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ObjectiveTo investigate the correlation between intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging (IVIM-DWI) and the pathological classification of idiopathic orbital inflammatory pseudotumors (IOIPs).MethodsNineteen patients who were diagnosed with IOIPs (a total of 24 affected eyes) between November 2018 and December 2020 were included in the study. All the patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging orbital plain scans and IVIM-DWI multiparameter scans before an operation. The true diffusion coefficient (D), pseudodiffusion coefficient (D*), and perfusion fraction (f) values were obtained. Based on histopathology, the lesions were divided into three types: lymphocytic infiltration, fibrosclerotic, and mixed. The correlation between IVIM-DWI parameters and pathological classification was tested with the histopathological results as the gold standard. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 17.0, with P < 0.05 defined as significant.ResultsAmong the 19 patients (24 eyes) affected by IOIP, there were no significant differences between IOIP pathological classification and gender or age (P > 0.05). There were statistically significant differences between the D and f values for different pathological types of IOIP and IVIM parameters (P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference in D* value between the different pathological types (P > 0.05).ConclusionThe D and f values showed correlation with different types of IOIP, and the sensitivity of the D value was higher than that of the f value. The D* value showed no significant distinction between pathological types of IOIP.

Environmental estrogens are capable of interfering with the spermatogenesis and fertility of fish. However in natural waters, these chemicals are more likely to occur as a combination rather than a single stressor. Whether and how the mixture of xenoestrogens with environmental relevant concentrations may affect fish spermatogenesis remains largely unknown. In this study, male zebrafish adults were administered to 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2) and a mixture of xenoestrogens (Mix (E2, EE2, DES, 4-t-OP, 4-NP and BPA)), with the estrogenic potency equivalent to EE2. After a 60-day exposures, elevated mRNA levels of vitellogenin 1 (vtg1) and estrogen receptor 1 (esr1) in the liver of fish in both treated groups were observed. Moreover, the plasma level of E2 declined significantly in the Mix group and the ratio of 11-KT/E2 was significantly elevated in both treated groups. Consistently, the mRNA level of P450 side-chain cleavage (scc) in the EE2 group and ovarian type aromatase (cyp19a1a) in the Mix group was significantly suppressed. In addition, decreased gonadosomatic index and sperm count in the fish of Mix group were present. Furthermore, increased number of the proliferating germ cells (such as spermatogonia and spermatocytes) was observed in the fish of both groups, suggesting a stimulated germ cell proliferation and meiosis. Accordingly, both exposures significantly up-regulated the mRNA levels of genes in mitosis (cyclinb1) and meiosis (cyp26a1 in EE2 group, aldh1a2, cyp26a1, sycp3 and spo11 in Mix). In addition, decreased number of spermatozoa and increased number of TUNEL-positive signals were present in the testis of fish in the Mix group, indicating an enhanced apoptosis. Further analyses demonstrated the significant elevated expressions of tnfrsf1a and the ratio of tnfrsf1a/tnfrsf1b in the Mix group, suggesting an elevated apoptosis in the testis of fish in the Mix group via extrinsic pathway. The present study greatly extends our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the reproductive toxicity of xenoestrogens on fish.

In fish, spermatogenesis and somatic growth are mainly regulated by hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) and hypothalamic-pituitary-somatic (HPS) axes, respectively. Xenoestrogens have been reported to impair spermatogenesis in some fishes, and arrest somatic growth in some others, whereas, whether xenoestrogens are capable of disrupting spermatogenesis and somatic growth simultaneously in fish that exhibits sexual dimorphic growth is little known, and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, male juveniles of yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco), which exhibits a sexual dimorphic growth that favors males, were exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) for 28 days. After exposure, DES significantly disrupted the spermatogenesis (decreased gonadal-somatic index (GSI) and germ cell number) and arrested the somatic growth (declined body weight) of the catfish juveniles. Gene expression and plasma steroid analyses demonstrated the suppressed mRNA levels of genes in HPG axis (gnrh-II, fshβ, and lhβ in the brain and dmrt1, sf1, fshr, cyp17a1, cyp19a1a, and cyp11b2 in the testis) and decreased 17β-estrodial (E2) and 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) levels in plasma. Further analysis revealed the arrested germ cell proliferation (cyclin d1), meiosis (dmc1, sycp3), and enhanced apoptosis (decreased bcl-2 and elevated bax/bcl-2 ratio) in the testis. Besides, DES also suppressed the mRNA levels of genes in HPS axis (ghrh, gh, and prl in the brain and ghr, igf1, igf2a, and igf2b in the liver). The suppressed HPG and HPS axes were thus supposed to disturb spermatogenesis and arrest somatic growth in yellow catfish. The present study greatly extended our understanding on the mechanisms underlying the toxicity of DES on spermatogenesis and somatic growth of fish.

