BACKGROUND Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP)significantly impacts pediatric health,necessitating markers for early severe disease identification.AIM To investigate the correlation between serum inflammatory marker ...BACKGROUND Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP)significantly impacts pediatric health,necessitating markers for early severe disease identification.AIM To investigate the correlation between serum inflammatory marker and the severity of MPP in children.METHODS A prospective study was carried out from January 2023 to November 2023.A total of 160 children with MPP who underwent treatment were selected:80 had severe MPP and 80 had mild MPP.Clinical and laboratory data were collected at the time of hospital admission and during hospitalization.Receiver operating characteristic curves were utilized to assess the diagnostic and prognostic for severe MPP.RESULTS Fever duration and length of hospitalization in pediatric patients with severe MPP exceeded those with mild MPP.The incidence of pleural effusion,lung consolidation,and bronchopneumonia on imaging was markedly elevated in the severe MPP cohort compared to the mild MPP cohort.In contrast to the mild cohort,there was a notable increase in C-reactive protein(CRP),procalcitonin(PCT),erythrocyte sedimentation rate,lactic dehydrogenase,D-dimer,and inflammatory cytokines[interleukin(IL)-6,IL-8,IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α]in the severe MPP group were significantly higher.CONCLUSION Serum inflammatory markers(CRP,PCT,IL-6,D-dimer,IL-10 and TNF-α)were considered as predictors in children with severe MPP.展开更多
Hyaluronan and proteoglycan link protein 1(Hapln1)supports active cardiomyogenesis in zebrafish hearts,but its regulation in mammal cardiomyocytes is unclear.This study aimed to explore the potential regulation of Hap...Hyaluronan and proteoglycan link protein 1(Hapln1)supports active cardiomyogenesis in zebrafish hearts,but its regulation in mammal cardiomyocytes is unclear.This study aimed to explore the potential regulation of Hapln1 in the dedifferentiation and proliferation of cardiomyocytes and its therapeutic value in myocardial infarction with human induced pluripotent stem cell(hiPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes(CMs)and an adult mouse model of myocardial infarction.HiPSC-CMs and adult mice with myocardial infarction were used as in vitro and in vivo models,respectively.Previous single-cell RNA sequencing data were retrieved for bioinformatic exploration.The results showed that recombinant human Hapln1(rhHapln1)promotes the proliferation of hiPSC-CMs in a dose-dependent manner.As a physical binding protein of Hapln1,versican interacted with Nodal growth differentiation factor(NODAL)and growth differentiation factor 11(GDF11).GDF11,but not NODAL,was expressed by hiPSC-CMs.GDF11 expression was unaffected by rhHapln1 treatment.However,this molecule was required for rhHapln1-mediated activation of the transforming growth factor(TGF)-β/Drosophila mothers against decapentaplegic protein(SMAD)2/3 signaling in hiPSC-CMs,which stimulates cell dedifferentiation and proliferation.Recombinant mouse Hapln1(rmHapln1)could induce cardiac regeneration in the adult mouse model of myocardial infarction.In addition,rmHapln1 induced hiPSC-CM proliferation.In conclusion,Hapln1 can stimulate the dedifferentiation and proliferation of iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes by promoting versican-based GDF11 trapping and subsequent activation of the TGF-β/SMAD2/3 signaling pathway.Hapln1 might be an effective hiPSC-CM dedifferentiation and proliferation agent and a potential reagent for repairing damaged hearts.展开更多
AIM:To compare the efficacy of pars plana vitrectomy(PPV)combined with internal limiting membrane(ILM)and silicone oil or sterile air tamponade for the treatment of myopic foveoschisis(MF)in highly myopic eyes.METHODS...AIM:To compare the efficacy of pars plana vitrectomy(PPV)combined with internal limiting membrane(ILM)and silicone oil or sterile air tamponade for the treatment of myopic foveoschisis(MF)in highly myopic eyes.METHODS:This retrospective study included 48 myopic eyes of 40 patients with MF and axial lengths(ALs)ranging from 26-32 mm treated between January 2020 and January 2022.All patients were underwent PPV combined with ILM peeling followed by sterile air or silicone oil tamponade and followed up at least 12mo.Based on the features on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT),the eyes were divided into the MF-only group(Group A,n=15 eyes),MF with central foveal detachment group(Group B,n=20 eyes),and MF with lamellar macular hole group(Group C,n=13 eyes).According to AL,eyes were further divided into three groups:Group D(26.01-28.00 mm,n=12 eyes),Group E(28.01-30.00 mm,n=26 eyes),and Group F(30.01-32.00 mm,n=10 eyes).The best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA),central foveal thickness(CFT),and complications were recorded.RESULTS:The patients included 16 males and 24 females with the mean age of 56±9.82y.The BCVA and CFT improved in all groups after surgery(P<0.01),while there was no significant difference of the CFT in Group A,B,and C postoperatively(P>0.05).The intergroup differences of BCVA and CFT postoperatively were statistically significant in Group D,E,and F.Twenty eyes were injected with sterile air,and 28 eyes were injected with silicone oil for tamponade based on the AL.However,there was no statistically significant difference among Groups D,E,and F in terms of the results of sterile air or silicone oil tamponade.The mean recovery time was 5.9mo for MF patients subjected to silicone oil tamponade and 7.7mo for patients subjected to sterile air tamponade,and the difference was not statistically significant.CONCLUSION:PPV and ILM peeling combined with silicone oil or sterile air tamponade can achieve good results for MF in highly myopic eyes with ALs≤32 mm.展开更多
AIM: To investigate the association between colorectal cancer(CRC) genetic susceptibility variants and esophageal cancer in a Chinese Han population.METHODS: A case-control study was conducted including 360 esophageal...AIM: To investigate the association between colorectal cancer(CRC) genetic susceptibility variants and esophageal cancer in a Chinese Han population.METHODS: A case-control study was conducted including 360 esophageal cancer patients and310 healthy controls. Thirty-one single-nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) associated with CRC risk from previous genome-wide association studies were analyzed. SNPs were genotyped using Sequenom Mass-ARRAY technology, and genotypic frequencies in controls were tested for departure from HardyWeinberg equilibrium using a Fisher's exact test. The allelic frequencies were compared between cases and controls using a χ 2 test. Associations between the SNPs and the risk of esophageal cancer were tested using various genetic models(codominant, dominant,recessive, overdominant, and additive). ORs and95%CIs were calculated by unconditional logistic regression with adjustments for age and sex.RESULTS: The minor alleles of rs1321311 and rs4444235 were associated with a 1.53-fold(95%CI:1.15-2.06; P = 0.004) and 1.28-fold(95%CI: 1.03-1.60;P = 0.028) increased risk of esophageal cancer in the allelic model analysis, respectively. In the genetic model analysis, the C/C genotype of rs3802842 was associated with a reduced risk of esophageal cancer in the codominant model(OR = 0.52, 95%CI:0.31-0.88; P = 0.033) and recessive model(OR =0.55, 95%CI: 0.34-0.87; P = 0.010). The rs4939827C/T-T/T genotype was associated with a 0.67-fold(95%CI: 0.46-0.98; P = 0.038) decreased esophageal cancer risk under the dominant model. In addition,rs6687758, rs1321311, and rs4444235 were associated with an increased risk. In particular, the T/T genotype of rs1321311 was associated with an 8.06-fold(95%CI: 1.96-33.07; P = 0.004) increased risk in the codominant model.CONCLUSION: These results provide evidence that known genetic variants associated with CRC risk confer risk for esophageal cancer, and may bring risk for other digestive system tumors.展开更多
