The impact of diabetes mellitus on foot perfusion measured by ICG NIR fluorescence imaging.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a common chronic disease, affecting 435 million people globally. Impaired vasculature in DM patients leads to complications like lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD) and foot ulcers, often resulting in amputations. DM causes additional peripheral neuropathy leading to multifactorial wound problems. Current diagnostics often deem unreliable, but Near-Infrared Fluorescence with Indocyanine Green (ICG NIR) can be used to assess the foot perfusion. Therefore, this study explores DM's impact on foot perfusion using ICG NIR. METHODS: Baseline ICG NIR fluorescence imaging was performed in LEAD patients with and without DM. Ten perfusion parameters were extracted and analyzed to assess differences in perfusion patterns. RESULTS: Among 109 patients (122 limbs) of the included patients, 32.8% had DM. Six of ten perfusion parameters, mainly inflow-related, differed significantly between DM and non-DM patients (p-values 0.007-0.039). Fontaine stage 4 DM patients had the highest in- and outflow values, with seven parameters significantly higher (p-values 0.004-0.035). CONCLUSION: DM is associated with increased in- and outflow parameters. Patients with- and without DM should not be compared directly due to different vascular pathophysiology and multifactorial wound problems in DM patients. Quantified ICG NIR fluorescence imaging offers additional insight into the effect of DM on foot perfusion.

MicroRNA-206 Contributes to the Progression of Preeclampsia by Suppressing the Viability and Mobility of Trophocytes via the Inhibition of AGTR1.

The development of preeclampsia (PE) is associated with the impaired trophoblast motility. MicroRNAs (miRs) contribute to the modulation of trophoblast invasion. In the current study, the role of miR-206/AGTR1 in the TNF-alpha-induced invasion defect of trophoblasts was explored. The levels of miR-206 and ATGR1 in clinical placenta tissues were investigated. Trophoblasts were treated with TNF-alpha, and the levels of miR-206 and ATGR1 were modulated. Changes in cell viability, invasion, and inflammation in trophoblasts were detected. The level of miR-206 was induced, while the level of AGTR1 was suppressed in placenta tissues. In in vitro assays, TNF-alpha suppressed viability, induced inflammatory response, inhibited invasion, upregulated miR-206, and down-regulated AGTR1. The inhibited expression of miR-206 or the overexpression of AGTR1 counteracted the effects of TNF-alpha, indicating the key role of the miR-206/AGTR1 in progression of PE. Collectively, miR-206 suppressed viability, induced inflammatory response, and decreased invasion of trophoblasts by inhibiting AGTR1.

Corrigendum: Use of autologous cord blood mononuclear cells infusion for the prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in extremely preterm neonates: a study protocol for a placebo-controlled randomized multicenter trial [NCT03053076].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fped.2020.00136.].

Use of Autologous Cord Blood Mononuclear Cells Infusion for the Prevention of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Extremely Preterm Neonates: A Study Protocol for a Placebo-Controlled Randomized Multicenter Trial [NCT03053076].

Background: Despite the rapid advance of neonatal care, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) remains a significant burden for the preterm population, and there is a lack of effective intervention. Stem cell depletion because of preterm birth is regarded as one of the underlying pathological mechanisms for the arrest of alveolar and vascular development. Preclinical and small-sample clinical studies have proven the efficacy and safety of stem cells in treating and preventing lung injury. However, there are currently no randomized clinical trials (RCTs) investigating the use of autologous cord blood mononuclear cells (ACBMNC) for the prevention of BPD in premature infants. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of infusion of ACBMNC for the prevention of BPD in preterm neonates <28 weeks. Methods: In this prospective, randomized controlled double-blind multi-center clinical trial, 200 preterm neonates <28 weeks gestation will be randomly assigned to receive intravenous ACBMNC infusion (5 × 107 cells/kg) or placebo (normal saline) within 24 h after birth in a 1:1 ratio using a central randomization system. The primary outcome will be survival without BPD at 36 weeks of postmenstrual age or at discharge, whichever comes first. The secondary outcomes will include the mortality rate, other common preterm complication rates, respiratory support duration, length, and cost of hospitalization, and long-term outcomes after a 2-year follow-up. Conclusion: This will be the first randomized, controlled, blinded trial to evaluate the efficacy of ACBMNC infusion as a prevention therapy for BPD. The results of this trial will provide valuable clinical evidence for recommendations on the management of BPD in extremely preterm infants. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03053076, registered 02/14/2017, retrospectively registered, https://register.clinicaltrials.gov/prs/app/action/SelectProtocol?sid=S0006WN4&selectaction=Edit&uid=U0002PLA&ts=2&cx=9y23d4 (Additional File 2).

