Objective To explore the outcomes of endoscopic minimally invasive surgery as a new technique for the treatment of glossopharyngeal neuralgia.Methods From January 2000 to May 2008,16 cases of primary glossopharyngeal neuralgia were treated by endoscopic minimally invasive surgery through suboccipital retrosigmoid approach in our hospital.We made a 6-to 8-cm vertical incision within the inner hairline to drain the cerebrospinal fluid from the cerebellopotine angle cistern(CPA) so that to form an operational path.And then,the adherent arachnoid membrane was freed and the structure of the glossopharyngeal nerve and local arteries were detected.Results After the endoscopic surgery,pharyngeal pain disappeared in all of the 16 cases.Follow-up was available for 3 months to 8 years in the patients(1-3 years in 4 cases,and 3-8 years in 2 cases).Two patients had hoarse voice after the operation.No one had dysphagia or recurrence during the follow-up.Conclusion Endoscopic surgery through suboccipital retrosigmoid approach is a minimally invasive method for primary glossopharyngeal neuralgia with good outcomes,mild surgery-related complications,and quick post-operative recovery.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) in the treatment of medullary sponge kidney with calculi. Methods: A total of 77 patients (91 renal units) of medullary sponge kidney with calculi (MSK group) and 77 patients (77 renal units) with common kidney stone (control group) received PNL at Department of Urology in Peking University People′s Hospital from September 2006 to February 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. The MSK group included 33 males and 44 females with a mean age of (42.1±13.2) years, the mean stone burden was (3.9±1.8) cm. The control group included 36 males and 41 females with a mean age of (45.3±13.0) years, the mean stone burden was (3.6±1.5) cm. The numbers of tracts, the time of operation, the drop of hemoglobin, the change of creatine, the time of hospitalization, the stone free rate and major complications were compared between the two groups. The measurement data and numeration data were compared with t test and χ² test. Results: There were no significant differences in sex, age, preoperative urinary tract infection, stone type, and stone burden between the two groups (all P>0.05). The proportion of bilateral renal calculus in MSK group was higher (18.2% vs. 0, χ²=15.400, P=0.000). There were 159 percutaneous channels were established in MSK group while 90 percutaneous channels were established in control group. Compared with the control group, the operation time ((88.1±37.5) minutes vs. (68.5±30.1) minutes, t=3.543, P=0.000) and hospitalization time ((15.1±8.3) days vs. (10.1±3.6) days, t=4.816, P=0.000) were longer, the creatinine level increased ((101.2±62.6) μmol/L vs. (71.3±23.6) μmol/L, t=3.777, P=0.000), the rate of stone free decreased (27.5% vs. 83.1%, χ²=51.840, P=0.000) and the rate of complications increased (29.9% vs. 11.7%, χ²=8.114, P=0.004) in MSK group. There was no statistically difference in hemoglobin drop ((12.5±13.2) g/L vs. (13.0±10.9) g/L, t=-0.260, P=0.795). Conclusions Using PNL for patients of MSK with calculi has a lower stone free rate and a higher complications. It is an effective method for patients of MSK with large and complex calculi.

As a non-atherosclerotic disease in the extracranial segment of the carotid artery, carotid web is a ridge-like intraluminal protrusion beyond the bifurcation of the posterior wall of the carotid artery bulb. Carotid web also has been referred to as an atypical variant of fibromuscular dysplasia. In recent years, more and more studies indicate that carotid web is a rare but important risk factor for ischemic stroke. In order to accurately diagnose carotid artery web, implement targeted intervention and treatment for ischemic stroke caused by carotid web, the authors summarized the recent advances in carotid web and ischemic stroke.

Objective To investigate the effect of Berberine on insulin resistance and its mechanism in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty(OLETF) rats with metabolic syndrome(MS).Methods LETO(Long-evans Tokushima Otsuka)rats(the control group receiving standard normal diet,n=10)and diabetic OLETF rats(the MS group receiving high-fat diet for 24 weeks,n=30).Rats in the MS group were randomly divided into 3 subgroups(n=10,each subgroup).Each subgroup was gavaged with normal saline,high-dose Berberine(100 mg · kg-1 · d-1)and low-dose Berberine (50 mg · kg-1 · d-1) respectively,and the high-fat diet remained unchanged.After 6 weeks of berberine treatment,body weight,blood glucose and lipid metabolism parameters were determined.The oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT) and insulin tolerance test(ITT) were used to detect insulin resistance.Expression levels of the protein and mRNA of 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP7 8),Caspase-12 and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein(C/EBP) homologous protein(CHOP) in skeletal muscles were detected by Western blot and RT-PCR.Results After Berberine treatment,the body weight,fasting plasma glucose,fasting insulin[(28.9 ± 2.0) mU/L,(31.5± 2.4) mU/L vs.(36.9 ± 4.7) mU/L],total cholesterol,triglycerides,and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were decreased,while the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C) levels were increased in MS rats with high-dose berberine and low-dose berberine as compared with the control group (P ＜ 0.05) respectively.Berberine treatment could reduce the protein and mRNA expression levels of GRP78,Capase-12 and CHOP in the skeletal muscle of MS rats(P＜0.05).Conclusions Berberine may alleviate insulin resistance in rats with metabolic syndrome by reducing endoplasmic reticulum stress in skeletal muscle.

