Functional near-infrared spectroscopy in elderly patients with four types of dementia

BACKGROUND Functional near-infrared spectroscopy(fNIRS)is commonly used to study human brain function by measuring the hemodynamic signals originating from cortical activation and provides a new noninvasive detection method for identifying dementia.AIM To investigate the fNIRS imaging technique and its clinical application in differential diagnosis of subtype dementias including frontotemporal lobe dementia,Lewy body dementia,Parkinson’s disease dementia(PDD)and Alzheimer’s disease(AD).METHODS Four patients with different types of dementia were examined with fNIRS during two tasks and a resting state.We adopted the verbal fluency task,working memory task and resting state task.Each patient was compared on the same task.We conducted and analyzed the fNIRS data using a general linear model and Pearson’s correlation analysis.RESULTS Compared with other types of dementias,fNIRS showed the left frontotemporal and prefrontal lobes to be poorly activated during the verbal fluency task in frontotemporal dementia.In Lewy body dementia,severe asymmetry of prefrontal lobes appeared during both verbal fluency and working memory tasks,and the patient had low functional connectivity during a resting state.In PDD,the patient’s prefrontal cortex showed lower excitability than the temporal lobe during the verbal fluency task,while the prefrontal cortex showed higher excitability during the working memory task.The patient with AD showed poor prefrontal and temporal activation during the working memory task,and more activation of frontopolar instead of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.CONCLUSION Different hemodynamic characteristics of four types of dementia(as seen by fNIRS imaging)provides evidence that fNIRS can serve as a potential tool for the diagnosis between dementia subtypes.

Inflammation scores predict survival for hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma patients after transarterial chemoembolization

AIM:To compare the prognostic ability of inflammation scores for patients with hepatitis B virus(HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)undergoing transarterial chemoembolization(TACE).METHODS:Data of 224 consecutive patients who underwent TACE for unresectable HBV-related HCC from September 2009 to November 2011 were retrieved from a prospective database.The association of inflammation scores with clinicopathologic variables and overall survival(OS)were analyzed,and receiver operating characteristic curves were generated,and the area under the curve(AUC)was calculated to evaluate the discriminatory ability of each inflammation score and staging system,including tumor-node-metastasis,Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer,and Cancer of the Liver Italian Program(CLIP)scores.RESULTS:The median follow-up period was 390 d,the one-,two-,and three-year OS were 38.4%,18.3%,and 11.1%,respectively,and the median OS was 390d.The Glasgow Prognostic Score(GPS),modifed GPS,neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio,and Prognostic Index were associated with OS.The GPS consistently had a higher AUC value at 6 mo(0.702),12 mo(0.676),and24 mo(0.687)in comparison with other inflammation scores.CLIP consistently had a higher AUC value at6 mo(0.656),12 mo(0.711),and 24 mo(0.721)in comparison with tumor-node-metastasis and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging systems.Multivariate analysis revealed that alanine aminotransferase,GPS,and CLIP were independent prognostic factors for OS.The combination of GPS and CLIP(AUC=0.777)was superior to CLIP or GPS alone in prognostic ability for OS.CONCLUSION:The prognostic ability of GPS is superior to other inflammation scores for HCC patients undergoing TACE.Combining GPS and CLIP improved the prognostic power for OS.

Salvage of vascular graft infections via vacuum sealing drainage and rectus femoris muscle flap transposition: A case report

BACKGROUND The management of vascular graft infections continues to be a significant challenge in a clinical situation.The aim of this report is to illustrate the novel vacuum sealing drainage(VSD)technique and rectus femoris muscle flap transposition for vascular graft infections,and to evaluate the prospective of future testing of this surgical procedure.CASE SUMMARY We report the case of a 32-year-old male patient,who presented a severe infected groin wound with biological vascular graft Acinetobacter baumannii infection resulting in extensive graft exposure.Using the VSD and muscle flap transposition,the groin wound and vascular graft infection were finally treated successfully.CONCLUSION Our case report highlights that VSD technique and rectus femoris muscle flap transposition could be considered in patients presenting with a severe infected groin wound with biological vascular graft Acinetobacter baumannii infection resulting in extensive graft exposure,especially in consideration of treatable conditions.

Multiple-stacked Hybrid Plays of lacustrine source rock intervals：Case studies from lacustrine basins in China

Hydrocarbon-producing lacustrine basins are widely developed in the world, and China has a large number of lacustrine basins that have developed since the early Permian. The organic-rich shale-dominated heterogeneous source rock intervals in Chinese lacustrine basins generally contain frequent thin interbeds of stratigraphically associated sandstone, siltstone, marl, dolomite, and limestone. The concept of ‘‘Hybrid Plays' ' as put forth in this article recognizes this pattern of alternating organicrich shale and organic-lean interbeds and existence of mixed unconventional and conventional plays. Hybrid Plays in lacustrine source rock intervals present a unique closed petroleum system hosting continuous hydrocarbons.The interbedded organic-lean siliciclastic and/or carbonateplays are efficiently charged with hydrocarbons via short migration pathways from the adjacent organic-rich shale that is often also a self-sourced play. We assert ‘‘Hybrid Plays' ' provide the most realistic exploration model for targeting multiple-stacked and genetically related very tight shale, tight and conventional plays together in the entire source rock interval rather than individual plays only. The Hybrid Play model has been proven and works for a wide variety of lacustrine rift, sag and foreland basins in China.

