Extrasynaptic distribution of NMDA receptors in cochlear inner hair cell afferent signaling complex.

OBJECTIVE: The distribution and role of NMDA receptors is unclear in the afferent signaling complex of the cochlea. The present study aimed to examine the distribution of NMDA receptors in cochlear afferent signaling complex of the adult mouse, and their relationship with ribbon synapses of inner hair cells (IHCs) and GABAergic efferent terminals of the lateral olivocochlear (LOC). METHODS: Immunofluorescence staining in combination with confocal microscopy was used to investigate the distribution of glutamatergic NMDA and AMPA receptors in afferent terminals of SGNs, and their relationship with ribbon synapses of IHCs and GABAergic efferent terminals of LOC. RESULTS: Terminals with AMPA receptors along with Ribbons of IHC formed afferent synapses in the basal pole of IHCs, and those with NMDA receptors were mainly distributed longitudinally in the IHCs nuclei region. Significant difference was found in the distribution of NMDA and AMPA receptors in IHC afferent signaling complex (P<0.05). Some GABAergic terminals colocalized with NMDA receptors at the IHC nucleus region (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: There is significant difference in the distribution of NMDA and AMPA receptors in cochlear afferent signaling complex. NMDA receptors are present in the extra-synaptic region of ribbon synapses of IHCs, and they are related to GABA efferent terminals of the afferent signaling complex.

Effects of topography and stand spatial structure on the diameter at breast height growth of major pioneer tree species of natural broad-leaved mixed forests in Zhejiang Province, China.

Based on the continuous inventory data of forest resources in Zhejiang Province in 2019 and 2021, we used statistical methods such as polynomial regression to analyze the impacts of topography and forest spatial structure on average annual diameter at breast height (DBH) growth of main pioneer tree species in natural broad-leaved mixed forests. The results showed that DBH of Schima superba, Quercus glauca, Quercus fabri, Lithocarpus glaber, Castanopsis eyrei, and Castanopsis sclerophylla were between 5-50.8, 5-41.5, 5-50.8, 5-43.9, 5-55.5, and 5-46.1 cm, respectively. We classified all the trees into three classes based on DBH: small (6-12 cm), medium (12-14 cm), and large (>26 cm). The average annual DBH growth of S. superba and Q. glauca was the highest on semi-shady slope and shady slope, with increases of 2.9%-15.7% and 1.1%-41.2%, respectively. The average annual DBH growth of large-diameter S. superba, L. glaber, C. eyrei and C. sclerophylla decreased with the increase of slope, with a maximum decrease of 27.0% for S. superba, with no significant difference among small- and medium-diameter trees as a whole. The slope position did not affect the annual DBH growth of small-diameter trees, while that of medium- and large-diameter S. superba, Q. glauca, and large-diameter Q. fabri, L. glaber decreased with the change of slope position from downhill, mesoslope, uphill to ridge, with a maximum decrease of 28.1% for L. glabe, and the major-diameter C. eyrei was on the contrary. Appropriate increase in the mingling was beneficial to the average annual DBH growth of medium- and large-diameter trees. Moderate mixing was suitable for S. superba, while low degree mixing and moderate mixing was suitable for Q. glauca, Q. fabri and L. glaber, and intensive mixing was suitable for C. eyrei and C. sclerophylla. No significant difference was observed for minor-diameter trees under the mingling. The neighborhood comparison only had a significant effect on the average annual DBH growth of large-diameter Q. glauca, Q. fabri, and L. glaber, which was significantly higher under subdominance-moderation than moderation-inferiority. The average annual DBH growth in the study area was mainly affected by aspect and mixing degree.

