Mild Damage Research Articles

Sensorimotor Responses in Post-Stroke Hemiplegic Patients Modulated by Acupuncture at Yanglingquan (GB34): A fMRI Study Using Intersubject Functional Correlation (ISFC) Analysis.

Motor dysfunction is common in patients with stroke. Acupuncture has become an acceptable alternative method for stroke rehabilitation. Previous studies have shown various functional connectivity changes activated by acupuncture. We introduced intersubject correlation (ISC) and intersubject functional correlation (ISFC) analyses into the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) for ischemic stroke to seek a common activation and suppression pattern triggered by acupuncture. In this study, 63 ischemic stroke patients with motor dysfunction and 42 normal controls were analyzed. Three functional scans were conducted during the resting state, motor task, and acupuncture at Yanglingquan (GB34) task. Twenty-two sensory, motor, and movement-imagination cortices in the bilateral hemispheres were selected as the region of interest (ROI). We performed ISC and ISFC analyses among these ROIs in three fMRI runs on patients and controls. Subgroup analyses by course or severity were also conducted. The results showed that acupuncture at GB34 triggered ISFC among upper limb motor, upper limb/hand/face, lower limb, tongue/larynx sensory, and movement imagination regions in the patient group. Subgroup ISC and ISFC analyses showed that patients tended to have increasing responses in the early stage of stroke (within 1 month) and decreasing responses afterward (1–3 months). Patients with mild clinical functional damage (NIHSS 2–4) tended to generate more responses via acupuncture than those with moderate damage (NIHSS 5–15). Our findings may help understand the clinical effects and modulatory features of acupuncture based on the group-level post-stroke neuroplasticity.

Preclinical study of OQL051, a gut-restricted CDK4/6 inhibitor for chemotherapy-induced diarrhea.

e24085 Background: Chemotherapy-induced diarrhea (CID) is a potentially life-threatening AE (incidence 50-80% with 5FU/irinotecan). Chemotherapy dose reduction or discontinuation is often required. Cyclin-dependent kinases 4/6 (CDK4/6) regulate cell cycle G1/S transition and can induce a “pharmacological quiescence”. Transient administration of a gut-restricted CDK4/6 inhibitor, prior to chemotherapy may slow/inhibit intestinal stem/epithelial cell cycling and thus, be prophylactic for CID. Methods: OQL051 (OQL), a gut restricted CDK4/6 inhibitor, was studied in MCF7 cells treated with OQL (2x serial dilution, max 10 µM) to measure cell proliferation inhibition. Colo205 cells were treated with OQL 2x serial dilution (25 µM max) to determine the protective effect of OQL on 5-FU. Measurements were performed using Cell Titer -Glo Luminescent cell Viability and caspase 3/7 assay kits. OQL PK was studied in Balb/c mice given OQL, 50 mg/kg intra-gastrically. Blood samples were collected at pre- and 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 6 h post-dosing. Tissues (jejunum/colon) were collected at 0.5, 2, and 6 h after OQL (n = 3/collection). Plasma and tissues were analyzed for OQL by LC-MS. CID (5FU model) was studied in 5 groups of Balb/c mice (n = 5/grp) given OQL vehicle (OQLV) +0.9%NaCl saline (NaCl), OQLV +5FU (175 mg/kg) and OQL+5FU at 3 OQL doses (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg) orally prior to 5FU injection. CID (irinotecan) model) was studied in Balb/c mice given OQL+ Irinotecan at 2 OQL doses (25 and 50 mg/kg, n = 5/ dose) plus IP Irinotecan. OQLV or OQL were given orally prior to IP Irinotecan. Diarrhea and intestine tissue damage were analyzed to evaluate the efficacy. Results: OQL treated MCF7 cells showed conc.-dependent growth inhibition (IC50 0.81 uM). Colo205 cells treated with 5-FU (10 µM) suppressed cell proliferation (60% @ 48 h). Pre-treatment with OQL decreased 5-FU inhibition/apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Jejunum and colon OQL conc. were 300x > plasma (AUC 12017, 10515 vs 32 ng·h/g). OQL decreased CID (5FU) grades and protected the intestinal epithelium. On day 6 post-treatment, the OQL group had mice normal (80%) and mild intestinal damage (20%) vs. OQLV group had mice normal (20%), mild intestinal damage (20%), and severe intestinal damage (60%). In the Irinotecan model, OQL showed efficacy similar to the 5FU model. On day 7 post-treatment, OQL had 40% of mice normal and 60% with mild tissue damage (grade 1) vs. OQLV with 0% normal, 40% mild, and 60% with severe intestinal damage. Histology showed intestinal tissues /epithelial cells had less edema, inflammation, and necrosis after OQL vs. OQLV. Conclusions: An oral CDK4/6 inhibitor, OQL051, was restricted to the intestinal lining and reduced 5FU intestinal cell apoptosis, necrosis, and inflammation. In a preclinical model, prophylactically used OQL051 improved not only diarrhea but also intestine damage status which supports the potential for a prophylactic CID treatment.

Establishment of indices for soybean low temperature damages in key growth stage in high cold region

Establishment of indices for low temperature damage of soybeans is important for systematically analyzing the adaptation strategies to climate change and collaborative adaptation technology for disaster prevention and mitigation and other stresses in high cold region. Based on historical data of low temperature damage and phenophase of soybean from 1980 to 2020 and daily temperature data from 78 meteorological stations in Heilongjiang Province, we used GIS to match the phenophase and meteorological data, by considering the accumulated temperature anomaly in different growth stages, and constructed a comprehensive soybean low temperature damages index (CSCDI) in high cold region. Using K-S distribution fitting test and the lower limit value of confidence intervals, we constructed the level index of soybean low temperature damage. The results showed that the CSCDI lower limits of mild, moderate and severe low temperature damage were 0.061, 0.115 and 0.237 from sowing to emergence stage, were 0.072, 0.152 and 0.312 from emergence to flowering, and 0.133, 0.245 and 0.412 from flowering to maturity, respectively. The time distribution of soybean low temperature damage inversed by CSCDI in Heilongjiang Province was consistent with the historical disaster records. The spatial distribution showed obvious latitude characteristics, with the frequency of low temperature damage increasing gradually from south to north.

Soybean Germplasms Performance to Soil Salinity

<p class="teks">Saline soil is a prospective land for expanding the soybean planting area in Indonesia, but no variety with the ability to adapt to this soil has currently been released. That objective of this esearch was to identify the salt-tolerant soybean germplasm accessions. The experiment consisted of two treatments and these were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The first factor was three soil salinity levels i.e. 1.44-1.72 dS/m (used as a check), 6.75±0.40 dS/m, and 10.48±0.30 dS/m. The second factor was 25 soybean accessions selected from previous salinity screening activity. Parameters observed were soil electrical conductivity (EC), plant height, yield and yield attributes, as well as K, Ca, and Na concentration in soil and plant. The results showed that salinity treatment increased the soil EC, Na concentrations in shoot and root, and reduced K, thereby causing a reduction in soybean growth, seed weight, and seed size. Meanwhile, MLGG 0169, MLGG 0640, MLGG 0767 (Lokon variety), MLGG 1109 (Dega 1 variety), and MLGG 1098 (Detam 2 variety) were identified as tolerant tosalinity level up to 10.48±0.30 dS/m. The tolerant genotypes were characterized by high ITC index, high seed yield, fewer reduction of seed yield, and mild leaf damage. The tolerances were likely determined by the ability to absorb more K and less Na, translocate more K from root to shoot, and higher K/Na ratio in shoot and root than Ca/Na ratio. It means the K/Na ratio is more important in determining salinity tolerance than Ca/Na ratio. Therefore, accessions can be used as gene source for salt-tolerant breeding, and Lokon, Dega 1, and Detam 2 varieties were recommended for saline soil.<br /><br /></p>

Rifaximin Improves Spatial Learning and Memory Impairment in Rats with Liver Damage-Associated Neuroinflammation.

Patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) may show mild cognitive impairment. Neuroinflammation in the hippocampus mediates cognitive impairment in rat models of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE). Treatment with rifaximin reverses cognitive impairment in a large proportion of cirrhotic patients with MHE. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The aims of this work were to assess if rats with mild liver damage, as a model of NAFLD, show neuroinflammation in the hippocampus and impaired cognitive function, if treatment with rifaximin reverses it, and to study the underlying mechanisms. Mild liver damage was induced with carbon-tetrachloride. Infiltration of immune cells, glial activation, and cytokine expression, as well as glutamate receptors expression in the hippocampus and cognitive function were assessed. We assessed the effects of daily treatment with rifaximin on the alterations showed by these rats. Rats with mild liver damage showed hippocampal neuroinflammation, reduced membrane expression of glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits, and impaired spatial memory. Increased C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 2 (CCL2), infiltration of monocytes, microglia activation, and increased tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) were reversed by rifaximin, that normalized NMDA receptor expression and improved spatial memory. Thus, rifaximin reduces neuroinflammation and improves cognitive function in rats with mild liver damage, being a promising therapy for patients with NAFLD showing mild cognitive impairment.

Comparative Study of Iron, Manganese and Nickel Contamination Potential of Disc and Hammer Milling Equipment and their Toxic Effect on Rat Kidney

Aim: To investigate the effect of hammer and disc milling equipment on the levels of Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn) and Nickel (Ni) contents in maize (Zea mays) flour and the consequent impact on the kidney of albino rats.
 Study Design: The rats were randomly divided into groups of five rats per group. Six of the groups were fed with maize flour milled with a hammer mill, while the other six groups were fed with maize flour milled with a disc mill, and the thirteenth group was fed with crushed flour in a mortar and pestle as a control. The rats were sacrificed by decapitation under anesthesia on the 14th and 28th days.
 Place and Duration of Study: Departments of Biochemistry and Histology laboratories of the University of Jos, Nigeria, between, January to June, 2021.
 Methodology: For six days, a portion of the maize grains was milled with a hammer mill, another with a disc mill, and a third fraction was crushed into flour with a wooden mortar. The inductive coupled plasma mass spectrophotometric method was used to determine the levels of Fe, Mn, and Ni in maize flour. To avoid lysing the blood, blood samples were carefully collected by allowing it to run down the test tube's wall. The blood was allowed to coagulate at room temperature before being centrifuged and the serum collected and frozen until it was time for biochemical analysis. The kidneys of the rats were excised, cleaned, and preserved in chloroform until histological examinations were required.
 Results: The results show that Fe (325.16 ± 30.00 mg/kg and 205.05 ± 30.20 mg/kg) and Ni (20.92 ± 5.92 mg/kg and 18.00 ± 2.70 mg/kg) levels were extremely high in both disc and hammer milling machines. The Fe and Mn values in disc milled maize flour were higher than those in hammer milled maize flour. Rats in all groups had significantly higher serum urea, creatinine, K+, Na+, and Cl- levels than the control group. The kidney tissues of all the rats in the control and hammer-milled flour groups were normal, except for group 1 of the disc mill, which showed mild damage, according to the histopathological analysis.
 Conclusion: The Day 1 group fed with disc-milled flour showed a dense cast, atrophy, and nuclei loss in their kidney tissue. According to the results of the study, hammer milled maize flour is less harmful than disc milled maize flour, as shown by kidney histopathology.

Longitudinal analyses reveal distinct immune response landscapes in lung and intestinal tissues from SARS-CoV-2-infected rhesus macaques.

The pathological and immune response of individuals with COVID-19 display different dynamics in lung and intestine. Here, we depict the single-cell transcriptional atlas of longitudinally collected lung and intestinal tissue samples from SARS-CoV-2-infected monkeys at 3 to 10 dpi. We find that intestinal enterocytes are degraded at 3 days post-infection but recovered rapidly, revealing that infection has mild effects on the intestine. Crucially, we observe suppression of the inflammatory response and tissue damage related to B-cell and Paneth cell accumulation in the intestines, although T cells are activated in the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Compared with that in the lung, the expression of interferon response-related genes is inhibited, and inflammatory factor secretion is reduced in the intestines. Our findings indicate an imbalance of immune dynamic in intestinal mucosa during SARS-CoV-2 infection, which may underlie ongoing rectal viral shedding and mild tissue damage.

