GM-CSF Promotes the Development of Dysfunctional Vascular Networks in Moyamoya Disease

Moyamoya disease(MMD)is a chronic occlusive cerebrovascular disease with the development of a network of abnormal vessels.Immune inflammation is associated with the occurrence and development of MMD.However,the mechanisms underlying the formation of the abnormal vascular network remain unclear.Twenty-eight patients with MMD,26 ischemic stroke patients,and 26 unrelated healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study The data showed that the levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor(GM-CSF)were higher in MMD patients than in healthy controls(P<0.01),and GM-CSF was mainly from Th1 and Th17 cells in MMD.We found that increased GM-CSF drove monocytes to secrete a series of cytokines associated with angiogenesis,inflammation,and chemotaxis.In summary,our findings demonstrate for the first time the important involvement of GM-CSF in MMD and that GM-CSF is an important factor in the formation of abnormal vascular networks in MMD.

Accelerating spectral digital image correlation computation with Taylor series image reconstruction

In this paper,we introduce an accelerating algorithm based on the Taylor series for reconstructing target images in the spectral digital image correlation method(SDIC).The Taylor series image reconstruction method is employed instead of the previous direct Fourier transform(DFT)image reconstruction method,which consumes the majority of the computational time for target image reconstruction.The partial derivatives in the Taylor series are computed using the fast Fourier transform(FFT)of the entire image,following the principles of Fourier transform theory.To examine the impact of different orders of Taylor series expansion on accuracy and efficiency,we employ third-and fourth-order Taylor series image reconstruction methods and compare them with the DFT image reconstruction method through simulated experiments.As a result of these enhancements,the computational efficiency using the third-and fourth-order Taylor series improves by factors of 57 and 46,respectively,compared to the previous method.In terms of analysis accuracy,within a strain range of 0–0.1 and without the addition of image noise,the accuracy of the proposed method increases with higher expansion orders,surpassing that of the DFT image reconstruction method when the fourth order is utilized.However,when different levels of Gaussian noise are applied to simulated images individually,the accuracy of the third-or fourth-order Taylor series expansion method is superior to that of the DFT reconstruction method.Finally,we present the analyzed experimental results of a silicone rubber plate specimen with bilateral cracks under uniaxial tension.

Risk factors of postoperative cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome and its relationship with clinical prognosis in adult patients with moyamoya disease

Background To investigate the incidence,risk factors,and clinical prognosis of cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome(CHS)after superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery anastomosis combined with encephalo-duro-arterio-synangiosis(STA-MCA/EDAS)in adult patients with moyamoya disease(MMD).Methods The clinical data of 160 adult patients with MMD treated by STA-MCA/EDAS from January 2016 to January 2017 were retrospectively analyzed.According to CHS diagnosis,MMD patients were divided into CHS and non-CHS group.Univariate and multivariate analysis of risk factors and Kaplan-Meier curve of stroke-free survival for CHS were performed.Results A total of 12 patients(7.5%)developed postoperative CHS,of which 4 patients(2.5%)presented with cerebral hemorrhage.Univariate and multivariate analysis showed moyamoya vessel on the surgical hemisphere(OR=3.04,95%CI=1.02-9.03,P=0.046)and left operated hemisphere(OR=5.16,95%CI=1.09-21.34,P=0.041)were independent risk factors for CHS.The other variables,such as age,gender,presentation,hypertension,diabetes,smoking,mean mRS score on admission,modified Suzuki stage and pre-infarction stage on surgical hemisphere,and bypass patency,had no association with postoperative CHS(P>0.05).At final follow-up with average 38 months,there were 18 out of 133 patients(13.5%,4.91%per person year)presented with newly developed complications.There was no significant difference between newly developed complications,mean mRS scores,and Kaplan-Meier curve of stroke-free survival in patients with and without CHS(P>0.05).Conclusion The concentration of moyamoya vessels and left operated hemisphere was independent risk factors for CHS,which could not affect the clinical prognosis if treated timely and properly.The current study offers a new perspective of moyamoya vessels and supporting data for choosing MMD candidates on cerebral revascularization.

