Radiomics based on diffusion tensor imaging and 3D T1-weighted MRI for essential tremor diagnosis.

Background: Due to the absence of biomarkers, the misdiagnosis of essential tremor (ET) with other tremor diseases and enhanced physiologic tremor is very common in practice. Combined radiomics based on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and three-dimensional T1-weighted imaging (3D-T1) with machine learning (ML) give a most promising way to identify essential tremor (ET) at the individual level and further reveal the potential imaging biomarkers. Methods: Radiomics features were extracted from 3D-T1 and DTI in 103 ET patients and 103 age-and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). After data dimensionality reduction and feature selection, five classifiers, including the support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), logistic regression (LR), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) and multi-layer perceptron (MLP), were adopted to discriminate ET from HCs. The mean values of the area under the curve (mAUC) and accuracy were used to assess the model's performance. Furthermore, a correlation analysis was conducted between the most discriminative features and clinical tremor characteristics. Results: All classifiers achieved good classification performance (with mAUC at 0.987, 0.984, 0.984, 0.988 and 0.981 in the test set, respectively). The most powerful discriminative features mainly located in the cerebella-thalamo-cortical (CTC) and visual pathway. Furthermore, correlation analysis revealed that some radiomics features were significantly related to the clinical tremor characteristics in ET patients. Conclusion: These results demonstrated that combining radiomics with ML algorithms could not only achieve high classification accuracy for identifying ET but also help us to reveal the potential brain microstructure pathogenesis in ET patients.

Analytical method for studying acoustic fields radiated by general spherical sound sources in thermoviscous fluids.

The study of acoustic radiation from spherical sound sources plays a crucial role in understanding the thermoviscous effects in practical acoustic problems. However, finding a general solution of acoustic radiation from spherical sound sources in thermoviscous fluids remains a formidable challenge. To advance this issue, an analytical method is developed in this paper to calculate the acoustic field radiated by spherical sound sources with the isothermal boundary condition and arbitrary velocity boundary condition. The developed method is utilized to present the solutions of the acoustic field generated by an oscillating sphere and a general spherical sound source, and the accuracy and validity of these solutions are verified through analytical and numerical methods.

Designing a sparse sensor array for sound field reconstruction using compressive-equivalent source method.

The compressive-equivalent source method (C-ESM) can reconstruct the sound field radiated by sparsely distributed sound sources with a reduced number of sensors. To ensure the performance of the C-ESM, the transfer matrix between the sensors and equivalent point sources should exhibit sufficient incoherence. Given that the configuration of the sensor array affects this incoherence condition, concern regarding the sensor array design would arise. To address such concern, this paper proposes a sensor array design approach. The primary objective of this approach is to minimize the mean coherence of the transfer matrix within the developed iterative framework, providing the incoherence condition required by the C-ESM. Subsequently, the designed sensor array is utilized by the C-ESM for the reconstructions. The effectiveness and practicality of the proposed approach are validated through numerical simulations and experiments.

A metabolomics perspective reveals the mechanism of the uric acid-lowering effect of Prunus salicina Lindl. cv. "furong" polyphenols in hypoxanthine and potassium oxybate-induced hyperuricemic mice.

