Fully relativistic energies,transition properties,and lifetimes of lithium-like germanium

Employing two fully relativistic methods,the multi-reference configuration Dirac-Hartree-Fock(MCDHF)methodand the relativistic many-body perturbation theory(RMBPT)method,we report energies and lifetime values for the lowest35 energy levels of the(1s^(2))nl configurations(where the principal quantum number n=2-6 and the angular quantum numberl=0,...,n-1)of lithium-like germanium(Ge XXX),as well as complete data on the transition wavelengths,radiativerates,absorption oscillator strengths,and line strengths between the levels.Both the allowed(E1)and forbidden(magneticdipole M1,magnetic quadrupole M2,and electric quadrupole E2)ones are reported.The results from the two methodsare consistent with each other and align well with previous accurate experimental and theoretical findings.We assess theoverall accuracies of present RMBPT results to be likely the most precise ones to date.The present fully relativistic resultsshould be helpful for soft x-ray laser research,spectral line identification,plasma modeling and diagnosing.The datasetspresented in this paper are openly available at https://doi.org/10.57760/sciencedb.j00113.00135.

SiO_(2) Induces Iron Overload and Ferroptosis in Cardiomyocytes in a Silicosis Mouse Model

Objective The aim of this study was to explore the role and mechanism of ferroptosis in SiO_(2)-induced cardiac injury using a mouse model.Methods Male C57BL/6 mice were intratracheally instilled with SiO_(2) to create a silicosis model.Ferrostatin-1(Fer-1)and deferoxamine(DFO)were used to suppress ferroptosis.Serum biomarkers,oxidative stress markers,histopathology,iron content,and the expression of ferroptosis-related proteins were assessed.Results SiO_(2) altered serum cardiac injury biomarkers,oxidative stress,iron accumulation,and ferroptosis markers in myocardial tissue.Fer-1 and DFO reduced lipid peroxidation and iron overload,and alleviated SiO_(2)-induced mitochondrial damage and myocardial injury.SiO_(2) inhibited Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)and its downstream antioxidant genes,while Fer-1 more potently reactivated Nrf2 compared to DFO.Conclusion Iron overload-induced ferroptosis contributes to SiO_(2)-induced cardiac injury.Targeting ferroptosis by reducing iron accumulation or inhibiting lipid peroxidation protects against SiO_(2) cardiotoxicity,potentially via modulation of the Nrf2 pathway.

Dapagliflozin in heart failure and type 2 diabetes:Efficacy,cardiac and renal effects,safety

BACKGROUND Heart failure(HF),especially HF with reduced ejection fraction(HFrEF),presents complex challenges,particularly in the aging population where it often coexists with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).AIM To analyze the effect of dapagliflozin treatment on cardiac,renal function,and safety in patients with HFrEF combined with T2DM.METHODS Patients with T2DM complicated with HFrEF who underwent treatment in our hospital from February 2018 to March 2023 were retrospectively analyzed as the subjects of this study.The propensity score matching method was used,and a total of 102 eligible samples were scaled.The clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated at the end of the treatment,comparing the results of blood glucose,insulin,cardiac function,markers of myocardial injury,renal function indexes,and 6-min walk test(6MWT)before and after the treatment.We compared the occurrence of adverse effects on the treatment process of the two groups of patients.The incidence of adverse outcomes in patients within six months of treatment was counted.RESULTS The overall clinical efficacy rate of patients in the study group was significantly higher than that of patients in the control group(P=0.013).After treatment,the pancreatic beta-cell function index,left ventricular ejection fraction,and glomerular filtration rate of patients in the study group were significantly higher than control group(P<0.001),while their fasting plasma glucose,2-h postprandial glucose,glycosylated hemoglobin,insulin resistance index,left ventricular end-systolic diameter,left ventricular end-diastolic diameter,cardiac troponin I,creatine kinase-MB,N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide,serum creatinine,and blood urea nitrogen were significantly lower than those of the control group.After treatment,patients in the study group had a significantly higher 6MWT than those in the control group(P<0.001).Hypoglycemic reaction(P=0.647),urinary tract infection(P=0.558),gastrointestinal adverse effect(P=0.307),respiratory disturbance(P=0.558),and angioedema(P=0.647)were not statistically different.There was no significant difference between the incidence of adverse outcomes between the two groups(P=0.250).CONCLUSION Dapagliflozin significantly enhances clinical efficacy,cardiac and renal function,and ambulatory capacity in patients with HFrEF and T2DM without an increased risk of adverse effects or outcomes.

