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According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease (CVD) has become a major cause of chronic illness around the globe. It has been reported that soy-based fermented food (SFF) is very effective in preventing thrombus (one of the most important contributing factors to CVD), which are mainly attributed to the bioactive substances, especially the fibrinolytic enzymes (FE) generated by microorganisms during the fermentation process of soybean food. This paper therefore mainly reviewed the microbial fibrinolytic enzymes (MFE) from SFF. We first discuss the use of microbial fermentation to produce FE, with an emphasis on the strains involved. The production, purification, physicochemical properties, structure-functional attributes, functional properties and possible application of MFE from SFF are then discussed. Finally, current limitations and future perspectives for the production, purification, and the practical application of MFE are discussed. MFE from SFF pose multiple health benefits, including thrombolysis, antihypertension, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemia, anticancer, neuroprotective, antiviral and other activities. Therefore, they exhibit great potential for functional foods and nutraceutical applications, especially foods with CVDs prevention potential.

Chunyu Zhang,1 Liping Liu,1 Qijie Xiao2 1School of Economics and Management, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541004, People’s Republic of China; 2Suzhou Monash Research Institute of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215300, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Liping Liu, School of Economics and Management, Guangxi Normal University, 15 Yucai Road, Qixing District, Guilin, Guangxi, 541004, People’s Republic of China, Email 865248131@qq.comPurpose: We established a dual-pathway model in which Taoism at work can shape employee low-carbon behavior via two mediating mechanisms: perceived value as a psychological mediator and guanxi as a social mediator.Patients and Methods: Data were collected from 788 Chinese enterprises employees.Results: Our results confirm the direct positive effect of Taoism on employee low-carbon behavior and the partial mediating effects of perceived value and co-worker guanxi. However, supervisor-subordinate guanxi does not mediate the relationship between Taoism and employee low-carbon behavior.Conclusion: Despite the key role of employee low-carbon behavior, the individual-level antecedent to employees’ pro-environmental behavior remains underexplored. This study examines the influence of Taoism (an individual-level cultural value) on employee low-carbon behavior in the Chinese context. Theoretical and managerial implications were discussed.Keywords: Chinese traditional culture, social cognitive theory, employee sustainability, green

While public health communication has been suggested to be a key for improving acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination, this study tested mediation pathways through which three types of vaccine information acquisition, i.e. seeking, scanning, and discussing, affect COVID-19 vaccination intention. The pathways comprise two mediators, i.e. anticipated regret due to inaction and collective responsibility. Results suggest that information seeking and discussing may have encouraged the intention to get vaccinated, but mainly indirectly through the two mediators. Information seeking and discussing may have elicited anticipated regret and collective responsibility, which in turn increased vaccination intention. The paths from information scanning were smaller in effect sizes and statistically unacknowledged. Implications and limitations are discussed.

Liping Liu, Chunyu Zhang School of Economics and Management, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Chunyu Zhang, School of Economics and Management, Guangxi Normal University, 15 Yucai Road, Qixing District, Guilin, Guangxi, 541004, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 13457660453, Fax +86 773 5816858, Email 468160345@qq.comPurpose: Job crafting can improve employees’ performance and competitive advantage. This study integrated the self-determination and equity theories to examine the relation between an individual’s Confucianism and job crafting by highlighting the mediating effect of psychological contract fulfilment and the moderating effect of distributive justice on this relation.Participants and Methods: Data were collected in two waves from 372 employees in numerous private companies in Guangxi, China.Results: The hypothesized model was supported in part. Specifically, as expected, psychological contract fulfilment mediated the positive relation between Confucianism and task crafting and cognitive crafting. Confucianism had a positive effect on psychological contract fulfilment and relational crafting, while psychological contract fulfilment had no mediating effect and its positive effect on relational crafting was not significant. Distributive justice moderated the relation between psychological contract fulfilment and cognitive crafting and task crafting positively.Conclusion: This study reveals the mechanism of Confucianism’s effect on job crafting from a new perspective and confirms its differing effects on different types of job crafting. Business managers should give attention to Confucianism and maximize their organization’s psychological contract fulfilment to improve employees’ job crafting.Keywords: sustainable development, Chinese traditional culture, high-quality development, corporate environmental responsibility

As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread, vaccine hesitancy increasingly threats public health worldwide. Health information from traditional, online and social media may influence vaccine hesitancy. The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of exposure to COVID-19 information from various media on vaccine hesitancy, as well as the mediating roles of public trust in government and vaccine confidence. With a sample of 438 online participants (mean age = 30.69 years) responding to an anonymous questionnaire, the study tested a mediation model using bias-corrected bootstrap. The results indicated that exposure to COVID-19 information from online news media and traditional media can reduce vaccine hesitancy indirectly. Whereas a positive and indirect relationship between COVID-19 information exposure on social media and vaccine hesitancy was revealed. Trust in government and vaccine confidence were found to be salient mediators between exposure to COVID-19 information from various media and vaccine hesitancy. Findings from this study offer implications for strategies to address vaccine hesitancy.

