Publications by authors named "Zengyong Li"

51 Publications

Time-evolving coupling functions for evaluating the interaction between cerebral oxyhemoglobin and arterial blood pressure with hypertension.

Authors:
Wenhao Li Ming Zhang Congcong Huo Gongcheng Xu Wei Chen Daifa Wang Zengyong Li

Med Phys 2020 Nov 30. Epub 2020 Nov 30.

Beijing Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technical Aids for Old-Age Disability, National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids, Beijing, 100176, China.

Purposes: This study aimed to investigate the network coupling between arterial blood pressure (ABP) and changes in cerebral oxyhemoglobin concentration (Δ [O Hb]/Δ [HHb]) oscillations based on dynamical Bayesian inference in hypertensive subjects.

Methods: Two groups of subjects, consisting of 30 healthy (Group Control, 55.1 ± 10.6 y), and 32 hypertensive individuals (Group AH, 58.9 ± 8.7 y), participated in this study. A functional near-infrared spectroscopy system was used to measure the Δ [O Hb] and Δ [HHb] signals in the bilateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC/RPFC), motor cortex (LMC/RMC), and occipital lobe (LOL/ROL) during the resting state (12 min). Based on continuous wavelet analysis and coupling functions, the directed coupling strength (CS) between ABP and cerebral hemoglobin was identified and analyzed in three frequency intervals (I: 0.6-2 Hz, II: 0.145-0.6 Hz, III: 0.01-0.08 Hz). The Pearson correlations between the CS and blood pressure parameters were calculated in the hypertension group.

Results: In interval I, Group AH exhibited a significantly higher CS for the coupling from ABP to Δ [O Hb] than Group Control in LMC, RMC, LOL, and ROL. In interval III, the CS from ABP to Δ [O Hb] in LPFC, RPFC, LMC, RMC, LOL, and ROL was significantly higher in Group AH than in Group Control. For the patients with hypertension, diastolic blood pressure was negatively and pulse pressure was positively related to the CS from ABP to Δ [O Hb] oscillations in interval III.

Conclusions: The higher CS from ABP to Δ [O Hb] in interval I indicated that the components of cardiac activity in cerebral hemoglobin oscillations were more directly responsive to the changes in systematic ABP in patients with hypertension than in healthy subjects. Meanwhile, the higher CS from ABP to Δ [O Hb] in interval III indicated that the cerebral hemoglobin oscillations were susceptible to changes in blood pressure in hypertensive subjects. The results may serve as evidence of impairment in cerebral autoregulation after hypertension. The Pearson correlation results showed that diastolic blood pressure and pulse pressure might be regarded as predictors of cerebral autoregulation function in patients with hypertension, and may be useful for hypertension stratification. This study provides novel insights into the interaction mechanism between ABP and cerebral hemodynamics and could help in the development of new assessment techniques for cerebral vascular disease.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mp.14627DOI Listing
November 2020

Median Nerve Electrical Stimulation-Induced Changes in Effective Connectivity in Patients With Stroke as Assessed With Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

Authors:
Congcong Huo Xinglou Li Jing Jing Yanping Ma Wenhao Li Yanqin Wang Wanlin Liu Yubo Fan Shouwei Yue Yonghui Wang Zengyong Li

Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2019 12 24;33(12):1008-1017. Epub 2019 Sep 24.

National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids, Beijing, China.

The cortical plastic changes in response to median nerve electrical stimulation (MNES) in stroke patients have not been entirely illustrated. . This study aimed to investigate MNES-related changes in effective connectivity (EC) within a cortical network after stroke by using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). . The cerebral oxygenation signals in the bilateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC/RPFC), motor cortex (LMC/RMC), and occipital lobe (LOL/ROL) of 20 stroke patients with right hemiplegia were measured by fNIRS in 2 conditions: (1) resting state and (2) MNES applied to the right wrist. Coupling function together with dynamical Bayesian inference was used to assess MNES-related changes in EC among the cerebral low-frequency fluctuations. Compared with the resting state, EC from LPFC and RPFC to LOL was significantly increased during the MNES state in stroke patients. Additionally, MNES triggered significantly higher coupling strengths from LMC and LOL to RPFC. The interregional main coupling direction was observed from LPFC to bilateral motor and occipital areas in responding to MNES, suggesting that MNES could promote the regulation function of ipsilesional prefrontal areas in the functional network. MNES can induce muscle twitch of the stroke-affected hand involving a decreased neural coupling of the contralesional motor area on the ipsilesional MC. MNES can trigger sensorimotor stimulations of the affected hand that sequentially involved functional reorganization of distant cortical areas after stroke. Investigating MNES-related changes in EC after stroke may help further our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying MNES.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1545968319875952DOI Listing
December 2019

Total ankle arthroplasty and ankle arthrodesis affect the biomechanics of the inner foot differently.

Authors:
Yan Wang Duo Wai-Chi Wong Qitao Tan Zengyong Li Ming Zhang

Sci Rep 2019 09 16;9(1):13334. Epub 2019 Sep 16.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.

Ankle arthrodesis and total ankle arthroplasty are the two primary surgeries for treatment of end-stage degenerative ankle arthritis. The biomechanical effects of them on the inner foot are insufficient to identify which is superior. This study compared biomechanical parameters among a foot treated by ankle arthrodesis, a foot treated by total ankle arthroplasty, and an intact foot using computational analysis. Validated finite element models of the three feet were developed and used to simulate the stance phase of gait. The results showed total ankle arthroplasty provides a more stable plantar pressure distribution than ankle arthrodesis. The highest contact pressure, 3.17 MPa, occurred in the medial cuneonavicular joint in the total ankle arthroplasty foot. Neither of the surgeries resulted in contact pressure increase in the subtalar joint. The peak stress in the metatarsal bones was increased in both surgical models, especially the second and third metatarsals. This study enables us to get visual to the biomechanics inside of an intact foot, and feet treated by total ankle arthroplasty and ankle arthrodesis during walking.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-50091-6DOI Listing
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6746773PMC
September 2019

Tai Chi Chuan exercise related change in brain function as assessed by functional near-infrared spectroscopy.

Authors:
Hui Xie Ming Zhang Congcong Huo Gongcheng Xu Zengyong Li Yubo Fan

Sci Rep 2019 09 13;9(1):13198. Epub 2019 Sep 13.

School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China.

Early studies have shown that Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) contributes to the rehabilitation of cognitive disorders and increases blood oxygen concentration levels in the parietal and occipital brain areas; however, the mechanism of TCC training on brain function remains poorly understood. This study hypothesize that TCC has altered brain function and aims to explore the effects of TCC on functional connection and effective connection of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), motor cortex (MC), and occipital cortex (OC). The participants were 23 experienced Chen-style TCC practitioners (TCC group), and 32 demographically matched TCC-naive healthy controls (control group). Functional and effective connections were calculated using wavelet-based coherence analysis and dynamic Bayesian inference method, respectively. Results showed that beyond the intensity of activity in a particular cortical region induced by TCC, significant differences in brain activity and dynamic configuration of connectivity were observed between the TCC and control groups during resting and movement states. These findings suggested that TCC training improved the connection of PFC, MC and OC in myogenic activity, sympathetic nervous system, and endothelial cell metabolic activities; enhanced brain functional connections and relayed the ability of TCC to improve cognition and the anti-memory decline potential.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-49401-9DOI Listing
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6744459PMC
September 2019

Limb linkage rehabilitation training-related changes in cortical activation and effective connectivity after stroke: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study.

