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Abstract Objective To analyze the influencing factors and treatment options of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) complicated with traumatic central cord syndrome (TCCS). Methods A total of 243 patients with CSM admitted to our hospital from January 2021 to September 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, and then divided into the control group (n = 152) and the observation group (n = 91) according to the presence or absence of concurrent TCCS. The clinical data and imaging data of the two groups were compared, and multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of CSM complicated with TCCS. Patients in the observation group were further divided into the zero notch anterior cervical interbody fusion device (Zero-P) group (n = 45) and the cervical spine locking plate (CSLP) group (n = 46) according to the treatment mode, and the perioperative indexes of the two groups were compared. The treatment effects were evaluated by the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) and the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) before surgery, 1 week after surgery and 6 months after surgery. The height of intervertebral space and the cervical lordosis angle were measured. Results Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the injury mechanism (hyperextension injury), hand muscle weakness, cervical instability, age, degree of cervical spinal stenosis, degree of cervical spinal cord compression, and changes in intramedullary high signal were the risk factors, while the type of compression (soft), ASIA score and JOA score were the protective factor for CSM complicated with TCCS (P

Abstract The effect of yttrium (Y) addition on the oxidation behavior of a Ni-based directionally solidified single-crystal superalloy is investigated in this study. Isothermal oxidation tests for samples with different levels of Y addition are conducted at 1100 °C in air. The Y content of the samples is determined by the actual pickup amount obtained from an Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry test. It is discovered that the addition of Y increases the oxide resistance by the scale of an adhesive double-layer oxide, which is composed of Al2O3 and spinel Ni(Cr,Al)2O4. With 70 ppm of Y addition, the oxidation mass gain decreases from 12.6 g/m2 for the alloy without Y addition to 5.3 g/m2, and the oxidation rate decreases significantly. In addition, the internal nitride disappears after Y doping because of an increase in oxidation scale adherence and a decrease in oxidation products. In this study, the alloy with 660 ppm Y addition demonstrates the best oxidation resistance.

Texture regulation is a prominent method to modify the mechanical properties and anisotropy of magnesium alloy. In this work, the Mg-1Al-0.3Ca-0.5Mn-0.2Gd (wt.%) alloy sheet with TD-tilted and circular texture was fabricated by unidirectional rolling (UR) and multidirectional rolling (MR) method, respectively. Unlike generating a strong in-plane mechanical anisotropy in conventional TD-tilted texture, the novel circular texture sample possessed a weak in-plane yield anisotropy. This can be rationalized by the similar proportion of soft grains with favorable orientation for basal slip and {101¯2} tensile twinning during the uniaxial tension of circular-texture sample along different directions. Moreover, compared with the TD-tilted texture, the circular texture improved the elongation to failure both along the rolling direction (RD) and transverse direction (TD). By quasi-in-situ EBSD-assisted slip trace analysis, higher activation of basal slip was observed in the circular-texture sample during RD tension, contributing to its excellent ductility. When loading along the TD, the TD-tilted texture promoted the activation of {101¯2} tensile twins significantly, thus providing nucleation sites for cracks and deteriorating the ductility. This research may shed new insights into the development of formable and ductile Mg alloy sheets by texture modification.

This case describes a patient with anaphylaxis caused by traditional Chinese medicine. Skin prick test with the traditional Chinese medicine decoction indicates that he was allergic to Suan Zao Ren. The patient had pollinosis and had never taken Suan Zao Ren before, thus we need to think the possibility of pollen food allergy syndrome. This paper also proposes a procedure for doctors to identify the specific culprit of traditional Chinese medicine decoction.

AbstractWith the increase of mining scale and depth, the cascading pillar failure (CPF) disaster has gradually become one of the core technical challenges for safe mining. This paper studies the CPF disaster of multi-pillar (P1-2, P2-3, P3-4 and P4-5) at 848 m level of Alhada Lead-Zinc Mine based on the RFPA2D numerical simulation software and stiffness theory. The numerical simulation results indicate that the load transfer effect induces the domino instabilities of double pillar (P2-3 and P3-4) and double pillar (P1-2 and P4-5), which is characterized by the ‘2 + 2’ compound failure mode. The physical essence of load transfer effect is revealed through numerical simulation, which is the elastic rebound of surrounding rockmass (such as roof-floor). In addition, the theoretical model of rebound overload mechanism of roof-multi-pillar-floor system is established based on the catastrophe theory, and the instability criterion, sudden jump and energy release of roof-multi-pillar-floor system are derived. Finally, the main influencing factors of load transfer effect such as pillar spacing and damage fracture zone are quantitatively analyzed, and the load transfer law shows that the load transfer effect decreases with the increasing pillar spacing and is hindered by the structural plane in the surrounding rockmass.

Background: Peach allergy is common food allergen. Allergen components-specific antibodies of different isotypes in peach-allergy patients are poorly studied. Factors other than Pru p 3-sIgE levels may be related to severe symptoms. Objective: To evaluated peach component-specific-IgE, IgG1, and IgG4 characteristics in individuals with and without peach allergy, and Pru p 3-sIgE affinity in patients with different clinical symptoms. Methods: Fifteen healthy controls and 32 peach-allergy patients were enrolled. sIgE, sIgG1, and sIgG4 to 5 Escherichia coli-expressed peach-allergen components were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Pru p 3-sIgE affinity was measured in Pru p 3-sIgE-positive patients, using immunoadsorbance. Results: Patients were divided into oral allergy syndrome (OAS) and peach-induced anaphylaxis (PIA) groups. Serum Pru p 1-, Pru p 2-, Pru p 3-, Pru p 4-, and Pru p 7-sIgG1s were detected. Pru p 1- and Pru p 2-sIgG1 levels were higher in healthy controls, but Pru p 3-sIgG1 levels were significantly higher in peach-allergy patients. Pru p 1-, Pru p 3-, and Pru p 4-sIgG4-positivity was significantly greater among patients than among controls. Pru p 3 was the predominant allergen in peach-allergy patients. Allergen-sIgG1 and sIgG4 were similar between OAS and PIA patients. Pru p 3-sIgE levels were significantly higher in PIA patients, but Pru p 3-sIgE-positivity was similar in both groups. In Pru p 3-sIgE-positive patients, Pru p 3-sIgE affinity was significantly higher in PIA than OAS patients. Conclusions: Allergen-sIgG1 was associated with allergen exposure. Both Pru p 3-sIgE levels and affinity are key factors in severe peach-allergy patients.

The age-hardening behavior and precipitation evolution of an isothermal aged Mg−5Sm−0.6Zn−0.5Zr (wt.%) alloy have been systematically investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic-resolution high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM). The Vickers hardness of the present alloy increases first and then decreases with ageing time. The sample aged at 200 °C for 10 h exhibits a peak-hardness of 90.5 HV. In addition to the dominant β0′ precipitate (orthorhombic, a = 0.642 nm, b = 3.336 nm and c = 0.521 nm) formed on {11-20}α planes, a certain number of γ” precipitate (hexagonal, a = 0.556 nm and c = 0.431 nm) formed on basal planes are also observed in the peak-aged alloy. Significantly, the basal γ” precipitate is more thermostable than prismatic β0′ precipitate in the present alloy. β0′ precipitates gradually coarsened and were even likely to transform into β1 phase (face centered cubic, a = 0.73 nm) with the increase of ageing time, which accordingly led to a gradual decrease in number density of precipitates and finally resulted in the decreased hardness and mechanical property in the over-aged alloys.

