Objective To explore macrophage subpopulations in ischemic stroke (IS) by using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data analysis and High-Dimensional Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (hdWGCNA). Methods Based on single-cell sequencing data, transcriptomic information for different cell types was obtained, and macrophages were selected for subpopulation identification. hdWGCNA, cell-cell communication, and pseudotime trajectory analysis were used to explore the characteristics of macrophage subpopulations following IS. Key genes related to IS were identified using microarray data and validated for diagnostic potential through Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was conducted to investigate the potential functions of these genes. Results The scRNA-seq data analysis revealed significant changes in macrophage subpopulation composition after IS. A specific macrophage subpopulation enriched in the stroke group was identified and designated as MCAO-specific macrophages (MSM). Pseudotime trajectory analysis indicated that MSM cells were in an intermediate stage of macrophage differentiation. Cell-cell communication analysis uncovered complex interactions between MSM cells and other cells, with the CCL6-CCR1 signaling axis potentially playing a crucial role in neuroinflammation. Two gene modules associated with MSM were identified via hdWGCNA, significantly enriched in pathways related to NOD-like receptors and antigen processing. By integrating differentially expressed MSM genes with conventional transcriptomic data, three IS-related hub genes were identified: Arg1, CLEC4D, and CLEC4E. Conclusion This study reveals the characteristics and functions of macrophage subpopulations following IS and identifies three hub genes with potential diagnostic value, providing novel insights into the pathological mechanisms of IS.
Macrophages/metabolism* ; Computational Biology/methods* ; Single-Cell Analysis/methods* ; Transcriptome ; Ischemic Stroke/metabolism* ; Animals ; Gene Regulatory Networks ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Male

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical effectiveness of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) in rescuing children with severe pulmonary contusion. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of four children with severe pulmonary contusion who were treated with VV-ECMO in the pediatric intensive care unit of Xi'an Children's Hospital from April 2021 to December 2024. The general data, laboratory indicators within 24 hours after admission, imaging features, bronchoscopic findings, diagnostic and treatment processes, as well as therapeutic outcomes of the children were analyzed. RESULTS: All four pediatric cases were male, aged 4 years and 9 months, 6 years and 5 months, 8 years and 10 months, and 9 years and 7 months, respectively. One case resulted from a high-altitude fall and three from traffic accidents, all presenting with multiple fractures. All four cases progressed to dyspnea within 1-4 hours post-injury and received endotracheal intubation with invasive ventilator support within 2-5 hours. Three cases exhibited tachycardia upon admission and were treated with norepinephrine, all four cases presented with fine moist rales in the lungs. Imaging studies revealed diffuse exudative changes in all four cases. Bronchoscopy identified diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage, with one case additionally showing rupture of the right intermediate bronchus. Conventional mechanical ventilation failed to correct oxygenation in all cases, prompting initiation of VV-ECMO therapy within 8-22 hours post-injury. One case underwent right thoracic exploration under ECMO support. Following treatment, all four cases demonstrated gradual reduction in bloody airway secretions, resolution of pulmonary exudative changes on imaging, and absence of hemorrhage on bronchoscopy. They were successfully weaned off ECMO and ultimately discharged as cured. CONCLUSIONS Severe pulmonary contusion rapidly leads to respiratory distress, requiring ventilator-assisted ventilation within hours of injury. When conventional ventilator support is ineffective, ECMO can be life-saving, with timely intervention yielding favorable prognosis.
Humans ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation/methods* ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Contusions/therapy* ; Lung Injury/therapy* ; Treatment Outcome

