Concentration properties of biopolymers via dead-end forward osmosis.

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) in excess sludge of wastewater treatment plants are valuable biopolymers that can act as recovery materials. However, effectively concentrating EPSs consumes a significant amount of energy. This study employed novel energy-saving pressure-free dead-end forward osmosis (DEFO) technology to concentrate various biopolymers, including EPSs and model biopolymers [sodium alginate (SA), bovine serum albumin (BSA), and a mixture of both (denoted as BSA-SA)]. The feasibility of the DEFO technology was proven and the largest concentration ratios for these biopolymers were 94.8 % for EPSs, 97.1 % for SA, 97.8 % for BSA, and 98.4 % for BSA-SA solutions. An evaluation model was proposed, incorporating the FO membrane's water permeability coefficient and the concentrated substances' osmotic resistance, to describe biopolymers' concentration properties. Irrespective of biopolymer type, the water permeability coefficient decreased with increasing osmotic pressure, remained constant with increasing feed solution (FS) concentration, increased with increasing crossing velocity in the draw side, and showed little dependence on draw salt type. In the EPS DEFO concentration process, osmotic resistance was minimally impacted by osmotic pressure, FS concentration, and crossing velocity, and monovalent metal salts were proposed as draw solutes. The interaction between reverse diffusion metal cations and EPSs affected the structure of the concentrated substances on the FO membrane, thus changing the osmotic resistance in the DEFO process. These findings offer insights into the efficient concentration of biopolymers using DEFO.

Mechanism of dexmedetomidine protection against cisplatin induced acute kidney injury in rats.

OBJECTIVE: This study explored the molecular mechanisms by which dexmedetomidine (Dex) alleviates cisplatin (CP)-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) in rats. METHODS: CP-induced AKI models were established, and Dex was intraperitoneally injected at different concentrations into rats in the model groups. Subsequently, rats were assigned to the control, CP, CP + Dex 10 µg/kg, and CP + Dex 25 µg/kg groups. After weighing the kidneys of the rats, the kidney arterial resistive index was calculated, and CP-induced AKI was evaluated. In addition, four serum biochemical indices were measured: histopathological damage in rat kidneys was detected; levels of inflammatory factors, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-18, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha, in kidney tissue homogenate of rats were assessed through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); and levels of NLRP-3, caspase-1, cleaved caspase-1, gasdermin D (GSDMD), and GSDMD-N in kidney tissues of rats were determined via western blotting. RESULTS: Dex treatment reduced nephromegaly and serum clinical marker upregulation caused by CP-induced AKI. In addition, hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed that Dex treatment relieved CP-induced kidney tissue injury in AKI rats. ELISA analyses demonstrated that Dex treatment reduced the upregulated levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the kidney tissue of AKI rats induced by CP, thereby alleviating kidney tissue injury. Western blotting indicated that Dex alleviated CP-induced AKI by inhibiting pyroptosis mediated by NLRP-3 and caspase-1. CONCLUSION: Dex protected rats from CP-induced AKI, and the mechanism may be related to NLRP-3/Caspase-1-mediated pyroptosis.

[Effect of Zuogui Jiangtang Jieyu Formula on intestinal flora and short-chain fatty acid metabolism in rats with diabetes mellitus complicated with depression].

