The influence of home isolation during COVID-19 on the physical fitness development of college students: a study utilizing repeated measures analysis of variance.

BACKGROUND: Research on the impact of COVID-19-induced home isolation on the physical fitness of college students is limited. This study aims to compare and analyze the physical fitness test scores of college students in two groups: those who experienced home isolation and those who did not, over three consecutive years after enrolment, to investigate the effects of home isolation on the physical fitness development of Chinese college students. METHODS: This comparative study included two longitudinal surveys conducted among medical college students. The participants were divided into an experimental group and a control group. The physical fitness indicators measured included body mass index (BMI), vital capacity (VC), 50-metre run, sit-and-reach, standing long jump, 1000/800-metre runs (males/females), pull-ups (males) and sit-ups (females). Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed, and the Greenhouse-Geisser correction was applied when Mauchly's assumption of sphericity was violated. Pairwise comparisons were conducted using the Bonferroni method. RESULTS: A total of 6580 students participated in the study, with 3360 students (1490 males, 1870 females) enrolled in 2019 as the experimental group and 3220 students (1326 males, 1894 females) enrolled in 2017 as the control group. All participants completed the physical fitness tests for three consecutive years. The results showed that the experimental group exhibited decreased performance in the 1000-metre and 800-metre runs, and improved performance in the sit-and-reach test. After the end of home isolation, there was an improvement in the performance of the 1000-metre run and 800-metre run, while no significant differences were observed in the trends of the other tested indicators. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study indicate that the home isolation environment during COVID-19 had a significant impact on the physical fitness of college students, specifically in terms of endurance and flexibility qualities, as well as male BMI. To better prepare for future public health emergencies and mitigate the effects of isolation, teaching students endurance exercises that can be performed at home should be prioritized. Furthermore, physical education programs should be improved to enhance student flexibility.

Diagnostic value of niacin skin blunting response in adolescent patients with depression.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the differences in the niacin skin flushing response of adolescent depressed patients and healthy adolescents and its diagnostic value in adolescent depression. METHODS: Thirty-eight cases of acute episodes of depression in unmedicated adolescents and 47 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included as study subjects, and sociodemographic and clinical data were collected, all of which were stimulated with six concentration gradients (up to 60 mmol/L, followed by sequential 3-fold gradient dilution to a minimum of 0.25 mmol/L) of niacin solution on the forearm skin, and the skin flushing area was applied as an assessment index. RESULTS: The total area of redness of the skin in response to niacin was significantly lower in the adolescent depression group than in the healthy adolescent group (Z=-3.36, p = 0.001) and was able to distinguish the adolescent depression group from the healthy adolescent group (area under curve = 0.713, sensitivity 51.1%, specificity 83.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Niacin sensitivity is reduced in adolescent depressed patients, and the niacin skin flush response has potential clinical value as a diagnostic biomarker for adolescent depression.

Preparation and Performance of Microencapsulated Sealing Material for Coal Mine Gas Drainage.

The performance of coal mine gas extraction borehole sealing material plays an essential role in the efficiency of gas extraction. Microcapsule technology was proposed to delay the expansion time of sealing materials to address the ineffective expansion of cement-based sealing materials in hydration. Based on conventional cement-based sealing materials, delayed-expansion microcapsules were prepared by phase separation with ethyl cellulose (EC) as the capsule wall material and montmorillonite (MMT) as the core material. A single-factor experiment showed that the delayed-expansion microcapsule had the best comprehensive effect when the EC content was 3%, the stirring rate was 400 rpm, the MMT content was 3.5%, and the core-wall ratio (CWR) was 10:3. Second, the slow release effect of the cement samples under the action of microcapsules is remarkable through physical tests. In addition, the triaxial compression test results show better mechanical properties of the delayed-expansion sealing materials. Then, nuclear magnetic resonance scanning was applied to the coal samples injected with different sealing materials. It was found that the proportions of macropores and mesopores in the total pore volume in the coal sample at 50 and 100 mm from the borehole wall decreased by 12.28 and 11.82%, respectively, indicating that the delayed-expansion sealing material has a better sealing effect.

