Stroke is the leading cause of death and disability among adults in China， and its common complications include digestive system abnormalities， cognitive impairment， depression， stroke-associated pneumonia， and hemiplegia. The combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine has great potential in treating post-stroke complications. Xinglou Chengqitang （XLCQT） is a representative prescription of alleviating the disease in the upper part by treating the lower part. It has definite therapeutic effect and high safety. Clinically， XLCQT is often used to treat stroke and its complications. However， the quantity and quality of clinical trials of XLCQT in treating post-stroke complications need to be improved. Additionally， since the basic research is weak， the material basis and multi-target mechanism for the efficacy of this prescription are unknown. This article reviews XLCQT in terms of the pharmacodynamic basis， medicinal properties， safety evaluation， and progress in clinical research and mechanisms in treating post-stroke complications. This article summarizes 22 key active ingredients of XLCQT in treating acute stroke complicated with syndrome of phlegm heat and fu-organ excess. Among these key active ingredients， resveratrol， kaempferol， luteolin， chrysoeriol， apigenin， （+）-catechin， and adenosine have good pharmacokinetic properties and high bioavailability. The mechanisms of XLCQT in treating post-stroke complications are complex， including inflammatory response， brain-gut axis， hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal （HPA） axis， intestinal flora， neurotrophic factors， autophagy， oxidative stress， and free radical damage. This review helps to deeply understand the pharmacodynamic basis and mechanisms of XLCQT in treating post-stroke complications and provides a theoretical basis for the clinical application of XLCQT against post-stroke complications and the development of drugs.

Objective To investigate the distribution characteristics of pathogens causing infections within 90 days after liver transplantation and the influencing factors of infection. Methods Clinical data of 176 recipients who underwent liver transplantation at the Liver Transplant Center of Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from September 2021 to August 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into the infection group (n=124) and the non-infection group (n=52) based on whether they developed infection within 90 days after transplantation. The distribution characteristics of pathogens in infected patients were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to explore the influencing factors of infection. Results Among the 176 liver transplant recipients, 124 cases developed 243 episodes of 518 bacterial, fungal, viral or mycoplasma infections within 90 days after transplantation, with an overall infection rate of 70.5% (124/176). The composition of pathogens was mainly Gram-negative bacteria (38.6%, 200/518), followed by Gram-positive bacteria (32.2%, 167/518) and viruses (15.4%, 80/518), and fungi accounted for 13.1% (68/518). Among Gram-negative bacteria, the main pathogen was Klebsiella pneumoniae (6.8%, 35/518), and among Gram-positive bacteria, the main pathogen was Enterococcus faecalis (8.5%, 44/518). Viruses included Epstein-Barr virus (3.7%, 19/518) and cytomegalovirus (3.7%, 19/518), and fungi were mainly Candida albicans (6.8%, 35/518). The most common infection site among the 243 episodes was pulmonary infection (42.0%, 102/243), followed by abdominal infection (22.6%, 55/243) and bloodstream infection (18.1%, 44/243). The infections mainly occurred within 2 weeks after transplantation (60.9%, 148/243). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that preoperative infection within 2 weeks, a high preoperative model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, and preoperative sarcopenia were independent risk factors for infection within 90 days after liver transplantation (all odds ratio>1, P<0.05). After multivariate correction, the levels of CD4⁺T cells and CD8⁺T cells within 90 days after surgery were independently associated with the occurrence of infection. Low levels of CD4⁺T cells and CD8⁺T cells might be related to an increased risk of infection. Conclusions The infection rate after liver transplantation is high, and the pathogens are mainly Gram-negative bacteria. The lungs are the most common infection site. Preoperative MELD score, preoperative sarcopenia and preoperative infection within 2 weeks are independent risk factors for infection within 90 days after liver transplantation. Regular monitoring of immune indicators CD4⁺T cells and CD8⁺T cells levels after transplantation is helpful to reduce the occurrence of post-transplantation infection.

