Choroidal vascular changes in silicone oil-filled eyes after vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachments.

INTRODUCTION: The tamponade of silicone oil (SO) can affect both the structure and blood flow of the retina. However, there are few studies on the effect of SO tamponade on choroidal blood flow. Our study aimed to compare the effects of SO tamponade on the choroidal vascular index (CVI) and choroidal thickness (CT) in patients with unilateral rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) with operated eyes and fellow healthy eyes. METHODS: We retrospectively collected demographic and clinical data from 36 patients who underwent 23G pars plana vitrectomy and SO tamponade for unilateral complicated RRD. Enhanced depth imaging-optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) scans were performed both within 1 week before SO removal and at the last follow-up visit after SO removal. Using ImageJ software, images were binarized to segment the total choroidal area, luminal area, and stromal area, respectively. The CVI was calculated as CVI=(luminal area)/(total choroidal area), and CT was also evaluated. RESULTS: During SO tamponade, the CVI and luminal area in operated eyes were significantly lower compared to fellow eyes (57.616 ± 0.030 vs. 60.042 ± 0.019, P < 0.0001; 0.909 [0.694; 1.185] vs. 1.091 [0.785; 1.296], P = 0.007). Even after SO removal, the CVI remained lower in operated eyes than in fellow eyes (59.530 ± 0.018 vs. 60.319 ± 0.020, P = 0.031). Both CVI and luminal area were lower in operated eyes before SO removal than after SO removal (57.616 ± 0.030 vs. 59.530 ± 0.018, P = 0.0003; 0.909 [0.694; 1.185] vs. 0.994 [0.712; 1.348], P = 0.028). The duration of SO tamponade was positively correlated with the difference in CVI between fellow eyes and operated eyes during SO tamponade (P = 0.035). Total choroidal area, stromal area, and CT did not differ significantly between fellow eyes and operated eyes or between pre- and post-SO removal. CONCLUSIONS: SO tamponade reduces CVI and decreases choroidal blood circulation in patients with retinal detachments required vitrectomy combined with SO tamponade. The longer the SO tamponade time, the more CVI reduction. In future work, we will aim to reduce these side effects by shortening the duration of silicone oil filling.

Downregulation of angiogenic factors in aqueous humor associated with less intraoperative bleeding in PDR patients with NVG receiving conbercept: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: To analyze the level changes of 28 cytokines in aqueous humor of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) coexisting neovascular glaucoma (NVG) after intravitreal injection of conbercept (IVC), and to investigate whether these cytokines are associated with intraoperative bleeding (IOB). METHODS: Totally 34 eyes with NVG secondary to PDR were enrolled. Patients were randomized into two groups, and all of them underwent 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) combined with trabeculectomy. Group I, 18 eyes received IVC 3 days before PPV, and 100 µL aqueous humor was collected at the time of IVC pretreatment and 3 days later at the beginning of PPV respectively. Group II, 16 eyes received IVC after PPV, and 100 µL aqueous humor was collected only at the beginning of PPV. Aqueous humor from 19 eyes with age-matched cataract patients served as controls. Luminex bead-based multiplex array was used to measure the levels of 28 cytokines in aqueous humor. The baseline cytokine levels were compared among the three groups. All NVG patients were divided into IOB and non-bleeding (INB) groups. The cytokine levels of aqueous humor at the beginning of PPV were compared between group I and II, also between IOB and INB groups. IOB in NVG patients was graded according to vitreous bleeding amount. The correlation between cytokine levels and the grades of IOB were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with controls, the baseline levels of 18 cytokines associated with inflammation and angiogenesis showed significantly increased in group I and group II (all, P < 0.0167). The IOB rate as well as the levels of IL-4, IL-22, Ang-2, PLGF and VEGF-A in group I were significantly lower than in group II (all, P < 0.05). The levels of IL-4, IL-22, Ang-2, PLGF and VEGF-A were significantly lower in INB group than in IOB group (all, P < 0.05). The levels of IL-4, Ang-2, PLGF and VEGF-A were positively correlated with the grades of IOB in NVG patients (all, rs > 0.4, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: IVC 3 days before PPV combined with trabeculectomy reduces IOB in NVG patients, in which the downregulation of IL-4, Ang-2, PLGF and VEGF-A after IVC may be an underlying mechanism. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2100048118 , retrospectively registered on 2 July 2021.

