Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease associated with dysfunctions related to thinking, learning, and memory of the brain. AD has multiple pathological characteristics with complicated causes, constructing a suitable pathological model is crucial for the research of AD. Microfluidic chip technology integrates multiple functional units on a chip, which can realize microenvironmental control similar to the physiological environment. It is well applied in the construction of pathological model, early diagnosis as well as drug screening of AD. This paper focuses on the construction of AD microfluidic chips model from the perspective of cell type, culture formats and the chips structure as well as the research progress of microfluidic chips in AD application based on the pathological characteristics of AD, which will provide a reference for further elucidation of AD mechanism and drug development.

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of apical microsurgery combined with guided bone regeneration(GBR)on refractory apical periodontitis and masticatory function.Methods A total of 82 patients with refractory apical periodontitis admitted to our hospital from June 2019 to September 2021 were selected as the study subjects,and they were divided into the control group and the com-bined group according to the random number table,with 41 cases in each group.The control group was treated with apical microsurgery,and the combined group was treated with apical microsurgery combined with GBR.The clinical efficacy,masticatory function and the levels of bone absorption markers[Wnt3a,osteoprotegerin(OPG),receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand(RANKL)]of patients in the two groups were compared.Results The total effective rate of the combined group(100%)was higher than that of the control group(85.37%),the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).The masticatory efficiency and bite force of patients in both groups increased gradually 3,6 and 12 months after operation(P<0.05),which were higher in the combined group compared with the control group(P<0.05).The tooth mobility of patients in both groups decreased gradually 3,6 and 12 months after operation,and the tooth mobility of patients 3 and 6 months after operation in the combined group were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).The levels of Wnt3a and OPG of patients 1 week after operation in both groups increased,which were higher in the combined group compared with the control group(P<0.05).The RANKL level of gingival crevicular fluid of patients 1 week after operation in both groups decreased,and which was lower in the combined group compared with the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion The microapical surgery combined with GBR is effective for refractory apical periodontitis,which can effectively inhibit bone resorption,and improve masticatory function.

Objective·To evaluate the changes in cognitive function in overweight and obese adolescents,and explore the association between cognitive function and fibroblast growth factor 21(FGF21).Methods·A total of 175 adolescents from a senior high school in Shanghai were divided into normal weight group(n=50),overweight group(n=50)and obese group(n=75)based on their body mass index(BMI).General information,anthropometric data and laboratory testing indicators of the adolescents were collected and compared.The cognitive function of the three groups of adolescents was assessed by using the accuracy(ACC)and reaction time of Flanker task and n-back task.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect the serum FGF21 level of the three groups of adolescents.Partial correlation analysis and multiple linear regression model were used to evaluate the correlation between cognitive task performance and anthropometric data and laboratory testing indicators.Results·Compared with the normal weight group,systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure,and the levels of fasting plasma glucose,glycosylated hemoglobin and triacylglycerol in the obese group were higher(all P<0.05).Under congruent or incongruent stimulus conditions in the Flanker task,there was no significant difference in ACC between any two groups;compared with the normal weight and overweight groups,the reaction time of the adolescents in the obese group was prolonged(all P<0.05).In the n-back task,there were no significant differences in ACC between any two groups,while the obese group had longer reaction time in the 1-back and 2-back tasks compared to the normal weight and overweight groups(all P<0.05).Compared with the normal weight group,serum FGF21 levels of the adolescents in the obese group were higher(P=0.000).Partial correlation analysis showed that the reaction time of the adolescents in Flanker and n-back tasks was correlated with their BMI,body fat mass,waist circumference,waist-to-hip ratio and FGF21 level(all P<0.05).Multiple linear regression analysis further confirmed that BMI was associated with prolonged reaction time in cognitive-related behavioral tasks in the adolescents(all P<0.05),and FGF21 level was associated with ACC in the 2-back task(P=0.000)and reaction time in the incongruent stimulus condition(P=0.048).Conclusion·Overweight and obese adolescents have cognitive impairments,and BMI and serum FGF21 levels are associated with changes in their cognitive function.

