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BACKGROUND: Death burden of stroke is severe with over one-third rural residents in China, but there is still a lack of specific national and high-quality reports on the urban-rural differences in stroke burden, especially for subtypes. We aimed to update the understanding of urban-rural differences in stroke deaths. METHODS: This is a descriptive observational study. Data from the national mortality surveillance system, which covers 323.8 million with 605 disease surveillance points (DSPs) across all 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in China. All deaths from stroke as the underlying cause from 2015 to 2020 according to DSPs. Crude mortality rate and age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) were estimated through DSPs. Average annual percentage change was used to explain the change in mortality rate. RESULTS: From 2015 to 2020, the majority of deaths from all stroke subtypes occurred in rural areas. There were significant differences between the changes of urban and rural ASMRs. On the whole, the changes in urban areas were evidently better, and the ASMR differences were basically expanding. Stroke ASMR in urban China decreased by 15.5%. The rural ASMR of ischemic stroke increased by 12.9%. The rural and urban ASMRs of intracerebral hemorrhage decreased by 24.9% and 27.4%, and those of subarachnoid hemorrhage decreased by 29.5% and 40.4%, respectively. The highest ASMRs of all stroke subtypes and the increasing trend of ischemic stroke ASMR make rural males the focus of stroke management. CONCLUSIONS The death burden of stroke varies greatly between urban and rural China. Rural residents face unique challenges.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Stroke/mortality* ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Male ; Female ; Urban Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Adult

This paper introduces the concept of the "medical artistic voice", aiming to provide new perspectives for the development of the discipline. This perspective emphasizes the use of medical approaches to promote the growth of artistic voice. Through medical interventions, it assists professional voice users in managing their careers, addressing voice-related diseases, and evaluating clinical demands for voice treatment and the development of new equipment. This approach seeks to expand the research scope and application fields of the medical artistic voice.
Humans ; Voice ; Voice Disorders

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), nanoscale lipid bilayer vesicles actively secreted by organisms into the extracellular environment, are rich in specific bioactive substances, such as proteins, genetic materials and lipids. These vesicles are involved in intercellular interactions and can pass through the blood-brain barrier, and may thus potentially serve as important biological substances for treatment of neurological diseases. In this review, we summarize the biological origin of EVs and their therapeutic potential in neurological diseases, expound the possibility of EV-based treatment of neurological diseases using traditional Chinese medicine, and discuss the challenges and prospects of researches of EVs for the treating neurological diseases.
Extracellular Vesicles ; Humans ; Nervous System Diseases/therapy* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of Shengmaisan combined with polymyxin B in the treatment of carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacillus infection with sepsis complicated with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. MethodA total of 90 patients suffering from carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacillus infection with sepsis complicated with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group， with 45 cases in each group. The control group was treated with polymyxin B， and the observation group was treated with Shengmaisan combined with polymyxin B. The treatment course of both groups was seven days. The infection-related indicators ［white blood cell （WBC） count， procalcitonin （PCT）， neutrophil apolipoprotein （HNL）］， inflammatory factors ［interleukin-6 （IL-6）， serum chemokine ligand 2 （CXCL2）］， and T lymphocyte subpopulations （CD3⁺， CD4⁺， CD8⁺， and CD4⁺/ CD8⁺ value）， acute physiological and chronic health Ⅱ （APACHE Ⅱ） score before and after treatment， as well as bacterial clearance rate and 28-day survival rate after treatment were observed. Result① The experiment was completed， and 81 cases were included， including 41 cases in the observation group and 40 cases in the control group. The general data of the two groups were comparable. ② The bacterial clearance rate of the observation group and the control group was 75.6% （31/41） and 52.5% （21/40）， respectively， and the observation group was higher than the control group （χ²=4.7， P<0.05）. ③ The WBC count， PCT， HNL， IL-6， CXCL2， and APACHE Ⅱ scores of the observation group and the control group all decreased after treatment （P<0.05）. Except for the WBC count， the PCT， HNL， IL-6， CXCL2， and APACHE Ⅱ scores of the observation group were lower than those of the control group （P<0.05）. ④ The values of CD3⁺， CD4⁺， and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ in the observation group were increased after treatment （P<0.05）， and CD8⁺ was decreased （P<0.05）. In the control group， only CD3⁺ value was increased （P<0.05）. The values of CD3⁺， CD4⁺， and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ in the observation group were higher than those in the control group， and the value of CD8⁺ was lower than that in the control group （P<0.05）. ⑤ The 28-day survival rate in the observation group was higher than that in the control group （χ²=4.3， P<0.05）. ConclusionShengmaisan combined with polymyxin B in the treatment of carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacillus infection with sepsis complicated with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome can better clear bacteria， control infection， reduce the level of inflammatory factors， regulate the immune state of the body， and improve the short-term prognosis.

