Multi-scale failure mechanisms of hydraulic engineering exposed to seasonally frozen salinization environment: Integrating SBAS-InSAR and mechanical experiments.

Constructing hydraulic engineering ensures agricultural development and improves salinization environments. However, in seasonally frozen salinization regions, hydraulic engineering is prone to deformation failure. Leakage from canal raises the regional groundwater level, triggering secondary salinization environmental issues. Exploring the instability mechanisms is thus necessary for hydraulic engineering. Traditional deformation monitoring techniques and soil experiments are constrained by observation scale and timeliness. In this study, Sentinel-1B data from November 2017 to August 2019 were acquired. The small baseline subset (SBAS) InSAR approach was employed to interpret the seasonal deformation characteristics in both the vertical and slope directions of a damaged canal segment in Songyuan, Northeast China. The mechanical properties of saline-alkali soil under varying water contents were quantified by integrating unconfined compression experiment (UCE). In May, as the soil thawed downward, a frozen lenses with poor permeability formed at a depth of approximately 100 cm, causing the accumulation of meltwater and infiltrated precipitation between the frozen layer and the melting layer in the canal. The soil water content at a depth of 80 to 140 cm exceeded 22 %, reaching a threshold for rapid reduction in unconfined compression strength (UCS). Consequently, in spring, the low soil strength between the frozen layer and the melting layer resulted in interface sliding, with a displacement of -133.88 mm in the canal slope direction. Furthermore, the differential projection of freeze-thaw deformation in the slope direction caused continuous creep of the canal towards the free face, with a value of -23.27 mm, exacerbating the formation of the late spring landslide. Integrating InSAR and engineering geological analysis is beneficial for addressing deformation issues in hydraulic engineering. Ensuring the sustainable operation of hydraulic engineering holds important implications for mitigating the salinization process.

Induction of mouse totipotent stem cells by a defined chemical cocktail.

In mice, only the zygotes and blastomeres from 2-cell embryos are authentic totipotent stem cells (TotiSCs) capable of producing all the differentiated cells in both embryonic and extraembryonic tissues and forming an entire organism1. However, it remains unknown whether and how totipotent stem cells can be established in vitro in the absence of germline cells. Here we demonstrate the induction and long-term maintenance of TotiSCs from mouse pluripotent stem cells using a combination of three small molecules: the retinoic acid analogue TTNPB, 1-azakenpaullone and the kinase blocker WS6. The resulting chemically induced totipotent stem cells (ciTotiSCs), resembled mouse totipotent 2-cell embryo cells at the transcriptome, epigenome and metabolome levels. In addition, ciTotiSCs exhibited bidirectional developmental potentials and were able to produce both embryonic and extraembryonic cells in vitro and in teratoma. Furthermore, following injection into 8-cell embryos, ciTotiSCs contributed to both embryonic and extraembryonic lineages with high efficiency. Our chemical approach to totipotent stem cell induction and maintenance provides a defined in vitro system for manipulating and developing understanding of the totipotent state and the development of multicellular organisms from non-germline cells.

Study on Start-Up Membraneless Anaerobic Baffled Reactor Coupled with Microbial Fuel Cell for Dye Wastewater Treatment.

In this study, the antitoxicity performance of the traditional anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) and the newly constructed membraneless anaerobic baffled reactor coupled with microbial fuel cell (ABR-MFC) was compared for the treatment of simulated printing and dyeing wastewater under the same hydraulic residence time. The sludge performances of ABR-MFC and ABR were evaluated on the dye removal rate, extracellular polymer (EPS) content, sludge particle size, methane yield, and the surface morphology of granular sludge. It was found that the maximum power density of the ABR-MFC reactor reached 1226.43 mW/m3, indicating that the coupled system has a good power generation capacity. The concentration of the EPS in the ABR-MFC reactor was about 3 times that in the ABR, which could be the result of the larger average particle size of sludge in the ABR-MFC reactor than in the ABR. The dye removal rate of the ABR-MFC reactor (91.71%) was higher than that of the ABR (1.49%). The methane production and microbial species in the ABR-MFC system were higher than those in the ABR. Overall, the MFC embedded in the ABR can effectively increase the resistance of the reactor, promote the formation of granular sludge, and improve the performance of the reactor for wastewater treatment.

