Diagnostic value associated with the combination of saliva pepsin and microorganisms in functional heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease

Heartburn is a common symptom shared by both gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD)and functional heartburn(FHB),which can make it challenging to differentiate between the two conditions.However,examining oral manifestations of GERD can be a cost-effective and readily available method to aid in this differentiation process.It may serve as a valuable tool in distinguishing GERD from FHB.

Interferon-γpriming enhances the therapeutic effects of menstrual blood-derived stromal cells in a mouse liver ischemia-reperfusion model

BACKGROUND Mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)have been used in liver transplantation and have certain effects in alleviating liver ischemia-reperfusion injury(IRI)and regulating immune rejection.However,some studies have indicated that the effects of MSCs are not very significant.Therefore,approaches that enable MSCs to exert significant and stable therapeutic effects are worth further study.AIM To enhance the therapeutic potential of human menstrual blood-derived stromal cells(MenSCs)in the mouse liver ischemia-reperfusion(I/R)model via interferon-γ(IFN-γ)priming.METHODS Apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry to evaluate the safety of IFN-γpriming,and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase(IDO)levels were measured by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction,western blotting,and ELISA to evaluate the efficacy of IFN-γpriming.In vivo,the liver I/R model was established in male C57/BL mice,hematoxylin and eosin and TUNEL staining was performed and serum liver enzyme levels were measured to assess the degree of liver injury,and regulatory T cell(Treg)numbers in spleens were determined by flow cytometry to assess immune tolerance potential.Metabolomics analysis was conducted to elucidate the potential mechanism underlying the regulatory effects of primed MenSCs.In vitro,we established a hypoxia/reoxygenation(H/R)model and analyzed apoptosis by flow cytometry to investigate the mechanism through which primed MenSCs inhibit apoptosis.Transmission electron microscopy,western blotting,and immunofluorescence were used to analyze autophagy levels.RESULTS IFN-γ-primed MenSCs secreted higher levels of IDO,attenuated liver injury,and increased Treg numbers in the mouse spleens to greater degrees than untreated MenSCs.Metabolomics and autophagy analyses proved that primed MenSCs more strongly induced autophagy in the mouse livers.In the H/R model,autophagy inhibitors increased the level of H/R-induced apoptosis,indicating that autophagy exerted protective effects.In addition,primed MenSCs decreased the level of H/R-induced apoptosis via IDO and autophagy.Further rescue experiments proved that IDO enhanced the protective autophagy by inhibiting the mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)pathway and activating the AMPK pathway.CONCLUSION IFN-γ-primed MenSCs exerted better therapeutic effects in the liver I/R model by secreting higher IDO levels.MenSCs and IDO activated the AMPK-mTOR-autophagy axis to reduce IRI,and IDO increased Treg numbers in the spleen and enhanced the MenSC-mediated induction of immune tolerance.Our study suggests that IFN-γ-primed MenSCs may be a novel and superior MSC product for liver transplantation in the future.

Numerical simulation and optimization design of the EGR cooler in vehicle

The EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) technique can greatly reduce the NOx emission of diesel engines, especially when an EGR cooler is employed. Numerical simulations are applied to study the flow field and temperature distributions inside the EGR cooler. Three different models of EGR cooler are investigated, among which model A is a traditional one, and models B and C are improved by adding a helical baffle in the cooling area. In models B and C the entry directions of cooling water are different, which mostly influences the flow resistance. The results show that the improved structures not only lengthen the flow path of the cooling water, but also enhance the heat exchange rate between the cool and hot media. In conclusion we suggest that the improved structures are more powerful than the traditional one.

Simulation, experimentation, and collaborative analysis of adjacent heat exchange modules in a vehicular cooling system

A cooling system consisting of several heat exchange modules is a necessary part of an automobile, and its performance has a direct effect on a vehicle's energy consumption. Heat exchangers, such as a charged air cooler (CAC), radiator, oil cooler, or condenser have different structures and can be arranged in various orders, and each combination may produce different effects because of interactions among them. In this study, we aimed to explore the principles governing interactions among adjacent heat exchangers in a cooling system, using numerical simulation and experimental technology. 3D models with different combinations were developed, compared, and analyzed comprehensively. A wind tunnel test platform was constructed to validate the computational results. We found that the heat dissipation of the modules was affected slightly by their relative position (the rules basically comply with the field synergy principle), but was independent of the modules' spacing within a certain distance range. The heat dissipation of one module could be effectively improved by restructuring, but with a penalty of higher resistance. However, the negative effect on the downstream module was much less than expected. The results indicated that the intensity of heat transfer depends not only on the average temperature difference between cold and hot mediums, but also on the temperature distribution.

Effects of the outlet pressure on two-phase slug flow distribution uniformity in a multi-branch microchannel

The two-phase flow maldistribution phenomenon in microchannels with multi-parallel branches is inevitable in almost all common conditions,and not only affects the performance of the facility but also increases the risk of system instability.In order to better understand the distribution mechanism and to explore a potential strategy to improve uniformity,the pressure evolutions under different split modes in a microchannel with multi-parallel branches,were analyzed numerically.The results show that the fluctuations of transient pressure exhibit similar trends at various split modes,but the time-averaged pressure drops in the branches are very different.This may be related to the maldistribution of mass flow.Thus,the outlet pressures of the branches are numerically changed to explore the relationship between differential pressure and flow distribution.From this study,the flow distribution is seen to display a strong sensitivity to the branch differential pressure.By changing the pressure conditions,the gas flow of the middle branch can be effectively prevented from the main channel,and the flow type in this branch turns from gas-liquid to a single liquid phase.When the differential pressure of the first branch channel changes,the maldistribution phenomenon of the model can be mitigated to a certain extent.Based on this,by adjusting the differential pressures of the second branch,the maldistribution phenomenon can be further mitigated,and the normalized standard deviation(NSTD)decreases from 0.52 to approximately 0.26.The results and conclusions are useful in understanding the two-phase flow distribution mechanism and for seeking optimizing strategies.