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Supplemental material, sj-pdf-1-pie-10.1177_09544089221149824 for Application of state parameter learning for fault diagnosis on the large reciprocating compressor by Xiaoran Li, Tianshuo Guo, Weifeng Wu, Chengyi Li, Jie Li and Zhongqing Zhu in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering

Supplemental material, sj-pdf-1-pie-10.1177_09544089221149824 for Application of state parameter learning for fault diagnosis on the large reciprocating compressor by Xiaoran Li, Tianshuo Guo, Weifeng Wu, Chengyi Li, Jie Li and Zhongqing Zhu in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-pie-10.1177_09544089231163377 for Fault diagnosis of reciprocating compressor based on the prediction of comprehensive index extracted from the expansion process in indicator diagram by Weifeng Wu, Chengyi Li, Jing Zhang, Yin Zhang, Xiaoran Li, Yifan Yang, Zhongqing Zhu and Bingsheng Wang in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-pie-10.1177_09544089231163377 for Fault diagnosis of reciprocating compressor based on the prediction of comprehensive index extracted from the expansion process in indicator diagram by Weifeng Wu, Chengyi Li, Jing Zhang, Yin Zhang, Xiaoran Li, Yifan Yang, Zhongqing Zhu and Bingsheng Wang in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering

Additional file 2.

BackgroundPulmonary hypertension due to left heart failure (PH-LHF) is currently the most common form of pulmonary hypertension (PH) encountered in clinical practice. Despite significant advances that have improved our understanding of PH-LHF over the past two decades, the mortality is still high in recent decades. This study aimed to describe the prevalence and survival of patients with PH-LHF, and explored the potential risk factors which may predict the prognosis of PH-LHF.MethodsA retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort study of left heart failure (LHF) patients who underwent right heart catheterization (RHC) between January 2013 and November 2016 was performed. The endpoint was all-cause mortality. Follow-ups were performed every 6 months ± 2 weeks.ResultsA total of 480 patients with LHF were enrolled, with 215 (44.8%) having PH-LHF. The proportion of PH-LHF was significantly lower in coronary artery disease (CAD) group than without CAD (41.3 vs. 57.8%, p = 0.003). However, multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that CAD was not associated with PH-LHF (Adjusted OR: 1.055, 95% CI: 0.576 – 1.935, p = 0.862). 75 of 215 (34.9%) patients with PH-LHF died during a median follow-up period of 84.6 months. The 1-, 3-, 5-, and 8-year survival rates of all PH-LHF patients were 94.3, 76.9, 65.8, and 60.2%, respectively. New York Heart Association Functional Class (NYHA FC), hemoglobin, and systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) were associated with mortality of PH-LHF in multivariate Cox analysis.ConclusionPH is commonly identified in patients with LHF, with a prevalence of approximately 45%. The mortality is still high in patients with PH-LHF. NYHA FC, hemoglobin, and sPAP are independent risk predictors of mortality for PH-LHF. These findings may be useful for risk stratification in future clinical trial enrollment.

Background: To investigate the MicroRNA-146a targeting regulation of IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway activity and influence the proliferation and apoptosis behavior-related mechanisms of OA chondrocytes. Material and Methods: 10 C57 mice were isolated and cultured with membrane protease and type II collagenase. The experiment was divided into blank group, MicroRNA-146a overexpression group and low expression group. The chondrocytes were transfected with plasmid vector. After 48 hours of culture, the proliferation rate of chondrocytes was detected by MTT method. The levels of type ii collagen, MMP-9, IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α in culture medium were detected by ELISA. Luciferase reported experimental analysis of MircoRNA-146a targeting regulation of IL-6 genes. Results: Compared with the blank group, the proliferation rate of chondrocytes in the overexpression group was significantly decreased, the apoptosis rate was increased, the levels of IL-6 and p-STAT3 protein, type II collagen, MMP-9, IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α were increased, while the low expression group was correlated (P < 0.05). Luciferase reporter experiments confirmed that MicroRNA-146a had a better binding effect with the IL-6 gene. Conclusion: MicroRNA-146a overexpression may mediate activation of IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway and participate in decreased proliferation activity and increased apoptosis activity in OA chondrocytes. IL-6 gene may have targeted regulatory sites for MicroRNA-146a.