Establishing non-human primate models of human diseases is an efficient way to narrow the large gap between basic studies and translational medicine. Multifold advantages such as simplicity of breeding, low cost of fe...Establishing non-human primate models of human diseases is an efficient way to narrow the large gap between basic studies and translational medicine. Multifold advantages such as simplicity of breeding, low cost of feeding and facility of operating make the tree shrew an ideal non-human primate model proxy. Additional features like vulnerability to stress and spontaneous diabetic characteristics also indicate that the tree shrew could be a potential new animal model of human diseases. However, basal physiological indexes of tree shrew, especially those related to human disease, have not been systematically reported. Accordingly, we established important basal physiological indexes of domesticated tree shrews including several factors: (1) body weight, (2) core body temperature and rhythm, (3) diet metabolism, (4) locomotor rhythm, (5) electroencephalogram, (6) glycometabolism and (7) serum and urinary hormone level and urinary cortisol rhythm. We compared the physiological parameters of domesticated tree shrew with that of rats and macaques. Results showed that (a) the core body temperature of the tree shrew was 39.59±0.05 °C, which was higher than that of rats and macaques; (b) Compared with wild tree shrews, with two activity peaks, domesticated tree shrews had only one activity peak from 17:30 to 19:30; (c) Compared with rats, tree shrews had poor carbohydrate metabolism ability; and (d) Urinary cortisol rhythm indicated there were two peaks at 8:00 and 17:00 in domesticated tree shrews, which matched activity peaks in wild tree shrews. These results provided basal physiological indexes for domesticated tree shrews and laid an important foundation for diabetes and stress-related disease models established on tree shrews.展开更多
To improve rate and cycling performance of manganese oxide anode material,a precipitation method was combined with thermal annealing to prepare the Mn O/Mn3O4/Se Ox(x=0,2)hybrid anode by controlling the reaction tempe...To improve rate and cycling performance of manganese oxide anode material,a precipitation method was combined with thermal annealing to prepare the Mn O/Mn3O4/Se Ox(x=0,2)hybrid anode by controlling the reaction temperature of Mn2O3 and Se powders.At 3 A/g,the synthesized Mn O/Mn3O4/Se Ox anode delivers a discharge capacity of 1007 m A·h/g after 560 cycles.A cyclic voltammetry quantitative analysis reveals that 89.5%pseudocapacitive contribution is gained at a scanning rate of 2.0 m V/s,and the test results show that there is a significant synergistic effect between Mn O and Mn3O4 phases.展开更多
AIM: To investigate the mechanism of celastrol in inhibiting lens epithelial cells(LECs) fibrosis, which is the pathological basis of cataract.METHODS: Human LEC line SRA01/04 was treated with celastrol and transformi...AIM: To investigate the mechanism of celastrol in inhibiting lens epithelial cells(LECs) fibrosis, which is the pathological basis of cataract.METHODS: Human LEC line SRA01/04 was treated with celastrol and transforming growth factor-β2(TGF-β2). Wound-healing assay, proliferation assay, flow cytometry, real-time polymerase chain reaction(PCR), Western blot and immunocytochemical staining were used to detect the pathological changes of celastrol on LECs. Then, we cultured Sprague-Dawley rat lens in medium as a semi-in vivo model to find the function of celastrol further.RESULTS: We found that celastrol inhibited the migration of LECs, as well as proliferation(P<0.05). In addition, it induced the G2/M phase arrest by cell cyclerelated proteins(P<0.01). Moreover, celastrol inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT) by the blockade of TGF-β/Smad and Jagged/Notch signaling pathways.CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that celastrol could inhibit TGF-β2-induced lens fibrosis and raises the possibility that celastrol could be a potential novel drug in prevention and treatment of fibrotic cataract.展开更多
Analytical compliance model is vital to the flexure- based compliant mechanism in its mechanical design and motion control. The matrix is a common and effective approach in the compliance modeling while it is not well...Analytical compliance model is vital to the flexure- based compliant mechanism in its mechanical design and motion control. The matrix is a common and effective approach in the compliance modeling while it is not well developed for the closed-loop serial and parallel compliant mechanisms and is not applicable to the situation when the external loads are applied on the flexure mem- bers. Concise and explicit analytical compliance models of the serial flexure-based compliant mechanisms under arbitrary loads are derived by using the matrix method. An equivalent method is proposed to deal with the situation when the external loads are applied on the flexure mem- bers. The external loads are transformed to concentrated forces applied on the rigid links, which satisfy the equa- tions of static equilibrium and also guarantee that the deformations at the displacement output point remain unchanged. Then the matrix method can be still adopted for the compliance analysis of the compliant mechanism. Finally, several specific examples and an experimental testare given to verify the effectiveness of the compliance models and the force equivalent method. The research enriches the matrix method and provides concise analytical compliance models for the serial compliant mechanism.展开更多
Existing linkage-optimization methods are designed for mechanical presses; few can be directly used for servo presses, so development of the servo press is limited. Based on the complementarity of linkage opti- mizati...Existing linkage-optimization methods are designed for mechanical presses; few can be directly used for servo presses, so development of the servo press is limited. Based on the complementarity of linkage opti- mization and motion planning, a phase-division-based linkage-optimization model for a drawing servo press is established. Considering the motion-planning principles of a drawing servo press, and taking account of work rating and efficiency, the constraints of the optimization model are constructed. Linkage is optimized in two modes: use of either constant eccentric speed or constant slide speed in the work segments. The performances of optimized link- ages are compared with those of a mature linkage SL4- 2000A, which is optimized by a traditional method. The results show that the work rating of a drawing servo press equipped with linkages optimized by this new method improved and the root-mean-square torque of the servo motors is reduced by more than 10%. This research pro- vides a promising method for designing energy-saving drawing servo presses with high work ratings.展开更多
