Objective:To observe any therapeutic effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with intermittent oroesophageal tube feeding (IOE) on dysphagia among ischemic stroke survivors.Methods:Eighty-four ischemic stroke survivors with dysphagia were randomized into an observation group and a control group, each of 42. In addition to conventional rehabilitation, swallowing training and IOE, the observation group received tDCS while the control group received sham stimulation. Before and after 14 days of this treatment, both groups′ swallowing, life quality and depression were evaluated using the Penetration Aspiration Scale (PAS), the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS), the Dysphagia Handicap Index (DHI), and a 9-item patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9).Results:There were no significant differences between the two groups before the experiment in terms of their general data, their average PAS, FOIS, DHI or PHQ-9 scores, or the incidence of depression. After the treatment, significant improvement was observed in the above indicators among both groups, but with significantly better average PAS, FOIS, DHI [(51.25±6.78) vs. (44.78±5.75)] and PHQ-9 [(4.17±1.15) vs. (6.01±1.93)] scores and less depression (14.29% vs. 42.86%) in the observation group compared with the control group.Conclusions:Combining tDCS with IOE better improves swallowing function, depression, and life quality after an ischemic stroke.

Objective:To observe any therapeutic effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with intermittent oroesophageal tube feeding (IOE) on dysphagia among ischemic stroke survivors.Methods:Eighty-four ischemic stroke survivors with dysphagia were randomized into an observation group and a control group, each of 42. In addition to conventional rehabilitation, swallowing training and IOE, the observation group received tDCS while the control group received sham stimulation. Before and after 14 days of this treatment, both groups′ swallowing, life quality and depression were evaluated using the Penetration Aspiration Scale (PAS), the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS), the Dysphagia Handicap Index (DHI), and a 9-item patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9).Results:There were no significant differences between the two groups before the experiment in terms of their general data, their average PAS, FOIS, DHI or PHQ-9 scores, or the incidence of depression. After the treatment, significant improvement was observed in the above indicators among both groups, but with significantly better average PAS, FOIS, DHI [(51.25±6.78) vs. (44.78±5.75)] and PHQ-9 [(4.17±1.15) vs. (6.01±1.93)] scores and less depression (14.29% vs. 42.86%) in the observation group compared with the control group.Conclusions:Combining tDCS with IOE better improves swallowing function, depression, and life quality after an ischemic stroke.

Male ; Humans ; Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Varicocele/diagnosis* ; Biomarkers

Background: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) strategies in COVID-19 patients differ from those in patients suffering from cardiogenic cardiac arrest. During CPR, both healthcare and non-healthcare workers who provide resuscitation are at risk of infection. The Working Group for Expert Consensus on Prevention and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for Cardiac Arrest in COVID-19 has developed this Chinese Expert Consensus to guide clinical practice of CPR in COVID-19 patients. Main recommendations: 1) A medical team should be assigned to evaluate severe and critical COVID-19 for early monitoring of cardiac-arrest warning signs. 2) Psychological counseling and treatment are highly recommended, since sympathetic and vagal abnormalities induced by psychological stress from the COVID-19 pandemic can induce cardiac arrest. 3) Healthcare workers should wear personal protective equipment (PPE). 4) Mouth-to-mouth ventilation should be avoided on patients suspected of having or diagnosed with COVID-19. 5) Hands-only chest compression and mechanical chest compression are recommended. 6) Tracheal-intubation procedures should be optimized and tracheal-intubation strategies should be implemented early. 7) CPR should be provided for 20-30 min. 8) Various factors should be taken into consideration such as the interests of patients and family members, ethics, transmission risks, and laws and regulations governing infectious disease control. Changes in management: The following changes or modifications to CPR strategy in COVID-19 patients are proposed: 1) Healthcare workers should wear PPE. 2) Hands-only chest compression and mechanical chest compression can be implemented to reduce or avoid the spread of viruses by aerosols. 3) Both the benefits to patients and the risk of infection should be considered. 4) Hhealthcare workers should be fully aware of and trained in CPR strategies and procedures specifically for patients with COVID-19.

