Establishment and evaluation of rat models of parastomal hernia

PURPOSE

Parastomal hernia poses a challenging problem in the field of hernia surgery. The high incidence and recurrence rates of parastomal hernia necessitate surgeons to enhance surgical techniques and repair materials. This study aimed to develop a rat model of parastomal hernia by inducing various types of defects on the abdominal wall with colostomy. This established method has potential for future studies on parastomal hernia.

METHODS

In this study, 32 male rats were included and randomly divided into four groups: the oblique abdominis excision (OE), oblique abdominis dissection (OD), rectus abdominis excision (RE), and rectus abdominis dissection (RD) groups. In each group, colostomy was performed and an abdominal wall defect was induced. The rats were observed for 28 days following surgery. The survival rate, body weight, parastomal hernia model scores, abdominal wall adhesion and inflammation, and collagen level in the hernial sac were compared.

RESULTS

No significant differences in survival rate and weight were observed among the four groups. The parastomal hernia model scores in the RE and RD groups were significantly higher than those in the OE and OD groups. The ratio of collagen I/III in the RE and RD groups was significantly lower than that in the OE and OD groups. Adhesion and inflammation levels were lower in the RE group than in the RD group.

CONCLUSION

Based on a comprehensive comparison of the findings, RE with colostomy emerged as the optimal approach for establishing parastomal hernia models in rats.

Changes in menopausal symptoms comparing oral estradiol versus transdermal estradiol

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of oral and transdermal estradiol in alleviating menopausal symptoms.

METHOD

A total of 257 recently menopausal women were randomized into two groups. The t-E2 group received transdermal estradiol (2.5 g per day) (n = 128) and the o-E2V group received oral estradiol valerate (2 mg per day) (n = 129) for 24 weeks; both groups received micronized progesterone (200 mg per day). The primary outcome measure is the change in the modified Kupperman Menopausal Index (KMI) after 24 weeks of treatment. Menopausal symptoms were recorded at screening and at 4, 12 and 24 weeks using both the KMI and the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS).

RESULTS

Significant amelioration was observed by KMI and MRS scores for both groups after treatment (p < 0.001). The mean KMI scores showed no difference between the two groups. The mean MRS scores were similar between the two groups at baseline and after 4 weeks of treatment. The results showed statistical differences after 12 weeks and 24 weeks of treatment (p = 0.005 and p = 0.011). Both the after-treatment scores minus the baseline scores of KMI and MRS and the incidence of adverse effects showed no difference between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that both transdermal and oral estradiol are effective in relieving menopausal symptoms, with little difference in treatment efficacy and safety.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

ChiCTR2300073146.

Measurements of All-Particle Energy Spectrum and Mean Logarithmic Mass of Cosmic Rays from 0.3 to 30 PeV with LHAASO-KM2A

We present the measurements of all-particle energy spectrum and mean logarithmic mass of cosmic rays in the energy range of 0.3-30 PeV using data collected from LHAASO-KM2A between September 2021 and December 2022, which is based on a nearly composition-independent energy reconstruction method, achieving unprecedented accuracy. Our analysis reveals the position of the knee at 3.67±0.05±0.15  PeV. Below the knee, the spectral index is found to be -2.7413±0.0004±0.0050, while above the knee, it is -3.128±0.005±0.027, with the sharpness of the transition measured with a statistical error of 2%. The mean logarithmic mass of cosmic rays is almost heavier than helium in the whole measured energy range. It decreases from 1.7 at 0.3 PeV to 1.3 at 3 PeV, representing a 24% decline following a power law with an index of -0.1200±0.0003±0.0341. This is equivalent to an increase in abundance of light components. Above the knee, the mean logarithmic mass exhibits a power law trend towards heavier components, which is reversal to the behavior observed in the all-particle energy spectrum. Additionally, the knee position and the change in power-law index are approximately the same. These findings suggest that the knee observed in the all-particle spectrum corresponds to the knee of the light component, rather than the medium-heavy components.

Size Control of On-Surface Self-Assembled Nanochains Using Soft Building Blocks

Owing to their conformational flexibility, soft molecules with side chains play a crucial role in molecular self-assembly or self-organization processes toward bottom-up building of supramolecular nanostructures. However, the influence of the rotating side chains in the confined space and subsequent surface-confined supramolecular self-assembly remains rarely explored. Herein, using the spatial confinement effect between soft building blocks, we realized size control on surface-confined supramolecular coordination self-assembly through the synergy between the repulsive steric hindrance and the attractive chemical interactions. Combining scanning tunneling microscopy with density functional theory calculations and Monte Carlo simulations, we elucidated the effective repulsive force generated by the thermal wiggling motions of the soft building blocks, allowing length tuning of the self-assembled chain structures. Through a delicate balance between the repulsive interaction induced by the spatial confinement effect and the coordinate chemical interaction, we provide a new strategy for controlling the geometry of the on-surface supramolecular nanostructures.

[Risk factors of systemic allergic reactions caused by subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy]

Objective: To investigate the incidence and risk factors of systemic allergic reactions induced by subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) in patients undergoing SCIT injections in Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH). Methods: This is a single center retrospective cohort study. Using the outpatient information system of PUMCH, the demographic information and injection-related reaction data of patients undergoing SCIT injection in Allergy Department of PUMCH from December 2018 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed to count the incidence and risk factors of systemic allergic reactions caused by SCIT. Mann-Whitney nonparametric test or chi-square test was used for single-factor analysis, and multiple logistic regression was used for multiple-factor analysis. Results: A total of 2 897 patients received 18 070 SCIT injections in Allergy Department during the four years, and 40 systemic allergic reactions occurred, with the overall incidence rate of 0.22%. The incidence of systemic allergic reaction was 0.37% when using imported dust mite preparation and 0.15% when using domestic multi-component allergen preparation. The risk factors significantly related with SCIT-induced systemic allergic reactions in patients using imported dust mite preparation were age less than 18 years old (OR=3.186,95%CI: 1.255-8.085), highest injection concentration (OR value could not be calculated because all patients with systemic reactions were injected with highest concentration), and large local reaction in previous injection (OR=22.264,95%CI: 8.205-60.411). The risk factors for SCIT-induced systemic allergic reactions in patients using domestic allergen preparation were 5 or more types of allergens (OR=3.455,95%CI: 1.147-10.402), highest injection concentration (OR=3.794,95%CI: 1.226-11.740) and large local reaction in previous injection (OR=63.577,95%CI: 22.248-181.683). However, SCIT injection in pollen allergic patients during the pollen season did not show a correlation with systemic allergic reaction. Conclusion: The incidence of SCIT-induced systemic allergic reactions was low in the Chinese patient population of this study. Patients with one or more risk factors, such as multiple allergen injection, highest injection concentration, large local reaction in previous injection, should be given high attention and vigilance against systemic allergic reactions.

Designer Fat Cells: Adipogenic Differentiation of CRISPR-Cas9 Genome-Engineered Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Adipose tissue is an active endocrine organ that can signal bidirectionally to many tissues and organ systems in the body. With obesity, adipose tissue is a source of low-level inflammation that contributes to various co-morbidities and damage to downstream effector tissues. The ability to synthesize genetically engineered adipose tissue could have critical applications in studying adipokine signaling and the use of adipose tissue for novel therapeutic strategies. This study aimed to develop a method for non-viral adipogenic differentiation of genome-edited murine induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and to test the ability of such cells to engraft in mice in vivo . Designer adipocytes were created from iPSCs, which can be readily genetically engineered using CRISPR-Cas9 to knock out or insert individual genes of interest. As a model system for adipocyte-based drug delivery, an existing iPSC cell line that transcribes interleukin 1 receptor antagonist under the endogenous macrophage chemoattractant protein-1 promoter was tested for adipogenic capabilities under these same differentiation conditions. To understand the role of various adipocyte subtypes and their impact on health and disease, an efficient method was devised for inducing browning and whitening of IPSC-derived adipocytes in culture. Finally, to study the downstream effects of designer adipocytes in vivo , we transplanted the designer adipocytes into fat-free lipodystrophic mice as a model system for studying adipose signaling in different models of disease or repair. This novel translational tissue engineering and regenerative medicine platform provides an innovative approach to studying the role of adipose interorgan communication in various conditions.

