[Preliminary analysis of neuroprotective effects of capillary fascia preservation recurrent laryngeal nerve anatomical method in right level â ¥ dissection].

Objective: To investigate the application and effect of capillary fascia preservation between the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) and common carotid artery (fascia preservation method) in nerve protection when dissecting right level Ⅵ lymph nodes for patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma. Methods: A retrospective cohort study enrolling 195 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma undergoing right level Ⅵ lymph node dissection in Beijing Tongren Hospital from March 2021 to August 2022 was carried out. The RLN was dissected by fascia preservation method in study group and by routine method in control group. The intraoperative electrical signal amplitude of the RLN, the number of dissected lymph nodes, and the postoperative complications were recorded and analyzed. Results: A total of 195 patients (study group: 94 cases, control group: 101 cases) were collected. There were 71 males and 124 females, with the median age of 32 (39, 51) years. In the study group, the total number of right level Ⅵ lymph nodes was significantly larger than the number of right Ⅵa level lymph nodes [8 (6, 11) vs 6 (4, 8), P<0.001]. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the number of level Ⅵa or level Ⅵb lymph nodes [Ⅵa: 6 (4, 8) vs 5 (3, 7), P=0.373; Ⅵb: 3 (1, 4) vs 2 (1, 4), P=0.337] and metastasis rate [Ⅵa: 51.1% (48/94) vs 52.5% (53/101), P=0.844; Ⅵb: 12.8% (12/94) vs 15.8% (16/101), P=0.541]. The ratio of electromyography (EMG) amplitude R2 in lower level Ⅵ and entry into larynx (grouped as>90%, 50%~90%,<50%) in the study group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.001). No significant differences were detected between the two groups in temporary RLN paralysis [1.1% (1/94) vs 2.0% (2/101), P=1.000]. Conclusions: Fascia preservation method can decrease the stimulus and traction to RLN and preserve the capillary network serving RLN. It can thoroughly dissect lymph nodes and decrease the injury of RLN.

[Advances in quantitative assessment of immune function in critically ill patients].

With the development of ELISA, flow cytometry, quantitative PCR and various omics techniques, the means of immune function evaluation are gradually improved. The existing definitions of immune function, such as excessive immunity, immunosuppression, immune paralysis and immune tolerance, remain in descriptive concepts and lacks quantitative diagnostic criteria. Clinical manifestations combined with biological indicators will be the most effective quantitative method in the future. A variety of research concentrating on immunotherapeutic drugs is still in progress, and the success of individualized immunotherapy will depend on accurate immune function evaluation.

[Ultrasonographic assessment of diaphragm function in long-term mechanical ventilation patients].

Objective: To evaluate the condition of the diaphragm in patients with long-term mechanical ventilation using ultrasound technology and to analyze its relationship with ventilation time and muscle atrophy in order to clarify the reasons for diaphragm dysfunction in long-term mechanical ventilation patients. Methods: Patients admitted to the respiratory department at the Chinese PLA General Hospital between June 2018 and April 2019 with mechanical ventilation were included in this study. The enrolled patients were divided into a short-term mechanical ventilation group (7 days ≤ ventilation time<1 month) and a long-term mechanical ventilation group (mechanical ventilation time ≥ 1 month). The diaphragmatic excursion, inspiratory time, contraction rate, E-T index, diaphragm thickness, diaphragm thickness fraction (DTF), and tibialis anterior thickness were compared between the two groups. The correlation between ventilation time and diaphragm thickness was analyzed in all patients. Results: The mean diaphragm thickness and DTF were significantly lower in the long-term mechanical ventilation group than in the short-term mechanical ventilation group [(0.13±0.036) vs (0.17±0.05) cm and (0.22±0.045) vs (0.27±0.075)](all P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in diaphragmatic excursion, inspiratory time, contraction rate, E-T index or tibialis anterior thickness between the two groups (all P>0.05). There was a significant linear correlation between ventilation time and diaphragm thickness (P<0.01). Tibialis anterior thickness was not significantly correlated with ventilation time (P>0.05). Conclusion: Diaphragm thickness and function were significantly reduced in patients with long-term mechanical ventilation, which was correlated with the duration of ventilation. Nutritional status was not the main factor affecting diaphragm thickness.

