Audiovisual integration and the P2 component in adult Asperger’s syndrome: An ERP-study

BackgroundA widened temporal window of integration (TWI) in audiovisual processing has been detected for children with autism spectrum disorder. However, research indicates a narrowing of this TWI and an associated change in audiovisual integration in the course of development.MethodsTo further elucidate audiovisual integration processes in adulthood, we compared adult participants with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) to healthy controls (HC) by using the sound-induced double flash illusion. For a better understanding of underlying neural mechanisms, event-related potentials were measured via electroencephalography (EEG).ResultsThe number of reported sound-induced flash illusions indicated audiovisual integration. A similar TWI size for both, participants with AS and HC, was found. Additionally, enhanced P2 amplitudes were detected for participants with AS compared to HC.ConclusionResults indicate an involvement of attentional processes in audiovisual perception in participants with AS.     

异牡荆素对非小细胞性肺癌细胞自我更新和凋亡的影响

目的研究异牡荆素(ISO)对非小细胞性肺癌(NSCLC)细胞的影响和潜在的机制。方法将A549和H1650细胞分别分为空白组、低剂量实验组(4μmol·L^-1 ISO)和高剂量实验组(16μmol·L^-1 ISO)。用噻唑蓝法检测NSCLC细胞活性,用肿瘤球形成实验检测NSCLC细胞的细胞球形成率,用Western blot法检测NSCLC细胞凋亡、自我更新、无翅型MMTV整合位点家族/β-连环蛋白(Wnt/β-catenin)信号通路相关蛋白的表达水平。结果与空白组比较,低、高剂量实验组中A549和H1650细胞在24,48和72 h的细胞活性均显著降低。低、高剂量实验组和空白组中A549细胞的细胞球形成率分别为(4.18±0.45)%,(2.01±0.67)%和(6.02±0.57)%,切割的半胱氨酸蛋白酶-3相对表达量分别为0.24±0.08,1.25±0.13和0.06±0.07,SRY相关高迁移率族盒蛋白-2相对表达量分别为0.49±0.04,0.25±0.03和1.00±0.09,Kruppel样因子4相对表达量分别为0.68±0.04,0.44±0.03和1.01±0.06,Wnt1相对表达量分别为0.63±0.06,0.28±0.04和1.00±0.06,β-catenin相对表达量分别为0.41±0.05,0.22±0.03和1.01±0.09;与空白组比较,低、高剂量实验组中A549细胞的上述指标的差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05,P<0.01)。上述3组中H1650细胞的上述指标也呈现一致的现象。结论ISO可能通过抑制Wnt/β-catenin信号通路来抑制NSCLC细胞活性和自我更新,并促进其凋亡。     

脑卒中幸存者运动依从性影响因素质性研究的Meta整合

目的 系统整合脑卒中幸存者运动依从性的影响因素。方法 计算机检索PubMed、Web of Science、Cochrane library、Embase、CINAHL、PsycINFO、百度、Google、中国期刊全文数据库、万方数据库、中国生物医学数据库和维普中文期刊数据库中有关脑卒中运动依从性影响因素的相关研究,检索时间自建库至2021年11月15日。2名研究员独立筛选、提取、评价文献,遇到分歧小组协商讨论。结果 纳入符合标准的文献13篇,共提炼出完整的研究主题62个,归纳组合形成6个新的类别,2个综合的整合结果。整合结果1： 影响脑卒中患者运动依从性的个人因素;包括个人动机因素,个人能力因素及个人心理因素;整合结果2：影响脑卒中患者运动依从性的外在因素;包括人际关系因素、康复团队因素及社会系统因素。结论 深入理解影响卒中患者康复运动依从性的驱动和阻碍因素,找准提高康复运动依从性的突破口,进而提高患者的运动积极性,提高其生活质量。     

Functional,impulse-based quantification of plantar pressure patterns in typical adult gait

BackgroundDynamic pedobarography is used to measure the change in plantar pressure distribution during gait. Clinical methods of pedobarographic analysis lack, however, a standardized, functional segmentation or require costly motion capture technology and expertise. Furthermore, while commonly used pedobarographic measures are mostly based on peak pressures, progressive foot deformities also depend on the duration the pressure is applied, which can be quantified via impulse measures.Research QuestionOur objectives were to: (1) develop a standardized method for functionally segmenting pedobarographic data during gait without the need for motion capture; (2) compute pedobarographic measures that are based on each segment’s vertical impulse; and (3) obtain a normative set of such pedobarographic measures for non-disabled gait.MethodsPedobarographic data was collected during gait from sixty adults with normal feet. Using the maximum pressure map for each trial, an expert and novice rater independently identified the hallux, heel, medial forefoot, and lateral forefoot and computed nine normalized vertical impulse measures.ResultsFrom the computed impulse measures, the Heel-to-Forefoot Balance was 33.3 ± 5.5%, the Medial-Lateral Forefoot Balance (with hallux) 59.2 ± 8.0%, the Medial-Lateral Forefoot Balance (without hallux) 53.5 ± 7.7%, and the Hallux-to-Medial Forefoot Balance 21.0 ± 8.9% (mean ± standard deviation). The intra- and inter-rater reliability ranged between 0.93 and 1.00 and between 0.89 and 0.99, respectively (ICC(2,1)).SignificanceWe developed a simple, stand-alone method for pedobarographic segmentation that is mechanistically linked to relevant anatomical regions of the foot. The normative impulse measures exhibited excellent reliability. This normative dataset is currently used in the clinical assessment of different foot deformities and gait impairments, and in the evaluation of treatment outcomes.     