The Impact of Home Cardiac Rehabilitation on Quality of Life and Psychological Well-Being in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease: A Randomized Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a therapeutic approach to coronary heart disease, significantly alleviates symptoms of coronary heart disease (CHD) and substantially improves quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the effect of home cardiac rehabilitation (HCR) on patients after PCI. MATERIAL AND METHODS We randomly divided 106 patients after PCI into an Intervention group (n=52) and a Control group (n=53). Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), blood pressure, blood glucose, and low-density lipoprotein were measured in both groups before hospital discharge and after 3 months of engaging in the intervention. Patients were assessed using the short-form health survey (SF-12) scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scale. RESULTS After 3 months of HCR intervention, SF-12 scores of patients in the Intervention group were significantly higher compared to patients in the Control group (physical component summary (PCS): 47.46±9.86 vs 43.28±8.21; and Mental Component Summary (MCS): 50.68±9.82 vs 48.26±9.69) (P.

Wide dynamic range measurement of blood flow in vivo using laser speckle contrast imaging.

Significance: Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) is a real-time wide-field technique that is applied to visualize blood flow in biomedical applications. However, there is currently a lack of relevant research to demonstrate that it can measure velocities over a wide dynamic range (WDR), which is critical for monitoring much higher and more pulsatile blood flow in larger size myocardial vessels, such as the coronary artery bypass graft, and visualizing the spatio-temporal evolution of myocardial blood flow perfusion in cardiac surgery. Aim: We aim to demonstrate that the LSCI technique enables measuring velocities over a WDR from phantom experiments to animal experiments. In addition, LSCI is preliminarily applied to imaging myocardial blood flow distribution in vivo on rabbits. Approach: Phantom and animal experiments are performed to verify that the LSCI method has the ability to measure blood velocities over a wide range. Our method is also validated by transit time flow measurement, which is the gold standard for blood flow measurement in cardiac surgery. Results: Our method is demonstrated to measure the blood flow over a wide range from 0.2 to 635 mm/s. To validate the phantom results, the varying blood flow rate from 0 to 320 mm/s is detected in the rat carotid artery. Additionally, our technique also obtains blood flow maps of different myocardial vessels, such as superficial large/small veins, veins surrounded by fat, and myocardial deeper arteriole. Conclusions: Our study has the potential to visualize the spatio-temporal evolution of myocardial perfusion in coronary artery bypass grafting, which would be of great benefit for future research in the life sciences and clinical medicine.

Fabrication of hyaluronic acid-inulin coated Enterococcus faecium for colon-targeted delivery to fight Fusobacterium nucleatum.

The abundance of Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) is highly associated with the development and poor prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC), which is regarded as a promising target for CRC. However, until now, the novel strategy to clear F. nucleatum in the colon and CRC has not been well proposed. Herein, a probiotic strain Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium, EF47) is verified to secrete various organic acids and bacteriocins to exert superior antimicrobial activity towards F. nucleatum. However, the oral delivery of EF47 is affected by the complex digestive tract environment, so we design the hyaluronic acid-inulin (HA-IN) coated EF47 for colon-targeted delivery to fight F. nucleatum. IN can protect EF47 from the harsh gastrointestinal tract environment and is degraded specifically in the colon, acting as prebiotics to further promote the proliferation of EF47. The exposed HA can also enhance the targeting effect to the tumor area via the interaction with the CD44 receptor on the tumor cells, which is confirmed to increase the adhesive ability in tumor tissues and inhibit the growth of F. nucleatum. Therefore, this colon-targeted delivery system provides a novel platform to realize high-activity and adhesive delivery of probiotics to assist the therapeutic efficiency of CRC.

Effects of beauvericin on the blood cells of Bombyx mori.

