Current research on alexithymia in elderly people in nursing institutions: a scoping review

To describe and analyze the research status of alexithymia in elderly people in nursing institutions,and summarizes the existing research results and shortcomings.The literature in PubMed,CochraneLibrary,Web of Science,EBSCO,Proquest,Scopus,Sinomed,CNKI,WanFang,VIP was computer searched,and the time frame was build to October 30,2023.A total of 15 articles were included,comprising 10 in Chinese and 5 in English.Among them,14 articles were cross-sectional studies reporting the prevalence and influencing factors of communication disorders in elderly people residing in nursing homes.A total of three assessment tools were used.Additionally,three articles described preventive or intervention measures targeting alexithymia.Alexithymia has a high incidence and severity among elderly individuals in nursing institutions.Currently,there are only a few assessment tools available,and experimental studies are notably scarce.Future research should focus on enhancing the understanding of alexithymia in this population by developing and validating more comprehensive assessment tools,diversifying research methodologies,and conducting intervention studies that consider the various influencing factors.

Optical coherence tomography enhanced depth imaging of chorioretinal folds in patients with orbital tumors

AIM:To characterize spectral-domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT)features of chorioretinal folds in orbital mass imaged using enhanced depth imaging(EDI).METHODS:Prospective observational case-control study was conducted in 20 eyes of 20 patients,the uninvolved eye served as a control.All the patients underwent clinical fundus photography,computed tomography,EDI SDOCT imaging before and after surgery.Two patients with cavernous hemangiomas underwent intratumoral injection of bleomycin A5;the remaining patients underwent tumor excision.Patients were followed 1 to 14mo following surgery(average follow up,5.8mo).RESULTS:Visual acuity prior to surgery ranged from 20/20 to 20/200.Following surgery,5 patients’visual acuity remained unchanged while the remaining 15 patients had a mean letter improvement of 10(range 4 to 26 letters).Photoreceptor inner/outer segment defects were found in 10 of 15 patients prior to surgery.Following surgical excision,photoreceptor inner/outer segment defects fully resolved in 8 of these 10 patients.CONCLUSION:Persistence of photoreceptor inner/outer segment defects caused by compression of the globe by an orbital mass can be associated with reduced visual prognosis.Our findings suggest that photoreceptor inner/outer segment defects on EDI SD-OCT could be an indicator for immediate surgical excision of an orbital mass causing choroidal compression.

Reactive molecular dynamics insight into the thermal decomposition mechanism of 2,6-Bis(picrylamino)-3,5-dinitropyridine

2,6-bis(picrylamino)-3,5-dinitropyridine(PYX)has excellent thermostability,which makes its thermal decomposition mechanism receive much attention.In this paper,the mechanism of PYX thermal decomposition was investigated thoroughly by the ReaxFF-lg force field combined with DFT-B3LYP(6-311++G)method.The detailed decomposition mechanism,small-molecule product evolution,and cluster evolution of PYX were mainly analyzed.In the initial stage of decomposition,the intramolecular hydrogen transfer reaction and the formation of dimerized clusters are earlier than the denitration reaction.With the progress of the reaction,one side of the bitter amino group is removed from the pyridine ring,and then the pyridine ring is cleaved.The final products produced in the thermal decomposition process are CO_(2),H_(2)O,N_(2),and H_(2).Among them,H_(2)O has the earliest generation time,and the reaction rate constant(k_(3))is the largest.Many clusters are formed during the decomposition of PYX,and the formation,aggregation,and decomposition of these clusters are strongly affected by temperature.At low temperatures(2500 K-2750 K),many clusters are formed.At high temperatures(2750 K-3250 K),the clusters aggregate to form larger clusters.At 3500 K,the large clusters decompose and become small.In the late stage of the reaction,H and N in the clusters escaped almost entirely,but more O was trapped in the clusters,which affected the auto-oxidation process of PYX.PYX's initial decomposition activation energy(E_(a))was calculated to be 126.58 kJ/mol.This work contributes to a theoretical understanding of PYX's entire thermal decomposition process.