Second infection with SARS-CoV-2 wild-type is associated with increased disease burden after primary SARS-CoV-2/HBoV-1 coinfection, Cologne, Germany

SARS-CoV-2 is the cause of the still-ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. To date reports on re-infections after full recovery from a previous COVID-19 course remain limited due to the fact that re-infections or second infections occur at the earliest between 3 to 24 months after full recovery while the pandemic lasts only since a year. Even less data are available on re-infections associated with emerging variants. A 33-year-old previously healthy male patient was tested twice SARS-CoV-2 RNA positive with an 8 months symptom-free interval between the two COVID-19 episodes in our setting in Cologne, Germany. While the first episode was accompanied by a co-detection of human bocavirus and hardly any symptoms, the second episode was characterized by serious illness and severe flu-like symptoms, although hospitalization was not required. After the first episode no residual viral RNA was detected after the patient was released from quarantine. Follow up of the patient revealed a moderate but significant reduction of the lung volume and slightly impaired diffusion capacity. Conclusion. While it is known that re-infections with SARS-CoV-2 may occur this is the first report of a co-detection of human bocavirus (HBoV) during a primary SARS-CoV-2 infection. The first, hardly symptomatic episode showed that co-infections do not necessarily initiate severe COVID-19 courses. The second more severe episode with serious flu-like symptoms could be explained by the sustained mild damage of the airways during the primary infection.

Deletion of Non-histidine Domains of Histidine Kinase CHK1 Diminishes the Infectivity of Candida albicans in an Oral Mucosal Model.

ObjectivesThe histidine kinase (HK) CHK1 and other protein kinases in Candida albicans are key players in the development of hyphae. This study is designed to determine the functional roles of the S_Tkc domain (protein kinase) and the GAF domain of C. albicans CHK1 in hyphal formation and mucosal invasion.MethodsThe domain mutants CHK25 (ΔS_TkcCHK1/Δchk1) and CHK26 (ΔS_TkcΔgafCHK1/Δchk1) were first constructed by the his1-URA3-his1 method and confirmed by sequencing and Southern blots. A mouse tongue infection model was used to evaluate the hyphal invasion and fungal loads in each domain mutant, full-gene deletion mutant CHK21 (chk1Δ/chk1Δ), re-constituted strain CHK23 (chk1Δ/CHK1), and wild type (WT) from day 1 to day 5. The degree of invasion and damage to the oral mucosa of mice in each strain-infected group was evaluated in vivo and compared with germ tube rate and hyphal formation in vitro.ResultWhen compared with severe mucosal damage and massive hyphal formation in WT- or CHK23-infected mouse tongues, the deletion of S_Tkc domain (CHK25) caused mild mucosal damage, and fungal invasion was eliminated as we observed in full-gene mutant CHK21. However, the deletion of S_Tkc and GAF (CHK26) partially restored the hyphal invasion and mucosal tissue damage that were exhibited in WT and CHK23. Regardless of the in vivo results, the decreased hyphal formation and germ tube in vitro were less apparent and quite similar between CHK25 and CHK26, especially at the late stage of the log phase where CHK26 was closer to WT and CHK23. However, growth defect and hyphal impairment of both domain mutants were similar to CHK21 in the early stages.ConclusionOur data suggest that both protein kinase (S_Tkc) and GAF domains in C. albicans CHK1 are required for hyphal invasiveness in mucosal tissue. The appropriate initiation of cell growth and hyphal formation at the lag phase is likely mediated by these two functional domains of CHK1 to maintain in vivo infectivity of C. albicans.

Differences in MUC2 Gene Expression Based on the Clinical Severity of Colitis and the Degree of Histopathological Damage to the Colonic Mucosa in Colitis-induced Rat

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is characterized by intestinal inflammation and epithelial damage. Impaired mucosal cell barrier function mainly associated with thinning of the mucin layer may be the initial events underlying injury and inflammation in UC. Impaired expression of specific mucins is closely associated with IBD. MUC2 is a gene that produces mucin, which is predominant in the colon in humans and rats. METHODS: This study is an experimental study with a posttest-only design. The sample comprised 16 colitis-induced rats. Induction of colitis was done by giving a solution of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) 2.5% 1 mL/day orally for 7 days. MUC2 gene expression was measured by rtPCR. The clinical severity of colitis was classified based on the disease activity index (DAI) score. The degree of histopathological damage was classified based on the score of colonic histology observations. The statistical analysis was done by the Shapiro–Wilk normality test and continued with an independent samples t-test. RESULTS: There were differences in MUC2 gene expression in mild and moderate colitis (1.81 vs. 2.99) but the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). MUC2 gene expression also differed in mild and severe histopathological damage degrees (2.32 vs. 2.1) but the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: It was concluded in this study that MUC2 gene expression did not have significant differences based on the clinical severity of colitis and the degree of histopathological damage to the colonic mucosa in colitis-induced rats.

