Predictive role of neutrophil-to-platelet ratio in futile recanalization of patients after endovascular therapy.

Aim: To explore the association between the neutrophil-to-platelet ratio (NPR) and futile recanalization (FR) in patients with acute ischemic stroke due to large vascular occlusions after endovascular therapy (EVT). Methods: FR after EVT was defined as a poor 90-day prognosis (modified Rankin scale [mRS] score ≥3) despite successful reperfusion (modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction grade 2b-3). Patients were divided into high NPR (>35; n = 115) and low NPR (≤35; n = 81) groups. Results: The FR rate was significantly higher in the high NPR group than low NPR group (81.74 vs 55.56%; p = 0.000). NPR was independently associated with FR (odds ratio: 2.107; 95% CI: 1.017-4.364; p = 0.045). Conclusion: High NPR was associated with the risk of FR in patients with acute ischemic stroke due to large vascular occlusions.

Predictive Role of Pre-Thrombolytic Neutrophil-Platelet Ratio on Hemorrhagic Transformation After Intravenous Thrombolysis in Acute Ischemic Stroke.

To investigate the predictive role of the neutrophil-platelet ratio (NPR) before intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) on hemorrhagic transformation (HT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). AIS patients treated with IVT without endovascular therapy between June 2019 and February 2023 were included. Patients were divided into high NPR (>35) and low NPR (≤35) groups according to the optimal threshold NPR value for identifying high-risk patients before IVT. The baseline data and the incidence of HT and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) were compared between the two groups. The predictive role of the NPR and other related factors on HT after IVT was analyzed by multivariate logistic regression. A total of 247 patients were included, with an average age of 67.5 ± 12.4 years. Post-thrombolytic HT was observed in 18.6% of the patients, and post-thrombolytic sICH was observed in 1.2% of the patients. There were 69 patients in the high NPR group and 178 patients in the low NPR group. The incidence of HT in the high NPR group was significantly higher than that in the low NPR group (30.4% vs 16.3%, P < .05). The incidence of sICH was significantly higher in the high NPR group than in the low NPR group (14.5% vs 1.7%, P < .001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that NPR > 35 was positively correlated with HT (odds ratio (OR) = 3.236, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.481-7.068, P = .003) and sICH (OR = 13.644, 95% CI: 2.392-77.833, P = .003). A high NPR (>35) before IVT may be a predictor of HT in AIS patients. This finding may help clinicians make clinical decisions before IVT in AIS patients.

[Effect of Baicalin on Pyroptosis of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Cell Lines DB and Its Mechanism].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Baicalin on the proliferation and pyroptosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cell line DB and its mechanism. METHODS: DB cells were treated with baicalin at different concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20, 40 µmol/L). Cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 assay and half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was calculated. The morphology of pyroptosis was observed under an inverted microscope, the integrity of the cell membrane was verified by LDH content release assay, and the expressions of pyroptosis-related mRNA and protein (NLRP3, GSDMD, GSDME, N-GSDMD, N-GSDME) were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot. In order to further clarify the relationship between baicalin-induced pyroptosis and ROS production in DB cells, DB cells were divided into control group, baicalin group, NAC group and NAC combined with baicalin group. DB cells in the NAC group were pretreated with ROS inhibitor N-acetylcysteine (NAC) 2 mmol/L for 2 h. Baicalin was added to the combined treatment group after pretreatment, and the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cells was detected by DCFH-DA method after 48 hours of culture. RESULTS: Baicalin inhibited the proliferation of DB cells in a dose-dependent manner (r=-0.99), and the IC50 was 20.56 µmol/L at 48 h. The morphological changes of pyroptosis in DB cells were observed under inverted microscope. Compared with the control group, the release of LDH in the baicalin group was significantly increased (P<0.01), indicating the loss of cell membrane integrity. Baicalin dose-dependently increased the expression levels of NLRP3, N-GSDMD, and N-GSDME mRNA and protein in the pyroptosis pathway (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the level of ROS in the baicalin group was significantly increased (P<0.05), and the content of ROS in the NAC group was significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the NAC group, the content of ROS in the NAC + baicalin group was increased. Baicalin significantly attenuated the inhibitory effect of NAC on ROS production (P<0.05). Similarly, Western blot results showed that compared with the control group, the expression levels of pyroptosis-related proteins was increased in the baicalin group (P<0.05). NAC inhibited the expression of NLRP3 and reduced the cleavage of N-GSDMD and N-GSDME (P<0.05). Compared with the NAC group, the NAC + baicalin group had significantly increased expression of pyroptosis-related proteins. These results indicate that baicalin can effectively induce pyroptosis in DB cells and reverse the inhibitory effect of NAC on ROS production. CONCLUSION: Baicalin can inhibit the proliferation of DLBCL cell line DB, and its mechanism may be through regulating ROS production to affect the pyroptosis pathway.

