No copper supplementation in a corn-soybean basal diet has no adverse effects on late-phase laying hens under normal and cyclic high temperatures

Over supplementation of copper (Cu) in animal diets may cause serious pollution in soil, water and harvested crops. To minimize the potential pollution, the effects of corn-soybean basal diet with or without supplementation of 8 mg Cu/kg on laying performance, plasma biochemical metabolic indices, and antioxidant status in laying hens were evaluated under normal and cyclic high temperatures. A total of 240 Hy-Line Brown laying hens were randomly allotted to 4 treatments with 6 replicates of 10 hens per replicate according to factorial design involved in 2 temperatures [normal temperature (NT) vs. cyclic high temperature (CHT)] and 2 dietary Cu addition amount [Cu0 (0 mg/kg) vs. Cu8 (8 mg/kg in the form of CuSO4·5H2O)]. The experimental period included 1-week adaptation, 2-week heat stress and 2-week convalescence. The temperatures of NT groups in the same period or any groups during other periods were kept at 26 ± 2°C except that of CHT groups were 26 ± 2°C∼33 ± 2°C cyclically during heat stress period. CHT groups increased (P < 0.05) the rectal temperature and plasma glucose content under heat stress, but decreased (P < 0.01) the egg yield at the second week of heat stress and the first week of convalescence, and the plasma triglyceride, uric acid, and triiodothyronine levels under heat stress. Cu8 groups increased (P < 0.05) egg weight at the first week of convalescence, and plasma thyroxin level during the whole convalescence. Interactions between temperature and Cu content existed (P < 0.05) in the laying rate at the first week of convalescence, and the plasma lactic dehydrogenase level under heat stress. Conclusively, the CHT impaired laying performance. The Cu content (10.3 mg/kg) in corn-soybean basal diet might be sufficient for meeting the maintenance and production requirements of late-phase laying hens, and no Cu supplementation had no adverse effects on egg production and antioxidant indices under cyclic high (26 ± 2°C∼33 ± 2°C) or normal (26 ± 2°C) temperatures.

Outbreak of mass mortality of yearling groupers of Epinephelus (Perciformes, Serranidae) associated with the infection of a suspected new enteric Sphaerospora (Myxozoa: Myxosporea) species in South China Sea

A suspected new enteric Sphaerospora species was believed to be directly associated with the mass mortality of yearling groupers of Epinephelus spp. in South China. The epizootic generally emerged from late September to late April of the following year. The infection prevalence and mortality rate were significantly negatively correlated with fish size. Clinical signs included anorexia, cachexia and extrusion of white pulp-like substance from anus after gentle pressure on the abdomen. Upon necropsy, severe intestinal oedema, thin and transparent intestinal wall, swollen spleen, kidney and gall bladder could be observed. Wet preparation of the infected samples showed large amount of typical disporous plasmodia of the genus Sphaerospora, but no mature spores were observed. Epidemiological investigation showed that this parasite exclusively infected Epinephelus groupers. Histopathologically, this species mainly infected the epithelium of intestine and kidney tubules and caused severe epithelia sloughing and the collapse of intestinal villus. Interestingly, this enteric myxosporidiosis did not cause severe emaciation of infected fish for mass mortality usually emerged within 2-3 days after appearance of clinical signs. The species was most genetically related to Sphaerospora fugu (89% sequence identity) and phylogenetically positioned within marine Sphaerospora lineage. This is the first report of enteric sphaerosporosis of groupers.

Precision Measurement of the e^{+}e^{-}→Λ_{c}^{+}Λ[over ¯]_{c}^{-} Cross Section Near Threshold

The cross section of the e^{+}e^{-}→Λ_{c}^{+}Λ[over ¯]_{c}^{-} process is measured with unprecedented precision using data collected with the BESIII detector at sqrt[s]=4574.5, 4580.0, 4590.0 and 4599.5 MeV. The nonzero cross section near the Λ_{c}^{+}Λ[over ¯]_{c}^{-} production threshold is cleared. At center-of-mass energies sqrt[s]=4574.5 and 4599.5 MeV, the higher statistics data enable us to measure the Λ_{c} polar angle distributions. From these, the Λ_{c} electric over magnetic form-factor ratios (|G_{E}/G_{M}|) are measured for the first time. They are found to be 1.14±0.14±0.07 and 1.23±0.05±0.03, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic.

