Effects of Ginkgo biloba extract EGb761 on neural differentiation of stem cells offer new hope for neurological disease treatment

Stem cell transplantation has brought new hope for the treatment of neurological diseases.The key to stem cell therapy lies in inducing the specific differentiation of stem cells into nerve cells.Because the differentiation of stem cells in vitro and in vivo is affected by multiple factors,the final differentiation outcome is strongly associated with the microenvironment in which the stem cells are located.Accordingly,the optimal microenvironment for inducing stem cell differentiation is a hot topic.EGb761 is extracted from the leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree.It is used worldwide and is becoming one of the focuses of stem cell research.Studies have shown that EGb761 can antagonize oxygen free radicals,stabilize cell membranes,promote neurogenesis and synaptogenesis,increase the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factors,and replicate the environment required during the differentiation of stem cells into nerve cells.This offers the possibility of using EGb761 to induce the differentiation of stem cells,facilitating stem cell transplantation.To provide a comprehensive reference for the future application of EGb761 in stem cell therapy,we reviewed studies investigating the influence of EGb761 on stem cells.These started with the composition and neuropharmacology of EGb761,and eventually led to the finding that EGb761 and some of its important components play important roles in the differentiation of stem cells and the protection of a beneficial microenvironment for stem cell transplantation.

High-sensitivity phase imaging eddy current magneto-optical system for carbon fiber reinforced polymers detection

This paper proposed a high-sensitivity phase imaging eddy current magneto-optical (PI-ECMO) system for carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) defect detection. In contrast to other eddy current-based detection systems, the proposed system employs a fixed position excitation coil while enabling the detection point to move within the detection region. This configuration effectively mitigates the interference caused by the lift-off effect, which is commonly observed in systems with moving excitation coils. Correspondingly, the relationship between the defect characteristics (orientation and position) and the surface vertical magnetic field distribution (amplitude and phase) is studied in detail by theoretical analysis and numerical simulations. Experiments conducted on woven CFRP plates demonstrate that the designed PI-ECMO system is capable of effectively detecting both surface and internal cracks, as well as impact defects. The excitation current is significantly reduced compared with traditional eddy current magneto-optical (ECMO) systems.

Mechanical responses of underground carriageway structures due to construction of metro tunnels beneath the existing structure:A case study

To understand the mechanical response pattern of the existing structure and ground due to the construction of metro tunnels underneath,the finite difference method is adopted to study the torsional deformation and stress variation of the existing structure and the effect of underground carriageway structures on the surface subsidence.The curves of the maximum differential subsidence,torsion angle,and distortion of the cross-section of the existing structure show two peaks in succession during traversing of two metro tunnels beneath it.The torsion angle of the existing structure changes when the two tunnels traverse beneath it in opposite directions.The first traversing of the shield tunnel mainly induces the magnitude variation in torsional deformation of the existing structure,but the second traversing of the subsurface tunnel may cause a dynamic change in the magnitude and form of torsional deformation in the existing structure.The shielding effect can reduce the surface subsidence caused by metro tunnel excavation to a certain extent,and the development trend of subsidence becomes slower as the excavation continues.

Achieving 500X Acceleration for Adversarial Robustness Verification of Tree-Based Smart Grid Dynamic Security Assessment

Dear Editor,This letter presents a novel and efficient adversarial robustness verification method for tree-based smart grid dynamic security assessment(DSA).Based on tree algorithms technique,the data-driven smart grid DSA has received significant research interests in recent years.

Spleen volume is associated with overt hepatic encephalopathy after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt in patients with portal hypertension

BACKGROUND Portal shunt and immune status related to the spleen are related to the occurrence of hepatic encephalopathy(HE).It is unknown whether spleen volume before transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)is related to postoperative HE.AIM To investigate the relationship between spleen volume and the occurrence of HE.METHODS This study included 135 patients with liver cirrhosis who underwent TIPS,and liver and spleen volumes were elevated upon computed tomography imaging.The Kaplan-Meier curve was used to compare the difference in the incidence rate of HE among patients with different spleen volumes.Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to identify the factors affecting overt HE(OHE).Restricted cubic spline was used to examine the shapes of the dose-response association between spleen volumes and OHE risk.RESULTS The results showed that 37(27.2%)of 135 patients experienced OHE during a 1-year follow-up period.Compared with preoperative spleen volume(901.30±471.90 cm3),there was a significant decrease in spleen volume after TIPS(697.60±281.0 cm^(3))in OHE patients.As the severity of OHE increased,the spleen volume significantly decreased(P<0.05).Compared with patients with a spleen volume≥782.4 cm^(3),those with a spleen volume<782.4 cm^(3) had a higher incidence of HE(P<0.05).Cox regression analysis showed that spleen volume was an independent risk factor for post-TIPS OHE(hazard ratio=0.494,P<0.05).Restricted cubic spline model showed that with an increasing spleen volume,OHE risk showed an initial increase and then decrease(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Spleen volume is related to the occurrence of OHE after TIPS.Preoperative spleen volume is an independent risk factor for post-TIPS OHE.

