Ventricular Netrin-1 deficiency leads to defective pyramidal decussation and mirror movement in mice.

The corticospinal tract (CST) is the principal neural pathway responsible for conducting voluntary movement in the vertebrate nervous system. Netrin-1 is a well-known guidance molecule for midline crossing of commissural axons during embryonic development. Families with inherited Netrin-1 mutations display congenital mirror movements (CMM), which are associated with malformations of pyramidal decussation in most cases. Here, we investigated the role of Netrin-1 in CST formation by generating conditional knockout (CKO) mice using a Gfap-driven Cre line. A large proportion of CST axons spread laterally in the ventral medulla oblongata, failed to decussate and descended in the ipsilateral spinal white matter of Ntn1Gfap CKO mice. Netrin-1 mRNA was expressed in the ventral ventricular zone (VZ) and midline, while Netrin-1 protein was transported by radial glial cells to the ventral medulla, through which CST axons pass. The level of transported Netrin-1 protein was significantly reduced in Ntn1Gfap CKO mice. In addition, Ntn1Gfap CKO mice displayed increased symmetric movements. Our findings indicate that VZ-derived Netrin-1 deletion leads to an abnormal trajectory of the CST in the spinal cord due to the failure of CST midline crossing and provides novel evidence supporting the idea that the Netrin-1 signalling pathway is involved in the pathogenesis of CMM.

Optimal shrinkage denoising breaks the noise floor in high-resolution diffusion MRI.

The spatial resolution attainable in diffusion magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is inherently limited by noise. The weaker signal associated with a smaller voxel size, especially at a high level of diffusion sensitization, is often buried under the noise floor owing to the non-Gaussian nature of the MR magnitude signal. Here, we show how the noise floor can be suppressed remarkably via optimal shrinkage of singular values associated with noise in complex-valued k-space data from multiple receiver channels. We explore and compare different low-rank signal matrix recovery strategies to utilize the inherently redundant information from multiple channels. In combination with background phase removal, the optimal strategy reduces the noise floor by 11 times. Our framework enables imaging with substantially improved resolution for precise characterization of tissue microstructure and white matter pathways without relying on expensive hardware upgrades and time-consuming acquisition repetitions, outperforming other related denoising methods.

Application of computer-aided detection for NCCN-based follow-up recommendation in subsolid nodules: Effect on inter-observer agreement.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Computer-aided detection (CAD) of pulmonary nodules reduces the impact of observer variability, improving the reliability and reproducibility of nodule assessments in clinical practice. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the impact of CAD on inter-observer agreement in the follow-up management of subsolid nodules. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A dataset comprising 60 subsolid nodule cases was constructed based on the National Cancer Center lung cancer screening data. Five observers independently assessed all low-dose computed tomography scans and assigned follow-up management strategies to each case according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines, using both manual measurements and CAD assistance. The linearly weighted Cohen's kappa test was used to measure agreement between paired observers. Agreement among multiple observers was evaluated using the Fleiss kappa statistic. RESULTS: The agreement of the five observers for NCCN follow-up management categorization was moderate when measured manually, with a Fleiss kappa score of 0.437. Utilizing CAD led to a notable enhancement in agreement, achieving a substantial consensus with a Fleiss kappa value of 0.623. After using CAD, the proportion of major and substantial management discrepancies decreased from 27.5% to 15.8% and 4.8% to 1.5%, respectively (p < 0.01). In 23 lung cancer cases presenting as part-solid nodules, CAD significantly elevates the average sensitivity in detecting lung cancer cases presenting as part-solid nodules (overall sensitivity, 82.6% vs. 92.2%; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The application of CAD significantly improves inter-observer agreement in the follow-up management strategy for subsolid nodules. It also demonstrates the potential to reduce substantial management discrepancies and increase detection sensitivity in lung cancer cases presenting as part-solid nodules.

