A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of a patient with GFAP astrocytopathy that was initially misdiagnosed as viral encephalitis， and the diagnostic and therapeutic experience of this disease was summarized through a literature review.The female patient， aged 39 years， presented with headache and fever after diarrhea for 1 day， with the main manifestations of distending pain in the brain， nausea， vomiting， low‑grade fever， and right‑sided ataxia. Physical examination showed papilledema in both eyes and neck stiffness； contrast-enhanced cranial MRI showed extensive leptomeningeal enhancement； cerebrospinal fluid （CSF） analysis showed a significant increase in opening pressure and lymphocytic‑predominant pleocytosis. The patient was tested negative for common infectious pathogens and autoimmune encephalitis antibodies， and therefore， she was once misdiagnosed with viral encephalitis. After unsuccessful antiviral and antibiotic therapies， CSF and serum samples were tested positive for GFAP‑IgG antibodies， and the patient was finally diagnosed with GFAP astrocytopathy. The patient symptoms were rapidly relieved after pulse therapy with methylprednisolone （1 g/day）， and imaging reexamination showed the disappearance of leptomeningeal enhancement， with significant improvements in both intracranial pressure and CSF parameters. The patient remained asymptomatic till the last follow‑up in July 2025， and negative conversion was observed for CSF GFAP antibodies.GFAP astrocytopathy lacks specific clinical manifestations， with leptomeningeal enhancement and lymphocytic predominance in CSF as crucial clues for early diagnosis， and detection of GFAP IgG antibodies in CSF and serum is the key to a confirmed diagnosis. This disease is highly sensitive to glucocorticoid therapy， and early identification followed by standardized treatment can help to achieve a good prognosis. This disease should be differentiated from common central nervous system infections such as viral encephalitis in clinical practice to avoid treatment delay due to missed diagnosis or misdiagnosis.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality, characterized by poor prognosis due to its high proliferative and invasive potential. Tumor metabolic reprogramming, particularly involving glucose metabolism, is essential for tumor survival. This study investigates the role of the Hippo pathway effector transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) in regulating gluconeogenesis and promoting tumorigenesis in HCC. Methods: TAZ expression in HCC was analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas data and validated in clinical samples and cell lines. TAZ was overexpressed or silenced in HCC cell lines to evaluate its effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. The expression and prognostic relevance of the gluconeogenesis-related genes phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (PCK1) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6PC) were examined, along with their correlation with TAZ expression. Tumor growth was assessed in nude mice. Interactions between TAZ and the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) were investigated using co-immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Results: TAZ was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. TAZ overexpression enhanced proliferation, reduced apoptosis, and promoted migration and invasion. In contrast, PCK1 and G6PC were downregulated in HCC and showed a negative correlation with TAZ expression. Conclusion TAZ modulates gluconeogenesis and accelerates tumor growth, whereas its knockdown attenuates tumor progression. TAZ interacts with GR, suppressing its transcriptional activity on gluconeogenic gene promoters.

Erythropoietin-producing hepatoma receptor A2 （EphA2） is a member of the erythropoietin-producing hepatoma （Eph） subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases. As a critical regulator of cancer development and progression， EphA2 can promote tumor initiation， growth， invasion， metastasis， stemness， and angiogenesis by activating or enhancing the oncogenic signaling pathways. High expression of EphA2 in tumor tissues is closely associated with poor prognosis， thus it is a very promising potential target for cancer treatment. This article reviews the molecular mechanisms by which EphA2 promotes cancer development and progression， aiming to provide clues and theoretical basis for EphA2-targeted cancer treatment.

Extended reality(XR)technology includes virtual reality(VR),augmented reality(AR)and mixed reality(MR)Combining virtual environments with physical world,the extended reality(XR)technology has great potential in rehabilitation of patients with stroke.This article reviews the intervention effects of XR technology on the functions of limb,swallowing,speech and cognition and psychological outcomes in patients with stroke.Based on this review,issues in application of XR are identified and targeted solutions are proposed,thereby offering a guidance for application of XR technology in stroke rehabilitation in China.

