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ABSTRACT The source region of Yangtze River in China is a part of Tibet Plateau where the hydrological processes are sensitive to climatic change. The impacts of precipitation, air temperature and evapotranspiration on annual runoff in the source region of Yangtze River during 1957-2009 are investigated in the time-period domain using wavelet analysis method and multiple regression method. Annual evapotranspiration is calculated with data of precipitation and air temperature based on Takahashi's empirical equation. This approximation of actual evapotranspiration successfully matches the mean annual water balance. Significant periods of runoff, 7-8 year, 20-21 year and 42-43 year, are revealed by using Morlet wavelet. Different significant periods are found for annual precipitation, air temperature and evapotranspiration, whereas the 7-8 year and 42-43 year periods are the same of the runoff. It is indicated by wavelet correlation coefficients that the correlations between runoff and these climatic components depends on periods. Change in the summation of runoff wavelet coefficients at different period can approximately represents the change pattern of real runoff and is correlated with the wavelet coefficients of the climatic components. The correlation can be expressed with a linear multiple regression equation which indicates that the change in annual runoff is contributed by change in annual precipitation rather than change in air temperature. This relationship between runoff and climatic components are different from that in the source region of Yellow River, in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study aimed at determining the circulation of Hepatitis E virus (HEV) strains among yellow cattle (Bos taurus) in Shandong Province, China. In the study, blood samples from yellow cattle of local breeds as well serum samples from domestic sheep, dogs and chickens were examined for total antibodies against HEV. The study indicated the occurrence of HEV infection in yellow cattle, suggesting their role as a reservoir of HEV.

The load has significant effect on sludge reduction efficiency and biofilm microenvironment. When the load was 1 ~ 4 kgCOD/ (m3 · d), the sludge yield of the system changed little. When the system was greater than 4 kgCOD/ (m3·D), the sludge yield of the system increased doubly and the maximum load of the system was 4 kgMLSS/ (m3·D). At this time, the excess sludge yield is 0.0292 kgMLSS/kgCOD. The ORP aeration and aeration end of the biofilm were respectively (-74.73 ~ 187.89mV) and (-53.21 ~ 260.74mV). The corresponding biofilm aerobic and anoxic environment accounted for 9%, 17% and 91% and 83% respectively, forming a microenvironment of alternating aerobic / anoxic environment. When the load is 4kgCOD/ (m3·D), the change of ATP in sludge in the aeration stage and the shutdown stage is the largest, which is conducive to the dissipation of energy. To promote the sludge reduction, the COD, NH4+-N, TN and SS indexes of the effluent of the system all reached the first grade B standard of the pollutant discharge standard for urban sewage treatment (GB18918-2002). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Computer-assisted auscultation has become available to assist clinicians with physical examinations to detect congenital heart disease (CHD). However, its accuracy and effectiveness remain to be evaluated. This study seeks to evaluate the accuracy of auscultations of abnormal heart sounds of an artificial intelligence-assisted auscultation (AI-AA) platform we create., Methods and Results: Initially, 1397 patients with CHD were enrolled in the study. The samples of their heart sounds were recorded and uploaded to the platform using a digital stethoscope. By the platform, both remote auscultation by a team of experienced cardiologists from Shanghai Children's Medical Center and automatic auscultation of the heart sound samples were conducted. Samples of 35 patients were deemed unsuitable for the analysis; therefore, the remaining samples from 1362 patients (mean age-2.4 ± 3.1 years and 46% female) were analysed. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were calculated for remote auscultation compared to experts' face-to-face auscultation and for artificial intelligence automatic auscultation compared to experts' face-to-face auscultation. Kappa coefficients were measured. Compared to face-to-face auscultation, remote auscultation detected abnormal heart sound with 98% sensitivity, 91% specificity, 97% accuracy, and kappa coefficient 0.87. AI-AA demonstrated 97% sensitivity, 89% specificity, 96% accuracy, and kappa coefficient 0.84., Conclusions: The remote auscultations and automatic auscultations, using the AI-AA platform, reported high auscultation accuracy in detecting abnormal heart sound and showed excellent concordance to experts' face-to-face auscultation. Hence, the platform may provide a feasible way to screen and detect CHD., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.)

