Expression and clinical significance of CA125, CA153 and CEA in nipple discharge of breast cancer patients.

Background: It is an important clinical means to identify benign and malignant breast diseases caused by nipple discharge through the detection and analysis of components in nipple discharge. This study was aimed to test the expression and clinical significance of carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), carbohydrate antigen 153 (CA153) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in nipple discharge of breast cancer patients. Methods: From January 2017 to December 2018, 86 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast with nipple discharge (breast cancer group) and 50 patients with ordinary breast duct hyperplasia with nipple discharge (benign control group) were selected, and the levels of CA125, CA153 and CEA in nipple discharge and serum were detected by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.

Diversity and biogeography of bacterial community in the Ili River network varies locally and regionally.

Microorganisms in rivers indeed play a crucial role in nutrient cycling within aquatic ecosystems. Understanding the assembly mechanisms of bacterial communities in river networks is essential for predicting their special composition and functional characteristics in natural rivers. This study employed 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequence variation (ASVs) to scrutinize the bacterial community within the uniquely topographical Ili River network. The bacterial community composition varied across the three tributaries with distinct sources and the mainstream. The confluence of various sources diminished the diversity of the bacterial community and altered the functionality of within mainstream. We suggest that strong dispersal limitation predominantly shaped the community at the regional scale (46.6 %), underscoring the significant contribution of headwater sites to bacterial community composition. Contrary to expectation, the bacterial resources in the mainstream were not enriched by the higher diversity in three tributaries. Instead, confluence disturbance potentially increased the undominated processes (36.7 %) and alter the bacterial community composition at the local scale of the mainstream. The intricate coalescence at the confluence could potentially be an intriguing causative factor. Our research indicates that the composition of bacterial communities within intricate river networks exhibits biogeographic patterns, simultaneously influenced by river confluence and geographical features, necessitating multi-scale analysis.

Automated extraction of Tridacna shell growth patterns via machine learning for enhanced paleoclimate/paleoweather research.

Tridacna spp. are valuable archives for paleoclimate and paleoweather research due to their distinct daily growth patterns and the sensitivity of the daily growth patterns to environment changes. However, manually identifying daily growth lines and measuring the daily growth increment width (DGIW) of Tridacna shells from Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy (LSCM) images is a tedious task that has become a significant barrier to Tridacna studies. This paper addresses this challenge by integrating machine learning into Tridacna research for the first time to automate the calculation of the number of daily growth lines and DGIW of Tridacna shells. Specifically, we propose an unsupervised generative adversarial attention network called TriGAN to automatically recognize distinct daily growth lines of Tridacna shells from LSCM images. Utilizing modern Tridacna specimens collected from the South China Sea, our experimental results demonstrate that TriGAN can effectively reconstruct the ambiguous and blurred regions in LSCM images and produce higher quality images of daily growth patterns compared to existing image generation networks. Furthermore, the daily growth line number and DGIW of Tridacna shells can be counted automatically from the images recognized by TriGAN, which are in good agreement with the statistical results obtained manually from the original LSCM images (R = 0.7, p < 0.01 for the DGIW profile of T. gigas specimen MD1 and R = 0.6, p < 0.01 for T. derasa specimen XB10). This automated method provides an efficient solution for researching the laminar chronology of Tridacna.

Reconstruction of ENSO variability using the standardized growth index of a Tridacna shell from Yongshu Reef, South China Sea.

El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the strongest signal of global interannual climate anomaly and reconstructing past ENSO variations using high-resolution paleoclimate archives can improve our understanding of ENSO variability, as well as improve our ability to predict future climate changes. Here, a daily resolution standardized growth index (SGI) was established using a giant clam (Tridacna spp.) shell specimen MD2 (life span: 1994-2013 CE), collected from the Yongshu Reef, southern South China Sea (SCS). The cross-spectral and correlation analysis indicated that the SGI variation of MD2 was strongly influenced by ENSO variability on an interannual timescale. Tridacna spp. is in symbiosis with zooxanthellae, and its growth index is usually modulated by the photosynthetic efficiency of zooxanthellae. During the El Niño (La Niña) period, the convective anomalies stimulated in western Pacific would increase (decrease) the effective solar radiation on Yongshu Reef, and in turn influence the photosynthesis rate of zooxanthellae and enzyme activity for the calcification site and thus the SGI of giant clam MD2. The SGI can explain 54.7 % of ENSO variance, demonstrating the potential for Tridacna SGI in ENSO reconstruction. Compared with conventional ENSO reconstruction using high-resolution geochemical proxies, the method of giant clam SGI is rapid and economical.

