Revealing the short-range structure of the mirror nuclei 3H and 3He.

When protons and neutrons (nucleons) are bound into atomic nuclei, they are close enough to feel significant attraction, or repulsion, from the strong, short-distance part of the nucleon-nucleon interaction. These strong interactions lead to hard collisions between nucleons, generating pairs of highly energetic nucleons referred to as short-range correlations (SRCs). SRCs are an important but relatively poorly understood part of nuclear structure1-3, and mapping out the strength and the isospin structure (neutron-proton (np) versus proton-proton (pp) pairs) of these virtual excitations is thus critical input for modelling a range of nuclear, particle and astrophysics measurements3-5. Two-nucleon knockout or 'triple coincidence' reactions have been used to measure the relative contribution of np-SRCs and pp-SRCs by knocking out a proton from the SRC and detecting its partner nucleon (proton or neutron). These measurements6-8 have shown that SRCs are almost exclusively np pairs, but they had limited statistics and required large model-dependent final-state interaction corrections. Here we report on measurements using inclusive scattering from the mirror nuclei hydrogen-3 and helium-3 to extract the np/pp ratio of SRCs in systems with a mass number of three. We obtain a measure of the np/pp SRC ratio that is an order of magnitude more precise than previous experiments, and find a marked deviation from the near-total np dominance observed in heavy nuclei. This result implies an unexpected structure in the high-momentum wavefunction for hydrogen-3 and helium-3. Understanding these results will improve our understanding of the short-range part of the nucleon-nucleon interaction.

A small proton charge radius from an electron-proton scattering experiment.

Elastic electron-proton scattering (e-p) and the spectroscopy of hydrogen atoms are the two methods traditionally used to determine the proton charge radius, rp. In 2010, a new method using muonic hydrogen atoms1 found a substantial discrepancy compared with previous results2, which became known as the 'proton radius puzzle'. Despite experimental and theoretical efforts, the puzzle remains unresolved. In fact, there is a discrepancy between the two most recent spectroscopic measurements conducted on ordinary hydrogen3,4. Here we report on the proton charge radius experiment at Jefferson Laboratory (PRad), a high-precision e-p experiment that was established after the discrepancy was identified. We used a magnetic-spectrometer-free method along with a windowless hydrogen gas target, which overcame several limitations of previous e-p experiments and enabled measurements at very small forward-scattering angles. Our result, rp = 0.831 ± 0.007stat ± 0.012syst femtometres, is smaller than the most recent high-precision e-p measurement5 and 2.7 standard deviations smaller than the average of all e-p experimental results6. The smaller rp we have now measured supports the value found by two previous muonic hydrogen experiments1,7. In addition, our finding agrees with the revised value (announced in 2019) for the Rydberg constant8-one of the most accurately evaluated fundamental constants in physics.

Age-related T1 mapping, fat fraction, diffusion and perfusion parameters of the lumbar vertebrae in healthy children under 3.0 T MRI.

AIM: Compare the T1 mapping, fat fraction, diffusion and perfusion parameters of the lumbar vertebrae of different age groups to establish normal values for healthy children and observe the trends in these parameters with age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 146 healthy children (0-14 years) were included in this prospective study and underwent 3.0 T lumbar MRI examination. The study cohort was divided into five age groups (Group A âˆ¼ E) according to development milestones in children. T1 mapping, Dixon and IVIM (intravoxel incoherent motion)sequence images were used to measure the parameters of lumbar vertebrae 2-4. RESULTS: The normal values of each parameter were measured and compared across different age groups. The T1 value was negatively correlated with age (r=-0.619, p<0.001). The fat fraction (FF%) was positively correlated with age (r=0.635, p<0.001). There was a negative correlation between the D value and age (r=-0.406, p<0.001). The D∗ value was positively correlated with age (r=0.54, p<0.001). The f value was positively correlated with age (r=0.775, p<0.001). The inflexion points of the T1 value and FF% curves were at approximately 3 years old (36 months).The inflexion points of the IVIM-related parameter curves were approximately 5 years old (60 months). CONCLUSION: The age-dependent differences in the vertebral body parameters of this pediatric cohort suggest changes in the bone marrow composition and cellular structure of the vertebral body during physiological growth in children. The establishment of normal values of children's lumbar spine can facilitate the clinical study of diseases.

