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Abstract Background Growing evidence indicated that to develop of atherosclerosis observed more often by people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but the underlying mechanism is not fully clarified. Considering that amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition in the brain is the key pathophysiology of AD and plasma Aβ is closely relate to Aβ deposition in the brain, in the present study, we investigated the relationships between atherosclerosis and plasma Aβ levels. Methods This was a population based cross-sectional study. Patients with high risk of atherosclerosis from Qubao Village, Xi’an were underwent carotid ultrasound for assessment of atherosclerosis. Venous blood was collected on empty stomach in the morning and plasma Aβ1−40 and Aβ1−42 levels were measured using ELISA. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the relationships between carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) and plasma Aβ levels. Results Among 344 patients with high risk of atherosclerosis, 251(73.0%) had CAS. In the univariate analysis, the plasma Aβ levels had no significant differences between CAS group and non-CAS group (Aβ1−40: 53.07 ± 9.24 pg/ml vs. 51.67 ± 9.11pg/ml, p = 0.211; Aβ1−42: 40.10 ± 5.57 pg/ml vs. 40.70 pg/ml ± 6.37pg/ml, p = 0.285). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that plasma Aβ levels were not associated with CAS (Aβ1−40: OR = 1.019, 95%CI: 0.985–1.054, p = 0.270;Aβ1−42: OR = 1.028, 95%CI: 0.980–1.079, p = 0.256) in the total study population. After stratified by hypertension, CAS was associated with plasma Aβ1−40 positively (OR = 1.063, 95%CI: 1.007–1.122, p = 0.028) in the non-hypertension group, but not in hypertensive group. When the plasma Aβ concentrations were classified into four groups according to its quartile, the highest level of plasma Aβ1−40 group was associated with CAS significantly (OR = 4.465, 95%CI: 1.024–19.474, p = 0.046). Conclusion Among patients with high risk of atherosclerosis, CAS was associated with higher plasma Aβ1−40 level in non-hypertension group, but not in hypertension group. These indicated that atherosclerosis is associated with plasma Aβ level, but the relationship may be confounded by hypertension.

Immobilized microorganism technology has been widely used in the field of heavy metal wastewater treatment due to its advantages of high treatment efficiency and low input cost. However，the related mechanism of heavy metal removal is still unclear. In this paper，a strain of acid-resistant Aspergillus sp. MF1 screened from acid mine drainage was used as the research object for immobilization treatment. Subcellular separation technology and five-step extraction method were used to preliminarily reveal the mechanism of Pb2+ removal from immobilized Aspergillus sp. MF1 through SEM and FTIR characterization. The results showed that under the condition of pH 3.5 and initial Pb2+ mass concentration 10 mg/L，the removal rate of Pb2+ could reach 78.26%. The removal mechanism of Pb2+ from immobilized Aspergillus sp. MF1 could be summarized into two aspects. On the one hand，it was attributed to high specific surface area of carrier and adsorption of Pb2+ by surface active groups of polyvinyl alcohol and sodium alginate. On the other hand，it was attributed the chelation，adsorption and ion exchange from cell wall，and the compartmentalization of vacuole and other organelles. In addition，immobilized Aspergillus sp. MF1 could be used continuously for 5 cycles，and the removal rate of Pb2+ could reach more than 30%，and no rupture or cell leakage occurred during the removal process.

DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672‑6731.2024.03.014

Fusarium infection of wheat can lead to scab, mycotoxin contamination and yield reduction. Fusarium is a serious threat to food security. In this study, the Fusarium strains in wheat were isolated and identified. The three strains N1, N2 and N3 belonged to Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium asiaticum and Fusarium culmatum, respectively. The production of zearalenone, vomitoxin and fumonisin by the three strains was analyzed by toxin-producing gene detection and mycotoxin detection. The results showed that N1 and N3 could produce zearalenone and vomitoxin, but did not produce fumonisin, while N2 did not produce these three toxins. In this study, ozone and chlorine dioxide were further used for gas fumigation to explore the effect of gas fumigation on the three strains isolated. By observing the spore morphology, mycelium length and mycelium morphology, the results showed that chlorine dioxide fumigation could effectively inhibit the growth of mycelium and spore germination, while ozone could only inhibit spore germination and had no obvious inhibitory effect on the growth of mycelium.

Objective To mine the adverse drug events (ADE) signal of avatrombopag, an effective drug for thrombocytopenia treatment, based on real world data in order to provide reference for its clinical safety application. Methods The OpenVigil2.1 pharmacovigilance platform was used to obtain the ADE report data of avatrombopag from May 2018 to March 2023 in the database of FDA adverse event reporting system (FAERS).The ADE signals were classified and described by the system organ class (SOC) and preferred term (PT) of the ADE terminology set in the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA), and reporting odds ratio (ROR) and UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) comprehensive standard were used to detect the positive ADE signals. Results A total of 1 879 ADE reports related to avatrombopag were obtained, 24 SOCs were involved, and 28 positive ADE signals were detected at PT level.Among these signals, the strongest ones were renal vein thrombosis, portal vein thrombosis and graft versus host disease, while the reports accounting for the largest numbers were headache, fatigue and asthenia.There were 8 ADE signals discovered newly, that is, seasonal allergy, back disorder, musculoskeletal discomfort, flatulence, hypersomnia, rash macular, emotional disorder, and rhinorrhoea. Conclusion For clinical use of avatrombopag, clinicians should not only concern the risk of thrombosis, but also pay close attention to ADE signals such as seasonal allergy, back disorder, musculoskeletal discomfort, flatulence, hypersomnia, rash macular, emotional disorder, and rhinorrhoea that are not documented in the instructions.

Objective To investigate the current status and training requirements of pain medicine among non-anesthetic residents rotating in the Department of Anesthesiology at a tertiary hospital in Beijing. Methods A self-designed questionnaire of “pain medicine education requirements of rotating residents” was administered to each resident on their first day of rotation, and voluntary responses were collected. Results A total of 108 questionnaires were collected (87.1% response rate), comprising 45 from surgical residents, 42 from internal medicine residents, and 21 from emergency and intensive care residents. The results showed that surgical residents encountered a higher prevalence of surgery-related pain as compared to internal medicine residents or emergency and intensive care residents(P＜0.001). Internal medicine residents experienced a greater incidence of inflammatory pain than surgical residents(P＜0.05) or emergency and intensive care residents(P＜0.01). All residents expressed continuing education requirements on pain management. Regarding training modalities, surgical residents favored medical course (86.7%); internal medicine residents preferred outpatient clinic rotation (88.1%); and emergency and intensive care residents preferred interventional treatment rotations (90.5%). Conclusions There are a wide need for continuing medical education on pain management. The training should be tailored diversely based on the specific clinical needs of each department to improve the overall quality of continuing medical education and accelerate the development of integrative pain management.

