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Anodic passivation is a key problem to impair the efficiency of in the electrocoagulation (EC) process. Process intensification of EC has attracted increasingly greater attention. In this work, a novel centrifugal electrode reactor was designed and applied in EC process to enhance the treatment of simulated heavy metal wastewater using aluminum anode. Results showed that the removal efficiency of heavy metals was significantly improved by the centrifugal electrodes, compared with the stationary electrodes. Electrochemical behavior of centrifugal electrodes was analyzed by an improved rotating disk electrode system. Anodic polarization behavior of aluminium showed a typical characteristic of dissolution in centrifugal electrodes, rather than passivation in static condition. Anode dissolution was controlled by the diffusion of Cl

Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) affects patients' lives and reduces their quality of life. Lactoferrin (LF) is a member of the transferrin family. We explore the expression level of LF in the peripheral blood of PTB patients and the clinical significance of LF in the diagnosis and course evaluation of PTB. Methods: Plasma LF concentration and neutrophil LF concentration were measured, and their correlation was analyzed, as well as their diagnostic validity and specificity for PTB. Results: Plasma LF concentration of active PTB patients was higher than that of stable PTB patients and patients in the control group. Neutrophil LF concentration of active PTB patients was higher than that of the control group, whereas it was reversed in stable PTB patients. However, there was no significant difference in the levels of neutrophil LF and plasma LF between primary and retreated PTB patients. There was a positive correlation between them, and the LF level was positively correlated with the TB replication load. Neutrophil LF had a higher specificity and sensitivity for diagnosing stable PTB, while plasma LF had higher specificity and sensitivity in the diagnosis of active PTB. Conclusions: Plasma LF has a higher sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of active PTB, and LF might be a biological indicator of PTB.

BackgroundBisphenol A (BPA) is widely present in daily necessities, and its exposure is almost everywhere. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between serum BPA levels, biomarkers and recent mortality in young patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (YICH) and low T3 .MethodsUsing a multi-center longitudinal prospective study, the research team recruited 600 YICH patients and divided into two subgroups according to their thyroid function, of which 320 (53.3%) were in the LT3, Sub-clinical hypothyroidism (SCH) was 280 (46.6%) and control group (n = 600).All patients received serum BPA, and biomarker blood draws.ResultsCalculating the cumulative quantification of plastic bag products, BPA increased by 0.204 standard deviation unit per log unit (PTrial registrationThe trial is registered at clinical .gov (www.medresman.Chi CTR1900023626)

Avian leukosis virus (ALV) causes tumor diseases in poultry and is circulating all over the world, leading to significant economic losses. In addition, mixed infection of ALV with other viruses is very common and is often reported to contaminate live vaccines. At present, there is no effective method to suppress the replication of ALV in vitro, so it is very difficult to remove it in mixed infection. As a retrovirus, the replication of ALV can be limited by reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors like zidovudine (AZT), but it also causes nontargeted cytotoxicity. To find the optimal solution in cytotoxicity and inhibition efficiency in vitro culture system, we firstly designed a combination therapy of AZT and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting ALV and then verified its efficiency by multiple biological methods. Results showed that shRNA can effectively inhibit the expression of RT and then limit the replication of ALV. The combination of AZT and shRNA can significantly improve the antiviral efficiency in viral replication, shedding, and provirus assembly under the condition of low cytotoxicity. Overall, in this study, the combination therapy of AZT and shRNA targeting ALV showed excellent antiviral performance against ALV in vitro culture system. This method can be applied to multiple scenarios, such as the removal of ALV in mixed infection or the purification of contaminated vaccine strains.

