Effects of cement-enhanced soil on the ultimate lateral resistance of composite pile in clayey soil

The composite pile consisting of core-pile and surrounding cement-enhanced soil is a promising pile foundation in recent years.However,how and to what extent the cement-enhanced soil influences the ultimate lateral resistance has not been fully investigated.In this paper,the ultimate lateral resistance of the composite pile was studied by finite element limit analysis(FELA)and theoretical upper-bound analysis.The results of FELA and theoretical analysis revealed three failure modes of laterally loaded composite piles.The effects of the enhanced soil thickness,strength,and pile-enhanced soil interface characteristics on the ultimate lateral resistance were studied.The results show that increasing the enhanced soil thickness leads to a significant improvement on ultimate lateral resistance factor(N P),and there is a critical thickness beyond which the thickness no longer affects the N P.Increasing the enhanced soil strength induced 6.2%-232.6%increase of N P.However,no noticeable impact was detected when the enhanced soil strength was eight times higher than that of the natural soil.The maximum increment of N P is only 30.5%caused by the increase of interface adhesion factor(a).An empirical model was developed to calculate the N P of the composite pile,and the results show excellent agreement with the analytical results.

The Impact and Intervention of Handheld Tai Chi Water-Resistance Fitness Ball on Middle-Aged and Elderly Patients with Parkinson’s Disease

Through the use of a survey and statistical methods, this study explores the effects and interventions of handheld Tai Chi water resistance fitness balls on the elderly with Parkinson’s disease. Firstly, a questionnaire on exercise compliance for patients with Parkinson’s disease was developed, and its reliability and validity were tested. Then, a survey was conducted to investigate the current status of exercise compliance among Parkinson’s disease patients, including general information, scoring status, and single and multiple factor analyses of influencing factors [1]. The results of the study show that through qualitative research, the dimensions and item pools of the questionnaire were initially constructed, and the reliability analysis of the questionnaire was conducted through Delphi expert consultation, with favorable results in terms of its reliability and validity [2]. Regarding the current status of exercise compliance among Parkinson’s disease patients, the study found that the level of exercise compliance needs improvement, and there are significant differences in exercise compliance levels among patients under different circumstances. Finally, the research results were discussed and conclusions were drawn. The innovation of this study lies in the development of a questionnaire on exercise compliance for patients with Parkinson’s disease and the preliminary qualitative research and Delphi expert consultation conducted on it, providing new ideas and methods for the study of exercise compliance. However, the study also has limitations as it did not examine the effects of other interventions on Parkinson’s disease, so further research should be conducted [3].

Quercetin inhibits truncated isoform of dopamine-and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein as adjuvant treatment for trastuzumab therapy resistance in HER2-positive breast cancer

Trastuzumab resistance is one of the causes of poor prognosis in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)-positive(HER2+)breast cancer(BC).The truncated isoform of dopamine-and cAMPregulated phosphoprotein(t-DARPP)has been reported to be involved in trastuzumab therapy resistance and promoting tumor progression.To evaluate the t-DARPP expression in BC,paired tumors and surrounding normal tissues were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction and confirmed higher DARPP-32 kDa family mRNA expression in HER2+BC tumor tissues.We established 2 patient-derived xenografts(PDX)mice models to test the efficacy of trastuzumab,named model 1(non-responder)and model 2(responder).t-DARPP and p95-HER2 protein-protein interactions were detected in PDX tumor tissue from non-responders using Förster resonance energy transfer assays.Instead,there is no response from the responder.Furthermore,mechanistic studies using transwell and western blot assays demonstrated that t-DARPP could upregulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition signaling proteins,enhance p95-HER2 expression and promote cell migration.We found that quercetin effectively reduced t-DARPP expression in HER2+BC cells.In t-DARPP ShRNA-suppressed cells,quercetin synergistically enhanced trastuzumab-induced apoptotic cell death and G2/M phase arrest.In conclusion,the combination of quercetin and trastuzumab treatment by targeting t-DARPP in HER2+BC patients has the potential as a biomarker for mitigating drug resistance.