This study aimed to investigate the regulatory effects of Zuogui Jiangtang Jieyu Formula(ZJJ) on the intestinal flora, short chain fatty acids(SCFAs), and neuroinflammation in rats with diabetes mellitus complicated depression(DD). The DD model was established in rats and model rats were randomly divided into a model group, a positive drug(metformin + fluoxetine) group, a ZJJ low-dose group, and a ZJJ high-dose group, with eight rats in each group. Another eight rats were assigned to the blank group. Subsequently, depressive-like behavior test was conducted on the rats, and cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected to measure pro-inflammatory cytokines [interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß), interleukin-6(IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)]. Blood serum samples were collected to measure proteins related to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis(HPA axis), including corticotropin-releasing hormone(CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH), and cortisol(CORT), as well as glucose metabolism. Gut contents were collected from each group for 16S rRNA sequencing analysis of intestinal flora and SCFAs sequencing. The results indicated that ZJJ not only improved glucose metabolism in DD rats(P<0.01) but also alleviated depressive-like behavior(P<0.05) and HPA axis hyperactivity(P<0.05 or P<0.01). Besides, it also improved the neuroinflammatory response in the brain, as evidenced by a significant reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines in cerebrospinal fluid(P<0.05 or P<0.01). Additionally, ZJJ improved the intestinal flora, causing the intestinal flora in DD rats to resemble that of the blank group, characterized by an increased Firmicutes abundance. ZJJ significantly increased the levels of SCFAs(acetic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, and isovaleric acid)(P<0.01). Therefore, it is deduced that ZJJ can effectively ameliorate intestinal flora dysbiosis, regulate SCFAs, and thereby improve both glucose metabolism disturbances and depressive-like behavior in DD.

Effects of anterior sciatic nerve acupuncture on lower limb paralysis after cerebral infarction: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Stroke is the main cause of disability in the middle and old age. Hemiplegia, especially lower limb paralysis, often leads to the loss of self-care ability and a series of secondary injuries. The main method to improve hemiplegic limb movement is exercise therapy, but there are still many patients with disabilities after rehabilitation treatment. As one of the non-pharmacological therapies for stroke, acupuncture has been recognized to improve motor function in patients. Here, we propose a new method, anterior sciatic nerve acupuncture, which can stimulate both the femoral nerve and the sciatic nerve. We designed this study to determine the effect of this method on lower limb motor function. Sixty participants recruited with hemiplegia after cerebral infarction will be randomly assigned to the test group or control group in a 1:1 ratio. The control group will receive Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture, and the test group will receive anterior sciatic nerve acupuncture on this basis. All participants will get acupuncture treatment once a day, 6 times a week for 2 weeks. The primary outcome is Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Lower Extremity and the secondary outcomes are Modified Ashworth Scale and Modified Barthel Index. Data will be collected before treatment, 1 week after treatment, and 2 weeks after treatment, and then statistical analysis will be performed. This study can preliminarily verify the effect of anterior sciatic nerve acupuncture on improving lower limb motor function in patients with cerebral infarction, which may provide an alternative approach for clinical treatment of hemiplegia.

The effectiveness and safety of endoscopic mucosal resection with precutting for rectal neuroendocrine neoplasm smaller than 1 cm in diameter / 中国内镜杂志

Objective To investigate the effectiveness and safety of endoscopic mucosal resection with precutting(EMR-P)for the treatment of rectal neuroendocrine neoplasm(RNEN)smaller than 1 cm in diameter.Methods Clinical data of 177 patients with RNEN smaller than 1 cm in diameter from December 2016 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.According to different treatment protocols,177 patients with RNEN were divided into endoscopic mucosal resection(EMR)group(n = 46),EMR-P group(n = 40)and endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD)group(n = 91).The en bloc resection rate,complete resection rate,operation time,postoperative hospitalization time and incidence of operative complications among the three groups were compared.Results The complete resection rate in the EMR-P group(95.0%)and ESD group(97.8%)were significantly higher than that in the EMR group(87.0%)(P<0.05);The operation time in the EMR-P group(9.86±2.23)min was longer than that in the EMR group(4.12±0.88)min,EMR-P group and EMR group were shorter than that in the ESD group(19.55±3.67)min,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05);Postoperative hospitalization time in the EMR group was(2.45±0.29)d and EMR-P group was(2.43±0.23)d,which were shorter than that in the ESD group(3.30±0.32)d,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).There were no significant difference in the rates of en bloc resection and operative complications among the three groups(P>0.05).Conclusion EMR-P for the treatment of RNEN<1 cm in diameter has the advantages,such as simple operation,short operation time and hospitalization time,high histological complete resection rate and low complication rate,which is worthy of clinical application.

