Confinement loss prediction in diverse anti-resonant fibers through neural networks.

In this work, genetic algorithm (GA) is employed to optimize convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for predicting the confinement loss (CL) in anti-resonant fibers (ARFs), achieving a prediction accuracy of CL magnitude reached 90.6%, which, to the best of our knowledge, represents the highest accuracy to date and marks the first instance of using a single model to predict CL across diverse ARF structures. Different from the previous definition of ARF structures with parameter groups, we use anchor points to describe these structures, thus eliminating the differences in expression among them. This improvement allows the model to gain insight into the specific structural characteristics, thereby enhancing its generalization capabilities. Furthermore, we demonstrate a particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO), driven by our model, for the design of ARFs, validating the model's robust predictive accuracy and versatility. Compared with the calculation of CL by finite element method (FEM), this model significantly reduces the cost time, and provides a speed-up method in fiber design driven by numerical calculation.

The utility of the irritability scale in Huntington's disease patients with evidence of irritability or aggression.

INTRODUCTION: Irritability, a common neuropsychiatric symptom in Huntington's disease (HD), lacks a standardized measurement. The Irritability Scale (IS), tailored for HD, has patient and informant versions, but variable interrater agreement has been reported frequently in previous studies. To enhance the clinical utility of the IS, this study aimed to identify the most reliable components estimating the underlying construct and develop a shortened version for time-limited contexts. METHODS: Participant and informant/observer concordance and the relationship of individual items to the complete IS scale were assessed. The short-form (SF) items were selected based on interrater agreement, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and Item Response Theory (IRT) analysis results. Pair-wise correlation and covariance models were used to examine how SF predicted total IS score in 106 participants from the STAIR (Safety, Tolerability, and Activity of SRX246 in Irritable Subjects with Huntington's Disease) trial. Item Response Theory (IRT) analysis was used to evaluate the range and function of the selected items. RESULTS: IS interrater agreement was statistically significant (r = 0.33, p = .001). In combination with EFA factors and IRT analyses, five items were identified that showed good reliability and performance in differentiating levels of irritability. CONCLUSION: The proposed 5-item SF IS provided a reliable measure of the full scale and may be less burdensome for use in a clinical setting.

PDGFBB facilitates tumorigenesis and malignancy of lung adenocarcinoma associated with PI3K-AKT/MAPK signaling.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains one of the most aggressive tumors and the efficacy of conventional treatment has been bleak. Nowadays, gene-targeted therapy has become a new favorite in tumor therapy. Herein, we investigated the effect of platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGFBB) on LUAD. Firstly, PDGFBB was upregulated in LUAD patients and closely linked with poor survival. Furthermore, the expression of PDGFBB and PDGFRα/ß in LUAD cells was higher than that in normal lung cells. By loss-of-function with herpes simplex virus (HSV)-PDGFi-shRNA, we found that PDGFBB knockdown caused a significant decrease in proliferation and migration, but evoked apoptosis of LUAD cells in vitro. Conversely, exogenous PDGFBB held adverse effect. Additionally, A549 cells with PDGFBB knockdown had a low probability of tumorigenesis in vivo. Moreover, PDGFBB knockdown restrained the growth of xenografts derived from normal A549 cells. Mechanistically, PDGFBB knockdown suppressed PI3K/AKT and Ras/MAPK signaling, while PDGFBB was the opposite. Therefore, we concluded that PDGFBB might facilitate the tumorigenesis and malignancy of LUAD through its functional downstream nodes-PI3K/AKT and Ras/MAPK signaling, which supported that PDGFBB could serve as a rational therapeutic target for LUAD.

Expert consensus on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of respiratory syncytial virus infections in children.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading global cause of respiratory infections and is responsible for about 3 million hospitalizations and more than 100,000 deaths annually in children younger than 5 years, representing a major global healthcare burden. There is a great unmet need for new agents and universal strategies to prevent RSV infections in early life. A multidisciplinary consensus development group comprising experts in epidemiology, infectious diseases, respiratory medicine, and methodology aims to develop the current consensus to address clinical issues of RSV infections in children. DATA SOURCES: The evidence searches and reviews were conducted using electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library, using variations in terms for "respiratory syncytial virus", "RSV", "lower respiratory tract infection", "bronchiolitis", "acute", "viral pneumonia", "neonatal", "infant" "children", and "pediatric". RESULTS: Evidence-based recommendations regarding diagnosis, treatment, and prevention were proposed with a high degree of consensus. Although supportive care remains the cornerstone for the management of RSV infections, new monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, drug therapies, and viral surveillance techniques are being rolled out. CONCLUSIONS: This consensus, based on international and national scientific evidence, reinforces the current recommendations and integrates the recent advances for optimal care and prevention of RSV infections. Further improvements in the management of RSV infections will require generating the highest quality of evidence through rigorously designed studies that possess little bias and sufficient capacity to identify clinically meaningful end points.

