Efficacy and safety of rituximab in patients with lupus nephritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Our aim was to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of rituximab (RTX) in patients with lupus nephritis (LN).

Materials And Methods: PubMed, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Cochrane Library, and Wanfang Databases were searched to collect literature on the efficacy and safety of RTX in patients with LN. Odds ratios (ORs), weighted mean differences (WMDs), and standardized mean differences (SMDs) were used to represent treatment efficacy and overall outcome.

CD2 glycoprotein and CD44 structure and prevention of diabetes nephropathy: Central characteristics of related genes based on WGCNA and PPI.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a prevalent complication of diabetes mellitus, characterized by complex pathogenesis that involves numerous molecules and signaling pathways. Among these, CD2 glycoprotein and CD44 play pivotal roles in cell adhesion, signal transduction, and inflammatory responses, potentially contributing significantly to the onset and progression of DN. This study aimed to investigate the central features of CD2 glycoprotein and CD44 in preventing diabetic nephropathy.

Transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation improved motor cortex excitability in healthy adults: a randomized, single-blind, self-crossover design study.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation (tcVNS) on motor cortex excitability in healthy adults.

Method: Twenty eight healthy subjects were assigned to receive real and sham tcVNS for 30 min. The interval between the real and sham conditions was more than 24 h, and the sequence was random.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation improves swallowing initiation in patients with post-stroke dysphagia.

Objective: More than half of post-stroke patients develop dysphagia, which manifests as delayed swallowing and is associated with a high risk of aspiration. In this study, we aimed to investigate the immediate effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on swallowing initiation in post-stroke patients using videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) data.

Materials And Methods: This randomized, self-controlled crossover study included 35 patients with post-stroke dysphagia.

Clinical value and feasibility of CT pulmonary angiography with personalized injection of contrast agent in pulmonary embolism.

Objective: To determine the clinical value and feasibility of CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) with personalized injection of contrast agent in pulmonary embolism (PE).

Methods: In the present retrospective study, 130 patients who underwent CTPA examination in our hospital from June 2019 to May 2020 were evaluated. Among them, 67 cases were detected by CTPA with personalized injection of contrast agent as the observation group (Obs group), and 63 cases were detected by CTPA with bolus-tracking (BT) as the control group (Con group).

The sensitivity and specificity of the modified volume-viscosity swallow test for dysphagia screening among neurological patients.

Oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) is a highly prevalent condition after stroke and other neurological diseases. The volume-viscosity swallow test (V-VST) is a screening tool for OD. Considering that the recommendations of volume and thickeners in the original V-VST limited the popularization and application of the test in the Chinese population, we provide the modified V-VST to detect OD among neurological patients.

Effects of auricular acupuncture stimulation on healthy adults' upper limb motor-evoked potentials: A randomized, crossover, double-blind study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether auricular acupuncture has neuromodulatory effects on the motor cortex of healthy adults.

Methods: Fourteen healthy subjects received a real auricular acupuncture stimulation (SF1) session and a sham acupuncture stimulation session. The interval between the two types of stimulation was more than 24 h.

Psychological Effects of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Individuals With Methamphetamine Use Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of rTMS on drug craving, depression, anxiety, sleep, and cognitive function in methamphetamine (MA) dependent individuals.

Data Sources And Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of rTMS interventions for MA-dependent patients were searched through PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database, Chongqing Vipers (VIP) and China Biomedical Literature Database (CBLD). The included literature was statistically processed using Revman 5.

Different Cortex Activation and Functional Connectivity in Executive Function Between Young and Elder People During Stroop Test: An fNIRS Study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the activation and functional connectivity of the prefrontal and temporal lobe in young and elder people during the Stroop test using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).

Methods: A total of 33 healthy volunteers (20 young people, mean age: 23.7 ± 3.

Comparative analysis of arthroscopic-assisted Tight-rope technique and clavicular hook plate fixation in the treatment of Neer type IIB distal clavicle fractures.

Background: The aim of the present study was to compare the clinical efficacy of arthroscopic-assisted fixation using the Tight-rope system and clavicular hook plate fixation in the treatment of Neer IIB distal clavicle fractures.

Methods: We enrolled 48 consecutive patients with Neer IIB distal clavicle fractures who were treated at our institution from February 2016 and August 2020. These patients were divided into 2 groups based on the fixation method (16 cases with Tight-rope system and 32 cases with clavicular hook plate), and demographics and clinical characteristics of patients in different groups were compared.

The Effects of Tai Chi and Baduanjin Activities on Physical Interventions With Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

To evaluate the effect of Tai Chi (TC) and Baduanjin (Bdj) activities on the physical intervention of compulsory segregation drug addicts through a meta-analysis system. Six commonly used databases were searched by computer to collect publicly available studies on the physical interventions of TC and Bdj activities for drug addicts from the time of database construction to May 2021. Two researchers independently screened the literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, jointly extracted the data, and evaluated the quality of the literature, and conducted Meta-analysis using RevMan 5.

Sensorimotor Rhythm-Brain Computer Interface With Audio-Cue, Motor Observation and Multisensory Feedback for Upper-Limb Stroke Rehabilitation: A Controlled Study.

