Objective:To observe any differences in the brain′s functional responses during swallowing with healthy young, middle-aged and elderly individuals.Methods:Fifteen healthy young people formed the youth group, while 15 healthy middle-aged or elderly subjects were the middle-aged and elderly group. Both groups performed repeated swallowing tasks while being observed using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The data were processed using NirSpark software, and brain activation was compared between the two groups.Results:Swallowing-related brain regions were all significantly activated in the youth group, while in the middle-aged and elderly group only the primary motor cortex (M1), primary somatosensory cortex (PSC), premotor and supplementary motor cortex (pSMC), and inferior central region on the left side showed significantly increased activation. Compared to the youth group, the middle-aged and elderly group exhibited significantly reduced activation in seven channels, including the right M1 and pSMC, the left M1, the pSMC, the PSC, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and frontal pole area.Conclusions:The middle-aged and elderly show significantly less activation in certain brain regions during swallowing compared with younger persons. That may be related to aging and its associated cognitive decline, as well as reduced motor and sensory abilities related to swallowing.

Objective:To observe the effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on diabetic rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and to explore the role of miR-122 in it.Methods:Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into a healthy control group, a sedentary group, a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) group and a moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) group using a random number table. All except the healthy control group had type 2 diabetes with NAFLD induced using a high-fat and high-fructose diet. The healthy control and sedentary groups were kept quiet in their cages, while the HIIT and MICT groups performed treadmill exercise of the corresponding intensity for 8 consecutive weeks. At 48h after the last training, plasma was collected to measure biochemical markers, and the livers were resected for histological observation using hematoxylin and eosin staining. miR-122 expression was measured using real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reactions, while the protein expressions of fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP1c) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) were detected using western blotting.Results:Compared with the healthy control group, the average fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), insulin and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) had increased significantly in the sedentary group. Compared with the sedentary group, the average FBG, TG, TC, insulin and HOMA-IR had decreased significantly in both the HIIT and MICT groups, and the average ALT and AST in the HIIT group had also decreased significantly. The average TG, TC, ALT and AST levels in the HIIT group were then significantly lower than in the MICT group. Compared with the sedentary group, the average liver steatosis score had decreased significantly in both the HIIT and MICT groups, with that of the HIIT group significantly lower than in the MICT group, on average. Compared with the healthy control group, the expression of miR-122 had decreased significantly, but that of SREBP1c, PPARγ, FAS and ACC had increased significantly in the sedentary group. And compared with the sedentary group, the expression of miR-122 had increased significantly in both the HIIT and MICT groups, on average, but that of SREBP1c, PPARγ, FAS and ACC had decreased significantly. Average miR-122 levels in the HIIT group were then significantly higher, and those of SREBP1c, PPARγ, FAS and ACC were significantly lower than in the MICT group.Conclusions:Either MICT or HIIT training can relieve NAFLD in rats modeling diabetes, but HIIT has a better therapeutic effect. Its therapeutic mechanism may be related to the upregulation of miR-122 in the liver.