Tung tree (Vernicia fordii) is an economically important woody oil plant that produces tung oil rich in eleostearic acid. Here, we report a high-quality chromosome-scale genome sequence of tung tree. The genome sequence was assembled by combining Illumina short reads, Pacific Bio-sciences single-molecule real-time long reads, and Hi-C sequencing data. The size of tung tree gen-ome is 1.12 Gb, with 28,422 predicted genes and over 73％ repeat sequences. The V. fordii underwent an ancient genome triplication event shared by core eudicots but no further whole-genome duplication in the subsequent ca. 34.55 million years of evolutionary history of the tung tree lineage. Insertion time analysis revealed that repeat-driven genome expansion might have arisen as a result of long-standing long terminal repeat retrotransposon bursts and lack of efficient DNA deletion mechanisms. The genome harbors 88 resistance genes encoding nucleotide-binding sites;17 of these genes may be involved in early-infection stage of Fusarium wilt resistance. Further, 651 oil-related genes were identified, 88 of which are predicted to be directly involved in tung oil biosynthesis. Relatively few phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase genes, and synergistic effectsbetween transcription factors and oil biosynthesis-related genes might contribute to the high oil content of tung seed. The tung tree genome constitutes a valuable resource for understanding genome evolution, as well as for molecular breeding and genetic improvements for oil production.

AIM:To investigate the influences of Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy with different size on visual acuity(VA), intraocular pressure(IOP), refraction, anterior chamber depth(ACD), and macular thickness(MT)in patients with posterior capsular opacification(PCO).

METHODS: In this retrospective, constantly study, 41 eyes of 41 patients treated with Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy for PCO were divided into 2 groups according to the different incision sizes of capsulotomy: the patients received capsulotomy with the incision diameter less than or equal to 3.5mm were enrolled into group 1, while those received operation with incision diameter more than 3.5mm went to group 2. All patients were followed up before Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy, 1wk, 1 and 3mo after Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy, and the best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA), refraction, IOP, ACD, and MT were compared between two groups.

RESULTS: In both groups, BCVA were significantly improved postoperatively compared with base line(P<0.001), but there was no significant difference between two groups(P>0.05). The diopter(SE)of the two groups were not significantly different before and after operation(P>0.05). Intraocular pressure in group 2 was higher than those in group1 at 1wk(t=-2.609, P=0.013). ACD decreased significantly at 1wk postoperatively(P<0.01), but with no significant difference at 1 and 3mo(P>0.05). Both groups had increased macular thickness lightly at 1wk postoperatively, but with no statistical significance(P>0.05), and there was no significant difference between the two groups at 1wk, 1 and 3mo postoperatively(P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: The increase in intraocular pressure is more pronounced when the size of posterior capsulotomy was larger. However, the changes of BCVA, ACD, refraction, MT are not related with the incision size of posterior capsulotomy.

Objective To explore the application value of preoperative bedside ultrasound in the surgical operation of primary liver cancer (PLC).Methods Clinical data of 23 patients with PLC in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from October 2016 to May 2017 were retrospectively analyzed.The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the local ethical committee approval was received.Among 23 patients,15 cases were male and 8 female,aged from 27 to 73 years with a median age of 53 years.Bedside ultrasound examination was performed in the patients.The liver was scanned and examined by Doppler ultrasound via the xiphoid process,the right costal margin and the intercostal space,and the results were compared with the preoperative imaging data.Results All the patients received bedside ultrasound examination within preoprative 24 h.The left,middle and right hepatic venous structures of the second porta could be displayed clearly by the scaning from xiphoid process,and the left hepatic segment where the lesions located could be further displayed.The scan form right costal margin showed the anatomical relationship of primary porta and the anatomy of portal vein.The scan from intercostal space could identify the position of lesions in the right lobe and determine the intrahepatic distribution of middle and right hepatic veins and right portal vein,and their relationship with lesions.The lesions located in segment Ⅱ and Ⅲ of 6 cases,segment Ⅳ of 5 cases,segment Ⅴ of 2 cases,segment Ⅴ and Ⅷ of 3 cases and segment Ⅵ of 7 cases.The findings of preoperative bedside ultrasound was inconsistent with that of preoperative CT and MRI.The operation was aborted in 1 case and operative plan was changed in 1 case.Conclusions Preoperative bedside ultrasound can provide more anatomical information and lesion distribution for liver surgery,which can shorten the intraoperative exploration time and adjust the surgical plan timely.