A novel method for effective solidifying chromium and preparing crude stainless steel from multi-metallic electroplating sludge.

Electroplating sludge (ES) is a globally prevalent hazardous waste that primarily contains Cr, Cu, Ni, and Fe. However, the residual Cr phases within the slag potentially poses an environmental risk in current vitrification. A novel method for effective recovering and solidifying Cr in ES is proposed in this work. ES was desulfurized and subsequently co-treated with ferrosilicon (Fe-Si) and spent carbon anode (SCA) for enhancing the recovery of Cr, Cu, Ni, and Fe to prepare crude stainless steel. Under optimal conditions, the recovery ratios of Cr, Cu, Ni, and Fe reached 96.96%, 99.45%, 99.92%, and 99.20%, respectively, signifying improvements of 21.4%, 0.2%, 1.5%, and 2.8%, respectively, compared with existing research. Meanwhile, the fluoride in SCA yielded CaF2, further progressing to the Si-Ca-F-Na-Al-O phase, with a solidification ratio of 97.87%. The Cr leaching content of the residual Cr-Cu-S phase in the slag remained below 5 mg/L across a pH range of 2-4, demonstrating enhanced stability compared to prior alloy, oxide, and chemically dissolved phases. An innovative approach for solidify Cr by forming matte holds implications for the treatment of Cr-containing solid wastes such as chromium slag, tannery sludge and stainless steel slag.

Investigation of the biological activity of hydroxyapatite on vascular endothelial cells.

Objective: This study aims to explore the impact of nano-hydroxyapatite (na-HA) and micron-hydroxyapatite (mi-HA) on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) using in vitro experiments, assessing their influence on cellular biological activity. These findings offer crucial experimental data for informing the development of more vascularized tissue-engineered bone constructs. Methods: We employed the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay to assess the impact of various concentrations of both HA extracts on HUVEC metabolic activity post 48, 72, and 96 h of treatment. Transwell experiments were conducted to evaluate the influence of HA extract on HUVEC migratory capabilities. The cell proliferation activity was assessed using the 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation assay, elucidating the impact of varying concentrations of both HA extracts on cell proliferation. Lumen formation experiments were conducted to assess the capacity of HA-treated HUVECs to form lumen-like structures. The Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) was employed to measure the impact of HA extract on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion by HUVECs. Western blotting (WB) was utilized to analyze alterations in the expression levels of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway-related proteins following HA extract treatment of cells. Results: At extract concentrations of 100 g/L and 12.5 g/L, both the mi-HA and na-HA groups demonstrated suppression of cell metabolic activity, migration, and proliferation. Conversely, at 25 g/L, increased cell metabolic activity and proliferative activity were observed. Lumen formation experiments demonstrated that both HA extracts at 100 g/L concentration facilitated lumen formation, with the na-HA group at 25 g/L concentration displaying a more pronounced impact on lumen formation. The ELISA results indicated a notable reduction in VEGF secretion within the mi-HA group at a concentration of 100 g/L. WB experiments revealed that within the na-HA group, treatment of HUVECs with 25 g/L and 12.5 g/L extract concentrations led to upregulation of PI3K and Akt protein expression, while at 100 g/L concentration, Akt protein expression decreased. In the mi-HA group, intracellular expression of both PI3K and Akt proteins exhibited reduction. Conclusion: Hydroxyapatite extract at both high and low concentrations impacts the biological activity of vascular endothelial cells, with the potential mechanism of action involving the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Comparison of ET-1 and eNOS expressions in yak testes at different developmental stages.

