Electron scale coherent structure as micro accelerator in the Earth's magnetosheath.

Turbulent energy dissipation is a fundamental process in plasma physics that has not been settled. It is generally believed that the turbulent energy is dissipated at electron scales leading to electron energization in magnetized plasmas. Here, we propose a micro accelerator which could transform electrons from isotropic distribution to trapped, and then to stream (Strahl) distribution. From the MMS observations of an electron-scale coherent structure in the dayside magnetosheath, we identify an electron flux enhancement region in this structure collocated with an increase of magnetic field strength, which is also closely associated with a non-zero parallel electric field. We propose a trapping model considering a field-aligned electric potential together with the mirror force. The results are consistent with the observed electron fluxes from ~50 eV to ~200 eV. It further demonstrates that bidirectional electron jets can be formed by the hourglass-like magnetic configuration of the structure.

WDR62-deficiency Causes Autism-like Behaviors Independent of Microcephaly in Mice / 神经科学通报·英文版

Brain size abnormality is correlated with an increased frequency of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring. Genetic analysis indicates that heterozygous mutations of the WD repeat domain 62 (WDR62) are associated with ASD. However, biological evidence is still lacking. Our study showed that Wdr62 knockout (KO) led to reduced brain size with impaired learning and memory, as well as ASD-like behaviors in mice. Interestingly, Wdr62 Nex-cKO mice (depletion of WDR62 in differentiated neurons) had a largely normal brain size but with aberrant social interactions and repetitive behaviors. WDR62 regulated dendritic spinogenesis and excitatory synaptic transmission in cortical pyramidal neurons. Finally, we revealed that retinoic acid gavages significantly alleviated ASD-like behaviors in mice with WDR62 haploinsufficiency, probably by complementing the expression of ASD and synapse-related genes. Our findings provide a new perspective on the relationship between the microcephaly gene WDR62 and ASD etiology that will benefit clinical diagnosis and intervention of ASD.

Dayside Transient Phenomena and Their Impact on the Magnetosphere and Ionosphere.

Dayside transients, such as hot flow anomalies, foreshock bubbles, magnetosheath jets, flux transfer events, and surface waves, are frequently observed upstream from the bow shock, in the magnetosheath, and at the magnetopause. They play a significant role in the solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. Foreshock transient phenomena, associated with variations in the solar wind dynamic pressure, deform the magnetopause, and in turn generates field-aligned currents (FACs) connected to the auroral ionosphere. Solar wind dynamic pressure variations and transient phenomena at the dayside magnetopause drive magnetospheric ultra low frequency (ULF) waves, which can play an important role in the dynamics of Earth's radiation belts. These transient phenomena and their geoeffects have been investigated using coordinated in-situ spacecraft observations, spacecraft-borne imagers, ground-based observations, and numerical simulations. Cluster, THEMIS, Geotail, and MMS multi-mission observations allow us to track the motion and time evolution of transient phenomena at different spatial and temporal scales in detail, whereas ground-based experiments can observe the ionospheric projections of transient magnetopause phenomena such as waves on the magnetopause driven by hot flow anomalies or flux transfer events produced by bursty reconnection across their full longitudinal and latitudinal extent. Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), hybrid, and particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations are powerful tools to simulate the dayside transient phenomena. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the present understanding of dayside transient phenomena at Earth and other planets, their geoeffects, and outstanding questions.

Properties and Acceleration Mechanisms of Electrons Up To 200 keV Associated With a Flux Rope Pair and Reconnection X-Lines Around It in Earth's Plasma Sheet.

