Neurosurgical and BCI approaches to visual rehabilitation in occipital lobe tumor patients.

This study investigates the effects of occipital lobe tumors on visual processing and the role of brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies in post-surgical visual rehabilitation. Through a combination of pre-surgical functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), intra-operative direct cortical stimulation (DCS) and Electrocorticography (ECoG), and post-surgical BCI interventions, we provide insight into the complex dynamics between occipital lobe tumors and visual function. Our results highlight a discrepancy between clinical assessments of visual field damage and the patient's reported visual experiences, suggesting a residual functional capacity within the damaged occipital regions.

Investigating unilateral and bilateral motor imagery control using electrocorticography and fMRI in awake craniotomy.

Background: The rapid development of neurosurgical techniques, such as awake craniotomy, has increased opportunities to explore the mysteries of the brain. This is crucial for deepening our understanding of motor control and imagination processes, especially in developing brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies and improving neurorehabilitation strategies for neurological disorders.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze brain activity patterns in patients undergoing awake craniotomy during actual movements and motor imagery, mainly focusing on the motor control processes of the bilateral limbs.

Two-Step Iterative Medical Microwave Tomography.

In the field of medical imaging, microwave tomography (MWT) is based on the scattering and absorption characteristics of different tissues to microwaves and can reconstruct the electromagnetic property distribution of biological tissues non-invasively and without ionizing radiation. However, due to the inherently nonlinear and ill-posed characteristics of MWT calculations, actual imaging is prone to overfitting or artifacts. To address this, this paper proposes a two-step iterative imaging approach for rapid medical microwave tomography.

Novel benzoylurea derivative decreases TRPM7 channel function and inhibits cancer cells migration.

The transient receptor potential melastatin 7 channel (TRPM7) is a nonselective cation channel highly expressed in some human cancer tissues. TRPM7 is involved in the proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cancer cells. Modulation of TRPM7 could be a promising therapeutic strategy for treating cancer; however, efficient and selective pharmacological TRPM7 modulators are lacking.

Enhancement of the anticancer potential and biosafety of BSA-modified, bacterial membrane-coated curcumin nanoparticles.

Bacteria and bacterial components have been widely used as bionanocarriers to deliver drugs to treat tumors. In this study, we isolated bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) with good stability and high yield for macrophage polarization and cell recruitment. Using ultrasound baths, these bacterial OMVs were combined with curcumin nanoparticles (OMV CUR NPs), following which these nanoparticles were modified with bovine serum albumin (BSA) to achieve high biosafety and tumor-targeting effects.

Artificial intelligence in predicting postoperative heterotopic ossification following anterior cervical disc replacement.

Objective: This study aimed to develop and validate a machine learning (ML) model to predict high-grade heterotopic ossification (HO) following Anterior cervical disc replacement (ACDR).

Methods: Retrospective review of prospectively collected data of patients undergoing ACDR or hybrid surgery (HS) at a quaternary referral medical center was performed. Patients diagnosed as C3-7 single- or multi-level cervical disc degeneration disease with > 2 years of follow-up and complete pre- and postoperative radiological imaging were included.

Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound for essential tremor: a prospective, single center, single-arm study.

JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202409000-00041/figure1/v/2024-01-16T170235Z/r/image-tiff The safety and effectiveness of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy has been broadly established and validated for the treatment of essential tremor. In 2018, the first magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound system in Chinese mainland was installed at the First Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital.

Response of soil CO emissions and water-carbon use efficiency of winter wheat to different straw returning methods and irrigation scenarios.

Background: The shortage of water resources and the increase of greenhouse gas emissions from soil seriously restrict the sustainable development of agriculture. Under the premise of ensuring a stable yield of winter wheat through a reasonable irrigation scenario, identifying a suitable straw returning method will have a positive effect on agricultural carbon sequestration and emission reduction in North China Plain.

Results: Straw burying (SR) and straw mulching (SM) were adopted based on traditional tillage under in the winter wheat growing season of 2020-2021 and 2021-2022.

Bacteria and Bacterial Components as Natural Bio-Nanocarriers for Drug and Gene Delivery Systems in Cancer Therapy.

Bacteria and bacterial components possess multifunctional properties, making them attractive natural bio-nanocarriers for cancer diagnosis and targeted treatment. The inherent tropic and motile nature of bacteria allows them to grow and colonize in hypoxic tumor microenvironments more readily than conventional therapeutic agents and other nanomedicines. However, concerns over biosafety, limited antitumor efficiency, and unclear tumor-targeting mechanisms have restricted the clinical translation and application of natural bio-nanocarriers based on bacteria and bacterial components.

BTN3A3 inhibits clear cell renal cell carcinoma progression by regulating the ROS/MAPK pathway via interacting with RPS3A.

