ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and mechanism of simvastatin pretreatment on kidney ischemia reperfusion injury （IRI） in mice. MethodsFifteen male C57BL/6 mice aged 6-8 weeks were divided into three groups： Sham operation group （Sham group）， kidney IRI group （IR group）， and simvastatin pretreatment+kidney IRI group （SIM group）. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining of kidney tissue and detection of serum creatinine （SCr） and lactate dehydrogenase （LDH） were used to evaluate kidney injury. The levels of superoxide dismutase （SOD）， reduced glutathione （GSH）， malondialdehyde （MDA） and reactive oxygen species （ROS） were detected to evaluate oxidative stress. The contents of ferrous iron （Fe²⁺） and ferric iron （Fe³⁺） in kidney tissue were detected， and the morphological changes of mitochondria were observed by transmission electron microscope. The relative expression levels of Kruppel-like factor 2 （KLF2）， glutathione peroxidase 4 （GPX4）， solute carrier family 7 member 11 （SLC7A11）， and acyl-coa synthetase long chain family member 4 （ACSL4） protein in kidney tissue were detected. ResultsCompared with the IR group， the SIM group had significantly reduced renal tubular injury and decreased contents of Scr and LDH in serum （P < 0.001）. It also showed increased expression of SOD and GSH and decreased expression of MDA and ROS （P < 0.01）. Simvastatin pretreatment reduced the contents of Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ in the tissues （P < 0.01） and alleviated mitochondrial damage. It also promoted the expression of KLF2 （P < 0.01）， up-regulated the expression of ferroptosis-related protective proteins GPX4 and SLC7A11， and down-regulated the expression of ferroptosis-related damage protein ACSL4 （P < 0.05）. ConclusionSimvastatin pretreatment may inhibit kidney ferroptosis by promoting the expression of KLF2 to alleviate kidney IRI.

Objective:To investigate whether changes in CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) parameters before and after balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) are correlated with treatment effects in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).Methods:A retrospective study was conducted, including patients with CTEPH who underwent BPA treatment at Beijing Anzhen Hospital from November 2021 to Febbruary 2024. Clinical data and CTPA parameters were analyzed before the initial BPA session and at least 6 months after the final BPA session. Clinical data included WHO functional class, 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), and plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels. The CTPA parameters included the widest diameter of the pulmonary artery diameter (dPA), ascending aorta diameter (dAA), the widest transverse diameter of the right atrium (dRA), the widest short-axis diameter of the right ventricle (dRV), the widest short-axis diameter of the left ventricle (dLV), and the diameter of right ventricular free wall thickness(dRVW). Multiple linear regression was applied to identify variables associated with the decrease in mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) among the CTPA parameters.Results:All CTEPH patients underwent a total of 115 BPA treatments. Postoperatively, the WHO functional class of the patients improved compared to preoperative levels ( χ2=5.01, P<0.001), 6MWD improved ( t=4.50, P<0.001), and NT-proBNP levels decreased ( Z=4.47, P<0.001). Hemodynamic parameters, including mPAP, pulmonary vascular resistance, cardiac output, and cardiac index, were significantly improved postoperatively (all P<0.001). CTPA-related parameters, including dPA, dRA, dRV, dRVW, dPA/dAA, dRV/dLV, and dRA/dPA, significantly decreased compared to preoperative values (all P<0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the decrease in dPA ( β=0.314, P=0.037) and dRA ( β=0.334, P=0.046) were significantly correlated with the improvement in mPAP. Conclusions:Exercise tolerance, hemodynamics, and CTPA parameters in patients with CTEPH significantly improved after BPA treatment. The decrease in dPA and dRA were significantly correlated with the improvement in mPAP, suggesting that CTPA is a potentially novel, objective, effective, and noninvasive method for evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of BPA.

