Effects of different transcranial magnetic stimulations on neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury

IntroductionRepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an effective non-invasive cortical stimulation technique in the treatment of neuropathic pain. As a new rTMS technique, intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) is also effective at relieving pain. We aimed to establish the pain-relieving effectiveness of different modalities on neuropathic pain. The study was conducted in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) and different modalities of rTMS.MethodsThirty-seven individuals with SCI were randomly allocated to three groups, in which the “iTBS” group received iTBS, the “rTMS” group received 10 Hz rTMS, and the “iTBS + rTMS” group received iTBS and 10 Hz rTMS successively of the primary motor cortex 5 days a week for 4 weeks, and they all underwent the full procedures. The primary outcome measure was change in the visual analog scale (VAS), and the secondary outcomes were measured using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). All the outcomes were evaluated at 1 day before stimulation (baseline), 1 day after the first week of stimulation (S1), and 1 day after the last stimulation (S2).ResultsThe VAS scores showed significant pain improvement after 4 weeks of stimulation (p = 0.0396, p = 0.0396, and p = 0.0309, respectively) but not after 1 week of stimulation. HAM-D scores declined, but the decreases were not significant until 4 weeks later (p = 0.0444, p = 0.0315, and p = 0.0447, respectively). PSQI scores were also significantly decreased after 4 weeks of stimulation (p = 0.0446, p = 0.0244, and p = 0.0088, respectively). Comparing the three modalities, VAS, HAM-D, and PSQI scores at S1 showed no differences, and, at S2, VAS scores showed significant differences (p = 0.0120; multiple comparisons showed significant differences between iTBS and iTBS + rTMS, p = 0.0091), while the HAM-D and PSQI scores showed no differences.DiscussionThe primary and secondary outcomes all showed significant improvement, indicating that the three different modalities were all effective at relieving the pain. However, not all the three stimulations were of same effectiveness after treatment; there were statistical differences in the treatment of neuropathic pain between iTBS as a priming stimulus and as a single procedure

Cell Wall Invertase 3 Affects Cassava Productivity via Regulating Sugar Allocation From Source to Sink

Storage roots are the main sink for photo-assimilate accumulation and reflect cassava yield and productivity. Regulation of sugar partitioning from leaves to storage roots has not been elucidated. Cell wall invertases are involved in the hydrolysis of sugar during phloem unloading of vascular plants to control plant development and sink strength but have rarely been studied in root crops like cassava. MeCWINV3 encodes a typical cell wall invertase in cassava and is mainly expressed in vascular bundles. The gene is highly expressed in leaves, especially mature leaves, in response to diurnal rhythm. When MeCWINV3 was overexpressed in cassava, sugar export from leaves to storage roots was largely inhibited and sucrose hydrolysis in leaves was accelerated, leading to increased transient starch accumulation by blocking starch degradation and reduced overall plant growth. The progress of leaf senescence was promoted in the MeCWINV3 over-expressed cassava plants with increased expression of senescence-related genes. Storage root development was also delayed because of dramatically reduced sugar allocation from leaves. As a result, the transcriptional expression of starch biosynthetic genes such as small subunit ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, granule-bound starch synthase I, and starch branching enzyme I was reduced in accordance with insufficient sugar supply in the storage roots of the transgenic plants. These results show that MeCWINV3 regulates sugar allocation from source to sink and maintains sugar balance in cassava, thus affecting yield of cassava storage roots

Effects of acidification on nitrification and associated nitrous oxide emission in estuarine and coastal waters

