Search

We aimed to investigate the impact of isolated static stretching (4 sets of 30 seconds) and its combined form with 10 repetitive drop jumps on lower limb performance during squat jumps at different knee joint starting angles (60°, 90°, and 120°). Thirteen participants completed three randomly ordered experimental visits, each including a standardized warm-up and squat jumps at three angles, apart from the intervention or control. Information was gathered through a three-dimensional movement tracking system, electromyography system, and force platform. The electromyography data underwent wavelet analysis to compute the energy values across the four wavelet frequency bands. The average power (Pavg), peak power (Ppeak), peak ground reaction force (GRF-peak), peak center of mass velocity (Vpeak), and force-velocity relationship at peak power (SFv) were extracted from the force and velocity-time data. The results revealed no significant influence of isolated static stretching, or its combined form with drop jumps, on the energy values across the frequency bands of the gastrocnemius, biceps femoris and rectus femoris, or the Pavg or Ppeak (P > 0.05). However, at 120°, static stretching reduced the GRFpeak (P = 0.001, d = 0.86) and SFv (P < 0.001, d = 1.12), and increased the Vpeak (P = 0.001, d = 0.5). The GRFpeak, Pavg, Ppeak, and SFv increased with an increase in the joint angle (P < 0.05), whereas the Vpeak decreased (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that static stretching does not diminish power output during squat jumps at the three angles; however, it alters GRFpeak, Vpeak, and the relative contributions of force and velocity to peak power at 120°, which can be eliminated by post-activation performance enhancement. Moreover, compared to 60° and 90°, 120° was more favorable for power and peak force output. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Seed-based resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) of inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), as well as sustained attention cognitive deficit are consistently reported to be impaired in bipolar disorders. However, whether these deficits exist across mood states and euthymic state are lacking. We compared rs-FC of IFG and sustained attention of bipolar patients in (hypo) mania, depression and euthymia, with controls. We also explored the interrelationships between clinical, cognitive, and imaging measurements.Methods: Participants included 110 bipolar subjects: 46 manic/hypomanic, 35 euthymic, and 29 depressed, matched with 41 healthy controls (HCs) underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and resting-state functional MRI scans. Seed-based functional connectivity analyses were performed focused on bilateral IFG seeds. Clinical symptoms and sustained attention function were measured. Stepwise linear regression analysis was conducted to explore predictors of sustained attention measurements.Results: Increased rs-FC between right IFG and bilateral frontal pole/superior frontal gyrus, precuneus, and posterior cingulate gyrus, as well as decreased rs-FC between right IFG and sensorimotor areas, anterior middle cingulate gyrus were found in all three bipolar subgroups compared with HCs. Impaired sustained attention measurement was found in bipolar manic/hypomanic and depressive subgroups compared with HCs. Linear regression analyses revealed a significant impact of the manic symptoms and psychotic symptoms on the performance of sustained attention task.Conclusions: Our results revealed that IFG seed-based resting-state functional networks involved in emotion regulation and cognitive function were trait-like deficit in bipolar patients. Higher manic levels and psychotic symptoms were predictors of a worse sustained attention performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The frontal-limbic circuit is hypothesized as sub-serving emotional regulation. We performed whole brain resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) analysis by studying the key hubs of frontal-limbic circuit: anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), bilateral insula subregions, bilateral amygdala (Amy) as seeds, separately, to discriminate bipolar depression (BipD) from unipolar depression (UniD).Methods: We compared seed-based rs-FC of the frontal-limbic seeds with whole brain among 23 BipD participants; 23 age, gender, and depression severity matched patients with UniD, and 23 healthy controls (HCs). We also used support vector machine learning to study classification based on the rs-FC of ACC, bilateral insula subregions, and bilateral Amy seeds with whole brain.Results: BipD showed increased rs-FC between the left ventral anterior insula (vAI) seed and the left anterior supramarginal gyrus (aSMG) and left postcentral gyrus, as well as increased rs-FC between left amygdala seed and the left aSMG when compared to HCs and UniD. Compared to UniD, BipD was associated with increased rs-FC between right dorsal anterior insula seed and right superior frontal gyrus, as well as increased rs-FC between left posterior insula seed and right precentral gyrus and right thalamus. Combined rs-FC of ACC, bilateral insula subregions and bilateral Amy seeds with the whole brain discriminated BipD from UniD with an accuracy of 91.30%.Conclusions: Rs-FC of the emotional regulation circuit is more widely disturbed in BipD than UniD. Using rs-FC with this circuit may lead to further developments in diagnostic decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study seeks to establish whether medico-legal practitioners differ in their autopsy conclusions within and across medico-legal institutions. Data include 459 violent deaths (homicides, suicides, and accidents) autopsy reports written by more than 20 death certifiers from four medico-legal institutions in two countries (France and the United States). Multinomial models show that compared with accidental deaths, weapon use and decedents' characteristics both influence a homicide verdict, but not a suicide one. In addition, French practitioners are more likely than Americans to reach a conclusion of homicide or suicide compared with accident, and homicides are more likely to be certified by male practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background& Aims: Early oral nutrition (EON) has been shown to improve recovery of gastrointestinal function, length of stay and mortality after abdominal surgery; however, early oral nutrition often fails during the first week after surgery. Here, a multi-modal early oral nutrition program is introduced to promote recovery of gastrointestinal function and tolerance of oral nutrition.Methods: Consecutive patients scheduled for abdominal surgery were randomized to the multimodal EON group or a group receiving conventional care. The primary endpoint was the time of first defecation. The secondary endpoints were outcomes and the cost-effectiveness ratio in treating infectious complications. The rate of infectious-free patients was regarded as the index of effectiveness.Results: One hundred seven patients were randomly assigned to groups. Baseline characteristics were similar for both groups. In intention-to-treat analysis, the success rate of oral nutrition during the first week after surgery in the multimodal EON group was 44 (83.0%) versus 31 (57.4%) in the conventional care group (P = 0.004). Time to first defecation, time to flatus, recovery time of bowel sounds, and prolonged postoperative ileus were all less in the multimodal EON group (P < 0.05). The median postoperative length of stay in the multimodal EON group was 8 days (6, 12) versus 10 days (7, 18) in the conventional care group (P < 0.001). The total cost of treatment and nutritional support were also less in the multi-modal early oral nutrition group (P < 0.001). The effectiveness was 84.9 and 79.9% in the multimodal EON and