Objective:To investigate the regulatory effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) on functional connectivity (FC) of thalamic subregions in patients with premenstrual syndrome (PMS).Methods:This study was a cross-sectional investigation. Clinical, laboratory, and imaging data were retrospectively collected from 56 PMS patients (PMS group) and 66 healthy controls (control group) recruited from various universities and hospitals in Nanning between November 2021 and June 2024. Resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data and fMRI data during taVNS immediate stimulation (2 Hz, 25 Hz) were acquired from subjects during their late luteal phase. Using thalamic subregions (anterior thalamic nucleus, lateral nucleus, ventral nucleus, medial nucleus, central nucleus, posterior nucleus) as seeds, two-sample t-tests or paired t-tests were employed to analyze alterations in thalamic subregion FC in PMS patients and the regulatory effects of taVNS on these changes. Independent samples t-test were used to compare the differences in clinical and laboratory indicators between the PMS group and the control group. The relationship between taVNS regulation of thalamic subregion FC in PMS patients and thalamic internal functional connectivity were analyzed using mediation effect analysis. Results:Compared to the control group, patients in the PMS group showed increased scores on the Daily Record of Severity of Problems, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Self-Rating Depression Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale 17, and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 14 during the late luteal phase ( P<0.05). At baseline, PMS patients exhibited higher FC between the left thalamic lateral nucleus and the left insula, and lower FC between the left medial nucleus, posterior nucleus, and ventral nucleus of the thalamus and the right middle frontal gyrus (MFG) compared to the control group (GRF corrected, voxel-level P<0.001, cluster-level P<0.05). During 2 Hz taVNS immediate stimulation in PMS group, FC between the left thalamic medial nucleus, posterior nucleus, ventral nucleus and the right MFG, as well as the FC between the left thalamic ventral nucleu and the left MFG increased compared to baseline levels; meanwhile, FC between the left thalamic posterior nucleus, ventral nucleus and the left insula decreased compared to baseline levels (GRF corrected, voxel-level P<0.001, cluster-level P<0.05). During 25 Hz taVNS immediate stimulation, the FC between the left thalamic ventral nucleus and the right MFG decreased compared to the baseline level (GRF corrected, voxel-level P<0.001, cluster-level P<0.05). Mediation effect analysis showed that the FC between the left thalamic posterior nucleus and the left lateral nucleus mediated part of the association between the FC of the left lateral thalamic nucleus-left insula and the FC of the left ventral thalamic nucleus-left putamen/insula; there were significant direct effects between the FC of the left lateral thalamic nucleus-the left posterior nucleus and FC of the left lateral thalamic nucleus-the left insula, as well as between the FC of the left ventral thalamic nucleus-the left MFG and FC of the left ventral thalamic nucleus-the right MFG. Conclusions:taVNS can modulate abnormal FC of the left thalamic subregions in PMS patients, restoring it toward normalization. The regulatory effects of 2 Hz stimulation are more pronounced than those of 25 Hz stimulation. This modulation primarily operates through two pathways: the left thalamic lateral nucleus-left insula-left thalamic ventral nucleus pathway and the left MFG-left thalamic ventral nucleus-right MFG.

