Brain tinnitus is a common clinical condition whose pathogenesis is not yet fully understood,and it still lacks effective therapies in clinical practice.Professor Liu Maocai believes that the clinical manifestations of brain tinnitus are usually characterized by deficiency syndrome,and sometimes are complicated excess syndrome.The disease is located in the brain and is closely related to the liver,spleen,and kidney.The treatment of brain tinnitus should be focused on tonifying the liver and kidney,and strengthening the spleen,and methods of calming the liver to extinguish wind,resolving phlegm to open the orifices,and activating blood circulation to unblock collaterals can be used for excess syndrome.In clinical practice,Professor Liu Maocai is skilled in using herb pairs such as Astragali Radix-Codonopsis Radix,Eucommiae Cortex-Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix,Paeoniae Radix Alba-Bupleuri Radix,Angelicae Sinensis Radix-Chuanxiong Rhizoma,Gastrodiae Rhizoma-Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis,and Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma-Polygalae Radix.Professor Liu Maocai's experience in treating brain tinnitus from the perspective of the liver,spleen,and kidney can provide valuable references for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of brain tinnitus with traditional Chinese medicine.

Objective:To analyze the factors influencing the poor effect of short-term electrical spinal cord stimulation in the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).Methods:The medical records of PHN patients of either sex, aged 40-85 yr, of American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification Ⅰ or Ⅱ, who received short-term electrical spinal cord stimulation from July 2017 to July 2022, were retrospectively collected. The therapeutic effect was evaluated using the modified MacNab criteria at 3 months after operation, and the patients were divided into good efficacy group (excellent and good efficacy) and poor efficacy group (fair and poor efficacy). General information, disease course, lesion site, complicated diseases, ossification of the yellow ligament in the diseased spinal segment, severity of pain in the herpetic stage, standard antiviral therapy in the herpetic stage (for more than 7 days) and use of neurotrophic drugs in the herpetic stage (for more than 7 days) were collected. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to screen the influencing factors for the poor effect of electrical spinal cord stimulation in the treatment of PHN.Results:A total of 168 patients were eventually enrolled, among which 69 had poor curative effect, and the rate of poor curative effect was 41.1%. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the patient′s age ( OR=2.230, P=0.015), course of disease ( OR=2.191, P=0.027), complication with diabetes mellitus( OR=8.859, P=0.010), ossification of ligamentum flavum at the same segment ( OR=6.602, P=0.019), severity of pain in the herpetic stage ( OR=5.788, P=0.038) and non-standard antiviral therapy in the herpetic stage ( OR=6.765, P=0.021) were the influencing factors for the poor effect of electrical spinal cord stimulation in the treatment of PHN. Conclusions:Age, course of disease, complication with diabetes mellitus, ossification of ligamentum flandum at the same segment, severity of pain in the herpetic stage and non-standard antiviral therapy in the herpetic stage are the factors influencing the poor effect of short-term electrical spinal cord stimulation in the treatment of PHN.

In recent years,mechanical thrombectomy has been the most important research progress in the treatment of acute cerebral infarction,especially the positive results of five endovascular therapy studies in 2015 has rewritten its clinical guidelines.However,the focus of these studies was mainly on the small vessel infarction(SVI),and the inclusion criteria of these studies include the following aspects:ASPECTS ≥6 points,Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score within 6 hours after stroke onset,the infarct volume＜70 mL within 6-24 hours after stroke onset,and the presence of image mismatch or the presence of mismatch between clinical condition and perfusion imaging.The above studies excluded patients with ASPECTS＜6 points or infarct volume ≥70 mL of large core infarction(LCI).With the continuous progress of the endovascular treatment of acute ischemic stroke(AIS),the mechanical thrombectomy therapy strategy has crossed from the"time window"to the"tissue window",meanwhile,the therapeutic goal of mechanical thrombectomy has also moved from treating SVI to a new era of treating LCI that has been a very hot topic recently.Whether endovascular treatment is beneficial for patients with LCI remains uncertain.This paper aims to make a comprehensive review concerning the relevant research progress in endovascular therapy for anterior circulation large core ischemic stroke,including the imaging determination and study inclusion criteria of LCI,the postoperative blood pressure management,and the factors influencing ineffective recanalization and prognosis.(J Intervent Radiol,2023,32:1256-1262)