Correlation between low bilirubin levels and hyperthyroidism in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus / 中国糖尿病杂志

Objective To explore the relationship between low bilirubin(T-BIL)levels and hyper-thyroidism in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Methods A total of 186 patients with T2DM admitted to the Endocrinology Department of our hospital were enrolled in this study from January 2019 to August 2022.They were divided into simple T2DM group(n=107)and hyperthyroidism group(HT,n=79)according to whether they were complicated with hyperthyroidism.The influence factors for T2DM patients complicated with hyperthyroidism were evaluated by logistic regression analysis.Results Compared with T2DM group,DM duration,FPG,the proportion of patients with salty taste and nervous increased in HT group(P<0.05),while BMI,T-BIL decreased in HT group(P<0.05).Pearson correlation analysis showed that T-BIL was positively correlated with TSH levels(P<0.05),and negatively correlated with TT3,TT4,FT3 and FT4(P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that DM duration,salty taste,FPG and T-BIL were the influencing factors of T2DM patients with hyperthyroidism.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)Curve showed that the AUC of the model was 0.812(95%CI 0.748～0.839),with sensitivity and specificity 87.4%and 82.6%respectively.Conclusion T-BIL was significantly correlated with TSH and FT3.Low T-BIL level is an independent risk factor for T2DM patients with hyperthyroidism,which is of great significance for predicting whether T2DM patients complicated with hyperthyroidism.

Advances in research and application of ionizing radiation biomarkers / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

Exposure to ionizing radiation intervenes in genomic stability and gene expression,resulting in the disruption of normal metabolic processes in cells and organs by causing complex biolog-ical responses.Altered genomic variations,gene expression and metabolite concentrations in blood or tissue samples reflect systemic radiation damage.With the application of new techniques and exten-sive study on the mechanisms for ionizing radiation damage,related indicators such as chromosomal variation,gene expression,lipid and metabolism are being recognized and promise to be the markers for early diagnosis and prognosis of radiation exposure.Therefore,this article reviews recent progress in and potential applications of biomarkers related to ionizing radiation injury.

Evaluation of short-term effects on 3D printing patient-matched artificial vertebral body in clinical research and application / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of 3D printing patient-matched artificial vertebral body in clinical research and application.Methods:A total of 12 patients with spinal tumors were enrolled 7 males (58.33%) and 5 females (41.67%), aged from 18 to 65 years old in The First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force military Medical University (hereinafter referred to as Xijing Hospital) and Peking University people's Hospital from September 2021 to July 2022. The spinal vertebra defect were restored by using 3D printing patient-matched artificial vertebral body after tumor resection. All patients who accepted TES and 3D printing patient-matched artificial vertebral body implantation were included according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The bone interface fusion was evaluated by the imaging fusion criteria of Brantigan and Steffee at 3 and 6 months after operation, the curative effect was evaluated by comparing Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score at 3 and 6 months after operation, visual analogue scale (VAS) 3 months after operation and intervertebral height at 3 and 6 months after operation with those before operation, and the safety was evaluated by adverse event recording.Results:All 12 patients completed the operation successfully, and the operation sites were thoracic vertebrae in 6 cases (50%), thoracolumbar in 3 cases (25%) and lumbar vertebrae in 3 cases (25%). All patients were followed up. The mean follow-up time was 23.92±3.23 months (range, 19-29 months). No tumor recurrence or metastasis was observed during this period. All patients were followed up at 15 days, 3 months and 6 months after operation. During the 6-month follow-up, X ray results showed that interface of bone and the vertebral body were fused in all of the 12 patients, and the effective rate of fusion was 100%. The 95% confidence interval is calculated to be (75.6%-100%). Six months after operation, the improvement rate of JOA score was excellent in 10 cases, good in 1 case, poor in 1 case, and the excellent and good rate was 91.66%. The preoperative VAS score was 4.08 ±2.47, and during the 3-month follow-up, the VAS score was improved to 1.83 ±1.59. Compared with the preoperative VAS score, the difference was statistically significant ( t=2.635, P=0.023). The intervertebral height before operation, 15 days after operation, 3 months after operation and 6 months after operation were 32.75 (25.94, 68.20), 41.09 (30.55, 70.20), 40.70 (30.23, 67.83) and 40.74 (30.23, 67.08), respectively, and there was no statistically significant difference (χ 2=0.768, P=0.857). No implant-related adverse events occurred after operation. Conclusion:The 3D printing patient-matched artificial vertebral body used in this study has satisfactory short-term efficacy and safety in the reconstruction of spinal stability after spinal tumor resection.

