Risk Factors for Occupational Blood Exposure, Compliance with Policies of Infection Prevention and Control, and Costs Associated with Post Exposure Management Among Nursing Staff.

Objective: To examine the risk factors linked with occupational blood exposure (OBE) among nursing staff (NS), we pinpoint deficiencies in the compliance with policies of infection prevention and control, and assess the expenditures associated with infection prevention and control. Methods: Healthcare workers that completed an "Occupational Blood Exposure Report Form" were divided into NS (observation) group and non-NS (control) group. Univariate and multivariable analyses were conducted to compare both groups in various aspects. We also explored design patents intended to minimize occupational exposure. Results: The highest incidence of OBE was observed in the department of neurosurgery. Among NS, OBE incidence was found to be influenced by independent risk factors, such as gender, age, occupational title, work location, and incidence of sharps injuries. Protective factors against OBEs included the use of arterial blood gas needles and suture needles. Personal protective equipment (PPE) usage rates were low in both groups prior to OBEs (0.74% vs 0.00%, P > 0.05). Correct emergency management could be improved promptly by both groups following an OBE (P > 0.05). However, the observation group exhibited a higher proportion of blood expression after a sharps injury and a higher re-evaluation rate at 6 months post-exposure compared to the control group (P < 0.05). In 2018, the per capita costs of infection prevention and control for NS were the Chinese Yuan (RMB) 339.43 per individual. In response to these findings, two utility model patents have been authorized. Conclusion: The risk and protective factors related to the occurrence of OBEs were investigated in this study, suggesting that there is a need for improvement in the rate of PPE usage and the re-evaluation rate of OBEs among NS. Additionally, focused training on emergency blood expression and compliance with policies among non-NS personnel is deemed necessary.

Two Novel Genetic Variants Involved in the Oxygen Sensing Pathway in JAK2-unmutated Erythrocytosis.

JAK2-unmutated erythrocytosis or non-polycythemia vera erythrocytosis is a rare condition comprising both acquired and hereditary forms. Although acquired erythrocytosis has been well-studied, hereditary erythrocytosis remains poorly studied. Genetic alterations associated with hereditary erythrocytosis include mutations in erythropoietin receptor and erythropoietin (EPO), altered oxygen affinity mutations, and variants associated with the oxygen-sensing pathway. We established a molecular diagnostic approach based on these genes and retrospectively evaluated. Peripheral blood from 56 erythrocytosis patients, lacking JAK2 mutation, were screened for oxygen-sensing pathway abnormalities. Two novel mutations were identified in the EGLN1 gene: NM_022051.2:c.712G > C (p.Gly238Arg) and NM_022051.2:c.122A > C (p.Tyr41Ser) in two patients separately. Notably, both reported heterozygous mutations were absent in the population database. Predictions using multiple computer software indicated that these two missense mutations were harmful and induced a highly conserved amino acid change in EGLN1. Patients with the two mutations exhibited normal serum EPO levels and high hemoglobin and hematocrit levels. Additionally, three other variants of genes were identified in the oxygen-sensing pathway, including endothelial PAS domain protein 1 (EPAS1) rs184760160(2/56), and EGLN1 rs186996510(2/56), rs555121182(2/56). These variants were categorized as benign or likely benign. Our findings provide a framework for etiological research and highlight the importance of screening for genetic mutations associated with erythrocytosis in clinical practice.

High-enhancement photoluminescence of monolayer MoS2 in hybrid plasmonic systems.

Monolayer molybdenum disulfide (M o S 2) has a weak light-matter interaction due to ultrathin thickness, which limits its potential application in lasing action. In this study, we propose a hybrid structure consisting of a nanocavity and Au nanoparticles to enhance the photon emission efficiency of monolayer M o S 2. Numerical simulations show that photoluminescence (PL) emission is significantly enhanced by introducing localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) to the proposed structure. Furthermore, an exciton energy band system is proposed to elucidate the physical mechanism of the PL process. By optimizing the spacer thickness, a high Purcell enhancement factor of 95 can be achieved. The results provided by this work pave the way to improve the PL efficiency of two-dimensional (2D) material, which constitutes a significant step towards the development of nanodevices such as nanolasers and sensors.

Two new iridoid glycosides from the whole plant of Rehmania piasezkii.

