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Objective To evaluate the intervention effect and efficacy of neuromuscular joint facilitation （NJF） treatment on the lower extremity muscle tone in hemiplegic patients with cerebral infarction. Methods A total of 136 patients with cerebral infarction were enrolled and divided into the treatment group （n = 66） and control group （n = 70） according to whether NJF treatment was adopted. The lower extremity muscle tone on the hemiplegic side in the two groups was evaluated by the modified Ashworth scale before and 10 d after intervention. The lower extremity motor function on the hemiplegic side was assessed by Brunnstrom stages. The transfer ability of all patients was evaluated according to the amount of assistance needed for transfer （including lying-sitting transfer, sitting-standing transfer）. The balance capability was evaluated by Bobath balance grading. The walking ability was evaluated by Holden functional ambulation category scale （FAC）. Results After 10 d intervention, the lower extremity high muscle tone in the treatment group was reduced by 21.2%, higher than 1.4% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant （P < 0.001）. The proportion of patients with improved sitting-standing transfer capability in the treatment group was 47.0%, higher compared with 27.1% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant （P < 0.05）. Conclusion NJF treatment is beneficial to adjust the lower extremity muscle tension to normal level and effectively improve the ability of sitting and standing transfer in hemiplegic patients with cerebral infarction.

Carbohydrates are expected to replace petroleum and to become the base of industrial chemistry. Chirality is one particular area in which carbohydrates have a special potential advantage over petroleum resources. Herein, we report a catalytic approach for the direct production of d-tetroses [i.e., d-(−)-erythrose and d-(+)-erythrulose] from d-hexoses through a fast retro-aldol process at 190 °C that achieves a yield of 46 % and completely retains the chiral centers in the final chiral synthon. The d-tetrose products were further converted into their derivatives, thereby accomplishing transfer of chirality from natural chiral hexoses to high-value-added chiral chemicals. Our results also suggest that the product distribution for the conversion of d-hexoses was determined by their isomerization and epimerization trends that competed with their corresponding retro-aldol condensation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applying industrial waste amendments, such as steel slag and biochar, to soils is an increasingly common practice to improve soil fertility, crop yield, and soil carbon (C) pool storage and stability. However, the effects of separate and combined applications of slag and biochar on total and active soil organic C (SOC) pools and the associated relationships between soil microorganisms and C cycling are unclear. Therefore, this study examined the effects of steel slag, rice straw biochar, and slag+biochar amendments to subtropical early and late rice paddy soils on total and active SOC concentrations and microbial abundance and diversity. The results showed that slag+biochar increased SOC content in early and late rice, with increases in dissolved organic C of 28.7 and 52.6 % in the early and late rice jointing stages, respectively. Soil organic C was positively correlated with soil C:N ratios in the two crop seasons. Applications of slag and biochar alone increased the diversity of soil bacteria in early rice but decreased in late rice. Meanwhile, the combined application of slag and biochar decreased diversity of soil bacterial community diversity and increased the relative abundance of some beneficial bacterial taxa, such as Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Flavisolibacter , and Ferruginibacte which are related to SOC cycling and sequestration. The results highlight that the combined slag and biochar amendments can improve soil specific properties, such as pH and SOC stocks, which elicit alterations in soil bacterial composition, especially of some keystone genera, altogether resulting in enhanced soil C sequestration and C pool stability. [Display omitted] • Combined slag and biochar amendment increased soil pH and SOC concentrations. • Combined amendment altered soil bacterial community composition. • Combined slag and biochar amendment can maintain the stability of soil C pool. • Soil properties and bacterial community influenced soil C sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous studies have evaluated the association between the angiotensinogen (AGT) T174M polymorphism and ischemic stroke(IS) risk. However, the specific association is still controversial., Materials and Methods: In order to explore this association more deeply, we performed a meta-analysis. All of the relevant studies were identified from PubMed, Embase, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure database up to October 2014. Statistical analyses were conducted with STATA 12.0 software. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) values were applied to evaluate the strength of the association., Results: Six studies with 1290 cases and 1125 controls were included. No significant variation in IS risk was detected in any of the genetic models in the overall (MM vs. TT: OR = 1.64, 95% CI = 0.51-5.28; MT vs. TT: OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.66-1.31; dominant model: OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 0.69-1.72; recessive model: OR = 0.61,95% CI = 0.20-1.91). Taking into account the effect of ethnicity, further stratified analyses were performed. The results showed that AGT gene T174M polymorphism might be associated with IS risk in Asians (MM vs. TT: OR = 3.28, 95% CI = 1.79-6.02; recessive model: OR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.17-0.57)., Conclusion: In conclusion, the AGT T174M polymorphism may be a susceptible predictor of the risk of IS in Asians. Further, large and well-designed studies are needed to confirm this conclusion.