Efficacy and safety of thermobalancing therapy with Dr Allen’s Device for chronic low back pain:A randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND Lumbar disc herniation and non-specific low back pain are common conditions that seriously affect patients’health-related quality of life(HRQoL).Although empirical evidence has demonstrated that novel Thermobalancing therapy and Dr Allen’s Device can relieve chronic low back pain,there have been no randomised controlled trials for these indications.AIM To evaluate the efficacy of Dr Allen’s Device in lumbar disc herniation(LDH)and non-specific low back pain(NSLBP).METHODS A randomised clinical trial was conducted investigating 55 patients with chronic low back pain due to LDH(n=28)or NSLBP(n=27),out of which 15 were randomly assigned to the control group and 40 were assigned to the treatment group.The intervention was treatment with Dr Allen’s Device for 3 mo.Changes in HRQoL were assessed using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale and the Japanese Orthopedic Association Back Pain Questionnaire.RESULTS Thermobalancing therapy with Dr Allen’s Device showed a significant reduction in pain in the treatment group(P<0.001),with no recorded adverse effects.Both pain assessment scales showed a significant improvement in patients’perception of pain indicating improvement in HRQoL.CONCLUSION The out-of-hospital use of Thermobalancing therapy with Dr Allen’s Device for Low Back Treatment relieves chronic low back pain significantly and without adverse effects,improves the level of activity and HRQoL among patients with LDH and NSLBP.This study demonstrates the importance of this safe first-line therapy that can be used for effective at-home management of chronic low back pain.

水稻铁膜形成机理的研究进展

旨在为选育富铁且对污染物低吸收、低积累水稻提供理论依据。本研究结合近5年铁膜的研究文献,重点阐述如下内容:①铁膜的概念;②水稻铁膜位置;③铁膜特征;④铁膜影响因子;⑤铁膜的环境生态作用;⑥铁膜形成分子机制。最后就铁膜未来的研究方向进行了展望。

基于变频驱动的温室变风量通风节能效果试验

基于变频调速驱动技术的温室变风量通风(VAV)方法,可以实现温室夏季通风节能。在一个装备机械通风系统的连栋温室中对设置由变频驱动(VFD)控制的通风系统和常规的开关通风系统进行对比试验。变频控制系统由输入参数为室外环境太阳辐射热流密度和温室内外部温度的控制算法实现变风量通风(VAV),两部分温室的内部气候参数和耗电量得到连续检测并进行对比。连续试验结果表明:在保证两个温室气候参数一致的条件下,变频驱动控制方式比非变频驱动控制方式具有36%(湿帘不工作)和46%(湿帘工作)的节能效果。

Mitochondrial DNA from hepatocytes as a ligand for TLR9: Drivers of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis?

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) is the most common liver disease worldwide, affecting approximately one third of the Western world. It consists of a wide spectrum of liver disorders, ranging from fatty liver to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH), which consists of steatosis, ballooning injury and inflammation. Despite an alarming growth in the statistics surrounding NAFLD, there are as yet no effective therapies for its treatment. Innate immune signaling has been thought to play a significant role in initiating and augmenting hepatic inflammation, contributing to the transition from nonalcoholic fatty liver to NASH. An immune response is triggered by countless signals called damage-associated molecular patterns(DAMPs) elicited by lipid-laden and damaged hepatocytes, which are recognized by pattern recognition receptors(PRRs) on hepatic immune cells to initiate inflammatory signaling. In this editorial, in addition to summarizing innate immune signaling in NAFLD and discussing potential therapies that target innate immune pathways, we have described a recent study that demonstrated that mitochondrial DNA serves as a DAMP activating a hepatic PRR, TLR9, in mice and in the plasma of NASH patients. In addition to identifying a new ligand for TLR9 during NASH progression, the study shows that blocking TLR9 reverses NASH, paving the way for the development of future NASH therapy.

Dynamic responses under the excitation of pulse sequences

This paper studies the dynamic responses of SDOF system under pulse-dominant excitations.The purpose of the study is to prepare for scrutiny of some near-field pulse-dominantground motions and their potential to cause structural damage.Extending the single pulse dynamics,we consider the effect of pulse sequences.This kind of excitation was particularly obvious in some of previous earthquakes such as Northridge (1994) and Chi-Chi (1995).Based on the duration, peak and rise and decay era of the main pulse as well as its relationship with the predecessor and successor pulses,we propose a classification for the pulse sequences.Consequent studies have been canied out for acceleration,velocity and displacement response spectra of the main pulse with either a predecessor or a successor pulse.The analysis also includes general response behaviors in different fundamental period segments and special aspects of response at certain points (e.g.,the corresponding peak points).