Objective To investigate the predictive value of preoperative combined detection of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and prothrombin time-international normalized ratio to albumin ratio (PTAR) for early abdominal infection after liver transplantation. Methods Clinical data of 287 recipients who underwent liver transplantation at the Liver Transplant Center of Beijing Friendship Hospital, Affiliated to Capital Medical University, from January 2020 to April 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into infection group (n=60) and non-infection group (n=227) based on whether abdominal infection occurred within 30 days after surgery. The distribution characteristics of pathogens and infection time in infected patients were analyzed. Spearman correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between NLR, PTAR, Child-Pugh score and preoperative model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for abdominal infection. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted for NLR, PTAR, and the combined prediction model to evaluate their predictive efficacy for abdominal infection after liver transplantation. Based on the cutoff value of the combined model, recipients were divided into low-risk and high-risk groups, and Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare the cumulative incidence of abdominal infection within 30 days after surgery between the two groups. Results Among the 287 recipients who underwent liver transplantation, 60 developed bacterial or fungal abdominal infections postoperatively. A total of 86 strains were isolated from infected patients, with Gram-negative bacteria accounting for 58%, Gram-positive bacteria for 36%, and fungi for 5%. Preoperative NLR and PTAR were positively correlated with Child-Pugh and MELD scores (all 1 > r > 0, P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative NLR, preoperative PTAR, postoperative ICU stay duration and postoperative biliary leakage were risk factors for abdominal infection within 30 days after surgery. The area under the curve (AUC) for NLR, PTAR, Child-Pugh score and MELD score were 0.771, 0.735, 0.650 and 0.741, respectively. The AUC for the combined NLR and PTAR prediction model was 0.824 (95% confidence interval: 0.763-0.885, P < 0.001), with a cutoff value of 0.168. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the cumulative incidence of abdominal infection within 30 days after surgery was lower in the low-risk group than in the high-risk group, with statistically significant difference (P < 0.001). Conclusions Preoperative NLR and PTAR are independent risk factors for abdominal infection within 30 days after liver transplantation. The combined prediction model of NLR and PTAR may effectively identify high-risk recipients for early abdominal infection after liver transplantation, providing basis for early intervention.

BACKGROUND: The transcription factor POU2F1 regulates the expression levels of microRNAs in neoplasia. However, the miR-29b1/a cluster modulated by POU2F1 in gastric cancer (GC) remains unknown. METHODS: Gene expression in GC cells was evaluated using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR), western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and RNA in situ hybridization. Co-immunoprecipitation was performed to evaluate protein interactions. Transwell migration and invasion assays were performed to investigate the biological behavior of GC cells. MiR-29b1/a cluster promoter analysis and luciferase activity assay for the 3'-UTR study were performed in GC cells. In vivo tumor metastasis was evaluated in nude mice. RESULTS: POU2F1 is overexpressed in GC cell lines and binds to the miR-29b1/a cluster promoter. POU2F1 is upregulated, whereas mature miR-29b-3p and miR-29a-3p are downregulated in GC tissues. POU2F1 promotes GC metastasis by inhibiting miR-29b-3p or miR-29a-3p expression in vitro and in vivo . Furthermore, PIK3R1 and/or PIK3R3 are direct targets of miR-29b-3p and/or miR-29a-3p , and the ectopic expression of PIK3R1 or PIK3R3 reverses the suppressive effect of mature miR-29b-3p and/or miR-29a-3p on GC cell metastasis and invasion. Additionally, the interaction of PIK3R1 with PIK3R3 promotes migration and invasion, and miR-29b-3p , miR-29a-3p , PIK3R1 , and PIK3R3 regulate migration and invasion via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) pathway in GC cells. In addition, POU2F1 , PIK3R1 , and PIK3R3 expression levels negatively correlated with miR-29b-3p and miR-29a-3p expression levels in GC tissue samples. CONCLUSIONS The POU2F1 - miR-29b-3p / miR-29a-3p-PIK3R1 / PIK3R1 signaling axis regulates tumor progression and may be a promising therapeutic target for GC.
MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms/pathology* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement/physiology* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Animals ; Mice ; Octamer Transcription Factor-1/metabolism* ; Mice, Nude ; Class Ia Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/metabolism* ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/genetics* ; Male ; Immunohistochemistry ; Female

Objective: To observed the effect of a curcumin-based vaginal gel combined with electroporation for the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) caused by Candida albicans. Methods: Temperature-sensitive in situ gels (ISG) were prepared using poloxamers 407 and 188 as matrices. The mass ratio of poloxamer 407 and poloxamer 188 was 7:1 with a gelation temperature of approximately 29°C and gelation time of 2.5 min. Results: Electroporation increased the transmucosal permeability of the model drug, doxorubicin and improved the antifungal effects of curcumin. In vitro antifungal experiments showed that the number of fungal colonies in curcumin ISG combined with electroporation was lower than that in pure curcumin ISG. In vivo pharmacodynamic experiments showed that, compared to the model group, curcumin ISG with electroporation inhibited the growth of C. albicans, alleviated vaginal mucosal edema, and reduced the inflammatory response. Conclusion Curcumin ISG combined with electroporation has substantial potential for the efficient clinical treatment of VVC.

Stroke is the main cause of death and disability among adults in China and is characterized by high incidence， disability， mortality， and recurrence rates. The combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine has great potential in treating stroke and its sequelae. The classic traditional Chinese medicine prescription Da Chengqitang （DCQT） has a long history and proven efficacy in treating stroke. Clinically， DCQT is often used to treat stroke and its sequelae. However， the number and quality of clinical trials of DCQT in treating stroke need to be improved. Because of the insufficient basic research， the active ingredients and multi-target mechanism of action of DCQT remain unclear. Our research group has previously confirmed that DCQT can effectively reverse neurological damage， reduce iron deposition， and downregulate the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the rat model of hemorrhagic stroke. The treatment mechanism is related to the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 （Nrf2）-mediated signaling pathway and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） signaling-mediated microglia activation. To clarify the pharmacodynamic basis and anti-stroke mechanism of DCQT， this article reviews the research progress in the treatment of stroke with DCQT in terms of clinical trials， pharmacodynamic material basis， safety evaluation， and mechanisms of absorbed components. This article summarizes 45 major phytochemical components of DCQT， 11 of which are currently confirmed absorbed components. Among them， emodin， rhein， chrysophanol， aloe-emodin， synephrine， hesperidin， naringin， magnolol， and honokiol can be used as quality markers （Q-markers） of DCQT. The mechanism of DCQT in treating stroke is complex， involving regulation of inflammatory responses， neuronal damage， oxidative stress， blood-brain barrier， brain-derived neurotrophic factor， and anti-platelet aggregation. This article helps to deeply understand the pharmacodynamic basis and mechanism of DCQT in treating stroke and provides a theoretical basis for the clinical application of DCQT in treating stroke and the development of stroke drugs.

Objective:To explore the feasibility and effect on the reconstruction of whole hand degloving injury by transfer of nerved tissue flaps in staged surgery.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on the clinical data of 5 patients who suffered whole hand degloving injury and underwent staged reconstructive surgery with nerved tissue flaps, from December 2018 to December 2022 in the Department of Hand Surgery, Longgang Orthopaedics Hospital of Shenzhen. The patients were 4 males and 1 female, aged 22-45 years. Two of the whole-hand degloved injuries were left hands and 3 of right. Two patients had the whole-hand degloving injury combined with a fracture of distal phalangeal tuberosity, and 1 was complicated with partial rupture of the extensor tendon insertion. Areas of the whole hand degloving injury ranged from 215 cm 2 to 480 cm 2, the size of the hallux nail flaps for reconstruction of thumbs ranged from 54 cm 2 to 104 cm 2, the size of the hallux nail flaps for reconstruction of index fingers ranged from 65 cm 2 to 133 cm 2, and the size of the flaps for reconstruction of all the defects of hands ranged from 119 cm 2 to 255 cm 2. In primary surgery, the thumbs, index fingers and the first webs were reconstructed with bilateral hallux nail flaps to shape the appearance and gain the sensation function. Meanwhile, a single and large defect was created from the defects of hand by bundling up the middle, ring and little