Controlled Study Research Articles

Efficacy and Economic Viability of Organic Control Methods for Spotted-wing Drosophila in Day-neutral Strawberry Production in the Upper Midwest

Day-neutral strawberry (DNS) production is increasing in the Upper Midwest because of its extended harvest season and greater yield over June-bearing cultivars. However, the longer season increases fruit exposure to the invasive spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii; SWD), which threatens the production of small fruits and berries, particularly in organic systems. Numerous pest management tactics have been developed for SWD in recent years; however, relatively few studies have investigated the impact of SWD on DNS. Organic DNS growers need information regarding which management strategy is most effective when compared directly. To address this knowledge gap, we established a 2-year controlled field experiment with organic DNS. We applied treatments that correspond with techniques that local growers reported using or that have shown promise for organic raspberries, including increased harvest frequency, botanical-based repellents, and weekly rotations of organic insecticides, which we compared with an untreated control. We hypothesized that noninsecticidal SWD management strategies would result in fewer SWD eggs per berry and a lower proportion of infested berries compared with those associated with an untreated control. We also hypothesized that noninsecticidal management strategies would be as effective and cost less than organic insecticide applications. We collected data regarding labor hours, direct costs, strawberry yield, and SWD infestation in experimental plots on certified organic land in Minnesota in 2022 and 2023. An average of 33% of strawberries contained SWD eggs. The experimental treatments showed inconsistent effectiveness for reducing infestation compared with that of the untreated control plots and had no effect on marketable plant yield over the 2-year period. Thus, the added labor expense of these pest control treatments yielded net returns that were 17% to 21% below the control. Labor-saving alternatives like exclusion netting or postharvest cold treatments, which reduce fruit pest exposure and egg viability without harming nontarget insects, may offer more cost-effective solutions for managing SWD in organic DNS.

Failure monitoring and classification from acoustic emission tests on impact-damaged hydrogen composite pressure vessels

Composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPV) for hydrogen will play an important role in emission free mobility and energy storage. The DELFIN project (2018 – 2022) was set up with the goal of developing improved COPVs that are lighter, cheaper and more durable. A key aspect of this project was to conduct full-scale impact tests with different gas pressure levels that were used to evaluate the vessels’ crash performance and to verify numerical impact simulations. These tests were followed by controlled pressure experiments until the burst pressure was reached. The procedure was monitored with acoustic emission testing (AT) and subsequent computer tomography (CT). The residual COPV stability and the AT results are compared to different scenarios regarding the impact energies and impact angles. The event localization from AT shows a clear correlation of the emitted energy with the damaged areas. We classify the recorded signals into groups that can be related to the failure mechanism and compare those to the pressure evolution before failure of the COPV. All tests indicate that large impact energies lead to a significant reduction of the burst pressure of COPVs, whereas a higher internal pressure can have a stabilizing effect that reduces the damaging effect.