Yak has strong adaptability to plateau hypoxia environment. However, the endothelin-1 (ET-1) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) are important regulators in blood oxygen transportation. Yak testes: newborn (3 days), young (1 years), adult (4 years) and old (9 years) were collected for microscopic analyses using haematoxylin and eosin staining (H&E), immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence, as well as Western blot to compare the expression of ET-1 and eNOS. Furthermore, the levels of ET-1 mRNA and eNOS mRNA was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The results showed that ET-1 mRNA and eNOS mRNA in old yaks were higher than other developmental stages (p < .01). And the levels of ET-1 and eNOS protein increased with age. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence showed that ET-1 and eNOS were mainly localized in gonocytes and spermatogenic membrane of newborn yaks. These two factors were expressed in both Leydig cells of young yaks and endothelial cells of adult yaks. In old yaks, ET-1 was mainly expressed in Sertoli cells, while eNOS was obviously positive in capillaries and Leydig cells. Therefore, the positive results of ET-1 and eNOS in gonocyte and spermatogenic basement were closely related to the development of testes. The expression of Leydig and Sertoli cells indicated that they played an important role in testes function. The expression in endothelial cells or interstitial capillaries, suggesting that they are involved in the regulation of microcirculation in yak testes. This study could provide clues for further revealing the regulation of yak testicular blood vessels in alpine cold and hypoxic environments.

d-chiro-Inositol Derivatives with Multidrug Resistance Reversal Activities from the Fruits of Chisocheton siamensis.

Chisosiamols A-K (1-11), 11 new d-chiro-inositol derivatives, along with a known analogue (12) were isolated from the fruits of Chisocheton siamensis. Their planar structures and relative configurations were elucidated by the comprehensive application of spectroscopic methods, especially from the characteristic coupling constants, and 1H-1H COSY spectra. The absolute configurations of the d-chiro-inositol core were determined using the ECD exciton chirality and X-ray diffraction crystallographic analytical methods. This is the first crystallographic data reported for the d-chiro-inositol derivatives. A structural elucidation strategy mainly combining 1H-1H COSY correlations and ECD exciton chirality for determining the structure of d-chiro-inositol derivatives was developed, which also led to the revisions of previously reported structures. Bioactivity evaluation indicated that chisosiamols A, B, and J can reverse multidrug resistance in MCF-7/DOX cells in the IC50 range of 3.4-6.5 µM (RF: 3.6-7.0).

Rare noreudesmane sesquiterpenoids from the fruits of Dysoxylum densiflorum.

Seven rare noreudesmane sesquiterpenoids (dysoxydenones M-S, 1-7), including three 11,12,13-trinoreudesmanes, three 13-noreudesmanes and one spirovetivane-type sesquiterpenoid, along with two known analogues were isolated from the fruits of Dysoxylum densiflorum. The planar structures were elucidated by a combination of 1D, 2D NMR and HRESIMS analyses. Their absolute configurations were determined by combination of single-crystal X-ray diffraction, CD exciton chirality method and ECD calculation. All compounds were screened for anti-inflammatory activity on LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells and IL-1ß inhibitory activity.

Cognitive and Brain Gray Matter Changes in Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Voxel-Based Morphological Study.

BACKGROUND: To explore the neural difference between children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and healthy controls, together with the relation between this difference and clinical severity indicator of children with OSA. METHODS: Twenty-seven children with OSA (7.6 ± 2.5 years, apnea hypopnea index [AHI]: 9.7 ± 5.3 events/h) and 30 healthy controls (7.8 ± 2.6 years, AHI: 1.7 ± 1.2 events/h) were recruited and matched with age, gender, and handedness. All children underwent 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and cognitive testing evaluating. Volumetric segmentation of cortical and subcortical structures and voxel-based morphometry were performed. Pearson's correlation analysis was performed between these features of gray matter volume (GMV) and obstructive apnea index (OAI) among children with OSA. RESULTS: In the comparison of children's Wechsler test scores of full-scale intelligence quotient and verbal intelligence quotient, the OSA group was significantly lower than the control group (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the GMV of many brain regions in the OSA group was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). In the correlation analysis of GMV and OAI in OSA group, right inferior frontal gyrus volume was significantly negatively correlated with OAI (r = - 0.49, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Children with OSA presented abnormal neural activities in some brain regions and impaired cognitive functions. This finding suggests an association between the OSA and decreased GMV in children.

Transcranial alternating current stimulation for schizophrenia: a systematic review of randomized controlled studies.

