Understanding Ash Sintering Variation Behaviors of Low-Rank Coals with Municipal Sludge Addition Based on Mineral Interactions.

Co-gasification with coal provides an economically viable way to use sludge. To investigate the effect of municipal sludge (MS) on the sintering behaviors of low-rank coals (LRCs) and their modification mechanisms, the initial sintering temperature (T s) of three LRCs and their mixtures with MS addition were tested by a T s analyzer, an X-ray diffractometer, and FactSage calculation. The results show that the T s values of Xiaolongtan coal (XLT), Xiangyuan coal (XY), and Daliuta coal (DLT) all increase with MS addition. The 9-12% MS mass ratio is suitable during LRC fluidized-bed gasification to mitigate ash-related issues. The T s is closely related to the liquid-phase content or the transmissions of microparticles (e.g., atoms and ions) or blank spots during heating, while the ash fusion temperatures (AFTs) are mainly determined by acid/base ratios. The T s values of high-Fe XLT and XY mixed ashes increased gradually with increasing MS proportion because the sintering mechanisms transferred from liquid phase to solid phase, while for relatively high-Mg DLT ashes, the T s values increased with increasing MS proportions, which might result from the formations of high-melting-point minerals (e.g., Ca3(PO4)2 and Mg2SiO4). The results deepen the understanding of ash sintering behaviors and provide references to alleviate ash-related issues during gasification.

Value of Ultrasonic Image Features in Diagnosis of Perinatal Outcomes of Severe Preeclampsia on account of Deep Learning Algorithm.

This study is aimed at discussing the value of ultrasonic image features in diagnosis of perinatal outcomes of severe preeclampsia on account of deep learning algorithm. 140 pregnant women singleton with severe preeclampsia were selected as the observation group. At the same time, 140 normal singleton pregnant women were selected as the control group. The hemodynamic indexes were detected by color Doppler ultrasound. The CNN algorithm was used to classify ultrasound images of two groups of pregnant women. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), mean pixel accuracy (MPA), and mean intersection of union (MIOU) values of CNN algorithm were 0.9410, 0.9228, and 0.8968, respectively. Accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score were 93.44%, 95.13%, 95.09%, and 94.87%, respectively. The differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Compared with the normal control group, the umbilical artery (UA), uterine artery-systolic/diastolic (UTA-S/D), uterine artery (UTA), and digital video (DV) of pregnant women in the observation group were remarkably increased; the minimum alveolar effective concentration (MCA) of the observation group was obviously lower than the MCA of the control group, and the differences between groups were statistically valid (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that UA-S/D, UA-resistance index (UA-RI), UTA-S/D, UTA-pulsatility index (UTA-PI), DV-peak velocity index for veins (DV-PVIV), and MCA-S/D were independent risk factors for the outcome of perinatal children with severe preeclampsia. In the perinatal management of severe epilepsy, the combination of the above blood flow indexes to select the appropriate delivery time had positive significance to improve the pregnancy outcome and reduce the perinatal mortality.

Endotracheal administration for intraoperative acute massive pulmonary embolism during laparoscopic hepatectomy: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Acute pulmonary embolism (APE) during an operation is a very urgent occurrence, especially when the patient with hemodynamic instability. Generally, drugs are administered intravenously; however, these drugs have little effects under most circumstances. We present a case of successful resuscitation in a patient with endotracheal administration. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 67-year-old female presented for laparoscopic hepatectomy. Acute pulmonary gas embolism occurred during the operation with hemodynamic instability. The total amount of carbon dioxide and argon reached 300 mL. We used a novel way of administering drugs instead of intravenous administration for rescuing and the patient condition had improved greatly and was discharged from the hospital without any neurological deficits. DIAGNOSES: A diagnosis of APE was made because of a lot of gas was extracted out from central venous catheter and sudden observable decrease in end-tidal CO2. INTERVENTIONS: These measures included endotracheal administration, position adjustment, manual ventilation, and gas extraction. OUTCOMES: The patient was discharged from the hospital and had no signs of neurological deficits. CONCLUSION: Intravenous administration may not the best appropriate way of administration when patients occurred APE. Endotracheal administration as a unique method may work wonders and has the value of research and application.

Evaluation of Application Value of Transcranial Doppler (TCD) in the Inspection of Cerebral Vasospasm After the Treatment of Intracranial Aneurysm.