Income inequality and depressive symptoms among Chinese adults: a quasi-experimental study.

OBJECTIVE: There is a lack of causal evidence on the impact of income inequality on depressive symptoms. The impact of China's Targeted Poverty Alleviation (TPA) policy on depressive symptoms is also unclear. Using a quasi-experimental design, this study aims to investigate the causal effects of TPA and income inequality on depressive symptoms among Chinese adults. STUDY DESIGN: This is a population-based study. METHODS: Three waves (2012, 2016, and 2018) of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), a nationally representative sample of China, were included in this study. We performed difference-in-difference (DID) models to assess the effect of TPA and income inequality on depressive symptoms. We further conducted the mixed effect models to examine the impact of income inequality on depressive symptoms. The study considered a range of spatial factors and spatial splines to address spatial autocorrelations. RESULTS: This study included valid measures of depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale [CES-D-8] score) from 14,442 adults of CFPS. The DID results indicated that at the provincial level, the CES-D-8 score of the TPA treatment group was on average 0.570 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.358-0.783) less than the control group. Furthermore, a 0.1 increase in Gini index would lead to a 0.256 (95% CI: 0.064-0.448) increase in CES-D-8 score. The mixed effect model showed that income inequality was a risk factor for depressive symptoms at the provincial level (excess risk = 5.602% [95% CI: 3.047%-8.219%]). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that income inequality adversely affects mental health, but China's Targeted Poverty Alleviation improves the mental health of the Chinese population.

[The effect of glycopyrrolate on intestinal spasm and hemodynamics in painless colonoscopy].

Objective: To investigate the effects of glycopyrrolate on intestinal spasm and hemodynamics in painless colonoscopy. Methods: A total of 100 patients who were scheduled to undergo painless colonoscopy were selected as the study subjects and randomly divided into two groups by a computerized number method. Ten patients in both groups dropped out because of disruption of the study protocol, and 45 patients from each group were included in the final analysis. Before anesthesia induction, patients in group glycopyrrolate (group G) were injected with 0.2 mg glycopyrrolate, while those in congtrol group (group C) were injected with an equal amount of saline. The heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure were recorded at T0 (baseline period), T1 (after anesthesia induction), T2 (colonoscopy over sigmoid colon), T3 (colonoscopy over the liver region), T4 (after the end of examination), and T5 (at the awakening phase), and the degree of intestinal spasm was assessed intraoperatively using the Likert's four-point scale. The numerical rating scale (NRS) was used to assess preoperative and postoperative pain. The incidence of adverse events was recorded. Results: The general data at baseline were not statistically different between the two groups (P>0.05). During the procedure, patients in group G had lower intraoperative intestinal spasm scores than those in group C (P=0.028). Intraoperative hypotension and bradycardia occurrence were lower in group G than in group C (P<0.05), and intraoperative norepinephrine use was also lower than in the group C (P=0.034). Postoperative visual analog scale pain scores were lower in group G (P=0.047), but patients who used glycopyrrolate had a higher proportion of dry mouth (P=0.035). Conclusion: During painless colonoscopy, preoperative administration of glycopyrrolate significantly improved intraoperative hemodynamic fluctuations, reduced the incidence of hypotension and bradycardia, and relieved postoperative pain. However, glycopyrrolate use resulted in the risk of dry mouth.

[Research progress on the driving factors and mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance production and spread from the perspective of One Health].

Antimicrobial resistance poses a serious threat to public health and is one of the major challenges worldwide. As global social, economic, and environmental changes lead to increased exposure of populations to antimicrobials, the antimicrobial resistance of pathogens has accelerated and resulted in weakened clinical infection treatment effects. This article reviews the main mechanisms and driving factors of the production and spread of antimicrobial resistance from the perspective of "One Health"and discusses methods and strategies for controlling antimicrobial resistance from multiple dimensions. It also looks forward to the prospects of research and prevention of drug resistance to explore antimicrobial resistance prevention and control strategies based on "One Health".