Supplemental material, sj-doc-1-pie-10.1177_09544089221081334 for Study on the Quimby-tooth rotor profile for dry screw vacuum pumps by Dantong Li, Zhilong He, Weifeng Wu and Ziwen Xing in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering

Additional file 1: Fig. S1. Comparison of CD19+ B cells and CD20+ B cells among DCM, HF and HC groups. Fig. S2. Comparison of CD5+ B cells and Breg cells among DCM, HF and HC groups. Fig. S3. Comparison of B cell subsets in patients with DCM with an LVEF 30%-45% and LVEF less than 30%. Fig. S4. Comparison of B1 cells and Tr cells in HF subgroups. Fig. S5. Correlation between the percentages of B1 and Tr cells and the disease duration in patients with DCM.

Supplemental material, sj-docx-2-pie-10.1177_09544089211043011 for Development of single screw compressor technologies and their tendency by Weifeng Wu and Zhao Zhang in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering

Supplemental material, sj-docx-2-pie-10.1177_09544089211043011 for Development of single screw compressor technologies and their tendency by Weifeng Wu and Zhao Zhang in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-pie-10.1177_09544089211043011 for Development of single screw compressor technologies and their tendency by Weifeng Wu and Zhao Zhang in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering

Additional file 1: Table S1. Individual medicinal materials of the BHD. Table S2. Representative compounds identified in BHD. Table S3. The validation of quantitative method and the contents of five chemical makers in BHD.

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-pie-10.1177_09544089211043011 for Development of single screw compressor technologies and their tendency by Weifeng Wu and Zhao Zhang in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering

Considering the security problem of LSB-based information camouflage, this paper analyzes and verifies the effect of different bit planes on the effect of hidden information, and aiming at the characteristics of large data volume and high redundancy, the last-two random embedding method is proposed to camouflage information, which improves the LSB algorithm. The concealment amount of information camouflage is increased in practice. For different information embedding methods, this paper analyzes and verifies the information camouflage algorithm based on improved LSB have a greater amount of information hiding while ensuring security.

Background : A number of studies have attempted to determine the prognostic value of T-cell lymphoma invasion and metastasis-inducing factor 1 (Tiam1) in patients with solid cancers, but the reported results were of inconsistency. Thus, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to exhaustively evaluate the prognostic role of Tiam1 expression in patients with solid cancers. Methods : We retrieved literature published in between 1994 and April 22th, 2019 through searching PubMed, Web of Science and China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI). Hazard ratios (HRs) coupled with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used to assess the relationship of Tiam1 expression and overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS). Results : A total of 2647 patients with solid cancers in 20 studies were enrolled in our meta-analysis eventually. The pooled results showed that Tiam1 high expression was closely correlated with poor OS (HR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.80–2.61, P = .000) and DFS (pooled HR = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.58–2.40, P = .000). Moreover, our subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis demonstrated the reliability and stability of our pooled results. Conclusion : In conclusion, this meta-analysis confirmed that Tiam1 higher expression positively correlated with OS and DFS, suggesting that Tiam1 may act as a valuable prognostic predictor and therapeutic target for patients with solid cancers. Nevertheless, in future more homogeneous and prospective studies should be performed to further support our findings.

The infiltration casting method is used for the preparation of three-dimensional co-continuous network structure of graphite/cast steel composite material in atmospheric pressure. Using modal analysis method, flake graphite cast iron specimen and composite sample are compared about damping factors. The results show that amplitude attenuation of the composite material is more quickly than that of flake graphite cast iron specimens. Supported in two rigid points state, the first step damping ratio of the composite material is 2.1 times of flake graphite cast iron. At the same time, its tensile strength is 1.54 to 1.68 times that of flake graphite cast iron, its hardness reaches more than 86%, and its bulk density is reduced to less than 94%. The composite not only has good vibration damping and anti-friction performance, but also has comprehensive mechanical properties exceeding the level of flake graphite cast iron. It is possible to replace flake graphite cast iron for manufacturing important mechanical equipment castings such as fuselage and guide rail to obtain better anti-wear / vibration damping effect.

The infiltration casting method is used for the preparation of three-dimensional co-continuous network graphite / cast steel composite material in atmospheric pressure. The friction and abrasion behavior of composite specimen in condition of dry sliding friction are investigated by peg-tray friction abrasion tester. The anti-wear mechanism of composite material is discussed. The results show that the relative wear resistance of the composite material is 6.5～7.1 times of graphitic cast iron, and average friction coefficient is 60.5～73.3% of graphitic cast iron. The composite material provides with good self-lubricating and anti-friction property in condition of dry sliding friction.