Diagnosis of intracranial tuberculoma remains a challenge due to its rarity, non-specific clinical presentation, and radiological findings. Herein, we describe a case of intracranial tuberculomas in a male diabetic patient who presented headache and vomiting on admission. Neuroimaging findings indicated multiple ring contrast-enhanced lesions with extensive perilesional edema. However, a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination was normal. When a biopsy of brain lesions was performed, pathological characteristics of tuberculosis were absent and acid-fast staining was negative. A tuberculosis diagnosis was subsequently obtained from an Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded brain tissue. The patient was treated with an optimized anti-tuberculosis regimen which included high-dose intravenous administration of rifampicin and isoniazid, and oral administration of linezolid. The patient recovered well and exhibited marked clinical improvement. This case report demonstrates that when CSF analysis does not indicate the presence of intracranial tuberculomas, analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded brain tissue specimens with the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay may be able to confirm a diagnosis. Furthermore, a high dose of rifampicin and isoniazid plus linezolid may improve patient outcome.

In person re-identification, most prevalent models are predominantly designed for cloud computing environments which introduces complexities that limit their effectiveness in edge computing scenarios. Person re-identification systems optimized for edge computing can achieve real-time or near-real-time responses, providing substantial practical value. Addressing this gap, this paper presents the Attention Knowledge-aided Distillation Lightweight Network (ADLN), a network architecture expressly crafted for edge computing. The ADLN enhances inference speed while maintaining accuracy, which is essential for real-time applications. The core innovation of the ADLN lies in its dimension interaction attention mechanism, strategically integrated into the network to boost recognition performance. This mechanism is complemented by a self-distillation approach, transferring attention knowledge from deeper to shallower layers, thereby streamlining the network and accelerating inference. Moreover, the ADLN employs an optimization strategy combining cross-entropy loss, weighted triplet loss regularization, and center loss, effectively reducing intra-class variances. Tested on Market1501 and DukeMTMC-ReID datasets, experiments indicate that the ADLN significantly reduces the model’s parameter count and identification latency, while largely maintaining accuracy.

ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of avian influenza viruses in the external environment of poultry in Anqing City， Anhui Province， and provide scientific evidence for prevention and control of animal-derived influenza in humans.MethodsA total of 28 farmers’ markets/farms in 10 counties （cities， districts） of Anqing City， Anhui Province， were selected as surveillance sites by simple random sampling strategy. Poultry faeces and other related samples were collected for 6 consecutive weeks. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to examine the nucleic acids of influenza A virus. Subtypes H5， H7， and H9 of avian influenza virus were further tested in the positive samples.ResultsA total of 426 specimens were collected， among which 113 tested positive with a positive rate of 26.53%. Among the positive specimens， 104 were determined to be subtype H9， accounting for 92.04%. It did not significantly differ in the positive rate between the main and non-main urban areas （χ20.05） or among the specimens collected in different weeks （χ2=7.57， P>0.05）. However， it significantly differed in the positive rate among the specimens collected in the third week and other weeks （χ2=6.89， P

an era of increased sustainable transport, the European inland navigation industry has received significant attention to attain sustainable transport. Tremendous opportunities to substantially move freight on waterways are present in the UK; however, several challenges have been appropriately addressed, including infrastructural gaps and various institutional support programs. The paper addresses the UK’s current situation of inland navigation and the key challenges affecting the sectors as a viable alternative transport solution. The article explores and summarises the geographic opportunities, commercial feasibility, and the current condition of the UK’S inland navigation sector. From the practical scenario of the UK’s experience, an attempt was made by the authors to find the critical challenges and issues faced by the industry. The emerging themes from the analysis of this paper indicated governance and leadership issues, cooperation, and coordination mechanism between establishments with various functions and responsibilities, merged with infrastructural investment, are strategic elements for expansion in the UK. Conclusively, the authors presented recommendations for improvement and sustainable development.

Functional movement disorder (FMD) is a common type of conversion/dissociative disorder. In recent years, the continuous development of imaging techniques such as fMRI, DTI and PET, as well as analytical methods such as morphological analysis and fiber tract tracking, not only provides technical support for the study of neurobiological mechanisms of FMD, but also has important value for its differential diagnosis, efficacy evaluation and prognosis prediction. This article reviews the progress of imaging research on FMD, so as to provide basis for diagnosis, treatment and pathophysiological mechanism of the disease.

Objective To explore changes of brain structure in patients with functional movement disorder (FMD) and their correlation with disease severity. Methods Nine patients with FMD (FMD group) as well as 10 gender⁃ and age⁃matched healthy volunteers (control group) were recruited in Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, from May to October 2023, and then they underwent MRI. Simplified Functional Movement Disorder Rating Scale (S ⁃FMDRS) was used to assess movement disorder symptoms and severity. Clinical Global Impression ⁃ Severity (CGI ⁃ S) was used to evaluate disease severity. Somatoform Dissociation Questionnaire ⁃ 20 (SDQ ⁃20) was used to assess body dissociation. Chinese version of Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology of Exposure (MACE) was used to assess childhood abuse situation. 36⁃Item Short Form of Health Survey (SF⁃36) was used to assess health status. Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 17 (HAMD⁃17) were used to evaluate anxiety and depression. Results Compared with the control group, the FMD group exhibited higher scores on SDQ⁃20 (Z = 2.259, P = 0.028) and Chinese version of MACE (t = ⁃ 3.570, P = 0.002) as well as HAMA (t = ⁃ 3.999, P = 0.001), while SF⁃36 scores for vitality (t = 3.091, P = 0.009) and social functioning (t = 2.275, P = 0.046) were lower in the FMD group. Cortical thickness was greater in the FMD group in the right inferior occipital gyrus and sulcus cortex (t = ⁃ 2.924, P = 0.009), right anterior cingulate gyrus and sulcus cortex (t = ⁃ 3.286, P = 0.004), right orbitofrontal cortex (t = ⁃ 2.381, P = 0.029), while thickness in the left subcallosal area (t = 2.492, P = 0.023) and left paracentral lobule gyrus and sulcus (t = 2.139, P = 0.047), as well as volume of the right cerebellar white matter (t = 2.685, P = 0.016), left cerebellar white matter (t = 2.121, P = 0.049), and the middle posterior region of the corpus callosum (t = 2.550, P = 0.021) were smaller than those of the control group. Correlation analysis revealed left cerebellar white matter were positively correlated with disease duration (r = 0.837, P = 0.038), while cortical thickness in the left subcallosal area were negatively correlated with disease duration (r = ⁃ 0.831, P = 0.040). Conclusions There are structural changes in the limbic system, sensorimotor area, visual cortex, and certain white matter regions in the brains of FMD patients, and several regions were correlated with the disease duration.