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is 1 of the most complex systemic autoimmune diseases.Accumulating evidence suggests that gut microbiota affect the development and function of the immune system and may play a role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. This new paradigm raises the possibility that many diseases result, at least partially, from microbiota-related dysfunction. This understanding invites the investigation of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in the treatment of SSc. However, no study has specifically and systematically investigated the efficacy and safety of FMT in the treatment of SSc. Thus, this study will systematically and comprehensively appraise the efficacy and safety of FMT in the treatment of SSc., Methods: We will search the following sources without restrictions for date, language, or publication status: PubMed, Web of Science,Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) Cochrane Library, EMBASE and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. We will apply a combination of Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) and free-text terms incorporating database-specific controlled vocabularies and text words to implement search strategies. We will also search the ongoing trials registered in the World Health Organization's International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Besides, the previous relevant reviews conducted on FMT for SSc and reference lists of included studies will also be searched., Results: This study will provide a reliable basis for the treatment of SSc with FMT., Conclusions: The findings will be an available reference to evaluate the efficacy and safety of FMT in the treatment of SSc., Registration Number: INPLASY202060019.

Neuraxial anesthesia is a common practice in obstetrics. Evidence suggests that preprocedural ultrasound versus the conventional landmark location method accurately identifies a given intervertebral space and predicts the needle insertion depth required to reach the spinal canal. However, whether the preprocedural ultrasound examination improves the first-pass success (FPS) rate remains elusive. Major databases were systematically searched for all relevant studies published in English up to June 2019. Eighteen randomized controlled trials including 1844 patients were enrolled. The quality of eligible studies was assessed, and predefined outcomes were synthesized by meta-analysis. The primary results showed that preprocedural ultrasound increased the FPS rate in patients with predicted puncture difficulty but not in patients who were easily punctured. Preprocedural ultrasound reduced the number of redirections and punctures and decreased the incidence of vascular puncture and backache. There was no evidence of a reduction in failed punctures. We also noted that preprocedural ultrasound prolonged the identification time but not the procedure time. Thus, this systematic review provides evidence that preprocedural ultrasound does not improve the FPS rate of neuraxial anesthesia in patients who are easily palpated, although it increases the FPS rate in patients who are difficult to palpate.

A novel method for turn-off sensing 1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitroethylene (FOX-7) in aqueous medium was first proposed based on the inner filter effect (IFE) of FOX-7 on the fluorescence of molybdenum disulfide quantum dots (MoS 2 QDs). Water-soluble MoS 2 QDs as the fluorophore were prepared by the simple hydrothermal method. The morphology, structure, composition and optical properties of the prepared MoS 2 QDs were characterized by Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence spectra. The results showed that the MoS 2 QDs had good water dispersibility and emitted strong photoluminescence with a particle size of 2 nm. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the fluorescence signal of MoS 2 QDs was quenched in the concentrations range of FOX-7 (0.5-100 μM) and the limit of detection (LOD) of the sensor was 0.19 μM. The method had been applied to analyze the real water samples with good selectivity and stability. Moreover, the quenching mechanism was studied systematically by the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), UV-vis absorption spectra, fluorescence lifetime, and Stern-Volmer equation, which had been proved to be static quenching. The fluorescence quenching mechanism is mainly IFE and electron transfer., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Aims: This study was conducted to further clarify the efficacy and potential of luteolin in treating psoriasis and to explore its inner mechanisms., Methods: A pharmacology network displayed the construction of a drug disease target prediction method. The prediction technique was validated via cell experiments in vitro and animal experiments in vivo, respectively. The effects of IFN-γ and luteolin were detected in HaCaT cells. The secretion of exosome and expression of mRNA and protein were detected to explain the relationship between luteolin's regulation of HSP90 (HSP90α and HSP90β) activity in vitro. An in vivo psoriasis mouse model was established to further explore the efficacy of luteolin. Morphological and histological changes in skin lesions were observed, and the CD63, calnexin, Hsp90α, and Hsp90β protein expression was analyzed. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were separated and detected via flow pattern analysis to determine how luteolin effects the immune cells in a psoriasis model., Results: Luteolin as a candidate compound is predicted to have a molecular-target correspondence with HSP90 according to a pharmacology network analysis. Cell experiments indicated that the pathogenesis of psoriasis was significantly related to the increase in IFN-γ, which promoted the transcriptional expression and exosome secretion of HSP90 in HaCaT cells; conversely, luteolin inhibited those and alleviated the promotion of IFN-γ. The effect of luteolin on HSP90 was slightly weaker than that of INF-γ. Animal experiments indicated that the efficacy of luteolin was similar to that of 17-AAG, which both alleviated skin tissue lesions and symptoms, improved the expression of Hsp90 mRNA and protein in skin tissue, and promoted exosome secretion of Hsp90 in plasma. For immune cells in mice with psoriasis, luteolin reduced the proportion of Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg and inhibited the increase in Th1 and Th17 in the peripheral blood., Conclusion: Luteolin can relieve the lesions and symptoms of psoriasis through reversing the effects of IFN-γ, inhibiting the expression and exosome secretion of HSP90, and regulating the proportion of immunocytes. Therefore, this study provides the possible mechanisms and potential utilization of luteolin as a novel treatment for psoriasis., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

