Balance recovery for lower limb exoskeleton in standing posture based on orbit energy analysis.

Introduction: The need for effective balance control in lower limb rehabilitation exoskeletons is critical for ensuring stability and safety during rehabilitation training. Current research into specialized balance recovery strategies is limited, highlighting a gap in biomechanics-inspired control methods. Methods: We introduce a new metric called "Orbit Energy" (OE), which assesses the balance state of the human-exoskeleton system based on the dynamics of the overall center of mass. Our control framework utilizes OE to choose appropriate balance recovery strategies, including torque controls at the ankle and hip joints. Results: The efficacy of our control algorithm was confirmed through Matlab Simulink simulations, which analyzed the recovery of balance under various disturbance forces and conditions. Further validation came from physical experiments with human subjects wearing the exoskeleton, where a significant reduction in muscle activation was observed during balance maintenance under external disturbances. Discussion: Our findings underscore the potential of biomechanics-inspired metrics like OE in enhancing exoskeleton functionality for rehabilitation purposes. The introduction of such metrics could lead to more targeted and effective balance recovery strategies, ultimately improving the safety and stability of exoskeleton use in rehabilitation settings.

A combined pre- and intra-operative nomogram in evaluation of degrees of liver cirrhosis predicts post-hepatectomy liver failure: a multicenter prospective study.

Background: Adequate evaluation of degrees of liver cirrhosis is essential in surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. The impact of the degrees of cirrhosis on prediction of post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) remains poorly defined. This study aimed to construct and validate a combined pre- and intra-operative nomogram based on the degrees of cirrhosis in predicting PHLF in HCC patients using prospective multi-center's data. Methods: Consecutive HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy between May 18, 2019 and Dec 19, 2020 were enrolled at five tertiary hospitals. Preoperative cirrhotic severity scoring (CSS) and intra-operative direct liver stiffness measurement (DSM) were performed to correlate with the Laennec histopathological grading system. The performances of the pre-operative nomogram and combined pre- and intra-operative nomogram in predicting PHLF were compared with conventional predictive models of PHLF. Results: For 327 patients in this study, histopathological studies showed the rates of HCC patients with no, mild, moderate, and severe cirrhosis were 41.9%, 29.1%, 22.9%, and 6.1%, respectively. Either CSS or DSM was closely correlated with histopathological stages of cirrhosis. Thirty-three (10.1%) patients developed PHLF. The 30- and 90-day mortality rates were 0.9%. Multivariate regression analysis showed four pre-operative variables [HBV-DNA level, ICG-R15, prothrombin time (PT), and CSS], and one intra-operative variable (DSM) to be independent risk factors of PHLF. The pre-operative nomogram was constructed based on these four pre-operative variables together with total bilirubin. The combined pre- and intra-operative nomogram was constructed by adding the intra-operative DSM. The pre-operative nomogram was better than the conventional models in predicting PHLF. The prediction was further improved with the combined pre- and intra-operative nomogram. Conclusions: The combined pre- and intra-operative nomogram further improved prediction of PHLF when compared with the pre-operative nomogram. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT04076631.

Abnormal expression of PRKAG2-AS1 in endothelial cells induced inflammation and apoptosis by reducing PRKAG2 expression.

