Rotational Dynamics of Quantum State-Selected Symmetric-Top Molecules in Nonresonant Femtosecond Laser Fields.

Rotational dynamics of quantum state selected and unselected CH3I molecules in intense femtosecond laser fields has been studied. The orientation and alignment evolutions are derived from a pump-probe measurement and in good agreement with the numerical results from the time-dependent Schrödinger equation (TDSE) calculation. The different rotational transitions through nonresonant Raman process have been assigned from the Fourier analysis of the orientation and alignment revivals. These revivals are derived from a pump-probe measurement and in good agreement with the numerical results from the TDSE calculation. For the molecules in rotational state |1, ±1, ∓1⟩, the transitions can be assigned to ΔJ = ±1, ±2, while for thermally populated molecules, the transitions are ΔJ = ±2. Our results illustrate that the orientation and alignment revivals of the rotational quantum-state-selected molecules give a deep insight into the rotational excitation pathways for the transition of different rotational states of molecules in ultrafast laser fields.

Expert Performance in Action Anticipation: Visual Search Behavior in Volleyball Spiking Defense from Different Viewing Perspectives.

Volleyball spiking requires defenders to possess exceptional anticipatory skills. However, most volleyball defense video eye-tracking studies have used fixed or off-court perspectives, failing to replicate real-world environments. This study explored different visual search behaviors between elite and novice volleyball players from various viewing perspectives using video eye tracking. We examined spiking anticipation in 14 competitive elite, 13 semi-elite, and 11 novice players. We captured spiking videos from three on-court perspectives using GoPro cameras mounted on the defenders' heads, closely replicating real game scenarios. For comparison, we recorded baseline videos using a fixed camera. The present study revealed that competitive and semi-elite players demonstrated higher accuracy than novices. Competitive elite players used fewer fixations, indicating that their superior performance was related to stable visual search patterns. All participant groups, regardless of skill level, showed similar visual allocation among areas of interest (AOIs). However, notable differences in visual search patterns and AOI allocation were observed between baseline and on-court perspective videos. From the baseline perspective, the participants primarily utilized global perception and peripheral vision, focusing more on the setter zone or the spiker's trunk. Conversely, from the on-court perspective, they employed more fixations, focusing more intensely on the spiker's detailed movements.

Lipidomic profiles in serum and urine in children with steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS) accounts for approximately 80% of cases of nephrotic syndrome. The involvement of aberrant lipid metabolism in early SSNS is poorly understood, warranting further investigation. This study aimed to explore alterations in lipid metabolism associated with SSNS pathogenesis. METHODS: A screening cohort containing serum (50 SSNS, 37 controls) and urine samples (27 SSNS, 26 controls) was analyzed by untargeted lipidomic profiling using UHPLC-QTOF-MS. Then, a validation cohort (20 SSNS, 56 controls) underwent further analysis to check the potential clinical application by ROC curve analysis. RESULTS: Lipidomic profiling of serum and urine samples revealed significant lipid alterations in SSNS patients, with the alterations in the serum samples being more significant. An elevated concentration of PE and PG and downregulated concentration of FA were observed in SSNS serum. A total of 38 dysregulated lipids and 5 lipid metabolic pathways were identified in the serum samples in SSNS patients. Validation in the second cohort confirmed differential regulation of nine kinds of lipids, including 5 up-regulated substances [SM d33:2 (m/z = 686.5361), SHexCer d34:1 (m/z = 779.521), PI 20:4_22:4 (m/z = 934.5558), Cer_NS d18:1_23:0 (m/z = 635.6216), and GM3 d36:1 (m/z = 1180.7431)], as well as 4 down-regulated substances: [CE 18:1 (m/z = 650.601), PE 38:6 (m/z = 763.5205), PC 17:0_20:4 (m/z = 795.5868) and EtherPC 16:2e_20:4 (m/z = 763.5498)]. CONCLUSIONS: Untargeted lipidomic analysis successfully identified specific lipid class changes in patients with SSNS, providing a deeper understanding of lipid alterations and underlying mechanisms associated with SSNS.

Patent foramen ovale-associated stroke repeatedly misdiagnosed as cerebral small vessel disease: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is the most commonly used screening method for cardiac structural abnormalities. However, it may lead to a missed diagnosis of partial patent foramen ovale (PFO)-associated stroke. CASE PRESENTATION: A 60-year-old male was admitted to the hospital for recurrent left limb weakness with or without slurred speech for 14 months. No stroke-related cardiac structural abnormality was detected during repeated TTE, and the patient was diagnosed with cerebral small vessel disease. Finally, right-to-left shunt was detected by contrast-enhanced transcranial Doppler. Subsequently, the patient was diagnosed with PFO-associated stroke by transesophageal echocardiography and contrast transesophageal echocardiography. CONCLUSIONS: TTE has a low detection rate of PFO, such that it is easily missed. Contrast-enhanced transcranial Doppler is easy to operate and should be promoted as a supplementary measure to stroke etiological investigation and primary PFO screening.

Effect of Chinese young children's epidemic cognition on their coping behavior: mediating role of emotion.