Effects of Zishui Qinggan Decoction on the hippocampal protein expressions of ERK,GSK3β,CREB and BDNF in a mouse model of depression induced by chronic restraint stress / 中成药

AIM To explore the effects of Zishui Qinggan Decoction on the mouse model of depression induced by chronic restraint stress(CRS)via ERK/GSK3β/CREB/BDNF signaling pathway.METHODS Except for those of the blank group,the mice of other groups were induced into depression models by CRS,and divided into the model group,the fluoxetine hydrochloride group(10 mg/kg)and the low,medium and high dose Zishui Qinggan Decoction groups(8.835,17.670 and 35.340 g/kg)for the corresponding drug intervention and simultanous CRS treatment.The mice had their sugar water preference experiment and behavior experiment on the 7th and 14th day after administration;the observation of the hippocampal morphological changes by HE staining,the detection of the superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity and malondialdehyde(MDA)level in serum by kits,the detection of levels of serum 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and interleukin-1β(IL-1β)by ELISA,the detection of the hippocampal mRNA expressions of BDNF,TNF-α and IL-1β by RT-qPCR method,and the detection of the hippocampal protein expressions of ERK1/2,p-ERK1/2,GSK3β,p-GSK3β,CREB and BDNF by Western blot method 14 days after administration.RESULTS Compared with the model group,after 14 days of administration,both fluoxetine hydrochloride group and medium-dose Zishui Qinggan Decoction group displayed increased preference rate of sugar water(P<0.01),shortened immobility time of tail suspension and forced swimming(P<0.01),improved hippocampal damage of nerve cells,decreased levels of serum MDA,TNF-α and IL-1β(P<0.05,P<0.01),increased SOD activity and 5-HT level(P<0.05,P<0.01),decreased hippocampal mRNA expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β(P<0.01),and decreased expressions of BDNF mRNA and p-ERK1/2,p-GSK3β,CREB and BDNF proteins(P<0.05,P<0.01).CONCLUSION Zishui Qinggan Decoction can improve the depression-like behaviors in mice exposed to CRS,and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of hippocampal ERK/GSK3β/CREB/BDNF signaling pathway.