AIM:To explore the effect and mecha-nism of ethanol extract of Angelica sinensis(Oliv.)Diels(EEA)on cell proliferation and apoptosis in B16-F10 melanoma cells.METHODS:Cell viability was analyzed by MTT method.Cell proliferation was detected by colony formation assay.The invert-ed microscope was used to observe the changes of cell growth confluence and morphology.Hoechst 33342 staining was used to detect cell apoptosis.Flow cytometry(FCM)was used to detect cell cycle and apoptosis.Transmission electron microscopy(TEM)was used to observe the changes of cell mi-tochondrial structure.Western blot was used to de-tect the expression levels of cell cycle,apoptosis,mitochondrial biogenesis,and mitochondrial dy-namics-related proteins.RESULTS:Compared with the blank control group,the cell viability of B16-F10 melanoma cells was reduced after EEA(10-400μg/mL)treatment for 24 h and 48 h,respectively(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The decreased cell growth conflu-ence,morphological changes such as shrinkage,rounding,and reduction in the volume,and apop-totic morphologic changes such as chromatin con-densation were observed after EEA(100 μg/mL and 200 μg/mL)treatment for 24 h.The number of cell clones was decreased after EEA(10-200 μg/mL)treatment for 14 d(P＜0.01).The morphology of mitochondria became more round and shorter,and the inner mitochondrial matrices were either damaged or absent after 200 μg/mL EEA treatment for 24 h.The ratio of cells in G0/G1 phase and the early apoptosis rate of cells were higher than those of the blank control group(P＜0.01)after EEA(20-200 μg/mL)treatment for 24 h.Western blot re-sults showed that compared with the blank control group,the protein expression levels of cleaved cas-pase-9,Bax,DRP1,and FIS1 were up-regulated(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),and the protein expression levels of cyclin D1,cyclin E,CDK2,CDK4,Bcl-2,Bad,Bcl-XL,SIRT1,PGC-1α,NRF1,TFAM,MFN2,and OPA1 were down-regulated(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).CONCLUSION:EEA has an inhibitory effect on the proliferation of B16-F10 melanoma cells,which may be related to the induction of G1/S cell cycle arrest and mito-chondrial apoptotic pathway,and the disruption of mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial dy-namics.

Extended reality(XR)technology includes virtual reality(VR),augmented reality(AR)and mixed reality(MR)Combining virtual environments with physical world,the extended reality(XR)technology has great potential in rehabilitation of patients with stroke.This article reviews the intervention effects of XR technology on the functions of limb,swallowing,speech and cognition and psychological outcomes in patients with stroke.Based on this review,issues in application of XR are identified and targeted solutions are proposed,thereby offering a guidance for application of XR technology in stroke rehabilitation in China.

Prolactin, a peptide hormone primarily synthesized and secreted by lactotrophs in the anterior pituitary gland, plays key roles in lactation, reproduction, and immune regulation. Recent research has highlighted its critical involvement in maintaining metabolic homeostasis, with both elevated and deficient levels disrupting metabolic functions such as glucose and lipid metabolism, as well as energy regulation. This study reviews recent advancements in prolactin and its receptors′ role in metabolic regulation, emphasizing its pivotal contribution to metabolic homeostasis.