[Characterization of N-linked glycosylation sites on envelope proteins of simian/human immunodeficiency virus in peripheral blood of Chinese rhesus macaques during acute infection].

Objective: To investigate the number and distribution of N-linked glycosylation sites of simian/human immunodeficiency virus envelope proteins(SHIVSF162P3)and SHIV transmission. Methods: Two female adult Chinese rhesus macaques(4 years old)were intravenously inoculated with 300 TCID50 SHIVSF162P3. The macaques weighed 4 and 5 kg and were identified as Rh1 and Rh2. We collected plasma samples at days 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63, 70 and 77 post-challenge. Subsequently, we monitored plasma viral load by real-time PCR after viral RNA isolation and cDNA synthesis. We amplified the full-length envelope gene by single genome amplification(SGA)at days 7, 14, 28 and 77. BioEdit, MEGA, and the HIV Databases were used to analyze envelope sequences. Sequence diversity and N-linked glycosylation sites were compared between virus stock and plasma viruses of the two macaques. Results: A total of 55 env sequences were obtained from virus stock and their average pairwise distances were(0.166 6± 0.096 3)%. Viral loads peaked at 7.68 and 7.49 log10 copies/ml at day 10 and reached the set point at day 42(4.27 and 4.81 log10 copies/ml). The percentages of envelope sequences containing 25 potential N-linked glycosylation sites(PNGSs)were 83%(20/24)and 94%(29/31)in Rh1 and Rh2, respectively, at day 7; these were significantly higher than the proportion in SHIVSF162P3 stock(49%(27/55)). Viral diversity after infection increased with time whereas the proportion of sequences containing 25 PNGSs decreased and sequences containing 27 PNGSs gradually increased. In Rh1, the percentage of sequences containing 27 PNGSs increased to 29% at day 28 and reached 35% at day 77 in Rh2. By analyzing the number of PNGSs in the V1-V5 regions, we found that PNGS variation mainly occurred in the V4 loop. Compared with sequences containing 27 PNGSs, a seven amino acid(TWNNTIG)deletion was found in the V4 loop, which resulted in a loss of two PNGSs at positions 392 and 396. Conclusion: Low glycosylation of the SHIVSF162P3 V4 loop may facilitate spread of the SHIV virus whereas viruses with highly glycosylated V4 loops showed replication advantages after infection.

[Lycopene protects against hypoxia/reoxygenation injury in mouse cardiomyocytes by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress induced apoptosis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of lycopene on primary cultured neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes with hypoxia/reoxgenation (H/R) injury and explore related mechanism. METHODS: Primary cultured neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes were randomly divided to control group (control); lycopene group (5 µmol/L, lyc); H/R group (4 hours hypoxia followed by 6 hours reoxgenation); lycopene+ H/R group (lyc+ H/R, the cardiomyocytes were incubated with 5 µmol/L lycopene for 4 hours before H/R treatment). The cell viability of cardiomyocytes was assessed by CCK-8 assay. The apoptotic rate of cardiomyocytes was evaluated by flow cytometry using AnnexinV-PI double staining. Western blot was used to determine the GRP78, CHOP, Bax and Bcl-2 protein expression in cardiomyocytes. The mRNA expressions of ATF6、eIF2α and sXbp-1 were detected by real-time PCR. The fluorescence intensity for reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cardiomyocytes was measured with Olympus fluorescence microscope. RESULTS: Compared to control group, the cell viability of cardiomyocytes was significantly reduced ((64.28±6.12)% vs. (100.00±4.98)%, P<0.01), the apoptotic rate ((24.42±1.76)% vs. (5.16±1.31)%, P<0.01) and ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 (2.33±0.20 vs. 1.00±0.09, P<0.01) significantly increased, the ATF6, eIF2α and sXbp-1 mRNA expression, the CHOP and GRP78 protein expression (1.98±0.15 vs. 1.00±0.12, 2.09±0.11 vs. 1.00±0.09) as well as fluorescence intensity for ROS ((262.13±22.03)% vs. (100.00±12.35)%) were markedly increased in H/R group (all P<0.01). Compared to the H/R group, pretreatment with lycopene markedly improved the cell viability of cardiomyocytes ((81.75±6.85)%, P<0.01), significantly decreased the apoptotic rate ((17.24±2.02)%, P<0.01) and ratio of Bax/Bcl-2(1.64±0.13, P<0.01), significantly down-regulated the mRNA expression levels of ATF6, eIF2α and sXbp-1, and the protein expression levels of CHOP (1.54±0.12) and GRP78 (1.53±0.12), significantly reduced the fluorescence intensity for ROS ((171.18±19.09)%, all P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Lycopene could attenuate hypoxia/reoxygenation-injury in primary cultured neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes, possibly through inhibiting the ER stress and alleviating the ER stress-induced apoptosis.

