Low neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios predict favorable outcomes after endovascular treatment in acute basilar artery occlusion: subgroup analysis of the BASILAR registry.

BACKGROUND: Recently, the BAOCHE trial and ATTENTION trial registry have demonstrated the efficacy of endovascular treatment (EVT) in patients with acute basilar artery occlusion (BAO), however, the proportion of patients with favorable post-EVT outcomes remains low. The present study aimed to investigate the individual and joint prognostic values of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in patients with acute BAO who have undergone EVT. METHODS: We enrolled patients who underwent EVT from the BASILAR registry. Patients were divided into the following groups based on their modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores at 90 days: favorable-outcome (mRS score: 0-3) and poor-outcome (mRS score: 4-6) groups. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to analyze the association of NLR and PLR with favorable post-EVT outcomes. RESULTS: In total, 585 patients with EVT were recruited. Of these, 189 and 396 patients were in the favorable-outcome and poor-outcome groups, respectively. According to the multivariable logistic regression analyses, both NLR (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.950; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.920-0.981; P = 0.002) and PLR (aOR, 0.997; 95% CI, 0.995-0.999; P = 0.002) were related to favorable post-EVT outcomes in patients with acute BAO. The optimal cutoff values for the NLR and PLR were 7.75 and 191, respectively. Furthermore, stratified analysis using the multivariable logistic regression model revealed that both NLR and PLR (NLR values ≥ 7.75 and PLR values ≥ 191) were associated with a low rate of favorable outcomes (aOR, 0.292; 95% CI, 0.173-0.494; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Low NLR and PLR were both associated with favorable post-EVT outcomes in patients with acute BAO. Furthermore, the combined value of both inflammatory markers is potentially reliable in predicting clinical post-EVT outcomes.

Formation of ultracold 39K133Cs molecules via Feshbach optimized photoassociation.

A Feshbach optimized photoassociation (FOPA) process for preparing ultracold excited-state 39K133Cs molecules is studied theoretically. Under the joint action of the magnetic field and short laser pulse, the colliding atoms in a superposition state composed of eight hyperfine components are converted into a molecule in the vibrational level of the excited state via two transition processes, the transition between singlet states and the transition between triplet states. The association efficiency can be significantly enhanced by taking advantage of Feshbach resonance. At different resonance positions, different hyperfine components of the superposition state dominate over the FOPA process, and the quantum interference displays different behaviors. Compared with the FOPA process only including a single hyperfine component, the quantum interference in the FOPA process containing all hyperfine components has a visible effect on the association efficiency.

The modulating action of electric field on magnetically tuned Feshbach resonance.

We investigate the modulating action of an external electric field on the magnetically tuned Feshbach resonance in ultracold heteronuclear atomic collision by using the multichannel quantum-defect theory (MQDT). The coupling between different partial wave states induced by an electric field is included into the singlet and triplet quantum defect matrices y(0) and y(1). By taking the truncated -C6/R6 - C8/R8 - C10/R10 potential as the reference potential, the threshold behaviors of four quantum-defect parameters for the lowest three partial waves are described. The results calculated by using the MQDT agree with those calculated using the coupled channel method. Moreover, we present an analytical expression used for describing the variation of the position and width of the magnetically tuned Feshbach resonance modulated by an electric field.

High-rank separable atom-atom interaction potential used for solving two-body Lippmann-Schwinger and three-body Faddeev equations.

We derive a high-rank separable potential formula of the atom-atom interaction by using the two-body wave function in the coordinate space as inputs. This high-rank separable potential can be utilized to numerically solve the two-body Lippmann-Schwinger equation and three-body Faddeev equation. By analyzing the convenience and stability of numerical calculations for different kinds of the matrix forms of the Lippmann-Schwinger and Faddeev equations, we can find the optimal forms of the kernal matrices in the two- and three-body scattering equations. We calculate the dimer bound energy, two-body scattering phase shift and off-shell t-matrix, the trimer bound energy, atom-dimer scattering length, and three-body recombination rate using the high-rank separable potentials, taking the identical 4He atoms as an application example. All the calculations converge quickly for the rank number N ⩾ 3 . The high-rank separable potential is valid for two-body scattering calculation of 4He atoms, but not accurate enough for reproducing the three-body scattering results by using only two-body s-wave interaction and describing the contributions of two-body high partial-waves to the three-body scattering for the 4He3 system.

Accurate calculations of weakly bound state energy and scattering length near magnetically tuned Feshbach resonance using the separable potential method.

We present a theoretical model for investigating the magnetically tuned Feshbach resonance (MTFR) of alkali metal atoms using the separable potential method (SPM). We discuss the relationship and difference between the SPM and the asymptotic bound state model. To demonstrate the validity of the SPM, we use it to calculate the weakly bound state energy and magnetically tuned scattering length for the 6Li-40K, 7Li2, and 6Li2 systems with narrow and broad Feshbach resonances. The results of the SPM calculations are in good agreement with those of coupled channel calculations and with experimental measurements for all three systems. The SPM, by simplifying the calculation of the two-body MTFR, is expected to simplify numerical computations for three-atom collisions in a magnetic field and the Feshbach-optimized photoassociation process.

Elimination of Bimodal Size in InAs/GaAs Quantum Dots for Preparation of 1.3-µm Quantum Dot Lasers.

The device characteristics of semiconductor quantum dot lasers have been improved with progress in active layer structures. Self-assembly formed InAs quantum dots grown on GaAs had been intensively promoted in order to achieve quantum dot lasers with superior device performances. In the process of growing high-density InAs/GaAs quantum dots, bimodal size occurs due to large mismatch and other factors. The bimodal size in the InAs/GaAs quantum dot system is eliminated by the method of high-temperature annealing and optimized the in situ annealing temperature. The annealing temperature is taken as the key optimization parameters, and the optimal annealing temperature of 680 °C was obtained. In this process, quantum dot growth temperature, InAs deposition, and arsenic (As) pressure are optimized to improve quantum dot quality and emission wavelength. A 1.3-µm high-performance F-P quantum dot laser with a threshold current density of 110 A/cm2 was demonstrated.

Analysis of 28 trace elements in the blood and serum antioxidant status in chickens under arsenic and/or copper exposure.

This study aimed to evaluate the 28 trace elements in the blood and serum antioxidant status in chickens under arsenic (As) and/or copper (Cu) exposure. A total of 200 1-day-old male Hy-Line chickens were fed either a commercial diet (C-group) or arsenic trioxide (30 mg/kg) and/or cupric sulfate (300 mg/kg) for 90 days. The 28 trace element levels in the blood were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The concentrations of As in the blood of chickens were elevated approximately 17.15-fold, 2.30-fold, and 13.37-fold in the As-group, Cu-group, and As + Cu-group, respectively, at 90 days. The concentrations of Cu did not change in the As-group and increased approximately 29.53 and 23.37% in the Cu-group and As + Cu-group, respectively, at 90 days. Moreover, As exposure caused ion profile disorders in the blood, including increased concentrations of Na, Mg, Si, K, Cr, Fe, and Se and reduced B, Ca, Ti, V, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, Sr, and Mo. Cu exposure increased the contents of Mg, Si, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Zn, and Se and decreased the content of B, Ca, Al, Ni, and Mo. As + Cu exposure increased the contents of Mg, Si, Cr, Fe, Zn, and Se and decreased the content of B, Ca, Ti, Co, Ni, Sr, and Mo. Moreover, As and/or Cu exposure induced oxidative stress in the blood of chickens. In conclusion, the results indicated that the mixture of As and Cu caused a synergistic effect via disturbing homeostasis of trace elements and oxidative stress in the blood of chickens.

Assessment of 28 trace elements and 17 amino acid levels in muscular tissues of broiler chicken (Gallus gallus) suffering from arsenic trioxide.

The contents of 28 trace elements, 17 amino acid were evaluated in muscular tissues (wings, crureus and pectoralis) of chickens in response to arsenic trioxide (As2O3). A total of 200 one-day-old male Hy-line chickens were fed either a commercial diet (C-group) or an As2O3 supplement diet containing 7.5mg/kg (L-group), 15mg/kg (M-group) or 30mg/kg (H-group) As2O3 for 90 days. The elements content was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Under As2O3 exposure, the concentration of As were elevated 8.87-15.76 fold, 7.93-15.63 fold and 5.94-12.45 fold in wings, crureus and pectoralis compared to the corresponding C-group, respectively. 19 element levels (lithium (Li), magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), kalium (K), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), molybdenum (Mo), cadmium (Cd), tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), barium (Ba), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb), 9 element levels (K, Co, Ni, Cu, As, Se, Sr, Sn, Ba and Hg) and 4 element levels (Mn, cobalt (Co), As, Sr and Ba) were significantly increased (P < 0.05) in wing, crureus and pectoralis, respectively. 2 element levels (sodium (Na) and zinc (Zn)), 5 element levels (Li, Na, Si, titanium (Ti and Cr), 13 element levels (Li, Na, Mg, K, V, Cr, iron (Fe), Cu, Zn, Mo, Sn, Hg and Pb) were significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in wing muscle, crureus and pectoralis, respectively. Additionally, in crureus and pectoralis, the content of total amino acids (TAA) was no significant alterations in L and M-group and then increased approximately 10.2% and 7.6% in H-group, respectively (P < 0.05). In wings, the level of total amino acids increased approximately 10% in L-group, whereas it showed unchanged in M and H-group compared to the corresponding C-group. We also observed that significantly increased levels of proline, cysteine, aspartic acid, methionine along with decrease in the tyrosine levels in muscular tissues compared to the corresponding C-group. In conclusion, the residual of As in the muscular tissues of chickens were dose-dependent and disrupts trace element homeostasis, amino acids level in muscular tissues of chickens under As2O3 exposure. Additionally, the response (trace elements and amino acids) were different in wing, thigh and pectoral of chick under As2O3 exposure. This study provided references for further study of heavy metal poisoning and may be helpful to understanding the toxicological mechanism of As2O3 exposure in muscular tissues of chickens.

[Dystrophin expression in mdx mice after bone marrow stem cells transplantation].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the dynamic changes of dystrophin expression in mdx mice after bone marrow stem cells transplantation. METHODS: The bone marrow stem cells of C57 BL/6 mice (aged 6 to 8 weeks) were injected intravenously into the mdx mice (aged 7 to 9 weeks), which were preconditioned with 7Gy gamma ray. The amount of dystrophin;expression in gastrocnemius was detected by immunofluorescence, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot at week 5, 8, 12 and 16 after transplantation. RESULTS: At week 5 after bone marrow stem cells transplantation, the dystrophin expression detected in mdx mice were very low; however, its expression increased along with time. At week 16 week, about 12% muscle cells of all transplanted mice expressed dystrophin. There were less centrally placed myonuclei than the control mdx mice, whereas peripheral myonuclei increased. CONCLUSIONS: After having been injected into mdx mice, the allogenic bone marrow stem cells have a trend to reach the injured muscle tissues and differentiate to fibers that can express dystrophin and the expression increased with time. The bone marrow stem cells participates in the repair and regeneration of the injured tissues permanently and constantly.

[Transplantation of 3H-thymidine-labeled human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in mdx mice].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of using human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBM- MSCs) for repairing the skeletal muscle sarcolemma lesions in mdx mice and characterize the distribution of the transplanted hBM-MSCs. METHODS: Eighteen 8- to 10-week-old immunosuppressed mdx mice received transplantation with 1x10(7) of hBM-MSCs (the fifth passage) with 3H-thymidine (3H-TdR) labeling by injection of the cells into the tail vein. The mice were killed at 24 h, 48 h, 2 weeks, and 1, 2 and 4 months after the transplantation, respectively, to measure the radioactivity in the tissues and organs. Dystrophin expression on the sarcolemma was detected by immunofluorescence analysis. RESULTS: One month after transplantation, the mice with cell transplantation showed greater radioactivity in most of the tissues and organs than the control mice, especially in the bone marrow, liver and spleen. The radioactivity was then gradually lowered but in the skeletal muscle, the radioactivity increased progressively since 2 weeks after transplantation, reaching the peak of 27.65+/-3.53 Bq/mg at 1 month. Compared with that in the control mice, the radioactivity in the bone marrow and skeletal muscle was persistently higher in mice with cell transplantation 1 month after transplantation. No dystrophin-positive cells were found in the mdx mice at 2 weeks but detected at 1 month. The percentage of dystrophin-positive fibers in each section ranged from a 6.6% (1 month) to 8.9% (4 months). CONCLUSIONS: hBM-MSCs engrafted in immunosuppressed mdx mice may differentiate into skeletal muscle cells to repair the pathological lesion of the skeletal muscle sarcolemma. The hBM-MSCs reside mainly in the bone marrow, liver and spleen in the early stage following transplantation, homing into the bone marrow and skeletal muscle later.