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Xiaohua Li,1 Dalin Song,2 Sean X Leng31Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 2Department of Geriatrics, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China; 3Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USAAbstract: The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the epidemiological evidence linking type 2 diabetes mellitus and its related conditions, including obesity, hyperinsulinemia, and metabolic syndrome, to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Several mechanisms could help to explain this proposed link; however, our focus is on insulin resistance and deficiency. Studies have shown that insulin resistance and deficiency can interact with amyloid-ß protein and tau protein phosphorylation, each leading to the onset and development of AD. Based on those epidemiological data and basic research, it was recently proposed that AD can be considered as “type 3 diabetes”. Special attention has been paid to determining whether antidiabetic agents might be effective in treating AD. There has been much research both experimental and clinical on this topic. We mainly discuss the clinical trials on insulin, metformin, thiazolidinediones, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors in the treatment of AD. Although the results of these trials seem to be contradictory, this approach is also full of promise. It is worth mentioning that the therapeutic effects of these drugs are influenced by the apolipoprotein E (APOE)-ε4 genotype. Patients without the APOE-ε4 allele showed better treatment effects than those with this allele.Keywords: type 2 diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer’s disease, insulinA Letter to Editor has been received and published for this article

Objective: We investigated immediate/late endoleaks and long-term patency following stent-graft placement for treatment of intracranial aneurysms located within the distal internal carotid artery (ICA) or vertebral artery (VA).Methods: Forty-five aneurysms in 41 patients receiving covered stents in three centres were followed. Outcome measures included aneurysm occlusion rate, endoleaks, late in-stent stenosis rate, clinical improvement, neurological deficiencies and death.Results: Total aneurysm exclusion was achieved in 69.2% (n = 27), with 30.8% (n = 12) experiencing immediate residual endoleaks. Angiographic follow-up (mean 43.5 ± 14.3 months) revealed that 87.2% (n = 34) were completely occluded with only 12.8% (n = 5) showing residual endoleaks. Predictors of immediate endoleaks in our patient group were stent number (P = 0.023) and stent diameter (P = 0.022), while predictors of late endoleaks in our patient group were stent diameter (P = 0.035) and stent angulation (P = 0.021). Late in-stent stenosis rates were 18.0 ± 13.3 and 29.0 ± 18.5% compared with the period immediately following implantation at 2- and 6-year follow-ups respectively. Smoking (P = 0.017) and stent angulation (P = 0.020) were predictors of late in-stent stenosis.Conclusion: Treating intracranial aneurysms with Willis stent-grafts has an acceptable immediate and late occlusion rate and long-term stented artery patency rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate whether Willis covered stent implantation yielded angiographic and clinical results were better than those with coil embolization. Eighty-nine patients with cranial internal carotid artery (CICA) aneurysms were treated nonrandomly with covered stents (n = 43, group A) or coil embolization (n = 46, group B). Data on the technical success, procedure time, initial and final angiographic results, and final clinical outcomes were collected and analyzed at >6 months post-procedure. Covered stent placement and coil embolization were successful in all patients, except for one patient in group A. The initial angiographic results showed complete occlusion in 34 group-A patients (80.9%; 95% CI: 69%, 93%) and 24 group-B patients (52.2%; 95% CI: 37%, 67%) (P = 0.004). The final angiographic results indicated complete occlusion in 39 group A patients (39/41, 95.1%; 95% CI: 88%, 102%) and 22 group B patients (48.9%; 95% CI: 34%, 64%) (P < 0.001). The average procedure time was shorter in group A than that in group B (P < 0.001). CICA aneurysm treatment with covered stents yielded better intermediate-term angiographic outcome than those with the recommended approach of coil embolization. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01029938). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research focuses intensively on the neural mechanisms of action selection responses in elite athletes during high-stakes decision-making. It emphasizes the neuromechanical dimensions of these processes, contrasting the responses of expert and novice players within a theoretical framework of neural information processing in high-performance contexts. Utilizing advanced EEG technologies, including event-related potential (ERP) analysis, the study captures a comprehensive view of both behavioral and neurophysiological data. The central aim is to unravel the intricate neural underpinnings that distinguish elite athletes in their decision-making strategies. Key findings highlight: (1) Enhanced accuracy and swifter reaction times in elite athletes during the action selection phase; (2) Significant neurophysiological differences, marked by pronounced N1 peak amplitudes with prolonged latencies, reduced P2 peak amplitudes with stable latencies, decreased P3 peak amplitudes with reduced latencies, and increased average PSW amplitudes. These discoveries significantly advance our understanding of the neural foundations of expert decision-making in high-performance sports. This study not only sheds light on the cognitive and neural dynamics of elite sports performance but also provides a foundation for developing training and performance enhancement techniques in various high-stakes domains., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of Chinese medicine (CM) Lianhua Qingwen Granule (LHQW) and Jingyin Gubiao Prescription (JYGB) in asymptomatic or mild patients with Omicron infection in the shelter hospital., Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted in the largest shelter hospital in Shanghai, China, from April 10, 2022 to May 30, 2022. A total of 56,244 asymptomatic and mild Omicron cases were included and divided into 4 groups, i.e., non-administration group (23,702 cases), LHQW group (11,576 cases), JYGB group (12,112 cases), and dual combination of LHQW and JYGB group (8,854 cases). The length of stay (LOS) in the hospital was used to assess the effectiveness of LHQW and JYGB treatment on Omicron infection., Results: Patients aged 41-60 years, with nadir threshold cycle (C T ) value of N gene <25, or those fully vaccinated preferred to receive CM therapy. Before or after propensity score matching (PSM), the multiple linear regression showed that LHQW and JYGB treatment were independent influence factors of LOS (both P<0.001). After PSM, there were significant differences in LOS between the LHQW/JYGB combination and the other groups (P<0.01). The results of factorial design ANOVA proved that the LHQW/JYGB combination therapy synergistically shortened LOS (P=0.032)., Conclusions: Patients with a nadir C T value <25 were more likely to accept CM. The LHQW/JYGB combination therapy could shorten the LOS of Omicron-infected individuals in an isolated environment., (© 2024. The Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is generally recognized as a slow-growing tumor. However, a small subset of patients may still experience relapse or metastasis shortly after therapy, leading to a poor prognosis and raising concerns about excessive medical treatment. One major challenge lies in the inadequacy of effective biomarkers for accurate risk stratification. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are closely related to malignant characteristics and poor prognosis, play a significant role in the genesis and development of PTC through various pathways. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of the biological functions of lncRNAs in PTC, identify prognosis-relevant lncRNAs, and explore their potential mechanisms in drug resistance to BRAF kinase inhibitors, tumor dedifferentiation, and lymph node metastasis. By doing so, this review aims to offer valuable references for both basic research and the prediction of PTC prognosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

In August 2022, Chengdu and Chongqing showed significant differences in ozone (O 3 ) pollution. Chengdu had O 3 pollution days for 20 days, whereas Chongqing had no O 3 pollution days. In this study, we analyzed the influencing factors of this difference from the emission level of precursors and meteorological conditions. The results showed that:① the total mixing ratio of 52 VOCs (volatile organic compounds) (including 26 alkanes, 16 aromatics, and 10 alkenes) in Chengdu (18.8×10 -9 ) was 2.8 times that of Chongqing (6.6×10 -9 ), and the total O 3 formation potential (OFP) (51.2×10 -9 ) was 2.0 times that of Chongqing (25.0×10 -9 ). The·OH radical loss rate ( L ·OH ) (3.9 s -1 ) was 1.7 times that of Chongqing (2.3 s -1 ). The top three OFP in Chengdu were ethylene, m / p -xylene, and isoprene, and those in Chongqing were isoprene, ethylene, and propylene. The contribution rate of alkenes to O 3 in Chongqing was 60.7%, whereas the OFP of alkenes and aromatics in Chengdu were 1.6 times and 2.9 times that in Chongqing. In conclusion, the total mixing ratio of VOCs, atmospheric photochemical activity, and O 3 formation potential of Chengdu were higher than those of Chongqing. ② Isoprene was ranked first place in L ·OH in both Chengdu and Chongqing, indicating that the contribution of biogenic sources to O 3 pollution in August was significant. However, the biogenic source emission activity was in response to temperature. From August 14 to 24, the high temperature in Chongqing (38.3℃) decreased biogenic source emission activity, whereas the temperature in Chengdu (34.9℃) increased the biogenic sources emission activity. ③ The horizontal and vertical atmospheric diffusion conditions of Chongqing were better than those of Chengdu, and Chengdu was affected by regional pollution transmission.