Background: In randomized clinical trials (RCTs) investigating the application of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) in schizophrenia, inconsistent results have been reported. The purpose of this exploratory systematic review of RCTs was to evaluate tACS as an adjunct treatment for patients with schizophrenia based on its therapeutic effects, tolerability, and safety. Methods: Our analysis included RCTs that evaluated adjunctive tACS' effectiveness, tolerability, and safety in schizophrenia patients. Three independent authors extracted data and synthesized it using RevMan 5.3 software. Results: Three RCTs involving 76 patients with schizophrenia were encompassed in the analysis, with 40 participants receiving active tACS and 36 receiving sham tACS. Our study revealed a significant superiority of active tACS over sham tACS in improving total psychopathology (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.12, -0.10; I2 = 16%, p = 0.02) and negative psychopathology (SMD = -0.65, 95% CI: -1.11, -0.18; I2 = 0%, p = 0.007) in schizophrenia. The two groups, however, showed no significant differences in positive psychopathology, general psychopathology, or auditory hallucinations (all p > 0.05). Two RCTs examined the neurocognitive effects of tACS, yielding varied findings. Both groups demonstrated similar rates of discontinuation due to any reason and adverse events (all p > 0.05). Conclusion: Adjunctive tACS is promising as a viable approach for mitigating total and negative psychopathology in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. However, to gain a more comprehensive understanding of tACS's therapeutic effects in schizophrenia, it is imperative to conduct extensive, meticulously planned, and well-documented RCTs.

Research on sports injury prevention and regional sports fitness / Pesquisa sobre prevenção de lesões esportivas e aptidão esportiva regional / Investigación sobre la prevención de lesiones deportivas y aptitud deportiva regional

ABSTRACT Introduction Many athletes suffer sports injuries during exercise and are susceptible to sequelae due to a variety of post-injury complications that occur in the process of sports activities. Preventing these injuries in physical training, impacts positively on the athletes' physique. Objective Study the sports habit and regional physical fitness, exploring the prevention strategies in the main sports injuries. Methods This paper elaborates targeted questionnaires (n=568) including proportion of gender, fitness, exercise frequency, duration and intensity of current regional fitness, as well as athletes' motivations in a Chinese city. Results Current urban residents' enthusiasm for fitness is high, however due to lack of conditions, athletes tend to choose some sports with lower complexity (circuits, 65.06%; running, 48.84%; walking, 40.46%). Most of the injuries caused by these types of sports are skin abrasions. The severity of these injuries is not high. Conclusion Providing effective exercise guidance to its practitioners can improve their sports cognition, build a foundation for the professional sports system, and provide relevant knowledge about emergency treatments. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment results.

RESUMO Introdução Muitos atletas sofrem lesões esportivas durante o exercício e estão propensos a sequelas por uma variedade de complicações do pós-acidente que ocorre no processo das atividades esportivas. Prevenir essas lesões no treinamento físico, impacta positivamente no físico dos atletas. Objetivo Estudar o hábito esportivo e a aptidão física regional, explorando as estratégias de prevenção nas principais lesões desportivas. Métodos Este artigo elabora questionários direcionados (n=568) incluindo proporção de gênero, aptidão, frequência, duração e intensidade do exercício da aptidão regional atual, bem como as motivações dos atletas em uma cidade chinesa. Resultados O entusiasmo dos atuais moradores urbanos pela aptidão física é alto, porém devido à falta de condições, os atletas tendem a optar por alguns esportes com menor complexidade (circuitos, 65,06%; corrida, 48,84%; caminhada, 40,46%). A maioria das lesões causadas por esse tipo de esportes são abrasões de pele. A gravidade dessas lesões não é alta. Conclusão Fornecer a orientação efetiva dos exercícios para seus praticantes pode melhorar sua cognição esportiva, construir uma base para o sistema esportivo profissional e proporcionar conhecimentos relevantes sobre os tratamentos emergenciais. Nível de evidência II; Estudos terapêuticos - investigação dos resultados do tratamento.

RESUMEN Introducción Muchos atletas sufren lesiones deportivas durante el ejercicio y son propensos a sufrir secuelas debido a una variedad de complicaciones posteriores a la lesión que se producen en el proceso de las actividades deportivas. Prevenir estas lesiones en el entrenamiento físico, repercute positivamente en el físico de los deportistas. Objetivo Estudiar el hábito deportivo y la aptitud física regional, explorando las estrategias de prevención en las principales lesiones deportivas. Métodos Este trabajo elabora cuestionarios específicos (n=568) que incluyen la proporción de género, la condición física, la frecuencia de ejercicio, la duración y la intensidad de la condición física regional actual, así como las motivaciones de los deportistas en una ciudad china. Resultados El entusiasmo de los residentes urbanos actuales por la aptitud física es alto, sin embargo, debido a la falta de condiciones, los atletas tienden a elegir algunos deportes de menor complejidad (circuitos, 65,06%; correr, 48,84%; caminar, 40,46%). La mayoría de las lesiones causadas por este tipo de deportes son abrasiones de la piel. La gravedad de estas lesiones no es elevada. Conclusión Proporcionar una orientación eficaz sobre el ejercicio a sus practicantes puede mejorar su cognición deportiva, construir una base para el sistema deportivo profesional y proporcionar conocimientos relevantes sobre los tratamientos de emergencia. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudios terapéuticos - investigación de los resultados del tratamiento.