Two new iridoid glycosides, piasezkiiosides A (1) and B (2), were isolated from aqueous extract of the whole plant of Rehmannia piasezkii. Their structures were established from the spectroscopic data, chemical transformation, and X-ray diffraction analysis. Compound 1 exhibited weak hepatoprotective activity against APAP-induced HepG2 cell damage.

A new 3,4-dihydroisocoumarin and an antiinflammatory coumarin from the roots of Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk.

Phytochemical investigation of the roots of Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk resulted in the isolation of twelve coumarin derivatives including one new 3,4-dihydroisocoumarin (1) and eleven known 3,4-unsubstituted coumarins (2-12). Structural elucidation of compounds 1-12 was established by 1D and 2D NMR spectra referring to the literature, together with high-resolution mass spectrometric analysis. LPS-induced RAW264.7 inflammatory cell model was used to determine the potential antiinflammation activity of all the isolated compounds in vitro. The results showed that compound 3 significantly inhibited the production of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO in macrophages (IC50 = 4.54 ± 1.71 µM), more active than the positive control (L-NMMA).

Impact of stent retriever size on clinical outcomes in the RECO registry.

Objective: In the RECO study, we investigated the impact of the operator's choice of stent retriever size on patients with internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion. Methods: Data from the RECO Registry, a prospective multicentre study, were utilized. Patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy (MT) were divided according to the size of the stent into the RECO 4 × 20 group, the RECO 5 × 30 group and the RECO 6 × 30 group. The outcome measures assessed in the study were the 3-month modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score, occurrence of any intracranial haemorrhage (aICH), workflow timing, recanalization success rate, number of attempts, and all-cause mortality within a 3-month period. Results: Analysis was conducted on a total of 89 patients with ICA occlusion. RECO 4 × 20, 5 × 30, and 6 × 30 stent retrievers were used in 19 (21.3%), 52 (58.4%), and 18 (20.2%) patients, respectively. The demographic and baseline characteristics showed considerable similarity across the three groups. The puncture-to-recanalization time of the RECO 6 × 30 group [56.5 min (IQR, 41.5-80.8)] was significantly shorter than that of the RECO 4 × 20 group [110 min (IQR, 47-135)]. In 10 out of 18 patients (55.6%), the RECO 6 × 30 stent retriever achieved reperfusion (modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction [mTICI] score 2b-3) after the initial attempt, surpassing the rates of 31.6% in the RECO 4 × 20 group and 32.7% in the RECO 5 × 30 group. In the RECO 4 × 20 group, the median number of passes was 2 (IQR, 1-3); in the RECO 5 × 30 group, it was 2 (IQR, 1-3); and in the RECO 6 × 30 groups, it was 1 (IQR, 1-2.5). There were no statistically significant differences observed among the three groups concerning aICH or good outcomes (mRS score 0-2). Conclusion: Our study demonstrated the practical implications of stent-retriever size selection in the context of the MT for ICA occlusion. The routine use of a RECO 6 × 30 stent retriever holds the potential for early revascularization in clinical practice. The significant reduction in the puncture-to-reperfusion time and the greater first-pass effect associated with this stent size underscore its efficiency in treating ICA occlusion.

Role of protein Post-translational modifications in enterovirus infection.

Enteroviruses (EVs) are the main cause of a number of neurological diseases. Growing evidence has revealed that successful infection with enteroviruses is highly dependent on the host machinery, therefore, host proteins play a pivotal role in viral infections. Both host and viral proteins can undergo post-translational modification (PTM) which can regulate protein activity, stability, solubility and interactions with other proteins; thereby influencing various biological processes, including cell metabolism, metabolic, signaling pathways, cell death, and cancer development. During viral infection, both host and viral proteins regulate the viral life cycle through various PTMs and different mechanisms, including the regulation of host cell entry, viral protein synthesis, genome replication, and the antiviral immune response. Therefore, protein PTMs play important roles in EV infections. Here, we review the role of various host- and virus-associated PTMs during enterovirus infection.

UNVEILING THE PROTECTIVE MECHANISMS OF PUERARIN AGAINST ACUTE LUNG INJURY: A COMPREHENSIVE EXPLORATION OF THE ROLES AND MECHANISMS OF MST1/ERS SIGNALING.

