Dynamic Molecular Interphases Regulated by Trace Dual Electrolyte Additives for Ultralong-Lifespan and Dendrite-Free Zinc Metal Anode.

Metallic zinc is a promising anode material for rechargeable aqueous multivalent metal-ion batteries due to its high capacity and low cost. However, the practical use is always beset by severe dendrite growth and parasitic side reactions occurring at anode/electrolyte interface. Here we demonstrate dynamic molecular interphases caused by trace dual electrolyte additives of D-mannose and sodium lignosulfonate for ultralong-lifespan and dendrite-free zinc anode. Triggered by plating and stripping electric fields, the D-mannose and lignosulfonate species are alternately and reversibly (de-)adsorbed on Zn metal, respectively, to accelerate Zn2+ transportation for uniform Zn nucleation and deposition and inhibit side reactions for high Coulombic efficiency. As a result, Zn anode in such dual-additive electrolyte exhibits highly reversible and dendrite-free Zn stripping/plating behaviors for >6400 hours at 1 mA cm-2, which enables long-term cycling stability of Zn||ZnxMnO2 full cell for more than 2000 cycles.

Immune persistence after different polio sequential immunization schedules in Chinese infants.

Trivalent oral poliovirus vaccine (tOPV) has been withdrawn and instead an inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) and bivalent type 1 and type 3 OPV (bOPV) sequential immunization schedule has been implemented since 2016, but no immune persistence data are available for this polio vaccination strategy. This study aimed to assess immune persistence following different polio sequential immunization schedules. Venous blood was collected at 24, 36, and 48 months of age from participants who had completed sequential schedules of combined IPV and OPV in phase III clinical trials. The serum neutralizing antibody titers against poliovirus were determined, and the poliovirus-specific antibody-positive rates were evaluated. A total of 1104 participants were enrolled in this study. The positive rates of poliovirus type 1- and type 3-specific antibodies among the sequential immunization groups showed no significant difference at 24, 36, or 48 months of age. The positive rates of poliovirus type 2-specific antibody in the IPV-IPV-tOPV group at all time points were nearly 100%, which was significantly higher than the corresponding rates in other immunization groups (IPV-bOPV-bOPV and IPV-IPV-bOPV). Immunization schedules involving one or two doses of IPV followed by bOPV failed to maintain a high positive rate for poliovirus type 2-specific antibody.

Investigation and Analysis of the Effect of Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Nurses on Occupational Protection Against COVID-19.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of knowledge, attitude, and behavior (KAB) of gastrointestinal endoscopy nurses on occupational protection against COVID-19. We analyzed the influencing factors on KAB to provide a reference for the training of nurses on occupational protection in endoscopic centers. A convenience sample of 400 endoscopy nurses from 26 provinces and cities in China was surveyed using a questionnaire to determine their KAB about occupational protection against COVID-19. Job title was an influencing factor of endoscopy nurses' attitude toward occupational protection against COVID-19. The type of hospital, whether nurses had received training on COVID-19, number of training courses received, and nurses' satisfaction with the workload in their endoscopic center were the influencing factors for occupational protective behavior. Study participants had good knowledge of occupational protection against COVID-19. Their overall attitude was positive, but their protective behavior needs further improvement. Feasible interventions to strengthen the occupational protective behavior of endoscopy nurses during the COVID-19 epidemic are suggested to improve the overall occupational protection level of endoscopy nurses.