Objective:To observe the characteristics of multi-muscle surface electromyography (sEMG) network indices during static standing among hemiplegic stroke survivors, and to evaluate the value of the indices in assessing neuromuscular dysfunction.Methods:Ten male stroke survivors with hemiplegia were recruited into the hemiplegia group, and 10 age-matched healthy males were chosen as the control group. Both groups were required to perform 30s static standing tasks with their eyes open and closed. The sEMG signals from the bilateral gluteus maximus (GM), rectus femoris (RF) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles were synchronously collected. Linear time-frequency domain indices were then calculated from the sEMG signals, including the root mean square (RMS) and median frequency (MF). Network indices were extracted from the multiplex recurrence network and weighted networks were constructed from the sEMG signals, including the average interlayer mutual information (I), average edge overlap (ω), clustering coefficient (C), average shortest path length (L) and degree of centrality (DC).Results:With the eyes closed, the RMS values of the bilateral GMs of the hemiplegia group, as well as the values for the RF and BF on the unaffected side were significantly higher than the control group′s values. In the hemiplegia group, the RMS values of the RF and BF muscles on the unaffected side were significantly higher than on the affected side during standing with the eyes closed. For the RF muscles the RMS values on the unaffected side were, on average, significantly higher than with the eyes open. The MF of the GM muscles on the unaffected side in the hemiplegia group was significantly lower than the average MF values of the bilateral GM muscles in the control group with the eyes open or closed. With the eyes closed, the MF of the unaffected-side GM was significantly lower than that of the affected-side GM in the hemiplegia group. Compared with the control group, the hemiplegia group showed a significant increase in I and ω values, but a significant decrease in L values with the eyes open or closed. The DC values of the bilateral GM, RF and BF muscles in the hemiplegia group were significantly higher than among the control group with the eyes open, which was also true of the bilateral GM and RF muscles with the eyes closed. With the BF muscles it was true only of the unaffected side. In the hemiplegia group, the DC values of the unaffected-side GM with the eyes open or closed, and of the unaffected-side BF with the eyes closed.Conclusions:When standing still, hemiplegic stroke survivors exhibit increased overall synchronous muscle adjustment with involvement of unaffected-side muscles, especially the GM. sEMG network indices such as I, ω, L and DC can assess multi-muscle synchronous adaptability and the involvement of single muscles. sEMG network algorithms thus have potential as a new method for localizing and quantitatively assessing neuromuscular dysfunction among such patients.

Objective:To observe the effect of exercise-regulated miR-344g-5p on the fibrosis-related SMAD genes and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) in the myocardia of mice modeling diabetes.Methods:Twenty-four male C57BL/6 mice (6-8 weeks old) were randomly divided into a control group ( n=12) and a type 2 diabetes group ( n=12). Each group was further divided into two subgroups based on exercise status to form a sedentary control group, an exercise control, a sedentary type 2 diabetes group and an exercise type 2 diabetes group with six mice in each subgroup. The control groups were fed a normal diet, while the type 2 diabetes groups were on a high-fat diet for 12 weeks. Type 2 diabetes was then induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Two weeks later, the exercise groups began 40 minutes of daily swimming training, five days a week for eight consecutive weeks. Right after that, their cardiac function was measured using a small animal ultrasound system and the derived ejection fraction (EF) and the maximal early (E) and late (A) transmitral velocities ratio (E/A ratio) in diastole. They were then sacrificed and myocardial tissue was resected and stained with Sirius red. The expression of miR-344g-5p in the myocardium was detected using quantitative polymerase chain reactions. The expression of phosphorylated SMAD3 (p-SMAD3) and TGF-β were assessed using western blotting. The Target Scan database was exploited to analyze whether there were predicted targets of miR-344g-5p and pro-fibrotic genes such as SMAD3, TGFBR2, COL1A2 and COL12A1, and to determine any correlations in the gene regulation. Results:After 22 weeks, the EF and E/A ratio in the sedentary type 2 diabetes group were (57.5±4.1)% and (1.4±0.3), respectively, both significantly lower than in the other groups. Myocardial collagen fibers in the sedentary type 2 diabetes group were significantly more abundant than in the sedentary control and exercise type 2 diabetes groups. And miR-344g-5p expression in the myocardia of the exercise type 2 diabetes group was significantly greater than that in the sedentary type 2 diabetes group. The expression of p-SMAD3 and TGF-β in the myocardia of the sedentary type 2 diabetes group was significantly higher than in the sedentary control and exercise type 2 diabetes groups. Target Scan analysis revealed that miR-344g-5p had potential binding sites with several fibrosis-related genes such as SMAD3, TGFBR2, COL1A2, and COL12A1. Based on the reduction in TGF-β and p-SMAD protein expression in the exercise type 2 diabetes group, it was hypothesized that miR-344g-5p may inhibit the post-transcriptional processes of those genes.Conclusions:Exercise promotes the recovery of diabetic cardiomyopathy by upregulating myocardial miR-344g-5p expression, which subsequently targets and suppresses p-SMAD3 and TGF-β protein expression, thereby reducing diabetic myocardial fibrosis.

Objective:To observe any effect of electroacupuncture on the urodynamics of rats modeling chronic urinary retention after a sacral cord injury (SCI), and to explore its regulatory effect on interstitial Cajal cells (ICCs) in the bladder and the mechanism.Methods:Seventy-five female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group, a model group, an electroacupuncture group, an inhibitor group, and an inhibitor plus electroacupuncture group, each of 15. On day 1 of the experiment the sacral spinal cord was completely transected at the level of the 3rd lumbar vertebra in all groups except the sham operation group. In that group the spinous processes and laminae of L 2-4 were exposed but not injured, and then sutured. On day 16, both the inhibitor group and the inhibitor plus electroacupuncture group were given intraperitoneal injections of imatinib mesylate, while the electroacupuncture group and the inhibitor plus electroacupuncture group began 14 consecutive days of electroacupuncture. After the intervention, urodynamic testing was performed on the rats in all five groups, and they were then sacrificed. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe any morphological changes in the bladder. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to assess the ultrastructure and quantity of ICCs in the bladder. And the gene and protein expression of c-Kit and stem cell factor (SCF) in bladder tissue were detected using polymerase chain reactions and western blotting. Western blotting was also applied to detect the relative expression of c-Kit phosphorylated proteins. Results:Compared with the sham group, the model and inhibitor groups showed significant differences in their urination rates, residual urine volumes, bladder volumes and compliance on the 30th day of the experiment. Compared with the model group, the rats who received electroacupuncture displayed more complete voiding, lower residual urine volume, greater bladder volume and better compliance. Compared with the electroacupuncture group, the urodynamic evaluation of the inhibitor plus electroacupuncture group indicated a significant decrease in urination rate, but a significant increase in residual urine volume, bladder volume and compliance. The SCI modeling had destroyed the morphology of the bladder detrusor muscle and the ultrastructure of the ICCs. And the number of Cajal interstitial cells and the relative expression of c-Kit, SCF, and p-c-Kit had decreased significantly. Compared with the model group, a significant improvement was observed in all urodynamic indicators, the morphology of the detrusor muscle, the ultrastructure and number of ICCs, and the relative expression of c-Kit, SCF, and p-c-Kit in the electroacupuncture groups. There were poorer urodynamic indicators, detrusor muscle morphology, ultrastructure and number of ICCs in the inhibitor plus electroacupuncture group compared with the group which received electroacupuncture alone, but there was a significant decrease in the relative expression of p-c-Kit.Conclusions:Electroacupuncture can improve the urodynamics of chronic urinary retention after sacral cord injury, at least in rats. The mechanism may be related to the benign regulation of ICCs through the bladder′s c-kit/SCF signal system.

Objective:To observe the effect of applying intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) in the rehabilitation of preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).Methods:Seventy preschool children with ASD were randomly divided into a control group and an experimental group, each of 35. Both groups were given routine rehabilitation training, while the experimental group was additionally provided with iTBS for 4 weeks. Before and after the treatment, the children′s language comprehension and expression ability were evaluated using the language retardation test and the Autism Treatment Assessment Scale (ATEC).Results:The language comprehension and expression of the children in both groups had improved after the treatment, but the children in the experimental group then had better language comprehension and expression abilities. And they scored better on average in the language, social interaction, cognition and behavior sub-sections of the ATEC. Their average total score was also lower.Conclusions:iTBS can safely and effectively improve the language comprehension ability and expression of preschool children with ASD.

