[Clinical comparative study on resection and non-resection of the fifth metatarsal to rheumatoid forefoot deformity].

OBJECTIVE: To explore clinical effect of the fifth metatarsal head excision and non-excision in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) forefoot deformity reconstruction. METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed on 50 patients (76 feet) with moderate to severe forefoot deformity caused by RA treated from May 2015 to January 2019. According to degeneration of the fifth metatarsophalangeal joint,the fifth metatarsal head was retained or excised by wind-like forefoot reconstruction,and divided into the fifth metatarsal head preservation group (preservation group) and the fifth metatarsal head resection group (resection group). Twenty-four female patients in preservation group,aged from 47 to 81 years old with an average of (60.37±8.60) years old;the course of disease ranged from 13 to 22 years with an average of (19.00±3.06) years;body mass index (BMI) ranged from 21 to 28 kg·m-2 with an average of (23.53±2.47) kg·m-2;six patients (6 feet) with moderate hallux valgus deformity and 18 patients (30 feet) with severe hallux valgus deformity;treated with the first metatarsophalangeal joint fusion combined with the second th the fourth metatarsophalangeal joint arthroplasty and the fifth metatarsophalangeal joint cleanup. Twenty-six female patients in resection group were female,aged from 30 to 80 years old with an average of (58.53±13.70) years old;the course of disease ranged from 8 to 25 years with an average of (17.94±3.92) years;BMI raged from 20 to 28 kg·m-2 with an average of (24.60±2.03) kg·m-2;4 patients (4 feet) with moderate bunion valgus deformity and 22 patients (36 feet) with severe bunion valgus deformity;treated by the first metatarsophalangeal joint fusion combined with the second th the fifth metatarsophalangeal joint resection of the metatarsophalangeal head. Operation time and postoperative complications between two groups were observed,hallux valgus angle (HVA),intermetatarsal angles between the first and the second metatarsals (IMAFS),intermetatarsal angles between the first and fifth metatarsals (IMAFF),Japanese Society for Surgery of Foot (JSSF) score before surgery and at the latest follow-up were compared. RESULTS: Fifty patients were followed-up from 14 to 46(25.30±8.83) months in resection group and 12 to 48 with an average of (24.30±11.12) months in preservation group,while no significant difference between two groups (P>0.05). There were no significant difference in operation time and postoperative complications between two groups (P>0.05). JSSF scores,HVA,IMAFS and IMAFF in fesection group were improved from (45.09±3.35) points,(38.90±13.67) °,(12.88±1.72) °,(32.50±2.99) ° before operation to (81.60±3.27) points,(15.40±0.90),(9.06±2.27) °,(22.20±1.98) ° at the latest follow-up (P<0.05);preservation group were improved from (47.09±3.96) points,(43.30±12.65) °,(13.99±3.13) °,(33.20±6.14) ° to (83.10±3.66) points,(15.20±1.54) °,(8.99±1.02) °,(24.70±1.88) °,respectively. There were no significant difference in JSSF score,HVA,IMAFS and IMAFF between two groups before operation and the latest follow-up (P>0.05). At the latest follow-up,there were statistically significant differences in pain and deformity in JSSF scores between two groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Both rheumatoid anterior foot reconstruction and anterior foot reconstruction fifth metatarsophalangeal joint debridement showed significant improvement in clinical efficacy and imaging results. Compared with rheumatoid prefoot reconstruction,the fifth metatarsophalangeal joint reconstruction for the treatment of moderate and severe deformity of rheumatoid prefoot showed better improvement in pain,but worse improvement in deformity. For the moderate to severe deformity of the forefoot caused by rheumatoid disease,patients with mild to moderate degenerative deformity of the articular surface of the fifth metatarsal phalanges may be considered for use.

Ultrasound assisted wall-breaking extraction and primary structures, bioactivities, rheological properties of novel Exidia yadongensis polysaccharide.