In this study, silkworms were treated by injection of the bioactive depsipeptide beauvericin (BEA) to explore its effect on the cellular immunity of larvae of the silkworm Bombyx mori. The results showed that: The LC50 of BEA for silkworms on the 3rd day of the 4th instar was 362.36 µM. The total count of circulating hemocytes in the silkworms decreased at 12 h after injection with 350 µM BEA, and reached the minimum value at 72 h post-treatment; at 48 h post-treatment, a large number of nodules formed by the aggregation of blood cells of the silkworms were observed under the light microscope. The survival rate of hemocytes in the larvae treated with BEA was significantly reduced in a dose-dependent manner in vivo and in vitro. The encapsulation of Q-Sepharose Fast Flow (QFF) gel particles by hemocytes in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group at 1.5 h and 3 h post-treatment (P < 0.05). Moreover, the melanization ratio of QFF gel particles kept increasing with treatment time. The melanization rate at 24 h after treatment was significantly higher than that at other times (P < 0.05), reaching 55.33 %. Under the scanning electron microscope, BEA-treated larvae showed protrusions on the surface of their blood cells in vivo. Under the transmission electron microscope, it was observed that silkworm hemocytes were vacuolated. This study demonstrated that BEA had an effect on the blood cells of silkworms, and has thrown some light on the inhibitory effect and mechanism of BEA on insect cellular immunity.

Brightness Prediction of Large Color Gamut Laser Display Devices.

A brightness-perceived color appearance model tailored for large gamut display devices, exemplified by laser displays, was investigated. Psychophysical experiments on the brightness matching of 30 color stimuli with achromatic white light were conducted by 16 observers. The analysis compares the performance of a number of existing color appearance models and equivalent luminance models in predicting brightness. None of the models performed acceptably due to a severe underestimation of the Helmholtz-Kohlrausch (H-K) effect. A modified model of perceived brightness based on CAM16, taking into account the H-K effect, is proposed. Evaluated by psychophysical experiments, the proposed model exhibits a superior performance compared to the preceding models, especially within the extensive color gamut range stipulated by BT.2020. The results help to optimize the design of laser displays with a wide color gamut and high perceived brightness.

Improved Suspension Fixation Using Rat Jacket in Rat Acupuncture Experiments.

In basic experimental acupuncture research, rats are commonly used as laboratory animals. However, it is difficult for them to maintain a fixed posture. During electroacupuncture procedures, proper immobilization of rats is essential. Various methods of rat fixation are currently used, including anesthesia fixation, high-platform fixation, binding fixation, and fixation with a self-made rat coat. However, these methods have their limitations, which may affect the efficiency and operability of the experiment to some extent. This protocol introduces a method of suspending and fixing rats using rat clothes. Firstly, rats are clothed with rat jackets that match their body shape, taking advantage of their preference for darkness and burrowing. The needling operation can then be carried out after the rats have worn rat clothes. When suspended, the rats are relatively still, as their limbs cannot move. This fixation method offers not only economical and user-friendly benefits but also ensures a stable and reliable fixation of the rats in a comfortably relaxed position. It also effectively minimizes time consumption, experimental space, and manpower resources. Additionally, this method allows for the exposure of most acupoints used for acupuncture in rats. This article primarily concentrates on the device's composition, encompassing a specially designed rat jacket, an elevated fixation rack, and their connecting structures. Additionally, an illustrative example will be presented to demonstrate the application of the rat clothing-based suspension fixation method in rat electroacupuncture procedures.

Effect of Ultrasonic Treatment on Structure, Antibacterial Activity of Sugarcane Leaf Polysaccharides.

This study investigated the impact of ultrasonic extraction (UE) on the structure and in vitro antibacterial activity of polysaccharides from sugarcane leaves (SLW). Native sugarcane leaf polysaccharides were treated with ultrasound (480 W) for 3 h to yield sugarcane leaf polysaccharides (SLU). Compared to SLW (33.59 kDa), the molecular weight of SLU (13.08 kDa) was significantly decreased, while the monosaccharide composition of SLU was unchanged. The results of SEM and XRD indicated that UE significantly changed the surface morphology of SLW and destroyed its inner crystalline structure. In vitro experiments showed that SLU had stronger antibacterial activity. These findings revealed that UE treatment could alter the tertiary structure of SLW but had no impact on its primary structure. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of SLW could be greatly enhanced after UE treatment. As a bioactive additive, SLU has great application potential in functional foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.