[Mechanism of intestinal injury induced by WNT2B high-expressed fibroblasts in Crohn's disease]

Objective: To explore the mechanism of intestinal tissue damage induced by macrophages activated by WNT2B high-expressed fibroblasts. Methods: This study involved biological information analysis, pathological tissue research and cell experimental research. The biological information of the colon tissue from the children with inflammatory bowel disease in previous study was analyzed again with single-cell sequencing. The pathological tissues were collected by colonoscopy from 10 children with Crohn's disease treated in the Department of Gastroenterology of Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center from July 2022 to September 2022. According to the findings of colonoscopy, tissues with obvious inflammation or ulceration were classified as the inflammatory group, while tissues with slight inflammation and no ulceration were classified as the non-inflammatory group. HE staining was performed to observe the pathological changes of the colon tissues. Macrophage infiltration and CXCL12 expression were detected by immunofluorescence. In terms of cell experiments, fibroblasts transfected with WNT2B plasmid or empty plasmid were co-cultured with salinomycin treated or non-treated macrophages, respectively; the expression of proteins through Wnt classical pathway were detected by western blotting. Macrophages treated with SKL2001 were used as the experimental group, and those with phosphate buffer as the control group. The expression and secretion of CXCL12 in macrophages were detected by quantitative Real-time PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). T-test or rank sum test were used for the comparison between groups. Results: Single-cell sequencing analysis suggested that macrophages were the main cells in inflammatory bowel disease colon tissue, and there was interaction between WNT2B high-expressed fibroblasts and macrophages. HE staining of the 10 patients ((9.3±3.8) years old, 7 males and 3 females) showed that the pathological score of colon tissue in the inflammatory group was higher than that in the non-inflammatory group (4 (3, 4) vs. 2 (1, 2) points, Z=3.05, P=0.002). Tissue immunofluorescence indicated that the number of infiltrating macrophages in the inflammatory group was significantly higher than that in the non-inflammatory group under high power field of view (72.8±10.4 vs.8.4±3.5, t=25.10, P<0.001), as well as the number of cells expressing CXCL12 (14.0±3.5 vs. 4.7±1.9, t=14.68, P<0.001). In cell experiments, western blotting suggested an elevated level of glycogen synthase kinase-3β phosphorylation in macrophages co-cultured with fibroblast transfected with WNT2B plasmid, and salinmycin could reverse this change. Real-time PCR suggested that the transcription level of CXCL12 in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group (6.42±0.04 vs. 1.00±0.03, t=183.00, P<0.001), as well as the expression and secretion of CXCL12 by ELISA ((465±34) vs. (77±9) ng/L, t=13.21, P=0.006). Conclusion: WNT2B high-expressed fibroblasts can secrete WNT2B protein and activate the Wnt classical signaling pathway thus enhancing the expression and secretion of CXCL12 in macrophages, inducing the development of intestinal inflammation of Crohn's disease.

Engineering Two-Dimensional Multilevel Supramolecular Assemblies from a Bifunctional Ligand on Au(111)

Herein, we demonstrate the supramolecular assemblies from a bifunctional ligand on Au(111), towards engineering two-dimensional (metal-) organic multilevel nanostructures. The bifunctional ligand employed, including two Br atoms and one carboxylic terminal, offers multiple bonding motifs with different configurations and binding energies. These bonding motifs are highly self-selective and self-recognizable, and thus afford the formation of subunits that contribute to engineering multilevel self-assemblies. Our scanning tunneling microscopy experiments, in combination with the density functional theory calculations, revealed various hydrogen, halogen and alkali-carboxylate bonding motifs dictating the different levels of the assemblies. The multilevel assembly protocol based on a judicious choice of multiple bonding motifs guarantees a deliberate control of surface-confined (metal-) organic nanostructures. Our findings may present new opportunities for the fabrication of complex two-dimensional (metal-) organic nanostructures with potential in applications of functionally diverse nanomaterials.

Liquid Metal-Based Electrode Array for Neural Signal Recording

Neural electrodes are core devices for research in neuroscience, neurological diseases, and neural-machine interfacing. They build a bridge between the cerebral nervous system and electronic devices. Most of the neural electrodes in use are based on rigid materials that differ significantly from biological neural tissue in flexibility and tensile properties. In this study, a liquid-metal (LM) -based 20-channel neural electrode array with a platinum metal (Pt) encapsulation material was developed by microfabrication technology. The in vitro experiments demonstrated that the electrode has stable electrical properties and excellent mechanical properties such as flexibility and bending, which allows the electrode to form conformal contact with the skull. The in vivo experiments also recorded electroencephalographic signals using the LM-based electrode from a rat under low-flow or deep anesthesia, including the auditory-evoked potentials triggered by sound stimulation. The auditory-activated cortical area was analyzed using source localization technique. These results indicate that this 20-channel LM-based neural electrode array satisfies the demands of brain signal acquisition and provides high-quality-electroencephalogram (EEG) signals that support source localization analysis.

Time-varying functional connectivity of rat brain during bipedal walking on unexpected terrain

The cerebral cortex plays an important role in human and other animal adaptation to unpredictable terrain changes, but little was known about the functional network among the cortical areas during this process. To address the question, we trained 6 rats with blocked vision to walk bipedally on a treadmill with a random uneven area. Whole-brain electroencephalography signals were recorded by 32-channel implanted electrodes. Afterward, we scan the signals from all rats using time windows and quantify the functional connectivity within each window using the phase-lag index. Finally, machine learning algorithms were used to verify the possibility of dynamic network analysis in detecting the locomotion state of rats. We found that the functional connectivity level was higher in the preparation phase compared to the walking phase. In addition, the cortex pays more attention to the control of hind limbs with higher requirements for muscle activity. The level of functional connectivity was lower where the terrain ahead can be predicted. Functional connectivity bursts after the rat accidentally made contact with uneven terrain, while in subsequent movement, it was significantly lower than normal walking. In addition, the classification results show that using the phase-lag index of multiple gait phases as a feature can effectively detect the locomotion states of rat during walking. These results highlight the role of the cortex in the adaptation of animals to unexpected terrain and may help advance motor control studies and the design of neuroprostheses.

[Fibroblasts overpressing WNT2b cause impairment of intestinal mucosal barrier]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the mechanism by which fibroblasts with high WNT2b expression causes intestinal mucosa barrier disruption and promote the progression of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

METHODS

Caco-2 cells were treated with 20% fibroblast conditioned medium or co-cultured with fibroblasts highly expressing WNT2b, with the cells without treatment with the conditioned medium and cells co-cultured with wild-type fibroblasts as the control groups. The changes in barrier permeability of Caco-2 cells were assessed by measuring transmembrane resistance and Lucifer Yellow permeability. In Caco-2 cells co-cultured with WNT2b-overexpressing or control intestinal fibroblasts, nuclear entry of β-catenin was detected with immunofluorescence assay, and the expressions of tight junction proteins ZO-1 and E-cadherin were detected with Western blotting. In a C57 mouse model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced IBD-like enteritis, the therapeutic effect of intraperitoneal injection of salinomycin (5 mg/kg, an inhibitor of WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway) was evaluated by observing the changes in intestinal inflammation and detecting the expressions of tight junction proteins.