conventional care group, respectively (P = 0.475). However, the cost-effectiveness ratio was USD 537.6 (506.1, 589.3) and USD 637.8 (593.9, 710.3), respectively (P < 0.001).Conclusion: The multi-modal early oral nutrition program was an effective way to improve tolerance of oral nutrition during the first week after surgery, decrease the length of stay and improve cost-effectiveness after abdominal surgery.Trial Registration: Registration number: ChiCTR-TRC-14004395 . Registered 15 March 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vascular occlusion and complex plexiform lesions are hallmarks of the pathology of severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in patients. However, the mechanisms of obliterative vascular remodeling remain elusive; hence, current therapies have not targeted the fundamental disease-modifying mechanisms and result in only modest improvement in morbidity and mortality.Methods and Results: Mice with Tie2Cre-mediated disruption of Egln1 (encoding prolyl-4 hydroxylase 2 [PHD2]; Egln1(Tie2)) in endothelial cells and hematopoietic cells exhibited spontaneous severe PAH with extensive pulmonary vascular remodeling, including vascular occlusion and plexiform-like lesions, resembling the hallmarks of the pathology of clinical PAH. As seen in patients with idiopathic PAH, Egln1(Tie2) mice exhibited unprecedented right ventricular hypertrophy and failure and progressive mortality. Consistently, PHD2 expression was diminished in lung endothelial cells of obliterated pulmonary vessels in patients with idiopathic PAH. Genetic deletions of both Egln1 and Hif1a or Egln1 and Hif2a identified hypoxia-inducible factor-2α as the critical mediator of the severe PAH seen in Egln1(Tie2) mice. We also observed altered expression of many pulmonary hypertension-causing genes in Egln1(Tie2) lungs, which was normalized in Egln1(Tie2)/Hif2a(Tie2) lungs. PHD2-deficient endothelial cells promoted smooth muscle cell proliferation in part through hypoxia-inducible factor-2α-activated CXCL12 expression. Genetic deletion of Cxcl12 attenuated PAH in Egln1(Tie2) mice.Conclusions: These studies defined an unexpected role of PHD2 deficiency in the mechanisms of severe PAH and identified the first genetically modified mouse model with obliterative vascular remodeling and pathophysiology recapitulating clinical PAH. Thus, targeting PHD2/hypoxia-inducible factor-2α signaling is a promising strategy to reverse vascular remodeling for treatment of severe PAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of high-resolution 3D CUBE T1WI for intracranial vessel wall imaging.Methods: High-resolution 3D CUBE T1 weighted intracranial vessel wall images (0.4 mm × 0.4 mm × 0.4 mm) of 50 patients were retrospectively evaluated. A 5-point scale (1 poor, 5 excellent) was used to score the imaging quality for displaying the vessel wall of every intracranial artery segments. The inter-observer and intra-observer reproducibility of identifying plaques, intraplaque hemorrhage/luminal thrombosis, and wall enhancement were calculated.Results: Totally 893 artery segments were evaluated. 3D CUBE T1WI displayed the arteries wall and lumen clearly, with the highest score (4.920 ± 0.837) for the C6-7 segments and the lowest (3.370 ± 1.107) for the C3 segments of the internal carotid artery (ICA). Both intra-observer and inter-observer reproducibility were high for identification of normal walls (κ=0.928, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.891-0.954; κ=0.911, CI 0.868-0.940), plaque (κ=0.924, CI 0.884-0.954; κ=0.907, CI 0.866-0.943), luminal thrombosis (κ=1.000, CI 1.000-1.000; κ=1.000, CI 1.000-1.000), and wall enhancement (κ=1.000, CI 1.000-1.000; κ=0.914, CI 0.863-0.961).Conclusions: High-resolution 3D CUBE T1WI displayed intracranial wall and lumen clearly, and detected intracranial artery abnormalities with high reproducibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the limits of existing grey target decision models with interval number, a new normalizing formula based on range transformation is given. At the same time, on the basis of the principle of TOPSIS, a new grey target decision model is set up considering not only the distance from positive bull's-eye but also from negative ones. An example is given to show the application of the method, and the results are compared with other methods. The results verify the validity and practicability of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine association between defective protein kinases C (PKC) and A (PKA) and disordered zona pellucida (ZP)–induced acrosome reaction (DZPIAR) in normozoospermic infertile men with normal sperm-ZP binding. Design: Sperm from DZPIAR infertile men were treated without (control) or with (test) phorbol myristate acetate (PMA, PKC activator) or dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP, PKA activator) under in vitro standard culture condition. The ZP-induced AR was assessed and compared between control and test. Setting: Public and private hospital–based clinical assisted reproduction technology (ART) centers. Patient(s): A total of 51 DZPIAR infertile men were involved in this study. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcomes Measure(s): Sperm-ZP binding and the ZP-induced IAR. Result(s): Both PMA and dbcAMP enhanced ZP-induced AR up to a normal level (≥25%) in some subjects with DZPIAR: 29 (57%) with PMA and 27 (53%) with dbcAMP. Overall 35 (69%) had the ZP-induced AR enhanced to normal by PMA or dbcAMP but 16 (31%) had little or no response to either agent. Fourteen men responded to the two activators differently: 8 effective only with PMA and 6 effective only with dbcAMP. Conclusion(s): Defective upstream of PKC and PKA pathways are highly associated with disordered ZPIAR in normozoospermic infertile men with normal sperm-ZP binding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to discuss the relationship and difference between myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) using SPECT and CT coronary angiography (CTCA) for diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). Five hundred and four cases undergoing MPI and CTCA were comparatively analyzed, including fifty six patients undergoing invasive coronary angiography in the same period. Among patients with negative MPI results, negative or positive CTCA occupied 84.7% or 15.3%, respectively. Among patients with positive MPI, positive or negative CTCA occupied 67.2% or 32.8%, respectively. Among patients with negative CTCA, negative or positive MPI occupied 94.4% or 5.6%, respectively. Among patients with positive CTCA, positive or negative MPI occupied 40.2% or 59.8%, respectively. Negative predictive value was relatively higher than the positive predictive value for positive CTCA eliminating or predicting abnormal haemodynamics. And there was no significant difference for sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of MPI or CTCA in diagnosing CAD. Both MPI and CTCA have good diagnostic performance for CAD. They provide different and complementary information for diagnosis and evaluation of CAD, namely, detection of ischemia versus detection of atherosclerosis, which are quite different but have a definite internal link for each other [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A flow-through fluorescence optosensor with Sephadex G-50 microbeads as solid support is developed for the sensitive determination of tetracycline (TC). The fluorescent TC derivative encapsulated in CTAB micelle structures is retained onto the surface of the microbeads packed into a fluorescent flow cell in a flow system, followed by measurement of the native fluorescence of the TC derivative on the bead surface. The retained TC derivative is easily stripped off with DI water from the bead surface by breaking-down the micelle structure. This offers a convenient and effective way for the regeneration of the