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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 mother tree ages, different rooting mediums, light conditions and auxin treatments on rooting behaviour of Dalbergia sissoo branch cuttings

Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. is one of the promising multipurpose tree species of South Asia. Most of the plantations of D. sissoo from seeds are facing severe threats due to the die-back disease, which ultimately causes death of this potential tree-species within a few months. Vegetative propagation could avoid the die-back disease. Thirty mother trees of different age-groups of D. sissoo were selected for evaluating the rooting behaviour of branch cuttings from D. sissoo as influenced by auxins （IAA or IBA at 100, 200, 500 mg·L^-1）, ages of mother trees （10, 4 and 2 years old） and different environment conditions, i.e., different mediums （soil and sand） or light conditions （in shade and open condition）. The results show that application of IAA and IBA induced more numbers of cuttings （collected from 10-year-old mother trees） to root compared to control. Branch cuttings of D. sissoo collected from 10-year-old mother trees and planted in soil bed in open conditions had 100.0% of cuttings to root in IAA （100 mg·L^-1） and IBA （200 mg·L^-1） treatments. Both rooting medium （Soil and sand） influenced significantly （p〈0.05） on rooting response of branch cuttings. Soil medium was found to achieve maximum no. of branch cuttings to root, compared to sand medium.

Effects of RRA Treatments on Microstructures and Properties of a New High-strength Aluminum-Lithium Alloy-2A97

A new high strength 2A97 Al-Cu-Li-X alloy was subjected to triple-aging of retrogression and re-aging treatments （RRA）. Transmission electron microscopy （TEM）, differential scanning calorimetry （DSC）, and tensile tests were used to investigate the effects of RRA treatment on the microstructures and properties. DSC test reveals the reversion temperature range of the strengthening δ＇ （Al3Li） phase. The results show that the microstructure consists of δ＇ （Al3Li） phase, T1 （Al2CuLi） phase and θ″/θ′（Al2Cu） phase for 2A97 alloy treated by a triple-aging of a retrogression and re-aging treatment in the following order： （1） at 165℃×30 min, （2） at 220 ℃ or 240℃ × 15 min, （3） at 165℃×24 h. The plastic deformation, incorporated into the treatment after secondary high temperature aging, promotes the T1 precipitation during final re-aging. The tensile properties of the alloy treated by the retrogression and re-aging treatment reach the peak level of alloy single-aged at 165℃ in T6 temper.

Efficacy of capecitabine and oxaliplatin regimen for extrahepatic metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma following local treatments

AIM: To investigate the efficacy and safety of capecitabine and oxaliplatin (CapeOx) for extrahepatic metastasis after local treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Thirty-two patients with extrahepatic metastasis of HCC after local treatment were prospectively enrolled. The CapeOx regimen consisted of capecitabine 1000 mg/m 2 taken orally twice daily on days 1-14, and oxaliplatin was administered at a total dose of 100 mg/m 2 on day 1. The treatment was repeated every 3 wk until disease progression or unaccetablle toxicity. Efficacy and safety were assessable for all enrolled patients. The primary objective of this study was to assess the overall response rate. The secondary objectives were to evaluate the overall survival (OS), the time to tumor progression (TTP) and the toxicity profile of the combined strategy. TTP and OS were assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method and differences between the curves were analyzed using the log-rank test. The statistical software SPSS version 15.0 for Windows (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, United States) was used for statistical analysis. All P values were 2-tailed, with statistical significance defined byP ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients were assessable for efficacy and toxicity. The median follow-up duration was 15 mo (range, 12-20 mo). At the cut-off date of March 31, 2012, 27 patients died due to tumor progression and one patient died of myocardial infarction. Four patients were still alive (three patients with disease progression). OR was 21.9% (n = 7), the stabilization rate was 40.6% (n = 13), and the disease control rate was 62.5%. The responses lasted from 4 to 19 mo (median, 6 mo). Median TTP was 4.2 mo (95%CI: 2.5-7.4), and the median OS time was 9.2 mo (95%CI: 6.5-17.8). The 1-year survival rate was 43.6% (95%CI: 29.0-66.0). In a multivariate analysis, OS was significantly longer in patients with a Child-Pugh class A compared with class B patients (P = 0.014), with a median OS of 10.1 mo vs 5.4 mo, and there were trends towards longer OS (P = 0.065) in patients without portal vein tumor thrombosis. There were no significant effects of age, gender, performance status, cirrhosis, metastatic sites, and level of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) or hepatitis B virus-DNA on OS. Among the 22 patients with elevated AFP levels at baseline (≥ 400 ng/mL), the level fell by more than 50% during treatment in 6 patients (27.3%). The most frequent treatment-related grade 3 to 4 toxicities included leucopenia/neutropenia, transient elevation of aminotransferases, handfoot syndrome and fatigue. CONCLUSION: CapeOx showed modest anti-tumor activity in metastatic HCC. However, the manageable toxicity profile and the encouraging disease control rate deserve further study for these patients.