[Clinical efficacy of Manlyman Spray on premature ejaculation].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of Manlyman Spray in the treatment of premature ejaculation (PE). METHODS: From January 2021 to March 2022, a total of 123 patients with PE were enrolled in clinical observation. Manlyman Spray was sprayed on the surface of the glans penis, corona of the glans and frenulum of the penis qd for 4 weeks. Before and after medication and at 4 weeks after drug withdrawal, the intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT), Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) scores and Chinese Index of Sexual Function for Premature Ejaculation (ClPE) scores of the patients were obtained and compared. RESULTS: Compared with the baseline, the IELT of the patients was significantly prolonged after 4 weeks of medication (ï¼»1.51 ± 0.42ï¼½ vs ï¼»3.79 ± 1.69ï¼½ min, P < 0.05) and at 4 weeks after drug withdrawal (ï¼»1.51 ± 0.42ï¼½ vs ï¼»3.55 ± 1.62ï¼½ min, P < 0.05), the PEDT scores were remarkably improved after 4 weeks of medication (14.0 ± 1.9 vs 7.7 ± 2.1, P < 0.05) and at 4 weeks after drug withdrawal (14.0 ± 1.9 vs 7.8 ± 2.0, P < 0.05), and so were the CIPE scores (9.0 ± 1.6 vs 20.0 ± 1.7, P < 0.05, and 9.0 ± 1.6 vs 17.3 ± 1.6, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Manlyman Spray has a definite effect in the treatment of PE.

3D digital image microscope system-assisted vasovasostomy and vasoepididymostomy in rats.

Optimal vision and ergonomics are essential factors contributing to the achievement of good results during microsurgery. The three-dimensional (3D) digital image microscope system with a better 3D depth of field can release strain on the surgeon's neck and back, which can improve outcomes in microsurgery. We report a randomized prospective study of vasoepididymostomy and vasovasostomy using a 3D digital image microscope system (3D-DIM) in rats. A total of 16 adult male rats were randomly divided into two groups of 8 each: the standard operating microscope (SOM) group and the 3D-DIM group. The outcomes measured included the operative time, real-time postoperative mechanical patency, and anastomosis leakage. Furthermore, a user-friendly microscope score was designed to evaluate the ergonomic design and equipment characteristics of the microscope. There were no differences in operative time between the two groups. The real-time postoperative mechanical patency rates were 100.0% for both groups. The percentage of vasoepididymostomy anastomosis leakage was 16.7% in the SOM group and 25.0% in the 3D-DIM group; however, no vasovasostomy anastomosis leakage was found in either group. In terms of the ergonomic design, the 3D-DIM group obtained better scores based on the surgeon's feelings; in terms of the equipment characteristics, the 3D-DIM group had lower scores for clarity and higher scores for flexibility and adaptivity. Based on our randomized prospective study in a rat model, we believe that the 3D-DIM can improve surgeon comfort without compromising outcomes in male infertility reconstructive microsurgery, so the 3D-DIM might be widely used in the future.

Effectiveness of gamma globulin combined with methylprednisolone sodium succinate in severe hand foot mouth disease - Baoding Children's Hospital, China.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the curative effect of gamma globulin combined with methylprednisolone sodium succinate on paediatric patients with severe hand-foot-mouth disease and analyse its influence on cardio-pulmonary functions. METHODOLOGY: Eighty paediatric patients with severe hand-foot-mouth diseases (HFMD) treated in Baoding Children's Hospital, Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Respiratory Digestive Disease from January 2015 to January 2017 were selected. This study was designed as a case control study with equally dividing patients into test and control groups through random digital method. Patients in the control group accepted methylprednisolone sodium succinate treatment based on conventional therapy. Those in the test group accepted gamma globulin combined with methylprednisolone sodium succinate. The efficacy of the two groups were observed and compared and the improvement of cardiac function index was detected after 3 days of treatment. RESULTS: The time for symptom remission and hospitalisation of children in the test group were significantly shorter than those in the control group (P<0.05). The differences between the two groups had no statistical significance in terms of PaO2, PaCO2, OI, HR, EF% and CO before treatment. After the treatment, patients in the test group had significant improvement compared with the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Curative effect of gamma globulin combined with methylprednisolone sodium succinate on paediatric patients showed significance and this treatment could be effectively improve clinical symptoms and cardio-pulmonary functions of paediatric patients.

A multi-component Cu2O@FePO4 core-cage structure to jointly promote fast electron transfer toward the highly sensitive in situ detection of nitric oxide.

