Brain’s neural activities encompass both periodic rhythmic oscillations and aperiodic neural fluctuations. Rhythmic oscillations manifest as spectral peaks of neural signals, directly reflecting the synchronized activities of neural populations and closely tied to cognitive and behavioral states. In contrast, aperiodic fluctuations exhibit a power-law decaying spectral trend, revealing the multiscale dynamics of brain neural activity. In recent years, researchers have made notable progress in studying brain aperiodic dynamics. These studies demonstrate that aperiodic activity holds significant physiological relevance, correlating with various physiological states such as external stimuli, drug induction, sleep states, and aging. Aperiodic activity serves as a reflection of the brain’s sensory capacity, consciousness level, and cognitive ability. In clinical research, the aperiodic exponent has emerged as a significant potential biomarker, capable of reflecting the progression and trends of brain diseases while being intricately intertwined with the excitation-inhibition balance of neural system. The physiological mechanisms underlying aperiodic dynamics span multiple neural scales, with activities at the levels of individual neurons, neuronal ensembles, and neural networks collectively influencing the frequency, oscillatory patterns, and spatiotemporal characteristics of aperiodic signals. Aperiodic dynamics currently boasts broad application prospects. It not only provides a novel perspective for investigating brain neural dynamics but also holds immense potential as a neural marker in neuromodulation or brain-computer interface technologies. This paper summarizes methods for extracting characteristic parameters of aperiodic activity, analyzes its physiological relevance and potential as a biomarker in brain diseases, summarizes its physiological mechanisms, and based on these findings, elaborates on the research prospects of aperiodic dynamics.

BACKGROUND: There is little literature describing the artificial intelligence (AI)-aided diagnosis of severe pneumonia (SP) subphenotypes and the association of the subphenotypes with the ventilatory treatment efficacy. The aim of our study is to illustrate whether clinical and biological heterogeneity, such as ventilation and gas-exchange, exists among patients with SP using chest computed tomography (CT)-based AI-aided latent class analysis (LCA). METHODS: This retrospective study included 413 patients hospitalized at Xinhua Hospital diagnosed with SP from June 1, 2015 to May 30, 2020. AI quantification results of chest CT and their combination with additional clinical variables were used to develop LCA models in an SP population. The optimal subphenotypes were determined though evaluating statistical indicators of all the LCA models, and clinical implications of them such as guiding ventilation strategies were further explored by statistical methods. RESULTS: The two-class LCA model based on AI quantification results of chest CT can describe the biological characteristics of the SP population well and hence yielded the two clinical subphenotypes. Patients with subphenotype-1 had milder infections ( P <0.001) than patients with subphenotype-2 and had lower 30-day ( P <0.001) and 90-day ( P <0.001) mortality, and lower in-hospital ( P = 0.001) and 2-year ( P <0.001) mortality. Patients with subphenotype-1 showed a better match between the percentage of non-infected lung volume (used to quantify ventilation) and oxygen saturation (used to reflect gas exchange), compared with patients with subphenotype-2. There were significant differences in the matching degree of lung ventilation and gas exchange between the two subphenotypes ( P <0.001). Compared with patients with subphenotype-2, those with subphenotype-1 showed a relatively better match between CT-based AI metrics of the non-infected region and oxygenation, and their clinical outcomes were effectively improved after receiving invasive ventilation treatment. CONCLUSIONS A two-class LCA model based on AI quantification results of chest CT in the SP population particularly revealed clinical heterogeneity of lung function. Identifying the degree of match between ventilation and gas-exchange may help guide decisions about assisted ventilation.
Humans ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Artificial Intelligence ; Aged ; Pneumonia/diagnosis* ; Latent Class Analysis ; Adult