Associations between Alzheimer's disease biomarkers and postoperative delirium or cognitive dysfunction: A meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis of prospective clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between Alzheimer's disease biomarkers and postoperative complications, such as postoperative delirium (POD) and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), remains a subject of ongoing debate. OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aimed to determine whether there is an association between perioperative Alzheimer's disease biomarkers and postoperative complications. DESIGN: We conducted a meta-analysis of observational clinical studies that explored the correlation between Alzheimer's disease biomarkers and POD or POCD in patients who have undergone surgery, following PRISMA guidelines. The protocol was previously published (INPLASY: INPLASY202350001). DATA SOURCES: A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases until March 2023. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Surgical patients aged at least 18 years, studies focusing on POD or POCD, research involving Alzheimer's disease biomarkers, including Aß or tau in blood or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and availability of the full text. RESULTS: Our meta-analysis included 15 studies: six focusing on POD and nine on POCD. The findings revealed a negative correlation between preoperative CSF ß-amyloid 42 (Aß42) levels and the onset of POD [mean difference -86.1, 95% confidence interval (CI), -114.15 to -58.05, I2 : 47%]; this association was strongly supported by trial sequential analysis (TSA). A similar negative correlation was discerned between preoperative CSF Aß42 levels and the incidence of POCD (-165.01, 95% CI, -261.48 to -68.53, I2 : 95%). The TSA also provided robust evidence for this finding; however, the evidence remains insufficient to confirm a relationship between other Alzheimer's disease biomarkers [ß-amyloid 40 (Aß40), total tau (T-tau), phosphorylated tau (P-tau), and Aß42/T-tau ratio] and POD or POCD. CONCLUSION: The study results indicate a negative correlation between preoperative CSF Aß42 levels and the occurrence of both POD and POCD. Future investigations are warranted to identify the predictive cutoff value of preoperative CSF Aß42 for POD and POCD.

The threat of micro/nanoplastic to aquatic plants: current knowledge, gaps, and future perspectives.

Plastics have been recognized as an emerging pollutant and have raised global concerns due to their widespread distribution in the environment and potential harm to living systems. However, research on the threat of micro/nanoplastics (MPs/NPs) to the unique group of aquatic plants is far behind, necessitating a comprehensive review to summarize current research progress and identify future research needs. This review explores the sources and distribution patterns of MPs/NPs in aquatic environments, highlighting their uptake by aquatic plants through roots and leaves, and subsequent translocation via the vascular system facilitated by the transpiration stream. Exposure to MPs/NPs elicits diverse effects on the growth, physiology, and ecological interactions of aquatic plants, with variations influenced by plastic properties, plant species, and experimental conditions. Furthermore, the presence of MPs/NPs can impact the toxicity and bioavailability of other associated toxicants to aquatic plants. This review shows critical knowledge gaps and emphasizes the need for future research to bridge the current understanding of the limitations and challenges posed by MPs/NPs in aquatic ecosystems.

Colossal negative thermal expansion in a cucurbit[8]uril-enabled uranyl-organic polythreading framework via thermally induced relaxation.

