[Disease burden of acute viral hepatitis in Guangdong Province, 1990-2019].

Objective: To examine the burden and trends of acute viral hepatitis in Guangdong Province from 1990 to 2019, and provide reference evidences for hepatitis prevention and control in the province. Methods: Data on acute viral hepatitis (hepatitis A, B, C, and E) in Guangdong from 1990 to 2019 were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 database. The incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) data were analyzed by age and gender, and the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was calculated to describe the changing trends in disease burden. Results: From 1999 to 2019, the standardized incidence, prevalence, mortality, and DALY of acute viral hepatitis in Guangdong were higher than the national averages. In 2019, 51.43% (2 245 087/4 365 221) of acute viral hepatitis cases in Guangdong Province were mainly attributed to hepatitis B, and 77.18% (106/138) of deaths were due to acute hepatitis B. In different age groups, except for acute hepatitis B, which was more common in adults, the incidence rates of other types of viral hepatitis such as hepatitis A, B, and E showed an overall decreasing trend with age. The mortality rates of different types of acute viral hepatitis, except for the <5 age group, increased with age. The overall incidence and mortality rates of acute viral hepatitis were higher in men than in women. Conclusions: The overall burden of acute viral hepatitis in Guangdong declined in 2019, but remained higher than the national level. Further efforts are needed to strengthen hepatitis prevention and screening in different population in Guangdong Province, especially in children and the elderly.

[Analysis and prediction of disease burden of cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases due to alcohol use in China from 1990 to 2030].

Objective: To comprehensively understand the disease burden of liver cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases caused by alcohol use in China from 1990 to 2019, as well as to predict the trends in disease burden from 2020 to 2030. Methods: The analysis utilized data from the Global Burden of Disease study in 2019 (GBD2019). Key indicators such as incidence rate, mortality rate, disability-adjusted life years (DALY), years of life lost due to premature mortality, and years lived with disability were selected to describe the disease burden of alcohol-related liver cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases in China from 1990 to 2019. The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was used to depict the temporal trends in disease burden. Furthermore, a Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) model was constructed using R software to predict the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of alcohol-related liver cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases in China from 2020 to 2030. Results: From 1990 to 2019, the incidence of alcohol-related liver cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases in China showed an upward trend, with an EAPC of 0.31% (95%CI: 0.10%-0.52%). However, the DALY declined, with an EAPC of -2.81% (95%CI: -2.92% - -2.70%). The ASMR showed a downward trend, with an EAPC of -2.55% (95%CI: -2.66% - -2.45%). The highest incidence of cirrhosis of liver caused by alcohol and other chronic liver diseases was reported in the age group of 35-49 years, while the ASMR increased gradually with age, with a significant rise after the age of 30. The age-standardized DALY rate peaked between the ages of 55 and 64. The disease burden indicators for males were consistently higher than those for females during the same period. According to the predictions of the BAPC model, from 2020 to 2030, the ASIR for cirrhosis of liver caused by alcohol and other chronic liver diseases in the entire population of China was projected to increase from 3.45/100 000 in 2020 to 3.78/100 000 in 2030, a growth of 9.57%. Conversely, the ASMR was expected to decrease from 1.45/100 000 in 2020 to 1.24/100 000 in 2030, a reduction of 14.48%. Conclusions: The disease burden of cirrhosis of liver caused by alcohol and other chronic liver diseases remained serious in China, especially in men and the middle-aged to elderly population. There is a pressing need to prioritize attention and resources towards these groups. Despite the projected decrease in ASMR, the ASIR continued to rise and is expected to persist in its upward trend until 2030.

Drought priming reduces Calligonum mongolicum sensitivity to recurrent droughts via coordinated regulation of osmolytes, antioxidants, and hormones.

Pre-exposure of plants to abiotic stressors may induce stress memory and improve tolerance to subsequent stresses. Here, 3-month-old Calligonum mongolicum seedlings were exposed to drought (60 days) with (primed) or without (unprimed) early drought exposure of 50 days, to determine whether this enhances seedling resistance and investigate possible underlying mechanisms. Compared to unprimed, primed seedlings had higher biomass, shoot relative water content (15% and 22%), chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids. They also had more superoxide anions (O2 -• ) and H2 O2 scavenging mechanisms through higher activity of SOD, CAT, APX, and dehydroascorbate reductase in assimilating shoots and roots, resulting in less ROS and oxidative stress damage. Plants also had higher ABA and JA but lower SA, likely reflecting an adaptive response to subsequent stress. Primed seedlings accumulated more IAA and brassinosteroids, which may account for their better growth. Accumulation of glycine betaine, pro, and total amino acids in assimilating shoots and roots of primed seedlings led to reduced osmotic stress. Drivers of responses of non-primed and primed seedlings to drought varied. Responses of primed seedlings were primarily characterized by more photosynthetic pigments, increased oxidative scavenging of O2 -• and H2 O2 , more phytohormones and osmolytes. Early drought priming of drought stress memory in C. mongolicum seedlings may provide a useful management approach to improve seedling establishment in vegetation restoration programs.