Objective:To investigate the application of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of radiofrequency ablation.Methods:A case-control study was conducted among high-risk HCC patients who underwent puncture biopsies at Lishui Central Hospital from January 2019 to January 2023. A total of 118 confirmed HCC patients were selected as the case group, and 118 patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis were selected as the control group, following a 1:1 matching principle. All patients underwent a CEUS examination, and the therapeutic efficacy of CEUS in detecting HCC was analyzed. The case group underwent radiofrequency ablation for 1 month. The case group underwent 1 month of radiofrequency ablation treatment, and the application value of CEUS in assessing the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation for HCC was evaluated based on the results of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.Results:The results of the CEUS examination were compared with the pathological diagnosis results. In the case group, 6 cases were misdiagnosed, while in the control group, 8 cases were missed. The diagnostic accuracy of CEUS was 94.07%, and the Cohen's Kappa value for CEUS was 0.88, indicating a good consistency between CEUS and pathological diagnosis results. After radiofrequency ablation, the alpha-fetoprotein levels in the case group decreased significantly from [(141.27 ± 34.90) μg/L] before the procedure to [(59.78 ± 14.55) μg/L] after the procedure ( t = 24.32, P < 0.001). However, the longest diameter of the lesions increased from [(17.44 ± 4.17) mm] before the procedure to [(28.47 ± 5.41) mm] after the procedure ( t = -16.46, P < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the longest diameter of the tumors assessed by CEUS postoperatively compared to the Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI results ( P > 0.05). When comparing the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation assessed by CEUS to the results from Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI, there were 8 true positive cases, 107 true negative cases, and 3 cases that were misdiagnosed. The accuracy of CEUS in assessing the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation for HCC was 97.46%, with a Cohen's Kappa value of 0.83. Conclusions:CEUS demonstrates a high accuracy in the diagnosis of HCC and can serve as an effective method for evaluating the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation. It shows good consistency with pathological diagnoses and Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI results, indicating a high clinical application value.

Objective:To analyze the results of next generation sequencing (NGS) gene testing in liquid-based cytological specimens of lung adenocarcinoma cavity and evaluate the clinical efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) treatment.Methods:Liquid based cytological specimens of 222 cases of lung adenocarcinoma with cavity effusion and 201 cases of metastatic lymph node biopsy were collected. Specimens were obtained from the Cytology Laboratory of the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. The collection period was from January 2018 to December 2022. The results of NGS gene detection were compared. The clinical efficacy of 91 patients treated with EGFR-TKI was evaluated, and the survival curve was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier and other statistical methods.Results:The mutation rates of cancer-related genes detected by NGS were 82.0% (182/222) vs 79.1% (159/201), ( P=0.455) in liquid-based cytological specimens and histological specimens of metastatic lymph node biopsy, respectively. However, the mutation rate of EGFR T790M was significantly higher in cavity effusion than in lymph node biopsy specimens [12.2%(27/222)＞3.5%(7/201), P=0.001]. The results of gene mutation were identical in 10 of the 13 cases with cavity effusion and metastatic lymph node biopsy, and the agreement rate of EGFR was 84.6%(11/13). In 3 inconsistent cases, EGFR mutations were detected in 2 cavity effusion cases that were not detected by lymph node biopsy. Results of genetic analysis of fluid-based cytological samples of 91 patients with cavity effusion were evaluated after drug treatment with EGFR-TKI. The mean progression-free survival (PFS) of the patients was 11.4 months (95% CI: 9.9-12.9). The mean PFS of patients harboring EGFR mutation was 12.3 months (95% CI: 10.8-13.9), and the mean PFS of EGFR wild type was 4.1 months (95% CI: 2.1-6.2). Conclusions:The results of NGS gene detection in liquid-based cytological specimens of lung adenocarcinoma patients with cavity effusion show that the PFS time is similar to that of histological specimens after clinical treatment with EGFR-TKI, which proves the reliability of NGS gene detection results in liquid cytological specimens. NGS gene testing appears higher sensitivity in cavity liquid-based samples than in metastatic lymph node samples.

