Objective To investigate the effects of light-at-night exposure on anxiety and depression behaviors in mice and to explore the underlying neural mechanisms.Methods Six-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to a control(Ctrl)group and a light-at-night exposure(LAN)group.Mice in the LAN group were exposed to 460 nm blue light for 1 h daily during the zeitgeber time(ZT)13-14 while the Ctrl group mice were maintained under a 12-h light/12-h dark cycle.Behavioral tests were conducted at different time points following LAN exposure to evaluate anxiety and depression behaviors in the mice.Immunofluorescence staining was used to observe the effect of LAN on c-fos expressions in the medial prefrontal cortex(mPFC),basal ateral amygdala(BLA),paraventricular nucleus(PVN)and paraventricular thalamus(PVT).ELISA was performed to measure changes in serum corticosterone,adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH)and corticotropin-releasing hormone(CRH)levels.Golgi staining was applied to measurethe dendritic spine density and morphology from mPFC and CA1.Western blotting analysis was conducted to detect expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factors(BDNFs),phosphorylated tropomyosin receptor kinase B(p-TrkB)/TrkB,postsynaptic density protein 95(PSD95)and synaptophysin(SYP)in the mPFC.Results Mice exhibited anxiety-like behaviors after 14 days of LAN exposure,with depression-like behaviors emerging after 28 days.LAN exposure of 28 days led to a significant increase in the number of c-fos-positive neurons in the mPFC,BLA,PVN and PVT(P＜0.05),resulted in elevated serum corticosterone levels(P＜0.01)and reduced protein expression levels of BDNF and SYP(P＜0.05).Furthermore,there was a marked decrease in synapse numbers and synaptic density in the mPFC(P＜0.01).Conclusion Prolonged exposure to blue light at night enhances neuronal activity in the mPFC and BLA and suppresses the BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway by activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis(HPA),thus leading to synaptic structural and functional damage and inducing anxiety and depression behaviors in mice.

Alzheimer′s disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases, and its diagnosis heavily relies on imaging biomarkers. This paper integrates core pathological markers, such as amyloid β (Aβ)-positron emission tomography (PET), tau-PET, structural magnetic resonance imaging, and fluorodeoxyglucose-PET, with the latest advancements in novel imaging biomarkers, including inflammation, synaptic imaging, and cerebrovascular injury-related markers, based on the Aβ proteinopathy, tau proteinopathy, neurodegeneration, inflammation, α-synuclein and vascular brain injury biomarkers (AT 1T 2NISV) framework proposed by the 2024 Alzheimer′s Association diagnostic guidelines. With the development of machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies, future research should focus on enhancing the specificity of imaging biomarkers and developing precise diagnostic models for comorbidities to better address the heterogeneity and complex pathological features of AD.

Objective:To investigate the role and underlying mechanism of parthanatos death in neonatal SD rats with bilirubin encephalopathy(BE).Methods:Eighty 3-day-old neonatal SD rats were selected and randomly divided into control group and BE group.The BE model was established by intraperitoneal injection of bilirubin solution,and the pathological changes in the hippocampus were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining and Nissl staining.The protein expressions of the phosphorylation of the core histone protein H2AX(termed gamma H2AX),poly ADP-ribose polymerasw-1(PARP-1)and apoptosis-inducing factor(AIF)in hippocampus were detected by Western blot.Immuno-fluorescence staining was used to detect the expression and distribution of AIF in hippocampus.Results:Compared with the control group,neonatal SD rats developed jaundice 12 hours after bilirubin injection,accompanied by slow weight gain.HE staining and Nissl staining showed that the hippocampus in BE group were damaged and the content of Nissl bodies was decreased.Western blot results showed that the expression of γ-H2AX protein in hippocampus began to increase at 72 h after modeling(P＜0.05),and the levels of PARP-1 and AIF protein in hippocampus increased signif-icantly at 72 h after modeling(P＜0.05).Immunofluorescence staining showed increased AIF expression and nuclear translocation.Conclusion:Intraperitoneal injection of bilirubin can induce DNA damage in hippocampal neurons of neonatal SD rats and activate the PARP-1/AIF pathway to cause parthanatos death of hippocampal neurons.