PRKAG2 is required for the maintenance of cellular energy balance. PRKAG2-AS1, a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), was found within the promoter region of PRKAG2. Despite the extensive expression of PRKAG2-AS1 in endothelial cells, the precise function and mechanism of this gene in endothelial cells have yet to be elucidated. The localization of PRKAG2-AS1 was predominantly observed in the nucleus, as revealed using nuclear and cytoplasmic fractionation and fluorescence in situ hybridization. The manipulation of PRKAG2-AS1 by knockdown and overexpression within the nucleus significantly altered PRKAG2 expression in a cis-regulatory manner. The expression of PRKAG2-AS1 and its target genes, PRKAG2b and PRKAG2d, was down-regulated in endothelial cells subjected to oxLDL and Hcy-induced injury. This finding suggests that PRKAG2-AS1 may be involved in the mechanism behind endothelial injury. The suppression of PRKAG2-AS1 specifically in the nucleus led to an upregulation of inflammatory molecules such as cytokines, adhesion molecules, and chemokines in endothelial cells. Additionally, this nuclear suppression of PRKAG2-AS1 facilitated the adherence of THP1 cells to endothelial cells. We confirmed the role of nuclear knockdown PRKAG2-AS1 in the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of cell proliferation, migration, and lumen formation through flow cytometry, TUNEL test, CCK8 assay, and cell scratching. Finally, it was determined that PRKAG2-AS1 exerts direct control over the transcription of PRKAG2 by its binding to their promoters. In conclusion, downregulation of PRKAG2-AS1 suppressed the proliferation and migration, promoted inflammation and apoptosis of endothelial cells, and thus contributed to the development of atherosclerosis resulting from endothelial cell injury.

Electrospinning Chitosan/Fe-Mn Nanofibrous Composite for Efficient and Rapid Removal of Arsenite from Water.

Efficient removal of extremely mobile and toxic As(III) from water is a challenging but critical task. Herein, we developed a functionalized sorbent of chitosan nanofiber with iron-manganese (Fe-Mn@CS NF) using a one-step hybrid electrospinning approach to remove trace As(III) from water. Batch adsorption studies were performed to determine the adsorption efficiency under a variety of conditions, including contact time, starting concentration of As(III), ionic strength, and the presence of competing anions. The experimental results demonstrated that the concentration of As(III) dropped from 550 to less than 1.2 µg/L when using 0.5 g/L Fe-Mn@CS NF. This demonstrates the exceptional adsorption efficiency (99.8%) of Fe-Mn@CS NF for removing As(III) at pH 6.5. The kinetic tests revealed that the adsorption equilibrium was reached in 2.6 h, indicating a quick uptake of As(III). The ionic strength effect analysis showed that the adsorbed As(III) formed inner-sphere surface complexes with Fe-Mn@CS NF. The presence of SO42- or F- had a negligible impact on As(III) uptake, while the presence of PO43- impeded As(III) absorption by competing for adsorption sites. The exhausted sorbent could be effectively regenerated with a dilute NaOH solution. Even after 10 cycles of regenerating Fe-Mn@CS NF, the adsorption efficiency of As(III) in natural groundwater was maintained over 65%. XPS and FTIR analyses show that the presence of M-OH and C-O groups on the sorbent surface is essential for removing As(III) from water. Overall, our study highlights the significant potential of Fe-Mn@CS NF for the efficient and quick elimination of As(III) from water.

Disproportional signal of pericarditis with biological diseasemodifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: a disproportionality analysis in the FAERS database.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the potential association between biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) and pericarditis and uncover relevant clinical characteristics in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods: Reports of pericarditis recorded in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) (January 2004-December 2022) were identified through the preferred term "pericarditis." Demographic and clinical characteristics were described, and disproportionality signals were assessed through the reporting odds ratio (ROR) and information component (IC). A significant signal was detected if the lower bound of IC (IC025) was more than zero. Results: We found 1,874 reports of pericarditis with bDMARDs (11.3% of cases with fatal outcomes). Adalimumab (IC025 3.24), infliximab (IC025 4.90), golimumab (IC025 5.40), certolizumab (IC025 5.43), etanercept (IC025 3.24), secukinumab (IC025 3.97), and ustekinumab (IC025 7.61) exhibit significant disproportionality signals compared to other medications in the FAERS database. After excluding pre-existing diseases and co-treated drugs that may increase the susceptibility of pericarditis, the disproportionality signal associated with infliximab, certolizumab, etanercept, secukinumab, and ustekinumab remained strong. Pericarditis cases associated with all bDMARDs were predominantly recorded in women aged 25-65 years. Conclusion: More reports of pericarditis were detected with AS patients on bDMARDs than with other drugs in the overall database. Further studies are warranted to investigate the underlying mechanisms and identify patient-related susceptibility factors, thus supporting timely diagnosis and safe(r) prescribing of bDMARDs.