AP assembled on ultrafine aluminum particle and its application to NEPE propellant

Coating modification is an important way to enhance the reactivity of aluminum powder.In this paper,ammonium perchlorate and aluminum powder were assembled into energetic microunits by liquid deposition method.Spherical particles with AP as shell and ultrafine aluminum powder as the core(Al@AP)were gained.The micromorphology results show that the coated particles are about 5μm,and the coating layer is evenly distributed on the outer surface of aluminum powder,indicating a complete coating.The energetic microunits were implanted into the nitrate ester plasticizing adhesive system(NEPE)as solid phase fillers.The effect of filler on the rheological properties,safety,mechanical properties,thermal reaction and energy properties of the system was analyzed by comparing with the raw aluminum filler.The test results show that the rheological properties,mechanical properties and pressure index of NEPE containing system Al@AP meets the requirements of solid propellant charging.Compared with Al based propellant,the mechanical sensitivity and thermal sensitivity are decreased,the safety is better,and the explosion heat of the propellant is increased by 7.8%.The engine test shows that the specific impulse is increased by 1.2 s.Al@AP can improve the energy output and safety of NEPE propellant,and has potential application prospects in high-energy propellants.

Coping review of dementia fear studies among middle-aged and elderly people in the community

This study used Arksey and O’Malley’s scoping review methodology as a framework and searched the following databases:PubMed,Embase,EBSCO,CINAHL,Web of Science,Cochrane Library,Scopus,CNKI,Wanfang,VIP,and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database.The database is open to December 20,2023,and documents related to the fear of dementia among the elderly in the community are described and analyzed to provide a reference for future research in this field.At the same time,we screened,extracted,and summarized relevant information from 21 included documents(16 in English and 5 in Chinese),which consisted of 16 cross-sectional studies,2 quasi-experimental studies,2 randomized controlled studies,and 1 longitudinal study.Sixteen of the included documents mentioned the incidence or level of dementia fear among the elderly in the community,2 addressed the adverse effects of dementia fear,and 4 reported prevention and intervention measures for dementia fear.In total,there are 8 assessment tools,and the influencing factors are categorized into sociodemographic characteristics,psychological and behavioral characteristics,sociocultural background factors,and health and dementia-related factors.The final conclusion is that the fear of dementia is common among the elderly in the community.In the future,the application of research tools should be expanded among middle-aged individuals,with considerations for other types of dementia in mind.It is recommended to conduct large-scale,multi-center randomized controlled trials while confirming the intervention’s effect on different types of middle-aged and elderly individuals,focusing on the long-term impact of these intervention measures to promote healthy aging.

Status and implications of scoping reviews in Chinese nursing research

This article examines the current status,research methodologies,and content of scoping review studies conducted by Chinese nursing scholars.Through comprehensive computer searches in nine Chinese and English databases,a total of 204 scoping review articles authored by Chinese nursing scholars were identified.The application of scoping reviews is still in its early developmental stages,with the number of studies increasing rapidly each year,primarily focusing on clinical nursing practice.While awareness of evidence-based practices among nursing researchers has improved,challenges related to research methodology and reporting quality persist.Therefore,nursing researchers should enhance their knowledge and strictly adhere to established reporting standards and methodological frameworks for scoping reviews to elevate the quality of nursing research.

Total ischemic time and outcomes for patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction： does time of admission make a difference？

Objective To investigate whether admission time was associated with the delay of reperfusion therapy and in-hospital death in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction （STEMI）. Methods All patients with STEMI who were admitted to the emergency depart- ment and underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention at Peking University People＇s Hospital between April 2012 and March 2015 were included. We examined differences in clinical characteristics, total ischemic time, and in-hospital death between patients admitted during off-hours and those admitted during regular hours. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the relationship between off-hours admission and clinical outcome. Results The sample comprised 184 and 105 patients with STEMI admitted to hospital during off-hours and regular hours, respectively. Total ischemic and onset-to-door times were significantly shorter in patients admitted during off-hours than among those admitted during regular hours （all P 〈 0.05）. Door-to-balloon （DTB） time, the rate of DTB time 〈 90 min, and in-hospital death were comparable between groups. Multivariate logistic regression showed that age and creatinine level, but not off-hours admission, were associated independently with increased in-hospital death. Conclusions Off-hours admission did not result in delayed reperfusion therapy or increased in-hospital mortality in patients with STEMI. Further efforts should focus on identifying pivotal factors associated with the pre-hospital and in-hospital delay of reperfusion therapy, and implementing quality improvement initiatives for reperfusion programs.