Zhizichi Tang （栀子豉汤）， first recorded in Treatise on Febrile and Miscellaneous Diseases （《伤寒杂病论》） by ZHANG Zhongjing， a medical sage during the Han dynasty， is one of the classical prescriptions in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. It plays an important role in the clinical practice of TCM because of its dispersing and transparent characteristics. It is one of the representative parts of “dispersing fire stagnation” and is used mainly for the treatment of various symptoms caused by heat depression in the chest and diaphragm. Pharmacological research has found that it has multiple effects， such as sedative hypnosis and anti-depression， inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory responses， regulating the intestinal flora， improving insulin resistance and endocrine metabolism disorders， reducing liver toxicity， and protecting the nerve and heart. Clinical studies have confirmed that its treatment of anxiety， depression， insomnia， and other diseases has few side effects and high safety. Combined with the analysis of TCM syndrome and pharmacological effects， Zhizichi Tang also shows potential in treating other diseases such as heart， lung system， spleen and stomach， liver system， endocrine， and metabolic system diseases. Therefore， the authors， by searching Chinese and foreign literature， especially in recent five years， systematically reviewed and summarized the research progress on Zhizichi Tang in six aspects of TCM syndrome， dosage and administration， chemical composition， pharmacological effects， clinical application， and adverse reactions， aiming to provide a reference for further research and clinical application of Zhizichi Tang.

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics and prognosis of neonatal thalamic hemorrhage.Methods The clinical data of two neonates with thalamic hemorrhage admitted to Tongji Hospital,Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology were retrospectively analyzed.The terms"thalamic hemorrhage""neonate",and"newborn"were searched in the databases CNKI,Wanfang,CQVIP,PubMed,and Web of Science to summarize the reported etiology,clinical features,and prognosis of neonatal thalamic hemorrhage.Results Both cases were diagnosed with unilateral thalamic hemorrhage due to perinatal hypoxia.No seizures or other typical neurological abnormalities were observed.The patients improved after hemostatic and neuroprotective treatment and were discharged.They were followed up regularly until two years of age,with favorable outcomes.A total of 13 relevant studies involving 35 cases were included.Thalamic hemorrhage mostly occurred within the first two weeks of life(31/37 cases,83.78%).Bilateral thalamic hemorrhage accounted for 21.62%(8/37),primarily caused by perinatal asphyxia,while unilateral cases(78.38%,29/37)were mostly associated with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis.Infants with bilateral thalamic hemorrhage or associated ventricular dilatation presented with more severe symptoms,such as generalized tonic seizures,sunsetting sign,thermoregulatory instability,and absent neurological reflexes,and had significantly worse outcomes compared to unilateral cases(P=0.006).In long-term follow-up,42.34%(16/37 cases)exhibited normal neurodevelopment without major neuropsychiatric abnormalities.Among them,those with unilateral thalamic hemorrhage showed relatively better long-term prognosis.In addition,limited case analysis showed no statistically significant association between prognosis and gestational age,sex,time of onset,EEG findings,or status epilepticus.Conclusions The etiology and clinical presentation of neonatal thalamic hemorrhage are heterogeneous.The prognosis significantly differs between bilateral and unilateral hemorrhages.Long-term follow-up is essential to assess the impact on neurodevelopment and neurological function.