On the road to new treatments for multiple sclerosis: targeting dendritic cell migration into the central nervous system

Distinct migratory pathways and trafficking of dendritic cells to the central nervous system (CNS): The immune system is a host defense mechanism protecting against invaders, such as bacteria and viruses, while maintaining tolerance to self. Nonetheless, a few sites throughout the body are believed to be immunologically inert, such as the testes, the eye and the brain. Indeed, experiments in the mid-20th century gave rise to the concept of the brain as a site of immune privilege. Originally, the immune privilege of the brain was thought to be absolute, attributed by a physical blood-brain barrier (BBB) protecting the CNS from the entry of pathogens and circulating immune cells. These views have changed and currently, the CNS is seen as an immune-specialized site regulated by immunological components into and within the CNS.

Hepatitis C virus: Promising discoveries and new treatments

Despite advances in therapy, hepatitis C virus(HCV) infection remains an important global health issue. It is estimated that a significant part of the world population is chronically infected with the virus, and many of those affected may develop cirrhosis or liver cancer. The virus shows considerable variability, a characteristic that directly interferes with disease treatment. The response to treatment varies according to HCV genotype and subtype. The continuous generation of variants(quasispecies) allows the virus to escape control by antivirals. Historically, the combination of ribavirin and interferon therapy has represented the only treatment option for the disease. Currently, several new treatment options are emerging and are available to a large part of the affected population. In addition, the search for new substances with antiviral activity against HCV continues, promising future improvements in treatment. Researchers should consider the mutation capacity of the virus and the other variables that affect treatment success.

Improvement of Bonding Strength of AZ31B Magnesium Alloy by Anodizing and Chromium-free Conversion Treatments

The influences of chromium-free chemical conversion treatment and anodizing treatment on bonding strength of AZ31 magnesium alloy were studied by lap-shear test, SEM and electrochemical methods. Both chemical conversion treatment and anodizing can increase the bonding strength. The anodizing treatment gives higher bonding strength and better corrosion resistance than chemical conversion treatment. The increase of bonding strength by the treatmetlts may be attributed to the uneven surface structures with micro-pores, resulting in increased bonding areas and the embedding effect.

Precise treatments for schizophrenia: where is the way forward?

Schizophrenia is a kind of chronic mental disorder that leads to disability,and it is characterized by the incoordination of perception, mind,emotion and behaviour, and the disconnection between mental activities and reality. It is recurrent and hard to cure. Schizophrenia has caused both agony to patients and their families, and heavy economic burden to their families and society.The appearance of chlorpromazine,the first antipsychotic drug in the1950s, brought about a revolutionary change in the treatment of schizophrenia. Even though the first-generation antipsychotic drug's effectiveness for schizophrenia (especially the positive symptoms) was absolutely positive, it did not