Large vessel vasculitis with rare presentation of acute rhabdomyolysis: A case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal involvement in primary large vessel vasculitis (LVV), including giant cell arteritis and Takayasu's arteritis (TAK), tends to be subacute. With the progression of arterial disease, patients may develop polyarthralgia and myalgias, mainly involving muscle stiffness, limb/jaw claudication, cold/swelling extremities, etc. Acute development of rhabdomyolysis in addition to aortic aneurysm is uncommon in LVV. Herein, we report a rare case of LVV with the first presentation of acute rhabdomyolysis. CASE SUMMARY: A 70-year-old Asian woman suffering from long-term low back pain was hospitalized due to limb claudication, dark urine and an elevated creatine kinase (CK) level. After treatment with fluid resuscitation and antibiotics, the patient remained febrile. Her workup showed persistent elevated levels of inflammatory markers, and imaging studies revealed an aortic aneurysm. A decreasing CK was evidently combined with elevated inflammatory markers and negativity for anti-neutrophilic cytoplasmic antibodies. LVV was suspected and confirmed by magnetic resonance angiography and positron emission tomography with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose/computed tomography. With a favourable response to immunosuppressive treatment, her symptoms resolved, and clinical remission was achieved one month later. However, after failing to follow the tapering schedule, the patient was readministered 25 mg/d prednisolone due to disease relapse. Follow-up examinations showed decreased inflammatory markers and substantial improvement in artery lesions after 6 mo of treatment. At the twelve-month follow-up, she was clinically stable and maintained on corticosteroid therapy. CONCLUSION: An exceptional presentation of LVV with acute rhabdomyolysis is described in this case, which exhibited a good response to immunosuppressive therapy, suggesting consideration for a differential diagnosis when evaluating febrile patients with myalgia and elevated CK. Timely use of high-dose steroids until a diagnosis is established may yield a favourable outcome.

Engineering PD-L1 Cellular Nanovesicles Encapsulating Epidermal Growth Factor for Deep Second-Degree Scald Treatment.

Scars are common and intractable consequences after scalded wound healing, while monotherapy of epidermal growth factors does not solve this problem. Maintaining the stability of epidermal growth factors and promoting scarless healing of wounds is paramount. In this study, engineering cellular nanovesicles overexpressing PD-L1 proteins, biomimetic nanocarriers with immunosuppressive efficacy, were successfully prepared to encapsulate epidermal growth factors for maintaining its bioactivity. Remarkably, PD-L1 cellular nanovesicles encapsulating epidermal growth factors (EGF@PDL1 NVs) exerted desired therapeutic effect by attenuating the overactivation of T cell immune response and promoting skin cells migration and proliferation. Hence, EGF@PD-L1 NVs promoted wound healing and prevented scarring in deep second-degree scald treatment, demonstrating a better effect than using individual PD-L1 NVs or EGF. This research proved that EGF@PD-L1 NVs is considered an innovative and thorough therapy of deep second-degree scald.

Reversal of hepatorenal syndrome and kidney recovery: When renal has more to offer.

Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is one of the most severe complications in advanced cirrhosis. Type-1 HRS is relatively uncommon, yet carries considerably higher mortality rate. Effective treatment for HRS, especially therapy towards survival benefits, is still limited. However, the role for dialysis in HRS has been questioned over the years. The initiation of dialysis remains controversial for those who aren't transplant candidates. Meanwhile, there's a growing attention towards the successful use of peritoneal dialysis (PD) in cirrhotic patients. Herein, we report a case of HRS-1 in a 76-year-old male patient with decompensated cirrhosis. Through a series of adjustments of hemodialysis regimens and pharmacological prescriptions, patient stabilized and the opportunity for transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) insertion was gained. PD was initiated after TIPS placement. With a gradual decrease of dialysis dose, patient successfully weaned off PD and achieved both reversal of HRS and kidney recovery. Markedly improved nutritional status and quality of life were reported. The potential role of dialysis and TIPS in HRS may be worth revisiting. Further studies regarding the optimal timing of dialysis initiation, choices of dialysis modality, and efficacy of dialysis therapy in combination with TIPS in HRS patients are warranted.

A New Immunosuppressive Therapy for Very Severe Aplastic Anemia in Children with Autoantibodies.