Authors:
Congcong Huo Gongcheng Xu Zengyong Li Zeping Lv Qianying Liu Wenhao Li Hongzhuo Ma Daifa Wang Yubo Fan

Sci Rep 2019 04 17;9(1):6226. Epub 2019 Apr 17.

Beijing Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technical Aids for Old-Age Disability, National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids, Beijing, 100176, China.

Stroke remains the leading cause of long-term disability worldwide. Rehabilitation training is essential for motor function recovery following stroke. Specifically, limb linkage rehabilitation training can stimulate motor function in the upper and lower limbs simultaneously. This study aimed to investigate limb linkage rehabilitation task-related changes in cortical activation and effective connectivity (EC) within a functional brain network after stroke by using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) imaging. Thirteen stroke patients with either left hemiparesis (L-H group, n = 6) and or right hemiparesis (R-H group, n = 7) and 16 healthy individuals (control group) participated in this study. A multichannel fNIRS system was used to measure changes in cerebral oxygenated hemoglobin (delta HbO) and deoxygenated hemoglobin (delta HHb) in the bilateral prefrontal cortices (PFCs), motor cortices (MCs), and occipital lobes (OLs) during (1) the resting state and (2) a motor rehabilitation task with upper and lower limb linkage (first 10 min [task_S1], last 10 min [task_S2]). The frequency-specific EC among the brain regions was calculated based on coupling functions and dynamic Bayesian inference in frequency intervals: high-frequency I (0.6-2 Hz) and II (0.145-0.6 Hz), low-frequency III (0.052-0.145 Hz), and very-low-frequency IV (0.021-0.052 Hz). The results showed that the stroke patients exhibited an asymmetric (greater activation in the contralesional versus ipsilesional motor region) cortical activation pattern versus healthy controls. Compared with the healthy controls, the stroke patients showed significantly lower EC (p < 0.025) in intervals I and II in the resting and task states. The EC from the MC and OL to the right PFC in interval IV was significantly higher in the R-H group than in the control group during the resting and task states (p < 0.025). Furthermore, the L-H group showed significantly higher EC from the MC and OL to the left PFC in intervals III and IV during the task states compared with the control group (p < 0.025). The significantly increased influence of the MC and OL on the contralesional PFC in low- and very-low-frequency bands suggested that plastic reorganization of cognitive resources severed to compensate for impairment in stroke patients during the motor rehabilitation task. This study can serve as a basis for understanding task-related reorganization of functional brain networks and developing novel assessment techniques for stroke rehabilitation.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-42674-0DOI Listing
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6470232PMC
April 2019

Frequency-specific functional connectivity related to the rehabilitation task of stroke patients.

Authors:
Kuan Lu Gongcheng Xu Wenhao Li Congcong Huo Qianying Liu Zeping Lv Yonghui Wang Zengyong Li Yubo Fan

Med Phys 2019 Apr 23;46(4):1545-1560. Epub 2019 Feb 23.

Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, 100086, Beijing, China.

Purposes: Stroke survivors suffering from deficits in motor control typically show persistent motor symptoms and limited functional abilities, which affect their functional independence in daily life. Active rehabilitation training is commonly applied for stroke patients to recover from motor dysfunction. The global connectivity reflects the synchronization of cardiac and respiratory activities in the cerebral regions. However, the understanding of the patterns of frequency-specific global connectivity (GC) and functional connectivity (FC) when performing active rehabilitation training is still far from comprehensive. This study was conducted to investigate the brain network patterns of stroke patients while performing a four-limb linkage rehabilitation training using the functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) method.

Methods: Two groups of stroke patients (LH, left hemiplegia; RH, right hemiplegia) and one healthy group were recruited to participate in this study. The wavelet phase coherence (WPCO) method was used to calculate the frequency-specific GC and FC of the brain network in four frequency bands: I, 0.6-2 Hz; II, 0.145-0.6 Hz; III, 0.052-0.145 Hz; and IV, 0.021-0.052 Hz.

Results: Results showed that the healthy group exhibited lower WPCO in the four frequency bands during the task state than during the resting state (P < 0.05). Interestingly, the stroke groups showed increased WPCO in the frequency band II during the task state than during the resting state (P < 0.05). Moreover, significantly lower WPCO values in the frequency bands III (P < 0.05) were found during task state in the RH and LH groups compared with the healthy group. The RH group showed increased WPCO values in the frequency band II during the task state compared with the healthy group (P < 0.05). In addition, the RH group showed increased WPCO in the frequency bands I (P < 0.05) and II (P < 0.05) than the LH group. Notably, the rehabilitation task did not induce significant changes in stroke groups in the frequency band IV, which implied the neurogenic activity.

Conclusions: The reductions in FC suggested that the brain impairments caused a disturbed neurovascular coupling regulation in stroke patients. Results in frequency band IV suggested that the limb movement rehabilitation task intrinsically may not produce remarkable effect on the neurogenic activity of stroke patients. Significant differences in WPCO between the LH and RH groups suggested that the rehabilitation task should be specifically designed for individual rehabilitation. The frequency-specific FC methods based on WPCO would provide a potential approach to quantitatively assess the effect of rehabilitation tasks.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mp.13398DOI Listing
April 2019

Effective Connectivity in Subjects With Mild Cognitive Impairment as Assessed Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

Authors:
Lingguo Bu Congcong Huo Yuexia Qin Gongcheng Xu Yonghui Wang Zengyong Li

Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2019 06;98(6):438-445

From the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, PR China (LB, YW); Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, PR China (LB); Beijing Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technical Aids for Old-Age Disability, National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids, Beijing, PR China (CH, GX, ZL); School of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, PR China (YQ); and Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Aids Technology and System of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Beijing, PR China (ZL).

Objective: This study aimed to reveal the physiological mechanism in subjects with mild cognitive impairment based on effective connectivity method.

Methods: Effective connectivity was assessed by dynamic Bayesian inference of the oxygenated hemoglobin concentration signals measured through functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The oxygenated hemoglobin concentration signals were recorded from the left prefrontal cortex, right prefrontal cortex, left motor cortex, right motor cortex, left occipital lobe, and right occipital lobe of 26 subjects with mild cognitive impairment (mild cognitive impairment group) and 28 healthy elderly subjects (control group) at resting state.

Results: The coupling strength of right prefrontal cortex to left prefrontal cortex (F = 7.964, P = 0.007) and left prefrontal cortex to right occipital lobe (F = 4.278, P = 0.044) in interval III as well as left prefrontal cortex to left occipital lobe (F = 5.637, P = 0.021), right occipital lobe to left prefrontal cortex (F = 4.762, P = 0.034), and right prefrontal cortex to left occipital lobe (F = 4.06, P = 0.049) in interval IV in the mild cognitive impairment group were significantly lower than those in the control group.

Conclusions: The decreased effective connectivity levels among brain regions may be a marker of impaired cognitive function in the mild cognitive impairment group. The constructed effective connectivity network based on functional near-infrared spectroscopy provide a noninvasive method to assess mild cognitive impairment.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/PHM.0000000000001118DOI Listing
June 2019

Direct conversion of cellulose into sorbitol catalyzed by a bifunctional catalyst.