Health Benefits and Costs of Clean Heating Renovation: An Integrated Assessment in a Major Chinese City.

China has been promoting one of the world's largest campaigns for clean heating renovation since 2017. Here, we present an integrated cost-benefit analysis in a major prefecture-level city by combining a large-scale household energy survey and PM2.5 exposure measurement, high-resolution chemical transport simulation, and health impact assessment. We find that the completed renovation decreases the share of solid fuels in the heating energy mix from 96 to 6% and achieves a concomitant reduction of cooking solid-fuel use by 70%. The completed renovation decreases the ambient PM2.5 concentration in Linfen by 0.5-5 µg m-3 (2.4 µg m-3 on average) and decreases the integrated PM2.5 exposure by 4.2 (3.5-5.0) µg m-3. The renovation is estimated to avoid 162 (125-225) and 328 (254-457) premature deaths annually based on two health impact assessment methods. The ratios of monetized health benefits to cost are 1.51 (0.73-2.59) and 3.06 (1.49-5.23) based on the above two methods. The benefit-to-cost ratio is projected to remain high if the renovation is further expanded. More polluted and less wealthy households enjoy larger health benefits but also experience a higher expense increase, suggesting that a more carefully designed subsidy policy is needed to protect low-income households.

ITK inhibition induced in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor activity through downregulating TCR signaling pathway in malignant T cell lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: Angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AITL) is a distinct subtype of peripheral T cell lymphoma and associated with poor outcomes. The activation status of T cell receptor (TCR) signaling has recently become a focus of attention in terms of the therapeutic targets. However, the molecular pathogenesis mechanisms and novel therapeutic targets are largely unknown. METHODS: Antibodies specific to phosphorylated ZAP70, ITK and PLCγ1 were used to identify the activation status of intracellular proteins involved in TCR signaling in AITL patients. Malignant T cell lymphoma cells were transduced with a lentiviral construct containing ITK shRNA for cellular and functional assays. The antitumor effects of the selective ITK inhibitor BMS-509744 were determined in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: Immunohistochemistry staining showed that more than half of the AITL patients (n = 38) exhibited continuously activated intracellular TCR signaling pathway. Patients positive for phosphorylated ITK showed a lower rate of complete response (20% vs. 75%, P = 0.004) and a shorter progression-free survival (5.17 months vs. 25.1 months, P = 0.022) than patients negative for phosphorylated ITK. Genetic and pharmacological cellular ITK inhibition significantly compromised the proliferation, invasion and migration of malignant T cells. The selective ITK inhibitor BMS-509744 also induced the pro-apoptotic effects and G2/M phase cell cycle arrest in vitro and in vivo. Finally, inhibition of ITK synergistically enhanced the antitumor effect of vincristine and doxorubicin on malignant T cell lymphoma cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that ITK may be a novel candidate therapeutic target for the treatment of patients with ITK-expressing malignant T-cell lymphomas.

EP300 single nucleotide polymorphism rs20551 correlates with prolonged overall survival in diffuse large B cell lymphoma patients treated with R-CHOP.

BACKGROUND: Rituximab combined with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (CHOP) is used as standard frontline regimen for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The landscape of somatic mutations in DLBCL revealed that inactivation of EP300 plays an important role in lymphomagenesis. A common EP300 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs20551 results in the substitution of valine for isoleucine at codon 997 close to the Bromodomain. However, the association between SNP rs20551 and clinical prognosis in DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP is unknown. METHODS: In this study we analyzed the EP300 SNP rs20551 and prognosis of 226 DLBCL patients who treated with R-CHOP or R-CHOP-like regimes from 2002 to 2013. Determination of the EP300 SNP rs20551 from genomic DNA was obtained by Sanger chain termination sequencing. RESULT: In this study, the frequency of the A and G allele of the EP300 SNP rs20551 in 226 patients were 92.5 and 7.5%, respectively. We did not observe obvious correlation between patients' disease features and the EP300 SNP rs20551. But the patients with genotype AA had a higher 5-year overall survival rate than those with genotype GA (77.0% vs. 64.7%, p = 0.045). Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the GA genotype of EP300 SNP rs20551 was an independent poor prognostic factor for DLBCL patients treated with Rituximab-chemotherapy (p = 0.009, HR 2.956, 95% CI 1.315-6.645). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that EP300 SNP rs20551 might be a useful biomarker to predict the long-term outcome of R-CHOP in DLBCL patients.

