Arsenic removal adsorbent using limonite-polyethersulfone composite fiber via continuous flow column process.

This research introduces an enhanced limonite-based composite fiber adsorbent for arsenic (As) removal. The modification involves creating polyethersulfone (PES)-limonite composite fibers loaded with 60 wt% limonite powders, designed to be applicable in water flow environments. The fibers were prepared using a wet-spinning process based on phase inversion, with varying concentrations (10, 20, and 30 wt%) of PES in NMP solution. The composite fiber with 10 wt% NMP exhibited a porous structure and demonstrated efficient absorption of both As(III) and As(V). Adsorption followed the Langmuir model, with qm values of 1.5 mg/g for As(III) and 3.2 mg/g for As(V) at pH 6. In column experiments, As removal rates increased with contact time, attributed to decreased flow rates (1 mL/min). Moreover, increasing fiber column height led to enhanced removal rates, as indicated by the Adams-Bohart model. The mechanism for As(V) removal involved the formation of an inner-sphere complex through ion exchange between α-FeOOH and HAsO4 - and H2 AsO4 2- in an aqueous solution at pH 6.8. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Changing the polyethersulfone ratio in the composite leads to variations in the appearance of limonite within each composite fiber. Limonite composite fibers effectively remove As(III) and As(V) at neutral pH. The adsorption behavior follows Langmuir kinetic model, the qm of 1.5 mg/g for As(III) and 3.2 mg/g for As(V). Longer columns and contact times enhance arsenic (As) removal in practical water treatment systems. Adam-Bohart model aids in predicting breakthrough and saturation time in As adsorption column design.

RNA sequencing and proteomic profiling reveal alterations by MPTP in chronic stomach mucosal injury in tree shrew Chinese (Tupaia belangeri chinensis).

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is a neurotoxin that can cause gastrointestinal ulcers by affecting dopamine levels. Therefore, MPTP has been considered a toxic substance that causes gastric ulcer disease in experimental animals. In this study, tree shrews were used as the animal model of gastric mucosa injury, and MPTP was intraperitoneally injected at a lower MPTP dosage 2 mg/kg/day for 13 weeks, while tree shrews were not injected as the control group. Under the light microscope, local congestion or diffuse bleeding points of gastric mucosa and multiple redness and swelling bleeding symptoms on the inner wall were observed in the treatment group, as well as immune cell infiltration was found in HE staining, but no such phenomenon was observed in the control group. In order to explore the molecular basis of changes in MPTP induced gastric mucosa injury, the transcriptome and proteome data of gastric mucosa were analyzed. We observed significant differences in mRNA and protein expression levels under the influence of MPTP. The changes in mRNA and proteins are related to increased immune infiltration, cellular processes and angiogenesis. More differentially expressed genes play a role in immune function, especially the candidate genes RPL4 and ANXA1 with significant signal and core role. There are also differentially expressed genes that play a role in mucosal injury and shedding, especially candidate genes GAST and DDC with certain signaling and corresponding functions. Understanding the factors and molecular basis that affect the expression of related genes is crucial for coping with Emotionality gastric mucosa injury disease and developing new treatment methods to establish the ability to resist disease.

Coated cysteamine, a potential feed additive for ruminants - An updated review.

For sustainable development, better performance, and less gas pollution during rumen fermentation, there is a need to find a green and safe feed additive for ruminants. Cysteamine (CS) is a biological compound naturally produced in mammalian cells. It is widely used as a growth promoter in ruminants because of its ability to control hormone secretions. It mainly controls the circulating concentration of somatostatin and enhances growth hormone production, leading to improved growth performance. CS modulates the rumen fermentation process in a way beneficial for the animals and environment, leading to less methane production and nutrients loss. Another beneficial effect of using CS is that it improves the availability of nutrients to the animals and enhances their absorption. CS also works as an antioxidant and protects the cells from oxidative damage. In addition, CS has no adverse effects on bacterial and fungal alpha diversity in ruminants. Dietary supplementation of CS enhances the population of beneficial microorganisms. Still, no data is available on the use of CS on reproductive performance in ruminants, so there is a need to evaluate the effects of using CS in breeding animals for an extended period. In this review, the action mode of CS was updated according to recently published data to highlight the beneficial effects of using CS in ruminants.

