[Progress of researches on molecular mechanisms underlying helminth infection-mediated type 1/2 host immune responses].

Helminth infections are widespread worldwide, and pose a serious threat to human health and animal husbandry development. Understanding of helminth-host interactions is critical to effective control and ultimate eradication of helminthiasis. Following host infections, helminth infections firstly initiate innate immune responses and then mediate adaptive immune responses. Type 1 immune responses are predominant at early stage of helminth infections, which mainly play anti-infective actions, and type 2 immune responses are predominant at late stage of infections, which are associated with helminth immune evasion and aggravation of tissue damages. This review summarizes the progress of researches on type 1/2 immune responses-associated signaling pathways mediated by helminth infections in hosts.

Association of interleukin-6 and CD4+ T cells and two-week prognosis of patients with COVID-19: a predictive role.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the association of inflammation and immune responses with the outcomes of patients at various stages, and to develop risk stratification for improving clinical practice and reducing mortality. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We included 77 patients with primary outcomes of either death or survival. Demographics, clinical features, comorbidities, and laboratory tests were compared. Linear, logistic, and Cox regression analyses were performed to determine prognostic factors. RESULTS: The average age was 59 years (35-87 years). There were 12 moderate cases (16.2%), 42 severe cases (54.5%), and 23 critical cases (29.9%); and 41 were male (53.2%). Until March 20, 68 cases were discharged (88.3%), and nine critically ill males (11.7%) died. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels on the 1st day were compared with IL-6 values on the 14th day in the severe and the critically ill surviving patients (F=4.90, p=0.034, ß=0.35, 95% CI: 0.00-0.10), and predicted death in the critically ill patients (p=0.028, ß=0.05, OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01-1.10). CD4+ T-cell counts at admission decreased the hazard ratio of death (p=0.039, ß=-0.01, hazard ratio=0.99, 95% CI: 0.98-1.00, and median survival time 13.5 days). CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated that IL-6 levels and CD4+ T-cell count at admission played key roles of predictors in the prognosis, especially for critically ill patients. High levels of IL-6 and impaired CD4+t cells are seen in severe and critically ill patients with COVID-19.

Levels of peripheral IL-6 and CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and their prognostic significance in COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to discuss the prognostic significance of peripheral interleukin-6 (IL-6) and CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in COVID-19. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty-four COVID-19 patients were retrospectively analyzed and classified into three groups, including the moderate group (15 cases), the serious group (45 cases), and the critical group (24 cases). The levels of peripheral IL-6, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ were determined for each group. It was assessed whether these indicators were correlated to the prognosis and death risks of COVID-19 patients. RESULTS: The three groups of COVID-19 patients differed significantly in the levels of peripheral IL-6 and CD4+ and CD8+ cells. The IL-6 levels in the critical, moderate, and serious groups were increased successively, but the changed levels of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were just opposite to that of IL-6 (p<0.05). The peripheral IL-6 level increased dramatically in the death group, while the levels of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells decreased significantly (p<0.05). The peripheral IL-6 level was significantly correlated with the level of CD8+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio in the critical group (p<0.05). The logistic regression analysis indicated a dramatic increase in the peripheral IL-6 level in the death group (p=0.025). CONCLUSIONS: The aggressiveness and survival of COVID-19 were highly correlated with the increases in IL-6 and CD4+/CD8+ T cells. The fatalities of COVID-19 individuals remained at increased incidence due to elevated peripheral IL-6 levels.

Changes in bone mineral density in Down syndrome individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data evaluating changes in bone mineral density (BMD) in Down syndrome (DS) individuals remains controversial. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to better understand associations between BMD and DS. A systematic literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library up until 1st January 2021 was conducted. We used the keywords "bone mineral density" and "Down Syndrome." Fifteen studies were included. Overall, our results showed a significant decrease in BMD of total body (TB BMD) [MD = - 0.18; 95% CI (- 0.23 and - 0.12), P < 0.00001, I2 = 89%], total hip (TH BMD) [MD = - 0.12; 95% CI (- 0.15 and - 0.10), P < 0.00001, I2 = 0%], lumbar spine (LS BMD) [MD = - 0.12; 95% CI (- 0.14 and - 0.09), P < 0.00001, I2 = 18%], and femoral neck (FN BMD) [MD = - 0.08; 95% CI (- 0.10 and - 0.06), P < 0.00001, I2 = 0%] in DS individuals when compared with controls. Moreover, the volumetric BMD of lumbar spine (LS vBMD) [MD = - 0.01; 95% CI (- 0.02 and - 0.01), P = 0.0004, I2 = 19%] also showed a decreasing tendency while the volumetric BMD of the femoral neck (FN vBMD) [MD = 0.01; 95% CI (0.00 and 0.02), P = 0.02, I2 = 0%] was elevated in DS individuals versus controls. These findings demonstrated that individuals with DS had a decreased total and regional (TH, LS, and FN) BMD when compared with the general population. Additionally, when BMD was adjusted for skeletal volume, LS vBMD was also lower, while FN vBMD was elevated in DS individuals versus controls.

