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Abstract Background The pathway involving PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) and PARKIN plays a crucial role in mitophagy, a process activated by artesunate (ART). We propose that patients with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis exhibit insufficient mitophagy, and ART enhances mitophagy via the PINK1/PARKIN pathway, thereby providing neuroprotection. Methods Adult female mice aged 8–10 weeks were selected to create a passive transfer model of anti-NMDAR encephalitis. We conducted behavioral tests on these mice within a set timeframe. Techniques such as immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and western blotting were employed to assess markers including PINK1, PARKIN, LC3B, p62, caspase3, and cleaved caspase3. The TUNEL assay was utilized to detect neuronal apoptosis, while transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to examine mitochondrial autophagosomes. Primary hippocampal neurons were cultured, treated, and then analyzed through immunofluorescence for mtDNA, mtROS, TMRM. Results In comparison to the control group, mitophagy levels in the experimental group were not significantly altered, yet there was a notable increase in apoptotic neurons. Furthermore, markers indicative of mitochondrial leakage and damage were found to be elevated in the experimental group compared to the control group, but these markers showed improvement following ART treatment. ART was effective in activating the PINK1/PARKIN pathway, enhancing mitophagy, and diminishing neuronal apoptosis. Behavioral assessments revealed that ART ameliorated symptoms in mice with anti-NMDAR encephalitis in the passive transfer model (PTM). The knockdown of PINK1 led to a reduction in mitophagy levels, and subsequent ART intervention did not alleviate symptoms in the anti-NMDAR encephalitis PTM mice, indicating that ART’s therapeutic efficacy is mediated through the activation of the PINK1/PARKIN pathway. Conclusions At the onset of anti-NMDAR encephalitis, mitochondrial damage is observed; however, this damage is mitigated by the activation of mitophagy via the PINK1/PARKIN pathway. This regulatory feedback mechanism facilitates the removal of damaged mitochondria, prevents neuronal apoptosis, and consequently safeguards neural tissue. ART activates the PINK1/PARKIN pathway to enhance mitophagy, thereby exerting neuroprotective effects and may achieve therapeutic goals in treating anti-NMDAR encephalitis.

Aims This study evaluated millet germplasms in Liaoning Province to support the collection, preservation and innovation of millet germplasm resources. Methods The study was conducted from 2018 to 2020, involved the selection of 105 millet germplasm resources from the Germplasm Bank of the Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences (LAAS), the observation and recording of 31 traits, and the application of multivariate analysis methods to assess phenotypic diversity. Results From the diversity analysis and correlation analysis, it was found that the tested traits had abundant diversity and complex correlations among them. Principal component analysis (PCA) comprehensively analyzed all quantitative traits and extracted seven principal components. Grey relational analysis (GRA) highlighted the varied contributions of different traits to yield. Through systematic cluster analysis (SCA), the resources were categorized into six groups at Euclidean distance of 17.09. K-mean cluster analysis determined the distribution interval and central value of each trait, then identified resources with desirable traits. Conclusion The results revealed resources that possess characteristics such as upthrow seedling leaves, more tillers and branches, larger and well-formed ears, and lodging resistance prefer to higher grain yield. It was also discovered that the subear internode length (SIL) could be an indicator for maturity selection. Four specific resources, namely, Dungu No. 1, Xiao-li-xiang, Basen Shengu, and Yuhuanggu No. 1, were identified for further breeding and practical applications.

Urban forests are a type of forest ecosystem characterized by a strong interconnection between human activities and the natural environment. They play a crucial role in storing above-ground carbon and regulating urban climates. Customizing low-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) borne multispectral remote sensing (RS) systems with finely tuned sensors to accurately identify individual tree species can assist in mapping the spatial distribution of carbon stocks. The objective of this study is to investigate the robust correlation between specific spectral bands and the characteristics of urban forest species by quantifying the information encapsulated within those particular spectral bands, in order to facilitate the implementation of a low-altitude UAV-borne multispectral RS system. The proposed approach was compared with four major methods for reducing band dimensionality, namely analysis of variance, random forest, step discriminant analysis, and principal component analysis. The results of three classification models, namely support vector machine, multilayer perceptron, and boosting tree, demonstrate that the feature band combination extracted by our method consistently achieves the highest overall classification accuracy (ranging from 83.33% to 98.48%) across different types of urban forests, indicating its potential for fine identification of tree species. This research provides a fundamental basis for the dissemination and implementation of low-altitude UAV-borne multispectral RS technology in urban forestry management.

ObjectiveThe margin status of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients is considered to be predictive of recurrence and long-term survival. Therefore, precise intraoperative margin assessment is crucial. This study investigated the feasibility of using near-infrared fluorescence imaging technology to guide margin design in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients.MethodsIn this retrospective study, indocyanine green solution was intravenously injected preoperatively into patients. Intraoperatively, the surgical area was illuminated using a near-infrared fluorescence imaging system, which caused the lesion to fluoresce in the surgical area. Surgery was performed with the assistance of fluorescence imaging. The fluorescence intensity of the lesion area and surrounding normal tissue was recorded during surgery. Intraoperative margins were sent for rapid pathology, and postoperative margin pathology results were documented.ResultsSixteen patients were included in this study (7 males, 9 females), with an average age of 65.65 ± 12.37 years. Preoperative biopsy and postoperative pathology confirmed oral squamous cell carcinoma in all patients. No cancer cells were found in the margin pathology results. The average fluorescence intensity of the lesion area was 214 ± 4.70, and that of the surrounding normal tissue was 104.63 ± 3.14. There was no significant difference in the fluorescence intensity values of the lesion areas among all patients (F=0.38, P>0.05). There was a significant difference in fluorescence intensity between the lesion area and surrounding normal tissue (t=33.76, P

Multiple sclerosis (MS) was defined as a rare disease in China due to its low prevalence. For a long time, interferon β was the only approved disease-modifying therapy (DMT). Since the first oral DMT was approved in 2018, DMT approval accelerated, and seven DMTs were approved within 5 years. With an increasing number of DMTs being prescribed in clinical practice, it is necessary to discuss the standardized MS treatment algorithms depending on the disease activity and DMT availability. In this review paper, more than 20 Chinese experts in MS have reviewed the therapeutic progress of MS in China and worldwide and discussed algorithms for treating relapsing MS (RMS) based on the available DMTs in China, providing insights for establishing the standardized RMS treatment algorithms in this country.