Delusional disorder and schizophrenia: a comparison of the neurocognitive and clinical characteristics in first-episode patients.

BACKGROUND: Delusional disorder (DD) is thought to be distinct from schizophrenia (SZ). However, few systematic investigations have been conducted on DD because of the difficulty in ascertaining a representative sample size. Existing knowledge has been mostly generated from inpatient cohorts, which may be biased towards a more severe sample. METHOD: We compared the demographic, clinical and cognitive differences between 71 patients with first-episode DD and 71 age-matched patients with first-episode SZ. Participants were consecutively recruited from a population-based territory-wide study of early psychosis in Hong Kong targeting first-episode psychosis. Basic demographic information, premorbid functioning, duration of untreated psychosis, pathways to care, symptomatology, social, occupational, and cognitive functioning were comprehensively assessed using standardized measurements. RESULTS: Patients with DD had less premorbid schizoid and schizotypal traits compared to patients with SZ. More patients with DD were married compared to patients with SZ. However, at first episode, there were no significant differences between the two groups in regards to the duration of untreated psychosis, pathways to care, symptom severity, neurocognitive performance, treatment, and functioning. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings challenge previous thinking that patients with DD had better functioning than patients with SZ. This study not only provides an updated perspective into conceptualizing the clinical differences between DD and SZ, but also expands the descriptive account of the two disorders to include the neurocognitive dimension.

MHD instability dynamics and turbulence enhancement towards the plasma disruption at the HL-2A tokamak.

The evolutions of MHD instability behaviors and enhancement of both electrostatic and electromagnetic turbulence towards the plasma disruption have been clearly observed in the HL-2A plasmas. Two types of plasma disruptive discharges have been investigated for similar equilibrium parameters: one with a distinct stage of a small central temperature collapse ([Formula: see text] 5-10%) around 1 millisecond before the thermal quench (TQ), while the other without. For both types, the TQ phase is preceded by a rotating 2/1 tearing mode, and it is the development of the cold bubble from the inner region of the 2/1 island O-point along with its inward convection that causes the massive energy loss. In addition, the micro-scale turbulence, including magnetic fluctuations and density fluctuations, increases before the small collapse, and more significantly towards the TQ. Also, temperature fluctuations measured by electron cyclotron emission imaging enhances dramatically at the reconnection site and expand into the island when approaching the small collapse and TQ, and the expansion is more significant close to the TQ. The observed turbulence enhancement near the X-point cannot be fully interpreted by the linear stability analysis by GENE. Evidences suggest that nonlinear effects, such as the reduction of local [Formula: see text] shear and turbulence spreading, may play an important role in governing turbulence enhancement and expansion. These results imply that the turbulence and its interaction with the island facilitate the stochasticity of the magnetic flux and formation of the cold bubble, and hence, the plasma disruption.

[Overview of design and construction of hypertensive disorders of a pregnancy-cohort in Shenzhen].

Hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (HDP) involves two major public health issues: mother-infant safety and prevention and controlling major chronic disease. HDP poses a serious threat to maternal and neonatal safety, and it is one of the leading causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide, as well as an important risk factor for long-term cardiovascular disease (CVD). In order to explore effective strategies to prevent and control the source of CVD and reduce its risk, we have established a cohort of HDPs in Shenzhen for the primordial prevention of CVD. The construction of the HDP cohort has already achieved preliminary progress till now. A total of 2 239 HDP women have been recruited in the HDP cohort. We have established a cohort data management platform and Biobank. The follow-up and assessment of postpartum cardiovascular metabolic risk in this cohort has also been launched. Our efforts will help explore the pathophysiological mechanism of HDP, especially the pathogenesis and precision phenotyping, prediction, and prevention of pre-eclampsia, which, therefore, may reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, and provide a bridge to linking HDP and maternal-neonatal cardiovascular, metabolic risk to promote the cardiovascular health of mothers and their infants.

Shifting bright spatial solitons in LiNbO3.

We observe spatial bright solitons in a transversely shifting LiNbO3 crystal. In this scheme, the photovoltaic nonlinearity in LiNbO3 can be switched from self-defocusing to self-focusing by continuous shifting of the beam. Moreover, the shifting velocity has a strong influence on the wave shape of the bright spatial solitons.

[A cross-sectional study of prevalence of chronic kidney disease and related factors in adults in Anhui province].

Objective: To understand the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and related factors in adults in Anhui province based on the data of Chinese Chronic Diseases and Nutrition Surveillance program (2018) in Anhui. Methods: Multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling was used to select participants aged ≥18 years. Moreover, questionnaire survey, body measurements and laboratory tests were conducted. The complex weighting method was used to estimate the prevalence of CKD in residents with different characteristics, and complex sampling data logistic regression model was used for multivariate analysis to identify related risk factors. Results: A total of 7 181 participants were included. The overall prevalence of CKD was 11.06% in adults in Anhui, and the prevalence was 12.49% in women and 9.59% in men (P<0.05). The moderate, high and very high risk for CKD progression were 8.66%, 2.02% and 0.38%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that age (OR=1.03, 95%CI: 1.00-1.05), BMI (OR=1.05, 95%CI: 1.01-1.09), being woman (OR=1.38,95%CI: 1.22-1.55), hypertension (OR=2.50, 95%CI: 1.76-3.56), diabetes (OR=2.28, 95%CI: 1.51-3.43), dyslipidemia (OR=1.26, 95%CI: 1.11-1.43) and hyperuricemia (OR=2.16, 95%CI: 1.68-2.78) were risk factors for CKD. Conclusion: The prevalence of CKD in adults in Anhui was relatively high and age, gender, BMI, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and hyperuricemia were found to be associated with the prevalence of CKD. To prevent CKD and its complications, attention should be paid to the management of related risk factors, including overweight and obesity, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and hyperuricemia.

[Estimation of dietary salt intake in adult residents in Anhui province, 2019].

Objective: Based on the data of the baseline survey of hypertension and sodium intake monitoring in Anhui province in 2019, the salt intake in adult residents was estimated. Methods: Multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling was used to select participants aged 18-69 years, questionnaire survey and related measurements were conducted. Salt intake in participants with different characteristics were estimated with complex sample and linearization of Taylor series based on design and the correlation between salt intake and blood pressure, waist circumference and BMI were tested by linear regression. Results: A total of 1 500 participants were included. The overall salt intake was 9.14 g/d, which was 9.84 g/d in men and 8.47 g/d in women (P<0.05). The differences in salt intake across different subgroups were significant (P<0.05). Univariate linear regression analysis showed that salt intake was positively correlated with SBP, DBP, waist circumference and BMI (P<0.05), while multivariate linear regression analysis (adjusted for other factors) only showed a positive correlation between salt intake and BMI (ß=0.053,95%CI: 0.028-0.078, P<0.05). Conclusion: The dietary salt intake in adult residents in Anhui was higher than WHO recommendation, suggesting that public health education need to be taken to reduce salt intake.