In this paper, we focus on building and researching the self-power sensor system based on the tiny energy harvesting technology which can be used in the scenario of ubiquitous power Internet of Things (UPIoT) and prove the possibility and efficiency for the life extension of transmission line intelligent sensing system. Large scale of sensor in the smart grid technology application, especially in high-voltage transmission lines, is not convenient; it is worth mentioning that most of all kinds of sensor node equipment using battery power make the life of the equipment or components limited by greatly. Therefore, low power consumption, long life, no battery dependence, free maintenance, and other requirements are increasingly important to solve the difficulties of deployment and maintenance. At the same time, the problem of the battery case electricity use with low efficiency and short life of sensor node has become the bottleneck of further widely deployed wireless sensor node equipment. The power collection technology based on environmental energy can effectively handle with the problems of energy collection efficiency and management that need to be urgently solved in new application scenarios such as zero-standby power consumption devices, remote active tags, battery-free telemetry and remote control, and ultralong life sensing system. By studying various kinds of environmental energy collection technologies and utilizing the conversion and management technologies of available weak environmental energy, such as solar energy and magnetic field energy, into electric energy, this paper establishes an energy conversion test system and configuration model and verifies the feasibility of the assumption of maintenance-free for the intelligent sensing system of transmission lines.

To explore the efficacy and safety of Endostatin combined with continuous transcatheter arterial infusion (TAI) and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in the treatment of gastric cancer with liver metastasis, and analyze the prognosis.96 gastric cancer patients with liver metastasis treated in our hospital from September 2013 to September 2016 were collected and randomly divided into TAI+TACE group (n=48) and Endostatin+TAI+TACE group (n=48). The clinical efficacy, changes in the level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) before and after treatment, adverse reactions, postoperative tumor recurrence and patient survival were observed and recorded, and the possible influencing factors for prognosis were analyzed.In the Endostatin+TAI+TACE group and TAI+TACE group, the objective response rate (ORR) was 70.8% (34/48) and 47.9% (23/48), and the disease control rate (DCR) was 91.7% (44/48) and 83.3% (40/48), respectively. After treatment, the concentration of VEGF declined significantly in both groups compared with that before treatment, more obviously in the Endostatin+TAI+TACE group than in the TAI+TACE group. According to the follow-up results, both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in the Endostatin+TAI+TACE group were evidently higher than those in the TAI+TACE group. The Cox regression analysis revealed that the grade of tumor differentiation and Endostatin combination therapy were independent factors influencing the prognosis of patients.Endostatin combined with TAI and TACE can obtain good short-term clinical efficacy in the treatment of gastric cancer with liver metastasis. Compared with those treated with chemotherapy alone, patients receiving Endostatin+TAI+TACE have significantly improved OS and PFS, a reduced level of VEGF and a lower incidence rate of adverse reactions, so Endostatin+TAI+TACE is worthy of clinical popularization and application.

BACKGROUND Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury not only exists in ischemic tissues and organs, but also can cause damage to distant tissues and organs. As the largest metabolic organ of the human body, the liver is very vulnerable to injury after limb I/R. However, the mechanism of liver injury caused by limb I/R injury has not been fully elucidated. This study investigated the effect and mechanism of ischemic postconditioning (IPO) on the liver after hindlimb I/R in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS A rat model of hindlimb I/R was established and treated by IPO. Liver function, changes of oxidative stress index and inflammation, Bcl-2 and Bax proteins, and apoptosis were assessed. The structural changes were observed by electron microscopy. GSK-3ß/Fyn/Nrf2 levels were detected by quantitative PCR and Western blot. RESULTS IPO significantly reduced serum AST, ALP, LDH, and ALT levels induced by I/R. Compared with the I/R group, the levels of SOD, GSH-Px, and CAT in the IPO group were significantly increased, while the levels of MDA, MPO, and ROS were significantly decreased. The IPO group had significantly higher Bcl-2 level and significantly lower Bax level compared to the I/R group. Consistently, IPO decreased the apoptosis rate induced by I/R. Furthermore, IPO lowered the levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1ß, IL-10, and INF-γ and alleviated the ultrastructural changes of hepatocytes. Finally, Nrf2, Fyn, and GSK-3ß mRNA and protein levels in the IPO group were significantly higher than in the I/R group. CONCLUSIONS IPO protects against liver injury caused by I/R injury of the hindlimb, possibly via the GSK-3ß/Fyn/Nrf2 pathway.