[Molecular mechanisms of quinolone resistance in non-typhoidal Salmonella].

By conducting retrospective analysis, this study aim to investigate the resistance mechanism of quinolones in non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS). A total of 105 strains of NTS isolated from clinical specimens from the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University from May 2020 to February 2021 were used as research objects. VITEK2 Compact automatic identification drug sensitivity analysis system and serological test were used to identify the strains. The sensitivity of the strains to ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and nalidixic acid was detected by AGAR dilution method. The whole genome of 105 strains of NTS was sequenced. Abricate and other softwares were used to analyze drug-resistant genes, including plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance gene (PMQR) and Quinolone resistance determination region (QRDR). Serotypes and ST types were analyzed using SISTR and MLST, and phylogenetic trees were constructed. The results showed that the NTS isolated in this region were mainly ST34 Salmonella typhimurium (53.3%). The drug sensitivity results showed that the drug resistance rates of NTS to ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and nalidixic acid were 30.4%, 1.9% and 22.0%, respectively, and the intermediate rates of ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin were 27.6% and 54.2%.A total of 46 (74.2%) of the 62 quinolone non-susceptible strains carried the PMQR gene, mainly qnrS1 (80.4%), followed by aac(6')-Ib-cr(15.2%); there were 14 NTS and 8 NTS had gyrA and parC gene mutations, respectively. The gyrA was mutations at the amino acid position 87, Asp87Tyr, Asp87Asn, Asp87Gly, and Thr57Ser mutations were detected in parC. In conclusion, this study found that NTS had relatively high resistance to quinolones, carrying qnrS1 gene mainly resulted in decreased sensitivity of NTS to ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin, and gyrA:87 mutation mainly resulted in NTS resistance to Nalidixic acid; Salmonella typhimurium in clinical isolates showed clonal transmission and required further epidemiological surveillance.

Probing

The isomer depletion of ^{93m}Mo was recently reported [Chiara et al., Nature (London) 554, 216 (2018)NATUAS0028-083610.1038/nature25483] as the first direct observation of nuclear excitation by electron capture (NEEC). However, the measured excitation probability of 1.0(3)% is far beyond the theoretical expectation. In order to understand the inconsistency between theory and experiment, we produce the ^{93m}Mo nuclei using the ^{12}C(^{86}Kr,5n) reaction at a beam energy of 559 MeV and transport the reaction residues to a detection station far away from the target area employing a secondary beam line. The isomer depletion is expected to occur during the slowdown process of the ions in the stopping material. In such a low γ-ray background environment, the signature of isomer depletion is not observed, and an upper limit of 2×10^{-5} is estimated for the excitation probability. This is consistent with the theoretical expectation. Our findings shed doubt on the previously reported NEEC phenomenon and highlight the necessity and feasibility of further experimental investigations for reexamining the isomer depletion under low γ-ray background.

[Factor analysis of effective platelet-producing ability of fetal liver-derived cells].