Background: The Yi-Luo valley witnessed the most significant socio-political transformation of China and was deeply implicated in several enormous migrations of the Han population. However, little has been done to clarify its paternal genetic variation or phylogenetic relationship, particularly concerning the genetic evidence of their migrations., Aim: This study aims to uncover the population genetic characteristics in the Yi-Luo valley and provide genetic evidence for its people's migrations., Subjects and Methods: Seventeen Y-STR loci included in the AmpFlSTR ® Yfiler™ were typed in 2,314 individuals from seven different regions along the Yi-Luo valley. A multidimensional scaling plot and neighbor-joining tree were constructed for nationwide genetic comparisons. Y-haplogroup frequencies and migration rates were estimated among the studied populations. Gene flows were detected by different migration models and directions., Results: The predicted Y-haplogroups demonstrated the predominance of O2a2. Genetic affinities were observed among Han, Hakka, Danmin, and Bai. Anhui was shown to be the most crucial transfer spot for the Hakkas when they moved out of the Central Plains to South China., Conclusions: This study reveals the genetic landscape of paternal lineages living in the Yi-Luo valley and enriches our understanding of the great migration in Chinese history.

Arachis pintoi Krapov. & W.C.Greg. is an important leguminous forage grass species that have extremely wide ranges of distribution in the tropical and sub-tropical regions. It has high feeding value and horticultural value. In this study, we sequenced and assembled the complete chloroplast genome of A. pintoi . The chloroplast genome is 156,185 bp in length, containing a pair of inverted repeated (IR) regions of 25,820 bp that are separated by a large single copy (LSC) region of 85,637 bp, and a small single copy (SSC) region of 18,908 bp. The complete chloroplast genome contains 112 unique genes, including 80 protein-coding genes, 28 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), and four ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs). The overall GC content was 36.4%. The phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that A. pintoi formed a single branch among genus Arachis . The whole chloroplast genome of A. pintoi will be a useful resource for future studies on phylogeny and conservation in Arachis., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

The STRtyper-32G PCR Amplification Kit is a 6-dye multiplex system that combines the 30 autosomal STR loci with an Indel site (Y Indel ) and the sex-determinant locus Amelogenin. In addition to more loci, Master Mix has been optimized to amplify DNA on different substrates. The autosomal STR loci contained in this novel system meet the compatibility of requirements for databasing. In this study, the developmental validation study of the STRtyper-32G Kit followed the guidelines of SWGDAM (Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods), including PCR-based studies, species specificity, inhibitors, sensitivity, precision, repeatability, stutter, DNA mixtures, concordance studies, and population genetics studies. The validation results indicate that the new multiplex system is a robust tool for forensic database applications., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors state that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Chenopodium album is an annual herb from Amaranthaceae with worldwide distribution. It is a leafy vegetable as well as an important subsidiary grain crop with high nutritional value and medicinal value. In this study, we reported the complete chloroplast genome of C. album . The total chloroplast genome was 152,167 bp in length, containing a large single-copy region (LSC, 83,676 bp), a small single-copy region (SSC, 18,105 bp), and a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRs, 25,193 bp). The complete chloroplast genome contains 110 genes, including 78 protein-coding genes, 28 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and 4 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes with an overall GC content of 37.3%. Phylogenetic analysis showed that C. album was sister to C. acuminatum within Chenopodioideae. The complete chloroplast genome of C. album will provide useful resources for the development and utilization of this species and the phylogenetic study of Amaranthaceae., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

Y-chromosome haplotypes of 527 non-related males (176 Han, 186 Tibetan, and 165 Yi) in the Tibetan-Yi corridor were analyzed using SureID® PathFinder Plus. In the populations of Han, Tibetans, and Yi, the haplotype diversity was 0.9989, 0.9981, and 0.9993, respectively, and the discrimination capacity was 0.9148, 0.8925, and 0.9576, respectively. Phylogenetic relationships among 12 studied ethnic groups and 7 other ethnic groups in the Tibetan-Yi corridor were investigated. Both multi-dimensional scaling analysis and phylogenetic reconstructions indicated that Tibetans appeared separated from the Han and Yi ethnic groups in the Tibetan-Yi corridor. Their genetic homogeneity or heterogeneity has not entirely been affected by their geographical distance and linguistic origin.

Y- Changchun is the capital and largest city of Jilin Province in the northeast China. In this study, we genotyped and investigated haplotypes of 27 Y-STR loci in 1037 Changchun Han male individuals using commercially available AmpFlSTR Yfiler® Plus kit. We calculated the Gene diversity (GD) values and haplotype diversity (HD) as important forensic parameters. Furthermore, we observed genetic affinities between Changchun Han with other Northern Han Chinese populations and also Korans in Yanbian in the Multidimensional scaling and phylogenetic tree analysis., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

As flue gas desulfurization (FGD) was one of the most important purification processes of coal-fired boilers, we selected four boilers, which were equipped with wet limestone, furnace calcium injection, ammonia-based, and double-alkali FGDs, to research the influence of FGDs on the flue particulate matter (PM). The flue PM before and after the FGD were sampled using laboratory resuspension and dilution tunnel sampling methods, respectively, and the PM was analyzed for its chemical composition (i.e., ions, elements, and carbon). The results showed that the types of desulfurizers could influence the composition of the flue PM. After passing through the wet limestone, ammonia-based, and double-alkali FGDs, the proportion of Ca, NH 4 + , and Na in PM 2.5 increased from 5.1% to 24.8%, from 0.8% to 7.3%, and from 0.9% to 1.7%, respectively. The influence of wet and dry FGDs on the flue PM were different. The fraction of ions in the PM emitted from the wet FGD were higher than those from the dry FGD. The proportion of SO 4 2- in the flue PM 2.5 increased from 2.0% and 6.7% to 9.6% and 11.9% using the wet limestone and ammonia-based FGDs, respectively, and Cl - increased from 0.4% and 1.2% to 3.8% and 5.2%. In addition, the amount of heavy metals (e.g., Cr, Pb, Cu, Ti, and Mn) in PM 2.5 declined after the wet FGDs. The PM 2.5 emitted from the dry FGD boiler was richer in crustal elements, such as Al, Si, and Fe, than that from the wet FGDs. The wet FGDs also effected the carbonaceous components of the flue PM. After passing through the wet limestone and ammonia-based FGDs, the proportion of elemental carbon in the flue PM 2.5 decreased from 6.1% to 0.9% and from 3.6% to 0.7% respectively, but the organic carbon content did not decrease.