Optimization of biopsy strategies for risk related staging of gastric cancer / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To investigate the correlation of atrophy and intestinal metaplasia (IM) stage with gastric cancer and to optimize biopsy strategy.Methods:Data of patients who underwent endoscopy and five-point biopsy at Shandong Provincial Hospital between November 2020 and October 2022 were collected. The baseline characteristics of gastric cancer and non-gastric cancer patients, as well as the occurrence and severity of atrophy and IM in different areas were compared. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the correlation of operative link for gastritis assessment (OLGA) and operative link for gastric intestinal metaplasia assessment (OLGIM) staging with gastric cancer. The Kendall tau correlation coefficient was used to compare the consistency of different biopsy strategies (two-point, three-point, and four-point) with the standard five-point biopsy in OLGA and OLGIM staging. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was further performed to compare the diagnostic performance of different biopsy strategies in identifying the OLGA and OLGIM Ⅲ-Ⅳ stage.Results:A total of 122 patients were included in the analysis, with age of 61.0±10.0 years. Multivariate analysis showed that OLGA staging was not associated with gastric cancer ( P=0.788), while OLGIM Ⅲ-Ⅳ staging was significantly correlated with gastric cancer ( P=0.006, OR=3.39, 95% CI: 1.41-8.17). The occurrence of atrophy and IM were higher in lesser curvature of the antrum [56.6% (69/122) and 66.4% (81/122)] and incisura angularis [57.4% (70/122) and 52.5% (64/122)], with higher severity, while lower in greater curvature of the corpus [2.5% (3/122) and 5.7% (7/122)], with lower severity. The consistency of four-point and three-point biopsies with standard five-point biopsy in OLGA and OLGIM staging was high. The consistency of three-point biopsy in incisura angularis, lesser curvature of the antrum and corpus was exceptionally high among them, with correlation coefficients of 0.969 and 0.987, respectively. Conclusion:OLGIM Ⅲ-Ⅳ stages increase the risk of gastric cancer. Three-point biopsy in incisura angularis, lesser curvature of the antrum and corpus are recommended for the screening and monitoring of atrophy or IM.

Exploring Traditional Chinese Medicine Daoyin Therapy for Diabetic Foot Based on the Theory of One Qi Circulation / 中医杂志

It is believed that traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） Daoyin （conduction exercise） therapy has potential in treating diabetic foot， which is a concrete embodiment of HUANG Yuanyu's theory of one qi circulation applied in practice. Based on Daoyin therapy of Baduanjin and the Origin and Indicators of Disease （《诸病源候论》）， a Daoyin prescription for diabetic foot was compiled and created. Based on the zang-fu concept of "One Qi Circulation"， combined with the theory of chief， deputy， assistant and envoy， this article explained the theoretical basis and functional mechanism of the Daoyin prescription for diabetic foot. This Daoyin therapy is mainly based on the prone position movements， which includes seven movements， namely， pull-up， knee bending， toe tilting， phoenix nodding， internal rotation of taiji， two hands climbing feet and closing. With "phoenix nodding" and "tilting toes" as the chief， with the help of toes opening-closing and pointing-pressing momentum in prone position， regulating the central qi； with "bending the knee" and "internal rotation of taiji" as the deputy， knee and ankle flexion and extension can unblock the meridians of liver and lungs； with "pull-up" and "two hands climbing feet" as the assistant， on the one hand， assisting to unblock zang-fu organs， on the other hand， applying the yang of the foot taiyang bladder channel and du mai to warm the cold and dampness； with "closing" as the envoy to regulate all organs， so that the blood return to the natural flow of circulation. Diabetic foot Daoyin therapy could regulate internal organs and qi circulation of body， and provides a new idea for the treatment of diabetic foot.

Mechanism of Xibining Ⅱ Combined with ADSC-Exos in Improving Knee Osteoarthritis by Regulating Mitochondrial Autophagy / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effects of Xibining （XBN） and adipose stem cell exosome （ADSC-Exos） in the cases of separate or joint application on cartilage degeneration and mitochondrial autophagy and explore its mechanism of action to improve knee osteoarthritis （KOA）. MethodSD rats were divided into a sham operation group （sham group）， a model group， an ADSC-Exos group （Exos group）， an XBN group， and an ADSC-Exos+XBN group （Exos+XBN group）. KOA model was established by using anterior cruciate ligament transection （ACLT）. The pain sensitivity status of rats was evaluated， and the degeneration degree of the knee joint and cartilage tissue was detected by Micro-CT and pathological staining. The expression of p62 and LC3B was observed by immunofluorescence， and the serum levels of TNF-α， IL-1β， IL-6， and IL-15 in rats were detected by ELISA. The Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of MMP-3， MMP-13， ADAMTS5， ColⅡ， TIMP， ACAN， PINK1， Parkin， p62， and LC3A/B. ResultCompared with the sham group， rats in the model group showed decreased cold-stimulated foot-shrinkage thresholds and mechanical pain sensitivity thresholds， varying degrees of abrasion and loss of cartilage tissue， degeneration of cartilage tissue， elevated serum IL-1β， IL-6， IL-15， and TNF-α levels （P<0.01）， and increased protein expression of MMP-3， MMP-13， and ADAMTS5 in cartilage tissue. In addition， the protein expression of ColⅡ， TIMP1， and ACAN was decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， rats in each treatment group showed higher cold-stimulated foot-shrinkage thresholds and mechanical pain sensitivity thresholds， reduced cartilage tissue degeneration， lower serum levels of IL-1β， IL-6， IL-15， and TNF-α （P<0.05，P<0.01）， decreased protein expression of MMP-3， MMP-13， and ADAMTS5， and higher protein expression of Cold， TIMP1， and ACAN in cartilage tissue （P<0.05，P<0.01）. Moreover， the changes were the most obvious in the Exos+XBN group. ConclusionBoth ADSCs-Exos and XBN can increase the level of mitochondrial autophagy in chondrocytes and delay cartilage tissue degeneration by promoting the expression of the PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway， and the combination of the two can enhance the therapeutic effect.