Objective To preliminarily summarize the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of functional movement disorder (FMD) based on movement disorders clinic in China. Methods and Results A total of 593 patients with movement disorders newly diagnosed in movement disorders clinic of 22 clinical medical centers from August to September in 2023 were included, including 37 patients (6.24%) with FMD and 556 patients (93.76%) with organic movement disorder. Comparison of the epidemiological characteristics of the 2 groups, the proportions of corona virus disease (COVID⁃19) infection (χ2 = 4.217, P = 0.040) and psychopsychological symptoms (χ2 = 18.694, P = 0.000) in the FMD group were higher than those in the organic movement disorder group, while age (t = 3.757, P = 0.000), age of onset (t = 3.720, P = 0.000) and proportion of hypertension (χ2 = 4.736, P = 0.030) were lower than those in the organic movement disorder group. Comparison of the clinical characteristics of the 2 groups, the FMD group had higher proportions of tremor (χ2 = 3.955, P = 0.047) and myoclonus (Fisher′s exact probability: P = 0.011) than the organic movement disorder group, and the proportions of parkinsonism (χ2 = 8.491, P = 0.004) and gait disorder (χ2 = 5.028, P = 0.025) were lower than those in the organic movement disorder group. Conclusions The age and age of onset, as well as the proportions of COVID⁃19 infection, hypertension, psychopsychological symptoms, tremor, myoclonus, parkinsonism and gait disorder with FMD were different from those with organic movement disorder in China.

This study aimed to design an evaluation scale of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) confidence and then evaluate its validity and reliability.

Myocardial infarction (MI) results in high mortality. The size of fibrotic scar tissue following MI is an independent predictor of MI outcomes. Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) is involved in various fibrotic diseases. Its role in post-MI cardiac fibrosis, however, remains poorly understood. In the present study, we investigate the biological role of TXNIP in post-MI cardiac fibrosis and the underlying mechanism using mouse MI models of the wild-type (WT), Txnip-knockout (Txnip-KO) type and Txnip-knock-in (Txnip-KI) type. After MI, the animals present with significantly upregulated TXNIP levels, and their fibrotic areas are remarkably expanded with noticeably impaired cardiac function. These changes are further aggravated under Txnip-KI conditions but are ameliorated in Txnip-KO animals. MI also leads to increased protein levels of the fibrosis indices Collagen I, Collagen III, actin alpha 2 (ACTA2), and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). The Txnip-KI group exhibits the highest levels of these proteins, while the lowest levels are observed in the Txnip-KO mice. Furthermore, Txnip-KI significantly upregulates the levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)B1, p-Smad3, NOD-, LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3), Cleaved Caspase-1, and interleukin (IL)1B after MI, but these effects are markedly offset by Txnip-KO. In addition, after MI, the Smad7 level significantly decreases, particularly in the Txnip-KI mice. TXNIP may aggravate the progression of post-MI fibrosis and cardiac dysfunction by activating the NLRP3 inflammasome, followed by IL1B generation and then the enhancement of the TGFB1/Smad3 pathway. As such, TXNIP might serve as a novel potential therapeutic target for the treatment of post-MI cardiac fibrosis.

Objective·To investigate the status of early mobilization and influencing factors of the patients undergoing laparoscopic radical resection of colorectal cancer (CRC).Methods·The convenience sampling method was used to select patients undergoing laparoscopic radical resection of CRC in the Department of Colorectal Surgery and Department of General Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from January to December, 2022. The patients′ general information, disease-, surgery- and postoperation-related information, and the situation of postoperative early mobilization were collected by bedside interview and electronic medical record system at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after surgery. The influencing factors were analyzed by univariate analyses and binary Logistic regression.Results·A total of 277 patients were included. Within 24 h after surgery, 47 patients got out of bed with the early mobilization rate of 16.97%. The walking distance of these patients was 55.46 (18.28, 145.60) m within 24 h after surgery, with a minimum of 2.60 m and a maximum of 803.68 m. The average scores of Brown rating of mobility within 24 h, >24－48 h, and >48－72 h after surgery were 2 (0, 4) points, 8 (0, 10) points, and 8 (8, 10) points, which respectively belonged to the low level, moderate level, and moderate level. There were statistical differences in age, preoperative hemoglobin level, anesthesia duration, and the number of indwelling catheters between the early mobilization group and the non-early mobilization group (all P

This paper summarized the practice of integrated medical and nursing ward rounds for a case of severe pneumonia. An integrated ward rounds team was set up to determine key issues of nursing based on the prognosis, clinical lab examination and symptoms diagnosis. Targeted nursing interventions were carried out to reduce the risk of complications and improve the recovery of the patient. (本文总结1例重症肺炎患者进行医护一体化护理查房经验。由护理部组织建立医护一体化查房小组, 各专科学组就患者疾病转归、化验指标以及临床症状提出护理要点, 针对性实施护理措施, 以降低患者并发症风险, 促进早日康复。)

The differences in the chemical composition of Morus nigra (M. nigra) extracts from four different extraction methods, ultrasound-assisted extraction with pure water (WU), pure water decoction extraction (WD), ultrasonic-assisted extraction with formic acid water (FAU), and pure water heat reflux extraction (WHR), were identified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) technology.