Electrochemical sensors actually involve an electrocatalytic process in efficient and selective energy conversion. In this work, we use different components to innovatively produce a core@cage material, in which the outer cage, iron phosphate, offers a high electrocatalytic ability to electrochemically oxidize NO, while the inner material, cuprous oxide, could absorb the intermediary HO- ions to kinetically promote NO oxidation for fast electron transfer, resulting in a strong synergistic effect. The unique core@cage structure also increases the active surface area and provides plenty of channels via the porous cage for significantly enhanced mass transport. The as-prepared core@cage NO sensor shows a high sensitivity of 326.09 µA cm-2 µM-1, which is the highest among the reported non-noble metal-based NO biosensors based on the electrooxidation scheme. A free-standing flexible NO sensor was further fabricated with the material for the in situ detection of NO released from cancer cells, demonstrating a low detection limit (0.45 nM) and a fast response time (0.8 s). This work holds great promise for its practical applications in the diagnosis or research of complicated biological processes, especially in real-time in situ detection approaches.

Treatment for thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm by fenestrated endovascular aortic repair with physician-modified stent graft.

Despite being widely used for several years, the endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) of a thoracoabdominal aneurysm (TAAA) remains challenging, particularly the revascularization of the abdominal aortic visceral branches. A 66-year-old male was admitted to hospital with abdominal bloating and pain. Computed tomographic angiography (CTA) confirmed a Crawford type III TAAA from the distal descending aorta to the suprarenal abdominal aorta that involved the celiac axis, accompanied with an occlusion of the left subclavian artery. Fenestrated-EVAR was performed successfully and 1 week later CTA showed a type III endoleak, which had resolved 3 months later, without stent migration or visceral artery occlusion. In this present case, the surgeons preferred to perform the procedure in three surgical stages, postponing the deployment of a covered stent in the CA fenestration to provide additional time for the development of collateral circulation to the spinal cord as a possible means of preventing postoperative paraplegia.

[Effect of miRNA from Glycyrrhiza uralensis decoction on gene expression of human immune cells].

MicroRNAs(miRNA) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate the expression of protein coding genes by repressing translation of protein coding mRNA or enhancing mRNA degradation. Its functions have attracted more and more attention from the public. In recent years, the cross-border regulation of miRNA has become a new research direction, and provides a new perspective for people to comprehensively understand the functions of miRNA. Plant miRNA is usually methylated and not easy to degrade. According to our previous researches, there were abundant small RNAs in the decoction of dried liquorice, which provides a new way to study the mechanism of action of licorice. In this study, small RNAs extracted from Glycyrrhiza uralensis decoction and synthesized miRNA mimics were used to treat peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC) isolated from healthy volunteers. The gene expression of toll-like receptors(TLRs), some transcription factors, signal molecules and cytokines were analyzed by RT-PCR. The results showed that glycyrrhiza miRNA could significantly regulate PBMC by inhibiting the expression of genes involved in T cell differentiation, inflammation and apoptosis. The study brought new ideas to us in comprehensively studying the mechanism of licorice and developing the traditional Chinese medicine.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness: A Meta-analysis.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: The association between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness has been examined in many studies. However, the findings are inconsistent. Our goal is to evaluate the association between OSAS and RNFL thickness by performing a meta-analysis. METHODS: We conducted a PubMed database search in November 2014 to identify studies on OSAS and RNFL. Reference lists of retrieved articles were also reviewed. A fixed-effects model was used to compute the summary mean difference (MD). RESULTS: Six studies involving 1034 eyes were included in the meta-analysis. The overall combined MD of RNFL in OSAS patients compared with control participants was -2.03 µm [95% confidence interval (CI), -3.67 to -0.4; P=0.01]. The overall combined MDs of RNFL thickness in relation to moderate OSAS and severe OSAS were -2.49 µm (95% CI: -4.54 to -0.44; P=0.02) and -6.36 µm (95% CI: -8.4 to -4.32; P<0.001). But no significant difference was observed in mild OSAS; the combined MD was -2.05 µm (95% CI: -4.23 to 0.13; P=0.07). Association was also observed in OSAS and RNFL thickness of the inferior quadrant, with a combined MD of -3.31 µm (95% CI: -6.19 to -0.42; P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis provides evidence that OSAS is associated with RNFL thickness. Furthermore, it was observed that the greater the severity of OSAS, the greater the loss of RNFL. Among the 4 quadrants observed, the most affected quadrant was the inferior quadrant, and the least affected was the temporal quadrant. OSAS may have an impact on changes in RNFL and therefore more attention should be paid to patients with this condition.

The effect of active ingredient-containing chitosan/polycaprolactone nonwoven mat on wound healing: in vitro and in vivo studies.