Objective: To study the different factors affecting platelet production post transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) isolated from different sources in order to explore novel options for treating platelet depletion following HSCs transplantation. Methods: HSCs and their downstream derivatives including myeloid and lymphoid cells (i.e., collective of mononuclear cells (MNCs)), were isolated from E14.5 fetal liver (FL) and bone marrow (BM) of 8-week-old mice by Ficoll separation technique. These cells were subsequently transplanted into the tibia bone marrow cavity of recipient mice post lethal myeloablative treatment in order to construct the FL-MNCs and BM-MNCs transplantation mouse model. Routine blood indices were examined in these recipient mice. The chimeric rate of donor cells in recipient peripheral blood cells were determined by flow cytometry. Different groups of cells involved in platelet reconstruction were analyzed. CD41+megakaryocytes were sorted from fetal liver or bone marrow using magnetic beads, which were then induced to differentiate into platelets in an in vitro assay. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of platelet-related genes in CD41+megakaryocytes from the two sources. Results: Both the FL-MNCs and the BM-MNCs transplantation groups resumed normal hematopoiesis at the 4th week after transplantation, and the blood cells of the recipient mice were largely replaced by the donor cells. Compared with the mice transplanted with BM-MNCs, the platelet level of mice transplanted with FL-MNCs recovered faster and were maintained at a higher level. At week 4, the PLT level of the FL-MNCs group was (1.45±0.37)×1012/L, and of the BM-MNCs group was (1.22±0.24)×1012/L, P<0.05. The FL-MNCs contain a higher proportion of hematopoietic stem cells (Lin-Sca-1+c-Kit+)(7.60%±1.40%) compared to the BM-MNCs (1.10%±0.46%), P<0.01; the proportion of the megakaryocyte progenitor cells (Lin-Sca-1-c-Kit+CD41+CD150+) and mature megakaryocyte cells (CD41+CD42b+), also differ significantly between the FL-MNCs (3.05%±0.22%, 1.60%±0.06%, respectively) and the BM-MNCs (0.15%±0.02%, 0.87%±0.11%, respectively) groups, both P<0.01. In vitro functional studies showed that FL-MNCs-CD41+megakaryocytes could produce proplatelet-like cells more quickly after induction, with proplatelet-like cells formation on day 3 and significant platelet-like particle formation on day 5, in contrast to bone marrow-derived BM-MNCs-CD41+megakaryocytes that failed to form proplatelet-like cell on day 5. In addition, FL-MNCs-CD41+cells expressed higher levels of platelet-related genes, Mpl (3.25-fold), Fog1 (3-fold), and Gata1 (1.5-fold) (P<0.05). Conclusion: Compared with the BM-MNCs group, the FL-MNCs transplantation group appears to have a more efficient platelet implantation effect in the HSCs transplantation recipient in vivo, as well as a higher platelet differentiation rate in vitro. This might be related to a higher proportion of megakaryocytes and higher expression levels of genes such as Mpl, Fog1, and Gata1 that could be important for platelet formation in FL-MNCs-CD41+cells. Further exploration of the specific functions of these genes and the characteristics of the different proportions of the donor cells will provide valuable clues for the future treatment of platelets reconstitution after HSCs transplantation clinically.

Effect of rehabilitation on the long-term efficacy of botulinum toxin-A for spastic cerebral palsy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the long-term effects of botulinum toxin-A (BTX-A) nerve block on relaxation of spasticity in cerebral palsy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From June 2015 to December 2018, 52 children, aged 20-56 months, with spastic cerebral palsy were treated with BTX-A. The dose of BTX-A was selected based on the weight of the child and the modified Ashworth scale (MAS). The injection dose ranged from 45 IU to 150 IU (average 68.0±31.6 IIU). The muscle tone and motor functions of all children were evaluated before the block. The spasticity was measured using the MAS, and the motor function was measured using the Physician Rating Scale (PRS) and the gross motor function measure (GMFM). After two years, all children were re-evaluated. RESULTS: No significant difference was observed between the trial and control groups in terms of age, weight, MAS, PRS, and GMFM measurements before the block (p>0.05). The PRS and GMFM improved significantly in both groups after two years (p<0.05). The PRS and GMFM in the trial group increased more significantly than those in the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The BTX-A block showed a long-term positive effect. Rehabilitation training after the block could help children to improve their motor functions.

[Application effects of feedforward control theory in the rollover bed treatment of mass patients with burn-explosion combined injury].