Objective To diagnose and explore the serological diagnostic factors for liver metastasis in patients with breast cancer before symptoms occur. Methods A total of 430 female in-patients with breast cancer of stages 0 ...Objective To diagnose and explore the serological diagnostic factors for liver metastasis in patients with breast cancer before symptoms occur. Methods A total of 430 female in-patients with breast cancer of stages 0 to IIIC who came to Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital from January 2003 to January 2004 were studied and followed up until May 2011. Serum levels of biochemical markers for tumor and liver were measured at the time of diagnosis. Results Liver metastasis was more likely to occur in patients with stage Ill cancer or c-erbB-2-positive expression. Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, ~/-glutamyltransferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehvdrogenase (LDH), and carbohydrate antigen 1153 (CA153) levels were significantly higher in patients with liver metastasis than those without liver metastasis. Diagnostic indices of LDH, GGT, and CA153 were 174 U/L, 32 U/L, and 26.48 Dg/L, respectively. The areas under the curves of LDH, GGT, and CEA were 0.795, 0.784, and 0.661, respectively, and sensitivities of parallel tests for LDH and CA153 and for GGT and CA153 were 88.6% and 85.7 %, respectively. The specificity of serial tests for both pairs of enzymes was 97.7%. Conclusions Tile sensitivity and specificity of combined tumor and biochemical markers could be used as indicators during screening for breast-liver metastasis.展开更多
AIM: To report the surgical technique and efficacy of the tiled transplantation internal limiting membrane(ILM) pedicle flap technique after vitrectomy for 33 patients with large macular hole(MH). METHODS: This study...AIM: To report the surgical technique and efficacy of the tiled transplantation internal limiting membrane(ILM) pedicle flap technique after vitrectomy for 33 patients with large macular hole(MH). METHODS: This study was a prospective noncontrolled interventional study. All patients were treated by vitrectomy, the tiled transplantation ILM pedicle flap and gas tamponade. All patients underwent visual acuity measurements and optical coherence tomography(OCT), during preoperative and the follow-up visits postoperative. RESULTS: Two high-myopic patient had flap dislocation during surgery. The thorough closure of MH following the tiled transplantation ILM pedicle flap technique was ultimately achieved in 31 patients observed by OCT imaging(93.94%) 1 wk after surgery. Visual acuity improved from 1.51±0.31(logMAR) preoperative to 0.92±0.30 6 mo after surgery(P=0.000). There were no significant changes in OCT finding during the follow-up period from 1 mo to 6 mo after surgery. CONCLUSION: The tiled transplantation ILM pedicle flap technique provides bridge for retinal gliosis to achieve successful closures of the large MHs, and the microenvironment of this technique is more similar to the normal physiological conditions.展开更多
Performance index mance evaluation, and is the is the standard of perfor- foundation of both perfor- mance analysis and optimal design for the parallel manipulator. Seeking the suitable kinematic indices is always an ...Performance index mance evaluation, and is the is the standard of perfor- foundation of both perfor- mance analysis and optimal design for the parallel manipulator. Seeking the suitable kinematic indices is always an important and challenging issue for the parallel manipulator. So far, there are extensive studies in this field, but few existing indices can meet all the requirements, such as simple, intuitive, and universal. To solve this problem, the matrix orthogonal degree is adopted, and generalized transmission indices that can evaluate motion/force trans- missibility of fully parallel manipulators are proposed. Transmission performance analysis of typical branches, end effectors, and parallel manipulators is given to illus- trate proposed indices and analysis methodology. Simula- tion and analysis results reveal that proposed transmission indices possess significant advantages, such as normalized finite (ranging from 0 to l), dimensionally homogeneous, frame-free, intuitive and easy to calculate. Besides, pro- posed indices well indicate the good transmission region and relativity to the singularity with better resolution than the traditional local conditioning index, and provide a novel tool for kinematic analysis and optimal design of fully parallel manipulators.展开更多
To develop materials suitable for spent-nuclear-fuel containers, the effect of forced cooling on mechanical properties and fracture toughness of heavy section ductile iron was investigated. Two cubic castings with dif...To develop materials suitable for spent-nuclear-fuel containers, the effect of forced cooling on mechanical properties and fracture toughness of heavy section ductile iron was investigated. Two cubic castings with different cooling processes were prepared: casting A was prepared in a totally sand mold, and casting B was prepared in a sand mold with two chilling blocks placed on the left and right sides of the mold. Three positions in each casting with different solidification cooling rates were chosen. In-situ SEM tensile experiment was used to observe the dynamic tensile process. Fracture analysis was conducted to study the influence of vermicular and slightly irregular spheroidal graphite on the fracture behavior of heavy section ductile iron. Results show that the tensile strength, elongation, impact toughness and fracture toughness at different positions of the two castings all decrease with decreasing cooling rate. With the increase of solidification time, the fracture mechanism of conventional casting A changes from ductile fracture to brittle fracture, and that of casting B with forced cooling changes from ductile fracture to a mixture of ductile-brittle fracture.展开更多
