Objective:To investigate the effect of hypericin (Hyp) on neurologic impairment, ferroptosis and cuproptosis in mice with acute cerebral infarction.Methods:Sixty 8-week old male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into sham-operated group, middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) group, MCAO+Hyp low-dose treatment group (L-Hyp group), and MCAO+Hyp high-dose treatment group (H-Hyp group), with 15 mice in each group. Intraluminal filament MCAO models in the later 3 groups were established. Saline was given intraperitoneally into the sham-operated group and MCAO group, and Hyp was given intraperitoneally at 0.5 mg/kg or 1 mg/kg into the L-Hyp group and H-Hyp group 24 hours after modeling. Twenty-four hours after Hyp, neurologic function was assessed using Garcia score, grip strength test, and fatigue baton test; brain tissue edema was assessed by dry-wet weight method; neuronal necrosis, survival and apoptosis were detected by HE staining, Nissl staining and TUNEL, respectively; ferroptosis and oxidative stress were assessed using iron assay kit, and reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) assay kits; cuproptosis was assessed using copper assay kit and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation was evaluated by mitochondrial respiratory chain complex Ⅲ and Ⅳ activity detection kits; morphological changes in neuronal mitochondria after ferroptosis and cuproptosis were observed by electron microscopy; protein expressions of ferroptosis-associated solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), cuproptosis-associated solute carrier family 31 member 1 (SLC31A1), and ferredoxin 1 (FDX1) were detected by Western blotting.Results:(1) Compared with the MCAO group, the L-Hyp group and H-Hyp group had decreased modified Garcia score and brain water content, increased grip strength and rod-turning time, decreased number of necrotic and apoptotic neurons, increased number of survived neurons, decreased Fe 2+, ROS and MDA levels, increased GSH level and mitochondrial respiratory control rate, and decreased copper content, with significant differences ( P<0.05); and the above changes in the H-Hyp group were more obvious than those in the L-Hyp group, with significant differences ( P<0.05). Compared with the MCAO group, neurons in the L-Hyp group and H-Hyp group had significantly improved status in mitochondrial shrinkage, vacuolation, reduced cristulation, increased membrane density, ruptured cell membrane, endoplasmic reticulum damage and chromatin disruption ( P<0.05); and the H-Hyp group had signficantly more obvious improvement than the L-Hyp group ( P<0.05). (2) Compared with the MCAO group (0.38±0.09, 0.28±0.05), the L-Hyp group and H-Hyp group had significantly increased protein expressions of SLC7A11 and GPX4 (0.83±0.11, 0.49±0.06; 1.27±0.08, 0.84±0.04; P<0.05); the H-Hyp group had significantly higher SLC7A11 and GPX4 expressions than the L-Hyp group ( P<0.05). Compared with the MCAO group (2.76±0.17, 0.67±0.07), the L-Hyp group and H-Hyp group had significantly decreased protein expressions of SLC31A1 and FDX1 (1.72±0.07, 0.51±0.05; 1.12±0.06, 0.34±0.05; P<0.05); the H-Hyp group had significantly lower SLC31A1 and FDX1 expressions than the L-Hyp group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Hyp can ameliorate ferroptosis and cuproptosis by regulating the protein expressions of SLC7A11, GPX4, SLC31A1 and FDX1, to alleviate oxidative stress injury in MCAO mice, thereby promoting the recovery of neurological function.