Estimating energy release performance of oxidizer-activated aluminum fuel particles under ultrafast stimulus

Aluminum(Al) particles are good fuel additives to improve the energy output performances of explosives. Under detonation environment, reaction delay of Al particles plays a key role in the energy release efficiency. Up to date, reaction delay of Al particles is still limited by the efficiency of mass and heat transfer from oxidizers to Al particles. To address this issue, a homogeneous fuel-oxidizer assembly has recently become a promising strategy. In this work, oxidizer-activated Al fuel particles(ALG) were prepared with glycidyl azide polymer(GAP) as the oxidizer. The ALG was in uniform spherical shape and core-shell structure with shell layer of around 5 nm which was observed by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. The localized nanoscale mid-IR measurement detected the uniform distribution of characteristic absorption bond of GAP in the shell layer which confirmed the homogenous fuel-oxidizer structure of ALG. A thermal gravimetric analysis of ALG at ultrafast heating rate of 1000℃/min under argon atmosphere was conducted. The decomposition of GAP finished much earlier than that of GAP at heating rate of 10℃/min. Under ultrafast high laser fluence, the reaction response of ALG was characterized and compared with that of micro-sized Al(μAl). With the increase of laser energy, the propagation distance of the shock wave increased. However, the velocity histories were nearly the same when energies were lower than 299 mJ or higher than 706 mJ. The propagation distance of the shock wave for ALG was 0.5 mm larger than that for μAl at 2.1 μs. The underwater explosion showed the peak pressure and the shock wave energy of the ALG-based explosive were both higher than those of the μAl-based explosive at 2.5 m. This study shows the feasibility to improve the energy release of Al-based explosives via using the oxidizer-activated Al fuel particles with energetic polymer as the oxidizer.

Integral imaging-based tabletop light field 3D display with large viewing angle

Light field 3D display technology is considered a revolutionary technology to address the critical visual fatigue issues in the existing 3D displays.Tabletop light field 3D display provides a brand-new display form that satisfies multi-user shared viewing and collaborative works,and it is poised to become a potential alternative to the traditional wall and portable display forms.However,a large radial viewing angle and correct radial perspective and parallax are still out of reach for most current tabletop light field 3D displays due to the limited amount of spatial information.To address the viewing angle and perspective issues,a novel integral imaging-based tabletop light field 3D display with a simple flat-panel structure is proposed and developed by applying a compound lens array,two spliced 8K liquid crystal display panels,and a light shaping diffuser screen.The compound lens array is designed to be composed of multiple three-piece compound lens units by employing a reverse design scheme,which greatly extends the radial viewing angle in the case of a limited amount of spatial information and balances other important 3D display parameters.The proposed display has a radial viewing angle of 68.7°in a large display size of 43.5 inches,which is larger than the conventional tabletop light field 3D displays.The radial perspective and parallax are correct,and high-resolution 3D images can be reproduced in large radial viewing positions.We envision that this proposed display opens up possibility for redefining the display forms of consumer electronics.

Data-driven source-load robust optimal scheduling of integrated energy production unit including hydrogen energy coupling

A robust low-carbon economic optimal scheduling method that considers source-load uncertainty and hydrogen energy utilization is developed.The proposed method overcomes the challenge of source-load random fluctuations in integrated energy systems(IESs)in the operation scheduling problem of integrated energy production units(IEPUs).First,to solve the problem of inaccurate prediction of renewable energy output,an improved robust kernel density estimation method is proposed to construct a data-driven uncertainty output set of renewable energy sources statistically and build a typical scenario of load uncertainty using stochastic scenario reduction.Subsequently,to resolve the problem of insufficient utilization of hydrogen energy in existing IEPUs,a robust low-carbon economic optimal scheduling model of the source-load interaction of an IES with a hydrogen energy system is established.The system considers the further utilization of energy using hydrogen energy coupling equipment(such as hydrogen storage devices and fuel cells)and the comprehensive demand response of load-side schedulable resources.The simulation results show that the proposed robust stochastic optimization model driven by data can effectively reduce carbon dioxide emissions,improve the source-load interaction of the IES,realize the efficient use of hydrogen energy,and improve system robustness.

