Magnetic resonance imaging of extraocular rectus muscles abnormalities in acute acquired concomitant esotropia

AIM:To investigate the difference of medial rectus(MR)and lateral rectus(LR)between acute acquired concomitant esotropia(AACE)and the healthy controls(HCs)detected by magnetic resonance imaging(MRI).METHODS:A case-control study.Eighteen subjects with AACE and eighteen HCs were enrolled.MRI scanning data were conducted in target-controlled central gaze with a 3-Tesla magnetic resonance scanner.Extraocular muscles(EOMs)were scanned in contiguous image planes 2-mm thick spanning the EOM origins to the globe equator.To form posterior partial volumes(PPVs),the LR and MR cross-sections in the image planes 8,10,12,and 14 mm posterior to the globe were summed and multiplied by the 2-mm slice thickness.The data were classified according to the right eye,left eye,dominant eye,and non-dominant eye,and the differences in mean cross-sectional area,maximum cross-sectional area,and PPVs of the MR and LR muscle in the AACE group and HCs group were compared under the above classifications respectively.RESULTS:There were no significant differences between the two groups of demographic characteristics.The mean cross-sectional area of the LR muscle was significantly greater in the AACE group than that in the HCs group in the non-dominant eyes(P=0.028).The maximum cross-sectional area of the LR muscle both in the dominant and non-dominant eye of the AACE group was significantly greater than the HCs group(P=0.009,P=0.016).For the dominant eye,the PPVs of the LR muscle were significantly greater in the AACE than that in the HCs group(P=0.013),but not in the MR muscle(P=0.698).CONCLUSION:The size and volume of muscles dominant eyes of AACE subjects change significantly to overcome binocular diplopia.The LR muscle become larger to compensate for the enhanced convergence in the AACE.

Rational design of carbon skeleton interfaces for highly reversible sodium metal battery anodes

Sodium metal batteries(SMBs)have attracted increasing attention over time due to their abundance of sodium resources and low cost.However,the widespread application of SMBs as a viable technology remains a great challenge,such as uneven metallic deposition and dendrite formation during cycling.Carbon skeletons as sodiophilic hosts can alleviate the dendrite formation during the plating/stripping.For the carbon skeleton,how to rationalize the design sodiophilic interfaces between the sodium metal and carbon species remains key to developing desirable Na anodes.Herein,we fabricated four kinds of structural features for carbon skeletons using conventional calcination and flash Joule heating.The roles of conductivity,defects,oxygen content,and the distribution of graphite for the deposition of metallic sodium were discussed in detail.Based on interface engineering,the J1600 electrode,which has abundant Na-C species on its surface,showed the highest sodiophilic.There are uniform and rich F-Na species distributed in the inner solid electrolyte interface layer.This study investigated the different Na-deposition behavior in carbon hosts with distinct graphitic arrangements to pave the way for designing and optimizing advanced electrode materials.

Vacancy defect MoSeTe embedded in N and F co-doped carbon skeleton for high performance sodium ion batteries and hybrid capacitors

Sodium-ion batteries(SIBs) and hybrid capacitors(SIHCs) have garnered significant attention in energy storage due to their inherent advantages,including high energy density,cost-effectiveness,and enhanced safety.However,developing high-performance anode materials to improve sodium storage performa nce still remains a major challenge.Here,a facile one-pot method has been developed to fabricate a hybrid of MoSeTe nanosheets implanted within the N,F co-doped honeycomb carbon skeleton(MoSeTe/N,F@C).Experimental results demonstrate that the incorporation of large-sized Te atoms into MoSeTe nanosheets enlarges the layer spacing and creates abundant anion vacancies,which effectively facilitate the insertion/extraction of Na^(+) and provide numerous ion adsorption sites for rapid surface capacitive behavior.Additionally,the heteroatoms N,F co-doped honeycomb carbon skeleton with a highly conductive network can restrain the volume expansion and boost reaction kinetics within the electrode.As anticipated,the MoSeTe/N,F@C anode exhibits high reversible capacities along with exceptional cycle stability.When coupled with Na_(3)V_(2)(PO_(4))_(3)@C(NVPF@C) to form SIB full cells,the anode delivers a reversible specific capacity of 126 mA h g^(-1) after 100 cycles at 0.1 A g^(-1).Furthermore,when combined with AC to form SIHC full cells,the anode demonstrates excellent cycling stability with a reversible specific capacity of50 mA h g^(-1) keeping over 3700 cycles at 1.0 A g^(-1).In situ XRD,ex situ TEM characterization,and theoretical calculations(DFT) further confirm the reversibility of sodium storage in MoSeTe/N,F@C anode materials during electrochemical reactions,highlighting their potential for widespread practical application.This work provides new insights into the promising utilization of advanced transition metal dichalcogenides as anode materials for Na^(+)-based energy storage devices.

A"messenger zone hypothesis"based on the visual three-dimensional spatial distribution of motoneurons innervating deep limb muscles

Coordinated contraction of skeletal muscles relies on selective connections between the muscles and multiple classes of the spinal motoneuro ns.Howeve r,current research on the spatial location of the spinal motoneurons innervating differe nt muscles is limited.In this study,we investigated the spatial distribution and relative position of different motoneurons that control the deep muscles of the mouse hindlimbs,which were innervated by the obturator nerve,femoral nerve,inferior gluteal nerve,deep pe roneal nerve,and tibial nerve.Locations were visualized by combining a multiplex retrograde tracking technique compatible with three-dimensional imaging of solvent-cleared o rgans(3DISCO)and 3-D imaging technology based on lightsheet fluorescence microscopy(LSFM).Additionally,we propose the hypothesis that"messenger zones"exist as interlaced areas between the motoneuron pools that dominate the synergistic or antagonist muscle groups.We hypothesize that these interlaced neurons may participate in muscle coordination as messenger neurons.Analysis revealed the precise mutual positional relationships among the many motoneurons that innervate different deep muscles of the mouse.Not only do these findings update and supplement our knowledge regarding the overall spatial layout of spinal motoneurons that control mouse limb muscles,but they also provide insights into the mechanisms through which muscle activity is coordinated and the architecture of motor circuits.

Catalpa bignonioides extract improves exercise performance through regulation of growth and metabolism in skeletal muscles

Objective:To evaluate the effects of Catalpa bignonioides fruit extract on the promotion of muscle growth and muscular capacity in vitro and in vivo.Methods:Cell viability was measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay.Cell proliferation was assessed using a 5-bromo-2’-deoxyuridine(BrdU)assay kit.Western blot analysis was performed to determine the protein expressions of related factors.The effects of Catalpa bignonioides extract were investigated in mice using the treadmill exhaustion test and whole-limb grip strength assay.Chemical composition analysis was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC).Results:Catalpa bignonioides extract increased the proliferation of C2C12 mouse myoblasts by activating the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.It also induced metabolic changes,increasing the number of mitochondria and glucose metabolism by phosphorylating adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase.In an in vivo study,the extract-treated mice showed improved motor abilities,such as muscular endurance and grip strength.Additionally,HPLC analysis showed that vanillic acid may be the main component of the Catalpa bignonioides extract that enhanced muscle strength.Conclusions:Catalpa bignonioides improves exercise performance through regulation of growth and metabolism in skeletal muscles,suggesting its potential as an effective natural agent for improving muscular strength.

Study on Electromyographic Characteristics of Neck Muscles in College Students with Chronic Neck Pain

Objective:To provide new insights for the evaluation and diagnosis of chronic neck pain(CNP).Methods:22 patients with CNP and 22 healthy individuals were recruited from South China Normal University,who were all college students.The subjects'neck extensor muscle strength in the head neutral position,the natural anteversion position,and the maximum forward flexion position were measured by an isometric muscle strength tester respectively.The neck extensor strength of CNP patients and healthy subjects were compared.Results:In the neutral position,the maximum isometric muscle strength of neck extensor muscles was 12.31 kg for CNP patients and 15.16 kg for healthy individuals,resulting in a ratio of 81%strength in patients compared to healthy subjects.This difference was highly significant(P<0.000).In the natural anteversion position,the respective values were 12.6 kg for CNP patients and 15.05 kg for healthy individuals,with a ratio of 83%,and a significant difference between groups(P<0.001).In the maximum forward flexion position of the head,the values were 13.36 kg for CNP patients and 16.15 kg for healthy individuals,with a ratio of 82%,and a highly significant difference(P<0.000).Conclusion:The neck extensor muscle strength levels in college students with CNP were significantly lower compared to healthy college students across all measured positions.

Semantic segmentation of pyramidal neuron skeletons using geometric deep learning

Neurons can be abstractly represented as skeletons due to the filament nature of neurites.With the rapid development of imaging and image analysis techniques,an increasing amount of neuron skeleton data is being produced.In some scienti fic studies,it is necessary to dissect the axons and dendrites,which is typically done manually and is both tedious and time-consuming.To automate this process,we have developed a method that relies solely on neuronal skeletons using Geometric Deep Learning(GDL).We demonstrate the effectiveness of this method using pyramidal neurons in mammalian brains,and the results are promising for its application in neuroscience studies.