A CT-based radiomics nomogram for differentiating ovarian cystadenomas and endometriotic cysts.

AIM: To construct and validate a computed tomography (CT)-based radiomics nomogram integrating radiomics signature and clinical factors to distinguish ovarian cystadenomas and endometriotic cysts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 287 patients with ovarian cystadenomas (n=196) or endometriotic cysts (n=91) were divided randomly into a training cohort (n=200) and a validation cohort (n=87). Radiomics features based on the portal venous phase of CT images were extracted by PyRadiomics. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operation regression was applied to select the significant features and develop the radiomics signature. A radiomics score (rad-score) was calculated. The clinical model was built by the significant clinical factors. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to construct the radiomics nomogram based on significant clinical factors and rad-score. The diagnostic performances of the radiomics nomogram, radiomics signature, and clinical model were evaluated and compared in the training and validation cohorts. Diagnostic confusion matrices of these models were calculated for the validation cohort and compared with those of the radiologists. RESULTS: Seventeen radiomics features from CT images were used to build the radiomics signature. The radiomics nomogram incorporating cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) level and rad-score showed the best performance in both the training and validation cohorts with AUCs of 0.925 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.885-0.965), and 0.942 (95% CI: 0.891-0.993), respectively. The accuracy of radiomics nomogram in the confusion matrix outperformed the radiologists. CONCLUSIONS: The radiomics nomogram performed well for differentiating ovarian cystadenomas and endometriotic cysts, and may help in clinical decision-making process.

The value of MRI in predicting hepatocellular carcinoma with cytokeratin 19 expression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: To evaluate the overall diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), different image features, and different image analysis methods in predicting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with cytokeratin 19 (CK19) expression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed to identify studies using MRI to predict HCC with CK19 expression between 2012 and 2023. Data were extracted to calculate the pooled sensitivity and specificity. Overall diagnostic performance was assessed using areas under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Subgroup analyses were conducted for specific image features and according to image analysis methods (traditional image feature, radiomics, and combined methods). Z-test statistics was used to analyse the differences in diagnostic performance between combined and individual methods. RESULTS: Eleven studies with 14 datasets (1,278 lesions from 1,264 patients) were included. The overall pooled sensitivity, specificity, and AUC with corresponding 95% confidence intervals were estimated to be 0.72 (0.55, 0.85), 0.88 (0.80, 0.93), and 0.89 (0.86, 0.91) for MRI in predicting HCC with CK19 expression. Combined methods had higher sensitivity than image feature methods (0.86 versus 0.54, p=0.001), with no difference in specificity (0.85 versus 0.87, p=0.641). There were no significant differences between radiomics and combined methods regarding sensitivity (p=0.796) and specificity (p=0.535), respectively. CONCLUSION: MRI shows moderate sensitivity and high specificity in identifying HCC with CK19 expression. The application of radiomics can improve the sensitivity of MRI in identifying HCC with CK19 expression.

Calorie restriction ameliorates hyperglycemia, modulates the disordered gut microbiota, and mitigates metabolic endotoxemia and inflammation in type 2 diabetic rats.

PURPOSE: The effects of calorie restriction (CR) on gut microbiota and the mechanism of CR ameliorating hyperglycemia in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced T2DM model rats were explored. METHODS: High-fat diet and STZ injection were applied to induce T2DM model rats. Rats were divided into the following three groups: the control-diet ad libitum group, the T2DM model group fed with ad libitum diet, and the T2DM group fed with 30% restriction diet. 16S rRNA sequencing was used to determine the bacterial communities. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding protein (LBP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured. RESULTS: Glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity were improved by CR, as well as the levels of fasting and random plasma glucose. Besides, CR not only modulated the overall structure of gut microbiota but also had selective enrichment in anti-inflammatory bacteria such as Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Ruminococcaceae_9, Allobaculum, Alistipes, and Oscillibacter, and decreased pro-inflammatory pathogenic bacteria such as Bacteroides, Lachnoclostridium, and Bifidobacterium. Tax4Fun indicated that CR could regulate related functional pathways such as lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, and the plasma levels of LBP, IL-6, and TNF-α were markedly reduced by CR, suggesting the mechanism of CR ameliorating hyperglycemia may associate with the modulation of disordered gut microbiota and the reduction of metabolic endotoxemia and inflammation. CONCLUSION: CR could ameliorate hyperglycemia, the mechanism of which may associate with the alteration of the overall structure of gut microbiota, restoration of disordered microbiota function, and the downregulation of metabolic endotoxemia and inflammation in diabetic rats.