Objective: To explore the application effects of feedforward control theory in the rollover bed treatment of mass patients with burn-explosion combined injury. Methods: A retrospective observational research was conducted. From June 13 to 14, 2020, 15 patients with severe burn-explosion combined injury caused by liquefied natural gas tank car explosion and conforming to the inclusion criteria were admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine. There were 13 males and 2 females, aged 33-92 (66±17) years. All the patients were treated with rollover bed from 48 h post admission, and the feedforward control theory was introduced, including establishing a special feedforward control management team for rollover bed, clarifying the duties of the medical staff in the rollover bed treatment of patients, implementing the cooperation strategy of multidisciplinary physician, training and examining for 80 nurses in the temporarily organized nurse team in the form of "rollover bed workshop", and formulating the checklist and valuation list of rollover bed treatment for continuous quality control. The frequency and the total number of turning over, and successful rate of one-time posture change with the rollover bed of patients within 30 days of admission were recorded, the occurrences of adverse events caused by improper operation for the rollover bed during the treatment were observed, including respiratory and cardiac arrests, treatment interruption, unplanned extubation, bed falling, and skin graft displacement. The lowest levels of arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) and arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2), the number of patients with oxygenation index>300 mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa), and the occurrence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) of patients within 2 days of admission and on the 30th day of admission were recorded. Results: Within 30 days of admission, the patients were turned over with the rollover bed for 2 to 6 times each day, with a total of 1 320 turning over operations, the successful rate of one-time posture change reached 99.9% (1 319/1 320), and no adverse event occurred. Within 2 days of admission, the lowest levels of PaO2 and PaCO2 of the patients were (100±19) and (42±4) mmHg, respectively, and the number of patients with mild, moderate, and severe ARDS were 10, 2, and 3, respectively, and none of the patients had oxygenation index>300 mmHg. On the 30th day of admission, the lowest levels of PaO2 and PaCO2 of the patients were (135±28) and (37±8) mmHg, respectively, 3 patients developed moderate ARDS, 1 patient developed severe ARDS, and 11 patients had oxygenation index>300 mmHg. Conclusions: The introduction of feedforward control theory in the treatment of rollover bed of mass patients with burn-explosion combined injury can ensure safe and successful completion of turning over with the rollover bed, promote the repair of burn wound, and improve respiratory function, and therefore improve the treatment quality of patients.

Cost-effectiveness analyses of denosumab for osteoporosis: a systematic review.

This paper systematically reviewed and assessed all retrievable pharmacoeconomic studies on denosumab for the treatment of osteoporosis. Denosumab was more cost-effective in patients with older age, prior fracture experience, lower BMD T-scores, and more risk factors. ESCEO-IOF guidelines were more applicable to improve the quality of pharmacoeconomic studies in osteoporosis. INTRODUCTION: There are many pharmacoeconomic studies on denosumab for osteoporosis. However, the corresponding reviews are outdated or incomplete and need to be updated and refined. This article aims to systematically review and evaluate all retrievable pharmacoeconomic studies of denosumab for osteoporosis. METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed utilizing PubMed, EMBASE(Ovid), Proquest(EconLit), Chongqing VIP, WanFang Database, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure to identify full-text articles published before September 2021. The quality of full-text articles was evaluated by the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards(CHEERS) and the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases International Osteoporosis Foundation guideline(ESCEO-IOF). RESULTS: In total, 21 full-text articles were eligible for inclusion. Denosumab for postmenopausal osteoporosis was not dominant compared to zoledronate and teriparatide. However, denosumab was dominant compared with strontium ranelate, raloxifene, and ibandronate in patients over 65 years. The probabilities of denosumab being cost-effective or dominant were more than 85% compared with no treatment and risedronate in patients aged over 70 years. Compared to alendronate, the highest rate of denosumab dominance occurred in patients aged 65 to 75 years, at about 65%. Most of the articles had higher CHEERS scores than ESCEO-IOF scores (converted into percentages). CONCLUSIONS: The cost-effectiveness of denosumab for the treatment of osteoporosis was influenced by multiple factors. Generally, denosumab was more cost-effective in patients with older age, prior fracture experience, lower BMD T-scores, and more risk factors. ESCEO-IOF guidelines were more applicable to improve the transparency, generalization, and quality of pharmacoeconomic studies in osteoporosis.

[Application of multi-slice spiral CT refarmation reconstruction technique and DR photography of pneumoconiosis patients at stage three].

Objective: To investigate the value of CT multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) in the diagnosis of stage Ⅲ pneumoconiosis and complications. Methods: In September 2020, 94 patients with stage Ⅲ pneumoconiosis in Guangzhou 12th people's hospital were selected for digital radiography (DR) and MPR. The detection rate of the number of large shadows and the incidence of related complications were compared and analyzed. The counting data were expressed by frequency and percentage (%) , and the comparison was performed by chi square test. Results: 178 and 132 large shadows were detected in MPR and DR chest films respectively. Compared with Dr examination, MPR had higher detection rates of pneumoconiosis related complications such as pulmonary tuberculosis, emphysema, pleural thickening, adhesion, pneumonia, pleural effusion, enlargement of hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes and calcification (P<0.05) , There was no significant difference in the detection rate of pulmonary bullae (P>0.05) . Compared with Dr, MPR had a higher detection rate in the diagnosis of cavity, calcification, bronchiectasis and parascar emphysema (P<0.05) . Conclusion: MPR is better in detecting large shadow and complications of stage Ⅲpneumoconiosis, and has important value.