Objective:To investigate the application of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of radiofrequency ablation.Methods:A case-control study was conducted among high-risk HCC patients who underwent puncture biopsies at Lishui Central Hospital from January 2019 to January 2023. A total of 118 confirmed HCC patients were selected as the case group, and 118 patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis were selected as the control group, following a 1:1 matching principle. All patients underwent a CEUS examination, and the therapeutic efficacy of CEUS in detecting HCC was analyzed. The case group underwent radiofrequency ablation for 1 month. The case group underwent 1 month of radiofrequency ablation treatment, and the application value of CEUS in assessing the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation for HCC was evaluated based on the results of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.Results:The results of the CEUS examination were compared with the pathological diagnosis results. In the case group, 6 cases were misdiagnosed, while in the control group, 8 cases were missed. The diagnostic accuracy of CEUS was 94.07%, and the Cohen's Kappa value for CEUS was 0.88, indicating a good consistency between CEUS and pathological diagnosis results. After radiofrequency ablation, the alpha-fetoprotein levels in the case group decreased significantly from [(141.27 ± 34.90) μg/L] before the procedure to [(59.78 ± 14.55) μg/L] after the procedure ( t = 24.32, P < 0.001). However, the longest diameter of the lesions increased from [(17.44 ± 4.17) mm] before the procedure to [(28.47 ± 5.41) mm] after the procedure ( t = -16.46, P < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the longest diameter of the tumors assessed by CEUS postoperatively compared to the Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI results ( P > 0.05). When comparing the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation assessed by CEUS to the results from Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI, there were 8 true positive cases, 107 true negative cases, and 3 cases that were misdiagnosed. The accuracy of CEUS in assessing the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation for HCC was 97.46%, with a Cohen's Kappa value of 0.83. Conclusions:CEUS demonstrates a high accuracy in the diagnosis of HCC and can serve as an effective method for evaluating the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation. It shows good consistency with pathological diagnoses and Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI results, indicating a high clinical application value.

Objective:To analyze the results of next generation sequencing (NGS) gene testing in liquid-based cytological specimens of lung adenocarcinoma cavity and evaluate the clinical efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) treatment.Methods:Liquid based cytological specimens of 222 cases of lung adenocarcinoma with cavity effusion and 201 cases of metastatic lymph node biopsy were collected. Specimens were obtained from the Cytology Laboratory of the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. The collection period was from January 2018 to December 2022. The results of NGS gene detection were compared. The clinical efficacy of 91 patients treated with EGFR-TKI was evaluated, and the survival curve was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier and other statistical methods.Results:The mutation rates of cancer-related genes detected by NGS were 82.0% (182/222) vs 79.1% (159/201), ( P=0.455) in liquid-based cytological specimens and histological specimens of metastatic lymph node biopsy, respectively. However, the mutation rate of EGFR T790M was significantly higher in cavity effusion than in lymph node biopsy specimens [12.2%(27/222)＞3.5%(7/201), P=0.001]. The results of gene mutation were identical in 10 of the 13 cases with cavity effusion and metastatic lymph node biopsy, and the agreement rate of EGFR was 84.6%(11/13). In 3 inconsistent cases, EGFR mutations were detected in 2 cavity effusion cases that were not detected by lymph node biopsy. Results of genetic analysis of fluid-based cytological samples of 91 patients with cavity effusion were evaluated after drug treatment with EGFR-TKI. The mean progression-free survival (PFS) of the patients was 11.4 months (95% CI: 9.9-12.9). The mean PFS of patients harboring EGFR mutation was 12.3 months (95% CI: 10.8-13.9), and the mean PFS of EGFR wild type was 4.1 months (95% CI: 2.1-6.2). Conclusions:The results of NGS gene detection in liquid-based cytological specimens of lung adenocarcinoma patients with cavity effusion show that the PFS time is similar to that of histological specimens after clinical treatment with EGFR-TKI, which proves the reliability of NGS gene detection results in liquid cytological specimens. NGS gene testing appears higher sensitivity in cavity liquid-based samples than in metastatic lymph node samples.