Maternal folic acid and vitamin B12 supplementation during medium to late gestation promotes fetal development via improving placental antioxidant capacity, angiogenesis and amino acid transport.

BACKGROUND: Folic acid and vitamin B12 (FV), being B vitamins, not only facilitate the remethylation of homocysteine (Hcy) but also contribute to embryonic development. This study aimed to assess the impact of FV supplementation during late pregnancy on sows' reproductive performance, amino acid metabolism, placental angiogenesis, and related parameters. Twenty primiparous sows at day 60 of gestation were randomly allocated to two groups: a basal diet (CON) group and a group receiving a basal diet supplemented with folic acid at 20 ppm and vitamin B12 at 125 ppb. RESULTS: The findings revealed that dietary FV supplementation significantly reduced the incidence of intrauterine growth retardation compared to the CON group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, it led to a decrease in the Hcy levels in umbilical cord serum (P < 0.05) and activation of the placental mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling pathway (P < 0.05). Additionally, FV supplementation lowered placental malondialdehyde levels (P < 0.05) and increased the expression of placental thioredoxin (P = 0.05). Moreover, maternal FV supplementation notably elevated placental vascular density (P < 0.05) and the expression of sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter 2 (SNAT2) (P < 0.05), as well as amino acid concentrations in umbilical cord blood (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Maternal FV supplementation during medium to late gestation reduced Hcy levels in umbilical cord blood and positively impacted fetal development. This improvement was closely associated with increased placental antioxidant capacity and vascular density, as well as activation of the placental mTORC1-SNAT2 signaling pathway. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Supplementation of palmitoleic acid improved piglet growth and reduced body temperature drop upon cold exposure.

Piglet survival is a major challenge in the first few days postpartum and interventions during this period may improve survival and growth. This study investigated the effects of palmitoleic acid (C16:1n-7; PA) supplementation on growth performance, body temperature, fatty acid (FA), and energy metabolism in milk-replacer-fed piglets. Forty-eight piglets were stratified by body weight and randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatments (0%, 1%, 2%, and 3% PA supplementation as a percent of milk replacer) and given the diet through an orogastric tube. They were fed dietary treatments every 2 h for 4 d in the first week postpartum and all were sacrificed at the end of the experiment. The piglets were weighed daily, and half in each dietary treatment group, the same piglets each day, were exposed daily to a lower temperature for 2 h. Plasma samples were collected immediately before sacrifice for analyses of FA and other plasma metabolites. The weight of organs and empty body weight were determined after sacrifice. Liver and semimembranosus muscle tissue samples were collected and analyzed for FA content. Contents of C16:1n-7 and C18:1n-7 in both plasma and liver (P < 0.001), and C16:1n-7 in semimembranosus muscle (P < 0.001) increased linearly as PA supplementation increased. Most plasma FA levels (except C16:1n-7, C16:1n-9, and C22:5n-3) were lower in piglets exposed to lower temperatures than those that were not. Plasma glucose, triglycerides, and lactate dehydrogenase levels increased linearly with PA supplementation (P < 0.001). Piglets' average daily gain, liver glycogen pool, liver weight, and gallbladder weight increased linearly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, P < 0.05, and P < 0.001, respectively), but lung weight, liver nitrogen content, and body temperature drop decreased linearly (P < 0.01, P < 0.001, and P < 0.05, respectively) with PA supplementation. Piglets exposed to low temperature had greater liver nitrogen (P < 0.05) and lactate dehydrogenase (P < 0.001) contents but had lower liver weight (P < 0.01) and plasma lactate concentration (P < 0.05) than those that were not. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the importance of PA on the growth performance of the piglets by increasing their average daily gain and decreasing a drop in body temperature upon cold exposure, most likely due to a modified energy metabolism.

