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ObjectiveSome patients with large core infarctions who underwent endovascular treatment (EVT) still achieved favorable long-term outcomes despite the absence of neurological improvement in the acute phase. The underlying reasons for this phenomenon remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the incidence and predictors of delayed neurological improvement (DNI) in this patient population.MethodsPatients with large core infarctions who received EVT were derived from a prospective, observational, nationwide multicenter registry. Acute phase neurological improvement (APNI) was defined as a decrease of ≥4 points in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score between admission and day 5–7. DNI was defined as achieving 90-day favorable outcomes in the absence of APNI. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze independent predictors of DNI.ResultsAmong 490 patients with large core infarctions who underwent EVT, 277 (56.5%) did not experience APNI. Of these, 39 (14.1%) patients achieved favorable long-term clinical outcomes and constituted the DNI group. Younger age, male sex, lower baseline NIHSS score, good collateral circulation, and shorter puncture to reperfusion time were independent predictors of DNI.ConclusionDNI occurred in 14.1% of patients with large core infarctions undergoing EVT. Optimizing modifiable factors, such as reducing puncture to reperfusion time and improving collateral circulation, is crucial for enhancing patient outcomes. These findings have important implications for refining clinical management strategies and improving prognosis in this patient population.

Road dusts were collected from an area where intense mechanical recycling of plastic wastes occurs in Wen’an, north China. These dusts were investigated for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and heavy metals contamination to assess the health risk related to these components. Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) and Σ₂₁PBDE concentrations in these dusts ranged from 2.67 to 10,424 ng g⁻¹ and from 3.23 to 10,640 ng g⁻¹, respectively. These PBDE concentrations were comparable to those observed in road dust from e-waste recycling areas but were 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than concentrations in outdoor or road dusts from other areas. This indicates that road dusts in the study area have high levels of PBDE pollution. BDE-209 was the predominant congener, accounting for 86.3 % of the total PBDE content in dusts. Thus, commercial deca-BDE products were the dominant source. The average concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sb, and Zn in these same dust samples were 10.1, 0.495, 112, 54.7, 0.150, 71.8, 10.6, and 186 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. The geoaccumulation index suggests that road dusts in this area are moderately to heavily polluted with Cd, Hg, and Sb. This study shows that plastic waste processing is a major source of toxic pollutants in road dusts in this area. Although the health risk from exposure to dust PBDEs was low, levels of some heavy metals in this dust exceeded acceptable risk levels for children and are of great concern.

Background This study aimed to explore the impact of admission hyperglycemia on clinical outcomes in patients with acute large ischemic stroke undergoing endovascular treatment (EVT). Methods Patients with admission blood glucose levels were obtained from a prospective cohort study. We defined admission hyperglycemia as blood glucose levels ≥ 7.8 mmol/L. The primary effectiveness outcome was ordinal modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 90 days. Secondary effectiveness outcomes included other clinical outcomes (mRS 0–2, mRS 0–3, mRS 0–4) at 90 days. Safety outcomes were mortality at 90 days, and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) within 48 h. Results Among the 478 patients with recorded admission blood glucose levels, 186 (38.9%) presented with hyperglycemia at admission. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed a significant inverse association between admission hyperglycemia and the distribution of mRS at 90 days (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.46; 95% CI 0.31–0.67; P  < 0.001). Additionally, admission hyperglycemia was significantly associated with increased mortality (aOR, 2.29; 95% CI 1.47–3.57; P  < 0.001) and the occurrence of sICH (aOR, 2.08; 95% CI 1.15–3.76; P  = 0.015). Restricted cubic spline regression analysis indicated that blood glucose levels exhibited a nonlinear association with sICH, whereas admission hyperglycemia showed a linear relationship with mRS 0–3, mRS 0–2, and mortality. Conclusions Our results demonstrated that admission hyperglycemia was associated with poor clinical outcomes in patients with acute large ischemic stroke who underwent EVT. This finding suggests that admission hyperglycemia may serve as a valuable prognostic indicator for EVT outcomes and can help inform timely preventive interventions.