Authors:
Zengyong Li Ying Liu Chuanfu Liu Shubin Wu Weiqi Wei

Bioresour Technol 2019 Feb 24;274:190-197. Epub 2018 Nov 24.

Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.

The conversion of cellulose into sorbitol has been recognized as one of most promising biomass valorization routes for the production of high added-value chemicals. In this work, Sulfonic acid-functionalized carbonized cassava dregs supported ruthenium bifunctional catalyst (Ru/CCD-SOH) was prepared. The Ru/CCD-SOH catalyst was employed for direct conversion of cellulose into sorbitol in a neutral aqueous solution. A sorbitol yield of 63.8% could be obtained at 180 °C for 10 h. The acidic sites and metal hydrogenation sites of the Ru/CCD-SOH catalyst played an important role in hydrolytic hydrogenation of cellulose. Particularly, there presented a strong synergistic effect between sulfonic groups and Ru nanoparticles in conversion of cellulose into sorbitol. This synergistic effect was favorable to enhancing the sorbitol yield. Besides, the stability of Ru/CCD-SOH catalyst was investigated under the optimal reaction conditions. The catalytic performance of catalyst was decreased after being used five times.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2018.11.089DOI Listing
February 2019

Alteration in Brain Functional and Effective Connectivity in Subjects With Hypertension.

Authors:
Lingguo Bu Congcong Huo Gongcheng Xu Ying Liu Zengyong Li Yubo Fan Jianfeng Li

Front Physiol 2018 31;9:669. Epub 2018 May 31.

Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, China.

To reveal the physiological mechanism of the cognitive decline in subjects with hypertension, the functional connectivity (FC) was assessed by using the wavelet phase coherence (WPCO), and effective connectivity (EC) was assessed by using the coupling strength (CS) of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) signals. NIRS signals were continuously recorded from the prefrontal cortex, sensorimotor cortex, and occipital lobes of 13 hypertensive patients (hypertension group, 70 ± 6.5 years old) and 16 elderly healthy subjects (control group, 71 ± 5.5 years old) in resting and standing periods. WPCO and CS were calculated in four frequency intervals: I, 0.6-2; II, 0.145-0.6; III, 0.052-0.145; and IV, 0.021-0.052 Hz. CS quantifies coupling amplitude. In comparison with the control group, the hypertension group showed significantly decreased ( < 0.05) WPCO and CS in intervals III and IV and in the resting and standing states. WPCO and CS were significantly decreased in the resting state compared with those in the standing state in the hypertension group ( < 0.05). Decreased WPCO and CS indicated a reduced network interaction, suggesting disturbed neurovascular coupling in subjects with hypertension. Compared with the control group, the hypertension group showed significantly lower Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) ( = 0.028) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores ( = 0.011). In the hypertension group, correlation analysis showed that WPCO and CS were significantly positively correlated with MMSE and MoCA scores, respectively. These findings may provide evidence of impaired cognitive function in hypertension and can enhance the understanding on neurovascular coupling.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.00669DOI Listing
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5990593PMC
May 2018

Alterations in the coupling functions between cerebral oxyhaemoglobin and arterial blood pressure signals in post-stroke subjects.

Authors:
Honglun Su Congcong Huo Bitian Wang Wenhao Li Gongcheng Xu Qianying Liu Zengyong Li

PLoS One 2018 18;13(4):e0195936. Epub 2018 Apr 18.

Beijing Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technical Aids for Old-Age Disability, National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids, Beijing, P. R. China.

Cerebral autoregulation (CA) is the complex homeostatic regulatory relationship between blood pressure (BP) and cerebral blood flow (CBF). This study aimed to analyze the frequency-specific coupling function between cerebral oxyhemoglobin concentrations (delta [HbO2]) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) signals based on a model of coupled phase oscillators and dynamical Bayesian inference. Delta [HbO2] was measured by 24-channel near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and arterial BP signals were obtained by simultaneous resting-state measurements in patients with stroke, that is, 9 with left hemiparesis (L-H group), 8 with right hemiparesis (R-H group), and 17 age-matched healthy individuals as control (healthy group). The coupling functions from MAP to delta [HbO2] oscillators were identified and analyzed in four frequency intervals (I, 0.6-2 Hz; II, 0.145-0.6 Hz; III, 0.052-0.145 Hz; and IV, 0.021-0.052 Hz). In L-H group, the CS from MAP to delta [HbO2] in interval III in channel 8 was significantly higher than that in healthy group (p = 0.003). Compared with the healthy controls, the coupling in MAP→delta [HbO2] showed higher amplitude in interval I and IV in patients with stroke. The increased CS and coupling amplitude may be an evidence of impairment in CA, thereby confirming the presence of impaired CA in patients with stroke. In interval III, the CS in L-H group from MAP to delta [HbO2] in channel 16 (p = 0.001) was significantly lower than that in healthy controls, which might indicate the compensatory mechanism in CA of the unaffected side in patients with stroke. No significant difference in region-wise CS between affected and unaffected sides was observed in stroke groups, indicating an evidence of globally impaired CA. These findings provide a method for the assessment of CA and will contribute to the development of therapeutic interventions in stroke patients.
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http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0195936PLOS
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5905974PMC
July 2018

Finite element analysis of biomechanical effects of total ankle arthroplasty on the foot.

Authors:
Yan Wang Zengyong Li Duo Wai-Chi Wong Cheng-Kung Cheng Ming Zhang

J Orthop Translat 2018 Jan 30;12:55-65. Epub 2017 Dec 30.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.

Background: Total ankle arthroplasty is gaining popularity as an alternation to ankle arthrodesis for end-stage ankle arthritis. Owing to the complex anatomical characteristics of the ankle joint, total ankle arthroplasty has higher failure rates. Biomechanical exploration of the effects of total ankle arthroplasty on the foot and ankle is imperative for the precaution of postoperative complications. The objectives of this study are (1) to investigate the biomechanical differences of the foot and ankle between the foot with total ankle arthroplasty and the intact foot and (2) to investigate the performance of the three-component ankle prosthesis.

Methods: To understand the loading environment of the inner foot, comprehensive finite element models of an intact foot and a foot with total ankle arthroplasty were developed to simulate the stance phase of gait. Motion analysis on the model subject was conducted to obtain the boundary and loading conditions. The model was validated through comparison of plantar pressure and joint contact pressure between computational prediction and experimental measurement. A pressure mapping system was used to measure the plantar pressure during balanced standing and walking in the motion analysis experiment, and joint contact pressure at the talonavicular joint was measured in a cadaver foot.

Results: Plantar pressure, stress distribution in bones and implants and joint contact loading in the two models were compared, and motion of the prosthesis was analysed. Compared with the intact foot model, averaged contact pressure at the medial cuneonavicular joint increased by 67.4% at the second-peak instant. The maximum stress in the metatarsal bones increased by 19.8% and 31.3% at the mid-stance and second-peak instants, respectively. Force that was transmitted in three medial columns was 0.33, 0.53 and 1.15 times of body weight, respectively, at the first-peak, mid-stance and second-peak instants. The range of motion of the prosthetic ankle was constrained in the frontal plane. The lateral side of the prosthesis sustained higher loading than the medial side.