Establishing non-human primate models of human diseases is an efficient way to narrow the large gap between basic studies and translational medicine.Multifold advantages such as simplicity of breeding,low cost of feed...Establishing non-human primate models of human diseases is an efficient way to narrow the large gap between basic studies and translational medicine.Multifold advantages such as simplicity of breeding,low cost of feeding and facility of operating make the tree shrew an ideal non-human primate model proxy.Additional features like vulnerability to stress and spontaneous diabetic characteristics also indicate that the tree shrew could be a potential new animal model of human diseases.However,basal physiological indexes of tree shrew,especially those related to human disease,have not been systematically reported.Accordingly,we established important basal physiological indexes of domesticated tree shrews including several factors:(1)body weight,(2)core body temperature and rhythm,(3)diet metabolism,(4)locomotor rhythm,(5)electroencephalogram,(6)glycometabolism and(7)serum and urinary hormone level and urinary cortisol rhythm.We compared the physiological parameters of domesticated tree shrew with that of rats and macaques.Results showed that(a)the core body temperature of the tree shrew was 39.59±0.05°C,which was higher than that of rats and macaques;(b)Compared with wild tree shrews,with two activity peaks,domesticated tree shrews had only one activity peak from 17:30 to 19:30;(c)Compared with rats,tree shrews had poor carbohydrate metabolism ability;and(d)Urinary cortisol rhythm indicated there were two peaks at 8:00 and 17:00 in domesticated tree shrews,which matched activity peaks in wild tree shrews.These results provided basal physiological indexes for domesticated tree shrews and laid an important foundation for diabetes and stress-related disease models established on tree shrews.展开更多
The effect of Cu content on the microstructures and mechanical properties (yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, impact energy, fracture toughness) of austempering ductile iron (ADI) treated by two-step austemper...The effect of Cu content on the microstructures and mechanical properties (yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, impact energy, fracture toughness) of austempering ductile iron (ADI) treated by two-step austempering process were investigated. High Cu content in nodular cast irons leads to a significant volume fraction of retained austenite in the iron after austempering treatment, but the carbon content of austenite decreases with the increasing of Cu content. Moreover, austenitic stability reaches its maximum when the Cu content is 1.4% and then drops rapidly with further increase of Cu. The ultimate tensile strength and yield strength of the ADI firstly increases and then decreases with increasing the Cu content. The elongation keeps constant at 6.5% as the Cu content increases from 0.2% to 1.4%, and then increases rapidly to 10.0% with further increase Cu content to 2.0%. Impact toughness is enhanced with Cu increasing at first, and reaches a maximum 122.9 J at 1.4% Cu, then decreases with the further increase of Cu. The fracture toughness of ADI shows a constant increase with the increase of Cu content. The influencing mechanism of Cu on austempered ductile iron (ADI) can be classified into two aspects. On the one hand, Cu dissolves into the matrix and functions as solid solution strengthening. On the other hand, Cu reduces solubility of C in austenite and contributes more stable retained austenite.展开更多
Understanding the behaviours of ice nucleation in non-isothermal conditions is of great importance for the preparation and retention of supercooled water. Here ice nucleation in supercooled water under temperature gra...Understanding the behaviours of ice nucleation in non-isothermal conditions is of great importance for the preparation and retention of supercooled water. Here ice nucleation in supercooled water under temperature gradients is analyzed thermodynamically based on classical nucleation theory(CNT). Given that the free energy barrier for nucleation is dependent on temperature, different from a uniform temperature usually used in CNT, an assumption of linear temperature distribution in the ice nucleus was made and taken into consideration in analysis. The critical radius of the ice nucleus for nucleation and the corresponding nucleation model in the presence of a temperature gradient were obtained. It is observed that the critical radius is determined not only by the degree of supercooling, the only dependence in CNT, but also by the temperature gradient and even the Young's contact angle. Effects of temperature gradient on the change in free energy, critical radius,nucleation barrier and nucleation rate with different contact angles and degrees of supercooling are illustrated successively.The results show that a temperature gradient will increase the nucleation barrier and decrease the nucleation rate, particularly in the cases of large contact angle and low degree of supercooling. In addition, there is a critical temperature gradient for a given degree of supercooling and contact angle, at the higher of which the nucleation can be suppressed completely.展开更多
BACKGROUND Inositol is a hexa-carbon polyol,a naturally soluble vitamin,often found in various foods.AIM To discuss the impact of different stereoisomers of inositol on insulin sensitivity of gestational diabetes mell...BACKGROUND Inositol is a hexa-carbon polyol,a naturally soluble vitamin,often found in various foods.AIM To discuss the impact of different stereoisomers of inositol on insulin sensitivity of gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM)patients.METHODS Eighty GDM pregnant women were divided into four groups according to their treatment received:A group(placebo folic acid 400μg/d),B group[myo-inositol(MI)1500 mg,twice a day],C group[D-chiro-inositol(DCI)250 mg,twice a day],and D group(inositol MI and inositol DCI 1500 mg/250 mg,twice a day).Each patient routinely used dietary guidance adjustments and did some safe and effective aerobic exercise in addition to receiving placebo or inositol from GDM diagnosis to delivery.Triglyceride,total cholesterol,fasting plasma glucose,oral glucose tolerance test postprandial glucose(2 h postprandial blood glucose),fasting insulin,fasting plasma glucose,and glycosylated hemoglobin levels and Homeostasis Model Assessment-insulin resistance(HOMA-IR)and Homeostasis Model Assessment-insulin sensitivity index(HOMA-ISI)scores were determined before treatment and 8 wk after treatment onset.Adverse maternal and infant outcomes,including hypoglycemia,excessive amniotic fluid,premature infants,macrosomia,fetal distress etc.,were also recorded.RESULTS There was no statistical difference in the baseline data of each group.The levels of 2 h blood glucose,glycosylated hemoglobin,fasting insulin,total cholesterol,and triglyceride in the B,C,and D groups were significantly lower than those in the control group(A group)after treatment(P<0.05).Moreover,compared with the B group,the level of the above indexes in the C and D groups decreased more significantly,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).The HOMA-IR of B,C,and D groups decreased significantly,and the HOMA-ISI increased significantly compared with the A group,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05),among which the decrease of HOMA-IR and the increase of HOMA-ISI were more significant in the C and D group compared with the B group(P<0.05).The occurrence rate of adverse maternal and infant outcomes in the C and D group was significantly lower than that in the control group(A group),and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Treatment with different inositol stereoisomers(inositol MI and inositol DCI)can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce insulin resistance in diabetic patients,and inositol DCI has a better curative effect than inositol MI.展开更多
基金The study was approved by the First People's Hospital of Linping District Ethics Commit(No:linping2023044).