OBJECTIVES: Puerarin, the principal active constituent extracted from Pueraria, is believed to confer protection against sepsis-induced lung injury. The study aimed to elucidate the role and mechanism of Mst1/ERS in puerarin-mediated protection against acute lung injury (ALI). METHODS: Monolayer vascular endothelial cell permeability was assessed by gauging the paracellular flow of FITC-dextran 40,000 (FD40). ELISA was employed for the quantification of inflammatory cytokines. Identification of target proteins was conducted through Western blotting. Histological alterations and apoptosis were scrutinized using H&E staining and TUNEL staining, respectively. The ultrastructure of the endoplasmic reticulum was observed via transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: Puerarin significantly protected mice from LPS-induced ALI, reducing lung interstitial width, neutrophil and lymphocyte infiltration, pulmonary interstitial and alveolar edema, and lung apoptosis. Puerarin treatment also markedly attenuated levels of TNF-α and IL-1ß in both alveolar lavage fluid and serum. Furthermore, puerarin significantly attenuated LPS-induced increases in Mst1, GRP78, CHOP, and Caspase12 protein expression and blunted LPS-induced decrease in ZO-1 protein expression in lung tissues. Puerarin obviously reduced endoplasmic reticulum expansion and vesiculation. Similarly, puerarin significantly mitigated the LPS-induced reduction in HUVEC cell viability and ZO-1 expression. Puerarin also attenuated LPS-induced increase in apoptosis, TNF-α and IL-1ß, FD40 flux, and Mst1, GRP78, CHOP, and Caspase12 expression in HUVEC cells. Nevertheless, the inhibitory impact of puerarin on vascular endothelial cell injury, lung injury, and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) was diminished by Mst1 overexpression. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrated that the Mst1/ERS signaling pathway played a pivotal role in the development of LPS-induced vascular endothelial cell dysfunction and ALI. Puerarin exhibited the ability to attenuate LPS-induced vascular endothelial cell dysfunction and ALI by inhibiting the Mst1/ERS signaling pathway.

Habitat-Based Radiomics for Predicting EGFR Mutations in Exon 19 and 21 From Brain Metastasis.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To explore and externally validate habitat-based radiomics for preoperative prediction of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in exon 19 and 21 from MRI imaging of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)-originated brain metastasis (BM). METHODS: A total of 170, 62 and 61 patients from center 1, center 2 and center 3, respectively were included. All patients underwent contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (T1CE) and T2-weighted (T2W) MRI scans. Radiomics features were extracted from the tumor active (TA) and peritumoral edema (PE) regions in each MRI slice. The most important features were selected by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression to develop radiomics signatures based on TA (RS-TA), PE (RS-PE) and their combination (RS-Com). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to access performance of radiomics models for both internal and external validation cohorts. RESULTS: 10, four and six most predictive features were identified to be strongly associated with the EGFR mutation status, exon 19 and exon 21, respectively. The RSs derived from the PE region outperformed those from the TA region for predicting the EGFR mutation, exon 19 and exon 21. The RS-Coms generated the highest performance in the primary training (AUCs, RS-EGFR-Com vs. RS-exon 19-Com vs. RS-exon 21-Com, 0.955 vs. 0.946 vs. 0.928), internal validation (AUCs, RS-EGFR-Com vs. RS-exon 19-Com vs. RS-exon 21-Com, 0.879 vs. 0.819 vs. 0.882), external validation 1 (AUCs, RS-EGFR-Com vs. RS-exon 19-Com vs. RS-exon 21-Com, 0.830 vs. 0.825 vs. 0.822), and external validation 2 (AUCs, RS-EGFR-Com vs. RS-exon 19-Com vs. RS-exon 21-Com, 0.812 vs. 0.818 vs. 0.800) cohort. CONCLUSION: The developed habitat-based radiomics model can be used to accurately predict the EGFR mutation subtypes, which may potentially guide personalized treatments for NSCLC patients with BM.

Nematicidal Activity of 20-Deoxyingenol-3-angelate from Euphorbia peplus Latex Through Protein Kinase C Isotype TPA-1.

