In the present paper, we study phase waves of self-sustained oscillators with a nearest-neighbor dispersive coupling on an infinite lattice. To analyze the underlying dynamics, we approximate the lattice with a quasi-continuum (QC). The resulting partial differential model is then further reduced to the Gardner equation, which predicts many properties of the underlying solitary structures. Using an iterative procedure on the original lattice equations, we determine the shapes of solitary waves, kinks, and the flat-like solitons that we refer to as flatons. Direct numerical experiments reveal that the interaction of solitons and flatons on the lattice is notably clean. All in all, we find that both the QC and the Gardner equation predict remarkably well the discrete patterns and their dynamics.In multitask networks, neighboring agents that belong to different clusters pursue different goals, and therefore arbitrary cooperation will lead to a degradation in estimation performance. In this paper, an adaptive clustering method is proposed for distributed estimation that enables agents to distinguish between subneighbors that belong to the same cluster and those that belong to a different cluster. This creates an appropriate degree of cooperation to improve parameter estimation accuracy, especially for the case where the prior information of a cluster is unknown. In contrast to the static and quantitative threshold that is imposed in traditional clustering methods, we devise a method for real-time clustering hypothesis detection, which is constructed through the use of a reliable adaptive clustering threshold as reference and the averaged element-wise distance between tasks as real-time clustering detection statistic. Meanwhile, we relax the clustering conditions to maintain maximum cooperation without sacrificing accuracy. Simulations are presented to compare the proposed algorithm and some traditional clustering strategies in both stationary and nonstationary environments. The effects of task difference on performance are also obtained to demonstrate the superiority of our proposed clustering strategy in terms of accuracy, robustness, and suitability.We report a new kind of discontinuous spiral with stable periodic orbits in the parameter space of an optically injected semiconductor laser model, which is a combination of the intercalation of fish-like and cuspidal-like structures (the two normal forms of complex cubic dynamics). The spiral has a tridimensional structure that rolls up in at least three directions. A turn of approximately 2π radians along the spiral and toward the center increases the number of peaks in the laser intensity by one, which does not occur when traversing the discontinuities. We show that as we vary the linewidth enhancement factor (α), discontinuities are created (destroyed) through disaggregation (collapses) from (into) the so-called shrimp-like structures. Future experimental verification and applications, as well as theoretical studies to explain its origin and relation with homoclinic spirals that exist in its neighborhood, are needed.In this paper, the harmonic balance method with the alternating frequency/time (HB-AFT) domain technique is extended to the dynamical systems with state-dependent delays and non-smooth right-hand side for the first time. Two types of network congestion control models [the modified transmission control protocol-random early detection (TCP-RED) model and the fluid-flow TCP-additive increase multiplicative decease (AIMD)/RED model] with state-dependent round-trip time delays and non-smooth right-hand side are considered in detail. First, their dynamics and bifurcation are analyzed by the numerical analysis method. Then, the analytical approximate expressions of the periodic solutions are obtained by employing the semi-analytical method named as HB-AFT. The results of the numerical simulation and HB-AFT agree with each other very well. It indicates that the HB-AFT technique is simple, valid, effective, and accurate for the non-smooth dynamical systems with state-dependent time delays. Besides, more complicated ancontrol, which is very important in practical application.This paper proposes a simple locally active memristor whose state equation only consists of linear terms and an easily implementable function and design for its circuit emulator. The effectiveness of the circuit emulator is validated using breadboard experiments and numerical simulations. The proposed circuit emulator has a simple structure, which not only reduces costs but also increases its application value. The power-off plot and DC V-I Loci verify that the memristor is nonvolatile and locally active, respectively. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/ly3023414.html This locally active memristor exhibits low cost, easy physical implementation, and wide locally active region characteristics. Furthermore, a neural model composed of two 2D HR neurons based on the proposed locally active memristor is established. It is found that complicated firing behaviors occur only within the locally active region. A new phenomenon is also discovered that shows coexisting position symmetry for different attractors. The firing pattern transition is then observed via bifurcation analysis. The results of MATLAB simulations are verified from the hardware circuits.Historically, rational choice theory has focused on the utility maximization principle to describe how individuals make choices. In reality, there is a computational cost related to exploring the universe of available choices and it is often not clear whether we are truly maximizing an underlying utility function. In particular, memory effects and habit formation may dominate over utility maximization. We propose a stylized model with a history-dependent utility function, where the utility associated to each choice is increased when that choice has been made in the past, with a certain decaying memory kernel. We show that self-reinforcing effects can cause the agent to get stuck with a choice by sheer force of habit. We discuss the special nature of the transition between free exploration of the space of choice and self-trapping. We find, in particular, that the trapping time distribution is precisely a Zipf law at the transition, and that the self-trapped phase exhibits super-aging behavior.

