Correlation between cerebral cortex changes and clinical features in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder with normal-appearing brain tissue:a case-control study

Neuro myelitis optica spectrum disorder(NMOSD) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system.However,whether and how cortical changes occur in NMOSD with normal-appearing brain tissue,or whether any cortical changes correlate with clinical chara cteristics,is not completely clear.The current study recruited 43 patients with NMOSD who had normal-appearing brain tissue and 45 healthy controls matched for age,sex,and educational background from December 2020 to February 2022.A surface-based morphological analysis of high-resolution T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance images was used to calculate the cortical thickness,sulcal depth,and gyrification index.Analysis showed that cortical thickness in the bilate ral rostral middle frontal gyrus and left superior frontal gyrus was lower in the patients with NMOSD than in the control participants.Subgroup analysis of the patients with NMOSD indicated that compared with those who did not have any optic neuritis episodes,those who did have such episodes exhibited noticeably thinner cortex in the bilateral cuneus,superior parietal co rtex,and pericalcarine co rtex.Correlation analysis indicated that co rtical thickness in the bilateral rostral middle frontal gyrus was positively correlated with scores on the Digit Symbol Substitution Test and negatively correlated with scores on the Trail Making Test and the Expanded Disability Status Scale.These results are evidence that cortical thinning of the bilateral regional frontal cortex occurs in patients with NMOSD who have normal-appearing brain tissue,and that the degree of thinning is correlated with clinical disability and cognitive function.These findings will help im prove our understanding of the imaging chara cteristics in NMOSD and their potential clinical significance.

A Case Report of Lupus Panniculitis in a Hemodialysis Patient with Lupus Nephritis

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis are relatively common autoimmune diseases that can cause damage to multiple systems. Aim: To investigate the lupus activity of patients with lupus nephritis on hemodialysis and the combined occurrence of lupus panniculitis. Case introduction: A patient with lupus nephritis on regular hemodialysis had a symmetrical hard mass under the skin of his abdomen. After surgical resection and pathological examination, she was diagnosed with lupus panniculitis and was treated with glucocorticoids and hydroxychloroquine. After that, no new subcutaneous masses appeared, and the unresectable part of the masses did not increase. Conclusion: 1) Lupus activities in patients with lupus nephritis entering end-stage renal disease still need to be paid attention to. 2) Lupus panniculitis can occur on the skin of the abdomen, and it needs to be differentiated from connective tissue panniculitis, sclerosing panniculitis and other diseases.

Animal models of stroke

Stroke is a devastating disease with high morbidity and mortality.Animal models are indispensable tools that can mimic stroke processes and can be used for investigating mechanisms and developing novel therapeutic regimens.As a heterogeneous disease with complex pathophysiology,mimicking all aspects of human stroke in one animal model is impossible.Each model has unique strengths and weaknesses.Models such as transient or permanent intraluminal thread occlusion middle cerebral artery oc-clusion(MCAo)models and thromboembolic models are the most commonly used in simulating human ischemic stroke.The endovascular filament occlusion model is characterized by easy manipulation and accurately controllable reperfusion and is suitable for studying the pathogenesis of focal ischemic stroke and reperfusion in-jury.Although the reproducibility of the embolic model is poor,it is more conveni-ent for investigating thrombolysis.Rats are the most frequently used animal model for stroke.This review mainly outlines the stroke models of rats and discusses their strengths and shortcomings in detail.

Acute Guillain Barre Syndrome in Hemodialysis Patients with Diabetic Nephropathy:A Case Report

Acute Guillain Barre syndrome is a common type of autoimmune mediated acute peripheral neuropathy.Its initial symptoms are symmetrical limb weakness,sensory disturbance,pain or other symptoms.This paper reports a case of acute Guillain Barre syndrome in a uremic patient with diabetic nephropathy and long-term regular hemodialysis,in order to further explore the clinical manifestations and differential characteristics of uremic patients with acute Guillain Barre syndrome,improve the early diagnosis rate of uremic patients with acute Guillain Barre syndrome,make the patients get timely treatment,so as to reduce the disability of such patients To improve the prognosis of the disease.