Objective To explore the protein expression levels of serum neurite outgrowth inhibitor-A(Nogo-A),energy balance related protein(Adropin),zonula occludens-1(ZO-1)and angiopoietin-like protein 4(ANGPTL4)in patients with acute cerebral hemorrhage and their predictive efficacy for prognosis.Methods A total of 148 patients with acute cerebral hemorrhage treated in the hospital from April 2020 to May 2022 were selected as the study group,and another 150 healthy people who came to the hospital for gen-eral physical examination during the same period were selected as the control group,and a retrospective analy-sis was conducted.The protein expression levels of Nogo-A,Adropin,ZO-1 and ANGPTL4 in serum of the two groups were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)and compared.Spearman correla-tion coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between serum Nogo-A,Adropin,ZO-1,ANGPTL4 protein expression levels and the occurrence of acute cerebral hemorrhage.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was drawn to analyze the diagnostic efficacy of the combined detection of the above four indicators for a-cute cerebral hemorrhage.In addition,patients in the study group were followed up for 6 months,and were di-vided into good group(91 cases)and poor group(57 cases)according to the prognosis.Serum protein expres-sion levels of Nogo-A,Adropin,ZO-1 and ANGPTL4 were compared between the two groups.ROC curve was used to verify the predictive efficacy of the combined detection for the prognosis of these patients.Results Compared with the control group,the protein expression levels of Nogo-A,ZO-1 and ANGPTL4 in the study group were significantly increased,while the protein expression level of Adropin was significantly decreased(all P<0.05).Spearman correlation coefficient analysis showed that serum Nogo-A,ZO-1,ANGPTL4 pro-tein expression levels were positively correlated with the incidence rate of acute cerebral hemorrhage,while Adropin protein expression level was negatively correlated with the incidence rate of acute cerebral hemor-rhage(all P<0.05).ROC curve verification showed that the combined detection of Nogo-A,Adropin,ZO-1 and ANGPTL4 protein expression levels had high diagnostic efficacy in the evaluation of acute cerebral hemor-rhage,with the sensitivity and the specificity of 92.57%and 90.67%,respectively.Compared with good group,the protein expression levels of Nogo-A,ZO-1 and ANGPTL4 in poor group were significantly higher,while the protein expression level of Adropin was significantly decreased(all P<0.05).ROC curve showed that compared to single detections,the area under the curve of the combined detection of protein expression levels of Nogo-A,Adropin,ZO-1 and ANGPTL4 was larger(P<0.05),with the sensitivity of 84.21%and the specificity of 89.01%.Conclusion The protein expression levels of Nogo-A,Adropin,ZO-1 and AN-GPTL4 are abnormal in patients with acute cerebral hemorrhage,and the protein expression levels of Nogo-A,Adropin,ZO-1 and ANGPTL4 are closely related to the development of acute cerebral hemorrhage.The com-bined detection of the four indicators could not only assist clinical accurate judgment of acute cerebral hemor-rhage,but also have important clinical value in predicting the prognosis of patients.