Involvement of soluble proteins in growth and metabolic adjustments of drought-stressed Calligonum mongolicum seedlings under nitrogen addition.

The planting of seedlings is the most effective measure for vegetation restoration. However, this practice is challenging in desert ecosystems where water and nutrients are scarce. Calligonum mongolicum is a sand-fixing pioneer shrub species, and its adaptive strategy for nitrogen (N) deposition and drought is poorly understood. Thus, in a pot experiment, we studied the impacts of four N levels (0, 3, 6, 9 gN·m-2 ·year-1 ) under drought or a well-watered regime on multiple eco-physiological responses of 1-year-old C. mongolicum seedlings. Compared to well-watered conditions, drought considerably influenced seedling growth by impairing photosynthesis, osmolyte accumulation and activity of superoxide dismutase and enzymes related to N metabolism. Nitrogen addition improved the productivity of drought-stressed seedlings, as revealed by increased water use efficiency, enhanced superoxide dismutase and nitrite reductase activity and elevated N and phosphorus (P) levels in seedlings. Nevertheless, the addition of moderate to high levels of N (6-9 gN·m-2 ·year-1 ) impaired net photosynthesis, osmolyte accumulation and nitrate reductase activity. N addition and water regimes did not markedly change the N:P ratios of aboveground parts; while more biomass and nutrients were allocated to fine roots to assimilate the insufficient resources. Soluble protein in assimilating shoots might play a vital role in adaptation to the desert environment. The response of C. mongolicum seedlings to N addtion and drought involved an interdependency between soluble protein and morphological, physiological and biochemical processes. These findings provide an important reference for vegetation restoration in arid lands under global change.

[The evaluation value of transient elastography for liver characteristics in obese children].

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of transient elastography (FibroTouch) in obese children and to investigate the liver characteristics of obese children based on FibroTouch. Methods: Children (5-18 years of age) from the Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center were examined by FibroTouch. The fat attenuation parameter (FAP) was used to assess liver fat deposition, and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) was used to assess liver fibrosis. The children were divided into obesity group (n=67) and non-obesity group (n=139). The FAP, LSM, and their influencing factors were analysed in the obese group. Results: The total effective rate of FibroTouch in non-sedated children aged 5-18 years (n=229) was 97.8%. The FAP value 259.4 (235.9-275.5) dB/m in obese children was significantly higher than that in the control group 178.1 (168.7-195.6) dB/m, (Z=-10.586, P<0.001). The LSM value in obese children 5.9 (4.5-7.5) kPa was significantly higher than that in non-obese children 3.2 (2.3-4.1) kPa, (Z=-8.832, P<0.001). The proportion of liver fibrosis in obese group was 30%, and that of nonalcoholic fatty liver was 65.7%. Logistic regression analysis showed that BMI percentile (≥ 95%) was an independent factor for significant liver fibrosis (OR=1.267, 95%CI: 1.056-1.519, P=0.011) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (OR=1.248, 95%CI: 1.007-1.546, P=0.043). Conclusions: FibroTouch can be successfully applied to obese children. Fibrotouch can accurately evaluate the liver fibrosis and fat attenuation parameters in obese children. Obese children have higher FAP and LSM, which increase the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver and liver fibrosis.

Effect of Exogenous Transcription Factors Integration Sites on Safety and Pluripotency of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), generated from somatic cells, not only possess similar characteristics with embryonic stem cells (ESCs), but also present more advantages than ESCs in medical applications. The classical induction method that utilizes the integration of exogenous genes into chromosomes may raise the potential risk of the safety of iPSCs. To investigate the potential correlation between the integration sites of exogenous transcription factors (TFs) and iPSCs' pluripotency and safety, the integration of exogenous genes in three iPSC lines, which met the golden standard of murine developmental assay (tetraploid complementation), were analyzed. Twenty-two integration sites of exogenous TFs were identified by nested inverse polymerase chain reaction (iPCR) and 39 flanking genes' functions were analyzed by gene ontology (GO). In the 22 integrated sites, 17 (77.3%) were located in the intergenic regions and the remainder were located in introns far from the transcription start sites. Microarray analysis of the flanking genes in these cells showed that there was no distinct difference in expression levels between the iPSCs, ESCs and mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF), suggesting that the integration of exogenous TFs has no significant influence on the expression of flanking genes. Gene ontology analysis showed that although most of the flanking genes were housekeeping genes, which were necessary for basic life activity, none of these 39 flanking genes have correlation with tumorigenesis or embryogenesis, suggesting that the integration sites hold low risk of tumorigenesis.

