Therapeutic hypothermia has been shown to improve neurological outcomes after global ischaemia/hypoxia in patients who have had cardiac arrest. Therapeutic hypothermia is one of the most extensively studied and influential therapeutic strategies of acute ischemic stroke. Previous studies of therapeutic hypothermia mainly focused on whole-body cooling. However, delayed induction and systemic complications have limited the clinical application of whole-body cooling. As a selective cerebral hypothermia, the selective intra-arterial brain hypothermia treatment has the characteristics of rapid and even induction of hypothermia, and less affecting the core body temperature. Therefore, it has become a promising treatment modality. This article reviews the application of selective intra-arterial brain hypothermia in acute ischemic stroke and its advantages and limitations in order to provide reference for further experimental studies and future clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Poly (lactic-co-glycolic-acid) (PLGA)/nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) composite microspheres may continuously release drug in phosphate buffer solution in vitro.OBJECTIVE: To prepare 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu)-loaded PLGA/nHA microspheres, and research the effect of nHA on drug loading,encapsulation efficiency and in vitro release.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: An in vitro materials observation was performed at Laboratory of College of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology between February and July 2009.MATERIALS: PLGA was provided by Jinan Daigang Biomaterial Co., Ltd.; nHA by Key Lab for Special Functional Materials,Ministry of Education; 5-Fu by Shanghai Kaiyang Biomaterial Co., Ltd.METHODS: 5-Fu, a water-soluble anti-cancer drug, was used as model drug, and was firstly adsorbed by nHA and coated with biodegradable and blocompatible materials of PLGA so as to prepare PLGA/nHA-5-Fu composite microspheres by a single-emulsion solvent evaporation method (S/O/W). nHA and drug-loaded nHA were analyzed by transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Drug loading and encapsulation efficiency as well as in vitro release of microspheres were studied with SEM, laser particle size analyzer, and UV-spectrophotometer.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Interaction between nHA and 5-Fu; drug loading, encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro release of Microspheres RESULTS: FTIR showed that nHA had a strong adsorption with 5-Fu. Drug loading and encapsulation efficiency of PLGA/nHA-5-Fu composite microspheres were 3.83% and 86.78%, respectively, which were significantly greater than PLGA-5-Fu microspheres. After initial burst, composite microspheres released more slowly than PLGA microspheres alone. At day 27, the cumulative release rate of composite microspheres and PLGA microspheres alone were 84.87% and 99.87%,respectively.CONCLUSION: Because nHA has a strong adsorption with 5-Fu, PLGA/nHA-5-Fu composite microspheres compared to PLGA-5-Fu microspheres alone enhances drug loading and encapsulation efficiency, and has a better drug delivery effect.

Objective The purpose of this study was to establish a rat model of thromboembolism for the study of hemorrhag -ic transformation after intravenous thrombolysis with the recombinant tissue plasminogen activator ( rtPA) . Methods Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a sham operation , a cerebral embolism, and an rtPA group.Thrombus was prepared in vitro with the rat femoral artery blood and injected into the internal carotid artery of the rats in the cerebral embolism and rtPA groups to es -tablish a model of embolic focal cerebral ischemia , while the animals of the sham operation group injected with BSA .Five hours later , the rats in the rtPA group received rtPA and those in the cerebral embol-ism and sham operation groups the injection of isotonic saline solu-tion.At 24 hours after embolus injection , the neurological deficit score was obtained .The rats were sacrificed after cardiac perfusion and their brains removed for triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining , assessment of the infarct volume and cerebral edema , and calculation of the hemorrhage volume by spectrophotometric hemoglobin assay . Results The hemorrhage volume was significantly higher in the rtPA than in the cerebral embolism group ([17.55 ±2.20] μL vs [3.82 ±0.86] μL, P<0.01), but there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the infarct volume ([29.29 ±4.204] %vs [27.89 ±3.91] %, P=0.810), cerebral edema ([12.43 ±1.66] % vs [7.13 ±2.04] %,P=0.063 2), and neurological deficit score (3.35 ±0.27 vs 2.80 ±0.28, P=0.174). Conclusion The rat model of thromboembolism, with a high stability and reproducibility , can be used for the pathogenesis-related studies of hemorrhagic transformation after thromboly-sis with rtPA.