[Consideration and prevention of the aerosol transmission of 2019 novel coronavirus].

This article was published ahead of print on the official website of Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology on March 14, 2020. Novel coronavirus pneumonia broke out and spread to the whole nation since December 2019. The fight against the virus is now at a critical stage. Previous epidemiological investigations and animal experiments suggested aerosol could perform as a virus transmitter. Based on the clinical observation, the possibility of aerosol transmission of 2019 novel coronavirus has aroused much attention. This article focuses on the feature of aerosol transmission and the pathogens involved in. We analyze the possibility of aerosol transmission of the novel coronavirus. Relevant strategies for preventing novel coronavirus pneumonia are established for the medical personnel and general public during their work or daily life. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2020, 56:653-656).

Linear polarization grating combining a circular polarization grating with a special cycloidal diffractive quarter waveplate.

We introduce and demonstrate a switchable novel linear polarization grating (LPG) consisting of a circular polarization grating (CPG) and a special cycloidal diffractive quarter waveplate (CQWP). The CQWP is developed that marvelously matches the polarization-state of beams passing through the CPG. Such an LPG is so polarization-sensitive that it can split an incident linear polarized beam into two proportionally controllable left- or right-handed circularly polarized lights. We establish rigorous simulation model based on finite element method to investigate near-field polarization-state distribution of CPGs. Furthermore, LPGs are demonstrated and the diffraction properties are obtained with simulation and Jones Matrix analysis. The combination of CPGs and CQWPs is achieved with polymerizable liquid crystal. The experimental results of deflection angle and polarization selectivity of LPGs are consistent with those of simulation.

Predicting gastro-oesophageal variceal bleeding in hepatitis B-related cirrhosis by CT radiomics signature.

AIM: To develop liver a computed tomography (CT) radiomics model to predict gastro-oesophageal variceal bleeding (GVB) secondary to hepatitis B-related cirrhosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Electronic medical records and image data of liver triple-phase contrast-enhanced CT examinations of 295 patients with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis were collected retrospectively from two hospitals. Two hundred and thirty-six and 59 patients were enrolled randomly into the training and validation cohorts, respectively; and 75 in the training cohort and 16 in the validation cohort endured GVB while the others did not during follow-up period. Radiomics features of the liver were extracted from the portal venous phase images, and clinical features came from medical records. The tree-based method and univariate feature selection were used to select useful features. The radiomics model, clinical model, and integration of radiomics and clinical models were built using the useful image features and/or clinical features. Predicting performance of three models was evaluated with the area under receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy, and F-1 score. RESULTS: Twenty-one useful radiomics features and/or three clinical features were selected to build prediction models that correlated with GVB. AUC of integration of radiomics and clinical models was larger than of clinical or radiomics models for the training cohort (0.83±0.09 versus 0.64±0.08 or 0.82±0.10) and the validation cohort (0.64 versus 0.61 or 0.61). Integration of radiomics and clinical models obtained good performance in predicting GVB for both the training and validation cohorts (accuracy: 0.76±0.07 and 0.73, and F-1 score: 0.77±0.09 and 0.72, respectively). CONCLUSION: Integration of the radiomics and clinical models may be a non-invasive method to predict GVB.

Tuning the Distance to a Possible Ferromagnetic Quantum Critical Point in A_{2}Cr_{3}As_{3}.

Although superconductivity in the vicinity of an antiferromagnetic (AFM) instability has been extensively explored in the last three decades or so, superconductivity in compounds with a background of ferromagnetic (FM) spin fluctuations is still rare. We report ^{75}As nuclear quadrupole resonance measurements on the A_{2}Cr_{3}As_{3} family, which is the first group of Cr-based superconductors at ambient pressure, with A being alkali elements. From the temperature dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation rate (1/T_{1}), we find that by changing A in the order of A=Na, Na_{0.75}K_{0.25}, K, and Rb, the system is tuned to approach a possible FM quantum critical point (QCP). This may be ascribed to the Cr2-As2-Cr2 bond angle that decreases towards 90°, which enhances the FM interaction via the Cr2-As2-Cr2 path. Upon moving away from the QCP, the superconducting transition temperature T_{sc} increases progressively up to 8.0 K in Na_{2}Cr_{3}As_{3}, which is in sharp contrast to the AFM case where T_{sc} usually shows a maximum around a QCP. The 1/T_{1} decreases rapidly below T_{sc} with no Hebel-Slichter peak, and ubiquitously follows a T^{5} variation below a characteristic temperature T^{*}≈0.6 T_{sc}, which indicates the existence of point nodes in the superconducting gap function commonly in the family. These results suggest that the A_{2}Cr_{3}As_{3} family is a possible solid-state analog of superfluid ^{3}He.

