A study of Multistage/Multifunction Column for Fine Coal Cleaning CRADA PC93-005, Final Report

The overall objective of the this research project is to explore the potential applicability of a multistage column for fine coal cleaning and other applications in fluid particle separation. The research work identifies the design parameters and their effects on the performance of the separation device. The results of this study provide an engineering data basis for further development of this technology in coal cleaning and in general areas of fluid and particle separations

Use of clinically relevant responder threshold criteria to evaluate the response to treatment in the Phase III PATENT-1 study

Abstract BACKGROUND: In PATENT-1, riociguat significantly improved 6-minute walking distance (6MWD) and a range of secondary end-points in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). We investigated whether riociguat increased the proportion of patients achieving clinically relevant responder thresholds compared with placebo during PATENT-1. METHODS: In PATENT-1, a randomized, double-blind study, treatment-naïve patients or patients on background PAH-targeted therapy with symptomatic PAH received 12 weeks of treatment with placebo, riociguat up to 2.5 mg 3 times daily, or riociguat up to 1.5 mg 3 times daily. Increases in 6MWD ≥40 m, 6MWD ≥380 m, cardiac index ≥2.5 liter/min/m(2), mixed venous oxygen saturation ≥65%, World Health Organization functional class I/II, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide <1,800 pg/ml, and right atrial pressure <8 mm Hg were chosen as threshold criteria of a positive response. RESULTS: Riociguat increased the proportion of treatment-naïve patients and patients on background PAH-targeted therapy with 6MWD ≥380 m at Week 12 (+21% and +15%, respectively), whereas there was a small reduction in 6MWD in placebo-treated patients for both sub-groups. Riociguat also increased the proportion of treatment-naïve patients and patients on background PAH-targeted therapy achieving World Health Organization functional class I/II (+12% and +19%, respectively) and cardiac index ≥2.5 liter/min/m(2) (+30% and +33%, respectively) at Week 12, whereas there was little change in the respective placebo groups. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with placebo, riociguat increased the proportion of treatment-naïve patients and patients on background PAH-targeted therapy who fulfilled criteria defining a positive response to therapy

Evaluating the importation of yellow fever cases into China in 2016 and strategies used to prevent and control the spread of the disease

During the yellow fever epidemic in Angola in 2016, cases of yellow fever were reported in China for the first time. The 11 cases, all Chinese nationals returning from Angola, were identified in March and April 2016, one to two weeks after the peak of the Angolan epidemic. One patient died; the other 10 cases recovered after treatment. This paper reviews the epidemiological characteristics of the 11 yellow fever cases imported into China. It examines case detection and disease control and surveillance, and presents recommendations for further action to prevent additional importation of yellow fever into China

Cigarette smoke extract induces migration of rat vascular smooth muscle cells through regulation of expressions of MOB2 and LATS1

Purpose: To study the impact of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on the migratory capacity of rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and the likely mechanism of action involved. Methods: Rat VSMCs were exposed to varying concentrations of CSE. The migration capacity of the cells was determined by Transwell migration assay and scratch test. Protein and RNA expression levels of LATS1 (large tumor suppressor kinase 1) and MOB2 (monopolar spindle-one-binder protein 2) were assayed using immunoblotting and quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), respectively. Results: The results showed that within a certain concentration range, the migratory capacity of VSMCs increased as the concentration of CSE increased (p &lt; 0.05). In contrast, the protein and RNA expressions of LATS1 and MOB2 were negatively correlated with CSE concentrations (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: CSE promotes abnormal migration of rat VSMCs by inhibiting the expressions of LATS1 and MOB2 associated with Hippo signaling pathway. Thus, smoking may induce vascular remodeling and cardiovascular events via this mechanism

Friction Stir Welding of 5754 Aluminum Alloy with Cover Sheet

Friction stir welding can realize high-strength aluminum alloy joints. In this study, friction stir welding with cover sheet (CFSW) is proposed to solve the thinning caused by the tool shoulder and reduce the heat-affected zone. The microstructures and mechanical properties of CFWS were also studied. After the cover sheet was added, a reinforcement was formed on the weld surface, which compensated the thinning caused by the friction of the tool shoulder. As the cover absorbed heat from the shoulder, the width of the heat-affected zone of the welded sheet became smaller than the diameter of the shoulder. Without milling the cover sheet, the tensile strength of the 5754 aluminum alloy joint reached 94% of that of the base metal. The fracture position was the heat-affected zone of the forward-side weld joint. After the cover sheet was added, the stress concentration shifted from the thinning area of traditional friction stir welding to the outside of the welding seam