Directional Rebound of Microdroplets on a Magneto-Responsive Micropillar Array Surface.

The manipulation of droplet movement behavior is of scientific importance and has practical applications in many fields, such as biological analysis, water collection, oil-water separation, deicing, antifrosting, and so on. Using the magneto-responsive surface to dynamically change the surface morphology is an effective method to realize droplet manipulation. A replica molding technique was used to fabricate the surface with the magneto-responsive micropillar array, and the direction of the micropillar array could be changed dynamically with the magnetic induction intensity. The mechanism of the droplet directional rebound on the magneto-responsive surface and the implementation of the controllability of droplet movement were investigated. On the magneto-responsive surface, it was achievable to realize the directional rebound of droplets on the micrometer scale. The critical condition for the droplet directional rebound was identified. The force and energy of the droplet during the spreading and retraction stages were analyzed, which lay a theoretical foundation for the precise control of droplet directional rebound.

Lithium Bonds Enable Small Biomass Molecule-Based Ionoelastomers with Multiple Functions for Soft Intelligent Electronics.

Lipoic acid (LA), which originates from animals and plants, is a small biomass molecule and has recently shown great application value in soft conductors. However, the severe depolymerization of LA places a significant limitation on its utilization. A strategy of using Li-bonds as both depolymerization quenchers and dynamic mediators to melt transform LA into high-performance ionoelastomers (IEs) is proposed. They feature dry networks while simultaneously combining transparency, stretchability, conductivity, self-healing ability, non-corrosive property, re-mouldability, strain-sensitivity, recyclability, and degradability. Most of the existing soft conductors' drawbacks, such as the tedious synthesis, non-renewable polymer networks, limited functions, and single-use only, are successfully solved. In addition, the multi-functions allow IEs to be used as soft sensors in human-computer interactive games and wireless remote sports assistants. Notably, the recycled IE also provides an efficient conductive filler for transparent ionic papers, which can be used to design soft transparent triboelectric nanogenerators for energy harvesting and multidirectional motion sensing. This work creates a new direction for future research involving intelligent soft electronics.

Abnormal dynamic brain activity and functional connectivity of primary motor cortex in blepharospasm.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Accumulating evidence indicates that dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (dALFF) or dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) can provide complementary information, distinct from static amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (sALFF) or static functional connectivity (sFC), in detecting brain functional abnormalities in brain diseases. We aimed to examine whether dALFF and dFC can offer valuable information for the detection of functional brain abnormalities in patients with blepharospasm. METHODS: We collected resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 46 patients each of blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm (HFS), and healthy controls (HCs). We examined intergroup differences in sALFF and dALFF to investigate abnormal regional brain activity in patients with blepharospasm. Based on the dALFF results, we conducted seed-based sFC and dFC analyses to identify static and dynamic connectivity changes in brain networks centered on areas showing abnormal temporal variability of local brain activity in patients with blepharospasm. RESULTS: Compared with HCs, patients with blepharospasm displayed different brain functional change patterns characterized by increased sALFF in the left primary motor cortex (PMC) but increased dALFF variance in the right PMC. However, differences were not found between patients with HFS and HCs. Additionally, patients with blepharospasm exhibited decreased dFC strength, but no change in sFC, between right PMC and ipsilateral cerebellum compared with HCs; these findings were replicated when patients with blepharospasm were compared to those with HFS. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight that dALFF and dFC are complementary to sALFF and sFC and can provide valuable information for detecting brain functional abnormalities in blepharospasm. Blepharospasm may be a network disorder involving the cortico-ponto-cerebello-thalamo-cortical circuit.

Postoperative fluid balance and outcomes after Pancreaticoduodenectomy: a retrospective study in 301 patients.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of postoperative morbidity after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is high; however, whether fluid management after surgery affects postoperative morbidity is unclear. This study aimed to determine whether fluid balance in patients undergoing PD is associated with postoperative complications and mortality. METHODS: Data from a computer-based database of patients who underwent PD between 2016 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were stratified into four quartiles according to their fluid balance at 0-24, 24-48, 48-72, and 72-96 h after surgery. The predefined primary outcome measures were morbidity and mortality rates. RESULTS: A total of 301 patients were included. The morbidity and mortality rates in the cohort were 56.5% and 3.7%, respectively. The most common complications after PD were postoperative pancreatic fistula (31.9%) and delayed gastric emptying (31.6%). Patients with a higher fluid balance in the 0-24-, 24-48-, and 48-72-h postoperative periods had a higher morbidity rate and longer hospital stay than those with a lower fluid balance (all P < 0.05). Patients with a fluid balance of 4212 mL during the postoperative 0-72 h were most likely to develop complications (P < 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.71 (0.65-0.77), with a sensitivity of 58.24% and a specificity of 77.10%. CONCLUSIONS: Higher postoperative fluid balance seems to be associated with increased morbidity after PD compared to lower fluid balance. Surgeons should pay close attention to the occurrence of complications in patients with a high fluid balance.