Aksay Kazakhs are the easternmost branch of Kazakhs, residing in Jiuquan city, the forefront of the ancient Silk Road. However, the genetic diversity of Aksay Kazakhs and its relationships with other Kazakhs still lack attention. To clarify this issue, we analyzed the non-recombining portion of the Y-chromosome from 93 Aksay Kazakhs samples, using a high-resolution analysis of 106 biallelic markers and 17 STRs. The lowest haplogroup diversity (0.38) was observed in Aksay Kazakhs among all studied Kazakh populations. The social and cultural traditions of the Kazakhs shaped their current pattern of genetic variation. Aksay Kazakhs tended to migrate with clans and had limited paternal admixture with neighboring populations. Aksay Kazakhs had the highest frequency (80%) of haplogroup C2b1a3a1-F3796 (previous C3*-Star Cluster) among the investigated Eurasian steppe populations, which was now seen as the genetic marker of Kerei clan. Furthermore, NETWORK analysis indicated that Aksay Kazakhs originated from sub-clan Kerei-Abakh in Kazakhstan with DYS448 = 23. TMRCA estimates of three recent descent clusters detected in C2*-M217 (xM48) network, one of which incorporate nearly all of the C2b1a3a1-F3796 Aksay Kazakhs samples, gave the age range of 976-1405 YA for DC1, 1059-1314 YA for DC2, and 1139-1317 YA for DC3, respectively; this is coherent with the 7 th to the 11 th centuries Altaic-speaking pastoral nomadic population expansion.

The volatile organic compound (VOC) emission characteristics of various production procedures were analyzed through GC-MS after the emissions of typical enterprises such as automobile manufacturing, petrochemical, and other industries had been sampled with SUMMA canisters. Each production procedure in the automobile manufacturing and petrochemical industries was considered. The results showed that each automobile manufacturing procedure had its own dominant species, and alkanes (32%) and aromatics (35%) were the main emission species of coating spraying. The emission characteristics of furniture manufacturing were highly correlated with the raw materials, and the VOC emission species were mainly composed of aromatics (50%) and oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) (38%). As for the petrochemical industry, VOC concentrations in various process plant areas ranged from 49 μg·m -3 to 1387 μg·m -3 . As the main products of the refining area were C 5 -C 9 gasoline and benzene series, whereas comparatively more solvents were used in the chemical area, which would generate alkene products, VOC concentrations greatly differed in the various process plant areas. In terms of electronic manufacturing, OVOCs were the main emission species, accounting for more than 50% of total VOCs. Alkanes and OVOCs were the main contributors to VOC emissions in shoemaking, accounting for 52% and 36% on average, respectively, which was strongly related to the species of the used solvents. The VOC emission species of automobile manufacturing were quite different, predominantly including n-dodecane and 2-butanone. The emission species of furniture manufacturing mainly included styrene, ethyl acetate, m / p -xylene, etc., which are typical species of coatings and diluents. As for the differences in the emission species of process plant areas in the petrochemical industry, styrene was the main species in the refining area, 1,3-butadiene in the chemical area, C 3 -C 5 alkanes in the storage area, and C 6 -C 8 alkanes in the wastewater treatment area. The main emission species of electronic manufacturing were ethanol, acetone, and other aldehyde ketone species. The emission species of shoemaking enterprises are mainly C 5 and C 6 alkanes. According to the results of ozone formation potential (OFP), alkenes and aromatics were the main VOC emission species that contribute significantly to the OFP in the automobile manufacturing and petrochemical industries, with relatively high pollution source reaction activity. The results showed that the emission ratio (17%-96%) and OFP contributions of OVOCs were significant in various industries. Therefore, for VOC emission control, in addition to focusing on the control of aromatics and alkenes, attention should also be paid to OVOCs.

Background: The aphid alarm pheromone, (E)-β-farnesene (EβF), is a natural product secreted from the aphid cornicle as a signal to warn companions of danger. Odorant binding proteins (OBPs) are the vital targets in insect signal transduction pathways. To improve bioactivity of EβF as more economic and stable aphid control agents, EβF derivatives containing an active substructure, salicylic acid moiety, were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their bioactivities in a structure-function study under laboratory conditions., Results: EβF derivatives, (E)-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dien-1-yl-2-hydroxy-3-methylbenzoate and (E)-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dien-1-yl-2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoate showed outstanding aphid-repellent activity at a dose of 5 μg against Acyrthosiphon pisum (repellency proportions of 67.3% and 71.2%, respectively) and Myzus persicae (repellency proportions of 80.0% and 74.4%, respectively) in laboratory. EβF and most of its derivatives bound strongly to ApisOBP9 with a higher affinity than those of the reported potential targets AphisOBP3 and ApisOBP7. The binding affinities to these three ApisOBPs were generally consistent with the in vivo aphid-repellent activity. A molecular docking study suggested that the hydrophobic effect was crucial for the interactions between the derivatives and the OBPs., Conclusion: New EβF derivatives containing salicylic acid moiety and their repellent activity, binding mechanism with three potential OBPs are presented. A new OBP, ApisOBP9, was characterized as a potential EβF and EβF derivatives binding protein for the first time. The hydrophobic nature of these analogues is responsible for their activity. Two analogues 3b and 3e with outstanding aphid-repellent activity could be new leads for aphid control agents., (© 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine.)

The characteristics of volatile organic compound (VOCs) species from various production procedures of wood-based panel production and other industrial processes in Chengdu were analyzed through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and other methods specified in national standards after the emissions of typical enterprises of wood-based panel production, pharmaceutical manufacturing, chemical production and other industrial processes in Chengdu had been sampled using sampling bottles and SUMMA canisters. Generally, the process of wood-based panel production includes glue making, glue mixing, sorting, and hot pressing, whereas the process of pharmaceutical manufacturing includes workshop production and wastewater treatment. The results showed that the main contribution species of VOCs in wood-based panel production and pharmaceutical manufacturing is oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs), accounting for more than 50% of the total VOCs emitted. The species from organized and unorganized emissions of formaldehyde manufacturing differed significantly. The main species of organized emissions was OVOCs, and that of unorganized emissions was halohydrocarbons. Emissions of VOCs from coating manufacturing were strongly correlated with the raw materials, and the corresponding emission species were composed mainly of aromatics and OVOCs. Except for glue mixing, the main species of VOCs in other process procedures of wood-based panel production was formaldehyde, with emission proportion of more than 50%. The primary species of VOCs in various processes of pharmaceutical manufacturing was ethanol; however 1,4-dioxane, ethyl acetate, and toluene were also important species. Moreover, the main VOCs from formaldehyde manufacturing were composed mainly of acetone and ethanol, and those of coating manufacturing were aromatic hydrocarbons such as p-xylene. The ozone formation potential was to characterize the reactivity of pollution sources in VOCs from wood-based panel production, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and chemical production. The results showed that the species of VOCs in different industries contributed similarly to the reactivity and that these species were mainly high-activity species such as formaldehyde, ethanol, and other OVOCs as well as some aromatic hydrocarbons. Therefore, supervision and regulation of enterprises of industrial processes is required with a focus on species with relatively large ozone formation potential. In addition, it is necessary to analyze the emission characteristics and chemical mechanism of various industries and to control O 3 generation from the sources.

