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Aims: Parkinson's disease (PD) patients experience improvement in motor symptoms after deep brain stimulation (DBS) and before initiating stimulation. This is called the microlesion effect. However, the mechanism remains unclear. The study aims to comprehensively explore the changes in functional connectivity (FC) patterns in movement‐related brain regions in PD patients during the microlesion phase through seed‐based FC analysis. Methods: The study collected the resting functional magnetic resonance imaging data of 49 PD patients before and after DBS surgery (off stimulation). The cortical and subcortical areas related to motor function were selected for seed‐based FC analysis. Meanwhile, their relationship with the motor scale was investigated. Results: The motor‐related brain regions were selected as the seed point, and we observed various FC declines within the motor network brain regions. These declines were primarily in the left middle temporal gyrus, bilateral middle frontal gyrus, right supplementary motor area, left precentral gyrus, left postcentral gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus, and right superior frontal gyrus after DBS. Conclusion: The movement‐related network was extensively reorganized during the microlesion period. The study provided new information on enhancing motor function from the network level post‐DBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐performance and durable membranes are being sought to enable energy‐efficient CO2 capture. Although representing an appealing candidate for the above application, successful translation of distinct properties of MOF filler into hybrid composite membranes (HCMs) remains challenging. In this study, we synthesized uniform hollow defect‐engineered UiO‐66 nanoparticles as filler for enhancing the CO2/N2 separation performance and durability of Pebax‐2533 membranes. The existence of missing‐linker defects in the framework not only endows HCMs with higher CO2/N2 adsorption selectivity but also provides ultrafast CO2 transport pathways; moreover, hollow structure of UiO‐66 not only contributes to better filler dispersibility in polymeric matrix but also reduces CO2 diffusion path length. Obtained HCMs manifest concurrently increased CO2 permeability (3100 Barrer) and CO2/N2 separation factor (44), far exceeding state‐of‐the‐art 2019 upper bound for polymer membranes; moreover, our membranes exhibit enhanced resistance toward plasticization, physical aging, and water vapors under harsh operation conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) patients undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery require subsequent programming, which is complex and cumbersome. The local field potential (LFP) in the deep brain is associated with motor symptom improvement. The current study aimed to identify LFP biomarkers correlated with improved motor symptoms in PD patients after DBS and verify their guiding role in postoperative programming. Methods: Initially, the study included 36 PD patients undergoing DBS surgery. Temporary external electrical stimulation was performed during electrode implantation, and LFP signals around the electrode contacts were collected before and after stimulation. The stimulating contact at 6 months of programming was regarded as the optimal and effective stimulating contact. The LFP signal of this contact during surgery was analyzed to identify potential LFP biomarkers. Next, we randomly assigned another 30 PD patients who had undergone DBS to physician empirical programming and LFP biomarker‐guided programming groups and compared the outcomes. Results: In the first part of the study, LFP signals of electrode contacts changed after electrical stimulation. Electrical stimulation reduced gamma energy and the beta/alpha oscillation ratio. The different programming method groups were compared, indicating the superiority of beta/alpha oscillations ratio‐guided programming over physician experience programming for patients' improvement rate (IR) of UPDRS‐III. There were no significant differences in the IR of UPDRS‐III, post‐LED, IR‐PDQ39, number of programmings, and the contact change rate between the gamma oscillations‐guided programming and empirical programming groups. Conclusion: Overall, the findings reveal that gamma oscillations and the beta/alpha oscillations ratio are potential biomarkers for programming in PD patients after DBS. Instead of relying solely on spike action potential signals from single neurons, LFP biomarkers can provide the appropriate depth for electrode placement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Predicting Parkinson's disease (PD) can provide patients with targeted therapies. However, disease severity can be roughly evaluated in clinical practice based on the patient's symptoms and signs. Objective: The current study attempted to explore the factors linked with PD severity and construct a predictive model. Method: The PD patients and healthy controls were recruited from our study center while recording their basic demographic information. The serum inflammatory markers levels, such as Cystatin C (Cys C), C‐reactive protein (CRP), RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted), Interleukin‐10 (IL‐10), and Interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) were determined for all the participants. PD patients were categorized into early and mid‐advanced groups based on the Hoehn and Yahr (H‐Y) scale and evaluated using PD‐related scales. LASSO logistic regression analysis (Model C) helped select variables based on clinical scale evaluations, serum inflammatory factor levels, and transcranial sonography measurements. The optimal harmonious model coefficient λ was determined via 10‐fold cross‐validation. Moreover, Model C was compared with multivariate (Model A) and stepwise (Model B) logistic regression. The area under the curve (AUC) of a receiver operator characteristic (ROC), brier score, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) helped determine the discrimination and calibration of the predictive model, followed by configuring a forest plot and column chart. Results: The study included 113 healthy individuals and 102 PD patients, with 26 early and 76 mid‐advanced patients. Univariate analysis of variance screened out statistically significant differences among inflammatory markers Cys C and RANTES. The average Cys C level in the mid‐advanced stage was significantly higher than in the early stage (p < 0.001) but not for RANTES (p = 0.740). The LASSO logistic regression model (λ.1se = 0.061) associated with UPDRS‐I, UPDRS‐II, UPDRS‐III, HAMA, PDQ‐39, and Cys C as the included independent variables revealed that the Model C discrimination and calibration (AUC = 0.968, Brier = 0.049) were superior to Model A (AUC = 0.926, Brier = 0.079) and Model B (AUC = 0.929, Brier = 0.071) models. Conclusion: The study results show multiple factors are linked with PD assessment. Moreover, the inflammatory marker Cys C and transcranial sonography measurement could objectively predict PD symptom severity, helping doctors monitor PD evolution in patients while targeting interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Ultrasound can be used to non-invasively and rapidly examine airway conditions, but vocal cord visualization with the traditional approaches is poor. Our aim was to compare the accuracies of front-side transverse-axis ultrasound (FTU), lateral-side longitudinal-axis ultrasound (LLU), and the combination of both approaches for vocal cord movement disorder diagnoses (e.g., vocal cord paralysis or arytenoid cartilage dislocation). Methods We compared FTU, LLU, and the combination of both methods for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). We used nasal fiber-optic endoscopy to confirm vocal cord injury. Results Among the 120 patients examined, 24 (20%) had vocal cord paralysis. The visualization rate of vocal cords for FTU was 71.7% (assessable, 86; non-assessable, 34), that for LLU was 88.3% (assessable, 106; non-assessable, 14), and that for the combined approach was 96.7% (assessable, 116; non-assessable, 4). The sensitivities and specificities were 58.3% (14/24) and 75% (72/96) for FTU, 91.7% (22/24) and 87.5% (84/96) for LLU, and 100% (24/24) and 95.8% (92/96) for the combined approach. Visualization rates for LLU were significantly higher than for FTU (P = 0.002); FTU + LLU rates were higher than those for FTU (P = 0.001). The difference between LLU and FTU + LLU was not statistically significant (P = 0.025). Conclusion LLU can be used to evaluate arytenoid cartilage activity in ICUs, and the results are highly correlated with the diagnosis of nasal fiber-optic endoscopy. The combination of FTU and LLU shows promise as a rapid primary screening method for vocal cord injury., Author(s): Zhengshang Ruan [sup.1], Rongrong Ren [sup.1], Wenwen Dong [sup.1], Junjie Ma [sup.3], Zhenyu Xu [sup.2], Yanfei Mao [sup.1], Lai Jiang [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) 0000 0004 0368 8293, grid.16821.3c, [...]

The real-time evaluation of slope stability is a crucial technical issue in foundation excavation and slope construction. However, conventional monitoring methods often fall short of achieving real-time and accurate measurements, which poses challenges to the timely assessment of slope stability. To address this problem, laboratory tests and numerical simulations were jointly used to evaluate slope stability in this paper. In numerical simulations, the finite element method (FEM) results clearly illustrate the distribution and evolution of internal strain during slope excavation, and the limit equilibrium method (LEM) calculates changes in the safety factor. In laboratory tests, the fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensing technology was employed to monitor the internal strain of the slope in real time. The distribution characteristics of the slope internal strain field under the condition of stepped excavation were analyzed, and the feasibility of strain-based evaluation of slope stability was discussed. The measurements with FBG sensing technology agree well with the numerical simulation results, indicating that FBG can effectively monitor soil strain information. Of great significance is that the maximum horizontal strain of the slope is closely related to the safety factor and can be used to evaluate slope stability. Notably, the horizontal soil strain of the slope provides insight into both the formation and evolution of the critical sliding surface during excavation. The combination of numerical simulation and intelligent monitoring technology based on FBG proposed in this paper provides a reference for capturing strain information inside the slope and realizing real-time assessment and critical warning of slope stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]