It is an ongoing goal to achieve the effective regulation of the thermal expansion properties of materials. In this work, we propose a method for incorporating host-guest complexation into a framework structure and construct a flexible cucurbit[8]uril uranyl-organic polythreading framework, U3(bcbpy)3(CB8). U3(bcbpy)3(CB8) can undergo huge negative thermal expansion (NTE) and has a large volumetric coefficient of -962.9 × 10-6 K-1 within the temperature range of 260 K to 300 K. Crystallographic snapshots of the polythreading framework at various temperatures reveal that, different from the intrinsic transverse vibrations of the subunits of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that experience NTE via a well-known hinging model, the remarkable NTE effect observed here is the result of a newly-proposed thermally induced relaxation process. During this process, an extreme spring-like contraction of the flexible CB8-based pseudorotaxane units, with an onset temperature of ∼260 K, follows a period of cumulative expansion. More interestingly, compared with MOFs that commonly have relatively strong coordination bonds, due to the difference in the structural flexibility and adaptivity of the weakly bonded U3(bcbpy)3(CB8) polythreading framework, U3(bcbpy)3(CB8) shows unique time-dependent structural dynamics related to the relaxation process, the first time this has been reported in NTE materials. This work provides a feasible pathway for exploring new NTE mechanisms by using tailored supramolecular host-guest complexes with high structural flexibility and has promise for the design of new kinds of functional metal-organic materials with controllable thermal responsive behaviour.

A Quantitative Study of a Directional Heat Island in Hefei, China Based on Multi-Source Data.

Surface urban heat islands (SUHIs) are essential for evaluating urban thermal environments. However, current quantitative studies of SUHIs ignore the thermal radiation directionality (TRD), which directly affects study precision; furthermore, they fail to assess the effects of TRD characteristics at different land-use intensities, on the quantitative studies of SUHIs. To bridge this research gap, this study eliminates the interference of atmospheric attenuation and daily temperature variation factors, in quantifying the TRD based on land surface temperature (LST), from MODIS data and station air temperature data for Hefei (China) from 2010-2020. The influence of TRD on SUHI intensity quantification was evaluated by comparing the TRD under different land-use intensities in Hefei. The results show that: (1) daytime and nighttime directionality can reach up to 4.7 K and 2.6 K, and occur in areas with the highest and medium urban land-use intensity, respectively. (2) There are two significant TRD hotspots for daytime urban surfaces, where the sensor zenith angle is approximately the same as the forenoon solar zenith angle, and where the sensor zenith angle is near its nadir in the afternoon. (3) The TRD can contribute up to 2.0 K to the results of assessing the SUHI intensity based on satellite data, which is approximately 31-44% of the total SUHI in Hefei.

Ultraversatile Fluorescent Sensors Based on Two CoII/NiII Coordination Polymers for Identifying Various Antibiotics via the Turn-On/Off Effect and Detecting pH.

Because the accurate and rapid detection of antibiotics and pH plays an important role in biological systems and environmental fields, developing suitable and efficient sensors that can simultaneously detect antibiotics and pH has become important. In this work, we successfully designed and synthesized two new one-dimensional coordination polymers based on the mixed ligands L [N,N'-bis(4-methylpyridin-4-yl)-2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylamide] and H2CPG [3-(4-chlorophenyl)glutaric acid], [M(L)(HCPG)2(H2O)2] (M = Co for CP 1, and M = Ni for CP 2), which were structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis. CP 1 and CP 2 can be used as ultraversatile fluorescent sensors, which can sense erythromycin (ERY) and oxacillin (OXC) by turn-on fluorescent enhancement and detect furaltadone (FTD) via the turn-off fluorescent quenching effect, separately. The concentration ranges of different analytes sensed by CPs 1 and 2 were 0-0.046 and 0-0.069 mM for ERY, 0-0.04 and 0-0.028 mM for OXC, and 0-0.155 and 0-0.019 mM for FTD, respectively. Moreover, CP 2 can effectively sense pH, in both a wide pH range and the fine physiological range. The sensors have a rapid luminescence response, good recyclability, and excellent fluorescence stability. More importantly, they not only represent the first example of detecting ERY or OXC based on fluorescent CPs but also are the very rare ultraversatile fluorescent sensors. The fluorescent sensing mechanism for antibiotics and pH was discussed in detail.