Necessity and feasibility of improving the residual resistance factor of polymer flooding in heavy oil reservoirs

The efficiency of water flooding in heavy oil reservoirs would be improved by increasing the viscosity of the displacing phase, but the sweep efficiency is not of significance due to the low mobility of the vicious oil. On the basis of mobility control theory, increasing the residual resistance factor not only reduces the water-oil mobility ratio but also decreases the requirement for viscosity enhancement of the polymer solution. The residual resistance factor caused by hydrophobic associating polymer solution is higher than that caused by polyacrylamide solution in brine containing high concentrations of calcium and magnesium ions. The results of numerical simulations show that the polymer flooding efficiency improved by increasing the residual resistance factor is far better than that by only increasing solution viscosity. The recovery factor of heavy oil reservoirs （70 mPa·s） can be enhanced by hydrophobic associating polymer solution of high residual resistance factor （more than 3） and high effective viscosity （24 mPa·s）. Therefore, increasing the residual resistance factor of the polymer solution not only decreases the requirement for the viscosity of polymer solution injected into heavy oil reservoirs but also is favorable to enhanced oil recovery during polymer flooding.

Measurements of electron-phonon coupling factor and interfacial thermal resistance of metallic nano-films using a transient thermoreflectance technique

Using a transient thermoreflectance （TTR） technique, several Au films with different thicknesses on glass and SiC substrates are measured for thermal characterization of metMlic nano-films, including the electron phonon coupling factor G, interfazial thermal resistance R, and thermal conductivity Ks of the substrate. The rear heating-front detecting （RF） method is used to ensure the femtosecond temporal resolution. An intense laser beam is focused on the rear surface to heat the film, and another weak laser beam is focused on the very spot of the front surface to detect the change in the electron temperature. By varying the optical path delay between the two beams, a complete electron temperature profile can be scanned. Different from the normally used single-layer model, the double-layer model involving interfaciM thermal resistance is studied here. The electron temperature cooling profile can be affected by the electron energy transfer into the substrate or the electron-phonon interactions in the metallic films. For multiple-target optimization, the genetic algorithm （GA） is used to obtain both G and R. The experimental result gives a deep understanding of the mechanism of ultra-fast heat transfer in metals.

Role and regulation of the forkhead transcription factors FOXO3a and FOXM1 in carcinogenesis and drug resistance

The FOXO3a and FOXM1 forkhead transcription factors are key players in cancer initiation,progression,and drug resistance.Recent research shows that FOXM1 is a direct transcriptional target of FOXO3a,a vital downstream effector of the PI3K-AKT-FOXO signaling cascade.In addition,FOXM1 and FOXO3a also antagonize each other's activity by competitively binding to the same target genes,which are involved in chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity and resistance.Understanding the role and regulation of the FOXO-FOXM1 axis will provide insight into chemotherapeutic drug action and resistance in patients,and help to identify novel therapeutic approaches as well as diagnostic and predictive biomarkers.

Reliability-Based Load and Resistance Factors Design for Offshore Jacket Platforms in the Bohai Bay:Calibration on Design Factors

For the fulfillment of the probability-based structural design for the offshore jacket platforms in the Bohai Bay, the design factors of loads, resistance and load combinations are much necessary to be calibrated according to the proposed target reliability index. Firstly, the limit states function for the offshore jacket platforms is introduced. Then, four approaches to calibrate the factors of load and resistance are presented and compared. Afterwards, the methods to calibrate the load combination factors are developed. Finally, the factors of load, resistance and load combination for the offshore jacket platforms in the Bohai Bay are calibrated and the corresponding design formulae are recommended. The results are proved to be rational in practice, and also illustrate that the proposed target reliability index for offshore jacket platforms in the Bohai Bay is also appropriate.

Clinical efficacy and drug resistance of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor therapy in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer(CRC) ranked third in cancer related death and its incidence has been increasing worldwide. In recent decades important therapeutic advances have been developed in treatment of metastatic CRC(mCRC), such as monoclonal antibodies against epidermal growth factor receptor(anti-EGFR), which provided additional clinical benefits in mCRC. However, anti-EGFR therapies have limited usage due to approximately 95% of patients with KRAS mutated mCRC do not response to anti-EGFR treatment. Thus, KRAS mutation is predictive of nonresponse to anti-EGFR therapies but it alone is not a sufficient basis to decide who should not be received such therapies because; approximately fifty percent(40%-60%) of CRC patients with wild-type KRAS mutation also have poor response to anti-EGFR based treatment. This fact leads us to suspect that there must be other molecular determinants of response to anti-EGFR therapies which have not been identified yet. Current article summarizes the clinical efficacy of anti-EGFR therapies and also evaluates its resistance mechanisms.

