Effects of CASZ1, WNT2B and PTPRG SNPs on stroke susceptibility in the Chinese Han population.

Background: Stroke is an important cause of death and disability worldwide, ranking second in the cause of death, and it is thought to be related to genetic factors. The purpose of our study is to investigate the association between CASZ1, WNT2B and PTPRG single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and stroke risk in the Chinese population.

Methods: We recruited 1418 volunteers, comprised of 710 stroke cases and 708 controls in this study.

Prognostic value of the baseline magnetic resonance score in patients with acute posterior circulation ischaemic stroke after mechanical thrombectomy.

Aim: To investigate the prognostic value of the composite posterior circulation Acute Stroke Prognosis Early Computed tomography (CT) Score (ASPECTS)-Collaterals (pcASCO) score, which combines diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) posterior circulation ASPECTS (pcASPECTS) and the magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)-collateral circulation score at baseline among patients with acute posterior circulation ischaemic stroke after mechanical thrombectomy.

Materials And Methods: Patients with acute posterior circulation ischaemic stroke who underwent mechanical thrombectomy were analysed retrospectively. The DWI-pcASPECTS and MRA-collateral circulation score before treatment and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 90 days after treatment were used as the endpoints.

Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Analysis on Mechanisms of Scutellariae Radix in the Treatment of Cerebral Ischemia-reperfusion Injury.

Background: Multiple brain disorders are treated by Scutellaria Radix (SR), including cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (CI/R). However, more studies are needed to clarify the molecular mechanism of SR for CI/R.

Methods: The active substances and potential targets of SR and CI/R-related genes were obtained through public databases.

N-acetylneuraminic acid modulates SQSTM1/p62 sialyation-mediated ubiquitination degradation contributing to vascular endothelium dysfunction in experimental atherosclerosis mice.

Sialic acid (SIA) has been reported to be a risk factor for atherosclerosis (AS) due to its high plasma levels in such patients. However, the effect of increasing SIA in circulation on endothelial function during AS progression remains unclear. In the present study, ApoE mice and endothelial cells line (HUVEC cells) were applied to investigate the effect of SIA on AS progression and its potential molecular mechanism.

Metabolite Neu5Ac triggers SLC3A2 degradation promoting vascular endothelial ferroptosis and aggravates atherosclerosis progression in ApoEmice.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is still the major cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD) as well as stroke. Endothelial metabolic disorder has been found to be activated and then promote endothelial cells (ECs) injury, which is regarded to initiate AS progression. N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), a metabolite produced by hexosamine-sialic acid pathway branching from glucose metabolism, was presented as a notable biomarker of CVD and is positively correlated with ECs function.

Association between Triglyceride-Glucose Index and 1-Year Recurrent Stroke after Acute Ischemic Stroke: Results from the Xi'an Stroke Registry Study of China.

Introduction: The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is reported to be related to poor functional outcomes and all-cause mortality post-stroke. However, the association between TyG index and recurrent stroke after acute ischemic stroke (AIS) has not been well described. We aimed to identify whether the TyG index was associated with 1-year recurrent stroke after AIS.

Clinical efficacy and changes of serum VEGF-A, VEGF-B, and PLGF after conbercept treating neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Aim: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and systemic safety profile of conbercept in clinical practice on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, VEGF-B, and placental growth factor (PLGF) levels after intravitreal injections for the neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: Thirty-five patients (35 eyes) with neovascular AMD received intravitreal injections of conbercept treatment with protocol. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) were detected before the intravitreal injection and at 1, 3, and 12mo after conbercept treatment.

Astrocytes in the Optic Nerve Are Heterogeneous in Their Reactivity to Glaucomatous Injury.

The optic nerve head is thought to be the site of initial injury to retinal ganglion cell injury in glaucoma. In the initial segment of the optic nerve directly behind the globe, the ganglion cell axons are unmyelinated and come into direct contact to astrocytes, suggesting that astrocytes may play a role in the pathology of glaucoma. As in other parts of the CNS, optic nerve head astrocytes respond to injury by characteristic changes in cell morphology and gene expression profile.