The latex of Euphorbia peplus and its major component 20-deoxyingenol-3-angelate (DI3A) displayed significant nematicidal activity against Caenorhabditis elegans and Panagrellus redivivus. DI3A treatment inhibited the growth and development of nematodes and caused significantly negative effects on locomotion behavior, reproduction, and accumulation of reactive oxygen species. Transcriptome analysis indicated that differential expression genes in DI3A-treated C. elegans were mainly associated with the metabolism, growth, and development process, which were further confirmed by RT-qPCR experiments. The expression level of TPA-1 gene encoding a protein kinase C isotype was obviously upregulated by DI3A treatment, and knockdown of TPA-1 by RNAi technology in the nematode could relieve the growth-inhibitory effect of DI3A. Metabolic analysis indicated that DI3A was hardly metabolized by C. elegans, but a glycosylated indole derivative was specifically accumulated likely due to the activation of detoxification. Overall, our findings suggested that DI3A from E. peplus latex exerted a potent nematicidal effect through the gene TPA-1, which provides a potential target for the control of nematodes and also suggests the potential application value of E. peplus latex and DI3A as botanical nematicides.

Zn-based batteries for sustainable energy storage: strategies and mechanisms.

Batteries play a pivotal role in various electrochemical energy storage systems, functioning as essential components to enhance energy utilization efficiency and expedite the realization of energy and environmental sustainability. Zn-based batteries have attracted increasing attention as a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries owing to their cost effectiveness, enhanced intrinsic safety, and favorable electrochemical performance. In this context, substantial endeavors have been dedicated to crafting and advancing high-performance Zn-based batteries. However, some challenges, including limited discharging capacity, low operating voltage, low energy density, short cycle life, and complicated energy storage mechanism, need to be addressed in order to render large-scale practical applications. In this review, we comprehensively present recent advances in designing high-performance Zn-based batteries and in elucidating energy storage mechanisms. First, various redox mechanisms in Zn-based batteries are systematically summarized, including insertion-type, conversion-type, coordination-type, and catalysis-type mechanisms. Subsequently, the design strategies aiming at enhancing the electrochemical performance of Zn-based batteries are underscored, focusing on several aspects, including output voltage, capacity, energy density, and cycle life. Finally, challenges and future prospects of Zn-based batteries are discussed.

A new triterpenoid saponin and a new natural saponin from the roots of Bupleurum scorzonerifolium willd.

Sixteen triterpenoid saponins were isolated from the roots of Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd., including a new triterpenoid saponin and new natural saponin that was characterised by NMR for the first time, along with 14 known triterpenoid saponins. The structures of the compounds were established by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, HR-ESI-MS, and comparison with the literature. The cytotoxic activity of the compounds against 4T1 cells was determined using the CCK8 method. Compounds 9 and 6 showed the strongest cytotoxic activity with IC50 values of 2.75 ± 0.86 and 3.78 ± 0.50 µM, respectively. Compounds 2-5 and 8 showed potent cytotoxic activity. Compounds 14 and 16 showed moderate cytotoxicity.

Estimated pulse wave velocity and risk of new-onset heart failure.

AIMS: As a potential surrogate of carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, estimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV) has been confirmed to independently predict the cardiovascular events, but the association between ePWV and heart failure has not been well confirmed. Therefore, we performed this cohort study to evaluate the association between ePWV and risk of new-onset heart failure. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 98 269 employees (mean age: 51.77 ± 12.56 years, male accounted for 79.9%) without prior heart failure who participated in the 2006-2007 health examination were selected as the observation cohort, with an average follow-up of 13.85 ± 1.40 years. Area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) of ePWV was calculated in prediction of heart failure. The adjusted Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals. The category-free net reclassification index (NRI) was calculated to evaluate the reclassification performance of cardiovascular risk models after adding ePWV. The AUC of ePWV was 0.74 in prediction of heart failure. After adjusting for the traditional cardiovascular risk factors except for age and blood pressure, the risk of new-onset heart failure increased by 35% [hazard ratio (HR): 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.33-1.37] for each 1 m/s increase in ePWV. Subgroup analysis showed that ePWV was significantly associated with incident heart failure regardless of THE presence (HR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.31-1.36, P < 0.01) or absence (HR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.46-1.73, P < 0.01) of cardiovascular risk factors, male (HR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.31-1.36, P < 0.01) or female (HR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.38-1.51, P < 0.01), young and middle-aged (<52 years) (HR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.41-1.58, P < 0.01), or middle-aged and elderly (≥52 years) (HR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.21-1.26, P < 0.01). The addition of ePWV to the traditional cardiovascular risk model including age and mean arterial pressure could significantly improve the reclassification ability by 31.1% (category-free NRI = 0.311, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: ePWV was an independent predictor for new-onset heart failure.