Obesity-related cardiovascular diseases are associated with overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). However, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we investigate the role of angiotensin II (Ang II) in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced cardiac dysfunction by focusing on cardiac glucose and lipid metabolism and energy supply. Ang II plays a role in cardiovascular regulation mainly by stimulating angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R), among which AT1aR is the most important subtype in regulating the function of the cardiovascular system. AT1aR gene knockout (AT1aR‒/‒) rats and wild-type (WT) rats are randomly divided into four groups and fed with either a normal diet (ND) or a HFD for 12 weeks. The myocardial lipid content, Ang II level and cardiac function are then evaluated. The expressions of a number of genes involved in glucose and fatty acid oxidation and mitochondrial dynamics are measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. Our results demonstrate that AT1aR knockout improves HFD-induced insulin resistance and dyslipidemia as well as lipid deposition and left ventricular dysfunction compared with WT rats fed a HFD. In addition, after feeding with HFD, AT1aR‒/‒ rats not only show further improvement in glucose and fatty acid oxidation but also have a reverse effect on increased mitochondrial fission proteins. In conclusion, AT1aR deficiency ameliorates HFD-induced cardiac dysfunction by enhancing glucose and fatty acid oxidation, regulating mitochondrial dynamics-related protein changes, and further promoting cardiac energy supply.

ObjectiveTo understand the internet media information of COVID-19 in Shanghai in 2022， to provide evidence for health administration departments to respond to public health emergencies， and to establish a comprehensive public health media surveillance system.MethodsData on internet media information and the local COVID-19 epidemic data in Shanghai from January 1 to June 30， 2022 were collected and analyzed.ResultsA total of 90.197 3 million pieces of internet media information were monitored. The top four sources of the information were Weibo （36.84%）， short videos （26.19%）， internet media （14.47%）， and forums （13.31%）. The variation trend of daily internet media surveillance information was identified with the number of newly reported cases per day， and a correlation was found （r＝0.770. After the seven-day moving average，r＝0.796）. Frequent keywords included Shanghai， cheer up， nucleic acid， new cases， local， asymptomatic， prevention and control， gratitude， isolation， epidemic prevention， supplies， pandemic response， patient， seeking help， and clearing the cases. Within the information on Weibo， in addition to netizens in Shanghai （7 823 100） who were highly concerned about the pandemic， netizens from Beijing （2 749 100）， Guangdong Province （2 352 300）， Jiangsu Province （2 189 100） and Zhejiang Province （1 532 100） also posted a relatively high amount of information related to COVID-19 in Shanghai.ConclusionThe outbreak of major infectious diseases triggers significant online activity， and platforms such as Weibo and short video platforms play crucial roles in disseminating internet media information. Weibo， short videos etc. are important platforms for current internet media information. Strengthening media information monitoring and analysis， paying close attention to hot events， taking timely response measures and actively engaging in risk communication contribute to the response and management of public health emergencies.

Granulomatous polyangiitis (GPA) is a rare systemic autoimmune vasculitis disease that is highly correlated with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs). It was formerly called as “Wegener’s granulomatosis.” The clinical manifestations are diverse, mainly involving the upper respiratory tract, lungs, and kidneys, and this disease can involve the brain parenchyma as an isolated solid mass. Only one case has been reported thus far. To provide further information on this rare case, we report a case of GPA involving the fourth ventricle and review the relevant literature. A 32-year-old Chinese female developed fever, cough, and shortness of breath for 20 days. An 80 mm × 80 mm skin ulcer was seen on the right lower limb. CT showed multiple large patches of increased density in both lungs. The patient’s serological ANCA was positive. Later, the patient developed dizziness and headache. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head showed a mass of approximately 21 mm × 24 mm in the fourth ventricle. The patient had a craniotomy for mass resection, and macroscopically, the mass was gray–red and measured 25 mm × 20 mm × 20 mm, was soft, had local hemorrhage and necrosis, and had no capsule. The main microscopic features included necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis, the patient’s immunohistochemistry was positive for CD68 and negative for glial fibrillary acidic protein, and the acid-fast staining and hexaamine silver staining were negative. Combined with the clinical history, serology, and imaging, the pathological diagnosis was GPA in the fourth ventricle. The patient was switched to rituximab combined with steroid therapy because she did not tolerate cyclophosphamide. After 5 months of follow-up, the patient’s lung lesions and skin ulcers had completely improved, but the brain lesions had further progressed. When a patient has multiple system diseases, abnormal clinical manifestations, and positive serological ANCAs, a diagnosis of GPA should be carefully considered, and biopsies of easy-to-access sites should be performed. If the patient’s histopathological manifestations include vasculitis, granuloma, and necrosis, a diagnosis of GPA is more likely. If a patient subsequently develops an intraventricular mass, the clinicians should consider a diagnosis of GPA, which can rarely involve the cerebral ventricle to avoid an unnecessary biopsy or surgical treatment of intracranial lesions. When a patient is intolerant to the traditional treatment drug cyclophosphamide and needs to be switched to rituximab, the treatment effect of intracerebral lesions is not ideal; therefore, the treatment of lesions involving GPA in the ventricle is worthy of further exploration.

Fe-based stents have been made a figure in biodegradable stents by their good mechanical capacity and biocompatibility, appropriate strength–ductility combination. Although the iron corrosion rate was not ideal, which had been optimized by iron alloy and polymer coating introduction. As a long-term implanted biodegradable material, the real concern about iron-based stents mainly laid in long-term biosafety. In this work, rats were used as an animal model to study the chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity of iron-based stents. Two years later, the changes in body weight and the physiological status during the experiment were monitored, and the blood routine and blood analysis combined with the health of major organs and histopathological tests were performed. The results demonstrated that there was no significant difference compared with the control group (316L SS) in body weight, blood routine index, blood biochemical index, and carcinogenic rate that further confirmed the biosafety of iron-based material.

Objective To investigate the role and mechanism of bone formation caused by the ratio of advanced platelet-rich fibrin (A-PRF) and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) in rabbit femur defect model, which provides a new idea for clinical treatment of bone defect. Methods Twenty-four New Zealand white rabbits were divided into model group, 1∶1 complex group (A-PRF∶β-TCP=1∶1), 2∶1 complex group (A-PRF∶β- TCP=2∶1) and 4∶1 complex group (A-PRF∶β- TCP=4∶1）, with 6 rabbits in each group. Femoral defect models were constructed in each group. In the composite group, the bone defect was filled with composite material, while in the model group, no material was filled. After 8 weeks, the animals were euthanized and specimens were collected. Bone mineral density (BMD), bone volume fraction (BV/TV), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), trabecular separation (Tb.SP) and trabecular number (Tb.N) in femoral defect tissue were measured by micro-CT and photographed. Hematoxylin - eosin staining was used to detect the pathological changes of new bone tissue. The morphological changes of the new bone tissue were observed by scanning electron microscopy. Determination of phospho-mitogen activated protein kinase p38 (p-p38MAPK), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) and phospho-cysteine aspartic protease-3 (p-Caspase3) in newborn femur by ELISA. The mRNA expressions of osteoprotegerin (OPG), bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) and p38MAPK were detected by real-time quantitative PCR. The expression of OPG, BMP-2, RANKL, p-p38MAPK and p-Caspase3 protein in the new bone tissue was observed by immunohistochemistry. Results In the model group, bone formation in the femoral defect area was slow and osteogenic quality was poor. Compared with the model group, the bone formation and neocapillaries of femoral defect area in the complex group was good, BMD, BV.TV, Tb.Th, Tb.N were increased, and Tb.Sp were decreased, the expressions of p-p38MAPK, CHOP and p-Caspase3 were decreased, and the mRNA and protein expressions of OPG and BMP-2 were increased. The mRNA expression of RANKL and p38MAPK was decreased. Apoptosis in new bone tissue of each group showed the lowest apoptosis rate in samples of the 2∶1 complex group (P