大型钢铁企业开展精益管理的实践

在钢铁行业长周期下行的背景下,为切实增强公司算账经营和盈利能力,按照精益运营的管理理念全面推广精益管理体系,杜绝现场浪费,让算账经营的管理理念与生产现场的浪费行为针锋相对,以消除浪费为核心的精益管理模式就显得十分重要。是全面提高公司管理水平和产品核心竞争力的核心。文章通过分析精益管理在钢铁企业实践中存在的问题,提出了加强钢铁企业精益管理的有效措施。

支架联合抽吸取栓术治疗老年颅内大血管急性闭塞的疗效观察

目的探讨支架联合抽吸取栓术治疗老年颅内大血管急性闭塞的效果及对患者血流动力学、神经功能和预后的影响。方法选取2016年10月—2019年10月宿州市第一人民医院和贵州医科大学附属医院收治的老年颅内大血管急性闭塞患者62例,按照随机数字表法分为观察组和对照组,每组31例。对照组采用单纯支架取栓,观察组采用支架联合抽吸取栓。比较两组静脉和动脉再通时间和取栓次数;术前和术后3个月神经功能缺损(CSS)评分、Barthel指数量表(BI)评分、颈动脉最小血流量(Qmin)和最小血流速度(Vmin)变化;以及术后3个月预后情况。结果观察组静脉和动脉再通时间长于对照组(P<0.05),取栓次数少于对照组(P<0.05)。观察组手术前后CSS评分、BI评分的差值大于对照组(P<0.05)。观察组手术前后颈动脉Qmin和Vmin的差值大于对照组(P<0.05)。观察组预后良好率高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论支架联合抽吸取栓术治疗老年颅内大血管急性闭塞疗效较好,可改善患者血流动力血管、神经功能及预后。

Mesenchymal stem cell treatment for peripheral nerve injury:a narrative review

Peripheral nerve injuries occur as the result of sudden trauma and lead to reduced quality of life.The peripheral nervous system has an inherent capability to regenerate axons.However,peripheral nerve regeneration following injury is generally slow and incomplete that results in poor functional outcomes such as muscle atrophy.Although conventional surgical procedures for peripheral nerve injuries present many benefits,there are still several limitations including scarring,difficult accessibility to donor nerve,neuroma formation and a need to sacrifice the autologous nerve.For many years,other therapeutic approaches for peripheral nerve injuries have been explored,the most notable being the replacement of Schwann cells,the glial cells responsible for clearing out debris from the site of injury.Introducing cultured Schwann cells to the injured sites showed great benefits in promoting axonal regeneration and functional recovery.However,there are limited sources of Schwann cells for extraction and difficulties in culturing Schwann cells in vitro.Therefore,novel therapeutic avenues that offer maximum benefits for the treatment of peripheral nerve injuries should be investigated.This review focused on strategies using mesenchymal stem cells to promote peripheral nerve regeneration including exosomes of mesenchymal stem cells,nerve engineering using the nerve guidance conduits containing mesenchymal stem cells,and genetically engineered mesenchymal stem cells.We present the current progress of mesenchymal stem cell treatment of peripheral nerve injuries.