Association of baseline fasting plasma glucose with 1-year mortality in non-diabetic patients with acute cerebral infarction: a multicentre observational cohort study.

Objectives: Evidence on the association between fasting blood glucose and mortality in non-diabetic patients who had a stroke is limited. We aimed to investigate the association of baseline fasting plasma glucose (FPG) with 1 year all-cause mortality in non-diabetic patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI).

Design: A multicentre prospective cohort study.

Hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative damage and protective role of peroxiredoxin 6 protein via EGFR/ERK signaling pathway in RPE cells.

Introduction: Damage to retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells caused by oxidative stress is closely related to the pathogenesis of several blinding retinal diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), retinitis pigmentosa, and other inherited retinal degenerative conditions. However, the mechanisms of this process are poorly understood. Hence, the goal of this study was to investigate hydrogen peroxide (HO)-induced oxidative damage and protective role of peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6) protein via EGFR/ERK signaling pathway in RPE cells.

ENPP2 inhibitor improves proliferation in AOM/DSS-induced colorectal cancer mice via remodeling the gut barrier function and gut microbiota composition.

In our previous multicenter study, we delineated the inherent metabolic features of colorectal cancer (CRC). Therein, we identified a member of the ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/ phosphodiesterase family (ENPP2) as a significant differential metabolite of CRC. In this study, the role of ENPP2 in CRC has been demonstrated using established in vitro and in vivo models including ENPP2 gene knockdown, and use of the ENPP2 inhibitor, GLPG1690.

The roles of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in retinal diseases.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), a multifunctional cytokine, is secreted by various cells and participates in inflammatory reactions, including innate and adaptive immunity. There are some evidences that MIF is involved in many vitreoretinal diseases. For example, MIF can exacerbate many types of uveitis; measurements of MIF levels can be used to monitor the effectiveness of uveitis treatment.

Predictive Value of a Novel Baseline Diffusion-Weighted Imaging Posterior Circulation Score in Endovascular Treatment of Patients with Acute Vertebrobasilar Occlusion.

Rationale And Objectives: To investigate the predictive value of a novel posterior circulation score (novel-PC score) based on baseline posterior circulation diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for functional independence after endovascular treatment (EVT) in patients with acute vertebral-basilar artery occlusion (VBAO).

Materials And Methods: The baseline DWI brain stem score (BSS), posterior circulation Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (pc-ASPECTS), and the novel-PC score were evaluated separately. A modified Rankin scale (mRS) ≤2 at 90 days was defined as a prognostic indicator of functional independence.

Elevated non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio increases the 1-year risk of recurrent stroke in older patients with non-disabling ischemic cerebrovascular events: results from the Xi'an Stroke Registry Study of China.

Background: Few studies have explored the prognostic role of nontraditional lipid-related indicators in non-disabling ischemic cerebrovascular events (NICE). In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between the ratio of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C/HDL-C) and the1-year risk of recurrent stroke in patients with NICE.

Methods: Total cholesterol (TC), HDL-C, and patient information were collected at admission.

ATAC-seq reveals the roles of chromatin accessibility in the chondrocytes of Kashin-Beck disease compared with primary osteoarthritis.

This study aimed to investigate the roles of accessible chromatin in understanding the different pathogeneses between Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) and primary osteoarthritis (OA). Articular cartilages of KBD and OA patients were collected, and after tissue digestion, primary chondrocytes were cultured . Assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq) was performed to compare the accessible chromatin differences of chondrocytes between KBD and OA groups.

Impact of anti-VEGF therapy on distinctive retina layers in patients with macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion.

Background: To explore the impact of anti-vascular epithelial growth factor (ant-VEGF) on the thickness of each retinal layer in patients with macular edema (ME) secondary to the branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).

