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.Liraglutide may alleviate acetaminophen-induced liver injury by enhancing autophagy
Guo-jing XING ; Wen-bin LI ; Long-long LUO ; Li-fei WANG ; Yuan DENG ; Zhen WANG ; Zhao-jie ZHANG ; Xiao-hui YU ; Jiu-cong ZHANG
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(10):1867-1875
Aim To investigate the protective effect of liraglutide(LIRA)on acetaminophen(APAP)-in-duced hepatotoxicity at the in vivo level and to reveal the underlying mechanism.Methods Forty SPF grade male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into the Control,LIRA(200 μg·kg-1),APAP(500 mg·kg-1),LIRA+APAP,LIRA+APAP+3-methylade-nine(3-MA,30 mg·kg-1)groups,with eight mice in each group.The mice were administered for three con-secutive days,and the materials were taken after 24 h.The general condition and body weight of mice in each group were recorded,and liver morphology was ob-served.Serum ALT and AST levels,as well as SOD ac-tivity,MDA,and GSH content in liver homogenates,were measured using biochemical assay kits.The levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-6,TNF-α,and IL-1β in serum were detected by ELISA.Liver pathological changes were assessed by HE staining,while mitochon-drial and autophagosome structures in liver tissues were observed using transmission electron microscopy.The number of PCNA-positive cells in liver tissues was e-valuated using immunohistochemical staining.The pro-tein expression levels of LC3Ⅱ,p62,Bax,Bcl-2,PC-NA,and CyclinD1 in liver tissues were determined by Western blot.Results LIRA pretreatment can im-prove the general condition of mice with acetamino-phen-induced liver injury(AILI),reduce serum ALT and AST levels,and effectively ameliorate the appear-ance and morphology of the liver as well as the patho-logical damage to liver tissue.Simultaneously,the lev-els of inflammatory cytokines IL-6,TNF-α,and IL-1βare significantly decreased;SOD activity and GSH con-tent are significantly increased,while MDA content is significantly reduced.Transmission electron microsco-py observations reveal the presence of numerous auto-phagosomes in the cytoplasm of liver tissue.Immuno-histochemical staining results indicate a significant in-crease in the number of PCNA-positive cells.Further-more,the expression of LC3Ⅱ,Bcl-2,PCNA,and Cy-clinD1 proteins in liver tissue is significantly upregulat-ed,while the expression of p62 and Bax proteins is significantly downregulated.However,after interven-tion with the autophagy inhibitor 3-MA,the aforemen-tioned protective effects of LIRA are significantly.Conclusions LIRA pretreatment can significantly im-prove liver injury in AILI mice.Its protective mecha-nism may be related to enhancing autophagy in hepato-cytes,thereby reducing oxidative stress,inflammatory response and apoptosis in liver of AILI mice.
3.Current status and standardization issues analysis of outcome indicators in randomized controlled trials of treating vascular dementia with acupuncture
Liang BAO ; Xuechun DING ; Zhenfeng ZHANG ; Zhenggang LU ; Chunning LI ; Wenshuai XU ; Qiucheng GUO ; Fei LI
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;48(10):1470-1480
Objective To analyze the current status of outcome measures in randomized controlled trials(RCTs)of acupuncture treatment for vascular dementia(VD)and promote the development of a standardized set of outcome measures.Methods Chinese and English literature databases were searched,including the Chinese Medical Periodical Full-Text Database,the Chinese Biology Medicine disc,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang Data,VIP Database,PubMed,Embase,the Cochrane Library,MEDLINE,Web of Science,Chinese Clinical Trials Registry,and the International Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Registry.Two researchers independently screened RCT literature on acupuncture treatment for VD between January 1,2015 and January 1,2025,risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool.Extract basic study information,intervention measures,diagnostic criteria for both Chinese and Western medicine,TCM syndromes,and outcome measures.Summarize the indicator domains of RCT studies on acupuncture treatment for VD,and analyze the basic information and outcome measures of the included studies.Results A preliminary search identified 2,898 articles,of which 93 RCTs were ultimately included.These studies involved 84 outcome measures,covering six indicator domains:symptoms/signs(23.81%),traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndromes(3.57%),medical checkups(60.71%),quality of life(5.95%),safety assessment(4.76%),and prognosis follow-up(1.19%).A total of 91(97.85%)RCTs reported treatment duration,ranging from 2 to 24 weeks;72(77.42%)RCTs used clinical efficacy as the outcome indicator;11 studies(11.83%)reported safety assessments and adverse events.Conclusion Currently,the RCT study design for acupuncture treatment of VD lacks unified standards and has numerous methodological issues.These include insufficient description of sample size estimation processes,strong reliance on subjective rating scales,ambiguous definitions of primary and secondary outcome measures,incomplete integration of Chinese and Western medical indicators,and insufficient reflection of individualized syndrome differentiation and treatment characteristics.In addition,safety assessments and follow-up mechanisms remain relatively weak.Future research should focus on the essential nature of VD,establish a core set of indicators aligned with the clinical characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine,promote the scientific and standardized development of acupuncture research for VD,and provide more compelling evidence-based support for clinical practice.
