Effects of Long-Lasting High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Chronic Disorders of Consciousness: A Pilot Study

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) recently was shown to benefit rehabilitation of patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC). However, high-Definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) has not been applied in DOC. In this study, we tried to use HD-tDCS protocol (2 mA, 20 min, the precuneus, and sustaining 14 days) to rehabilitate 11 patients with DOC. Electroencephalography (EEG) and Coma Recovery Scale–Revised (CRS-R) scores were recorded at before (T0), after a single session (T1), after 7 days’ (T2), and 14 days’ HD-tDCS (T3) to assess the modulation effects. EEG coherence was measured to evaluate functional connectivity during the experiment. It showed that 9 patients’ scores increased compared with the baseline. The central-parietal coherence significantly decreased in the delta band in patients with DOC. EEG coherence might be useful for assessing the effect of HD-tDCS in patients with DOC. Long-lasting HD-tDCS over the precuneus is promising for the treatment of patients with DOC

γδ T Cells Provide Protective Function in Highly Pathogenic Avian H5N1 Influenza A Virus Infection

Given the high mortality rate (>50%) and potential danger of intrapersonal transmission, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 epidemics still pose a significant threat to humans. γδ T cells, which participate on the front line of the host immune defense, demonstrate both innate, and adaptive characteristics in their immune response and have potent antiviral activity against various viruses. However, the roles of γδ T cells in HPAI H5N1 viral infection remain unclear. In this study, we found that γδ T cells provided a crucial protective function in the defense against HPAI H5N1 viral infection. HPAI H5N1 viruses could directly activate γδ T cells, leading to enhanced CD69 expression and IFN-γ secretion. Importantly, we found that the trimer but not the monomer of HPAI H5N1 virus hemagglutinin (HA) proteins could directly activate γδ T cells. HA-induced γδ T cell activation was dependent on both sialic acid receptors and HA glycosylation, and this activation could be inhibited by the phosphatase calcineurin inhibitor cyclosporin A but not by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) inhibitors wortmannin and LY294002. Our findings provide a further understanding the mechanism underlying γδ T cell-mediated innate and adoptive immune responses against HPAI H5N1 viral infection, which helps to develop novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of H5N1 infection in the future

Rare cavernous hemangioma of adrenal gland: case report

CONTEXT:Cavernous hemangiomas of the adrenal gland are rare benign neoplastic tumors. The clinical presentation of adrenal hemangiomas is usually vague, and they are often discovered incidentally through imaging examination s performed for other reasons.CASE REPORT:We report the case of a non-functional adrenal hemangioma found incidentally in a 37-year-old man with a one-year history of headache and hypertension. A right adrenal mass was detected by means of magnetic resonance imaging. Physical examination and all laboratory values were unremarkable. The patient underwent laparoscopic right adrenal gland resection. Histopathological evaluation confirmed adrenal cavernous hemangioma.CONCLUSIONS:Most occurrences of cavernous hemangiomas of the adrenal gland are non-functional and often discovered incidentally. Although rare, these unusual benign adrenal masses should form part of the differential diagnosis of adrenal neoplasms. The proper treatment for adrenal cavernous hemangioma is surgical removal

Synergistic Effect of MiR-146a Mimic and Cetuximab on Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Previously, we found that the expression of microRNA-146a (miR-146a) was downregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues compared to the adjacent noncancerous hepatic tissues. In the current study, we have explored the in vitro effect of miR-146a on the malignant phenotypes of HCC cells. MiR-146a mimic could suppress cell growth and increase cellular apoptosis in HCC cell lines HepG2, HepB3, and SNU449, as assessed by spectrophotometry, fluorimetry, and fluorescence microscopy, respectively. Furthermore, western blot showed that miR-146a mimic downregulated EGFR, ERK1/2, and stat5 signalings. These effects were less potent compared to that of a siRNA targeting EGFR, a known target gene of miR-146a. Moreover, miR-146a mimic could enhance the cell growth inhibition and apoptosis induction impact of various EGFR targeting agents. The most potent combination was miR-146a mimic with cetuximab, presenting a synergistic effect. In conclusion, miR-146a plays a vital role in the cell growth and apoptosis of HCC cells and inducing miR-146a level might be a critical targeted molecular therapy strategy for HCC

Analytical analyses of the effect of filled karst cavern on tunnel lining structure under complex geological conditions

In this study, based on the elastic foundation beam theory, a local elastic foundation model has been developed. Using the model, the mechanical characteristics of the effect of tunnel-filled karst on the lining structure has been investigated. Incorporating the characteristic of the karst area, the formulas for the displacement, bending moment, and shear force of an equivalent beam have been derived. By applying the formulas to a beam under different working conditions, such as different cavern sizes and different compression modulus ratios of the filling media, analyses of the mechanical states have been carried out. The results show that if the compression modulus ratio of different filling media is close to unity, the effect of the cave on the lining structure is very small. On the other hand, if the ratio is much less than unity, the effect is more significant. The effect on the stability of the lining structure is greater for the larger caves, and smaller for the smaller caves. For the tunnel bottom equivalent beam, its bending point is at the point where the cave is in contact with the surrounding rock. Further, the maximum shear force is at the contact surface. For a beam that is closer to the karst, the displacement is larger. Under this situation, the beam section is in an adverse force state and prone to cracks. The results from this study can be used as a significant guide for the design, maintenance and construction of a tunnel which has a cavern at the base of the tunnel