Abstract Background Traditional estimates can only provide static predictions of cancer outcomes and cannot assess the evolving effect of race on patient survival. This study aims to reveal the dynamic survival of patients with bladder cancer and to explore the evolving effect of race on patient prognosis. Methods Using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry, 99,590 white, 6,036 African American, and 4,685 Asian/Pacific Islander (API) patients with bladder cancer were identified. Conditional cancer-specific survival (CSS) rates, which could reflect the dynamic survival prediction of cancer patients, represented the primary outcomes, and were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier algorithm. The evolving effect of race on patient survival was evaluated by multivariable Cox regression in combination with conditional survival (CS) estimates. Results The 5-year CSS for African American patients who had survived 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 years after definitive therapy improved from the baseline calculation by + 5.8 (84.4%), + 9.5 (87.4%), + 12.8 (90.0%), + 14.4 (91.3%), and + 14.7% (91.5%), respectively. The increasing trend also held for overall white and API patients, and for all patient subsets when CS was calculated according to different levels of sex, age, and disease stage. African Americans, despite having the worst survival at baseline, could have CSS comparable to their white and API counterparts after 4 years of survivorship. In addition, the risk of death for African Americans tended to decrease with increasing survival, and the risk was no longer significantly different from that of whites after 4 years of survival. Conclusions While having the worst initial predicted outcomes, African Americans may eventually achieve comparable survival to white and API patients given several years of survivorship. As patient survival increases, African American race may lose its role as an indicator of poorer prognosis.

Objectives: In the field of computer-assisted surgery, 3D printing technology and computer-aided navigation (CAN) technology have led to advances in craniofacial surgery. However, the application of these two techniques in maxillofacial fractures is mostly limited to unilateral zygomatic bone and zygomatic arch fractures, and few studies have investigated their use for multiple maxillofacial fractures. This study summarizes the combined application of 3D printing technology and CAN for complex maxillofacial fractures to guide clinical practice. Materials and methods: Twenty-six patients with multiple maxillofacial fractures from 09/2017 to 03/2021 were retrospectively studied and divided according to surgical method into an experimental group (navigation-aided surgery combined with a 3D-printed guide) and a control group (navigation-aided surgery only). The surgical time was compared between the groups, and posttreatment computed tomography and follow-up visits were conducted at 1 week and 3 months, respectively, to compare the quality of treatment in terms of infection, occlusal disorder, restricted mouth opening, midline displacement, and bilateral asymmetry. Results: According to our results, the combined use of CAN and 3D printing significantly improved the treatment results of double-sided maxillofacial fractures (rs = 0.448, P

The weight of the primary mirror increases as the aperture of ground-based telescopes increases, making it more challenging to maintain the positional stability and surface accuracy of the solid primary mirror. Consequently, a 2 m lightweight silicon carbide (SiC) mirror and an optimization method were proposed in this study. The relationship between the gravitational deformation of the mirror and its thickness and number of supports was derived based on force analysis of the mirror; the thickness of the mirror and the appropriate number of supports were obtained as initial parameters for optimization. The back structure of the mirror was designed in a lotus pattern to improve its rigidity. Numerous structural parameters were classified into major and non-major parameters based on the results of a sensitivity analysis. The non-major and major structural parameters were optimized using a Latin hypercube design method and a non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm, respectively. The optimized 2 m lightweight SiC mirror had a mass of 119 kg and an areal density of 38.7 kg/m2. The surface figure error root-mean-square (RMS) in the vertical state of the optical axis and the first modal resonance of the mirror assembly calculated using finite element analysis were 11.3 nm and 76.5 Hz, respectively. Modal tests of the mirror assembly were conducted using the hammering method, achieving a maximum relative frequency error of 7.4% compared with the simulation results. The optimized 2 m SiC mirror was over 50% lighter than traditional passive Zerodur mirrors of the same size.

Abstract The activation of the NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome triggers pyroptosis proinflammatory cell death in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). However, the underlying mechanisms of the inflammatory processes of microglia in EAE remain unclear. Our previous studies suggested that interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK)-M down-regulates the toll-like receptor 4/interleukin-1 receptor signaling pathway. Here, we used IRAK-M knockout (IRAK-M−/−) mice and their microglia to dissect the role of IRAK-M in EAE. We found that deletion of IRAK-M increased the incidence rate and exacerbated the clinical symptoms in EAE mice. We then found that IRAK-M deficiency promoted the activation of microglia, activated NLRP3 inflammasomes, and enhanced GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis in the microglia of EAE. In contrast, over-expression of IRAK-M exerted inhibitory effects on neuroinflammation, NLRP3 activation, and pyroptosis. Moreover, IRAK-M deficiency enhanced the phosphorylation of IRAK1, while IRAK-M over-expression downregulated the level of phosphorylated IRAK1. Finally, we found upregulated binding of IRAK1 and TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) in IRAK-M−/− EAE mice compared to WT mice, which was blocked in AAVIRAK-M EAE mice. Our study reveals a complex signaling network of IRAK-M, which negatively regulates microglial NLRP3 inflammasomes and pyroptosis by inhibiting IRAK1 phosphorylation during EAE. These findings suggest a potential target for the novel therapeutic approaches of multiple sclerosis (MS)/EAE and NLRP3-related inflammatory diseases.