Intraosseous regional antibiotic prophylaxis in total joint arthroplasty (TJA): Systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundA major catastrophic adverse event after total joint arthroplasty surgery (TJA) is the periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). In the recent years, regional antibiotic prophylaxis has gained momentum as a novel infection control strategy in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), with different purported benefits over systemic administration. The current article was planned to comprehensively review the available evidence in literature; as well as compare the safety and effectiveness of intraosseous (IO) antibiotic prophylaxis with systemic prophylaxis in patients undergoing TJA. MethodsAn independent database (5 databases: Pubmed, Scopus, Embase, Web of science and Cochrane library) search was performed (on January 1, 2024) using suitable key words [PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42023458219)]. All randomised controlled trials (RCT), prospective or retrospective studies reporting data on intraosseous vancomycin or other antibiotics during arthroplasty for prophylaxis of PJI were considered. Studies not pertaining to the topic of interest or non-clinical trials were excluded. The evaluated outcome parameters included PJI incidence, systemic antibiotic levels, minimal inhibitory concentrations, local antibiotic concentrations achieved in soft tissues (or fat) and bone; and associated complications. While the “risk of bias” was evaluated using ROB-2 tool and MINORS criteria; LibreOffice version (v)7.5.6 was utilized for data management. OpenMeta-analyst v5.26.14 and RevMan v5.4 software were employed for meta-analysis. ResultsFollowing our literature search, 11 studies (1 prospective series, 6 RCT and 4 retrospective studies) were finally identified. Based on our meta-analysis, there was statistically higher antibiotic concentration in the bone [mean difference (MD):25.12μg/g;95%CI:10.32,39.91;z=3.33,p=0.0009] and local fat tissues [MD:22.01μg/g;95%CI:1.71,32.30;z=4.19,p<0.0001) following IO prophylaxis, as compared with the systemic drug administration. IO prophylaxis was also associated with a significant reduction in prosthetic joint infections (PJI; 4/1633 and 25/2213 patients developed PJI in IO and systemic prophylaxis groups, respectively; p=0.006). There was significant difference in gram-positive infections between IO and systemic prophylaxis groups (2/1123 and 13/1753 gram+ve infections in IO and systemic prophylaxis groups, respectively; p=0.05). Our review and meta-analysis revealed no substantial difference in complications amongst the groups (p=0.66). ConclusionIO antibiotic prophylaxis appears to be an effective and safe strategy in patients undergoing TJA. IO access provides substantially enhanced antibiotic elution into the local tissues (bone and soft tissues); and consequently, results in reduced of PJI rates after TJA (in comparison with conventional systemic antibiotic prophylaxis).

One-year survival benefit of plasma exchange in idiopathic inflammatory myositis patients with progressive interstitial lung disease-a systemic review and meta-analysis

ObjectivesThis study aimed to systematically evaluate the efficacy of plasma exchange (PLEX) in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myositis (IIM) complicated by interstitial lung disease (ILD). MethodWe conducted a comprehensive literature search in Medline and EMBASE from their inception to August 2023, focusing on randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and case-control studies involving IIM patients with ILD treated with PLEX compared to those treated with standard therapies. The primary outcome was the one-year survival rate. All the statistical analyses were performed using RevMan version 4.12.0. ResultsOut of 438 retrieved studies, 16 were selected for full-text review. Six cohort studies involving 148 patients with anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5)-positive dermatomyositis or antisynthetase syndrome-related dermatomyositis with rapidly progressive ILD refractory to standard treatments (including glucocorticoids, immunosuppressive agents, or intravenous immunoglobulin) met the inclusion criteria. Patients receiving PLEX in addition to other therapies demonstrated a greater one-year survival rate (relative risk [RR] 1.59, 95% CI 0.96–2.65, I2 52%) than did patients in the non-PLEX group. Significance was reached in a sensitivity analysis after excluding one outlier (RR 1.71, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.30–2.25; I2 0%). Additionally, there was a trend suggesting that PLEX improved lung function, radiographic outcomes, and key serum biomarkers, such as Krebs von den Lungen-6 and ferritin. Funnel plot asymmetry suggested publication bias due to the lack of reporting of negative trials. All studies had a low risk of bias. ConclusionsAs an adjunctive therapy, PLEX improved one-year survival in IIM patients with rapidly progressive ILD who were unresponsive to standard treatments.

Comparison of efficacy and safety of sarpogrelate-based anti-platelet therapy with non-sarpogrelate-based anti-platelet therapy following arterial endovascular therapy: a systematic review