Two-dimensional symmetrical radial sub-aperture coherence and the local precision defect elimination method for high-precision beam steering.

Sub-aperture coherence (SAC) is a classical phase control method for high-precision beam steering using liquid crystal optical phased arrays (LCOPA). On this basis, radial sub-aperture coherence (RSAC) and symmetrical radial sub-aperture coherence (SRSAC) were proposed, which guarantee the stability of steering angles when the beam aperture and incident position fluctuate. In this article, the pre-existing one-dimensional SRSAC was firstly extended to a more universal 2D phase generation algorithm. Meanwhile, for the intractable problem of local precision defects caused by the basic two-dimensional variable period grating (2D-VPG) algorithm, we tracked their locations accurately and designed a targeted elimination method carefully. So these remarkable error peaks could be thoroughly removed by using 2D-SRSAC optimized by the local precision defect elimination method. Since then, all the excellent performance of 1D-SRSAC can be perfectly transplanted to 2D, which makes the non-mechanical beam steering technology using LCOPA more mature and competitive in the applications required ultra-high precision.

Radial sub-aperture coherence method used to achieve beam steering with high precision and stability.

Sub-aperture coherence (SAC) algorithm, which is based on the classical phase modulation method called variable period grating (VPG), was usually used to control liquid crystal optical phased arrays (LCOPA) to achieve agile beam steering with high precision. However, the beam steering angle of SAC is severely affected by the beam aperture, which limits the generality of the algorithm distinctly. In this article, two kinds of new phase modulation method have been proposed to solve this problem, which were named as radial sub-aperture coherence (RSAC) and symmetrical radial sub-aperture coherence (SRSAC). By using RSAC, the holistic drift of steering angle, which is caused by the variation of beam aperture, can be effectively avoided. In addition, a series of equidistant steering points with ultra-high precision can be obtained. Upon this basis, SRSAC greatly enhances the steering angle's stability in the presence of system alignment error and relative vibration. Thus, the practicability of LCOPA for beam steering can be improved effectively.

Gradient cross-correlation algorithm for scene-based Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing.

Scene-based wavefront sensing currently uses the periodic-correlation algorithm based on fast Fourier transforms. However, when the object scene contains features at the field edges, the performance of the algorithm is poor due to the periodicity of fast Fourier transforms, called wraparound effect. In this paper, we propose an algorithm based on the gradient cross-correlation. Both simulation and experiment results show its dramatic effectiveness against the wraparound effect, and a considerable improvement is obtained in image resolution with closed loop adaptive optics correction.

High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation over the left DLPFC for major depression: Session-dependent efficacy: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Depression is a major debilitating psychiatric disorder. Current antidepressant drugs are often associated with side effects or treatment resistance. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate therapeutic effects of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) in major depression (MD). METHODS: The medical data bases of PubMed, Medline, Embase and Cochrane Central Register were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting the therapeutic effects of high-frequency rTMS for depression, which were published in English between January 1990 and June 2016. The index terms were "depress*", "depression" and "transcranial magnetic stimulation". Depression outcome data of different sessions (5, 10, 15, and 20 sessions of rTMS treatment) were extracted and synthesized by calculating standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) by using a random-effect model. Within each session group, the subgroup analyses based on the number of pulses (≤1000, 1200-1500, 1600-1800, and 2000-3000) were also conducted. RESULTS: Thirty RCTs with a total of 1754 subjects including 1136 in the rTMS group and 618 in the sham group were included in this meta-analysis. rTMS had a significant overall therapeutic effect on depression severity scores (SMD=-0.73, P<0.00001). The five, 10, 15, 20 sessions of rTMS treatments yielded the significant mean effect sizes of -0.43, -0.60, -1.13, and -2.74, respectively. In the four groups (5, 10, 15, 20 sessions), the maximal mean effect size was all obtained in the subgroup of 1200-1500 pulses per day (-0.97, -1.14, -1.91, -5.47; P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The increasing of HF-rTMS sessions is associated with the increased efficacy of HF-rTMS in reducing depressed patients' symptom severity. A total number of pulses of 1200-1500 per day appear to deliver the best antidepressant effects of HF-rTMS.

Calpain-activated mTORC2/Akt pathway mediates airway smooth muscle remodelling in asthma.

