[Clinical value of arterial stiffness assessment on risk prediction of vascular stiffness in the octogenarian elderly].

Objective: This study aimed to analyze clinical factors related to arterial stiffening and establish a risk prediction nomogram of arterial stiffening in the octogenarian(≥80 years). Methods: This study was a retrospective cross-sectional study, which enrolled the octogenarian elderly who underwent physical examination and secondary prevention intervention in the outpatient department of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital from April 2022 to August 2022. Clinical data including demographics, biochemical indicators and medical history were collected. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was detected during the clinical visit. Participants were divided into the control group (baPWV≤1 800 cm/s) and vascular sclerosis group (baPWV>1 800 cm/s). The risk factors of arterial stiffness were analyzed by univariate and logistic regression analysis, and the nomogram model was constructed by R programming language. The predictive effect of the nomogram model was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Results: The median age of the 525 participants was 87.0 (82.0, 92.0) years, 504 (96.0%) were male, 82 in the control group, 443 in the vascular sclerosis group. The baPWV, age, systolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure and diastolic blood pressure were significantly lower in the control group than those in the vascular sclerosis group (all P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase and amylase were protective factors, and alkaline phosphatase and creatinine were risk factors of arterial stiffening (all P<0.05). The combined nomogram model scores including age, mean arterial pressure and the above five laboratory indicators indicated that mean arterial pressure and serum creatinine levels were strongly correlated with vascular sclerosis. The ROC curve suggested that the nomogram model had good prediction ability. Conclusions: Age, mean arterial pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, amylase and creatinine are independently determinants for increased vascular stiffness. The combined prediction model in this study can provide reference for individualized clinical risk prediction of vascular sclerosis in the octogenarian elderly.

[Logistic regression analysis of risk factors for subretinal fluid after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair].

Objective: To identify factors associated with persistent subretinal fluid (SRF) after scleral buckling and to evaluate surgical outcomes of patients with primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Methods: Cross-sectional study and cohort study. This study included 104 patients (104 eyes) who underwent scleral buckling for repair of RRD between January 2016 and June 2017. Several statistically significant risk factors associated with SRF were screened out with univariate analysis. Then independent risk factors were determined with multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis. Examinations were taken preoperatively, at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively, and thereafter every six months. Patients were divided into two groups depending on the presence or absence of persistent SRF on optical coherence tomography at 1 month. Results: Persistent SRF occurred in 69.2% (72/104) of patients. In multivariate analysis, younger age (OR=32.860, 95%CI=3.636-296.986, P=0.002), high myopia (OR=7.229, 95%CI=1.217-42.94, P=0.03) and macula-involving retinal detachment (OR=357.397, 95%CI=29.761-4292.0, P=0.000) were associated with persistent SRF. Best corrected visual acuity in patients with SRF at 1 month (0.71±0.18 vs. 0.58±0.11; t=4.047, P<0.01) and 3 months (0.55±0.15 vs. 0.43±0.12; t=3.914, P<0.01) was worse than that in patients with absence of SRF. Best corrected visual acuity in patients with SRF was 0.44±0.16 at 6 months, 0.37±0.12 at 12 months and 0.36±0.10 at the last follow-up, with no significant difference from patients without SRF at the three time points (0.39±0.13, 0.38±0.12 and 0.35±0.09; t=1.643, -0.202, 0.464; P>0.05). Conclusions: RRD patients with younger age, high myopia and macular involvement were more likely to develop persistent SRF after scleral buckling. The presence of persistent SRF slowed visual recovery but did not influence the final visual outcomes. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2021, 57: 426-432).

[Relationship between interleukin-8 levels in expressed prostatic secretion and expressions of bFGF and Bcl-2 in benign prostatic hyperplasia].