Objective: Sarpogrelate is a selective serotonin/5-hydroxytryptamine 2A receptor antagonist used in the management of peripheral artery disease (PAD). The drug has emerged as a promising choice for medical management post-endovascular therapy (EVT) due to its anti-platelet aggregation, vasoconstriction, and anti-vascular smooth muscle proliferation properties. The aim of the meta-analysis is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sarpogrelate-based APT following arterial EVTs in PAD. Material and methods: PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and the Cochrane were systematically searched from inception to December 2023. Any randomized controlled trial studies in English that evaluated the efficacy and safety of sarpogrelate-based APT after EVT in patients with PAD was included. Data on the restenosis rate, target lesion revascularization (TLR), and safety parameters were extracted and studied. The pooled differences in efficacy and safety parameters between sarpogrelate-based APT and non-sarpogrelate-based APT was calculated using the relative risk (RR) with a 95% CI. Results: A total of three randomized controlled trials were included out of 354 articles obtained through a literature search. No significant differences were observed in the risk of restenosis (RR=0.74, 95% CI= 0.55–1.00, P=0.954) and TLR (RR=0.76, 95% CI= 0.47–1.23, P=0.476) among patients being treated with sarpogrelate and non-sarpogrelate-based APT. Likewise, sarpogrelate-based APT had a similar safety profile as non-sarpogrelate-based APT. Conclusion: Sarpogrelate-based APT can be considered an effective alternative to clopidogrel-based conventional APT after EVTs. However, there is a huge need for a larger multicenter, multinational, and multiethnic global trial with sufficient participants in order to produce generalizable findings.

Fenoldopam for Renal Protection in Cardiac Surgery: Pharmacology, Clinical Applications, and Evolving Perspectives

This comprehensive review examines the role of Fenoldopam, a selective dopamine-1 receptor agonist, in preventing and treating acute kidney injury (AKI) during cardiac surgery. AKI remains a significant complication in cardiac surgery, associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. The review explores Fenoldopam’s pharmacological properties, mechanism of action, and clinical applications, synthesizing evidence from randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and observational studies. While some studies have shown promising results in improving renal function and reducing AKI incidence, others have failed to demonstrate significant benefits. The review discusses these conflicting findings, explores potential reasons for discrepancies, and identifies areas requiring further research. It also compares Fenoldopam to other renoprotective strategies, including dopamine, diuretics, and N-acetylcysteine. The safety profile of Fenoldopam, including common side effects and contraindications, is addressed. Current guidelines and recommendations for Fenoldopam use in cardiac surgery are presented, along with a cost-effectiveness analysis. The review concludes by outlining future research directions and potential new applications of Fenoldopam in cardiac surgery. By providing a thorough overview of the current state of knowledge, this review aims to facilitate informed decision-making for clinicians and researchers while highlighting areas for future investigation.

Major Publications in the Critical Care Pharmacotherapy Literature: 2023.

We aimed to summarize the most significant and impactful publications describing the pharmacotherapeutic care of critically ill patients in 2023. PubMed/MEDLINE and the Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology Pharmacotherapy Literature Update. Randomized controlled trials and prospective studies of adult critically ill patients assessing a pharmacotherapeutic intervention and reporting clinical endpoints published between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023, were eligible for inclusion in this article. Articles from a systematic search and the Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology Pharmacotherapy Literature Update were included. An a priori defined three-round modified Delphi process was employed to achieve consensus on the most impactful publications based on the following considerations: 1) overall contribution to scientific knowledge and 2) novelty to the literature. The systematic search and Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology Pharmacotherapy Literature Update returned a total of 1202 articles, of which 1164 were excluded. The remaining 38 articles underwent a three-round modified Delphi process. In each round, articles were independently scored based on overall contribution to scientific knowledge and novelty to the literature. Included articles are summarized and their impact discussed. Article topics included hydrocortisone for severe community-acquired pneumonia, inhaled amikacin for prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia, methylene blue for septic shock, restrictive vs. liberal fluid management for sepsis-induced hypotension, andexanet alfa for major bleeding associated with factor Xa inhibitors, and early administration of four-factor prothrombin complex concentrate in patients with trauma at risk for massive transfusion. This review provides a summary and perspective on the potential impact of the most relevant articles in 2023 describing advances in the pharmacotherapeutic care of critically ill patients.

