Objective To observe the therapeutic effects of Fourteen-Needle Awakening Acupuncture combined with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS)on post-stroke patients with minimally conscious state(MCS).Methods Sixty MCS patients admitted to the Rehabilitation Department of Guangdong Second Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital between December 2023 and December 2024 were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group,with 30 cases in each group.Both groups received conventional awakening therapy.The control group received additional sham rTMS,while the observation group received Fourteen-Needle Awakening Acupuncture combined with rTMS.The treatment duration was 14 days for both groups.After two weeks,awakening status was evaluated.Changes in Coma Recovery Scale-Revised(CRS-R)scores,Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS)scores,Full Outline of Unresponsiveness(FOUR)scores,as well as serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)and neuron-specific enolase(NSE)were compared between groups before and after treatment.Results(1)After treatment,17 patients in the observation group regained consciousness,with a recovery rate of 56.67％(17/30);9 patients in the control group regained consciousness,with a recovery rate of 30.00％(9/30).The recovery rate in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P＜0.05).(2)After treatment,the CRS-R scores in both groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),with the observation group showing a greater degree of improvement(P＜0.05).(3)After treatment,the FOUR scores and GCS scores of both groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),with the observation group showing a greater degree of improvement(P＜0.05).(4)After treatment,the serum VEGF and NSE levels of both groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),with the observation group showing a greater degree of improvement(P＜0.05).Conclusion Fourteen-Needle Awakening Acupuncture combined with rTMS effectively enhances cortical excitability and modulates electrophysiological activity of cerebral neurons in post-stroke MCS patients.This combined therapy demonstrates positive therapeutic effects in improving MCS and significantly accelerates consciousness recovery.

Objective:To investigate alterations in static regional homogeneity(ReHo) and dynamic regional homogeneity (dReHo) and glucose metabolism in MRI-negative refractory temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients using resting-state PET-MRI, and to evaluate their efficacy in predicting surgical outcomes.Methods:This study was a cross-sectional design. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical and imaging data of 30 patients with MRI-negative refractory TLE (patient group) treated at Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, between 2016 and 2020, and data from 30 healthy controls (control group). All MRI-negative refractory TLE patients underwent surgical treatment and were further divided into a good prognosis subgroup (Engel Class I, 16 cases) and a poor prognosis subgroup (Engel Class Ⅱ-Ⅳ, 14 cases) based on postoperative Engel classification. Analysis of variance was used to compare differences in static ReHo, dReHo, and glucose metabolism(SUVR) among the three groups. The correlation of static ReHo, dReHo, and SUVR values of differential brain regions with Engel grading was analyzed using Spearman. A support vector machine (SVM) model was constructed using the static ReHo, dReHo, and SUVR values from these differential regions to classify and predict patient prognosis. The predictive performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves and the area under the curve (AUC).Results:Differential dReHo regions among the good prognosis subgroup, poor prognosis subgroup, and control group were located in the right lateral middle temporal gyrus temporal pole, the right fusiform gyrus, the right insula subfrontal gyrus, the left cuneate lobe, the right medial and paracortical cingulate gyrus, and the right supraparietal gyrus; the differential static ReHo regions were primarily found in the bilateral inferior temporal gyrus, the supraparietal gyrus, and the right subfrontal gyrus, the left medial supraparietal gyrus, the left median frontal gyrus, and the right marginal supraparietal gyrus; SUVR differences were in the affected superior, middle and inferior temporal lobes, the internal olfactory cortex and the temporal pole region. dReHo of right middle temporal gyrus temporal pole in patients with MRI-negative TLE showed a positive correlation with Engel classification ( r=0.421, P=0.020). The SVM model based on dReHo combined with SUVR values classified patients with good and poor prognosis with an AUC of 0.825 and an accuracy of 73.3%. Conclusions:In MRI-negative refractory TLE patients, abnormal dReHo regions are predominantly located in the contralateral default mode network areas and are associated with Engel classification. Combined with glucose metabolism values, dReHo can predict postoperative outcomes in MRI-negative TLE patients.