Background and Purpose: Quantitative electroencephalogram (QEEG) parameters have been previously utilized in prognosis following acute ischemic stroke (AIS). However, the use and interpretation of QEEG parameters remain scarce following endovascular treatment (EVT) of AIS.Methods: AIS patients were prospectively enrolled following EVT, and 24-hour EEG monitoring was conducted. Global delta/alpha ratio (DAR), (delta + theta)/(alpha + beta) ratio (DTABR), and relative band power were analyzed. Primary outcome was a poor outcome (modified Rankin Scale ≥4 at 90-day follow-up). Multivariate logistic regression and diagnostic analyses were performed.Results: Poor outcome was seen in 35.5% (11/31) of enrolled patients. Multivariable logistic regression identified that higher DAR (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.02-1.18, p = 0.02) and higher DTABR (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.27, p = 0.02) were associated with poor outcome. DAR ≥14.3 demonstrated high sensitivity (90.9%), specificity (90.0%) and accuracy (90.3%) for poor outcome.Conclusions: Early evidence of elevated DAR and DTABR on quantitative EEG was associated with poor outcome at 90 days following EVT for AIS.

Objectives: The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on endovascular therapy (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke in China is unknown. This study was aimed to verify the volume change of EVT for acute ischemic stroke affected by COVID-19 and its potential factors.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted via an online questionnaire survey in China. The questionnaire was mainly composed of descriptive information, volume change of EVT for acute ischemic stroke, and the protection status of medical staff.Results: A total of 103 stroke physicians in 28 provinces across China completed the survey questionnaire. A volume decline in EVT for acute stroke occurred in 93 (90.3%) hospitals after lockdown (23 January 2020). Nearly half of the hospitals (51/103, 49.5%) experienced a volume decline of EVT case more than 50% and 14 (13.6%) hospitals completely ceased offering EVT. Hospitals with decline >50% of EVT case had higher proportion of hospitals with a designated area for COVID-19 screening in the emergency room (44/51, 86.3% vs 34/52, 65.4%, p= 0.01) and medical staff in quarantine (19/51, 37.3% vs 7/52, 13.5%, p

Objective The aim of this study was to find out the relationship between serum biomarkers and cerebral collateral status in acute ischemic stroke with cerebral large artery atherosclerosis. Methods We enrolled patients with ischemic stroke due to large artery atherosclerosis within 7 days of symptom onset, age 18-80 years, from August 2016 to December 2017. Twelve biomarkers representing different pathophysiological mechanisms were tested after admission. Whole-brain perfusion combined with multiphase computed tomography angiography was performed to assess cerebral collateral structure and function. Results Fifty-two patients completed the test of candidate biomarkers and recruited in this study. The mean age was 55.0 (11.1) years, 42 (80.8%) patients were male, 20 (38.5%) had poor collateral, 36 (69.2%) patients had anterior circulation stenosis or occlusion. Compared with poor collateral group, the level of MMP-9 (135,475.00 pg/ml vs. 103,612.00 pg/ml, p = 0.040) and PGF (5.75 pg/ml vs. 3.46 pg/ml, p = 0.046) was significantly higher in good collateral group. The adjusted OR (95%CI) of MMP-9 and PGF were 5.533 (1.10-27.74, p = 0.038), 7.73 (1.41-42.39, p = 0.018), respectively. sTie-2 level had a positive correlation with proportion of Tmax 4-6 (r = 0.302, p = 0.033) and HMW-KGN had negative correlation with proportion of Tmax 6-8 (r = -0.338, p = 0.02). After adjustment, the correlation of sTie-2 level and proportion of Tmax 4-6 was statistically significant (p = 0.003), and correlation of HMW-KGN and Tmax6-8 was not statistically significant (p = 0.056). Discussion Serum PGF and MMP-9 levels may correlate with collateral status based on MP-CTA in acute ischemic stroke patients with cerebral large artery atherosclerosis. Higher PGF and MMP-9 concentration associated with good collateral status.

In this study, dynamic moduli of asphalt mixtures under uniaxial compression (UC), indirect tension (IDT) and four-point bending (4PB) loading modes were tested and incorporated in the MEPDG proced...