[Epidemiology of syphilis in Zhejiang province, 2010-2019].

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of syphilis in Zhejiang province and to provide scientific basis for the development of syphilis prevention and control strategies. Methods: A descriptive epidemiological analysis was conducted on the incidence data of syphilis in Zhejiang from 2010 to 2019. Results: During the period, the incidence rate of syphilis decreased from 94.90/100 000 in 2010 to 53.53/100 000 in 2019 with an average decreasing rate of 6.16%. The annual decreases of the incidences of congenital syphilis, primary syphilis and secondary syphilis were all obvious, which were 43.47%, 21.38% and 14.19% respectively. The proportion of latent syphilis cases increased with year. Except for Lishui, the incidences of syphilis in the remaining 10 prefectures showed declining trends. The incidence rates in both men and women showed declining trends with the average rates of 4.80% and 6.45% respectively. The incidence peaks occurred in old men aged ≥60 years and in sexually active women aged 20-34 years, and the syphilis cases in age group ≥60 years increased significantly. The cases were mainly farmers, accounting for 43.00%. Conclusion: The incidence of syphilis in Zhejiang showed a decreasing trend, but the situation remains serious, indicating that the intensity and quality of the comprehensive prevention and control needs to be further strengthened.

Intrinsic Mechanism for Anisotropic Magnetoresistance and Experimental Confirmation in Co_{x}Fe_{1-x} Single-Crystal Films.

Using first-principles transport calculations, we predict that the anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) of single-crystal Co_{x}Fe_{1-x} alloys is strongly dependent on the current orientation and alloy concentration. An intrinsic mechanism for AMR is found to arise from the band crossing due to magnetization-dependent symmetry protection. These special k points can be shifted towards or away from the Fermi energy by varying the alloy composition and hence the exchange splitting, thus allowing AMR tunability. The prediction is confirmed by delicate transport measurements, which further reveal a reciprocal relationship of the longitudinal and transverse resistivities along different crystal axes.

A Hemodynamic Mechanism Correlating with the Initiation of MCA Bifurcation Aneurysms.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Previous studies have reported that MCA bifurcation aneurysms usually emerge on inclined bifurcations; however, the reason is unclear. We designed this study to explore hemodynamic mechanisms that correlate with the initiation of MCA bifurcation aneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-four patients with unilateral MCA bifurcation aneurysms and 54 control patients were enrolled in this study after propensity score matching, and their clinical and CTA data were collected. We extracted the morphologic features of aneurysmal MCA bifurcations to build a simplified MCA bifurcation model and performed a computational fluid dynamics analysis. RESULTS: The presence of MCA aneurysms correlated with smaller parent-daughter angles of MCA bifurcations (P < .001). Aneurysmal MCA bifurcations usually presented with inclined shapes. The computational fluid dynamics analysis demonstrated that when arterial bifurcations became inclined, the high-pressure regions and low wall shear stress regions shifted from the apexes of the arterial bifurcations to the inclined daughter arteries, while the initial sites of MCA bifurcation aneurysms often overlapped with the shifted high-pressure regions and low wall shear stress regions. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the initiation of MCA bifurcation aneurysms may correlate with shifts of high-pressure regions and low wall shear stress regions that occur on inclined MCA bifurcations.

Effect of ulinastatin on interleukins and pulmonary function in bypass patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to evaluate the effect of urinary trypsin inhibitors (UTI) on interleukin, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and polymorphonuclear neutrophil elastase (PMNE) levels as well as on pulmonary function in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched the following databases for relevant studies: PubMed, Medline (Ovid SP), Cochrane Library, Wanfang Data, China Biology Medicine Database, Chinese Periodical Database, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, and Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. Two investigators independently collected the data and assessed the quality of each study. RevMan 5.3 was used for the meta-analysis. RESULTS: In total, 15 randomized controlled trials (646 patients) met the inclusion criteria. There was a significant decrease in TNF-α, interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, and PMNE levels at 6 h and 24 h after UTI treatment and an increase in IL-10 levels; additionally, there was a decrease in respiratory index and an improvement in the oxygenation index. Nevertheless, UTI treatment did not affect the length of intensive care unit stay, alveolar-arterial oxygen partial pressure difference, adverse lung events, or hospital mortality. Because of the high heterogeneity of the included trials, the results should be assessed carefully. CONCLUSION: UTI treatment can suppress proinflammatory cytokine elevation and upregulate the release of anti-inflammatory mediators, thereby reducing pulmonary injury and improving pulmonary function after cardiopulmonary bypass.