Exploring site-specific N application rate to reduce N footprint and increase crop production for green manure-rice rotation system in southern China.

Milk vetch (Astragalus sinicus L.) is leguminous green manure (GM) which produces organic nitrogen (N) for subsequent crops and is widely planted and utilized to simultaneously reduce the use of synthetic N fertilizer and its environmental costs in rice systems. Determination of an optimal N application rate specific to the GM-rice system is challenging because of the large temporal and spatial variations in soil, climate, and field management conditions. To solve this problem, we developed a framework to explore the site-specific N application rate for the low-N footprint rice production system in southern China based on multi-site field experiments, farmer field survey, and process-based model (WHCNS_Rice, soil water heat carbon nitrogen simulator for rice). The results showed that a process-based model can explain >83.3% (p < 0.01) of the variation in rice yield, aboveground biomass, crop N uptake, and soil mineral N. Based on the scenario analysis of the tested WHCNS_Rice model, the simple regression equation was developed to implement site-specific N application rates that considered variations in GM biomass, soil, and climatic conditions. Simulation evaluation on nine provinces in southern China showed that the site-specific N application rate reduced regional synthetic N fertilizer input by 29.6 ± 17.8% and 65.3 ± 23.0% for single and early rice, respectively; decreased their total N footprints (NFs) by 23.4% and 49.3%, respectively; and without reduction in rice yield, compared with traditional farming N practices. The reduction in total NF was attributed to the reduced emissions from ammonia volatilization by 35.2%, N leaching by 28.4%, and N runoff by 32.7%. In this study, we suggested a low NF rice production system that can be obtained by combining GM with site-specific N application rate in southern China.

Direct Thrombectomy versus Bridging Thrombectomy within 6 Hours of Stroke Onset: A Prospective Cohort Study on Cognitive and Physical Function Outcomes.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the physical and cognitive functions of patients with stroke who underwent either direct or bridging thrombectomy within 6 hours of stroke onset. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with large vessel occlusion in anterior circulation treated with direct (direct group) or bridging thrombectomy (bridging group) were prospectively analyzed between June 2020 and February 2022. The efficacy outcome was the 3-month modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score, the safety outcome was symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), and cognitive function was assessed using the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale at 6 months after stroke. RESULTS: A total of 125 patients (direct group, n = 75; bridging group, n = 50) who had completed follow-up at 3 months by telephone call were included. No significant differences were observed between the direct and bridging groups in terms of an mRS score of 0-2 (25.3% vs 22.0%, respectively; P = .83), an mRS score of 0-3 (37.3% vs 44.0%, respectively; P = .58), sICH (17.3% vs 14.0%, respectively; P = .80), or 3-month all-cause mortality (36.3% vs 30.0%, respectively; P = .34). Sixty-nine patients (direct group, n = 38; bridging group, n = 31) completed the CDR assessment at 6 months after stroke. There was no significant difference in poststroke dementia, defined as a CDR score of ≥1 point between the direct group (42.1%) and bridging group (22.6%) (P = .12). Ordinal regression analyses showed that the CDR score at 6 months was not associated with treatment type (direct thrombectomy vs bridging thrombectomy). CONCLUSIONS: With regard to physical and cognitive functions at 3 and 6 months, direct thrombectomy was comparable with bridging thrombectomy in patients who were treated within 6 hours of stroke onset.

