Mechanisms and extended kinetic model of thermal desorption in organic-contaminated soil.

Thermal desorption is a preferred technology for site remediation due to its various advantages. To ensure the effective removal of different pollutants in practical applications, it is necessary to understand the kinetic behaviors and removal mechanisms of pollutants in thermal desorption process. This paper explored the thermal desorption processes of five organic pollutants (nitrobenzene, naphthalene, n-dodecane, 1-nitronaphthalene, and phenanthrene) at 50-350 °C in two different subsoils with 6-18% moisture content. The results suggested that the thermal desorption process was well-fitted by the exponential decay model (R2 = 0.972-0.999) and could be divided into two distinct stages. The first stage was relatively fast and highly influenced by soil moisture, while the second stage showed a slower desorption rate due to the constraints imposed by the soil texture and structure. The influence of soil moisture on thermal desorption depended on the octanol/water partition coefficient (KOW) of pollutants. Pollutants with log KOW values lower than the critical value exhibited enhanced thermal desorption, while those with log KOW values higher than the critical value were inhibited. The critical value of log KOW might be between 3.33 and 4.46. Changes in soil texture and structure caused by heating promoted thermal desorption, especially for naphthalene, 1-nitronaphthalene and phenanthrene. The differences in texture and structure between the two soils diminished as the temperature increased. Finally, an extended kinetic model under changing temperature conditions was derived, and the simulation results for the two subsoils were very close to the actual thermogravimetric results, with the differences ranging from -1.28% to 0.94% and from -0.67% to 1.35%, respectively. These findings propose new insights into the influencing mechanisms of soil moisture and structure on the thermal desorption of organic pollutants. The extended kinetic model can provide reference for future kinetic research and guide practical site remediation.

In-situ thermal conductive heating (TCH) for soil remediation: A review.

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of research works on in-situ thermal conductive heating (TCH), including heat transfer in soil, desorption behavior of pollutants, and mass transfer mechanism within the site. Each stage influences the effectiveness of subsequent stages. Comparison of simulation and experimental results demonstrates that heat transfer and temperature rise in soil are related to the hydrogeological conditions, wells layout and pollutants contents. Thermal desorption of pollutants from soil particles can be influenced by four aspects: energy input, pollutant properties, soil characteristics, and the binding state of pollutant in soil. The exponential decay kinetic model exhibits better applicability for fitting thermal desorption processes. After desorption, the pollutants migrate in soil driven by high temperature and extraction pressure, while hydrogeological conditions of the site determine the actual migration path and rate. Applying convection-dispersion model allows for quantitatively describing the complex migration behavior of pollutants in heterogeneous sites. Future research should focus more on the composite effects of multiple factors in TCH and develop multi-field coupling models through the combination of numerical simulation and in-situ experiments. Accurate characterization and prediction of entire TCH process can improve remediation efficiency, reduce energy costs, and achieve sustainable low-carbon remediation.

Identification of immune microenvironment changes, immune-related pathways and genes in male androgenetic alopecia.

BACKGROUND: Although androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is classified as a non-inflammatory alopecia, histological evidence of microinflammation has long been recognized. However, changes in the immune microenvironment, immune-related pathways and the expression of immune-related genes (IRGs) involved in AGA remain unclear. METHODS: The microarray gene expression data (GSE36169) from patients with male AGA were analyzed. gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) among statistically changed genes was done. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and Gene Ontology analyses among differentially expressed genes were performed. differentially expressed genes were screened to identify IRGs based on the ImmPort database. The cytohubba-MCC plugin of Cytoscape was applied to screen hub immune genes. The infiltration levels of 28 immune cells were quantified adopting single-sample GSEA (ssGSEA) algorithm. The microarray gene expression data (GSE90594) of male AGA was analyzed to validate hub IRGs genes and differential infiltrated immune cells. RESULTS: The ssGSEA revealed γδT cell, central memory CD8+ T cell, mast cell, immature B cell, activated CD8+ T cell, effector memory CD4+ T cell, eosinophil and neutrophil were significantly increased infiltration in the bald scalp. GSEA showed statistically changed genes were most enriched in immune related pathways, including innate immune system, adaptive immune system, cytokine signaling, interferon-γ signaling, interferon signaling and interleukins signaling. The 4 hub IRGs, including matrix metallopeptidase 9, protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type C, bone morphogenetic protein 2, and thrombospondin 1, were enriched in the pathways of allograft rejection, coagulation and interferon-γ response. CONCLUSION: In summary, we proposed that the increase in γδ T cells, central memory CD8+ T cells, activated CD8+ T cell as well as the infiltration of mast cells contributed to immune microenvironment changes in male AGA. The 4 hub IRGs may be involved in the development and progression of hair loss in male AGA through interferon-γ signal pathways.