Application of combined preoperative indocyanine green lymphography and ultrasonography for low-pressure vein localization in secondary lymphedema surgery for breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the value of preoperative indocyanine green (ICG) lymphography combined with ultrasonography for low-pressure vein localization in secondary lymphedema surgery for breast cancer. METHODS: A total of 29 patients who were admitted to the breast surgery department of our hospital from July 2019 to May 2021 were included in this study. All patients received preoperative reverse lymphography and ultrasonography for low-pressure vein in lymphedema surgery. Three arm circumferences were measured before surgery, 6 months after surgery, and 12 months after surgery for comparison with the healthy limb at the same time. RESULTS: Arm circumference at 12 months after surgery was significantly different from those at the preoperative period and 6 months after surgery (P < 0.05). However, this parameter after surgery was still significantly higher than that of the healthy limb (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The application of preoperative ICG lymphography combined with ultrasonography for low-pressure vein localization before surgery can greatly shorten operation duration by reducing the number of ineffective incisions and improving the probability of vein-lymphatic vessel matching, while ensuring the postoperative efficacy for patients.

Alzheimer's disease phenotype based upon the carrier status of the apolipoprotein E ɛ4 allele.

The apolipoprotein E ɛ4 allele (APOE4) is universally acknowledged as the most potent genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). APOE4 promotes the initiation and progression of AD. Although the underlying mechanisms are unclearly understood, differences in lipid-bound affinity among the three APOE isoforms may constitute the basis. The protein APOE4 isoform has a high affinity with triglycerides and cholesterol. A distinction in lipid metabolism extensively impacts neurons, microglia, and astrocytes. APOE4 carriers exhibit phenotypic differences from non-carriers in clinical examinations and respond differently to multiple treatments. Therefore, we hypothesized that phenotypic classification of AD patients according to the status of APOE4 carrier will help specify research and promote its use in diagnosing and treating AD. Recent reviews have mainly evaluated the differences between APOE4 allele carriers and non-carriers from gene to protein structures, clinical features, neuroimaging, pathology, the neural network, and the response to various treatments, and have provided the feasibility of phenotypic group classification based on APOE4 carrier status. This review will facilitate the application of APOE phenomics concept in clinical practice and promote further medical research on AD.

Ultrasound-guided extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy with minimal x-ray exposure prevented genitourinary tract injury patients with urolithiasis in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the use of ultrasound-guided extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) to break stones in the genitourinary tract and prevent genitourinary injury. Our goals were to achieve accurate focusing and minimal X-ray exposure for the benefit of the patients. METHODS: The LiteMed LM-9200 lithotripter with ultrasonography and fluoroscopy was used for two different procedures: autoaimed and autoperiodical. These procedures enabled dual focusing on stone localization and tracking. RESULTS: Out of 108 patients who underwent autoperiodical procedures, 29 had no gross hematuria. Among the 335 patients who received autoaimed procedures, 194 had no gross hematuria. The average duration of X-ray exposure during autoperiodical and autoaimed procedures was 120 and 50 s, respectively. CONCLUSION: The ultrasound-guided ESWL with minimal X-ray exposure was found to be useful in treating genitourinary upper-tract urolithiasis in the autoaimed procedure. Patients who underwent the autoaimed procedure experienced less gross hematuria compared to those who underwent the autoperiodical procedure.

Enabling brain-wide mapping of directed functional connectivity at 3T via layer-dependent fMRI with draining-vein suppression.

