Objective:To explore the differences of cortical responses to unilateral upper limb training (UULT) in subacute stroke patients with different motor-evoked potentials (MEPs).Methods:A cross-sectional study was performed; 33 subacute stroke patients accepted UULT were recruited from Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University from August 2023 to August 2024. Transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to assess MEPs, and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to record hemodynamic changes in bilateral primary motor cortex (M1), pre-motor cortex/supplementary motor area (PMC/SMA), and posterior parietal cortex (PPC) during the resting state and UULT task state. Wavelet coherence analysis and Granger causality analysis were used to determine the strengths of functional connectivity (FC) and effective connectivity (EC) between brain regions.Results:Among the 33 patients, 16 were assigned to an absent MEP (MEP -) group and 17 into a present MEP (MEP +) group (MEP amplitude: [310±200] μV). In the MEP - group, compared with those during the resting state, FC of ipsilesional M1 with contralesional PPC, contralesional M1, ipsilesional PPC, contralesional PMC/SMA and ipsilesional PMC/SMA during the task state (0.64±0.14 vs. 0.48±0.12, 0.63±0.14 vs. 0.45±0.10, 0.70±0.14 vs. 0.56±0.12, 0.56±0.13 vs. 0.39±0.15, 0.61±0.13 vs. 0.44±0.14), and FC between the ipsilesional PMC/SMA and ipsilesional PPC during the task state (0.71±0.12 vs. 0.61±0.09) were significantly decreased ( P<0.0033); compared with that during the resting state, EC from the ipsilesional PPC to the ipsilesional PMC/SMA during the task state (0.15±0.07 vs. 0.25±0.18) was significantly increased ( P<0.05). In the MEP + group, compared with that during the resting state, FC of the ipsilesional M1 with contralesional M1 and ipsilesional PPC during the task state (0.81±0.08 vs. 0.70±0.14, 0.78±0.08 vs. 0.68±0.13) was significantly decreased ( P<0.0033); compared with that during the resting state, EC from contralesional M1 to ipsilesional M1 during the task state (0.11±0.10 vs. 0.15±0.10) was significantly increased ( P<0.05). No significant differences were noted in changes of FC strength between resting state and UULT task state across brain regions when comparing the MEP - and MEP + groups ( P>0.0033). Conclusion:MEP - subacute stroke patients exhibit extensive bilateral cortical response during the UULT task state, whereas MEP + patients show limited cortical response, which indicate that rehabilitation training strategy in MEP + patients needs to be adjusted.

