Beta Changes Induced by Acute Hand Loss Model during NMES.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has been demonstrated to effectively modulate cortical activities by evoking muscle contraction in upper limb and generating joint movements, which showed an excellent performance in motor rehabilitation. However, due to hand loss and cortical function reorganization induced by hand amputation, how neural activities in sensorimotor cortex response to NMES-evoked muscle contraction in the end of an amputation stump is not clear. In this paper, Ischemic nerve block (INB) technique was used to build an acute hand loss model, and 64-channel EEG signals were recorded from 11 healthy subjects to perform a 2×2 factorial design protocol, with the INB state and the current intensity as factors. The changes of NMES-evoked sensorimotor cortical activities were quantified by computing Beta-band event-related desynchronization (Beta ERD) patterns and the time-varying functional connectivity using adaptive directed transfer function (ADTF) before and during INB. The acute hand "loss" resulted in ipsilateral dominance of Beta ERD induced by NMES with two current intensities in the topographic maps, that is, ipsilateral Beta ERD was significantly higher than that the contralateral one (p<0.05). However, before INB, Beta ERD in the contralateral sensorimotor cortex induced by NMES above motor threshold was significantly higher than that in the ipsilateral area (p< 0.01). Meanwhile, whatever before or during INB, clustering coefficients of the ADTF network in sensorimotor cortex showed temporal dynamics during two NMES tasks. During INB, NMES above motor threshold-evoked lower clustering coefficients of the time-varying network in sensorimotor cortex than that before INB (p<0.05). The present results suggest that the loss of the hand proprioception will degrade cortical activities in the contralateral area, and increase cortical activities in the ipsilateral area compensatively responding to NMES. This finding may be particularly important to improve the reconstruction of the proprioception function of hand prosthesis.

[Analysis of the efficacy of endoscopic transnasal surgery for sinonasal and skull base adenoid cystic carcinoma].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic transnasal surgery for sinonasal and skull base adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), and to analyze the prognostic factors. Methods: Data of 82 patients (43 females and 39 males, at a median age of 49 years old) with sinonasal and skull base ACC who were admitted to XuanWu Hospital, Capital Medical University between June 2007 and June 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were staged according to American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition. The disease overall survival(OS) and disease-free survival(DFS) rates were calculated by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Cox regression model was used for multivariate prognostic analysis. Results: There were 4 patients with stage Ⅱ, 14 patients with stage Ⅲ, and 64 patients with stage Ⅳ. The treatment strategies included purely endoscopic surgery (n=42), endoscopic surgery plus radiotherapy (n=32) and endoscopic surgery plus radiochemotherapy (n=8). Followed up for 8 to 177 months, the 5-year OS and DFS rates was 63.0% and 51.6%, respectively. The 10-year OS and DFS rates was 51.2% and 31.8%, respectively. The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that late T stage and internal carotid artery (ICA) involvement were the independent prognostic factors for survival in sinonasal and skull base ACC (all P<0.05). The OS of patients who received surgery or surgery plus radiotherapy was significantly higher than that of patients who received surgery plus radiochemotherapy (all P<0.05). Conclusions: Endoscopic transonasal surgery or combing with radiotherapy is an effective procedure for the treatment of sinonasal and skull base ACC. Late T stage and ICA involvement indicate poor prognosis.

Demirjian method and Willems method to study the dental age of adolescents in Shanghai before and after 10 years.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess whether the difference in dental ages between 2009 to 2011 and 2021 is affected by environmental factors such as environmental pollution, floating population, and dietary habits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Demirjian and Willems dental age estimation methods were conducted for a Han population of children aged 8 to 14 in Shanghai, China. A total of 1259 digital panoramic radiographs of children aged 8.00-14.99 were estimated. All digital panoramic radiographs were estimated using the Demirjian and Willems methods. Data collected in 2009 to 2011 and 2021 were statistically analysed by paired t-tests. RESULTS: The results show that the Demirjian method overestimates 2009 to 2011 and underestimates 2021 the children's chronological age. When using the Willems method, the age of males was overestimated and the age of females was underestimated from 2009 to 2011, and it was underestimated for both genders in 2021. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the difference in dental ages between 2009 to 2011 and 2021 was statistically significant. Factors such as environment and dietary habits have been found to be affected by dental development. However, there are disputes among some researchers about the exact factors, so it is suggested to further study the effects of environmental factors on tooth development.

