ObjectiveMagnetoencephalography (MEG), a non-invasive neuroimaging technique, meticulously captures the magnetic fields emanating from brain electrical activity. Compared with MEG based on superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUID), MEG based on optically pump magnetometer (OPM) has the advantages of higher sensitivity, better spatial resolution and lower cost. However, most of the current studies are clinical studies, and there is a lack of animal studies on MEG based on OPM technology. Pain, a multifaceted sensory and emotional phenomenon, induces intricate alterations in brain activity, exhibiting notable sex differences. Despite clinical revelations of pain-related neuronal activity through MEG, specific properties remain elusive, and comprehensive laboratory studies on pain-associated brain activity alterations are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of inflammatory pain (induced by Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA)) on brain activity in a rat model using the MEG technique, to analysis changes in brain activity during pain perception, and to explore sex differences in pain-related MEG signaling. MethodsThis study utilized adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. Inflammatory pain was induced via intraplantar injection of CFA (100 μl, 50% in saline) in the left hind paw, with control groups receiving saline. Pain behavior was assessed using von Frey filaments at baseline and 1 h post-injection. For MEG recording, anesthetized rats had an OPM positioned on their head within a magnetic shield, undergoing two 15-minute sessions: a 5-minute baseline followed by a 10-minute mechanical stimulation phase. Data analysis included artifact removal and time-frequency analysis of spontaneous brain activity using accumulated spectrograms, generating spectrograms focused on the 4-30 Hz frequency range. ResultsMEG recordings in anesthetized rats during resting states and hind paw mechanical stimulation were compared, before and after saline/CFA injections. Mechanical stimulation elevated alpha activity in both male and female rats pre- and post-saline/CFA injections. Saline/CFA injections augmented average power in both sexes compared to pre-injection states. Remarkably, female rats exhibited higher average spectral power 1 h after CFA injection than after saline injection during resting states. Furthermore, despite comparable pain thresholds measured by classical pain behavioral tests post-CFA treatment, female rats displayed higher average power than males in the resting state after CFA injection. ConclusionThese results imply an enhanced perception of inflammatory pain in female rats compared to their male counterparts. Our study exhibits sex differences in alpha activities following CFA injection, highlighting heightened brain alpha activity in female rats during acute inflammatory pain in the resting state. Our study provides a method for OPM-based MEG recordings to be used to study brain activity in anaesthetized animals. In addition, the findings of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of pain-related neural activity and pain sex differences.

Background: and Purpose This study aimed to investigate the association between residual inflammatory risk (RIR) and vulnerable plaques using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI) in symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS). Methods: This retrospective study included 70%–99% symptomatic ICAS patients hospitalized from January 2016 to December 2022. Patients were classified into four groups based on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C): residual cholesterol inflammatory risk (RCIR, hs-CRP ≥3 mg/L and LDL-C ≥2.6 mmol/L), RIR (hs-CRP ≥3 mg/L and LDL-C <2.6 mmol/L), residual cholesterol risk (RCR, hs-CRP <3 mg/L and LDL-C ≥2.6 mmol/L), and no residual risk (NRR, hs-CRP <3 mg/L and LDL-C <2.6 mmol/L). Vulnerable plaque features on HRMRI included positive remodeling, diffuse distribution, intraplaque hemorrhage, and strong enhancement. Results: Among 336 included patients, 21, 60, 58, and 197 were assigned to the RCIR, RIR, RCR, and NRR groups, respectively. Patients with RCIR (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.606; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.346–9.662; P=0.011) and RIR (aOR, 3.361; 95% CI, 1.774–6.368, P<0.001) had higher risks of strong enhancement than those with NRR. Additionally, patients with RCIR (aOR, 2.965; 95% CI, 1.060–8.297; P=0.038) were more likely to have intraplaque hemorrhage compared with those with NRR. In the sensitivity analysis, RCR (aOR, 2.595; 95% CI, 1.201–5.608; P=0.015) exhibited an additional correlation with an increased risk of intraplaque hemorrhage. Conclusion In patients with symptomatic ICAS, RIR is associated with a higher risk of intraplaque hemorrhage and strong enhancement, indicating an increased vulnerability to atherosclerotic plaques.

