Therapeutic effects of deep pharyngeal electrical stimulation combined with modified masako maneuver on aspiration in patients with stroke.

BACKGROUND: Stroke patients often experience difficulty swallowing. OBJECTIVE: To assist in the improvement of dysphagia symptoms by introducing a novel approach to the treatment of patients with post-stroke aspiration. METHODS: A total of 60 patients with post-stroke aspiration were enrolled and divided into an experimental group (n = 30) and a control group (n = 30). The control group received standard treatment, sham intraoral stimulation, and the Masako maneuver, while the experimental group was administered standard treatment, deep pharyngeal electrical stimulation (DPES), and a modified Masako maneuver. Changes in their Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) and Rosenbek scale scores were observed. RESULTS: The FOIS scores of both groups increased significantly after treatment (p < 0.01, respectively). The Rosenbek scale scores of both groups decreased significantly after treatment, with the experimental group scoring significantly lower than the control group (1.01±0.09 vs. 2.30±0.82) (p < 0.05). After treatment, the overall response rate in the experimental group (93.33%) was significantly higher than that in the control group (83.33%) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In terms of effectively improving dysphagia in aspiration patients after stroke, DPES combined with modified Masako maneuver is clinically recommended.

Effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy combined with isokinetic strength training on spastic calf triceps in patients after a stroke: a double-blinded randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the antitetanic effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) combined with isokinetic strength training (IST) on calf triceps spasm in patients after a stroke. METHODS: Forty-five patients with hemiplegia after a stroke and lower extremity spasms were randomly assigned into three groups: a control group (n = 15), an ESWT group (n = 15) and an ESWT+IST group (n = 15). All patients agreed to conventional rehabilitation therapy, while the ESWT and ESWT+IST groups received ESWT of 2.0-3.0 bar once a week for four weeks. In addition, the ESWT+IST group underwent four weeks of ankle IST. All groups were assessed using the modified Ashworth scale (MAS) and surface electromyography before and after four weeks of treatment. The ankle passive movement of all groups was measured using the BIODEX isokinetic system at angular velocities of 60°/s, 120°/s, 180°/s and 240°/s. RESULTS: After four weeks of treatment, compared with the control group, the ESWT+IST groups showed a significant reduction in MASscores (P = 0.030). The ESWT+IST group had significantly lower MAS scores than the baseline (P = 0.002), while the ESWT group did not show a significant difference (P = 0.072). The average electromyography (AEMG) analysis demonstrated a significant difference among the groups after four weeks (P = 0.001), with the ESWT+IST group having lower AEMG values compared with the control group (P < 0.001) and the ESWT group (P = 0.042). Peak resistive torque significantly decreased in both the ESWT and ESWT+IST groups at all velocities (60°/s: P = 0.030, 120°/s: P = 0.039, 180°/s: P = 0.030 and 240°/s: P = 0.042). CONCLUSIONS: Extracorporeal shock wave therapy combined with IST can significantly improve calf triceps spasm in patients after a stroke.

Doxorubicin resistance in breast cancer is mediated via the activation of FABP5/PPARγ and CaMKII signaling pathway.

Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignancy among women. Doxorubicin (Dox) resistance was one of the major obstacles to improving the clinical outcome of breast cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the FABP signaling pathway and Dox resistance in breast cancer. The resistance property of MCF-7/ADR cells was evaluated employing CCK-8, Western blot (WB), and confocal microscopy techniques. The glycolipid metabolic properties of MCF-7 and MCF-7/ADR cells were identified using transmission electron microscopy, PAS, and Oil Red O staining. FABP5 and CaMKII expression levels were assessed through GEO and WB approaches. The intracellular calcium level was determined by flow cytometry. Clinical breast cancer patient's tumor tissues were evaluated by immunohistochemistry to determine FABP5 and p-CaMKII protein expression. In the presence or absence of FABP5 siRNA or the FABP5-specific inhibitor SBFI-26, Dox resistance was investigated utilizing CCK-8, WB, and colony formation methods, and intracellular calcium level was examined. The binding ability of Dox was explored by molecular docking analysis. The results indicated that the MCF-7/ADR cells we employed were Dox-resistant MCF-7 cells. FABP5 expression was considerably elevated in MCF-7/ADR cells compared to parent MCF-7 cells. FABP5 and p-CaMKII expression were increased in resistant patients than in sensitive individuals. Inhibition of the protein expression of FABP5 by siRNA or inhibitor increased Dox sensitivity in MCF-7/ADR cells and lowered intracellular calcium, PPARγ, and autophagy. Molecular docking results showed that FABP5 binds more powerfully to Dox than the known drug resistance-associated protein P-GP. In summary, the PPARγ and CaMKII axis mediated by FABP5 plays a crucial role in breast cancer chemoresistance. FABP5 is a potentially targetable protein and therapeutic biomarker for the treatment of Dox resistance in breast cancer.