[A cross-sectional study on the prevalence and related factors of dyslipidemia among adults in Anhui province, in 2015].

Objective: Based on the data of chronic diseases and nutrition surveillance among Chinese adults in 2015, dyslipidemia and related factors were analyzed. Methods: Multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling was used to select participants who were aged 18 and over, with questionnaire survey and related measurements conducted. Prevalence rates of dyslipidemia among participants by different characteristics and influencing factors were analyzed, using the method of complex weighting and post-weighted stratification. Results: In all, 7 404 participants were included. The overall prevalence of dyslipidemia was 30.5% among the adults. The overall prevalence of dyslipidemia were 36.5% in males and 24.4% in females (P<0.05). The prevalence rates of hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, high LDL-C, and low HDL-C were 3.7%, 12.2%, 5.3%, and 19.4%, respectively. Results from the multivariate logistic regression model analysis showed that age (OR=1.009, 95%CI: 1.000-1.018), female (OR=0.501, 95%CI: 0.397-0.632), College degree or above (OR=1.728, 95%CI: 1.257-2.374), alcohol consumption 3 (OR=0.711, 95%CI: 0.536-0.943), central obesity (OR=1.868, 95%CI: 1.547-2.257), BMI (OR=1.141, 95%CI: 1.098-1.186), hypertension (OR=1.259, 95%CI: 1.077-1.473) and diabetes (OR=2.025, 95%CI: 1.446-2.835) were influencing factors on dyslipidemia. Conclusions: The prevalence of dyslipidemia seemed high among adults in Anhui. Risk factors should be closely monitored and under control, including those people with unhealthy lifestyles or being overweight, obesity, hypertensive and diabetic.

Myosin filament structure in vertebrate smooth muscle.

The in vivo structure of the myosin filaments in vertebrate smooth muscle is unknown. Evidence from purified smooth muscle myosin and from some studies of intact smooth muscle suggests that they may have a nonhelical, side-polar arrangement of crossbridges. However, the bipolar, helical structure characteristic of myosin filaments in striated muscle has not been disproved for smooth muscle. We have used EM to investigate this question in a functionally diverse group of smooth muscles (from the vascular, gastrointestinal, reproductive, and visual systems) from mammalian, amphibian, and avian species. Intact muscle under physiological conditions, rapidly frozen and then freeze substituted, shows many myosin filaments with a square backbone in transverse profile. Transverse sections of fixed, chemically skinned muscles also show square backbones and, in addition, reveal projections (crossbridges) on only two opposite sides of the square. Filaments gently isolated from skinned smooth muscles and observed by negative staining show crossbridges with a 14.5-nm repeat projecting in opposite directions on opposite sides of the filament. Such filaments subjected to low ionic strength conditions show bare filament ends and an antiparallel arrangement of myosin tails along the length of the filament. All of these observations are consistent with a side-polar structure and argue against a bipolar, helical crossbridge arrangement. We conclude that myosin filaments in all smooth muscles, regardless of function, are likely to be side-polar. Such a structure could be an important factor in the ability of smooth muscles to contract by large amounts.

Photorefractive dynamic properties of Ca2+-doped strontium barium niobate crystals.

Measurements for photorefractive dynamic properties under polarized light with different luminous intensity and wavelength at 650 nm were performed in calcium-doped strontium barium niobate crystals as a function of the time. Experimental results further validated that the different input luminous intensities influence only the saturated time and photorefractive velocity of the photorefractive crystals. Birefringence experiments suggest that an input luminous intensity oscillatory threshold should exist between 64 mW/cm(2) and 13 mW/cm(2). The dynamic change of refractive index from self-focusing to asymmetric self-defocusing was also measured and regarded as the mutual results of the nonuniform-intensity incidence and positive thermal lens effect, which was validated by a further experiment based on the Michelson interference. Also, oscillation accompanying change in the dynamic indices was analyzed and attributed to the high dielectric effect as well as asymmetric self-defocusing in this investigation.