Background: and Purpose This study aimed to investigate the association between residual inflammatory risk (RIR) and vulnerable plaques using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI) in symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS). Methods: This retrospective study included 70%–99% symptomatic ICAS patients hospitalized from January 2016 to December 2022. Patients were classified into four groups based on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C): residual cholesterol inflammatory risk (RCIR, hs-CRP ≥3 mg/L and LDL-C ≥2.6 mmol/L), RIR (hs-CRP ≥3 mg/L and LDL-C <2.6 mmol/L), residual cholesterol risk (RCR, hs-CRP <3 mg/L and LDL-C ≥2.6 mmol/L), and no residual risk (NRR, hs-CRP <3 mg/L and LDL-C <2.6 mmol/L). Vulnerable plaque features on HRMRI included positive remodeling, diffuse distribution, intraplaque hemorrhage, and strong enhancement. Results: Among 336 included patients, 21, 60, 58, and 197 were assigned to the RCIR, RIR, RCR, and NRR groups, respectively. Patients with RCIR (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.606; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.346–9.662; P=0.011) and RIR (aOR, 3.361; 95% CI, 1.774–6.368, P<0.001) had higher risks of strong enhancement than those with NRR. Additionally, patients with RCIR (aOR, 2.965; 95% CI, 1.060–8.297; P=0.038) were more likely to have intraplaque hemorrhage compared with those with NRR. In the sensitivity analysis, RCR (aOR, 2.595; 95% CI, 1.201–5.608; P=0.015) exhibited an additional correlation with an increased risk of intraplaque hemorrhage. Conclusion In patients with symptomatic ICAS, RIR is associated with a higher risk of intraplaque hemorrhage and strong enhancement, indicating an increased vulnerability to atherosclerotic plaques.

Background: and Purpose This study aimed to investigate the association between residual inflammatory risk (RIR) and vulnerable plaques using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI) in symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS). Methods: This retrospective study included 70%–99% symptomatic ICAS patients hospitalized from January 2016 to December 2022. Patients were classified into four groups based on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C): residual cholesterol inflammatory risk (RCIR, hs-CRP ≥3 mg/L and LDL-C ≥2.6 mmol/L), RIR (hs-CRP ≥3 mg/L and LDL-C <2.6 mmol/L), residual cholesterol risk (RCR, hs-CRP <3 mg/L and LDL-C ≥2.6 mmol/L), and no residual risk (NRR, hs-CRP <3 mg/L and LDL-C <2.6 mmol/L). Vulnerable plaque features on HRMRI included positive remodeling, diffuse distribution, intraplaque hemorrhage, and strong enhancement. Results: Among 336 included patients, 21, 60, 58, and 197 were assigned to the RCIR, RIR, RCR, and NRR groups, respectively. Patients with RCIR (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.606; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.346–9.662; P=0.011) and RIR (aOR, 3.361; 95% CI, 1.774–6.368, P<0.001) had higher risks of strong enhancement than those with NRR. Additionally, patients with RCIR (aOR, 2.965; 95% CI, 1.060–8.297; P=0.038) were more likely to have intraplaque hemorrhage compared with those with NRR. In the sensitivity analysis, RCR (aOR, 2.595; 95% CI, 1.201–5.608; P=0.015) exhibited an additional correlation with an increased risk of intraplaque hemorrhage. Conclusion In patients with symptomatic ICAS, RIR is associated with a higher risk of intraplaque hemorrhage and strong enhancement, indicating an increased vulnerability to atherosclerotic plaques.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical significance of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in response evaluation and relapse monitoring for patients with primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL). METHODS: The clinical characteristics, efficacy and survival of 38 PMBCL patients in our hospital from January 2010 to April 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The ctDNA monitoring was conducted by targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS). RESULTS: Among the 38 patients, 26 cases were female, and 32 cases were diagnosed with Ann Arbor stage I-II. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate and progression-free survival (PFS) rate were 74.7% and 61.7%, respectively. Males and those with high aaIPI scores (3 points) had a relatively poor prognosis. The NGS results of 23 patients showed that STAT6 (65.2%), SOCS1 (56.5%), and TNFAIP3 (56.5%) were the most common mutated genes. Patients with stable disease (SD)/progressive disease (PD) exhibited enrichment in cell cycle, FoxO, and TNF signaling pathways. A total of 29 patients underwent end-of-treatment PET/CT (EOT PET/CT), and 16 of them received ctDNA monitoring with 12 negative. Among 6 patients with EOT PET/CT positive (Deauville 4), 4 underwent ctDNA monitoring, and 3 of them were negative, being still in continuous remission without any subsequent anti-tumor therapy. CONCLUSION CtDNA may be combined with PET/CT to assess efficacy, monitor relapse, and guide treatment of PMBCL.
