Modeling refined differences of cortical folding patterns via spatial, morphological, and temporal fusion representations

The gyrus, a pivotal cortical folding pattern, is essential for integrating brain structure-function. This study focuses on 2-Hinge and 3-Hinge folds, characterized by the gyral convergence from various directions. Existing voxel-level studies may not adequately capture the precise spatial relationships within cortical folding patterns, especially when relying solely on local cortical characteristics due to their variable shapes and homogeneous frequency-specific features. To overcome these challenges, we introduced a novel model that combines spatial distribution, morphological structure, and functional magnetic resonance imaging data. We utilized spatio-morphological residual representations to enhance and extract subtle variations in cortical spatial distribution and morphological structure during blood oxygenation, integrating these with functional magnetic resonance imaging embeddings using self-attention for spatio-morphological-temporal representations. Testing these representations for identifying cortical folding patterns, including sulci, gyri, 2-Hinge, and 2-Hinge folds, and evaluating the impact of phenotypic data (e.g. stimulus) on recognition, our experimental results demonstrate the model's superior performance, revealing significant differences in cortical folding patterns under various stimulus. These differences are also evident in the characteristics of sulci and gyri folds between genders, with 3-Hinge showing more variations. Our findings indicate that our representations of cortical folding patterns could serve as biomarkers for understanding brain structure-function correlations.

Baltic Sea coastal sediment-bound eukaryotes have increased year-round activities under predicted climate change related warming

Climate change related warming is a serious environmental problem attributed to anthropogenic activities, causing ocean water temperatures to rise in the coastal marine ecosystem since the last century. This particularly affects benthic microbial communities, which are crucial for biogeochemical cycles. While bacterial communities have received considerable scientific attention, the benthic eukaryotic community response to climate change remains relatively overlooked. In this study, sediments were sampled from a heated (average 5°C increase over the whole year for over 50 years) and a control (contemporary conditions) Baltic Sea bay during four different seasons across a year. RNA transcript counts were then used to investigate eukaryotic community changes under long-term warming. The composition of active species in the heated and control bay sediment eukaryotic communities differed, which was mainly attributed to salinity and temperature. The family level RNA transcript alpha diversity in the heated bay was higher during May but lower in November, compared with the control bay, suggesting altered seasonal activity patterns and dynamics. In addition, structures of the active eukaryotic communities varied between the two bays during the same season. Hence, this study revealed that long-term warming can change seasonality in eukaryotic diversity patterns. Relative abundances and transcript expression comparisons between bays suggested that some taxa that now have lower mRNA transcripts numbers could be favored by future warming. Furthermore, long-term warming can lead to a more active metabolism in these communities throughout the year, such as higher transcript numbers associated with diatom energy production and protein synthesis in the heated bay during winter. In all, these data can help predict how future global warming will affect the ecology and metabolism of eukaryotic community in coastal sediments.

Enhancing the quality of life for physical therapists: insights from a cross-sectional study

Background

Physical Therapy profession is known for its demanding physical requirements. This increases the risk of attrition and work-related accidents and disorders that affect physical therapists' quality of life and work performance. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of physical activity level and other contributing factors on quality of life of physical therapists.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among practicing physical therapists (n = 258). The International Physical Activity Questionnaires-Short Form was used to measure physical activity levels and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire short form was used to measure the quality of life among physical therapists. Data was collected through a self-administered online survey using Microsoft Forms.

Results

The eligible participants were 258 out of 297. The highest percentage of physical therapists had a moderate physical activity level (45.35%) and the median for overall quality of life score was 63.27(52.73-73.59). There was a significant positive correlation between physical activity and age with overall quality of life score (rs = 0.41, p < 0.001; rs = 0.13, p < 0.036) respectively and a significant negative correlation between body mass index and overall quality of life score (rs = -0.13, p < 0.04).

Conclusion

The results obtained revealed that physical therapists mostly have moderate physical activity level and relatively good perceived quality of Life. Furthermore, our study identified significant correlations between physical activity, age, body mass index, and the overall quality of life among practicing physical therapists.

Disruption of the Functional Activity of Neutrophil Granulocytes as a Risk Factor for the Development of Lung Damage in Pregnant Women with COVID-19

Currently, the assessment of immune status in patients with COVID-19 is limited to determining the count of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and the phagocytic function of neutrophils, which is insufficient to understand the regulatory role of innate immunity cells in the development of pneumonia. However, no such studies have been conducted in pregnant women with COVID-19. The aim of this study was to investigate the functional state of neutrophil granulocytes in order to identify predictors of pneumonia severity risk in pregnant women with COVID-19. A clinical characterization of pregnant women with COVID-19 in addition to minimal and average lung changes was provided. The composition and ratio of morphological forms of leukocyte cells were studied. Cytochemical studies of neutrophil granulocytes were carried out and calculations of the mean cytological index (MCI) for succinate dehydrogenase, myeloperoxidase, and cationic proteins were performed. The number of NETs in blood smears was counted. Independent predictors of pneumonia severity in pregnant women with COVID-19 were calculated using regression analysis. The quality of the model was assessed using ROC analysis. In pregnant women with COVID-19 and an average volume of lung changes, the number of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (p = 0.03) and band neutrophils (p = 0.002) in the blood was significantly higher than in pregnant women with minimal lung changes. The MCI indicators of succinate dehydrogenase, cationic proteins, and myeloperoxidase in pregnant women with COVID-19 were reduced in relation to the control group (p < 0.0001). In blood smears of pregnant women with COVID-19 and an average volume of lung changes, the number of NETs increased (p = 0.002). Regression analysis showed that succinate dehydrogenase and NETs are independent predictors of pneumonia severity in pregnant women with COVID-19. Our study confirms the prognostic significance of low levels of neutrophilic succinate dehydrogenase and high levels of NETs in the blood of pregnant women with COVID-19. The combination of these two biomarkers is a significant reflection of the severity of pneumonia development in pregnant women with COVID-19. However, further research is needed to identify the mechanisms underlying this association.

Predictive Model of Anxiety and Depression Perception in Multiple Sclerosis Patients: Possible Implications for Clinical Treatment

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms, including emotional distress, anxiety, and depression. These emotional symptoms currently have a pharmacological treatment with limited effectiveness; therefore, it is necessary to delve into their relationship with other psychological, functional, or prefrontal alterations. Additionally, exploring non-pharmacological therapeutic alternatives that have shown benefits in addressing emotional distress in MS patients is essential.

AIM

To establish a predictive model for the presence of anxiety and depression in MS patients, based on variables such as psychological well-being, functional activity, and prefrontal symptoms. Additionally, this study aimed to propose non-pharmacological therapeutic alternatives based on this model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A descriptive, observational, and cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 64 diagnosed MS patients who underwent functional and cognitive assessments using the following questionnaires and scales: Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ), Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II), Experiences Questionnaire (EQ), Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (SCS-SF), Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Prefrontal Symptoms Inventory (PSI).

RESULTS

The model showed an excellent fit to the data and indicated that psychological well-being was the most significant predictor of the criteria (β = -0.83), followed by functional activity (β = -0.18) and prefrontal symptoms (β = 0.15). The latter two are negatively related to psychological well-being (β = -0.16 and β = -0.75, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Low psychological well-being is the variable that most significantly predicts the presence of anxiety and depression in MS patients, followed by functional activity and prefrontal alterations. Interventions based on mindfulness and acceptance are recommended, along with nutritional interventions such as antioxidant-enriched ketogenic diets and moderate group physical exercise.

A Polysaccharide from Ficus carica L. Exerts Immunomodulatory Activity in Both In Vitro and In Vivo Experimental Models

Polysaccharides from Ficus carica L. (FCP) exert multiple biological activities. As a biological macromolecule, the available knowledge about the specific structures and mechanisms of the biological activity of purified 'Brunswick' fig polysaccharides is currently limited. In the present study, chemical purification and characteristics were identified via chemical and instrumental analysis, and then the impact of FCP on immunomodulation activity in vitro and in vivo was examined. Structural characteristics showed that the molecular weight of the FCP sample was determined to be 127.5 kDa; the primary monosaccharides present in the FCP sample were galacturonic acid (GalA), arabinose (Ara), galactose (Gal), rhamnose (Rha), glucose (Glc), and xylose (Xyl) at a ratio of 0.321:0.287:0.269:0.091:0.013:0.011. Based on the investigation of in vitro immunomodulatory activity, FCP was found to stimulate the production of NO, TNF-α, and IL-6, and increased the pinocytic activity of macrophages. Further analysis revealed that FCP activated macrophages by interacting with Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Moreover, the in vivo test results indicate that FCP showed a significant increase in serum pro-inflammatory factors in immunosuppressed mice. Overall, this study suggests that FCP has the potential to be utilized as a novel immunomodulator in the pharmaceutical and functional food industries.