One-Stage Intraoperative ERCP combined with Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Versus Two-Stage Preoperative ERCP Followed by Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in the Management of Gallbladder with Common Bile Duct Stones: A Meta-analysis.

Concomitant gallbladder and common bile duct (CBD) stones, known as cholecystocholedocholithiasis, are clinically prevalent. There is currently no consensus on sequential versus simultaneous management approaches, and, if simultaneous, which approach to adopt. This meta-analysis evaluates the safety and efficacy of one-stage laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) with intraoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) versus two-stage ERCP followed by LC for treating concomitant gallbladder and CBD stones. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in five databases, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, VIP, and Wanfang, for all randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort and retrospective studies published up to February 2024. Data extraction was performed independently by two reviewers. The primary outcomes were CBD stone clearance rate and postoperative complications morbidity. Secondary outcomes included conversion to other procedures and length of hospital stay. Statistical analyses were performed using R (v.4.3.2) with weighted mean differences and odds ratios (ORs) calculated for continuous and dichotomous variables, respectively, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 17 studies involving 2120 patients have been included, with 898 patients receiving single-stage and 1222 patients undergoing two-stage treatment. Of these studies, 9 were RCTs and 8 were retrospective cohort study. The one-stage group demonstrated superior outcomes in terms of CBD stone clearance (OR=2.07, p=0.0004), overall morbidity (OR=0.35, p<0.0001), post-operative pancreatitis (OR=0.49, p=0.006), conversion to other procedures (OR=0.38, p=0.0006), and length of hospital stay (MD=- 2.6456, 95% CI -3.5776; -1.7136, p<0.0001). No significant differences were observed in post-operative cholangitis (OR=0.44, p=0.12), post-operative bleeding (OR=0.76, p=0.47), or bile leakage (OR=1.28, p=0.54). For patients with concomitant gallbladder and CBD stones, the one-stage approach combining ERCP and LC appears safer and more effective, with advantages including higher stone clearance rates, reduced postoperative complications (particularly pancreatitis), shorter hospital stays, fewer residual stones, and decreased need for additional procedures. However, additional high-quality clinical trials are needed to establish the optimal treatment approach for various patient scenarios.

Assessment of endobronchial chemotherapy in patients with bronchogenic carcinoma

Background Malignant airway obstruction is commonly found in patients with lung cancer and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Relieving malignant obstruction may improve symptoms, quality of life, and life expectancy. The aim of the present work is to determine the efficacy of endobronchial intratumoral injection of 5-Fluorouracil as a chemotherapeutic agent in palliative care for patients with inoperable nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients and methods A total of 30 patients diagnosed as inoperable advanced-stage NSCLC were included into this randomized prospective controlled comparative study and divided into two groups (group A: 15 patients received the conventional sessions of systemic chemotherapy only and group B: 15 patients received the conventional sessions of systemic chemotherapy in addition to two to three sessions of local endobronchial intratumoral chemotherapy using 5-fluorouracil). Patient characteristics, histology, airways infiltrated with the tumor, performance status, treatment cycles, complications, and therapeutic outcomes were evaluated. Tumor response was analyzed based on bronchoscopic evaluation performed on completion of the final treatment session. Results There was no significant difference in the total objective response between patients who used systemic chemotherapy alone for treatment of advanced NSCLC and those who used systemic chemotherapy in addition to sessions of local chemotherapy using 5-fluorouracil that was injected intratumorally through bronchoscopy in multiple sessions. Conclusion We concluded that endobronchial intratumoral chemotherapy using 5-fluorouracil is not an effective promising treatment approach for palliative treatment of patients with advanced malignant endobronchial NSCLC.