Ultrathin poly(cyclocarbonate-ether)-based composite electrolyte reinforced with high-strength functional skeleton

Composite polymer electrolytes(CPEs)are considered to be the most promising to break through the performance and safety limitations of traditional lithium-ion batteries because of their excellent electrochemical and mechanical properties.Aiming at the performance limitations of the most common polyether matrix such as poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO),a novel poly(cyclocarbonate-ether)polymer matrix was prepared by in-situ thermal curing,the weaker interaction between its C=O bond and Li^(+)can promote the rapid transport of Li^(+).Adding ionic liquid and active filler LLZTO to the matrix can synergistically reduce the crystallinity of matrix and promote the dissociation of lithium salts.In addition,a 3D functional skeleton made of polyacrylonitrile(PAN)and lithium fluoride(LiF)can greatly improve the mechanical strength of polymer matrix after cold pressing,and Li F is also conducive to interface stability.The thickness of the optimal sample(VP6L/CPL)was only 25μm,and its ionic conductivity,lithium ion transference number,and electrochemical stability window were as high as 7.17×10^(-4)S cm^(-1)(25℃),0.54 and 5.4 V,respectively,while the mechanical strength reaches 6.1 MPa,which can fully inhibit the growth of lithium dendrites.The excellent electrochemical performance and mechanical strength enable the assembled Li|VP6L/CPL|Li battery to be continuously charged for over 200 h and cycled stably for more than 2300 h,and Li|VP6L/CPL|LFP battery can be stably cycled for more than 400 and 550 cycles at 1 C(40℃)and 0.5 C(25℃),respectively.

Dual-Ion Co-Regulation System Enabling High-Performance Electrochemical Artificial Yarn Muscles with Energy-Free Catch States

Artificial yarn muscles show great potential in applications requiring low-energy consumption while maintaining high performance. However, conventional designs have been limited by weak ion-yarn muscle interactions and inefficient “rocking-chair” ion migration. To address these limitations, we present an electrochemical artificial yarn muscle design driven by a dual-ion co-regulation system. By utilizing two reaction channels, this system shortens ion migration pathways, leading to faster and more efficient actuation. During the charging/discharging process, PF_6~- ions react with carbon nanotube yarn, while Li~+ ions react with an Al foil. The intercalation reaction between PF_6~- and collapsed carbon nanotubes allows the yarn muscle to achieve an energy-free high-tension catch state. The dual-ion coordinated yarn muscles exhibit superior contractile stroke, maximum contractile rate, and maximum power densities, exceeding those of “rocking-chair” type ion migration yarn muscles. The dual-ion co-regulation system enhances the ion migration rate during actuation, resulting in improved performance. Moreover, the yarn muscles can withstand high levels of isometric stress, displaying a stress of 61 times that of skeletal muscles and 8 times that of “rocking-chair” type yarn muscles at higher frequencies. This technology holds significant potential for various applications, including prosthetics and robotics.

In Situ Reaction Fabrication of a Mixed-Ion/Electron-Conducting Skeleton Toward Stable Lithium Metal Anodes

Lithium metal batteries are emerging as a strong candidate in the future energy storage market due to its extremely high energy density.However,the uncontrollable lithium dendrites and volume change of lithium metal anodes severely hinder its application.In this work,the porous Cu skeleton modified with Cu_(6)Sn_(5)layer is prepared via dealloying brass foil following a facile electroless process.The porous Cu skeleton with large specific surface area and high electronic conductivity effectively reduces the local current density.The Cu_(6)Sn_(5)can react with lithium during the discharge process to form lithiophilic Li_(7)Sn_(2)in situ to promote Li-ions transport and reduce the nucleation energy barrier of lithium to guide the uniform lithium deposition.Therefore,more than 300 cycles at 1 mA cm^(−2)are achieved in the half-cell with an average Coulombic efficiency of 97.5%.The symmetric cell shows a superior cycle life of more than 1000 h at 1 mA cm^(−2)with a small average hysteresis voltage of 16 mV.When coupled with LiFePO_(4)cathode,the full cell also maintains excellent cycling and rate performance.