The electrical characteristics of insulating materials play a key role on the working performance and operation reliability of power equipment. With the rapid development of superconducting technology in recent years,the working temperature of high temperature superconducting power equipment can be controlled around the liquid nitrogen temperature. Due to its excellent dielectric performance and mechanical properties, polyimide have been widely used in power equipment at room temperature. However, polyimide, as a kind of cryogenic insulating materials, is rarely reported at present. Therefore, the study of the insulating characteristics of polyimide at the cryogenic temperatures is of great significance. The DC breakdown property and flashover performance of polyimide are tested around room temperature (300K) and liquid nitrogen temperature (78K). The results show that temperature has some effects on the DC breakdown property and flashover performance of polyimide.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the value of 320 slice Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) in evaluating puncture approaches by simulating Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (IPS) in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension. Methods: A total of 30 patients with hepatic cirrhosis and portal hypertension, who underwent IPS from November 2014 to January 2017 at Yunnan Province Second People's Hospital, were selected for this study. The CTA data acquired before surgery were retrospectively analysed. The puncture distances and puncture angles from the right hepatic vein, middle hepatic vein and left hepatic vein to the portal vein and its branches were measured and compared with those acquired by Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA). Then, the differences between the puncture distances and angles acquired by CTA and DSA were evaluated. Results: Differences between puncture distances and angles acquired by CTA and DSA were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusions: Puncture distances and angles acquired by CTA were consistent with those acquired by DSA. This can provide an imaging basis for the preoperative surgical planning of IPS.

Accumulating evidence indicates interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a critical mediator of inflammatory responses in ischemic stroke (IS). The aim of this study was to investigate whether rs3783553 in the 3’-untranslated region of IL-1A was associated with the risk of IS. In this hospital-based case-control study, we genotyped the rs3783553 using polymerase chain reaction in 316 patients with IS and 332 age, sex, and ethnicity-matched controls. Plasma level of IL-1α was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The relative luciferase activities were measured by the Dual Luciferase assay system. The presence of ins/ins genotype was associated with higher odds ratios (ORs) of IS compared with del/del genotype (ins/ins vs del/del: adjusted OR 1.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06–2.98; recessive model: adjusted OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.06–2.70). The higher risk of IS was also observed in allele comparison (adjusted OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.00–1.65). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, hypertension, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein, and rs3783553ins/ins genotypes were independent risk factors for IS. Plasma level of IL-1α was higher among IS patients compared with controls (P = .03). Notably, IS patients with the TTCA/TTCA genotype had a higher level of IL-1α compared with those with the del/del genotype (P = .01). Luciferase reporter assay showed that the vector containing the TTCA del allele exhibited a reduced transcriptional activity in the presence of miR-122 and miR-378. These findings indicate that IL-1A rs3783553 ins/ins genotype may increase the susceptibility to IS, possibly by interrupting the binding site of miR-122 and miR-378.