Plant-derived rennet: research progress, novel strategies for their isolation, identification, mechanism, bioactive peptide generation, and application in cheese manufacturing

Rennet, an aspartate protease found in the stomach of unweaned calves, effectively cuts the peptide bond between Phe105-Met106 in κ-casein, hydrolyzing the casein micelles to coagulate the milk and is a crucial additive in cheese production. Rennet is one of the most used enzymes of animal origin in cheese making. However, using rennet al.one is insufficient to meet the increasing demand for cheese production worldwide. Numerous studies have shown that plant rennet can be an alternative to bovine rennet and exhibit a good renneting effect. Therefore, it is crucial and urgent to find a reliable plant rennet. Based on our team's research on rennet enzymes of plant origin, such as from Dregea sinensis Hemsl. and Moringa oleifer Lam., for more than ten years, this paper reviews the relevant literature on rennet sources, isolation, identification, rennet mechanism, functional active peptide screening, and application in cheese production. In addition, it proposes the various techniques for targeted isolation and identification of rennet and efficient screening of functionally active peptides, which show excellent prospects for development.

Body Mass Index, Physical Activity, Cardiorespiratory Endurance and Quality of Life among Children with Physical Disabilities

BACKGROUND

Children with physical disabilities (PD) have reduced levels of physical activity (PA) compared to typically developing children, which increases their risk of becoming overweight and obese, which leads to numerous adverse health consequences. This study aimed to determine the differences between groups classified by body mass index (BMI) percentile in terms of PA levels, cardiorespiratory endurance and quality of life (QoL), and also to evaluate the relationship between BMI percentile and PA levels, cardiorespiratory endurance and QoL in children and adolescents with physical disabilities.

METHODS

A total of 172 children and adolescents with PD aged between 5 and 17 years from Hospital Tunku Azizah were included in this cross-sectional study. The BMI percentile was calculated to determine the weight status. PA levels were assessed with the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C), cardiorespiratory endurance was measured by the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) and QoL was measured by the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory version 2.0 (PedsQL 2.0).

RESULTS

According to the BMI percentile, 70.3% had a healthy BMI percentile (50th to 84th percentile), 11.6% were overweight (50th to 84th percentile), 11% were underweight (0-49th percentile) and 7.0% were obese (95th percentile and above). Most children reported a healthy weight, and the rates of being overweight and obese were higher in children who could ambulate without aids (6.4% and 3.5%, respectively) compared to those who used walking aids (5.2% and 3.5%, respectively). Significant differences were found in the PAQ-C, 6MWT and PedsQL 2.0 scores between different BMI percentile groups (p < 0.05). There were also significant correlations between the BMI percentile and the PAQ-C (r = 0.209, p < 0.001), 6MWT (r = 0.217, p < 0.001) and PedsQL 2.0 (r = 0.189, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The rate of being overweight and obese is greater among children who ambulate without aids than among those with aids. An increase in the BMI percentile can reduce the QoL in different ways. This study suggests that children with PD who can walk without aids are at a greater risk of being overweight and obese. Hence, the engagement of this population in PA is crucial for their weight management.

Assessing Upper Limb Function in Breast Cancer Survivors Using Wearable Sensors and Machine Learning in a Free-Living Environment

(1) Background: Being able to objectively assess upper limb (UL) dysfunction in breast cancer survivors (BCS) is an emerging issue. This study aims to determine the accuracy of a pre-trained lab-based machine learning model (MLM) to distinguish functional from non-functional arm movements in a home situation in BCS. (2) Methods: Participants performed four daily life activities while wearing two wrist accelerometers and being video recorded. To define UL functioning, video data were annotated and accelerometer data were analyzed using a counts threshold method and an MLM. Prediction accuracy, recall, sensitivity, f1-score, 'total minutes functional activity' and 'percentage functionally active' were considered. (3) Results: Despite a good MLM accuracy (0.77-0.90), recall, and specificity, the f1-score was poor. An overestimation of the 'total minutes functional activity' and 'percentage functionally active' was found by the MLM. Between the video-annotated data and the functional activity determined by the MLM, the mean differences were 0.14% and 0.10% for the left and right side, respectively. For the video-annotated data versus the counts threshold method, the mean differences were 0.27% and 0.24%, respectively. (4) Conclusions: An MLM is a better alternative than the counts threshold method for distinguishing functional from non-functional arm movements. However, the abovementioned wrist accelerometer-based assessment methods overestimate UL functional activity.

The Effect of Diagonal Exercise Training for Neurorehabilitation on Functional Activity in Stroke Patients: A Pilot Study

Functional movements of the human body occur multifacetedly. This pilot study investigated the effects of neurorehabilitation training, including diagonal movements, balance, gait, fall efficacy, and activities of daily living in stroke patients. Twenty-eight patients diagnosed with stroke by a specialist were divided into experimental groups applying diagonal exercise training and control groups applying sagittal exercise training. The five times sit-to-stand test (FTSST), timed up and go (TUG) test, and Berg balance scale (BBS) were used to evaluate balance ability, the falls efficacy scale (FES) was used to evaluate fall efficacy, and the modified Barthel index (MBI) was used to evaluate activities of daily living. All evaluations were conducted once prior to intervention implementation and again six weeks after the final intervention. In the study results, the experimental group to which the diagonal exercise training was applied had statistically significant changes in FTSST, BBS, and FES compared to the control group. In conclusion, the rehabilitation program, including diagonal exercise training, increased the patient's balance and reduced the fear of falling.

[Risk factors for low functional activity in people 80 years and older.]

The global aging of the population continues in the world, therefore, the extension of functional and cognitive independence in the elderly, senile and centenarians is a priority goal of the healthcare systems of all states. The aim of the study was to identify risk factors for low functional activity in senile people. The study included 122 people aged 80 years and older (mean age 84,74±2,98 years). Complaints were collected from all participants; history; anthropometric indicators, handgrip strength, functional activity using the SPPB battery of tests, body composition were determined. It was found that men aged 80 years and older showed better functional performance than women. Gender, age, and the number of drugs taken were significant predictors of functional activity. Patients at the age of 80 years and older with normal functional activity had better anthropometric parameters, body composition, and hand grip strength. Depression and osteoarthritis were more common in older people with low functional activity.

Limited nucleotide changes of HIV-1 subtype B Rev response element in China affect overall Rev-RRE activity and viral replication

The HIV-1 Rev response element (RRE) is a cis-acting RNA element that facilitates the nuclear export of mRNA-containing introns by binding specifically to the Rev protein, enabling a critical step in the viral replication cycle. This study aims to determine the subtype-specific loci of HIV-1 subtype B RRE circulating in China and to analyze their effects on Rev-RRE function and HIV-1 replication. We amplified 71 HIV-1 subtype B RRE full-length sequences from the HIV patients' blood samples collected in China, analyzed the subtype-specific loci on them by comparing them with subtype B in the United States, and predicted their RNA secondary structures. Rev-RRE activity assay was used to test the binding activity of Rev and different RREs. Infectious clones were mutated to test the effect of the subtype-specific loci on replication capacity. In this study, two sites were determined to be the subtype-specific loci of HIV-1 subtype B RRE circulating in China. Both site 186 and site 56-57insAAC can significantly increase the viral mRNA transcription and Rev-RRE activity, but only the site 186 can significantly improve viral replication ability. Collectively, the subtype-specific loci of subtype B RRE circulating in China have a significant effect on the Rev-RRE activity and viral replication. This study investigates the subtype-specific loci of RRE, which are unique to retroviruses and essential for viral replication, and will help to explore the reasons why subtype B circulating in China is more widespread and persistent than American subtype B in China at the genetic level, and will provide theoretical support for the development of more inclusive detection and treatment methods for subtype B circulating in China. At the same time, it will also provide insight into the impact of different subtype HIV-1 genetic characteristics on viral replication.

Altered functional synchrony between gray and white matter as a novel indicator of brain system dysconnectivity in schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

There is increasing evidence that blood oxygenation level-dependent signaling in white matter (WM) reflects WM functional activity. Whether this activity is altered in schizophrenia remains uncertain, as does whether it is related to established alterations of gray matter (GM) or the microstructure of WM tracts.

METHODS

A total of 153 antipsychotic-naïve schizophrenia patients and 153 healthy comparison subjects were assessed by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, and high-resolution T1-weighted imaging. We tested for case-control differences in the functional activity of WM, and examined their relation to the functional activity of GM and WM microstructure. The relations between fractional anisotropy (FA) in WM and GM-WM functional synchrony were investigated as well. Then, we examined the associations of identified abnormalities to age, duration of untreated psychosis (DUP), and symptom severity.