Reducing piglet mortality in the early days after birth is a significant challenge in the modern pig industry. The focus on achieving larger litter sizes has had a negative impact on piglets' birth weight and their intake of colostrum. Additionally, piglets are born without easily oxidizable brown adipose tissue and have limited body reserves, making them more vulnerable to death due to their lower capacity for thermogenesis. Therefore, it is important to explore dietary strategies that can enhance piglets' thermogenesis capacity. In this study, the role of palmitoleic acid supplementation was investigated in a dose-response design to determine its impact on growth performance, fatty acid composition, and energy metabolism of milk-replacer-fed piglets during their first week of life. The results revealed a linear increase in the average daily gain of the piglets, liver weight, and liver glycogen content with increasing palmitoleic acid supplementation. Moreover, increased palmitoleic acid supplementation was associated with a drop in body temperature when piglets were exposed to a lower temperature during the experimental period. Altogether, the study indicated that palmitoleic acid has a sparing effect on glycogen reserves and that a greater proportion of energy utilized by the piglets to maintain their body temperature was derived from the oxidation of fatty acids. The results indicated a promising approach to improve piglet survival and growth through dietary modifications of fatty acids in the diet.

Targeted poverty alleviation initiatives and corporate sustainable value creation: Determining the role of corporate internal governance control in China.

This study examines the impact of firms' targeted poverty alleviation activities on corporate value and how corporate internal governance regulates this relationship. This study uses Fixed Effects and System GMM estimations to test hypotheses by analyzing data from Chinese non-financial listed firms from 2016 to 2021. The results demonstrate that corporate targeted poverty alleviation and internal corporate governance control affect company value and governance. Corporate value increases as a result of effective internal governance. Internal governance control enhances the positive relationship between the firm's targeted poverty reduction and value creation. This study's findings are robust to alternative measures of poverty alleviation initiatives. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis reveals that non-SOE firms, small and low-leverage firms engaging in anti-poverty activities are in a better position to achieve value creation. This study adds to the literature on poverty reduction, sustainable corporate value creation, and corporate internal governance control. Study results may help policymakers and managers in evaluating their business strategies by focusing more on fulfilling social responsibilities to eradicate poverty from the region by improving governance policies to generate sustainable value for the firm.

Supplementation of a Multi-Carbohydrase and Phytase Complex in Diets Regardless of Nutritional Levels, Improved Nutrients Digestibility, Growth Performance, and Bone Mineralization of Growing-Finishing Pigs.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary multi-enzyme (multi-carbohydrase and phytase complex, MCPC) supplementation on digestibility, growth performance, bone mineralization, and carcass yield and traits in growing-finishing pigs fed diets with adequate or deficient net energy (NE), amino acids (AA), calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) levels. A total of 576 crossbred [Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire)] barrows (~25 kg) were fed one of the six diets till live weight approached 130 kg. Basal diets included a positive control (PC), negative control 1 (NC1) and 2 (NC2), while another three diets were prepared by adding MCPC to the three basal diets. The final body weight was lower (p < 0.05) in NC2 than in NC1 and PC treatments, while overall feed intake and feed-gain ratio were higher (p < 0.05) in NC1 and NC2 than in PC treatment. The NC2 treatment showed lower (p < 0.05) carcass weight but higher (p < 0.05) lean meat percentage than the PC treatment. The apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of gross energy (GE), crude protein (CP) and AA was decreased (p < 0.05) or tended (p < 0.10) to decrease in NC1 and/or NC2 diets compared with a PC diet. MCPC supplementation improved (p < 0.05) AID of Ca, P and AA (Lys, Leu, Val, Phe, Gly, Tyr and Pro), apparent total-tract digestibility (ATTD) of GE, CP, bone strength, Ca, and P retention. In conclusion, MCPC supplementation improved nutrient digestibility, bone mineralization, and growth performance of fattening pigs, regardless of the nutritional level of the basal diet.

