The neural stimulator is a core component of animal robots. While the control effect of animal robots is influenced by various factors, the performance of the neural stimulator plays a decisive role in regulating animal robots. In order to optimize animal robots, embedded neural stimulators had been developed using flexible printed circuit board technology. This innovation not only enabled the stimulator to generate parameter-adjustable biphasic current pulses through control signals, but also optimized its carrying mode, material, and size, overcoming the disadvantages of traditional backpack or head-inserted stimulators, which have poor concealment and are prone to infection. Static, in vitro, and in vivo performance tests of the stimulator demonstrated that it not only had precise pulse waveform output capability, but also was lightweight and small in size. It had excellent in vivo performance in both laboratory and outdoor environments. Our study has high practical significance for the application of animal robots.
Animals ; Robotics

This study aims to gain insight into the DNA-specific recognition mechanism of c-Myb transcription factor during the regulation of cell early differentiation and proliferation. Therefore, we chose the chicken myeloid gene, mitochondrial import protein 1 (mim-1), as a target to study the binding specificity between potential dual-Myb-binding sites. The c-Myb-binding site in mim-1 is a pseudo-palindromic sequence AACGGTT, which contains two AACNG consensuses. Simulation studies in different biological scenarios revealed that c-Myb binding with mim-1 in the forward strand (complex F) ismore stable than that inthereverse strand (complex R). The principal component analysis (PCA) dynamics trajectory analyses suggested an opening motion of the recognition helices of R2 and R3 (R2R3), resulting in the dissociation of DNA from c-Myb in complex R at 330 K, triggered by the reduced electrostatic potential on the surface of R2R3. Furthermore, the DNA confirmation and hydrogen-bond interaction analyses indicated that the major groove width of DNA increased in complex R, which affected on the hydrogen-bond formation ability between R2R3 and DNA, and directly resulted in the dissociation of DNA from R2R3. The steered molecular dynamics (SMD) simulation studies also suggested that the electrostatic potential, major groove width, and hydrogen bonds made major contribution to the DNA‍-specific recognition. In vitro trials confirmed the simulation results that c-Myb specifically bound to mim-1 in the forward strand. This study indicates that the three-dimensional (3D) structure features play an important role in the DNA-specific recognition mechanism by c-Myb besides the AACNG consensuses, which is beneficial to understanding the cell early differentiation and proliferation regulated by c-Myb, as well as the prediction of novel c-Myb-binding motifs in tumorigenesis.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation ; Consensus ; DNA ; Hydrogen

Objectives:To investigate the clinical and genetic features of young Chinese patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) .Methods:In this cross-sectional study, anonymous questionnaires were distributed to patients with MPN patients nationwide. The respondents were divided into 3 groups based on their age at diagnosis: young (≤40 years) , middle-aged (41-60 years) , and elderly (>60 years) . We compared the clinical and genetic characteristics of three groups of MPN patients.Results:1727 assessable questionnaires were collected. There were 453 (26.2%) young respondents with MPNs, including 274 with essential thrombocythemia (ET) , 80 with polycythemia vera (PV) , and 99 with myelofibrosis. Among the young group, 178 (39.3%) were male, and the median age was 31 (18-40) years. In comparison to middle-aged and elderly respondents, young respondents with MPN were more likely to present with a higher proportion of unmarried status (all P<0.001) , a higher education level (all P<0.001) , less comorbidity (ies) , fewer medications (all P<0.001) , and low-risk stratification (all P<0.001) . Younger respondents experienced headache (ET, P<0.001; PV, P=0.007; MF, P=0.001) at diagnosis, had splenomegaly at diagnosis (PV, P<0.001) , and survey (ET, P=0.052; PV, P=0.063) . Younger respondents had fewer thrombotic events at diagnosis (ET, P<0.001; PV, P=0.011) and during the survey (ET, P<0.001; PV, P=0.003) . JAK2 mutations were found in fewer young people (ET, P<0.001; PV, P<0.001; MF, P=0.013) ; however, CALR mutations were found in more young people (ET, P<0.001; MF, P=0.015) . Furthermore, mutations in non-driver genes (ET, P=0.042; PV, P=0.043; MF, P=0.004) and high-molecular risk mutations (ET, P=0.024; PV, P=0.023; MF, P=0.001) were found in fewer young respondents. Conclusion:Compared with middle-aged and elderly patients, young patients with MPN had unique clinical and genetic characteristics.

