Effects of spatial configuration and fundamental frequency on speech intelligibility in multiple-talker conditions in the ipsilateral horizontal plane and median planea).

Spatial separation and fundamental frequency (F0) separation are effective cues for improving the intelligibility of target speech in multi-talker scenarios. Previous studies predominantly focused on spatial configurations within the frontal hemifield, overlooking the ipsilateral side and the entire median plane, where localization confusion often occurs. This study investigated the impact of spatial and F0 separation on intelligibility under the above-mentioned underexplored spatial configurations. The speech reception thresholds were measured through three experiments for scenarios involving two to four talkers, either in the ipsilateral horizontal plane or in the entire median plane, utilizing monotonized speech with varying F0s as stimuli. The results revealed that spatial separation in symmetrical positions (front-back symmetry in the ipsilateral horizontal plane or front-back, up-down symmetry in the median plane) contributes positively to intelligibility. Both target direction and relative target-masker separation influence the masking release attributed to spatial separation. As the number of talkers exceeds two, the masking release from spatial separation diminishes. Nevertheless, F0 separation remains as a remarkably effective cue and could even facilitate spatial separation in improving intelligibility. Further analysis indicated that current intelligibility models encounter difficulties in accurately predicting intelligibility in scenarios explored in this study.

Unraveling the complex pathophysiology of white matter hemorrhage in intracerebral stroke: A single-cell RNA sequencing approach.

AIM: This study aims to elucidate the cellular dynamics and pathophysiology of white matter hemorrhage (WMH) in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). METHODS: Using varying doses of collagenase IV, a consistent rat ICH model characterized by pronounced WMH was established. Verification was achieved through behavioral assays, hematoma volume, and histological evaluations. Single-cell suspensions from the hemorrhaged region of the ipsilateral striatum on day three post-ICH were profiled using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Gene Ontology (GO) and gene set variation analysis (GSVA) further interpreted the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). RESULTS: Following WMH induction, there was a notable increase in the percentage of myeloid cells and oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), alongside a reduction in the percentage of neurons, microglia, and oligodendrocytes (OLGs). Post-ICH WMH showed homeostatic microglia transitioning into pro-, anti-inflammatory, and proliferative states, influencing lipid metabolic pathways. Myeloid cells amplified chemokine expression, linked with ferroptosis pathways. Macrophages exhibited M1 and M2 phenotypes, and post-WMH, macrophages displayed a predominance of M2 phenotypes, characterized by their anti-inflammatory properties. A surge in OPC proliferation aligned with enhanced ribosomal signaling, suggesting potential reparative responses post-WMH. CONCLUSION: The study offers valuable insights into WMH's complex pathophysiology following ICH, highlighting the significance and utility of scRNA-seq in understanding the cellular dynamics and contributing to future cerebrovascular research.

Engineered bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes loaded with miR302 through the cardiomyocyte specific peptide can reduce myocardial ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNA (miRNA)-based therapies have shown great potential in myocardial repair following myocardial infarction (MI). MicroRNA-302 (miR302) has been reported to exert a protective effect on MI. However, miRNAs are easily degraded and ineffective in penetrating cells, which limit their clinical applications. Exosomes, which are small bioactive molecules, have been considered as an ideal vehicle for miRNAs delivery due to their cell penetration, low immunogenicity and excellent stability potential. Herein, we explored cardiomyocyte-targeting exosomes as vehicles for delivery of miR302 into cardiomyocyte to potentially treat MI. METHODS: To generate an efficient exosomal delivery system that can target cardiomyocytes, we engineered exosomes with cardiomyocyte specific peptide (CMP, WLSEAGPVVTVRALRGTGSW). Afterwards, the engineered exosomes were characterized and identified using transmission electron microscope (TEM) and Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA). Later on, the miR302 mimics were loaded into the engineered exosomes via electroporation technique. Subsequently, the effect of the engineered exosomes on myocardial ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury was evaluated in vitro and in vivo, including MTT, ELISA, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), western blot, TUNNEL staining, echocardiogram and hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. RESULTS: Results of in vitro experimentation showed that DSPE-PEG-CMP-EXO could be more efficiently internalized by H9C2 cells than unmodified exosomes (blank-exosomes). Importantly, compared with the DSPE-PEG-CMP-EXO group, DSPE-PEG-CMP-miR302-EXO significantly upregulated the expression of miR302, while exosomes loaded with miR302 could enhance proliferation of H9C2 cells. Western blot results showed that the DSPE-PEG-CMP-miR302-EXO significantly increased the protein level of Ki67 and Yap, which suggests that DSPE-PEG-CMP-miR302-EXO enhanced the activity of Yap, the principal downstream effector of Hippo pathway. In vivo, DSPE-PEG-CMP-miR302-EXO improved cardiac function, attenuated myocardial apoptosis and inflammatory response, as well as reduced infarct size significantly. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our findings suggest that CMP-engineered exosomes loaded with miR302 was internalized by H9C2 cells, an in vitro model for cardiomyocytes coupled with potential enhancement of the therapeutic effects on myocardial I/R injury.