New natural multifunctional polysaccharide and its innovatory extraction technology may be urgently needed for food industries. Our aims were to establish new extraction method and investigate the primary structures, bioactivities and rheological properties of novel E. yadongensis polysaccharide (EYP). Ultrasound assisted mechanical wall-breaking extraction (MAUE) was successfully established for the EYP extraction from a new E. yadongensis. Based on the MAUE with RSM, the polysaccharide yield of 17.92 ± 0.56 % with the optimal parameters of five extraction factors were obtained, and current MAUE was characterized by its high yield, low extraction temperature and short ultrasound time. After the isolation and purification, the EYP as a protein-bound polysaccharide was obtained. FT-IR and NMR analysis showed that the main backbone of the EYP comprised of (1 â†’ 4)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl and (1 â†’ 6)-ɑ-D-mannopyranosyl groups; EYP exhibited significant antioxidant, antibacterial, antitumor, antidiabetic activities, and good viscoelastic properties in low pH solutions (P < 0.05). The EYP may be used as a natural functional and cohesive agent in food industries.

CFD-based simulation study of dust transport law and air age in tunnel under different ventilation methods.

To solve the problem of high-concentration dust pollution in a bored tunnel, we conducted a simulation study on the dust transport law and air age of the wind flow in a bored tunnel under different ventilation methods. Air age was innovatively introduced as an index for evaluating tunnel air quality. The results show that dust pollution is serious under conditions of press-in ventilation, which is unfavorable to personnel operations. Following the installation of an on-board dust-removal fan, an effective dust-control air curtain forms in the tunnel, and the high-concentration dust is essentially controlled within the range of Z = 13 m from the working face. The dust concentration in the working area on the left side of the tunnel is CD < 200 mg/m3, and the dust-control effect is obvious. At the same time, the air age on both sides of the tunnel is reduced by 35.5% following the use of the on-board dust-removal fan. Taking into account dust control by ventilation and dust removal by fan, spraying dust reduction measures are added, and we developed automated wind-mist synergistic wet high-frequency oscillation dust-capturing technology for tunnel boring. This could effectively improve the problem of high levels of coal dust pollution in tunnels.

Effects of a physical activity promotion programme on body composition in emerging adults with physical inactivity: a study protocol of a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: A dramatic decline in physical activity may occur in emerging adulthood because of a major transition over the course of a life. The potential for implementing structured behaviour modification strategies to enhance risk-reducing clinical outcomes is widely recognised. The active participation of clients in the discussion and care process is crucial for optimising intervention outcomes and enhancing individuals' motivation to adopt and maintain healthy behaviours. This study therefore aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a physical activity promotion programme based on the goal attainment theory in relation to emerging adults' body composition, using a face-to-face and e-health blended interventions. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A two-arm, double-blind, randomised, controlled study will be conducted in 114 university students aged 18-25 years with physical inactivity. The intervention assignment will be blind to study participants, outcome assessors and study statisticians. A goal achievement theory-based physical activity promotion programme is developed in this study, which is a 16-week, face-to-face and e-health-blended physical activity promotion intervention. After informed consent, participants will be randomly assigned to either a control group or a treatment group before the start of the study. The primary outcome is body composition (ie, skeletal muscle mass, body fat mass, body mass index and body fat percentage). Other outcomes include physical activity level, goal attainment scale scores, exercise self-efficacy and motivation level, which will be assessed during the intervention (every 4 weeks) and at the 1 month follow-up. Continuous variables have means and SD, while categorical variables have frequencies and percentages. Independent-samples t-tests will be used to compare continuous variable changes. χ2 tests will be used to compare categorical variable changes. Based on the baseline scores, analysis of covariance will compare the follow-up results. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Hangzhou Normal University (ratification date: 14 November 2022, 2022059). The results of the study will be submitted for publication and dissemination in a peer-reviewed journal. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05697679.

Study on PM diffusion and distribution of trackless rubber-tyred vehicle under different driving conditions in underground coal mining environment.