Mgp High-Expressing MSCs Orchestrate the Osteoimmune Microenvironment of Collagen/Nanohydroxyapatite-Mediated Bone Regeneration.

Activating autologous stem cells after the implantation of biomaterials is an important process to initiate bone regeneration. Although several studies have demonstrated the mechanism of biomaterial-mediated bone regeneration, a comprehensive single-cell level transcriptomic map revealing the influence of biomaterials on regulating the temporal and spatial expression patterns of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is still lacking. Herein, the osteoimmune microenvironment is depicted around the classical collagen/nanohydroxyapatite-based bone repair materials via combining analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics. A group of functional MSCs with high expression of matrix Gla protein (Mgp) is identified, which may serve as a pioneer subpopulation involved in bone repair. Remarkably, these Mgp high-expressing MSCs (MgphiMSCs) exhibit efficient osteogenic differentiation potential and orchestrate the osteoimmune microenvironment around implanted biomaterials, rewiring the polarization and osteoclastic differentiation of macrophages through the Mdk/Lrp1 ligand-receptor pair. The inhibition of Mdk/Lrp1 activates the pro-inflammatory programs of macrophages and osteoclastogenesis. Meanwhile, multiple immune-cell subsets also exhibit close crosstalk between MgphiMSCs via the secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) signaling pathway. These cellular profiles and interactions characterized in this study can broaden the understanding of the functional MSC subpopulations at the early stage of biomaterial-mediated bone regeneration and provide the basis for materials-designed strategies that target osteoimmune modulation.

Indoxyl sulphate-TNFα axis mediates uremic encephalopathy in rodent acute kidney injury.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is often accompanied by uremic encephalopathy resulting from accumulation of uremic toxins in brain possibly due to impaired blood-brain barrier (BBB) function. Anionic uremic toxins are substrates or inhibitors of organic anionic transporters (OATs). In this study we investigated the CNS behaviors and expression/function of BBB OAT3 in AKI rats and mice, which received intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin 8 and 20 mg/kg, respectively. We showed that cisplatin treatment significantly inhibited the expressions of OAT3, synaptophysin and microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2), impaired locomotor and exploration activities, and increased accumulation of uremic toxins in the brain of AKI rats and mice. In vitro studies showed that uremic toxins neither alter OAT3 expression in human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells, nor synaptophysin and MAP2 expressions in human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells. In contrast, tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and the conditioned medium (CM) from RAW264.7 cells treated with indoxyl sulfate (IS) significantly impaired OAT3 expression. TNFα and CM from IS-treated BV-2 cells also inhibited synaptophysin and MAP2 expressions in SH-SY5Y cells. The alterations caused by TNFα and CMs in vitro, and by AKI and TNFα in vivo were abolished by infliximab, a monoclonal antibody designed to intercept and neutralize TNFα, suggesting that AKI impaired the expressions of OAT3, synaptophysin and MAP2 in the brain via IS-induced TNFα release from macrophages or microglia (termed as IS-TNFα axis). Treatment of mice with TNFα (0.5 mg·kg-1·d-1, i.p. for 3 days) significantly increased p-p65 expression and reduced the expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1. Inhibiting NF-κB pathway, silencing p65, or activating Nrf2 and HO-1 obviously attenuated TNFα-induced downregulation of OAT3, synaptophysin and MAP2 expressions. Significantly increased p-p65 and decreased Nrf2 and HO-1 protein levels were also detected in brain of AKI mice and rats. We conclude that AKI inhibits the expressions of OAT3, synaptophysin and MAP2 due to IS-induced TNFα release from macrophages or microglia. TNFα impairs the expressions of OAT3, synaptophysin and MAP2 partly via activating NF-κB pathway and inhibiting Nrf2-HO-1 pathway.

Pyroelectric Photoconductive Diode for Highly Sensitive and Fast DUV Detection.