Anterior Chamber Snowflake After Keratoplasty.

A 62-year-old woman presented with painless vision reduction and eye redness in the right eye for a week. Nine months after keratoplasty, she presented with diffuse tiny nodules all over the iris and a dense opacity in the anterior vitreous body. What would you do next?

Corneal Descemetocele Management with Multi-Layer Amniotic Membrane Transplantation in an Ocular Graft-versus-Host Disease Case.

Background: Chronic ocular graft-versus-host disease (oGVHD) is a common ocular complication following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), characterized by progressive inflammation of the ocular surface and refractory dry eye. In severe cases, sterile corneal perforation can occur, which poses a significant challenge, due to the low survival rate of grafts after corneal transplantation. Case Presentation: A 47-year-old female presented to our hospital with persistent dryness, foreign body sensation, and blurred vision in her left eye. Diagnosis of graft-versus-host disease with corneal descemetocele in the left eye was made after detailed history review and thorough examination. Multi-layer amniotic membrane transplantation was performed in the affected eye, resulting in amelioration of the patient's symptoms. This amelioration of symptoms provided the patient with a level of comfort that permitted additional time while awaiting corneal transplantation. Conclusions: We report a successful case of multi-layer amniotic membrane transplantation for the management of corneal descemetocele following allo-HSCT.

[Retracted] miR­218 inhibits the migration and invasion of glioma U87 cells through the Slit2­Robo1 pathway.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.3892/ol.2015.2904.].

Identification of hub genes associated with oxidative stress in heart failure and their correlation with immune infiltration using bioinformatics analysis.

Both oxidative stress and the immune response are associated with heart failure (HF). In this study, our aim was to identify the hub genes associated with oxidative stress andimmune infiltration of HF by bioinformatics analysis and experimental verification. The expression profile of GSE36074 was obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened by GEO2R. The genes related to oxidative stress were extracted from GeneCards websites. Then, the functional enrichment analysis of oxidative stress-related DEGs (OSRDEGs) was performed using DAVID. In addition, we constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network using the STRING database and screened for hub genes with Cytoscape software. We also used CIBERSORTx to analyze immune infiltration in mice heart tissues between the TAC and Sham groups and explored the correlation between immune cells and hub genes. Finally, the hub genes were carried out using reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), immunohistochemistry (IHC) and western blot. A total of 136 OSRDEGs were found in GSE36074. Enrichment analysis revealed that these OSRDEGs were enriched in the mitochondrion, HIF-1, FoxO, MAPK and TNF signaling pathway. The five hub genes (Mapk14, Hif1a, Myc, Hsp90ab1, and Hsp90aa1) were screened by the cytoHubba plugin. The correlation analysis between immune cells and hub genes showed that Mapk14 was positively correlated with Th2 Cells, while Hif1a and Hsp90ab1exhibited a negative correlation with Th2 Cells; Myc exhibited a negative correlation with Monocytes; whereas, Hsp90aa1 was negatively correlated with NK Resting. Finally, five hub genes were validated by RT-qPCR, IHC and western blot. Mapk14, Hif1a, Myc, Hsp90ab1, and Hsp90aa1 are hub genes of HF and may play a critical role in the oxidative stress of HF. This study may provide new targets for the treatment of HF, and the potential immunotherapies are worthy of further study.