Jingqi Zhu,1,2,* Zhangwei Yang,2,* Xiaoli Chen,3,* Jie Liu,3 Liang Zheng,3 Lin Zhang,3 Jingjiang Pi,4 Gang Li,2 Tao Zhuang,3 Chang Liu,3 Yinglu Wang,3 Liping Liu,3 Lieying Fan,5 Paul Chan,6 Brian Tomlinson,7 Ying Li,4 Zhongmin Liu,3 Yuzhen Zhang3 1Department of Radiology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Radiology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, Research Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Cardiology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 6Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; 7Faculty of Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yuzhen Zhang; Zhongmin LiuKey Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, Research Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 150 Jimo Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai, 200120, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-21-61569673Email yzzhang-tj@tongji.edu.cn; liu.zhongmin@tongji.edu.cnObjective: An association of atrial fibrillation (AF) with epicardial fat volume (EFV) varied in different ethnic groups. We evaluated the AF-related risk factors and its association with pericardial fat in Chinese patients.Methods: Patients referred for coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in Shanghai East Hospital during 2012 to 2014 (n=2042, 43.8% women, mean age 65.0 years) had AF and cardiovascular risk assessment. Pericardial fat depots were measured from CT and the association of EFV with non-valvular AF risk factors was evaluated by multivariate logistic regression models.Results: AF was present in 8.5% of patients with 11.6% of AF patients having rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and 8.7% having other valvular diseases. With increasing age, the proportion of RHD-related AF decreased and the risk factors for non-valvular AF increased. There was a significantly higher proportion of risk factors for non-valvular AF in men than in women (p=0.008), but RHD-related AF was more prevalent in women than men (p=0.013). The patients with non-valvular AF had significantly higher BMI and EFV with more pronounced elevation of EFV (p< 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression showed a significant association of EFV with AF after adjustment for BMI and clinical risk factors, and the highest EFV quartile was associated with AF independent of left atrial size and obstructive coronary artery disease.Conclusion: The association of EFV with non-valvular AF in Chinese patients was independent of generalized adiposity and clinical risk factors especially in highest EFV quartile. These findings support the growing appreciation of the association of EFV with AF.Keywords: atrial fibrillation, epicardial fat, pericardial fat, obesity, body mass index, computed tomography, echocardiography

Detecting the abnormal degradation rate of Wiener processes is important for quality control and reliability management. In this paper, we propose upper-side CUSUM control schemes for monitoring th...

The total selenium content of selenium-enriched agricultural products was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after microwave digestion. The total selenium content in the tes...

Outsourcing the development of new products requires firms to establish strategies to monitor and control progress. We explore the value of establishing checkpoints within the product development l...

This research studies the mediating effect of employee’s social capital on job crafting and job performance, and the moderating effect of core self-evaluation on social capital and job performance....

GILZ expression is induced by glucocorticoids (GCs) and is involved in the mechanism of airway epithelial cell repair in patients with asthma. The present study aimed to investigate the role of miR-222-3p/GILZ pathway in treatment of airway epithelial cell repair by GCs. 9HTE cells were treated by 10 µmol/L dexamethasone (Dex) for 6, 12, and 24 hours (h). MiR-222-3p mimic and GILZ were used for cell transfection. Cell vitality, migration, and invasion were detected by methyl-thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT), wound healing, and Transwell. The targeting relationship between miR-222-3p and GILZ was predicted by TargetScan and further confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. The expressions of relative mRNAs or proteins were detected by Western blot and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The results showed that Dex treatment up-regulated the GILZ expression level but inhibited the levels of p-Raf1, p-MEK1/2, p-ERK1/2, and miR-222-3p of the cells, moreover, it also inhibited cell activity, migration, and invasion in a time-dependent manner. MiR-222-3p specifically targeted GILZ. MiR-222-3p mimic ameliorated the cell viability, migration, and invasion reduced by Dex treatment, increased the expression levels of p-Raf1 and p-MEK1/2, p-ERK1/2, and partially reversed the effects of GILZ overexpression on the above indexes. Moreover, GILZ showed the opposite effects to miR-222-3p. MiR-222-3p activated MAPK signaling pathway through inhibiting the GILZ expression, thus promoting the cell viability, migration, and invasion previously reduced by Dex.

Purpose: Hesperidin has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant stress effects, but its functions in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains unknown. This study analyzed the role of hesperidin in COPD mice, aiming to provide a basis for the hesperidin application.Materials and methods: Mice were injected with cigarette smoke extract (CSE) to construct COPD models and then treated with budesonide or hesperidin. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and TUNEL assays were used to observe the pathological changes and cell death of lung tissue. The levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BLAF), as well as myeloperoxidase (MPO) content in lung tissues were confirmed. The expression levels of SIRT1, PGC-1α, and p65 proteins were measured by western blotting (WB) analysis.Results: CSE induced inflammatory cell infiltration and cell death in the lung tissues of mice, whereas budesonide and hesperidin effectively alleviated these pathological changes. The levels of IL-6, IL-8, and MDA in BLAF and pulmonary MPO content in the COPD mice were effectively increased, while the levels of SOD and CAT in BLAF were decreased, which could be reversed by budesonide and hesperidin. Moreover, the addition of budesonide or hesperidin reliably accelerated the expression levels of PGC-1α and SIRT1 but suppressed the phosphorylation of p65 in COPD mice. In general, high-dose hesperidin had a stronger regulatory effect on COPD mice.Conclusions: Hesperidin alleviated inflammation and oxidative stress responses in CES-induced COPD mice, associated with SIRT1/PGC-1α/NF-κB signaling axis, which might become a new direction for COPD treatment.

The fatigue properties of the asphalt pavement layer are influenced significantly by different strain levels and temperatures. This research investigated the critical fatigue position within the as...