Correlation Analysis of HLA-DM Gene Polymorphisms with Polio Vaccine-induced Antibody Response / 昆明医科大学学报

Objective To investigate the correlation between HLA-DM gene polymorphism and antibody response induced by poliomyelitis vaccine.Methods 355 healthy infants aged 2 to 3 months in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region were selected as the study objects,and 10 SNPs of DMA exon 3 and DMB exon 2/3 were genotyped by Sanger sequencing.The correlation between DMA and DMB genes and poliomyelitis vaccine-induced antibody response was analyzed at allele,genotype and haplotype levels.Results In the type Ⅰ antibody response induced by polio vaccine,the frequencies of DMA*01:02,DMB*01:01,DMB*01:01/DMB*01:01 and DMA*01:02-DMB*01:01 were higher in the non-seroconversion group than in the seroconversion group(P<0.05).In the polio type Ⅱ antibody response,the frequencies of DMA*01:02,DMA*01:02/DMA*01:02,DMB*01:01/DMB*01:01 and DMA*01:02-DMB*01:01 were higher in the non-seroconversion group than in the seroconversion group(P<0.05).Conclusion Alleles DMA*01:02 and DMB*01:01 may be associated with type Ⅰ and type Ⅱ antibody responses induced by poliomyelitis vaccine.

Application of multimodal MRI in complex anal fistula / 实用放射学杂志

Objective To investigate the application value of multimodal MRI in complex anal fistula.Methods The clinical and MRI data of 50 cases with complex anal fistula confirmed by surgery were collected.All patients were examined with 1.5T MR before surgery,including three major modules of conventional MRI,diffusion weighted imaging(DWI)and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging(DCE-MRI).Finally,the diagnostic efficacy of different MRI modules in complex anal fistula was evaluated based on the surgical results.Results The surgery detected 73 internal orifices,81 external orifices,58 main fistulas,47 branch fistulas and 37 abscesses.Before the surgery,there were 63 internal orifices(86.3%),75 external orifices(92.6%),53 main fistulas(91.4%),40 branch fistulas(85.1%),and 37 abscesses(100%)correctly diagnosed by conventional MRI.Sixty internal orifices(82.2%),75 external orifices(92.6%),51 main fistulas(87.9%),37 branch fistulas(78.7%),and 37 abscesses(100%)were correctly diagnosed by conventional MRI+DWI,while 68 internal orifices(93.2%),78 external orifices(96.3%),56 main fistulas(96.6%),44 branch fistulas(93.6%),and 37 abscesses(100%)were correctly diagnosed by conventional MRI+DCE-MRI.There were 68 internal orifices(93.2%),78 external orifices(96.3%),56 main fistulas(96.6%),44 branch fistulas(93.6%),and 37 abscesses(100%)correctly diagnosed by conventional MRI+DWI+DCE-MRI.Compared with conventional MRI,conventional MRI+DWI or conventional MRI+ DCE-MRI,conventional MRI+DWI+DCE-MRI could find more internal orifices,main fistulas and branch fistulas,and the difference was statistically significant.The multimodal MRI had the highest consistency with the surgical results(Kappa=0.734,P<0.001).Conclusion MRI can accurately estimate the information of internal orifices,external orifices,main fistula,branch fistula and abscess of cases with complex anal fistula.The diagnostic accuracy of multimodal joint application is superior than that of single-modal and dual-modal application.