Based on the measured data in the literature, VOCs (volatile organic compounds) source profiles were revised and reconstructed without OVOCs (oxygenated volatile organic compounds) species to obtain the normalized VOCs source profiles. Using the 2015 Sichuan emission inventory, source profiles based on the 1 km×1 km gridded speciated VOCs emission inventory were developed, and the ozone formation potentials of the species were estimated to assess the environmental impact on ozone formation. The established VOCs source profile database consists of 45 source profiles and 519 species. Since the source profiles were established based on the revision and reconstruction of pollution sources, such as biomass burning and transportation, that are rich in OVOCs, the source profile database is better applicable to establishing the speciated VOCs emission inventory and source apportionment. The speciated VOCs emission inventory showed that the total anthropogenic emission of VOCs in Sichuan Province was 773.8 kt, of which the emissions of alkanes, olefins, alkynes, aromatics, OVOCs, halohydrocarbons, and other VOCs accounted for 21.6%, 10.0%, 1.7%, 28.0%, 26.2%, 4.2%, and 8.3% of the total respectively. The total OFP (Ozone formation potential) was 2584.9 kt, of which the OFPs of the VOCs groups mentioned above accounted for 6.9%, 26.1%, 0.5%, 42.3%, 23.2%, 0.4%, and 0.5% respectively. The main VOCs species emitted in all cities of Sichuan Province were aromatics, OVOCs, and alkanes; however, there were some significant regional differences:transportation in Chengdu, Ya'an, Aba, Ganzi, and Liangshan made a greater contribution to VOCs emissions, with alkane emissions accounting for a higher proportion in the total VOCs emission. As a heavy industrial city, Panzhihua suffered most from emissions from industrial processes, which contain a relatively high proportion of alkanes. Solvent use in Deyang, Meishan, Suining, and Ziyang made a great contribution to the VOCs emissions, and the OVOCs emission was relatively high. Emissions of VOCs and species with relatively high OFPs in Sichuan Province were mainly distributed in the Sichuan Basin, which has a dense population and highly developed industry, as well as some areas in Liangshan and Panzhihua. The main source of m -xylene and toluene was solvent use; therefore, m -xylene and toluene were relatively concentrated in developed urban areas. In addition, biomass burning contributed greatly to the emissions of ethene and formaldehyde; therefore, ethene and formaldehyde were mainly distributed in the cultivated areas of agriculturally advanced Eastern Sichuan and Southern Sichuan.

A simple, enzyme-free supersandwich-type biosensor is fabricated for the ultrasensitive detection of microRNAs (miRNAs) using N-doped graphene/Au nanoparticles (NG-AuNPs) and hemin/G-quadruplexes. In the proposed strategy, AuNPs are deposited on the surface of a MoSe 2 modified electrode to immobilize the thiol-modified hairpin probe through the strong Au-S bond. When the target miRNA is added, capture DNA hybridizes with it and unfolds its stem-and-loop structure. The NG-AuNP hybrids are the main amplification element and are modified by hybridization with assistance DNA and the terminus of capture DNA, resulting in the formation of the supersandwich structure. The assistance DNA is embedded into the hemin/G-quadruplex complexes in the presence of hemin and K + to provide an exceptional current signal for the detection of miRNAs. Under the optimized experimental conditions, a detection limit of 0.17 fM is obtained with a linear range of 10 fM-1 nM. In addition, the present biosensor shows outstanding selectivity towards mismatched miRNAs. This biosensor platform successfully realized the combination of the signal amplification technique with the supersandwich structure, providing a promising approach for the detection of miRNA-21 in practical applications.

The effect of relative humidity (RH) on particulate matter concentrations and atmosphere visibility were investigated using the continuous on-line observed data of Chengdu city during December 2015, including RH, visibility, the concentrations of particulate matters (PM 10 , PM 2.5 and PM 1 ) and gaseous pollutants (SO 2 and NO 2 ), and the concentrations of SO 4 2- and NO 3 - in PM 2.5 . The results showed that the haze process occurred because of the synergistic effects of higher particulate matter concentrations and RH, leading to the reduction of visibility. The average ratio of PM 2.5 to PM 10 was 64% and it significantly increased with the increase of RH during observation period, which indicated that the pollution of fine particles during winter in Chengdu was serious, and high RH aggravated the pollution caused by fine particles.Visibility decreased exponentially with the increase of particulate matter concentrations. When RH was higher, visibility was lower at the same concentrations of particulate matter.RH had a strong effect on visibility at lower particle concentrations, while the effect of RH on the visibility decreased, and atmospheric extinction was controlled by PM 2.5 concentrations at higher particle concentrations. With RH increasing from less than 40% to more than 70%, the average sulfur oxidation ratio (SOR) and nitrogen oxidation ratio (NOR) increased from 0.27 and 0.11 to 0.40 and 0.19, respectively, indicating that higher RH significantly promoted the formation of secondary sulfate and nitrate. Secondary sulfate and nitrate separately or coordinatively influenced the air quality.

In this paper, a SOI (silicon-on-insulator)-based piezoresistive fluid flow sensor is presented; the presented flow sensor mainly consists of a nylon sensing head, stainless steel cantilever beam, SOI sensor chip, printed circuit board, half-cylinder gasket, and stainless steel shell. The working principle of the sensor and some detailed contrastive analysis about the sensor structure were introduced since the nylon sensing head and stainless steel cantilever beam have distinct influence on the sensor performance; the structure of nylon sensing head and stainless steel cantilever beam is also discussed. The SOI sensor chip was fabricated using micro-electromechanical systems technologies, such as reactive ion etching and low pressure chemical vapor deposition. The designed fluid sensor was packaged and tested; a calibration installation system was purposely designed for the sensor experiment. The testing results indicated that the output voltage of the sensor is proportional to the square of the fluid flow velocity, which is coincident with the theoretical derivation. The tested sensitivity of the sensor is 3.91 × 10 -4 V ms 2 /kg.

Long-term and synchronous monitoring of PM 10 and PM 2.5 was conducted in Chengdu in China from 2007 to 2013. The levels, variations, compositions and size distributions were investigated. The sources were quantified by two-way and three-way receptor models (PMF2, ME2-2way and ME2-3way). Consistent results were found: the primary source categories contributed 63.4% (PMF2), 64.8% (ME2-2way) and 66.8% (ME2-3way) to PM 10 , and contributed 60.9% (PMF2), 65.5% (ME2-2way) and 61.0% (ME2-3way) to PM 2.5 . Secondary sources contributed 31.8% (PMF2), 32.9% (ME2-2way) and 31.7% (ME2-3way) to PM 10 , and 35.0% (PMF2), 33.8% (ME2-2way) and 36.0% (ME2-3way) to PM 2.5 . The size distribution of source categories was estimated better by the ME2-3way method. The three-way model can simultaneously consider chemical species, temporal variability and PM sizes, while a two-way model independently computes datasets of different sizes. A method called source directional apportionment (SDA) was employed to quantify the contributions from various directions for each source category. Crustal dust from east-north-east (ENE) contributed the highest to both PM 10 (12.7%) and PM 2.5 (9.7%) in Chengdu, followed by the crustal dust from south-east (SE) for PM 10 (9.8%) and secondary nitrate & secondary organic carbon from ENE for PM 2.5 (9.6%). Source contributions from different directions are associated with meteorological conditions, source locations and emission patterns during the sampling period. These findings and methods provide useful tools to better understand PM pollution status and to develop effective pollution control strategies., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

In order to research the effect of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis on the results in the sample’s micro particles, MCNPX models had been established for an X-ray fluorescence analyzer in this paper. It had studied the characteristics of the samples with different particle sizes, the fluorescence peak counts, the peak to total ratios and the peak to source ratios. A micro particle analysis experiment had been designed for its verification. The results showed that: as for the relationship between the fluorescence intensity and the particle sizes, the MCNPX calculations were consistent with the theoretical, but contrary with the experimental results; the reason is that some hypotheses about samples in the MCNPX models were contrary with the actual states; the samples were crushed by grinding to small particles and tableting process, the MCNPX calculations and experimental results can be conversion; when the particle sizes of the samples reached the certain sizes, the fluorescence peak counts, the peak to total ratios and the peak to source ratios were stable value; within a particular size range, the influence of the particle size effects cannot be ignored, otherwise this influence can be ignored. The research methods and conclusions in this paper can provide a technical reference guide for X-ray analysis in practices.