Impressive recompensation in transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt-treated individuals with complications of decompensated cirrhosis based on Baveno VII criteria

BACKGROUND Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)is the standard second-line treatment option for individuals with complications of decompensated cirrhosis,such as variceal bleeding and refractory ascites.AIM To investigate whether recompensation existed in TIPS-treated patients with decompensated cirrhosis according to Baveno VII criteria.METHODS This retrospective analysis was performed on 64 patients who received TIPS for variceal bleeding or refractory ascites.The definition of recompensation referred to Baveno VII criteria and previous study.Clinical events,laboratory tests,and radiological examinations were regularly conducted during a preset follow-up period.The recompensation ratio in this cohort was calculated.Beyond that,univariate and multivariate regression models were conducted to identify the predictors of recompensation.RESULTS Of the 64 patients with a 12-mo follow-up,20(31%)achieved recompensation.Age[odds ratio(OR):1.124;95%confidence interval(CI):1.034-1.222]and postTIPS portal pressure gradient<12 mmHg(OR:0.119;95%CI:0.024-0.584)were identified as independent predictors of recompensation in patients with decompensated cirrhosis after TIPS.CONCLUSION The present study demonstrated that nearly one-third of the TIPS-treated patients achieved recompensation within this cohort.According to our findings,recompensation is more likely to be achieved in younger patients.In addition,postoperative portal pressure gradient reduction below 12 mmHg contributes to the occurrence of recompensation.

Single-cell transcriptome profiling of sepsis identifies HLA-DR^(low)S100A^(high)monocytes with immunosuppressive function

Background Sustained yet intractable immunosuppression is commonly observed in septic patients,resulting in aggravated clinical outcomes.However,due to the substantial heterogeneity within septic patients,precise indicators in deciphering clinical trajectories and immunological alterations for septic patients remain largely lacking.Methods We adopted cross-species,single-cell RNA sequencing(scRNA-seq)analysis based on two published datasets containing circulating immune cell profile of septic patients as well as immune cell atlas of murine model of sepsis.Flow cytometry,laser scanning confocal microscopy(LSCM)imaging and Western blotting were applied to identify the presence of S100A9^(+)monocytes at protein level.To interrogate the immunosuppressive function of this subset,splenic monocytes isolated from septic wild-type or S100a9^(–/–)mice were co-cultured with naive CD4^(+)T cells,followed by proliferative assay.Pharmacological inhibition of S100A9 was implemented using Paquinimod via oral gavage.Results scRNA-seq analysis of human sepsis revealed substantial heterogeneity in monocyte compartments following the onset of sepsis,for which distinct monocyte subsets were enriched in disparate subclusters of septic patients.We identified a unique monocyte subset characterized by high expression of S100A family genes and low expression of human leukocyte antigen DR(HLA-DR),which were prominently enriched in septic patients and might exert immunosuppressive function.By combining single-cell transcriptomics of murine model of sepsis with in vivo experiments,we uncovered a similar subtype of monocyte significantly associated with late sepsis and immunocompromised status of septic mice,corresponding to HLA-DR^(low)S100A^(high)monocytes in human sepsis.Moreover,we found that S100A9^(+)monocytes exhibited profound immunosuppressive function on CD4^(+)T cell immune response and blockade of S100A9 using Paquinimod could partially reverse sepsis-induced immunosuppression.Conclusions This study identifies HLA-DR^(low)S100A^(high)monocytes correlated with immunosuppressive state upon septic challenge,inhibition of which can markedly mitigate sepsis-induced immune depression,thereby providing a novel therapeutic strategy for the management of sepsis.

Adjuvant chemotherapy,p53,carcinoembryonic antigen expression and prognosis after D2 gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma

AIM: To investigate adjuvant chemotherapy, p53 and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) expression and prognosis after D2 gastrectomy for stage II/III gastric adenocarcinoma.

Comparison of clinical laboratory tests between bacterial sepsis and SARS-CoV-2-associated viral sepsis

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that is characterized by multiple organ dysfunction due to abnormal host response to various pathogens,like bacteria,fungi and virus.The differences between viral and bacterial sepsis are indeed of great significance to deepen the understanding of the pathogenesis of sepsis,especially under pandemics of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Spatial and Temporal Evolution of Surface Subsidence in Tianjin from 2015 to 2020 Based on SBAS-InSAR Technology