This paper aims to realize miniaturized, highly sensitive passive gas sensors. The basic operation principle of the sensor is illustrated below. Light is coupled from the source into the on-chip waveguide and attenuated at selected wavelengths due to evanescent wave interactions with surrounding molecules. Such wavelength-specific absorption can be used to identify and quantify gas molecules in the environment. According to the Lambert-Beer Law, optical absorption scales with the gas concentration as well as the optical path length. This dependence forms the basis for quantitative gas analysis using optical absorption spectroscopy. The main technical challenges for this sensor design include: 1) realizing low-loss on-chip optical waveguides in the long-wave infrared (LWIR, 8–14 um); and 2) optical packaging of LWIR sensor chip. Both challenges are beyond the capabilities of existing technologies, and therefore we will need to pioneer new innovative solutions above and beyond the current state-of-the-art. Successful completion of the project will likely involve not-yet-invented technologies and thus represent a major technical triumph in the field of infrared integrated photonics. It will also have broad impacts on application arenas including environmental monitoring, industrial process control, as well as security and defense.

Hyperlipidemia is a major cause of atherosclerosis. Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) is believed to attenuate hyperlipidemia and the progression of atherosclerosis. Although fucoidans are reported to have hypolipidemic effects, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Furthermore, few reports have revealed the anti-atherosclerotic effects and the underlying mechanisms of fucoidans. This study was designed to investigate the anti-atherosclerotic effect and mechanisms of the fucoidan from seaweed A. nodosum. Our results demonstrated that the fucoidan administration ameliorated atherosclerotic lesion and lipid profiles in a dose-dependent manner in the apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE-/-) mice fed a high-fat diet. In the apoE-/- mice liver, the fucoidan treatment significantly increased the expression of scavenger receptor B type 1 (SR-B1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) α and β, liver X receptor (LXR) α, ATP-binding cassette transporter (ABC) A1 and ABCG8; and markedly decreased the expression of PPARγ and sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) 1c, but not low-density lipoprotein receptor, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9, cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase A1, LXRβ and ABCG1. In the small intestine of the apoE-/- mice, the fucoidan treatment significantly reduced the expression of Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) and dramatically improved ABCG8 levels. These results demonstrated for the first time that the fucoidan from A. nodosum attenuated atherosclerosis by regulating RCT-related genes and proteins expression in apoE-/- mice. In summary, this fucoidan from A. nodosum may be explored as a potential compound for prevention or treatment of hyperlipidemia-induced atherosclerosis.

Avian leukemia virus (ALV) is a retrovirus that infects a variety of poultry, and is a vertical transmission of poultry-borne disease. The harm of ALV gradually magnifies with the increase of generations. siRNA with high efficiency, high safety, silence specificity, and unlimited targets have aroused increasing attention from the medical profession, However, there is no suitable vehicle to assist ALV-targeted siRNA for cell internalization. In this paper, ALV-targeted siRNA was first loaded by 13 nm Au NPs layer by layer to synthesize Au@PRP NPs with good stability (78 nm, ζ= +38), which provided an opportunity for the safe diffusion of Au@PRP NPs into cells and specific binding with ALV. Au @PRP NPs could effectively deliver siRNA to DF-1 cells (92.1%) and contain 20 pmol Cy3-siRNA/per million. The strong polyelectrolyte on the surface of Au@PRP NPs can effectively capture cells and co-infect with ALV as high as 88-100%. Moreover, Au@PRP NPs can locate C/E chicken embryo fibroblasts (DF-1 cells) with ALV, and have a significant inhibitory effect on the release of virus particles. Au@PRP NPs will bring new opportunity to research how the multifunctional load design and tracking path of gold nanoparticles influence the uptake/inhibition mechanisms of ALV and the other poultry diseases and guide different target genes to exert their effects.

Background: Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widely used industrial chemical and is associated with many diseases. Here, we investigated the relationship between serum BPA concentration and endocrine function, cytokines, and ambulatory blood pressure indicators in young patients with unexplained intracerebral hemorrhage (YUICH). Methods: 380 YUICH patients and normal control subjects (n = 380) were recruited from Changzhi People's Hospital affiliated to Shanxi Medical University and Changzhi Heping Hospital affiliated to Changzhi Medical College. The serum BPA, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide (NT pro-BNP), matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and TOLL-like receptor 4 ( TLR-4) level. Radioimmunoassay was used to detect the serum levels of S100B protein (S100B), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), total testosterone (TT) and free testosterone (FT). Observe the variability of blood pressure levels through 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, and use cerebrovascular computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging for routine measurement. Findings: The following parameters of YUICH patients increased significantly compared with the normal control group. Serum BPA (0.85±0.15 vs 0.535±0.11 pg/ml), MMP-9 (104±10 vs 53±8.1 pg/ml), S100B (0.105±0.024 vs. 0.098±0.02μg/L), IL-1β (0.60±0.04 vs. 0.19±0.03 ng/ml), TNFα (1.29±0.13vs0.66±0.09 ng/L), TLR-4 (12.04±1.14vs 5.69±144 ), NT pro-BNP (1464±97 vs. 353), TPO-Ab (81.55±16.7 vs 8.7±2.7 IU/l). The following parameters were significantly reduced compared with the control group, IGF-1 (65.2±10.4 vs 105±9.5 ng/l), P