Flora diversity survey and establishment of a plant DNA barcode database of Lomas ecosystems in Peru.

Lomas formations or "fog oases" are islands of vegetation in the desert belt of the west coast of South America, with a unique vegetation composition among the world's deserts. However, plant diversity and conservation studies have long been neglected, and there exists a severe gap in plant DNA sequence information. To address the lack of DNA information, we conducted field collections and laboratory DNA sequencing to establish a DNA barcode reference library of Lomas plants from Peru. This database provides 1,207 plant specimens and 3,129 DNA barcodes data corresponding with collections from 16 Lomas locations in Peru, during 2017 and 2018. This database will facilitate both rapid species identification and basic studies on plant diversity, thereby enhancing our understanding of Lomas flora's composition and temporal variation, and providing valuable resources for conserving plant diversity and maintaining the stability of the fragile Lomas ecosystems.

Impact of dietary fat levels and fatty acid composition on milk fat synthesis in sows at peak lactation.

BACKGROUND: Dietary fat is important for energy provision and immune function of lactating sows and their progeny. However, knowledge on the impact of fat on mammary transcription of lipogenic genes, de novo fat synthesis, and milk fatty acid (FA) output is sparse in sows. This study aimed to evaluate impacts of dietary fat levels and FA composition on these traits in sows. Forty second-parity sows (Danish Landrace × Yorkshire) were assigned to 1 of 5 dietary treatments from d 108 of gestation until weaning (d 28 of lactation): low-fat control diet (3% added animal fat); or 1 of 4 high-fat diets with 8% added fat: coconut oil (CO), fish oil (FO), sunflower oil (SO), or 4% octanoic acid plus 4% FO (OFO). Three approaches were taken to estimate de novo milk fat synthesis from glucose and body fat. RESULTS: Daily intake of FA was lowest in low-fat sows within fat levels (P < 0.01) and in OFO and FO sows within high-fat diets (P < 0.01). Daily milk outputs of fat, FA, energy, and FA-derived carbon reflected to a large extent the intake of those. On average, estimates for de novo fat synthesis were 82 or 194 g/d from glucose according to method 1 or 2 and 255 g de novo + mobilized FA/d according to method 3. The low-fat diet increased mammary FAS expression (P < 0.05) and de novo fat synthesis (method 1; P = 0.13) within fat levels. The OFO diet increased de novo fat synthesis (method 1; P < 0.05) and numerically upregulated mammary FAS expression compared to the other high-fat diets. Across diets, a daily intake of 440 g digestible FA minimized milk fat originating from glucose and mobilized body fat. CONCLUSIONS: Sows fed diets with low-fat or octanoic acid, through upregulating FAS expression, increased mammary de novo fat synthesis whereas the milk FA output remained low in sows fed the low-fat diet or high-fat OFO or FO diets, indicating that dietary FA intake, dietary fat level, and body fat mobilization in concert determine de novo fat synthesis, amount and profiles of FA in milk.

Selenium deficiency increased duodenal permeability and decreased expression of antimicrobial peptides by activating ROS/NF-κB signal pathway in chickens.

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for the body. Various organs of the body, including the intestine, are affected by its deficiency. Se deficiency can induce oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in the intestine. It can also increase intestinal permeability and decrease intestinal immune function in mammals. However, the detailed studies, conducted on the intestinal molecular mechanisms of Se deficiency-induced injury in poultry, are limited. This study explored the adverse effects of Se deficiency on intestinal permeability and its mechanism. A Se-deficient chicken model was established, and the morphological changes in the chicken duodenum tissues were observed using a light microscope and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Western blotting, qRT-PCR, and other methods were used to detect the expression levels of selenoproteins, oxidative stress indicators, inflammatory factors, tight junction (TJ) proteins, antimicrobial peptides, and other related indicators in intestinal tissues. The results showed that Se deficiency could decrease the expression levels of selenoproteins and antioxidant capacity, activate the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway, cause inflammation, and decrease the expression levels of TJ proteins and antimicrobial peptides in the duodenum tissues. The study also demonstrated that Se deficiency could increase intestinal permeability and decrease antimicrobial peptides via reactive oxygen species (ROS)/NF-κB. This study provided a theoretical basis for the scientific prevention and control of Se deficiency in poultry. Se deficiency decreased the expression levels of selenoproteins and increased ROS levels to activate the NF-κB pathway, resulting in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, reducing the expression levels of TJ protein, and weakening the expression of antimicrobial peptides, which contributed to the higher intestinal permeability. Oxidative stress weakened the expression of antimicrobial peptides.