TP53 Arg72 as a favorable prognostic factor for Chinese diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients treated with CHOP.

BACKGROUND: TP53 Arg72Pro (SNP rs1042522) is associated with risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common subtype of NHL. However, the relationship between this SNP and prognosis of DLBCL in Asians is unknown. METHODS: Genotyping of TP53 Arg72Pro was done in 425 Chinese DLBCL patients. Two hundred and eighty-nine patients were treated with R-CHOP, and 136 patients received CHOP or CHOP-like as frontline regimen. Three hundred and ninety-six patients were assessable for the efficacy. RESULTS: Patients with Arg/Arg and Arg/Pro at codon 72 of TP53 had a higher complete response rate (61% vs. 44%, P = 0.007) than those with Pro/Pro. In the subgroup treated with CHOP or CHOP-like therapy, patients with Arg/Arg and Arg/Pro showed a higher 5-year overall survival (OS) rate than those with Pro/Pro (68.8% vs. 23.2%, P = 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed TP53 Arg72 as a favorable prognostic factor in this group. However, the combination of rituximab with CHOP significantly increased the 5-year OS rate of patients with Pro/Pro to 63%. CONCLUSION: This study revealed TP53 Arg72 as a favorable prognostic factor for Chinese DLBCL patients treated with CHOP or CHOP-like as frontline therapy.

Thermal Oxidation Degradation of 2,2',4,4'-Tetrabromodiphenyl Ether over LiαTiOx Micro/Nanostructures with Dozens of Oxidative Product Analyses and Reaction Mechanisms.

Flowerlike LiαTiOx micro/nanostructures were successfully synthesized to degrade 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) at 250-350 °C. The pseudo-first-order kinetics rate constant of the reaction at 300 °C was in the range of 0.034-0.055 min-1. The activation energy was as low as 39.9-48.1 kJ/mol. The excellent performance attained over LiαTiOx was attributed to Li dopant having the electron-donating effect, which enhanced the oxygen species mobility. The oxidative reaction was believed to be the dominant degradation pathway following the Mars-van Krevelen mechanism, being accompanied by the weak hydrodebromination occurrence generating the trace mono- to tri-BDEs. More than 70 types of oxidation products containing diphenyl ether backbone, single-benzene rings, and ring-opened products were detected by GC-MS with derivatization, ESI-FT-ICR-MS, and ion chromatography. An increase in the number of ring-cracked oxidative products under prolonged reaction was observed by ESI-FT-ICR-MS analysis according to the van Krevelen diagram. In the oxidative reaction, a series of oxidative products, such as OH-tri-BDEs and OH-tetra-BDEs, first formed via the nucleophilic O2- attack and subsequently transformed into dibromophenol, tribromophenol, and benzenedicarboxylic and benzoic acids, etc. They could be further attacked by electrophilic O2- and O- and completely cracked to small molecules such as formic, acetic, propionic, and butyric acids.

Clinical Characteristics of Pediatric Patients with Ocular Toxocariasis in China.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to analyze the clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with ocular toxocariasis. METHODS: Ocular toxocariasis was diagnosed and treated in 46 children from Shanghai and surrounding provinces. The diagnosis of ocular toxocariasis was confirmed immunologically by performing an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay on serum and/or intraocular fluid. All pediatric patients and their guardians completed a questionnaire concerning their cases and living habits. RESULTS: The mean age of onset was 6 ± 3 years. Most children (85%) resided in rural areas, and 91% of the children had contact with adult dogs or puppies. At the first visit, visual acuity (VA) was <20/200 in 36 cases, and we detected peripheral granuloma in 36 patients. In our study, the most common signs were vitritis, vitreous strands, and tractional retinal detachment. The Optomap 200Tx device detected granuloma with an 85% sensitivity, which is much higher than that of other techniques. We treated 40 cases (87%) with topical corticosteroids, while 28 patients (61%) were treated with systemic corticosteroids. Only 18 children (39%) required surgical intervention. All patients were examined and treated by the same ophthalmologists. CONCLUSIONS: Preschool children in China are more often affected by toxocariasis compared with other age groups. The most common signs included unilateral granuloma and ocular inflammation. In our study, clinical manifestations were severe and complicated. At the first visit, VA was <20/200 in most patients. Ocular toxocariasis was diagnosed on the basis of clinical signs and symptoms; the diagnosis was confirmed by immunological testing. Techniques using the Optomap 200Tx device can facilitate the early detection and lead to better visual prognosis.