腹腔化疗港在胃癌腹膜转移中应用的安全性分析

目的:腹腔化疗可将药物直接作用于腹膜转移病灶,正逐渐被应用于胃癌腹膜转移的治疗。通过腹腔化疗港可反复多次进行腹腔化疗,而化疗港的顺利使用是腹腔化疗持续进行的关键。本研究将探讨在胃癌腹膜转移患者留置腹腔化疗港的安全性。方法:回顾性分析2015年6月至2018年6月于北京大学肿瘤医院行腹腔化疗港留置术患者的临床资料,分析腹腔化疗港在胃癌腹膜转移中应用的过程、注意事项及安全性,探讨并发症发生原因及预防处理方式。结果:共有54例患者植入55个化疗港,平均使用时间为8.4(0.8～32.0)个月,共13例出现并发症(23.6%),发生率从高到低依次为堵塞(7.3%)、严重疼痛(5.5%)、感染(3.6%)、反流(3.6%)、置针困难(1.8%)及皮下硬结(1.8%)。并发症发生的中位时间为化疗港放置后2.1个月。分析未发现与并发症相关的高危因素(P>0.05)。结论:通过规范与细致的操作,腹腔化疗港在胃癌腹膜转移中的应用安全可行。

同时性多发早期胃癌的临床特征及主次病灶之间的相关性分析

目的探究同时性多发早期胃癌(SMEGC)的临床病理学特征以及主要病灶与次要病灶之间的相关性。方法回顾性研究2016年1月-2019年4月在宁波市医疗中心李惠利医院经内镜黏膜下剥离术(ESD)治疗的305例早期胃癌患者的病历资料,收集患者的年龄、性别、肿瘤宏观形态、位置、直径、有无溃疡、表面有无发红、组织病理学类型和浸润深度等情况,分析SMEGC与单发早期胃癌的临床病理特征的差异以及主次病灶之间的相关性。结果所有早期胃癌患者中,25例(8.2%)为SMEGC,280例(91.8%)为单发早期胃癌;SMEGC患者年龄>60岁的比例(76.0%,19/25)高于单发早期胃癌(52.9%,148/280);肿瘤直径≤2.00 cm的比例(68.0%,17/25)高于单发早期胃癌(46.1%,129/280),差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。两组患者性别、肿瘤宏观形态、位置、有无溃疡、表面有无发红、组织病理学类型、浸润深度差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。SMEGC主要病灶直径明显大于次要病灶,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。而主次病灶的肿瘤宏观形态、位置、有无溃疡、表面有无发红、组织病理学类型和浸润深度差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论SMEGC的预测危险因素是60岁以上的患者、直径不超过2.00 cm的肿瘤,主次病灶的临床病理特征相似,包含这些因素的早期胃癌患者应该进行更仔细的内镜检查,注意主次病灶间的相关性,提高SMEGC的检出率。