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between interleukin-8 levels in expressed prostatic secretion and expressions of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and Bcl-2 in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). METHODS: A series of 50 consecutive patients diagnosed with BPH and scheduled for transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) were included. Patients were divided into two groups, simple BPH and BPH with chronic prostatitis (CP). The grade of inflammatory changes in the prostate was then determined blindly by two experienced pathologists, according to the classification system. Expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) was collected right before TURP for IL-8 detection using ELISA kits. The resected prostatic tissue was harvested for immunohistochemistry to measure the expression of Bcl-2 and bFGF. RESULTS: A total of 30 (60%) patients were confirmed to have prostatic histologic inflammation. The volume of the prostate in BPH with CP was obviously larger than that in simple BPH (P=0.022). The NIH chronic prostatitis symptom index (NIH-CPSI) and international prostate symptom score (IPSS) of BPH with CP were both higher than those of simple BPH (P<0.05). Significantly increased levels of IL-8 were observed in EPS obtained from BPH patients with CP (mean level, 43.29 ng/L), compared with patients with simple BPH (mean level, 36.90 ng/L) (P=0.003). The expression of Bcl-2 in BPH with CP (mean level, 6.17) increased significantly, compared with those in simple BPH (mean level, 2.45) (P=0.013). The expression of bFGF in BPH with CP (mean level, 7.57) also obviously elevated, compared with those in simple BPH (mean level, 5.05) (P=0.008). Correlation coefficients of IL-8 levels in EPS and expression of Bcl-2 or bFGF indicated that IL-8 had strong correlation with Bcl-2 and bFGF respectively both in simple BPH and BPH with CP (0

Evaluation of concentrations of botulinum toxin A for the treatment of hemifacial spasm: a randomized double-blind crossover trial.

The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of two concentrations of botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) for the treatment of hemifacial spasm. We randomly divided 20 patients with hemifacial spasm into high- and low-concentration groups; they were administered 50 and 25 U/mL BTX-A injection, respectively. Further, we compared the curative effects and the occurrence of adverse reactions in the two groups. Our results showed that both the concentrations of BTX-A were effective and no significant difference was observed in the onset time and therapeutic efficacy between the two groups; however, the duration of efficacy was longer in the high-concentration group than in the low-concentration group. Patients in both groups had no allergic reactions and systemic toxic reactions, but those in the high-concentration group had more serious adverse reactions and they lasted for longer durations. The adverse reactions in the two groups were not specifically treated, and they resolved in a relatively short time. In conclusion, local injection of BTX-A was effective in treating hemifacial spasm and each concentration of BTX-A had advantages and disadvantages, which indicated that the concentration of BTX-A can be selected according to the clinical characteristics and willingness of the patients.

The role of nisin in fuel ethanol production with Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

AIMS: To investigate the effects of nisin on lactobacilli contamination of yeast during ethanol fermentation and to determine the appropriate concentration required to control the growth of selected lactobacilli in a YP/glucose media fermentation model. METHODS AND RESULTS: The lowest concentration of nisin tested (5 IU ml(-1) ) effectively controlled the contamination of YP/glucose media with 10(6) CFU ml(-1) lactobacilli. Lactic acid yield decreased from 5.0 to 2. 0 g l(-1) and potential ethanol yield losses owing to the growth and metabolism of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brevis were reduced by 11 and 7.8%, respectively. Approximately, equal concentrations of lactic acid were produced by Lact. plantarum and Lact. brevis in the presence of 5 and 2 IU ml(-1) nisin, respectively, thus demonstrating the relatively higher nisin sensitivity of Lact. brevis for the strains in this study. No differences were observed in the final ethanol concentrations produced by yeast in the absence of bacteria at any of the nisin concentrations tested. CONCLUSIONS: Metabolism of contaminating bacteria was reduced in the presence of 5 IU ml(-1) nisin, resulting in reduced lactic acid production and increased ethanol production by the yeast. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Bacteriocins represent an alternative to the use of antibiotics for the control of bacterial contamination in fuel ethanol plants and may be important in preventing the emergence of antibiotic-resistant contaminating strains.