Congential biliary dilitation (CBD) is rare biliary tract disease in clinic. Clinical classification and disease characteristics of CBD is the key of accurate treatment. Surgical treatment was regarded as the first choice for adult patients with CBD including traditional surgery. There is still a controversy in the strategy of reconstruction of bile duct during operation. In this article the progress in diagnosis and treatment of CBD was reviewed.

In order to rapidly determine aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), zearalenone (ZEN) and deoxynivalenol (DON) in maize, a AFB1-ZEN-DON three-in-one combined detection method has been established. This quantitative immunofluorescence assay based on superconductor coating was used to detect multiple maize samples. Combined with the recovery rate, stability, detection limit, precision and other indexes, the applicability of the method were evaluated and compared with the results of liquid chromatography. The results showed that the AFB1-ZEN-DON three-in-one combined detection method had the good linearity in the range of 0.5~30 µg/mL for AFB1, 5~200 µg/kg for ZEN and 100~2 500 µg/mL for DON, respectively. The relative deviation of AFB1, ZEN and DON detected by this method was –2.84%~11.91%, –3.43%~18.12% and 1.83%~12.91%, respectively, which were within the allowable deviation of 20%, 15% and 23%. The detection limit of AFB1 was 0.41 μg/kg and the corresponding limit of quantification was 1.12 μg/kg. The limit of detection of ZEN was 3.22 μg/kg and the corresponding limit of quantitation was 9.15 μg/kg. The detection limit of DON was 35.42 μg/kg and the corresponding limit of quantitation was 100.84 μg/kg. Compared with the results of liquid chromatography, the superconductor coated immunofluorescence test strip method is an effective, practical, rapid and quantitative analysis method within the allowable deviation range, suggesting that it could meet the requirements of simultaneous detection of AFB1, ZEN and DON in maize.

Objective To explore the biological effects of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) with different high intensities on condylar cartilage in rats. Methods SD rats were randomly divided into a sham group (Sham) and an irradiation group (EMP1: 500 kV/m, 10 Hz; EMP2: 270 kV/m, 10 Hz). Then, they were sacrificed at 1 h, 3 h, 12 h, 24 h and 3 d after irradiation. The degree of cartilage degeneration was evaluated by HE, safranine O-fast green, type Ⅱ collagen immunohistochemistry and TUNEL staining. Immunohistochemistry and western blot were performed to detect the expression of the matrix degradation factors: matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13), a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS-5) and the apoptosis key factor cleaved-cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase (cleaved-Caspase3) in condylar cartilage. Results HE staining showed that, compared with the Sham group, a small amount of exfoliation was found on the fibrous surface layer of the cartilage after irradiation in the EMP1 and EMP2 groups. Compared with the Sham group, the percentage of safranine O-fast green-positive area decreased significantly at 12 h and 24 h (both P

Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a disorder of the autonomic motor or sensory system with well⁃defined symptoms, which covers functional movement disorder, psychogenic non⁃epileptic seizures, functional sensory disorder, functional cognitive disorder, persistent postural perceptual dizziness and so on. Its complex and diverse characteristics make the diagnosis and treatment of the disease and research difficult, so FND has long been a "gray area", but its high incidence, disability rate and high consumption of medical resources remind us that FND cannot be ignored. This paper reviews the current clinical classification of FND and the diagnostic criteria in order to improve the diagnosis and treatment by domestic colleagues.

With urbanization and anthropogenic pressures, the eco-environmental quality of East and Southeast Asian coastal regions has undergone drastic changes in the 21st century. To assess these environmental variations and realize regional sustainable development goals, a quantitative monitoring of the eco-environment is necessary, but challenging. The remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) was recently proposed and applied to quantitatively monitor the eco-environmental quality, but bias during multitemporal observations is a major limitation. Thus, a novel method, Continuous Remote Sensing Ecological Index (CRSEI), was developed in this study to enable constant and objective monitoring of large-scale and long-term environmental changes in the coastal regions of East and Southeast Asia. To reduce the multitemporal bias of pixels caused by imaging conditions and sensor status, a change detection algorithm requiring limited auxiliary data was developed. High-resolution images show that the CRSEI enables adequate multitemporal monitoring of eco-environmental changes with fewer false fluctuations on the local scale. The proposed CRSEI should deepen the current understanding of environmental changes and provide a solid scientific reference for environmental protection on multiple scales. The results of this research indicate that the eco-environmental quality of the east and southeast Asian coast remained generally stable during the studied period (2001–2019), with the mean CRSEI changed slightly from 5918 to 5856. However, on a regional level, each area revealed different conditions. First, the Korean Peninsula had relatively stable and well-maintained eco-environmental quality with a CRSEI of around 5500 during 2001–2019. Second, The North China coast had lower eco-environmental quality compared to other regions, but it showed the most improvement, with the CRSEI increasing from 2719 to 2807. Third, the eco-environmental quality of South China and Myanmar's coastal region remained relatively stable, with a CRSEI of around 5730 and 6720, respectively. Fourth, the continental coast of some Southeast Asian countries, particularly Vietnam and Cambodia, experienced a significant decline in eco-environmental quality, as indicated by a dramatic decrease in the CRSEI from 6751 to 6527. Notably, the areas with declining eco-environmental quality were concentrated in the western border regions of Cambodia, where unrestricted cultivation has led to the destruction of tropical rainforests.