Construction and validation of a deterioration model for elderly COVID-19 Sub-variant BA.2 patients.

Rationale: COVID-19 pandemic has imposed tremendous stress and burden on the economy and society worldwide. There is an urgent demand to find a new model to estimate the deterioration of patients inflicted by Omicron variants. Objective: This study aims to develop a model to predict the deterioration of elderly patients inflicted by Omicron Sub-variant BA.2. Methods: COVID-19 patients were randomly divided into the training and the validation cohorts. Both Lasso and Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify prediction factors, which were then selected to build a deterioration model in the training cohort. This model was validated in the validation cohort. Measurements and main results: The deterioration model of COVID-19 was constructed with five indices, including C-reactive protein, neutrophil count/lymphocyte count (NLR), albumin/globulin ratio (A/G), international normalized ratio (INR), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) showed that this model displayed a high accuracy in predicting deterioration, which was 0.85 in the training cohort and 0.85 in the validation cohort. The nomogram provided an easy way to calculate the possibility of deterioration, and the decision curve analysis (DCA) and clinical impact curve analysis (CICA)showed good clinical net profit using this model. Conclusion: The model we constructed can identify and predict the risk of deterioration (requirement for ventilatory support or death) in elderly patients and it is clinically practical, which will facilitate medical decision making and allocating medical resources to those with critical conditions.

High Refractive Index Monomers for Improving the Holographic Recording Performance of Two-Stage Photopolymers.

Photopolymers hold great promise for the preparation of transparent volume holographic gratings (VHG), which are core optical elements in many application fields. To improve the holographic recording property of a two-stage photopolymer, four new (meth)acrylate monomers (CTA, CTMA, CTBA, CTBMA) with high refractive indices (1.59-1.63) are designed and synthesized in this study. Using them as one writing monomer, a series of photopolymer samples with different formulations and thicknesses are fabricated for holographic recording. Among them, a formulation containing 9 wt % CTMA shows the best performance. Using it as a recording medium, a VHG with high resolution and diffraction efficiency is constructed. Its refractive index modulation reaches 0.046. Moreover, its total transmittance within 400-800 nm achieves 96.62% after photobleaching. The results indicate that the CTMA-based formulation has great application potential in developing high-performance transparent VHG.

C-reactive protein to lymphocyte ratio is a significant predictive factor for poor short-term clinical outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.2 patients.

Objective: The aim of the present study is to assess the utility of C-reactive protein to Lymphocyte Ratio (CLR) in predicting short-term clinical outcomes of patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.2. Methods: This retrospective study was performed on 1,219 patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.2 to determine the association of CLR with short-term clinical outcomes. Independent Chi square test, Rank sum test, and binary logistic regression analysis were performed to calculate mean differences and adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with their 95% CI, respectively. Results: Over 8% of patients admitted due to SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.2. were critically ill. The best cut-off value of CLR was 21.25 in the ROC with a sensitivity of 72.3% and a specificity of 86%. After adjusting age, gender, and comorbidities, binary logistic regression analysis showed that elevated CLR was an independent risk factor for poor short-term clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients. Conclusion: C-reactive protein to Lymphocyte Ratio is a significant predictive factor for poor short-term clinical outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.2 inflicted patients.

Case report: POEMS syndrome masquerades as diabetic foot.