[Survey of Helicobacter pylori levofloxacin and clarithromycin resistance rates and drug resistance genes in Ningxia, 2020-2022].

Objective: To explore the rate of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) resistance to levofloxacin and clarithromycin and the common mutation patterns of resistance genes in Ningxia, and to assess the concordance between phenotypic resistance and genotypic resistance. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Patients diagnosed with Hp infection in 14 hospitals in Ningxia region from February 2020 to May 2022 were retrospectively selected. Hp strains were isolated from gastric biopsy specimens of Hp-infected patients and subjected to phenotypic drug sensitivity testing and detection of resistance genes to analyze the rate of Hp resistance to levofloxacin and clarithromycin and the common mutation patterns of resistance genes in Ningxia region; and the concordance rate and Kappa concordance test were used to assess the concordance between phenotypic resistance and genotypic resistance. Results: A total of 1 942 Hp strains were isolated and cultured, and among the infections, 1 069 cases (55.0%) were male and 873 cases (45.0%) were female, aged (50.0±12.5) years (15-86 years). The rates of Hp resistance to levofloxacin and clarithromycin in Ningxia were 42.1% (818/1 942) and 40.1% (779/1 942), respectively, and the rate of dual resistance to both was 22.8% (443/1 942). The rate of resistance to levofloxacin and clarithromycin of Hp strains from female patients was higher than in male patients (levofloxacin: 50.4%(440/873) vs 35.4%(378/1 069); clarithromycin: 44.4%(388/873) vs 36.6%(391/1 069), both P<0.001). Among the GyrA gene mutations associated with levofloxacin resistance, the differences in mutation rate of amino acid at positions 87 and 91 were statistically significant in both drug-resistant and sensitive strains(both P<0.001), except for Asn87Thr. Hp strains were statistically significant for levofloxacin (Kappa=0.834, P<0.001) and clarithromycin (Kappa=0.829, P<0.001) had good concordance in resistance at the phenotypic and genotypic levels. Conclusion: The resistance of Hp to levofloxacin and clarithromycin in Ningxia region is severe, and there is good consistency between genotypic and phenotypic resistance.

[Evaluation of clinical safety and diagnostic efficacy of domestic liver-specific magnetic resonance contrast agent (gadoxetate disodium)].

