Functional connectivity of the thalamocortical circuit in patients with seizure relapse after antiseizure medication withdrawal.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the features of thalamocortical functional connectivity during seizure recurrence at the time of antiseizure medication (ASM) withdrawal. METHODS: Patients with chronic epilepsy who attempted to discontinue medications were prospectively registered and followed up; 19 patients remained seizure-free (SF-group), 18 patients had seizure relapses (SR-group) after ASM withdrawal, and 28 healthy controls were recruited. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed before ASM withdrawal. Thalamus subdivisions were set as seeds to calculate voxelwise functional connectivity. Partial correlation analysis between functional connectivity and clinical variables was performed. A support vector machine was used to assess the predictive ability of the specific functional connectivity for seizure relapse. RESULTS: The within-group comparison indicated that the SR-group had more extensive functional connectivity than the SF-group; the left inferior pulvinar, left medial pulvinar, and right anterior pulvinar showed a significantly stronger functional connection with the precuneus in the SR-group than in the SF-group (Gaussian random field correction, voxel-level p < .001 and cluster-level p < .05). In the SR-group, a positive correlation was found between the left inferior pulvinar-precuneus connectivity and the active period (r = .46, p = .05), seizure-free period (r = .67, p = .002), and disease duration (r = .53, p = .02), and between the left medial pulvinar-precuneus connectivity and the seizure-free period (r = .58, p = .01). The combination of these thalamocortical connections showed a high predictive ability, with an area under the curve of .92 and accuracy of .90 (p = .01). SIGNIFICANCE: This study determined distinct features of thalamocortical functional connectivity at the time of ASM withdrawal in patients with and without seizure relapse, showing a potential for predicting seizure outcomes following ASM withdrawal.

Effect of Lactic Acid Supplementation on the Growth and Reproduction of Bombyx mori (Lepidopteria: Bombycidae).

Lactic acid is widely used in the food, drugs, cosmetics, and other industries to maintain the microbial stability of low-pH products. However, it is unclear whether lactic acid can affect silkworm (Bombyx mori) growth and reproduction. This study investigated the effects of lactic acid on the growth and reproduction of the silkworm. We analyzed the growth, cocoon quality, and reproductive performance of fifth instar larvae fed on mulberry leaves saturated with different concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 1, and 10%) of lactic acid and the control. Results showed that 0.01, 0.1, and 1% lactic acid supplementation positively affects growth and female cocoon quality, with increased larval weight and female cocoon shell weight compared to the control group. In contrast, 10% lactic acid was toxic to the larvae and significantly decreased growth, leading to larval death. Our study provides a basic reference for the optimal amount of preservatives. In addition, this study can be a desirable intervention for sericulturists and can play an important role in getting high return from silkworm-rearing activities.

Long-term seizure, comorbidity and socioeconomic outcomes of patients with convulsive epilepsy in rural West China.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the long-term outcomes of patients with convulsive epilepsy in rural West China and to explore potential related factors. METHODS: Patients who were provided Phenobarbital as a treatment and followed-up monthly were enrolled from the Convulsive Epilepsy Control and Management Program in West China. Their clinical and demographic information were obtained from the program database and a questionnaire. Seizure outcomes, comorbidities, annual income, marital status, employment and quality of life (QOL) were evaluated as long-term outcomes. Logistic regression was used to analyze the related factors. RESULTS: Of 473 eligible patients with a median follow-up time of nearly 7 years, 312 (66 %) had one-year terminal remission. A total of 320 (67.7 %) patients had a low annual income (<5000 Yuan), and 198 (41.9 %) patients reported a comorbidity. Among 460 patients of marriageable age, 137 (29.8 %) were unmarried. 60.4 % (333) patients reported improved QOL. Time of follow-up, seizure frequency during early treatment, compliance, annual cost for epilepsy treatment and annual income were related to the seizure outcome. Baseline seizure frequency was associated with comorbidities. Sex, annual cost for epilepsy treatment and seizure outcomes were associated with annual income. Age, sex and age at onset were correlated with current marital status. Compliance and taking traditional Chinese medicine were associated with QOL. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of epilepsy goes beyond being seizure-free. Comorbidities, income and marriage outcomes in resource-poor areas are less promising. Systematic management considering prognosis-related factors for epilepsy by a collaboration of health providers and society is needed.

Strengths, Microstructure and Nanomechanical Properties of Concrete Containing High Volume of Zeolite Powder.