Mg–Al series sheets usually exhibit an apparent mechanical anisotropy induced by strong basal texture. In this study, a near-isotropic Mg–4.5Al–1.5Sn–0.5Ca–0.2Mn (ATXM5210) alloy was developed via 0.05 wt.% Sr micro-alloying combined with rotated rolling, displaying an ultra-low difference in yield strength (∼5 MPa), ultimate tensile strength (∼2 MPa) and elongation (∼1 %) between the rolling direction (RD) and transverse direction (TD), in contrast to a strong anisotropy of Sr-free alloy. We comparatively investigated the effect of trace Ce, Sm and Sr addition on the microstructure, texture evolution and mechanical properties of rolled ATXM5210 alloy. Specially, Sr-containing alloy possesses a more uniform distribution of finer CaMgSn particles after rolling, whereas coarse particles and particle bands are still distinctive in Sr-free alloys. Furthermore, the addition of Sr contributes to form broader-distributed texture towards both RD and TD with reduced peak intensity (∼10.8), leading to an apparently reduced mechanical anisotropy. The quite low mechanical anisotropy and balanced combination of yield strength (∼220 MPa) and ductility (∼21 %) make the present ATXM5210-0.05Sr alloy suitable for producing intermediate or final products and competitive for various engineering applications.

Twinning-mediated plasticity has great potential for enhancing the strength and plasticity of Mg alloys, which is limited due to the lack of twin types. Here, we report a novel multistage twinning mode, i.e. the dominant twinning mode changes from single [Formula: see text] twins to the co-existence of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] twins, in a deformed Mg-Al-Gd alloy. Introducing novel multistage twinning mode to accommodate strains appreciably along c-axes, combined with the interactions of high-density dislocations and dense twin boundaries, guarantees the high strain hardening of Mg alloys. These findings provide new insights into deformation mechanisms and mechanical properties of Mg-alloys.

Roof caving has been the main threat to the safety of underground mining, in which the caving of roof rock blocks is particularly concerning. The secondary structural planes of surrounding rocks around underground excavations, such as roadways and stopes, are developed. The rock mass is prone to break into several independent blocks, and these rock blocks may slide and fall under the action of static in-situ stress or external dynamic disturbances. Under quasistatic stress conditions, the instability and collapse of roof rock blocks are mainly caused by structural plane extensions and changes in the stress balance condition of the rock block system. However, under external dynamic disturbances, the sliding process and instability of roof rock blocks are associated with the development of fractures triggered by stress waves. Further, they are affected by the variation of stress balance conditions of the rock block system and the transmission of stress waves in the block system. This paper summarized the existing studies on roof rock block stability under quasistatic and dynamic disturbance conditions. Previous studies have proposed relatively mature theoretical systems for the stability analysis of roof rock blocks under static or quasistatic situations. However, a majority of the studies on rock block stability under an external dynamic disturbance condition examine stress wave propagation in a rock block system while overlooking the analysis of the crack development mechanism and dynamic variation in stress balance conditions. Therefore, further research is necessary to reveal the caving mechanism of roof rock blocks triggered by a dynamic disturbance. By summarizing relevant work, the difficulties encountered in the study of roof rock block caving under a dynamic disturbance are discussed. The key scientific problem is to uncover the fundamental mechanism behind roof rock block instability induced by a dynamic disturbance. Finally, a series of experimental and numerical simulations conducted on the sliding and instability of roof rock blocks under a dynamic disturbance revealed clear differences in the mechanism of the sliding instability of roof blocks due to dynamic disturbances in different directions. The reduction in friction between the blocks is the fundamental cause of the key block sliding under a lateral disturbance, while the sliding of the rock blocks under a vertical disturbance is mainly driven by the dynamic load. This finding can provide a theoretical reference for preventing and controlling roof caving in underground mines.

ABSTRACTAchieving high strength-ductility synergy in hard-to-deform high-alloyed Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloys by rolling remains a great challenge. In this work, a Mg-8.2Gd-3.8Y-1.0Zn-0.4Zr (wt.%) alloy sheet possessing a high yield strength (YS) of ∼385 MPa, ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of ∼420 MPa and elongation of ∼19% was achieved via a single-pass hard-plate rolling (HPR) process. The high YS is mainly from amounts of submicron FGs and strong interactions between densely distributed γ′ precipitates and pyramidal dislocations in CGs. The activation of multiple slip systems, HDI-hardening effect, and crack suppression effect from γ′ particles, endow the excellent ductility.

Laser-based additive manufacturing (LAM) represents one of the most forward-thinking transformations in how we conceive, design, and bring to life engineered solutions [...]

Abstract. Eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) is a gastrointestinal disorder of unclear etiology that is characterized by eosinophilic infiltration of the stomach and small intestine, and consists of mucosal, muscular, and serosal subtypes. Eosinophilic infiltration of the gastrointestinal tract is a fundamental histopathological characteristic of EGE and is driven by several T-helper type 2 (Th2)-dependent cytokines and induced by food allergy. Due to the lack of a diagnostic gold standard, EGE has a high rate of delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis. However, several new diagnostic strategies have been developed, such as novel genetic biomarkers and imaging tests. Although dietary therapy and corticosteroids remain the common choices for EGE treatment, recent decades have seen the emergence of novel treatment alternatives, such as biologics that target particular molecules involved in the pathogenic process. Preliminary investigations and clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of biologics and provided additional insights for the era of refractory or corticosteroid-dependent EGE biologics.

By introducing heterogeneous lamella-structure, we obtained a superior strength-ductility synergy in Mg-alloy associated with excellent strain-hardening ability, i.e. yield strength of ∼251 MPa, tensile strength of ∼393 MPa and elongation of ∼23%. By using advanced characterization techniques, we showed that strengthening was mainly caused by the non-uniform distribution of hetero-deformation induced (HDI) stress associated with grain-boundary disclinations, which are mediated by heterogeneous multi-grain interactions. Induced by grain-boundary disclinations and intergranular slip transfers, a variety of abnormal deformation modes have been activated，which contributed significantly to enhanced ductility. This work suggests a new avenue to evade strength-ductility trade-off dilemma in Mg-alloys.

Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) was used in the prefabricated shell of a precast composite beam, and the validity of the ECC in the precast monolithic composite beam’s flexural performance was studied. Flexural performance tests were conducted on six specimens to analyze their failure state, failure mechanism, bearing capacity, and deformation capacity. Compared with the Reinforced Concrete (RC) prefabricated shell composite beam, the ECC prefabricated shell composite beam showed a higher bearing capacity and lower damage degree. The yielding load of specimen PSMCB−1 increased by 5.6%. The maximum load of specimen PSMCB−1 reached 256.6 kN, having increased by 8.1%. When the tests stopped, the maximum crack width of specimen PSMCB−1 was 4.1mm, while the maximum crack width of specimen PSMCB−6 reached 9.0 mm. The ECC material in the prefabricated shell also delayed the yielding of the steel bars in the shell.

