This study aims to explore the effects and action mechanisms of the active ingredients in Buyang Huanwu Decoction(BYHWD), namely tetramethylpyrazine(TMP) and hydroxy-safflor yellow A(HSYA), on oxygen-glucose deprivation/reglucose-reoxygenation(OGD/R)-induced inflammation and oxidative stress of microglia(MG). Network pharmacology was used to screen the effective monomer ingredients of BYHWD and determine the safe concentration range for each component. Inflammation and oxidative stress models were established to further screen the best ingredient combination and optimal concentration ratio with the most effective anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. OGD/R BV2 cell models were constructed, and BV2 cells in the logarithmic growth phase were divided into a normal group, a model group, an HSYA group, a TMP group, and an HSYA + TMP group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to detect the levels of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1β(IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and interleukin-6(IL-6). Oxidative stress markers, including superoxide dismutase(SOD), nitric oxide(NO), and malondialdehyde(MDA), were also measured. Western blot was used to analyze the protein expression of both inflammation-related pathway [Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)] and oxidative stress-related pathway [nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)]. Immunofluorescence was used to assess the expression of proteins such as inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS) and arginase-1(Arg-1). The most effective ingredients for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in BYHWD were TMP and HSYA. Compared to the normal group, the model group showed significantly increased levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, NO, and MDA, along with significantly higher protein expression of NF-κB, TLR4, Nrf2, and HO-1 and significantly lower SOD levels. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant. Compared to the model group, both the HSYA group and the TMP group showed significantly reduced levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, NO, and MDA, lower expression of NF-κB and TLR4 proteins, higher levels of SOD, and significantly increased protein expression of Nrf2 and HO-1. Additionally, the expression of the M1-type MG marker iNOS was significantly reduced, while the expression of the M2-type MG marker Arg-1 was significantly increased. The results of the HSYA group and the TMP group had statistically significant differences from those of the model group. Compared to the HSYA group and the TMP group, the HSYA + TMP group showed further significant reductions in IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, NO, and MDA levels, along with significant reductions in NF-κB and TLR4 protein expression, an increase in SOD levels, and elevated Nrf2 and HO-1 protein expression. Additionally, the expression of the M1-type MG marker iNOS was reduced, while the M2-type MG marker Arg-1 expression increased significantly in the HSYA + TMP group compared to the TMP or HSYA group. The differences in the results were statistically significant between the HSYA + TMP group and the TMP or HSYA group. The findings indicated that the combined use of HSYA and TMP, the active ingredients of BYHWD, can effectively inhibit OGD/R-induced inflammation and oxidative stress of MG, showing superior effects compared to the individual use of either component.
Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Animals ; Mice ; Glucose/metabolism* ; Cell Line ; Inflammation/genetics* ; Oxygen/metabolism* ; Pyrazines/pharmacology* ; Microglia/metabolism* ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/immunology* ; NF-kappa B/immunology* ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/immunology* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology* ; Humans

To investigate the impact of preoperative serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels on the probability of testicular sperm retrieval, we conducted a study of nonobstructive azoospermic (NOA) men with different testicular volumes (TVs) who underwent microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE). A total of 177 NOA patients undergoing micro-TESE for the first time from April 2019 to November 2022 in Shenzhen Zhongshan Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital (formerly Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital, Shenzhen, China) were retrospectively reviewed. The subjects were divided into four groups based on average TV quartiles. Serum hormone levels in each TV group were compared between positive and negative sperm retrieval subgroups. Overall sperm retrieval rate was 57.6%. FSH levels (median [interquartile range]) were higher in the positive sperm retrieval subgroup compared with the negative outcome subgroup when average TV was <5 ml (first quartile [Q1: TV <3 ml]: 43.32 [17.92] IU l -1 vs 32.95 [18.56] IU l -1 , P = 0.048; second quartile [Q2: 3 ml ≤ TV <5 ml]: 31.31 [15.37] IU l -1 vs 25.59 [18.40] IU l -1 , P = 0.042). Elevated serum FSH levels were associated with successful micro-TESE sperm retrieval in NOA men whose average TVs were <5 ml (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.06 per unit increase; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.11; P = 0.011). In men with TVs ≥5 ml, larger TVs were associated with lower odds of sperm retrieval (adjusted OR: 0.84 per 1 ml increase; 95% CI: 0.71-0.98; P = 0.029). In conclusion, elevated serum FSH levels were associated with positive sperm retrieval in micro-TESE in NOA men with TVs <5 ml. In men with TV ≥5 ml, increases in average TVs were associated with lower odds of sperm retrieval.