HIV infection after prenatal screening: an open window leading to perinatal infection

Despite a dramatic decrease in vertical transmission of HIV in the developed world, maternal HIV infection acquired after negative prenatal screening still leaves a window of vulnerability. Through quality assurance programs in two Canadian Provinces, five cases where perinatal HIV transmission occurred despite negative prenatal screening were identified between 2005 and 2015. Maternal risk factors such as intravenous drug use, high–risk sexual behavior, hepatitis C virus co–infection, and belonging to high prevalence minority groups were common. Two mothers had their negative HIV test performed in the first trimester and three mothers had negative testing in the third trimester. All babies were clinically healthy at delivery with a normal weight. Three babies were tested following subsequent identification of maternal HIV infection and two babies presented with opportunistic infections leading to their diagnoses. The characteristics of these cases suggest that to achieve complete elimination of vertical HIV transmission, selective and innovative clinical management of mothers at high risk for HIV may be required.     

Temporal integration as “common currency” of brain and self‐scale‐free activity in resting‐state EEG correlates with temporal delay effects on self‐relatedness

The self is a multifaceted phenomenon that integrates information and experience across multiple time scales. How temporal integration on the psychological level of the self is related to temporal integration on the neuronal level remains unclear. To investigate temporal integration on the psychological level, we modified a well‐established self‐matching paradigm by inserting temporal delays. On the neuronal level, we indexed temporal integration in resting‐state EEG by two related measures of scale‐free dynamics, the power law exponent and autocorrelation window. We hypothesized that the previously established self‐prioritization effect, measured as decreased response times or increased accuracy for self‐related stimuli, would change with the insertion of different temporal delays between the paired stimuli, and that these changes would be related to temporal integration on the neuronal level. We found a significant self‐prioritization effect on accuracy in all conditions with delays, indicating stronger temporal integration of self‐related stimuli. Further, we observed a relationship between temporal integration on psychological and neuronal levels: higher degrees of neuronal integration, that is, higher power‐law exponent and longer autocorrelation window, during resting‐state EEG were related to a stronger increase in the self‐prioritization effect across longer temporal delays. We conclude that temporal integration on the neuronal level serves as a template for temporal integration of the self on the psychological level. Temporal integration can thus be conceived as the “common currency” of neuronal and psychological levels of self.     

临床医学专业“5+3”一体化本科全程导师制创新人才培养的实践与探索

以培养创新型人才为目标，大连医科大学制定实施了“5+3”创新人才培养改革方案，以导师制培养为载体，在医学本科教育全过程中，制定分阶段创新能力培养体系，涵盖课程、讲座、实验设计、论文等基本科研能力训练，强化本科生科研能力培养。通过对首届“5+3”学生阶段性培养成果的统计学分析发现，“5+3”学生发表中文期刊、SCI，主持国家级创新项目、省级创新项目的比例均显著高于普通5年制学生，差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。虽然实施过程中存在一些问题和不足，但以导师制为核心的科研基础训练对提高学生科研思维和创新能力效果显著，对培养医学创新型人才具有可实施性。     

我国中药材产地市场整合研究——以金银花、枸杞子、板蓝根和太子参为例

中药材专业市场交易量逐渐下降,产地市场交易成为趋势。研究产地市场整合程度有利于了解中药材市场的运行情况,对于合理规划中药材生产和提高市场效率具有重要意义。选取大宗中药材金银花、枸杞子、板蓝根和太子参研究中药材市场整合程度,利用2013—2019年价格指数,运用协整检验、误差修正模型和格兰杰因果检验进行实证分析。结果表明,我国中药材产地市场长期整合程度较高;中药材产地市场的短期整合程度远不及长期整合程度。为此提出4点政策建议:完善中药材价格信息平台、打造非道地产区中药材优质品牌、加快建成中药材质量追溯体系和建设中药材现代物流体系。     

The size-weight illusion in visual form agnosic patient DF

ABSTRACT

The size-weight illusion is a perceptual illusion where smaller objects are judged as heavier than equally weighted larger objects. A previous informal report suggests that visual form agnosic patient DF does not experience the size-weight illusion when vision is the only available cue to object size. We tested this experimentally, comparing the magnitudes of DF’s visual, kinesthetic and visual-kinesthetic size-weight illusions to those of 28 similarly-aged controls. A modified t-test found that DF’s visual size-weight illusion was significantly smaller than that of controls (z_cc = ?1.7). A test of simple dissociation based on the Revised Standardized Difference Test found that the discrepancy between the magnitude of DF’s visual and kinesthetic size-weight illusions was not significantly different from that of controls (z_dcc = ?1.054), thereby failing to establish a dissociation between the visual and kinesthetic conditions. These results are consistent with previous suggestions that visual form agnosia, following ventral visual stream damage, is associated with an abnormally reduced size-weight illusion. The results, however, do not confirm that this reduction is specific to the use of visual size cues to predict object weight, rather than reflecting more general changes in the processing of object size cues or in the use of predictive strategies for lifting.