In this study, the effect of adding different contents of yttrium (Y) during vacuum induction melting in Al2O3 and Y2O3 crucibles on the purification of DD5 alloys was investigated. The results show that the Y2O3 crucible exhibited great crucible stability and an excellent desulfurization effect when melting a Y-containing DD5 alloy. The S content of the alloy was reduced from 5.03 ppm to 1.36 ppm with the addition of 0.50 wt.% Y. Element Y combined with free S in the melt to form the YS phase, which was removed from the condensate shell and slag during the vacuum induction melting (VIM) process. Meanwhile, when the alloy was melted in the Y2O3 crucible with 0.50 wt.% Y addition, there was a reduction in S content from 2.77 ppm to 1.36 ppm compared to the Al2O3 crucible. Additionally, the loss of Y decreased from 0.12 wt.% to 0.05 wt.%.

BackgroundAllergic rhinitis (AR) is a common nasal inflammatory disorder that severely affects an individual's quality of life (QoL) and poses a heavy financial burden. In addition to routine treatments, probiotic intervention has emerged as a promising strategy for preventing and alleviating allergic diseases. The main objective of this study was to determine the effect of a novel multi-strain probiotic mixture on AR symptoms and investigate potential targets underlying the probiotic intervention.MethodsA randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study was conducted on AR patients who were allergic to autumnal pollens (n = 31). Placebo or a novel probiotic mixture, composed of Lactobacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus) HN001, L. acidophilus NCFM, Bifidobacterium lactis (B. lactis) Bi-07, L. paracasei LPC-37, and L. reuteri LE16, was administered after 2 months. The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated by a symptom assessment scale. Before and during the pollen season, blood samples were collected, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated for further tandem mass tags (TMTs)-based quantitative proteomic analyses. Potential targets and underlying pathological pathways were explored using bioinformatics methods.ResultsDuring the pollen season, the rhinoconjunctivitis symptom score of participants who were administered probiotics (probiotic group, n = 15) was significantly lower than those administered placebo (placebo group, n = 15) (P = 0.037). The proteomic analyses identified 60 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in the placebo group, and subsequent enrichment analyses enriched a series of pathways and biological processes, including signaling pathways of inflammation, coagulation cascade, lipid, carbohydrate and amino acid metabolic pathways, and transcription and translation processes. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression extracted five main elements, namely, GSTO1, ATP2A2, MCM7, PROS1, and TRIM58, as signature proteins. A total of 17 DEPs were identified in the probiotic group, and there was no pathway enriched. Comparison of DEPs in the two groups revealed that the expression levels of the high-mobility group nucleosome-binding domain-containing protein 2 (HMGN2) and Histone H1.2 presented an opposite trend with different interventions.ConclusionOur data showed that AR symptoms alleviated after treatment with the novel multi-strain probiotic mixture, and the proteomic analyses suggested that HMGN2 and Histone H1.2 might be targets of probiotic intervention for seasonal AR.

Block adjustment technology can effectively correct the interferometric parameter errors acquired from Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) system. It can reduce the number of required ground control points and improve the accuracy of the generated digital elevation model, making it’s an effective means for obtaining three-dimensional information from large-scale terrain information. However, the currently used adjustment models usually only involve surface elevation parameters, which means that the accuracy of the terrain planimetric information entirely relies on the Position and Orientation System (POS) parameters. This may lead to the inaccurate planimetric to be a fundamental weakness which hinder the practical application of this technology. To solve these problems, this paper proposed a DSM (digital surface model) mapping scheme by using very high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data that combines the block adjustments of orientation and interferometric parameters. Firstly, the interferometric and orientation parameters are obtained separately by using InSAR and SAR block adjustment techniques. After optimizing the model parameter accuracy, the elevation information obtained from the interferometric parameters is incorporated into the SAR positioning model to acquire the three-dimensional information of the area accurately. Experimental processing was conducted using 23 pairs of airborne InSAR data from two strips in the Weinan area of China. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed scheme can improve the elevation accuracy by approximately 20%.

The accurate evaluation of mental workload of operators in human machine systems is of great significance in ensuring the safety of operators and the correct execution of tasks. However, the effectiveness of EEG based cross-task mental workload evaluation are still unsatisfactory because of the different EEG response patterns in different tasks, which hindered its generalization in real scenario severely. To solve this problem, this paper proposed a feature construction method based on EEG tensor representation and transfer learning, which was verified in various task conditions. Specifically, four working memory load tasks with different types of information were designed firstly. The EEG signals of participants were collected synchronously during task execution. Then, the wavelet transform method was used to perform time-frequency analysis of multi-channel EEG signals, and three-way EEG tensor (time-frequency-channel) features were constructed. EEG tensor features from different tasks were transferred based on the criteria of feature distribution alignment and class-wise discrimination criteria. Finally, the support vector machine was used to construct a 3-class mental workload recognition model. Results showed that compared with the classical feature extraction methods, the proposed method can achieve higher accuracy in both within-task and cross-task mental workload evaluation (91.1% for within-task and 81.3% for cross-task). These results demonstrated that the EEG tensor representation and transfer learning method is feasible and effective for cross-task mental workload evaluation, which can provide theoretical basis and application reference for future researches.

In order to explore the influence of dynamic disturbance on creep behavior of rock, the creep damage evolution in rock under the dynamic disturbance are reproduced with creep damage model. In this model, the constitutive law of rock under combined creep and dynamic loading condition is implemented based on elastic damage principle and Norton-Bailey equation in COMSOL Multiphysics. The numerical results show that the dynamic disturbance alters the creep behavior of rock in three aspects, i.e., time, space and energy. In temporal aspect, dynamic disturbance not only accelerates the creep damage evolution of rock, but also leads to the tensile damage accounting for the main damage mode. The tensile damage mode mainly occurs during the unloading stage of dynamic disturbance, and the tendency of transition becomes evident under more dynamic disturbances. In spatial aspect, the dynamic disturbance may facilitate the development of rock damage, resulting in unstable rock failure. In energy aspect, the dynamic disturbance causes creeping rock to absorb and release energy in a short time, which can be quantified with the energy dissipation rate. The residual deformation caused by the dynamic disturbance is also exponentially related to the energy dissipation rate.

Abstract. Background:. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus is a common allergen causing allergic diseases in China. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of D. pteronyssinus extracts produced by Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) for the skin prick test (SPT) in the diagnosis of D. pteronyssinus allergy. Methods:. A total of 910 subjects with allergic diseases were prescribed D. pteronyssinus SPT and specific sIgE (sIgE) test among the Outpatients of Department of Allergy, PUMCH from August 10, 2015 to August 30, 2017. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was performed according to the results of D. pteronyssinus-sIgE detection. The accuracy of D. pteronyssinus extracts used for SPT in the diagnosis of D. pteronyssinus allergy was evaluated under different cutoff values. Adverse events after SPT were recorded to evaluate safety. Results:. There were 796 and 618 subjects in the full analysis set (FAS) and the per protocol set (PPS), respectively. The areas under the curve of FAS and PPS were 0.871 and 0.873, respectively. According to the ROC of PPS, the optimal and 95% specificity diagnostic cutoff values of D. pteronyssinus SPT mean wheal diameter were 3.25 and 3.75 mm, respectively. No adverse events occurred. Conclusion:. The extracts of D. pteronyssinus for SPT were simple, highly accurate, and safe and should be considered for recommendation in the clinical diagnosis of D. pteronyssinus allergy.