Layer-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) offers a compelling avenue for investigating directed functional connectivity (FC). To construct a comprehensive map of brain-wide directed FC, several technical criteria must be met, including sub-mm spatial resolution, adequate temporal resolution, functional sensitivity, global brain coverage, and high spatial specificity. Although gradient echo (GE)-based echo planar imaging (EPI) is commonly used for rapid fMRI acquisition, it faces significant challenges due to the draining-vein effect, particularly when utilizing blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) contrast. In this study, we mitigated this effect by incorporating velocity-nulling (VN) gradients into a GE-BOLD fMRI sequence, opting for a 3T magnetic field strength over 7T. We also integrated several advanced techniques, such as simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) acceleration and NORDIC denoising, to enhance temporal resolution, spatial coverage, and signal sensitivity. Collectively, the VN fMRI method exhibited notable spatial specificity, as evidenced by the identification of double-peak activation patterns within the primary motor cortex (M1) during a finger-tapping task. Additionally, the technique demonstrated BOLD sensitivity in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). Furthermore, our VN fMRI technique displayed superior robustness when compared to conventional fMRI approaches across participants. Our findings of directed FC elucidate several layer-specific functional relationships between different brain regions and align closely with existing literature. Given the widespread availability of 3T scanners, this technical advancement has the potential for significant impact across multiple domains of neuroscience research.

Influenza vaccination is associated with lower risk of renal cell carcinoma among chronic kidney disease patients: a population-based cohort study.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients possess a higher risk for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) possibly because of related underlying inflammation and immune dysregulation. In the current population-based cohort study, we evaluate the effects of influenza vaccination on RCC among CKD patients. Methods: We analysed the vaccinated and unvaccinated CKD patients (≥55 years of age) identified from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database. Propensity score matching was used to reduce the selection bias. Subgroup analyses based on comorbid conditions, dialysis status and vaccinated dosages were also conducted. Results: The incidence of RCC decreased significantly in the vaccinated compared with unvaccinated group {unadjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.50 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.31-0.81], P < .01; adjusted HR 0.46 [95% CI 0.28-0.75], P < .01}. Such protective effects of influenza vaccination were noted significantly among those ≥75 years of age [unadjusted HR 0.29 (95% CI 0.12-0.74), P < .01; adjusted HR 0.22 (95% CI 0.08-0.58), P < .01]. A reverse association was noted between the total number of vaccinations and RCC events in both unadjusted and adjusted models. The Kaplan-Meier estimates of the RCC events showed significantly higher free survival rates in the vaccinated as compared with the unvaccinated patients (logrank P = .005). Conclusion: This population-based cohort study found a significant inverse relationship between influenza vaccination and the risk of RCC in CKD patients and the protective effects were more prominent in patients >75 years of age. A possible relation exists between the total number of vaccinations and RCC events. Future randomized clinical and basic studies will be needed to prove these findings and underlying pathophysiological mechanisms.

Mei-Gin Formula Ameliorates Obesity through Lipolysis, Fatty Oxidation, and Thermogenesis in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Rats.

Obesity is a metabolic dysfunction characterized by excessive body fat deposition as a consequence of an energy imbalance. Novel therapeutic strategies have emerged that are safe and have comparatively low side effects for obesity treatment. Functional foods and nutraceuticals have recently received a great deal of attention because of their components with the properties of antimetabolic syndrome. Based on our previous in vitro and in vivo investigations on anti-adipogenesis activity and improved body fat accumulation in serials, the combination of three ingredients (including bainiku-ekisu, black garlic, and Mesona procumbens Hemsl), comprising the Mei-Gin formula (MGF), was eventually selected as a novel inhibitor that exhibited preventive effects against obesity. Herein, we verify the anti-obesity effects of MGF in obese rats induced by a high-fat diet and discuss the potential molecular mechanisms underlying obesity development. Oral administration of MGF significantly suppressed the final body weight, weight change, energy and water intake, subcutaneous and visceral fat mass, liver weight, hepatic total lipids and triglycerides (TG), and serum levels of TG, triglycerides (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), alanine transaminase (AST), uric acid, and ketone bodies and augmented fecal total lipids, TG, and cholesterol excretion in the high-dose MGF-supplemented groups. Furthermore, the corresponding lipid metabolic pathways revealed that MGF supplementation effectively increased lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation gene expression and attenuated fatty acid synthesis gene expression in the white adipose tissue (WAT) and liver and it also increased mitochondrial activation and thermogenic gene expression in the brown adipose tissue (BAT) of rats with obesity induced by a high-fat diet (HFD). These results demonstrate that the intake of MGF can be beneficial for the suppression of HFD-induced obesity in rats through the lipolysis, fatty oxidation, and thermogenesis pathway. In conclusion, these results demonstrate the anti-obesity efficacy of MGF in vivo and suggest that MGF may act as a potential therapeutic agent against obesity.

