BACKGROUND:Wogonin is a flavonoid extracted from the root of Scutellaria baicalensis.Previous studies have shown that baicalein has protective effects against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury,and can also reduce blood sugar and complications in diabetic mice,but its role and mechanism in diabetic cerebral infarction remain unclear. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of wogonin on nerve injury in rats with diabetic cerebral infarction and its mechanism. METHODS:Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups:control group,model group,low-dose wogonin group,medium-dose wogonin group,high-dose wogonin group,and high-dose wogonin+Ras homolog gene family member A(RhoA)activator group.Except for the control group,the other rats were established with diabetes and cerebral ischemia models using intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin and middle cerebral artery occlusion.Low,medium-and high-dose wogonin groups were intragastrically given 10,20,40 mg/kg wogonin,respectively;high-dose wogonin+RhoA activator group was intragastrically given 40 mg/kg wogonin and intraperitoneally injected 10 mg/kg lysophosphatidic acid;control group and model group were given the same amount of normal saline once a day for 7 consecutive days.Rats in each group were evaluated for neurological deficits and their blood glucose levels were measured after the last dose.TTC staining was applied to detect the volume of cerebral infarction.Hematoxylin-eosin staining was applied to observe pathological changes in brain tissue.ELISA kit was applied to detect tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-6,malondialdehyde,and superoxide dismutase levels in brain tissue.Western blot was applied to detect the protein expression of RhoA and Rho-associated protein kinase(ROCK)2 in brain tissue. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the control group,the neuronal structure of rats in the model group was severely damaged,with cell necrosis and degeneration,the neurological deficit score,blood glucose level,and infarct volume were significantly elevated(P<0.05),the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-6,and malondialdehyde,and the protein expression of RhoA and ROCK2 in brain tissue were significantly increased(P<0.05),and the superoxide dismutase level was decreased(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the low-,medium-,and high-dose wogonin groups showed improved neuronal damage,reduced cell degeneration and necrosis,a significant reduction in neurological deficit score,blood glucose level,infarct volume,and the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-6,and malondialdehyde,and the protein expression of RhoA and ROCK2 in brain tissue,and an increase in the superoxide dismutase level(P<0.05).Compared with the high-dose wogonin group,the high-dose wogonin+RhoA activator group significantly weakened the improvement in the above indexes of rats with diabetic cerebral infarction(P<0.05).To conclude,wogonin can improve the blood glucose level in rats with diabetic cerebral infarction,reduce cerebral infarction and nerve injury,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway.

Objective:To discuss the effect of DEAD-box RNA helicase 39A(DDX39A)gene silencing on the proliferation,migration and invasion of the esophageal cancer TE-1 cells,and to clarify its possible mechanism.Methods:For bioinformatics analysis,GSE63941,GSE77861,GSE20347,and GSE16153 chip data were downloaded from the GEO database.The esophagel cancer-related data were selected from the TCGA Database.R software was used to analyze the differentially expressed genes.STRING Database was used to construct the protein-protein interaction(PPI)network.Identification of key genes of high relevance was achieved using the MCODE plugin in Cytoscape.The expression of key genes in normal esophageal tissue and esophageal cancer tissue were analyzed with the GEPIA 2 database.Kaplan-Meier Plotter was used to perform survived analysis and plotting for the screened key genes.Cytological experiments were carried out on esophageal cancer TE-1 cells,and small interfering RNA(siRNA)technology was used to silence the expression of DDX39A gene.The TE-1 cells in the logarithmic growth phase were selected and divided into blank(MOCK)group,negative control(si-NC)group,and silencing(si-DDX39A)group.Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)and Western blotting methods were used to detect the expression levels of DDX39A mRNA and protein in the TE-1 cells in various groups;CCK-8 assay was conducted to detect the proliferation activity of cells in various groups,and the cell scratch assay was used to measure the migration rate of cells in various groups;Transwell chamber assay was used to detect the number of invasion cells in various groups;Western blotting method was used to detect the expression levels of β-catenin,glycogen synthase kinase-3β(GSK3β),phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase-3β(p-GSK3β),c-MYC,Cyclin D1 and nuclear β-catenin proteins in the cells in various groups.Results:Analyses using TCGA database combined with the GEO Database yielded a total of 56 differentially expressed genes.MCODE plugin in Cytoscape software identified 41 key genes of high relevance;DDX39A was screened by analyzing 41 genes through the GEPIA 2 and Kaplan-Meier plotter Databases.The results of RT-qPCR and Western blotting methods showed that compared with si-NC group,the expression levels of DDX39A mRNA and protein in the cells in si-DDX39A group were decreased(P＜0.05).The CCK-8 results showed that the proliferation activity of the cells in si-DDX39A group was lower than that in si-NC group(P＜0.05).The cell scratch assay results showed