[Efficacy of CT-guided partial radiofrequency ablation of bilateral responsible cranial nerves in the treatment of Meige syndrome]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of CT-guided partial radiofrequency ablation of bilateral responsible cranial nerves in the treatment of Meige syndrome. Methods: The Clinical data of 56 patients with Meige syndrome in the Department of Pain Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University from June 2019 to January 2023 were retrospectively analyzed [19 males and 37 females, aged 42-76 (58.6±8.3) years], including 51 cases of blepharospasm, 3 cases of oromandibular dystonia and 2 cases of blepharospasm concomitant with oromandibular dystonia. CT-guided partial radiofrequency ablation of bilateral responsible cranial nerves was performed on different types of Meige syndrome. And the efficacy and complications of the technique were observed. Results: Fifty-one patients with blepharospasm Meige syndrome underwent CT-guided radiofrequency of facial nerve through bilateral stylomastoid foramen punctures, the symptoms of blepharospasm disappeared completely, leaving bilateral mild and moderate facial paralysis symptoms. Three patients with oral-mandibular dystonia underwent CT-guided radiofrequency therapy by bilateral foramen ovale puncture of mandibular branches of trigeminal nerve, masticatory muscle spasm disappeared, the patients had no difficulty opening the mouth, and the skin numbness in bilateral mandibular nerve innervation area was left. Two cases of Meige syndrome with blepharospasm concomitant with oromandibular dystonia were treated by radiofrequency of facial nerve and mandibular branch of trigeminal nerve, and all symptoms disappeared. The patients were followed up for 1-44 months after the operation, and the symptoms of mild and moderate facial paralysis disappeared at (3.2±0.8) months after the operation, but the numbness did not disappear. Three patients with blepharospasm recurred at the 14, 18 and 22 months after the operation, respectively, while the rest cases did not recur. Conclusions: According to different types of Meige syndrome, CT-guided partial radiofrequency ablation of responsible cranial nerves can effectively treat the corresponding type of Meige syndrome. The complications are only mild and moderate facial paralysis which can be recovered, and/or skin numbness in the mandibular region.

Increased Leaf Bacterial Network Complexity along the Native Plant Diversity Gradient Facilitates Plant Invasion?

Understanding the mechanisms of biological invasion is critical to biodiversity protection. Previous studies have produced inconsistent relationships between native species richness and invasibility, referred to as the invasion paradox. Although facilitative interactions among species have been proposed to explain the non-negative diversity-invasibility relationship, little is known about the facilitation of plant-associated microbes in invasions. We established a two-year field biodiversity experiment with a native plant species richness gradient (1, 2, 4, or 8 species) and analyzed the effects of community structure and network complexity of leaf bacteria on invasion success. Our results indicated a positive relationship between invasibility and network complexity of leaf bacteria of the invader. Consistent with previous studies, we also found that native plant species richness increased the leaf bacterial diversity and network complexity. Moreover, the results of the leaf bacteria community assembly of the invader suggested that the complex bacteria community resulted from higher native diversity rather than higher invader biomass. We concluded that increased leaf bacterial network complexity along the native plant diversity gradient likely facilitated plant invasion. Our findings provided evidence of a potential mechanism by which microbes may affect the plant community invasibility, hopefully helping to explain the non-negative relationship between native diversity and invasibility.