Development and validation of a score predicting mortality for older patients with mitral regurgitation / 老年心脏病学杂志（英文版）

OBJECTIVE@#To develop and validate a user-friendly risk score for older mitral regurgitation (MR) patients, referred to as the Elder-MR score.@*METHODS@#The China Senile Valvular Heart Disease (China-DVD) Cohort Study functioned as the development cohort, while the China Valvular Heart Disease (China-VHD) Study was employed for external validation. We included patients aged 60 years and above receiving medical treatment for moderate or severe MR (2274 patients in the development cohort and 1929 patients in the validation cohort). Candidate predictors were chosen using Cox's proportional hazards model and stepwise selection with Akaike's information criterion.@*RESULTS@#Eight predictors were identified: age ≥ 75 years, body mass index < 20 kg/m2, NYHA class III/IV, secondary MR, anemia, estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min per 1.73 m2, albumin < 35 g/L, and left ventricular ejection fraction < 60%. The model displayed satisfactory performance in predicting one-year mortality in both the development cohort (C-statistic = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.69-0.77, Brier score = 0.06) and the validation cohort (C-statistic = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.68-0.78, Brier score = 0.06). The Elder-MR score ranges from 0 to 15 points. At a one-year follow-up, each point increase in the Elder-MR score represents a 1.27-fold risk of death (HR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.21-1.34, P < 0.001) in the development cohort and a 1.24-fold risk of death (HR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.17-1.30, P < 0.001) in the validation cohort. Compared to EuroSCORE II, the Elder-MR score demonstrated superior predictive accuracy for one-year mortality in the validation cohort (C-statistic = 0.71 vs. 0.70, net reclassification improvement = 0.320, P < 0.01; integrated discrimination improvement = 0.029, P < 0.01).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The Elder-MR score may serve as an effective risk stratification tool to assist clinical decision-making in older MR patients.

MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery for localized prostate cancer: a preliminary investigation / 中华放射学杂志

Objective:To investigate the safety and efficacy of MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) in treating localized prostate cancer.Methods:Six patients with localized prostate cancer who underwent MRgFUS treatment from August 2020 to September 2021 in Beijing Hospital were prospectively enrolled in this study. The patients were all over 18 years old, with an average age of (68±10) years, and had not received any prior treatment for prostate cancer. Pretreatment pelvic MR and CT scans were performed to determine the region of treatment (ROT). Different urinary catheterization measures were given based on the location of the lesion. Under general anesthesia, the lesions were treated by MRgFUS using a specialized rectal ultrasound transducer on the treatment bed. The patients were followed up at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment and annually thereafter. During follow-up, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, pelvic MR scans, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), International Index of Erectile Function-15 (IIEF-15) scores, and adverse events were assessed.Results:(1) All six patients underwent MRgFUS treatment for six lesions, with an average duration of (126±56) minutes, an average number of (7.3±3.2) focal ultrasound pulses per lesion, and an average non-perfusion volume of (3.8±1.1) cm 3, which covered the entire treatment target area. No treatment-related adverse events were reported. (2) The PSA levels at baseline, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment were (6.6±0.8), (3.6±1.3), (3.4±3.0), (2.5±1.7), and (2.3±1.8) ng/ml, respectively. PSA levels increased in 2 out of 6 patients during follow-up, and pelvic MR scan revealed recurrent lesions, while PSA levels continued to decrease in the remaining 4 patients, and pelvic MR scan were normal. (3) The IPSS scores at baseline, 1, and 3 months after treatment were 13.0 (4.0, 16.0), 10.0 (4.0, 12.0), and 5.0 (3.0, 6.0) points, respectively. For the three sexually active patients, the IIEF-15 scores at baseline were 40, 51, and 14 points, respectively, and IIEF-15 at 1 month after treatment were 9, 8, and 14 points, respectively, and at 3 months after treatment were 9, 66 and 26 points, respectively. (4) One patient was diagnosed with recurrence 10 months after treatment, and another patient was found to have a new lesion 6 months after treatment. Conclusions:MRgFUS might be a safe, non-invasive, and effective treatment for localized prostate cancer, but regular follow-up is vital for detecting tumor recurrence.