Joint gaskets of the immersed tunnel are critical for the seismic safety of the immersed tunnel. In this study, a rigorous numerical model of rubber gaskets is conducted and validated against experimental results. Then, the model is used to estimate the mechanical and water tightness behaviour of three types of gaskets. Finally, a coupled nonlinear soil-structure interaction beam-mass-spring model is developed. The joints are simulated with the nonlinear hyperelastic elements following obtained load-deformation of three gaskets. The hydrostatic installation is modeled properly, then the seismic excitation is fired on bedrock. Finally, the results are discussed in the aspects of joint deformation and water tightness during the seismic loading.

This paper presents an investigation on the behavior of a cofferdam structure constructed by double sheet pile walls above the muck, which is used to construct the inner foundation for an immersed tube tunnel project in Guangzhou China. A detailed three-dimensional FEM model is formulated to simulate the whole processes, including the construction of the cofferdam and the excavation of the inner foundation. The strength reduction method is then adopted to calculate the safety factor of the cofferdam. In addition, the effects of the thickness of the filling sand is highlighted.

The single screw compressor(SSC) is widely applied to air compression, refrigeration, petrochemical industry, waste heat recovery, etc. Among SSCs, the respective strength and stiffness of the casing, screw rotor and gaterotor, where relative motions occur, play a key role on the machine running and clearance fit. Dynamic properties of the meshing pair directly affect the SSC’s vibration, as well as gaterotor’s wear-out failure. In this thesis, the strength, stiffness and dynamic characteristics of the meshing pair under different operation conditions or with components made of different materials were analyzed. Analytical method and FEM were combined to calculate and analyze the issues above. Main contents and conclusions are as follows: Stress and deformation analysis of key components were implemented by ANSYS Workbench. The results show that both the maximum stress of the casing and the deformation of the gaterotor are basically linear to the discharge pressure. The first six natural frequencies and the corresponding vibration modes of the screw rotor and gaterotor were obtained to analyze and predict their respective vibration properties. It turned out that natural properties of the screw rotor change little on account of rotation speed and damping. Neither the screw rotor nor the gaterotor would resonate. Some exploratory work about the coupling interaction between gaterotor and its support was done. It is concluded that the gaterotor would suffer the support’s collision excitations consequently.

In the process of the single screw air compressor, the symmetrical grooves of the compressor are periodically connected with the discharge ports and the gas enters the discharge chamber or flows back from chamber, generating gas pulsation. The gas pulsation increases the flowing loss to bring additional energy loss, meanwhile the gas pulsation is the one of main reasons for the generation of vibration and noise. The thermodynamic model of the compression chamber and the discharge chamber of a single screw air compressor is established in this paper taking the discharge chamber structure and the flow resistance into consideration. The working process in discharge chamber is simulated base on the thermodynamic model. In addition, the influence of speed and back pressure on the pressure in the discharge chamber is investigated in detail. The analysis results provide a basis for optimum design of structure and reduction of vibration and noise.

The Trilateral cycle has attracted more and more attentions because of its better temperature profiles matching in the heater compared to conventional heat recovery cycles, such as the Organic Rankine Cycle and the Kalina Cycle. However, the actual fundamentals of the two-phase expansion process have not been clarified, especially, the evolution mechanisms of the evaporating rate and the degree of superheat during the expansion process are indistinct. In the present study, two-phase expansion process of superheated water in a cylinder with moving piston was analyzed. A model was proposed to calculate the evaporating rate and the degree of superheat of liquid water. A semiempirical Nusselt number was adopted to solve the energy conservation equations. It was shown that the degree of superheat of liquid water was increased rapidly to the maximum at the beginning of the expansion process and then was decreased continuously. The degree of superheat was almost equal to 0 at the end of the expansion process. The simulation results also showed a complex evolution profile of the evaporating rate during the expansion process. As a whole, the evaporating rate was increased from 0 to the maximum, and then it was decreased to 0 at the end of the expansion process. This situation is similar to the experimental results in the published literature. The evaporating rate appeared a transient dropping process at the beginning of the expansion. It was considered that this result was associated with the rapid decline of the degree of superheat. Meanwhile, there were two or three significant inflection points on the evolution profile. From the model prediction, it was concluded that the evaporating rate may be related to the degree of superheat of liquid water, the piston velocity and the mass of liquid water in the cylinder.