The incidence of hyperuricemia (HUA) shows a gradually increasing trend towards affecting younger individuals, and it can significantly harm the overall health status of the body. Based on a metabolomics perspective, this study reveals the mechanism of the uric acid-lowering action of Prunus salicina Lindl. cv. "furong" polyphenols (PSLP) on a hyperuricemia mouse model induced by hypoxanthine and potassium oxybutyrate. The results demonstrate that PSLP comprise an effective treatment strategy for reducing the levels of serum uric acid (SUA), serum creatinine (SCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in HUA mice (p < 0.05), wherein the maximum decrease rates are up to 44.50%, 29.46%, and 32.95%, respectively. PSLP are observed to exert a pronounced inhibitory effect on the activities of xanthine oxidase (XOD) and adenosine deaminase (ADA) in the livers of HUA mice, with reductions of up to 16.36% and 20.13%, respectively. These findings illustrate that PSLP exert a significant uric acid-lowering effect. Subsequent metabolomic analysis of mouse serum identified 28 potential biomarkers for hyperuricemia, whose levels were markedly diminished by PSLP. This process involved alterations in purine, glycine, the pentose phosphate pathway, and galactose metabolism. Twenty-eight potential biomarkers were identified for hyperuricemia by subsequent metabolomic analysis of mouse serum, whose levels were markedly reversed by PSLP intervention. The regulation of HUA by PSLP involved alterations in purine metabolism, glycerolipid metabolism, the pentose phosphate pathway, and galactose metabolism. The mechanism of PSLP ameliorated hyperuricemia might be attributed to reduction of the level of the uric acid precursor ribose-5-phosphate in the pentose phosphate pathway, the inhibition of the activities of uric acid synthase XOD and ADA in purine metabolism, and reduction of the synthesis of the end product uric acid. This study provides a theoretical basis for the development of functional foods based on PSLP, which can potentially reduce uric acid levels.

Ubiquitin-specific protease 38 promotes atrial fibrillation in diabetic mice by stabilizing iron regulatory protein 2.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiovascular disease often observed in diabetes mellitus, and there is currently no satisfactory therapeutic option. Ubiquitin-specific protease 38 (USP38) has been implicated in the degradation of numerous substrate proteins in the myocardium. Herein, we aim to investigate the role of USP38 in AF induced by diabetes. METHODS: Cardiac-specific transgenic USP38 mice and cardiac-specific knockout USP38 mice were constructed, and streptozotocin was used to establish diabetic mouse model. Functional, electrophysiological, histologic, biochemical studies were performed. RESULTS: The expression of USP38 was upregulated in atrial tissues of diabetic mice and HL-1 cells exposed to high glucose. USP38 overexpression increased susceptibility to AF, accompanied by aberrant expression of calcium-handling protein, heightened iron load and oxidation stress in diabetic mice. Conversely, USP38 deficiency reduced vulnerability to AF by hampering ferroptosis. Mechanistically, USP38 bound to iron regulatory protein 2 (IRP2), stabilizing it and remove K48-linked polyubiquitination chains, thereby increasing intracellular iron overload, lipid peroxidation, and ultimately contributing to ferroptosis. In addition, reduced iron overload by deferoxamine treatment alleviated oxidation stress and decreased vulnerability to AF in diabetic mice. CONCLUSION: Overall, our findings reveal the detrimental role of USP38 in diabetes-related AF, manifested by increased level of iron overload and oxidation stress.

More substitutions changed team substitution strategy? An analysis of the FIFA World Cup 2002-2022.

BACKGROUND: The increase in the number of substitutions allowed in football from three to five has profoundly influenced the game. The impact of the rule change on the FIFA World Cup needs further verification. METHODS: A total of 2,151 team substitution opportunities and 2,410 substitutions in 384 matches from six FIFA World Cups (2002-2022) were analyzed to assess its impact. One-way ANOVA was used to assess differences in average substitution times among the six FIFA World Cups. Factors affecting the time of substitutions were explored using Generalized Linear Mixed Models. RESULTS: In each FIFA World Cup, over 92% of substitutions occurred during half-time and the second half, with a higher proportion in knockout stage matches than group stage matches. Group stage substitutions tended to happen earlier, particularly when teams were losing. As allowed substitutions increased, multiple substitutions in one opportunity rose from 4% to 38%. Of the 2,410 substitutions in the six FIFA World Cups, 21.45% were offensive, 63.65% were neutral and 14.90% were defensive. Winning teams made the highest percentage of defensive substitutions, while drawing or losing teams made the highest percentage of offensive substitutions. Match status significantly affected the time of the first three substitutions, and the presence of extra time significantly affected the time of the fourth substitution. CONCLUSION: Analysis of substitutions in FIFA World Cups (2002-2022) reveals: Most substitutions occur during halftime and the second half; Substitutions are earlier in group stages, especially for losing teams; Increased allowed substitutions lead to more multiple-player substitutions; Defensive substitutions are more common when winning, while offensive ones are frequent when drawing or losing; Match status, ranking gap, extra time, game round, and substitution rules significantly influence the time of team substitutions.

