1.Neuroelectromagnetic Activities Across Temporal Scales
Zhuo-Qun SHEN ; Xiao-Fei XU ; Yan-Qing WANG ; Jing-Xin LI ; Lan TIAN ; Wei GUO ; Jing-Jing XU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(6):1541-1560
Although global brain science research has progressed rapidly in recent decades, several fundamental questions in neuroscience remain unresolved. In particular, the physical mechanism underlying neural signal transmission remains controversial, and the carriers responsible for neural information storage and retrieval have not yet been fully clarified. These unresolved issues motivate us to re-examine the processes of neural information generation, transmission, integration, storage, and retrieval from multiple perspectives. A key observation is that neural electromagnetic activities are closely associated with time. Their duration, temporal structure, and dynamic evolution play crucial roles in neural information processing. In this work, we analyze neural electromagnetic activities from the perspective of temporal scales (referred to here as the “time course”). By reviewing and integrating findings from previous studies, we examine the characteristic time requirements and dynamic features of neural processes occurring at different stages of information processing. These stages include neural signal generation, signal transmission along axons, synaptic integration, synaptic plasticity, and memory formation and retrieval. Based on this temporal analysis, we outline a framework describing neural electromagnetic activities across a wide range of time scales, spanning from microseconds to minutes, hours, or even longer periods associated with long-term memory, which suggests that neural information processing involves multiple physical processes operating at different time levels. Rapid electromagnetic events may occur on microsecond scales, whereas electrophysiological phenomena such as action potentials typically last on the order of milliseconds. Longer time scales are associated with synaptic plasticity and memory-related processes. From this perspective, we propose that the physical carrier of neural information may be transient electromagnetic pulses with durations on the microsecond scale. In this framework, action potentials can be interpreted as the macroscopic electrophysiological manifestation of underlying electromagnetic processes triggered by ionic currents across neuronal membranes. Rather than being the fundamental neural signal itself, the action potential may represent a measurable membrane-level response associated with the successful activation of these electromagnetic events. Moreover, we discuss a possible mechanism for long-term memory storage. Considering the apparent temporal contradiction between the millisecond-scale excitation of neurons and the long-term persistence of memories, we believe that long-term memory information may be stored within neural network topologies formed by electrical synapse coupling. Such structures, referred to as electrically coupled memory networks (ECMNs), may enable neurons within the same network to respond rapidly and synchronously to stimuli, thereby facilitating efficient memory retrieval. Overall, this study emphasizes the importance of considering the temporal organization of neural electromagnetic activities when interpreting neural signaling mechanisms. It may provide new insights into the physical nature of neural information carriers and the mechanisms of memory storage and retrieval. Furthermore, highlighting the potential role of electromagnetic interactions in neural activity may contribute to the development of new theoretical frameworks and experimental approaches in neuroscience. Such perspectives may also offer valuable references for future research on neural coding, brain function mechanisms, and neuromodulation technologies.
