Uniformity of stratum-ventilated thermal environment and thermal sensation

Three human test series were conducted to evaluate the uniformity of the thermal environments in a stratum-ventilated chamber with dimensions of 8.8 m (L) × 5.1 m (W) × 2.4 m (H). In all, nineteen conditions were generated by adjusting the room temperature, supply airflow rate, and supply terminal type. An air diffuser performance index (ADPI) of at least 80% was achieved for most cases. This result shows that the air velocity and temperature in the occupied zone are reasonably uniform. Subjective assessments using the ASHRAE 7-point scale indicate that the thermal sensations of the subjects in stratum ventilation are also uniform. This study examines the applicability of the predicted mean vote (PMV) model for evaluating stratum ventilation. When compared to the actual mean thermal sensation votes (ATS), the PMV values are acceptable. The PMV results at a height of 1.1 m above the floor show better agreement with the ATS than at a height of 0.1 m.

Emergency treatment of splenic injury in a novel mobile minimally invasive interventional shelter following disaster: a feasibility study

Background

There has been an increase in natural disasters in recent years, which leads to a great number of injuries and deaths. It still remains an unsolved problem to treat patients with vascular injury of solid organs effectively following natural disasters, but on-spot emergency interventional transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) has been highly recommended to cure serious vascular injury of solid organs nowadays. Spleen is the most vulnerable abdominal organ, severe arterial hemorrhage of which can cause death if untreated timely. In this research, we aimed to study the possibility of performing emergency surgical intervention in mobile minimally invasive interventional shelter for splenic injury in the case of natural disasters.

Methods

First, the mobile minimally invasive interventional shelter was unfolded in the field, and then disinfection and preoperative preparation were performed immediately. Eight large animal models of splenic injury were created, and angiograms were performed using a digital subtraction angiography machine in the mobile minimally invasive interventional shelter, and then the hemostatic embolizations of injured splenic artery were performed following the established convention of rapid intervention therapy. The operating time was recorded, and the survival condition and postoperative complications were observed for two weeks.

Results and discussion

The average time of unfolding the shelter, and performing disinfection and preoperative preparation was 33 ± 7 min. The number of colonies in the sterilized shelter body was 86 ± 13 cfu/m³. The average TAE time was 31 ± 7 min. All the hemostatic embolizations of splenic injury were performed successfully in the mobile minimally invasive interventional shelter during the operation. A pseudoaneurysm was found in an animal model using angiography two weeks after the operation. The primary clinical success rate of embolization was 87.5%. The two-week survival rate in all animal models of splenic injury was 100%.

Conclusions

Our findings in the current study demonstrate that the mobile minimally invasive interventional shelter can be adapted to the field perfectly and complete emergency surgical intervention for splenic injury efficiently and safely. Therefore, on-spot emergency interventional TAE for vascular injury of solid organs (e.g. spleen) in mobile minimally invasive interventional shelter is available and effective.

A label-free fluorescent probe for Hg²⁺ and biothiols based on graphene oxide and Ru-complex

A novel, selective and sensitive switch-on fluorescent sensor for Hg(2+) and switch-off fluorescent probe for biothiols was developed by using [Ru(bpy)₂(pip)](2+) as the signal reporter and graphene oxide (GO) as the quencher. Due to the affinity of GO towards single-stranded DNA (ss-DNA) and [Ru(bpy)₂(pip)](2+), the three components assembled, resulting in fluorescence quenching. Upon addition of Hg(2+), a double-stranded DNA (ds-DNA) via T-Hg(2+)-T base pairs was formed, and [Ru(bpy)₂(pip)](2+) intercalated into the newly formed ds-DNA. Then, [Ru(bpy)₂(pip)](2+) and ds-DNA were removed from the surface of GO, resulting in the restoration of fluorescence. Subsequently, upon addition of biothiols, Hg(2+) was released from ds-DNA, due to the higher affinity of Hg(2+) to the sulfur atoms of biothiols, which could induce ds-DNA unwinding to form ss-DNA. Then ss-DNA and [Ru(bpy)₂(pip)](2+) were adsorbed on the surface of GO, the fluorescence of [Ru(bpy)₂(pip)](2+) was quenched again. Therefore, the changes in emission intensity of [Ru(bpy)₂(pip)](2+) directly correlated to the amount of detection target (Hg(2+) or biothiols) in solution. The assay exhibited high sensitivity and selectivity, with the limits of detection for Hg(2+), cysteine (Cys) and glutathione (GSH) to be 2.34 nM, 6.20 nM and 4.60 nM, respectively.

Clinical feasibility and safety of a novel miniature mobile cardiac catheterization laboratory in diagnosis and treatment for coronary heart disease

BACKGROUND

The lack of medical facilities causes delayed diagnosis and treatment of coronary heart disease in remote mountainous area and/or at disaster site. The miniature mobile cardiac catheterization laboratory was developed to be an intervention platform for coronary heart disease diagnosis and treatment by our team. Pre-clinical research indicated that the miniature mobile cardiac catheterization laboratory performed well in the rescue of critical cardiovascular diseases, even ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. The present study aimed to evaluate the clinical safety and timeliness of the miniature mobile cardiac catheterization laboratory for emergent coronary interventional diagnosis and treatment.

METHODS

X-ray radiation safety and disinfection efficacy in the miniature mobile cardiac catheterization laboratory were tested during working status. Coronary angiography and/or percutaneous coronary intervention were performed in remote mountainous areas on patients who were first diagnosed as having coronary heart disease by senior interventional cardiologists. The percutaneous coronary intervention procedures and results from patients in the miniature mobile cardiac catheterization laboratory were compared with patients who were treated in the hospital catheter lab.

RESULTS

The X-ray radiation dosages in the miniature mobile cardiac catheterization laboratory were 39.55 µGy/s, 247.4 µGy/h, 90.3 µGy/h and 39.4 µGy/h which were corresponded to 0 m, 1 m, 2 m and 3 m away from the tube central of the medium C-arm. And the radiation dosages used in the miniature mobile cardiac catheterization laboratory were less than the corresponding positions in the hospital catheter lab. The numbers of bacteria colonies in the miniature mobile cardiac catheterization laboratory in different environments range from (60 ± 8) cfu/m(3) to (120 ± 10) cfu/m(3) and met the demands of percutaneous coronary intervention. A total of 17 patients who received angiography in the miniature mobile cardiac catheterization laboratory, eight received percutaneous coronary intervention. The operations were all successfully accomplished without intraoperative and postoperative complications. The average angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention times were 35 ± 9 minutes and 55 ± 11 minutes, respectively. There was no significant difference in immediate percutaneous coronary intervention results between the miniature mobile cardiac catheterization laboratory and the catheter lab.

CONCLUSIONS

It is safe and feasible to carry out clinical interventional diagnosis and treatment in the miniature mobile cardiac catheterization laboratory as determined by this research. The miniature mobile cardiac catheterization laboratory may be considered a newly developed diagnosis and treatment platform for rescuing coronary heart disease patients in remote mountainous areas and/or at disaster sites.

Infectivity, transmission, and pathology of human-isolated H7N9 influenza virus in ferrets and pigs

The emergence of the H7N9 influenza virus in humans in Eastern China has raised concerns that a new influenza pandemic could occur. Here, we used a ferret model to evaluate the infectivity and transmissibility of A/Shanghai/2/2013 (SH2), a human H7N9 virus isolate. This virus replicated in the upper and lower respiratory tracts of the ferrets and was shed at high titers for 6 to 7 days, with ferrets showing relatively mild clinical signs. SH2 was efficiently transmitted between ferrets via direct contact, but less efficiently by airborne exposure. Pigs were productively infected by SH2 and shed virus for 6 days but were unable to transmit the virus to naïve pigs or ferrets. Under appropriate conditions, human-to-human transmission of the H7N9 virus may be possible.

A molecular light switch Ru complex and quantum dots for the label-free, aptamer-based detection of thrombin

A simple, label-free method for the detection of thrombin has been developed based on the conformational transition of aptamer in the presence of the target by using a molecular light switch, Ru polypyridine complex, and quantum dots as novel fluorescence probes in aqueous solution.

Electrochemical isothermal-capacitance-transient spectroscopy: a new depth profiling method of deep levels

The authors report on a new depth profiling method of deep levels, which we call electrochemical isothermal-capacitance-transient spectroscopy (EICTS). This is combined with electrochemical capacitance-voltage using the Schottky barrier of etchable electrolyte and isothermal-capacitance-transient spectroscopy using the capacitance-transient profile at a fixed temperature. We proved its validity by applying to the ZnSe:N epitaxial film of thickness of more than 1000 nm and comparing the characteristics of an obtained deep level with the results measured by conventional deep-level detection techniques. It is expected that EICTS is very effective to assess the deep levels of wide-bandgap semiconductors that suffer from various point defects and their complexes.

Evaluation of thermal comfort conditions in a classroom with three ventilation methods

Thermal sensation is studied experimentally under mixing ventilation, displacement ventilation, and stratum ventilation in an environmental chamber. Forty-eight subjects participated in all tests under the same boundary conditions but different ventilation methods in the classroom. Thermal comfort analysis was carried out according to the designated supply airflow rate, room temperature, and relative humidity for the three ventilation methods. The thermal neutral temperature under stratum ventilation is approximately 2.5 °C higher than that under mixing ventilation and 2.0 °C higher than that under displacement ventilation. This result indicates that stratum ventilation could provide satisfactory thermal comfort level to rooms of temperature up to 27 °C. The energy saving attributable to less ventilation load alone is around 12% compared with mixing ventilation and 9% compared with displacement ventilation.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

The confirmation of the significantly elevated thermal neutral temperature can have a number of implications for both thermal comfort in an air-conditioned room and energy consumption of the associate air-conditioning system. With respect to the former, it provides scientific basis for the feasibility of elevated room temperatures, and with respect to the latter, it reveals considerable potentials for energy saving.

Aqua-[4'-(4-chloro-phen-yl)-2,2':6',2''-terpyridine]-nitratocopper(II) nitrate [4'-(4-chloro-phen-yl)-2,2':6',2''-terpyridine]-dinitratocopper(II) monohydrate

The crystal structure of the title compound, [Cu(NO₃)(C₂₁H₁₄ClN₃)(H₂O)]NO₃·[Cu(NO₃)₂(C₂₁H₁₄ClN₃)]·H₂O, con­sists of two crystallographically independent Cu^II complexes, in which each copper cation is penta­coordinated by three N atoms of the chelating ligand and two O atoms of nitrate anions or water mol­ecules. One of the coordinated nitrate anions is disordered over two set of sites in a 0.85:0.15 ratio.