Humoral immunity and safety of respiratory virus vaccines in systemic lupus erythematosus population: a meta-analysis based on twenty-five observational studies.

BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an extensive autoimmune disorder, compromises viral resistance and alters immune responses post respiratory virus vaccines. This study aims to assess immune response levels and safety in SLE patients following respiratory virus vaccines. METHODS: Extensive searches, until 1 March 2024, were conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library. Outcomes, encompassing seroconversion rate (SCR), antibody and IgG titers, neutralizing antibodies, anti-spike antibodies, anti-receptor binding domain (RBD) IgG, and adverse events, were appraised. RESULTS: Sixteen articles, comprising 25 observational studies, were included. SLE patients exhibited lower SCR (OR = 0.42, 95%CI: 0.26 to 0.69), antibody titers (SMD=-2.84, 95%CI: -3.36 to -1.61), and neutralizing antibodies (OR = 0.27, 95%CI: 0.13 to 0.56) compared to the healthy population post respiratory virus vaccines. Notably, differences were statistically insignificant for anti-RBD IgG (OR = 1.75, 95%CI: 0.10 to 29.42), IgG titers (SMD=-2.54, 95%CI: -5.57 to -0.49), anti-spike antibodies (OR = 0.35, 95%CI: 0.08 to 1.53), injection site discomfort (OR = 1.03, 95%CI: 0.52 to 2.06), fatigue (OR = 1.23, 95%CI: 0.74 to 2.03), fever (OR = 1.02, 95%CI: 0.64 to 1.63), localized reactions (OR = 0.69, 95%CI: 0.37 to 1.30), systemic reactions (OR = 1.00, 95%CI: 0.59 to 1.69), allergic reactions (OR = 5.11, 95%CI: 0.24 to 107.10), self-reported vaccination-related adverse events (OR = 1.61, 95%CI: 0.56 to 4.63), and disease flares after vaccination (OR = 1.00, 95%CI: 0.14 to 7.28). CONCLUSION: Despite the reduced immune response and host protection in SLE patients post-Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and influenza vaccines compared to the healthy population, safety profiles are comparable. Therefore, it is recommended that SLE patients receive COVID-19 and influenza viral vaccines to fortify their resistance.

Association of lipid-lowering drugs with risk of sarcopenia: a drug target mendelian randomization study and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Lipid-lowering drugs are widely used among the elderly, with some studies suggesting links to muscle-related symptoms. However, the causality remains uncertain. METHODS: Using the Mendelian randomization (MR) approach, we assessed the causal effects of genetically proxied reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) through inhibitions of hydroxy-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR), proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), and Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) on sarcopenia-related traits, including low hand grip strength, appendicular lean mass, and usual walking pace. A meta-analysis was conducted to combine the causal estimates from different consortiums. RESULTS: Using LDL-C pooled data predominantly from UK Biobank, genetically proxied inhibition of HMGCR was associated with higher appendicular lean mass (beta = 0.087, P = 7.56 × 10- 5) and slower walking pace (OR = 0.918, P = 6.06 × 10- 9). In contrast, inhibition of PCSK9 may reduce appendicular lean mass (beta = -0.050, P = 1.40 × 10- 3), while inhibition of NPC1L1 showed no causal impact on sarcopenia-related traits. These results were validated using LDL-C data from Global Lipids Genetics Consortium, indicating that HMGCR inhibition may increase appendicular lean mass (beta = 0.066, P = 2.17 × 10- 3) and decelerate walking pace (OR = 0.932, P = 1.43 × 10- 6), whereas PCSK9 inhibition could decrease appendicular lean mass (beta = -0.048, P = 1.69 × 10- 6). Meta-analysis further supported the robustness of these causal associations. CONCLUSIONS: Genetically proxied HMGCR inhibition may increase muscle mass but compromise muscle function, PCSK9 inhibition could result in reduced muscle mass, while NPC1L1 inhibition is not associated with sarcopenia-related traits and this class of drugs may serve as viable alternatives to sarcopenia individuals or those at an elevated risk.

