The protective effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation with different high frequencies on motor functions in MPTP/probenecid induced Parkinsonism mouse models.

BACKGROUND: High-frequency repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) stimulating the primary motor cortex (M1) is an alternative, adjunctive therapy for improving the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, whether the high frequency of rTMS positively correlates to the improvement of motor symptoms of PD is still undecided. By controlling for other parameters, a disease animal model may be useful to compare the neuroprotective effects of different high frequencies of rTMS. OBJECTIVE: The current exploratory study was designed to compare the protective effects of four common high frequencies of rTMS (5, 10, 15, and 20 Hz) and iTBS (a special form of high-frequency rTMS) and explore the optimal high-frequency rTMS on an animal PD model. METHODS: Following high frequencies of rTMS application (twice a week for 5 weeks) in a MPTP/probenecid-induced chronic PD model, the effects of the five protocols on motor behavior as well as dopaminergic neuron degeneration levels were identified. The underlying molecular mechanisms were further explored. RESULTS: We found that all the high frequencies of rTMS had protective effects on the motor functions of PD models to varying degrees. Among them, the 10, 15, and 20 Hz rTMS interventions induced comparable preservation of motor function through the protection of nigrostriatal dopamine neurons. The enhancement of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), dopamine transporter (DAT), and vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT-2) and the suppression of TNF-α and IL-1ß in the nigrostriatum were involved in the process. The efficacy of iTBS was inferior to that of the above three protocols. The effect of 5 Hz rTMS protocol was weakest. CONCLUSIONS: Combined with the results of the present study and the possible side effects induced by rTMS, we concluded that 10 Hz might be the optimal stimulation frequency for preserving the motor functions of PD models using rTMS treatment.

Coastal current convergence structures in the Bay of Biscay from optimized high-frequency radar and satellite data.

The southeastern Bay of Biscay has been described as a "dead end" for floating marine litter, often accumulating along small-scale linear streaks. Coastal Current Convergence Structures (CCS), often associated with vertical motions at river plume edges, estuarine fronts, or other physical processes, can be at the origin of the accumulation. Understanding the formation of CCS and their role in the transport of marine litter is essential to better quantify and to help mitigate marine litter pollution. The Lagrangian framework, used to estimate the absolute dispersion, and the finite-size Lyapunov exponents (FSLE), have proved very effective for identifying CCS in the current velocity field. However, the quality of CCS identification depends strongly on the Eulerian fields. Two surface current velocity data sets were used in the analysis: the remotely sensed velocities from the EuskOOS High-Frequency Radar (HFR) network and velocities from three-dimensional model outputs. They were complemented by drifting buoy velocity measurements. An optimization method, involving the fusion of drifting buoys and HFR velocities is proposed to better reconstruct the fine-scale structure of the current velocity field. Merging these two sources of velocity data reduced the mean Lagrangian error and the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) by 50 % and 30 % respectively, significantly improving velocity reconstruction. FSLE ridgelines obtained from the Lagrangian analysis of optimized velocities were compared with remotely sensed concentrations of Chlorophyll-a. It was shown that ridgelines control the spatial distribution of phytoplankton. They fundamentally represent the CCS which can potentially affect marine litter aggregation. Analysis of the absolute dispersion revealed large stirring in the alongshore direction which was also confirmed by spatial distribution of FSLE ridgelines. The alignment between FSLE ridgelines and patterns of high Chlorophyll-a concentration was observed, often determining the limits of river plume expansion in the study area.

Therapeutic efficacy of methylprednisolone sodium succinate via diverse administration routes for mid- to high-frequency sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