Objective: To evaluate the clinical safety and diagnostic efficacy of domestic gadoxetate disodium (GdEOBDTPA). Methods: The imaging data from patients with space-occupying liver lesions who underwent GdEOBDTPA enhanced magnetic resonance examination at West China Hospital of Sichuan University between January 2020 and September 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. Clinical indicators were evaluated by the incidental condition of transient severe respiratory motion artifacts (TSM) in the arterial phase to assess the safety profile.The differences in quantitative and qualitative indicators for the risk factors of TSM in the arterial phase between the TSM group and the non-TSM group were compared by t-test and χ2 test. Observational indicators of the accuracy of diagnostic procedures: The 2018 version of the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) was used to evaluate the main signs, auxiliary signs, and LR grades of lesions. Postoperative pathological findings were used as the gold standard for evaluating and diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Simultaneously, the relative enhancement degree of the liver, the contrast between the lesion and the liver, and the cholangiography in the hepatobiliary phase were evaluated. The McNemar test was used to compare the differences in the diagnostic efficiency of physician 1 and physician 2 in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma according to the 2018 version of LI-RADS. Results: A total of 114 cases were included in this study. The incidence rate of TSM was 9.6% (11/114). Age [(53.8 ± 11.3) years vs. (55.4 ± 15.4) years, t = 0.465, P = 0.497], body weight [(65.8 ± 11.1) kg vs. (60.8 ± 7.6) kg, t = 1.468, P = 0.228], body mass index [(23.9 ± 3.1) kg/m(2) vs. (23.4 ± 3.0) kg/m(2), t = 0.171, P = 0.680], liver cirrhosis ratio (39 cases vs. 4 cases, χ (2) =1.776, P = 0.183), proportion of mild to moderate pleural effusion (32 cases vs. 4 cases, χ (2) = 0.000, P = 0.986), and proportion of mild to moderate ascites (47 cases vs. 5 cases χ (2) = 0.000, P = 0.991) had no statistically significant difference between the groups of non-TSM and TSM patients. According to the 2018 version of LI-RADS for the LR5 category, there was no statistically significant difference between the two physicians' HCC diagnoses in terms of sensitivity (91.4% vs.86.4%, χ (2) = 1.500, P = 0.219), specificity (72.7 % vs. 69.7%, χ (2) = 0.000, P = 1.000), positive predictive value (89.2% vs. 87.5%, χ (2) = 2.250, P = 0.125), negative predictive value (77.4% vs. 67.6%, χ (2) = 2.250, P = 0.125), and accuracy (86.0% vs. 81.6%, χ (2) = 0.131, P = 0.125). According to physicians 1 and 2 film review results, 91.2% (104/114) and 89.5% (102/114) of the contrast agent were discharged into the common bile duct or duodenum, respectively. In addition, 86.0% (98/114) of the patients had good liver enhancement, and 91.2% (104/114) of the lesions showed low signals relative to the liver background. Conclusion: Domestic gadoxetate disodium has a good clinical safety profile and diagnostic efficacy.

[Clear lens exchange should be performed with caution].

Clear lens exchange (CLE) boasts a venerable lineage, its prominence in the field of ophthalmology having incrementally solidified over recent decades, concomitant with the evolution of surgical techniques and the innovation of intraocular lens materials. CLE has assumed a pivotal role in the therapeutic armamentarium for conditions such as glaucoma, high myopia, and presbyopia. Nevertheless, it remains that the sacrifice of accommodation, potentialities of intraoperative and postoperative complications, and less than optimal results in terms of spectacle independence resulting from CLE are not infrequent occurrences. The indiscriminate pursuit of this surgical intervention is inadvisable. It is only by means of a sagacious appreciation of the merits and demerits of CLE, the judicious circumscription of its indicatory ambit, and the bespoke selection of surgical modalities catering to the individual patient, that the superlative outcomes in the realms of surgical efficacy, safety, and patient contentment may be attained.

[Analysis on the clinical features of sarcoid uveitis].