The properties and acceleration mechanisms of electrons (<200 keV) associated with a pair of tailward traveling flux ropes and accompanied reconnection X-lines in Earth's plasma sheet are investigated with MMS measurements. Energetic electrons are enhanced on both boundaries and core of the flux ropes. The power-law spectra of energetic electrons near the X-lines and in flux ropes are harder than those on flux rope boundaries. Theoretical calculations show that the highest energy of adiabatic electrons is a few keV around the X-lines, tens of keV immediately downstream of the X-lines, hundreds of keV on the flux rope boundaries, and a few MeV in the flux rope cores. The X-lines cause strong energy dissipation, which may generate the energetic electron beams around them. The enhanced electron parallel temperature can be caused by the curvature-driven Fermi acceleration and the parallel electric potential. Betatron acceleration due to the magnetic field compression is strong on flux rope boundaries, which enhances energetic electrons in the perpendicular direction. Electrons can be trapped between the flux rope pair due to mirror force and parallel electric potential. Electrostatic structures in the flux rope cores correspond to potential drops up to half of the electron temperature. The energetic electrons and the electron distribution functions in the flux rope cores are suggested to be transported from other dawn-dusk directions, which is a 3-dimensional effect. The acceleration and deceleration of the Betatron and Fermi processes appear alternately indicating that the magnetic field and plasma are turbulent around the flux ropes.

Effects of modified thoracic nerve block on postoperative analgesia and early recovery of breast cancer patients after modified radical mastectomy / 肿瘤研究与临床

Objective:To investigate the effect of modified thoracic nerve block on postoperative analgesia and early recovery of breast cancer patients after modified radical mastectomy.Methods:Sixty female breast cancer patients who were scheduled to undergo modified radical mastectomy in the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from March 2019 to December 2019 were selected, and the patients were all American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade Ⅰ-Ⅱ. According to the random number table method, the patients were divided into three groups: improved group [third rib approach serratus anterior plane block (SAPB)+pectoralis major muscle superficial anterior cutaneous branch of intercostal nerve block combined with general anesthesia, STG group], SAPB combined with general anesthesia group (SG group) and general anesthesia+postoperative intravenous controlled analgesia pump group (GP group), with 20 cases in each group. VAS scores at 30 min, 2 h, 4 h, 12 h and 24 h after surgery, 15-item quality of recovery scale (QoR-15) scores at 1 d before and 24 h after surgery, sleep duration on the night after surgery, intraoperative opioid dosage, the time between stop medication and awakening, postoperative flurbiprofen ester dosage, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, puncture site infection, pneumothorax, infection and other adverse reactions were recorded.Results:The VAS scores at 30 min, 2 h, 4 h, 12 h, 24 h in the STG group were lower than those in the SG group and GP group, the VAS scores at 2 h, 12 h and 24 h after surgery in the SG group were lower than those in the GP group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The QoR-15 score at 24 h in the STG group was higher than that in the SG group and the GP group [(137.85±2.81) points vs. (134.80± 2.72) points, (133.80±5.16) points], and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The sleep duration on the night after surgery in the STG group and the SG group was longer than that in the GP group [(6.03±0.90) h, (5.48±1.12) h vs. (3.85±1.76) h], and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The intraoperative opioid dosage and the time between stop medication and awakening in the STG group and the SG group were lower than those in the GP group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The postoperative flurbiprofen ester dosage and the incidence rates of nausea, vomiting and dizziness in the STG group were lower than those in the SG group and the GP group, and the SG group was lower than the GP group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Conclusion:The modified thoracic nerve block can relieve early postoperative pain, reduce the amount of intraoperative opioids, and improve the quality of patients' early recovery without increasing adverse reactions.

Early immune innate hallmarks and microbiome changes across the gut during Escherichia coli O157: H7 infection in cattle.