Clinical importance of preoperative red-cell volume distribution width as a prognostic marker in patients undergoing radical surgery for pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A new noninvasive biomarker is being sought to predict the prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer. Red-cell volume distribution width (RDW), a descriptive parameter for erythrocyte variation, has been shown to have prognostic value for some tumor types. Our purpose was to assess the RDW value to predict the prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer. METHODS: The subjects of this retrospective study were 792 patients who underwent radical surgery for pancreatic cancer, divided into high-RDW and low-RDW groups based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis (15.6%). The controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score was used to assess preoperative nutritional status. Statistical analysis was conducted to investigate the differences between the high and low RDW groups, and to explore the possibility of the RDW being used as prognostic predictor for patients with pancreatic cancer. RESULTS: The immune-nutritional status was worse in the high-RDW group than in the low-RDW group. The high-RDW group patients also had a poorer prognosis. Risk factor analysis showed that the RDW could be an independent risk factor for pancreatic cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The RDW is associated with immune-nutritional status in pancreatic cancer patients and can be used as an independent prognostic factor for their postoperative survival.

Topological Alterations in White Matter Structural Networks in Blepharospasm.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence indicates regional structural changes in the white matter (WM) of brains in patients with blepharospasm (BSP); however, whether large-scale WM structural networks undergo widespread reorganization in these patients remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: We investigated topology changes and global and local features of large-scale WM structural networks in BSP patients compared with hemifacial spasm (HFS) patients or healthy controls (HCs). METHODS: This cross-sectional study applied graph theoretical analysis to assess deterministic diffusion tensor tractography findings in 41 BSP patients, 41 HFS patients, and 41 HCs. WM structural connectivity in 246 cortical and subcortical regions was assessed, and topological parameters of the resulting graphs were calculated. Networks were compared among BSP, HFS, and HCs groups. RESULTS: Compared to HCs, both BSP and HFS patients showed alterations in network integration and segregation characterized by increased global efficiency and modularity and reduced shortest path length. Moreover, increased nodal efficiency in multiple cortical and subcortical regions was found in BSP and HFS patients compared with HCs. However, these differences were not found between BSP and HFS patients. Whereas all participants showed highly similar hub distribution patterns, BSP patients had additional hub regions not present in either HFS patients or HCs, which were located in the primary head and face motor cortex and basal ganglia. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the large-scale WM structural network undergoes an extensive reorganization in BSP, probably due to both dystonia-specific abnormalities and facial hyperkinetic movements. © 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Longitudinal changes in the inferior cerebellar peduncle and lower limb motor recovery following subcortical infarction.

BACKGROUND: The cerebellum receives afferent signals from spinocerebellar pathways regulating lower limb movements. However, the longitudinal changes in the spinocerebellar pathway in the early stage of unilateral supratentorial stroke and their potential clinical significance have received little attention. METHODS: Diffusion tensor imaging and Fugl-Meyer assessment of lower limb were performed 1, 4, and 12 weeks after onset in 33 patients with acute subcortical infarction involving the supratentorial areas, and in 33 healthy subjects. We evaluated group differences in diffusion metrics in the bilateral inferior cerebellar peduncle (ICP) and analyzed the correlation between ICP diffusion metrics and changes to the Fugl-Meyer scores of the affected lower limb within 12 weeks after stroke. RESULTS: Significantly decreased fractional anisotropy and increased mean diffusivity were found in the contralesional ICP at week 12 after stroke compared to controls (all P < 0.01) and those at week 1 (all P < 0.05). There were significant fractional anisotropy decreases in the ipsilesional ICP at week 4 (P = 0.008) and week 12 (P = 0.004) compared to controls. Both fractional anisotropy (rs = 0.416, P = 0.025) and mean diffusivity (rs = -0.507, P = 0.005) changes in the contralesional ICP correlated with changes in Fugl-Meyer scores of the affected lower limb in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral ICP degeneration occurs in the early phase of supratentorial stroke, and diffusion metric values of the contralesional ICP are useful indicators of affected lower limb function after supratentorial stroke.