Properties and appropriate conditions of stress reduction factor and thermal shock resistance parameters for ceramics

Through introducing the analytical problem of the plate with convection into the solution of the transient heat conduction thermal stress field model of the elastic plate, the stress reduction factor is presented explicitly in its dimensionless form. A new stress reduction factor is introduced for the purpose of comparison. The proper- ties and appropriate conditions of the stress reduction factor, the first and second ther- mal shock resistance （TSR） parameters for the high and low Biot numbers, respectively, and the approximation formulas for the intermediate Blot number-interval are discussed. To investigate the TSR of ceramics more accurately, it is recommended to combine the heat transfer theory with the theory of thermoelasticity or fracture mechanics or use a numerical method. The critical rupture temperature difference and the critical rup- ture dimensionless time can be used to characterize the TSR of ceramics intuitively and legibly.

Transcriptomic analysis reveals the transcription factors involved in regulating the expression of EPSPS gene,which confers glyphosate resistance of goosegrass (Eleusine indica)

Glyphosate inhibits the enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase(EPSPS)and overexpression of the EPSPS gene is one of the molecular mechanisms conferring glyphosate resistance in weeds.A regulatory sequence of EPSPS gene was isolated previously,and an alteration in its 5´-untranslated region(UTR)pyrimidine(Py)-rich stretch element is involved in the regulation of EPSPS expression in glyphosate-resistant(GR)Eleusine indica.However,the transcription factors involved in this regulatory sequence remain to be elucidated.In this study,we investigated the regulatory network of EPSPS overexpression associated genes in a GR E.indica population by RNA-seq.The differentially expressed transcript analyses revealed that glyphosate treatment caused an increase in the expression of 2752 unigenes and a decrease in the expression of 4025 unigenes in the GR E.indica,compared to the glyphosatesusceptible(GS)E.indica.Among them,1373 unigenes were identified to be co-expressed with the EPSPS gene in GR E.indica.GO and KEGG pathway analyses showed that the up-regulated unigenes were mainly enriched in chloroplasts and associated with the shikimate biosynthesis pathway,chlorophy II and peroxisome metabolism processes.Notably,the expression of a Shikimate kinase which catalyzed the conversion of Shikimate to Shikimate 3-phosphate(S3P,a substrate of EPSPS),was also up-regulated.Eight transcription factors were identified as likely to be involved in the regulation of the EPSPS expression,and three of them(ARF2,ARF8 and BPC6)showed more binding sites because of a(CT)n insertion of the 5´-UTR Py-rich stretch element in GR.However,the yeast one-hybrid assay illustrated that ARF8 and BPC6 could bind to the 5´-UTR Py-rich stretch element of wild type EPSPS,but could not bind to the mutated form.Our data suggests that the transcriptional regulation of EPSPS expression is complex and was significantly altered in GR E.indica.These discoveries provide new references for further study of the EPSPS overexpression mechanism that endows glyphosate resistance.

Risk Factors of Bacterial Resistance to Antibiotics in Internal Medicine and Hemodialysis Nephrology Services at the Edith Lucie Bongo Ondimba General Hospital

Introduction: Antibiotic resistance is a public health problem. It is due to multi-resistant bacteria (MRB). The objective of this study was to determine bacterial resistance to antibiotics in chronic renal failure at the Edith Lucie BONGO ONDIMBA general hospital (HGELBO). Patients, material and method: This was an analytical cross-sectional study conducted from January 1 to August 31, 2019 at the HGELBO. It concerned all patients admitted to the HGELBO with positive bacteriological samples. After a study of the sensitivity to isolated species, the patients were divided into two (02) groups: those MRB positive (+) and not MRB or negative (-). Epi Info software version 3.5.1 was used for the calculation of the rates and the comparison of the variables. The adjusted odds ratio (ORa) with a 95% confidence interval was used to measure the specific effect of each risk factor such as chronic kidney disease and diabetes, in order to rule out confounding factors. Multivariate analysis by binomial logistic regression was used. Results: There were 375 bacteriological samples from 258 patients, among them 247 patients with 235 positive samples or 63%. The eleven (11) are healthy patients. The median age was 33 with extremes ranging from 16 to 90. The female sex was predominant with a sex ratio of 0.6. The majority of MRB+ cases were found in internal medicine and nephrology with 12 cases (38.7%) and hemodialysis with 4 cases (12.9%). Urinary samples were in the majority with 74.5%. Escherichia coli was predominant in 30.3%. After studying the sensitivity to antibiotics of the 247 species included, 113 were MRB+ and 134 BMR- i.e. a frequency of 45.7%. Methicilin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was predominant (51.3%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the main risk factor was antibiotic use (0Ra: 3.2 [1.9 - 5.4];p-value < 0.01). Chronic renal failure and diabetes were not risk factors for carriage. The other risk factors identified were: hospitalization of more than 7 days (prolonged), S. aureus infection and male sex. Conclusion: Probabilistic antibiotic therapy leads to the selection of BMRs. Long hospital stays, male sex, and MRSA are risk factors or determinants of antibiotic resistance, but not chronic kidney disease.