We present the case of a 54-year-old woman with reasonable blood sugar control who presented with a diabetic foot combined with severe peripheral neuropathy and vascular disease. Lower limb muscle weakness, muscle atrophy, skin pigmentation, and emaciation were also observed. Although her muscle strength improved after glucocorticoid treatment, it remained challenging to account for the other symptoms in this particular patient with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. Plump liver and spleen, hidden bone lesions combined with seemingly unexplained cerebral infarction, and serous effusion led us to suspect polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy, and skin changes (POEMS) syndrome. The abnormal proliferation of monoclonal plasma cells and a significant increase in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels confirmed the diagnosis of POEMS syndrome. After 1 month of treatment with lenalidomide and dexamethasone, the diabetic foot ulcers healed, and the symptoms of myasthenia and fatigue improved. Diabetic feet may represent only the tip of the iceberg of an underlying POEMS syndrome. Our report aimed to increase awareness of this rare yet significant situation, advocating for the prompt identification and treatment of POEMS syndrome.

High freezing rate improves flavor fidelity effect of hand grab mutton after short-term frozen storage.

Taking the eutectic point as the final freezing temperature, the differences of flavor substances of in hand grab mutton (HGM) frozen at three rates of 0. 26 cm/h (-18°C), 0.56 cm/h (-40°C) and 2.00 cm/h (-80°C) were determined and analyzed. The results showed that the flavor of HGM decreased significantly after freezing. With the increase of freezing rate, the contents of aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, acids, esters, others, free amino acids and 5'-nucleotides were higher, and the content of specific substances was also generally increased. All samples from unfrozen and frozen HGM could be divided into four groups using an electronic nose based on different flavor characteristics. Seven common key aroma components were determined by relative odor activity value (ROAV), including hexanal, heptanal, octanal, nonanal, (E)-oct-2-enal, (2E,4E)-deca-2,4-dienal and oct-1-en-3-ol. The higher the freezing rate, the greater the ROAVs. Taste activity values calculated by all taste substances were far <1, and the direct contribution of the substances to the taste of HGM was not significant. The equivalent umami concentration of HGM frozen at -80°C was the highest. These findings indicated that higher freezing rate was more conducive to the retention of flavor substances in HGM, and the flavor fidelity effect of freezing at -80°C was particularly remarkable.

DiHuangYin decoction protects dopaminergic neurons in a Parkinson's disease model by alleviating peripheral inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, which brings increasing threaten for human health and is still lacking of satisfied treatment. Recently, numerous studies have also demonstrated the effect of particular subsets of CD4+ T cells on PD pathology. Th17 cells played an important role in the pathogenesis of PD. Traditional Chinese medicine has been widely used to treat PD clinically, and has a tremendous potential in clinical drug development. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to verify the therapeutic effects of DHY on PD mice model, and investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms. METHODS: Herein, we verified the effects of a traditional Chinese medicine formula, named DiHuangYin (DHY), on the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) induced mouse model of PD through behavioral and histopathological tests. High-resolution mass spectrometry combined with molecular networking was applied for substance profiling of DHY. Based on the chemical compositions of DHY, network pharmacology was performed. Immunofluorescence and ELISA were used to evaluate the expressions of cytokines in peripheral immune system. qPCR and immunofluorescence were used to detect the inflammation infiltration of central nervous system. RESULTS: DHY improves the motor function and prevents the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the MPTP induced mouse model of PD. 118 components of DHY were identified or tentatively characterized based on the MS/MS data and molecular networking. Network pharmacology suggested IL-17 signaling pathway and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction as the important targets. Compared to the MPTP-intoxicated mice, the DHY group showed a decreased number of Th17 cells from splenocytes and a decreased level of IL-17A in the serum. On the other hand, less inflammatory infiltration was found in the midbrain of DHY treatment mice which might be associated with the attenuated peripheral inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: Though the underlying pharmacological mechanism of DHY is still lacking, we provided evidence that DHY decoction could protect dopaminergic neurons by mitigating peripheral inflammation.

Prevention of catheter tip malposition with an ultrasound-guided finger-pressure method to block the internal jugular vein during PICC placement: a meta-analysis.

