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In this work, powder thixoforming technique was utilized to prepare 10 vol% SiC particulate-reinforced 6061 alloy matrix (SiCp/6061Al) composite and artificial aging treatment was conducted to enhance mechanical properties. The results reveal that the aging process of SiCp/6061Al composite at 175 °C can be divided into three stages: under-aged (0.5–10 h) stage, peak-aged (10 h) stage and over-aged (10–48 h) stage, which were dominated by Guinier–Preston zone, β″ and β phase, respectively. Correspondingly, the tensile strengths of this composite exhibited a trend of first rising (0.5–10 h) and then decreasing (10–48 h), while the elongation continuously decreased all the time. Comparing with the as-fabricated composite, optimal aging treatment for 10 h led to maximum ultimate tensile strength of 309 MPa, yield strength of 240 MPa and a moderate elongation of 3.7%, representing remarkable increments of 34.3%, 87.5% and 42.3%, respectively. The aging behaviors of SiCp/6061Al composite and corresponding strengthening as well as toughening mechanisms were discussed.

Wireless sensors integrate a variety of high-tech, powered by engines to form network nodes, and randomly distributed sensors and data processing units form a network through a certain rule. The wireless sensor can directly transmit the collected digital signal to the computer for analysis and processing. Intelligent computer refers to a computer that can simulate and expand artificial intelligence. It is a dynamically developing concept and always represents the most advanced level of computer development. This article aims to study the role of wireless sensors and intelligent computer-assisted teaching in physical education and training. It is hoped that wireless sensors and intelligent computer technology will assist in physical training. This article briefly summarizes the status quo of the use of wireless sensors, briefly introduces the design and use of various wireless sensors, and briefly explains their differences. This article explains the theoretical basis and principles of use of intelligent computers. Aiming at the shortcomings of traditional multimedia courseware in the teaching process, an application idea is proposed, and a modular design method is adopted to design a computer-assisted teaching system based on integrated ware. The test results of this paper show that 40% of the students were very satisfied with the intelligent PC-assisted educational delivery system in PE lessons, 67% were satisfied with the usage of the intelligent CC-AS in PE lessons and 22% disagreed with the usage of the intelligent CC-AS in PE lessons; 14.2% of the teachers often used the intelligent CC-AS in PE lessons and 30% of teachers occasionally used ICDS in PE lessons and another 12% never used ICDS in PE lessons.

An important feature of the time series in the real world is that its distribution has different degrees of asymmetry, which is what we call irreversibility. In this paper, we propose a new method named permutation pattern (PP) to calculate the Kullback–Leibler divergence ( $${D}_{\mathrm{KL}}$$ ) and the Jensen–Shannon divergence ( $${D}_{\mathrm{JS}}$$ ) to explore the irreversibility of time series. Meanwhile, we improve $${D}_{\mathrm{JS}}$$ and obtain a complete mean divergence ( $${D}_{\mathrm{m}}$$ ) through averaging $${D}_{\mathrm{KL}}$$ of a time series and its inverse time series. The variation trend of $${D}_{\mathrm{m}}$$ is similar to $${D}_{\mathrm{JS}}$$ , but the value of $${D}_{\mathrm{m}}$$ is slightly larger and the description of irreversibility is more intuitive. Furthermore, we compare $${D}_{\mathrm{JS}}$$ and $${D}_{\mathrm{m}}$$ calculated by PP with those calculated by the horizontal visibility graph, and discuss their respective characteristics. Then, we investigate the advantages of $$\mathrm{D}_{\mathrm{JS}}$$ and $${D}_{\mathrm{m}}$$ through length variation, dynamic time variation, multiscale and so on. It is worth mentioning that we introduce Score and variance to analyze the practical significance of stock irreversibility.