经骶前间隙双套管持续负压冲洗法在60岁以上老年腹腔镜超低位直肠癌根治保肛术后吻合口瘘中的应用

背景超低位直肠癌是指肿瘤下缘距离齿状线<5 cm的直肠癌,多由遗传、饮食、大肠慢性炎症等诸多因素所致.手术是治疗直肠癌的主要方法,虽可有效控制病情恶化,切除病变组织,但术后易出现吻合口瘘等并发症发生,不利于预后,甚至威胁患者生命健康,而老年患者术后吻合口瘘的防治更是临床的重点及难点.目的评估经骶前间隙双套管持续负压冲洗法在60岁以上老年腹腔镜超低位直肠癌根治保肛术后吻合口瘘中的应用效果.方法选择2018-11/2020-10就诊于本院的118例老年腹腔镜超低位直肠癌根治保肛术后吻合口瘘患者,根据入院顺序进行编号,采用电脑随机数字表法分为两组,对照组(59例)实施单腔引流管法,试验组(59例)接受经骶前间隙双套管持续负压冲洗法.对比两组疗效、各项指征恢复时间、术后功能、炎症因子.结果试验组治疗总有效率(98.31%)比对照组(84.75%)高,拔管时间、体温恢复正常时间、愈合时间、下腹部胀痛消失时间及住院时间均比对照组短(P<0.05);试验组治疗2 wk后视觉模拟评估量表评分比对照组低,肉芽生长等级及EORTC生命质量测定量表评分比对照组高(P<0.05);试验组治疗2 wk后白细胞计数、血沉、C反应蛋白、降钙素原水平比对照组低,血管内皮生长因子水平比对照组高(P<0.05).结论经骶前间隙双套管持续负压冲洗法治疗老年腹腔镜超低位直肠癌根治保肛术后吻合口瘘的效果显著,可快速缓解临床症状,促进新鲜肉芽生长,抑制炎症因子释放,改善生活质量.

结直肠癌患者门静脉血TXA2、VEGF、CEA水平变化对手术预后的预测价值

背景结直肠癌(colorectal cancer,CRC)是国内外发病率和死亡率均靠前的恶性肿瘤,是世界性的重大公共卫生问题,它排在新诊断癌症的第三位,也是第四位癌症致死原因.积极探索一种结直肠癌术后肝转移的有效预测指标是目前研究重点与难点,若能通过某种方法早期检测出肝脏内肿瘤细胞的微转移,并采取有效的干预和综合治疗,这将会极大的改善结直肠癌患者预后.目的探讨CRC患者门静脉血血栓素A2(thromboxane A2,TXA2)、血管内皮生长因子(vascular endothelial growth factor,VEGF)、癌胚抗原(carcino embryonic antigen,CEA)水平变化对手术预后的预测价值.方法选取2017-05/2019-11我院112例CRC手术患者,根据术后6 mo有无肝转移分为观察组(肝转移,n=21)与对照组(无肝转移,n=91).比较两组临床资料、门静脉血TXA2、VEGF、CEA水平,分析CRC患者术后肝转移影响因素,评估门静脉血各指标水平与临床病理参数的相关性、对CRC患者术后肝转移的预测价值及与预后的关联性.结果门静脉血TXA2、VEGF、CEA水平:观察组>对照组(P<0.05);年龄、病灶大小、组织学分级、T分期、区域淋巴结转移、脉管瘤栓、手术方式、辅助化疗、门静脉血TXA2、VEGF、CEA水平均为CRC患者术后肝转移影响因素(P<0.05);CRC术后肝转移患者门静脉血TXA2、VEGF、CEA水平与年龄、病灶大小、T分期、区域淋巴结转移及脉管瘤栓呈正相关关系,与组织学分级呈负相关关系(P<0.05);门静脉血TXA2、VEGF、CEA水平联合预测CRC患者术后肝转移AUC最大,为0.929;结直肠癌患者门静脉血TXA2、VEGF、CEA高水平患者与低水平患者术后生存率相比,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05).结论门静脉血TXA2、VEGF、CEA水平高表达可能参与CRC术后肝转移过程,上述指标联合检测可为临床预测CRC术后肝转移与预后提供数据支持.

