Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a clinically significant complication in elderly patients, largely driven by surgery-induced neuroinflammation. The cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathway, a crucial regulator of innate immunity, has been implicated in neuroinflammatory activation. This study investigated whether electroacupuncture (EA) improves POCD by modulating this pathway in aged rats. Aged male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to sevoflurane anesthesia and splenectomy to establish a POCD model. Animals were divided into sham, POCD, POCD+EA, and POCD+EA+cGAS inhibitor groups. The EA groups received stimulation at Baihui (Governor Vessel 20 (GV20)), Neiguan (Pericardium 6 (PC6)), and Zusanli (Stomach 36 (ST36)) acupoints. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Morris water maze, while hippocampal expression of cGAS-STING pathway components and downstream effectors—interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β)—was assessed by Western blot. Cellular localization was determined by immunofluorescence staining. Compared with the Sham group, rats in the POCD group showed significant impairments in spatial memory, accompanied by upregulated protein expression of cGAS, STING, NF-κB, IRF3, and IL-1β in the hippocampus. Upon pathway activation, cGAS and STING proteins were predominantly co-localized with neurons, and their fluorescence intensity in the hippocampus was markedly increased. These behavioral deficits and molecular alterations were partially reversed in both the POCD+EA and POCD+EA+inhibitor groups. Electroacupuncture alleviates POCD in aged rats by inhibiting hippocampal cGAS-STING pathway activation and reducing neuroinflammation, suggesting a promising non-pharmacological strategy for POCD management.

Objective To investigate alterations in interhemispheric functional connectivity(FC)in the cerebral cortices connected via the corpus callosum in patients with Alzheimer's disease(AD),and to explore their relationships with cognitive function and activities of daily living.Methods Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected from 28 patients with Alzheimer's dementia(d-AD),47 patients with mild cognitive impairment(MCI),and 37 healthy controls(HC).Using a trancallosal tract template,32 pairs of homologous cortical brain regions directly connected to 32 subregions of the corpus callosum were selected as regions of interest for interhemispheric FC analysis.Further correlation analyses were performed between FC values in patient groups and their scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Basic(MoCA-B)Scale and the Activities of Daily Living(ADL)Scale.Results Compared with HC group,both MCI and d-AD groups exhibited hyperconnectivity(significantly increased FC)in interhemispheric non-homologous brain regions.Specifically,hyperconnectivity in the MCI group was scattered across the frontal,parietal,temporal,and occipital lobes,while in the d-AD group,it was concentrated within the precentral and postcentral gyri.Notably,hyperconnectivity involving the prefrontal and occipital lobes in the MCI group showed significant declines in the d-AD group.The interhemispheric homologous FC in the d-AD group reduced more significantly than the MCI group.Additionally,in the d-AD group,2 interhemispheric FC within the prefrontal lobe(between the bilateral orbital parts of the inferior frontal gyrus,and between the left medial frontal gyrus and the right middle frontal gyrus)were correlated with MoCA-B scores,and 2 FC(between the bilateral middle occipital gyri,and between the left inferior parietal lobule and the right middle frontal gyrus)were correlated with ADL scores.Conclusion MCI and d-AD exhibit distinct patterns of interhemispheric FC alterations,and the interhemispheric FC changes in AD patients are non-progressive.The close relationships between interhemispheric homologous/non-homologous FC and MoCA-B/ADL scores in d-AD patients provide an objective basis and reference for clinical neuromodulation.

Objective:To study the relationship between the levels of multiple elements in urine and the risk of arsenic poisoning in populations exposed to drinking water arsenic in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Inner Mongolia).Methods:From April 2023 to January 2024, a case-control study method was used to select 128 individuals with a residence time of ≥10 years in drinking water arsenic exposed areas in Inner Mongolia as study subjects. Eighty-one individuals diagnosed with arsenic poisoning were selected as the case group, and 47 healthy individuals were selected as the control group for urine sample collection and questionnaire survey. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was employed to determine the levels of 10 elements (chromium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, molybdenum, cadmium and lead) in urine. The levels of each element in urine were divided into four groups ( Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups) based on quartiles. The associations between the levels of various elements in urine and the risk of arsenic poisoning were studied using binary logistic regression model and restricted cubic spline (RCS). Results:The age of the control group and the case group [ M ( Q1, Q3)] were 61 (53, 69) and 61 (56, 67) years old, respectively. There were 19 and 43 males, and 28 and 38 females, respectively. There was no statistically significant differences in age and and gender composition between the two groups ( Z = - 0.39, P = 0.700; χ 2 = 1.91, P = 0.167). The levels of urinary copper and cadmium of the case group were higher than those of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant ( Z = - 2.66, - 2.16, P < 0.05). The results of univariate logistic regression analysis showed that urinary copper was an influencing factor for arsenic poisoning ( P = 0.017). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that after adjusting for covariates, urinary copper and arsenic were independent influencing factors of arsenic poisoning ( P < 0.05). Taking Q1 group as a reference, urinary copper in Q3 group [ OR (95% CI) = 8.23 (1.81, 37.39), P = 0.006] increased the risk of arsenic poisoning, while urinary arsenic in Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups [ OR (95% CI) = 0.24 (0.06, 0.92), 0.12 (0.03, 0.53), 0.15 (0.04, 0.63), P < 0.05] decreased the risk of arsenic poisoning. After adjusting for covariates, RCS did not show a dose-response relationship between urinary copper, urinary arsenic, and arsenic poisoning ( P > 0.05). Conclusion:Urinary arsenic and copper are associated with the risk of arsenic poisoning in the drinking water arsenic exposed areas of Inner Mongolia, copper exposure may contribute significantly to arsenic poisoning.