Low-Molecular-Weight Peptides Prepared from Hypsizygus marmoreus Exhibit Strong Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities.

Hypsizygus marmoreus has abundant proteins and is a potential source for the development of bioactive peptides. However, currently, the research on the bioactive components of H. marmoreus mainly focuses on polysaccharides, and there is no relevant research on the preparation of bioactive peptides. In this article, an ultrasound-assisted extraction method was used to extract proteins from H. marmoreus, and then, four peptides with different molecular weight ranges were prepared through protease hydrolysis and molecular classification. The antioxidant and antibacterial activities were also studied. Under the optimal conditions, the extraction rate of H. marmoreus proteins was 53.6%. Trypsin exhibited the highest hydrolysis rate of H. marmoreus proteins. The optimal parameters for enzymatic hydrolysis were a substrate concentration of 3.7%, enzyme addition of 5700 U/g, pH value of 7, extraction temperature of 55 °C, and time of 3.3 h. Under these conditions, the peptide yield was 59.7%. The four types of H. marmoreus peptides were prepared by molecular weight grading. Among them, peptides with low molecular weight (<1 kDa) had stronger antioxidant and antibacterial activities. This study provides a theoretical basis for the efficient preparation of H. marmoreus peptides and the development of antioxidant and antibacterial peptide products.

Psychotherapeutic and pharmacological agents for post-traumatic stress disorder with sleep disorder: network meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The current guidelines and canonical norms of diagnosis or treatment for Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with sleep disorder are still conflicting and have not yet reached a consensus. This study aimed to unravel the most effective countermeasures between two categories (psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy) put forward by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) respectively to treat PTSD individuals co-exist with sleep disorders. METHODS: Four databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and APA PsyNet, were searched from inception to February 02, 2023. RESULTS: Twenty articles with 24 Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and a total number of 1,647 participants were included. As demonstrated in the network meta-analysis comparison results, CBT-I (standardized mean differences (SMD) = -1.51,95% confidence interval (CI):-2.55 to -0.47), CBT-I plus IRT (SMD = -1.71, 95%CI:-3.39, -0.03), prazosin (SMD = -0.87,95%CI:-1.59 to -0.16) and hydroxyzine (SMD = -1.06, 95%CI: -1.94 to -0.19) significantly reduced PTSD symptoms compared with placebo. In contrast to placebo, CBT-I (SMD = -5.61,95%CI:-8.82 to -2.40) significantly improved sleep quality. For nightmare severity, IRT (SMD =-0.65, 95%CI:-1.00 to -0.31), prazosin (SMD = -1.20,95%CI:-1.72 to -0.67) and hydroxyzine (SMD = -0.98,95%CI:-1.58 to -0.37) significantly reduced nightmare severity in comparison with placebo. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that under most circumstances, psychotherapy namely CBT-I had a favorable profile, but pharmacotherapy with prazosin was effective in managing nightmare severity. The sole avail of CBT-I was recommended to improving sleep quality while CBT-I and CBT-I plus IRT showed excellent management of PTSD symptom severity. Exposure to CBT-I isrecommended for depression. The relevant clinical guidelines for the management of individuals with PTSD and sleep disorders may regard this as a reference. PROSPERO: CRD42023415240.

Repairing distorted hologram data for sound field reconstruction.

This paper proposes a distorted hologram data repair approach for sound field reconstruction. In this approach, an equivalent source model is established by placing a set of equivalent sources near the hologram surface to represent the measured hologram pressures. Each hologram pressure is simultaneously assigned an indicator to describe whether its measurement is corrupted by errors or not. This model is then formulated within a modal framework by utilizing the modes generated through the singular value decomposition of the transfer matrix between the hologram and nearby equivalent source surfaces. Subsequently, the indicators and modal coefficients are assigned the 0-1 and Gaussian prior distributions, respectively, and their posterior distributions are derived using the Bayesian method. The means of the posterior distributions are calculated to discriminate corrupted measurements and repair distorted hologram pressures. Repaired hologram pressures are finally utilized for reconstructions using the equivalent source method. Results from both numerical simulations conducted under various parameter settings and two experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in automatically discriminating all the corrupted measurements and accurately repairing the distorted hologram pressures. Furthermore, the accuracy of the reconstructions using the repaired hologram pressures is comparable to that achieved with the correctly measured pressures.

