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Virtual reality is nowadays used to facilitate motor recovery in stroke patients. Most virtual reality studies have involved chronic stroke patients; however, brain plasticity remains good in acute and subacute patients. Most virtual reality systems are only applicable to the proximal upper limbs （arms） because of the limitations of their capture systems. Nevertheless, the functional recovery of an affected hand is most difficult in the case of hemiparesis rehabilitation after a stroke. The recently developed Leap Motion controller can track the fine movements of both hands and fingers. Therefore, the present study explored the effects of a Leap Motion-based virtual reality system on subacute stroke. Twenty-six subacute stroke patients were assigned to an experimental group that received virtual reality training along with conventional occupational rehabilitation, and a control group that only received conventional rehabilitation. The Wolf motor func- tion test （WMFT） was used to assess the motor function of the affected upper limb; functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure the cortical activation. After four weeks of treatment, the motor functions of the affected upper limbs were significantly improved in all the patients, with the improvement in the experimental group being significantly better than in the control group. The action perfor- mance time in the WMFT significantly decreased in the experimental group. Furthermore, the activation intensity and the laterality index of the contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex increased in both the experimental and control groups. These results confirmed that Leap Motion-based virtual reality training was a promising and feasible supplementary rehabilitation intervention, could facilitate the recovery of motor functions in subacute stroke patients. The study has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry （registration number： ChiCTR-OCH- 12002238）.

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is an important complication in patients with malignant tumors. Its exact diagnosis and treatment are still lacking. We used a high-sensitive chemiluminescence method to detect thrombin–antithrombin III complex (TAT), plasmin-α2-plasmininhibitor complex (PIC), thrombomodulin (TM), and tissue plasminogen activator–inhibitor complex(t-PAIC) in combination with D-dimer and fibrin degradation product (FDP) to analyze their diagnostic and prognostic value in patients with malignant tumors. Methods: In total, 870 patients with confirmed malignant tumors were included, 82 of whom had diagnosed VTE; 200 healthy individuals were classified as the control group. The TAT, PIC, TM, and t-PAIC were detected using Sysmex HISCL5000 automated analyzers, whereas FDP and D-dimer were detected using Sysmex CS5100 coagulation analyzer. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency. Survival probabilities were determined using Kaplan–Meier analysis, and multivariate analyses were performed using a Cox regression model. Results: Compared with healthy controls, patients with malignant tumors showed significantly elevated TAT, PIC, TM, t-PAIC, D-dimer, and FDP. Similarly, compared with patients in the non-thrombosis group, those in the thrombosis group showed significantly elevated levels of the above mentioned markers. Logistic regression analysis showed that TAT, PIC, TM, t-PAIC, D-Dimer, and FDP were all associated with VTE. ROC analysis showed that “TAT+PIC+TM+t-PAIC+D-dimer+FDP”showed the highest sensitivity and specificity. Patients with elevated TAT, PIC, TM, and t-PAIC had a significantly shorter survival. Multivariate Cox survival analysis showed that TM and t-PAIC were significantly associated with poor prognosis. In addition, the incidence of VTE was significantly lower in patients with malignant tumors who were treated with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), and their survival period was significantly longer than that of patients with malignant tumors who were not treated with LMWH. Conclusion: TAT, PIC, TM, and t-PAIC combined with D-dimer and FDP were better than the application of a single marker in the diagnosis of VTE in patients with malignant tumors. TAT and PIC can be used as sensitive markers in the diagnosis of VTE but not as prognostic markers. TM and t-PAIC might be independent prognostic indicators in patients with malignant tumors, regardless of the state of thrombus.

Background Brucellosis is an infectious-allergic zoonotic disease caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella . Early diagnosis is the key to preventing, treating, and controlling brucellosis. Fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPA) is a new immunoassay for relatively rapid and accurate detection of antibodies or antigens based on antigen–antibody interaction. However, there is no report on FPA-based detection of human brucellosis in China. Therefore, this study is to evaluate the value of FPA for the diagnosis of human brucellosis in China. Methods We recruited 320 suspected brucellosis cases who had the clinical symptoms and epidemiological risk factors between January and December, 2019. According to China Guideline for Human Brucellosis Diagnosis, the Rose Bengal test (RBT) was used for the screening test, and the serum agglutination test (SAT) was used as the confirmatory test. Brucellosis was confirmed only if the results of both tests were positive. Additionally, FPA and enzyme linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) were compared with SAT, and their sensitivity, specificity, coincidence rate and consistency coefficient (Kappa value) as diagnostic tests were analyzed individually and in combination. The optimal cut-off value of FPA was also determined using the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve. Results The optimum cut-off value of FPA was determined to be 88.5 millipolarization (mP) units, with a sensitivity of 94.5% and specificity of 100.0%. Additionally, the coincidence rate with the SAT test was 96.6%, and the Kappa value (0.9) showed excellent consistency. The sensitivity and specificity of FPA and ELISA combined were higher at 98.0% and 100.0% respectively. Conclusions When the cut-off value of FPA test is set at 88.5 mP, it has high value for the diagnosis of brucellosis. Additionally, when FPA and ELISA are combined, the sensitivity of diagnosis is significantly improved. Thus, FPA may have potential in the future as a diagnostic method for human brucellosis in China. Graphic abstract

Based on the established indoor experimental platform for the leakage of buried oil pipeline, the characteristics of leakage under varied transfer pressure have been studied and simulated according to the experimental model by using FLOEFD—an analysis software of fluid & heat transfer. By comparing and analyzing the result of simulation, experiment and applying correlate theory of fluid dynamics，the theoretical model is established.

Based on the oil flowing state and the state equation of the long distance pipeline, the calculation method of leakage rate is analyzed when the pipeline leakage occurs. First, the leakage models of long-distance oil pipeline are established by FLUENT simulation, and the simulated results are close to the computed results, which prove the reliability of the simulation method, Then, through FLUENT simulating, the division of the models of the orifice leak, the macroporous leak and the pipe leak by the ratio of the leak-hole’s equivalent diameter to the pipe diameter is presented. Finally, the influence laws of the leak rates affected by the pipe diameter, the leak-hole’s equivalent diameter and the oil flow rate are investigated.