This article reports 2 cases of urinary retention in Alzheimer's disease with agitation treated by acupuncture. Based on patients' clinical symptoms, the etiology and pathogenesis were determined, and acupuncture was applied to Baihui (GV20), Sishencong (EX-HN1), Shenting (GV24), and bilateral Ciliao (BL32), Zhongliao (BL33), Fengchi (GB20), Taiyang (EX-HN5), etc. to regulate the mind and promote water metabolism. The positive and negative electrodes of the SDZ-Ⅴ type electroacupuncture device were attached to ipsilateral Ciliao (BL32), Zhongliao (BL33) respectively, with continuous wave, at the frequency of 15 Hz, and the current of 3 to 10 mA, depending on patients' tolerance. The needles were retained for 20 min. The treatment was delivered once every other day, 3 interventions a week and 12 interventions as 1 course. Both patients reported the micturition desire after 1 intervention with acupuncture and the catheter was removed on the same day. The urination was ameliorated without dysuresia after 1-2 courses of treatment, and the agitated behavior was alleviated. It can be the reference for the clinical treatment of urinary retention in patients with Alzheimer's disease with agitation.
Humans ; Alzheimer Disease/psychology* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Urinary Retention/etiology* ; Male ; Female ; Aged ; Acupuncture Points ; Psychomotor Agitation/complications*

OBJECTIVE To study the protective effect of saikosaponin b2(SSb2)on corticosterone(CORT)induced PC12 cell injury and its mechanism.METHODS ① PC12 cells were divided into the cell control group(24 h of culture with RPMI-1640 medium),CORT group(24 h of culture with CORT 100-800 μmol·L-1)and SSb2 group(24 h of culture with SSb2 1.5625,3.125,6.25,12.5,25,50 and 100 μmol·L-1).MTT assay was used to detect the cell survival rate.②PC12 cells were divided into the cell control group(24 h of culture with RPMI 1640 medium),model group(24 h of culture with CORT 400 μmol·L-1),and model+SSb2 group(3 h pretreatment with SSb2 1.5625,3.125,6.25,12.5 and 25 μmol·L-1,removal of the supernatant before cells were co-incubated with CORT 400 μmol·L-1 and corresponding concentrations of SSb2 for 24 h).MTT assay was used to detect the cell survival rate while micro-plate assay was used to detect the lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)leakage rate of PC12 cells.③PC12 cells were divided into the cell control group,model group and model+SSb2 12.5 μmol·L-1 group.AnnexinV-FITC/PI flow cytometry assay was used to detect PC12 cell apoptosis,ultra-perfor-mance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS)cell metabonomics was used to detect metabolic profile changes and colorimetric assay was employed to detect the glutamic acid content and glutaminase activity in PC12 cells.RESULTS Compared with the cell control group,the cell viability decreased to(55±6)%(P<0.01)when the concentration of CORT was 400 μmol·L-1.When the concentration of SSb2 was higher than 50 μmol·L-1,there was significant toxicity to PC12 cells(P<0.01).②Compared with the cell control group,the cell survival rate was signif-icantly decreased(P<0.01),while the release rate of LDH was significantly increased(P<0.01)in the model group.Compared with the model group,the cell survival rate significantly increased(P<0.05,P<0.01),while the LDH release rate significantly decreased(P<0.01)in the model+SSb2 group.③ Com-pared with the cell control group,cell apoptosis was significantly increased in the model group(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,cell apoptosis was significantly decreased(P<0.05)in the model+ SSb2 group.Metabolomics results show that SSb2 significantly back-regulated nine differential metabo-lites of glutamate,creatine,N-acetylaspartate,L-tyrosine,citric acid,L-isoleucine,lactic acid,glutamine and choline.Further network analysis of the key metabolites regulated by SSb2 yielded five major metabolic pathways:D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism,phenylalanine,tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis,alanine,aspartate and glutamate metabolism,tyrosine metabolism and arginine biosynthesis.Compared with the cell control group,the content of glutamate and activity of glutaminase were significantly decreased in the model group(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the content of glutamate(P<0.01)and activity of glutaminase(P<0.05)were significantly increased in the model+SSb2 group.CONCLUSION SSb2 has a neuroprotective effect on CORT-injured PC12 cells,and the mechanism of which is related to inhibition of apoptosis and regulation of metabolic disorders.

