Risk factors for high-altitude headache upon acute high-altitude exposure at 3700 m in young Chinese men: a cohort study.

BackgroundThis prospective and observational study aimed to identify demographic, physiological and psychological risk factors associated with high-altitude headache (HAH) upon acute high-altitude exposure.MethodsEight hundred fifty subjects ascended by plane to 3700 m above Chengdu (500 m) over a period of two hours. Structured Case Report Form (CRF) questionnaires were used to record demographic information, physiological examinations, psychological scale, and symptoms including headache and insomnia a week before ascending and within 24 hours after arrival at 3700 m. Binary logistic regression models were used to analyze the risk factors for HAH.ResultsThe incidence of HAH was 73.3%. Age (p =0.011), physical labor intensity (PLI) (p =0.044), primary headache history (p <0.001), insomnia (p <0.001), arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) (p =0.001), heart rate (HR) (p =0.002), the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) (p <0.001), and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) (p <0.001) were significantly different between HAH and non-HAH groups. Logistic regression models identified primary headache history, insomnia, low SaO2, high HR and SAS as independent risk factors for HAH.ConclusionsInsomnia, primary headache history, low SaO2, high HR, and high SAS score are the risk factors for HAH. Our findings will provide novel avenues for the study, prevention and treatment of HAH

Prediction of large esophageal varices in cirrhotic patients using classification and regression tree analysis

OBJECTIVES: Recent guidelines recommend that all cirrhotic patients should undergo endoscopic screening for esophageal varices. That identifying cirrhotic patients with esophageal varices by noninvasive predictors would allow for the restriction of the performance of endoscopy to patients with a high risk of having varices. This study aimed to develop a decision model based on classification and regression tree analysis for the prediction of large esophageal varices in cirrhotic patients. METHODS: 309 cirrhotic patients (training sample, 187 patients; test sample 122 patients) were included. Within the training sample, the classification and regression tree analysis was used to identify predictors and prediction model of large esophageal varices. The prediction model was then further evaluated in the test sample and different Child-Pugh classes. RESULTS: The prevalence of large esophageal varices in cirrhotic patients was 50.8%. A tree model that was consisted of spleen width, portal vein diameter and prothrombin time was developed by classification and regression tree analysis achieved a diagnostic accuracy of 84% for prediction of large esophageal varices. When reconstructed into two groups, the rate of varices was 83.2% for high-risk group and 15.2% for low-risk group. Accuracy of the tree model was maintained in the test sample and different Child-Pugh classes. CONCLUSIONS: A decision tree model that consists of spleen width, portal vein diameter and prothrombin time may be useful for prediction of large esophageal varices in cirrhotic patient

Shoshonitic enclaves in the high Sr/Y Nyemo pluton, southern Tibet: Implications for Oligocene magma mixing and the onset of extension of the southern Lhasa terrane

Post-collisional potassic and high Sr/Y magmatism in the Lhasa terrane provides critical constraints on the timing and mechanism of subduction of Indian lithosphere and its role in the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau. Here, we report whole-rock geochemistry, mineral geochemistry, zircon U Pb ages, and in situ zircon Hf isotope ratios for the Nyemo pluton, a representative example of such magmatism. The Nyemo pluton is composed of high Sr/Y host rocks and coeval shoshonitic mafic microgranular enclaves (MMEs). Whole-rock compositions of the host rocks and MMEs form linear trends in Harker diagrams, consistent with modification of both end-members by magma mixing. Although the main high Sr/Y phase of the pluton formed by partial melting of the lower crust of the thickened Lhasa terrane, the MMEs display abnormally enriched light rare earth elements, low whole-rock ε_(Nd)(t) and low zircon ε_(Hf)(t) that suggest derivation from low degree melting of hydrous and enriched mantle. Based on the occurrence of shoshonitic magma and high La/Yb and high Sr/Y with adakitic affinity host rocks around 30 Ma, the Nyemo pluton is best explained as a record of onset of extension that resulted from convective removal of the mantle lithosphere beneath Tibet in the Oligocene

Fracture and Delamination Assessment of Prestressed Composite Concrete for Use with Pipe Jacking Method

Prestressed composite concrete pipe (PCCP) has been widely used in water-transmission line and has been proven with many advantages over pure concrete or steel pipes, such as high performance with relatively low cost for materials as well as simplified installation and construction process. Recent efforts have been made to enable the PCCP structure suitable for pipe jacking method so as to replace the conventional cut and cover method. In this way, the construction time, disturbance to nearby structures, and the cost can be greatly reduced. In this paper, we present the full-scale experimental and numerical studies of PCCP and the evaluation of fracture and delamination behaviour of the structure when it is used with pipe jacking construction method subjected to various jacking forces and ground conditions

Poly[[triaqua­(μ3-4-oxidopyridine-2,6-dicarboxyl­ato)thulium(III)] monohydrate]

In the title coordination polymer, {[Tm(C7H2NO5)(H2O)3]·H2O}n, the TmIII atom is eight-coordinated by a tridentate 4-oxidopyridine-2,6-dicarboxyl­ate trianion, two monodentate anions and three water mol­ecules, forming a distorted bicapped trigonal–prismatic TmNO7 coordination geometry. The anions bridge adjacent TmIII ions into double chains. Adjacent chains are further connected into sheets. O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds involving both coordinated and uncoordinated water mol­ecules generate a three-dimensional supra­molecular framework

Assessing the effectiveness of complex dietary candidate probiotics on growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, antioxidant capability, and intestinal microbiota of koi carp (Cyprinus carpio var. koi)

The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of three complex dietary candidate probiotics (LDJ, LAC, and LJD) composing different candidate probiotic combinations on the growth performance, digestive enzyme activities, antioxidant parameters, and intestinal microbiota in koi carp (Cyprinus carpio var. koi). After a 60-days feeding trial, samples from the control and three candidate probiotic groups were obtained and analyzed. The results suggested that all complex dietary candidate probiotic treatments (LDJ, LAC, and LJD) improved the growth performance, nutrition utilization, and intestinal digestive enzyme activities compared with the control group. Furthermore, a dietary supplement with LAC or LJD is more efficient in growth and digestive enzyme than LDJ. The antioxidant enzyme activities, including SOD (superoxide dismutase), CAT (catalase), and GPX (glutathione peroxidase), were intensively improved, the GSH (glutathione) contents increased, and the MDA (malondialdehyde) contents decreased to different extents depending on the tissues and kinds of candidate probiotics. Dietary candidate probiotics also regulated the intestinal microbiota composition: LDJ and LAC increased the proportion of potential candidate probiotics and reduced the level of pollutants reducing bacteria and geosmin producer Nannocystis. The LJD group had a similar pattern of the dominant bacteria to the control sample, suggesting a minor disturbance of the gut microbiota of koi carp. Overall, the multi-strain complex candidate probiotics LAC and LJD are more efficient in growth performance and digestive enzymes

RNA-Seq analysis uncovers non-coding small RNA system of Mycobacterium neoaurum in the metabolism of sterols to accumulate steroid intermediates

Additional file 6: Figure S2. Negative networks of differentially expressed sRNA candidates and their target genes. (a): Mn-CC/C; (b): Mn-9OHAD/CC; (c) Mn-ADD/CC; and (d): Mn-BNA/CC. Squares represent the upregulated (amaranth) or downregulated sRNA candidates (blue); circles represent the putative upregulated (red) or downregulated (green) target genes; links represent the regulation of sRNAs on their target genes