Prognostic value of systemic immune.inflammation index in patients with gastric cancer

Background:Inflammation-based indexes have been used to predict survival and recurrence in cancer patients.Systemic immune-inflammation index(Sll) was reported to be associated with prognosis in some malignant tumors.In the present study,we aimed to explore the association between Sll and the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed data from 444 gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between January 1994 and December 2005.Preoperative Sll was calculated.The Chi square test or Fisher's exact test was used to determine the relationship between preoperative Sll and clinicopathologic characteristics.Overall survival(OS) rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method,and the effect of Sll on OS was analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were used to compare the predictive ability of Sll,NLR,and PLR.Results:Sll equal to or higher than 660 was significantly associated with old age,large tumor size,unfavorable Borrmann classification,advanced tumor invasion,lymph node metastasis,distant metastasis,advanced TNM stage,and high carcino-embryonic antigen level,high neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio,and high platelet-lymphocyte ratio(all P<0.05).High Sll was significantly associated with unfavorable prognosis(P<0.001) and Sll was an independent predictor for OS(P=0.015).Subgroups analysis further showed significant associations between high Sll and short OS in stage Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ subgroups(all P<0.05).Sll was superior to NLR and PLR for predicting OS in patients with gastric cancer.Conclusion:Preoperative Sll level is an independent prognostic factor for OS in patients with gastric cancer.

Circular RNA PIP5K1A promotes colon cancer development through inhibiting mi R-1273a

BACKGROUND Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are considered to be highly stable due to the closed structure, which are predominately correlated with the development and progression of a wide variety of cancers. Colon cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. A recent study demonstrated the upregulated expression of circPIP5K1A in non-small cell lung cancer. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between circ_0014130 level and colon cancer. Therefore, elucidating the underlying mechanisms of circPIP5K1A’s role may help with the identification of novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets for colon cancer. AIM To investigate the status of circPIP5K1A in colon cancers and its effects on the modulation of cancer development. METHODS The expression level of circPIP5K1A in tissue and serum samples from colon cancer patients, as well as human colonic cancer cell lines was detected by realtime quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Following the transfection of specifically synthesized small interfering RNA (siRNA) into colon cell lines, we used Hoechst staining assay to measure the ratio of cell death in the absence of circPIP5K1A. Moreover, we also used the Transwell assay to assess the migratory function of colon cells overexpressing circPIP5K1A. Additionally, we employed a series of bioinformatics prediction programs to predict the potential of circPIP5K1A-targeted miRNAs and mRNAs. The miR-1273a vector was constructed, and then transfected with or without circPIP5K1A vector into colon cancer cells. Afterwards, the expression of activator protein 1 (AP-1), interferon regulating factor 4 (IRF-4), caudal type homeobox 2 (CDX-2), and zinc finger of the cerebellum 1 (Zic-1) was detected by western blotting. RESULTS CircPIP5K1A was significantly upregulated in colon cancer tissue relative to their adjacent normal tissues. Knockdown of circPIP5K1A in colon cancer cells impaired cell viability and suppressed cell invasion and migration, while enforced expression of circPIP5K1A exhibited the opposite effects on cell migration. Bioinformatics prediction program predicted that the association of circPIP5K1A with miR-1273a, as well as AP-1, IRF-4, CDX-2, and Zic-1. Subsequent studies showed that overexpression of circPIP5K1A augmented the expression of AP-1 but attenuated the expression of IRF-4, CDX-2, and Zic-1. Reciprocally, overexpression of miR-1273a abrogated the oncogenic function of circPIP5K1A in colon cancers. CONCLUSION Overall, our data demonstrate the oncogenic role of circPIP5K1A-miR-1273a axis in regulation of colon cancer development, which provides a novel insights into colon cancer pathogenesis.

Role of exosomes in the pathogenesis of inflammation in Parkinson’s disease

Inflammatory responses,including glial cell activation and peripheral immune cell infiltration,are involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease(PD).These inflammatory responses appear to be closely related to the release of extracellular vesicles,such as exosomes.However,the relationships among different forms of glial cell activation,synuclein dysregulation,mitochondrial dysfunction,and exosomes are complicated.This review discusses the multiple roles played by exosomes in PD-associated inflammation and concludes that exosomes can transport toxicα-synuclein oligomers to immature neurons and into the extracellular environment,inducing the oligomerization ofα-synuclein in normal neurons.Misfoldedα-synuclein causes microglia and astrocytes to activate and secrete exosomes.Glial cell-derived exosomes participate in communications between glial cells and neurons,triggering anti-stress and anti-inflammatory responses,in addition to axon growth.The production and release of mitochondrial vesicles and exosomes establish a new mechanism for linking mitochondrial dysfunction to systemic inflammation associated with PD.Given the relevance of exosomes as mediators of neuron-glia communication in neuroinflammation and neuropathogenesis,new targeted treatment strategies are currently being developed that use these types of extracellular vesicles as drug carriers.Exosome-mediated inflammation may be a promising target for intervention in PD patients.

