Multi-Modal Integration of EEG-fNIRS for Characterization of Brain Activity Evoked by Preferred Music.

Music can effectively improve people's emotions, and has now become an effective auxiliary treatment method in modern medicine. With the rapid development of neuroimaging, the relationship between music and brain function has attracted much attention. In this study, we proposed an integrated framework of multi-modal electroencephalogram (EEG) and functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) from data collection to data analysis to explore the effects of music (especially personal preferred music) on brain activity. During the experiment, each subject was listening to two different kinds of music, namely personal preferred music and neutral music. In analyzing the synchronization signals of EEG and fNIRS, we found that music promotes the activity of the brain (especially the prefrontal lobe), and the activation induced by preferred music is stronger than that of neutral music. For the multi-modal features of EEG and fNIRS, we proposed an improved Normalized-ReliefF method to fuse and optimize them and found that it can effectively improve the accuracy of distinguishing between the brain activity evoked by preferred music and neutral music (up to 98.38%). Our work provides an objective reference based on neuroimaging for the research and application of personalized music therapy.

Quantifying the Changes of Mechanical and Electrical Properties of Paralyzed Muscle in Survivors With Cervical Spinal Cord Injury.

Background: Survivors with spinal cord injury (SCI) have neuromuscular deficits such as muscle atrophy that lead to functional impairments. This study utilized myotonometry and electrical impedance myography (EIM) to quantitatively evaluate the changes in muscle mechanical properties and compositions after SCI. Methods: This study adopted a cross-sectional design. Eighteen SCI patients and 18 healthy individuals were recruited. The outcome measures were: (1) The myotonometer measured muscle mechanical parameters of oscillation frequency (freq), dynamic stiffness, logarithmic decrement (decr), mechanical stress relaxation time, and indication of creep. (2) The electrical impedance myography measured parameters of resistance (R), reactance (X), and phase angle (θ). (3) muscle strength (maxForce); (4) clinical scales of Manual Muscle Testing (MMT) and modified Ashworth scale (MAS). All outcome measures were compared between the bicep brachii muscle of the weaker side of the SCI group and the non-dominate side of the healthy group. Correlation analysis was performed at quantitative data and clinical scales. Results: Freq, stiffness, and maxForce of the SCI group were significantly lower (p < 0.01) than those of the healthy control. The relaxation time and creep were significantly higher in the SCI group than in the control group. Significant differences of R and Xc were observed between the two groups. Significant correlation was observed between freq, stiffness, and months past injury, and between Xc, creep, and relaxation time. Conclusions: Reduced muscle tone and stiffness might relate to muscle atrophy, and higher relax time and creep may be caused by poor contractile ability. The changes in EIM parameters could indirectly reflect the muscle cell size, and fatty and connective tissue alterations. These findings support the feasibility of myotonometer and EIM to quantify muscle mechanical and intrinsic properties in patients with SCI. The results could facilitate the understanding of neuromuscular changes that are related to functional impairments.

Physicochemical, antioxidant properties of giant croaker (Nibea japonica) swim bladders collagen and wound healing evaluation.

Acid-solubilized collagen (ASC) and pepsin-solubilized collagen (PSC) were obtained from Nibea japonica swim bladders. The denaturation temperature (Td) of ASC and PSC was approximately 33.8 °C. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses indicated that ASC and PSC contained triple-helical type I collagen when compared to rat tail collagen type I. Moreover, the microstructure of collagen sponges was uniform and porous. In addition, ASC and PSC exhibited antioxidant properties and in vitro scratch assays showed that PSC at various concentrations (0, 12.5, 25, and 50 µg/mL) had significant effects on the scratch closure rate. Furthermore, collagen sponge from Nibea japonica swim bladders exhibited an increased efficacy of wound healing when compared to the control mice. The levels of interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the collagen sponge treated mice were significantly decreased when compared to the control group. Thus, our results suggested that collagen sponge from Nibea japonica swim bladders has potential wound healing applications.

English Consonant Identification in Multi-Talker Babble: Effects of Chinese-Native Listeners' English Experience.

The identification of English consonants in quiet and multi-talker babble was examined for three groups of young adult listeners: Chinese in China, Chinese in the USA (CNU), and English-native listeners. As expected, native listeners outperformed non-native listeners. The two non-native groups had similar performance in quiet, whereas CNU listeners performed significantly better than Chinese in China listeners in babble. It is concluded that CNU listeners may benefit from English experience, for example, better use of temporal variation in noise and better capacity against informational masking, to perceive English consonants better in babble. Possible explanations regarding the differential noise effect on the three groups are discussed.

An analysis of the relationship between ankle-brachial index and estimated glomerular filtration rate in type 2 diabetes.

We investigated the relationship between peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We enrolled 2057 hospitalized patients with T2DM and measured kidney function and ankle-brachial index (ABI). The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was derived using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation and ABI was grouped as low (<0.9), low-normal (0.9-1.09), normal (1.1-1.3), and high (>1.3). Logistic regression was used to evaluate the associations of eGFR with ABI. Generally speaking, the ABI was negatively correlated with systolic blood pressure, fasting C-peptide, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol while positively correlated with body mass index (P < .05 to <.01). Only a low ABI was positively correlated with eGFR (P < .01). In addition to the association of the ABI with cardiovascular events, stroke, and PAD, ABI may also predict the change in renal function in patients with T2DM.