2.Research progress on the application of dental originated mesenchymal stem cell hydrogel in periodontal tissue repair
LI Qun ; XIA Chunpeng ; ZHANG Nan
Journal of Prevention and Treatment for Stomatological Diseases 2026;34(7):720-730
The complete functional regeneration of periodontal tissues—specifically, the simultaneous reconstruction of alveolar bone, cementum, and periodontal ligament—represents a major challenge in oral regenerative medicine. Dental-derived mesenchymal stem cells (DMSCs) are regarded as ideal seed cells for achieving this goal due to their multi-lineage differentiation potential and immunomodulatory properties. As a cell carrier, hydrogels offer the key advantage of mimicking the extracellular matrix through precisely tunable physicochemical properties (e.g., matrix stiffness, topological structure, degradation kinetics), thereby constructing a mechanical and biochemical microenvironment that actively directs stem cell fate. This review summarizes the application and research progress of DMSC-laden hydrogels in periodontal tissue repair. We first analyze the material characteristics of different hydrogel systems, and then elaborate on the specific molecular mechanisms by which hydrogels regulate DMSCs’ differentiation through mechanical properties such as matrix stiffness: stiff hydrogels drive osteogenic differentiation by activating the integrin-focal adhesion kinase (FAK)-Akt/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling axis; inducing cytoskeletal remodeling, and promoting dephosphorylation and nuclear translocation of Yes-associated protein (YAP)/transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) to initiate the transcription of osteogenesis-related genes; and stabilizing β-catenin and activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, upregulating the expression of key osteogenic transcription factors including Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and Osterix. Furthermore, as programmed controlled-release carriers for bioactive factors, hydrogels selectively activate Smad signaling subtypes—pro-osteogenic factors specifically activate the Smad1/5/8 pathway, whereas factors promoting periodontal ligament formation activate the Smad2/3 pathway—thereby achieving precise, directed differentiation of DMSCs toward osteogenic, cementogenic, or fibroblastic lineages. Current key scientific issues in this field include the dynamic adaptation of hydrogel properties during regeneration, stable control of the complex oral microenvironment (e.g., microbes, mechanical forces, inflammation), strategies for efficient directional differentiation of stem cells, and feasibility of clinical translation. Future research directions should focus on developing smart-responsive hydrogels, constructing personalized biomimetic scaffolds combined with three-dimensional bioprinting technology, and designing composite material systems with immunomodulatory functions, aiming ultimately to achieve integrated structural and functional regeneration of periodontal tissue.
3.The first record of Anopheles messeae (Diptera: Culicidae) parasitized by water mites in China
Xue-ru CHEN ; Wen-zhen YAO ; Yu-hao LI ; Gui-chang LI ; Tao MENG ; Qun-ling FENG ; Xin-hui LIU ; Li-hong QIAO ; Xiang-ting WU ; Xue-feng ZHANG ; Cheng-lin LI ; Xue-cheng DONG ; Da-wei WANG ; Xiao-yan SI ; Yu-hong GUO
Acta Parasitologica et Medica Entomologica Sinica 2026;33(1):53-57
Objective This study reports on the obligatory parasitism of water mites Arrenurus sp. on Anopheles messeae at the Manzhouli Port, Inner Mongolia, China. Methods Duing July 2024, a survey on the mosquito diversity was conducted at the Manzhouli Port. Captured mosquitoes and their ectoparasites were identified to species level. Results A total of 1840 adult mosquitoes were collected, representing species from three genera: Culex(Cx. modestus, Cx. pipiens pallens), Aedes(Ae. dorsalis, Ae. flavidorsalis, Ae. flavescens), and Anopheles (An. messeae). Among all the mosqutioes specimens,3 out of 150 captured An. messeae were found to carry ectoparasitic mites, with number of 2,4,27 mites separately. Morphological and molecular identification reached the same result as water mites(Hydrachnidiae, Hydracrina). COI gene sequence showed 94% similarity with the closest species Arrenurus truncatellus. Conlusions Literature review suggests water mites are host-specific parasitism of mosquito species and herein with the first record of Arrenurus sp. parasiting on An. Messeae in the most high-latitude region globally.