Friction stir welding (FSW) has been widely applied in a number of fields instead of traditional fusion welding. However, a huge axial downward force is required to maintain a steady welding process. Moreover, the task of welding along a curved surface requires an orientation ability, which traditional FSW machines cannot provide. To overcome this limitation, we propose a 5-axis hybrid robot for FSW. This hybrid robot comprises a 2-SPR-RPS parallel mechanism (with one translational degree of freedom and two rotational degrees of freedom) and two gantries. First, mobility of the parallel mechanism in the initial and general configuration is analyzed using screw theory and continuous rotational axes are identified. Second, forward and inverse position solutions to the hybrid robot are studied, and the Jacobian matrix of the parallel mechanism is obtained. By analyzing the motion/force transmissibility, the architectural parameters of the parallel mechanism are optimized. Finally, the reachable workspace of the end effector is obtained considering the constraints of actuation links, joint angles, and singular configuration.

The concept of a gas-assisted melt differential electrospinning device with hollow disc electrode is presented. As the electric field force is the only drawing force stretching polymer melt jet to fibers, it is necessary to study the distribution and electric field intensity of the electric field created in the spinning region caused by the hollow disc electrode. A series of electric field simulations, including the distribution of the electric field and the relationship between electric field intensity and various parameters were carried out by the finite element method. In addition, experiments of melt electrospinning were conducted, mainly focusing on several electrical parameters affecting the fiber diameter. The results of simulations were compared with those of experiments, proving experimental phenomena and conjectures. The results of simulations and experiments were mutually corroborated and consistent with each other. All results provided significant support and basis for future exploration and development of melt electrospinning.

Cisplatin is a classic chemotherapeutic agent widely used to treat different types of cancers including ovarian, head and neck, testicular and uterine cervical carcinomas. However, cisplatin induces acute kidney injury by directly triggering an excessive inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and programmed cell death of renal tubular epithelial cells, all of which lead to high mortality rates in patients. In this study, we examined the protective effect of protocatechuic aldehyde (PA) in vitro in cisplatin-treated tubular epithelial cells and in vivo in cisplatin nephropathy. PA is a monomer of Traditional Chinese Medicine isolated from the root of S. miltiorrhiza (Lamiaceae). Results show that PA prevented cisplatin-induced decline of renal function and histological damage, which was confirmed by attenuation of KIM1 in both mRNA and protein levels. Moreover, PA reduced renal inflammation by suppressing oxidative stress and programmed cell death in response to cisplatin, which was further evidenced by in vitro data. Of note, PA suppressed NAPDH oxidases, including Nox2 and Nox4, in a dosage-dependent manner. Moreover, silencing Nox4, but not Nox2, removed the inhibitory effect of PA on cisplatin-induced renal injury, indicating that Nox4 may play a pivotal role in mediating the protective effect of PA in cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury. Collectively, our data indicate that PA blocks cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury by suppressing Nox-mediated oxidative stress and renal inflammation without compromising anti-tumor activity of cisplatin. These findings suggest that PA and its derivatives may serve as potential protective agents for cancer patients receiving cisplatin treatment.

 Abstract: In this paper, a 3-D fluid-structure interaction model was established to investigate the working process of the small reciprocating refrigeration compressors. According to the numerical calculation, the working process of the small reciprocating refrigeration compressor, the motion of valve and the impact velocity and the contact stress of discharge valve and suction valve were given. Experiments on a small reciprocating refrigeration compressor for testing the p-v graph were carried out .Experimental results agree well with the numeric model. The result provides a guidance to research and design the small reciprocating refrigeration compressors.

A narrow-slit injection orifice which is used for the screw compressor injection is described in this paper. Different from the traditional injection orifice, the orifice is slit shaped but not circular. Liquid which is injected by the narrow-slit injection orifice appears as a curtain shape so that the heat transfer area is increased. The cooling effect is enhanced and then the efficiency of the compressor is improved. The injected velocity of the orifice is simulated through the CFD software, and then the experiments are carried out. The study verified the accuracy of the simulation results. It will provide a theoretical foundation for the design of the narrow-slit injection orifice used for the screw compressor.