Susceptibility of Different Populations of Nilaparvata lugens from Major Rice Growing Areas of Karnataka, India to Different Groups of Insecticides

Susceptibility to insecticides was investigated by collecting field populations of brown planthopper from different locations of southern Karnataka, India （Gangavati, Kathalagere, Kollegala, Soraba and Mandya）. All the field populations differed in their susceptibility to insecticides. In general, Soraba and Mandya populations were more susceptible to insecticides compared to Gangavati and Kathalagere populations. The resistance ratios varied greatly among the populations viz., chlorpyriphos （1.13- to 16.82-fold）, imidacloprid （0.53- to 13.50-fold）, acephate （1.34- to 5.32-fold）, fipronil （1.13- to 4.06-fold）, thiamethoxam （1.01- to 2.19-fold）, clothianidin （1.92- to 4.86-fold）, dinotefuran （0.82- to 2.22- fold）, buprofezin （1.06- to 5.43-fold） and carbofuran （0.41- to 2.17-fold）. The populations from Gangavati Kathalagere and Kollegala exhibited higher resistance to some of the old insecticides and low resistance to new molecules.

FRP加强R/C梁防火性能调查研究(英文)

对纤维加强聚合物(FRP)材料加强钢筋混凝土梁在火灾中的防火性能进行了研究。试验结果显示,防火材料能够帮助构件达到标准防火性能,同时对不断增长的FRP应用也很重要。介绍了不同文献对FRP在高温下的性能所做的研究以及目前标准对建筑构件的耐火极限要求。对两个大型试验进行了介绍。试验材料为混凝土梁构件,外部用FRP板加强,并且三分之二用专利耐火隔热材料保护。给出了试验结果,并重点强调了曝火状态下所测得的构件温度。试验数据验证了热传导数值模型,该模型可用于预测加强并绝缘钢筋混凝土梁构件内的温度。试验结果和模型数据显示,正确设计和进行绝缘保护的FRP加强梁构件耐火极限能够达到4h或者以上。

New insights into calcium,dairy and colon cancer

This paper is to review recent information about the relationship of calcium and dairy foods to colon cancer. The review focuses on primary prevention, discusses the potential components in dairy foods that might be anti-neoplastic, reviews the epidemiologic information and describes intervention studies demonstrating efficacy of calcium and vitamin D in reducing colorectal polyp recurrence. Since vitamin D is important in cancer prevention, pertinent data is discussed and potential mechanisms of actions presented. Calcium and vitamin D are important agents for the primary prevention of colorectal neoplasia.

China's Energy Situation,Its Energy Policy and International Energy Cooperation

Energy security has in recent years attracted more and more attention among the international community. With

Productivity, quality and soil health as influenced by lime in ricebean cultivars in foothills of northeastern India

To evaluate the response to lime on cultivars of ricebean(Vigna umbellata), a field experiment was conducted during the two consecutive rabi seasons of 2010–2011 and 2011–2012 in the Nagaland foothills, India. The experiment used a split-plot design with four levels of lime(control, 0.2, 0.4and 0.6 t ha-1) in main plots and four ricebean cultivars(RBS-16, RBS-53, PRR-2, and RCRB-4) in sub-plots with three replicates. The results revealed that increasing levels of lime(in the furrow)from 0 to 0.6 t ha-1significantly increased growth, yield attributes and yield. The quality parameters of ricebean were also influenced significantly by the application of lime. Maximum gross return(INR 39,098 ha-1), net return(INR 27,281 ha-1), benefit:cost(B:C) ratio(2.29),production efficiency, and economic efficiency were also realized with the application of lime at 0.6 t ha-1. Among the ricebean cultivars, RBS-53 produced significantly higher growth, yield attributes, grain yield, straw yield, biological yield, and harvest index. Similarly, yield and protein content were higher in RBS-53. Maximum gross return, net return, B:C ratio, production efficiency, and economic efficiency were observed for RBS-53.

China-U.S.Military Relationship:Retrospect and Prospect

China-U.S.military relationship,one of the most important and complicated bilateral military relationships,is subjected to more restraining factors than any other military relationships in the current world.It has always been regarded as

Prospects for the continued development of environmentally-realistic toxicity test susing microorganisms

The focus of environmental regulations has changed significantly since the introduction of the bioassay as a standard means of assessing environmental impact. Prominent in this change is an increasing emphasis on protecting the integrity of natural ecosystems, which incorporate community- and system-level properties as well as organismal and population processes. Consequently, support for the use of multispecies testing has widened to include not only ecologists in academia but environmental scientists in the regulatory and industrial sector as well. The reason for this trend is clear: the additional environmental realism gained from tests utilizing communities of organisms allows for greater insight into the potential hazard of chemicals and other forms of human activity to natural ecosystems that cannot be obtained from single species tests alone. Many of the problems cited for multispecies testing early in their evolution as a hazard assessment tool have been refuted or overcome. In particular, the use of natural microbial communities minimizes several shortcomings typically associated with multispecies toxicity testing. This discussion includes the utility of microcosm and mesocosm tests using aquatic microbial communities as hazard assessment tools in conjunction with accumulating information on their performance in toxicity testing protocols. An increasing body of experimental evidence supports an expansion in the use of these tests for a variety of regulatory and research purposes. A shift in research focus is needed, however, to answer remaining questions and further refine standard protocols for these valuable ecotoxicological tools.