BACKGROUND: Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), characterized by a rapid and unexplained loss of hearing, particularly at moderate to high frequencies, presents a significant clinical challenge. The therapeutic use of methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MPSS) via different administration routes, in combination with conventional medications, remains a topic of interest. AIM: To compare the therapeutic efficacy of MPSS administered via different routes in combination with conventional drugs for the treatment of mid- to high-frequency SSNHL. METHODS: The medical records of 109 patients with mid- to high-frequency SSNHL were analyzed. The patients were divided into three groups based on the route of administration: Group A [intratympanic (IT) injection of MPSS combined with mecobalamin and Ginkgo biloba leaf extract injection], Group B (intravenous injection of MPSS combined with mecobalamin and Ginkgo biloba leaf extract injection), and Group C (single IT injection of MPSS). The intervention effects were compared and analyzed. RESULTS: The posttreatment auditory thresholds in Group A (21.23 ± 3 .34) were significantly lower than those in Groups B (28.52 ± 3.36) and C (30.23 ± 4.21; P < 0.05). Group A also exhibited a significantly greater speech recognition rate (92.23 ± 5.34) than Groups B and C. The disappearance time of tinnitus, time to hearing recovery, and disappearance time of vertigo in Group A were significantly shorter than those in Groups B and C (P < 0.05). The total effective rate in Group A (97.56%) was significantly greater than that in Groups B and C (77.14% and 78.79%, χ 2 = 7.898, P = 0.019). Moreover, the incidence of adverse reactions in Groups A and C was significantly lower than that in Group B (4.88%, 3.03% vs 2.57%, χ 2 = 11.443, P = 0.003), and the recurrence rate in Group A was significantly lower than that in Groups B and C (2.44% vs 20.00% vs 21.21%, χ 2 = 7.120, P = 0.028). CONCLUSION: IT injection of MPSS combined with conventional treatment demonstrates superior efficacy and safety compared to systemic administration via intravenous infusion and a single IT injection of MPSS. This approach effectively improves patients' hearing and reduces the risk of disease recurrence.

Ventilator strategies in congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

This review focuses on contemporary mechanical ventilator practices used in the initial management of neonates born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Both conventional and non-conventional ventilation modes in CDH are reviewed. Special emphasis is placed on the rationale for gentle ventilation and the current evidence-based clinical practice guidelines that are recommended for supporting these fragile infants. The interplay between CDH lung hypoplasia and other key cardiopulmonary elements of the disease, namely a reduced pulmonary vascular bed, abnormal pulmonary vascular remodeling, and left ventricular hypoplasia, are discussed. Finally, we provide insights into future avenues for mechanical ventilator research in CDH.

Universal high-frequency monitoring methods of river water quality in China based on machine learning.

The in-situ high-frequency monitoring of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) in rivers is a challenge and key to instant water quality judgment and early warning. Based on the physical and chemical association between TN/TP and sensor-measurable predictors, we proposed a novel "indirect" measurement method for TN and TP in rivers. This method combines the timeliness of multi-sensor and the accuracy of intelligent algorithms, utilizing 188,629 data sets from 131 water monitoring stations across China. Under 5 algorithms and 4 predictor group scenarios, the results showed that: (1) extra tree regression (ETR) with 6 predictors exhibited the best precision, and mean determination coefficient (R2) of TN and TP inversion across 131 stations reached 0.78 ±â€¯0.25 and 0.79 ±â€¯0.22 respectively; (2) among 6 potential predictors, the importance degrees of temperature, electrical conductivity, NH4-N, and turbidity were large than pH and dissolved oxygen (DO), and >80 % of stations exhibited acceptable prediction accuracy (R2 > 0.6) when the number of predictors (P) ranged from 4 to 6, which showed good tolerability to predictor variations; (3) the accurate classification rate of water quality standard (ACRws) of all stations based on TN and TP reached 90.41 ±â€¯6.96 % and 92.33 ±â€¯6.41 %; (4) in 9 regions/basins of China, this method showed universal application potential with no significant prediction difference. Compared with laboratory test, water quality automatic monitoring station, and remote sensing inversion, the proposed method has high-frequency, high-precision, regional adaptability, low cost, and stable operation under rainy, cloudy, and nighttime conditions. The new method may provide important technological support for timely pollutant tracing, pre-warning, and emergency control for river pollution.

Timing limits of ultrafast cross-luminescence emission in CsZnCl-based crystals for TOF-CT and TOF-PET.

