ObjectiveTo systematically compare the efficacy of different non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques on balance function in stroke patients via network meta-analysis. MethodsPubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus and CNKI were systematically searched from database establishment to February, 2026. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and randomized crossover designs (RCDs) investigating NIBS for post-stroke balance impairment were enrolled. The Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool was used for risk-of-bias assessment; RevMan 5.4 was used for sensitivity analysis, and Stata 18.0 for subgroup analysis and network meta-analysis. ResultsA total of 35 eligible studies (31 RCTs, 4 RCDs) involving 1 226 stroke patients were included. No NIBS modalities might significantly improve the outcome of Timed Up and Go Test, while the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) ranked first on Berg Balance Scale score (SUCRA = 85.9%). Subgroup analyses indicated superior balance benefits in interventions targeting primary motor cortex, with stimulation intensity of 80% to 100% RMT and disease courses ≤ 6 months. ConclusiontDCS may be an optimal intervention for comprehensive balance function after stroke.

ObjectiveTo investigate the contamination status of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg) in commercially available aquatic products in Shanghai and their distribution characteristics among different categories of aquatic products, and to assess the dietary exposure levels and non‑carcinogenic health risks of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg through aquatic product consumption among different age groups, so as to provide a scientific basis for food safety surveillance of aquatic products and dietary risk management for residents in Shanghai. MethodsFrom October to November 2021, a total of 90 aquatic product samples, including marine fish, freshwater fish, freshwater shrimp, marine crab, freshwater crab, and mollusks, were randomly collected from 16 districts of Shanghai. Sample pretreatment was performed according to GB 5009.268‒2016 (National Food Safety Standard—Determination of Multi‑elements in Foods). The concentrations of As, Cd, and Pb in aquatic products were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‑MS), and Hg was determined by direct mercury analyzer. Inorganic arsenic (iAs) was estimated as 3.5% of total As according to the method recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The contamination levels of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg in aquatic products were evaluated according to GB 2762‒2017 (National Food Safety Standard—Maximum Levels of Contaminants in Foods). A combined approach of point assessment and probabilistic assessment was applied to estimate the estimated daily intake (EDI) and non‑carcinogenic risk indicators—hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI)—for different age groups. ResultsThe detection rates of As and Hg were both 100.00% in all samples, while those of Cd and Pb were 74.44% and 25.56%, respectively. The arithmetic means (wet weight) of the four elements and estimated iAs were: As (1.432 9±3.736 5) mg·kg^-1, iAs (0.050 2±0.130 8) mg·kg^-1, Cd (0.082 5±0.197 8) mg·kg^-1, Pb (0.006 1±0.005 5) mg·kg^-1, and Hg (0.021 9±0.016 7) mg·kg^-1. According to the relevant maximum residue limits, 2 out of 7 mollusk samples (28.57%) and 3 out of 20 marine fish samples (15.00%) exceeded the limit for iAs, and 2 out of 8 marine crab samples (25.00%) exceeded the limit for Cd. The estimated daily intake (EDI, μg·kg^-1·d^-1, by body weight) of iAs, Cd, Pb, and Hg via aquatic product consumption varied among different age groups, with the highest levels observed in children aged 3‒4 years, decreasing gradually with age to the lowest level at 12 ‒ <15 years, with a slight rebound thereafter. The point assessment results showed that the HQs of iAs, Cd, Pb, and Hg ranged from 0 to 0.25, and the cumulative HI ranged from 0.27 to 0.48, all below 1, indicating a relatively low overall risk. The probabilistic assessment results revealed that under the high‑exposure scenario (P_97.5), the HQs of iAs (1.101‒1.281) and Cd (1.175‒1.366) exceeded 1 in children aged 3‒9 years, suggesting potential health risks, while the HQs of Pb and Hg were all below 1, indicating relatively lower risks. ConclusionHg and As are ubiquitously detected in commercially available aquatic products in Shanghai, while the detection rates of Cd and Pb are relatively low. The overall non-carcinogenic risk is at an acceptable level, but children aged 3‒9 years may have potential health risks from iAs and Cd under high-percentile exposure levels. It is recommended to strengthen the monitoring of toxic elements in key aquatic products such as marine fish, mollusks, and marine crabs, and to implement targeted dietary risk management measures for sensitive populations, including children.

