Relationship between saccadic eye movements and cortical activity as measured by fMRI: quantitative and qualitative aspects

We investigated the quantitative relationship between saccadic activity (as reflected in frequency of occurrence and amplitude of saccades) and blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) changes in the cerebral cortex using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Furthermore, we investigated quantitative changes in cortical activity associated with qualitative changes in the saccade task for comparable levels of saccadic activity. All experiments required the simultaneous acquisition of eye movement and fMRI data. For this purpose we used a new high-resolution limbus-tracking technique for recording eye movements in the magnetic resonance tomograph. In the first two experimental series we varied both frequency and amplitude of saccade stimuli (target jumps). In the third series we varied task difficulty; subjects performed either pro-saccades or anti-saccades. The brain volume investigated comprised the frontal and supplementary eye fields, parietal as well as striate cortex, and the motion sensitive area of the parieto-occipital cortex. All these regions showed saccade-related BOLD responses. The responses in these regions were highly correlated with saccade frequency, indicating that repeated processing of saccades is integrated over time in the BOLD response. In contrast, there was no comparable BOLD change with variation of saccade amplitude. This finding speaks for a topological rather than activity-dependent coding of saccade amplitudes in most cortical regions. In the experiments comparing pro- vs anti-saccades we found higher BOLD activation in the "anti" task than in the "pro" task. A comparison of saccade parameters revealed that saccade frequency and cumulative amplitude were comparable between the two tasks, whereas reaction times were longer in the "anti" task than the pro task. The latter finding is taken to indicate a more demanding cortical processing in the "anti" task than the "pro" task, which could explain the observed difference in BOLD activation. We hold that a quantitative analysis of saccade parameters (especially saccade frequency and latency) is important for the interpretation of the BOLD changes observed with visual stimuli in fMRI.     

腹部推拿联合艾灸治疗脾虚型功能性便秘的临床疗效

目的：分析腹部推拿联合艾灸治疗脾虚型功能性便秘的临床疗效。方法：选取郑州人民医院2021年11月至2023年1月期间收治的78例脾虚型功能性便秘患者,其中艾灸治疗的39例患者纳入对照组,在艾灸治疗基础上联合腹部推拿治疗的39例患者纳入观察组。治疗后,比较两组患者临床疗效与相关临床指标。结果：观察组患者总有效率高于对照组,差异具有统计学意义（P <0.05）;治疗后,观察组患者排便次数、大便性状、盆底松弛程度、阻塞感、排便不尽感积分均低于对照组,差异具有统计学意义（P <0.05）;治疗后,观察组患者直肠肛管压差、力排时肛管残余压均低于对照组,差异具有统计学意义（P <0.05）;治疗后,观察组患者血清胃动素（MTL）、P物质（SP）水平均高于对照组,生长抑素（SS）水平低于对照组,差异具有统计学意义（P <0.05）。结论：腹部推拿联合艾灸治疗脾虚型功能性便秘可进一步改善患者相关临床指标。     

Mechanisms of Food-Induced Symptom Induction and Dietary Management in Functional Dyspepsia

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common disorder of gut-brain interaction, characterised by upper gastrointestinal symptom profiles that differentiate FD from the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), although the two conditions often co-exist. Despite food and eating being implicated in FD symptom induction, evidence-based guidance for dietetic management of FD is limited. The aim of this narrative review is to collate the possible mechanisms for eating-induced and food-related symptoms of FD for stratification of dietetic management. Specific carbohydrates, proteins and fats, or foods high in these macronutrients have all been reported as influencing FD symptom induction, with removal of ‘trigger’ foods or nutrients shown to alleviate symptoms. Food additives and natural food chemicals have also been implicated, but there is a lack of convincing evidence. Emerging evidence suggests the gastrointestinal microbiota is the primary interface between food and symptom induction in FD, and is therefore a research direction that warrants substantial attention. Objective markers of FD, along with more sensitive and specific dietary assessment tools will contribute to progressing towards evidence-based dietetic management of FD.     

