Working toward an integrated plasticity/network framework for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to inform tailored treatments

Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques(NIBS),including repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS) and transcranial electric stim ulation(tES),are increasingly being adopted clinically for treatment of neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders,albeit with varying success.The rationale behind the use of NIBS has historically been that stim ulation techniques modulate neuronal activity in the targeted region and consequently induce plasticity which can lead to therapeutic outcomes.

Valvular heart disease and cardiomyopathy in China:epidemiology and current treatments

The Annual Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China(2022)intricate landscape of cardiovascular health in China.In connection with the previous section,this ninth section of the report offers a comprehensive analysis of valvular heart disease and cardiomyopathy.Although rheumatic valve disease is still the main cause of valvular heart disease in China,with the aging of the population and the improvement of living standards,the prevalence of degenerative valvular heart disease is on the rise.Because many patients with valvular heart disease have only mild to moderate valve stenosis or insufficiency,and no symptoms,the detection rate in the population is low and late,resulting in many patients been in the severe late stage of disease at visit,increasing the difficulty of treatment and affecting effectiveness and prognosis.Therefore,we should strengthen the examination and screening of valvular heart disease in order to find and prevent it as early as possible.In addition,compared with other diseases,the treatment of valvular heart disease needs more and higher technical support(surgery,intervention,etc).However,not all hospitals can provide relevant technologies.At present,the treatment of valvular heart disease is still mainly concentrated in the provincial hospitals.It is necessary to carry out more professional training so that more doctors and hospitals can participate in the treatment of valvular heart disease.Cardiomyopathy is a group of myocardial diseases with abnormal myocardial structure and/or function,but couldn't be explained by hypertension,coronary atherosclerosis,valvular heart disease and congenital heart disease.It includes hypertrophic cardiomyopathy(HCM),dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM),arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy(also known as arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy),restrictive cardiomyopathy(RCM)and undifferentiated cardiomyopathy.

Impact of Heat Treatments and Hole Density (p) on the Structural, Electrical, and Superconducting Properties of LnSrBaCu3O6+z (Ln = Eu, Sm, Nd) Compounds

In this study, we thoroughly examined the impact of heat treatments and hole count (p) on the properties of LnSrBaCu3O6+z (Ln = Eu, Sm, Nd) compounds. We focused on preparation, X-ray diffraction with Rietveld refinement, AC susceptibility, DC resistivity measurements, and heat treatment effects. Two heat treatment types were applied: oxygen annealing [O] and argon annealing followed by oxygen annealing [AO]. As the rare earth Ln’s ionic radius increased, certain parameters notably changed. Specifically, c parameter, surface area S, and volume V increased, while critical temperature Tc and holes (p) in the CuO2 plane decreased. The evolution of these parameters with rare earth Ln’s ionic radius in [AO] heat treatment is linear. Regardless of the treatment, the structure is orthorhombic for Ln = Eu, tetragonal for Ln = Nd, orthorhombic for Ln = Sm [AO], and pseudo-tetragonal for Sm [O]. The highest critical temperature is reached with Ln = Eu (Tc [AO] = 87.1 K). Notably, for each sample, Tc [AO] surpasses Tc [O]. Observed data stems from factors including rare earth ionic size, improved cationic and oxygen chain order, holes count p in Cu(2)O2 planes, and in-phase purity of [AO] samples. Our research strives to clearly demonstrate that the density of holes (p) within the copper plane stands as a determinant impacting the structural, electrical, and superconducting properties of these samples. Meanwhile, the other aforementioned parameters contribute to shaping this density (p).