Ischemic stroke accounts for approximately 80% of all stroke cases worldwide and remains a leading cause of long‑term neurological disability and mortality. Intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular thrombectomy constitute the mainstay of acute reperfusion therapies, yet their clinical utility is severely constrained by narrow therapeutic time windows. Even when large‑vessel recanalization is successfully achieved, a considerable proportion of patients still suffer poor functional outcomes due to futile reperfusion and ischemia‑reperfusion injury. Historically, preclinical studies have largely focused on direct neuronal protection against calcium overload, oxidative stress and ferroptosis. Unfortunately, most promising neuroprotective agents that exhibited robust benefits in rodent models have failed to demonstrate satisfactory efficacy in phase‑Ⅱ and phase‑Ⅲ clinical trials. One critical contributor to such translational failure is the disregard for the pathological disturbance within the cerebral vascular microenvironment. Instead of merely regarding neuronal death as an autonomous cellular event, accumulating evidence indicates that sequential biochemical disruption of perivascular microenvironment acts as an initiating amplifier that propagates damage toward brain parenchyma after ischemic insult. The cerebral vascular microenvironment centers on brain microvessels and comprises endothelial cells, endothelial glycocalyx, basement membrane, pericytes, astrocytic end‑feet, perivascular microglia, as well as interstitial ions, inflammatory mediators, reactive oxygen species and extracellular matrix components. Distinct from the concept of neurovascular unit which emphasizes functional coupling between neurons, glia and vessels, the vascular microenvironment highlights dynamic biochemical homeostasis in perivascular interstitial space. Following cerebral ischemia, injured brain tissue can be spatially divided into the irreversibly damaged infarct core, metabolically‑stressed ischemic penumbra and mildly‑affected peripheral regions. These three zones lack rigid anatomical boundaries and evolve dynamically depending on reperfusion timing, presenting divergent features in blood perfusion, blood‑brain barrier integrity, cellular viability and immune‑inflammatory profiles. Four interrelated pathological cascades jointly disrupt microenvironmental homeostasis: calcium‑overload‑triggered cytotoxic cascades; blood‑brain barrier breakdown resulting from glycocalyx shedding, tight‑junction dissociation and matrix metalloproteinase‑driven basement‑membrane degradation; inflammatory‑immune dysregulation dominated by microglial phenotypic reprogramming; and mutual crosstalk between coagulation disturbance and neuroinflammation that exacerbates secondary brain injury. Multiple molecular layers orchestrate these pathological alterations. Excessive activation of HIF‑1α, NF‑κB and MAPK/ERK signaling pathways promotes barrier leakage, pro‑inflammatory factor secretion and extracellular‑matrix remodeling. Epigenetic modulation mediated by non‑coding RNAs including miRNAs and lncRNAs reshapes vascular microenvironment via three major patterns: modulating endothelial‑pericyte barrier integrity, switching microglia‑astrocyte inflammatory phenotypes, and driving metabolic reprogramming among multiple cell populations within microdomains. In addition, metabolic shift toward glycolysis among endothelial cells, microglia, astrocytes and compromised neurons establishes self‑amplifying vicious cycles of energy depletion and oxidative stress in perivascular niches. Targeted theranostic approaches oriented toward vascular microenvironment bring new opportunities for precision medicine of ischemic stroke. Magnetic nanoprobes and near‑infrared fluorescent probes respond to elevated reactive oxygen species, pH shift and inflammatory signals, enabling in situ visualization of pathological signatures of microenvironment and risk evaluation of hemorrhagic transformation. Function‑tailored nanodelivery systems exert multi‑modal protective effects: reactive oxygen species‑responsive polymeric micelles deliver calcium chelators to block calcium‑overload‑initiated injury cascades; nanozymes scavenge reactive oxygen/nitrogen species and revert microglial pro‑inflammatory polarization; biomimetic membrane‑coated nanoparticles accumulate at micro‑thrombosis sites to break thrombo‑inflammatory loops and mitigate no‑reflow phenomenon; ferroptosis‑inhibitor‑loaded nanocarriers eliminate excessive labile iron within perivascular toxic microdomains. During subacute and recovery phases, spatiotemporally controlled release of angiogenic factors by nanocarriers facilitates maturation of newly‑formed microvessels rather than blind vascular sprouting, which helps reconstruct intact blood‑brain barrier and restore microenvironmental homeostasis. Nevertheless, substantial translational bottlenecks still impede clinical transformation of these nanomedicines, including potential biosafety risks caused by in vivo material accumulation, protein‑corona‑induced impairment of targeting capacity, intrinsic blood brain barrier transport obstacles, lack of unified quality‑control criteria for large‑scale manufacture, reliance on high‑end clinical imaging instruments, and prominent interspecies discrepancies between experimental animals and human patients. On the basis of summarizing spatiotemporal pathological characteristics, multi‑level regulatory mechanisms and cutting‑edge microenvironment‑oriented diagnostic and interventional strategies, the present review advocates a conceptual shift from isolated neuronal protection to comprehensive reconstruction of perivascular vascular microenvironment homeostasis. Such perspective provides theoretical foundations for expanding therapeutic time windows and inspires future development of novel therapeutic modalities for ischemic stroke.

