Probing nucleon effective mass splitting with light particle emission

The main objective of this study was to investigate the impact of effective mass splitting on heavy-ion-collision observables.We first analyzed correlations between different nuclear matter parameters obtained from 119 effective Skyrme interaction sets.The values of the correlation coefficients illustrate that the magnitude of effective mass splitting is crucial for tight constraints on the symmetry energy via heavy-ion collisions.The^(86)Kr+^(208)Pb system at beam energies ranging from 25 to 200A MeV was simulated within the framework of the improved quantum molecular dynamics model(ImQMD-Sky).Our calculations show that the slopes of the spectra of ln[Y(n)/Y(p)]and ln[Y(t)/Y(^(3)He)],which are the logarithms of the neutron to proton and triton to helium-3 yield ratios,are directly related to effective mass splitting and can be used to probe the effective mass splitting.

Organizing Pneumonia in A Patient Double-Positive for ANCA and Anti-GBM Antibodies:A Case Report

Both anti-glomerular basement membrane(GBM)disease and the anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody(ANCA)-associated vasculitis(AAV)are common causes of pulmonary-renal syndrome.Organizing pneumonia(OP),a special pattern of interstitial lung disease,is extremely rare either in AAV or anti-GBM disease.We report an old woman presented with OP on a background of co-presentation with both ANCA and anti-GBM antibodies.

眼周穴位雷火灸治疗干眼症的系统评价与Meta分析

目的:系统评价眼周穴位雷火灸对干眼症的临床疗效和安全性,为后续眼周穴位雷火灸的临床应用提供循证研究依据。方法:计算机检索Pubmed、Embase、Cochrane Library、维普中文科技期刊数据库、中国知网、万方数据库,查找国内外采用眼周穴位雷火灸对干眼症的随机对照试验(RCT)。由2位研究成员根据纳入与排除标准独立筛选文献、提取资料和评价质量后,采用Review Manager5.3软件进行Meta分析。结果:最终纳入7个RCT,共计患者530例,其中治疗组265例,对照组265例。Meta分析结果显示:眼周穴位雷火灸治疗干眼症在临床疗效、SⅠt、BUT方面均优于对照组:临床疗效:OR=2.44,95%CI(1.74~3.43),P<0.001;SⅠt:WMD=0.87,95%CI(0.46~1.27),P<0.001;BUT:WMD=1.44,95%CI(1.01~1.86),P<0.001。结论:眼周穴位雷火灸可有效改善干眼症患者的泪液分泌及泪膜破裂时间,该疗法安全有效。

K5M眼表分析仪与常规干眼检查对干眼泪膜分度的诊断试验

目的:探究OCULUS Keratograph 5M(简称K5M)眼表综合分析仪用于干眼泪膜分度诊断的诊断价值。方法:收集门诊通过常规干眼检查手段诊断为干眼的患者50例100眼与同时期可疑干眼的非干眼患者20例40眼,通过K5M眼表分析仪采集以上患者的即时眼表参数,包括第1次泪膜破裂时间(NIBUTf)、平均泪膜破裂时间(NIBUTav)、泪河高度(TMH),进行K5M眼表分析仪与常规干眼检查对干眼泪膜相关指标分度的诊断效能试验。结果:K5M眼表分析仪对干眼组与非干眼组NIBUTf、NIBUTav、TMH均有差异(P<0.05)。K5M眼表分析仪的NIBUTf与常规检查诊断BUT的分度诊断符合率为78.6%,ROC曲线下面积为0.795,标准误为0.042,P<0.01,95%的置信区间为(0.712,0.878);K5M眼表分析仪的NIBUTav与常规检查诊断BUT的符合率为73.6%,ROC曲线下面积为0.853,标准误为0.033,P<0.01,95%的置信区间为(0.788,0.917);K5M眼表综合分析仪的TMH与常规检查诊断SⅠt的符合率为87.9%,ROC曲线下面积为0.795,标准误为0.044,P<0.01,95%的置信区间为(0.709,0.880)。通过NIBUTf结合TMH对干眼的探究性诊断的灵敏度为98%,特异度为40%,正确指数为38%,阳性似然比1.63,阴性似然比0.05,比值比OR为32.6。通过NIBUTav结合TMH对干眼的探究性诊断的灵敏度为86%,特异度为75%,正确指数为61%,阳性似然比3.44,阴性似然比0.187,比值比OR为18.39。结论:K5M眼表分析仪能够为干眼的单一泪膜指标分度诊断提供准确可靠的诊断价值;TMH结合NIBUTf对干眼的诊断灵敏度要优于结合NIBUTav,而特异度要差于结合NIBUTav。

Hepatoprotective effects of baicalein against CCl 4-induced acute liver injury in mice

AIM:To investigate the hepatoprotective effect of baicalein against carbon tetrachloride(CCl 4)-induced liver damage in mice.METHODS:Mice were orally administered with baicalein after CCl 4 injection,and therapeutic baicalein was given twice a day for 4 d.The anti-inflammation effects of baicalein were assessed directly by hepatic histology and serum alanine aminotranferease and aspartate aminotransferase measurement.Proliferating cell nuclear antigen was used to evaluate the effect of baicalein in promoting hepatocyte proliferation.Serum interleukin(IL)-6,IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and liver IL-6,TNF-α,transforming growth factor-α(TGF-α),hepatocyte growth factor(HGF) and epidermal growth factor(EGF) genes expression were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.RESULTS:CCl4-induced acute liver failure model offers a survival benefit in baicalein-treated mice.The data indicated that the mRNA levels of IL-6 and TNF-α significantly increased within 12 h after CCl 4 treatment in baicalein administration groups,but at 24,48 and 72 h,the expression of IL-6 and TNF-α was kept at lower levels compared with the control.The expression of TGF-α,HGF and EGF was enhanced dramatically in baicalein administration group at 12,24,48 and 72 h.Furthermore,we found that baicalein significantly elevated the serum level of TNF-α and IL-6 at the early phase,which indicated that baicalein could facilitate the initiating events in liver regeneration.CONCLUSION:Baicalein may be a therapeutic candidate for acute liver injury.Baicalein accelerates liver regeneration by regulating TNF-α and IL-6 mediated pathways.