Conclusion: Total ankle arthroplasty resulted in great increase of contact pressure at the medial cuneonavicular joint, making it sustain the highest contact pressure among all joints in the foot. The motion of the prosthesis was constrained in the frontal plane, and asymmetric loading was distributed in the bearing component of the ankle prosthesis in the mediolateral direction.

The Translational Potential Of This Article: Biomechanical variations resulted from total ankle arthroplasty may contribute to negative postoperative outcomes. The exploration of the biomechanical performance in this study might benefit the surgeons in the determination of surgical protocols to avoid complications. The analysis of the performance of the ankle prosthesis could enhance the knowledge of prosthetic design.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jot.2017.12.003DOI Listing
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5866499PMC
January 2018

Effective Connectivity in Response to Posture Changes in Elderly Subjects as Assessed Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

Authors:
Congcong Huo Ming Zhang Lingguo Bu Gongcheng Xu Ying Liu Zengyong Li Lingling Sun

Front Hum Neurosci 2018 16;12:98. Epub 2018 Mar 16.

Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, China.

This study aims to assess the posture-related changes in frequency-specific effective connectivity (EC) in elderly subjects by coupling function measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). The fNIRS signals were continuously recorded from the bilateral prefrontal cortex (PFC), motor cortex (MC), and occipital lobe (OL) in 17 healthy elderly and 19 healthy young subjects during sitting and standing states. EC was calculated based on Dynamic Bayesian inference in one low frequency interval I: 0.052-0.145 Hz and one very low frequency interval II: 0.021-0.052 Hz. Results show that in response to posture change, the coupling strength significantly increased in interval I of the young group from right PFC to MC ( < 0.05). Meanwhile, the coupling strength of the elderly group was significantly increased in interval II from the left PFC to right PFC ( = 0.008) and to left MC ( = 0.031) in the standing state as compared with that in the sitting state. Compared with that of the young group, the coupling strength of the elderly group was significantly decreased ( < 0.05) between the right PFC and left PFC in interval I and from PFC and OL to MC in interval II during the sitting state. The decreased EC in interval I was also positively correlated with cognitive scores in the elderly group. In addition, the coupling strength from MC to PFC in interval II during standing state was significantly increased in elderly subjects as compared with that in the young group. These results revealed the age-related changes in reorganization of interregional interactions for different postures. These findings may provide evidence of impaired cognitive function in the elderly and can deepen the understanding on age-related changes in neurovascular coupling.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00098DOI Listing
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5865452PMC
March 2018

Effects of poor sleep quality on brain functional connectivity revealed by wavelet-based coherence analysis using NIRS methods in elderly subjects.

Authors:
Lingguo Bu Dawei Wang Congcong Huo Gongcheng Xu Zengyong Li Jianfeng Li

Neurosci Lett 2018 03 31;668:108-114. Epub 2018 Jan 31.

Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, 250061, PR China. Electronic address:

Objective: Poor sleep quality, which is typically related to impairments in cognitive control, is pervasive among the elderly. However, the brain function mechanisms underlying the association between sleep and elderly behavior remain elusive. This study aims to assess the effects of poor sleep quality on low-frequency neural oscillations based on the wavelet phase coherence (WPCO) and wavelet amplitude (WA) of oxyhemoglobin concentration changes (Delta [HbO]) measured through near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) method.

Methods: Subjective sleep quality was measured through the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Continuously recorded NIRS signals from the prefrontal cortex, sensorimotor cortical, and occipital lobes of 15 poor-sleep-quality elderly subjects (PSQ group) as well as 14 healthy elderly subjects (control group) in the resting and task states. The WPCO and WA values were calculated in low frequency (0.01-0.08 Hz). Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the respective degrees of correlation between the WPCO of bilateral prefrontal lobes, WA of left prefrontal cortex (LPFC), WA of right prefrontal cortex (RPFC), F scores, and PSQI scores, respectively.

Results: The WPCO values were significantly lower in the PSQ group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the WA was significantly higher in the PSQ group and was also significantly higher in the resting state than in the task state. The F scores were significantly lower in the PSQ group when performing 1-back task. In the PSQ group, the correlation analysis showed the negative correlation between the PSQI scores and WPCO values. The WA values of LPFC and RFFC exhibited positive correlations with the PSQI scores.

Conclusions: Collectively, these results suggest that poor sleep reduces phase synchronization, which may contribute to the diminished cognitive functions among the sample population.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2018.01.026DOI Listing
March 2018

Frequency-specific Effective Connectivity in Subjects with Cerebral Infarction as Revealed by NIRS Method.

Authors:
Qianying Liu Bitian Wang Ying Liu Zeping Lv Wenhao Li Zengyong Li Yubo Fan

Neuroscience 2018 03 11;373:169-181. Epub 2018 Jan 11.

Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, 100086 Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technical Aids for Old-Age Disability, National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids, Beijing 100176, China. Electronic address:

A connectivity-based approach can highlight the network reorganization in the chronic phases after stroke and contributes to the development of therapeutic interventions. Using dynamic Bayesian inference, this study aimed to assess the effective connectivity (EC) in various frequency bands through the near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) method in subjects with cerebral infarction (CI). A phase-coupling model was established based on phase information extracted using the wavelet transform of NIRS signals. Coupling strength and the main coupling direction were estimated using dynamic Bayesian inference. Wilcoxon test and chi-square test were used to determine the significant difference in EC between two groups. Results showed that the coupling strength of the EC in the CI group significantly decreased relative to that in the healthy group. The decrease was most significant in the frequency intervals IV (0.021 Hz-0.052 Hz; p = 0.0006) and VI (0.005 Hz-0.095 Hz; p = 0.0028). The main coupling direction changed from the right prefrontal cortex to the right motor cortex and left motor cortex in the frequency intervals IV (p = 0.041, p = 0.047) and II (p = 0.0017, p = 0.0036), respectively. The EC decreased or was even lost significantly in the EC map of the CI group. Experimental results indicated that information propagation was blocked in the CI group than in the healthy group and resulted in the decreased coupling strength and connectivity loss. The main coupling direction of the motor section changed from driving into being driven because of the degradation of limb movement function.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.01.007DOI Listing
March 2018

Functional connectivity analysis of distracted drivers based on the wavelet phase coherence of functional near-infrared spectroscopy signals.

Authors:
Gongcheng Xu Ming Zhang Yan Wang Zhian Liu Congcong Huo Zengyong Li Mengyou Huo

PLoS One 2017 27;12(11):e0188329. Epub 2017 Nov 27.

Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, P.R. China.