[Efficacy of CT-guided percutaneous stylomastoid foramen puncture through the mandibular angle approach and radiofrequency ablation of facial nerve for the treatment of hemifacial spasm]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of CT-guided percutaneous mandibular angle radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT) of facial nerve through stylomastoid foramen for the treatment of hemifacial spasm. Methods: A total of 82 patients with primary facial spasm who underwent CT-guided RFT in the Department of Pain Medicine of Zhejiang Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital and Department of Pain Medicine of the First Hospital of Jiaxing from January 2019 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed, including 27 males and 55 females, aged 24-85 (59±11) years. All patients were divided into three groups according to the different puncture approaches: anterior mastoid approach group (Group A, n=35), posterior mastoid approach group (Group P, n=25) and mandibular angle approach group (Group M, n=22). The puncture time, the minimum stimulating current inducing the twitch of facial muscles on the affected side, the temperature at the end of RFT and the duration of RFT at this temperature, the total treatment time, as well as the degree of facial paralysis and complications 1 day after operation were compared among the three groups. Results: The puncture time of the Group A, Group P and Group M was (31.0±4.9) min, (31.9±6.5) min and (35.3±5.9) min, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.020). The puncture time of the Group M was longer than that of the Group A and P (both P<0.05). The minimum stimulation current inducing the twitch of the affected facial muscle in the three groups was (0.5±0.2) mA, (0.4±0.1) mA and (0.3±0.1) mA, respectively, with a statistically significant difference (P=0.000). The minimum stimulation current in the Group M was less than that in the Group A and P (both P<0.05). The temperature at the end of RFT of the three groups was (78.6±8.1) ℃, (76.6±8.3) ℃ and (67.0±8.4) ℃, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The temperature of the Group M was lower than that of the Group A and P (both P<0.05). There were no significant differences among the three groups in the duration of RFT at the final temperature, the total treatment time, and the degree of facial paralysis 1 day after operation (all P>0.05). No hematoma, infection, hearing impairment and other complications occurred in all patients. Conclusion: CT-guided percutaneous RFT through stylomastoid foramen is efficacious in the treatment of hemifacial spasm, and the mandibular angle approach provides better performance.

Visualization of Fast Ion Phase-Space Flow Driven by Alfvén Instabilities

Fast ion phase-space flow, driven by Alfvén eigenmodes (AEs), is measured by an imaging neutral particle analyzer in the DIII-D tokamak. The flow firstly appears near the minimum safety factor at the injection energy of neutral beams, and then moves radially inward and outward by gaining and losing energy, respectively. The flow trajectories in phase space align well with the intersection lines of the constant magnetic moment surfaces and constant E-(ω/n)P_{ζ} surfaces, where E, P_{ζ} are the energy and canonical toroidal momentum of ions; ω and n are angular frequencies and toroidal mode numbers of AEs. It is found that the flow is so destructive that the thermalization of fast ions is no longer observed in regions of strong interaction. The measured phase-space flow is consistent with nonlinear hybrid kinetic-magnetohydrodynamics simulation. Calculations of the relatively narrow phase-space islands reveal that fast ions must transition between different flow trajectories to experience large-scale phase-space transport.

A comprehensive synthesis unveils the mysteries of phosphate-solubilizing microbes

Phosphate-solubilizing microbes (PSMs) drive the biogeochemical cycling of phosphorus (P) and hold promise for sustainable agriculture. However, their global distribution, overall diversity and application potential remain unknown. Here, we present the first synthesis of their biogeography, diversity and utility, employing data from 399 papers published between 1981 and 2017, the results of a nationwide field survey in China consisting of 367 soil samples, and a genetic analysis of 12986 genome-sequenced prokaryotic strains. We show that at continental to global scales, the population density of PSMs in environmental samples is correlated with total P rather than pH. Remarkably, positive relationships exist between the population density of soil PSMs and available P, nitrate-nitrogen and dissolved organic carbon in soil, reflecting functional couplings between PSMs and microbes driving biogeochemical cycles of nitrogen and carbon. More than 2704 strains affiliated with at least nine archaeal, 88 fungal and 336 bacterial species were reported as PSMs. Only 2.59% of these strains have been tested for their efficiencies in improving crop growth or yield under field conditions, providing evidence that PSMs are more likely to exert positive effects on wheat growing in alkaline P-deficient soils. Our systematic genetic analysis reveals five promising PSM genera deserving much more attention.