In order to save resources and reduce the carbon footprint of concrete, the addition of high volumes of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) to replace cement is one of the most effective and promising methods. Zeolite powder (ZP), with a high specific surface area, exhibits high pozzolanic reactivity in cement-based materials. This paper investigates the effects of ZP addition used to replace cement at the levels of 20%, 40% and 60% on the strength development and microstructure evolution of concrete, and the nanomechanical properties are analyzed using nanoindentation technique. The results show that the replacement of ZP for cement generally has a dilution effect on the concrete, leading to a detrimental effect on the strength development. However, the 20% ZP replacement for cement slightly enhances the 90-day compressive strength. The pore structure analysis shows that the sample with 20% ZP content has a lower total porosity than the control sample. The hydration of ZP goes against the dilution effect and reduces the total porosity of concrete to compact the microstructure. Nanoindentation investigation of the matrix shows that 20% ZP decreases the content of portlandite but increases the content of high density calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H). This is beneficial for improving the nanomechanical properties of interface transition zone. However, further increases in the content of ZP (40% and 60%) decrease the total volume of C-S-H and increase the porosity to degrade the microstructure.

RYBP modulates stability and function of Ring1B through targeting UBE3A.

Ring1 and yin yang 1-binding protein (RYBP) are central components of noncanonical polycomb-repressive complex 1 (nc-PRC1), which represses target gene expression and is required for normal organismal development. However, the molecular function of RYBP in this complex is obscure. In this study, we showed that RYBP inhibits the polyubiquitination-mediated proteasomal degradation of Ring1B independently of its ubiquitin (Ub)-protein isopeptide ligase (E3) ligase activity, leading to its stabilization and increased catalytic activity toward monoubiquitination of histone H2A at lysine 119. Mechanistic dissection further disclosed that RYBP directly binds to ubiquitin protein ligase E3A (UBE3A) to promote its ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation in an autoubiquitination-independent manner. The resultant reduction of UBE3A protein level alleviates its effect on ubiquitination-mediated degradation of Ring1B, therefore resulting in increased stability and enhanced transcriptional repressor activity on its target genes. Thus, our current findings lay a foundation for understanding how RYBP functions in nc-PRC1 complexes, which is involved in development, stem cell maintenance, and carcinogenesis.-Li, M., Zhang, S., Zhao, W., Hou, C., Ma, X., Li, X., Huang, B., Chen, H., Chen, D. RYBP modulates stability and function of Ring1B through targeting UBE3A.

Microstructure of ultra high performance concrete containing lithium slag.

Lithium slag (LS) is discharged as a byproduct in the process of the lithium carbonate, and it is very urgent to explore an efficient way to recycle LS in order to protect the environments and save resources. Many available supplementary cementitious materials for partial replacement of cement and/or silica fume (SF) can be used to prepare ultra high performance concrete (UHPC). The effect of LS to replace SF partially by weight used as a supplementary cementitious material (0%, 5%, 10% and 15% of binder) on the compressive strengths and microstructure evolution of UHPC has experimentally been studied by multi-techniques including mercury intrusion porosimetry, scanning electron microscope and nanoindentation technique. The results show that the use of LS degrades the microstructure of UHPC at early ages, and however, the use of LS with the appropriate content improves microstructure of UHPC at later ages. The hydration products of UHPC are mainly dominated by ultra-high density calcium-silicate-hydrate (UHD C-S-H) and interfacial transition zone (ITZ) in UHPC has similar compact microstructure with the matrix. The use of LS improves the hydration degree of UHPC and increases the elastic modulus of ITZ in UHPC. LS is a promising substitute for SF for preparation UHPC.

Rivaroxaban versus nadroparin for preventing deep venous thrombosis after total hip arthroplasty following femoral neck fractures: A retrospective comparative study.

Objective This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of rivaroxaban versus nadroparin for preventing deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in elderly patients with osteoporosis undergoing initial total hip arthroplasty (THA) for femoral neck fractures. Methods Prospectively maintained databases were reviewed to retrospectively compare elderly patients with osteoporosis who underwent initial THA for femoral neck fractures from 2007 to 2015. The patients received peroral rivaroxaban at 10 mg/day for 2 weeks or subcutaneous injections of nadroparin at 0.3 mL/day for 2 weeks until the primary analysis cut-off date. The time to first on-study DVT was the primary endpoint. Results In total, 399 patients were included (rivaroxaban group: n=200; mean age, 70.20 ± 9.16 years and nadroparin group: n = 199; mean age, 69.90 ± 8.87 years), with a mean 3-year follow-up. The time to first on-study DVT was significantly longer in the rivaroxaban than nadroparin group (12 and 5 days, respectively). The incidence of DVT within the 2-week follow-up was significantly higher in the nadroparin than rivaroxaban group (6.8% and 19.7%, respectively), but this difference was no longer present at the final follow-up. Conclusion Rivaroxaban was associated with a significant reduction in the occurrence of first on-study DVT compared with nadroparin.