How to make the "jump" on understanding the importance of the intrinsic foot muscles for propulsion

In this issue of the Journal of Sport and Health Science,Smith and colleagues1addressed a unique aspect of human locomotion;they evaluated the effects of the intrinsic foot musculature on the mechanical properties and energetic function of the human foot.By performing a controlled jumping experiment to mimic components of human locomotion.

The integration of dinitropyrazole and 1,3,4-oxadiazole:A novel hybrid heterocyclic skeleton for balancing energy and stability

In this study,a new energetic hybrid skeleton was constructed through the integration of nitropyrazole and 1,3,4-oxadiazole skeletons in a molecule.Furthermore,the energetic precursor(2),the azo-bridged compound(3),the neutral nitramine(4)and the corresponding energetic salts(5-7)were synthesized.Their physicochemical and energetic properties we re experimentally and theo retically evaluated.Among the developed compounds,the azo-bridged compound(3)and dihydroxylammoinium(6)display high detonation performances(3,D_(v)=8904 m/s,P=34.47 GPa;6,D_(v)=9025 m/s,P=34.66 GPa),moderate sensitivities(3,IS=16 J,FS=120 N;6,IS=20 J,FS=312 N)and good densities(3,1.87 g/cm^(3);6,1.81 g/cm^(3)),which indicates that they have the potential to replace the traditional high-energy explosive RDX.The results show that the integration of different energetic skeletons can achieve a good balance between energy and sensitivity.

The skeleton of 5,7-fused bicyclic imidazole-diazepine for heat-resistant energetic materials

In light of the low yields and complex reaction routes of some well-known 5,5-fused and 5,6-fused bicyclic compounds,a series of 5,7-fused bicyclic imidazole-diazepine compounds were developed with high yields by only two efficient steps.Significantly,the seven-membered heterocyclic ring has a stable energetic skeleton with multiple modifiable sites.However,the 5,7-fused bicyclic energetic compounds were rarely reported in the area of energetic materials.Three neutral compounds 1,2 and 4 were synthesized in this work.To improve the detonation performances of the 5,7-fused neutral compounds,corresponding perchlorate 1a and 2a were further developed.The physicochemical and energetic performances of all newly developed compounds were experimentally determined.All newly prepared energetic compounds exhibit high decomposition temperatures(Td:243.8-336℃)and low mechanical sensitivities(IS:>15 J,FS:>280 N).Among them,the velocities performances of 1a(Dv=7651 m/s)and 4(Dv=7600 m/s)are comparable to that of typical heat-resistant energetic material HNS(Dv=7612 m/s).Meanwhile,the high decomposition temperature and low mechanical sensitivities(Td=336℃;IS=32 J;FS>353 N)of 4 are superior to that of HNS(Td=318℃;IS=5 J;FS=250 N).Hence,the 5,7-fused bicyclic compounds with high thermostability,low sensitivities and adjustable detonation performance have a clear tendency to open up a new space for the development of heat-resistant energetic materials.

Deep learning-based activity recognition and fine motor identification using 2D skeletons of cynomolgus monkeys

Video-based action recognition is becoming a vital tool in clinical research and neuroscientific study for disorder detection and prediction.However,action recognition currently used in non-human primate(NHP)research relies heavily on intense manual labor and lacks standardized assessment.In this work,we established two standard benchmark datasets of NHPs in the laboratory:Monkeyin Lab(Mi L),which includes 13 categories of actions and postures,and MiL2D,which includes sequences of two-dimensional(2D)skeleton features.Furthermore,based on recent methodological advances in deep learning and skeleton visualization,we introduced the Monkey Monitor Kit(Mon Kit)toolbox for automatic action recognition,posture estimation,and identification of fine motor activity in monkeys.Using the datasets and Mon Kit,we evaluated the daily behaviors of wild-type cynomolgus monkeys within their home cages and experimental environments and compared these observations with the behaviors exhibited by cynomolgus monkeys possessing mutations in the MECP2 gene as a disease model of Rett syndrome(RTT).Mon Kit was used to assess motor function,stereotyped behaviors,and depressive phenotypes,with the outcomes compared with human manual detection.Mon Kit established consistent criteria for identifying behavior in NHPs with high accuracy and efficiency,thus providing a novel and comprehensive tool for assessing phenotypic behavior in monkeys.