Filamentous fungi identification by Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been challenging due to the lack of simple and rapid protein extraction methods and insufficient species coverage in the database. In this study, we created two rapid protein extraction methods for filamentous fungi: a one-step zirconia-silica beads method (ZSB) and a focused-ultrasonication method (FUS). The identification accuracy of two methods were evaluated with the VITEK MS, as well as number of spectra peaks and signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) with M-Discover 100 MALDI-TOF MS compared to the routine method. The better method was applied to build a filamentous fungi in-house spectra library for the M-Discover 100 MS, and then another one and routine method were performed in parallel to verify the accuracy and commonality of the in-house library. Using the two optimized methods, the dedicated operating time before MALDI-TOF MS analysis was reduced from 30 min to 7 (ZSB) or 5 (FUS) min per sample, with only a few seconds added for each additional strain. And both two methods identified isolates from most mold types equal to or better than the routine method, and the total correct identification rate using VITEK MS was 79.67, 76.42, and 76.42%, respectively. On the other hand, the two rapid methods generally achieved higher maximum and minimum S/N ratios with these isolates tested as compared to the routine method. Besides, the ZSB method produced overall mean of maximum and minimum S/N ratio higher than that by FUS. An in-house library of M-Discover MS was successfully built from 135 isolates from 42 species belonging to 18 genera using the ZSB method. Analysis of 467 isolates resulted in 97.22% correctly identified isolates to the species level by the ZSB method versus 95.50% by the routine method. The two novel methods are time- and cost-effective and allow efficient identification of filamentous fungi while providing a simplified procedure to build an in-house library. Thus, more clinical laboratories may consider adopting MALDI-TOF MS for filamentous fungi identification in the future.

Central nervous system (CNS) diseases are one of the diseases that threaten human health. The delivery of drugs targeting the CNS has always been a significant challenge; the blood–brain barrier (BBB) is the main obstacle that must be overcome. The rise of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) therapy has brought hope for the treatment of CNS diseases. However, the problems of low homing rate, susceptibility differentiation into astrocytes, immune rejection, and formation of iatrogenic tumors of transplanted BMSCs limit their clinical application. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (BMSC-Exos) have become a hot research topic in the treatment of CNS diseases in recent years because of their excellent histocompatibility, low immunogenicity, ease of crossing the BBB, and their ability to serve as natural carriers for treatment. This article reviews the mechanisms of BMSC-Exos in CNS diseases and provides direction for further research.

Microglia, as innate immune cells in the brain, closely monitor changes in the internal environment and participate in the maintenance of homeostasis in the central nervous system (CNS). Microglia can be polarized to the M1 or M2 phenotype in response to various stimuli in vivo or in vitro, affecting the functions of peripheral neurons. M2 microglia have attracted increasing attention in recent years owing to their beneficial effects on various diseases and injuries of the CNS, such as traumatic brain injury, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. They exert neuroprotective effects by various mechanisms, e.g., suppressing inflammation, promoting the degradation of misfolded and aggregated proteins, promoting neurite growth, enhancing neurogenesis, inhibiting autophagy and apoptosis, promoting myelination, maintaining blood–brain barrier integrity, and enhancing phagocytic activity.This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms by which M2 microglia exert protective effects on neurons and provides a reference for the selection of therapeutic targets for CNS diseases.

Background Microglia/macrophages, as pivotal immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS), play a critical role in neuroinflammation associated with ischemic brain injury. Targeting their activation through pharmacological interventions represents a promising strategy to alleviate neurological deficits, thereby harboring significant implications for the prevention and treatment of ischemic stroke. Ligusticum cycloprolactam (LIGc), a novel monomeric derivative of traditional Chinese medicine, has shown potential as a therapeutic agent; however, its specific role in cerebral ischemic injury remains unclear. Methods In vitro experiments utilized lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced inflammation models of RAW264.7 cells and primary mouse microglia. In vivo studies employed LPS‐induced neuroinflammation models in mice and a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) mouse model to evaluate the impact of LIGc on neuroinflammation and microglia/macrophage phenotypic alterations. Further elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects was achieved through RNA‐Seq analyses. Results LIGc exhibited the capacity to attenuate LPS‐induced production of pro‐inflammatory markers in macrophages and microglia, facilitating their transition to an anti‐inflammatory phenotype. In models of LPS‐induced neuroinflammation and tMCAO, LIGc ameliorated pathological behaviors and neurological deficits while mitigating brain inflammation. RNA‐seq analyses revealed formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1) as a critical mediator of LIGc's effects. Specifically, FPR1 enhances the pro‐inflammatory phenotype of microglia/macrophages and inhibits their anti‐inflammatory response by upregulating NLR family pyrin domain protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes, thus aggravating inflammatory processes. Conversely, LIGc exerts anti‐inflammatory effects by downregulating the FPR1/NLRP3 signaling axis. Furthermore, FPR1 overexpression or NLRP3 agonists reversed the effects of LIGc observed in this study. Conclusion Our findings suggest that LIGc holds promise in improving ischemic brain injury and neuroinflammation through modulation of microglia/macrophage polarization. Mechanistically, LIGc attenuates the pro‐inflammatory phenotype and promotes the anti‐inflammatory phenotype by targeting the FPR1/NLRP3 signaling pathway, ultimately reducing inflammatory responses and mitigating neurological damage. The anti‐inflammatory and neuroprotective mechanisms of the novel drug LIGc in models of neuroinflammation and cerebral ischemic injury involve its ability to downregulate the expression of the FPR1/NLRP3 signaling pathway in microglia/macrophages. This regulation facilitates the transformation of these cells into an anti‐inflammatory phenotype, leading to inhibition of pro‐inflammatory factor release and promotion of anti‐inflammatory factor production.