Background: Interleukin-10 (IL-10)-producing B cells, a subset of regulatory B cells, play critical roles in autoimmune and infectious diseases. However, the role of IL-10-producing B cells in acute viral myocarditis (AVMC) remains unknown. Methods: BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally (i. p.) infected with coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) to establish AVMC models (AVMC group), while control mice (control group) were treated with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) i. p. According to the time after injection, the AVMC group mice or control group mice were randomly separated into 1 week and 2 week subgroup. Myocardial histopathological changes were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining and the frequency of splenic IL-10-producing B cells was measured by flow cytometry. Results: Histopathologic examination of heart tissues showed that mice infected with CVB3 developed AVMC. Compared with control group, the frequency of splenic IL-10-producing B cells was increased significantly in the AVMC group, with the 1 week AVMC subgroup (3.58 ± 0.47%) higher than the 2 week AVMC subgroup (2.50 ± 0.42%) (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: IL-10-producing B cells are increased in CVB3-induced AVMC, indicating that IL-10-producing B cells may play an important role in the pathogenesis of CVB3-induced AVMC.

Melt electrospinning technique has shown great advantages in numerous areas where polymer dissolving, solvent accumu- lation, or toxicity is a concern in solution electrospinning. However, conventional capillary spinnerets in electrospinning are less pro- ductive. In this article, two needleless umbellate nozzles were used based on melt differential method, and the smallest interjet distance of 1.1 mm was observed. Experimental results indicated that the main factors affecting the interjet distance were the electric field strength and melts viscosity. The produced fiber diameter was related to interjet distance directly. Finite element modeling (FEM) showed that umbellate structure determines the intensity of maximum electric field around the rim of nozzles and the result- ant interjet distance. This new method enabled the mass production of ultra-fine fibers using needleless melt electrospinning method when relatively low voltage (less than 65 kV) was loaded on the receive plate. V C 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40515.

Ultrafine polypropylene (PP) fibers as oil sorbents were fabricated via a needleless melt-electrospinning device and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and contact-angle analysis. PP fibers of various diameters and porosities were obtained by the manipulation of the applied electrical field. The effects of the fiber diameter and porosity on the oil-sorption capacity and oil-retention behavior were investigated. The experimental results demonstrate that for fiber diameter on the microscale, the porosity played a paramount role in determining the oil-sorption capacities. The maximum oil-sorption capacity of the resulting PP fibers with regard to motor oil and peanut oil were 129 and 80 g/g, respectively; these values were approximately six to seven times that of commercial PP nonwoven fabricated through the melt-blown method. In addition, even after seven sorption/desorption cycles, the oil-sorption capacity of the chosen sample was still maintained around 80 g/g, and above 97%, oil could be recovered. This indicated excellent reusability and recoverability. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40080.

Reynolds equations and one-phase model with N-S (Navier Stocks) equations are widely used to calculate pressure distribution in the liquid film. In most cases, negative pressure exits in the obtained results. In a water-flooded single screw compressor, it is necessary to investigate the pressure of water film along the whole tooth flank. A negative pressure may not be right, because that when the pressure is lower than the saturated vapor pressure, cavitation occurs. In this paper, we investigated the pressure distribution of the water film with cavitation model. Results were compared to the pressure distribution obtained by one-phase model using N-S equations. Results show that difference of pressure distribution obtained by the two models is very similar for the positive pressure distribution. For the negative pressure distribution, the saturated vapor pressure could be applied to replace the results obtained by one-phase model with very small errors. Therefore, one-phase model will be effective to simulate pressure distribution along the tooth flank by using the vapor pressure to replace the negative pressure.

Background Recently, a new subset of CD4+T helper(Th) cell that predominantly secret cytokine interleukin-9(IL-9) is identified, termed Th9 cell. It has been reported to participate in tissue inflammation and autoimmune responses, and induce disease which differed from Th17 cells. Th17 cells have been shown to play a critical role in viral myocarditis (VMC), but whether Th9 cells are involved in the pathogenesis of VMC remains unclear. Results BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally (i.p) injected with coxsackie virus B3(CVB3) for establishing VMC models. Control mice were treated with phosphate-buffered saline i.p. On day 0,7,14,21,28,35,42 after injection, myocardial histopathological changes were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Splenic Th17 and Th9 cells subsets were analyzed by flow cytometry. And cardiac IL-17, IL-9 mRNA were measured by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-PCR and nested PCR, respectively. Results showed the levels of Th17 cells and IL-17 mRNA obviously increased in VMC mice on 7 day after infection, peaked on day 28, and highly persisted to at least day 42 (p < 0.05). While the frequencies of Th9 cells and IL-9 mRNA showed no significant difference between VMC and control group throughout the course of the experiment(p > 0.05). Conclusions It was differentiated Th17 but not Th9 cells significantly elevated in the development of CVB3-induced VMC. The microenvironment of VMC seemed to contribute to the differentiation and proliferation of Th17 rather than Th9 cells. Our preliminary data implied Th9 cells could not protect against VMC nor promote the disease.