An electrochemical sensor based on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified by three-dimensional graphene (3D-GE) and polyglutamic acid (PGA) was developed to quantitatively detect Amoxicillin (AMX), a worldwide used antibiotic. AMX response at PGA/3D-GE/GCE involving the transfer of one electron and an equal number of protons were determined using electrochemical approaches. Density functional theory simulations were performed to give insights on the reaction mechanism of AMX on the surface of the modified electrode. When the optimization of the experimental conditions was completed, the linear range of AMX was 2-60 μM. Besides, the detection limit was calculated as 0.118 μM (S/N = 3). And the modified electrode could detect the concentration of the AMX in human urine samples. Overall, the developed PGA/3D-GE/GCE for determination of AMX shows great potentials in practice., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Vascular patches are commonly applied in tissue repair and reconstruction in congenital cardiac surgery. However, the currently available patch materials are inappropriate to be used in the pediatric population due to their lack of supporting tissue growth potential. In our study an active patch material was developed by seeding pediatric patient's bone marrow stem cells on a decellularized aortic extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffold. The patch was then implanted to repair abdominal aorta defects of nude rats. Two months after implantation, tissue remodeling, vascular cell regeneration, and cellular integration were investigated using histology and fluorescent staining. Histology demonstrated infiltration of host cells and formation of organized cell layers as well as intact collagen and elastic fibers inside the patch material. Immunofluorescence indicated regeneration of endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) identified multiple vascularization-promoting components and growth factors in decellularized aortic ECM scaffold. These results demonstrated growth potential and suitability of human derived tissue-engineered patch for vascular reconstruction, and thus, it might be considered in the future as treatment option in pediatric patients., Competing Interests: None.