A proteomics analysis reveals that A2M might be regulated by STAT3 in persistent allergic rhinitis

BACKGROUND

Proteomics tools can be used to identify the differentially expressed proteins related to allergic rhinitis (AR). However, the large numbers of proteins related to AR have not yet been explored using an advanced quantitative proteomics approach, known as isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ).

OBJECTIVES

To identify differentially expressed proteins in persistent AR patients and to explore the regulatory signalling pathways involving the identified proteins.

METHODS

Forty-five persistent AR patients and 20 healthy controls were recruited for this study. iTRAQ was used to identify the proteins that were differentially expressed between these two groups, and a bioinformatics analysis was then conducted to identify the signalling pathways associated with the identified proteins. Immunofluorescence labelling was performed to detect alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2M), STAT3, p-STAT3 and IL17 in the nasal mucosa.

RESULTS

A total of 133 differentially expressed proteins were identified. We then determined the top 10 regulatory pathways associated with these proteins and found that the blood coagulation pathway had the most significant association. A2M, a protein involved in the blood coagulation pathway, was found to be differentially expressed in the serum of AR patients. The bioinformatics analysis indicated that STAT3 is an upstream transcription factor that might regulate A2M expression. An immunofluorescence study further confirmed that STAT3 and A2M are co-localized in nasal mucosa cells. Additionally, A2M, STAT3, p-STAT3, and IL17 are elevated in AR patients. The expressional level of A2M is positively related to IL17 and the symptom of the congestion in AR subjects.

CONCLUSIONS

The blood coagulation pathway may be a key regulatory network pathway contributing to the allergic inflammatory response in AR patients. A2M, which is regulated by STAT3, may be an important protein in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis in AR patients.

Stacking fault-mediated ultrastrong nanocrystalline Ti thin films

In this work, we prepared nanocrystalline (NC) Ti thin films with abundant stacking faults (SFs), which were created via partial dislocations emitted from grain boundaries and which were insensitive to grain sizes. By employing the nanoindentation test, we investigated the effects of SFs and grain sizes on the strength of NC Ti films at room temperature. The high density of SFs significantly strengthens NC Ti films, via dislocation-SF interactions associated with the reported highest Hall-Petch slope of ∼20 GPa  nm^1/2, to an ultrahigh strength of ∼4.4 GPa, approaching ∼50% of its ideal strength.

[Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in adults in Shandong province, 2013]

Objective: To understand the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in adults in Shandong province in 2013. Methods: Adults aged ≥18 were selected through multistage clustering sampling in 19 counties and districts in Shandong province. Design-based methods were adopted to analyze the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension among local residents. Results: A total of 11 270 adults aged 18-69 years were surveyed, the prevalence of hypertension was 27.9% (31.4% in males, 24.3% in females) in Shandong province. The awareness rate of hypertension was 37.4% (34.7% in males, 41.0% in females), and the treatment rate of hypertension was 26.6% (23.4% in males, 30.7% in females). The treatment control rate of hypertension was 26.7% (28.3% in males, 25.1% in females) and the control rate of hypertension was 7.1% (6.6% in males, 7.7% in females). Conclusions: The prevalence of hypertension was high, but the awareness rate of hypertension, the treatment rate and the control rate of hypertension were low in adults in Shandong province. It is necessary to strengthen the health education about hypertension in young population, the prevention and control of hypertension in old population and those with low education level, the standardized management of hypertension cases and the reduction of risk factors for hypertension.

[Research advances in the role of sphingolipids in HCV and HBV life cycles]

Sphingolipids and their metabolites are not only important structural molecules of the cell membrane, but also involved in all phases of viral life cycle, including cell adhesion, membrane fusion, viral replication, viral assembly, intracellular transport, protein sorting, and exocytosis. In recent years, sphingolipids have become one of the focuses of lipid research. This article reviews the role of sphingolipids in the life cycles of hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B virus with reference to recent research achievements in China and foreign countries.

