ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The cardiopulmonary function of patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is significantly lower than that of patients with simple snoring and is significantly related to the severity of OSA. Currently, only a few studies have been conducted on cardiopulmonary exercise testing in overweight patients with OSA. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the correlation between cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) indices and the condition of overweight patients with OSA. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective study in Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine. METHODS: This study included 73 hospitalized overweight patients. The patients were divided into no, mild, moderate, and severe OSA groups. Differences in the CPET indices among the four groups were compared. The correlation between the CPET indices and conditions was analyzed. RESULTS: No, mild, moderate, and severe OSA groups had 18 men and 5 women, 11 men and 3 women, 12 men and 2 women, and 21 men and 1 woman, respectively (P > 0.05). No significant difference was observed in resting pulmonary function among the four groups (P > 0.05). In the CPET, the anaerobic threshold, maximum oxygen uptake, and oxygen pulse were significantly lower in the severe OSA group than those in the normal OSA group (P < 0.05). Moreover, CPET indices negatively correlated with the apnea-hypopnea index. CONCLUSION: Changes in CPET indices occurred earlier than changes in resting pulmonary function in patients with OSA. CPET might be a potential method for evaluating the severity of OSA combined with overweight status.

ABSTRACT While excavation activities in mountain terrain regions, the exposure of carbonaceous mudstone could deteriorate the strength under the water-rock interaction, which impacts slope stability and affects the safety of the engineering project. The present study conducted the Point Loading Test (PLT), Acoustic Emission (AE), and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to investigate the degradation of its mechanical properties under the water-rock interaction. The results reveal that: (1) The Total Organic Carbon (TOC) content and water content correspond to a negative correlation, and the carbonaceous mudstone possesses a softening boundary which makes the mudstone strength decay rapidly resulting in the strength decrease by 80% once the water content exceeds the boundary value; (2) Water-rock interaction weakens the acoustic emission capacity and the acoustic emission characteristic in the failure process of carbonaceous mudstone with different TOC can reflect the influence of water-rock interaction on its macroscopic strength and fracture structure deterioration, and the damage degree under immersion is over 50%; (3) The inhomogeneity of water-rock interaction causes unbalanced forces in the rock, as dissolved soluble minerals and oxidation-reduction of organic matter accelerate the deterioration of carbonaceous mudstone making the water-rock interaction is slowed down by the water-swelling filling of minerals in a time period. Therefore, this study has investigated the strength deterioration of carbonaceous mudstone subjected to water-rock interaction from macro-scale and micro-scale perspectives, which provides a reference for preventing and controlling carbonaceous mudstone deterioration resulting from catastrophes.

Abstract Objective To explore the molecular mechanism of neuropathologic damage induced by radiofrequency ablation at different temperatures. Methods This is basic research, and 36 SD rats were used to construct the neuropathological injury model. The rats were subjected to radiofrequency stimulation at different temperatures and were divided into 6 groups according to the temperature injury: 42°, 47°, 52°, 57°, 62°, and 67°C groups. Conduction time, conduction distance, and nerve conduction velocity were recorded after temperature injury. HE-staining was used to observe the histopathological morphology of the sciatic nerve. The expression of SCN9A, SCN3B, and NFASC protein in sciatic nerve tissue were detected by western blot. Results With the increase in temperature, nerve conduction velocity gradually decreased, and neurons were damaged when the temperature was 67°C. HE-staining showed that the degrees of degeneration of neurons in rats at 47°, 52°, 57°, 62°, and 67°C were gradually increased. The expression of SCN9A, SCN3B protein in 57°, 62°, 67°C groups were much higher than that of NC, 42°, 47°, 52°C groups. However, the expression of NFASC protein in 57°, 62°, 67°C groups was much lower than that of the NC, 42°, 47°, 52°C groups. Conclusion There was a positive correlation between temperature caused by the radiofrequency stimulation to neuropathological damage. The mechanism is closely related to the expression of SCN9A, SCN3B, and NFASC protein in nerve tissue caused by heat transfer injury.