Multiscale Chirping Modes Driven by Thermal Ions in a Plasma with Reactor-Relevant Ion Temperature

A thermal ion driven bursting instability with rapid frequency chirping, considered as an Alfvénic ion temperature gradient mode, has been observed in plasmas having reactor-relevant temperature in the DIII-D tokamak. The modes are excited over a wide spatial range from macroscopic device size to microturbulence size and the perturbation energy propagates across multiple spatial scales. The radial mode structure is able to expand from local to global in ∼0.1  ms and it causes magnetic topology changes in the plasma edge, which can lead to a minor disruption event. Since the mode is typically observed in the high ion temperature ≳10  keV and high-β plasma regime, the manifestation of the mode in future reactors should be studied with development of mitigation strategies, if needed. This is the first observation of destabilization of the Alfvén continuum caused by the compressibility of ions with reactor-relevant ion temperature.

Design and simulation of an imaging neutral particle analyzer for the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak

An Imaging Neutral Particle Analyzer (INPA) diagnostic has been designed for the ASDEX Upgrade (AUG) tokamak. The AUG INPA diagnostic will measure fast neutrals escaping the plasma after charge exchange reactions. The neutrals will be ionized by a 20 nm carbon foil and deflected toward a scintillator by the local magnetic field. The use of a neutral beam injector (NBI) as an active source of neutrals will provide radially resolved measurements, while the use of a scintillator as an active component will allow us to cover the whole plasma along the NBI line with unprecedented phase-space resolution (<12 keV and 8 cm) and a fast temporal response (up to 1 kHz with the high resolution acquisition system and above 100 kHz with the low resolution one), making it suitable to study localized fast-ion redistributions in phase space.

[A clinical analysis of 27 cases of simultaneous bilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss]

Objective:To compare the clinical characteristics and therapeutic effects between simultaneous bilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss（Si-BSSHL） and unilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss（USSHL）. Method:The clinical data of 27 cases of Si-BSSHL were retrospectively analyzed, including the characteristics of the disease, clinical manifestations, audiological examination, hematological examination, and therapeutic effect, and compared with those of 139 cases of USSHL. Result:There was a statistically significant difference in the age（65.85±9.17 vs 56.95±13.18, P<0.01） and no significant difference in sex ratio（P>0.05） between the two groups. The proportion of Si-BSSHL patients with vertigo, ear fullness, hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke had no statistical difference compared with those of USSHL（P>0.05）, the proportion of patients with tinnitus in Si-BSSHL group was significantly lower than that in USSHL group（P<0.05）. The distribution of hearing loss degree and the type of audiometry in Si-BSSHL group were significantly different from those in USSHL group, PTA before treatment and the proportion of profound hearing loss in Si-BSSHL group was significantly lower than that in USSHL group（P<0.05）, descending audiometry type was more common in Si-BSSHL group compared to USSHL（P<0.01）. Fibrinogen in Si-BSSHL group was significantly higher than that in USSHL group（P<0.05）. No significant difference was found between the two groups with respect to mean platelet volume, blood lipid and folic acid（P>0.05）. The total treatment effective rate in Si-BSSHL group was 44.44%, while that in USSHL group was 41.73%, there was no significant difference between the two groups（P>0.05）. Conclusion:Si-BSSHL has a female preponderance and tends to occur in advanced age in our cohort. Compared to USSHL patients, Si-BSSHL patients have less profound hearing loss and more descending audiograms, and the proportion of patients with extremely severe deafness is relatively small. There is no significant difference in the therapeutic effect between the two groups.

Analysis of Late Positive Component of Event-related Potentials by Face Expression Images in Traumatic Brain Injury Patients with Mood Disorders

OBJECTIVES

To explore the application of event-related potentials （ERP） by positive, negative, and neutral face expression images in the evaluation of mood disorders in brain traumatic patients.

METHODS

ERP was tested by face expression images in 24 patients mainly with anxiety and depression symptoms （depression group） and 19 patients mainly with hostile and suspicion symptoms （hostile group）, respectively. The findings were compared with those of the control group.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences, between the depression group and the hostile group, on latencies and amplitudes of late positive potential （LPP） induced by the three types of face expression images, except the amplitude induced by negative face expression image. Compared with the control group, the latencies were extended and the amplitudes were lower in both depression and hostile groups. Within each group, the difference of latencies induced by the three images was not significant. The amplitudes induced by negative face expression image was higher than those induced by positive and neutral face expression images, with significant differences in the hostile group and the control group （P<0.05） but not in the depression group.

CONCLUSIONS

Changes in latencies and amplitudes of LPP could be an objective indicator in the evaluation of mood disorders of brain traumatic patients. The LPP induced by negative face expression images could be more meaningful for patients mainly with anxiety and depression symptoms.

[Study on unprotected anal intercourse behavior in HIV-positive men who have sex with men in the context of knowing their HIV infection status in Chengdu]

Objective: To identify related factors associated with unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) in the context of knowing their HIV infection status. Methods: HIV positive MSM who known that they had been infected with HIV for more than 6 months and accepted follow up services were recruited by convenience sampling method in Chengdu 2015. Semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect their information, such as demographic characteristics, antiviral therapy and sexual behavior characteristics etc. Logistic regression model was used for univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: A total of 330 HIV- positive MSM were recruited, 201 eligible MSM were interviewed. The prevalence of UAI in recent six months was 18.41% (37/201). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the number of anal intercourse with male ≥3 in last month (OR=6.22, 95%CI: 1.88-20.56), low education level (OR=7.29, 95%CI: 1.36-39.16), married, divorced or widowed status (OR=4.65, 95%CI: 1.13-19.17), homosexual cohabitation (OR=3.32, 95%CI: 1.01-10.95) were the risk factors related with UAI among the HIV-positive MSM. Conclusion: Frequent homosexual anal intercourse, low education level, married, divorced or widowed status and homosexual cohabitation might be the risk factors related with UAI in HIV-positive MSM in Chengdu.

[The role of ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT for detecting nodal metastases in cN0 head neck cancer patients：a Meta-analysis]

Objective:The aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT(¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT) for the diagnosis of cervical node metastases in cN0 head neck cancer patients. Method:An electronic database search（PubMed，EMBASE，Cochrane Library，WanFang and CNKI databases）was performed. Updated quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies-2(QUADAS-2) was used to assess study quality. Data analyses were performed with Meta-Disc1.4. Result:Eight studies were included in the present Meta-analysis. For patient-specific data，the pooled sensitivity，specificity，diagnostic odds ratio（DOR），positive likelihood ratio（PLR），and negative likelihood（NLR）for ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT were 0.61（95%CI0.52-0.69）,0.74（95%CI0.68-0.78），9.62（95%CI2.49-37.22），3.22（95%CI1.55-6.71）,and 0.42（95%CI0.24-0.37）,respectively. The area under the curve（AUC）was 0.804 1.The evaluation of heterogeneity，calculated the pooled diagnostic odds ratio，gave aQvalue of 21.26（P<0.05）and an I²of 81.2%. Conclusion:The results of meta-analysis suggested that ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT did not provide better diagnostic accuracy than CT/MRI in detecting cervical node metastases in cN0 head and neck cancer. Considering the high heterogeneity of the included studies，potential value of PET/CT needs to be validated in future studies.

First Direct Observation of Runaway-Electron-Driven Whistler Waves in Tokamaks

DIII-D experiments at low density (n_{e}∼10^{19}  m^{-3}) have directly measured whistler waves in the 100-200 MHz range excited by multi-MeV runaway electrons. Whistler activity is correlated with runaway intensity (hard x-ray emission level), occurs in novel discrete frequency bands, and exhibits nonlinear limit-cycle-like behavior. The measured frequencies scale with the magnetic field strength and electron density as expected from the whistler dispersion relation. The modes are stabilized with increasing magnetic field, which is consistent with wave-particle resonance mechanisms. The mode amplitudes show intermittent time variations correlated with changes in the electron cyclotron emission that follow predator-prey cycles. These can be interpreted as wave-induced pitch angle scattering of moderate energy runaways. The tokamak runaway-whistler mechanisms have parallels to whistler phenomena in ionospheric plasmas. The observations also open new directions for the modeling and active control of runaway electrons in tokamaks.

Suppression of Trapped Energetic Ions Driven Resistive Interchange Modes with Electron Cyclotron Heating in a Helical Plasma

The resistive interchange mode destabilized by the resonant interaction with the trapped energetic ions is fully suppressed when the injected power of electron cyclotron heating exceeds a certain threshold. It is shown for the first time that the complete stabilization of the energetic-particle-driven mode without relaxing the energetic particle (EP) pressure gradient is possible by reducing the radial width of the eigenmodes δ_{w}, especially when δ_{w} narrows to a small enough value relative to the finite orbit width of EP.

Burnout and cognitive impairment: Associated with serum BDNF in a Chinese Han population

BACKGROUND

Some studies have demonstrated that subjects with chronic burnout showed cognitive impairments; however, cognitive performance in burnout has been under-investigated. Increasing evidence show that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a critical role in cognitive function. We hypothesized that decreased BDNF may be associated with cognitive impairments in burnout, which has not been investigated yet. The aim of the present study was to examine the association of BDNF with cognitive impairment in burnout.

METHOD

Using a cross-sectional design, 712 healthy subjects were recruited from a general hospital and they were all measured with the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). We assessed part of subjects on the repeatable battery for the assessment of neuropsychological status (RBANS) (n=192) and serum BDNF levels (n=127).

RESULTS

30.5% of the subjects had burnout. Compared to those non-burnout subjects, the burnout subjects were younger, had significant lower BDNF levels (p=0.003) and scored lower on immediate memory, RBANS total score and attention (all p<0.05). Interestingly, after the Bonferroni correction, there were negative correlations between BDNF and MBI total score or reduced professional accomplishment (PA). Moreover, BDNF was positively associated with immediate memory, attention and RBANS total score. Further multiple regression analysis showed that BDNF was an independent contributor to the RBANS total score and attention, and BDNF and MBI depersonalization (DP) were independent contributors to immediate memory. In addition, there was mediating effect of BDNF in the relation between burnout and cognitive impairments.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that burnout is associated with significant cognitive impairments and decreased BDNF. Moreover, decreased BDNF is associated with cognitive impairments in burnout.

Impaired glucose tolerance in first-episode drug-naïve patients with schizophrenia: relationships with clinical phenotypes and cognitive deficits

BACKGROUND

Schizophrenia patients have a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) than normals. We examined the relationship between IGT and clinical phenotypes or cognitive deficits in first-episode, drug-naïve (FEDN) Han Chinese patients with schizophrenia.

METHOD

A total of 175 in-patients were compared with 31 healthy controls on anthropometric measures and fasting plasma levels of glucose, insulin and lipids. They were also compared using a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Neurocognitive functioning was assessed using the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). Patient psychopathology was assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).

RESULTS

Of the patients, 24.5% had IGT compared with none of the controls, and they also had significantly higher levels of fasting blood glucose and 2-h glucose after an oral glucose load, and were more insulin resistant. Compared with those patients with normal glucose tolerance, the IGT patients were older, had a later age of onset, higher waist or hip circumference and body mass index, higher levels of low-density lipoprotein and triglycerides and higher insulin resistance. Furthermore, IGT patients had higher PANSS total and negative symptom subscale scores, but no greater cognitive impairment except on the emotional intelligence index of the MCCB.

CONCLUSIONS

IGT occurs with greater frequency in FEDN schizophrenia, and shows association with demographic and anthropometric parameters, as well as with clinical symptoms but minimally with cognitive impairment during the early course of the disorder.