Objective To investigate alterations in interhemispheric functional connectivity(FC)in the cerebral cortices connected via the corpus callosum in patients with Alzheimer's disease(AD),and to explore their relationships with cognitive function and activities of daily living.Methods Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected from 28 patients with Alzheimer's dementia(d-AD),47 patients with mild cognitive impairment(MCI),and 37 healthy controls(HC).Using a trancallosal tract template,32 pairs of homologous cortical brain regions directly connected to 32 subregions of the corpus callosum were selected as regions of interest for interhemispheric FC analysis.Further correlation analyses were performed between FC values in patient groups and their scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Basic(MoCA-B)Scale and the Activities of Daily Living(ADL)Scale.Results Compared with HC group,both MCI and d-AD groups exhibited hyperconnectivity(significantly increased FC)in interhemispheric non-homologous brain regions.Specifically,hyperconnectivity in the MCI group was scattered across the frontal,parietal,temporal,and occipital lobes,while in the d-AD group,it was concentrated within the precentral and postcentral gyri.Notably,hyperconnectivity involving the prefrontal and occipital lobes in the MCI group showed significant declines in the d-AD group.The interhemispheric homologous FC in the d-AD group reduced more significantly than the MCI group.Additionally,in the d-AD group,2 interhemispheric FC within the prefrontal lobe(between the bilateral orbital parts of the inferior frontal gyrus,and between the left medial frontal gyrus and the right middle frontal gyrus)were correlated with MoCA-B scores,and 2 FC(between the bilateral middle occipital gyri,and between the left inferior parietal lobule and the right middle frontal gyrus)were correlated with ADL scores.Conclusion MCI and d-AD exhibit distinct patterns of interhemispheric FC alterations,and the interhemispheric FC changes in AD patients are non-progressive.The close relationships between interhemispheric homologous/non-homologous FC and MoCA-B/ADL scores in d-AD patients provide an objective basis and reference for clinical neuromodulation.

Objective To explore function-structure covariant patterns in Alzheimer's disease(AD)and mild cognitive impairment(MCI),and to investigate their associations with cognitive function and activities of daily living.Methods three-way parallel group independent component analysis(three-way pGICA),was used to identify the covariant patterns of resting-state functional MRI temporal data,gray matter density maps,and fractional anisotropy(FA)maps,and the differences between different groups were compared.Furthermore,the associations of covariant patterns with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Basic(MoCA_B)Scale scores and Activities of Daily Living Scale scores were analyzed.Results The function-structure covariant patterns in AD and MCI were characterized by the enhanced negative functional connectivity between the left posterior salience network and the right default mode network,the decreased gray matter density in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex,and the reduced FA values in the left superior corona radiata(correlations:P<0.001,FDR corrected).Compared with HC group,AD group showed significant abnormalities in all identified covariant patterns(P<0.01,FDR corrected),but MCI group only exhibited a significant decrease in gray matter density in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex(P<0.05,FDR corrected).Additionally,AD group had significantly lower FA value in the left superior corona radiata than MCI group(P<0.05,FDR corrected).The loadings reflecting the degree of covariation were significantly correlated with the Activities of Daily Living Scale scores(P<0.05,FDR corrected)but not with MoCA_B Scale scores.Conclusion The function-structure covariant patterns in AD and MCI are consistent with the declines in activities of daily living.The multimodal fusion analysis(three-way pGICA)provides a novel approach to understand the brain damage mechanisms underlying the covariant evolution of MCI and AD.

With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence(GAI)technologies,their widespread application in academic research and writing is continuously expanding the boundaries of sci-entific inquiry.However,this trend has also raised a series of ethical and regulatory challenges,inclu-ding issues related to authorship,content authenticity,citation accuracy,and accountability.In light of the growing involvement of AI in generating academic content,establishing an open,controllable,and trustworthy ethical governance framework has become a key task for safeguarding research integrity and maintaining trust within the academic community.This expert consensus outlines ethical requirements across key stages of AI-assisted academic writing-including topic selection,data management,citation practices,and authorship attribution.It aims to clarify the boundaries and ethical obligations surrounding AI use in academic writing,ensuring that technological tools enhance efficiency without compromising in-tegrity.The goal is to provide guidance and institutional support for building a responsible and sustainable research ecosystem.