Objective:To investigate the application value of Prolene thread-needle continuous suture method in pancreaticojejunostomy pancreaticoduodenectomy.Methods:The clinical data of 80 patients with preoperative diagnosis of periampullary tumors undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy who were admitted to Shanxian Central Hospital of Heze City from January 2017 to December 2020 were selected. According to the different methods of anastomosis, 80 patients were divided into A group and B group, each group with 40 patients, the patients in A group were performed pancreatic duct-mucosal anastomosis and the patients in B group were performed Prolene thread-needle continuous suture. The preoperative clinical data, operation-related data, postoperative complications in two groups were compared.Results:There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in clinical data such as gender, age, albumin level, pancreatic duct diameter, combined underlying diseases, preoperative bilirubin, admission symptoms, preoperative biliary drainage and tumor location ( P>0.05).The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage, operation durationand postoperative hospital stay in B group were lower than those in A group : (353.64 ± 95.28) min vs. (395.38 ± 110.29)min, (330.19 ± 100.27) ml vs. (397.43 ± 105.97) ml, (330.57 ± 110.68) ml vs. (376.18 ± 94.73) ml, (20.74 ± 8.08) min vs. (31.06 ± 7.83) min, (18.72 ± 6.02) d vs. (23.79 ± 7.41) d, the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The incidence of complications such as pancreatic leakage, pancreatic fistula, abdominal infection, lung infection, biliary fistula and delayed gastric emptying in B group were lower than those in A group : 10.0%(4/40) vs. 20.0%(8/40), 7.5%(3/40) vs. 20.0%(8/40), 2.5%(1/40) vs. 12.5%(5/40), 0 vs. 7.5%(3/40), 5.0%(2/40)vs. 17.5%(7/40), 7.5%(3/40) vs. 17.5%(7/40), the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Prolene thread-needle continuous suture method in pancreaticojejunostomy pancreaticoduodenectomy has the characteristics of simple operation, effective shortening of operation time, reliable anastomosisand can reduce the risk of postoperative pancreatic fistula complications.

Objective:To explore the setup errors of vacuum pad combined with breast bracket in linear accelerator intensity-modulated radiotherapy for breast cancer.Methods:The clinical data of 72 patients who received linear accelerator intensity-modulated radiotherapy after breast conserving surgery in Hai'an Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from July 2017 to March 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the radiotherapy fixation schemes, they were divided into vacuum pad group (24 patients), breast bracket group (27 patients) and vacuum pad combined with breast bracket group (21 patients). Cone-beam CT was used to analyze the setup errors of the fixation, and the mean value of the overall errors and the standard deviation of the system errors were calculated. The relative factors affecting the fixed setup errors were analyzed.Results:There were statistical differences among vacuum pad group, breast bracket group and vacuum pad combined with breast bracket group in the level of forward and backward (Z) direction translation error (2.11±0.41, 2.67±0.26 and 1.79±0.21) and Z direction rotation error (1.14±0.24, 1.05±0.21 and 0.91±0.22) ( F values were 45.86 and 6.21, both P < 0.05). The level of Z direction translation error in vacuum pad group was higher than that in vacuum pad combined with breast bracket group, and the difference was statistically significant ( t = 12.37, P = 0.001). The level of Z direction rotation error in breast bracket group was higher than that in vacuum pad combined with breast bracket group, and the difference was statistically significant ( t = 3.41, P = 0.001). In the breast bracket group, the planning target volume (PTV) extension boundary values in the left and right (X), up and down (Y), and Z directions were 2.02, 2.09 and 1.97; the PTV release boundary values in X, Y and Z directions of the vacuum pad group were 1.81, 2.07 and 2.25; the external boundary values of PTV in X, Y and Z directions of the vacuum pad combined with breast bracket group were 1.13, 1.51 and 1.49. The result of multifactor analysis showed that body mass index (BMI) ( OR = 4.208, 95% CI 1.438-12.312) and breast volume ( OR = 4.023, 95% CI 1.375-11.769) were the independent influencing factors of fixed setup errors (both P < 0.05). Conclusions:The application of vacuum pad combined with breast bracket in the fixed setup of linear accelerator intensity-modulated radiotherapy of breast cancer is helpful to reduce the fixed setup errors, but at the same time, the fixed setup errors is affected by the patient's BMI, breast volume and other factors.