Single Co adatoms adsorbed on a double-layer NaCl film supported by Cu(111) were negatively charged after applying a positive voltage pulse to the sample in a scanning tunnelling microscope. Density functional calculations showed that the magnetic moment of Co changed from 3μ B to 2.2μ B after charge state manipulation .

Purpose: To evaluate transverse displacement of the proximal segment after bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy (BSSO) advancement with different lingual split patterns and advancement amounts and to determine the influential factors related to mandibular width., Materials and Methods: A 3-dimensional finite element model of the mandible including the temporomandibular joint was created for a presurgical simulation and for BSSO with lingual split patterns I (T1; Hunsuck split) and II (T2; Obwegeser split). The mandible was advanced 3 mm (A3) and 8 mm (A8) and fixated with a conventional titanium plate. Ansys software was used to measure the linear distances of the interproximal segments and to analyze the transverse displacement distribution of proximal segments after applying the load of masticatory muscle force groups., Results: After surgical simulation, T1A3, T1A8, T2A3, and T2A8 showed increased transverse widths (mean, 2.99, 4.70, 2.36, and 4.42 mm, respectively). For transverse augmentation, there was a statistically significant difference between the 2 different mandibular advancement amounts in T1 and in T2 (P ≤ .000), but no significant differences was observed between T1 and T2 (P ≥ .058). The maximum transverse displacement distribution in the proximal segment was measured around the gonial area, and the early contact area was found near the border between the horizontal and sagittal osteotomy lines., Conclusion: Transverse displacements of proximal segments occur after BSSO advancement with T1 and T2 and transverse augmentation has statistically meaningful effects depending on the amount of advancement; however, no differences in transverse augmentation between T1 and T2 were identified. The fulcrum caused by the early contact between the proximal and distal segments could be an influential factor related to mandibular width., (Copyright © 2016 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The extraventricular neurocytoma of the sellar region (EVNSR) is a rare disease, it is difficult to make exact diagnosis of and operate on patients. Retrospectively analysed the clinical manifestations, image features, therapy methods and outcomes among patients with EVNSR, to investigate the epidemiological characteristics, image features, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis., Case Description: A 25-year-old man man with 7-month worsening vision of left eye, was confirmed EVNSR after subtotally resection from the neurosurgical department of Deji hospital., Discussion and Evaluation: Nine cases of EVNSR were reported from this article and elsewhere. Ages of these patients were ranging from 25 to 66 (with an average of 45.67). The male-female ratio was 1-2. All EVNSR patients had visual damage. Images showed the tumors were in the sellar and suprasellar regions. Preoperatively, all patients were misdiagnosed as other diseases: such as pituitary tumor, craniopharyngioma, and meningioma. For tumor removal treatment, five patients received transpterional approach, one received subfrontal approach and three received transnostril-transsphenoidal approach. EVNSR was confirmed by pathological tests. The tumor was completely removed in one patient. During the 12-24 month postoperative follow up period, the recurrence or metastasis of the tumor was found in two patients., Conclusions: EVNSR is a rare disease. It occurs mostly in middle-aged women. EVNSR is likely to be misdiagnosed as pituitary adenoma preoperatively. The histological examination would help confirm the diagnosis. Using transpterional approach to remove tumor will help the prognosis, especially among patients with normal pituitary function. Both postoperative radiotherapy and long-term follow-up are recommended.

To characterize the sources of to PM10 and PM2.5, a long-term, speciate and simultaneous dataset was sampled in a megacity in China during the period of 2006-2014. The PM concentrations and PM2.5/PM10 were higher in the winter. Higher percentages of Al, Si, Ca and Fe were observed in the summer, and higher concentrations of OC, NO3(-) and SO4(2-) occurred in the winter. Then, the sources were quantified by an advanced three-way model (defined as an ABB three-way model), which estimates different profiles for different sizes. A higher percentage of cement and crustal dust was present in the summer; higher fractions of coal combustion and nitrate+SOC were observed in the winter. Crustal and cement contributed larger portion to coarse part of PM10, whereas vehicular and secondary source categories were enriched in PM2.5. Finally, potential source contribution function (PSCF) and source regional apportionment (SRA) methods were combined with the three-way model to estimate geographical origins. During the sampling period, the southeast region (R4) was an important region for most source categories (0.6%-11.5%); the R1 (centre region) also played a vital role (0.3-6.9%)., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The joint toxicity of chlorantraniliprole, a novel insecticide that acts on ryanodine receptors, and sinigrin, a natural plant defense compound from brassicaceous vegetables, to the larvae of Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) was determined in this paper. Additionally, the joint effects of the two compounds on cytochrome P450 enzyme activity and on the expression levels of mRNA of three P450 genes (including CYP9A9, CYP6B, and CYP4G37) and an NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase gene (HQ852049) were investigated. The toxicity of the mixture of chlorantraniliprole and sinigrin to fourth-instar S. exigua larvae was 1.60-fold higher than the toxicity of the chlorantraniliprole-only treatment after 24 h. Induced by chlorantraniliprole and sinigrin, the specific activity of the P450 O-deethylase was affected in a time-, dose-, and organ-specific manner in fifth-instar S. exigua larvae. The effects were more pronounced in the midgut than in the fat body. The specific activity of the P450 O-deethylase in almost all treatments increased at 12, 24, and 36 h posttreatment compared with that in the control. Based on real-time PCR analyses, the expression levels of the P450 genes CYP9A9, CYP6B, and CYP4G37 and the NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase gene HQ852049 in fifth-instar S. exigua larvae were induced by chlorantraniliprole and sinigrin, and the trends were similar to the specific activity of the P450 O-deethylase. Therefore, the CYP9A9, CYP6B, and HQ852049 in the tested genes were the most inducible genes that were expressed when the S. exigua larvae were exposed to chlorantraniliprole and sinigrin., (© The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Backgroud: The function of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is to terminate synaptic transmission by hydrolysing the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) in the synaptic cleft, and thus it is an effective target for organophosphate (OP) and carbamate (CB) insecticides., Results: The transcript levels of the four Ace genes were dramatically suppressed by injection of their respective dsRNA in Rhopalosiphum padi and Sitobion avenae. However, the AChE activity changes in the Ace1 knockdown aphids were consistent with the significant transcript level changes of Ace1 genes in these aphids, but not for Ace2. Bioassay results indicated that the suppression of RpAce1 increased its susceptibilities to pirimicarb and malathion, and SaAce1 silencing also increased susceptibility to pirimicarb in S. avenae, whereas the knockdowns of RpAce2 and SaAce2 had a slight effect on their susceptibilities. The knockdown of Ace1 genes also caused significant reductions in fecundity in the aphids of their parental generation., Conclusions: These results suggest that AChE1 is a predominant cholinergic enzyme and is the target of anticholinesterase insecticides in both R. padi and S. avenae. It also plays a non-cholinergic role in fecundity of these aphids. AChE2 may also be important for the toxicological function, although its importance appeared to be lower than that of AChE1., (© 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Aims: Two behavioral HIV prevention interventions for people who inject drugs (PWID) infected with HIV include the Holistic Health Recovery Program for HIV+ (HHRP+), a comprehensive evidence-based CDC-supported program, and an abbreviated Holistic Health for HIV (3H+) Program, an adapted HHRP+ version in treatment settings. We compared the projected health benefits and cost-effectiveness of both programs, in addition to opioid substitution therapy (OST), to the status quo in the U.S., Methods: A dynamic HIV transmission model calibrated to epidemic data of current US populations was created. Projected outcomes include future HIV incidence, HIV prevalence, and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained under alternative strategies. Total medical costs were estimated to compare the cost-effectiveness of each strategy., Results: Over 10 years, expanding HHRP+ access to 80% of PWID could avert up to 29,000 HIV infections, or 6% of the projected total, at a cost of $7,777/QALY gained. Alternatively, 3H+ could avert 19,000 infections, but is slightly more cost-effective ($7,707/QALY), and remains so under widely varying effectiveness and cost assumptions. Nearly two-thirds of infections averted with either program are among non-PWIDs, due to reduced sexual transmission from PWID to their partners. Expanding these programs with broader OST coverage could avert up to 74,000 HIV infections over 10 years and reduce HIV prevalence from 16.5% to 14.1%, but is substantially more expensive than HHRP+ or 3H+ alone., Conclusions: Both behavioral interventions were effective and cost-effective at reducing HIV incidence among both PWID and the general adult population; however, 3H+, the economical HHRP+ version, was slightly more cost-effective than HHRP+.

