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A series of experiments was conducted in the present study in an attempt to understand how the implementation of active noise control would affect the sound transmission across a plenum window. A simple squared pressure control scheme with three error sensors equi-spaced on the vertical centerline of the indoor window opening was adopted. The secondary control loudspeakers were fixed close to the outdoor window opening. The effects of secondary control loudspeaker orientation relative to the plenum cavity and their locations on the performance of the active control were investigated. Results show that the active control system with two loudspeakers located symmetrically about the plenum cavity horizontal centerline facing directly the incoming noise gives the best performance. However, the effective frequency range is restricted to that below the first asymmetric mode cut-off frequency in the window gap direction. The active control performance is improved when the reverberation strength of the receiver chamber is reduced in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To better understand the clinical features of human adenovirus type 7 (hAdV7) pneumonia and to identify whether there is a variation in the genome of the strain (CHN/BeiJing/2018) isolated during the small-scale epidemic. Method: Forty-two patients were diagnosed with hAdV7 pneumonia between October 27th, 2017 and February 28th, 2018. They were all males with an average age of (21±2) years. Demographic and clinical data were reviewed and analyzed in detail. The nucleic acid of the epidemic strain was extracted from a bronchoalveolar lavage fluid sample. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was then performed and sequences were compared with other hAdV7 strains distributed globally. Phylogenetic tree analysis was conducted based on whole genome sequences of the epidemic strain. Results: Thirty-eight cases with hAdV7 pneumonia presented with influenza-like symptoms (90.5%) at the onset and 36 cases developed fever (85.7%), followed by cough (97.6%), expectoration (90.5%) and chest pain (28.6%). Five cases presented with tonsillitis(11.9%) and 4 had transient hemoptysis (9.5%), while 3 patients reported dyspnea (7.1%). Moist rales were only heard in 3 patients (7.1%). Notably elevated creatine kinase (CK) concentrations were observed in 8 patients (19.1%), but all returned to normal after treatment. Four cases developed hypoxemia (9.5%), but none of them progressed to respiratory failure or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Chest CT imaging showed bilateral patchy parenchymal opacities with a random distribution with or without consolidation. Ten patients were co-infected with influenza virus (23.8%), while 32 patients developed atypical pneumonia (76.2%). Genomic analysis revealed that the strain isolated during this epidemic was 99% similar to the known hAdV7 strains (19BOVLB/Volgograd/Rus/2014 and 0901HZ/ShX/CHN/2009). Phylogenetic tree analysis suggested that the strain was closely related to the hAdV7 strain isolated in Jingmen China in 2012. Conclusions: Cases with hAdV7 pneumonia were generally mild. Symptomatic treatment was sufficient for a favorable prognosis. A good genome stability of the hAdV7 strain was observed, indicating that hAdV7 could remain stable for a long period and cause continuing sporadic cases and clusters.

Objective: To establish and evaluate the feasibility of a pretreatment method for matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry identification of filamentous fungi developed by the laboratory. Methods: Three hundred and eighty strains of filamentous fungi from January 2014 to December 2016 were recovered and cultured on sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) plate at 28 ℃ to mature state. Meanwhile, the fungi were cultured in liquid sabouraud medium with a vertical rotation method recommended by Bruker and a horizontal vibration method developed by the laboratory until adequate amount of colonies were observed. For the strains cultured with the three methods, protein was extracted with modified magnetic bead-based extraction method for mass spectrum identification. Results: For 380 fungi strains, it took 3-10 d to culture with SDA culture method, and the ratio of identification of the species and genus was 47% and 81%, respectively; it took 5-7 d to culture with vertical rotation method, and the ratio of identification of the species and genus was 76% and 94%, respectively; it took 1-2 d to culture with horizontal vibration method, and the ratio of identification of the species and genus was 96% and 99%, respectively. For the comparison between horizontal vibration method and SDA culture method comparison, the difference was statistically significant (χ(2)=39.026, P <0.01); for the comparison between horizontal vibration method and vertical rotation method recommended by Bruker, the difference was statistically significant(χ(2)=11.310, P <0.01). Conclusion: The horizontal vibration method and modified magnetic bead-based extraction method developed by the laboratory is superior to the method recommended by Bruker and SDA culture method in terms of the identification capacity for filamentous fungi, which can be applied in clinic.

The fusion gene of BPI23 and human Fc gamma 1 was obtained by PCR method, and the expression plasmid was constructed to express recombinant BPI23-Fc gamma 1 fusion protein in CHO cells. After transfection with the plasmid and selection by methotrexate, the cell lines expressing the fusion protein were obtained. The recombinant protein was purified using cation-exchange chromatography and its bioactivity was proved with bactericidal assays.

