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.

Objective To observe the impact factors of vascular heat sink effect during in vitro microwave ablation(MWA)of porcine lung.Methods Simulation models were established using in vitro porcine lung tissue blocks based on isobaric inflation with an air pump and cyclic perfusion of duck blood with a glass tube and peristaltic pump,etc.MWA was performed under 8 different combining conditions(vessel diameter of 3 or 5 mm,blood perfusion of 30 or 50 cm/s,as well as distance between vessel and ablation antenna of 5 or 10 mm)each for 3 times.The highest temperature TV on vessel side and TC on control side during MWA,and ablation depth DV on vessel side and DC on control side after MWA were recorded.Multi-factor linear regression equations were constructed based on simulated vessel diameters,blood perfusion and distance between vessel and ablation antenna,and the impact factors of|TC-TV|and|DC-DV|were screened,respectively.Results Simulated vessel diameter showed linear positive correlation with both|TC-TV|and|DC-DV|(both P＜0.001).Simulated distance between vessel and ablation antenna showed linear negative correlation with both|TC-TV|and|DC-DV|(both P＜0.001),and the latter had more obvious impact on vascular heat sink effect than the former.Meanwhile,no significant linear relationship was found between simulated blood perfusion and|TC-TV|nor|DC-DV|(both P＞0.05).Conclusion Simulated vessel diameter and distance between vessel and ablation antenna were both impact factors of vascular heat sink effect during in vitro MWA of porcine lung,and the latter was more influential,whereas simulated blood perfusion showed no significant impact on it.

Objective To explore the therapeutic effect of precise disconnection of pargastric varices guided by endoscopic ultrasound in the treatment of esophagogastric variceal bleeding.Method A retrospective analysis was conducted on 20 patients with cirrhosis esophagogastric variceal bleeding treated with endoscopic ultrasound-guided precise disconnection of pargastric varices from January 1,2024 to December 31,2024.The efficacy was analyzed.Result All 20 patients successfully completed the precise disconnection of pargastric varices under the guidance of endoscopic ultrasound.The injection of tissue gel combined with the placement of spring coils(14 cases)and the injection of tissue gel alone(4 cases)successfully blocked the pargastric varices.All patients did not experience perforation,esophageal and cardia stenosis,massive bleeding,septicemia,or ectopic embolization.One patient who received tissue gel alone had slight bleeding from the pargastric varices after surgery and improved after 3 days of treatment to reduce portal vein pressure.Another one patient who received tissue gel alone had a low-grade fever and normal body temperature after 3 days of anti-infection treatment.Conclusion Precise disconnection of pargastric varices under the guidance of endoscopic ultrasound has a good therapeutic effect on esophagogastric variceal bleeding,with fewer complications such as ectopic embolization,massive bleeding,infection,and perforation.However,close follow-up observation is still needed to address the issue of pargastric varices.

Objective To investigate the risk factors of thrombus head shedding and bleeding during endoscopic treatment of patients with esophageal varices veins,and build a risk prediction model.Methods 209 cases of esophageal varices with thrombus head found by endoscopy from February 2009 to July 2024 were retrospectively analyzed,and divided into non-shedding group(n=186)and shedding group(n=23)according to whether thrombus head shedding bleeding occurred during endoscopic treatment.Clinical and endoscopic data of the two groups were compared.Statistically significant factors were included in multivariate Logistic regression analysis and their independent risk factors were explored.A nomogram risk prediction model was constructed by R software,and its prediction efficiency was evaluated.Results Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that red thrombus head((O＾R)=6.231,95%CI:1.748～22.208),thrombus head diameter≥3 mm((O＾R)=4.355,95%CI:1.341～14.144),conical thrombus head((O＾R)=8.555,95%CI:2.427～30.154),and the presence of hematoma in the stomach((O＾R)=7.079,95%CI:1.665～30.103)were risk factors for bleeding after thrombus head shedding during endoscopic diagnosis and treatment.A nomogram prediction model was constructed with a sensitivity of 0.870(95%CI:0.732～1.000)and a specificity of 0.887(95%CI:0.842～0.933).Conclusion The thrombus head being red,conical in shape,with a diameter of≥3 mm and the presence of hematoma in the stomach are independent risk factors for thrombus head shedding and bleeding during endoscopic diagnosis and treatment.Timely intervention should be made for the above factors to benefit patients.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of self-help inflatable balloon in the treatment of refractory benign upper digestive tract stricture.Methods From November 2022 to February 2024,10 patients with refractory benign upper digestive tract stricture underwent self-help inflatable balloon were retrospectively analyzed.Preoperative treatment,intraoperative and postoperative complications,dysphagia score before and after surgery,wearing time of external self-help inflatable balloon,and the clinical efficacy were evaluated.Results All the 10 patients received self-help inflatable balloon treatment.No complications such as bleeding and perforation occurred in all patients during the wearing of the balloon.The placement time of the balloon was 60～180 d,and the average wearing time was 104.9 d.Before surgery,nine cases had a stricture segment length less than 2 cm,and one case had a stricture segment length of 6 cm.The dysphagia score before surgery was(3.60±0.52),and the dysphagia score after removal of the self-help inflatable balloon was(0.60±0.52),and there was statistical significance in preoperative and postoperative comparison(P＜0.05).The dysphagia score 3 months after removal of the external self-help inflatable balloon was(0.70±0.48),there was no significant difference in dysphagia score between the day after surgery and 3 months after surgery(P＞0.05).The diameter of the stricture before and after operation was(5.09±2.02)mm and(10.35±0.73)mm respectively,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Sore throat,wing of nose pain and balloon displacement were the most common adverse events,with 30.0％(3/10),50.0％(5/10)and 70.0％(7/10),respectively.Conclusion It is safe,effective and feasible to treat refractory benign upper digestive tract stricture with self-help inflatable balloon in vitro.It is worthy for clinical application.