Hemorheological changes in patients with living-donor renal transplantation.

Living-donor renal transplantation is the preferred treatment for patients with end stage renal disease since it affords earlier transplantation and better graft for long term survival. The aim of the present study was to explore the hemorheological changes in patients undergone living-donor renal transplantation. We investigated the dynamic changes in the hemorheological properties of blood taken from the patients before renal transplantation and at 1 week, 2 week, 3 week and >1 month after the operation. As compared with pre-operation, the whole blood viscosity at different shear rates decreased significantly; the erythrocyte aggregation index decreased; the erythrocyte deformation index (DI) and integrated deformation index (IDI) had a remarkable improvement; the erythrocyte electrophoresis rate was raised. We also found that the osmotic fragility of RBCs at 145 mOsm/kg was greatly decreased after renal transplantation. Importantly, the ratio of erythrocyte membrane protein 4.1 a to 4.1 b decreased, which may explain the changes in DI, IDI, and osmotic fragility. Our results suggest that these hemorheological changes may greatly improve the organ microcirculation, which would play a critical role in reduce the ischemia-reperfusion injury in the graft.

[Up-regulation of the sHLA-G5 level by human-mouse chimeric anti-IL-2R monoclonal antibody treatment in kidney transplantation].

OBJECTIVE: To find whether the up-regulation of soluble human leucocyte antigen-G5 (sHLA-G5) levels is a new function mechanism of anti-interleukin-2 receptors (anti-IL-2R) monoclonal antibody treatment in kidney transplantation. METHODS: A total of 215 recipients at our centre from January 2006 to December 2007 were divided into antibody use group (n = 141) and antibody non-use group (n = 74) and another healthy group (n = 69). The sHLA-G5 level in peripheral blood was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). And the expression of HLA-G5 was confirmed by Western blot and Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: sHLA-G5 levels was (56 ± 30) µg/L in using anti-IL-2 receptor monoclonal antibody before transplantation, It was higher than that before use antibody [(34 ± 20) µg/L], also higher than healthy group [(35 ± 17) µg/L] and antibody non-use group [(36 ± 19) µg/L, P < 0.05, respectively]. At Day 1, Day 4, Week 1, Week 2 post-transplantation, the level of sHLA-G5 of recipients with antibody use was significantly higher than that of those with antibody non-use. The values were as follows: (95 ± 35) µg/L vs (54 ± 16) µg/L, (131 ± 24) µg/L vs (75 ± 22) µg/L, (167 ± 44) µg/L vs (62 ± 17) µg/L, (172 ± 35) µg/L vs (45 ± 16) µg/L (all P < 0.01). And the results of Western blot and RT-PCR corresponded to those of ELISA. CONCLUSION: The preoperative use of first dose of anti-IL-2R monoclonal antibodies results in the up-regulated level of sHLA-G5. Thus it is beneficial for protecting the kidney survival and reducing the risks of acute rejection.

[Applications of monitoring human leukocyte antigen G and its inhibitory receptors in post-renal transplantation].