Machine Learning Algorithms to Predict Mortality and Allocate Palliative Care for Older Patients With Hip Fracture

ObjectivesTo evaluate a machine learning model designed to predict mortality for Medicare beneficiaries aged >65 years treated for hip fracture in Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs).DesignRetrospective design/cohort analysis of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility–Patient Assessment Instrument data.Setting and ParticipantsA total of 17,140 persons admitted to Medicare-certified IRFs in 2015 following hospitalization for hip fracture.MeasuresPatient characteristics include sociodemographic (age, gender, race, and social support) and clinical factors (functional status at admission, chronic conditions) and IRF length of stay. Outcomes were 30-day and 1-year all-cause mortality. We trained and evaluated 2 classification models, logistic regression and a multilayer perceptron (MLP), to predict the probability of 30-day and 1-year mortality and evaluated the calibration, discrimination, and precision of the models.ResultsFor 30-day mortality, MLP performed well [acc = 0.74, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) = 0.76, avg prec = 0.10, slope = 1.14] as did logistic regression (acc = 0.78, AUROC = 0.76, avg prec = 0.09, slope = 1.20). For 1-year mortality, the performances were similar for both MLP (acc = 0.68, AUROC = 0.75, avg prec = 0.32, slope = 0.96) and logistic regression (acc = 0.68, AUROC = 0.75, avg prec = 0.32, slope = 0.95).Conclusion and ImplicationsA scoring system based on logistic regression may be more feasible to run in current electronic medical records. But MLP models may reduce cognitive burden and increase ability to calibrate to local data, yielding clinical specificity in mortality prediction so that palliative care resources may be allocated more effectively.     

综合医院感染科设计分析——以天坛医院为例

从规划布局、功能布局、平战结合这三个角度,对天坛医院感染科进行分析,以期为当代综合医院感染科建设提供参考和借鉴。     

不同阻滞阶段非梗阻性无精子症的生物信息学分析

目的：利用生物信息学筛选不同阻滞阶段非梗阻性无精子症（NOA）相关的调控因子及其调控途径,为后续的功能研究提供依据。方法：从GEO（Gene Expression Omnibus）数据库中获得GSE45885的基因表达谱矩阵,筛选其中的正常样本以及不同阻滞阶段NOA样本,包括4例正常生精样本和20例NOA患者样本,20例NOA患者中有2例患者处于减数分裂前期阻滞阶段（PRE）,7例处于减数分裂期阻滞阶段（MEI）,11例处于减数分裂后期阻滞阶段（POST）。将正常生精样本设置为对照组（CON）,使用GEO2R在线工具鉴定正常生精样本与不同阻滞阶段NOA样本之间的差异基因,对GEO芯片中不同阻滞阶段的NOA数据整合归一化并进行矫正后取交集。对差异表达的基因以及其靶基因进行GO（Gene Ontology）和KEGG（Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes）富集分析,获取关键通路;基于在线工具（STRING）构建蛋白质相互作用（PPI）网络图。然后利用Cytoscape中的CytoHubba插件对枢纽基因进行筛选。结果：在PRE中筛选出463个上调基因,12个下调基因;在MEI和POST中分别发现2个和3个下调基因,无上调基因。PRE中上调基因通过一些重要途径,如精子发生、精子细胞发育、精子的运动、纤毛运动和微管形成等功能来调控生精过程。在上述的3个阻滞阶段NOA中筛选出2个共同差异基因,均为微小RNA（miRNA）,2个miRNA有58个共同靶基因。利用在线生物信息学工具STRING成功构建PRE中上调基因的PPI网络图,并使用Cytoscape筛选出网络中前10个枢纽基因,包括DNAI1、DNAI2、PGK2、ROPN1L、ARMC4、DRC1、DNAAF3、CABYR、ZMYND10和CCDC65。结论：识别枢纽基因和共同差异基因及其通路为后续研究NOA的发生机制提供了有价值的参考,DRC1、ARMC4、MIR15A和MIR509-3可作为后续NOA发病机制研究的潜在靶点。     

西沙比利对功能性消化不良病人胃肠激素的影响

①目的探讨西沙比利对功能性消化不良病人胃肠激素影响.②方法采用放射免疫法测定98例功能性消化不良病人西沙比利治疗前后血浆胃动素、促胃液素、血管活性肠肽和生长抑素水平.③结果西沙比利可使功能性消化不良病人临床症状明显改善(x2=20.22,10.10,P＜0.01),同时血浆中胃动素由(85.2士13.7)pmol/L升高至(131.5±15.6)pmol/L,差异有显著性(t=22.08,P＜0.01).④结论西沙比利可明显改善功能性消化不良病人的临床症状,同时升高血浆中胃动素水平.     