Thermal ablation for hepatic tumors in high-risk locations.

Thermal ablative techniques such as radiofrequency and microwave ablation are minimally invasive and cost-effective approaches that are currently being adopted as alternatives to surgical resection for primary and metastatic liver malignancies. However, they are considered to be relatively contraindicated for tumors in high-risk locations due to technical difficulties and a perceived increased risk of perioperative complications. Several techniques, including artificial ascites, non-touch multibipolar ablation, and laparoscopically assisted ablation, can be used to improve the outcomes of ablation for high-risk tumors. This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the techniques currently used to improve thermal ablation outcomes for high-risk liver tumors.

Design and assessment of a reconfigurable behavioral assistive robot: a pilot study.

Introduction: For patients with functional motor disorders of the lower limbs due to brain damage or accidental injury, restoring the ability to stand and walk plays an important role in clinical rehabilitation. Lower limb exoskeleton robots generally require patients to convert themselves to a standing position for use, while being a wearable device with limited movement distance. Methods: This paper proposes a reconfigurable behavioral assistive robot that integrates the functions of an exoskeleton robot and an assistive standing wheelchair through a novel mechanism. The new mechanism is based on a four-bar linkage, and through simple and stable conformal transformations, the robot can switch between exoskeleton state, sit-to-stand support state, and wheelchair state. This enables the robot to achieve the functions of assisted walking, assisted standing up, supported standing and wheelchair mobility, respectively, thereby meeting the daily activity needs of sit-to-stand transitions and gait training. The configuration transformation module controls seamless switching between different configurations through an industrial computer. Experimental protocols have been developed for wearable testing of robotic prototypes not only for healthy subjects but also for simulated hemiplegic patients. Results: The experimental results indicate that the gait tracking effect during robot-assisted walking is satisfactory, and there are no sudden speed changes during the assisted standing up process, providing smooth support to the wearer. Meanwhile, the activation of the main force-generating muscles of the legs and the plantar pressure decreases significantly in healthy subjects and simulated hemiplegic patients wearing the robot for assisted walking and assisted standing-up compared to the situation when the robot is not worn. Discussion: These experimental findings demonstrate that the reconfigurable behavioral assistive robot prototype of this study is effective, reducing the muscular burden on the wearer during walking and standing up, and provide effective support for the subject's body. The experimental results objectively and comprehensively showcase the effectiveness and potential of the reconfigurable behavioral assistive robot in the realms of behavioral assistance and rehabilitation training.

High dietary wheat starch negatively regulated growth performance, glucose and lipid metabolisms, liver and intestinal health of juvenile largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides.

Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) were fed with three diets containing 6%, 12%, and 18% wheat starch for 70 days to examine their impacts on growth performance, glucose and lipid metabolisms, and liver and intestinal health. The results suggested that the 18% starch group inhibited the growth, and improved the hepatic glycogen content compared with the 6% and 12% starch groups (P < 0.05). High starch significantly improved the activities of glycolysis-related enzymes, hexokinase (HK), glucokinase (GK), phosphofructokinase (PFK), and pyruvate kinase (PK) (P < 0.05); promoted the mRNA expression of glycolysis-related phosphofructokinase (pfk); decreased the activities of gluconeogenesis-related enzymes, pyruvate carboxylase (PC), and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK); and reduced the mRNA expression of gluconeogenesis-related fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase-1(fbp1) (P < 0.05). High starch reduced the hepatic mRNA expressions of bile acid metabolism-related cholesterol hydroxylase (cyp7a1) and small heterodimer partner (shp) (P < 0.05), increased the activity of hepatic fatty acid synthase (FAS) (P < 0.05), and reduced the hepatic mRNA expressions of lipid metabolism-related peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (ppar-α) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1α (cpt-1α) (P < 0.05). High starch promoted inflammation; significantly reduced the mRNA expressions of anti-inflammatory cytokines transforming growth factor-ß1 (tgf-ß1), interleukin-10 (il-10), and interleukin-11ß (il-11ß); and increased the mRNA expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (tnf-α), interleukin-1ß (il-1ß), and interleukin-8 (il-8) in the liver and intestinal tract (P < 0.05). Additionally, high starch negatively influenced the intestinal microbiota, with the reduced relative abundance of Trichotes and Actinobacteria and the increased relative abundance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. In conclusion, low dietary wheat starch level (6%) was more profitable to the growth and health of M. salmoides, while high dietary starch level (12% and 18%) could regulate the glucose and lipid metabolisms, impair the liver and intestinal health, and thus decrease the growth performance of M. salmoides.