OBJECTIVE: At present, a number of very severe aplastic anemia (VSAA) patients cannot receive hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) or standard immunosuppressive therapy (IST) due to the high cost of therapy, shortage of sibling donors, and lack of resources to support the HSCT. In addition, some VSAA patients with autoantibodies have no life-threatening infections or bleeding at the time of initial diagnosis. Considering the disease condition, economics and other factors, the present study designed a new and relatively mild treatment strategy: cyclosporine A plus pulsed high-dose prednisone (CsA+HDP). METHODS: The present study retrospectively analyzed 11 VSAA patients, who were treated with CsA+HDP in our hospital from August 2017 to August 2019. RESULTS: The median follow-up time for these patients was 24.9 months. The overall response rate was 54.5% (6/11) at six months after the initiation of IST and 81.8% (9/11) at deadline. Five patients achieved complete remission and four patients met the criteria for partial response at the last follow-up. The median time to response for responders was 110 days. Three patients underwent HSCT due to the poor effect of CsA+HDP or to find a suitable transplant donor. Recurrence and clonal evolution were not found in any of these patients. The estimated 3-year overall survival rate and 3-year failure-free survival rate were 100.0% and 72.7%, respectively. In addition, the results revealed that the cyclosporine-prednisone-associated toxicity was mild and well-tolerated by most patients. CONCLUSION: The novel CsA+HDP regimen has good therapeutic effect and safety for VSAA patients with autoantibodies, who have no serious life-threatening infections or bleeding at the time of initial diagnosis.

Improvement of 3-D Ultrasound Spine Imaging Technique Using Fast Reconstruction Algorithm.

Three-dimensional (3-D) freehand ultrasound (US) imaging has been applied to the investigation of spine deformity. However, it is a challenge for the current 3-D imaging reconstruction algorithms to achieve a balance between image quality and computation time. The objectives of this article are to implement a new fast reconstruction algorithm that can fulfill the request of immediate demonstration and processing for high-quality 3-D spine imaging, and to evaluate the reliability and accuracy of scoliotic curvature measurement when using the algorithm. The fast dot-projection (FDP) algorithm was applied for voxel-based nearest neighbor (VNN), multiple plane interpolation (MPI), and pixel nearest neighbor (PNN) protocols to reduce the reconstruction time. The 3-D image volume was reconstructed from the datasets acquired from scoliotic subjects. The computational cost, image characteristics, and statistical analyses of curve measurements were compared and evaluated among different reconstruction protocols. The results illustrated that the 3-D spine images using the FDP-MPI4 algorithm showed higher brightness (20%), contrast (14%), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) (26%) than FDP-VNN. The measurement performed by trainee rater exhibited significant improvement in measurement reliability and accuracy using FDP-MPI4 in comparison with FDP-VNN ( ), and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of interrater measurement increased from 0.88 to 0.96. The FDP-PNN method could acquire and reconstruct spine images simultaneously and present the results in 1-2 min, which showed the potential to provide the approximate real-time visualization for fast screening.

Could saline irrigation clear all residual common bile duct stones after lithotripsy? A self-controlled prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: A previous study showed that irrigation with 100 mL saline reduced residual common bile duct (CBD) stones, which potentially cause recurrent stones after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. AIM: To determine whether saline irrigation can improve CBD clearance after lithotripsy. METHODS: This prospective self-controlled study enrolled patients receiving mechanical lithotripsy for large (> 1.2 cm) CBD stones. After occlusion cholangiography confirmed CBD stone clearance, peroral cholangioscopy (POC) was performed to determine clearance scores based on the number of residual stones. The amounts of residual stones spotted via POC were graded on a 5-point scale (score 1, worst; score 5, best). Scores were documented after only stone removal (control) and after irrigation with 50 mL and 100 mL saline, respectively. The stone composition was analyzed using infrared spectroscopy. RESULTS: Between October 2018 and January 2020, 47 patients had CBD clearance scores of 2.4 ± 1.1 without saline irrigation, 3.5 ± 0.7 with 50 mL irrigation, and 4.6 ± 0.6 with 100 mL irrigation (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that CBD diameter > 15 mm [odds ratio (OR) = 0.08, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01-0.49; P = 0.007] and periampullary diverticula (PAD) (OR = 6.51, 95%CI: 1.08-39.21; P = 0.041) were independent risk factors for residual stones. Bilirubin pigment stones constituted the main residual stones found in patients with PAD (P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Irrigation with 100 mL of saline may not clear all residual CBD stones after lithotripsy, especially in patients with PAD and/or a dilated (> 15 mm) CBD. Pigment residual stones are soft and commonly found in patients with PAD. Additional saline irrigation may be required to remove retained stones.

