Kangfuxin solution alleviates esophageal stenosis after endoscopic submucosal dissection:A natural ingredient strategy

BACKGROUND Esophageal stricture ranks among the most significant complications following endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD).Excessive fibrotic repair is a typical pathological feature leading to stenosis after ESD.AIM To examine the effectiveness and underlying mechanism of Kangfuxin solution(KFX)in mitigating excessive fibrotic repair of the esophagus post-ESD.METHODS Pigs received KFX at 0.74 mL/kg/d for 21 days after esophageal full circumferential ESD.Endoscopic examinations occurred on days 7 and 21 post-ESD.In vitro,recombinant transforming growth factor(TGF)-β1(5 ng/mL)induced a fibrotic microenvironment in primary esophageal fibroblasts(pEsF).After 24 hours of KFX treatment(at 1.5%,1%,and 0.5%),expression ofα-smooth muscle actin-2(ACTA2),fibronectin(FN),and type collagen I was assessed.Profibrotic signaling was analyzed,including TGF-β1,Smad2/3,and phosphor-smad2/3(p-Smad2/3).RESULTS Compared to the Control group,the groups treated with KFX and prednisolone exhibited reduced esophageal stenosis,lower weight loss rates,and improved food tolerance 21 d after ESD.After treatment,Masson staining revealed thinner and less dense collagen fibers in the submucosal layer.Additionally,the expression of fibrotic effector molecules was notably inhibited.Mechanistically,KFX downregulated the transduction levels of fibrotic functional molecules such as TGF-β1,Smad2/3,and p-Smad2/3.In vitro,pEsF exposed to TGF-β1-induced fibrotic microenvironment displayed increased fibrotic activity,which was reversed by KFX treatment,leading to reduced activation of ACTA2,FN,and collagen I.The 1.5%KFX treatment group showed decreased expression of p-Smad 2/3 in TGF-β1-activated pEsF.CONCLUSION KFX showed promise as a therapeutic option for post-full circumferential esophageal ESD strictures,potentially by suppressing fibroblast fibrotic activity through modulation of the TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway.

PERTURBATION SOLUTION FOR COMPARTMENT MODEL OF VARIABLE EXTRACELLULAR VOLUME

The two compartment model with variable extracellular volume is presented and solved by using both perturbation and analytical method. The computation for both creatinine and urea show that the perturbation solution is not only simple but also accurate enough and is a good substitute for the more exact analytical solution.

Can mosapride citrate reduce the volume of lavage solution for colonoscopy preparation?

AIM:To evaluate the possibility of reducing the volume of polyethylene glycol(PEG)-electrolyte solution using adjunctive mosapride citrate for colonoscopy preparation. METHODS:This was a single-center,prospective, randomized,investigator-blinded,non-inferiority study involving 252 patients of both sexes,aged from 20 to 80 years,scheduled for screening or diagnostic colonoscopy in our department.A total of 126 patients was randomized to receive 1.5 L PEG-electrolyte solution plus 15 mg of mosapride(1.5 L group),and 126 received 2 L PEG-electrolyte solution plus 15 mg of mosapride(2 L group).Patients completed a questionnaire on the acceptability and tolerability of the bowel preparation process.The efficacy of bowel preparation was assessed using a 5-point scale based on the Aronchick scale.The primary end point was adequate bowel preparation rates(score of excellent/good/fair) vs(poor/inadequate).Acceptability and tolerability,as well as disease detection,were secondary end points. RESULTS:A total of 244 patients was included in the analysis.There were no significant differences between the 2 L and 1.5 L groups in age,sex,body mass index, number of previous colonoscopies,and the preparation method used previously.The adequate bowel preparation rates were 88.5%in the 2 L group and 82.8%in the 1.5 L group[95%lower confidence limit(LCL)for the difference=-14.5%,non-inferiority P=0.019]in the right colon.In the left colon,the adequate bowel preparation rates were 89.3%in the 2 L group and 81.1%in the 1.5 L group(95%LCL=-17.0%,non-inferiority P=0.066).Compliance,defined as complete (100%)intake of the PEG solution,was significantly higher in the 1.5 L group than in the 2 L group(96.8% vs 85.7%,P=0.002).The proportion of abdominal distension(none/mild/moderate/severe)was significantly lower in the 1.5 L group than in the 2 L group (36/65/22/3 vs 58/48/18/2,P=0.040).Within the subgroup who had undergone colonoscopy previously, a significantly higher number of patients in the 1.5 L group than in the 2 L group felt that the current preparation was easier than the previous one(54.1%vs 28.0%,P=0.001).The disease detection rate was not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION:Although the 1.5 L group had better acceptability and tolerability,15 mg of mosapride may be insufficient to compensate for a 0.5-L reduction of PEG solution.