Irrigation occupies a central position in China’s crop production. However, due to low per capita water resources, much worse, unevenly distributed over regions and time and the rapid increase of water diversions to non-irrigation sectors, irrigation water shortages have become a very serious problem. Without the adoption of effective measures this problem may even threaten China’s food security. Currently, irrigation efficiency is very low in general, irrigation water prices cannot fully recover water supply costs, and irrigation facilities are aging due to the lack of funding for O&M (operation & maintenance). Since water prices are regulated by the government, and not determined by the market, water prices did not work effectively in water allocation. The adoption of more economic incentive measures, such as increasing water prices, has become the main strategy of the Chinese government. Since 1 January 2004, China has carried out a new water pricing regulation. The main objectives of this regulation are that water price should be increased to fully recover water supply cost and that water should be treated as a market good. In non-irrigation sectors, the consensus is that water price could be charged to fully recover water supply cost. However, there is still controversy over the charge of irrigation water pricing. Indeed, increasing water price to fully recover supply cost may seriously affect grain production, and farmers’ income. Past studies in China on these issues mainly focused on the theoretical aspects of the problem, analyzing whether irrigation water price should be increased or not. Little studies have quantified the potential impact of the reforms in China. The following questions need to be elaborated: Are irrigation water pricing reforms effective?; What are the attitudes of the farmers towards the reforms?; How do farmers respond to water pricing reforms?; What comprehensive methods should be adopted to achieve the goals of the reforms? This project is based on the analysis of three case studies (Wudu, Jinghuiqu, and Shijin irrigation districts). Jinghuiqu is located in an arid region, Shijin is located in a semi-arid region and Wudu is located in the more humid Southwest. All the issues mentioned above, have been studied using econometric methods on the basis of the data gathered at the household, field canal, pump, and village level. The study reveals that the farmers’ ability to pay for irrigation water is still low and that the current water prices reflect the farmers’ willingness to pay, which implies that it is in fact very difficult to increase water prices further, let alone fully recover water supply cost. Farmers do not really participate in the irrigation management process, even at the field canal level, which limits the farmers’ willingness to pay. In areas confronted with severe water shortages, such as in the Jinghuiqu and Shijin irrigation districts, it is estimated that the volume of water use significantly affects wheat and maize yields, and the reduction of field water use will lead to the decline of grain production. In such cases, although increasing irrigation water price will encourage farmers to reduce water use, it may also force them to decrease their grain production. These measures affect the farmers’ revenues, which are largely dependent on crop production, thus increasing social inequities. Other policies need to protect weaker groups, such as poor farmers and farmers whose income mainly depends on crops. For instance, water property has still not been initialized and both irrigation bureaus and farmers lack incentives to adopt water-saving technologies. Initiating water property, expanding low-cost water-saving technologies, reforming irrigation management and fostering a water market are all important measures to achieve the policy goals of water-saving. At this point, it is necessary to emphasize that surface water price reforms may deeply affect groundwater resources use, especially in the conjunctive irrigation areas. Without the enhancement of groundwater resources management, saving surface water may lead to more overexploitation of groundwater resources, such was the case in the Jinghuiqu and Shijin irrigation districts. All in all, irrigation water price reforms represent a revolution when compared with traditional irrigation water resource management in China. Comprehensive and integrated policies should be carried out. China being such a large country, reforms cannot be uniform in all areas. Different areas, with different precipitation levels, should adopt different measures. In most parts of South China, volumetric water pricing is not appropriate, since this method requires large infrastructure investments. Collecting water fees on the basis of the farmers’ irrigated area is an alternative policy, although it requires involving farmers in the irrigation management process. Even in the northern regions, the standards of irrigation infrastructure should not be overemphasized and more attention should be paid to the cost-benefits analysis of irrigation investments.