RESULTS

Schizophrenia patients displayed reductions of the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), GM-WM functional synchrony, and FA in widespread regions. Specifically, the genu of corpus callosum not only had weakening in the synchrony of functional activity but also had reduced ALFF and FA. Positive associations were found between FA and functional synchrony in the genu of corpus callosum as well. No significant association was found between identified abnormalities and DUP, and symptom severity.

CONCLUSIONS

The widespread weakening in the synchrony of functional activity of GM and WM provided novel evidence for functional alterations in schizophrenia. Regarding the WM function as a component of brain systems and investigating its alternation represent a promising direction for future research.

Postpartum depression and major depressive disorder: the same or not? Evidence from resting-state functional MRI

Background

Although postpartum depression (PPD) and non-peripartum major depressive disorder (MDD) occurring within and outside the postpartum period share many clinical characteristics, whether PPD and MDD are the same or not remains controversial.

Methods

The current study was devoted to identify the shared and different neural circuits between PPD and MDD by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 77 participants (22 first-episodic drug-naïve MDD, 26 drug-naïve PPD, and 29 healthy controls (HC)).

Results

Both the PPD and MDD groups exhibited higher fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) in left temporal pole relative to the HC group; the MDD group showed specifically increased degree centrality in the right cerebellum while PPD showed specifically decreased fALFF in the left supplementary motor area and posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG_L), and specifically decreased functional connectivities between pMTG and precuneus and between left subgeneual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC_L) and right sgACC. Moreover, sgACC and left thalamus showed abnormal regional homogeneity of functional activities between any pair of HC, MDD, and PPD.

Conclusions

These results provide initial evidence that PPD and MDD have common and distinct neural circuits, which may facilitate understanding the neurophysiological basis and precision treatment for PPD.

Relationship of neurite architecture to brain activity during task-based fMRI

Functional MRI (fMRI) has been widely used to examine changes in neuronal activity during cognitive tasks. Commonly used measures of gray matter macrostructure (e.g., cortical thickness, surface area, volume) do not consistently appear to serve as structural correlates of brain function. In contrast, gray matter microstructure, measured using neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI), enables the estimation of indices of neurite density (neurite density index; NDI) and organization (orientation dispersion index; ODI) in gray matter. Our study explored the relationship among neurite architecture, BOLD (blood-oxygen-level-dependent) fMRI, and cognition, using a large sample (n = 750) of young adults of the human connectome project (HCP) and two tasks that index more cortical (working memory) and more subcortical (emotion processing) targeting of brain functions. Using NODDI, fMRI, structural MRI and task performance data, hierarchical regression analyses revealed that higher working memory- and emotion processing-evoked BOLD activity was related to lower ODI in the right DLPFC, and lower ODI and NDI values in the right and left amygdala, respectively. Common measures of brain macrostructure (i.e., DLPFC thickness/surface area and amygdala volume) did not explain any additional variance (beyond neurite architecture) in BOLD activity. A moderating effect of neurite architecture on the relationship between emotion processing task-evoked BOLD response and performance was observed. Our findings provide evidence that neuro-/social-affective cognition-related BOLD activity is partially driven by the local neurite organization and density with direct impact on emotion processing. In vivo gray matter microstructure represents a new target of investigation providing strong potential for clinical translation.

Studies on the biosynthetic pathways of melanin in Auricularia auricula

Melanin is a natural pigment ubiquitously present in living organisms, including bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals. Melanin produced by the edible mushroom Auricularia auricula has a remarkable potential for resource development. Several A. auricula strains planted across China were collected and analyzed for mycelial growth rate and colony RGB value for color block. Further, the effects of various nutrients on melanin formation, including different carbon and nitrogen sources were evaluated to optimize medium for submerged fermentation. The pathways involved in the biosynthesis of melanin in A. auricula were investigated using an enzyme inhibitor assay and intermediate determination. In addition, the functional activity of purified A. auricula melanin was assessed. The highest melanin yield (1.797 g/L) was displayed by strain AU-3 in medium I. A. auricula melanin was composed of eumelanin, pheomelanin and 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene melanin, and the biosynthetic pathways involved were Raper-Mason and 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene melanin pathway. In addition, melanin purified from A. auricula exhibited substantial antioxidant, antibacterial, and antitumor activities. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Reliability and Validity of an Inertial Measurement System to Quantify Lower Extremity Joint Angle in Functional Movements

The purpose of this research was to determine if the commercially available Perception Neuron motion capture system was valid and reliable in clinically relevant lower limb functional tasks. Twenty healthy participants performed two sessions on different days: gait, squat, single-leg squat, side lunge, forward lunge, and counter-movement jump. Seven IMUs and an OptiTrack system were used to record the three-dimensional joint kinematics of the lower extremity. To evaluate the performance, the multiple correlation coefficient (CMC) and the root mean square error (RMSE) of the waveforms as well as the difference and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of discrete parameters were calculated. In all tasks, the CMC revealed fair to excellent waveform similarity (0.47–0.99) and the RMSE was between 3.57° and 13.14°. The difference between discrete parameters was lower than 14.54°. The repeatability analysis of waveforms showed that the CMC was between 0.54 and 0.95 and the RMSE was less than 5° in the frontal and transverse planes. The ICC of all joint angles in the IMU was general to excellent (0.57–1). Our findings showed that the IMU system might be utilized to evaluate lower extremity 3D joint kinematics in functional motions.

Short-Term Reloading After Prolonged Unloading Ensures Restoration of Stromal but Not Hematopoietic Precursor Activity in Tibia Bone Marrow of C57Bl/6N Mice

Bone and muscle tissues are mostly susceptible to different kinds of hypodynamia, including real and simulated microgravity (sμg). To evaluate the effect of sμg on bone marrow (BM), male C57Bl/6N mice were divided into three groups: vivarium control (VC), 30-day hindlimb suspension (HS), and subsequent 12-h short-term support reloading (RL). The effects on BM total mononucleated cells (MNCs) as well as stromal and hematopoietic progenitors from murine tibia were studied. The number of BM MNCs, immunophenotype, proliferation, colony-forming units (CFUs), differentiation and secretory activity of hematopoietic and stromal BM cells were determined. HS led to a twofold decrease in MNCs, alteration of surface molecule expression profiles, suppression of proliferative activity of BM cells, and change of soluble mediators' levels. The stromal compartment was characterized by a decrease of CFU of fibroblasts and suppression of spontaneous osteo-commitment after HS. Among the hematopoietic precursors, a decrease in the total number of CFUs was found mainly at the expense of suppression of CFU-GM and CFU-GEMM. After RL, restoration of the stromal precursor's functional activity to control levels and overabundance of paracrine mediator's production were detected, whereas the complete recovery of hematopoietic precursor's activity did not occur. These data demonstrate the fast functional reaction of the stromal compartment on restoration of loading support.

Understanding the Functional Activity of Polyphenols Using Omics-Based Approaches

Plant polyphenols are the main category of natural active substances, and are distributed widely in vegetables, fruits, and plant-based processed foods. Polyphenols have a beneficial performance in preventing diseases and maintaining body health. However, its action mechanism has not been well understood. Foodomics is a novel method to sequence and widely used in nutrition, combining genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, microbiome, and metabolomics. Based on multi-omics technologies, foodomics provides abundant data to study functional activities of polyphenols. In this paper, physiological functions of various polyphenols based on foodomics and microbiome was discussed, especially the anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities and gut microbe regulation. In conclusion, omics (including microbiomics) is a useful approach to explore the bioactive activities of polyphenols in the nutrition and health of human and animals.

[Effect of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors on functional activity of the spinal cord and nerve roots in patients with degenerative lumbar spine diseases]

High neuroprotective activity of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors in patients with vascular diseases of the brain and spinal cord has been confirmed.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors on functional activity of the spinal cord and nerve roots in patients with degenerative lumbar spine diseases.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A retrospective observational cohort study was performed. We evaluated clinical and radiological parameters (gender, age of patients, type of antihypertensive drug, concomitant diseases, ODI (6) and SF-36 (7) scores of patient quality of life), functional recovery, increase of signal intensity and its area in T2WIs, localization and maximum spinal canal stenosis, as well as maximum spinal cord and nerve root compression.

RESULTS

The study included 117 medical records of respondents (88 men and 29 women aged 56.9±13.2 years) who underwent lumbar spine surgery for degenerative diseases. Arterial hypertension was verified in 68 (58.1%) patients, diabetes mellitus in 22 (18.8%) respondents. Age (p=0.002), diabetes mellitus (p=0.007), arterial hypertension (p=0.015) and antihypertensive therapy (p=0.023) were significantly associated with worse clinical and neurological status of patients. Binary logistic regression model demonstrated that only arterial hypertension was significantly associated with low preoperative quality of life (p=0.002).