Upgrade of the tangentially viewing vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) telescope system for 2D fluctuation measurement in the large helical device

A high-speed tangentially viewing vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) telescope system, using an inverse Schwarzschild-type optic system was developed to study fluctuations in the Large Helical Device (LHD). However, for the original system, the sampling rate was restricted to below 2000 Hz due to the low signal to noise (S/N) ratio in the experiment. In order to improve the S/N ratio, upgrade of the system was made. With this upgraded optical system, the maximum framing rate is improved to 6000 fps with a similar spatial resolution. Rotation of the m = 2 structure caused by the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instability is measured by the upgraded system. The spatial structure of the image is consistent with the synthetic image assuming the interchange mode type displacement of the flux surfaces.

Resistive interchange modes destabilized by helically trapped energetic ions in a helical plasma

A new bursting m=1/n=1 instability (m,n: poloidal and toroidal mode numbers) with rapid frequency chirping down has been observed for the first time in a helical plasma with intense perpendicular neutral beam injection. This is destabilized in the plasma peripheral region by resonant interaction between helically trapped energetic ions and the resistive interchange mode. A large radial electric field is induced near the edge due to enhanced radial transport of the trapped energetic ions by the mode, and leads to clear change in toroidal plasma flow, suppression of microturbulence, and triggering an improvement of bulk plasma confinement.

Molecular characterization and expression analysis of purple acid phosphatase gene from pearl oyster Pinctada martensii

Purple acid phosphatases (PAPs), also known as type 5 acid phosphatases, are widely present in animals, plants, and fungi. In mammal, PAP was reported to participate in immune defense and bone resorption. In this study, the characteristics and potential functions of a PAP gene from pearl oyster Pinctada martensii (pm-PAP) were examined. The Pm-PAP cDNA was found to be 2777 base pairs, containing a 1581-base pair open reading fragment encoding for 526 amino acids with an estimated molecular mass of 60.1 kDa and theoretical isoelectric point of 5.82. One signal peptide and five conserved motifs [GDXX/GDXXY/GNH(D/E)/XXXH/(A/G)HXH] were present in the entire sequence. Tissue expression profile analysis showed that pm-PAP mRNA was constitutively expressed in all tissues studied with abundant mRNA found in mollusk defense system, including hepatopancreas, gill, and hemocytes. After lipopolysaccharide stimulation, the expression of pm-PAP mRNA in hemocytes was dramatically upregulated at 2 h and achieved the highest level at 36 h. Additionally, pm-PAP mRNA expression was significantly increased and achieved the highest level at 2 days after the surgical implantation during pearl production. These results suggest that pm-PAP is a constitutive and inducible protein that may be involved in the immune defense of pearl oyster.

Development of 2D soft X-ray measurement system in the large helical device

A fast two-dimensional soft X-ray camera using silicon photo diode array is being developed in order to investigate high frequency MHD instability with high mode number. The advantage of the adopted diode is a large sensor area of 10 mm × 10 mm and small diode capacitance which enable us to measure signals with the short response time. The characteristic of the prototype is summarized as follows: Channel number is 6 × 8 = 48, detection range 1∼10 keV, the spatial resolution 128 mm at the plasma location, and frequency range DC∼100 kHz. Synthetic image of the prototype in the Large Helical Device is estimated by using perturbation model of MHD mode.

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite DNA loci from the peanut worm, Sipunculus nudus

Sipunculus nudus, the peanut worm, is the best known species in its genus. This unsegmented subtidal marine worm is consumed in some parts of Asia and is also used as fish bait. We found 20 microsatellite DNA markers for S. nudus. The number of alleles per polymorphic locus ranged from two to seven in a sample of 39 individuals. Observed and expected heterozygosities per polymorphic locus varied from 0.103 to 1.000 and from 0.307 to 0.771, respectively. Five loci showed significant departure from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after sequential Bonferroni's correction. No significant linkage disequilibrium between pairs of loci was found. These microsatellite markers will provide useful tools for investigating genetic population structure, population history and conservation management of S. nudus.