HUBUNGAN SIFAT FISIK TANAH TERHADAP KERUSAKAN TANAMAN CEMPEDAK PADA LAHAN REHABILITASI DAERAH ALIRAN SUNGAI (DAS) DESA TIWINGAN LAMA KABUPATEN BANJAR

Watershed rehabilitation lands are generally critical land. Planting is done there need to be evaluation of growth and health of plants. The purpose of this research is to analyze and evaluate the growth of tolerant crops that are Cempedak (Artocarpus integer) and Durian (Durio Zibethinus) as well as analyzing the amount of health of plants and the percentage of tolerant crops in the rehabilitation Tiwingan Lama Banjar District. The research method is performed purposive random sampling with 9 plot samples of each type of plant. The plot of research used is a circular plot measuring 7.94 meters. The percentage of life of the plant is calculated from the number of plants that live at the time of research divided the total number of plants in the early planted. Collection of identification data of plant health status is done by FHM (Forest Health Monitoring) method. The percentage of life of the plant is tolerant of the Watershed rehabilitation land for the Cempedak of 68.17% and for the type of durian 62.62% which is entered into medium category. Growth of the best Cempedak plant at the age of ± 4 years in the slope 26-45% have a volume increments of 0, 0116M3/year and the growth of the best durian plants in the slope of 16-25% with a volume increments 0.0587 m3/year. The health value of the tolerant plant to 3 (three) classes of slope indicating health with a healthy classification with mild damage.

Development and internal validation of machine learning algorithms for end-stage renal disease risk prediction model of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetic kidney disease

Aims Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the most common cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes. Identification of risk factors involved in the progression of DKD to ESRD is expected to result in early detection and appropriate intervention and improve prognosis. Therefore, this study aimed to establish a risk prediction model for ESRD resulting from DKD in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods Between January 2008 and July 2019, a total of 390 Chinese patients with T2DM and DKD confirmed by percutaneous renal biopsy were enrolled and followed up for at least 1 year. Four machine learning algorithms (gradient boosting machine, support vector machine, logistic regression, and random forest (RF)) were used to identify the critical clinical and pathological features and to build a risk prediction model for ESRD. Results There were 158 renal outcome events (ESRD) (40.51%) during the 3-year median follow up. The RF algorithm showed the best performance at predicting progression to ESRD, showing the highest AUC (0.90) and ACC (82.65%). The RF algorithm identified five major factors: Cystatin-C, serum albumin (sAlb), hemoglobin (Hb), 24-hour urine urinary total protein, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. A nomogram according to the aforementioned five predictive factors was constructed to predict the incidence of ESRD. Conclusion Machine learning algorithms can efficiently predict the incident ESRD in DKD participants. Compared with the previous models, the importance of sAlb and Hb were highlighted in the current model. Highlights What is already known? Identification of risk factors for the progression of DKD to ESRD is expected to improve the prognosis by early detection and appropriate intervention. What this study has found? Machine learning algorithms were used to construct a risk prediction model of ESRD in patients with T2DM and DKD. The major predictive factors were found to be CysC, sAlb, Hb, eGFR, and UTP. What are the implications of the study? In contrast with the treatment of participants with early-phase T2DM with or without mild kidney damage, major emphasis should be placed on indicators of kidney function, nutrition, anemia, and proteinuria for participants with T2DM and advanced DKD to delay ESRD, rather than age, sex, and control of hypertension and glycemia.

Discrimination Between Healthy Eyes and Those With Mild Glaucoma Damage Using Hemoglobin Measurements of the Optic Nerve Head.