β-adrenoceptor antagonist (β-blocker) may have potential in the treatment of septic shock and sepsis. However, the relevant research findings are still controversial.We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the efficacy of β-blocker in patients with septic shock and sepsis. The primary sources of the reviewed studies through August 2018, with restriction on the language of English, were Pubmed and Embase. Randomized controlled trials (RCT) were included to evaluate the efficacy of β-blocker in the treatment of septic shock and sepsis. Meta analysis was performed using a random effect model. Two researchers independently searched articles, extracted data, and assessed the quality of the included studies.A total of 6 studies related to 5 original RCTs were qualified for inclusion in this systematic review and meta-analysis with a total of 363 patients with sepsis and/or septic shock. β-blocker was associated with a significantly decreased 28-day mortality compared to usual treatment group as the control (RR = 0.59, 95%CI: 0.48, 0.74; P 0.00001). Heart rate in β-blocker was significantly lower than that in the standard care group (SMD = -2.01, 95%CI: -3.03, -0.98; P = 0001).β-blocker of esmolol is safe and effective in improving 28-day mortality and controlling ventricular rate in patients with sepsis after fluid resuscitation, and has no significant adverse effect on tissue perfusion.

Background and Purpose: Bisphenol-A (BP-A) is a widespread industrial chemical used in the synthesis of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Recent epidemiological investigations have disclosed the associations between BP-A exposure and some diseases. Evidence from experimental animal studies and clinical studies suggests the BP-A can act as an estrogenic endocrine disruptor and impact neurological outcome. The present study aimed to determine serum BP-A concentrations in youth patients with unexplained intracerebral hemorrhage (YUICH) as well as the relationship and the change among serum BP-A levels, thyroid function parameters, thyroid autoimmunity, and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) compared to a control group. Methods: Three hundred and sixty-five YUICH patients and three hundred-eighty age and gender-matched healthy controls were included from the Affiliated Changzhi Municipal people's Hospital of Shanxi Medical University and the Affiliated Heping Hospital of Changzhi Medical college. Serum BP-A levels and insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were measured using corresponding ELISA kits. Several hormonal parameters, including: free and total thyroxine (FT4, TT4), or free and total triiodothyronine (FT3, TT3), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), antithyrogobulin (TgAb), antithyroperoxidase (TPOAb), and antithyrotrophin receptor (TRAb) antibodies were measured by using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay Kits. Data analysis was performed using the statistical package SPSS version 18.0 (SPSS, Inc). Results: The levels of serum BPA were significantly higher in the total YUICH group compared with that in the controls（0.85±0.15ng/L vs 0.535±0.11ng/L,P＜0.01). Significant difference was also observed in TPO -Ab and IGF-1 between YUICH patients and controls, (12±1.7 ng/L vs 6.7±2.7 IU/L and 65.2±10.4ng/L vs 105±9.5 ng/L, both of P ＜0.01). Similar trends were observed in the male and Female subgroup. Mean FT4 level was higher in male YUICH groups than in the control groups (45±10.2 nmol/L vs 26 ± 9.2 nmol/L,P＜0.01) ,and TSH was higher in female YUICH group than in the control (9±2.3 ng/Lvs2.1±0.4 ng/L, P＜0.01 ). Linear relation and regression analysis have shown that increasing serum BP-A level were statistically positively correlated with TPOA (r=0.47,P＜ 0.01),and significant negatively associated with low IGF-1 level (r = - 0.49, P＜0.01). additionally, Serum BP-A was positively related with serum free- thyroxine for male YUICH groups（r = 0.42, P＜0.01), but was negatively correlated with thyroid stimulating hormone for female YUICH group ( r= - 0.41, P ＜0.01). However, no statistical difference was noted for serum TgAb and TRAb. Conclusion: Our findings firstly demonstrated that BP-A exposure increased in YUICH patients compared with that in healthy controls. While Female is subclinical hypothyroidism and Male is hyperthyroidism ( high T4) and IGF-1 levels decreased. TPOAb presented a positive association with BP-A. It is concluded that hormone disorder induced by BP-A exposure might be an environmental factor in the pathology of YUICH. Funding Statement: Supports from the Natural Science Foundation of Shanxi provincial (2010011055-10; Shanxi Provincial Science and Technology Department of the Project Fund (2011099); Spark Planning Project of Changzhi City of Shanxin Provin (200704009). Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: All subjects gave their informed consent for inclusion before they participated in the study to be conducted in accordance with the declaration of Helsinki, and the protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Changzhi Municipal People's Hospital of Shanxi Medical University (Ethical code: No.2013093).