Objective To explore the clinical the efficacy of large diameter esophagogastric internal fistula combined with fundoplication and modified Heller surgery for treatment of achalasia.Methods From June 2008 to March 2014,18 patients diagnosed as achalasia were se-lected into this suty,and they were divided into the observation group (8 cases)and the control group (10 cases).Patients of the observation group were received large diameter esophagogastric internal fistula combined with fundoplication while patients of the control group received modified Heller surgery.Compared the surgical curative effect and complications between the two groups.Results All the 18 patients suc-cessfully completed the arranged surgical treatment.The imaging examination 3 months after the operation showed that the contrast agent suc-cessfully passed through the esophagus,cardia and the anastomosis,and then went into the gastric lumen.The total effective rate was 100% in the observation group 12 months after operation,while it was 60% in the control group,and the difference between the two groups was statisti-cally significant (P =0.014).The incidence of complications in the observation group was lower than that of the control group,the difference was statistically significant (P =0.026).Conclusion Large diameter esophagogastric internal fistula combined with fundoplication for treat-ment of achalasia is safer,and there is a possibiltiy to cure the achalasia.

OBJECTIVETo detect the activity of autophagy and explore the impact on survival and proliferation of HEL cells and hematopoietic cells of polycythemia vera （PV） patients with JAK2 V617F mutation.

METHODSFlow cytometry, AO staining and Western blot methods were used to detect the autophagy activity and the expression of LC3-Ⅱ protein of JAK2 V617F+ HEL cells and hematopoietic cells of 12 newly diagnosed PV patients with JAK2 V617F mutation. HEL cells and bone marrow cells of 3 PV patients were treated with rapamycin or 3-MA to induce and inhibit autophagy, respectively. CellTiter Glo(R) method was used to detect the proliferation activity of cells.

RESULTSThere was higher level of mean LC3-Ⅱ fluorescence intensity in HEL cells (159 389 ± 29 001) than that in K562 cells (96 047 ± 24 134) (P=0.044). The formation of autophagosome in HEL cells is more than that in K562 cells detected by microscope. What's more, the level of mean LC3-Ⅱ fluorescence intensity in 12 PV patients' myeloid cells (92 842 ± 4 250) was higher than that of 15 healthy volunteers (86 633 ± 2 504) (P=0.001). The expression of LC3-Ⅱ protein was higher in PV patients' peripheral blood cells than that in healthy volunteers detected by Western blot. After treated with rapamycin 12, 24, 48 h, the activity of autophagy in HEL cells and bone marrow cells of 3 PV patients were increased and the proliferation activity was higher than the control group, the proliferation activity at 48 h were (101 413 ± 3 720), (18 744 ± 1 015), respectively. However, after treated with 3-MA 12, 24, 48 h, the activity of autophagy was decreased and the proliferation activity was lower than the control group, the proliferation activity at 48 h were (5 732 ± 166), (5 371 ± 56), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThere is high basical activity of autophagy in JAK2 V617F+ HEL cells and hematopoietic cells of PV patients with JAK2 V617F mutation. Up-regulated autophagy promotes proliferation of JAK2 V617F⁺ HEL cells and bone marrow cells of PV patients with JAK2 V617F mutation. Decreased autophagy inhibits proliferation of JAK2 V617F+ HEL cells and bone marrow cells of PV patients with JAK2 V617F mutation.

BACKGROUND:Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cels to prevent and treat degeneration of the intervertebral disc is a feasible method. Mesenchymal stem cels co-transfected by SRY-related high mobility group-box gene 9 (SOX-9) and growth differentiation factor-5 (GDF-5) can differentiate into nucleus pulposus cels, in order to obtain greater effect of induction and proliferation of nucleus pulposus cels. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of SOX-9 and GDF-5 co-transfection on the differentiation of rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels into nucleus pulposus cels. METHODS: We separated and cultured bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels from the bone marrow of rabbit aged 4 months. Passage 3 cels were divided into five groups andin vitro induced to differentiate into nucleus pulposus cels: non-transfected group, empty vector transfection group, SOX-9 transfection group, GDF-5 transfection group, SOX-9 and GDF-5 co-transfection group. At 14 days after transfection, RT-PCR was employed to assay SOX-9, GDF-5 and colagen type II mRNA expressions in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels. The marker of nucleus pulposus cels-KRT19 expression was also detected by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:In the co-transfection group, the mRNA expressions of SOX-9, GDF-5, and colagen type II were significantly higher than those in the SOX-9 transfection group, GDF-5 transfection group, and both these two groups, respectively (P < 0.05). Cels were positive for KRT19 in the SOX-9 and GDF-5 groups, and strongly positive for KRT19 in the co-transfection group. These findings indicate that double gene-transfected bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels are better than single gene-transfected cels with regard to differentiation into nucleus pulposus cels and secretion of extracelular matrix.