Split-dose vs same-day reduced-volume polyethylene glycol electrolyte lavage solution for morning colonoscopy

AIM: To compare same-day whole-dose vs split-dose of 2-litre polyethylene glycol electrolyte lavage solution (PEG-ELS) plus bisacodyl for colon cleansing for morning colonoscopy.

Human albumin solution for patients with cirrhosis and acute on chronic liver failure: Beyond simple volume expansion

To provide an overview of the properties of human serum albumin(HSA), and to review the evidence for the use of human albumin solution(HAS) in critical illness, sepsis and cirrhosis. A MEDLINE search was performed using the terms "human albumin", "critical illness", "sepsis" and "cirrhosis". The references of retrieved articles were reviewed manually. Studies published between 1980 and 2014 were selected based on quality criteria. Data extraction was performed by all authors. HSA is the main plasma protein contributing greatly to its oncotic pressure. HSA demonstrates important binding properties for endogenous and exogenous toxins, drugs and drug metabolites that account for its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In disease states, hypoalbuminaemia is secondary to decreased HSA production, increased loss or transcapillary leakage into the interstitial space. HSA function can be also altered in disease with reduced albumin binding capacity and increased production of modified isoforms. HAS has been used as volume expander in critical illness, but received criticism due to cost and concerns regarding safety. More recent studies confirmed the safety of HAS, but failed to show any survival benefit compared to the cheaper crystalloid fluids, therefore limiting its use. On the contrary, in cirrhosis there is robust data to support the efficacy of HAS for the prevention of circulatory dysfunction post-large volume paracentesis and in the context of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, and for the treatment of hepato-renal syndrome and hypervolaemic hyponatraemia. It is likely that not only the oncotic properties of HAS are beneficial in cirrhosis, but also its functional properties, as HAS replaces the dysfunctional HSA. The role of HAS as the resuscitation fluid of choice in critically ill patients with cirrhosis, beyond the established indications for HAS use, should be addressed in future studies.

Dynamics of vascular volume and hemodilution of lactated Ringer’s solution in patients during induction of general and epidural anesthesia

Objective： To investigate the dynamics of vascular volume and the plasma dilution of lactated Ringer＇s solution in patients during the induction of general and epidural anesthesia. Methods： The hemodilution of i.v. infusion of 1000 ml of lactated Ringer＇s solution over 60 min was studied in patients undergoing general （n=31） and epidural （n= 22） anesthesia. Heart rate, arterial blood pressure and hemoglobin （Hb） concentration were measured every 5 rain during the study. Surgery was not started until the study period had been completed. Results： General anesthesia caused the greater decrease of mean arterial blood pressure （MAP） （mean 15% versus 9%; P〈0.01） and thereby followed by a more pronounced plasma dilution, blood volume expansion （VE） and blood volume expansion efficiency （VEE）. A strong linear correlation between hemodilution and the reduction in MAP （r=-0.50;P〈0.01） was found. At the end of infusion, patients undergoing general anesthesia retained 47% （SD 19%） of the infused fluid in the circulation, while epidural anesthesia retained 29% （SD 13%） （P〈0.001）. Correspondingly, a fewer urine output （mean 89 ml versus 156 ml; P〈0.05） and extravascular expansion （454 ml versus 551 ml; P〈0.05） were found during general anesthesia. Conclusion： We concluded that the induction of general anesthesia caused more hemodilution, volume expansion and volume expansion efficiency than epidural anesthesia, which was triggered only by the lower MAP.

Volumetric and Transport Properties of Aqueous NaB（OH）4 Solutions

Density, pH, viscosity, conductivity and the Raman spectra of aqueous NaB（OH）4 solutions precisely measured as functions of concentration at different temperatures （293.15, 298.15, 303.15, 313.15 and 323.15 K） are presented. Polyborate distributions in aqueous NaB（OH）4 solution were calculated, covering all the concentration range, B（OH）4 is the most dominant species, other polyborate anions are less than 5.0%. The volumetric and the transport properties were discussed in detail, both of these properties indicate that B（OH）4 behaves as a struc- ture-disordered anion.