文摘BACKGROUND Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP)significantly impacts pediatric health,necessitating markers for early severe disease identification.AIM To investigate the correlation between serum inflammatory marker and the severity of MPP in children.METHODS A prospective study was carried out from January 2023 to November 2023.A total of 160 children with MPP who underwent treatment were selected:80 had severe MPP and 80 had mild MPP.Clinical and laboratory data were collected at the time of hospital admission and during hospitalization.Receiver operating characteristic curves were utilized to assess the diagnostic and prognostic for severe MPP.RESULTS Fever duration and length of hospitalization in pediatric patients with severe MPP exceeded those with mild MPP.The incidence of pleural effusion,lung consolidation,and bronchopneumonia on imaging was markedly elevated in the severe MPP cohort compared to the mild MPP cohort.In contrast to the mild cohort,there was a notable increase in C-reactive protein(CRP),procalcitonin(PCT),erythrocyte sedimentation rate,lactic dehydrogenase,D-dimer,and inflammatory cytokines[interleukin(IL)-6,IL-8,IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α]in the severe MPP group were significantly higher.CONCLUSION Serum inflammatory markers(CRP,PCT,IL-6,D-dimer,IL-10 and TNF-α)were considered as predictors in children with severe MPP.
基金Shaanxi Province Natural Science Foundation,China(Grant No.:2021JM-568).
文摘Hyaluronan and proteoglycan link protein 1(Hapln1)supports active cardiomyogenesis in zebrafish hearts,but its regulation in mammal cardiomyocytes is unclear.This study aimed to explore the potential regulation of Hapln1 in the dedifferentiation and proliferation of cardiomyocytes and its therapeutic value in myocardial infarction with human induced pluripotent stem cell(hiPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes(CMs)and an adult mouse model of myocardial infarction.HiPSC-CMs and adult mice with myocardial infarction were used as in vitro and in vivo models,respectively.Previous single-cell RNA sequencing data were retrieved for bioinformatic exploration.The results showed that recombinant human Hapln1(rhHapln1)promotes the proliferation of hiPSC-CMs in a dose-dependent manner.As a physical binding protein of Hapln1,versican interacted with Nodal growth differentiation factor(NODAL)and growth differentiation factor 11(GDF11).GDF11,but not NODAL,was expressed by hiPSC-CMs.GDF11 expression was unaffected by rhHapln1 treatment.However,this molecule was required for rhHapln1-mediated activation of the transforming growth factor(TGF)-β/Drosophila mothers against decapentaplegic protein(SMAD)2/3 signaling in hiPSC-CMs,which stimulates cell dedifferentiation and proliferation.Recombinant mouse Hapln1(rmHapln1)could induce cardiac regeneration in the adult mouse model of myocardial infarction.In addition,rmHapln1 induced hiPSC-CM proliferation.In conclusion,Hapln1 can stimulate the dedifferentiation and proliferation of iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes by promoting versican-based GDF11 trapping and subsequent activation of the TGF-β/SMAD2/3 signaling pathway.Hapln1 might be an effective hiPSC-CM dedifferentiation and proliferation agent and a potential reagent for repairing damaged hearts.
基金Supported by the Natural Science Basic Research Program in Shaanxi Province(No.2020JM-683).
文摘AIM:To compare the efficacy of pars plana vitrectomy(PPV)combined with internal limiting membrane(ILM)and silicone oil or sterile air tamponade for the treatment of myopic foveoschisis(MF)in highly myopic eyes.METHODS:This retrospective study included 48 myopic eyes of 40 patients with MF and axial lengths(ALs)ranging from 26-32 mm treated between January 2020 and January 2022.All patients were underwent PPV combined with ILM peeling followed by sterile air or silicone oil tamponade and followed up at least 12mo.Based on the features on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT),the eyes were divided into the MF-only group(Group A,n=15 eyes),MF with central foveal detachment group(Group B,n=20 eyes),and MF with lamellar macular hole group(Group C,n=13 eyes).According to AL,eyes were further divided into three groups:Group D(26.01-28.00 mm,n=12 eyes),Group E(28.01-30.00 mm,n=26 eyes),and Group F(30.01-32.00 mm,n=10 eyes).The best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA),central foveal thickness(CFT),and complications were recorded.RESULTS:The patients included 16 males and 24 females with the mean age of 56±9.82y.The BCVA and CFT improved in all groups after surgery(P<0.01),while there was no significant difference of the CFT in Group A,B,and C postoperatively(P>0.05).The intergroup differences of BCVA and CFT postoperatively were statistically significant in Group D,E,and F.Twenty eyes were injected with sterile air,and 28 eyes were injected with silicone oil for tamponade based on the AL.However,there was no statistically significant difference among Groups D,E,and F in terms of the results of sterile air or silicone oil tamponade.The mean recovery time was 5.9mo for MF patients subjected to silicone oil tamponade and 7.7mo for patients subjected to sterile air tamponade,and the difference was not statistically significant.CONCLUSION:PPV and ILM peeling combined with silicone oil or sterile air tamponade can achieve good results for MF in highly myopic eyes with ALs≤32 mm.