Objective:To investigate the role and underlying mechanism of parthanatos death in neonatal SD rats with bilirubin encephalopathy(BE).Methods:Eighty 3-day-old neonatal SD rats were selected and randomly divided into control group and BE group.The BE model was established by intraperitoneal injection of bilirubin solution,and the pathological changes in the hippocampus were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining and Nissl staining.The protein expressions of the phosphorylation of the core histone protein H2AX(termed gamma H2AX),poly ADP-ribose polymerasw-1(PARP-1)and apoptosis-inducing factor(AIF)in hippocampus were detected by Western blot.Immuno-fluorescence staining was used to detect the expression and distribution of AIF in hippocampus.Results:Compared with the control group,neonatal SD rats developed jaundice 12 hours after bilirubin injection,accompanied by slow weight gain.HE staining and Nissl staining showed that the hippocampus in BE group were damaged and the content of Nissl bodies was decreased.Western blot results showed that the expression of γ-H2AX protein in hippocampus began to increase at 72 h after modeling(P＜0.05),and the levels of PARP-1 and AIF protein in hippocampus increased signif-icantly at 72 h after modeling(P＜0.05).Immunofluorescence staining showed increased AIF expression and nuclear translocation.Conclusion:Intraperitoneal injection of bilirubin can induce DNA damage in hippocampal neurons of neonatal SD rats and activate the PARP-1/AIF pathway to cause parthanatos death of hippocampal neurons.

Objective To investigate the effect of N-myc downstream regulated gene 1(NDRG1)on ferroptosis in mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells(BMVEC)induced by oxygen-glu-cose deprivation(OGD).Methods After primary BMVEC were isolated and cultured from mice,electron microscopy was used to observe the mitochondrial morphology of the cells after OGD.bEnd.3 cells were cultured and divided into six groups:control group,model group(OGD),si-NC(negative control)group,si-NDRG1(NDRG1 interference RNA)group,OGD+si-NC(negative control modeling)group,and OGD+si-NDRG1(NDRG1 interference)group(n=3).The model group,OGD+si-NC group,and OGD+si-NDRG1 group were subjected to the OGD model.Si-NC transfection was performed in the si-NC and OGD+si-NC groups,while si-NDRG1 transfection was carried out in the si-NDRG1 and OGD+si-NDRG1 groups.Cell viability,MDA,glutathione,Fe2+,lipid peroxidation levels,and protein levels of NDRG1,glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4),and acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4(ACSL4)were detected in each group.Results Compared with the control group,the model group showed a significant reduction in the number of cells adhering to the surface after OGD treatment,swollen cytoplasm and decrease in cell viability[(37.68±2.43)％vs(96.34±12.08)％,P＜0.05],down-regulation of GPX4 and up-regulation of ACSL4 and NDRG1 expression(0.78±0.02 vs 1.15±0.01,P＜0.01;1.45±0.04 vs 0.78±0.12,P＜0.01;1.22±0.01 vs 0.13±0.01,P＜0.01).In the si-NDRG1 group,the protein levels of GPX4 and NDRG1 were significantly lower,while the protein levels of ACSL4 and gluta-thione were significantly higher than the si-NC group(P＜0.05).The OGD+si-NC group showed significantly lower GPX4 expression and glutathione level,while obviously higher NDRG1,ACSL4 expression,MDA,and relative fluorescence intensities of Fe2+and oxidized lipid levels when compared to the si-NC and si-NDRG1 groups(P＜0.05).The OGD+si-NDRG1 group showed significantly lower GPX4 expression and glutathione level,and higher ACSL4 and relative fluorescence intensity of Fe2+than the si-NC group and the si-NDRG1 group,while lower NDRG1 expression than the si-NC group but higher than the si-NDRG1 group,and lower NDRG1,ACSL4,MDA,and relative fluorescence intensities of Fe2+and oxidized lipids when compared with the OGD+si-NC group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Knockdown of NDRG1 can alleviate OGD-induced ferroptosis in microvascular endothelial cells by improving iron metabolism and lipid per-oxidation.