Food waste-based pellets for feeding grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus): Adding baker's yeast and enzymes to enhance growth and immunity.

Protein rich food waste could be used as raw materials for making fish feed pellets, which would diminish the volume of dumped waste into landfills. This study investigated the use of food waste (FW) based pellets composing of 75% food wastes derived from plant materials (cereals, fruit and vegetables) supplemented with yeast and the mixture of bromelain and papain to feed grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus). Generally, improved growth performance (in terms of feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio and relative weight gain) was observed in the diet groups supplemented with yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). The most optimal dose was 25 g/kg yeast with enzymes (bromelain and papain, at the ratio of 1:1) and protein utilization was enhanced. Fish immunity was also stimulated, which indicated by the higher nitroblue tetrazolium and bactericidal activities. Moreover, resistance against Aeromonas hydrophilia was enhanced. It is envisaged that food waste could be widely used as feeds for culturing herbivorous fish and adding supplements such as baker's yeast and enzymes will further enhance the feed conversion ratio and fish immunity.

Resistive Switching Mechanism of HfO2 Based Resistance Random Access Memory Devices with Different Electrode Materials.

This study investigated the impact of electrode materials on HfO2-based RRAM devices. The research includes three types of electrode materials: (1) the electrodes with strong ability of oxygen reservoirs; (2) the electrode with poor ability of oxygen reservoirs; (3) the active electrode with injection ability. Through implementing different combinations of electrodes, three types of switching modes were obtained and the relative conduction mechanism was analyzed, as well as conduction model. Those studies may offer ways of using electrodes to control the resistive switching processes and fabricating the RRAM devices with good performance.

Giant Magneto-Impedance (GMI) Effect in Single-Layer Soft Magnetic Film Under Stress.

The stress-induced magnetic anisotropy can significantly affect giant magneto-impedance (GMI) effect of the soft magnetic film. This paper is devoted to the GMI effect of the single layer soft magnetic film implied without and with a stress. By simulating a physical model with MATLAB and COMSOL software, the impedance expression of the single layer soft magnetic film and the relation between external magnetic field and magnetic permeability are deduced. We observed that, without a stress, the sensitive region increased firstly and then decreased with the increasing of the excitation current frequency from 1 MHz to 200 MHz. While the film was subjected to the stress in the direction of the current with one end stressed, the stress on the film was gradually reduced from stressed end to free end. Also, the impedance change rate of the film changed when the stress was added, which is similar to the effect of adding a bias magnetic field on the film. More importantly, the addition of stress σ can induce the bias of the GMI measurement range and improve its sensitivity near zero magnetic fields. This may provide a new way for designing a GMI sensor with higher sensitivity and adjustable measurement range.

Can we assess severity of Guillain-Barré syndrome using absolute monocyte count?

INTRODUCTION: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an inflammatory demyelinating autoimmune disease, associated with blood-nerve barrier breakdown, inflammatory cells infiltration, and cytokine leakage in the peripheral nervous system. Currently, it has been revealed that monocytes play key roles in the inflammatory response. Therefore, we aimed to assess the correlation between monocyte count and GBS in this study. METHODS: Retrospective study was conducted in 114 patients with GBS and 120 age- and gender-matched individuals. RESULTS: Absolute monocyte count in patients with GBS was higher than that in healthy controls (0.61 ± 0.24 vs 0.41 ± 0.10; P â€Š< .001). Interestingly, monocyte count had significant positive correlations with CRP, ESR, and disease severity of GBS (r = .244, P = .009; r = .269, P = .004; r = .322, P < .001). A cutoff value of 0.515 for monocyte count was observed in patients with GBS (areas under the curve = 0.808, 95% confidence interval = 0.749-0.868, P â€Š< .001). Meanwhile, absolute monocyte count was independently associated with GBS in logistic regression analysis (odds ratio = 2.291, 95% confidence interval = 3.557-27.493, P < .001). CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrated that elevated monocyte count is independently associated with GBS patients, and suggested monocyte count is positively associated with disease severity of GBS.