Abstract Gut bacterial β-glucuronidase (GUS) can reactivate xenobiotics that exert enterohepatic circulation- triggered gastrointestinal tract toxicity. GUS inhibitors can alleviate drug-induced enteropathy and improve treatment outcomes. We evaluated the inhibitory effect of Polygonum cuspidatum Siebold & Zucc. and its major constituents against Escherichia coli GUS (EcGUS), and characterized the inhibitory mechanism of each of the components. Trans-resveratrol 4’-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (HZ-1) and (-)-epicatechin gallate (HZ-2) isolated from P. cuspidatum were identified as the key components and potent inhibitors. These two components displayed strong to moderate inhibitory effects on EcGUS, with Ki values of 9.95 and 1.95 μM, respectively. Results from molecular docking indicated that HZ-1 and HZ-2 could interact with the key residues Asp163, Ser360, Ile 363, Glu413, Glu504, and Lys 568 of EcGUS via hydrogen bonding. Our findings demonstrate the inhibitory effect of P. cuspidatum and its two components on EcGUS, which supported the further evaluation and development of P. cuspidatum and its two active components as novel candidates for alleviating drug-induced damage in the mammalian gut.

This study aimed to examine and summarize clinical characteristics of Kawasaki disease (KD) at different ages to further strengthen clinicians understanding of children with KD, improving the level of diagnosis, and reducing coronary artery complications of KD. A total of 398 patients with KD who were diagnosed between January 2016 and December 2017 were reviewed retrospectively. These participants were allocated into three groups according to age: group A (<1 year, n=62), group B (≥1 and <5 years, n=286), and group C (≥5 years, n=50). Clinical manifestations, laboratory results, and echocardiographic findings were compared among the groups. Most (71.86%) patients with KD were aged 1-5 years. The prevalence of cervical lymphadenopathy was lowest in group A. The duration of fever before admission was longest in group A. The rate of cervical lymphadenopathy and laboratory data were different among the groups. Group A had higher frequencies of gastrointestinal involvement, neurological symptoms, and redness at the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin inoculation site than the other groups. Infants aged <1 year with KD often have a longer duration of fever before admission, a lower prevalence of cervical lymphadenopathy, and a higher prevalence of gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms.

RESUMO OBJETIVO: Realizamos este estudo para investigar a eficácia clínica da colangiopancreatografia retrógrada endoscópica (ERCP) na coledocolitíase idosa e seus efeitos nos níveis de TNF-α, IL-1 e IL-6. MÉTODOS: Pacientes idosos com coledocolitíase foram matriculados neste estudo. De acordo com os métodos cirúrgicos, eles foram divididos em grupo ERCP e grupo cirúrgico. Após o tratamento, comparamos a eficácia desses dois métodos em pacientes, respostas inflamatórias indicadas pelos níveis de TNF-α, IL-1 e IL-6 e as complicações. RESULTADOS: Não houve significância estatística na diferença da taxa de sucesso na remoção entre os dois grupos (98% versus 94%), mas indicadores do grupo ERCP, incluindo a duração cirúrgica (28,5 ± 12,8) min, duração da remissão da dor abdominal (1,2 ± 0,2) d, tempo de recessão de icterícia (2,0 ± 0,3) d, tempo pós-operatório (1,4 ± 0,2) d, tempo de tratamento da infecção (1,5 ± 0,2) d, duração da internação (6,5 ± 0,3) d, níveis de TNF-α (2,1 ± 0,2) μg / L, IL-1 (6,3 ± 0,8) μg / L, IL-6 (2,8 ± 0,3) μg / L e a taxa de incidência de complicações (1,8 %) foram todos significativamente inferiores aos do grupo cirúrgico (p<0,05). CONCLUSÃO: No tratamento da coledocolitíase, a ERCP é excelente no controle do trauma, acelerando a duração da recuperação, reduzindo a ocorrência de complicações e melhorando as respostas inflamatórias. Assim, é uma escolha ideal para a coledocolitíase.