Objectives:To analyze and compare the disease burden of ischemic stroke due to tobacco exposure (including active and passive smoking) and its changing trends in China from 1990 to 2019,and to provide a reference for precise prevention and control of ischemic stroke. Methods:Based on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 database,we analyzed the burden of ischemic stroke disease attributable to tobacco exposure and its trends in different age and sex populations in China from 1990 to 2019,and compared the epidemiological differences in the burden of ischemic stroke disease attributable to active versus passive smoking. Results:Between 1990 and 2019,the disease burden of ischemic stroke attributable to tobacco exposure showed a decreasing trend in China and globally,but the decrease was relatively small in China.In 2019,the age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) and age-standardized disability-adjusted life-year rate (ASDR) of ischemic stroke attributable to tobacco exposure in China were 10.64/100000 and 239.39/100000,both higher than the global average levels (5.85/100000 and 140.23/100000 respectively).The actual mortality and disability-adjusted life year (DALY) rates for ischemic stroke due to tobacco exposure in 2019 increased by 103.79％ and 90.48％,respectively,compared with 1990.There was a sex difference in the disease burden of ischemic stroke due to active and passive smoking,with the number of deaths,mortality,DALY,and DALY rates for ischemic stroke due to active smoking being significantly higher in men than in women.Conversely,the burden of ischemic stroke due to passive smoking was higher in women.At the age level,ischemic stroke attributable to both active and passive smoking presented the highest number of deaths,mortality,and DALY rates among those ≥70 years of age.Whereas DALY for ischemic stroke attributable to active smoking was mainly concentrated in those aged 50-69 years,DALY for ischemic stroke attributable to passive smoking was mainly concentrated in those aged ≥70 years. Conclusions:The disease burden of ischemic stroke attributable to tobacco exposure is higher in China than the global average level.The burden of ischemic stroke disease attributable to active and passive smoking varies significantly by sex and age,and more targeted tobacco control policies should be developed in China.

Objective:To investigate the risk of new-onset stroke caused by cerebral microbleed (CMB) and asymptomatic lacunar infarction (ALI) and their risk factors.Methods:A prospective observational study over a 18 month period was conducted on 397 non stroke patients who visited the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from March 2020 to June 2022. By the presence of CMB and ALI about magnetic resonance imaging, they were divided into th control group (without CMB and ALI, 117 cases, 29.5%), ALI group (101 cases, 25.4%), CMB group (89 cases, 22.4%) and CMB-ALI group (90 cases, 22.7%).They were followed up for 18 months, the risk factors for CMB, ALI, and the risk of new stroke were analyzed.Results:The systolic blood pressure and uric acid in the CMB group were higher than those in the control group: (155.2 ± 24.2) mmHg(1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa) vs. (138.2 ± 19.0) mmHg, (387.0 ± 28.3) μmol/L vs. (354.0 ± 21.5) μmol/L, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). After followed up for 18 months, the incidence rate of cerebral infarction, cerebral hemorrhage and TIA in the CMB group and CMB-ALI group were higher than those in the control group: 13.5%(12/89), 13.3%(12/90) vs.5.1%(6/117); 9.0%(8/89), 10.0%(9/90) vs. 2.6%(3/117); 5.6%(5/89), 6.7%(6/90) vs. 0.8%(1/117), there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). Conclusions:CMB is prone to abnormal systolic blood pressure and uric acid. CMB, CMB-ALI are prone to new onset ischemic stroke, cerebral hemorrhage and TIA.

As a key enzyme in the nitrogen cycle,urease is not only a nitrogen source for the growth of organisms,but also a virulence factor found in various pathogenic bacteria.The urease produced by Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)plays an im-portant role in the colonization and survival of H.pylori.However,H.pylori infections are closely associated with gastrointestinal diseases such as intestinal metaplasia,active gastritis,peptic ulcer and gastric cancer.With the increasing of drug-resistant strains,there is an urgent need for effective and safe new drugs,so H.pylori has become one of the most frequently studied ure-ase-producing bacteria.Urease has also received considerable attention as a potential target for antibacterial drugs.Medicinal plants with high safety have been proven to have therapeutic potential,and many natural plant extracts have become the inspira-tion and starting point of new drug development;previous studies have also found that many naturally occurring flavonoids have anti-urease activity.Therefore,this review summarizes the effects of inhibiting some plant-derived flavonoids on H.pylori urease.According to their origins,structural characteristics,and possible mechanism of action,we seek and develop plant-derived com-pounds with the specificity of anti-H.pylori,which can provide references for developing clinical drug candidates.