The consistency of Anti-Toxocara IgG between the Aqueous Humor and Vitreous of Patients with Clinically Suspected Ocular Toxocariasis.

PURPOSE: To assess the consistencies of anti-Toxocara IgG (T-IgG) and Goldmann-Witmer coefficient (GWC) between paired aqueous humor (AH) and vitreous samples from patients with clinically-suspected ocular toxocariasis (OT). DESIGN: Inter-test reliability assessment. METHODS: A total of 47 patients with clinically-suspected OT who underwent vitrectomy were included. AH, vitreous and serum samples from each patient were collected and levels of specific T-IgG in them were detected. The association and agreement of T-IgG and GWC between AH and vitreous were evaluated. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was generated to assess the diagnostic performance of AH. RESULTS: The T-IgG levels and GWC values in vitreous were higher than those in AH (P = 0.023 and P = 0.029, respectively), but similar positivity rates in the T-IgG (P = 1.000) and GWC>3 (P = 1.000) were apparent between vitreous and AH. In addition, there was a positive correlations between the AH and vitreous T-IgG levels (rs = 0.944, P < 0.001) and the GWC values (rs = 0.455, P = 0.022). Moreover, the consistencies between AH and vitreous samples in their T-IgG and GWC positivity rates were almost perfect (both, κ = 0.915, 95% CI, 0.799-1.000) in both. The AUROC reached 0.991, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.971-1.000. The best cut-off value for accurate OT diagnosis was found at 1.434, yielding 96% sensitivity and 100% specificity. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that AH and vitreous samples had significant correlations and perfect agreements for both T-IgG and GWC, suggesting that the AH may serve as a proxy for vitreous to provide a safer, earlier, and more convenient screening of OT.

Cavitation erosion on different metallic materials under high hydrostatic pressure evaluated with the spatially confined sonoluminescence.

Cavitation erosion is a general phenomenon in the fields of aviation, navigation, hydraulic machinery, and so on, causing great damage to fluid machinery. With the vast requirements in deep ocean applications, it is urgent to study the mechanism of cavitation erosion and the cavitation erosion resistance of different materials under high hydrostatic pressure to predict and avoid the effect of cavitation erosion. In this work, the spatially confined cavitation bubble cloud associated with Gaussian-like intensity distribution sonoluminescence (SL) was produced by a spherically focused ultrasound transducer with two opening ends near metallic plates under different hydrostatic pressures (0.1, 3, 6, and 10 MPa). The cavitation erosion effects on copper, 17-4PH stainless steel and tungsten plates were studied. Through coupling analysis towards the SL intensity distribution, the macro/micro morphology of cavitation erosion, and the physical parameters of different metallic materials (hardness, yield strength, and melting point), it is found that with increasing hydrostatic pressure, the erosion effect is intensified, the depth of cavitation pits increases, the phenomenon of melting can be observed on materials with relatively low melting points, and the cavitation erosion experienced an evolution process from high-temperature creep to fracture. This work has also established a method for the evaluation of materials' cavitation erosion resistance with measurable SL intensity distribution, which is promising to promote the designing and selection of anti-cavitation materials in deep-sea applications.

IL-6-Driven Autocrine Lactate Promotes Immune Escape of Uveal Melanoma.

Purpose: Early metastasis, in which immune escape plays a crucial role, is the leading cause of death in patients with uveal melanoma (UM); however, the molecular mechanism underlying UM immune escape remains unclear, which greatly limits the clinical application of immunotherapy for metastatic UM. Methods: Transcriptome profiles were revealed by RNA-seq analysis. TALL-104 and NK-92MI-mediated cell killing assays were used to examine the immune resistance of UM cells. The glycolysis rate was measured by extracellular acidification analysis. Protein stability was evaluated by CHX-chase assay. Immunofluorescence histochemistry was performed to detect protein levels in clinical UM specimens. Results: Continuous exposure to IL-6 induced the expression of both PD-L1 and HLA-E in UM cells, which promoted UM immune escape. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the expression of most metabolic enzymes in the glycolysis pathway, especially the rate-limiting enzymes, PFKP and PKM, was upregulated, whereas enzymes involved in the acetyl-CoA synthesis pathway were downregulated after exposure to IL-6. Blocking the glycolytic pathway and lactate production by knocking down PKM and LDHA decreased PD-L1 and HLA-E protein, but not mRNA, levels in UM cells treated with IL-6. Notably, lactate secreted by IL-6-treated UM cells was crucial in influencing PD-L1 and HLA-E stability via the GPR81-cAMP-PKA signaling pathway. Conclusions: Our data reveal a novel mechanism by which UM cells acquire an immune-escape phenotype by metabolic reprogramming and reinforce the importance of the link between inflammation and immune escape.