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: We conducted this study to investigate the clinical efficacy of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) on elder choledocholithiasis and its effects on the levels of TNF-α, IL-1, and IL-6. METHODS: Elder patients with choledocholithiasis were enrolled in this study, and according to the surgical methods, they were divided into the ERCP group and the surgical group. After treatment, we compared the efficacy of these two methods on patients, inflammatory responses indicated by the levels of TNF-α, IL-1, and IL-6, and the complications. RESULTS: No statistical significance was identified in the difference of the success rate in removal between the two groups (98% vs. 94%), but indicators of the ERCP group, including the surgical duration (28.5±12.8) min, remission duration of abdominal pain (1.2±0.2) d, recession time of jaundice (2.0±0.3) d, postoperative bedridden time (1.4±0.2) d, treatment time of the anti-infection (1.5±0.2) d, length of stay in hospital (6.5±0.3) d, levels of TNF-α (2.1±0.2) μg/L, IL-1 (6.3±0.8) μg/L, IL-6 (2.8±0.3) μg/L, and the incidence rate of complications (1.8%), were all significantly lower than those in the surgical group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: In the treatment of choledocholithiasis, ERCP is excellent in controlling the trauma, accelerating the recovery duration, reducing the occurrence of complications and ameliorating the inflammatory responses. Thus, it is an ideal choice for choledocholithiasis.

ABSTRACT Spiders, as predators of insects and other invertebrates, are an important part of the natural enemies, and they are recognized as an important biological control agent. Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus, 1758), the diamondback moth (DBM), is a well-known and destructive insect pest of brassicaceous crops worldwide. Here, we analyzed the functional responses of four spiders (Araneae) - Ebrechtella tricuspidata (Fabricius, 1775) (Thomisidae), Pardosa laura (Karsch, 1879) (Lycosidae), Pardosa astrigera (Koch, 1878) (Lycosidae), and Pardosa pseudoannulata (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906) (Lycosidae) - on P. xylostella larvae. We also analyzed intraspecific disturbances in the predation reaction and the intensity of scrambling competition of the spiders to P. xylostella larvae. Our results demonstrated that the functional responses of four spiders of different genera were in line with the Holling II model. Two Lycosidae spiders (P. astrigera and P. pseudoannulata) had the potential to control P. xylostella, and female and male spiders that belonged to the same species had different functional responses to P. xylostella. The functional responses of female predation of P. astrigena, P. laura, and P. pseudoannulata was stronger than the males, but male E. tricuspidatus had stronger functional responses to predation than females. We used the Hassell model to describe the intraspecific disturbance experiments of four spiders. There were intraspecific disturbances in the predation reactions of spiders, indicating that the predation ratio of spiders decreased in relation to the increase of its density, and with the increase of spider density, the intensity of scrambling competition of the spider increased.

The mortality of patients with mycotic aneurysms is high, especially in East Asia, and infection by Salmonella species is the most common. Our study aimed to improve prognosis of adult mycotic aneurysms with early diagnosis and accurate treatment. Four adult patients with mycotic aneurysm caused by Salmonella were included and analyzed by single-center retrospective analysis. Cases reported in the literature during the past 10 years were also summarized. The average age of the 4 male patients was 61.25 years, while that of the 53 cases reported in the literature was 65.13 years. Hypertension, diabetes, and atherosclerosis were common complications. Most patients presented fever and experienced pain at the corresponding position of the aneurysm. Laboratory examination found an increased number of white blood cells accompanied by an increase in inflammatory markers. Most aneurysms were found in the abdominal aorta, while the rupture of an aneurysm was the most common complication. The mortality rates were 21.43 and 7.14% after open surgery or endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) intervention, respectively. The recurrence rates of infection were 0 and 17.85% for both treatments, respectively. The mortality rate of mycotic aneurysm caused by Salmonella infection was high in middle-aged males with hypertension, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. The possibility of a Salmonella-infected aneurysm should be considered in these high-risk groups presenting chills, fever, chest, and back pain. Open surgery was superior to EVAR treatment in the clearance of infected foci and the reduction of postoperative recurrence. The recurrence of postoperative infection can be prevented by intravenous antibiotic therapy for 6 weeks post-surgery.