Establishment of loop-mediated isothermal amplification for Brucella detection using a warmer pad as a heating source.

The study sought to establish a sensitive and specific on-site loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for Brucella heated using a warmer pad. LAMP primers specific to the conserved BvrR gene were designed, and the LAMP reaction was optimized. The heating characteristics of the warmer pad were investigated. The detection validity (specificity, sensitivity) of clinical samples by warmer-pad LAMP (WP-LAMP) was compared with that of qPCR. The WP-LAMP method displayed high specificity and sensitivity for five Brucella gene copies. The detection of 104 clinical samples was 97.1% concordant with quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results showed the success of the WP-LAMP for on-site detection. The method requires no special equipment and is conducive to the prevention and control of brucellosis.

Functional Plasticity of Foraging Shelter Tubes Built by Termites.

Social insects' constructions are diverse and functionally flexible. We aimed to understand how termites modify their behavior and building material to change the function of a shelter tube. Construction behaviors of three termite species, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae), Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki) (Blattodea: Termitidae), and Nasutitermes takasagoensis (Nawa) (Blattodea: Termitidae), were recorded and analyzed. We measured the thickness and organic matter content of shelter tubes, and further tested their water loss and water drop resistance. All three termite species used a cement-brick construction procedure. The shelter tubes of C. formosanus and N. takasagoensis incorporating of woody material and feces present a strong resistance to water drops. Shelter tubes of the fungus-growing termite, O. formosanus, constructed using only soil and fluid secretion had a weak resistance to water drops. The trade-off between using feces to increase hydrophobicity of shelter tubes and using feces to grow fungus likely occurs in fungus-growing termites. Among intraspecific colonies, increasing the thickness of shelter tube improved resistance to water loss and water drops. This study demonstrated termites employed limited construction material and building behaviors to achieve functional plasticity of foraging shelter.

Clinical outcome and related risk factors of acute pancreatitis complicated with acute kidney injury / 中华胰腺病杂志

Objective:To investigate clinical outcome and the risk factors for death in acute pancreatitis (AP) patients complicated with acute kidney injury (AKI).Methods:The clinical data of 232 AP patients complicated with AKI admitted to the Center of Severe Pancreatitis of Jinling Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University School of Medicine from January 2016 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into survival group ( n=162) and death group ( n=70) based on the survival status. The two groups' clinical characteristics, biochemical indexes, and renal function indexes were compared. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the independent risk factors for death in AP patients complicated with AKI. Results:Sixteen patients(6.9%) among the 232 had AKI Ⅰ, 15(6.5%) had AKI Ⅱ, and 201(86.6%) had AKI Ⅲ. Forty-one patients (17.7%) became AKI with a disease course <7 days, 184 patients (79.3%) gradually progressed to acute kidney disease with a disease course of 7-90 days, and 7 patients (3.0%) eventually progressed to chronic kidney disease with a disease course >90 days. Renal replacement treatment (RRT) was administered in 179 patients (77.2%), lasting an average of 14 (7-25) days. 138 patients (59.5%) had their renal function recovered while they were hospitalized, including 9 patients (6.5%) who did so within 7 days, 69 patients (50.0%) within 30 days, and 127 patients (92.0%) within 90 days. The average recovery time was 16 (7-28) days. Seventy patients (30.2%) died during hospitalization, including 8(3.5%) within 7 days, 42(18.1%) within 30 days, and 68(29.3%) within 90 days. Univariate analysis revealed that the proportions of biliary etiology, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), serum cystatin C, sequential organ failure assessment(SOFA) score, AKI Ⅲ proportion, number of patients undergoing RRT, and duration of AKI were significantly higher in the death group compared to the survival group. The number of patients complicated by infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) and having surgical intervention was also significantly greater than that in the survival group, while the proportion of patients whose renal function recovered was much lower than that in the survival group. The differences were all statistically significant (all P value <0.05). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that SOFA( OR=1.182, 95% CI 1.000-1.396, P=0.049), and IPN( OR=8.403, 95% CI 3.748-18.838, P<0.001) were independent risk factors for death. Conclusions:SOFA score and IPN at admission were independent risk factors for death in AP patients with AKI. Vigilance should be given as soon as possible to improve the outcome of patients through clinical intervention.