Release from short-term jail detention is highly destabilizing, associated with relapse to substance use, recidivism, and disrupted health care continuity. Little is known about emergency department (ED) use, potentially a surrogate for medical, psychiatric, or social instability, by people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) leaving jails. All ED visits were reviewed from medical records for a cohort of 109 PLHWA in the year following release from county jail in Connecticut, between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2010. Primary outcomes were frequency and timing of ED visits, modeled using multivariate negative binomial regression and Cox proportional hazards regression, respectively. Demographic, substance use, and psychiatric disorder severity factors were evaluated as potential covariates. Overall, 71 (65.1%) of the 109 participants made 300 unique ED visits (2.75 visits/person-year) in the year following jail-release. Frequency of ED use was positively associated with female sex (incidence rate ratios, IRR 2.40 [1.36-4.35]), homelessness (IRR 2.22 [1.15-4.41]), and recent substance use (IRR 2.47 [1.33-4.64]), and inversely associated with lifetime drug severity (IRR 0.01 [0-0.10]), and being retained in HIV primary care (IRR 0.80 [0.65-0.99]). Those in late or sustained HIV care used the ED sooner than those not retained in HIV primary care (median for late retention 16.3 days, median for sustained retention 24.9 days, median for no retention not reached at 12 months, p value 0.004). Using multivariate modeling, those who used the ED earliest upon release were more likely to be homeless (HR 1.98 [1.02-3.84]), to be retained in HIV care (HR 1.30 [1.04-1.61]), and to have recently used drugs (HR 2.51 [1.30-4.87]), yet had a low lifetime drug severity (HR 0.01 [0.00-0.14]). Among PLWHA released from jail, frequency of ED use is high, often soon after release, and is associated with social and drug-related destabilizing factors. Future interventions for this specific population should focus on addressing these resource gaps, ensuring housing, and establishing immediate linkage to HIV primary care after release from jail.

Patients suffering from uncontrollable intracranial hypertension due to posttraumatic brain swelling (BS) generally either die or survive in an extremely disabled state. Decompressive craniectomy (DC) with dural augmentation may be the best method to assist these patients. However, the efficacy of DC on functional outcomes remains controversial. One of the factors contributing to poor outcomes could be intraoperative brain extrusion, which is an acute potential complication of DC. The authors have adopted a new surgical technique for traumatic BS that can prevent and control massive intraoperative BS (IOS). In the past 3 years, the authors have used a unique technique, called "gradual and controlled decompression", in the treatment of posttraumatic BS. This procedure consists of creating numerous small dural openings and removing clots; enlarging fenestration in the frontal and temporal basal regions to detect and treat brain contusion; making U-shaped, discontinuous, small dural incisions around the circumference of the craniotomy; and performing an augmentation duraplasty through the discontinuous small opening with dural prosthetic substances. This technique has been employed in 23 patients suffering from posttraumatic BS. In all cases, IOS was prevented and controlled through gradual stepwise decompression, and expanded duraplasty was performed successfully. This new surgical approach for posttraumatic BS can prevent severe extrusion of the brain through the craniotomy defect and allows the gradual and gentle release of the subdural space. Further clinical studies should be conducted to estimate the impact of this new technique on morbidity and mortality rates.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate the morphologic discrepancies between the short straight proximal femoral nail antirotation-Asian version (PFNA-II) and the anterior bow of the femur in Chinese patients and to propose a further design modification., Design: Retrospective study., Setting: Level I academic trauma center., Patients/participants: A consecutive 158 cases (35 men and 123 women with mean age of 77.2 years) with unstable per/intertrochanteric fractures (AO/OTA 31 A2 and A3) treated by PFNA-II from August 2008 to December 2010 participated in this study., Intervention: Nailing of PFNA-II., Main Outcome Measurements: The nail tip position was classified to a 5-grade scale on postoperative lateral radiographs of the femur. The distance between the nail axis and the canal axis at the tip level was measured. The degree of the theoretical bent curvature and its corresponding radius were calculated, assuming that the anterior protrusive nail tip was placed back to the central canal axis., Results: The distal tip of PFNA-II was located anterior to the femur canal central axis in 118 cases (74.7%), of which 55 cases abutted against the anterior cortex (contact between nail and internal cortex) (34.8%). With longer nails, the abutment occurred more often and was more prominent. For nail lengths of 170, 200, and 240 mm, the theoretical distance to replace the nail tip to the central canal axis was 1.42 ± 0.18, 1.77 ± 0.39, and 2.46 ± 0.20 mm, respectively; the corresponding bent curvature angle was 2.51 ± 2.40, 2.13 ± 1.65, and 2.09 ± 0.98 degrees, respectively; and the bent curvature radius was 1483 ± 818, 2329 ± 1293, and 3710 ± 1957 mm, respectively., Conclusions: There is a mismatch between the current short straight PFNA-II and the anterior bow of the femur in the Chinese population. In light of the documented complications and technical problems related to this mismatch, further modifications with an anterior bow are proposed.

The effect of BHC80 (a component of BRAF-HDAC complex) on development was not well studied, because BHC80 gene knock-out mice died in one day after birth. Interestingly, zebrafish embryos can live, even if their important organs like cardiac system has severe dysfunction, as 25%-40% O2 are supplied through their skin. Therefore, a model of BHC80 gene knock-down zebrafish embryos was established to explore the effect of BHC80 on the early embryonic development. BHC80-morpholino antisense oligonucleotides 2 (BHC80-MO2) was designed and injected into zebrafish embryos to interrupt the correct translation of BHC80 mRNA at one or two cells stage, which was proved by RT-PCR analysis. Two control groups, including non-injection group and control-MO (con-MO) injection group, and four different doses of BHC80-MO2 injection groups, including 4 ng, 6 ng, 8 ng and 10 ng per embryo were set up. The embryonic heart phenotype and cardiac function were monitored, analyzed and compared between con-MO and BHC80-MO2 groups by fluorescence microscope in vmhc:gfp transgenic zebrafish which express green fluorescent protein in ventricle. The results showed that BHC80-MO2 microinjection effectively knocked down the BHC80 gene expression, because the BHC80-MO2 group emerged a new 249 bp band which reduced 51 bp compared to 300 bp band of con-MO group in RT-PCR analysis, and the 51 bp was the extron 10. The abnormal embryo rate rose with the increase of BHC80-MO2 dosage. The proper BHC80-MO2 injection dosage was 8 ng per embryo, as minor embryos had abnormal phenotype in 4 ng and 6 ng per embryo groups and most embryos died in 10 ng per embryo group. BHC80-MO2 embryos exhibited abnormal cardiac phenotype, including imbalance of the proportion of heart ventricle to atrium, incomplete D-loop, even tubular heart, slow heart rates and cardiac dysfunction. The results from a model of BHC80 gene knock-down zebrafish embryos show that the abnormal cardiac phenotype and cardiac dysfunction of BHC80-MO2 embryos may be one of the probable reasons for the BHC80 gene knock-out mice death, which would provide a good research model to clarify the mechanism of cardiac development.