Glucose uptake and distribution across the human skeleton using state-of-the-art total-body PET/CT

A growing number of studies have demonstrated that the skeleton is an endocrine organ that is involved in glucose metabolism and plays a significant role in human glucose homeostasis.However,there is still a limited understanding of the in vivo glucose uptake and distribution across the human skeleton.To address this issue,we aimed to elucidate the detailed profile of glucose uptake across the skeleton using a total-body positron emission tomography(PET)scanner.A total of 41 healthy participants were recruited.Two of them received a 1-hour dynamic total-body^(18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose(^(18)F-FDG)PET scan,and all of them received a10-minute static total-body^(18)F-FDG PET scan.The net influx rate(K_i)and standardized uptake value normalized by lean body mass(SUL)were calculated as indicators of glucose uptake from the dynamic and static PET data,respectively.The results showed that the vertebrae,hip bone and skull had relatively high Kiand SUL values compared with metabolic organs such as the liver.Both the K_(i) and SUL were higher in the epiphyseal,metaphyseal and cortical regions of long bones.Moreover,trends associated with age and overweight with glucose uptake(SUL_(max)and SUL_(mean))in bones were uncovered.Overall,these results indicate that the skeleton is a site with significant glucose uptake,and skeletal glucose uptake can be affected by age and dysregulated metabolism.

Uniform nanoplating of metallic magnesium film on titanium dioxide nanotubes as a skeleton for reversible Na metal anode

To meet the low-cost concept advocated by the sodium metal anode,this paper reports the use of a pulsed electrodeposition technology with ionic liquids as electrolytes to achieve uniform nanoplating of metallic magnesium films at around 20 nm on spaced titanium dioxide(TiO_(2))nanotubes(STNA-Mg).First,the sodiophilic magnesium metal coating can effectively reduce the nucleation overpotential of sodium metal.Moreover,three-dimensional STNA can limit the volume expansion during sodium metal plating and stripping to achieve the ultrastable deposition and stripping of sodium metals with a high Coulombic efficiency of up to 99.5%and a small voltage polarization of 5 mV in symmetric Na||Na batteries.In addition,the comparative study of sodium metal deposition behavior of STNA-Mg and STNA-Cu prepared by the same route further confirmed the advantage of magnesium metal to guide sodium metal growth.Finally,the prepared STNA-Mg-Na metal anode and commercial sodium vanadium phosphate cathode were assembled into a full cell,delivering a discharge capacity of 110.2 mAh·g^(-1)with a retention rate of 95.6%after 110 cycles at 1C rate.

Two stream skeleton behavior recognition algorithm based on Motif-GCN

Compared with RGB videos and images,human bone data is less vulnerable to external factors and has stronger robustness.Therefore,behavior recognition methods based on skeletons are widely studied.Because graph convolution network(GCN)can deal with the irregular topology data of hu-man skeletons very well,more and more researchers apply GCN to human behavior recognition.Tra-ditional graph convolution methods only consider the joints with physical connectivity or the same type when building the behavior recognition model based on human skeletons structure,which cannot capture higher-order information better.To solve this problem,Motif-GCN is used in this paper to ex-tract spatial features.The relationship between the joints with natural connection in the human body is encoded by the first Motif-GCN,and the possible relationship between the unconnected joints in the human skeleton is encoded by the second Motif-GCN.In this way,the relationship between non-physical joints can be strengthened.Then a two stream framework combining joint and bone informa-tion is used to capture more action information.Finally,experiments are conducted on two subdata-sets X-Sub and X-View of NTU-RGB+D,and the accuracy shown in Top-1 classification results is 89.5%and 95.4%respectively.The experimental results are 1.0%and 0.3%higher than those of the 2S-AGCN model respectively.The superiority of this method is also proved by the experimental results.

Diffusion tensor imaging of horizontal extraocular muscles in patients with concomitant and paralytic esotropia

AIM:To assess metrics of diffusion tensor imagining(DTI)in evaluating microstructural abnormalities of horizontal extraocular muscles(EOM)in esotropia.METHODS:Six adult concomitant esotropia patients,5 unilateral abducent paralysis patients and 2 healthy volunteers were enrolled.Conventional magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)and DTI were performed on all subjects using 3T MR scanner.Fractional anisotropy(FA),mean diffusivity(MD),axial diffusivity(AD),and radial diffusivity(RD)of medial and lateral rectus muscles were measured and compared between patients group and control group.RESULTS:Medial rectus MD and RD within the adducted eye of concomitant patients was significantly greater than that in unilateral abducent paralysis patients(0.259×10-2 mm^(2)/s vs 0.207×10-2 mm^(2)/s,P=0.014;0.182×10-2 mm^(2)/s vs 0.152×10-2 mm^(2)/s,P=0.017).Both strabismus patients showed a significantly decreased MD and AD than that obtained in normal controls for lateral rectus muscles(P<0.05).Medial rectus MD of the adducted eye in concomitant strabismus patients was significantly decreased than that in healthy controls(0.259×10-2 mm^(2)/s vs 0.266×10-2 mm^(2)/s,P=0.010).Lateral rectus AD of the adducted eye in concomitant strabismus patients was significantly decreased as compared with that in healthy controls(0.515×10-2 mm^(2)/s vs 0.593×10-2 mm^(2)/s,P=0.013).No statistically significant differences were present between the adducted and fixating eyes in concomitant strabismus patients.CONCLUSION:DTI represents a feasible technique to assess tissue characteristics of EOM.The effects of eye position changes on DTI parameters are subtle.Decreased MD and RD could be evidence for remodeling of the medial rectus muscle contracture.Lower medial and lateral recuts MD of concomitant esotropia patients indicates a thinner fibrous structure of the EOM.Lower MD and AD should be general character of esotropia.

