Conformal frequency selective rasorber in S, C, X-band with low backward-scattering.

In this paper, a polarization-insensitive high transmittance bandpass filter with low radar cross section (RCS) in both S- and X-band is proposed. This is the first study to use the partition layout loading approach for conformal structures with transmissive windows, reducing the operating band RCS. Curved structures have stronger radiation at a smaller angle to the incident wave, and that is how their scattering differs from uniform scattering from flat structures. The structure is divided by analyzing the radiative contribution of different regions. The surface was discussed in regions according to surface angles, and a new partition layout loading method was used to suppress the side currents and decreased backward scattering, achieving a backward RCS reduction of more than 10 dB at 4-8 GHz (66.7%). The bandpass layer operating at 6.9 GHz is designed through equivalent circuit theory. In combination with the lossy layer, absorption above 0.8 at 3.7-5.6 GHz and 9.1-12.5 GHz was achieved. Further, the structure was fashioned into a curved surface with varying curvature, demonstrating its effective absorption and transmission properties across different curvatures. A 15 × 15 cell structure was designed and fabricated, and there was good agreement between the test results and simulation results. The proposed structure has important applications in radomes, conformal structures, and electromagnetic shielding.

An analysis of differences in Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales in different regions: a multicenter cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) in different regions of Henan Province to provide evidence for the targeted prevention and treatment of CRE. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. CRE screening was conducted in the ICUs of 78 hospitals in Henan Province, China, on March 10, 2021. The patients were divided into provincial capital hospitals and nonprovincial capital hospitals for comparative analysis. RESULTS: This study involved 1009 patients in total, of whom 241 were CRE-positive patients, 92 were in the provincial capital hospital and 149 were in the nonprovincial capital hospital. Provincial capital hospitals had a higher rate of CRE positivity, and there was a significant difference in the rate of CRE positivity between the two groups. The body temperature; immunosuppressed state; transfer from the ICU to other hospitals; and use of enemas, arterial catheters, carbapenems, or tigecycline at the provincial capital hospital were greater than those at the nonprovincial capital hospital (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the distribution of carbapenemase strains or enzymes between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The detection rate of CRE was significantly greater in provincial capital hospitals than in nonprovincial capital hospitals. The source of the patients, invasive procedures, and use of advanced antibiotics may account for the differences. Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-KPN) was the most prevalent strain. Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) was the predominant carbapenemase enzyme. The distributions of carbapenemase strains and enzymes were similar in different regions.

Multifunctional water-based metamaterial with polarization conversion and absorption.

A multifunctional metamaterial to realize broadband x-to-y cross-polarization conversion (CPC) and the absorption of electromagnetic waves is proposed in this paper. The presented multifunctional water-based metamaterial (MWM) consists of the top metallic dielectric substrate, the middle 3D printed container, and the bottom metal backplane. When the container is filled with water, the polarization conversion ratio (PCR) reaches more than 90% at 5.8-9.4 GHz, and the excellent absorption performance is achieved in the frequency band of 16.1-16.9 GHz. In addition, the CPC is achieved in two frequency bands (5.9-10.0 GHz and 14.3-16.4 GHz) without water injection. The unique properties of the proposed design are validated by experiments. As expected, the MWM simultaneously achieves polarization conversion and absorption functions, which is meaningful and consequential for multifunction and conformal stealth applications.

Risk factors and prediction model of severe pertussis in infants < 12 months of age in Tianjin, China.

BACKGROUND: To identify risk factors associated with the prognosis of pertussis in infants (< 12 months). METHODS: A retrospective study on infants hospitalized with pertussis January 2017 to June 2019. The infants were divided into two groups according to the severity of disease: severe pertussis and non-severe pertussis groups. We collected all case data from medical records including socio-demographics, clinical manifestations, and auxiliary examinations. Univariate analysis and Logistic regression were used. RESULTS: Finally, a total of 84 infants with severe pertussis and 586 infants with non-severe pertussis were admitted. The data of 75% of the cases (severe pertussis group, n = 63; non-severe pertussis group, n = 189) were randomly selected for univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The results showed rural area [P = 0.002, OR = 6.831, 95% CI (2.013-23.175)], hospital stay (days) [P = 0.002, OR = 1.304, 95% CI (1.107-1.536)], fever [P = 0.040, OR = 2.965, 95% CI (1.050-8.375)], cyanosis [P = 0.008, OR = 3.799, 95% CI (1.419-10.174)], pulmonary rales [P = 0.021, OR = 4.022, 95% CI (1.228-13.168)], breathing heavily [P = 0.001, OR = 58.811, 95% CI (5.503-628.507)] and abnormal liver function [P < 0.001, OR = 9.164, 95% CI (2.840-29.565)] were independent risk factors, and higher birth weight [P = 0.006, OR = 0.380, 95% CI (0.191-0.755)] was protective factor for severe pertussis in infants. The sensitivity and specificity of logistic regression model for remaining 25% data of severe group and common group were 76.2% and 81.0%, respectively, and the consistency rate was 79.8%. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicated risk factor prediction models may be useful for the early identification of severe pertussis in infants.