A combination of mRNA expression profile and miRNA expression profile identifies detection biomarkers in different tumor stages of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate microRNA (miRNA) target regulations during the disease progression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) and identify biomarkers in different tumor stages. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The mRNA dataset GSE59102 and miRNA dataset GSE70289 were used in this study. After pretreatment, differentially expressed genes/miRNAs (DEGs/DEMs) in different tumor stages (beginning vs. margin, advanced vs. margin, and beginning vs. advanced) were selected on the basis of their limma package. Then, the enrichment analysis for these DEGs was conducted using ClueGO. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis was performed on the basis of the BioGRID database. After prediction of target genes of DEMs according to three validated miRNA databases, an integrated miRNA target network and its pathways were drawn using the multiMiR package. RESULTS: Numerous DEGs were identified in different tumor stages of LSCC (beginning vs. margin, advanced vs. margin, and beginning vs. advanced), and a set of 18 DEMs was identified. Cell cycle was the most significantly enriched pathway of the DEGs. Four hub nodes (MCM2, EGFR, CDK2, and CDK1) were highlighted in the PPI network. In the integrated miRNA target network, 2 miRNAs were predominant: hsa-miR-331-3p (2 predicted targets, E2F1 and TNFRSF10B) and has-miR-375 (1 predicted target, TNNI3). These genes were tied up with cell cycle or apoptosis pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Several genes and miRNAs might be used as markers for LSCC in different tumor stages (e.g., MCM2, EGFR, CDK1, CDK2, hsa-miR-331-3p, hsa-miR-375). They might function through the involvement of the cell cycle pathway.

[Tryptophan metabolism in patients with primary immune thrombocytopenia with high dose of dexamethasone].

Objective: To test whether the tryptophan metabolism was abnormal in newly diagnosed ITP patients as well as in these patients after treatment with dexamethasone. Methods: Newly diagnosed patients with ITP between Jan 2014 and May 2015 were enrolled, including 14 females and 11 males, with a median age of 57 years and a median PLT count of 16 (0-32) ×10(9)/L. All patients were treated with oral dexamethasone. The expression levels of IDO mRNA and TTS mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were analyzed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. ELISA was used to test the concentrations of IDO and TTS in serum. The concentrations of plasma kynurenine and tryptophan were detected by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Samples from healthy individuals were tested as controls. Results: ①After dexamethasone treatment, 17 patients resulted in persistent remission, 2 cases were ineffective, and relapse occurred in 6 cases at a median follow-up of 11 (6-18) months. ②Before and after dexamethasone treatment, the relative expression of indoleamine2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) mRNA and tryptophanyl t-RNA synthetase (TTS) mRNA showed that there were significant decline in persistent remission group (2.54±0.86 vs 19.85±5.36, t=3.188, P=0.003; 0.68±0.19 vs 45.39±15.83, t=2.842, P=0.008) , compared with the normal control group, the difference was not statistically significant (t=2.313, P=0.027; t=1.127, P=0.268) . After treatment, the IDO concentration decreased [ (19.34±0.42) U/ml] and the TTS concentration was markedly increased [ (13.37±0.54) µg/L] in sustained remission group compared with that before treatment [ (21.91±0.37) U/ml] as well as that in normal controls. In particularly, abnormal tryptophan catabolism could be recovered in these 17 patients with persistent remission [Try: (19.85±5.36) µmol/L vs (19.65±4.55) µmol/L, t=1.027, P=0.311; Kyn: (0.56±0.26) µmol/L vs (0.58±0.23) µmol/L, t=2.075, P=0.448]. ③There was no obviously difference in the relative expression of IDO mRNA and TTS mRNA, the concentration of IDO and TTS and the abnormal tryptophan catabolism between before and after treatment of dexamethasone in patients without response and relapsed patients (all P>0.01) . Conclusion: The tryptophan catabolism was abnormal in ITP patients, and it could be recovered in patients with persistent remission.