RESULTS

In the coculture system, WNT2b overexpression in the fibroblasts significantly promoted nuclear entry of β-catenin (P < 0.01) and decreased the expressions of tight junction proteins in Caco-2 cells; knockdown of FZD4 expression in Caco-2 cells obviously reversed this effect. In DSS-treated mice, salinomycin treatment significantly reduced intestinal inflammation and increased the expressions of tight junction proteins in the intestinal mucosa.

CONCLUSION

Intestinal fibroblasts overexpressing WNT2b causes impairment of intestinal mucosal barrier function and can be a potential target for treatment of IBD.

Genetic and Pharmacological Inhibition of Astrocytic Mysm1 Alleviates Depressive-Like Disorders by Promoting ATP Production

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability worldwide. A comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms of this disorder is critical for the therapy of MDD. In this study, it is observed that deubiquitinase Mysm1 is induced in the brain tissues from patients with major depression and from mice with depressive behaviors. The genetic silencing of astrocytic Mysm1 induced an antidepressant-like effect and alleviated the osteoporosis of depressive mice. Furthermore, it is found that Mysm1 knockdown led to increased ATP production and the activation of p53 and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Pifithrin α (PFT α) and Compound C, antagonists of p53 and AMPK, respectively, repressed ATP production and reversed the antidepressant effect of Mysm1 knockdown. Moreover, the pharmacological inhibition of astrocytic Mysm1 by aspirin relieved depressive-like behaviors in mice. The study reveals, for the first time, the important function of Mysm1 in the brain, highlighting astrocytic Mysm1 as a potential risk factor for depression and as a valuable target for drug discovery to treat depression.

POS0397 SSD6453, A NOVEL AND HIGHLY SELECTIVE BTK/JAK3 DUAL INHIBITOR IS EFFICACIOUS IN MULTIPLE PRE-CLINICAL MODELS OF INFLAMMATION

Background

The mechanism of inflammatory diseases is complicated and dysfunction of multiple immune cells is thought to be directly related to the pathogenesis. Targeting either JAK-STAT or BCR signaling has been proved solid clinical efficacy in multiple inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and multiple sclerosis (MS). And the combination of BTK and JAK inhibitors demonstrated synergistic effects for the treatment of inflammation models in pre-clinic. JAK3 expression is largely restricted to leukocytes and involves functions in JAK1/JAK3 heterodimer in signal transduction, it might be a more effective and safer target. Meanwhile, both BTK and JAK3 possess a cysteine residue in their active site and this feature makes it possible to design a dual inhibitor. SSD6453 is a highly selective and irreversible JAK3/BTK dual inhibitor which may have synergistic effects for the treatment of RA and other inflammatory diseases such as MS.

Objectives

To develop a potent, oral, highly selective JAK3/BTK inhibitor for treatment of multiple inflammatory diseases.

Methods

ADP-GLO based biochemical assays were performed to determine the enzymatic inhibitory effect and selectivity for JAK family. The target engagement was evaluated by IgM induced pBTK and IL-2 induced pSTAT5 in human PBMCs. In vivo efficacy was evaluated by rat collagen-induced arthritic (CIA) model and mice experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) models induced by MOG1-125 or MOG35-55, respectively. BTK occupancy in spleens post last dose 24h and IL-2 induced pSTAT5 in whole blood post last dose 0.5h were used to evaluate targets inhibitions. Osteoclast was stained by IHC in pathological section of rat paws.

Results

In biochemical assays, SSD6453 inhibited BTK and JAK3 with the IC50 values of 3.4 nM and 1.1 nM, respectively. Notably, SSD6453 displayed high selectivity against JAK1 (510 fold), JAK2 (75 fold) and TYK2 (525 fold). In cellular assays, SSD6453 inhibited anti-IgM induced pBTK and IL-2 induced pSTAT5 in human PBMCs with the IC50 values of 18.8 nM and 168.8 nM, respectively. SSD6453 demonstrated favorable PK properties in broad pre-clinical species. Single oral administration of SSD6453 in rat or mouse, resulted in dose-dependent inhibition of BTK and JAKs concurrently. In the rat CIA model in which disease development was accompanied by a robust T-cell and B-cell inflammation response to collagen, SSD6453 dose-dependently inhibited paw edema. And SSD6453 at 10mpk achieved complete (95%) BTK occupancy and JAK3 inhibition and superior efficacy in comparison of tofacitinib (JAK@10 mpk) or evobrutinib (BTK @30mpk) alone, suggesting that concurrent inhibition of JAK3 and BTK lead to synergistic anti-inflammation effects. In addition, ED-1+ osteoclast count decrease was observed in paws, suggesting the prevention of SSD6453 in joint destruction. In two EAE models either induced by MOG1-125 or MOG35-55, which represented T or B dominant inflammation model, respectively, SSD6453 robustly ameliorated disease in both two models. In comparison, BTK inhibitor is efficacious only in the MOG1-125 induced model.

Conclusion

SSD6453 is a novel and high selective BTK/JAK3 dual inhibitor, and demonstrated synergistic efficacy in multiple pre-clinic inflammation models. SSD6453 showed good pharmacokinetic characteristics and well-tolerant in multiple pre-clinical species, and is moving to IND in 2022.

Disclosure of Interests

Feng Zhou Shareholder of: I own the shares of Simcere, Grant/research support from: The work is financially support by Simcere, Employee of: Simcere, Lei Jiang Shareholder of: I own the shares of Simcere, Grant/research support from: The work is financially supported by Simcere, Employee of: I am employee of Simcere, Yuxi Yan Grant/research support from: The work is financially supported by Simcere, Employee of: I am employee of Simcere, Wenqing Yang Shareholder of: I own the shares of Simcere, Grant/research support from: the work is financially supported by Simcere, Employee of: I am employee of Simcere, Feng Tang Shareholder of: I own the shares of Simcere, Grant/research support from: The work is financially supported by Simcere, Employee of: I am employee of simcere, Ping Chen Shareholder of: I own the shares of Simcere, Grant/research support from: The work is financially supported by Simcere, Employee of: I am employee of Simcere, Renhong Tang Shareholder of: I own the shares of Simcere, Grant/research support from: The work is financially supported by Simcere, Employee of: I am employee of Simcere.

Dual Functions of MDP Monomer with De- and Remineralizing Ability

Methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (MDP) has been speculated to induce mineralization, but there has been no convincing evidence of its ability to induce intrafibrillar mineralization. Polymers play a critical role in biomimetic mineralization as stabilizers/inducers of amorphous precursors. Hence, MDP-induced biomimetic mineralization without polymer additives has not been fully verified or elucidated. By combining 3-dimensional stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy, surface zeta potentials, contact angle measurements, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with circular dichroism, we show that amphiphilic MDP can not only demineralize dentin by releasing protons as an acidic functional monomer but also infiltrate collagen fibrils (including dentin collagen), unwind the triple helical structure by breaking hydrogen bonds, and finally immobilize within collagen. MDP-bound collagen functions as a huge collagenous phosphoprotein (HCPP), in contrast to chemical phosphorylation modifications. HCPP can induce biomimetic mineralization itself without polymer additives by alternatively attracting calcium and phosphate through electrostatic attraction. Therefore, we herein propose the dual functions of amphiphilic MDP monomer with de- and remineralizing ability. MDP in the free state can demineralize dentin substrates by releasing protons, whereas MDP in the collagen-bound state as HCPP can induce intrafibrillar mineralization. The dual functions of MDP monomer with de- and remineralization properties might create a new epoch in adhesive dentistry and preventive dentistry.

Effect of neuromorphic transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (nTENS) of cortical functional networks on tactile perceptions: An event-related electroencephalogram study

BACKGROUND

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is generally applied for tactile feedback in the field of prosthetics. The distinct mechanisms of evoked tactile perception between stimulus patterns in conventional TENS (cTENS) and neuromorphic TENS (nTENS) are relatively unknown. This is the first study to investigate the neurobiological effect of nTENS for cortical functional mechanism in evoked tactile perception.

