OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy and safety of Tiaowei Jiannao acupuncture (acupuncture for regulating defensive qi and nourishing brain) for post-ischemic stroke insomnia (PISI). METHODS: A total of 96 patients with PISI were randomized into an acupuncture group (32 cases, 1 case was excluded), a medication group (32 cases, 1 case dropped out, 1 case was excluded) and a sham-acupuncture group (32 cases, 1 case dropped out, 1 case was excluded). In the acupuncture group, Tiaowei Jiannao acupuncture was applied at bilateral Shenmai (BL62), Zhaohai (KI6), Hegu (LI4), Taichong (LR3), and Baihui (GV20), Sishencong (EX-HN1), Yintang (GV24⁺), Shenting (GV24), once a day, 1-day interval was taken after 6-day treatment, for 3 weeks totally. In the medication group, eszopiclone tablet was given orally, 1-3 mg a time, once a day for 3 weeks. In the sham-acupuncture group, non-invasive sham acupuncture was applied, the acupoint selection, frequency and course of treatment were the same as the acupuncture group. Before treatment, after 2,3 weeks of treatment, the scores of Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), self-rating sleep scale (SRSS), National Institutes of Health Stroke scale (NIHSS), Hamilton depression scale-17 (HAMD-17) were observed; before and after treatment, the sleep parameters were recorded using polysomnography (PSG); and the efficacy and safety were evaluated after treatment in the 3 groups. RESULTS: After 2,3 weeks of treatment, the scores of PSQI, HAMD-17 and SRSS in the acupuncture group and the medication group, as well as the SRSS scores in the sham-acupuncture group were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05); after 2 weeks of treatment, the NIHSS score in the acupuncture group was decreased compared with that before treatment (P<0.05); after 3 weeks of treatment, the NIHSS scores in the acupuncture group, the medication group and the sham-acupuncture group were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05). After 3 weeks of treatment, the scores of PSQI, SRSS, HAMD-17 and NIHSS in the acupuncture group and the medication group, as well as the NIHSS score in the sham-acupuncture group were decreased compared with those after 2 weeks of treatment (P<0.05). After 2,3 weeks of treatment, the scores of PSQI, SRSS and HAMD-17 in the acupuncture group and the medication group were lower than those in the sham-acupuncture group (P<0.05), the NIHSS scores in the acupuncture group were lower than those in the medication group and the sham-acupuncture group (P<0.05); after 3 weeks of treatment, HAMD-17 score in the acupuncture group was lower than that in the medication group (P<0.05), the NIHSS score in the medication group was lower than that in the sham-acupuncture group (P<0.05). Compared before treatment, after treatment, the total sleep time was prolonged (P<0.05), the wake after sleep onset, sleep latency, and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep latency were shortened (P<0.05), the sleep efficiency was improved (P<0.05), the number of awakenings was reduced (P<0.05), the percentage of rapid eye movement (REM%) and the percentage of NREM stage 1 (N1%) were decreased (P<0.05), the percentage of NREM stage 2 (N2%) and the percentage of NREM stage 3 (N3%) were increased (P<0.05) in the acupuncture group and the medication group; the sleep latency was shortened in the sham-acupuncture group (P<0.05). After treatment, the PSG indexes in the acupuncture group and the medication group were superior to those in the sham-acupuncture group (P<0.05); in the acupuncture group, the number of awakenings was less than that in the medication group (P<0.05), the REM% and N1% were lower than those in the medication group (P<0.05), the N2% and N3% were higher than those in the medication group (P<0.05). The total effective rate were 93.5% (29/31) and 90.0% (27/30) in the acupuncture group and the medication group respectively, which were higher than 10.0% (3/30) in the sham-acupuncture group (P<0.05). There was no serious adverse events in any of the 3 groups. CONCLUSION Tiaowei Jiannao acupuncture improves the insomnia symptoms in patients with ischemic stroke, improves the quality of sleep, increases the deep sleep, promotes the recovery of neurological function, and relieves the depression. It is effective and safe for the treatment of PISI.
Humans ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Male ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/physiopathology* ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Acupuncture Points ; Treatment Outcome ; Adult ; Ischemic Stroke/complications* ; Stroke/complications* ; Sleep