Erythropoietin inhibits ferroptosis and ameliorates neurological function after spinal cord injury

Ferroptosis is one of the critical pathological events in spinal cord injury.Erythropoietin has been reported to improve the recovery of spinal cord injury.However,whether ferroptosis is involved in the neuroprotective effects of erythropoietin on spinal cord injury has not been examined.In this study,we established rat models of spinal cord injury by modified Allen’s method and intraperitoneally administered 1000 and 5000 IU/kg erythropoietin once a week for 2 successive weeks.Both low and high doses of erythropoietin promoted recovery of hindlimb function,and the high dose of erythropoietin led to better outcome.High dose of erythropoietin exhibited a stronger suppressive effect on ferroptosis relative to the low dose of erythropoietin.The effects of erythropoietin on inhibiting ferroptosis-related protein expression and restoring mitochondrial morphology were similar to those of Fer-1(a ferroptosis suppressor),and the effects of erythropoietin were largely diminished by RSL3(ferroptosis activator).In vitro experiments showed that erythropoietin inhibited RSL3-induced ferroptosis in PC12 cells and increased the expression of xCT and Gpx4.This suggests that xCT and Gpx4 are involved in the neuroprotective effects of erythropoietin on spinal cord injury.Our findings reveal the underlying anti-ferroptosis role of erythropoietin and provide a potential therapeutic strategy for treating spinal cord injury.

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

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

Bimetallic Ni-Co MOF@PAN modified electrospun separator enhances high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries with high energy density are considered promising energy storage devices for the next generation.Nevertheless,the shuttle effect and the passive layer between the separator and the electrodes still seriously affect the cycle stability and life.Herein,a bimetallic Ni-Co metal-organic framework(MOF)with adsorption and catalytic synergism for polysulfides was successfully synthesized as an electrospinning separator sandwich for Li-S batteries.Introducing porous Ni-Co MOF coatings into the separator provides more adsorption catalytic sites for polysulfides,prevents their diffusion to the anode,and enhances sulfur utilization.Consequently,the improved Li-S batteries with a Ni-Co MOF@PAN(NCMP)electrospun separator delivered excellent rate performance and outstanding cycle stability,yielding an ultra-high initial capacity of 1560 mA h g^(-1)at 0.1 C.Notably,remarkable Li-S battery performance with a discharge capacity of 794 mA h g^(-1)(84.1%capacity retention)was obtained after500 cycles,while delivering a low capacity decay rate of 0.032%during long-term cycling(up to 500cycles)at 1 C.Surprisingly,even at the current density of 2 C,the capacity attenuation rate of 2000 cycles is only 0.034%per cycle.In addition,compared with the Celgard separator,the NCMP separator also had high thermal stability(keeping the separator outline at 200℃)that ensured battery safety and excellent electrolyte wettability(73%porosity and 535%electrolyte absorption)and significantly enhanced the ionic conductivity and Li^(+) transfer number,and protected the surface integrity of the anode.

Salvage of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation following prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation and failure of catheter-directed thrombectomy for massive pulmonary embolism in a young patient

Dear editor,Acute massive pulmonary embolism(PE) is a common life-threatening disease with high mortality of up to 30%–50%.[1,2]Potential heterogeneous reasons for PE remain controversial, and its treatment strategies mainly include antithrombotics, fibrinolytics, and embolectomy.

Predictive validation of existing bleeding and thromboembolic scores in elderly patients with comorbid atrial fibrillation and acute coronary syndrome

