A Virtual Reality Platform for Context-Dependent Cognitive Research in Rodents / 神经科学通报·英文版

Animal survival necessitates adaptive behaviors in volatile environmental contexts. Virtual reality (VR) technology is instrumental to study the neural mechanisms underlying behaviors modulated by environmental context by simulating the real world with maximized control of contextual elements. Yet current VR tools for rodents have limited flexibility and performance (e.g., frame rate) for context-dependent cognitive research. Here, we describe a high-performance VR platform with which to study contextual behaviors immersed in editable virtual contexts. This platform was assembled from modular hardware and custom-written software with flexibility and upgradability. Using this platform, we trained mice to perform context-dependent cognitive tasks with rules ranging from discrimination to delayed-sample-to-match while recording from thousands of hippocampal place cells. By precise manipulations of context elements, we found that the context recognition was intact with partial context elements, but impaired by exchanges of context elements. Collectively, our work establishes a configurable VR platform with which to investigate context-dependent cognition with large-scale neural recording.

Application of Hollow Fiber Ultrafiltration Technology in the Detection of Total IgE of Hemolytic Blood after Death / 法医学杂志

Objective To investigate the treatment effect of hollow fiber ultrafiltration technology on hemolytic samples and the differences between IgE concentration and serum concentration before hemolysis in ultrafiltrate. Methods The 33 postmortem blood samples of non-frozen corpses within 72 hours after death were collected, 4 mL blood was taken from each case, among which 1 mL was centrifuged to get serum, and the remaining 3 mL blood was frozen-thawed 3-5 times to cause complete hemolysis. The 2 mL hemolytic samples were processed by hollow fiber ultrafiltration to obtain ultrafiltrate. The hemoglobin concentration in serum, complete hemolytic sample and ultrafiltrate was determined by Van-Zij solution-cyanated methemoglobin assay method, and the total IgE in serum and ultrafiltrate was determined by electrochemical luminescence method. Results The hemoglobin concentration in ultrafiltrate was significantly lower than that in complete hemolytic samples （P<0.05）. There was a good correlation between the total IgE detection values of ultrafiltrate and serum （r=0.984）. The difference between the serum and the value of IgE in ultrafiltrate after correction had no statistical significance, and the differences between the two in positive rates had no statistical significance （P>0.05）. Conclusion Ultrafiltration technology has a good treatment effect on complete hemolytic samples, and the correction value of ultrafiltrate detection is close to the serum level before hemolysis, and therefore, it can be applied to the detection of total IgE of frozen corpse hemolytic samples.

Professor -' clinical experiences of "syndrome differentiation and Chinese herbal plaster application" based on meridian and theories / 中国针灸

Focusing on the limits of the plaster application of Chinese herbal medicine in clinical practice, i.e. limit in the region exerted, inadequate meridian effect, more attention to the exterior rather than the interior and limit in the application of differentiation, professor - proposes his clinical experiences in the plaster application of Chinese herbal medicine based on meridian and differentiation, including: The Chinese herbal plaster application alone meridian course guided by meridian differentiation. Multidimensional plaster application on the base of the meridian differentiation of muscle region. Split-field plaster application by taking collateral differentiation as principle. Selective plaster application in association with disease differentiation. Specific plaster application rooted on differentiation.

Preparation and in vitro release evaluation of pH-dependent colon targetting pellets of Paridis Rhizoma saponin and Astragali Radix polysaccharide / 中草药

Objective: To prepare pH-dependent Paridis Rhizoma saponin (PRS) and Astragali Radix polysaccharide (ARP) colon targeting pellets for the treatment of colon cancer and finish its in vitro release performance evaluation. Methods: The colon targeted pellets were prepared with extrusion-spheronization and air-flow coating method and the the process parameters were optimized by orthogonal design. The coating fluid prescription was investigated by single factor test. In vitro release performance evaluation of the pellets was evaluated with polyphyllin I and II as the indexes. Results: The optimum technologic parameters of extrusion spheronization equipment were as follows: the rate of extrusion was 60 r/min, the rate of spheronization was 1 200 r/min, and the time of spheronization was 5 min. The optimum coating liquid formulation of pH-dependent colon targetting pellets was 15% weight gains of Eudrugit S100, 1.5% anti-plastering aid amount of Glycerin monostearate, and 5% plasticizer amount of TEC. In vitro release test showed that cumulative release rate of berberine hydrochloride was close to 0% in artificial gastric juice after 2 h and less than 10% in artificial intestinal fluid after 4 h, but the cumulative release rate in artificial colon juice after 2 h was more than 90%. Conclusion: The preparation method can be applied to the preparation of colon targeted pellets and the pellets can achieve the targeted release in the colon.