Objective To satisfy the normalized disinfection in the orthopedic ward,an air sterilizer based on low-temperature plasma has been developed to investigate its sterilization results in a dynamic environment of hospitalization where patients,companions and medical workers are involved.Methods This study took an orthopedics ward in the Secondary Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University,as the research object,where a home-made low-temperature plasma air sterilizer was utilized.A six-stage viable Andersen cascade impactor was used to sample the natural bacteria in the ward before and after machine operation for three hours.The species and quantity of bacteria in the ward were analyzed.Results The ozone concentration in the indoor dynamic environment decreased to below 5 ppbv.After three-hour disinfection,the elimination rate of natural bacteria reached 92.35％.The final colony forming unit decreased to～150 CFU/m3;the extinction rates of Staphylococcus hominis,Bacillus cereus,molds,and Micrococcus luteus were 90.48％,80.90％,87.50％,and 92.82％respectively.Even all Haemophilus massiliensis disappeared after two-hour treatment.Conclusion Intermittent disinfection of the dynamic environment in the ward using low-temperature plasma synergistic catalyst has enabled the indoor ozone concentration to reach the first-level national standard line,effectively suppressing secondary pollution caused by ozone leakage while efficiently killing suspended microorganisms in the air,which is close to the disinfection level Ⅰenvironment specified in Hygienic Standard for Disinfection in Hospitals(GB 15982-2012).The results also show that the plasma catalytic synergistic disinfection and sterilization has the technical advantages of efficient disinfection and human-machine coexistence,which can ensure indoor air quality safety,reduce the workload of nursing staff,and thus is an effective method to assist or even replace the existing physical and chemical means.

Objective:To investigate the predictive value of serum signal lymphocyte activation molecule family member 8(SLAMF8)levels for post-stroke cognitive impairment(PSCI).Methods:The GSE122063 dataset was selected from the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO), and key genes associated with vascular dementia were identified using STRING network and Cytoscape software.This prospective cohort study involved 123 patients with acute cerebral infarction(ACI)who were admitted to the Department of Neurology at Jiangsu University Affiliated Hospital from January to December 2023.Patients were followed up for six months and categorized into PSCI and post-stroke non-cognitive impairment(PSNCI)groups based on the occurrence of PSCI.General data from both groups at baseline, as well as the Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)and Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale(MoCA)scores at the six-month follow-up, were collected.Baseline serum levels of SLAMF8 and stabilin-1(STAB1), along with serum levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and interleukin-6(IL-6)at the six-month follow-up, were measured.Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between variables, while logistic regression analysis was employed to determine baseline factors influencing the occurrence of PSCI.Receiver Operating Characteristic(ROC)curves were plotted to analyze the predictive value of variables for PSCI occurrence.Results:The Cytoscape software identified SLAMF8 and STAB1 as key genes associated with vascular dementia, utilizing maximum neighborhood component density(DNMC)and eccentricity algorithms on the GSE122063 dataset.In the cohort study, patients in the PSCI group exhibited higher baseline NIHSS scores and serum SLAMF8 levels compared to the PSNCI group( t=3.033, 5.422; P<0.01). Additionally, they demonstrated significantly lower MMSE and MoCA scores( t=16.340, 18.634; P<0.001)and higher serum levels of IL-1β and IL-6( t=2.633, 2.632; P<0.05)at the 6-month follow-up.No significant difference was observed in baseline STAB1 levels between the two groups( t=1.280, P>0.05). In the PSCI group, there was no significant correlation between baseline serum SLAMF8 levels and admission NIHSS scores( r=0.257, P=0.082); however, SLAMF8 showed a negative correlation with both MMSE scores( r=-0.711, P<0.001)and MoCA scores( r=-0.686, P<0.001)at the 6-month follow-up.Logistic regression analysis indicated that baseline serum SLAMF8 levels( OR=1.142, P=0.001)and NIHSS scores( OR=1.094, P=0.007)were risk factors for the development of PSCI in patients with acute cerebral infarction(ACI). ROC curve analysis revealed that the area under the ROC curve(AUC)for baseline serum SLAMF8 levels in predicting PSCI occurrence in ACI patients was 0.776, while the AUC for the combined prediction using both SLAMF8 and NIHSS scores was 0.796.Furthermore, baseline serum SLAMF8 levels were positively correlated with serum IL-1β levels( r=0.652, P<0.001)and IL-6 levels( r=0.710, P<0.001)at the 6-month follow-up. Conclusions:The serum SLAMF8 level, exhibiting early high expression in ACI patients, may serve as a potential biological marker for predicting the occurrence of PSCI.