The BRICS Mechanism： Growing in Maturity

The BRICS is transforming from a participant in global governance to a leader in promoting globalization towards an open, inclusive, beneficial, balanced and win-win direction. The coming "golden decade" requires the mechanism to draw on wider sources of wisdom and provide unique solutions in the face of changing global arena and global governance landscape.

生物多样性的价值

1.介绍如何衡量环境产品的价值是生态学家和经济学家们目前面临的一个问题,对环境产品的毁坏(与人类企业规模永无止境的增长有关)造成了巨大的外在影响。这种环境产品之一的主要例子就是生物多样性——与人类共享地球的植物、动物和微生物的不同数量和种类在遗传学上的多样性,以及由它们互相作用构成的生态系统的多样性。虽然,目前我们尚不清楚独立于人类的需求之外,生物多样性是否具有价值,但是经济学家和生态学家都承认生物多样性对人类具有价值。

Revisiting the Curie-Von Schweidler Law for Dielectric Relaxation and Derivation of Distribution Function for Relaxation Rates as Zipf’s Power Law and Manifestation of Fractional Differential Equation for Capacitor

The classical power law relaxation, i.e. relaxation of current with inverse of power of time for a step-voltage excitation to dielectric—as popularly known as Curie-von Schweidler law is empirically derived and is observed in several relaxation experiments on various dielectrics studies since late 19th Century. This relaxation law is also regarded as “universal-law” for dielectric relaxations;and is also termed as power law. This empirical Curie-von Schewidler relaxation law is then used to derive fractional differential equations describing constituent expression for capacitor. In this paper, we give simple mathematical treatment to derive the distribution of relaxation rates of this Curie-von Schweidler law, and show that the relaxation rate follows Zipf’s power law distribution. We also show the method developed here give Zipfian power law distribution for relaxing time constants. Then we will show however mathematically correct this may be, but physical interpretation from the obtained time constants distribution are contradictory to the Zipfian rate relaxation distribution. In this paper, we develop possible explanation that as to why Zipfian distribution of relaxation rates appears for Curie-von Schweidler Law, and relate this law to time variant rate of relaxation. In this paper, we derive appearance of fractional derivative while using Zipfian power law distribution that gives notion of scale dependent relaxation rate function for Curie-von Schweidler relaxation phenomena. This paper gives analytical approach to get insight of a non-Debye relaxation and gives a new treatment to especially much used empirical Curie-von Schweidler (universal) relaxation law.

利益相关者的介入:中小企业的一个机遇

利益相关者的介入和企业社会责任的概念主要在一些大公司的理念中得以发展.随着中小企业对于社会和经济利益之间存在重要联系的意识逐渐加强,这些企业提升了对企业社会责任的重视度.重视企业社会责任对中小企业来说是一次挑战.通过一些外部行为来提高中小企业的积极性,这样能鼓励他们承担企业社会责任,并作出一定的成绩.

Longitudinal association of gonorrhea and bacterial vaginosis with repeat chlamydia diagnoses among U.S. Army women: A retrospective cohort analysis

Background: Historically, sexually transmitted infections have affected the health of the U.S. military. To determine whether gonorrhea, bacterial vaginosis, genital herpes, and trichomoniasis are predictors of repeat chlamydia diagnoses among U.S. Army women, medical data reported into the Defense Medical Surveillance System during the 2006–2012 period were analyzed.Methods: For all inpatient and outpatient medical records, the first and second International Classification of Diseases,version 9(ICD-9) diagnostic positions were reviewed for each chlamydia case to determine the occurrence of repeat diagnoses. The Andersen-Gill regression model, an extension of the Cox model for multiple failure-time data, was used to study associations between predictors and repeat chlamydia diagnoses.Results: Among 28,201 women with a first chlamydia diagnosis, 5145(18.2%), 1163(4.1%), 267(0.9%), and 88(0.3%)had one, two, three, and four or more repeat diagnoses, respectively. Overall, the incidence of repeat chlamydia was8.31 cases per 100 person-years, with a median follow-up time of 3.39 years. Gonorrhea(hazard ratio(HR)=1.58, 95%CI: 1.44–1.73) and bacterial vaginosis(HR=1.40, 95% CI: 1.09–1.79) were significant predictors for repeat chlamydia.These estimated hazard ratios were attenuated, but remained significant, after controlling for age, race/ethnicity,marital status, and military rank. No significant association was found for genital herpes(HR=1.13, 95% CI: 0.55–2.29)and trichomoniasis(HR=1.43, 95% CI: 0.43–4.68).Conclusions: This large cohort study suggests that gonorrhea and bacterial vaginosis were associated with repeat chlamydia diagnoses among U.S. Army women. These findings can be used in formulating new interventions to prevent repeat chlamydia diagnoses.