Protective effect and mechanism of hyperbaric oxygen on delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide poisoning via the mitochondrial pathway in mice / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To explore the protective effect and underlying mechanism of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) on delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide poisoning (DEACMP) in mice.Methods:Totally 225 adult male Kunming mice were selected to establish CO poisoning model via intraperitoneal injection carbon monoxide (CO), and were randomly divided into the air control group, CO poisoning group, and HBO group. Each group was further divided into five time points group, that was 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 d. The mice in the air control group were injected intraperitoneally with the same amount of air, and the HBO group received HBO treatment at the same time every day. DEACMP mice model was screened by behaviors using the open field test, new object recognition test and nesting test, and the content of myelin basic protein (MBP) were assayed. The mouse brain tissue and mitochondrial were prepared and malonialdehyde (MDA) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content were measured with ultraviolet spectrophotometer. MBP content in brain tissue and cytochrome C (CytC) content in the mitochondrial were measured by ELISA. The mitochondria membrane potential (MMP) was measured by flow cytometry.Results:Compared with the air control group, the content of carboxyhemoglobin (COHB) in blood increased significantly and the content of MBP in brain tissue decreased significantly in CO poisoning mice. CO poisoning mice showed motor ability and cognitive dysfunction. Compared with the air control group, the contents of MMP, CytC and ATP were significantly decreased ( P<0.01) in the CO poisoning group; while the MDA content was significantly increased ( P<0.01). Compared with the CO poisoning group, mice behaviors were improved significantly ( P<0.05), the content of MBP, MMP, CytC and ATP were increased ( P<0.05), while the MDA content decreased significantly ( P<0.01) in the HBO group. Conclusions:The abnormal mitochondrial function might be closely related to the occurrence and development of DEACMP, and HBO therapy plays an effective role in preventing and treating the DEACMP mice model via the mitochondrial pathway.

Predictive value of the simplified signs scoring system for the severity and prognosis of patients with COVID-19: A multicenter observational study / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@# Objective    To explore the predictive value of a simplified signs scoring system for the severity and prognosis of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods     Clinical data of 1 605 confirmed patients with COVID-19 from January to May 2020 in 45 hospitals of Sichuan and Hubei Provinces were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into a mild group (n=1 150, 508 males, average age of 51.32±16.26 years) and a severe group (n=455, 248 males, average age of 57.63±16.16 years). Results    Age, male proportion, respiratory rate, systolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure in the severe group were higher than those in the mild group (P<0.05). Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) and Glasgow coma scale (GCS) were lower than those in the mild group (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, respiratory rate, SpO2, and GCS were independent risk factors for severe patients with COVID-19. Based on the above indicators, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of the simplified signs scoring system for predicting severe patients was 0.822, which was higher than that of the quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) score and modified early warning score (MEWS, 0.629 and 0.631, P<0.001). The ROC analysis showed that the area under the curve of the simplified signs scoring system for predicting death was 0.796, higher than that of qSOFA score and MEWS score (0.710 and 0.706, P<0.001). Conclusion    Age, respiratory rate, SpO2 and GCS are independent risk factors for severe patients with COVID-19. The simplified signs scoring system based on these four indicators may be used to predict patient's risk of severe illness or early death.