Objective: To analyze the clinical features of patients with sarcoid uveitis. Methods: This was a retrospective case series study. The medical records of 19 086 patients with uveitis admitted to the Department of Ophtalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from April 2008 to December 2019 were collected. The general data, medical history, treatment, diagnosis, follow-up, ophthalmic and other auxiliary examinations were retrospectively analyzed. The paired sample Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to compare the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of the affected eye at the first visit to the BCVA of the affected eye at the corresponding last visit. Results: A total of 51 patients (97 eyes) with sarcoid uveitis were included, including 15 males (29.4%) and 36 females (70.6%), with a male/female ratio of 1/2.4. There were 46 patients (88 eyes) with presumed sarcoidosis and 5 patients (9 eyes) with definite sarcoidosis. The age of onset was 48 (40, 55) years and 90.2% of patients (46 cases) were involved in both eyes, while 88.2% of the patients (45 cases) were chronic, and only 11.8% (6 cases) showed acute inflammatory response. Anterior uveitis was the most common type (50.5%, 49 eyes). Ophthalmoscopy revealed retinal vasculitis in only 2 eyes (2.1%) and fundus fluorescence angiography (FFA) revealed diffuse vascular leakage of fluorescein in 64 eyes (66.0%). Thirty-one patients (59 eyes) were followed up for≥3 months. Cataract was the most common ocular complication, accounting for 44.1% (26 eyes), and the inflammatory response was controlled in 45 eyes (76.3%) treated with combination of corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents. The patients were followed up for 21.5 (13.7, 29.3) months. Among 31 patients (59 eyes) followed up for≥3 months, BCVA was≥0.8 in 25 eyes (42.3%) and<0.3 in 15 eyes (25.4%) at the last follow-up, BCVA of 59 affected eyes of 31 patients was better than that at the first visit, the difference was statistically significant (Z=-2.76, P=0.006). Conclusions: Uveitis associated with sarcoidosis or presumed ocular sarcoidosis mainly manifests as a bilateral, chronic anterior uveitis with a subclinical retinal vasculitis. FFA shows subclinical retinal vasculitis in most patients. Glucocorticoid therapy in combination with other immunosuppressive agents can control inflammatory responses and improve visual acuity in most patients.

[Application of ureteral access sheath in the operation of middle and lower ureteral calculi in patients with massive benign prostatic hyperplasia].

Objective: To examine the effectiveness and safety of application of the ureteral access sheath in the treatment of middle or lower ureteral calculi in patients with large-volume benign prostatic hyperplasia above grade Ⅲ, which is expected to avoid the simultaneous or staged treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia via eliminate the difficult angle and resistance of ureteroscopy caused by severe prostatic hyperplasia. Methods: From April 2018 to December 2020, the clinical data of 27 patients with massive benign prostatic hyperplasia above grade Ⅲ and middle and lower ureteral calculi treated with indwelling ureteral access sheath plus ureteroscopy holmium laser lithotripsy at Department of Urology, Zhejiang Quhua Hospital were retrospectively analyzed and followed up. All the patients were male, aged (69.7±12.8) years (range: 55 to 87 years). Prostate volume measured by transrectal ultrasound was (94.8±16.2) cm3 (range: 85 to 186 cm3). The ureteral access sheath was indwelled in advance, and then the semirigid ureteroscopy was introduced through the working channel of the sheath. Holmium laser lithotripsy was performed, and intraoperative and postoperative complications were recorded. Urinary abdominal plain X-ray or CT urography were performed at 1-and 2-month postopaerative to evaluate the residual stones and clinical efficacy. Results: The ureteral access sheath was placed and holmium laser lithotripsy under a semirigid ureteroscopy was performed successfully in all the 27 patients. In 2 patients, a second session of auxiliary procedure was required due to the large load of preoperative stones and residual stones after surgery, among whom 1 patient received extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy and 1 patient underwent extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy plus ureteroscopic lithotripsy. The stone free rate at 1-and 2-month postoperative were 92.6% (25/27) and 100% (27/27), respectively. There were no severe complications such as ureteral avulsion and perforation, perirenal hematoma, septic shock, severe hematuria, urinary retention, iatrogenic ureteral stricture occurred during and after the surgery. The ureteral calculus was wrapped by polyps heavily in 1 patient, he was diagnosed as ureteral stenosis 1 month postoperative, receiving laparoscopic resection of ureteral stricture plus anastomosis 3 months postoperative. Conclusions: In the operations of middle and lower ureteral calculi in patients with large-volume prostatic hyperplasia above grade Ⅲ, the ureteral access sheath can be placed first to effectively eliminate the difficult angle and resistance of ureteroscopy caused by severe prostatic hyperplasia, and then semirigid ureteroscopic lithotripsy can be safely performed. It could avoid the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia at the same time or by stages.

Blockade of BK channels attenuates chronic visceral hypersensitivity in an IBS-like rat model.