Abstract The failure of orthopedic and dental implants is mainly caused by biomaterial-associated infections and poor osseointegration. Surface modification of biomedical materials plays a significant role in enhancing osseointegration and anti-bacterial infection. In this work, a non-linear relationship between the micro/nano surface structures and the femtosecond laser processing parameters was successfully established based on an artificial neural network. Then a controllable functional surface with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to was produced to improve the cytocompatibility and antibacterial properties of biomedical titanium alloy. The surface topography, wettability, and Ag+ release were carefully investigated. The effects of these characteristics on antibacterial activity and cytocompatibilty were also evaluated. Results show that the prepared surface is hydrophobic, which can prevent the burst release of Ag+ in the initial stage. The prepared surface also shows both good cytocompatibility toward the murine calvarial preosteoblasts MC3T3-E1 cells (derived from Mus musculus (mouse) calvaria) and good antibacterial effects against Gram-negative (E. coli) and Gram-positive (S. aureus) bacteria, which is caused by the combined effect of appropriate micro/nano-structured feature and reasonable Ag+ release rate. We do not only clarify the antibacterial mechanism but also demonstrate the possibility of balancing the antibacterial and osteointegration-promoting properties by micro/nano-structures. The reported method offers an effective strategy for the patterned surface modification of implants. Graphical Abstract

The effect of Gd content on the microstructure and tensile properties of as-cast Mg-Sm-Zn-Zr alloy has been systematically investigated. In the Mg-3Sm-0.5Zn-0.5Zr alloy, the intermetallic compounds with multiple morphologies are identified as Mg3Sm phase. In addition to Mg3RE phase, Mg5RE phase originated from Gd addition is observed in Gd-modified alloys. It should be noted that the lattice parameters of all the observed intermetallic compounds are significantly reduced by Zn segregation. The segregation behavior of Zn in Mg3Sm phase is inhibited to some extent by Gd addition due to the electronegativity difference between Sm/Gd and Zn elements. In addition, the increased Gd content effectively leads to much more accumulation of solute atoms in front of the liquid-solid interface during solidification, which can prominently promote nucleation in liquid region and then refine grains. The tensile yield stress of the present alloys is thus improved with increasing Gd addition. Finally, Gd-modified alloys exhibit significantly age-hardening effect, which can be mainly attributed to the high-volume fraction and high density nano-scale precipitates.

The accurate evaluation of operators’ mental workload in human-machine systems plays an important role in ensuring the correct execution of tasks and the safety of operators. However, the performance of cross-task mental workload evaluation based on physiological metrics remains unsatisfactory. To explore the changes in dynamic functional connectivity properties with varying mental workload in different tasks, four mental workload tasks with different types of information were designed and a newly proposed dynamic brain network analysis method based on EEG microstate was applied in this paper. Six microstate topographies labeled as Microstate A-F were obtained to describe the task-state EEG dynamics, which was highly consistent with previous studies. Dynamic brain network analysis revealed that 15 nodes and 68 pairs of connectivity from the Frontal-Parietal region were sensitive to mental workload in all four tasks, indicating that these nodal metrics had potential to effectively evaluate mental workload in the cross-task scenario. The characteristic path length of Microstate D brain network in both Theta and Alpha bands decreased whereas the global efficiency increased significantly when the mental workload became higher, suggesting that the cognitive control network of brain tended to have higher function integration property under high mental workload state. Furthermore, by using a SVM classifier, an averaged classification accuracy of 95.8% for within-task and 80.3% for cross-task mental workload discrimination were achieved. Results implies that it is feasible to evaluate the cross-task mental workload using the dynamic functional connectivity metrics under specific microstate, which provided a new insight for understanding the neural mechanism of mental workload with different types of information.

Accurate predictions of the surface deformation caused by underground mining are crucial for the safe development of underground resources. Although surface deformation has been predicted by artificial intelligence (AI) methods, most AI models are established based on the relationships between surface deformation and influential factors. The lack of consideration of the deformation state transition often leads to errors in the prediction results of catastrophic deformation by conventional AI methods. In this respect, this study introduces a surface deformation prediction model based on spatio-temporal association rule mining (STARM). Surface deformation is classified as excessive deformation zone (EDZ) and hysteretic deformation zone (HDZ), representing different surface deformation stage or state. The spatio-temporal association rules between the monitored EDZ and HDZ data are then mined. A surface deformation prediction model is established according to the spatio-temporal relationship between monitored EDZ and HDZ data. The proposed model is verified based on a practical case study of the Chengchao Iron Mine in China. The data collection of the influential factors is not requisite for the proposed model. It can achieve accurate prediction of the catastrophic deformation that was characterized by deformation state transition.

The temporal domain of dissipated energy during rock damage and failure is commonly quantified using loading and unloading tests or elastic mechanics-based theoretical calculation methods. However, these approaches cannot be applied to obtain the spatial distribution of rock dissipated energy. This paper presents a novel model to estimate rock dissipated energy based on acoustic emission measurements. The proposed model is used to estimate the temporal and spatial distribution of dissipated energy in a sandstone specimen under uniaxial compression conditions. The results indicate that the model well describes the energy dissipation evolution trend in the temporal domain with an error of 38.63% compared with results calculated using the traditional method. The dissipated energy concentration area estimated by the model is located near the macroscopic fractures, which indicates that the model can describe the evolution process of rock energy dissipation in the spatial domain.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common allergic airway disorder that is often poorly managed. There is an urgent need to enhance medication adherence in order to improve treatment outcomes in patients with AR. The efficacy of wearable smart watches in improving medication adherence is currently unclear. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a novel smart watch in improving medication adherence and symptom control in patients with AR. The reliability of self-reported medication use was also investigated. Methods: This randomized, open-label, parallel controlled, pilot study enrolled adult patients with AR caused by cypress pollen. Patients were randomized in a 1:2 ratio to an intervention group and control group. Smart watches were only distributed to patients in the intervention group. During the cypress pollen season, all patients were required to take oral antihistamines daily and use nasal corticosteroids and antihistamine eye drops as needed. Daily AR symptom scores and medication usage were recorded in both groups. The smart watch was able to identify medication-taking behaviors of patients via artificial intelligence (AI) and relay this information to physicians, who sent short message service reminders to patients who forgot to take oral antihistamines for more than 2 days. Results: During the pollen season, the adherence rate to oral antihistamines in the intervention group (n = 17) was significantly higher than that in the control group (n = 38) (63.3% ± 28.5% versus 43.2% ± 30.2%, P = 0.02). The daily symptom score of the intervention group was lower than that of the control group (2.4 ± 1.1 versus 3.9 ± 1.0, P

BackgroundAllergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma are closely related, and AR is regarded as an important risk factor for the onset of asthma. However, the pathogenesis of the development of asthma from AR is still undefined.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms underlying the development of asthma from AR by comparing the transcriptome features of patients with AR with and without asthma.MethodsPatients with AR with or without asthma caused by weed pollen who presented to the Allergy Clinic of Peking Union Medical College Hospital were recruited for this study. Peripheral blood samples of all the patients were collected during the weed pollen season (September) when the patients had allergic symptoms and outside the pollen season (November) when the patients had no symptoms. Transcriptomic analysis was conducted, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and enriched immune pathways between the patients with AR with asthma (AR-asthma group) and those without asthma (AR group) were identified. In addition, the expression levels of some pivotal differentially expressed RNAs were quantified using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR).ResultsDuring the weed pollen season, the immune-related Gene Ontology (GO) terms with P value < 0.05, enriched by the upregulated genes in the AR-asthma group compared to the AR group included antifungal humoral response, neutrophil-mediated killing of bacterium, antibacterial humoral response, antimicrobial humoral immune response mediated by antimicrobial peptides, and regulation of the T cell receptor signaling pathway. The immune-related GO terms with P values

Abstract Aims Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most severe neurological diseases. However, there is still no effective treatment for it. Nesfatin, a precursor neuropeptide derived from nucleobindin 2 (NUCB2), has displayed a wide range of protective effects in different types of cells and tissue. However, the effects of nesfatin‐1 in SCI have not been reported before. Materials and methods A SCI model was established. The behavior of mice was assessed using the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) assessment. Results Here, we report that the administration of nesfatin‐1 improved neurological recovery in SCI mice by increasing BBB scores, reducing lesion area volume and spinal cord water content. Also, nesfatin‐1 ameliorated oxidative stress by reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. We also found that nesfatin‐1 prevented neuronal apoptosis in SCI mice by reducing caspase 3 activity and the expression of Bax, as well as increasing B‐cell lymphoma‐2 (Bcl‐2). Additionally, nesfatin‐1 reduced the levels of interleukin 6 (IL‐6), interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α). Nesfatin‐1 also promoted microglia towards M2 polarization by increasing the marker CD206 but reducing CD16. Importantly, nesfatin‐1 enhanced the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) but reduced the expression levels of toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) and phosphorylated nuclear factor kappa‐B p65 (p‐NF‐κB p65). Conclusion Our findings imply that nesfatin‐1 exerts neuroprotective actions in SCI by promoting the activation of M2 microglia, and its underlying mechanisms might be related to the activation of STAT1 and inhibition of the TLR4/NF‐κB signaling pathway.

BackgroundThe efficacy of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) in treating pediatric allergy has been clearly demonstrated, however, many patients hesitate to initiate AIT due to weekly hospital visits during the 3-4 months up-dosing phase. Meanwhile, rush immunotherapy (RIT) shortens the duration of the up-dosing phase to 7 days. However, considering that patients receiving RIT are exposed to the allergens during a much shorter period of time and thus may be at a greater risk of systemic reactions, RIT is currently underused, especially in children. This study investigated the utility of combination treatment with RIT plus 1 dose of pretreatment anti-IgE in children with respiratory allergies.MethodsIn this retrospective study, we reviewed records of children with allergic rhinitis (AR) and/or allergic asthma (AA) sensitized to dust mite allergens receiving RIT+1 dose of pretreatment anti-IgE (the RIT group) or conventional immunotherapy (the CIT group) at our hospital from January 2020 to March 2021. Data such as visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, comprehensive symptom and medication score (CSMS), allergy blood test results, adverse reactions, compliance and cost were collected and analyzed.Results40 patients in the RIT group and 81 patients in the CIT group were included in this study. Both treatments were well tolerated and patients in the 2 treatment groups had comparable local and systemic reactions. Compared to CIT, RIT + anti-IgE combination led to significantly faster symptomatic improvement as demonstrated by significantly decreased VAS and CSMS starting as early as 1 month after AIT initiation (P 0.05).ConclusionsRIT + 1 dose of pretreatment anti-IgE combination has practical advantages over CIT, including comparable safety, better compliance, and probably a faster onset of clinical efficacy at no additional cost, so it can be an useful regimen for the treatment of Chinese children with respiratory allergies.

AbstractPillar rockburst is an unstable pillar failure and one of the most hazardous problems in the underground mining engineering of deep hard-rock mines. In order to study the mechanism of unstable pillar failure, laboratory tests, numerical simulation, and theoretical analysis are adopted. The disc spring group was used to realize the soft loading function of testing machine, where loading stiffness of testing machine can be adjusted by changing the number and combination mode of disc springs. The results show that the loading stiffness of testing machine has major effect on the post-peak failure behavior of rock specimen, which means that the elastic rebound of disc spring group determines the unstable failure characteristics of rock specimen. The sudden jump Δd of rock specimen deformation and the elastic energy release ΔW of disc spring group all increase with the decreased loading stiffness of testing machine, resulting in more severe rock unstable failure (pillar rockburst). The soft loading condition has buffering and delaying effects on rock failure, but it increases the unstable failure intensity of rock specimen. The numerical simulation reproduced the rock unstable failure and the elastic rebound behavior of disc spring group, which also illustrated the damage evolution process of rock unstable failure. The necessary condition of rock unstable failure and the analytical solution of sudden jump Δd and elastic energy release ΔW were derived based on catastrophe theory, which further verified the experimental results. This study reveals the physical essence of unstable pillar failure, which may help to under the mechanism of pillar rockburst and provide references for underground mining.

The main objective of this investigation was to study the influence of an Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) on the seismic performances of beam–column–slab subassemblies. Tests and simulations were conducted on several models. The bearing capacity of the ECC model was 15% higher than that of the RC member, the deformability increased by 19%, and the energy dissipation capability increased by 34%. The use of an ECC in the slab could reduce the contribution of the reinforced bars in the slab to the flexural strength of the beam. At a drift of 2%, the range of the yielding bars in the slab of the RC models was 5h to 6h. However, the yield range of reinforcement in the slab of the ECC models was nearly 3h. As a result, the ECC subassemblies were prone to reach a “strong column and weak beam” yield mechanism.

In order to improve the mechanical properties of prefabricated monolithic composite columns, high-performance fiber-reinforced cement composite (HPFRCC) material was used to prefabricate mold shells and form a composite column with post-cast ordinary concrete. Axial compression tests were conducted on five HPFRCC-prefabricated shell composite columns and one RC prefabricated shell composite column to study the mechanical performances of prefabricated monolithic composite columns. The influences of the volume stirrup ratio, the longitudinal reinforcement ratio, and the shell material on axial compression performance were also studied. The results showed that using HPFRCC-prefabricated shells could improve the deformation performance of the composite column. The compressive strain corresponding to the yielding load of the HPFRCC-prefabricated formwork column was 23.85% higher than that of the RC-prefabricated shell composite column, and the compressive strain corresponding to the peak load increased by 26.72%. The longitudinal reinforcement ratio slightly affected the axial compression bearing capacity of the prefabricated shell composite column. Compared with ECCT−01, the peak load of ECCT−04 increased by 0.6%, and the peak load of ECCT−05 increased by 1.4%. As the volume stirrup ratio increased, the deformation performance of the HPFRCC-prefabricated composite column improved. Compared with ECCT−01, the compressive strain corresponding to the yield load and peak load of ECCT−02 increased by 24.21% and 7.33%, respectively. The compressive strain values corresponding to the yield load and peak load of ECCT−03 decreased by 25.58% and 24.01%, respectively.