Efficacy of scleral buckling for the treatment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment using a novel foldable capsular buckle.

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of scleral buckling for the treatment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) using a novel foldable capsular buckle (FCB). METHODS: This was a series of case observation studies. Eighteen patients (18 eyes) who visited our ophthalmology department between August 2020 and August 2022 and were treated for RRD with scleral buckling using FCB were included. The procedure was similar to conventional scleral buckling, while a balloon-like FCB was placed onto the retinal break with balanced salt solution filling for a broad, external indentation instead of the silicone buckle. The retinal reattachment rate, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), refractive dioptre and astigmatism degree, and complications were evaluated and recorded. RESULTS: There were 7 males and 11 females aged 19-58y. The average time course of RRD was 12d, ranging from 7-20d. The retinal break was located in the superior quadrants in 8 eyes and in the inferior quadrants in 10 eyes, with macula-off detachments in 12 eyes. The patients were followed-up for at least 6mo. The final retinal reattachment rate was 100%. The BCVA was significantly improved compared with the baseline (P<0.05). There was no significant change in refractive dioptre or astigmatism degree at each follow-up (all P>0.05). Three patients had transiently high IOPs within one week after surgery. Mild diplopia occurred in 5 patients after surgery and then disappeared after the balloon fluid was removed. CONCLUSION: The success rate of FCB scleral buckling for RRD is satisfactory. This procedure can be expected to be applied in new, uncomplicated cases of RRD.

Efficacy and safety of veliparib combined with traditional chemotherapy for treating patients with lung cancer: a comprehensive review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Lung cancer, originating from bronchial mucosa or lung glands, poses significant health risks due to its rising incidence and mortality. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of Veliparib combined with chemotherapy versus pharmacotherapy alone for lung cancer treatment, guiding clinical approaches for this severe disease. Methods: Comprehensive searches in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Web of Science were conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing Veliparib combined with standard chemotherapy to chemotherapy alone in lung cancer treatment, up until December 28, 2022. Two reviewers meticulously selected literature based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Cochrane tool was used to assess the bias risk of the included studies, and meta-analysis was performed using Stata 15.0. Results: Five RCTs (1,010 participants) were included. The analysis results showed that only Veliparib combinedwith chemotherapy prolonged the progression-free survival (PFS) in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients [HR = 0.72, 95% CI = (0.57, 0.90)]. No significant differences were observed in overall survival (OS) and objective response rate (ORR). Veliparib and combined chemotherapy caused some side effects in patients with lung cancer, including leukopenia [RR = 2.12, 95% CI = (1.27, 3.55)], neutropenia [RR = 1.51, 95% CI = (1.01, 2.26)], anemia [RR = 1.71, 95% CI = (1.07, 3.07)], and thrombocytopenia [RR = 3.33, 95% CI = (1.19, 9.30)]. For non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, there were no statistically significant differences in PFS, OS, or ORR between the experimental and control groups [HR = 0.97, 95% CI = (0.75, 1.27)]. Conclusion: The strategy of combining Veliparib with chemotherapy may, to some extent, prolong the PFS in lung cancer patients. However, this benefit is not observed in OS or ORR. Additionally, there are evident adverse reactions. Due to a limited number of the included studies, additional extensive multicenter RCTs are required to validate these results. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023411510.

Enhanced biocompatibility of silk sericin/caffeic acid nanoparticles by red blood cell membranes cloaking.