基金Supported by National 863 High-Technology Research and Development Program,No.2012AA02A519
文摘AIM: To investigate the association between colorectal cancer(CRC) genetic susceptibility variants and esophageal cancer in a Chinese Han population.METHODS: A case-control study was conducted including 360 esophageal cancer patients and310 healthy controls. Thirty-one single-nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) associated with CRC risk from previous genome-wide association studies were analyzed. SNPs were genotyped using Sequenom Mass-ARRAY technology, and genotypic frequencies in controls were tested for departure from HardyWeinberg equilibrium using a Fisher's exact test. The allelic frequencies were compared between cases and controls using a χ 2 test. Associations between the SNPs and the risk of esophageal cancer were tested using various genetic models(codominant, dominant,recessive, overdominant, and additive). ORs and95%CIs were calculated by unconditional logistic regression with adjustments for age and sex.RESULTS: The minor alleles of rs1321311 and rs4444235 were associated with a 1.53-fold(95%CI:1.15-2.06; P = 0.004) and 1.28-fold(95%CI: 1.03-1.60;P = 0.028) increased risk of esophageal cancer in the allelic model analysis, respectively. In the genetic model analysis, the C/C genotype of rs3802842 was associated with a reduced risk of esophageal cancer in the codominant model(OR = 0.52, 95%CI:0.31-0.88; P = 0.033) and recessive model(OR =0.55, 95%CI: 0.34-0.87; P = 0.010). The rs4939827C/T-T/T genotype was associated with a 0.67-fold(95%CI: 0.46-0.98; P = 0.038) decreased esophageal cancer risk under the dominant model. In addition,rs6687758, rs1321311, and rs4444235 were associated with an increased risk. In particular, the T/T genotype of rs1321311 was associated with an 8.06-fold(95%CI: 1.96-33.07; P = 0.004) increased risk in the codominant model.CONCLUSION: These results provide evidence that known genetic variants associated with CRC risk confer risk for esophageal cancer, and may bring risk for other digestive system tumors.
基金supported by grants from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KSCX2-EW-R-12, KSCX2-EW-J-23)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81171294)Shanghai Science & Technology Development Foundation(12140904200)
文摘Establishing non-human primate models of human diseases is an efficient way to narrow the large gap between basic studies and translational medicine. Multifold advantages such as simplicity of breeding, low cost of feeding and facility of operating make the tree shrew an ideal non-human primate model proxy. Additional features like vulnerability to stress and spontaneous diabetic characteristics also indicate that the tree shrew could be a potential new animal model of human diseases. However, basal physiological indexes of tree shrew, especially those related to human disease, have not been systematically reported. Accordingly, we established important basal physiological indexes of domesticated tree shrews including several factors: (1) body weight, (2) core body temperature and rhythm, (3) diet metabolism, (4) locomotor rhythm, (5) electroencephalogram, (6) glycometabolism and (7) serum and urinary hormone level and urinary cortisol rhythm. We compared the physiological parameters of domesticated tree shrew with that of rats and macaques. Results showed that (a) the core body temperature of the tree shrew was 39.59±0.05 °C, which was higher than that of rats and macaques; (b) Compared with wild tree shrews, with two activity peaks, domesticated tree shrews had only one activity peak from 17:30 to 19:30; (c) Compared with rats, tree shrews had poor carbohydrate metabolism ability; and (d) Urinary cortisol rhythm indicated there were two peaks at 8:00 and 17:00 in domesticated tree shrews, which matched activity peaks in wild tree shrews. These results provided basal physiological indexes for domesticated tree shrews and laid an important foundation for diabetes and stress-related disease models established on tree shrews.
基金Project(2018JJ2513)supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province,ChinaProject(18A378)supported by the Education Bureau Research Foundation of Hunan Province,ChinaProject(2019GK4012)supported by the Emerging Strategic Industrial Science and Technology Project of Hunan Province,China。
文摘To improve rate and cycling performance of manganese oxide anode material,a precipitation method was combined with thermal annealing to prepare the Mn O/Mn3O4/Se Ox(x=0,2)hybrid anode by controlling the reaction temperature of Mn2O3 and Se powders.At 3 A/g,the synthesized Mn O/Mn3O4/Se Ox anode delivers a discharge capacity of 1007 m A·h/g after 560 cycles.A cyclic voltammetry quantitative analysis reveals that 89.5%pseudocapacitive contribution is gained at a scanning rate of 2.0 m V/s,and the test results show that there is a significant synergistic effect between Mn O and Mn3O4 phases.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.81300749)Guangdong Province Natural Science Foundation (No.2018A030313628)+1 种基金973 program (No.2015CB964600)the State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University
文摘AIM: To investigate the mechanism of celastrol in inhibiting lens epithelial cells(LECs) fibrosis, which is the pathological basis of cataract.METHODS: Human LEC line SRA01/04 was treated with celastrol and transforming growth factor-β2(TGF-β2). Wound-healing assay, proliferation assay, flow cytometry, real-time polymerase chain reaction(PCR), Western blot and immunocytochemical staining were used to detect the pathological changes of celastrol on LECs. Then, we cultured Sprague-Dawley rat lens in medium as a semi-in vivo model to find the function of celastrol further.RESULTS: We found that celastrol inhibited the migration of LECs, as well as proliferation(P<0.05). In addition, it induced the G2/M phase arrest by cell cyclerelated proteins(P<0.01). Moreover, celastrol inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT) by the blockade of TGF-β/Smad and Jagged/Notch signaling pathways.CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that celastrol could inhibit TGF-β2-induced lens fibrosis and raises the possibility that celastrol could be a potential novel drug in prevention and treatment of fibrotic cataract.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51675292)National Science and Technology Major Project of China(Grant No.2015ZX04001002)Tsinghua University Initiative Scientific Research Program(Grant No.2014z22068)
文摘Analytical compliance model is vital to the flexure- based compliant mechanism in its mechanical design and motion control. The matrix is a common and effective approach in the compliance modeling while it is not well developed for the closed-loop serial and parallel compliant mechanisms and is not applicable to the situation when the external loads are applied on the flexure mem- bers. Concise and explicit analytical compliance models of the serial flexure-based compliant mechanisms under arbitrary loads are derived by using the matrix method. An equivalent method is proposed to deal with the situation when the external loads are applied on the flexure mem- bers. The external loads are transformed to concentrated forces applied on the rigid links, which satisfy the equa- tions of static equilibrium and also guarantee that the deformations at the displacement output point remain unchanged. Then the matrix method can be still adopted for the compliance analysis of the compliant mechanism. Finally, several specific examples and an experimental testare given to verify the effectiveness of the compliance models and the force equivalent method. The research enriches the matrix method and provides concise analytical compliance models for the serial compliant mechanism.