Breaking Droplet Jumping Energy Conversion Limits with Superhydrophobic Microgrooves.

Coalescence-induced droplet jumping has the potential to enhance the performance of a variety of applications including condensation heat transfer, surface self-cleaning, anti-icing, and defrosting to name a few. Here, we study droplet jumping on hierarchical microgrooved and nanostructured smooth superhydrophobic surfaces. We show that the confined microgroove structures play a key role in tailoring droplet coalescence hydrodynamics, which in turn affects the droplet jumping velocity and energy conversion efficiency. We observed self-jumping of individual deformed droplets within microgrooves having maximum surface-to-kinetic energy conversion efficiency of 8%. Furthermore, various coalescence-induced jumping modes were observed on the hierarchical microgrooved superhydrophobic surface. The microgroove structure enabled high droplet jumping velocity (≈0.74U) and energy conversion efficiency (≈46%) by enabling the coalescence of deformed droplets in microgrooves with undeformed droplets on adjacent plateaus. The jumping velocity and energy conversion efficiency enhancements are 1.93× and 6.67× higher than traditional coalescence-induced droplet jumping on smooth superhydrophobic surfaces. This work not only demonstrates high droplet jumping velocity and energy conversion efficiency but also demonstrates the key role played by macroscale structures on coalescence hydrodynamics and elucidates a method to further control droplet jumping physics for a plethora of applications.

Long-term treatment of blepharospasm with botulinum toxin A: a service-based study over a 16-year follow-up in southern China.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the effect of long-term treatment with botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) for blepharospasm. Prevalence data and clinical features in southern China and influencing factors for selecting BTX-A treatment were explored. METHODS: We collected data retrospectively from 338 consecutive patients diagnosed with blepharospasm over 16 years to assess prevalence data and clinical features. Thereafter, all patients were classified into BTX-A (n = 135) or non-BTX-A (n = 203) treatment groups according to the patients' requests in order to explore the factors influencing whether BTX-A treatment was chosen. Furthermore, dynamic follow-up data were analyzed to evaluate the long-term efficacy in the BTX-A group. RESULTS: The prevalence was 23.3 per million, with an onset age of 50.3 ± 12.3 years and a female:male ratio of 2.4:1; the most common symptom was excessive blinking (91.2%). The symptom severity and psychological assessment scores were significantly decreased by treatment with BTX-A (p < 0.01), and there was no significant difference in response duration with the prolongation of BTX-A injections. Adverse events occurred 52 times (5.0%) among 1038 injections. The symptom severity and psychological assessment scores and the occurrence of eye-opening difficulty were higher, and medical expenses and the symptom tolerability rate were lower in the BTX-A group than in the non-BTX-A group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The onset age was earlier than that in Western countries. However, starting BTX-A treatment early is justified, even though a higher dosage was needed to maintain reliable long-term efficacy. Additionally, symptom severity and medical expenses are the primary factors affecting whether patients select BTX-A treatment.

Removal of Volatile Phenols From Wine Using Crosslinked Cyclodextrin Polymers.

Volatile phenols have been implicated as contributors to off-odors associated with taints from bushfire smoke and microbial spoilage. Various methods for the amelioration of off-odors have been evaluated, but to date, they have not included cyclodextrin (CD) polymers. In the current study, two CD polymers were prepared from ß- and γ-CD, using hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) as a crosslinking agent. Adsorption tests were performed with four volatile phenols (guaiacol, 4-methylguaiacol, 4-ethylguaiacol and 4-ethylphenol) at concentrations up to 1 mg/L. The removal of volatile phenols by CD polymers achieved equilibrium almost instantly, with isotherm tests suggesting an adsorption capacity of 20.7 µg of volatile phenol per gram of polymer. Langmuir and Freundlich models were subsequently used to fit the data. In batch adsorption tests, the CD polymers achieved 45 to 77% removal of volatile phenols. Polymer reusability was also evaluated and was found to be excellent. A comparison between volatile phenol adsorption by CDs vs. CD polymers, determined using a novel four-phase headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) method for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), suggests CD polymers offer several advantages for use by the wine industry.

Development and Evaluation of a HS-SPME GC-MS Method for Determining the Retention of Volatile Phenols by Cyclodextrin in Model Wine.