MicroRNA (miR)-199a-5p expression is downregulated in a variety of malignancies, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and its low expression is associated with a poor prognosis. However, to the best of our knowledge, the mechanism underlying miR-199a-5p downregulation in NSCLC and its target effectors remain to be elucidated. The present study revealed the downregulation of miR-199a-5p expression in NSCLC tissues and cell lines compared with in para-carcinoma tissues and a lung epithelial cell line. Further experiments indicated that the methylation levels of the miR-199a promoter were markedly higher in NSCLC tissues compared with in para-carcinoma tissues. The DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine markedly increased the expression levels of miR-199a-5p in NSCLC cells. Furthermore, it was identified that miR-199a-5p mimics transfection decreased the expression levels of A-kinase anchoring protein 1 (AKAP1) at both the mRNA and protein levels by targeting the 3' untranslated region of AKAP1 mRNA. The in vitro experiments demonstrated that miR-199a-5p overexpression inhibited the proliferation and tumorigenicity of NSCLC cells, whereas overexpression of AKAP1 partially recovered the malignant phenotypes, suggesting that AKAP1 may be a downstream effector targeted by miR-199a-5p. Collectively, the present findings indicated that miR-199a-5p may be a novel regulator of AKAP1, and that miR-199a-5p may be a potential tumor suppressor in NSCLC.

Rationale: Compelling evidence suggests that Lgr5+ hepatocytes repair liver damage by promoting the regeneration of hepatocytes and ductal cells in the case of liver injury. The PTEN-mediated AKT/β-catenin signaling plays a key role in the regulation of innate immune regulation in the liver. However, the signaling pathways that control Lgr5+ hepatocyte proliferation in the liver remain unclear. Methods: In order to assess the involvement of PTEN-mediated AKT/β-catenin signaling in the expansion of Lgr5+ hepatocytes upon liver injuries, the Lgr5-CreER; Rosa-mTmG lineage tracing system was used to target Lgr5+ hepatocytes. Results: The tracing of Lgr5+ hepatocytes showed that PTEN deletion and β-catenin activation significantly promoted the proliferation of Lgr5+ hepatocytes. In converse, the simultaneous inhibition of PTEN and β-catenin limited Lgr5+ hepatocyte proliferation in the liver. Our findings provide an insight into understanding how PTEN-mediated AKT/β-catenin signaling regulates the proliferation of Lgr5+ hepatocytes. Conclusion: The outcomes can improve the application potential of Lgr5+ hepatocytes in the treatment of liver injury diseases and provide a new treatment option for liver cancer.

A microstructure-based numerical simulation is performed to understand the mechanical properties and fracture of a Ti-Al3Ti core-shell structured particulate reinforced A356 composite ((Ti-Al3Ti)cs/A356). A series of two-dimensional (2D) representative volume element (RVE) models are generated automatically by embedding Ti-Al3Ti core-shell structured particulates in an A356 matrix. Microstructure-based 2D RVE of monolithic Al3Ti particulate reinforced A356 composite (Al3Tip/A356) is also simulated for comparison. The ductile fracture of both Ti core and A356 matrix as well as the brittle fracture of the Al3Ti shell are considered. The simulation confirms that the high elongation of the (Ti-Al3Ti)cs/A356 composite is attributed to the uniform distribution of the overall ductile globular reinforcing particulates, which prevent a premature failure effectively by reducing local stress concentration both on and inside the core-shell structured particulates. The surrounding ductile phases of the Al3Ti shell blunt the crack tips effectively and, therefore, restricting the propagation of the cracks in a nominal strain range of 2.2%–6.1%. For both (Ti-Al3Ti)cs/A356 and Al3Tip/A356 composites, the simulation results are in good agreement with microstructural observations during an in-situ tensile test in a scanning electron microscope.