Protective Effect of Ginsenosides Rg1 and Rb1 Against Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Injury Induced by Lipopolysaccharide in Vitro / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of ginsenoside Rg1 and ginsenoside Rb1 on the release of inflammatory factors of human myeloid leukemia monocytes （THP-1） induced by lipopolysaccharide （LPS） and their protective effects on the inflammatory injury of intestinal epithelial cells （Caco-2） induced by THP-1 cell activation based on the co-culture system of THP-1 and Caco-2. MethodFirstly，the microfluidic chip of co-culture of THP-1 and Caco-2 cells was prepared. In the experiment， a blank group， an LPS group， and drug intervention groups were set up.The cells in the blank group were cultured conventionally. In the LPS group，LPS （1 mg·L-1） was added to the lower THP-1 cells after the upper Caco-2 cells formed a monolayer barrier. On the basis of the LPS group， 33 mg·L-1 ginsenoside Rg1 and 33 mg·L-1 ginsenoside Rb1 were added to THP-1 cells respectively. After the co-culture of THP-1 cells and Caco-2 cells for 24 hours， the fluorescein isothiocyanate （FITC）-Dextran fluorescence value in the lower chip channel was detected by FITC-Dextran tracer method. A blank group， an LPS group，and drug intervention groups were set up in the THP-1 cell experiment. THP-1 cells in the blank group were cultured conventionally. In the LPS group， LPS （1 mg·L-1） was added to THP-1 cells.Ginsenoside Rg1 and ginsenoside Rb1 of the corresponding doses （11，33，100 mg·L-1） were added to the drug intervention groups respectively on the basis of the LSP group. After 24 hours of cell culture， the activity of THP-1 cells was detected by cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8）. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect the expression of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and tumor necrosis factor （TNF）-α of THP-1 cells. A blank group， an LPS group， and drug intervention groups were set up in the Caco-2 cell experiment. Caco-2 cells in the blank group were cultured conventionally， and in other groups， the corresponding cell supernatant in the second part of the THP-1 cell experiment was employed in Caco-2 cells. After 24 hours of cell culture，the activity of Caco-2 cells was detected by CCK-8. Real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of IL-6，interleukin-8 （IL-8）， TNF-α， and Occludin of Caco-2 cells. The expression of tight junction protein Occludin in Caco-2 cells was detected by Western blot. ResultBoth ginsenoside Rg1 and ginsenoside Rb1 could effectively protect LPS-induced intestinal epithelial barrier permeability in the co-culture system of THP-1 and Caco-2 cells （P<0.01）. Ginsenosides Rg1 and Rb1 antagonized LPS-induced increased expression of IL-6，IL-1β， and TNF-α in THP-1 cells （P<0.05）. When the supernatant of THP-1 cells treated with ginsenosides Rg1 and Rb1 was co-cultured with Caco-2 cells， the expression of IL-6，IL-8， and TNF-α in Caco-2 cells was significantly reduced （P<0.01）， and the expression of tight junction protein Occludin was up-regulated. ConclusionIn the co-culture system of THP-1 and Caco-2 cells simulating the intestinal epithelial barrier function in vitro，ginsenosides Rg1 and Rb1 play a protective role against LPS-induced intestinal epithelial barrier injury by regulating the release of inflammatory cytokines by THP-1 cells， thereby regulating the inflammatory response and cell barrier integrity of Caco-2 cells.