Clinical observation on Xiaoyu decoction () plus psychotherapy in treating functional dyspepsia) plus psychotherapy in treating functional dyspepsia

Objective: To explore the relationship between mental symptoms and functional dyspepsia (FD), and the effect of Xiaoyu decoction (XYD) plus psychotherapy on FD.Methods: SCL-90 scale and FD symptom scale were used to estimate the condition of 56 healthy subjects and 56 patients of FD before and after 4 weeks treatment with XYD plus psychotherapy.Results: There was significant difference in SCL-90 scales between the healthy subjects and the FD patients before treatment (P < 0. 01). After treatment, the mental symptoms and the symptom of FD in the patients were markedly improved, as compared with those before treatment, the difference was significant (P < 0.01).Conclusion: Mental symptoms, such as depression and anxiety existed commonly in FD patients, were closely related to FD. XYD plus psychotherapy could cure it effectively.     

Squat and smile assessment in predicting healing of lower limb fractures fixed with a SIGN nail

BackgroundIrrespective of the treatment method, union is the ultimate goal of any fracture treatment. However, nowadays, rather than the physician-based clinico-radiological methods, the patient-reported outcome measurements assessing their quality of life and function are gaining much popularity. This is specifically true in the part of the world where the patient needs almost complete degree of hip/knee flexion – for social, cultural, religious or occupational reason(s). The ability to squat can assess the mobility and stability of joints and thus the quality of squatting is a proxy reflection of the functional outcome after fixation of lower limb fracture. Thus, we studied to determine the inter-observer and intra-observer reliability of Radiographic Union Score for Tibia (RUST) and Squat and Smile (S & S) test in clinical photograph. We further calculated the sensitivity and specificity of S & S test in predicting healing of lower limb fracture fixed by intramedullary interlocking nail considering RUST as the gold standard.MethodsThis was a retrospective study of prospectively collected data of solid Surgical Implant Generation Network (SIGN) intramedullary interlocking nailing from a single, university-based, high volume tertiary center where 56 consecutive adults with either tibial or femoral shaft fractures fixed with a SIGN nail within one year and not requiring any surgery till minimum of eighteen-month follow-up were included. Cases without either Anterior-Posterior (AP) view and/or Lateral (Lat.) view follow-up x-ray(s) or proper S & S clinical photograph (at least 1.5-year post fixation) were excluded. The x-rays (RUST criteria) and clinical photograph (S & S grading) were scored by two independent and blinded observers each and repeated after 1 month.ResultsThe overall intra-observer reliability was from 0.773 to 0.825 and inter-observer reliability from 0.635 to 0.757 for RUST scoring which was from 0.687 to 0.785 and from 0.301 to 0.650 respectively for S & S scoring. The sensitivity and specificity of S & S in predicting fracture healing were up to 82.22% and 63.64% respectively.ConclusionThe S & S test is reliable to predict the healing of lower limb fracture fixed with an intramedullary nail. The test is more useful to determine healed fractures than to determine non-healed ones. (sensitivity being higher than specificity)     

Factors Influencing the Varus Deformity of Humeral Head in Proximal Humerus Fractures and Its Relation to Functional Outcome

BackgroundFractures of the proximal humerus represent approximately 4% of all fractures and 26% of humerus fractures. Proper reduction, stable internal fixation and early initiation of physiotherapy help to achieve a good functional outcome. Aim of this study was to evaluate varus fixation/malunion of proximal humerus fractures and its relation to functional outcome.Materials and MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated 32 patients with proximal humerus fractures who were surgically treated between 2015 and 2017 at tertiary care hospital. We divided the patients into three groups on the basis of the neck-shaft angle as valgus group, normal group and varus group to observe the influence of neck-shaft angle on efficacy. Patients were evaluated for functional outcome using the Constant–Murley score.ResultsTwo-part fractures had better functional outcome (Constant score = 75.15) compared to three parts with the moderate functional outcome (Constant score = 68.81) and the four-part fracture had poor functional outcome (Constant score = 52.66). After 6 months of follow-up, 13 patients had a neck-shaft angle of less than 126°. The functional outcome is significantly better among patients with normal neck-shaft angle and had a mean Constant score of 76.63 as compared to patients with varus deformity had a mean Constant score 60 (p = 0.001). 10 patients did not have medial support, in which 08 patients had neck-shaft angle less than 126° and 2 had a normal neck-shaft angle.ConclusionHigh fracture comminution, improper restoration of medial continuity causes varus deformity of the humeral head and it leads to poor functional outcome. The small sample size is the limitation of our study.