Particulate matter (PM) is one of the most harmful exhaust pollutants to human health. In this study, the PM diffusion and distribution emitted by trackless rubber-tyred vehicle under different driving conditions in coal mine were analyzed with numerical simulations and field measurements. The results show that when the vehicle velocity was constant, the PM concentration of the trackless rubber-tyred vehicle decreased with increasing distance from the exhaust pipe orifice. In addition, the proportion of PM with a concentration below 10 mg/m3 was the highest owing to the influences of diffusion and airflow dilution. However, when the diffusion distance is less than 3 m, the PM concentration far exceeds the occupational exposure limit (10 mg/m3). In this case, underground personnel should stay away from the area near and along the exhaust pipe as far as possible. With increasing vehicle velocity, the PM concentration gradient at a diffusion distance of 0-6 m showed the most significant slope. Besides, the concentration fluctuation of PM was the largest and relatively high when the diffusion distance was 5-15 m. Therefore, the area 15 m from the exhaust gas pipe opening of the trackless rubber-tyred vehicle should be controlled. In addition, the relative errors between the measured and numerical simulation results were mostly less than 10%, which proved that the numerical simulation results were reliable.

The value of urinary exosomal lncRNA SNHG16 as a diagnostic biomarker for bladder cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To detect the expression level of urinary exosomal lncRNA SNHG16 in patients with bladder cancer and healthy individuals and explore its clinical application value in the diagnosis of bladder cancer. METHODS: Urine samples were collected from 42 patients with bladder cancer and 42 healthy volunteers who visited Lu'an Hospital of Anhui Medical University and the Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University from January 2020 to December 2022. The expression levels of lncRNA SNHG16 in urinary exosomes of the two groups were detected by RT‒qPCR, and their correlation with clinical pathological parameters of bladder cancer patients was analysed. An Receiver Operating Characteristic(ROC) curve was drawn to analyse the diagnostic value of urinary exosomal lncRNA SNHG16 for bladder cancer and compared with urinary cytology. RESULTS: The expression of urinary exosomal lncRNA SNHG16 in patients with bladder cancer was significantly higher (P < 0.05), and the expression level had no correlation with the age, sex, pathological T stage, pathological grade, or tumour size of bladder cancer patients (P > 0.05). The Area Under Curve(AUC) of urinary exosomal lncRNA SNHG16 in diagnosing bladder cancer was 0.791, which was superior to that of urinary cytology (AUC = 0.597). CONCLUSION: Urinary exosomal lncRNA SNHG16 with high expression can serve as a potential diagnostic biological marker for bladder cancer.

Fabrication and Characterization of Polylactic Acid Electrospun Wound Dressing Modified with Polyethylene Glycol, Rosmarinic Acid and Graphite Oxide.

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biodegradable polymer made from natural sources, and its electrospinning (e-spinning) nanofiber membrane doped with antibacterial ingredients is widely used in the field of medical dressings. In this research, 9 wt% of rosmarinic acid (RosA) and 0.04 wt% of graphite oxide (GO) with synergistic antibacterial activity were introduced into the e-spinning PLA precursor solution, and the obtained PLA nanofiber membrane showed good antibacterial properties and wound healing effects. At the same time, a nonionic amphiphilic polymer, polyethylene glycol (PEG), was also introduced into this system to improve the hydrophilicity of the e-spinning membrane for wound healing application. The morphological characterization showed the RosA/GO and PEG did not affect the e-spinning of PLA. The tests of mechanical performance and wettability demonstrated that PEG and RosA/GO incorporated in PLA have migrated easily to the surface of the fiber. The e-spun PLA/PEG/RosA/GO membrane showed good antibacterial activity and promoted initial wound healing quickly, which would be a promising application in wound dressing.

An electrical stimulation intervention protocol to prevent disuse atrophy and muscle strength decline: an experimental study in rat.

