ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism by which the ethanol extract of Epimedium brevicornu （EEBM） intervenes in mesenchymal adipose-derived stem cells （ADSCs） to delay aging in castrated rats. MethodsForty-five 3-month-old SPF female SD rats were ovariectomized and randomly divided into model group， ADSCs treatment group， and ADSCs groups treated with low， medium， and high concentrations of EEBM （1， 50， 100 μg·L^-1）， referred to as the AE low， medium， and high concentration groups， with 9 rats in each group. After tail vein injection of 200 μL of the corresponding stem cell suspension， aging-related indicators including cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor （p21）， tumor suppressor gene （p53）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-8 （IL-8）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， cysteine-aspartic acid protease-3 （Caspase-3）， and lipofuscin were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） and Western blot. ResultsCompared with the model group， the IL-6 content in the AE low， medium， and high concentration groups was significantly decreased （P<0.05）. Lipofuscin， MDA， and IL-8 levels in the ADSCs treatment group and AE low， medium， and high concentration groups were significantly reduced （P<0.01）， while SOD content was significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the ADSCs treatment group， lipofuscin and IL-8 levels in the AE low， medium， and high concentration groups were significantly reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The MDA content was significantly decreased in the AE medium concentration group （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， protein levels of p21， p53， Bax， and Caspase-3 in the ADSCs treatment group and AE low， medium， and high concentration groups were significantly reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the Bcl-2 protein level was significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the ADSCs treatment group， protein levels of p21， p53， Bax， and Caspase-3 in the AE low， medium， and high concentration groups were significantly reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the Bcl-2 protein level in the AE low concentration group was significantly increased （P<0.01）. ConclusionThe results of this experiment show that EEBM-treated ADSCs or ADSCs may delay aging in castrated rats by inhibiting cell apoptosis， reducing cell cycle inhibitors and pro-inflammatory factors， enhancing antioxidant capacity， and reducing oxidative reactions. Moreover， EEBM-treated ADSCs demonstrate stronger anti-aging effects than ADSCs alone. This study provides experimental evidence supporting the clinical use of EEBM to intervene in ADSCs and delay aging.

Background: and Purpose Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) following endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is a severe complication associated with adverse functional outcomes and increased mortality rates. Currently, a reliable predictive model for sICH risk after EVT is lacking. Methods: This study used data from patients aged ≥20 years who underwent EVT for anterior circulation stroke from the nationwide Taiwan Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke (TREAT-AIS). A predictive model including factors associated with an increased risk of sICH after EVT was developed to differentiate between patients with and without sICH. This model was compared existing predictive models using nationwide registry data to evaluate its relative performance. Results: Of the 2,507 identified patients, 158 developed sICH after EVT. Factors such as diastolic blood pressure, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score, platelet count, glucose level, collateral score, and successful reperfusion were associated with the risk of sICH after EVT. The TREAT-AIS score demonstrated acceptable predictive accuracy (area under the curve [AUC]=0.694), with higher scores being associated with an increased risk of sICH (odds ratio=2.01 per score increase, 95% confidence interval=1.64–2.45, P<0.001). The discriminatory capacity of the score was similar in patients with symptom onset beyond 6 hours (AUC=0.705). Compared to existing models, the TREAT-AIS score consistently exhibited superior predictive accuracy, although this difference was marginal. Conclusions The TREAT-AIS score outperformed existing models, and demonstrated an acceptable discriminatory capacity for distinguishing patients according to sICH risk levels. However, the differences between models were only marginal. Further research incorporating periprocedural and postprocedural factors is required to improve the predictive accuracy.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder with profound impact on patients’ quality of life and long-term health, and early detection and intervention are particularly critical. In recent years, the search for precise and reliable biomarkers has become one of the key strategies to effectively address the clinical challenges of PD. In this paper, we systematically evaluated potential biomarkers, including proteins, metabolites, epigenetic markers, and exosomes, in the peripheral blood of PD patients. Protein markers are one of the main directions of biomarker research in PD. In particular, α‑synuclein and its phosphorylated form play a key role in the pathological process of PD. It has been shown that aggregation of α-synuclein may be associated with pathologic protein deposition in PD and may be a potential marker for early diagnosis of PD. In terms of metabolites, uric acid, as a metabolite, plays an important role in oxidative stress and neuroprotection in PD. It has been found that changes in uric acid levels may be associated with the onset and progression of PD, showing its potential as an early diagnostic marker. Epigenetic markers, such as DNA methylation modifications and miRNAs, have also attracted much attention in Parkinson’s disease research. Changes in these markers may affect the expression of PD-related genes and have an important impact on the onset and progression of the disease, providing new research perspectives for the early diagnosis of PD. In addition, exosomes, as a potential biomarker carrier for PD, are able to carry a variety of biomolecules involved in intercellular communication and pathological regulation. Studies have shown that exosomes may play an important role in the pathogenesis of PD, and their detection in blood may provide a new breakthrough for early diagnosis. It has been shown that exosomes may play an important role in the pathogenesis of PD, and their detection in blood may provide new breakthroughs in early diagnosis. In summary, through in-depth evaluation of biomarkers in the peripheral blood of PD patients, this paper demonstrates the important potential of these markers in the early diagnosis of PD and in the study of pathological mechanisms. Future studies will continue to explore the clinical application value of these biomarkers to promote the early detection of PD and individualized treatment strategies.

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.