that the cell migration rate in si-DDX39A group after 24 h was lower than that in si-NC group(P＜0.05).The results of Transwell chamber assay showed that the number of invasion cells in si-DDX39A group was lower than that in si-NC group(P＜0.05).Compared with si-NC group,the expression levels of β-catenin,p-GSK3β,c-MYC,Cyclin D1,and nuclear β-catenin in the TE-1 cells in si-DDX39A-1 group and si-DDX39A-3 group were decreased(P＜0.01),but the expression levels of GSK3β protein had no significant differences(P＞0.05).Conclusion:Silencing of DDX39A gene could inhibit the proliferation,migration and invasion of TE-1 cells,and the mechanism may be related to the regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the levels and clinical significances of miRNA-155-5p (miR-155-5p) and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in the bone marrow of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML)-M 5. Methods:A cross sectional study was conducted. The bone marrow samples were collected from 32 AML-M 5 patients who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University from November 2023 to December 2024, and the bone marrow samples collected from 11 patients with megaloblastic anemia from November 2023 to May 2025 were used as controls. Reverse transcription real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to determine relative expression of miR-155-5p at the transcription level in bone marrow mononuclear cells, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the concentration of HIF-1α protein in bone marrow supernatant. The levels of miR-155-5p and HIF-1α in bone marrow were compared between AML patients and control group, as well as among AML patients with different prognostic risks. Spearman method was used to analyze the relationship between miR-155-5p level and HIF-1α level in bone marrow of AML patients and their levels with bone marrow and peripheral blood cell indicators. Results:Among the 32 AML-M 5 patients, 20 patients (62.5%) were male and 12 patients (37.5%) were female, with a median age [ M ( Q1, Q3)] of 63 (51, 70) years; according to the clinical response criteria recommended by the European Leukemia Network (ELN) in 2022, there were 12 cases (37.5%) of complete response (CR) and 8 cases (25.0%) of non-complete response (NCR); according to the risk stratification criteria recommended by ELN in 2022, there were 8 cases (25.0%) with good prognosis, 13 cases (40.6%) with moderate prognosis and 11 cases (34.4%) with poor prognosis. In the control group, there were 5 males and 6 females, with a median age of 68 (63, 72) years. There was no statistically significant difference in gender and age between the two groups (both P > 0.05). The transcription level relative expression of miR-155-5p in the bone marrow mononuclear cells of AML-M 5 patients [5.13 (2.83, 8.84) vs. 0.87 (0.56, 1.69)] and the concentration of HIF-1α protein in the bone marrow supernatant of AML-M 5 patients [(116±32) pg/ml vs. (58±22) pg/ml] were higher than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (both P < 0.001). The relative expression of miR-155-5p at the transcription level in the initial diagnosis group and NCR group and the concentration of HIF-1α in the initial diagnosis group, NCR group and CR group were higher than those in the control group (all P < 0.01), the relative expression of miR-155-5p at the transcription level in the CR group was higher than that in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant ( P > 0.05); the relative expression of miR-155-5p at the transcription level in the newly diagnosis group was higher than that in the CR group, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.01). However, there was no statistically significant difference between the newly diagnosis group and the NCR group or between the NCR group and the CR group (all P > 0.05). The concentration of HIF-1α in the newly diagnosis group and NCR group was higher than that in the CR group, and the differences were statistically significant (both P < 0.05). However, there was no statistically significant difference between the newly diagnosis group and the NCR group ( P > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the relative expression of miR-155-5p at the transcription level and HIF-1α concentration in bone marrow among AML-M 5 patients with poor prognosis, moderate prognosis and good prognosis (both P > 0.05). The level of miR-155-5p in the bone marrow of AML-M 5 patients was positively correlated with the level of HIF-1α ( r = 0.446, P = 0.010); the level of miR-155-5p in bone marrow was positively correlated with the proportion of bone marrow primitive cells ( r = 0.583, P < 0.001), peripheral blood leukocyte count ( r = 0.464, P = 0.008), peripheral blood monocyte count ( r = 0.464, P = 0.007), and peripheral blood monocyte-to-leukocyte ratio ( r = 0.457, P = 0.009). The concentration of HIF-1α in the bone marrow of AML-M 5 patients was positively correlated with the proportion of bone marrow primitive cells ( r = 0.568, P = 0.001) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells-to-white blood cells ratio ( r = 0.375, P = 0.034), but not with peripheral blood white blood cell count ( r = 0.159, P = 0.385) or peripheral blood mononuclear cell count ( r = 0.300, P = 0.095). Conclusions:The levels of miR-155-5p and HIF-1α in the bone marrow of AML-M 5 patients are relatively high, and the levels of both are lower in patients with remission. However, the levels of both may not be related to the risk of prognosis. The levels of miR-155-5p and HIF-1α in the bone marrow of AML-M 5 patients are positively correlated, and their levels are also positively correlated with major hematological indicators in the bone marrow and peripheral blood.