Identification of key genes in late-onset major depressive disorder through a co-expression network module.

Late-onset major depressive disorder (LOD) increases the risk of disability and suicide in elderly patients. However, the complex pathological mechanism of LOD still remains unclear. We selected 10 LOD patients and 12 healthy control samples from the GSE76826 dataset for statistical analysis. Under the screening criteria, 811 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened. We obtained a total of two most clinically significant modules through the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Functional analysis of the genes in the most clinically significant modules was performed to explore the potential mechanism of LOD, followed by protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis and hub gene identification in the core area of the PPI network. Furthermore, we identified immune infiltrating cells using the cell-type identification by estimating relative subsets of RNA transcripts (CIBERSORT) algorithm between healthy subjects and LOD patients with the GSE98793 dataset. Next, six hub genes (CD27, IL7R, CXCL1, CCR7, IGLL5, and CD79A) were obtained by intersecting hub genes with DEGs, followed by verifying the diagnostic accuracy with the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). In addition, we constructed the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model for hub gene cross-validation. Finally, we found that CD27 and IGLL5 were good diagnostic indicators of LOD, and CD27 may be the key gene of immune function change in LOD. In conclusion, our research shows that the changes in the immune function may be an important mechanism in the development of LOD, which can provide some guidance for the related research of LOD in the future.

[Quality standard and quality value transfer of reference samples of classical prescription Huagan Decoction].

The detection method of characteristic spectrum for reference samples was established by preparing 15 batches of the reference samples of Huagan Decoction, and the peak attribution and the similarity range in the characteristic spectrum were clarified. The ranges of paste-forming rate, content, and transfer rate of the index components including geniposide, paeonol, and paeoniflorin were analyzed. The key quality attribute of the reference samples of Huagan Decoction was defined. The results showed that the 15 batches of the reference samples of Huagan Decoction had good similarities in the characteristic spectrum, which were all higher than 0.9. According to the information of characteristic peak, there were 18 characteristic peaks in the whole prescription, including seven common characteristic peaks from green tangerine peel and dried tangerine peel, four characteristic peaks from tree peony root bark(three of them were common characteristic peaks from tree peony root bark and red peony root), five characteristic peaks from cape jasmine fruit, one characteristic peak from paniculate bolbostemma, and one characteristic peak from oriental waterplantain rhizome.The paste-forming rate of the 15 batches of reference samples was 14.73%-18.83%. The content of geniposide was 1.68%-2.87%, with the average transfer rate of 70.05%±11.13%. The content of paeonol was 0.10%-0.16%, with the average transfer rate of 9.38%±1.78%. The content of paeoniflorin was 1.94%-2.74%, with the average transfer rate of 36.69%±4.63%. This study analyzed the quality value transfer of the reference samples of Huagan Decoction by the evaluation mode of combining the characteristic spectrum, the paste-forming rate, and the content of index components. The findings of this study initially established a stable and feasible standard decoction evaluation method and provided references for the quality control and the subsequent development of relevant preparations of Huagan Decoction.

A Treatable Genetic Disease Caused by CAD Mutation.