Caffeic acid (CA) is an antioxidant phenolic compound that enriched in coffee beans, however, its administration often restrains by the instability and low solubility. Nanoparticle encapsulation is an effective approach to improve the therapeutic activity of CA. For example, silk sericin (SS), a natural biomaterial finds applications in food, cosmetics and biomedical fields, is proved here to be an appropriate encapsulation agent for CA, and a SS/CA composite nanoparticle has been fabricated. To further improve the biocompatibility of SS/CA, a red blood cell membranes (RM) cloaking strategy is adopted. The as-formed SS/CA/RM preserves the antioxidant activity of CA, and shows satisfactory biocompatibility especially under high concentration. Hope this can provide a potential appropriative strategy to adjust the chemical stability of insoluble drugs and to improve their biocompatibility.

3D Visualization System-Assisted Vitrectomy for Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment: Leave Out the Perfluorocarbon Liquid.

INTRODUCTION: Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) is a primary strategy to restore vision for patients who have rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Perfluorocarbon liquid (PFCL) is frequently used during PPV surgery. However, the unintended intraocular retention of PFCL may cause retina toxicity and thus lead to possible postoperative complications. In this paper, the experiences and surgical outcomes of a NGENUITY 3D Visualization System-assisted PPV are shown to evaluate the possibility of excluding the application of PFCL. METHODS: A consecutive series of 60 cases with RRD were presented, all of whom had undergone 23-gauge PPV with the assistance of a three-dimensional (3D) visualization system. Among them, 30 cases used PFCL to assist the drainage of subretinal fluid (SRF), while the other 30 cases did not. Parameters including retinal reattachment rate (RRR), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), operation time, and SRF residual were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Baseline data showed no statistical significance between the two groups. At the last postoperative follow-up, the RRR of all the 60 cases reached 100% and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) gained significant improvement. The BCVA (logMAR) increased from 1.293 ± 0.881 to 0.479 ± 0.316 in the PFCL-excluded group, exhibiting better results than the PFCL included group, whose final BCVA was 0.650 ± 0.371. More importantly, excluding PFCL greatly reduced the operation time (decrease of 20%), therefore, avoiding possible complications caused by both the use of PFCL and the operation process. CONCLUSION: With the assistance of the 3D visualization system, it is feasible to treat RRD and perform PPV without using PFCL. The 3D visualization system is highly recommendable, as not only can it achieve the same surgical effect without the assistance of PFCL, but also simplify the operation procedure, shorten the operation time, save costs, and avoid complications related to PFCL.

Quantitative evaluation of the microjet velocity and cavitation erosion on a copper plate produced by a spherical cavity focused transducer at the high hydrostatic pressure.

Cavitation erosion at the high hydrostatic pressure causes the equipment to operate abnormally for the huge economic losses. Few methods can quantitatively evaluate the cavitation erosion intensity. In order to solve this problem, the cavitation erosion on a copper plate was carried out in a spherical cavity focused transducer system at the hydrostatic pressure of 3, 6, and 10 MPa. Meanwhile, the corresponding cavitation threshold, the initial bubble radius, and the microjet velocity in the ultrasonic field are theoretically analyzed to determine the dimension and velocity of microjet based on the following hypotheses: (1) the influence of the coalescence on the bubble collapse is ignored; (2) the dimension of the microjet is equal to the largest bubble size without the influence of gravity and buoyancy. Using the Westervelt equation for the nonlinear wave propagation and the Johnson-Cook material constitutive model for the high strain rate, a microjet impact model of the multi-bubble cavitation was constructed. In addition, through the analogy with the indentation test, an inversion model was proposed to calculate the microjet velocity and the cavitation erosion intensity. The microjet geometric model was constructed from the dimension and velocity of the microjet. The continuous microjet impact was proposed according to the equivalent impact momentum and solved by the finite element method. The relative errors of the pit depth are 4.02%, 3.34%, and 1.84% at the hydrostatic pressure of 3, 6, and 10 MPa, respectively, and the relative error in the evolution of pit morphology is 7.33% at 10 MPa, which verified the reliability of the proposed models. Experimental and simulation results show that the higher the hydrostatic pressure, the greater the pit depth, pit diameter, the pit-to-microjet diameter ratio, and the cavitation erosion intensity, but the smaller the pit diameter-to-depth ratio. The cavitation erosion intensity becomes significant with the ongoing ultrasonic exposure. In addition, a comparison of the cavitation pit morphology in the microjet pulsed and continuous impact modes shows that the continuous impact mode is effective without the elastic deformation caused by the residual stress. Using the cavitation pit morphology at the different hydrostatic pressures, the microjet velocity can be estimated successfully and accurately in a certain range, whose corresponding errors at the lower and upper limit are 5.98% and 0.11% at 3 MPa, 6.62% and 9.14% at 6 MPa, 6.54% and 5.42% at 10 MPa, respectively. Our proposed models are valid only when the cavitation pit diameter-to-depth ratio is close to 1. Altogether, the cavitation erosion induced by multi-bubble collapses in the focal region of a focused transducer could be evaluated both experimentally and numerically. Using the cavitation pit morphology and the inversion model, the microjet velocity in a certain range could be estimated successfully with satisfactory accuracy.

