ObjectiveIn nature, objects cast shadows due to illumination, forming the basis for stereoscopic perception. Birds need to adapt to changes in lighting (meaning they can recognize stereoscopic shapes even when shadows look different) to accurately perceive different three-dimensional forms. However, how neurons in the key visual brain area in birds handle these lighting changes remains largely unreported. In this study, pigeons (Columba livia) were used as subjects to investigate how neurons in pigeon’s ventrolateral mesopallium (MVL) represent stereoscopic shapes consistently, regardless of changes in lighting. MethodsVisual cognitive training combined with neuronal recording was employed. Pigeons were first trained to discriminate different stereoscopic shapes (concave/convex). We then tested whether and how light luminance angle and surface appearance of the stereoscopic shapes affect their recognition accuracy, and further verify whether the results rely on specify luminance color. Simultaneously, neuronal firing activity of neurons was recorded with multiple electrode array implanted from the MVL during the presentation of difference shapes. The response was finally analyzed how selectively they responded to different stereoscopic shapes and whether their selectivity was affected by the changes of luminance condition (like lighting angle) or surface look. Support vector machine (SVM) models were trained on neuronal population responses recorded under one condition (light luminance angle of 45°) and used to decode responses under other conditions (light luminance angle of 135°, 225°, 315°) to verify the invariance of responses to different luminance conditions. ResultsBehavioral results from 6 pigeons consistently showed that the pigeons could reliably identify the core 3D shape (over 80% accuracy), and this ability wasn’t affected by changes in light angle or surface appearance. Statistical analysis of 88 recorded neurons from 6 pigeons revealed that 83% (73/88) showed strong selectivity for specific 3D shapes (selectivity index>0.3), and responses to convex shapes were consistently stronger than to concave shapes. These shape-selective responses remained stable across changes in light angle and surface appearance. Neural patterns were consistent under both blue and orange lighting. The decoding accuracy achieves above 70%, suggesting stable responses under different conditions (e.g., different lighting angles or surface appearance). ConclusionNeurons in the pigeon MVL maintain a consistent neural encoding pattern for different stereoscopic shapes, unaffected by illumination or surface appearance. This ensures stable object recognition by pigeons in changing visual environments. Our findings provide new physiological evidence for understanding how birds achieve stable perception (“invariant neural representations”) while coping with variations in the visual field.

Currently, clinically used drugs for the treatment of gout inflammation, such as colchicine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and glucocorticoids, can only relieve the pain of joint inflammation and have severe hepatorenal toxicity and multiple organ adverse reactions. The NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is a key complex that induces the onset of gout inflammation and has become a crucial target in the development of anti-gout drugs. This article reviews the research progress of anti-gout small molecules targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome and their bioactivity evaluation methods in the past five years, in order to provide information for the development of specific drugs for the treatment of gout inflammation.

Epilepsy is a common neurological disease,has the characteristics of recurrent attacks and long-term treatment,thus bringing great pressure to patients and their families.Therefore,it is particularly important to do a good job of disability assessment.In recent years,with the development of the discipline,academic organizations such as the International League Against Epilepsy(ILAE)and China Association Against Epilepsy(CAAE)have successively updated the definition and diagnostic criteria of epilepsy and seizures.However,some items of epilepsy in the current Criteria for Disability Rating of Military Personnel(Trial)issued by People's Liberation Army(PLA)in 2011 can no longer meet the latest guidelines at home and abroad.Therefore,we suggest that the items related to epilepsy in the Criteria for Disability Rating of Military Personnel(Trial)should be revised to ensure that the disability evaluation being completed fairly and successfully.

Objective:To construct the regulatory network of competitive endogenous RNA(ceRNA)and explore the mo-lecular mechanism of ischemic stroke(IS)by using bioinformatic analysis to screen the differentially-expressed genes. Method:The expression profiles of miRNA,mRNA and lncRNA in IS were downloaded from the NCBI GEO database.Differentially-expressed miRNAs,lncRNAs,and mRNAs were identified by the limma package in R software.The prediction of the relationship of lncRNA-miRNA and miRNA-mRNA were performed by starBase,miRDB and miRwalk databases.The results of prediction and differential analysis were taken to inter-sect and screened out differentially-expressed target mRNA(DETmRNAs),Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)and gene ontology(GO)enrichment analysis was performed by using the DAVID database.The protein-protein interaction(PPI)network was constructed by using the STRING database and the core tar-get genes in the network were identified by Cytoscape software. Result:A total of 20 differentially-expressed miRNAs,1512 lncRNAs,and 278 mRNAs were identified,and a ceRNA network was successfully constructed with the interactions of 5 lncRNAs-6 miRNAs-102 mRNAs in IS.The 285 DETmRNAs functions are mostly involved in the biological process such as chromatin organization,negative regulation of phosphoprotein phosphatase activity,or cell cycle.KEGG mainly enriched the signaling pathway including leukocyte trans-endothelial migration and platelet activation.The top 10 core genes were CREB1,MAPK1,GSK3B,SP1,PIK3R1,NR3C1,NCOR1,NFATC1,SETD2,and NSD1. Conclusion:The construction of the ceRNA network can help to further understand the molecular mechanism of IS and screen potential biomarkers,providing clues to further define rehabilitation targets and develop reha-bilitation strategies.