BACKGROUND: Good timing resolution in medical imaging applications such as TOF-CT or TOF-PET can boost image quality or patient comfort significantly by reducing the influence of background noise. However, the timing resolution of state-of-the-art detectors in CT and PET are limited by their light emission process. Core-valence cross-luminescence is an alternative, but well-known compounds (e.g. BaF2) pose several problems for medical imaging applications, such as their emission wavelength in the deep UV. CsZnCl-based materials show promise to solve this issue, as they provide fast decay times of 1-2 ns and an emission wavelength around 300 nm. RESULTS: In this work, we investigated two CsZnCl-compounds: Cs2ZnCl4 and Cs3ZnCl5. We validated the previously published decay times on a time-correlated single-photon counting setup with 1.786 ± 0.016 ns for Cs2ZnCl4 and 1.034 ± 0.013 ns for Cs3ZnCl5. The setup's high resolution enabled the discovery of an additional prompt emission component with a significant abundance of 98 ± 18 (Cs2ZnCl4) and 86 ± 14 (Cs3ZnCl5) photons/MeV energy deposit. In a PET coincidence experiment, we measured the best coincidence time resolution (CTR) of 62 ps (FWHM) for Cs2ZnCL4 coupled to FBK VUV SiPMs with silicon oil. To assess the CTR for lower energies, we filtered the energy along the Compton continuum and found a deteriorated CTR that seems to be mainly influenced by photon statistics. Furthermore, this study gave us a rough estimate of e.g. 150 ps (FWHM) CTR at 100 keV energy for Cs2ZnCL4. From measurements with high activity of 14 MBq to check for pile-up effects we assume that Cs2ZnCl4 is better suited for high-rate time-of-flight applications than lutetium-based oxides. Simulations demonstrated that the stopping power of Cs2ZnCl4 is lower than for LSO:Ce,Ca, meaning that a high amount of material would be needed for TOF-PET applications. However, the stopping power seems acceptable for applications in TOF-CT. CONCLUSIONS: The fast decay time, state-of-the-art CTR in benchtop experiments and high-rate suitability make CsZnCl materials a promising candidate for time-of-flight experiments. We consider especially TOF-CT a suitable application due to its relatively low X-ray energies (~ 100 keV) and the thusly acceptable stopping power of Cs2ZnCl4. Currently, further exploration of the prompt emission and its creation mechanism is planned, as well as investigating the light transport of Cs2ZnCl4 in longer crystals.

Headache/migraine-related stigma, quality of life, disability, and most bothersome symptom in adults with current versus previous high-frequency headache/migraine and medication overuse: results of the Migraine Report Card survey.

BACKGROUND: High-frequency headache/migraine (HFM) and overuse of acute medication (medication overuse [MO]) are associated with increased disability and impact. Experiencing both HFM and MO can potentially compound impacts, including stigma; however, evidence of this is limited. The objective of this report was to evaluate self-reported stigma, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), disability, and migraine symptomology in US adults with HFM + MO from the Harris Poll Migraine Report Card survey. METHODS: US adults (≥ 18 yrs., no upper age limit) who screened positive for migraine per the ID Migraine™ screener completed an online survey. Participants were classified into "current HFM + MO" (≥ 8 days/month with headache/migraine and ≥ 10 days/month of acute medication use over last few months) or "previous HFM + MO" (previously experienced HFM + MO, headaches now occur ≤ 7 days/month with ≤ 9 days/month of acute medication use). Stigma, HRQoL, disability, and most bothersome symptom (MBS) were captured. The validated 8-item Stigma Scale for Chronic Illnesses (SSCI-8) assessed internal and external stigma (scores ≥ 60 are clinically significant). Raw data were weighted to the US adult population. Statistically significant differences were determined by a standard t-test of column proportions and means at the 90% (p < 0.1) and 95% (p < 0.05) confidence levels. RESULTS: Participants (N = 550) were categorized as having current (n = 440; mean age 41.1 years; 54% female; 57% White, not Hispanic; 24% Hispanic; 11% Black, not Hispanic) or previous (n = 110; mean age 47.2 years; 49% female; 75% White, not Hispanic; 13% Hispanic; 4% Black, not Hispanic) HFM + MO. Compared to those with previous HFM + MO (21%), adults with current HFM + MO were more likely to experience clinically significant levels of stigma (47%). Men with current HFM + MO (52% compared to men with previous HFM + MO [25%] and women with current [41%] or previous [18%] HFM + MO), non-Hispanic Black (51% compared to White, not Hispanic [45%] and Hispanic [48%] current HFM + MO groups and White, not Hispanic previous HFM + MO [12%]), current HFM + MO aged 18-49 years (50% compared to those with current HFM + MO aged ≥ 50 years [33%] and those with previous HFM + MO aged 18-49 [34%] and ≥ 50 years [4%]), and employed respondents (53% current and 29% previous compared to those not employed [32% current and 12% previous]) reported higher rates of clinically significant stigma. Those with current HFM + MO were more likely to have worse HRQoL and disability due to headache/migraine. Respondents aged ≥ 50 years with current HFM + MO were more likely than respondents aged 18-49 years with current HFM + MO to indicate that their overall quality of life (66% vs. 52%) and their ability to participate in hobbies/activities they enjoy were negatively impacted by headache/migraine (61% vs. 49%). Pain-related symptoms were identified as the MBS. CONCLUSIONS: Together these data suggest that current and previous HFM + MO can be associated with undesirable outcomes, including stigma and reduced HRQoL, which were greatest among people with current HFM + MO, but still considerable for people with previous HFM + MO.