BACKGROUND: Skeletal muscle is negatively impacted by conditions such as spaceflight or prolonged bed rest, resulting in a dramatic decline in muscle mass, maximum contractile force, and muscular endurance. Electrical stimulation (ES) is an essential tool in neurophysiotherapy and an effective means of preventing skeletal muscle atrophy and dysfunction. Historically, ES treatment protocols have used either low or high frequency electrical stimulation (LFES/HFES). However, our study tests the use of a combination of different frequencies in a single electrical stimulation intervention in order to determine a more effective protocol for improving both skeletal muscle strength and endurance. METHODS: An adult male SD rat model of muscle atrophy was established through 4 weeks of tail suspension (TS). To investigate the effects of different frequency combinations, the experimental animals were treated with low (20 Hz) or high (100 Hz) frequency before TS for 6 weeks, and during TS for 4weeks. The maximum contraction force and fatigue resistance of skeletal muscle were then assessed before the animals were sacrificed. The muscle mass, fiber cross-sectional area (CSA), fiber type and related protein expression were examined and analyzed to gain insights into the mechanisms by which the ES intervention protocol used in this study regulates muscle strength and endurance. RESULTS: After 4 weeks of unloading, the soleus muscle mass and fiber CSA decreased by 39% and 58% respectively, while the number of glycolytic muscle fibers increased by 21%. The gastrocnemius muscle fibers showed a 51% decrease in CSA, with a 44% decrease in single contractility and a 39% decrease in fatigue resistance. The number of glycolytic muscle fibers in the gastrocnemius also increased by 29%. However, the application of HFES either prior to or during unloading showed an improvement in muscle mass, fiber CSA, and oxidative muscle fibers. In the pre-unloading group, the soleus muscle mass increased by 62%, while the number of oxidative muscle fibers increased by 18%. In the during unloading group, the soleus muscle mass increased by 29% and the number of oxidative muscle fibers increased by 15%. In the gastrocnemius, the pre-unloading group showed a 38% increase in single contractile force and a 19% increase in fatigue resistance, while in the during unloading group, a 21% increase in single contractile force and a 29% increase in fatigue resistance was observed, along with a 37% and 26% increase in the number of oxidative muscle fibers, respectively. The combination of HFES before unloading and LFES during unloading resulted in a significant elevation of the soleus mass by 49% and CSA by 90%, with a 40% increase in the number of oxidative muscle fibers in the gastrocnemius. This combination also resulted in a 66% increase in single contractility and a 38% increase in fatigue resistance. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that using HFES before unloading can reduce the harmful effects of muscle unloading on the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles. Furthermore, we found that combining HFES before unloading with LFES during unloading was more effective in preventing muscle atrophy in the soleus and preserving the contractile function of the gastrocnemius muscle.

Identification of three elevenin receptors and roles of elevenin disulfide bond and residues in receptor activation in Aplysia californica.

Neuropeptides are ubiquitous intercellular signaling molecules in the CNS and play diverse roles in modulating physiological functions by acting on specific G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Among them, the elevenin signaling system is now believed to be present primarily in protostomes. Although elevenin was first identified from the L11 neuron of the abdominal ganglion in mollusc Aplysia californica, no receptors have been described in Aplysia, nor in any other molluscs. Here, using two elevenin receptors in annelid Platynereis dumerilii, we found three putative elevenin GPCRs in Aplysia. We cloned the three receptors and tentatively named them apElevR1, apElevR2, and apElevR3. Using an inositol monophosphate (IP1) accumulation assay, we demonstrated that Aplysia elevenin with the disulfide bond activated the three putative receptors with low EC50 values (ranging from 1.2 to 25 nM), supporting that they are true receptors for elevenin. In contrast, elevenin without the disulfide bond could not activate the receptors, indicating that the disulfide bond is required for receptor activity. Using alanine substitution of individual conserved residues other than the two cysteines, we showed that these residues appear to be critical to receptor activity, and the three different receptors had different sensitivities to the single residue substitution. Finally, we examined the roles of those residues outside the disulfide bond ring by removing these residues and found that they also appeared to be important to receptor activity. Thus, our study provides an important basis for further study of the functions of elevenin and its receptors in Aplysia and other molluscs.