In order to rapidly determine deoxynivalenol (DON) and Zearalenone (ZEN) in maize, a rapid quantitative immunofluorescence assay based on superconductor coating was used to detect multiple maize samples. Combined with the recovery rate, stability, detection limit, precision and other indexes, the applicability of the method was evaluated and compared with the results of liquid chromatography. The results showed that the superconductor coated immunofluorescence diaper method had the good linearity in the range of 100 ng/mL~2 500 ng/mL for DON and 5~200 µg/kg for ZEN. The recoveries of DON were 103.72%~108.17% in the range of 500~2 000 µg/kg, and 97.81%~111.27% in the range of ZEN 50~150 µg/kg. Compared with the results of liquid chromatography, the superconductor coated immunofluorescence diaper method is an effective, practical, rapid and quantitative analysis method within the allowable deviation range, which can meet the requirements of simultaneous detection of DON and ZEN in maize.

Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a kind of autonomic motor or sensory system disease with well⁃defined clinical symptoms. It has attracted the attention of many scientists due to its high incidence and heavy social burden, and many studies have promoted the development of FND. However, due to the late start of related research in China, clinicians, patients and their families have relatively weak understanding of the concept of FND and related knowledge. This article analyzes the current status of FND diagnosis and treatment in China, proposed the suggestions to improve the level of diagnosis and treatment for FND in details and enhance related study.

This network meta-analysis (NMA) aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of different pharmacological treatments for idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). Thirty-four relevant studies were extracted from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane database, and MEDLINE. Treatment with tacrolimus (TAC), cyclophosphamide (CTX), mycophenolate mofetil, chlorambucil (CHL), cyclosporin A (CSA), steroids, rituximab (RTX), and conservative therapy were compared. Outcomes were measured using remission rate and incidence of side effects. Summary estimates were expressed as the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The quality of findings was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. In the direct meta-analysis for comparison of complete remission (CR) rate, the curative effect of RTX is inferior to CTX (OR 0.37; CI 0.18, 0.75). In the NMA of CR rate, the results showed that the curative effects of CTX, CHL, and TAC were significantly higher than those of the control group. The efficacy of RTX is not inferior to the CTX (OR 0.81; CI 0.32, 2.01), and the level of evidence was moderate; CSA was not as effective as RTX, and the difference was statistically significant with moderate evidence (OR 2.98, CI 1.00, 8.91). In summary, we recommend CTX and RTX as the first-line drug for IMN treatment.

Objective: To evaluate the prognostic significance of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission computed tomography(18F-FDG PET/CT) detection in extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type(ENKTL). Methods: Forty-one pathologically confirmed ENKTL patients (from October, 2014 to June, 2021) received methotrexate, etoposide, dexamethasone and pegaspargase(MESA) regimen and pre-, mid-, and end-treatment 18F-FDG PET/CT scans were retrospectively analyzed. Deauville score (DS), maximal standardized uptake values (SUVmax) and the change of SUVmax (ΔSUVmax) were recorded for response assessment. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to assess the effects on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Results: The median follow-up period was 45 months (range, 3-64 months). The rates of 2-year OS and PFS were 83.0%±6.0% and 76.0%±7.0%, respectively. The rates of 5-year OS and PFS were 61.0%±12.0% and 53.0%±10.0%,respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that pre-treatment Ann Arbor stage (P=0.002), mid-treatment DS (P=0.021), mid-SUVmax (P

Strip optical waveguides were realized in Yb3+-doped silicate glass with ultrashort pulse laser ablation assisted He+ ion implantation. Planar waveguides were first prepared near the glass surface by He+ ion implantation (450 keV + 500 keV + 550 keV), followed by annealing at 260℃. After that, under the processing parameters of 3 μJ energy and 50 μm/s ablation velocity, two parallel tracks with separation of 15, 20, and 25 μm were, respectively, inscribed on the sample, which confine the light in lateral direction to form a strip waveguide. The near-field intensity measurement indicates that the strip waveguides maintain the single-mode propagation characteristics with 976 nm laser injection, and present the multi-mode characteristics with 632.8 nm laser injection, showing that the guided modes are well supported in the strip waveguides. The minimum propagation loss of strip waveguide is 1.35 dB/cm. Fluorescence emission spectra indicate that the gain properties of waveguide core were maintained well after waveguide preparation, revealing that the strip waveguide device in Yb3+-doped silicate glass has the potential to become an active device as waveguide laser or waveguide amplifier.

BACKGROUND Multi-collector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) has been widely applied to accurate and precise measurements of isotope ratios due to its high sample throughput, strong ionization ability of ICP sources and high mass resolution. For decades, the standard-sample bracketing (SSB) method has been used to correct for instrumental mass bias during the measurement to achieve accurate results. When the content of the target isotope in samples is low, the measurement results are easily influenced by the background signals. "On Peak Zero" correction deducts the background signal from the total signal, which is an effective method to eliminate the background interference and has been widely used, but no research has been conducted to systematically explore the mathematical principles behind this correction. OBJECTIVES To establish a mathematical model for the "On Peak Zero" correction, and verify its confidence by applying it to isotope measurements of different concentrations of Li, S, Fe, Sr, Nd and Pb standard solutions. METHODS In this study, a mathematical model of the influence by the background signal on isotopic composition was established by mathematical reasoning and approximate substitution. Standard solutions of different concentrations of Li, S, Fe, Sr, Nd and Pb were prepared for the application of the "On Peak Zero" method through experimental analysis. Two types of blank signals were subtracted separately from the aggregate signals to simulate isotope measurements without and with "On Peak Zero" correction. RESULTS The results indicate that the lower the concentration of the target element, the greater is the blank solution signal influence on the accuracy of the sample to be tested, and the "On Peak Zero" method can better eliminate the influence of the blank solution on the sample measurements. The simulation results based on this model were consistent with the real experimental results in this study. CONCLUSIONS The mathematical model and the data explain well the effect of background concentration on the experimental isotope values, and are useful for understanding the application of the "On Peak Zero" method in MC-ICP-MS isotope analysis.

Objective To investigate the effect of cognitive⁃motor dual⁃task on gait automaticity in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods A total of 45 patients with primary PD in Tianjin Huanhu Hospital were selected from June 2020 to December 2021. Cognitive single task, motor single task and cognitive⁃motor dual⁃task in the "off" and "on" states of dopaminergic medication were performed. The correct number of subtractions was recorded to measure cognitive performance. A three⁃dimensional gait analyzer was used to extract the parameters of stride length and gait velocity, and the dual⁃task cost (DTC) was calculated to measure gait automaticity. Results Compared with single task, patients with PD showed slower gait velocity (t=11.909, P=0.000; t=11.621, P=0.000), shortened stride length (t=9.027, P=0.000; t=9.991, P=0.000), while there was no significant difference in the correct number of subtraction (t=0.651, P=0.519; t=1.205, P=0.234) during both "off" and "on" states. In patients with PD, the DTC of gait velocity (Z=⁃4.148, P=0.000) and stride length (Z=⁃4.114, P=0.000) in the "off" state was higher than that in the "on" state, while the DTC for subtraction had no significant difference (Z=⁃1.005, P=0.315). The DTC of gait velocity in the "off" and "on" states of patients with PD was negatively correlated with the Mini⁃Mental State Examination (MMSE) score (rs=⁃0.474, P=0.000; rs=⁃0.461, P=0.000), but positively correlated with Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Ⅲ (UPDRS Ⅲ) score (rs=0.446, P=0.002; rs=0.428, P=0.003). Conclusions Patients with PD have a significant decrease in stride length and gait velocity, and higher risk of falling when performing dual⁃task. Dopaminergic medication can improve the gait automaticity of patients, and cognitive decline may lead to gait automaticity disorder in patients with PD.

The construction of market power regulation is one of the critical elements of the current market construction and supervision system construction in China. Firstly， this paper summarizes the detection methods， mitigation measures， and evaluation indicators of overseas electricity market power and compares and analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of structural processes and behavior-influence methods. Then， the problems and challenges faced by China are summarized from the perspective of power supply distribution， power supply mix， network frame power flow， and bidding strategy. The paper analyzes the problems and challenges faced by China’s market power control construction. Furthermore， it points out that China’s market power regulation on the power generation side should take power plants as the primary control object. A regulation system that combines events before and after with emphasis on the behavior-influence method is established. Finally， from the market design and construction perspective， measures to mitigate market power are proposed， and an evaluation index system for market power is given to provide a reference for the construction of market power regulation in China.

Large sparse linear equations often appear in scientific computation and engineering.There are many iterative methods and preconditioning techniques for solving these linear equations.Diagonal-based incomplete LU (DILU) is a preconditioning technique similar to incomplete LU (ILU) factorization.DILU is applied in OpenFOAM,an open source computational fluid dynamics software,and is a very important preconditioning technique in OpenFOAM.DILU has not received extensive attention outside OpenFOAM,and there is no complete GPU-based implementation so far.This paper compares DILU preconditioned BiCGStab with ILU preconditioned BiCGStab,and the time elapses in preconditioner constructions.The numeric experiments suggest that DILU may be more efficient and stable than ILU.As for GPU-based parallel implementations,this paper discusses two parallel schemes,that are level-set scheme and synchronization-free scheme,and gives related algorithms and some codes under these two parallel schemes.It compares the performances of DILU preconditioning technique under two parallel schemes.The numeric results show that each scheme has its own advantages and disadvantages in different equations,and we can select one according to their performances in practice.This paper compares the performance of DILU preconditioning on GPU and CPU,and the results show that GPU is more competitive.The applications that have performance bottlenecks on linear systems solutions can be improved by moving to GPU platforms.

Cancer is a fetal and complex disease. Individual differences of the same cancer type or the same patient at different stages of cancer development may require distinct treatments. Pathological differences are reflected in tissues, cells and gene levels etc. The interactions between the cancer cells and nearby microenvironments can also influence the cancer progression and metastasis. It is a huge challenge to understand all of these mechanistically and quantitatively. Researchers applied pattern recognition algorithms such as machine learning or data mining to predict cancer types or classifications. With the rapidly growing and available computing powers, researchers begin to integrate huge data sets, multi-dimensional data types and information. The cells are controlled by the gene expressions determined by the promoter sequences and transcription regulators. For example, the changes in the gene expression through these underlying mechanisms can modify cell progressing in the cell-cycle. Such molecular activities can be governed by the gene regulations through the underlying gene regulatory networks, which are essential for cancer study when the information and gene regulations are clear and available. In this review, we briefly introduce several machine learning methods of cancer prediction and classification which include Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), Decision Trees (DTs), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and naive Bayes. Then we describe a few typical models for building up gene regulatory networks such as Correlation, Regression and Bayes methods based on available data. These methods can help on cancer diagnosis such as susceptibility, recurrence, survival etc. At last, we summarize and compare the modeling methods to analyze the development and progression of cancer through gene regulatory networks. These models can provide possible physical strategies to analyze cancer progression in a systematic and quantitative way.

Objective To investigate the effects of targeted silence/overexpression of PGC-1α in the hippocampus on depression-like behaviors in mice and on the number of glial fibrillary acidic protein positive (GFAP+) astrocytes in the subregions of the hippocampus. Methods After adaptive feeding and sucrose preference baseline adjustment, 32 male C57BL/6 mice aged 6~8 weeks were randomly divided into empty virus group (n=14), PGC-1α silencing group (n=11) and PGC-1α overexpression group (n=7). The latter 2 groups were injected with adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated genes silencing or overexpressing PGC-1α in the hippocampus, respectively, with aid of stereotactic injection technique. Sucrose preference test (SPT) and forced swimming test (FST) were performed to assess the depression-like behaviors, and the number of GFAP+ astrocytes in each hippocampal subregion was accurately quantified in 3 dimensions by immunohistochemistry and stereology. Results As compared with the empty virus group, the PGC-1α silencing group had significantly decreased percentage of sucrose preference (P < 0.01), prolonged immobility time in FST (P < 0.05), and larger number of GFAP+ astrocytes in both CA1 and DG subregions(P < 0.05). However, the immobility time in FST was remarkably shortened in the PGC-1α overexpression group (P < 0.01), with the number of GFAP+ astrocytes in CA1 and DG subregions diminished (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the percentage of sucrose preference between the empty virus group and PGC-1α overexpression group, and silencing or overexpressing PGC-1α showed no obvious impact on the number of astrocytes in CA3 subregion. Conclusion PGC-1α is closely associated with the depression-like behaviors and participates in regulating the number of GFAP+ astrocytes in CA1 and DG subregions in mice.