OBJECTIVE: to study the feasibility of human leucocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) as a post-transplantation prognostic biomarker and discuss the correlation of its receptor expression and the mechanisms. METHODS: a total of 215 recipients in our centre from February 2006 to June 2008 were divided into stable kidney function group (n = 173) and acute rejection group (n = 42). The soluble human leucocyte antigen-G5 (sHLA-G5) level in peripheral plasma was detected by ELISA. And the HLA-G receptor ILT-2, KIR2DL4 on T, B, NK lymphocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM). The sHLA-G5 cutoff level by ROC curve was employed to predict the events of acute post-transplantation rejection. And regression analysis was used to determine the association of sHLA-G5 with acute rejection. RESULTS: an optimal cutoff value of 139.0 microg/L could be defined for sHLA-G5 (sensitivity: 63.6%, specificity: 82.1%, AUC: 0.780). Binary regression analysis showed that sHLA-G5 played an independent role on acute rejection (P = 0.019, OR = 0.039, 95%CI: 2.091 - 5.661). The rate of HLA-G receptor ILT-2 on CD4(+)T cell, CD8(+)T cell and B cell in acute rejection group was statistically lower than that in stable kidney function group (21% ± 7% vs 52% ± 17%, 23% ± 6% vs 39% ± 16%, 21% ± 7% vs 39% ± 16%, all P < 0.05). The expression of KIR2DL4 on NK cells in acute rejection group was statistically lower than that in stable kidney function group (31% ± 10%vs 57% ± 21%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: sHLA-G5 level may be predicted for acute rejection with a high sensitivity and specificity. The up-regulated expression of ILT-2 and KIR2DLT may contribute to immunology tolerance in peripheral circulation.

[Risk factors of long-term cardiovascular diseases and cerebrovascular diseases in kidney allograft recipients].

OBJECTIVE: To identify the risk factors of cardiovascular diseases and cerebrovascular diseases (CVD) events in kidney allograft recipients. METHODS: We followed up 361 renal transplant recipients who had undergone renal transplantation in our center from January 2000 to December 2003 and evaluated the cumulative incidences and mortalities of CVD complications at baseline and post-transplantation 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months. Kaplan-Meier plot was used to assess the incidence and Cox's proportional hazards model to determine the risk factors for cardiovascular complications. RESULTS: The cumulative incidences of CVD were 3.1%, 5.4%, 9.9%, 13.0%, 18.0%, 21.1%, and 24.1%, 1, 6, 12, 36, 48, and 60 months after transplantation, respectively. History of diabetes mellitus (RR 2.19, 95% CI 1.32-3.97, P = 0.009) and CVD (RR 6.34, 95% CI 3.76-14.60, P = 0.002) as well as the post-transplantation hypertension (RR 1.18, 95% CI 1.02-1.34, P = 0.04), diabetes mellitus (RR 2.82, 95% CI 1.33-7.26, P = 0.002), hyperlipidemia (RR 2.04, 95% CI 1.26-5.17, P = 0.008) and abnormal creatinine (> 200 micromol/L, RR 1.81, 95% CI 1.08-3.21, P = 0.03), and proteinuria (> 0.3 g/d , RR 1.56, 95% CI 1.12-3.54, P = 0.05) were independently correlated with the development of cardiovascular events. CONCLUSION: History of diabetes mellitus and CVD, post-transplant hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, abnormal creatinine and proteinuria are the independent risk factors of the development of CVD events.

[Pathogenesis of post-transplantation diabetes mellitus in 40 renal transplantation recipients].

OBJECTIVE: To explore pathogenesis of post-transplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) in renal transplantation recipients. METHODS: A total of 40 renal transplantation recipients were divided into three groups based on oral glucose tolerance test results: normal glucose tolerance (NGT) group (n = 10), impaired fasting glycaemia + impaired glucose tolerance (IFG + IGT) group (n = 16), and PTDM group (n = 14). Insulin resistance (IR) and beta cell function were assessed by homeostasis model. RESULTS: The differences of the immunosuppressive agents used in these groups were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Compared with NGT group, insulin area under curve and homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance index were significantly higher in IGT + IFG group and PTDM group (P < 0.05). Compared with NGT group and IGT + IPG group, insulin secretion index at 30 min and homeostasis model assessment-insulin secretion index were significantly lower in PTDM group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Insulin resistance and beta-cell dysfunction may play a key role in the pathogenesis of PTDM.