Hybrid Monoterpenoid Indole Alkaloids Obtained as Artifacts from Rauvolfia tetraphylla

Five new hybrid monoterpenoid indole alkaloids bearing an unusual 2,2-dimethyl-4-oxopiperidin-6-yl moiety,namely rauvotetraphyllines F–H(1,3,4),17-epi-rauvotetraphylline F(2)and 21-epi-rauvotetraphylline H(5),were isolated from the aerial parts of Rauvolfia tetraphylla.Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic analysis.The new alkaloids were evaluated for their cytotoxicity in vitro against five human cancer cell lines.

Rauvotetraphyllines A-E, new indole alkaloids from Rauvolfia tetraphylla

Five new indole alkaloids rauvotetraphyllines A-E(1-5),together with eight known analogues,were isolated from the aerial parts of Rauvolfia tetraphylla.The structures were established by means of spectroscopic methods.

Three new indole alkaloids from Rauvolfia yunnanensis

One rare tetracyclic macroline-type indole alkaloid,named rauvoyunine A(1),and two new picraline-type alkaloids rauvoyunines B and C(2 and 3)were isolated from the aerial parts of Rauvolfia yunnanensis.Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis.Compounds 2 and 3 were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicity against five human tumor cell lines.

Adsorption of tetrodotoxin by flexible shape-memory polymers synthesized from silica-stabilized Pickering high internal phase emulsion

Flexible shape-memory polymers were synthesized by Pickering high internal phase emulsion(HIPE)polymerization and used to adsorb and separate tetrodotoxin(TTX)from an aqueous solution.SiO_(2)nanoparticles were used to stabilize the Pickering oil-in-water(O/W)HIPEs.We introduced imidazolium-modified bromobutyl rubber(IBR)with excellent mechanical properties and high viscosity into the emulsion system as the shape-memory monomer.The properties,such as shape memory and morphology,were characterized by various methods,and batches of static adsorption experiments were conducted to analyze the adsorption performance of SiO_(2)@IBR on TTX.The characterization revealed that the SiO_(2)@IBR had a porous structure and good shape memory.Thus,the combination of SiO_(2)particles and IBR prevented shedding of SiO_(2)and enhanced the mechanical and adsorption properties of SiO_(2)@IBR.The results of the adsorption experiments indicated that the SiO_(2)@IBR had good adsorption of TTX.Both the Langmuir and Freundlich models fitted the isothermal adsorption experiment process.The TTX adsorption capacity of SiO_(2)@IBR was about 290.44 mg/g at 308 K.The fitting results of the pseudo-first-order and pseudosecond-order kinetic models showed that the adsorption process involved both chemical bonding and physical adsorption.After 10 adsorption and desorption experiments,the adsorption capacity of SiO_(2)@IBR decreased less than 0.03%,indicating that it had good adsorption and regeneration performance.

Expert consensus on management principles of orthopedic emergency in the epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019

Since December 2019,many patients in Wuhan sustained pneumonia with unknown causes.[1,2]A part of severe patients developed acute respiratory distress syndrome or septic shock,and even death.On January 7,2020,Chinese researchers have for the first time detected a new coronavirus.On January 20,2020,the National Health Commission issued Announcement No.1 of 2020,which included the new coronavirus pneumonia as a Class B infectious disease,and conducted epidemic prevention and control according to the Class A infectious disease.This new kind of pneumonia has been named coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).The sixth edition of"Diagnosis and Treatment Scheme for New Coronavirus Infected Pneumonia"points out that the main transmission routes include respiratory droplets and close contact transmission.There is a possibility of aerosol transmission in a relatively closed environment with prolonged exposure to high concentrations of aerosol.New coronavirus pneumonia has a certain incubation period.

Advances in neuroimaging studies of alcohol use disorder(AUD)

Alcohol use disorder(AUD)is a worldwide problem and themost common substance use disorder.Chronic alcohol consumptionmay have negative effects on the body,the mind,the family,and even society.With the progress of current neuroimaging methods,an increasing number of imaging techniques are being used to objectively detect brain impairment induced by alcoholism and serve a vital role in the diagnosis,prognosis,and treatment assessment of AUD.This article organizes and analyzes the research on alcohol dependence concerning the main noninvasive neuroimaging methods,structural magnetic resonance imaging,functional magnetic resonance imaging,and electroencephalography,as well as the most common noninvasive brain stimulation-transcranial magnetic stimulation,and intersperses the article with joint intra-and intergroup studies,providing an outlook on future research directions.

Rapid development of double-hit mRNA antibody cocktail against orthopoxviruses

The Orthopoxvirus genus,especially variola virus(VARV),monkeypox virus(MPXV),remains a significant public health threat worldwide.The development of therapeutic antibodies against orthopoxviruses is largely hampered by the high cost of antibody engineering and manufacturing processes.mRNA-encoded antibodies have emerged as a powerful and universal platform for rapid antibody production.Herein,by using the established lipid nanoparticle(LNP)-encapsulated mRNA platform,we constructed four mRNA combinations that encode monoclonal antibodies with broad neutralization activities against orthopoxviruses.In vivo characterization demonstrated that a single intravenous injection of each LNP-encapsulated mRNA antibody in mice resulted in the rapid production of neutralizing antibodies.More importantly,mRNA antibody treatments showed significant protection from weight loss and mortality in the vaccinia virus(VACV)lethal challenge mouse model,and a unique mRNA antibody cocktail,Mix2a,exhibited superior in vivo protection by targeting both intracellular mature virus(IMV)-form and extracellular enveloped virus(EEV)-form viruses.In summary,our results demonstrate the proof-of-concept production of orthopoxvirus antibodies via the LNP-mRNA platform,highlighting the great potential of tailored mRNA antibody combinations as a universal strategy to combat orthopoxvirus as well as otheremerging viruses.