Public trust in medical profession has declined in the past decades. The deluge of health information available in various sources may be one contributing factor. However, how the health information acquisition influences patient trust remains unclear. With a general basis of Longo's Health Information Model, we proposed and tested mediation pathways linking three types of health information acquisition behaviors (scanning, seeking, and discussing) to patient trust in physicians, mediated by patient-centered communication. By using two iterations of probability sample surveys conducted in 2012 (

Orthotropic steel deck (OSD) bridges have gained increasing popularity around the world and the steel deck pavement is essential to extend the service life of the bridge. To optimise the design met...

An isolated suid molar from Falkenberg in Halland, Sweden, is attributed to the extinct Miocene subfamily Tetraconodontinae based on general tooth morphology. The m3 is high-crowned and possesses a...

INTRODUCTION Zinc-binding protein-89 (ZBP-89) is a Kruppel-type zinc-finger transcription factor that regulates target gene expression profiles via directly binding to GC-rich gene promoters, recruiting chromatin modifiers or by interacting with other proteins. The importance of ZBP-89 in the regulation of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis has led to increased interest and investigations for its role in cancer development. Areas covered: We describe ZBP-89 as a candidate therapeutic target for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from several perspectives. ZBP-89 can upregulate apoptosis in HCC in a p53-dependent or - independent manner. In addition, the negative regulation of ZBP-89 on liver cancer stemness sheds light on its possible effect on sensitizing HCC to chemotherapies and the reduction of HCC relapse. The prognostic significance of ZBP-89 in HCC patients further suggests its clinical importance as a potential tumor suppressor. Expert opinion: Given the roles of ZBP-89 in HCC, we believe, ZBP-89 is a promising therapeutic target for enhancing apoptosis and diminishing the liver cancer stemness. At the same time, we also face a series of challenges, especially in the clinical implication of ZBP-89. Resolving the current controversies will advance the development of ZBP-89 for anti-HCC therapy.

Oxidative stress is considered one of the major mechanisms underlying lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute liver failure (ALF). Tamoxifen has been reported to ameliorate LPS-induced ALF via the induction of monocyte to macrophage differentiation-associated 2 (Mmd-2). Whether antioxidant effects are involved remains unknown. Mice were given tamoxifen (TAM) once a day for 3 days. Twelve hours later, d-galactosamine (GaIN) and LPS were injected intraperitoneally to induce ALF. N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) was administered immediately after ALF induction as a positive control. The results showed that serum transaminases increased and hepatic antioxidants decreased significantly in the model group. ALF was alleviated markedly by TAM or NAC treatment. This demonstrated that ALF may be associated with excessive oxidative stress caused by decreased expression of antioxidant enzymes. Both TAM and NAC increased the levels and activity of these antioxidant enzymes significantly (p

The purpose of this work is to develop a high-efficiency extraction method for determining the selenium species in Cordyceps militaris. Six extraction solutions, including hot water, HCl, methanol–...

In this study, the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of Sophora tonkinensis Gagnep. was determined through Illumina sequencing method. The complete chloroplast genome of S. tonkinensis was 155,640 b...

This paper proposes an integrated model of statistical process control and condition-based maintenance for a deteriorating system. We study a system that will not be as good as new after a preventive maintenance and can only survive a certain number of preventive maintenances. The system is modeled as a geometric process and monitored by an $$\bar{X}$$ control chart. By analyzing the evolution of the system in different scenarios, we establish a mathematical model to minimize the expected cost during the expected cycle time that can be used to make an optimal replacement policy in applications. A computational scheme is presented and illustrated through a numerical example. A sensitivity analysis is performed to investigate the effect of statistical constraint, mean shift, and the parameters of the system.

Drilling is usually carried out using twist drills while assembling the composite components. However, it is necessary to adopt appropriate tool as the risk of delamination damage is high. Many researchers have carried out experimental and theoretical study concerning drilling-induced delamination damage in composites utilizing special drills. The article carried out drilling experiments of Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic (GFRP) laminates utilizing candlestick drills. Ten candlestick drills with different drill tip geometries were compared in thrust forces and push down delamination. The results revealed the drilling behavior of the outer cutting edges and the outer drill tips for candlestick drill, and also indicated that the push down delamination depended on exit thrust force instead of maximum thrust force. What is more, thrust forces and push down delamination were significantly reduced when holes were produced using reasonable candlestick drill tip geometry. Finally, the analysis was useful f...

Five isolipidic experimental diets (32% crude protein) were formulated to contain 3% fish oil (FO) and virgin coconut oil (3VCO) as sole lipids or blends of FO + VCO in ratios of 75:25% (0.75VCO), 50:50% (1.5VCO) and 25:75% (2.25VCO). Triplicate groups of O. niloticus were fed one of five diets to apparent satiation, twice daily for 8 weeks. It was observed that fish fed diet 3VCO exhibited the best performance with respect to feed intake (492.1 g), final weight (214.60 g) and weight gain (154.90 g). Significant effects of dietary fatty acid profile were reflected in fish fed the diets in whole body, muscle and liver C12:0 and C14:0. However, eicosapentaenoic (EPA, 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic (DHA, 22:6n-3) were significantly different (P ≥ 0.05) compared to their respective diets while liver n-3: n-6 ratio significantly increased and recorded low levels in whole body and muscle. Statistically, least values of mortality were recorded as VCO levels were elevated when fish were subjected to Streptococcus iniae infection while plasma metabolite indicators among treatments were not altered. The inclusion of VCO at 3% in the diet gave excellent performance, indicating that it could wholly replace FO and as such represents a better alternative lipid source for feeding O. niloticus.

