Eosinophil Recovery Time Is Associated with Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Type A Acute Aortic Dissection: a Retrospective Cohort Study.

Type A acute aortic dissection (TA-AAD) patients are prone to life-threatening complications and death. This study aimed to analyze the association between eosinophil (EOS) recovery and clinical outcomes in TA-AAD. A total of 274 patients with TA-AAD were eligible for inclusion, and 54 patients died within 1 month. The patients with poor clinical outcomes showed significantly lower EOS count within 8 days after surgery. The time-dependent ROC analysis showed that EOS recovery days predicted 1-month death with an AUC of 0.886 and a cutoff of 6 days. EOS recovery within 6 days was associated with a lower incidence of postoperative infection, a poorer prognosis, and a lower risk of 1-month and 6-month mortality than those requiring more recovery days. Collectively, postoperative early recovery of EOS predicted lower mortality and better prognosis and may be applied as an effective, rapid, and simple tool for the risk stratification and prognostic prediction of patients with TA-AAD.Clinical trial registration number: NCT05409677.

Influence of diabetes on the risk of deep vein thrombosis of patients after total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies evaluating the influence of diabetes on the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) showed inconsistent results. The aim of the study was to systematically evaluate the association between diabetes and DVT after TKA in a meta-analysis. METHODS: An extensive search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science to identify relevant cohort studies. Random-effects models were employed to pool the results after taking account of the potential influence of heterogeneity. RESULTS: Thirteen cohort studies involving 546,156 patients receiving TKA were included, with 71,110 (13.0%) diabetic patients before surgery and 1479 (2.1%) patients diagnosed as DVT after surgery. Overall, diabetes was associated with an increased risk of DVT after TKA (risk ratio [RR]: 1.43, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-1.84, p = 0.004; I2 = 44%). Sensitivity analysis limited to studies with chemoprophylaxis (RR: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.50-2.54), and studies with multivariate analysis (RR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.12-2.11) showed consistent results. Subgroup analysis showed that diabetes was associated with higher risk of postoperative DVT in Asian countries (RR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.49-2.52, p < 0.001; I2 = 1%) but not in Western countries (RR: 1.07, 95% CI: 0.86-1.34, p = 0.52; I2 = 0%; p for subgroup difference < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Diabetes may be a risk factor for DVT after TKA, even with the chemoprophylaxis of anticoagulants. The association between diabetes and DVT after TKA may be more remarkable in patients from Asian countries.

Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in ITLN1 gene with ischemic stroke risk in Xi'an population, Shaanxi province.

Background: Ischemic stroke (IS) is the main cause of death and adult disability. However, the pathogenesis of this complicated disease is unknown. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between ITLN1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the susceptibility to IS in Xi'an population, Shaanxi province. Methods: In this study, we designed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers located at -3,308 bp upstream of the transcription initiation site within promoter region of the ITLN1 gene. The target fragment was amplified by PCR and identified by agarose gel electrophoresis. Sanger sequencing was then performed in the samples extracted from a cohort comprising 1,272 participants (636 controls and 636 cases), and the obtained sequences were compared with the reference sequences available on the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) website to detect SNPs in the ITLN1 gene promoter region. Logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the relationship between ITLN1 polymorphisms and IS risk, with adjustments for age and gender. Significant positive results were tested by false-positive report probability (FPRP) and false discovery rate (FDR). The interaction among noteworthy SNPs and their predictive relationship with IS risk were explored using the Multi-Factor Dimensionality Reduction (MDR) software. Results: The results of Sanger sequencing were compared with the reference sequences on the NCBI website, and we found 14 SNPs in ITLN1 gene promoter satisfied Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). Logistic regression analysis showed that ITLN1 was associated with a decreased risk of IS (rs6427553: Homozygous C/C: adjusted OR: 0.69, 95% CI [0.48-0.97]; Log-additive: adjusted OR: 0.83, 95% CI [0.70-0.98]; rs7411035: Homozygous G/G: adjusted OR: 0.66, 95% CI [0.47-0.94]; Dominant G/T-G/G: adjusted OR: 0.78, 95% CI [0.62-0.98]; Log-additive: adjusted OR: 0.81, 95% CI [0.69-0.96]; rs4656958: Heterozygous G/A: adjusted OR: 0.74, 95% CI [0.59-0.94]; Homozygous A/A: adjusted OR: 0.51, 95% CI [0.31-0.84]; Dominant G/A-A/A: adjusted OR: 0.71, 95% CI [0.57-0.89]; Recessive A/A: adjusted OR: 0.59, 95% CI [0.36-0.96]; Log-additive: adjusted OR: 0.73, 95% CI [0.61-0.88]), especially in people aged less than 60 years and males. Conclusions: In short, our study revealed a correlation between ITLN1 variants (rs6427553, rs7411035 and rs4656958) and IS risk in Xi'an population, Shaanxi province, laying a foundation for ITLN1 gene as a potential biomarker for predicting susceptibility to IS.