Intra-operative optical coherence tomography in corneal lamellar graft reinforcement for Boston type I keratoprosthesis corneal melt.

Corneal melt is a sight-threatening complication of Boston type 1 keratoprosthesis (KPro). Severe corneal melt may result in hypotony, choroidal hemorrhage, and even spontaneous extrusion of the KPro, which may lead to a poor visual prognosis. Lamellar keratoplasty is one surgical option for the management of mild corneal melt, especially when a new KPro is not available. Herein, we present a new surgical technique application, intra-operative optical coherence tomography (iOCT) for the management of cornea graft melt after Boston type 1 KPro implantation. The visual acuity and the intra-ocular maintained stable at 6 months post-operatively, and the KPro remained in place without corneal melting, epithelial ingrowth, or infection. iOCT may prove to be a real-time, non-invasive, and accurate treatment for corneal lamellar dissection and suturing beneath the anterior plate of the KPro, which can effectively help the surgeon to make surgical decisions and reduce post-operative complications.

Prognostic significance of white blood cell to platelet ratio in delayed cerebral ischemia and long-term clinical outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Objectives: The ratio of white blood cell to platelet count (WPR) is considered a promising biomarker in some diseases. However, its prediction of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) and prognosis after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) has not been studied. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the predictive value of WPR in DCI after aSAH and its impact on 90-day functional outcome. Materials and methods: This study retrospectively analyzed the data of blood biochemical parameters in 447 patients with aSAH at early admission. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine the risk factors for DCI. According to multivariate analysis results, a nomogram for predicting DCI is developed and verified by R software. The influence of WPR on 90-day modified Rankin score (mRS) was also analyzed. Results: Among 447 patients with aSAH, 117 (26.17%) developed DCI during hospitalization. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that WPR [OR = 1.236; 95%CI: 1.058-1.444; p = 0.007] was an independent risk factor for DCI. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the predictive ability of WPR for DCI, and the cut-off value of 5.26 (AUC 0.804, 95% CI: 0.757-0.851, p < 0.001). The ROC curve (AUC 0.875, 95% CI: 0.836-0.913, p < 0.001) and calibration curve (mean absolute error = 0.017) showed that the nomogram had a good predictive ability for the occurrence of DCI. Finally, we also found that high WPR levels at admission were closely associated with poor prognosis. Conclusion: WPR level at admission is a novel serum marker for DCI and the poor prognosis after aSAH. A nomogram model containing early WPR will be of great value in predicting DCI after aSAH.

A correlation and prediction study of the poor prognosis of high-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage from the neutrophil percentage to albumin ratio.

OBJECTIVE: Inflammatory response and nutritional status play crucial roles in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). This study mainly investigated the correlation between neutrophil percentage to albumin ratio (NPAR) and clinical prognosis in aSAH patients with high-grade Hunt-Hess and its predictive model. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted based on 806 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage who were admitted to the studied hospital from January 2017 to December 2021. Modified Fisher grade and Hunt-Hess grade were obtained according to their status at admission and hematological parameters within 48 h after hemorrhage. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted to evaluate the relationship between NPAR and the clinical prognosis of patients with aSAH. And propensity matching analysis of patients with aSAH in the severe group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the optimal cut-off value of NPAR at admission to predict prognosis and its sensitivity and specificity. The nomogram diagram and Calibration curve were further used to examine the prediction model. RESULTS: According to the mRS score at discharge, 184 (22.83 %) cases were classified as having poor outcomes (mRS > 2). Through multivariate logistic regression analysis, it was found that the Modified Fisher grade at admission, Hunt-Hess grade, eosinophils, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and NPAR were independent risk factors for poor outcome in patients with aSAH (p < 0.05). The NPAR of aSAH patients with poor outcomes in the high-grade group was significantly higher than that in the low-grade group. The optimal cut-off value for NPAR was 21.90, the area under the ROC curve was 0.780 (95 % CI 0.700 - 0.861, p < 0.001). The Calibration curves show that the predicted probability of the drawn nomogram is overall consistent with the actual probability. (Mean absolute error = 0.031) CONCLUSION: The NPAR value of patients with aSAH at admission is significantly correlated with Hunt-Hess grade in a positive manner, namely, the higher the Hunt-Hess grade, the higher the NPAR value, and the worse the prognosis. Findings indicate that early NPAR value can be used as a feasible biomarker to predict the clinical prognosis of patients with aSAH.