Objective To investigate the effect of N-myc downstream regulated gene 1(NDRG1)on ferroptosis in mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells(BMVEC)induced by oxygen-glu-cose deprivation(OGD).Methods After primary BMVEC were isolated and cultured from mice,electron microscopy was used to observe the mitochondrial morphology of the cells after OGD.bEnd.3 cells were cultured and divided into six groups:control group,model group(OGD),si-NC(negative control)group,si-NDRG1(NDRG1 interference RNA)group,OGD+si-NC(negative control modeling)group,and OGD+si-NDRG1(NDRG1 interference)group(n=3).The model group,OGD+si-NC group,and OGD+si-NDRG1 group were subjected to the OGD model.Si-NC transfection was performed in the si-NC and OGD+si-NC groups,while si-NDRG1 transfection was carried out in the si-NDRG1 and OGD+si-NDRG1 groups.Cell viability,MDA,glutathione,Fe2+,lipid peroxidation levels,and protein levels of NDRG1,glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4),and acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4(ACSL4)were detected in each group.Results Compared with the control group,the model group showed a significant reduction in the number of cells adhering to the surface after OGD treatment,swollen cytoplasm and decrease in cell viability[(37.68±2.43)％vs(96.34±12.08)％,P＜0.05],down-regulation of GPX4 and up-regulation of ACSL4 and NDRG1 expression(0.78±0.02 vs 1.15±0.01,P＜0.01;1.45±0.04 vs 0.78±0.12,P＜0.01;1.22±0.01 vs 0.13±0.01,P＜0.01).In the si-NDRG1 group,the protein levels of GPX4 and NDRG1 were significantly lower,while the protein levels of ACSL4 and gluta-thione were significantly higher than the si-NC group(P＜0.05).The OGD+si-NC group showed significantly lower GPX4 expression and glutathione level,while obviously higher NDRG1,ACSL4 expression,MDA,and relative fluorescence intensities of Fe2+and oxidized lipid levels when compared to the si-NC and si-NDRG1 groups(P＜0.05).The OGD+si-NDRG1 group showed significantly lower GPX4 expression and glutathione level,and higher ACSL4 and relative fluorescence intensity of Fe2+than the si-NC group and the si-NDRG1 group,while lower NDRG1 expression than the si-NC group but higher than the si-NDRG1 group,and lower NDRG1,ACSL4,MDA,and relative fluorescence intensities of Fe2+and oxidized lipids when compared with the OGD+si-NC group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Knockdown of NDRG1 can alleviate OGD-induced ferroptosis in microvascular endothelial cells by improving iron metabolism and lipid per-oxidation.

Alzheimer′s disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases, and its diagnosis heavily relies on imaging biomarkers. This paper integrates core pathological markers, such as amyloid β (Aβ)-positron emission tomography (PET), tau-PET, structural magnetic resonance imaging, and fluorodeoxyglucose-PET, with the latest advancements in novel imaging biomarkers, including inflammation, synaptic imaging, and cerebrovascular injury-related markers, based on the Aβ proteinopathy, tau proteinopathy, neurodegeneration, inflammation, α-synuclein and vascular brain injury biomarkers (AT 1T 2NISV) framework proposed by the 2024 Alzheimer′s Association diagnostic guidelines. With the development of machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies, future research should focus on enhancing the specificity of imaging biomarkers and developing precise diagnostic models for comorbidities to better address the heterogeneity and complex pathological features of AD.

Objective:To investigate the neuropsychological and imaging features of patients with posterior cortical atrophy (PCA).Methods:Patients of PCA, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), typical Alzheimer′s disease (t-AD) who were diagnosed in the Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University from September 27, 2019, to September 24, 2021 were enrolled, and the normal controls who visited the Outpatient and Physical Examination Centers of Huashan Hospital, Fudan University and Rizhao People′s Hospital at the same time were enrolled, too. Neuropsychological assessments, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET)/CT data of the 4-group subjects were collected. Variance analysis was used to compare the differences in neuropsychological performance among the 4 groups, and the imaging features of PCA patients were summarized.Results:Eleven PCA patients, 17 DLB patients, 31 t-AD patients, and 11 normal controls were included in the study. The cognitive function of patients in the PCA group [Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score 13.52±1.81; Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score 7.06±1.72] was significantly impaired compared to the normal control group (MMSE score 27.85±1.75, t=-6.561, P<0.001; MoCA score 23.60±1.59, t=-7.968, P<0.001]. However, there was no statistically significant difference compared to the DLB group and the t-AD group. Patients in the PCA group exhibited more severe impairments in attention, executive function, and language compared to the DLB group (Trail Making Test A score: 298.86±16.16 vs 110.07±18.62, t=9.980, P<0.001; Trail Making Test B score: 305.51±18.89 vs 230.34±23.59, t=2.865, P=0.024; Boston Naming Test score: 8.67±1.53 vs 15.66±1.56, t=-2.682, P=0.013) and the t-AD group (148.91±12.77, t=7.071, P<0.001; 200.78±19.34, t=3.789, P=0.004; 15.15±1.05, t=-2.544, P=0.016). Scores for visuospatial function [PCA group: 1(0, 1), normal control group: 3(3, 3), Z=-4.023, P<0.001] and visual perception [PCA group: 0(0, 1), normal control group: 35(34, 36), Z=-3.704, P<0.001] were significantly lower in the PCA group compared to the normal control group. The cranial MRI findings of PCA patients showed atrophy of the parietal and occipital lobes, with less obvious atrophy of the medial temporal lobe, which can be distinguished from t-AD. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT of the PCA patients showed a relative reduced glucose metabolism in the bilateral parietal lobe, occipital lobe and posterior cingulate gyrus, while the 18F-florbetapir PET/CT showed deposition of amyloid protein in the bilateral frontal lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe, and cingulate gyrus. Conclusions:PCA patients exhibit neuropsychological characteristics of visuospatial dysfunction, along with impairments in various cognitive domains such as memory, attention, and executive functions. The typical MRI feature is parietal occipital lobe atrophy, and the PET/CT findings are consistent with metabolic changes in AD.