Objective To explore the value of 18F-flortaucipir tau PET combined with APOE ε4 genotype status for diagnosing mild cognitive impairment(MCI).Methods A total of 213 MCI patients(MCI group)and 402 healthy controls(HC group)were selected from Alzheimer's disease neuroimaging initiative(ADNI)database.The neuropsychological information,APOE ε4 gene carrier status,tau PET and high-resolution structural MRI data were recorded.The random forest algorithm was used to screen the most informative brain regions of tau PET for diagnosing MCI,and the efficacy of tau PET for distinguishing MCI with or without APOE ε4 gene and HC were compared.Results Amygdala,parahippocampal gyrus,entorhinal cortex,posterior cingulate gyrus,inferior temporal gyrus,fusiform gyrus and middle temporal gyrus in turn were the important brain regions of tau PET for diagnosing MCI.The accuracy and the area under the curve(AUC)of tau PET standardized uptake value ratio(SUVR)model for identifying MCI with APOE ε4 gene and HC was 86.68％and 0.784,respectively,both higher than those for identifying MCI and HC,as well as MCI without APOE e4 gene and HC(with accuracy of 70.57％and 75.05％,and AUC of 0.711 and 0.609).Conclusion 18F-flortaucipir tau PET SUVR model established based on amygdala,parahippocampal gyrus,entorhinal cortex,posterior cingulate gyrus,inferior temporal gyrus,fusiform gyrus and middle temporal gyrus could be used to diagnosing MCI.Combining with APOE ε4 gene could further improve its efficacy.

Objective To explore the value of 18F-flortaucipir tau PET combined with APOE ε4 genotype status for diagnosing mild cognitive impairment(MCI).Methods A total of 213 MCI patients(MCI group)and 402 healthy controls(HC group)were selected from Alzheimer's disease neuroimaging initiative(ADNI)database.The neuropsychological information,APOE ε4 gene carrier status,tau PET and high-resolution structural MRI data were recorded.The random forest algorithm was used to screen the most informative brain regions of tau PET for diagnosing MCI,and the efficacy of tau PET for distinguishing MCI with or without APOE ε4 gene and HC were compared.Results Amygdala,parahippocampal gyrus,entorhinal cortex,posterior cingulate gyrus,inferior temporal gyrus,fusiform gyrus and middle temporal gyrus in turn were the important brain regions of tau PET for diagnosing MCI.The accuracy and the area under the curve(AUC)of tau PET standardized uptake value ratio(SUVR)model for identifying MCI with APOE ε4 gene and HC was 86.68％and 0.784,respectively,both higher than those for identifying MCI and HC,as well as MCI without APOE e4 gene and HC(with accuracy of 70.57％and 75.05％,and AUC of 0.711 and 0.609).Conclusion 18F-flortaucipir tau PET SUVR model established based on amygdala,parahippocampal gyrus,entorhinal cortex,posterior cingulate gyrus,inferior temporal gyrus,fusiform gyrus and middle temporal gyrus could be used to diagnosing MCI.Combining with APOE ε4 gene could further improve its efficacy.

