Suppression of multi-pulse formation in all-polarization-maintaining figure-9 erbium-doped fiber mode-locked laser

We report on a novel architecture to suppress the multi-pulse formation in an all-polarization-maintaining figure-9 erbium-doped fiber laser under high pump power. A 2×2 fiber coupler is introduced into the phase-biased nonlinear amplifying loop mirror to extract part of intracavity laser power as a laser output, and the dependence of output couple ratio of fiber coupler on the mode-locking state is experimentally investigated. The intracavity nonlinear effect is mitigated by lowering the intracavity laser power, which is conducive to avoiding the multi-pulse formation. In the meantime, the loss-imbalance induced by fiber coupler is helpful in improving the self-starting ability. With the proposed laser structure,the multiple pulse formation can be suppressed and high power single pulse train can be obtained. The laser emits three pulse trains which is convenient for some applications. Finally, the output power values of three ports are 5.3 m W, 51.3 m W,and 13.2 m W, respectively. The total single pulse output power is 69.8 m W, which is more than 10 times the result without OC2. The total slope efficiency is about 10.1%. The repetition rate of three pulse trains is 21.17 MHz, and the pulse widths are 2.8 ps, 2.63 ps, and 6.66 ps, respectively.

Effects of pricking blood therapy at meridian sinews on upper limb spasm of post-stroke patients

Objective:To observe effects of pricking blood therapy at meridian sinews on upper limb spasm of poststroke patients.Methods:A total of 72 patients with post-stroke upper limb spasm were randomly divided into a comprehensive group of pricking blood therapy at meridian sinews with rehabilitation training(comprehensive group)and the simple rehabilitation training group(rehabilitation group),and there were 36 patients in each group.On the basis of routine therapy,the patients of the two groups received rehabilitation therapy for 6 consecutive days and 1-day rest,for 4 weeks in total.On the above basis,the patients in the comprehensive group received pricking blood therapy at meridian sinews,once every other day,3 times per week,for 4 weeks in total.Before treatment,after the first treatment,and after 4-week treatment,the patients were observed for changes of upper limb spasticity(Modified Ashworth Scale,MAS),upper limb movement function(Fugl-Meyer Assessment,FMA),activity of daily living(Modified Barthel Index,MBI),and biceps and triceps integrated electromyogram(IEMG)values were observed as well as the therapeutic effects.Results:(1)After the first treatment,there were statistically significant differences of the MAS scale grades in patients of the two groups(P<0.05).The FMA scores in the comprehensive group were increased than that before treatment(P<0.05),and the MBI scores of the two groups were increased than those before treatment(both P<0.05).The FMA and MBI scores in the comprehensive group were higher than those of the rehabilitation group(both P<0.05).The biceps and triceps IEMG values were not improved than those before treatment(all P>0.05).(2)After 4-week treatment,there were statistically significant differences of MAS grades in patients of the two groups(P<0.05).The FMA and MBI scores in the two groups were increased than those before treatment(all P<0.05),and the FMA and MBI scores in the comprehensive group were higher than those in the rehabilitation group(both P<0.05).Through comparison of the differences of FMA and MBI scores of the two groups,the difference values in the comprehensive group were higher than those of the rehabilitation group(both P<0.05).The biceps and triceps IEMG values in the two groups were decreased than those before treatment(all P<0.05),and those in the comprehensive group were lower than those in the rehabilitation group(both P<0.05).The biceps and triceps IEMG values in patients of the comprehensive group were higher than those before treatment(both P<0.05).(3)After 4-week treatment,the total effective rate in the comprehensive group was 83.3%(30/36),and that was 58.3%(21/36)in the rehabilitation group.The total effective rate in the comprehensive group was higher than that in the rehabilitation group(P<0.05).Conclusions:The pricking blood therapy at meridian sinews can release affected upper limb flexor muscle spasticity and movement function of the patients with post-stroke upper limb spasm,decrease biceps IEMG values of the affected side,and improve activities of daily living.