Melt electrospinning, a technique that has gained increasing attention since it easily can generate continuous ultrafine fibers directly from polymer melts without the use of any solvent. Therefore, it is considered as a safe, cost effective, and environmental friendly technique. However, with all those great advantages, the technique still suffers some drawbacks such as: large fiber diameter and low throughput. The hot air assisted melt differential electrospinning (MDES) is a new technique invented by our research team that can solve or eliminate those drawbacks. The most important features of our used apparatus are: Needleless nozzle that could generate multiple Taylor cones around the bottom edge of the nozzle, which can result in a high throughput. The stretching force acting on the jets can be further strengthened by an air current provided by an air pressure gun. Interference between the high voltage supply and temperature sensors could be prevented through the grounding of the nozzle. The ultrafine pp webs produced using the same apparatus was in the micro/nano scale with a diameter of 600nm-6um and a smooth surface. Porosity of the webs ranges from 86.5%-99.4% when different collecting devices are used. The resultant ultrafine webs were applied in three areas: oil sorption, water treatment, and hydrophilic PP membrane. The results were very promising as for oil the sorption capacity was 129.0g/g; for water treatment, the rejection rate for 3um particles was 95%. And for the hydrophilic PP membrane, the water sorption capacity was 12.3 g/g.

Objective The aim of this study was to observe the level of interleukin (IL)-34 and IL-35 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and explore the role of IL-34 and IL-35 in human DCM. Methods 30 patients with DCM and 30 normal adults as control were studied. IL-34 and the subunit Epstein-Barr virus-induced gene 3(EBI3) of IL-35 mRNA expression in PBMCs were detected by reverse transcription–PCR (RT-PCR). IL-34 and IL-35 protein level in plasma were measured with ELISA. Result (1) Results showed that the IL-34 mRNA level or its protein level was significantly elevated in DCM patients compared with normal control subjects. (mRNA level: DCM :0.37±0.08, NC: 0.19±0.03, p Conclusion The ability to express IL-34 and IL-35 protein or mRNA in PBMCs is abnormal and the change strongly correlates with ejection fraction and heart function of DCM patients.

Objective To investigate Interleukin 17 (IL-17) levels in viral dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) mice, aiming at effect of IL-17 in viral DCM. Methods 40 male BABL/c mice were divided into two groups, the DCM group and the control. The DCM group mice were peritoneal injected Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) monthly. After 180 days, all mice were sacrificed and IL-17 mRNA of splenocytes were measured by RT-PCR. Results In the DCM mice, the heart weight was higher, and the ventricular wall was thinner than the control, and fibrosis in hearts were observed. IL-17 mRNA of splenocytes in DCM mice could be detected and the controls’ were zero (0.15±0.04 vs 0.00±0.00, p Conclusion We successfully built murine DCM model by monthly peritoneal injection of CVB3 for 180 days in the DCM group. In the DCM mice, the heart weight was higher, and the ventricular wall was thinner than the control, and fibrosis in heart was observed. The mRNA levels of IL-17 were promoted in Coxsackievirus induced DCM mice. This result suggested that IL 17 which secreted by Th17 subset could be detected in DCM mice, it seems that the Th17 cells might differentiated in DCM mice.

Background Recently, some studies indicate that interleukin (IL)-17, known as a T cell (Th17)-derived proinflammatory cytokine, is the major mediator of tissue inflammation in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Viral myocarditis (VMC) is a T cell-mediated autoimmune disease, but the role for IL-17 in VMC is not well defined. Results Using IL-17 monoclonal antibody (IL-17mAb)-treated VMC mice, we tested the pathogenic role of IL-17 in the development of VMC. VMC mice were treated with monoclonal rat anti-murine IL-17 antibody (anti-IL-17) or rat IgG2A isotype control or phosphate-buffered solution 3 days after Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) injection. Normal mice without any manipulation were taken as normal control. The survival rates of mice were monitored and heart pathology was examined histologically. IL-17, IL-6, and TNF-α mRNA of the myocardium were assessed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Systemic IL-17, IL-6, and TNF-α level were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and local myocardium IL-17 expression was analyzed using immunohistochemical staining. Flow cytometric analysis was used to evaluate the frequencies of Th17 subsets in CD4+T cells. Results showed that neutralization of IL-17 with anti-IL-17 can ameliorate clinical symptoms, defer disease course, decrease serum IL-17 level, without declining the IL-17, IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA transcript level and serum IL-6, TNF-α level. The differentiation and proliferation of the Th17 cells were unchanged. Conclusions Our data suggest that IL-17 is crucially involved in the pathogenesis of murine VMC, IL-17 inhibition might ameliorate the myocardium inflammation after the onset of VMC.