Light absorption properties and potential sources of brown carbon in Fenwei Plain during winter 2018–2019

A distinctive kind of organic carbon aerosol that could absorb ultraviolet-visible radiation is called brown carbon(Br C),which has an important positive influence on radiative budget and climate change.In this work,we reported the absorption properties and potential source of Br C based on a seven-wavelength aethalometer in the winter of 2018–2019 at an urban site of Sanmenxia in Fenwei Plain in central China.Specifically,the mean value of Br C absorption coefficient was 59.6±36.0 Mm^(-1) at 370 nm and contributed 37.7%to total absorption,which made a significant impact on visibility and regional environment.Absorption coefficients of Br C showed double-peak pattern,and Br C had shown small fluctuations under haze days compared with clean days.As for the sources of Br C,Br C absorption coefficients expressed strong correlations with element carbon aerosols and primary organic carbon aerosols,indicating that most of Br C originated from primary emissions.The linear correlations between trace metal elements(K,As,Fe,Mn,Zn,and Pb)and Br C absorption coefficients further referred that the major sources of Br C were primary emissions,like coal burning,biomass burning,and vehicle emissions.The moderate relationship between Br C absorption coefficients and secondary organic aerosols suggested that secondary production of Br C also played an important role.The 120 hr backward air mass trajectories analysis and concentration-weighted trajectories analysis were also used to investigate potential sources of Br C in and around this area,which inferred most parts of Br C were derived from local emissions.

Environmental behavior, human health effect, and pollution control of heavy metal(loid)s toward full life cycle processes

Heavy metal(loid)s(HMs)have caused serious environmental pollution and health risks.Although the past few years have witnessed the achievements of studies on environmental behavior of HMs,the related toxicity mechanisms,and pollution control,their relationship remains a mystery.Researchers generally focused on one topic independently without comprehensive considerations due to the knowledge gap between environmental science and human health.Indeed,the full life cycle control of HMs is crucial and should be reconsidered with the combination of the occurrence,transport,and fate of HMs in the environment.Therefore,we started by reviewing the environmental behaviors of HMs which are affected by a variety of natural factors as well as their physicochemical properties.Furthermore,the related toxicity mechanisms were discussed according to exposure route,toxicity mechanism,and adverse consequences.In addition,the current state-of-the-art of available technologies for pollution control of HMs wastewater and solid wastes were summarized.Finally,based on the research trend,we proposed that advanced in-operando characterizations will help us better understand the fundamental reaction mechanisms,and big data analysis approaches will aid in establishing the prediction model for risk management.

Study of aerosol characteristics and sources using MAX-DOAS measurement during haze at an urban site in the Fenwei Plain

Atmospheric aerosols have effects on atmospheric radiation assessments,global climate change,local air quality and visibility.In particular,aerosols are more likely transformed and accumulated in winter.In this paper,we used the Multi-Axis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy(MAX-DOAS)instrument to study the characteristics of aerosol type and contributions of PM_(2.5) chemical components to aerosol extinction(AE),vertical distribution of aerosols,and source.From December 30,2018 to January 27,2019,we conducted MAX-DOAS observations on Sanmenxia.The proportion of PM_(2.5) to PM10 was 69.48%-95.39%,indicating that the aerosol particles were mainly fine particles.By analyzing the ion data and modifying Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments(IMPROVE)method,we found that nitrate was the largest contributor to AE,accounting for 31.51%,28.98%,and 27.95%of AE on heavily polluted,polluted,and clean days,respectively.NH4+,OC,and SO42-were also major contributors to AE.The near-surface aerosol extinction retrieved from MAX-DOAS measurement the PM_(2.5) and PM10 concentrations measured by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV)have the same trend in vertical distribution.AE increased about 3 times from surface to 500 m.With the backward trajectory of the air mass during the haze,we also found that the continuous heavy pollution was mainly caused by transport of polluted air from the northeast,then followed by local industrial emissions and other sources of emissions under continuous and steady weather conditions.

Study on driver’s braking intention identification based on functional near-infrared spectroscopy

Purpose–Cooperative driving refers to a notion that intelligent system sharing controlling with human driver and completing driving task together.One of the key technologies is that the intelligent system can identify the driver’s driving intention in real time to implement consistent driving decisions.The purpose of this study is to establish a driver intention prediction model.Design/methodology/approach–The authors used the NIRx device to measure the cerebral cortex activities for identifying the driver’s braking intention.The experiment was carried out in a virtual reality environment.During the experiment,the driving simulator recorded the driving data and the functional near-infrared spectroscopy(fNIRS)device recorded the changes in hemoglobin concentration in the cerebral cortex.After the experiment,the driver’s braking intention identification model was established through the principal component analysis and back propagation neural network.Findings–The research results showed that the accuracy of the model established in this paper was 80.39 per cent.And,the model could identify the driver’s braking intent prior to his braking operation.Research limitations/implications–The limitation of this study was that the experimental environment was ideal and did not consider the surrounding traffic.At the same time,other actions of the driver were not taken into account when establishing the braking intention recognition model.Besides,the verification results obtained in this paper could only reflect the results of a few drivers’identification of braking intention.Practical implications–This study can be used as a reference for future research on driving intention through fNIRS,and it also has a positive effect on the research of brain-controlled driving.At the same time,it has developed new frontiers for intention recognition of cooperative driving.Social implications–This study explores new directions for future brain-controlled driving and wheelchairs.Originality/value–The driver’s driving intention was predicted through the fNIRS device for the first time.