[Influence of neuroimaging markers of chronic cerebral small vessel disease on prognosis of patients with cardioembolic stroke].

Data of 189 patients with first-ever cardioembolic stroke (CES) hospitalized in the Second People's Hospital of Changzhou from June 2014 to September 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The neuoimaging markers of chronic small vessel disease (cSVDm) were evaluated and their total burden (0-3 points) was calculated. At 90 d after onset, 65 patients had poor prognosis. Regression analysis showed that the total cSVDm burden score was an independent riskfactor for the poor prognosis(OR=1.754, 95%CI:1.137-2.707, P=0.011).

Effects of continuous low dose infusion of lipopolysaccharide on inflammatory responses, milk production and milk quality in dairy cows.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of continuous low dose infusion of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on inflammatory responses and milk production and quality in lactating dairy cows. Eight Holstein cows were assigned to two treatments in a cross-over experimental design. Cows were infused intravenously either with saline solution or with saline solution containing LPS from Escherichia coli O111:B4 at a dose of 0.01 µg LPS/kg body weight for approximately 6 hr each day during a seven-day trial. The clinical symptoms and milk production performance were observed. Milk samples were analysed for conventional components, fatty acids and amino acids. And jugular vein and mammary vein plasma samples were analysed for concentrations of cytokines and acute phase proteins. LPS infusion decreased feed intake and milk yield. An increase in body temperature was observed after LPS infusion. LPS infusion also increased plasma concentrations of interleukin-1ß, serum amyloid A, LPS-binding protein, C-reactive protein and haptoglobin. LPS infusion decreased the contents of some fatty acids, such as C17:1, C18:0, C18:1n9 (trans) and C18:2n6 (trans), and most amino acids except for methionine, threonine, histidine, cysteine, tyrosine and proline in the milk. The results indicated that a continued low dose infusion of LPS can induce an inflammatory response, decrease milk production and reduce milk quality.

Ligand binding properties of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes (m1-m5) expressed in baculovirus-infected insect cells.

Five subtypes of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (m1-m5) have been expressed in insect cells (Spodoptera frugiperda, Sf9) using the baculovirus system. Up to 6 nmol of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors were produced by 1 liter culture; 0.3 to 0.6 (human m1), 3 to 6 (human m2), 2 to 4 (rat m3), 1 to 2 (rat m4) and 0.5 to 1 (human m5) nmol. Pirenzepine, AF-DX116 and hexahidrosiladifenidol showed the highest affinity for the m1, m2 and m3 subtype, respectively, indicating that these receptors expressed in Sf9 cells retain the same substrate specificity as those in mammalian tissues or cultured cells. Among 32 kinds of muscarinic ligands examined in the present studies, prifinium was found to have the highest affinity for the m4 subtype, and pilocarpine, oxotremorine, McN-A343 and promethazine the highest affinity for the m5 subtype, although the differences in the affinities among the five subtypes were less than 10-fold. Alcuronium increased the binding of [3H]N-methylscopalamine to the m2 subtype, but not the m1, m4 and m5 subtypes and only slightly to the m3 subtype. Similar but smaller effects of fangchinoline and tetrandrine were found for [3H]N-methylscopalamine binding to only the m3 subtype. These effects may also be useful for the discrimination of individual subtypes.

CT-guided stereotactic injection of radionuclide in treatment of brain tumors.

140 patients with brain tumor were treated by CT-guided stereotactic injections of radionuclides, such as Aurum-198 (198 Au), Phosphorus-32 (32 P) and Yttrium-90 (90Y). Of these patients aged from 3 to 67 years (average 37), 64 were male and 76 female. Astrocytoma was found in 75 patients, craniopharyngioma in 46, metastatic carcinoma in 7, meningioma in 5, germinoma in 4 and pituitary adenoma in 3. The tumors were located in the deep part or functionally critical area of the brain. After 267 times of injection of colloidal isotopes, no major adverse effects or complications occurred. Follow-up for 6 to 48 months showed improvement in symptoms in 104 (74.3%) patients and CT scanning showed the diminished tumors.