Strength maintenance training in the rehabilitation of common injuries in soccer athletes during the winter / Treinamento de manutenção de força na reabilitação de lesões comuns em atletas do futebol durante o inverno / Entrenamiento de manutención de fuerza en la rehabilitación de lesiones comunes en atletas de fútbol durante el invierno

ABSTRACT Introduction: The level of soccer athletics develops rapidly, requiring athletes to be more capable of training, strengthening, and competitive readiness. Often, these characteristics are compromised by preventable injuries resulting from excessive or unreasonable training, especially in winter. The outcome is the athlete's absence from games during the season, compromising the team's qualification. Objective: Improve the treatment and prevention of the major injuries caused to soccer athletes in winter. Methodology: The main injuries resulting from poor training and the best practices of awareness and recovery were researched. The selected actions were implemented on ten athletes with follow-up during the entire annual season, totaling 50 games. Results: An increase in the number of active athletes during the competition phase was observed in 7 games, and competition efficiency was increased by 14%. Conclusion: Soccer players can get better rehabilitation through practical strength maintenance training in the rehabilitation phase between winter training and competitions. This scientific and rational method has a significantly positive effect on the physical performance of athletes. Evidence Level II; Therapeutic Studies - Investigating the results.

RESUMO Introdução: O nível do atletismo do futebol desenvolve-se rapidamente, exigindo que os atletas sejam mais capazes de treinar, fortalecerem-se e prepararem-se para a competição. Muitas vezes, essas características são comprometidas por lesões evitáveis resultantes de treinamento excessivo ou irracional, especialmente no inverno. O resultado é a ausência do atleta nos jogos durante a temporada, comprometendo a qualificação da equipe. Objetivo: Melhorar o tratamento e a prevenção das maiores lesões ocasionadas aos atletas de futebol durante o inverno. Metodologia: As principais lesões resultantes do mau treinamento e as melhores práticas de conscientização e recuperação foram pesquisadas. As ações selecionadas foram implementadas em dez atletas com acompanhamento durante toda a temporada anual, totalizando 50 jogos. Resultados: Um aumento no número de atletas ativos durante a fase de competição foi observado em 7 jogos, e a eficiência da competição foi aumentada em 14%. Conclusão: Os jogadores de futebol podem obter melhor reabilitação através de treinamento prático de manutenção de força na fase de reabilitação entre o treinamento de inverno e as competições. Esse método científico e racional tem um efeito significativamente positivo sobre o desempenho físico dos atletas. Nível de evidência II; Estudos Terapêuticos - Investigação de Resultados.

RESUMEN Introducción: El nivel del atletismo de fútbol se desarrolla rápidamente, lo que exige de los atletas una mayor capacidad de entrenamiento, fortalecimiento y preparación para la competición. Con frecuencia, estas características se ven comprometidas por lesiones evitables derivadas de un entrenamiento excesivo o no adecuado, en particular durante el invierno. El resultado es la no participación del atleta en los partidos de la temporada, lo que compromete la clasificación del equipo. Objetivo: Mejorar el tratamiento y la prevención de las principales lesiones causadas a los deportistas de fútbol en el invierno. Metodología: Se investigaron las principales lesiones derivadas de un mal entrenamiento y las mejores prácticas de sensibilización y recuperación. Las acciones seleccionadas se aplicaron en diez atletas con seguimiento durante toda la temporada anual, con un total de 50 partidos. Resultados: Se observó un aumento del número de atletas activos durante la fase de competición en 7 partidos, y la eficacia de la competición se incrementó en un 14%. Conclusión: Los futbolistas pueden conseguir una mejor rehabilitación mediante un entrenamiento práctico de mantenimiento de la fuerza en la fase de rehabilitación entre el entrenamiento invernal y las competiciones. Este método científico y racional tiene un efecto significativamente positivo en el rendimiento físico de los atletas. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudios terapéuticos - Investigación de resultados.