[HCV infection and specific T lymphocyte immunity]

Adaptive immunity, especially the cellular immunity mediated by T lymphocytes, plays an important role in the body's fight against hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The clearance of HCV requires a strong, sustained, and multi-epitope response from specific T lymphocytes, and the dysfunction of specific T lymphocytes is the major reason for chronic infection. Effective treatment can restore the function of specific T lymphocytes to a certain extent. This article reviews the features and related mechanisms of immune response from specific T lymphocytes when the prognosis of patients with HCV infection is different.

[Characteristics of allergic conjunctivitis with positive skin prick test]

Objective: To observe the clinical characteristics of allergic conjunctivitis, and the correlations with skin prick test results. Methods: A retrospective study. Forty patients with positive skin prick test result were included. Patients underwent an ophthalmologic examination to identify their primary presenting signs and symptoms. The allergy types were divided into 5 groups. All dates were analyzed for the dependence, normality and homogeneity of variance. Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis H test and Spearman correlation analysis were performed accordingly. Results: Among 40 patients, 18(45.0%) had a clinical diagnosis of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis, 14(35.0%) had perennial allergic conjunctivitis, 5(12.5%) had vernal keratoconjunctivitis, and 2(5.0%) had atopic keratoconjunctivits, and 1(2.5%) had giant papillary conjunctivitis. There was no significant difference in the number of symptoms and signs score among different types of allergic conjunctivitis, the score of itching and hyperemia had a positive relationship with the number of positive allergens (r=0.74, P<0.05. r=0.96, P<0.05). The primary symptoms and signs are itching and hyperemia; dust and pollens are the most common allergens. The more positive result of the test of the allergen, the more symptoms and signs encountered in terms of severity. Conclusion: Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis was the most prevalent disorder, the most important clinical characteristics of allergic conjunctivitis are itching and conjunctival congestion, the main allergens are dust and pollens, patients may be sensitive to multiple allergens. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2017, 53: 689-693).

[Clinical practice of transnasal endoscopic operation for retrobulbar lesions]

Objective: To summarize the skill and experience of transnasal endoscopic operation for retrobulbar lesions. Methods: Seven patients aged from 25 to 67 years old diagnosed as retrobulbar lesions who underwent transnasal endoscopic operation in Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital between January 2013 and October 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Two males and five females were included in this study. Five patients underwent transnasal endoscopic operation via media rectus-inferior rectus space, with the other 2 cases via media rectus-superior rectus space. Results: Total lesion removal was achieved in 6 of 7 patients, while 1 patient underwent subtotal removal of the lesion. The visual acuity and visual field improved in 3 cases. The pathological examination showed hemangioma(5 cases), bone cyst(1 case) and fibroma(1 case). All patients were followed up for 9 months to 4 years without complications such as eye movement disorder or blindness, except for 1 case with preoperatively proptosis occurred postoperatively transient diplopia. There was no recurrence in 6 patients with total lesion removal, and the patient underwent subtotal removal of fibroma did not undertake operation again. Conclusion: Transnasal endoscopic operation for retrobulbar lesions is a minimally invasive, safe and effective operatiiv method, which could be taken via different surgical approaches according to the size and location of the lesion.

[Compliancy of pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV infection in men who have sex with men in Chengdu]

Objective: To evaluate the compliancy of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in men who have sex with men (MSM) in Chengdu, Sichuan province, and explore the influencing factors. Methods: From 1 July 2013 to 30 September 2015, a random, open, multi-center and parallel control intervention study was conducted in 328 MSM enrolled by non-probability sampling in Chengdu. The MSM were divided into 3 groups randomly, i.e. daily group, intermittent group (before and after exposure) and control group. Clinical follow-up and questionnaire survey were carried out every 3 months. Their PrEP compliances were evaluated respectively and multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the related factors. Results: A total of 141 MSM were surveyed, in whom 59(41.8%) had good PrEP compliancy. The PrEP compliancy rate was 69.0% in daily group, higher than that in intermittent group (14.3%), the difference had significance (χ(2)=45.29,P<0.001). Multivariate logistic analysis indicated that type of PrEP was the influencing factors of PrEP compliancy. Compared with daily group, the intermittent group had worse PrEP compliancy (OR=0.07, 95%CI: 0.03-0.16). Conclusion: The PrEP compliance of the MSM in this study was poor, the compliancy would be influenced by the type of PrEP.