Butyrophilin subfamily 3 member A3 (BTN3A3) is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily and functions as a tumor suppressor in multiple cancer types. Our study has revealed that in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), patients who express high levels of BTN3A3 experience longer survival times than those with lower expression. Further, we have observed that BTN3A3 inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of ccRCC cells.

Combination of MJ1 with DSM4166 or mutant CHA0- improved crop quality, soil properties, and microbial communities in barrier soil.

Soil salinization and acidification seriously damage soil health and restricts the sustainable development of planting. Excessive application of chemical fertilizer and other reasons will lead to soil acidification and salinization. This study focus on acid and salinized soil, investigated the effect of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria, MJ1 combined with nitrogen-fixing bacteria DSM4166 or mutant CHA0- on crop quality, soil physicochemical properties, and microbial communities.

Intracellular zinc protects Kv7 K channels from Ca/calmodulin-mediated inhibition.

Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace element; it serves as a cofactor for a great number of enzymes, transcription factors, receptors, and other proteins. Zinc is also an important signaling molecule, which can be released from intracellular stores into the cytosol or extracellular space, for example, during synaptic transmission. Amongst cellular effects of zinc is activation of Kv7 (KCNQ, M-type) voltage-gated potassium channels.

Assessing the impact of seasonal freezing and thawing on the soil microbial quality in arid northwest China.

In drylands, soil microorganisms play a vital role in restoring degraded soils, and soil microbiota is significantly affected by human activities and climate events, such as seasonal freezing and thawing. However, the response of soil microbes to freezing and thawing, as well as their properties in drylands agroecosystems, remains unknown. This study investigated the effects of seasonal freezing and thawing on soil fungal and bacterial communities, multifunctionality, and soil microbial quality in a dryland agroecosystem.

Deciphering the Biochemical Similarities and Differences Among Human Neuroglial Cells and Glioma Cells Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy.

Background: The use of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to identify the peritumoral tissue of gliomas proves the potential of this technique to distinguish normal brain tissues from glioma tissues. However, due to the heterogeneity of gliomas, it is difficult to characterize the representative spectra of normal brain tissues and glioma tissues. The linear spectra of major cellular components, such as microglia, astrocytes, and glioma cells, were obtained to quantify the biochemical changes between healthy cells and tumor cells, and provide supporting data for the final distinction between tumor and normal brain tissue.

The application of enzymatic fermented soybean effectively regulates associated microbial communities in tea soil and positively affects lipid metabolites in tea new shoots.

Compared with traditional organic fertilizer, fermented soybean is a better fertilizer resource in tea plantations. The application of organic fertilizer is a feasible practice to mitigate the soil degradation caused by the overuse of chemical fertilizers, which can effectively regulate soil microbial communities in tea plantations. However, the effects of fermented soybean on soil microbial communities, soil metabolites and metabolites in tea new shoots have not been systematically demonstrated, and their interactions have never been studied.

Response of Bacterial Community to the Occurrence of Clubroot Disease in Chinese Cabbage.

Clubroot disease is a common soilborne disease caused by Wor. and widely occurs in Chinese cabbage. Soil microorganisms play vital roles in the occurrence and development of plant diseases.

Fluorinated covalent organic frameworks as a stationary phase for separation of fluoroquinolones by capillary electrochromatography.

A fluorinated covalent organic framework composed of 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoroterephthaldehyde (TFA) and 1,3,5-tri(4-aminophenyl)benzene (TAPB) is proposed for electrochromatographic separation. TFA-TAPB is for the first time regarded as the stationary phase of capillary electrochromatography. The TFA-TAPB-coated capillary columns exhibited satisfactory separation (resolution values > 1.

Objective quantification of the severity of postural tremor based on kinematic parameters: A multi-sensory fusion study.

Background: Current clinical assessments of essential tremor (ET) are primarily based on expert consultation combined with reviewing patient complaints, physician expertise, and diagnostic experience. Thus, traditional evaluation methods often lead to biased diagnostic results. There is a clinical demand for a method that can objectively quantify the severity of the patient's disease.

Pretherapeutic functional connectivity of tractography-based targeting of the ventral intermediate nucleus for predicting tremor response in patients with Parkinson's disease after thalamotomy with MRI-guided focused ultrasound.

Objective: Tractography-based direct targeting of the ventral intermediate nucleus (T-VIM) is a novel method that provides patient-specific VIM coordinates. This study aimed to explore the accuracy and predictive value of using T-VIM in combination with tractography and resting-state functional connectivity techniques to perform magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thalamotomy as a treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods: PD patients underwent MRgFUS thalamotomy and were recruited for functional MRI scanning.