The present study aimed to evaluate the functional connectivity (FC) in relevant cortex areas during simulated driving with distraction based on functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) method. Twelve subjects were recruited to perform three types of driving tasks, namely, straight driving, straight driving with secondary auditory task, and straight driving with secondary visual vigilance task, on a driving simulator. The wavelet amplitude (WA) and wavelet phase coherence (WPCO) of the fNIRS signals were calculated in six frequency intervals: I, 0.6-2 Hz; II, 0.145-0.6 Hz; III, 0.052-0.145 Hz; IV, 0.021-0.052 Hz; and V, 0.0095-0.021 Hz, VI, 0.005-0.0095Hz. Results showed that secondary tasks during driving led to worse driving performance, brain activity changes, and dynamic configuration of the connectivity. The significantly lower WA value in the right motor cortex in interval IV, and higher WPCO values in intervals II, V, and VI were found with additional auditory task. Significant standard deviation of speed and lower WA values in the left prefrontal cortex and right prefrontal cortex in interval VI, and lower WPCO values in intervals I, IV, V, and VI were found under the additional visual vigilance task. The results suggest that the changed FC levels in intervals IV, V, and VI were more likely to reflect the driver's distraction condition. The present study provides new insights into the relationship between distracted driving behavior and brain activity. The method may be used for the evaluation of drivers' attention level.
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http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0188329PLOS
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5703451PMC
December 2017

Effective Connectivity Analysis of the Brain Network in Drivers during Actual Driving Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

Authors:
Zhian Liu Ming Zhang Gongcheng Xu Congcong Huo Qitao Tan Zengyong Li Quan Yuan

Front Behav Neurosci 2017 31;11:211. Epub 2017 Oct 31.

Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, China.

Driving a vehicle is a complex activity that requires high-level brain functions. This study aimed to assess the change in effective connectivity (EC) between the prefrontal cortex (PFC), motor-related areas (MA) and vision-related areas (VA) in the brain network among the resting, simple-driving and car-following states. Twelve young male right-handed adults were recruited to participate in an actual driving experiment. The brain delta [HbO] signals were continuously recorded using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) instruments. The conditional Granger causality (GC) analysis, which is a data-driven method that can explore the causal interactions among different brain areas, was performed to evaluate the EC. The results demonstrated that the hemodynamic activity level of the brain increased with an increase in the cognitive workload. The connection strength among PFC, MA and VA increased from the resting state to the simple-driving state, whereas the connection strength relatively decreased during the car-following task. The PFC in EC appeared as the causal target, while the MA and VA appeared as the causal sources. However, l-MA turned into causal targets with the subtask of car-following. These findings indicate that the hemodynamic activity level of the cerebral cortex increases linearly with increasing cognitive workload. The EC of the brain network can be strengthened by a cognitive workload, but also can be weakened by a superfluous cognitive workload such as driving with subtasks.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00211DOI Listing
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5671603PMC
October 2017

Functional connectivity analysis using fNIRS in healthy subjects during prolonged simulated driving.

Authors:
Liwei Xu Bitian Wang Gongcheng Xu Wei Wang Zhian Liu Zengyong Li

Neurosci Lett 2017 02 10;640:21-28. Epub 2017 Jan 10.

Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Aids Technology and System of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids, Beijing, 100176, PR China. Electronic address:

Noninvasive and accurate assessment of driving fatigue in relation to brain activity during long-term driving can contribute to traffic safety and accident prevention. This study evaluated functional connectivity (FC) in relevant brain regions. Synergistic mechanisms in different brain regions were detected by a novel simulator, which combined semi-immersive virtual reality technology and functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Each subject was instructed to complete driving tasks coupled with a mental calculation task. Wavelet coherence (WCO) and wavelet phase coherence (WPCO) were calculated and assessed in frequency intervals (I) 0.6-2 and (II) 0.145-0.6Hz as global connectivity measures; (III) 0.052-0.145, (IV) 0.021-0.052, (V) 0.0095-0.021 and (VI) 0.005-0.0095Hz as FC. WCO and WPCO revealed the strength and synchronization of cerebral connectivity, respectively. Significantly low WCO levels were found in intervals I and III in prefrontal cortex (PFC) and IV in motor cortex (MC) at the end of the driving task. Furthermore, significantly low WPCO were found in intervals I, and III in PFC and interval IV in MC. Experimental findings suggested that progressive mental fatigue adversely influences the cognitive function in the PFC and the cooperative mechanism between the PFC and MC.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2017.01.018DOI Listing
February 2017

Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Phase Synchronization as Assessed by Wavelet Phase Coherence Analysis of Prefrontal Tissue Oxyhemoglobin Signals.

Authors:
Lingguo Bu Ming Zhang Jianfeng Li Fangyi Li Heshan Liu Zengyong Li

PLoS One 2017 3;12(1):e0169279. Epub 2017 Jan 3.

Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Aids Technology and System of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids, Beijing, P.R. China.

Purpose: To reveal the physiological mechanism of the decline in cognitive function after sleep deprivation, a within-subject study was performed to assess sleep deprivation effects on phase synchronization, as revealed by wavelet phase coherence (WPCO) analysis of prefrontal tissue oxyhemoglobin signals.

Materials And Methods: Twenty subjects (10 male and 10 female, 25.5 ± 3.5 years old) were recruited to participate in two tests: one without sleep deprivation (group A) and the other with 24 h of sleep deprivation (group B). Before the test, each subject underwent a subjective evaluation using visual analog scales. A cognitive task was performed by judging three random numbers. Continuous recordings of the near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) signals were obtained from both the left and right prefrontal lobes during rest, task, and post-task periods. The WPCO of cerebral Delta [HbO2] signals were analyzed for these three periods for both groups A and B.

Results: Six frequency intervals were defined: I: 0.6-2 Hz (cardiac activity), II: 0.145-0.6 Hz (respiratory activity), III: 0.052-0.145 Hz (myogenic activity), IV: 0.021-0.052 Hz (neurogenic activity), V: 0.0095-0.021 Hz (nitric oxide related endothelial activity) and VI: 0.005-0.0095 Hz (non-nitric oxide related endothelial activity). WPCO in intervals III (F = 5.955, p = 0.02) and V (F = 4.7, p = 0.037) was significantly lower in group B than in group A at rest. During the task period, WPCO in intervals III (F = 5.175, p = 0.029) and IV (F = 4.585, p = 0.039) was significantly lower in group B compared with group A. In the post-task recovery period, the WPCO in interval III (F = 6.125, p = 0.02) was significantly lower in group B compared with group A. Reaction time was significantly prolonged, and the accuracy rate and F1 score both declined after sleep deprivation.

Conclusions: The decline in WPCO after sleep deprivation indicates reduced phase synchronization between left and right prefrontal oxyhemoglobin oscillations, which may contribute to the diminished cognitive function.
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http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0169279PLOS
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5207699PMC
August 2017

Wavelet coherence analysis of cerebral oxygenation signals measured by near-infrared spectroscopy in sailors: an exploratory, experimental study.

Authors:
Lingguo Bu Jianfeng Li Fangyi Li Heshan Liu Zengyong Li

BMJ Open 2016 11 3;6(11):e013357. Epub 2016 Nov 3.

Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, P. R. China.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the effects of long-term offshore work on cerebral oxygenation oscillations in sailors based on the wavelet phase coherence (WPCO) of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) signals.

Methods: The fatigue severity scale (FSS) was first applied to assess the fatigue level of sailors and age-matched controls. Continuous recordings of NIRS signals were then obtained from the prefrontal lobes in 30 healthy sailors and 30 age-matched controls during the resting state. WPCO between the left and right prefrontal oscillations was analysed and Pearson correlation analysis was used to study the relationship between the FSS and the wavelet amplitude (WA), and between the FSS and the WPCO level.