BACKGROUND The validation of various risk scores in elderly patients with comorbid atrial fibrillation(AF)and acute coron-ary syndrome(ACS)has not been reported.The present study compared the predictive performance of existing risk scores in patients.these METHODS A total of 1252 elderly patients with AF and ACS comorbidities(≥65 years old)were consecutively enrolled from January 2015 to December 2019.All patients were followed up for one year.The predictive performance of risk scores in predict-bleeding and thromboembolic events was calculated and compared.ing RESULTS During the 1-year follow-up,183(14.6%)patients had thromboembolic events,198(15.8%)patients had BARC class≥2 bleeding events,and 61(4.9%)patients had BARC class≥3 bleeding events.For the BARC class≥3 bleeding events,discrimina-tion of the existing risk scores was low to moderate,PRECISE-DAPT(C-statistic:0.638,95%CI:0.611-0.665),ATRIA(C-statistic:0.615,95%CI:0.587-0.642),PARIS-MB(C-statistic:0.612,95%CI:0.584-0.639),HAS-BLED(C-statistic:0.597,95%CI:0.569-0.624)and CRUSADE(C-statistic:0.595,95%CI:0.567-0.622).However,the calibration was good.PRECISE-DAPT showed a higher in-tegrated discrimination improvement(IDI)than PARIS-MB,HAS-BLED,ATRIA,and CRUSADE(P<0.05)and the best decision curve analysis(DCA).For thromboembolic events,the discrimination of GRACE(C-statistic:0.636,95%CI:0.608-0.662)was higher than CHA2DS2-VASc(C-statistic:0.612,95%CI:0.584-0.639),OPT-CAD(C-statistic:0.602,95%CI:0.574-0.629)and PARIS-CTE(C-statistic:0.595,95%CI:0.567-0.622).The calibration was good.Compared to OPT-CAD and PARIS-CTE,the IDI of the GRACE score slightly improved(P<0.05).However,NRI analysis showed no significant difference.DCA showed that the clinical practic-of thromboembolic risk scores was similar.ability CONCLUSIONS The discrimination and calibration of existing risk scores in predicting 1-year thromboembolic and bleeding events were unsatisfactory in elderly patients with comorbid AF and ACS.PRECISE-DAPT showed higher IDI and DCA than other risk scores in predicting BARC class≥3 bleeding events.The GRACE score showed a slight advantage in predicting throm-botic events.

Origin of submarine canyon-channel systems along the middle segment of West Mariana Ridge,Philippine Sea

Submarine canyon-channel systems have been documented in the Parece Vela Basin,West Mariana Ridge;however,the mechanism of the formation and controlling factors remain poorly understood.Based on high-resolution multibeam bathymetric data and two-dimensional(2D)seismic profiles,we identified and mapped the submarine canyon-channel system along the middle segment of West Mariana Ridge in the Philippine Sea.These submarine canyon-channels show a main W-E orientation at depth of 2000–4500 m.They are approximately 72–128 km in length and 1.3–15 km in width,and their canyon heads are adjacent to the seamounts with several branches.The upper reaches of submarine canyon-channels are characterized by deeply incised,narrow,V-shaped thalwegs,suggesting the powerful erosion of gravity flows.The distinguished sediment waves are suggested to be resulted from the interaction of turbidity currents and seafloor.Our observations demonstrate that gravity flows originated from the collapses of seamount flanks plays a vital role in developing the submarine canyonchannel system along the West Mariana Ridge.This work provides better understanding of erosion,transport,and deposition of sediments from subducting ridges to deep-water basins,and also new insights into the origin and evolution of submarine canyon-channel systems along subducting ridges.

Fully relativistic many-body perturbation energies,transition properties,and lifetimes of lithium-like iron Fe XXIV

Employing the advanced relativistic configuration interaction(RCI)combined with the many-body perturbation theory(RMBPT)method,we report energies and lifetime values for the lowest 35 energy levels from the(1s^(2))nl configurations(where the principal quantum number n=2–6 and the angular quantum number l=0,...,n-1)of lithium-like iron Fe XXIV,as well as complete data on the transition wavelengths,radiative rates,absorption oscillator strengths,and line strengths between the levels.Both the allowed(E1)and forbidden(magnetic dipole M1,magnetic quadrupole M2,and electric quadrupole E2)ones are reported.Through detailed comparisons with previous results,we assess the overall accuracies of present RMBPT results to be likely the most precise ones to date.Configuration interaction effects are found to be very important for the energies and radiative properties for the ion.The present RMBPT results are valuable for spectral line identification,plasma modeling,and diagnosing.

Carney complex: Two case reports and review of literature

Lian Duan, Lin Lu, Carney complex （CNC） is an extremely rare genetic syndrome of pigmented skin lesions, endocrine hyper-function and myxoma. Given its diverse clinical mani-festations, CNC is often misdiagnosed. Recognition of some special clinical manifestations and imaging features may help with the diagnosis. Early diagnosis of CNC would alert ongoing surveillance of tumors and complications; the prognosis of CNC may thus be improved by early treatment. Herein, we report two cases of CNC with bone lesions.