CONCLUSION

Intake of AT II-1 receptor blockers and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors for arterial hypertension is a significant predictor of decrease in signal intensity of the spinal cord and its roots according to T2WIs.

Metatranscriptomics for the Human Microbiome and Microbial Community Functional Profiling

Shotgun metatranscriptomics (MTX) is an increasingly practical way to survey microbial community gene function and regulation at scale. This review begins by summarizing the motivations for community transcriptomics and the history of the field. We then explore the principles, best practices, and challenges of contemporary MTX workflows: beginning with laboratory methods for isolation and sequencing of community RNA, followed by informatics methods for quantifying RNA features, and finally statistical methods for detecting differential expression in a community context. In thesecond half of the review, we survey important biological findings from the MTX literature, drawing examples from the human microbiome, other (nonhuman) host-associated microbiomes, and the environment. Across these examples, MTX methods prove invaluable for probing microbe-microbe and host-microbe interactions, the dynamics of energy harvest and chemical cycling, and responses to environmental stresses. We conclude with a review of open challenges in the MTX field, including making assays and analyses more robust, accessible, and adaptable to new technologies; deciphering roles for millions of uncharacterized microbial transcripts; and solving applied problems such as biomarker discovery and development of microbial therapeutics.

The Effect of Non-Thermal Plasma on the Structural and Functional Characteristics of Human Spermatozoa

Significant antibacterial properties of non-thermal plasma (NTP) have converted this technology into a promising alternative to the widespread use of antibiotics in assisted reproduction. As substantial data available on the specific in vitro effects of NTP on male reproductive cells are currently missing, this study was designed to investigate selected quality parameters of human spermatozoa (n = 51) exposed to diffuse coplanar surface barrier discharge NTP for 0 s, 15 s, 30 s, 60 s and 90 s. Sperm motility characteristics, membrane integrity, mitochondrial activity, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA fragmentation and lipid peroxidation (LPO) were investigated immediately following exposure to NTP and 2 h post-NTP treatment. Exposure to NTP with a power input of 40 W for 15 s or 30 s was found to have no negative effects on the sperm structure or function. However, a prolonged NTP treatment impaired all the sperm quality markers in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The most likely mechanism of action of high NTP doses may be connected to ROS overproduction, leading to plasma membrane destabilization, LPO, mitochondrial failure and a subsequent loss of motility as well as DNA integrity. As such, our findings indicate that appropriate plasma exposure conditions need to be carefully selected in order to preserve the sperm vitality, should NTP be used in the practical management of bacteriospermia in the future.

Micromotion and Migration of Cementless Tibial Trays Under Functional Loading Conditions

BACKGROUND

The outcome of cementless total knee arthroplasty (TKA) relies on successful bony ingrowth into the implant surfaces. Failures due to aseptic loosening are still reported, especially in younger and more active patients. The objective of this study is to quantify the micromotion of a commercially available design of cementless tibial tray under loading conditions simulating walking and stair descent.

METHOD

A commercially available design of cementless total knee arthroplasty was implanted in 7 cadaveric knees which were preconditioned with 500 cycles of 0°-100° flexion under a vertical load of 1050 N in a custom-built, multiaxial functional activity simulator. This was followed by application of the peak forces and moments occurring during walking and stair descent. During each loading procedure, 3-dimensional motion at the bone-prosthesis interface was measured using digital image correlation.

RESULTS

The tray migrated 101 ± 25 μm on average during preconditioning, which was dominated by rotation in the sagittal plane (92% of total migration), combined with posterior translation (28%) and minimal rotation in the transverse plane (14%). The migration varied 2.7-fold (61-167 μm) between the 6 measurement zones. Stair descent produced significantly higher total micromotion than walking in zone #5 (62 ± 9 vs 51 ± 10 μm, P < .05) and zone #6 (68 ± 17 vs 37 ± 10 μm, P < .05). In addition, during stair descent, the tray exhibited significantly more tilting (anterior zones: 31 ± 17 vs -16 ± 20 μm, P < .05; posterior zones: -60 ± 8 vs -40 ± 7 μm, P < .05) and more anteroposterior displacement in the anterior zones (-25 ± 3 vs -13 ± 2 μm, P < .05) when compared to walking.

CONCLUSION

The relative motion at the bone-prosthesis interface varied substantially around the periphery of the cementless tray. Under the loading conditions evaluated, the tray primarily underwent a rocking motion in the sagittal plane. Compared with walking, stair descent produced significantly more micromotion, especially in the posterior zones.

Biotechnological Advances in Lycopene β-Cyclases

Lycopene β-cyclase is one of the key enzymes in the biosynthesis of carotenoids, which catalyzes the β-cyclization of both ends of lycopene to produce β-carotene. Lycopene β-cyclases are found in a wide range of sources, mainly plants and microorganisms. Lycopene β-cyclases have been extensively studied for their important catalytic activity, including for use in genetic engineering to modify plants and microorganisms, as a blocking target for lycopene industrial production strains, and for their genetic and physiological effects related to microorganic and plant biological traits. This review of lycopene β-cyclases summarizes the major studies on their basic classification, functional activity, metabolic engineering, and plant science.

Cortical Gray Matter Injury in Encephalopathy of Prematurity: Link to Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Preterm-born infants frequently suffer from an array of neurological damage, collectively termed encephalopathy of prematurity (EoP). They also have an increased risk of presenting with a neurodevelopmental disorder (e.g., autism spectrum disorder; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) later in life. It is hypothesized that it is the gray matter injury to the cortex, in addition to white matter injury, in EoP that is responsible for the altered behavior and cognition in these individuals. However, although it is established that gray matter injury occurs in infants following preterm birth, the exact nature of these changes is not fully elucidated. Here we will review the current state of knowledge in this field, amalgamating data from both clinical and preclinical studies. This will be placed in the context of normal processes of developmental biology and the known pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders. Novel diagnostic and therapeutic tactics required integration of this information so that in the future we can combine mechanism-based approaches with patient stratification to ensure the most efficacious and cost-effective clinical practice.

Lumbar and thoracic kinematics during step-up: Comparison of three-dimensional angles between patients with chronic low back pain and asymptomatic individuals

While alterations in spinal kinematics have been repeatedly observed in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP), their exact nature is still unknown. Specifically, there is a need for comprehensive assessments of multisegment spinal angles during daily-life activities. The purpose of this exploratory study was to characterize three-dimensional angles at the lower lumbar, upper lumbar, lower thoracic, and upper thoracic joints in CLBP patients and asymptomatic controls during stepping up with three different step heights. Spinal angles of 10 patients with nonspecific CLBP (six males; 38.7 ± 7.2 years old, 22.3 ± 1.6 kg/m² ) and 11 asymptomatic individuals (six males; 36.7 ± 5.4 years old, 22.9 ± 3.8 kg/m² ) were measured in a laboratory using a camera-based motion capture system. Seven out of the 12 angle curves had characteristic patterns, leading to the identification of 20 characteristic peaks. Comparing peak amplitudes between groups revealed statistically significantly smaller sagittal- and frontal-plane angles in the patient group at the upper lumbar joint with the two higher steps and at the lower lumbar joint with the higher step. Significantly reduced angles were also observed in sagittal plane at the upper thoracic joint with the two smaller steps. Moreover, a higher number of significant differences between groups was detected with the two higher steps than with the smallest step. In conclusion, this study showed the value of a comprehensive description of spinal angles during step-up tasks and provided insights into the alterations with CLBP. These preliminary results support prior research suggesting that CLBP rehabilitation should facilitate larger amplitudes of motion during functional activities.

The Neisseria gonorrhoeae Vaccine Candidate NHBA Elicits Antibodies That Are Bactericidal, Opsonophagocytic and That Reduce Gonococcal Adherence to Epithelial Cells

Due to the continuing emergence of multidrug resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae there is an urgent need for the development of a gonococcal vaccine. We evaluated the gonococcal Neisseria heparin binding antigen (NHBA) as a potential vaccine candidate, in terms of its sequence conservation and expression in a range of N. gonorrhoeae strains, as well as its immunogenicity and the functional activity of antibodies raised to either the full length NHBA or a C-terminal fragment of NHBA (NHBA-c). The gene encoding NHBA is highly conserved and expressed in all N. gonorrhoeae strains investigated. Recombinant NHBA is immunogenic, and mice immunized with either NHBA or NHBA-c adjuvanted with either Freund's or aluminium hydroxide (alum) generated a humoral immune response, with predominantly IgG1 antibodies. Antibodies generated by both NHBA and NHBA-c antigens promoted complement activation and mediated bacterial killing via both serum bactericidal activity and opsonophagocytic activity, with slightly higher titers seen for the NHBA-c antigen. Anti-NHBA was also able to block the functional activity of NHBA by reducing binding to heparin and adherence to cervical and urethral epithelial cells. These data suggest that the gonococcal NHBA is a promising vaccine antigen to include in a vaccine to control N. gonorrhoeae.