Humans ; Male ; Azoospermia/surgery* ; Sperm Retrieval/statistics & numerical data* ; Adult ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood* ; Retrospective Studies ; Testis/pathology* ; Microdissection ; Organ Size

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the efficacy and safety of decitabine-based myeloablative preconditioning regimen for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). METHODS: The clinical characteristics and efficacy of 115 AML patients who underwent allo-HSCT at the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from August 2018 to August 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including 37 patients treated with decitabine conditioning regimen (decitabine group) and 78 patients without decitabine conditioning regimen (non-decitabine group). The cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR), overall survival (OS), leukemia-free survival (LFS), non-relapse mortality (NRM) and graft versus host disease (GVHD) were analyzed. RESULTS: For the patients in first complete remission (CR1) state before allo-HSCT, the 1-year relapse rates of decitabine group(22 cases) and non-decitabine group(69 cases) were 9.1% and 29.6%, respectively, the difference was statistically significant(P =0.042). The 1-year cumulative incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) in decitabine group and non-decitabine group was 62.2% and 70.5%, respectively, and the 1-year cumulative incidence of chronic inhibitor-versus-host disease (cGVHD) was 18.9% and 14.1%, respectively, there were no significant differences in the incidence of aGVHD and cGVHD between the two groups (P >0.05). Of the 115 patients, there were no significantly differences in the 1-year CIR(21.7% vs 28.8%, P =0.866), NRM(10.9% vs 3.9%, P =0.203), OS(75.2% vs 83.8%, P =0.131) and LFS(74.6% vs 69.1%, P =0.912) between the decitabine group(37 cases) and the non-decitabine group(78 cases). CONCLUSION Decitabine-based conditioning regimen could reduce the relapse rate of AML CR1 patients with good safety.
Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/therapy* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/methods* ; Decitabine/therapeutic use* ; Transplantation Conditioning/methods* ; Retrospective Studies ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Adolescent ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anti-tumor effects of cinobufacini (CINO) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) induced by des-gamma-carboxy-prothrombin (DCP) and to uncover the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: The inhibitory effect of CINO on HCC cell proliferation was evaluated using the cell counting kit-8 method, and the apoptosis rate was quantified using flow cytometry. Immunofluorescence and Western blot analyses were used to investigate the differential expression of proteins associated with cell growth, apoptosis, migration, and invasion pathways after CINO treatment. The therapeutic potential of CINO for HCC was confirmed, and the possibility of combining cinobufacini with c-Met inhibitor for the treatment of primary HCC was further validated by in vivo experiments. RESULTS: Under the induction of DCP, CINO inhibited the activity of HCC cells, induced apoptosis, and inhibited migration and invasion. Upon the induction of DCP, CINO regulated c-Met activation and the activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MEK/ERK) pathways. In a mouse model of HCC, CINO exhibited significant antitumor effects by inhibiting the phosphorylation of c-Met and the downstream PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK pathways in tumor tissues. CONCLUSIONS CINO inhibited HCC cell growth, promoted apoptosis, and suppressed HCC cell invasion and migration by targeting c-Met and PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK signaling pathways under DCP induction.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/drug therapy* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met/metabolism* ; Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Animals ; Humans ; Cell Movement/drug effects* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Amphibian Venoms/therapeutic use* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Cell Survival/drug effects* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Mice ; Male ; Bufanolides/therapeutic use* ; Protein Precursors ; Prothrombin ; Biomarkers

Debates persist regarding the efficacy and safety of azvudine, particularly its real-world outcomes. This study involved patients aged ≥60 years who were admitted to 25 hospitals in mainland China with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between December 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023. Efficacy outcomes were all-cause mortality during hospitalization, the proportion of patients discharged with recovery, time to nucleic acid-negative conversion (T _NANC), time to symptom improvement (T _SI), and time of hospital stay (T _HS). Safety was also assessed. Among the 5884 participants identified, 1999 received azvudine, and 1999 matched controls were included after exclusion and propensity score matching. Azvudine recipients exhibited lower all-cause mortality compared with controls in the overall population (13.3% vs. 17.1%, RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67-0.90; P = 0.001) and in the severe subgroup (25.7% vs. 33.7%; RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66-0.88; P < 0.001). A higher proportion of patients discharged with recovery, and a shorter T _NANC were associated with azvudine recipients, especially in the severe subgroup. The incidence of adverse events in azvudine recipients was comparable to that in the control group (2.3% vs. 1.7%, P = 0.170). In conclusion, azvudine showed efficacy and safety in older patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the SARS-CoV-2 omicron wave in China.