[Characteristics and significance of outer retinal thickness changes in reticular macular disease].

Objective: To study the characteristics and significance of changes in the thickness of the outer retinal layer (ORL) outside the macula in patients with reticular macular disease (RMD). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. The clinical data of patients who visited the Department of Ophthalmology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from February to September 2019 were retrospectively collected. Thirty-one patients with at least one eye (54 eyes in total) diagnosed with early/mid-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD) were consecutively included in the AMD group, and 33 patients with at least one eye (64 eyes in total) showing subretinal wart-like deposits on optical coherence tomography images were consecutively included in the RMD group. Thirty-two volunteers aged between 50 to 90 years with a normal fundus in both eyes (64 eyes in total) were consecutively included in the healthy control (HC) group. Frequency domain optical coherence tomography was applied to examine and analyze the thickness features of the ORL, inner retinal layer and choroid at the macular fovea (F), 2 mm of the temporal edge (T), the nasal edge (N), the superior edge (S) and inferior edge (I) of the macular fovea in each group. The correlations of the thickness of ORL with the choroidal thickness and the blood flow density of the choriocapillaris layer in patients with RMD were also analyzed. Results: The thickness of ORL at the F, T, S and I sites in the RMD group was significantly thinner than that in the AMD and HC groups. The difference was most obvious at the F site [(90.27±8.93), (98.04±11.7) and (97.19±7.02)µm] in the RMD, AMD and HC groups, respectively; all P<0.01). In the logistic regression model with independent variables of the ORL thickness at the macular F site, gender and age, there was a significant association between the thickness of ORL at the F site and the incidence of RMD (odds ratio=0.926, P<0.05). The ORL and choroid in the eyes of patients with RMD were significantly thinner at the F site [(90.27±8.93) and (163.21±72.43) µm, respectively; both P<0.01] compared with the AMD [(98.04±11.7) and (235.34±64.15) µm, respectively] and HC [(97.19±7.02) and (240.08±62.27) µm, respectively] groups. However, the ORL and choroidal thickness did not show significant and strong linear correlations at multiple sites. In contrast, there was a significant linear correlation between the blood flow density of the choriocapillaris layer and the thickness of ORL at the F, T and S sites in patients with RMD (r=0.487, 0.722, 0.467, respectively; all P<0.05). Conclusions: The thickness of ORL outside the macula of eyes with RMD is thinner than that of healthy eyes and eyes with early/mid-stage AMD. The thinning of ORL outside the macula is related to the decrease in the blood flow density of the choriocapillaris layer in patients with RMD.

[Endoscopic transoral resection of metastatic retropharyngeal lymph nodes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma via posteroinferior eustachian tube approach: a single center review study].