Isospin effects on intermediate mass fragments at intermediate energy-heavy ion collisions

In this study,we investigated the isospin properties of intermediate mass fragments(IMFs)for the central collisions of^(112,124)Sn+^(112,124)Sn at a beam energy of50 MeV per nucleon using an improved quantum molecular dynamics model(ImQMD)coupled with a sequential decay model(GEMINI).Three observables were analyzed:(1)the average center-of-mass kinetic energy per nucleon<Ec.m./A>of fragments as a function of their charge number Z;(2)the average neutron number to proton number ratio(<N>/Z)of fragments with a given charge number Z as a function of their center-of-mass kinetic energy per nucleon(Ec.m./A);and(3)the average total neutron number to total proton number ratio(ΣN/ΣZ)and double ratio(DR(N/Z))of IMFs with Z=3-8 as a function of their center-of-mass kinetic energy per nucleon Ec.m./A.Our calculations revealed that the sensitivity of the isospin properties of IMFs relative to the stiffness of the symmetry energy remains even after sequential decay.By comparing the calculations ofΣN/ΣZ and DR(N/Z)with the data,it was found that the soft symmetry energy,i.e.,γ=0.5,is favored.

Analytical methodologies for sensing catechol-O-methyltransferase activity and their applications

Mammalian catechol-O-methyltransferases(COMT)are an important class of conjugative enzymes,which play a key role in the metabolism and inactivation of catechol neurotransmitters,catechol estrogens and a wide range of endobiotics and xenobiotics that bear the catechol group.Currently,COMT inhibitors are used in combination with levodopa for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease in clinical practice.The crucial role of COMT in human health has raised great interest in the development of more practical assays for highly selective and sensitive detection of COMT activity in real samples,as well as for rapid screening and characterization of COMT inhibitors as drug candidates.This review summarizes recent advances in analytical methodologies for sensing COMT activity and their applications.Several lists of biochemical assays for measuring COMT activity,including the probe substrates,along with their analytical conditions and kinetic parameters,are presented.Finally,the challenges and future perspectives in the field,such as visualization of COMT activity in vivo and in situ,are highlighted.Collectively,this review article overviews the practical assays for measuring COMT activities in complex biological samples,which will strongly facilitate the investigations on the relevance of COMT to human diseases and promote the discovery of COMT inhibitors via high-throughput screening.

Icariin protects vascular endothelial cells from oxidative stress through inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress

Objective: To investigate the protective effect and underlying mechanism(s) of icariin(ICA) in preventing hydrogen peroxide(H_2O_2)-induced vascular endothelial cell injury via endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS).Methods: To study the effects of ICA on H_2O_2-induced damage, we used the cell counting kit-8 assay to detect cell viability and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay to determine cell adhesion and apoptosis, respectively. Spectrophotometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to measure the expression levels of superoxide dismutase(SOD) and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px). Subsequently, glucose-regulated protein 78(GRP78), activating transcription factor-4(ATF4) and eukaryotic initiation factor-2 a(eIF2 a) were detected using Western blotting.Results: In human umbilical vein endothelial cells, different concentrations of ICA exhibited multiple effects, including reduced H_2O_2 damage, improved cell viability and adhesion, reduced cell apoptosis and increased SOD and GSH-Px activity. Among the ICA concentrations used, only the H_2O_2+ 100 lmol/L ICA group had significant differences compared to the H_2O_2 group. ERS activators H_2O_2 and DL-dithiothreitol(DTT) significantly increased GRP78, ATF4 and eIF2 a expressions, decreased cell activity and reduced SOD and GSH-Px activity. In contrast, the H_2O_2+ 100 lmol/L ICA and H_2O_2+ 100 lmol/L ICA + DTT groups had significant inhibitory effects on the expressions of GRP78,ATF4 and eIF2 a proteins, showing enhanced cell viability and SOD and GSH-Px activity.Conclusion: The results showed the dose-dependent effects of ICA against H_2O_2-induced injury in vascular endothelial cells. The inhibition of GRP78, ATF4 and eIF2 a protein expressions in the ERS, and the subsequent alleviation of oxidative stress damage, might be the molecular mechanism.

Understanding the isoscaling relationship in the fissioning system with evaluated data

The isoscaling parameters aevai in the fissioning systems,i.e.,those extracted from the Evaluated Nuclear Data Library(ENDF/B-VIII.O)and the Joint Evaluated Fission and Fusion File(JEFF-3.3),show an obvious difference from simple statistic model prediction where only the symmetry energy plays the dominant role.To explain the aeVai as a function of the charge number of the fission fragment,a statistic scission point model is adopted.Our analysis shows that the effects of the shell correction,nuclear shape deformation,and intrinsic temperature of fission fragments are indispensable as well as the symmetry energy.Furthermore,an alternative method for extracting the intrinsic temperatures of fission fragments is proposed based on the isoscaling relationship in fission fragments.The intrinsic temperatures of the light fragments are higher than those of the heavy fragments.