In order to solve the problem of asymmetric large deformation control of steep coal seam roadway, taking steep coal-rock interbedded roadway in Zhaojiaba Mine as the engineering background, the asymmetric deformation mechanism of steep coal seam roadway was discussed by using the research methods of field observation, theoretical analysis and numerical simulation, and the cross-border bolt-grouting differential support technology was proposed based on the cross-border support principle. The occurrence of steep coal strata leads to the unsymmetrical stress distribution in surrounding rock of roadway, which leads to the shear slip deformation of coal and rock at the top of arc, while the deformation at the top of straight inclined coal is relatively small. Different anchorage lengths and bolting-grouting methods are used to establish the differentiated cross-border support forms on both sides, and the equivalent thick anchor bearing structure of surrounding rock of roadway is constructed. The simulation shows that the surrounding rock stress is optimized, the deformation of roadway is significantly reduced, the settlement of arc roofis reduced by 39.0%, and the convergence of the side wall is reduced by 41.6%. Field industrial verification shows that the maximum crack depth of arc roof is generally reduced from 3.88 m to 1.50 m, which is 61.3% lower, the crack development depth of straight inclined roof is reduced by 47.6%, and the surrounding rock control effect is improved.

The friction and wear of mechanical parts mainly occurs on the surface of the material, and about 80% of the failures of parts are caused by surface wear.Friction and wear increase the loss of material and energy, and reduce the reliability and safety.Using laser cladding technology to prepare a high entropy alloy coating on the surface of the substrate can achieve a good metallurgical combination between the coating and the substrate, so as to achieve the purpose of improving surface wear resistance.The main factors affecting the wear resistance of the high entropy alloy coating are the mechanical and physical properties of the coating material (such as hardness, plasticity and toughness), defects generated during the cladding process (such as surface roughness, pores and cracks), friction conditions (such as high temperature environment and corrosive environment).In this paper, the influencing factors and strengthening mechanism of laser cladding high entropy alloy coatings were reviewed and summarized.First of all, the influence of laser process parameters (such as laser power, laser scanning speed, spot diameter) and post-treatment processes (such as heat treatment and rolling) on the quality and performance of the coating were explained.Secondly, the influence of component element selection, high temperature environment and corrosive environment on the wear resistance of the coating was described.Finally, the problems existing in the preparation of high entropy alloy coatings by laser cladding technology were analyzed, and the future development trends were forecasted, such as developing new materials based on far-equilibrium material design theory, using electric field-magnetic field synergy or laser-ultrasonic vibration composite technology to improve the wear resistance of coatings, etc.

Akabane virus (AKAV) has been detected in a variety of host species in China, but there are only limited records of its occurrence in goats. However, more attention needs to be paid to understanding the diversity of viruses in this species. The aim of the study was to explore the genotype characteristics and variation trend of AKAV and their relationship with virulence in Yunnan, China.

ZnO–water nanofluid in an inner pipe was experimentally investigated to improve the thermal efficiency of double-pipe heat exchangers. In this work, a 57.6% increase in the Nusselt number was obtained at Re = 14,340 when the ZnO–water nanofluid flowed through a helically corrugated tube. It was found that helical corrugation played a more important role in heat transfer enhancement than thermophysical properties of the nanofluid at the Reynolds number below 10,221. In addition, with the increase of the Reynolds number, the advantages of nanofluids in thermal performance become obvious, and Nusselt numbers increase by 28.5 and 30.6% with the effects of helical corrugation and ZnO–nanofluid, respectively, at Re = 14,349.

The current study was focused on the evaluation of the performance of a modified flocculant (PEI-T) for the removal of turbidity and heavy metals from wastewater. Thioglycolic acid was introduced into the molecular chain of cationic flocculant polyethyleneimine (PEI) through an amidation reaction to form a new flocculant PEI-T. Results revealed that: (a) PEI-T and PEI had similar turbidity removal effect, but PEI-T had a good function of catching heavy metal copper and mercury; (b) when Cu2+ and turbidity-causing substances coexist in a water sample, Cu2+ and turbidity-causing substances promote the removal of each other and the residual concentration of Cu2+ and turbidity decrease further; and (c) the presence of Ca2+ and Mg2+ can promote the removal of copper ions by PEI-T. HIGHLIGHTS Modified flocculant (PEI-T) was evaluated for removal of turbidity and heavy metals from wastewater.; Thioglycolic acid was introduced into the molecular chain of cationic flocculant polyethyleneimine (PEI) to form a new flocculant, PEI-T.; These flocculants had similar turbidity removal effect.; Cu2+ and turbidity-causing substances promote their removal when Cu2+ and turbidity-causing substances coexist.;

To evaluate the safety of stent malapposition of corrodible nitride iron stent as biodegradable cardiovascular implants, a total of 108 stents were implanted into the abdominal aortas, iliac arteries, and iliac artery bifurcations of 36 New Zealand white rabbits separately. Each rabbit was implanted with three stents. After a follow-up period of 3 months, no thrombus and embolism were found in local and downstream vessels. And no other adverse events occurred either. Stent strut covered by endothelial layer started to show signs of degradation, while struts exposed to bifurcated blood flow covered by a layer of tissue and no rust particle was found on the surface. Also, there were no traces of thrombosis and traces of excess inflammation. The authors conclude that the risk brought by stent malapposition in less than 9 months is acceptable.

The advancement of technology in the field of telecommunications and increasing use of smartphones worldwide has simplified the purchasing and payment process via mobile devices. This new payment method enables people to enjoy services in a flexible and convenient manner while going about their daily activities. This study explores the continued use of mobile payment antecedents in Sudan. A total of 453 questionnaires were collected; SPSS and AMOS were used to test the proposed theoretical model using structural equation modeling. According to the findings, satisfaction was the most important factor in the intention to use mobile payment. Hedonic motivation and price value were found to have a negative influence on the intention to use mobile payment in Sudan.

The latest “Guide to College English Teaching” lists cross-cultural education as an important part of college English courses. At the same time, ICAO ’s requirements for civil aviation pilots and controllers ’cross-cultural abilities increase year by year, which raises new requirements for the cultivation of cultural abilities. This article explores this subject from two aspects of cross-cultural psychology and cross-cultural behavior, using SPSS22.0 data analysis method and Delphi method to establish an evaluation model, which includes four first-level indicators: attitude, awareness, knowledge and skill. Attitude and consciousness evaluate cross-cultural psychology, and knowledge and skills evaluate cross-cultural behavior. Under the 4 first-level indicators, there are 6 second-level indicators and 17 third-level indicators. This paper uses the accuracy and convenience of language operators in the process of information conversion to transform fuzzy subjective qualitative analysis into quantitative analysis, and proposes a set of evaluation methods for cross-cultural competence based on language operators. At the same time, an empirical study was conducted with C University as an example. The statistical results show that the method has good applicability and scientificity for the evaluation of the cross-cultural competence of civil aviation college students.