Carbapenemase- and Colistin Resistant Escherichia coli Strains from Children in China: High Genetic Diversity and First Report of bla NDM-5, bla CTX-M-65, bla OXA-10, bla TEM-1, and mcr-1.1 Genes Co-Occurrence in E. coli ST156.

Background: The emergence of carbapenem and colistin co-resistant Escherichia coli poses a huge challenge to infection control. The purpose of this study was to clarify the mechanism of the carbapenems and colistin co-resistance in E. coli strains. Methods: Antimicrobial susceptibility test was carried out by agar dilution methods and colistin resistance was confirmed by broth microdilution methods. Whole genome sequencing was carried out, and resistance genes, sequence types and virulence genes of carbapenems and colistin co-resistance E. coli isolates were analyzed. Results: The results showed that among the 176 carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae strains, 5 multidrug resistant E. coli strains exhibiting coresistance to carbapenem and colistin. The main mechanism of 5 E. coli strains in this study was generating carbapenem. Four E. coli strains were mcr-positive, while one mcr-negative strain had a new MgrB mutation. The blaNDM-5, blaCTX-M-65, blaOXA-10, blaTEM-1 and mcr-1.1 genes were simultaneously detected in E. coli 20IR1127 strain belonging to ST156 lineage. Other antimicrobial resistance genes encoding aminoglycosides-, sulfonamide-, chloramphenicol-, tetracyclines- and macrolides resistance were also detected. Conclusion: The main mechanisms of carbapenem and colistin resistance were encoded by bla NDM and mcr1.1, meanwhile mgrB mutations also contribute to colistin resistance. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report of E. coli ST156 strain in which the bla NDM-5, bla CTX-M-65, bla OXA-10, bla TEM-1 and mcr1.1 genes coexist. In addition, there is also an E. coli ST457 strain, which carries bla TEM-1, bla NDM-9, bla CTX-M-199 and is positive for mcr1.1 gene.

Influence of Experimental Skull Defects on Brain.

ABSTRACT: This study was aimed to observe the effects of skull defects on the brain in rats and further to investigate its underlying pathophysiological. Three different sizes of skull were removed in rats to produce models of skull defect, and then the behavioral changes were detected using a grip strength meter and neurobehavioral severity scale scores. The authors further examined the levels of cell apoptosis and autophagy, the cerebral blood flow with immunoblotting, and immunofluorescence micro-ultrasound system, respectively. The authors found that the sensory function but not the grip was impaired on the 6th day after a 5 × 10 mm defect while the motor function was on the 2nd day. In addition, the authors found an increment in B-cell lymphoma-2/BCL2-Associated X (Bcl2/Bax) and LC3 II/I expression, a maker of apoptosis and autophagy, respectively, in the defective hemisphere especially at the edge of the defective area. Importantly, the blood flow of internal carotid artery began to decline at 2 hours, and reached minimum on the 4th day, but began to recover on the 6th day in the hemi-defect group. In conclusion, a larger skull defect could impair the cognitive function but not the motor function and its underlying pathophysiology were mainly related to a decrease in cerebral flow.

Prediction of Facial Emotion Recognition Ability in Patients With First-Episode Schizophrenia Using Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuation-Based Support Vector Regression Model.

Objective: There were few studies that had attempted to predict facial emotion recognition (FER) ability at the individual level in schizophrenia patients. In this study, we developed a model for the prediction of FER ability in Chinese Han patients with the first-episode schizophrenia (FSZ). Materials and Methods: A total of 28 patients with FSZ and 33 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. All subjects underwent resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI). The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) method was selected to analyze voxel-level spontaneous neuronal activity. The visual search experiments were selected to evaluate the FER, while the support vector regression (SVR) model was selected to develop a model based on individual rs-fMRI brain scan. Results: Group difference in FER ability showed statistical significance (P < 0.05). In FSZ patients, increased mALFF value were observed in the limbic lobe and frontal lobe, while decreased mALFF value were observed in the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, and occipital lobe (P < 0.05, AlphaSim correction). SVR analysis showed that abnormal spontaneous activity in multiple brain regions, especially in the right posterior cingulate, right precuneus, and left calcarine could effectively predict fearful FER accuracy (r = 0.64, P = 0.011) in patients. Conclusion: Our study provides an evidence that abnormal spontaneous activity in specific brain regions may serve as a predictive biomarker for fearful FER ability in schizophrenia.