Causal effects of sedentary behaviours on the risk of migraine: A univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: Migraine is a common and burdensome neurological disorder. The causal relationship between sedentary behaviours (SBs) and migraine remains instinct. We aimed to evaluate the roles of SBs including watching TV, using computer and driving in the risk of migraine. METHODS: We conducted a univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR) study based on summary datasets of large genome-wide association studies. The inverse variance weighted method was utilized as the primary analytical tool. Cochran's Q, MR-Egger intercept test, MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier and leave-one-out were conducted as sensitivity analysis. Additionally, we performed a meta-analysis to combine the causal estimates. RESULTS: In the discovery analysis, we identified causal associations between time spent watching TV and an increased risk of migraine (p = 0.015) and migraine without aura (MO) (p = 0.002). Such causalities with increasing risk of migraine (p = 0.005), and MO (p = 0.006) were further verified using summary datasets from another study in the replication analysis. There was no significant causal association found between time spent using computer, driving and migraine or its two subtypes. The meta-analysis and multivariable MR analysis also strongly supported the causal relationships between time spent watching TV and an increased risk of migraine (p = 0.0003 and p = 0.034), as well as MO (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0004), respectively. These findings were robust under all sensitivity analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggested that time spent watching TV may be causally associated with an increased risk of migraine, particularly MO. Large-scale and well-designed cohort studies may be warranted for further validation. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This study represents the first attempt to investigate whether a causal relationship exists between SBs and migraine. Utilizing MR analysis helps mitigate reverse causation bias and confounding factors commonly encountered in observational cohorts, thereby enhancing the robustness of derived causal associations. Our MR analysis revealed that time spent watching TV may serve as a potential risk factor for migraine, particularly MO.

Effect of heat-reinforcing needling on hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and glycolysis activity in rabbits with cold syndrome of rheumatoid arthritis. / çƒ­è¡¥é’ˆæ³•å¯¹ç±»é£Žæ¹¿å ³èŠ‚ç‚Žå¯’è¯å®¶å ”è†å ³èŠ‚æ»‘è†œç»„ç»‡ç¼ºæ°§è¯±å¯¼å› å­1αå’Œç³–é µè§£æ´»æ€§çš„å½±å“.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the effect of heat-reinforcing needling (HRN) on synovial inflammation, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and glycolytic activity in serum and synovial tissue in rabbits with cold syndrome of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of RA. METHODS: A total of 32 rabbits were randomly divided into normal, model, inhibitor and HRN groups, with 8 rabbits in each group. The RA with cold syndrome model was induced by injecting ovalbumin dry powder and Freund's complete adjuvant combined with cold freezing. Rabbits in the inhibitor group were intraperitoneally injected with 2-methoxyestradiol (2.5 mg/kg), rabbits in the HRN group were received HRN at bilateral "Zusanli" (ST36) for 30 min. The treatments were conducted once daily for 14 consecutive days. After the interventions, the knee circumference and pain threshold were measured. The contents of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphoric (NADPH), Hexokinase II (HK2) and 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2, 6-biphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3) in serum of rabbits were detected by ELISA. The pathological morphology of synovial tissue of the knee joints were observed by HE staining. The positive expressions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6 and IL-17 in synovial tissue of knee joint were detected by immunohistochemistry. The content of lactic acid in synovial tissue of rabbit knee joint was detected by spectrophotometry. The expression levels of HIF-1α, pyruvate kinase 2 (PKM2) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDHA) in synovial tissue of knee joint were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: After intervention, compared with the normal group, the knee circumference was significantly enlarged (P<0.05), the pain threshold was significantly decreased (P<0.05)；the synovial tissue of knee joints showed significant cell proliferation and inflammatory infiltration, the pathological score was significantly increased (P<0.05)；positive expressions of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6 and IL-17, the content of lactic acid in synovial tissue, the contents of NADPH, HK2 and PFKFB3 in serum, and the protein expression levels of HIF-1α, PKM2 and LDHA in synovial tissue were increased (all P<0.05) in the model group. Compared with model group, the circumference of knee joint was significantly decreased (P<0.05), the pain threshold was significantly increased (P<0.05)；in synovial tissue, the pathological score was decreased (P<0.05)；the positive expressions of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6 and IL-17 in synovial tissue were decreased (P<0.05), the lactic acid content in synovial tissue was decreased (P<0.05)；the contents of NADPH, HK2 and PFKFB3 in serum and the protein expression levels of HIF-1α, PKM2 and LDHA in synovial tissue were decreased (P<0.05) in inhibitor group and HRN group. Compared with the inhibitor group, the synovial pathological score was significantly increased (P<0.05), positive expressions of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6 and IL-17, the content of lactic acid in synovial tissue, the contents of NADPH, HK2 and PFKFB3 in serum, and the protein expression levels of HIF-1α, PKM2 and LDHA in synovial tissue were increased (all P<0.05) in HRN group. CONCLUSIONS: HRN can increase the pain threshold, reduce the knee circumference and inhibit the inflammatory response in rabbits with cold syndrome of RA. The possible mechanism is related to the down-regulation of HIF-1α and glycolysis activity.