4.Nomogram based on multimodal MRI radiomics for discriminating molecular subtypes of HER-2-negative breast cancer
Qun WANG ; Hongli PAN ; Xiaohu LI ; Yongqiang YU ; Yunwen YAN ; Weishu HOU
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(4):715-723
ObjectiveTo explore the value of a multimodal MRI-based radiomics nomogram for differentiating human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) negative breast cancer molecular subtypes.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on 190 patients with HER-2 negative breast cancer who underwent multimodal MRI examination, and the patients were divided into two molecular subtype groups: a HER-2 low expression group (n=108) and a HER-2 zero expression group (n=82). The cases were randomly stratified and sampled at a ratio of 7∶3 and divided into a training set of 133 cases and a testing set of 57 cases. The clinical and radiological features of the patients were collected, the radiomics features based on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI were extracted, and the clinical-radiological model, unimodal radiomics model, multimodal radiomics model, and combined model were constructed respectively. Then the nomogram combined multimodal radiomics signature (radsocre) with clinical-radiological features was used to construct a visualized predictive model, and the area under the curve (AUC) was used to compare the effectiveness of different models in distinguishing HER-2 low expression and zero expression subtypes.ResultsA significant difference in radscore was demonstrated between the HER-2 low and HER-2 zero expression groups in both the training (P<0.000 1) and testing sets (P<0.01). The AUC of the multimodal radiomics model in the training set and the testing set were 0.914 and 0.836, respectively, which was superior to any unimodal radiomics model. The nomogram demonstrated great diagnostic efficacy (AUC=0.930 in training set; AUC=0.865 in testing set).ConclusionA multimodal MRI-based nomogram incorporating radsocre and clinical-radiological features can accurately distinguish the subtypes of HER-2 negative breast cancer.
5.Research on The Role of Dopamine in Regulating Sleep and Wakefulness Through Exercise
Li-Juan HOU ; Ya-Xuan GENG ; Ke LI ; Zhao-Yang HUANG ; Lan-Qun MAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):88-98
Sleep is an instinctive behavior alternating awakening state, sleep entails many active processes occurring at the cellular, circuit and organismal levels. The function of sleep is to restore cellular energy, enhance immunity, promote growth and development, consolidate learning and memory to ensure normal life activities. However, with the increasing of social pressure involved in work and life, the incidence of sleep disorders (SD) is increasing year by year. In the short term, sleep disorders lead to impaired memory and attention; in the longer term, it produces neurological dysfunction or even death. There are many ways to directly or indirectly contribute to sleep disorder and keep the hormones, including pharmacological alternative treatments, light therapy and stimulus control therapy. Exercise is also an effective and healthy therapeutic strategy for improving sleep. The intensities, time periods, and different types of exercise have different health benefits for sleep, which can be found through indicators such as sleep quality, sleep efficiency and total sleep time. So it is more and more important to analyze the mechanism and find effective regulation targets during sleep disorder through exercise. Dopamine (DA) is an important neurotransmitter in the nervous system, which not only participates in action initiation, movement regulation and emotion regulation, but also plays a key role in the steady-state remodeling of sleep-awakening state transition. Appreciable evidence shows that sleep disorder on humans and rodents evokes anomalies in the dopaminergic signaling, which are also implicated in the development of psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia or substance abuse. Experiments have shown that DA in different neural pathways plays different regulatory roles in sleep behavior, we found that increasing evidence from rodent studies revealed a role for ventral tegmental area DA neurons in regulating sleep-wake patterns. DA signal transduction and neurotransmitter release patterns have complex interactions with behavioral regulation. In addition, experiments have shown that exercise causes changes in DA homeostasis in the brain, which may regulate sleep through different mechanisms, including cAMP response element binding protein signal transduction, changes in the circadian rhythm of biological clock genes, and interactions with endogenous substances such as adenosine, which affect neuronal structure and play a neuroprotective role. This review aims to introduce the regulatory effects of exercise on sleep disorder, especially the regulatory mechanism of DA in this process. The analysis of intracerebral DA signals also requires support from neurophysiological and chemical techniques. Our laboratory has established and developed an in vivo brain neurochemical analysis platform, which provides support for future research on the regulation of sleep-wake cycles by movement. We hope it can provide theoretical reference for the formulation of exercise prescription for clinical sleep disorder and give some advice to the combined intervention of drugs and exercise.