Objective:To investigate alterations in static regional homogeneity(ReHo) and dynamic regional homogeneity (dReHo) and glucose metabolism in MRI-negative refractory temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients using resting-state PET-MRI, and to evaluate their efficacy in predicting surgical outcomes.Methods:This study was a cross-sectional design. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical and imaging data of 30 patients with MRI-negative refractory TLE (patient group) treated at Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, between 2016 and 2020, and data from 30 healthy controls (control group). All MRI-negative refractory TLE patients underwent surgical treatment and were further divided into a good prognosis subgroup (Engel Class I, 16 cases) and a poor prognosis subgroup (Engel Class Ⅱ-Ⅳ, 14 cases) based on postoperative Engel classification. Analysis of variance was used to compare differences in static ReHo, dReHo, and glucose metabolism(SUVR) among the three groups. The correlation of static ReHo, dReHo, and SUVR values of differential brain regions with Engel grading was analyzed using Spearman. A support vector machine (SVM) model was constructed using the static ReHo, dReHo, and SUVR values from these differential regions to classify and predict patient prognosis. The predictive performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves and the area under the curve (AUC).Results:Differential dReHo regions among the good prognosis subgroup, poor prognosis subgroup, and control group were located in the right lateral middle temporal gyrus temporal pole, the right fusiform gyrus, the right insula subfrontal gyrus, the left cuneate lobe, the right medial and paracortical cingulate gyrus, and the right supraparietal gyrus; the differential static ReHo regions were primarily found in the bilateral inferior temporal gyrus, the supraparietal gyrus, and the right subfrontal gyrus, the left medial supraparietal gyrus, the left median frontal gyrus, and the right marginal supraparietal gyrus; SUVR differences were in the affected superior, middle and inferior temporal lobes, the internal olfactory cortex and the temporal pole region. dReHo of right middle temporal gyrus temporal pole in patients with MRI-negative TLE showed a positive correlation with Engel classification ( r=0.421, P=0.020). The SVM model based on dReHo combined with SUVR values classified patients with good and poor prognosis with an AUC of 0.825 and an accuracy of 73.3%. Conclusions:In MRI-negative refractory TLE patients, abnormal dReHo regions are predominantly located in the contralateral default mode network areas and are associated with Engel classification. Combined with glucose metabolism values, dReHo can predict postoperative outcomes in MRI-negative TLE patients.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of Jianpi Yang'er Ointment for children with anorexia of spleen deficiency type in Lingnan area;To analyze its effects on children's intestinal flora and functional information by means of metagenome sequencing.Methods Totolly 144 children with anorexia in Guangzhou Women and Children Medical Center of Guangzhou Medical University from August 2022 to January 2023 were orally treated with Jianpi Yang'er Ointment,one bag per time,twice a day,after meal,for 28 d.Visits were conducted at 0 and 28 days,respectively,to measure height and body mass,record symptoms and signs,observe adverse reactions,collect feces,and fill out the"Clinical Index Scoring Table for Children with Spleen Deficiency Type Anorexia in Lingnan Area".Clinically cured children were included in the anorexia group,with healthy children as a healthy control group(HC group),perform metagenomic analysis on feces of HC group and anorexia group 0 and 28 days of treatment.Results Compared with 0 d of treatment,there was no significant difference in the height of children(P>0.05),while there was a significant difference in body mass(P<0.05),the total syndrome score,main symptom score,and secondary symptom score decreased at 28 d of treatment(P<0.05).The efficacy index was 57.03%,and the total effective rate was 99.31%(143/144).All patients did not experience symptoms such as allergies,vomiting,or diarrhea.7 clinically cured children and 6 healthy children were included in metagenome analysis on feces.PCoA showed that the structure of intestinal flora in anorexia group with 28 d treatment(JP2 group)was more similar to that in HC group at the phylum and genus levels;at the phylum level,there was no significant difference in the distribution of intestinal flora between anorexia group with 0 d treatment(JP1)group and JP2 group and HC group.At the genus level,compared with JP1 group,the abundance of Bacteroides in JP2 group decreased,but the difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05);at the species level,both JP1 and JP2 groups were mainly composed of Phocaeicola plebeius et al.and Bifidobacterium pseudocatenatum et al.The biomarker with significant differences between the two groups was s_Phascolarctobacterium_faecium,while the HC group was mainly composed of Prevotella copri and Bifidobacterium pseudocatenatum.The functional annotation results indicated that a significant change in microbial functional genes related to carbohydrate metabolism occurred after the treatment with Jianpi Yang'er Ointment.Conclusion Jianpi Yang'er Ointment can effectively improve the clinical symptoms of children with spleen deficiency anorexia in Lingnan area,adjust the structure of intestinal flora,increase the content of key probiotics,and regulate the production of intestinal microbiota short-chain fatty acids.