[Regulation of Baicalin on Growth of Extranodal NK/T Cell Lymphoma Cells through FOXO3/CCL22 Signaling Pathway].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of baicalin on the growth of extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma (ENKTCL) cells and its related mechanism. METHODS: Normal NK cells and human ENKTCL cells lines SNK-6 and YTS were cultured, then SNK-6 and YTS cells were treated with 5, 10, 20 µmol/L baicalin and set control. Cell proliferation and apoptosis was detected by Edu method and FCM method, respectively, and expressions of BCL-2, Bax, FOXO3 and CCL22 proteins were detected by Western blot. Interference plasmids were designed and synthesized. FOXO3 siRNA interference plasmids and CCL22 pcDNA overexpression plasmids were transfected with PEI transfection reagent. Furthermore, animal models were established for validation. RESULTS: In control group and 5, 10, 20 µmol/L baicalin group, the proliferation rate of SNK-6 cells was (56.17±2.96)%, (51.92±4.63)%, (36.42±1.58)%, and (14.60±2.81)%, respectively, while that of YTS cells was (58.85±2.98)%, (51.38±1.32)%, (34.75±1.09)%, and (15.45±1.10)%, respectively. In control group and 5, 10, 20 µmol/L baicalin group, the apoptosis rate of SNK-6 cells was (5.93±0.74)%, (11.78±0.34)%, (28.46±0.44)%, and (32.40±0.37)%, respectively, while that of YTS cells was (7.93±0.69)%, (16.29±1.35)%, (33.91±1.56)%, and (36.27±1.06)%, respectively. Compared with control group, the expression of BCL-2 protein both in SNK-6 and YTS cells decreased significantly (P<0.001), and the expression of Bax protein increased in SNK-6 cells only when the concentration of baicalin was 20 µmol/L (P<0.001), while that in YTS cells increased in all three concentrations(5, 10, 20 µmol/L) of baicalin (P<0.001). The expression of FOXO3 protein decreased while CCL22 protein increased in ENKTCL cell lines compared with human NK cells (P<0.001), but the expression of FOXO3 protein increased (P<0.01) and CCL22 protein decreased after baicalin treatment (P<0.001). Animal experiments showed that baicalin treatment could inhibit tumor growth. The expression of CCL22 protein in ENKTCL tissue of nude mice treated with baicalin decreased compared with control group (P<0.01), while the FOXO3 protein increased (P<0.05). In addition, FOXO3 silencing resulted in the decrease of FOXO3 protein expression and increase of CCL22 protein expression (P<0.01, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Baicalin can inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis of ENKTCL cell lines SNK-6 and YTS, up-regulate the expression of Bax protein, down-regulate the expression of BCL-2 protein, and down-regulate the expression of CCL22 protein mediated by FOXO3. Animal experiment shown that the baicalin can inhibit tumor growth. Baicalin can inhibit the growth and induce apoptosis of ENKTCL cells through FOXO3/CCL22 signaling pathway.

Predictive role of pre-thrombolytic hs-CRP on the safety and efficacy of intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke.

PURPOSE: To investigate the predictive role of pre-thrombolytic high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) on the safety and efficacy of intravenous thrombolysis in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). METHODS: Patients with AIS who underwent intravenous thrombolysis with recombinant plasminogen activator (rtPA) or urokinase without endovascular therapy from June 2019 to June 2022 were retrospectively analysed. All patients were grouped into two groups (high or low hs-CRP group) according to the median value of hs-CRP before intravenous thrombolysis. The baseline NIHSS, NIHSS changes before and after thrombolysis (ΔNIHSS), the rate of good thrombolysis response (NIHSS decreased ≥ 2 points from baseline), the rate of any intracranial hemorrhage, age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, uric acid and platelet count were compared between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify possible prognostic factors for a good thrombolysis response. RESULTS: A total of 212 patients were included in the analysis, with a mean age of 66.3 ± 12.5 years. In total, 145 patients received rtPA, and 67 patients received urokinase. Patients were divided into a high hs-CRP group (> 1.60 mg/L) and a low hs-CRP group (≤ 1.60 mg/L) according to the median hs-CRP level (1.60 mg/L). The ΔNIHSS of the high hs-CRP group was significantly smaller than that of the low hs-CRP group (0 [-1 ~ 0] vs. -1 [-2 ~ 0], P < 0.05). The good rate of thrombolysis response in the high hs-CRP group was significantly lower than that in the low hs-CRP group (21.9% vs. 36.5%, P < 0.05). Similar results were shown in the rtPA subgroup between the high and low hs-CRP groups but not in the urokinase subgroup. Logistic regression analysis showed that hs-CRP > 1.60 mg/L was negatively correlated with a good thrombolysis response rate (OR = 0.496, 95% CI = 0.266-0.927, P = 0.028). CONCLUSION: hs-CRP > 1.6 mg/L may serve as a poor prognosis predictive factor for patients with AIS receiving intravenous thrombolysis. However, due to the small sample size of this study, further studies are needed to verify our results.