Several studies have shown the positive clinical effect of brain computer interface (BCI) training for stroke rehabilitation. This study investigated the efficacy of the sensorimotor rhythm (SMR)-based BCI with audio-cue, motor observation and multisensory feedback for post-stroke rehabilitation. Furthermore, we discussed the interaction between training intensity and training duration in BCI training.

Effect of Intensive Oropharyngeal Training on Radiotherapy-Related Dysphagia in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of intensive oropharyngeal functional training on swallowing in patients with dysphagia after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Methods: Fourteen patients with nasopharyngeal carcinomas and dysphagia after radiotherapy received intensive oropharyngeal training for two weeks. The Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) and videofluoroscopic swallowing studies (VFSS) were used to evaluate swallowing function before and after intensive oropharyngeal training.

Observing errors in a combination of error and correct models favors observational motor learning.

Background: Imitative learning is highly effective from infancy to old age; however, little is known about the effects of observing errors during imitative learning. This study aimed to examine how observing errors affected imitative learning performance to maximize its effect.

Methods: In the pre-training session, participants were instructed to pinch at a target force (8 N) with auditory feedback regarding generated force while they watched videos of someone pinching a sponge at the target force.

Benefits and Mechanisms of Exercise Training for Knee Osteoarthritis.

Knee osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative disease. Cartilage and subchondral bone degeneration, as well as synovitis, are the main pathological changes associated with knee osteoarthritis. Mechanical overload, inflammation, metabolic factors, hormonal changes, and aging play a vital role in aggravating the progression of knee osteoarthritis.

The interaction between PDCD4 and YB1 is critical for cervical cancer stemness and cisplatin resistance.

Cancer multidrug resistance (MDR) is existence in stem cell-like cancer cells characterized by stemness including high-proliferation and self-renewal. Programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4), as a proapoptotic gene, whether it engaged in cancer stemness and cisplatin resistance is still unknown. Here we showed that PDCD4 expressions in Hela/DDP (cisplatin resistance) cells were lower than in parental Hela cells.

Re-evaluating the necessity of routine laboratory tests after high tibial osteotomy surgery.

Background: To assess the utility of routine postoperative laboratory tests for patients undergoing high tibial osteotomy (HTO) surgery.

Methods: The associations between clinical risk factors and postoperative clinical treatment were analyzed. Additionally, a logistic regression analysis was performed to detect independent risk factors for patients requiring postoperative clinical treatment.

Tacrolimus versus cyclophosphamide for patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy and treated with steroids: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: The therapeutic effects of tacrolimus (TAC) versus cyclophosphamide (CTX) were not fully illustrated for patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN).

Methods: The PubMed, EmBase, Cochrane library, and CNKI were systematically searched throughout March 2020 for randomized controlled trials evaluating the therapeutic effects of TAC versus CTX for IMN patients treated with steroids. The pooled relative risks (RRs) and weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the random-effects model.

The Effect of Combined Guidance of Botulinum Toxin Injection with Ultrasound, Catheter Balloon, and Electromyography on Neurogenic Cricopharyngeal Dysfunction: A Prospective Study.

Background: Cricopharyngeal botulinum toxin (BTX) injection is one of the treatments for neurogenic cricopharyngeal dysfunction (CPD). We conducted this prospective study to investigate the effect and safety of BTX injection for neurogenic CPD with a novel guidance.

Methods: Twenty-one patients with neurogenic CPD whose symptoms did not reduce after conventional swallowing therapy were included in this study.

Comparing the efficacy and safety of femtosecond laser-assisted vs conventional penetrating keratoplasty: a meta-analysis of comparative studies.

Purpose: To investigate the safety and efficacy of femtosecond laser-assisted penetrating keratoplasty (FLAK) versus conventional penetrating keratoplasty (CPK).

Methods: A literature search of PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, and Clinicaltrials.gov was conducted for comparative studies published from January 2007 to October 2019.

Relationship Between Vitamin D Level and Mortality in Adults With Psoriasis: A Retrospective Cohort Study of NHANES Data.

Purpose: Studies have shown an increased risk for mortality in patients with psoriasis. Furthermore, research has demonstrated an inverse relationship between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) level and all-cause mortality. This study investigated the association between 25(OH)D level and all-cause mortality in US adults with psoriasis.

The risk factors for early conversion to total knee arthroplasty after high tibial osteotomy.

The primary aim was to identify potential risk factors for early conversion to total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients with high tibial osteotomy (HTO) surgery. A retrospective study was conducted and 240 patients received HTO surgery between January 2008 and January 2014 were included in this study. The associations between different clinical factors and HTO survivorship were analyzed.

High-Frequency rTMS Improves Cognitive Function by Regulating Synaptic Plasticity in Cerebral Ischemic Rats.

Poststroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) is one of the most severe sequelae of stroke and lacks effective treatment. Previous studies have shown that high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) may be a promising PSCI therapeutic approach, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. To uncover the effect of rTMS on PSCI, a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) model was established.

Wubeizi Ointment Suppresses Keloid Formation through Modulation of the mTOR Pathway.

Background: Wubeizi ( Mill.) ointment has been shown as an effective treatment for keloids. However, the protective mechanisms of Wubeizi ointment are not fully understood.