Epidemiological and phylogenetic analysis of rabies virus isolated from humans in Henan province, China.

Rabies remains a public health threat in China, and most transmissions are dog-mediated. In this study, we studied 31 clinically diagnosed human rabies patients that had been scratched or bitten by dogs. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and nested RT-PCR were performed on saliva samples or cerebrospinal fluid, and samples from 28 patients tested positive for rabies virus. A total of one near-complete genome sequence, 15 complete glycoprotein (G) gene sequences, and five partial G gene sequences were determined. Phylogenetic analysis was performed, based on complete G gene sequences, using the maximum-likelihood method. The results indicated that the isolates belonged to the lyssavirus genotype I lineage and China I lineage. The Chinese rabies virus can be divided into six major lineages. The China I lineage was the dominant clade and could be divided into four subclades. Isolates 17HN19, 17HN75, and 18HN162 fell within clade IC subgroup, and the other isolates were assigned to the clade IA subgroup. This study provides epidemiological and genetic information on rabies incidence in humans.

The effect of bta-miR-1296 on the proliferation and extracellular matrix synthesis of bovine mammary fibroblasts.

Mammary fibrosis in dairy cows is a chronic condition caused by mastitis, and can lead to serious culling of dairy cows resulting in huge economic losses in the dairy industry. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) exert an important role in regulating mammary gland health in dairy cows. This study investigated whether exosomal miRNAs in mammary epithelial cells can regulate the proliferation of bovine mammary fibroblasts (BMFBs) in mastitis. Liposome transfection technology was used to construct a cellular model of the overexpression and inhibition of miRNAs. The STarMir software, dual luciferase reporter gene test, real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR), a Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), and a Western Blot and plate clone formation test were used to investigate the mechanism by which bta-miR-1296 regulates the proliferation of BMFBs. Target gene prediction results revealed that glutamate-ammonia ligase was a direct target gene by which bta-miR-1296 regulates cell proliferation. It was found that bta-miR-1296 significantly inhibited the proliferation of BMFBs. After BMFBs were transfected with a bta-miR-1296 mimic, mRNA expression in the extracellular matrix (ECM), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen type I alpha 1 chain (COL1α1) and collagen type III alpha 1 chain (COL3α1), and various cell growth factors (basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), and transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1)) were down-regulated, and the expressions of α-SMA, COL1α1, COL3α1, phospho-extracellular regulated protein kinases, phospho-protein kinase B, TGF-ß1, and phospho-Smad family member3 proteins were inhibited. In conclusion, bta-miR-1296 can inhibit the proliferation of BMFBs and the synthesis of ECM in BMFBs, thus affecting the occurrence and development of mammary fibrosis in dairy cows and laying the foundation for further studies to clarify the regulatory mechanism of mammary fibrosis.

Unravelling potential biomarkers for acute and chronic brucellosis through proteomic and bioinformatic approaches.

Introduction: This study aimed to identify biomarkers for acute and chronic brucellosis using advanced proteomic and bioinformatic methods. Methods: Blood samples from individuals with acute brucellosis, chronic brucellosis, and healthy controls were analyzed. Proteomic techniques and differential expression analysis were used to identify differentially expressed proteins. Co-expression modules associated with brucellosis traits were identified using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Results: 763 differentially expressed proteins were identified, and two co-expression modules were found to be significantly associated with brucellosis traits. 25 proteins were differentially expressed in all three comparisons, and 20 hub proteins were identified. Nine proteins were found to be both differentially expressed and hub proteins, indicating their potential significance. A random forest model based on these nine proteins showed good classification performance. Discussion: The identified proteins are involved in processes such as inflammation, coagulation, extracellular matrix regulation, and immune response. They provide insights into potential therapeutic targets and diagnostic biomarkers for brucellosis. This study improves our understanding of brucellosis at the molecular level and paves the way for further research in targeted therapies and diagnostics.

