Ultrafast optical observation of spin-pumping induced dynamic exchange coupling in ferromagnetic semiconductor/metal bilayer.

Spin angular momentum transfer in magnetic bilayers offers the possibility of ultrafast and low-loss operation for next-generation spintronic devices. We report the field- and temperature- dependent measurements on the magnetization precessions in Co2FeAl/(Ga,Mn)As by time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect. Analysis of the effective Gilbert damping and phase shift indicates a clear signature of an enhanced dynamic exchange coupling between the two ferromagnetic (FM) layers due to the reinforced spin pumping at resonance. The temperature dependence of the dynamic exchange-coupling reveals a primary contribution from the ferromagnetism in (Ga,Mn)As.

Alcohol intake and the risk of chronic kidney disease: results from a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.

Many prospective cohort studies have investigated the association between the consumption of alcohol and CKD risk and have revealed inconsistent results. In the present study, we aimed to perform a meta-analysis of these studies to assess this association.We searched the PubMed and Embase databases up to 2020 and reviewed the reference lists of relevant articles to identify appropriate studies. We calculated the pooled relative risks with 95% CIs using random effects models, and then performed subgroup and meta-regression analyses. Dose-response meta-analyses were performed by sex separately. We identified 25 eligible prospective cohort studies, including 514,148 participants and 35,585 incident CKD cases. Compared with the category of minimal alcohol intake, light (RR = 0.90, I2 = 49%), moderate (RR = 0.86, I2 = 40%), and heavy (RR = 0.85, I2 = 51%) alcohol intake were associated with a lower risk of CKD. Subgroup meta-analysis by sex indicated that light (RR = 0.92, I2 = 0%), moderate (RR = 0.83, I2 = 39%) and heavy (RR = 0.76, I2 = 40%), alcohol consumption were inversely associated with CKD risk in male. Dose-response meta-analyses detected a nonlinear inverse association between alcohol consumption and the risk of CKD in all participants and linear inverse association in female participants. This meta-analysis shows that light (<12 g/day), moderate (12-24 g/day), and heavy (>24 g/day) alcohol consumption are protective against chronic kidney disease in adult participants especially in males.

Meta-analysis indicates that resistant starch lowers serum total cholesterol and low-density cholesterol.

The effects of resistant starch (RS) on serum cholesterol levels have been previously investigated. However, the results of those studies are inconsistent. The purpose of our meta-analysis was to determine if RS affects blood lipids based on the current literature. The methods included searching databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library) up to September 2017, as well as hand-searching reference lists of articles published in English. The initial search yielded 1228 articles. Of these, 14 articles (20 trials) were included in our investigation focusing on the effects of RS on total cholesterol (TC; 19 trials), triglycerides (TG; 19 trials), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; 16 trials), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (17 trials). Methodological quality was assessed using TC, LDL-C, TGs, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Pooled effects were calculated using a random-effects model. The meta-analysis of these data showed that RS supplementation has an effect on lowering TC and LDL-C (TC: mean difference, -7.33mg/dL [95% confidence interval -12.15 to -2.52mg/dL]; LDL-C: mean difference: -3.40mg/dL [95% confidence interval, -6.74 to -0.07mg/dL]). Subgroup meta-analysis revealed that a longer time (>4weeks) of RS supplementation can generate more obvious effects on TC and LDL-C levels, and higher dose (>20 g/d) of RS also had a lowering effect on TG level. Future research should focus on the relationship between RS type and cholesterol-lowering effects, and the effects on subjects of different health status or those with different baseline levels of serum lipids. Moreover, the mechanism for the cholesterol-lowering effects of RS should be further explored. In conclusion, RS can reduce serum TC and LDL-C levels, particularly when administered for a duration longer than 4 weeks.

Effect of VEGF on neuronal degeneration and interaction between Alzheimer's disease biomarkers.

The article "Effect of VEGF on neuronal degeneration and interaction between Alzheimer's disease biomarkers" by H.-C. Yuan, C.-W. Jiang, L.-Y. Hou, Y.-B. Lv, X.-Z. Feng, L.-F. Guo, G. Sun, K. Liu, Y.-J. Liu, B. Xu, C.-Y. Wang, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2017; 21 (16): 3649-3657 has been withdrawn.

[Relationship between interleukin-8 levels in expressed prostatic secretion and expressions of bFGF and Bcl-2 in benign prostatic hyperplasia].