Multiple fatigue cracks are generally present in practical engineering due to the existence of welding; the size and number of cracks of orthotropic steel bridge decks are greatly uncertain. The component failure conditions caused by these cracks may have correlations. Currently, it is still a challenging issue to develop a physical model of multiple fatigue crack propagation in bridge decks and perform a fatigue reliability assessment, which is also the motivation that drives the innovation of this study. A fatigue reliability evaluation method is presented for orthotropic steel bridge decks, considering the coupling effect of multiple cracks and the randomness of vehicle loading. A numerical simulation method for multifatigue crack growth is developed by combining the ABAQUS and FRANC3D programs. The equivalent crack depth under different spacing and depths of collinear cracks is calculated by using numerical simulation and the multicrack equivalent characterization method. The critical damage accumulation function of multiple fatigue cracks is established using linear elastic fracture mechanics. Subsequently, the critical damage accumulation function of multiple fatigue cracks is established based on linear elastic fracture mechanics. In order to solve the time-consuming problem of traditional Monte Carlo method, the iHL-RF method and AK-MCS method are developed for fatigue reliability analysis. The results show that compared with the single-crack model, the fatigue reliability of orthotropic steel deck will be crucially reduced considering the coupling effect of double cracks. The MCS, iHL-RF and AK-MCS methods can effectively solve the fatigue reliability analysis problem. Compared with the MCS method, the reliability calculation time based on AK-MCS method is significantly reduced. The AK-MCS method-based method reduces the time for calculating the reliability of orthotropic steel decks by 50% compared with the iHL-RF method. The reliability analysis of orthotropic steel deck bridge based on AK-MCS method is proved to be efficient and accurate.

Abstract Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are still being considered as a candidate to replace liquid electrolytes for high‐safety and flexible lithium batteries due to their superiorities including light‐weight, good flexibility, and shape versatility. However, inefficient ion transportation of linear polymer electrolytes is still the biggest challenge. To improve ion transport capacity, developing novel polymer electrolytes are supposed to be an effective strategy. Nonlinear topological structures such as hyperbranched, star‐shaped, comb‐like, and brush‐like types have highly branched features. Compared with linear polymer electrolytes, topological polymer electrolytes possess more functional groups, lower crystallization, glass transition temperature, and better solubility. Especially, a large number of functional groups are beneficial to dissociation of lithium salt for improving the ion conductivity. Furthermore, topological polymers have strong design ability to meet the requirements of comprehensive performances of SPEs. In this review, the recent development in topological polymer electrolytes is summarized and their design thought is analyzed. Outlooks are also provided for the development of future SPEs. It is expected that this review can raise a strong interest in the structural design of advanced polymer electrolyte, which can give inspirations for future research on novel SPEs and promote the development of next‐generation high‐safety flexible energy storage devices.

Cassegrain telescopes with larger apertures suffer significant optical pupil shifting errors caused by gravity and temperature gradients. This study constructs an optical model of a large Cassegrain telescope and a method to calculate and compensate its shifting error. First, the optical structure is simplified by incorporating only the most relevant telescope components, and the system optics is modeled using ray tracing. A computer-aided mounting-based method for calculating the misalignment error of primary and secondary mirrors is proposed, with the spatial position change of secondary mirrors as the input. Next, a compensation method based on the coma-free point theory of the Cassegrain system is proposed, with the main mirror’s optical axis as the reference. Finally, using a 4 m aperture telescope as an example, the gravity- and thermal-deformation-induced shifting error is simulated. Based on this simulation, the secondary mirror position is adjusted using a secondary mirror-adjustment mechanism Hexapod platform to compensate for the misalignment error. Both gravity and temperature are major causes of shift in the pupil position, with a maximum shift of 18 mm. After compensation, this shift is controlled within 1 mm. The modeling method and the simulation process mentioned in this research can also be used in the other relevant fields.

Abstract Lithium metal batteries hold promise for energy storage applications but suffer from uncontrolled lithium dendrites. In this study, a new composite membrane based on modified natural polymer and ZIF‐67 is designed and prepared by the in situ composite method for the first time. Among them, a modified natural polymer composed of lithium alginate (LA) and polyacrylamide (PAM) can be obtained by electrospinning. Importantly, the polar functional groups of natural polymers can interact by hydrogen bonding and MOFs can construct lithium‐ion transport channels. Consequently, compared with LA‐PAM electrolyte without MOF, the electrochemical stability window of ZIF‐67‐LA‐PAM electrolyte becomes wider from 4.5 to 5.2 V, and the lithium‐ion transference number (tLi+) enhances from 0.326 to 0.627 at 30°C. It is worth noting that the symmetric cells with ZIF‐67‐LA‐PAM have superior stable cycling performance at 40 and 100 mA cm−2, and a high rate at 10C and 20C for LFP cells. Besides, the cell with NCM811 high‐voltage cathode can run stably for 400 cycles with an initial discharge capacity of 136.1 mAh g−1 at 0.5C. This work provides an effective method for designing and preparing MOF‐natural polymer composite electrolytes and exhibits an excellent application prospect in high‐energy‐density lithium metal batteries.

Background: Previous studies have shown that polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients suffer from low-grade chronic inflammation. Furthermore, our previous studies have confirmed that IL-18 is highly expressed in the serum and endometria of PCOS patients. Nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying IL-18 elevation remain unclear. This study aims to explore the signaling pathways that lead to IL-18 upregulation in the endometria of PCOS patients. Methods: Using the TF-Search tool, we predicted that C/EBP-β may be a transcription factor for IL-18 and that deacetylase SIRT1 could be involved in its regulation. Subsequently, we analyzed SIRT1 and C/EBP-β in the proliferative endometria of PCOS patients and healthy control using immunohistochemistry, real-time quantitative PCR and western blot; PCOS diagnosis was based on the 2003 Rotterdam ESHRE/ASRM criteria. We further verified the interaction between C/EBP-β and IL-18 using a double luciferase assay. Results: SIRT1 and C/EBP-β gene and protein levels in the proliferative endometria of PCOS patients were significantly higher than the control group. Immunohistochemical experiments confirmed that SIRT1 was primarily expressed in the endometrial nucleus, while C/EBP-β was predominantly expressed in the endometrial nucleus and cytoplasm. Double luciferase assay verified the interaction between C/EBP-β and IL-18. Conclusion: SIRT1 and C/EBP-β are probable IL-18 regulatory mechanism in the endometria of PCOS patients.