The mitogenome of common snipe, Gallinago gallinago gallinago Linnaeus, 1758 and evolutionary implications for the family Scolopacidae.

The mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Gallinago gallinago gallinago Linnaeus, 1758 was determined by the high-throughput data. The assembled mitogenome was 16,919 bp in length, with a 58.7% A + T content and GC skew of -0.3850. Among 13 PCGs, an unusual start codon (GTG) was identified for the COX1 gene, and incomplete stop codons (T-) were found in the COX3, ND2 and ND4 genes. The function of a cytosine insertion at site 174 in the ND3 gene and its phylogenetic significance are worthy of further scrutiny. In the control region (CR), thirteen 15-bp simple sequence repeats were found in G. g. gallinago. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Gallinago was clustered at the basal position of the Scolopax clade and that the monophyly of Gallinago was also recovered. The mitogenome data of G. g. gallinago provides useful resources for further studying the evolution of Scolopacidae.

Termite Pest Identification Method Based on Deep Convolution Neural Networks.

Several species of drywood termites, subterranean termites, and fungus-growing termites cause extensive economic losses annually worldwide. Because no universal method is available for controlling all termites, correct species identification is crucial for termite management. Despite deep neural network technologies' promising performance in pest recognition, a method for automatic termite recognition remains lacking. To develop an automated deep learning classifier for termite image recognition suitable for mobile applications, we used smartphones to acquire 18,000 original images each of four termite pest species: Kalotermitidae: Cryptotermes domesticus (Haviland); Rhinotermitidae: Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki and Reticulitermes flaviceps (Oshima); and Termitidae: Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki). Each original image included multiple individuals, and we applied five image segmentation techniques for capturing individual termites. We used 24,000 individual-termite images (4 species × 2 castes × 3 groups × 1,000 images) for model development and testing. We implemented a termite classification system by using a deep learning-based model, MobileNetV2. Our models achieved high accuracy scores of 0.947, 0.946, and 0.929 for identifying soldiers, workers, and both castes, respectively, which is not significantly different from human expert performance. We further applied image augmentation techniques, including geometrical transformations and intensity transformations, to individual-termite images. The results revealed that the same classification accuracy can be achieved by using 1,000 augmented images derived from only 200 individual-termite images, thus facilitating further model development on the basis of many fewer original images. Our image-based identification system can enable the selection of termite control tools for pest management professionals or homeowners.

High-purity DNA extraction from animal tissue using picking in the TRIzol-based method.

TRIzol is used for the extraction of RNA, DNA and proteins from tissues or cells. Here, we present a simple picking method to extract DNA from tissues using TRIzol. Spectrophotometric analysis showed that the 260/280 and 260/230 nm optical density ratio of the picking method's DNA is ideal and better than that obtained by the classic TRIzol method. Gel electrophoresis showed that there was no RNA contamination, and the DNA had not degraded. DNA extracted by the picking method had the same performance in restriction enzyme digestion and quantitative PCR as that obtained by the traditional method. Viral DNA in the infected tissue was also obtained. This modified method facilitates various molecular biology assays.

3D nanointerface enhanced optical microfiber for real-time detection and sizing of single nanoparticles.

Portable devices, which can detect and characterize the individual nanoparticles in real time, are of insignificant interest for early diagnosis, homeland security, semiconductor manufacturing and environmental monitoring. Optical microfibers present a good potential in this field, however, are restricted by the sensitivity limit. This study reports the development of a 3D plasmonic nanointerface, which is made of a Cu-BTC framework supporting Cu3-xP nanocrystals, enhancing the optical microfiber for real-time detection and sizing of single nanoparticles. The Cu3-xP nanocrystals are successfully embedded in the 3D Cu-BTC framework. The localized-surface plasmon resonance is tuned to coincide with the evanescent field of the optical microfiber. The 3D Cu-BTC framework, as the scaffold of nanocrystals, confines the local resonance field on the microfiber with three dimensions, at which the binding of target nanoparticles occurs. Based on the evanescent field confinement and surface enhancement by the nanointerface, the optical microfiber sensor overcomes its sensitivity limit, and enables the detection and sizing of the individual nanoparticles. The compact size and low optical power supply of the sensor confirm its suitability as a portable device for the real-time single-nanoparticle characterization, especially for the convenient evaluation of the ultrafine particles in the environment. This work opens up an approach to overcome the sensitivity limit of the optical microfibers, as long with stimulating the portable real-time single-nanoparticle detection and sizing.