Comparison of the Molecular Interaction Volume Model with the Wagner Formulae in the Zn-Pb-In and Zn-Sn-Cd-Pb Dilute Solutions

The coordination numbers in the molecular interaction volume model (MIVM) can be calculated from the commonphysical quantities of pure liquid metals. A notable feature of the model lie in its capability to predict the ther-modynamic properties of solutes in the Zn-Pb-In and Zn-Sn-Cd-Pb dilute solutions using only the binary infinitedilute activity coefficients, and the predicted values are in good agreement with the experimental data of the dilutesolutions.

Numerical solutions to heat transfer of nanofluid flow over stretching sheet subjected to variations of nanoparticle volume fraction and wall temperature

The numerical analysis of heat transfer of laminar nanofluid flow over a fiat stretching sheet is presented. Two sets of boundary conditions （BCs） axe analyzed, i.e., a constant （Case 1） and a linear streamwise variation of nanopaxticle volume fraction and wall temperature （Case 2）. The governing equations and BCs axe reduced to a set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations （ODEs） and the corresponding BCs, respectively. The dependencies of solutions on Prandtl number Pr, Lewis number Le, Brownian motion number Nb, and thermophoresis number Nt are studied in detail. The results show that the reduced Nusselt number and the reduced Sherwood number increase for the BCs of Case 2 compared with Case 1. The increases of Nb, Nt, and Le numbers cause a decrease of the reduced Nusselt number, while the reduced Sherwood number increases with the increase of Nb and Le numbers. For low Prandtl numbers, an increase of Nt number can cause to decrease in the reduced Sherwood number, while it increases for high Prandtl numbers.

Hamiltonian system for the inhomogeneous plane elasticity of dodecagonal quasicrystal plates and its analytical solutions

A Hamiltonian system is derived for the plane elasticity problem of two-dimensional dodecagonal quasicrystals by introducing the simple state function. By using symplectic elasticity approach, the analytic solutions of the phonon and phason displacements are obtained further for the quasicrystal plates. In addition, the effectiveness of the approach is verified by comparison with the data of the finite integral transformation method.

Design of low-alloying and high-performance solid solution-strengthened copper alloys with element substitution for sustainable development

Solid solution-strengthened copper alloys have the advantages of a simple composition and manufacturing process,high mechanical and electrical comprehensive performances,and low cost;thus,they are widely used in high-speed rail contact wires,electronic component connectors,and other devices.Overcoming the contradiction between low alloying and high performance is an important challenge in the development of solid solution-strengthened copper alloys.Taking the typical solid solution-strengthened alloy Cu-4Zn-1Sn as the research object,we proposed using the element In to replace Zn and Sn to achieve low alloying in this work.Two new alloys,Cu-1.5Zn-1Sn-0.4In and Cu-1.5Zn-0.9Sn-0.6In,were designed and prepared.The total weight percentage content of alloying elements decreased by 43%and 41%,respectively,while the product of ultimate tensile strength(UTS)and electrical conductivity(EC)of the annealed state increased by 14%and 15%.After cold rolling with a 90%reduction,the UTS of the two new alloys reached 576 and 627MPa,respectively,the EC was 44.9%IACS and 42.0%IACS,and the product of UTS and EC(UTS×EC)was 97%and 99%higher than that of the annealed state alloy.The dislocations proliferated greatly in cold-rolled alloys,and the strengthening effects of dislocations reached 332 and 356 MPa,respectively,which is the main reason for the considerable improvement in mechanical properties.

Improvement effect of reversible solid solutions Mg_(2)Ni(Cu)/Mg_(2)Ni(Cu)H_(4)on hydrogen storage performance of MgH_(2)

The hydrogen absorption/desorption kinetic properties of MgH_(2)can be effectively enhanced by doping specific catalysts.In this work,MOFs-derived NiCu@C nanoparticles(~15 nm)with regular core-shell structure were successfully prepared and introduced into MgH_(2)(denoted as MgH_(2)-NiCu@C).The onset and peak temperatures of hydrogen desorption of MgH_(2)-11 wt.%NiCu@C are 175.0℃and282.2℃,respectively.The apparent activation energy of dehydrogenated reaction is 77.2±4.5 kJ/mol for MgH_(2)-11 wt.%NiCu@C,which is lower than half of that of the as-milled MgH_(2).Moreover,MgH_(2)-11 wt.%NiCu@C displays great cyclic stability.The strengthening"hydrogen pumping"effect of reversible solid solutions Mg_(2)Ni(Cu)/Mg_(2)Ni(Cu)H_(4)is proposed to explain the remarkable improvement in hydrogen absorption/desorption kinetic properties of MgH_(2).This work offers a novel perspective for the design of bimetallic nanoparticles and beyond for application in hydrogen storage and other energy related fields.

