This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of heparin-binding protein (HBP) in the cerebrospinal fluid of children with purulent meningitis (PM). This study included 118 children with PM diagnosed at our hospital from January 2018 to January 2020, 110 children with viral meningitis (VM) and 80 children with suspected meningitis who were ruled out by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis during the same period. HBP and white blood cell (WBC) count in the CSF, and inflammatory factors, including C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and procalcitonin (PCT), were measured. Receiver-operator characteristic curves were used to analyze the predictive value of HBP, CRP, PCT, and TNF-α levels in the diagnosis of PM by CSF analysis. HBP levels in the CSF of children with PM were higher, while the CRP and serum PCT and TNF-α levels were elevated in all groups (P<0.05). In addition, HBP levels in the CSF were more accurate for the diagnosis of PM than traditional diagnostic indexes. HBP levels in the CSF can be used as an important reference for early diagnosis of PM.

Abstract A three-dimensional rail-bridge coupling element of unequal lengths in which the length of the rail element is shorter than that of the bridge element is presented in this paper to investigate the spatial dynamic responses of a train-track-bridge interaction system. Formulation of stiffness and damping matrices for the fastener, ballast, and bearing, as well as the three-dimensional equations of motion in matrix form for a train-track-bridge interaction system using the proposed element are derived in detail using the energy principle. The accuracy of the proposed three-dimensional rail-bridge coupling element is verified using the existing two-dimensional element. Three examples of a seven-span continuous beam bridge are shown: the first investigates the influence of the efficiency and accuracy of the lengths of the rail and bridge elements on the spatial dynamic responses of the train-track-bridge interaction system, and the other two illustrate the influence of two types of track models and two types of wheel-rail interaction models on the dynamic responses of the system. Results show that (1) the proposed rail-bridge coupling element is not only able to help conserve calculation time, but it also gives satisfactory results when investigating the spatial dynamic responses of a train-track-bridge interaction system; (2) the double-layer track model is more accurate in comparison with the single-layer track model, particularly in relation to vibrations of bridge and rail; and (3) the no-jump wheel-rail interaction model is generally reliable and efficient in predicting the dynamic responses of a train-track-bridge interaction system.

The proton rapidity distributions in nucleus-nucleus collisions at the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS) and the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) energies are analyzed by the revised thermalized cylinder model. The calculated results are compared and found to be in agreement with the experimental data of Si-Al and Si-Pb collisions at 14.6 AGeV/c, Pb-Pb collisions at 158 AGeV/c, and S-S collisions at 200 AGeV/c.

La rapidez de distribución de protones en colisiones nucleo-nucleo en las energías de sincrotron de gradiente alternante (AGS) y sincrotron de super proton (SPS) es analizada usando el modelo del cilindro termalizado. Los resultados calculados al ser comparados con los resultados experimentales están en concordancia con las colisiones de Si-Al y Si-Pb a 14.6 AGeV/c, Pb-Pb a 158 AGeV/c y S-S a 200 AGeV/c.