Anticancer and immunomodulatory activity of egg proteins and peptides: a review

Eggs are widely recognized as a highly nutritious food source that offer specific health benefits for humans. Eggs contain all of the proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals, and growth factors necessary for embryonic development. In particular, egg white and yolk proteins are considered functional food substances because they possess biological activities such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, metal-chelating, antihypertensive, anticancer, and immunomodulatory activities. Peptides produced via processes such as enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation by microorganisms, and some chemical and physical treatments of egg proteins have been shown to enhance the functional properties and solubility of these peptides. Peptide activity is strongly related to amino acid sequence, composition, and length. At present, cancer remains among the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and therefore research aimed at developing new treatments for cancer immunotherapy is of great interest. The present review focuses primarily on the anticancer and immunomodulatory activities of egg proteins and their peptides and provides some insight into their underlying mechanisms of action. A number of egg proteins and peptides have been reported to induce apoptosis in cancer cells, protect against DNA damage, decrease the invasion ability of cancer cells, and exhibit cytotoxic and antimutagenic activity in various cancer cell lines. Furthermore, egg proteins and peptides can stimulate or suppress pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokines, as well as affect the production of inflammatory mediators in a variety of cell lines. In addition, the composition of eggs and the processes of egg proteins and peptides production will be discussed.

ER and PI3K Pathway Activity in Primary ER Positive Breast Cancer Is Associated with Progression-Free Survival of Metastatic Patients under First-Line Tamoxifen

Estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer patients are eligible for hormonal treatment, but only around half respond. A test with higher specificity for prediction of endocrine therapy response is needed to avoid hormonal overtreatment and to enable selection of alternative treatments. A novel testing method was reported before that enables measurement of functional signal transduction pathway activity in individual cancer tissue samples, using mRNA levels of target genes of the respective pathway-specific transcription factor. Using this method, 130 primary breast cancer samples were analyzed from non-metastatic ER+ patients, treated with surgery without adjuvant hormonal therapy, who subsequently developed metastatic disease that was treated with first-line tamoxifen. Quantitative activity levels were measured of androgen and estrogen receptor (AR and ER), PI3K-FOXO, Hedgehog (HH), NFκB, TGFβ, and Wnt pathways. Based on samples with known pathway activity, thresholds were set to distinguish low from high activity. Subsequently, pathway activity levels were correlated with the tamoxifen treatment response and progression-free survival. High ER pathway activity was measured in 41% of the primary tumors and was associated with longer time to progression (PFS) of metastases during first-line tamoxifen treatment. In contrast, high PI3K, HH, and androgen receptor pathway activity was associated with shorter PFS, and high PI3K and TGFβ pathway activity with worse treatment response. Potential clinical utility of assessment of ER pathway activity lies in predicting response to hormonal therapy, while activity of PI3K, HH, TGFβ, and AR pathways may indicate failure to respond, but also opens new avenues for alternative or complementary targeted treatments.

Who Will Benefit From Kinematically Aligned Total Knee Arthroplasty? Perspectives on Patient-Reported Outcome Measures

BACKGROUND

Indications for kinematically aligned total knee arthroplasty (KA-TKA) have remained contentious. This study aimed at exploring preoperative characteristics of patients who were suitable for and benefited from KA-TKA, based on the assessment of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).

METHODS

Subjects comprised 100 patients undergoing KA-TKA and 100 patients undergoing mechanically aligned (MA)-TKA due to end-stage osteoarthritis. Bone cuts were performed using portable navigation systems according to 3D planning data from computed tomography. At 2 years postoperatively, all 200 patients were assessed for PROMs, including Knee Society Score 2011, pain catastrophizing scale, and pain DETECT score. Multiple regression analysis was performed with activity subscore set as a dependent variable. Principal component analysis was used to evaluate patient satisfaction and function components transformed from the 3 PROMs and to compare these components between KA-TKA and MA-TKA.

RESULTS

Male gender or use of KA technique positively affected advanced activity score, whereas age, body mass index, preoperative pain DETECT score, and preoperative femorotibial angle showed negative effects. In principal component analysis, 38 KA-TKA patients achieved a higher function score, with satisfaction scores comparable to those from MA-TKA. These 38 patients were characterized by a higher percentage of males, younger age, and higher preoperative total activity score.

CONCLUSION

From the perspective of PROMs, KA-TKA should be favored over MA-TKA for young active males, because these patient groups achieved higher functional activity when undergoing KA-TKA.

Research Advances of Purple Sweet Potato Anthocyanins: Extraction, Identification, Stability, Bioactivity, Application, and Biotransformation

Purple sweet potato anthocyanins are kinds of natural anthocyanin red pigments extracted from the root or stem of purple sweet potato. They are stable and have the functions of anti-oxidation, anti-mutation, anti-tumor, liver protection, hypoglycemia, and anti-inflammation, which confer them a good application prospect. Nevertheless, there is not a comprehensive review of purple sweet potato anthocyanins so far. The extraction, structural characterization, stability, functional activity, application in the food, cosmetics, medicine, and other industries of anthocyanins from purple sweet potato, together with their biotransformation in vitro or by gut microorganism are reviewed in this paper, which provides a reference for further development and utilization of anthocyanins.

Pain and activity after vaginal reconstructive surgery for pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence

BACKGROUND

Little is known about short- and long-term pain and functional activity after surgery for pelvic organ prolapse.

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of the study were to describe postoperative pain and functional activity after transvaginal native tissue reconstructive surgery with apical suspension and retropubic synthetic midurethral sling and to compare these outcomes between patients receiving 2 common transvaginal prolapse repairs, uterosacral ligament, and sacrospinous ligament vaginal vault suspension.

STUDY DESIGN

This planned secondary analysis of a 2 × 2 factorial randomized trial included 374 women randomized to receive uterosacral (n = 188) or sacrospinous (n = 186) vaginal vault suspension to treat both stages 2-4 apical vaginal prolapse and stress urinary incontinence between 2008 and 2013 at 9 medical centers. Participants were also randomized to receive perioperative pelvic muscle therapy or usual care. All patients received transvaginal native tissue repairs and a midurethral sling. Participants completed the Surgical Pain Scales (0-10 numeric rating scales; higher scores = greater pain) and Activity Assessment Scale (0-100; higher score = higher activity) prior to surgery and at 2 weeks, 4-6 weeks, and 3 months postoperatively. The MOS 36-item Short-Form Health Survey was completed at baseline and 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery; the bodily pain, physical functioning, and role-physical subscales were used for this analysis (higher scores = less disability). Self-reported pain medication use was also collected.

RESULTS

Before surgery, average pain at rest and during normal activity were (adjusted mean ± SE) 2.24 ± 0.23 and 2.76 ± 0.25; both increased slightly from baseline at 2 weeks (+0.65, P = .004, and +0.74, P = .007, respectively) and then decreased below baseline at 3 months (-0.87 and -1.14, respectively, P < .001), with no differences between surgical groups. Pain during exercise/strenuous activity and worst pain decreased below baseline levels at 4-6 weeks (-1.26, P = .014, and -0.95, P = .002) and 3 months (-1.97 and -1.50, P < .001) without differences between surgical groups. Functional activity as measured by the Activity Assessment Scale improved from baseline at 4-6 weeks (+9.24, P < .001) and 3 months (+13.79, P < .001). The MOS 36-item Short-Form Health Survey Bodily Pain, Physical Functioning, and Role-Physical Scales demonstrated significant improvements from baseline at 6, 12, and 24 months (24 months: +5.62, +5.79, and +4.72, respectively, P < .001 for each) with no differences between groups. Use of narcotic pain medications was reported by 14.3% of participants prior to surgery and 53.7% at 2 and 26.1% at 4-6 weeks postoperatively; thereafter use was similar to baseline rates until 24 months when it decreased to 6.8%. Use of nonnarcotic pain medication was reported by 48.1% of participants prior to surgery, 68.7% at 2 weeks, and similar to baseline at 3 months; thereafter use dropped steadily to 26.6% at 2 years. Uterosacral ligament suspension resulted in less new or worsening buttock pain than sacrospinous suspension at 4-6 weeks postoperatively (4.6% vs 10.5%, P = .043) but no difference in groin or thigh pain.