METHODS

Twenty-one healthy participants were recruited in this study. Electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded while the participants underwent a tactile discrimination task. One cTENS pattern (square pattern) and two nTENS patterns (electromyography and single motor unit patterns) were applied to evoke tactile perception in four fingers, including the right and left index and little fingers. EEG was preprocessed and somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEPs) were determined. Then, source-level functional networks based on graph theory were evaluated, including clustering coefficient, path length, global efficiency, and local efficiency in six frequency bands.

RESULTS

Behavioral results suggested that the single motor units (SMU) pattern of nTENS was the most natural tactile perception. SEPs results revealed that SMU pattern exhibited significant shorter latency in P1 and N1 components than the other patterns, while nTENS patterns have significantly longer latency in P3 component than cTENS pattern. Cortical functional networks showed that the SMU pattern had the lowest short path and highest efficiency in beta and gamma bands.

CONCLUSION

This study highlighted that distinct TENS patterns could affect brain activities. The new characteristics in tactile manifestation of nTENS would provide insights for the application of tactile perception restoration.

Unexpected Terrain Induced Changes in Cortical Activity in Bipedal-Walking Rats

Simple Summary

Most studies on cortical dynamics during walking require subjects to walk stably on specific terrain. In fact, humans or other animals are often disturbed by an abrupt change in terrains during walking. To study the impact of unexpected terrain on cortical activity, we analyzed the kinematics and electroencephalography (EEG) dynamics of bipedal-walking rats after encountering unexpected terrain. We found that the gait of rats after encountering the unexpected terrain were significantly different from normal walking. Furthermore, the activities of the left and right primary motor areas (M1), the left and right primary somatosensory areas (S1), and the retrosplenial area (RSP) are coupled to gait cycle phase and varied with the terrain conditions. These findings suggest that unexpected terrains induced changes in gait and cortical activity, and provide novel insights into cortical dynamics during walking.

Abstract

Humans and other animals can quickly respond to unexpected terrains during walking, but little is known about the cortical dynamics in this process. To study the impact of unexpected terrains on brain activity, we allowed rats with blocked vision to walk on a treadmill in a bipedal posture and then walk on an uneven area at a random position on the treadmill belt. Whole brain EEG signals and hind limb kinematics of bipedal-walking rats were recorded. After encountering unexpected terrain, the θ band power of the bilateral M1, the γ band power of the left S1, and the θ to γ band power of the RSP significantly decreased compared with normal walking. Furthermore, when the rats left uneven terrain, the β band power of the bilateral M1 and the α band power of the right M1 decreased, while the γ band power of the left M1 significantly increased compared with normal walking. Compared with the flat terrain, the θ to low β (3–20 Hz) band power of the bilateral S1 increased after the rats contacted the uneven terrain and then decreased in the single- or double- support phase. These results support the hypothesis that unexpected terrains induced changes in cortical activity.

Multisite Simultaneous Neural Recording of Motor Pathway in Free-Moving Rats

Neural interfaces typically focus on one or two sites in the motoneuron system simultaneously due to the limitation of the recording technique, which restricts the scope of observation and discovery of this system. Herein, we built a system with various electrodes capable of recording a large spectrum of electrophysiological signals from the cortex, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and muscles of freely moving animals. The system integrates adjustable microarrays, floating microarrays, and microwires to a commercial connector and cuff electrode on a wireless transmitter. To illustrate the versatility of the system, we investigated its performance for the behavior of rodents during tethered treadmill walking, untethered wheel running, and open field exploration. The results indicate that the system is stable and applicable for multiple behavior conditions and can provide data to support previously inaccessible research of neural injury, rehabilitation, brain-inspired computing, and fundamental neuroscience.

Different Modes of Low-Frequency Focused Ultrasound-Mediated Attenuation of Epilepsy Based on the Topological Theory

Epilepsy is common brain dysfunction, where abnormal synchronized activities can be observed across multiple brain regions. Low-frequency focused pulsed ultrasound has been proven to modulate the epileptic brain network. In this study, we used two modes of low-intensity focused ultrasound (pulsed-wave and continuous-wave) to sonicate the brains of KA-induced epileptic rats, analyzed the EEG functional brain connections to explore their respective effect on the epileptic brain network, and discuss the mechanism of ultrasound neuromodulation. By comparing the brain network characteristics before and after sonication, we found that two modes of ultrasound both significantly affected the functional brain network, especially in the low-frequency band below 12 Hz. After two modes of sonication, the power spectral density of the EEG signals and the connection strength of the brain network were significantly reduced, but there was no significant difference between the two modes. Our results indicated that the ultrasound neuromodulation could effectively regulate the epileptic brain connections. The ultrasound-mediated attenuation of epilepsy was independent of modes of ultrasound.

Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound-Mediated Attenuation of Acute Seizure Activity Based on EEG Brain Functional Connectivity

(1) Background: Ultrasound has been used for noninvasive stimulation and is a promising technique for treating neurological diseases. Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder, that is attributed to uncontrollable abnormal neuronal hyperexcitability. Abnormal synchronized activities can be observed across multiple brain regions during a seizure. (2) Methods: we used low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) to sonicate the brains of epileptic rats, analyzed the EEG functional brain network to explore the effect of LIFU on the epileptic brain network, and continued to explore the mechanism of ultrasound neuromodulation. LIFU was used in the hippocampus of epileptic rats in which a seizure was induced by kainic acid. (3) Results: By comparing the brain network characteristics before and after sonication, we found that LIFU significantly impacted the functional brain network, especially in the low-frequency band. The brain network connection strength across multiple brain regions significantly decreased after sonication compared to the connection strength in the control group. The brain network indicators (the path length, clustering coefficient, small-worldness, local efficiency and global efficiency) all changed significantly in the low-frequency. (4) Conclusions: These results revealed that LIFU could reduce the network connections of epilepsy circuits and change the structure of the brain network at the whole-brain level.

Association between cortical thickness and distinct vascular cognitive impairment and dementia in patients with white matter lesions

NEW FINDINGS

What is the central question of this study? White matter lesions (WMLs) are a brain disease characterized by altered brain structural and functional connectivity, but findings have shown an inconsistent pattern: are there distinct cortical thickness changes in patients with WMLs subtypes? What is the main finding and its importance? Patients with WMLs with non-dementia vascular cognitive impairment and WMLs with vascular dementia showed distinct pathophysiology in cortical thickness. These neural correlates of WMLs should be considered in future treatment.

ABSTRACT

The effect of cortical thickness on white matter lesions (WMLs) in patients with distinct vascular cognitive impairments is relatively unknown. This study investigated the correlation between cortical thickness and vascular cognitive manifestations. WML patients and healthy controls from Beijing Tiantan Hospital between 2014 and 2018 were included. The patients were further divided into two subgroups, namely WMLs with non-dementia vascular cognitive impairment (WML-VCIND) and WMLs with vascular dementia (WML-VaD) according to the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale and the Beijing version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Changes in cortical thickness were calculated using FreeSurfer. Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to explore the relationship between cognitive manifestations and cortical thickness in WML patients. Forty-five WML patients and 23 healthy controls were recruited. The WML group exhibited significant difference in cortical thickness compared to the control group. Significantly decreased cortical thickness in the middle and superior frontal gyri, middle temporal gyrus, angular gyrus and insula was found in the WML-VaD versus WML-VCIND subgroup. Cortical thickness deficits of the left caudal middle frontal gyrus (r = 0.451, P = 0.002), left rostral middle frontal gyrus (r = 0.514, P < 0.001), left superior frontal gyrus (r = 0.410, P = 0.006), right middle temporal gyrus (r = 0.440, P = 0.003), right pars triangularis (r = 0.462, P = 0.002), right superior frontal gyrus (r = 0.434, P = 0.004) and right insula (r = 0.499, P = 0.001) were positively correlated with the MoCA score in WML patients. The specific pattern of cortical thickness deficits in the WML-VaD subgroup revealed the pathophysiology of WMLs, which should be considered in future treatment of WMLs.