Objective:To extract the early result of postoperative echocardiographic evaluation in patients underwent left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, and to assess the efficacy of surgical treatment for end-staged heart failure.Methods:Between June 2019 and May 2023, the patients underwent left ventricular assist device implantation were enrolled in this study. Demographic baseline characteristics and perioperative echocardiographic parameters were collected and analyzed.Results:A total of 28 patients were included in the study. After LVAD implantation, the heart sizes of the patients obviously reduced and the left heart contractibility function improved. The right ventricular contractibility remained stable. The proportion of the patients with moderate to severe mitral regurgitation was significantly reduced, but patients with mild to moderate aortic insufficiency increased. No serious complications such as death, pericardial tamponade and thrombosis events were observed during the follow-up period.Conclusion:LVAD implantation improved the left cardiac function, while the right cardiac function remained stable. However, it should be paid attention that the aortic valve function was impaired after the surgery. Generally, the early results of LVAD implantation for the treatment of end-stage heart failure were satisfactory.

Objective To investigate the risk factors for identifying local tumor progression(LTP)in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)after radiofrequency ablation(RFA)and to establish a predictive model.Methods The clinical data of 122 HCC patients treated by RFA were analyzed retrospectively,and then the patients were divided into positive and negative LTP groups according to that whether LTP occurred within 12 months after RFA.The risk factors of LTP were determined using univariate and multivari-ate analysis,and the predictive model was constructed based on these factors and the internal validation was conducted.Results The results of this study showed that multiple number,diameter＞2 cm,rough margin,and adjacent to large blood vessels of the tumor could be independent predictors of LTP,which were further incorporated into constructing the predictive model.Internal validation results showed that the area under the curve(AUC)of receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was 0.815[95％confidence interval(CI)0.735-0.895],indicating the model with high differentiation ability.The calibration curve was drawn and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-fit test showed that the model had good stability(P＞0.05).The decision curve suggested that the model had good clinical application value.Conclusion The independent risk factors of LTP of HCC after RFA are multiple number,diameter＞2 cm,rough margin,and adjacent to large blood vessels of the tumor.When the predictive model is integrated with the above factors,it can poten-tially predict the risk of local tumor and may offer useful guidance for individual treatment and follow-up.

OBJECTIVE To establish HPLC fingerprint of Portulaca oleracea， establish quantitative analysis of multi- components by single-marker （QAMS） method for the content determination of caffeic acid， ferulic acid， genistin and quercetin， and provide reference for quality control of the medicine. METHODS The determination was performed on Eclipse XDB-C18 column with mobile phase consisted of methanol-0.2% phosphoric acid solution （gradient elution） at the flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The column temperature was 25 °C， and detection wavelength was set at 360 nm. The sample size was 10 μL. HPLC fingerprint of P. oleracea was established according to the above chromatographic conditions. Cluster analysis （CA） and principal component analysis （PCA） were performed for 15 batches of specimens. Using caffeic acid as internal standard， relative correction factors of other three components were calculated by QAMS， and then the component content was calculated on the basis of relative correction factors， which was compared with the external standard method. RESULTS HPLC fingerprints of 15 batches of P. oleracea were calibrated with a total of 17 common peaks， and 4 components （caffeic acid， ferulic acid， genistin， quercetin） were identified； the similarities of 15 batches of samples were greater than 0.890. The results of CA showed that S1-S10 were clustered into one category， and S11-S15 were clustered into one category. The results of PCA revealed that the accumulative contribution rate of the two main components was 92.502%， and the classification results were basically consistent with CA. The linear range of caffeic acid， ferulic acid， genistin and quercetin were 0.003 1-0.157 1， 0.003 6-0.181 7， 0.008 5-0.425 6，0.000 4-0.021 8 mg/mL （R2≥0.999 7）； the results of precision， repeatability， stability （24 h） and recovery tests all complied with the requirements of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The relative correction factors of ferulic acid， genistin and quercetin calculated by QAMS were 1.534， 5.302 and 0.174； there was no significant difference in the contents of components measured between this method and the external standard method. CONCLUSIONS The established HPLC fingerprint combined with QAMS can be used for the quality control of multiple index components in P. oleracea. The origin has a certain influence on the quality of P. oleracea， and the quality of P. oleracea produced in Sichuan is better than that produced in Anhui and Hebei.

Objective:To explore the risk stratification value of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) in patients with non-obstructive coronary artery disease based on cluster analysis and to identify the high-risk population of cardiovascular adverse events in patients.Methods:Prospective consecutive patients with suspected coronary artery disease who underwent CCTA examination and were confirmed as non-obstructive coronary heart disease were enrolled in the General Hospital of Chinese PLA from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2017. The clinical characteristics and CCTA diagnosis information of patients were collected, and then follow-up was performed to obtain adverse cardiovascular events. Firstly, the cluster analysis based on CCTA information divided the patients into different groups. Then, the risk of adverse cardiovascular events was compared between different groups. Finally, segment involvement score (SIS) score, Leiden score, SIS score combined with clinical characteristics, Leiden score combined with clinical characteristics, and cluster information combined with clinical characteristics were used to stratify the population, and the concordance index-time curve and net reclassification improvement (NRI) index were described to compare the risk stratification ability of the five different models.Results:A total of 3 402 patients with non-obstructive coronary artery disease were included in the study, of whom 104 had adverse cardiovascular events during the follow-up period. Cluster analysis based on CCTA information classified patients into 3 different groups. There were statistically significant differences in clinical characteristics, CCTA information, and survival outcomes between groups ( P<0.05). The results of the concordance index-time curve showed that the risk stratification ability of CCTA cluster information combined with clinical characteristics was better than the current SIS score, Leiden score, SIS score combined with clinical characteristics, Leiden score combined with clinical characteristics. At the 1-year and 2-year time cutoffs, cluster information combined with clinical characteristics showed a positive increase in INR compared with the first four models (INR was 0.248 and 0.293, 0.316 and 0.293, 0.147 and 0.003, 0.192 and 0.007, respectively). Conclusion:CCTA based on cluster analysis has a good risk stratification value for patients with non-obstructive coronary artery disease and is helpful for individualized intervention.