To enhance the mechanical properties and damage resistance of prefabricated monolithic composite beams, this study introduces HPFRCC precast mold shells as a replacement for ordinary concrete in the construction of prefabricated monolithic composite beams. These HPFRCC precast mold shell prefabricated monolithic composite beam members are then subjected to experimental investigations to analyze their flexural properties. The results of the study indicate that the U–shaped HPFRCC precast mold shell exhibits excellent bonding with the post-cast concrete, with no significant peeling observed. Moreover, compared to ordinary cast-in-place monolithic RC beams, the HPFRCC/RC prefabricated monolithic composite beams demonstrate a 17.2% increase in peak load and a 24.55% increase in yield load. Similarly, the HPFRCC/RC prefabricated monolithic composite beams show an 8.1% increase in peak load and a 5.59% increase in yield load compared to ordinary RC composite beams. In comparison to both ordinary cast-in-place monolithic RC beams and ordinary RC composite beams, the cracks observed in the HPFRCC/RC prefabricated monolithic composite beams are denser and finer, with a smaller crack development rate and width. These findings suggest that the incorporation of HPFRCC materials improves the damage resistance of the beam members.

Abstract Background When symptomatic spondylolysis fail to respond to nonoperative treatment, surgical management may be required. A number of techniques have been described for repair by intrasegmental fixation with good results; however, there are still some problems. We reported a repair technique with temporary intersegmental pedicle screw fixation and autogenous iliac crest graft. The aim of present study is to assess the clinical outcomes of L5 symptomatic spondylolysis with this technique. Methods A retrospective analysis of 128 patients with L5 spondylolysis treated with this method was performed. According to CT scan, the spondylolysis were classified into 3 categories: line, intermediate, and sclerosis type. The diagnostic block test of L5 bilateral pars defect was done in all patients preoperatively. The sagittal and axial CT images were used to determine the bone union. The healing time, complications, number of spina bifida occulta, Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, and VAS for back pain were recorded. After fixation removal, the rate of ROM preservation at L5S1 was calculated. Results There were 97 patients (194 pars) followed with mean follow-up of 23 months (range, 12–36 months). The union rate of pars was 82.0% at 12 months and 94.3% at 24 months postoperatively. Low back pain VAS significantly (P < 0.05) improved from preoperative mean value of 7.2 to 1.3 at the final follow-up postoperatively (P < 0.05). JOA score increased significantly postoperatively (P < 0.05) with average improvement rate of 79.3%. The rates of L5S1 ROM preservation were 79.8% and 64.0% after fixation removal at 1 and 2 years postoperatively. There were 3 patients of delayed incision healing without other complications. Conclusions Although sacrificing L5S1 segment motion temporarily, more stability was obtained with intersegmental fixation. This technique is reliable for spondylolysis repair which has satisfactory symptom relief, high healing rate, low incidence of complications, and preserve a large part of ROM for fixed segment.

Microstructure and tensile properties of a Mg-Sm-Zn-Zr alloy with various extrusion ratios (ERs) of 6.9, 10.4 and 17.6 were systematically investigated. It was identified that, greater ER increased dynamic recrystallization (DRX) fraction and coarsened DRX grains, which further suggests weakened basal fiber texture for the studied alloy. This is mainly due to the rising temperature from massive deformation heat when hot-extrusion. As a result, greater ER corresponds to a decreased strength but improved ductility. Finally, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations reveal that the dominant intermetallic phase, Mg3Sm, is metastable, and it will transform into Mg41Sm5 during extrusion with high-ER. This transformation leads to the accumulation of surplus Sm and Zn atoms, which induces the precipitation of SmZn3 phase at the surface of Mg41Sm5 matrix.

Magnesium (Mg) alloys have received an increasing interest in the past two decades for their tremendous application potential. The strength and corrosion resistance levels of common Mg alloys are still relativity low, and especially they are to be improved simultaneously. The addition of rare earth (RE) to Mg alloys is believed to be beneficial for both the strength and corrosion resistance, and some RE-modified traditional Mg alloys have been studied and some new RE-containing Mg alloys have been developed by now. However, further simultaneous improvements in both strength and anti-corrosion require a better understanding of the behavior and mechanism of RE in Mg alloys. In this review, the common influence mechanisms of RE on mechanical and anti-corrosion properties of Mg alloys are summarized, and the latest research progress of RE-containing Mg alloys with simultaneously improved strength and corrosion resistance are introduced. It is demonstrated that the research on high-strength and high corrosion resistant RE-containing Mg alloys is still immature, and some opinions and suggestions are put forward for the synergetic improvement of the strength and corrosion resistance of Mg alloys, so as to contribute to the further development of Mg alloys with higher performance.

Evaluation of the stability of a shallow goaf in an open-pit iron mine is important for successful mining. Based on the idea of “rock disaster analysis and prediction combining field monitoring and numerical simulation,” a modification of Mathews stability graph is proposed, and a monitoring scheme combing stress, displacement, and surface subsidence is selected per the field geological condition. The displacement monitoring data and numerical model are combined, and the numerical model is corrected per the monitoring data; the time-dependent deformation and damage to the goaf is obtained; and its stability is comprehensively evaluated. Results show that the northern area is in a relatively stable stage, whilst the southern area has a certain risk of collapse. At last, the proposed framework was successfully used in the open-pit iron mine to evaluate the stability of the shallow goaf and can be used for reference to similar geological conditions.

BackgroundData on allergic reactions after the administration of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines are limited. Our aim is to analyze reports of allergic reactions after COVID-19 vaccine administration.MethodsThe Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System database was searched for reported allergic reactions after the administration of any of the COVID-19 vaccines from December 2020 to June 2021. After data mapping, the demographic and clinical characteristics of the reported cases were analyzed. Potential factors associated with anaphylaxis were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models.ResultsIn total, 14,611 cases were reported. Most cases of allergic reactions comprised women (84.6%) and occurred after the first dose of the vaccine (63.6%). Patients who experienced anaphylaxis were younger (mean age 45.11 ± 5.6 vs. 47.01 ± 6.3 years, P < 0.001) and had a higher prevalence of a history of allergies, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and anaphylaxis than those who did not (P < 0.05). A history of allergies (odds ratio (OR) 1.632, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.467–1.816, P < 0.001), asthma (OR 1.908, 95%CI 1.677–2.172, P < 0.001), and anaphylaxis (OR 7.164, 95%CI 3.504–14.646, P < 0.001) were potential risk factors for anaphylaxis. Among the 8,232 patients with reported outcomes, 16 died.ConclusionsFemale predominance in allergic reaction cases after the receipt of COVID-19 vaccines was observed. Previous histories of allergies, asthma, or anaphylaxis were risk factors for anaphylaxis post-vaccination. People with these risk factors should be monitored more strictly after COVID-19 vaccination.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the prevalence and distribution of sensitization to aeroallergens in children with atopic diseases.MethodsWe conducted skin prick test on 9,527 pediatric patients (aged 0–17 years) with atopic diseases in allergy department of Children's Hospital affiliated with the Capital Institute of Pediatrics. Positive rates of aeroallergens were compared among the different groups.ResultsBoys (69.5%) had a higher positive rate in SPT results than girls (59.8%; χ2 = 91.7, P < 0.01), and the prevalence of sensitization to aeroallergens increased from 56.1% in the 0–5 year group, to 73.0% in patients above 12 years. Japanese hop (36.2%) and D. farinae (28.1%) were the most common outdoor and indoor aeroallergens, respectively. From low to high age groups, the positive detection rates of D. farinae were 20.3, 30.6, and 33.5%, respectively, followed by D. pteronyssinus (15.7, 24.8, and 30.0%) and cat dander (8.6, 19.8, and 27.9%, respectively), while dog dander and cockroach showed the same trend. The top three positive detection rates of outdoor aeroallergens were Alternaria (30.9%), Japanese Hop (26.7%), and Artemisia (23.7%) in the preschool age group. With regard to patients aged 6 to 11 years, the three most common were Japanese hop (39.2%), Alternaria (36.4%), and Fraxinus pollen (34.4%). Japanese hop (43.8%), Sabina (41.1%), and birch pollen (39.6%) became increasingly common allergens among adolescents. There were more patients with strongly positive reactions to Alternaria in AS (χ2 = 10.2, P < 0.01) and AS with AR groups (χ2 =9.7, P < 0.01) than those in the AR group. Asthmatic patients had significantly higher multiple positive reactions than those with AR (P < 0.01). Asthmatic patients had a much higher prevalence of HDM, animal dander, and Alternaria than those with allergic rhinitis (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe prevalence of sensitization to aeroallergens increased with age in children with atopic diseases in Greater Beijing Region. Alternaria was the predominant allergen before 5 years of age, and tree pollen had delayed sensitization in adolescents. Sensitization to perennial allergens such as HDM, cats, and Alternaria was more strongly associated with asthma risk. Sensitization to more than one allergen significantly affected asthmatic patients.

