Search

In view of the complicated information of wargaming system, which is not conducive for users to understand the combat situation, a trajectory clustering algorithm CTUW (clustering trajectories of units in wargame) based on space-time and combat grouping is proposed. The algorithm is divided into four parts: trajectory compression, similarity measurement, trajectory segments’ clustering and visualization. The main content can be extracted from the complicated track information and summarized, so as to achieve the purpose of concise overview of the overall situation changes of the military chess deduction without losing the important details in the process of chess maneuver.The experiment shows that the trajectory clustering effect of the CTUW algorithm is more refined than that of the TRACLUS algorithm and the CTECW algorithm, and the computational complexity is lower. It can maintain a good clustering effect even when dealing with special trajectory data with abnormal maneuvering speed, special trajectory shape and trajectories overlap.

BACKGROUND Cu, Pb, Zn and As were widely used as feed additives in the study area. However, the absorption rate of heavy metals by livestock and poultry was low. The concentration of heavy metals in livestock wastewater was high. The livestock wastewater as organic fertilizer may lead to the accumulation of heavy metals in the soil. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the pollution degree, the potential ecological risk and health risk of heavy metals from the long-term swine manure irrigated vegetable soils in Fuzhou City of Jiangxi Province, China. METHODS Eleven topsoil samples were obtained from the long-term swine manure irrigated vegetable soils in Fuzhou City of Jiangxi Province, China. The concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The degree of pollution and the potential ecological risks of the heavy metals were assessed using the pollution load index (PLI) and the potential ecological risk index (RI), respectively. The health risk was evaluated by a health risk assessment model. RESULTS The average concentrations of Cu, Zn, As and Cr are 75.8, 32.8, 93.7, and 21.3mg/kg, respectively, which were higher than the soil background values of Fuzhou City. The average concentration of Cd (0.09mg/kg) was very close to the background value, and the average concentration of Pb (15.2mg/kg) was lower than the soil background value. The pollution load index indicated that the moderate pollution of As occurred in the researched soils, and there was slight pollution of Cu and Zn, and no pollution of Cd in the majority of the sampling sites. There was no pollution of Pb and slight pollution of Cr in all sampling sites. The average PLI of the six heavy metals from all sampling sites was 1.22, which was categorized as slight pollution. Low potential ecological risk was posed by the six heavy metals. The mean RI was 66.26 which represented a low ecological risk. The annual child and adult non-carcinogenic risk index was 0.06 and 0.12, respectively. The annual child and adult carcinogenic risk index was 1.65×10-5 and 3.67×10-5, respectively. Non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks of adults and children in the soil were acceptable. CONCLUSIONS There was generally slight pollution of heavy metal in the study area but it was moderately polluted by As in most sampling points. However, due to the accumulative effect of heavy metals in the soil, close attention must be paid to changes in the concentration of heavy metals in the irrigated soil in the future, to prevent the risk caused by heavy metals pollution.

Abstract Background To date, treating nasal polyps (NPs) is still a medical challenge. However, we have developed an innovative therapy using licorice extract (LE: Glycyrrhiza glabra) to treat rhinitis and sinusitis via nasal irrigation and have discovered that it significantly affects treatment of NPs. Hypothesis/purpose This study investigated the mechanism of LE on NPs. Study design NPs were collected from three patients using tissue biopsies before and 2 weeks after nasal irrigation with licorice for histopathological analysis. Additionally, NPs from two patients were collected, and nasal polyp-derived fibroblasts (NPDF) were isolated and cultured. Methods The TGF-β1-stimulated NPDF model was used to examine the effect of LE on fibroblast differentiation (biomarker: α-SMA), the consequent production of extracellular matrix (ECM; biomarkers: fibronectin, FBN), and the functional signaling pathway. Results Immunohistochemistry (IHC) revealed that the number of eosinophils and the expression of α-SMA and interstitial collagen of polyps after licorice treatment significantly decreased. Additionally, RT-PCR, western blotting, and immunofluorescence (IF) showed that α-SMA and FBN expressions were significantly increased in the NPDF, which was stimulated by TGF-β1, and LE dose-dependently could effectively reduce this effect. Furthermore, western blotting showed that LE could attenuate α-SMA and FBN expressions by preventing the signaling pathway of MAPK/ERK-1/2, which IHC and IF further confirmed. In addition, LE effectively suppressed the cell migration of NPDF, which is related to polyp expansion. Conclusion LE is clinically used to treat sinusitis with NPs through nasal irrigation, which significantly reduces the size of NPs. This effect could attenuate fibroblast differentiation, ECM production and cell migration, and one of the functional mechanisms may be through inhibition of the MAPK/ERK-1/2 signaling pathway. Trial registration ISRCTN (No. 51425529) registered on 17/04/2020 (retrospectively registered) - http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN51425529