Background: and Purpose Ruptured intracranial aneurysms (RIA) are associated with a mortality rate of up to 40% in the Chinese population, highlighting the critical need for targeted treatment interventions for at-risk individuals. Although the impact of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) gene mutations on susceptibility to intracranial aneurysms (IA) is well documented, the potential connection between ALDH2 rs671 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and RIA remains unexplored. Given the increased prevalence of ALDH2 gene mutations among Chinese Han individuals, it is clinically relevant to investigate the link between ALDH2 rs671 SNP and IA rupture. Methods: A prospective study was conducted on 546 patients diagnosed with IA to investigate the association between ALDH2 rs671 SNP and the risk of IA rupture. Results: The ALDH2 rs671 SNP (ALDH2*2) was significantly more prevalent in patients with unruptured IA (UIA) than in those with RIA (32.56% vs. 18.58%, P=0.004). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that people with the ALDH2 mutation (ALDH2*1/*2 and ALDH2*2/*2 gene type) had a significantly reduced odds ratio (OR=0.49; 95% confidence level [CI] 0.27–0.88; P=0.018) for RIAs. Age-specific subgroup analysis indicated that the ALDH2 mutation provided a stronger protective effect in individuals aged 60 years and above with IA compared to those under 60 years old (OR=0.38 vs. OR=0.52, both P<0.05). Conclusion The incidence of RIA was significantly higher in individuals with a normal ALDH2 gene (ALDH2*1/*1) than in those with an ALDH2 rs671 SNP (ALDH2*1/*2 or ALDH2*2/*2). ALDH2 rs671 SNP may serve as a protective factor against RIA in the Chinese Han population.

Background: and Purpose Ruptured intracranial aneurysms (RIA) are associated with a mortality rate of up to 40% in the Chinese population, highlighting the critical need for targeted treatment interventions for at-risk individuals. Although the impact of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) gene mutations on susceptibility to intracranial aneurysms (IA) is well documented, the potential connection between ALDH2 rs671 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and RIA remains unexplored. Given the increased prevalence of ALDH2 gene mutations among Chinese Han individuals, it is clinically relevant to investigate the link between ALDH2 rs671 SNP and IA rupture. Methods: A prospective study was conducted on 546 patients diagnosed with IA to investigate the association between ALDH2 rs671 SNP and the risk of IA rupture. Results: The ALDH2 rs671 SNP (ALDH2*2) was significantly more prevalent in patients with unruptured IA (UIA) than in those with RIA (32.56% vs. 18.58%, P=0.004). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that people with the ALDH2 mutation (ALDH2*1/*2 and ALDH2*2/*2 gene type) had a significantly reduced odds ratio (OR=0.49; 95% confidence level [CI] 0.27–0.88; P=0.018) for RIAs. Age-specific subgroup analysis indicated that the ALDH2 mutation provided a stronger protective effect in individuals aged 60 years and above with IA compared to those under 60 years old (OR=0.38 vs. OR=0.52, both P<0.05). Conclusion The incidence of RIA was significantly higher in individuals with a normal ALDH2 gene (ALDH2*1/*1) than in those with an ALDH2 rs671 SNP (ALDH2*1/*2 or ALDH2*2/*2). ALDH2 rs671 SNP may serve as a protective factor against RIA in the Chinese Han population.

Background: and Purpose Ruptured intracranial aneurysms (RIA) are associated with a mortality rate of up to 40% in the Chinese population, highlighting the critical need for targeted treatment interventions for at-risk individuals. Although the impact of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) gene mutations on susceptibility to intracranial aneurysms (IA) is well documented, the potential connection between ALDH2 rs671 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and RIA remains unexplored. Given the increased prevalence of ALDH2 gene mutations among Chinese Han individuals, it is clinically relevant to investigate the link between ALDH2 rs671 SNP and IA rupture. Methods: A prospective study was conducted on 546 patients diagnosed with IA to investigate the association between ALDH2 rs671 SNP and the risk of IA rupture. Results: The ALDH2 rs671 SNP (ALDH2*2) was significantly more prevalent in patients with unruptured IA (UIA) than in those with RIA (32.56% vs. 18.58%, P=0.004). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that people with the ALDH2 mutation (ALDH2*1/*2 and ALDH2*2/*2 gene type) had a significantly reduced odds ratio (OR=0.49; 95% confidence level [CI] 0.27–0.88; P=0.018) for RIAs. Age-specific subgroup analysis indicated that the ALDH2 mutation provided a stronger protective effect in individuals aged 60 years and above with IA compared to those under 60 years old (OR=0.38 vs. OR=0.52, both P<0.05). Conclusion The incidence of RIA was significantly higher in individuals with a normal ALDH2 gene (ALDH2*1/*1) than in those with an ALDH2 rs671 SNP (ALDH2*1/*2 or ALDH2*2/*2). ALDH2 rs671 SNP may serve as a protective factor against RIA in the Chinese Han population.