Associations of Serum Antimicrobial Peptide LL-37 with Longitudinal Cognitive Decline and Neurodegeneration Among Older Adults with Memory Complaints.

BACKGROUND: A potential role of the antimicrobial peptide LL-37, which is upregulated after infection, in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) was identified. However, the clinical relevance of LL-37 in AD is not clear yet. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the association of circulating LL-37 with longitudinal cognitive decline and neurodegeneration among older adults with memory complaints. METHODS: This cohort study recruited 357 older adults with memory complaints. Participants were followed-up for two years and the cognitive functions were assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Serum LL-37, pTau181, and tTau levels were determined at baseline. Associations of baseline LL-37 with longitudinal cognitive decline and change of neurodegenerative biomarkers were analyzed. RESULTS: No difference was found in the slope of longitudinal cognitive decline during follow-up between the low and high LL-37 group, adjusting for age, sex, education, body mass index, APOE ɛ4 carrier status, comorbidities, and baseline MMSE scores (difference in slope: 0.226, 95% CI: -0.169 to 0.621). Higher LL-37 levels were associated with longitudinal cognitive decline, as indicated by a decrease of MMSE scores of 3 points or above during follow-up (OR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.32 to 3.38). The high LL-37 group had larger slopes of the increase in neurofilament light (difference in slope: 3.759, 95% CI: 2.367 to 5.152) and pTau181 (difference in slope: 0.325, 95% CI: 0.151 to 0.499) than the low LL-37 group. CONCLUSION: These findings support an association of the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 with AD from a clinical perspective.

[Research Progress in Pathogenesis of Hypertension in Acute Intermittent Porphyria].

Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) has complicated clinical manifestations and is often accompanied by hypertension.AIP may cause hypertension through adrenergic effect,heme deficiency,inflammation,inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone,toxicity of delta-aminolevulinic acid(ALA,aporphyrin precursor),and elevated serum glucose level.The prevention and treatment strategies for AIP accompanied with hypertension mainly include the controlling of porphyria attacks,application of antihypertensive drugs,lifestyle intervention,and management of latent AIP patients.

Helicobacter pylori Infection Is Associated with Long-Term Cognitive Decline in Older Adults: A Two-Year Follow-Up Study.

BACKGROUND: Previous cross-sectional studies have identified a possible link between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and dementia. However, the association of H. pylori infection with longitudinal cognitive decline has rarely been investigated. OBJECTIVE: This cohort study aims to demonstrate the effects of H. pylori infection on longitudinal cognitive decline. METHODS: This cohort study recruited 268 subjects with memory complaints. Among these subjects, 72 had a history of H. pylori infection, and the rest 196 subjects had no H. pylori infection. These subjects were followed up for 24 months and received cognitive assessment in fixed intervals of 12 months. RESULTS: At baseline, H. pylori infected, and uninfected participants had no difference in MMSE scores. At 2 years of follow-up, H. pylori infected participants had lower MMSE scores than uninfected participants. H. pylori infection was associated with an increased risk of longitudinal cognitive decline, as defined by a decrease of MMSE of 3 points or more during follow-up, adjusting for age, sex, education, APOEɛ4 genotype, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and smoking history (HR: 2.701; 95% CI: 1.392 to 5.242). H. pylori infection was associated with larger cognitive decline during follow-up, adjusting for the above covariates (standardized coefficient: 0.282, p < 0.001). Furthermore, H. pylori infected subjects had significantly higher speed of cognitive decline than uninfected subjects during follow-up, adjusting for the above covariates. CONCLUSION: H. pylori infection increases the risk of longitudinal cognitive decline in older subjects with memory complaints. This study is helpful for further understanding the association between infection and dementia.