Objective:To investigate the application effect of 3D printed fetal heart model based on ultrasound data combined with case-based learning (CBL) in prenatal ultrasound teaching of complex heart malformations in standardized residency training of ultrasound medicine.Methods:A total of 60 students majoring in ultrasound imaging who received standardized residency training in Ultrasonography Center of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, from September 2020 to August 2022 were enrolled as subjects and divided into experimental group and control group, with 30 students in each group. The students in the experimental group received teaching with 3D printed fetal heart model and CBL teaching, and those in the control group received teaching with hand-painted heart diagram and CBL teaching. The two groups were compared in terms of the score of theoretical examination, the degree of satisfaction with teaching, and the self-rated score of the understanding of each disease before and after teaching, and the correlation of the increase in score with case complexity was also analyzed. MedCalc software was used to perform the t-test and the linear regression analysis. Results:The experimental group had a significantly higher score of theoretical examination than the control group [(85.70±8.70) vs. (71.40±9.50)]. The questionnaire survey showed that the experimental group had better feedbacks than the control group in the aspects such as the degree of satisfaction with teaching ( P<0.05). After the implementation of this teaching model, compared with the control group, the experimental group had significantly higher self-rated scores of the understanding of case 2, case 3, case 4, and case 5 ( P<0.05). The increase in score after teaching was positively correlated with the complexity score of abnormal cases ( R2=0.90, P=0.010; R2=0.94, P=0.010), and the experimental group tended to have a greater regression coefficient. Conclusions:The reasonable application of 3D printed fetal heart model combined with CBL teaching in fetal heart teaching in standardized residency training of ultrasound medicine can help the students to understand and enhance the knowledge of cardiac anatomy, improve the learning experience of fetal echocardiography, and deepen the understanding and awareness of complex congenital heart disease.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of pneumococcal meningitis(PM),and drug sensitivity of Streptococcus pneumoniae(SP)isolates in Chinese children.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical information,laboratory data,and microbiological data of 160 hospitalized children under 15 years old with PM from January 2019 to December 2020 in 33 tertiary hospitals across the country.Results Among the 160 children with PM,there were 103 males and 57 females.The age ranged from 15 days to 15 years,with 109 cases(68.1% )aged 3 months to under 3 years.SP strains were isolated from 95 cases(59.4% )in cerebrospinal fluid cultures and from 57 cases(35.6% )in blood cultures.The positive rates of SP detection by cerebrospinal fluid metagenomic next-generation sequencing and cerebrospinal fluid SP antigen testing were 40% (35/87)and 27% (21/78),respectively.Fifty-five cases(34.4% )had one or more risk factors for purulent meningitis,113 cases(70.6% )had one or more extra-cranial infectious foci,and 18 cases(11.3% )had underlying diseases.The most common clinical symptoms were fever(147 cases,91.9% ),followed by lethargy(98 