Early improvement as a predictor of final remission in patients with treatment-resistant depression receiving electroconvulsive therapy with ketofol anesthesia.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether early symptom improvement can predict eventual remission following electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) with ketamine plus propofol (ketofol) anesthesia in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). METHODS: Thirty Han Chinese subjects suffering from TRD were administered ketofol anesthesia during ECT. Remission was defined as a score of ≤7 on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were applied to identify the number of ECT sessions (i.e., 1, 2, 3, or 4 ECT sessions) that had the best discriminative capacity for eventual remission. The best definition of early improvement to predict final remission was determined by using the Youden index. RESULTS: Of the 30 patients with TRD, 16 (53.3%) and 30 (100%) were classified as remitters and responders, respectively. A 45% reduction in the HAMD-17 score after 3 ECT sessions was the optimum definition of early improvement in the prediction of eventual remission, with relatively good sensitivity (88%) and specificity (93%). Patients with than without early improvement had a greater possibility of achieving favorable ECT outcomes. CONCLUSION: Final remission of TRD following ECT with ketofol anesthesia appeared to be predicted by early improvement, as indicated by a 45% reduction in HAMD-17 score after 3 ECT sessions.

Heritability of tea drinking and its relationship with cigarette smoking in the Chinese male adult twins.

The aims of this study are to estimate the contributions of genetic factors to the variation of tea drinking and cigarette smoking, to examine the roles of genetic factors in their correlation and further to investigate underlying causation between them. We included 11 625 male twin pairs from the Chinese National Twin Registry (CNTR). Bivariate genetic modelling was fitted to explore the genetic influences on tea drinking, cigarette smoking and their correlation. Inference about Causation through Examination of FAmiliaL CONfounding (ICE FALCON) was further used to explore the causal relationship between them. We found that genetic factors explained 17% and 23% of the variation in tea drinking and cigarette smoking, respectively. A low phenotypic association between them was reported (rph = 0.21, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.19, 0.24]), which was partly attributed to common genetic factors (rA = 0.45, 95% CI [0.19, 1.00]). In the ICE FALCON analysis with current smoking as the exposure, tea drinking was associated with his own (ßself = 0.39, 95% CI [0.23, 0.55]) and his co-twin's smoking status (ßco-twin = 0.25, 95% CI [0.10, 0.41]). Their association attenuated with borderline significance conditioning on his own smoking status (p = 0.045), indicating a suggestive causal effect of smoking status on tea drinking. On the contrary, when we used tea drinking as the predictor, we found familial confounding between them only. In conclusion, both tea drinking and cigarette smoking were influenced by genetic factors, and their correlation was partly explained by common genetic factors. In addition, our finding suggests that familial confounders account for the relationship between tea drinking and cigarette smoking. And current smoking might have a causal effect on weekly tea drinking, but not vice versa.

An all-in-one strategy for resource recovery and immobilization of arsenic from arsenic-bearing gypsum sludge.

Arsenic (As)-bearing gypsum sludge, one of the most prominent hazardous wastes, has created a myriad of critical problems in human health, waters, soils, and sediments at the global scale. Unfortunately, the reclamation and disposal of As-bearing gypsum sludge have been rarely investigated. This paper aims to explore a novel technology for simultaneous value-added utilization and harmless exploitation of As-bearing gypsum sludge. In the experiment, As-bearing gypsum sludge and anthracite were mixed, granulated, and then roasted in Ar atmosphere. Based on the thermodynamic analysis and experimental results, the As migration mechanism in the As-bearing gypsum sludge was determined during the roasting process. Under optimal conditions, 90% of As phase was volatilized and then recovered in the form of elemental As99.5, and it could act as a chemical product. In addition, As99.5 could be further processed into high-purity As and As2O3 using existing chlorination-rectification-reduction process and oxidation process, respectively, which can be widely used in the treatments of semiconductor material, pigment, and wood. Residual As primarily occurred as Fe-As compounds, but the leached As concentration in the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure was only 0.008 mg/L. Correspondingly, a new As immobilization method that generates Fe-As compounds (α-Fe and AsFe2) is first proposed and then verified, which may be widely used for simultaneous As-bearing solid wastes reduction and improved harmlessness. This paper is significant for development of the metallurgical, mining, acid, and thermal power industries, minimizing its environmental risk.