Study on naked eye tracing of inguinal sentinel lymph nodes in penile cancer patients with carbon nanoparticle suspension injection.

Objective: Exploratory study of the effect and clinical value of carbon nanoparticle suspension injection (CNSI) as a tracer for inguinal sentinel lymph nodes in penile cancer. Method: We selected 29 patients with penile cancer in our department from January 2019 to October 2022. According to whether the CNSI tracer was injected during the pathological biopsy of the inguinal lymph nodes, the enrolled patients were assigned to the control group, the group in which CNSI was injected 12 h before the surgery (12HBS group) and the group in which CNSI was injected 0.5 h before the surgery (0.5HBS group). Evaluating the effectiveness of CNSI as a lymphatic tracer involves analyzing the following: its safety, the statistical analysis of the detection rate (DR) of different groups, the number of lymph nodes sent for each case (NOLNSFEC), the difference of positive rate of lymphatic metastasis (PROLM), and operation time (OT). Results: The lymph nodes in the 12HBS group and 0.5HBS group had an obvious black staining appearance, and no adverse reactions or surgical complications were found. Most of the black-stained areas caused by CNSI injection were removed with penile excision, which did not affect the postoperative appearance. This did not affect the pathological analysis. The DR of lymph nodes in the 12HBS group was higher (p < 0.05) than that in the control group. More lymph nodes were removed for examination (p < 0.05), which improved the efficiency of surgery. Compared with the 12HBS group, the number of lymph nodes removed in the 0.5HBS group decreased (p < 0.05). The OT was shortened (p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in the DR and PROLM. Conclusion: CNSI was applied to the naked-eye tracing of inguinal sentinel lymph nodes in penile cancer, which is safe and efficient. Injection of CNSI 0.5 h before surgery can help identify the "foremost position" of sentinel lymph nodes and reduce surgical trauma.

The association of homocysteine level with the risk of diabetic nephropathy and diabetic retinopathy in NHANES.

AIMS: To examine the association of homocysteine (Hcy) with diabetic nephropathy (DN) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in a representative United States population. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study using data from participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2006. Metrics including Hcy level, urinary albumin to creatinine ratio, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and retinopathy grading were collected. Multiple logistic regression models were employed to assess the association of Hcy with DN and DR. RESULTS: 630 participants were included in this study. The Hcy level was significantly higher in those with DN and DR than those without DN and DR. Hcy was associated with an increased risk of DN (OR = 1.31, 95% CI 1.18-1.46; P < 0.001). In the fully adjusted model of DN (model II), compared to participants in quartiles 1 of Hcy, the adjusted ORs for participants in quartiles 2-4 were 1.49 (95% CI 0.52-4.26; P = 0.426), 3.81 (95% CI 1.35-10.73; P = 0.015), and 14.08 (95% CI 3.84-51.66; P = 0.001), respectively. Hcy was also associated with an increased risk of DR (OR = 2.260, 95% CI 1.212-4.216; P = 0.014), but this association was non-significant in the fully adjusted model of DR (model II). CONCLUSIONS: In diabetic patients, Hcy was associated with increased risk of DN in a non-linear manner. In addition, Hcy was associated with the risk of DR, but the association was attenuated after adjusting for confounders. In the future, Hcy can potentially be used as an early screening indicator for diabetic microvascular complications.

Age-related seroprevalence trajectories of seasonal coronaviruses in children including neonates in Guangzhou, China.