Objective:To investigate transition pattern of health status among middle-aged and elderly population in China based on frailty index.Methods:In this retrospective cohort study, middle-aged and elderly people were selected from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in 2011; and 1 434 subjects were followed up to 2015. The frailty index was calculated from the prevalence of chronic diseases, daily activity ability and blood biomarkers, and the frailty state was divided by quartiles of the frailty index. Markov models were constructed to determine the transition probabilities of different frailty states.Results:The mean age of the 1 434 subjects was (59.0±9.4) years and the mean frailty index was 0.11±0.05. In the healthy individuals, 63.0% remained healthy after a four-year follow-up; during the same follow-up period, 40.9% of the mildly frail individuals and 23.0% of the moderately frail individuals remained in their baseline frailty status. Increasing age leaded to a gradual increase in the probability of the population shifting to a severely frailty state. Women were more likely to shift to severe frailty status than men (0.029 vs 0.019, Z=3.03, P=0.002). Conclusion:Among middle-aged and elderly population in China, the transition of health states follows a pattern where higher frailty levels are associated with lower stability. Advanced age and female gender are identified as risk factors for progression to severe frailty.

Objective To satisfy the normalized disinfection in the orthopedic ward,an air sterilizer based on low-temperature plasma has been developed to investigate its sterilization results in a dynamic environment of hospitalization where patients,companions and medical workers are involved.Methods This study took an orthopedics ward in the Secondary Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University,as the research object,where a home-made low-temperature plasma air sterilizer was utilized.A six-stage viable Andersen cascade impactor was used to sample the natural bacteria in the ward before and after machine operation for three hours.The species and quantity of bacteria in the ward were analyzed.Results The ozone concentration in the indoor dynamic environment decreased to below 5 ppbv.After three-hour disinfection,the elimination rate of natural bacteria reached 92.35％.The final colony forming unit decreased to～150 CFU/m3;the extinction rates of Staphylococcus hominis,Bacillus cereus,molds,and Micrococcus luteus were 90.48％,80.90％,87.50％,and 92.82％respectively.Even all Haemophilus massiliensis disappeared after two-hour treatment.Conclusion Intermittent disinfection of the dynamic environment in the ward using low-temperature plasma synergistic catalyst has enabled the indoor ozone concentration to reach the first-level national standard line,effectively suppressing secondary pollution caused by ozone leakage while efficiently killing suspended microorganisms in the air,which is close to the disinfection level Ⅰenvironment specified in Hygienic Standard for Disinfection in Hospitals(GB 15982-2012).The results also show that the plasma catalytic synergistic disinfection and sterilization has the technical advantages of efficient disinfection and human-machine coexistence,which can ensure indoor air quality safety,reduce the workload of nursing staff,and thus is an effective method to assist or even replace the existing physical and chemical means.

Objective:To investigate the predictive value of serum signal lymphocyte activation molecule family member 8(SLAMF8)levels for post-stroke cognitive impairment(PSCI).Methods:The GSE122063 dataset was selected from the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO), and key genes associated with vascular dementia were identified using STRING network and Cytoscape software.This prospective cohort study involved 123 patients with acute cerebral infarction(ACI)who were admitted to the Department of Neurology at Jiangsu University Affiliated Hospital from January to December 2023.Patients were followed up for six months and categorized into PSCI and post-stroke non-cognitive impairment(PSNCI)groups based on the occurrence of PSCI.General data from both groups at baseline, as well as the Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)and Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale(MoCA)scores at the six-month follow-up, were collected.Baseline serum levels of SLAMF8 and stabilin-1(STAB1), along with serum levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and interleukin-6(IL-6)at the six-month follow-up, were measured.Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between variables, while logistic regression analysis was employed to determine baseline factors influencing the occurrence of PSCI.Receiver Operating Characteristic(ROC)curves were plotted to analyze the predictive value of variables for PSCI occurrence.Results:The Cytoscape software identified SLAMF8 and STAB1 as key genes associated with vascular dementia, utilizing maximum neighborhood component density(DNMC)and eccentricity algorithms on the GSE122063 dataset.In the cohort study, patients in the PSCI group exhibited higher baseline NIHSS scores and serum SLAMF8 levels compared to the PSNCI group( t=3.033, 5.422; P<0.01). Additionally, they demonstrated significantly lower MMSE and MoCA scores( t=16.340, 18.634; P<0.001)and higher serum levels of IL-1β and IL-6( t=2.633, 2.632; P<0.05)at the 6-month follow-up.No significant difference was observed in baseline STAB1 levels between the two groups( t=1.280, P>0.05). In the PSCI group, there was no significant correlation between baseline serum SLAMF8 levels and admission NIHSS scores( r=0.257, P=0.082); however, SLAMF8 showed a negative correlation with both MMSE scores( r=-0.711, P<0.001)and MoCA scores( r=-0.686, P<0.001)at the 6-month follow-up.Logistic regression analysis indicated that baseline serum SLAMF8 levels( OR=1.142, P=0.001)and NIHSS scores( OR=1.094, P=0.007)were risk factors for the development of PSCI in patients with acute cerebral infarction(ACI). ROC curve analysis revealed that the area under the ROC curve(AUC)for baseline serum SLAMF8 levels in predicting PSCI occurrence in ACI patients was 0.776, while the AUC for the combined prediction using both SLAMF8 and NIHSS scores was 0.796.Furthermore, baseline serum SLAMF8 levels were positively correlated with serum IL-1β levels( r=0.652, P<0.001)and IL-6 levels( r=0.710, P<0.001)at the 6-month follow-up. Conclusions:The serum SLAMF8 level, exhibiting early high expression in ACI patients, may serve as a potential biological marker for predicting the occurrence of PSCI.