Objective This study aimed to explore the application value of transcranial doppler (TCD) in the inspection of cerebral vasospasm (CVS) after the treatment of intracranial aneurysm. METHODS: 105 cases of patients with confirmed intracranial aneurysm were divided into two groups based on the two different treatments - craniotomy and aneurysmal clipping or interventional emboli-zation therapy. TCD was applied to monitor the conditions of CVS of 105 cases, and case study re-search method was used to analyze and conclude the TCD inspection data of patients with intracrani-al aneurysm detected after operation. RESULTS: The sensitivity of TCD in the detection of CVS was 83% and the specificity was 88%. Fur-ther, the incidence rate of CVS in the group treated with interventional embolization therapy was higher than that of the group treated with aneurysm clipping. CONCLUSIONS: TCD, which can be used to guide the adjustment of treatment and avoid complications, is an effective method in monitoring CVS after the treatment of intracranial aneurysm.

Oxytocin inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in microglial cells and attenuates microglial activation in lipopolysaccharide-treated mice.

BACKGROUND: Overactivated microglia is involved in various kinds of neurodegenerative diseases. Suppression of microglial overactivation has emerged as a novel strategy for treatment of neuroinflammation-based neurodegeneration. In the current study, anti-inflammatory effects of oxytocin (OT), which is a highly conserved nonapeptide with hormone and neurotransmitter properties, were investigated in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: BV-2 cells and primary microglia were pre-treated with OT (0.1, 1, and 10 µM) for 2 h followed by LPS treatment (500 ng/ml); microglial activation and pro-inflammatory mediators were measured by Western blot, RT-PCR, and immunofluorescence. The MAPK and NF-κB pathway proteins were assessed by Western blot. The intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)]i) was determined using Fluo2-/AM assay. Intranasal application of OT was pre-treated in BALB/C mice (adult male) followed by injected intraperitoneally with LPS (5 mg/kg). The effect of OT on LPS-induced microglial activation and pro-inflammatory mediators was measured by Western blot, RT-PCR, and immunofluorescence in vivo. RESULTS: Using the BV-2 microglial cell line and primary microglia, we found that OT pre-treatment significantly inhibited LPS-induced microglial activation and reduced subsequent release of pro-inflammatory factors. In addition, OT inhibited phosphorylation of ERK and p38 but not JNK MAPK in LPS-induced microglia. OT remarkably reduced the elevation of [Ca(2+)]i in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells. Furthermore, a systemic LPS-treated acute inflammation murine brain model was used to study the suppressive effects of OT against neuroinflammation in vivo. We found that pre-treatment with OT showed marked attenuation of microglial activation and pro-inflammatory factor levels. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, the present study demonstrated that OT possesses anti-neuroinflammatory activity and might serve as a potential therapeutic agent for treating neuroinflammatory diseases.

Resveratrol attenuates hypoxia-induced neurotoxicity through inhibiting microglial activation.

Resveratrol is a natural polyphenol enriched in Polygonum cuspidatum and has been found to afford neuroprotective effects against neuroinflammation in the brain. Activated microglia can secrete various pro-inflammatory cytokines and neurotoxic mediators, which may contribute to hypoxic brain injuries. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential role of resveratrol in attenuating hypoxia-induced neurotoxicity via its anti-inflammatory actions through in vitro models of the BV-2 microglial cell line and primary microglia. We found that resveratrol significantly inhibited hypoxia-induced microglial activation and reduced subsequent release of pro-inflammatory factors. In addition, resveratrol inhibited the hypoxia-induced degradation of IκB-alpha and phosphorylation of p65 NF-κB protein. Hypoxia-induced ERK1/2 and JNK phosphorylation was also strongly inhibited by resveratrol, whereas resveratrol had no effect on hypoxia-stimulated p38 MAPK phosphorylation. Importantly, treating primary cortical neurons with conditioned medium (CM) from hypoxia-stimulated microglia induced neuronal apoptosis, which was reversed by CM co-treated with resveratrol. Taken together, resveratrol exerts neuroprotection against hypoxia-induced neurotoxicity through its anti-inflammatory effects in microglia. These effects were mediated, at least in part, by suppressing the activation of NF-ĸB, ERK and JNK MAPK signaling pathways.