A new elemane-type sesquiterpenoid glycoside from Curcuma phaeocaulis / 药学学报

To study the chemical constituents and their biological activities in the rhizomes of Curcuma phaeocaulis, silica gel column chromatography, reverse medium pressure liquid chromatography, preparative thin layer chromatography, and semi-preparative high performance liquid chromatography were used for isolation and purification and modern spectroscopic methods were used to determine the structure of the isolated compound. Moreover, the effect of the compound on the proliferation of HUVECs was determined by the MTT assay. A new elemane-type sesquiterpenoid glycoside was isolated from the n-butanol soluble fraction of 95% ethanolic extract of the rhizomes of Curcuma phaeocaulis. Its structure was identified as (1Z)-2-hydroxy-curzerenone 2-O-β-D-glucoside. It showed no inhibitory effect on the proliferation of HUVECs.

Brain-computer interface technology for stroke in the past decade: a visualized analysis / 中国康复理论与实践

ObjectiveTo conduct a visualized analysis of the research related to the use of brain-computer interface technology for stroke rehabilitation in the past ten years, and identify and predict the hot spots and hot trends in order to promote the further development of this field. MethodsThe Web of Science Core Collection database was searched for literature related to brain-computer interface technology for stroke rehabilitation from January, 2011 to October, 2022. CiteSpace 5.8.R3 was used to analyze the number of publications, countries, institutions, authors, keywords, co-citations, and grant support. Results and ConclusionA total of 592 papers were included, and the annual number of publications in this field of research showed a rapid growth trend, and the research enthusiasm continued to increase. The United States was in the leading position in this field, with the highest number of cooperative publications and the highest intermediary centrality; China had certain advantages in this field, but still needed to strengthen the exchange and cooperation with other countries/regions. Foreign institutions and authors had formed a network of close cooperative relationships, and formed a high-impact team represented by Niels Birbaumer, Cuntai Guan, Kai Keng Ang, etc.; there were poor cooperative relationships among domestic authors and institutions, and there were geographical restrictions and lack of high-impact academic groups. The keywords "motor imagery" and "recovery" formed ten major clusters and 15 prominent words with high variation rates, showing a trend of diversification in research directions. The study of the efficacy of upper limb motor rehabilitation and central mechanisms has been the hot topics in this field and will continue for some time in the future; the use of lower limb brain-computer interface systems for improving foot drop, gait and balance in stroke patients and the application of multimodal brain-computer interfaces will probably become a hot topic in the future. Finally, the use of brain-computer interface-guided neurofeedback training for cognitive and language rehabilitation in stroke also needs attention.

Effect of brain-computer interface training based on motor imagery on hand function for subacute stroke patients / 中国康复理论与实践

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of brain-computer interface (BCI) training based on motor imagery on hand function in hemiplegic patients with subacute stroke. MethodsFrom June, 2020 to December, 2021, 40 patients with hemiplegia in subacute stroke from Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were divided into control group (n = 20) and experimental group (n = 20) using random number table. Both groups accepted medication and routine comprehensive rehabilitation, while the control group accepted hand rehabilitation robot training, and the experimental group accepted the robot training using motor imagery-based BCI, for four weeks. They were assessed with Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremities (FMA-UE), modified Barthel Index, modified Ashworth scale, and measured integrated electromyogram of the superficial finger flexors, finger extensors and short thumb extensors of the affected forearm during maximum isometric voluntary contraction with surface electromyography. ResultsTwo patients in the control group and one in the experimental group dropped off. All the indexes improved in both groups after treatment (t > 2.322, Z > 2.631, P < 0.05), and they were better in the experimental group than in the control group (t > 2.227, Z > 2.078, P < 0.05), except the FMA-UE score of wrist. ConclusionMotor imagery-based BCI training is more effective on hand function and activities of daily living in hemiplegic patients with subacute stroke.