巯基配位的金属有机框架在高效电催化析氧中的应用

金属有机框架(MOFs)材料已被探索作为析氧反应(OER)的有效电催化剂。然而,在大电流密度下,MOFs结构不稳定的问题严重阻碍了其大规模应用。文中采用硫醇官能化的2,5-二巯基对苯二甲酸(H4DMBD)与FeNi金属离子配合制备了一种具有巯基S配位的双金属MOFs(FeNi-DMBDC)。得益于独特的Fe-S和Ni-S配位结构,FeNi-DSBDC在碱性OER催化中表现出高活性和良好的稳定性,只需要274 mV的过电位就可达到100 mA/cm2的工作电流密度。同时,负载在导电载体碳布(CC)上的FeNi-DSBDC可以实现安培级的工作电流密度,在50mA/cm2和100mA/cm2的电流密度下具有长期稳定性(>200 h)。这不仅拓宽了MOFs材料在高效稳定的OER催化剂中的应用潜力,也为分子设计和配体调控策略在催化剂设计中的作用提供了新见解。

激光雕刻石墨烯阵列电极测定曲美他嗪

曲美他嗪是一种广泛使用的冠状动脉扩张药物,然而却被《世界反兴奋剂条例》列入禁用清单。本文以聚酰亚胺胶带为基底,结合图案化设计和激光雕刻技术,简便地制备出一体化的石墨烯阵列电极。研究了激光功率对石墨烯阵列电极的结构和性能的影响。当激光功率从50%增加到70%时,石墨烯阵列电极的活性面积、电子交换能力以及对曲美他嗪的信号增强效应逐渐提高;激光功率继续提高到80%,这些性能反而逐渐下降。探讨了曲美他嗪的电化学氧化机理,其氧化过程涉及2个电子和2个质子的转移。基于激光诱导石墨烯阵列电极显著的信号增强效应,建立一种灵敏简便的曲美他嗪电化学测定新方法,线性范围为0.5~20μmol/L,检出限为0.15μmol/L。将该方法用于健康志愿者尿液样品分析,加标回收率在96.0%~106.2%之间。

The synergistic regulatory effect of PTP1B and PTK inhibitors on the development of Oedaleus decorus asiaticus Bei-Bienko

Tyrosine phosphorylation is crucial for controlling normal cell growth,survival,intercellular communication,gene transcription,immune responses,and other processes.protein tyrosine phosphatase(PTP)and protein tyrosine kinases(PTK)can achieve this goal by regulating multiple signaling pathways.Oedaleus decorus asiaticus is an important pest that infests the Mongolian Plateau grassland.We aimed to evaluate the survival rate,growth rate,overall performance,and ovarian developmental morphology of the 4th instar nymphs of O.decorus asiaticus while inhibiting the activity of protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B(PTP1B)and PTK.In addition,the expression and protein phosphorylation levels of key genes in the MAPK signaling pathway and antioxidant enzyme activity were assessed.The results showed no significant differences in survival rate,growth rate,or overall performance between PTP1B inhibitor treatment and control.However,after PTK inhibitor treatment,these indexes were significantly lower than those in the control.The ovarian size of female larvae after 15 days of treatment with PTK inhibitors showed significantly slower development,while female larvae treated with PTP1B exhibited faster ovarian growth than the control group.In comparison to controls and nymphs treated with PTK inhibitors,the expression and phosphorylation levels of key genes in the MAPK signaling pathway under PTP1B inhibitor treatments were significantly higher in 4th instar nymphs.However,reactiveoxygen(ROS)species levels and the activities of NADPH oxidase and other antioxidant enzymes were considerably reduced,although they were significantly greater in the PTK inhibitor treatment.The results suggest that PTP1B and PTK feedback inhibition in the mitogen-activated-protein kinases(MAPK)signal transfer can regulate the physiological metabolism of the insect as well as its developmental rate.These findings can facilitate future uses of PTP1B and PTK inhibitors in controlling insect development to help control pest populations.

Genome-wide association study of grain micronutrient concentrations in bread wheat

Bread wheat(Triticum aestivum)is a staple food crop worldwide.The genetic dissection of important nutrient traits is essential for the biofortification of wheat to meet the nutritional needs of the world's growing population.Here,45,298 single-nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)from 55K chip arrays were used to genotype a panel of 768 wheat cultivars,and a total of 154 quantitative trait loci(QTLs)were detected for eight traits under three environments by genome-wide association study(GWAS).Three QTLs(qMn-3B.1,qFe-3B.4,and qSe-3B.1/qFe-3B.6)detected repeatedly under different environments or traits were subjected to subsequent analyses based on linkage disequilibrium decay and the P-values of significant SNPs.Significant SNPs in the three QTL regions formed six haplotypes for qMn-3B.1,three haplotypes for qFe-3B.4,and three haplotypes for qSe-3B.1/qFe-3B.6.Phenotypic analysis revealed significant differences among haplotypes.These results indicated that the concentrations of several nutrient elements have been modified during the domestication of landraces to modern wheat.Based on the QTL regions,we identified 15 high-confidence genes,eight of which were stably expressed in different tissues and/or developmental stages.TraesCS3B02G046100 in qMn-3B.1 and TraesCS3B02G199500 in qSe-3B.1/qFe-3B.6 were both inferred to interact with metal ions according to the Gene Ontology(GO)analysis.TraesCS3B02G199000,which belongs to qSe-3B.1/qFe-3B.6,was determined to be a member of the WRKY gene family.Overall,this study provides several reliable QTLs that may significantly affect the concentrations of nutrient elements in wheat grain,and this information will facilitate the breeding of wheat cultivars with improved grain properties.

Small but mighty:Empowering sodium/potassium-ion battery performance with S-doped SnO_(2) quantum dots embedded in N,S codoped carbon fiber network

SnO_(2) has been extensively investigated as an anode material for sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)and potassium-ion batteries(PIBs)due to its high Na/K storage capacity,high abundance,and low toxicity.However,the sluggish reaction kinetics,low electronic conductivity,and large volume changes during charge and discharge hinder the practical applications of SnO_(2)-based electrodes for SIBs and PIBs.Engineering rational structures with fast charge/ion transfer and robust stability is important to overcoming these challenges.Herein,S-doped SnO_(2)(S-SnO_(2))quantum dots(QDs)(≈3 nm)encapsulated in an N,S codoped carbon fiber networks(S-SnO_(2)-CFN)are rationally fabricated using a sequential freeze-drying,calcination,and S-doping strategy.Experimental analysis and density functional theory calculations reveal that the integration of S-SnO_(2) QDs with N,S codoped carbon fiber network remarkably decreases the adsorption energies of Na/K atoms in the interlayer of SnO_(2)-CFN,and the S doping can increase the conductivity of SnO_(2),thereby enhancing the ion transfer kinetics.The synergistic interaction between S-SnO_(2) QDs and N,S codoped carbon fiber network results in a composite with fast Na+/K+storage and extraordinary long-term cyclability.Specifically,the S-SnO_(2)-CFN delivers high rate capacities of 141.0 mAh g^(−1) at 20 A g^(−1) in SIBs and 102.8 mAh g^(−1) at 10 A g^(−1) in PIBs.Impressively,it delivers ultra-stable sodium storage up to 10,000 cycles at 5 A g^(−1) and potassium storage up to 5000 cycles at 2 A g^(−1).This study provides insights into constructing metal oxide-based carbon fiber network structures for high-performance electrochemical energy storage and conversion devices.

Degradation of FAK-targeting by proteolytic targeting chimera technology to inhibit the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Liver cancer is a prevalent malignant cancer,ranking third in terms of mortality rate.Metastasis and recurrence primarily contribute to the high mortality rate of liver cancer.Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)has low expression of focal adhesion kinase(FAK),which increases the risk of metastasis and recurrence.Nevertheless,the efficacy of FAK phosphorylation inhibitors is currently limited.Thus,investigating the mechanisms by which FAK affects HCC metastasis to develop targeted therapies for FAK may present a novel strategy to inhibit HCC metastasis.This study examined the correlation between FAK expression and the prognosis of HCC.Additionally,we explored the impact of FAK degradation on HCC metastasis through wound healing experiments,transwell invasion experiments,and a xenograft tumor model.The expression of proteins related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)was measured to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.The results showed that FAK PROTAC can degrade FAK,inhibit the migration and invasion of HCC cells in vitro,and notably decrease the lung metastasis of HCC in vivo.Increased expression of E-cadherin and decreased expression of vimentin indicated that EMT was inhibited.Consequently,degradation of FAK through FAK PROTAC effectively suppressed liver cancer metastasis,holding significant clinical implications for treating liver cancer and developing innovative anti-neoplastic drugs.