used solid support with DI water as a carrier. Under the optimal conditions, a linear calibration graph is obtained within a range of 3–500μgL−1, along with a detection limit of 1.0μgL−1. The present solid surface fluorescence optosensor provides a 22-fold improvement on the detection sensitivity for TC in comparison with that derived by fluorescence detection in aqueous medium. The feasibility of this flow-through fluorescence optosensor is evaluated by analyzing TC in a commercial drug tablet and surface water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mechanisms through which arterial stiffness impacts cognitive function are crucial for devising better strategies to prevent cognitive decline.Objective: To examine the associations of arterial stiffness with white matter integrity and cognition in community dwellings, and to investigate whether white matter injury was the intermediate of the associations between arterial stiffness and cognition.Methods: This study was a cross-sectional analysis on 952 subjects (aged 55.5±9.1 years) who underwent diffusion tensor imaging and measurement of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Both linear regression and tract-based spatial statistics were used to investigate the association between baPWV and white matter integrity. The association between baPWV and global cognitive function, measured as the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) was evaluated. Mediation analysis was performed to assess the influence of white matter integrity on the association of baPWV with MMSE.Results: Increased baPWV was significantly associated with lower mean global fractional anisotropy (β= -0.118, p < 0.001), higher mean diffusivity (β= 0.161, p < 0.001), axial diffusivity (β= 0.160, p < 0.001), and radial diffusivity (β= 0.147, p < 0.001) after adjustment of age, sex, and hypertension, which were measures having a direct effect on arterial stiffness and white matter integrity. After adjustment of age, sex, education, apolipoprotein E ɛ4, cardiovascular risk factors, and brain atrophy, we found an association of increased baPWV with worse performance on MMSE (β= -0.093, p = 0.011). White matter disruption partially mediated the effect of baPWV on MMSE.Conclusion: Arterial stiffness is associated with white matter disruption and cognitive decline. Reduced white matter integrity partially explained the effect of arterial stiffness on cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tong Luo Hua Shi (TLHS) is a new formulation of the traditional Tibetan medicine Wu-wei-gan-lu that has been used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for hundreds of years in China. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TLHS in patients with RA.Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-finding study performed in patients with active RA from five medical centers. Patients received three doses (4.8, 3.6, or 2.4 g/day po) of TLHS or placebo (tid po) for 8 weeks. Blood sampling, physical examination, and assessment of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20 % improvement (ACR20) criteria were performed before and every 2 weeks after starting treatment. The primary endpoint was the ACR20. The secondary endpoints included safety.Results: A total of 240 participants were screened and 236 patients were randomized (n = 59/group); 20 dropped out. After 8 weeks, ACR20 improvements in the TLHS 4.8 g and 3.6 g groups were significantly higher than in the placebo group (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). ACR50 improvement in the TLHS 4.8 g group was significantly higher compared with the placebo group (P < 0.01). Symptoms of RA were significantly relieved in the TLHS groups. In the TLHS groups, insomnia (n = 1), gastroenteric reactions (n = 2), arrhythmia (n = 1), and minor hepatic lesion (n = 1) were reported; in the placebo group, hepatic dysfunction (n = 1) was reported (P = 0.878).Conclusions: TLHS improved the symptoms of patients with RA according to the ACR20. Moreover, TLHS was safe.Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR-TRC-12003871 . Registered on 1 January 2012. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug-induced eosinophilia is a potentially life-threatening adverse effect; clinical manifestations, eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome, mainly include severe skin eruption, fever, hematologic abnormalities, and organ system dysfunction. Using experimental methods to evaluate drug-induced eosinophilia is very complicated, time-consuming, and costly in the early stage of drug development. Thus, in this investigation, we established computational prediction models of drug-induced eosinophilia using SVM and naïve Bayesian approaches. For the SVM modeling, the overall prediction accuracy for the training set by means of fivefold cross-validation is 91.6 and for the external test set is 82.9 %. For the naïve Bayesian modeling, the overall prediction accuracy for the training set is 92.5 and for the external test set is 85.4 %. Moreover, some molecular descriptors and substructures considered as important for drug-induced eosinophilia were identified. Thus, we hope the prediction models of drug-induced eosinophilia built in this work should be applied to filter early-stage molecules for potential eosinophilia adverse effect, and the selected molecular descriptors and substructures of toxic compounds should be taken into consideration in the design of new candidate drugs to help medicinal chemists rationally select the chemicals with the best prospects to be effective and safe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used successfully to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA). QingreHuoxue treatment (QingreHuoxue decoction [QRHXD]/QingreHuoxue external preparation [QRHXEP]) is a Chinese medicine treatment for RA. To date, very few studies have compared the long-term effects of QRHXD with those of conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs on RA disease activity and radiological progression. QRHXD delayed the radiological progression and showed long-term clinical efficacy of RA. In clinical experiments, the clinical evidence of delaying the radiological progression of RA patients was obtained. A portion of the patients who participated in the "Traditional Chinese Medicine QingreHuoxue Treatment vs. the Combination of Methotrexate and Hydroxychloroquine for Active Rheumatoid Arthritis" study were followed up for 52 weeks, and intention-to-treat (ITT) and compliance protocol (PP) analyses were used to collect and compare the clinical indicators and imaging data between baseline and week 52. Two radiologists who were blind to treatment scored the images independently. Of the 468 subjects, 141 completed the 52-week follow-up. There were no significant differences among the three groups: the traditional Chinese medicine comprehensive treatment group, the Western medicine treatment group, and the integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine treatment group. There were no differences in the total Sharp score, joint space stenosis score, and joint erosion score at baseline or 52 weeks. In the comparison of the estimated annual radiographic progression (EARP) and the actual annual Sharp total score changes among the three groups, the actual changes were much lower than the EARP at baseline. The radiological progress in all three groups was well controlled. Results of the ITT and PP data sets showed that the disease activity score 28 level of the three groups at 52 weeks was significantly lower than that at baseline. During the 52-week treatment period, the clearance of heat and promotion of blood circulation controlled disease activity and delayed the radiological progress of active RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) leads to major brain anatomopathological damages underlined by