OBJECTIVES: Four seasonal coronaviruses, including human coronavirus (HCoV)-229E and HCoV-OC43, HCoV-NL63, and HCoV-HKU1 cause approximately 15-30% of common colds in adults. However, the full landscape of the immune trajectory to these viruses that covers the whole childhood period is still not well understood. METHODS: We evaluated the serological responses against the four seasonal coronaviruses in 1886 children aged under 18 years by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The optical density values against each HCoV were determined from each sample. Generalized additive models were constructed to determine the relationship between age and seroprevalence throughout the whole childhood period. The specific antibody levels against the four seasonal coronaviruses were also tested from the plasma samples of 485 pairs of postpartum women and their newborn babies. RESULTS: The immunoglobulin (Ig) G levels of the four seasonal coronaviruses in the mother and the newborn babies were highly correlated (229E: r = 0.63; OC43: r = 0.65; NL63: r = 0.69; HKU1: r = 0.63). The seroprevalences in children showed a similar trajectory in that the levels of IgG in the neonates dropped significantly and reached the lowest level after the age of around 1 year (229E: 1.18 years; OC43: 0.97 years; NL63: 1.01 years; HKU1: 1.02 years) and then resurgence in the children who aged older than 1 year. Using the lowest level from the generalized additive models as our cutoff, the seroprevalences for HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-NL63, and HCoV-HKU1 were 98.11%, 96.23%, 96.23% and 94.34% at the age of 16-18 years. CONCLUSION: Mothers share HCoV-specific IgGs with their newborn babies and the level of maternal IgGs waned at around 1 year after birth. The resurgence of the HCoV-specific IgGs was found thereafter with the increase in age suggesting repeated infection occurred in children.

Numerical study on temporal and spatial distribution of particulate matter under multi-vehicle working conditions.

The high growth in the use of underground diesel vehicles has led to a large number of exhaust pollutants, especially particulate matter (PM), which is a serious threat to the lives and health of underground personnel. In this paper, based on numerical simulations and field measurements, the temporal and spatial distribution of PM in the exhaust of two vehicles and the impact on the health of underground personnel was analyzed. The results showed that in both conditions, the airflow velocity between two vehicles showed a zonal distribution, and there was an airflow vortex in the chamber under the interaction of the wind. When the vehicles were running in the same direction into the wind, PM with a concentration range of 15.79-26.32 mg/m3 could reach the height of the human respiratory belt and was mainly distributed on the east side of the roadway. Therefore, underground personnel should avoid approaching the right area of the vehicle body. In addition, PM concentration around the driver position of the vehicle was still higher than the human contact limit, so the drivers of the vehicle would need personal protection. When the vehicles were running in the same direction with the wind, compared with the airflow inlet side, the amount of PM on the airflow outlet side increased more obviously with time, especially for PM with a concentration range of 21.05-31.58 mg/m3. Also, partial PM flowed into the chamber with the airflow, such that personnel should avoid being located on the downwind side of the vehicle, and personnel in the chamber should also have personal protection.

Numerically simulated behavior of diesel particulate matter emitted by hydraulic support transporters.

WC55-Y hydraulic support transporters allow an efficient transport of support equipment in fully mechanized mining faces. However, the diesel particulate matter (DPM) emitted by these transporters seriously pollutes the air environment along mine roadways, endangering the health of coal mine workers. In this paper, we simulated the diffusion dispersion of DPM during the functioning of a WC55-Y hydraulic support transporter (emitting high amounts of exhaust pollutants) by computational fluid dynamics, identifying high DPM concentration zones. While the transporter was driven along a coal auxiliary transportation roadway, the diffusion-dispersion characteristics of DPM changed: DPM reached a long horizontal diffusion distance and a high concentration. We found that to avoid the inhalation of DPM and reduce its potential harm, coal mine workers should keep a distance of at least 21.27 m from the hydraulic support transporter while the vehicle runs along the roadway. Moreover, according to our simulation, the operators responsible for disassembling the hydraulic support transporter should wear protective equipment with good filterability while unloading it. Overall, the findings of this study can be applied to outline new work practice guidelines and design new optimum auxiliary ventilation for reducing underground miner exposure to DPM.