Fear stress promotes glioma progression through inhibition of ferroptosis by enhancing FSP1 stability

Purpose Patients diagnosed with cancer often suffer from emotional stressors, such as anxiety, depression, and fear of death. However, whether fear stress could influence the glioma progression is still unclear. Methods Xenograft glioma animal models were established in nude mice. Tumor-bearing mice were subjected to fear stress by living closely with cats and then their depressive behaviors were measured using an open field test. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, the TUNEL staining and immunochemical staining were used to detect the histopathological changes of tumor tissues. Gene expression profiling was used to screen the aberrant gene expression. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation was used to identify the RNA m6A level. Gene expression was measured by western blot and real-time PCR, respectively. Results We found that fear stress promoted glioma tumor progression in mice. Fear stress-induced upregulation of METTL3 and FSP1, increased m6A level of glioma tumor tissues, and inhibited ferroptosis in glioma progression, which were reversed by knockdown of METTL3 and FSP1 in vivo. In addition, we found that when iFSP1 (a ferroptosis inducer by targeting inhibition of FSP1) was introduced to glioma cells, the cells viability of glioma significantly was decreased and ferroptosis was enhanced in glioma cells. Conclusions Fear stress-induced upregulation of METTL3 stabilized FSP1 mRNA by m6A modification, leading to tumor progression through inhibition of ferroptosis. Our study provides a new understanding of psychological effects on glioma development, and new insights for glioma therapy (AU)

Disrupting methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 expression induces the transformation of induced pluripotent stem cell cardiomyocytes into pacemaker-like cells by insulin gene enhancer binding protein 1.

BACKGROUND: The experiment will explore whether interfering with the expression of methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MecP2) can enhance the ability of insulin gene enhancer binding protein 1 (ISL1) to induce iPSC-CMs to differentiate into pacemaker-like cells. METHODS: Differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into cardiomyocytes (CMs) can be induced via the regulation of the Wnt signaling pathway. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, and patch-clamp technique were used to analyze the ability of ISL1 to induce the transformation of iPSC-CMs into pacemaker-like cells. Calcium spark, patch-clamp technique, and real-time qPCR were used to verify whether disrupting the expression of MeCP2 enhanced this ability of ISL1 to induce the differentiation of iPSC-CMs into pacemaker cells. Transplant pacemaker-like cardiomyocytes into the myocardium of mice to observe whether the pacemaker cells can survive in the tissue for a long time. RESULTS: RT-qPCR and patch-clamp analyses showed that overexpression of ISL1 induced the successful differentiation of iPSC-CMs into pacemaker cells. ISL1-overexpressing pacemaker-like cells possessed typical characteristics of pacemaker morphology, including action potential and If inward current. Chromatin immunoprecipitation results showed that MeCP2 bound to the promoter region of HCN4. Following disruption of MeCP2 expression, the gene expression of sinoatrial node-specific transcription factors, If inward current, and cardiac rhythm changes in iPSC-CMs resembled those of sinoatrial node pacemaker cells. Therefore, ISL1 induced the differentiation of iPSC-CMs into pacemaker-like cells, and knockdown of MeCP2 increased this effect. Frozen section results showed that surviving pacemaker-like cells could still be observed in myocardial tissue after 45 days. CONCLUSIONS: Experiments have found that interfering with the expression of MeCP2 can increase the ability of ISL1 to induce iPSC-CM cells to differentiate into pacemaker-like cells. And the pacemaker-like cells obtained in this experiment can survive in myocardial tissue for a long time.