Objective:To investigate transition pattern of health status among middle-aged and elderly population in China based on frailty index.Methods:In this retrospective cohort study, middle-aged and elderly people were selected from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in 2011; and 1 434 subjects were followed up to 2015. The frailty index was calculated from the prevalence of chronic diseases, daily activity ability and blood biomarkers, and the frailty state was divided by quartiles of the frailty index. Markov models were constructed to determine the transition probabilities of different frailty states.Results:The mean age of the 1 434 subjects was (59.0±9.4) years and the mean frailty index was 0.11±0.05. In the healthy individuals, 63.0% remained healthy after a four-year follow-up; during the same follow-up period, 40.9% of the mildly frail individuals and 23.0% of the moderately frail individuals remained in their baseline frailty status. Increasing age leaded to a gradual increase in the probability of the population shifting to a severely frailty state. Women were more likely to shift to severe frailty status than men (0.029 vs 0.019, Z=3.03, P=0.002). Conclusion:Among middle-aged and elderly population in China, the transition of health states follows a pattern where higher frailty levels are associated with lower stability. Advanced age and female gender are identified as risk factors for progression to severe frailty.

Objective:To investigate the effect of hypericin (Hyp) on neurologic impairment, ferroptosis and cuproptosis in mice with acute cerebral infarction.Methods:Sixty 8-week old male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into sham-operated group, middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) group, MCAO+Hyp low-dose treatment group (L-Hyp group), and MCAO+Hyp high-dose treatment group (H-Hyp group), with 15 mice in each group. Intraluminal filament MCAO models in the later 3 groups were established. Saline was given intraperitoneally into the sham-operated group and MCAO group, and Hyp was given intraperitoneally at 0.5 mg/kg or 1 mg/kg into the L-Hyp group and H-Hyp group 24 hours after modeling. Twenty-four hours after Hyp, neurologic function was assessed using Garcia score, grip strength test, and fatigue baton test; brain tissue edema was assessed by dry-wet weight method; neuronal necrosis, survival and apoptosis were detected by HE staining, Nissl staining and TUNEL, respectively; ferroptosis and oxidative stress were assessed using iron assay kit, and reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) assay kits; cuproptosis was assessed using copper assay kit and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation was evaluated by mitochondrial respiratory chain complex Ⅲ and Ⅳ activity detection kits; morphological changes in neuronal mitochondria after ferroptosis and cuproptosis were observed by electron microscopy; protein expressions of ferroptosis-associated solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), cuproptosis-associated solute carrier family 31 member 1 (SLC31A1), and ferredoxin 1 (FDX1) were detected by Western blotting.Results:(1) Compared with the MCAO group, the L-Hyp group and H-Hyp group had decreased modified Garcia score and brain water content, increased grip strength and rod-turning time, decreased number of necrotic and apoptotic neurons, increased number of survived neurons, decreased Fe 2+, ROS and MDA levels, increased GSH level and mitochondrial respiratory control rate, and decreased copper content, with significant differences ( P<0.05); and the above changes in the H-Hyp group were more obvious than those in the L-Hyp group, with significant differences ( P<0.05). Compared with the MCAO group, neurons in the L-Hyp group and H-Hyp group had significantly improved status in mitochondrial shrinkage, vacuolation, reduced cristulation, increased membrane density, ruptured cell membrane, endoplasmic reticulum