ObjectiveTo analyze the influencing factors of pulmonary dysfunction among community-based population at high-risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and to establish a risk assessment model to provide a reference basis for accelerating the beforehand prevention and control of COPD and promoting the respiratory health of community-based residents. MethodsIndividuals aged >35 years old, with at least one risk factor except age illustrated in the Guidelines for Primary Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (2018), and participated in the early screening for COPD from July 2022 to December 2023 were selected as the research subjects, and their lung function was assessed by the forceful expiratory volume in the first second after inhalation of bronchodilator (FEV₁)/ forced vital capacity (FVC) <70% and/or the ratio of FEV₁ to predicted value (FEV₁%Pred) <80% as the diagnostic criteria. In addition, risk factors related to pulmonary dysfunction were analyzed for the establishment of risk assessment model. ResultsA total of 823 individuals aged between 35‒76 years were included, among which 298 (36.21%) were diagnosed with pulmonary dysfunction, 167 (20.29%) with COPD, and 131 (15.92%) with preserved ratio but impaired spirometry. Logistic regression analysis revealed that male gender, increasing age, more frequent smoking, insufficient physical activity, recurrent wheezing, the presence of post-exercise wheezing or coughing, insensitive to airborne allergens, and history of chronic bronchitis or bronchial asthma were correlated with pulmonary dysfunction. The incidence rate of pulmonary dysfunction was 1.99 times higher in males than that in females, 1.81 times more common in those aged between 70‒76 years than those aged <60 years, 2.42 times more common in those who smoked 50‒200 pack-years than in those who smoked 0‒14 pack-years, 1.78 times higher in those who underwent physical activity <600 MET‑min·week^-1 than in those who underwent physical activity ≥600 MET‑min·week^-1, 2.61 times higher in those suffered recurrent wheezing than in those did not, 1.53 times higher in those with symptoms of post-exercise wheezing or coughing than in those without, 1.61 times higher in those insensitive to airborne allergens than those sensitive, 2.02 times higher in patients with chronic bronchitis than in those without, and 2.41 times higher in patients with bronchial asthma than in those without. The risk assessment model for pulmonary dysfunction constructed on this basis had a total score of 28 points, and the area under the subject operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.72, reaching the cut-off point of ROC curve while taking scores ≥10 points as the cut-off value for pulmonary dysfunction. ConclusionIn community-based high-risk COPD population, the incidence rate of pulmonary dysfunction is higher in males than that in females, in addition, which increases with the advancement of age. Smoking,insufficient physical activity,recurrent wheezing,post-exercise wheezing or coughing,insensitive to airborne allergens,and history of chronic bronchitis or bronchial asthma are high risk factors for pulmonary dysfunction. The risk assessment model constructed based on these factors has a good predictive effect in screening high-risk population of COPD, but its effectiveness in screening people at general risk needs to be further validated.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of hyperoside on high glucose-induced excessive proliferation of retinal endo-thelial cells(RECs)and its possible mechanism.METHODS Diabetic retinopathy(DR)models were established in male Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats.DR rats were treated with low-and high-dose hyperoside(DR+L-HY group and DR+H-HY group).Additional-ly,the normal control(NC)group,DR non-intervention(DR)group and DR+calcium dobesilate intervention(DR+CD)group were set up.The differences in the number of RECs in retinal blood vessels were observed and compared among all groups after intervention.In addition,RECs were inoculated into cell culture plates after normal culture and subculture.They were divided into 5 groups according to different treatments:normal glucose(NG)group,high glucose(HG)group,mannitol(MT)group,high glucose+low concentration of hyperoside(HG+H100)group and high glucose+high concentration of hyperoside(HG+H400)group.The activ-ity,cell migration and tubule formation of RECs in each group were detected and compared by CCK-8,cell migration and tubule for-mation assays.Western blot and qPCR were used to detect the expression of NADPH Oxidase 4(NOX4)and thioredoxin interacting protein(TXNIP)in each group.RESULTS The number of RECs in the DR group was significantly increased compared to the NC group(P<0.01).In contrast,the DR+L-HY,DR+H-HY,and DR+CD groups all showed significant decreases in RECs number compared to the DR group(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the reduction of RECs in the DR+H-HY group was significantly greater than that in the DR+L-HY group(P<0.05).Furthermore,the cell activity,migration number and tube formation number of RECs in the HG group were significantly higher than those in the NG group(P<0.05,P<0.01).The protein and mRNA expression levels of NOX4 and TXNIP in the HG group were also significantly higher than those in the NG group(P<0.01).However,the RECs activity,RECs mi-gration number and tube formation number in the HG+H100 group and the HG+H400 group were significantly lower than those in the HG group(P<0.05,P<0.01).The expression levels of NOX4 and TXNIP in both groups were significantly lower than those in the HG group(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the RECs activity,migration number,tube formation number,and the expression of NOX4 and TXNIP in the HG+H400 group were further significantly decreased compared with those in the HG+H100 group(P<0.01).CONCLU-SION Hyperoside could significantly inhibit the high glucose-induced excessive proliferation of RECs.The mechanism may be relat-ed to the inhibition of NOX4/TXNIP activation in high-glucose environment.

