Effect of humanised care on the surgical site wound infection after caesarean: A meta-analysis.

Herein, a meta-analysis was conducted to systematically evaluate the effect of humanised care on maternal postoperative wound infections in patients who underwent caesarean section. A computerised search of Embase, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database and Wanfang database was performed, supplemented by a manual search from database inception to September 2023, to collate randomised controlled trials (RCTs) regarding the application of humanised care during the perioperative period of caesarean section. Two researchers screened and selected studies identified according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the included literature was evaluated for quality, extracted information and required data. Data analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. Twenty RCTs comprising 2408 patients were included. The results revealed the humanised care group had a lower incidence of postoperative wound infections (0.83% vs. 4.32%, odds ratio [OR]: 0.26, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.15-0.46, p < 0.00001) and fewer postoperative complications than the conventional care group (4.32% vs. 16.35%, OR: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.16-0.31, p < 0.00001), with lower anxiety scores (standardised mean difference [SMD]: -3.15, 95% CI: -3.90 to -2.40, p < 0.00001) and depression scores (SMD: -3.68, 95% CI: -4.49 to -2.88, p < 0.00001). The application of humanised care during the perioperative period of caesarean section can prevent postoperative wound infection, reduce postoperative complications and help alleviate maternal anxiety and depression, which is worthy of clinical promotion and application.

Abnormal individualized peak functional connectivity toward potential repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment of autism spectrum disorder.

Functional connectivity (FC) derived from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging has been widely applied to guide precise repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). The left, right, and bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (DLPFC) have been used as rTMS treatment target regions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), albeit with moderate efficacy. Thus, we aimed to develop an individualized localization method for rTMS treatment of ASD. We included 266 male ASDs and 297 male typically-developed controls (TDCs) from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange Dataset. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) was regarded as a promising effective region, which was used as a seed and individualized peak FC strength in the DLPFC was compared between ASD and TDC. Correlation analysis was conducted between individualized peak FC strength and symptoms in ASD. We also investigated the spatial distribution of individualized peak FC locations in the DLPFC and conducted voxel-wise analysis to compare NAc-based FC between the two groups. ASD showed stronger peak FC in the right DLPFC related to TDC (Cohen's d = -.19, 95% CI: -0.36 to -0.03, t = -2.30, p = .02). Moreover, negative correlation was found between the peak FC strength in the right DLPFC and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) scores, which assessed both the social communication and interaction (r = -.147, p = .04, uncorrected significant), and stereotyped behaviors and restricted interests (r = -.198, p = .02, corrected significant). Peak FC locations varied substantially across participants. No significant differences in NAc-based FC in the DLPFC were found in the voxel-wise comparison. Our study supports the use of individualized peak FC-guided precise rTMS treatment of male ASD. Moreover, stimulating the right DLPFC might alleviate core symptoms of ASD.

Effects of bundle-care interventions on pressure ulcers in patients with stroke: A meta-analysis.

We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the effects of bundle-care interventions on pressure ulcers in patients with stroke to provide a basis for clinical work. Randomised controlled trials on the effects of bundle-care interventions in patients with stroke were identified using computerised searches of the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP and Wanfang databases, from the time of inception of each database to July 2023, supplemented by manual literature searches. Two researchers independently retrieved and screened the articles, extracted the data and evaluated the quality of the included studies. After reaching consensus, meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4. Twenty-four papers were included, involving 3330 patients of whom 1679 were in the intervention group and 1651 were in the control group. The results showed that, compared with standard care, bundle-care interventions significantly reduced the incidence of pressure ulcers (3.28% vs. 14.84%, odds ratio [OR]: 0.19, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.14-0.26, p < 0.001), and aspiration (5.60% vs. 18.84%, OR: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.17-0.39, p < 0.001), and improved patient satisfaction with nursing care (96.59% vs. 84.43%, OR. 5.45, 95% CI: 3.76-7.90, p < 0.001). Current evidence suggests that care bundles are significantly better than conventional nursing measures in preventing pressure ulcers and aspiration, and improving patient satisfaction with nursing care in patients with stroke, and are worthy of clinical promotion and application.