Lactic acid bacteria strains selected from fermented total mixed rations improve ensiling and in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics of corn stover silage.

OBJECTIVE: This study identified the major lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains from different fermented total mixed rations (FTMRs) via metataxonomic analysis and evaluated the ability of their standard strain as ensiling inoculants for corn stover silage. METHODS: The bacterial composition of eight FTMRs were analyzed by 16S rDNA sequencing. Corn stover was ensiled without LAB inoculation (control) or with 1×106 cfu/g LAB standard strain (Lactobacillus vaginalis, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus helveticus, or Lactobacillus paralimentarius) selected from the FTMRs or 10 g/t commercial silage inoculant (CSI) around 25°C for 56 days. For each inoculation, a portion of the silage was sampled to analyze ensiling characteristics at time intervals of 0, 1, 3, 7, 14, 28, and 56 days, gas production (GP), microbial crude protein and volatile fatty acids as the measurements of rumen fermentation characteristics were evaluated in vitro with the silages of 56 days after 72 h incubation. RESULTS: Lactobacillus covered >85% relative abundance of all FTMRs, in which L. pontis, L. vaginalis, L. reuteri, L. helveticus, and L. paralimentarius showed >4% in specific FTMRs. CSI, L. helveticus, and L. paralimentarius accelerated the decline of silage pH. Silage inoculated with L. paralimentarius and CSI produced more lactic acid the early 14 days. Silage inoculated with L. paralimentarius produced less acetic acid and butyric acid. For the in vitro rumen fermentation, silage inoculated with CSI produced more potential GP, isobutyric acid, and isovaleric acid; silage inoculated with L. helveticus produced more potential GP and isovaleric acid, silage inoculated with L. paralimentarius or L. reuteri produced more potential GP only. CONCLUSION: The standard strain L. paralimentarius (DSM 13238) is a promising ensiling inoculant for corn stover silage. The findings provide clues on strategies to select LAB to improve the quality of silage.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum A1, C1 and C10 Are Potential Probiotics Isolated from Pineapple Residual Silage.

The production and consumption of pineapple creates large quantities of residues. Ensiling these residues might help to minimize the waste burden and meet the intensive feed demand for ruminants. Proper lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are not only responsible for pineapple residual silage fermentation, but might also deliver probiotics. The aim of this study was to isolate LAB strains with probiotic functions, and to enhance intestinal antioxidant capacity from naturally fermented pineapple residues. A total of 47 LAB isolates with gram-positive, catalase-negative, nonhemolytic properties were used for probiotic screening. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) A1, C1 and C10 were susceptible to rifampicin, gentamicin and erythromycin, did not contain virulence factor-coding genes and showed good tolerance to acid (pH 3.0), 0.5% bile salt and simulated gastric and intestinal fluid. Their hydrophobicity indices were 71.92%, 45.50% and 66.90%, respectively. All of them were able to adhere to bovine jejunum epithelial cells (BJECs) and to antagonize Escherichia coli F5 and Salmonella Dublin. These three LAB strains tolerated hydrogen peroxide and significantly decreased (p < 0.05) reactive oxygen species levels in BJECs. In addition, L. plantarum C1 and C10 significantly increased (p < 0.05) the total antioxidant capacity in BJECs in the presence of 200 µmol/L hydrogen peroxide condition. L. plantarum A1, C1 and C10 are potential probiotics isolated from pineapple residual silage. This study aims to promote pineapple residue's utilization in the feed industry.

Fecal microbiota dynamics and its relationship to diarrhea and health in dairy calves.