Objective:To evaluate the characteristics of carotid plaque and the immediate outcomes after carotid artery stenting (CAS) in diabetic and non-diabetic patients by optical coherence tomography (OCT).Methods:Patients underwent CAS and OCT before and after operation in the Department of Neurology, Jinling Hospital from January 2014 to March 2019 were enrolled retrospectively. The clinical features, the characteristics of carotid plaque on OCT and the immediate outcomes after CAS were compared between diabetic group and non-diabetic group. The risk factors of stent malapposition were analyzed.Results:A total of 46 patients were enrolled. Their age was 64.02±8.32 years and 41 were males (89.1%). There were 20 patients (43.5%) in the diabetes group and 26 (56.5%) in the non-diabetes group. The proportions of atherosclerotic plaque with thin fibrous cap (40.0% vs. 7.7%; χ2=5.166, P=0.023), plaque rupture (55.0% vs. 23.1%; χ2=4.945, P=0.026) and macrophage infiltration (60.0% vs. 30.8%; χ2=3.930, P=0.047) in the diabetic group were significantly higher than those in the non-diabetic group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that older age (odds ratio [ OR] 1.208, 95% confidence interval [ CI] 1.033-1.413; P=0.018), coronary heart disease ( OR 15.953, 95% CI 1.142-222.952; P=0.040), alcohol consumption ( OR 6.192, 95% CI 1.098-34.923; P=0.039) and lower systolic blood pressure ( OR 0.944, 95% CI 0.894-0.997; P=0.037) were independently associated with stent malaposition. Conclusion:Compared with the non-diabetic patients, carotid plaque in diabetic patients may be more unstable. Older age, coronary heart disease, alcohol consumption and lower systolic blood pressure were associated with stent malaposition after carotid stenting. OCT can reveal the characteristics of carotid plaque and the immediate outcomes after CAS, which can provide strong evidence for treatment decision.

Objective To evaluate euthyphoria reduction combined with percutaneous iliosacral screw fixation in the treatment of irreducible sacroiliac dislocation.Methods From March 2012 to May 2015,29 patients with irreducible sacroiliac dislocation were treated using euthyphoria reduction followed by percutaneous iliosacral screw fixation.They were 18 men and 11 women,aged from 25 to 68 years (average,37.9 years).According to the Tile classification,there were 7 cases of type Cl,9 cases of type C2,and 13 cases of type C3.The intervals from injury to surgery ranged from 6 to 32 days (average,11.3 days).Results The operation time for this cohort ranged from 40 to 125 minutes (average,76.2 minutes).The intraoperative bleeding ranged from 50 to 360 mL (average,148.6 mL).Their follow-ups ranged from 24 to 41 months (average,28.9 months).According to the Matta criteria for reduction,20 cases were rated as excellent and 9 as good,yielding an excellent to good rate of 100％.Their Majeed scores at the final follow-up averaged 90.1 points (range,from 67 to 100 points),giving 20 excellent,7 good and 2 fair cases (with an excellent to good rate of 93.1％).No screw loosening or lameness of the affected limb was observed during follow-ups.Conclusions Euthyphoria reduction combined with percutaneous iliosacral screw fixation can lead to satisfactory outcomes in the treatment of irreducible sacroiliac dislocation.Additionally it may improve operative safety.