The migration of CO and PM under different working conditions of trackless rubber-tyred vehicle and health risk assessment of underground personnel.

Trackless rubber-tyred vehicles are among the most widely used underground auxiliary transportation equipment in major coal mines at present. The migration of exhaust gas that threaten human health varies with the working conditions of trackless rubber-tyred vehicles. In order to better evaluate the health risks faced by underground personnel in the process of exhaust emission from underground diesel vehicles, in this paper, the migration of carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM) emitted by trackless rubber-tyred vehicle under three working conditions was analyzed by using the method of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) numerical simulation and field measurement. It can be concluded that the concentrations of CO and PM changed with the change of airflow field under different working conditions, and their distribution tended to be consistent on the whole. Although the migration of CO and PM were different under different working conditions, CO with high concentration (C ≥ 44.74 ppm) and PM with high concentration (C ≥ 89.47 mg/m³) were mainly distributed in the area near the exhaust pipe of trackless rubber-tyred vehicle. Therefore, the drivers of trackless rubber-tyred vehicle and underground personnel need to comprehensively consider the risk factors under different working conditions when carrying out personal protection.

Training-Specific Changes in Regional Spontaneous Neural Activity Among Professional Chinese Chess Players.

Background: Our previous reports reflected some aspects of neuroplastic changes from long-term Chinese chess training but were mainly based on large-scale intrinsic connectivity. In contrast to functional connectivity among remote brain areas, synchronization of local intrinsic activity demonstrates functional connectivity among regional areas. Until now, local connectivity changes in professional Chinese chess players (PCCPs) have been reported only at specific hubs; whole-brain-based local connectivity and its relation to training profiles has not been revealed. Objectives: To investigate whole-brain local connectivity changes and their relation to training profiles in PCCPs. Methods: Regional homogeneity (ReHo) analysis of rs-fMRI data from 22 PCCPs versus 21 novices was performed to determine local connectivity changes and their relation to training profiles. Results: Compared to novices, PCCPs showed increased regional spontaneous activity in the posterior lobe of the left cerebellum, the left temporal pole, the right amygdala, and the brainstem but decreased ReHo in the right precentral gyrus. From a whole-brain perspective, local activity in areas such as the posterior lobe of the right cerebellum and the caudate correlated with training profiles. Conclusion: Regional homogeneity changes in PCCPs were consistent with the classical view of automaticity in motor control and learning. Related areas in the pattern indicated an enhanced capacity for emotion regulation, supporting cool and focused attention during gameplay. The possible participation of the basal ganglia-cerebellar-cerebral networks, as suggested by these correlation results, expands our present knowledge of the neural substrates of professional chess players. Meanwhile, ReHo change occurred in an area responsible for the pronunciation and reading of Chinese characters. Additionally, professional Chinese chess training was associated with change in a region that is affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Green surfactant-modified TiO2 nanoparticles doped with La-Cr bimetal for NOx removal.

Cost-effective new environmental catalysts play a crucial role in purifying NOx from exhaust gas of coal mine diesel vehicle. A new, environmentally friendly catalyst with high catalytic activity and good redox properties was prepared by a microwave-assisted sol-gel method using TiO2 nanoparticles as a catalyst, which were doped with La and Cr, and adding the surfactant dimethyldiallylammonium chloride (DMDAAC) as an organic modifier. The morphological characteristics, crystalline structure, functional groups, and elemental types of the catalyst were characterized, and the properties of the catalyst, such as redox ability and catalytic activity, were examined with H2-temperature-programmed reduction experiments and activity tests. The results showed that the addition of surfactant suppressed the growth of particle size, increased the specific surface area, and improved the redox ability and catalytic activity of the catalyst. I hope to reduce the pollution of NOx to environment and achieve efficient cleaner production.

Reclassification of 11 Members of the Family Rhodobacteraceae at Genus and Species Levels and Proposal of Pseudogemmobacter hezensis sp. nov.