Methods: This retrospective study included patients with ME secondary to monocular BRVO who received anti-VEGF therapy in Ningxia Eye Hospital between January-December 2020.

Results: Forty-three patients (25 males) were included, with 31 showed > 25% reduction in central retinal thickness (CRT) after anti-VEGF therapy (response group), and the others showed a ≤25% reduction in CRT (no-response group).

Plasma lncRNA LIPCAR Expression Levels Associated with Neurological Impairment and Stroke Subtypes in Patients with Acute Cerebral Infarction: A Prospective Observational Study with a Control Group.

Introduction: This prospective observational study with a control group aimed to compare the plasma levels of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) LIPCAR between patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI) and healthy controls, and to assess the prognostic abilities of LIPCAR for adverse outcomes of patients with ACI at 1-year follow-up.

Methods: Eighty patients with ACI, of whom 40 had large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) and 40 had cardioembolism (CE) and who were hospitalized at Xi'an No. 1 Hospital from July 2019 to June 2020, were selected as the case group.

Serum homocysteine level is an independent risk factor for 1-year stroke recurrence in patients with acute ischemic stroke and H-type hypertension: results from the Xi'an stroke registry study of China.

Background: H-type hypertension has a high prevalence in China. However, the association of serum homocysteine levels with 1-year stroke recurrence in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and H-type hypertension has not been studied.

Methods: A prospective cohort study of patients with AIS admitted to hospitals between January and December 2015 in Xi'an, China, was conducted.

Quantitative evaluation of anisometropic amblyopia treatment efficacy by coupling multiple visual functions via CRITIC algorithm.

Background: The evaluation of amblyopia treatment efficacy is essential for amblyopia prevention, control, and rehabilitation.

Methods: To evaluate the amblyopia treatment efficacy more precisely and quantitatively, this study recorded four visual function examination results, i.e.

A Special Case of Relapsing-Remitting Bilateral Encephalitis: Without Epilepsy, but Responding to Rituximab and with a Brain Biopsy Coinciding with Rasmussen Encephalitis.

A nine-year-old boy manifested with headache, progressive mild cognitive decline and hemiparesis, but without clinical epileptic seizures (with abnormal EEG waves). Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed bilateral cortical lesions mainly on the right hemisphere, and new lesions developed in frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal lobes around the old lesions presenting as a lace-like or ring-like enhancement in T1 with contrast over a disease course of five years. A suspected diagnosis of primary angiitis of the central nervous system was initially considered.

Clinical observation of recombinant human nerve growth factor in the treatment of neurotrophic keratitis.

Aim: To characterize changes of corneal nerve morphology and tear indices in patients with neurotrophic keratitis (NK) treated with recombinant human nerve growth factor (rhNGF).

Methods: In a prospective observational study, six patients (nine eyes) were locally treated with rhNGF. Visual acuity, corneal fluorescein staining score, the heights of the tear river, lipid layer thickness (LLT), tear ferning (TF) test, conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) examination, the densities of cornea subbasal nerve fibers were determined before and after treatment.

CAN: Context-assisted full Attention Network for brain tissue segmentation.

Brain tissue segmentation is of great value in diagnosing brain disorders. Three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) segmentation methods for brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) suffer from high time complexity and low segmentation accuracy, respectively. To address these two issues, we propose a Context-assisted full Attention Network (CAN) for brain MRI segmentation by integrating 2D and 3D data of MRI.

A Trojan horse biomimetic delivery system using mesenchymal stem cells for HIF-1α siRNA-loaded nanoparticles on retinal pigment epithelial cells under hypoxia environment.

Aim: To demonstrate the feasibility of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-mediated nano drug delivery, which was characterized by the "Trojan horse"-like transport of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α small interfering RNA (HIF-1α siRNA) between MSCs and retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) under hypoxia environment.

Methods: Plasmid and lentivirus targeting the human HIF-1α gene were designed and constructed. HIF-1α siRNA was encapsulated into poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (PLGA-NPs) through the water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) multiple emulsion technique.