Effect of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy on Surgical Site Infections following Stoma Reversal in Colorectal Surgery: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections (SSI) are common complications after surgery, which cause other complications and increase medical costs. However, the effect of negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for the prevention of SSI at stoma reversal remains inconclusive, with controversial results. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of NPWT following stoma reversal in colorectal surgery to prevent SSI and other wound complications. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases for articles published up to July 2022 and identified relevant studies reporting the NPWT administration following stoma reversal in colorectal surgery compared with non-pressure dressing. The primary outcome was the incidence of SSI, and the secondary outcomes were hematoma, seroma, and length of hospital stay (LOS). RESULTS: Nine studies were included in the meta-analysis, with 825 patients with (n = 310) or without (n = 515) NPWT. Pooled SSI rate was lower in the NPWT group than in the non-pressure dressing group (OR = 0.50; 95% CI: 0.29, 0.84; P = 0.01). There was no significant effect on hematoma (OR = 0.21; 95% CI: 0.03, 1.27; P = 0.09), seroma (OR = 0.26; 95% CI: 0.05, 1.28; P = 0.1) and LOS (MD = -0.16, 95% CI: -0.83, 0.51; P = 0.64). CONCLUSION: The use of NPWT following stoma reversal in colorectal surgery reduced the incidence of SSI. However, this conclusion needs to be interpreted with caution, and further studies should be conducted to confirm in higher-quality RCTs.

Endophytic Phthalate-degrading Bacillus subtilis N-1-gfp colonizing in soil-crop system shifted indigenous bacterial community to remove di-n-butyl phthalate.

Endophytic bacteria can degrade toxic phthalate (PAEs). Nevertheless, the colonization and function of endophytic PAE-degrader in soil-crop system and their association mechanism with indigenous bacteria in PAE removal remain unknown. Here, endophytic PAE-degrader Bacillus subtilis N-1 was marked with green fluorescent protein gene. Inoculated strain N-1-gfp could well colonize in soil and rice plant exposed to di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) as directly confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy and realtime PCR. Illumina high-throughput sequencing demonstrated that inoculated N-1-gfp shifted indigenous bacterial community in rhizosphere and endosphere of rice plants with significant increasing relative abundance of its affiliating genus Bacillus than non-inoculation. Strain N-1-gfp exhibited efficient DBP degradation with 99.7% removal in culture solutions, and significantly promoted DBP removal in soil-plant system. Strain N-1-gfp colonization help plant enrich specific functional bacteria (e.g., pollutant-degrading bacteria) with significant higher relative abundances and stimulated bacterial activities (e.g., pollutant degradation) compared with non-inoculation. Furthermore, strain N-1-gfp displayed strong interaction with indigenous bacteria for accelerating DBP degradation in soil, decreasing DBP accumulation in plants and promoting plant growth. This is the first report on well colonization of endophytic DBP-degrader Bacillus subtilis in soil-plant system and its bioaugmentation with indigenous bacteria for promoting DBP removal.

Modular Assembly of Isostructural Mixed-Ligand Uranyl Coordination Polymers Based on a Patterning Strategy.

Controlling the orderly assembly of molecular building blocks for the formation of the desired architectural, chemical, and physical properties of the resulting solid-state materials remains a long-term goal and deserves to be examined. In this work, we propose a patterning strategy for modular assembly and structural regulation of mixed-ligand uranyl coordination polymers (CPs) through the combination of couples of organic ligands with complementary molecular geometry and well-matched coordination modes. By using a 5-(p-tolyldiazenyl)isophthalic acid ligand (H2ptdi) with different rigid linear bicarboxylic acid linkers to construct a well-defined ladder-like pattern, five novel isostructural uranyl coordination polymers, [(UO)2(ptdi)(bdc)0.5](dma) (1), [(UO)2(ptdi)(bpdc)0.5](dma) (2), [(UO)2(ptdi)(tpdc)0.5](dma) (3), [(UO)2(ptdi)(ndc)0.5](dma) (4), and [(UO)2(ptdi) (pdc)0.5](dma) (5) {H2bdc, 1,4-dicarboxybenzene; H2bpdc, 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid; H2tpdc, terphenyl-4,4″-dicarboxylic acid; H2ndc, 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid; H2pdc, 1,6-pyrenedicarboxylic acid; [dma]+, [(CH3)2NH2]+}, were successfully synthesized. Structural analysis reveals that 1-5 have similar ladder-like units but different sizes of one-dimensional nanochannels and interlayer spacing due to the different lengths and widths of the linkers. Because of the changes in interlayer spacing of these isostructural cationic frameworks, differences in the performance of Eu3+ ion exchange with [dma]+ are observed. Moreover, those compounds with high phase purity have been further characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and luminescence spectroscopy, element analysis, PXRD and UV spectroscopy. Among them, compound 3 with strong fluorescence can selectively detect Fe3+ over several competing metal cations in aqueous solution. This work not only provides a feasible patterning method for effectively regulating the modular synthesis of functional coordination polymers but also enriches the library of uranyl-based coordination polymers with intriguing structures and functionality.