BACKGROUND: Visceral hypersensitivity in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is still poorly understood, despite that chronic abdominal pain is the most common symptoms in IBS patients. To study effects of BK channels on visceral hypersensitivity in IBS rats and the underlying mechanisms, IBS rats were established by colorectal distention (CRD) in postnatal rats. The expression of large-conductance calcium and voltage-dependent potassium ion channels (BK channels) of the thoracolumbar spinal cord was examined in IBS and control rats. The effects of BK channel blockade on visceral hypersensitivity were evaluated. The interaction of BK channels and N-methyl-D-aspartate acid (NMDA) receptors was explored, and synaptic transmission at superficial dorsal horn (SDH) neurons of the thoracolumbar spinal cord was recorded by whole-cell patch clamp in IBS rats. RESULTS: The expression of the BK channels of the thoracolumbar spinal cord in IBS rats was significantly reduced. The blockade of BK channels could reduce the visceral hypersensitivity in IBS rats. There was an interaction between BK channels and NMDA receptors in the spinal cord. The frequency of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) in SDH neurons is significantly reduced in IBS rats. The blockade of BK channels depolarizes the inhibitory interneuron membrane and increases their excitability in IBS rats. CONCLUSIONS: BK channels could interact with NMDA receptors in the thoracolumbar spinal cord of rats and regulate visceral hypersensitivity in IBS rats.

Insight into different host range of three planthoppers by transcriptomic and microbiomic analysis.

Brown planthopper (BPH), white-backed planthopper (WBPH) and small brown planthopper (SBPH), are the closely related rice pests that perform differentially on wheat plants. Using fecundity as a fitness measure, we found that SBPH well-adapted on wheat plants, followed by WBPH, while BPH had the worst performance. The transcriptomic responses of SBPH and BPH to wheat plants have been compared previously. To understand the different fitness mechanisms of three planthoppers, this study first investigated the transcriptomic responses of WBPH to rice and wheat plants. Genes involved in detoxification, transportation and proteasome were significantly enriched in WBPH in response to different diets. Moreover, comparative analysis demonstrated that most co-regulated genes in BPH and SBPH showed different expression changes; whereas most co-regulated genes in BPH and WBPH exhibited similar expression changes. Subsequently, this study also investigated the influences of host plants on the bacterial community of three planthoppers. The three planthoppers harboured distant diversity of bacterial communities. However, there was no dramatic change in bacterial diversity or relative abundance in planthoppers colonized on different hosts. This study illustrates generic and species-specific changes of three rice planthoppers in response to different plants, which deepen our understanding towards the host fitness for planthopper species.

MiR-503 Contributes to Glucocorticoid Sensitivity in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia via Targeting WNT3A.

Abnormal accumulation of lymphoblasts in the blood and bone marrow is the main characteristic of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Glucocorticoids are effective drugs for ALL, while glucocorticoid resistance is an obstacle to ALL therapy. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are implicated in the drug resistance and modulate the response of ALL to glucocorticoids. The role of miR-503 in glucocorticoid sensitivity of ALL was investigated in this study. Firstly, T-leukaemic cells were isolated from patients with ALL. The human ALL cell line (CCRF/CEM) was incubated with dexamethasone to establish a glucocorticoid- resistant ALL cell line (CCRF/CEM-R). Data from MTT showed that IC50 (50% inhibitory concentration) of dexamethasone in T-leukaemic cells isolated from glucocorticoid-resistant ALL patients or CCRF/CEM-R was increased compared with IC50 in T-leukaemic cells isolated from glucocorticoid- sensitive ALL patients or CCRF/CEM. MiR- 503 was down-regulated in glucocorticoid-resistant leukaemic cells and CCRF/CEM-R. Secondly, overexpression of miR-503 sensitized CCRF/CEM-R to dexamethasone. Moreover, over-expression of miR- 503 also promoted the sensitivity of ALL cells to dexamethasone. Thirdly, miR-503 bound to WNT3A mRNA and negatively regulated the expression of WNT3A. Over-expression of miR-503 reduced protein expression of nuclear ß-catenin, and over-expression of WNT3A attenuated the miR-503 overexpression- induced decrease in nuclear ß-catenin. Lastly, the over-expression of miR-503-induced increased sensitivity of ALL-resistant cells and CCRF/ CEM-R to dexamethasone was attenuated by overexpression of WNT3A. In conclusion, miR-503 targeted WNT3A mRNA to sensitize ALL cells to glucocorticoids through inactivation of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway.