[Diagnosis and surgical treatment of sinonasal phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor]

Objective: To investigate the diagnosis and surgical treatment of sinonasal phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor (PMT). Methods: The medical records of nine patients who had been diagnosed as sinonasal PMT in Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai JiaoTong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital between January 2015 and May 2020 were collected, including 4 males and 5 females, ranging from 36 to 59 years. The patient's previous history, clinical manifestations, imaging findings, laboratory results, surgical procedure, pathological results and postoperative follow-up data were analyzed by descriptive statistical analysis. Results: All patients presented hypophosphatemia and tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) with a disease course of 1 to 19 years. The imaging examination and intraoperative findings identified two cases with peripheral tissue infiltration, two cases with contralateral nasal cavity invasion, and one case with intracranial invasion. Five patients underwent unilateral endoscopic resection while two patients underwent bilateral endoscopic resection, and the remaining two patients underwent unilateral transorbital ethmoid artery ligation plus endoscopic tumor resection and endoscopic combined with transfrontal tumor resection (n=1 each). Expect for one case developed recurrence and intracranial involvement, the other patients achieved clinical remission and no recurrence was observed during the six-month follow-up. Conclusions: The diagnosis of sinonasal PMT needs combination of clinical manifestation, imaging, and pathological findings. Complete surgical excision and long-term postoperative follow-up are imperative.

A Multi-DoF Prosthetic Hand Finger Joint Controller for Wearable sEMG Sensors by Nonlinear Autoregressive Exogenous Model

The loss of mobility function and sensory information from the arm, hand, and fingertips hampers the activities of daily living (ADL) of patients. A modern bionic prosthetic hand can compensate for the lost functions and realize multiple degree of freedom (DoF) movements. However, the commercially available prosthetic hands usually have limited DoFs due to limited sensors and lack of stable classification algorithms. This study aimed to propose a controller for finger joint angle estimation by surface electromyography (sEMG). The sEMG data used for training were gathered with the Myo armband, which is a commercial EMG sensor. Two features in the time domain were extracted and fed into a nonlinear autoregressive model with exogenous inputs (NARX). The NARX model was trained with pre-selected parameters using the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm. Comparing with the targets, the regression correlation coefficient (R) of the model outputs was more than 0.982 over all test subjects, and the mean square error was less than 10.02 for a signal range in arbitrary units equal to [0, 255]. The study also demonstrated that the proposed model could be used in daily life movements with good accuracy and generalization abilities.

[Three-dimensional changes of oropharyngeal airway after orthodontic extraction treatment in skeletal class Ⅰ adolescents]

Objective: To explore the effect of extraction on upper airway in skeletal class Ⅰ adolescents. Methods: According to random number table method, 30 skeletal class Ⅰteenagers who underwent orthodontic straight wire treatment were selected randomly in Department of Orthodontics, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University between January 2016 and December 2019. There were 13 males and 17 females, aged (13.7±1.5) years (12.2-15.7 years). In all patients, four first premolars were removed and the upper and lower anterior teeth were retracted under non-maximal anchorage (non-implant anchorage or face bow). The cone-beam CT (CBCT) data before and after orthodontic extraction treatments were studied. The three-dimensional model of the upper airway was reconstructed and segmented, and the relevant indexes of oropharyngeal volume and cross-sectional area were measured. Cephalograms was generated to measure tooth-jaw indexes and hyoid position. The changes of each index before and after orthodontic treatment were compared. The correlation between the changes in the volume or sectional area of the oropharyngeal airway and the changes in the dental and maxillary indexes and the hyoid position was tested. Results: Compared with those before treatment, palatopharyngeal volume, glossopharyngeal volume, oropharyngeal total volume, and minimum transection area increased by 632 (558) mm³, 758 (549) mm³, 1 454 (955) mm³ and 14 (29) mm² respectively, and statistically significant differences were found (P<0.05). The minimum oropharyngeal area was mostly located in the glossopharynx. The cross-sectional area and the maximum anterior-posterior diameter of uvula tip decreased by (4±10) mm² and (0.4±0.8) mm respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the maximum lateral diameter before and after treatment (P>0.05). The ratio of the maximum antero-posterior diameter to the maximum lateral diameter at the uvula tip decreased from 0.589 (0.034) before treatment to 0.535 (0.047) after treatment (P<0.05), indicating that its shape tends to be more elliptic after treatment. In addition, the change of cross-sectional area at the apex of uvula was positively correlated with the changes of mandibular central incisor lip inclination and the distances from the upper and lower central incisor points to the Frankfort plane perpendicular to the sella point (UI-FHp and LI-FHp) (P<0.05). Conclusions: The impact of orthodontic extraction treatment on oropharyngeal airway was generally small in skeletal class Ⅰ adolescents. However, it could change the shape of the airway to some extent. The change of airway cross-sectional area at the uvula tip was positively correlated with the retraction of anterior teeth.

Generalized headache among Chinese climacteric women: findings from a prospective cohort

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to prospectively identify the prevalence of generalized headache and associated risk factors in Chinese midlife women.

METHODS

We identified 411 qualified women from a Chinese urban community, contributing a total of 2544 surveys. The presence of generalized headache was measured. Climacteric symptoms and other risk factors were evaluated by generalized estimating equations.

RESULTS

The prevalence of headache complaints is associated with menopausal stages. Perimenopausal women have relatively high prevalence of headache symptoms, especially stage +1a women (59.0%) compared to late postmenopausal women (37.8%), although menopause stages were not statistically significant in the multivariate analysis. Women who had headache at baseline and depression were much more likely to have headache during menopause. According to the univariate and multivariate analyses in women without headache at baseline, starting menopausal status, insomnia, sweats, and depression were independently associated with newly developed headache.

CONCLUSIONS

Symptoms of generalized headache were less prevalent in late postmenopausal women. Our findings highlight the association between headache and climacteric changes.

Morphine post-conditioning-induced up-regulation of lncRNA TINCR protects cardiomyocytes from ischemia-reperfusion injury via inhibiting degradation and ubiquitination of FGF1

BACKGROUND

Our previous study has demonstrated that morphine post-conditioning (MpostC) protects cardiomyocytes from ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury partly through activating protein kinase-epsilon (PKCε) signaling pathway and subsequently inhibiting mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening.

AIM

In this study, we aim to investigate the relationship between long non-coding RNA TINCR and PKCε in cardiomyocytes under MpostC-treated I/R injury.

DESIGN

The myocardial I/R rat model was established by the ligation of lower anterior descending coronary artery for 45 min followed by the reperfusion for 1 h, and MpostC was performed before the reperfusion.

METHOD

H/R and MpostC were performed in the rat cardiomyocyte cell line (H9C2), and the Cytochrome-c release in cytosol and mPTP opening were determined. Cell viability was detected by using Cell Counting Kit-8, and cell apoptosis was determined by using flow cytometry or TUNEL assay.

RESULTS

The results indicated that MpostC restored the expression of TINCR in I/R rat myocardial tissues. In cardiomyocytes, the therapeutic effect of MpostC, including reduced mPTP opening, reduced Cytochrome-c expression, increased cell viability and reduced cell apoptosis, was dramatically negated by interfering TINCR. The expression of fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1), a protein that activates PKCε signaling pathway, was positively correlated with TINCR. The RNA immunoprecipitation and RNA pull-down assay further confirmed the binding between FGF1 and TINCR. Furthermore, TINCR was demonstrated to inhibit the degradation and ubiquitination of FGF1 in cardiomyocytes using the cycloheximide experiment and the ubiquitination assay. The TINCR/FGF1/PKCε axis was revealed to mediate the protective effect of MpostC against hypoxia/reoxygenation injury both in vitro and in vivo.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that MpostC-induced up-regulation of TINCR protects cardiomyocytes from I/R injury via inhibiting degradation and ubiquitination of FGF1, and subsequently activating PKCε signaling pathway, which provides a novel insight in the mechanism of TINCR and PKCε during MpostC treatment of I/R injury.

Electrocortical activity in freely walking rats varies with environmental conditions

Longstanding theories in the field of neurophysiology have held that walking in rats is an unconscious, rhythmic locomotion that does not require cortical involvement. However, recent studies have suggested that the extent of cortical involvement during walking actually varies depending on the environmental conditions. To determine the impact of environmental conditions on cortical engagement in freely walking rats, we recorded limb kinematics and signals from implanted electroencephalography arrays in rats performing a series of natural behaviors. We found that rat gaits were significantly different across various locomotion terrains (e.g. walking on an upslope vs. downslope). Further, rat forelimbs and hindlimbs showed similar patterns of motion. The results also suggested that rat cortical engagement during walking varied across environmental conditions. Specifically, α band power significantly increased during 30° downslope walking in the posterior parietal, left secondary motor, and left somatosensory clusters. Additionally, during 30° upslope walking, the β band power was greater in the left primary motor and left and right secondary motor sources. Further, rats walking on up- or downslopes of varying steepness were found to have different cortical activities. Compared with 10° downslope walking, α band power was greater during 30° downslope locomotion in the left primary motor and somatosensory sources. These findings support the hypothesis that cortical contribution during walking in rats is influenced by environmental conditions, underlining the importance of goal-directed behaviors for motor function rehabilitation and neuro-prosthetic control in brain-machine interfaces.

Relationship between vasomotor symptoms and metabolic syndrome in Chinese middle-aged women

PURPOSE

This study aimed to find the associations between vasomotor symptoms (VMS) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Chinese middle-aged women in a cross-sectional study.

METHODS

A total of 675 participants were recruited from an urban Chinese community. MetS was defined by the 2009 criteria of the Joint Interim Statement. VMS including hot flashes and sweats, blood pressure, weight, height, waist circumference (WC), serum glucose, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), estradiol, and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were collected.

RESULTS

The presence of hot flashes was independently associated with the risk of MetS after adjusting for age, menopausal status, FSH_log, estradiol_log, and physical activity (odds ratio: 1.98, 95% confidence interval: 1.21-3.24, p = 0.006). Both hot flashes and sweats were also independently associated with WC (for hot flashes, p = 0.016; and for sweats, p = 0.007) and triglycerides (for hot flashes, p = 0.041; and for sweats, p = 0.014) significantly. However, VMS were not significantly associated with blood pressure, glucose, HDL, and LDL.

CONCLUSION

Women with hot flashes had a higher risk of MetS. Both hot flashes and sweats were related to a higher amount of central fat indicated by WC and higher triglycerides, but were not related to blood pressure, glucose, and HDL in Chinese women.

Xiangshao granules can relieve emotional symptoms in menopausal women: a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of Xiangshao granules for treating emotional disorders in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.

METHODS

The current investigation was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial that included 300 perimenopausal and postmenopausal Chinese women aged 40-60 years. Participants received either a placebo (n = 150) or Xiangshao granules (n = 150) for 8 weeks. Outcome measures included Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) scores, which were assessed at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks. The primary efficacy variables were changes in HAMD and HAMA scores after 8 weeks.

RESULTS

After 8 weeks, the mean HAMD scores decreased from 15.0 to 7.9 in the Xiangshao group and from 16.3 to 10.0 in the placebo group, and the respective mean reductions in HAMA scores were from 16.0 to 8.5 and from 17.1 to 10.9. Clinical improvements in symptoms of both depression and anxiety after 8 weeks differed significantly in the two groups (p < 0.05). The cure rate was significantly higher in the Xiangshao group. There were no significant differences in the rates of adverse events in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Xiangshao granules can relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety significantly and safely.

Follicle stimulating hormone and estradiol trajectories from menopausal transition to late postmenopause in indigenous Chinese women

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E2) trajectories in indigenous Chinese women through the ovarian aging process from 10 years before the final menstrual period (FMP) to 20 years after.

METHODS

A prospective community-based longitudinal cohort study of 362 Chinese middle-aged women with a clearly determined FMP was performed.

RESULTS

FSH and E2 trajectories were identified according to years from FMP and the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop + 10 (STRAW + 10), and further classified by body mass index. E2 decreases relatively steadily from Stage -2 to +1c, while FSH stabilizes quickly from Stage -2 to +1a. Obese women have higher E2 levels and lower FSH levels during menopausal transition, which last for decades after the FMP. There was no obvious decline in FSH levels for at least 20 years after the FMP.

CONCLUSIONS

The FSH and E2 trajectories in this indigenous Chinese cohort appear similar to those discussed in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, with ethnic differences. STRAW + 10 criteria may be used to ascertain the ovarian aging process in Chinese women. Obese women may experience different levels of hormonal fluctuations during the menopause transition, while FSH levels in all women appear to remain high even at late postmenopause.

Continuous shared control in prosthetic hand grasp tasks by Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient with Hindsight Experience Replay

Grasp using a prosthetic hand in real life can be a difficult task. The amputee users are often capable of planning the reaching trajectory and hand grasp location selection, however, failed in precise finger movements, such as adapting the fingers to the surface of the object without excessive force. It is much efficient to leave that part to the machine autonomy. In order to combine the intention and planning ability of users with robotic control, the shared control is introduced in which users’ inputs and robot control methods are combined to achieve a goal. The shared control problem can be formulated as a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process. To find the optimal control policy, we adopt an adaptive dynamic programming and reinforcement learning-based control algorithm-Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient combined with Hindsight Experience Replay. We proposed the algorithm with a prediction layer using the reparameterization technique. The system was tested in a modified simulation environment for the ability to follow the user’s intention and keep the contact force in boundary for safety.

[Impact of gender on hepatic pathology and antibody - mediated immunity caused by Schistosoma japonicum infection in C57BL/6 mice]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of gender on hepatic pathology and antibody-mediated immunity in Schistosoma japonicum-infected C57BL/6 mice.

METHODS

Female and male C57BL/6 mice were infected with S. japonicum, and the hepatic pathological changes were observed using HE and picrosirius red staining in mice 8 weeks post-infection. The serum specific IgG antibody levels against the soluble adult worm antigen (SWA) and soluble egg antigen (SEA) were measured in mice using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the percentages of follicular helper T (Tfh) cells and regulatory T (Treg) cells were detected in mouse spleen and lymph nodes using flow cytometry.