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the mechanisms by which PD98059 and LY294002 interfere with the abnormal deposition of extracellular matrix regulated by connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) of rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). Methods: Rat PASMCs were cultured and separated into a control group. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was performed to detect the expression of collagen III and fibronectin mRNA. Immunohistochemistry and western blot analyses were performed to detect the expression of collagen III protein. Results: The expression of collagen III and fibronectin mRNA was greater in PASMCs stimulated with CTGF for 48 h, than in the control group. After 72h of stimulation, the expression of collagen III protein in the PASMCs was greater than in the control. The equivalent gene and protein expression of the CPL group were much more significant. Conclusions: CTGF can stimulate the gene expression of collagen III and fibronectin in PASMCs, which may be one of the factors that promote pulmonary vascular remodeling (PVR) under the conditions of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). PD98059 and LY294002 can inhibit the ERK1/2 and PI3K/PKB signaling pathways, respectively, thus interfering with the biological effects of CTGF. This may be a new way to reduce PAH-PVR.

Abstract Background Airway remodeling is a key feature of asthma, characterized by increased proliferation of airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs). S100A8 is a calcium‑binding protein with a potential to regulate cell proliferation. Here, the effect of exogenous S100A8 protein on the proliferation of ASMCs induced by platelet‑derived growth factor (PDGF) and the underlying molecular mechanism was investigated. Methods Rat ASMCs were cultured with or without a neutralizing antibody to the receptor for advanced glycation end‑products (RAGE), a potential receptor for S100A8 protein. Purified recombinant rat S100A8 protein was then added into the cultured cells, and the proliferation of ASMCs induced by PDGF was detected by colorimetric‑based WST‑8 assay and ampedance‑based xCELLigence proliferation assay. The expression levels of RAGE in ASMCs were analyzed using western blotting assay. Results Results showed that exogenous S100A8 inhibited the PDGF‑induced proliferation of rat ASMCs in a dose‑ dependent manner with the maximal effect at 1 μg/ml in vitro. Furthermore, when ASMCs was pre‑treated with anti‑RAGE neutralizing antibody, the inhibitory effect of S100A8 on PDGF‑induced proliferation was significantly sup‑ pressed. In addition, neither the treatment with S100A8 or PDGF alone nor the pre‑treatment with rS100A8 followed by PDGF stimulation affected the expression levels of RAGE. Conclusions Our study demonstrated that S100A8 inhibits PDGF‑induced ASMCs proliferation in a manner depend‑ ent on membrane receptor RAGE.

Abstract Background Porcine Deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is a newly emerged enteropathogenic coronavirus that causes diarrhea and mortality in neonatal piglets. PDCoV has spread to many countries around the world, leading to significant economic losses in the pork industry. Therefore, a rapid and sensitive method for detection of PDCoV in clinical samples is urgently needed. Results In this study, we developed a single-tube one-step reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay specific for nucleocapsid gene to diagnose and monitor PDCoV infections. The detection limit of RT-LAMP assay was 1 × 101 copies of PDCoV, which was approximately 100-fold more sensitive than gel-based one-step reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). This assay could specifically amplify PDCoV and had no cross amplification with porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), porcine kobuvirus (PKoV), porcine astrovirus (PAstV), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), classic swine fever virus (CSFV), and porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2). By screening a panel of clinical specimens (N = 192), this method presented a similar sensitivity with nested RT-PCR and was 1–2 log more sensitive than conventional RT-PCR in detection of PDCoV. Conclusions The RT-LAMP assay established in this study is a potentially valuable tool, especially in low-resource laboratories and filed settings, for a rapid diagnosis, surveillance, and molecular epidemiology investigation of PDCoV infections. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work for detection of newly emerged PDCoV with LAMP technology.