The fatigue cracking of orthotropic steel bridge decks (OSDs) is a difficult problem that hinders the development of steel structures. The most important reasons for the occurrence of fatigue cracking are steadily growing traffic loads and unavoidable truck overloading. Stochastic traffic loading leads to the random propagation behavior of fatigue cracks, which increases the difficulty of the fatigue life evaluations of OSDs. This study developed a computational framework for the fatigue crack propagation of OSDs under stochastic traffic loads based on traffic data and finite element methods. Stochastic traffic load models were established based on site-specific, weigh-in-motion measurements to simulate fatigue stress spectra of welded joints. The influence of the transverse loading positions of the wheel tracks on the stress intensity factor of the crack tip was investigated. The random propagation paths of the crack under stochastic traffic loads were evaluated. Both ascending and descending load spectra were considered in the traffic loading pattern. The numerical results indicated that the maximum value of KI was 568.18 (MPa·mm1/2) under the most critical transversal condition of the wheel load. However, the maximum value decreased by 66.4% under the condition of transversal moving by 450 mm. In addition, the propagation angle of the crack tip increased from 0.24° to 0.34°—an increase ratio of 42%. Under the three stochastic load spectra and the simulated wheel loading distributions, the crack propagation range was almost limited to within 10 mm. The migration effect was the most obvious under the descending load spectrum. The research results of this study can provide theoretical and technical support for the fatigue and fatigue reliability evaluation of existing steel bridge decks.

Abstract Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is listed as a class I carcinogen in human gastric cancer; however, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, we identified Protogenin (PRTG) was upregulated in both gastric cancer tissues and H. pylori-infected tissues by analyzing dysregulated genes in TCGA and GEO databases. Importantly, upregulated PRTG predicted poor prognosis of gastric cancer patients and integrative analysis revealed that PRTG served as an oncogenic protein in gastric cancer and was required for H. pylori-mediated tumorigenic activities in in vitro cellular and in vivo tumor-bearing mouse models. Mechanistically, H. pylori infection enhanced PRTG expression by promoting transcriptional factor ZEB1 stabilization and recruitment to the PRTG promoter, and which then activated the sub-following cGMP/PKG signaling pathway in bioinformatic and cellular studies. Cellular studies further confirmed that PRTG depended on activating cGMP/PKG axis to promote proliferation, metastasis, and chemoresistance of gastric cancer cells. The PKG inhibitor KT5823 played synergistic anti-tumor effects with cisplatin and paclitaxel to gastric cancer cells in in vitro cellular and in vivo tumor-bearing mouse models. Taken together, our findings suggested that H. pylori infection depends on ZEB1 to induce PRTG upregulation, and which leading to the development and progression of gastric cancer through activating cGMP/PKG signaling pathway. Blocking PRTG/cGMP/PKG axis, therefore, presents a promising novel therapeutic strategy for gastric cancer.

Abstract Background Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is a recently discovered autoimmune syndrome associated with psychosis, dyskinesia, and seizures. However, the underlying mechanisms of this disease remain unclear, in part because of a lack of suitable animal models. Methods This study describes a novel female C57BL/6 mouse model of anti-NMDAR encephalitis that was induced by active immunization against NMDARs using an amino terminal domain (ATD) peptide from the GluN1 subunit (GluN1356–385). Results Twelve weeks after immunization, the immunized mice showed significant memory loss. Furthermore, antibodies from the cerebrospinal fluid of immunized mice decreased the surface NMDAR cluster density in hippocampal neurons which was similar to the effect induced by the anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients’ antibodies. Immunization also impaired long-term potentiation at Schaffer collateral–CA1 synapses and reduced NMDAR-induced calcium influx. Conclusion We established a novel anti-NMDAR encephalitis model using active immunization with peptide GluN1356–385 targeting the ATD of GluN1. This novel model may allow further research into the pathogenesis of anti-NMDAR encephalitis and aid in the development of new therapies for this disease.

Abstract Pathologic findings showed that neutrophils played an important role in the pathogenesis of NMO. This study aims to investigate the CSF levels of neutrophil‐related chemokines in NMO. CXCL1, CXCL5, and CXCL7 were measured in 95 patients with NMO, 15 patients with MS, 18 patients with GFAP astrocytopathy, and 16 controls. The CSF level of CXCL1, CXCL5, and CXCL7 was significantly elevated in the NMO group but not correlated with the patient clinical severity. Besides, the CSF CXCL1, CXCL5, and CXCL7 could act as biomarkers to distinguish NMO from MS with good reliability, especially the CXCL7.

Taking the Paleogene salt strata in the west of Kuqa foreland thrust belt as study object, the deformation features of salt structure in the compression direction and perpendicular to the compression direction were examined to find out the control factors and formation mechanisms of the salt structures. By using the three-dimensional discrete element numerical simulation method, the formation mechanisms of typical salt structures of western Kuqa foreland thrust belt in Keshen and Dabei work areas were comprehensively analyzed. The simulation results show that the salt deformation in Keshen and Dabei work areas is of forward spread type, with deformation concentrated in the piedmont zone; the salt deformation is affected by the early uplift near the compression end, pre-existing basement faults, synsedimentary process and the initial salt depocenter; in the direction perpendicular to the compression direction, salt rocks near the compression end have strong lateral mobility with the velocity component moving towards the middle part, and the closer to the middle, the larger the velocity will be, so that salt rocks will aggregate towards the middle and deform intensely, forming complex folds and separation of salt structures from salt source, and local outcrop with thrust faults. Compared with 2D simulation, 3D simulation can analyze salt structures in the principal stress direction and direction perpendicular to the principal stress, give us a full view of the formation mechanisms of salt structures, and guide the exploration of oil and gas reservoirs related to salt structures. Key words: Tarim Basin, Kuqa Depression, foreland thrust belt, salt structure, three-dimensional discrete-element numerical simulation, formation mechanism