Acupuncture for Female Infertility: Discussion on Action Mechanism and Application.

A higher incidence of female infertility has been reported with an unexpectedly early appearance in recent years. The female infertility treatment and application of assisted reproductive technology have recently gained immense interest from scientists. Many studies have discussed the beneficial effects of acupuncture on female infertility. With advancements in science and medical technology, acupuncture-related research has increased in investigating its effectiveness in treating female infertility. This review focuses on a compilation of research in recent years on acupuncture for female infertility treatment and the exploration of the underlying mechanism. For this purpose, literature was searched using various search engines like PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The search was refined by only focusing on recent studies on acupuncture effectiveness and mechanism in female infertility and evaluating pregnancy outcomes.

A new three-dimensional zinc(II) metal-organic framework as a fluorescence sensor for sensing the biomarker 3-nitrotyrosine.

3-Nitrotyrosine (3-NT), an oxidative stress biomarker, is closely associated with various diseases. Thus, rapid and sensitive detection of 3-NT is of great significance for preventing and treating diseases. Herein, we reported a new 3D zinc-based metal-organic framework (Zn-MOF) [Zn(L)(HBTC)] (L = (E)-4,4'-(ethene-1,2-diyl)bis[(N-pyridin-3-yl)benzamide], H3BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid), which was structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, IR, PXRD and TG. The Zn-MOF can be used as a highly efficient fluorescence sensing material to provide a direct and low-cost method for the rapid detection of 3-NT and shows high sensitivity with a KSV value of 6.596 × 104 M-1, a rapid luminescence response within 24 s, excellent selectivity, high anti-interference ability and good recyclability. It is the first example of a MOF being used to directly detect 3-NT as a luminescence sensor to our knowledge. The sensing mechanism of the Zn-MOF towards 3-NT is discussed in detail, which provides a basis for the rational design of MOF sensing materials and their application in biomarker detection.

The Collection and Recognition Method of Music and Dance Movement Based on Intelligent Sensor.

With the popularization and development of Internet of Things technology, a large number of music and dance videos have emerged in all walks of life. In this information age, video communication has become a widespread communication method. In the current music and dance collection process, most of the action frame information of the dance video is repeated, and the stage background and costumes of the dance action are too many to fully express the human body movement information. Based on these problems, this article will realize the application of the intelligent sensor-based action recognition technology in the field of dance movement collection and complete the collection and recognition of music and dance movements. The research results of the article show that: (1) in the dance video image extraction process, the feature recognition effect of the proposed algorithm is the highest among the three models. The recognition effect of the upper body is 66.1, and the recognition effect of the lower body is 61.0. The image recognition effect can reach 73.4. During the statistical experiments on the recognition of different regions of the human body, the recognition effect of the intelligent sensor model proposed in the article is still the highest among the three models. The recognition effect of the upper body is 33.9, and the recognition effect of the lower body is 33.9. The recognition effect is 34.5, and the recognition effect of the whole body is 40.7. (2) In the traditional music and dance collection mode, the P values of the four test parts are all greater than 0.05, indicating that in the traditional music and dance collection mode, the differences between the four test modules are not significant. Combined with the evaluation results of the three groups in the traditional music and dance collection mode, we can conclude that under the condition that the initial conditions are basically the same, and the training conditions and environment are basically the same, the trainees who use the smart sensor music and dance collection training method are better in physical fitness. The indicators have been better improved, and the effect is greatly optimized compared with the training effect in the traditional music and dance collection mode. (3) After the test set runs, the article proposes that the accuracy rate of the dance collection model based on the smart sensor algorithm is 88.24%, the accuracy rate can reach 88.96%, the improved accuracy rate can reach 91.46%, and the accuracy rate can reach 91.79%. The ROC curve value of the article and the improved model is very stable. The ROC value before the improvement remains at about 0.90, and the ROC value after the model improvement also remains at 0.96. After the test set runs, the performance of the four models has decreased to a certain extent, but the smart sensor dance acquisition model proposed in the article has the lowest degree of decline, and the performance after the decline is still the highest among the four models. The accuracy of the model is 90.24%, and the accuracy of the improved model is 93.16%. The ROC curve values of the improved system are very stable, the ROC value has been maintained at 0.95, and the ROC value before the improvement is stable within the range of 0.85-0.95. The experimental results further illustrate that the model proposed in the article has the best performance.