BACKGROUND: Diarrhea is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in young calves, resulting in considerable economic loss for dairy farms. To determine if some gut microbes might have resistance to dysbiotic process with calf diarrhea by dictating the microbial co-occurrence patterns from birth to post-weaning, we examined the dynamic development of the gut microbiota and diarrhea status using two animal trials, with the first trial having 14 Holstein dairy calves whose fecal samples were collected 18 times over 78 d from birth to 15 d post-weaning and the second trial having 43 Holstein dairy calves whose fecal samples were collected daily from 8 to 18 days of age corresponding to the first diarrhea peak of trial 1. RESULTS: Metataxonomic analysis of the fecal microbiota showed that the development of gut microbiota had three age periods with birth and weaning as the separatrices. Two diarrhea peaks were observed during the transition of the three age periods. Fusobacteriaceae was identified as a diarrhea-associated taxon both in the early stage and during weaning, and Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 was another increased genus among diarrheic calves in the early stage. In the neonatal calves, Prevotella_2 (ASV4 and ASV26), Prevotella_9 (ASV43), and Alloprevotella (ASV14) were negatively associated with Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 (ASV48), the keystone taxa of the diarrhea-phase module. During weaning, unclassified Muribaculaceae (ASV28 and ASV44), UBA1819 (ASV151), Barnesiella (ASV497), and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005 (ASV254) were identified being associated with non-diarrheic status, and they aggregated in the non-diarrhea module of co-occurrence patterns wherein unclassified Muribaculaceae (ASV28) and Barnesiella (ASV497) had a direct negative relationship with the members of the diarrhea module. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our results suggest that the dynamic successions of calf gut microbiota and the interactions among some bacteria could influence calf diarrhea, and some species of Prevotella might be the core microbiota in both neonatal and weaning calves, while species of Muribaculaceae might be the core microbiota in weaning calves for preventing calf diarrhea. Some ASVs affiliated with Prevotella_2 (ASV4 and ASV26), Prevotella_9 (ASV43), Alloprevotella (AVS14), unclassified Muribaculaceae (ASV28 and ASV44), UBA1819 (ASV151), Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005 (ASV254), and Barnesiella (ASV497) might be proper probiotics for preventing calf diarrhea whereas Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 (ASV48) might be the biomarker for diarrhea risk in specific commercial farms.

Aqueous Level of ANGPTL4 Correlates with the OCTA Metrics of Diabetic Macular Edema in NPDR.

PURPOSE: To investigate the aqueous levels of angiogenic factors in nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) and to ascertain their association with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) metrics. METHODS: This study enrolled 21 NPDR eyes with DME (NPDR/DME+), 17 NPDR eyes without DME (NPDR/DME-), and 16 diabetic eyes without retinopathy (DWR). Luminex bead-based multiplex array was used to measure the levels of 25 cytokines. OCTA system with a scan area of 3 × 3 mm was used to measure retinal thickness (RT), retinal volume (RV), superficial vessel density (SVD), deep vessel density (DVD), foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, perimeter and acircularity index. RESULTS: The levels of ANGPTL4 were significantly different among the three groups (P < 0.05), in which NPDR/DME+ group had the highest level and NPDR/DME- group had a higher level than the DWR group (all, P < 0.0167). OCTA examination showed that, compared with DWR and NPDR/DME- group, RT and RV increased and the whole/parafoveal DVD decreased in NPDR/DME+ group (all, P < 0.05). Meanwhile, NPDR/DME- group had lower parafoveal DVD than the DWR group (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that the levels of ANGPTL4 were positively correlated with foveal/parafoveal RT and RV and negatively correlated with whole/parafoveal DVD in NPDR patients (all, P < 0.05). As the influencing factor of RT, RV, and DVD, every additional 103 pg/ml of ANGPTL4 was associated with an increase in foveal and parafoveal RT of 4.299 µm and 3.598 µm, respectively. Every additional 106 pg/ml of ANGPTL4 was associated with an increase in foveal and parafoveal RV of 3.371 mm3 and 17.705 mm3, respectively. Every additional 104 pg/ml of ANGPTL4 was associated with a decrease in whole and parafoveal DVD of 1.705% and 1.799%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The level of ANGPTL4 in aqueous humor of NPDR patients with DME was significantly increased and ANGPTL4 might predict RT, RV, and parafoveal DVD of DME in NPDR patients.