Objective:To analyze the association between visceral fat area (VFA) and fatty liver based on quantitative CT (QCT) in people receiving health examination with normal body mass index (BMI).Methods:A cross-sectional study. A total of 1 305 physical examiners who underwent chest CT and QCT examination in the Department of Health Management of Henan Provincial People′s Hospital from January to December 2021 were retrospectively selected as subjects. The physical components at the central level of the lumbar two cone were measured with QCT, including subcutaneous fat area (SFA), VFA and liver fat content (LFC). And the metabolic indexes, such as blood lipids and blood glucose, were collected. The t-test and χ2 test were used to analyze the correlation between the detection rate of fatty live and LFCr and age and gender. According to level of VFA (<100 cm 2, 100-150 cm 2 and≥150 cm 2), the subjects were divided into three groups, and one-way ANOVA and χ2 test were used in comparison between groups. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the correlation between VFA and metabolic indexes and LFC. Results:Of the 1 305 subjects, there were 634 males and 671 females. The detection rate of fatty liver in normal BMI population was 65.67%, and it was 72.71% and 59.02% respectively in men and women ( χ2=27.12, P<0.001), and the detection rate of fatty liver and LFC increased with age (both P<0.05). With the increase of VFA, the age, BMI, SFA, LFC, total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), fasting blood glucose (FBG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood uric acid and prevalence of fatty liver increased (all P<0.05), and the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) decreased ( P<0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that after adjustment for age factors, regardless of male or female, LFC was independently positively related with VFA, BMI, and ALT (male β=0.206, 0.145, 0.174, female β=0.194, 0.150, 0.184; all P<0.05). FBG was positively correlated with male independently ( β=0.134; P<0.001). The indicators related to female independently were TC, TG, and blood uric acid ( β=-0.121, 0.145, 0.141, all P<0.05) Conclusion:In the population receiving health examination with normal BMI, the VFA measured by QCT technique is closely related to fatty liver.

BACKGROUND:With the rapid development of minimally invasive spinal surgery and enhanced recovery after surgery,endoscopic intervertebral fusion techniques have gradually emerged and been widely used in clinical practice in recent years. OBJECTIVE:To analyze the early clinical efficacy of uniaxial spinal endoscopic intervertebral fusion combined with posterior percutaneous pedicle screw fixation in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases. METHODS:135 patients with lumbar degenerative diseases treated by uniaxial spinal endoscopic intervertebral fusion combined with posterior percutaneous pedicle screw fixation in the Suining Central Hospital from October 2020 to December 2021 were enrolled in this study.There were 59 males and 76 females,aged 47-79 years.The lower limb and lumbar pain was evaluated by visual analog scale and lumbar function was assessed by Oswestry disability index before the operation,1 week,1,and 6 months after the operation,and at the end of follow-up.The overall pain recovery of patients was evaluated by the scoring criteria for low back pain surgery of Spine Group of Chinese Orthopedic Association and the lumbar physiological curvature and intervertebral fusion were evaluated on lumbar lateral X-ray preoperatively and at the end of follow-up. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The 135 patients were followed up for(17.8±3.0)months after surgery.There was 1 case of endplate injury,1 case of cerebrospinal fluid leakage,1 case of nerve root injury,1 case of intervertebral cage subsidence and displacement,1 case of chronic infection,and 1 case of pedicle screw rupture.The complication rate was 5.2%.(2)The lumbar visual analog scale score and Oswestry disability index significantly decreased in the waist and lower limbs at various time points postoperatively compared with those preoperatively in 135 patients(P<0.05).The scoring criteria for low back pain surgery of the Spine Group of the Chinese Orthopedic Association were significantly better at the last follow-up than that preoperatively in 135 patients(P<0.05).(3)At the last follow-up,there was no significant difference in physiological curvature of lumbar vertebra as compared with that preoperatively in 135 patients(P>0.05),with a fusion rate of 95.8%.(4)It is concluded that uniaxial spinal endoscopic intervertebral fusion combined with posterior percutaneous pedicle screw fixation in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases has shown satisfactory early clinical results and is a highly safe minimally invasive spinal surgery mode.