RESULTS

HE staining showed no significant difference in the mean area of a single hepatic egg granuloma between female and male mice 8 weeks post-infection with S. japonicum [(28.050 ± 3.576) × 10⁴ μm² vs. (26.740 ± 4.093) × 10⁴ μm²; t = 0.241, P = 0.821], and picrosirius red staining revealed no statistical differences between female and male mice in terms of the mean proportion of picrosirius red stained hepatic tissues [(7.667 ± 1.856)% vs. (7.667 ± 1.764)%; t = 0, P = 1] or the mean optical density [(0.023 ± 0.003) vs. (0.027 ± 0.007); t = 0.447, P = 0.678]. ELISA detected no significant differences in the serum IgG antibody levels against SWA [(2.098 ± 0.037) vs. (1.970 ± 0.071); t = 1.595, P = 0.162] or SEA [(3.738 ± 0.039) vs. (3.708 ± 0.043); t = 0.512, P = 0.623] between female and male mice 8 weeks post-infection with S. japonicum. Flow cytometry detected significantly greater percentages of Tfh cells in the spleen [female mice, (8.645 ± 1.356)% vs. (1.730 ± 0.181)%, t = 5.055, P = 0.002; male mice, (8.470 ± 1.161)% vs. (1.583 ± 0.218)%, t = 5.829, P = 0.001] and lymph nodes [female mice, (3.218 ± 0.153)% vs. (1.095 ± 0.116)%, t = 11.040, P < 0.001; male mice, (3.673 ± 0.347)% vs. (0.935 ± 0.075)%, t = 8.994, P = 0.001) of both female and male mice 8 weeks post-infection with S. japonicum than in uninfected mice; however, no significant differences were seen between female and male mice 8 weeks post-infection with S. japonicum in terms of the percentages of Tfh cells in the spleen [(8.645 ± 1.356)% vs. (8.470 ± 1.161)%; t = 0.098, P = 0.925] or lymph nodes [(3.218 ± 0.153)% vs. (3.673 ± 0.347)%; t = 1.332, P = 0.241]. There was no significant difference in the proportion of Treg cells in the spleen of male mice between infected and uninfected mice [(10.060 ± 0.361)% vs. (10.130 ± 0.142)%; t = 0.174, P = 0.867], while a higher proportion of Treg cells was seen in the spleen of female mice 8 weeks post-infection with S. japonicum than in uninfected mice [(10.530 ± 0.242)% vs. (9.450 ± 0.263)%; t = 3.021, P = 0.023]. There was no significant difference in the proportion of Treg cells in the spleen between female and male mice infected with S. japonicum [(10.530 ± 0.242)% vs. (10.060 ± 0.361)%; t =1.077, P = 0.323]. In addition, the proportions of Treg cells were significantly greater in the lymph node of S. japonicum -infected female [(17.150 ± 0.805)% vs. (13.100 ± 0.265)%; t = 4.781, P = 0.003] and male mice [(18.550 ± 0.732)% vs. (12.630 ± 0.566)%; t = 6.402, P = 0.001] than in uninfected mice; however, no significant difference was seen between female and male mice 8 weeks post-infection [(17.150 ± 0.805)% vs. (18.550 ± 0.732)%; t = 1.287, P = 0.246].

CONCLUSIONS

There are no gender-specific hepatic pathological changes or antibody-mediated immunity in C57BL/6 mice post-infection with S. japonicum.

[Clinical effectiveness of super pulsed carbon dioxide fractional laser debridement surgery in treating chronic wounds]

Objective: To investigate the clinical effectiveness of super pulsed carbon dioxide fractional laser debridement surgery on the treatment of chronic wounds. Methods: From December 2018 to May 2019, 37 patients with chronic wounds who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University for a prospective randomized controlled study. Using the random number table, the patients were divided into surgical debridement group (19 patients, 4 males and 15 females, aged (58±16) years, 25 wounds) and laser debridement group (18 patients, 9 males and 9 females, aged (58±10) years, 23 wounds). In patients of surgical debridement group, oedematous and aging granulation tissue was scraped from the wound by scalpel handle or curet, and the residual necrotic tissue was removed by sharp surgical instruments. In patients of laser debridement group, oedematous and aging granulation tissue and necrotic tissue was removed by super pulsed carbon dioxide fractional laser therapeutic machine, laser gasification debridement was performed repeatedly till fresh normal tissue layer observed. In patients of the two groups, according to the wound in the first 3 d after the first debridement, debridement dressing was performed twice at least as before, then wound debridement dressing was performed once every 1 to 4 days as before according to the wound conditions. The wound healing rates on 7, 14, 21, and 28 d after the first debridement were calculated. The positive rates of bacterial culture of wounds before and after the first debridement were calculated. The color and texture of the wound granulation tissue before the first debridement and on 7, 14, and 28 d after the first debridement were observed and scored. The pain scores before every debridement, during every debridement, and after every debridement dressing change were evaluated by visual analogue scale. The times of debridement dressing change were recorded. Data were statistically analyzed with two independent sample t test, analysis of variance for repeated measurement, Fisher's exact probability test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Bonferroni correction. Results: (1) On 7, 14, 21, and 28 d after the first debridement, the wound healing rates of patients in laser debridement group (29.5% (24.1%, 36.0%), 47.1% (42.7%, 62.4%), 71.4% (62.2%, 76.8%), and 88.6% (79.2%, 96.3%) were significantly higher than those of surgical debridement group (1.6% (1.0%, 12.8%), 12.7% (2.0%, 16.6%), 24.5% (8.9%, 45.5%), 43.9% (23.2%, 70.8%), Z=3.477, 3.553, 2.721, 2.193, P<0.05 or P<0.01). (2) Before the first debridement, the positive rates of bacterial culture of wounds in patients of laser debridement group and surgical debridement group were 92% (23/25) and 91% (21/23), respectively, which were similar (P>0.05). After the first debridement, the positive rate of bacterial culture of wounds of patients in surgical debridement group was 64% (16/25), which was significantly higher than 13% (3/23) of laser debridement group (P<0.01). (3) On 7, 14, and 28 d after the first debridement, the scores of color and texture of wound granulation tissue of patients in laser debridement group were significantly higher than those of surgical debridement group (Z=3.420, 5.682, 6.142, 4.461, 5.337, 4.458, P<0.01). (4) The pain scores during every debridement and after every debridement dressing change in patients of laser debridement group were significantly lower than those of surgical debridement group (t=2.847, 5.046, P<0.05 or P<0.01). (5) The time of debridement dressing change in laser debridement group was 8.0 (7.0, 10.0) times, which was significantly less than 10.0 (9.5, 12.5) times in surgical debridement group (Z=2.261, P<0.05). Conclusions: Compared with traditional surgical debridement method, super pulsed carbon dioxide fractional laser debridement surgery is more effective in treating patients with chronic wounds. Laser debridement makes the wound healing more efficiently with reduced pain and better infection control; significantly reduces the number of dressing changes, and is especially suitable for the wound treatment in outpatients.

Chinese women with 29-30 FMR1 CGG repeats have an earlier menopause

Purpose: A strong, well-established non-linear relationship exists between fragile X mental retardation (FMR1) premutation and menopausal age. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether this relationship continues into the normal CGG repeat range.Methods: FMR1 CGG repeats of 111 Chinese postmenopausal women from a prospective cohort and the relationship with age at menopause were analyzed. Associations of FMR1 genotypes with annually measured estradiol and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were also assessed.Results: One premutation and two intermediate carriers were identified, with a prevalence of 0.90% and 1.80%, respectively. The age at menopause differed with statistical significance (p = 0.007) between women carrying bi-allelic 29-30 repeats (49.66 ± 3.26 years) and those carrying a different number of repeats (51.26 ± 2.74 years). Age at menopause among subgroups (≤28, 29-30, and ≥31 repeats) of alleles 1 and 2 were also different (p = 0.014, p = 0.044). FSH trajectories to final menstrual period differed between women with the bi-allelic 29-30 repeats and others (p = 0.019).Conclusions: Women with 29-30 FMR1 CGG repeats may experience menopause approximately 2 years earlier than those carrying ≤28 or ≥31 CGG repeats, and have a longer FSH fluctuant period.

Assessment of Apparent Internal Carotid Tandem Occlusion on High-Resolution Vessel Wall Imaging: Comparison with Digital Subtraction Angiography

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Not all tandem occlusions diagnosed on traditional vascular imaging modalities, such as MRA, represent actual complete ICA occlusion. This study aimed to explore the utility of high-resolution vessel wall imaging in identifying true ICA tandem occlusions and screening patients for their suitability for endovascular recanalization.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with no signal in the ICA on MRA were retrospectively reviewed. Two neuroradiologists independently reviewed their high-resolution vessel wall images to assess whether there were true tandem occlusions and categorized all cases into intracranial ICA occlusion, extracranial ICA occlusion, tandem occlusion, or near-occlusion. DSA classified patient images into the same 4 categories, which were used as the comparison with high-resolution vessel wall imaging. The suitability for recanalization of occluded vessels was evaluated on high-resolution vessel wall imaging compared with DSA.

