Highly collimated intense radiation from electron collisions with a tightly focused linearly polarized laser pulse.

The use of high-energy radiation generated by electron collisions with a laser pulse is an effective method to treat cancer. In this paper, the spatial properties of radiation produced by electron collisions with a tightly focused linearly polarized laser pulse are investigated. Theoretical derivations and numerical simulations within the framework of classical electrodynamics show that the stronger the laser intensity, the higher the initial electron energy, and the longer the laser pulse, which can produce greater radiation power. An increase in the laser intensity expands the range of electron radiation and therefore reduces the collimation of the radiation. The collimation in the radiation is better when colliding with an electron of higher initial energy. The phenomenon that the radiated power of the electron varies periodically with the initial phase of the laser is also found. The results of this paper have important implications to produce strongly radiating and highly collimated rays.

Associations of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio with intracranial and extracranial atherosclerotic stenosis.

Background: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been shown to be an important inflammatory maker. This study aims to investigate the association of NLR with intracranial and extracranial atherosclerotic stenosis. Methods: We retrospectively recruited patients who underwent digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for evaluating intracranial/extracranial stenosis in the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from January 2017 to October 2021. Clinical characteristics, DSA data, blood routine, and lipid profile were recorded. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association of NLR and intercranial/extracranial atherosclerotic stenosis in three aspects: distribution of stenosis, whether the stenosis is symptomatic, and degree of stenosis. Results: A total of 1,129 patients were included in our analysis, with a median age of 62 y (interquartile range 55-68), and a median admission NLR of 2.39 (interquartile range 1.84-3.42). A total of 986 patients presented intracranial and/or extracranial atherosclerotic stenosis. Increased NLR were associated with intracranial stenosis [odds ratio (OR), 1.54; 95% CI, 1.27-1.85; p < 0.001], extracranial stenosis (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.25-1.96; p < 0.001), and combined intracranial/extracranial stenosis (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.28-2.03; p < 0.001). After adjustment of potential factors, higher NLR were independently associated with symptomatic stenosis (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.05-1.27; p = 0.003) and degree of stenosis (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.17-1.49; p < 0.001). Compared with the first quartile NLR, the second, third, and fourth quartiles NLR were independent risk factors for symptomatic stenosis and stenosis degree (both p for trend <0.001). Conclusion: Increased NLR is an important factor associated with both intracranial and extracranial atherosclerotic stenosis. Patients with symptomatic intracranial/extracranial atherosclerotic stenosis or a more severe degree of stenosis presented elevated NLR levels.

Modified-FOLFIRINOX combined with deep regional hyperthermia in pancreatic cancer: a retrospective study in Chinese patients.

BACKGROUND: FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy displays significant survival improvements in patients with pancreatic cancer. However, toxicities have hampered enthusiasm for the use of FOLFIRINOX in full dose. In order to increase the tolerability, many researchers focused on the modification of FOLFIRINOX. On the other hand, hyperthermia (HT) has been considered as an effective ancillary treatment for cancer therapy. Up to now, there is no report evaluating combining deep regional hyperthermia (DRHT) with modified-FOLFIRINOX for pancreatic cancer patients. METHODS: In this study, we conducted a retrospective review of pancreatic cancer patients treated with the combination of new form modified-FOLFIRINOX and DRHT (BSD2000). Patients underwent chemotherapy that included low-dose irinotecan (70-130 mg/m2), oxaliplatin (65-70 mg/m2) on day 1 and 5-FU (2400 mg/m2 as a 46 h continuous infusion, no bolus) or capecitabine (CAP) (1000 mg/m2 twice daily on days 1-10) or tegafur, gimeracil and oteracil potassium (TS-1) (80-120 mg/d twice daily on days 1-10), 2-week schedule. Generally, DRHT treatment was performed weekly, 45 min for each time during chemotherapy. RESULTS: The patients receiving mFOLFIRINOX as the first line chemotherapy combining with DRHT, obtained an improvement in OS and PFS, 17 months (95% CI 1.97-32.03 months) and 4 months (95% CI 0-8.29 months) respectively. Overall, this combination regimen was safe; 17.6% patients suffered from grade 3/4 toxicities. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, we conducted a retrospective study combining mFOLFIRINOX and DRHT, which was well tolerated. The efficacy in the treatment of pancreatic cancer was encouraging, but further studies would be required to prove its merit, compared with conventional treatment.