INTRODUCTION: Young children's epidemic awareness and risk prevention about public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 are issues of great importance deserving research. OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of young children's epidemic cognition on their coping behavior, and the mediating role of emotion. METHOD: An online anonymous survey was administrated on 2221 Chinese parents of young children aged three to six during the COVID-19 overwhelming period. RESULTS: (1) The epidemic cognition (M = 4.17, SD = 0.73), the coping behavior (M = 4.16, SD = 0.65), and the emotion (M = 3.99, SD = 0.81) were at a relatively high level. (2) Young children's epidemic cognition significantly predicted their coping behavior (ß = 0.71, t = 45.29, P < 0.001). The positive prediction effect of epidemic cognition on young children's emotion was significant (ß = 0.19, t = 8.56, P < 0.001), and emotion had a significant positive predictive effect on young children's coping behavior (ß = 0.20, t = 4.89, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Young children's epidemic cognition can significantly predict their coping behavior, and emotion plays a significant mediating role in their relation. It is necessary for practitioners to optimize the contents and methods of epidemic education on young children.

Total Burden of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease on MRI May Predict Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson's Disease.

(1) Objective: to investigate the association between the total burden of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) and cognitive function in Parkinson's disease (PD). (2) Methods: this retrospective study compared clinical and neuroimaging characteristics of 122 PD patients to determine the association between cognitive decline and total burden of CSVD in PD. All patients underwent brain MRI examinations, and their total CSVD burden scores were evaluated by silent lacunar infarction (SLI), cerebral microbleeds (CMB), white matter hyperintensities (WMH), and enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS). The cognitive function was assessed by administering Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) were performed to quantify the accuracy of the total burden of CSVD and PVH in discriminating PD patients with or without cognitive impairment. (3) Results: the PD patients with cognitive impairment had a significantly higher SLI, CMB, periventricular hyperintensities (PVH), deep white matter hyperintensities (DWMH), enlarged perivascular spaces of basal ganglia (BG-EPVS), and the total CSVD score compared with no cognitive impairment. Total CSVD score and MMSE had a significant negative correlation (r = -0. 483). Furthermore, total burden of CSVD and PVH were the independent risk factors of cognitive impairment in PD, and their good accuracy in discriminating PD patients with cognitive impairment from those with no cognitive impairment was confirmed by the results of ROC curves. (4) Conclusions: total burden of CSVD tightly linked to cognitive impairment in PD patients. The total burden of CSVD or PVH may predict the cognitive impairment in PD.

Evaluating the effect of immersive virtual reality technology on gait rehabilitation in stroke patients: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The high incidence of cerebral apoplexy makes it one of the most important causes of adult disability. Gait disorder is one of the hallmark symptoms in the sequelae of cerebral apoplexy. The recovery of walking ability is critical for improving patients' quality of life. Innovative virtual reality technology has been widely used in post-stroke rehabilitation, whose effectiveness and safety have been widely verified. To date, however, there are few studies evaluating the effect of immersive virtual reality on stroke-related gait rehabilitation. This study outlines the application of immersive VR-assisted rehabilitation for gait rehabilitation of stroke patients for comparative evaluation with traditional rehabilitation. METHODS: The study describes a prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial. Thirty-six stroke patients will be screened and enrolled as subjects within 1 month of initial stroke and randomized into two groups. The VRT group (n = 18) will receive VR-assisted training (30 min) 5 days/week for 3 weeks. The non-VRT group (n = 18) will receive functional gait rehabilitation training (30 min) 5 days/week for 3 weeks. The primary outcomes and secondary outcomes will be conducted before intervention, 3 weeks after intervention, and 6 months after intervention. The primary outcomes will include time "up & go" test (TUGT). The secondary outcomes will include MMT muscle strength grading standard (MMT), Fugal-Meyer scale (FMA), motor function assessment scale (MAS), improved Barthel index scale (ADL), step with maximum knee angle, total support time, step frequency, step length, pace, and stride length. DISCUSSION: Virtual reality is an innovative technology with broad applications, current and prospective. Immersive VR-assisted rehabilitation in patients with vivid treatment scenarios in the form of virtual games will stimulate patients' interest through active participation. The feedback of VR games can also provide patients with performance awareness and effect feedback, which could be incentivizing. This study may reveal an improved method of stroke rehabilitation which can be helpful for clinical decision-making and future practice. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1900025375 . Registered on 25 August 2019.

Increased Salivary microRNAs That Regulate DJ-1 Gene Expression as Potential Markers for Parkinson's Disease.

Small molecule RNAs (microRNAs) are a kind of endogenous, stable, and noncoding RNA molecule that can regulate the expression of target genes such as DJ-1 at the posttranscriptional level. This study aimed to detect the expression of salivary microRNAs and to discover their value as a salivary potential biomarker for Parkinson's disease (PD). Through a case-control study, RT-qPCR technology was used to detect the expression of miR-874 and miR-145-3p in the saliva of 30 PD patients and 30 healthy volunteers. Then we compared the differences in the expression levels of salivary miR-874 and miR-145-3p between the PD group and the control group and analyzed the correlation between the expression of salivary miR-874 and miR-145-3p in terms of age, gender, disease condition, and disease course. We found that salivary miR-874 and miR-145-3p were both positively expressed in the PD group and control group, and their expression in the PD group was higher than that in the control group. The expression of salivary miRNA-874 and miR-145-3p had no clear correlation to age, gender, total RNA concentrations in saliva, the score of UPDRSII, UPDRSIII, olfactory test scale, MMSE, MoCA, Hohn-Yahr stage and disease course. In conclusion, in the PD group and the control group with positive expression, the expression levels of miR-874 and miR-145-3p in the PD group were higher than those in the control group. The detection of miR-874 and miR-145-3p expression in saliva can be used as an auxiliary biomarker for PD.