A non-invasive diagnostic nomogram for CHB-related early cirrhosis: a prospective study.

This study aimed to construct a non-invasive diagnostic nomogram based on high-frequency ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging results for early liver cirrhosis patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) which cannot be detected by conventional non-invasive examination methods but can only be diagnosed through invasive liver puncture for pathological examination. 72 patients with CHB were enrolled in this prospective study, and divided into S4 stage of liver cirrhosis and S0-S3 stage of non-liver cirrhosis according to pathological findings. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors, and a diagnostic nomogram was constructed for CHB-related early cirrhosis. It was validated and calibrated by bootstrap self-extraction. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR 1.14, 95% CI (1.04-1.27)), right hepatic vein diameter (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.23-0.82), presence or absence of nodules (OR 31.98, 95% CI 3.84-266.08), and hepatic parenchymal echogenicity grading (OR 12.82, 95% CI 2.12-77.51) were identified as independent predictive indicators. The nomogram based on the 4 factors above showed good performance, with a sensitivity and specificity of 90.70% and 89.66%, respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) of the prediction model was 0.96, and the predictive model showed better predictive performance than APRI score (AUC 0.57), FIB-4 score (AUC 0.64), INPR score (AUC 0.63), and LSM score (AUC 0.67). The calibration curve of the prediction model fit well with the ideal curve, and the decision curve analysis showed that the net benefit of the model was significant. The nomogram in this study can detect liver cirrhosis in most CHB patients without liver biopsy, providing a direct, fast, and accurate practical diagnostic tool for clinical doctors.

[Row-like needling along the spleen meridian combined with autonomous functional exercise in treatment of postpartum diastasis recti abdominis: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of the row-like needling along the spleen meridian combined with autonomous functional exercise in treatment of postpartum diastasis recti abdominis. METHODS: A total of 72 patients with postpartum diastasis recti abdominis were randomly divided into an observation group (36 cases, 3 cases excluded) and a control group (36 cases, 3 cases dropped out). In the control group, the autonomous functional exercise was performed on the rectus abdominis. In the observation group, on the basis of the treatment as the control group, the row-like needling along the spleen meridian was delivered. Along the distribution of the spleen meridian on the abdomen, besides Daheng (SP 15), acupuncture was operated at the sites 3 cm and 6 cm directly above and below Daheng (SP 15) bilaterally. Five points on each side were stimulated along the meridian. Acupuncture was delivered once every two days, 3 interventions a week. One course of treatment, composed of 10 treatments, was required. Before treatment and after 5 and 10 treatments, the inter-rectus distance (IRD) and the score of the medical outcomes study 36-item short form health survey (SF-36) were observed in the two groups, respectively. RESULTS: After 5 and 10 treatments, the IRD at the sites 3 cm above the umbilicus, in the center of the umbilicus and below the umbilicus was reduced when compared with that before treatment in the observation group, respectively (P<0.01); and the IRD at the site 3 cm above the umbilicus was decreased in comparison with that before treatment in the control group (P<0.05). After treated for 5 times, compared with the control group, the IRD at the site 3 cm below the umbilicus was reduced in the observation group (P<0.05); and after treated for 10 times, compared with the control group, the IRD at the sites 3 cm above the umbilicus, in the center of the umbilicus and below the umbilicus was reduced in the observation group (P<0.01). After the completion of 5 and 10 treatments, the scores of physical functioning (PF), role-physical (RP), role-emotional (RE) and health change (HC), as well as the total score of SF-36 were all higher than those before treatment in the observation group (P<0.01); while in the control group, the scores of PF, RP and RE, as well as the total score of SF-36 were increased in comparison with those before treatment (P<0.01). After 5 treatments, the scores of general health (GH) and HC in the observation group were higher than those of the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01); and after 10 treatments, the score of PF, GH and HC, as well as the total score of SF-36 in the observation group were higher than those of the control group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: On the basis of autonomous functional exercise, the row-like needling along the spleen meridian can promote the recovery of postpartum diastasis recti abdominis and improve the quality of life of the patients.