VvTOR interacts with VvSnRK1.1 and regulates sugar metabolism in grape.

MAIN CONCLUSION: VvTOR interacts with VvSnRK1.1 and regulates sugar accumulation and sugar-related genes expression in grape. Target of rapamycin (TOR) and sucrose-non-fermenting-related protein kinase 1.1 (SnRK1.1) both are critical proteins in plant sugar metabolism. Glucose-TOR signaling dictates transcriptional reprogramming of gene sets involved in central and secondary metabolism, cell cycle, transcription, signaling, transport and folding. SnRK1.1 is involved in sucrose-induced hypocotyl elongation. However, the relationship of TOR and SnRK1.1 in regulating sugar metabolism is unclear. In the study, we utilized grape (Vitis vinifera) calli to explore the relationship between TOR and SnRK1.1 in the sugar metabolism. We found that VvTOR interacted with VvSnRK1.1. By subcellular localization, VvTOR was found in the nucleus and cell membrane. Transgenic grape calli achieved by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation contained less glucose compared to WT calli. The fructose contents were markedly increased in the overexpressing VvTOR (OE-VvTOR), OE-VvTOR + RNAi-VvSnRK1.1 and RNAi-VvTOR + OE-VvSnRK1.1 transgenic calli. Sucrose contents were significantly increased in the OE-VvTOR transgenic calli and reduced in the OE-VvTOR + RNAi-VvSnRK1.1 transgenic calli, which implied that the pathway of VvTOR improving sucrose content might need the expression of VvSnRK1.1. VvTOR interacted with VvSnRK1.1 and regulated sugar metabolism in grape. These results suggest that there is a crosstalk between TOR and SnRK1.1 in plant sugar metabolism.

Diagnostic Function of 3D Optical Coherence Tomography Images in Diagnosis of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease at Acute Uveitis Stage.

BACKGROUND This study analyzed the macular 3D-OCT images of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH) in uveitis, explored the characteristics of 3D-OCT images of the macular region of VKH, and assessed which characteristics contribute most to VKH diagnosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS The 3D-OCT examination of 25 cases of VKH was performed on the macular area, and the image characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS Our study included a total of 50 eyes from 25 cases of VKH patients, 10 males and 15 females, aged 17 to 64 years, mean (39.44±11.60) years old. According to OCT B-scan images, 49 (98%) eyes had ERD, 49 (98%) eyes had nerve retinal edema, 36 (72%) eyes had endometrium-like structure (including cysts), 5 (10%) eyes had RPE folds, 35 (70%) eyes had changes in the internal septum, 49 (98%) eyes had RPE monolayer structure outside the ERD region. In ILM-RPE thickness, 49 (98%) eyes had retinal irregular thickening and 31 (62%) eyes had radial stripe changes. In ILM contour figure, 50 eyes (100%) showed exceptional uplift, 5 (10%) eyes had small focal uplift for PED on the RPE surface, and 48 (96%) eyes had wavy ups and downs. CONCLUSIONS In OCT B-scan imaging, the ERT, retinal edema of the retina, and the RPE monolayer structure outside the range are most likely to occur in VKH. The ILM-RPE thickness chart in 3D reconstruction showed irregular thickening of the retina. The ILM contour graph showed abnormal uplift, and RPE surface wavy ups and downs in VKH most likely to occur.

Grape hexokinases are involved in the expression regulation of sucrose synthase- and cell wall invertase-encoding genes by glucose and ABA.