Results: The periodic oscillations of Delta (HbO) signals were identified at six frequency intervals: I (0.6-2 Hz); II (0.145-0.6 Hz); III (0.052-0.145 Hz); IV (0.021-0.052 Hz); V (0.0095-0.021 Hz); and VI (0.005-0.0095 Hz). The WA in intervals I (F=8.823, p=0.004) and III (F=4.729, p=0.034) was significantly lower in sailors than that in the controls. The WPCO values of sailor group were significantly lower in intervals III (F=4.686, p=0.039), IV (F=4.864, p=0.036) and V (F=5.195, p=0.03) than those of the control group. In the sailor group, the WA in interval I (r=-0.799, p<0.01) and in interval III (r=-0.721, p<0.01) exhibited a negative correlation with the FSS. Also, the WPCO exhibited a negative correlation with the FSS in intervals III (r=-0.839, p<0.01), IV (r=-0.765, p<0.01) and V (r=-0.775, p<0.01) in the sailor group.

Conclusions: The negative correlation between WA and FSS indicates that the lower oscillatory activities might contribute to the development of fatigue. The low WPCO in intervals III, IV and V represents a reduced phase synchronisation of myogenic, neurogenic and endothelial metabolic activities respectively and this may suggest a decline of cognitive function.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-013357DOI Listing
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5128848PMC
November 2016

Vigilance Task-Related Change in Brain Functional Connectivity as Revealed by Wavelet Phase Coherence Analysis of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Signals.

Authors:
Wei Wang Bitian Wang Lingguo Bu Liwei Xu Zengyong Li Yubo Fan

Front Hum Neurosci 2016 5;10:400. Epub 2016 Aug 5.

National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids Beijing, China.

This study aims to assess the vigilance task-related change in connectivity in healthy adults using wavelet phase coherence (WPCO) analysis of near-infrared spectroscopy signals (NIRS). NIRS is a non-invasive neuroimaging technique for assessing brain activity. Continuous recordings of the NIRS signals were obtained from the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and sensorimotor cortical areas of 20 young healthy adults (24.9 ± 3.3 years) during a 10-min resting state and a 20-min vigilance task state. The vigilance task was used to simulate driving mental load by judging three random numbers (i.e., whether odd numbers). The task was divided into two sessions: the first 10 min (Task t1) and the second 10 min (Task t2). The WPCO of six channel pairs were calculated in five frequency intervals: 0.6-2 Hz (I), 0.145-0.6 Hz (II), 0.052-0.145 Hz (III), 0.021-0.052 Hz (IV), and 0.0095-0.021 Hz (V). The significant WPCO formed global connectivity (GC) maps in intervals I and II and functional connectivity (FC) maps in intervals III to V. Results show that the GC levels in interval I and FC levels in interval III were significantly lower in the Task t2 than in the resting state (p < 0.05), particularly between the left PFC and bilateral sensorimotor regions. Also, the reaction time (RT) shows an increase in Task t2 compared with that in Task t1. However, no significant difference in WPCO was found between Task t1 and resting state. The results showed that the change in FC at the range of 0.6-2 Hz was not attributed to the vigilance task per se, but the interaction effect of vigilance task and time factors. The findings suggest that the decreased attention level might be partly attributed to the reduced GC levels between the left prefrontal region and sensorimotor area. The present results provide a new insight into the vigilance task-related brain activity.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2016.00400DOI Listing
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4974280PMC
August 2016

Posture-related changes in brain functional connectivity as assessed by wavelet phase coherence of NIRS signals in elderly subjects.

Authors:
Bitan Wang Ming Zhang Lingguo Bu Liwei Xu Wei Wang Zengyong Li

Behav Brain Res 2016 10 19;312:238-45. Epub 2016 Jun 19.

Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, 250061, PR China; National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids, Beijing 100176, PR China. Electronic address:

Postural instability and falls are commonly seen because of aging and motor disabilities. This study aims to assess the posture-related changes in brain functional connectivity by wavelet phase coherence (WPCO) of oxyhemoglobin concentration change (Δ[HbO2]) signals measured through near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in elderly subjects. The NIRS signals were continuously recorded from the prefrontal cortex and sensorimotor cortical areas in 39 healthy elderly subjects and 22 young healthy subjects during 20min resting and 10min standing states. Eight connection types were obtained from the recorded brain areas. The WPCO were calculated in five frequency intervals in each channel pair as follows: I, 0.6-2Hz; II, 0.145-0.6Hz; III, 0.052-0.145Hz; IV, 0.021-0.052Hz; and V, 0.0095-0.021Hz. Results show that posture change and age significantly interacts with the right prefrontal cortex (PFC) and left sensorimotor cortex (SMC) connectivity in interval V (F=5.010, p=0.028). The left and right PFC connectivity in interval I, the left and right SMC connectivity in interval IV, and the connectivity in interval V, including right PFC and right SMC connectivity, left PFC and left SMC connectivity, and right PFC and left SMC connectivity, showed a significant difference between the Group Elderly and Group Young in response to posture change (p<0.05). This study provides new insight into the mechanism of posture control, and results may be useful in assessing the risk of postural instability in aged persons.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2016.06.037DOI Listing
October 2016

Age-related alterations in phase synchronization of oxyhemoglobin concentration changes in prefrontal tissues as measured by near-infrared spectroscopy signals.

Authors:
Qitao Tan Ming Zhang Yi Wang Manyu Zhang Bitan Wang Qing Xin Zengyong Li

Microvasc Res 2016 Jan 23;103:19-25. Epub 2015 Oct 23.

Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, PR China. Electronic address:

The prefrontal cortex plays an important role in planning complex cognitive behavior, personality expression, and decision making. This study aims to assess the phase synchronization of signals of the oxyhemoglobin concentration changes (Δ[HbO2]) in the left and right prefrontal tissues through near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) with wavelet phase coherence (WPCO) method. The NIRS signals were continuously recorded from the left and right prefrontal lobes in 43 healthy elderly subjects (age: 69.6 ± 8.4 years) and 40 young healthy subjects (age: 24.5 ± 1.7 years) during the resting state. Phase synchronization between the left and right prefrontal oscillations in six frequency intervals (I, 0.6-2 Hz; II, 0.145-0.6 Hz; III, 0.052-0.145 Hz; IV, 0.021-0.052 Hz; V, 0.0095-0.021 Hz; and VI, 0.005-0.0095 Hz) was analyzed using the WPCO method. The WPCO values of elderly subjects were significantly lower in frequency intervals I (F=7.376, p=0.010) and III (F=6.418, p=0.016) than those of the young subjects. Low phase coherence in intervals I and III indicates reduced synchronization of cardiac activity in the prefrontal area and weakened prefrontal functional connectivity, respectively.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mvr.2015.10.002DOI Listing
January 2016

Frequency-specific functional connectivity revealed by wavelet-based coherence analysis in elderly subjects with cerebral infarction using NIRS method.

Authors:
Qitao Tan Ming Zhang Yi Wang Manyu Zhang Yan Wang Qing Xin Bitan Wang Zengyong Li

Med Phys 2015 Sep;42(9):5391-403

Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China.

Purpose: Resting-state functional connectivity in subjects with cerebral infarction (CI) was assessed using wavelet-based coherence analysis of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) signals.