Objective To compare the dosimetric differences in the heart and its substructures between two hybrid plans for hypofractionated whole-breast radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery in patients with early-stage left-sided breast cancer. Methods A total of 46 patients with early-stage left-sided breast cancer who underwent hypofractionated whole-breast radiotherapy were randomly selected. Two hybrid radiotherapy plans were used, including hybrid intensity-modulated radiotherapy (H_IMRT) and hybrid volumetric-modulated arc therapy (H_VMAT). The heart and its substructures were contoured, including left anterior descending (LAD), left ventricle (LV), right coronary artery (RCA), and right ventricle (RV). The heart and substructure doses, as well as monitor units, were compared between H_IMRT and H_VMAT. Results Both hybrid plans met the clinical requirements. H_IMRT significantly outperformed H_VMAT for the heart (V₁₀, V₃₀, and D_mean), LAD (V₃₀, V₄₀, D_max and D_mean), LV (V₁₀, V₂₀ and D_mean), RCA (D_max, D_mean), and RV (V₅, V₁₀, D_mean) (P < 0.001). Additionally, H_IMRT was significantly superior to H_VMAT for heart V₅, LAD V₂₀, and RV V₂₀ (P = 0.005, 0.035 and 0.037). For LAD (V₁₅, V₄₀) and LV (V₅, V₂₅), H_IMRT was slightly better than H_VMAT, and the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion Both H_IMRT and H_VMAT hybrid radiotherapy plans are suitable for hypofractionated whole-breast radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery in patients with early-stage left-sided breast cancer. H_IMRT is slightly better than H_VMAT in dose sparing for the heart and its substructures.

Objective To assess the risk of human Spirometra mansoni infections and investigate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) towards sparganosis mansoni among residents in Henan Province, so as to provide insights into formulation of the sparganosis mansoni control measures. Methods Qinling Village in Fugou County of Zhoukou City, Bali Village in Yancheng District of Luohe City, Duzhai Village in Puyang County of Puyang City and Doushan Village in Luoshan County of Xinyang City were sampled as survey sites in Henan Province from July to August 2023, and more than 40 frogs were sampled from ponds or streams in each survey site for detection of Sparganum mansoni infections. At least 150 residents were sampled using a cluster sampling method from each survey site, and the sero-prevalence of anti-S. mansoni IgG antibody was estimated. In addition, a questionnaire survey was conducted on the KAP towards sparganosis mansoni among participants, and the proportion of eligible KAP, rate of correct KAP and KAP scores were calculated. Results A total 229 frogs were collected from 4 survey sites in 2023, and the overall prevalence of S. mansoni infection was 4.37% (10/229) in frogs, with 7.75% (10/129) prevalence in wild frogs and 0 in farm-bred frogs. A questionnaire survey was performed among 649 residents sampled from 4 survey sites, and 649 serum samples were collected. The seroprevalence of anti-S.mansoni IgG antibody was 0.15% (1/649) and the overall proportion of eligible KAP was 23.73% (154/649) among participants. There were age- (χ² = 30.905, P = 0.000), educational level- (χ² = 41.011, P = 0.000), and occupation-specific proportions of eligible KAP among participants (χ² = 10.721, P = 0.005), and the proportion of eligible KAP decreased with age (χ² _trend = 22.717, P = 0.000) and increased with education levels (χ² _trend = 40.025, P = 0.000). The rates of correct KAP towards sparganosis mansoni were 40.81% (2 119/5 192), 96.66% (1 882/1 947) and 63.81% (3 727/5 841) (χ² = 1 913.731, P = 0.000) among residents, respectively. The rates of correct KAP towards sparganosis mansoni varied significantly among survey sites (χ² = 136.872, 42.347 and 255.157; all P values= 0.000, with the highest rate of correct knowledge (51.94%, 748/1 440) and practices (75.86%, 1 229/1 620) in Yancheng District of Luohe City and the highest rate of correct attitudes in Puyang County of Puyang City (99.11%, 446/450) (all P values< 0.05). Conclusions There is still a high transmission risk of sparganosis mansoni in Henan Province, and the KAP towards sparganosis mansoni is required to be improved among residents.

Background: and Purpose Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) following endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is a severe complication associated with adverse functional outcomes and increased mortality rates. Currently, a reliable predictive model for sICH risk after EVT is lacking. Methods: This study used data from patients aged ≥20 years who underwent EVT for anterior circulation stroke from the nationwide Taiwan Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke (TREAT-AIS). A predictive model including factors associated with an increased risk of sICH after EVT was developed to differentiate between patients with and without sICH. This model was compared existing predictive models using nationwide registry data to evaluate its relative performance. Results: Of the 2,507 identified patients, 158 developed sICH after EVT. Factors such as diastolic blood pressure, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score, platelet count, glucose level, collateral score, and successful reperfusion were associated with the risk of sICH after EVT. The TREAT-AIS score demonstrated acceptable predictive accuracy (area under the curve [AUC]=0.694), with higher scores being associated with an increased risk of sICH (odds ratio=2.01 per score increase, 95% confidence interval=1.64–2.45, P<0.001). The discriminatory capacity of the score was similar in patients with symptom onset beyond 6 hours (AUC=0.705). Compared to existing models, the TREAT-AIS score consistently exhibited superior predictive accuracy, although this difference was marginal. Conclusions The TREAT-AIS score outperformed existing models, and demonstrated an acceptable discriminatory capacity for distinguishing patients according to sICH risk levels. However, the differences between models were only marginal. Further research incorporating periprocedural and postprocedural factors is required to improve the predictive accuracy.