Hexokinase (HXK, EC 2.7.1.1) is a multifunctional protein that both is involved in catalyzing the first step of glycolysis and plays an important role in sugar signaling. However, the supporting genetic evidence on hexokinases (CsHXKs) from grape (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Cabernet Sauvignon) berries has been lacking. Here, to investigate the role of CsHXK isoforms as glucose (Glc) and abscisic acid (ABA) sensors, we cloned two hexokinase isozymes, CsHXK1 and CsHXK2 with highly conserved genomic structure of nine exons and eight introns. We also found adenosine phosphate binding, substrate recognition and connection sites in their putative proteins. During grape berry development, the expression profiles of two CsHXK isoforms, sucrose synthases (SuSys) and cell wall invertase (CWINV) genes increased concomitantly with high levels of endogenous Glc and ABA. Furthermore, we showed that in wild type grape berry calli (WT), glucose repressed the expression levels of sucrose synthase (SuSy) and cell wall invertase (CWINV) genes, while ABA increased their expression levels. ABA could not only effectively improve the expression levels of SuSy and CWINV, but also block the repression induced by glucose on the expression of both genes. However, after silencing CsHXK1 or CsHXK2 in grape calli, SuSy and CWINV expression were enhanced, and the expressions of the two genes are insensitive in response to Glc treatment. Interestingly, exogenous ABA alone could not or less increase SuSy and CWINV expression in silencing CsHXK1 or CsHXK2 grape calli compared to WT. Meantime, ABA could not block the repression induced by glucose on the expression of SuSy and CWINV in CsHXK1 or CsHXK2 mutants. Therefore, Glc signal transduction depends on the regulation of CsHXK1 or CsHXK2. ABA signal was also disturbed by CsHXK1 or CsHXK2 silencing. The present results provide new insights into the regulatory role of Glc and ABA on the enzymes related to sugar metabolism in grape berry.

Genistein attenuates isoflurane-induced neurotoxicity and improves impaired spatial learning and memory by regulating cAMP/CREB and BDNF-TrkB-PI3K/Akt signaling.

Anesthetics are used extensively in surgeries and related procedures to prevent pain. However, there is some concern regarding neuronal degeneration and cognitive deficits arising from regular anesthetic exposure. Recent studies have indicated that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB) are involved in learning and memory processes. Genistein, a plant-derived isoflavone, has been shown to exhibit neuroprotective effects. The present study was performed to examine the protective effect of genistein against isoflurane-induced neurotoxicity in rats. Neonatal rats were exposed to isoflurane (0.75%, 6 hours) on postnatal day 7 (P7). Separate groups of rat pups were orally administered genistein at doses of 20, 40, or 80 mg/kg body weight from P3 to P15 and then exposed to isoflurane anesthesia on P7. Neuronal apoptosis was detected by TUNEL assay and FluoroJade B staining following isoflurane exposure. Genistein significantly reduced apoptosis in the hippocampus, reduced the expression of proapoptotic factors (Bad, Bax, and cleaved caspase-3), and increased the expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. RT-PCR analysis revealed enhanced BDNF and TrkB mRNA levels. Genistein effectively upregulated cAMP levels and phosphorylation of CREB and TrkB, leading to activation of cAMP/CREB-BDNF-TrkB signaling. PI3K/Akt signaling was also significantly activated. Genistein administration improved general behavior and enhanced learning and memory in the rats. These observations suggest that genistein exerts neuroprotective effects by suppressing isoflurane-induced neuronal apoptosis and by activating cAMP/CREB-BDNF-TrkB-PI3/Akt signaling.

Morphine and ketamine inhibit immune function of gastric cancer patients by increasing percentage of CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells in vitro.