In-vivo high-frequency quantitative ultrasound-derived parameters of the anterior sclera correlated with level of myopia and presence of staphyloma.

BACKGROUND: A high-frequency point-of-care (POC) ultrasound instrument was used to evaluate the microstructural and biomechanical properties of the anterior sclera in vivo using parameters computed from quantitative ultrasound (QUS) methods. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, both eyes of 85 enrolled patients were scanned with the POC instrument and ultrasound data were processed to obtain QUS parameters. Pearson correlation and multi-linear regression were used to identify relationships between QUS parameters and refractive error (RE) or axial length. After categorising eyes based on RE, binary support vector machine (SVM) classifiers were trained using the QUS or ophthalmic parameters (anterior chamber depth, central corneal thickness, corneal power, and intraocular pressure) to classify each eye. Classifier performance was evaluated by computing the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC). RESULTS: Individual QUS parameters correlated with RE and axial length (p < 0.05). Multi-linear regression revealed significant correlation between the set of QUS parameters and both RE (R = 0.49, p < 0.001) and axial length (R = 0.46, p = 0.001). Classifiers trained with QUS parameters achieved higher AUC (𝑝 = 0.06) for identifying myopic eyes (AUC = 0.71) compared to classifiers trained with ophthalmic parameters (AUC = 0.63). QUS-based classifiers attained the highest AUC when identifying highly myopic eyes (AUC = 0.77). CONCLUSIONS: QUS parameters correlate with progressing myopia and may be indicative of myopia-induced microstructural and biomechanical changes in the anterior sclera. These methods may provide critical clinical information complementary to standard ophthalmic measurements for predicting myopia progression and risk assessment for posterior staphyloma formation.

Nasal filling guided by high frequency ultrasound: Reducing risks.

BACKGROUND: Given the significant increase in the quantity of cosmetic procedures utilizing hyaluronic acid fillers, including in the nasal region, the initial evaluation of patients using high frequency ultrasound becomes a crucial instrument in evaluating and handling nonsurgical rhinoplasty. AIMS: The aim of this article is to introduce an assessment methodology for nasal filling guided by high frequency ultrasound. PATIENTS/METHODS: A prospective and single-center study was conducted with 12 Latin American patients. The patients underwent nasal filling with hyaluronic acid following high power ultrasound mapping. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: In the evaluation of the GAIS scale, all patients reported improvement with the treatment. No infections, nodules, ischemia, or other relevant adverse effects were noted. Real-time ultrasound-guided filler techniques have been developed to reduce the risk of vascular compromise, confirming the distribution pattern of blood vessels. It's also crucial to visualize the cannula at the same moment as the vessels, even if the previous vascular mapping was performed. Therefore, the utilization of high frequency ultrasound can act as a pivotal tool in augmenting procedure safety.

Flexible and configurable embedded electrical energy measurement system to acquire and process high-frequency features.