A selective and sensitive fluorescent technique is proposed to determine o-phenylenediamine (OPD) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). This is carried out by utilizing enzyme mimics carbon dots (N/Cl-CDs) and fluorescent probe carbon dots (N/Zn-CDs). The synthesized N/Cl-CDs and N/Zn-CDs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry techniques. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/s64315-mik665.html The particle size of synthesized carbon dots was found to be 4.1 ± 1.09 nm and 3.3 ± 1.82 nm for N/Cl-CDs and N/Zn-CDs, respectively. The N/Cl-CDs showed a noticeable intrinsic peroxidase-like activity, which could catalyze the oxidization of OPD by H2O2 to form the yellow colored product 2,3-diaminophenazine (DAP). The N/Zn-CD fluorescence was quenched directly by DAP through the inner filter effect (IFE). As a result, a novel double carbon dot system as enzyme mimics and fluorescent investigations to recognize OPD and H2O2 was obtained. The N/Cl-CDs were synthesized by deep eutectic solvent (DES) source and chamber electric furnace. N/Zn-CDs were also synthesized with the quantum yield of 27.52% through the tubular furnace technique using ethylenediamine tetra acetic acid disodium zinc salt and ascorbic acid as precursors. The detection limits were found to be 0.58 μM and 0.27 μM for OPD and H2O2, respectively. The nanoprobe was applied to real sample analysis, which showed excellent recovery in the range of 95.8-103.5% and 98.6-107.3% for OPD and H2O2, respectively. The dual emission carbon dots as enzyme mimic and fluorescent probe sensing system opens a new platform for determination of H2O2 and OPD in real samples. Graphical abstract Schematic illustration of the preparation of double carbon dots and determination process of o-phenylenediamine (OPD) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).BACKGROUND Differential diagnosis of dizziness with hearing loss requires standardized procedures for detection and classification of rare congenital and acquired malformations of the petrous part of the temporal bone. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to present the physiology and pathophysiology of endolymphatic and perilymphatic pressure regulation, diagnostic guidelines, and aspects of prognosis and treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS Relevant publications and guidelines were evaluated and own cases are reported. RESULTS Enlarged vestibular aqueduct (EVA) is the most frequently observed malformation of the inner ear, which leads to increased internal hydrostatic pressure and cochleovestibular dysfunction. Non-syndromic and syndromic forms, e.g., Pendred syndrome, are known. Other pressure-relevant malformations are semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome (SCDS) and enlargement of the cochlear aqueduct. There are currently no treatment options for EVAS and enlarged cochlear aqueduct. Pendred syndrome generally requires treatment with cochlea implants (CI) in early childhood. Dizziness and autophony in patients with SCDS syndrome can be effectively treated by semicircular canal occlusion and coverage. CONCLUSION Complaints in non-syndromic EVA and SCD syndrome are mainly caused by exposure of the inner ear to provoked and spontaneous pressure increases. Deafness and vestibular dysfunction in syndromic EVA (i.e., Pendred syndrome, branchiootorenal syndrome) are caused by malformation of the cochlea, genetic maldevelopment of the hair cells, and pressure effects.BACKGROUND Awns are bristle-like organs at the tips of the glumes. Wild rice has maintained long awns for successful seed propagation through seed dispersal. Seed awning is an interesting trait in rice domestication. Long awns might have been beneficial for seed gatherers in the initial phase of domestication; however, awnless phenotypes were preferably selected in a later phase with non-seed-shattering plants. Investigation of domestication loci associated with awnlessness in cultivated rice will be useful in clarifying the process and history of rice domestication. RESULTS Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis for seed awning was carried out using a BC3F2 population between Oryza sativa IR36 (a cultivated donor parent with awnless phenotype) and O. rufipogon W630 (a wild recurrent parent with awns). As a result, two QTLs on chromosome 4 (corresponding to An-1 and LABA1) and one on chromosome 2 (designated as qAWNL2) were detected. Gene interaction among three seed-awning QTLs were further examined with the plants having eight different combinations of homozygous genotypes. Their awn length variation indicated that the IR36 alleles at these loci had the additive awnlessness effects in the genetic background of wild rice. The shortest awn length was observed for the plants having IR36 homozygous alleles at all loci, giving about 75% reduction in awn length. By the fine mapping, the candidate region of the novel qAWNL2 locus was delimited in a 157.4-kb region containing 22 predicted genes in Nipponbare genome. CONCLUSIONS QTL analysis revealed that three loci, An-1, LABA1 and qAWNL2, were mainly responsible for the awnlessness of O. sativa IR36. In the wild genetic background, loss-of-function alleles at three awning loci showed additive effects on length reduction. In rice domestication, awnless forms may be gradually generated through the accumulation of mutations at awning loci.A high-performance screen-printed electrode (SPE) based nanocomposite sensor integrating tungsten disulfide (WS2) flakes decorated with catechin-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNP-CT) and carbon black (CB) has been developed. The excellent antifouling properties of WS2 decorated with AuNP-CT into a high conductivity network of CB results in high selectivity, sensitivity, and reproducibility for the simultaneous determination of hydroxycinnamic acid (hCN) structural analogs caffeic (CF), sinapic (SP), and p-coumaric acids (CM). Using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), the target hCNs resulted in three well-resolved oxidation peaks at SPE-CB-WS2/AuNP-CT sensor. Excellent antifouling performance (RSD ip,a ≤ 3%, n = 15 for three analytes' simultaneous measure) and low detection limits (CF 0.10 μmol L-1; SP, 0.40 μmol L-1; CM, 0.40 μmol L-1) are obtained despite the analyzed compounds having a high passivation tendency towards carbon-based sensors. The SPE-CB-WS2/AuNP-CT sensor was successfully applied to determine CF, SP, and CM in food samples with good precision (RSD ≤ 4%, n = 3) and recoveries (86-109%; RSD ≤ 5%, n = 3).