Type 50 early infantile epileptic encephalopathy, or EIEE-50 for short, is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder resulting from CAD mutations. So far, little has been reported on the disease. In this article, we will discuss the case of a male infant who is 8 years and 5 months old. A whole-exome sequencing of the boy revealed CAD compound heterozygous mutations. He suffered from global developmental delay and regression, refractory epilepsy, and anemia. After his diagnosis, we used uridine treatment and gained encouraging results. In this article, we will analyze our case studies in the context of the literature, so as to improve pediatricians' understanding of the disease.

Aflatoxin B1 causes oxidative stress and apoptosis in sheep testes associated with disrupting rumen microbiota.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is an unavoidable environmental pollutant commonly found in feed and foodstuffs. It is the most toxic one of all the aflatoxins, which can cause severe impairment to testicular development and function. Yet, the underlying mechanisms of reproductive toxicity in rams sheep remain inconclusive. The study was designed to explore the effects of AFB1 on sheep testes through rumen-microbiota, oxidative stress and apoptosis. Six-month-old male Dorper rams (n = 6) were orally administrated with 1.0 mg/kg AFB1 (dissolved in 20 mL 4% ethanol) 24 h before the experiment. At the same time, rams in the control group (n = 6) were intragastrically administrated with 20 mL 4% ethanol. It was observed that acute AFB1 poisoning had significant (p < 0.05) toxin residue in the testis and could cause testicular histopathological damage. AFB1 stimulated the secretion of plasma testosterone level through regulating testosterone synthesis-related genes (StAR, 3ß-HSD, CYP11A1, and CYP17A1), which are accompanied by the increase of oxidative stress and testicular apoptosis that had a close relationship with the regulation of testosterone secretion. Interestingly, we observed rumen dysbacteriosis and decreased the abundances of Prevotella, Succiniclasticum, CF231, Ruminococcus, and Pseudobutyrivibrio in AFB1-exposed sheep, which were negatively correlated to the testosterone synthesis-related gene levels. Taken together, our findings indicated that AFB1 induced testicular damage and testicular dysfunction, which is related to testicular oxidative stress and apoptosis involved in rumen dysbacteriosis in sheep.

Aflatoxin B1 alters meat quality associated with oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut-microbiota in sheep.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is an unavoidable contaminant in animal feed and agricultural products. AFB1 has been found to impair the liver and kidney function of sheep. However, few data are available, which explain the toxic damage of AFB1 exposure on meat quality. In the study, male Dorper RAMS sheep (6-month-old) were orally administrated with AFB1 at the dose of 1 mg/kg body weight once. The body temperature, serum biochemistry, meat quality-related parameters, oxidation indicators in meat and serum, the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and anti-inflammatory, and microbiota composition of feces were measured 24 h after AFB1 exposure. The results showed that the body temperature was slightly increased, the mental state of mutton sheep was suppressed, and biochemical indicators were significantly changed after AFB1 exposure. AFB1 impaired mutton quality reflected by the structure of muscle fibers was changed, and increased muscle drip loss and lightness (L*), and decreased muscle redness (a*). Moreover, we found that AFB1 caused changes in the oxidative stress indicators T-SOD, T-AOC, MDA, GSH level, and GSH/GSSG ratio, and inflammation damage of mutton reflected by increasing pro-inflammatory TNF-α and reducing anti-inflammatory IL-10 mRNA levels, disrupts the secretion of inflammatory factors, and changed the composition of gut microbiota reflected by significantly increased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and decreased the abundances of Butyrivibrio, which are related to the quality of the mutton. In summary, gut microbiota participates in AFB1 to damage mutton quality, which may be co-mediated by oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut microbiota.

[Clinical efficacy and safety of moxibustion as adjuvant therapy for COPD in stable phase: a Meta-analysis].

OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of conventional therapy combined with moxibustion in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in stable phase based on Meta-analysis medicine. METHODS: The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of moxibustion as adjuvant therapy for COPD were retrieved from the databases of CNKI, Wanfang, SinoMed, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Ebsco. RevMan5.3 software was used for Meta analysis, and the quality of evidence was evaluated according to GRADE standards. RESULTS: A total of 16 RCTs were included, involving 1425 patients. The results of Meta-analysis showed that: compared with the conventional treatment, ①the adjuvant therapy with moxibustion had advantages in reducing the number of acute exacerbations [MD=-0.31, 95%CI:-0.49--0.13, P=0.0006]; ②the adjuvant therapy with moxibustion improved lung function significantly [FEV1% (MD=4.00, 95%CI:2.63-5.37, P<0.000 01) and FEV1/FVC (MD=3.56, 95%CI:1.69-5.43, P=0.000 2)]; ③the adjuvant therapy with moxibustion could extend the 6 min walking distance (6WMD) (MD=35.00, 95%CI:18.02-51.99, P<0.000 1); ④the adjuvant therapy with moxibustion could improve the modified British Medical Research Council breathing questionnaire (mMRC) classification significantly (MD=-0.62, 95%CI:-1.18--0.05, P=0.03); ⑤no adverse reaction was reported in the included literature. CONCLUSION: The efficacy of moxibustion as adjuvant therapy for COPD in stable phase is better than that of simple conventional therapy. Due to insufficient clinical evidence and the limitations of this study, clinical safety is unclear and further evidence is needed to support the results.

[Analysis on quality value transfer of substance benchmarks of Qingwei San].

By preparing 10 batches of substance benchmarks freeze-drying powder( lyophilized powder),the methodology of the characteristic spectrum and the content of index component for substance benchmarks of Qingwei San was established. The characteristic peaks and the similarity range of the characteristic spectrum,the contents and the transfer rate range of isoferulic acid,palmatine and paeonol,and the paste-forming rate range were determined to define key quality attributes of substance benchmarks of Qingwei San. In the10 batches of substance benchmarks of Qingwei San,the similarity of characteristic spectrum was higher than 0. 90. In further comparison of the characteristic peak information,a total of 16 characteristic peaks were identified,including 5 characteristic peaks from Cimicifugae Rhizoma,5 characteristic peaks from Coptidis Rhizoma,2 characteristic peaks from Angelicae Sinensis Radix and 4 characteristic peaks from Moutan Cortex. The content of isoferulic acid was 0. 10%-0. 18%,with the average transfer rate of 49. 82%±4. 02%. The content of palmatine was 0. 17%-0. 31%,with the average transfer rate of 15. 84% ±2. 39%. The content of paeonol was 0. 41%-0. 75%,with the average transfer rate of 23. 41%±3. 23%. The paste-forming rate of the 10 batches of substance benchmarks were controlled at 27%-33%,with the transfer rate between the theoretical paste-forming rate and the actual paste-forming rate was 86. 59%±3. 39%. In this study,the quality value transfer of substance benchmarks of Qingwei San was analyzed by the combination of characteristic spectrum,the content of index component and the paste-forming rate. A scientific and stable evaluation method was preliminarily established,so as to provide the basis for subsequent development and quality control of relevant preparations of Qingwei San.

[Analysis on quality value transfer of substance benchmarks of Taohong Siwu Decoction].

By preparing 15 batches of substance benchmarks of Taohong Siwu Decoction, the methodology of the characteristic spectrums of substance benchmarks was established. The paste-forming rate range, the contents and the transfer rate range of the index components, hydroxy safflower yellow A, ferulic acid and paeoniflorin, the characteristic peaks and the similarity range of the characteristic spectrums of Taohong Siwu Decoction were determined to define key quality attributes of substance benchmarks of Taohong Siwu Decoction.In the 15 batches of substance benchmarks of Taohong Siwu Decoction, the similarity of characteristic spectrums was higher than 0.9. Furthermore, based on summarization of the characteristic peak information, there were 13 characteristic peaks in the whole decoction. Baishao had three characteristic peaks, Honghua had seven characteristic peaks, and Chuanxiong and Danggui had three characteristic peaks. The paste-forming rate of the 15 batches of substance benchmarks was controlled at 33.11%-40.62%. The content of hydroxy safflower yellow A was 0.129%-0.203%, with the average transfer rate of 16.596%±0.669%.The content of ferulic acid was 0.043%-0.055%, with the average transfer rate of 20.489%±1.772%.The content of paeoniflorin was 0.676%-0.943%, with the average transfer rate of 29.112%±3.273%.The quality value transfer of substance benchmarks of classical prescription Taohong Siwu Decoction was analyzed by the combination of characteristic spectrums, paste-forming rate and the content of index components. The established substance benchmark quality evaluation method was stable and feasible, and could provide a basis for quality control and subsequent development of relevant preparations of Taohong Siwu Decoction.