ObjectiveStroke remains the leading cause of acquired disability in adults worldwide, imposing a substantial socioeconomic burden on patients, families, and healthcare systems. Among the various neurological deficits caused by stroke, motor dysfunction——particularly contralateral hemiplegia——is the most common and debilitating consequence, and it predominantly results from damage to the cortical motor conduction pathways. When motor cortex neurons or their projecting fibers are damaged, the distal axons and their associated myelin sheaths undergo a series of progressive, programmed degeneration, fragmentation, and eventual phagocytic clearance. This pathological process is termed Wallerian degeneration (WD). However, the temporal progression of WD following ischemic stroke and the associated alterations in the local glial microenvironment remain incompletely understood. The present study was designed to systematically elucidate the time course of corticospinal tract (CST) axonal WD after ischemic stroke in mice, and to simultaneously characterize the dynamic pathological changes of astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocyte lineage cells, and myelinating oligodendrocytes during the WD process. MethodsEight-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to control and ischemic stroke groups. A focal cortical ischemic stroke model was established in the right sensorimotor cortex using the photothrombotic method. This method induces localized intravascular thrombosis in the target cortical region through precisely controlled interaction between the photosensitizer and laser light of specific wavelength. At day 1 post‑surgery, 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining was performed to evaluate infarct volume, hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining for histopathological examination, and Nissl staining for assessment of neuronal injury. For axonal degeneration time-course analysis, rAAV-CAG-mCherry anterograde viral tracing was employed to specifically label CST neurons. Cervical spinal cord sections at the CST region were collected at day 3, 5, 7, 14, and 60 post-injury. Morphological changes of mCherry-positive CST fibers were observed under fluorescence microscopy, and the fluorescence signal area fraction within the defined region was quantitatively analyzed to evaluate the dynamic process of axonal degeneration. For glial response assessment, immunofluorescence staining against Iba1 (microglia), GFAP (astrocytes), Olig2 (oligodendrocyte lineage cells), and APC (myelinating oligodendrocytes) was performed at day 7, 14, and 60 post‑surgery. The numbers of positive cells were counted to quantitatively analyze the dynamic changes in each glial population at different time points after ischemia, thereby revealing the evolution of the glial microenvironment during WD. ResultsThe photothrombotic method stably and reliably established an ischemic brain injury model confined to the sensorimotor cortex. Viral tracing revealed that the proportion of mCherry‑positive CST fibers was significantly reduced at day 7 after ischemic injury to the neuronal soma. Immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that during WD, the numbers of microglia and astrocytes in the CST region were significantly increased, whereas the numbers of oligodendrocyte lineage cells and myelinating oligodendrocytes showed no significant changes. ConclusionWD of CST axons is observed at day 7 post-ischemic stroke in a delayed manner. This degenerative process selectively activates microglia and astrocytes, while leaving the number of oligodendrocyte lineage cells largely unaffected.