6.Comprehensive Application of AHP-CRITIC Hybrid Weighting Method, Grey Correlation Analysis and BP-ANN in Optimization of Extraction Process of Qizhi Prescription
Qun LAN ; Yi CHENG ; Zian LI ; Bingyu WU ; Jinyu WANG ; Dewen LIU ; Yan TONG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(8):176-186
ObjectiveBased on analytic hierarchy process(AHP)-criteria importance through intercriteria correlation(CRITIC) hybrid weighting method, grey relational analysis and backpropagation artificial neural network(BP-ANN), to optimize the water extraction process of Qizhi prescription, so as to provide an experimental basis for optimization of the preparation process of this prescription and the establishment of quality standards. MethodsL9(34) orthogonal test was employed, and the AHP-CRITIC hybrid weighting method was utilized to determine the weight coefficients of the quality fractions of various components, including astragaloside Ⅳ, polygalaxanthone Ⅲ, calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside, tenuifolin, and 3,6′-disinapoylsucrose, as well as the dry extract yield. The comprehensive score of each factor level combination in the orthogonal test were calculated as evaluation indicator to select the optimal extraction process parameters. The effects of extraction times, extraction time, and solvent dosage on the aqueous extraction process of the formula were investigated through intuitive analysis, variance analysis, and grey relational analysis. Meanwhile, a BP-ANN model was established to reverse-predict the optimal extraction process parameters of Qizhi prescription, and the optimized process parameters were validated. ResultsThe weight coefficients of the five index components(astragaloside Ⅳ, tenuifolin, calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside, polygalaxanthone Ⅲ, and 3,6′-disinapoylsucrose) and dry extract yield were 25.7%, 20.82%, 16.41%, 12.45%, 15.96% and 8.67%, respectively. The optimized extraction process parameters were extracted 3 times with 8, 6, 6 times the amount of water, each time for 1 h. The network prediction results of BP-ANN test samples were consistent with the orthogonal test results, and the mean square error(MSE) of the predicted and measured values of the network was <1%. The water extraction process of Qizhi prescription analyzed and predicted by relevant mathematical models was stable and feasible, which could effectively improve the extraction efficiency of the active ingredients of Astragali Radix and Polygalae Radix, and the average comprehensive score of the validation test was 90.85 with the relative standard deviation(RSD) of 1.55%. ConclusionThis study establishes a water extraction process for compound Qizhi granules, and the optimized extraction process can effectively improve the extraction efficiency of active ingredients, which provides useful references for the optimization of preparation process and the establishment of quality standards for other clinical experience formulas.
7.Rauch-Steindl Syndrome Caused by NSD2 Mutation:A Case Report and Follow-up of Growth Hormone Therapy
Qun ZENG ; Siqi HUANG ; Hui OU ; Xiaojuan LI ; Liyang LIANG
Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Medical Sciences) 2025;46(4):714-720
[Objective]To analyze the clinical characteristics,efficacy of growth hormone(GH)therapy,and follow-up of a child with Rauch-Steindl syndrome(RAUST)caused by NSD2 gene mutation,aiming to enhance pediatricians'understanding of this disorder.[Methods]We summarized the clinical features,gene test results,outcomes of GH therapy,and follow-up data of a child with RAUST syndrome caused by NSD2 mutation admitted to the Pediatric Endocrinology Department of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital in April 2017,and then conducted a comparative analysis with relevant literature.[Results]The 2.9-year-old boy at initial visit was born prematurely at 36 weeks of gestation,with a birth weight of 1.7 kg and a body length of 42.0 cm.Clinical manifestations included intrauterine growth retardation,delayed language and motor development,extreme short stature(82.0 cm,-3.7 SD),emaciation,and distinctive facial features(triangular face,narrow jaw,prominent forehead,arched eyebrows,sparse eyebrows,high anterior hairline,crowded dentition),accompanied by bilateral cryptorchidism.Bone age was delayed by 1.4 years.Karyotyping and chromosomal microarray analysis were normal.GH therapy initiated at 3.8 years old yielded annual growth rates of 4.9-6.6 cm/year.When the treatment was discontinued at the age of 8.0,the boy's height was 113.7 cm(-3.0 SD),with subsequent decline in growth velocity.Whole exome sequencing in July 2024 identified a frameshift variant c.4028del(p.Pro1343Glnfs*49)in NSD2,which was confirmed as de novo pathogenic variation by parental Sanger sequencing.[Conclusions]This study reports the clinical features of RAUST syndrome caused by NSD2 mutation and explores the long-term efficacy of GH therapy.The findings contribute to a better understanding of this rare syndrome and further optimize its diagnosis and management.