In recent years,the global prevalence of obesity has continued to rise,with a preference for high-sugar and high-fat foods being one of the primary contributors to this condition.Food preference refers to the degree of individual liking for specific foods,and its formation is closely related to the physiological effects such as satiety,satisfaction and reward that occur after food digestion in the gastrointestinal tract.With the continuous advancement of technologies such as neuroimaging and chemogenetics,the underlying neural and physiological mechanisms of food preference behavior are gradually being elucidated.Studies have shown that the digestion and absorption of food in the gastrointestinal tract can release chemical or electrical signals,which are transmitted to the central nervous system via neural pathways,humoral pathways and the gut-brain axis mediated by gut microbiota.Subsequently,these signals regulate feeding behavior by activating or inhibiting neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract,the dopaminergic reward pathways and relevant neural circuits in the hypothalamus.Based on this,the article introduces the definition,evaluation methods and mechanisms of food preference,and reviews the pathways of food information transmission within the gut-brain axis,the reward circuits that modulate food preference and the application of food preference behavior to the treatment of obesity,in order to provide reference for research in the field of food preference and obesity treatment.

Biosensor analysis technology is a kind of technology with high specificity that can convert biological reactions into optical and electrical signals. In the development of drugs for Alzheimer's disease (AD), according to different disease hypotheses and targets, this technology plays an important role in confirming targets and screening active compounds. This paper briefly describes the pathogenesis of AD and the current situation of therapeutic drugs, introduces three biosensor analysis techniques commonly used in the discovery of AD drugs, such as surface plasmon resonance (SPR), biolayer interferometry (BLI) and fluorescence analysis technology, explains its basic principle and application progress, and summarizes their advantages and limitations respectively.

Human brain banks use a standardized protocol to collect,process and store post-mortem human brains and related tissues,along with relevant clinical information,and to provide the tissue samples and data as a resource to foster neuroscience research according to a standardized operating protocols(SOP).Human brain bank serves as the foundation for neuroscience research and the diagnosis of neurological disorders,highlighting the crucial rule of ensuring the consistency of standardized quality for brain tissue samples.The first version of SOP in 2017 was published by the China Human Brain Bank Consortium.As members increases from different regions in China,a revised SOP was drafted by experts from the China Human Brain Bank Consortium to meet the growing demands for neuroscience research.The revised SOP places a strong emphasis on ethical standards,incorporates neuropathological evaluation of brain regions,and provides clarity on spinal cord sampling and pathological assessment.Notable enhancements in this updated version of the SOP include reinforced ethical guidelines,inclusion of matching controls in recruitment,and expansion of brain regions to be sampled for neuropathological evaluation.

Objective:To investigate the protection of Active Breathing Coordinator(ABC)technique for heart and its substructures in radiotherapy for left breast cancer.Methods:A total of 50 patients with left breast cancer who underwent radiotherapy in our department were retrospectively selected,and treatment plans with intensity modulated radiotherapy(IMRT)were designed on the images of ABC combined with deep inspiration breath hold(ABC-DIBH)computed tomography(CT)and free-breathing(FB)CT,respectively.The dose parameters of the organ at risks(OARs)of heart and its substructures,including left ventricle(LV),left atrium(LA),right ventricle(RV),right atrium(RA),left main coronary artery(LMCA),left anterior descending coronary artery(LAD),left circumflex coronary artery(LCX)and right coronary artery(RCA),were compared between the two conditions.Results:Compared with FB,the dose of 2%volume(D2),the mean dose(Dmean),the percent volumes covered by different doses(V30,V20,V10,V5)decreased respectively 32.91%(absolute reduction of 1279.11 cGy),36.12%(195.94cGy),58.95%(2.8%),54.32%(3.58%),50.14%(5.56%)and 46.22%(9.67%)of heart under ABC-DIBH condition,and the differences were significant(t=10.28,12.81,9.16,10.28,12.82,12.24,P＜0.01),respectively.In addition,the Dmean values of LV,LA,RV,RA,LMCA,LAD,LCX and RCA decreased by 37.64%(absolute reduction was 285.92 cGy),15.38%(23.68 cGy),34.12%(118.93cGy),9.72%(12.52 cGy),22.17%(47.99 cGy),31.81%(820.63 cGy),16.51%(34.72 cGy)and 14.86%(34.11cGy)under ABC-DIBH condition,respectively,the differences were significant(t=9.50,3.71,6.20,8.65,3.18,10.92,4.26,6.71,P＜0.05).Conclusion:ABC technique can greatly reduce the received doses of heart and its substructures by extending the distance between the heart and the target region with DIBH,thus can form a very effective protection for the heart and its substructures.In addition,it can eliminate the dynamic variation of target location of breast cancer caused by respiratory,and avoid a series of problems,such as target missing,overexposure on normal tissue,and dose deviation.