Determination of the Spin and Parity of the Z_{c}(3900)

The spin and parity of the Z_{c}(3900)^{±} state are determined to be J^{P}=1^{+} with a statistical significance larger than 7σ over other quantum numbers in a partial wave analysis of the process e^{+}e^{-}→π^{+}π^{-}J/ψ. We use a data sample of 1.92  fb^{-1} accumulated at sqrt[s]=4.23 and 4.26 GeV with the BESIII experiment. When parametrizing the Z_{c}(3900)^{±} with a Flatté-like formula, we determine its pole mass M_{pole}=(3881.2±4.2_{stat}±52.7_{syst})  MeV/c^{2} and pole width Γ_{pole}=(51.8±4.6_{stat}±36.0_{syst})  MeV. We also measure cross sections for the process e^{+}e^{-}→Z_{c}(3900)^{+}π^{-}+c.c.→J/ψπ^{+}π^{-} and determine an upper limit at the 90% confidence level for the process e^{+}e^{-}→Z_{c}(4020)^{+}π^{-}+c.c.→J/ψπ^{+}π^{-}.

MALT1 promotes melanoma progression through JNK/c-Jun signaling

Mucosa-associated lymphoma antigen 1 (MALT1) is a lymphoma oncogene that regulates signal transduction as a paracaspase and an adaptor protein. Yet, the role of MALT1 in other solid cancers such as melanoma is not well-understood. Here, we demonstrate that MALT1 is overexpressed in malignant melanoma cells, and predicts a poor disease-free survival. MALT1 inhibition via shRNA-mediated gene silencing or pharmacologically with MI-2 compound markedly reduced cell growth and migration of A2058 and A375 melanoma cell lines in vitro. Subcutaneous tumor growth analysis revealed that MALT1 gene silencing significantly reduced tumor growth and metastasis to the lung. Consistently, the subcutaneous tumors with MALT1 loss had increased cell apoptosis and decreased proliferation. In addition, these tumors showed signs of mesenchymal–epithelial transition as indicated by the upregulation of E-cadherin and downregulation of N-cadherin and β1-intergrin. Further molecular analysis revealed that MALT1 is required for c-Jun and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation by tumor necrosis factor-α. Forced expression of the c-Jun upstream activator MKK7 reversed the cell growth and migration defects caused by MALT1 loss. In contrast, NF-κB activation via expression of p65ER, a fusion protein containing NF-κB p65 and the tamoxifen-responsive mutant estrogen receptor, induced minimal effects on cell proliferation, but diminished cell death induced by MALT1 loss and TRAIL treatment. Together, these findings demonstrate that MALT1 promotes melanoma cell proliferation and motility through JNK/c-Jun, and enhances melanoma cell survival through NF-κB, underscoring MALT1 as a potential therapeutic target and biomarker for malignant melanoma.

[Clinical treatment of metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma in cervical lymph nodal with occult primary sites]

Objective:To discuss the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma in cervical lymph nodal with occult primary sites. Method:The clinical data of 5 patients involved papillary thyroid carcinoma with cervical lymph nodal metastasis with occult primary sites from 2009 to 2015 were analyzed. Result:According to preoperation examinations, two of them only underwent neck lymph node resection and three patients underwent asubtotal or total thyroidectomy plus neck lymph node dissection. All the pathological results showed that there were metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma in cervical lymph nodal, but the primary sites of thyroid tissue were normal. After 1 to 7 year follow-up, there was no recurrence. Conclusion:Whether to take the thyroidectomy need to be carefully considered thyroidectomy in patients with metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma in cervical lymph nodal with occult primary sites.

[Morphology character and reduction methods of sagittally unstable intertrochanteric fractures]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the morphology character of sagittally unstable intertrochanteric fractures and reduction methods.