BACKGROUND: There is conflicting evidence regarding effects of anesthetic and analgesic drugs on immune function of cancer patients. This study was designed to observe changes of T cell subpopulations in the gastric cancer (GC) patients and to assess effects of morphine and ketamine on the CD4(+) T cells, CD8(+) T cells, and regulatory T cells (Tregs) populations obtained from the GC patients in vitro. METHODS: The peripheral blood samples from 20 GC patients and 20 healthy volunteers were obtained. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and incubated in a solution containing phorbol-myristate-acetate and ionomycin (2 µL/mL) in the presence or absence of morphine (50 ng/mL) or different-concentration ketamine (25, 50, and 100 µM). The CD4(+) T cells, CD8(+) T cells, and Tregs were determined using the flow cytometric assay. RESULTS: The percentages of CD8(+) T cells were significantly decreased, but the ratio of CD4(+)/CD8(+) T cells and Tregs populations was significantly increased in the GC control group compared with the normal control group (P < 0.05). The ratio of CD4(+)/CD8(+) T cells was significantly increased in the groups M and K3 compared with the control group (P < 0.05) but was significantly decreased in the group K1 compared with the group K3. The percentage of Tregs was significantly increased in the groups M, K1, K2, and K3 compared with the control group. With the increased concentrations, ketamine increased the number of Tregs. CONCLUSIONS: GC shifts the balance of CD4(+)/CD8(+) T cells toward CD4(+) T cells and increases the Tregs populations by inducing immune responses. Morphine increases the ratio of CD4(+)/CD8(+) T cells and Tregs populations. Ketamine affects the ratio of CD4(+)/CD8(+) T cells and Tregs populations in a dose-dependent model.

Association between serum antinuclear antibody and rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: The relationship between serum antinuclear antibody (ANA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remains unknown. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate whether serum ANA was associated with an increased risk of RA in a case-control study. Methods: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis hospitalized at Shandong Provincial Hospital from January 2018 to December 2022 were recruited as the case group, and patients with other types of arthritis and healthy people at the same time were taken as the control group. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) was detected by indirect immunofluorescence assays. Propensity score matching was employed to construct a cohort of patients exhibiting comparable baseline characteristics. The relationship between serum ANA and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis was analyzed by logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 1,175 patients with RA and 1,662 control subjects were included in this study. After adjusting for potential confounding factors in the propensity-score matched cohort, the risk of RA gradually increased with rising of ANA titers. When ANA titers were divided into three groups (1:100, 1:320, and 1:1,000), the OR (95% CI) for ANA titers from low to high was 3.95 (3.01, 5.18), 16.63 (9.44, 29.30), and 17.34 (9.53, 31.54), respectively, compared to those when ANA was negative. The ANA patterns closely related to the occurrence of RA include nuclear homogeneous, nuclear speckled, and cytoplasmic speckled. Among them, the positive rate of nuclear homogeneous was the highest, which accounted for 42.64%. The OR (95% CI) of ANA patterns including nuclear homogeneous, nuclear speckled, and cytoplasmic speckled was 16.81 (11.46, 24.65), 3.40 (2.49, 4.63), and 3.09 (1.77, 5.40), respectively. Conclusion: There was a curve relation between ANA titer and RA, and the higher the ANA titer, the higher the probability of RA. However, there was no statistical difference in probability of RA for 1:320 versus 1:1,000 ANA titers. The most important kind of ANA pattern in the blood of RA patients was nuclear homogeneous. These findings suggest that ANA may be a novel risk marker for RA.

Diagnostic value of 3D Optical Coherence Tomography Multimode Images in the Diagnosis of Acute Central Serous Chorioretinopathy.

