Objective:To observe any effect of combining visual deprivation training (VDT) with repeated low-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the treatment of lower limb motor dysfunction among stroke survivors.Methods:Fifty stroke survivors were randomly assigned to either a control group or an experimental group ( n=25 each). In addition to routine rehabilitation treatment, the control group received rTMS targeting the primary motor cortex (M1, lower limb representation area) of the unaffected hemisphere, while the experimental group also received VDT. Before and after 4 weeks of the treatments, everyone′s lower limb motor function, balance, gait and ability in the activities of daily living were evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer lower extremity assessment (FMA-LE), the root mean square (RMS) values generated through surface electromyography of the affected tibialis anterior muscle, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), the Tinetti Gait Assessment (TGA), and the modified Barthel Index (MBI). Results:After the treatment, both groups showed significant improvements in their average FMA-LE, BBS, TUGT, TGA and MBI results, as well as in the RMS values of the affected tibialis anterior muscle. The experimental group showed significantly greater improvement compared to the control group.Conclusions:The combination of VDT and low-frequency rTMS can effectively improve the lower limb motor function, balance and gait of stroke survivors. It is more effective than rTMS alone. The combined therapy is worthy of clinical application and promotion.

Objective:To analyze the electroencephalogram(EEG) average relative power spectrum in patients with unipolar and bipolar depression under the eyes-open and eyes-closed resting states.Methods:A total of 38 patients with unipolar depression (UD group), 48 patients with bipolar depression (BD group), and 43 healthy controls (HC group) were recruited from August 2022 to December 2023.The 64-channel EEG was recorded under eyes-open (EO) and eyes-closed (EC) resting states which alternated twice. The Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis H test were performed by SPSS 25.0 software. Results:There were no significant differences in the average relative power of delta and beta bands among the UD, BD and HC groups in all EO and EC states (all P>0.05). The average relative power of theta band in the three groups showed statistically significant differences in all EO and EC states ( H=7.852-12.583, all P<0.05). Further pairwise comparisons showed that in the first EO and EC stage, the average relative power of theta band of the UD and BD groups were significantly higher than that of the HC group (EO1: 0.18(0.17, 0.21), 0.19(0.16, 0.21), 0.16(0.14, 0.18), EC1: 0.15(0.13, 0.21), 0.15(0.13, 0.20), 0.13(0.10, 0.16); all P<0.05).In the second EO and EC stage, the average relative power of theta band of the BD group was significantly higher than that of the HC group (EO2: 0.18(0.15, 0.22), 0.16(0.14, 0.18), EC2: 0.15(0.13, 0.19), 0.13(0.11, 0.16); both P<0.05).There were statistically significant differences in the average relative power of alpha band among the three groups in the first EO and EC stage, as well as the second EC stage ( H=5.027-10.668, all P<0.05). Further pairwise comparisons showed that in the first EO stage, the average relative power of alpha band in the BD group was significantly higher than that in the UD group (0.20(0.16, 0.25), 0.14(0.11, 0.22), P=0.003), and in the following EC stages, the average relative power of alpha band in the UD group was significantly lower than that in the HC group (EC1: 0.40(0.33, 0.46), 0.51(0.40, 0.58), EC2: 0.41(0.35, 0.50), 0.48(0.43, 0.58); both P<0.05). Conclusion:At the initial stage of the resting state, both unipolar and bipolar depression patients demonstrate abnormal theta band activity under the eyes-open and eyes-closed states, while the alpha band activity under the eyes-open condition differs between the two groups of patients. These findings may provide potentially objective biomarkers to assist the diagnosis of unipolar and bipolar depression patients in clinical settings.

Objective:To analyze the electroencephalogram(EEG) average relative power spectrum in patients with unipolar and bipolar depression under the eyes-open and eyes-closed resting states.Methods:A total of 38 patients with unipolar depression (UD group), 48 patients with bipolar depression (BD group), and 43 healthy controls (HC group) were recruited from August 2022 to December 2023.The 64-channel EEG was recorded under eyes-open (EO) and eyes-closed (EC) resting states which alternated twice. The Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis H test were performed by SPSS 25.0 software. Results:There were no significant differences in the average relative power of delta and beta bands among the UD, BD and HC groups in all EO and EC states (all P>0.05). The average relative power of theta band in the three groups showed statistically significant differences in all EO and EC states ( H=7.852-12.583, all P<0.05). Further pairwise comparisons showed that in the first EO and EC stage, the average relative power of theta band of the UD and BD groups were significantly higher than that of the HC group (EO1: 0.18(0.17, 0.21), 0.19(0.16, 0.21), 0.16(0.14, 0.18), EC1: 0.15(0.13, 0.21), 0.15(0.13, 0.20), 0.13(0.10, 0.16); all P<0.05).In the second EO and EC stage, the average relative power of theta band of the BD group was significantly higher than that of the HC group (EO2: 0.18(0.15, 0.22), 0.16(0.14, 0.18), EC2: 0.15(0.13, 0.19), 0.13(0.11, 0.16); both P<0.05).There were statistically significant differences in the average relative power of alpha band among the three groups in the first EO and EC stage, as well as the second EC stage ( H=5.027-10.668, all P<0.05). Further pairwise comparisons showed that in the first EO stage, the average relative power of alpha band in the BD group was significantly higher than that in the UD group (0.20(0.16, 0.25), 0.14(0.11, 0.22), P=0.003), and in the following EC stages, the average relative power of alpha band in the UD group was significantly lower than that in the HC group (EC1: 0.40(0.33, 0.46), 0.51(0.40, 0.58), EC2: 0.41(0.35, 0.50), 0.48(0.43, 0.58); both P<0.05). Conclusion:At the initial stage of the resting state, both unipolar and bipolar depression patients demonstrate abnormal theta band activity under the eyes-open and eyes-closed states, while the alpha band activity under the eyes-open condition differs between the two groups of patients. These findings may provide potentially objective biomarkers to assist the diagnosis of unipolar and bipolar depression patients in clinical settings.