Limited data are available on secondary preventive therapy use and patient outcomes after acute minor ischemic stroke in China. This study investigated secondary prevention strategies and outcomes up to 1 year after minor ischemic stroke.Patients from the China National Stroke Registry experienced a minor ischemic stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] score ≤5) and admitted to hospital within 24 hours of symptom onset were included. One-year rates of recurrent stroke, stroke-related disability, and all-cause death were evaluated. Risk factors associated with 1-year stroke recurrence were examined in a multivariate model. The secondary prevention strategies in the acute phase were evaluated as combination of secondary prevention medication classes and the medications used in 1 year follow-up were examined.The study included 1913 patients who had experienced acute minor ischemic stroke (mean age: 65.1 years; 67.3% men; mean NIHSS score: 2.5). Rates of recurrent stroke, disability, and death were 13.2, 17.0, and 6.3% at 1 year, respectively. History of hypertension, ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, and atrial fibrillation were independent predictors of one-year stroke recurrence. Rate of 1 year all-cause death in patients with triple combined therapy in acute phase was 4.1%, whereas in patients with none was 14.5%. At 1 year, only half patients continued the secondary prevention medications.Outcomes in individuals in China who had experienced acute minor stroke were unfavorable, underscoring the importance of early, sustained preventive therapy in this patient population. Combination of secondary prevention medication classes was associated with a lower risk of death.

Although the huge potential of the Bangle Bay Basin has been proven by a series of discoveries, recent drilling and other studies still have not demonstrated the mechanism of hydrocarbon accumulations in Bangle Bay Basin because of the low exploration degree and less geological data available. So, it is difficult to identify and predict the distribution patterns of the main gas reservoir by now. Based on a review of previous work and the latest exploration activities in the study area, the depositional environment and reservoir distribution had been discussed, and thereby assess the location of reservoir–seal couplets for the purposes of stratigraphic traps identification and prospect evaluation within the study area. This paper has also discussed the sequence stratigraphic framework, depositional environment, and facies features by using the biostratigraphic, geochemical analyses and wireline, image logs data. Various broad depositional environments and depositional subsettings have been identifi...

The global prominence and rapid growth in size and annual total production in the aquaculture industry has resulted in the need to seek for alternative and pragmatic measures to reduce the cost of feed production and feeding of captive fish species, which covers approximately 60%. This work presents an overview of the advances of ongoing research in coconut oil as alternative lipid sources in aquafeeds. The article further discusses the status and trends on some of the findings associated with coconut oil up-to-date with respect to cost effectiveness, availability, and price, as well as qualities in comparison to other vegetable oils and fish oil. The review establishes that, coconut oil does not compromise the quality of the resulting product when used exclusively or partially in aquafeeds and positively impacts it. It is therefore suggested that, as global scenarios now changing toward the use of non-toxic plant products having multifarious uses, coconut oil in aquafeeds should be well accepted ...

There are few studies of spontaneous hemorrhagic transformation (HT) after ischemic stroke (IS), and those that are available do not preclude the use of antithrombotic therapy after admission. We aimed to investigate the frequency and risk factors of spontaneous HT in patients who received no therapy between IS onset and the first instance of neurological imaging.We studied spontaneous HT using the China National Stroke Registry. Spontaneous HT was diagnosed on an initial computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging scan within 14 days of IS onset. The risk factors associated with spontaneous HT were assessed using univariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression.A total of 12,415 patients were diagnosed with IS, and among them, 114 (0.92%) had spontaneous HT. Multivariate analysis revealed that being female odds ratio (OR, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.52-3.44, p 0.0001), excess alcohol consumption (OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.20-3.94, p = 0.0109), atrial fibrillation (OR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.26-3.66, p = 0.0051), and a prolonged period between IS onset and initial imaging (1-7 days: OR, 1.64, 95% CI, 1.11-2.42, p = 0.0131; 7-14 days: OR, 3.12, 95% CI, 1.53-6.40, p = 0.0018) were positively associated with spontaneous HT.Spontaneous HT occurred in 0.92% of the patients with IS in the acute stage. Being female, excess alcohol consumption, atrial fibrillation, and a prolonged period between IS onset and initial imaging were associated with an increased risk of spontaneous HT.

