Age as a risk factor for acute mountain sickness upon rapid ascent to 3,700 m among young adult Chinese men.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to explore the relationship between age and acute mountain sickness (AMS) when subjects are exposed suddenly to high altitude.MethodsA total of 856 young adult men were recruited. Before and after acute altitude exposure, the Athens Insomnia Scale score (AISS) was used to evaluate the subjective sleep quality of subjects. AMS was assessed using the Lake Louise scoring system. Heart rate (HR) and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) were measured.ResultsResults showed that, at 500 m, AISS and insomnia prevalence were higher in older individuals. After acute exposure to altitude, the HR, AISS, and insomnia prevalence increased sharply, and the increase in older individuals was more marked. The opposite trend was observed for SaO2. At 3,700 m, the prevalence of AMS increased with age, as did severe AMS, and AMS symptoms (except gastrointestinal symptoms). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age was a risk factor for AMS (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.13, P<0.05), as well as AISS (adjusted OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.28-1.51, P<0.001).ConclusionThe present study is the first to demonstrate that older age is an independent risk factor for AMS upon rapid ascent to high altitude among young adult Chinese men, and pre-existing poor subjective sleep quality may be a contributor to increased AMS prevalence in older subjects

Risk factors for high-altitude headache upon acute high-altitude exposure at 3700 m in young Chinese men: a cohort study.

BackgroundThis prospective and observational study aimed to identify demographic, physiological and psychological risk factors associated with high-altitude headache (HAH) upon acute high-altitude exposure.MethodsEight hundred fifty subjects ascended by plane to 3700 m above Chengdu (500 m) over a period of two hours. Structured Case Report Form (CRF) questionnaires were used to record demographic information, physiological examinations, psychological scale, and symptoms including headache and insomnia a week before ascending and within 24 hours after arrival at 3700 m. Binary logistic regression models were used to analyze the risk factors for HAH.ResultsThe incidence of HAH was 73.3%. Age (p =0.011), physical labor intensity (PLI) (p =0.044), primary headache history (p <0.001), insomnia (p <0.001), arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) (p =0.001), heart rate (HR) (p =0.002), the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) (p <0.001), and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) (p <0.001) were significantly different between HAH and non-HAH groups. Logistic regression models identified primary headache history, insomnia, low SaO2, high HR and SAS as independent risk factors for HAH.ConclusionsInsomnia, primary headache history, low SaO2, high HR, and high SAS score are the risk factors for HAH. Our findings will provide novel avenues for the study, prevention and treatment of HAH

Cerebral hemodynamic characteristics of acute mountain sickness upon acute high-altitude exposure at 3,700 m in young Chinese men.

PURPOSE: We aimed at identifying the cerebral hemodynamic characteristics of acute mountain sickness (AMS). METHODS: Transcranial Doppler (TCD) sonography examinations were performed between 18 and 24 h after arrival at 3,700 m via plane from 500 m (n = 454). A subgroup of 151 subjects received TCD examinations at both altitudes. RESULTS: The velocities of the middle cerebral artery, vertebral artery (VA) and basilar artery (BA) increased while the pulsatility indexes (PIs) and resistance indexes (RIs) decreased significantly (all p < 0.05). Velocities of BA were higher in AMS (AMS+) individuals when compared with non-AMS (AMS-) subjects (systolic velocity: 66 ± 12 vs. 69 ± 15 cm/s, diastolic velocity: 29 ± 7 vs. 31 ± 8 cm/s and mean velocity, 42 ± 9 vs. 44 ± 10 cm/s). AMS was characterized by higher diastolic velocity [V d_VA (26 ± 4 vs. 25 ± 4, p = 0.013)] with lower PI and RI (both p = 0.004) in VA. Furthermore, the asymmetry index (AI) of VAs was significantly lower in the AMS + group [-5.7 % (21.0 %) vs. -2.5 % (17.8 %), p = 0.016]. The AMS score was closely correlated with the hemodynamic parameters of BA and the V d_VA, PI, RI and AI of VA. CONCLUSION: AMS is associated with alterations in cerebral hemodynamics in the posterior circulation rather than the anterior one, and is characterized by higher blood velocity with lower resistance. In addition, the asymmetry of VAs may be involved in AMS

Manipulation of LIPSS orientation on silicon surfaces using orthogonally polarized femtosecond laser double-pulse trains

Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) provide an easy and costeffective means of fabricating gratings and have been widely studied in recent decades. To overcome the challenge of orientation controllability, we developed a feasible and efficient method for manipulating the orientation of LIPSS in real time. Specifically, we used orthogonally polarized and equal-energy femtosecond laser (50 fs, 800 nm) double-pulse trains with time delay about 1ps, total peak laser fluence about 1.0 J/cm2, laser repetition frequency at 100 Hz and scanning speed at 150 μm/s to manipulate the LIPSS orientation on silicon surfaces perpendicular to the scanning direction, regardless of the scanning paths. The underlying mechanism is attributed to the periodic energy deposition along the direction of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), which can be controlled oriented along the scanning direction in orthogonally polarized femtosecond laser double-pulse trains surface scan processing. An application of structural colors presents the functionality of our method

Manipulation of LIPSS orientation on silicon surfaces using orthogonally polarized femtosecond laser double-pulse trains

Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) provide an easy and costeffective means of fabricating gratings and have been widely studied in recent decades. To overcome the challenge of orientation controllability, we developed a feasible and efficient method for manipulating the orientation of LIPSS in real time. Specifically, we used orthogonally polarized and equal-energy femtosecond laser (50 fs, 800 nm) double-pulse trains with time delay about 1ps, total peak laser fluence about 1.0 J/cm2, laser repetition frequency at 100 Hz and scanning speed at 150 μm/s to manipulate the LIPSS orientation on silicon surfaces perpendicular to the scanning direction, regardless of the scanning paths. The underlying mechanism is attributed to the periodic energy deposition along the direction of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), which can be controlled oriented along the scanning direction in orthogonally polarized femtosecond laser double-pulse trains surface scan processing. An application of structural colors presents the functionality of our method

New cell separation technique for the isolation and analysis of cells from biological mixtures in forensic caseworks

Aim To isolate mucosal cells of the perpetrator in a sexual assault case from a complex mixture of his mucosal cells and the victim’s skin by micromanipulation prior to genomic analysis. Methods To capture and analyze mucosal cells we used the micromanipulation with on-chip low volume polymerase chain reaction (LV-PCR). Consensus DNA profiles were generated from 5 replicate experiments. Results and conclusions We validated the use of micromanipulation with on-chip LV-PCR for genomic analysis of complex biological mixtures in a fatal rape case. The perpetrator’s mucosal cells were captured from nipple swabs of the victim, and a single-source DNA profile was generated from cell mixtures. These data suggest that micromanipulation with on-chip LV-PCR is an effective forensic tool for the analysis of specific cells from complex samples

Pleiotropic Roles of ChSat4 in Asexual Development, Cell Wall Integrity Maintenance, and Pathogenicity in Colletotrichum higginsianum

Potassium has an important role to play in multiple cellular processes. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the serine/threonine (S/T) kinase Sat4/Hal4 is required for potassium accumulation, and thus, regulates the resistance to sodium salts and helps in the stabilization of other plasma membrane transporters. However, the functions of Sat4 in filamentous phytopathogenic fungi are largely unknown. In this study, ChSat4, the yeast Sat4p homolog in Colletotrichum higginsianum, has been identified. Target deletion of ChSAT4 resulted in defects in mycelial growth and sporulation. Intracellular K+ accumulation was significantly decreased in the ChSAT4 deletion mutant. Additionally, the ΔChsat4 mutant showed defects in cell wall integrity, hyperoxide stress response, and pathogenicity. Localization pattern analysis indicated ChSat4 was localized in the cytoplasm. Furthermore, ChSat4 showed high functional conservation with the homolog FgSat4 in Fusarium graminearum. Taken together, our data indicated that ChSat4 was important for intracellular K+ accumulation and infection morphogenesis in C. higginsianum

Ethnopharmacokinetic- and Activity-Guided Isolation of a New Antidepressive Compound from Fructus Aurantii Found in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Chaihu-Shugan-San: A New Approach and Its Application

Aims. We aimed to identify an antidepressive compound found in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) by a new approach called ethnopharmacokinetic- and activity-guided isolation (EAGI). Methods. The new approach targets an unknown chromatographic peak produced by an absorbed compound found in oral Chaihu-Shugan-San (CSS) taken by patients with depression. Once the compound was isolated from Fructus Aurantii (FA), spectral data was employed to identify the compound. The effects of this compound, FA, and CSS on depressive behaviors were investigated. Results. The identified compound was merazin hydrate (MH) according to the new approach. MH, FA, and CSS significantly reduced immobility time and increased locomotor activity. The effects of MH, FA and CSS were similar to Fluoxetine at high doses. Conclusion. MH, a compound whose antidepressive effect is similar to FA and CSS, was isolated for the first time from FA via targeting its corresponding unknown chromatographic peak, and its antidepressive effect was compared with FA or CSS. These findings highlight the potential for drug R&D and pharmacological research of ∼100,000 TCMs