Acupuncture therapies in combination with conservative treatments for postoperative ileus:a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Background:Although acupuncture therapies have been widely used in combination with conservative treatments(CT)for postoperative ileus(POI),evidence of their safety and efficacy remains scarce.To evaluate and rank the efficacy of different acupuncture therapies combined with CT for POI.Methods:A comprehensive search was carried out in several databases(Embase,PubMed,Cochrane Library,Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang Data,VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database and China Biology Medicine disc)for relevant randomized controlled trials(RCTs)investigating different acupuncture therapies for POI from inception to February 17,2023.The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to determine the risks of bias of the included RCTs.The primary outcomes included the time to first defecation,time to first flatus,and time to first bowel movement;and the secondary outcome was the response rate.Pairwise meta-analysis was performed by Review Manager 5.3 software,and network meta-analysis was carried out by Stata v.15.0 software.The cumulative ranking curve was obtained with Stata v.15.0 and was utilized to rank the included treatments.Results:29 studies with 2,600 participants were included in this systematic review.This meta-analysis demonstrated that all acupuncture therapies combined with CT were superior to conservative treatments alone in time to first defecation,time to first flatus,time to first bowel movement,and response rate.Among 10 evaluated methods,auricular needle with CT was the most effective treatment to reduce the time to first defecation.Furthermore,moxibustion with CT was the most effective in reducing the time to first flatus,and warm needling with CT most markedly reduced the time to first bowel movement among 9 interventions.Moreover,manual acupuncture with CT showed the largest improvement in response rate.Conclusion:This meta-analysis revealed that all acupuncture therapies are effective and safe for POI,with warm needling+CT being the most effective way to relieve symptoms.These results indicated that acupuncture therapies combined with CT should be considered for POI patients.However,most of the included trials were ranked as moderate quality,and further large-scale,high-quality RCTs are required to confirm the optimal interventions for POI patients.

Circ RNA and ferroptosis in human disease:Insights for new treatments

Circular RNA(circ RNA),classified as a type of non-coding RNA,has gained significant attention in the field of biology due to its distinctive ring structure and functional properties.Recent research has provided evidence that specific circ RNAs have the ability to modulate disease progression through diverse mechanisms,one of which is by regulating cellular ferroptosis.Ferroptosis is a form of regulated cell death that is driven by iron dependency and lipid peroxidation,and extensive investigations have revealed a relationship between ferroptosis and disease development.In addition to evidence that both circ RNAs and ferroptosis exert critical roles in disease progression,circ RNAs have also been shown to actively mediate the process of ferroptosis.The relationship between circ RNAs and ferroptosis therefore influences disease progression and offers novel targets for disease treatment.By directly or indirectly modulating the expression of circ RNAs that regulate the expression of ferroptosisrelated proteins,it may be possible to impact disease progression by promoting or inhibiting ferroptosis.Current research indicates such approaches may hold significant value in a wide variety of common diseases across physiological systems.This review comprehensively summarizes the findings of recent studies investigating the roles of circ RNAs in the regulation of ferroptosis in various diseases.

Therapeutic response and safety of different treatments for cutaneous leishmaniasis in patients: A retrospective cross-sectional study

Objective:To analyze the therapeutic response and safety of different treatments for cutaneous leishmaniasis,received by patients in the Program for the Study and Control of Tropical Diseases-PECET-Medellín-Colombia.Methods:This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of patients attended at PECET Research Center during 2016-2021.Relevant information regarding sociodemographic characteristics,history of leishmaniasis,characterization of current infection,treatment received,follow-up of therapeutic response and safety was collected from the medical records.Data were analyzed with Pearson's Chi-square association tests and Mann-Whitney U test using statistical software.Results:A total of 486 clinical records of patients were analyzed,and 356 received treatment.Eight different therapeutic alternatives(systemic,local and in combination)were analyzed.The therapeutic response of the different alternatives used(except thermotherapy)was higher than 50%.Most frequent adverse events were myalgias,arthralgias and headache,and vesicles for systemic and local treatment,respectively.Conclusions:Safety profile and performance of local therapeutic alternatives and combined schemes for the treatment of uncomplicated cutaneous leishmaniasis are an interesting option for the management of the disease.

Liver injury in COVID-19: Clinical features, potential mechanisms, risk factors and clinical treatments

The coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic has been a serious threat to global health for nearly 3 years.In addition to pulmonary complications,liver injury is not uncommon in patients with novel COVID-19.Although the prevalence of liver injury varies widely among COVID-19 patients,its incidence is significantly increased in severe cases.Hence,there is an urgent need to understand liver injury caused by COVID-19.Clinical features of liver injury include detectable liver function abnormalities and liver imaging changes.Liver function tests,computed tomography scans,and ultrasound can help evaluate liver injury.Risk factors for liver injury in patients with COVID-19 include male sex,preexisting liver disease including liver transplantation and chronic liver disease,diabetes,obesity,and hypertension.To date,the mechanism of COVID-19-related liver injury is not fully understood.Its pathophysiological basis can generally be explained by systemic inflammatory response,hypoxic damage,ischemia-reperfusion injury,and drug side effects.In this review,we systematically summarize the existing literature on liver injury caused by COVID-19,including clinical features,underlying mechanisms,and potential risk factors.Finally,we discuss clinical management and provide recommendations for the care of patients with liver injury.