Background and Aims:Surgical treatment is a cornerstone of breast cancer management;however,the physical trauma and psychological burden associated with surgery may adversely affect patients'quality of life(QoL).Based on data from a prospective cohort,this study was conducted to evaluate changes in postoperative QoL among breast cancer patients and to identify mediating factors influencing QoL,thereby providing evidence for perioperative rehabilitation strategies.Methods:Female breast cancer patients who underwent local surgical treatment at Suining Central Hospital between June 2024 and January 2025 were enrolled.The Constant-Murley Shoulder Score,EORTC QLQ-C30,and QLQ-BR23 questionnaires were used pre-and postoperatively to assess shoulder joint function,and QoL.Paired t-tests were used to analyze changes in scores before and after surgery.A mediation model was applied to explore the indirect pathways through which surgery impacts QoL.Additionally,subgroup analyses were conducted to compare QoL changes across different surgical modalities.Results:A total of 148 patients were included,with median age of 54(46-60)years old Postoperative psychological health significantly improved,while shoulder function and overall QoL scores markedly declined(all P<0.001).According to QLQ-C30,functional domains such as physical and role functioning worsened,while symptom burden increased.The QLQ-BR23 revealed significantly higher scores for breast and upper limb symptoms postoperatively(both P<0.001).Subgroup analyses showed that patients undergoing axillary lymph node dissection experienced greater declines in shoulder function and QoL compared to those receiving sentinel lymph node biopsy(both P<0.05).QoL deterioration was comparable between mastectomy and breast-conserving surgery,although the former was associated with more prominent pain and breast symptoms.Mediation analysis indicated that shoulder function,breast symptoms,and physical functioning served as mediators in the impact of surgery on QoL,while better psychological health exerted a protective effect.Conclusion:Surgical treatment significantly affects postoperative QoL in breast cancer patients,with local functional impairment and symptom exacerbation serving as key mediators.Different surgical approaches have varying impacts on QoL.Enhancing postoperative shoulder rehabilitation,symptom management,and psychological support may improve patients'QoL.

Objective This study aimed to provide an effective scientific basis for prevention and control of cockroaches on aircrafts by identifying cockroach-carried pathogens,and assess the insecticidal efficacy of gel bait mediated cockroach control on aircrafts,to provide technical guidance for aircraft disinsection.Methods Cassette-trapping was used to trap cockroaches,and the carried pathogens were detected using bacterial cultivation techniques.The gel bait mediated killing rate was calculated after 1,7,and 30 d by field application of gel bait.Results A total of 411 cockroaches were captured,and all were identified as Blattella germanica.26 strains of pathogenic bacteria were isolated from the trapped cockroaches.The killing rates of cockroaches were 58.8％-96.3％with 1-30 day application of gel bait.Statistically significant differences were observed in cockroach killing rates on different days(χ2=58.95,P<0.01).Conclusions B.germanica carry a large variety of pathogenic bacteria and opportunistic pathogens and are thus important infectious disease carriers.Gel bait agents have proven to be very effective against cockroaches on aircrafts.

With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence(GAI)technologies,their widespread application in academic research and writing is continuously expanding the boundaries of sci-entific inquiry.However,this trend has also raised a series of ethical and regulatory challenges,inclu-ding issues related to authorship,content authenticity,citation accuracy,and accountability.In light of the growing involvement of AI in generating academic content,establishing an open,controllable,and trustworthy ethical governance framework has become a key task for safeguarding research integrity and maintaining trust within the academic community.This expert consensus outlines ethical requirements across key stages of AI-assisted academic writing-including topic selection,data management,citation practices,and authorship attribution.It aims to clarify the boundaries and ethical obligations surrounding AI use in academic writing,ensuring that technological tools enhance efficiency without compromising in-tegrity.The goal is to provide guidance and institutional support for building a responsible and sustainable research ecosystem.

Objective:To investigate the risk factors for esophageal varices in patients with liver cirrhosis,to establish a predictive model,and to provide reasonable guidance for the prevention of early esophageal varices in patients with liver cirrhosis.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed for 1 113 patients with liver cirrhosis who attended the hospitals in Chongqing,China from Decem-ber 2006 to May 2021.Recursive feature elimination(RFE)and four machine learning methods were used for the screening of features,and five machine learning predictive models were established by logistic regression,random forest,support vector machine(SVM),de-cision tree,and eXtreme Gradient Boosting(XGBoost).The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to evaluate the per-formance of each model,and the model with the best performance was used to investigate the risk factors for esophageal varices in pa-tients with liver cirrhosis.SHAP plots were used to explain the impact of each risk factor on patients.Results:The XGBoost model showed the best performance in predicting the risk of esophageal varices in patients with liver cirrhosis,with an area under the ROC curve of 0.872(95%CI=0.813-0.918).SHAP plots showed that platelet count,diameter of the portal vein,cholinesterase,albumin,ala-nine aminotransferase,hemoglobin,prothrombin ratio,prothrombin time,and serum total protein were risk factors for esophageal vari-ces in patients with liver cirrhosis.Conclusion:This study shows that the XGBoost predictive model has a relatively high predictive value,and the risk factors obtained by this model have a certain guiding significance for the clinical prevention and treatment of early esophageal varices in patients with liver cirrhosis.