METHODS

A retrospective study was used to analyze the clinical data of sagittally unstable intertrochanteric fractures cases, which were treated with proximal femoral nail anti-rotation (PFNA) fixation from March 2009 to June 2016. In the study, 36 cases were followed up completely, in which 17 cases accepted open reduction, and the other 19 cases accepted minimally invasive reduction. The operation time, amount of bleeding, the fluoroscopy times, postoperative radiographic measurements, such as tip-apex distance (TAD) and sliding distance of the spiral screw, and hip Harris scores were analyzed. The morphology character of the fractures was documented and investigated.

RESULTS

The average follow-up time was 15 months. The amount of bleeding of the open reduction group was (170.5±19.7) mL, and the amount of bleeding of the minimally invasive group was (54.7±12.5) mL. The amount of bleeding of the minimally invasive group was significantly less than that of the open reduction group (P<0.001). Between the two groups, there were no significant differences in other evaluation parameter, including operation time (P=0.054), the fluoroscopy times (P=0.053), fracture healing time (P=0.305), postoperative radiographic measurements, such as TAD (P=0.317) and sliding distance of the spiral screw (P=0.206), and hip Harris scores (P=0.459). In regard to morphology character of the fractures, the proximal anterior unstable fractures with separation displacement were more common than the proximal posterior unstable fractures with impaction. The characteristic feature of the proximal anterior unstable fractures was the proximal anterior and medial long oblique fracture, and a V shape cortical defect in the distal fracture fragment on the externally rotation X-ray.

CONCLUSION

Sagittally unstable intertrochanteric fractures can be divided into the proximal anterior unstable fractures with separation displacement, and the proximal posterior unstable fractures with impaction. The two types have their own morphology character individually. The reduction should be performed by minimally invasive techniques.

Redescription of Chloromyxum ellipticum Li & Nie, 1973 (Myxosporea: Chloromyxidae) infecting the gall bladder of grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idellus Valenciennes, 1844, supplemented by morphological and molecular characteristics

The traditional taxonomy of the genus Chloromyxum Mingazzini, 1890 has been intensively challenged to be paraphyletic by recent ribosomal DNA (rDNA)-based phylogenetic analysis. Undersampling to get rich sequence data to infer more scientific phylogenetic relationships makes scientists conservatively assign all non-marine elasmobranch-infecting species as Chloromyxum sensu lato. Although complex ridge pattern on the spore surface observed by scanning electron microscopy was thought to be critical for the identification of Chloromyxum species, insufficient data also prevent this ultrastructural data to be a valid taxonomic feature for this genus. It is especial for Chloromyxum species to be reported in China. Molecular and ultrastructural characteristics are yet available for all 22 Chloromyxum species recorded in China. During the investigation of the diversity of coelozoic fish myxosporeans, Chloromyxum ellipticum Li & Nie, 1973 was found to highly infect the gall bladder of Ctenopharyngodon idellus Valenciennes, 1844 in Poyang Lake watershed of Jiangxi province, Eastern China. Here, we redescribed it by the currently recommended holistic approach of combining morphological, ultrastructural, and molecular characteristics. Mature spores were found floating free in the gall bladder, but no plasmodium observed. Spores are typical freshwater teleost-infecting Chloromyxum species, spherical or subspherical in lateral view, measuring 7.7 ± 0.08 μm (6.9-9.1) in length, 6.3 ± 0.09 μm (5.6-7.6) in width, and 5.8 ± 0.20 μm (5.2-6.3) in thickness. Four pyriform polar capsules, located at the anterior end of the spores, were equal in size, 3.3 ± 0.06 μm (2.2-4.1) long and 2.1 ± 0.03 μm (1.7-2.5) wide. Polar filaments coiled with four to five turns. Two equal spore valves are symmetrical, with 10-16 surface extrasutural ridges per valve, aligned along the longitudinal axis. The obtained partial 18S rDNA of C. ellipticum did not match any sequences available in GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis showed that C. ellipticum clustered firstly with Chloromyxum legeri with robust nodal support and grouped then with urinary system of freshwater teleost-infecting Chloromyxum clade, rather than other gall bladder of freshwater teleost-infecting clade.