Objective:To evaluate the sample preparation proficiency and storage proficiency of 11 clinical biobanks in Beijing through simulated experiments, and to establish an assessment method for the quality comparability of biological samples.Methods:An exploratory research design was adopted. In November 2023, artificial composite serum quality control materials containing six recombinant human protein markers—recombinant human alanine aminotransferase (rhALT), recombinant human aspartate aminotransferase (rhAST), recombinant human creatine kinase (rhCK), recombinant human creatine kinase-MB (rhCK-MB), recombinant human B-type natriuretic peptide (rhBNP), and recombinant human troponin I (rhTNI)—were distributed to 11 clinical biobanks in Beijing City. Sample preparation and storage followed the standardized operating procedures. Proficiency differences were assessed through statistical analysis.Results:Three-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed all six protein markers showed a declining trend over storage time in ultra-low-temperature environments ( F values 11.68-4 179.66, all P<0.01). However, neither long-term/temporary refrigerator types ( F values 0.01-1.23, all P>0.05)nor placement locations within refrigerators significantly affected the stability of these six proteins ( F valus 0.03-1.47, all P>0.05). The biases in detection results for rhALT, rhAST, rhTNI, and rhBNP at different storage time points were within the allowable bias limits for each item, supporting their use as markers for protein stability in biobank samples. All 11 institutions passed the storage proficiency assessment. In the preparation proficiency assessment, deviations were observed in post-preparation sample results, with a notably high out-of-control rate for rhCK (36.36%). Conclusion:Sample preparation proficiency can serve as a quality control metric for clinical biobanks. Future external quality assessment systems for biobanks should focus on sample preparation rather than storage processes.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and frequent premature ventricular contractions (PVC) based on no-contrast chest CT scanning and evaluate the predictive value of EAT for high PVC loading levels.Methods:A case-control study was conducted to collect patients with PVC from January 2021 to June 2023 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University. The study subjects were divided into a PVC high-load group (≥20%) and a PVC low-load group (<20%) based on the level of PVC loading in the 24-hour Holter electrocardiography monitoring. The parameter characteristics of EAT were obtained from no-contrast chest CT images. Multivariate logistic regression model analysis was used to assess the factors associated with high PVC loading levels, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the predictive value of the model.Results:A total of 166 subjects were included in the study, including 50 in the PVC high-load group and 116 in the PVC low-load group. Compared with the PVC low-load group, EATV was significantly increased in the high-load group ( Z=4.83, P<0.001), and EATA was significantly lower in the high-load group than in the low-load group ( t=-3.95, P<0.001). However, there was no statistically significant difference for the comparison of EATD ( Z=-1.56, P=0.120). Multivariate logistic regression model analysis showed that high EATV and low EATA were factors of high PVC loading levels [EATV: OR=1.01 (95% CI: 1.00-1.02), EATA: OR=1.16 (95% CI: 1.02-1.32)]. The area under the ROC curve for predicting high PVC loading levels by EATV and EATA was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.71-0.86). Conclusion:EATV and EATA are factors of high PVC loading levels and have predictive value for high PVC loading levels.

Objective The purpose of writing the"expert consensus on humanistic care for patients in hospice care"(hereinafter referred to as the"consensus")aims to standardize the practice of humanistic care in the field of hospice care,ensuring that humanistic care is integrated throughout the entire service process for hospice care patients and their families.Methods A systematic search was conducted in domestic and foreign databases for literature related to hospice care and humanistic care,including guidelines,expert consensuses,systematic reviews or Meta-analyses,and evidence summaries.High-quality evidence was evaluated,extracted,and summarized to form the initial draft of the"consensus".From June to October 2024,20 experts from the fields of hospice care,nursing humanities,and evidence-based nursing were invited to participate in 1 round of expert consultation.Among them,13 experts were selected for 2 rounds of expert demonstration meetings.After collating and analyzing the experts' opinions,the initial draft was revised and refined,ultimately resulting in the final version of the"consensus".Results The effective response rate of the consultation questionnaire was 100％,with expert authority coefficient of 0.880,judgment coefficient of 0.935,and familiarity level of 0.825.The Kendall harmony coefficient of the expert consultation was 0.134(P＜0.05).The"consensus"consisted of 13 aspects,including the targets and objectives,principles,institutional guarantees,environmental requirements,etc.Conclusion This"consensus"possesses strong scientific rigor and practicality,which can provide guidance and references for the practice of humanistic care in the field of hospice care,promoting the standardization and humanization of hospice care services.