[Diagnosis and treatment of urinary stones: progress and prospect].

Although minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment technology for urinary stones has been widely developed, with continuous progress and cross integration of imaging, laser technology, endoscopic technology, and materials science, new diagnosis and treatment equipment emerge in endlessly, which promotes the continuous progress and innovation in diagnosis and treatment technology for urinary stones. By introducing the advances in imaging, lithotripsy tools, new endoscopes and ureteral stents, and analyzing their application prospects, it helps us understand the development trend of diagnosis and treatment of urinary stones in the future.

[Evaluation of refractory monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis with ambulatory urodynamics monitoring and conventional urodynamics].

Objective: To explore the clinical value of ambulatory urodynamics monitoring (AUM) in the diagnosis and treatment of children with refractory monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (RMNE) by comparing the urodynamic parameters of AUM with those of conventional urodynamics (CUD). Methods: A total of 40 children (22 males and 18 females) diagnosed with RMNE in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from May 2017 to September 2019 were collected. They were aged 9-16 years, and their frequency of nocturnal bed-wetting was≥2 times per week. CUD and one sleep cycle AUM were performed, respectively. Then, the urodynamic parameters were recorded and analyzed. Results: Five of the 40 children dropped out of the study because of the poor compliance. The age of children with RMNE was(12.6±2.1)years old, the ratio of male to female was 19∶16, and the severity of enuresis (enuresis frequency) was(4.2±1.7) times per week. Compared to the CUD group, the bladder compliance (BC) [(28.4±7.7) ml/cmH2O vs (23.6±6.1) ml/cmH2O(1 cmH2O=0.098 kPa)] and maximum detrusor pressure (Pmax.det) [(44.6±9.1) cmH2O vs (36.8±8.3) cmH2O] in the AUM group were significantly higher (P<0.05). The maximum flow rate (Qmax) [(19.6±7.2) ml/s vs (20.9±5.4) ml/s] and post void residual (PVR) [(9.5±5.7) ml vs (10.9±5.3) ml] between the two groups showed no statistically significant differences (P>0.05). Detrusor overactivity (DO) was detected in 27 cases (77.1%) during AUM and in 16 cases (45.7%) during CUD; the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Among them, 15 cases (42.9%) with DO were detected both in CUD and AUM, while 12 (34.3%) with DO were not detected in CUD. For the 15 cases with DO detected by both CUD and AUM, the frequency [(3.1±1.0) times/h vs (2.4±0.8) times/h] and maximum value of DO [(22.9±4.5) cmH2O vs (19.2±4.0) cmH2O] in the AUM group were both higher than those in the CUD group (P<0.05). Conclusions: Bladder dysfunction can be diagnosed in children with RMNE using AUM. Furthermore, AUM is more accurate than CUD in evaluating BC, Pmax.det, DO, and other parameters. For children with RMNE and with unsatisfactory CUD results, further AUM examination is recommended to clarify the etiology.

[The importance of neuroadaptation after multifocal intraocular lens implantation].

Multifocal intraocular lens (MIOL) can help cataract patients get a full range of vision, restore binocular stereopsis, improve pseudo-accommodation power, and correct regular corneal astigmatism with limits. However, MIOL also have shortcomings, including decreased contrast sensitivity, night glare, halos and other negative dysphotopsias, despite strictly controlled indications. Sometimes dysphotopsia can be relieved spontaneously after surgery in a period of time. During this process neuroadaptation plays an important role. This article explains the concept and mechanism of neuroadaptation, the location of neuroadaptation in the central nervous system, cognitive training, the preoperative evaluation of MIOL implantation, and the treatment for postoperative dissatisfaction. Correct understanding of the important role of neuroadaptation will provide theoretic foundation for cataract specialists and facilitate the handling of complications after MIOL implantation. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2021, 57: 6-10).