Inflammatory caspase-11 senses and is activated by intracellular lipopolysaccharide (LPS) leading to pyroptosis that has critical role in defensing against bacterial infection, whereas its excess activation under pathogenic circumstances may cause various inflammatory diseases. However, there are few known drugs that can control caspase-11 activation. We report here that scutellarin, a flavonoid from Erigeron breviscapus, acted as an inhibitor for caspase-11 activation in macrophages. Scutellarin dose-dependently inhibited intracellular LPS-induced release of caspase-11p26 (indicative of caspase-11 activation) and generation of N-terminal fragment of gasdermin D (GSDMD-NT), leading to reduced pyroptosis. It also suppressed the activation of non-canonical nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome as evidenced by reduced apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC) speck formation and decreased interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and caspase-1p10 secretion, whereas the NLRP3-specific inhibitor MCC950 only inhibited IL-1β and caspase-1p10 release and ASC speck formation but not pyroptosis. Scutellarin also suppressed LPS-induced caspase-11 activation and pyroptosis in RAW 264.7 cells lacking ASC expression. Moreover, scutellarin treatment increased Ser/Thr phosphorylation of caspase-11 at protein kinase A (PKA)-specific sites, and its inhibitory action on caspase-11 activation was largely abrogated by PKA inhibitor H89 or by adenylyl cyclase inhibitor MDL12330A. Collectively, our data indicate that scutellarin inhibited caspase-11 activation and pyroptosis in macrophages at least partly via regulating the PKA signaling pathway.

Objectives:To explore health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and identify its associated variables in Chinese patients with Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) .Methods:In this cross-sectional study, anonymous questionnaires were distributed to adult patients with MPNs to assess symptom burden measured by MPN-10 and HRQoL measured by Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) .Results:The data from 1405 respondents with MPNs, including 645 (45.9%) with essential thrombocythemia (ET) , 297 (21.1%) with polycythemia vera (PV) , and 463 (33.0%) with myelofibrosis (MF) , were analyzed. 646 (46.0%) respondents were male. The median age was 56 (range, 18-99) years. The mean MPN-10 scores were 13.0±12.7, 15.0±14.7, and 21.0±16.6 ( P<0.001) , and the physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores were 48.0±8.5, 47.0±9.0, and 42.0±10.0 ( P<0.001) and 51.0±11.0, 50.0±10.8, and 49.0±11.1 ( P=0.002) for respondents with ET, PV, and MF, respectively. Respondents with MF reported the lowest score of physical functioning, role functioning, emotional functioning, cognitive functioning, social function, and global health status (all P<0.01) and the highest score of fatigue, pain, dyspnea, appetite loss, diarrhea, and financial problems (all P<0.05) in EORTC QLQ-C30. Multivariate analyses revealed that higher MPN-10 scores were significantly associated with lower PCS (-0.220 to -0.277, P<0.001) and MCS (-0.244 to -0.329, P<0.001) scores; increasing age (-1.923 to -4.869; all P<0.05) , lower PCS score. Additionally, comorbidity (ies) , symptom at diagnosis, splenomegaly, anemia, unknown driver gene, and higher annual out-of-pocket cost were significantly associated with lower PCS and/or MCS scores. However, age ≥ 60 years, urban household registration, concomitant medication, and receiving ruxolitinib therapy in respondents with MF were associated with higher MCS scores. Weak correlations were found between MPN-10 score (except the subscale of appetite loss and constipation) and EORTC QLQ-C30 score in majority of subscales in respondents with ET (| r| = 0.193-0.457, all P<0.001) , PV (| r| = 0.192-0.529, all P<0.01) , and MF (| r| = 0.180-0.488, all P<0.001) , respectively. Conclusions:HRQoL in patients with MPN was significantly reduced, especially in patients with MF. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were significantly associated with the HRQoL in patients with MPNs.

Dysphagia is one of the widespread diseases in the aged which can lead to severe complications, such as aspiration pneumonia, even asphyxia. Therefore, early screening of dysphagia is vital for the aged. This paper reviewed the dysphagia screening scale for the aged at home and abroad so as to provide a reference for clinical workers to select the dysphagia screening scale and a thinking for the development of dysphagia risk assessment tools for the aged in China.

Objective To study the feasibility of applying electronic cleaning to intestinal contents tagging by diatrizoate meglumine for single-source dual-energy CT colonography with sequential acquisitions and volume scanning.Methods Twenty-four volunteers had fine effect of intestinal contents tagging by diatrizoate meglumine,good colorectal distension effect,fine image quality of dual-energy fusion colorectal images,and with informed consents were enrolled in this study.The single-source dual-energy CT colonography with sequential acquisitions and volume scanning was performed with an Acquilion ONE 320 row CT scanner,tube voltage 135 kVp/80 kVp.The intestinal contents conducted the dual-energy electronic cleaned based on decomposition of intestinal contents tagging by diatrizoate meglumine,soft tissue and air.The intestinal contents in one segment of intestinal lumen being 100％ electronically cleaned served as the basic standard,the electronic cleaning effects were divided into the 5 grades:excellent,good,moderate,fair and poor;and grade 1-3 were effective fecal electronic cleaning.Results The grade 1,2,3,4,5 of electronic cleaning effect for solid as the main intestinal contents were 22.2％,53.3％,17.8％,6.7％ and 0％ respectively;and which of electronic cleaning effect for liquid as the main intestinal contents were 47.5％,47.5％,5.0％,0％ and 0％ respectively.The together total effective electronic cleaning of intestinal contents was 97.9％ and the electronic cleaning effect was good.Conclusion Electronic cleaning could be used in the intestinal contents tagging by diatrizoate meglumine for single-source dual-energy CT colonography with sequential acquisitions and volume scanning.

Objective To evaluate the ability of controlling risk factors in elderly patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) with nursing outcomes classification (NOC). Methods A total of 146 elderly CHD patients treated in Daqing Longnan Hospital, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical School between January and June 2016 were enrolled in the study. All the study subjects were divided into control group (n=70) and experimental group (n=76) by random number table method. The control group was given routine nursing, while the experimental group was analyzed by the "Risk Control: Cardiovascular Health"and "Cardiac Pumping Effect" scales in NOC system 1 month after discharge and given interventions. The indicators of NOC of the patients and assessment of nursing staff were compared between the two groups. Results The differences in the scores of NOC indicators between control group and experimental group were statistically significant (P＜ 0.05). The indicators were angina pectoris, medication compliance, cognitive status, peripheral pulse, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, recognition of cardiovascular risk, and monitoring of blood pressure, applying stress management techniques, participating in cholesterol screening, following recommendations for preventive measures related to over-the-counter drugs, participating in aerobic exercise, recognizing the ability to change behavior, and avoiding smoking. The relevant knowledge level and skill assessment of the responsible nurses in the experimental group were better than those in the control group (P＜0.05). Conclusions The ability to control risk factors in elderly patients with CHD needs to be strengthened from the perspective of patients. Individualized programs should be implemented according to patients' specific conditions.