Humans ; Circulating Tumor DNA/blood* ; Female ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Prognosis ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/genetics* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Mutation

BACKGROUND: Early control of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is crucial for reducing the progress of cardiovascular disease. However, its additional role to the risk of primary osteoporosis in men with coronary heart disease was inconclusive. Our study aims to determine the association of LDL-C and its trajectories for osteoporosis risk in the middle-aged and aged men of China. METHODS: The retrospective cohort study of 1546 men aged 69.74 ± 11.30 years conducted in Beijing, China from 2015 to 2022. And the incidence of primary osteoporosis was annually recorded. LDL-C trajectories were further identified by latent class growth model using repeated measurements of LDL-C. The association of baseline LDL-C for osteoporosis was estimated using hazard ratio (HR) with 95% CI in Cox proportional hazard model, while mean level and trajectories of LDL-C for osteoporosis were evaluated using odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI in logistic regression model. RESULTS: During the median 6.2-year follow-up period, 70 men developed primary osteoporosis. The higher level of baseline LDL-C (HR = 1.539, 95% CI: 1.012-2.342) and mean LDL-C (OR = 2.190, 95% CI: 1.443-3.324) were associated with higher risk of osteoporosis in men with coronary heart disease after adjusted for covariates. Compared with those in the LDL-C trajectory of low-stable decrease, participants with medium-fluctuant trajectory, whose longitudinal LDL-C started with a medium LDL-C level and appeared an increase and then decrease, were negatively associated with osteoporosis risk (OR = 2.451, 95% CI: 1.152-5.216). And participants with initially high LDL-C level and then a rapid decrease demonstrated a tendency towards reduced risk (OR = 0.718, 95% CI: 0.212-2.437). CONCLUSIONS Elevated LDL-C level and its long-term fluctuation may increase the risk of primary osteoporosis in men. Early controlling a stable level of LDL-C is also essential for bone health.

Objective To understand the molecular epidemiological characteristics of Norovirus outbreaks and the genome evolution of Norovirus epidemic strains in Hainan Province from 2020 to 2022.Methods The information and samples have been collected from the norovirus outbreaks from 2020 to 2022.Norovirus was detected by using the real-time PCR in these samples,then the detected sequences were amplified the analyzed.The Norovirus se-quences of 8 strains had been amplified and analyzed.Results From 2020 to 2022,39 gastroenteritis outbreaks were reported,and 25 outbreaks caused by Norovirus which mainly occurred in childcare institutions and schools(20/25,80％).The Norovirus outbreaks were mainly concentrated in counties around Haikou(northeast),which including Ding'an(5 cases),Wenchang(4 cases),Chengmai(4 cases),and Lingao(3 cases);following by western regions which included Baisha(2 cases),Ledong(2 cases),and Dongfang(3 cases).1 case was in Wanning in the southeast.Among individuals aged 2-17,the positive proportion of Norovirus in males was higher than that in females.Among individuals aged over 55,the proportion of Norovirus positive in females was higher than that in males.The gender of positive samples among individuals aged 18-40 was related to their profession.According to RT-PCR typing and sequencing,GⅡ group Norovirus were classified in13 outbreaks.There were 4 genotypes detected.GⅡ.2[P1 6]was the main epidemic strain with 60％(9/13),and the other three genotypes were GⅡ.4 Sydney[P31](15.4％,2/13)GⅡ.4 Sydney[P16](7.7％,1/13)and GⅡ.3[P12](7.7％,1/13).Further genic analysis of 8 Norovirus strains showed that all of them were still in the same branch as the previ-ous strain,and all exhibited a certain amount of amino acid variation.Conclusion Norovirus is the main pathogen of gastroenteritis outbreaks in Hainan province,and the main epidemic strain is GⅡ.2[P16].It is necessary to continue to strengthen the monitoring that provides scientific evidence for the prevention and control of norovirus out-breaks in Hainan region.