Convergence of human and veterinary medicine:leveraging canine naturally occurring neurological disorders to develop regenerative treatments

In recent years,large animal models of naturally occurring diseases have become increasingly studied,with the rationale that their disease attributes may better recapitulate the pathological features of corresponding human diseases as compared to induced disease models(Hoffman and Dow,2016).Of the available naturally occurring disease models,the canine is increasingly recognized as a valuable pre-clinical animal model in translational medicine for numerous human diseases,including cancer.

Effect of Different Titanium Surface Treatments on the Adhesion Test Result:Dental Application

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of different surface treatment of titanium(Ti)on the adhesion test results for dental application.Ti substrates roughened by 400 to 1500-grit SiC polish papers and alumina blasting,alkali treated by 5 molar(M)NaOH and KOH solutions and heat treated at the temperature range of 400-800℃were used in this study.The treated samples were subjected to the adhesion test.According to the results of the adhesion test,the adhesive strength showed the highest value for the blasted titanium among all polished and blasted samples.The Ti samples heated at 650℃showed the highest adhesive strength among all heat-treated samples.Further,the adhesion test results indicated the higher adhesive strength of chemically treated samples treated by NaOH rather than that by KOH.The polished and heated Ti samples showed the highest adhesive strength among all samples.

Influence of heat treatments on incipient melting structures of DD5 nickel-based single crystal superalloy

The evolution of microstructure and formation mechanism of incipient melting microstructure of DD5 single crystal superalloy during solution heat treatment were studied by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),electron probe microanalysis(EPMA),and energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS).The solidus and liquidus of single crystal alloy were obtained by differential scanning calorimetry(DSC).Results show that the mosaic-like eutectic and fan-like eutectic are dissolved at first,and the coarseγ'phase is dissolved later during the solution heat treatment of 1,390°C/2 h+1,310°C/4 h+1,320°C/10 h+air cooling(AC).The composition segregations of Al,Ta,W and Re are 0.99,0.96,1.04 and 1.16,respectively,which close to 1.The incipient melting is caused by the low local temperature of the alloy,and the micropore region with a lower melting point is the preferred position for incipient melting.

Do not lose the moon while counting the stars:Conventional IVF versus add-on treatments

When we look back at-more than four decades-the history of assisted reproductive treatments(ART),a continuous effort to optimise laboratory conditions and to improve treatment protocols can be seen.In basic terms,the aim of research about culture media and laboratory environments is to create as more physiological condition as possible,which means reducing the gap between the not-fully-known in vivo conditions and their in vitro counterparts.

Assessing the effects of alternative fuel treatments to reduce wildfire exposure

Effective landscape-scale fuel management strategies are essential for reducing wildfire risk in Mediterranean fire-prone areas.In this study,the minimum travel time(MTT)fire-spread algorithm as implemented in FlamMap was applied to assess the potential of alternative fuel treatments for lowering wildfire losses in a 5,740-ha study area in eastern Sardinia,Italy.Twenty-seven wildfires at 10-m resolution were simulated considering three wind speeds(15,18,and 21 km h-1)to compare fuel treatments:no treatment(NT),irrigated agroforestry areas with shrub clearing(T1),prescribed fire in eucalyptus stands(T2),and irrigated grasslands(T3).The simulations replicated a recent large wildfire that occurred in the study area(Orrìwildfire,2019)and considered the weather and fuel moisture conditions associated with this event.The average wildfire exposure outputs(burned area,probability of burning,conditional flame length,potential crown fire occurrence,and surfaces withflame lengths above 2.5 m)decreased after fuel treatments,compared to no treatment.T1 was the most effective strategy in mitigating wildfire hazards and provided the most significant performance for several wildfire exposure indicators.Treating only 0.5%of the study area(~30 ha)resulted in a decrease in all wildfire exposure metrics to~10%within the study area.In addition,the total surface characterized by high flame length(average>2.5 m)was the lowest in the T1 treatment.This study can help land and fire managers optimize fuel treatment opportunities and wildfire risk mitigation strategies in Mediterranean areas.