Sugarcane transcription factor ScWRKY4 negatively regulates resistance to pathogen infection through the JA signaling pathway

WRKY transcription factors,transcriptional regulators unique to plants,play an important role in defense response to pathogen infection.However,the resistance mechanisms of WRKY genes in sugarcane remain unclear.In the present study,gene ontology(GO)enrichment analysis revealed that WRKY gene family in sugarcane was extensively involved in the response to biotic stress and in defense response.We identified gene ScWRKY4,a classⅡc member of the WRKY gene family,in sugarcane cultivar ROC22.This gene was induced by salicylic acid(SA)and methyl jasmonate(MeJA)stress.Interestingly,expression of ScWRKY4 was down-regulated in smut-resistant sugarcane cultivars but up-regulated in smutsusceptible sugarcane cultivars infected with Sporisorium scitamineum.Moreover,stable overexpression of the ScWRKY4 gene in Nicotiana benthamiana enhanced susceptibility to Fusarium solani var.coeruleum and caused down-regulated expression of immune marker-related genes.Transcriptome analysis indicated suppressed expression of most JAZ genes in the signal transduction pathway.ScWRKY4 interacted with ScJAZ13 to repress its expression.We thus hypothesized that the ScWRKY4 gene was involved in the regulatory network of plant disease resistance,most likely through the JA signaling pathway.The present study depicting the molecular involvement of ScWRKY4 in sugarcane disease resistance lays a foundation for future investigation.

Knock-out of BnHva22c reduces the susceptibility of Brassica napus to infection with the fungal pathogen Verticillium longisporum

Verticillium longisporum(Vl43)is a soilborne hemibiotrophic fungal pathogen causing stem striping on oilseed rape(OSR)and severe yield losses.Breeding for resistant varieties is the most promising approach to control this disease.Here,we report the identification of Hva22c as a novel susceptibility factor and its potential for improving OSR resistance.Hva22c is a member of the Hva22 gene family,originally described for barley(Hordeum vulgare).Several Hva22 members have been located at the endoplasmic reticulum.Hva22c is up-regulated in response to Vl43 in both Arabidopsis and OSR.We demonstrate that knock-out of Hva22c in OSR by CRISPR/Cas9 and its homolog in Arabidopsis by T-DNA insertion reduced plants’susceptibility to Vl43 infection and impaired the development of disease symptoms.To understand the underlying mechanism,we analysed transcriptomic data from infected and non-infected roots of hva22c knock-out and wild type plants.We identified a homozygous mutant with frame-shifts in all four BnHva22c loci displaying a vastly altered transcriptional landscape at 6 dpi.Significantly,a large set of genes was suppressed under mock conditions including genes related to the endomembrane systems.Among the up-regulated genes we found several defense-related and phytohormone-responsive genes when comparing mutant to the wild type.These results demonstrate that Hva22c is functionally required for a fully compatible plant-fungus interaction.Its loss of function reduces plant susceptibility,most likely due to endoplasmatic reticulum and Golgi dysfunction accompanied by additionally activated defense responses.These findings can help improve OSR resistance to V.longisporum infection.

Geohydraulic Investigation of Aquifer Parameters in Abak, Southern Nigeria

A geophysical investigation was carried out to characterize aquifer parameters and assess the groundwater condition in Abak, southern Nigeria. Vertical electrical sounding (VES) was carried out using Schlumberger configuration in 10 locations within the area. Both manual and computer interpretation of the resistivity data reveals three to four geoelectric units (laterite topsoil, medium-grained sand, coarse-grained sand, and sandy clay sand) which agrees with the lithologic log from existing boreholes. The aquifer layer was identified along the third formation with resistivity values ranging from 1239 - 5719 Ωm and aquifer depth ranging from 30.2 - 54.8 m. The aquifer thickness ranged from 24.2 - 43.7 m. Hydraulic conductivity ranged from 0.1206 m/day - 0.5026 m/day with an average value of 0.29403 m/day. Formation factor ranged from 14.55 - 16.64. Porosity ranged from 15.98% - 22.40%, with an average value of 19.64%. The aquiferous zone falls within the medium/coarse-grained sand. The aquifer is shallow, unconfined, and prolific with a little overburden formation of 13.5 m. The area shows good prospects for groundwater development.

Mechanisms of resistance to anti-epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors in metastatic colorectal cancer

The prognosis of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) remain poor despite the impressive improvement of treatments observed over the last 20 years that led to an increase in median overall survival from 6 mo, with the only best supportive care, to approximately 30 mo with the introduction of active chemotherapy drugs and targeted agents. The monoclonal antibodies (moAbs) cetuximab and panitumumab, directed against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), undoubtedly represent a major step forward in the treatment of mCRC, given the relevant efficacy in terms of progression-free survival, overall survival, response rate, and quality of life observed in several phase III clinical trials among different lines of treatment. However, the anti-EGFR moAbs were shown only to be effective in a subset of patients. For instance, KRAS and NRAS mutations have been identified as biomarkers of resistance to these drugs, improving the selection of patients who might derive a benefit from these treatments. Nevertheless, several other alterations might affect the response to these drugs, and unfortunately, even the responders eventually become resistant by developing secondary (or acquired) resistance in approximately 13-18 mo. Several studies highlighted that the landscape of responsible alterations of both primary and acquired resistance to anti-EGFR drugs biochemically converge into MEK-ERK and PIK3CA-AKT pathways. In this review, we describe the currently known mechanisms of primary and acquired resistance to anti-EGFR moAbs together with the various strategies evaluated to prevent, overcame or revert them.

Are metabolic factors still important in the era of direct antiviral agents in patients with chronic hepatitis C?

The high rate of sustained viral response(SVR)to boceprevir or telaprevir-based triple therapy in hepatitis C(HCV)-related,non-cirrhotic na ve patients or relapsers to previous antiviral treatment leads clinicians to believe that the impact of metabolic host factors on SVR is minimal when triple therapy is used,unlike what is observed with the peginterferon and ribavirin schedules.This concept is strongly expressed by some opinion leaders on the basis of the data derived from subanalyses of registrative trials as well as from a post-hoc analysis of the phaseⅡC208 clinical trial.The perception of unrestrainable therapeutic success with the use of newer,more powerful antivirals is now reinforced by the brilliant results obtained with sofosbuvir,an HCV NS5B polymerase inhibitor,as well as by the data from the phaseⅡandⅢstudies on the various combinations of second-generation NS3/4A inhibitors and NS5A and/or NS5B inhibitors.However,a great deal of concern has emerged from the real world scenario in which patients are often older and have more comorbidities than patients in the"world of trials".Furthermore,many of them have advanced fibrosis and previous failure with peginterferon and ribavirin treatment.Some data from the recent literature suggest that the host metabolic factors may play a minor but non-negligible role in these difficult-to-treat patients,an issue that will hopefully be investigated in further studies.This editorial aims to provide a detailed analysis of the role that host metabolic factors played in the past and what role they may play in the era of direct antiviral agents.

Activation of STAT3 signaling in human stomach adenocarcinoma drug-resistant cell line and its relationship with expression of vascular endothelial growth factor

AIM: To investigate the difference in activation of STAT3 signaling between two human stomach adenocarcinoma cell lines: 5-fluorouracil resistant cell line and its parental cell line, and to evaluate its relationship with the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). METHODS: Western blot and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) were used to detect the expression of phospho-STAT3 protein and constitutive activation of STAT3 in two human stomach adenocarcinoma cell lines, 5-fluorouracil resistant cell line SGC7901/R and its parental cell line SGC7901, respectively. The mRNA expression of VEGF was analysed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The expressive intensity of VEGF protein was measured by immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: The expressions of phospho-STATS protein and constitutive activation of STAT3 between two human stomach adenocarcinoma cell lines were different. Compared with the parental cell line SGC7901, the STAT3DNA binding activity and the expressive intensity of phospho-STAT3 protein were lower in the drug-resistant cell line SGC7901/R. The expression levels of VEGF mRNA and its encoded protein were also decreased in drugresistant cell line. CONCLUSION: Over-expression of VEGF may be correlated with elevated STAT3 activation in parental cell line. Lower VEGF expression may be correlated with decreased STAT3 activation in resistant cell line, which may have resulted from negative feedback regulation of STAT signaling.