Density of Electron States and Volume of Solution of Hydrogen in SiC Alloys

The new reactor concepts are characterized by higher efficiency, better utilization of nuclear fuel and nuclear waste minimization. This approach means that it is necessary to continue a continued research and test of new materials in order to apply them in new reactors. In this study, the authors fbcused on the analysis of SiC alloys because, due to their particular properties, this alloy can be used in high temperature conditions where the pure silicon, semiconductor material par excellence, is inadequate to support them.

GLOBAL SOLUTIONS TO 1D COMPRESSIBLE NAVIER-STOKES/ALLEN-CAHN SYSTEM WITH DENSITY-DEPENDENT VISCOSITY AND FREE-BOUNDARY

This paper is concerned with the Navier-Stokes/Allen-Cahn system,which is used to model the dynamics of immiscible two-phase flows.We consider a 1D free boundary problem and assume that the viscosity coefficient depends on the density in the form ofη(ρ)=ρ^(α).The existence of unique global H^(2m)-solutions(m∈N)to the free boundary problem is proven for when 0<α<1/4.Furthermore,we obtain the global C^(∞)-solutions if the initial data is smooth.

Studies on Lattice Parameter,Molar Volume and Excess Molar Volume of Pb-based a-phase Solid Solution in Pb-Sn-Cd Ternary System

The lattice parameters a and the molar volumes Km of Pb-based a-phase solid solutions in the Pb-Sn-Cd ternary system were determined by means of X-ray diffraction. The lattice parameters a vary linearly with the molar fractions, the molar volumes show a positive deviation from the ideal solution behaviour, and the contribution of the solute Cd to the excess molar volumes V is much larger than that of the solute Sn. According to Vegard' s law orsub-regular solution model, the relationship between the experimental data of a or Vm andthe compositions of alloy is obtained by the mathematic regressive method, the prediction precisions of the both formulae are within the limits of experiment error.

Extending the solid solution range of sodium ferric pyrophosphate:Off‐stoichiometric Na_(3)Fe(2.5)(P_(2)O_(7))_(2)as a novel cathode for sodium‐ion batteries

Iron‐based pyrophosphates are attractive cathodes for sodium‐ion batteries due to their large framework,cost‐effectiveness,and high energy density.However,the understanding of the crystal structure is scarce and only a limited candidates have been reported so far.In this work,we found for the first time that a continuous solid solution,Na_(4−α)Fe_(2+α)_(2)(P_(2)O_(7))_(2)(0≤α≤1,could be obtained by mutual substitution of cations at center‐symmetric Na3 and Na4 sites while keeping the crystal building blocks of anionic P_(2)O_(7) unchanged.In particular,a novel off‐stoichiometric Na_(3)Fe(2.5)(P_(2)O_(7))_(2)is thus proposed,and its structure,energy storage mechanism,and electrochemical performance are extensively investigated to unveil the structure–function relationship.The as‐prepared off‐stoichiometric electrode delivers appealing performance with a reversible discharge capacity of 83 mAh g^(−1),a working voltage of 2.9 V(vs.Na^(+)/Na),the retention of 89.2%of the initial capacity after 500 cycles,and enhanced rate capability of 51 mAh g^(−1)at a current density of 1600 mA g^(−1).This research shows that sodium ferric pyrophosphate could form extended solid solution composition and promising phase is concealed in the range of Na_(4−α)Fe_(2+α)_(2)(P_(2)O_(7))_(2),offering more chances for exploration of new cathode materials for the construction of high‐performance SIBs.

Localized wave solutions and interactions of the (2+1)-dimensional Hirota-Satsuma-Ito equation

This paper studies the(2+1)-dimensional Hirota-Satsuma-Ito equation.Based on an associated Hirota bilinear form,lump-type solution,two types of interaction solutions,and breather wave solution of the(2+1)-dimensional Hirota-Satsuma-Ito equation are obtained,which are all related to the seed solution of the equation.It is interesting that the rogue wave is aroused by the interaction between one-lump soliton and a pair of resonance stripe solitons,and the fusion and fission phenomena are also found in the interaction between lump solitons and one-stripe soliton.Furthermore,the breather wave solution is also obtained by reducing the two-soliton solutions.The trajectory and period of the one-order breather wave are analyzed.The corresponding dynamical characteristics are demonstrated by the graphs.