Less ischemic volume and better functional outcome are related with good cerebral collaterals in ischemic stroke. But the method of assessing collateral circulation is still undetermined.Collateral status was assessed using a computed tomography angiography (CTA) source image (CTA-SI) based and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) based assessment system. CTP maps were quantitatively analyzed. CBF, CBV, MTT, and TTP were calculated within the hypoperfusion and in the equivalent region of unaffected hemisphere. ASTIN-ASN system based on DSA and leptomeningeal collaterals (LMC) system based on CTA were adopted separately, and the intra-rater and inter-rater were determined by Kappa testing. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were used to analyze the relationship between CTP quantitative parameters and DSA. The related factors of collateral flow were also explored in this study.Of 52 patients, 12(23.1%) were women, and the average age was 59.4y. The κ-coefficients were 0.794 and 0.890 in the CTA and DSA collateral grade systems, respectively. The κ-coefficients were 0.679 comparing with the CTA and DSA collateral grade systems. By means of ROC curves, a relative MTT (rMTT) was obtained as relative variables of collaterals. The cut-off value is 1.37 emerged as the only predictor of good collaterals. The multi-mode CT collaterals scores showed excellent consistency comparing with DSA (κ-coefficients 0.770). Based on univariate and multivariate analysis, the rate of stenosis is the only predictor in the development of collateral circulation.Our data showed that multi-mode CT score has a high value in predicting leptomeningeal collateral flow in ischemic stroke.

Yuling Yang,1,* Anxin Wang,2–6,* Xingquan Zhao,2–5 Chunxue Wang,2–5 Liping Liu,2–5Huaguang Zheng,2–5 Yongjun Wang,2–5 Yibin Cao,7 Yilong Wang2–5 On behalf of the Thrombolysis Implementation and Monitoring of Acute Ischemic Stroke in China (TIMS-China) investigators 1Graduate School, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, 2Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, 3China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, 4Center of Stroke, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, 5Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Disease, 6Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 7Department of Neurology, Tangshan Gongren Hospital, Tangshan, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally tothiswork Background: The Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project (OCSP) classification system is a simple stroke classification system that can be used to predict clinical outcomes. In this study, we compare the safety and efficacy of intravenous thrombolysis in Chinese stroke patients categorized using the OCSP classification system. Patients and methods: We collected data from the Thrombolysis Implementation and Monitoring of Acute Ischemic Stroke in China registry. A total of 1,115 patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis with alteplase within 4.5hours of stroke onset were included. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH), mortality, and 90-day functional outcomes were compared between the stroke patients with different stroke subtypes. Results: Of the 1,115 patients included in the cohort, 197 (17.67%) were classified with total anterior circulation infarct (TACI), 700 (62.78%) with partial anterior circulation infarct, 153 (13.72%) with posterior circulation infarct, and 65 (5.83%) with lacunar infarct. After multivariable adjustment, compared to the patients with non-TACI, those with TACI had a significantly increased risk of SICH (odds ratio [OR] 8.80; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.84–27.25, P

In this review, we briefly introduce recent developments and updates in neurocritical care in the treatment of stroke, including both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Time to recanalization remains the major rate limiting step in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke as only a minority of patients arrive within a timeframe appropriate for treatment. Whether caring for a patient following ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, the principle focus of neurocritical care for acute brain catastrophes is the identification and prevention of secondary brain injury. While much advancement is still needed for optimum care of patients suffering from ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, the field continues to evolve in ways that promote improved patient outcomes.

This paper reports experimental studies on the dimensional effects of pillar arrays on surface hydrophobicity. Completely different behaviours are observed on intrinsically hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials. In order to experimentally observe the Cassie-to-Wenzel transition, circular pillar arrays with varying diameters and spacing are fabricated on PDMS and SU-8 surfaces. Wetting experiments show that the PDMS arrays demonstrate clear Cassie-to-Wenzel transition as the spacing increases. The critical transition spacing for different diameters shows a close match to theoretical predictions based on a force balance model. The transition model also predicts the maximum contact angles. By comparison, the dimensional effects on an intrinsically hydrophilic surface (SU-8) show smaller contact angles without a transition phase. These differences come from the inherent wettability of the two polymers. Without further coatings or treatment, the PDMS structures can achieve contact angles close to 170° while th...

This study improves a shear-based rutting model for asphalt concrete (AC) layers and calibrates the model with field data. With dynamic modulus-based material parameters, the laboratory rutting prediction model was improved and determined by the wheel tracking test and full-scale accelerated pavement test. Through the field survey on several in-service pavements, the rutting model was calibrated to be applied to AC layers. In the improved rutting prediction model, the ratio of maximum shear stress to shear strength was introduced to combine asphalt material design and pavement structural design. The speed correction coefficient and the new temperature processing method improve the accuracy of the rutting model. The calibrated rutting prediction model proves to be reasonable and accurate in predicting the rutting depth of AC layers.

Neurological deterioration (ND) after ischaemic stroke has been indicated as an independent risk factor for poor outcome. Previous studies have focussed on ND within the first few days after symptom onset, but many patients are likely to experience deterioration outside of this time frame. We aimed to investigate the predictors of ND during hospitalisation.Data were obtained from the Chinese Intracranial Atherosclerosis (CICAS) Study, and patients who were diagnosed with ischaemic stroke and arrived at the hospital within 72 hours after symptom onset were included in the present study. Neurological deterioration was defined as an increase in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of ≥ 2 points at discharge compared with admission. MR angiography (MRA) and duplex colour Doppler ultrasound were used to document the presence of intracranial or extracranial artery stenosis. Intracranial artery stenosis was defined as a reduction in the artery diameter of ≥ 50% on MRA. Multivariate analyses were conducted to determine the potential predictors of ND during hospitalisation.Of the 1996 patients included in this study, 84 (4.21%) developed ND during hospitalisation. Compared with non-ND patients, ND patients showed higher rates of pneumonia (25.0 vs 9.5%, P 0.001), urinary infection (7.1 vs 1.2%, P 0.01), stroke recurrence (14.3 vs 1.9%, P 0.001), watershed infarct (15.5 vs 5.4%, P = 0.002), intracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis (11.9 vs 6.0%, P = 0.041), middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis (39.3 vs 22.0%, P 0.001) and basilar artery (BA) stenosis (16.7 vs 7.1%, P = 0.011). Multivariate analysis indicated that watershed infarcts (OR, 2.85; 95% CI, 1.04-7.81), MCA (OR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.17-4.25) and BA (OR, 2.86; 95% CI, 1.19-6.87) stenosis or occlusion were independent risk factors for ND, as was pneumonia (OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.46-7.9).Patients with watershed infarcts and MCA or BA stenosis or occlusion should be monitored closely, and various therapeutic strategies should be administered simultaneously to prevent pneumonia during hospitalisation.

This study evaluated the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in ischemic stroke (IS) patients with polyvascular disease (PolyVD) and analysed the relationship between PolyVD and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in IS patients.Data from 9152 consecutive IS patients from the China National Stroke Registry were analysed. PolyVD was defined as patients with IS and coronary artery disease (CAD) and/or peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Chronic kidney disease was defined as eGFR 60 mL/minute/1.73 m(2).The prevalence of CKD in IS patients with PolyVD was calculated. Logistic regression was used to estimate the correlation between PolyVD and eGFR between the monovascular group (IS alone) and the PolyVD group after adjusting for age, current or previous smoking, moderate or heavy drinking, body mass index, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, atrial fibrillation, previous stroke, and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores.PolyVD was observed in 1387 of 9152 patients (15.16%). Among these patients, 1351 (14.76%) had CAD, 56 (0.61%) had PAD, and 20 (0.22%) had CAD and PAD in addition to IS. The prevalence of CKD in IS patients with PolyVD and IS alone was 29.56 and 16.28%, respectively (P 0.0001). The PolyVD group had a significantly higher risk of lower eGFR (OR: 1.414, 95% CI: 1.202-1.665, P 0.0001) compared with patients with IS alone.IS patients with PolyVD had a high prevalence of CKD, and PolyVD was independently associated with a low eGFR.

Little is known about the clinical practice of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis in patients with acute ischaemic stroke in China. We examined the factors that impact the adherence rate of DVT prophylaxis in stroke patients from the China National Stroke Registry (CNSR).Records of 12 173 acute ischaemic stroke patients with follow-up admitted to 132 hospitals in CNSR from September 1, 2007 to August 30, 2008 were reviewed. Data from 4643 patients eligible for DVT prophylaxis were analysed. Generalised estimating equations were used to identify the patient's and hospital's factors that impact the practice of DVT prophylaxis.Among 4643 acute ischaemic stroke patients eligible for DVT prophylaxis, the overall adherence rate of DVT prophylaxis was 59·6%. The median hospital prophylaxis rate was 57·8% (inter quartile range: 33·3(70·2%). Venous thromboembolism was found in 1·6% of patients. Factors associated with increased likelihood of practicing DVT prophylaxis in the multivariable model included history of atrial fibrillation (AF) (P = 0·04), receiving rehabilitation evaluation (P 0·001), receiving care in the East (P 0.001) or Central (P = 0.001) regions compared to west regions of China. Increasing age (P = 0.014), NIHSS score on admission (P 0.001), annual stroke discharges (P = 0.001), and the hospital size (P = 0.003) were associated with lower likelihood of DVT prophylaxis.The adherence rate of DVT prophylaxis among non-ambulance patients with acute ischaemic stroke was suboptimal in China. It varied among patients by age, stroke severity, and history of AF, and among hospitals by different locations, number of beds and annual stroke discharges.

Previous studies have shown that diabetes increases the prevalence of arterial stiffness. However, it remains controversial whether impaired fasting glucose (IFG), a key pre-diabetes condition, is associated with increased risk of arterial stiffness. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between increased fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and the prevalence of arterial stiffness in a Chinese adult population.A random sample of 5039 participants aged 40 years or older (40.0% female) were enrolled in this study. Information on potential risk factors for cardiovascular disease was collected, and the presence of arterial stiffness was assessed by measuring brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Participants were stratified into three groups: normal fasting glucose (NFG), IFG, and diabetes mellitus (DM). The IFG group was further stratified by quartiles based on the level of FPG into Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4.Fasting plasma glucose level was found to be independently and positively associated with baPWV. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence interval (CI)) for arterial stiffness were 1.09 (0.80-1.48), 1.33 (0.98-1.81), 1.27 (0.93-1.73), 1.82 (1.31-2.53), and 2.15 (1.66-2.79) for those in IFG Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4, and DM groups compared with NFG group (P0.001), respectively, after adjusting for age, sex, and other potential confounders. Moreover, male participants and participants younger than 60 years were closely associated with the presence and severity of arterial stiffness (P0.001).Our study reports a previously unidentified positive association between increased FPG and the prevalence of arterial stiffness, suggesting the importance of FPG control in the prevention of arterial stiffness.

Currently, intravenous (IV) thrombolysis within 3 hours from stroke onset is the only approved treatment in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Although effective, the definition of therapeutic time window and appropriate patient selection still remains controversial. Notably, early endovascular treatment strategies may serve as an adjunct therapy for time window extension in AIS. In this article, we review the safety and efficacy of IV thrombolysis in AIS as it pertains to the optimal time window, the selection of eligible patients, and in combination with endovascular treatment. Combined clinical application of IV thrombolysis and endovascular therapy may improve the therapeutic outcomes for AIS patients.

To assess the association between baseline HbA1c and the poor outcomes within 1 year after acute ischemic stroke.Acute ischemic stroke patients with HbA1c values at baseline (n = 2186) were selected from the abnormal glucose regulation in patients with acute stroke across China study (ACROSS). Logistic regressions were performed to assess the association between HbA1c quartiles (5.5% [37 mmol/mol], 5.5 to6.1% [37 to43 mmol/mol], 6.1 to7.2% [43 to55 mmol/mol], and ≥ 7.2% [≥ 55 mmol/mol]) and the poor outcomes within 1 year. Poor outcomes were defined as all-cause mortality (modified Rankin scale [mRS] = 6) and poor functional outcome (mRS [2-6]).The risk for all-cause mortality was significantly increased in HbA1c level5.5% [37 mmol/mol] when compared to HbA1c quartile5.5% [37 mmol/mol] and dramatically increased to two to three times higher in the highest HbA1c quartile ≥ 7.2% [55 mmol/mol] (1-year all-cause mortality model, odds ratios [ORs] were 1.07, 1.01, and 2.45, P for trend 0.009). After the further analysis with previous diabetes mellitus (DM) and post-stroke insulin use stratified, the risk of mortality was increased across the HbA1c levels (P for trend 0.020) and dramatically augmented in HbA1c ≥ 7.2% [55 mmol/mol] in patients without a history of DM and without post-stroke insulin use.Elevated HbA1c (from 5.5% [37 mmol/mol]) presenting pre-stroke glycemia status has a significant trend in increasing the risk of 1-year all-cause mortality. HbA1c ≥ 7.2% (55 mmol/mol) is an independent risk predictor for 1-year all-cause mortality after acute first-ever ischemic stroke. Such an association might be altered by glycometabolism status.

Exact characterization and localization of white matter lesions (WMLs) as they relate and contribute to vascular cognitive impairment is highly debated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of WML on cognitive function by using a new anatomy-based classification method.We detected WML accurately by using a three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (3D FLAIR) imaging technique and subsequently segmented WMLs by using an anatomy-based method. Participants included 56 consecutive patients diagnosed with subcortical vascular cognitive impairment (SubVCI). The volume of WMLs in different anatomic regions was measured. The volume of the hippocampus, the corpus callosum (CC), any lacunar infarcts, total gray matter (GM), and total brain volumes were also calculated.Hippocampal (P = 0.005) as well as temporal WML volumes (P = 0.039) were both independently associated with mini-mental state examination (MMSE) score. Only the parietal WML volume (P = 0.000) was independently associated with Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score. Frontal WMLs were independently correlated with executive function. Occipital WMLs were independently associated with visuospatial and recall function. Language impairment was independently correlated with both parietal GM and parietal WML volume. Functions related to orientation were independently associated with parietal WML volume.The volume of WMLs in the temporal region as well as in the hippocampus were both independently associated with MMSE score. For the MoCA score, however, only parietal WML volumes were independently correlated. White matter lesions within different anatomic regions were separately correlated with different subdomains of cognitive function.

Effector proteins play important roles in the infection by pathogenic oomycetes and fungi or the colonization by endophytic and mycorrhizal fungi. They are either translocated into the host plant cells via specific translocation mechanisms and function in the host's cytoplasm or nucleus, or they reside in the apoplast of the plant cells and act at the extracellular host-microbe interface. Many effector proteins possess conserved motifs (such as the RXLR, CRN, LysM, RGD, DELD, EAR, RYWT, Y/F/WXC or CFEM motifs) localized in their N- or C-terminal regions. Analysis of the functions of effector proteins, especially so-called "core effectors", is crucial for the understanding of pathogenicity/symbiosis mechanisms and plant defense strategies, and helps to develop breeding strategies for pathogen-resistant cultivars, and to increase crop yield and quality as well as abiotic stress resistance. This review summarizes current knowledge about these effector proteins with the conversed motifs and their involvement in pathogenic or mutualistic plant/fungal interactions.