Does Baseline Cognitive Function Predict the Reduction Rate in HDRS-17 Total Scores in First-Episode, Drug-Naïve Patients with Major Depressive Disorder?

Purpose: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with worse cognitive functioning. We aim to examine the association between baseline cognitive functioning and the reduction rate in HDRS-17 total scores and to highlight the predictors of the reduction rate in HDRS-17 total scores in MDD with first-episode, drug-naïve (FED) patients. Patients and Methods: Ninety FED patients were recruited consecutively and evaluated using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17), the 14-item Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA-14), the Functioning Assessment Short Test (FAST) and the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) at baseline and again at week 8. Results: Eighty-four FED patients completed the study. Comparison showed that response group had significantly higher T scores in TMT-A, BACS-SC, WMS-III, BVMT-R, MSCEI and CPT-IP, but showed significantly lower scores in FAST total scores including autonomy, occupational functioning, cognitive functioning, interpersonal relationship than non- response group (all p's< 0.05). Partial correlation analysis also found that the reduction rate in HDRS-17 total scores could be negatively associated with autonomy, cognitive functioning and interpersonal relationship domains as well as total FAST scores, also was further positively associated with T-scores of BACS-SC, CPT-IP and MSCEI in MCCB, even when accounting for potential confounders. Furthermore, the levels of cognitive function domain, autonomy domain in FAST, and BACS-SC, CPT-IP in MCCB may predict the reduction rate in HDRS-17 total scores in FED patients (all p's< 0.05). Conclusion: Our findings underscore significant correlations between baseline functioning and the reduction rate in HDRS-17 total scores in FED patients. Moreover, better baseline cognitive function, autonomy, speed of processing and attention/vigilance are more likely to predict patients' response to antidepressant treatment, indicating pre-treatment better cognitive functioning may be predictors to treatment response in FED.

Inflammatory Pathogenesis of Post-stroke Depression.

Post-stroke depression (PSD) is a complex mood disorder that emerges in individuals following a stroke, characterized by the development of depressive symptoms. The pathogensis of PSD is diverse, with inflammation playing a vital role in its onset and progression. Emerging evidence suggests that microglial activation, astrocyte responses, nuclear factor κB(NF-κB) signaling, dysregulation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis, alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression, neurotransmitter imbalances, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and its receptors and oxidative stress are intricately linked to the pathogenesis of PSD. The involvement of inflammatory cytokines in these processes highlights the significance of the inflammatory pathway. Integrating these hypotheses, the inflammatory mechanism offers a novel perspective to expand therapeutic strategies for PSD.