MYB30 integrates light signals with antioxidant biosynthesis to regulate plant responses during postsubmergence recovery.

Submergence is an abiotic stress that limits agricultural production world-wide. Plants sense oxygen levels during submergence and postsubmergence reoxygenation and modulate their responses. Increasing evidence suggests that completely submerged plants are often exposed to low-light stress, owing to the depth and turbidity of the surrounding water; however, how light availability affects submergence tolerance remains largely unknown. Here, we showed that Arabidopsis thaliana MYB DOMAIN PROTEIN30 (MYB30) is an important transcription factor that integrates light signaling and postsubmergence stress responses. MYB DOMAIN PROTEIN30 protein abundance decreased upon submergence and accumulated during reoxygenation. Under submergence conditions, CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC1 (COP1), a central regulator of light signaling, caused the ubiquitination and degradation of MYB30. In response to desubmergence, however, light-induced MYB30 interacted with MYC2, a master transcription factor involved in jasmonate signaling, and activated the expression of the VITAMIN C DEFECTIVE1 (VTC1) and GLUTATHIONE SYNTHETASE1 (GSH1) gene families to enhance antioxidant biosynthesis. Consistent with this, the myb30 knockout mutant showed increased sensitivity to submergence, which was partially rescued by overexpression of VTC1 or GSH1. Thus, our findings uncover the mechanism by which the COP1-MYB30 module integrates light signals with cellular oxidative homeostasis to coordinate plant responses to postsubmergence stress.

Purinergic signaling: a potential therapeutic target for ischemic stroke.

Pathogenesis of ischemic stroke is mainly characterized by thrombosis and neuroinflammation. Purinergic signaling pathway constitutes adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), adenosine monophosphate (AMP), and adenosine (ADO). ATP is hydrolyzed to ADP and then to AMP by extracellular nucleotidase CD39; AMP is subsequently converted to adenosine by CD73. All these nucleotides and nucleosides act on purinergic receptors protecting against thrombosis and inhibit inflammation. In addition, many physical methods have been found to play a neuroprotective role through purinergic signaling. This review mainly introduces the role and potential mechanism of purinergic signalings in the treatment of ischemic stroke, so as to provide reference for seeking new treatment methods for stroke.

Anti-aliasing convolution neural network of finger vein recognition for virtual reality (VR) human-robot equipment of metaverse.

Metaverse, which is anticipated to be the future of the internet, is a 3D virtual world in which users interact via highly customizable computer avatars. It is considerably promising for several industries, including gaming, education, and business. However, it still has drawbacks, particularly in the privacy and identity threads. When a person joins the metaverse via a virtual reality (VR) human-robot equipment, their avatar, digital assets, and private information may be compromised by cybercriminals. This paper introduces a specific Finger Vein Recognition approach for the virtual reality (VR) human-robot equipment of the metaverse of the Metaverse to prevent others from misappropriating it. Finger vein is a is a biometric feature hidden beneath our skin. It is considerably more secure in person verification than other hand-based biometric characteristics such as finger print and palm print since it is difficult to imitate. Most conventional finger vein recognition systems that use hand-crafted features are ineffective, especially for images with low quality, low contrast, scale variation, translation, and rotation. Deep learning methods have been demonstrated to be more successful than traditional methods in computer vision. This paper develops a finger vein recognition system based on a convolution neural network and anti-aliasing technique. We employ/ utilize a contrast image enhancement algorithm in the preprocessing step to improve performance of the system. The proposed approach is evaluated on three publicly available finger vein datasets. Experimental results show that our proposed method outperforms the current state-of-the-art methods, improvement of 97.66% accuracy on FVUSM dataset, 99.94% accuracy on SDUMLA dataset, and 88.19% accuracy on THUFV2 dataset.