Objective: To retrospectively explore the long-term efficacies of sinus skeletonization plus abnormal venous reflux interruption in the treatment of dural arteriovenous fistula interfering major dural sinus., Methods: Among 15 consecutively treated patients, the lesions were located in superior sagittal sinus (n = 7), medial segment of transverse sinus (n = 3) and lateral transverse and sigmoid sinus (n = 5). And 40% of them clinically presented with intracranial hypertension and 13.3% with hemorrhage. Preoperatively, Gamma knife therapy and transarterial occlusion were used in 1 case each. All underwent sinus skeletonization plus abnormal venous reflux interruption if any. Interfered sinus was preserved in 12 cases. In another 3 cases, completely occluded segment of sinus was resected after skeletonization., Results: Surgical mortality was none. At discharge, the symptoms were relieved or disappeared in 12 cases. Follow-up study was available in 11 cases over a mean period of 6 years. A Karnofsky performance status (KPS) score of 90 or more was achieved in 8 cases and a KPS score of 80, 60 or 40 was found in 1 case each. Digital subtract angiography was performed in 9 cases and computed tomographic angiography in 1 case after operation. Cure was achieved in 7 cases and 3 cases had minimal residue without recurrence., Conclusion: Sinus skeletonization may stably block most blood supply to fistula so as to offer cure or long-term control of dural arteriovenous fistula.

Forkhead Box Protein 3 (FoxP3) was identified as a key transcription factor to the occurring and function of the regulatory T cells (Tregs). However, limited evidence indicated its function in tumor cells. To elucidate the precise roles and underlying molecular mechanism of FoxP3 in gastric cancer (GC), we examined the expression of FoxP3 and the consequences of interfering with FoxP3 gene in human GC cell lines, AGS and MKN45, by multiple cellular and molecular approaches, such as immunofluorescence, gene transfection, CCK-8 assay, clone formation assay, TUNEL assay, Flow cytometry, immunoassay and quantities polymerase chain reaction (PCR). As a result, FoxP3 was expressed both in nucleus and cytoplasm of GC cells. Up-regulation of FoxP3 inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis. Overexpression of FoxP3 increased the protein and mRNA levels of proapoptotic molecules, such as poly ADP-ribose polymerase1 (PARP), caspase-3 and caspase-9, and repressed the expression of antiapoptotic molecules, such as cellular inhibitor of apoptosis-1 (c-IAP1) and the long isoform of B cell leukemia/lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2). Furthermore, silencing of FoxP3 by siRNA in GC cells reduced the expression of proapoptotic genes, such as PARP, caspase-3 and caspase-9. Collectively, our findings identify the novel roles of FoxP3 in inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis in GC cells by regulating apoptotic signaling, which could be a promising therapeutic approach for gastric cancer., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Surgical interventions for moyamoya disease include direct and indirect revascularizations. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery bypass combined with an indirect revascularization procedure, encephalo-duro-myo-synangiosis, in the treatment of moyamoya disease., Methods: From October 2005 to November 2009, we performed this combined revascularization procedure in 111 patients with different types and stages of moyamoya disease. The superficial temporal artery, middle meningeal artery and the deep temporal artery were evaluated for individualized surgical planning in these cases. The integrity of the deep temporal artery and the middle meningeal artery network, and the pre-existing spontaneous anastomoses of the distal branches of the external carotid artery with the cortical arteries were well preserved. The mean follow-up time was 72.5 months, all clinical and radiological data were retrospectively reviewed., Results: A total of 198 stomas were performed in 122 hemispheres, all remaining patent until the last follow-up. The encephalo-duro-myo-synangiosis resulted in extensive anastomoses of the deep temporal artery (100%), the middle meningeal artery (90.9%), and the sphenopalatine artery (39.8%) with the cortical arteries, respectively. The superficial temporal artery, deep temporal artery, and the middle meningeal artery were significantly thickened in 88 patients as determined by digital subtraction angiography at follow-up. The relative cerebral blood flow increased significantly within one week after the operation. At 6 months post the operation, the relative cerebral blood flow was further increased by 15.5% from the gradual formation of anastomoses as a result of indirect revascularization. Transient ischemic attacks were effectively reduced or totally arrested. The neurological deficits significantly improved in 37 patients, with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores lowered by 2-8. There was no rehemorrhage in hemorrhagic moyamoya disease patients., Conclusion: This study showed that the superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery bypass combined with encephalo-duro-myo-synangiosis can achieve good therapeutic effect in the treatment of moyamoya disease.

Introduction: Homonymous quadrantanopsia results from retrochiasmal lesions in the visual pathway. Invasive mole is a benign tumor that arises from myometrial invasion of a hydatidiform mole via direct extension through tissue or venous channels. Cerebral metastasis of invasive mole is rare and there has been no report demonstrating homonymous quadrantanopsia as the first manifestation of metastasis in any trophoblastic neoplasms., Case Presentation: We report the case of a 31-year-old Asian woman who presented with right homonymous inferior quadrantanopsia from the mass effect of a solitary cerebral metastasis from an invasive mole. A magnetic resonance image (MRI) of the brain showed a metastatic tumor in the left occipital lobe. The visual field improved slightly after chemotherapy. There was a reduction in the tumor size and the surrounding edema. This is the first case report demonstrating that homonymous quadrantanopsia should be included in the manifestations of the metastasis of an invasive mole., Conclusions: The presentation of homonymous quadrantanopsia must alert ophthalmologists to conduct a complete medical history and arrange specialist consultation.

Objective: To improve the accuracy and safety of the Le Fort I osteotomy., Methods: Eighty-four patients underwent CBCT scan before maxillary orthognathic surgery. The anatomic structures of maxilla were marked and measured., Results: In 84 cases, there were 3 cases with severe hypoplasia of maxillary sinus, 11 cases with impacted third molar, 8 cases with separation in maxillary sinus, 4 cases with the deviation of nasal septum, and 3 cases with cysts in maxillary sinus. Form CBCT images, the position of the pterygopalatine canal, the thickness of maxillary wall, hidden lesion of maxillary sinus, the location of Impacted molar, the deviation of nasal septum, and other anatomic structure could be accurately localized. CBCT could provide sufficient and valuable information in diagnosis and design for Le Fort I osteotomy., Conclusions: CBCT imaging technology could provide precise anatomic images for Le Fort I osteotomy. It improves the accuracy and safety of the Le Fort I osteotomy.