damage and chromatin disruption ( P<0.05); and the H-Hyp group had signficantly more obvious improvement than the L-Hyp group ( P<0.05). (2) Compared with the MCAO group (0.38±0.09, 0.28±0.05), the L-Hyp group and H-Hyp group had significantly increased protein expressions of SLC7A11 and GPX4 (0.83±0.11, 0.49±0.06; 1.27±0.08, 0.84±0.04; P<0.05); the H-Hyp group had significantly higher SLC7A11 and GPX4 expressions than the L-Hyp group ( P<0.05). Compared with the MCAO group (2.76±0.17, 0.67±0.07), the L-Hyp group and H-Hyp group had significantly decreased protein expressions of SLC31A1 and FDX1 (1.72±0.07, 0.51±0.05; 1.12±0.06, 0.34±0.05; P<0.05); the H-Hyp group had significantly lower SLC31A1 and FDX1 expressions than the L-Hyp group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Hyp can ameliorate ferroptosis and cuproptosis by regulating the protein expressions of SLC7A11, GPX4, SLC31A1 and FDX1, to alleviate oxidative stress injury in MCAO mice, thereby promoting the recovery of neurological function.

【Objective】 To observe the inactivation effect of a new low-temperature plasma air disinfector on microorganisms in the natural environment and artificial contaminated environment so as to further determine the minimum effective processing parameters. 【Methods】 First， in 0.5 m³ of super clean workbench and 1.05 m³ airtight organic glass cavity in the body， the new low-temperature plasma air disinfector developed was used to inactivate the natural bacteria in the air under different parameters. Then in 1.05 m³ airtight organic glass cavity in the body， the new low-temperature plasma air disinfector was used to treat the Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli under the condition of artificial bacteria spraying. Last， the plate counting method was used to evaluate the inactivation effect of the disinfector on natural bacteria and artificial bacteria in the air. 【Results】 For the low-temperature plasma air disinfector in 0.5 m³ and 1.05 m³ confined space， the lowest effective treatment parameters for inactivated natural bacteria were 13 kV， 5 min or 12 kV， 10 min. For the low-temperature plasma air disinfection machine in 13 kV discharge voltage treatment of different time， compared with before treatment， the killing rate of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus increased significantly after treatment for 20 min （P<0.000 1）. Both could meet the requirements of disinfection specifications ［100%， （99.98±0.01）%≥99.90%］. 【Conclusion】 The inactivation of natural bacteria and artificial bacteria by the new low-temperature plasma air disinfector has reached the qualified standard of disinfection stipulated in Technical Specifications for Disinfection.

The gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH-A) protocol has been widely used in the field of assisted reproductive technology. Compared with the classical GnRH-agonist (GnRH-a) protocol, it has many advantages: 1) a rapid reduction of gonadotropin use after inhibiting the early onset of luteinizing hormone (LH) peak effect; 2) the rapid cessation of the drug; 3) the reduction of the occurrence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). However, early randomized and controlled trials showed that the pregnancy rate of antagonist protocol-users were lower than that of traditional agonist protocol-users. Other medical research reports concluded that although the implantation rate of a fresh cycle of antagonist protocol decreased, the implantation rate and the clinical pregnancy rate of a subsequent frozen-thawed embryo transfer were not affected. It was concluded that the GnRH-A might change the receptivity of endometrium, but it didn't have an effect on the quality of oocyte and embryo development. This conclusion is debatable. Therefore, this paper reviews the effects of GnRH-A on endometrial receptivity from the aspects of endometrial ultrasound imaging, morphological levels, protein levels, gene levels and pregnancy outcomes.