Objective:To explore whether the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) within 24 hours of intensive care unit (ICU) admission is the predictor of 28-day delirium or coma and death in etiologically diverse critically ill patients.Methods:A prospective, observational study was conducted. The critically ill patients admitted to the emergency ICU of Cangzhou Central Hospital from January 2021 to October 2022 were enrolled. Bedside ultrasound monitoring ONSD was performed within 24 hours of ICU admission. The consciousness status was assessed daily during ICU hospitalization. Coma was defined as Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score < 8 or Richmond agitation-sedation scale (RASS) score -4 or -5. Delirium was defined as responsiveness to verbal stimulation and with a positive confusion assessment method-intensive care unit (CAM-ICU). A positive result of CAM-ICU was defined as acute change or fluctuating course of mental status+inattention+altered level of consciousness or disorganized thinking. X-tile software analysis was used to visualize the best cut-off value for creating divisions in predicting 28-day coma or delirium and death, and then Kaplan-Meier curves were plotted. ONSD≥the optimal cut-off value from X-tile analysis was defined as ONSD broadening. ONSD broadening and related indicators were enrolled, and multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors of 28-day coma or delirium and 28-day death in etiologically diverse critically ill patients.Results:A total of 321 critically ill patients were enrolled. Of them, 49 had primary brain injury, 54 had hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIBI) after cardiac arrest, 70 had acute heart failure, 73 had sepsis, and 75 had other causes. Coma affected 184 patients (57.3%), and delirium affected 173 patients (53.9%). At 28 days of follow-up, 100 patients died, 16 patients remained comatose and 20 patients remained delirious. In all patients, as the GCS score decreased upon admission to the ICU, there was a gradually increasing trend in ONSD [GCS score 15 group: 5.20 (4.93, 5.43) mm, GCS score 10-14 group: 5.30 (4.90, 5.65) mm, GCS score 6-9 group: 5.40 (5.10, 5.80) mm, GCS score < 6 group: 5.70 (5.20, 5.96) mm, P < 0.05]. X-tile software analysis showed that in all patients and five etiological subgroups, ONSD broadening was a predictor for 28-day coma or delirium, and the optimal cut-off value was obtained (5.60 mm for all patients, 4.90 mm for primary brain injury, 5.75 mm for HIBI after cardiac arrest, 5.40 mm for acute heart failure, 5.90 mm for sepsis, and 5.75 mm for other causes). The Kaplan-Meier curves were plotted according to the optimal cut-off values, and the results showed that the higher the ONSD, the higher the incidence and duration of coma or delirium within 28 days in above patient population. X-tile software analysis showed that in all patients, and HIBI after cardiac arrest, sepsis and other causes patients, ONSD was a predictor for 28-day death, and the optimal cut-off value was obtained (6.20 mm for all patients, 5.85 mm for HIBI after cardiac arrest, 5.35 mm for sepsis, and 6.10 mm for other causes). The Kaplan-Meier curves were plotted according to the optimal cut-off values, and the results showed that the higher the ONSD, the higher the 28-day survival rate and the shorter survival duration in above patient population. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that ONSD broadening was an independent risk factor for 28-day coma or delirium in all patients [hazard ratio ( HR) = 1.513, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was 1.093-2.095, P = 0.013] and patients with primary brain injury ( HR = 5.739, 95% CI was 2.112-15.590, P = 0.001). However, ONSD broadening was not independently associated with 28-day death in all patients or in the five etiological subgroups. Conclusions:ONSD within 24 hours of ICU admission is an independent risk factor for 28-day coma or delirium in etiologically diverse critically ill patients. It serves as a predictor for 28-day coma or delirium in 5 subgroups of etiology including primary brain injury, HIBI after cardiac arrest, acute heart failure, sepsis, and other causes, but not for 28-day death.