1/mm2 vs. 4.0/mm2, p less then .001) and duodenum (60.4/mm2 vs. 18.0/mm2, p less then .001) of coeliac patients compared with controls. There was no significant difference in the mean duodenal eosinophil count in coeliac disease with and without early satiety (55.4/mm2 vs. 66.9/mm2, p = .51). Duodenal eosinophilia was not associated with the severity of coeliac enteropathy. The degree of villous atrophy was associated with iron deficiency at presentation (p = .01), but not symptoms.Conclusions Although duodenal eosinophil counts are higher in coeliac disease than controls, we were not able to demonstrate an association with presenting symptoms or markers of disease severity.Background Proteinuria often changes and is known as a "time-dependent exposure." The effect of time-dependent proteinuria on the risk of future stroke remains unclear. Proteinuria is often detected in patients with diabetes mellitus. The present study was designed to evaluate the association between time-dependent proteinuria and the risk of stroke in a patient cohort with different glucose tolerance status. Methods and Results A total of 82 938 participants, who were free of myocardial infarction or stroke and underwent fasting blood glucose and urinary protein measurements at baseline in the Kailuan study, were enrolled. Proteinuria was determined using urine dipstick tests at baseline and subsequent follow-ups. Time-dependent proteinuria was defined as the status of urine protein updated through the follow-up examinations, separately. Time-dependent Cox regression models were used to analyze the relationship between time-dependent proteinuria and the risk of stroke. During a median follow-up of 8.37 years, 2538 participants developed stroke. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/ski-ii.html After adjusting for confounding factors, the hazard ratio (95% CI) for stroke in time-dependent proteinuria among all participants, and the normoglycemia, prediabetes, and diabetes mellitus populations were 1.68 (1.49-1.89), 1.73 (1.47-2.05), 2.15 (1.70-2.72), and 1.30 (1.03-1.65), respectively. There were interaction effects in patients with normoglycemia and prediabetes compared with those with diabetes mellitus. Findings were similar for ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes and were confirmed in sensitivity analyses. Conclusions Time-dependent proteinuria is an independent risk factor of stroke, especially in the normoglycemia and prediabetes populations.The prognosis of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) caused by the FLT3-ITD mutation is poor. Arsenic trioxide (ATO) and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) can down-regulate FLT3-ITD level and selectively kill leukemia cells carrying the FLT3-ITD mutation. However, the mechanisms of action of these two compounds are unknown. Here, we found that ATO could bind FLT3-ITD at Lys91 and Asp225, whereas ATRA could bind FLT3-ITD at Lys5 and Gln6. Both compounds could not bind wild-type FLT3. Further studies revealed that ATO/ATRA may suppress the Expression of FLT3-ITD by promoting the UBE2L6-mediated ubiquitination pathway and decreasing the expression of C-MYC. However, further studies are needed to define the mechanisms of these compounds on AML. Our research provides an experimental basis for the use of ATO/ATRA in FLT3-ITD AML in clinical practice.This prospective study assessed circulating miR-92a levels in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at diagnosis and after induction therapy and followed patients for a maximum of 30 months. The study included 63 consecutive adult AML patients. Circulating miR-92a levels were assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). There was significant rise of miR-92a expression after induction (median (range) 0.297 (0.001-3.438)) in comparison to the reported levels at diagnosis (median (range) 0.236 (0.001-3.305)). Post-induction levels of miR-92a are significantly higher in patients who achieved CR in comparison to patients without CR (median (range) 0.408 (0.017-3.438) vs. 0.01 (0.001-1.010), p less then .001). Cox hazard regression analysis identified miR-92a as a significant predictor of OS and DFS in univariate and multivariate analyses. In conclusion, baseline circulating miR-92a in AML patients may be a useful prognostic marker of treatment response and survival over 2.5 years follow up.Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) is a histological subtype of peripheral T-cell lymphoma associated with a poor prognosis. This post-hoc pooled analysis aims to provide insight about the efficacy of pralatrexate monotherapy in a subset of twenty-nine patients with relapsed or refractory (r/r) AITL drawn from two prospective registration trials completed in China and Japan. After a median of two prior lines of therapy, an overall response rate of 52% (15/29 patients; 95% CI 0.34, 0.70) was demonstrated. The estimated median duration of response, progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 6.4 months (196 days), 5.0 months (151 days), and 18.0 months (548 days), respectively. Grades 1-3 mucositis was observed in twenty-three patients (79.3%); and hemato-toxicity in twenty-six (89.7%) patients. Results of this analysis corroborate with data from two previously reported US retrospective cohorts, supporting the potential benefits of pralatrexate monotherapy in patients with r/r AITL.Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is the most common autoimmune blistering disease. It is characterized by an immune response against the hemidesmossomal anchoring proteins BP180 and BP230. BP mainly affects elderly patients, with an increasing incidence over the past two decades. High potency topical and/or systemic corticosteroids as well as immunosuppressants are the current mainstay of treatment. However, long-term systemic immunosuppression may result in significant morbidity and mortality. Recent advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis of BP have enabled the investigation of newer therapies which specifically work against a variety of pro-inflammatory mediators associated with BP. These new treatments hold promise to be highly efficient and safer alternatives and are expected to be shortly available for the treatment of BP. This review discusses current evidence on the use of novel targeted therapeutic approaches in the treatment of BP.

Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.BACKGROUND  Previous research has found that when the location of a talker was varied and an auditory prompt indicated the location of the talker, the addition of visual information produced a significant and large improvement in speech understanding for listeners with bilateral cochlear implants (CIs) but not with a unilateral CI. Presumably, the sound-source localization ability of the bilateral CI listeners allowed them to orient to the auditory prompt and benefit from visual information for the subsequent target sentence. PURPOSE  The goal of this project was to assess the robustness of previous research by using a different test environment, a different CI, different test material, and a different response measure. RESEARCH DESIGN  Nine listeners fit with bilateral CIs were tested in a simulation of a crowded restaurant. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/s64315-mik665.html Auditory-visual (AV) sentence material was presented from loudspeakers and video monitors at 0, +90, and -90 degrees. Each trial started with the presentation of an auditory alerting phr is significantly underestimated in standard, auditory-only, single-speaker, test environments. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.BACKGROUND  Sensory gating is a measure used to evaluate inhibitory deficits underlying neurological disorders. However, the effects of hearing loss (HL), thought to decrease inhibition, remain unknown on gating function. PURPOSE  The goal of this study was to investigate gating performance in HL. RESEARCH DESIGN  This was a prospective, cross-sectional study with independent group comparison and correlational design. STUDY SAMPLE  Eleven adults (mean age/standard deviation = 47.546 ± 7.967 years) with normal hearing (NH) and 11 adults (mean age/standard deviation = 56.273 ± 13.871 years) with mild-moderate high-frequency HL. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS  Cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs) were recorded in response to tonal pairs via high-density electroencephalography. The CAEP response to the second tone in the pair (S2) was compared with the response to the first tone in the pair (S1) within groups. Amplitude gating indices were compared between groups and correlated with auditory behavioral measures. Current density reconstructions were performed to estimate cortical gating generators. RESULTS  Amplitude gating indices were decreased and correlated with elevated auditory thresholds. Gating generators in temporal, frontal, and prefrontal regions were localized in the NH group, while HL gating was localized in mainly temporal and parietal areas. CONCLUSIONS  Reduced inhibition may be associated with compensatory cortical gating networks in HL and should be considered when utilizing gating in clinical populations. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.BACKGROUND  Cerebral microangiopathy (CM) is a general term for small ischemic changes related to small blood vessels in the brain. Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a rare acquired autoimmune disease that is characterized by low platelet count and increased risk of hemorrhage. We describe vestibular testing completed on a 64-year-old patient with CM and ITP presenting with complaints of general instability and listing while walking, decreased stability in dark environments, and blurred vision with head movement. Results indicated a severe loss of horizontal semicircular canal function bilaterally with a somatosensory-dependent pattern of postural instability. PURPOSE  This case emphasizes the importance of vestibular testing to determine the level of involvement of the vestibular system in the patient's symptomatology with known CM. Due to the increased risk of severe injury in those with ITP and the unknown effects this may have on the vestibular and balance systems, what is known about the pathophysiology oduced gain bilaterally. SHA results confirmed significant gain reductions at all frequencies tested and step velocity results indicated reduced gain and reduced time constants during all prerotary and postrotary measures. SOT results indicated a somatosensory-dependent pattern (i.e., reduced equilibrium index scores and falls in conditions 4, 5, and 6). CONCLUSIONS  These findings emphasize the importance of comprehensive vestibular evaluations of patients with CM, ITP, and complaints of instability. Identification and quantification of residual peripheral vestibular function as well as central system involvement can provide significant information pertinent to falls risk reduction and vestibular rehabilitation strategies, outcomes, and goals. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.in English, German Die SARS-CoV-2-Pandemie führte bei einer Mitte 60-jährigen Patientin zu vermehrten Symptomen einer bisher undiagnostizierten wahnhaften Störung und schließlich zu einem Suizidversuch. Aufgrund der Pandemie mit spür- und sichtbaren gesellschaftlichen Veränderungen können Menschen mit bislang subklinischen psychotischen Erkrankungen erstmals mit psychiatrischen Versorgungsangeboten in Kontakt kommen. Trotz fehlender Krankheitseinsicht und Ablehnung einer medikamentösen Therapie gelangen ein therapeutischer Beziehungsaufbau sowie eine tragfähige Vermittlung in ambulante Behandlungsangebote.in English, German ZIEL Bisher gibt es keine Studien zu den Erfahrungen und zum Belastungserleben bei Pandemien von ambulant tätigem medizinischem Personal. Es sollen die Auswirkungen der COVID-19-Pandemie im Frühjahr 2020 auf niedergelassene Neurologen und Psychiater untersucht werden. METHODE Es erfolgte eine E-Mail- und Fax-gestützte Befragung von 2072 niedergelassenen Psychiatern und Neurologen mit Fragen zur subjektiven Belastung, dem Erleben von realer Gefährdung und besonderen Bedingungen der Praxisorganisation. ERGEBNISSE Der Rücklauf betrug n = 396 (19 %). Mehr als 60 % der Ärzte fühlen sich stark bis sehr stark eingeschränkt. Mehr als ein Drittel machen sich große und sehr große Sorgen und sehen zudem eine hohe oder sehr hohe Gefahr einer eigenen Infektion. Für ein weiteres Drittel trifft das eher nicht zu. 91 % hatte in der letzten Arbeitswoche März keinen wissentlichen Kontakt zu COVID-19-positiv Getesteten. Ein Drittel fühlt sich persönlich finanziell bedroht und Umsatzverluste der Praxis werden erwartet.

BACKGROUND Objectives were to determine the proportion of eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that contributed data to individual participant data meta-analyses (IPDMAs) and explore associated factors. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING IPDMAs with ≥10 eligible RCTs were identified by searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and Cochrane May 1, 2015 to February 13, 2017. Mixed effect logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with data contribution. RESULTS Of 774 eligible RCTs from 35 included IPDMAs, 517 (67%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 63-70%) contributed data. Compared to RCTs from journals with low impact factors (0-2.4), RCTs from journals with higher impact factors were more likely to contribute data impact factor 5.0-9.9, odds ratio [OR] 2.6, 95% CI 1.37-4.86; impact factor 10.0-19.9, OR 5.7, 95% CI 3.0-10.8; impact factor >20.0, OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.9- 11.4. RCTs from the United Kingdom were more likely to contribute data than those from the United States (reference; OR 2.4, 95% CI, 1.3-4.6). There was an increase in OR per publication year (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.02-1.09). CONCLUSION Country where RCTs are conducted, impact factor of the journal where RCTs are published, and RCT publication year were associated with data contribution in IPDMAs with ≥10 eligible RCTs. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks fourth in cancer mortality worldwide, and third in China. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a main risk factor for HCC in China, and the early diagnosis of HCC in high-risk population is very important. However, the commonly used diagnostic biomarker alpha-fetoprotein has limitations in clinical practice. In order to identify reliable and noninvasive HCC urinary biomarkers, a high-throughput proteomics streamline was applied in the analysis of urine samples from 74 HCC and 82 high-risk patients with chronic HBV infected liver diseases. Candidate diagnostic markers were screened by feature selection algorithm, and were combined with random forest or simple voting algorithms in the training dataset. Then the multiple feature models were validated in an independent test dataset. The selected features were further verified by Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) in another independent dataset. By integrating 7 features (HPX, GOT1, APOH, GLRX, APCS, NCR3LG1 and PLG) screened id in discovering HCC biomarkers from high-risk population. This result will be helpful for HCC auxiliary diagnosis and surveillance in a noninvasive way. V.Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) is considered to be a useful animal model of human multiple sclerosis (MS). However, among the various symptoms of MS, the mechanisms contributing to inflammatory anorexia remain unclear. In the present study, we used an EAE rat model to examine changes in expression levels of hypothalamic feeding-related peptide genes and neuroendocrine responses such as the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system and the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The weight gain and cumulative food intake in EAE rats in the early days after immunization was significantly lower than that of the control group. The expression of orexigenic peptide genes Npy and Agrp were significantly increased, whereas the levels of anorectic peptide genes (Pomc and Cart) were significantly decreased in the hypothalamus of EAE rats. There was also a significant increase in the mRNA and plasma oxytocin (OXT) but not of arginine vasopressin (AVP) in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei (PVN) of EAE rats at days 12 and 18 after immunization. The expression of corticotropin-releasing hormone (Crh) and Avp was downregulated and upregulated, respectively, in the parvocellular division of the PVN at day 12 after immunization. The expression level of Pomc in the anterior pituitary significantly increased, accompanied by increased plasma corticosterone levels, at days 6, 12, and 18 after immunization. These results suggest that inflammatory anorexia in rat EAE may be caused by activation of the OXT-ergic pathway and HPA axis via changes in the expression of hypothalamic feeding-related peptides, including Avp but not Crh. Oxytocin (Oxt) is considered as a potential agent to treat multiple neuropsychiatric disorders, obesity and metabolic syndrome. Although the mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear, nasal administration is considered to be a potential way to deliver Oxt into blood vessels. The development of an easier, more stable and efficient way is expected. A recent study demonstrated that orally administered Oxt can be transmitted into blood if it is prevented from degradation in stomach and reaches the intestinal tract. In this study, we pretreated mice with a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), omeprazole (20 mg/kg), and administered capsulized Oxt (0.25 mg), so that the Oxt can be prevented from degradation by pepsin due to the low pH in stomach and reach the intestinal tract. Functionally, these mice showed a similar decrease in food intake to those who underwent intraperitoneal administration. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/abc294640.html We also confirmed that this method dramatically increased plasma Oxt levels and the expression of neural activation marker c-Fos protein in the paraventricular and suprachiasmatic nucleus. Our study showed that by pretreating mice with PPI, Oxt in a gelatin-coated capsule can prevent Oxt from degradation by pepsin in stomach, and reach the bloodstream in an effective concentration. These results indicate that our method is a promising oral delivery of Oxt and should be investigated further for other peptide agents based on peripheral injection or nasal administration. OBJECTIVES Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion is a critical function in the regulation of glucose homeostasis and its deregulation is associated with the development of type 2 diabetes. Here, we performed a genetic screen using islets isolated from the BXD panel of advanced recombinant inbred (RI) lines of mice to search for novel regulators of insulin production and secretion. METHODS Pancreatic islets were isolated from 36 RI BXD lines and insulin secretion was measured following exposure to 2.8 or 16.7mM glucose with or without exendin-4. Islets from the same RI lines were used for RNA extraction and transcript profiling. QTL mapping was performed for each secretion condition and combined with transcriptome data to prioritize candidate regulatory genes within the identified QTL regions. Functional studies were performed by mRNA silencing or overexpression in MIN6B1 cells and by studying mice and islets with beta-cell-specific gene inactivation. RESULTS Insulin secretion under the 16.7 mM glucose plus exendin-4 condition mapped significantly to a chromosome 2 QTL.

The study examined kinematic parameters and their inter- and intrasubject variability in the topspin forehand of seven top-level table tennis players. A wireless inertial measurement unit (IMU) system measured the movement of the playing hand to analyze the Ready position, Backswing, and Forward events, and a racket-mounted piezoelectric sensor captured the racket-ball Contact. In a four-phase cycle (Backswing, Hitting, Followthrough, and Back to Ready position), body sensors recorded the cycle and phase duration; angles in the sagittal plane at the shoulder, elbow, and wrist of the playing hand and at the knee joints; and acceleration of the playing hand at the moment of racket-ball contact. The coefficient of variation (CV) was calculated to determine the variability of kinematic parameters within and between players. The observed variability in stroke time duration was low (CV 40%) for all tasks, and shoulder joint variability was medium-to-large. Variability in hand acceleration was low (CV less then 20%). Individual players achieved relatively constant hand acceleration at the moment of contact, possibly because angular changes at one joint (e.g., shoulder) could be compensated for by changes at another (e.g., wrist). These findings can help to guide the teaching-learning process and to individualize the training process.The Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory infectious disease. At present, COVID-19 has no specific therapeutic drugs, and the main clinical treatment is symptomatic treatment and control of complications. On March 5, 2020, the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China issued the Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Infection (Trial Version 7), which integrated traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) into the treatment of COVID-19. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/Cediranib.html The purpose of this study is to summarize recent studies on the clinic application, pharmacological action, chemical substances and mechanism of Qingwen Baidu Decoction (QBD) on the treatment of various diseases. The results suggested that QBD has multiple pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammation, antiviral, antibacterial, immunomodulatory, antipyretic and so on. It has been used in the treatment of sepsis, epidemic hemorrhagic fever, epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, infantile pneumonia, sepsis-related encephalopathy, epidemic encephalitis B and other diseases. In addition, this study attempts to explore the possible mechanism of QBD in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Through the analysis of the chemical substances, pharmacological action and mechanism of QBD, this paper will provide a reference theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 by QBD.Multimodality brain image registration technology is the key technology to determine the accuracy and speed of brain diagnosis and treatment. In order to achieve high-precision image registration, a fast subpixel registration algorithm based on single-step DFT combined with phase correlation constraint in multimodality brain image was proposed in this paper. Firstly, the coarse positioning at the pixel level was achieved by using the downsampling cross-correlation model, which reduced the Fourier transform dimension of the cross-correlation matrix and the multiplication of the discrete Fourier transform matrix, so as to speed up the coarse registration process. Then, the improved DFT multiplier of the matrix multiplication was used in the neighborhood of the coarse point, and the subpixel fast location was achieved by the bidirectional search strategy. Qualitative and quantitative simulation experiment results show that, compared with comparison registration algorithms, our proposed algorithm could greatly reduce space and time complexity without losing accuracy.This study investigated the impact of paravalvular leakage (PVL) in relation to the different valve openings of the transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) valve using the fluid structure interaction (FSI) approach. Limited studies were found on the subject of FSI with regards to TAVI-PVL condition, which involves both fluid and structural responses in coupling interaction. Hence, further FSI simulation with the two-way coupling method is implemented to investigate the effects of hemodynamics blood flow along the patient-specific aorta model subjected to the interrelationship between PVL and the different valve openings using the established FSI software ANSYS 16.1. A 3D patient-specific aorta model is constructed using MIMICS software. The TAVI valve identical to Edward SAPIEN XT 26 (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California), at different Geometrical Orifice Areas (GOAs), is implanted into the patient's aortic annulus. The leaflet opening of the TAVI valve is drawn according to severity of GOA opening represented in terms of 100%, 80%, 60%, and 40% opening, respectively. The result proved that the smallest percentage of GOA opening produced the highest possibility of PVL, increased the recirculatory flow proximally to the inner wall of the ascending aorta, and produced lower backflow velocity streamlines through the side area of PVL region. Overall, 40% GOA produced 89.17% increment of maximum velocity magnitude, 19.97% of pressure drop, 65.70% of maximum WSS magnitude, and a decrement of 33.62% total displacement magnitude with respect to the 100% GOA.Extracting massive features from images to quantify tumors provides a new insight to solve the problem that tumor heterogeneity is difficult to assess quantitatively. However, quantification of tumors by single-mode methods often has defects such as difficulty in features extraction and high computational complexity. The multimodal approach has shown effective application prospects in solving these problems. In this paper, we propose a feature fusion method based on positron emission tomography (PET) images and clinical information, which is used to obtain features for lung metastasis prediction of soft tissue sarcomas (STSs). Random forest method was adopted to select effective features by eliminating irrelevant or redundant features, and then they were used for the prediction of the lung metastasis combined with back propagation (BP) neural network. The results show that the prediction ability of the proposed model using fusion features is better than that of the model using an image or clinical feature alone.