Reliability and Validity of Extended Barthel Index for Stroke Patients / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To study the reliability and validity of extended Barthel Index (EBI) in the assessment of activities of daily living (ADL) for stroke patients. Methods:From January, 2018 to October 2019, 136 stroke inpatients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University were conveniently sampled. They were assessed with EBI by rater A twice within 48 hours after admission, with interval above twelve hours; and by rater B within 24 hours. They were also assessed with modified Barthel Index (MBI) and Function Independence Measure (FIM) within 48 hours after admission by rater C. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of retest and inter-rater of EBI were calculated, as well as the Cronbach's α coefficient, Spearman correlation coefficient between scores of items and total, and Spearman correlation coefficient of EBI to MBI or FIM. The construct validity of EBI was tested with factor analysis. Results:The retest ICC of items was 0.766 to 0.953; the retest ICC of motor and cognitive items was 0.938 and 0.845, respectively; the retest ICC of total was 0.891. The inter-rater ICC of items was 0.728 to 0.976, the inter-rater ICC of motor and cognitive items was 0.948 and 0.717, respectively; the inter-rater ICC of total was 0.866. The Cronbach's α coefficient of EBI was 0.885. The correlation coefficients were above 0.4 in all the items (P < 0.001) to the total, except the item of vision (r = 0.215, P < 0.05). The correlation of items of EBI to MBI was significant (r = 0.648 to 0.958, P < 0.01), as well as those of EBI to FIM (r = 0.722 to 0.976, P < 0.01). Four components were extracted with principal component analysis, accumulated to 72.19% of the variable; after the vision item was removed, three principal components were extracted, accumulated to 69.09% of the variable. The component 1 was mainly about sphincter control and some advanced brain functions (communication and social cognition), component 2 mainly about ADL related to lower extremities, and component 3 mainly about ADL related to upper extremities. Conclusion:EBI is reliable and valid in the assessment of ADL for stroke patients.

Digesta retention time and recovery rates of ants and termites in Chinese pangolins (Manis pentadactyla).

Pangolins are myrmecophagous mammals whose biology and ecology remain poorly studied. Termite mandibles and ant head capsules are the two primary remains found in pangolin feces. Determining the retention time of insect cuticles is important for understanding the digestive physiology of pangolins, while determining the recovery rate of termites and ants in feces is required to estimate the number of these prey items that are consumed by pangolins. In this study, the authors conducted feeding trials with captive Chinese pangolins (Manis pentadactyla). Sixty grams of the fungus-growing termite Odontotermes formosanus (18,816 individuals) and 15-20 g of the yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes (14,400-19,200 individuals) were fed to each pangolin. After feeding, pangolin feces were collected daily for 1 week. The authors also assessed the accuracy of using chromium (III) oxide powder (Cr2 O3 ) as a proxy for determining gut passage time, as has been done in previous studies. The results showed that remaining termite mandibles and ant head capsules in feces peaked at 66 and 90 hr after feeding and their recovery rates were 0.35 ± 0.10 and 0.65 ± 0.04, respectively. In both feeding trials, the retention time of Cr2 O3 was much shorter than that of the termite mandibles and ant head capsules, indicating that Cr2 O3 is not an appropriate indicator for estimating food retention time of myrmecophagous animals. Our results revealed that the ant head capsules were preserved better in feces compared with the termite mandibles, suggesting that termites may be considerably underestimated in the feces of wild pangolins.