Tianjin is one of the inland cities with the most severe cases of subsidence hazard in China.The majority of the existing studies have mainly focused on Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei,and little attention has been given to Tianjin.In addition,these existing studies are short-term investigations,lacking long-term monitoring of surface subsidence.In the present study,we use the Small Baseline Subset Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar(SBAS-InSAR)technique to monitor the subsidence process in Tianjin between 2015 and 2020 and reveal its spatial and temporal variation.We divided the 44-view Sentinel-1A image data into three periods to avoid the effect of temporal and spatial decoherence by extracting the surface deformation field in Tianjin.We finally verified the accuracy and reliability of the inversion results using second-order leveling data.Results showed that the correlation coefficient r between the two reached 0.89,and the root mean square error was 4.84 mm/y.Obvious subsidence funnels exist in Tianjin,mainly in the towns of Wangqingtuo and Shengfang.These subsidence funnels have a subsidence deformation rate of-136.2 mm/y and a maximum cumulative settlement of-346.3 mm within the study period.The subsidence area tends to extend to the southwest.The analysis of annual rainfall,groundwater resource extraction,spatial location distribution of industrial areas combined with SBAS-InSAR inversion results indicates that overextraction of groundwater resources is the main cause of land subsidence in the area.Therefore,strict control of groundwater extraction is the main approach to mitigate land subsidence effectively.

Development of septic shock and prognostic assessment in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease outside Wuhan, China

BACKGROUND: The study aims to illustrate the clinical characteristics and development of septic shock in intensive care unit(ICU) patients confirmed with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-Co V-2) infection, and to perform a comprehensive analysis of the association between septic shock and clinical outcomes in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease(COVID-19).METHODS: Patients confirmed with SARS-Co V-2 infection, who were admitted to the ICU of the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen from January 1 to February 7, 2020, were enrolled. Clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared between patients with and without septic shock.RESULTS: In this study, 35 critically ill patients with COVID-19 were included. Among them, the median age was 64 years(interquartile range [IQR] 59-67 years), and 10(28.4%) patients were female. The median ICU length of stay was 16 days(IQR 8-23 days). Three(8.6%) patients died during hospitalization. Nine(25.7%) patients developed septic shock in the ICU, and these patients had a significantly higher incidence of organ dysfunction and a worse prognosis than patients without septic shock.CONCLUSIONS: Septic shock is associated with a poor outcome in critically ill COVID-19 patients and is one of the hallmarks of the severity of patients receiving ICU care. A dysregulated immune response, uncontrolled infl ammation, and coagulation disorders are strongly associated with the development and progression of COVID-19-related septic shock.

Artificial intelligence in small intestinal diseases:Application and prospects

The small intestine is located in the middle of the gastrointestinal tract,so small intestinal diseases are more difficult to diagnose than other gastrointestinal diseases.However,with the extensive application of artificial intelligence in the field of small intestinal diseases,with its efficient learning capacities and computational power,artificial intelligence plays an important role in the auxiliary diagnosis and prognosis prediction based on the capsule endoscopy and other examination methods,which improves the accuracy of diagnosis and prediction and reduces the workload of doctors.In this review,a comprehensive retrieval was performed on articles published up to October 2020 from PubMed and other databases.Thereby the application status of artificial intelligence in small intestinal diseases was systematically introduced,and the challenges and prospects in this field were also analyzed.

车轮对整车气动性能影响的试验与仿真研究

基于某款轿车通过风洞试验研究了5种轮胎和3种轮辋对整车气动性能的影响及其相互作用,并利用PIV(粒子成像测速)对车轮区域的流场进行了测量对比。结果表明,不同花纹轮胎产生的阻力和升力系数差别分别达到了0.003和0.026,且该差别因轮辋造型而异。其次利用图像识别测量了不同轮胎受力旋转时的变形,还原了真实的轮胎几何以进行仿真计算。通过对比仿真计算和试验结果,分析了不同花纹轮胎造成气动性能差异的原因,为车轮的空气动力学开发提供了参考。