Objective:To observe any effect of combining visual deprivation training (VDT) with repeated low-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the treatment of lower limb motor dysfunction among stroke survivors.Methods:Fifty stroke survivors were randomly assigned to either a control group or an experimental group ( n=25 each). In addition to routine rehabilitation treatment, the control group received rTMS targeting the primary motor cortex (M1, lower limb representation area) of the unaffected hemisphere, while the experimental group also received VDT. Before and after 4 weeks of the treatments, everyone′s lower limb motor function, balance, gait and ability in the activities of daily living were evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer lower extremity assessment (FMA-LE), the root mean square (RMS) values generated through surface electromyography of the affected tibialis anterior muscle, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), the Tinetti Gait Assessment (TGA), and the modified Barthel Index (MBI). Results:After the treatment, both groups showed significant improvements in their average FMA-LE, BBS, TUGT, TGA and MBI results, as well as in the RMS values of the affected tibialis anterior muscle. The experimental group showed significantly greater improvement compared to the control group.Conclusions:The combination of VDT and low-frequency rTMS can effectively improve the lower limb motor function, balance and gait of stroke survivors. It is more effective than rTMS alone. The combined therapy is worthy of clinical application and promotion.

Background: and Purpose We investigated the causal relationships between the gut microbiota (GM), stroke, and potential metabolite mediators using Mendelian randomization (MR). Methods: We leveraged the summary statistics of GM (n=18,340 in the MiBioGen consortium), blood metabolites (n=115,078 in the UK Biobank), and stroke (cases n=60,176 and controls n=1,310,725 in the Global Biobank Meta-Analysis Initiative) from the largest genome-wide association studies to date. We performed bidirectional MR analyses to explore the causal relationships between the GM and stroke, and two mediation analyses, two-step MR and multivariable MR, to discover potential mediating metabolites. Results: Ten taxa were causally associated with stroke, and stroke led to changes in 27 taxa. In the two-step MR, Bifidobacteriales order, Bifidobacteriaceae family, Desulfovibrio genus, apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), phospholipids in high-density lipoprotein (HDL_PL), and the ratio of apolipoprotein B to ApoA1 (ApoB/ApoA1) were causally associated with stroke (all P<0.044). The causal associations between Bifidobacteriales order, Bifidobacteriaceae family and stroke were validated using the weighted median method in an independent cohort. The three GM taxa were all positively associated with ApoA1 and HDL_PL, whereas Desulfovibrio genus was negatively associated with ApoB/ApoA1 (all P<0.010). Additionally, the causal associations between the three GM taxa and ApoA1 remained significant after correcting for the false discovery rate (all q-values <0.027). Multivariable MR showed that the associations between Bifidobacteriales order, Bifidobacteriaceae family and stroke were mediated by ApoA1 and HDL_PL, each accounting for 6.5% (P=0.028) and 4.6% (P=0.033); the association between Desulfovibrio genus and stroke was mediated by ApoA1, HDL_PL, and ApoB/ApoA1, with mediated proportions of 7.6% (P=0.019), 4.2% (P=0.035), and 9.1% (P=0.013), respectively. Conclusion The current MR study provides evidence supporting the causal relationships between several specific GM taxa and stroke and potential mediating metabolites.

Objective To evaluate the semen quality and sperm morphology in the patients with different grades of varicocele. Methods Semen from 121 patients with varicocele which were divided into three groups, gradel, grade Ⅱ and grade Ⅲ, were studied and those of 23 normal male were taken as the control. Semen analysis was performed with the methods described in the WHO manual and sperm morphology was evaluated by WHO cri-teria. Results A significant reduction of semen quality and sperm morphology and an increase of small oval head, tapering head and amorphous head sperm were found in patients with different grades of varicocele compa-ring with those of the control. There was no difference in routine analysis between different groups. A reducetion of normal morphology percentage in grade Ⅲ were found comparing with grade Ⅱ (P<0.01). An increase of a-morphous head sperm in grade Ⅲ was found comparing with that of sperm in grade Ⅱ (P <0.01). Canclusions The routine semen analysis can not distinguish seminal damage between different grades of varicocele, but the sperm morphology can reflect the sperm state. Therefore, the patients with varicocele should not only get routine semen analysis but also check the sperm morphology.