Effects of mindful attention awareness on sleep quality of soldiers stationed in plateau areas: Chain-mediated effect of burnout and occupational stress / 环境与职业医学

Background Sleep quality is one of the important factors affecting soldiers’ task performance. Objective To explore the effects of mindful attention awareness, burnout, and occupational stress on sleep quality among soldiers in plateau areas. Methods A total of 1090 soldiers were selected from four units in plateau areas by cluster sampling method and were asked to participate a cross-sectional questionnaire survey using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PQSI), Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI), Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS), and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). Correlation analysis, regression analysis, and mediated effect test were conducted for the study. Results Of the 1090 soldiers recruited, 1082 soldiers returned valid questionnaires, and the valid recovery rate was 99.26%. The median (P25, P75) score of PSQI was 4.00 (2.00,7.00), the median score of OSI was 26.00 (17.00, 34.00), the median score of MBI-GS was 3.53 (3.13, 4.00), and the median score of MAAS was 71.00 (59.00, 82.00). The burnout and mindful attention awareness levels varied among military personnel of different age groups (P<0.05), so did the burnout and occupational stress levels among military personnel of different length of service groups (P<0.05), and the occupational stress, PSQI, burnout, and mindful attention awareness levels among military personnel with different educational backgrounds and genders (P<0.05). The results of mediated effect test showed that occupational stress and burnout had both a parallel mediated effect and a sequential mediating effect on the relationship between mindful attention awareness and sleep quality, with effect sizes of 15.3%, 21.5% and 31.8%, respectively. Conclusion There is a mediated effect on the relationship between mindful attention awareness and sleep quality by the occupational stress and burnout of military personnel in plateau areas, and sleep quality is also affected by mindful attention awareness through the chain-mediated effect of occupational stress and burnout.

Research on Satisfaction Degree of Doctor-patient Communication Quality based on Patient Perception / 中国医学伦理学

Objective sampling method was used to conduct a questionnaire survey on outpatients in two hospitals in Guangdong province in order to evaluate patients’ satisfaction with the quality of medical service. This paper explored the factors that affect patients’ evaluation of medical service quality, and found that patients’ age was negatively correlated with the evaluation of medical service quality. It is suggested that the establishment of friendly medical institutions should be carried out according to the national policy. At the same time, the management mechanism of hospital should be improved, the number of medical service centers for "efficient" should be increased, and the medical service personnel should be regularly trained; carry out medical knowledge education in community, improve the popularization of personal medical knowledge and close the cognitive gap between doctors and patients.

Effects of large-scale land consolidation projects on ecological environment quality: A case study of a land creation project in Yan'an, China.

Large land consolidation projects modify the structures and functions of regional ecosystems through the reshaping of the territorial spatial pattern, thereby affecting the ecological environmental quality (EEQ). To investigate the effects of large-scale land consolidation projects on EEQ, this study takes the major land consolidation project of "bulldoze mountains to create land" (BMCL) in Yan'an City as a research object and evaluates the change of EEQ based on Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI). The consolidated area and the control area were set up to comparatively analyze the EEQ change processes and spatial distribution characteristics of these two areas in the full life cycle of BMCL. According to the results, the mean RSEI of the consolidated area was 0.128 lower than that of the control area, and the EEQ of the consolidated area was always lower than that of the control area. BMCL had a strong negative impact on the EEQ grade of the consolidated area, especially in the early stage. However, the positive effect of BMCL on EEQ gradually emerged in the late stage of the large land consolidation project. The overall EEQ grade of the consolidated area has also improved. The results of the stepwise regression analysis indicated that the wetness component and the normalized differential vegetation index played key roles in improving the EEQ of the BMCL. Overall, the local BMCL strongly affected the EEQ of the consolidated area but would not cause the EEQ of the whole region to experience any dramatic, abrupt change in the short term. This study provided references for the evaluation and analysis of the ecological effects of land consolidation at the regional scale, offering a feasible way to evaluate the spatio-temporal change of EEQ in BMCL.