fingers together with the all the defects in both palmar and dorsal hand. Then an anterolateral thigh flap (ALTF) was used to have the created single defect wrapped together. Donor sites of the bilateral hallux nail flap were reconstructed with a lobulated ALTF from the other side or with bilateral peroneal artery perforator flaps. Donor sites of the ALTF and peroneal artery perforator flap were pulled and sutured. After the hallux nail flaps and ALTFs of the affected hands had survived and stabilised, multiple staged surgery were then carried out to firstly reconstruct the ring and little fingers, and followed by the middle and ring fingers in turns from the artificial syndactyly created in the primary surgery. In the final stage of surgery, skin of the radial side of middle and ring finger-pulps and the ulnar little finger-pulp were replaced by lateral toe flaps to reconstruct the sensations of the main sensory zones of middle, ring and little finger-pulps. Thereafter, the shape, TPD and finger extension and flexions were observed and evaluated through the postoperative follow-up, at the outpatient clinic according to the Evaluation Standard of Thumb and Finger Reconstruction Function of the Hand Surgery Society of the Chinese Medical Association. The appearance and function of the donor sites in both feet were evaluated with the Maryland foot score. Results:All flaps survived after surgery. Postoperative follow-up lasted up to 14 to 48 months after the last surgery. The appearance of fingers was satisfactory with good function. TPD of thumbs and index finger-pulps had achieved up to 6-8 mm, and 3-8 mm in the main sensory zones of middle, ring and little finger-pulps. TPD in the non-major sensory zones of middle, ring and little finger-pulps was found at 10-14 mm, which scored 13 to 14 and rated as excellent according to the Evaluation Standard of Thumb and Finger Reconstruction Function of the Hand Surgery Society of the Chinese Medical Association. Only a linear scar left in the donor site of thigh. As the appearance of the flaps on the feet was not bloated and there was no obvious abnormality in walking and running, therefore the function of feet scored up to 96 to 97 and rated excellent according to the Maryland foot score.Conclusion:A multi-staged reconstruction of a whole hand degloving injury with nerved tissue flaps not only achieves satisfactory digital and hand appearance, but also with good function. There is no obvious effect on the appearance and function of the donor sites. This surgical strategy is novel in the reconstruction of a whole hand degloving injury.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy and feasibility of the reversed fascial pedicled island flap with supercharged venous drainage in reconstruction of finger pulp defects.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted between June 2021 and October 2024 at the Department of Hand Surgery, the Eighth People's Hospital of Longgang District of Shenzhen, to evaluate 76 patients (76 digits) who had finger pulp defects and were treated by the reversed fascial pedicled island flap incorporating supercharged venous drainage. The patients were 62 males and 14 females, aged 12-66 (mean 29) years. All patients presented with pulp defects only (0.8 cm×1.2 cm - 1.9 cm×4.3 cm) without fracture or tendon injury. The surgical procedure involved a harvest of flap (1.0 cm×1.4 cm - 1.9 cm×4.5 cm in size) with 1-2 proximal veins and had the redundant veins ligated. Micro-anastomosis was performed between the veins carried by flap and the veins at recipient site. Donor sites were closed primarily or reconstructed with full-thickness skin grafting. Postoperative follow-ups were conducted through outpatient clinic and WeChat, including the evaluations of flap viability using the late-term hand flap evaluation criteria, the flap cold tolerance with the Cold Intolerance Symptom Severity (CISS) questionnaire and the digital motion with the Total Active Movement (TAM) system of the Evaluation Trial Standards of Replantation Functional of Hand Surgery of Chinese Medical Association.Results:All 76 flaps achieved complete survival without complication such as an arterial and venous compromise or an infection, except 1 flap that developed a local blister but it healed after dressing changes and removal of sutures. Over the 2 to 32 (mean 6) months of postoperative follow-up, outcomes of surgery were assessed. Sixty-seven flaps were rated as excellent and 9 as good based on the overall condition of the flap in this group. Cold tolerance was excellent for 65 flaps, good for 10 flaps and fair for 1 flap according CISS. Digital function evaluated by the TAM system showed 63 flaps of excellent, 10 of good and 3 of fair. All skin grafts at the donor sites survived well and in good appearance, without obvious depigmentation or pigmentation.Conclusion:Application of a revered fascial pedicled island flap with venous supercharging in reconstruction of finger pulp defect significantly enhances venous outflow, thereby it reduces postoperative complications such as venous occlusion, flap congestion and blistering.