In the context of an increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) level, acidification of estuarine and coastal waters is greatly exacerbated by land-derived nutrient inputs, coastal upwelling, and complex biogeochemical processes. A deeper understanding of how nitrifiers respond to intensifying acidification is thus crucial to predict the response of estuarine and coastal ecosystems and their contribution to global climate change. Here, we show that acidification can significantly decrease nitrification rate but stimulate generation of byproduct nitrous oxide (N2O) in estuarine and coastal waters. By varying CO2 concentration and pH independently, an expected beneficial effect of elevated CO2 on activity of nitrifiers (“CO2-fertilization” effect) is excluded under acidification. Metatranscriptome data further demonstrate that nitrifiers could significantly up-regulate gene expressions associated with intracellular pH homeostasis to cope with acidification stress. This study highlights the molecular underpinnings of acidification effects on nitrification and associated greenhouse gas N2O emission, and helps predict the response and evolution of estuarine and coastal ecosystems under climate change and human activities.publishedVersio

Genome editing reveals dmrt1 as an essential male sex-determining gene in Chinese tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis)

Chinese tongue sole is a marine fish with ZW sex determination. Genome sequencing suggested that the Z-linked dmrt1 is a putative male determination gene, but direct genetic evidence is still lacking. Here we show that TALEN of dmrt1 efficiently induced mutations of this gene. The ZZ dmrt1 mutant fish developed ovary-like testis, and the spermatogenesis was disrupted. The female-related genes foxl2 and cyp19a1a were significantly increased in the gonad of the ZZ dmrt1 mutant. Conversely, the male-related genes Sox9a and Amh were significantly decreased. The dmrt1 deficient ZZ fish grew much faster than ZZ male control. Notably, we obtained an intersex ZW fish with a testis on one side and an ovary on the other side. This fish was chimeric for a dmrt1 mutation in the ovary, and wild-type dmrt1 in the testis. Our data provide the first functional evidence that dmrt1 is a male determining gene in tongue sole

Survey on worldwide trauma team activation requirement

PURPOSE : trauma team activation (TTA) is thought to be essential for advanced and specialized care of very severely injured patients. However, non-specific TTA criteria may result in overtriage that consumes valuable resources or endanger patients in need of TTA secondary to undertriage. Consequently, criterion standard definitions to calculate the accuracy of the various TTA protocols are required for research and quality assurance purposes. Recently, several groups suggested a list of conditions when a trauma team is considered to be essential in the initial care in the emergency room. The objective of the survey was to post hoc identify trauma-related conditions that are thought to require a specialized trauma team that may be widely accepted, independent from the country’s income level. METHODS : A set of questions was developed, centered around the level of agreement with the proposed post hoc criteria to define adequate trauma team activation. The participants gave feedback before they answered the survey to improve the quality of the questions. The finalized survey was conducted using an online tool and a word form. The income per capita of a country was rated according to the World Bank Country and Lending groups. RESULTS : The return rate was 76% with a total of 37 countries participating. The agreement with the proposed criteria to define post hoc correct requirements for trauma team activation was more than 75% for 12 of the 20 criteria. The rate of disagreement was low and varied between zero and 13%. The level of agreement was independent from the country’s level of income. CONCLUSIONS : The agreement on criteria to post hoc define correct requirements for trauma team activation appears high and it may be concluded that the proposed criteria could be useful for most countries, independent from their level of income. Nevertheless, more discussions on an international level appear to be warranted to achieve a full consensus to define a universal set of criteria that will allow for quality assessment of over- and undertriage of trauma team activation as well as for the validation of field triage criteria for the most severely injured patients worldwide.http://link.springer.com/journal/68am2022Surger

CFD-DEM Simulation of Fast Fluidization of Fine Particles in a Micro Riser

In recent years, the discrete element method (DEM) has gradually been applied to the traditional fluidization simulation of fine particles in a micro fluidized bed (MFB). The application of DEM in the simulating fast fluidization of fine particles in MFB has not yet received attention. This article presents a drag model that relies on the surrounding environment of particles, namely the particle circumstance-dependent drag model or PCDD model. Fast fluidization in an MFB of fine particles is simulated using DEM based on the PCDD model. Simulations indicate that the local structure in an MFB exhibits particle aggregation, which is a natural property of fast fluidization, forming a structure where a continuous dilute phase and dispersed concentrated phase coexist. There exists a strong effect of solid back-mixing in an MFB, leading to relatively low outlet solid flux. The gas back-mixing effect is, however, not so distinct. The axial porosity shows a monotonically increasing distribution with the bed height but does not strictly follow the single exponential distribution. The solid volume fraction at the bottom of the bed is significantly lower than the correlated value in CFB. The axial heterogeneous distribution of the cross-sectional average porosity in the lower half of the bed is also weakened. The radial porosity shows a higher distribution pattern in the central region and a lower one in the sidewall region