neuroinflammation, oxidative stress and progressive neurodegeneration, ultimately leading to motor and cognitive deterioration. The multiple pathological events resulting from TBI can be addressed not by a single therapeutic approach, but rather by a synergistic biotherapy capable of activating a complementary set of signalling pathways and providing synergistic neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and neurorestorative activities. Human platelet lysate might fulfil these requirements as it is composed of a plethora of biomolecules readily accessible as a TBI biotherapy. In the present study, we tested the therapeutic potential of human platelet lysate using in vitro and in vivo models of TBI. We first prepared and characterized platelet lysate from clinical-grade human platelet concentrates. Platelets were pelletized, lysed by three freeze-thaw cycles, and centrifuged. The supernatant was purified by 56°C 30 min heat treatment and spun to obtain the heat-treated platelet pellet lysate that was characterized by ELISA and proteomic analyses. Two mouse models were used to investigate platelet lysate neuroprotective potential. The injury was induced by an in-house manual controlled scratching of the animals' cortex or by controlled cortical impact injury. The platelet lysate treatment was performed by topical application of 60 µl in the lesioned area, followed by daily 60 µl intranasal administration from Day 1 to 6 post-injury. Platelet lysate proteomics identified over 1000 proteins including growth factors, neurotrophins, and antioxidants. ELISA detected several neurotrophic and angiogenic factors at ∼1-50 ng/ml levels. We demonstrate, using two mouse models of TBI, that topical application and intranasal platelet lysate consistently improved mouse motor function in the beam and rotarod tests, mitigated cortical neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress in the injury area, as revealed by downregulation of pro-inflammatory genes and the reduction in reactive oxygen species levels. Moreover, platelet lysate treatment reduced the loss of cortical synaptic proteins. Unbiased proteomic analyses revealed that heat-treated platelet pellet lysate reversed several pathways promoted by both controlled cortical impact and cortical brain scratch and related to transport, postsynaptic density, mitochondria or lipid metabolism. The present data strongly support, for the first time, that human platelet lysate is a reliable and effective therapeutic source of neurorestorative factors. Therefore, brain administration of platelet lysate is a therapeutical strategy that deserves serious and urgent consideration for universal brain trauma treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the Raman scattering of melamine was studied under high pressure up to 60 GPa. The behavior of the most intensive peaks of the Raman spectrum of melamine, 677 cm−1and 985 cm−1modes, and their line widths do not show any phase transition or indication of formation ofsp3bonds. Comparing the behavior of the line width of the Raman peaks of graphite under pressure and that of melamine leads us to conclude that thes-triasine (C–N) ring is more rigid than the C–C graphite ring. High pressure results with melamine suggest that the direct phase transition g-C3N4to dense C3N4phase should occur above 60 GPa. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a study on the numerical performance of three contact simulation methods, namely, the interface element, thin-layer element, and contact analysis methods, through the analysis of the contact behavior between the concrete face slab and the dam body of a high concrete-faced rockfill dam named Tianshengqiao-I in China. To investigate the accuracy and limitations of each method, the simulation results are compared in terms of the dam deformation, contact stress along the interface, stresses in the concrete face slab, and separation of the concrete face slab fromthe cushion layer.\ In particular, the predicted dam deformation and slab separation are compared with the in-situ observation data to classify these methods according to their agreement with the in-situ observations. It is revealed that the interface element and thin-layer element methods have their limitations in predicting contact stress, slab separation, and stresses in the concrete face slab if a large slip occurs. The contact analysis method seems to be the best choice whether the separation is finite or not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most NSCLCs metastasised out of the lungs at the time of diagnosis and cannot be surgically removed . Cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs have become the main treatment in recent decades, especially in patients with NSCLC without EGFR, ALK, and ROS gene mutations. The prognosis of lung cancer is poor, and the overall 5-year survival rate is only 9-13%. Therefore the treatment of advanced NSCLC remains a significant medical need. Recent studies have shown a significant relationship between the gut-lung axis microecology and malignant tumors. Intestinal probiotics are likely to play a role in inhibiting tumorigenesis through "intestinal-pulmonary axis microecological regulation". This study will seek to investigate the efficacy of "Microbiota modulation of the Gut-Lung Axis" combined with chemotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC.Methods: The research is a multicenter, prospective, double blind, placebo controlled, randomized trial. Based on the theoretical basis of "intestinal and lung axis microecological adjustment", combined with traditional platinum-containing two-drug chemotherapy, the efficacy of the new therapy on patients with advanced NSCLC was observed. Collect the basic information of the patient, and study the effect of platinum-based combined chemotherapy on the diversity of intestinal flora in patients with lung cancer after receiving chemotherapy treatment, feces before and after chemotherapy, and the status and extent of adverse reactions during chemotherapy . A total of 180 subjects were included, divided into a control group (platinum-containing dual-drug chemotherapy) and an intervention group (platinum-containing dual-drug chemotherapy combined with Bifico), and were randomly assigned to the group 1:1.Discussion: As a result, intestinal-pulmonary microecological balance could become a new target for the treatment of lung cancer. This study explores the combination of intestinal microecological regulation and chemotherapy to provide new treatment strategies and basis for lung cancer patients. It can help prolong the survival time of lung cancer patients and improve the quality of life, thereby generating huge economic and social benefits. The results can be promoted and applied to units engaged in the treatment of lung cancer.Trial Registration Number: NCT03642548, date: August 22, 2018, the first version protocol. The URL of trial registry record: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03642548?term=NCT03642548&draw=2&rank=1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs are a group of small non-coding RNAs with modulator activity of gene expression. Recent studies have uncovered a profound role of microRNAs in liver diseases. This study aimed to investigate a potential relationship between microRNA-223 (miR-223) expression and hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that miR-223 expression levels were greatly up-regulated in the livers after 75 min ischemia followed by 120 min reperfusion when compared to sham controls (2.59 +/- 0.23 vs. 0.83 +/- 0.15; P < 0.01). Correlation analysis also revealed that hepatic miR-223 expression level was significantly positively correlated with serum markers of ischemic injury. By prediction assay of miRNA targets mRNA, acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 3, ephrin A1, and ras homolog gene family member B were