BACKGROUND:Platelet-rich plasma has been shown to enhance the viability and the pro-angiogenesis capacity of mesenchymal stem cells.Extracellular vesicles are one of the key mediators for mesenchymal stem cells to exert their effects,but currently,it is unclear whether platelet-rich plasma affects the functions of extracellular vesicles. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of platelet-rich plasma on the function of extracellular vesicles from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells,verify whether platelet-rich plasma can be used as an adjuvant to enhance the healing effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on repairing the peripheral nerve injury. METHODS:For in vitro study,bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were cultured under normal conditions and with 1%platelet-rich plasma.The ultracentrifugation was used to extract the extracellular vesicles produced by bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells cultured under normal conditions(EVs-nor)or the condition supplemented with 1%platelet-rich plasma(EVs-prp).Extracellular vesicles were used to incubate with Schwann cells.The EdU assay,western blot assay,qPCR and light microscopy photography were performed to examine the effects of EVs-nor and EVs-prp on Schwann cell reprogramming,which was characterized by cell proliferation,c-Jun expression,reprogramming-associated gene expression and cell morphology.For in vivo study,the model of sciatic nerve injury in rats was established.Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were grafted with or without 1%platelet-rich plasma into the injured rat sciatic nerve using a chitin nerve conduit.Eight weeks after the surgery,the recovery was assessed by histological and functional indexes,including regenerated nerve fiber density,gastrocnemius wet weight ratio and sciatic function index. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with EVs-nor,EVs-prp was stronger in promoting Schwann cell proliferation.The gene expressions of c-Jun and GDNF were significantly upregulated in EVs-prp treated Schwann cells.The morphology of Schwann cells was significantly longer in EVs-prp group than that in EVs-nor group,indicating that EVs-prp had a stronger ability to stimulate Schwann cell reprogramming than EVs-nor.(2)Sciatic nerve injury animal experiment results revealed that grafting mesenchymal stem cells along with platelet-rich plasma into the injured sciatic nerve showed the best recovery compared with grafting mesenchymal stem cells or platelet-rich plasma alone,demonstrated by the significantly improved density of nerve fibers,gastrocnemius wet weight ratio,and sciatic function index.(3)These results suggested that platelet-rich plasma improved the function of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles and could be served as a practical and feasible preparation to synergize with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to improve peripheral nerve repair.

BACKGROUND: There is still uncertainty regarding whether diabetes mellitus (DM) can adversely affect patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for carotid stenosis. The aim of the study was to assess the adverse impact of DM on patients with carotid stenosis treated by CEA. METHODS: Eligible studies published between 1 January 2000 and 30 March 2023 were selected from the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, CENTRAL, and ClinicalTrials databases. The short-term and long-term outcomes of major adverse events (MAEs), death, stroke, the composite outcomes of death/stroke, and myocardial infarction (MI) were collected to calculate the pooled effect sizes (ESs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and prevalence of adverse outcomes. Subgroup analysis by asymptomatic/symptomatic carotid stenosis and insulin/noninsulin-dependent DM was performed. RESULTS: A total of 19 studies (n = 122,003) were included. Regarding the short-term outcomes, DM was associated with increased risks of MAEs (ES = 1.52, 95% CI: [1.15-2.01], prevalence = 5.1%), death/stroke (ES = 1.61, 95% CI: [1.13-2.28], prevalence = 2.3%), stroke (ES = 1.55, 95% CI: [1.16-1.55], prevalence = 3.5%), death (ES = 1.70, 95% CI: [1.25-2.31], prevalence =1.2%), and MI (ES = 1.52, 95% CI: [1.15-2.01], prevalence = 1.4%). DM was associated with increased risks of long-term MAEs (ES = 1.24, 95% CI: [1.04-1.49], prevalence = 12.2%). In the subgroup analysis, DM was associated with an increased risk of short-term MAEs, death/stroke, stroke, and MI in asymptomatic patients undergoing CEA and with only short-term MAEs in the symptomatic patients. Both insulin- and noninsulin-dependent DM patients had an increased risk of short-term and long-term MAEs, and insulin-dependent DM was also associated with the short-term risk of death/stroke, death, and MI. CONCLUSIONS In patients with carotid stenosis treated by CEA, DM is associated with short-term and long-term MAEs. DM may have a greater impact on adverse outcomes in asymptomatic patients after CEA. Insulin-dependent DM may have a more significant impact on post-CEA adverse outcomes than noninsulin-dependent DM. Whether DM management could reduce the risk of adverse outcomes after CEA requires further investigation.
Humans ; Endarterectomy, Carotid/adverse effects* ; Carotid Stenosis/surgery* ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Time Factors ; Stents/adverse effects* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; Stroke/complications* ; Insulin/therapeutic use* ; Myocardial Infarction/complications* ; Risk Assessment