Down-regulation of HaABCC3, potentially mediated by a cis-regulatory mechanism, is involved in resistance to Cry1Ac in the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera

Evolution of resistance to Cry proteins in multiple pest insects has been threatening the sustainable use of Bacillus thuringiensis(Bt)-transgenic crops.Better understanding about the mechanism of resistance to Cry proteins in insects is needed.Our preliminary study reported that the transcription of HaABCC3 was significantly decreased in a near-isogenic line(LFC2)of a Cry1Ac-resistant strain(LF60)of the global pest Helicoverpa armigera.However,the causality between HaABCC3 downregulation and resistance to Cry1Ac remains to be verified,and the regulatory mechanism underlying the HaABCC3 downregulation is still unclear.In this study,our data showed that both HaABCC3 and HaABCC3 downregulation were genetically linked to resistance to Cry1Ac in LF60.However,no InDels were observed in the coding sequence of HaABCC3 from LF60.Furthermore,F_(1) offspring from the cross of LF60 and a HaABCC2/3-knockout mutant exhibited moderate resistance to Cry1Ac toxin;this indicated that the high resistance to CrylAc toxin in LF60 may have resulted from multiple genetic factors,including HaABCC2 missplicing and HaABCC3 downregulation.Results from luciferase reporter assays showed that promoter activity of HaABCC3 in LF60 was significantly lower than that in the susceptible strain,which indicated that HaABCC3 downregulation was likely mediated by promoter variation.Consistently,multiple variations of the GATA-or FoxA-binding sites in the promoter region of HaABCC3 were identified.Collectively,all results in this study suggested that the downregulation of HaABCC3 observed in the H.armigera LF60 strain,which is resistant to CrylAc,may be mediated by a cis-regulatory mechanism.

椎动脉巨大血栓性动脉瘤复合手术治疗三例报道并文献复习

后循环巨大动脉瘤好发于椎动脉、基底动脉和大脑后动脉,相对于前循环动脉瘤而言,无论是否治疗,都具有极高的病死率和致残率[1],其危险因素包括颅内出血、脑积水、脑干压迫等[2]。由于瘤体巨大、无明显瘤颈、常伴瘤内血栓形成,部分呈蛇形动脉瘤表现,且脑干附近神经血管结构复杂、空间狭小,其手术非常困难。

Prussian blue nanoparticle-loaded microbubbles for photothermally enhanced gene delivery through ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction

By adsorbing chitosan(CS)-functionalized Prussian blue(PB) nanoparticles(CS/PB NPs) complexing DNA onto the surface of gas encapsulated microbubbles(MBs), a multifunctional gene delivery system of MBs@CS/PB/DNA was fabricated for photothermally enhanced gene transfection through ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction. CS/PB NPs of(2.69 ± 0.49) nm could complex DNA effectively when the mass ratio was2:1. It was found that MBs@CS/PB/DNA could enhance ultrasound imaging greatly both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, MBs@CS/PB/DNA could be disrupted by applying a higher-intensity ultrasound irradiation to release CS/PB/DNA, which could effectively transform the nearinfrared(NIR) light into heat to assist the uptake of CS/PB/DNA by cells. With the aid of ultrasound irradiation and NIR light irradiation, the gene transfection efficiency was significantly enhanced to(43.08 ± 1.13) %, much higher than polyethylenimine. Moreover, MBs@CS/PB/DNA showed excellent biocompatibility, encouraging the further exploration of MBs@CS/PB/DNA to be a platform for combined ultrasound image, photothermal therapy, drug delivery, and gene therapy.

解码“羽衣”符号——榕江苗族传统百鸟衣研究

百鸟衣作为苗族服饰艺术的瑰宝极具研究价值,其独特的刺绣图案记载着苗族人民的审美范式、历史信仰和民族情感。文章以贵州榕江地区苗族百鸟衣为研究对象,通过对服饰造型、色彩、质地等特征进行分析,发掘其深厚的传统造物思想。苗族人民将民族文化与性格通过直观的符号注入到服饰艺术中,在百鸟衣上更是体现了“观物取象”的美学观与“敬物崇祖”的哲学观。