Detecting high-energy photons from the deep ultraviolet (DUV) to X-rays is vital in security, medicine, industry, and science. Wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors exhibit great potential for detecting high-energy photons. However, the implementation of highly sensitive and high-speed detectors based on WBG semiconductors has been a huge challenge due to the inevitable deep level traps and the lack of appropriate device structure engineering. Here, a sensitive and fast pyroelectric photoconductive diode (PPD), which couples the interface pyroelectric effect with the photoconductive effect based on tailored polycrystal Ga-rich GaOx (PGR-GaOx) Schottky photodiode, is first proposed. The PPD device exhibits ultrahigh detection performance for DUV and X-ray light. The responsivity for DUV light and sensitivity for X-ray are up to 104 A W-1 and 105 µC Gyair -1 cm-2, respectively. Especially, the interface pyroelectric effect induced by polar symmetry in the depletion region of the PGR-GaOx can significantly improve the response speed of the device by 105 times. Furthermore, the potential of the device is demonstrated for imaging enhancement systems with low power consumption and high sensitivity. This work fully excavates the potential of the pyroelectric effect for detectors and provides a novel design strategy to achieve sensitive and high-speed detectors.

More potential uses of specific perforator flaps in the calf - A cadaveric study on the subdermal vascular structure of the lower leg.

BACKGROUND: The perforator flap has garnered significant interest since its inception due to its advantage of not needing a vascular network at the deep fascial level. Perforator flaps are commonly utilized in different flap transplant surgeries, and the thigh flap is presently the most widely used perforator flap. Is it possible for the calf to replace the thigh as a more suitable site for harvesting materials? Currently, there is a lack of relevant anatomical research. This study aims to address this question from an anatomical and imaging perspective. METHODS: This study used cadavers to observe the branches and courses of perforators on the calf and the distribution of skin branches using microdissection techniques, digital X-ray photography, and micro-computed tomography techniques. RESULTS: The perforators had three main branches: the vertical cutaneous branch, the oblique cutaneous branch, and the superficial fascial branch. The superficial fascial branch traveled in the superficial fascia and connected with the nearby perforators. The vertical and oblique cutaneous branches entered the subdermal layer and connected with each other to create the subdermal vascular network. CONCLUSIONS: We observed an intact calf cutaneous branch chain between the cutaneous nerve and the perforator of the infrapopliteal main artery at the superficial vein site. Utilizing this anatomical structure, the calfskin branch has the potential to serve as a substitute for thigh skin flap transplantation and may be applied to perforator flap transplantation in more locations.

Ginsenoside Rg1 alleviates chronic inflammation-induced neuronal ferroptosis and cognitive impairments via regulation of AIM2 - Nrf2 signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ginseng is a valuable herb in traditional Chinese medicine. Modern research has shown that it has various benefits, including tonifying vital energy, nourishing and strengthening the body, calming the mind, improving cognitive function, regulating fluids, and returning blood pressure, etc. Rg1 is a primary active component of ginseng. It protects hippocampal neurons, improves synaptic plasticity, enhances cognitive function, and boosts immunity. Furthermore, it exhibits anti-aging and anti-fatigue properties and holds great potential for preventing and managing neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). AIM OF THE STUDY: The objective of this study was to examine the role of Rg1 in treating chronic inflammatory NDDs and its molecular mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In vivo, we investigated the protective effects of Rg1 against chronic neuroinflammation and cognitive deficits in mice induced by 200 µg/kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 21 days using behavioral tests, pathological sections, Western blot, qPCR and immunostaining. In vitro experiments involved the stimulation of HT22 cells with 10 µg/ml of LPS, verification of the therapeutic effect of Rg1, and elucidation of its potential mechanism of action using H2DCFDA staining, BODIPY™ 581/591 C11, JC-1 staining, Western blot, and immunostaining. RESULTS: Firstly, it was found that Rg1 significantly improved chronic LPS-induced behavioral and cognitive dysfunction in mice. Further studies showed that Rg1 significantly attenuated LPS-induced neuronal damage by reducing levels of IL-6, IL-1ß and ROS, and inhibiting AIM2 inflammasome. Furthermore, chronic LPS exposure induced the onset of neuronal ferroptosis by increasing the lipid peroxidation product MDA and regulating the ferroptosis-associated proteins Gpx4, xCT, FSP1, DMT1 and TfR, which were reversed by Rg1 treatment. Additionally, Rg1 was found to activate Nrf2 and its downstream antioxidant enzymes, such as HO1 and NQO1, both in vivo and in vitro. In vitro studies also showed that the Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 could inhibit the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-ferroptosis effects of Rg1. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that Rg1 administration ameliorated chronic LPS-induced cognitive deficits and neuronal ferroptosis in mice by inhibiting neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. The underlying mechanisms may be related to the inhibition of AIM2 inflammasome and activation of Nrf2 signaling. These findings provide valuable insights into the treatment of chronic neuroinflammation and associated NDDs.