ObjectiveTranscranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) has emerged as a promising noninvasive neuromodulation technique capable of modulating neural activity with high spatial specificity. However, whether tFUS stimulation of the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) can reliably evoke conscious tactile perception without external peripheral sensory input remains unclear. Therefore, this study examined the feasibility of inducing hand-related tactile perception through targeted S1 stimulation and further investigated how sonication duration (SD), a key temporal parameter, influences the consistency of this perceptual response. The findings may provide empirical evidence for optimizing tFUS parameters in human somatosensory modulation. MethodsForty-eight healthy adults participated in the study and were assigned to two experiments. Experiment 1 included 24 participants and was designed to preliminarily examine whether S1-targeted tFUS could evoke hand-related tactile sensations. This experiment comprised two sub-experiments, Experiment 1a and Experiment 1b, with 12 participants in each. Specifically, Experiment 1a used a randomized active stimulation protocol targeting the bilateral S1 to assess the initial feasibility of inducing contralateral tactile perception, whereas Experiment 1b employed an alternating hemispheric design incorporating both active and sham stimulation to verify the specificity of the tFUS-induced sensations. Experiment 2 enrolled another 24 participants and used a real-sham dual-probe design to control for spatial tactile cues that might arise from probe-scalp contact. Five SD levels, including 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1 000 ms, were systematically tested to evaluate how stimulation duration influenced the behavioral response. The primary behavioral outcome was the perceptual consistency rate, quantified according to the accuracy of contralateral tactile localization. ResultsIn Experiment 1, 91.7% of participants reported reliable hand-related tactile sensations during active tFUS stimulation, including numbness, tingling, or similar sensory experiences. Contralateral localization accuracy under active stimulation was significantly higher than the0.50 chance level (P<0.05). In contrast, localization performance under sham stimulation did not differ from chance, suggesting that the observed tactile responses were mainly induced by active S1-targeted tFUS stimulation rather than nonspecific stimulation cues. In Experiment 2, perceptual consistency rates significantly exceeded the chance level under the 400 and 1 000 ms SD conditions(P<0.05), whereas no significant effect was observed at 200, 600, or 800 ms. Pairwise comparisons further showed that the 400 and 1 000 ms conditions produced significantly higher perceptual consistency rates than the 200 ms condition (P<0.05). ConclusiontFUS stimulation of S1 can elicit distinct hand-related tactile sensations without peripheral sensory input, demonstrating the feasibility of using targeted cortical ultrasound stimulation to induce conscious somatosensory perception. The reliability of this perceptual effect was modulated by sonication duration, indicating that temporal stimulation parameters play an important role in shaping both the occurrence and consistency of behavioral responses. Among the tested conditions, 400 ms appeared to provide a favorable temporal window for generating stable tactile perception, whereas excessively short stimulation may be insufficient to produce consistent responses. These findings highlight the sensitivity of somatosensory networks to ultrasonic modulation and provide useful parameter guidance for the application of tFUS in noninvasive sensory enhancement and cortical functional mapping.

Objective:Invasive pulmonary mucormycosis(PM)is a rare but highly lethal opportunistic infection.COVID-19 associated mucormycosis(CAM)is difficult to diagnose,often leading to misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis,and has poor treatment outcomes.This study reports a case of successfully treated CAM and explores optimized diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.Methods:A retrospective analysis of the diagnosis and treatment process in a 50-year-old female patient with COVID-19 associated with diabetic ketoacidosis(DKA)and invasive pulmonary mucormycosis was conducted.Combined with a literature review,the therapeutic efficacy of local bronchoscopic instillation in conjunction with systemic treatment using liposomal Amphotericin B(L-AmB)was specifically evaluated.Results:The patient was rapidly diagnosed with Rhizopus microsporus infection through metagenomic next-generation sequencing(mNGS).She subsequently received antifungal treatment with intravenous L-AmB combined with local bronchoscopic instillation.After treatment,the patient was significantly improved,with imaging studies showing gradual absorption of the lesions.Follow-up at six months revealed no recurrence.A literature review suggests that early diagnosis and multimodal therapy are key to improving survival rates in patients with CAM.Conclusion:mNGS can significantly improve the early diagnosis rate of CAM.The combination of local and systemic treatment with L-AmB is valuable in improving prognosis.Early diagnosis,multimodal antifungal therapy,and individualized management are key to increasing the survival rate of patients with CAM.

Objective:Invasive pulmonary mucormycosis(PM)is a rare but highly lethal opportunistic infection.COVID-19 associated mucormycosis(CAM)is difficult to diagnose,often leading to misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis,and has poor treatment outcomes.This study reports a case of successfully treated CAM and explores optimized diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.Methods:A retrospective analysis of the diagnosis and treatment process in a 50-year-old female patient with COVID-19 associated with diabetic ketoacidosis(DKA)and invasive pulmonary mucormycosis was conducted.Combined with a literature review,the therapeutic efficacy of local bronchoscopic instillation in conjunction with systemic treatment using liposomal Amphotericin B(L-AmB)was specifically evaluated.Results:The patient was rapidly diagnosed with Rhizopus microsporus infection through metagenomic next-generation sequencing(mNGS).She subsequently received antifungal treatment with intravenous L-AmB combined with local bronchoscopic instillation.After treatment,the patient was significantly improved,with imaging studies showing gradual absorption of the lesions.Follow-up at six months revealed no recurrence.A literature review suggests that early diagnosis and multimodal therapy are key to improving survival rates in patients with CAM.Conclusion:mNGS can significantly improve the early diagnosis rate of CAM.The combination of local and systemic treatment with L-AmB is valuable in improving prognosis.Early diagnosis,multimodal antifungal therapy,and individualized management are key to increasing the survival rate of patients with CAM.

Objective To clarify the differences in the effects of bupivacaine liposome and ropivacaine on quadratus lumborum block in patients undergoing laparoscopic total hysterectomy.Methods A total of 70 patients who underwent laparoscopic total hysterectomy at Suqian First People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from January 2023 to October 2024 were selected as the research subjects.The patients were randomly divided into the control group and the observation group,with 35 cases in each group.Before general anesthesia,patients of the control group were given ropivacaine quadratus lumborum block,while patients of the observation group were given bupivacaine liposome quadratus lumborum block.The general conditions before and after operation,visual analogue scale(VAS)scores at different time points after operation,rescue analgesia,mini-mental state examination(MMSE)scores at different time points after operation,postoperative rehabilitation and analgesic adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.Results There was no statistically significant difference in the general conditions of patients in the two groups before and after the operation(P>0.05).At 24 hours,48 hours,and 72 hours after surgery,the abdominal resting VAS scores of patients in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).The time of the first self-controlled use of the intravenous analgesic pump after surgery in the observation group was significantly later than that in the control group(P<0.05).The number of analgesic pump compressions and the rate of oxycodone rescue analgesia in the observation group were significantly fewer/lower than those in the control group within 48 hours after surgery(P<0.05).At 24 hours,48 hours,and 72 hours after surgery,the MMSE scores of patients in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group(P<0.05).The time for patients to get out of bed and move around after surgery and the recovery time of anal exhaust in the observation group were significantly earlier than those in the control group(P<0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of postoperative analgesic adverse reactions between the two groups of patients(P>0.05).Conclusion Compared with the use of ropivacaine for quadratus lumborum block in patients undergoing laparoscopic total hysterectomy,bupivacaine liposome can provide a longer-lasting analgesic effect,reduce patients'dependence on intravenous analgesia,be conducive to protecting patients'cognitive function,accelerate the recovery of patients without increasing the incidence of adverse reactions.