Systemic treatments for resectable carcinoma of the esophagus

One of the most prevalent malignancies in the world is esophageal cancer(EC).The 5-year survival rate of EC remains pitiful despite treatment advancements.Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in conjunction with esophagectomy is the standard of care for patients with resectable disease.The pathological complete response rate,however,is not acceptable.A distant metastasis or a locoregional recurrence will occur in about half of the patients.To increase the clinical effectiveness of therapy,it is consequently vital to investigate cutting-edge and potent therapeutic modalities.The approach to the management of resectable EC using immunotherapy has been considerably altered by immune checkpoint inhibitors.Systemic immunotherapy has recently been shown to have the potential to increase the survival of patients with resectable EC,according to growing clinical data.A combination of chemotherapy,radiation,and immunotherapy may have a synergistic antitumor impact because,according to mounting evidence,these treatments can stimulate the immune system via a number of different pathways.In light of this,it makes sense to consider the value of neoadjuvant immunotherapy for patients with surgically treatable EC.In this review,we clarify the rationale for neoadjuvant immunotherapy in resectable EC patients,recap the clinical outcomes of these approaches,go through the upcoming and ongoing investigations,and emphasize the difficulties and unmet research requirements.

Glial Cell-Targeted Treatments for Bipolar Disorder: A Systematic Review of Available Data and Clinical Perspectives

This paper is a systematic review of the treatment of bipolar disorder: a systematic Google Scholar search aimed at treatment guidelines and clinical trials. The search for treatment guidelines returned 375 papers and was last performed from June 1, 2022 to August 30, 2022. The literature suggests that lithium helps control and alleviate severe mood episodes, and olanzapine is effective for acute manic or mixed episodes of bipolar I disorder. Achieving effectiveness or remission is better with Cariprazine. Lurasidone improves cognitive performance. Quetiapine improves sleep quality and co-morbid anxiety. Lamotrigine helps delay depression, mania, and mild manic episodes. Antidepressants are best used in conjunction with mood stabilizers. For co-morbid treatment, carbamazepine and lithium in combination are more effective in the treatment of psychotic mania. Co-morbid anxiety treatment considers adjunctive olanzapine or lamotrigine. Co-morbid bulimia treatment considers a mood stabilizer. Co-morbid fatigue treatment considers a dawn simulator. For diet, pay attention to a healthy diet, patients can ingest probiotics and pay attention to the balance of fatty acids.

Effects of silvicultural treatments on mechanical properties of Pinus sylvestris var.mongolica plantations

A study was conducted to determine the influences of initial planting densities, thinning intensities, exposures and slope sites on physical property （wood density） and mechanical properties such as modulus of elasticity （MOE）, bending strength, impact strength, compression strength along grain and hardness） of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica plantation in Mao＇ershan Forest Farm, Northeast China. Results show that the different initial planting densities （1.5 m×1.0 m, 1.5 m×2.0 m and 1.5 m×2.5 m） had significant effects on wood density and MOE, and the highest mean wood density and indexes of mechanical properties occurred in the stand with an initial planting density of 1.5 m×1.0 m. The indexes of mechanical properties such as hardness of end, bending strength, MOE and compression strength along grain of wood increased after mild thinning, but decreased after violent thinning. The exposures （sunny slope and shady slope） had a significant effect on MOE, and the highest mean MOE occurred on sunny slope. The slope sites （upper site and lower site） had a significant effect on wood density and main mechanical properties, except hardness. The highest mean wood density and mechanical properties occurred at lower site.

Effects of Different Treatments on Seed Germination of Gagea nigra

According to different mechanisms of dormancy,seeds of Gagea nigra L.Z.Shue were treated with different methods so as to investigate the effects of different treatments on seed germination of G.nigra.The results showed that at 4 ℃,the seeds of G.nigra began to germinate on day 32 with germination period of 80 d and germination rate of 72%;room temperature（25 ℃） and acid and alkali treatments were all unsuitable for the germination of G.nigra seeds;no significant differences were found in germination rate of G.nigra seeds among warm water（50℃）,ultrasound and 200 mg/L GA_3treatments（P 0.05）;seed coat-removing treatment effectively promoted the germination of G.nigra seeds（P =0.002 0.01） with germination rate of 88%;seed coat piercing ＋ 200 mg/L GA_3 and 500 mg/L GA_3＋15% H_2O_2 treatments effectively promoted the germination of G.nigra seeds with germination rates of 84% and 82%,respectively（P0.05）;the germination vigor of G.nigra seeds in the seed coat piercing ＋ 200 mg/L GA_3 treatment was highest,and it was significantly higher than those in the other treatments.