Objective To explore the application value of Fast Dixon technique in MR hip joint scanning.Methods Fifty young volunteers were recruited to perform axial and coronal MR scans of the hip joint.The scanning sequence was Fast Dixon T2WI sequence and conventional Dixon T2WI sequence.A double-blind five-point scale was used to subjectively evaluate the image quality of the two types sequences.The signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)and contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR)of the axial image were measured at the maximum level of the bladder display.Results In the scores of"good contrast between surrounding tissue and femoral head signal"and"overall image quality",the Fast Dixon T2WI sequence was better than the conventional Dixon T2WI sequence,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the average scores of"whether bladder artifacts affected the diagnosis"and"whether the fat suppression effect was good"between Fast Dixon T2WI sequence and conventional Dixon T2WI sequence(P>0.05).In the objective image quality evaluation,the SNR and CNR of Fast Dixon T2WI sequence were better than those of conventional Dixon T2WI sequence,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion The image quality score of the hip joint of young volunteers with Fast Dixon T2WI sequence combined with multiple averaging excitation technique is significantly higher than that of conventional Dixon T2WI sequence.The Fast Dixon T2WI sequence can increase the effect of inhibiting fat and motion artifacts without increasing the scanning time,and the joint face ratio is good.Fast Dixon technique can replace the traditional Dixon technique,thus becoming an optimal choice for hip joint MR scanning.

Objective To investigate the expression of programmed death ligand 1(PD-L1) in primary tumor cells(TCs) and tumor-infiltrating immune cells(TICs) in patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer(CRC) and determine its predictive value for recurrence after microwave ablation(MWA) of liver metastases. Methods The paraffin-embedded specimens of 28 patients with CRC liver metastasis were collected retrospectively. The expression of PD-L1 in the primary lesions was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the relationship between PD-L1 and clinical features was analyzed. Recurrence-free survival(RFS) was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method and Log rank test. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the factors influencing recurrence. Results The positive rates of PD-L1 in TCs and TICs in primary CRC were 14.3%(4/28) and 46.4%(13/28), respectively. PD-L1 expression in primary TICs of CRC patients with liver metastases was significantly correlated with the largest hepatic tumor diameter (P < 0.05). PD-L1 expression in primary TICs of CRC patients with liver metastasis was correlated with poor RFS after MWA (P < 0.05). PD-L1 expression in primary TICs and the largest hepatic tumor diameter > 3 cm in CRC patients with liver metastases were the risk factors for recurrence after MWA (P < 0.05). Conclusion PD-L1 expression in primary TICs of CRC patients with liver metastasis may increase the risk of recurrence after MWA for liver metastasis.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of different acupuncture schemes on behaviors, neurotransmitters and inflammation-related factors in post-stroke depressed (PSD) rats. MethodsA total of 72 healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, drug control group, scalp acupuncture group, abdominal acupuncture group and combined acupuncture group, 12 rats in each group. The PSD model was prepared using a combination of middle cerebral artery occlusion and chronic unpredictable mild stimulation (CUMS) for the model and each intervention groups. The drug control group was administered fluoxetine, the scalp acupuncture group accepted acupuncture at Baihui (DU 20) and Yintang (EX-HN3), while the abdominal acupuncture group at Zhongwan (RN 12) and Guanyuan (RN 4), the combined acupuncture group at all the four acupoints, for 21 days. They were assessed with Longa neurological function score, body mass, open-field test and sugar-water preference test on the 0 (before modeling), the seventh (before CUMS), the 14th (before treatment) and the 35th day (after treatment). The levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), interferon-γ (INF-γ), tumor necrosis factor⁃α (TNF⁃α) and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in the serum were determined with ELISA on the 35th day. Results The neurological function score was lower in the drug control group and the combined acupuncture group thanin the model group (P < 0.01) on the 35th day; while the body mass was higher in the drug control group, the abdominal acupuncture group and the combined acupuncture group than in the model group (P < 0.01); and the number of horizontal span frames, the number of uprightness and the sugar water consumption were higher in the drug control group, the scalp acupuncture group, the abdominal acupuncture group and the combined acupuncture group than in the model group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference among the four intervention groups (P > 0.05). The levels of 5-HT, DA and NE were higher in the four intervention groups than in the model group (P < 0.01), and the levels of IFN-γ, TNF⁃α and MIF were lower (P < 0.01). 5-HT level was higher in the combined acupuncture group than in the scalp acupuncture group and the abdominal acupuncture group, and the levels of IFN-γ, TNF⁃α and MIF were lower (P < 0.01); the levels of DA and NE was higher in the combined acupuncture group than in the abdominal acupuncture group (P < 0.01). ConclusionThe combination of scalp acupuncture and abdominal acupuncture can improve behavior, neurotransmitters and inflammatory factors of PSD rats, like fluoxetine. Scalp or abdominal acupuncture alone is still effecive, and can be used secondarily.