Objective:To investigate whether killer immunoglobulin-like receptor(KIR)genotypes and haplotype are associated with the dry eye disease(DED)in a Chinese Han population.Methods:Polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers(PCR-SSP)method was used to genotype KIR genes in 106 DED patients and 220 healthy controls.Results:A total of 23 KIR geno-types were found in DED patients and healthy controls,including 10 newly discovered KIR genotypes.The genotype G and haplotype 4 were associated with respectively increased risk of DED(P=0.025,P=0.004);while the haplotype 2 appeared to have an inverse asso-ciation with the disease(P=0.016).The frequency of KIR genotype B/B in DED patients was also significantly higher than that in con-trol group(P=0.027).KIR haplotype A and B had distinctive centromeric(Cen)and telomeric(Tel)gene-content motifs,and the Cen-B/B was associated with increased risk of DED(P=0.037).Conclusion:There may be an association between KIR genotype and hap-loid type with DED in Han population.

Objective To observe the effects of acupuncture at"Jiaji"on angiogenesis in rats with lumbar muscle aging based on AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway;To explore its possible mechanism of improving lumbar muscle aging atrophy.Methods Totally 30 SPF male SD rats were randomly divided into model group,acupuncture group and non-acupoint group,with 10 rats in each group.Subcutaneous injection of D-galactose(300 mg/kg)into the neck and back of rats was used to prepare a subacute lumbar muscle aging rat model.Another 10 rats were selected as the blank group,and an equal amount of normal saline was subcutaneously injected into the neck and back.Intervention began in the 9th week of modeling.The acupuncture group received acupuncture at bilateral L3-L5"Jiaji",while the non-acupoint group received bilateral non-meridian and non-acupoint acupuncture,each time for 30 minutes,once a day,6 times a week,for 4 consecutive weeks.β-galactosidase staining was used to observe the morphology of rat lumbar muscle tissue;TUNEL staining was used to detect apoptosis of lumbar muscle tissue cells;ELISA was used to detect the contents of nitric oxide(NO)and endothelin-1(ET-1)in lumbar muscle tissue;immunofluorescence staining was used to detect CD31 expression and microvascular density in lumbar muscle tissue;Western blot was used to detect protein expressions of p-AMP activated protein kinase(AMPK),silencing information regulatory factor 1(SIRT1)and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma co activator factor 1α(PGC-1α)in lumbar muscle tissue.Results Compared with the blank group,the positive cells of β-galactosidase staining in lumbar muscle tissue of the model group increased significantly,the apoptosis rate significantly increased(P<0.001),the NO content in lumbar muscle tissue significantly decreased(P<0.001),the ET-1 content significantly increased(P<0.001),the expression of CD31 and microvascular density significantly decreased(P<0.001),and the protein expressions of p-AMPK,SIRT1 and PGC-1α significantly decreased(P<0.01,P<0.001).Compared with the model group,the positive cells of β-galactosidase staining in lumbar muscle tissue of rats in the acupuncture group was significantly reduced,the apoptosis rate was significantly decreased(P<0.001),NO content significantly increased(P<0.001),ET-1 content was significantly reduced(P<0.01),CD31 expression and microvascular density significantly increased(P<0.01,P<0.001),and the protein expressions of p-AMPK,SIRT1,PGC-1α significantly increased(P<0.05,P<0.01).Conclusion Acupuncture at"Jiaji"can promote angiogenesis in lumbar skeletal muscle,and then improve the aging atrophy of lumbar muscle,and its mechanism may be related to the activation of AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway.