Objective To clarify the differences in the effects of bupivacaine liposome and ropivacaine on quadratus lumborum block in patients undergoing laparoscopic total hysterectomy.Methods A total of 70 patients who underwent laparoscopic total hysterectomy at Suqian First People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from January 2023 to October 2024 were selected as the research subjects.The patients were randomly divided into the control group and the observation group,with 35 cases in each group.Before general anesthesia,patients of the control group were given ropivacaine quadratus lumborum block,while patients of the observation group were given bupivacaine liposome quadratus lumborum block.The general conditions before and after operation,visual analogue scale(VAS)scores at different time points after operation,rescue analgesia,mini-mental state examination(MMSE)scores at different time points after operation,postoperative rehabilitation and analgesic adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.Results There was no statistically significant difference in the general conditions of patients in the two groups before and after the operation(P>0.05).At 24 hours,48 hours,and 72 hours after surgery,the abdominal resting VAS scores of patients in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).The time of the first self-controlled use of the intravenous analgesic pump after surgery in the observation group was significantly later than that in the control group(P<0.05).The number of analgesic pump compressions and the rate of oxycodone rescue analgesia in the observation group were significantly fewer/lower than those in the control group within 48 hours after surgery(P<0.05).At 24 hours,48 hours,and 72 hours after surgery,the MMSE scores of patients in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group(P<0.05).The time for patients to get out of bed and move around after surgery and the recovery time of anal exhaust in the observation group were significantly earlier than those in the control group(P<0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of postoperative analgesic adverse reactions between the two groups of patients(P>0.05).Conclusion Compared with the use of ropivacaine for quadratus lumborum block in patients undergoing laparoscopic total hysterectomy,bupivacaine liposome can provide a longer-lasting analgesic effect,reduce patients'dependence on intravenous analgesia,be conducive to protecting patients'cognitive function,accelerate the recovery of patients without increasing the incidence of adverse reactions.

ObjectiveAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties with communication and social interaction, restricted and repetitive behaviors. Previous studies have indicated that individuals with ASD exhibit early and lifelong attention deficits, which are closely related to the core symptoms of ASD. Basic visual attention processes may provide a critical foundation for their social communication and interaction abilities. Therefore, this study explores the behavior of children with ASD in capturing attention to changes in topological properties. MethodsOur study recruited twenty-seven ASD children diagnosed by professional clinicians according to DSM-5 and twenty-eight typically developing (TD) age-matched controls. In an attention capture task, we recorded the saccadic behaviors of children with ASD and TD in response to topological change (TC) and non-topological change (nTC) stimuli. Saccadic reaction time (SRT), visual search time (VS), and first fixation dwell time (FFDT) were used as indicators of attentional bias. Pearson correlation tests between the clinical assessment scales and attentional bias were conducted. ResultsThis study found that TD children had significantly faster SRT (P<0.05) and VS (P<0.05) for the TC stimuli compared to the nTC stimuli, while the children with ASD did not exhibit significant differences in either measure (P>0.05). Additionally, ASD children demonstrated significantly less attention towards the TC targets (measured by FFDT), in comparison to TD children (P<0.05). Furthermore, ASD children exhibited a significant negative linear correlation between their attentional bias (measured by VS) and their scores on the compulsive subscale (P<0.05). ConclusionThe results suggest that children with ASD have difficulty shifting their attention to objects with topological changes during change detection. This atypical attention may affect the child’s cognitive and behavioral development, thereby impacting their social communication and interaction. In sum, our findings indicate that difficulties in attentional capture by TC may be a key feature of ASD.

Guided by the theory of "the kidney storing essence, governing the bones, and producing marrow", this study explored the mechanism of icariin(ICA) in regulating the osteogenic differentiation of rat bone mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs) through caveolin-1(Cav1) via in vitro and in vivo experiments, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis with traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). Primary cells were obtained from 4-week-old female SD rats using the whole bone marrow adherent method. Flow cytometry was used to detect the expression of surface markers CD29, CD90, CD11b, and CD45. The potential for osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation was assessed. The effect of ICA on cell viability was determined using the CCK-8 assay, and the impact of ICA on the formation of mineralized nodules was verified by alizarin red staining. A stable Cav1-silenced cell line was constructed using lentivirus. The effect of Cav1 silencing on osteogenic differentiation was observed via alizarin red staining. Western blot analysis was conducted to detect the expression of Cav1, Hippo/TAZ, and osteogenic markers such as Runt-related transcription factor 2(RUNX2) and alkaline phosphatase(ALP). The results showed that primary cells were successfully obtained using the whole bone marrow adherent method, positively expressing surface markers of rat BMSCs and possessing the potential for both osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation. The CCK-8 assay and alizarin red staining results indicated that 1×10~(-7) mol·L~(-1) was the optimal concentration of ICA for intervention in this experiment(P<0.05). During osteogenic induction, ICA inhibited Cav1 expression(P<0.05) while promoting TAZ expression(P<0.05). Alizarin red staining demonstrated that Cav1 silencing significantly promoted the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. After ICA intervention, TAZ expression was activated, and the expression of osteogenic markers ALP and RUNX2 was increased. In conclusion, Cav1 silencing significantly promotes the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs, and ICA promotes this differentiation by inhibiting Cav1 and regulating the Hippo/TAZ signaling pathway.
Animals ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Caveolin 1/genetics* ; Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Female ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Flavonoids/administration & dosage* ; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Cells, Cultured ; Humans

This study was aimed at surveying the distribution of Himalayan marmots in Gaotai County,Zhangye City,Gan-su Province,and analyzing the risk of plague occurrence,to provide a scientific basis for plague prevention and control in the area.On the basis of preliminary evidence,we used a combined approach of on-site investigation and Global Positioning System(GPS)positioning to survey the distribution and natural geographical landscape characteristics of the Himalayan marmot in Gaotai County.Population information and customs in the marmot distribution area were investigated through methods such as data retrieval and household visits.Himalayan marmots were captured through bow-shaped trapping,and blood,liver,spleen,heart,lung,kidney,femur,and surface-intermediate host samples were collected.Pathological and serological tests were conducted according to the Plague Diagnosis Criteria(WS279-2008).In Xinba Town,Gaotai County,Himalayan marmots were found in 16 villages(53.33％).Heping Village had the largest distribution area(100％),and was followed by Zhaoyi Village(79.17％)and Xishang Village(55.32％),whereas the other areas had values below 50％.Regarding the direct threats posed by marmots,Heping Village,Dongda Vil-lage,and Zhaoyi Village had values of 100％,Xishang Village had a value of 90.59％,and the other areas had values below 50％.The flea infestation rate on marmots'bodies was 59.62％,and the flea index was 1.48％(77/52).The main surface-in-termediate hosts were steppe ticks,body lice,Xenopsylla siberica,and Nosopsyllus laeviceps,accounting for 72.31％(517/715),16.92％(121/715),6.43％(46/715),and 4.20％(30/715),respectively,with steppe ticks being the dominant species.A total of 52 liver and spleen tissue samples from marmots,and 715 surface-intermediate hosts samples,were collected for bacterial culture.No Yersinia pestis was found.RIHA testing for plague F1 antigen was negative in all samples.Additionally,52 blood serum samples from marmots were collected,and IHA testing for plague-specific F1 antibodies was negative in all samples.The natural plague foci of marmots in the Qilian Mountains and Altyn Mountains is affected by factors including con-tinuing increases in temperature and grassland degradation.As a result,the marmot plague hosts continually migrate to sur-rounding non-epidemic areas,particularly in Gaotai County,Zhangye City.Local residents often hunt wild rabbits and mar-mots,thus posing a risk of human plague outbreaks if animal plague occurs.This county is recommended to be included in the province's plague surveillance and epidemic source investigation.Additionally,efforts should be strengthened in health educa-tion,medical personnel training,and management of key individuals and emergency reserves.If necessary,protective measures should be taken in marmot and flea control,to prevent the occurrence and spread of plague.

Objective:To investigate the safety of early antiplatelet therapy for non-cardioembolic mild stroke patients with thrombocytopenia.Methods:Data of acute ischemic stroke patients with baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)score≤3 and a platelet count<100×109/L were obtained from a multicenter register.Those who required anticoagulation or had other contraindications to antiplatelet therapy were excluded.Short-term safety outcomes were in-hospital bleeding events,while the long-term safety outcome was a 1-year all-cause death.The short-term neurological outcomes were evaluated by modified Rankin scale(mRS)score at discharge.Results:A total of 1868 non-cardioembolic mild stroke patients with thrombocytopenia were enrolled.Multivariate regression analyses showed that mono-antiplatelet therapy significantly increased the proportion of mRS score of 0-1 at discharge(OR=1.657,95%CI:1.253-2.192,P<0.01)and did not increase the risk of intracranial hemorrhage(OR=2.359,95%CI:0.301-18.503,P>0.05),compared with those without antiplatelet therapy.However,dual-antiplatelet therapy did not bring more neurological benefits(OR=0.923,95%CI:0.690-1.234,P>0.05),but increased the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding(OR= 2.837,95%CI:1.311-6.136,P<0.01)compared with those with mono-antiplatelet therapy.For patients with platelet counts≤75×109/L and>90×109/L,antiplatelet therapy significantly improved neurological functional outcomes(both P<0.05).For those with platelet counts(>75-90)×109/L,antiplatelet therapy resulted in a significant improvement of 1-year survival(P<0.05).For patients even with concurrent coagulation abnormalities,mono-antiplatelet therapy did not increase the risk of various types of bleeding(all P>0.05)but improved neurological functional outcomes(all P<0.01).There was no significant difference in the occurrence of bleeding events,1-year all-cause mortality risk,and neurological functional outcomes between aspirin and clopidogrel(all P>0.05).Conclusions:For non-cardioembolic mild stroke patients with thrombocytopenia,antiplatelet therapy remains a reasonable choice.Mono-antiplatelet therapy has the same efficiency as dual-antiplatelet therapy in neurological outcome improvement with lower risk of gastrointestinal bleeding.

This study was aimed at surveying the distribution of Himalayan marmots in Gaotai County,Zhangye City,Gan-su Province,and analyzing the risk of plague occurrence,to provide a scientific basis for plague prevention and control in the area.On the basis of preliminary evidence,we used a combined approach of on-site investigation and Global Positioning System(GPS)positioning to survey the distribution and natural geographical landscape characteristics of the Himalayan marmot in Gaotai County.Population information and customs in the marmot distribution area were investigated through methods such as data retrieval and household visits.Himalayan marmots were captured through bow-shaped trapping,and blood,liver,spleen,heart,lung,kidney,femur,and surface-intermediate host samples were collected.Pathological and serological tests were conducted according to the Plague Diagnosis Criteria(WS279-2008).In Xinba Town,Gaotai County,Himalayan marmots were found in 16 villages(53.33％).Heping Village had the largest distribution area(100％),and was followed by Zhaoyi Village(79.17％)and Xishang Village(55.32％),whereas the other areas had values below 50％.Regarding the direct threats posed by marmots,Heping Village,Dongda Vil-lage,and Zhaoyi Village had values of 100％,Xishang Village had a value of 90.59％,and the other areas had values below 50％.The flea infestation rate on marmots'bodies was 59.62％,and the flea index was 1.48％(77/52).The main surface-in-termediate hosts were steppe ticks,body lice,Xenopsylla siberica,and Nosopsyllus laeviceps,accounting for 72.31％(517/715),16.92％(121/715),6.43％(46/715),and 4.20％(30/715),respectively,with steppe ticks being the dominant species.A total of 52 liver and spleen tissue samples from marmots,and 715 surface-intermediate hosts samples,were collected for bacterial culture.No Yersinia pestis was found.RIHA testing for plague F1 antigen was negative in all samples.Additionally,52 blood serum samples from marmots were collected,and IHA testing for plague-specific F1 antibodies was negative in all samples.The natural plague foci of marmots in the Qilian Mountains and Altyn Mountains is affected by factors including con-tinuing increases in temperature and grassland degradation.As a result,the marmot plague hosts continually migrate to sur-rounding non-epidemic areas,particularly in Gaotai County,Zhangye City.Local residents often hunt wild rabbits and mar-mots,thus posing a risk of human plague outbreaks if animal plague occurs.This county is recommended to be included in the province's plague surveillance and epidemic source investigation.Additionally,efforts should be strengthened in health educa-tion,medical personnel training,and management of key individuals and emergency reserves.If necessary,protective measures should be taken in marmot and flea control,to prevent the occurrence and spread of plague.