Guillain-Barré syndrome in southern China: retrospective analysis of hospitalised patients from 14 provinces in the area south of the Huaihe River.

OBJECTIVES: The clinical and epidemiological profiles of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in southern China have yet to be fully recognised. We aimed to investigate the subtypes of GBS in southern China, compare the clinical features of demyelinating form with that of axonal form and test whether preceding infections and age have influence on the clinical phenotype, disease course and severity of GBS. METHODS: Medical records of patients with a diagnosis of GBS admitted to 31 tertiary hospitals, located in 14 provinces in southern China, from 1 January 2013 to 30 September 2016, were collected and retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Finally. 1056 patients, including 887 classic GBS and 169 variants, were enrolled. The 661 classic patients with available electromyographic data were grouped as having acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP, 49.0%), acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN, 18.8%), inexcitable (0.9%) and equivocal (31.3%). In contrast to AIDP, patients with AMAN were characterised by earlier nadir (P=0.000), higher Hughes score at nadir (P=0.003) and at discharge (P=0.000). Preceding upper respiratory infections were identified in 369 (34.9%) patients, who were more inclined to develop AIDP (P=0.000) and Miller-Fisher syndrome (P=0.027), whereas gastrointestinal infection were found in 89 (8.4%) patients, who were more prone to develop AMAN (P=0.000), with more severe illness (P=0.001) and longer hospital stay (P=0.009). Children (≤15 years) and the elderly (≥56 years) were more severe at nadir, the elderly had the longest hospital stay (P=0.023). CONCLUSION: AIDP is the predominant form in southern China, which is different from data of northern China. The different subtypes, preceding infection and age of onset can partially determine the disease progression, severity and short-term recovery speed of GBS. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR-RRC-17014152.

Rosiglitazone ameliorates astrocyte over-activation and inflammatory cytokine release induced by global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion.

Global cerebral ischemia (GCI) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide and remains the primary cause of long-term neurological disability. Astrocyte over-activation and extensive neuron loss in the ischemic brain are the characteristic pathological features of cerebral ischemia. Rosiglitazone (RSG) is a peroxisome-proliferating activating receptor-γ agonist known for its anti-inflammatory activity. Previous studies have suggested that RSG is able to exert neuroprotection in numerous acute and chronic brain injury models. However, whether RSG treatment is involved in astrocyte over-activation and inflammatory reaction in the cortex remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether RSG treatment improved functional impairment induced following GCI and protected against cortex neuron loss, and to elucidate the potential mechanisms underlying these functions. Rats were randomly divided into three groups: Sham-operated, GCI and RSG treatment groups. The RSG treatment group was treated with 2 mg/kg RSG immediately following GCI. The results demonstrated that RSG treatment significantly reduced infarct volume and neuron survival rates in addition to increasing function recovery. Furthermore, these results correlate with a reduction in astrocyte over-activation and inflammatory cytokines in the rat cortex. However, no significant changes in glutamate transporter-1 expression levels were observed following RSG treatment compared with the GCI rats. The results of this investigation provide in vivo evidence that RSG significantly protected rats against ischemia-reperfusion-induced brain injury. In addition, RSG may exert neuroprotective effects by inhibiting astrocyte over-activation, and thereby reducing the levels of inflammatory cytokines in the GCI-injured brain. All data revealed that RSG may be a potential neuroprotective agent for cerebral ischemia.

[Optical properties of core-shell ZnS :Mn nanoparticles].

Mn(2+)-doped ZnS nanoparticles were prepared in reverse micelles and were coated by a shell of ZnS. The optical properties of the coated Mn(2+)-doped ZnS nanoparticles were studied and compared with those of the uncoated ones. The results indicate that Mn2+ ions emission at 580 nm in the coated nanoparticles was much stronger than that in the uncoated ones. The excitation spectra of the uncoated nanoparticles shifted to the red with the time after the initial preparation, while those of the coated ones changed little, which indicate that the coated nanoparticles had better stability than the uncoated ones.