CONCLUSION

Pain and functional activity improve for up to 2 years after native tissue reconstructive surgery with uterosacral or sacrospinous vaginal vault suspension and midurethral sling for stages 2-4 pelvic organ prolapse. On average, immediate postoperative pain is low and improves to below baseline levels by 4-6 weeks.

Prevalence, risk factors, circumstances for falls and level of functional independence among geriatric population - A descriptive study

Background

Falls is one of the common problems faced by elderly population and in preventing falls in India, research has largely focused on identification and management of risk factors, but the circumstances of the fall and its associated factors are sparsely researched.

Objectives

The primary objective is to find the prevalence of fall, investigate risk factors, and its circumstances for falls and level of functional independence in elderly population. The secondary objective is to find out fear of fall (FOF) and its association of demographic factors on elderly population.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study; 2049 elderly population of 60 years and above were recruited by one-stage cluster sampling technique within Mumbai, Panvel, and Thane cities, Maharashtra. Data were collected using a questionnaire, Fall Efficacy Scale-International, Barthel Index, and Kuppuswamy Scale. Obtained responses were analyzed using SPSS software; descriptive statistics and Chi-square test were applied.

Results

The prevalence of falls in this study found as 24.98%. Demographic factors such as age group, education, marital status, and socio-economic status had demonstrated a significant association with older adults (P < 0.05); 44.92% of falls occurred in the morning, the majority of falls (65.43%) occurred indoors, 56.45% of the fallers reported to had slips, and 60.55% of the fallers had sustained injuries. From the total participants, 34.70% of the fallers reported FOF, 23.67% of the fallers expressed reduced functional activities, and 18.06% of the fallers demonstrated affection in activities of daily living.

Conclusion

This study reveals fall as a significant health problem and provides insight into the influencing risk factors for falls among older adults.

Driving scene-based driving errors in brain injury patients and their relevance to cognitive-perceptual function and functional activity level: A cross-sectional study

Driving is an essential activity for community engagement in patients with brain injury. However, brain injury patients have cognitive-perceptual deficits and low independence in daily activities. The aims of this study were to identify the driving errors of brain injury patients and determine their relevance to cognitive-perception function and daily activity level. This study was conducted at a single rehabilitation hospital. Thirty-one brain injury patients were included in the study. The patients underwent a driving-scene-based simulator evaluation in the rehabilitation clinic. Driving errors were checked using automatic software. Perceptual ability was measured using Motor-free Visual Perceptual Test (MVPT) and Cognitive-perceptual Assessment for Driving (CPAD). A linear relationship was found between the driving aptitude score, steering wheel and judgment, simultaneous operation items, total score of road course test, and cognitive-perceptual functions and daily activity levels of the participants (P <.05). The general factors that affected driving errors included driving experience, age, part of the hemispheric affected, and presence of vascular injury (P <.05). In addition, the Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) score and the CPAD score correlated with driving errors (P <.05). The total error score of the participants correlated with the Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) score (P <.05).These findings suggest that driving experience and age have more influence on driving error than perceptual level due to brain damage. In addition, it was found that the basic level of daily living influences overall operating errors.

Characterization and identification of antimicrobial peptides with different functional activities

In recent years, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have become an emerging area of focus when developing therapeutics hot spot residues of proteins are dominant against infections. Importantly, AMPs are produced by virtually all known living organisms and are able to target a wide range of pathogenic microorganisms, including viruses, parasites, bacteria and fungi. Although several studies have proposed different machine learning methods to predict peptides as being AMPs, most do not consider the diversity of AMP activities. On this basis, we specifically investigated the sequence features of AMPs with a range of functional activities, including anti-parasitic, anti-viral, anti-cancer and anti-fungal activities and those that target mammals, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. A new scheme is proposed to systematically characterize and identify AMPs and their functional activities. The 1st stage of the proposed approach is to identify the AMPs, while the 2nd involves further characterization of their functional activities. Sequential forward selection was employed to extract potentially informative features that are possibly associated with the functional activities of the AMPs. These features include hydrophobicity, the normalized van der Waals volume, polarity, charge and solvent accessibility-all of which are essential attributes in classifying between AMPs and non-AMPs. The results revealed the 1st stage AMP classifier was able to achieve an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) value of 0.9894. During the 2nd stage, we found pseudo amino acid composition to be an informative attribute when differentiating between AMPs in terms of their functional activities. The independent testing results demonstrated that the AUCs of the multi-class models were 0.7773, 0.9404, 0.8231, 0.8578, 0.8648, 0.8745 and 0.8672 for anti-parasitic, anti-viral, anti-cancer, anti-fungal AMPs and those that target mammals, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, respectively. The proposed scheme helps facilitate biological experiments related to the functional analysis of AMPs. Additionally, it was implemented as a user-friendly web server (AMPfun, http://fdblab.csie.ncu.edu.tw/AMPfun/index.html) that allows individuals to explore the antimicrobial functions of peptides of interest.

Temporal Variability of Cortical Gyral-Sulcal Resting State Functional Activity Correlates With Fluid Intelligence

The human cerebral cortex is highly convoluted as convex gyri and concave sulci. In the past decades, extensive studies have consistently revealed substantial differences between gyri and sulci in terms of genetics, anatomy, morphology, axonal fiber connections, and function. Although interesting findings have been reported to date to elucidate the functional difference between gyri and sulci, the temporal variability of functional activity, which could explain individual differences in learning and higher-order cognitive functions, and as well as differences in gyri and sulci, remains to be explored. The present study explored the temporal variability of cortical gyral-sulcal resting state functional activity and its association with fluid intelligence measures on the Human Connectome Project dataset. We found that the temporal variance of resting state fMRI BOLD signal was significantly larger in gyri than in sulci. We also found that the temporal variability of certain regions including middle frontal cortex, inferior parietal lobe and visual cortex was positively associated with fluid intelligence. Moreover, those regions were predominately located in gyri rather than in sulci. This study reports initial evidence for temporal variability difference of functional activity between gyri and sulci, and its association with fluid intelligence measures, and thus provides novel insights to understand the mechanism and functional relevance of gyri and sulci.

A Three-Site Clinical Feasibility Study of a Flexible Functional Electrical Stimulation System to Support Functional Task Practice for Upper Limb Recovery in People With Stroke

Introduction: Of those people who survive a stroke, only between 40 and 70% regain upper limb dexterity. A number of reviews have suggested that functional electrical stimulation (FES) may have a beneficial effect on upper limb motor recovery. In light of the promise offered by FES and the limitations with current systems a new system was developed (FES-UPP) to support people with stroke (PwS) to practice a range of voluntary controlled, FES-assisted functional activities. Objective: This paper reports on a three center clinical investigation with the primary aim of demonstrating compliance of the new FES system with relevant essential requirements of the EU Medical Device Directive, namely to evaluate whether use of the FES-UPP enables PwS to perform a wider range of functional activities, and/or perform the same activities in an improved way. Design: Clinical investigation and feasibility study. Settings: An in-patient stroke unit, a combined Early Supported Discharge (ESD) and community service, and an outpatient clinic and in-patient stroke unit. Participants: Nine therapists and 22 PwS with an impaired upper limb. Intervention: Every PwS was offered up to eight sessions of FES-UPP therapy, each lasting ~1 h, over a period of up to 6 weeks. Primary and secondary outcome measures: The operation, acceptability, and feasibility of the interventions were assessed using video rating and the Wolf Motor Function Test Functional Ability Scale (WMF-FAS), direct observations of sessions and questionnaires for therapists and PwS. Results: The system enabled 24% (Rater A) and 28% (Rater B) of PwS to carry out a wider range of functional tasks and improved the way in which the tasks were performed (mean scores of 2.6 and 2.2 (with FES) vs. mean scores 1.5 and 1.3 (without FES) (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The FES-UP proved feasible to use in three different clinical environments, with PwS who varied widely in their impairment levels and time since stroke. Therapists and therapy assistants from a wide range of backgrounds, with varying degrees of computer and/or FES knowledge, were able to use the system without on-site technical support.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Achieve Better Satisfaction but Lower Functional Activities as Compared to Osteoarthritis Patients After Total Knee Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Recently, poor patient satisfaction after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has gained attention mainly in osteoarthritis (OA) patients; however, satisfaction after TKA remains to be understood in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. This study aimed to examine satisfaction and function after RA TKA using patient-reported outcome measures and to compare the results with those of OA-TKA.