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between interleukin-8 levels in expressed prostatic secretion and expressions of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and Bcl-2 in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). METHODS: A series of 50 consecutive patients diagnosed with BPH and scheduled for transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) were included. Patients were divided into two groups, simple BPH and BPH with chronic prostatitis (CP). The grade of inflammatory changes in the prostate was then determined blindly by two experienced pathologists, according to the classification system. Expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) was collected right before TURP for IL-8 detection using ELISA kits. The resected prostatic tissue was harvested for immunohistochemistry to measure the expression of Bcl-2 and bFGF. RESULTS: A total of 30 (60%) patients were confirmed to have prostatic histologic inflammation. The volume of the prostate in BPH with CP was obviously larger than that in simple BPH (P=0.022). The NIH chronic prostatitis symptom index (NIH-CPSI) and international prostate symptom score (IPSS) of BPH with CP were both higher than those of simple BPH (P<0.05). Significantly increased levels of IL-8 were observed in EPS obtained from BPH patients with CP (mean level, 43.29 ng/L), compared with patients with simple BPH (mean level, 36.90 ng/L) (P=0.003). The expression of Bcl-2 in BPH with CP (mean level, 6.17) increased significantly, compared with those in simple BPH (mean level, 2.45) (P=0.013). The expression of bFGF in BPH with CP (mean level, 7.57) also obviously elevated, compared with those in simple BPH (mean level, 5.05) (P=0.008). Correlation coefficients of IL-8 levels in EPS and expression of Bcl-2 or bFGF indicated that IL-8 had strong correlation with Bcl-2 and bFGF respectively both in simple BPH and BPH with CP (0

Endoscopic closure of a tracheal access site using bioglue after transtracheal thoracoscopy in a nonsurvival canine model.

OBJECTIVES: An ideal wound closure device would repair the wound with minimal complexity. In this report, we describe a simple wound closure method using BioGlue sealant. METHOD: Eleven canines underwent transtracheal pericardial window creation under endoscopic guidance for natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES). The tracheal wound was closed using BioGlue sealant. The integrity of the wound was assessed by determining the amount of air leaking under mechanical ventilation. RESULTS: Transtracheal thoracic exploration and pericardial window creation was successful for all of the canines, and adequate wound closure was achieved in 10 of the canines. There was 1 case of NOTES-related death arising from misplacement of the endotracheal tube in the left lower lobar bronchus. This caused a collapse of the left upper lobe and ventilatory failure. Minor lung injuries occurred in 3 canines and minor mediastinal bleeding was encountered in 1 canine during the creation of the access site. CONCLUSION: BioGlue sealant was found to be effective in sealing the tracheal wound in all but 1 of the canines. This study demonstrates that the use of the sealant is a simple and efficient means of endoscopically closing the tracheal access site in NOTES.

[Studies on risk factors for liver fibrosis of schistosomiasis japonica].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the risk factors for schistosomal liver fibrosis. METHODS: 192 hepatitis-negative patients with schistosomiasis were selected and divided into 3 groups according to the result of B ultrasound examination, that is, grade 2 and 3 fibrosis group(81 patients), grade 1 fibrosis group (61 patients) and control group (non-fibrosis, 50 patiets). The univariate and multivariate ordinal regression model was made to analyse the possibly harmful factors influencing the liver damages of these patients. RESULTS: Four factors were found to be positively associated with schistosomal liver fibrosis. They were: number of treatments of schistosomiasis (OR = 1.75), interval of schistosomal infection(OR = 1.40), history of drinking wine (OR = 1.95) and familial history of advanced schistosomiasis (OR = 2.11). CONCLUSION: Patients with repeated schistosome infection, long duration of schistosomal infection, long history of drinking and familial history of advanced schistosomiasis had higher risk for liver fibrosis than schistosomiasis patients without these factors.

Variations in fecal Schistosoma japonicum egg counts.