lncRNA metastasis-associated lung adencarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) plays an important role in the metastasis of lung cancer. Yet, its role in bone metastasis and the related mechanism remain unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the role of lncRNA MALAT1 in the bone metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including the expression pattern in tumor tissues, and the effect on the apoptosis, proliferation, migration and invasion of NSCLC cells. The expression level of MALAT1 in NSCLC tissues with/without bone metastasis and in NSCLC cell lines with (ACC-LC-319/bone2)/without (SPC‑A1) bone metastatic ability was determined with qRT-PCR and compared with t-test. si-MALAT1 was used to downregulate the expression of MALAT1 in ACC-LC-319/bone2 cells. The proliferation ability was assessed by MTT assay, and the apoptosis, migration, invasion and tumorigenesis in vivo were also assessed to detect the effect of MALAT1 expression on NSCLC cells. In conclusion, the present study found that MALAT1 was significantly highly expressed in NSCLC tissues with bone metastasis and in NSCLC cell lines with high bone metastatic ability (P

Objectives: XB130 is involved in gene regulation, cell proliferation, cell survival, cell migration, and tumorigenesis. In the present study, we first evaluated the expression of the XB130 and its prognostic significance in breast cancer. Then we evaluated whether XB130 could be a target for therapy in breast cancer. Materials and methods: Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the level of XB130 protein in surgically resected, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded breast cancer specimens. Associations between XB130 and the postoperative prognosis of patients with breast cancer were evaluated. We evaluated the effect of XB130 inhibited by RNA interference on proliferation, invasion and apoptosis in vitro in a metastatic subclone of MCF-7 breast cancer cell line (LM-MCF-7). The effect of XB130 silencing alone or in combination with gemcitabine on LM-MCF-7 cells apoptosis was also investigated. Results: XB130 protein was present in the cytoplasm of malignant cells, and not in the normal breast tissues. There was correlation between the presence of XB130 in tumour cells and lymph node status, tumor classification and clinical stage. XB130 expression level was significantly associated with recurrence-free and overall survival. Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression analyses revealed that positive XB130 was an independent risk factor for overall survival and recurrence free survival. XB130 silencing alone inhibits tumor growth and induces apoptosis in the LM-MCF-7 cells. Depletion of the XB130 in combination with gemcitabine resulted in marked apoptotic and necrotic cell death in LM-MCF-7 cells. Conclusions: XB130 could be useful as a prognostic marker of recurrence-free and overall survival in invasive breast cancer, as well as for the response to chemotherapy.

This study investigated the effects of puerarin (PUE) on blood lipid and inflammatory factor levels in rats with lower limb arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO). Sixty rats were randomly divided into control, model, simvastatin, low-PUE, middle-PUE and high-dose PUE group. The animals in later 5 groups were with lower limb ASO, and the later 4 groups were given 1 mg/kg simvastatin and 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg PUE, respectively. The blood lipid and inflammatory factor levels were determined. Results showed that, the serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level in model group were significantly increased (P 0.05). PUE can obviously decrease the blood lipid and inflammatory factor levels in rats with lower limb ASO.