Explore the vast range of titles available.

Background Hantaan virus (HTNV), Seoul virus (SEOV) and Puumala virus (PUUV) are major serotypes of the Hantavirus, which can cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). The pathophysiology of HFRS in humans is complex and the determinants associated with mortality, especially the coagulation and fibrinolysis disorders, are still not been fully elucidated. Severe patients usually manifest multiple complications except for acute kidney injury (AKI). The aim of this study was to observe the levels of peripheral blood routine, biochemical and coagulation parameters during the early stage, so as to find independent risk factors closely related to the prognosis, which may provide theoretical basis for targeted treatment and evaluation. Methods A total of 395 HFRS patients from December 2015 to December 2018 were retrospectively enrolled. According to prognosis, they were divided into a survival group ( n  = 368) and a death group ( n  = 27). The peripheral blood routine, biochemical and coagulation parameters were compared between the two groups on admission. The relationship between the parameters mentioned above and prognosis was analyzed, and the dynamic changes of the coagulation and fibrinolysis parameters during the first week after admission were further observed. Results In addition to AKI, liver injury was also common among the enrolled patients. Patients in the death group manifested higher levels of white blood cell counts (WBC) on admission. 27.30% (107/392) of the patients enrolled presented with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) on admission and DIC is more common in the death group; The death patients manifested longer prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), higher D-dimer and fibrinogen degradation product (FDP), and lower levels of platelets (PLT) and fibrinogen (Fib) compared with those of the survival patients. The proportion of D-dimer and FDP abnormalities are higher than PT, APTT and Fib. Prolonged PT, low level of Fib and elevated total bilirubin (TBIL) on admission were considered as independent risk factors for prognosis (death). Conclusions Detection of PT, Fib and TBIL on admission is necessary, which might be benefit to early predicting prognosis. It is also important to pay attention to the dynamic coagulation disorders and hyperfibrinolysis during the early stage in the severe HFRS patients.

Background The incidence of refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP) in children is increasing, posing a serious threat to life safety. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has demonstrated the ability to modulate the immune system and has shown the potential to treat RMPP. This study evaluated the clinical efficacy and safety of azithromycin combined with IVIG in the treatment of RMPP in children through a meta-analysis. Methods A comprehensive search was conducted in seven databases including PubMed and Cochrane Library, and the studies on the treatment of RMPP in children with azithromycin combined with IVIG were screened. After data extraction, meta-analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed to assess heterogeneity and stability. Results Thirteen randomized controlled trials and two cohort studies were included, totaling 1,142 children. The results of meta-analysis showed a higher clinical efficacy rate (RR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.11–1.25, P  < 0.01) and shorter time to defervescence (MD = -2.12, 95% CI: -2.69–-1.55), time to disappearance of pulmonary rales (MD = -2.90, 95% CI: -3.57–-2.23), time to disappearance of cough (MD = -3.59, 95% CI: -4.51–-2.67), and hospital length of stay (MD = -5.72, 95% CI: -8.80–-2.64) in the experimental group receiving azithromycin combined with IVIG treatment compared to the control group treated with azithromycin alone. Additionally, there was no significant publication bias in this meta-analysis. Conclusion Treatment with azithromycin combined with IVIG is more effective than treatment with azithromycin alone for children with RMPP. Clinical trial number Not applicable.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), epidemic poses a major global public health threat with more than one million daily new infections and hundreds of deaths. To combat this global pandemic, efficient prevention and management strategies are urgently needed. Together with the main characteristics of COVID-19, impaired coagulation with dysfunctions of the immune response in COVID-19 pathophysiology causes high mortality and morbidity. From recent clinical observations, increased expression of specific types of estrogen appears to protect patients from SARS-CoV-2 infection, thereby, reducing mortality. COVID-19 severity is less common in women than in men, particularly in menopausal women. Furthermore, estrogen levels are negatively correlated with COVID-19 severity and mortality. These findings suggest that estrogen plays a protective role in the pathophysiology of COVID-19. In this review, we discuss the potential roles of estrogen in blocking the SARS-CoV-2 from invading alveolar cells and replicating, and summarize the potential mechanisms of anti-inflammation, immune modulation, reactive oxygen species resistance, anti-thrombosis, vascular dilation, and vascular endothelium protection. Finally, the potential therapeutic effects of estrogen against COVID-19 are reviewed. This review provides insights into the role of estrogen and its use as a potential strategy to reduce the mortality associated with COVID-19, and possibly other viral infections and discusses the possible challenges and pertinent questions.