A novel Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, motile bacterial strain, D13-10-4-6T, was isolated from the bark sample of Populus × euramericana. The strain could grow at 15-35°C, at pH 6-10 and in 0-4% (w/v) NaCl, and the strain tested positive for oxidase and catalase activities. The main polar lipids were phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, and phosphatidylethanolamine. The main respiratory quinone was Q-10, and the predominant fatty acid was C18:1 ω7c. The phylogenetic analyses showed that the strain belonged to the genus Pseudogemmobacter of the family Rhodobacteraceae. The family Rhodobacteraceae is an ecologically diverse group that includes bacteria from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems. As a consequence, the classification of the family Rhodobacteraceae is difficult, not least when the early taxonomy work relied heavily on 16S rRNA gene analysis. Recently, the taxonomic status of many members of the family has been revised based on the genome analysis; however, there are still some classification conflicts due to the lack of genome sequences and parallel publication time. In this study, phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene, gyrB gene, and 120 concatenated proteins, the average amino acid identity (AAI) and percentage of conserved proteins (POCP) have been used for the analysis of strain D13-10-4-6T and other members of 15 genera within the family to further clarify their taxonomic relationships. For the data of phylogeny, AAI, and POCP, the taxonomic proposals are (1) reclassification of Rhodobacter tardus as the type species of a novel genus, Stagnihabitans gen. nov., as Stagnihabitans tardus comb. nov.; (2) reclassification of Tabrizicola alkalilacus, Tabrizicola sediminis, Tabrizicola algicola into a novel genus, Pseudotabrizicola gen. nov., as Pseudotabrizicola alkalilacus comb. nov., Pseudotabrizicola sediminis comb. nov., Pseudotabrizicola algicola comb. nov.; (3) reclassification of Rhodobacter sediminicola into the genus Cereibacter as Cereibacter sediminicola comb. nov.; (4) reclassification of Rhodobacter flagellatus, Rhodobacter thermarum, and Xinfangfangia soli into the genus Tabrizicola as Tabrizicola flagellatus comb. nov., Tabrizicola thermarum comb. Nov., and Tabrizicola soli comb. nov.; (5) reclassification of Xinfangfangia humi into the genus Pseudogemmobacter as Pseudogemmobacter humicola comb. nov.; (6) classification of strain D13-10-4-6T as a novel species of the genus Pseudogemmobacter, for which the name P. hezensis sp. nov. is proposed, the type strain is D13-10-4-6T (= CFCC 12033T = KCTC 82215T).

Prediction of dispersion behavior of typical exhaust pollutants from hydraulic support transporters based on numerical simulation.

We investigated the impact of exhaust emissions from hydraulic support transporters on the air quality in roadways in mines. The dispersion distribution of diesel exhaust pollutants emitted by hydraulic support transporters was simulated with a dynamic mesh and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. More specifically, the dispersion and distribution of the main exhaust pollutants CO, HC, and NOx emitted by vehicles under the influence of the roadway wind flow were simulated with CFD simulations; in addition, the dispersion characteristics of exhaust pollutants from hydraulic support transporters during multiple driving phases in an alleyway (from transporting material, being unloaded at idle speed, to driving off without load) were predicted. The simulation results show that exhaust pollutants emitted by moving hydraulic support transporters can pollute the air in roadways and negatively affect the performance of gas monitoring devices in the roadway. Therefore, coal mining companies should optimize the ventilation design scheme to improve the air quality in roadways: they should increase the ventilation volume to dilute the emitted pollutants; in addition, the positions of underground gas monitoring devices should be adjusted to prevent interference from exhaust pollutants emitted by vehicles. This paper provides the theoretical basis and results of a preliminary investigation of the dispersion and transportation characteristics of exhaust pollutants emitted by vehicles in roadways. The results in this paper can serve as guidance for reducing the risk of occupational diseases.