Volatile phenols exist in wine and can be markers for Brettanomyces and smoke taint off-odors. Cyclodextrins (CDs) are found to be capable of forming inclusion complexes with volatile phenols. Cross peaks on 2D 1H ROESY nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra demonstrated inclusion of volatile phenols in the ß-CD cavity, while difference tests confirmed this resulted in a perceptible reduction of their sensory impact. However, a conventional headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) method using an isotopically labelled normalizing standard failed to quantify the residual volatile phenols by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) because of inclusion of the standard by the CDs. A new method involving an additional liquid phase was developed and validated for quantitation of volatile phenols in the presence of CDs. The retention of eight volatile phenols by α-, ß-, and γ-CD was subsequently studied.

Motor Recovery Prediction With Clinical Assessment and Local Diffusion Homogeneity After Acute Subcortical Infarction.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Initial clinical assessment or conventional diffusion tensor imaging parameters alone do not reliably predict poststroke recovery of motor function. Recently, local diffusion homogeneity (LDH) has been proposed to represent the local coherence of water molecule diffusion and can serve as a complementary marker for investigating white matter alterations of the brain. We aimed to determine whether a combination of initial clinical assessment and LDH could predict motor recovery after acute subcortical infarction. METHODS: Standard upper extremity Fugl-Meyer assessment and diffusion tensor imaging were performed 1, 4, and 12 weeks after onset in 50 patients with subcortical infarction. Proportional recovery model residuals were used to assign patients to proportional recovery and poor recovery groups. Tract-based spatial statistics analysis was used to compare diffusion differences between proportional and poor recovery outcomes. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify the predictors of motor improvement within 12 weeks after stroke. RESULTS: The poor recovery group had lower LDH than the proportional recovery group, mainly in the ipsilesional corticospinal tract in the superior corona radiate and posterior limb of internal capsule 1 week after stroke (P<0.005; family-wise error corrected). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that both initial Fugl-Meyer assessment and LDH in the ipsilesional corticospinal tract in the superior corona radiate and posterior limb of internal capsule were predictors of motor improvement within 12 weeks after stroke (G=47.22; P<0.001). Leave-one-out cross-validation confirmed a positive predictive value of 0.818, a negative predictive value of 0.833, and an accuracy of 0.824 (P<0.00 001; permutation test). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a combination of clinical assessment and LDH in the ipsilesional corticospinal tract in the acute phase can accurately predict resolution of upper limb impairment within 12 weeks after subcortical infarction.

Unfolded protein response is activated in the ipsilateral thalamus following focal cerebral infarction in hypertensive rats.

Focal cerebral cortical infarction causes secondary neurodegeneration in the remote regions, such as the ventroposterior nucleus of the thalamus. Retrograde degeneration of thalamocortical fibers is considered as the principle mechanism, but the exact molecular events remain to be elucidated. This study aimed to investigate whether unfolded protein response (UPR) is activated in thalamic neurons following distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in stroke-prone renovascular hypertensive rats. Immunostaining and immunoblotting were performed to evaluate the expression of Grp78 and its downstream effectors in the thalamus at 3, 7 and 14 days after MCAO. Secondary thalamic degeneration was assessed with Nissl staining and NeuN immunostaining. Neuronal death was not apparent at 3 days post-ischaemia but was evident in the thalamus at 7 and 14 days after MCAO. Grp78 level was reduced in the ipsilateral thalamus at 3 and 7 days after MCAO. In parallel, phosphorylated eIF2α and ATF4 levels were elevated, indicating the activation of UPR. In contrast, ATF6α and CHOP levels were not changed. These results suggest that UPR is activated before neuronal death in the ipsilateral thalamus after MCAO and may represent a key early event in the secondary thalamic degeneration.

Cognitive disorders in HIV-infected and AIDS patients in Guangxi, China.

The purposes of this study were to assess cognitive disorders in HIV/AIDS patients, identify the prevalence of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), provide evidence that may be used for early diagnosis and treatment, and establish a baseline for follow-up studies. The setting for this study was Guangxi, a culturally and economically underdeveloped province located in southwestern China with a large minority community. Due to the specific geographic and cultural environment, Guangxi has the second highest HIV incidence in China. There have been no research or large epidemiologic studies exploring cognitive disorders in HIV/AIDS patients in Guangxi; therefore, the prevalence of HAND in patients is unknown. Thirteen tests from 12 reliable and valid neuropsychological instruments (the digit symbol test, trail making test, arithmetic scores, digit span, wood puzzle, immediate visual memory, visual memory, Stroop test, vocabulary fluency, conceptual fluency, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test) were used to test and compare the cognitive functions and prevalence of HAND in 99 healthy individuals and 230 HIV/AIDS patients. Within the patient group, 114 were HIV-positive without cognitive impairment and 86 (37.39%) had HAND. Among them, 42 (18.27%) had HIV-related neurocognitive impairment (ANI), 25 (18.87%) had HIV-related mild neurocognitive disorder (MND), and 19 (8.26%) had HIV-associated dementia (HAD). These results may be used for future research, such as neuroimaging studies and risk factor analysis of HAND, and in the development of early diagnosis and treatment options for HAND patients.

Efficacy and safety of agomelatine versus SSRIs/SNRIs for post-stroke depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Agomelatine is effective in the treatment of depression, but its effect for post-stroke depression (PSD) remains unclear. This study was conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of agomelatine versus SSRIs/SNRIs in treating PSD. We systematically searched Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, WanFang Data, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Cqvip databases for double-blind randomized controlled studies comparing the efficacy and safety of agomelatine versus SSRIs/SNRIs for PSD until December 2022. The primary efficacy endpoint was the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) score, and the primary safety endpoint was the incidence of overall adverse reactions. Nine studies comprising 857 patients with PSD were included. After 6-12 weeks of treatment, the HAMD score ( P  = 0.16) and the overall response rates ( P  = 0.20) in the agomelatine group were comparable to that in the SSRIs/SNRIs group. Participants treated with agomelatine achieved higher Barthel Index scores compared with the SSRIs/SNRIs group ( P  = 0.02). There was a significantly lower incidence of overall adverse reactions ( P  = 0.008) and neurological adverse reactions ( P  < 0.0001) in the agomelatine group. The efficacy of agomelatine for treating PSD is probably comparable to that of SSRIs/SNRIs, and it may improve stroke outcomes with better safety.

Insights into Materials, Physics, and Applications in Flexible and Wearable Acoustic Sensing Technology.

Sound plays a crucial role in the perception of the world. It allows to communicate, learn, and detect potential dangers, diagnose diseases, and much more. However, traditional acoustic sensors are limited in their form factors, being rigid and cumbersome, which restricts their potential applications. Recently, acoustic sensors have made significant advancements, transitioning from rudimentary forms to wearable devices and smart everyday clothing that can conform to soft, curved, and deformable surfaces or surroundings. In this review, the latest scientific and technological breakthroughs with insightful analysis in materials, physics, design principles, fabrication strategies, functions, and applications of flexible and wearable acoustic sensing technology are comprehensively explored. The new generation of acoustic sensors that can recognize voice, interact with machines, control robots, enable marine positioning and localization, monitor structural health, diagnose human vital signs in deep tissues, and perform organ imaging is highlighted. These innovations offer unique solutions to significant challenges in fields such as healthcare, biomedicine, wearables, robotics, and metaverse. Finally, the existing challenges and future opportunities in the field are addressed, providing strategies to advance acoustic sensing technologies for intriguing real-world applications and inspire new research directions.

Mild Behavioral Impairment and Cerebrovascular Profiles Are Associated with Early Cognitive Impairment in a Community-Based Southeast Asian Cohort.

Background: Mild behavioral impairment (MBI) is one of the earliest observable changes when a person experiences cognitive decline and could be an early manifestation of underlying Alzheimer's disease neuropathology. Limited attention has been given to investigating the clinical applicability of behavioral biomarkers for detection of prodromal dementia. Objective: This study compared the prevalence of self-reported MBI and vascular risk factors in Southeast Asian adults to identify early indicators of cognitive impairment and dementia. Methods: This cohort study utilized baseline data from the Biomarkers and Cognition Study, Singapore (BIOCIS). 607 participants were recruited and classified into three groups: cognitively normal (CN), subjective cognitive decline (SCD), and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Group comparisons of cognitive-behavioral, neuroimaging, and blood biomarkers data were applied using univariate analyses. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate the association between cerebrovascular disease, vascular profiles, and cognitive impairment. Results: SCD had significantly higher depression scores and poorer quality of life (QOL) compared to CN. MCI had significantly higher depression scores; total MBI symptoms, MBI-interest, MBI-mood, and MBI-beliefs; poorer sleep quality; and poorer QOL compared to CN. Higher Staals scores, glucose levels, and systolic blood pressure were significantly associated with MCI classification. Fasting glucose levels were significantly correlated with depression, anxiety, MBI-social, and poorer sleep quality. Conclusions: The results reflect current research that behavioral changes are among the first symptoms noticeable to the person themselves as they begin to experience cognitive decline. Self-reported questionnaires may aid in early diagnoses of prodromal dementia. Behavioral changes and diabetes could be potential targets for preventative healthcare for dementia.

Lower serum uric acid and impairment of right cerebral hemisphere structural brain networks are related to depressive symptoms in cerebral small vessel disease: A cross-sectional study.

Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) may be associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms. Serum uric acid (SUA), an antioxidant, may be involved in the occurrence and development of depressive symptoms, but the mechanism remains unknown. Moreover, the relationship between structural brain networks and SUA has not been explored. This study examined the relationship between SUA and depressive symptoms in patients with SVD using graph theory analysis. We recruited 208 SVD inpatients and collected fasting blood samples upon admission. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-24). Magnetic resonance imaging was used to evaluate SVD, and diffusion tensor images were used to analyze structural brain networks using graph theory. Patients with depressive symptoms (n = 34, 25.76%) compared to those without (334.53 vs 381.28 µmol/L, p = 0.017) had lower SUA levels. Graph theoretical analyses showed a positive association of SUA with betweenness centrality, nodal efficiency, and clustering coefficients and a negative correlation with the shortest path length in SVD with depressive symptoms group. HAMD scores were significantly associated with nodal network metrics in the right cerebral hemisphere. Our findings suggested that lower SUA levels are significantly associated with disrupted structural brain networks in the right cerebral hemisphere of patients with SVD who have depressive symptoms.

Longitudinal cortical volume changes correlate with motor recovery in patients after acute local subcortical infarction.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Secondary changes in the volume of motor-related cortical regions and the relationship with functional recovery during the acute stage after cerebral infarction have not been determined. In the present study, we quantified changes in gray matter (GM) volume in motor-related cortical regions and analyzed their correlations to clinical scores in patients with focal cerebral infarct. METHODS: Fifteen patients with acute subcortical infarct underwent longitudinal high-resolution structural MRI and clinical assessment 3 times during a 12-week period (weeks 1, 4, and 12). Fourteen age- and sex-matched controls underwent MRI examination. Voxel-based morphometry was used to quantify changes in global GM volume; in addition, relationships between GM volume changes in volumes of interest and clinical scores were analyzed. RESULTS: In patients with cerebral infarction, GM volumes detected by voxel-based morphometry both decreased and increased significantly in diffuse cortical regions during the observation period (P<0.001). GM volumes within volumes of interest decreased significantly in the ipsilateral supplementary motor area and contralateral insula, but they increased in the contralateral supplementary motor area over time (all P<0.017). The changes of GM volumes in the ipsilesional and contralesional supplementary motor area correlated with the changes in the Fugl-Meyer scale scores (ipsilesional, rs=0.52; P=0.048; contralesional, rs=0.74; P=0.002) and Barthel Index (ipsilesional, rs=0.56; P=0.030; contralesional, rs=0.65; P=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that secondary GM changes occur in diffuse areas and structural changes in some specific motor-related cortex may inhibit or promote functional recovery after an acute subcortical cerebral infarct.

Evaluation of Indigenous Yeasts Screened from Chinese Vineyards as Potential Starters for Improving Wine Aroma.

Exploitation of the biodiversity of native wine yeast is a means of modifying the sensory characteristics of wine. Samples from different regions in China were analysed to screen native isolates as potential starter cultures. Through morphological and molecular biological analyses, we found six species, belonging to four genera (Hanseniaspora, Saccharomyces, Rhodotorula and Metschnikowia). These species were subjected to stress tolerance assays (ethanol, glucose, SO2 and pH), enzymatic activity tests (sulphite reductase activity, ß-glucosidase activity and protease activity) and fermentation tests. Saccharomyces cerevisiae showed a high tolerance to ethanol and completed fermentation independently. Hanseniaspora demonstrated good enzymatic activity and completed sequential fermentation. The fermentation experiment showed that the PCT4 strain had the best aroma complexity. This study provides a reference for selecting new starters from the perspective of flavour enzymes and tolerance and diversifying the sensory quality of wines from the region.