This study aimed to characterize and identify the non-volatile components in aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the stems and leaves of Rhododendron tomentosum by using sensitive and efficient ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) combined with a self-built information database. By comparing with reference compounds, analyzing fragment ion information, searching relevant literature, and using a self-built information database, 118 compounds were identified from the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of R. tomentosum, including 35 flavonoid glycosides, 15 phenolic glycosides, 12 flavonoids, 7 phenolic acids, 7 phenylethanol glycosides, 6 tannins, 6 phospholipids, 5 coumarins, 5 monoterpene glycosides, 6 triterpenes, 3 fatty acids, and 11 other types of compounds. Among them, 102 compounds were reported in R. tomentosum for the first time, and 36 compounds were identified by comparing them with reference compounds. The chemical components in the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of R. tomentosum leaves and stems showed slight differences, with 84 common chemical components accounting for 71.2% of the total 118 compounds. This study systematically characterized and identified the non-volatile chemical components in the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of R. tomentosum for the first time. The findings provide a reference for active ingredient research, quality control, and product development of R. tomentosum.
Rhododendron/chemistry* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Plant Leaves/chemistry*

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia in the elderly. This study aimed to evaluate urban-rural disparities in its prevalence and management in elderly Chinese. METHODS: Consecutive participants aged ≥ 65 years attending outpatient clinics were enrolled for AF screening using handheld single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) from April 2017 to December 2022. Each ECG rhythm strip was reviewed from the research team. AF or uninterpretable single-lead ECGs were referred for 12-lead ECG. Primary study outcome comparison was between rural and urban areas for the prevalence of AF. The Student's t-test was used to compare mean values of clinical characteristics between rural and urban participants, while the Pearson's chi-square test was used to compare between-group proportions. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the association between AF and various patient characteristics. RESULTS: The 29,166 study participants included 13,253 men (45.4%) and had a mean age of 72.2 years. The 7073 rural participants differed significantly (P ≤ 0.02) from the 22,093 urban participants in several major characteristics, such as older age, greater body mass index, and so on. The overall prevalence of AF was 4.6% (n = 1347). AF was more prevalent in 7073 rural participants than 22,093 urban participants (5.6% vs. 4.3%, P < 0.01), before and after adjustment for age, body mass index, blood pressure, pulse rate, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and prior medical history. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified overweight/obesity (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.17-1.54) in urban areas and cigarette smoking (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.20-2.17) and alcohol consumption (OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.04-1.93) in rural areas as specific risk factors for prevalent AF. In patients with known AF in urban areas (n = 781) and rural areas (n = 338), 60.6% and 45.9%, respectively, received AF treatment (P < 0.01), and only 22.4% and 17.2%, respectively, received anticoagulation therapy (P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS In China, there are urban-rural disparities in AF in the elderly, with a higher prevalence and worse management in rural areas than urban areas. Our study findings provide insight for health policymakers to consider urban-rural disparity in the prevention and treatment of AF.

Individuals with type 1 diabetes or advanced type 2 diabetes suffer insufficient insulin secretion, leading to symptoms of hyperglycemia. To maintain the normal blood glucose levels, those people with diabetes must administer insulin multiple times a day. However, insulin requirements are influenced by several factors such as diet, exercise, and illness, combined with the narrow therapeutic index, making accurate insulin dosage challenging. Excessive insulin administration can even pose life-threatening risks. In addition, frequent daily insulin injections place considerable physiological and psychological burdens on patients. To tackle these challenges, researchers have embarked on the development of closed-loop insulin delivery systems. These systems adjust insulin dosages in real-time changes based on the patient’s blood glucose levels, therefore enhancing both the safety and effectiveness of insulin therapy. This review categorizes closed-loop insulin delivery systems into two types: electronic-based and material-based systems, based on their compositional attributes. The exploration of both types covers their components, developmental history, clinical applications, current pros and cons, and future directions. The relative strengths and limitations of these two categories of closed-loop insulin delivery systems are also compared and discussed.