Objective To explore root cause of poor prognosis after successful endovascular treatment(EVT)in patients with acute ischemic stroke with large vascular occlusion(AIS-LVO)of anterior circulation.Methods Patients with AIS-LOV of anterior circulation who received successful EVT(postoperative modified thrombolysis incerebral infarction[mTICI]grade≥2b)were retrospectively and continuously collected in the Department of Neurology of Bozhou People's Hospital from January 2022 to March 2024.The baseline and clinical data of the patients were collected,including gender,age,vascular risk factors(hypertension,diabetes,coronary heart disease,hyperlipidemia,valvular heart disease,atrial fibrillation,smoking,and alcohol consumption),prior stroke or transient ischemic attack,baseline blood pressure,baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke scale(NIHSS)score,laboratory test indicators(pre-operative C-reactive protein and D-dimer,post-operative fasting blood glucose,lipid levels,homocysteine,etc).Meanwhile,the data of perioperative indicators was collected,including the time from onset to admission,the time from admission to puncture,the time from puncture to revascularization,the time from onset to puncture,the time from onset to revascularization,remedial measures(balloon dilation,stent placement,arterial thrombolysis)during the surgery or not,using tirofiban or not,postoperative complications(stroke-related pneumonia,stress ulcers,deep vein thrombosis,acute heart failure or renal failure,etc)or not.The patient's medical history and imaging data were collected,and these indicators were defined and collected,including Alberta stroke program early CT score(ASPECTS),location of occlusion(C1 segment of the internal carotid artery,C2 segment to C7 segment of the internal carotid artery,M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery),and the trial of org 10172 in acute stroke treatment(TOAST)classification and a postoperative transformation of cerebral infarction after ischemic stroke and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage or not.According to the modified Rankin scale(mRS)score at 90 d after surgery,all patients were divided into poor prognosis group(mRS score≥ 3)and good prognosis group(mRS score≤2).The baseline and clinical data of two groups were compared using univariate analysis.Variables with P＜0.1 in the univariate analysis were selected as independent variables,and the poor prognosis was used as the dependent variable.Further,multivariate Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the influencing factors of poor prognosis after EVT.Results Finally,a total of 192 patients with AIS-LVO of anterior circulation who received successful revascularization were included in this study.There were 101 male patients and 91 female patients.The poor prognosis group had 102 cases and the good prognosis group had 90 cases.Univariate analysis showed that the poor prognosis group had statistically significant differences with the good prognosis group in terms of age(Z=-3.088,P=0.002)and age distribution(x2=13.457,P=0.001),fasting blood glucose(Z=-3.347,P=0.001),baseline NIHSS score(Z=-4.469,P＜0.01),location of occlusion(x2=10.488,P=0.005),transformation of hemorrhage after ischemic stroke(x2=16.943,P＜0.01),and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage(X2=25.449,P＜0.01),and the baseline ASPECTS of the poor prognosis group was significantly lower than that of the good prognosis group(Z=-4.547,P＜0.01).There were no significant differences in other baseline and clinical data(all P＞0.05).Further multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that age＞80 years(OR,3.224,95％CI 1.033-10.058,P=0.044),baseline NIHSS score(OR,1.102,95％CI 1.013-1.199,P=0.023),baseline ASPECTS(OR,0.375,95％CI 0.212-0.665,P=0.001),and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage(OR,7.127,95％CI 1.296-39.203,P=0.024)were independent influencing factors of poor prognosis.Conclusion The independent factors of 90 d poor prognosis after successful EVT in patients with AIS-LVO of anterior circulation are age＞80 years,baseline NIHSS score,baseline ASPECTS,and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage.