基金Supported by National Science and Technology Major Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(Grant No.2015ZX04003004)
文摘Existing linkage-optimization methods are designed for mechanical presses; few can be directly used for servo presses, so development of the servo press is limited. Based on the complementarity of linkage opti- mization and motion planning, a phase-division-based linkage-optimization model for a drawing servo press is established. Considering the motion-planning principles of a drawing servo press, and taking account of work rating and efficiency, the constraints of the optimization model are constructed. Linkage is optimized in two modes: use of either constant eccentric speed or constant slide speed in the work segments. The performances of optimized link- ages are compared with those of a mature linkage SL4- 2000A, which is optimized by a traditional method. The results show that the work rating of a drawing servo press equipped with linkages optimized by this new method improved and the root-mean-square torque of the servo motors is reduced by more than 10%. This research pro- vides a promising method for designing energy-saving drawing servo presses with high work ratings.
文摘Objective To diagnose and explore the serological diagnostic factors for liver metastasis in patients with breast cancer before symptoms occur. Methods A total of 430 female in-patients with breast cancer of stages 0 to IIIC who came to Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital from January 2003 to January 2004 were studied and followed up until May 2011. Serum levels of biochemical markers for tumor and liver were measured at the time of diagnosis. Results Liver metastasis was more likely to occur in patients with stage Ill cancer or c-erbB-2-positive expression. Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, ~/-glutamyltransferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehvdrogenase (LDH), and carbohydrate antigen 1153 (CA153) levels were significantly higher in patients with liver metastasis than those without liver metastasis. Diagnostic indices of LDH, GGT, and CA153 were 174 U/L, 32 U/L, and 26.48 Dg/L, respectively. The areas under the curves of LDH, GGT, and CEA were 0.795, 0.784, and 0.661, respectively, and sensitivities of parallel tests for LDH and CA153 and for GGT and CA153 were 88.6% and 85.7 %, respectively. The specificity of serial tests for both pairs of enzymes was 97.7%. Conclusions Tile sensitivity and specificity of combined tumor and biochemical markers could be used as indicators during screening for breast-liver metastasis.
基金Supported by the Shaanxi Provincial Social Development Scientific and Technological Project(No.2016SF-133)
文摘AIM: To report the surgical technique and efficacy of the tiled transplantation internal limiting membrane(ILM) pedicle flap technique after vitrectomy for 33 patients with large macular hole(MH). METHODS: This study was a prospective noncontrolled interventional study. All patients were treated by vitrectomy, the tiled transplantation ILM pedicle flap and gas tamponade. All patients underwent visual acuity measurements and optical coherence tomography(OCT), during preoperative and the follow-up visits postoperative. RESULTS: Two high-myopic patient had flap dislocation during surgery. The thorough closure of MH following the tiled transplantation ILM pedicle flap technique was ultimately achieved in 31 patients observed by OCT imaging(93.94%) 1 wk after surgery. Visual acuity improved from 1.51±0.31(logMAR) preoperative to 0.92±0.30 6 mo after surgery(P=0.000). There were no significant changes in OCT finding during the follow-up period from 1 mo to 6 mo after surgery. CONCLUSION: The tiled transplantation ILM pedicle flap technique provides bridge for retinal gliosis to achieve successful closures of the large MHs, and the microenvironment of this technique is more similar to the normal physiological conditions.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.51575292,51475252,91648107)National Key Technology Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2105BAF19B00)National Science and Technology Major Project of China(Grant No.2016ZX04004004)
文摘Performance index mance evaluation, and is the is the standard of perfor- foundation of both perfor- mance analysis and optimal design for the parallel manipulator. Seeking the suitable kinematic indices is always an important and challenging issue for the parallel manipulator. So far, there are extensive studies in this field, but few existing indices can meet all the requirements, such as simple, intuitive, and universal. To solve this problem, the matrix orthogonal degree is adopted, and generalized transmission indices that can evaluate motion/force trans- missibility of fully parallel manipulators are proposed. Transmission performance analysis of typical branches, end effectors, and parallel manipulators is given to illus- trate proposed indices and analysis methodology. Simula- tion and analysis results reveal that proposed transmission indices possess significant advantages, such as normalized finite (ranging from 0 to l), dimensionally homogeneous, frame-free, intuitive and easy to calculate. Besides, pro- posed indices well indicate the good transmission region and relativity to the singularity with better resolution than the traditional local conditioning index, and provide a novel tool for kinematic analysis and optimal design of fully parallel manipulators.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51174068 and No.51374086)
文摘To develop materials suitable for spent-nuclear-fuel containers, the effect of forced cooling on mechanical properties and fracture toughness of heavy section ductile iron was investigated. Two cubic castings with different cooling processes were prepared: casting A was prepared in a totally sand mold, and casting B was prepared in a sand mold with two chilling blocks placed on the left and right sides of the mold. Three positions in each casting with different solidification cooling rates were chosen. In-situ SEM tensile experiment was used to observe the dynamic tensile process. Fracture analysis was conducted to study the influence of vermicular and slightly irregular spheroidal graphite on the fracture behavior of heavy section ductile iron. Results show that the tensile strength, elongation, impact toughness and fracture toughness at different positions of the two castings all decrease with decreasing cooling rate. With the increase of solidification time, the fracture mechanism of conventional casting A changes from ductile fracture to brittle fracture, and that of casting B with forced cooling changes from ductile fracture to a mixture of ductile-brittle fracture.