Chaigui granules(CG)are a compound composed of six herbal medicines with significant antidepressant effects.However,the antidepressant mechanism of CG remains unclear.In the present study,we attempted to elucidate the antidepressant mechanism of CG by regulating purine metabolism and purinergic signaling.First,the regulatory effect of CG on purine metabolites in the prefrontal cortex(PFC)of chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS)rats was analyzed by ultra high-performance liquid chro-matography tandem mass spectrometry(UHPLC-MS/MS)targeted quantitative analysis.Meanwhile,purinergic receptors(P2X7 receptor(P2X7R),A1 receptor(A1R)and A2A receptor(A2AR))and signaling pathways(nod-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)inflammasome pathway and cyclic adenosine mono-phosphate(cAMP)-protein kinase A(PKA)pathway)associated with purine metabolism were analyzed by western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Besides,antidepressant mecha-nism of CG by modulating purine metabolites to activate purinergic receptors and related signaling pathways was dissected by exogenous supplementation of purine metabolites and antagonism of puri-nergic receptors in vitro.An in vivo study showed that the decrease in xanthine and the increase in four purine nucleosides were closely related to the antidepressant effects of CG.Additionally,purinergic re-ceptors(P2X7R,A1R and A2AR)and related signaling pathways(NLRP3 inflammasome pathway and cAMP-PKA pathway)were also significantly regulated by CG.The results of exogenous supplementation of purine metabolites and antagonism of purinergic receptors showed that excessive accumulation of xanthine led to activation of the P2X7R-NLRP3 inflammasome pathway,and the reduction of adenosine and inosine inhibited the A1R-cAMP-PKA pathway,which was significantly ameliorated by CG.Overall,CG could promote neuroprotection and ultimately play an antidepressant role by inhibiting the xanthine-P2X7R-NLRP3 inflammasome pathway and activating the adenosine/inosine-A1R-cAMP-PKA pathway.