Analysis on quality value transfer of substance benchmarks of Taohong Siwu Decoction / 中国中药杂志

By preparing 15 batches of substance benchmarks of Taohong Siwu Decoction, the methodology of the characteristic spectrums of substance benchmarks was established. The paste-forming rate range, the contents and the transfer rate range of the index components, hydroxy safflower yellow A, ferulic acid and paeoniflorin, the characteristic peaks and the similarity range of the characteristic spectrums of Taohong Siwu Decoction were determined to define key quality attributes of substance benchmarks of Taohong Siwu Decoction.In the 15 batches of substance benchmarks of Taohong Siwu Decoction, the similarity of characteristic spectrums was higher than 0.9. Furthermore, based on summarization of the characteristic peak information, there were 13 characteristic peaks in the whole decoction. Baishao had three characteristic peaks, Honghua had seven characteristic peaks, and Chuanxiong and Danggui had three characteristic peaks. The paste-forming rate of the 15 batches of substance benchmarks was controlled at 33.11%-40.62%. The content of hydroxy safflower yellow A was 0.129%-0.203%, with the average transfer rate of 16.596%±0.669%.The content of ferulic acid was 0.043%-0.055%, with the average transfer rate of 20.489%±1.772%.The content of paeoniflorin was 0.676%-0.943%, with the average transfer rate of 29.112%±3.273%.The quality value transfer of substance benchmarks of classical prescription Taohong Siwu Decoction was analyzed by the combination of characteristic spectrums, paste-forming rate and the content of index components. The established substance benchmark quality evaluation method was stable and feasible, and could provide a basis for quality control and subsequent development of relevant preparations of Taohong Siwu Decoction.

Analysis on quality value transfer of substance benchmarks of Qingwei San / 中国中药杂志

By preparing 10 batches of substance benchmarks freeze-drying powder( lyophilized powder),the methodology of the characteristic spectrum and the content of index component for substance benchmarks of Qingwei San was established. The characteristic peaks and the similarity range of the characteristic spectrum,the contents and the transfer rate range of isoferulic acid,palmatine and paeonol,and the paste-forming rate range were determined to define key quality attributes of substance benchmarks of Qingwei San. In the10 batches of substance benchmarks of Qingwei San,the similarity of characteristic spectrum was higher than 0. 90. In further comparison of the characteristic peak information,a total of 16 characteristic peaks were identified,including 5 characteristic peaks from Cimicifugae Rhizoma,5 characteristic peaks from Coptidis Rhizoma,2 characteristic peaks from Angelicae Sinensis Radix and 4 characteristic peaks from Moutan Cortex. The content of isoferulic acid was 0. 10%-0. 18%,with the average transfer rate of 49. 82%±4. 02%. The content of palmatine was 0. 17%-0. 31%,with the average transfer rate of 15. 84% ±2. 39%. The content of paeonol was 0. 41%-0. 75%,with the average transfer rate of 23. 41%±3. 23%. The paste-forming rate of the 10 batches of substance benchmarks were controlled at 27%-33%,with the transfer rate between the theoretical paste-forming rate and the actual paste-forming rate was 86. 59%±3. 39%. In this study,the quality value transfer of substance benchmarks of Qingwei San was analyzed by the combination of characteristic spectrum,the content of index component and the paste-forming rate. A scientific and stable evaluation method was preliminarily established,so as to provide the basis for subsequent development and quality control of relevant preparations of Qingwei San.