A novel High-Frequency Electric Energy Metering System to inspect non-conventional features that may be relevant for studying real-time energy disaggregation and control of household appliances is presented. Integration of a data acquisition and control board, designed and built to be assembled with an Arduino Due, with the M90E36A Demo Board, allows for flexible and configurable electrical energy measurements. A key feature is that up to 4 current channels can be measured synchronously. On the one hand, samples can be obtained and processed by the M90E36A IC internal Digital Signal Processor at 3 Hz in the time domain and 2 Hz in the frequency domain. On the other hand, the M90E36A IC direct access memory mode can be operated, allowing 8 kHz pure voltage and current signals to be obtained. Finally, integration with Raspberry Pi allows to design and incorporate a custom signal processor into the study. Additionally, in this article, an application example is presented where the variation of the residual harmonic components of a household appliance is obtained.

Neuronal current imaging of epileptic activity: An MRI study in patients with a first unprovoked epileptic seizure.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the performance of the novel MRI sequence stimulus-induced rotary saturation (SIRS) to map responses to interictal epileptic activity in the human cortex. Spin-lock pulses have been applied to indirectly detect neuronal activity through magnetic field perturbations. Following initial reports about the feasibility of the method in humans and animals with epilepsy, we aimed to investigate the diagnostic yield of spin-lock MR pulses in comparison with scalp-EEG in first seizure patients. METHODS: We employed a novel method for measurements of neuronal activity through the detection of a resonant oscillating field, stimulus-induced rotary saturation contrast (SIRS) at spin-lock frequencies of 120 and 240 Hz acquired at a single 3T MRI system. Within a prospective observational study, we conducted SIRS experiments in 55 patients within 7 days after a suspected first unprovoked epileptic seizure and 61 healthy control subjects. In this study, we report on the analysis of data from a single 3T MRI system, encompassing 35 first seizure patients and 31 controls. RESULTS: The SIRS method was applicable in all patients and healthy controls at frequencies of 120 and 240 Hz. We did not observe any significant age- or sex-related differences. Specificity of SIRS at 120 Hz was 90.3% and 93.5% at 240 Hz. Sensitivity was 17.1% at 120 Hz and 40.0% at 240 Hz. SIGNIFICANCE: SIRS targets neuronal oscillating magnetic fields in patients with epilepsy. The coupling of presaturated spins to epilepsy-related magnetic field perturbations may serve as a-at this stage experimental-diagnostic test in first seizure patients to complement EEG findings as a standard screening test. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Routine diagnostic tests carry several limitations when applied after a suspected first seizure. SIRS is a noninvasive MRI method to enable time-sensitive diagnosis of image correlates of epileptic activity with increased sensitivity compared to routine EEG.

The dose-dependent effect of the D2R agonist quinpirole microinjected into the ventral pallidum on information flow in the limbic system.

The ventral pallidum (VP) receives its primary inputs from the nucleus accumbens (NAC) and the basolateral amygdala (BLA). We demonstrated recently that in the VP, the D2 DA receptor (D2R) agonist quinpirole dose-dependently facilitates memory consolidation in inhibitory avoidance and spatial learning. In the VP, D2R can be found both on NAC and BLA terminals. According to our hypothesis, quinpirole microinjected into the VP can facilitate memory consolidation via modulation of synaptic plasticity on NAC and/or BLA terminals. The effect of intra-VP quinpirole on BLA-VP and NAC shell-VP synapses was investigated via a high frequency stimulation (HFS) protocol. Quinpirole was administered in three doses into the VP of male Sprague-Dawley rats after HFS; controls received vehicle. To examine whether an interaction between the NAC shell and the BLA at the level of the VP was involved, tetrodotoxin (TTX) was microinjected into one of the nuclei while stimulating the other nucleus. Our results showed that quinpirole dose-dependently modulates BLA-VP and NAC shell-VP synapses, similar to those observed in inhibitory avoidance and spatial learning, respectively. The lower dose inhibits BLA inputs, while the larger doses facilitates NAC shell inputs. The experiments with TTX demonstrates that the two nuclei do not influence each others' evoked responses in the VP. Power spectral density analysis demonstrated that independent from the synaptic facilitation, intra-VP quinpirole increases the amplitude of gamma frequency band after NAC HFS, and BLA tonically suppresses the NAC's HFS-induced gamma facilitation. In contrast, HFS of the BLA results in a delayed, transient increase in the amplitude of the gamma frequency band correlating with the LTP of the P1 component of the VP response to BLA stimulation. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that the BLA plays a prominent role in the generation of the delta oscillations: HFS of the BLA leads to a gradually increasing delta frequency band facilitation over time, while BLA inhibition blocks the NAC's HFS induced strong delta facilitation. These findings demonstrate that there is a complex interaction between the NAC shell region and the VP, as well as the BLA and the VP, and support the important role of VP D2Rs in the regulation of limbic information flow.