METHODS

This study enrolled 534 TKAs of 501 patients consisting of 75 TKAs of 70 RA patients and 459 TKAs of 431 OA patients. Data of patient-reported outcome measures such as new Knee Society Score 2011, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and Pain DETECT Score were collected at 2 years. Multiple regression analysis was performed with Knee Society Score satisfaction score set as a dependent variable in order to clarify factors affecting patient satisfaction. Principle component analysis was performed, and satisfaction and function components were compared between RA and OA.

RESULTS

All activity scores were significantly lower in RA TKA than in OA TKA, whereas the range of motion and patient satisfaction scores were significantly better in RA TKA than in OA TKA. Scores for symptom, expectation, basic activity, and discretional activity positively affected patient satisfaction (P < .001), while Pain Catastrophizing Scale negatively did (P = .021). Importantly, diagnosis of RA itself pushed up the patient satisfaction score by 1.5 points. Principle component analysis revealed that RA TKA achieved significantly higher satisfaction component (P = .001), but lower function component (P < .0001) compared to OA TKA.

CONCLUSION

Patient satisfaction was better but functional activity was lower in RA than in OA. As poor functional activity was evident preoperatively in RA patients, to improve functional outcome should be future challenge for RA TKA.

Common and Specific Functional Activity Features in Schizophrenia, Major Depressive Disorder, and Bipolar Disorder

Objectives: Schizophrenia (SZ), major depressive disorder (MDD), and bipolar disorder (BD) are serious mental disorders with distinct diagnostic criteria. They share common clinical and biological features. However, there are still only few studies on the common and specific brain imaging changes associated with the three mental disorders. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the common and specific functional activity and connectivity changes in SZ, MDD, and BD. Methods: A total of 271 individuals underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging: SZ (n = 64), MDD (n = 73), BD (n = 41), and healthy controls (n = 93). The symptoms of SZ patients were evaluated by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were used to evaluate the symptoms of MDD patients. The BDI, BAI, and Young Mania Rating Scale were used to evaluate the symptoms of MDD and BD patients. In addition, we compared the fALFF and functional connectivity between the three mental disorders and healthy controls using two sample t-tests. Results: Significantly decreased functional activity was found in the right superior frontal gyrus, middle cingulate gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, and decreased functional connectivity (FC) of the insula was found in SZ, MDD, and BD. Specific fALFF changes, mainly in the ventral lateral pre-frontal cortex, striatum, and thalamus were found for SZ, in the left motor cortex and parietal lobe for MDD, and the dorsal lateral pre-frontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, and posterior cingulate cortex in BD. Conclusion: Our findings of common abnormalities in SZ, MDD, and BD provide evidence that salience network abnormality may play a critical role in the pathogenesis of these three mental disorders. Meanwhile, our findings also indicate that specific alterations in SZ, MDD, and BD provide neuroimaging evidence for the differential diagnosis of the three mental disorders.

Kinematics of the Spine During Sit-to-Stand Movement Using Motion Analysis Systems: A Systematic Review of Literature

CONTEXT

Clinical evaluation of the spine is commonplace in musculoskeletal therapies, such as physiotherapy, physical medicine/rehabilitation, osteopathic, and chiropractic clinics. Sit-to-stand (STS) is one of the most mechanically demanding daily activities and crucial to independence. Difficulty or inability to perform STS is common in individuals with a variety of motor disabilities, such as low back pain (LBP).

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate available evidence in literature to determine 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional kinematics of the spine during STS in patients with LBP and healthy young adult participants using motion analysis systems (electromagnetic and marker based).

METHODS

Electronic databases (PubMed/MEDLINE [National Library of Medicine], Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar) were searched between January 2002 and February 2017. Additionally, the reference lists of the articles that met the inclusion criteria were also searched. Prospective studies published in peer-reviewed journals, with full text available in English, investigating the kinematics of the spine during STS in healthy subjects (mean age between 18 and 50 y) or in patients with LBP using motion analysis systems, were included. Sixteen studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria. All information relating to methodology and kinematic modeling of the spine segments along with the outcome measures was extracted from the studies identified for synthesis.

RESULTS

The results indicated that the kinematics of the spine are greatly changed in patients with LBP. In order to develop a better understanding of spine kinematics, studies recommended that the trunk should be analyzed as a multisegment. It has been shown that there is no difference between the kinematics of patients with LBP and healthy population when the spine is analyzed as a single segment. Furthermore, between-gender differences are present during STS movement.

CONCLUSION

This review provided a valuable summary of the research to date examining the kinematics of the spine during STS.

Determining functional activity profiles in patients with upper extremity disorders: is there effect modification by hand-grip strength?

Purpose

The purposes of this study were to investigate the effect of hand-grip strength (HGS) on the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) score in women with upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (UEMDs) living in rural communities and examine whether upper extremity diseases affected upper extremity functional activity in each group (normal/low HGS) and whether grip strength (GS) was an effect modifier in upper extremity functional activity.

Methods

A total of 239 women older than 60 years who had completed a medical workup for epicondylitis, rotator cuff tears, and/or hand osteoarthritis were included in the final study. Functional activity was assessed by DASH, and muscle strength was measured by GS. Low HGS was defined according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (HGS <18 kg in women). Pearson correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between HGS and the DASH score. A multiple regression analysis was performed after defining DASH as a dependent variable and dividing subjects into two groups (low HGS and normal HGS). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS Statistics V.24.

Results

HGS in the participants correlated with the DASH score (r=−0.320, P<0.001). In the low HGS group, waist circumference (B=−0.526, P=0.010) and the DASH score were significantly correlated. In addition, DASH scores were statistically significantly increased as the number of upper extremity diseases increased to 2 (B=11.592, P=0.016) and 3 (B=15.716, P=0.001). The DASH score in the normal HGS group was correlated with the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 score (β=2.680, P<0.001) after adjusting covariates.

Conclusion

We found that HGS in UEMD patients affected health-related quality of life as measured by the DASH. Maintaining hand muscle strength may improve patient functional activity in age-related UEMDs.

Functional activity of natural killer cells in biological fluids in patients with colorectal and ovarian cancers

Aim of the study

To compare the functional activity of natural killer cells depending on the presence of a malignant process and its dissemination.

Material and methods

The study included 20 patients with Stage IIIB, C (FIGO, 2009) ovarian cancer, 10 patients with benign ovarian tumours (BOT), and 20 patients with colorectal cancer (T2-4N0-2M0). The control group consisted of 9 healthy donors. To evaluate the number and functional activity of NK cells, multicolour flow cytometry was performed.

Results

In cancer patients, the relative number of activated NK cells secreting granzyme B (GB) (CD56+CD107a+GB+PF–) was significantly decreased, and the proportion of degranulated NK cells (CD56+CD107a+GB–PF–) was significantly increased, compared to those observed in healthy donors. The total number of NK cells in peripheral blood was low in ovarian cancer patients (p < 0.05). The proportion of activated peripheral blood NK cells containing cytolytic granules GB and perforin (PF) in colorectal cancer patients increased with tumour growth. However, lymph node metastasis did not affect the content and activation of NK cells. Comparative analysis of NK-cell populations in patients with benign and malignant ovarian tumours revealed that the level of CD56+ cells was significantly higher in ascites than in peripheral blood. However, CD56+CD107a+ activated cells and CD56+CD107a+GB+PF+ cells were found more frequently in ascites of BOT patients than in ovarian cancer patients. The degranulated population of NK cells (CD56+CD107a+GB–PF–) was mainly observed in the peripheral blood of ovarian cancer patients.

Graphic representation of pharmacology: Development of an alternative model

Introduction:

Providing clinicians with an easy to grasp and understandable representation of pharmacology is important to allow optimal clinical decisions to be made. Two of the most clinically relevant dimensions are receptor binding affinity and functional activity. The binding affinity for an agonist is described by the dissociation constant (K_A), and an antagonist by the inhibition constant (K_i). Functionally, medications can act as superagonists, agonists, partial agonists, antagonists, partial inverse agonists, or inverse agonists at several receptor sites, transporters, or ion channels. Comprehending the differences between agents is complicated by the number and types of binding sites.

Methods:

Binding and functional data are obtained from primary literature, product labels, human cloned receptor binding, and other sources. Binding affinities are converted into ratios relative to the putative primary receptor for that category of agent. Antipsychotic binding is referenced to dopamine type 2 long (D2L) receptor binding. Binding affinity ratios (BARs) generate a 6-spoked diagram, with D2L as the hub. The most avidly bound sites are the spokes, and the disk diameter represents the BAR. Where functional data are available, they are shown as a pie chart shading the binding site's disk.

Results:

Binding and function diagrams are shown for the antipsychotics where binding data are available and are compared to previous methods of pharmacologic comparisons of antipsychotics.