Clinical efficacy and safety of moxibustion as adjuvant therapy for COPD in stable phase: a Meta-analysis / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of conventional therapy combined with moxibustion in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in stable phase based on Meta-analysis medicine.@*METHODS@#The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of moxibustion as adjuvant therapy for COPD were retrieved from the databases of CNKI, Wanfang, SinoMed, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Ebsco. RevMan5.3 software was used for Meta analysis, and the quality of evidence was evaluated according to GRADE standards.@*RESULTS@#A total of 16 RCTs were included, involving 1425 patients. The results of Meta-analysis showed that: compared with the conventional treatment, ①the adjuvant therapy with moxibustion had advantages in reducing the number of acute exacerbations [@*CONCLUSION@#The efficacy of moxibustion as adjuvant therapy for COPD in stable phase is better than that of simple conventional therapy. Due to insufficient clinical evidence and the limitations of this study, clinical safety is unclear and further evidence is needed to support the results.

Electrophysiological Characteristics and Outcomes of Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation of Atrial Flutter in Children with or Without Congenital Heart Disease.

There are scarce studies on radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of atrial flutter (AFL) in the pediatric population. This study therefore aimed to investigate the clinical features and RFCA of AFL in children with or without congenital heart disease. Data from 72 consecutive children (44 males; mean age, 6.1 ± 3.8 [0.9-15.0] years; and mean weight, 23.6 ± 13.9 [8.1-72.0] kg) undergoing RFCA for AFL from 2009 to 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Thirty-three patients had normal cardiac structure and 39 had congenital heart disease (CHD) of whom 29 had undergone surgical repair and developed AFL at a mean of 3.1 ± 2.5 years later. Fifty-nine patients (84%) presented with persistent AFL. Five patients (7%) had cardiac dysfunction with LVEF of 30-48%, which normalized after ablation. Overall, acute success rate of ablation was 99% and recurrence rate was 18% at 0.5-10 years of follow-up. No procedure-related complications were identified. All 33 patients with normal cardiac structure had cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI)-dependent AFL. Among patients who had undergone corrective surgery for CHD, 15 (52%) had CTI-dependent AFL, 4 (14%) had surgical incisional scar reentrant AFL and the remaining 10 (34%) had both CTI-dependent and scar reentrant AFL. Success rate (100% vs. 97%, P = 1.0000) and recurrence rate (21% vs. 16%, P = 0.7008) were similar between patients with and without CHD. Overall, sick sinus syndrome (SSS) was found in 42% (30/72) of patients with AFL, with an incidence of 39% (13/33) among patients with normal cardiac structure and 59% (17/29) among those who underwent surgery for congenital defects. Permanent pacemakers (PM) were implanted in 53% (16/30) of patients with SSS after ablation. RFCA therefore appeared efficacious and safe for treatment of pediatric AFL. The mechanisms underlying AFL after corrective surgery for CHD are complex, including CTI-dependent macro-reentrant, scar reentrant, or a combination of both. SSS is not rare among pediatric AFL cases, with approximately half of patients needing PM implantation.

Association between severity of cardiac dysfunction caused by ventricular pre-excitation-led dyssynchrony and cardiac function recovery after ablation in children.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between the severity of cardiac dysfunction caused by ventricular pre-excitation-led dyssynchrony and cardiac function recovery time after catheter ablation and identify predictors of cardiac function recovery after ablation. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 49 children underwent successful ablation (median 2.92 years). This study included 23 patients with mild cardiac dysfunction (left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF]: 45% ≤ LVEF ≤ 55%), 15 with moderate (30% ≤ LVEF < 45%), and 11 with severe (LVEF <30%). The time for mean LVEF reaching 55% was 0.75, 3, and more than 12 months, respectively. The mean LVEF of children with severe cardiac dysfunction aged ≤6 years normalized within 12 months of follow-up (63.00% ± 1.41%). Mean LVEF of those aged more than 6 years did not normalize at 12 months of follow-up (38.67% ± 10.97%). LVEF recovery time was significantly different between these two age groups (median 11 months vs >12 months, χ2 = 4.55; P = .04). Cox regression analysis showed that preablation smaller left ventricular diastolic diameter (LVDd) Z score and higher LVEF were predictors of cardiac dysfunction recovery time (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.91, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.82-0.99, P = .04; HR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.03-1.15, P = .01). CONCLUSION: Patients with higher LVDd Z scores and lower LVEF tend to have slower improvement in cardiac function after ablation. Patients with LVEF less than 30% and aged more than 6 years need more than 12 months to fully recover, and some might not even completely recover. Early catheter ablation is suggested once ventricular pre-excitation-led cardiac dysfunction is suspected.