Research on Miniaturized UHF Sensing Technology for PD Detection in Power Equipment Based on Symmetric Cut Theory.

In answer to the demand for high sensitivity and miniaturization of ultra-high frequency (UHF) sensors for partial discharge (PD) detection in power equipment, this paper proposes research on miniaturized UHF-sensing technology for PD detection in power equipment based on symmetric cut theory. The symmetric cut theory is applied for the first time to the miniaturization of PD UHF sensors for power equipment. A planar monopole UHF sensor with a size of only 70 mm × 70 mm × 1.6 mm is developed using an exponential asymptotic feed line approach, which is a 50% size reduction. The frequency-response characteristics of the sensor are simulated, optimized and tested; the results show that the standing wave ratio of the sensor developed in this paper is less than 2 in the frequency band from 427 MHz to 1.54 GHz, and less than 5 in the frequency band from 300 MHz to 1.95 GHz; in the 300 MHz~1.5 GHz band; the maximum and average gains of the sensor E-plane are 4.76 dB and 1.02 dB, respectively. Finally, the PD simulation experiment platform for power equipment is built to test the sensor's sensing performance; the results show that the sensor can effectively detect the PD signals; the sensing sensitivity is improved by about 95% relative to an elliptical monopole UHF sensor.

Oxidized Starch-Reinforced Aqueous Polymer Isocyanate Cured with High-Frequency Heating.

In this research, an oxidized starch/styrene-butadiene rubber system with high capability of absorbing electromagnetic energy was adopted as the main component, the effect of oxidized starch content on the bonding and mechanical properties of aqueous polymer isocyanate (API) after high-frequency curing was evaluated, and the effect mechanisms were explored by combining thermodynamic tests and material characterization methods. Our findings revealed that the addition of oxidized starch enhanced the mechanical properties of API after high-frequency curing and the increase in the amount of oxidized starch enhanced the improvement effect of high-frequency curing on API bonding and mechanical properties. At 5 wt% oxidized starch, high-frequency curing improved API bonding properties by 18.0% and 17.3% under ambient conditions and after boiling water aging, respectively. An increase in oxidized starch content to 25 wt% increased enhancement to 25.1% and 26.4% for the above conditions, respectively. The enhancement effects of tensile strength and Young's modulus of the API adhesive body were increased from 9.4% and 18.2% to 18.7% and 22.6%, respectively. The potential enhancement mechanism could be that oxidized starch could increase the dielectric loss of API, converting more electromagnetic energy into thermal energy creating more cross-linked structures.

Rapidly repeated visual stimulation induces long-term potentiation of VEPs and increased content of membrane AMPA and NMDA receptors in the V1 cortex of cats.

Studies report that rapidly repeated sensory stimulation can evoke LTP-like improvement of neural response in the sensory cortex. Whether this neural response potentiation is similar to the classic LTP induced by presynaptic electrical stimulation remains unclear. This study examined the effects of repeated high-frequency (9 Hz) versus low-frequency (1 Hz) visual stimulation on visually-evoked field potentials (VEPs) and the membrane protein content of AMPA / NMDA receptors in the primary visual cortex (V1) of cats. The results showed that repeated high-frequency visual stimulation (HFS) caused a long-term improvement in peak-to-peak amplitude of V1-cortical VEPs in response to visual stimuli at HFS-stimulated orientation (SO: 90°) and non-stimulated orientation (NSO: 180°), but the effect exhibited variations depending on stimulus orientation: the amplitude increase of VEPs in response to visual stimuli at SO was larger, reached a maximum earlier and lasted longer than at NSO. By contrast, repeated low-frequency visual stimulation (LFS) had not significantly affected the amplitude of V1-cortical VEPs in response to visual stimuli at both SO and NSO. Furthermore, the membrane protein content of the key subunit GluA1 of AMPA receptors and main subunit NR1 of AMPA receptors in V1 cortex was significantly increased after HFS but not LFS when compared with that of control cats. Taken together, these results indicate that HFS can induce LTP-like improvement of VEPs and an increase in membrane protein of AMPA and NMDA receptors in the V1 cortex of cats, which is similar to but less specific to stimulus orientation than the classic LTP.