USP38 exacerbates pressure overload-induced left ventricular electrical remodeling.

BACKGROUND: Ubiquitin-specific protease 38 (USP38), belonging to the USP family, is recognized for its role in controlling protein degradation and diverse biological processes. Ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) following heart failure (HF) are closely linked to ventricular electrical remodeling, yet the specific mechanisms underlying VAs in HF remain inadequately explored. In this study, we examined the impact of USP38 on VAs in pressure overload-induced HF. METHODS: Cardiac-specific USP38 knockout mice, cardiac-specific USP38 transgenic mice and their matched control littermates developed HF induced by aortic banding (AB) surgery. After subjecting the mice to AB surgery for a duration of four weeks, comprehensive investigations were conducted, including pathological analysis and electrophysiological assessments, along with molecular analyses. RESULTS: We observed increased USP38 expression in the left ventricle of mice with HF. Electrocardiogram showed that the USP38 knockout shortened the QRS interval and QTc, while USP38 overexpression prolonged these parameters. USP38 knockout decreased the susceptibility of VAs by shortening action potential duration (APD) and prolonging effective refractory period (ERP). In addition, USP38 knockout increased ion channel and Cx43 expression in ventricle. On the contrary, the increased susceptibility of VAs and the decreased expression of ventricular ion channels and Cx43 were observed with USP38 overexpression. In both in vivo and in vitro experiments, USP38 knockout inhibited TBK1/AKT/CAMKII signaling, whereas USP38 overexpression activated this pathway. CONCLUSION: Our data indicates that USP38 increases susceptibility to VAs after HF through TBK1/AKT/CAMKII signaling pathway, Consequently, USP38 may emerge as a promising therapeutic target for managing VAs following HF.

A meta-analysis of the relationship between abnormal pretreatment EEG and epilepsy recurrence.