Traditional Chinese medicines have demonstrated clinical efficacy in preventing and treating chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathic pain(CIPNP).However,their specific clinical application and mechanism of action require further in-depth study and exploration.There is thus a need to develop more accurate and clinically relevant animal models that reflect the occurrence and development of human diseases as a tool for research.This review provides an in-depth analysis and discussion of the recent establishment and detection criteria of existing rat and mouse animal models of paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathic pain.We also evaluate and explain the application of these models for the prevention and treatment of CIPNP in traditional Chinese medicine,thus providing a theoretical basis and reference for future experimental and mechanistic research on the subject.This research will benefit clinical practice and promotion,offering valuable insights into preventing and treating CIPNP using traditional Chinese medicines.

To investigate the crucial role of particle size in the biological effects of nanoparticles, a series of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were prepared with particle size gradients (50, 100, 150, 200 nm) with the traditional Stober method and adjusting the type and ratio of the silica source. The correlation between toxicity and size-caused biological effects were then further examined both in vitro and in vivo. The results indicated that the prepared MSNs had a uniform size, good dispersal, and ordered mesoporous structure. Hemolytic toxicity was found to be independent of particle size. At the cellular level, MSNs with smaller particle sizes were more readily internalized by cells, which initiated to more intense oxidative stress, therefor inducing higher cytotoxicity, and apoptosis rate. In vivo studies demonstrated that MSNs primarily accumulated in the liver and kidneys of mice. Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed that larger MSNs were eliminated more efficiently by the urinary system than smaller MSNs. The mice's body weight monitoring, blood tests, and pathological sections of major organs indicated good biocompatibility for MSNs of different sizes. Animal welfare and the animal experimental protocols were strictly consistent with related ethics regulations of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University. Overall, this study prepared MSNs with a particle size gradient to investigate the correlation between toxicity and particle size using macrophages and endothelial cells. The study also examined the biosafety of MSNs with different particle sizes in vivo and in vitro, which could help to improve the safety design strategy of MSNs for drug delivery systems.

Objective:To study clinicopathological features and differential diagnosis of IgG4-related diseases (IgG4-RD) in nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed in patients presenting initially with rhinosinusitis or a nasal mass, who also underwent nasal mucosa biopsy in Beijing Tongren Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, from March 2016 to March 2021. According to the latest international classification diagnostic criteria of IgG4-RD published by the American Society of Rheumatology (ACR)/European Association for Rheumatology (EULAR) in 2019, 10 cases of nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses IgG4-RD were diagnosed and included in the study. The clinical features, histopathology and immunohistochemical expression of IgG and IgG4 were analyzed.Results:Among the 10 patients, five patients were male and five female. The age ranged from 30 to 71 years (median 52.7 years). Nasal polyp/nasal masses were seen in six cases, and lacrimal gland swelling was found in four cases. The serum IgG and IgG4 level was increased in four cases. Microscopically, all 10 cases showed intense lymphoplasmocytic infiltration and varying degrees of fibrosis in nasal or sinus mucosa, while four cases showed occlusive vasculitis. The number of IgG4 positive plasma cells in nasal mucosa was more than 10/high power field (HPF), with a mean of 67/HPF. The number of IgG4 positive plasma cells in the cases with severe fibrosis was significantly lower than in those without. The ratio of IgG4 +/IgG +plasma cells was higher than 40% in six cases. Conclusions:IgG4-RD in nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses is a local manifestation of a systemic disease, while nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses are rarely involved by IgG4-RD. The diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms, imaging, IgG4-related serology and histopathologic scores. Histopathology has a core diagnostic value. IgG4 serology and imaging have important diagnostic values in the cases without biopsy.