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Deep-buried soft rock tunnels exhibit low strength and easy deformation under the influence of high ground stress. The surrounding rock of the soft rock tunnel may undergo large deformation during the construction process, thereby causing engineering problems such as the collapse of the vault, bottom heave, and damage to the supporting structure. The Chengwu Expressway Tunnel II, considered in this study, is a phyllite tunnel, with weak surrounding rock and poor water stability. Under the original design conditions, the supporting structure exhibits stress concentration and large deformation. To address these issues, three schemes involving the use of the double-layer steel arch to support, weakening of the steel arch close to the excavation surface, and weakening of the steel arch away from the excavation surface to support were proposed. Using these schemes, the inverted radius was varied to explore its influence on different support schemes. For simulation, the values of the inverted radius selected were as follows: 1300 cm, 1000 cm, and 700 cm. The proposed support plan was simulated using FLAC3D, and the changes in the pressure between the initial support and surrounding rock, the settling of the vault, and the surrounding convergence were investigated. The numerical simulation results of monitoring the surrounding rock deformation show that the double-layer steel arch can effectively reduce the large deformation of the soft rock well. When the stiffness of one of the steel arches was weakened, the support’s ability to control the deformation was weakened; however, it still showed reliable performance in controlling deformation. However, changing the radius of the invert had an insignificant effect on the deformation and force of the supporting structure.

Objectives Conventional treatment for throat complications after surgery involves the use of hormone therapy, which has variable effects. This study was performed to investigate the effects of oral administration of Luo Han Guo decoction for throat complications after tracheal intubation during general anesthesia for laparoscopic radical hysterectomy. Methods Beginning at 6 h after surgery, patients in the experimental group were administered 30 mL of a Luo Han Guo decoction; the control group received black tea. Patients in both groups were evaluated using a Visual Analogue Scale for the degree of throat soreness at 2, 12, 24, and 48 h after surgery; coughing and expectoration were evaluated at 48 h after surgery. Results This study included 203 patients: 102 in the experimental group and 101 in the control group. Compared with controls, the experimental group had significantly lower evaluation scores at 12, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively. Moreover, at 48 hours postoperatively, coughing and expectoration were significantly reduced in the experimental group, compared with in the control group. Conclusions Administration of a Luo Han Guo decoction can effectively reduce throat pain, hoarseness, throat swelling, cough, and sputum after tracheal intubation during general anesthesia.

In this work, a new liquid thermal stabilizer (LTS) was prepared using rosin and fatty acids as feedstock and evaluated for its stabilizing effects on poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). First, a rosin/oil-based dimer acid (RODA) was prepared by the addition reaction of rosin and industrial fatty acids and then converted into its zinc soap (RODA-Zn) and calcium soap (RODA-Ca). The chemical structures were examined by UV–Vis and Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopies. Liquid form thermal stabilizers (RODA-LTS) were obtained by treating the solid RODA-Zn and RODA-Ca soaps with epoxidized soybean oil, triphenyl phosphite and liquid paraffin at 120 °C for 3 h. Thermal stabilizing effects of the resulting RODA-LTS for PVC were compared with that of two commercial LTSs. Thermal stability of PVC compounds was determined using dehydrochlorination test, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Congo red test and torque rheological analysis. Results indicated that RODA-LTS had overall superior thermal stability. Tensile and dynamic mechanical properties of the PVC compounds were also studied, and the results indicated that the PVC compounds stabilized with RODA-LTS and commercial LTSs displayed comparable strength, modulus and glass transition temperatures.

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant. Occupational TCE exposure has been associated with severe, generalized contact hypersensitivity (CHS) skin disorder. The development of CHS depends on innate and adaptive immune functions. Transforming growth factor-β activated kinase-1 (TAK1) controls the survival of dendritic cells (DCs) that affect the immune system homeostasis. We aimed to investigate the role of TAK1 activity in DC on TCE-induced CHS response. Control mice and DC-specific TAK1 deletion mice were treated with 80% (v/v) TCE using local lymph node assay (LLNA) to establish a TCE-induced CHS model. The draining lymph nodes (DLNs) were excised and the lymphocytes were measure for proliferation by BrdU-ELISA, T-cell phenotype analysis by flow cytometry and signaling pathway activation by western blot. The ears were harvested for histopathological analysis. Control mice in the 80% TCE group displayed an inflammatory response in the ears, increased lymphocyte proliferation, elevated regulatory T-cell and activated T-cell percentages, and more IFN-γ producing CD8(+) T cells in DLNs. In contrast to control mice, DC-specific TAK1 deletion mice in the 80% TCE group showed an abolished CHS response and this was associated with defective T-cell expansion, activation and IFN-γ production. This effect may occur through Jnk and NF-κB signaling pathways. Overall, this study demonstrates a pivotal role of TAK1 in DCs in controlling TCE-induced CHS response and suggests that targeting TAK1 function in DCs may be a viable approach to preventing and treating TCE-related occupational health hazards.

To explore how cytohesin-1 (CYTH-1) small interfering RNA (siRNA) influences the insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGFR)-associated signal transduction in prostate cancer, we transfected human prostate cancer PC-3 cell lines with liposome-encapsulated CYTH-1 siRNA in serum-free medium and exposed the cells to 100 nM IGF-1. The mRNA and protein levels of the signal molecules involved in the IGFR signaling pathways were determined by real-time PCR and detected by Western blotting. The relative mRNA levels of CYTH-1, c-Myc, cyclinD1 and IGF-1R (CYTH-1 siRNA group vs scrambled siRNA group) were 0.26 vs 0.97, 0.34 vs 1.06, 0.10 vs 0.95, and 0.27 vs 0.41 (P < 0.05 for all), respectively. The relative protein levels of CYTH-1, pIGF-1R, pIRS1, pAkt1, pErk1, c-Myc, and cyclinD1 (CYTH-1 siRNA group vs scrambled siRNA group) were 0.10 vs 1.00 (30 min), 0.10 vs 0.98 (30 min), 0.04 vs 0.50 (30 min), 0.10 vs 1.00 (30 min), 0.10 vs 1.00 (30 min), 0.13 vs 0.85 (5 h), and 0.08 vs 0.80 (7 h), respectively. The tyrosine kinase activity of IGF-1R was associated with CYTH-1. The proliferative activity of PC-3 cells transfected with CYTH-1 siRNA was significantly lower than that of cells transfected with scrambled siRNA at 48 h (40.5 vs 87.6%, P < 0.05) and at 72 h (34.5 vs 93.5%, P < 0.05). In conclusion, the interference of siRNA with cytohesin-1 leads to reduced IGFR signaling in prostate cancer; therefore, CYTH-1 might serve as a new molecular target for the treatment of prostate cancer.

Cellulose stearates with different degrees of substitution (DS) were prepared homogeneously in ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C 4 mim] + Cl − ) solution. Cellulose stearates with DS values of 2.15, 2.19 and 2.57 exhibited good solubility in nonpolar organic solvents. It was indicated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) that the melting temperatures of the three cellulose stearates ranged from 38.66 to 56.63 °C. Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis showed that the commencing degradation temperature of the three cellulose stearates were 300 °C, 325 °C and 370 °C, respectively. The cellulose stearate with the DS value of 2.57 has better thermal stability than cellulose.