“Green mathematical approaches in fluorescence spectroscopy for quality control and clinical studies”

In the past decade, significant advancements have been made in mathematical spectral approaches for estimating binary and ternary drug combinations in raw materials and dosage forms. These approaches established on mathematical spectral manipulations of mixture analytes, without the need for separation techniques.The idea of using mathematical spectral approaches in fluorescence spectroscopy was resolving analytical issues and reach to biological concentrations thus, Ratio subtraction (RD) and ratio subtraction coupled with constant multiplication (RS-CM) have been proposed in fluorescence spectroscopy to evaluate the content uniformity of Flunarizine dihydrochloride (FLZ) and Propranolol hydrochloride (PRO) combination in raw materials, tablets, and spiked biological fluids (blood-urine). These approaches have demonstrated the ability to overcome the quantitative analytical challenges posed by the high native fluorescence intensity of the major component (PRO) at λex = 286/λem = 341 nm and the low native fluorescence intensity of the minor component (FLZ) at λex = 254/λem = 311 nm. The linearity range for (PRO) was found to be 25–500 ng/mL, and for (FLZ), it was 50–500 ng/mL. However, the spectrum addition technique was required to estimate (FLZ) in mixtures with concentrations less than 300 ng/mL.The overall validity of the proposed approaches was confirmed through adherence to ICH guidelines, and no statistical variation was observed in comparison to official studies. Additionally, the greenness and whiteness of the proposed approaches were evaluated using the Analytical greenness metric (AGREE), Green Solvents Selecting Tool (GSST), and Red-Green-Blue (RGB) algorithm.

The Effect of Nature of Critical Audit Matters and Outcome Indication on Investors’ Decisions

ABSTRACT Two aspects of critical audit matter (CAM) disclosure are (1) whether it relates to complexity in audit judgments (complex CAM) or uncertainty in underlying management estimates (uncertain CAM) and (2) whether an indication of the outcome of audit procedures performed to address the CAM is included in the disclosure. We use two controlled experiments to examine the joint effects of CAM nature and the presence of a CAM outcome indication on investors’ judgments of investment attractiveness. In the first (second) experiment, we used a stronger (weaker) outcome indication, which provides stronger (weaker) conclusions about the audit procedures performed to address the CAM. We find that the provision of a stronger (weaker) outcome indication increases investment attractiveness judgments to a greater (an equal) extent for an uncertain CAM than for a complex CAM. Data Availability: Please contact the authors.

"Visual verbs": Dynamic event types are extracted spontaneously during visual perception.

During visual processing, input that is continuous in space and time is segmented, resulting in the representation of discrete tokens-objects or events. And there has been a great deal of research about how object representations are generalized into types-as when we see an object as an instance of a broader category (e.g., an animal or plant). There has been much less attention, however, to the possibility that vision represents dynamic information in terms of a small number of primitive event types (such as twisting or bouncing). (In models that posit a "language of vision," these would be the foundational visual verbs.) Here we ask whether such event types are extracted spontaneously during visual perception, even when entirely task irrelevant during passive viewing. We exploited the phenomenon of categorical perception-wherein differences are more readily noticed when they are represented in terms of different underlying categories. Observers were better at detecting changes to images or short videos when the changes involved switches in the underlying event type-even when the changes that maintained the same event type were objectively larger (in terms of both brute image metrics and higher level feature change). We observed this categorical "cross-event-type" advantage for visual working memory for twisting versus rotating, scooping versus pouring, and rolling versus bouncing. Moreover, additional control experiments confirmed that such effects could not be explained by appeal to lower-level non-categorical stimulus differences. This spontaneous perception of "visual verbs" might promote both generalization and prediction about how events are likely to unfold. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Is atezolizumab plus bevacizumab as first-line therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma superior to lenvatinib? a systematic review and meta‑analysis.