Variations in fecal Schistosoma japonicum egg counts were studied in ZhuXi administrative village, JiangXi Province, China. Population stool examinations were collected with duplicate, standard, 41.5-mg Kato-Katz thick smears on seven consecutive days for 570 individuals from two natural (individual) villages: village I with high endemicity and village II with low endemicity. The proportion of individuals with at least one positive count increased from 42.4% after a single measurement to 68.3% after seven measurements in village I (n = 356), and from 17.0% to 36.0% in village II (n = 214), respectively. This demonstrates a very high variation in repeated S. japonicum egg counts and a considerable lack of sensitivity of the Kato-Katz technique; light and moderate infections are especially missed with a single or a few measurements. The observed day-to-day variation in individual egg counts is highly aggregated (variance higher than the mean) and suggestive of a negative binomial distribution. For five individuals on three days, repeated sampling from different locations of a stool specimen shows a clear trend with egg counts decreasing from the beginning of the stool to the end and from the outside layer to the center. Ten multiple samples from a particular subsection (10-30 g) of a stool specimen for 44 positive individuals still showed aggregation in egg counts, particularly for high intensities of infection. This means that the aggregation in repeated daily S. japonicum egg counts cannot be explained alone by a specific day-to-day component and variation in the concentration of eggs at different locations in the stool. There also exists clustering of eggs within parts of the stool.

Schistosomiasis control in China.

After three decades' efforts, schistosomiasis japonica were controlled in one-third (4/12) of endemic provinces and 68.2% (259/380) of endemic counties throughout the country. The remaining 121 endemic counties are located primarily in the lake and mountainous regions. The epidemiological and ecological features of the lake and mountainous areas are different from the other endemic areas. The major schistosomiasis control efforts in China can be characterized as follows: (1) Application of centralized leadership and management, since schistosomiasis control is a task not only of the Ministry of Public Health, but also of all local governments in the endemic areas; (2) Integration of actions taken by various departments or bureaus, such as agriculture, water conservation and public health; (3) Promotion of mass participation; (4) Organization of strong professional teams; (5) Raising sufficient funds. Strategies on schistosomiasis control applied in different areas are divided into three levels: (1) In the areas where the schistosomiasis has been successfully controlled, surveillance must be maintained and immediate action should be taken where new infections occur and/or vector snails are found, so that control can be reestablished quickly; (2) In the areas where schistosomiasis has been partially controlled, any residents and/or live-stock infected should be examined and treated promptly with due care, and environment modifying and/or mollusciding must be used to eliminate the remaining snails; (3) In the areas where transmission has not been controlled, the main strategy is to control morbidity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Epidemiological features and control strategies of schistosomiasis japonica in China.

Schistosomiasis japonica in China has a long history and wide distribution. In the last three decades, great achievements have been obtained in schistosomiasis control. Among 12 formerly endemic provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, transmission has been successfully controlled in 2 provinces, 1 municipality and 1 autonomous region. Among 380 formerly endemic counties, transmission has been interrupted in 158 and is under control in 101. Most remaining endemic areas are located in marshlands, lake and mountainous regions. By the ecological and epidemiological features, the endemic areas in lake and mountainous regions can be classified into different categories. Infection is related to exposure to infected lake and ditch water. The inhabitant activities and level of education have much to do with the frequency of water contact. The density of the infected snail is the main index of determining the high-risk place in the mountain and lake regions, and livestock such as buffalo and pigs, the principal reservoir in the endemic areas. Properly arranged annual chemotherapy with praziquantel can reduce the prevalence rate of inhabitants and livestock. However, the prevalence rate can climb again rapidly. Therefore, a maintenance phase is urgently needed. Modification of the snail-ridden environment should be linked with agricultural development and construction of water conservancy. Surveillance should be strengthened in the area where schistosomiasis has been controlled.

[Role of human and domestic animal reservoirs of schistosomiasis japonica in Dongting and Boyang Lake regions].

In Dongting and Boyang Lake regions, the main reservoirs of schistosomiasis were farm cattle (mostly buffaloes), pigs and mobile nonnatives. However, the role of these reservoirs in different types of endemic areas were not the same in the transmission of schistosomiasis. In islet-beach type area, the main infectious sources were pigs and local residents. The proportion of IRC (Index of Real Contamination) of local residents and pigs to the total IRC was 30.9% and 39.9% respectively. In fork-beach type area having luxuriant grass and abundant aquatic products, there were a number of buffaloes and people from other places. The proportion of IRC of the nonnative buffaloes and mobile nonnatives made up 51.9% and 21.8% of the total IRC respectively, the main reservoirs being from other places. The embankment-beach type area had a vast snail-infected area and a large number of buffaloes from both local and other places as well as mobile nonnatives. The proportion of IRC of buffaloes and nonnatives made up 69.8% and 21.4% of the total IRC respectively, serving as the main reservoirs. As regard to season differences, the infected buffaloes were the main reservoirs during dry seasons, especially from March to May, whereas the mobile nonnatives including fishermen and boatmen were the main infectious sources during flood seasons from June to October.

