Aberrant Thalamocortical Connectivity in Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the functional connectivity (FC) of thalamic subdivisions in patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME). Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data were acquired from 22 JME and 25 healthy controls. We first divided the thalamus into eight subdivisions by performing independent component analysis on tracking fibers and clustering thalamus-related FC maps. We then analyzed abnormal FC in each subdivision in JME compared with healthy controls, and we investigated their associations with clinical features. Eight thalamic sub-regions identified in the current study showed unbalanced thalamic FC in JME: decreased FC with the superior frontal gyrus and enhanced FC with the supplementary motor area in the posterior thalamus increased thalamic FC with the salience network (SN) and reduced FC with the default mode network (DMN). Abnormalities in thalamo-prefrontocortical networks might be related to the propagation of generalized spikes with frontocentral predominance in JME, and the network connectivity differences with the SN and DMN might be implicated in emotional and cognitive defects in JME. JME was also associated with enhanced FC among thalamic sub-regions and with the basal ganglia and cerebellum, suggesting the regulatory role of subcortical nuclei and the cerebellum on the thalamo-cortical circuit. Additionally, increased FC with the pallidum was positive related with the duration of disease. The present study provides emerging evidence of FC to understand that specific thalamic subdivisions contribute to the abnormalities of thalamic-cortical networks in JME. Moreover, the posterior thalamus could play a crucial role in generalized epileptic activity in JME.

A novel three-dimensional printed guiding device for electrode implantation of sacral neuromodulation.

AIM: The aim was to test the feasibility of a novel three-dimensional (3D) printed guiding device for electrode implantation of sacral neuromodulation (SNM). METHOD: A 3D printed guiding device for electrode implantation was customized to patients' anatomy of the sacral region. Liquid photopolymer was selected as the printing material. The details of the device designation and prototype building are described. The guiding device was used in two patients who underwent SNM for intractable constipation. Details of the procedure and the outcomes are given. RESULTS: With the help of the device, the test needle for stimulation was placed in the target sacral foramen successfully at the first attempt of puncture in both patients. The time to implant a tined SNM electrode was less than 20 min and no complications were observed. At the end of the screening phase, symptoms of constipation were relieved by more than 50% in both patients and permanent stimulation was established. CONCLUSION: The customized 3D printed guiding device for implantation of SNM is a promising instrument that facilitates a precise and quick implantation of the electrode into the target sacral foramen.

Hydrostatic pressure effects on the static magnetism in Eu(Fe0.925Co0.075)2As2.

EuFe2As2-based iron pnictides are quite interesting compounds, due to the two magnetic sublattices in them and the tunability to superconductors by chemical doping or application of external pressure. The effects of hydrostatic pressure on the static magnetism in Eu(Fe0.925Co0.075)2As2 are investigated by complementary electrical resistivity, ac magnetic susceptibility and single-crystal neutron diffraction measurements. A specific pressure-temperature (P-T) phase diagram of Eu(Fe0.925Co0.075)2As2 is established. The structural phase transition, as well as the spin-density-wave order of Fe sublattice, is suppressed gradually with increasing pressure and disappears completely above 2.0 GPa. In contrast, the magnetic order of Eu sublattice persists over the whole investigated pressure range up to 14 GPa, yet displaying a non-monotonic variation with pressure. With the increase of the hydrostatic pressure, the magnetic state of Eu evolves from the canted antiferromagnetic structure in the ground state, via a pure ferromagnetic structure under the intermediate pressure, finally to an "unconfirmed" antiferromagnetic structure under the high pressure. The strong ferromagnetism of Eu coexists with the pressure-induced superconductivity around 2 GPa. Comparisons between the P-T phase diagrams of Eu(Fe0.925Co0.075)2As2 and the parent compound EuFe2As2 were also made.