Objective:To investigate the effects of high-energy shock and vibration on cortex injury and peripheral blood immune cells in goats.Methods:Seventeen Boer goats without gender preference were selected. By using random number tables, the goats were divided into normal control group ( n=5) and shock and vibration injury group ( n=12). The goats in the normal control group were anatomized routinely and their brain was collected after being sacrificed without any other treatment. The goats in the high-energy shock and vibration model group were placed on a loading table (part of the BY10-100 instant shock and vibration simulation platform) in a restrained state, and made into a high-energy shock and vibration injury model induced by a vertical impact waveform generator. The intravenous blood samples were taken from the goats in the shock and vibration injury group before and at 0, 3, 6 and 24 hours after injury.Then, the goats were sacrificed and the following procedures were the same as the normal control group. At 24 hours after injury, the brain injury and the histopathological changes of the cerebral cortex in the normal control group and shock and vibration injury group were observed by gross pathological and anatomical examination and HE staining. The mRNA expression of zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1), tight junction protein 5 (Claudin-5), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (IBA-1), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and cluster of differentiation antigen 177 (CD177) of the cerebral cortex in the normal control group and shock and vibration injury group were measured through fluorogenic quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The expression of ZO-1 and Claudin-5 proteins of the cerebral cortex in the normal control group and shock and vibration injury group were detected by Western blotting. Hematology analyzer and coagulation analyzer were used to detect white blood cell count, neutrocyte, lymphocyte, monocyte, prothrombin time 1 (PT-1), prothrombin time international normalized ratio (PT-INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), prothrombin activity (PTA) and fibrinogen (FIB) levels in goats of the shock and vibration injury group before and at 0, 3, 6 and 24 hours after injury, respectively. Results:At 24 hours after injury, no visible contusion or necrosis was found in goat brain tissue in the shock and vibration injury group; the cerebral micro-vessels presented with a local dilation, hyperemia, edema, aggregation of inflammatory cells, disruption of vessel walls and leakage of red blood cells. These changes were not observed in the normal control group. In the shock and vibration injury group, ZO-1 and Claudin-5 mRNA expressions in the cerebral cortex were 0.25±0.10 and 0.09(0.04, 0.44) respectively, which were significantly lower than those of the normal control group [1.00±0.15 and 0.99(0.80, 1.20)]; GFAP, IBA-1, IL-1β, IL-6 and CD177 mRNA expression levels were 4.40(3.88, 6.75), 2.60±1.07, 3.04±0.51, 2.71±0.45 and 2.93±0.62 respectively, which were significantly higher than those of the normal control group [1.00(0.78, 1.22), 1.00±0.37, 1.00±0.27, 1.00±0.57 and 1.00±0.35]; ZO-1 and Claudin-5 protein expression levels were 0.41±0.06 and 0.42±0.11 respectively, which were significantly lower than those of the normal control group (1.08±0.12 and 0.91±0.23) (all P<0.01). In the shock and vibration injury group, the levels of white blood count, neutrocyte, and lymphocyte in peripheral blood were (13.7±3.3)×10 9/L, (35.3±14.8)% and (57.2±15.1)% respectively before injury, (19.4±3.1)×10 9/L, (60.5±12.5)% and (33.6±14.2)% respectively at 3 hours after injury, and (20.6±3.6)×10 9/L, (63.6±13.0)% and (30.9±15.0)% respectively at 6 hours after injury. By contrast, the levels of white blood count and neutrocyte were significantly increased but the level of lymphocyte was significantly decreased at 3 and 6 hours after injury ( P<0.05 or 0.01); the levels of the above indicators showed no significant changes at 0 and 24 hours after injury (all P>0.05); the level of monocyte did not change significantly at all time points before and after injury (all P>0.05). The levels of PT-1, PT-INR, APTT, TT, PTA and FIB in the shock and vibration injury group did not change significantly at each time point before and after injury (all P>0.05). Conclusion:Cerebral cortex microvascular injury and disruption of blood-brain barrier can be initiated in the early stage of high-energy shock and vibration injury in goats, accompanied by the presence of central and peripheral inflammatory response.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of esketamine combined with ultrasound-guided dorsal penile nerve block (DPNB) on negative postoperative behavioral changes (NPOBCs) in pediatric patients undergoing circumcision under general anesthesia.Methods:One-hundred and ninety-five pediatric patients, aged 4-8 yr, with body mass index of 10-35 kg, of American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classificationⅠ or Ⅱ, undergoing elective circumcision under general anesthesia, were selected and divided into 3 groups ( n=65 each) using a random number table method: esketamine group (group E), DPNB group (group D) and esketamine combined with DPNB group (group ED). Propofol 1.5 mg/kg was intravenously injected, and the patients were admitted to the operating room after consciousness disappeared in the 3 groups. Esketamine 0.5 mg/kg was intravenously injected in E and ED groups, and the equal volume of normal saline was given in group D. D and ED groups underwent bilateral DPNB with 0.25 % ropivacaine 0.15 ml/kg under ultrasound guidance, with the maximum total amount of the drug not exceeding 10 ml. Fentanyl 1.0 μg/kg and propofol 2.0 mg/kg were intravenously injected prior to the skin incision in the three groups. If intraoperative body movement occurred, propofol 10 mg was added, which could be repeated. The occurrence of intraoperative body movement, respiratory depression and amount of propofol added was recorded. When postoperative pain (FLACC score >4) occurred, flurbiprofen 1 mg/kg was intravenously injected for analgesia, and the usage of flurbiprofen was recorded. When emergence agitation(PEAD score>10) occurred, propofol 1 mg/kg was intravenously injected for sedation, and the occurrence of emergence agitation was recorded. Parents were followed up by telephone at 1, 7 and 30 days postoperatively to assess the occurrence of NPOBCs using the PHBQ scale. Results:Fifty-six patients in group E and 59 patients in D and ED groups finally completed the study.Compared with group E, the incidence of intraoperative body movement was significantly decreased, the amount of additional propofol was reduced, the emergence agitation score, incidence of emergence agitation and severe agitation and usage rate of postoperative flurbiprofen were decreased, and the incidence of separation anxiety at 7 and 30 days postoperatively was decreased in D and ED groups, and the incidence of intraoperative respiratory depression was significantly decreased, and the incidence of NPOBCs at 7 and 30 days postoperatively was decreased in group ED ( P<0.05). Compared with group D, the incidence of intraoperative respiratory depression was significantly decreased, the amount of additional propofol was decreased, the usage rate of postoperative flurbiprofen and incidence of sleep anxiety at 1 day postoperatively were decreased ( P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the incidence of NPOBCs at each time point after operation in group ED ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Esketamine combined with ultrasound-guided DPNB can reduce the occurrence of NPOBCs in pediatric patients undergoing circumcision under general anesthesia.