Combination of acupuncture with rehabilitation training for pseudobulbar paralysis after stroke:A randomized controlled trial

Objective:To compare the clinical effects of needling at "five acupoints for swallow function" combined with rehabilitation training and only rehabilitation training in the treatment of dysphagia due to pseudobulbar paralysis after stroke.Methods:Seventy-six patients were randomized into rehabilitation group and combination group,with 38 cases in each.Both groups were treated with basic treatment of western medicine.The rehabilitation group was treated with routine rehabilitation training,and the combination group was treated with acupuncture at "five acupoints for swallow function" based on treatment in the rehabilitation group.Patients in the two groups were treated once a day,6 days a week,1 day for rest,for 3 weeks in succession.The changes in the grades and scores of water swallow test(WST),video fluoroscopic swallowing study(VFSS),and swallowing quality of life questionnaire(SWAL-QOL) in the two groups were observed before and after treatment,and the clinical effects of the two groups were compared.Results:After treatment,the WST grades of the two groups were statistically different from that of before treatment(both P<0.05),and the WST grade of the combination group was statistically different from that of the rehabilitation group(P<0.05).After treatment,the VFSS and SWAL-QOL scores of the two groups were increased in comparing with those of before treatment(all P <0.05),and the VFSS and SWAL-QOL scores of the combination group were higher than those of the rehabilitation group(both P <0.05).The total effective rate of the combination group was 92.1%(35/38),higher than 60.1%(23/38) of the rehabilitation group.Conclusion:The acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training for pseudobulbar paralysis after stroke is more effective than rehabilitation training only.The combination of the two can significantly relieve the dysphagia and improve the patients' quality of life.

Elaiophylin triggers paraptosis and preferentially kills ovarian cancer drug-resistant cells by inducing MAPK hyperactivation

Finely tuned mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)signaling is important for cancer cell survival.Perturbations that push cells out of the MAPK fitness zone result in cell death.Previously,in a screen of the North China Pharmaceutical Group Corporation’s pure compound library of microbial origin,we identified elaiophylin as an autophagy inhibitor.Here,we demonstrated a new role for elaiophylin in inducing excessive endoplasmic reticulum(ER)stress,ER-derived cytoplasmic vacuolization,and consequent paraptosis by hyperactivating the MAPK pathway in multiple cancer cells.Genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 knockout library screening identified SHP2,an upstream intermediary of the MAPK pathway,as a critical target in elaiophylin-induced paraptosis.The cellular thermal shift assay(CETSA)and surface plasmon resonance(SPR)assay further confirmed the direct binding between the SHP2 and elaiophylin.Inhibition of the SHP2/SOS1/MAPK pathway through SHP2 knockdown or pharmacological inhibitors distinctly attenuated elaiophylin-induced paraptosis and autophagy inhibition.Interestingly,elaiophylin markedly increased the alreadyelevated MAPK levels and preferentially killed drug-resistant cells with enhanced basal MAPK levels.Elaiophylin overcame drug resistance by triggering paraptosis in multiple tumor-bearing mouse models resistant to platinum,taxane,or PARPi,suggesting that elaiophylin might offer a reasonable therapeutic strategy for refractory ovarian cancer.

Investigating the stress corrosion cracking of a biodegradable Zn-0.8 wt%Li alloy in simulated body fluid

Stress corrosion cracking(SCC)may lead to brittle,unexpected failure of medical devices.However,available researches are limited to Mg-based biodegradable metals(BM)and pure Zn.The stress corrosion behaviors of newly-developed Zn alloys remain unclear.In the present work,we conducted slow strain rate testing(SSRT)and constant-load immersion test on a promising Zn-0.8 wt%Li alloy in order to investigate its SCC susceptibility and examine its feasibility as BM with pure Zn as control group.We observed that Zn-0.8 wt%Li alloy exhibited low SCC susceptibility.This was attributed to variations in microstructure and deformation mechanism after alloying with Li.In addition,both pure Zn and Zn-0.8 wt%Li alloy did not fracture over a period of 28 days during constant-load immersion test.The magnitude of applied stress was close to physiological condition and thus,we proved the feasibility of both materials as BM.

Effects of B addition on glass forming ability and thermal behavior of FePC-based bulk metallic glasses

The FePC-based bulk metallic glasses（BMGs）have been demonstrated to possess high plasticity and good soft magnetic properties.However,the relatively poor glass forming ability（GFA）and thermal stabilities limited their application in industries.The effects of microalloying with B in FePC-based BMGs on the GFA and thermal behaviors were systematically investigated.It was found that a small amount of B addition can dramatically enhance the GFA of FePC-based BMGs,which in turn leads to the critical maximum diameter up to 2 mm for full glass formation even using low cost raw materials.The underlying mechanism of the enhancement of GFA from the competing crystalline phase with amorphous phase,the average thermal expansion coefficient and dynamic viscosity were discussed in detail.