Objective:To investigate the regulatory effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) on functional connectivity (FC) of thalamic subregions in patients with premenstrual syndrome (PMS).Methods:This study was a cross-sectional investigation. Clinical, laboratory, and imaging data were retrospectively collected from 56 PMS patients (PMS group) and 66 healthy controls (control group) recruited from various universities and hospitals in Nanning between November 2021 and June 2024. Resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data and fMRI data during taVNS immediate stimulation (2 Hz, 25 Hz) were acquired from subjects during their late luteal phase. Using thalamic subregions (anterior thalamic nucleus, lateral nucleus, ventral nucleus, medial nucleus, central nucleus, posterior nucleus) as seeds, two-sample t-tests or paired t-tests were employed to analyze alterations in thalamic subregion FC in PMS patients and the regulatory effects of taVNS on these changes. Independent samples t-test were used to compare the differences in clinical and laboratory indicators between the PMS group and the control group. The relationship between taVNS regulation of thalamic subregion FC in PMS patients and thalamic internal functional connectivity were analyzed using mediation effect analysis. Results:Compared to the control group, patients in the PMS group showed increased scores on the Daily Record of Severity of Problems, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Self-Rating Depression Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale 17, and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 14 during the late luteal phase ( P<0.05). At baseline, PMS patients exhibited higher FC between the left thalamic lateral nucleus and the left insula, and lower FC between the left medial nucleus, posterior nucleus, and ventral nucleus of the thalamus and the right middle frontal gyrus (MFG) compared to the control group (GRF corrected, voxel-level P<0.001, cluster-level P<0.05). During 2 Hz taVNS immediate stimulation in PMS group, FC between the left thalamic medial nucleus, posterior nucleus, ventral nucleus and the right MFG, as well as the FC between the left thalamic ventral nucleu and the left MFG increased compared to baseline levels; meanwhile, FC between the left thalamic posterior nucleus, ventral nucleus and the left insula decreased compared to baseline levels (GRF corrected, voxel-level P<0.001, cluster-level P<0.05). During 25 Hz taVNS immediate stimulation, the FC between the left thalamic ventral nucleus and the right MFG decreased compared to the baseline level (GRF corrected, voxel-level P<0.001, cluster-level P<0.05). Mediation effect analysis showed that the FC between the left thalamic posterior nucleus and the left lateral nucleus mediated part of the association between the FC of the left lateral thalamic nucleus-left insula and the FC of the left ventral thalamic nucleus-left putamen/insula; there were significant direct effects between the FC of the left lateral thalamic nucleus-the left posterior nucleus and FC of the left lateral thalamic nucleus-the left insula, as well as between the FC of the left ventral thalamic nucleus-the left MFG and FC of the left ventral thalamic nucleus-the right MFG. Conclusions:taVNS can modulate abnormal FC of the left thalamic subregions in PMS patients, restoring it toward normalization. The regulatory effects of 2 Hz stimulation are more pronounced than those of 25 Hz stimulation. This modulation primarily operates through two pathways: the left thalamic lateral nucleus-left insula-left thalamic ventral nucleus pathway and the left MFG-left thalamic ventral nucleus-right MFG.

Objective: To prospectively compare single-shot (SS) echo-planar imaging (EPI) and field-of-view optimized and constrained undistorted single-shot multiplexed sensitivity-encoding (FOCUS MUSE) for diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in evaluating thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). Materials and Methods: SS EPI and FOCUS MUSE DWIs were obtained from 39 patients with TAO (18 male; mean ± standard deviation: 48.3 ± 13.3 years) and 26 healthy controls (9 male; mean ± standard deviation: 43.0 ± 18.5 years). Two radiologists scored the visual image quality using a 4-point Likert scale. The image quality score, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-tonoise ratio (CNR), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of extraocular muscles (EOMs) were compared between the two DWIs. Differences in the ADC of EOMs were also evaluated. The performance of discriminating active from inactive TAO was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curves. The correlation between ADC and clinical activity score (CAS) was analyzed using Spearman correlation. Results: Compared with SS EPI DWI, FOCUS MUSE DWI demonstrated significantly higher image quality scores (P < 0.001), a higher SNR and CNR on the lateral rectus muscle (LRM) and medial rectus muscle (MRM) (P < 0.05), and a non-significant difference in the ADC of the LRM and MRM. Active TAO showed higher ADC than inactive TAO and healthy controls with both SS EPI and FOCUS MUSE DWIs (P < 0.001). Inactive TAO and healthy controls did not show a significant ADC difference with both DWIs. Compared with SS EPI DWI, FOCUS MUSE DWI demonstrated better discrimination of active from inactive TAO (AUC:0.925 vs. 0.779; P = 0.007). The ADC was significantly correlated with CAS in SS EPI DWI (r = 0.391, P < 0.001) and FOCUS MUSE DWI (r = 0.645, P < 0.001). Conclusion FOCUS MUSE DWI provides better images for evaluating EOMs and better performance in diagnosing active TAO than SS EPI DWI. The application of FOCUS MUSE will facilitate the DWI evaluation of TAO.