Molecular detection of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in farm-raised pigs in Hainan Province, China: infection rates, genotype distributions, and zoonotic potential.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is a zoonotic fungal pathogen with a high degree of host diversity that can parasitize many animals, including humans. Pigs may play an important role in the epidemiology of E. bieneusi as reservoir hosts. Nevertheless, the genotypes of E. bieneusi in pigs in China remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of E. bieneusi infection amongst pigs raised on farms from four cities of Hainan Province, using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the partial small subunit of the ribosomal RNA gene, and to identify genotypes of E. bieneusi isolates based on sequence analysis of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Among 188 stool samples, E. bieneusi was detected in 46.8% (88/188). Eight genotypes including four known (EbpA, CS-4, MJ14, and CHG19) and four novel (HNP-I - HNP-IV) genotypes were identified. Using phylogenetic analysis, genotypes EbpA, CS4, CHG19, HNP-III, and HNP-IV were clustered into zoonotic Group 1, while the remaining three genotypes (MJ14, HNP-I, and HNP-II) clustered into Group 10. The high prevalence of zoonotic genotypes of E. bieneusi among pigs suggests that pig farming is a potential source of human infection. Additionally, this is the first identification of genotypes in Group 10 in pigs indicating unique epidemic features of E. bieneusi in pigs in Hainan Province, the southernmost part of China.

TITLE: Détection moléculaire d'Enterocytozoon bieneusi chez les porcs d'élevage dans la province de Hainan en Chine : taux d'infection, répartition des génotypes et potentiel zoonotique. ABSTRACT: Enterocytozoon bieneusi est un pathogène fongique zoonotique avec une grande diversité d'hôte qui peut parasiter de nombreux animaux, y compris les humains. Les porcs peuvent jouer un rôle important dans l'épidémiologie d'E. bieneusi en tant qu'hôtes réservoirs. Néanmoins, les génotypes d'E. bieneusi chez le porc en Chine restent mal connus. Le but de cette étude était de déterminer la prévalence de l'infection par E. bieneusi chez les porcs élevés dans des fermes de quatre villes de la province de Hainan, en utilisant la réaction en chaîne par polymérase emboîtée (PCR) de la petite sous-unité partielle du gène de l'ARN ribosomal et de identifier les génotypes des isolats d'E. bieneusi sur la base d'une analyse de séquence de la région des espaceurs internes transcrits ribosomiques (ITS). Sur 188 échantillons de selles, E. bieneusi a été détecté dans 46,8 % (88/188). Huit génotypes, dont quatre génotypes connus (EbpA, CS-4, MJ14 et CHG19) et quatre génotypes nouveaux (HNP-I à IV), ont été identifiés. Dans une analyse phylogénétique, les génotypes EbpA, CS4, CHG19, HNP-III et HNP-IV étaient regroupés dans le groupe zoonotique 1, tandis que les trois génotypes restants (MJ14, HNP-I et HNP-II) étaient regroupés dans le groupe 10. La prévalence élevée des génotypes zoonotiques d'E. bieneusi chez les porcs suggère que l'élevage porcin est une source potentielle d'infection humaine. De plus, il s'agit de la première identification de génotypes du groupe 10 chez les porcs, indiquant des caractéristiques épidémiques uniques d'E. bieneusi chez les porcs dans la province de Hainan, la partie la plus méridionale de la Chine.