Objective To develop a portable,modular and multifunctional surgical instrument kit with intelligent recognition for disaster relief.Methods The surgical instrument kit had three variations for thorax and abdomen,limbs and cranium and brain,which was composed of a lip,partitions and drawers.A traceability code was pasted on each surgical instrument kit,and each instrument in the kit was equipped with a RF chip.Results The surgical instrument kit made the average time for operating table preparation and instrument arrangement and that for instrument counting both shortened effectively,and thus the efficiency of medical staffs were enhanced greatly.Conclusion The surgical instrument kit gains advantages in rational configuration and easy operation,and can be used for surgical operation in disaster conditions.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(2):113-117]

Objective:To investigate the effect of long-term oral aspirin on the changes in the aneurysm sac and persistent type Ⅱ endoleak after endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms based on propensity score-matched analysis.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was used to analyze the clinical data of 133 patients with infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms treated with EVAR from January 2019 to December 2021 in the Department of Vascular Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital. There were 113 males and 20 females, aged (74.8±7.2) years (range: 59 to 95 years). Patients were divided into the group receiving aspirin ( n=80) and the group not taking aspirin ( n=53) based on whether they took aspirin regularly for a long time after surgery. The two groups were matched in a 1∶1 ratio using propensity score matching and the caliper value was 0.05. Cumulative probability curve was plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Log-rank test was used to compare the differences in primary endpoint events (enlargement of the aneurysm sac, occurrence of persistent type Ⅱ endoleak) and secondary endpoint events (adverse cardiovascular events and clinically relevant bleeding events) between the two groups. Results:The follow-up time was (38.4±11.8) months (range: 30 to 58 months). Among the 133 patients, a total of 25 cases (18.8%) suffered enlargement of the aneurysm sac, including 20 cases in the group receiving aspirin and 5 cases in the group not taking aspirin; 35 cases (26.3%) suffered persistent type Ⅱ endoleak, including 26 cases in the group receiving aspirin and 9 cases in the group not taking aspirin. Adverse cardiovascular events occurred in 11 cases (8.3%) and clinically relevant bleeding events were reported in 5 cases (3.8%). A matched cohort was established after propensity score matching, resulting in 32 cases per group. The survival analysis found that the rate of aneurysm sac enlargement was significantly higher in the group receiving aspirin than that in the group not taking aspirin (Log-rank test: P=0.010), and the incidence of persistent type Ⅱ endoleak was significantly higher than that in the group not taking aspirin (Log-rank test: P=0.019). The incidence of adverse cardiovascular events and clinically relevant bleeding events were not significantly different in two groups (Log-rank test: P=0.061, P=0.286). Conclusions:The risk of aneurysm sac expansion and persistent type Ⅱ endoleak were significantly higher in patients taking long-term aspirin after EVAR than in the group not taking asprin. Therefore, high-risk abdominal aortic aneurysm patients who are prone to aneurysm sac expansion should be evaluated in advance so that the risks and benefits of surgery can be comprehensively evaluated and treatment strategies can be optimized.

Objective:To investigate the effect of long-term oral aspirin on the changes in the aneurysm sac and persistent type Ⅱ endoleak after endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms based on propensity score-matched analysis.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was used to analyze the clinical data of 133 patients with infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms treated with EVAR from January 2019 to December 2021 in the Department of Vascular Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital. There were 113 males and 20 females, aged (74.8±7.2) years (range: 59 to 95 years). Patients were divided into the group receiving aspirin ( n=80) and the group not taking aspirin ( n=53) based on whether they took aspirin regularly for a long time after surgery. The two groups were matched in a 1∶1 ratio using propensity score matching and the caliper value was 0.05. Cumulative probability curve was plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Log-rank test was used to compare the differences in primary endpoint events (enlargement of the aneurysm sac, occurrence of persistent type Ⅱ endoleak) and secondary endpoint events (adverse cardiovascular events and clinically relevant bleeding events) between the two groups. Results:The follow-up time was (38.4±11.8) months (range: 30 to 58 months). Among the 133 patients, a total of 25 cases (18.8%) suffered enlargement of the aneurysm sac, including 20 cases in the group receiving aspirin and 5 cases in the group not taking aspirin; 35 cases (26.3%) suffered persistent type Ⅱ endoleak, including 26 cases in the group receiving aspirin and 9 cases in the group not taking aspirin. Adverse cardiovascular events occurred in 11 cases (8.3%) and clinically relevant bleeding events were reported in 5 cases (3.8%). A matched cohort was established after propensity score matching, resulting in 32 cases per group. The survival analysis found that the rate of aneurysm sac enlargement was significantly higher in the group receiving aspirin than that in the group not taking aspirin (Log-rank test: P=0.010), and the incidence of persistent type Ⅱ endoleak was significantly higher than that in the group not taking aspirin (Log-rank test: P=0.019). The incidence of adverse cardiovascular events and clinically relevant bleeding events were not significantly different in two groups (Log-rank test: P=0.061, P=0.286). Conclusions:The risk of aneurysm sac expansion and persistent type Ⅱ endoleak were significantly higher in patients taking long-term aspirin after EVAR than in the group not taking asprin. Therefore, high-risk abdominal aortic aneurysm patients who are prone to aneurysm sac expansion should be evaluated in advance so that the risks and benefits of surgery can be comprehensively evaluated and treatment strategies can be optimized.