Low expression of Cyfip1 may be a potential biomarker in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Cytoplasmic FMR1 interacting protein 1 (Cyfip1) is a new candidate tumor suppressor gene, which may play an impor- tant role in the occurrence and development of cancers. However, the role of Cyfip1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remains poorly known. The aim of this study was to investigate the Cyfip1 mRNA expression in NPC and its association with clinicopathological features. The study population comprised 114 Chinese individuals, including 69 NPC tissues and 45 non-cancerous nasopharyngeal tissues. We used real-time fluorescent relatively quantitative PCR to evaluate the Cyfip1 mRNA expression in NPC tissues and non-cancerous nasopharyngeal tissues. The expression level of Cyfip1 mRNA was significantly lower in patients with NPC than in the control samples (p=0.001). Furthermore, low expression level of Cyfip1 mRNA was significantly associated with invasive range (T3-T4 vs T1-T2, p=0.001), lymph node metastasis (N1-N3 vs   N0, p=0.010), distant metastases (M1 vs M0, p=0.040) and clinical stage (III-IV vs I-II, p<0.001). Our results suggest the association between Cyfip1 mRNA expression and NPC. Detecting the expression of Cyfip1 may provide clinically useful information for diagnosis, progression and treatment methods in NPC.

Antioxidant status of serum bilirubin, uric acid and albumin in pemphigus vulgaris.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress and low antioxidant status are implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an extremely severe autoimmune bullous dermatosis characterized by intraepithelial bullae on the skin and mucosa, and its antioxidant status is not fully understood. AIM: To assess correlations between PV and serum antioxidant levels of bilirubin, uric acid (UA) and albumin. METHODS: We enrolled 116 patients newly diagnosed with PV who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University (Guangxi, China), and 108 healthy controls (HCs). Clinical characteristics and laboratory parameters of patients were retrospectively analysed. RESULTS: Our survey shows that compared with the HC groups, serum levels of bilirubin [total bilirubin (Tbil), direct bilirubin (Dbil) and indirect bilirubin (Ibil)], UA and albumin were significantly lower in patients with PV, regardless of sex. In all groups, serum Tbil, Dbil, Ibil, UA and albumin levels were lower for women than for men. Severity of pemphigus was slightly negatively associated with Tbil, Dbil and Ibil, but was not associated with UA or albumin. Moreover, when the data were adjusted for the covariances of age and sex separately, Tbil, Dbil, Ibil, UA and albumin were all relevant to PV. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that serum levels of bilirubin (Tbil, Dbil and Ibil), UA and albumin are reduced in patients with PV supporting the hypothesis that oxidative stress and antioxidant status are important in the pathogenic mechanism of PV.

Proteomics method to quantify the percentage of cow, goat, and sheep milks in raw materials for dairy products.

Fraud in milk and dairy products occurs when cow milk is added to sheep and goat milk for economic reasons. No reliable, selective, and sensitive method exists for quantifying the milk percentage of different species. This work reports the development and validation of a proteomics-based method for the qualitative detection and quantitative determination of cow, sheep, and goat milks in the raw materials used for dairy products. ß-Lactoglobulin was selected as the protein marker because it is a major protein in milk and whey powder. The tryptic peptides LSFNPTQLEEQCHI and LAFNPTQLEGQCHV were used as signature peptides for cow milk and for sheep and goat milks, respectively. The winged peptides LKALPMHIRLSFNPTQL*EEQCHI* and LKALPMHIRLAFNPTQL*EGQCHV* were designed and synthesized as internal standards. Validation of the method showed that it has good sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility, precision, and accuracy. This method is easily applicable in routine laboratory analysis without intensive proteomics background.

Use of soybean meal and papain to partially replace animal protein for culturing three marine fish species: Fish growth and water quality.

The main aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using soybean meal added with papain to replace half of the fishmeal used in the moist pellets (49% fishmeal and 45% trash fish) developed by the Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) for culturing marine fish. Gold-lined seabream (Rhabdosargus sarba), brown spotted grouper (Epinephelus bleekeri) and pompano (Trachinotus blochii) were farmed at one of the research stations (Kat-O) of AFCD, for a period of 340 days. Results indicated that diets containing papain resulted in better fish growth (reflected by relative weight gain and feed conversion ratio) than diets without papain. In general, wet weight gain of fish depends on the amount of papain added in diet rather than the diet composition. Soybean used in conjunction with papain also contributed to a more effective growth than fish fed with the moist pellets alone. A laboratory experiment (using tanks) was conducted to study the effects of the diets on concentrations of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate in the tank water. Results showed that concentrations of ammonia and nitrate were significantly lower (p < 0.05) when the fish were fed with papain-supplemented (with or without soybean meal) diets. It is envisaged that by using plant protein incorporated with enzymes could promote better growth of marine fish and lower the adverse impact of trash fish and fishmeal on water quality of the mariculture zones.

The use of food wastes as feed ingredients for culturing grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) in Hong Kong.

Different types of food wastes, e.g., meats, bones, cereals, fruits, and vegetables, were collected from hotels in Hong Kong, mixed in different ratio, and processed into feed pellets (food wastes (FWs) A, B, and C) for feeding trials in aquaculture species. Grass carp fed with cereal-dominant feed (FW A) showed the best growth (in terms of specific growth rate, relative weight gain, and protein efficiency ratio), among all food waste feeds. However, the growth rates of food waste groups especially the meat product-contained feeds (FW B and FW C) were lower than the commercial feed, Jinfeng(®) 613 formulation (control). The results indicated that grass carp utilized plant proteins better than animal proteins and preferred carbohydrate as a major energy source than lipid. The high-lipid content in feed containing meat products was also a possible reason for hindering growth and resulted high body lipid. It is suggested that lipid should be removed in the preparation of food waste feed or further investigations by implementing supplements, e.g., enzymes in feed to enhance lipid or protein utilization by fish. This utilization of food waste could be an effective and practical way to deal with these wastes in this densely populated city.

Upgrading food wastes by means of bromelain and papain to enhance growth and immunity of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella).

The fast growing of global aquaculture industry accompanied with increasing pressure on the supply and price of traditional feed materials (e.g., fish meal and soy bean meal). This circumstance has urged the need to search alternative sources of feed stuff. Food waste was used as feed stuff in rearing fish which possess substantial protein and lipid. Grass carp are major species reared in Hong Kong with lower nutritional requirements; it is also an ideal species for investigating the feasibility of using food waste as fish feeds for local aquaculture industry. The growth and immunity, reflected by total protein, total immunologlobulin (IgI), and nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) activity of grass carp blood, were depressed when feeding with food waste feeds without enzymes. However, the supplementation of bromelain and papain in fish feed enhanced the efficient use of food waste by grass carp, which in turn improved the fish immunity. The present results indicated that the addition of those enzymes could enhance the feed utilization by fish and hematological parameters of grass carp, and the improvement on growth and immunity superior to the control (commercial feed) was observed with the addition of bromelain and papain supplement. Addition of 1 and 2 % mixture of bromelain and papain could significantly enhance the lipid utilization in grass carp.

Intimate partner violence education for medical students in the USA, Vietnam and China.

OBJECTIVES: While intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global concern for women's health, there are few comparative studies of IPV training in medical schools. The aim of this study was to investigate medical students' knowledge of, and training in, IPV in the USA, Vietnam and China. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-national, cross-sectional study. METHODS: US (n = 60), Vietnamese (n = 232) and Chinese (n = 174) medical students participated in a cross-sectional self-administered survey that included demographic characteristics; opinions, training and knowledge regarding IPV against women; and personal experience with IPV victims. RESULTS: Attitudes, knowledge and training about IPV among medical students varied between the three countries. US participants reported higher levels of knowledge of IPV, were more likely to believe that IPV was a serious problem, and were more likely to consider IPV to be a healthcare problem compared with Vietnamese and Chinese participants. Chinese participants, in particular, did not appear to appreciate the importance of addressing IPV. Differences were found between the Vietnamese and Chinese students. CONCLUSIONS: While most medical schools in the USA include IPV training within their core medical curricula, education throughout medical school seems to be necessary to improve medical education regarding treatment of patients with a history of IPV. Vietnamese and Chinese medical schools should consider including IPV education in the training of their future physicians to improve the health of women who have experienced IPV. Practical opportunities for medical students to interact with women who have experienced IPV are essential to develop effective IPV education.