A novel fluorescent sensor based on g-C 3 N 4 nanofibers for the sensitive detection of dopamine (DA) has been proposed. We synthesized g-C 3 N 4 nanofibers by directly hydrolyzing bulk g-C 3 N 4 in the alkaline atmosphere (3 M NaOH). The obtained ultrathin g-C 3 N 4 nanofibers were verified by characterizations of Transmission electronic microscope (TEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier transformation-infrared (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It was found that the fluorescence intensity of g-C 3 N 4 nanofibers was obviously quenched by DA. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between DA and g-C 3 N 4 nanofibers led to the fluorescence reduction of g-C 3 N 4 nanofibers. The fluorescent probe based on g-C 3 N 4 nanofibers exhibits linear responses to the concentration of DA in the range from 0 to 4 μM and 4 to 20 μM, the limit of detection is 17 nM. The fluorescent probe shows excellent stability, good selectivity with its application in serums., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A large number of studies have demonstrated that inhalation anesthetic isoflurane induced neural cell death by apoptosis in various cell and animal models. Emulsified isoflurane (EIso) is a new type of intravenous preparation of isoflurane that attracts increasing research attention as a promising clinical agent due to its both advantages as an intravenous and inhalation anesthetics medication. However, its safety and underlying molecular mechanism of neurotoxicity largely remain unknown. Therefore, it is meaningful to investigate the safety of EIso and to further elucidate its mechanism of anesthetic neurotoxicity. Human neuroblastoma SHSY-5Y cells were cultured, followed by a random exposure to one of three doses of EIso (0.56mmol/l, 1.12mmol/l, and 2.24mmol/l) or the corresponding intralipid as vehicle (0.3956μl/ml, 0.7912μl/ml and 1.5824μl/ml) for 6h, 12h or 24h. Cell viability was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and the morphological changes were determined by a light microscope. We detect JNK, p-JNK and cytochrome C (cyto C) protein levels by western blotting. SP600125, a specific inhibitor of JNK, was used to detect the role of JNK pathway in the neurotoxicity of EIso. Our study showed that EIso reduced the viability of SHSY-5Y cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. 0.56mmol/l EIso has no significant effects on cell viability, while 1.12mmol/l of EIso with 24-h and 2.24mmol/l of EIso with over 12-h exposure notably reduced cell viability. EIso dramatically increased the levels of p-JNK and cyto C. The JNK pathway inhibitor SP600125 significantly increased the cell viability of SHSY-5Y cells induced by EIso. These findings suggest that EIso induces damage in human neuroblastoma SHSY-5Y cells by JNK signaling pathway activation and cyto C release. SP600125 protects neural cells against EIso-induced injury. Our findings provide a new insight in the exploration of potential novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of EIso-induced neurotoxicity and other neurodegenerative diseases., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Tremendous progress has been made in hepatitis B virus (HBV) prevention and control in the last 30 years in China, but it continues to be a major public health problem. The most recently reported population-based seroepidemiological survey on HBV in Shandong Province in China was published in 2006, and an updated baseline for HBV prevalence was badly needed in the province to identify the change in HBV epidemiology in the last decade., Methods: Two population-based cross-sectional serosurveys were performed among the population aged 1-59 years in the same sample areas in Shandong Province, China in 2006 and 2014, respectively. Data on demographic characteristics were collected. A blood sample was obtained from each person and was tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibody against HBsAg (anti-HBs), and antibody against hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc)., Results: Overall, the prevalence rates of HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HBc were 3.39% (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.51-4.26), 44.96% (95% CI 41.34-48.57), and 24.45% (95% CI 22.19-26.71), respectively, among the population aged 1-59 years in the 2006 serovsurvey; the corresponding prevalence rates were 2.49% (95% CI 1.81-3.17), 48.27% (95% CI 45.63-50.92), and 22.56% (95% CI 20.14-24.97), respectively, in 2014. The prevalence rates of HBsAg and anti-HBc were lower in 2014 than in 2006. Conversely, the prevalence of anti-HBs showed an increase. However, none of these differences were statistically significant (all p>0.05). The prevalence of HBsAg showed an increase among persons aged 20-24 years in 2014 (3.83%) compared with 2006 (2.98%) (t=0.45, p=0.67). Among all occupation groups, the prevalence of HBsAg was lower in 2014 than in 2006, while the prevalence of anti-HBc showed moderate increases in students and farmers (all p>0.05). The prevalence of HBsAg decreased more obviously in urban areas (65.49%) than rural areas (7.07%) from 2006 to 2014., Conclusions: The epidemiology of HBV infection has changed in Shandong Province, China over the last decade. More attention should be paid to HBV infection among students and farmers., (Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Acute hepatitis E infection could induce severe outcomes among chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. Between 2016 and 2017, an open-label study was conducted to evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of hepatitis E vaccine (HepE) in CHB patients, using healthy adults as parallel controls in China. Eligible participants who were aged ≥30 y were enrolled in the study. The CHB group included participants who had ever developed symptoms of hepatitis because of CHB but was currently at a clinically stable stage, which was defined as ALT ≤ 1.5 times of upper limit of the normal range (ULN) in this study. The control group included healthy adults who had hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) negative. HepE was administered for 0, 1, 6 months for all participants. At 1 month after the third-dose vaccination (month 7), the seroconversion rates of anti-HEV IgG were >97% in both groups. The geometric mean concentration (GMC) of anti-HEV IgG in the CHB group was non-inferior to the healthy adult group (0.69 WU/mL, 95% CI 0.55-0.85). The proportion of the participants with adverse events ≥ grade 3 was similar in both groups ( p  = .99), and no vaccine-associated severe adverse events were identified. Changes in the liver function indicators were not of clinical significance. The HepE was highly immunogenic and well tolerated among clinically stable CHB patients and healthy adults.