音符传情:民国时期马思聪《西藏音诗》创作历程和传播效应

多民族文化交流与传播,是形成具有充满活力、辐射力强劲的中华文化的前提。1941年,著名小提琴音乐作曲家、演奏家马思聪依据藏地纪录片《西藏巡礼》、内地流传的西藏民歌和英文书籍中对西藏剑客的描写,并结合广东音乐中的“连环扣”,采用西方乐器小提琴,谱写了闻名于世的体现西藏人民顽强精神的音乐华章《西藏音诗》。自此,《西藏音诗》在全国各地演奏,成为媒体宣传热点,受到知识分子追捧,并被国家级交响乐团——中华交响乐团定为固定演奏节目,逐渐受到全国群众的关注与喜爱。《西藏音诗》不仅是马思聪个人代表作,还是西藏同内地文化交往交流交融历史事实的有效载体,逐渐成为中华民族共同体的历史记忆,展现了中华文化共同性,进而增强了各族民众对中华文化的自信。对此,学界应加大挖掘、整理、宣传西藏同内地文化名人交往交流交融的真实案例,进而推进铸牢中华民族共同体意识研究。

Effects of dietary Clostridium butyricum supplementation on growth performance,intestinal development,and immune response of weaned piglets challenged with lipopolysaccharide

Background: Weanling pigs, with immature immune system and physiological function, usually experience postweaning diarrhea. This study determined the effects of dietary Clostridium butyricum supplementation on growth performance, diarrhea, and immunity of weaned pigs challenged with lipopolysaccharide(LPS).Methods: In Experiment(Exp.) 1,144 weaned piglets were weaned at 21 d and randomly assigned to six groups,with six replicates per group and four pigs per replicate, receiving a control diet(CON) or diet supplemented with antibiotics(AB) or C. butyricum(CB)(0.1%, 0.2%, 0.4%, or 0.8%), respectively. All diets in Exp. 1 were a highly digestible basal diet, with 3,000 mg/kg zinc oxide supplied in the first 2 wk only. In Exp. 2, 180 piglets were weaned at 21 d and randomly assigned to five groups, with six replicates per group and six pigs per replicate, receiving CON, AB, or CB(0.2%, 0.4%, or 0.6%) diets. The digestibility of diets was lower than those in Exp. 1, and did not include zinc oxide. At 36 d of Exp. 2, 12 piglets were selected from each of the CON and 0.4% CB groups, six piglets were intraperitoneally injected with LPS(50 μg/kg body weight) and the other six piglets with normal saline;animals were killed at 4 h after injection to collect blood, intestine, and digesta samples for biochemical analysis.Results: In Exp. 1, CB and AB diets had no effect on growth performance of piglets. In Exp. 2, 0.4% CB decreased feed-gain ratio(P < 0.1), diarrhea score(P < 0.05), and increased duodenal, jejunal, and ileal villus height and jejunal villus height/crypt depth(P < 0.05). The 0.4% CB decreased the plasma tumor necrosis factor(TNF) α(P < 0.05) but increased ileal mucosa IL-10 and TLR2 mRNA expression(P < 0.05). Furthermore, 0.4% CB altered the microbial profile, with Bacillus and Ruminococcaceae UGG-003 at genus level and Lactobacillus casei and Parasutterella secunda at species level were higher than CON in colonic content(P < 0.05).Conclusions: Dietary C. butyricum supplementation had positive effects on growth of weaned piglets with less digestible diets. There was a tendency to reduce the feed-gain ratio, which could reduce feed costs in pig production. Moreover, C. butyricum decreased post-weaning diarrhea by improving the intestinal morphology,intestinal microflora profile, and immune function.

Angiogenesis-related cytokines in serum of proliferative diabetic retinopathy patients before and after vitrectomy

AIM: To evaluate serum concentrations of angiogenesis-related cytokines in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) before and after vitrectomy. METHODS: Serum samples were collected from 30 PDR patients with varying severity before and after vitrectomy. Serum concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays(ELISA). RESULTS: Serum concentrations of VEGF, PEDF, IL-8 and IP-10 were significantly higher in PDR patients than that in controls, respectively (P<0.05). VEGF concentration decreased significantly in postoperative samples than that in preoperative samples (P<0.05). The concentrations of PEDF, IL-8 and IP-10 did not exhibit significant changes after vitrectomy. CONCLUSION: Elevated cytokines levels in serum may be diagnostically useful in PDR. Angiogenesis-related cytokines play important roles in the development of PDR, and would instruct the risk assessment of pathogenetic condition in PDR patients.