Malargüe Site Remediation:A Successful Solution for Uranium Mill Tailings

Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA) has the responsibility for restoring uranium mining facilities once the operations have finished.CNEA,within its Environmental Program and in compliance with its legal responsibilities,decides to implement a restoration project for all sites related to the mining and processing of uranium ores.The Malargüe Site is located within the Province of Mendoza in the city of Malargüe.It is the first site to successfully complete its remediation.The activities consist of relocation of tailings to an engineering repository.The tailings management(encapsulation) and rehabilitation of the area was finished in June 2017.The remediation alternative for the ore tailings was selected after conducting comparative studies and submitted the project to the society for consideration.The objective of the encapsulation of the mineral tails is to isolate them from the environment,also proceeding with the decontamination and rehabilitation of the area (landscaping,post-closure monitoring and 20 years monitoring period).Encapsulation consisted of the construction of a containment cell for the mine tailings,to isolate them and prevent pollutants from entering the environment through the transfer routes.To clean the impacted areas,the soil was removed,it was incorporated into the encapsulation,and the filling was carried out with natural soils from the area.Remediation prevents radon transfer to the environment,as ^(222)Ra is an alpha emitter with a half-life of four days,which produces its own radioactive progeny.Radon progeny are solids,and when a ^(222)Ra nucleus emits an alpha particle into the air,the resulting ^(218)Po nucleus,momentarily electrically charged,adheres to any dust particle.Remediation prevents the discharge into the air containing radon and also containing dust particles charged with intensely radioactive radon progeny.The tasks mentioned make it possible to decrease radon emanation,reduce radiological risks to the public and prevent the entry of rainwater into the system.In addition,the containment system prevents the discharge of contaminated liquids into the environment,avoiding contamination of the groundwater.All these activities are according to the concepts of sustainability.

PDE Standardization Analysis and Solution of TypicalMechanics Problems

A numerical approach is an effective means of solving boundary value problems(BVPs).This study focuses on physical problems with general partial differential equations(PDEs).It investigates the solution approach through the standard forms of the PDE module in COMSOL.Two typical mechanics problems are exemplified:The deflection of a thin plate,which can be addressed with the dedicated finite element module,and the stress of a pure bending beamthat cannot be tackled.The procedure for the two problems regarding the three standard forms required by the PDE module is detailed.The results were in good agreement with the literature,indicating that the PDE module provides a promising means to solve complex PDEs,especially for those a dedicated finite element module has yet to be developed.

Hydrophobic CHA-ZIFs with a junctional trap between cha and d6r cages for adsorption of 2,3-butanediol in aqueous solution

The adsorption and separation of diols from dilute aqueous solution using hydrophobic materials is very challenging due to the strong diol-water hydrogen-bonding interactions. Herein, we screened hydrophobic zeolitic imidazolate frameworks(ZIFs) with chabazite(CHA) topology for separation of 2,3-butanediol(2,3-BDO) and 1,3-propanediol(1,3-PDO), which had junctional and hydrophobic traps matching the two end methyl groups of the 2,3-BDO molecule. Based on CHA-ZIFs with the same small-sized ligand 2-methylimidazole(mIm) and different large-sized ligand benzimidazole derivatives(RbIm),CHA-ZIFs with larger surface areas were obtained by the addition of excess small-sized ligand mIm in the synthesis process. We showed that all of the hydrophobic CHA-ZIFs preferentially adsorbed 2,3-BDO over 1,3-PDO by static batch adsorption and dynamic column adsorption experiments. But ZIF-301 and ZIF-300 with halogen groups exhibited better adsorptive separation performance for 2,3-BDO/1,3-PDO than ZIF-302 with methyl groups. For a typical ZIF-301, its adsorption capacity for 2,3-BDO was 116.4 mg·g^(-1)and selectivity for 2,3-BDO/1,3-PDO was 3.8 in dynamic column adsorption of the binary-component system(2,3-BDO/1,3-PDO: 50 g·L^(-1)/50 g·L^(-1)). Computational simulations revealed that 2,3-BDO preferentially adsorbed in a trap at the junction between the cha and d6r cages of CHA-ZIFs,meaning the strong host-guest interactions. Therefore, the hydrophobic CHA-ZIFs with a junctional trap were promising candidate materials for adsorbing 2,3-BDO, which also provided a new perspective for separating diols in dilute aqueous solutions.