Silver nanoparticles induce endothelial cytotoxicity through ROS-mediated mitochondria-lysosome damage and autophagy perturbation: The protective role of N-acetylcysteine.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are used increasingly often in the biomedical field, but their potential deleterious effects on the cardiovascular system remain to be elucidated. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the toxic effects, and the underlying mechanisms of these effects, of AgNPs on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), as well as the protective role of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) against cytotoxicity induced by AgNPs. In this study, we found that exposure to AgNPs affects the morphology and function of endothelial cells which manifests as decreased cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis ability. Mechanistically, AgNPs can induce excessive cellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to damage to cellular sub-organs such as mitochondria and lysosomes. More importantly, our data suggest that AgNPs causes autophagy defect, inhibits mitophagy, and finally activates the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis signaling pathway and evokes cell death. Interestingly, treatment with ROS scavenger-NAC can effectively suppress AgNP-induced endothelial damage.Our results indicate that ROS-mediated mitochondria-lysosome injury and autophagy dysfunction are potential factors of endothelial toxicity induced by AgNPs. This study may provide new evidence for the cardiovascular toxicity of AgNPs and serve as a reference for the safe use of nanoparticles(NPs) in the future.

A multicenter study on the effects of different methods of disinfecting medical external-use ultrasound probes.

BACKGROUND: Microbial contamination of external-use ultrasound probes is a serious and overlooked issue. We assessed the effects of different methods of disinfecting medical external-use ultrasound probes. METHODS: On-site disinfection experiments were conducted at 10 hospitals; the tips and sides of external-use ultrasound probes were sampled before and after disinfection, and 3 disinfection methods were assessed (use of a new ultraviolet [UV] ultrasound probe disinfector, wiping with ordinary paper towels or cleaning with disinfectant wipes). RESULTS: For the new UV probe disinfector, the median microbial death rates for the tips and sides of the external-use ultrasound probe were 93.67% and 97.50%, respectively, which were higher than those for wiping with paper towels and cleaning with disinfectant wipes (12.50% and 10.00% and 20.00% and 21.42%, respectively); the rates of microorganisms exceeding the standard were 15.0% and 13.3%, respectively, which were lower than those for wiping with paper towels and cleaning with disinfectant wipes (53.3% and 60.0% and 46.7% and 38.3%, respectively). The death rates of different species of microorganisms were high, ranging from 87.5% to 100%. CONCLUSIONS: The new UV ultrasound probe disinfector significantly reduced the risk of potential nosocomial infections according to the low microbial death rate for conventional disinfection methods.

TWIK-related acid-sensitive potassium channels TASK-1 and TASK-3 may participate in the process of the coexistence of asthma and OSA.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of TWIK-related acid-sensitive potassium channels TASK-1 and TASK-3 in the mechanism of asthma combined with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in mice. METHOD: C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups: control group (NS-RA), asthma group (OVA-RA), OSA group (NS-IH), and asthma combined with OSA group (OVA-IH). After monitoring lung function in each group, the expression levels of TASK-1 and TASK-3 mRNA and protein in lung tissues were measured, and the correlation between the changes of both and lung function was analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 64 male mice were studied. Penh, serum IgE concentrations, and the percentage of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were higher in OVA-RA and OVA-IH mice compared with NS-RA (P < 0.05),while the above indexes were slightly elevated in NS-IH mice compared with NS-RA (P > 0.05), where the Penh and the percentage of eosinophils in BALF was higher in OVA-IH mice than NS-IH (P < 0.05).Increased TASK-3 mRNA expression (P < 0.05) as well as TASK-1 and TASK-3 protein expression (P > 0.05) in lung tissues of OVA-RA and NS-IH mice compared with NS-RA, and TASK-3 mRNA expression was slightly more in the OVA-IH group compared with NS-RA (P > 0.05), but less compared with OVA-RA (P < 0.05) or NS-IH (P > 0.05), while TASK-1 and TASK-3 protein expression was increased in the OVA-IH group compared with the remaining three groups, and TASK-3 protein expression was associated with lung function impairment was positively correlated with the degree of lung function impairment (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Task-1 and Task-3 may be involved in the pathogenesis of asthma with OSA by affecting lung function.

Effects of unfolding treatment assisted glycation on the IgE/IgG binding capacity and antioxidant activity of ovomucoid.