The powder thixoforming method was used to fabricate 10 vol% silicon carbide particle (SiCp) reinforced 6061 Al matrix composites with high mechanical performances successfully. Here, we demonstrated with proof that proper solution treatment could not only enhance tensile strength of the composite: its ultimate tensile strength and yield strength increased from 230 to 128 MPa in the as-fabricated state to 275 and 212 MPa solutionized at 808 K for 6 h but also improve composite’s tensile elongation significantly with an increment of 161.5% from 2.6% to 6.8%. Corresponding toughening mechanisms are mainly investigated from the perspective of both microstructure examination and total strain to failure calculation through a modified model. The theoretical predictions are in reasonably good agreement with the experimental data. This work may provide a practical way to alleviate the inverse strength–ductility relationship of particulate reinforced metal matrix composites and provide reference for the SF calculation of similar composites subjected to solution treatment.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to review and summarize current literature concerning the validation and application of lung ultrasound (LUS) in critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Materials and Methods: An extensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Review, Google Scholar, and Ohio State University Link based on the question if LUS should be considered a reliable investigational technique for ARDS diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis in pediatric and adult population. Results: LUS has been successfully validated for facilitating early diagnosis and diagnosis of simultaneous lung conditions, predicting lung recruitment treatment effect, and evaluating the prognosis in ARDS patients. Whether lung US is a useful tool in the prediction of prone position and oxygenation response in patients with ARDS is conflicting. Conclusions: LUS is a noninvasive, radiation-free, cheap, and easy to perform tool for critically ill patients with ARDS and might be a promising technique used in the Intensive Care Unit for ARDS management.

The trade-off between strength and ductility of particulate reinforced metal matrix composites (PRMMCs) has been a longstanding puzzle. Here we propose an effective strategy to surmount the inverse relationship between strength and ductility of an A356 Al alloy based PRMMC by in situ synthesizing novel reinforcing particulates with a special core-shell (CS) structure. Such structure features a Ti core inside a dual-layer shell: the inner layer has a nano-grained (~130 nm) heterogeneous structure, and the outer layer possesses a composite structure composed of a (Al,Si)3Ti substrate with dense dispersion of nanoparticles. As a result, the obtained composite reinforced with such CS reinforcing particulates (CS composite) achieves an unprecedented tensile elongation to failure of 8.3 ± 0.8% and a uniform elongation of 7.1 ± 0.6%, which nearly triples that of the same alloy based composite reinforced with monolithic (Al,Si)3Ti particulates (monolithic composite) and equivalent to corresponding matrix alloy while maintaining high ultimate tensile strength of 373 ± 8.8 MPa and yield strength of 268 ± 7.9 MPa, equivalent to monolithic composite simultaneously. This special architecture of shell renders itself a high capability of stress bearing and good toughness, and the nanoparticles in outer layer further slower crack development, which significantly postpone crack formation in shell. Subsequent propagation of cracks in Ti core is also constrained remarkably by the transformation-induced plasticity effect occurred ahead of crack tips resulting from stress-induced phase transformation of hcp-Ti into fcc-Ti. These factors lead to highest work hardening rate that undergoes a long plateau and thus overcome the strength-ductility trade-off of A356 alloy based PRMMC.

Herkinorin is an opiate analgesic with limited adverse effects, functioning as a primary selective atypical opioid µ agonist. The present study aimed to identify whether herkinorin has a positive effect on ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Adult male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into five groups: i) Naive, ii) sham, iii) I/R, iv) I/R with dimethyl sulfoxide (I/R+D) and v) I/R with herkinorin (I/R+H). The I/R injury model was induced by occluding the middle cerebral artery for 1 h followed by 24 h or 7 days of reperfusion. Neurobehavioral scores and sensorimotor functions were examined 24 h and 7 days following reperfusion. In addition, infarct volumes were examined at these time points using a 2,3,5‑triphenyltetrazolium chloride assay. Herkinorin treatment improved neurobehavioral and sensorimotor functional recovery from I/R‑induced brain injury. There was a significant decrease in infarct volume in the I/R+H group at 24 h or 7 days following reperfusion compared with the I/R and I/R+D groups. Western blotting suggested that the decrease in conventional protein kinase C γ (cPKCγ) membrane translocation in the peri‑infarct region may be attenuated by herkinorin pretreatment. These results indicated that herkinorin may be beneficial in I/R‑induced mouse brain injury, and this may be attributed to the membrane translocation of cPKCγ following activation.