Oncogenic fingerprint of epidermal growth factor receptor pathway and emerging epidermal growth factor receptor blockade resistance in colorectal cancer

Epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR) has been an attractive target for treatment of epithelial cancers, including colorectal cancer(CRC). Evidence from clinical trials indicates that cetuximab and panitumumab(antiEGFR monoclonal antibodies) have clinical activity in patients with metastatic CRC. The discovery of intrinsic EGFR blockade resistance in Kirsten RAS(KRAS)-mutant patients led to the restriction of anti-EGFR antibodies to KRAS wild-type patients by Food and Drug Administration and European Medicine Agency. Studies have since focused on the evaluation of biomarkers to identify appropriate patient populations that may benefit from EGFR blockade. Accumulating evidence suggests that patients with mutations in EGFR downstream signaling pathways including KRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA and PTEN could be intrinsically resistant to EGFR blockade. Recent whole genome studies also suggest that dynamic alterations in signaling pathways downstream of EGFR leads to distinct oncogenic signatures and subclones which might have some impact on emerging resistance in KRAS wild-type patients. While anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies have a clear potential in the management of a subset of patients with metastatic CRC, further studies are warranted to uncover exact mechanisms related to acquired resistance to EGFR blockade.

Effects of variations of voltage and pH value on the shear strength of soil and durability of different electrodes and piles during electrokinetic phenomenon

Electrokinetic(EK)treatment is an effective method in accelerating the consolidation and improving the geotechnical properties of fine-grained soils.This method stabilizes the soil and increases the bearing capacity of piles by improving the soil shear strength.Changing the soil p H,due to the occurrence of chemical reactions of electrolysis in the soil,can increase its shear strength.However,the electrodes used in this method corrode due to the change in the soil p H,which in turn reduces the electrical potential.Electrode corrosion and loss of electrical potential can significantly reduce the efficiency of the EK method.In addition,when using the EK method to increase the bearing capacity of piles,changing the p H can cause corrosion and damage to the piles.One of the most important factors influencing the change in the p H of soil is the voltage applied during the EK process.It was reported that increasing the voltage affects the intensity of chemical reactions and electroosmotic flow and thus increases the efficiency of EK.However,very limited research has been conducted on the effect of voltage on the performance of EK method.In the present study,the effects of three voltages on soil p H and corrosion resistance of four types of electrodes including iron(Ir),stainless steel(St),copper(Co),and aluminium(Al)were studied.In addition,the effects of p H variations on the corrosion rate of three types of piles including steel pile(SP),reinforced cement concrete pile(RCCP),and reinforced lime-cement concrete pile(RLCCP)were investigated.It was observed that increasing the voltage from a specific limit had no effect on the intensity of electrolysis reactions and the soil p H adjacent to the electrodes did not change more than a specific limit.Moreover,increasing the voltage to higher than 35 V(i.e.45 V)did not increase the volume of drained water from the soil,but caused more electric current than the allowable current for Ir,St,and Al electrodes,and the corrosion intensity of these electrodes increased significantly.RCCP reduced the soil p H to 2.4 within 7 d of curing due to severe corrosion(13%corrosion rate).The soil p H values adjacent to RCCP and RLCCP within 28 d of curing reduced to 3.7 and 3.8,respectively,but the two piles were not damaged.In general,the results of this research showed that selecting an optimized voltage had a significant effect on the efficiency of EK,and increasing the voltage did not always lead to increase in the efficiency of EK process.

Targeting host factors:A novel rationale for the management of hepatitis C virus

Hepatitis C is recognized as a major threat to global public health. The current treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C is the addition of ribavirin to interferon-based therapy which has limited efficacy, poor tolerability, and significant expense. New treatment options that are more potent and less toxic are much needed. Moreover, more effective treatment is an urgent priority for those who relapse or do not respond to current regimens. A major obstacle in combating hepatitis C virus （HCV） infection is that the fidelity of the viral replication machinery is notoriously low, thus enabling the virus to quickly develop mutations that resist compounds targeting viral enzymes. Therefore, an approach targeting the host cofactors, which are indispensable for the propagation of viruses, may be an ideal target for the development of antiviral agents because they have a lower rate of mutation than that of the viral genome, as long as they have no side effects to patients. Drugs targeting, for example, receptors of viral entry, host metabolism or nuclear receptors, which are factors required to complete the HCV life cycle, may be more effective in combating the viral infection. Targeting host cofactors of the HCV life cycle is an attractive concept because it imposes a higher genetic barrier for resistance than direct antiviral compounds. However the principle drawback of this strategy is the greater potential for cellular toxicity.