基金This work was supported by grants from the Chinese Academy of Sciences(KSCX2-EW-R-12,KSCX2-EW-J-23)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81171294)Shanghai Science&Technology Development Foundation(12140904200).
文摘Establishing non-human primate models of human diseases is an efficient way to narrow the large gap between basic studies and translational medicine.Multifold advantages such as simplicity of breeding,low cost of feeding and facility of operating make the tree shrew an ideal non-human primate model proxy.Additional features like vulnerability to stress and spontaneous diabetic characteristics also indicate that the tree shrew could be a potential new animal model of human diseases.However,basal physiological indexes of tree shrew,especially those related to human disease,have not been systematically reported.Accordingly,we established important basal physiological indexes of domesticated tree shrews including several factors:(1)body weight,(2)core body temperature and rhythm,(3)diet metabolism,(4)locomotor rhythm,(5)electroencephalogram,(6)glycometabolism and(7)serum and urinary hormone level and urinary cortisol rhythm.We compared the physiological parameters of domesticated tree shrew with that of rats and macaques.Results showed that(a)the core body temperature of the tree shrew was 39.59±0.05°C,which was higher than that of rats and macaques;(b)Compared with wild tree shrews,with two activity peaks,domesticated tree shrews had only one activity peak from 17:30 to 19:30;(c)Compared with rats,tree shrews had poor carbohydrate metabolism ability;and(d)Urinary cortisol rhythm indicated there were two peaks at 8:00 and 17:00 in domesticated tree shrews,which matched activity peaks in wild tree shrews.These results provided basal physiological indexes for domesticated tree shrews and laid an important foundation for diabetes and stress-related disease models established on tree shrews.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.51374086 and 51674094)
文摘The effect of Cu content on the microstructures and mechanical properties (yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, impact energy, fracture toughness) of austempering ductile iron (ADI) treated by two-step austempering process were investigated. High Cu content in nodular cast irons leads to a significant volume fraction of retained austenite in the iron after austempering treatment, but the carbon content of austenite decreases with the increasing of Cu content. Moreover, austenitic stability reaches its maximum when the Cu content is 1.4% and then drops rapidly with further increase of Cu. The ultimate tensile strength and yield strength of the ADI firstly increases and then decreases with increasing the Cu content. The elongation keeps constant at 6.5% as the Cu content increases from 0.2% to 1.4%, and then increases rapidly to 10.0% with further increase Cu content to 2.0%. Impact toughness is enhanced with Cu increasing at first, and reaches a maximum 122.9 J at 1.4% Cu, then decreases with the further increase of Cu. The fracture toughness of ADI shows a constant increase with the increase of Cu content. The influencing mechanism of Cu on austempered ductile iron (ADI) can be classified into two aspects. On the one hand, Cu dissolves into the matrix and functions as solid solution strengthening. On the other hand, Cu reduces solubility of C in austenite and contributes more stable retained austenite.
文摘Understanding the behaviours of ice nucleation in non-isothermal conditions is of great importance for the preparation and retention of supercooled water. Here ice nucleation in supercooled water under temperature gradients is analyzed thermodynamically based on classical nucleation theory(CNT). Given that the free energy barrier for nucleation is dependent on temperature, different from a uniform temperature usually used in CNT, an assumption of linear temperature distribution in the ice nucleus was made and taken into consideration in analysis. The critical radius of the ice nucleus for nucleation and the corresponding nucleation model in the presence of a temperature gradient were obtained. It is observed that the critical radius is determined not only by the degree of supercooling, the only dependence in CNT, but also by the temperature gradient and even the Young's contact angle. Effects of temperature gradient on the change in free energy, critical radius,nucleation barrier and nucleation rate with different contact angles and degrees of supercooling are illustrated successively.The results show that a temperature gradient will increase the nucleation barrier and decrease the nucleation rate, particularly in the cases of large contact angle and low degree of supercooling. In addition, there is a critical temperature gradient for a given degree of supercooling and contact angle, at the higher of which the nucleation can be suppressed completely.
文摘BACKGROUND Inositol is a hexa-carbon polyol,a naturally soluble vitamin,often found in various foods.AIM To discuss the impact of different stereoisomers of inositol on insulin sensitivity of gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM)patients.METHODS Eighty GDM pregnant women were divided into four groups according to their treatment received:A group(placebo folic acid 400μg/d),B group[myo-inositol(MI)1500 mg,twice a day],C group[D-chiro-inositol(DCI)250 mg,twice a day],and D group(inositol MI and inositol DCI 1500 mg/250 mg,twice a day).Each patient routinely used dietary guidance adjustments and did some safe and effective aerobic exercise in addition to receiving placebo or inositol from GDM diagnosis to delivery.Triglyceride,total cholesterol,fasting plasma glucose,oral glucose tolerance test postprandial glucose(2 h postprandial blood glucose),fasting insulin,fasting plasma glucose,and glycosylated hemoglobin levels and Homeostasis Model Assessment-insulin resistance(HOMA-IR)and Homeostasis Model Assessment-insulin sensitivity index(HOMA-ISI)scores were determined before treatment and 8 wk after treatment onset.Adverse maternal and infant outcomes,including hypoglycemia,excessive amniotic fluid,premature infants,macrosomia,fetal distress etc.,were also recorded.RESULTS There was no statistical difference in the baseline data of each group.The levels of 2 h blood glucose,glycosylated hemoglobin,fasting insulin,total cholesterol,and triglyceride in the B,C,and D groups were significantly lower than those in the control group(A group)after treatment(P<0.05).Moreover,compared with the B group,the level of the above indexes in the C and D groups decreased more significantly,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).The HOMA-IR of B,C,and D groups decreased significantly,and the HOMA-ISI increased significantly compared with the A group,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05),among which the decrease of HOMA-IR and the increase of HOMA-ISI were more significant in the C and D group compared with the B group(P<0.05).The occurrence rate of adverse maternal and infant outcomes in the C and D group was significantly lower than that in the control group(A group),and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Treatment with different inositol stereoisomers(inositol MI and inositol DCI)can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce insulin resistance in diabetic patients,and inositol DCI has a better curative effect than inositol MI.