An alternative method of Bakri balloon placement for postpartum hemorrhage after vaginal delivery

Objectives: We developed a new Bakri balloon tamponade (BBT) placement technique after vaginal delivery, which aimed to be faster without balloon slippage. This study compared the new method with standard placement of BBT in women with postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) after vaginal delivery. Material and methods: This study was undertaken of women who underwent vaginal delivery at the obstetrics and gynecology departments of the Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Hospital for Women and Children, and Si Chuan JINXIN Women and Children Hospital between January 2014 and December 2020. Women who underwent BBT for PPH were grouped according to placement method into the old-BBT group and the new-BBT group. Results: Of 20487 childbirths by vaginal delivery, 512 (2.50%) had PPH, 77 women underwent BBT (old-BBT n = 28, new-BBT n = 49). Background characteristics were similar except prothrombin time (PT, p < 0.01) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT, p < 0.004) were lower in the new-BBT group than the old-BBT group. The operation time was shorter in the new-BBT group (p < 0.001) with less bleeding (p < 0.003) and saline injection (p < 0.001). A balloon slippage was less likely (p < 0.008) and postoperative bleeding (p < 0.01), transfusion rate (p < 0.03), transfusion volume (p < 0.002), and hospital stay was lower in the new-BBT group (p < 0.015). Multivariate analysis suggested PT (OR = 0.039, 95% CI: 0.002–0.730, p < 0.030), international normalized ratio (OR = 8.244, 95% CI: 3.807–17.850, p < 0.009), and BBT method (OR = 5.200, 95% CI: 1.745-15.493, p < 0.003), were associated with requiring a blood transfusion. Conclusions: This method of BBT placement reduced operation time, balloon slippage, bleeding, and hospital stay in women with PPH after vaginal delivery

Reduction in the exposure risk of farmer from e-waste recycling site following environmental policy adjustment: a regional scale view of PAHs in paddy fields

Farmland contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has drawn increasing attention across China with enhanced regulations and environmental policies proposed by government to protect soil environment safety. As the informal electronic waste (e-waste) dismantling activities were forbidden under recent environmental regulation, this study compared levels, compositions, spatial distributions, human health risks of PAHs in paddy soil within the vicinity of an e-waste recycling area in southeastern China, with 129 and 150 soil samples collected in 2011 and 2016, respectively. The soil contamination was dominated with high molecular weight PAHs. The mean concentration of EPA 16 PAHs decreased from 590.4 ± 337.2 μg kg in 2011 to 407.3 ± 232.2 μg kg in 2016. Distribution maps of soil PAHs concentration displayed the temporal change in spatial. Principal component analysis together with diagnostic ratios revealed the combustion of biomass and coal in industrial and unregulated e-waste dismantling were the main sources of PAHs in the study area. Both deterministic and probabilistic assessments demonstrated reduced exposure risk for farmers from 2011 to 2016. Sensitivity analysis revealed that exposure frequency (EF) is the most influential parameter for the total variance in the risk assessment model. This study implied that the more stringent environmental policy and regulation can lead reductions in soil contamination with PAHs. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Honokiol Crosses BBB and BCSFB, and Inhibits Brain Tumor Growth in Rat 9L Intracerebral Gliosarcoma Model and Human U251 Xenograft Glioma Model

BACKGROUND: Gliosarcoma is one of the most common malignant brain tumors, and anti-angiogenesis is a promising approach for the treatment of gliosarcoma. However, chemotherapy is obstructed by the physical obstacle formed by the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB). Honokiol has been known to possess potent activities in the central nervous system diseases, and anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor properties. Here, we hypothesized that honokiol could cross the BBB and BCSFB for the treatment of gliosarcoma. METHODOLOGIES: We first evaluated the abilities of honokiol to cross the BBB and BCSFB by measuring the penetration of honokiol into brain and blood-cerebrospinal fluid, and compared the honokiol amount taken up by brain with that by other tissues. Then we investigated the effect of honokiol on the growth inhibition of rat 9L gliosarcoma cells and human U251 glioma cells in vitro. Finally we established rat 9L intracerebral gliosarcoma model in Fisher 344 rats and human U251 xenograft glioma model in nude mice to investigate the anti-tumor activity. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We showed for the first time that honokiol could effectively cross BBB and BCSFB. The ratios of brain/plasma concentration were respectively 1.29, 2.54, 2.56 and 2.72 at 5, 30, 60 and 120 min. And about 10% of honokiol in plasma crossed BCSFB into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In vitro, honokiol produced dose-dependent inhibition of the growth of rat 9L gliosarcoma cells and human U251 glioma cells with IC(50) of 15.61 µg/mL and 16.38 µg/mL, respectively. In vivo, treatment with 20 mg/kg body weight of honokiol (honokiol was given twice per week for 3 weeks by intravenous injection) resulted in significant reduction of tumor volume (112.70±10.16 mm(3)) compared with vehicle group (238.63±19.69 mm(3), P = 0.000), with 52.77% inhibiting rate in rat 9L intracerebral gliosarcoma model, and (1450.83±348.36 mm(3)) compared with vehicle group (2914.17±780.52 mm(3), P = 0.002), with 50.21% inhibiting rate in human U251 xenograft glioma model. Honokiol also significantly improved the survival over vehicle group in the two models (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This study provided the first evidence that honokiol could effectively cross BBB and BCSFB and inhibit brain tumor growth in rat 9L intracerebral gliosarcoma model and human U251 xenograft glioma model. It suggested a significant strategy for offering a potential new therapy for the treatment of gliosarcoma