Objective: To summarize the clinical experience and treatment results of endoscopic transoral resection of metastatic retropharyngeal lymph nodes (MRPLN) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) via posteroinferior eustachian tube approach. Methods: The clinical data of 37 patients with NPC who underwent endoscopic transoral surgery via posteroinferior eustachian tube approach for MRPLN in Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University from 2010 to 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. There are 28 males and 9 females, aged from 31 to 72 years. The clinicopathological features such as gender, age, primary tumor stage, stage, side and size of MRPLN were recorded and analyzed. The surgical procedures of endoscopic transoral resection of MRPLN via posteroinferior eustachian tube approach were described. The MRPLN resection, perioperative complications and follow-up results were also summarized. Results: The primary tumors of 37 cases were determined as rT1 stage in 2 cases, rT2 stage in 30 cases and primary T2 stage in 5 cases in this study. There were 33 cases of unilateral MRPLN(89.2%), 4 cases of bilateral ones (10.8%), 36 cases in N1 stage, and 1 case in N3 stage. Single lymph node was detected in 23 cases(62.2%), and 2-5 lymph nodes in 14 cases(37.8%). Endoscopic transoral surgery via posteroinferior eustachian tube approach was completed in all cases. Total MRPLN resection was obtained in 35 cases (94.6%) with one-stage operation, and subtotal resection was achieved in 2 cases whose MRPLN involved the wall of internal carotid artery. No serious complications occurred in the perioperative period. During the follow-up period (median follow-up period 53.1 months), no recurrence of MRPLN was observed in patients who received total resection. And 8 patients (21.6%) died from different causes. Conclusion: Endoscopic transoral surgery via posteroinferior eustachian tube approach for MRPLN is a practicable and effective surgical option, but the long-term effect still needs longer follow-up and summary of bulk cases.

Prospective associations of circulating thrombospondin-2 level with heart failure hospitalization, left ventricular remodeling and diastolic function in type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Circulating thrombospondin-2 (TSP2) levels were associated with the development of heart failure (HF) in recent studies. However, these studies included only a minority of patients with type 2 diabetes, which is associated with an increased HF risk. As hyperglycemia induces TSP2 expression and its tissue expression increases in type 2 diabetes, we investigated the prospective association of circulating TSP2 with incident HF hospitalization (HHF), and its associations with longitudinal changes of echocardiographic parameters in type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Baseline serum TSP2 levels were measured in 4949 patients with type 2 diabetes to determine its association with incident HHF using multivariable Cox regression analysis. In the echocardiographic study, baseline serum TSP2 levels were measured in another 146 patients with type 2 diabetes but without cardiovascular diseases who underwent detailed transthoracic echocardiography at baseline and after 1 year. RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 7.8 years, 330 of 4949 patients (6.7%) developed incident HHF. Baseline serum TSP2 levels were independently associated with the development of HHF (HR 1.31, 95%CI 1.06-1.62, p = 0.014) after adjustments for baseline conventional cardiovascular risk factors, atrial fibrillation, estimated glomerular filtration rate, albuminuria and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level, use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, loop-diuretics, aspirin, insulin, metformin and sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors. Moreover, baseline serum TSP2 levels were independently associated with increase in average E/e' and left atrial volume index (p = 0.04 and < 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: Serum TSP2 levels were independently associated with both incident HHF and deterioration in diastolic function in type 2 diabetes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not Applicable.

[Relationship between vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms and gestational diabetes mellitus: a case-control study].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and provide evidence for the study of the mechanism of GDM. Methods: A case-control study design was used to study pregnant women who delivered in the obstetrics department of the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from March 1, 2012 to July 30, 2014. Of these, 334 cases were diagnosed with GDM and were matched 1∶1 by age, gestation time and residence to corresponding healthy controls. DNA genotyping was performed for the study subjects, and those with genotyping deletions >10% were excluded. Finally 323 cases and 320 controls were included in the study. Under co-dominant, dominant, recessive, and allele genetic models, unconditional logistic regression analysis on the relationship between VDR gene locus polymorphism and GDM was conducted. And software Haploview was used to analyze the relationship between haplotype and GDM. Results: At the genetic level, VDR gene was associated with the risk of developing GDM (P<0.05). After adjusting for pre-pregnancy body mass index, family history of diabetes, it was found that rs7967152 loci was associated with an increased risk of developing GDM (AC vs. AA, OR=1.58, 95%CI: 1.13-2.21; AC+CC vs. AA, OR=1.58, 95%CI: 1.15-2.18; C vs. A, OR=1.41, 95%CI: 1.10-1.82) and rs2238140 loci was associated with an increased risk of developing GDM (AA vs. GG, OR=2.24, 95%CI: 1.19-4.20; GA+AA vs. GG, OR=1.48, 95%CI: 1.07-2.03; A vs. G, OR=1.43, 95%CI: 1.11-1.83). Carrying rs2853564 locus AG genotype and AG+GG genotype (OR=1.46, 95%CI: 1.04-2.05; OR=1.45, 95%CI: 1.05-2.00) compared with carrying AA genotype and carrying rs2853566 locus AG genotype and AG+GG genotype (OR=1.43, 95%CI: 1.03-2.00; OR=1.41, 95%CI: 1.02-1.94) compared with carrying AA genotype were risk factors for GDM. Haplotype block consisting of rs1544410, rs7967152 in the VDR gene with GC haplotype was a risk factor for GDM(OR=1.50, 95%CI: 1.15-1.97). Conclusions: VDR gene rs7967152, rs2238140, rs2853564, rs2853566 locus polymorphisms and block (rs1544410, rs7967152) GC haplotype were associated with an incrased risk of developing GDM.