Neuroprotective Effect of Fructus broussonetiae on APP/PS1 Mice via Upregulation of AKT/ß-Catenin Signaling.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the mechanisms underlying the protective effect of Chinese herbal medicine Fructus broussonetiae (FB) in both mouse and cell models of Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: APP/PS1 mice treated with FB for 2 months and vehicle-treated controls were run through the Morris water maze and object recognition test to evaluate learning and memory capacity. RNA-Seq, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence staining were also conducted to evaluate the effects of FB treatment on various signaling pathways altered in APP/PS1 mice. To further explore the mechanisms underlying FB's protective effect, PC-12 cells were treated with Aß25-35 in order to establish an in vitro model of AD. RESULTS: FB-treated mice showed improved learning and memory capacity on both the Morris water maze and object recognition tests. RNA-seq of hippocampal tissue from APP/PS1 mice showed that FB had effects on multiple signaling pathways, specifically decreasing cell apoptotic signaling and increasing AKT and ß-catenin signaling. Similarly, FB up-regulated both AKT and ß-catenin signaling in PC-12 cells pre-treated with Aß25-35, in which AKT positively regulated ß-catenin signaling. Further study showed that AKT promoted ß-catenin signaling via enhancing ß-catenin (Ser552) phosphorylation. Moreover, AKT and ß-catenin signaling inhibition both resulted in the attenuated survival of FB-treated cells, indicating the AKT/ß-catenin signaling is a crucial mediator in FB promoted cell survival. CONCLUSIONS: FB exerted neuroprotective effects on hippocampal cells of APP/PS1 mice, as well as improved cell viability in an in vitro model of AD. The protective actions of FB occurred via the upregulation of AKT/ß-catenin signaling.

Risk factors for spontaneous abortion from a prevention perspective in rural China: a population-based follow-up study.

OBJECTIVES: We conducted this study to investigate the risk factors for spontaneous abortion among rural Chinese women. METHODS: Risk factors prior to pregnancy associated with spontaneous abortion were identified among 17,248 rural women enrolled in a prospective population-based follow-up study. The risk of spontaneous abortion was estimated with odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for several factors. A nonconditional logistic regression analysis was then performed to identify the independently associated factors. RESULTS: The total sample of this study population consisted of 17,248 pregnant women including 921 of them whose pregnancies resulted in spontaneous abortion and the incidence of spontaneous abortion was 5.04%. After the adjustment of confounding factors, menarche age, serum creatinine, family genetic diseases or maternal congenital defects was associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion while folic acid supplementation reduced the risk among rural Chinese women. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of our study suggest that multiple modifiable factors may increase the risk of spontaneous abortion which may help relevant departments better to guide detailed effectively prevention strategies toward spontaneous abortion to improve the reproductive quality of rural population. Further studies are required to elaborate these risk factors for spontaneous abortion.

Hereditary Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura in a Chinese Boy With a Novel Compound Heterozygous Mutation of the ADAMTS13 Gene.

Hereditary thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is caused by ADAMTS13 mutations with autosomal recessive inheritance. It typically presents during childhood and is frequently misdiagnosed as immune thrombocytopenia. We present a case of hereditary TTP with an undescribed compound heterozygous ADAMTS13 mutation in a Chinese boy. A 12-year-old boy with a history of intermittent thrombocytopenia in the prior 6 years had severe deficiency of plasma ADAMTS13 and harbored a novel compound heterozygous mutation which was also identified in his sister. The c.577C>T was a pathogenic variant reported exclusively in Japanese cases. The undescribed c.2397C>A non-sense mutation was predicted to encode a truncated protein. Identification of the specific novel heterozygous ADAMTS13 mutation in the Chinese family, consisting a variant restricted to Asian individuals and an undescribed c.2397C>A non-sense mutation, demonstrates genetic diversity underlying hereditary TTP, and possibly ethnic skewed mutation profiles.

Trans-cranial Doppler predicts early neurologic deterioration in anterior circulation ischemic stroke after successful endovascular treatment.