The zoonotic enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157: H7 bacterium causes diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in humans. Cattle are primary reservoirs and EHEC O157: H7; the bacteria predominately inhabit the colon and recto-anal junctions (RAJ). The early innate immune reactions in the infected gut are critical in the pathogenesis of EHEC O157: H7. In this study, calves orally inoculated with EHEC O157: H7 showed infiltration of neutrophils in the lamina propria of ileum and RAJ at 7 and 14 days post-infection. Infected calves had altered mucin layer and mast cell populations across small and large intestines. There were differential transcription expressions of key bovine ß defensins, tracheal antimicrobial peptide (TAP) in the ileum, and lingual antimicrobial peptide (LAP) in RAJ. The main Gram-negative bacterial/LPS signaling Toll-Like receptor 4 (TLR4) was downregulated in RAJ. Intestinal infection with EHEC O157: H7 impacted the gut bacterial communities and influenced the relative abundance of Negativibacillus and Erysipelotrichaceae in mucosa-associated bacteria in the rectum. Thus, innate immunity in the gut of calves showed unique characteristics during infection with EHEC O157: H7, which occurred in the absence of major clinical manifestations but denoted an active immunological niche.

[Investigation of microbial community involved in fermentation of Massa Medicata Fermentata].

This study aimed to clarify the microbial diversity, dominant species and the change of community structures in the fermentation of Liushenqu(Massa Medicata Fermentata), and explore the material foundation of its pharmacodynamics effect. On the basis of standardizing the fermentation process, Massa Medicata Fermentata was prepared by screening and optimizing the recipes and the standard formula issued by the Ministry. The community structure and growth process of fungi and bacteria in the samples at five time points(0, 17, 41, 48, 65 h) in the fermentation process of Massa Medicata Fermentata were analyzed by using isolation and culture of eight different media and high-throughput DNA sequencing technology. The results indicated that the samples of the two recipes pre-sented high microbial diversity at the initial fermentation stage, with Aspergillus spp. as the dominant species. As the fermentation process goes forward, Saccharomycopsis fibuligera and Rhizopus oryzae soon became dominant species from 17 h after fermentation commencement point to the fermentation end, while the other species were inhibited at a lower level from 17 h. The species diversity of bacteria in the initial fermentation samples was also high, and Enterobacter was the dominant species. Enterobacter cloacae, Pediococcus pentosaceus and Cronobacter sakazakii became dominant bacterial species 17 h after fermentation commencement, while the species diversity was decreased. Our results will be a scientific basis for promoting the fermentation process of Massa Medicata Fermentata by using pure microbial cultures.

Self-consistent kinetic model of nested electron- and ion-scale magnetic cavities in space plasmas.

NASA's Magnetospheric Multi-Scale (MMS) mission is designed to explore the proton- and electron-gyroscale kinetics of plasma turbulence where the bulk of particle acceleration and heating takes place. Understanding the nature of cross-scale structures ubiquitous as magnetic cavities is important to assess the energy partition, cascade and conversion in the plasma universe. Here, we present theoretical insight into magnetic cavities by deriving a self-consistent, kinetic theory of these coherent structures. By taking advantage of the multipoint measurements from the MMS constellation, we demonstrate that our kinetic model can utilize magnetic cavity observations by one MMS spacecraft to predict measurements from a second/third spacecraft. The methodology of "observe and predict" validates the theory we have derived, and confirms that nested magnetic cavities are self-organized plasma structures supported by trapped proton and electron populations in analogous to the classical theta-pinches in laboratory plasmas.

Investigation of microbial community involved in fermentation of Massa Medicata Fermentata / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to clarify the microbial diversity, dominant species and the change of community structures in the fermentation of Liushenqu(Massa Medicata Fermentata), and explore the material foundation of its pharmacodynamics effect. On the basis of standardizing the fermentation process, Massa Medicata Fermentata was prepared by screening and optimizing the recipes and the standard formula issued by the Ministry. The community structure and growth process of fungi and bacteria in the samples at five time points(0, 17, 41, 48, 65 h) in the fermentation process of Massa Medicata Fermentata were analyzed by using isolation and culture of eight different media and high-throughput DNA sequencing technology. The results indicated that the samples of the two recipes pre-sented high microbial diversity at the initial fermentation stage, with Aspergillus spp. as the dominant species. As the fermentation process goes forward, Saccharomycopsis fibuligera and Rhizopus oryzae soon became dominant species from 17 h after fermentation commencement point to the fermentation end, while the other species were inhibited at a lower level from 17 h. The species diversity of bacteria in the initial fermentation samples was also high, and Enterobacter was the dominant species. Enterobacter cloacae, Pediococcus pentosaceus and Cronobacter sakazakii became dominant bacterial species 17 h after fermentation commencement, while the species diversity was decreased. Our results will be a scientific basis for promoting the fermentation process of Massa Medicata Fermentata by using pure microbial cultures.