Dipsaci Radix is a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine in China, with triterpenoid saponins as the main active components. β-Amyrin synthase, a member of the oxidosqualene cyclase superfamily, plays a crucial role in the biosynthesis of oleanane-type triterpenoid saponins. Asperosaponin Ⅵ is an oleanane-type triterpenoid saponin. To explore the β-amyrin synthase genes involved in the biosynthesis of asperosaponin Ⅵ in Dipsacus asper, this study screened the candidate genes from the transcriptome data of D. asper. Two β-amyrin synthase genes, Da OSC1 and Da OSC2, were identified by phylogenetic analysis and correlation analysis. The coding sequences of Da OSC1 and Da OSC2 were 2 286 bp and 2 295 bp in length, encoding 761 and 764 amino acids,respectively. Multiple sequence alignments showed that Da OSC1 and Da OSC2 had three conserved motifs( DCTAE, QW, and MWCYCR) unique to the oxidosqualene cyclase family. Real-time quantitative PCR results showed that Da OSC1 and Da OSC2 had the highest expression levels in the roots. Compared with normal growth conditions, the low-temperature treatment significantly upregulated the expression of Da OSC1 and Da OSC2. Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression of Da OSC1 and Da OSC2 in Nicotiana benthamiana resulted in the production of β-amyrin, which suggested that Da OSC1 and Da OSC2 were able to catalyze the synthesis of β-amyrin. This study clarified the catalytic functions of two β-amyrin synthases in D. asper, analyzed their expression patterns in different tissue and at low temperatures. The findings provide a foundation for further studying the biosynthetic pathway and regulatory mechanism of asperosaponin Ⅵ in D. asper.
Intramolecular Transferases/chemistry* ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins/chemistry* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Dipsacaceae/classification* ; Saponins/metabolism* ; Oleanolic Acid/metabolism*

The Masquelet technique, also known as the induced membrane technique, is a surgical technique for repairing large bone defects based on the use of a membrane generated by a foreign body reaction for bone grafting. This technique is not only simple to perform, with few complications and quick recovery, but also has excellent clinical results. To better understand the mechanisms by which this technique promotes bone defect repair and the factors that require special attention in practice, we examined and summarized the relevant research advances in this technique by searching, reading, and analysing the literature. Literature show that the Masquelet technique may promote the repair of bone defects through the physical septum and molecular barrier, vascular network, enrichment of mesenchymal stem cells, and high expression of bone-related growth factors, and the repair process is affected by the properties of spacers, the timing of bone graft, mechanical environment, intramembrane filling materials, artificial membrane, and pharmaceutical/biological agents/physical stimulation.
Humans ; Bone Transplantation/methods* ; Membranes, Artificial ; Bone Regeneration ; Animals

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Shexiang Tongxin Dropping Pill (STDP) in treating stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome by exercise duration and metabolic equivalents. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome from 22 hospitals. They were randomized 1:1 to STDP (35 mg/pill, 6 pills per day) or placebo for 56 days. The primary outcome was the exercise duration and metabolic equivalents (METs) assessed by the standard Bruce exercise treadmill test after 56 days of treatment. The secondary outcomes included the total angina symptom score, Chinese medicine (CM) symptom scores, Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) scores, changes in ST-T on electrocardiogram and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: This trial enrolled 309 patients, including 155 and 154 in the STDP and placebo groups, respectively. STDP significantly prolonged exercise duration with an increase of 51.0 s, compared to a decrease of 12.0 s with placebo (change rate: -11.1% vs. 3.2%, P<0.01). The increase in METs was significantly greater in the STDP group than in the placebo group (change: -0.4 vs. 0.0, change rate: -5.0% vs. 0.0%, P<0.01). The improvement of total angina symptom scores (25.0% vs. 0.0%), CM symptom scores (38.7% vs. 11.8%), reduction of nitroglycerin consumption (100.0% vs. 11.3%), and all domains of SAQ, were significantly greater with STDP than placebo (all P<0.01). The changes in Q-T intervals at 28 and 56 days from baseline were similar between the two groups (both P>0.05). Twenty-five participants (16.3%) with STDP and 16 (10.5%) with placebo experienced AEs (P=0.131), with no serious AEs observed. CONCLUSION STDP could improve exercise tolerance in patients with stable angina and phlegm-heat and blood stasis syndrome, with a favorable safety profile. (Registration No. ChiCTR-IPR-15006020).
Humans ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Angina, Stable/physiopathology* ; Aged ; Syndrome ; Treatment Outcome ; Placebos ; Tablets

To evaluate the accuracy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound diagnostic reports for pancreatic lesions.