Introduction: Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) are a type of deep venipuncture, for which the catheter tip malposition rate is high. Aim: To examine the feasibility of preventing catheter tip malposition during PICC placement using an ultrasound-guided finger-pressure method to block the internal jugular vein. Material and methods: We conducted a double-blinded randomized controlled trial (RCT) at a tertiary public hospital in Hubei province, China. A total of 600 patients were recruited and randomly allocated to the ultrasound-guided finger compression method (UGFCM) and traditional partial head method (TPHM) group (n = 300/group). Incidence of catheter tip malposition was assessed as the primary outcome of the study. A systematic literature review and meta-analysis was performed. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, China-National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Chinese Biomedicine Database and performed publication bias and sensitivity analyses on 10 extracted studies. Results: There were no significant differences in baseline demographic and clinical characteristics between the two groups (p > 0.05). Overall incidence of catheter tip malposition was significantly lower in the UGFCM and TPHM group (1.67% vs. 10.3%) and particularly the incidence of malposition in the internal jugular vein (1% vs. 9%). In the meta-analysis of 10 eligible studies, with 1263 cases using the UGFCM method while 1261 adopted the TPHM method, the results showed that the incidence of catheter tip malposition was significantly lower in the group using the UGFCM method (OR = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.11-0.27, p < 0.01), which is in line with the results of our RCT study. Conclusions: This study may add valuable evidence on adopting the finger-pressure method for blocking neck veins to reduce the incidence of catheter tip malposition, particularly in the internal jugular vein.

Fluoroscopic removal of fractured, retained, embedded Z self-expanding metal stent using a guidewire lasso technique: A case report.

BACKGROUND: There are few reports of a fractured esophageal self-expanding metallic stent (SEMS) and the lasso retrieval technique, forming a guidewire loop by directing the guidewire back up the external stent for retrieval. CASE SUMMARY: A 74-year-old man complained of dysphagia approximately 6 mo after radical resection of esophageal cancer. Benign anastomotic stenosis was diagnosed, and a 20 mm in diameter and 60 mm in length esophageal covered SEMS was inserted after repeated balloon dilatation. About 13.5 mo after stenting, dysphagia recurred and esophagography showed severe stenosis above the proximal stent and stent removal was performed. One-third of the stent was removed and the fractured stent remained in the proximal esophagus. A suction tube was introduced through the guidewire and then the guidewire was grabbed, acting like a "lasso" on tightening. The remaining fractured stent was successfully removed by slowly pulling back the guidewire, with no fragments of stent wires retained. CONCLUSION: The guidewire lasso technique is a simple, effective method of removing esophageal SEMS in rare cases of stent fracture.

[Effect of Controlling Heavy Metals in Soil of Rare Earth Mining Area by Biochar Supported Graphene Oxide].

Using navel orange peels and natural graphite as raw materials, biochar-supported graphene oxide (BGO) material was prepared using an improved hummer and co-pyrolysis method. The effects of BGO on the forms of heavy metals in the soil of a rare earth mining area were investigated via a soil passivation experiment. The soil column leaching experiment was carried out to explore the change characteristics of heavy metal content in leaching filtrate and the vertical migration law of heavy metals in soil, and the accumulation and release model of heavy metals under leaching conditions was determined. The results showed that pH value and organic matter content of soil with BGO composite increased, and acid-extractable Pb of raw ore and tailings soil decreased by 17% and 8.6%, respectively. The content of Mn form in the raw ore soil did not change significantly, whereas the content of acid-extractable, reducible, and oxidizable state in tailings soil decreased. The accumulation and release characteristics of heavy metals in soil could be divided into two stages:rapid release stage and slow stage. The release rate of heavy metals in soil with BGO composite was lower than that without addition, and the Pb and Mn removed from the tailings soil decreased by 2.5% and 28.4%, respectively, compared with that of the control group, whereas the raw ore soil decreased by 5.7% and 1.1%, respectively. The release of heavy metals in soil is a complex reaction process controlled by a variety of diffusion mechanisms. BGO composites can effectively inhibit the migration of heavy metals by increasing soil pH, surface complexation, and precipitation.