An etiological analysis of a diarrhea outbreak attributed to C.perfringens was conducted.Anal swab and envi-ronmental smear samples were collected and subjected to fluorescence PCR detection of C.perfringens plc and cpe,as well as isolation and culture of C.perfringens before and after enrichment culture.The isolated colonies underwent fully automated bi-ochemical identification and time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis.Whole genome sequencing of isolates identified as C.perfringens was performed to analyze the strain carrying virulence and resistance genes,and the genetic aggregation based on single nucleotide polymorphisms in the core genome for all isolates.The positivity rates for plc and cpe genes without bacterial enhancement were 46.15％(6/13)and 53.85％(7/13),respectively.The positivity rates for plc and cpe genes after 24 h anae-robic bacterial enhancement in BHI were 38.46％(5/13)and 53.85％(7/13).All ten isolated CP belonged to the F biotype,with virulence gene characteristics of plc+/cpb-/etx-/iA-/cpe+/cpb2+/netB-.The phylogenomic tree indicated that all ten case-patient isolates except P1 isolate(lineage 1)were closely related and clustered together in a single clade(lineage 2).Lineage 1 belonged to ST589 and carried the macrolide re-sistance gene erm(Q),whereas lineage 2 belonged to ST149 and carried the tetracycline resistance gene tetB(P).The outbreak was caused by type F C.perfringens,and most ca-ses were infected with a group of highly clonogenic cpe+col-onies.Whole genome sequencing technology can be applied to etiology analysis of C.perfringens outbreak events,and the enrichment culture and molecular screening methods for C.per-fringens based on anal swab samples should be further developed and applied.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical outcomes after implant restoration in the posterior region of severe periodontitis patients and to investigate the factors of natural tooth affecting the implant from the perspective of improving natural periodontal health, which may provide a reference for clinical practice.Methods:Fifty-three patients with severe periodontitis who visited the Department of Periodontology at the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of China Medical University from June 2014 to June 2023 and completed posterior implant treatment with single crown were included, among which were 16 males and 37 females, aged (52.2±8.0) years old, with a total of 136 implants, 135 adjacent natural teeth in the edentulous area. We retrospectively compared the changes of probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP) and tooth mobility (TM) before and after implant placement. Besides, we explored the effects of the natural periodontal status on PD, BOP and marginal bone loss (MBL) of the implant at the last follow-up examination by univariate analysis and multivariate analysis.Results:Fifty-three patients were followed up for (44.5±14.1) months in average, with longest interval of (8.3±2.7) months. The PD of adjacent natural teeth in the edentulous area improved from 4.3 (3.6, 4.6) mm before implantation to 3.6 (3.2, 4.0) mm in the last review ( P<0.01), while the proportion of BOP (+) improved from 69.6% (94/135) before implantation to 46.7% (63/135) in the last review ( P<0.01). The proportion of teeth with mobility≥Ⅱ decreased from 15.6% (21/135) to 5.9% (8/135) ( P<0.01). The percentage of natural teeth with PD≥4 mm in the same segment improved from 21.0% (13.3%, 26.0%) before implantation to 18.0% (12.0%, 25.0%) in the last review ( P<0.05). The BOP (+)% improved from 29.0% (24.0%, 35.0%) before implantation to 23.0% (18.0%, 31.0%) in the last review ( P<0.05), and the number of teeth with mobility≥Ⅱ decreased from 0.0 (0.0, 1.0) to 0.0 (0.0, 0.8) ( P<0.05). The functional tooth unit score of full natural teeth increased from 8.0 (6.0, 10.0) points before implantation to 12.0 (12.0, 12.0) points in the last review ( P<0.01). PD≥4 mm % increased from 11.0% (6.0%, 25.0%) before implantation to 13.0% (3.0%, 21.0%) in the last review ( P<0.05) and there was no significant differences in BOP (+)% [(17.0±9.7) % vs (14.6±7.2) %, P>0.05]. The number of teeth with mobility≥Ⅱ decreased from 1.0 (0.0, 1.8) to 0.0 (0.0, 0.8) ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Under the premise of regular supportive care, implant restorative treatment in the posterior region of severe periodontitis patients is helpful to improve the PD, BOP and TM of remaining natural teeth. Besides, the stages and grades of periodontitis at initial diagnosis can affect the PD and BOP of implants.