Higher exposure to 1,3-butadiene is associated with more severe hearing loss.

While volatile organic compounds (VOCs) impair various organs, their influence on hearing loss (HL) has not been extensively researched. We aimed to identify the association between VOCs and HL or high-frequency hearing loss (HFHL). We extracted data on age, sex, pure tone audiometry, hypertension, occupational noise exposure, and creatinine-corrected urine VOC metabolite concentrations from the eighth Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey. Among the VOC metabolites, N-acetyl-S-(benzyl)-L-cysteine (BMA, P = 0.004), N-acetyl-S-(phenyl)-L-cysteine (SPMA, P = 0.027), and N-acetyl-S-(3,4-dihydroxybutyl)-L-cysteine (DHBMA, P < 0.001) showed associations with HL. Additionally, HFHL exhibited significant associations with BMA (P = 0.005), 3- and 4-methylhippuric acid (3, 4 MHA, P = 0.049), mandelic acid (MA, P = 0.015), SPMA (P < 0.001), N-acetyl-S-(3-hydroxypropyl)-L-cysteine (3-HPMA, P < 0.001), and DHBMA (P < 0.001). After controlling other factors, DHBMA were associated with HL (P = 0.021) and HFHL (P = 0.014) and exhibited a linear association with the mean hearing level (ß = 0.054, P = 0.024) and high-frequency hearing level (ß = 0.045, P = 0.037). Since 1,3-butadiene may act as an ototoxic material, early screening for workers exposed to 1,3-butadiene and reducing exposure to 1,3-butadiene in everyday life may be helpful to prevent further HL.

A case report of neuralgic amyotrophy.

Neuralgic muscular atrophy is not uncommon in clinical practice. Due to the different branches of brachial plexus involved in the lesion, the clinical symptoms are different, and there is a lack of clear imaging diagnostic criteria, so the diagnosis of this disease brings great challenges to clinicians. We have certain experience in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease, and hereby select a representative case of neuralgic muscular atrophy to share its diagnosis and treatment process, focusing on analyzing the characteristic symptoms of this disease, valuable imaging data and targeted treatment, so as to enable clinicians to better understand this disease.

Enhancement of ionospheric heating effect by chemical release.

The ionosphere can be artificially modified by employing ground-based high-power high-frequency electromagnetic waves to irradiate the ionosphere. This modification is achieved through the nonlinear interaction between the electromagnetic waves and the ionospheric plasma, leading to changes in the physical properties and structure of the ionosphere. The degree of artificial modification of the ionosphere is closely related to the heating energy density of high-frequency pump waves. Due to the high density of neutral constituents in the lower ionosphere and the high frequency of electron-neutral collisions, the energy of heating pump waves will be absorbed and attenuated during the penetration of the low ionosphere, seriously affecting the heating effect. This paper proposes a method to reduce the absorption of ionospheric heating pump waves by releasing electron attachment chemicals into low ionosphere to form a large-scale electron density hole. A model for mitigating pump waves absorption based on SF6 release is established, and the absorption at different frequencies is quantitatively calculated. The propagation characteristics of high-frequency signals in ionospheric holes are studied using a three-dimensional ray tracing method, and the results demonstrate that the chemical release method not only reduces the absorption attenuation of heating pump waves but also forms spherical electron density holes, which exhibit a focusing effect on the heating beam and enhance the heating effect. The results are of great significance for understanding the nonlinear interaction between electromagnetic wave and ionospheric plasma and improving the ionospheric heating efficiency.