Analysis of the diagnosis and treatment of 68 cases of iatrogenic ureteral stricture / 现代泌尿外科杂志

【Objective】 To investigate the common etiology, characteristics and treatment of iatrogenic ureteral stricture. 【Methods】 The clinical data of 226 patients with ureteral stricture repaired during May 2019 and Mar. 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including 68 cases of iatrogenic ureteral stricture. According to the etiology, the patients were divided into urinary group and non-urinary group. 【Results】 There were 42 females and 26 males, aged 25 to 67 (average 49.0±10.4) years. Upper ureteral stricture was detected in 24 (35.3%) cases, who received oral mucosal repair of the ureter. Middle ureteral stricture was detected in 12 (17.6%) cases, who underwent ileal ureterography. Lower ureteral stricture was observed in 24 (35.3%) cases, who were treated with vesical wall flap ureteroplasty. Full-length stricture was observed in 8 (11.8%) cases,who were treated with ileal ureterography. There were significant differences in age, gender, stenosis side, stenosis location and length, surgical methods and types between patients in the urinary group and non-urinary group (P<0.05). During the follow-up of 8 to 20 (average 12.3±5.6) months, the symptoms and renal function of all patients improved, and no recurrence occurred. 【Conclusion】 Invasive endourological surgery is the most common cause of iatrogenic ureteral stenosis. Different treatment strategies should be adopted according to patients’ condition, time of diagnosis and location and length of ureteral injury.

Study on biological basis of primary dysmenorrhea based in different progressive stages based on untargeted metabolomics / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore its potential biological basis and the endogenous metabolic characteristics of urine during the formation of primary dysmenorrhea via untargeted urine metabolomics. Methods Twenty SD rats were randomly divided into control group and model group. The primary dysmenorrhea model was reproduced by estradiol benzoate combined with oxytocin, and the contrrol group took food and water freely. The differential metabolites and core metabolic pathways were found by multivariable pattern recognition method combined with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The receiver operating characteristic ( ROC ) curve was drawn by metaboanalyst 5.0 platform to evaluate the clinical diagnostic efficacy of core metabolites. Results A total of 46 metabolites with significant differences, such as hippuric acid, phenylacetaldehyde, prostaglandin G2, 6-hydroxy-5-methoxyindole glucuronide, were screened, mainly involving phenylalanine metabolism, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, and arachidonic acid metabolism. ROC curve showed that the area under the curve of four core biomarkers was greater than 0.7. Conclusions Different metabolic maps are presented in different progressive stages of primary dysmenorrhea, mainly involving the disorders of fatty acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism and amino acid metabolism. Meanwhile, the extracted characteristic bi¬omarkers have high diagnostic value for the evaluation of primary dysmenorrhea.

Modern research progress in external application of traditional Chinese medicine to acupoints / 中国中药杂志

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has a long history and abundant experience in external therapy, which marks human wisdom. In the early history of human, people found that fumigation, coating, and sticking of some tree branches and herb stems can help alleviate scabies and remove parasites in productive labor, which indicates the emergence of external therapy. Pathogen usually enters the body through the surface, so external therapy can be used to treat the disease. External therapy is among the major characteristic of surgery of TCM. As one of the external therapies in TCM, external application to acupoints smooths the zang-fu organs through meridians and collaterals, thereby harmonizing yin and yang. This therapy emerged in the early society, formed the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, improved in the Song and Ming dynasties, and matured in the Qing dynasty. With the efforts of experts in history, it has had a mature theory. According to modern research, it can avoid the first-pass effect of liver and the gastrointestinal irritation and improve the bioavailability of Chinese medicine. Based on the effect of Chinese medicine and the theory of meridian and collateral, it can stimulate the acupoints, exert regulatory effect on acupoints, and give full play to the efficacy of TCM and the interaction of the two. Thereby, it can regulate qi and blood and balance yin and yang, thus being widely used in the treatment of diseases. In this paper, the use of external application to acupoints, the effect on skin immunity, the regulation of neuro-inflammatory mechanism, the relationship between acupoint application and human circulation network, and the development of its dosage form were summarized through literature review. On this basis, this study is expected to lay a foundation for further research.