The use of an electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) nonwoven mat that is coated with a layer of chitosan (CS) containing active ingredient [tea tree oil (TTO)] represents an effective strategy for producing functional dressings. CS-coated porous PCL nonwoven mat (CS3/PCLNM) with various concentrations of active ingredients were produced and investigated. In vitro, active ingredient-containing CS3/PCLNM is effective in inhibiting the formation of nitrite and the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. Both active ingredient TTO and CS have been proven to reach their maximum amount of releases within 24 h of contact with water-based environment. In vivo, full-thickness skin removal (1.2 cm × 1.2 cm) was performed on the back of the C57BL6/J mice in noninfected and infected animal models. Four groups of functional dressings were tested in this work including Tegderm™, PCLNM, CS3/PCLNM, and 100 µL TTO-CS3/PCLNM. After 7 days post-treatment, the bacterial levels were found to be significantly lower in both CS3/PCLNM and 100 µL TTO-CS3/PCLNM-treated groups than in the control group (81.6 ± 18.1% and 93.7 ± 9.57% of reductions in the bacterial load in the pus relative to the control group, respectively). Additionally, based on the histological analyses, the 100 µL TTO-CS3/PCLNM-treated group outperformed all other groups in wound healing.

Active ingredient-containing chitosan/polycaprolactone nonwoven mats: characterizations and their functional assays.

This study demonstrates a facile method developed to generate a chitosan/polycaprolactone (CS/PCL) nonwoven mat. All nonwoven mats are composed of microfibers with an average diameter of 2.51±0.69 µm. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data indicate that positively charged nitrogen was generated on the surface of the mats after undergoing CS coating. By using a non-contacting electrostatic voltmeter, we determined that the nonwoven mats exhibited a positive potential and the charge density of the CS/PCL nonwoven mat was in proportion to the thickness of the CS overlayer. Moreover, platelet aggregation and anti-bacterial ability were enhanced by the CS/PCL nonwoven mat as compared to that of PCL nonwoven mat alone. The enhancements of the CS/PCL nonwoven mat on platelet aggregation are further promoted by incorporating a 1mM calcium ion in its CS overlayer. We also find that the addition of tea tree oil in the CS overlayer significantly inhibited LPS-induced nitrite formation in Raw 264.7 macrophages. In conclusion, our CS/PCL nonwoven mat possesses pharmacological effects including an increase of platelet aggregation, anti-bacterial, anti-adhesive, and anti-inflammatory activities. The performance of this CS/PCL nonwoven mat can be further promoted by incorporating active compounds to exert therapeutic effects in wound healing.

Hierarchical supramolecular ordering with biaxial orientation of a combined main-chain/side-chain liquid-crystalline polymer obtained from radical polymerization of 2-vinylterephthalate.

The liquid-crystalline (LC) phase structures and transitions of a combined main-chain/side-chain LC polymer (MCSCLCP) 1 obtained from radical polymerization of a 2-vinylterephthalate, poly(2,5-bis{[6-(4-butoxy-4'-oxybiphenyl) hexyl]oxycarbonyl}styrene), were studied using differential scanning calorimetry, one- and two-dimensional wide-angle X-ray diffraction (1D and 2D WAXD), and polarized light microscopy. We have found that 1 with sufficiently high molecular weight can self-assemble into a hierarchical structure with double orderings on the nanometer and subnanometer scales at low temperatures. The main chains of 1, which are rodlike as a result of the "jacketing" effect generated by the central rigid portion of the side chains laterally attached to every second carbon atom along the polyethylene backbone, form a 2D centered rectangular scaffold. The biphenyl-containing side chains fill the space between the main chains, forming a smectic E (SmE)-like structure with the side-chain axis perpendicular to that of the main chain. This biaxial orientation of 1 was confirmed by our 2D WAXD experiments through three orthogonal directions. The main-chain scaffold remains when the SmE-like packing is melted at elevated temperatures. Further heating leads to a normal smectic A (SmA) structure followed by the isotropic state. We found that when an external electric field was applied, the main-chain scaffold greatly inhibited the motion of the biphenyls. While the main chains gain a sufficiently high mobility in the SmA phase, macroscopic orientation of 1 can be achieved using a rather weak electric field, implying that the main and side chains with orthogonal directions can move cooperatively. Our work demonstrates that when two separate components, one offering the "jacketing" effect to the normally flexible backbone and the other with mesogens that form surrounding LC phases, are introduced simultaneously into the side chains, the polymer obtained can be described as an MCSCLCP with a fascinating hierarchically ordered structure.