Serotonin transporter (SERT) is a classic target of drug discovery for neuropsychiatric and digestive disorders, and against those disorders, plants of Nardostachys genus have been valued for centuries in the systems of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic and Unani. Herein, chemical investigation on the roots and rhizomes of Nardostachys chinensis Batal. led to the isolation of forty sesquiterpenoids including six new aristolane-type sesquiterpenoids and six new nardosinane-type sesquiterprenoids. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods, combined with analyses of circular dichroism and single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. To explore natural product scaffolds with SERT regulating activity, a high-content assay for measurement of SERT function in vitro was conducted to evaluate the SERT regulating properties of these isolates. In conclusion, eleven compounds could be potential natural product scaffolds for developing drug candidates targeting SERT. Among which, kanshone C of aristolane-type sesquiterpenoid inhibited SERT most strongly, while desoxo-nachinol A of nardosinane-type sesquiterpenoid instead enhanced SERT potently.

Cement is widely used in marine concrete, and its resistance to chloride ion corrosion has been widely considered. In this paper, based on a laboratory test, the influence of different hydrostatic pressures, coarse aggregate contents and w/c ratios on the chloride resistance performance is analyzed. Based on COMSOL finite element software, a two-dimensional cementitious materials model is established, and the simulation results are compared with the experimental results. The results show that the penetration depth of chloride ions in cement increases with the increase of the w/c ratio. Under the hydrostatic pressure of 0 MPa, when the w/c ratio is 0.35, the penetration depth of chloride ions is 7.4 mm, and the simulation result is 8.0 mm. When the w/c ratio is 0.45, the penetration depth of chloride ions is 9.3 mm, and the simulation result is 9.9 mm. When the w/c ratio is 0.55, the penetration depth of chloride ions is 12.9 mm, and the simulation result is 12.1 mm. Under different hydrostatic pressures, the penetration depth of chloride ions obviously changes, and with the increase in hydrostatic pressure, the penetration depth of chloride ions deepens. Under the w/c ratio of 0.35, when the hydrostatic pressure is 0.5 MPa, the penetration depth of chloride ions is 11.3 mm, and the simulation result is 12.1 mm. When the hydrostatic pressure is 1.0 MPa, the penetration depth of chloride ions is 16.2 mm, and the simulation result is 17.5 mm.

As a common disease of concrete structure in engineering, cracks mainly lead to durability problems such as steel corrosion, rain erosion, and protection layer peeling, and then the building gets destroyed. In order to detect the cracks of concrete structure in time, the bending test of steel fiber reinforced concrete is carried out, and the pictures of concrete cracks are obtained. Furthermore, the crack database is expanded by the migration learning method and the crack database is shared on the Baidu online disk. Finally, a concrete crack identification model based on YOLOv4 and Mask R-CNN is established. In addition, the improved Mask R-CNN method is proposed in order to improve the prediction accuracy based on the Mask R-CNN. The results show that the average prediction accuracy of concrete crack identification is 82.60% based on the YOLO v4 method. The average prediction accuracy of concrete crack identification is 90.44% based on the Mask R-CNN method. The average prediction accuracy of concrete crack identification is 96.09% based on the improved Mask R-CNN method.

Hantaan virus (HTNV) is a major zoonotic pathogen that causes hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Asia, especially in China. Shaanxi province, which is located in northwest of China, is one of the areas in China most severely afflicted with HFRS epidemics annually. This study aims to establish a quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) assay to detect HTNV both in cell culture and clinical serum samples. We established a SYBR Green I-based one-step qRT-PCR assay that targets the S segment of the HTNV genome for rapid detection and quantification. The HTNV cRNA standards were constructed by in vitro transcription, and the copy numbers of the HTNV cRNA were quantified. Standard curve was generated by determining the mean cycle threshold (Ct) values versus 10-fold serial dilutions of the HTNV cRNA over a range of 1 × 10(8) to 1 × 10(3) copies/μl. The standard curve had a reaction efficiency of 102.1%, a correlation coefficient (R(2)) of 0.998, and a slope of -3.273. The coefficient of variation (CV) of the intra- and inter-assays ranged from 0.68% to 3.00% and from 0.86% to 3.21%, respectively. The cycle intervals of the qRT-PCR assay between each dilution ranged from 2.9 to 3.8 cycles, and the lowest detection limit of the qRT-PCR assay was 10 copies/μl. The assay exhibited high specificity that was confirmed by melting curve analysis, and no cross reaction with the Seoul virus (SEOV) and other viruses (HBV, HCV and HIV) was observed. HTNV RNA was also detected in the 27 serum samples of clinical HFRS patients using the assay, and the HTNV RNA viral load ranged from 2.06 × 10(1) to 1.95 × 10(5) copies/μl. The SYBR Green I-based one-step qRT-PCR assay is a sensitive, specific, reproducible, and simple method for detecting and quantifying HTNV in cell culture and clinical samples.