基于增强CT深度学习影像组学术前预测胸腺瘤风险分类

目的:探讨基于增强CT深度学习影像组学术前预测胸腺瘤风险分类的价值。方法:收集2015年1月至2023年1月皖南医学院弋矶山医院139例胸腺瘤患者为训练集,池州市人民医院与芜湖市第二人民医院81例患者为外部验证集。其中低风险组(A、AB、B1型)137例、高风险组(B2、B3型)83例。基于CT静脉期图像分别提取手工影像组学(hand-crafted radiomics,HCR)特征与深度学习(deep learning,DL)特征,构建影像组学标签评分(Radscore)。单因素与多因素Logistic回归分析筛选预测胸腺瘤高风险的影像学独立影响因素,利用逻辑回归(Logistic regression,LR)、随机森林(random forest,RF)、决策树(decision tree,DT)及支持向量机(support vector machine,SVM)机器学习建模。选择最佳模型为输出模型,构建模型列线图、校准曲线及临床决策曲线(decision curve analysis,DCA)。受试者工作特征(receiver operating characteristics,ROC)曲线下面积(area under the curve,AUC)及净重新分类指数(net reclassification index,NRI)用于评估模型效能。结果:LR、RF、DT及SVM构建预测模型的AUC分别为训练集0.899、0.835、0.897、0.860,外部验证集0.889、0.830、0.905、0.858。由于训练集LR模型效能最佳,作为本研究输出模型,校准曲线及DCA表明模型具有较高的校准度及临床适用性。列线图与Radscore比较效能有改善,NRI训练集为7.5%(P=0.007),外部验证集为5.3%(P=0.020)。结论:基于增强CT深度学习影像组学术前实现了胸腺瘤准确风险分类,列线图能够提供个性化预测结果。

Wild type transthyretin amyloidosis,a reason not to be forgotten for heart failure of preserved ejection fraction in the elderly

Amyloidosis is a multisystem disease that is characterized by deposition of fibrils in extracellular tissue,which mainly involves the kidney,heart,and autonomic nervous system.Two types of amyloidosis typically infiltrate the heart,including immunoglobulin light-chain(AL)and amyloid transthyretin(ATTR).ATTR is further subdivided into wild-type ATTR and variant ATTR caused by point mutations in the TTR gene.[1]Wild-type ATTR is considered as not uncommon in older patients with heart failure.Recently,a comprehensive set of consensus recommendations for the suspicion and diagnosis of ATTR was published,with particular focus on the combined application of noninvasive methods.[2]We present here a case of wild-type TTR cardiac amyloidosis(ATTRwt-CA),which was diagnosed by noninvasive modalities,and provide an overview of the recommended diagnostic approach of CA.Furthermore,to the best of our knowledge,this is the first Chinese case of ATTRwt-CA reported to date.

Study on Anti-infection Effect of Polysaccharide from Agaricus blazei Murrill on Mice

In order to study the anti-infection effect of phoshporylated Agaricus blazei polysaccharide on mice, mice were drenched phoshporylated A. blazei polysaccharide for 14 d, and an A. blazei polysaccharide control group and a blank control group were also set. The mice in all the three groups were infected with Escherichia coli on the 15 th day and the 29 th day of the experiment, the body weight of the mice in each group was recorded, as well as the spleen index on the 29 th day of infection and the 36 th day of the experiment, and the anti- E. coli titer in serum was also detected. The results showed that phoshporylated A. blazei polysaccharide could promote and maintain the development of spleen, and improve the immune response of organisms, thereby resisting bacterial infection. Furthermore, phoshporylated A. blazei polysaccharide has better immunoregulation and anti-infection effects than A. blazei polysaccharide, and could play an important role in veterinary clinical treatment and prevention and control of diseases as a immunologic adjuvant or immunopotentiator.

High Level of Ubiquitin Conjugate Enzyme E2O Indicates Poor Prognosis of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Objective Ubiquitin conjugate enzyme E2O(UBE2O)is a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme that has been reported to be involved in tumorigenesis.This study investigated the role of UBE2O in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods The expression of UBE2O was detected using qRT-PCR,Western blotting,and immunohistochemical staining.Cell proliferation and Transwell assays were used to detect proliferation,migration,and invasion of HCC cells,respectively.Bioinformatic analysis was performed to analyze the relationship between UBE2O and the clinical features,prognosis,and immune cell infiltration of HCC.Results UBE2O was significantly over-expressed in HCC tissues.High expression of UBE2O was associated with poor tumor grade and poor prognosis.Functional experiments showed that down-regulation of UBE2O inhibited HCC cell proliferation,migration,and invasion.Co-expression gene analysis and gene set enrichment analysis showed that UBE2O was associated with protein hydrolysis,cell cycle,and cancer-related pathways in HCC.The results of immune analysis revealed that the expression of UBE2O was positively correlated with the immune infiltration and expression of immune-related chemokines of HCC.Conclusions UBE2O is significantly correlated with the prognosis of HCC and may be a valuable prognostic biomarker for HCC.