8.Protective effect of Sanfeng Tongqiao Dropping Pills against house dust mite-induced allergic asthma in mice
Tong-wen ZUO ; Xiao-qun GU ; Shu-xian SUN ; Lin LI ; Ya-jun SONG ; Fu-man HUANG ; Qian ZHAO ; Kang ZHOU ; Jie ZHENG ; Min HONG
Chinese Traditional Patent Medicine 2025;47(8):2542-2549
AIM To investigate the protective effect of Sanfeng Tongqiao Dropping Pills against house dust mite(HDM)-induced allergic asthma in mice.METHODS Compared to the intact BALB/c mice in the blank control group,the BALB/c mice randomly assigned into the model group,the dexamethasone group(0.67 mg/kg),and the low-dose,medium-dose,and high-dose Sanfeng Tongqiao Dropping Pills groups(15,30 and 60 mg/kg),were induced into acute allergic asthma models via weekly intraperitoneal sensitization with 0.1 mL HDM solution(0.5 mg/mL)for three weeks followed by three consecutive daily intranasal challenges with 10 μL HDM solution(2.5 mg/mL)starting in the third week.The drug administered continuously 7 days after the last excitation.The mice had their airway reactive Penh value detected,their pulmonary pathological changes observed by HE staining,their blood eosinophils(EOS)counted,their Th2 cytokines in lung tissue and serum IgE levels detected by ELISA,and their number of peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC)and pulmonary Th2 cells detected by flow cytometry.Chronic allergic asthma was induced in grouped BALB/c mice through repeated intranasal challenges with 10 μL HDM solution(2.5 mg/mL)administered five times weekly for five consecutive weeks.Drug treatment continued for 14 days following the final challenge.After the final treatment,the mice had their pulmonary pathological changes observed by HE staining,and their levels of Th2 cytokines in B ALF and lung tissue and serum IgE detected by ELISA.RESULTS Compared to the blank control group,the acute allergic asthma model group exhibited increases in Penh value,EOS count and IgE level in serum,IL-4 and IL-5 levels in lung tissue(P<0.01);obvious pulmonary inflammatory cells infiltration,and thickened airway wall;and increase in pulmonary number of Th2 cells(P<0.01).Compared to the model group,the groups intervened with Sanfeng Tongqiao Dropping Pills demonstrated decreased Penh value,serum EOS count,IgE level and IL-5 level in lung tissue(P<0.05,P<0.01);reduced pulmonary inflammatory infiltration and alleviated airway wall thickening;and decreased number of pulmonary Th2 cells.Compared to the blank group,the chronic allergic asthma model group showed obvious pulmonary inflammatory infiltration and airway wall thickening;and increased EOS count and IgE level in serum,IL-4 and IL-13 in lung tissue and IL-14 in BALF(P<0.05,P<0.01).Compared to the model group,the groups intervened with either medium-dose or high-dose Sanfeng Tongqiao Dropping Pills demonstrated reduced pulmonary inflammatory infiltration;and decreased serum EOS count,IgE level,IL-13 in lung tissue and IL-14 in BALF(P<0.05,P<0.01).CONCLUSION Sanfeng Tongqiao Dropping Pills reduce Th2 cells in peripheral blood and lung tissue,suppress type 2 inflammation,and thereby alleviate allergic asthma.