[Application of transvaginal morcellation within disposable extraction bag with traction wire in laparoscopic myomectomy].

To investigate the effect and clinical value of morcellation within disposable extraction bag with traction wire through posterior vaginal fornix in laparoscopic myomectomy. A total of 42 patients who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy and morcellation through posterior vaginal fornix in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from June 2019 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. After the uterine fibroids were removed, the fibroids were placed into the extraction bag, tightening the mouth of the bag with a traction wire to make it airtight. After the uterine incisions were sutured, the extraction bag was taken out through the posterior fornix of the vagina, and the fibroids were broken up with a scalpel in the bag and taken out. The fibroids were successfully removed from the 42 patients through the posterior fornix of the vagina. There were no fibroids fragments found in the peritoneal cavity and vagina. There were no malignant cells or spindle cells found in the peritoneal lavage cytology before and after the operation. After filling the extraction bags with water, there was no leakage. There were 39 cases of uterine leiomyoma, 2 cases of cell-rich uterine leiomyoma, and 1 case of smooth muscle tumor of uncertain malignant potential in postoperative pathological diagnosis. Forty-two cases were followed up for 6 to 30 months. The posterior vaginal fornix incision healed well and there was no recurrence or metastasis. Morcellation within disposable extraction bag with traction wire through posterior vaginal fornix in laparoscopic myomectomy is a safe and feasible method for fibroids removal, which may help to reduce the dissemination of iatrogenic tumors.

Imaging-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy of nodules in the lung base: fluoroscopy CT versus cone-beam CT.

AIM: To compare the diagnostic performance and safety of fluoroscopy computed tomography (FCT)-guided to cone-beam CT (CBCT)-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (PTNB) in patients with nodules in the lung base. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical data of 379 patients (228 in the FCT group and 151 in the CBCT group) with nodules in the lung base who underwent FCT-guided or CBCT-guided PTNB from September 2009 to March 2020 were analysed retrospectively. Study outcomes included patient demographics, nodule characteristics, technical success, pathological diagnosis, complications, and radiation exposure. RESULTS: PTNB technical success rates were 98.2% in the FCT group and 98.7% in the CBCT group (p=0.548). For larger lesions (>2 cm in diameter), PTNBs under FCT had similar diagnostic accuracy (95.5% versus 93.64%), incidence of pneumothorax (31.5% versus 21.3%) and radiation exposure (16.8 ± 6.1 versus 15.2 ± 4 mSv) compared to those under CBCT guidance. For smaller lesions (≤2 cm in diameter), the diagnostic accuracy was similar (92.86% versus 100%), but there was a higher incidence of pneumothorax (66.7% versus 31%, p=0.030) and more radiation exposure (19.9 ± 8.4 versus 15.3 ± 5 mSv, p=0.040) under FCT guidance than CBCT. CONCLUSION: PTNBs under FCT and CBCT guidance had similar performance for larger lesions in lung base. CBCT guidance performed better for smaller lesions in terms of radiation dose and complications. Radiologists could optimise the technological resources based on equipment availability and lesion characteristics.