Retinal vessel density and retinal thickness as measured using optical coherence tomography angiography in open angle glaucoma / 中华实验眼科杂志

Objective:To investigate the discriminant function of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in the diagnosis of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and to evaluate the correlation between vessel density, as measured by OCTA, and visual field mean defect (MD) in patients with POAG.Methods:A case control study was designed.Ninety-five eyes of 54 patients with POAG and ninety-six eyes of 48 healthy subjects in Changsha Aier Eye Hospital were included in this study.The vessel density in the radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) network, the macular vessel density, the ganglion cell complex (GCC) layer thickness, the macular thickness, and the retinal nerve fiber layer thickness were tested for correlation with MD.The aera under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUC), as well as sensitivities at fixed vessel density specificities in the RPC network, and macular regions were analyzed.ROC regression was used to evaluate the effect of covariates on the diagnostic abilities.The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Changsha Aier Eye Hospital.Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects prior to entering the study cohort.Results:Compared with the normal control group, the macular area and vessel density in the RPC network were significantly decreased in the POAG group ( P<0.001). Also in the POAG group, except for the capillary density inside the disc, all other measurements including the density of superficial capillaries in the macula, the density of deep capillaries in the macula, the density of RPC layers around the optic disc, the average capillary density of the optic disc RPC layer, the capillary density of the optic disc RPC layer (above, below, nasal, and temporal), the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer, the thickness of the whole macular layer, and the thickness of the GCC layer of the macula area were positively correlated with the MD value ( r=0.586, 0.352, 0.610, 0.592, 0.598, 0.589, 0.445, 0.587, 0.578, 0.530, 0.609; all at P<0.01). The AUCs of vessel densities ranged from 0.623 to 0.927.The highest diagnostic efficiency was the RPC vessel density (whole image), the AUC value was 0.927. Conclusions:The OCTA parameters have a high diagnostic ability for POAG, except for the capillary density of inside the disc, all other vascular parameters are positively correlated with the MD value.

Progress and current status of surgical research on gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor / 国际外科学杂志

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is the most common mesenchymal tumor in the gastrointestinal tumor.It has attracted much attention in recent years and become a targeted therapy of precision medical era′s most successful examples. Surgical operation has always been one of the main ways to treat gastric GIST. The surgical methods are multiplex, the skills are complex and the application of laparoscopy is controversial. In combination with recent studies, a brief review is made on the surgical indications, surgical principles and surgical methods of gastric GIST.

Advances in Diagnosis and Management of Subcentimeter Pulmonary Nodules / 中国肺癌杂志

With the widespread use of high-resolution multislice spiral computed tomography and the popularization of regular physical examinations, the prevalence of clinically diagnosed subcentimeter pulmonary nodules is increasing. Subcentimeter pulmonary nodules have low malignant probability, however, the diagnosis and management are of high difficulty and it is likely to misdiagnose and miss malignant nodules. Therefore, the evaluation and management of subcentimeter pulmonary nodules have always been the key points of clinical work. This article reviews and summarizes the progress in the evaluation and management of subcentimeter pulmonary nodules.

The macular vascular density and the area of foveal avascular zone in the follow eyes of monocular retinal vein occlusion patients / 中华眼底病杂志

Objective:To observe the macular vascular density and the area of foveal avascular zone(FAZ) in the follow eyes of monocular retinal vein occlusion (RVO) patients.Methods:Retrospective case-control study. From May to November 2018, 78 follow eyes of 78 monocular RVO patients who were clinically diagnosed in Changsha Aier Eye Hospital were included in the study. Among them, 44 were male and 34 were female. The average age was 53.17±10.12 years. There were 42 patients with central retinal vein occlusion(CRVO group) and 36 patients with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO group). Forty-two eyes of 33 gender and age matched healthy volunteers were selected as the control group. Among them, 17 were male (22 eyes) and 16 were female (20 eyes), with the mean age of 53.48±10.84 years. OCT angiography was performed on all eyes in CRVO group, BRVO group and control group. The scanning region in the macular area was 6 mm× 6 mm. Macular vascular density and FAZ area in the superficial and deep retinal capillary plexi were measured.Results:The mean overall vascular density measured in the entire scan was lower in the CRVO group( t=-4.26, -4.93) and BRVO group ( t=-4.79, -4.74) compared with the control group in both the superficial and deep capillary plexus ( P<0.05). The reduce degree of vascular density in the deep capillary plexus (CRVO group:5.51%, BRVO group:4.58%) was higher than that in the superficial plexus (CRVO group:4.13%, BRVO group:3.50%). In the CRVO group, the FAZ area decreased compared with the control group ( t=-3.43, P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the area of FAZ between the BRVO group and the control group ( t=-0.10, P>0.05). Conclusions:The macular vascular density in the follow eyes of monocular RVO patients is lower than that of normal healthy eyes. The reduce degree of vascular density in the deep capillary plexus is higher than that in the superficial plexus. Compared with normal healthy eyes, the FAZ area in the follow eyes of monocular CRVO patients decreased, while it did not change significantly in the follow eyes of monocular BRVO patients.

