Experimental Limits on Solar Reflected Dark Matter with a New Approach on Accelerated-Dark-Matter-Electron Analysis in Semiconductors

Recently a dark matter-electron (DM-electron) paradigm has drawn much attention. Models beyond the standard halo model describing DM accelerated by high energy celestial bodies are under intense examination as well. In this Letter, a velocity components analysis (VCA) method dedicated to swift analysis of accelerated DM-electron interactions via semiconductor detectors is proposed and the first HPGe detector-based accelerated DM-electron analysis is realized. Utilizing the method, the first germanium based constraint on sub-GeV solar reflected DM-electron interaction is presented with the 205.4  kg·day dataset from the CDEX-10 experiment. In the heavy mediator scenario, our result excels in the mass range of 5-15  keV/c^{2}, achieving a 3 orders of magnitude improvement comparing with previous semiconductor experiments. In the light mediator scenario, the strongest laboratory constraint for DM lighter than 0.1  MeV/c^{2} is presented. The result proves the feasibility and demonstrates the vast potential of the VCA technique in future accelerated DM-electron analyses with semiconductor detectors.

[Association of urinary cadmium level with body mass index and body circumferences among older adults over 65 years old in 9 longevity areas of China]

Objective: To investigate the association of urinary cadmium level with body mass index (BMI) and body circumferences among the older adults over 65 years old in 9 longevity areas of China. Methods: Subjects were older adults over 65 years old from the Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study (HABCS) between 2017 and 2018 conducted in 9 longevity areas in China. A total of 1 968 older adults were included in this study. Information including socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyles, diet intake, and health status was collected by using questionnaires and physical examinations. Urine samples were collected to detect urinary cadmium and creatinine levels. Body circumferences included waist circumference, hip circumference and calf circumference. Subjects were divided into three groups (low:<0.77 μg/g·creatinine, middle:0.77-1.69 μg/g·creatinine, high:≥1.69 μg/g·creatinine) by tertiles of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium concentration. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the association of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium level with BMI and body circumferences. The dose-response relationship of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium concentration with BMI and body circumferences was analyzed by using restrictive cubic splines fitting multiple linear regression model. Results: The mean age of subjects was (83.34±11.14) years old. The median (Q1, Q3) concentration of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium was 1.13 (0.63, 2.09) μg/g·creatinine, and the BMI was (22.70±3.82) kg/m2. The mean values of waist circumference, hip circumference, and calf circumference were (85.42±10.68) cm, (92.67±8.90) cm, and (31.08±4.76) cm, respectively. After controlling confounding factors, the results of the multiple linear regression model showed that for each increment of 1 μg/g·creatinine in creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium, the change of BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, and calf circumference in the high-level group was -0.28 (-0.37, -0.19) kg/m2, -0.74 (-0.96, -0.52) cm, -0.78 (-0.96, -0.61) cm, and -0.20 (-0.30, -0.11) cm, respectively. The restrictive cubic splines curve showed a negative nonlinear association of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium with BMI (Pnonlinear<0.001) and negative linear associations of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium with waist circumference (Plinear<0.001), hip circumference (Plinear<0.001), and calf circumference (Plinear<0.001). Conclusion: Urinary cadmium level is significantly associated with decreased BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference and calf circumference among older adults over 65 years old in 9 longevity areas of China.

[Research progress of transcriptomics and proteomics in schizophrenia]

Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder with an unclear etiology and various clinical manifestations. The diagnosis and consequent treatment of schizophrenia mainly rely on clinical symptoms. Multiple risk sites associated with schizophrenia have been identified, yet objective indicators have not been found to facilitate clinical diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia. The development of omics technology provides different perspectives on the etiology of schizophrenia and make the early identification, diagnosis and treatment of the disorder possible. This article summarizes the prevalence of schizophrenia, reviews the research results and shortcomings of transcriptomics and proteomics, as well as the latest achievements and prospects of multi-omics, aiming to reveal the use of omics in SZ, provide more comprehensive biological evidence to reveal the complex pathogenesis of schizophrenia and provide a theoretical basis for the early identification, accurate diagnosis, disease progression control, and prognosis improvement of schizophrenia.

The interface microenvironment mediates the emission of a semiconductor nanocluster via surface-dopant-involving direct charge transfer

The interface microenvironment of doped quantum dots (QDs) is crucial in optimizing the properties associated with the photogenerated excitons. However, the imprecision of QDs' surface structures and compositions impedes a thorough understanding of the modulation mechanism caused by the complex interface microenvironment, particularly distinguishing the contribution of surface dopants from inner ones. Herein, we investigated interface-mediated emission using a unique model of an atomically precise chalcogenide semiconductor nanocluster containing uniform near-surface Mn2+ dopants. Significantly, we discovered that Mn2+ ions can directly transfer charges with hydrogen-bonding-bound electron-rich alkylamines with matched molecular configurations and electronic structures at the interface. This work provides a new pathway, the use of atomically precise nanoclusters, for analyzing and enhancing the interface-dependent properties of various doped QDs, including chalcogenides and perovskites.

Improved Measurement of the Evolution of the Reactor Antineutrino Flux and Spectrum at Daya Bay

Reactor neutrino experiments play a crucial role in advancing our knowledge of neutrinos. In this Letter, the evolution of the flux and spectrum as a function of the reactor isotopic content is reported in terms of the inverse-beta-decay yield at Daya Bay with 1958 days of data and improved systematic uncertainties. These measurements are compared with two signature model predictions: the Huber-Mueller model based on the conversion method and the SM2018 model based on the summation method. The measured average flux and spectrum, as well as the flux evolution with the ^{239}Pu isotopic fraction, are inconsistent with the predictions of the Huber-Mueller model. In contrast, the SM2018 model is shown to agree with the average flux and its evolution but fails to describe the energy spectrum. Altering the predicted inverse-beta-decay spectrum from ^{239}Pu fission does not improve the agreement with the measurement for either model. The models can be brought into better agreement with the measurements if either the predicted spectrum due to ^{235}U fission is changed or the predicted ^{235}U, ^{238}U, ^{239}Pu, and ^{241}Pu spectra are changed in equal measure.

[Association of hs-CRP with frailty and its components among the elderly over 65 years old in 9 longevity areas of China]

Objective: To investigate the association of the levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) with frailty and its components among the elderly over 65 years old in 9 longevity areas of China. Methods: Cross-sectional data from the Health Ageing and Biomarkers Cohort Study (HABCS, 2017-2018) were used and the elderly over 65 years old were included in this study. Through questionnaire interview and physical examination, the information including demographic characteristics, behavior, diet, daily activity, cognitive function, and health status was collected. The association between hs-CRP and frailty and its components in the participants was analyzed by multivariate logistic regression model and restrictive cubic spline. Results: A total of 2 453 participants were finally included, the age was (84.8±19.8) years old. The median hs-CRP level was 1.13 mg/L and the prevalence of frailty was 24.4%. Compared with the low-level group (hs-CRP<1.0 mg/L), the OR (95%CI) value of the high-level group (hs-CRP>3.0 mg/L) was 1.79 (1.35-2.36) mg/L. As for the components, the hs-CRP level was also positively associated with ADL disability, IADL disability, functional limitation and multimorbidity. After adjusting for confounding factors, compared with the low-level group, the OR (95%CI) values of the high-level group for the four components were 1.68 (1.25-2.27), 1.88 (1.42-2.50), 1.68 (1.31-2.14) and 1.39 (1.12-1.72), respectively. Conclusion: There is a positive association between the levels of hs-CRP and the risk of frailty among the elderly over 65 years old in 9 longevity areas of China. The higher hs-CRP level may increase the risk of frailty by elevating the risk of four physical functional disabilities, namely ADL disability, IADL disability, functional limitation and multimorbidity.

Precision Measurement of Reactor Antineutrino Oscillation at Kilometer-Scale Baselines by Daya Bay

We present a new determination of the smallest neutrino mixing angle θ_{13} and the mass-squared difference Δm_{32}^{2} using a final sample of 5.55×10^{6} inverse beta-decay (IBD) candidates with the final-state neutron captured on gadolinium. This sample is selected from the complete dataset obtained by the Daya Bay reactor neutrino experiment in 3158 days of operation. Compared to the previous Daya Bay results, selection of IBD candidates has been optimized, energy calibration refined, and treatment of backgrounds further improved. The resulting oscillation parameters are sin^{2}2θ_{13}=0.0851±0.0024, Δm_{32}^{2}=(2.466±0.060)×10^{-3}  eV^{2} for the normal mass ordering or Δm_{32}^{2}=-(2.571±0.060)×10^{-3}  eV^{2} for the inverted mass ordering.