Objective:To observe the effect of isokinetic sensorimotor training on the hand function of stroke survivors.Methods:Forty-two stroke survivors with hand dysfunction were randomly divided into an isokinetic group of 22 and a control group of 20. Both groups were given sensorimotor training in addition to routine drug treatment and rehabilitation therapy, but the isokinetic group was additionally provided with sensorimotor training based on isokinetic techniques for 45 minutes daily, 5 days a week for 4 consecutive weeks. Before and after the intervention, both groups were evaluated using the Semmes-Weinstein monofilament examination (SWME), their two-point discrimination (2-PD) was documented, proprioception of their wrist joints was quantified, and the Fugl-Meyer upper extremity assessment (FMA-UE) and the simplified upper limb function assessment (STEF) were applied.Results:In both groups after treatment, there was a significant improvement in the SWME scores and 2-PD distance of the index finger and the thenar, and there was a significant decrease in the angle of motion perception (at 30° of flexion). The average FMA-UE and STEF scores of both groups had improved. After the treatment, the SWME scores of the index finger and the thenar, as well as well as the average FMA-UE and STEF scores of the isokinetic group were significantly higher than the control group′s averages. Angle of motion perception was also significantly superior.Conclusions:Sensorimotor training based on isokinetic techniques can significantly improve touch, motion sense, gross motor function and the fine motor ability of stroke survivors.

Objective:To compare postural stability and balance in different tasks between people with and without chronic, non-specific low back pain (CNLBP).Methods:Twenty patients with CNLBP formed the study′s CNLBP group, while 25 healthy counterparts were chosen as a normal group. Both groups were tested for their ability to standing on one leg with their eyes closed (the SOLEC test), for postural balance, for postural stability (PST), and had their limits of stability (LOS) time determined. The results were compared.Results:Compared to the normal group, the CNLBP group showed a significant difference in left-right weight-bearing in a bipedal semi-squat and in two-legged alternate standing. Shifting the center of gravity in bipedal standing revealed significant differences in LOS time, anterior-posterior stability index (APSI), mediolateral stability index (MLSI) and overall stability. In bipedal standing with the eyes closed there were significant differences in APSI, MLSI and OSI observed. On average, the CNLBP group had significantly shorter SOLEC and LOS times on the left and rear left sides.Conclusions:The CNLBP patients had some postural control deficits compared to their healthy counterparts and were less able to maintain static balance on their left leg and dynamic balance. They were less able to maintain postural balance in a bipedal semi-squat and during alternate leg standing. They are at greater risk of falling when moving the body′s center of gravity to the left or the rear left side.

Objective:To observe any effect of supplementing treatment according to the Early Start Denver model (ESDM) with repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).Methods:Sixty-seven children on the autism spectrum aged 2 or 3 years were randomly divided into a control group of 33 and an observation group of 34. Both groups were treated as specified by the ESDM for 24 weeks, but the observation group additionally received rTMS. At 12 and 24 weeks, both groups were evaluated using the Autism Behavior Checklist, the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), the revised version of the Repetitive Behavior Scale (RBS-R), Gesell Development Schedules, and the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC).Results:The CARS, Gesell, RBS-R and ATEC results of both groups had improved significantly after 12 weeks, with further improvements observed another 12 weeks later, when the average Autism Behavior Checklist scores had also improved significantly. At that point the results of the observation group were significantly better than those of the control group, on average.Conclusions:Combining ESDM and rTMS can significantly relieve the main symptoms of autism and improve the comprehensive development of children on the autism spectrum 2 or 3 years old. Therefore, such combination is worthy of application in clinical practice.

Objective:To observe the effect of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) at different frequencies on cognitive impairment due to high-altitude hypoxia.Methods:Sixty officers and soldiers displaying cognitive impairment in a hypoxic high-altitude environment were randomly divided into 15Hz, 20Hz and 25Hz groups, each of 20. They were given rTMS at those frequencies for 30 days. Before the stimulation and after 15 and 30 days, event-related potentials, latencies of mismatched negativity (MMN) and P300 signals were recorded. The participants′ cognition was also evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA). Correlation between the electrophysiological indexes and the MoCA scores was computed.Results:After 15 days, all had shorter MMN latencies, higher total MoCA scores and better memory scores. The only significant difference among the three groups was in the average memory scores. After 15 days, MMN latency was significantly negatively correlated with the memory scores in all three groups ( r=0.44 to -0.54). Conclusions:rTMS at frequencies above 15Hz can effectively relieve cognitive impairment, especially memory dysfunction, resulting from high-altitude hypoxia.