ObjectiveTo explore the outcomes of NMOSD attacks and investigate serum biomarkers for prognosis and severity.MethodPatients with NMOSD attacks were prospectively and observationally enrolled from January 2019 to December 2020 at four hospitals in Guangzhou, southern China. Data were collected at attack, discharge and 1/3/6 months after acute treatment. Serum cytokine/chemokine and neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels were examined at the onset stage.ResultsOne hundred patients with NMOSD attacks were included. The treatment comprised intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy alone (IVMP, 71%), IVMP combined with apheresis (8%), IVMP combined with intravenous immunoglobulin (18%) and other therapies (3%). EDSS scores decreased significantly from a medium of 4 (interquartile range 3.0–5.5) at attack to 3.5 (3.0–4.5) at discharge, 3.5 (2.0–4.0) at the 1-month visit and 3.0 (2.0–4.0) at the 3-month visit (p

BackgroundNeuromyelitis optica (NMO), multiple sclerosis (MS) and autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) astrocytopathy are idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating diseases (IIDDs) that mainly present as encephalomyelitis. Heparan sulfate (HS) and hyaluronic acid (HA) are two components of glycocalyx, a carbohydrate-rich layer on the surface of blood vessels that mediates interaction with blood. Degradation of glycocalyx in NMO is poorly understood.PurposeTo detect the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of shed HS and HA and to correlate these levels with disease severity to determine their diagnostic value.MethodsWe obtained serum and CSF samples from 24 NMO patients, 15 MS patients, 10 autoimmune GFAP astrocytopathy patients, and 18 controls without non-inflammatory neurological diseases. Soluble HS and HA, and IFNγ, IL17A, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 1 were detected via ELISA.ResultsSerum and CSF levels of HS, HA and related cytokines but not of plasma MMP1 were significantly elevated in these diseases. Notably, HS and HA levels were positively correlated with Expanded Disability Status Scale scores.ConclusionsOur results indicate glycocalyx degradation and inflammation in NMO, MS and autoimmune GFAP astrocytopathy. Moreover, increased shedding of HS or HA may indicate a worse clinical situation. Furthermore, therapeutic strategies that protect glycocalyx may be effective in these diseases.

Abstract Increasing evidence indicates that immune system dysfunction affects anti‐N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis. This study aims to investigate the relationship between adhesion molecules and the pathophysiology in anti‐NMDAR encephalitis. Soluble forms of Intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (sICAM‐1), vascular adhesion molecule‐1 (sVCAM‐1), and L‐selectin (sL‐selectin), were measured in the CSF and serum of 26 participants with anti‐NMDAR encephalitis, 11 patients with schizophrenia and 22 patients with noninflammatory disorders. CSF levels of sICAM‐1, sVCAM‐1 and sL‐selectin were significantly elevated in the anti‐NMDAR encephalitis group. sVCAM‐1 levels were positively associated with modified Rankin scale score in anti‐NMDAR encephalitis patients at the onset and 3‐month follow‐up.

Flexible pressure sensors are essential components for wearable smart devices and intelligent systems. Significant progress has been made in this area, reporting on excellent sensor performance and fascinating sensor functionalities. Nevertheless, geometrical and morphological engineering of pressure sensors is usually neglected, which, however, is significant for practical application. Here, we present a digitized manufacturing methodology to construct a new class of iontronic pressure sensors with optionally defined configurations and widely modulated performance. These pressure sensors are composed of self-defined electrode patterns prepared by a screen printing method and highly tunable pressure-sensitive microstructures fabricated using 3D printed templates. Importantly, the iontronic pressure sensors employ an iontronic capacitive sensing mechanism based on mechanically regulating the electrical double layer at the electrolyte/electrode interfaces. The resultant pressure sensors exhibit high sensitivity (58 kPa−1), fast response/recovery time (45 ms/75 ms), low detectability (6.64 Pa), and good repeatability (2000 cycles). Moreover, our pressure sensors show remarkable tunability and adaptability in device configuration and performance, which is challenging to achieve via conventional manufacturing processes. The promising applications of these iontronic pressure sensors in monitoring various human physiological activities, fabricating flexible electronic skin, and resolving the force variation during manipulation of an object with a robotic hand are successfully demonstrated.

BackgroundDisruption of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) is an important pathophysiological process of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis. A recent multi-center study showed that soluble (s) CD146 is a potential biomarker for monitoring early BBB damage and central nervous system inflammation, but little is known about sCD146 in anti-NMDAR encephalitis.MethodTwenty-three anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients and seventeen controls with non-inflammatory neurological diseases were recruited. sCD146 and inflammatory cytokines in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum were detected by ELISA. Modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores were used to assess the neurological status of each patient. A follow-up review was completed three months after discharge.ResultssCD146 levels in the CSF of patients with the acute stage anti-NMDAR encephalitis were significantly increased compared with controls and accompanied by increases in TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10. CSF sCD146 was positively correlated with neuroinflammatory factors in the CSF and with mRS score. Three months after effective treatment, CSF sCD146 in patients was significantly decreased but remained significantly different compared with the controls.ConclusionOur data suggested that higher expression of CSF sCD146 correlated with more serious neurological damage. Therefore, levels of CSF sCD146 may represent a promising indicator for monitoring disease and optimizing clinical treatment decisions in the early stages of anti-NMDAR encephalitis.

Objective: The prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in China is low, although it has been increasing recently. Owing to the paucity of data on immunotherapy acceptance in the Chinese population, we conducted this study to analyze factors affecting the acceptance of immunotherapy and selection of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) based on personal and clinical data of patients with MS.Methods: In this study, data were obtained from the Multiple Sclerosis Patient Survival Report 2018, which was the first national survey of patients with MS in China. There were 1,212 patients with MS from 31 provinces who were treated at 49 Chinese hospitals over a 4-month period from May 2018 to August 2018, and the patients were asked to complete online questionnaires to assess their understanding of the disease.Results: In general, highly educated patients with frequent relapses were more willing to receive treatment regardless of DMTs or other immunotherapy, and patients with more understanding of the disease opted to be treated. Younger patient population, patients with severe disease course, and those with more symptoms were likely to choose the treatment. Moreover, a higher proportion of women chose to be treated with DMTs than with other immunotherapies.Conclusions: Education status and patient awareness of the disease impact the treatment acceptance in Chinese patients with MS. Therefore, we call for improving the awareness of MS disease and social security to help patients to improve their quality of life.