Comparison of Sternal Wound Complication after Off-Pump CABG between Skeletonized and Pedicled LIMA Harvesting: A Single Centre Experience in Bangladesh

Background: Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) is a surgical procedure that has gained popularity due to its potential benefits over traditional coronary artery bypass grafting, including reduced morbidity and mortality. However, sternal wound complication (SWC) remains challenging following the procedure. The technique of left internal mammary artery (LIMA) harvesting has been shown to impact the incidence of SWC. This study aimed to compare the incidence of SWC between two techniques of LIMA harvesting, i.e., skeletonized and pedicled. Methods: The study was conducted at the Department of Cardiac Surgery, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, and included 60 patients who underwent OPCAB. The patients were divided into two groups of 30 each based on the technique of LIMA harvesting used, i.e., skeletonized (group A) or pedicled (group B). The postoperative ICU care was given to each patient as per the protocol. The statistical analysis was conducted using the SPSS version 26.0 for Windows software. Results: The results showed that 5 (8.33%) patients developed SWC, with 1 (1.67%) patient in group A and 4 (6.66%) patients in group B. However, the occurrence of SWC was not statistically significant between the two groups (p = 0.35). The mean age, gender distribution, and comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and anemia were also not statistically significant between the two groups. The number of smokers was statistically significant between the two groups (p = 0.03), and the occurrence of SWC was found to be higher in smoker patients in group B (p = 0.04). Preoperative and postoperative parameters such as duration of operation, duration of mechanical ventilation, duration of chest drains, duration of the central venous line, and amount of postoperative mediastinal bleeding were also not statistically significant between the two groups. The distribution of wound complications, duration of ICU stays, and hospital stay between the two groups was also not statistically significant. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study found that the incidence of SWC was less in skeletonized LIMA harvesting than in pedicled LIMA harvesting after OPCAB. However, this finding was not statistically significant. Further studies with larger sample sizes may be needed to confirm these results and determine the appropriate technique of LIMA harvesting to decrease the incidence of SWC after OPCAB.

Effects of Purified Indian Cattle Tick Rhipicephalus microplus Saliva Toxins on Various Enzymes in Blood Serum, Liver and Muscles of Albino Mice

In the present investigation, in vivo effects of purified ticks’ saliva toxin were evaluated on the level of certain important cellular metabolic enzymes i.e. acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), glutamate pyruvate transaminase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase and lactic dehydrogenase. For this purpose, sub-lethal doses, 40% and 80% of 24 h LD50 purified saliva toxins of Rhipicephalus microplus (Canestrini, 1888) were injected subcutaneously in the albino mice. In treated mice saliva toxins targeted membrane-bound enzymes i.e. serum acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase, its level was increased from 118.30% to 163.63% at the 6th hr in comparison to the control. Besides this, the levels of serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) also increased up to 161.11% (at 6th hr), 148.27 (at 8th hr) and 125.45% (at 6th hr) respectively in comparison to control. An increase in the level of LDH showed insufficient oxygen supply, massive disintegration of cells and leakage of the enzyme into the circulation. It clearly indicated the toxic effects of saliva toxins on the membrane of blood cells, hepatocytes and myocardial muscle cell functions in albino mice. On the other hand activity of acetyl cholinesterase was reduced by 65.51% at the 6th hr of the saliva toxin injection in comparison to the control. This inhibition of acetyl cholinesterase activity caused the accumulation of acetylcholine molecules at the synaptic junctions and led to prolonged activation of acetylcholine receptors. It caused permanent stimulation of nerves and muscle cells that may result in muscular paralysis and finally death of the animal.