9.Guidelines for Medical Examination for Cancer in Health Examination Agency(2025 Edition)
Wanqing CHEN ; Zhijian XU ; Qiang ZENG ; Ni LI ; Wei CAO ; Kexin CHEN ; Feng SUN ; Yuping LIU ; Yutong HE ; Peng WANG ; Shiqi TANG ; Qun ZHANG ; Kaifeng PAN ; Jie HE
China Cancer 2025;34(9):667-697
Cancer incidence in China has been rising steadily,with a particularly heavy burden from several high-prevalence malignancies.Medical examination for cancer plays a critical role in the early detection of cancer,precancerous lesions,and precursor conditions,thereby facilitating timely diagnosis and intervention.Such examination also addresses the growing demand for person-alized cancer screening services among diverse population groups.The development of evidence-based,context-specific cancer screening guidelines is essential to enhance the standardization,quality,and equity of preventive screening practices across the country,ultimately improving out-comes in early cancer detection and treatment.Guided by the Department of Medical Emergency Response of the National Health Commission,the Guidelines for Medical Examination for Cancer in Health Examination Agency(2025 Edition)were developed under the leadership of the National Cancer Center.A multidisciplinary panel of experts formulated the guidelines in accordance with the principles and methodology of the World Health Organization Handbook for Guideline Deve-lopment.The guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations on key clinical domains:target cancers and populations,overall screening workflow,screening protocols,diagnostic technolo-gies,result interpretation,follow-up procedures,and quality control.The primary objective is to standardize cancer screening practices in health examination agency and strengthen China's ca-pacity for prevention and control of high-burden cancers.
10.Clinical efficacy and safety of Octocog alfa in Chinese patients with hemophilia A: One-year follow-up results from the Antihemophilic Factor Hemophilia A Outcome Database (AHEAD) study
Runhui WU ; Zhenyu LI ; Jing SUN ; Xin DU ; Xinsheng ZHANG ; Ying WANG ; Qun HU ; Rongfu ZHOU ; Joan GU ; Randy GUERRA ; Renchi YANG
Chinese Journal of Hematology 2025;46(8):705-712
Objective:To evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of recombinant coagulation factor Ⅷ (Octocog alfa) in Chinese patients with hemophilia A (HA) enrolled in the International Antihemophilic Factor Hemophilia A Outcome Database (AHEAD) study (NCT02078427) .Methods:Enrollment of Chinese patients in the AHEAD study was completed by January 2021, and data were collected up to July 15, 2022. This study primarily assessed patients in terms of the Gilbert score, global gait score within the Hemophilia Joint Health Score (HJHS), annualized bleeding rate (ABR), annualized joint bleeding rate, and adverse events.Results:A total of 168 male patients were included in this study, of which 113 received prophylactic treatment and 53 received on-demand treatment. The average age of the patients was 21.4±13.37 years. Compared with baseline, the global gait score within HJHS significantly decreased during the 1-year follow-up in patients with moderately severe HA in the prophylactic treatment group ( P=0.01) and on-demand treatment group ( P=0.008). The mean reduction in Gilbert score was greater in the prophylactic treatment group than in the on-demand treatment group (28.6% vs 8.2%). The average ABR decreased significantly during the 1-year follow-up (3.70 vs 7.78, P=0.01) in the prophylactic treatment group, particularly in patients with severe HA (2.14 vs 8.98, P=0.006) and pediatric patients (2.1 vs 4.73, P=0.03). The ABR score also decreased significantly in the moderate-dose prophylactic treatment group ( P=0.015). During the 1-year follow-up, 25 patients (14.9%) reported 39 adverse events, with only one patient developing treatment-related F Ⅷ inhibitor. Conclusion:Joint mobility improved in patients receiving either prophylactic or on-demand Octocog alfa. Bleeding episodes significantly reduced in patients receiving prophylactic treatment, particularly in pediatric patients and those with severe HA.


Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail