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The mechanical behaviour of Mg–7Gd–5Y–1.2Nd–0.5Zr (wt. %) alloy with ultrafine grains was measured by split Hopkinson pressure bar method under the strain rates of 1000, 1500, and 2000 s−1 at room ...

Objectives: Compared with other cancers, screening for cervical cancer is highly cost-effective. However, due to limited awareness about cervical cancer and many other factors, women's attendance rate in rural China for cervical cancer screening remains low. This study aimed to determine women's preferences for cervical cancer screening, to help enhance screening uptake. Methods: A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted among a population-based random sample of 420 women (30-65 years old) in August 2015. Attributes included the percentage of cervical cancer-related death reduction, screening interval, screening location, screening pain, waiting time for screening results and out-of-pocket costs. Mixed logit models were used to analyze the relative importance of each screening attribute. Results: When considering a screening program, the screening cost, location and the percentage of cervical cancer-related death reduction were of most concern to women. Among the presented attributes, the pain associated with the process of screening was of the least concern. Conclusions: All six attributes in our study were found to have a large influence on the preference for cervical cancer screening, and significant preference heterogeneity existed among participants. The findings indicate that the maintenance of a free screening program is essential to increasing screening uptake in this vulnerable population.

In a rat common carotid artery (CCA) stenosis model, the author determined the function of blood-brain barrier (BBB) at different time points and established an optimal time for CCA recanalization in rats with CCA stenosis combined with cerebral infarction.Common carotid artery severe stenosis combined with cerebral infarction was divided into two groups: CCA stenosis group (n = 48) and CCA stenosis recanalization group (n = 48). Common carotid artery stenosis recanalization was opened at time points of 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 14 days. Twenty-four hours after recanalization, neurological behaviour, motor function, brain water content and immunohistochemistry of laminin and fibronectin were used to assess brain injury. The peak systolic velocity (PSV) determined by colour Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) was used to assess blood flow of the CCA.In contrast to CCA stenosis without recanalization, in which severe neurological deficits and foot fault were observed at 1, 2 and 3 days, significantly less neurological deficits at 14 days and less foot fault placing at 5, 7 and 14 days were observed after recanalization (P 0.05). Although the brain water content was enhanced in the recanalization group at the stage of 1-3 days (P 0.05), a decrease in recanalization group at all time points (1-14 days) was found. Being consistent with reduced brain oedema, the expression of laminin and fibronectin gradually increased in both groups. However, at the early phase of 7-14 days (vs acute phase), the levels of basal laminar proteins were significantly (P 0.05) enhanced by vascular recanalization in both the ischaemic core and penumbra. Peak systolic velocity of CCA after recanalization reached the control level without stenosis.Our study suggests that the optimal time to open the CCA stenosis complicating cerebral infarction is at or after 7 days of CCA stenosis.

Weight loss is commonly seen after stroke. However, there is paucity of data that objectively examines the relationship between weight loss and infarction. We have used two unique models of middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion in rats to determine if weight loss can be used as indicator for severity of brain damage and for beneficial effects of stroke therapy.Sprague-Dawley rats underwent MCA occlusion using the rat intraluminal filament or auto-thrombus stroke models. Reperfusion was established at different intervals by removing the intraluminal filament or injecting r-tPA, followed by treatment with either ethanol (EtOH), normobaric oxygen (NBO), NBO plus EtOH or no treatment. The extent of brain injury was determined using infarct volume and motor performance.The intraluminal filament ischaemic model demonstrated a significant positive correlation between weight loss and infarct volume size after acute stroke, as well as compared to infarct volumes post-treatment with NBO, EtOH and NBO plus EtOH. There was also a positive significant correlation between weight loss and infarct volume size in the thromboembolism ischaemic model with or without treatment. Furthermore a positive correlation was observed between weight loss and deficit score in both ischaemic models.Degree of weight loss after stroke is largely associated with severity of infarction as well as damage reduction after treatment administration.