Cerebral blood volume index may be a predictor of independent outcome of thrombectomy in stroke patients with low ASPECTS.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the predictors for efficacy and safety of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomographic Score (ASPECTS) ＜6 undergoing endovascular therapy (EVT). METHODS: This study retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients presented between December 2020 and December 2021 with large vessel occlusions (LVO) within the anterior circulation and an ASPECTS ＜6, followed by EVT. The efficacy outcome was 90-day functional independence, defined as modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score 0-3. The primary safety outcome was symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH). Secondary safety outcomes included 90-day all-cause mortality and 24-hour any ICH. RESULTS: A total of 22 patients were included. The percentage of patients with mRS 0-3 at 90 days was 36.4% (8/22). The occurrence of sICH was 22.7% (5/22). The occurrence of any ICH was 45.5% (10/22). The 90-day all-cause mortality was 36.4% (8/22). Median (interquartile range, IQR) cerebral blood volume (CBV) index was 0.5 (0.4-0.7). CBV index in mRS 0-3 group (n = 8) was higher than mRS 4-5 group (n = 14) (P＜0.05). There was no significant difference of age, gender, comorbidities, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, mismatch ratio, CBV index, interval between stroke onset and re-perfusion, good re-perfusion rate between sICH group (n = 5) and non-sICH group (n = 17). CONCLUSIONS: AIS patients with low ASPECTS can still benefit from EVT and gain good functional outcome, especial those had higher CBV index on pre-EVT computed tomography perfusion (CTP). Further studies with larger sample size are needed to validate our findings.

Different Doses of Intravenous Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator for Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Network Meta-Analysis.

Background: This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of different doses of intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) by adopting a network meta-analysis (NMA). Methods: Studies comparing different doses of tPA in AIS were identified by retrieving electronic databases. NMAs of outcome measures included favorable functional outcome with a modified Rankin scale score (mRS) of 0 or 1 at 3 months after treatment (3M-FF), the functional independence with a mRS of 0, 1, or 2 at 3 months (3M-FI), symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) and 3-month all-cause mortality (3M-M). Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) and 3-month all-cause mortality (3M-M) were assessed. Probability-based ranking and surface under cumulative ranking (SUCRA) were performed to identify the best dose of tPA. Inconsistency was evaluated by node-splitting analysis and a loop-specific approach. Publication bias was analyzed by funnel plots. Results: A total of 14 studies were included in the quantitative synthesis. The NMA results revealed no difference among low (<0.7 mg/kg), moderate (0.8 mg/kg), and standard (0.9 mg/kg) doses of tPA with regard to efficacy and safety. The SUCRAs of 3M-FF and 3M-FI showed that the standard dose ranked first, the moderate dose ranked second, and the low dose ranked third. The SUCRA of sICH showed that the standard dose ranked first (78.1%), the low dose ranked second (61.0%), and the moderate dose ranked third (11.0%). The SUCRAs of 3-month mortality showed that the standard dose ranked first (73.2%), the moderate dose ranked second (40.8%), and the low dose ranked third (36.1%). No significant inconsistency was shown by node-splitting analysis and no publication bias was shown in funnel plots. Conclusion: Lower dose tPA was comparable to the standard dose with regard to efficacy and safety. Based on the SUCRA results and American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) guidelines, the standard dose was still the optimal selection for AIS.

Effects of the Water/Cement Ratio on the Properties of 3-3 Type Cement-Based Piezoelectric Composites.

In this work, 3-3 type porous lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics were fabricated by incorporating particle-stabilized foams using the gel-casting method. Then, Portland cement pastes with different water/cement ratios (w/c) were cast into the porous ceramics to produce cement-based piezoelectric (PZT-PC) composites. The effects of w/c on phase structure, microscopic morphology, and electrical properties were studied. The results showed that the amount of hydrated cement products and the density of the PZT-PC composites increased with the increase of w/c from 0.3 to 0.9 and then decreased till w/c achieved a value of 1.1. Correspondingly, the values of both εr and d33 increased with the density of the PZT-PC composites, resulting in less defects and greater poling efficiency. When w/c was maintained at 0.9, the 3-3 type cement-based piezoelectric composites presented the greatest Kt value of 40.14% and the lowest Z value of 6.98 MRayls, becoming suitable for applications in civil engineering for structural health monitoring.