Objective:To investigate the prognostic value of the ratio of veno-arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure difference to arterio-venous oxygen content difference (Pv-aCO 2/Ca-vO 2) in children with primary peritonitis-related septic shock. Methods:A retrospective study was conducted. Sixty-three children with primary peritonitis-related septic shock admitted to department of intensive care unit of the Children's Hospital Affiliated to Xi'an Jiaotong University from December 2016 to December 2021 were enrolled. The 28-day all-cause mortality was the primary endpoint event. The children were divided into survival group and death group according to the prognosis. The baseline data, blood gas analysis, blood routine, coagulation, inflammatory status, critical score and other related clinical data of the two groups were statistics. The factors affecting the prognosis were analyzed by binary Logistic regression, and the predictability of risk factors were tested by the receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve). The risk factors were stratified according to the cut-off, Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis compared the prognostic differences between the groups.Results:A total of 63 children were enrolled, including 30 males and 33 females, the average age (5.6±4.0) years old, 16 cases died in 28 days, with mortality was 25.4%. There were no significant differences in gender, age, body weight and pathogen distribution between the two groups. The proportion of mechanical ventilation, surgical intervention, vasoactive drug application, and procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, activated partial thromboplastin time, serum lactate (Lac), Pv-aCO 2/Ca-vO 2, pediatric sequential organ failure assessment, pediatric risk of mortality Ⅲ in the death group were higher than those in the survival group. Platelet count, fibrinogen, mean arterial pressure were lower than those in the survival group, and the differences were statistically significant. Binary Logistic regression analysis showed that Lac and Pv-aCO 2/Ca-vO 2 were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of children [odds ratio ( OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were 2.01 (1.15-3.21), 2.37 (1.41-3.22), respectively, both P < 0.01]. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under curve (AUC) of Lac, Pv-aCO 2/Ca-vO 2 and their combination were 0.745, 0.876 and 0.923, the sensitivity were 75%, 85% and 88%, and the specificity were 71%, 87% and 91%, respectively. Risk factors were stratified according to cut-off, and Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed that the 28-day cumulative probability of survival of Lac ≥ 4 mmol/L group was lower than that in Lac < 4 mmol/L group [64.29% (18/28) vs. 82.86% (29/35), P < 0.05]. Pv-aCO 2/Ca-vO 2 ≥ 1.6 group 28-day cumulative probability of survival was less than Pv-aCO 2/Ca-vO 2 < 1.6 group [62.07% (18/29) vs. 85.29% (29/34), P < 0.01]. After a hierarchical combination of the two sets of indicator variables, the 28-day cumulative probability of survival of Pv-aCO 2/Ca-vO 2 ≥ 1.6 and Lac ≥ 4 mmol/L group significantly lower than that of the other three groups (Log-rank test, χ2 = 7.910, P = 0.017). Conclusion:Pv-aCO 2/Ca-vO 2 combined with Lac has a good predictive value for the prognosis of children with peritonitis-related septic shock.

【Objective】 To design and manufacture a non-destructive intestinal decompression device and explore its effect on closed intestinal decompression in patients with intestinal obstruction. 【Methods】 A total of 78 patients with intestinal obstruction who underwent intestinal decompression in our hospital from January 2020 to September 2021 were selected as the research subjects: 40 in the control group and 38 in the experimental group. The traditional intestinal decompression method was used in the control group while the non-invasive intestinal decompression device method was used in the experimental group. We compared the number of cases of intestinal content pollution, drainage volume of intestinal content decompression, operation time, hospital stay, incidence of complications, and other indexes between the two groups. 【Results】 The two groups did no significantly differ in the general data (P>0.05). There were 10 cases (26.32%) of intestinal content pollution in the experimental group and 40 cases (100%) in the control group. The intestinal decompression drainage volume in the experimental group was 750.00 (728.75, 827.50) mL and 535.00 (520.00557.50) mL in the control group, with significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). The operation time, operation time and hospital stay were significantly shorter in the experimental group than in the control group (P<0.05). There was no incision infection in the experimental group but 6 cases in the control group, with statistically significant difference (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in other abdominal infection, anastomotic fistula, or enterostomy-related complications (P>0.05). 【Conclusion】 The non-invasive intestinal decompression device can perform closed intestinal decompression in the operation of intestinal obstruction, reduce the pollution of the operation field, shorten operation time and hospital stay, and reduce the incidence of incision infection.