in the breast cancer samples. The HURP expression level was higher in the tumors with advanced-grade metastasis and was strongly associated with tumor-node-metastasis staging (P=0.003). Transfection and cell proliferation assays suggested that the suppression of HURP expression or the interference in HURP activity in the breast cancer cells inhibited cell proliferation significantly. These data suggest that HURP is associated with the degree of malignancy and the proliferation of breast cancer. HURP could be a tumor biomarker for prognosis and a potential therapeutic drug target for human breast cancer.

Taking the advantages of fast convergence, high ability of global optimization in artificial fish-swarm optimization algorithm, this paper optimizes the background sequence, time sequence error and the combination of them in grey model GM (1, 1). Practical examples for GDP prediction are given and the simulation results indicate that the improved model gives better prediction precision and may have wider applications in electric Information and control engineering.

The bus stop has an impact on the signalized intersection’s traffic flow when it is set up at the upstream of an intersection. Based on the assumption and the analysis of the practical situation, a model of calculating the efficiency of the lane at the upstream of the intersection (which imitates the work theory in physics) is given. This model is a tool which can be used to evaluate the signalized intersection upstream traffic flow quantitatively and intuitively. It gives a method to set the bus stop at the upstream of an intersection by the analysis of the relation between the length from the bus stop to the stop line, as well as the efficiency of the lane at the signalized intersection upstream influenced by the bus stop. The result shows that this model can calculate the efficiency and gives a better location of the bus stop.

In the past, the research on PWM pneumatic linearized system mainly focused on control method and electro-magnet switch features, there are little reports on the structural parameter design of pneumatic valve and the mathematical model of pneumatic part. This article took the PWM servo system of the double-acting cylinder as example, discussed the linear analysis method of PWM pneumatic system, given the initial pressure, flow gain and the formula of the press-flow coefficient in the different state of the pneumatic valve. Overthrown the linearized transfer function of the system. Analyzed the differences between the air operated PWM linearized system and the tradition pneumatic servo system.

rocket missile is an important weapon for saturation attack, which exist the problem of the precision. In order to improve the bad precision, the facility control is added. Jet element is the key actuating mechanism of the attitude control for rocket missile. The switch time of jet element is critical for control precision, in this paper the switch time is simulated and its effect on control precision is discussed. The right time when the control system produces control signal is given. Finally, the simulation of trajectory shows that trajectory correction with jet element in side direction is feasible.

Control of electric actuator using brushless DC motors for tactical missiles is introduced in this paper. The electric actuator is a key part of the flight control system. A new kind of PD controller is implemented which is different from the traditional ones. The proportion reacts immediately to the error. And the differentiation function works on the feedback of the system in order to predict the future output and restrain the overshoot. The simulation and experiment results verify its excellent dynamic and static performances. Finally the test methods for evaluating the dynamic and static characteristics are provided.

The first path-independent insertion-loss (PILOSS) strictly non-blocking 4×4 silicon electro–optic switch matrix is reported. The footprint of this switch matrix is only 4.6 mm×1.0 mm. Using single-arm modulation, the crosstalk measured in this test is –13 dB~ –27 dB. And a maximum crosstalk deterioration of 6dB caused by two-path interference is also found.

Hepatic infarction rarely occurs due to the double supply of arterial and portal inflow. A 53-year-old man with diabetes mellitus developed multiple hepatic infarctions after an episode of fever and diarrhea. The infarction was documented by pathology after partial liver resection. Several causes of hepatic infarction may present in this patient: dehydration and hypotension caused by fever and diarrhea, type 2 diabetes and administration of glibenclamide, diabetic ketoacidosis and widespread atherosclerosis. We suggest that diabetic patient with elevated liver enzyme should be considered the possibility of hepatic infarction.

Hepatic cirrhosis is a common disease that poses a serious threat to public health, and is characterized by chronic, progressive and diffuse hepatic lesions preceded by hepatic fibrosis regardless of the exact etiologies. In recent years, considerable achievements have been made in China in research of the etiopathogenesis, diagnosis and especially the treatment of hepatic fibrosis, resulting in much improved prognosis of hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis. In this paper, the authors review the current status of research in hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis and their major complications.