Direct interaction of platelet with tumor cell aggravates hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis by activating TLR4/ADAM10/CX3CL1 axis.

Metastasis is the main culprit of cancer-related death and account for the poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Although platelets have been shown to accelerate tumor cell metastasis, the exact mechanism remained to be fully understood. Here, we found that high blood platelet counts and increased tumor tissue ADAM10 expression indicated the poor prognosis of HCC patients. Meanwhile, blood platelet count has positive correlation with tumor tissue ADAM10 expression. In vitro, we revealed that platelet increased ADAM10 expression in tumor cell through TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. ADAM10 catalyzed the shedding of CX3CL1 which bound to CX3CR1 receptor, followed by inducing epithelial to mesenchymal transition and activating RhoA signaling in cancer cells. Moreover, knockdown HCC cell TLR4 (Tlr4) or inhibition of ADAM10 prevented platelet-increased tumor cell migration, invasion and endothelial permeability. In vivo, we further verified in mice lung metastatic model that platelet accelerated tumor metastasis via cancer cell TLR4/ADAM10/CX3CL1 axis. Overall, our study provides new insights into the underlying mechanism of platelet-induced HCC metastasis. Therefore, targeting the TLR4/ADAM10/CX3CL1 axis in cancer cells hold promise for the inhibition of platelet-promoted lung metastasis of HCC.

Lanthanium nitride LaN9 featuring azide units: the first metal nine-nitride as a high-energy-density material.

High-pressure phase diagrams of the La-N binary system were systematically constructed using the CALYPSO method and first-principles calculations. In addition to the pressure-induced La-N compounds reported previously, we have uncovered a hitherto unknown LaN9 structure in Pm3̄ symmetry stabilized within a narrow pressure range of 20-24.5 GPa. Notably, LaN9 stands as the first thermodynamically stable metal nine-nitrogen compound, featuring centrosymmetric linear N3 anion units and an edge-sharing LaN12 icosahedron. Charge transfer between the La and N atoms plays a crucial role in facilitating structural stability. Furthermore, we identified a novel Cm phase for LaN8, which has a lower enthalpy compared to the previously reported phase. N atoms in Cm LaN8 are polymerized into infinite N∞ chains. Calculations demonstrate the potential recoverability of LaN9 and Cm LaN8 under atmospheric conditions while preserving their initial polynitrogen configuration. From the perspective of detonation pressure and detonation velocity, LaN9 and Cm LaN8 exhibit excellent explosive performance in comparison to TNT and HMX, with estimated energy densities of 0.9 and 1.54 kJ g-1, respectively, indicating their potential utility as high-energy-density materials.

[Analysis of O3 Pollution Affected by a Succession of Three Landfall Typhoons in 2020 in Eastern China].