[Relationship between the pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain, and risk of preeclampsia and its subtypes].

Objective: To explore the effects of maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain and its subtypes on the risk of preeclampsia. Methods: Pregnant women delivered in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from March 2012 to September 2016 were selected as the research subjects. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 9 274 pregnant women were included. 901 preeclampsia pregnant women were selected as the case group, and 8 373 non-preeclampsia pregnant women were selected as the control group. General demographic characteristics, pre-pregnancy weight, height, lifestyle during pregnancy, reproductive history, and disease history of pregnant women were collected, and pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain were calculated. Unconditional logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between pre-pregnancy BMI and weight gain during pregnancy and PE and its clinical subtypes. Results: Among the 901 preeclampsia after inclusion and exclusion, 401 cases were diagnosed as early-onset PE (EOPE), 500 cases were late-onset PE (LOPE), 178 cases were Mild PE (MPE), and 723 cases were severe PE (SPE). There were statistically significant differences between PE and non-PE pregnant women in terms of maternal age, residence, parity, family history of gestational diabetes and hypertension (P<0.05). After adjusting for the above factors, the logistic regression analysis results showed that pre-pregnancy BMI<18.5 kg/m2 and inadequate gestational weight gain were protective factors for PE (OR=0.74, 95%CI: 0.56-0.98; OR=0.78, 95%CI: 0.62-0.99), while pre-pregnancy BMI≥24.0 kg/m2 and excessive gestational weight gain were risk factors for PE (OR=1.82, 95%CI: 1.54-2.14; OR=1.82, 95%CI: 1.54-2.15). After subtype analysis on PE, the results showed that pre-pregnancy BMI<18.5 kg/m2 was a protective factor for EOPE and MPE (OR=0.52, 95%CI: 0.32-0.83; OR=0.47, 95%CI: 0.23-0.97), while pre-pregnancy BMI≥24.0 kg/m2 and excessive gestational weight gain were risk factors for clinical subtypes of PE. After stratification according to pre-pregnancy BMI, excessive gestational weight gain was the risk factor for PE (OR=1.86, 95%CI: 1.51-2.30; OR=1.90, 95%CI: 1.39-2.60) in pregnant women 18.5 kg/m2≤BMI<24.0 kg/m2 and ≥24.0 kg/m2. Inadequate gestational weight gain (OR=0.55, 95%CI: 0.34-0.89) was a protective factor for PE in pregnant women with pre-pregnancy BMI≥24.0 kg/m2. Excessive gestational weight gain (OR=4.05, 95%CI: 1.20-13.69) was a risk factor for EOPE in pregnant women with pre-pregnancy BMI<18.5 kg/m2. Excessive gestational weight gain was a risk factor for the clinical subtype of PE in pregnant women 18.5 kg/m2≤BMI<24.0 kg/m2 before pregnancy. Inadequate gestational weight gain was a protective factor for EOPE and MPE (OR=0.39, 95%CI: 0.19-0.80; OR=0.29, 95%CI: 0.11-0.77) in pregnant women with pre-pregnancy BMI≥24.0 kg/m2. Excessive weight gain was a risk factor for EOPE, LOPE and SPE (OR=1.60, 95%CI: 1.06-2.42;OR=2.20, 95%CI: 1.44-3.37;OR=2.28, 95%CI: 1.58-3.29). Conclusions: Pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain affect the risk of preeclampsia and its clinical subtypes. In contrast, the influence of gestational weight gain on preeclampsia varies among different pre-pregnancy BMI groups. Therefore, it is recommended to pay attention to the changes in pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain simultaneously to reduce preeclampsia.