Objective To investigate the relationship between Klotho,insulin-like growth factor-1(IGF-1),and Irisin in the placentas of pregnant rats and the intrauterine development of fetuses.Methods Thirty SD rats were divided into the intrauterine growth restriction(IUGR)experimental animal model group(IUGR group),the macrosomia experimental animal model group(macrosomia fetal group),and the control group ac-cording to different feeding diets(low-protein diet,high-protein diet,and normal diet).All pregnant mice were subjected to laparotomy for tissue sampling on the 21st day of pregnancy.The birth weight,body length,and placental mass of fetal rats were recorded.The relative mRNA expression levels of Klotho,IGF-1,and Irisin in the placentas were detected by quantitative real-time fluorescent reverse transcription-PCR(qRT-PCR),and the correlations between various factors above were analyzed.Results Compared with the control group,the birth weight,body length and placental mass of fetal rats in the IUGR group were lower,while those in the macrosomia fetal group were higher,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).Compared with the control group,the relative mRNA expression levels of Klotho,IGF-1,and Irisin in the IUGR group were de-creased,while those in the macrosomia fetal group were increased,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).Correlation analysis showed that Klotho mRNA was positively correlated with the relative expres-sion levels of placental IGF-1 mRNA and Irisin mRNA,and IGF-1 mRNA were also positively correlated with the relative expression level of placental Irisin mRNA(P<0.05).Conclusion Klotho,IGF-1,and Irisin in the placenta are associated with fetal growth and possibly regulated through the Klotho/IGF-1/Irisin axis.

Intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) is one of the most common causes of ischemic stroke. Stenting is a treatment option for symptomatic ICAS, but it also has problems such as procedure-related complications and in-stent restenosis. This article reviews the application of stenting, particularly different stent systems, in patients with symptomatic ICAS.

Objective To investigate the efficacy of Fumai Zhuyu Decoction combined with radial shock wave therapy(RSWT)in treating convalescent stroke patients with lower limb spasm,and to observe its effect on serum neuron-specific enolase(NSE)and transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1).Methods From January 2022 to January 2024,a total of 111 convalescent stroke patients with lower limb spasm of qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome were selected from the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University.According to the treatment method,the patients were divided into two groups.The 55 patients in the western medicine(WM)group were treated with RSWT,and 56 patients in the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)group were treated with Fumai Zhuyu Decoction orally and RSWT.The course of treatment for the two groups covered 6 months.Before and after treatment,the two groups were observed in the changes of modified Ashworth Scale(MAS)score for the evaluation of muscle tone of hemiplegic limbs,Clinical Spasticity Index(CSI)score,Barthel Index(BI)score for the evaluation of activities of daily living,three-dimensional gait parameters(velocity,cadence,step length),serum levels of NSE and TGF-β1,and hemorheological indicators of plasma viscosity(PV),low-shear blood viscosity(LBV),high-shear blood viscosity(HBV)and platelet aggregation rate(PAR).After treatment,the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated.Results(1)After 6 months of treatment,the total effective rate of the TCM group was 94.64%(53/56),and that of the WM group was 76.36%(42/55).The intergroup comparison(tested by chi-square test)showed that the efficacy of the TCM group was significantly superior to that of the WM group(P＜0.01).(2)After treatment,the MAS and CSI scores of the two groups were lowered(P＜0.05)and the BI scores were increased compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05).The decrease of MAS and CSI scores and the increase of BI scores in the TCM group were significantly superior to those in the WM group(P＜0.01).(3)After treatment,the three-dimensional gait parameters of velocity,cadence,and step length in the two groups were increased compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the increase of gait parameters in the TCM group was significantly superior to that in the WM group(P＜0.01).(4)After treatment,the serum NSE level of the two groups was significantly decreased that before treatment(P＜0.05),and the serum TGF-β1 level was significantly increased compared with that before treatment(P＜0.05).The decrease of serum NSE level and the increase of serum TGF-β1 level in the TCM group were significantly superior to those in the WM group(P＜0.01).(5)After treatment,the hemorheological indexes such as PV,LBV,HBV and PAR in the two groups were significantly lowered compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the decrease in the TCM group was significantly superior to that in the WM group(P＜0.01).Conclusion Fumai Zhuyu Decoction combined with RSWT can effectively improve the limb spasm degree and walking function,reduce serum NSE level,increase serum TGF-β1 level,and correct the abnormal blood hemorheology in convalescent stroke patients with lower limb spasm of qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome.The curative effect of the combined treatment is significantly superior to that of RSWT alone.

