Nesprin-1 LINC complexes recruit microtubule cytoskeleton proteins and drive pathology in Lmna-mutant striated muscle.

Mutations in LMNA, the gene encoding A-type lamins, cause laminopathies-diseases of striated muscle and other tissues. The aetiology of laminopathies has been attributed to perturbation of chromatin organization or structural weakening of the nuclear envelope (NE) such that the nucleus becomes more prone to mechanical damage. The latter model requires a conduit for force transmission to the nucleus. NE-associated Linker of Nucleoskeleton and Cytoskeleton (LINC) complexes are one such pathway. Using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats to disrupt the Nesprin-1 KASH (Klarsicht, ANC-1, Syne Homology) domain, we identified this LINC complex protein as the predominant NE anchor for microtubule cytoskeleton components, including nucleation activities and motor complexes, in mouse cardiomyocytes. Loss of Nesprin-1 LINC complexes resulted in loss of microtubule cytoskeleton proteins at the nucleus and changes in nuclear morphology and positioning in striated muscle cells, but with no overt physiological defects. Disrupting the KASH domain of Nesprin-1 suppresses Lmna-linked cardiac pathology, likely by reducing microtubule cytoskeleton activities at the nucleus. Nesprin-1 LINC complexes thus represent a potential therapeutic target for striated muscle laminopathies.

Carbon monoxide poisoning: a prediction model using meteorological factors and air pollutant.

BACKGROUND: While the influence of meteorology on carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning has been reported, few data are available on the association between air pollutants and the prediction of CO poisoning. Our objective is to explore meteorological and pollutant patterns associated with CO poisoning and to establish a predictive model. RESULTS: CO poisoning was found to be significantly associated with meteorological and pollutant patterns: low temperatures, low wind speeds, low air concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone (O38h), and high daily temperature changes and ambient CO (r absolute value range: 0.079 to 0.232, all P values < 0.01). Based on the above factors, a predictive model was established: "logitPj = aj - 0.193 * temperature - 0.228 * wind speed + 0.221 * 24 h temperature change + 1.25 * CO - 0.0176 * SO2 + 0.0008 *O38h; j = 1, 2, 3, 4; a1 = -4.12, a2 = -2.93, a3 = -1.98, a4 = -0.92." The proposed prediction model based on combined factors showed better predictive capacity than a model using only meteorological factors as a predictor. CONCLUSION: Low temperatures, wind speed, and SO2 and high daily temperature changes, O38h, and CO are related to CO poisoning. Using both meteorological and pollutant factors as predictors could help facilitate the prevention of CO poisoning.

Effect of Physical Therapy and Heel Sound Feedback on Motor Function of Lower Limbs for Patients with Stroke Based on ICF Core Set / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To study the effect of physical therapy and heel sound feedback on lower limbs motor function, mobility and activities of daily living (ADL) for stroke patients based on International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) core set. Methods:From April, 2018 to May, 2020, 113 stroke patients with motor dysfunction were divided into ischemia group (n = 67) and hemorrhagia group (n = 46) according to the cause of stroke. They received physical therapy for lower limbs and heel sound feedback for eight weeks, and assessed with ICF core set for stroke-gait, Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Lower Extremities (FMA-LE), Timed 'Up and Go' Test (TUGT), and modified Barthel index (MBI) before and after intervention. Results:The main effect of time was significant for qualifiers of ICF core set for stroke-gait, the scores of FMA-LE and MBI, and TUGT time (F > 100.59, P < 0.001), and it improved time by time as Post Hoc test. The main effect of groups was not significant (F < 2.29, P > 0.05), nor as Post Hoc test. The interactive effect between time and groups was significant for TUGT time (F = 6.45, P < 0.01), perhaps improved more in the hemorrhagia group, however, the interactive effect was not significant for the others. Conclusion:Physical therapy and heel sound feedback can improve motor function of lower limb, mobility and ADL for stroke patients.

Chest Radiographs and CTs in the Era of COVID-19: Indications, Operational Safety Considerations and Alternative Imaging Practices.

Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is a pathogen that has shown an ability for sustained community transmission. To ensure utmost safety, radiology services will need to adapt to this disease in the coming months and possibly years ahead. This will include learning how to perform radiographs and CT in a safe and sustainable manner. Due to the risk of nosocomial spread of disease, the judicious use and implementation of strict infection protocols is paramount to limit healthcare worker and patient transmission. Between 28 January 2020 and 8 June 2020, our institution performed 12,034 radiographs and 178 CT scans for suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients. As of 8 June 2020, there have been no documented instances of healthcare staff acquiring COVID-19 during the course of work. In this article, we present the indications and operational considerations used by our institution to safely image patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. Alternative practices for imaging radiographs are also discussed.

Effects of Bi-NTO complex on thermal behaviors, nonisothermal reaction kinetics and burning rates of NG/TEGDN/NC propellant.

A bismuth 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (Bi-NTO) complex was prepared and characterized, and its effects on the thermal behaviors, non-isothermal decomposition reaction kinetics, and burning rates of the double-base (DB) propellant containing the mixed ester of triethyleneglycol dinitrate (TEGDN) and nitroglycerin (NG) with Bi-NTO complex as a ballistic modifier were investigated by thermogravimetry and derivative thermogravimetry (TG-DTG), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results show that Bi-NTO complex can increase the decomposition heat by 140 J g(-1), and it can change the decomposition reaction mechanism function, the kinetic parameters and kinetic equation of the propellant under 0.1 MPa. Combustion experiment shows that Bi-NTO complex can increase the burning rate and reduce the pressure exponent of the NG/TEGDN/NC propellant effectively, with the increase of the catalysis efficiency by 40%.

Effect of platelet-derived growth factor-BB on the healing and adhesion of rat tendon / 中华烧伤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) gene transfected rat tendon cells on the healing and adhesion of rat tendon.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A model of heel tendon injury was reproduced in 90 rats. They were randomly divided into three groups: experiment group [with injection of 20 µL rat tendon cells (1 × 10(8) cell/mL) transfected with PDGF-BB gene into the injured tendon ends], control group [with injection of 20 µL non-transfected rat tendon cells (1 × 10(8) cell/mL) into the injured tendon ends], and blank control group (without treatment), with 30 rats in each group. Heel tendon ends were sutured with 6-0 thread by modified Kessler method and immobilized with tube-type plaster of Paris cast for one week. Rat tendon cells transfected with PDGF-BB gene were identified with gene sequencing and RT-PCR. Tendon tissue sample was harvested 3 days or 1, 2, 4, 8 week(s) after operation (POD or POW) for morphology and histology observation, and bio-mechanical test. The degree of tendon adhesion, the number of Fb and collagen fiber content in tissue, maximum tensile strength and sliding distance of tendon, and concentration of PDGF-BB in tendon tissue among groups were compared. Data were processed with t test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) PDGF-BB mRNA expressed stably in PDGF-BB gene transfected tendon cells as testified by RT-PCR and gene sequencing. (2) Obvious edema and inflammatory cells infiltration were observed in each group on POD 3, but they were less pronounced in experiment group. And the changes in all groups were ameliorated gradually. The difference in grading of tendon adhesion was not obvious among groups in POW 4 and 8. (3) Fb number in experiment group in POW 2, 4, 8 was respectively fewer than that of control group and blank control group (with t value respectively 2.94, 4.26, 5.76 and 4.00, 3.83, 6.12, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). (4) Collagen fiber content in rat tendon of experimental group in POW 4 was (43 ± 6)%, which was significantly lower as compared with that of control group [(55 ± 8)%] and blank control group [(61 ± 8)%] (with t value respectively 2.94 and 4.41, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). (5) The largest sliding distance of tendon in experiment group in POW 4 and 8 were (3.25 ± 0.33) and (3.65 ± 0.21) mm, which were significantly longer than those in control group [(2.29 ± 0.40), (2.21 ± 0.37) mm] and blank control group [(2.01 ± 0.23), (1.89 ± 0.24) mm] (with t value respectively 4.53, 8.29 and 7.55, 13.52, P values all below 0.01). There was no statistical significant difference among the three groups in the maximum tensile strength of tendon (with t value respectively 0.41, 0.41, 0.77, 0.72, P values all above 0.05). (6) Content of PDGF-BB in tendon tissue of experimental group on POD 3 and in POW 2, 4 were (12.95 ± 1.36), (8.32 ± 0.94), (9.10 ± 1.06) ng/mL, all significantly higher than those in control group [(1.13 ± 0.21), (2.07 ± 0.48), (3.85 ± 0.39) ng/mL] (with t value respectively 21.04, 14.50, 11.39, P values all below 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>PDGF-BB gene transfected rat tendon cells can promote endogenous healing of tendon and prevent tendon adhesion.</p>