[Association of greenness exposure with waist circumference and central obesity in Chinese adults aged 65 years and over]

Objective: To examine the association of greenness exposure with waist circumference (WC) and central obesity in older adults in China. Methods: Based on the cross-sectional data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey in 2017-2018, 14 056 participants aged 65 years and over were included. Demographic characteristics, lifestyle, WC, and other information were collected through a questionnaire and physical examination. Based on the satellite monitoring data of moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) provided by NASA, the annual mean of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) within a radius of 1 000 meters was obtained as the measurement value of greenness exposure. Multivariate linear regression model, multivariate logistic regression model, and restricted cubic splines (RCS) model were used to analyze the association and dose-response relationship between greenness exposure and WC and central obesity in older adults in China. Results: A total of 14 056 participants were enrolled with a median age of 84.0 years [IQR: 75.0-94.0 years]. About 45.0% (6 330) of them were male and 48.6% (5 853) were illiterate. There were 10 964 (78.0%) participants from rural. The mean of WC was (84.4±10.8) cm. Central obesity accounted for 60.2% (8 465), and the NDVI range was (-0.06, 0.78). After adjusting for confounding factors, the multivariate linear regression model showed that the change value of WC in the urban group [β (95%CI):-0.49 (-0.93, -0.06)] was smaller than that in the rural [-0.78 (-0.98, -0.58)] for every 0.1 unit increase in NDVI (Pinteraction=0.022). Compared with the Q1 group in NDVI, WC of Q2 and Q3 groups in rural decreased, and the β (95%CI) values were-1.74 (-2.5, -0.98) and-2.78 (-3.55, -2.00), respectively. The multivariate logistic regression model showed that after adjusting for confounding factors, the risk of central obesity decreased for urban and rural older adults with an increase of 0.1 unit in NDVI, and the OR (95%CI) values were 0.87 (0.80, 0.95) and 0.86 (0.82, 0.89), respectively (Pinteraction=0.284). Compared with the Q1 group in NDVI, the risk of central obesity in the Q2 and Q3 groups in rural was lower, and the OR (95%CI) values were 0.68 (0.58, 0.80) and 0.57 (0.49, 0.68), respectively. The results of the multivariate regression model with RCS showed that there was a non-linear association of NDVI with WC (Pnonlinear=0.006) and central obesity (Pnonlinear=0.025). Conclusion: Greenness exposure is negatively associated with WC and central obesity in older adults in China.

[Diagnostic value of novel hepatic fibrosis markers in assessing cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) and Golgi protein 73 (GP73) in the diagnosis of cirrhosis and the dynamic changes of CHI3L1 and GP73 after HCV clearance in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treated with direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs). The comparison of continuous variables of normal distribution were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and t-test. The comparison of continuous variables of non-normal distribution were statistically analyzed by rank sum test. The categorical variables were statistically analyzed by Fisher's exact test and χ(2) test. Correlation analysis was performed using Spearman correlation analysis. Methods: Data of 105 patients with CHC diagnosed from January 2017 to December 2019 were collected. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) was plotted to study the efficacy of serum CHI3L1 and GP73 for the diagnosis of cirrhosis. Friedman test was used to compare CHI3L1 and GP73 change characteristics. Results: The areas under the ROC curve for CHI3L1 and GP73 in the diagnosis of cirrhosis at baseline were 0.939 and 0.839, respectively. Serum levels of CHI3L1 and GP73 in the DAAs group decreased significantly at the end of treatment compared with baseline [123.79 (60.25, 178.80) ng/ml vs. 118.20 (47.68, 151.36) ng/ml, P = 0.001; 105.73 (85.05, 130.69) ng/ml vs. 95.52 (69.52, 118.97) ng/ml, P = 0.001]. Serum CHI3L1 and GP73 in the pegylated interferon combined with ribavirin (PR) group were significantly lower at the end of 24 weeks of treatment than the baseline [89.15 (39.15, 149.74) ng/ml vs. 69.98 (20.52, 71.96) ng/ml, P < 0.05; 85.07 (60.07, 121) ng/ml vs. 54.17 (29.17, 78.65) ng/ml, P < 0.05]. Conclusion: CHI3L1 and GP73 are sensitive serological markers that can be used to monitor the fibrosis prognosis in CHC patients during treatment and after obtaining a sustained virological response. Serum CHI3L1 and GP73 levels in the DAAs group decreased earlier than those in the PR group, and the serum CHI3L1 levels in the untreated group increased compared with the baseline at about two years of follow-up.

[Effectiveness of a whole-process health education model among inpatients with ascites type of advanced schistosomiasis]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of a whole-process health education model among inpatients with ascites type of advanced schistosomiasis.

METHODS

A "admission-hospitalization-discharge" whole-process health education model was created, 101 inpatients with ascites type of advanced schistosomiasis were given the whole-process health education. The scores of schistosomiasis control knowledge, attitudes towards schistosomiasis control and healthy behaviors, and awareness of schistosomiasis control knowledge, correct rate of attitudes towards schistosomiasis control and correct rate of healthy behaviors were compared among inpatients with ascites type of advanced schistosomiasis before and after implementation of the whole-process health education.

RESULTS

The scores of schistosomiasis control knowledge, schistosomiasis control attitudes and healthy behaviors were all significantly higher among inpatients with ascites type of advanced schistosomiasis after implementation of the whole-process health education than before implementation (Z = -7.688, -3.576 and -4.328, all P values < 0.01). In addition, the awareness of schistosomiasis control knowledge increased from 54.3% to 82.7% (χ² = 188.886, P < 0.01), and the correct rate of attitudes towards schistosomiasis control increased from 88.4% to 98.0% (χ² = 22.001, P < 0.01), while the correct rate of healthy behaviors increased from 48.2% to 59.7% (χ² = 11.767, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The whole-process health education model may remarkably improve the awareness of schistosomiasis control knowledge and promote the formation of positive attitudes towards schistosomiasis control and correct behaviors among inpatients with ascites type of advanced schistosomiasis, which is of great significance to facilitate patients' cure.

[Mechanism of Suanzaoren Decoction in improving insomnia rats by integrating metabolomics and intestinal flora analysis]

To explore the mechanism of Suanzaoren Decoction(SZRD) in improving the insomnia rat model induced by DL-4-chlorophenylalanine(PCPA). The insomnia model was established by single intraperitoneal injection with PCPA(400 mg·kg~(-1)), UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS was used to analyze the profile of metabolites in rat hippocampus samples, combined with multivariate statistical analysis and screening of differential metabolites, and related metabolic pathways were constructed with MetaboAnalyst 5.0. The high-throughput sequencing of V3-V4 regions of 16 S rRNA gene was used to predict the structure and relative abundance of intestinal flora by LEfSe, OPLS-DA and PICRUSt2. A total of 22 differential hippocampus metabolites were identified by metabolomics analysis, including amino acids, fatty acids, nucleosides, organic acids, vitamins, and others. Pathway analysis showed that alanine, aspartate and glutamic metabolism, D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, arginine biosynthesis were the main pathways. 16 S rRNA gene sequencing showed that Ruminococcus and Eubacterium were the differences between SZRD group and model group. Ruminococcus might be the sign of SZRD improving PCPA insomnia on analysis of PICRUSt2 and LEfSe. Furthermore Spearman correlation analysis showed that the differential metabolites 2-oxo-4-methylthiobutyric acid and palmitic acid intervened by SZRD were significantly positively correlated with the differential flora. In conclusion, SZRD indirectly improves insomnia by affecting metabolic pathways such as amino acids metabolic pathways and regulating the structure of flora. The results of this study provide a new mechanism and new idea for elucidating the mechanism of classic famous prescription SZRD in improving insomnia from the perspective of intestinal flora.

Effects of cysteine addition to low-fishmeal diets on the growth, anti-oxidative stress, intestine immunity, and Streptococcus agalactiae resistance in juvenile golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus)

As the precursor of taurine, cysteine serves physiological functions, such as anti-oxidative stress and immune improvement. Investigation of cysteine and its derivatives has made positive progress in avian and mammalian species, yet the study and application of cysteine in aquatic animals are relatively rare. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of supplementing a low-fishmeal diet with various levels of cysteine on the growth, antioxidant capacity, intestine immunity, and resistance against Streptococcus agalactiae of the juvenile golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus). According to our study, exogenous supplementation with 0.6-1.2% cysteine greatly increased the final body weight (FBW) and specific growth rate (SGR) of golden pompano compared to the control group. Under the present conditions, the optimum dietary cysteine supplementation level for golden pompano was 0.91% based on the polynomial regression analysis of SGR. Meanwhile, we found that the Nrf2/Keap1/HO-1 signaling pathway was notably upregulated with the increase of exogenous cysteine, which increased antioxidant enzyme activity in serum and gene expression in the intestine and reduced the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the serum of golden pompano. In addition, morphological analysis of the midgut demonstrated that exogenous cysteine improved muscle thickness and villi length, which suggested that the physical barrier of the intestine was greatly strengthened by cysteine. Moreover, cysteine increased the diversity and relative abundance of the intestinal flora of golden pompano. Cysteine suppressed intestinal NF-κB/IKK/IκB signaling and pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA levels. Conversely, intestinal anti-inflammatory cytokine gene expression and serum immune parameters were upregulated with the supplementary volume of cysteine and improved intestine immunity. Further, exogenous cysteine supplementation greatly reduced the mortality rate of golden pompano challenged with S. agalactiae. In general, our findings provide more valuable information and new insights into the rational use of cysteine in the culture of healthy aquatic animals.