Methods: Continuous recordings of NIRS signals were measured from the prefrontal cortex and sensorimotor cortical areas of 12 subjects with CI (CI group) and 16 healthy subjects (healthy group) during the resting state. The channels in these areas were divided into four connection types: homologous connectivity, frontoposterior connectivity, contralateral connectivity, and homolateral connectivity. Wavelet coherence (WCO) and wavelet phase coherence (WPCO) were calculated in six frequency intervals in each channel pair: I, 0.6-2 Hz; II, 0.145-0.6 Hz; III, 0.052-0.145 Hz; IV, 0.021-0.052 Hz; V, 0.0095-0.021 Hz; and VI, 0.005-0.0095 Hz.

Results: WCO in the six frequency intervals was significant for all channels in the healthy group. By contrast, WCO in frequency intervals II-VI showed weakened connectivity in the CI group, especially in terms of frontoposterior connectivity. WCO was significantly lower in the CI group than in the healthy group in the following connectivities and frequency intervals: front-posterior, IV-VI (p < 0.05); homologous, III-V (p < 0.01); motor-contralateral, III-V (p < 0.05); and motor-homolateral, III-V (p < 0.05). WPCO in frequency intervals III (F = 5.032, p = 0.033) and IV (F = 11.95, p = 0.002) in frontoposterior connectivity, as well as in intervals III-V in homologous, motor-contralateral and motor-homolateral connectivities were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the CI group than in the healthy group. However, WPCO in interval I showed significantly higher levels in motor-homolateral connectivity in the CI group than in the healthy group (F = 4.241, p = 0.049).

Conclusions: The authors' results suggest that CI causes a frequency-specific disruption in resting-state connectivity. This may be useful for assessing the effectiveness of functional recovery after CI.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.4928672DOI Listing
September 2015

Effects of Ankle Arthrodesis on Biomechanical Performance of the Entire Foot.

Authors:
Yan Wang Zengyong Li Duo Wai-Chi Wong Ming Zhang

PLoS One 2015 29;10(7):e0134340. Epub 2015 Jul 29.

Interdisciplinary Division of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong, China; The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China.

Background/methodology: Ankle arthrodesis is one popular surgical treatment for ankle arthritis, chronic instability, and degenerative deformity. However, complications such as foot pain, joint arthritis, and bone fracture may cause patients to suffer other problems. Understanding the internal biomechanics of the foot is critical for assessing the effectiveness of ankle arthrodesis and provides a baseline for the surgical plan. This study aimed to understand the biomechanical effects of ankle arthrodesis on the entire foot and ankle using finite element analyses. A three-dimensional finite element model of the foot and ankle, involving 28 bones, 103 ligaments, the plantar fascia, major muscle groups, and encapsulated soft tissue, was developed and validated. The biomechanical performances of a normal foot and a foot with ankle arthrodesis were compared at three gait instants, first-peak, mid-stance, and second-peak.

Principal Findings/conclusions: Changes in plantar pressure distribution, joint contact pressure and forces, von Mises stress on bone and foot deformation were predicted. Compared with those in the normal foot, the peak plantar pressure was increased and the center of pressure moved anteriorly in the foot with ankle arthrodesis. The talonavicular joint and joints of the first to third rays in the hind- and mid-foot bore the majority of the loading and sustained substantially increased loading after ankle arthrodesis. An average contact pressure of 2.14 MPa was predicted at the talonavicular joint after surgery and the maximum variation was shown to be 80% in joints of the first ray. The contact force and pressure of the subtalar joint decreased after surgery, indicating that arthritis at this joint was not necessarily a consequence of ankle arthrodesis but rather a progression of pre-existing degenerative changes. Von Mises stress in the second and third metatarsal bones at the second-peak instant increased to 52 MPa and 34 MPa, respectively, after surgery. These variations can provide indications for outcome assessment of ankle arthrodesis surgery.
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http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0134340PLOS
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4519327PMC
May 2016

Cerebral autoregulation in response to posture change in elderly subjects-assessment by wavelet phase coherence analysis of cerebral tissue oxyhemoglobin concentrations and arterial blood pressure signals.

Authors:
Yuanjin Gao Ming Zhang Qingyu Han Wenhao Li Qing Xin Yan Wang Zengyong Li

Behav Brain Res 2015 Feb 18;278:330-6. Epub 2014 Oct 18.

Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, PR China. Electronic address:

This study aims to assess the dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA) in response to posture change using wavelet phase coherence (WPCO) of cerebral tissue oxyhemoglobin concentrations (Delta [HbO2]) and arterial blood pressure (ABP) signals in healthy elderly subjects. Continuous recordings of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and ABP signals were obtained from simultaneous measurements in 16 healthy elderly subjects (age: 68.9±7.1 years) and 19 young subjects (age: 24.9±3.2 years). The phase coherence between Delta [HbO2] and ABP oscillations in six frequency intervals (I, 0.6-2 Hz; II, 0.15-0.6 Hz; III, 0.05-0.15 Hz; IV, 0.02-0.05 Hz, V, 0.0095-0.02 Hz and VI, 0.005-0.0095 Hz) was analyzed using WPCO. The sit-to-stand posture change induces significantly lower WPCO in interval III (F=5.50 p=0.025) in the elderly subjects than in the young subjects. However, the stand-to-sit posture change induces higher WPCO in intervals II (F=5.25 p=0.028) and V (F=6.22 p=0.018) in the elderly subjects than in the young subjects. The difference of WPCO in response to posture change between the elderly and the young subjects indicates an altered CA due to aging. This study provides new insight into the dynamics of CA and may be useful in identifying the risk for dCA processes.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2014.10.019DOI Listing
February 2015

Phase synchronization analysis of prefrontal tissue oxyhemoglobin oscillations in elderly subjects with cerebral infarction.

Authors:
Qingyu Han Zengyong Li Yuanjin Gao Wenhao Li Qing Xin Qitao Tan Manyu Zhang Yixun Zhang

Med Phys 2014 Oct;41(10):102702

Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China.

Purpose: This study aims to assess the phase relationship of prefrontal tissue oxyhemoglobin oscillations using wavelet phase coherence analysis of cerebral Delta [HbO₂] signals in cerebral infarction (CI) patients during the resting state.

Methods: Continuous recordings of near-infrared spectroscopy signals were obtained from the left and right prefrontal lobes in 21 subjects with CI (Group CI, age: 76.6 ± 8.5 yr) and 21 healthy elderly subjects (Group Healthy, age: 69.0 ± 7.4 yr) during the resting state. The Group CI was further divide into two groups: CI with hypertension and CI without hypertension. The phase synchronization between left and right prefrontal Delta [HbO₂] oscillations in four frequency intervals (I, 0.6-2 Hz; II, 0.145-0.6 Hz; III, 0.052-0.145 Hz; and IV, 0.021-0.052 Hz) was analyzed using wavelet phase coherence method.

Results: The phase coherences in intervals III and IV were significantly lower in CI with hypertension than in healthy elderly subjects (F = 12.974, p = 0.001 for III and F = 10.073, p = 0.004 for interval IV). The phase coherence of CI without hypertension in interval III was significantly lower than in healthy elderly subjects (F = 9.909, p = 0.004). Also, the phase coherence in interval IV was significantly lower in CI with hypertension than in CI without hypertension (F = 5.665, p = 0.028). Also, the phase agreement in interval IV showed evident difference between Group CI with hypertension and without hypertension.