Cardioprotective effects mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channel in exercise conditioning.

We investigated the mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channel [mito-K (ATP)] in exercise preconditioning of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. Eighty SD rats were randomly divided into high-, moderate-, low-intensity, and control groups. The exercise groups were divided into control and inhibited groups. The control group was divided into model and sham groups. Eight rats were randomly selected from each group for analysis. At 40 and 50 min after ischemia-reperfusion, respectively, J point and T-wave values and QT intervals were significantly higher in the control model group than in the control sham group; ECG parameters were significantly lower in the exercise group than in the control group; ECG parameters were lower in the 5-HD-inhibited group than in the corresponding exercise model group. The trends of serum enzymes (serum muscle kinase isoenzyme, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate transaminase) were consistent with ECG parameter changes at 40 and 50 min after ischemia and reperfusion, respectively. Compared with the sham group, the control model group showed significantly decreased left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) and maximum rate of left ventricular pressure development (dP/dtmax) and significantly increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP). LVSP and dP/dtmax were significantly higher and LVEDP was significantly lower in the control group than in the exercise model group. LVSP and dP/dtmax were significantly lower and LVEDP was significantly higher in the inhibited group than in the corresponding exercise group. Long-term exercise can produce a preconditioning effect that exerts an ischemia-reperfusion cardioprotective effect. Mito-K (ATP) mediates the cardioprotective effects of exercise preconditioning.

Effects of the modified Huanglian Jiedu decoction on the disease resistance in grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) to Lactococcus garvieae.

Lactococcosis is prevalent on grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) in Hong Kong aquaculture resulting in serious economic loss. A compound formulation of Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) (modified Huanglian Jiedu decoction (HLJDD)) comprising Rhizoma coptidis, Radix scutellaria, Cortex phellodendri, Fructus gardeniae, Fructus forsythiae and Flos lonicerae japonicae (in a ratio of 3:2:2:3:3:5) were applied as feed supplements to deal with the disease. The Nitroblue tetrazolium activity in blood, bactericidal activity and total immunoglobulin in plasma were significantly enhanced after feeding 1% of this TCM for 28 days. The disease resistances to Lactococcus garvieae in 1% and 2% TCM feeding groups were significantly enhanced. In the in vitro study, the modified HLJDD also activated the plasma bactericidal activities (p<0.01). Based on this study, 1% modified HLJDD feeding for 28 days may be an optimal dose to prevent L. garvieae infection and could be used in aquaculture industries.

Molecular alterations of the WWOX gene in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

The WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) gene is a candidate tumor suppressor gene. However, its exact mechanism is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of the WWOX gene in the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Tissues were collected from 65 NPC patients. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis and immunohistochemistry were performed on NPC tissues to determine the expression of WWOX in NPC. The status of WWOX promoter methylation was analyzed by methylation-specific PCR. Moreover, a PCR-based loss of heterozygosity (LOH) assay was conducted to detect the presence of WWOX deletion in NPC. The expression of WWOX in NPC tissues was significantly downregulated compared with that in non-tumorous tissues (P<0.05). The low expression of WWOX was significantly correlated with clinical TNM stage (P<0.05). In addition, methylation of WWOX was detected in 27 (87%) of 31 WWOX protein negative tissues, suggesting that methylation of the WWOX promoter may regulate its expression. We found that a relatively high percentage of LOH was observed in NPC tissues. A significant inverse correlation between WWOX expression and methylation of its promoter was found in NPC tissue (rs=-0.582, P=0.001). However, LOH was not correlated with WWOX expression and methylation of its promoter. Our results show that WWOX gene alteration is an early genetic alteration and may contribute to tumorigenesis of NPC. WWOX may be an important prognostic marker in NPC.