Objective    To explore the therapeutic effect and safety of irreversible electroporation (IRE) ablation technique on esophageal cancer. Methods    An ECM830 electroporator was used for IRE treatment on esophageal cancer cells EC109 and KYSE30. According to the different electric field intensity, five groups were assigned: a control group, a 500 V/cm group, a 1 000 V/cm group, a 1 500 V/cm group, and a 2 000 V/cm group. After 24 h, methyl thiazolyltetrazolium (MTT) was used to detect the cell proliferation of each group. Western blotting was performed to evaluate the expression of apoptosis proteins in cells before or after IRE treatment. Eight healthy BALB/c nude mice were equally divided into two groups: a control group (n=4) and an IRE group (n=4). EC109 was used to establish subcutaneous transplantation tumors and subsequently the mice in the IRE group were treated with flat electrode. The weight and volume of tumors were measured after 14 days. Ten healthy New Zealand white rabbits were equally divided into two groups: a control group (n=5) and an IRE group (n=5). After exposing the abdominal cavity, the abdominal esophagus of the IRE group was treated with flat electrode. Seven days later, the esophagus was extracted for HE and Masson staining. Results    When the electric field intensity was low (500 V/cm), there was no change in esophageal cancer cells proliferation after IRE treatment compared to the control group (EC109: P=0.385, KYSE30: P=0.600). With the increase of electric field intensity, the influence of IRE on the proliferation of esophageal cancer cell gradually increased. When it reached 2 000 V/cm, there was basically no cell viability after IRE treatment (P<0.001). The results of Western blotting showed that the expression of cleaved caspase-3 increased after IRE treatment (P<0.01). Animal experiments indicated that the weight and volume of tumors in nude mice reduced (P<0.05) and the growth of tumors was slowed down after IRE treatment. In addition, the parenchymal cells of rabbit esophagus were largely damaged, while interstitial tissues such as fibers were well preserved. Conclusion    IRE ablation has the potential to inhibit the proliferation of esophageal cancer cell and slow down the tumor growth.What’s more, it is safe for the esophagus.

A novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that broke out at the end of 2019 is a newly discovered highly pathogenic human coronavirus and has some similarities with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the receptor for infected cells by SARS-CoV. SARS-CoV can invade cells by binding to ACE2 through the spike protein and SARS-CoV-2 may also infect cells through ACE2. Meanwhile, ACE2 also plays an important role in the course of pneumonia. Therefore the possible role of ACE2 in SARS and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is worth discussing. This paper briefly summarized the role of ACE2 in SARS, and discussed the possible function of ACE2 in COVID-19 and potential risk of infection with other organs. At last, the function of ACE2 was explored for possible treatment strategies for SARS. It is hoped to provide ideas and theoretical support for clinical treatment of COVID-19.

Objective To evaluate the role of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in the synaptic plasticity of entorhinal area-hippocampal formation in rats with inflammatory pain.Methods Twenty-four healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats,weighing 180-240 g,were divided into 4 groups (n =6 each) by using a random number table method:control group (group C),inflammatory pain group (group IP),dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) group and mTOR inhibitor rapamycin group (group R).Inflammatory pain model was established by subcutaneous injection of 50 μl bee venom into the plantar surface of the left hindpaw.The equal volume of normal saline was subcutaneously injected into the plantar surface of the left hindpaw in group C.In group DMSO,2％ DMSO was administered by intragastric gavage for 3 days,1 ml per day,and the inflammatory pain model was established at 1 h after administration on 3rd day.In group R,rapamycin was administered by intragastric gavage for 3 days,1 ml per day,and the inflammatory pain model was established at 1 h after administration on 3rd day.Mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal paw withdrawal latency (TWL) were measured at 2 h after establishing the model.The rats were sacrificed after measurement of the pain threshold,and hippocampi were removed to prepare hippocampal slices.Hippocampal CA1 region and dentate gyrus (DG region) were located with an inverted microscope.Planar microelectrode array technique was used to record the number of channels and the standardized amplitude of evoked effective field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) (fEPSPs amplitude＞20％ of the baseline value) at different stimulus intensities.Results Compared with group C,MWT was significantly decreased,TWL was shortened,the number of effective fEPSP channels at different stimulus intensities was increased,and the amplitude of standardized fEPSPs in hippocampal DG and CA1 regions was increased in group IP (P＜0.05 or 0.01),and no significant change was found in the parameters mentioned above in group R (P＞0.05).Compared with group IP,MWT was significantly increased,TWL was prolonged,the number of effective fEPSP channels at different stimulus intensities was decreased,and the amplitude of standardized fEPSPs in hippocampal DG and CA1 regions was decreased in group R (P＜0.05 or 0.01),and no significant change was found in the parameters mentioned above in group DMSO (P＞0.05).Conclusion mTOR is involved in the changes in the synaptic plasticity of entorhinal areahippocampal formation in rats with inflammatory pain.