predicted to be downstream targets of miR-223. Thus, we conclude that hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury might be another form of liver disease that is associated with alteration in miR-223 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new fluorescent probe for monitoring Zn2+was synthesized based on the structure of 7-hydroxyquinoline. Compared with 8-substituted quinolines, the new probe exhibited higher selectivity for Zn2+over Cd2+. Its fluorescence enhancement (14-fold) and nanomolar range sensitivity (Kd= 0.117 nM) were favorable toward biological applications. Experiments also showed that a cell-permeable derivative of the new probe was potentially useful for two-photon imaging in living cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: We aimed to determine whether heart rate variability (HRV) was correlated to long-term outcome in patients who received mechanical thrombectomy (MT) under general anesthesia for emergent large vessel occlusion (ELVO).Methods: Data from 106 patients receiving MT under general anesthesia to treat ELVO between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2019 were collected in a multicenter chart review. Univariate analysis, Chi-square test, and bivariate logistic regression were performed to assess the correlations between preoperative risk factors such as HRV and long-term outcome (as indicated by the modified Rankin score [mRS] at 90 days after MT).Results: Bivariate logistic regression revealed that decreased LF/HF (low frequency/high frequency in HRV) ratio was correlated with unfavorable functional outcome as indicated by mRS ≥ 2 (odds ratio [OR], 0.650; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.157-0.839; p = 0.018), and functionally dependent outcome as indicated by mRS ≥ 3 (OR, 0.704; 95% CI, 0.360-0.914; p = 0.021). It was also found that ELVO in the right anterior circulation was correlated with lower LF/HF ratio, as compared with ELVO in the contralateral side (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Our retrospective study demonstrated that worse outcome in patients with ELVO who received MT under general anesthesia induced autonomic changes and that decreased LF/HF ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the work described here was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of ultrasound thyroid computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) software. This multicenter prospective study included 494 patients (565 thyroid nodules) who underwent surgery or biopsy after ultrasonography at four hospitals from January 2019 to September 2019. The diagnostic performance metrics of different readers were calculated and compared with the pathologic results. The sensitivity of CAD was outstanding and was equivalent to that of a senior radiologist (90.51% vs. 88.47%, p > 0.05). The area under the curve of CAD was equivalent to that of a junior radiologist (0.748 vs. 0.739, p > 0.05). However, the specificity was only 49.63%, which was lower than those of the three radiologists (75.56%, 85.93% and 90.37% for the junior, intermediate and senior radiologists, respectively). The diagnostic performance of the junior radiologist was significantly improved with the aid of CAD (junior + CAD). The sensitivity and area under the curve of junior + CAD were improved from 72.20% to 89.93% and from 0.739 to 0.816, respectively (both p values <0.05), and the positive predictive value, negative predictive value and κ coefficient improved from 76.3% to 78.6%, 82.0% to 86.8% and 0.394 to 0.511, respectively. Though specificity slightly decreased from 75.56% to 73.33%, the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In general, the clinical application value of CAD is promising, and its instrumental value for junior radiologists is significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUNDCisplatin is widely used to treat adult and pediatric cancers. It is the most ototoxic drug in clinical use, resulting in permanent hearing loss in approximately 50% of treated patients. There is a major need for therapies that prevent cisplatin-induced hearing loss. Studies in mice suggest that concurrent use of statins reduces cisplatin-induced hearing loss.METHODSWe examined hearing thresholds from 277 adults treated with cisplatin for head and neck cancer. Pretreatment and posttreatment audiograms were collected within 90 days of initiation and completion of cisplatin therapy. The primary outcome measure was a change in hearing as defined by the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE).RESULTSAmong patients on concurrent atorvastatin, 9.7% experienced a CTCAE grade 2 or higher cisplatin-induced hearing loss compared with 29.4% in nonstatin users (P < 0.0001). A mixed-effect model analysis showed that atorvastatin use was significantly associated with reduced cisplatin-induced hearing loss (P ≤ 0.01). An adjusted odds ratio (OR) analysis indicated that an atorvastatin user is 53% less likely to acquire a cisplatin-induced hearing loss than a nonstatin user (OR = 0.47; 95% CI, 0.30-0.78). Three-year survival rates were not different between atorvastatin users and nonstatin users (P > 0.05).CONCLUSIONSOur data indicate that atorvastatin use is associated with reduced incidence and severity of cisplatin-induced hearing loss in adults being treated for head and neck cancer.TRIAL REGISTRATIONClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03225157.FUNDINGFunding was provided by the Division of Intramural Research at the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (1 ZIA DC000079, ZIA DC000090). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aims to investigate the correlations of positive rate of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) protein with lymph node metastasis (LNM) and tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients by conducted a meta-analysis.Materials and Methods: Covering several electronic databases (Embase, Cochrane Library, China BioMedicine, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, PubMed, and Web of Science), published papers eligible for enrollment in the current meta-analysis had to fulfill our predefined selection criteria. Odds ratios (ORs) with their 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were aggregated utilizing comprehensive meta-analysis 2.0 software (Biostatic Inc., Englewood, New Jersey, USA).Results: Twelve cohort studies with a total of 419 NSCLC patients were incorporated into the current meta-analysis. A decreased positive rate of PTEN protein was detected in NSCLC patients with TNM stage III-IV rather than those patients with TNM stage I-II (OR = 0.454, 95%CI = 0.338-0.610, P < 0.001). PTEN in NSCLC patients without LNM expressed higher than that in the patients with LNM (OR = 0.532, 95%CI: 0.299-0.948, P = 0.032). Ethnicity-stratified analysis demonstrated a negative relationship between positive rate of PTEN protein and TNM staging of NSCLC among both Asians and Caucasians (both P < 0.05). However, we found no significant association between positive rate of PTEN protein and LNM among Asians and Caucasians (both P > 0.05).Conclusion: Our findings indicate that decreased positive rate of PTEN protein may be linked to TNM staging and LNM in NSCLC, and it could be an important diagnostic biomarker of NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: No effective constructs were available in mainland China to assess the whole spine function. The SFI was developed to evaluate spinal function based on the concept of a single kinetic chain concept for whole spine. The SFI has been translated to Spanish and Turkish with accepted psychometric properties. It is imperative to introduce the SFI in mainland China and further to explore the measurement properties.Methods: The English versions of the SFI was cross-culturally translated according to international guidelines. Measurement properties (content validity, construct validity and reliability) were tested in accordance with the COSMIN checklists. A total of 271 patients were included in this study, and 61 participants with neck pain and 64 participants with back pain paid a second visit three to seven days later. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and principal factor analysis (PCA) were applied to test the factor structure. The Functional Rating Index (FRI), Neck Disability Index (NDI), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), SF-12 and a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were employed to evaluate the construct validity. Cronbach's alpha and an intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) were calculated for internal consistency and reproducibility.Results: The means score of SC-SFI was 63.60 in patients with spinal musculoskeletal disorders. A high response rate was acquired (265/271). No item was removed due to abnormal distribution or low item-total correlation. Results of CFA did not support that one-factor structure was in goodness of fit (CMIN/DF = 3.306, NNFI = 0.687, CFI = 0.756, GFI = 0.771 and RMSEA = 0.092). Yet, PCA suggested a one-factor structure was the best, accounting for 32% of the total variance. For structural validity, the SC-SFI correlated highly with the FRI, NDI, ODI, and PF, BP in SF-12 (r = 0.661, 0.610, 0.750, 0.709, 0.605, respectively). All the a priori hypotheses were verified. The Cronbach's alpha for the SC-SFI was 0.91, and ICC was 0.96 (95% CI, 0.94-0.98). Bland-Altman plot also confirmed excellent test-retest reliability.Conclusions: The SFI has been culturally adapted into SC-SFI with remarkable clinical acceptance, excellent internal consistency, reproducibility, and construct validity when applied to patients with spinal musculoskeletal disorders. The results of current study suggest that SC-SFI can be applied by physicians and researchers to measure whole-spine functional status in mainland China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) strains have spread globally. We previously isolated an ST239 VISA (XN108) with a vancomycin MIC of 12 mg/L. The mechanism for XN108 resistance to vancomycin was investigated in this study.Methods: Genome comparison was performed to characterize mutations that might contribute to the XN108 resistance phenotype. The novel mutation WalK(S221P) was identified and investigated using allelic replacement experiments. Vancomycin susceptibilities, autolytic activities and morphologies of the strains were examined. Autophosphorylation activities of WalK and the WalK(S221P) mutant were determined in vitro with [λ- 32 P]ATP, and binding activity of WalK(S221P)-activated WalR to the promoter region of its target gene lytM was determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay.Results: Genome comparison revealed three mutations, GraS(T136I), RpoB(H481N) and WalK(S221P), which might be responsible for vancomycin resistance in XN108. The introduction of WalK(S221P) to the vancomycin-susceptible strain N315 increased its vancomycin MIC from 1.5 to 8 mg/L, whereas the allelic replacement of WalK(S221P) with the native N315 WalK allele in XN108 decreased its vancomycin MIC from 12 to 4 mg/L. The VISA strains have thickened cell walls and decreased autolysis, consistent with observed changes in the expression of genes involved in cell wall metabolism and virulence regulation. WalK(S221P) exhibited reduced autophosphorylation, which may lead to reduced phosphorylation of WalR. WalK(S221P)-phosphorylated WalR also exhibited a reduced capacity to bind to the lytM promoter.Conclusions: The naturally occurring WalK(S221P) mutation plays a key role in vancomycin resistance in XN108. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of cases with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are on the increase. The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical effect and relevant mechanism of combined sorafenib and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in the treatment of the early small HCC. A total of 120 cases of patients with small HCC that presented during the period of May 2007 to June 2010 were selected and divided into the surgery (n=60) and RF (n=60) groups according to the treatment method employed. The surgery group was treated with a laparotomy resection and the RF group was treated with combined sorafenib and RFA, and a comparative analysis was made between the two groups with regard to recurrence rates, adverse reactions, and survival rates. After treatment of 1 month, the radical effective rate of the surgery and RF groups was 100%. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound images of the patients in the RF group were taken. During the 5-year follow-up, the tumor recurrence rate in the surgery group was 18.3%, significantly lower than that in the RF group where the tumor recurrence rate was 38.3% (P<0.05). The occurrence rate of postoperative pain, fever, abdominal bleeding, infection, and other complications of patients in the surgery group was significantly higher than the complication occurrence rate (P<0.05) of the patients in the RF group. The average survival time of the patients in the surgery group was 51.2±1.5 months and the survival rates during the first, third and fifth year were 90.7, 71.5 and 56.7%, respectively. Additionally, the average survival time of the patients in the RF group was 64.6±2.4 months and the survival rates during the first, third and fifth year were 91.1, 72.8 and 57.5%, respectively. The difference between the two groups was not statistically significant. The tumor-free survival rates in the surgery group during the first, third and fifth year were 87.8, 44.3 and 33.2%, respectively, while the tumor-free survival rates in the RF group during the first, third and fifth year were 86.2, 48.3 and 34.6%, respectively, and the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant. In conclusion, the combined sorafenib and RFA method, and laparotomy resection method have their advantages in the treatment of early small HCC, and under specific medical conditions, the former can partially replace the latter and be used as a preferred treatment means in the treatment of early small HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rectal indometacin decreases the occurrence of pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). However, the population most at risk and the optimal timing of administration require further investigation. We aimed to assess whether pre-procedural administration of rectal indometacin in all patients is more effective than post-procedural use in only high-risk patients to prevent post-ERCP pancreatitis.Methods: We did a multicentre, single-blinded, randomised controlled trial at six centres in China. Eligible patients with native papilla undergoing ERCP were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio (with a computer-generated list) to universal pre-procedural indometacin or post-procedural indometacin in only high-risk patients, with stratification by trial centres and block size of ten. In the universal indometacin group, all patients received a single dose (100 mg) of rectal indometacin within 30 min before ERCP. In the risk-stratified, post-procedural indometacin group, only patients at predicted high risk received rectal indometacin, immediately after ERCP. Investigators, but not patients, were masked to group allocation. The primary outcome was overall ocurrence of post-ERCP pancreatitis. The analysis followed the intention-to-treat principle. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02002650.Findings: Between Dec 15, 2013, and Sept 21, 2015, 2600 patients were randomly assigned to universal, pre-procedural indometacin (n=1297) or risk-stratified, post-procedural indometacin (n=1303). Overall, post-ERCP pancreatitis occurred in 47 (4%) of 1297 patients assigned to universal indometacin and 100 (8%) of 1303 patients assigned to risk-stratified indometacin (relative risk 0·47; 95% CI 0·34-0·66; p<0·0001). Post-ERCP pancreatitis occurred in 18 (6%) of 305 high-risk patients in the universal group and 35 (12%) of 281 high-risk patients in the risk-stratified group (p=0·0057). Post-ERCP pancreatitis was also less frequent in average-risk patients in the universal group (3% [29/992]), in which they received indometacin, than in the risk-stratified group (6% [65/1022]), in which they did not receive the drug (p=0·0003). Other than pancreatitis, adverse events occurred in 41 (3%; two severe) patients in the universal indometacin group and 48 (4%; one severe) patients in the risk-stratified group. The most common adverse events were biliary infection (22 [2%] patients vs 33 [3%] patients) and gastrointestinal bleeding (13 [1%] vs ten [1%]).Interpretation: Compared with a risk-stratified, post-procedural strategy, pre-procedural administration of rectal indometacin in unselected patients reduced the overall occurrence of post-ERCP pancreatitis without increasing risk of bleeding. Our results favour the routine use of rectal indometacin in patients without contraindications before ERCP.Funding: National Key Technology R&D Program, National Natural Science Foundation of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lacunar infarctions (LI) have been associated with a cognitive decline and an increased risk of dementia. Whether and how the pattern of spontaneous brain activity in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) differs in subjects with and without concomitant LI remains unclear. Objective: To compare the pattern of spontaneous brain activity in MCI patients with versus those without LI using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Methods: Forty-eight MCI patients, including 22 with LI [MCI-LI] and 26 without LI [MCI-no LI], and 28 cognitive normal subjects underwent rs-fMRI post-processed using regional homogeneity (ReHo) and the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) methods. Results: Compared with cognitively normal subjects, the MCI-LI patients had decreased ReHo in the precuneus/cuneus (Pcu/CU) and insula; decreased ALFF in the Pcu/CU and frontal lobe; and increased ALFF and ReHo in the temporal lobe. While the MCI-no LI group had increased ReHo and ALFF in the bilateral hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus, frontal lobe, and decreased ALFF and ReHo in the temporal lobe. Compared with the MCI-no LI patients, those with MCI-LI had decreased ALFF in the frontal lobe; decreased ReHo in the Pcu/CU and insula; and increased ALFF and ReHo in the temporal lobe (p <  0.05, AlphaSim corrected). In MCI-LI patients, the MOCA scores showed a relatively weak correlation with ALFF values in the medial frontal gyrus (r = 0.432, p = 0.045) (of borderline significance after Bonferroni correction). Conclusions: The spontaneous brain activities in MCI-LI were distinct from MCI-no LI. The probable compensatory mechanism observed in MCI-no LI might be disrupted in MCI with LI due to vascular damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous trials of iron supplementation in infancy did not consider maternal iron supplementation.Objective: This study assessed effects of iron supplementation in infancy and/or pregnancy on infant iron status, illnesses, and growth at 9 mo.Methods: Enrollment occurred from December 2009 to June 2012 in Hebei, China. Infants born to women in a pregnancy iron supplementation trial were randomly assigned 1:1 to iron [∼1 mg Fe/(kg · d) as oral iron proteinsuccynilate] or placebo from 6 wk to 9 mo, excluding infants with cord ferritin <35 μg/L. Study groups were pregnancy placebo/infancy placebo (placebo/placebo), pregnancy placebo/infancy iron (placebo/iron), pregnancy iron/infancy placebo (iron/placebo), and pregnancy iron/infancy iron (iron/iron). The primary outcome was 9-mo iron status: iron deficiency (ID) by cutoff (≥2 abnormal iron measures) or body iron <0 mg/kg and ID + anemia (hemoglobin <110 g/L). Secondary outcomes were doctor visits or hospitalizations and weight or length gain from birth to 9 mo. Statistical analysis by intention to treat and dose-response (between number of iron bottles received and outcome) used logistic regression with concomitant RRs and general linear models, with covariate control as applicable.Results: Of 1482 infants randomly allocated, 1276 had 9-mo data (n = 312-327/group). Iron supplementation in infancy, but not pregnancy, reduced ID risk: RRs (95% CIs) were 0.89 (0.79, 0.998) for placebo/iron compared to placebo/placebo, 0.79 (0.63, 0.98) for placebo/iron compared to iron/placebo, 0.87 (0.77, 0.98) for iron/iron compared to placebo/placebo, and 0.86 (0.77, 0.97) for iron/iron compared to iron/placebo. However, >60% of infants still had ID at 9 mo. Receiving more bottles of iron in infancy was associated with better infant iron status at 9 mo but only among iron-supplemented infants whose mothers were also iron supplemented (i.e., the iron/iron group). There were no group differences in hospitalizations or illnesses and no adverse effects on growth overall or among infants who were iron sufficient at birth.Conclusions: Iron supplementation in Chinese infants reduced ID at 9 mo without adverse effects on growth or illness. Effects of iron supplementation in pregnancy were observed only when higher amounts of iron were distributed in infancy. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00613717. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Precompetition nervous syndrome comprises an excessive nervous and anxiety response to the high-pressure environment preceding a sporting competition. The use of acupuncture as a treatment option for anxiety, and wrist-ankle acupuncture (WAA) specifically in this instance, has been identified as a growing trend within the Western world. In our previous study, we have confirmed the efficacy of WAA for pre-examination anxiety. In this paper, we present a randomized controlled single-blind trial evaluating the use of WAA for precompetition nervous syndrome, comparing it with the intervention of sham acupuncture. Methods/Design: The study was designed as a randomized controlled single-blind trial to evaluate the effects of WAA for precompetition anxiety. The trial will be conducted in annual track and field events of Shanghai University of Sport. A total of 100 participants who meet inclusion criteria are randomly assigned by computerized randomization to receive WAA therapy or sham acupuncture. The group allocations and interventions are concealed to participants and statisticians. The Competition State Anxiety Scale (CSAI-2) is used as the primary outcome measure, while heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory frequency, tension syndrome curative effect evaluation and participants' feeling of acupuncture questionnaire are applied as secondary outcome measures. Discussion: The results of this trial will confirm whether WAA is effective to treat precompetition anxiety in annual track and field events. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (identifier: ChiCTR-TRC-13003931; registration date: 22 October 2013). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Multidrug resistance (MDR) in Acinetobacter baumannii is increasingly reported and has become a significant public concern. The method responsible for the acquisition of resistance genes via integrons from the environment or intra-species in A. baumannii remains to be understood. This study was performed to investigate the transmission route of these integrons using a comparative analysis of published A. baumannii complete genomes. The phylogenetic analysis of A. baumannii type 1 integrases (IntI1) showed that the integrons could be transferred across the two evolutionary lineages, the international clone I (IC I) and clone II (IC II) strains. In addition, the integrons in A. baumannii strains were mainly responsible for the transfer of resistance genes for two types of long-term usage antibiotics and antiseptics, such as aminoglycosides, chloramphenicol and the quaternary-ammonium-compound family. The in silico comparative analysis of known integron integrases revealed that the intI genes were phylogenetically related among A. baumannii strains and some microorganisms living in a sediment community, implicating that the integrons of A. baumannii might have originated from those microorganisms belonging to the β-preoteobacterial class in the sediment environment. The data suggest that the gain of class 1 integrons in A. baumannii strains may have started before the antibiotic era. This report shows that the origins of A. baumannii class 1 integrons may be the soil environment and that the resistance genes included in integrons are horizontally transferred across all the A. baumannii genomes, including IC I and IC II. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Although attention to metabolic syndrome (MetS) in children has increased, there is still no universally accepted definition and its pathogenesis remains unclear. Our aim was to compare the current definitions of childhood MetS in a Chinese cohort and to examine the clustering pattern of MetS risk factors, particularly inclusion of leptin and adiponectin as additional components. Methods: 3373 schoolchildren aged 6 to 18 years were recruited. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters and adipokines were measured. MetS was identified using both the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and a modified Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) definitions. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to establish grouping of metabolic characteristics. Results: For children =10 years, the prevalence of MetS was 14.3% in the obese group and 3.7% in the overweight group according to the new IDF definition, and 32.3% in the obese group and 8.4% in the overweight group according to the modified ATPIII definition. Frequency of hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), impaired fasting glucose, elevated blood pressure, and central obesity according to the new IDF definition was 16.7%, 20.7%, 15.8%, 25.5% and 75.5% in obese boys and 14.7%, 24.0%, 12.0%, 11.0% and 89.0% in obese girls, respectively. Metabolic abnormalities in children under 10 years of age were also noted. Using factor analysis on eight conventional variables led to the extraction of 3 factors. Waist circumference (WC) provided a connection between two factors in boys and all three factors in girls, suggesting its central role in the clustering of metabolic risk factors. Addition of leptin and adiponectin also led to the extraction of 3 factors, with leptin providing a connection between two factors in girls. When using WC, mean arterial pressure, triglyceride/HDL-C ratio, HOMA-IR and leptin/adiponectin ratio as variables, a single-factor model was extracted. WC had the biggest factor loading, followed by leptin/adiponectin ratio. Conclusions: MetS was highly prevalent amongst obese children and adolescents in this cohort, regardless of the definition used. Central obesity is the key player in the clustering of metabolic risk factors in children, supporting the new IDF definition. Moreover, our findings suggest that a common factor may underlie MetS. Leptin/ adiponectin ratio as a possible component of MetS deserves further consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NLMs is a state-of-art image denoising method; however, it sometimes oversmoothes anatomical features in low-dose CT (LDCT) imaging. In this paper, we propose a simple way to improve the spatial adaptivity (SA) of NLMs using pointwise fractal dimension (PWFD). Unlike existing fractal image dimensions that are computed on the whole images or blocks of images, the new PWFD, named pointwise box-counting dimension (PWBCD), is computed for each image pixel. PWBCD uses a fixed size local window centered at the considered image pixel to fit the different local structures of images. Then based on PWBCD, a new method that uses PWBCD to improve SA of NLMs directly is proposed. That is, PWBCD is combined with the weight of the difference between local comparison windows for NLMs. Smoothing results for test images and real sinograms show that PWBCD-NLMs with well-chosen parameters can preserve anatomical features better while suppressing the noises efficiently. In addition, PWBCD-NLMs also has better performance both in visual quality and peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) than NLMs in LDCT imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the impact of testicular sperm aspiration on the clinical outcomes of IVF patients with temporary ejaculation failure (TEF) on the day of oocyte retrieval. Design: A case-control study. Setting: University-affiliated IVF center. Patient(s): One hundred eight infertile couples encountering TEF on the day of oocyte retrieval. Intervention(s): Testicular sperm aspiration and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (TESA-ICSI) were employed to help the TEF couples to complete their IVF treatments. A group of obstructive azoospermia (OA) patients was chosen as a control group to evaluate the efficiency and safety of this intervention. Main Outcome Measure(s): Fertilization rates, transferable embryo rates, and clinical pregnancy rates (PRs). Result(s): Through the TESA-ICSI, TEF couples achieved a 38.83% (40/103) clinical PR per IVF cycle. Compared with the OA group, the TEF group showed a comparable fertilization rate (66.43% vs. 65.25%), transferable embryo rate (60.76% vs. 60.85%), and PR (51.61% vs. 50.00%) in thawed ET cycles but a relatively low PR (25.49% vs. 44.64%) in fresh ET cycles. Conclusion(s): TESA-ICSI is a relatively efficient and safe way to help the patients encountering TEF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-dimensional nanoparticles have a strong ability to induce the crystallization of polymer matrices. One-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and two-dimensional graphene nanosheets (GNSs), both of which are both carbon-based nanoparticles, provide a good opportunity to investigate the effects of differently dimensional nanoparticles on the crystallization behavior of a polymer. For this purpose, respective nanocomposites of CNTs and GNSs with poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) as matrix were prepared by solution coagulation. Time-resolved Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and synchrotron wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) were performed to probe chain conformational changes and to determine the crystallization kinetics during the isothermal crystallization of the PLLA nanocomposites and neat PLLA, especially in the early stages. Both CNTs and GNSs could serve as nucleating agents in accelerating the crystallization kinetics of PLLA; however, the ability of CNTs to induce crystallization was stronger than that of GNSs. On increasing the content of CNTs from 0.05 to 0.1 wt %, the induction period was shortened and the crystallization rate was enhanced, but the reverse situation was found for GNSs nanocomposites. In the case of neat PLLA, −CH3interchain interactions preceded −(COC CH3) interchain interactions during the crystallization. Conversely, in the CNTs and GNSs nanocomposites, the conformational ordering began with −(COC CH3) interchain interactions, which resulted directly in a reduced induction period. Interchain interactions of this type could be explained in terms of surface-induced conformational order (SICO). Finally, the effect of the dimensionality of the nanoparticles on the crystallization behavior of PLLA is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]