Catalytic oxidation and adsorption of Cr(III) on iron-manganese nodules under oxic conditions.

The speciation, toxicity and mobility of chromium (Cr) are significantly affected by natural iron-manganese nodules due to the adsorption and redox reactions in soils. However, the redox processes in oxic environments have received little attention. In this work, the interaction mechanism between Cr(III) and natural iron-manganese nodules was studied under oxic conditions, and the effects of chemical composition, dissolved oxygen concentration, pH, ionic strength and coexisting ions were further investigated. The results showed that iron-manganese nodules could effectively oxidize dissolved Cr(III), and most of the newly formed Cr(VI) was adsorbed on the surface of nodules. In iron-manganese nodules, manganese oxides mainly contributed to Cr(III) oxidation, and iron oxides facilitated the adsorption and immobilization of Cr(VI). In addition, Cr(III) could be catalytically oxidized to Cr(VI) on the surface of manganese oxides through the generation of Mn(III) intermediate or Mn(IV) oxides from released Mn(II) under oxic conditions. The oxidation rate of Cr(III) by the nodules decreased with increasing pH from 2.0 to 8.0, and increased with increasing ionic strength. This work reveals the adsorption and catalytic oxidation mechanism of Cr(III) by iron-manganese nodules in a simulated open system, and improves the understanding of the geochemical behavior of chromium in soils.

Interaction mechanism of dissolved Cr(VI) and manganite in the presence of goethite coating.

Hexavalent chromium has aroused a series of environmental concerns due to its high mobility and toxicity. Iron and manganese oxides usually coexist in the environments and influence the speciation and geochemical cycling of chromium. However, the interaction mechanism of iron-manganese oxides with dissolved Cr(VI) remains largely unknown. In this work, the interaction processes of dissolved Cr(VI) and manganite in the presence of goethite coating were investigated, and the effects of pH (2.0-9.0) and iron oxide content were also studied. Manganite-goethite composites were formed with uniform micromorphologies in the system of manganite and Fe(II). In the reaction system of single manganite and Cr(VI), manganite could only adsorb but not reduce Cr(VI), with the adsorption amount decreasing at higher pHs. In the reaction system of manganite-goethite composites and Cr(VI), adsorbed Cr(VI) was reduced to Cr(III) by Fe(II) on composites surface. The generated Cr(III) was then retained as Cr(OH)3 on the mineral surface. Goethite coating suppressed the re-oxidation of newly formed Cr(III) by manganite. The amounts of adsorbed Cr(VI) and generated Cr(III) increased with increasing iron oxide content, and increased first and then decreased with increasing pH. The Cr(III) formation and Cr(VI) adsorption amount reached the maximum at pH 5.0-6.0. The present work highlights the transformation and retention of Cr(VI) by iron-manganese oxides and provides potential implications for the use of such oxides in the remediation of Cr(VI) polluted waters and soils.

[Advances of researches on peripheral PKCε pathway during transformation from acute to chronic pain and possibility of application of electroacupuncture intervention].

Protein kinase Cε (PKCε) is a transforming oncogene and plays an important role in many cellular processing. In the present paper, we review the development of experimental researches on the acute-chronic pain transformation. Results indicated that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) / EP1 receptor-Gq-PKCε is an important signaling pathway to modulate chronic pain in peripheral dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, and also plays a role in the later stage of hyperalgesia during transformation from acute to chronic pain. PKCε in DRG neurons induces mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity respectively by over expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and TRP ankyrin-1 (TRPA1), further mediating the transformation from acute to chronic pain. Whereas, PGE2-evoked activation of EP1-Gq-PKCε signaling may be the key link in initiating the pain translation process through regulating downstream TRPA1 and TRPV1. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been used to effectively relieving various types of acute and chronic pain for decades, and can significantly inhibit the expression of PKCε and its upstream and downstream molecules. Therefore, it can be inferred that there exists a possibility of EA interventions in interfering the transformation from acute to chronic pain by regulating peripheral PKCε signaling pathway.