The Laguna ONhE, a software that measures the hemoglobin (Hb) concentration of the optic nerve head (ONH) from fundus photographs, demonstrated good accuracy in discriminating healthy eyes from eyes with mild glaucoma. The aim was to evaluate Hb concentration of the optic nerve to distinguish between healthy eyes and eyes with mild glaucoma. Eyes from patients with mild primary open angle glaucoma (MD > -6 dB) (n=58) and from healthy subjects (n=64) were selected. Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measurements of all eyes were acquired with optical coherence tomography. Optic disc photographs were also obtained, and the images were analyzed using the Laguna ONhE software, which measures the amount of Hb in 24 sectors of the ONH. The software also calculates the Glaucoma Discriminant Function (GDF), an index that expresses the chance of the ONH being compatible with glaucoma. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve and sensitivities at fixed specificities of 90% and 95% of each Laguna ONhE parameter were calculated. The mean retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and vertical cup/disc ratio of the control and glaucoma groups were 90.0±10.6 μm versus 66.28±9.85 μm ( P <0.001) and 0.5±0.09 versus 0.65±0.09 ( P <0.001), respectively. Total Hb (67.9±4.45 vs. 62.89±4.89, P <0.001) and GDF (11.57±15.34 vs. -27.67±20.94, P <0.001) were significantly higher in the control group. The Hb concentration was also significantly higher in 21 of the 24 sectors in the control group compared with the glaucoma group ( P <0.05). The GDF had the largest areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.93), with 79.3% sensitivity at a fixed specificity of 95%. Measurements of optic nerve Hb concentration using a colorimetry photographic device demonstrated good accuracy in discriminating healthy eyes from eyes with mild glaucoma. Further studies are need to understand vascular factors implicated in the development of glaucoma.

What Is COVID 19 Teaching Us about Pulmonary Ultrasound?

In lung ultrasound (LUS), the interactions between the acoustic pulse and the lung surface (including the pleura and a small subpleural layer of tissue) are crucial. Variations of the peripheral lung density and the subpleural alveolar shape and its configuration are typically connected to the presence of ultrasound artifacts and consolidations. COVID-19 pneumonia can give rise to a variety of pathological pulmonary changes ranging from mild diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), characterized by peripheral bilateral patchy lung involvement. These findings are well described in CT imaging and in anatomopathological cases. Ultrasound artifacts and consolidations are therefore expected signs in COVID-19 pneumonia because edema, DAD, lung hemorrhage, interstitial thickening, hyaline membranes, and infiltrative lung diseases when they arise in a subpleural position, generate ultrasound findings. This review analyzes the structure of the ultrasound images in the normal and pathological lung given our current knowledge, and the role of LUS in the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with COVID-19 lung involvement.

Proteomic signature of tubulointerstitial tissue predicts prognosis in IgAN

BackgroundIgA nephropathy (IgAN) is associated with a significant risk of progression to kidney failure. Tubular atrophy is an established important risk factor for progressive disease, but few studies have investigated tubulointerstitial molecular markers and mechanisms of progression in IgAN.MethodsBased on data from the Norwegian Renal Registry, two groups were included: IgAN patients with (n = 9) or without (n = 18) progression to kidney failure during 10 years of follow-up. Tubulointerstitial tissue without discernible interstitial expansion or pronounced tubular alterations was microdissected, proteome was analysed using tandem mass spectrometry and relative protein abundances were compared between groups. ResultsProteome analyses quantified 2562 proteins with at least 2 unique peptides. Of these, 150 proteins had significantly different abundance between progressive and non-progressive IgAN patients, 67 were more abundant and 83 less abundant. Periostin was the protein with the highest fold change between progressive and non-progressive IgAN (fold change 8.75, p < 0.05) and periostin staining was also stronger in patients with progressive vs non-progressive IgAN. Reactome pathway analyses showed that proteins related to inflammation were more abundant and proteins involved in mitochondrial translation were significantly less abundant in progressive vs non-progressive patients.ConclusionsMicrodissection of tubulointerstitial tissue with only mild damage allowed for identification of proteome markers of early progressive IgAN. Periostin abundance showed promise as a novel and important risk marker of progression.

Cardiac Damage Staging Classification in Asymptomatic Moderate or Severe Primary Mitral Regurgitation

BackgroundOptimal timing for intervention remains uncertain in asymptomatic patients with primary mitral regurgitation (MR). We aimed to assess the prognostic value of a new cardiac damage staging classification in patients with asymptomatic moderate or severe primary MR. MethodsClinical, Doppler-echocardiographic, and outcome data prospectively collected in 338 asymptomatic patients (64 ± 15 years, 68% men) with at least moderate primary MR were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were hierarchically classified as per the following staging classification: no cardiac damage (stage 0), mild left ventricular or left atrial damage (stage 1), moderate or severe left ventricular or left atrial damage (stage 2), pulmonary vasculature or tricuspid valve damage (stage 3), or right ventricular damage (stage 4). ResultsThere was a stepwise increase in 10-year mortality rates as per cardiac damage stage: 20.0% in stage 0, 25.6% in stage 1, 31.5% in stage 2, and 61.3% in stage 3-4 (p < 0.001). The staging classification was significantly associated with increased risk of mortality (hazard ratio = 1.41 per one-stage increase, 95% confidence interval: 1.07-1.85, p = 0.015) and the composite of cardiovascular mortality or hospitalization (hazard ratio = 1.51 per one-stage increase, 95% confidence interval: 1.07-2.15, p = 0.020) in multivariable analysis adjusted for EuroSCORE II, mitral valve intervention as a time-dependent variable, and other risk factors. The proposed scheme showed incremental value over several clinical variables (net reclassification index = 0.40, p = 0.03). ConclusionsThe new staging classification provides independent and incremental prognostic value in patients with asymptomatic moderate or severe MR.

Monitoring the Severity of Pantana phyllostachysae Chao Infestation in Moso Bamboo Forests Based on UAV Multi-Spectral Remote Sensing Feature Selection

In recent years, the rapid development of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing technology has provided a new means to efficiently monitor forest resources and effectively prevent and control pests and diseases. This study aims to develop a detection model to study the damage caused to Moso bamboo forests by Pantana phyllostachysae Chao (PPC), a major leaf-eating pest, at 5 cm resolution. Damage sensitive features were extracted from multispectral images acquired by UAVs and used to train detection models based on support vector machines (SVM), random forests (RF), and extreme gradient boosting tree (XGBoost) machine learning algorithms. The overall detection accuracy (OA) and Kappa coefficient of SVM, RF, and XGBoost were 81.95%, 0.733, 85.71%, 0.805, and 86.47%, 0.811, respectively. Meanwhile, the detection accuracies of SVM, RF, and XGBoost were 78.26%, 76.19%, and 80.95% for healthy, 75.00%, 83.87%, and 79.17% for mild damage, 83.33%, 86.49%, and 85.00% for moderate damage, and 82.5%, 90.91%, and 93.75% for severe damage Moso bamboo, respectively. Overall, XGBoost exhibited the best detection performance, followed by RF and SVM. Thus, the study findings provide a technical reference for the regional monitoring and control of PPC in Moso bamboo.

Pathology of the shoulder joint and soft tissues: clinical variants, current capabilities of pathogenesis-directed therapy

Pain syndrome in the shoulder occurs in every 5th adult and is the 2nd most frequent reason for seeking primary medical care among all musculoskeletal disorders. Group of local causes of pain syndrome in the shoulder area. The starting point for differential search is patient’s age. For persons younger than 40, the most common causes are joint instability (dislocations / subluxations), as well as mild damage of the rotator cuff muscles due to injury. Patients older than 40 have an increased risk of severe chronic disorders of the above-mentioned muscles, adhesive capsulitis, and osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint. Treatment of shoulder joint and soft tissue pathology is nosological in nature and has to be justified by pathogenesis. Chondroreparants are a new class of pharmaceuticals based on hyaluronic acid modified by low molecular weight compounds using solid-phase stabilization. During physical stabilization (mechanosynthesis) of hyaluronic acid, chemical crosslinkers are not used, which leads to high tolerability and safety. Modified hyaluronic acid in Hyalrepair formulas has a number of structural features leading to its slower biodegradation in the tissues. Chondroreparant Hyalrepair-10 consists of hyaluronic acid, ascorbyl phosphate, zinc, cysteine, and glutathione; Hyalrepair- 2 consists of hyaluronic acid, ascorbyl phosphate, L-proline, L-lysine, and glycine. Use of intra-joint and periarticular injection of hyaluronic acid can be an effective approach in combination pathogenesis-directed therapy of the shoulder and soft tissues.