BACKGROUND: Early neurologic deterioration (END) may occur in patients with anterior circulation ischemic stroke (ACIS) after receiving endovascular treatment (EVT). Hemodynamic insufficiency, re-occlusion, and post-re-canalization hyper-perfusion are likely to play a critical role in END. We hypothesized that hemodynamic changes can predict END in patients with ACIS post-successful EVT using trans-cranial Doppler (TCD). METHODS: We utilized a prospectively maintained database of ACIS patients treated with EVT between September 2016 and June 2018 in the Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University. TCD parameters including peak systolic velocity (PSV), bilateral mean flow velocity (MFV), and pulse index (PI) were determined via the middle cerebral arteries within 72 h post-EVT. A logistic regression model was applied to detect independent predictors for END. RESULTS: Totally, 112 EVT patients were included in this study and 80/112 patients experienced successful re-canalization with <50% residual stenosis, while 17/80 (21.3%) patients suffered END, for which vasogenic cerebral edema (11/17) was considered as a leading role and followed by symptomatic intra-cranial hemorrhage (4/17) and ischemia progression (2/17). For the 80 patients, the PSV (median: 127 cm/s vs. 116 cm/s, P = 0.039), the ratio of ipsilateral-MFV/contra-lateral-MFV (iMFV/cMFV) (median: 1.29 vs. 1.02, P = 0.036) and iMFV/mean blood pressure (MBP) (median: 0.97 vs. 0.79, P = 0.008) in END patients were higher than those of non-END. Using the receiver-operating characteristic curve to obtain cut-off values for PSV, PI, iMFV/cMFV, and iMFV/MBP for END, we found that PI ≥0.85 (odds ratio: 11.03, 95% confidence interval: 1.92-63.46, P = 0.007) and iMFV/MBP ≥0.84 (odds ratio: 9.20, 95% confidence interval: 2.07-40.84, P = 0.004) were independent predictors of END in a multivariate logistic regression model, with a sensitivity of 82.4% and 76.5% and a specificity of 42.9% and 66.7%, respectively, and had the positive predictive values of 29.0% and 38.2%, and negative predictive values of 90.0% and 91.3%, with an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.57 and 0.71, respectively. CONCLUSION: TCD examination of EVT patients may be used as a real-time tool to detect END predictors, such as the higher PI and iMFV/MBP, allowing for better post-thrombectomy management in ACIS patients.

Clinical Characteristics of Children with Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Hubei, China.

Since December 2019, COVID-19 has occurred unexpectedly and emerged as a health problem worldwide. Despite the rapidly increasing number of cases in subsequent weeks, the clinical characteristics of pediatric cases are rarely described. A cross-sectional multicenter study was carried out in 10 hospitals across Hubei province. A total of 25 confirmed pediatric cases of COVID-19 were collected. The demographic data, epidemiological history, underlying diseases, clinical manifestations, laboratory and radiological data, treatments, and outcomes were analyzed. Of 25 hospitalized patients with COVID-19, the boy to girl ratio was 1.27:1. The median age was 3 years. COVID-19 cases in children aged <3 years, 3.6 years, and ≥6-years patients were 10 (40%), 6 (24%), and 9 (36%), respectively. The most common symptoms at onset of illness were fever (13 [52%]), and dry cough (11 [44%]). Chest CT images showed essential normal in 8 cases (33.3%), unilateral involvement of lungs in 5 cases (20.8%), and bilateral involvement in 11 cases (45.8%). Clinical diagnoses included upper respiratory tract infection (n=8), mild pneumonia (n=15), and critical cases (n=2). Two critical cases (8%) were given invasive mechanical ventilation, corticosteroids, and immunoglobulin. The symptoms in 24 (96%) of 25 patients were alleviated and one patient had been discharged. It was concluded that children were susceptible to COVID-19 like adults, while the clinical presentations and outcomes were more favorable in children. However, children less than 3 years old accounted for majority cases and critical cases lied in this age group, which demanded extra attentions during home caring and hospitalization treatment.