Septic shock is one of the leading causes of death in children，especially infants，both domestically and internationally.Research has found that patients with septic shock often have abnormal thyroid function，which affects their prognosis.This article reviewed the changes in thyroid hormone and thyroid-stimulating hormone levels，the reasons for these changes，and the mechanisms by which thyroid function affects the immune system in patients with septic shock,aiming to provide new ideas for clinical treatment.

Objective To investigate the development and dynamic changes of cysts in the brain of mice following infection with different forms of Toxoplasma gondii, so as to provide insights into for toxoplasmosis prevention and control. Methods ICR mice at ages of 6 to 8 weeks, each weighing 20 to 25 g, were intraperitoneally injected with tachyzoites of the T. gondii PRU strain at a dose of 1 × 10⁵ tachyzoites per mouse, orally administered with cysts at a dose of 20 oocysts per mouse or oocysts at a dose of 200 oocysts per mouse for modeling chronic T. gondii infection in mice, and the clinical symptoms and survival of mice were observed post-infection. Mice were orally infected with T. gondii cysts at doses of 10 (low-dose group), 20 (medium-dose group), 40 cysts per mouse (high-dose group), and the effect of different doses of T. gondii infections on the number of cysts was examined in the mouse brain. Mice were orally administered with T. gondii cysts at a dose of 20 cysts per mouse, and grouped according to gender (female and male) and time points of infections (20, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180 days post-infection), and the effects of gender and time points of infections on the number of cysts was examined in the mouse brain. In addition, mice were divided into the tachyzoite group (Group T), the first-generation cyst group (Group C1), the second-generation cyst group (Group C2), the third-generation cyst (Group C3) and the fourth-generation cyst group (Group C4). Mice in the Group T were intraperitoneally injected with T. gondii tachyzoites at a dose of 1 × 10⁵ tachyzoites per mouse, and the cysts were collected from the mouse brain tissues 30 days post-infection, while mice in the Group C1 were orally infected with the collected cysts at a dose of 30 cysts per mouse. Continuous passage was performed by oral administration with cysts produced by the previous generation in mice, and the effect of continuous passage on the number of cysts was examined in the mouse brain. Results Following infection with T. gondii tachyzoites, cysts and oocysts in mice, obvious clinical symptoms were observed on days 6 to 13 and mice frequently died on days 7 to 12. The survival rates of mice were 67.0%, 87.0% and 53.0%, and the mean numbers of cysts were (516.0 ± 257.2), (1 203.0 ± 502.0) and (581.0 ± 183.1) in the mouse brain (F = 11.94, P < 0.01) on day 30 post-infection with T. gondii tachyzoites, cysts and oocysts, respectively, and the numbers of cysts in the brain tissues were significantly lower in mice infected with T. gondii tachyzoites and oocysts than in those infected with cysts (all P values < 0.01). The survival rates of mice were 87.0%, 87.0% and 60.0%, and the mean numbers of cysts were (953.0 ± 355.5), (1 084.0 ± 474.3) and (1 113.0 ± 546.0) in the mouse brain in the low-, medium- and high-dose groups on day 30 post-infection, respectively (F = 0.42, P > 0.05). The survival rates of male and female mice were 73.0% and 80.0%, and the mean numbers of cysts were (946.4 ± 411.4) and (932.1 ± 322.4) in the brain tissues of male and female mice, respectively (F = 1.63, P > 0.05). Following continuous passage, the mean numbers of cysts were (516.0 ± 257.2), (1 203.0 ± 502.0), (896.8 ± 332.3), (782.5 ± 423.9) and (829.2 ± 306.0) in the brain tissues of mice in the T, C1, C2, C3 and C4 groups, respectively (F = 4.82, P < 0.01), and the number of cysts was higher in the mouse brain in Group 1 than in Group T (P < 0.01). Following oral administration of 20 T. gondii cysts in mice, cysts were found in the moues brain for the first time on day 20 post-infection, and the number of cysts gradually increased over time, peaked on days 30 and 90 post-infection and then gradually decreased; however, the cysts were still found in the mouse brain on day 180 post-infection. Conclusions There is a higher possibility of developing chronic T. gondii infection in mice following infection with cysts than with oocysts or tachyzoites and the most severe chronic infection is seen following infection with cysts. The number of cysts does not correlate with the severity of chronic T. gondii infection, and the number of cysts peaks in the mouse brain on days 30 and 90 post-infection.