AIM To investigate the effects of rice wine type and wine processing method on chemical constituents and anti-coagulation effect of Angelicae sinensis Radix.METHODS Wine-washed products and wine-stir-fried products were prepared by different types and ages of rice wine,respectively,after which HPLC was adopted in the content determination of tryptophan,chlorogenic acid,vanillic acid,phthalic acid,ferulic acid,senkyunolide I,senkyunolide H,coniferyl ferulate and ligustilide,and PT,APTT,TT were detected in rabbit plasma.RESULTS Phenolic acids and volatile constituents demonstrated lower contents in the wine-stir-fried products than those in the raw product(P＜0.05),while those in the wine-washed products displayed no obvious changes(except for senkyunolide I)(P＞0.05).The contents of volatile constituents in the wine-washed products were higher than those in the wine-stir-fried products(P＜0.05).After being processed with dry rice wine,various constituents exhibited increased contents as compared with those after being processed with sweet rice wine(P＜0.05).Compared with the raw product,prolonged PT,APTT and TT were observable in the processed products prepared by 3-year semi-dry rice wine(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION The optimal rice wine type is determined to be 3-year semi-dry.Wine-washed Angelicae sinensis Radix shows high contents of ferulic acid and volatile constituents,whose activating blood and resolving stasis effect may be stronger.

Objective:Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell(CAR-T)immunotherapy has made major breakthroughs in the treatment of blood tu-mors.However,current CAR-T therapies face several limitations:they require autologous cells,involve a lengthy and costly production pro-cess,and use lentiviral transduction that carry risk of insertional carcinogenesis due to random integration.Therefore,there is an urgent need to develop a universal cost-effective cancer immunotherapy method generating CAR-T cells for in vivo cancer immunotherapy.Meth-ods:This study successfully established an exosome-mediated,T-cell targeted delivery system,demonstrating both precise design and func-tional efficacy for biomedical applications.To optimize CAR-T cell generation the transfection dose was adjusted,and the kinetics of CAR-T cell percentage were recorded.The cytotoxicity of the resulting CAR-T cells was evaluated in vitro by calcein-AM release.To test the tumor-killing in vivo of engineered exosomes,human PBMCs were injected into NPG mice via the tail vein to establish humanized mice,followed by intravenous injection of tumor cells to induce cancer.Results:To overcome the limitations of conditional autologous CAR-T cells,we de-veloped a T cell-targeted exosome system capable of specifically targeting human CD3+,CD4+,and CD8+T cells.CAR-T production was dose-dependent,with transfection efficiency reaching upto 97.8%at 106 particles/cell.Both in vitro cytotoxicity assays and in vivo animal experi-ments demonstrated that exosome-incubated CAR-T cells effectively eliminated CD19-positive Raji cells,highlighting their specificity and therapeutic potential in antigen-directed applications.Conclusions:We successfully established a CD8-targeting exosome delivery system for CAR-T cell production capable of transforming CD8+T cells into functional CAR-T cells,which showed significant tumor-killing ability in vitro and in mice.Compared with the traditional lentiviral vector for the preparation of CAR-T cells in vitro,in vivo-reprogrammed CAR-T cells us-ing our CD8-targeted exosome delivery system,with higher transfection efficiency,shorter production period,lower cost,and eliminated the risk of insertion carcinogenesis.This strategy promises to bring a new era of universal CAR-T medicine,which can improve cancer immuno-therapy and may hold promise as a therapeutic platform to treat various diseases.

In this work,a rapid and label-free sensing platform was designed for visual detection of p53 gene.The rolling circle amplification(RCA)process of the assay platform was activated by p53 gene to produce long DNA-wires,which could bound with berberine hydrochloride(BBH)and further enhanced its fluorescence.This method showed high sensitivity with a low detection limit of 5.63 pmol/L,and high specificity toward p53 gene over other interference materials,even for single-base mutation gene.The method could realize the visual detection of targets under the illumination of a UV lamp.In addition,the designed fluorescence detection platform was successfully applied to p53 gene analysis in 10% fetal bovine serum samples,and the relative standard deviation and the recoveries were 0.1% -1.2% and 99.5% -104.7%,respectively.This approach had satisfactory characteristics,such as low cost,label-free,rapidity,high sensitivity,good selectivity and anti-interference ability,and reliable detection capability for complex practical samples,demonstrating a promising prospect in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases,especially for cancer.