[Effect of Tongdu Shujin Decoction () plus Lijin () manipulation on degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical efficacy of Tongdu Shujin Decoction (, TSD) combined with manipulation for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis. METHODS: The clinical data of 50 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis diagnosed from October 2015 to October 2017 were retrospectively studied. Fifty patients were divided into a treatment group and a control group, 25 cases in each group. In the treatment group, 25 patients were treated by TSD plus combined manipulation, including 10 males and 15 females, with an average age of (53.43±5.26) years old, the course of disease was (6.9± 2.3) years. In the control group, 25 patients were treated by the adenosine cobalamin tablets and loxoprofen sodium tablets, including 12 males and 13 females, with an average age of (56.37±4.61) years old, the course of disease was (7.1±3.4) years. The two groups were treated for 4 weeks. After treatment, the clinical efficacy of the two groups were evaluated by the low back pain evaluation criteria (JOA) and visual analogue scale (VAS) . RESULTS: Fifty patients were followed up for 2.2 to 3.2 (2.62± 0.47) months. After treatment, JOA and VAS scores of the two groups were significantly improved compared with those before treatment, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01) , and the improvement degree of the treatment group was better than that of the control group, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01) . CONCLUSION: TSD combined with manipulation for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis has a good effect.

Human epidemiological evidence about the association between air pollution exposure and gestational diabetes mellitus: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that ambient air pollution exposure can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) significantly. In consideration of the common underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms, exposure to air pollution may also increase the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), but the current evidence was inconsistent and has not well been systematically reviewed. Our goal was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis assessing the association between air pollution exposure and GDM. METHODS: An extensive literature search was conducted in selected electronic databases for related human epidemiological studies published in English language. Summary effect estimates were calculated using random-effect models for a) risk per unit increase in continuous air pollutant concentration and b) risk of high versus low exposure level in individual study if each exposure that had been examined in ≥2 studies. We evaluated the heterogeneity using Cochran's Q test and quantified it by I2 statistic. Publication bias was also evaluated through the funnel plot when sufficient number of studies are available. RESULTS: A total of 11 studies evaluating the association between GDM and exposure to air pollution were identified finally. The summary odds ratio (OR) for incidence of GDM following a 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure during the second trimester was 1.04 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.01, 1.09) and in NOx during the first trimester was 1.03 (95%CI: 1.00, 1.07) per 10 ppb increase, while for high versus low SO2 exposure during the second trimester was 1.25 (95%CI: 1.02, 1.53). High heterogeneity among study-specific results in majority of the analyses were observed, and attributed to different exposure assessment methods, populations, study locations, and covariates adjustment. Publication bias cannot be excluded because of the inclusion of small number of studies. CONCLUSIONS: The present study supports the evidence that air pollution exposure increases the risk the GDM, albeit the existence of high heterogeneity. Further studies are necessary to elaborate the suggestive associations. These results are of public health significance since worsening air pollution in developing countries has been expected to increase the risk of GDM development.

Clinicopathologic Characteristics and Prognosis Analysis of Marjolin's Ulcer in 40 Cases.

Marjolin's ulcer (MU) is a rare but aggressive epidermoid carcinoma observed in scars or wounds. This article provides comprehensive characteristics and prognostic details of MU. Clinical data of 40 patients with MU between January 2010 and December 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common pathological type (35/40, 87.5%). Extended resection was performed to treat all cases with skin grafting or flap grafting. Follow-up duration ranged from 6 to 96 months (median, 52 months) and recurrence was noted in 9 cases. The 1-, 3- and 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were 87.2%, 87.2%, 83.2% respectively and the recurrence rate was 22.5%. Univariate analysis revealed that cause of scars (P=0.044), lesion appearance (P=0.036), ultraviolet radiation exposure (P=0.000), depth (P=0.001) and histological grade (P=0.027) had a statistically significant correlation with prognosis of MU. Multivariate analysis revealed that depth (P=0.034, RR=2.681, 95%CI: 1.077-6.674) and histological grade (P=0.008, RR=2.820, 95%CI: 1.315-6.050) were independent prognostic factors for RFS. In conclusion, superficial infiltration and high-grade differentiation predict more favorable prognosis. Careful follow-up of high-risk groups is strongly recommended to prevent recurrence and improve prognosis.