Rationale for white skin roll flap in unilateral cleft lip repair: A retrospective anthropometric measurement analysis.

BACKGROUND: Although the "white skin roll" of the lip is often considered a line, it is better defined as the subunit between the vermilion border and the upper lip horizontal groove. In many unilateral cleft lip repair techniques, this structure is approximated between both sides of the cleft without restoration. This study aimed to analyze the white skin roll height in patients with unilateral cleft lip. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 134 consecutive infants with unilateral cleft lip aged 3-6 months who underwent lip repair in a single institution between January 2019 and July 2021. White skin roll heights at the peak of the Cupid's bow on the non-cleft side (CPHIR), cleft medial element (CPHIL), and cleft lateral element (CPHIL') were measured, and differences in their averages were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean height was 1.70 ± 0.30 mm at CPHIR, 0.98 ± 0.33 mm at CPHIL, and 1.28 ± 0.32 mm at CPHIL.' The mean difference in height between CPHIR-CPHIL, CPHIR-CPHIL,' and CPHIL-CPHIL' groups was significant for each paired sample (p < 0.01). No difference was found between the complete and incomplete clefts or left and right clefts (p > 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: A significantly reduced mean height of the white skin roll was present more markedly on the cleft medial element than on the cleft lateral element. Therefore, we strongly support using a white skin roll flap on the cleft lateral element for unilateral cleft lip repair, embracing the concepts of subunits and lip contour lines.

Effects of enriched environment on the expression of ß-amyloid and transport-related proteins LRP1 and RAGE in chronic sleep-deprived mice.

Sleep plays an important role in the learning process and memory consolidation, and sleep deprivation (SD) leads to inadequate memory consolidation and plays an important role in brain development and plasticity. SD increases ß-amyloid levels while impairing cognitive function. We explored the effect of enriched environment (EE) on ß-amyloid and transporter protein LRP1 and receptor for advanced glycosylation end-products (RAGE) expression in chronic sleep deprived mice. We randomly divided mice into four groups (n = 10), the standard environment group (Ctrl group), the sleep deprivation group (SD group), the enriched environment intervention group (EE group), and the sleep deprivation plus environmental enrichment intervention group (SD + EE group). A modified multi-platform SD model was used to sleep deprive the mice for 19 h per day. Five hours of EE intervention was performed daily in the EE group and the SD + EE group, respectively. The behavioral measurements of mice were performed by Y-maze method and new object recognition; the expression levels of Aß1-42, LRP1, and RAGE in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of mice were measured by immunofluorescence; the expression levels of LRP1 and RAGE in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were detected by Western blot. The results showed that EE could effectively ameliorate the effects of SD on cognitive impairment, reduce SD induced Aß deposition, and decrease the expression of RAGE, while increase the expression of LRP1.

Moxibustion modulates working memory in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between changes in brain activity associated with working memory and assessment scales of memory scores in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) before and after moxibustion therapy. METHODS: aMCI patients were randomized into the moxibustion treatment (MT) group and the placebo moxibustion (PM) group. Each group received either moxibustion therapy or a placebo moxibustion for eight weeks. Neuropsychological performance and functional brain responses to a working memory task were assessed at baseline and at the end of treatment. Memory function was evaluated individually by the Rivermead behavioral memory test (RBMT), and working memory was assessed by the N-back task. RESULTS: Compared with the PM group, RBMT score changes were significant ( < 0.05). In the MT group, the accuracy of the N-back texts increased compared with those before the intervention. After moxibustion intervention, the right insula, postcentral gyrus, precentral gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, thalamus, lingual gyrus, calcarine sulcus, posterior cingulate gyrus, middle frontal gyrus and anterior frontal gyrus were significantly activated (= 0.01, Cluster-level Family-Wise Error = 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that the insula, lingual gyrus and posterior cingulate gyrus were associated with changes in N-back score. Spearman correlation analysis showed that the postcentral gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, thalamus, lingual gyrus, and posterior cingulate gyrus were correlated with RBMT score changes. CONCLUSION: Moxibustion treatment improved memory in aMCI patients and was associated with the activation of the brain region of the insula, lingual gyrus, posterior cingulate gyrus, postcentral gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, and thalamus, which may be an important mechanism by which moxibustion improves the memory function.