Effects of exogenous taurine supplementation on the growth, antioxidant capacity, intestine immunity, and resistance against Streptococcus agalactiae in juvenile golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) fed with a low-fishmeal diet

Taurine has various biological functions in fish, playing an essential role in growth, resistance to oxidative stress, and intestine immunity. Here, we evaluated the effects of exogenous taurine added to low-fishmeal diets on the growth, anti-oxidative stress, intestine immunity, and Streptococcus agalactiae resistance in juvenile golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus). Our study showed that exogenous taurine supplementation of 1.2% (T3 group) greatly enhanced the weight gain rate and specific growth rate (SGR) of juvenile golden pompano, significantly upregulating growth-related factor expression in the brain and liver, as well as the levels of growth-related parameters in the serum. Polynomial regression analysis using SGR estimated the optimal dietary taurine level for golden pompano at 1.18%. Moderate exogenous taurine also increased the muscular thickness and villus length within the intestine, maintained intestinal physical barrier stability, activated the Nrf2/Keap-1/HO-1 signaling pathway, increased intestinal antioxidant enzyme gene expression and antioxidant enzyme activity in the serum, and upregulated immunoglobulin and complement levels in parallel with declining reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the serum. Antioxidant factor expression was also upregulated in the intestine. Furthermore, supplementation suppressed NF-κB signaling and intestinal pro-inflammatory cytokine gene expression, increased anti-inflammatory cytokine gene expression, and improved intestine immunity. Finally, taurine supplementation improved the survival rate of golden pompano challenged with S. agalactiae. Overall, our findings provide additional information and support for the rational use of taurine in healthy aquatic animal farming.

[Consistency evaluation between patient-completed and physician-completed Caprini scores]

Objective: To evaluate the consistency of patient-completed and physician-completed Caprini scores. Methods: This study was a diagnostic study. We prospectively recruited 200 inpatients (including respiratory and critical care medicine, rheumatology and immunology, obstetrics and gynecology, and orthopedics). Clinical data of the recruited patients were collected. The Wechat applet was developed based on the Chinese version of the patient-completed Caprini score. Patient could enter the Wechat applet by scanning the QR code, and enter the height, weight and other contents to the Wechat applet. The applet could automatically calculate the score and make the risk stratification according to total score. At the same time, physicians would calculate the traditional Caprini score for the same patient and make risk stratification to evaluate the consistency of scores derived from the two methods. Results: The average age of these 200 patients was (59.6±13.9) years, 112(56.0%) of them were female and 184(92.0%) with high school education or above. There was no significant difference between the patient-completed and physician-completed scores (4.8±2.5 vs. 4.7±2.5,P=0.336). The time of physician-completed score was shorter than that of patient-completed score ((2.0±1.0) minutes vs.(2.4±1.2) minutes, P<0.000 1). There was no significant difference on the number of high-highest venous thromboembolism risk patients assessed by the patient-completed and the physician-completed scores: 84.5% (169/200) vs. 83.0%(166/200)(χ²=0.165, P=0.684).There was strong positive correlations between patient-completed and physician-completed scores (r=0.98, P<0.000 1). Cohen's ĸ evaluation showed that the patient-completed Caprini score was in excellent consistency with physician-completed Caprini score(κ=0.97,P<0.000 1). The result of Bland Altman method showed that only 3.0% (6/200) of the scores biased greatly, which was not within the 95% confidence interval, the result proved that the bias belonged to a small probability event. It was inferred that the scores of patient-completed were consistent with those of the physician-completed. Conclusions: The patient-completed Caprini score is in good agreement with the physician-completed Caprini score in this patient cohort.

First Measurement of High-Energy Reactor Antineutrinos at Daya Bay

This Letter reports the first measurement of high-energy reactor antineutrinos at Daya Bay, with nearly 9000 inverse beta decay candidates in the prompt energy region of 8-12 MeV observed over 1958 days of data collection. A multivariate analysis is used to separate 2500 signal events from background statistically. The hypothesis of no reactor antineutrinos with neutrino energy above 10 MeV is rejected with a significance of 6.2 standard deviations. A 29% antineutrino flux deficit in the prompt energy region of 8-11 MeV is observed compared to a recent model prediction. We provide the unfolded antineutrino spectrum above 7 MeV as a data-based reference for other experiments. This result provides the first direct observation of the production of antineutrinos from several high-Q_{β} isotopes in commercial reactors.

Acoustic Change Complex Evoked by Horizontal Sound Location Change in Young Adults With Normal Hearing

Acoustic change complex (ACC) is a cortical auditory-evoked potential induced by a change of continuous sound stimulation. This study aimed to explore: (1) whether the change of horizontal sound location can elicit ACC; (2) the relationship between the change of sound location and the amplitude or latency of ACC; (3) the relationship between the behavioral measure of localization, minimum audible angle (MAA), and ACC. A total of 36 normal-hearing adults participated in this study. A 180° horizontal arc-shaped bracket with a 1.2 m radius was set in a sound field where participants sat at the center. MAA was measured in a two-alternative forced-choice setting. The objective electroencephalography recording of ACC was conducted with the location changed at four sets of positions, ±45°, ±15°, ±5°, and ±2°. The test stimulus was a 125–6,000 Hz broadband noise of 1 s at 60 ± 2 dB SPL with a 2 s interval. The N1′–P2′ amplitudes, N1′ latencies, and P2′ latencies of ACC under four positions were evaluated. The influence of electrode sites and the direction of sound position change on ACC waveform was analyzed with analysis of variance. Results suggested that (1) ACC can be elicited successfully by changing the horizontal sound location position. The elicitation rate of ACC increased with the increase of location change. (2) N1′–P2′ amplitude increased and N1′ and P2′ latencies decreased as the change of sound location increased. The effects of test angles on N1′–P2′ amplitude [F(1.91,238.1) = 97.172, p < 0.001], N1′ latency [F(1.78,221.90) = 96.96, p < 0.001], and P2′ latency [F(1.87,233.11) = 79.97, p < 0.001] showed a statistical significance. (3) The direction of sound location change had no significant effect on any of the ACC peak amplitudes or latencies. (4) Sound location discrimination threshold by the ACC test (97.0% elicitation rate at ±5°) was higher than MAA threshold (2.08 ± 0.5°). The current study results show that though the ACC thresholds are higher than the behavioral thresholds on MAA task, ACC can be used as an objective method to evaluate sound localization ability. This article discusses the implications of this research for clinical practice and evaluation of localization skills, especially for children.

[Metabonomic study of biochemical changes in serum of PCPA-induced insomnia rats after treatment with Suanzaoren Decoction]

Suanzaoren Decoction(SZRD) is a classical formula for the clinical treatment of insomnia. This study analyzed the effect of SZRD on endogenous metabolites in insomnia rats based on metabonomics and thereby explored the anti-insomnia mechanism of SZRD. To be specific, DL-4-chlorophenylalanine(PCPA) was used to induce insomnia in rats. Then pathological changes of the liver and brain were observed and biochemical indexes such as 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT), dopamine(DA), glutamate(Glu), γ-aminobutyric acid(GABA), and norepinephrine(NE) in the hippocampus and prostaglandin D2(PGD2), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), and IL-6 in the serum of rats were detected. On this basis, the effect of SZRD on PCPA-induced insomnia rats was preliminarily assessed. The metabolic profile of rat serum samples was further analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS). Principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) were combined with t-test and variable importance in projection(VIP) to identify differential metabolites, and MetaboAnalyst 5.0 was employed for pathway analysis. The results showed that SZRD could improve the pathological changes of brain and liver tissues, increase the levels of neurotransmitters 5-HT, DA, and GABA in hippocampus and the level of PGD2 in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis(HPA axis), and reduce the levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in serum of insomnia rats. Metabonomics analysis yielded 12 significantly changed potential metabolites: 5-aminovaleric acid, N-acetylvaline, L-proline, L-glutamate, L-valine, DL-norvaline, D(-)-arginine, pyroglutamic acid, 1-methylguanine, L-isoleucine, 7-ethoxy-4-methylcoumarin, and phthalic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester(MEHP), which were related with multiple biochemical processes including metabolism of D-glutamine and D-glutamate, metabolism of alanine, aspartate, and glutamate, metabolism of arginine and proline, arginine biosynthesis, glutathione metabolism. These metabolic changes indicated that SZRD can improve the metabolism in insomnia rats by regulating amino acid metabolism.

Joint Determination of Reactor Antineutrino Spectra from ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu Fission by Daya Bay and PROSPECT

A joint determination of the reactor antineutrino spectra resulting from the fission of ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu has been carried out by the Daya Bay and PROSPECT Collaborations. This Letter reports the level of consistency of ^{235}U spectrum measurements from the two experiments and presents new results from a joint analysis of both data sets. The measurements are found to be consistent. The combined analysis reduces the degeneracy between the dominant ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu isotopes and improves the uncertainty of the ^{235}U spectral shape to about 3%. The ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu antineutrino energy spectra are unfolded from the jointly deconvolved reactor spectra using the Wiener-SVD unfolding method, providing a data-based reference for other reactor antineutrino experiments and other applications. This is the first measurement of the ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu spectra based on the combination of experiments at low- and highly enriched uranium reactors.

[Fibrinogen gamma-chain mutation, p.Ile171His, leads to hereditary hypofibrinogenemia]

Objective: To explore the clinical phenotype and genotype of a family with hereditary hypofibrinogenemia. Methods: Activated partial thrombin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT),thrombin time (TT) and thrombelastogram (TEG) were tested in all family members. Fibrinogen activity and antigen were detected by Clauss method and immunoturbidimetric method respectively. All exons and flanking sequences of fibrinogen FGA,FGB,FGG genes were analyzed by PCR, and the products were subjected to Sanger sequencing. Results: The proband represented prolonged PT and TT, low Fg activity and antigen, elevated K value and decreased Angle value in TEG. Other family members reported similar changes including proband's father,daughter and son, and his elder brother and his niece. Exon 5 c.510_512 of FGG gene in the proband revealed a minor deletion mutation. Conclusion: The novel heterozygous missense mutation of exon 5 c.510_512del (Gln170_Ile171 del ins His) of FGG gene is the molecular mechanism that leads to hereditary hypofibrinogenemia in this family.