6061 Al-based composites reinforced with 10% volume fractions of 6.94 μm SiC particles (SiCp) have been fabricated by powder thixoforming, and the effects of solution treatment on their tensile properties and strengthening mechanisms were investigated. The obtained results indicate that the addition of SiCp significantly improved the tensile strength of a 6061 Al matrix alloy, but reduced its ductility. The ultimate tensile and yield strengths of the alloy increased from 180 MPa and 99 MPa to 230 MPa and 128 MPa, respectively, while its elongation decreased from 8.0% to 2.6%. However, the solution treatment at 535 °C for 6 h significantly alleviated ductility losses and further enhanced the composite tensile strength; as a result, its ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation were increased by 19.6%, 65.2%, and 161.5% up to 275 MPa, 212 MPa, and 6.8%, respectively. Due to the presence of SiCp, the resulting composite solution rate was noticeably decreased compared to that of the matrix alloy. The relationship between the solution time and the composite yield strength was discussed theoretically by using a modified micromechanical model, which took into account the SiCp failure. The obtained theoretical results were in good agreement with the experimental ones.

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), a common clinical in aged patients, is characterized by deficits in cognitive functions in patients following anesthesia and surgery. It has been demonstrated that isoflurane may lead to cognitive impairment in aged rats; however, effective clinical interventions for preventing this disorder are limited. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α has been suggested to be involved in neuroinflammation as well as the development of POCD. Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate whether TNF-α signaling is involved in the isoflurane-induced cognitive impairment in aged rats, and whether TNF-α receptor antagonist are able to attenuate isoflurane-induced cognitive impairment in aged rats. A population of 20-month-old rats were administered TNF-α receptor antagonist R-7050 or an equal volume of saline by intraperitoneal injection 12 h prior to exposure to isoflurane to model cognitive impairment following anesthesia in old patients. Then the rats were exposed to 1.3% isoflurane for 4 h. In the control group, rats showed impaired cognitive functions evaluated by Morris water maze assay after isoflurane exposure. Furthermore, isoflurane exposure induced marked upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-8 in the hippocampus tissue. In the experimental group, intracisternal administration of TNF-α receptor antagonist R-7050 significantly attenuated isoflurane-induced cognitive impairment and upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines. Further investigation revealed that intracisternal administration of TNF-α receptor antagonist R-7050 notably suppressed isoflurane-induced activation of NF-κB and MAPK signaling. Collectively, the present results suggest that TNF-α receptor antagonist may serve as a potential agent for the prevention of anesthesia-induced cognitive decline in aged patients.

Background and Objectives The analgesic effect and duration of a transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block remain controversial. Transversus abdominis plane blocks are effective for somatic/incisional pain but do not provide analgesia for visceral pain from intra-abdominal procedures. The purpose of this study was to assess the area and extent of cutaneous sensory blockade and the regression of dermatomal anesthesia after bilateral oblique subcostal TAP block. Methods This observational, prospective clinical study consisted of 12 healthy volunteers. All volunteers received a bilateral oblique subcostal TAP block under real-time ultrasound guidance with 20 mL of 0.375% ropivacaine. The anterior abdominal cutaneous area was divided into 3 parts (midabdomen, left-lateral abdomen, right-lateral abdomen) using 2 lines drawn in a parasagittal fashion 5 cm lateral to the midline. The area of cutaneous sensory blockade involving the anterior abdomen was assessed 30 minutes after institution of the block using a cold stimulus. This was followed by repeated measurements using a cold stimulus applied along parasagittal lines drawn 3 cm lateral to the midline at 0.5, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22, and 26 hours after blockade. Results The area of cutaneous sensory blockade of the abdomen was 332 (SD, 73) cm2; that of the midabdomen was 253 (SD, 29) cm2, which represented an average of 90% of the area of the midabdomen; and that of the lateral abdominal wall (combination of left-lateral abdomen and right-lateral abdomen) was 79 (SD, 62) cm2, which represented an average of 26% of total lateral abdominal area. Dermatomes T7–T12 of the midabdomen were successfully blocked in all volunteers after using the bilateral oblique subcostal technique. However, T6 and L1 were only variably blocked. The area of cutaneous sensory block of the anterior abdomen regressed over the ensuing 22 hours in the following manner: 90%, 87%, 73%, 50%, 22%, 3%, and 0% at 0.5, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22, and 26 hours, respectively. Conclusions Bilateral oblique subcostal TAP block produces a widespread cutaneous sensory blockade with a consistent dermatomal distribution in the midabdomen for a considerable effective duration.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the important risk factors contributing to postoperative airway complications. OSA alters the respiratory physiology and increases the sensitivity of muscle tone of the upper airway after surgery to residual anesthetic medication. In addition, the prevalence of OSA was reported to be much higher among surgical patients than the general population. Therefore, appropriate monitoring to detect early respiratory impairment in postoperative extubated patients with possible OSA is challenging. Based on the comprehensive clinical observation, several equipment have been used for monitoring the respiratory conditions of OSA patients after surgery, including the continuous pulse oximetry, capnography, photoplethysmography (PPG), and respiratory volume monitor (RVM). To date, there has been no consensus on the most suitable device as a recommended standard of care. In this review, we describe the advantages and disadvantages of some possible monitoring strategies under certain clinical conditions. According to the literature, the continuous pulse oximetry, with its high sensitivity, is still the most widely used device. It is also cost-effective and convenient to use but has low specificity and does not reflect ventilation. Capnography is the most widely used device for detection of hypoventilation, but it may not provide reliable data for extubated patients. Even normal capnography cannot exclude the existence of hypoxia. PPG shows the state of both ventilation and oxygenation, but its sensitivity needs further improvement. RVM provides real-time detection of hypoventilation, quantitative precise demonstration of respiratory rate, tidal volume, and MV for extubated patients, but no reflection of oxygenation. Altogether, the sole use of any of these devices is not ideal for monitoring of extubated patients with or at risk for OSA after surgery. However, we expect that the combined use of continuous pulse oximetry and RVM may be promising for these patients due to their complementary function, which need further study.