Treatment persistence of bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide and efavirenz + lamivudine + tenofovir disoproxil among HIV-1 patients newly starting treatment in Hunan Province in China.

BACKGROUND: Though bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir (BIC/FTC/TAF) have been regulatory approved and included in the National Reimbursement Drug List in China, due to the affordability concern, generic version of efavirenz + lamivudine + tenofovir (EFV + 3TC + TDF) is still recommended as the first-line therapy in the clinical guideline and widely used in clinical practice. The aim of the study is to assess the persistence with first-line BIC/TAF/TAF and EFV + 3TC + TDF in newly treated HIV-1 patients in the real-world setting in Hunan Province in China. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the medical records of HIV patients initiating first-line antiretroviral therapy in the First Hospital of Changsha in January 1st, 2021-July 31st, 2022 was conducted. Persistence was assessed as the number of days on the therapy from the index until treatment discontinuation or end of data availability. Kaplan-Meier Curves and Cox Proportional Hazard models were used to evaluate the discontinuation rates. Subgroup analysis was performed excluding BIC/FTC/TAF patients with treatment discontinuation due to economic reason, and EFV + 3TC + TDF patients with a viral load > 500,000 copies/mL. RESULTS: A total of 310 eligible patients were included in the study, with 244 and 66 patients in the BIC/FTC/TAF group and EFV + 3TC + TDF group, respectively. Compared with EFV + 3TC + TDF patients, BIC/FTC/TAF patients were older, more living in the capital city currently, and had significantly higher total cholesterol and low-density level (all p < 0.05). No significant difference was shown in the time to discontinuation between BIC/FTC/TAF patients and EFV + 3TC + TDF patients. After excluding BIC/FTC/TAF patients with treatment discontinuation due to economic reason, EFV + 3TC + TDF group were shown to have a significantly higher risk of discontinuation than BIC/FTC/TAF group (hazard ratio [HR] = 11.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3-93.2). After further removing the EFV + 3TC + TDF patients with a viral load > 500,000 copies/mL, the analysis showed similar results (HR = 10.1, 95% CI = 1.2-84.1). 79.4% of the EFV + 3TC + TDF patients discontinued treatment due to clinical reasons, while 83.3% of the BIC/FTC/TAF patients discontinued treatment due to economic reasons. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with BIC/FTC/TAF, EFV + TDF + 3TC patients were significantly more likely to discontinue the first-line treatment in Hunan Province in China.

Pteropine orthoreoviruses use cell surface heparan sulphate as an attachment receptor.

Pteropine orthoreoviruses (PRVs) are an emerging group of fusogenic, bat-borne viruses from the Orthoreovirus genus. Since the isolation of PRV from a patient with acute respiratory tract infections in 2006, the zoonotic potential of PRV has been further highlighted following subsequent isolation of PRV species from patients in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Indonesia. However, the entry mechanism of PRV is currently unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of previously identified mammalian orthoreovirus (MRV) receptors, sialic acid and junctional adhesion molecule-1 for PRV infection. However, none of these receptors played a significant role in PRV infection, suggesting PRV uses a distinct entry receptor from MRV. Given its broad tissue tropism, we hypothesized that PRV may use a receptor that is widely expressed in all cell types, heparan sulphate (HS). Enzymatic removal of cell surface HS by heparinase treatment and genetic ablation of HS biosynthesis genes, SLC35B2, exostosin-1, N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase I and beta-1,3-glucuronyltransferase 3, significantly reduced infection with multiple genetically distinct PRV species. Replication kinetic of PRV3M in HS knockout cells revealed that HS plays a crucial role in the early phase of PRV infection. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that HS is an essential host-factor for PRV attachment and internalization into cells. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the use of HS as an attachment receptor by PRVs.