Based on air quality monitoring, surface meteorological data, wind profile radar observation, and the HYSPLIT model, the characteristics and causes of O3 pollution in eastern China during the period of the typhoons BAVI, MAYSAK, and HAISHEN from August 26 to September 8, 2020 were analyzed. The results showed that during the succession of the three landfall typhoons, the O3 pollution sites in Beijing Tianjin Hebei and its surrounding areas (BTHS) and the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) exceeded 50%. During the HAISHEN period, O3 pollution days in the two regions reached 2.22 d and 2.97 d, respectively, with significant persistence characteristics. The location of the typhoon had an obvious influence on O3 concentration. When the typhoons were located within the 24h warning line, the O3 concentrations in BTHS and YRD were relatively low. When the typhoons were located between the 24 h and 48 h warning lines, the O3 concentration in BTHS was the highest. When the typhoons moved north of 34°N, the YRD was most prone to regional O3 pollution. O3 pollution in Shanghai mainly occurred under the control of the northward air flow to the west side of the typhoons, and the regional transport from the upstream area had a significant impact on the increase in O3 and its precursor concentrations. The downdraft below 1 000 m maintained O3 at a high concentration at night. In Jinan, O3 pollution mainly occurred under the control of the subtropical high and typhoon periphery. The downdraft prevailed in the middle and lower levels during the O3 pollution. From August 28 to 30, under the control of the subtropical high, the pollutants were mainly accumulated locally, and some of them were transmitted within the province, showing a "double high" phenomenon of O3 and PM2.5. From September 5 to 8, under the influence of HAISHEN peripheral circulation, the regional transport was obvious, and the O3 concentration increased earlier than that of PM2.5.

Calibration of the oscillation amplitude of quartz tuning fork-based force sensors with astigmatic displacement microscopy.

Quartz tuning forks and qPlus-based force sensors offer an alternative approach to silicon cantilevers for investigating tip-sample interactions in scanning probe microscopy. The high-quality factor (Q) and stiffness of these sensors prevent the tip from jumping to the contact, even at sub-nanometer amplitude. The qPlus configuration enables simultaneous scanning tunneling microscopy and atomic force microscopy, achieving spatial resolution and spectroscopy at the subatomic level. However, to enable precise measurement of tip-sample interaction forces, confidence in these measurements is contingent upon the accurate calibration of the spring constant and oscillation amplitude of the sensor. Here, we have developed a method called astigmatic displacement microscopy with picometer sensitivity.

The role of corneal endothelium in macular corneal dystrophy development and recurrence.

Macular corneal dystrophy (MCD) is a progressive, bilateral stromal dystrophic disease that arises from mutations in carbohydrate sulfotransferase 6 (CHST6). Corneal transplantation is the ultimate therapeutic solution for MCD patients. Unfortunately, postoperative recurrence remains a significant challenge. We conducted a retrospective review of a clinical cohort comprising 102 MCD patients with 124 eyes that underwent either penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) or deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK). Our results revealed that the recurrence rate was nearly three times higher in the DALK group (39.13%, 9/23 eyes) compared with the PKP group (10.89%, 11/101 eyes), suggesting that surgical replacement of the corneal endothelium for treating MCD is advisable to prevent postoperative recurrence. Our experimental data confirmed the robust mRNA and protein expression of CHST6 in human corneal endothelium and the rodent homolog CHST5 in mouse endothelium. Selective knockdown of wild-type Chst5 in mouse corneal endothelium (ACsiChst5), but not in the corneal stroma, induced experimental MCD with similar extracellular matrix synthesis impairments and corneal thinning as observed in MCD patients. Mice carrying Chst5 point mutation also recapitulated clinical phenotypes of MCD, along with corneal endothelial abnormalities. Intracameral injection of wild-type Chst5 rescued the corneal impairments in ACsiChst5 mice and retarded the disease progression in Chst5 mutant mice. Overall, our study provides new mechanistic insights and therapeutic approaches for MCD treatment by high-lighting the role of corneal endothelium in MCD development.

Effect of Remifentanil on Acute and Chronic Postsurgical Pain in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Our purpose was to explore the effect of remifentanil on acute and chronic postsurgical pain after cardiac surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Randomized controlled trials were retrieved from electronic databases, such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Internet databases, Scopus, and Web of Science. A systematic review, meta-analysis, and trial sequential analysis (TSA) were performed. Basic information and outcomes were extracted from the included studies. The primary outcome was chronic postsurgical pain. Secondary outcomes were scores of postsurgical pain and morphine consumption within 24 hours after cardiac surgery. Risk of bias (ROB) assessment was based on the Cochrane ROB tool version 2. The overall quality of the evidence was rated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. RESULTS: Seven studies consisting of 658 patients were enrolled in the meta-analysis. A single study had a high ROB and 2 studies had a moderate ROB. The incidence of chronic postsurgical pain (4 studies [415 patients]; risk ratio: 1.02 [95% CI: 0.53 to 1.95]; P = 0.95; I2 = 59%; TSA-adjusted CI: 0.78 to 1.20) and the postsurgical pain score (2 studies [196 patients]; mean difference: 0.09 [95% CI: -0.36 to 0.55]; P = 0.69; I2 = 0%; TSA-adjusted CI: -0.36 to 0.55) were not statistically different between the 2 groups. However, morphine consumption (6 studies [569 patients]; mean difference: 6.94 [95% CI: 3.65 to 10.22]; P < 0.01; I2 = 0%; TSA-adjusted CI: 0.00 to 0.49) was higher in the remifentanil group than in the control group. CONCLUSION: There was not enough evidence to prove that remifentanil can increase the incidence of chronic postsurgical pain after cardiac surgery, but interestingly, the results tended to support a trend toward increased complications in the intervention group. However, there was moderate certainty evidence that the use of remifentanil increases the consumption of morphine for analgesia, and more direct comparison trials are needed to inform clinical decision-making with greater confidence.

Analyzing the correlation between quinolone-resistant Escherichia coli resistance rates and climate factors: A comprehensive analysis across 31 Chinese provinces.

BACKGROUND: The increasing problem of bacterial resistance, particularly with quinolone-resistant Escherichia coli (QnR eco) poses a serious global health issue. METHODS: We collected data on QnR eco resistance rates and detection frequencies from 2014 to 2021 via the China Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System, complemented by meteorological and socioeconomic data from the China Statistical Yearbook and the China Meteorological Data Service Centre (CMDC). Comprehensive nonparametric testing and multivariate regression models were used in the analysis. RESULT: Our analysis revealed significant regional differences in QnR eco resistance and detection rates across China. Along the Hu Huanyong Line, resistance rates varied markedly: 49.35 in the northwest, 54.40 on the line, and 52.30 in the southeast (P = 0.001). Detection rates also showed significant geographical variation, with notable differences between regions (P < 0.001). Climate types influenced these rates, with significant variability observed across different climates (P < 0.001). Our predictive model for resistance rates, integrating climate and healthcare factors, explained 64.1% of the variance (adjusted R-squared = 0.641). For detection rates, the model accounted for 19.2% of the variance, highlighting the impact of environmental and healthcare influences. CONCLUSION: The study found higher resistance rates in warmer, monsoon climates and areas with more public health facilities, but lower rates in cooler, mountainous, or continental climates with more rainfall. This highlights the strong impact of climate on antibiotic resistance. Meanwhile, the predictive model effectively forecasts these resistance rates using China's diverse climate data. This is crucial for public health strategies and helps policymakers and healthcare practitioners tailor their approaches to antibiotic resistance based on local environmental conditions. These insights emphasize the importance of considering regional climates in managing antibiotic resistance.

A Versatile Hydrogel with Antibacterial and Sequential Drug-Releasing Capability for the Programmable Healing of Infectious Keratitis.

Hydrogels have attracted tremendous attention as favorable corneal substitutes for treating severe infectious keratitis (IK). However, current hydrogel-based corneal substitutes were majorly designed to promote the single stage of corneal regeneration, which falls short in meeting the clinical management needs of severe IK including the multiple phases of corneal wound healing. Herein, we introduce a versatile hybrid hydrogel (SQPV) composed of silk fibroin and chitosan, which exhibits spatiotemporal properties for drug release. The SQPV is fabricated by incorporating verteporfin-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic)-polyethylene glycol-o-nitrobenzene micelles into a hydrogel network, which is formed from methacrylate silk fibroin and glycidyl methacrylate functionalized quaternized chitosan containing polydeoxyribonucleotide. This double network approach results in a material with exceptional anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and proliferative stimulation and tissue remodeling regulation capabilities. Furthermore, SQPV showcases mechanical strength and transparency akin to those of native cornea. Extensive in vitro and in vivo studies validate SQPV's ability to effectively eliminate residual bacteria, mitigate inflammation, foster regeneration of corneal epithelium and stroma, prevent corneal scarring, and ultimately expedite wound healing. In summary, the SF/CS-based hybrid hydrogel may represent a promising substitute for comprehensive corneal repair and regeneration in severe IK.

Abnormal expression of PRKAG2-AS results in dysfunction of cardiomyocytes through regulating PRKAG2 transcription by interacting with PPARG.

The role of PRKAG2 in the maintenance of heart function is well established, but little is known about how PRKAG2 is regulated in cardiomyocytes. In this study, we investigated the role of the lncRNA PRKAG2-AS, which is present at the PRKAG2 promoter, in the regulation of PRKAG2 expression. PRKAG2-AS expression was predominantly nuclear, as determined by RNA nucleoplasmic separation and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Knockdown of PRKAG2-AS in the nucleus, but not the cytoplasm, significantly decreased the expression of PRKAG2b and PRKAG2d. Interestingly, we found that PRKAG2-AS and its target genes, PRKAG2b and PRKAG2d, were reduced in the hearts of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, suggesting a potential role for PRKAG2-AS in myocardial ischemia. Indeed, knockdown of PRKAG2-AS in the nucleus resulted in apoptosis of cardiomyocytes. We further elucidated the mechanism by which PRKAG2-AS regulates PRKAG2 transcription by identifying 58 PRKAG2-AS interacting proteins. Among them, PPARG was selected for further investigation based on its correlation and potential interaction with PRKAG2-AS in regulating transcription. Overexpression of PPARG, or its activation with rosiglitazone, led to a significant increase in the expression of PRKAG2b and PRKAG2d in cardiomyocytes, which could be attenuated by PRKAG2-AS knockdown. This finding suggests that PRKAG2-AS mediates, at least partially, the protective effects of rosiglitazone on hypoxia-induced apoptosis. However, given the risk of rosiglitazone in heart failure, we also examined the involvement of PRKAG2-AS in this condition and found that PRKAG2-AS, as well as PRKAG2b and PRKAG2d, was elevated in hearts with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and that overexpression of PRKAG2-AS led to a significant increase in PRKAG2b and PRKAG2d expression, indicating that up-regulation of PRKAG2-AS may contribute to the mechanism of heart failure by promoting transcription of PRKAG2. Consequently, proper expression of PRKAG2-AS is essential for maintaining cardiomyocyte function, and aberrant PRKAG2-AS expression induced by hypoxia or other stimuli may cause cardiac dysfunction.

[Multi-modal synergistic quantitative analysis and rehabilitation assessment of lower limbs for exoskeleton].

In response to the problem that the traditional lower limb rehabilitation scale assessment method is time-consuming and difficult to use in exoskeleton rehabilitation training, this paper proposes a quantitative assessment method for lower limb walking ability based on lower limb exoskeleton robot training with multimodal synergistic information fusion. The method significantly improves the efficiency and reliability of the rehabilitation assessment process by introducing quantitative synergistic indicators fusing electrophysiological and kinematic level information. First, electromyographic and kinematic data of the lower extremity were collected from subjects trained to walk wearing an exoskeleton. Then, based on muscle synergy theory, a synergistic quantification algorithm was used to construct synergistic index features of electromyography and kinematics. Finally, the electrophysiological and kinematic level information was fused to build a modal feature fusion model and output the lower limb motor function score. The experimental results showed that the correlation coefficients of the constructed synergistic features of electromyography and kinematics with the clinical scale were 0.799 and 0.825, respectively. The results of the fused synergistic features in the K-nearest neighbor (KNN) model yielded higher correlation coefficients ( r = 0.921, P < 0.01). This method can modify the rehabilitation training mode of the exoskeleton robot according to the assessment results, which provides a basis for the synchronized assessment-training mode of "human in the loop" and provides a potential method for remote rehabilitation training and assessment of the lower extremity.