Promising clinical outcomes of sequential and "Sandwich" chemotherapy and extended involved-field intensity-modulated radiotherapy in patients with stage IE /IIE extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment for the rare subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL), nasal-type, has not been clearly defined. The purpose of the study was to investigate the efficacy of sequential and "Sandwich" chemotherapy and extended involved-field intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in patients with stage IE /IIE extranodal ENKTL, nasal-type. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-five patients with stage IE /IIE nasal-type ENKTL were enrolled in the study, including 99 patients treated with sequential chemotherapy and extended involved-field IMRT (SCRT) and 56 patients with "Sandwich" chemotherapy and extended involved-field IMRT and chemotherapy (SCRCT). All patients were treated with extended involved-field IMRT with median dose of 54.6 Gy to the primary tumor and positive lymph nodes. Ninety-four patients had Ann Arbor stage IE disease, and 61 patients had stage IIE disease. RESULTS: The 5-year rates of loco-regional recurrence (LRR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were 17.0%, 78.5%, and 84.7%, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that EBV DNA copy after treatment (normal vs elevated level) was significant prognostic factor for LRR, PFS, and OS (P < 0.001); therapeutic method (SCRT vs SCRCT) was significant prognostic factor for PFS (71.0% vs 91.8%, P = 0.011), but there was no significant effect on 5-year LRR and OS (22.2% vs 8.2%, P = 0.051 for LRR; 80.9% vs 91.8%, P = 0.199 for OS). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with SCRT, SCRCT was significantly associated with higher PFS rates and showed a trend toward improved loco-regional control. EBV DNA copy after treatment is a good index for recurrence and prognosis for stage IE /IIE ENKTL patients.

Neuroprotective effect of the Chinese medicine Tiantai No. 1 and its molecular mechanism in the senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8.

Tiantai No. 1, a Chinese medicine predominantly composed of powdered Rhizoma Gastrodiae, Radix Ginseng, and Ginkgo leaf at a ratio of 2:1:2 and dissolved in pure water, is neuroprotective in animal models of various cognitive disorders, but its molecular mechanism remains unclear. We administered Tiantai No. 1 intragastrically to senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice (a model of Alzheimer's disease) at doses of 50, 100 or 150 mg/kg per day for 8 weeks and evaluated their behavior in the Morris water maze and expression of Alzheimer's disease-related proteins in the brain. Tiantai No. 1 shortened the escape latency in the water maze training trials, and increased swimming time in the target quadrant during the spatial probe test, indicating that Tiantai No. 1 improved learning and memory in SAMP8 mice. Immunohistochemistry revealed that Tiantai No. 1 restored the proliferation potential of Ki67-positive cells in the hippocampus. In addition, mice that had received Tiantai No. 1 had fewer astrocytes, and less accumulation of amyloid-beta and phosphorylated tau. These results suggest that Tiantai No. 1 is neuroprotective in the SAMP8 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease and acts by restoring neuronal number and proliferation potential in the hippocampus, decreasing astrocyte infiltration, and reducing the accumulation of amyloid-beta and phosphorylated tau.

Non-invasive blood glucose detection system based on conservation of energy method.

The most common method used for minimizing the occurrence of diabetes complications is frequent glucose testing to adjust the insulin dose. However, using blood glucose (BG) meters presents a risk of infection. It is of great importance to develop non-invasive BG detection techniques. To realize high-accuracy, low-cost and continuous glucose monitoring, we have developed a non-invasive BG detection system using a mixed signal processor 430 (MSP430) microcontroller. This method is based on the combination of the conservation-of-energy method with a sensor integration module, which collects physiological parameters, such as the blood oxygen saturation (SPO2), blood flow velocity and heart rate. New methods to detect the basal metabolic rate (BMR) and BV are proposed, which combine the human body heat balance and characteristic signals of photoplethysmography as well dual elastic chambers theory. Four hundred clinical trials on real-time non-invasive BG monitoring under suitable experiment conditions were performed on different individuals, including diabetic patients, senior citizens and healthy adults. A multisensory information fusion model was applied to process these samples. The algorithm (we defined it as DCBPN algorithm) applied in the model combines a decision tree and back propagation neural network, which classifies the physiological and environmental parameters into three categories, and then establishes a corresponding prediction model for the three categories. The DCBPN algorithm provides an accuracy of 88.53% in predicting the BG of new samples. Thus, this system demonstrates a great potential to reliably detect BG values in a non-invasive setting.