Effect of platelet-derived growth factor-BB on proliferation of tendon cells cultured in vitro / 中华烧伤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) in different concentrations on proliferation of tendon cells cultured in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rat tendon cells were cultured and identified in vitro. The rat tendon cells were cultured in PDGF-BB nutrient solution in different concentrations. They were then divided into 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 ng/mL PDGF-BB groups (cultured with 0.1 mL 0.5% PBS with addition of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 ng/mL PDGF-BB respectively). Tendon cells in control group were cultured with 0.1 mL 0.5% FBS. Proliferation of tendon cells was detected by MTT test. The absorbance values of tendon cells in control group and 20 ng/mL PDGF-BB group before culture and after cultured for 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 hs were determined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The isolated cells were identified to be rat tendon cells as they were Type I collagen staining positive and TypeIII collagen staining negative. Compared with that of control group, the absorbance values of other groups were all increased, except for that of 250 ng/mL PDGF-BB group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Besides, the absorbance value rose gradually with the increase of the concentration of PDGF-BB on, and then diminished gradually with the increase of the concentration of PDGF-BB from 20 ng/mL on. Tendon cells in 20 ng/ml PDGF-BB group began to increase in number when cultured for 12 hs, and it reached the highest level (0.53 +/- 0.04) at 48 h, which were obviously higher than those of control group at 24 - 72 h (P < 0.01). The absorbance value of tendon cells in 20 ng/mL PDGF-BB group was significantly higher than that of control group at 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 h after culture (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>PDGF-BB can promote the proliferation of tendon cells in a definite range of concentration and time.</p>

Classification of breast microcalcifications: radiological-pathological correlation / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Microcalcifications play a very important role in detection of breast cancer, especially early stage breast cancer. However, ambiguity still exists in understanding the relationship between radiological and pathological characteristics of microcalcifications. The definitive indication of a biopsy has not been established. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship of classification of breast microcalcifications using full-field digital mammography to the pathological characteristics.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>For all the women an open biopsy had been conducted. One hundred and three mammographs showing clustered microcalcifications from 98 consecutive patients were reviewed along with their pathological records. To investigate the value of each criterion for the detection of cancer, univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on the entire sample and then on morphological subgroups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Pathological examination showed 67 malignant lesions (65.05%) and 36 benign lesions (34.95%). In the univariate analysis, four radiological variables were significant: morphological type (P = 0.001), complicated by a mass (P = 0.002), number of microcalcifications per cluster (P = 0.02) and linear or triangular distribution of clusters (P = 0.009). In the multivariate analysis, two criteria remained significant: morphological type (P < 0.001) and complicated by a mass (P = 0.001). The percentage of malignancy was 37.0%, 60.0%, 78.8%, and 88.9%, respectively, for type 2 (regularly punctiform), type 3 (dusty), type 4 (irregularly punctiform) and type 5 (vermicular) microcalcifications (Le Gal's classification). The malignancy was 78.6% for microcalcifications complicated by a mass and 48.9% without a mass. The difference was significant (P < 0.05). The relationship between morphological types of microcalcifications and the pathological characteristics was also studied. In subgroups, type 3 (dusty) microcalcifications complicated by a mass (P = 0.001) or with the number of microcalcifications more than 10 (P = 0.024); and type 2 (regularly punctiform) with a diameter of the area over 20 mm (P = 0.024) or complicated by a mass (P = 0.025) were statistically significant as criteria for malignant tumour.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Most cases of microcalcifications of type 4 or 5; type 3 complicated by a mass or with the number of microcalcifications more than 10; type 2 complicated by a mass or with a diameter of the area over 20 mm; are indicative of cancer. Open biopsy is recommended to acquire definitive pathological diagnosis for these cases. For the remainder of the morphological types, stereotaxic biopsy or followup should be considered.</p>