Objective:To systematically compares the medial plantar venous flap (MPVF) and the lateral toe flap (LTF) reconstruction of digit-pulp defect, aiming to establish whether there exist significant differences between the 2 flaps in flap survival rate, two-point discrimination (TPD), score of Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and score of digit-pulp defect reconstruction evaluation.Methods:With a prospective cohort design, this study enrolled 36 patients who were admitted in Department of Hand Surgery, Longgang Eighth People's Hospital of Shenzhen for digit-pulp defects with bone or tendon exposure between January 2024 and September 2024. According to the random grouping method, participants were divided into 2 groups. The MPVF group comprised 18 patients (21 digits) of 13 males (15 digits) and 5 females (6 digits), aged 13-58 (mean 44±12) years. The MPVF group included 9 left and 12 right digits, with distribution as follows: 2 thumbs, 5 index fingers, 7 middle fingers, 5 ring fingers and 2 little fingers. The soft tissue defect area ranged from 2.0 cm × 1.0 cm to 9.2 cm × 3.3 cm (mean 6.69 cm 2± 6.69 cm 2). Flap dimensions ranged from 2.1 cm×1.1 cm to 9.5 cm×3.5 cm (mean 7.54 cm 2±7.22 cm 2). Donor sites were closed primarily or by full-thickness skin grafts harvested from the leg. The LTF group included 18 patients (21 digits) of 15 males (17 digits) and 3 females (4 digits), aged 22-62 (mean 41±12) years. The affected digits in LTF group comprised 12 left and 9 right digits, with a distribution of: 3 thumbs, 9 index fingers, 5 middle fingers, 2 ring fingers and 2 little fingers. The area of soft tissue defect ranges from 1.4 cm × 1.0 cm to 3.9 cm × 1.8 cm (mean 3.93 cm 2± 1.80 cm 2). Flap dimensions ranged from 1.5 cm×1.2 cm to 4.0 cm×1.9 cm (mean 4.52 cm 2±1.89 cm 2). Donor sites were closed primarily, or by full-thickness skin grafts harvested through extension of proximal wound extension or from calf for defect coverage. Patients were contacted for postoperative follow-up by telephone or WeChat to arrange a visit of outpatient clinic or a home visit by surgeon. Statistical analysis was conducted to compare the 2 groups regarding: gender, age and flap dimensions, flap survival rate at 2 weeks after surgery and TPD of flaps, VSS scores, and digit-pulp defect reconstruction evaluation scale scores at 4 months and 6 months postoperatively. P<0.05 indicates a statistically significant difference. Results:The comparative analysis revealed no statistically significant differences between 2 groups in baseline characteristics: gender distribution ( χ2=0.53, P=0.47), mean age ( t=0.75, P=0.46), flap dimensions ( t=1.86, P=0.08), confirming a demographic and surgical parameter equivalence in subsequent outcome comparisons ( P>0.05). All flaps survived at 2 weeks after surgery. All skin grafts at donor sites demonstrated complete viability with uneventful primary wound healing. At 4 months after surgey, the TPD in the MPVF group were 14.71 mm±1.90 mm and 7.81 mm±1.78 mm, respectively, compared to 14.48 mm±1.57 mm and 7.67 mm±1.39 mm in the LTF group at 6 months after surgery. The VSS scores were 1.67±1.11 and 1.29±0.72 for MPVF versus 1.86±1.15 and 1.38±0.81 for LTF at corresponding time points. The digit-pulp defects reconstruction evaluation scale scores showed 88.43±2.62 and 91.43±3.59 for MPVF versus 88.19±2.70 and 91.19±3.50 for LTF. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences (all P>0.05) at 2 postoperative time points. Conclusion:The MPVF demonstrated non-inferior clinical efficacy to the LTF in reconstruction of digit-pulp defects, with comparable outcomes in flap survival rate at 2 weeks, and in TPD, VSS scores, digit-pulp defect reconstruction evaluation scale scores at 4 months and at 6 month after surgey.