BACKGROUND: Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) provides non-invasive, high-speed, high-resolution, three-dimensional cross-section imaging of the macula. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of the multimodal imaging technique of three-dimension (3D) optical coherence tomography (OCT) (3D-OCT) for the diagnosis and characterization of acute central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). METHODS: In this prospective clinical study 3D-OCT examinations of 82 cases with acute CSC were performed on the macular area, and the image characteristics were analyzed. Our study included a total of 87 eyes from 82 cases of CSC patients, 67 males and 15 females (mean age ± standard deviation (SD): 42.89 ±7.80 years old; age range: 27 to 56 years old. The 3D-OCT images were evaluated for the presence of subretinal fluid, subretinal space, fluctuation of the internal limiting membrane (ILM), folds of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE), retinal pigment epithelium detachment (PED), and flat irregular PED. The foveal thickness was measured using the manual caliper of OCT software. RESULTS: The OCT B-scan images showed 87 (100%) eyes had exudative retinal detachment (ERD), 38 (44%) had flat irregular PED, 36 (41%) had PED, 8 (9%) had subretinal turbidity structure, 2 (2%) had subretinal dot-like precipitates, 1 (1%) had focal choroidal excavation (FCE), and 1 (1%) eye had fluctuation of internal limiting membrane (FI). In the ILM-RPE thickness map, all eyes had a round or round like regular uniform domes. Fifty-seven (66%) domes were limited in the examination area and 30 (44%) domes were beyond the scope of this examination and only a partial section of the dome could be observed. In the en-face image, all eyes had a round or round-like black figure that corresponded with domes in the ILM-RPE thickness map. In RPE surface, 76 (87%) eyes had a shallow plate depression, 71(82%) had small focal uplift, and 1 (1%) eye had a focal concave feature. CONCLUSIONS: In the OCT ILM-RPE thickness, en-face image, and RPE surface maps, acute CSC exhibited specific imaging characteristics that can be helpful for reliable diagnosis and differential diagnosis of CSC.

Effects of cold storage after cold acclimation on the fitness of Habrobracon hebetor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

Habrobracon hebetor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a cosmopolitan, idiobiont, and gregarious ectoparasitoid, which can parasitize the larvae of several pyralid and noctuid moths. However, adult parasitoids require cold storage to ensure that adequate individuals are available when a pest outbreak occurs. To understand the effects of cold storage after acclimation on offspring fitness of H. hebetor, the development, fecundity, population parameters, and paralysis rate of the F1 generation were evaluated using an age-stage, two-sex life table. Four pairing treatments were used in this study, with refrigerated males and females (ReF×ReM), unrefrigerated females and refrigerated males (UnF×ReM), refrigerated females and unrefrigerated males (ReF×UnM), and unrefrigerated females and males (UnF×UnM, control). Cold storage after acclimation had no significant effect on the fecundity or oviposition period of F0-generation H. hebetor. Moreover, the survival rate (Sa = 61.43%), proportion of females (Nf/N = 0.41), intrinsic rate of increase (r = 0.3450), finite rate of increase (λ = 1.4121), net reproduction rate (R0 = 149.47), and net paralysis rate (C0 = 74.52) of ReF×UnM and UnF×UnM (Sa = 50.00%, Nf/N = 0.34, r = 0.3297, λ = 1.3881, R0 = 155.69, C0 = 62.90, respectively) treatments were significantly higher than those of the ReF×ReM treatment (Sa = 45%, Nf/N = 0.16, r = 0.2277, λ = 1.2558, R0 = 68.81, C0 = 31.61, respectively) (except for the Sa of UnF×UnM treatment), and there was no significant difference between the 2 treatments. Overall, it is advisable to avoid simultaneous cold storage of female and male parasitoids or to add unrefrigerated males appropriately when using cold-stored parasitoids to control pests.

The kinase and FATC domains of VvTOR affect sugar-related gene expression and sugar accumulation in grape (Vitis vinifera).

The TOR (target of rapamycin) signalling network plays a pivotal role in sugar metabolism and plant growth. In this study, we used grape (Vitis vinifera L.) calli to explore the function of the kinase and FATC domains (C-terminal of FAT (FRAP-ATM-TTRAP) of VvTOR (Vitis vinifera target of rapamycin). We found that the activity of VvTOR affected sugar-related gene expression. VvTOR-VvS6K pathway potentially participated in regulating sugar gene expression. We obtained the over-expression of kinase and FATC domains in transgenic calli by Agrobacterium -mediated transformation. Even though the kinase and FATC domains all belong to VvTOR protein, their functions were different in the regulating sugar accumulation and sugar-related gene expression. We speculated that the kinase domain positively regulated sugar accumulation and FATC domain may negatively influenced sugar accumulation. FATC and kinase domains of VvTOR co-regulated sugar accumulation in grape. These observations will provide framework for future investigations to address other functions of TOR signalling in plant development and signalling pathways.

