Objective To evaluate the application of high-resolution magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging(HRMR-VWI)in identifying high-risk features of intracranial atherosclerotic plaques,and to analyze the correlation between plaque characteristics and stroke recurrence under varying degrees of stenosis.Methods The data from 368 patients with intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis(ICAS)across two centers were retrospectively analyzed.Based on the degree of stenosis,all patients were categorized into mild-to-moderate stenosis group(luminal stenosis<70%,n=155)and severe stenosis group(luminal stenosis≥70%,n=213).HRMR-VWI images and clinical information of the patients were collected and analyzed,and the culprit plaques were quantitatively analyzed.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to identify the risk factors for stroke recurrence,and the predictive performance was evaluated using the area under the curve(AUC)of the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results Higher normalized wall index(NWI)[odds ratio(OR)=1.082,95%confidence interval(CI)1.050-1.118,P<0.05]and the presence of intraplaque hemorrhage(IPH)(OR=1.843,95%CI 1.120-3.036,P<0.05)were risk factors for stroke recurrence in all patients.And these two factors were also significant in the mild-to-moderate stenosis group(NWI:OR=1.088,95%CI 1.009-1.186,P<0.05;IPH:OR=4.049,95%CI 1.227-16.065,P<0.05).A predictive model for stroke recurrence was constructed using the combination of IPH and NWI,with the best performance in the mild-to-moderate stenosis group(AUC=0.813,95%CI 0.723-0.906).Conclusion In patients with luminal stenosis<70%,the increase of NWI and the presence of IPH have been validated as significant and effective indicators for predicting stroke recurrence,demonstrating notable predictive performance.In contrast,among patients with luminal stenosis≥70%,the utility of plaque characteristics in predicting stroke recurrence is relatively lower,indicating that the correlation between plaque characteristics and stroke recurrence varies across different degrees of stenosis.

Objective:To explore the mechanism of astaxanthin improving renal damage in diabetic mice by regulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.Methods:C57BL/6J adult male mice (8 weeks, 22-24 g) were provided by Nanjing Junke Biological Co.,Ltd. The mice were divided into control group (mice raised under normal conditions and given phosphate buffered saline injection, n=15), model group (DN mouse model established as mentioned above, n=15), and astaxanthin group (on the basis of model mice,10 mg/kg body weight dose of astaxanthin was given, n=15). The serum urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and 24 h urine protein levels of mice were detected by biochemical kits. The levels of serum inflammatory factors in mice were detected by ELISA. Mesangial matrix expansion and fibrosis in mice were observed by renal histological analysis. Glomerular podocytes were analyzed by TUNEL detection and immunohistochemical staining. Nephrin and CD2AP expression were analyzed by Western blot.The expression of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was analyzed by Western blot. Results:The levels of serum urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and 24h urinary protein in model group were higher than those in control group ( P<0.05), but the levels of serum urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and 24h urinary protein in astaxanthin group were lower than those in model group ( P<0.05). The serum levels of TNF-α,1L-1β and 1L-6 in model group were higher than those in control group ( P<0.05), while the levels of TNF-α,1L-1β and 1L-6 in astaxanthin group were lower than those in model group ( P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the model group mainly showed different degrees of pancreatic islet lesions and vacuolar degeneration under light microscope ( P<0.05). HE staining showed glomerular sclerosis and dilatation, capillary lumen shrinkage, diffuse mesangial matrix dilatation, and peripheral capillary thickening and hardening ( P<0.05). PAS staining showed an increase in PAS-positive substances (purple plaques) in the model group of mice ( P<0.05), indicating glycogen accumulation in diabetic glomeruli. Masson staining showed accumulation of type Ⅳ collagen and increased fibrosis (blue stained area) in the kidney of the model group ( P<0.05). Astaxanthin treatment can significantly improve these diabetic induced histopathological changes ( P<0.05). Compared with control group,mesangial matrix expansion and fibrosis were increased in model group ( P<0.05), and decreased in astaxanthin group ( P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the apoptosis rate of podocyte in model group was increased ( P<0.05) ,while that in astaxanthin group was decreased ( P<0.05). The number of WT-1 positive podocytes in model group was lower than that in model group ( P<0.05), and the number of WT-1 positive podocytes in astaxanthin group was higher than that in model group ( P<0.05). Compared with the control group, Nephrin and CD2AP proteins in the model group were decreased ( P<0.05), and the expressions of Nephrin and CD2AP proteins in astaxanthin group were increased ( P<0.05). The protein expressions of p85, p-Akt Ser473 and P-mtor Ser2448 in model group were increased compared with those in control group ( P<0.05), while the protein expressions of p85, P-Akt Ser473 and P-mtor Ser2448 in astaxanthin group were decreased compared with those in model group ( P<0.05) . Conclusion:Astaxanthin significantly improves kidney damage in diabetic mice by regulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway,which manifests as inhibiting renal cell lesions and reducing inflammation.