Feeding glycerol-enriched yeast culture improves lactation performance, energy status, and hepatic gluconeogenic enzyme expression of dairy cows during the transition period.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of feeding glycerol-enriched yeast culture (GY) on feed intake, lactation performance, blood metabolites, and expression of some key hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes in dairy cows during the transition period. Forty-four multiparous transition Holstein cows were blocked by parity, previous 305-d mature equivalent milk yield, and expected calving date and randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments: Control (no additive), 2 L/d of GY (75.8 g/L glycerol and 15.3 g/L yeast), 150 g/d of glycerol (G; 0.998 g/g glycerol), and 1 L/d of yeast culture (Y; 31.1 g/L yeast). All additives were top-dressed and hand mixed into the upper one-third of the total mixed ration in the morning from -14 to +28 d relative to calving. Results indicated that the DMI, NE intake, change of BCS, and milk yields were not affected by the treatments ( > 0.05). Supplementation of GY or Y increased milk fat percentages, milk protein percentages, and milk protein yields relative to the Control or G group ( < 0.05). Cows fed GY or G had higher glucose levels and lower ß-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) and NEFA levels in plasma than cows fed the Control ( < 0.05) and had lower NEFA levels than cows fed Y ( < 0.05). On 14 d postpartum, cows fed GY or G had higher enzyme activities, mRNA, and protein expression of cytosolic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK-C; < 0.05); higher enzyme activities ( < 0.05) and a tendency toward higher mRNA expression ( < 0.10) of glycerol kinase (GK); and a tendency toward higher enzyme activities of pyruvate carboxylase (PC) in the liver ( < 0.10) when compared with cows fed Control or Y. The enzyme activities, mRNA, and protein expression of PEPCK-C, PC, and GK did not differ between cows fed GY and G ( > 0.10). In conclusion, dietary GY or Y supplementation increased the milk fat and protein content of the cows in early lactation and GY or G supplementation improved the energy status as indicated by greater plasma glucose and lower plasma BHBA and NEFA concentrations and upregulated the hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes of dairy cows during the transition period. Feeding cows with a GY mixture in the peripartum period combined the effects of yeast on lactation performance and the effects of glycerol on energy status in dairy cows.

Feeding glycerol-enriched yeast culture improves performance, energy status, and heat shock protein gene expression of lactating Holstein cows under heat stress.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplemental common yeast culture (CY) and glycerol-enriched yeast culture (GY) on performance, plasma metabolites, antioxidant status, and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) mRNA expression in lactating Holstein cows under heat stress. During summer months, 30 healthy multiparous lactating cows (parity 3.25 ± 0.48; 60 ± 13 d in milk [DIM]; 648 ± 57 kg BW; an average milk yield of 33.8 ± 1.6 kg/d) were blocked by parity, previous milk yield, and DIM and randomly allocated to 3 dietary treatments: no supplemental yeast culture (Control), 1 L/d of CY (33.1 g yeast) per cow, and 2 L/d of GY (153.2 g glycerol and 31.6 g yeast) per cow. During the 60-d experiment, values of air temperature and relative humidity inside the barn were recorded hourly every 3 d to calculate temperature-humidity index (THI). Weekly rectal temperatures (RT) and respiration rates and daily DMI and milk yield were recorded for all cows. Milk and blood samples were taken twice monthly, and BW and BCS were obtained on d 0 and 60. In this experiment, THI values indicated cows experienced a moderate heat stress. Cows supplemented with CY and GY had greater yields of milk, energy-corrected milk and milk fat, and milk fat percent but lower HSP70 mRNA expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes than Control cows (P < 0.05). Supplementing CY and GY tended (P < 0.15) to decrease RT at 1400 h, increase milk protein yield and erythrocyte glutathione, and reduce plasma urea nitrogen compared with Control. Lower plasma NEFA concentration and HSP70 mRNA expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes (P < 0.05) and tendencies towards greater plasma glucose concentration (P = 0.11) but less BW loss (P = 0.14) were observed in GY relative to CY cows. In conclusion, either CY or GY supplementation partially mitigated the negative effects of heat stress on performance and HSP70 mRNA expression of lactating cows, and GY supplementation provided additional improvements in energy status and HSP70 gene expression of lactating cows.

[Identification of turtle shell, tortoise plastron and their counterfeit products].

OBJECTIVE: To identify the commercial Chinese medicines turtle shell and tortoise plastron. METHOD: Morphological identification and differential thermal analysis (DTA). RESULT: 2 kinds of counterfeit turtle shell and 3 kinds of counterfeit tortoise plastron were found, and their morphological and DTA identification features were proposed. CONCLUSION: Sea turtle shells presently on the market are sham commodities of turtle shell, which derive from Lissemys punctata and Pelochelys bibroni indigenous to south Asia, while plastrons of Ocadia sinensis, Chelonia mydas and Lepidochelys olivacea are counterfeit products of tortoise plastron. Turtle shells, tortoise plastrons and their counterfeit products may be exactly distinguished by morphological and DTA features.