Objective:To explore the differences of cortical responses to unilateral upper limb training (UULT) in subacute stroke patients with different motor-evoked potentials (MEPs).Methods:A cross-sectional study was performed; 33 subacute stroke patients accepted UULT were recruited from Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University from August 2023 to August 2024. Transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to assess MEPs, and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to record hemodynamic changes in bilateral primary motor cortex (M1), pre-motor cortex/supplementary motor area (PMC/SMA), and posterior parietal cortex (PPC) during the resting state and UULT task state. Wavelet coherence analysis and Granger causality analysis were used to determine the strengths of functional connectivity (FC) and effective connectivity (EC) between brain regions.Results:Among the 33 patients, 16 were assigned to an absent MEP (MEP -) group and 17 into a present MEP (MEP +) group (MEP amplitude: [310±200] μV). In the MEP - group, compared with those during the resting state, FC of ipsilesional M1 with contralesional PPC, contralesional M1, ipsilesional PPC, contralesional PMC/SMA and ipsilesional PMC/SMA during the task state (0.64±0.14 vs. 0.48±0.12, 0.63±0.14 vs. 0.45±0.10, 0.70±0.14 vs. 0.56±0.12, 0.56±0.13 vs. 0.39±0.15, 0.61±0.13 vs. 0.44±0.14), and FC between the ipsilesional PMC/SMA and ipsilesional PPC during the task state (0.71±0.12 vs. 0.61±0.09) were significantly decreased ( P<0.0033); compared with that during the resting state, EC from the ipsilesional PPC to the ipsilesional PMC/SMA during the task state (0.15±0.07 vs. 0.25±0.18) was significantly increased ( P<0.05). In the MEP + group, compared with that during the resting state, FC of the ipsilesional M1 with contralesional M1 and ipsilesional PPC during the task state (0.81±0.08 vs. 0.70±0.14, 0.78±0.08 vs. 0.68±0.13) was significantly decreased ( P<0.0033); compared with that during the resting state, EC from contralesional M1 to ipsilesional M1 during the task state (0.11±0.10 vs. 0.15±0.10) was significantly increased ( P<0.05). No significant differences were noted in changes of FC strength between resting state and UULT task state across brain regions when comparing the MEP - and MEP + groups ( P>0.0033). Conclusion:MEP - subacute stroke patients exhibit extensive bilateral cortical response during the UULT task state, whereas MEP + patients show limited cortical response, which indicate that rehabilitation training strategy in MEP + patients needs to be adjusted.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of hyperoside on high glucose-induced excessive proliferation of retinal endo-thelial cells(RECs)and its possible mechanism.METHODS Diabetic retinopathy(DR)models were established in male Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats.DR rats were treated with low-and high-dose hyperoside(DR+L-HY group and DR+H-HY group).Additional-ly,the normal control(NC)group,DR non-intervention(DR)group and DR+calcium dobesilate intervention(DR+CD)group were set up.The differences in the number of RECs in retinal blood vessels were observed and compared among all groups after intervention.In addition,RECs were inoculated into cell culture plates after normal culture and subculture.They were divided into 5 groups according to different treatments:normal glucose(NG)group,high glucose(HG)group,mannitol(MT)group,high glucose+low concentration of hyperoside(HG+H100)group and high glucose+high concentration of hyperoside(HG+H400)group.The activ-ity,cell migration and tubule formation of RECs in each group were detected and compared by CCK-8,cell migration and tubule for-mation assays.Western blot and qPCR were used to detect the expression of NADPH Oxidase 4(NOX4)and thioredoxin interacting protein(TXNIP)in each group.RESULTS The number of RECs in the DR group was significantly increased compared to the NC group(P<0.01).In contrast,the DR+L-HY,DR+H-HY,and DR+CD groups all showed significant decreases in RECs number compared to the DR group(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the reduction of RECs in the DR+H-HY group was significantly greater than that in the DR+L-HY group(P<0.05).Furthermore,the cell activity,migration number and tube formation number of RECs in the HG group were significantly higher than those in the NG group(P<0.05,P<0.01).The protein and mRNA expression levels of NOX4 and TXNIP in the HG group were also significantly higher than those in the NG group(P<0.01).However,the RECs activity,RECs mi-gration number and tube formation number in the HG+H100 group and the HG+H400 group were significantly lower than those in the HG group(P<0.05,P<0.01).The expression levels of NOX4 and TXNIP in both groups were significantly lower than those in the HG group(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the RECs activity,migration number,tube formation number,and the expression of NOX4 and TXNIP in the HG+H400 group were further significantly decreased compared with those in the HG+H100 group(P<0.01).CONCLU-SION Hyperoside could significantly inhibit the high glucose-induced excessive proliferation of RECs.The mechanism may be relat-ed to the inhibition of NOX4/TXNIP activation in high-glucose environment.

Objective:To identify the genetic variation in a mucopolysaccharidosis type Ⅱ(MPS Ⅱ)family, and conduct a functional study of iduronate-2-sulfatase(IDS): c.323A>C.Methods:A five-generation MPS Ⅱ family of 83 individuals including 4 patients from northern China was collected. Urine mucopolysaccharide and Alder-Reilly body were tested to assist the clinical diagnosis of MPS Ⅱ. IDS enzyme activity was detected on core family members. By the whole exome sequencing of a MPS Ⅱ patient in this family and bioinformatics analysis, the variant was screened and further identified by PCR-Sanger sequencing. Finally, to validate the function of the variant in vitro, the wild-type IDS overexpression plasmid(pCMV-hIDS-WT)and the IDS overexpression plasmid carrying the mutation site(pCMV-hIDS-c.323A>C)were transfected into COS-7 cells and the IDS activity was detected. Results:The proband(Ⅳ3)and Ⅳ4 were diagnosed as MPS Ⅱ by urine mucopolysaccharide, Alder-Reilly body, and IDS enzyme activity tests. Ⅳ3, Ⅳ4, Ⅲ19, and Ⅲ32 were determined to carry IDS: c.323A>C missense variant through the whole-exome sequencing, and diagnosed as MPS Ⅱ. Meanwhile, Ⅱ2, Ⅱ4, Ⅱ8, Ⅱ12, Ⅱ14, Ⅲ5, Ⅲ7, Ⅳ14 in the MPS Ⅱ family carried IDS: c.323A>C missense variant, and were excluded as MPS Ⅱ. The in vitro experiment in COS-7 cells showed that the missense mutation led to a significant decrease in IDS enzyme activity. Conclusion:The variant IDS: c.323A>C: p.Y108S significantly decreases the activity of IDS enzyme in vivo and in vitro, and it is identified as a pathogenic variant for MPS Ⅱ.

Objectives: To explore the differences in signal pathway and gene expression related to the pathogenesis of congenital microtia by the in-depth analysis of DNA methylation profiling of auricular chondrocytes from congenital microtia patients. Methods: Genome wide methylation profile of congenital microtia was obtained by MeDIP chip technology, and analyzed by Gene ontology (GO) and Pathway analysis. The gene expression levels of Wnt1 and Wnt11 were evaluated by Real-time PCR in the auricular cartilage from the healthy side and affected side of the congenital microtia patients , and healthy controls. Results: The GO and Pathway assay showed that Wnt signal pathway was enriched in differential methylated levels. The Wnt1 and Wnt11 genes were with higher methylation in the promoter region and CpG islands in healthy control group than that in microtia group, in addition the methylation level in the affected side auricular cartilage was lower than that in the healthy side. There was no difference in Wnt1 and Wnt11 gene expression in microtia patients and healthy controls. The higher Wnt11 gene expression was detected in the affected side residual cartilage tissues than in the healthy side cartilage tissues of the same congenital microtia patient. Conclusions The over expression of Wnt11 during embryonic development might be associated with the pathogenesis of congenital microtia. The mechanism of the difference in methylation levles of Wnt11 affecting pathogenesis of congenital microtia needs further research.

Objective: To perform a comparative study of different fat-processing techniques to explore which technique could obtain higher fat content. Methods: Lipoaspirates was purified with three groups of fat-processing techniques (sedimentation, centrifugation, and cotton pad filtering). Isometric purified fat tissue was centrifuged at 5 000 g for 5 minutes to quantify the oil, aqueous, and fat content from them. HE staining was applied to evaluate the effect of different fat-processing techniques on the integrity of adipocyte. Results: The fat content, aqueous content, and oil content of three groups was respectively 86.0%, 9.6% and 4.4% for the cotton pad filtering group; 74.4%, 14.8% and 10.8% for the centrifugation group; 62.0%, 28.4% and 9.6% for the sedimentation group. In the HE histologic findings, no significant difference was observed in the integrity of adipocyte of three groups (P>0.05). Conclusions In comparison with the sedimentation group and the centrifugation group, more fat content, less oil content and aqueous content was observed in the cotton pad filtering group. The cotton pad filtering technique was helpful in postoperative volume retention.

Objective:To characterize the volatile compounds in 10 batches of disposable infusion sets and 6 batches of nasal can-nulas by GC-MS and determine the main odor-active compounds. Methods:The volatile components were extracted using a headspace sampler. An HP-5MS capillary column (30 m × 0. 25 mm,0. 25 μm) was adopted, and the qualitative analysis was performed by total ion chromatography ( TIC) of full scan with temperature programmer. Results:A total of 19 major volatile compounds were identified, which were hydrocarbon, alcohol and carbonyl compounds (such as aldehyde and ester). Based on the combination of odor test and GC-MS, the concentration of alcohol compounds (2-ethyl hexanol, 2-EH) had the most notable effect on the odor of samples. Conclu-sion:The samples with unacceptable order contain 2-EH with relatively high content, which should be paid more attention.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the characteristics and incidence of the thoracic deformities in patients with microtia.

METHODSIn Plastic Surgery Hospital, we conducted a retrospective study of the clinical and radiographical data of 300 patients with microtia from March 2013 to October 2014. Pearson χ2 test was used to analyze the relationship among deformities of ribs and spine, as well as microtia.

RESULTSA total of 78 (26.0%) patients were documented with rib deformities, 26 patients (8.7%) had spinal deformities, and 17 patients (5.7% )had both. The incidence of rib deformities in microtia I, II, and III was 7.1% (2/28), 26.7% (62/232) and 35.0% (14/40) respectively. The incidence of spinal deformities in microtia I, II, and III was 3.6% (1/28), 6.5% (15/232) and 25.0% (10/40 respectively. The patients with microtia III were found to have a higher incidence of ribs and spinal deformities than those with microtia II, patients with microtia II were found to have a higher incidence of ribs and spinal deformities than those with microtia I (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe incidence of ribs and spinal deformities is high in patients with microtia. The poorer one auricle developed, the higher the incidence of thoracic deformities.

Biomedical Research ; Congenital Microtia ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Retrospective Studies ; Ribs ; abnormalities ; Spine ; abnormalities