Purpose This study investigated the relationship between lipoprotein profiles and sarcopenia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The objective is to provide a solid theoretical foundation and treatment strategies for clinical prevention and management of diabetes, particularly in individuals with concurrent sarcopenia. Methods In this study, we selected inpatients aged over 60 years diagnosed with T2DM who were admitted to the Department of Geriatrics at Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital from July 2023 to June 2024 as research subjects. We collected general patient data, including gender, age, ethnicity, height, weight, and calculated body mass index (BMI). Key indices measured included glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoproteins A and B (ApoA and ApoB), phospholipids, lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and free fatty acids (FFA). Additionally, we assessed limb skeletal muscle mass, grip strength, walking speed, and calculated the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI). Based on Asian diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia, patients were categorized into a non-sarcopenic group or a group with T2DM combined with sarcopenia. Baseline laboratory data along with ASMI measurements, grip strength assessments, and walking speeds were statistically analyzed for both groups. Results Compared with T2DM patients without sarcopenia, the levels of HbA1c, Lp(a), FFA, serum albumin, TC, TG, HDL-C, ApoA and VLDL in type 2 diabetic patients with sarcopenia were statistically significant (all P  < 0.05). When multivariate adjustments were made for these clinical features, age (OR = 1.18, 95%CI: 1.11–1.25, P  < 0.001), BMI (OR = 0.81, 95%CI: 0.72–0.92, P  < 0.001), ApoA (OR = 0.03, 95%CI: 0.00–0.90, P  = 0.043), Lp(a) > = 15.5 mg/dL (OR = 3.14, 95%CI: 1.51–6.54, P  = 0.002) and FFA > = 0.48 g/L (OR = 4.11, 95%CI: 1.97–8.57, P  < 0.001) were independent predictors of diabetes mellitus with sarcopenia. ROC curve analysis showed that free fatty acids (AUC = 0.721, 95%CI: 0.660–0.782, P  < 0.001) in T2DM with sarcopenia has good predictive value judgment. Conclusion Age, BMI, ApoA, Lp(a), and FFA were independent predictors of T2DM with sarcopenia. Serum free fatty acids have a good predictive value in the judgment of T2DM complicated with sarcopenia.

The weatherability of insulation materials directly affects its thermal insulation performance, so it is necessary to carry out the weatherability experiments for insulation materials. In this paper, three kinds of insulation materials, that is, polyurethane (PUR), foam concrete (FC) and vacuum insulation panel (VIP) are chosen to analyze their thermal conductivity under different kinds of weatherability experiments. For the different kinds of weatherability experiments, the experiments of damp-heat, freeze-thaw, high-low temperature and wet-dry are designed to analyze the thermal conductivity of the insulation materials and the microstructure of insulation materials. The experimental results show that thermal conductivity of FC has a downward trend under the damp-heat experiment, and the thermal conductivity of FC has increased in other experiments. The thermal conductivity of PUR increases in all weatherability experiments, but the thermal conductivity of VIP does not change in all weatherability experiments.

With the increase of the long-span bridge, the damage of the long-span bridge hanger has attracted more and more attention. Nowadays, the probability statistics method based on Bayes’ theorem is widely used for evaluating the damage of bridge, that is, Bayesian inference. In this study, the damage evaluation model of bridge hanger is established based on Bayesian inference. For the damage evaluation model, the analytical expressions for calculating the weights by finite mixture (FM) method are derived. In order to solve the complex analytical expressions in damage evaluation model, the Metropolis-Hastings (MH) sampling of Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method was used. Three case studies are adopted to demonstrate the effect of the initial value and the applicability of the proposed model. The result suggests that the proposed model can evaluate the damage of the bridge hanger.