5-Hydroxymethylcytosine Signatures in Circulating Cell-Free DNA as Early Warning Biomarkers for COVID-19 Progression and Myocardial Injury

Background: The symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) range from moderate to critical conditions, leading to death in some patients, and the early warning indicators of the COVID-19 progression and the occurrence of its serious complications such as myocardial injury are limited.

Methods: We carried out a multi-center, prospective cohort study in three hospitals in Wuhan. Genome-wide 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) profiles in plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) was used to identify risk factors for COVID-19 pneumonia and develop a machine learning model using samples from 53 healthy volunteers, 66 patients with moderate COVID-19, 99 patients with severe COVID-19, and 38 patients with critical COVID-19.

Results: Our warning model demonstrated that an area under the curve (AUC) for 5hmC warning moderate patients developed into severe status was 0.81 (95% CI 0.77–0.85) and for severe patients developed into critical status was 0.92 (95% CI 0.89–0.96). We further built a warning model on patients with and without myocardial injury with the AUC of 0.89 (95% CI 0.84–0.95).

Conclusion: This is the first study showing the utility of 5hmC as an accurate early warning marker for disease progression and myocardial injury in patients with COVID-19. Our results show that phosphodiesterase 4D and ten-eleven translocation 2 may be important markers in the progression of COVID-19 disease.

[Analysis on the status of occupational health of medical radiation workers in China in 2019]

Objective: To grasp the occupational health monitoring of radiation workers in medical institutions across the country, and to discover weak links in the prevention and treatment of occupational radiation diseases. Methods: In 2020 January, according to the monitoring data of the "National Radiation Health Information Platform" (Occupational Radiation Disease and Occupational Health Monitoring Subsystem and Occupational Radiation Disease Reporting Subsystem) , the national occupational health monitoring data from January 1 to December 31, 2019, including the number of radiation workers in medical institutions, occupational health examinations, personal dose monitoring and occupational radiation disease diagnosis, were descriptive analyzed. Results: There were a total of 394436 radiation workers in medical institutions across the country. The number of radiation workers in various provinces was quite different, with a median of 10206, which was positively correlated with the number of permanent residents in each province (r=0.947) . There were 376 personal dose monitoring institutions nationwide, and the personal dose monitoring rate of radiation workers in medical institutions was 96.61% (381045/394436) . There were 419 occupational health inspection institutions for radiation workers across the country, and 269 (64.20%) used software to print physical examination forms. A total of 334455 radiation workers in medical institutions had been subjected to occupational health examinations. The rate of occupational health examinations for radiation workers in medical institutions was 84.79% (334455/394436) . The abnormal rate of chromosomal aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes of radiation workers in medical institutions was 0.33% (776/233571) , the detection rate of posterior posterior subcapsular turbidity was 0.63% (2093/334455) , and the abnormality rate of thyroid color ultrasound was 28.49% (14946/52464) . In 2019, a total of 16 cases of occupational radiation diseases were reported. Conclusion: The personal dose monitoring rate and occupational health examination rate of medical radiation workers nationwide are relatively high, but the quality of lymphocyte chromosome aberration analysis, eye lens examination and thyroid color photograph examination needs to be further improved.

[Clinical characteristics and prognosis of MLL-AF6 positive patients with acute myeloid leukemia]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical features and prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene rearrangements AF6 (MLL-AF6) positive.

METHODS

In the study, 11 patients who were newly diagnosed with MLL-AF6 positive AML were analyzed retrospectively, related literature was reviewed to clarify the clinical features and prognosis of MLL-AF6 positive patients.

RESULTS

Among the 11 patients, there were 6 males and 5 females, with a median age of 36 years. Six patients were diagnosed with AML M5 and five with M4 according to FAB classification (French-American-British classification systems). Gingival swelling and pain occurred in 6 cases and fever occurred in 5 cases. At first diagnosis, the median white blood cells were 55.5×109/L. Immunotype showed the expression of myeloid/monocyte and early stem cell series antigens. The expression level of MLL-AF6 fusion gene (real-time quantitative PCR) was 14.2%-214.5%, and 6/11 cases (54.5%) were associated with high EVI1 gene expression. Mutations of KRAS, TET2, ASXL1, TP53, DNMT3A, and FLT3-ITD were detected by next generation sequencing (NGS) in 4 patients. Chromosome G banding examination showed that 2 cases were t(6;11)(q27, q23) with complex karyotype abnormality, 4 cases with +8 abnormality and 2 cases with normal karyotype. Hematological complete remission (CR) was achieved in 8/11 patients (72.7%) after conventional induction chemotherapy, and primary drug resistance was observed in 3 patients. Two of the eight patients with CR were negative for minimal residual disease (MRD), with a median CR duration of 4.5 months. Two patients with positive MRD and three patients with refractory recurrence underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), but all died due to leukemia progression. At the end of follow-up on December 1, 2019, 2 patients were alive and 9 died, with median survival time of 9 months.

CONCLUSION

The AML patients with MLL-AF6 positive were mostly young, the majority of FAB types were M4 and M5, and most of the patients often had fever as the first symptom, with increased white blood cells, accompanied by organ infiltration, and high EVI1 gene expression. The hematological remission rate of routine chemotherapy is not low, but it is difficult to achieve molecular remission, most of which have early recurrence. Early allo-HSCT in a molecular negative state may prolong the CR duration.

Effect of chromium methionine supplementation on lactation performance, hepatic respiratory rate and anti-oxidative capacity in early-lactating dairy cows

Chromium may regulate dairy cow metabolism; a chelated formation of chromium methionine (Cr-Met) is available to the feed industry. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of Cr-Met supplementation on lactation performance, hepatic respiratory rate and anti-oxidative capacity in early-lactating Holstein dairy cows. 64 multiparous cows were assigned to 16 blocks based on parity and milk yield and then the four cows in a block were randomly allocated to four treatment groups with 0, 4, 8 or 16 g/d of Cr-Met per cow supplemented to a basal diet. Cows were moved from an open dry lot to a naturally ventilated tie stall barn 2 weeks before treatment to adapt to this facility, fed and milked at 0630, 1400, and 1930 h every day. The experiment lasted for 12 weeks. Milk yield and composition were recorded weekly. Dry matter intake was measured every 2 weeks for a total of six times throughout the trial. The plasma variables were measured in weeks 4, 8 and 12 of the experiment. Supplementation of Cr-Met did not affect DM intake of cows. As the supplementation of Cr-Met increased, yields of milk, fat, energy corrected milk (P < 0.01) and lactose (P = 0.01) increased in a linear manner. In terms of plasma variables, insulin concentration decreased in a linear manner with Cr-Met supplementation. As for variables relating to hepatic respiration rate, concentrations of pyruvate and NAD in the plasma were increased in quadratic manners, and lactic dehydrogenase activity was linearly increased as Cr-Met feeding levels increased. Moreover, plasma glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activity were increased in a linear manner. In conclusion, our study suggested that Cr-Met supplementation improved lactation performance of early-lactating dairy cows through enhancing antioxidant capacity and hepatic cellular respiration.

[Association of cadmium internal exposure with chronic kidney disease in Chinese adults]

Objective: To analyze the association of the cadmium internal exposure with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Chinese adults aged 18 and older. Methods: A total of 9 821 adults aged 18-79 from the China National Human Biomonitoring (CNHBM) from 2017 to 2018 were included. Blood and urine cadmium exposure levels were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and urine cadmium levels were adjusted with urine creatinine; CKD were defined by estimated glomerular filtration (eGFR) using the chronic kidney disease epidemiology collaboration (CKD-EPI). Weights were considered due to complex sampling process for in statistical analysis. Logistic regression is used to analyze the association of blood cadmium, urine cadmium, and urine cadmium adjusted with creatinine exposure levels with CKD, and restricted cube spline (RCS) was used to assess the exposure-response curve of blood cadmium, urine cadmium and urine cadmium adjusted with creatinine with CKD. Results: The weighted age was 44.75 and males accounted for 61.1%. The prevalence rate of CKD was 12.7%. The geometric mean values of blood cadmium, urine cadmium, and urine cadmium adjusted with creatinine were 0.96 μg/L, 0.61 μg/L, and 0.58 μg/g. After adjusting for confounding factors, the weighted logistic regression showed that the lowest quintile (Q1) was compared with the odds ratio (OR) of the highest quintile (Q5) of blood cadmium, urine cadmium, and urine cadmium adjusted with creatinine and the 95% confidence interval (CI) was 1.80 (1.02-3.20), 1.77 (0.94-3.31) and 1.94 (1.11-3.37) respectively. In the restricted cubic spline regression model, non-linear association of blood cadmium, urine cadmium, and urine cadmium adjusted with creatinine with CKD were observed after adjusting for related confounding factors (P<0.001, 0.018, 0.031 respectively). The risk of CKD increased with the increment of cadmium exposure without risk threshold, and the exposure response curve was steeper at low cadmium exposure. Conclusions: Among Chinese adults aged 18 and older, cadmium exposure is positively associated with the risk of chronic kidney disease.