BACKGROUND: Researchers have studied the risk factors for epilepsy recurrence among patients who withdraw from antiseizure medication (ASM). These studies aimed to determine the optimal time for ASM withdrawal. EEG findings are one of the risk factors that has been studied. However, it remains unclear whether abnormal pretreatment EEG findings are a risk factor for recurrence after ASM withdrawal. We performed this meta-analysis to clarify this issue. METHODS: We retrieved literature from the PubMed and Embase databases, and used the NewcastleOttawa Scale to evaluate the methodological quality of the included studies. RevMan 5.3 software was used to analyse the data. RESULTS: In total,710 articles were retrieved from the databases. Ultimately, after screening, 11 articles involving 1686 patients with epilepsy were included. Compared with that for a normal EEG, the odds ratio (OR) for an abnormal EEG was 1.10 (P=0.50), with an I2 value of 32% (P=0.15). Subgroup analysis revealed that the children-to-adolescents subgroup had an OR of 1.21 (P=0.27), and the children-to-adults subgroup had an OR of 0.64 (P=0.14) for an abnormal EEG. A separate subgroup analysis revealed that the focal epilepsy subgroup had an OR of 1.30 (P=0.37), and the generalized epilepsy and focal epilepsy subgroup had an OR of 1.07 (P=0.67) for an abnormal EEG. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of epilepsy recurrence is not related to pretreatment EEG findings, regardless of age or epilepsy classification. The associations of pre- and posttreatment EEG alterations with epilepsy recurrence are controversial. Due to the limitations of our article, further research is needed.

The relationship between gastrointestinal symptoms in FGID patients and D-type personality and emotion regulation strategies.

This study examines the relationship between gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) and type D personality traits, as well as emotion regulation strategies. Analyzing a diverse group of FGID patients, we uncover significant effects of gender and age on gastrointestinal symptoms. Negative Affectivity emerges as a key predictor, positively associated with symptom severity, whereas Social Inhibition correlates negatively with Abdominal Pain. Additionally, our findings suggest that the expressive suppression strategy predicts heightened gastrointestinal symptoms, whereas cognitive reappraisal predicts lower levels of certain symptoms. These findings provide valuable insights for precise diagnosis and tailored treatments of FGIDs. Further research is warranted to explore underlying mechanisms and inform evidence-based interventions.

[Cystic fibrosis primarily presenting with pseudo-Bartter syndrome: a report of three cases and literature review]. / 以假性Bartter综合征为主要表现的囊性纤维化患儿3ä¾‹å¹¶æ–‡çŒ®å¤ä¹ .

OBJECTIVES: To summarize the clinical characteristics and genetic variations in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) primarily presenting with pseudo-Bartter syndrome (CF-PBS), with the aim to enhance understanding of this disorder. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of three children who were diagnosed with CF-PBS in Hunan Children's Hospital from January 2018 to August 2023, and a literature review was performed. RESULTS: All three children had the onset of the disease in infancy. Tests after admission showed hyponatremia, hypokalemia, hypochloremia, and metabolic alkalosis, and genetic testing showed the presence of compound heterozygous mutation in the CFTR gene. All three children were diagnosed with CF. Literature review obtained 33 Chinese children with CF-PBS, with an age of onset of 1-36 months and an age of diagnosis of 3-144 months. Among these children, there were 29 children with recurrent respiratory infection or persistent pneumonia (88%), 26 with malnutrition (79%), 23 with developmental retardation (70%), and 18 with pancreatitis or extrapancreatic insufficiency (55%). Genetic testing showed that c.2909G>A was the most common mutation site of the CFTR gene, with a frequency of allelic variation of 23% (15/66). CONCLUSIONS: CF may have no typical respiratory symptoms in the early stage. The possibility of CF-PBS should be considered for infants with recurrent hyponatremia, hypokalemia, hypochloremia, and metabolic alkalosis, especially those with malnutrition and developmental retardation. CFTR genetic testing should be performed as soon as possible to help with the diagnosis of CF.

[Identification of horn-derived animal medicines based on detection of keratin-derived characteristic peptides].