AIM: To study the effects of Radix Salviae Militiorrhiza (RSM), other blood-activating and stasis-eliminating Chinese herbs on hemodynamics of portal hypertension. METHODS: Portal pressure of cirrhotic dogs after chronic common bile duct ligation was measured directly; portal blood flow in patients with liver cirrhosis were detected by ultrasound Doppler. RESULTS: After administration of RSM and Radix Angelicae Sinensis (RAS) by intravenous infusion in cirrhosis dogs, the portal venous pressure (Ppv), wedge hepatic venous pressure (WHVP), hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG), were significantly decreased (P < 0.05-0.01), but the mean arterial pressure (MAP), and the heart rate (HR) remained unchanged. When nifedipine was used, Ppv, WHVP, MAP and HR were significantly decreased (P < 0.05), and the MVPG unchanged (P < 0.05). After administration of RSM, RSM + nifedipine and RSM + Hirudin + Nifedpin for 10-12 weeks, the diameter of portal vein (Dpv), spleen vein (Dsv), the portal venous flow (Qpv) and splenic venous flow (Qsv) in patients with hepatic cirrhosis were significantly lowered (P < 0.05-0.01), and the effect of RAS was weaker. CONCLUSION: The efficacy of decreasing Ppv by Chinese herbs－RSM, RAS, etc. as compared with nifedipine, demonstrated that the Chinese herbs were slower in action than that of nifedipine, but more long-lasting and without side effects. Hence, long-term administration of Chinese herbs, would be more beneficial.

A high-speed silicon modulator with broad optical bandwidth is proposed based on a symmetrically configured Mach—Zehnder interferometer. Careful phase bias control and traveling-wave design are used to improve the high-speed performance. Over a broadband wavelength range, high-speed operation up to 30 Gbit/s with a 4.5 dB–5.5 dB extinction ratio is experimentally demonstrated with a low driving voltage of 3 V.

In this paper a new grating technology for topography measurement of the curved surface is described. It adopts a laser-grating interferometry sensing system whose standard depends on the RCHD grating constant. The optical principle and system characteristics are discussed in detail. The results of principle experiment are given. Key words: Topography measurement of curved surface laser-grating interferometry sensing system grating interferometry reflective cylindric holographic diffractive (RCHD) grating

To study the therapeutic efficacy of a Chinese and Western integrated regimen, killing Helicobacter pylori quadruple therapy on H pylori-associated peptic ulcers (PU).With prospective and double-blind controlled method, seventy-five active PU patients with H pylori infection were randomized to receive one of the following three regimens: (1) new triple therapy (group A: lansoprazole 30 mg qd, plus clarithromycin 250 mg bid, plus amoxycillin 500 mg tid, each for 10 d); (2) killing Hp quadruple therapy(group B: the three above drugs plus killing H pylori capsule 6 capsules bid for 4 wk) and (3) placebo(group C: gastropine 3 tablets bid for 4 wk). H pylori eradication and ulcer healing quality were evaluated under an endoscope 4 wk after treatment. The patients were followed up for 5 years.Both the healing rate of PU and H pylori eradication rate in group B were significantly higher than those in group C (100% and 96.4% vs 20% and 0%, respectively, P0.005), but there was no significant difference compared to those in group A (88% and 92%, P0.05). The healing quality of ulcer in group B was superior to that in groups C and A (P0.05). The recurrence rate of PU in group B (4%) was lower than that in group A (10%) and group C (100%, P0.01).Killing Helicobacter pylori quadruple therapy can not only promote the eradication of H pylori and healing quality of ulcer but also reduce recurrence rate of ulcer.

Experimental and clinical study on interventional therapy with sclerotic complex agents for hepatic cysts

Effects of acute hepatic damage on natriuresis and water excretion after acute normal saline loading in rats