Objective:To explored the clinical characteristics and risk factors of acute kidney injury (AKI) caused by vancomycin combined with piperacillin sodium and tazobactam sodium (VPT) in adult patients with severe infections.Methods:Clinical data of adult patients with VPT-related AKI (AKI group) hospitalized at the Affiliated Hospital of Gansu Medical College and People′s Hospital of Hengshui from January 2022 to August 2023 due to severe infections were collected. The occurrence time, severity, and prognosis of AKI in the AKI group were descriptive statistically analyzed. According to the ratio of 1∶1, patients in the control group were randomly selected from those who did not develop AKI after using VPT in the same period. The general information, disease status, baseline laboratory tests results, and the application of VPT and combined drugs, etc. in patients of the 2 groups were collected. The influencing factors of AKI caused by VPT were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression.Results:A total of 1 547 adult patients with severe infections were treated with VPT, of which 175 (11.3%) developed AKI. Among the 175 patients, 81 (46.3%) were male and 94 (53.7%) were female, with an age of (55±22) years; the time from VPT treatment to the occurrence of AKI was (4±1) days, and the severity of AKI was staged as grade 1, 2 and 3 in 97 (55.4%), 54 (30.9%), and 24 (13.7%) patients, respectively. After drug withdrawal, the renal function gradually recovered in 169 (96.6%) of the 175 patients with AKI, and 6 (3.4%) patients needed continuous renal replacement therapy. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the trough concentration of vancomycin >20 mg/L [odds ratio ( OR)=2.105, 95% confidence interval ( CI): 1.427-3.105, P=0.022], the duration of vancomycin treatment ≥11 days ( OR=1.518, 95% CI: 1.232-1.871, P=0.014), the duration of piperacillin sodium and tazobactam sodium treatment ≥14 days ( OR=1.826, 95% CI: 1.152-2.894, P=0.029) and longer duration of combined vasoactive drugs ( OR=3.315, 95% CI: 1.428-7.695, P=0.005) were independent risk factors for VPT-related AKI. Conclusions:VPT-related AKI in adult patients with severe infections mostly occurs within one week of combination therapy, and the severity was mostly stage 1 and 2. The trough concentration of vancomycin >20 mg/L, longer course of VPT treatment, and longer time of combined vasoactive drugs can increase the risk of VPT-related AKI.

Objective:To explored the clinical characteristics and risk factors of acute kidney injury (AKI) caused by vancomycin combined with piperacillin sodium and tazobactam sodium (VPT) in adult patients with severe infections.Methods:Clinical data of adult patients with VPT-related AKI (AKI group) hospitalized at the Affiliated Hospital of Gansu Medical College and People′s Hospital of Hengshui from January 2022 to August 2023 due to severe infections were collected. The occurrence time, severity, and prognosis of AKI in the AKI group were descriptive statistically analyzed. According to the ratio of 1∶1, patients in the control group were randomly selected from those who did not develop AKI after using VPT in the same period. The general information, disease status, baseline laboratory tests results, and the application of VPT and combined drugs, etc. in patients of the 2 groups were collected. The influencing factors of AKI caused by VPT were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression.Results:A total of 1 547 adult patients with severe infections were treated with VPT, of which 175 (11.3%) developed AKI. Among the 175 patients, 81 (46.3%) were male and 94 (53.7%) were female, with an age of (55±22) years; the time from VPT treatment to the occurrence of AKI was (4±1) days, and the severity of AKI was staged as grade 1, 2 and 3 in 97 (55.4%), 54 (30.9%), and 24 (13.7%) patients, respectively. After drug withdrawal, the renal function gradually recovered in 169 (96.6%) of the 175 patients with AKI, and 6 (3.4%) patients needed continuous renal replacement therapy. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the trough concentration of vancomycin >20 mg/L [odds ratio ( OR)=2.105, 95% confidence interval ( CI): 1.427-3.105, P=0.022], the duration of vancomycin treatment ≥11 days ( OR=1.518, 95% CI: 1.232-1.871, P=0.014), the duration of piperacillin sodium and tazobactam sodium treatment ≥14 days ( OR=1.826, 95% CI: 1.152-2.894, P=0.029) and longer duration of combined vasoactive drugs ( OR=3.315, 95% CI: 1.428-7.695, P=0.005) were independent risk factors for VPT-related AKI. Conclusions:VPT-related AKI in adult patients with severe infections mostly occurs within one week of combination therapy, and the severity was mostly stage 1 and 2. The trough concentration of vancomycin >20 mg/L, longer course of VPT treatment, and longer time of combined vasoactive drugs can increase the risk of VPT-related AKI.

