Exploring the “black box” of thermal adaptation using information entropy

Thermal adaptation has been interpreted well by behavioral, physiological, and psychological factors, but the mechanism and interaction between the three factors remain in the “black box”. This paper aims to apply the theory of general system and information entropy to investigate the quantitative relationships of the three thermal adaptation processes. Based on the database from the field survey and laboratory experiments conducted in the hot summer and cold winter climate zone of China, three typical adaptive indices: clothing insulation (Clo), thermal sensation votes (TSV) and sensory nerve conduction velocity (SCV) were selected to calculate Clo entropy, TSV entropy, SCV entropy and total entropy. The regression models were developed between these entropies and the indoor air temperature to quantify the weights of the three adaptive categories. The models were used to compare the differences between China and Pakistan as well as between adaptive approaches and climate chamber experiments. The thermal comfort and acceptable temperature ranges were obtained using the entropy models. Our findings propose a new perspective using entropy to quantify the behaviorally, physiologically, and psychologically adaptive approaches, which contribute to a better understanding of opening the “black box” of thermal adaptation

Controlling mean exit time of stochastic dynamical systems based on quasipotential and machine learning

The mean exit time escaping basin of attraction in the presence of white noise is of practical importance in various scientific fields. In this work, we propose a strategy to control mean exit time of general stochastic dynamical systems to achieve a desired value based on the quasipotential concept and machine learning. Specifically, we develop a neural network architecture to compute the global quasipotential function. Then we design a systematic iterated numerical algorithm to calculate the controller for a given mean exit time. Moreover, we identify the most probable path between metastable attractors with help of the effective Hamilton-Jacobi scheme and the trained neural network. Numerical experiments demonstrate that our control strategy is effective and sufficiently accurate

Comparative Study of IFN-Based Versus IFN-Free Regimens and Their Efficacy in Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C Infections

The hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection is a global health burden, WHO estimates 130–150 million people chronically infected with hepatitis C virus worldwide. Additional 3–4 million people become newly infected annually and more than 350,000 people die each year of HCV-related liver diseases. HCV infection exhibits higher genetic diversity with regional variations in genotypic prevalence resulting big challenges on disease management. Introduction of DAAs revolutionised the new era of all oral therapy in treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection and is the regimens of choice in present days. However, IFN-based combination therapy with sofosbuvir has promising efficacy in genotypes 3, 4, 5 or 6 infections compared to genotypes 1 and 2 infections. So, these regimens could be an option in DAAs regimen failure cases. The poor availability of data on recent DAAs (IFN-free) regimens questioned on regular use and cost effectiveness is the another challenge with DAAs regimens. So phase III trials (sofosbuvir and velpatasvir) of recent DAAs with pangenotypic actions and better tolerability in HCV infected patients are the future advances in treatment of chronic hepatitis C. After all those recent combination therapies with better SVR, the combination of pegylated interferon with ribavirin is the only option available where unavailability of other regimens still exists

HSP27 Alleviates Cardiac Aging in Mice via a Mechanism Involving Antioxidation and Mitophagy Activation

Aging-induced cardiac dysfunction is a prominent feature of cardiac aging. Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) protects cardiac function against ischemia or chemical challenge. We hypothesized that HSP27 attenuates cardiac aging. Transgenic (Tg) mice with cardiac-specific expression of the HSP27 gene and wild-type (WT) littermates were employed in the experiments. Echocardiography revealed a significant decline in the cardiac function of old WT mice compared with young WT mice. In striking contrast, the aging-induced impairment of cardiac function was attenuated in old Tg mice compared with old WT mice. Levels of cardiac aging markers were lower in old Tg mouse hearts than in old WT mouse hearts. Less interstitial fibrosis and lower contents of reactive oxygen species and ubiquitin-conjugated proteins were detected in old Tg hearts than in old WT hearts. Furthermore, old Tg hearts demonstrated lower accumulation of LC3-II and p62 than old WT hearts. Levels of Atg13, Vps34, and Rab7 were also higher in old Tg hearts than in old WT hearts. Additionally, old Tg hearts had higher levels of PINK1 and Parkin than old WT hearts, suggesting that mitophagy was activated in old Tg hearts. Taken together, HSP27 alleviated cardiac aging and this action involved antioxidation and mitophagy activation

Factors associated with patient, and diagnostic delays in Chinese TB patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Delay in seeking care is a major impediment to effective management of tuberculosis (TB) in China. To elucidate factors that underpin patient and diagnostic delays in TB management, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of factors that are associated with delays in TB care-seeking and diagnosis in the country. METHODS: This review was prepared following standard procedures of the Cochrane Collaboration and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement and checklist. Relevant studies published up to November 2012 were identified from three major international and Chinese literature databases: Medline/PubMed, EMBASE and CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure). RESULTS: We included 29 studies involving 38,947 patients from 17 provinces in China. Qualitative analysis showed that key individual level determinants of delays included socio-demographic and economic factors, mostly poverty, rural residence, lack of health insurance, lower educational attainment, stigma and poor knowledge of TB. Health facility determinants included limited availability of resources to perform prompt diagnosis, lack of qualified health workers and geographical barriers. Quantitative meta-analysis indicated that living in rural areas was a risk factor for patient delays (pooled odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)): 1.79 (1.62, 1.98)) and diagnostic delays (pooled OR (95% CI): 1.40 (1.23, 1.59)). Female patients had higher risk of patient delay (pooled OR (95% CI): 1.94 (1.13, 3.33)). Low educational attainment (primary school and below) was also a risk factor for patient delay (pooled OR (95% CI): 2.14 (1.03, 4.47)). The practice of seeking care first from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TMC) providers was also identified as a risk factor for diagnostic delay (pooled OR (95% CI): 5.75 (3.03, 10.94)). CONCLUSION: Patient and diagnostic delays in TB care are mediated by individual and health facility factors. Population-based interventions that seek to reduce TB stigma and raise awareness about the benefits of early diagnosis and prompt treatment are needed. Policies that remove patients’ financial barriers in access to TB care, and integration of the informal care sector into TB control in urban and rural settings are central factors in TB control