Pediatric Chemical and Thermal Ocular Injuries Requiring Hospitalization in South China.

PURPOSE: To study the clinical characteristics of children with severe ocular chemical or thermal injuries in South China and evaluate prognostic factors affecting final visual acuity (VA). METHODS: A five-year retrospective study was conducted on pediatric patients who were first admitted to Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center with severe chemical or thermal ocular injuries. Data collected and analyzed comprised socioeconomic and socio-demographic data, details regarding their injury, subsequent treatment, and visual outcomes. RESULTS: Of the 105 children (121 eyes), severe ocular chemical and thermal injuries in South China were prevalent in preschool children (n = 51, 58.1%), predominantly male (n = 82, 78.1%), and primarily children in rural areas (n = 98, 93.3%). Seventy-one eyes (78.9%) had a final VA <0.05, and multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that initial VA after injury (OR = 0.47), the maternal education level (OR = 0.23), and monthly household income (OR = 0.31) were significantly associated with final VA. CONCLUSION: Final VA was associated with the initial VA, the maternal level of education, and family income; necessitating an increased provision of public education to children from low-income families, especially in rural areas.

Fear stress promotes glioma progression through inhibition of ferroptosis by enhancing FSP1 stability.

PURPOSE: Patients diagnosed with cancer often suffer from emotional stressors, such as anxiety, depression, and fear of death. However, whether fear stress could influence the glioma progression is still unclear. METHODS: Xenograft glioma animal models were established in nude mice. Tumor-bearing mice were subjected to fear stress by living closely with cats and then their depressive behaviors were measured using an open field test. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, the TUNEL staining and immunochemical staining were used to detect the histopathological changes of tumor tissues. Gene expression profiling was used to screen the aberrant gene expression. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation was used to identify the RNA m6A level. Gene expression was measured by western blot and real-time PCR, respectively. RESULTS: We found that fear stress promoted glioma tumor progression in mice. Fear stress-induced upregulation of METTL3 and FSP1, increased m6A level of glioma tumor tissues, and inhibited ferroptosis in glioma progression, which were reversed by knockdown of METTL3 and FSP1 in vivo. In addition, we found that when iFSP1 (a ferroptosis inducer by targeting inhibition of FSP1) was introduced to glioma cells, the cells viability of glioma significantly was decreased and ferroptosis was enhanced in glioma cells. CONCLUSIONS: Fear stress-induced upregulation of METTL3 stabilized FSP1 mRNA by m6A modification, leading to tumor progression through inhibition of ferroptosis. Our study provides a new understanding of psychological effects on glioma development, and new insights for glioma therapy.

Chronic exposure to IQOS results in impaired pulmonary function and lung tissue damage in mice.

The use of IQOS brand heated tobacco products (HTPs) is increasing worldwide; however, little is known about the long-term effects of HTPs aerosol exposure on the lungs. Herein, we exposed C57BL/6 J mice for 24 weeks to clean air, IQOS aerosol, or cigarette smoke, and determined pulmonary function, lung tissue pathology, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Compared with the control group mice, IQOS group mice showed substantially decreased weight and lung function. Levels of IL-6 and TNF-a, as well as oxidative stress markers, were comparable to those found in the cigarette group. In addition, hematoxylin and eosin staining showed that the alveolar space was enlarged and that emphysema had formed in the IQOS group. Masson staining showed that collagen deposition areas were substantially increased in the airway walls in the IQOS group than in the control group. Immunohistochemical staining showed epithelial-mesenchymal transition in the airways of mice in the IQOS group. In conclusion, chronic exposure to IQOS aerosol results in impaired pulmonary function and lung tissue damage; hence, concern should be raised regarding the long-term safety of this product.