Site Classification and Analysis in Beijing Based on Geological Factors

The paper involves the application of the surface geological method for regional site classification in Beijing. Geological maps are collected through GIS to create a relationship of classification between the geological factors of the geological maps and the site classification index of the US NEHRP code. First, the site classification of the US NEHRP is obtained, and based on the relationship of conversion, given by Chinese researchers, between the site classification of the US NEHRP and the China’s Code for Seismic Design of Buildings (GB50011-2010), the results of the site classification of Beijing are obtained based on China’s Code (GB50011-2010). Finally, based on the collected borehole data in Beijing, the results of the site classification map are verified and analyzed

Credibility Evaluation of Operational Test Simulation Data under Small Sample Circumstance

It is highly necessary to study how to analyze the reliability of simulation data under small sample circumstance when the number of times live operational test is strictly limited. Based on the analysis of existing test ideas and methods, combined with the characteristics of sequence statistics of uniform distribution, a new method of consistency verification is proposed by constructing the variable-scale differential quotient sequence statistic. The research shows that this method is not limited by the sample size, and the credibility of the simulation data can be quickly judged by MATLAB programming

In Situ Genomics and Transcriptomics of SAR202 Subclusters Revealed Subtle Distinct Activities in Deep-Sea Water

Deep-sea water columns are enriched with SAR202 that may conduct detrital matter degradation. There are several subclusters in SAR202, but their subtle differences in geochemical cycles are largely unknown, particularly for their in situ activities in the marine deep zone. Deep-sea DNA/RNA samples obtained from 12 continuous time periods over two days by in situ nucleic acid collection apparatus were used to re-evaluate the ecological functions of each SAR202 subcluster at a depth of ~1000 m in the South China Sea (SCS). Phylogenomics of 32 new SAR202 genomes from the SCS and western Pacific revealed their distribution in five subclusters. Metatranscriptomics analysis showed that the subclusters II and III were the dominant SAR202 groups with higher transcriptional activities in the SCS deep-sea zone than other subclusters. The analyses of functional gene expression further indicated that SAR202 subclusters II and III might be involved in different metabolic pathways in the deep-sea environment. The SAR202 subcluster III might take part in the degradation of deep-sea aromatic compounds. Time-course metagenomics and metatranscriptomics data did not show metabolic correlation of subclusters II and III over two days, suggesting diversified ecological functions of SAR202 subclusters under different organic inputs from the overlying water column. Collectively, our results indicate that the SAR202 subclusters play different roles in organic degradation and have probably undergone subtle and gradual adaptive evolution in the dynamic environment of the deep ocean

Early Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of Traumatic Aortic Injury Caused by Thoracic and Abdominal Injuries: A Series of Four Cases with Literature Review

Aortic injury, particularly traumatic aortic dissection caused by thoracic and abdominal injuries, is extremely rare. The diagnosis rate of blunt aortic injury caused by chest and abdominal injuries is often low, and its clinical manifestations are atypical. Once missed or misdiagnosed, the consequences are serious. Early diagnosis of traumatic aortic injury in complex thoracic and abdominal injuries is a key factor in reducing the mortality of trauma patients. Among all trauma patients treated in our department from December 2018 to December 2020, we diagnosed four cases of aortic injury, including three cases of aortic dissection and one case of intramural hematoma. Successful surgical treatment and clinical outcome were achieved in all four patients. We found that early diagnosis and surgical treatment can help to reduce the mortality of patients with traumatic aortic injury and improve the prognosis