[Studies on liposoluble constituents from the aerial parts of Siegesbeckia orientalis L].

Eight compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of Siegesbeckia orientalis L. and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods(IR, EI-MS, 13C-NMR, 1H-NMR, 1H-1H COSY, 1H-1H NOESY and 1H-13C COSY). Compounds I and II are new natural products and named siegesesteric acid(I) and siegesetheric acid(II), their structures were confirmed as ent-17-acetoxy-18-isobutyryloxy-16(alpha)-kauran-19-oic acid(I) and ent-17-ethoxy-16(alpha)-(-)-kauran-19-oic acid(II). The others were identified as known compounds: ent-16 beta, 17-dihydroxy-kauran-19-oic acid (III), kirenol(IV), beta-sitosteryl glucoside(V), heneicosanol(VI), methyl arachidate(VII) and beta-sitosterol(VIII). These compounds, except kirenol and beta-sitosterol, were isolated for the first time from the title plant.

An improved green fluorescent protein gene as a vital marker in plants.

A synthetic green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene (pgfp) was constructed to improve GFP expression in plants. Corn and tobacco protoplast transient assays showed that pgfp gave about 20-fold brighter fluorescence than the wild-type gene (gfp). Replacement of the serine at position 65 with a threonine (S65Tpgfp) or a cysteine (S65Cpgfp) yielded 100- to 120-fold brighter fluorescence than wild-type gfp upon excitation with 490-nm light. Incorporation of a plant intron into the coding region yielded an additional 1.4-fold improvement, for a cumulative improvement of about 150-fold in fluorescence at 490-nm excitation. Various versions of pgfp were also stably introduced into corn, wheat, tobacco, and Arabidopsis plants. Bright-green fluorescence was observed with a fluorescence microscope in virtually all examined tissues of transgenic monocots and dicots. In the case of Arabidopsis, expression of the pgfp gene under the enhanced 355 promoter of the cauliflower mosaic virus produced green fluorescence that was readily detectable by eye using a hand-held, long-wave ultraviolet lamp and/or a black-light source.

[Clinical research of compound salviae miltiorrhizae injection for severe pancreatitis].

Compound salviae miltiorrhizae injection was administered after operation for 28 cases of severe pancreatitis, and 13 cases were taken as a control group. The results showed that: (1) the difference was not obvious in the morbidity of complications between the two groups, but the mortality (3.6%) of the trial group was significantly lower than that (30.8%) of the control group (P < 0.05); (2) Hematocrit was clearly decreased from 46.1 +/- 5.2% to 33.2 +/- 3.9% in the trial one (P < 0.05), but platelet and hemoglobin showed no statistical significance. It is concluded that compound salviae miltiorrhiza injection might improve hemorheologic abnormalities of the disease, promote the recovery of the pancreatic tissue, and correct the serious complications such as adult respiratory distress syndrome etc.

The effects of UW solution and its components on corneal thickness during and after storage.

The ability of rabbit corneas to undergo energy-dependent deturgescence was examined after the corneas were stored at 4 degrees C in UW solution, M-K media, or selected modifications of these media. All corneas slowly increased in thickness during storage, despite the presence of colloidal osmotic agents. Corneas stored for 2.5 days in M-K became slightly thinner when cultured over a 24-hour period. Corneas stored in UW swelled quickly in culture and became too opaque to measure within three hours. Corneas stored in UW with 1.8 mM CaCl2 swelled transiently, then maintained their thickness and exhibited deturgescence in the latter stages of the culture period. Deturgescence of corneas stored for 7 days in M-K was only slightly worse than those stored for 2.5 days. Corneas stored for 7 days in UW, however, became opaque almost immediately in culture and those stored in calcium-supplemented UW became opaque within 4.5 hours. Replacement of the dextran in M-K with hydroxyethyl starch produced a slower rate of corneal swelling during storage and a substantially better corneal deturgescence profile during culture. Use of high concentrations of potassium ion in the M-K formulation had no significant effect on post-storage deturgescence. Replacement of glucose in M-K with the impermeable sugar, raffinose had a slight deleterious effect on corneal deturgescence in subsequent culture. Use of the impermeable anions gluconate or lactobionate to replace chloride ion caused profound corneal swelling during culture, compared with those stored in M-K. These experiments show that UW solution is inferior to M-K at preserving post-storage corneal function.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)