4.Establishment of a LC-MS/MS method for detecting gamma-aminobutyric acid in plasma and its clinical application
Jia-qian QIN ; Lei CAO ; Ying-fei PENG ; Fang-jun CHEN ; Bai-shen PAN ; Bei-li WANG ; Wei GUO
Fudan University Journal of Medical Sciences 2025;52(5):708-716
Objective To establish a stable liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS)method for detecting gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA)in plasma,and to evaluate the value of GABA detection in the diagnosis of sleep disorders.Methods GABA was detected using a UPLC Xevo TQs system.The method was pre-validated and its performance was verified to establish a reference range for healthy individuals.The difference in plasma GABA levels between apparently healthy individuals and patients with sleep disorders was compared.Results We employed deuterated compounds as isotopic internal standards and utilized an Amide chromatographic column for separation.The mobile phase was 0.050%formic acid in water and 90%acetonitrile in water containing 0.175%formic acid and 5 mmol/L ammonium acetate with gradient elution in the column temperature of 35℃.The linear range for the detection of GABA by LC-MS/MS was 0.05-10.00 μmol/L,with a lower limit of quantification of 0.02 μmol/L,the inter-day CV<3.00%and intra assay CV<4.00%,respectively,and the recovery rate was 101.06%-109.02%.The reference ranges for plasma GABA were established by analyzing 300 healthy controls stratified by age:18-34 years(0.08-0.15 μmol/L),35-49 years(0.10-0.20 μmol/L),and≥50 years(0.12-0.23 μmol/L).Then plasma GABA was used as a biomarker for auxiliary diagnosis of sleep disorders in analyzing 221 patients and 300 healthy controls,which revealed that AUC values were 0.510(P=0.850),0.686(P=0.002),and 0.890(P<0.001)in the groups of 18-34 years,35-49 years,and≥50 years,respectively,with optimal cut-off values of 0.09,0.10 and 0.11 μmol/L.Conclusion A reliable LC-MS/MS method for detecting GABA has been established,which can detect plasma GABA levels sensitively and accurately and can be used in assisting the clinical diagnosis of sleep disorders.
5.Unilateral adrenal aldosteronoma with Klinefelter syndrome:one case report and literature review
Yue LI ; Shu-fei ZANG ; Yue-yue WU ; Bing-bing ZHA ; Guo-wei SHI ; Jun ZHANG ; Jun LIU
Fudan University Journal of Medical Sciences 2025;52(5):752-758
Primary aldosteronism(PA)is the most common cause of secondary hypertension,yet its diagnosis remains under-recognized,with a high rate of missed diagnoses.This condition significantly impacts multiple systems,including the cardiovascular,renal,metabolic,and skeletal systems,resulting in notable complications.Patients with Klinefelter syndrome(KS)exhibit a markedly higher prevalence of metabolic disorders,which may further exacerbate cardiovascular and endocrine dysfunction.Here we report a patient who presented with refractory hypertension and an incidentally discovered adrenal mass,and was ultimately diagnosed with a left adrenal aldosterone-producing adenoma combined with KS.We provide a detailed description of the patient's clinical manifestations,biochemical indices,diagnostic process,and postoperative histopathological findings in order to enhance the understanding of PA and KS and their potential interconnections,which offers diagnostic insights to reduce misdiagnosis and missed diagnoses.
6.The application value of ultrasound BI-RADS classification combined with serum FGFR1 and GDF3 in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast masses
Na LI ; Ying HE ; Fei TENG ; Wenshu HE ; Caifeng GUO ; Na ZHONG ; Qiong WU ; Jun LI
Tianjin Medical Journal 2025;53(3):247-251
Objective To explore the application value of combining the ultrasound breast imaging reporting and data system(BI-RADS)classification with serum fibroblast growth factor receptor 1(FGFR1)and growth differentiation factor 3(GDF3)in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast masses.Methods A total of 159 patients with breast masses were selected and divided into the benign mass group(n=83)and the malignant mass group(n=76)based on postoperative pathological diagnosis.All patients underwent ultrasound examination,and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was applied to detect serum levels of FGFR1 and GDF3.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was applied to analyze the diagnostic value of ultrasound BI-RADS classification and serum FGFR1 and GDF3 levels for benign and malignant breast masses.Kappa test was applied to analyze the consistency between various diagnostic methods and pathological diagnosis.Results The serum levels of FGFR1 and GDF3,the proportions of irregular morphology,unclear boundaries,spiculation,microcalcifications,blood flow grade Ⅱ-Ⅲ and posterior echo attenuation,RI and PI were higher in the malignant tumor group than those in the benign tumor group(P<0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)of FGFR1,GDF3 and ultrasound BI-RADS classification in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast masses separately and in combination was 0.802(95%CI:0.732-0.871),0.817(95%CI:0.751-0.884),0.848(95%CI:0.784-0.912)and 0.956(95%CI:0.918-0.993),respectively.The combined diagnosis was more effective than that of the individual diagnosis of each indicator.The consistency between the individual and combined diagnosis of benign and malignant breast masses and pathological diagnosis showed that the Kappa values were 0.517,0.514,0.688 and 0.912,respectively,with the highest consistency observed in the combined diagnosis(P<0.05).Conclusion Ultrasound BI-RADS classification combined with serum FGFR1 and GDF3 has high application value in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast masses.
7.Application of cold snare endoscopic mucosal resection in treating small colorectal polyps
Fei DING ; Hao GUO ; Chong-bin QI ; Shao-jun XU ; Feng LI ; Ping WU ; Qing DONG
Journal of Regional Anatomy and Operative Surgery 2025;34(4):333-337
Objective To investigate the application effect of cold snare endoscopic mucosal resection(CS-EMR)in the treatment of 6 to 9 mm colorectal small polyps.Methods A total of 82 patients with small colonic polyps in our hospital from March 2022 to August 2023 were collected and divided into the observation group(45 cases received CS-EMR)and the control group[37 cases received hot snare endoscopic mucosal resection(HS-EMR)]according to different surgical methods.The clinical efficacy,polyp resection status,complete polyp resection rate,perioperative indicators and occurrence of complications were compared between the two groups.Results Follow-up for 1 month after operation,the effective rate of treatment in the observation group was higher than that in the control group(P<0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the polyp resection status or perioperative indicators between the two groups(P>0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the complete polyp resection rates of patients with different pathological types or total complete resection rate between the two groups(P>0.05).The incidence of delayed bleeding and endoscopic hemostasis rate in the observation group were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion The complete resection rate of 6~9 mm colorectal polyps through CS-EMR was comparable to that of HS-EMR,and CS-EMR has a better efficacy and lower risk of perioperative bleeding,along with higher safety.
8.Diagnostic value of multimodality-enhanced CT-based radiomics nomogram for muscle-invasive bladder urothelial carcinoma
Na LI ; Shifeng YANG ; Fei GAO ; Hexiang WANG ; Jia GUO ; Ximing WANG
Journal of Practical Radiology 2025;41(5):790-794
Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of multimodality-enhanced CT-based radiomics nomogram for muscle-inva-sive bladder urothelial carcinoma.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the preoperative data of 644 patients with pathologically confirmed bladder urothelial carcinoma from three medical centers.Region of interest(ROI)were drawn on preopera-tive contrast-enhanced CT images,and radiomics features were extracted.Patients from medical center 1 were randomly divided into training set and internal validation set in a 7∶3 ratio,while patients from medical centers 2 and 3 were combined as an external val-idation set.The diagnostic performance of the models was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results In the external validation set,the area under the curve(AUC)for diagnosing muscle-invasive bladder urothelial carcinoma using the multi-phase fusion radiomics model was 0.861[95% confidence interval(CI)0.811-0.911].The nomogram constructed by combi-ning the multi-phase fusion radiomics model with clinical factors achieved an AUC of 0.901(95% CI 0.862-0.939).Conclusion The nomogram combining multimodality-enhanced CT-based radiomics with clinical factors can effectively diagnose muscle-invasive bladder urothelial carcinoma.