Feasibility and Toxicity of Interval-Compressed Chemotherapy in Asian Children and Young Adults with Sarcoma.

Twelve Asian patients with sarcoma received interval-compressed (ic-) chemotherapy scheduled every 14 days with a regimen of vincristine (2 mg/m2), doxorubicin (75 mg/m2), and cyclophosphamide (1200-2200 mg/m2) (VDC) alternating with a regimen of ifosfamide (9000 mg/m2) and etoposide (500 mg/m2) (IE), with filgrastim (5-10 mcg/kg/day) between cycles. Carboplatin (800 mg/m2) was added for CIC-rearranged sarcoma. The patients were treated with 129 cycles of ic-VDC/IE with a median interval of 19 days (interquartile range [IQR], 15-24 days. Median nadirs (IQR) were neutrophil count, 134 (30-396) × 106/L at day 11 (10-12), recovery by day 15 (14-17) and platelet count, 35 (23-83) × 109/L at day 11 (10-13), recovery by day 17 (14-21). Fever and bacteremia were observed in 36% and 8% of cycles, respectively. The diagnoses were Ewing sarcoma (6), rhabdomyosarcoma (3), myoepithelial carcinoma (1), malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (1), and CIC-DUX4 Sarcoma (1). Seven of the nine patients with measurable tumors responded (one CR and six PR). Interval-compressed chemotherapy is feasible in the treatment of Asian children and young adults with sarcomas.

An Innovative Mei-Gin Formula Exerts Anti-Adipogenic and Anti-Obesity Effects in 3T3-L1 Adipocyte and High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Rats.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the potential anti-obesity properties of an innovative functional formula (called the Mei-Gin formula: MGF) consisting of bainiku-ekisu, Prunus mume (70% ethanol extract), black garlic (water extract), and Mesona procumbens Hemsl. (40% ethanol extract) for reducing lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes in vitro and obese rats in vivo. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The prevention and regression of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity by the intervention of Japan Mei-Gin, MGF-3 and -7, and positive health supplement powder were investigated in male Wistar rats. The anti-obesity effects of MGF-3 and -7 in rats with HFD-induced obesity were examined by analyzing the role of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue in the development of obesity. RESULTS: The results indicated that MGF-1-7 significantly suppressed lipid accumulation and cell differentiation through the down-regulation of GPDH activity, as a key regulator in the synthesis of triglycerides. Additionally, MGF-3 and MGF-7 exhibited a greater inhibitory effect on adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The high-fat diet increased body weight, liver weight, and total body fat (visceral and subcutaneous fat) in obese rats, while these alterations were effectively improved by the administration of MGF-3 and -7, especially MGF-7. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the role of the Mei-Gin formula, particularly MGF-7, in anti-obesity action, which has the potential to be used as a therapeutic agent for the prevention or treatment of obesity.

Enriched environment can reverse chronic sleep deprivation-induced damage to cellular plasticity in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus.

Objective: We studied whether enriched environment (EE), a classic epigenetics paradigm, can prevent cellular plasticity damage caused by chronic sleep deprivation (SD). Methods: We performed SD in mice by a modified multi-platform method (MMPM). Mice in the SD group were deprived of sleep for 18 h a day. In addition, half of the mice in the chronic SD group were exposed to EE stimuli for 6 h per day. Immunostaining analyzed neurogenesis and neural progenitor cell-differentiated phenotypes in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) region. Result: At 13 weeks, compared with the control group, SD severely impaired the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells, and EE completely reversed the process. SD can induce gliosis in the mouse hippocampus, and EE can delay the process. Conclusion: Our results suggest that chronic SD may damage the neurogenesis in the DG of the hippocampus. However, enrichment stimulation can reverse the processing by promoting neuronal repair related to neuronal plasticity.