Effect of Coffee Consumption on Postoperative Ileus after Colorectal Surgery: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: Postoperative ileus (POI) is an important complication after elective colorectal surgery, which prolongs hospital stay and increases hospital costs. Coffee has been reported to be beneficial for the recovery of gastrointestinal function. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of coffee consumption in the treatment of POI, following elective colorectal surgery. Methods: A comprehensive literature search for medical subject heading (MeSH) terms, including coffee, caffeine, colon, rectum, and colorectal surgery was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library until November 2021. A meta-analysis of postoperative outcomes was conducted to assess the effectiveness of coffee consumption on POI after colorectal surgery. Results: 726 articles were identified and six RCTs that captured 416 patients were included. The time to first defecation was reduced with postoperative coffee consumption compared to the control group (mean difference = -15.03 h; 95% confidence interval: -17.79, -12.26; P < 0.00001). There was no difference in time to first flatus, time to tolerance for solid food, length of hospital stay, use of laxatives, reinsertion of nasogastric tube, need for reoperation, postoperative complications, and anastomotic leak between the groups. Coffee did not have any adverse effects. Conclusion: The current literature revealed that postoperative coffee consumption shortened the time to first defecation following elective colorectal surgery. Large sample and tightly controlled multicenter randomized clinical trials are needed to offer a more accurate evaluation of the efficacy of coffee.

The Effect of a Combined Modified Pectoral and Stellate Ganglion Block on Stress and Inflammatory Response in Patients Undergoing Modified Radical Mastectomy.

Background and Aims: Regional anaesthesia reports to attenuate stress and inflammatory responses associated with surgical resection; however, the effectiveness of combined nerve blocks is less often investigated. We evaluated whether a combination of a pectoral nerve block (PNB) and stellate ganglion block (SGB) is more effective than a PNB alone in reducing these responses in women undergoing modified radical mastectomy (MRM). Methods: This is a prospective randomized controlled trial. Fifty patients with breast cancer were randomly allocated to receive an ultrasound-guided PNB (n = 25, PNB only group) or ultrasound-guided PNB combined with SGB (n = 25, combined blockade group). The primary outcome was perioperative plasma level of interleukin- (IL-) 6. Secondary outcomes included perioperative plasma levels of cortisol, glucose, IL-8, and tumour necrosis factor- (TNF-) α, pain scores, haemodynamic variables, sleep quality, and complications postsurgery. Results: The combined blockade group exhibited significantly lower IL-6 and TNF-α levels 24 h postsurgery. Cortisol levels were significantly lower in the combined blockade group at the end of the surgery. Glucose levels at the time of incision were lower in the combined blockade group. Pain scores up to 12 h postsurgery were significantly lower in the combined blockade group, which also exhibited better perioperative haemodynamic stability. Patients in the combined blockade group reported better sleep quality on the night of surgery. Conclusion: In patients undergoing MRM, PNB combined with SGB block effectively blunted perioperative inflammatory response than PNB alone. A combined block approach can also alleviate stress response and postoperative acute pain with stable perioperative haemodynamics and better postoperative sleep quality.