[Effectiveness of abdominal minimal incision sacrocolpopexy for advanced pelvic organ prolapse]

Objective: To evaluate the indications, surgical skills and clinic outcomes of abdominal minimal incision sacrocolpopexy (AMISC) for treatment of advanced pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Methods: The retrospective study analyzed 30 women with advanced POP who underwent AMISC between June 2016 and October 2019, including 9 cases of recurrent prolapse and 10 cases of vault prolapse. AMISC was especially applicable to: (1) patients with several medical complications who was unable to tolerate general anesthesia or laparoscopic surgery, but able to tolerate combined spinal-epidural anesthesia and open surgery; (2) other abdominal procedures were indicated to perform with AMISC simultaneously, such as myomectomy, subtotal hysterectomy etc, the specimens were easy to get out of the abdominal cavity and morcellation was avoided; (3) surgeons preferring open surgery to laparoscopic surgery or skilled in open surgery; (4) patients with prior pelvic operations, presenting severe abdominal and pelvic adhesions. Objective outcomes were assessed by pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q) system. Subjective outcome were assessed by pelvic floor distress inventory-short form 20 (PFDI-20), pelvic floor impact questionnaire-short form (PFIQ-7) and patient global impression of improvement (PGI-I). Results: All patients with 1-3 medical complications were successfully performed with AMISC without stopping procedure, enlarging the incision or changing to other procedure, the operation duration was (110±19) minutes. The mean time of follow-up was (33.5±12.4) months (range: 8-49 months). The postoperative points of Aa, Ba, C, Ap, Bp reduced significantly and point C improved from (2.33±2.50) cm to (-7.54±1.18) cm after AMISC (P<0.01). The objective cure rates were both 100% (30/30) in apex and posterior compartment, while 97% (29/30) in anterior compartment. Postoperative scores of PFDI-20 and PFIQ-7 were all significant decreased (all P<0.01). About PGI-I, 29 patients chose "significant improvement", subjective satisfaction was 97% (29/30). Anterior sacral plexus hemorrhage occurred in 2 cases (7%, 2/30). There was no intestinal obstruction or injury of bladder, bowel and ureter intra- and postoperation. Two cases (7%, 2/30) had mesh exposure. Conclusion: AMISC is a safety, convenient, minimal traumatic and durable procedure for apical prolapse with short learning curve in the most of cases.

[Clinicopathological features of Caroli disease/Caroli syndrome: an analysis of 21 cases]

Objective: To summarize and compare clinicopathological features of Caroli disease and Caroli syndrome. Methods: A total of 21 patients diagnosed with Caroli disease or Caroli syndrome in Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, from January 2015 to December 2018 were included. Through the clinical manifestations and comparative analysis of the differences between different clinical types, the liver pathological features of these patients were described. Results: Of all patients included, 8 were male and 13 were female, and the medium age was 13.5 year old. The initial symptom was fever in 6 cases (28.6%), gastrointestinal bleeding in 6 cases (28.6%) and hepatosplenomegaly in 9 cases (42.8%). Caroli disease accounted for 6 cases (28.6%) and Caroli syndrome 15 cases (71.4%). The total bilirubin [6.7 (4.7, 15.0) vs 16.0(10.9, 33.0)μmol/L] and direct bilirubin [1.3(0.9,6.4)vs 3.5(2.7, 16.2)μmol/L] were significantly lower in Caroli disease group in comparison to those in Caroli syndrome group(both P<0.05). The hemoglobin [117.0 (106.0, 126.2) vs 85.0 (74.0, 103.0) g/L] and platelet count [286.0 (149.8, 467.5)×10(9)/L vs 76.1(55.0,123.0)×10(9)/L] in Caroli disease group were significantly higher than those in Caroli syndrome group (both P<0.05). There were 10 patients (47.6%) who underwent liver transplantation. Child-Pugh-Turcotte Score (liver function reserve) were significantly higher than that in the non-liver transplantation group[8.0(8.0, 10.2)vs 5.0 (5.0, 6.0), P<0.05]. Conclusions: Early symptoms of Caroli disease/Caroli syndrome are atypical and prone to misdiagnosis and misdiagnosis. The diagnosis is usually based on pathology and may be supplemented by laboratory examination and imaging analysis.

Short communication: Influence of intramuscular injection of vitamin B12 in early-lactation dairy cows on Mozzarella cheese quality and vitamin B12 stability

The current study explored the effect of intramuscular injection of vitamin B₁₂ (VB₁₂) in early-lactation dairy cows on subsequent low-moisture part-skim Mozzarella cheese quality and VB₁₂ levels during cheese processing and storage. Twenty-four peripartum dairy cows were blocked based on parity and milk yield and randomly assigned into 2 treatments: basal diet (CON) and basal diet with an intramuscular injection of 10 mg of VB₁₂ per cow per week (VB₁₂). Raw milk was collected to determine VB₁₂ content and then used to make low-moisture part-skim Mozzarella cheese 8 wk after injection. The VB₁₂ content of raw milk and cheese was determined using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. We found that VB₁₂ content was significantly increased in milk (15.43 vs. 3.30 ng/mL) and fresh cheese (3.72 ng/g vs. undetectable) from the VB₁₂ group compared with the CON group. However, approximately 70% of VB₁₂ was lost in the whey during cheese making, and no VB₁₂ was detectable in either cheese treatment after 8 wk of storage. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed in fat and protein contents in the cheese between the 2 groups. For cheese color, the b* value increased and the a* value decreased slightly in fresh VB₁₂ cheese. Functional properties of stretchability, flowability, and meltability of VB₁₂ cheese were initially comparable to that of CON cheese, but higher flowability and meltability was observed in VB₁₂ cheese after 8 wk of storage. In summary, intramuscular injection of VB₁₂ in early-lactation dairy cows increases the content of VB₁₂ in milk and fresh cheese with no adverse effect on cheese quality, but substantial VB₁₂ is lost during cheesemaking and declines rapidly during storage.

[Analysis of EGFR mutation and clinical features of lung cancer in Yunnan]

Objective: To analyze the EGFR mutation profile of lung cancer patients in Yunnan, and to provide evidence for clinical personalized treatment. Methods: Demographic and clinical data of 2 967 lung cancer patients undergoing EGFR identification were collected and analyzed from January 2014 to August 2019 in Yunnan Cancer Hospital. Results: The proportion of EGFR mutation in 2 967 patients with lung cancer was 46.2%. Univariate analysis showed that the proportion of EGFR mutation in women was higher than that in men (P<0.001) and displayed a downward trend with age (P=0.03). The mutation rate of ethnic minorities was higher than Han (P=0.012). Mutation rate in patients without smoking history was higher than those with smoking history (P<0.001), and patients without drinking history was higher than patients with drinking history (P<0.001). Mutation rate in patients without family history of lung cancer was higher than those with family history (P=0.008). The mutation rate of adenocarcinoma was higher than other pathological types (P<0.001). The mutation rate was different among stages, and it was higher in early patients than that in advanced patients (P<0.001). The mutation rate of tissue specimens was higher than those of cytology and peripheral blood samples (P<0.001). The mutation rate of Xuanwei area was lower than that in non-Xuanwei area (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that gender (P<0.001), age (P=0.036), smoking history (P<0.001), pathological type (P<0.001), specimen type (P<0.001), and whether or not Xuanwei area (P<0.001) were the independent factors of EGFR mutation.The EGFR mutation was more common in female, non-smokers, adenocarcinoma, non-Xuanwei area, tissue specimen and young lung cancer patients.The mutation types of EGFR in 1 370 cases mainly included 19-Del and L858R. The predominant mutation of EGFR in Xuanwei area was L858R, while in non-Xuanwei area was 19-Del.The mutation rates of G719X, G719X+ L861Q, G719X+ S768I, and S768I in Xuanwei were higher while the mutation rates of 19-Del, L858R, and 20-ins were lower than non-Xuanwei area (P<0.05). The 19-Del mutation rate of ethnic minorities is higher than that of Han (P<0.001). The combined mutation rate of G719X, L861Q in Han was higher than that of ethnic minorities (P=0.005). Conclusions: The EGFR mutation rate in lung cancer patients in Yunnan is similar to Asian and Chinese, and higher in female, non-smokers, adenocarcinomas, young and non-Xuanwei area patients. The most common types of EGFR mutation in Yunnan are 19-Del and L858R. The predominant mutation of EGFR in Xuanwei area is L858R, while in non-Xuanwei area is 19-Del. The mutation rates of G719X, G719X+ L861Q, G719X+ S768I and S768I are higher in Xuanwei patients than those in non-Xuanwei patients. The combined mutation rate of G719X and L861Q in Han nationality is higher than that of ethnic minorities.

Short communication: The antilipogenic effect of trans-10,cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid in bovine mammary epithelial cells is associated with proteasome activity and ATP production

Proteasomes play a widespread role in the control of protein abundance via degrading ubiquitinated proteins. Activity of proteasomes is regulated by constitutive ATPases that respond to intracellular concentrations of ATP. Although recent data suggest a role of proteasomes in fatty acid metabolism, whether lipogenic activity in mammary cells is responsive to ATP concentrations and proteasome activity is unknown. To investigate whether proteasomes play a role in milk fat depression induced by trans-10,cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid (t10,c12 CLA), a bovine mammary epithelial cell line was treated with t10,c12 CLA for 24 h before analysis of lipogenic protein abundance. Western blot analysis of inactive sterol response element-binding protein-1 (pSREBP1) and active (nSREBP1) fragments indicated a decrease in abundance induced by exogenous t10,c12 CLA. At 150 nM t10,c12 CLA, abundance of both pSREBP1 and nSREBP1 was lowest, and decreased from basal levels by 16 and 64%, respectively. Exogenous t10,c12 CLA had no effect on abundance of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ), but at 150 and 300 nM it decreased abundance of SREBF chaperone (SCAP). Inhibition of proteasome activity via incubation with MG-132 (a proteasome inhibitor) alone had no effect on pSREBP1, nSREBP1, PPARγ, or SCAP abundance. However, when cells were pre-incubated with MG-132, treatment with t10,c12 CLA reduced pSREBP1 (∼27%) and nSREBP1 (∼41%) abundance without affecting PPARγ or SCAP. Compared with the control, exogenous t10,c12 CLA increased ATP concentrations, and MG-132 alone had no effect. However, ATP concentration decreased markedly in cells incubated with both MG-132 and t10,c12 CLA. Combined with the alteration of SCAP and nSREBP1, the increase of ATP concentrations with t10,c12 CLA suggested that this fatty acid influenced the function of the SREBP1-SCAP complex through altering proteasome activity. Collectively, the current data highlight a role of proteasomes and intracellular ATP concentrations in the antilipogenic effect induced by t10,c12 CLA that leads to milk fat depression.

Feasibility and advantages of endoscope-assisted parotidectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The object of this paper was to explore the feasibility and advantages of endoscope-assisted parotid tumour resection. Three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane) were used to search for all related randomised controlled trials or controlled trials (up to November 2019). The key parameters for assessment included 'Endoscope', 'Endoscopes', 'Cancer of Parotid', and 'Parotid Cancer'. To evaluate the feasibility and advantages of endoscope-assisted resection of parotid tumours, the data for each parameter were pooled, based on patients who received endoscope-assisted surgery and those who received conventional surgery. This meta-analysis included seven studies, involving 170 patients in the endoscopy group and 270 patients in the control group. The analysis using the pooled data showed that there were no significant differences in the operating times between the two groups; however, the endoscopy group had significantly shorter incisions and less intraoperative bleeding. In addition, the patients who received endoscope-assisted surgery had lower incidences of temporary facial paralysis and Frey's syndrome after surgery. Patients in the endoscopy group had greater postoperative satisfaction. Endoscope-assisted parotid tumour resection results in only a small, concealed incision wound and fewer postoperative complications. Therefore, it is promising for the surgical treatment of parotid tumours.

[Difficulties and countermeasures for the perioperative management of megasplenectomy in patients with advanced schistosomiasis]

The etiology, pathology, clinical features and prognosis of megalosplenic advanced schistosomiasis have their specific features, and therefore, the perioperative management of this disorder has special countermeasures. The review analyzes the difficult problems in the perioperative management of megalosplenic advanced schistosomiasis, including ultra - low platelet counts, extensive and severe adhesive splenomegaly, massive hemorrhage during surgery and portal vein thrombosis, and proposes countermeasures to tackle these problems, with aims to guide the clinical treatment and cure of schistosomiasis, thereby improving the prognosis, reducing complications and improving the quality of life.

[Effect of rational emotive therapy on negative emotion in advanced schistosomiasis patients with repeated hospitalization]

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effect of rational emotive therapy on negative emotions among advanced schistosomiasis patients with repeated hospitalizations.

METHODS

A total of 97 advanced schistosomiasis patients with anxiety and depressive emotions that were hospitalized in Xiangyue Hospital of Hunan Institute of Schistosomiasis Control for three times or more were enrolled, and given rational emotive therapy for 4 weeks in addition to routine nursing care. The scores for anxiety, depression and quality of life were estimated in patients before and after the rational emotive therapy using the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SRS), the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and WHOQOL-BREF Form.

RESULTS

The SAS and SDS scores were significantly lower 4 weeks following rational emotive therapy than before the intervention (SAS score, 45.40 ± 7.77 vs. 59.25 ± 9.29, t = 14.021, P < 0.01; 51.48 ± 8.01 vs. 63.93 ± 9.59, t = 12.991, P < 0.01). The percentages of patients with moderate and severe anxiety and depression were significantly lower 4 weeks following rational emotive therapy than before the intervention (P < 0.01), and the scores for each item in the quality of life were all significantly greater 4 weeks following rational emotive therapy than before the intervention (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Rational emotive therapy may improve the negative emotions and the quality of life of advanced schistosomiasis patients with repeated hospitalizations.

Short communication: Effects of dietary N-carbamoylglutamate supplementation on the milk amino acid profile and mozzarella cheese quality in mid-lactating dairy cows

N-Carbamoylglutamate (NCG) is an enhancer of Arg, which is a functional AA and could prevent cardiovascular disease and improve immunity. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of supplementing NCG in diets of lactating cattle on the NCG concentration and AA composition of raw milk and on mozzarella cheese quality. Thirty multiparous cows with a mean body weight of 669 kg (standard deviation = 71) and days in milk of 176 (standard deviation = 55) were blocked based on parity and milk production and randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: basal diet (CON) and basal diet supplemented with 40 g of NCG per day per cow (NCG). After 8 wk of treatment, raw milk samples were collected from the 2 groups for AA analysis and mozzarella cheese-making. Furthermore, the NCG concentration and distribution in milk and mozzarella cheese were detected. The AA concentration in milk was greater and the NCG concentration in raw milk was approximately 6 times greater in the NCG group than in the CON group. No NCG was detected in cheese from the CON group, and very little NCG (<1.0 μg/kg) of cheese was detected in the NCG group. Most of the dietary NCG was transferred into whey, stretch water, and brine during cheese production. No significant difference was found between the 2 groups on cheese texture and color except that hardness was lower in the NCG group. Overall, the results indicated that dietary supplementation of NCG could improve the NCG and AA concentrations in raw milk without affecting the quality of cheeses such as mozzarella.

Population Structure and Genetic Diversity of Fungi Causing Rice Seedling Blight in Northeast China Based on Microsatellite Markers

Rice seedling blight, which is caused by diverse pathogenic microorganisms, occurs worldwide and is the most important seedling disease affecting rice production in Northeast China. To further characterize the population structure and genetic diversity of the fungi responsible for rice seedling blight in Northeast China, 225 fungal strains were isolated from diseased rice seedlings collected from various rice-producing areas. The isolated strains included Fusarium oxysporum (48.0%), F. verticillioides (11.6%), F. tricinctum (8.0%), F. redolens (6.7%), F. equiseti (6.2%), F. solani (6.2%), Rhizoctonia solani (6.7%), Alternaria alternata (4.0%), and Curvularia coatesiae (2.7%). F. oxysporum was the dominant fungal species causing rice seedling blight, with most isolates exhibiting moderate pathogenicity. Moreover, to our knowledge, this is the first study to identify A. alternata and C. coatesiae as causal agents of rice seedling blight in Northeast China. None of the F. oxysporum isolates were sensitive to 10 μg/ml of carbendazim, implying that carbendazim is ineffective for controlling rice seedling blight in Northeast China. The F. oxysporum isolates were divided into nine groups based on a simple sequence repeat analysis involving 14 primer pairs. In addition, an analysis of molecular variance revealed a significant correlation between the F. oxysporum population and geographical location, which had a significant effect on the differentiation of the dominant isolate population. The results of this study provide insights into the genetic diversity of F. oxysporum strains causing rice seedling blight and may be useful for selecting isolates to screen for disease-resistant rice varieties, evaluating fungicide efficacy, and developing effective disease management strategies.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG components, SLP, gDNA and CpG, exert protective effects on mouse macrophages upon lipopolysaccharide challenge

The aim of this study was to determine whether Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) components (surface layer protein, SLP; genomic DNA, gDNA; unmethylated cytosine-phosphate-guanine-containing oligodeoxynucleotide, CpG-ODN), alone or in combination, could affect immunomodulation, and evaluate the signalling mechanism in mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LGG components were used to treat cells before LPS stimulation. Cytokine and Toll-like receptor (TLR) expression were assessed using real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signalling pathways were evaluated using immunoblots and immunofluorescence. SLP or SLP + gDNA pre-treatment significantly reduced the LPS-induced mRNA expression of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). Pre-treatment with LGG single components (SLP, gDNA or CpG) or their combinations (SLP + gDNA or SLP + CpG) significantly decreased the LPS-induced interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA level (P < 0·05). Pre-treatment with SLP or gDNA, alone or in combination, significantly suppressed LPS-induced TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA levels (P < 0·05). SLP pre-treatment also significantly decreased the LPS-induced expression of TLR9 (P < 0·05). Pre-treatment with LGG single components or combinations significantly suppressed the LPS-induced phosphorylation levels of ERK (P > 0·05). In conclusion, pre-incubation with LGG components, singly or in combination, generally inhibited the activation of TLR, MAPK and NF-κB signalling pathways in LPS-stimulated cells, leading to attenuated inflammatory cytokine TNF-α and IL-6 production. These results indicate that nonviable probiotic LGG components exert an anti-inflammation effect on epithelial cells. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) is widely used as probiotics. However, its main components are not well known for affecting immunomodulation. This study investigated the effects of pre-treatments with different components such as surface layer protein, genomic DNA and unmethylated cytosine-phosphate-guanine-containing oligodeoxynucleotides, alone or in combination on immunomodulation, and evaluated the signalling mechanism in mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells challenged with lipopolysaccharide. Pre-incubation with components alone or in combination generally inhibited the activation of Toll-like receptor, mitogen-activated protein kinases, extracellular regulated protein kinases and nuclear factor-kappa B signalling pathways in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated cells, which generally leads to attenuated inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor alpha production. These results indicate that nonviable probiotic LGG components exert an anti-inflammation effect on epithelial cells.