As a crucial component of plant architecture, shoot branching significantly enhances photosynthetic efficiency and optimizes the source-sink allocation of photosynthetic products, which directly impacts crop productivity. The formation of lateral branches is co-regulated by various internal and external factors, including genetic factors, phytohormones, metabolic, and environmental factors. In this review, we provide a mechanistic overview of the key regulatory events involved in axillary meristem (AM) formation and lateral branch development, emphasizing the significant regulatory roles of phytohormones (such as auxins, cytokinins, strigolactones, brassinosteroids, gibberellins, abscisic acid, and other phytohormones) in this process. Furthermore, we highlight the transcription factors SHOOT MERISTEM-LESS (STM) and BRANCHED1 (BRC1) as central hubs that integrate multiple hormonal signals to control AM initiation and lateral branch development, respectively. By elucidating the regulatory mechanisms of these key nodes, we propose future research directions that can provide a foundation for shaping ideal crop plant architecture through genetic engineering and breeding strategies.

BackgroundThe effectiveness and safety of endovascular therapy (EVT) in patients with Acute Basilar Artery Occlusion (ABAO) with low pc-ASPECTS is unclear.ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness and safety of EVT in ABAO patients with low pc-ASPECTS.MethodsWe analyzed 199 ABAO patients with pc-ASPECTS ≤ 6 who were prospectively registered in the BASILAR study. The patients were divided into the standard medical treatment group (SMT group) and the endovascular therapy group (EVT group). We compared the differences between the two groups in terms of primary outcomes (mRS scores of 0–3, 0–2 and 0–1 at 1 year), secondary outcomes (mRS scores of 0–3, 0–2 and 0–1 at 90 days), primary safety outcomes (symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage at 48 h, mortality at 90 days).ResultsAmong the 199 patients, 134 (67.34%) were in the EVT group. Compared with the SMT group, the EVT group showed a significantly higher likelihood of achieving mRS score of 0–3 [adjusted OR [aOR] 21.17, 95% CI (2.08–215.43), P = 0.010] and mRS score of 0–2 [aOR 16.34, 95% CI (1.64–163.32), P = 0.017] at 1 year. There was no significant difference in safety outcomes at 90 days between the two groups.ConclusionsEVT improves long-term clinical outcomes in ABAO patients with pc-ASPECTS ≤ 6, patients undergoing EVT demonstrated significantly better functional outcomes at 1 year compared to those receiving SMT, with no significant difference in mortality at 90 days. Overall, ABAO patients treated with EVT achieve both effective and safe outcomes.

Background The effectiveness and safety of endovascular therapy (EVT) in patients with Acute Basilar Artery Occlusion (ABAO) with low pc-ASPECTS is unclear. Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of EVT in ABAO patients with low pc-ASPECTS. Methods We analyzed 199 ABAO patients with pc-ASPECTS ≤ 6 who were prospectively registered in the BASILAR study. The patients were divided into the standard medical treatment group (SMT group) and the endovascular therapy group (EVT group). We compared the differences between the two groups in terms of primary outcomes (mRS scores of 0–3, 0–2 and 0–1 at 1 year), secondary outcomes (mRS scores of 0–3, 0–2 and 0–1 at 90 days), primary safety outcomes (symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage at 48 h, mortality at 90 days). Results Among the 199 patients, 134 (67.34%) were in the EVT group. Compared with the SMT group, the EVT group showed a significantly higher likelihood of achieving mRS score of 0–3 [adjusted OR [aOR] 21.17, 95% CI (2.08–215.43), P = 0.010] and mRS score of 0–2 [aOR 16.34, 95% CI (1.64–163.32), P = 0.017] at 1 year. There was no significant difference in safety outcomes at 90 days between the two groups. Conclusions EVT improves long-term clinical outcomes in ABAO patients with pc-ASPECTS ≤ 6, patients undergoing EVT demonstrated significantly better functional outcomes at 1 year compared to those receiving SMT, with no significant difference in mortality at 90 days. Overall, ABAO patients treated with EVT achieve both effective and safe outcomes.