Percutaneous hallux valgus surgery: Anatomical study of its safety and effectiveness

Background and hypothesisAlthough percutaneous hallux valgus surgery is increasing in popularity, concerns about safety regarding neurovascular and tendinous structures remain. The first aim of this body-donor study was to evaluate the safety of three common percutaneous portals. Secondly, to evaluate percutaneous surgery effectiveness in completing adductor tendon release and first ray osteotomies. Patients and methodsTwenty body-donor feet were included and underwent three percutaneous procedures, which are commonly performed in combination: distal metatarsal osteotomy, proximal phalanx osteotomy and adductor tendon release. After surgery, the distance between surgical portals and relevant neurovascular structures was measured. Damage to this neurovascular structures, tendons or articular cartilage was noted. Completion of adductor tendon release and osteotomies was verified. ResultsThe medial dorsal digital nerve of the hallux was damaged in two specimens. Mild peritendon damage was observed in two feet. The rest of neurovascular and tendinous structures were intact. No cartilage damage was observed. The distance between the adductor tenotomy portal and the lateral dorsal digital nerve of the hallux and the first dorsal metatarsal artery was 3.3mm (SD 1.4) and 2.4mm (SD 1.8), respectively. Complete adductor tenotomy was achieved in 14 feet. ConclusionsThe structure with the highest risk of damage during percutaneous hallux valgus surgery is the medial dorsal digital nerve. The lateral dorsal digital nerve and the first dorsal metatarsal artery might be at risk due to the small distance to the adductor tendon release portal. A deep anatomical knowledge and a meticulous surgical technique are required to avoid lesions to neurovascular and tendinous structures. Level of evidenceV, Cadaveric study.

Assessment of the preventive effect of dietary inclusion of Cucurbita maxima (Duch.) leaf on N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) induced colon carcinogenesis in Wistar rats

The preventive effect of Cucurbita maxima leaf inclusion at 2.5%, 5% and 10% in colon carcinogenesis induced by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) for 12 weeks was evaluated. A significantly lower level of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) values was observed in the serum of rats fed with various percentages of C. maxima leaf included diet in comparison with the MNU control group (administered MNU without treatment), which showed high serum CEA values (238.77 ± 38.95 ng/ml). The result shows that the MNU control group has the highest level of oxidative stress in the colon (78.51 ± 6.88 nMol/mg/ml) when compared to the normal control groups (56.30 ± 5.82 nMol/mg/ml). There was no significant difference in the level of MDA in the 10% dietary inclusion control group of the colon (52.08 ± 7.63 nMol/mg/ml) when compared to the normal control groups. Analysis of the experimental diets revealed a significant presence of total polyphenols and flavonoids content which increases from 0.256 mg/g GAE and 0.068 mg/g QU respectively in basal diets towards 0.287 mg/g and 0.085 mg/g respectively in the 10% C. maxima leaf-included. The polyphenol and flavonoid content of the formulated diet at 5% and 10% shows significantly higher values than the basal diet. The data showed an increase in crude fibre content, 3.05 mg/g, 3.1 mg/g, 4.2 mg/g in the 2.5%, 5% and 10% inclusions respectively. The results demonstrated a strong negative correlation coefficient (-0.715, -0.799, -0.944) between CEA and the crude fibre, flavonoid and polyphenol respectively when C. maxima percentage was increased in the experimental diets. Similarly, the rats MDA values also showed a negative correlation coefficient (-0.271, -0.398, -0.147) with crude fibre, polyphenol and flavonoid content respectively. However, the enzymatic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase and catalase) showed a positive correlation (0.355, 0.411, 0.488 and 0.112, 0.241, 0.380) with the crude fibre, polyphenols and flavonoid content respectively. Histological observation of colon tissue showed severe damage to the mucosa cell, with mucosa ulceration and sclerosis in the MNU control group, whereas groups fed with experimental diets concurrently with MNU administration showed mild damage to the normal architecture of the cells. The results demonstrated the ability of C. maxima leaf dietary inclusion to improve endogenous antioxidant system, lower oxidative stress and protect against organ damage by MNU carcinogen.