PEGylated polycyanoacrylate nanoparticles as tumor necrosis factor-alpha carriers.

The aim of this study was to find an effective carrier for recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (rHuTNF-alpha). The influence of solvent systems containing poly(methoxy-polyethyleneglycol cyanoacrylate-co-n-hexadecyl cyanoacrylate) (PEGylated PHDCA) on the biological activity of rHuTNF-alpha was investigated. The PEGylated PHDCA nanoparticles loading rHuTNF-alpha were prepared with the double emulsion method. The influence of main experimental factors on the entrapment efficiency was evaluated by the Uniform Design. The physicochemical characteristics and in vitro release of rHuTNF-alpha from the nanoparticles were determined. The results showed that serum albumin such as human serum albumin (HSA) or bovine serum albumin (BSA) could play a protective action on rHuTNF-alpha in the preparation process. At > or =2.0% (w/v) HSA concentration, more than 85% of rHuTNF-alpha activity remained and the role of HSA was not affected by copolymer concentrations from 0.5 to 3.0% (w/v). The entrapment efficiency of the nanoparticles was about 60% and the nanoparticle size was about 150 nm. The nanoparticles were spherical in shape and uniform with the value of the zeta potential about -9 mV. The rHuTNF-alpha release from the nanoparticle showed an initial burst and then continued in a sustained fashion. The results showed that the PEGylated PHDCA nanoparticles could be an effective carrier for rHuTNF-alpha.

Speckle correlations around the backscattering direction in the double-passage configuration.

Experimental results are presented for the angular correlation function of far-field speckle patterns scattered in the double passage of waves through a one-dimensional random-phase screen. The theoretical analysis of the symmetry of speckle patterns around the backscattering direction and the motion of the speckle as the source is moved, made by Escamilla et al. [Appl. Opt. 32, 2734 (1993)], are verified in this paper.

Detection of a small defect on a rough surface.

We report experimental results that show that the far-field correlation function is sensitive to a small local change in rough-surface geometry, where the speckle spatial correlation rather than the sample ensemble average is adopted. The angular cross-correlation function of the far-field speckles scattered by one-dimensional random rough surfaces is measured when a polarized beam of light is incident upon the rough surface from vacuum, where one part of the surface used is a thin dielectric film deposited upon a glass substrate and the other part is identical to the first except for a localized defect. We envisage application of this sensitivity property to inspection of a sample with a defect by means of speckle mapping.

Amplification of enhanced backscattering from a dye-doped polymer bounded by a rough surface.

We report the experimental study of the enhanced backscattering from a random rough surface through a laser dye-doped polymer. The sample is a slice of pyrromethene-doped polymer coupled with a two-dimensional rough gold layer with a large slope. When the sample is illuminated with an s-polarized He-Ne laser and pumped by a cw argon-ion laser, amplified backscattering is observed. The enhanced backscattering peak increases sharply and its width narrows for a sample with low dielectric constant |?(2)|.

Angular correlation function of speckle patterns scattered from a one-dimensional rough dielectric film on a glass substrate.

We present the experimental results of the angular correlation function of far-field speckle patterns scattered by a one-dimensionally random rough surface of a thin dielectric film on a glass substrate when a polarized beam of light is incident upon the rough surface from vacuum. This surface, which separates the vacuum and the dielectric, is rough enough that only diffused speckles are observed. The experiment for the correlation measurement was set up to make use of a CCD camera to obtain the image of the speckle pattern in the specular direction for each given angle of incidence; the cross-correlation function is then calculated from the digitized images. It is found that the intensity correlation functions exhibit two distinct maxima: one arises from the autocorrelation and the other from the reciprocity condition. It is also found that different scattering processes give rise to quite different correlation functions: multiple-scattering processes produce narrow peaks with secondary maxima and single-scattering processes produce relatively broad peaks.

Small angle bidirectional reflectance distribution function.