Neuropathic pain, often featuring allodynia, imposes significant physical and psychological burdens on patients, with limited treatments due to unclear central mechanisms. Addressing this challenge remains a crucial unsolved issue in pain medicine. Our previous study, using protein kinase C gamma (PKCγ)-tdTomato mice, highlights the spinal feedforward inhibitory circuit involving PKCγ neurons in gating neuropathic allodynia. However, the regulatory mechanisms governing this circuit necessitate further elucidation. We used diverse transgenic mice and advanced techniques to uncover the regulatory role of the descending serotonin (5-HT) facilitation system on spinal PKCγ neurons. Our findings revealed that 5-HT neurons from the rostral ventromedial medulla hyperpolarize spinal inhibitory interneurons via 5-HT_2C receptors, disinhibiting the feedforward inhibitory circuit involving PKCγ neurons and exacerbating allodynia. Inhibiting spinal 5-HT_2C receptors restored the feedforward inhibitory circuit, effectively preventing neuropathic allodynia. These insights offer promising therapeutic targets for neuropathic allodynia management, emphasizing the potential of spinal 5-HT_2C receptors as a novel avenue for intervention.
Animals ; Neuralgia/physiopathology* ; Protein Kinase C/metabolism* ; Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2C/metabolism* ; Hyperalgesia/physiopathology* ; Mice, Transgenic ; Mice ; Spinal Cord/metabolism* ; Serotonin/metabolism* ; Male ; Neurons/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of self-help inflatable balloon in the treatment of refractory benign upper digestive tract stricture.Methods From November 2022 to February 2024,10 patients with refractory benign upper digestive tract stricture underwent self-help inflatable balloon were retrospectively analyzed.Preoperative treatment,intraoperative and postoperative complications,dysphagia score before and after surgery,wearing time of external self-help inflatable balloon,and the clinical efficacy were evaluated.Results All the 10 patients received self-help inflatable balloon treatment.No complications such as bleeding and perforation occurred in all patients during the wearing of the balloon.The placement time of the balloon was 60～180 d,and the average wearing time was 104.9 d.Before surgery,nine cases had a stricture segment length less than 2 cm,and one case had a stricture segment length of 6 cm.The dysphagia score before surgery was(3.60±0.52),and the dysphagia score after removal of the self-help inflatable balloon was(0.60±0.52),and there was statistical significance in preoperative and postoperative comparison(P＜0.05).The dysphagia score 3 months after removal of the external self-help inflatable balloon was(0.70±0.48),there was no significant difference in dysphagia score between the day after surgery and 3 months after surgery(P＞0.05).The diameter of the stricture before and after operation was(5.09±2.02)mm and(10.35±0.73)mm respectively,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Sore throat,wing of nose pain and balloon displacement were the most common adverse events,with 30.0％(3/10),50.0％(5/10)and 70.0％(7/10),respectively.Conclusion It is safe,effective and feasible to treat refractory benign upper digestive tract stricture with self-help inflatable balloon in vitro.It is worthy for clinical application.

As the population is aging rapidly,the incidence of Alzheimer's disease(AD)is increasing year by year.The World Health Organization stresses that early prevention plays a key role in reducing the incidence of AD.Subjective cognitive decline(SCD)is an early window of AD development,and timely intervention can effectively slow down the progression of the disease or prevent it from developing into dementia,thus reducing the burden on the society.White matter hyperintensity(WMH)can effectively reflect white matter changes and provide strong evidence to identify SCD.In this paper,we review the recent research progress in WMH and SCD,reveal the problems in the current research on WMH,explain the correlation between WMH and SCD in terms of physiopathology and cognitive function,and put forward several suggestions for the future research.
Humans ; White Matter/pathology* ; Cognitive Dysfunction/pathology* ; Alzheimer Disease/pathology* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging