The regulatory role of Pin1 in neuronal death

Regulated cell death predominantly involves apoptosis, autophagy, and regulated necrosis. It is vital that we understand how key regulatory signals can control the process of cell death. Pin1 is a cis-trans isomerase that catalyzes the isomerization of phosphorylated serine or threonine-proline motifs of a protein, thereby acting as a crucial molecular switch and regulating the protein functionality and the signaling pathways involved. However, we know very little about how Pin1-associated pathw...     

Prognostic and incremental value of computed tomography-based radiomics from tumor and nodal regions in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of preoperative radiomics and establish an integrated model for esophageal squamous cell cancer(ESCC).Methods: A total of 931 patients were retrospectively enrolled in this study(training cohort, n=624; validation cohort, n=307). Radiomics features were obtained by contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CT) before esophagectomy. A radiomics index was set based on features of tumor and reginal lymph nodes by using the least absolute shri...     

Association between Baseline SBP/DBP and All-Cause Mortality in Residents of Shanxi,China: A Population-based Cohort Study from 2002 to 2015

Objective To investigate the association between blood pressure and all-cause mortality in Shanxi,China.Methods The‘2002 China Nutrition and Health Survey’baseline data in Shanxi province was used.A retrospective investigation was performed in 2015.The effects of SBP and DBP on the all-cause mortality were analyzed using the Cox regression model.The hazard ratio(HR)and 95%confidence interval(CI)were estimated by the sex and age groups.Results The follow-up rate was 76.52%over 13 years,while the cumulative mortality rate for all participants was 917.12/100,000 person-years.The mortality rose with an increasing SBP(χ_trend²=270.537,P<0.001)or DBP level(χ_trend²=57.240,P<0.001).After adjustment for the confounding factors,a significant association between mortality and high SBP(≥160 mm Hg)and high DBP(≥100 mm Hg),with adjusted HR ranging from 1.405-to 2.179-fold for SBP and 1.550-to 2.854-fold for DBP,was noted.Significant HRs for most DBP subgroups were found in>60-year-old participants.Males with DBP≥100 mm Hg had a significantly higher mortality,with an HR(95%CI)of 2.715(1.377–5.351).Conclusion Adults with SBP>160 mm Hg and DBP>100 mm Hg had a higher mortality risk.Sex and age difference was noted in both DBP and mortality risk.     

Malnutrition in Relation with Dietary,Geographical, and Socioeconomic Factors among Older Chinese

Objective Nutrition is closely related to the health of the elderly population. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive picture of the nutrition status of elderly Chinese and its related dietary, geographical, and socioeconomic factors. Methods A total of 13,987 ≥ 60-year-old persons from the 2010–2013 Chinese National Nutrition and Health Survey were included to evaluate various aspects of malnutrition, including underweight, overweight or obesity, and micronutrient inadequacy. Results Overall, the prevalence of obesity, overweight, and underweight was 12.4％, 34.8％, and 5.7％, respectively, with disparities both geographically and socioeconomically. The prevalence of underweight was higher among the older old (≥ 75 years), rural residents and those with low income, with low education status, and residing in undeveloped West areas. More than 75％ of the elderly do not meet the Dietary Reference Intakes for vitamins A, B1, B2, and E, folate, calcium, selenium, potassium, biotin, and choline, with the prevalence of inadequate intake increasing with age for most nutrients. At the population level, the mean intakes of numerous food groups did not meet the recommendations by the Chinese Dietary Guideline. Conclusions Obesity epidemic, inadequacy of micronutrient intake, and high prevalence of underweight and anemia in susceptible older people are the major nutrition challenges for the rapidly aging population in China.     

Effect of grouped ST36 or RN12 on gastric motility andsensation

Objective: To investigate the effects of paired ST36 and RN12 acupuncture stimulation on gastric motility and the firing rate of responsible neurons in anesthetized rats.Methods: Using electrophysiological methods, we measured the effects of acupuncture at RN12, ST36, or RN12+ST36 on gastric motility as well as nerve discharges from the gastric sympathetic, vagal nerve, and wide dynamic range(WDR) neurons in the spinal dorsal horn T7-9 in anesthetized rats.Results: 1) Acupuncture at RN12 inhibited gastric motility(83.84±4.49)% and vagal nerve discharge(65.64±5.67)%, but promoted sympathetic nerve activity(243.70±40.67)%; acupuncture at ST36 induced opposing effects on gastric motility(111.31±2.01)% and vagal nerve discharge(166.98±15.92)%. Interestingly, acupuncture at RN12+ST36 together yielded effects similar to that of acupuncture at RN12 alone(93.59±2.05)%,(54.52±7.12)%. 2) WDR neuron discharges induced by gastric distension were inhibited by acupuncture at RN12(194.56 ±18.79)%. However, acupuncture at ST36 induced a more significant inhibitory effect.Conclusion: Acupuncture at RN12 inhibits gastric motility by activation of the sympathetic reflex at the spinal level; acupuncture at ST36 promotes gastric motility by activation of the parasympathetic reflex at the supraspinal level, and acupuncture at RN12+ST36 produces a similar decrease in gastric motility as RN12 stimulation alone. Both acupoints decrease the effect of noxious gastric distention on WDR neuron activity, but paired RN12+ST36 stimulation does not significantly affect WDR neuron discharge.     

Intrauterine Exposure to Maternal Diabetes is Associated with Adiposity in Children at 6 Years of Age in China

Children born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM)are more likely to exhibit congenital malformations,high birth weight,and obesity and have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes in later life.Children who are exposed to maternal diabetes in utero may be‘programmed’for later development of obesity at a critical period of development.Therefore,the     

经阴道二维与三维子宫输卵管超声造影对输卵管通畅性的对比研究

目的 对比经阴道二维子宫输卵管超声造影(2D-HyCoSy)与三维子宫输卵管超声造影(3D-HyCoSy)评价输卵管通畅性的临床价值。方法 对84例不孕症患者随机分为2D-HyCoSy组及3D-HyCoSy组,分别与腹腔镜下美蓝通染液试验结果对照,比较两种方法诊断价值。结果 2D-HyCoSy检查输卵管通畅的敏感性、特异性、阳性预测值及阴性预测值分别为83.7%、91.5%、88.6%及87.8%,3D-HyCoSy分别为90.7%、92.6%、92.8%及90.4%,两者比较差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。2D-HyCoSy的ROC曲线下面积为0.801,3D-HyCoSy为0.942,两者差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论 2D-HyCoSy和3D-HyCoSy均对输卵管通畅性的诊断有较高的价值,其中3D-HyCoSy更为客观、全面,具有更好的临床应用前景。     

Segmentation in Echocardiographic Sequences using Shape-based Snake Model Combined with Generalized Hough Transformation

A novel method for segmentation of cardiac structures in temporal echocardiographic sequences based on the snake model is presented. The method is motivated by the observation that the structures of neighboring frames have consistent locations and shapes that aid in segmentation. To cooperate with the constraining information provided by the neighboring frames, we combine the template matching with the conventional snake model. It means that the model not only is driven by conventional internal and external forces, but also combines an additional constraint, the matching degree to measure the similarity between the neighboring prior shape and the derived contour. Furthermore, in order to auto or semi-automatically segment the sequent images without manually drawing the initial contours in each image, generalized Hough transformation (GHT) is used to roughly estimate the initial contour by transforming the neighboring prior shape. The method is particularly useful in case of the large frame-to-frame displacement of structure such as mitral valve. As a result, the active contour can easily detect the desirable boundaries in ultrasound images and has a high penetrability through the interference of various undesirables, such as the speckle, the tissue-related textures and the artifacts.     

三种无病史资料人工晶状体度数计算公式在角膜屈光术后白内障手术中的应用比较

目的：评价3种无病史资料人工晶状体（IOL）度数计算公式在角膜屈光手术后行白内障手术时IOL度 数计算中的准确性。方法：前瞻性系列病例研究。收集2016年10月至2019年10月就诊于汉口爱尔眼科医院白内障科既往有角膜屈光手术病史的白内障手术患者23例（31眼）。登录美国屈光与白内障 手术协会网站（ASCRS），通过其提供的无病史资料法的角膜屈光术后IOL度数计算公式（Shammas公 式、Haigis-L公式、Barrett True-K公式）进行IOL度数计算，得出3种计算公式的预测IOL度数，综合选择合适的IOL度数。术后1个月行客观验光后进行主觉验光获得术后实际屈光状态，根据术后验光 结果计算3种公式的屈光预测误差（RPE），其绝对值为屈光绝对误差（RAE）。采用单样本t经验比较 RPE与0的差异，单因素方差分析比较不同方法间RPE、RAE的差异，使用卡方检验比较3种方法中 RPE<±0.25 D、<±0.5 D、<±0.75 D、<±1.00 D内的眼所占百分比的差异。结果：3种计算公式的 RPE与0比较，差异均有统计学意义（t=-3.305，P=0.002；t=-2.788，P=0.009；t=-2.528，P=0.017）。 3种计算公式的RPE整体差异有统计学意义（F=2.653，P=0.023）；两两比较发现，Barrett True-K公式 分别与Shammas公式、Haigis-L公式差异均有统计学意义（P=0.017、0.030）。3种计算公式的RAE整 体差异有统计学意义（F=4.554，P=0.013）；两两比较发现，Barrett True-K公式分别与Shammas公式、 Haigis-L公式差异均有统计学意义（P=0.015、0.017），Shammas公式与Haigis-L公式差异有统计学意义 （P=0.010）。3种计算公式术后RPE<±0.25 D、<±0.50 D、<±1.00 D以内的比例差异均有统计学意义 （χ2 =11.682，P=0.026；χ2 =9.042，P=0.022；χ2 =8.017，P=0.013），其中，Barrett True-K公式的各RPE级别 比例明显高于Shammas公式和Haigis-L公式，差异均有统计学意义（均P<0.05）。结论：与Shammas公式、 Haigis-L公式相比，Barrett True-K公式在无病史资料角膜屈光术后IOL度数计算中准确性更高。角膜 屈光术后白内障手术IOL度数计算问题仍需进一步研究，临床上建议参考多种公式进行综合选择。     

A pilot study on vitrectomy combined with scleral shortening for eyes with myopic macular retinoschisis——2y follow-up results

AIM:To evaluate the effect of vitrectomy combined with scleral shortening for eyes with myopic macular retinoschisis.METHODS:Thirty-seven patients with myopic macular retinoschisis who underwent pars plana vitrectomy(PPV)combined with scleral shortening were reviewed.Axial length(AL),the height of macular retinoschisis,the height of retinal detachment if existed,the diameter of macular hole if existed and best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)were obtained.The preoperative and postoperative parameters were compared.RESULTS:At postoperative 24 mo,the mean AL and height of macular retinoschisis were reduced significantly by 0.79 mm and 256.51μm(t=8.064,P<0.0001;Z=-5.086,P<0.0001)respectively.In addition,the mean height of retinal detachment and diameter of macular hole were also reduced significantly by 365.38μm and 183.68μm(Z=-4.457,P=0.000008;Z=-2.983,P=0.003)respectively.Meanwhile,the postoperative BCVA was improved markedly(Z=-2.126,P=0.033).CONCLUSION:Vitrectomy combined with scleral shortening is an effective surgical method for eyes with myopic macular retinoschisis,whether or not macular hole and retinal detachment are present.