Inhibitory effects of ganoderma lucidum on tumorigenesis and metastasis of human hepatoma cells in cells and animal models.

Metastasis is considered to be the major cause of death in patients with cancers, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly metastatic cancer. Ganoderma lucidum , a well-known mushroom with various biological effects, is a functional food known to contain lucidenic acid. The objectives of this study were to investigate the anti-invasion effect of a lucidenic acid-rich G. lucidum extract (GLE) on human hepatoma HepG2 cells as well as the antiproliferative and antimetastatic effects of GLE in human hepatoma cells implanted into ICR-nu/nu mice. Phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)-induced invasion and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 expression levels of HepG2 cells were reduced by GLE treatment in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effects of GLE on MMP-9 expression proceeded by inhibiting the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and protein kinase B in the cytosol as well as reducing activator protein-1 and nuclear factor-kappa B levels in the nucleus of HepG2 cells. In a human tumor xenograft model, a dose-response inhibition was observed in the average size, volume, and weight of tumors upon oral administration of GLE. The number of metastatic tumor-bearing mice, the number of affected organs, and the number of tumor foci as well as the MMP-2 and -9 activities in serum of mice were also significantly suppressed by oral administration of GLE. These results suggest that the lucidenic acid-rich GLE could serve as a chemopreventive agent for the tumorigenesis and metastasis of highly invasive hepatoma cells.

[Observation on electroacupuncture combined with routine western medicine therapy for promoting consciousness of the patient with coma caused by craniocerebral trauma].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the promoting consciousness effect of electroacupuncture combined with routine western medicine therapy on the patient with coma caused by craniocerebral trauma. METHODS: Thirty-two cases were randomly divided into an acupuncture-medication group treated with electroacupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and Quze (PC 3) and routine western medicine, and a control group treated with routine western medicine, 16 cases in each group. Glasgow (GCS) scores were assessed after treatment for 7 sessions and 30 sessions respectively and the promoting consciousness rate was observed. RESULTS: After treatment of 7 sessions, GCS score was 6.88 +/- 1.63 in the acupuncture-medication group and 5.25-1.65 in the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05); after treatment of 7 sessions, the promoting consciousness rate was 25.0% in the acupuncture-medication group and 0 in the western medicine group, and after treatment for 30 sessions, the promoting conscious ness rate was 81. 3% in the acupuncture-medication group and 43.8% in the western medicine group with a signifi cant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and Quze (PC 3) combined with western medicine has a good promoting consciousness effect in the patient with coma caused by craniocerebral trauma, which is better than that of simple western medicine.

Ganoderma lucidum extract attenuates the proliferation of hepatic stellate cells by blocking the PDGF receptor.

Hepatic fibrosis is an outcome of chronic liver diseases. The activation and proliferation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is a key event in liver injury. The fruiting body of Ganoderma lucidum has long been a popular oriental medicine for treating liver diseases. The aim of this present study was to investigate the antiproliferative effects of the triterpenoid-rich extract (GLT) of G. lucidum in a cell line of rat HSCs (HSC-T6) stimulated with platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB. DNA synthesis was investigated by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation. Flow cytometry using propidium iodide (PI) labeling was carried out to analyse the cell cycle distribution and apoptosis. alpha-Smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) was used to evaluate extracellular matrix deposition, and western blotting was performed to measure cyclins D1 and D2, and phosphorylation of the PDGFbeta-receptor (PDGFbetaR), Akt and JNK. The results indicated that the GLT attenuated BrdU incorporation in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC(50) of 8.52 +/- 0.33 microg/mL. The inhibitory effect of the GLT was associated with downregulation of cyclins D1 and D2, and PDGFbetaR and Akt phosphorylation, upregulation of JNK phosphorylation, and a reduction in alpha-SMA expression. These results indicated that G. lucidum inhibits PDGF-BB-activated HSC proliferation possibly through blocking PDGFbetaR phosphorylation, thereby indicating its efficacy for preventing and treating hepatic fibrosis.

[Determination of As and Se in animal and plant samples by the normal ICP-MS with and without octupole reaction system and the ICP-MS with ORS].

Scme certified reference materials (CRMs) were digested and the elemental concentrations were determined by ICP-MS instrument, and the results include not only the trace key elements such as As, Pb, Hg and Cd but also the major components such as Ca, Fe, K, Na etc. The digestion method, the recoveries, and the detection limits are discussed to piove the reliability of ICP-MS and EPA200.8 method for the determination of the elements in fcxxl and plant samples. The ICP-MS instrument with ORS (octupole reaction system) was applied to the determination of As, Se etc, and the results are compared with those from the normal ICP-MS without ORS. The removal of ArCl and ArAr interference is discussed, and the advantage of ORS is proved by measuring the As and Se in some CRMs.