Objective:To explore the value of intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) in evaluating carotid atherosclerotic stenosis, and compare the morphological characteristics of symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid atherosclerotic plaques.Methods:Patients diagnosed as carotid atherosclerotic stenosis and performed OCT in the Department of Neurology, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University from January 2017 to November 2019 were enrolled retrospectively. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and OCT were used to determine the degree of stenosis of the diseased vessels, and the plaque characteristics observed by OCT were recorded. Symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic stenosis is defined as a history of transient ischemic attack, amaurosis fugax, or stroke related to the blood supply area of the diseased vessel within 6 months before the carotid artery examination. The baseline clinical and imaging data of the symptomatic group and the asymptomatic group were compared. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors for symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic stenosis. Results:A total of 56 patients were enrolled. DSA and OCT had good consistency in carotid artery diameter measurement ( r=0.93, P<0.001). When the OCT technique was used to evaluate the plaque properties, the consistency of inter-observer ( κ=0.96, P<0.001) and intra-observer ( κ=0.96, P<0.001) was higher. The proportions of patients with type Ⅵ plaque (66.7% vs. 34.5%; P=0.016) and macrophage infiltration (51.9% vs. 24.1%; P=0.032) in the symptomatic group were significantly higher than those in the asymptomatic group, while the proportion of patients with fibrotic plaque was significantly lower than that in the asymptomatic group (40.7% vs. 69.0%; P=0.034). Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that type Ⅵ plaques (odds ratio 13.798, 95% confidence interval 1.38-137.675; P=0.025) and macrophage infiltration (odds ratio 5.856, 95% confidence interval 1.405-24.406; P=0.015) were the independent risk factors for symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic stenosis. Conclusions:OCT can be used to evaluate the degree of vascular stenosis and plaque characteristics in patients with carotid atherosclerotic stenosis. The detection rate of complex plaques in patients with symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic stenosis is significantly higher. Type Ⅵ plaque and macrophage infiltration are the independent risk factors for symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic stenosis.

Objective To investigate the effect of butylphthalide and sodium chloride injection on patients who received endovascular treatment for acute anterior circulation large vessel occlusive stroke.Methods A total of 173 patients were identified from February 2015 to December 2017 in the Department of Neurology of Jingling Hospital in this retrospective observational study.Propensity score-matching analysis was performed to balance differences in baseline characteristics between patients who received butylphthalide injection (butylphthalide group) and those who did not (control group).The modified Rankin Scale scores at 90 days were compared between the butylphthalide and control groups.Results A total of 144 patients who received endovascular treatment for acute anterior circulation large vessel occlusive stroke were finally analyzed,54 cases in the butylphthalide group and 90 cases in the control group.The proportion of good functional outcome at 90 days in the butylphthalide group was higher than that in the control group (63.0％ (34/54) vs 44.4％ (40/90);x2=4.633,P=0.031).Thirty-six pairs were matched successfully by the propensity score matching,36 patients in the butylphthalide group and 36 in the control group.There was no statistically significant difference in the 90-day functional outcome between the two groups (66.7％ (24/36) vs 44.4％ (16/36);x2=3.600,P=0.058).One hundred and fifteen patients were recanalized,47 cases in the butylphthalide group and 68 cases in the control group,and after the propensity score matching,30 pairs were analyzed.The proportion of good functional outcome at 90 days in the butylphthalide group was higher than that in the control group (73.3％ (22/30) vs 46.7％ (14/30);x2=4.444,P=0.035).Conclusion After propensity score-matching,butylphthalide and sodium chloride injection could improve 90-day functional outcome in patients with acute anterior circulation large vessel occlusive stroke and obtained recanalization by endovascular treatment while could not before propensity score-matching.

The blood donation, component preparation and manufacturing, laboratory, issuing and quality control were studied and compared between the UK and China, in order to learn British experience in the clinical practice and blood services. The age limits of blood donors, blood collection units, donation times per year, laboratory items, and the types(volumes) of component preparation and manufacturing in the UK are more superior than those in China. In addition, the blood quality monitoring and regarding indicators are more scientific and reasonable in the UK. The full reimbursement of clinical blood expenses for patients has been realized in the UK. The British experience in continuous safeguard of the blood safety and balance of requirement and availability contributes to the constant and scientific development of British blood services over the years, and is worthy of references.