Observation of Λ_{c}^{+}→nK_{S}^{0}π^{+}

We report the first direct measurement of decays of the Λ_{c}^{+} baryon involving the neutron. The analysis is performed using 567  pb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} collision data collected at sqrt[s]=4.599  GeV with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider. We observe the decay Λ_{c}^{+}→nK_{S}^{0}π^{+} and measure the absolute branching fraction to be B(Λ_{c}^{+}→nK_{S}^{0}π^{+})=[1.82±0.23(stat)±0.11(syst)]%. A comparison to B[Λ_{c}^{+}→p(K[over ¯]π)^{0}] provides an important test of isospin symmetry and final state interactions.

Precise Measurement of the e^{+}e^{-}→π^{+}π^{-}J/ψ Cross Section at Center-of-Mass Energies from 3.77 to 4.60 GeV

The cross section for the process e^{+}e^{-}→π^{+}π^{-}J/ψ is measured precisely at center-of-mass energies from 3.77 to 4.60 GeV using 9  fb^{-1} of data collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring. Two resonant structures are observed in a fit to the cross section. The first resonance has a mass of (4222.0±3.1±1.4)  MeV/c^{2} and a width of (44.1±4.3±2.0)  MeV, while the second one has a mass of (4320.0±10.4±7.0)  MeV/c^{2} and a width of (101.4_{-19.7}^{+25.3}±10.2)  MeV, where the first errors are statistical and second ones are systematic. The first resonance agrees with the Y(4260) resonance reported by previous experiments. The precision of its resonant parameters is improved significantly. The second resonance is observed in e^{+}e^{-}→π^{+}π^{-}J/ψ for the first time. The statistical significance of this resonance is estimated to be larger than 7.6σ. The mass and width of the second resonance agree with the Y(4360) resonance reported by the BABAR and Belle experiments within errors. Finally, the Y(4008) resonance previously observed by the Belle experiment is not confirmed in the description of the BESIII data.

Evidence of Two Resonant Structures in e^{+}e^{-}→π^{+}π^{-}h_{c}

The cross sections of e^{+}e^{-}→π^{+}π^{-}h_{c} at center-of-mass energies from 3.896 to 4.600 GeV are measured using data samples collected with the BESIII detector operating at the Beijing Electron Positron Collider. The cross sections are found to be of the same order of magnitude as those of e^{+}e^{-}→π^{+}π^{-}J/ψ and e^{+}e^{-}→π^{+}π^{-}ψ(2S), but the line shape is inconsistent with the Y states observed in the latter two modes. Two structures are observed in the e^{+}e^{-}→π^{+}π^{-}h_{c} cross sections around 4.22 and 4.39  GeV/c^{2}, which we call Y(4220) and Y(4390), respectively. A fit with a coherent sum of two Breit-Wigner functions results in a mass of (4218.4_{-4.5}^{+5.5}±0.9)  MeV/c^{2} and a width of (66.0_{-8.3}^{+12.3}±0.4)  MeV for the Y(4220), and a mass of (4391.5_{-6.8}^{+6.3}±1.0)  MeV/c^{2} and a width of (139.5_{-20.6}^{+16.2}±0.6)  MeV for the Y(4390), where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second ones systematic. The statistical significance of Y(4220) and Y(4390) is 10σ over one structure assumption.

NaYbF4 nanoparticles as near infrared light excited inorganic photosensitizers for deep penetration in photodynamic therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a non-invasive therapy with many advantages over other therapeutic methods, but it is restricted to treat superficial cancers due to the shallow tissue penetration of visible light. The biological window in the near infrared region (NIR) offers hope to extend the penetration depth, but there is no natural NIR excited photosensitizer. Here, we report a novel photosensitizer: NaYbF₄ nanoparticles (NPs). By using a 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) sensor, we show that the Yb³⁺ ions can absorb the NIR light and transfer energy directly to oxygen to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). The efficiency of transferring energy to oxygen by NaYbF₄ NPs is comparable to that of traditional photosensitizers. We have carried out PDT both in vitro and in vivo based on NaYbF₄ NPs; the results demonstrate that NaYbF₄ NPs are indeed an effective NIR photosensitizer, which can help extend the application of PDT to solid tumors owing to the much deeper penetration depth of NIR light.

