Formulation and Performance of Model Concrete in Reduced-Scale Physical Model Tests.

The utility of geotechnical centrifuge tests depends on how correctly they predict the physical and mechanical behaviour of concrete. In this study, a model concrete material that consisted of α-gypsum plaster, fine silica sand, and water was developed. An orthogonal test design was used to evaluate the effect of the mix proportion on the model concrete performance. The physical (i.e., flowability and bleeding rate) and mechanical (i.e., compressive and flexural strength) characteristics were considered as indices. Various mix ratios resulted in remarkable relative contributions to model concrete performance, and each raw material dosage exhibited positive or negative synergy. The water-plaster ratio (W/P) and aggregate-plaster ratio (A/P) strongly influenced the mechanical and physical characteristics, respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis (MLRA) was carried out to determine a forecast model for various small-scale test demands. Finally, the applicability and outlines of the presented forecasting method in proportioning design were evaluated by typical use of model concrete in small-scale model tests.

Metabolic syndrome for the prognosis of postoperative complications after open pancreatic surgery in Chinese adult: a propensity score matching study.

To investigate the relationship between metabolic syndrome (MS) and postoperative complications in Chinese adults after open pancreatic surgery. Relevant data were retrieved from the Medical system database of Changhai hospital (MDCH). All patients who underwent pancreatectomy from January 2017 to May 2019 were included, and relevant data were collected and analyzed. A propensity score matching (PSM) and a multivariate generalized estimating equation were used to investigate the association between MS and composite compositions during hospitalization. Cox regression model was employed for survival analysis. 1481 patients were finally eligible for this analysis. According to diagnostic criteria of Chinese MS, 235 patients were defined as MS, and the other 1246 patients were controls. After PSM, no association was found between MS and postoperative composite complications (OR: 0.958, 95%CI: 0.715-1.282, P = 0.958). But MS was associated with postoperative acute kidney injury (OR: 1.730, 95%CI: 1.050-2.849, P = 0.031). Postoperative AKI was associated with mortality in 30 and 90 days after surgery (P < 0.001). MS is not an independent risk factor correlated with postoperative composite complications after open pancreatic surgery. But MS is an independent risk factor for postoperative AKI of pancreatic surgery in Chinese population, and AKI is associated with survival after surgery.

Ultrasound-guided paravertebral blockade reduced perioperative opioids requirement in pancreatic resection: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Perioperative opioid use for pain control has been found to be associated with side effects and adverse prognosis. In this study, we hypothesized that paravertebral block could reduce the consumption of opioids during pancreatic resection surgery. Methods: We conducted a prospective, randomized trial. Patients with resectable pancreatic cancer were randomly assigned to one of the two groups: those who received bilateral paravertebral block combined with general anesthesia [bilateral paravertebral blockade (PTB) group] or those who received only general anesthesia (Control group). The primary endpoint was the perioperative consumption of opioids (sufentanil and remifentanil). The main secondary endpoints were pain scores, complications, and serum cytokine levels. Results: A total of 153 patients were enrolled in the study and 119 cases were analyzed. Compared to the control group, patients in PTB patients had significantly lower perioperative (30.81 vs. 56.17 µg), and intraoperative (9.58 vs. 33.67 µg) doses of sufentanil (both p < 0.001). Numerical rating scale scores of pain were comparable between the two groups. No statistical differences in complications were detected. Conclusion: Bilateral paravertebral block combined with general anesthesia reduced the perioperative consumption of opioids by 45%. Registration number: ChiCTR1800020291 (available on http://www.chictr.org.cn/).

Transcriptome Profiling of Antimicrobial Resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Emerging resistance to antimicrobials and the lack of new antibiotic drug candidates underscore the need for optimization of current diagnostics and therapies to diminish the evolution and spread of multidrug resistance. As the antibiotic resistance status of a bacterial pathogen is defined by its genome, resistance profiling by applying next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies may in the future accomplish pathogen identification, prompt initiation of targeted individualized treatment, and the implementation of optimized infection control measures. In this study, qualitative RNA sequencing was used to identify key genetic determinants of antibiotic resistance in 135 clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from diverse geographic and infection site origins. By applying transcriptome-wide association studies, adaptive variations associated with resistance to the antibiotic classes fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, and ß-lactams were identified. Besides potential novel biomarkers with a direct correlation to resistance, global patterns of phenotype-associated gene expression and sequence variations were identified by predictive machine learning approaches. Our research serves to establish genotype-based molecular diagnostic tools for the identification of the current resistance profiles of bacterial pathogens and paves the way for faster diagnostics for more efficient, targeted treatment strategies to also mitigate the future potential for resistance evolution.