Objective:To construct a preoperative prehabilitation program for prostate cancer based on evidence-based and Delphi method, so as to provide theoretical basis for medical staff to carry out preoperative prehabilitation research for prostate cancer patients.Methods:From June 2023 to March 2024, the first draft of the prehabilitation plan for prostate cancer before surgery was formed through evidence summary, semi-structured interviews and expert meetings. The experts in related fields were selected for two rounds of Delphi expert consultation. The items were revised according to the expert consultation opinions to establish the final plan.Results:Totally 16 experts were included, aged (43.19 ± 7.57) years. Five were males and 11 were females. The response rates of the two rounds of expert consultation were both 16/16, and the authority coefficients of the two rounds expert consultation were both 0.85. The Kendall coordination coefficients of the importance and feasibility of the items in the second round of consultation were 0.213 and 0.224, both P<0.05. In the second round of consultation, the value of importance assignment of items at all levels was 4.19-4.94 points, and the full score rate was 43.75%-93.75%. The final scheme included 5 first-level items, 13 second-level items, and 34 third-level items. Conclusions:The preoperative prehabilitation program for prostate cancer is scientific, importanceand applicable, which provides a theoretical basis for clinical preoperative prehabilitation for prostate cancer patients.

Objective:To explore the mechanism of astaxanthin improving renal damage in diabetic mice by regulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.Methods:C57BL/6J adult male mice (8 weeks, 22-24 g) were provided by Nanjing Junke Biological Co.,Ltd. The mice were divided into control group (mice raised under normal conditions and given phosphate buffered saline injection, n=15), model group (DN mouse model established as mentioned above, n=15), and astaxanthin group (on the basis of model mice,10 mg/kg body weight dose of astaxanthin was given, n=15). The serum urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and 24 h urine protein levels of mice were detected by biochemical kits. The levels of serum inflammatory factors in mice were detected by ELISA. Mesangial matrix expansion and fibrosis in mice were observed by renal histological analysis. Glomerular podocytes were analyzed by TUNEL detection and immunohistochemical staining. Nephrin and CD2AP expression were analyzed by Western blot.The expression of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was analyzed by Western blot. Results:The levels of serum urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and 24h urinary protein in model group were higher than those in control group ( P<0.05), but the levels of serum urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and 24h urinary protein in astaxanthin group were lower than those in model group ( P<0.05). The serum levels of TNF-α,1L-1β and 1L-6 in model group were higher than those in control group ( P<0.05), while the levels of TNF-α,1L-1β and 1L-6 in astaxanthin group were lower than those in model group ( P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the model group mainly showed different degrees of pancreatic islet lesions and vacuolar degeneration under light microscope ( P<0.05). HE staining showed glomerular sclerosis and dilatation, capillary lumen shrinkage, diffuse mesangial matrix dilatation, and peripheral capillary thickening and hardening ( P<0.05). PAS staining showed an increase in PAS-positive substances (purple plaques) in the model group of mice ( P<0.05), indicating glycogen accumulation in diabetic glomeruli. Masson staining showed accumulation of type Ⅳ collagen and increased fibrosis (blue stained area) in the kidney of the model group ( P<0.05). Astaxanthin treatment can significantly improve these diabetic induced histopathological changes ( P<0.05). Compared with control group,mesangial matrix expansion and fibrosis were increased in model group ( P<0.05), and decreased in astaxanthin group ( P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the apoptosis rate of podocyte in model group was increased ( P<0.05) ,while that in astaxanthin group was decreased ( P<0.05). The number of WT-1 positive podocytes in model group was lower than that in model group ( P<0.05), and the number of WT-1 positive podocytes in astaxanthin group was higher than that in model group ( P<0.05). Compared with the control group, Nephrin and CD2AP proteins in the model group were decreased ( P<0.05), and the expressions of Nephrin and CD2AP proteins in astaxanthin group were increased ( P<0.05). The protein expressions of p85, p-Akt Ser473 and P-mtor Ser2448 in model group were increased compared with those in control group ( P<0.05), while the protein expressions of p85, P-Akt Ser473 and P-mtor Ser2448 in astaxanthin group were decreased compared with those in model group ( P<0.05) . Conclusion:Astaxanthin significantly improves kidney damage in diabetic mice by regulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway,which manifests as inhibiting renal cell lesions and reducing inflammation.

Objectives:To investigate whether the use of inlays and onlays made of 3 different materials respectively increases the risk of distal root fracture in mandibular second molars with alveolar bone resorption after root canal treatment.Methods:A 3D fi-nite element analysis(3D FEA)model of distal alveolar bone resorption in mandibular second molars was established using Micro-CT,Mimics21.0,geomagic and ANSYS17.0.3 types of materials(resin nanoceramic Lava ultimate,lithium disilicate ceramics e.max CAD and yttria-stabilized zirconia ceramic e.max Zir CAD)inlays and onlays were utilized for the application of vertical and 45° force loadin respectively.The von-Mises stress distribution on the models was analyzed.Results:Among the models,it was ob-served that cusp-covering onlay model demonstrated minimal Von Mises stresses at distal roots.Lava Ultimate exhibited the highes levels of Von Mises stress than other 2 materials,the stress was more concentrated towards upper parts of distal roots.Conclusion:When distal caries occur below the CEJ of mandibular second molars and are accompanied by alveolar bone resorption,the utilization of cusp-covering onlays and resin nanoceramics can reduce the risk of root fracture in the distal apical region.

Objectives:To investigate whether the use of inlays and onlays made of 3 different materials respectively increases the risk of distal root fracture in mandibular second molars with alveolar bone resorption after root canal treatment.Methods:A 3D fi-nite element analysis(3D FEA)model of distal alveolar bone resorption in mandibular second molars was established using Micro-CT,Mimics21.0,geomagic and ANSYS17.0.3 types of materials(resin nanoceramic Lava ultimate,lithium disilicate ceramics e.max CAD and yttria-stabilized zirconia ceramic e.max Zir CAD)inlays and onlays were utilized for the application of vertical and 45° force loadin respectively.The von-Mises stress distribution on the models was analyzed.Results:Among the models,it was ob-served that cusp-covering onlay model demonstrated minimal Von Mises stresses at distal roots.Lava Ultimate exhibited the highes levels of Von Mises stress than other 2 materials,the stress was more concentrated towards upper parts of distal roots.Conclusion:When distal caries occur below the CEJ of mandibular second molars and are accompanied by alveolar bone resorption,the utilization of cusp-covering onlays and resin nanoceramics can reduce the risk of root fracture in the distal apical region.

Objective To assess the prognostic value of serum lysine hydroxylase 3(PLOD3)and cytokeratin 19 fragment(CYFRA21-1)in predicting the efficacy of three-dimensional brachytherapy in patients with pulmonary metastases.Methods A total of 102 patients with lung metastases who underwent three-dimensional brachytherapy at our hospital were selected as the lung metastasis group from August 2021 to August 2023.During the same period,a control group consisting of 60 healthy individuals who underwent physical examinations was selected.The lung metastasis group was further divided into an effective group(n=66)and an ineffective group(n=36)based on therapeutic outcomes.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to measure the levels of serum PLOD3 and CYFRA21-1.Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors influencing the efficacy of three-dimensional brachytherapy in the lung metastasis group.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were used to assess the predictive value of serum PLOD3 and CYFRA21-1 for treatment efficacy.Results The levels of serum PLOD3 and CYFRA21-1 in the case group were(34.47±6.17)μg/L,(27.85±5.14)μg/L,respectively,which exhibited significantly higher values compared to those observed in the control group(7.26±2.21)μg/L,(9.31±2.46)μg/L(P<0.05).A positive correlation was found between serum PLOD3 and CYFRA21-1 in the Lung metastasis group(r=0.667,P=0.000).Logistic regression analysis revealed that multiple metastatic lesions along with elevated serum levels of PLOD3 and CYFRA21-1 were identified as risk factors for the efficacy of three-dimensional brachytherapy in patients with lung metastases(P<0.05).Furthermore,when combined with three-dimensional brachytherapy,the area under the curve(AUC)for serum PLOD3 and CYFRA21-1 was calcu-lated as 0.868,demonstrating a superior performance compared to individual measurements of either serum PLOD3 alone(AUC=0.815)or CYFRA21-1 alone(P<0.05).Conclusions The levels of serum PLOD3 and CYFRA21-1 are elevated in patients with lung metastases,exhibiting a significant correlation with the efficacy of three-dimensional brachytherapy.The combined utilization of these two biomarkers demonstrates a robust predictive value for treatment efficacy in patients suffering from lung metastases.

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism by which the ethanol extract of Epimedium brevicornu （EEBM） intervenes in mesenchymal adipose-derived stem cells （ADSCs） to delay aging in castrated rats. MethodsForty-five 3-month-old SPF female SD rats were ovariectomized and randomly divided into model group， ADSCs treatment group， and ADSCs groups treated with low， medium， and high concentrations of EEBM （1， 50， 100 μg·L^-1）， referred to as the AE low， medium， and high concentration groups， with 9 rats in each group. After tail vein injection of 200 μL of the corresponding stem cell suspension， aging-related indicators including cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor （p21）， tumor suppressor gene （p53）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-8 （IL-8）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， cysteine-aspartic acid protease-3 （Caspase-3）， and lipofuscin were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） and Western blot. ResultsCompared with the model group， the IL-6 content in the AE low， medium， and high concentration groups was significantly decreased （P<0.05）. Lipofuscin， MDA， and IL-8 levels in the ADSCs treatment group and AE low， medium， and high concentration groups were significantly reduced （P<0.01）， while SOD content was significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the ADSCs treatment group， lipofuscin and IL-8 levels in the AE low， medium， and high concentration groups were significantly reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The MDA content was significantly decreased in the AE medium concentration group （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， protein levels of p21， p53， Bax， and Caspase-3 in the ADSCs treatment group and AE low， medium， and high concentration groups were significantly reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the Bcl-2 protein level was significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the ADSCs treatment group， protein levels of p21， p53， Bax， and Caspase-3 in the AE low， medium， and high concentration groups were significantly reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the Bcl-2 protein level in the AE low concentration group was significantly increased （P<0.01）. ConclusionThe results of this experiment show that EEBM-treated ADSCs or ADSCs may delay aging in castrated rats by inhibiting cell apoptosis， reducing cell cycle inhibitors and pro-inflammatory factors， enhancing antioxidant capacity， and reducing oxidative reactions. Moreover， EEBM-treated ADSCs demonstrate stronger anti-aging effects than ADSCs alone. This study provides experimental evidence supporting the clinical use of EEBM to intervene in ADSCs and delay aging.

Objective To assess the prognostic value of serum lysine hydroxylase 3(PLOD3)and cytokeratin 19 fragment(CYFRA21-1)in predicting the efficacy of three-dimensional brachytherapy in patients with pulmonary metastases.Methods A total of 102 patients with lung metastases who underwent three-dimensional brachytherapy at our hospital were selected as the lung metastasis group from August 2021 to August 2023.During the same period,a control group consisting of 60 healthy individuals who underwent physical examinations was selected.The lung metastasis group was further divided into an effective group(n=66)and an ineffective group(n=36)based on therapeutic outcomes.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to measure the levels of serum PLOD3 and CYFRA21-1.Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors influencing the efficacy of three-dimensional brachytherapy in the lung metastasis group.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were used to assess the predictive value of serum PLOD3 and CYFRA21-1 for treatment efficacy.Results The levels of serum PLOD3 and CYFRA21-1 in the case group were(34.47±6.17)μg/L,(27.85±5.14)μg/L,respectively,which exhibited significantly higher values compared to those observed in the control group(7.26±2.21)μg/L,(9.31±2.46)μg/L(P<0.05).A positive correlation was found between serum PLOD3 and CYFRA21-1 in the Lung metastasis group(r=0.667,P=0.000).Logistic regression analysis revealed that multiple metastatic lesions along with elevated serum levels of PLOD3 and CYFRA21-1 were identified as risk factors for the efficacy of three-dimensional brachytherapy in patients with lung metastases(P<0.05).Furthermore,when combined with three-dimensional brachytherapy,the area under the curve(AUC)for serum PLOD3 and CYFRA21-1 was calcu-lated as 0.868,demonstrating a superior performance compared to individual measurements of either serum PLOD3 alone(AUC=0.815)or CYFRA21-1 alone(P<0.05).Conclusions The levels of serum PLOD3 and CYFRA21-1 are elevated in patients with lung metastases,exhibiting a significant correlation with the efficacy of three-dimensional brachytherapy.The combined utilization of these two biomarkers demonstrates a robust predictive value for treatment efficacy in patients suffering from lung metastases.

Cerebral blood flow directly affects the metabolism of substances and neural activity in the brain, and is closely associated with the occurrence and development of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). Multiple studies have revealed that various imaging biomarkers in patients with CSVD, such as lacunar infarction, enlarged perivascular spaces, cerebral microbleeds, cerebral atrophy, and white matter hyperintensities, are closely associated with cerebral autoregulation (CA) function. Therefore, understanding the regulatory mechanism of CA in patients with CSVD is of great significance for delaying the further development of CSVD, improving cerebral ischemia and cognitive impairment. This article reviews the correlation and mechanism between CA and CSVD.