Small angle scattering in and near the specular direction has recently been measured with a monostatic laser interferometric reflectometer for a laser beam incident normal to the surface. Employing the Ricean statistics of the amplitude distribution for coherent glint with an additive scattered component of speckles, the scattered portion has been partitioned from the total reflected signal at 1.06 and 10.6 mum. Such measurements are basic to surface metrology and useful in assessing the performance of mirrors used in lasers and astronomical telescopes.

Enhanced backscattering from organic laser gain media bounded with rough gold films.

The enhanced backscattering from organic laser gain media that are bounded with one-dimensional (1-D) and two-dimensional (2-D) rough metal films was investigated. We prepared several organic optical gain materials by doping laser-active dyes in matrices of acrylic polymers. These materials produced efficient and broadband fluorescence emission in the visible wavelengths during the pumping of a pulsed YAG or cw argon laser. These gain materials were sliced and coupled with 1-D or 2-D randomly rough gold films with large slopes. An experimental investigation was carried out with a He-Ne laser as the scattering source and the optical gain provided by a cw argon laser. The enhanced backscattering and the satellite peaks located about the enhanced-backscattering peak were obviously amplified, with their widths narrowed. These experimental results agree well with previous theoretical predictions.

Angular spectrum redistribution from a real image of a light as a secondary source.

Coherence theory predicts that the correlation in the fluctuations of a source distribution can cause frequency shifts in the spectrum of the emitted radiation, even when the source is at rest relative to the observer. Recently we measured angular spectrum redistribution, or frequency shifts from a real image of a point source, and further verified the coherent interference effect of a finite-band source.

Statistical recognition of color images.

The feasibility of classification of stochastic images for color vision in real time has been investigated with two approaches. First, a hybrid incoherent optical correlator based on a quasi-monochromatic cathode ray tube (CRT) is sequentially operated on red, green, and blue channels for statistical pattern recognition. Second, a color TV monitor is employed in the incoherent optical correlator to achieve spectral-spatial statistical pattern recognition in parallel in real time. The spectral-spatial statistical pattern recognition filter is designed with the least-squares linear mapping technique and is compensated for the smearing effects due to the finite spectral bandwidth of the light from CRTs. The experimental results provided demonstrate better recognition reliability when the spectral-spatial filters are used than when only spatial filters are employed.

Experimental study of the opposition effect in the scattering of light from a randomly rough metal surface.

The opposition effect manifested as a narrow peak in the angular distribution of the intensity of diffusely scattered light in the backward (antispecular or retroreflection) direction has been experimentally investigated. A monostatic bidirectional laser reflectometer was used to measure the opposition effect of copper and gold surfaces under illumination at 0.6328 microm. The results are compared with a recent theory of the elastic scattering of light from a randomly rough metal surface that predicts such a peak in the retroreflectance direction, which, in certain conditions, can be related to the localization of surface polaritons.

Enhanced backscattering from a one-dimensional rough dielectric film on a glass substrate.

We have observed the enhanced backscattering of light from a characterized dielectric film deposited upon a glass substrate when the light illuminates the rough surface from the vacuum. The vacuum-dielectric interface is one dimensional, randomly rough, while the dielectric-glass interface is approximately planar. Numerical and experimental studies reveal that the main mechanism responsible for the enhanced backscattering is the constructive interference between two waves that follow reciprocal scattering paths through the dielectric film, which is also strengthened by the multiple scattering from the rough vacuum-dielectric interface.

Photofabrication of one-dimensional rough surfaces for light-scattering experiments.

An optical method of fabricating randomly rough one-dimensional surfaces is described. The variations in the surface profile are produced by exposing photoresist-coated plates to a narrow line of light and scanning them under computer control. A theoretical analysis of the basic statistical properties of the fabricated surfaces is presented. These surfaces are in general non-Gaussian, but their statistics can be easily calculated, making them attractive for experimental and theoretical work. Several such surfaces have been fabricated and characterized with a stylus profilometer. The estimated statistical properties are in agreement with the theoretical predictions.