RESULTS

Forty-five patients with no ICA signal on MRA who had available high-resolution vessel wall imaging and DSA images were included. Among the 34 patients (34/45, 75.6%) with tandem occlusions on DSA, 18 cases also showed tandem occlusions on high-resolution vessel wall imaging. The remaining 16 patients, intracranial ICA, extracranial ICA occlusions and near-occlusions were found in 2, 6, and 8 patients, respectively, on the basis of high-resolution vessel wall imaging. A total of 20 cases (20/45, 44.4%) were considered suitable for recanalization on the basis of both DSA and high-resolution vessel wall imaging. Among the 25 patients deemed unsuitable for recanalization by DSA, 11 were deemed suitable for recanalization by high-resolution vessel wall imaging.

CONCLUSIONS

High-resolution vessel wall imaging could allow identification of true ICA tandem occlusion in patients with an absence of signal on MRA. Findings on high-resolution vessel wall imaging can be used to screen more suitable candidates for recanalization therapy.

Activation of the primary motor cortex using fully-implanted electrical sciatic nerve stimulation

Functional degradation of the motor cortex usually results from brain injury, stroke, limb amputation, aging or other diseases. Currently, there are no ideal means of treatment, other than medication and sports rehabilitation. The present study investigated whether electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve can activate the motor-related area of the brain. The study is based on a self-developed fully implantable nerve electrical stimulator and a self-developed multi-channel electroencephalogram (EEG) electrode array. The sciatic nerves of Sprague-Dawley rats (sorted into old and young groups) were stimulated by the electrical stimulator under anesthesia, and the EEG signal was recorded simultaneously. The relationship between sciatic nerve stimulation and brain activity was analyzed. The results showed that when the sciatic nerve was stimulated by the implanted electrical stimulator, motor-related channels were activated, causing contraction of the left leg. It was found that at the frequency band of 8-16 Hz, the EEG signal in the right motor area was higher than at other frequency bands. This phenomenon was identical in both young and old rats. The results indicated that electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve can activate the motor region of the rat brain, and provided evidence that stimulation of the sciatic nerve could be a method of preventing motor cortex degeneration.

Long noncoding RNA RUSC1-AS-N indicates poor prognosis and increases cell viability in hepatocellular carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed at exploring the expression and prognostic values of a novel long noncoding RNA RUSC1-AS-N in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to investigate the biological roles of RUSC1-AS-N in HCC cells.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

RUSC1-AS-N expression in public available microarray data was analyzed. The expression of RUSC1-AS-N in our cohort containing 66 HCC tissues and paired adjacent non-cancerous hepatic tissues was measured by qRT-PCR. The correlation between RUSC1-AS-N expression and clinicopathological characteristics was evaluated by Pearson χ2-test. The prognostic value of RUSC1-AS-N was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The biological roles of RUSC1-AS-N on HCC cell viability were evaluated by Glo cell viability assays and Ethynyl deoxyuridine incorporation assays. The effects of RUSC1-AS-N on HCC cell cycle were evaluated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analyses of propidium-iodide (PI) stained cells. The effects of RUSC1-AS-N on HCC cell apoptosis were evaluated by TdT-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assays.

RESULTS

RUSC1-AS-N is upregulated in HCC tissues and associated with poor prognosis of HCC patients from GSE54238 and GSE40144. In our cohort, we further confirmed the upregulation of RUSC1-AS-N in HCC tissues. High expression of RUSC1-AS-N associates with large tumor size, vein invasion, encapsulation incompletion, advanced BCLC stage, and poor recurrence-free survival and overall survival. Functional assays revealed that RUSC1-AS-N knockdown markedly decreases cell viability, induces cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis of HCC cells.

CONCLUSIONS

RUSC1-AS-N is upregulated and acts as an oncogene in HCC. RUSC1-AS-N may be a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.

Tactile priming accelerates conscious access to continuous flash-suppressed characters

NEW FINDINGS

What is the central question of this study? Research has reported that some sensory input, such as auditory and olfactory input, can affect subliminal visual processing. However, it is important to address whether tactile input, another form of elementary sensory input, could influence the interocular rivalry process. What is the main finding and its importance? We present several pieces of evidence regarding the influences of familiar tactile shapes and temperature on continuous flash suppression. Our findings provide support for the hypothesis that there is a cross-modal effect on subconscious visual semantic processing of Chinese characters. More specifically, tactile sensations affect subliminal processing of visual information.

ABSTRACT

Tactile and visual sensations are the most vital human functions for obtaining environmental information. However, whether tactile information influences visual processing remains unclear. In this study, a breaking continuous flash suppression (b-CFS) protocol was used to measure the extent to which tactile sensations facilitate visual processing subconsciously. In experiment 1, finger stimulation with cold and hot temperatures served as primers for the words 'cold' and 'hot', which were in turn suppressed by CFS. In experiment 2, subjects viewed the upright or inverted word 'cell phone', with or without tactile priming of holding a cell phone in their hand. Results demonstrated that the tactile primer significantly shortened the reaction time in the touch group compared with the control group in both experiments. Thus, the tactile sensation of a familiar article and/or temperature appears to facilitate corresponding visual semantic recognition to break CFS earlier.

Decomposing single-channel intramuscular electromyography signal sampled at a low frequency into its motor unit action potential trains with a generative adversarial network

Conventional methods decompose single-channel intramuscular electromyography (iEMG) signals into their constituent motor unit action potential trains (MUAPTs) by detecting and clustering individual motor unit action potentials (MUAPs). However, these methods are not applicable for iEMG signals recorded by electrodes with a large sensing areas or iEMG signals sampled at a low frequency, in which detecting and clustering individual MUAPs are difficult due to superimpositions of the MUAPs and the loss of MUAP morphological characteristics. In this study, we propose an approach based on a generative adversarial network to decompose iEMG signals, which does not depend on detecting and clustering individual MUAPs from the iEMG signal. The proposed approach decomposes the iEMG signal into its MUAPTs based on Bayes' law and a Wasserstein generative adversarial network with gradient penalty (WGAN-GP). MUAPTs generated by the WGAN-GP were used to decompose the iEMG signal to maximize the posterior probability of the generated MUAPTs given the iEMG signal. The accuracy of the proposed approach is analysed directly by decomposing the simulated iEMG signal with seven gold-standard motor units. The results showed that the proposed approach achieved a 53% accuracy in capturing the firing regularities of the MUs, while the conventional method achieved a 37% accuracy on the same task.

Combinatorial morphogenetic and mechanical cues to mimic bone development for defect repair

Endochondral ossification during long bone development and natural fracture healing initiates by mesenchymal cell condensation, directed by local morphogen signals and mechanical cues. Here, we aimed to mimic development for regeneration of large bone defects. We hypothesized that engineered human mesenchymal condensations presenting transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and/or bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) from encapsulated microparticles promotes endochondral defect regeneration contingent on in vivo mechanical cues. Mesenchymal condensations induced bone formation dependent on morphogen presentation, with BMP-2 + TGF-β1 fully restoring mechanical function. Delayed in vivo ambulatory loading significantly enhanced the bone formation rate in the dual morphogen group. In vitro, BMP-2 or BMP-2 + TGF-β1 initiated robust endochondral lineage commitment. In vivo, however, extensive cartilage formation was evident predominantly in the BMP-2 + TGF-β1 group, enhanced by mechanical loading. Together, this study demonstrates a biomimetic template for recapitulating developmental morphogenic and mechanical cues in vivo for tissue engineering.