Interactions between galanin and noradrenaline (NA) were studied in a locus coeruleus (LC) slice preparation using intracellular recording technique. Both galanin (10-100 nM) and NA induced an outward current. Idazoxan, an alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist, blocked the NA- but not the galanin-induced outward current, indicating that different receptors mediate these responses. Moreover, the outward current induced by NA was enhanced and prolonged by preincubation with a low concentration of galanin (0.05-0.1 nM), which had no detectable effect on the membrane current by itself. This sensitizing effect may be of physiological importance and could be caused by galanin released from dendrites and soma of galanin/NA neurons and/or from galanin afferents. Thus, besides a direct action of galanin on locus coeruleus neurons, our results also indicate an indirect, modulating effect.

Using indirect immunofluorescence, neuropeptide Y Y1 receptor (Y1 receptor)-like immunoreactivity (LI) was localized close to the plasmalemma of small neurons in lumbar dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) and neurons in the inner lamina II of the lumbar spinal cord of the rat. Using confocal microscopy, colocalization of Y1 receptor-LI and transferrin receptor-LI, a marker for endosomes and coated vesicles, was observed in dot-like structures along the plasmalemma. Under the electron microscope, Y1 receptor-LI was localized in coated vesicles and endosomes, in the membrane of tubular cisternae, sometimes connected to multivesicular bodies, and in the plasmalemma. These complex distribution patterns may reflect receptor turnover and internalization processes. In the lamina II of the spinal dorsal horn, Y1 receptor-LI was localized in the plasmalemma of neurons without any apparent association with paramembrane structures, as described above for the DRG neurons. Many dendrites were Y1 receptor-positive, and some of them made synaptic contacts with unstained axonal terminals. In general, Y1 receptor-LI was localized in the membrane outside the postsynaptic density. Double-immunofluorescence staining showed that most Y1 receptor-immunoreactive neurons in lamina II contained somatostatin-LI. Both in DRG and dorsal horn neurons, the Y1 receptor thus seems to represent a postjunctional/postsynaptic receptor.

In the present study we show that, in contrast to the rat, injection of cholera toxin B-subunit (CTB) into the intact sciatic nerve of Macaca mulatta monkey gives rise to labelling of a sparse network of fibers in laminae I-II of spinal cord and of some mainly small dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Twenty days after sciatic nerve cut, the percentage of CTB-positive lumbar 5 (L5) DRG neuron profiles increased from 11% to 73% of all profiles. In the spinal cord, a marked increase in CTB labelling was seen in laminae I, II, and the dorsal part of lamina III. In the rat L5 DRGs, 18 days after sciatic nerve cut, the percentage of CTB- and CTB conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labelled neuron profiles increased from 45% to 81%, and from 54% to 87% of all neuron profiles, respectively. Cell size measurements in the rat showed that most of the CTB-positive neuron profiles were small in size after axotomy, whereas most were large in intact DRGs. In the rat spinal dorsal horn, a dense network of CTB-positive fibers covered the whole dorsal horn on the axotomized side, whereas CTB-labelled fibers were mainly seen in laminae III and deeper laminae on the contralateral side. A marked increase in CTB-positive fibers was also seen in the gracile nucleus. The present study shows that in both monkey and rat DRGs, a subpopulation of mainly small neurons acquires the capacity to take up CTB/CTB-HRP after axotomy, a capacity normally not associated with these DRG neurons. These neurons may transganglionically transport CTB and CTB-HRP. Thus, after peripheral axotomy, CTB and CTB-HRP are markers not only for large but also for small DRG neurons and, thus, possibly also for both myelinated and unmyelinated primary afferents in the spinal dorsal horn. These findings may lead to a reevaluation of the concept of sprouting, considered to take place in the dorsal horn after peripheral nerve injury.

Galanin can normally be detected only in a few dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, but it is dramatically upregulated after peripheral nerve injury in both rat and monkey. Galanin is stored in large dense core vesicles, which after axotomy are often found close to the membrane of afferent nerve endings in the dorsal horn. In the monkey there is an increase in galanin in many nerve terminals in the superficial dorsal horn after axotomy, but such an increase is more difficult to detect in the rat. Galanin is also present in local dorsal horn neurons, where it is upregulated by peripheral inflammation. Both galanin-R1 and galanin-R2 receptor mRNAs are expressed in rat DRGs, mainly in, respectively, large and small DRG neurons. Galanin-R1 receptor mRNA is downregulated in DRG neurons after axotomy, and a small decrease in galanin-R2 receptor mRNA levels can also be seen. After peripheral tissue inflammation galanin-R1 receptor mRNA levels decrease and galanin-R2 receptor mRNA levels increase. The present results show that galanin and galanin receptors are present in sensory and local dorsal horn neurons and are regulated by nerve injury and inflammation. Galanin may therefore be involved in processing of pain information, primarily exerting analgesic effects. Whereas local dorsal horn neurons represent a defense system against inflammatory pain, we have proposed that a second defense system, against neuropathic pain, is intrinsic to DRG neurons.