BACKGROUND:Grape seed extract has been shown to be effective in inhibiting the growth of androgen-dependent tumors(e.g.,breast cancer),and thus grape seed extract could theoretically inhibit epiphyseal closure induced by estrogen in late adolescence. OBJECTIVE:To screen the effects of grape seed extract on apoptosis of growth plate chondrocytes and epiphyseal closure in rats. METHODS:(1)In vitro experiment:Growth plate chondrocytes from rat large tibia and femur at logarithmic growth stage were obtained and cultured in groups:normal control group,model control group(adding 17β-estradiol to induce apoptosis),positive control group(adding letrozole and 17β-estradiol),grape seed extract group(adding 17β-estradiol and 10 μg/mL grape seed extract),Caspase-9 inhibitor group(adding 17β-estradiol and Caspase-9 inhibitor),Caspase-9 agonist group(adding 17β-estradiol and Caspase-9 agonist).Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry after 48 hours of culture.(2)In vivo experiment:Thirty 3-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into model control group,positive control group and low-,medium-and high-dose groups,with five rats in each group.All rats were injected subcutaneously with 17β-estradiol(3 times per week)to establish epiphyseal closure models,followed by intragastric administration of letrozole in positive control group and 0.05,0.2 and 0.8 g/kg grape seed extract in low-,medium-and high-dose groups,respectively,once a day until over 2/3 of the epiphyseal plate in the model control group was closed.The length of the tibia was then observed.Another 18 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into model control group,positive control group,and medium-dose group,with 6 rats in each group,treated as above for 1.5 continuous months.The expression of Caspase-9 protein in rat growth plate cartilage was detected by western blot. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)In vitro experiment:17β-estradiol could induce apoptosis in growth plate chondrocytes,and letrozole,grape seed extract,and caspase-9 inhibitors could all inhibit apoptosis in growth plate chondrocytes.(2)In vivo experiment:When more than 2/3 of the epiphyseal plate in the model control group was closed,the number of rats with epiphysis closure in the positive control and medium-dose groups was less than that in the model control group(P＜0.05),and the tibial length was longer than that in the model control group(P＜0.05),and the Caspase-9 protein expression in the tibial growth plate was lower than that in the model control group(P＜0.05).To conclude,the appropriate dose of grape seed extract can effectively inhibit the apoptosis of growth plate chondrocytes and delay epiphyseal closure,which has the potential to promote bone growth.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the gene therapy strategies for neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and related research progress. METHODS: The recent literature on gene therapy for NF1 at home and abroad was reviewed. The structure and function of the NF1 gene and its mutations were analyzed, and the current status as well as future prospects of the transgenic therapy and gene editing strategies were summarized. RESULTS: NF1 is an autosomal dominantly inherited tumor predisposition syndrome caused by mutations in the NF1 tumor suppressor gene, which impair the function of the neurofibromin and lead to the disease. It has complex clinical manifestations and is not yet curable. Gene therapy strategies for NF1 are still in the research and development stage. Existing studies on the transgenic therapy for NF1 have mainly focused on the construction and expression of the GTPase-activating protein-related domain in cells that lack of functional neurofibromin, confirming the feasibility of the transgenic therapy for NF1. Future research may focus on split adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene delivery, oversized AAV gene delivery, and the development of new vectors for targeted delivery of full-length NF1 cDNA. In addition, the gene editing tools of the new generation have great potential to treat monogenic genetic diseases such as NF1, but need to be further validated in terms of efficiency and safety. CONCLUSION Gene therapy, including both the transgenic therapy and gene editing, is expected to become an important new therapeutic approach for NF1 patients.
Humans ; Neurofibromatosis 1/pathology* ; Neurofibromin 1/metabolism* ; GTPase-Activating Proteins ; Mutation ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genetic Therapy

Objective:The treatment of head and neck in plexiform neurofibroma (PNF) is a major clinical problem, lacking consensus on surgical treatment, classification, operation timing, and treatment method. The purpose of this study was to provide a basis for further consensus formation by analyzing the clinical manifestations, surgical conditions, tumor recurrence, post-operation satisfaction, and changes in quality of life of patients undergoing PNF surgery in head and neck.Methods:Through medical record review and telephone follow-up, a retrospective analysis was conducted on neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) patients admitted for surgical treatment for PNF patient in head and neck from May 2012 to July 2022 in Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Complete collection and statistical analysis of patients’clinical data, using telephone follow-up to investigate the immediate postoperative satisfaction and long-term surgical satisfaction of patients and/or their families, as well as standardized quality of life questionnaires HRQol(health related quality of life) and PlexiQol(plexiform neurofibroma quality of life). Based on the data about changes in quality of life before and after surgery and long-term surgical satisfaction, patients were divided into surgical benefit and non-benefit groups. Binary and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with long-term surgical benefit.Results:Totally 512 patients with head and neck NF1 were admitted for surgery with complete medical records. 121 patients were identified as NF1 related PNF diagnosed by medical history and radiological examination, and effective follow-up was obtained. There were 70 males and 51 females, aged (25.60±12.85) years old, ranging from 7 to 63 years old, with 41 patients who were ≤ 18 years old and 80 patients over 18 years old. 62.81%(76/121) of patients exhibiting clinical dysfunctions, and the tumor mass were mainly characterized by invasive growth. 41.32%(50/121) of patients underwent multiple surgical treatments, with a total of 215 surgeries performed on 121 patients. The surgical objective included appearance improvement and functional repair. The incidence of postoperative complications was 6.05%(13/215). The follow-up period after last operation was (51.41±27.66) months, and 42.15%(51/121) of patients reported postoperative tumor recurrence. 76.03%(92/121) of patients were satisfied with immediate postoperative result, while the rate decreased to 46.28%(56/121) during long-term follow-up. Family members of patients who were ≤ 18 years old had a higher proportion of dissatisfaction with the scars caused by surgery and a stronger willingness to undergo another surgery. The tumor recurrence was closely related to surgical benefits ( OR=2.32, P<0.05). Further analysis found that the gender and age of patients were the main risk factors for the recurrence. The recurrence risk in patients ≤ 18 years old was significantly higher than in that over 18 years old( OR=3.49, P=0.004), and the highest in the 7-12 year-old group, reaching 68.42%(13/19). The recurrence risk in male patients was significantly lower than that in females ( OR=0.40, P=0.026). Conclusion:The clinical manifestations of PNF patients in head and neck region are complex. Clinical diagnosis and treatment in PNF should focus on the applications in comprehensive method such as full preoperative evaluation, active multi-disciplinary treatment cooperation and combined therapies in order to improve the safety and effectiveness of treatment and reduce tumor recurrence.

Objective:To retrospectively analyze the clinical characteristics of 193 Chinese patients with McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS).Methods:By using keywords " McCune-Albright syndrome", " Albright syndrome", or " fibrous dysplasia " as the search terms, 193 cases of MAS reported in China from January 1990 to November 2022 from the Wanfang data, CNKI, VIP, PubMed, and Embase databases were obtained, and their clinical data was retrospectively analyzed. Intergroup comparisons were carried out by using t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and χ2 test. Results:The 193 MAS patients had included 42 males and 151 females, with the median first-visit age of females being younger than males. The typical triad group had accounted for 46.1% of patients, and the middle first-visit and diagnosis age was younger than the atypical group. The primary reason for first-visit in males of MAS was fibrous dysplasia (FD), whilst that in females of MAS was peripheral precocious puberty (PPP). FD has occurred in 84.5% of the patients, with an average age of onset age being 6.1 years old, and 90% was ≤ 16 years of age. Endocrine hyperfunction was found in 79.3% of the patients, with a higher proportion in females compared with males ( P<0.05). Pituitary involvement was seen in 21.8% of the patients, and the incidence of craniofacial FD and cranial nerve compression was significantly higher in those with elevated growth hormone (GH) than without ( P<0.05). Café-au-Lait Spots were noted in 86.5% of the patients, and 28.3% (28/99) had located on the different side of FD. Conclusion:Most MAS patients had atypical manifestations and multi-systemic involvement. It is more common and occurs earlier in females. The most common reasons for initial diagnosis in male and female patients were FD and PPP, respectively. Patients with elevated GH should be examined for cranial nerve compression.