A reconfigurable ultra-broadband transparent absorber combined with ITO and structural water.

In this paper, a reconfigurable transparent metamaterial absorber consisting of a double-layer indium tin oxide (ITO) complementary resonant structure with a structural water-based substrate is proposed. The double-layer resonant pattern gives rise to two stable resonant peaks, and the loading of the water-based substrate can enhance the microwave absorption of the overall structure. By adjusting the thickness of the water layer in the substrate, the microwave absorption performance of the structure can be switched between dual-band and ultra-broadband, with more than 90% efficient microwave absorption covering the frequency range of 6.1 GHz-35.2 GHz. The absorption mechanism is revealed by analyzing the structure surface current as well as the equivalent dielectric constant. We also experimentally verified its microwave absorption and optical transparency properties. Due to its excellent tunable microwave absorption performance and high optical transparency, the proposed absorber has a large application value in stealth devices and optical windows.

Six-Month Outcomes of Post-ARDS Pulmonary Fibrosis in Patients With H1N1 Pneumonia.

Background: Influenza virus is a common pathogen causing community-acquired pneumonia. After H1N1 infection, some patients present with rapid disease progression and various respiratory complications, especially immunocompromised patients and pregnant women. However, most patients have a favorable prognosis. Influenza viruses infect respiratory epithelial cells, leading to diffuse alveolar damage (DAD), which could induce secondary bacterial or fungal infections that could lead to serious complications, such as acute respiratory failure, severe pneumonia, pneumothorax, mediastinal emphysema, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and post-ARDS fibrosis. Objective: The short-term mortality rate of ARDS is decreasing, and understanding survivors' posthospitalization outcomes is very important. Our aim was to evaluate the outcomes of 69 patients who survived H1N1 pneumonia with severe respiratory complications and abnormal CT findings and developed post-ARDS pulmonary fibrosis. Materials and methods: The 280 inpatients included in this trial had been diagnosed with H1N1 infection that was confirmed by pharyngeal sputum or swab tests. The data were collected from January 2018 to January 2020 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University and the Sixth People's Hospital of Zhengzhou. Of these patients, 232 had CT findings indicating pulmonary fibrosis after H1N1 infection, and 69 survived and consented to participate in this study. 6°months after diagnosis, the 69 surviving patients were interviewed and underwent physical examinations, CT scans, 6°min walk tests, and quality-of-life evaluations (SF-36). We analyzed the baseline variables and six-month outcomes of post-ARDS pulmonary fibrosis in patients with H1N1 pneumonia. Results: Of the 69 surviving patients with post-ARDS pulmonary fibrosis, there were 24 females and 45 males, with a mean age of 53.7 ± 16.8°years; 18 patients (26%) had no underlying disease, and 14 (20%) patients had more than one underlying disease. The distance walked in 6°min increased from an average of 451.9°m at 3°months to 575.4°m at 6°months; the mean 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) physical function score increased from an average of 75.3 at 3°months to 77.5 at 6°months; and the average CT score decreased from 31.3 at 3°months to 14.8 at 6°months. Treatment with systemic corticosteroids and the presence of an underlying disease were related to the CT score and the distance walked in 6°min. Conclusion: Among the survivors with pulmonary fibrosis after H1N1 influenza, the 6°min walk test and CT scores continued to be affected after 6°months. The 6°min walk distance and imaging findings improved during the first 6°months. The health-related QoL (HRQoL) scores of H1N1 pneumonia survivors were lower than those of sex- and age-matched controls.

[Clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of adult patients with acute respiratory failure due to influenza infection].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognostic predictors of adult patients with acute respiratory failure due to influenza infection. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on adult patients with acute respiratory failure due to confirmed influenza infection admitted to intensive care units (ICU) of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University and the Sixth People's Hospital of Zhengzhou between January 2018 and January 2020. The subjects were divided into survival and death groups according to whether the patients died before discharge. Demographic and clinical data including underlying conditions, laboratory variables, therapy and prognostic factors of hospital mortality between the two groups were analyzed. The risk factors of mortality were evaluated by univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis. Then, the correlation between lymphocyte (LYM) count and LYM subsets were analyzed. The survival rates of different acute physiologic and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) and LYM level subgroups were compared. RESULTS: A total of 104 patients were enrolled. Among them, 67 cases (64.4%) had underlying conditions, 91.3% of the patients (95 cases) were infected by influenza A virus, and the hospital mortality rate was 39.4% (41 cases). Compared with survival group, the patients of death group had higher respiratory rate (times/min: 26.0±5.6 vs. 23.7±5.0), APACHE II score (18.20±4.88 vs. 12.35±4.58), procalcitonin [PCT (µg/L): 0.82 (0.23, 4.63) vs. 0.39 (0.11, 0.92)], higher percentage of cardiovascular disease [24.4% (10/41) vs. 7.9% (5/63)] and invasive mechanical ventilation [63.4% (26/41) vs. 17.5% (11/63), all P < 0.01], but had lower oxygenation index [PaO2/FiO2 (mmHg, 1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa): 131.8±34.5 vs. 181.7±31.6] at ICU admission, LYM (×109/L: 0.53±0.40 vs. 0.92±0.44), hemoglobin [Hb (g/L): 105.66±28.17 vs. 118.29±28.29], platelet count [PLT (×109/L): 135.12±85.40 vs. 199.81±110.11], T lymphocyte count [cells/µL: 181 (131, 275) vs. 319 (238, 528)], CD4+ count [cells/µL: 110 (71, 161) vs. 190 (120, 311)] and CD8+ count [cells/µL: 71 (33, 100) vs. 121 (81, 188), all P < 0.01]. Patients of death group also had a shorter length of hospital stay [days: 7.0 (4.0, 11.0) vs. 12.0 (8.0, 20.0), P < 0.01]. Univariate analysis showed that APACHE II score [odds ratio (OR) = 1.207, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 1.094-1.332, P < 0.001], LYM (OR = 0.070, 95%CI was 0.018-0.271, P < 0.001), Hb (OR = 0.984, 95%CI was 0.970-0.999, P = 0.031), PLT (OR = 0.992, 95%CI was 0.987-0.997, P = 0.003), T lymphocyte count (OR = 0.996, 95%CI was 0.993-0.998, P = 0.001) and PaO2/FiO2 (OR = 0.955, 95%CI was 0.938-0.972, P < 0.001) were the risk factors for the prognosis of influenza patients with acute respiratory failure. Further multivariate Logistic analysis also showed that APACHE II score (OR = 1.195, 95%CI was 1.041-1.372, P = 0.011), LYM (OR = 0.063, 95%CI was 0.011-0.369, P = 0.002) and PaO2/FiO2 (OR = 0.953, 95%CI was 0.933-0.973, P < 0.001) were the predictors of mortality. Moreover, patients with peripheral blood LYM < 0.65×109/L or APACHE II score > 14 had a higher risk of poor outcome. There were significantly positive correlation between LYM and LYM subsets (T lymphocyte, CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte, r value was 0.593, 0.563, and 0.500, respectively, all P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Influenza patients with acute respiratory failure were critically ill and had a high mortality rate. APACHE II score, PaO2/FiO2 and LYM at ICU admission were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients.