The renin-angiotensin system is involved in hypertension and, thus, in cardiac and vascular injury. In general, angiotensin II is considered as the main mediator of this system but angiotensin IIderived peptides were also shown to exert effects in such diseases. Moreover, it became obvious that different cell and corresponding tissue types are characterized by their own renin-angiotensin system. This system is composed of various peptidic derivatives of the precursor angiotensinogen. Those angiotensinogen-derived peptides can be processed further by peptidases and can bind corresponding receptors. Various clinical trials were initiated considering inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system at different stages in cardiac injuries. Recently, a phase 3 trial using infused angiotensin II (LJPC-501) as treatment option in catecholamine-resistent hypotension was established (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02338843) although it might be that an influence of AngII-derived peptides is not considered. In general, more intense research on AngII-derived peptides should result in novel strategies and therapeutic options in treatment of cardiac and vascular injuries since these peptides exert actions by themselves, some may interfere with AngII-mediated effects, and some can bind different receptors as well. Consequently, they may also become new promising therapeutics in clinical settings in the future. This short review introduces all currently known angiotensins at once, their production and role related to cardiac and vascular injury, which immune cells show renin-angiotensin system components, and how immune cells containing such components might be involved in such diseases as well., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.)

Objective: This study is to test the effectiveness of fiber-optic-guided endotracheal suction catheter (visual sputum suctioning system or VSSS) in dog models., Methods: Dog sputum models were established by administering dimethoate emulsifiable. Twenty-seven intubated dogs were equally randomized into three groups of conventional suctioning (CS) group, VSSS with no supplemental oxygen (VSSS) group and VSSS with 100% oxygen (VSSS/O2) group. The suctioning efficiency, vital signs and tracheal wall injury were assessed., Results: The VSSS/O2 (8.6 ± 0.7g) and VSSS groups (8.5 ± 0.9 g) collected significantly more sputum than the CS group (5.9 ± 0.8 g) (P < 0.05 for VSSS/O2 group versus CS group; P < 0.05 for VSSS group versus CS group). Immediately after suctioning, the arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2 ) of VSSS/O2 group was significantly higher than that of the VSSS group or the CS group (both P < 0.05), and 5 min after suction the PaO2 , the mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) in all groups returned to the baseline (p = 0.54, P = 0.67, P = 0.11, respectively). Moreover, in the VSSS/O2 and VSSS groups all the three variables were higher than the CS group at 5 min after suctioning (P < 0.01, P = 0.03; P = 0.02, P < 0.01; P = 0.02, P = 0.01 respectively)., Conclusions: Visual sputum suctioning system collected more sputum and caused less tracheal mucosa damage than conventional suctioning.

The basement membrane (BM) is crucial in regulating the physical and biological activities of esophageal epithelial cells which attach to the underlying BM. In order to simulate the natural construction of BM, we prepared the fibrous scaffolds using biodegradable polylactide (PLA) and silk fibroin (SF) as the materials via electrospinning technology. BM's proteins containing collagen (IV), laminin, entactin and proteoglycan were extracted from porcine esophagus and coated on the eletrospun fibers. Morphology, mechanical strength, biodegradability and cytocompatibility of the coated and uncoated scaffolds were tested and evaluated using scanning electron micrography, mechanical test system, immunofluorescence assay and western blotting with CK14 as the primary antibody. The fibrous scaffold PLA or PLA/SF, generated from the present protocol had good formation and mechanical and biodegradable properties. After coating with BM's proteins, the scaffold could enhance the growth and differentiation of esophageal epithelial cells, which would contribute to remodel and regenerate the tissue engineered epithelium and further contribute to engineer the whole esophagus in future.

Background: Conventional sputum suctioning is a routine clinical practice, but complications may arise from the blind manipulation of the catheter. Recently, a visual sputum suctioning system (VSSS) was developed, and we tested this new system in a laboratory setting., Methods: We used coagulant concentrations of 1.5% and 3.0% to simulate mucus and sputum. Conventional single-lumen and triple-lumen catheters were inserted separately into a beaker for sputum suctioning (15 s, 200 mm Hg). A micro-imaging fiber was integrated into the triple-lumen catheter to create the VSSS. The single-lumen catheter and the VSSS were inserted separately into the mouth cavity, the nasal cavity, the tracheostomy tube, and the endotracheal tube of a human analog model for further comparisons., Results: As the suction channel of the triple-lumen catheter was reduced by 46.8%, the amount of simulant it suctioned was significantly less than that suctioned by the single-lumen catheter. However, under real-time guidance, the VSSS suctioned more simulant than the conventional single-lumen catheter in the human analog model., Conclusion: Sputum suctioning with the VSSS was feasible. Because of its real-time imaging guidance, the efficiency of the VSSS procedure was greater than that of the conventional single-lumen catheter. Therefore, this system may provide a new platform for sputum suctioning.