The synthesis of diethyl carbonate starting from ethanol and carbon dioxide was studied. The ZrO2 obtained by precipitation method was used as the catalyst. When the 3A molecular sieve was added as the co-catalyst, the DEC yield was effectively improved about 2.5-fold. The optimal mass ratio of ZrO2 and 3A molecular sieve was 5:2. In addition, the catalyst was characterized by the means of XRD, BET, TEM, NH3-TPD and CO2-TPD. It was indicated that the crystal type, acidic-basic properties of ZrO2, and the pore size of molecular sieve might be the main factors impacting the catalytic activities. By the optimization of the catalyst and the reaction operating conditions, when CO2 and ethanol were charged with the molar ratio of 514/225 mmol, the yield of DEC produced at 150 °C and 7.0 MPa was 0.384 mmol in 2 h with the selectivity of 85.1 %.

This study is aimed to investigate the efficacy and underlying the mechanism of propofol in treatment of ischemia reperfusion (IR)-induced lung injury in rats, providing a novel insight of therapeutic strategy for IR-induced lung injury. 120 healthy SD rats were selected and randomly divided into sham operation group, IR group, and propofol group (40 rats per group). Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) protein content, serum protein content, lung permeability index, lung water content rate, methane dicarboxylic aldehyde (MDA) in lung tissue, superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide (NO), endothelin (ET-1), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), nuclear factor (NF-κB), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were examined and compared among different groups to evaluate the therapeutical effects of propofol on IR-induced lung injury and analyze the mechanism. In sham operation group, neither change in lung tissue nor pulmonary interstitial edema or alveolar wall damage was found under microscope; in IR group, marked pulmonary interstitial edema and alveolar wall damage complicated with inflammatory cell infiltration and hemorrhage were found; in propofol group, alveolar wall widening was observed, however, hemorrhage in alveolar cavity, inflammatory infiltration and tissue damage were less significant than in IR group. At 3 h after reperfusion, BALF protein content, lung permeability index, and lung water content rate were all significantly increased in IR group and propofol group, while the serum protein content was significantly lower than sham operation group (p0.05). Moreover, we found that the change of above parameters in propofol group was less significant than in IR group (p0.05). No statistically significant difference was found in ET-1 levels in different groups (p0.05). In contrast, MDA and NO in IR group and propofol group were significantly increased, while SOD activity was significantly decreased (p0.05). Furthermore, the change of above parameters in propofol group was less significant than in IR group (p0.05). In addition, mRNAs of TLR4, NF-κB, and TNF-α were significantly increased in IR group and propofol group (p0.05) with more significant change in IR group compared with propofol group (p0.05). Propofol has protective effects against IR-induced lung injury by improving activity of oxygen radical and restoring NO/ET-1 dynamic balance. Besides, regulation of TLR4, NF-κB, and TNF-α by propofol also play important role in alleviating IR-induced lung injury.