On the nonlinear temperature dependence of elastic constants and wave velocities for solid media with applications to geologic materials.

Temperature-induced variations of elastic moduli in solid media are generally characterized by a strong nonlinear dependence on temperature associated with complex deformations under thermal treatments. Conventional thermoelasticity with third-order elastic constants for the one-order temperature dependence has been extensively studied for crystals, but encountering problems of divergent and limited velocity variations for rocks as a polycrystal mixture, especially at high temperatures. The extension of the theory beyond high-order elastic constants to solid media is addressed in this article to describe the nonlinear temperature dependence of both elastic constants and wave velocities. The total strain is divided into the background component associated with temperature variations and the infinitesimal component induced by propagating waves. A third-order temperature dependence of velocity variations is formulated by taking into account fourth-order elastic constants. Applications to solid rocks (sandstone, granite, and olivine) demonstrate an accurate description of temperature-induced variations, especially for high temperatures. Unlike crystals, the synthetic averaging elastic constants for a solid rock (as a polycrystal mixture) change less than 10% with temperatures. The thermal sensitivity of P-wave velocities is much more than that of S-wave velocities over the vast majority of temperatures examined.

Peripheral TREM1 responses to brain and intestinal immunogens amplify stroke severity.

Stroke is a multiphasic process in which initial cerebral ischemia is followed by secondary injury from immune responses to ischemic brain components. Here we demonstrate that peripheral CD11b+CD45+ myeloid cells magnify stroke injury via activation of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (TREM1), an amplifier of proinflammatory innate immune responses. TREM1 was induced within hours after stroke peripherally in CD11b+CD45+ cells trafficking to ischemic brain. TREM1 inhibition genetically or pharmacologically improved outcome via protective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Positron electron tomography imaging using radiolabeled antibody recognizing TREM1 revealed elevated TREM1 expression in spleen and, unexpectedly, in intestine. In the lamina propria, noradrenergic-dependent increases in gut permeability induced TREM1 on inflammatory Ly6C+MHCII+ macrophages, further increasing epithelial permeability and facilitating bacterial translocation across the gut barrier. Thus, following stroke, peripheral TREM1 induction amplifies proinflammatory responses to both brain-derived and intestinal-derived immunogenic components. Critically, targeting this specific innate immune pathway reduces cerebral injury.

Survival, growth and physiology of marine bivalve (Sinonovacula constricta) in long-term low-salt culture.

In this study, we investigated the possibility of rearing and breeding the razor clam (Sinonovacula constricta) in inland low salinity water or freshwater. Long-term low salinity (LS) rearing was performed for 3 months to determine the effects of LS on the survival rate, growth rate, and the activities of critical enzymes in juvenile S. constricta (JSC). The survival rate in the LS group was only 15.67% at the end of the LS rearing test. In the first month, the survival rate in the LS group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.001). The growth rate (shell length growth rate and weight gain rate) was significantly lower in the LS group than the control group in the first month (P < 0.001 for length and weight). However, the growth rates in the two groups differed little during the second and third months. The oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion rates by JSCs were significantly higher in the LS group than the control group during the first month, but they decreased gradually during the following 2 months. The Na+/K+ ATPase and superoxide dismutase activities were significantly higher in the LS group than the control group during the first month, but they then decreased gradually until there were no significant differences between the groups. However, the aspartate aminotransferase activity was higher in the LS group than the control group during all 3 months. Most of the JSCs died due to LS but the survival of some JSCs suggests the possibility of breeding LS resistant or freshwater S. constricta.