Inherited platelet function disorders(IPFD)is a rare hereditary disease characterized by various degrees of bleeding tendency with or without thrombocytopenia.Due to the lack of standardized evaluation system in laboratory test, the diagnosis and classification of IPFD are difficult.Thus, the incidence of IPFD may be underestimated.At present, combined with symptoms and laboratory tests, the second generation sequencing technology is conductive to the fast and accurate diagnosis of complex hemorrhagic diseases of this type and can prompt assessment and treatment.However, there still exists no effective targeted treatment for IPFD.This paper was aimed at introducing the diagnosis and treatment of IPFD.

Objective To summarize the clinical characteristics,diagnosis and treatments of 50 chil-dren with no history of anti-coagulation rodenticide poisoning.Methods Fifty children lacking of poisoning history were admitted to our hospital from Feb 2011 to Dec 2015,who were due to hemorrhage and finally di-agnosed as rodenticide poisoning.The clinical manifestation,characteristics of blood coagulation dysfunction, toxicology screening results and treatments of 50 cases were retrospectively analyzed.Results All 50 cases were from rural area,and denied the history of taking rodenticide by mistake.The time from the onset to ad-mission to the hospital was from 1 d to 120 d,with an average of 11.66 d.Major clinical manifestations in-cluded:34 cases(68%)of skin ecchymosis,26 cases(52%)of epistaxis,10 cases(20%)of bleeding gums and 4 cases(8%)of hematoma at the injection site,with PT 20 to over 200 s and APTT 31 to over 200 s (maximal detection value).The children were diagnosed as rodenticide poisoning when one of brodifacoum, bromadiolone,and diphacinone-sodium or combination of brodifacoum and bromadiolone were detected from their blood specimens,with an concentration of 5 to 3 270 μg/L.The diagnosed children were intravenous dripped with specific antagonist vitamin K1 and the critically ill children were added fresh frozen plasma.All children recovered from hemorrhage within 24 hours after treatment.The level of PT,APTT was close to nor-mal after 3 to 7 days of treatment,and the using of vitamin K1 was accumulated about 30 to 70 mg.The chil-dren were given maintenance treatment of vitamin K1 for three months after discharge until the condition was stable.Conclusion Commonly used rodenticide has the characteristics of fat soluble, easy to accumulate, long incubation period,and long treatment period and so on.Children with no bleeding performance have the clinical tendency of acute bleeding,prolonged PT and APTT should be considered the possibility of rodenti-cide poisoning.Blood or urine samples should be screened for toxicology as soon as possible,and meanwhile children should be given antagonist treatment with special antidote vitamin K1 until the coagulation function is stable in normal range to avoid recurrence of the illness.

Objective To assess the academic influence of research on blood pressure in the world and its frontiers. Methods Papers on blood pressure published from 2004 to 2008 and from 2009 to 2013 in China and foreign coun-tries were retrieved from Web of Science. Their academic influencing power was assessed and their evolution in the past 10 years was displayed by Citespace. Results The world outputs in research on blood pressure increased steadily from 2004 to 2014. The competitive force of the USA-led developed Western countries was strong and stable. The out-puts in research on blood pressure in China increased rapidly, but its influencing power was relatively low. Although progress was made at micro and macro levels,greater advances were achieved at gene,molecular and big data levels in the past 10 years. Conclusion The USA and European countries-led development in research on blood pressure is steady, and it is urgent for China to reduce its gap with USA and European countries.