Controllable photomechanical bending of metal-organic rotaxane crystals facilitated by regioselective confined-space photodimerization.

Molecular machines based on mechanically-interlocked molecules (MIMs) such as (pseudo) rotaxanes or catenates are known for their molecular-level dynamics, but promoting macro-mechanical response of these molecular machines or related materials is still challenging. Herein, by employing macrocyclic cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8])-based pseudorotaxane with a pair of styrene-derived photoactive guest molecules as linking structs of uranyl node, we describe a metal-organic rotaxane compound, U-CB[8]-MPyVB, that is capable of delivering controllable macroscopic mechanical responses. Under light irradiation, the ladder-shape structural unit of metal-organic rotaxane chain in U-CB[8]-MPyVB undergoes a regioselective solid-state [2 + 2] photodimerization, and facilitates a photo-triggered single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SCSC) transformation, which even induces macroscopic photomechanical bending of individual rod-like bulk crystals. The fabrication of rotaxane-based crystalline materials with both photoresponsive microscopic and macroscopic dynamic behaviors in solid state can be promising photoactuator devices, and will have implications in emerging fields such as optomechanical microdevices and smart microrobotics.

Case Report: A Case of Concomitant Paroxysmal Kinesigenic Dyskinesia and Epilepsy: Can We Treat Two Birds With One Stone?

BACKGROUND: Paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD) is characterized by recurrent episodes of movement-induced motor attacks. PKD patients may have concomitant epilepsy. Differentiation between the two disorders and effective control of both diseases remain challenging. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a Chinese girl with typical manifestations of PKD, who also suffered from generalized tonic-clonic seizure attacks at the same time. Genetic testing confirmed a PRRT2 mutation (c.649dupC). Oxcarbazepine was initially used, but withdrawn due to a hypersensitivity reaction. Levetiracetam was initiated afterwards, which was effective for seizures but failed to control her PKD symptoms. The addition of lacosamide (LCM) completely controlled her PKD symptoms. CONCLUSION: This is the first case reporting the effectiveness of LCM for concomitant PKD and epilepsy. Our case proposes a novel alternative for such patients who are resistant or cannot tolerate conventional anti-sodium antiepileptics.

[Relationship between the Expression of miRNA181a-5p and the Imbalance of Treg/Th17 in Primary Immune Thrombocytopenia].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of relationship between the expression of miRNA181a-5p and imbalance of Treg/Th17 in the pathogenesis of primary immune thrombocytopenia(ITP), which contributes to clarify the mechanism of T cell immune imbalance in ITP patients. METHODS: Peripheral blood was collected from 37 ITP patients, concluding 21 untreated patients and 16 effectively treated patients, and 19 healthy controls; Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated and the expression of miRNA181a-5p and Notch1 was analyzed by RT-PCR. The proportion of Th17 subsets and Treg cells in the peripheral circulation was detected by flow cytometer (FCM). Clinical data of ITP group was collected, including age, platelet count and disease course. RESULTS: The expression of miR-181a-5p was significantly decreased in ITP group than that of healthy control group (P＜0.01). After effective treatment, the expression of miR-181a-5p was significantly higher than that of ITP group (P＜0.05), but still significantly lower than that of healthy control group (P＜0.01); The expression of Notch1 was significantly increased in ITP group and effectively treated group than that of healthy control group (P＜0.01). There was no significant difference in proportion of Treg cells in ITP group, effectively treated group and healthy control group (P＞0.05). The proportion of Th17 subsets in ITP group was significantly increased than that of healthy control group (P＜0.05), while the ratio of Treg/Th17 was significantly decreased (P＜0.05). There was a positive correlation between the expression of miR-181a-5p and ratio of Treg/Th17 in ITP group (r=0.555). CONCLUSION: The expression of miR-181a-5p is significantly decreased in ITP patients, which is closely related to the imbalance of Treg/Th17 cells. After effective treatment, the expression of miR-181a-5p can be significantly corrected, but still failed to reach the level of healthy people. While the expression of Notch1 is significantly increased in ITP patients, and could not reach the level of healthy people after effective treatment.