Role of Estrogen-Related Receptor γ and PGC-1α/SIRT3 Pathway in Early Brain Injury After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Estrogen-related receptors (ERRs) were shown to play an important role in the regulation of free radical-mediated pathology. This study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of ERRγ activation against early brain injury (EBI) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and the potential underlying mechanisms. In a rat model of SAH, the time course of ERRs and SIRT3 and the effects of ERRγ activation were investigated. ERRγ agonist DY131, selective inhibitor GSK5182, or SIRT3 selective inhibitor 3-TYP were administered intracerebroventricularly (icv) in the rat model of SAH. The use of 3-TYP was for validating SIRT3 as the downstream signaling of ERRγ activation. Post-SAH assessments included SAH grade, neurological score, Western blot, Nissl staining, and immunofluorescence staining in rats. In an vitro study, the ERRγ agonist DY131 and ERRγ siRNA were administered to primary cortical neurons stimulated by Hb, after which cell viability and neuronal deaths were accessed. Lastly, the brain ERRγ levels and neuronal death were accessed in SAH patients. We found that brain ERRγ expressions were significantly increased, but the expression of SIRT3 dramatically decreased after SAH in rats. In the brains of SAH rats, ERRγ was expressed primarily in neurons, astrocytes, and microglia. The activation of ERRγ with DY131 significantly improved the short-term and long-term neurological deficits, accompanied by reductions in oxidative stress and neuronal apoptosis at 24 h after SAH in rats. DY131 treatment significantly increased the expressions of PGC-1α, SIRT3, and Bcl-2 while downregulating the expressions of 4-HNE and Bax. ERRγ antagonist GSK5182 and SIRT3 inhibitor 3-TYP abolished the neuroprotective effects of ERRγ activation in the SAH rats. An in vitro study showed that Hb stimulation significantly increased intracellular oxidative stress in primary cortical neurons, and DY131 reduced such elevations. Primary cortical neurons transfected with the ERRγ siRNA exhibited notable apoptosis and abolished the protective effect of DY131. The examination of SAH patients' brain samples revealed increases in ERRγ expressions and neuronal apoptosis marker CC3. We concluded that ERRγ activation with DY131 ameliorated oxidative stress and neuronal apoptosis after the experimental SAH. The effects were, at least in part, through the ERRγ/PGC-1α/SIRT3 signaling pathway. ERRγ may serve as a novel therapeutic target to ameliorate EBI after SAH.

Isolation of Swine Bone Marrow Lin-/CD45-/CD133 + Cells and Cardio-protective Effects of its Exosomes.