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics and prognosis of neonatal thalamic hemorrhage.Methods The clinical data of two neonates with thalamic hemorrhage admitted to Tongji Hospital,Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology were retrospectively analyzed.The terms"thalamic hemorrhage""neonate",and"newborn"were searched in the databases CNKI,Wanfang,CQVIP,PubMed,and Web of Science to summarize the reported etiology,clinical features,and prognosis of neonatal thalamic hemorrhage.Results Both cases were diagnosed with unilateral thalamic hemorrhage due to perinatal hypoxia.No seizures or other typical neurological abnormalities were observed.The patients improved after hemostatic and neuroprotective treatment and were discharged.They were followed up regularly until two years of age,with favorable outcomes.A total of 13 relevant studies involving 35 cases were included.Thalamic hemorrhage mostly occurred within the first two weeks of life(31/37 cases,83.78%).Bilateral thalamic hemorrhage accounted for 21.62%(8/37),primarily caused by perinatal asphyxia,while unilateral cases(78.38%,29/37)were mostly associated with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis.Infants with bilateral thalamic hemorrhage or associated ventricular dilatation presented with more severe symptoms,such as generalized tonic seizures,sunsetting sign,thermoregulatory instability,and absent neurological reflexes,and had significantly worse outcomes compared to unilateral cases(P=0.006).In long-term follow-up,42.34%(16/37 cases)exhibited normal neurodevelopment without major neuropsychiatric abnormalities.Among them,those with unilateral thalamic hemorrhage showed relatively better long-term prognosis.In addition,limited case analysis showed no statistically significant association between prognosis and gestational age,sex,time of onset,EEG findings,or status epilepticus.Conclusions The etiology and clinical presentation of neonatal thalamic hemorrhage are heterogeneous.The prognosis significantly differs between bilateral and unilateral hemorrhages.Long-term follow-up is essential to assess the impact on neurodevelopment and neurological function.

Objective To investigate the protective effect and mechanism of tanshinone ⅡA on D-galactosamine(D-GalN)-induced acute liver failure in rats.Methods SD rats were randomly di-vided into control group,model group(intraperitoneal injection of 1.1 g/kg D-GalN),low-dose group(intraperitoneal injection of 1.1 g/kg D-GalN+daily gavage of 25 mg/kg tanshinone ⅡA),and High-dose group(intraperitoneal injection of 1.1 g/kg D-GalN+daily gavage of 50 mg/kg tan-shinone ⅡA).Liver function indicators[aspartate aminotransferase(AST),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),and γ-glutamyltransferase(γ-GT)]were measured using a Hitachi7600-210 biochemical an-alyzer,and serum total bilirubin(TBIL)and direct bilirubin(DBIL)levels were determined.The mitotic index(MI)and proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA)positivity in liver tissues were examined.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor(TNF-α),interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-10,and IL-6 in rats from each group.Kits were employed to measure superoxide dismutase(SOD),glutathione(GSH),and malondialdehyde(MDA)contents in liver tissues of rats from each group.The TUNEL method was adopted to detect hepatocyte apoptosis rates in liver tissues,and immunoblotting was used to assess the expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2(p-ERK1/2)and extracellular signal-regu-lated kinase 1/2(ERK1/2)proteins in liver tissues.Results Compared with the control group,the model group exhibited increased p-ERK1/2 protein expression(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,both the low-dose and high-dose groups showed decreased p-ERK1/2 protein expres-sion(P＜0.05).The model group had an increased hepatocyte apoptosis index compared with the control group(P＜0.05).Both the low-dose and high-dose groups demonstrated decreased hepato-cyte apoptosis indices compared with the model group(P＜0.05).Compared with the control group,the model group had increased MDA levels and decreased SOD and GSH levels(P＜0.05).Both the low-dose and high-dose groups exhibited decreased MDA levels and increased SOD and GSH levels compared with the model group(P＜0.05).The model group showed increased levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-10,and IL-6 compared with the control group(P＜0.05).Both the low-dose and high-dose groups had decreased levels of TNF-α,IL-1 β,IL-10,and IL-6 compared with the model group(P＜0.05).Compared with the control group,the model group had decreased MI and PCNA positivity rates(P＜0.05).Both the low-dose and high-dose groups exhibited increased MI and PCNA positivity rates compared with the model group(P＜0.05).The model group had in-creased AST,ALT,γ-GT,TBIL and DBIL values compared with the control group(P＜0.05).Both the low-dose and high-dose groups showed decreased AST,ALT,γ-GT,TBIL and DBIL val-ues compared with the model group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Tanshinone ⅡA may alleviate D-GalN-induced acute liver failure in rats through the ERK1/2 signaling pathway.