Conclusions: The difference in phase characteristics of prefrontal tissue oxyhemoglobin oscillations between the CI patients and healthy elderly indicates altered phase synchronization. Moreover, the CI combined with hypertension would aggravate this process. This study provides new insight into the phase dynamics of cerebral oxygenation and may be useful in assessing the risk for stroke.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.4896113DOI Listing
October 2014

Wavelet coherence analysis of prefrontal tissue oxyhaemoglobin signals as measured using near-infrared spectroscopy in elderly subjects with cerebral infarction.

Authors:
Qingyu Han Ming Zhang Wenhao Li Yuanjin Gao Qing Xin Yan Wang Zengyong Li

Microvasc Res 2014 Sep 10;95:108-15. Epub 2014 Aug 10.

Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, PR China. Electronic address:

This study aims to assess the prefrontal functional connectivity using wavelet coherence analysis of cerebral tissue oxyhaemoglobin concentration (Delta [HbO2]) signals in elderly subjects with cerebral infarction (CI) during the resting state. Continuous recordings of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) signals were obtained from the left and right prefrontal lobes in 10 subjects with CI (age: 74.4±9.0years) and 18 healthy elderly subjects (age: 69.9±7.3years) during the resting state. The coherence between left and right prefrontal Delta [HbO2] oscillations in four frequency intervals (I, 0.6-2Hz; II, 0.145-0.6Hz; III, 0.052-0.145Hz and IV, 0.021-0.052Hz) was analyzed using wavelet coherence analysis. In healthy elderly subjects, the Delta [HbO2] oscillations were significantly wavelet coherent in intervals I and III (p<0.05), wavelet phase coherent in intervals from I to IV. In elderly subjects with CI, the left and right Delta [HbO2] oscillations were significantly wavelet coherent and phase coherent in interval I (p<0.05). In elderly subjects with CI, the power and phase coherences were significantly lower in interval III (p<0.01) than in healthy subjects. The difference in wavelet coherence between the healthy elderly and elderly with CI indicates an altered brain functional connectivity in CI patients. This may be useful for assessing the effectiveness of functional recovery following a CI.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mvr.2014.08.001DOI Listing
September 2014

Biomechanical study of tarsometatarsal joint fusion using finite element analysis.

Authors:
Yan Wang Zengyong Li Ming Zhang

Med Eng Phys 2014 Nov 24;36(11):1394-400. Epub 2014 Apr 24.

Interdisciplinary Division of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China; The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shenzhen Research Institute, Hong Kong, China. Electronic address:

Complications of surgeries in foot and ankle bring patients with severe sufferings. Sufficient understanding of the internal biomechanical information such as stress distribution, contact pressure, and deformation is critical to estimate the effectiveness of surgical treatments and avoid complications. Foot and ankle is an intricate and synergetic system, and localized intervention may alter the functions to the adjacent components. The aim of this study was to estimate biomechanical effects of the TMT joint fusion using comprehensive finite element (FE) analysis. A foot and ankle model consists of 28 bones, 72 ligaments, and plantar fascia with soft tissues embracing all the segments. Kinematic information and ground reaction force during gait were obtained from motion analysis. Three gait instants namely the first peak, second peak and mid-stance were simulated in a normal foot and a foot with TMT joint fusion. It was found that contact pressure on plantar foot increased by 0.42%, 19% and 37%, respectively after TMT fusion compared with normal foot walking. Navico-cuneiform and fifth meta-cuboid joints sustained 27% and 40% increase in contact pressure at second peak, implying potential risk of joint problems such as arthritis. Von Mises stress in the second metatarsal bone increased by 22% at midstance, making it susceptible to stress fracture. This study provides biomechanical information for understanding the possible consequences of TMT joint fusion.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.medengphy.2014.03.014DOI Listing
November 2014

Wavelet coherence analysis of prefrontal oxygenation signals in elderly subjects with hypertension.

Authors:
Zengyong Li Ming Zhang Ruofei Cui Qing Xin Lu Liqian Weiei Zhou Qingyu Han Yuanjin Gao

Physiol Meas 2014 May 26;35(5):777-91. Epub 2014 Mar 26.

Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, People's Republic of China.

This study aims to assess the prefrontal functional connectivity in elderly subjects with hypertension during the resting state using wavelet coherence analysis of changes in prefrontal tissue oxyhaemoglobin concentrations (Δ[HbO2]) signals measured by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Continuous recordings of NIRS signals were obtained from the left and right prefrontal lobes in 24 elderly subjects with hypertension (age: 70.7 ± 8.4 years) and 26 elderly normotensive subjects (age: 70.6 ± 7.9 years) during the resting state. The coherence between the left and right prefrontal oscillations in four frequency intervals (I, 0.4 Hz to 2 Hz; II, 0.15 Hz to 0.4 Hz; III, 0.05 Hz to 0.15 Hz; and IV, 0.02 Hz to 0.05 Hz) was analyzed using wavelet coherence method. The Δ[HbO2] oscillations showed significant wavelet coherence (WCO) in intervals I and III, and significant wavelet phase coherence (WPCO) in intervals from I to IV. Remarkably, in elderly subjects with hypertension, the WCO and WPCO in interval III were significantly lower in the left and right prefrontal regions than in healthy elderly subjects (p = 0.014 for WCO, p = 0.007 for WPCO). The lower coherence in interval III indicates a decreased synchronization of neural control in the left and right prefrontal regions in elderly subjects with hypertension. This might suggest a weakened brain functional connectivity in the elderly subjects with hypertension.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0967-3334/35/5/777DOI Listing
May 2014

Wavelet coherence analysis of spontaneous oscillations in cerebral tissue oxyhemoglobin concentrations and arterial blood pressure in elderly subjects.

Authors:
Ruofei Cui Ming Zhang Zengyong Li Qing Xin Liqian Lu Weiei Zhou Qingyu Han Yuanjin Gao

Microvasc Res 2014 May 2;93:14-20. Epub 2014 Mar 2.

Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, 250061, PR China.

This study aims to assess the relationship between spontaneous oscillations in changes in cerebral tissue oxyhemoglobin concentrations (Delta [HbO2]) and arterial blood pressure (ABP) signals in healthy elderly subjects during the resting state using wavelet coherence analysis. Continuous recordings of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and ABP signals were obtained from simultaneous measurements in 33 healthy elderly subjects (age: 70.7±7.9 years) and 27 young subjects (age: 25.2±3.7 years) during the resting state. The coherence between Delta [HbO2] and ABP oscillations in six frequency intervals (I, 0.4-2 Hz; II, 0.15-0.4 Hz; III, 0.05-0.15 Hz; IV, 0.02-0.05 Hz, V, 0.005-0.0095 Hz and VI, 0.005-0.0095 Hz) was analyzed using wavelet coherence analysis. In elderly subjects, the Delta [HbO2] and ABP oscillations were significantly wavelet coherent in interval I, and wavelet phase coherent in intervals I, II and IV. The wavelet coherence in interval I was significantly higher (p=0.040), in elderly subjects than in young subjects whereas that in interval V significantly lower (p=0.015). In addition, the wavelet phase coherence in interval IV was significantly higher in elderly subjects than in young subjects (p=0.028). The difference in the wavelet coherence of the elderly subjects and the young subjects indicates an altered cerebral autoregulation caused by aging. This study provides new insight into the dynamics of Delta [HbO2] and ABP oscillations and may be useful in identifying the risk for dynamic cerebral autoregulation processes.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mvr.2014.02.008DOI Listing
May 2014