Anchor technology has become an irreplaceable geotechnical engineering reinforcement measure. To clarify anchorage effects and investigate the three-dimensional (3D) crack propagation process of bolted jointed rock masses, a series of physical model tests and 3D numerical simulations were performed, and optimal anchoring conditions of jointed rock masses are found. The results showed that a bolted jointed rock mass had stronger compressive performance and deformation capability, with crack propagation controlled, especially in the anchorage zone, and the formation and slip of shear zones also restrained. Meanwhile, the fractured location is transferred from the joint tip to the interface between the bolt and surrounding rock. The numerical simulation based on the damage model of rocks at the mesoscale and a nonlinear shearing–sliding model for anchoring interfaces were conducted with the FLAC3D code to reproduce the 3D crack propagation and the gradual damage of bolted jointed rock masses. The anchorage effect increased the crack initiation stress of jointed rock masses, but the zone where the bolt passed through the joint cracked more easily. Once onset of the instability stage of the bolted jointed rock mass, cracks began to propagate and penetrate gradually to the anchorage zone. In addition, under uniaxial compression, a “Z”-shaped shear stress concentration zone is observed in the bolt, which is mainly attributed to the role of the bolt on controlling shear failure along the joint plane and transverse dilatancy of the specimen. Better anchorage effects were achieved by installing bolts after deformation of the jointed rock mass had developed to a certain extent. The optimal anchor opportunity for a jointed rock mass varied with the joint angle. More specifically, for the rock mass with a joint angle of 75°, the anchorage effect was best when the bolt was installed at 40% peak strain of the jointed rock mass, while 10% peak strain was perfect for the bolted rock mass with a 45° joint angle.

A new numerical procedure for calculating the excavation response of the Mohr–Coulomb rock mass considering strain-softening behavior is proposed in this article. In this method, the plastic zone of the strain-softening rock mass is divided into the sufficient small plastic concentric annulus with constant radial stress increment, where the stress and strain distributions are characterized based on the existing analytical solutions of the brittle–plastic rock in the plastic zone. According to the equilibrium equation, geometric equation, and Mohr–Coulomb yield criterion, the stresses of each annulus can be calculated, and the explicit form of the displacement can also be determined by invoking the non-associated flow law and Hooke’s law. On this basis, the excavation disturbance-induced response and the ground reaction curve (GRC) in the strain-softening rock mass can be calculated by iterative computation. The proposed method is verified by comparing both the numerical simulation results and the existing theoretical solutions. Extensive computations are then carried out to clarify some practical questions, including the effect of ground condition, the computation efficiency, and the engineering applicability. It is found that the proposed numerical procedure behaves more efficiently and accurately than the previous one for the strain-softening rock mass. This might, therefore, provide convenience and benefits from a computation standpoint for the preliminary design of underground openings in rock masses with slight deformation.

Objective: The main aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of adult self-reported allergic rhinitis and asthma in plain lands and hilly areas of Shenmu City in China, and analyze the differences between regions.Methods: The multi-stage stratified random sampling was applied in a cross-sectional survey of adult residents in Shenmu City, from September to December 2019. The unconditional logistic regression analysis was used to screen the influence factors of allergic rhinitis and asthma.Results: 4,706 adults participated in the survey, and 99% (4,655 in 4,706) completed the questionnaires. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis was 25.4%, and the prevalence of asthma was 9.4%. The prevalence of the allergic rhinitis without asthma, asthma without allergic rhinitis, and the combined allergic rhinitis with asthma were 18.9, 2.9, and 6.5%, respectively. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis and asthma existed regional differences. The prevalence of adult self-reported allergic rhinitis was 41.5% in plain lands areas and 22.1% in hilly areas. The prevalence of adult self-reported asthma was 12.8% in plain lands and 8.8% in hilly areas. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis and asthma existed seasonal differences, with the highest prevalence from July to September. The analysis of risk factors showed that higher education [middle and high school (OR 1.72, 95%CI 1.42–2.07); college and above (OR 2.67, 95%CI 1.99–3.59)], comorbidities of other allergic diseases (OR 3.90, 95%CI 3.23–4.70), family history of allergies (OR 2.89, 95%CI 2.36–3.53), and plain lands areas (OR 2.51, 95%CI 2.06–3.05) were the risk factors for the allergic rhinitis without asthma. Aging [40–49 years old (OR 4.29, 95%CI 1.02–18.13); 50–59 years old (OR 5.89, 95%CI 1.40–24.76); ≥60 years old: (OR 6.14, 95%CI 1.41–26.71)], never-smokers (OR 1.66, 95%CI 0.99–2.80), comorbidities of other allergic disorders (OR 2.17, 95%CI 1.42–3.32), and family history of allergies (OR 2.20, 95%CI 1.40–3.47) were the risk factors for the asthma without allergic rhinitis. Advanced age [30–39 years (OR 2.16, 95%CI 1.23–3.82); 40–49 years (OR 2.86, 95%CI 1.56 to 5.25); 50–59 years (OR 2.95, 95%CI 1.58–5.51); ≥60 years old (OR 2.27, 95%CI 1.09–4.72)], higher education [middle and high school (OR 2.23, 95%CI 1.62–3.07); college and above (OR 4.28, 95%CI 2.72–6.74)], non-agricultural workers (OR 1.70, 95%CI 1.18–2.43),never-smokers (OR 2.26, 95%CI 1.51–3.39), comorbidities of other allergic diseases (OR 4.45, 95%CI 3.37–5.88), family history of allergies (OR 5.27, 95%CI 3.98–6.97), and plain lands areas (OR 2.07, 95%CI 1.51–2.86) were the risk factors for the combined allergic rhinitis with asthma.Conclusions: The prevalence of allergic rhinitis and asthma in Shenmu City was relatively high, with regional differences. Genetic and environmental factors were the important risk factors associated with allergic rhinitis and asthma. Our research would provide data support for preventing and controlling allergic rhinitis and asthma in this region in the future, and appropriate prevention and control programs should be formulated according to the characteristics of different regions.