Base-free synthesis of bio-derived 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid using SBA-15 supported heteropoly acids in ionic liquids

2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is a green and renewable substitute to terephthalic acid (TPA), the fundamental monomer of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic. This work investigated novel supported Keggin phosphormolybdic acids (HPMs) for the synthesis of FDCA from 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in imidazole ionic liquids. Among four supporters, Al2O3, SiO2, ZSM-5 and SBA-15, SBA-15 exhibited highest stability and specific surface area 507 m(2)/g. FDCA yield achieved 76 % by using HPM/SBA-15, and maintained 60 % after 5 runs. Particularly, [Bmim]Cl ionic liquid was stable both in thermal and chemical properties by confirmation of FTIR and NMR. HPM/SBA-15 was also employed in different monosaccharides to FDCA, and led to acceptable yields. A moderate FDCA yield of 34 % from glucose was obtained, revealing a great potential of one-pot synthesis of FDCA from renewable and accessible carbohydrates

An Improved Kernelized Correlation Filter Algorithm for Underwater Target Tracking

To obtain accurate underwater target tracking results, an improved kernelized correlation filter (IKCF) algorithm is proposed to track the target in forward-looking sonar image sequences. Specifically, a base sample with a dynamically continuous scale is first applied to solve the poor performance of fixed-scale filters. Then, in order to prevent the filter from drifting when the target disappears and appears again, an adaptive filter update strategy with the peak to sidelobe ratio (PSR) of the response diagram is developed to solve the following target tracking errors. Finally, the experimental results show that the proposed IKCF can obtain accurate tracking results for the underwater targets. Compared to other algorithms, the proposed IKCF has obvious superiority and effectiveness

Base-free synthesis of bio-derived 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid using SBA-15 supported heteropoly acids in ionic liquids

2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is a green and renewable substitute to terephthalic acid (TPA), the fundamental monomer of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic. This work investigated novel supported Keggin phosphormolybdic acids (HPMs) for the synthesis of FDCA from 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in imidazole ionic liquids. Among four supporters, Al2O3, SiO2, ZSM-5 and SBA-15, SBA-15 exhibited highest stability and specific surface area 507 m(2)/g. FDCA yield achieved 76 % by using HPM/SBA-15, and maintained 60 % after 5 runs. Particularly, [Bmim]Cl ionic liquid was stable both in thermal and chemical properties by confirmation of FTIR and NMR. HPM/SBA-15 was also employed in different monosaccharides to FDCA, and led to acceptable yields. A moderate FDCA yield of 34 % from glucose was obtained, revealing a great potential of one-pot synthesis of FDCA from renewable and accessible carbohydrates

Research Progress on Manglietia ventii,A Wild Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations

Manglietia ventiiis a wild plant species with extremely small populations endemic to Yunnan, mainly distributed in southeast Yunnan. Due to the continuous deterioration of natural habitats, excessive felling and utilization of human beings, and the decline of breeding ability, the number of individuals in the population has decreased significantly. Through field investigation and literature review, the research status of M. ventiiin systematics, conservation ecology, reproductive biology, genetic diversity, endangered mechanism and resource protection at home and abroad are systematically reviewed. And the future research direction is prospected. It is necessary to strengthen the research on the basic characteristics of M. ventii, explore the transmission route of M. ventiiand deepen the development and utilization of resources, in order to provide a theoretical support for the protection and sustainable utilization of germplasm resources of M. ventii, and provide a reference for the protection of other wild plant species with extremely small populations