Importance of antimicrobial susceptibility testing for the management of eradication in Helicobacter pylori infection

The management of Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) infection treatment differs from the common treatment protocol for other infectious diseases. Because culture-or molecular-guided approaches face several practical issues, such as the invasive procedures required to obtain gastric biopsy specimens and the lack of availability of routine laboratory testing in some places, H. pylori treatment includes the administration of two or three empirically selected antibiotics combined with a proton pump inhibitor rather than evidence-based eradication treatment. The efficacy of empirical therapy is decreasing, mostly due to increasing multiple resistance. Multiresistance to levofloxacin, clarithromycin, and metronidazole, which are commonly used in empirical treatments, appears to have increased in many countries. Mutations play a primary role in the antimicrobial resistance of H. pylori, but many different mechanisms can be involved in the development of antibiotic resistance. Determining and understanding these possible mechanisms might allow the development of new methods for the detection of H. pylori and the determination of antimicrobial resistance. A treatment based on the detection of antimicrobial resistance is usually more effective than empirical treatment. Nevertheless, such an approach before treatment is still not recommended in the Maastricht guidelines due to the difficulty associated with the routine application of available cultureor molecular-based susceptibility tests, which are usually administered in cases of treatment failure. The management of first and rescue treatments requires further research due to the steadily increase in antimicrobial resistance.

Optimization of dynamic sequential test strategy for equipment health management

Testing is the premise and foundation of realizing equipment health management （EHM）. To address the problem that the static periodic test strategy may cause deficient test or excessive test, a dynamic sequential test strategy （DSTS） for EHM is presented. Considering the situation that equipment health state is not completely observable in reality, a DSTS optimization method based on partially observable semi-Markov decision pro- cess （POSMDP） is proposed. Firstly, an equipment health state degradation model is constructed by Markov process, and the control limit maintenance policy is also introduced. Secondly, POSMDP is formulated in great detail. And then, POSMDP is converted to completely observable belief semi-Markov decision process （BSMDP） through belief state. The optimal equation and the corresponding optimal DSTS, which minimize the long-run ex- pected average cost per unit time, are obtained with BSMDP. The results of application in complex equipment show that the proposed DSTS is feasible and effective.

An Evaluation of Manure Management Strategies, Phosphorus Surface Runoff Potential and Water Usage at an Arkansas Discovery Dairy Farm

Manure management is an essential component of dairy production. Nutrient-laden, field-applied dairy manure often serves as a fertilizer source, but can also pose environmental threats if not properly managed. The Haak dairy farm, located in Decatur, Arkansas, was granted a permit by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to employ a unique method in treating and storing cattle manure generated during the milking process. This method includes minimizing water use in wash water, dry scraping solids to combine with sawdust for composting and pumping effluent underground into a sloped concrete basin that serves as secondary solid separator before transporting the manure effluent into an interception trench and an adjacent grassed field to facilitate manure nutrient uptake and retention. The Arkansas Discovery Farm program (ADF) is conducting research to evaluate the environmental performance of the dairy’s milk center wash water treatment system (MCWW) by statistical analysis, characterization of phosphorus (P) migration in soil downslope from the inception trench, temperature measurements, and nutrient analysis of a stored dry stack manure/sawdust mixture. Goals included determining possible composting effectiveness along with comparisons to untreated dairy manure and quantifying the use of on-farm water. Results from this research demonstrated that: 1) The MCWW was effective at retaining manure-derived nutrients and reducing field nutrient migration as the MCWW interception trench had significantly higher total nitrogen (TN) (804.2 to 4.1), total phosphorus (TP) (135.6 to 1.5), and water extractable phosphorus (WEP) (55.0 to 1.0) concentrations in milligrams per liter (mg⋅L-1) than the downhill freshwater pond respectively;2) temperature readings of the manure dry stack indicated heightened levels of microbial and thermal activity, but did not reach a standard composting temperature of 54°C;3) manure dry stack nutrient content was typically higher than untreated dairy manure when measured on a “dry basis” in ppm, but was lower on an “as is basis” in ppm and kg/metric ton;and 4) water meter readings showed that the greatest use of on-farm water was for farm-wide cattle drinking (18.77), followed by water used in the milking center (3.45) and then followed by human usage (0.02) measured in cubic meters per day (m3⋅d-1). These results demonstrate that practical innovations in agricultural engineering and environmental science, such as the Haak dairy’s manure treatment system, can effectively reduce environmental hazards that accompany the management of manure at this dairy operation.

Serious response during tilt-table test in elderly and its prophylactic management

Objective: To evaluate the serious response during tilt-table test (TTT) and its prophylactic management. Method: Seventy-six elderly patients were tested at a tilt angle of 70 degrees for a maximum of 45 min and then subjected to isoprotere- nol-provocative tilt testing. ECG and blood pressure were monitored during the test and patients were kept at normal saline con- dition through a peripheral intravenous duct. Results: Fifty-one of 76 patients were defined as positive including 23 having serious response; 6 of the 23 patients had arteriosclerosis involving internal carotid arteries and 7 cases had bradycardia, two of which were associated with II°-I A-V block and the others with chronic atrial fibrillation. The serious response consisted of cardiac arrest for more than 5 s (6 cases), or serious bradycardia for more than 1 min (7 cases) or serious hypotension for more than 1 min (10 cases). Those with serious response were managed by returning to supine position, thus driving up legs and intravenous atropine, CPR (2 cases with cardiac arrest) and needing oxygen supplementation (11 cases). Only 2 hypotension patients recovered gradually by 10 min after emergency management, while others recovered rapidly with no complications. Conclusion: Although non-invasive, TTT may result in serious response, especially in elderly. Therefore proper patient selection, control of isoproterenol infusion and close observation of vital signs are decisive for a safe consequence.

Tests Management in CALIPSOneo: A MDE Solution

Testing in Software Engineering is one of the most important phases although, unfortunately, it cannot be always successfully fulfilled due to time constraints. In most cases, the development phase takes more time than it was estimated, entailing negative effects on the testing phase. The delay increases even more in Research and Development (R + D) projects, where the real time to execute tasks is more difficult to control. Model Driven Engineering (MDE) offers a solution to avoid testing costs without affecting the execution quality of the applied test. This paper presents a practical overview of a Model Driven Testing (MDT)-based methodology and its impact on CALIPSOneo project, which was carried out in liaison with Airbus Defense and Space and, particularly, with the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) department.

The Danger within:Covid-19 Affinity for ACE2 Receptors in Adipose Tissue and Testes.The Protective Effects of Estradiol,Fitness,and Weight Management

The imminent danger of the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated research in pharmaceuticals that either target the viral Spike proteins fusion with ACE2 receptors,or the infectious RNA replication that often overwhelms immune defences.The scope of this review was to elucidate the main human vulnerabilities to Covid-19,including the accumulation of ACE2 receptors in testes,adipose tissue,thyroid,heart and kidneys that escalate viral affinity in males,the aged,and certain medical conditions,including diabetes,CVD,and pulmonary diseases.Pre-existing inflammation inherent in obesity may exacerbate the“cytokine storm,”a rampaging immune reaction during the course of Covid-19 that is deleterious to the host.We examined the molecular dynamics illustrating the action of new therapeutics necessary for Covid-19 patients;the estradiol advantage hypothesis;alternative therapies including hormone replacement procedures and mesenchymal stem cells;plus preventive and protective interventions.The current perspective also explored the primary components of dysregulated health predisposing individuals to Covid-19,including hormonal imbalance,increased lipids and lipoproteins,thyroid dysfunction,degraded fitness,and age-related testosterone decline accompanied by cortisol increase that provokes stress eating behaviours and weight accumulation.Obesity increases the probability of Covid-19 infection due to its abundance of ACE2 receptors;while physical activity may decrease Covid-19 vulnerability,by reducing fat and increasing muscle mass that manifests a relatively inhibited ACE2 expression.Several weight management solutions feature lasers and radiofrequency which diminish subcutaneous adiposity but do not enhance fitness.A data metanalysis of seven recently published clinical studies on 95 obese individuals,73 males and 22 females with an average BMI of 30.9,demonstrated visceral fat reduction combined with increased skeletal muscle mass.It also revealed a statistically significant decrease in BMI,lipids,lipoproteins,inflammation and toxicity as measured by CRP,Creatinine and Bilirubin respectively,juxtaposed by optimally healthier levels of Cortisol,Testosterone,Free T3,IGF-1,Insulin,and the appetite controlling hormones Leptin and Ghrelin.

ENERGY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR PARALLEL HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Energy management strategy (EMS) is the core of the real-time controlalgorithm of the hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). A novel EMS using the logic threshold approach withincorporation of a stand-by optimization algorithm is proposed. The aim of it is to minimize theengine fuel consumption and maintain the battery state of charge (SOC) in its operation range, whilesatisfying the vehicle performance and drivability requirements. The hybrid powertrain bench testis carried out to collect data of the engine, motor and battery pack, which are used in the EMS tocontrol the powertrain. Computer simulation model of the HEV is established in the MATLAB/Simulinkenvironment according to the bench test results. Simulation results are presented for behaviors ofthe engine, motor and battery. The proposed EMS is implemented for a real parallel hybrid carcontrol system and validated by vehicle field tests.

Simulation-Based Evaluation for the Impact of Personnel Capability on Software Testing Performance

This study presents a decision making process in three steps of knowledge management for test organization using process simulation and financial analysis. First, project cost assessment of test knowledge management process subjects to different project duration and number of staffs. Two knowledge management simulation models representing experienced personnel with knowledge sharing and inexperienced personnel with internal training respectively are employed to contrast test personnel capability. Second, performance evaluation of software testing process by different personnel capability is conducted to simulate system test using three project metrics, namely, duration, effort cost, and quality. Third, a comparative financial analysis is prepared to determine the best solution by return on investment, payback period, and benefit cost ratio. The results from three stages of finding are discussed to arrive at the final scenario. We provide a case study evaluating how software testing industry needs to build effective test organization with high quality personnel for sustainable development and improvement.

基于Selenium对z/OS Management Facility自动化测试的研究与实现

本文研究并采用Selenium+Apache Ant+TestNG,编写出符合实际项目的自动化测试的类框架,并实现自动化测试,通过实验数据证明,自动化后可以使得测试结果更为稳定、可靠。

基于Selenium对z/OS Management Facility自动化测试的研究与实现

研究并采用Selenium+Apache Ant+TestNG,编写出符合实际项目的自动化测试的类框架,并实现自动化测试,通过实验数据证明,自动化后可以使得测试结果更为稳定、可靠。

Testing House管理浅析

Testing house只要加强管理,在企业的发展过程中,将起到相当重要的作用。

完善实验动物废物处置质量管理体系的思考:以中国食品药品检定研究院为例

科技发展是推动人类社会前进的巨大动力,而实验动物资源是生命科学、医药等领域科技发展的条件保障。但在开展医药研发、检验检测等实验过程中,使用实验动物产生的废物也为城市管理带来了新的考验。废物的分类、回收、有效利用和生物安全危害等问题接踵而至,对法规、标准、规范等的制定提出了与时俱进的要求。质量管理体系建设是检验检测机构管理的地基和框架,具备较强的操作性和检查性,可以不断提升管理水平,加强基础管理的稳定性。随着各层级新的管理办法出台,很多单位现行的质量管理体系内关于实验动物废物管理的相关内容欠妥,存在未明确非医疗机构实验动物废物处置流程、实验动物废物分类不准确、不同分类的废物未能按照不同方式处置等问题。本文针对目前存在的问题,梳理了中国食品药品检定研究院质量管理体系需要增加或者删改的流程,并制订了现行有效的标准作业流程,在如何加强监督管理方面提出了切实可行的措施,并开创性地把6S管理内容纳入质量管理体系中。因此,针对实验动物废物的管理应从完善质量管理体系的角度出发,从源头做好废物分类和管理,有效控制生物危害,最大限度地减少环境污染,为可持续发展创造条件。

基于LabVIEW的电动汽车动力电池管理系统测试平台设计

为更直观地监测动力电池管理系统的实时数据,设计一款基于LabVIEW的电动汽车动力电池管理系统测试平台,可以展示动力电池管理系统的工作状态。该系统采用主流新能源磷酸铁锂动力电池包,总容量80V50Ah一体式电池管理,具有主从通信、外部通信、状态估算、安全管理、充放电管理、控制输出、控制输入、总压检测、绝缘检测、单体电压采集、温度采集等功能。

基于装置运行平稳性的石油化工安全管理策略研究

为了找出并评价石化装置支配性风险因素,实现安全生产风险源头控制和管理,满足石化装置安全生产风险控制的高效性要求,通过建立石化装置事故风险影响模型,运用决策试验与评估实验室方法(DEMATEL)从“现代事故因果连锁理论”视角分析发现人、机(物)等风险因素都受管理因素支配。进而,基于工艺稳定性、工艺稳定性修正、非计划停工3个指标建立石化装置平稳性模型,对装置运行平稳率进行追踪统计,并通过实例对该模型进行了分析和验证。结果表明:该石化装置运行平稳性模型可以量化追踪事故风险支配性因素的控制效果,可展示石化装置不同阶段下的风险特点,可作为装置事故风险预警指标和安全管理绩效指标,可提高装置的安全管理水平。

TRACK与C-ACT评分在儿童哮喘管理中的价值评估

目的:通过研究儿童呼吸和哮喘控制测试(test for respiratory and asthma control in kids,TRACK)和儿童哮喘控制测试(childhood asthma control test,C-ACT)与全球哮喘防治创议(global initiative for asthma,GINA)标准哮喘控制水平评估的一致性、与哮喘儿童肺功能指标的相关性,探讨2种评分方法在儿童哮喘管理中的价值。方法:选择2020年8月至2022年3月重庆市妇幼保健院儿科门诊就诊的哮喘患儿135例为研究对象,用TRACK评分表和C-ACT评分表对相应年龄的患儿及其家长进行问卷调查,分析2种评分方法与GINA标准哮喘控制水平评估分级的一致性、与肺功能指标的相关性,并比较不同评分结果组肺功能指标差异。结果:TRACK评分、C-ACT评分与GINA哮喘控制水平分级一致性检验Kappa值分别为0.517和0.531,均显示一致性一般;TRACK评分与TPF%TE和VPF%VE存在显著的正相关,但TRACK评分、C-ACT评分与FEV1%均没有显著性相关;不同TRACK评分组哮喘患儿的FEV1%差异无统计学意义(F=2.054,P=0.134),但多重比较发现≥80分组与<60分组FEV1%的差异有统计学意义(P=0.048);不同TRACK评分组哮喘患儿的TPTEF/TE(%)(F=3.171,P=0.044)和VPEF/VE(%)(F=3.919,P=0.022)差异有统计学意义,进一步多重比较发现其差异主要来自于≥80分组与60~80分组,其中VPEF/VE(%)(P=0.017)的组间差异较TPTEF/TE(%)(P=0.030)更为明显;比较不同C-ACT评分组哮喘患儿的FEV1%差异无统计学意义(F=1.756,P=0.182)。结论:TRACK评分能更好反映儿童肺功能的差异,可作为5岁以下儿童哮喘管理的一个有效评估工具。

基于PXI和Teststand的模拟保护卡件自动测试工装设计

核反应堆的模拟保护系统具有较高的可靠性,运用脉冲试验,可使其具有充分的在役测试能力。作为模拟保护系统的组成部分,卡件具有模拟计算功能和逻辑运算功能。针对常规卡件测试耗时、费力等弊端,设计一套基于PXI和Teststand的自动化测试工装。通过对自动化测试原理和测试资源的分析,实现了硬件设备的选型,以及对开关网络、接线和系统结构的设计;以Teststand软件和LabVIEW语言为软件编程环境,完成测试流程的设计。借助一块辅助电路板,将工装自身的电源和多用表短接,实现了工装的自动化检测,确保工装在使用前处于完好可用状态。测试结果表明,卡件的测试时间为人工的1/5,卡件的测试质量达到了100%。

4R危机管理理论在结缔组织病相关肺动脉高压患者6分钟步行试验中的应用效果

目的:评价4R危机管理理论在结缔组织病相关肺动脉高压患者进行6分钟步行试验中的效果。方法:便利选取120例2022年1月—12月在北京协和医院风湿免疫内科肺动脉高压专病门诊就诊的结缔组织病相关肺动脉高压行6分钟步行试验的患者,按时间先后进行分组,对照组给予常规管理流程,干预组应用4R危机管理理论更新的6分钟步行试验管理流程。针对6分钟步行试验后两组患者的血氧饱和度情况及不良事件发生情况进行分析。结果:干预组和对照组患者6分钟步行距离差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);干预组患者6分钟步行试验后及测试后3分钟血氧饱和度显著高于对照组(P<0.05);干预组患者6分钟步行试验期间低氧饱和度及不良事件发生情况显著少于对照组(P<0.05)。结论:结缔组织病相关肺动脉高压行6分钟步行试验患者经4R危机管理理论干预能够显著降低低氧饱和度发生率,降低患者不良反应发生率,该方案为结缔组织病相关肺动脉高压患者实施6分钟步行试验提供了安全保障。

装备测试性工程技术现状与新进展

装备测试性工程技术起源于20世纪80年代,是先进测试技术与系统工程紧密结合的产物。该技术经过40余年的发展逐渐成熟,在测试性需求分析与分配、测试性建模与方案优化设计、机内测试(Built⁃In Test,BIT)与自动测试系统(Automatic Test System,ATS)设计、测试性试验与评估等方面形成了较完善的理论体系,并在各型装备中得到了普遍应用,取得了较大的军事和社会效益。今后测试性基础研究和应用探索究竟该如何开展,未来发展方向是怎样的,是亟需深入探讨的问题。在对测试性工程技术的产生背景与需求、概念与内涵、发展历程、关键技术现状与新进展进行剖析的基础上,指出了目前测试性工程技术研究存在的问题和今后研究突破的方向。