Effects of Different Fertilization Treatments on Biological Activity of Reclaimed Soil

As per randomized block design, the research had different fertilizer treatments, and the organic matter, respiration, enzyme activity and microbial carbon and nitrogen in reclaimed soil were studied. Fertilization schemes were as follows： The treatment without fertilizers（CK）, the treatment with chemical fertilizers（C）, the treatment with chemical fertilizers and bacterial fertilizer（CB）, the treatment with organic fertilizer and chemical fertilizers（CM）, and the treatment with chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizer and bacterial fertilizer（CMB）. The results showed： Four fertilization treatments could improve the content of soil organic matter. CMB, CM and CB could significantly improve the soil respiration. Organic fertilizer and fertilizer could significantly improve soil enzyme activity, In different growth stages the CMB treatment had highest urease and phosphatase.The most significant in the treatment content of sucrose was CM. Organic fertilizer and microbial fertilizer can significantly improve the microbial carbon and nitrogen in soil. For the microbial biomass carbon, the CMB treatment increased by 11%-34% than CB treatment, and 35%-63% than C treatment. In terms of microbial nitrogen CMB, CM respectively increased by 31%-51% than CB treatment, and 52%-100% compared with C. In the process of land reclamation, we should combine the organic fertilizer, microbial fertilizer and inorganic fertilizer. Only in this way can soil biological activity be accelerated, soil microbial environment improved, and the ripening increased soil nutrient and soil cultivation be enhanced.

Influence of thermomechanical treatments on localized corrosion susceptibility and propagation mechanism of AA2099 Al-Li alloy

In order to manifest the influence of specific microstructural component on the development of severe localized corrosion in an AA2099 aluminum-lithium alloy, the corrosion behavior of the alloy subjected to solution heat treatment, cold working and artificial ageing was investigated. Immersion testing and potentiodynamic polarization were employed to introduce localized corrosion; scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the alloy microstructure and corrosion morphology. It was found that the susceptibility of the alloy to severe localized corrosion was sensitive to thermomechanical treatments. Additionally, the state of alloying elements influenced the mechanism of localized corrosion propagation. Specifically, the alloy in T8 conditions showed higher susceptibility to severe localized corrosion than that in other conditions. During potentiodynamic polarization, the alloy in solution heat-treated and T3 conditions displayed crystallographic corrosion morphology while the alloy in T6 and T8 conditions exhibited selective attack of grain interiors and grain boundaries in local regions.

Microstructure and properties of Cu-2.3Fe-0.03P alloy during thermomechanical treatments

A short process without solution treatment was developed to manufacture Cu-2.3Fe-0.03 P alloy strips. After hot rolling-quenching and cold rolling with 80% reduction, the alloy exhibited excellent resistance to recrystallization softening. The hardness and electrical conductivity of Cu-Fe-P alloy under different thermomechanical treatments were measured by hardness tester and double bridge tester, respectively, and the microstructure of the alloy was examined by optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that the finished product of Cu-2.3Fe-0.03 P alloy was strengthened by work hardening, while the Fe precipitates with the size of about 25 nm stabilized the cold rolled structure. The conductivity decreased during cold rolling, especially for the pre-aged specimens, because the fine precipitates with the size smaller than 5 nm re-dissolved easily into the matrix. A Cu-Fe-P alloy with an electrical conductivity of 66% IACS and a hardness of HV 134 can be gained.

Stress Treatments and DNA Methylation Affected the Somatic Embryogenesis of Citrus Callus

The evaluation on the callus embryogenesis capacity of 15 genotypes of citrus showed that stress treatments were conducive to somatic embryogenesis and could enhance the recovery of the missed capacity of embryogenesis for some genotypes. Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and methylation sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP) analysis indicated that there existed significant differences in DNA methylation status between the callus capable of producing somatic embryoids and that which missed the embryogenesis capacity of the same genotype Newhall navel orange ( Citrus sinensis Osb. cv. Newhall). The DNA methylation level of the former was lower than that of the latter. However, RAPD profiles did not show any difference between these two kinds of callus.