Discussion:

Use of graphic models of psychotropic pharmacology improves clinician comprehension and may serve as an aid to improve rational therapeutics and patient outcomes.

Inertial Measurement Units for Clinical Movement Analysis: Reliability and Concurrent Validity

The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability and concurrent validity of a commercially available Xsens MVN BIOMECH inertial-sensor-based motion capture system during clinically relevant functional activities. A clinician with no prior experience of motion capture technologies and an experienced clinical movement scientist each assessed 26 healthy participants within each of two sessions using a camera-based motion capture system and the MVN BIOMECH system. Participants performed overground walking, squatting, and jumping. Sessions were separated by 4 ± 3 days. Reliability was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficient and standard error of measurement, and validity was evaluated using the coefficient of multiple correlation and the linear fit method. Day-to-day reliability was generally fair-to-excellent in all three planes for hip, knee, and ankle joint angles in all three tasks. Within-day (between-rater) reliability was fair-to-excellent in all three planes during walking and squatting, and poor-to-high during jumping. Validity was excellent in the sagittal plane for hip, knee, and ankle joint angles in all three tasks and acceptable in frontal and transverse planes in squat and jump activity across joints. Our results suggest that the MVN BIOMECH system can be used by a clinician to quantify lower-limb joint angles in clinically relevant movements.

Detection of synchronous brain activity in white matter tracts at rest and under functional loading

Functional MRI based on blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) contrast is well established as a neuroimaging technique for detecting neural activity in the cortex of the human brain. While detection and characterization of BOLD signals, as well as their electrophysiological and hemodynamic/metabolic origins, have been extensively studied in gray matter (GM), the detection and interpretation of BOLD signals in white matter (WM) remain controversial. We have previously observed that BOLD signals in a resting state reveal structure-specific anisotropic temporal correlations in WM and that external stimuli alter these correlations and permit visualization of task-specific fiber pathways, suggesting variations in WM BOLD signals are related to neural activity. In this study, we provide further strong evidence that BOLD signals in WM reflect neural activities both in a resting state and under functional loading. We demonstrate that BOLD signal waveforms in stimulus-relevant WM pathways are synchronous with the applied stimuli but with various degrees of time delay and that signals in WM pathways exhibit clear task specificity. Furthermore, resting-state signal fluctuations in WM tracts show significant correlations with specific parcellated GM volumes. These observations support the notion that neural activities are encoded in WM circuits similarly to cortical responses.

Functional properties of dopamine transporter oligomers after copper linking

Although it is universally accepted that dopamine transporters (DATs) exist in monomers, dimers and tetramers (i.e. dimers of dimers), it is not known whether the oligomeric organization of DAT is a prerequisite for its ability to take up dopamine (DA), or whether each DAT protomer, the subunit of quaternary structure, functions independently in terms of DA translocation. In this study, copper phenanthroline (CuP) was used to selectively target surface DAT: increasing concentrations of CuP gradually cross-linked natural DAT dimers in LLC-PK₁ cells stably expressing hDAT and thereby reduced DA uptake functionality until all surface DATs were inactivated. DATs that were not cross-linked by CuP showed normal DA uptake with DA K_m at ~ 0.5 μM and DA efflux with basal and amphetamine-induced DA efflux as much as control values. The cocaine analog 2β-carbomethoxy-3β-[4-fluorophenyl]-tropane (CFT) was capable to bind to copper-cross-linked DATs, albeit with an affinity more than fivefold decreased (K_d of CFT = 109 nM after cross-linking vs 19 nM before). A kinetic analysis is offered describing the changing amounts of dimers and monomers with increasing [CuP], allowing the estimation of dimer functional activity compared with a DAT monomer. Consonant with previous conclusions for serotonin transporter and NET that only one protomer of an oligomer is active at the time, the present data indicated a functional activity of the DAT dimer of 0.74 relative to a monomer.

Development and preliminary evidence of the psychometric properties of the GNE myopathy functional activity scale

AIM

GNE myopathy, a rare, severe, progressive myopathy, presents with lower extremity distal muscle weakness. The GNE myopathy functional activity scale (GNEM-FAS) evaluates the impact of GNE myopathy on functioning in adults. This paper presents the psychometric validation of the GNEM-FAS.

PATIENTS & METHODS

Validation of the GNEM-FAS was performed using data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase-II study (n = 46).

RESULTS

Domain score distributions were acceptable. Moderate inter-item correlations (typical range, 0.40-0.70), strong item convergent and discriminant validity and high internal consistency reliability (α = 0.88-0.92) supported the instrument structure. Test-retest reliability was strong (ICC range: 0.87-0.95). Scale scores distinguished among subjects with differing disease severity (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

This study provides preliminary evidence of the GNEM-FAS as a valid, reliable assessment.

Transient warming events occurring after freezing impairs umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells functionality

BACKGROUND

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have shown promising results for the treatment of refractory acute graft-versus-host disease. While safety of MSC infusion has been demonstrated, the use of cryopreserved MSCs in clinical trials has raised concerns regarding the retention of their functional activity. This has led to the recommendation by experts in the field to use freshly harvested MSCs, even though this approach is much less practical from a logistic point of view. In the present study, we revisited the impact of cryopreservation on MSC functionality and addressed the possibility that warming events on frozen cells rather than cryopreservation per se could impact MSC functionality.

METHODS

Following controlled-rate freezing to -130°C, umbilical cord-derived MSCs were left at room temperature (RT) for 2-10 min or on dry ice for 10 min, before being transferred into liquid nitrogen (LqN₂). MSCs of each group were subsequently tested (viability, functionality and cellular damage) and compared with their freshly harvested counterparts.

RESULTS

We demonstrated that freshly harvested MSCs as well as cryopreserved MSCs that were left on dry ice following step-down freezing have comparable viability, functionality and integrity. In contrast, cryopreserved MSCs that were left at RT before being transferred into LqN₂ were functionally impaired and showed cellular damage upon thawing even though they exhibited high viability.

DISCUSSION

Warming events after freezing and not cryopreservation per se significantly impair MSC functionality, indicating that cryopreserved MSCs can be an advantageous alternative to freshly harvested cells for therapeutic purposes.

Promoting Functional Activity Among Nursing Home Residents: A Cross-Sectional Study on Barriers Experienced by Nursing Staff

OBJECTIVE

To obtain insight into (a) the prevalence of nursing staff-experienced barriers regarding the promotion of functional activity among nursing home residents, and (b) the association between these barriers and nursing staff-perceived promotion of functional activity.

METHOD

Barriers experienced by 368 nurses from 41 nursing homes in the Netherlands were measured with the MAastrIcht Nurses Activity INventory (MAINtAIN)-barriers; perceived promotion of functional activities was measured with the MAINtAIN-behaviors. Descriptive statistics and hierarchical linear regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Most often experienced barriers were staffing levels, capabilities of residents, and availability of resources. Barriers that were most strongly associated with the promotion of functional activity were communication within the team, (a lack of) referral to responsibilities, and care routines.

DISCUSSION

Barriers that are most often experienced among nursing staff are not necessarily the barriers that are most strongly associated with nursing staff-perceived promotion of functional activity.

Eel Kisspeptins: Identification, Functional Activity, and Inhibition on both Pituitary LH and GnRH Receptor Expression

The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) presents a blockade of sexual maturation at a prepubertal stage due to a deficient production of gonadotropins. We previously initiated, in the eel, the investigation of the kisspeptin system, one of the major gatekeepers of puberty in mammals, and we predicted the sequence of two Kiss genes. In the present study, we cloned and sequenced Kiss1 and Kiss2 cDNAs from the eel brain. The tissue distributions of Kiss1 and Kiss2 transcripts, as investigated by quantitative real-time PCR, showed that both genes are primarily expressed in the eel brain and pituitary. The two 10-residue long sequences characteristic of kisspeptin, eel Kp1(10) and Kp2(10), as well as two longer sequences, predicted as mature peptides, eel Kp1(15) and Kp2(12), were synthesized and functionally analyzed. Using rat Kiss1 receptor-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells, we found that the four synthesized eel peptides were able to induce [Ca²⁺]_i responses, indicating their ability to bind mammalian KissR-1 and to activate second messenger pathways. In primary culture of eel pituitary cells, all four peptides were able to specifically and dose-dependently inhibit lhβ expression, without any effect on fshβ, confirming our previous data with heterologous kisspeptins. Furthermore, in this eel in vitro system, all four peptides inhibited the expression of the type 2 GnRH receptor (gnrh-r2). Our data revealed a dual inhibitory effect of homologous kisspeptins on both pituitary lhβ and gnrh-r2 expression in the European eel.