Herbal weight loss drugs are becoming more widely used in the fight against obesity, but ineffective regulation of these products have resulted in harmful additives. These products may contain adulterants such as sibutramine hydrochloride that may result in serious adverse health events including death. This work established a color precipitation reaction-based rapid screening method for illegal adulteration of sibutramine hydrochloride in natural herbal medicines (NHM) and dietary supplements (DS). While a variety of chromatography- and electrophoresis-based systems have been reported to measure this analyte, they generally suffer from high costs, complicated sample preparation, and a costly analytical infrastructure. In contrast, we present a simple, handheld kit to assay for sibutramine. The performance metrics of this tool include an average detection time of approximately 3 minutes, which is markedly shorter than conventional methods (HPLC or HPLC-MS, etc.), a detection limit of 0.1 mg per aliquot, and an accuracy of 99.02% (n = 820). More strikingly, the sensitivity is 100% (n = 278), and the specificity is 98.52% (n = 542). The rapid test kit developed from this screening method was evaluated by FDA. In summary, this screening method is a rapid, simple, and low-cost tool for the detection of sibutramine in NHM and DS with superior selectivity and sensitivity. For these reasons, this method is especially suitable for underdeveloped settings because it can be employed onsite without any instrumentation. In addition, this approach could rapidly exclude most of the negative samples to boost efficiency in large-scale samples assay. If necessary, positive samples can undergo further alternate testing methods to confirm the positive results of sibutramine hydrochloride content.

Background: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that occur within genes encoding inflammatory cytokines can result in quantitative or qualitative changes in their expression or functionality, potentially leading to the development of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis. This study sought to evaluate the relationship between SNPs in inflammatory cytokines genes and the incidence of anti-NMDAR encephalitis in the Southern Han Chinese.Methods: In total, we enrolled 107 patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis as well as 202 inpatient controls who had no first-degree relative with autoimmune diseases. Genotyping determination of all 309 patients was conducted for the IL-1β rs16944, IL-4 rs2243250, IL-4 rs2070874, IL-6 rs1800796, IL-10 rs1800872, and IL-17 rs2275913 gene SNPs.Results: We observed statistically significant differences in the frequencies of G allele in IL-1β rs16944 between anti-NMDAR encephalitis and controls (p = 0.017). Also, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-17 SNPs were not associated with the disease (p > 0.05).Conclusions: We found that patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis exhibit a distinct immunological profile, and we found that the decreased frequency of G allele in IL-1β rs16944 showed a protective role for anti-NMDAR encephalitis in the Southern Han Chinese.

Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis is an autoimmune neurological disorder. Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted multifunctional phosphorylated glycoprotein that regulates various autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, but its diagnostic and prognostic values in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients remain elusive. This retrospective study aimed to determine the levels of OPN and related cytokines in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients and to assess their influence on disease severity so as to evaluate their efficacy as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis. CSF samples from 33 anti-NMDAR encephalitis, 13 viral encephalitis, and 21 controls were collected. All CSF were tested for levels of OPN and inflammation-associated cytokines [interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α] via ELISA. In addition, 15 anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients without follow-up relapse were re-examined for these four parameters 3 months later. The clinical status was evaluated by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores. Results showed that the CSF levels of these cytokines were increased in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients compared to controls but not viral encephalitis patients. Their levels were decreased in remission compared with that in acute stage. Moreover, CSF OPN positively correlated with IL-6, white blood cell (WBC) counts, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients. However, no associations were found between OPN or related cytokines and mRS scores in acute stage in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients. Overall, CSF OPN and related cytokines were increased when anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients are in acute stage and decreased in remission, suggesting the underlying neuro-inflammatory process in this disease. However, they are not qualified with diagnostic or prognostic value.

Introduction Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate (anti-NMDA) receptor encephalitis is an autoimmune-mediated disease that is common in young female patients with ovarian teratomas. With appropriate immunotherapy, most patients achieve a good prognosis. Nevertheless, some patients may be refractory to first- and second-line immunotherapy, thus alternative treatments are required for these patients. Case presentation: We present a case of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis with ovarian teratoma. After the prompt removal of the teratoma and intense immunotherapy was administered, including an intravenous methylprednisolone pulse, intravenous immunoglobin, plasmapheresis, immunoadsorption, intravenous cyclophosphamide, and rituximab, the patient’s neurologic status did not improve. Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was then conducted, and intrathecal injection of methotrexate (MTX) and dexamethasone (DXM) was performed. The patient’s neurological symptoms improved dramatically, and she achieved a good prognosis after 23 months. Conclusions Intrathecal injection of MTX and DXM may be beneficial for treatment of refractory cases of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis. Additional research is required to elucidate the mechanisms of intrathecal treatment with this therapy.

Objectives Caregiver burden in neurologic Wilson disease (NWD) has received little attention. We investigated predictors of caregiver burden in Chinese NWD patients. Methods Participants in this retrospective study were NWD patients admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from 1 August to 31 December 2019. Sociodemographic information was recorded for caregivers and NWD patients. Caregiver burden was evaluated using the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI). Cognitive impairment, functional problems, depression and anxiety were evaluated by professional interviewers. Path analysis was used to evaluate predictors of CBI scores. Results Sixty NWD patients were enrolled (mean age: 21.35 ± 4.89 years; mean NWD duration: 7.85 ± 3.11 years). The mean CBI score was 52.00 ± 17.16. Care duration had a significant direct effect on CBI score after controlling for confounders (r = 0.493). Cognitive impairment (r = −0.426), functional problems (r = 0.581), depression (r = 0.349) and anxiety (r = 0.317) had significant indirect effects on CBI score. Conclusion Caregivers of NWD patients may experience a medium level of caregiver burden. NWD duration, cognitive impairment, functional problems, depression and anxiety in NWD patients may be useful predictors of caregiver burden.