Study on Protective Effect of Huayu Qutan Decoction on Vascular Dementia / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To study the protective effect of Huayu Qutan decoction on vascular dementia (VD) gerbils and to explore whether its mechanism is related to Calcium ion-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase Ⅱ (CaMKⅡ)/cyclic adenosine effect element binding protein (CREB)/brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling pathway. Method: Forty healthy gerbils were randomly divided into sham operation group, model group, low, medium and high dose groups (5.35, 10.7, 21.4 g·kg-1) of removing blood stasis and expelling phlegm. Eight gerbils in each group were divided into model group and removing blood stasis and expelling phlegm group. Gerbils were given corresponding drugs twice a day after operation. Water maze experiment was conducted 21 days later to investigate the spatial learning and memory ability of gerbils. The expression of p-CaMKⅡ/CaMKⅡ, p-CREB/CREB and BDNF in the hippocampus of gerbils were detected by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Result: Compared with sham operation group, the incubation period and the number of platform trips of gerbil in the model group were significantly reduced, p-CaMKⅡ/CaMKⅡ, p-CREB/CREB, and BDNF protein expression were significantly reduced (PPPConclusion: Huayu Qutan decoction improves the learning and memory abilities of gerbils with vascular dementia, and its mechanism may be related to the activation of CaMKⅡ/CREB/BDNF signaling pathway.

Multiscale Currents Observed by MMS in the Flow Braking Region.

We present characteristics of current layers in the off-equatorial near-Earth plasma sheet boundary observed with high time-resolution measurements from the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission during an intense substorm associated with multiple dipolarizations. The four Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft, separated by distances of about 50 km, were located in the southern hemisphere in the dusk portion of a substorm current wedge. They observed fast flow disturbances (up to about 500 km/s), most intense in the dawn-dusk direction. Field-aligned currents were observed initially within the expanding plasma sheet, where the flow and field disturbances showed the distinct pattern expected in the braking region of localized flows. Subsequently, intense thin field-aligned current layers were detected at the inner boundary of equatorward moving flux tubes together with Earthward streaming hot ions. Intense Hall current layers were found adjacent to the field-aligned currents. In particular, we found a Hall current structure in the vicinity of the Earthward streaming ion jet that consisted of mixed ion components, that is, hot unmagnetized ions, cold E × B drifting ions, and magnetized electrons. Our observations show that both the near-Earth plasma jet diversion and the thin Hall current layers formed around the reconnection jet boundary are the sites where diversion of the perpendicular currents take place that contribute to the observed field-aligned current pattern as predicted by simulations of reconnection jets. Hence, multiscale structure of flow braking is preserved in the field-aligned currents in the off-equatorial plasma sheet and is also translated to ionosphere to become a part of the substorm field-aligned current system.

Near-Earth plasma sheet boundary dynamics during substorm dipolarization.