Objective To evaluate the effects of Qitan Decoction(QTD)combined with radial shockwave therapy(RSWT)on walking ability,balance function,and neural injury markers in stroke patients with lower limb spasticity during convalescence.Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 100 stroke patients with lower limb spasticity of qi deficiency and blood stasis type treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University from December 2021 to December 2023.Patients were divided into a conventional group(n=49,receiving RSWT alone)and an trial group(n=51,receiving RSWT plus QTD)based on treatment protocols.Both groups received standard stroke care(including cerebral metabolism improvement,neurotrophic support,and antiplatelet therapy).The intervention lasted 6 months.The changes in Modified Ashworth Scale(MAS)scores,Functional Gait Assessment(FGA)scores,Berg Balance Scale(BBS)scores,Stroke-Specific Quality of Life(SS-QOL)scores,serum neural injury markers[gama-aminobutyric acid(GABA),brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)],and kinematic parameters(peak knee flexion,peak hip flexion)were observed,and the clinical efficacy was compared between groups.Results(1)After 6 months of treatment,the total effective rate of the trial group was 94.12％(48/51),and that of the conventional group was 75.51％(37/49),and the intergroup(by chi-square test)comparison showed that the efficacy of the trial group was significantly superior to that of the conventional group(P＜0.01).(2)After treatment,the MAS scores of patients in the two groups were lower than before treatment(P＜0.05),and the FGA,BBS,and SS-QOL scores were higher than before treatment(P＜0.05),and the reduction of the MAS scores and the increase of the FGA,BBS,and SS-QOL scores of the trial group were significantly superior to those of the conventional group(P＜0.01).(3)After treatment,the serum GABA and BDNF levels of patients in the two groups were higher than those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the increase in serum GABA and BDNF levels in the trial group was significantly superior to that in the conventional group(P＜0.01).(4)After treatment,the peak knee flexion and peak hip flexion of patients in the two groups were elevated compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the trial group's elevation of peak knee flexion and peak hip flexion was significantly superior to that of the conventional group(P＜0.01).Conclusion QTD combined with RSWT effectively alleviates spasticity,enhances walking/balance function,mitigates neural injury,and improves quality of life in stroke patients with lower limb spasticity of qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome during convalescence.