The current volume of freight traffic has increased significantly during the past decades, impacted by the fast development of the national transportation market. As a result, the phenomena of truck overloading and traffic congestion emerge, which have resulted in numerous bridge collapse events or damage due to truck overloading. Thus, it is an urgent task to evaluate bridge safety under actual traffic loads. This study evaluated probabilistic dynamic load effects on rigid-frame bridges under highway traffic monitoring loads. The site-specific traffic monitoring data of a highway in China were utilized to establish stochastic traffic models. The dynamic effect was considered in a vehicle-bridge coupled vibration model, and the probability estimation was conducted based on the first-passage criterion of the girder deflection. The prototype bridge is a continuous rigid-frame bridge with a midspan length of 200 m and a pier height of 182 m. It is demonstrated that the dynamic traffic load effect follows Gaussian distribution, which can be treated as a stationary random process. The mean value and standard deviation of the deflections are 0.071 m and 0.088 m, respectively. The dynamic reliability index for the first passage of girder deflection is 6.45 for the current traffic condition. However, the reliability index decreases to 5.60 in the bridge lifetime, accounting for an average traffic volume growth ratio of 3.6%.

Objective This study investigated the expression of genes in cashmere goats at different periods of their fetal development. Methods Bioinformatics analysis was used to evaluate data obtained by transcriptome sequencing of fetus skin samples collected from Inner Mongolia cashmere goats on days 45, 55, and 65 of fetal age. Results We found that FoxN1, FoxE1, and FoxI3 genes of the Fox gene family were probably involved in the growth and development of the follicle and the formation of hair, which is consistent with previous findings. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction detecting system and Western blot analysis were employed to study the relative differentially expressed genes FoxN1, FoxE1, and FoxI3 in the body skin of cashmere goat fetuses and adult individuals. Conclusion This study provided new fundamental information for further investigation of the genes related to follicle development and exploration of their roles in hair follicle initiation, growth, and development.

Autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) astrocytopathy, a newly defined autoimmune encephalitis, is an antibody-mediated meningoencephalomyelitis. The pathogenesis of the disease is still unclear. Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is a complex composed of a variety of proteins that recognizes a variety of ligands and ultimately leads to the development of inflammatory responses. This is important for infectious, inflammatory, and immune diseases. The aims of this study were to detect levels of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) NLRP3 inflammasome and inflammatory factors in autoimmune GFAP astrocytopathy patients and to study the relationships between these profiles. Twenty autoimmune GFAP astrocytopathy patients, 17 viral meningoencephalitis (VM) patients, and 16 controls (CTLs) were recruited. The levels of NLRP3 inflammasomes, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and IL-17 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score was used to assess the severity of clinical manifestations. The results showed that the levels of NLRP3 inflammasome and inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17) were significantly more elevated in CSF of patients with autoimmune GFAP astrocytopathy than that in CTLs. When compared with VM patients, significantly elevated NLRP3 inflammasome was found in GFAP astrocytopathy patients, while the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17 were not different between the two groups. Significant positive correlations were found between NLRP3 inflammasome and inflammatory cytokines and they were all positively related to the severity of the disease. Moreover, we found that patients with positive anti-GFAP antibodies had higher levels of NLRP3 and inflammatory factors. And the severity of the disease was positively correlated with GFAP antibody titers. Taken together, the results suggested that NLRP3 inflammasome was involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune GFAP astrocytopathy. It can be used to assess the severity of the disease or act as a new target for the therapy.

Abstract Background Neurofilaments (Nf) are a series of highly specific scaffolding proteins of neurons. Neurofilament light chains (Nf‐L) and the heavy one (Nf‐H) are subunits of Nf, and they are recognized as potent productions of neural damage. The concentrations of Nf aggrandized significantly in neurological disease including neuromyelitis optica, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer's disease. However, whether Nf in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) elevated in anti‐N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is unclear. Here, we aimed to detect whether CSF Nf is altered in NMDAR and whether changes in CSF Nf can serve as an objective and effective biomarker to evaluate disease severity and prognosis. Methods We collected 24 anti‐NMDAR encephalitis patients, 11 viral meningoencephalitis/encephalitis (VM) patients, and 21 controls in this study. CSF Nf‐L, Nf‐H, and cytokine levels (IL‐1β, IL‐6, and IL‐17A) were determined by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and compared between groups. We evaluated patients’ clinical outcomes or prognosis according to modified Rankin scale (mRS) score. Results Compared with controls, both CSF Nf‐L and Nf‐H levels were significantly increased in anti‐NMDAR encephalitis patients. While compared with VM patients, only Nf‐L were increased in anti‐NMDAR encephalitis patients. Moreover, CSF Nf‐L were positively correlated with concentration of cytokines (IL‐1β, IL‐17A) and mRS scores in anti‐NMDAR encephalitis patients. After treatment, both CSF Nf‐L and Nf‐H levels decreased. Furthermore, the Nf‐L during follow‐up positively correlated with 3‐month mRS scores, and ΔNf‐L positively correlated with ΔmRS. Conclusions Briefly, CSF Nf‐L levels notably increased in anti‐NMDAR encephalitis patients in acute phase and positively correlated with disease severity. It could be considered as a useful indicator for clinical outcomes and prognosis.

