How heavy is the medical expense burden among the older adults and what are the contributing factors? A literature review and problem-based analysis

In recent years, the aging population and increasing medical expenses among the older adults have emerged as significant public health concerns. National governments must conduct medical expense accounting and implement measures to reduce the burden of medical costs on the older population. However, limited studies have focused on total medical expenditure from a macro perspective, with many researches exploring individual medical expenses from different perspectives. This review introduces the trend of population aging and its impact on health cost change, reviews research on the medical expense burden of the older population and contributing factors, and points out underlying problems and limitations of current studies. Based on the present studies, the review emphasizes the necessity of medical expense accounting and analyzes the medical expense burden of the older population. Future studies should explore the impacts of medical insurance funds and health service system reforms on reducing medical expenses and developing a supporting medical insurance reform plan

A review of stress-induced hyperglycaemia in the context of acute ischaemic stroke: Definition, underlying mechanisms, and the status of insulin therapy

The transient elevation of blood glucose produced following acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) has been described as stress-induced hyperglycaemia (SIH). SIH is common even in patients with AIS who have no previous diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Elevated blood glucose levels during admission and hospitalization are strongly associated with enlarged infarct size and adverse prognosis in AIS patients. However, insulin-intensive glucose control therapy defined by admission blood glucose for SIH has not achieved the desired results, and new treatment ideas are urgently required. First, we explore the various definitions of SIH in the context of AIS and their predictive value in adverse outcomes. Then, we briefly discuss the mechanisms by which SIH arises, describing the dual effects of elevated glucose levels on the central nervous system. Finally, although preclinical studies support lowering blood glucose levels using insulin, the clinical outcomes of intensive glucose control are not promising. We discuss the reasons for this phenomenon

Cassava genome from a wild ancestor to cultivated varieties

Cassava is a major tropical food crop in the Euphorbiaceae family that has high carbohydrate production potential and adaptability to diverse environments. Here we present the draft genome sequences of a wild ancestor and a domesticated variety of cassava and comparative analyses with a partial inbred line. We identify 1,584 and 1,678 gene models specific to the wild and domesticated varieties, respectively, and discover high heterozygosity and millions of single-nucleotide variations. Our analyses reveal that genes involved in photosynthesis, starch accumulation and abiotic stresses have been positively selected, whereas those involved in cell wall biosynthesis and secondary metabolism, including cyanogenic glucoside formation, have been negatively selected in the cultivated varieties, reflecting the result of natural selection and domestication. Differences in microRNA genes and retrotransposon regulation could partly explain an increased carbon flux towards starch accumulation and reduced cyanogenic glucoside accumulation in domesticated cassava. These results may contribute to genetic improvement of cassava through better understanding of its biology

Susceptibility of Goldfish to Cyprinid Herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2) SH01 Isolated from Cultured Crucian Carp

Cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2), a member of the Alloherpesviridae family belonging to the genus Cyprinivirus, is a fatal contagious aquatic pathogen that affects goldfish (Carassius auratus) and crucian carp (Carassius carassius). Although crucian carp and goldfish belong to the genus Carassius, it is unclear whether they are susceptible to the same CyHV-2 isolate. In addition, the origin of the crucian carp-derived CyHV-2 virus isolate remains unclear. CyHV-2 SH01 was isolated during herpesviral hematopoietic necrosis disease (HVHN) outbreaks in crucian carp at a local fish farm near Shanghai. CyHV-2 SH01 was confirmed by PCR and Western blot analysis of kidney, spleen, muscle, and blood tissue from the diseased crucian carp. Moreover, histopathological and ultra-pathological analyses revealed pathological changes characteristic of CyHV-2 SH01 infection in the tissues of the diseased crucian carp. In the present study, goldfish and crucian carp were challenged with CyHV-2 SH01 to elucidate viral virulence. We found that CyHV-2 SH01 could cause rapid and fatal disease progression in goldfish and crucian carp 24 h post-injection at 28 °C. Experimental infection of goldfish by injection indicated that the average virus titer in the kidney of the goldfish was 103.47 to 103.59 copies/mg. In addition, tissues exhibited the most prominent histopathological changes (cellular wrinkling and shrinkage, cytoplasmic vacuolation, fusion of the gill lamellae, and hepatic congestion) in CyHV-2 SH01-infected goldfish and crucian carp. Thus, crucian carp and goldfish showed a high sensitivity, with typical symptoms, to HVHN disease caused by CyHV-2 SH01

Prediction and Health Risk Assessment of Copper, Lead, Cadmium, Chromium, and Nickel in Tieguanyin Tea: A Case Study from Fujian, China

Heavy metal is widespread in food and the environment due to multiple origins, raising concerns over their persistent potential health risks. Contamination of multiple heavy metals in tea leaves is frequently reported. However, the dietary exposure risk that heavy metals in Tieguanyin tea (a famous type of oolong tea,) pose to different subpopulations has not been explored. In this study, contaminations of five heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Ni) of concern in Tieguanyin tea were monitored, then the related health risk was assessed for six different subpopulations based on tea brewing experiments and a previous consumption survey. Results show that the mean levels found were as follows: 8.18 mg/kg (Cu), 0.84 mg/kg (Pb), 0.51 mg/kg (Cr), 0.04 mg/kg (Cd), and 1.90 mg/kg (Ni), respectively, and their transfer rates during tea brewing varied within 10.2–70.4%. All estimated daily intakes of individual targeted elements via Tieguanying tea consumption were far below their corresponding tolerable limits. The adjusted hazard index value ranged from 1.1 × 10−2 to 1.7 × 10−2, indicating that exposure to these five elements via drinking Tieguanyin tea would not pose significant non-cancer risks for six subpopulations under the current consumption habit. In addition, the carcinogenic risks associated with heavy metals (Pb, Cd, and Cr) were acceptable because no total cancer risk values exceeded the 10−4 threshold. However, in order to improve consumer protection, we still suggest that considerable attention should be paid to Pb, Ni, and Cd because of their high concentration in infusion, high extraction rate, and major carcinogenic risk contribution, respectively

Genetic Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from Zoo Wildlife and Pet Birds in Fujian, China

Background: Toxoplasmosis, a worldwide zoonotic disease, is caused by Toxo­plasma gondii. The distribution of genetic diversity of T. gondii in wild animals is of great importance to understand the transmission of the parasite in the environ­ment. However, little is known about T. gondii prevalence in wild animals and birds in China. Methods: We conducted the genetic characterization of T. gondii isolated from Zoo Wild Animals and Pet Birds in Fujian Province, Southeastern China. Heart tissues were collected from 45 zoo animals and 140 pet birds. After identified using B1 gene, the genetic diversity of T. gondii isolates were typed at 11 genetic markers, including SAG1,5’ and3’-SAG2, alternative SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, Apico, and CS3. Results: Seven of 45 zoo animals and 3 of 140 pet birds were positive by PCR amplifi­cation using T. gondii B1 gene specific primers. Of these positive isolates, 3 isolates from Black-capped (Cebus apella), Peacock (Peafowl) and Budgerigar (Melopsitta­cus undulatus) were successfully genotyped at 11 genetic loci, and grouped to three distinct genotypes: ToxoDB Genotype #9, #2 and #10, respectively. Conclusion: This is the first genotyping of T. gondii isolated from zoo wild animals and pet birds in Fujian, China. There is a potential risk for the transmission of this parasite through zoo wild animals and pet birds in this region

Functionally Distinct Neuronal Ensembles within the Memory Engram

© 2020 Two functionally distinct neuronal ensembles within a single memory engram undergo different learning-induced synaptic modifications and drive memory-guided behaviors in opposite directions

Unconventional ferroelectricity in half-filling states of antiparallel stacking of twisted WSe

We report on emergence of an abnormal electronic polarization in twisted double bilayer WSe2 in antiparallel interface stacking geometry, where local centrosymmetry of atomic registries at the twist interface does not favor the spontaneous electronic polarizations as recently observed in the parallel interface stacking geometry. The unconventional ferroelectric behaviors probed by electronic transport measurement occur at half filling insulating states at 1.5 K and gradually disappear at about 40 K. Single band Hubbard model based on the triangular moiré lattice and the interlayer charge transfer controlled by insulating phase transition are proposed to interpret the formation of electronic polarization states near half filling in twisted WSe2 devices. Our work highlights the prominent role of many-body electronic interaction in fostering novel quantum states in moiré-structured systems