We report on the large-scale evolution of dipolarization in the near-Earth plasma sheet during an intense (AL ~ -1000 nT) substorm on August 10, 2016, when multiple spacecraft at radial distances between 4 and 15 R E were present in the night-side magnetosphere. This global dipolarization consisted of multiple short-timescale (a couple of minutes) B z disturbances detected by spacecraft distributed over 9 MLT, consistent with the large-scale substorm current wedge observed by ground-based magnetometers. The four spacecraft of the Magnetospheric Multiscale were located in the southern hemisphere plasma sheet and observed fast flow disturbances associated with this dipolarization. The high-time-resolution measurements from MMS enable us to detect the rapid motion of the field structures and flow disturbances separately. A distinct pattern of the flow and field disturbance near the plasma boundaries was found. We suggest that a vortex motion created around the localized flows resulted in another field-aligned current system at the off-equatorial side of the BBF-associated R1/R2 systems, as was predicted by the MHD simulation of a localized reconnection jet. The observations by GOES and Geotail, which were located in the opposite hemisphere and local time, support this view. We demonstrate that the processes of both Earthward flow braking and of accumulated magnetic flux evolving tailward also control the dynamics in the boundary region of the near-Earth plasma sheet.Graphical AbstractMultispacecraft observations of dipolarization (left panel). Magnetic field component normal to the current sheet (BZ) observed in the night side magnetosphere are plotted from post-midnight to premidnight region: a GOES 13, b Van Allen Probe-A, c GOES 14, d GOES 15, e MMS3, g Geotail, h Cluster 1, together with f a combined product of energy spectra of electrons from MMS1 and MMS3 and i auroral electrojet indices. Spacecraft location in the GSM X-Y plane (upper right panel). Colorcoded By disturbances around the reconnection jets from the MHD simulation of the reconnection by Birn and Hesse (1996) (lower right panel). MMS and GOES 14-15 observed disturbances similar to those at the location indicated by arrows.

[Gingival retraction paste versus gingival retraction cord for fixed prosthodontics: a systematic review].

PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy of gingival retraction paste versus gingival retraction cord in fixed prosthodontics on gingiva protection, tooth preparation, clarity of the impression and plaster model, and aptness of the prosthesis. METHODS: Chinese BioMedical Literature Database, VIP, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wangfang database were searched on November 15th 2012 for eligible studies. Hand-searching included references of the included studies and Chinese dental journals. Risk of bias of the included studies was assessed by 2 reviewers independently using Cochrane Collaboration's tool, and data extraction was done by the 2 reviewers. Meta analysis was performed with Revman 5.1 software. RESULTS: Nine randomized controlled trials, involving 1153 participants, were included. All of them had moderate risk of bias. Meta analysis revealed that gingival retraction paste had better effect on gingival health [RR=1.05, 95%CI (1.00, 1.11), P=0.04], tooth preparation [RR=1.17, 95%CI (1.07, 1.28), P=0.0008] and clarity of the impression and plaster model [RR=1.08, 95%CI (1.03, 1.13), P=0.0009] than gingival retraction cord, and the aptness of the prosthesis was as good as the cord [RR=1.07, 95%CI (0.96, 1.19), P=0.21]. CONCLUSIONS: The gingival retraction paste has better effect on gingival health, tooth preparation and clarity of the impression and plaster model, while the aptness of the prosthesis is as good as the cord and can be considered as a good candidate of the gingival retraction cord, but more randomized controlled trials are needed.

[The correlation of CAGs repeat size with age of onset in patients with Kennedy's disease].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation of CAGs repeat size and age of onset in patients with Kennedy's Disease (KD). METHODS: We detected the number of CAG repeats in the androgen receptor genes in 30 patients with KD. The correlation of CAGs repeat size with age of onset was analyzed. At the same time, the Appel scale that could represent the degree of motor functional impairment was scored in every patient. The correlation of Appel scale with CAGs repeat size and the course of disease were analyzed. RESULTS: Significant correlation was found between the number of CAGs with age of onset (r = -0.671, P < 0.01). There was also correlation between the Appel score and the course of disease (r = 0.855, P < 0.01), but no correlation between the Appel score and the number of CAGs (r = 0.100, P = 0.601). CONCLUSIONS: It is found that in Kennedy' disease, as well as in other CAG repeat diseases, the length of polyglutamine tract determines the age of onset, but has no correlation with the severity of the disease.