Objective To compare the single-and double-injection techniques for sciatic nerve block.Methods Sixty ASA physical status Ⅰ or Ⅱ patients of both sexes,aged 18-64 yr,weighing 48-72 kg,undergoing elective unilateral foot and ankle surgery,were randomly divided into 2 groups (n =30 each) using a random number table:single-injection group (group S) and double-injection group (group D).Labat-winnie approach to sciatic nerve block was performed under the guidance of a nerve stimulator.When ankle dorsal or plantar flexion developed,group S received a single injection of 0.5％ ropivacaine 30 ml.When ankle dorsal and plantar flexion developed,0.5％ ropivacaine 15 ml was injected each time in group D.The failure of location was recorded.The time spent performing the procedure,onset time and duration of sensory and motor blockade,and the total time for the block were recorded.The effectiveness of block (success,failure) was assessed.Results The failure rate of location was 10％ in group D.The success rate of block was 93％ in group S,and was 96％ in group D,and there was no significant difference in the success rate of block between the two groups.Compared with group S,the onset time of sensory and motor blockade was significantly shortened,the time spent performing the procedure was prolonged,and no significant change was found in the total time for the block,duration of sensory and motor blockade in group D.Conclusion Single-injection technique is recommended for the sciatic nerve block in the patients undergoing lower extremity surgery.

OBJECTIVEInvestigate the best surgical resection of esophageal cancer by comparing the efficacy and safety between Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy and Sweet esophagectomy.

METHODSThe relevant literatures comparing Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy with Sweet esophagectomy were searched through PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Google scholar, CNKI, CBM, VIP, WanFang Data. RevMan 5.2 software was used for data analysis.

RESULTSA total of 4106 patients in 15 studies were reviewed and the data were pooled for analysis. Meta-analysis showed that, compared with the Sweet group, Ivor-Lewis operative time was significantly longer(pooled mean difference=57.40; 95%CI:42.43 to 72.38; P=0.000), operative bleeding was significantly higher(pooled mean difference=28.39, 95%CI:4.06 to 52.72, P=0.02); the number of lymph node dissection significantly more(pooled mean difference=4.19, 95%CI:3.06 to 5.32, P=0.000); No significant difference was present in hospital stay, vocal cord paralysis, chylous leakage, pulmonary complications, anastomotic leakage(all P>0.05). The 5-year survival between the two groups showed no significant difference(P=0.52).

CONCLUSIONSThe two kinds of operation have the same long term effect. Compared with Ivor-Lewis operation, Sweet operation is easier to perform, less time consuming and more tolerable. Ivor-Lewis operation can dissect more lymph nodes than Sweet operation, without increased complications.

Esophageal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Esophagectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology

BACKGROUNDNon-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common lung malignancy worldwide. The metastatic potential of NSCLC cells has been shown to be associated with the tumor microenvironment, which consists of tumor cells, stroma, blood vessels, immune infiltrates and the extracellular matrix. Fibroblasts can produce numerous extracellular matrix molecules and growth factors. Gefitinib has been evaluated as a first-line treatment in selected patients, and it has shown favorable efficacy especially in NSCLC, but it is not effective for everyone.

METHODSIn this study, we examined the antitumor activity of gefitinib on lung fibroblasts co-cultured of lung cancer cells. A series of co-culture experiments that employed cell counting kit-8 (CCK8), transwells, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting with HFL-1 fibroblasts and A549 human lung carcinoma cells were performed to learn more about tumor cell proliferation, migration and invasion; and to determine any change of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated tumor markers vimentin, matrix metallopro-teinase 2 (MMP2) and chemotaxis cytokines receptor 4 (CXCR4) mRNA levels.

RESULTSA549 cell proliferation in the presence of HFL-1 cells was not significantly increased compared with A549 cells alone, but A549 cell spheroid body formation was increased after co-culture, and treatment with gefitinib increased further. Our study also revealed that fibroblasts attenuated the lung cancer cell inhibition ratio of migration and invasion after gefitinib treatment in vitro. To further study this mechanism, RT-PCR analysis showed that vimentin, MMP2 and CXCR4 mRNA levels were more highly expressed in the lung cancer cells after co-culture, but did not obviously decrease compared with the control cells following gefitinib treatment. This suggests the mechanism by which fibroblasts attenuate gefitinib-induced expression of EMT-associated tumor markers. Finally, our results demonstrated that co-culture with A549 lung cancer cells does not alter the cell cycle distribution of HFL-1 fibroblasts. Furthermore, HFL-1 fibroblasts had no effect on the cell cycle distribution of HFL-1 cells treated with gefitinib.

CONCLUSIONGefitinib has lower anti-tumor activity on A549 lung cancer cells when co-cultured with HFL-1 fibroblasts.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Coculture Techniques ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; drug effects ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Quinazolines ; pharmacology