Objective:To screen bile acid-related characteristic genes in IgA nephropathy (IgAN) based on the feature gene selection algorithm in the machine learning method, aiming to exploring the molecular biological mechanisms and biomarkers of IgAN.Methods:The gene expression data and sample grouping information of GSE93798, GSE116626 and GSE35487 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Bile acid-related gene sequences were obtained from the Molecular Signatures Database (MSigDB). R language was used to identify differentially expressed genes between IgAN samples and healthy control samples. Candidate genes were obtained by intersecting differentially expressed genes and bile acid-related genes. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm in machine learning was used to screen the feature genes in the candidate genes as biomarkers, and the feature genes in the training set and validation set were analyzed by the rate of change index. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) method was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of identified bile acid related characteristic genes for IgAN. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to analyze the Spearman correlation between the characteristic genes and all other genes and their related metabolic pathways. The expression of disease-characteristic genes in the kidney tissues of IgAN rats was validated by real-time PCR.Results:Gene expression information from kidney tissue samples of 20 IgAN cases and 22 healthy controls were obtained from GEO database. A total of 204 bile acid-related genes including 24 pathways were obtained from MSigDB. The results of gene differential expression analysis showed that 333 genes in the kidney tissues of IgAN patients were differentially expressed compared with those of healthy controls, including 102 up-regulated genes and 231 down-regulated genes, among which 12 differentially expressed genes were related to bile acid genes, as follows: NR1H4,SLC23A1, ALDH8A1, FABP1, ALB, SLC27A2, DIO1, CYP8B1, BBOX1, PIPOX, AKR1C1 and SLC10A2. Five characteristic genes ( NR1H4, SLC23A1, FABP1, ALB and AKR1C1) were screened by LASSO regression algorithm.ROC analysis results showed that in GSE93798 cohort genes, the AUC of NR1H4, SLC23A1, FABP1 and ALB genes with differential expression was >0.95 respectively in diagnosing IgAN, and that of AKR1C1 genes with differential expression was >0.85 in diagnosing IgAN. The gene expression data of SLC23A1 in GSE35487 cohort was missing. ROC analysis results of other four genes showed that the AUC of differential expression of ALB gene for IgAN was >0.95 respectively, that of NR1H4 gene was >0.70, and that of both FABP1 and AKR1C1 gene was >0.60. In the GSE116626 cohort genes, the AUC of five disease characteristic genes ( NR1H4, SLC23A1, FABP1, ALB, AKR1C1) for diagnosing IgAN was >0.60, respectively. These results suggested that 5 characteristic genes have certain distinguishing ability between IgAN group and control group. GSEA results were displayed that the characteristic genes were related to butyric acid metabolism, propionic acid metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, valine leucine and isoleucine degradation, fatty acid metabolism, etc. These results suggested that five characteristic genes might be related to IgAN through the above metabolic mechanisms. The verification results of five bile acid characteristic genes in the rat model of IgAN in the kidney tissue showed that the expressions of four genes, NR1H4, SLC23A1, FABP1 and ALB, were higher than those of the control group, and there was no statistical significance in the expression of AKR1C1 gene between the two groups. Conclusions:The expression of bile acid-related characteristic genes is abnormal in the kidney tissue of IgAN patients. Four bile acid-related differentially expressed genes, NR1H4, SLC23A1, FABP1 and ALB, are expected to be biomarkers for non-invasive diagnosis and therapeutic targets .

Objective To investigate the transition intensity and transition probabilities of fall states among middle-aged and older adults in China,and to assess the impact of potential risk factors on falls.Methods We utilized in the study data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study(CHARLS)and employed a multi-state Markov model(MSM)to analyze the transition intensity and probabilities between states of no falls or falls without treatment,falls requiring treatment,and death.Results A total of 14722 participants were enrolled,with a mean age of(59.4 years±9.7 years),and 47.9％were male.The median follow-up period was 9 years(interquartile range[IQR].7-9 years).At baseline,12381 participants(84.1％)reported no falls or falls without treatment,while 2341(15.9％)reported falls requiring treatment.Participants who experienced falls requiring treatment within one follow-up cycle had a 55.2％probability of not falling again or only falling without treatment in the subsequent two years,a 37.6％probability of continuing to experience falls requiring treatment,and a 7.2％probability of death.The risk of transitioning from a state of no falls or falls without treatment to falls requiring treatment increased by 8.6％for every 5-year increase in age.The risk was 35.1％higher for females compared to males.Rural residents had a 10.1％higher risk.Those who were divorced,separated,widowed,or never married had a 20.7％higher risk.Higher degrees of physical function impairment were associated with an increased risk.Depressive symptoms increased the risk by 31.6％.Having one chronic disease raised the risk by 9.6％,while multimorbidity led to a 28.8％increase in risk.Conclusion According to the findings of the study,falls are a dynamic process and emphasis should be given to fall prevention for older adults,individuals with a history of fall-related medical visits,those living alone,those with impaired physical function,and those with depressive symptoms.

Astrocytes and microglia engage in extensive and complex communication and mutual effect, which referrs to microglia-astrocyte crosstalk. Recent studies have highlighted that this crosstalk plays a pivotal role in neurodegenerative diseases, exerting either protective or detrimental effects. This review briefly introduces the molecular mechanism of microglia-astrocyte crosstalk and its research progress in Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease, aiming to provide new research directions and therapeutic targets for clinical improvement of neurodegenerative diseases from perspective of microglia-astrocyte crosstalk.