9.Simulation of Potential Suitable Habitats for the Rare Tibetan Medicinal Plant Sinopodophyllum hexandrum and Analysis in Influencing Factors Based on the Maximum Entropy Model and Geographic Detector
Shaoyang XI ; Fei CHEN ; Huaqian GONG ; Gonghan TU ; Xudong GUO ; Li LIU ; Ling JIN
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;32(7):1-6
Objective To analyze the spatial distribution pattern of the potential suitable habitats for the Tibetan medicinal plant Sinopodophyllum hexandrum under current climatic conditions and the factors influencing the spatial differentiation of the habitats.Methods Based on the maximum entropy model,a species distribution model was established using selected species distribution data and environmental variable data.The geographic detector and the interaction detector were applied to quantify the factors affecting the spatial differentiation of the suitable area.By overlaying the suitable area with land cover types,the distribution characteristics of potential arable land and forest land within the potential suitable area were quantified.Results Under the current climatic conditions,altitude,precipitation in July,precipitation during the warmest season,water vapor pressure in June,precipitation in December,and the highest temperature in February are the key environmental factors affecting the distribution of Sinopodophyllum hexandrum.Under the current climatic conditions,the potential geographical distribution range of Sinopodophyllum hexandrum covers an area of 1.30×106 km2.Considering land cover types,the actual suitable area for Sinopodophyllum hexandrum is 6.13×105 km2,including 4.25×105 km2 of forest land and 1.88×105 km2 of arable land.The highly suitable forest areas are mainly distributed in the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture,Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province,Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture,Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province and Linzhi City within the Tibet Autonomous Region.The highly suitable arable land areas are mainly distributed in the Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture,Dingxi City,Tianshui City,and Longnan City of Gansu Province,with sporadic belt-like distributions in Sichuan Province,Yunnan Province and the Tibet Autonomous Region.Conclusion The study can provide evidence for the protection of wild Sinopodophyllum hexandrum resources and the selection of optimal planting areas.
10.Study on the Effect of Cuproptosis on Diabetic Cardiomyopathy Based on"Qi Collateral Theory"
Yuting LIN ; Kun YU ; Fei CHEN ; Bin LI ; Qiufang OUYANG ; Jinjian GUO
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;27(8):2176-2182
Diabetic cardiomyopathy(DCM)is one of the complications of diabetes.The onset of DCM is hidden and easy to be ignored.Myocardial injury is serious in the later stage and the prognosis is poor.At present,symptomatic treatment is the main clinical treatment.Cuproptosis is a novel cell death mode caused by imbalanced copper ion concentration in the body,leading to mitochondrial metabolic abnormalities,which is one of the important mechanisms of DCM.Targeted cuproptosis pathway therapy for DCM is currently a focus and hotspot of research.The"Qi Luo Theory"is one of the disciplinary branches of the theory of collateral diseases,which mainly operates the meridian Qi system.The syndrome and treatment system of collateral diseases cardiovascular diseases have important guiding significance for the treatment of DCM.Traditional Chinese medicine believes that deficiency and stagnation of Qi that in the collaterals are the root causes of DCM,with stasis and toxin obstructing collaterals and damage to the heart collaterals being the core of the disease.The ultimate outcome is the deficiency and decline of Qi,Blood,Yin,and Yang in the heart.The"Qi Luo Theory"and cuproptosis have similarities in physiological functions and pathological processes,and cuproptosis can be said to be one of the microscopic manifestations of the"Qi Luo theory".Based on this,the staged treatment principle of tonifying deficiency and promoting stagnation as the norm,attacking and supplementing simultaneously as the principle,and strengthening the body and consolidating the core has been proposed,in order to provide theoretical reference for the clinical treatment of DCM.

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