This meta-analysis was dedicated to evaluating the effectiveness and safety of Atezolizumab plus Bevacizumab (Atez/Bev) and Lenvatinib (LEN) as first-line systematic therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (u-HCC). The prospective protocol for this study was registered with the PROSPERO (Registration number: CRD42022356874). Literature searches were conducted in PubMed, EMBASE database Cochrane Library, and Web Science to determine all clinical controlled studies that reported Atez/Bev and LEN for treating u-HCC. We. evaluated as primary end-point overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), as well as other outcomes such as tumor response and adverse events (AEs).Quality assessment and data extraction of studies were conducted independently by three reviewers. Mean difference (MD) and odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a fixed-effects or random-effects model. The meta-analysis was performed with RevMan 5.3 software. 12 retrospective cohort studies (RCSs) involving a total of 4948 patients were finally included. The results showed that compared with LEN, Atez/Bev can improve the patient's PFS (HR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.72 ~ 0.88; p < 0.0001) and reduce the rate of overall AEs (OR = 0.46 95% CI: 0.38 ~ 0.55, p < 0.00001) and grade ≥ 3 AEs (OR = 0.43; 95% CI: 0.36 ~ 0.51, p < 0.00001), while there is no difference between OS and treatment responses rate (objective response rate, disease control rate, complete response, partial response, progressive disease, and stable disease) between two groups. In addition, the subgroup analysis shows that Atez/Bev can promote the OS of patients with viral hepatitis. (HR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.67 ~ 0.95; p = 0.01), while LEN has an advantage in improving OS in patients with Child-Pugh grade B liver function (HR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.50 ~ 2.63; p < 0.00001). Current evidence shows that compared with LEN, Atez/Bev has more advantages in PFS and safety in treating u-HCC and can improve the OS of patients with viral. LEN has advantages in improving the OS of patients with grade B liver function. However, more multicenter randomized controlled experiments are needed in the future to verify our results.

Active phase and amplitude temperature control method for cryostat: A case in the thermodynamic temperature international comparison system

Achieving highly stable temperature control is essential for cryostats. However, the cryocooler used in cryostats, such as the pulse tube cryocooler, produces regular sinusoidal temperature fluctuations due to its inherent working principles. To establish a highly stable temperature environment, an active phase and amplitude control method for suppressing temperature fluctuation is proposed in this paper, by which the optimal phase and amplitude can be predicted in theory. To validate this approach, a thermal response model was developed based on experiments conducted in the thermodynamic temperature international comparison cryostat at approximately 3.7 K. Based on this model, we conducted both single-stage and multi-stage active temperature control experiments. The results demonstrate that the temperature control effect is the best when the active temperature control current is added at the second cold head, the fluctuation of the comparison copper block from 3.3mK to 0.166mK with 94.9 % suppression rate. The multi-stage joint temperature control reduced the temperature fluctuation with an attenuation rate of 95.4 %. These findings offer significant potential for improving temperature stability in future thermodynamic temperature comparison experiments.

Improvement Effect of Straw Interlayer Thickness on Saline-Alkali Soil

In order to evaluate and optimize the application effect of straw interlayer technology in improving soil quality and crop production in saline-alkali soil, and to understand the synergistic relationship between soil water and nutrient distribution, crop roots and above-ground growth in saline-alkali soil, the improvement effect of straw interlayer thickness on saline-alkali soil was studied. Through the indoor root box control experiment combined with the field micro-zone verification experiment, four corn straw interlayer thickens were set (CK: no straw interlayer; S3: Straw layer thickness is 3 cm; S5: The straw layer thickness is 5 cm; S7: straw interlayer thickness is 7 cm), and the effects of straw interlayer thickness on soil water and salt transport and nutrient distribution are simulated. The results showed that straw interlayer could enhance the water retention and salt leaching capacity of 0–40 cm soil layer after irrigation, and S5 treatment had the best effect, with soil water content increased by 11.0% and salt content decreased by 4.0% compared with CK (P &lt; A0.05). Compared with CK, straw separation treatment decreased the soil nutrient content in 0–40 cm soil layer (except alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen and available potassium), and increased the soil nutrient content in 40–60 cm soil layer, and S5 treatment had the largest increase, in which available potassium was significantly increased by 15.0% compared with CK (P &lt;0.05). Therefore, it shows that the straw interlayer can play a role in preventing water and reducing permeability, and can reduce the salt content of the soil above the interlayer, and has a good effect on the improvement of saline-alkali soil.

Flatness jump phenomenon in cold-rolled steel strip with high temperature: Root cause and solution

The steel strip produced in the 20-high cold rolling mill has the characteristic of high temperature in a certain factory, and a rare strip flatness phenomenon occurs in the fourth pass, different from the common flatness defects, the flatness value of each position in the strip width shows an irregular and drastic fluctuation state along with time, and it is called the flatness jump phenomenon, which seriously affects the stability of the rolling process and the production efficiency. Aiming at this problem, a method combining the rolling experiment with the numerical simulation is used to study its generation mechanism and seek for effective control technique. Through the thermal imaging measurement and the analysis of the production data, the temperature fluctuation in the fourth pass is the main reason for the flatness jump, which is related to the nucleate boiling state when the emulsion impacts on the high-temperature strip surface in the cooling process. Based on the rolling control experiments of different cooling factors, the critical temperature range for the occurrence of flatness jump is determined, which is used for the improvement of cooling technique subsequently, and the range of emulsion exit flow is optimized to 500 L/min ∼ 2050 L/min. The rolling experiment is carried out in the industrial field, it is found that the production process is stable and the flatness jump does not appear, with the small value basically within the range of ± 10 IU, and the scheme is planned for long-term application after a period of optimization, which could ultimately enhance the stability of the rolling process and the performance of finished product. Further, the paradigm and information provided in this work would be beneficial for understanding the formation mechanism of the similar complicated flatness phenomenon in cold rolling and optimizing the industrial applications of cooling technology.

A Study of Dimethyl Ether-Steam Coinjection Using a Large-Scale Physical Model

Summary Dimethyl ether (DME) as a water-soluble solvent has been studied as a potential additive to steam for improving the energy efficiency of steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD). The main objective of this research was to study in-situ flow characteristics and energy efficiency of DME-SAGD using a large-scale physical model. Results from DME-SAGD were compared with the control experiment of SAGD with no solvent injection using the same experimental setup. The main novelty of this research lies in the experimental data that demonstrated enhanced bitumen drainage by DME-SAGD in comparison with SAGD. The experiment was conducted in a cylindrical pressure vessel with a diameter of 0.425 m and a length of 1.22 m, which contained a sandpack with a porosity of 0.34 and a permeability of 5.0 darcies. The DME-SAGD experiment used a DME concentration of 10 mol% and a steam coinjection rate of 27.6 cm3/min [cold-water equivalent (CWE)] at 3000 kPa. Temperature distributions within the sandpack, along with injection and production histories, were recorded during the experiment. Subsequently, numerical simulations were performed to history match the experimental data, and the calibrated simulation model was used to analyze the details of compositional flow characteristics. Results showed that the 10 mol% DME-SAGD experiment yielded a recovery factor (RF) of 92.7% in 4.2 days, and the SAGD experiment yielded an RF of 68.6% in 6.0 days; for both experiments, the first 2 days were the preheating and the steam-only injection (SAGD) stages. The peak rate of bitumen production was 43.8 mL/min in the DME-SAGD experiment, which was more than twice greater than the peak rates observed in the SAGD experiment. The substantially increased rate of bitumen production resulted in a cumulative steam/oil ratio in DME-SAGD that was less than half of that in SAGD. Analysis of experimental results indicated that the solubility of DME in the aqueous and oleic phases caused different flow characteristics between DME-SAGD and SAGD. For example, the oleic and aqueous phases were more uniformly distributed in the sandpack in the former. Simulations indicated that DME-SAGD had a greater distribution of grid-scale inverse mobility ratio and increased oleic-phase mobilities in comparison with SAGD.

In vitro cluster buds regeneration and control of shoot tip necrosis in tissue cultures of Trichosanthes cucumerina L.