First Principle Study of MgSnLa Compounds in Mg-3Sn-1Mn-1La Alloy Processed by Rheo-Rolling.

In order to obtain a high-performance heat-resistant Mg alloy during the rheo-rolling process, the electronic structure, elastic constants, binding energy and thermodynamic properties of the MgSnLa compounds were conducted by first-principle calculations. The results show that the MgSnLa compounds (La5Sn3, Mg17La2 and Mg2Sn) all show certain metallicity, and La5Sn3 has better mechanical properties (higher bulk modulus (46.47091 GPa) and shear modulus (26.40561 GPa)) than the other two phases. The binding energy reveals that La5Sn3 is the most stable phase in these composite phases (5.33 eV/atom); additionally, thermodynamic studies show that the structural stability of the MgSnLa compounds increases with the increase in temperature, and the temperature has the greatest effect on the stability of Mg17La2. These all provide an efficient guide for the widespread engineering applications of high-performance heat-resistant Mg alloy.

Environmental cue difference and training duration modulate spatial learning and cue preference in detour task.

In this study, we investigated how different environmental cue and the proficiency of body motion influenced detour learning behaviour and cue preference in cue conflict situations. Domestic chicks were trained to detour around an obstacle and follow a fixed route to rejoin with their partners. When the environmental cue was red versus blue vertical stripes, the chicks learned the detour task quicker, and as the number of training trials after route acquisition increased, they switched their preference from the environmental cue to a body-motion cue in the cue conflict test. On the other hand, when the environmental cue was vertical versus horizontal blue stripes, the chicks learned the detour task slower and showed a dependence on the body-motion cue regardless of the number of training trials performed after route acquisition. When the environmental cue was removed, most chicks could still successfully detour according to the specific route on which they had been trained. Furthermore, a significant difference in detour latency was found between chicks using the environmental cue and chicks using the body-motion cue, suggesting separate neuronal circuits responsible for processing the two types of information. Our results demonstrated that young domestic chicks could use both environmental cue and body-motion cues to memorize the route during the detour learning task; however, the detour route preference could be dynamically modulated by difference of the environmental cue and the number of training trials they received.

The potential pharmacological mechanisms of ß-hydroxybutyrate for improving cognitive functions.

ß-Hydroxybutyl acid (ßOHB), the most prevalent type of ketone in the human body, is involved in the pathogenesis of cognitive disorders, especially Alzheimer's dementia (AD), through a variety of mechanisms, such as enhancing mitochondrial metabolism, regulating signaling molecule, increasing histone acetylation, affecting the metabolism of Aß and Tau proteins, inhibiting inflammation and lipid metabolism, and regulating intestinal microbes. Based on the above findings, clinical drug development in AD has begun to focus on ßOHB.

Circulating Neurofilament Light Predicts Cognitive Decline in Patients With Post-stroke Subjective Cognitive Impairment.

BACKGROUND: Subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) is common after acute ischemic stroke and adversely affects the quality of life. SCI is associated with an increased risk of developing mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Identifying biomarkers which could predict long-term cognitive outcomes of post-stroke SCI is of importance for early intervention. This study aims to investigate the association between circulating neurofilament light (NfL) and long-term cognitive function in patients with post-stroke SCI. METHODS: This longitudinal study recruited 304 patients with post-stroke SCI, and serum NfL levels were determined at baseline. These patients were followed up for 12 months for the observation of cognitive change. Cognitive performances were assessed by a Chinese version of the Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status-40 (TICS-40) scale. RESULTS: The patients were divided into a progression group (as determined by decreased TICS-40 scores) and a stable group (as determined by increased or unchanged TICS-40 scores). The progression group had significantly higher serum NfL levels than the stable group at baseline. Serum NfL levels were predictive for longitudinal cognitive decline during follow-up. CONCLUSION: These findings imply that circulating NfL could predict the long-term cognitive change of patients with post-stroke SCI.