The Content of Statistical Requirements for Authors in Biomedical Research Journals / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Robust statistical designing, sound statistical analysis, and standardized presentation are important to enhance the quality and transparency of biomedical research. This systematic review was conducted to summarize the statistical reporting requirements introduced by biomedical research journals with an impact factor of 10 or above so that researchers are able to give statistical issues' serious considerations not only at the stage of data analysis but also at the stage of methodological design.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Detailed statistical instructions for authors were downloaded from the homepage of each of the included journals or obtained from the editors directly via email. Then, we described the types and numbers of statistical guidelines introduced by different press groups. Items of statistical reporting guideline as well as particular requirements were summarized in frequency, which were grouped into design, method of analysis, and presentation, respectively. Finally, updated statistical guidelines and particular requirements for improvement were summed up.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Totally, 21 of 23 press groups introduced at least one statistical guideline. More than half of press groups can update their statistical instruction for authors gradually relative to issues of new statistical reporting guidelines. In addition, 16 press groups, covering 44 journals, address particular statistical requirements. The most of the particular requirements focused on the performance of statistical analysis and transparency in statistical reporting, including "address issues relevant to research design, including participant flow diagram, eligibility criteria, and sample size estimation," and "statistical methods and the reasons."</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Statistical requirements for authors are becoming increasingly perfected. Statistical requirements for authors remind researchers that they should make sufficient consideration not only in regards to statistical methods during the research design, but also standardized statistical reporting, which would be beneficial in providing stronger evidence and making a greater critical appraisal of evidence more accessible.</p>

Comparison and analysis of two methods for serum free prostate-specific antigen (PSA) detection / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the clinical performance of free prostate-specific antigen (fPSA) detection by ECLIA method, and evaluate whether ECLIA is suitable for clinical use.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>341 samples were collected and tested prostate-specific antibodies with CMIA and ECLIA methods. These samples contain: 97 samples with abnormal high PSA value tested by CMIA method, and 244 normal PSA samples. Use CMIA as the reference method, and detect fPSA, tPSA levels, and the ratio of fPSA/tPSA. Analyze the testing results with statistical methods.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with CMIA, correlation coefficent of ECLIA fPSA detection is 0.99; correlation coefficent of f/tPSA ratio detection is 0.96; the sensitivity, specificity of ECLIA f/tPSA ratio detection are 85.71%, 92.6% respectively, the agreement rate with ECLIA is 87.4%. No cross reaction with bilirubin, lipohemia, hemolysis, RF, CEA, AFP, CA125, CA153, CA199 were found in the tests.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The ECLIA method for free prostate-specific antigen detection showed good clinical performance; and is suitable for clinical use.</p>

An experimental study on influence of concentration of fetal bovine serum on chondrogenesis of BMSCs / 中华整形外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the chondrogenetic effect of induce media containing different concentrations of fetal bovine serum (FBS) on BMSCs differentiation in vitro and provide technical parameters for cartilage engineering in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Passage 2 BMSCs of swine were seeded at the density of 5 x 10(7) cells/cm3 to disc-shaped PGA scaffolds with a diameter of 5mm and a thickness of 2mm. After 7days, the scaffolds were induced in media with TGF-beta1, IGF-I, dexamethasone, and different concentrations of FBS: 0% in A group, 5% in B group, and 10% in C group. Specimens were collected after 8 weeks for gross observation, size evaluation, wet weight, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content, histology assessment, and immunohistology of type II collagen.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The compound of C group showed china-white color, hard and fine texture, no obvious change in size and shape, typical lacuna structures, cartilage specific ECM, and significantly higher wet weight and GAG content. The compound of B group showed reduced size, fewer lacuna structures and some cartilage specific ECM. And the compound of A group showed greatly reduced size, soft and loose texture, and no typical lacuna structure or cartilage specific ECM.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>FBS was indispensable to chondrogenetic media for in-vitro tissue engineering of cartilage with BMSCs.</p>