Trichosanthes cucumerina L. is a medicinal vine with great potential that can be used as a vegetable. In this study, an efficient in vitro regeneration system of T. cucumerina was established by inducing adventitious buds and controlling Shoot Tip Necrosis (STN) in the in vitro culture. The results of hormone single factor and orthogonal experiments showed that 6-BA had a significant effect on inducing adventitious buds. The best medium for bud proliferation was MS + 6-BA 3.0 mg·L− 1 + KIN 2.0 mg·L− 1 + NAA 0.5 mg·L− 1, and the proliferation capacity was 14.68. However, after three consecutive subcultures, a higher incidence of STN (78.86%) was observed. The results of the STN control experiment showed that reducing the concentration of inorganic salt, shortening the subculture interval, and increasing the Ca2+ in the medium could effectively control the occurrence of STN. However, reducing the concentration of inorganic salt and shortening the subculture interval excessively reduces the proliferation capacity significantly. Considering both the incidence of STN and proliferation capacity, the measures proposed in this study to alleviate STN were to keep the concentration of inorganic salt unchanged, adjust the subculture interval from 45 days to 40 days, and increase the Ca2+ concentration in the medium to 480 mg·L− 1. When the subculture interval was 40 d, the stem segments obtained the lowest STN incidence (8.3%) and higher shoot proliferation capacity (10.02) on the medium of MS + 3.0 mg·L− 1 6-BA + 2.0 mg·L− 1 KIN + 0.5 mg·L− 1 NAA + 360.36 mg·L− 1 Ca2+ (360 mg·L− 1 is the concentration of additional calcium to be added, and after this addition, the total calcium concentration in the MS medium was 480.48 mg·L− 1). The best rooting medium for stem segments was MS + 0.50 mg·L− 1 NAA; the rooting rate was 100%, and no STN occurred. After acclimation, the survival rate of the rooted plantlet reached 95% after 40 days in the soil matrix of coconut husk: humus soil: perlite = 2: 2: 1 (v/v). The results of this study not only reveal the mechanism of STN in T. cucumerina, but also provide technical support and a theoretical basis for its further breeding and cultivation.

158 - Changes in biomarkers in women with POP and OAB after surgical treatment. A prospective controlled study.

158 - Changes in biomarkers in women with POP and OAB after surgical treatment. A prospective controlled study.

Study design and baseline characteristics of ALIGN, a randomized controlled study of atrasentan in patients with IgA nephropathy

IntroductionEndothelin A (ETA) receptor activation is a driver of proteinuria, kidney inflammation and fibrosis in IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Atrasentan, a selective ETA receptor antagonist, has potential to reduce proteinuria and preserve kidney function in IgAN. ALIGN (NCT04573478) is a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of atrasentan in patients with IgAN at high risk of kidney function loss. MethodsEligibility criteria for the ALIGN main stratum included patients with biopsy-proven IgAN, total protein excretion ≥1g/d, eGFR ≥30 mL/min/1.73m2, receiving a maximally-tolerated stable dose of a renin-angiotensin system inhibitor (RASi). An exploratory stratum enrolled participants also receiving a stable dose of sodium glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i). Participants were randomized to 0.75 mg atrasentan or placebo orally daily for 132 weeks followed by a 4-week wash-out period. The primary outcome is proteinuria change from baseline (24h urine protein–creatinine ratio UPCR) to Week 36 in the main stratum. Key secondary endpoints include eGFR change from baseline to Week 136, safety and tolerability. ResultsEnrolment occurred across 20 countries; 404 patients are randomized: 340 in the main stratum and 64 in the SGLT2i stratum. At baseline in the main stratum, mean age was 44.7 years, 42.4% were female, mean eGFR and median UPCR were 58.9 mL/min/1.73 m2 and 1.4 g/g, respectively. ConclusionThe ongoing ALIGN trial evaluates the efficacy and safety of atrasentan in a representative global IgAN population at risk for disease progression despite optimized RASi therapy and includes an exploratory stratum evaluating atrasentan use in combination with an SGLT2i.