Permutation entropy (PE) has been proposed to reflect the complexity of time series in recent years, and it has a wide range of applications. In this paper, we extend PE to the fractional order through the parameter α, and then obtain fractional permutation entropy (FPE). FPE can increase the sensitivity of the complex system by adjusting the fractional order. We combine FPE with fractional Jensen–Shannon divergence (FJSD) to construct the entropy plane and discover that the entropy plane can classify various time series. In particular, it can distinguish the stock indices of developing countries and developed countries. We introduce FPE and FJSD to multiscale, and gain multiscale fractional permutation entropy (MFPE) and multiscale fractional Jensen–Shannon divergence (MFJSD). We employ simulated data and financial stock data to explore the relationship of MFPE and MFJSD under different scales, and the results show that some data are similar to direct proportion relationship and others data are sharply increasing curves, which portrays the internal mechanism of the stock market excellently.

The active filter has different connection methods, and the methods used are also various. With the deepening of research, more novel filtering methods are proposed and applied, which enhances the efficiency and rapidity of filtering. At present, China has made great progress in harmonic suppression. In the face of the fact that harmonic problems are becoming more and more serious, the research of filtering technology and the popularization and application of filtering equipment are urgently needed.

This paper introduces the DC power obtained from photovoltaic power generation, and then boosts it by the boost chopper circuit. Finally, it is inverted by a single-phase full-bridge inverter circuit into 220V, 50Hz single-phase AC power that meets the normal working requirements of household appliances. Give the load. Among them, the inverter is the most important part, which can convert direct current into alternating current. Before this, it is necessary to increase the DC voltage through a boost chopper circuit and then invert it.

Soda-lime sintering process and lime sintering process are the research focus on utilization of low-grade alumina recently. The latter process can realize dry-sintering process and its energy consumption is relatively lower. However, its sintering temperature is up to 1350 °C, which is unfavorable to industrial production. Based on lime sintering method, a novel process of alumina production from low-grade bauxite containing sulfur or fly ash is carried out in this paper. The phase of alumina transforms from 12CaO·7Al2O3 (C12A7) to 4CaO·3Al2O3·SO3 (C4A3S), whose alumina leaching property is better, through decreasing sinter temperature and time and adjusting the content of CaSO4 of the raw materials of lime sintering process. The main phases of the clinker sintered at 1250 °C are C4A3S and silicon dioxide. Its leaching ratio reaches 89% after 10 min reaction, and the conditions of leaching temperature and sodium carbonate’s concentration are lower than that of C12A7.

A new method, powder thixoforming, has been proposed to fabricate an in situ Al3Tip/2024Al composite. During partial remelting, the microstructural evolution of the bulk alloy prepared by cold pressing of the Ti, Al, 2024Al powder mixture was investigated, and the formation mechanism of the Al3Ti particles produced by the reaction between the Ti powder and the Al alloy melt is also discussed in detail. The results indicate that the microstructural evolution of the 2024 alloy matrix can be divided into three stages: a rapid coarsening of the powder grains; a formation of primary α-Al particles surrounded with a continuous liquid film; and a slight coarsening of the primary α-Al particles. Simultaneously, a reaction layer of Al3Ti can be formed on the Ti powder surface when the bulk is heated for 10 min at 640 °C The thickness (X) of the reaction layer increases with the time according to the parabolic law of \(X = -0.43t^{2} + 4.21t + 0.17\). The stress generated in the reaction layer due to the volume dilatation can be calculated by using the equationσ \(\sigma_{Al_{3}Ti} = -\frac{ E_{Al_{3}Ti} }{6(1-v{Al_{3}Ti})} \frac{ t^{3}_{Al_{3}Ti} }{t_{Ti}} \left(\frac{1}{R} - \frac{1}{R_{0}} \right) \). Comparing the obtained data with the results of the drip experiment, the reaction rate for the Ti powder and Al powder mixture is greater than that for the Ti plate and Al alloy mixture, respectively.

With a sustainable development of export-oriented economy in China, the overall size of port logistics is continuously expanded. Based on the developing trend and characteristics of port logistics in China, the significance and advantages of China E-port are analyzed. Meanwhile, the data center and some main application systems of China E-port are introduced in this paper as well, such as Manifest, ATA, Customs Agency, Online Payment, E-account book, and Identity Authentication. Finally, it is proposed that the main feature of E-port system is information sharing which is significant on improving the whole efficiency of port logistics compared with major projects in China E-port. It is especially analyzed how to improve the economic effectiveness and social benefits of local international logistics informationization since the implementation of Shanghai e-port, such as strengthening the customs supervision, speeding up the flow of imports and exports, expanding the scope of Shanghai logistics center, etc. Some measures are proposed to further expand the value of Shanghai e-port system, including the port innovative model, and other regional collaboration strategies.

To compare paravertebral block under thoracoscopy with wound infiltration at an early stage after video-assisted thoracic lobectomy surgery.A prospective, randomized, triple-blinded, placebo-controlled trial.A single-center university hospital.Patients scheduled for video-assisted thoracic lobectomy surgery between February 20, 2014 and June 1, 2014 randomly were allocated into paravertebral block (PVB) (n = 35) and infiltration (n = 35) groups.In the PVB group, 0.5% ropivacaine was injected into the paravertebral space by the surgeon under direct vision with placebo infiltration of saline in the wounds. In the infiltration group, the wounds were infiltrated with 0.5% ropivacaine by the surgeon with a placebo paravertebral block. Subsequently, patient-controlled intravenous morphine analgesia and paracoxib were administered.The primary endpoints were visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores at rest and on cough 0, 2, 6, and 24 hours after surgery. The secondary endpoints were the total morphine during postoperative 0 hours to 24 hours, adverse events, and patient satisfaction with the analgesia. Sixty-one patients completed the study. VAS score on cough at each time point was significantly lower (p0.05) and median (25th, 75th) morphine consumption was lower in the PVB group than in the infiltration group (26 [10, 35] mg and 42 [29, 58] mg, p0.001, respectively). There was no difference in VAS score at rest. Patients in the PVB group had higher satisfaction with analgesia than in the infiltration group (p = 0.003).As part of the multimodal postoperative analgesia, intraoperative paravertebral block provided better dynamic pain relief and reduced morphine consumption compared with local wound infiltration.

Background We evaluated the efficacy of a new anesthetic technique termed ultrasound-guided capsule-sheath space block (CSSB) combined with anterior cervical cutaneous nerve block (CCNB) for thyroidectomy. Methods The study included two parts: Part one was an imaging study to determine technique feasibility. The CSSB was performed on five healthy volunteers by introducing the needle 0.5 cm lateral to the probe under in-plane needle ultrasound guidance. After puncture of the false capsule and its subsequent contraction with the true capsule of thyroid, 10 mL of contrast medium was deposited slowly in the capsule-sheath space. The CCNB was performed bilaterally as follows: Under ultrasound guidance, a subcutaneous injection was made along the sternocleidomastoid using 10 mL of contrast medium which was followed by a girdle-shaped picchu raised from the cricoid cartilage to supraclavicular region. The spreading pattern of contrast medium was imaged using computed tomographic scanning. In part two (a clinical case series) the technique efficacy was evaluated. Seventy-eight patients undergoing thyroidectomy had ultrasound-guided CSSB and CCNB with local anesthetics. The sensory onset of CCNB, intraoperative hemodynamic parameters, and analgesic effect were assessed and complications were noted. Results The distribution of contrast medium was well defined. In part two the onset time of CCNB was 2.2 ± 0.7 min, and the hemodynamic parameters remained stable intraoperatively. The recall of visual analogue scale scores during surgery was 2 [1–4] for median (range). The patients’ and surgeons’ satisfaction scores were 2 [1–4] and 1 [1–3] for median (range). No serious complications occurred. Conclusions Combining ultrasound-guided CSSB and CCNB is a feasible, effective and safe technique for thyroidectomy. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ChiCTR-ONC-12002025. Registered 19 March 2012.