Epidemiological features and control of schistosomiasis japonica in China.

Achievements and successes have been obtained in schistosomiasis control in China. An epidemic survey was carried out and its results analyzed.

Comparative efficacy of levo-praziquantel and praziquantel in treatment of schistosomiasis japonica at a single dose.

The result of a randomized double blind comparison of therapeutic efficacy of single doses of levo-praziquantel (L-PZQ) and praziquantel (PZQ) in the treatment of 139 matched pairs of proved cases of schistosomiasis japonica was reported, 268 were chronic early cases and 10 were late cases. The dosage of L-PQZ was 20 mg/kg, and that of PZQ was 40 mg/kg. Four and 6 months after treatment the stool-ova negative conversion rates were 94.8% and 96.3% for the L-PZQ group, and 97.1% and 94.0% for the PZQ group respectively (P greater than 0.05).

Comparison of the therapeutic efficacy and side effects of a single dose of levo-praziquantel with mixed isomer praziquantel in 278 cases of schistosomiasis japonica.

A randomized double-blind study comparing the therapeutic efficacy of single dose of levo-praziquantel and mixed isomer praziquantel was carried out on 139 matched pairs of patients with schistosomiasis japonica. A single dose of either levo-praziquantel (20 mg/kg) or praziquantel (40 mg/kg) was given to each patient. Four and six months after treatment, the stool ova negative conversion rates were 94.85% and 96.27% for the levo-praziquantel group, and 97.06% and 94.03% for the praziquantel group, respectively; there was no statistically significant difference between the two treatments (P greater than 0.05). For lightly and moderately infected patients, a single 20 mg/kg dose of levo-praziquantel was as efficacious as 40 mg/kg of praziquantel. Moreover, levo-praziquantel produced fewer side effects than praziquantel. These results suggest that levo-praziquantel is the component of the mixed isomer preparation that is antihelminthic. Levo-praziquantel could be used therapeutically at half the current dose of the mixed isomer drug.

Schistosoma mansoni: development of the cercarial glycocalyx.

The development of the cercarial glycocalyx of Schistosoma mansoni was studied by transmission electron microscopy and immunofluorescence light microscopy employing antibodies raised against extracted and chromatographed glycocalyx. By electron microscopy, cercariae present in the brood chamber of daughter sporocysts were surrounded by an electron-dense granular and fibrillar matrix. This material appeared structurally distinct from the glycocalyx which was coarsely fibrillar and located only on the surface of organisms that had developed a final tegument. The thickness of the glycocalyx apparently increased with the maturation of the tegument, since teguments that had many spines also had the thickest glycocalyx. Immunofluorescent staining of frozen sections of infected snail hepatopancreas showed that glycocalyx antigens were present on the surface of the cercariae and not in the matrix within the brood chamber or in snail tissues. Immunofluorescent staining of isolated larval cercariae showed staining of some but not all parasites with partially elongated tails. These studies suggest that the glycocalyx develops late in cercarial development (late in Stage 6 or in Stage 7 of Cheng and Bier), is made by the cercariae themselves, and is not a product of either the sporocyst wall cells or snail hepatopancreas.

Susceptibility of snail vectors to Oriental anthropophilic Schistosoma.

Laboratory experiments were carried out to study the susceptibility of snail vectors to Oriental anthropophilic Schistosoma. Oncomelania hupensis hupensis was readily infected with the local strain of Schistosoma japonicum (Chinese strain), and also infected with S. japonicum (Philippines strain). O.h. quadrasi was only susceptible to its S. japonicum (Philippines strain). The Oncomelania races were refractory to S. mekongi, S. japonicum-like species (Malaysian strain). Tricula aperta (beta race) was readily infected with S. mekongi, S. sinensium and S. japonicum-like species from Malaysia, but not S. japonicum. T. bollingi was susceptible to S. sinensium and S. mekongi. Robertsiella kaporensis was only susceptible to the local strain, S. japonicum-like species from Malaysia. Geographical isolation may be the cause of these differences in compatibility between the snail vectors and the schistosome parasites.