Global impact of particulate matter on ischemic stroke.

Objective: This study assesses the worldwide impact of ischemic stroke caused by ambient particulate matter pollution between 1990 and 2019, utilizing data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019. Methods: An analysis was conducted across various subgroups, including region, Socio-demographic Index (SDI) level, country, age, and gender. The study primarily examined metrics such as death cases, death rate, Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), DALY rate, and age-standardized indicators. The Estimated Annual Percentage Change (EAPC) was calculated to assess trends over time. Results: The study found a moderate increase in the global burden of ischemic stroke attributed to ambient particulate matter, with the age-standardized DALY rate showing an EAPC of 0.41. Subgroup analyses indicated the most substantial increases in Western Sub-Saharan Africa (EAPC 2.64), East Asia (EAPC 2.77), and Eastern Sub-Saharan Africa (EAPC 3.80). Low and middle SDI countries displayed the most notable upward trends, with EAPC values of 3.36 and 3.58 for age-standardized death rate (ASDR) and DALY rate, respectively. Specifically, countries like Equatorial Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Yemen experienced the largest increases in ASDR and age-standardized DALY rate. Furthermore, both death and DALY rates from ischemic stroke due to particulate matter showed significant increases with age across all regions. Conclusion: The study highlights the increasing worldwide health consequences of ischemic stroke linked to particulate matter pollution, particularly in Asia and Africa. This emphasizes the critical necessity for tailored public health interventions in these regions.

Wavelength-Independent Excitation Bessel Beams for High-Resolution and Deep Focus Imaging.

Bessel beams are attaining keen interest in the current era considering their unique non-diffractive, self-healing nature and their diverse applications spanning over a broad spectral range of microwave to optical frequencies. However, conventional generators are not only bulky and complex but are also limited in terms of numerical aperture (NA) and efficiency. In this study, we experimentally develop a wavelength-independent Bessel beam generator through custom-designed metasurfaces to accomplish high resolution and large depth-of-focus imaging. These meta-axicons exhibit a high NA of up to 0.7 with an ability to generate Bessel beams with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 300 nm (~λ/2) and a depth of focus (DOF) of 153 µm (~261λ) in a broad spectral range of 500-700 nm. This excitation approach can provide a promising avenue for cutting-edge technology and applications related to Bessel beams for imaging along with a high axial resolution and an ultra-large depth of focus.

Clinical Effect of Abdominal Massage Therapy on Blood Glucose and Intestinal Microbiota in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical effects of abdominal massage on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its influence on the intestinal microflora. We conducted a randomized, controlled clinical trial. A total of 60 patients with T2DM, who met the inclusion criteria, were randomly allocated to the control group, the routine massage group, and the abdominal massage group. The control group received health education and maintained their hypoglycemic drug treatment plan. The routine massage group and the abdominal massage group received different massage interventions. In addition to glucose and lipid metabolism indicators, we quantitatively analyzed the gut microbiota to assess the effects of massage on the intestinal microflora of patients with T2DM. Compared with the control group, the abdominal massage improved levels of glycated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, Enterobacter, and Bifidobacteria with significant differences (P = 0.02, P = 0.03, P = 0.03, and P = 0.03). The comparison within group showed that the levels of the four bacterial genera in the abdominal massage group revealed significant differences before and after treatment (P = 0.006, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P = 0.002). The comparison between the routine massage group and the abdominal massage group was not significantly different in all levels of test indices. The abdominal massage group regulated levels of Enterobacter and Lactobacilli to a greater extent than the routine massage group. Additionally, abdominal massage decreased Enterococcus levels. The results of this study showed that abdominal massage has clinical advantages over routine massage. Specifically, this intervention may correct microflora disturbances to a certain extent.

Acupuncture for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with dry eye: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The global incidence of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with dry eye is increasing annually, which imposes additional healthcare costs and financial burden on families and societies. In clinical practice, artificial tears are often used for symptomatic treatment, but these can only relieve the symptoms of discomfort. Acupuncture is a widely used alternative therapy. Indeed, randomised trials have found that acupuncture confers a definite therapeutic effect on patients with T2DM with dry eye. However, systematic reviews on the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture are lacking, therefore this systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for T2DM with dry eye. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Four English databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase and Ovid), three Chinese databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, Chonqing VIP Information), three Japanese databases (Japan Science, Technology Agency and Japan Medical Abstracts Society) and three Korean databases (Korean Medical database, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System and Research Information Service System) will be searched for reports published between 1 January 2007 and 1 October 2021. Only randomised controlled trials will be included, and language or publication dates will not be restricted. Two researchers will independently extract, manage and analyse data. The primary outcomes will include Schirmer's I test, breakup time, corneal fluorescein staining and ocular surface disease index scores. Secondary results will include visual analogue scale scores for ocular symptoms and any adverse events related to acupuncture. We will use Review Manager V.5.4 for the meta-analysis. The risk of bias will be independently assessed using Cochrane's 'risk of bias' tool. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval will not be required since raw data will not be collected or generated. Our findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journal. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42021271891.