Hyperthyroidism （HT） is frequently complicated by atrial fibrillation （AF） in clinical practice. Based on traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） zang-xiang （藏象） theory and clinical experience， both HT and AF are closely associated with dysfunction of the liver. The pathogenesis is initiated by the liver failing to govern the free flow of qi， and liver constraint and qi stagnation， with the key turning points being liver constraint transforming into fire and the internal stirring of liver wind， ultimately leading to liver blood depletion and insufficient nourishment of the heart spirit. Thus， it is proposed to treat the disease from the liver， with stage-specific therapeutic approaches according to the evolution of the disease. In the early stage， the treatment should focus on soothing the liver and relieving constraint to reduce goiter and calm the heart， while in the progressive stage， the method of clearing liver and draining fire is suggested to subdue yang and stabilize palpitations. In the acute stage， the strategy is calming the liver and nourishing yin to subdue yang and extinguish wind. In the later stage， it is suggested to soften the liver and benefit qi， so as to nourish yin and restore pulse. These methods are sequentially applied to synergistically reduce goiter and stabilize palpitations， providing a therapeutic approach for HT complicated by AF.

Objective To analyze esophageal cancer burden trends in China from 1990 to 2021, further project the burden from 2022 to 2050. Methods The time trends of standardized incidence, standardized mortality, and standardized disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) rate of esophageal cancer in China from 1990 to 2021 using data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 were analyzed using the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC). The disease burden of esophageal cancer in China from 2022 to 2050 was predicted using the Bayesian age–period–cohort model combined with sensitivity analysis and model calibration. Results In China, the ASIR of esophageal cancer increased from 17.637 per 10⁵ in 1990 to 22.548 per 10⁵ in 2021 (EAPC=0.55, 95%CI: 0.38–0.71). The ASMR rose from 17.920 per 10⁵ in 1990 to 20.836 per 10⁵ in 2021 (EAPC=0.21, 95%CI: 0.02–0.39). The age-standardized DALYs decreased from 497.437 per 10⁵ in 1990 to 484.884 per 10⁵ in 2021 (EAPC=−0.39, 95%CI: from −0.59 to −0.2). Among individuals aged 45 years and above, the proportion of esophageal cancer cases increased from 93.32% in 1990 to 97.56% in 2021, and the proportion of deaths in this age group rose from 90.44% in 1990 to 98.22% in 2021. For individuals aged 40 years and above, the proportion of DALYs attributed to esophageal cancer increased from 95.29% in 1990 to 98.29% in 2021. Among people aged 20 years and above, the incidence rate of esophageal cancer showed a downward trend in all age groups. In particular, the 35–39 year age group exhibited the most significant decline (EAPC=−3.74, 95%CI: from −4.22 to −3.25). Among individuals aged 20 years and above, the 70+ year age group had the smallest decrease in ASMR and age-standardized DALYs. By 2050, the standardized prevalence, standardized incidence, standardized mortality, and standardized DALY rate of esophageal cancer in China were predicted to decrease to 25.1/10⁵, 6.4/10⁵, 14.2/10⁵, and 12.0/10⁵, respectively. Conclusion From 1990 to 2021, the ASIR and ASMR of esophageal cancer in China showed an upward trend, whereas the age-standardized DALY rate exhibited a slow downward trend. Although the incidence of esophageal cancer showed a downward trend across all the age groups from 20 years and above, the overall standardized rate exhibited an upward trend due to factors such as population aging. By 2050, the burden of esophageal cancer in China, including prevalence, incidence, mortality, and DALYs, will decline. The population aged 45 years and above is the core group affected by esophageal cancer and should be prioritized for prevention and control.

Objective To examine the anti-central-fatigue function of maca and its underlying mechanism.Methods Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into a negative control group,model control group,and low-,medium-,and high-dose maca groups(0.6,1.2,and 2.4 g/kg·body weight).Rats in all groups except the negative control group were subjected to multi-factor stimulation,including cold-water swimming,sleep deprivation,restraining,and tail-clamping,to establish central fatigue rat models.Rats in the low-,medium-,and high-dose maca groups received 0.6,1.2,or 2.4 g/kg maca,respectively,by gavage for 35 days.Behavioral testing was carried out using the Morris water-maze,sucrose-preference,and tail-suspension tests.Markers of oxidative stress in the hippocampus,including superoxide dismutase(SOD),malondialdehyde(MDA),and catalase(CAT),were detected using test kits.Proteins connected with the AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK)/sirtuin 1(SIRT1)/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1-α(PGC-1α)signaling pathway in the hippocampus were detected by Western blot.Results Rats in the low-,medium-,and high-dose maca groups spent significantly more time in the target quadrant compared with the model control group(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),but there was no significant dose-effect relationship.Rats in the medium-and high-dose maca groups showed decreased escape latency(P＜0.05),increased time crossing the platform location(P＜0.05),increased sucrose preference(P＜0.05),decreased tail suspension time(P＜0.05),increased the activities of CAT(P＜0.01)and SOD(P＜0.05),and decreased MDA content(P＜0.01).Rats in the low-,medium-,and high-dose maca groups also showed significantly increased protein expression levels of AMPK and nuclear respiratory factor 1(P＜0.01 or P＜0.05),but no significant dose-effect relationship was observed.Rats in the medium-and high-dose maca groups showed increased protein expression of PGC-1α(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),and rats in the high-dose maca group showed increased protein expression of SIRT1 and mitochondrial transcription factor A(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Conclusions Maca can improve the indicators of central fatigue in rats,determined by behavioral testing and oxidative stress-related factors.The underlying mechanism may be related to its regulatory effects on the AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway.