Abstract Clearance always exists in actual joint due to many uncertainties such as machining tolerance, assemblage and load deformation. The main purpose of this paper is to propose a computational and experimental study on the dynamic characteristics of a planar multibody mechanical system with joint clearance. For this purpose, a suitable dynamic model plays a crucial role in simulating the overall performance of the mechanical systems. To describe the interaction in joints with clearance, the normal contact model is established based on the Lankarani-Nikravesh contact force model, while the friction effect is conducted using the Coulomb friction model. Meanwhile, the experimental platform is set up and a planar mechanism with clearance joint is employed as a model mechanism. The obtained results demonstrate that the dynamic behavior of the mechanism can be effectively predicted by this method. Furthermore, the effects of the rotational speed of crank shaft and size of joint clearance on the dynamic response of the mechanism are investigated.

RESUMEN Las reservas de gas metano de carbón (CBM, del inglés Coalbed Methane) en la cuenca Qinshui son más que prometedoras, pero la producción en los pozos es muy pequeña, incluso después de fracturas hidráulicas masivas. En este trabajo se analizaron los sistemas de fractura de las vetas de carbón #3 y #15 de la cuenca Qinshui y se encontró que tanto las fracturas a macroescala como aquellas a microescala están cubiertas con arcillas y minerales carbonatos, lo que explica la baja productividad de los pozos de gas metano de carbón después de la fractura hidráulica convencional. La fractura ácida ha sido un método efectivo en los depósitos de gas carbonato para mejorar la producción en el pozo de gas. Sin embargo, existen pocos informes sobre la aplicación de la fractura ácida en el campo del gas metano de carbón. De acuerdo con la identificación mineral y las pruebas de sensibilidad ácida, la factibilidad de la fractura ácida demostró que el ácido es reparador en el incremento de la permeabilidad en las vetas de carbón de la cuenca Qinshui. Las operaciones in situ han demostrado que la fractura ácida es aplicable para los pozos de gas metano de carbón en el área minera de Jincheng. También se observó en el sondeo microsísmico que cuando se aplica un tratamiento de fractura ácida, el área del depósito estimulada depende del volumen de ácido bombeado en primera instancia, lo que es determinante en el éxito de la estimulación.

ABSTRACT The reserves of Coalbed Methane (CBM) in Qinshui Basin are quite promising, but the outputs from CBM wells are quite small even after massive hydraulic fracturing. Herein the fracture system with #3 and #15 coal seams in Qinshui basin was analyzed, and it was found that both of the macro-scale fractures and micro-scale fractures are filled with clay and carbonate minerals, which explains the low productivity of CBM wells after conventional hydraulic fracturing. Acid fracturing has long been an effective method for carbonate gas reservoir to improve the gas well production. However, there were few reports about the application of acid fracturing in coal bed methane field. Based on the mineral identification and acid sensitivity test, the feasibility of acid fracturing demonstrated that the acid does more help than damage to increase the permeability of coal seams in Qinshui basin. Onsite operations have shown that acid fracturing is applicable for the CBM wells in Jincheng Mining Area. It was also observed from the microseismic survey that when applying the acid fracturing treatment, the stimulated reservoir area depends on the acid volume pumped in the first stage, which is crucial to the success of the stimulation.

Abstract The D-genome progenitor of wheat (Triticum aestivum), Aegilops tauschii, possesses numerous genes for resistance to abiotic stresses, including drought. Therefore, information on the genetic architecture of A. tauschii can aid the development of drought-resistant wheat varieties. Here, we evaluated 13 traits in 373 A. tauschii accessions grown under normal and polyethylene glycol-simulated drought stress conditions and performed a genome-wide association study using 7,185 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. We identified 208 and 28 SNPs associated with all traits using the general linear model and mixed linear model, respectively, while both models detected 25 significant SNPs with genome-wide distribution. Public database searches revealed several candidate/flanking genes related to drought resistance that were grouped into three categories according to the type of encoded protein (enzyme, storage protein, and drought-induced protein). This study provided essential information for SNPs and genes related to drought resistance in A. tauschii and wheat, and represents a foundation for breeding drought-resistant wheat cultivars using marker-assisted selection.