Objective: Direct surgery for complex internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysms can be difficult. In certain situations, sacrificing the parent artery is a unique way to obliterate the aneurysm and extracranial-to-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass is indispensable to prevent postoperative cerebral ischemia. This article discusses the indications for direct ICA occlusion, and the strategies, techniques, and outcomes in a series of patients treated for complex ICA aneurysms in a single institution., Methods: During a 7-year period, 49 patients with complex ICA aneurysms underwent direct ICA sacrifice, or ICA sacrifice combined with EC-IC bypass. The appropriate type of bypass was determined by the results of balloon occlusion test and computed tomographic perfusion. The technique of ICA sacrifice used was selected based on the evaluation of retrograde filling of the aneurysm during balloon occlusion test., Results: Ten patients underwent direct ICA sacrifice and no ischemia-related complications were evident during the 5-12 months of follow-up. A total of 39 patients were treated by ICA sacrifice combined with EC-IC bypass, including 21 cases of superficial temporal artery-radial artery-middle cerebral artery and 18 cases of external carotid artery-radial artery-middle cerebral artery. ICA sacrifice was achieved in 38 patients by using prolonged occlusion (25 cases) or acute occlusion (13 cases). Five patients presented with minor ischemia after surgery, but four patients recovered completely. Two patients developed brain swelling postoperatively and one developed intracranial hemorrhage, which required evacuation of the hematoma., Conclusion: Balloon occlusion test combined with computed tomographic perfusion can be an efficient way to evaluate the compromised cerebrovascular reserve in patients with complex ICA aneurysms after ICA occlusion. In conjunction with EC-IC bypass, ICA proximal occlusion or trapping can be an effective treatment strategy., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: It is hypothesized that inflammatory response after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) may play a relevant role in the development and maintenance of vasospasm. This research investigated the correlation between IL-6 in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) after SAH and the occurrence of vasospasm., Methods: We analyzed both daily clinical manifestation and laboratory data of CSF in 46 patients who suffered from intracranial aneurismal subarachnoid hemorrhage during a period of 14 days, studied the relationship between the development of vasospasm and the quantities of the inflammatory factor, revealing potential power of IL-6 for predicting vasospasm detected by transcranial doppler (TCD)., Results: The incidence of vasospasm developed in 43.5% of the patients, with a mean onset of 6.1±4.6 days after intracranial aneurysm treatment. Patients with vasospasm demonstrated statistically significant higher median values of IL-6CSF on Day 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 (P<0.05). The cut-off value is settled in 400 pg/ml on Day 3 after treatment. On the other hand, gender, Hunt & Hess scale (H&H) and Fisher scale of CT after SAH were proved to be the correlation factor with vasospasm., Conclusion: IL-6CSF seems to be a reliable early marker for predicting vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage on Days 3 after treatment before clinical onset.

Objective: To investigate the clinical significance of the Octopus 101 kinetic and Static combined automatic perimetry in Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (AION). To assess the merit and demerit of Octopus 101 kinetic and static combined automatic perimetry performed in AION cases., Methods: 45 AION patients were detected with Octopus 101 with kinetic and static 30 degrees, 60 degrees scope static program from June 2006 to September 2008. The mean defect (MD), loss variance (LV), areas of isopter, and reaction time were analyzed. The correlation between MD, areas of isopter and reaction time were analyzed., Results: In AION, there are kinds of visual field defect related to the optic lesions in static perimetry examine. Kinetic programme display the isopter deletion. Isopter areas using I-2e and III-4e stimulus are significantly different (P < 0.05). Smaller stimulus can find more periphery changes in AION., Conclusions: The Octopus 101 perimeter can provide static and kinetic program in the same sitting. In clinical practice it is necessary to perform both static and kinetic examination in patients with AION because the visual field defects are diverse, and the data provided by static and kinetic program are complementary.

Background: Salt restriction, an important approach for primary and secondary prevention of hypertension, is undermined by unsatisfactory adherence. A salt-restriction study tested the efficacy and safety of a compound ion salt (CISalt) with low sodium content in an animal model and in a community-based population., Methods: In part 1, 8-week-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were fed 1% CISalt in the study group and 8% or 1% normal salt (NSalt) in controls (n = 10 each) for 12 weeks. Blood pressure (BP) and urinary electrolytes were measured every 3 weeks. After 12 weeks, collagen deposition in the heart and kidney and the levels of angiotensin II (Ang II) and nitric oxide (NO) in plasma and renal cortex were measured. In part 2, a single-blind, randomized, 6-month controlled trial with CISalt was conducted in 248 persons (age >or=65 years) in 10 rural communities. Plasma renin activity and Ang II were included in blood and urinary measures at baseline and 6 months., Results: Reduced BP urinary protein excretion and reduced collagen in the heart and kidneys were significantly different in animals fed CISalt compared to controls. In human studies, at 6 months, mean systolic BP (SBP) was decreased by 9.6 mm Hg (95% confidence interval (CI): 13.1 to 6.1, P < 0.001) and diastolic BP (DBP) by 5.3 mm Hg (95% CI: 7.9 to 2.6, P < 0.001), respectively, compared to controls; urinary sodium excretion also decreased by 67.4 mmol/24 h (95% CI: 84.8 to 50.0, P < 0.001), and plasma renin activity was slightly increased by 0.19 ng/ml/h (95% CI: 0.04-0.33, P = 0.013). No adverse cardiovascular events were reported., Conclusions: In these studies, CISalt lowered BP and showed end-organ protection in hypertensive animals and BP reduction in humans. CISalt appears to be a safe and acceptable strategy to reduce BP.

Objective: To investigate the biomechanical changes of internal midface distraction after different types of maxillary osteotomy in patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP)., Methods: 3-D finite element (FEM) analysis was used. 3-D models of Le Fort I, II, III osteotomy and soft tissue were established. Based on the new pattern of internal midface distractor, the distraction of maxillary complex was simulated to advance 10 mm anteriorly. The mechanical change was studied., Results: The maxillary complex in CLP were advanced after distraction. Constriction of alveolar crest and palate occurred in Le Fort I osteotomy, but not in Le Fort II and III osteotomy. The maxillary complex was moved anteriorly en bloc after Le Fort III osteotomy, but some degree of rotation of maxillary complex was observed during the distraction after Le Fort I and II osteotomy. In vertical direction, the maxillary complex had more counterclockwise rotation after Le Fort II osteotomy., Conclusion: 3-D FEM analysis can be used for the study of internal distraction. It can reflect the maxillary movement and provide the theory basis for preoperative design.

Objective: To discuss the surgical treatment of the giant aneurysms of middle cerebral artery., Methods: Clinical data, surgical methods and outcomes were analyzed in 17 giant aneurysms of middle cerebral artery treated from January 2001 to March 2008. CT scan, CTA, MRA, DSA and 3D-DSA were performed before operations so that we could comprehend the location, size, and shape of aneurysms and compensatory circulation of collateral branches to design the individualized treatment options. All patients had been surgically treated mostly by modified pterional approach, of which, direct clipping of the aneurysms was accomplished in 4 patients, aneurysms trapping or removal after trapping in 4, aneurysms excision or trapping combined with vessels reconstruction in 7, and aneurysms wrapping in 2 cases., Results: CT and MRI revealed the shape and size of aneurysms clearly, while DSA and 3D-DSA could demonstrate the aneurysm's neck and relationship with the adjacent structure. Postoperative neurological function was evaluated according to Glasgow Outcome Scale when patients were discharged. Twelve patients had excellent neurological outcomes. However 4 patients were moderately disabled and one were severely disabled. No patient was dead postoperatively., Conclusions: It is necessary to perform elaborate imaging before operations for individualized surgical planning. The temporary occlusion of the parent artery and elimination of intra-aneurysmal thrombus are helpful to clipping the aneurysmal neck. Vessels reconstruction is a new and effective method of treating the giant aneurysms of middle cerebral artery.