BACKGROUND: Allergic asthma is characterized by inflammation and airway remodelling. Airway remodelling with excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) and larger smooth muscle mass are correlated with increased airway responsiveness and asthma severity. Calpain is a family of calcium-dependent endopeptidases, which plays an important role in ECM remodelling. However, the role of calpain in airway smooth muscle remodelling remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of calpain in asthmatic airway remodelling as well as the underlying mechanism. METHODS: The mouse asthma model was made by ovalbumin sensitization and challenge. Calpain conditional knockout mice were studied in the model. Airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) were isolated from smooth muscle bundles in airway of rats. Cytokines IL-4, IL-5, TNF-α, and TGF-ß1, and serum from patients with asthma were selected to treated ASMCs. Collagen-I synthesis, cell proliferation, and phosphorylation of Akt in ASMCs were analysed. RESULTS: Inhibition of calpain using calpain knockout mice attenuated airway smooth muscle remodelling in mouse asthma models. Cytokines IL-4, IL-5, TNF-α, and TGF-ß1, and serum from patients with asthma increased collagen-I synthesis, cell proliferation, and phosphorylation of Akt in ASMCs, which were blocked by the calpain inhibitor MDL28170. Moreover, MDL28170 reduced cytokine-induced increases in Rictor protein, which is the most important component of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2). Blockage of the mTORC2 signal pathway prevented cytokine-induced phosphorylation of Akt, collagen-I synthesis, and cell proliferation of ASMCs and attenuated airway smooth muscle remodelling in mouse asthma models. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Our results indicate that calpain mediates cytokine-induced collagen-I synthesis and proliferation of ASMCs via the mTORC2/Akt signalling pathway, thereby regulating airway smooth muscle remodelling in asthma.

Hybrid particle swarm global optimization algorithm for phase diversity phase retrieval.

The core problem of phase diversity phase retrieval (PDPR) is to find suitable optimization algorithms for wave-front sensing of different scales, especially for large-scale wavefront sensing. When dealing with large-scale wave-front sensing, existing gradient-based local optimization algorithms used in PDPR are easily trapped in local minimums near initial positions, and available global optimization algorithms possess low convergence efficiency. We construct a practicable optimization algorithm used in PDPR for large-scale wave-front sensing. This algorithm, named EPSO-BFGS, is a two-step hybrid global optimization algorithm based on the combination of evolutionary particle swarm optimization (EPSO) and the Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno (BFGS) algorithm. Firstly, EPSO provides global search and obtains a rough global minimum position in limited search steps. Then, BFGS initialized by the rough global minimum position approaches the global minimum with high accuracy and fast convergence speed. Numerical examples testify to the feasibility and reliability of EPSO-BFGS for wave-front sensing of different scales. Two numerical cases also validate the ability of EPSO-BFGS for large-scale wave-front sensing. The effectiveness of EPSO-BFGS is further affirmed by performing a verification experiment.

Orthogonal design in the optimization of a start codon targeted (SCoT) PCR system in Roegneria kamoji Ohwi.

Roegneria kamoji Ohwi is an excellent forage grass due to its high feeding value and high resistance to some biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphism has not been conducted on R. kamoji. In this study, an orthogonal L16 (45) design was employed to investigate the effects of five factors (Mg2+, dNTPs, Taq DNA polymerase, primer, and template DNA) on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to determine the optimal SCoT-PCR system for R. kamoji. The results showed that the most suitable conditions for SCoT-PCR in R. kamoji included 1.5 mM Mg2+, 0.15 mM dNTPs, 1.0 U Taq DNA polymerase, 0.4 pM primer, and 40 ng template DNA. SCoT primers 39 and 41 were used to verify the stability of the optimal reaction system, and amplification bands obtained from diverse samples were found to be clear, rich, and stable in polymorphisms, indicating that this reaction system can be used for SCoT-PCR analysis of R. kamoji. We have developed a simple and rapid way to study the mutual effects of factors and to obtain positive results through the use of an orthogonal design L16 (45) to optimize the SCoT-PCR system. This method may provide basic information for molecular marker-assisted breeding and analyses of genetic diversity in R. kamoji.

Spontaneous renal hemorrhage caused by invasive mole: a case report.

CASE: The authors report a case with spontaneous renal hemorrhage caused by invasive mole. The diagnosis was gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD), with metastasis to brain, kidneys, and lungs at Stage IV. The patient was given etoposide-methotrexate-actinomycin D plus cyclophosphamide-vincristine (EMACO) treatment regimen for 11 times including three times with consolidation chemotherapies. Laparoscopically-assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) + laparoscopic-assisted left renal excision + evacuation of the left perirenal hematoma were performed during the eighth chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Post-operational pathological examination revealed trophoblasts within the lesions present in uterine fundus and the residue images of a few trophoblasts present in the left renal mass.