1.Design and experimental verification of intelligent power-assisted hip disarticulation prosthesis
Huafu LUO ; Shengli LUO ; Hexiang ZHU ; Xiaolong SHU ; Xiaoming WANG ; Hongliu YU
International Journal of Biomedical Engineering 2024;47(2):108-114
Objective:To design a new type of intelligent power-assisted hip disarticulation prosthesis and to use experiments to verify its kinematic performance.Methods:The main body of the prosthesis was designed using a double parallel four-link configuration based on a remote motion center mechanism. A series elastic actuator was used to provide external power for the prosthesis, and an antagonistic torsion spring structure was used to achieve bidirectional energy storage assistance in hip flexion and extension. A control system based on impedance control was established. By setting up an auxiliary force field to compensate for the difference between the actual angle of the prosthesis and the target angle, the prosthesis assist function was realized. Finally, the traditional hip disarticulation prosthesis was used as a comparison to test the overall performance of the new intelligent power-assisted hip disarticulation prosthesis worn by normal people.Results:For the new smart-assisted hip-disarticulation prosthesis, the goodness-of-fit of its hip joint angle curve to that of a normal person was 86%, which was 14% higher than that of the traditional hip-disarticulation prosthesis (72%). The goodness-of-fit of the healthy-side angle of the new smart-assisted hip disarticulation prosthesis to the normal human was 94%, which was the same as that of the traditional hip disarticulation prosthesis.Conclusions:A new type of intelligent power-assisted hip disarticulation prosthesis is designed to realize the function of prosthesis-assisted movement.
2.Gene-gene/gene-environment interaction of transforming growth factor-β signaling pathway and the risk of non-syndromic oral clefts
Tianjiao HOU ; Zhibo ZHOU ; Zhuqing WANG ; Mengying WANG ; Siyue WANG ; Hexiang PENG ; Huangda GUO ; Yixin LI ; Hanyu ZHANG ; Xueying QIN ; Yiqun WU ; Hongchen ZHENG ; Jing LI ; Tao WU ; Hongping ZHU
Journal of Peking University(Health Sciences) 2024;56(3):384-389
Objective:To explore the association between polymorphisms of transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)signaling pathway and non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate(NSCL/P)among Asian populations,while considering gene-gene interaction and gene-environment interaction.Methods:A total of 1 038 Asian NSCL/P case-parent trios were ascertained from an international consortium,which conducted a genome-wide association study using a case-parent trio design to investigate the genes affec-ting risk to NSCL/P.After stringent quality control measures,343 single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP)spanning across 10 pivotal genes in the TGF-β signaling pathway were selected from the original genome-wide association study(GWAS)dataset for further analysis.The transmission disequilibrium test(TDT)was used to test for SNP effects.The conditional Logistic regression models were used to test for gene-gene interaction and gene-environment interaction.Environmental factors collected for the study in-cluded smoking during pregnancy,passive smoking during pregnancy,alcohol intake during pregnancy,and vitamin use during pregnancy.Due to the low rates of exposure to smoking during pregnancy and al-cohol consumption during pregnancy(<3%),only the interaction between maternal smoking during pregnancy and multivitamin supplementation during pregnancy was analyzed.The threshold for statistical significance was rigorously set at P=1.46 × 10-4,applying Bonferroni correction to account for multiple testing.Results:A total of 23 SNPs in 4 genes yielded nominal association with NSCL/P(P<0.05),but none of these associations was statistically significant after Bonferroni's multiple test correction.How-ever,there were 6 pairs of SNPs rs4939874(SMAD2)and rs1864615(TGFBR2),rs2796813(TGFB2)and rs2132298(TGFBR2),rs4147358(SMAD3)and rs1346907(TGFBR2),rs4939874(SMAD2)and rs1019855(TGFBR2),rs4939874(SMAD2)and rs12490466(TGFBR2),rs2009112(TGFB2)and rs4075748(TGFBR2)showed statistically significant SNP-SNP interaction(P<1.46 × 10-4).In contrast,the analysis of gene-environment interactions did not yield any significant results after being cor-rected by multiple testing.Conclusion:The comprehensive evaluation of SNP associations and interac-tions within the TGF-β signaling pathway did not yield any direct associations with NSCL/P risk in Asian populations.However,the significant gene-gene interactions identified suggest that the genetic architec-ture influencing NSCL/P risk may involve interactions between genes within the TGF-β signaling path-way.These findings underscore the necessity for further investigations to unravel these results and further explore the underlying biological mechanisms.
3.Near Peer Learning in Neurology Residency Training on Electromyography
Ying TAN ; Yuehui HONG ; Jia LI ; Dongchao SHEN ; Jiayu SHI ; Hexiang YIN ; Lixin ZHOU ; Jun NI ; Yicheng ZHU
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2024;16(1):263-268
To explore the effectiveness of "near peer learning" (NPL) in the electromyography(EMG)teaching module for neurology residents. The Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital implemented an NPL instructional design for a course on EMG for residents from November 2020 to March 2024. This teaching session was held annually, in which senior residents instructed juniors who were 1 or 2 years earlier in their training. The residents participated in the pre-course/post-course tests and completed a feedback survey at the end of the session. This evaluation method was used to understand the effectiveness of the NPL intervention in EMG teaching. Over four years, a total of 83 residents participated. Among them, there were 24 postdoctoral students, 52 postgraduates and 7 junior residents. The results showed that the post-course test scores were significantly improved compared with pre-course test scores (74.33±2.43 The NPL intervention is suitable for the teaching of EMG, because of its contribution to knowledge acquisition and basic clinical skills improvement. The NPL is worth replicating in other teaching and learning programs.