[A five-year analysis of effect on transvaginal high uterosacral ligament suspension with or without native-tissue repair for middle compartment defect]

Objective: To assess the five-year effect of the transvaginal high uterosacral ligament suspension (HUS) with or without additional concomitant native-tissue anterior and (or) posterior repair in women suffering from middle compartment defect. Methods: A retrospective review of records identified 79 women who underwent transvaginal HUS with or without additional concomitant native-tissue anterior and (or) posterior repair from January 2007 to January 2018 in Fourth Medical Center, General Hospital of People's Liberation Army. The middle compartment defects were predominant in these patients with point C no less than point Ba or Bp if accompanied with anterior or posterior vaginal wall prolapse. Follow-up visits were performed 2,6 and 12 months after surgery and then annually. Anatomic results of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) was established by pelvic examination using pelvic organ prolapse quantitation system (POP-Q) staging. Funtional results were obtained by patient global impression of improvement (PGI-I) scale in POP, pelvic floor distress inventory-short form 20 (PFDI-20) and pelvic floor impact questionnaire short form (PFIQ-7). Surgical success required the fulfillment of all 3 criteria: (1) anterior or posterior vaginal wall prolapsed leading edge of 0 cm or less and apex of 1/2 total vaginal length or less; (2) the absence of POP symptoms as reported on the PFDI-20 question No.3 ( "Do you usually have a bulge or something falling out that you can see or feel in your vaginal area?" ); and (3) no prolapse reoperations or pessary use during the study period. Results: Of 79 women, 51(65%, 51/79) women completed the five-year follow-up during the study period. The median follow-up time was 5.2 years (2.8-8.3 years). The overall surgery success rate was 86% (44/51) according to above all 3 criteria. Prolapse recurrence rates were isolated anterior 8% (4/51), isolated apical 0, isolated posterior 2% (1/51) and multiple compartments 4% (2/51). Seven women (14%,7/51) developed anterior or posterior prolapse beyond the hymen with the leading edge≤1 cm. No apical prolapsed occurred. None of recurrent women underwent retreatment,including either surgery or pessary usage at last follow-up. The subjective satisfaction rate was 90% (46/51). There was a 1% (1/79) rate of intraoperative ureteral kinking and 3% (2/79) rate of postoperative morbidity. Conclusions: The transvaginal HUS for middle compartment defect offers good long-term anatomical results with excellent vault suspension. With additional concomitant native-tissue anterior and (or) posterior repair, it will be a reconstructive surgery for the majority of moderate-to-severe POP. It is minimal traumatic and worthy of being popularized for clinical application.

Comparison of efficacy of fluticasone propionate versus clarithromycin for postoperative treatment of different phenotypic chronic rhinosinusitis: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) can be divided to CRS without nasal polyps (CRSsNP) and eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic CRS with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). There is little evidence on the efficacy of glucocorticoids and macrolides in different phenotypic patients. The aim of this study was to compare the benefit of glucocorticoids and macrolides following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) in different phenotypic CRS.

METHODS

This study was a prospective single-blind comparative effectiveness trial. A total of 187 Chinese patients with CRS were stratified to CRSsNP and eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic CRSwNP group and then randomized to receive fluticasone propionate nasal spray at 200 microgram or clarithromycin tablet at 250 mg once daily for 3 months after ESS. Oral prednisone was given as a rescue therapy after the stop of study medication. Patients were assessed before ESS and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after dosing. Symptom severity was scored by patients using visual analog scale method and endoscopic findings were scored by the senior physician blinded to treatment according to European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis and Nasal polyps 2012.

RESULTS

The total and individual symptom scores, and total and individual endoscopic domain scores were reduced significantly after ESS in both medication groups, whereas no significant difference was observed for two medications at most follow-up visits in each subtype of CRS. No difference in the frequency of subjects with rescue therapy or refractory CRS was found between two medication groups either.

CONCLUSIONS

We could not show significant difference of effect between fluticasone propionate and clarithromycin in the post-operative treatment for CRSsNP and eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic CRSwNP patients.

[Teleost Type 2 Interleukin-1 Receptor (IL-1R2) from the Spotted Halibut (Verasper variegatus): 3D Structure and a Role in Immune Response]

The type 2 interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R2) is one of natural IL-1β singling inhibitors in mammals. We cloned and sequenced the IL-1R2 gene in V. variegatus (VvIL-1R2). The phylogenetic analysis showed that the molecular structure VvIL-1R2 is similar to that of its orthologues in other vertebrates. The expression levels of VvIL-1R2 are relatively high in the peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs), gill, and spleen. In addition, peculiar expression patterns for his molecule were detected at various developmental stages, implying that in flatfishes the IL-1R2 may have be important for embryonic development and metamorphosis. In PBLs, the treatment with pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) induced a significant and rapid up-regulation of VvIL-1R2, pointing at its involvement in the immune responses against bacterial and viral pathogens.

Effect of hydroxyselenomethionine on lactation performance, blood profiles, and transfer efficiency in early-lactating dairy cows

The current study investigated the effects of hydroxyselenomethionine (HMBSe), a novel organic selenium (Se) additive, on lactation performance, blood profiles, antioxidative status, and transfer efficiency of Se in early-lactation dairy cows. Sixty multiparous early-lactating dairy cows with similar days in milk (57 d; standard deviation = 9.9) and milk yield (36.5 kg/d; standard deviation = 1.42) were fed a basal diet containing 0.04 mg of Se/kg (dry matter basis). These cows were assigned to 1 of 4 groups following a randomized complete block design as follows: control (basal diet) or HMBSe addition (0.1, 0.3, or 0.5 mg of Se/kg of dry matter). The experiment lasted for 13 wk, with the first week as adaptation. The results showed that milk yields (raw, protein, and lactose) and feed efficiency were improved in a quadratic manner following increased dietary HMBSe addition, whereas energy-corrected milk, 4% fat-corrected milk, and total solid yields tended to be enhanced quadratically. In terms of whole-blood variables, red blood cell and white blood cell levels were increased quadratically, whereas hemoglobin concentration increased linearly with increased HMBSe addition. Plasma nonesterified fatty acid concentrations tended to increase linearly along with HMBSe addition. Plasma superoxide dismutase activity increased quadratically with increased HMBSe addition. The total antioxidant capacity in plasma tended to improve quadratically when cows were fed more HMBSe. Moreover, plasma malondialdehyde concentrations of dairy cows tended to decrease in a quadratic manner when dietary HMBSe increased. The Se concentrations in milk, plasma, and milk/plasma ratio increased linearly following increased HMBSe addition. In conclusion, HMBSe improved lactation performance, health status, and milk Se concentrations in early-lactating dairy cows.

[Effectiveness of vaginal high uterosacral ligament suspension for treatment of recurrent pelvic organ prolapse]

Objective: To evaluate the indications and clinic outcomes of vaginal high uterosacral ligament suspension (HUS) for treatment of recurrent advanced pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 42 women with recurrent advanced POP who were referred to Fourth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital and underwent transvaginal HUS between November 2005 and January 2018. Primary surgeries included 30 vaginal colporrhaphy, 5 Manchester operation, 5 transvaginal mesh repair,2 sacrospinous ligament fixation.The median time for recurrence from primary pelvic floor repair surgery was 9 months, including 14 cases (33%, 14/42) ≤3 months (median time was 2 months) and 25 cases (67%, 28/42) longer than 3 months (median time was 18 months).The rate of recurrent prolapse in stage Ⅲ or Ⅳ was 79% (33 cases), 45% (19 cases) and 17%(7 cases) in anterior, apical and posterior compartment respectively. Results: Transvaginal high bilateral uterosacral ligaments were identified and used for successful vaginal vault suspension after vaginal hysterectomy and residual cervical resection in all 42 consecutive patients. The cases of transvaginal mesh used in anterior wall and posterior wall were 25 (60%, 25/42) and 3 (7%, 3/42) respectively. There was no major intra- and postoperative complications,such as ureter and other pelvic organ injury. The median time of follow-up was 5.3 years after transvaginal HUS. The points of pelvic organ prolapse quantification system reduced significantly and point C improved from +0.3 cm to -8.2 cm after reoperation (P<0.01). The objective cure rate were 100% (42/42) both in apex and posterior compartment,while 93% (39/42) in anterior compartment. None had reoperation or pessary usage for recurrence of prolapse. Conclusion: Transvaginal HUS with vaginal wall repair could be as a safety, cost-effective, minimal traumatic and durable procedure for recurrent POP in the most of cases.

Assessment of rumen bacteria in dairy cows with varied milk protein yield

The present study was conducted to assess rumen bacteria in lactating cows with different milk protein yield, aiming to understand the role of rumen bacteria in this trait. Cows with high milk protein yield (high milk yield and high milk protein content, HH; n = 20) and low milk protein yield (low milk yield and low milk protein content, LL; n = 20) were selected from 374 mid-lactation Holstein dairy cows fed a high-grain diet. Measurement of the rumen fermentation products showed that the concentrations of ruminal total volatile fatty acids, propionate, butyrate, and valerate and the proportion of isobutyrate were higher in the HH cows than in the LL cows. Amplicon sequencing analysis of the rumen bacterial community revealed that the richness (Chao 1 index) of rumen microbiota was higher in the LL cows than in the HH cows. Among the 10 predominant bacterial phyla (relative abundance being >0.10%, present in >60% of animals within each group), the relative abundance of Proteobacteria was 1.36-fold higher in the HH cows than in the LL cows. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Succinivibrio was significantly higher and that of Clostridium tended to be higher in the LL cows than in the HH cows. Sharpea was 2.28-fold enriched in the HH cows compared with the LL cows. Different relationships between the relative abundances of rumen microbial taxa and volatile fatty acid concentrations were observed in the HH and the LL animals, respectively. Succinivibrio and Prevotella were positively correlated with acetate, propionate, and valerate in the LL cows, whereas Sharpea was positively correlated with propionate and valerate concentrations in the HH cows. Collectively, our results revealed that rumen bacterial richness and the relative abundances of several bacterial taxa significantly differed between dairy cows with high and low milk protein yields, suggesting the potential roles of rumen microbiota contributing to milk protein yield in dairy cows.

Short communication: Relationship of blood DNA methylation rate and milk performance in dairy cows

The objective of this study was to investigate the global methylation rate in blood DNA and its relationship with lactation performance. A total of 196 mid-lactation dairy cows were fed the same diet under the same management. Milk yield was recorded and blood samples were collected from the jugular vein before morning feeding. The blood global DNA methylation rates were quantified using a methylation quantification kit. Overall, the average blood global DNA methylation rate of all cows was 12.4%. When DNA methylation rates were compared between cows with high (n = 40; 37.0 to 42.0 kg/d) and low (n = 33; 24.0 to 30.0 kg/d) milk yield, DNA methylation rates in the lower-yield cows (14.1 ± 0.7%) were significantly higher than those in the higher-yield animals (11.6 ± 0.7%). Our results indicated an association of milk and protein yields with global DNA methylation rates in lactating dairy cows. However, further research is needed to determine whether this association reflects the true influence of epigenetic mechanisms on yield or whether other factors, such as different proportions of blood cell types in high- and low-yielding cows, affect apparent global DNA methylation levels.

Effect of N-acetyl-l-methionine supplementation on lactation performance and plasma variables in mid-lactating dairy cows

The objective of current study was to investigate the effect of N-acetyl-l-methionine (NALM) supplementation on lactation performance and plasma variables in mid-lactating dairy cows. Forty-eight multiparous cows were blocked into 12 groups based on parity, days in milk, and milk production and were randomly assigned to 1 of the 4 treatments: 0, 15, 30, or 60 g/d of NALM per cow to supplement the basal diet. The experiment was conducted over a 13-wk period, with the first week as adaptation. The yields of milk, fat-corrected milk, and milk lactose were increased quadratically, and energy-corrected milk yield tended to increase with increased NALM supplementation in a quadratic manner. The dry matter intake, milk protein yield, milk fat yield, contents of milk composition (protein, fat, lactose, total solids, and milk urea nitrogen), feed efficiency, and body weight change were not affected by NALM supplementation. In addition, plasma methionine concentration was increased quadratically, and proline, total nonessential AA, and total AA concentrations were significantly higher in the 30 g/d group compared with that of the control group. However, other AA and total essential AA concentrations were not affected with supplementation of NALM. Adding NALM increased concentrations of total protein and globulin in plasma, but decreased plasma urea nitrogen concentration in a quadratic manner. Meanwhile, plasma malonaldehyde concentration decreased linearly as doses of NALM addition increased. Our results suggested that the supplementation of NALM improved milk yield and protein synthesis in the liver, and lowered lipid peroxidation in mid-lactating dairy cows.

[The value of lean nystagmus and sitting to supine positioning nystagmus in the diagnosis of horizontal semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo]

Objective: To explore the value of 1ean nystagmus and sitting to supine positioning nystagmus in the diagnosis of horizontal semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Method: One hundred cases of patients with definitive diagnosis of horizontal semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo were tested by 1ean nystagmus and sitting to supine positioning nystagmus and supine roll test. The affected side was recorded according to the nystagmus direction. After diagnosis, they were treated with canalith repositioning procedure. The canalith repositioning procedure was made according to the supine roll test result when 1ean nystagmus and sitting to supine positioning nystagmuscannot be induced. Furthermore，the canalith repositioning procedure was made according to the1ean nystagmus and sitting to supine positioning nystagmuswhenthe supine roll test cannot diagnose. The patients with canalolithiasis were randomly divided into two groups when both 1ean nystagmus and sitting to supine positioning nystagmusand the supine roll test can be induced. One group was treated with canalith repositioning procedure based on results of supine roll test and the other group was treated based on the results of1ean nystagmus and sitting to supine positioning nystagmus. The detection rate and diagnostic coincidence rate of 1ean nystagmus and sitting to supine positioning nystagmus were calculated and the shortterm outcome were evaluated one day after treatment. Result: The detection rate of 1ean nystagmus and sitting to supine positioning nystagmus was 83% and the coincidence rate with the roll test was 90.1%，respectively. There was no significant statistical difference between the treatment effect according to lean nystagmus and sitting to supine positioning nystagmus and supine roll test. Conclusion: Lean nystagmus and sitting to supine positioning nystagmus cannot be used alone in the diagnosis ofhorizontal semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. They need to be combined with supine roll test. However, when the supine roll test is difficult to demonstrate the affected side, it can be used as an auxiliary diagnostic method. When the results of 1ean nystagmus and sitting to supine positioning nystagmusand the supine roll test are inconsistent, repeat the test and conduct a comprehensive assessment to avoid missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis..

Different endosperm structures in wheat and corn affected in vitro rumen fermentation and nitrogen utilization of rice straw-based diet

Starchy grain is usually supplemented to diets containing low-quality forage to provide sufficient energy for ruminant animals. Ruminal degradation of grain starch mainly depends on the hydrolysis of the endosperm, which may be variable among grain sources. This study was conducted to investigate the influence of endosperm structure of wheat and corn on in vitro rumen fermentation and nitrogen (N) utilization of rice straw. The 3×4 factorial design included three ratios of concentrate to forage (35:65, 50:50 and 65:35) and four ratios of wheat to corn starch (20:80, 40:60, 60:40 and 80:20). The endosperm structure was detected by scanning electronic microscopy and a confocal laser scanning microscopic. An in vitro gas test was performed to evaluate the rumen fermentation characteristics and N utilization. Starch granules were embedded in the starch-protein matrix in corn, but more granules were separated from the matrix in the wheat endosperm. With the increasing ratio of wheat, rate and extent of gas production, total volatile fatty acids, and ammonia N increased linearly (P<0.01), but microbial protein concentration decreased (quadratic, P<0.01), with the maximum value at a ratio of 40% wheat. The efficiency of N utilization decreased linearly (P<0.01). Rumen fermentation and N utilization were significantly affected by the concentrate-to-forage ratio (P<0.01). Significant interactions between the concentrate-to-forage ratio and the wheat-to-corn ratio were detected in total volatile fatty acids and the efficiency of N utilization (P<0.01). In summary, the starch-protein matrix and starch granules in the wheat and corn endosperm mixture play an important role in the regulation of rumen fermentation and N utilization under low-quality forage.

[Clinical management of 110 cases of polypropylene mesh and sling exposure after reconstructive pelvic floor surgery]

Objective: To explore the clinical management and outcomes of polypropylene mesh and sling exposure after reconstructive pelvic surgery (RPS) . Methods: A total of 110 cases of mesh and sling exposure after RPS were analyzed, who admitted between Jan. 2002 and Oct. 2017 in First Affiliated Hospital of PLA General Hospital, in which 3 cases were referred from other hospitals. Mesh and sling exposures were identified in the outpatient clinic and categorized and managed according to International Continence Society and International Urogynecology Association (ICS-IUGA) classification about category, time and site (CTS) of mesh complication. Outpatient management included observation, topical estrogen use and mesh removal. Management in hospital included surgical removal of exposed mesh and repair of the resulting defects under the anesthesia. Seventy-four cases were managed in the outpatient setting, and 36 cases required inpatient management. Follow-up was consecutively performed from 1 month to 10 years. Objective outcome included the surgeon's assessment of the healing state of the vaginal mucosa. Subjective outcome was evaluated with patient global impression of improvement questionnaire (PGI-I) . Results: One hundred and ten patients with mesh exposure were classified according to the different RPS underwent. There were 95 cases from transvaginal mesh surgery, 5 cases from anti-stress urinary incontinence sling surgery, and 10 cases from sacrocolpopxy. The outpatient group healed at an average of (3.0±1.8) months. Of the 36 patients who required inpatient management, 21 cases healed completely at an average of 7 days after one surgery. The remaining 8 cases required either two or three times surgeries or conservative management. In the outpatient group, the PGI-I scale very much better was found in 65 cases (87.8%) and much better in 9 cases (12.2%) . In the inpatient surgery group, the scale was very much better in 30 cases (83.3%) , and much better in 6 cases (16.7%) . Conclusions: Among patients with mesh exposure after mesh-augmented RPS, 2/3 of patients with a CTS classification 1-3 could be managed in the office, and remaining 1/3 with CTS classification 4-6 need operation under anesthesia in hospital. If the mesh and sling exposure could be scientifically classified, according to the size, site and accompany symptoms, as well as pain, most of the mesh complications after explosure could be resolved. Using the pelvic floor repair and polypropylene mesh sling, the majority of the patients could get a better outcome, without affecting the effect of the original operation.