Objective To evaluate the effects of argatroban combined with Shuxuening injection on homocysteine(Hcy),vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),and soluble CD40 ligand(sCD40L)levels,as well as its clinical efficacy in patients with acute cerebral infarction.Methods From June 2023 to March 2024,98 patients with acute cerebral infarction were randomly assigned to experimental group(n=49)or control group(n=49)using stratified random sampling method.The control group received standard symptomatic treatment along with argatroban injection,and the experimental group additionally received intravenous Shuxuening injection.The neurological function[(National Institute of Health stroke scale,NIHSS)and(modified Rankin scale,mRS)scores],motor function[(Fugl-Meyer assessment scale,FMA)score],coagulation function[(activated partial thromboplastin time,APTT),(prothrombin time,PT),(fibrinogen,FIB),D-dimer],hemorheology parameters[(plasma viscosity,PV),(erythrocyte aggregation index,EAI),(hematocrit,HCT),(erythrocyte sedimentation rate,ESR)],serum cytokines[(homocysteine,Hcy),(vascular endothelial growth factor,VEGF),(soluble CD40 ligand,sCD40L)],and adverse reactions(dizziness,nausea,vomiting,rash,loss of appetite,abdominal distension,thrombocytopenia,and intracranial hemorrhage)were compare between the two groups.Results There were no significant differences in the NIHSS score,FMA score,mRS score,APTT,PT,FIB,D-dimer,PV,EAI,HCT,ESR,Hcy,VEGF,or sCD40L between the two groups before treatment(P>0.05).After 2 weeks of treatment,the experimental group showed lower NIHSS score,mRS score,FIB,D-dimer,PV,EAI,HCT,ESR,Hcy,and sCD40L,and higher total effective rate,FMA score,APTT,PT and VEGF than the control group(P<0.05).The incidence of adverse reactions in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group,but the difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05).Conclusion Argatroban combined with Shuxuening injection can enhance motor function,reduce neurological damage,improve coagulation function and hemorheological parameters,regulate serum cytokine levels,offer good safety,and provide a new option for the treatment of acute cerebral infarction.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of sintilimab combined with gemcitabine hydrochloride plus cisplatin in treating patients with advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma(LSCC).Methods A total of 102 patients with advanced LSCC who were admitted to our hospital between November 2020 and January 2024 were enrolled and randomly assigned to control group(n=51,treated with gemcitabine hydrochloride plus cisplatin)or sintilimab group(n=51,treated with sintilimab,gemcitabine hydrochloride and cisplatin).Clinical efficacy,tumor markers,immune function,quality of life,survival outcomes,and safety were compared between the two groups.Results The objective response rate(ORR)in the sintilimab group was significantly higher than that in the control group(60.78%vs.39.22%,P<0.05).Serum levels of squamous cell carcinoma antigen(SCCAg),carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA),and cytokeratin 19 fragment(CYFRA 21-1)in the sintilimab group were significantly lower than those in the control group after treatment(P<0.05).The sintilimab group had higher CD4+T-cell levels and CD4+/CD8+ratio and lower CD8+T-cell levels than the control group after treatment(P<0.05).The Karnofsky Performance Status(KPS)score was significantly improved in the sintilimab group compared to the control group(P<0.05).Median progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival(OS)in the sintilimab group were significantly higher than those in the control group(both P<0.05).No significant difference in adverse event rates was observed between the two groups(P>0.05).Conclusion Sintilimab combined with gemcitabine hydrochloride and cisplatin can significantly increase tumor control rates and immune function,prolong survival,improve quality of life,and demonstrate favorable safety in advanced LSCC patients.

Objective To investigate the effects of curcumin on the proliferation,migration,invasion,and apoptosis of pheochromocytomacell line PC12.Methods PC12 cells were incubated with different concentrations of curcumin.Cell proliferation was assessed using the CCK-8 assay to determine the IC50.The scratch assay was used to evaluate cell migration and Transwell chambers were employed to assess cell invasiveness.Flow cytometry was used to analyze apoptosis.qPCR was conducted to measure the mRNA expression of pro-apoptotic(Bax)and anti-apoptotic(Bcl-2)genes,and Western blot was performed to detect Bax and Bcl-2 protein expressions.Results Curcumin(10-80 μmol/L)inhibited PC12 cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner,with an IC50 as 29 μmol/L.Curcumin also suppressed PC12 cell migration in a concentration-dependent mode;the migration rate decreased from 66％in the control group down to 51％,5％,and 0.5％in the 10,20,and 30 μmol/L curcumin groups,respectively.Curcumin at concentrations of 20-30 μmol/L significantly reduced PC12 cell invasiveness(P<0.000 1).Moreover,curcumin significantly promoted PC12 cell apoptosis;the percentage of apoptotic cells increased by 2.25％,18.53％,and 26.89％in the 10,20,and 30 μmol/L curcumin groups as compared to those of control group,respectively.Curcumin treatment resulted in a significant up-regulation of Bax mRNA and protein expression,and a significant down-regulation of Bcl-2 mRNA and protein expression(P<0.05).Conclusions Curcumin may significantly inhibit the proliferation,migration,and invasion of PC12 cells and arouse cell apopto-sis.Its pro-apoptotic effect may be associated with alterations in the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 genes.