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is accepted as an autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system (CNS). NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, a potent innate inflammatory mediator, can activate IL-1β and induce the migration of T helper cell into CNS. However, the possible role of NLRP3 inflammasome in the pathogenesis of anti-NMDAR encephalitis remains unclear. This study aims to determine the levels of NLRP3 and related cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients and to assess whether NLRP3 influences the clinical outcomes of this disease. Twenty-five patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis, 12 viral meningoencephalitis patients and 26 controls with non-inflammatory neurological diseases were recruited. CSF NLRP3 inflammasome, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Thirteen out of 25 patients were re-examed for the concentrations of NLRP3 and cytokines 6 months later. Our results showed significant increases of CSF NLRP3 inflammasome, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17 in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients. There were positive correlations between CSF NLRP3 inflammasome and cytokines in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients. There was also a positive correlation between maximum modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores and CSF NLRP3 inflammasome in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients. During follow-up, the decrease of mRS was positively correlated with the decrease of CSF NLRP3 inflammasomes. These results suggested that the level of CSF NLRP3 inflammasome could represent the severity of anti-NMDAR encephalitis and the reduction of CSF NLRP3 inflammasome could act as an indicator for the prognosis of this disease.

BackgroundCD138 (also known as syndecan-1) is an important component of endothelial cell glycocalyx, and it is reportedly involved in negative regulation of various inflammatory processes. The clinical implications of circulating and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) soluble CD138 (sCD138) in patients with Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis remain unclear.ObjectiveThe aim of the current study was to investigate associations between serum and CSF sCD138 levels in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients.MethodsThe participants enrolled in the study included 27 with anti-NMDAR encephalitis, 11 with viral meningoencephalitis, and 22 controls. At acute stage and 3 to 6-month follow-up time-points, sCD138, tumor necrosis factor-α, matrix metalloproteinase-2, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 in serum and CSF were measured in all participants via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.ResultsSerum and CSF levels of sCD138 were significantly increased in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Furthermore, after 3–6 months of follow-up CSF sCD138 levels were significantly decreased in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients. Changes in sCD138 levels were significantly associated with amelioration of modified Rankin Scale scores in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis.ConclusionIn anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients, high circulating, and CSF sCD138 is associated with inflammation and poor clinical prognosis. The present study suggests that sCD138 may be an informative biomarker of inflammation in anti-NMDAR encephalitis.

We propose a new secondary mirror support structure assisted by multi-robotics to improve the observation performance of vehicle-mobile telescope systems. A mathematical model of the displacement at the end of the robotic and the variation of telescope pitch angle is established, then the posture of the robotic is optimized by the Jacobian matrix iteration inverse kinematic problem method. Based on the new support structure, a high-order sensitivity matrix is proposed to establish the mapping relationship between the robotic misalignment and the Zernike coefficient, with the accuracy verified via the Monte Carlo method. The method of adjusting the secondary mirror to compensate the aberration caused by the primary mirror is proposed, and the relationship between the primary mirror surface error and the system error is established under different pitch angles before and after compensation. The experiment and simulation results showed that the adjustment calculated by the high-order sensitivity matrix method can effectively compensate for the misalignment caused by the robotics and the primary mirror surface error to a certain degree. After multiple iterations, the root mean square of the wavefront aberration was better than λ/15. This conclusion provides an engineering application reference value for the secondary mirror support and aberration correction technology of the vehicle telescope system.

Background and Purpose: The 40-Hz steady state response (SSR) reflects early sensory processing and has the potential to differentiate disease severity. This study aims to evaluate the predictive value of 40-Hz SSRs on the prognosis of patients with large hemispheric infarction (LHI).Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in patients with LHI admitted to the neurological intensive care unit (NICU) of Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China, between June 2008 and December 2014. Forty-hertz SSRs were recorded within 72 h of onset and categorized into 3 grades. The correlation between 40-Hz SSR grading and clinical outcome was examined.Results: Of the 97 eligible participants, 41 (42.3%) died within 30 days and 68 (70.1%) exhibited a poor outcome (modified Rankin Scale of 5 and 6) at 90 days after the onset of LHI. We found that 40-Hz SSRs correlated significantly with NIHSS scores at admission and patient outcome. Moreover, Grade III 40-Hz SSR (bilateral sine waves that either disappeared or were not clearly identifiable) had a specificity of 97% and a positive predictive value of 94% in predicting 90-days poor outcome; Grade III 40-Hz SSR also had a specificity of 91% and a positive predictive value of 74% in predicting 30-days mortality.Conclusions: 40-Hz SSR could be used as a simple and specific method in predicting poor prognosis after LHI.

Objective: Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis predominantly affects children and young women; the disease can have a multistage presentation and exhibit a wide variety of neuropsychiatric features. This study aimed to investigate the profile of YKL-40 (Chitinase 3-like 1) in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients and evaluate its association with modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores and expression of inflammatory cytokines.Methods: A total of 66 patients were enrolled in this study, 33 with anti-NMDAR encephalitis, 13 with viral meningitis and 20 with non-inflammatory neurological disease. Patients were evaluated to determine mRS scores at disease onset and at the 3 month follow-up; cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were collected in the meantime. CSF levels of YKL-40 and cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results: CSF levels of YKL-40 and inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10) were all more highly elevated in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis at the acute stage of disease compared with the controls. Levels of CSF YKL-40 were correlated with levels of IL-6 both at disease onset and at the 3 month follow-up. Changes in YKL-40 levels were significantly correlated with improved mRS scores in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis.Conclusion: Our study suggests that CSF levels of YKL-40 in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis were increased and correlated with clinical mRS scores. This may be reflective of the underlying neuroinflammatory process. YKL-40 demonstrates potential as a possible biomarker for the prognosis of anti-NMDAR encephalitis.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown a lower incidence of stroke in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. The role of the lipids and lipoproteins as risk factors for stroke is uncertain in the lower prevalence of stroke in PD patients. OBJECTIVES: To explore the lipids and lipoproteins serum levels in PD patients. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on 110 PD patients (PD group), 130 controls with non-cerebrovascular neurological diseases (OD group), 140 acute intracerebral hemorrhage patients (ICH group) and 140 acute cerebral infarction patients (CI group). The records about serum levels of lipids and lipoproteins were analyzed. RESULTS: There were significant differences for the serum level of triglyceride (F = 5.031, p=0.002), very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (F = 5.313, p=0.001), apolipoprotein B (F = 16.038, p