BISA administration attenuated DMM-induced radiological and histopathological changes relative to the DMM group and resulted in lower OARSI scores. Taken together, the results of our study indicate the potential of BISA in OA therapy. V.Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a chronic progressive interstitial lung disease. The pathogenesis of PF has not been clearly elucidated, and there is no obvious effective treatment to arrest the progression of PF to date. A long-term chronic inflammatory response and inappropriate repair process after lung injury are important causes and pathological processes of PF. As an influential type of the body's immune cells, regulatory T cells (Tregs) play an irreplaceable role in inhibiting the inflammatory response and promoting the repair of lung tissue. However, the exact roles of Tregs in the process of PF have not been clearly established, and the available literature concerning the roles of Tregs in PF are contradictory. First, Tregs can advance the progression of pulmonary fibrosis by secreting platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and other related factors, promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and affecting the Th1 and Th2 balance, etc. Second, Tregs can inhibit PF by promoting the repair of epithelial cell damage, inhibiting the accumulation of fibroblasts, and strongly inhibiting the production and function of other related pro-inflammatory factors and pro-inflammatory cells. Accordingly, in this review, we focus on the multiple roles of Tregs in different models and different pulmonary fibrosis phases, thereby providing theoretical support for a better understanding of the multiple roles of these cells in PF and a theoretical basis for identifying targets for PF therapy. A novel chemo-sensor based on triphenylamine derivative Probe-TPA for thiophenols (C6H5SH, p-NH2-C6H4SH, p-OH-C6H4SH) detection was presented in this work. The target dye Probe-TPA displayed high selectivity and extremely fast response toward thiophenols in DMSO/PBS buffer (5/5, v/v) solution in the presence of other competitive species (such as K+, Na+, Ni2+, Fe3+, S2-, HS-, SO42-, SO32-, NaClO, H2O2, GSH, Cys, Hcy, etc.). https://www.selleckchem.com/products/1400w.html The sensing property for thiophenols was studied by UV-Visible, fluorescence spectrophotometric analyses and DFT/TD-DFT calculations, those results indicated that the sensor Probe-TPA possessed high anti-interference ability, excellent sensitivity, higher specifity, dramatically "naked-eye" fluorescence enhancement (almost 200-folds) under 365 nm UV lamp, especially immediate response speed (within 15 s). In extended application aspect, the fluorescent chemo-sensor Probe-TPA could provide a new method of analysis to detect of thiophenol in real water samples and visualize monitoring in live cells with remarkable fluorescence variation. We report new calculations of the transition probabilities for double electron photo-excitations near the KM edge in atomic Argon in the energy range 3220-3238 eV. The calculations were performed to study the X-ray photoabsorption spectrum of Argon near the KM edge using Multi-configurational Dirac-Hartee Fock method. Configuration interaction calculations showed that excitations to the doubly excited state [1s3p]3d2 is almost small compared to [1s3p]4p2 excitations, thus [1s3p]4p2 is the dominant transition in this energy range. The transition probabilities were convoluted into Breit-Wigner line shapes and compared to previous measurements of the X-ray photoabsorption spectrum of Argon near the KM edge, the comparison showed good agreement with experiment. The results of the calculations presented herein therefore shed light on understanding of near KM edge features, and thereby the preferred excitation channels of the atom. INTRODUCTION A strategy based on targeted gene panel sequencing identifies possibly pathogenic variants in fewer than 20% of cases in early-onset and familial form of dystonia. By using Whole Exome Sequencing (WES), we aimed to identify the missing genetic causes in dystonic patients without diagnosis despite gene panel sequencing. MATERIAL AND METHODS WES was applied to DNA samples from 32 patients with early-onset or familial dystonia investigated by sequencing of a 127 movement disorders-associated gene panel. Dystonia was described according to the familial history, body distribution, evolution pattern, age of onset, associated symptoms and associated movement disorders. Rate of diagnoses was evaluated for each clinical feature. RESULTS We identified causative variants for 11 patients from 9 families in CTNNB1, SUCLG1, NUS1, CNTNAP1, KCNB1, RELN, GNAO1, HIBCH, ADCK3 genes, yielding an overall diagnostic rate of 34.4%. Diagnostic yield was higher in complex dystonia compared to non-complex dystonia (66.7%-5.9%; p  less then  0.002), especially in patients showing intellectual disability compared to the patients without intellectual disability (87.5%-16.7%; p  less then  0.002). CONCLUSION Our approach suggests WES as an efficient tool to improve the diagnostic yield after gene panel sequencing in dystonia. Larger study are warranted to confirm a potential genetic overlap between neurodevelopmental diseases and dystonia. INTRODUCTION Cognitive impairment and dementia are highly prevalent non-motor complications in Parkinson's disease (PD) with deleterious consequences for patients and caregivers. With no treatment currently available, finding and validating minimally-invasive biomarkers of neurodegeneration in this population represents an urgent need for clinical trials targeting its prevention or delay. Recently, serum neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels have been identified as a promising biomarker of neural loss, but whether they reflect cortical neurodegeneration in early PD stages has not been addressed. METHODS From the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), we selected 133 de novo PD patients and 56 healthy controls (HC) with available structural neuroimaging and serum NfL data. We then studied whether NfL levels were abnormal in the PD group with respect to HC, and whether they correlated with cognitive indicators and cortical macro (cortical thinning) and microstructural (increased intracortical mean diffusivity) degeneration.