The performance of water - based anticorrosive coatings from three suppliers for the application on bridge steel structure were systematically investigated by means of testing their physical properties, salt spray resistance, aging resistance and other indexes in the laboratory. The performance index of water - based coatings used in bridge steel structures were evaluated. Finally, the suitable application environment of water - based coatings in bridge steel structure was described, which would provide a reference for evaluating the applicability of water - based coating in a certain project.

The Chiehyuan herbal oral protection solution (GB-2) is a herbal mixture commonly utilized in Taiwan for combating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as per traditional Chinese medicine practices. This study assessed the clinical impact of GB-2 through prospective clinical trials. With twice-daily use for a week, GB-2 was shown to diminish the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in oral mucosal cells. Moreover, after two weeks of use, it could reduce transmembrane protease, serine 2 (TMRPSS2) expression in these cells. Additionally, in vitro experiments demonstrated that GB-2 lessened the entry efficiency of the Omicron, L452R–D614G, T478K–D614G, and L452R–T478K–D614G variants of the SARS-CoV-2 pseudotyped lentivirus. It also impeded the interaction between ACE2 and the receptor-binding domain (RBD) presenting N501Y–K417N–E484A–G339D–Q493R–G496S–Q498R and L452R–T478K mutations. Glycyrrhizic acid, a major compound in GB-2, also hindered the entry of the Omicron variant (BA.1) of the SARS-CoV-2 pseudotyped lentivirus by obstructing the binding between ACE2 and the RBD presenting the N501Y–K417N–E484A–G339D–Q493R–G496S–Q498R mutation. To sum up, these findings suggest that GB-2 can decrease ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression in oral mucosal cells. Both glycyrrhizic acid and GB-2 were found to reduce the entry efficiency of the Omicron variant (BA.1) of the SARS-CoV-2 pseudotyped lentivirus and block the binding between ACE2 and the RBD with the N501Y–K417N–E484A–G339D–Q493R–G496S–Q498R mutation. This evidence implies that GB-2 might be a potential candidate for further study as a preventative measure against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Abstract Background Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) affects the quality of life of many people worldwide and can cause comorbidities. Our previous research proved that Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) is a predisposing factor for CRS, with a 2.5-fold associated risk. Antibiotics are important in CRS treatment; however, there is a paucity of research on the pathogenic bacteria of SS-CRS in the past. We conducted this study to investigate the pathogenic difference of SS-CRS and non-SS-CRS and aimed to give clinicians references when selecting antibiotics to treat SS-CRS. Materials and methods A total of 14,678 patients hospitalized for CRS operation from 2004 to 2018 were identified from the Chang Gung Research Database. These CRS cases were classified as either SS-CRS or non-SS-CRS. We analyzed their bacterial distribution by studying the results of the pus cultures performed alongside surgery. Results The top three facultative anaerobic or aerobic isolated bacteria in the SS-CRS group were coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS: 34.3%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (28.6%), methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA: 20%), and Staphylococcus epidermidis (20%). In the non-SS-CRS group, S. epidermidis (29.3%), CoNS (25.7%), and MSSA (14.2%) were identified. The top three anaerobic bacterial genera were Cutibacterium (54.3%), Peptostreptococcus (11.4%), and Fusobacterium (11.4%) in the SS-CRS group and Cutibacterium (53.8%), Peptostreptococcus (25%), and Prevotella (12.9%) in the non-SS-CRS group. Conclusions P. aeruginosa is a major pathogen in SS-CRS patients. In addition, physicians should be aware of potential Fusobacterium and antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection in patients with SS-CRS.