Study of event-related potentials by withdrawal friction on the fingertip.

OBJECTIVES: The lack of understanding about the brain's reaction processes in perceiving touch and separation between skin and object surfaces is a barrier to the development of existing brain-computer interface technologies and virtual haptics. These technologies are limited in their ability to advance. It leaves prosthesis users with a limited amount of tactile information that they can feel. This study aims to determine whether distinct surface aspects of various items trigger different reactions from the brain when friction is removed from the surface. METHODS: When friction is suddenly removed from the surface of an item, a technique called event-related potential, (ERP) is used to study the features of people's EEGs. It is done after the subject has actively explored the object's surface. A 64-channels EEG collecting system was utilized to acquire EEG data from the individuals. [Corrections added on 5 December 2022, after first online publication: The preceding sentence has been updated.] The event-related potentials for friction removal were generated using the Oddball paradigm, and the samples consisted of sandpaper with three distinct degrees of roughness. We utilized a total of 20 participants, 10 of whom were male, and 10 of whom were female, with a mean age of 21 years. RESULTS: It was discovered that the P3 component of event-related potentials, which is essential for cognition, was noticeably absent in the friction withdrawal response for various roughnesses. It was the case regardless of whether the surface was smooth or rough. Moreover, there was no statistically significant difference between the P1 andP2 components, which suggests that the brain could not recognize the surface properties of objects with varying roughness as the friction withdrawal was being performed. CONCLUSIONS: It has been demonstrated that tactile recognition does not occur after friction withdrawal. The findings of this paper could have significant repercussions for future research involving the study of haptic perception and brain-computer interaction in prosthetic hands. It is a step toward future research on the mechanisms underlying human tactile perception, so think of it as preparation.

Choice of medical treatment for renal colic: A survey of Chinese urologists / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the status quo of recognition and management of renal colic among urological surgeons in China.@*METHODS@#From November 2021 to March 2022, 725 urological surgeons in China were surveyed in the form of a questionnaire, including their province, hospital grade, professional title, the number of patients with renal colic treated per week, the preferred drugs and the cognition of the disease. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Peking University People's Hospital, and all respondents completed informed consent online.@*RESULTS@#During November 2021 and March 2022, urological surgeons across China were surveyed in the form of a questionnaire, and the reliability and validity of the questionnaire were verified before the study was carried out. In the study, 720 valid questionnaires were collected (accounting for 99.31% of the total number), in which 42.4% of the doctors' preferred drugs were non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and 40.0% of the doctors' preferred antispasmodic drugs. Opioids were the first choice of 11.0% of the physicians and other treatments were preferred by 6.6% of physicians. In addition, 61.1% of the doctors thought that the mechanism of renal colic was elevated prostaglandin, 32.2% thought it was ureteral spasm, 5.0% thought it was calculi irritation, and 1.7% thought the mechanism was unclear. The doctor of the cognition of the generation mechanism of renal colic pain had a significant influence on the preferred treatment option (χ2=54.399, P < 0.001) that the "elevated prostaglandins" doctor more often preferred NSAIDs than the doctor who thought cramps and ureter stones caused renal colic (51.6% vs. 28.0%, χ2=34.356, P < 0.001;51.6% vs. 19.4%, χ2=13.759, P < 0.001). In addition, hospital class, physician title, and the number of weekly consultations by physicians influenced the choice of medications for renal colic (P < 0.05), tertiary hospitals, middle and senior professional titles and weekly patients with renal colic > 8 cases generally preferred NSAIDs.@*CONCLUSION@#There are deficiencies in the cognition and drug treatment of renal colic among urological surgeons in China. The choice of the preferred drug was related to the doctor's cognition of the disease, the grade of the hospital, the doctor's professional title and the weekly treatment volume.