Objective To examine the anti-central-fatigue function of maca and its underlying mechanism.Methods Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into a negative control group,model control group,and low-,medium-,and high-dose maca groups(0.6,1.2,and 2.4 g/kg·body weight).Rats in all groups except the negative control group were subjected to multi-factor stimulation,including cold-water swimming,sleep deprivation,restraining,and tail-clamping,to establish central fatigue rat models.Rats in the low-,medium-,and high-dose maca groups received 0.6,1.2,or 2.4 g/kg maca,respectively,by gavage for 35 days.Behavioral testing was carried out using the Morris water-maze,sucrose-preference,and tail-suspension tests.Markers of oxidative stress in the hippocampus,including superoxide dismutase(SOD),malondialdehyde(MDA),and catalase(CAT),were detected using test kits.Proteins connected with the AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK)/sirtuin 1(SIRT1)/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1-α(PGC-1α)signaling pathway in the hippocampus were detected by Western blot.Results Rats in the low-,medium-,and high-dose maca groups spent significantly more time in the target quadrant compared with the model control group(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),but there was no significant dose-effect relationship.Rats in the medium-and high-dose maca groups showed decreased escape latency(P＜0.05),increased time crossing the platform location(P＜0.05),increased sucrose preference(P＜0.05),decreased tail suspension time(P＜0.05),increased the activities of CAT(P＜0.01)and SOD(P＜0.05),and decreased MDA content(P＜0.01).Rats in the low-,medium-,and high-dose maca groups also showed significantly increased protein expression levels of AMPK and nuclear respiratory factor 1(P＜0.01 or P＜0.05),but no significant dose-effect relationship was observed.Rats in the medium-and high-dose maca groups showed increased protein expression of PGC-1α(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),and rats in the high-dose maca group showed increased protein expression of SIRT1 and mitochondrial transcription factor A(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Conclusions Maca can improve the indicators of central fatigue in rats,determined by behavioral testing and oxidative stress-related factors.The underlying mechanism may be related to its regulatory effects on the AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway.

Many people affected by fragile X syndrome (FXS) and autism spectrum disorders have sensory processing deficits, such as hypersensitivity to auditory, tactile, and visual stimuli. Like FXS in humans, loss of Fmr1 in rodents also cause sensory, behavioral, and cognitive deficits. However, the neural mechanisms underlying sensory impairment, especially vision impairment, remain unclear. It remains elusive whether the visual processing deficits originate from corrupted inputs, impaired perception in the primary sensory cortex, or altered integration in the higher cortex, and there is no effective treatment. In this study, we used a genetic knockout mouse model (Fmr1^KO), in vivo imaging, and behavioral measurements to show that the loss of Fmr1 impaired signal processing in the primary visual cortex (V1). Specifically, Fmr1^KO mice showed enhanced responses to low-intensity stimuli but normal responses to high-intensity stimuli. This abnormality was accompanied by enhancements in local network connectivity in V1 microcircuits and increased dendritic complexity of V1 neurons. These effects were ameliorated by the acute application of GABA_A receptor activators, which enhanced the activity of inhibitory neurons, or by reintroducing Fmr1 gene expression in knockout V1 neurons in both juvenile and young-adult mice. Overall, V1 plays an important role in the visual abnormalities of Fmr1^KO mice and it could be possible to rescue the sensory disturbances in developed FXS and autism patients.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein/metabolism* ; Fragile X Syndrome/metabolism* ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Neurons/metabolism*

The causes of stroke in young people are diverse, most of which are cardiogenic. However, cerebral embolism caused by cardiac myxoma is rare. Intravenous thrombolysis is given in the time window, and the therapeutic effect depends on the nature of embolus. This case is a young female patient, with acute onset, excluding bleeding on the basis of the symptoms, signs and craniocerebral CT. After diagnosed as acute ischemic stroke, the patient was performed an immediate intravenous thrombolysis, though the curative effect was poor. Excluding contraindications six hours after onset, bridging mechanical thrombectomy was performed, postoperative embolus biopsy indicating myxoma. Atrial myxoma was removed in cardiac surgery two months later, and the pathology indicated atrial myxoma. The patient recovered well during the out-of-hospital follow-up, and no further embolization occurred. Therefore, it is suggested that bridging mechanical thrombectomy may be safe and effective for acute ischemic stroke caused by atrial myxoma when intravenous thrombolysis is ineffective, and myxoma resection should be performed immediately after the disease is stable.