Ovomucoid is the immune-dominant allergen in the egg white of hens. Due to its structure based on nine disulfide bonds as well as its resistance to heat and enzymatic hydrolysis, the allergenicity of this food protein is difficult to decrease by technological processes. We sought to reduce its allergenicity through the Maillard reaction. The unfolding of ovomucoid with L-cysteine-mediated reduction was used to increase accessibility to conformational and linear epitopes by modifying the secondary and tertiary structures of the allergen. Glycation with different saccharides revealed the beneficial effect of maltose glycation on the IgG-binding capacity reduction. By determining the better glycation conditions of unfolded ovomucoid, we produced ovomucoid with reduced IgE binding capacity due to the glycation sites (K17, K112, K129, and K164) on epitopes. Moreover, after simulated infant and adult gastrointestinal digestion, the unfolded plus glycated ovomucoid showed higher ABTS˙+ scavenging activity, O2˙- scavenging activity, ˙OH scavenging activity, Fe2+ chelating activity, and a FRAP value; in particular, for ˙OH scavenging activity, there was a sharp increase of more than 100%.

Heat shock induces HuR-dependent MKP-1 posttranslational regulation through the p38 MAPK signaling cascade.

Previous studies demonstrated that phosphatases play a pivotal role in modulating inflammation-associated signal transduction, particularly in the context of heat shock, where Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) appears to have a central role. Recently, Human Antigen R (HuR) has also been identified as a factor that enhances stress-response protein MKP-1 levels. Consequently, we have directed our interest towards elucidating the mechanisms by which heat shock induces MKP-1 mRNA stabilization, dependent on HuR via the p38 MAPK Signaling Cascade. In this study, we subjected Mouse Embryonic Fibroblast (Mef) cells to heat shock treatment, resulting in a potent stabilization MKP-1 mRNA. The RNA-binding protein HuR, known to influence mRNA, was observed to bind to the MKP-1 AU-rich 3 ´untranslated region. Transfection of p38 wild-type Mef cells with a flag-HuR plasmid resulted in a significant increase in MKP-1 mRNA stability. Interestingly, transfection of the siRNA for HuR into Mef cells resulted in diminished MKP-1 mRNA stability following heat shock, inhibition of p38 MAPK activity effectively curtailed heat shock-mediated MKP-1 mRNA stability. Immunofluorescence analyses further revealed that the translocation of HuR was contingent on p38 MAPK Signaling Cascade. Collectively, these findings underscore the regulatory role of heat shock in MKP-1 gene expression at posttranscriptional levels. The mechanisms underlying the observed increased MKP-1 mRNA stability are shown to be partially dependent on HuR through the p38 MAPK Signaling Cascade.

NL2Color: Refining Color Palettes for Charts with Natural Language.

Choice of color is critical to creating effective charts with an engaging, enjoyable, and informative reading experience. However, designing a good color palette for a chart is a challenging task for novice users who lack related design expertise. For example, they often find it difficult to articulate their abstract intentions and translate these intentions into effective editing actions to achieve a desired outcome. In this work, we present NL2Color, a tool that allows novice users to refine chart color palettes using natural language expressions of their desired outcomes. We first collected and categorized a dataset of 131 triplets, each consisting of an original color palette of a chart, an editing intent, and a new color palette designed by human experts according to the intent. Our tool employs a large language model (LLM) to substitute the colors in original palettes and produce new color palettes by selecting some of the triplets as few-shot prompts. To evaluate our tool, we conducted a comprehensive two-stage evaluation, including a crowd-sourcing study ( N=71) and a within-subjects user study ( N=12). The results indicate that the quality of the color palettes revised by NL2Color has no significantly large difference from those designed by human experts. The participants who used NL2Color obtained revised color palettes to their satisfaction in a shorter period and with less effort.

The relationship between atrial fibrillation and NLRP3 inflammasome: a gut microbiota perspective.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common clinical arrhythmia whose pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated, and the inflammatory response plays an important role in the development of AF. The inflammasome is an important component of innate immunity and is involved in a variety of pathophysiologic processes. The NLRP3 inflammasome is by far the best studied and validated inflammasome that recognizes multiple pathogens through pattern recognition receptors of innate immunity and mediates inflammatory responses through activation of Caspase-1. Several studies have shown that NLRP3 inflammasome activation contributes to the onset and development of AF. Ecological dysregulation of the gut microbiota has been associated with the development of AF, and some evidence suggests that gut microbiota components, functional byproducts, or metabolites may induce or exacerbate the development of AF by directly or indirectly modulating the NLRP3 inflammasome. In this review, we report on the interconnection of NLRP3 inflammasomes and gut microbiota and whether this association is related to the onset and persistence of AF. We discuss the potential value of pharmacological and dietary induction in the management of AF in the context of the association between the NLRP3 inflammasome and gut microbiota. It is hoped that this review will lead to new therapeutic targets for the future management of AF.

Balancing Accuracy and Speed in Gaze-Touch Grid Menu Selection in AR via Mapping Sub-Menus to a Hand-Held Device.

Eye gaze can be a potentially fast and ergonomic method for target selection in augmented reality (AR). However, the eye-tracking accuracy of current consumer-level AR systems is limited. While state-of-the-art AR target selection techniques based on eye gaze and touch (gaze-touch), which follow the "eye gaze pre-selects, touch refines and confirms" mechanism, can significantly enhance selection accuracy, their selection speeds are usually compromised. To balance accuracy and speed in gaze-touch grid menu selection in AR, we propose the Hand-Held Sub-Menu (HHSM) technique.tou HHSM divides a grid menu into several sub-menus and maps the sub-menu pointed to by eye gaze onto the touchscreen of a hand-held device. To select a target item, the user first selects the sub-menu containing it via eye gaze and then confirms the selection on the touchscreen via a single touch action. We derived the HHSM technique's design space and investigated it through a series of empirical studies. Through an empirical study involving 24 participants recruited from a local university, we found that HHSM can effectively balance accuracy and speed in gaze-touch grid menu selection in AR. The error rate was approximately 2%, and the completion time per selection was around 0.93 s when participants used two thumbs to interact with the touchscreen, and approximately 1.1 s when they used only one finger.

Multidrug-resistant organisms may be associated with bed allocation and utilization efficiency in healthcare institutions, based on national monitoring data from China (2014-2020).

Analyzing the influence of the bed allocation and utilization efficiency in healthcare institutions on the isolation proportion of Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) to provide data to support prevention and control of MDROs. In this study, the provincial panel data from 2014 to 2020 in China on health resource indicators, including the number of beds per 1,000 population, hospital bed utilization rate, and average hospital stay from 2014 to 2020 in China were used to analyze the relationship between bed allocation or utilization efficiency and MDROs by the panel data quantile regression model. It was shown that the number of beds per 1,000 population had a negative effect on the isolation proportion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, and cefotaxime or ceftriaxone resistant Escherichia coli (regression coefficient < 0, P < 0.05). The utilization rate of hospital bed had a positive effect on the isolation proportion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, cefotaxime or ceftriaxone resistant Escherichia coli, carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli, cefotaxime or ceftriaxone resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (regression coefficient > 0, P < 0.05). The average hospital stay had a positive effect on the isolation proportion for several antibiotic-resistant organisms, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, cefotaxime or ceftriaxone resistant Escherichia coli, carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli, quinolone-resistant Escherichia coli, cefotaxime or ceftriaxone resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (regression coefficient > 0, P < 0.05). Bed allocation and utilization efficiency in healthcare institutions may affect the isolation proportion of MDROs in varying degrees.

Association of MMP3, MMP14, and MMP25 gene polymorphisms with cerebral stroke risk: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral stroke (CS) is the leading cause of death in China, and a complex disease caused by both alterable risk factors and genetic factors. This study intended to investigate the association of MMP3, MMP14, and MMP25 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with CS risk in a Chinese Han population. METHODS: A total of 1,348 Han Chinese were recruited in this case-control study. Four candidate loci including rs520540 A/G and rs679620 T/C of MMP3, rs2236302 G/C of MMP14, and rs10431961 T/C of MMP25 were successfully screened. The correlation between the four SNPs and CS risk was assessed by logistic regression analysis. The results were analyzed by false-positive report probability (FPRP) for chance or significance. The interactions between four SNPs associated with CS risk were assessed by multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR). RESULTS: rs520540 A/G and rs679620 C/T SNP in MMP3 were associated with risk of CS in allele, codominant, dominant and log-additive models. Ischemic stroke risk were significantly lower in carriers with rs520540-A allele and rs679620-T allele than those with G/G or C/C genotypes. However, rs520540-A allele and rs679620-T allele were associated with higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Stratified analysis showed that these two SNPs were associated with reduced risk of CS in aged < 55 years, non-smoking and non-drinking participants, and rs679620 SNP also reduced CS risk in male participants. The levels of uric acid, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and eosinophil were different among patients with different genotypes of rs520540 and rs679620. No statistically significant association was found between MMP14 rs2236302 G/C or MMP25 rs10431961 T/C with CS even after stratification by stroke subtypes, age, gender as well as smoking and drinking conditions in all the genetic models. CONCLUSION: MMP3 rs520540 A/G and rs679620 C/T polymorphisms were associated with CS risk in the Chinese Han population, which provides useful information for the prevention and diagnosis of CS.

Spatiotemporal gait parameter fluctuations in older adults affected by mild cognitive impairment: comparisons among three cognitive dual-task tests.

BACKGROUNDS: Gait disorder is associated with cognitive functional impairment, and this disturbance is more pronouncedly when performing additional cognitive tasks. Our study aimed to characterize gait disorders in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) under three dual tasks and determine the association between gait performance and cognitive function. METHODS: A total of 260 participants were enrolled in this cross-sectional study and divided into MCI and cognitively normal control. Spatiotemporal and kinematic gait parameters (31 items) in single task and three dual tasks (serial 100-7, naming animals and words recall) were measured using a wearable sensor. Baseline characteristics of the two groups were balanced using propensity score matching. Important gait features were filtered using random forest method and LASSO regression and further described using logistic analysis. RESULTS: After matching, 106 participants with MCI and 106 normal controls were recruited. Top 5 gait features in random forest and 4 ~ 6 important features in LASSO regression were selected. Robust variables associating with cognitive function were temporal gait parameters. Participants with MCI exhibited decreased swing time and terminal swing, increased mid stance and variability of stride length compared with normal control. Subjects walked slower when performing an extra dual cognitive task. In the three dual tasks, words recall test exhibited more pronounced impact on gait regularity, velocity, and dual task cost than the other two cognitive tests. CONCLUSION: Gait assessment under dual task conditions, particularly in words recall test, using portable sensors could be useful as a complementary strategy for early detection of MCI.

Bioinformatics analysis identifies the protective targets of omentin in mice with focal cerebral ischemia injury.

Omentin is known to play a protective role in ischemic stroke. However, its regulatory networks and downstream targets in the pathogenesis of IS are incompletely revealed now. In this study, the model of photochemical brain ischemia was constructed after omentin over-expression. 8 key differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained and analyzed by transcriptome analysis. These DEGs were mainly related to the negative regulation of hormone secretion, cellular phosphate ion homeostasis, and other pathways. Moreover, the mRNA expression of predicted gene 3435 (Gm3435), ankyrin repeat domain 53 (Ankrd53), fibroblast growth factor 23 (Fgf23) and the Fgf23 protein expression were down-regulated after omentin over-expression in HT22 cells injured by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). In conclusion, our findings identified 8 key DEGs regulated by omentin after IS. In vitro models, the Gm3435, Ankrd53, Fgf23 mRNA expression and the Fgf23 protein expression were further verified to consistent with the transcriptomics results.

Dementia increases the risk of death in stroke patients: A retrospective cohort-based risk score model study.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between dementia and the mortality of stroke is a significant concern for patients and careers. However, there are few research about it in China and a lack of reliable data on the risk of dementia. We aim to analyze and compare the risk of death in stroke patients with and without dementia. Further investigation into the predictive value of dementia for stroke death. METHODS: All patients with stroke who were identified among residents of Ningxia, between January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2021, set death or May 22, 2022 as the observation endpoint. All patients were screened by 1:4 propensity score matching (PSM). The association between dementia and all-cause mortality was evaluated using Cox regression with survival time. Evaluation of the predictive value of dementia using decision curve analysis (DCA) and clinical impact curve (CIC) curves. RESULT: Mortality of stroke with dementia is 45.4% and without dementia is 13.8%, further calculated one-year mortality is higher in the patients with dementia than without dementia (17.3%vs. 5.4%, p < 0.001). Stroke patients with dementia had a 3.74 times higher risk of death (95% CI = 3.29,4.26) and had a shorter survival time than those without dementia. Dementia was an independent predictor of death in all models (hazard ratio [HR]=3.77,95%CI: 3.31-4.30, p < 0.001). DCA and CIC curves indicated that dementia has a high value in predicting the risk of death in stroke patients. CONCLUSION: Dementia is an independent risk factor for death and reduces survival time in stroke patients.

Underwater power compensated white light source based on synthetic white laser.

The semiconductor white laser light source is used as a light source for underwater illumination. The required standard color temperature of white light is obtained at the underwater target surface. We studied the power compensation of a synthetic white laser source and its application to underwater illumination. First, the power ratios of the red (638 nm), green (520 nm), and blue (450 nm) lasers at a color temperature of 6500 K were obtained by using chromaticity theory. Next, the three-color and synthetic white laser parameters were obtained with transmission distance, according to the exponential attenuation characteristics of different light in clear water and seawater medium. The three-color laser power at the output was compensated, and the underwater target illumination surface reached the standard 6500 K color temperature of the white laser, improving the illumination. Finally, an experimental system for underwater white laser illumination based on power compensation was established. The errors between experimental and theoretical results of color temperature and illuminance are no more than 0.43% and 22.15%. This power-compensated synthetic white laser light source has both the advantages of long-range underwater detection and the spectral advantages of LED white light sources. The white laser light source meets specific requirements by compensating for power and optimizing white light characteristics for underwater lighting applications.

The Functional Prognosis of Rescue Conscious Sedation During Mechanical Thrombectomy on Patients with Acute Anterior Circulation Ischemic Stroke: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

INTRODUCTION: Based on real-world case data, this study intends to explore and analyze the impact of rescue conscious sedation (CS) on the clinical outcomes of patients with anterior circulation acute ischemic stroke (AIS) receiving mechanical thrombectomy (MT). METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled patients with anterior circulation AIS who received MT and were treated with either single local anesthesia (LA) or rescue CS during MT between January 2018 and October 2021. We used univariate and multivariate logistic regression methods to compare the impact of LA and CS on the clinical outcomes of patients with AIS who received MT, including the mRS at 90 days, the incidence of poststroke pneumonia (PSP), the incidence of symptomatic intracranial cerebral hemorrhage (sICH), and the mortality rate. RESULTS: We reviewed 314 patient cases with AIS who received MT. Of all patients, 164 met our search criteria. Eighty-nine patients received LA, and 75 patients received rescue CS. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the 90-day good prognosis (45.3% vs. 51.7%, p = 0.418) and mortality (17.3% vs. 22.5%, p = 0.414). Compared with the LA group, the incidence of postoperative pneumonia in the rescue CS group (44% vs. 25.8%, p = 0.015) was more significant. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed that intraoperative remedial CS was independently associated with PSP following MT. In a subgroup analysis, rescue CS was found to significantly increase the incidence of PSP in patients with dysphagia (OR = 7.307, 95% CI 2.144-24.906, p = 0.001). As the severity of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) increased, intraoperative rescue CS was found to increase the risk of PSP (OR = 1.155, 95% CI 1.034-1.290, p = 0.011) by 5.1% compared to that of LA (OR = 1.104, 95% CI 1.013-1.204, p = 0.024). CONCLUSION: Compared to LA, rescue CS during MT does not significantly improve the 90 days of good prognosis and reduce the incidence of sICH and mortality in patients with anterior circulation AIS. However, it has a significantly increased risk of poststroke pneumonia (PSP), particularly in patients with dysphagia.