Effects of Probiotic Bacillus as an Alternative of Antibiotics on Digestive Enzymes Activity and Intestinal Integrity of Piglets

The previous study in our team found that supplementation of probiotic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (Ba) instead of antibiotics promote growth performance of piglets. Hence, the present study was carried out to further demonstrate the effect of Ba replacement of antibiotics on digestive and absorption enzyme activity and intestinal microbiota population of piglets. A total of 90 piglets were selected and divided into three groups: G1 group was fed with basal diet supplemented with 150 mg/Kg aureomycin, G2 group was fed with 1 × 108 cfu/Kg Ba and half dose of aureomycin, G3 group was used the diet with 2 × 108cfu/Kg Ba replaced aureomycin. Each treatment had three replications of 10 pigs per pen. Results indicated that Ba replacement significantly increased the activities of amylase, disaccharides and Na+/K+-ATPase. And chymotrypsin activity in different section of intestine was dramatically enhanced in half replacement of aureomycin with Ba. Moreover, Ba replacement maintained the intestinal integrity with the significantly decreased activity of DAO compared with aureomycin group. Besides, supplementation with Ba increased the β-diversity of intestinal microbiota. Taken together, the current study indicated that diet supplementation with Ba instead of aureomycin increased the growth performance of piglets by improving the digestive and absorb enzyme activities, enhancing the intestinal integrity and regulating the population of intestinal micrbiota

Barriers to accessing TB diagnosis for rural-to-urban migrants with chronic cough in Chongqing, China: A mixed methods study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>China is facing a significant tuberculosis epidemic among rural-to-urban migrants, which poses a threat to TB control. This study aimed to understand the health seeking behaviour of and health systems responses to migrants and permanent urban residents suffering from chronic cough, in order to identify the factors influencing delays for both groups in receiving a TB diagnosis in urban China.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Combining a prospective cohort study of adult suspect TB patients and a qualitative study, the Piot model was used to analyze the health seeking behaviour of TB suspects among migrants and permanent urban residents, the factors influencing their decision and the responses by general health providers. Methods included a patient survey, focus group discussions with migrants in the general population, qualitative interviews with migrant and permanent resident TB suspects and TB patients as well as key stakeholders related to TB control and the management of migrants.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Sixty eight percent of migrants delayed for more than two weeks before seeking care for symptoms suggestive of TB, compared to 54% of residents (p < 0.01). When they first decided to seek professional care, migrants were 1.5 times more likely than residents to use less expensive, community-level health services. Only 5% were ultimately referred to a TB dispensary. Major reasons for both patient and provider delay included lack of knowledge and mistrust of the TB control programme, lack of knowledge about TB (patients), and profit-seeking behaviour (providers). In the follow up survey, 61% of the migrants and 41% of the residents who still had symptoms gave up continuing to seek professional care, with a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p < 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Rural-to-urban migrants are more likely than permanent residents to delay in seeking care for symptoms suggestive of TB in urban Chongqing. 'Patient-' and 'provider-' related factors interact to pose barriers to TB diagnosis for migrants, including: low awareness, and poor knowledge among both the general public and TB suspects about TB as a disease and about the TB control programme; low financial capacity to pay for care and diagnostic tests; and inadequate use of diagnostic tests and referral to TB dispensaries by general health providers.</p

Elevated CO2 and high endogenous ABA level alleviate PEG-induced short-term osmotic stress in tomato plants

Elevated CO2 concentration (e[CO2]) alleviates the impact of drought stress on plants where abscisic acid (ABA) is involved. To explore the mechanisms by which tomato plants respond to short-term osmotic stress, Solanum lycopersicum cv. Ailsa Craig (AC), a transgenic line overproducing ABA (sp5), and an ABA-deficient mutant (flacca) were hydroponically grown under ambient CO2 (400 ppm) and e[CO2] (800 ppm) and then exposed to 10% or 15% (w/v) polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 for 24 h before transferring to PEG-free nutrient solution for 24 h. Under non-stress condition, e[CO2] decreased root hydraulic conductance (Kroot), which was overridden by high endogenous ABA in sp5 through increasing specific leaf area and root branching intensity. Basically, e[CO2] improved stress resistance through enhanced water status. PEG stress decreased stomatal conductance and osmotic potential in AC but these effects were less pronounced in sp5, which exhibited a stronger osmotic adjustment (OA) and improved plant fitness. A greater flexibility of hydraulic system and a reduced sensitivity of Kroot to ABA might confer sp5 a great ability to recover from PEG stress. On the contrary, high stomatal density, size and pore aperture of flacca rendered plants suffering severe stress. Moreover, the premise that PEG stress could mimic soil water deficit was the sufficient achievement of OA. Our results indicate that e[CO2] and high endogenous ABA level could improve osmotic stress resistance in tomato plants via osmotic and hydraulic adjustments