[Application of morcellation through small umbilical incision in laparoscopic myomectomy].

To investigate the effect of morcellation through small umbilical incision in laparoscopic myomectomy. A total of 67 patients who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from February 2018 to October 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Fibroids were loaded into disposable laparoscopic collection bags and then retrieved through small umbilical incision. The operation of all 67 patients were successfully completed. There were no leakage of collection bags or fibroids fragments found in the peritoneal cavity and the puncture holes. There were no spindle cells or malignant cells found in the peritoneal lavage cytology before and after operation. There were 64 cases of uterine leiomyoma, 2 cases of cellular leiomyoma, and 1 case of leiomyoma with cystic degeneration in postoperative pathological diagnosis. The weight of fibroid was 110-420 (227±106) g; the operation time was 58-274 (107±45) min; the time for retrieving specimen was 8-27 (18.4±10.6) min; the time for suturing umbilical incision was 4-11 (7.8±4.6) min; the score of pain numeric rating scale (NRS) at 24 h, 48 h, 72 h after operation was 4-6 (4.5±1.2) points, 2-4 (2.7±1.1) points, and 1-2 (1.6±0.4) points, respectively; the Hollander wound evaluation score was 3-5 (4.6±0.5) points. The umbilical incisions looked and healed well after operation. Morcellation through small umbilical incision in laparoscopic myomectomy is a safe and practical method of specimen removal, which may help to reduce the dissemination of iatrogenic tumors.

[Urinary retinol binding protein and ß2-microglobulin were associated with urinary albumin to creatinine ratio and renal function in hospitalized diabetic patients].

Objective: To explore the associations of urinary retinol binding protein (RBP) and ß2-microglobulin (ß2-MG) with urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR) and renal function in hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: A total of 1 030 Chinese patients with T2DM were included in this study. The subjects were divided into the UACR normal group (<30 mg/g), microalbuminuria group (30-300 mg/g) and macroalbuminuria group (>300 mg/g). Patients with normal UACR were further divided into two groups according to the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR): the eGFR low group (<90 ml·min-1·1.73m-2) and the normal eGFR group (≥90 ml·min-1·1.73m-2). Urine RBP and ß2-MG levels among the groups were compared. Multiple linear regression analyses were applied to evaluate risk factors of urine RBP and ß2-MG. Results: In all patients (n=1 030), urine RBP and ß2-MG increased gradually with the increase of UACR across the three groups, the proportions of abnormal urine RBP (>0.7 mg/L) and ß2-MG (>370 µg/L) in these groups were 3.8%, 8.5%, 39.0% (P<0.001), and 12.9%, 26.7%, 46.8% (P<0.001), respectively. In the UACR normal group (n=788), 12.2% of the patients were with eGFR<90 ml·min-1·1.73m-2. The proportion of abnormal ß2-MG (>370 µg/L) was higher in the eGFR low group than that in the eGFR normal group (29.2% vs. 10.7%, P<0.001). Multivariate linear stepwise regression analyses were performed using natural logarithm of urine RBP or ß2-MG as dependent variable, and showed that urine RBP was independently associated with UACR (ß=0.0005, P<0.001), serum creatinine (ß=0.006, P<0.001) and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (ß=0.050, P=0.001), and ß2-MG was independently correlated with UACR (ß=0.000 4, P<0.001), serum creatinine (ß=0.011, P<0.001), systolic blood pressure (ß=0.005, P=0.031) and fasting blood-glucose (ß=0.027, P=0.046). Conclusions: Urine RBP and ß2-MG are positively associated with high UACR and impaired renal function in T2DM patients, and these changes could occur before UACR and eGFR turned out to be abnormal. It is recommended that urine RBP and ß2-MG be detected as early as possible to identify diabetic kidney disease in patients with normal UACR and eGFR.

Integration of full divertor detachment with improved core confinement for tokamak fusion plasmas.