Objective:To evaluate the value of time-of-flight (TOF) combined with point spread function (PSF) reconstruction for the improvement of brain PET images and lesion localization in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).Methods:A retrospective collection of brain 18F-FDG PET imaging data of 52 hospitalized patients with TLE (30 males, 22 females, age: (26.7±7.1) years) and 26 healthy volunteers (14 males, 12 females, age: ( 31.7±6.8) years) from Xuanwu Hospital between 2017 and 2019 was conducted. Images were reconstructed and divided into 4 groups based on different algorithms: ordered subset expectation maximization (OSEM), OSEM+ TOF, OSEM+ PSF, and OSEM+ TOF+ PSF. The image quality, clarity, noise, and the clarity of lesion display of all subjects were visually analyzed using a four-point scale. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast, and asymmetry index (AI) of the lesions were calculated. Differences in visual scores, SNR, contrast, and AI among the 4 groups were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance. The ROC curve was used to analyze the efficiency of PET images in localization of epileptogenic foci. Results:The visual score of OSEM+ TOF+ PSF group was the highest (4.0±0.0) among healthy volunteers; compared with OSEM group, OSEM+ TOF+ PSF group showed lower SNR (decreased by 46.6%; the lower the SNR value, the better the image quality) and contrast (increased by 29.8%). Visual assessment of PET images of patients with TLE showed that the scores of OSEM+ TOF+ PSF group , OSEM+ PSF group , OSEM+ TOF group and OSEM group were decreased in order (4.0±0.0 vs 3.4±0.5 vs 2.3±0.4 vs 1.0±0.0; F=884.0, P<0.001); SNRs of those 4 groups were increased in order ((5.2±2.4)% vs (6.2±2.4)% vs (7.9±2.6)% vs (8.9±3.5)%; F=18.82, P<0.001). The contrast and AI of the lesions in 4 groups were as follows: OSEM+ TOF+ PSF (contrast: 0.81±0.03; AI: 0.28±0.05) > OSEM+ TOF (0.74±0.05; 0.23±0.06) > OSEM+ PSF (0.72±0.06; 0.22±0.07) > OSEM (0.64±0.05; 0.19±0.06) ( F values: 107.10, 19.94, both P<0.001). MRI found unilateral hippocampal sclerosis in 32 patients, and the rest 20 patients with TLE were MRI-negative. ROC curve analysis showed that visual analysis and SUV ratio (SUVR) of lesion/contralateral ROI based on OSEM+ TOF+ PSF PET image could localize epileptogenic foci efficiently, with AUC of 0.874 in MRI-positive patients, and AUC of 0.932 in MRI-negative patients. Conclusions:The application of TOF and PSF significantly improves the quality of PET images. The combined use of both techniques yields the best results and aids in the localization of epileptogenic foci in patients with TLE.

Objective:To explore the factors influencing electronically-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (e-CBTI) selection among patients with insomnia, and to provide empirical evidence for the clinical promotion of e-CBTI.Methods:Between November 2022 and July 2023, a convenience sampling method was employed to collect samples from 38 public hospitals and their surrounding communities. A total of 756 insomnia patients aged 18-65 years were included in the study. Based on their choice to participate in e-CBTI treatment, patients were divided into two groups: 605 patients (605/756,80.0%) chose to participate in e-CBTI treatment, while 151 patients (151/756,20.0%) did not. Rater-rated structured clinical interviews were applied in the current study, assessing individual′s insomnia symptoms, mental disorders, other sleep disorders, and suicidality and self-injury. The chi-square test and logistic regression were applied in data analyses.Results:Compared to the control group, the e-CBTI group had a higher proportion of females (χ 2=4.29) and a higher educational level (χ 2=5.76), while the proportion of living in rural areas was lower (χ 2=6.87), all with P<0.05. Additionally, the e-CBTI group exhibited a higher proportion of daytime symptoms compared to the control group, including decreased attention or memory (χ 2=16.42), impaired function or performance (χ 2=6.75), mood changes (χ 2=4.71), and reduced enthusiasm, energy, or motivation (χ 2=4.77), all with P<0.05. The e-CBTI group also showed a higher tendency for delayed sleep phase (χ 2=6.61), generalized anxiety disorder (χ 2=6.22), suicidal ideation (χ 2=10.45), and non-suicidal self-injury (χ 2=5.19), all with statistically significant differences ( P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the type of residence ( OR=0.53, 95 %CI=0.29-0.95), educational level ( OR=2.42, 95 %CI=1.34-4.37), decreased attention or memory ( OR=1.95, 95 %CI=1.11-3.42), impaired function or performance ( OR=1.80, 95 %CI=1.15-2.82), and suicidal ideation ( OR=3.12, 95 %CI=1.29-7.58) remained significant influential factors in the selection of e-CBTI. Insomnia′s nighttime symptoms, including difficulty falling asleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, and early morning awakenings, were not associated with the inclination to choose e-CBTI. Conclusions:Daytime symptoms of insomnia and suicidal ideation are significant factors that prompt insomnia patients to choose e-CBTI.

Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is designed to provide protection against tuberculosis (TB). However, numerous epidemiological, clinical, and immunological studies have shown that BCG vaccination affects neonatal and infant mortality, which may be related to the reduction of TB-unrelated infections and diseases by BCG vaccine. We aimed to discuss the off-target effects of BCG vaccine on un-TB infections and diseases, as well as the potential mechanism and influencing factors. Literature was retrieved mainly from PubMed using medical subject headings "BCG, variations, and non-specific, heterologous or off-target". Studies have showed that BCG vaccination can prevent various heterologous infections, including respiratory tract infections, leprosy, and malaria, treat viral infections including human papillomavirus and herpes simplex virus infection as immunotherapy, and improve the immune responses as vaccine adjuvant. Besides, BCG vaccine can reduce the recurrence rate of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, and may provide protection against autoimmune diseases. These off-target effects of BCG vaccine are thought to be achieved by modulating heterologous lymphocyte responses or inducing trained immunity, which were found to be sex-differentiated and affected by the BCG vaccine strains, sequence or time of vaccination.

Objective:To explore the factors influencing electronically-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (e-CBTI) selection among patients with insomnia, and to provide empirical evidence for the clinical promotion of e-CBTI.Methods:Between November 2022 and July 2023, a convenience sampling method was employed to collect samples from 38 public hospitals and their surrounding communities. A total of 756 insomnia patients aged 18-65 years were included in the study. Based on their choice to participate in e-CBTI treatment, patients were divided into two groups: 605 patients (605/756,80.0%) chose to participate in e-CBTI treatment, while 151 patients (151/756,20.0%) did not. Rater-rated structured clinical interviews were applied in the current study, assessing individual′s insomnia symptoms, mental disorders, other sleep disorders, and suicidality and self-injury. The chi-square test and logistic regression were applied in data analyses.Results:Compared to the control group, the e-CBTI group had a higher proportion of females (χ 2=4.29) and a higher educational level (χ 2=5.76), while the proportion of living in rural areas was lower (χ 2=6.87), all with P<0.05. Additionally, the e-CBTI group exhibited a higher proportion of daytime symptoms compared to the control group, including decreased attention or memory (χ 2=16.42), impaired function or performance (χ 2=6.75), mood changes (χ 2=4.71), and reduced enthusiasm, energy, or motivation (χ 2=4.77), all with P<0.05. The e-CBTI group also showed a higher tendency for delayed sleep phase (χ 2=6.61), generalized anxiety disorder (χ 2=6.22), suicidal ideation (χ 2=10.45), and non-suicidal self-injury (χ 2=5.19), all with statistically significant differences ( P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the type of residence ( OR=0.53, 95 %CI=0.29-0.95), educational level ( OR=2.42, 95 %CI=1.34-4.37), decreased attention or memory ( OR=1.95, 95 %CI=1.11-3.42), impaired function or performance ( OR=1.80, 95 %CI=1.15-2.82), and suicidal ideation ( OR=3.12, 95 %CI=1.29-7.58) remained significant influential factors in the selection of e-CBTI. Insomnia′s nighttime symptoms, including difficulty falling asleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, and early morning awakenings, were not associated with the inclination to choose e-CBTI. Conclusions:Daytime symptoms of insomnia and suicidal ideation are significant factors that prompt insomnia patients to choose e-CBTI.