Objective lo investigate the protective effect of dihydromyricetin(DHM)against exercise-induced muscle damage(EIMD)in mice and its potential mechanism. Methods Adult male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control group(CG),exercise group(EG),and exercise+100 mg/kg weightd DHM(DHM)group.The intervention lasted for four weeks,during which the animals in the EG and DHM groups were subjected to exercise training for 1 h per day.The day after the training,a 90-min treadmill exercise(slope:0 and speed:18 m/min)was conducted in both EG and DHM groups.Samples of blood and gastrocnemius muscles were harvested from the three groups 24 h after the exercise,followed by the measurement of serum creatine kinase(CK)and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)activities,total superoxide dismutase(T-SOD)activity,malondialdehyde(MDA),and skeletal muscle mitochondrial enzyme complex Ⅰ and Ⅱ activities.Histological changes in the skeletal muscle were observed by transmission electron microscopy,and the protein expressions of mitochondrial function-related pathways were detected by Western blotting. Results Skeletal muscle morphological changes and mitochondrial damage were alleviated in the DHM group compared to those in the EG.The activities of EIMD markers CK and LDH and the level of lipid peroxidation were notably repressed and the serum T-SOD activity was enhanced after DHM intervention.Western blotting demonstrated that the expressions of sirtuin type 3(SIRT3),estrogen-related receptor alpha,and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1 alpha in the skeletal muscle of mice increased after the DHM intervention. Conclusion DHM can relieve EIMD in mice,possibly by promoting the recovery of the mitochondrial structure and function in the skeletal muscle of mice after high-intensity exercise via the activation of the SIRT3 signaling pathway.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative joint disease and the most common type of arthritis. It involves almost any joint and can lead to chronic pain and disability. In the late 19th century, Roentgen discovered X-rays, and then began to use radiotherapy to treat tumors. In the 1980s, Luckey thought that low-level radiation (LDRT) might be beneficial to biology, and it was gradually applied to the treatment of some diseases. This paper introduces the epidemiology, risk factors, clinical manifestations and treatment methods of OA, points out that the cartilage injury and the important effect of synovial inflammation in the pathogenesis of OA, namely when the homeostasis of articular cartilage are destroyed, synthetic metabolism and catabolism imbalances, cartilage cells damaged their breakdown products consumed by synovial cells. Synovial cells and synovial macrophages secrete proinflammatory cytokines, metalloproteinases and proteolytic enzymes, leading to cartilage matrix degradation and chondrocyte damage, which aggravates synovial inflammation and cartilage damage, forming a vicious cycle. The possible mechanism and clinical research progress of LDRT in alleviating OA are discussed. LDRT can regulate inflammatory response, inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and promote the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, thereby achieving anti-inflammatory effect. Studies have shown that after irradiation, the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was decreased, the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the production of superoxide were inhibited, the anti-inflammatory phenotype of macrophages was differentiated from M1 to M2, the inflammatory CD8⁺ T cells were transformed into CD4⁺ T cells, and the number of dendritic cells (DC) was significantly reduced. LDRT inhibit the production of proinflammatory factors in leukocytes, reduce their recruitment and adhesion, and down-regulate the expression levels of cell adhesion molecules such as selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM) and vascular endothelial cell adhesion molecule (VCAM). LDRT can regulate endothelial cells, stimulate endothelial cells to produce a large amount of TGF-β1, reduce the adhesion of endothelial cells to peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and contribute to the anti-inflammatory effect of LDRT. It also exerted anti-inflammatory effects by regulating mitochondrial growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15). After low-level radiation, the MMP-13 (matrix metalloproteinases-13) and the ADAMTS5 (recombinant a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin-5) decreased, the Col2a1 (collagen type 2) increased in chondrocytes. In the existing clinical studies, most patients can achieve relief of joint pain and recovery of joint mobility after irradiation, and the patients have good feedback on the efficacy. The adverse reactions (acute reactions and carcinogenic risks) caused by LDRT in the treatment of OA are also discussed. During the treatment of OA, a few patients have symptoms such as redness, dryness or itching at the joint skin, and the symptoms are mild and do not require further treatment. Patients are thus able to tolerate more frequent and longer doses of radiotherapy. In general, LDRT itself has the advantages of non-invasive, less adverse reactions, and shows the effect of pain relief and movement improvement in the treatment of OA. Therefore, LDRT has a broad application prospect in the treatment of OA.

Irreducible anteromedial radial head dislocation (IARHD) caused by transposed biceps tendon is rare. Delayed diagnosis and surgical failure often occur. A 46-year-old fisherman presented with 10 days history of painful swelling and restricted movement of his right elbow due to strangulation injury by a fishing boat cable. On examination, the images of the right elbow reveals in a "semi-extended and pronated" elastic fixation position. Radiography and 3-dimensional reconstruction CT reveals an isolated anteromedial radial head dislocation with extreme protonation of the radius and the bicipital tuberosity towards the posterior aspect of the elbow joint, and MRI shows biceps tendon wrapping around the radial neck, similar to umbilical cord wrapping seen in newborns. The Henry approach was applied for the first time to reduce the biceps tendon. The patient achieved a good functional recovery at 26 months, which represents the first reported case of IARHD without fracture caused by biceps tendon in an adult. In treatment of IARHD, attention should be paid to the phenomenon of biceps tendon transposition. Careful clinical examination, comprehensive imaging modalities, and appropriate surgical approach are the keys to successful management.