cases,61.3% )and vomiting(61 cases,38.1% ).Sixty-nine cases(43.1% )experienced intracranial complications during hospitalization,with subdural effusion and/or empyema being the most common complication[43 cases(26.9% )],followed by hydrocephalus in 24 cases(15.0% ),brain abscess in 23 cases(14.4% ),and cerebral hemorrhage in 8 cases(5.0% ).Subdural effusion and/or empyema and hydrocephalus mainly occurred in children under 1 year old,with rates of 91% (39/43)and 83% (20/24),respectively.SP strains exhibited complete sensitivity to vancomycin(100% ,75/75),linezolid(100% ,56/56),and meropenem(100% ,6/6).High sensitivity rates were also observed for levofloxacin(81% ,22/27),moxifloxacin(82% ,14/17),rifampicin(96% ,25/26),and chloramphenicol(91% ,21/23).However,low sensitivity rates were found for penicillin(16% ,11/68)and clindamycin(6% ,1/17),and SP strains were completely resistant to erythromycin(100% ,31/31).The rates of discharge with cure and improvement were 22.5% (36/160)and 66.2% (106/160),respectively,while 18 cases(11.3% )had adverse outcomes.Conclusions Pediatric PM is more common in children aged 3 months to under 3 years.Intracranial complications are more frequently observed in children under 1 year old.Fever is the most common clinical manifestation of PM,and subdural effusion/emphysema and hydrocephalus are the most frequent complications.Non-culture detection methods for cerebrospinal fluid can improve pathogen detection rates.Adverse outcomes can be noted in more than 10% of PM cases.SP strains are high sensitivity to vancomycin,linezolid,meropenem,levofloxacin,moxifloxacin,rifampicin,and chloramphenicol.[Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,2024,26(2):131-138]

Objective To investigate the incidence rate,clinical characteristics,and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen,China.Methods Led by Shenzhen Children's Hospital,the Shenzhen Neonatal Data Collaboration Network organized 21 institutions to collect 36 cases of neonatal stroke from January 2020 to December 2022.The incidence,clinical characteristics,treatment,and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen were analyzed.Results The incidence rate of neonatal stroke in 21 hospitals from 2020 to 2022 was 1/15 137,1/6 060,and 1/7 704,respectively.Ischemic stroke accounted for 75％(27/36);boys accounted for 64％(23/36).Among the 36 neonates,31(86％)had disease onset within 3 days after birth,and 19(53％)had convulsion as the initial presentation.Cerebral MRI showed that 22 neonates(61％)had left cerebral infarction and 13(36％)had basal ganglia infarction.Magnetic resonance angiography was performed for 12 neonates,among whom 9(75％)had involvement of the middle cerebral artery.Electroencephalography was performed for 29 neonates,with sharp waves in 21 neonates(72％)and seizures in 10 neonates(34％).Symptomatic/supportive treatment varied across different hospitals.Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment was performed for 12 neonates(33％,12/36),with a mean score of(32±4)points.The prognosis of 27 neonates was followed up to around 12 months of age,with 44％(12/27)of the neonates having a good prognosis.Conclusions Ischemic stroke is the main type of neonatal stroke,often with convulsions as the initial presentation,involvement of the middle cerebral artery,sharp waves on electroencephalography,and a relatively low neurodevelopment score.Symptomatic/supportive treatment is the main treatment method,and some neonates tend to have a poor prognosis.