A low-cost solid acid catalyst derived from kaolin and sulphuric acid, was utilized for the removal of thiophene from coking benzene. The effect of various factors, such as sintering temperature, sintering time, acid treatment temperature, acid treatment time and the acid content, were investigated to improve the catalytic activity in the removal of thiophene, estimated by UV-vis spectrum. The results showed that kaolin calcined at 973 K for 6 h and refluxed for 3 h in 3 mol/L H2SO4 at 363 K displayed higher thiophene removal efficiency. The highest one was up to 93.05%. In that process, acetic anhydride was appended in order to improve the efficiency of desulfurization.

Liobagrus marginatoides is endemic to the upper Yangtze River basin in China. By using the fast isolation by amplified fragment length polymorphism of sequences containing repeats protocol, we identified eleven microsatellite loci in a wild population. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 4 to 10. The observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.3258 to 1.000 and from 0.6506 to 0.8712, respectively. Cross-amplification was tested in related species L. nigricauda, L. marginalus and L. kingi.

Liobagrus kingi is endemic to southwest China and listed as endangered species (IUCN 2012). Genetic diversity is necessary for conservation issue. In studying this, the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of L. kingi has been obtained with PCR, which contains 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes, and a non-coding control region with the total length of 16,483 bp. The gene arrangement and composition are similar to that of other vertebrates. Most of the genes are encoded on heavy strand, except for eight tRNA and ND6 genes. Just like most other vertebrates, the against bias of G has a universality in different statistical results. The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of L. kingi would contribute to better understand population genetics and protect its genetic diversity.

Liobagrus nigricauda is endemic to the Yangtze River system (Ding 1994, The fishes of Sichuan province. pp. 470-78) and listed as an endangered species (IUCN 2012, Red list of threatened species. http://www.iucnredlist.org ). In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of L. nigricauda has been obtained with polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which contains 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes, and a noncoding control region with the total length of 16,512 bp. The gene arrangement and composition are similar to that of other vertebrates. Most of the genes are encoded on heavy strand, except for eight tRNA and ND6 genes. Just like most other vertebrates, the bias against G has a universality in different statistics results. The mitogenome sequence of L. nigricauda would contribute to better understand population genetics and to protect its genetic diversity.

To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture on depressive neurosis.With a multi-center randomized controlled study, 440 cases were randomly divided into an acupuncture group, a prozac group, a non-acupoint needling group. In the acupuncture group, Hegu (LI 4) and Taichong (LR 3) were selected, and the Prozac group were treated with administration of 20 mg/d and the non-acupoint needling group were treated with needling the points deviating from the acupoints. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by HAMD score reduction rate, and Asberg's anti-depressant side-effect rating scale (SERS) and severe adverse reaction were used for safety evaluation, and the data were analyzed with ITT.The total effective rate was 86. 4% in the acupuncture group, which was better than 59.1% in the non-acupoint needling group and 72.7% in the prozac group; HAMD score in the acupuncture group was similar to that in the Prozac group, which was better than that in the non-acupoint needling group; the SERS scores in the acupuncture group and the non-acupoint needling group were significantly lower than that in the Prozac group, with no severe side-effects found for acupuncture.Acupuncture is an effective and safe therapy for depressive neurosis; therapeutic effect of acupuncture on depressive neurosis possibly is better than or similar to that of Prozac, but with less side-effects.

ObjectiveTo observe therapeutic effect of acupuncture for regulating the liver on depressive neurosis.MethodsIn a multi-center randomized controlled trial, 440 patients were divided into 3 groups: Acupuncture group for regulating the liver (Acup., 176 cases) was treated by acupuncture at Siguan Points, i.e. bilateral Hegu (LI 4) and Taichong (LR 3), Baihui (GV 20) and Yintang (EX-HN3) plus ear-acupuncture, Prozac group (P., 176 cases) by oral administration of Prozac, and Non-acupoint needling group (NAN, 88 cases) by acupuncture at non-acupoints as acupuncture placebo. Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) was examined before treatment, and one month, two and three months after treatment respectively to evaluate therapeutic effect, and Rating Scale for Side Effects (SERS) was used to evaluate the safety.ResultsAfter one month of treatment, SDS scores in Acup. Group were significantly lower than that in P. Group (P0.05), showing the SERS scores in Acup. Group