Divertor detachment offers a promising solution to the challenge of plasma-wall interactions for steady-state operation of fusion reactors. Here, we demonstrate the excellent compatibility of actively controlled full divertor detachment with a high-performance (ßN ~ 3, H98 ~ 1.5) core plasma, using high-ßp (poloidal beta, ßp > 2) scenario characterized by a sustained core internal transport barrier (ITB) and a modest edge transport barrier (ETB) in DIII-D tokamak. The high-ßp high-confinement scenario facilitates divertor detachment which, in turn, promotes the development of an even stronger ITB at large radius with a weaker ETB. This self-organized synergy between ITB and ETB, leads to a net gain in energy confinement, in contrast to the net confinement loss caused by divertor detachment in standard H-modes. These results show the potential of integrating excellent core plasma performance with an efficient divertor solution, an essential step towards steady-state operation of reactor-grade plasmas.

Orbital competition of Mn3+ and V3+ ions in Mn1+x V2-x O4.

The structural and magnetic properties of Mn1+x V2-x O4 (0 < x ⩽ 1) have been investigated by the heat capacity, magnetization, x-ray diffraction and neutron diffraction measurements, and a phase diagram of temperature versus composition was built up. For x ⩽ 0.3, a cubic-to-tetragonal (c > a) phase transition was observed. For x > 0.3, the system maintained the tetragonal lattice. Although the collinear and noncollinear magnetic transitions of V3+ ions were obtained in all compositions, the canting angles between the V3+ ions decreased with Mn3+-doping, and the ordering of the Mn3+ ions was only observed as x > 0.4. In order to study the dynamics of the ground state, the first principles simulation was applied to analyze not only the orbital effects of Mn2+, Mn3+, and V3+ ions, but also the related exchange energies.

[Analysis of quantitative changes of γδT cells in the peripheral blood of patients with chronic brucellosis].

Objective: To investigate the quantitative changes of γδT cells in peripheral blood before and after anti-Brucella treatment in patients with chronic brucellosis. Methods: A prospective design was used to 88 patients with chronic brucellosis who were admitted to the Second People's Hospital of Tianjin from September 2012 to April 2018. The patients took anti-brucella drugs, And the changes in the number of γδT cell, CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+)T lymphocytes and CD4/8 in peripheral blood before treatment, 6 weeks and 12 weeks after treatment were analyzed. Thirty volunteers were selected as the healthy control group from Tianjin Second People's Hospital employee health checkup in 2014. Results: After 6 weeks antibacterial therapy, the counts of CD3(+), CD4(+) and CD8(+)T lymphocytes were significantly lower than before treatment in patients with chronic brucellosis (P<0.05) . After 12 weeks antibacterial therapy, the counts of γδT cell, CD3(+), CD4(+) and CD8(+)T lymphocytes were significantly lower than before treatment (P<0.05) , but CD4/8 was higher than before treatment in patients with chronic brucellosis (P<0.05) . Compared with healthy control group, after 6 weeks antibacterial treatment, the γδT cell count was still significantly higher, but the CD4(+)T lymphocyte count was lower (P<0.05) . After 12 weeks treatment, the γδT cell count was still significantly higher than that of the healthy control group (P<0.01) . Conclusion: γδ T cells, CD4(+), CD8(+) and CD3(+)T lymphocytes may play a role in human body resistance to chronic Brucella infection.

HOTTIP regulates progression of endometrial cancer via activating PI3K/AKT pathway.

The article "HOTTIP regulates progression of endometrial cancer via activating PI3K/AKT pathway, by Q. Guan, Q. Zhang, C. Zhang, Q. Liu, Q.-L. Ren, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2018; 22(12): 3727-3733-DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_201806_15252-PMID: 29949146" has been withdrawn from the authors. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/15252.

Correction: R-ketamine: a rapid-onset and sustained antidepressant without psychotomimetic side effects.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.