Xincheng Gold Mine is taken as an example to investigate the ground subsidence that results from filling. Both numerical simulations and simulation experiments are conducted to simulate the deformation process at the stope roof and bottom from excavation and filling. The assumption of macroscopic continuity from traditional continuum mechanics models is overcome. The simulation results demonstrate that the ground subsidence is slowed due to filling. The total trends of the top and bottom displacements are sinkable and upturned, respectively. Moreover, with an increased buried depth and lateral pressure coefficient, the displacements of the top and bottom of the stope increase as well. The characteristics and evolution of the displacement vector field of the rock mass are macroscopically and microscopically studied over the excavation progress. This provides technical support for stope safety production.

Purpose: Pollen from trees, grasses, and weeds is a common allergen source. The characteristics of pollen allergy in China are obviously different from Europe. Most studies have focused on tree and weed pollen, but there is a paucity of data on grass pollen sensitisation in China. Therefore, we used component-resolved diagnostics to investigate the serum-specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) to grass pollen in Chinese patients with pollinosis. Methods: We retrospectively analysed 547 patients with pollen allegy from an outpatient Allergy Department in Beijing, China. All the patients answered questionnaires about their clinical allergy histories. Total immunoglobulin E (IgE) and sIgE levels to grass pollen (Bermuda, Timothy grass) were quantified by ImmunoCAP using 0.35 kUA/L as a threshold for positivity. Results: Of the 547 pollinosis patients, 389 (71.1%) showed a positive sIgE reaction to either grass pollen, or both. The prevalence of food allergy was significantly lower in patients with grass pollen sensitisation. Among the 389 patients with grass pollen sensitisation, the prevalence of sIgE to allergen extracts of bermuda, mugwort, ragweed, plane, hop, ash, birch, and timothy grass was 97%, 96%, 94%, 88%, 88%, 84%, 78%, and 78%, respectively. However, only 134/389 (34%) were positive for Cyn d 1, 29/389 (7%) for Phl p 1, and 8/389 (2%) for Phl p 5b. For pollinosis patients, 62/547 (11%) were sIgE-positive for cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCDs), and their grass pollen-sIgE was also positive. Conclusions: The prevalence of in vitro IgE sensitisation to grass pollen extract is high in Chinese patients with pollinosis. But mostly spurious and characterized by IgE sensitisation to profilins and CCD, induced by other pollen. Component-resolved diagnostics is an extremely useful tool precise diagnostics of pollen allergy in China.

Abstract Background Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare disease with heterogeneous clinical symptoms. It is vitally important to predict whether an HAE patient will develop severe symptoms in clinical practice, but there are currently no predictive biomarkers for HAE stratification. Plasma N‐glycomes are disease‐specific and have great potential for the discovery of non‐invasive biomarkers. In this study, we profiled the plasma N‐glycome of HAE patients from two independent cohorts to identify candidate biomarkers. Methods Linkage‐specific sialylation derivatization combined with matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry detection and automated data processing was employed to analyze the plasma N‐glycome of two independent type‐1 HAE cohorts. Results HAE patients had abnormal glycan complexity, galactosylation, and α2,3‐ and α2,6‐linked sialylation compared to healthy controls (HC). The classification models based on dysregulated glycan traits could successfully discriminate between HAE and HC with area under the curves (AUCs) being greater than 0.9. Some of the aberrant glycans showed response to therapy. Moreover, we identified a series of glycan traits with strong associations with the occurrence of laryngeal or gastrointestinal angioedema or disease severity score. Predictive models based on these traits could be used to predict disease severity (AUC > 0.9). These results were replicated in an independent cohort. Conclusions We reported the full plasma N‐glycomic signature of HAE for the first time, and identified potential biomarkers. These findings may play a critical role in predicting disease severity and guide the treatment of HAE in clinical practice. Further protein‐specific and prospective studies are needed to validate our findings.

Phase transformation in structural alloys is of practical significance for their security services. Understanding phase transformation of strengthening intermetallic phases and its influence on mechanical properties is therefore crucial for the alloys’ safe applications and further development. In this work, investigations using an aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy combined with density functional theory calculations reveal that the strengthening intermetallic phase, η-Al3La, of a die-casting Mg − 3.5Al − 4.2La alloy is metastable, and it will transform to α-Al11La3 via an intermediate phase, ε-Al2.12La0.88, during annealing at 250 °C. For each transformation step, two orientation relationships are obeyed due to different nucleation sites or temperatures, or because of similar interfacial energy. Furthermore, a new planar fault, namely monolayer twin (MT), was observed, and it not only offer the nucleation site for ε-Al2.12La0.88 and the fast diffusion path for Al atoms, but also provide driving force for overcoming the energy barrier of η → ε → α transformation. Finally, both intermediate and product phases will obstruct the η-Al3La phase delivering 〈c + a〉 dislocations, and the level of solute Al atoms in Mg matrix will be clearly lowered during phase transformation, which result in deterioration in plasticity and creep resistance, respectively.

Background: Real-world studies on the allergen specific immunotherapy (AIT), omalizumab, and dupilumab associated anaphylactic events are limited. We aimed to analyze the characteristics of drug associated anaphylaxis, and to compare the differences among different drugs.Methods: A disproportionality analysis and Bayesian analysis were used in data mining to identify suspected anaphylaxis associated with AIT, omalizumab, and dupilumab based on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) from January 2004 to March 2021. Demographic information, time interval to onset, and death rates of AIT, omalizumab, and dupilumab associated anaphylaxis were also analyzed.Results: Totally 9,969 anaphylactic events were identified. Reports of AIT, omalizumab, and dupilumab associated anaphylactic events were 64, 7,784, and 2,121, respectively. AIT had a high reporting odds ratio (ROR) of 5.03 [95%confidental interval (CI) 3.69–6.85], followed by omalizumab (ROR 2.24, 95% CI 2.18–2.29), and dupilumab had a negative signal for anaphylaxis. In children, most anaphylactic reactions (68%) were reported in the 12–17-year-old group. More reports of anaphylaxis related to AIT were in boys (73%), while more reports of anaphylaxis related to omalizumab (63%) and dupilumab (58%) were in girls. Most symptoms occurred on the day of drug initiation. The death rate of AIT related anaphylaxis was the lowest (0%), the death rate of omalizumab was 0.87%, while the death rate of dupilumab was 4.76%. No significant differences were observed among these drugs.Conclusion: AIT and omalizumab had a positive signal for anaphylaxis, while dupilumab had a negative signal for anaphylaxis. Patients should be strictly monitored after administration of AIT and also biologics. It also gives us a suggestion for choosing a combined biologics with AIT when the risk of anaphylaxis was considered.