Objective To explore preemptive analgesic effect of preoperative intramural tramadol injection in percutaneous kyphoplasty(PKP)of vertebrae following local anesthesia.Methods From August 2019 to June 2021,118 patients with thora-co lumbar osteoporotic fractures were treated and divided into observation group and control group,with 59 patients in each gruop.In observation group,there were 26 males and 33 females,aged from 57 to 80 years old with an average of(67.69±4.75)years old;14 patients on T11,12 patients on T12,18 patients on L1,15 patients on L2;tramadol with 100 mg was injected intramuscularly half an hour before surgery in observation group.In control group,there were 24 males and 35 females,aged from 55 to 77 years old with an average of(68.00±4.43)years old;19 patients on T11,11 patients on T12,17patients on L1,12 patients on L2;the same amount of normal saline was injected intramuscularly in control group.Observation indicators included operation time,intraoperative bleeding,visual analogue scale(VAS)evaluation and recording of preoperative(T0),intraoper-ative puncture(T1),and working cannula placement(T2)between two groups of patients,at the time of balloon dilation(T3),when the bone cement was injected into the vertebral body(T4),2 hours after the operation(T5),and the pain degree at the time of discharge(T6);adverse reactions such as dizziness,nausea and vomiting were observed and recorded;the record the patient's acceptance of repeat PKP surgery.Results All patients were successfully completed PKP via bilateral pedicle ap-proach,and no intravenous sedative and analgesic drugs were used during the operation.There was no significant difference in preoperative general data and VAS(T0)between two groups(P＞0.05).There was no significant difference in operation time and intraoperative blood loss between the two groups(P＞0.05).VAS of T1,T2,T3,T4 and T5 in observation group were all lower than those in control group(P＜0.05),and there was no significant difference in T6 VAS(P＞0.05).T6 VAS between two groups were significantly lower than those of T0,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).There was no signifi-cant difference in incidence of total adverse reactions between two groups(P＞0.05).There was a statistically significant differ-ence in the acceptance of repeat PKP surgery(P＜0.05).Conclusion Half an hour before operation,intramuscular injection of tramadol has a clear preemptive analgesic effect for PKP of single-segment thoracolumbar osteoporotic fracture vertebral body under local anesthesia,which could increase the comfort of patients during operation and 2 hours after operation,and improve patients satisfaction with surgery.

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion(Mis-TLIF)technique combined with preoperative position reduction in the treatment of spondylolisthesis and summarize its advan-tages.Methods Between July 2016 and July 2022,60 patients with lumbar isthmic spondylolisthesis were retrospectively ana-lyzed,including 26 males and 34 females,with an average age of(51.32±4.24)years old ranging from 35 to 72 years old.They were divided into observation group and control group according to the operation methods.There were 30 patients in the obser-vation group,including 12 males and 18 females;the age ranged from 35 to 71 years old with an average of(51.80±6.38)years old,the course of disease ranged from 12 to 60 months with an average of(24.17±1.98)months;there were 18 cases of L4 spondylolisthesis and 12 cases of L5 spondylolisthesis;according to Meyerding classification,there were 20 cases of grade Ⅰspondylolisthesis and 10 cases of grade Ⅱ.The observation group was treated with preoperative postural reduction combined with intraoperative reduction assisted minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar fusion via Quadrant channel(Mis-TLIF).There were 30 patients in the control group,including 14 males and 16 females,with an average of(50.00±4.24)years old ranging from 36 to 72 years old;the course of disease ranged from 12 to 60 months with an average of(23.70±1.53)months;there were 16 cases of L4 spondylolisthesis and 14 cases of L5 spondylolisthesis;according to Meyerding classification,there were 19 cases of grade Ⅰ spondylolisthesis and 11 cases of grade Ⅱ.The control group was treated with open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion(Open-TLIF).The differences of operation time,intraoperative and postoperative blood loss,hospital stay,radiation exposure time and complications between the two groups were analyzed.Visual analogue scale(VAS),Oswestry disability index(ODI)and Japanese Orthopaedic Association(JOA)score were used to evaluate the clinical effect.X-ray and CT were followed up to evaluate the interbody fusion.Results All patients were followed up for 12 months.There was no signifi-cant difference in operation time,VAS of low back pain,slip angle and slip rate between two groups(P＞0.05).The intraoperative and postoperative blood loss in the observation group(165.50±15.56)ml and(59.17±10.59)ml were less than those in the con-trol group(259.33±35.32)ml and(165.33±29.56)ml(P＜0.05).The length of hospital stay in the observation group(3.53±0.68)days was less than that in the control group(5.20±0.41)days(P＜0.05).The intervertebral space height,slip angle,slip rate,ODI,VAS and JOA scores were significantly improved in the two groups at the final follow-up(P＜0.05).There were signifi-cant differences in ODI[(9.93±1.11)％vs(10.93±1.11)％]and JOA[(26.07±1.01)points vs(25.43±1.25)points]between the observation group and the control group at the final follow-up(P＜0.05).Conclusion In the treatment of spondylolisthesis,preoperative position reduction combined with intraoperative reduction assisted Mis-Tlif technique has advantages of less trau-ma,less bleeding and shorter hospitalization period than traditional open surgery.It is a safe and effective technique.