BACKGROUND: The identification in murine bone marrow (BM) of CD133 + /Lin-/CD45- cells, possessing several features of pluripotent stem cells, encouraged us to investigate if similar population of cells could be also isolated from the swine BM. Heart failure is the terminal stage of many cardiovascular diseases, and its key pathological basis is cardiac fibrosis (CF). Research showed that stem cell derived exosomes may play a critical role in cardiac fibrosis. The effect of exosomes (Exos) on CF has remained unclear. OBJECTIVE: To establish an isolation and amplification method of CD133 + /Lin-/CD45- cells from newbron swine BM in vitro, explore an highly efficient method to enrich swine bone marrow derived CD133 + /Lin-/CD45- cells and probe into their biological characteristics further. Furher more, to extract exosomes from it and explore its effect on CF. METHODS: The mononuclear cells isolated from swine bone marrow by red blood cell (RBC) lysing buffer were coated by adding FcR blocking solution and coupled with CD133 antibody immunomagnetic beads, obtaining CD133 + cell group via Magnetic Activated Cell Sorting (MACS). In steps, the CD133 + /Lin-/CD45- cells were collected by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) labeled with CD133, Lin and CD45 antibodies, which were cultured and amplified in vitro. The biological features of CD133 + /Lin-/CD45- cells were studied in different aspects, including morphological trait observed with inverted microscope, ultrastructural characteristics observed under transmission electron microscope, expression of pluripotent markersidentified by immunofluorescent staining and Alkaline phosphatase staining. The Exos were extracted using a sequential centrifugation approach and its effects on CF were analyzed in Angiotensin II (Ang-II) induced-cardiac fibrosis in vivo. Rats in each group were treated for 4 weeks, and 2D echocardiography was adopted to evaluate the heart function. The degree of cardiac fibrosis was assessed by Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) and Masson's trichrome staining. RESULTS: The CD133 + /Lin-/CD45- cells accounted for about 0.2%-0.5% of the total mononuclear cells isolated from swine bone marrow. The combination of MACS and FACS to extract CD133 + /Lin-/CD45- cells could improved efficiency and reduced cell apoptosis. The CD133 + /Lin-/CD45- cells featured typical traits of pluripotent stem cells, the nucleus is large, mainly composed of euchromatin, with less cytoplasm and larger nucleoplasmic ratio, which expressed pluripotent markers (SSEA-1, Oct-4, Nanog and Sox-2) and alkaline phosphatase staining was positive.Animal experiment indicated that the cardiac injury related indexes (BNP、cTnI、CK-MB and TNF-α), the expression of key gene Smad3 and the degree of cardiac fibrosis in Exo treatment group were significantly reduced compared with the control group. 4 weeks after the treatment, cardiac ejection fraction (EF) value in the model group showed a remarkable decrease, indicating the induction of HF model. While Exo elevated the EF values, demonstrating cardio-protective effects. CONCLUSION: The CD133 + /Lin-/CD45- cells derived from swine bone marrow were successfully isolated and amplified, laying a good foundation for further research on this promising therapeutic cell. The Exos may be a promising potential treatment strategy for CF.

Mid-term efficacy grading evaluation and predictive factors of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery for painful bone metastases: a multi-center study.

OBJECTIVES: MR imaging-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) is an emerging non-invasive treatment. It is helpful in investigating the mid-term grading efficacy and safety of MRgFUS, and possible risk factors in participants with painful bone metastases. METHODS: This four-center prospective study enrolled 96 participants between June 2016 and May 2019 with painful bone metastases. The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), Brief Pain Inventory-Quality of Life (BPI-QoL) score, morphine equivalent daily dose (MEDD), and the adverse events (AEs) were recorded before and at 1 week, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months after MRgFUS. The repeated ANOVA tests were used to analyze the change in NRS and BPI-QoL, and logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the possible risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 82 participants completed the 3-month follow-up period. And 16 (19.5%) participants were complete responders (CR), 46 (56.1%) participants were effective responders (ER), and the other 20 (24.4%) participants were non-responders (NR). The NRS (2.67 ± 2.47 at 3 months compared to 6.38 ± 1.70 before treatment) and BPI-QoL score (3.11 ± 2.51 at 3 months compared to 5.40 ± 1.85 before treatment) significantly decreased after the treatment at all time points (p < 0.001). Eleven adverse events were recorded and they were all cured within 1 to 52 days after treatment. The non-perfused volume (NPV) ratio (p = 0.001) and the bone metastases lesion type (p = 0.025) were the key risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: MRgFUS can be used as a non-invasive, effective, and safe modality to treat painful bone metastases. NPV ratio and the lesion type may be used as affecting factors to predict the mid-term efficacy of MRgFUS. KEY POINTS: • MRgFUS can be considered a non-invasive, effective, and safe modality to treat painful bone metastases. • The NRS and BPI-QoL score at 1 week, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months all decreased significantly (p < 0.001) after receiving MRgFUS. Among 82 participants, 16 (19.5%) were complete responders, 46 (56.1%) were effective responders, and the other 20 (24.4%) were non-responders. • According to logistic regression analysis, non-perfused volume ratio and the bone metastases lesion type were the affecting factors to predict the mid-term efficacy of MRgFUS. The adjusted OR of non-perfused volume ratio was 0.86 (p = 0.001), and osteoblastic lesion type was 0.06 (p = 0.025).

Corrigendum: Clinical value and prognosis of C reactive protein to lymphocyte ratio in severe aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.868764.].