Experimental Research on Distribution Characteristics of NO x Conversion Efficiency of a Diesel Engine SCR Catalyst.

An experimental investigation of the distribution characteristics of NO x conversion efficiency inside a selective catalytic reduction system is presented in this paper. Wash-coated and extruded vanadium-based selective catalytic reduction catalysts were investigated under an ANR (ammonia nitrogen ratio) of 1.0 and various exhaust gas temperature and flow rate conditions. A moveable sampling probe was located at various measuring points on the exit cross section of the selective catalytic reduction catalyst shell, and the final distribution maps of NO x conversion efficiency were obtained by the interpolation of measured data. The experimental result showed that the distribution of NO x conversion efficiency of the wash-coated selective catalytic reduction catalyst at the exit cross section was extremely nonuniform and the efficiency of the extruded SCR catalyst was uniform with a higher distribution at the center. A comparison experiment with 180° rotation of the selective catalytic reduction catalysts was implemented, and the efficiency distribution map of the wash-coated selective catalytic reduction catalyst also rotated 180° but that of the extruded selective catalytic reduction catalyst remained unchanged. The uniformity coefficient of the extruded selective catalytic reduction catalyst was higher than that of the wash-coated selective catalytic reduction catalyst used in this study.

ADAR1 silencing-induced HUVEC apoptosis is mediated by FGFR2 under hypoxia stress.

BACKGROUND: The adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 1 (ADAR1) specifically deaminates adenosine to inosine in double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). Emerging evidence indicated that under hypoxia condition, such as tumor microenvironment, ADAR1 level was increased. Interestingly, we found FGFR2 was also increased under hypoxia stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the regulation mechanism of ADAR1 and the potential role of ADAR1-FGFR2 axis in cell proliferation and apoptosis. METHODS: Using human umbilical vein endothelial cells as cellular model, we explored the function of ADAR1 in regulating cell survival. RESULTS: We found manipulation of FGFR2 activity could override the cellular effect of ADAR1, suggesting FGFR2 could be a potential effector of ADAR1. Moreover, our results revealed that PI3K-Akt pathway was involved in ADAR1-FGFR2 axis-induced cell proliferation. CONCLUSION: In summary, this study supported the notion that ADAR1 could play a role in tumor cell proliferation, which was mediated by FGFR2.

Spousal concordance for hypertension: A meta-analysis of observational studies.

The authors performed a meta-analysis of observational studies to estimate the magnitude of spousal concordance for hypertension and to examine whether the concordance varied by important study methodological aspects. PubMed and Embase were searched up to June 2017 for cross-sectional, case-control, and cohort studies that investigated the concordance/association of hypertension between spouse pairs. A meta-analysis with random-effects models was performed by pooling adjusted odds ratios. Eight studies with a total number of 81 928 spouse pairs were eligible. The pooled results showed that spouses of individuals with hypertension had 41% (odds ratio, 1.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-1.64) increased odds of having hypertension themselves. The association applied to both men and women, and was not significantly different between studies with adjustment for body mass index and those without. The findings highlighted the importance of environmental factors in the development of hypertension.

Prevalence and Spectrum of TBX5 Mutation in Patients with Lone Atrial Fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common type of cardiac rhythm disturbance encountered in clinical practice, is associated with substantially increased morbidity and mortality. Aggregating evidence demonstrates that abnormal cardiovascular development is involved in the pathogenesis of AF. A recent study has revealed that the TBX5 gene, which encodes a T-box transcription factor key to cardiovascular development, was associated with AF and atypical Holt-Oram syndrome. However, the prevalence and spectrum of TBX5 mutation in patients with lone AF remain unclear. In this study, the coding regions and splicing junction sites of TBX5 were sequenced in 192 unrelated patients with lone AF and 300 unrelated ethnically-matched healthy individuals used as controls. The causative potential of the identified TBX5 variation was evaluated by MutationTaster and PolyPhen-2. The functional effect of the mutant TBX5 was assayed by using a dual-luciferase reporter assay system. As a result, a novel heterozygous TBX5 mutation, p.H170D, was identified in a patient, with a mutational prevalence of approximately 0.52%. This mutation, which was absent in the 300 control individuals, altered the amino acid completely conserved evolutionarily across species, and was predicted to be disease-causing. Functional deciphers showed that the mutant TBX5 was associated with significantly reduced transcriptional activity when compared with its wild-type counterpart. Furthermore, the mutation significantly decreased the synergistic activation between TBX5 and NKX2-5 or GATA4. The findings expand the mutational spectrum of TBX5 linked to AF and provide new evidence that dysfunctional TBX5 may contribute to lone AF.

Endothelial progenitor cells and atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is due to inflammation and endothelial dysfunction and damage caused by a variety of factors. Dysfunction of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) that differentiate into mature endothelial cell contributes to the development of atherosclerosis. Both the number and functionality of EPCs are regulated, particularly in vascular repair. Further elucidation of the role of EPCs in atherosclerosis could potentially enable the development of novel strategies for prevention and treatment of pathological changes in atherosclerosis.

[Nasopharyngeal teratomas (a case report and review of the literature)].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics of nasopharyngeal teratomas (NPT), improve the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. METHOD: We reported a 14 years old girl with NPT, and reviewed the literatures. RESULT: NPT was transorally expected under nasal endoscope, no recurrence was found over a 5 year follow-up. CONCLUSION: NPT is rare,the diagnosis of the disease relies on clinical manifestations, imaging and pathological examination. Transoral endoscopic surgery is an effective method of treatment.

[Single-port laparoscopic ligation with suture silk for varicocele: a report of 20 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effect of single-port laparoscopic ligation (SPLL) with suture silk for the management of varicocele. METHODS: We analyzed the clinical effects of SPLL with suture silk in the treatment of 20 cases of varicocele, and compared them with those of conventional three-port laparoscopic ligation (TPLL) for another 24 varicocele patients. RESULTS: All the operations were successful. The operation time was 20-35 (mean 28) minutes and the hospital stay was 2 days for SPLL, as compared with 15-28 (mean 20) minutes and 3 days for TPLL. The cure rate was 75% for the former, and 67% for the latter, with no signification difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: SPLL with suture silk for the treatment of varicocele has more advantages over TPLL for minimal invasiveness, faster recovery, and less scarring and extraneous residual.