[Effects of IFN alpha on the expressions of Collagen I and transforming growth factor beta 1 in hepatic stellate cell activated by PDGF-BB].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of IFN alpha on the expressions of Collagen I and TGF beta 1 in hepatic stellate cell activated by PDGF-BB. METHODS: Hepatic stellate cells (rHSC-99) treated with IFN alpha of different concentration (0, 0.0125, 0.025, 0.050, 0.100, 0.200, 0.400 ng/ml). The cell viability of HSC was measured by MTT. The levels of Col-I mRNA and TGF beta 1 mRNA were measured by the quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: (1) When HSC was exposed in PDGF-BB, the cell viability of HSC (1.35 +/- 0.22) was higher than that of the control group (0.890 +/- 0.12) (F = 16.311, P less than 0.05), indicating that PDGF-BB can promote the cell viability of HSC. When HSC was exposed to both PDGF-BB and different concentration of IFN alpha (0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4 ng/ml), the cell viability of HSC (0.840 +/- 0.18, 0.450 +/- 0.15, 0.260 +/- 0.01, 0.330 +/- 0.07, 0.30 +/- 0.06) were lower than that of the control group (0.890 +/- 0.12) (F = 7.430, P less than 0.05), indicating that the cell viability of HSC was inhibited when HSC was exposed to both PDGF-BB and different concentrations of IFN alpha. Furthermore, within the range of 0.025 ng/ml to 0.1 ng/ml, the effect of IFN alpha was dose-dependent. (2). The relative expression values of Col-I mRNA in different groups of (0.05, 0.1, 0.2 ng/ml) IFN alpha +PDGF-BB are (0.940 +/- 0.19, 0.610 +/- 0.12, 0.520 +/- 0.02), which were lower than those in the control group (1.410 +/- 0.01) (F = 127.921, P less than 0.05). The relative expression values of TGF beta 1 mRNA in different groups of (0.05, 0.1, 0.2 ng/ml) IFN alpha +PDGF-BB are (1.180 +/- 0.06, 1.150 +/- 0.10, 1.390 +/- 0.04), again were lower than those in the control group (1.620 +/- 0.12) (F = 82.115, P less than 0.05). These results indicated that the expression of Col-I mRNA and TGF beta 1 mRNA was remarkably inhibited when HSC was exposed in both PDGF-BB and IFN alpha. CONCLUSION: The cell viability of HSC and the expression of Col-I mRNA and TGF beta 1 mRNA is remarkably inhibited when HSC is exposed in both PDGF-BB and IFN alpha, and the inhibition is dose-dependent.

Study on value of ultrasonic elastography in diagnosis of clinical staging of cervical cancer and efficacy evaluation of radiotherapy.

The aim of this study was to investigate the application of ultrasonic elastography in the diagnosis of the clinical staging of cervical cancer (CC) and its evaluation value of the treatment effect of CC. A total of 160 suspected CC patients treated in our hospital from September 2016 to March 2018 were collected. Transvaginal conventional ultrasound and ultrasonic elastography were performed on patients to compare the results of the two in the diagnosis of the pathology and clinical staging of CC. Radiotherapy was used for patients confirmed as CC75 in 160 suspected CC patients. The value difference of strain ratio (SR) between conventional ultrasound and elastic ultrasound in the efficacy evaluation of CC patients was compared. The sensitivity (94.67%), specificity (92.94%) and diagnostic accordance rate (93.75%) of ultrasonic elastography for CC were significantly higher than those of conventional ultrasound, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.001). The sensitivity and diagnostic accordance rate of ultrasonic elastography for the pathological diagnosis of CC in stage III and IV were significantly higher than those of conventional ultrasound, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accordance rate of elastic ultrasound SR value in the efficacy evaluation of radiotherapy in CC patients were higher than those of conventional ultrasound. Except for the specificity, the other two P-values were <0.05, with a statistically significant difference. The elastography images of different stages of CC have some characteristic features. Ultrasonic elastography has a certain clinical value for the diagnosis and efficacy evaluation of CC.

Treatment of liver cancer of middle and advanced stages using ultrasound-guided percutaneous ethanol injection combined with radiofrequency ablation: A clinical analysis.

Liver cancer is a malignancy of the digestive system and has a high morbidity and mortality rate. Local intervention has become a viable option in identifying liver treatment. The aim of the present study was to analyze the clinical effects of treating liver cancer in middle and advanced stages using ultrasound-guided percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) in tumors combined with radiofrequency ablation (RFA). A total of 100 patients with stage III-IV liver cancers were selected to participate in the study. Patients were divided into groups. In group A, treatment was initiated with PEI and after 1-2 weeks RFA was applied while in group B treatment was initiated with RFA and after 1-2 weeks PEI was applied. Patients in group C received PEI and RFA simultaneously. The clinical effects in the 3 groups were compared after 6-month follow ups. The volume of tumor ablation necrosis in group A was significantly greater than that in the groups B and C, while the size was significantly smaller compared to groups B and C after ablation. For group A, the complete ablation rate was significantly higher than that in groups B and C, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Liver damage indices, including raising levels of glutamic-pyruvic transaminase and total bilirubin, were significantly decreased in group A (P<0.05). The survival rate in group A was also significantly higher than in groups B and C (P<0.05). In conclusion, for patients with liver cancer in middle and advanced stages, the treatment method using PEI followed by RFA was more beneficial in terms of improving the tumor ablation rate, alleviating liver damages and increasing survival rates.