Contralateral needling at the foot of unaffected side combining with rehabilitation treatment for motor dysfunction of hand after ischemic stroke: study protocol for a randomized controlled pilot trial.

This pilot study is to assess the feasibility and the effect of a combination therapy of rehabilitation treatment and contralateral needling, which is manipulated at the foot of the unaffected side, for the recovery of the paretic hand post-stroke. This prospective pilot clinical trial will recruit 72 stroke patients with paretic hands and a disease course of 14 to 90 d. Patients will be randomized into two groups: the control group will receive conventional Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture and basic treatment for the stroke; based on the control group, the observation group will receive the contralateral needling at the foot of the unaffected side combined with the rehabilitation movement of the paretic hand. 12 sessions will be administrated for 2 weeks. The primary outcome, Fugl-Meyer Assessment, and the secondary outcomes, the handgrip strength, the range of motion, the modified Barthel index, and the Brunnstrom recovery stages, will be measured the recovery of the hand motor function during the 2 weeks' intervention. This study aims to investigate the instant effect of contralateral needling at the foot of the unaffected side combined with the rehabilitation treatment movement for patients with the paretic hand of Poststroke motor dysfunction and provide the previous evidence for the future large sample studies.

Endoscopic Removal of an Embedded Fishbone in the Gastric Antrum.

This report showed the clinical manifestations of a 26-year-old patient who was admitted to our hospital with epigastric discomfort. Computed tomography (CT) showed a hyper-density linear object Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) revealed a submucosal bulge in the gastric antrum. And endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) demonstrated a hyperechoic lesion with a posterior shadowing in the anechoic area. Based on the above results, a diagnosis of fishbone invasion into the antral submucosa was considered. Then endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was performed and a 3-cm-long fishbone was extracted with the forceps. As a rare case, the imaging findings of the fishbone under the endoscopy and the computed tomography were described.

Dynamic physiological α-synuclein S129 phosphorylation is driven by neuronal activity.

In Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathies, the elevation of α-synuclein phosphorylated at Serine129 (pS129) is a widely cited marker of pathology. However, the physiological role for pS129 has remained undefined. Here we use multiple approaches to show for the first time that pS129 functions as a physiological regulator of neuronal activity. Neuronal activity triggers a sustained increase of pS129 in cultured neurons (200% within 4 h). In accord, brain pS129 is elevated in environmentally enriched mice exhibiting enhanced long-term potentiation. Activity-dependent α-synuclein phosphorylation is S129-specific, reversible, confers no cytotoxicity, and accumulates at synapsin-containing presynaptic boutons. Mechanistically, our findings are consistent with a model in which neuronal stimulation enhances Plk2 kinase activity via a calcium/calcineurin pathway to counteract PP2A phosphatase activity for efficient phosphorylation of membrane-bound α-synuclein. Patch clamping of rat SNCA-/- neurons expressing exogenous wild-type or phospho-incompetent (S129A) α-synuclein suggests that pS129 fine-tunes the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neuronal currents. Consistently, our novel S129A knock-in (S129AKI) mice exhibit impaired hippocampal plasticity. The discovery of a key physiological function for pS129 has implications for understanding the role of α-synuclein in neurotransmission and adds nuance to the interpretation of pS129 as a synucleinopathy biomarker.