Characteristics of elevated cardiac troponin I in patients with acute ischemic stroke

Objective To study prognostic characteristics of cardiac troponin I （cTnI） elevation in acute ischemic stroke. Methods We retrospectively studied patients （n = 248） with acute ischemic stroke, acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, and acute non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction who were treated between January 2013 and October 2015. Baseline demographic data and changes in cTnI levels among these three groups were compared. Patients with acute ischemic stroke were assigned to either the cTnI elevation group （cTnI 〉 0.034 ng/mL） or the no cTnI elevation group （cTnI ≤ 0.034 ng/mL）. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors associated with elevated serum cTnI in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Moreover, the duration of hospital stay and incidence of major cardiovascular outcomes were compared in patients with acute ischemic stroke, with or without elevated cTnI. Results In this study population of patients with acute ischemic stroke （n = 178）, acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction （n = 35）, and acute non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction （n = 35）, patients with acute ischemic stroke with elevated cTnI comprised 18.54% of subjects. Patients with elevated cTnI were older and more likely to have a history of hypertension. In addition, these patients had higher levels of inflammatory markers, reduced renal functions, increased D-dimer levels, higher NIH stroke scores, and lower left ventricular ejection fractions. Logistic regression analysis showed that both percentage of neutrophil and NIH stroke scores were elevated; estimated glomerular filtration rate and left ventricular ejection fraction were decreased in patients with acute ischemic stroke who had elevated cTnI, and they had more frequent major cardiovascular events during hospital stay. Conclusion Elevated cTnI detected in patients with acute ischemic stroke, indicated a greater likelihood of poor short-term prognosis during hospital stay.

The genome sequence of star fruit(Averrhoa carambola)

Oxalidaceae is one of the most important plant families in horticulture,and its key commercially relevant genus,Averrhoa,has diverse growth habits and fruit types.Here,we describe the assembly of a high-quality chromosomescale genome sequence for Averrhoa carambola(star fruit).Ks distribution analysis showed that A.carambola underwent a whole-genome triplication event,i.e.,the gamma event shared by most eudicots.Comparisons between A.carambola and other angiosperms also permitted the generation of Oxalidaceae gene annotations.We identified unique gene families and analyzed gene family expansion and contraction.This analysis revealed significant changes in MADS-box gene family content,which might be related to the cauliflory of A.carambola.In addition,we identified and analyzed a total of 204 nucleotide-binding site,leucine-rich repeat receptor(NLR)genes and 58 WRKY genes in the genome,which may be related to the defense response.Our results provide insights into the origin,evolution and diversification of star fruit.

Novel aluminum-based fuel:Facile preparation to improve thermal reactions

To improve the thermal properties of aluminum(Al)in the energetic system,a coated structure with ammonium perchlorate(AP)was prepared by a facile approach.And N,N-Dimethylformamide(DMF)was chosen as an ideal solvent based on heterogeneous nucleation theory and molecular dynamics simulation.This coated structure could enlarge the contact area and improve the reaction environment to enhance the thermal properties.The addition of AP could accelerate oxidation temperature of Al with around 17.5°C.And the heat release of 85@15 composition rises to 26.13 k J/g and the reaction degree is97.6%with higher peak pressure(254.6 k Pa)and rise rate(1.397 MPa/s).An ideal ratio with 15 wt%AP was probed primarily.The high energy laser-induced shockwave experiment was utilized to simulate the reaction behavior in hot field.And the larger activated mixture of coated powder could release more energy to promote the growth of shockwave with higher speed up to 518.7±55.9 m/s.In conclusion,85@15 composition is expected to be applied in energetic system as a novel metal fuel.