Objective: To explore the predictive factors of concurrent bile duct injury following transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 483 HCC patients in relation to TACE postoperative complications. A total of 21 cases of bile duct injury were observed following the TACE procedure. Laboratory data, imaging data, and clinically relevant medical histories were recorded before and after one week following the TACE procedure and follow-up. The χ (2) test, or Fisher's exact probability method, was used for categorical variables. The mean of the two samples was compared using a paired t-test or Wilcoxon rank sum test. The comparison of multiple mean values was conducted using an analysis of variance. Results: Twenty-one cases with bile duct injury had intrahepatic bile duct dilatation, bile tumors, hilar biliary duct stenoses, and other manifestations. 14.3% (3/21) of patients showed linear high-density shadows along the bile duct on a plain CT scan, while 76.2% (16/21) of patients had ALP > 200 U/L one week following TACE procedure, and bile duct injury occurred in later follow-up. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) were significantly increased in all patients following TACE procedure (t = -2.721, P = 0.014; t = -2.674, P = 0.015; t = -3.079, P = 0.006; t = -3.377, P = 0.003, respectively). Conclusion: The deposition of iodized oil around the bile duct on plain CT scan presentation or the continuous increase of ALP (> 200 U/L) one week following TACE procedure has a certain predictive value for the later bile duct injury.
Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/therapy* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic/methods* ; Bile Ducts

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Guizhi Fuling Capsule (GZFLC) on myeloma cells and explore the mechanisms. METHODS: MM1S and RPMI 8226 cells were co-cultured with different concentrations of serum and the cell experiments were divided into negative (10%, 20% and 40%) groups, GZFLC (10%, 20%, and 40%) groups and a control group. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assays and flow cytometry were used to detect the viability and apoptosis levels of myeloma cells. The effects on mitochondria were examined by reactive oxygen specie (ROS) and tetrechloro-tetraethylbenzimidazol carbocyanine iodide (JC-1) assays. Western blot was used to detect the expression of B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X (Bax), cleaved caspase-3, -9, cytochrome C (Cytc) and apoptotic protease-activating factor 1 (Apaf-1). RPMI 8226 cells (2 × 10⁷) were subcutaneously inoculated into 48 nude mice to study the in vivo antitumor effects of GZFLC. The mice were randomly divided into four groups using a completely randomized design, the high-, medium-, or low-dose GZFLC (840, 420, or 210 mg/kg per day, respectively) or an equal volume of distilled water, administered daily for 15 days. The tumor volume changes in and survival times of the mice in the GZFLC-administered groups and a control group were observed. Cytc and Apaf-1 expression levels were detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: GZFLC drug serum decreased the viability and increased the apoptosis of myeloam cells (P<0.05). In addition, this drug increased the ROS levels and decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential (P<0.01). Western blot showed that the Bcl-2/Bax ratios were decreased in the GZFLC drug serum-treated groups, whereas the expression levels of cleaved caspase-3, -9, Cytc and Apaf-1 were increased (all P<0.01). Over time, the myeloma tumor volumes of the mice in the GZFLC-administered groups decreased, and survival time of the mice in the GZFLC-administered groups were longer than that of the mice in the control group. Immunohistochemical analysis of tumor tissues from the mice in the GZFLC-administered groups revealed that the Cytc and Apaf-1 expression levels were increased (P<0.05). CONCLUSION GZFLC promoted apoptosis of myeloma cells through the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway and significantly reduced the tumor volumes in mice with myeloma, which prolonged the survival times of the mice.
Mice ; Animals ; Caspase 3/metabolism* ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Wolfiporia ; Multiple Myeloma/drug therapy* ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein/metabolism* ; Mice, Nude ; Apoptosis ; Mitochondria/metabolism*