[A trend analysis of the incidence of occupational diseases in Chongqing, China, from 2006 to 2014]

Objective: To investigate the incidence of occupational diseases in Chongqing, China, from 2006 to 2014, and to analyze the harm, features, and trend of occupational diseases in Chongqing. Methods: The data of new cases of occupational diseases from 2006 to 2014 were collected, and the patients with a confirmed diagnosis of occupational diseases were selected as study subjects to analyze the incidence of occupational diseases in Chongqing. Results: There were 17499 cases of occupational diseases in total in Chongqing from 2006 to 2014. Among these patients, 17124 (97.86%) were male, most of whom (95.40%) had occupational pneumoconiosis, and 375 (2.14%) were female, most of whom (72.80%) had occupational chemical poisoning. There were 16400 cases (93.72%) of occupational pneumoconiosis in total, mainly coal workers' pneumoconiosis (55.87%) and silicosis (43.02%) , and the main industries involved were coal mining and washing, railway transport equipment manufacturing, and mining and washing of bituminous coal and anthracite. There were 724 cases of occupational poisoning in total; there were 281 cases of acute occupational poisoning, mainly gas poisoning (39.86%) and carbon monoxide poisoning (33.10%) ; there were 443 cases of chronic occupational poisoning, mainly poisoning caused by benzene (47.63%) , mercury and its inorganic compounds (32.74%) , and lead and its inorganic compounds (9.03%) . Conclusion: Occupational diseases in Chongqing are mainly occupational pneumoconiosis, and occupational health supervision should be enhanced in the industries of coal mining and washing and railway transport equipment manufacturing to protect workers' health.

[Trigemino-cardiac reflex in skull base surgery]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the mechanism, clinical features, and prognosis of Trigemino-cardiac reflex (TCR) during skull base operations.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed on 291 patients with skull base disease from Jan. 2009 to Oct. 2015 in Peking University First Hospital. By reviewing the patients' operative data and anaesthetic electrical record, and we picked out all the patients who suffered from TCR during the operation and analyzed their surgical procedures, clinical features, influence factors, and prognosis. TCR was defined as a drop in mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) and the heart rate (HR) of more than 20% to the baseline values before the stimulus and coinciding with the manipulation of the trigeminal nerve.

RESULTS

In all the 291 patients receiving skull base surgery, 9 patients suffering TCR for 19 times during the operation were found. These 9 cases included three acoustice schwannomas, one trigeminal schwannoma, one petroclival meningioma, one epidermoid cyst in cerebellopontine angle, one cavernous sinus cavernous hemangioma, one pituitary adenoma, and one trigeminal neuralgia. The trigger of TCR was related to manipulation, retraction, and stimulation of the trunk or branches of trigeminal nerve. The baseline heart rate was 62-119/min [mean (79.4±14.6) /min] and dropped about 29.0%-66.4% (mean 44.3%) to 22-60 /min [mean (44.2±9.6) /min] after TCR. The baseline mean arterial blood pressure was 75-103 mmHg [mean (87.5±7.8) mmHg] and dropped about 23.4%-47.2% (mean 37.3%) to 45-67 mmHg [mean (54.9±6.3) mmHg] after TCR. During the 19 times of TCR, heart rate and blood pressure could return to baseline in a short time while stopping manipulation (8 times), using atropine (8 times, dose 0.5-1.0 mg, mean 0.69 mg), using ephedrine hydrochloride (one time, 15 mg), using epinephrine (one time, 1 mg), and using dopamine (one time, 2 mg). TCR also could be triggered again by a second stimulation. There was no relative cardiologic complication or neurological deficit in the postoperative 24 hours.

CONCLUSION

TCR is a short neural reflex with a drop in blood pressure and heart rate coinciding with the manipulation of the trigeminal nerve in skull base surgery. Correct recognition, intensive observation, and essential management of TCR will lead to a good prognosis.