VvMYB1 potentially affects VvTOR gene expression by regulating VvTOR promoter and participates in glucose accumulation.

MYB (v-myb avian myeloblastosis viral oncogene homolog) transcription factors make up one of the largest protein families in plants. The TOR (target of rapamycin) signaling network plays a pivotal role in sugar metabolism and plant growth. In this article, we utilized grape (Vitis vinifera) calli to explore the relationship between VvMYB1 and VvTOR. By using yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase reporter system, we speculated that there may be other proteins that help VvMYB1 and VvTOR promoter bond in grape calli, and the interaction action sites were located between the VvTOR 400-bp promoter fragment and the 1200-bp promoter fragment. The subcellular localization results suggest that VvMYB1 is found in the nucleus. Moreover, the expression level of VvTOR increased in the transgenic calli with overexpression of VvMYB1. These findings provide further evidence that VvMYB1 regulates VvTOR expression. We also found that overexpression of VvMYB1 increased glucose accumulation and affected expression of sugar-related genes. Our results suggest that there is a crosstalk between VvMYB1, VvTOR, and glucose accumulation.

Gray Matter Network Associated With Attention in Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorders; however, the underlying neural mechanisms for the inattention symptom remain elusive for children with ADHD. At present, the majority of studies have analyzed the structural MRI (sMRI) with the univariate method, which fails to demonstrate the interregional covarying relationship of gray matter (GM) volumes among brain regions. The scaled subprofile model of principal component analysis (SSM-PCA) is a multivariate method, which can detect more robust brain-behavioral phenotype association compared to the univariate analysis method. This study aims to identify the GM network associated with attention in children with ADHD by applying SSM-PCA to the sMRI. Methods: The sMRI of 209 children with ADHD and 209 typically developing controls (TDCs) aged 7-14 years from the ADHD-200 dataset was used for anatomical computation, and the GM volume in each brain region was acquired. Then, SSM-PCA was applied to the GM volumes of all the subjects to capture the GM network of children with ADHD (i.e., ADHD-related pattern). The relationship between the expression of ADHD-related pattern and inattention symptom was further investigated. Finally, the influence of sample size on the analysis of this study was explored. Results: The ADHD-related pattern mainly included putamen, pallium, caudate, thalamus, right accumbens, superior/middle/inferior frontal cortex, superior occipital cortex, superior parietal cortex, and left middle occipital cortex. In addition, the expression of the ADHD-related pattern was related to inattention scores measured by the Conners' Parent Rating Scale long version (CPRS-LV; r = 0.25, p = 0.0004) and the DuPaul ADHD Rating Scale IV (ADHD-RS; r = 0.18, p = 0.03). Finally, we found that when the sample size was 252, the results of ADHD-related pattern were relatively reliable. Similarly, the sample size needed to be 162 when exploring the relationship between ADHD-related pattern and behavioral indicator measured by CPRS-LV. Conclusion: We captured a GM network associated with attention in children with ADHD, which is different from that in adolescents and adults with ADHD. Our findings may shed light on the diverse neural mechanisms of inattention and provide treatment targets for children with ADHD.

Xuesaitong Combined with Dexmedetomidine Improves Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats by Activating Keap1/Nrf2 Signaling and Mitophagy in Hippocampal Tissue.

Ischemic stroke is the most common type of cerebrovascular disease with high mortality and poor prognosis, and cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (CI/R) injury is the main murderer. Here, we attempted to explore the effects and mechanism of Xuesaitong (XST) combined with dexmedetomidine (Dex) on CI/R injury in rats. First, a rat model of CI/R injury was constructed via the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) method and treated with XST and Dex alone or in combination. Then, on the 5th and 10th days of treatment, the neurological impairment was assessed using the modified neurological severity scores (mNSS), the 8-arm radial maze test (8ARMT), novel object recognition test (NORT), and fear conditioning test (FCT). H&E staining was performed to observe the pathological changes of the hippocampus. ELISA and related kits were used to assess the monoamine neurotransmitters and antioxidant enzyme activities in the hippocampus. The ATP, mitochondrial membrane potential levels, and qRT-PCR of genes related to mitochondrial function were determined to assess mitochondrial functions in the hippocampus and western blot to determine Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway and mitophagy-related protein expression. The results showed that XST combined with Dex significantly reduced mNSS, improved spatial memory and learning deficits, and enhanced fear memory and cognitive memory ability in CI/R rats, which was superior to single-drug treatment. Moreover, XST combined with Dex treatment improved hippocampal histopathological damage; significantly increased the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters, neurotrophic factors, ATP, and mitochondrial membrane potential; and upregulated the activities of antioxidant enzymes and the expression of mitophagy-related proteins in the hippocampus of CI/R rats. XST combined with Dex treatment also activated the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling and upregulated the protein expression of downstream antioxidant enzymes HO-1 and NQ. Altogether, this study showed that a combination of XST and Dex could activate the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling and mitophagy to protect rats from CI/R-related neurological impairment.

An Efficient Nomogram for Discriminating Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma From Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study.

Objective: This study aims to establish a nomogram and provide an effective method to distinguish between intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: A total of 1,591 patients with HCC or ICC hospitalized at Shandong Provincial Hospital between January 2016 and August 2021 were included and randomly divided into development and validation groups in a ratio of 3:1. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the independent differential factors between HCC and ICC patients in the development cohort. By combining these independent differential factors, the nomogram was established for discriminating ICC from HCC. The accuracy of the nomogram was estimated by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and decision curve analysis (DCA). Furthermore, the predictive nomogram was assessed in the internal testing set. Results: Through multivariate analysis, independent differential factors between HCC and ICC involved hepatitis B virus (HBV), logarithm of alpha-fetoprotein (Log AFP), logarithm of protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (Log PIVKA-II), logarithm of carbohydrate antigen 199 (Log CA199), and logarithm of carbohydrate antigen 125 (Log CA125). A nomogram was finally established by incorporating these five independent differential factors. Comparing a model of conventional tumor biomarkers including AFP and CA199, the nomogram showed a better distinction between ICC and HCC. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of ICC diagnosis was 0.951 (95% CI, 0.938-0.964) for the nomogram. The results were consistent in the validation cohort with an AUC of 0.958 (95% CI, 0.938-0.978). After integrating patient preferences into the analysis, the DCA showed that using this nomogram to distinguish ICC and HCC increased more benefit compared with the conventional model. Conclusion: An efficient nomogram has been established for the differential diagnosis between ICC and HCC, which may facilitate the detection and diagnosis of ICC. Further use of the nomogram in multicenter investigations will confirm the practicality of the tool for future clinical application.

A review of objective assessments for hyperactivity in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Hyperactivity is one of the three core symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that is a common childhood mental disorder. Objective assessments of hyperactivity are seldom utilized compared with measures of inattention and impulsivity during clinical diagnosis and evaluation. Acceleration-sensitive devices (e.g., Actigraph) and motion tracking systems (e.g., QbTest) are two main groups of devices that can be used to objectively measure hyperactivity. The Actigraph and QbTest have good discriminant validity, convergent validity, and sensitivity to the effects of stimulants. Furthermore, the assessment setting (i.e., research laboratory, school, or home) can greatly influence the presence and severity of hyperactivity. Nevertheless, objective assessments for hyperactivity have poor ability to distinguish ADHD from other disorders, or among the three types of ADHD. Thus, further studies are needed to assess objective measurements of hyperactivity in terms of discriminant and convergent validity, test-retest reliability in different settings, and correlations with brain activity.

Population Parameters and Feeding Preference of Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Different Asparagus officinalis Tissues.

Spodoptera litura is an important pest that seriously affects Asparagus officinalis production. To clarify the population characteristics and feeding preference of S. litura on different asparagus tissues, asparagus stems and leaves were selected as the research objects, related studies were conducted by constructing the life table and the feeding preference experiment. The results showed that S. litura could complete its development and reproduction normally on asparagus stems or leaves. Although the adult longevity and fecundity of S. litura on the two types of tissues were not significantly different, the development duration of larvae and pupae, and total preoviposition period on leaves were significantly longer than those raised on stems. The intrinsic rate of increase and finite rate of increase were 0.186 d-1 and 1.204 d-1 on stems, which were significantly higher than those fed on leaves (0.161 d-1 and 1.175 d-1). The mean generation time on stems (32.88 d) was significantly lower than on leaves (36.88 d). It indicated that stems were more suitable for its population growth. In the feeding preference, the third and fifth instar larvae preferred to feed on leaves, and other instar larvae (except for the sixth instar of 2.5 h) had no significant difference. These results will provide a theoretical reference for further research and forecasting and integrated control.

Rabies Virus Neutralizing Activity, Safety, and Immunogenicity of Recombinant Human Rabies Antibody Compared with Human Rabies Immunoglobulin in Healthy Adults.

Objective: Preliminary assessment of rabies virus neutralizing activity, safety and immunogenicity of a recombinant human rabies antibody (NM57) compared with human rabies immunoglobulin (HRIG) in Chinese healthy adults. Methods: Subjects were randomly (1:1:1) allocated to Groups A (20 IU/kg NM57), B (40 IU/kg NM57), or C (20 IU/kg HRIG). One injection was given on the day of enrollment. Blood samples were collected on days -7 to 0 (pre-injection), 3, 7, 14, 28, and 42. Adverse events (AEs) and serious AEs (SAEs) were recorded over a period of 42 days after injection. Results: All 60 subjects developed detectable rabies virus neutralizing antibodies (RVNAs) (> 0.05 IU/mL) on days 3, 7, 14, 28, and 42. The RVNA levels peaked on day 3 in all three groups, with a geometric mean concentration (GMC) of 0.2139 IU/mL in Group A, 0.3660 IU/mL in Group B, and 0.1994 IU/mL in Group C. At each follow-up point, the GMC in Group B was significantly higher than that in Groups A and C. The areas under the antibody concentration curve over 0-14 days and 0-42 days in Group B were significantly larger than those in Groups A and C. Fifteen AEs were reported. Except for one grade 2 myalgia in Group C, the other 14 were all grade 1. No SAEs were observed. Conclusion: The rabies virus neutralizing activity of 40 IU/kg NM57 was superior to that of 20 IU/kg NM57 and 20 IU/kg HRIG, and the rabies virus neutralizing activity of 20 IU/kg NM57 and 20 IU/kg HRIG were similar. Safety was comparable between NM57 and HRIG.

Gαq-protein carboxyl terminus imitation polypeptide GCIP-27 attenuates proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells and vascular remodeling in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Gq-protein is located at the convergent point in signal transduction pathways leading to vascular remodeling. The carboxyl terminus of Gα-subunit plays a vital role in G-protein-receptor interaction. The present study was designed to explore the effects of a synthetic Gαq carboxyl terminus imitation peptide, namely GCIP-27, on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) in vitro and vascular remodeling in spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR). Hyperplasia and hypertrophy of VSMC wre determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, [(3)H]-thymidine and [(3)H]-leucine incorporation, and [Ca(2+)](i) was measured with Fluo-3/AM staining. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), the ratio of media thickness to lumen diameter (MT/LD) of aorta, collagen content, and phospholipase C activity in aorta were measured in SHR. GCIP-27 (3-100 µg/l) significantly decreased proliferation activity, protein content, incorporation of [(3)H]-thymidine and [(3)H]-leucine, and [Ca(2+)](i) level in VSMC. SBP, MT/LD, collagen content, and phospholipase C activity in aorta of SHR were decreased significantly in GCIP-27 (7, 20, 60 µg/kg)-treated groups and losartan (6 mg/kg) group compared with vehicle group. In conclusion, GCIP-27 could inhibit vascular remodeling effectively in vitro and in vivo.