Median survival was 18 months. One- and 2-year survival rates were 56% and 44%, respectively. Conclusions tMF often expresses CD30 and presents with lymph node involvement. Responses have been seen with single agents, but survival remains poor. Novel treatment approaches are urgently needed to improve outcomes.Background The premalignant nature of ampullary adenomas justifies their radical excision. Aims Aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term results of endoscopic snare papillectomy in a consecutive series of patients with ampullary adenomas. Methods Patients who underwent endoscopic snare papillectomy between October 1999 and October 2017 were identified from an electronic database. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/shin1-rz-2994.html Endoscopic snare papillectomy was performed en bloc, when possible; a pancreatic stent or a nasopancreatic drainage were inserted. Endoscopic follow-up was scheduled after 3, 6 and 12 months for the first year, then yearly. Results Endoscopic snare papillectomy was performed in 135 patients (70 M, mean age 60.5 years) by en bloc (83%) or piecemeal (17%) resection. Delayed bleeding occurred in 16 patients (11.8%), infected retroperitoneal collections in 6 patients (4.4%), pancreatitis in 4 patients (3%). One patient died (0.7%). Follow-up was available in 103/114 (90.3%) patients. In case of residual (24.3%) and recurrent (23.3%), adenomas endoscopic retreatment was successful in 42/49 cases (85.7%). After a mean follow-up of 40 months, 93.2% (96/103) of the patients were disease free CONCLUSION Endoscopic snare papillectomy of ampullary adenomas is effective with favorable long-term outcomes. Compliance to the scheduled follow-up is important for the early detection and re-treatment of recurrences.There is no consensus on the treatment for solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (SRUS). This study aimed to obtain information from physicians treating patients with SRUS in a French medical surgical society to facilitate management plans and to develop a support algorithm. Members of the French National Society of Coloproctology (SNFCP) were invited to complete a survey that included twenty items about therapeutic management and healing criteria. Overall, 91 practitioners (median age 52 [42-59] years) responded to the questionnaire; 64/91 (70.3%) were proctologists, and 27/91 (29.7%) were colorectal surgeons. Only 15 members (16.5%) followed more than 5 patients with SRUS per year. The therapeutic objectives were to improve both patient symptoms (100%) and quality of life (98.9%). Laxative treatment and first-line rehabilitation were agreed upon by 83.5% and 73% of the respondents, respectively. Surgery, mainly rectopexy, was offered after failed medical treatment by 81.1% of the practitioners (79.1%). The first-line strategy preferred by the professionals included laxatives and biofeedback rehabilitation. Surgical treatment, preferably rectopexy, was proposed as a second intervention. No consensus was reached regarding other therapeutic alternatives, and additional studies are required to clarify their indications.Direct oral anticoagulants are being increasingly used in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism, due to their improved efficacy/ safety ratio, a predictable anticoagulant effect without need for routine coagulation monitoring, and fewer food and drug interactions compared with vitamin K antagonists. Gastrointestinal bleeding remains a serious complication, whose management is challenging for gastroenterologists due to the lack of a standardized clinical approach. Clinical experience on periendoscopic management of these drugs is still limited and there is a paucity of clinical data supporting guidelines recommendations', and this ultimately turns out in different, unsubstantiated and potentially harmful practices of patient management. Present study will provide a thorough revision on the risk of GI bleeding for DOAC therapy and the identification of patient risk factors to individualize treatment. Moreover, the approach to management of DOACs in case of bleeding complications is discussed, and an algorithm of different strategies in presence or not of plasma level measurement is proposed. Finally the periendoscopic management for elective procedures will be reviewed, at the light of the guideline recommendations and new evidences from observational studies.Background Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic disorder requiring long-term treatment. However, up to 20% of patients interrupt temporarily or permanently anti-TNFα. Primary aim was to identify internal and external factors influencing patient's motivation to pursue anti-TNFα in active CD. Methods This was a French, multicentre, prospective study enrolling CD patients on anti-TNFα therapy since more than 3 months. Patients completed the Satisfaction of Patients with Crohn's Disease questionnaire (SPACE-Q) and other patient-reported-outcome tools at inclusion visit, and after 6 and 12 months. Results A total of 274 patients were included 146 (53.3%) received adalimumab, while 128 (46.7%) infliximab. Most patients (78%) were still treated with anti-TNFα 12 months after enrolment. Patients' perception of necessity (p = 0.01) and concerns (p less then 0.0001) regarding medication, evaluated through the Belief about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ), and expectation confirmation towards treatment convenience (p = 0.02), towards efficacy (p = 0.04), and treatment satisfaction (p = 0.03) according to SPACE-Q, correlated with motivation to pursue treatment. Patients with higher treatment satisfaction (p = 0.0004), stronger belief in treatment necessity (p less then 0.0001) and fewer concerns (p = 0.0002) were more likely to be very motivated. Conclusion Treatment satisfaction, treatment necessity, and concerns are correlated to motivation to pursue anti-TNFα. Specific questions focused on these patients' perceptions could help physicians to identify patients at risk of non-adherence and prevent therapy interruption.Background In course of diabetes, some 20-90% of individuals eventually develop diabetic neuropathy. Looking at the disease burden research studies in Homoeopathy were conducted and have shown positive results. These studies were not robust enough to prove the efficacy of individualized homoeopathy. Objective To assess efficacy of individualized homoeopathic medicines in management of DDSP. Methods A multi-centric double-blind, placebo controlled, randomised clinical trial was conducted by the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy at six centres with a sample size of 84. Based on earlier observational studies and repertorial anamnesis of DDSP symptoms 15 homoeopathic medicines were shortlisted and validated scales were used for evaluating the outcomes post-intervention. Primary outcome measure was change in Neuropathy Total Symptom Score-6 (NTSS-6) from baseline to 12 months. Secondary outcomes included changes in peripheral nerve conduction study (NCS), World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and Diabetic Neuropathy Examination (DNE) Score at 12 months.

Information may be lost in transition impacting skills and expertise long-term. Conclusion Roles and responsibilities between the therapist, the assistants and the computerized training system need to be clearly defined. A Cognitive Training Alliance model is being proposed which takes into consideration the challenges of delegating training responsibility to computer systems and non-professional assistants. © 2020 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.Obesity is one of the primary causes of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). To better understand how obesity impairs glucose-insulin homeostasis, we tracked fasting blood glucose and insulin levels and the key components of glucose-insulin homeostasis for 7 months in high fat diet (HFD; 45% fat) fed mice (n = 8). Every 2 weeks we measured body weight, fasting blood glucose and insulin levels, and estimated 5 key rate constants of glucose-insulin homeostasis using the methods established previously (Heliyon 3 e00310, 2017). Mice gained weight steadily, more than doubling their weights after 7 months (23.6 ± 0.5 to 52.3 ± 1.4 g). Fasting (basal) insulin levels were elevated (221.3 ± 16.7 to 1043.1 ± 90.5 pmol l-1) but fasting blood glucose levels unexpectedly returned to the baseline levels (152.8 ± 7.0 to 152.0 ± 7.2 mg/dl) despite significantly elevated levels (216.8 ± 44.9 mg/dl, average of 3 highest values for 8 mice) during the experimental period. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/torin-2.html After 7 months of HFD feeding, the rate constants for insulin secretion (k1), insulin-independent glucose uptake (k3), and insulin concentration where liver switches from glucose uptake to release (Ipi) were significantly elevated. Insulin-dependent glucose uptake (k2) and rate constant of liver glucose transfer (k4) were lowered but no statistical significance was reached. The novel and key finding of this study is the wide range of fluctuations of the rate constants during the course of obesity, reflecting the body's compensatory responses against metabolic alterations caused by obesity. © 2020 The Authors.Single Tube Nested PCR (ST-nPCR) is of value to clinical laboratories with limited settings for the detection of fastidious microorganisms. The detection sensitivity of ST-nPCR is dependent on ensuring minimal leftovers of outer primers during the second round of the reaction. In this work, we investigated various approaches to optimize the performance of outer primers, including decreasing outer primer concentrations; using antisense oligonucleotides to block outer primers; using chemically modified inner primers; and using Q5 Taq polymerase that lacks 5'-3' exonuclease and strand displacement capabilities. These solutions were tested on C. abortus and C. psittaci, which are both fastidious intracellular bacteria that are difficult to diagnose. The best obtained result was by using Q5 Taq polymerase. A detection limit with a range between 0.1 and 1 ag was achieved, which corresponds to a range between 0.2 and 2 copies of the plasmid positive control. This level of sensitivity is comparable or even better than the sensitivity achieved by TaqMan probe based real-time PCR assays. The assay was validated using 70 veterinary clinical samples from small ruminant abortions and 10% of these samples gave positive results. In conclusion, sensitivity of ST-nPCR to detect fastidious microorganisms can be improved by using Taq polymerases that lacks 5'-3' exonuclease. The proposed assay is affordable and applicable to a wide range of fastidious pathogens and can be suitable for laboratories with limited settings. © 2020 The Author(s).In this paper, a Wavelet transform-based approach for estimation of multipitch in music signal has been proposed. Among the Morlet Wavelet (MW), Mexican hat, and Shannon wavelet that belong to the widely used wavelets in different applications, the Morlet wavelet performs well for estimation of pitch in polyphonic music signals. This is why a method involving modification of the Morlet wavelet has been proposed for achieving better accuracy in estimation of multiple pitches in polyphonic music. Performance of the Modified Morlet Wavelet (MMW) based Multipitch Estimation (MPE) scheme has been compared with that of a method based on Fast Fourier Transform and another based on the original Morlet Wavelet, in terms of percentage Gross Pitch Error (GPE). Piano chord data base and Standard music IOWA data base have been used for performance evaluation of the proposed scheme. Simulation results show that percentage error in pitch (described by the fundamental frequency) is minimum for the proposed i.e. MMW-based method. © 2020 The Author(s).This paper shows the design of a radio-frequency transceiver coil for landmine detection in Colombia by nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR). The radio-frequency transceiver coil is of great importance as it is responsible for exciting the target explosive and for picking up the weak NQR signal; however, little detail is found on the literature about its design. The strategy followed on this work consisted on constructing and experimentally comparing five different radio-frequency transceiver coils, whose dimensions were selected according to four design parameters noise rejection, magnetic flux density, coil sensitivity, and quality factor; taking into account the characteristics of landmines in Colombia, the second country most affected by anti-personnel mines in the world. The constructed coils were experimentally compared using a portable system and with three of them, the system was capable of detecting 200 g ammonium nitrate (the main substance used in Colombian landmines) up to 3 cm from the coil within 12 s, with a steady-state free precession pulse sequence. Conclusions from this work could help to guide RF coil design in other works that apply NQR for remote detection of substances in non-shielded environments and to direct future research about landmine detection in Colombia. © 2020 Published by Elsevier Ltd.Introduction Primary hypertension can be masked and be responsible of a severe impact on the target bodies. The purpose of this study was to see if Phenobarbital at low dose is able to decrease the sympathetic hyperactivity assessed by cardiovascular autonomic reflexes in patients with masked hypertension. Materials and methods This prospective study was conducted on a total of 91 patients with masked hypertension (average age 52.1 ± 10.3 years old). The cardiovascular autonomic tests performed in this group, before and after 3 months of daily oral administration of Phenobarbital, included deep breathing, hand-grip, mental stress and orthostatic tests. Statistical analysis was done using the Student's t-test, Univariate and Multivariate logistic regression analysis; p is significant if less then 0.05. Results Cardiovascular autonomic reflexes responses before and after 3 months of Phenobarbital oral administration were as follows Vagal response (XDB) obtained on deep breathing test was of 32.6 ± 5.4% VS 30.