Xuezheng Zhang,1 Ying Zhou,1 Limei Chen,1 Quanguang Wang,1 Jianwu Ni,1 Le Liu,1 Chenggang Hu,2 Xuzhong Xu11Department of Anesthesiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Anesthesia, Pomerado Hospital, Poway, CA, USAObjective: To compare the clinical effects of anesthesia and postoperative analgesia for patients with unilateral lower-extremity fracture between multiple injections through catheters beside the lumbar plexus or sciatic nerve and continuous epidural analgesia.Methods: Seventy patients with unilateral lower-extremity fracture scheduled for internal fixation were randomly divided into group N (n = 35) and group E (n = 35). Patients in group N received combined lumbar plexus and sciatic nerve block, then a catheter was inserted into the psoas compartment or beside the sciatic nerve, according to the surgical site, and 25 mL 0.375% ropivacaine was injected into patients in group N through the peripheral nerve catheter 12 hours after operation. Patients in group E received combined spinal and epidural anesthesia, and when the operation was complete kept the epidural catheter and received patient-controlled epidural analgesia with an analgesia pump.Results: The visual analog scores of patients at each time point in the two groups showed no significant difference (P > 0.05). Mean arterial pressure at 30 minutes after anesthesia and 4 hours postoperation in group E decreased significantly and was significantly lower than group N (P < 0.01). Group E had significantly higher rate of urinary retention than group N (P < 0.05), and the time of first food intake of patients in group N was significantly shorter than in group E (P < 0.001).Conclusion: For patients with unilateral lower-extremity fracture receiving internal fixation, multiple injections through catheters beside the lumbar plexus or sciatic nerve can provide adequate postoperative analgesia, with very few adverse effects.Keywords: lumbar plexus, sciatic nerve, catheterization, lower extremity, analgesia

The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block has been shown to provide effective postoperative analgesia in lower abdominal surgery. Subcostal TAP block has also been proposed as a new technique to provide analgesia for the supraumbilical abdomen. We compared the analgesic and opioid-sparing effects of a single-injection subcostal TAP block with continuous thoracic epidural analgesia and IV opioid analgesia.Ninety patients undergoing elective radical gastrectomy were randomized to receive either combined general-subcostal TAP anesthesia (group TAP), combined general-epidural anesthesia (group EA), or general anesthesia (group GA), and were analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis. In group TAP, a bilateral subcostal TAP block was performed after induction of general anesthesia using 20 mL of 0.375% ropivacaine. In group EA, a thoracic epidural was placed between T8 and T9 and bolused with 8 mL of 0.25% ropivacaine before induction of general anesthesia. The epidural was maintained with 5 mL/h of 0.25% ropivacaine during the surgery. Group GA received standard general anesthesia. In the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), all groups received IV morphine titration for visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores3. All patients were started on IV patient-controlled analgesia with morphine after morphine titration in the PACU, while group EA also had their epidural maintained with 5 mL/h of 0.125% bupivacaine with 8 μg/mL morphine. Patients were assessed in the PACU and at 1, 3, 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours postoperatively. Primary outcomes measured were morphine consumption at 24 hours and all VAS pain scores.Data from 82 of 90 (91.1%) patients were included in the study. Group TAP demonstrated decreased cumulative morphine consumption at 24 hours (98.75% confidence intervals, -29 to -9 mg) and noninferiority on VAS pain scores at all measurement times, as compared with group GA with standard opioid analgesia. However, group EA was superior to group TAP regarding cumulative morphine consumption at 24 hours (98.75% confidence intervals, -23 to -4 mg) and noninferior to group TAP on VAS pain scores at all comparison points. Group TAP had reduced morphine consumption from PACU admission to 6 hours as compared with group GA, but increased morphine consumption for 6 to 24 hours as compared with group EA.Single-injection subcostal TAP block was more effective than IV opioid analgesia, while continuous thoracic epidural analgesia was more effective than the single-injection subcostal TAP block.