Due to the highly stable structure of keratin, the extraction and dissolution steps of animal medicines rich in keratin are complex, which seriously restricts the detection efficiency and flux. Therefore, this study simplified the pre-treatment steps of horn samples and optimized the detection methods of characteristic peptides to improve the efficiency of identifying the specificity of horn-derived animal medicines. For detection of the characteristic peptides in horn-derived animal medicines treated with/without iodoace-tamide(IAA), the ion pair conditions of the characteristic peptides were optimized, and the retention time, intensity and other data of the specific peptides were compared between the samples treated with/without IAA. Two pre-treatment methods, direct enzymatic hydrolysis and total protein extraction followed by enzymatic hydrolysis, were used to prepare horn-derived animal medicine samples. The effects of different methods on the detection of specific peptides in the samples of Saiga antelope horn, water buffalo horn, goat horn, and yak horn were compared regarding the retention time of specific peptides and ion intensity. The results indicated that after direct enzymatic hydrolysis, the specific peptides in the samples without IAA treatment can be detected. Compared with the characteristic peptides in the samples treated with IAA, their retention time shifted back and the mass spectrometry response slightly decreased. The specific peptides of the samples without IAA treatment had good specificity and did not affect the specificity identification of horn-derived animal medicines. Overall, the process of direct enzymatic hydrolysis can be used to treat horn samples, omitting the steps of protein extraction and dithiothreitol and IAA treatment, significantly improving the pre-treatment efficiency without affecting the specificity identification of horn-derived animal medicines. This study provides ideas for quality research and standard improvement of horn-derived animal medicines.

Abnormalities in spontaneous brain activity and functional connectivity are associated with cognitive impairments in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: It remains unclear whether alterations in brain function occur in the early stage of pediatric type 1 diabetes mellitus(T1DM). We aimed to examine changes in spontaneous brain activity and functional connectivity (FC) in children with T1DM using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), and to pinpoint potential links between neural changes and cognitive performance. METHODS: In this study, 22 T1DM children and 21 age-, sex-matched healthy controls underwent rs-fMRI. The amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and seed-based FC analysis were performed to examine changes in intrinsic brain activity and functional networks in T1DM children. Partial correlation analyses were utilized to explore the correlations between ALFF values and clinical parameters. RESULTS: The ALFF values were significantly lower in the lingual gyrus (LG) and higher in the left medial superior frontal gyrus (MSFG) in T1DM children compared to controls. Subsequent FC analysis indicated that the LG had decreased FC with bilateral inferior occipital gyrus, and the left MSFG had decreased FC with right precentral gyrus, right inferior parietal gyrus and right postcentral gyrus in children with T1DM. The ALFF values of LG were positively correlated with full-scale intelligence quotient and age at disease onset in T1DM children, while the ALFF values of left MSFG were positively correlated with working memory scores. CONCLUSION: Our findings revealed abnormal spontaneous activity and FC in brain regions related to visual, memory, default mode network, and sensorimotor network in the early stage of T1DM children, which may aid in further understanding the mechanisms underlying T1DM-associated cognitive dysfunction.

Machine learning models for diagnosis of essential tremor and dystonic tremor using grey matter morphological networks.

BACKGROUND: Essential tremor (ET) and dystonic tremor (DT) are the two most common tremor disorders, and misdiagnoses are very common due to similar tremor symptoms. In this study, we explore the structural network mechanisms of ET and DT using brain grey matter (GM) morphological networks and combine those with machine learning models. METHODS: 3D-T1 structural images of 75 ET patients, 71 DT patients, and 79 healthy controls (HCs) were acquired. We used voxel-based morphometry to obtain GM images and constructed GM morphological networks based on the Kullback-Leibler divergence-based similarity (KLS) method. We used the GM volumes, morphological relations, and global topological properties of GM-KLS morphological networks as input features. We employed three classifiers to perform the classification tasks. Moreover, we conducted correlation analysis between discriminative features and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: 16 morphological relations features and 1 global topological metric were identified as the discriminative features, and mainly involved the cerebello-thalamo-cortical circuits and the basal ganglia area. The Random Forest (RF) classifier achieved the best classification performance in the three-classification task, achieving a mean accuracy (mACC) of 78.7%, and was subsequently used for binary classification tasks. Specifically, the RF classifier demonstrated strong classification performance in distinguishing ET vs. HCs, ET vs. DT, and DT vs. HCs, with mACCs of 83.0 %, 95.2 %, and 89.3 %, respectively. Correlation analysis demonstrated that four discriminative features were significantly associated with the clinical characteristics. CONCLUSION: This study offers new insights into the structural network mechanisms of ET and DT. It demonstrates the effectiveness of combining GM-KLS morphological networks with machine learning models in distinguishing between ET, DT, and HCs.