Objective:To exploring the value of MR neuroimaging for quantitative assessment of the facial nerve and peripheral lymph nodes in patients with acute peripheral facial paralysis. Methods:Based on a prospective experimental design, 32 patients with idiopathic peripheral facial palsy were enrolled in the experiment. Based on MR neuroimaging technology, MR high-resolution thin-layer images of bilateral facial nerves were acquired. The diameters of different segments of the bilateral facial nerve were measured, including the labyrinthine segment, the geniculate ganglion, the horizontal segment, the vertical segment, the stem-mammary foramen segment, the trunk of the parotid segment, the temporal trunk, and the cervical trunk, as well as the quantitative indicators of peri-auricular and parotid lymph nodes（number, length and diameter of the largest lymph nodes）. Differences in quantitative indices of nerve diameter and peripheral lymph nodes between the paraplegic and healthy sides were compared using the paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results:The diameter of geniculate ganglion, mastoid foramen stem, parotid main trunk, temporal facial trunk, and cervical facial trunk were notably increased on the facial paralysis side compared to the contralateral side（P<0.05）. However, no significant differences were observed in the diameter of labyrinthine segment, horizontal segment, or vertical segment compared to the contralateral side. There were significantly more periauricular lymph nodes on the facial paralysis side than the contralateral side（P=0.001）. Conclusion:MR neuroimaging enables the quantitative assessment of structural changes in the facial nerve of patients with acute peripheral facial paralysis, demonstrating nerve enlargement in the geniculate ganglion, stylomastoid foramen segment, main trunk of the parotid segment, temporal facial trunk, and cervical facial trunk. Additionally, an increased number of periauricular lymph nodes is observed on the affected side. These findings may aid clinicians in assessing the efficacy of treatments and predict the prognosis of these patients.
Humans ; Facial Nerve/diagnostic imaging* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods* ; Prospective Studies ; Female ; Male ; Neuroimaging/methods* ; Lymph Nodes/diagnostic imaging* ; Facial Paralysis/diagnostic imaging* ; Adult ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of the BNIP3-PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in mediating the inhibitory effect of Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BYHWT) on mitochondrial autophagy in human synovial fibroblasts from rheumatoid arthritis patients (FLS-RA) cultured under a hypoxic condition. METHODS: Forty normal Wistar rats were randomized into two groups (n=20) for daily gavage of BYHWT or distilled water for 7 days to prepare BYHWT-medicated or control sera. FLS-RA were cultured in routine condition or exposed to hypoxia (10% O₂) for 24 h wigh subsequent treatment with IL-1β, followed by treatment with diluted BYHWT-medicated serum (5%, 10% and 20%) or control serum. AnnexinV-APC/7-AAD double staining and T-AOC kit were used for detecting apoptosis and total antioxidant capacity of the cells, and the changes in ROS, ATP level, mitochondrial membrane potential and Ca²⁺ homeostasis were analyzed. The changes in mRNA and protein expressions of BNIP3, PI3K and AKT and mRNA expressions of LC3, Beclin-1 and P62 were detected using RT-qPCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: Treatment with BYHWT-medicated serum dose-dependently lowered apoptosis rate of IL-1β-induced FLS-RA with hypoxic exposure. The treatment significantly decreased T-AOC concentration, increased ROS production, autophagosome formation and ATPase levels, and lowered mitochondrial membrane potential and Ca²⁺ level in the cells. In IL-1β-induced FLS-RA with hypoxic exposure, treatment with BYHWT-medicated serum significantly increased BNIP3 protein expression, decreased the protein expressions of PI3K and AKT, increased the mRNA expressions of BNIP3 and P62, and lowered the mRNA expressions of PI3K, AKT, LC3 and Beclin-1 without significantly affecting Beclin-1 protein expression. The cells treated with 5% and 10% BYHWT-medicated serum showed no significant changes in LC3 expression. CONCLUSIONS BYHWT inhibits mitochondrial autophagy in IL-1β-induced FLS-RA with hypoxic exposure possibly by inhibiting BNIP3-mediated PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/pathology* ; Animals ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Humans ; Fibroblasts/cytology* ; Rats, Wistar ; Membrane Proteins/metabolism* ; Rats ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Mitochondria/metabolism* ; Cells, Cultured ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins/metabolism* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Cell Hypoxia ; Synovial Membrane/cytology* ; Male ; Mitochondrial Proteins

Objective To investigate the clinical and CT findings features of nonaneurysmal perimesencephalic subarachnoid hem-orrhage(NAPSAH).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 19 cases of NAPSAH confirmed by clinical treatment and follow-up,and their clinical and CT findings features were summarized.Results All patients exhibited mild clinical symptoms and had a good prognosis without complications.The sites of NAPSAH involved the anterior cistern in 17 cases,the suprasellar cistern in 8 cases,the interpeduncular cistern in 7 cases,the anterior cistern only in 1 case,and the suprasellar cistern only in 1 case;Among them,4 cases had vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia(VBD)and 3 cases had tortuous prolongation of vertebrobasilar artery.Conclusion The incidence of NAPSAH is low,the clinical symptoms are mild and good prognosis.It has typical imaging features.Most of its hemorrhage sites are confined to the anterior cistern,suprasellar cistern and interpeduncular cistern.Combining clinical and CT find-ings helpful to improve the accuracy of diagnosis.

Objective This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial resistance profiles of bacterial strains isolated from pediatric intensive care units(PICU)in China for better antimicrobial therapy.Methods Clinical isolates were collected from 17 institutions,including tertiary care children's hospitals and pediatric department of tertiary general hospitals in China from January 1,2020 to December 31,2022.Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out according to a unified protocol using Kirby-Bauer method or automated systems.Results were interpreted according to the breakpoints released by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)in 2020.Results A total of 10 688 isolates were collected,including gram-positive organisms(39.2％)and gram-negative organisms(60.8％).The top three organisms were S.aureus(13.6％,1 453/10 688),A.baumannii(10.0％,1 067/10 688),and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus(9.9％,1 058/10 688).Multi-drug resistant organisms(MDROs)were very common in children.The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA),carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales(CRE),carbapenem-resistant E.coli,carbapenem-resistant K.pneumoniae(CRKP),carbapenem-resistant A.baumannii(CRAB),and carbapenem-resistant P.aeruginosa(CRPA)was 41.1％,19.4％,8.8％,30.9％,67.4％,and 28.8％,respectively.Overall,more than 50％of Enterobacteriales isolates were resistant to cephalosporins,while nearly 25％of Enterobacteriales isolates were resistant to carbapenems.MDROs were highly resistant to commonly used antibiotics.More than 80％of CRE and CRAB strains were resistant to all beta-lactam antibiotics.CRE and CRAB showed low resistance rates to tigecycline and polymyxin.CRPA showed lower resistance rates to piperacillin,beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations than the resistance rates to third and fourth generation cephalosporins.All of the Staphylococcus and Enterococcus isolates were susceptible to vancomycin and tigecycline.None of PRSP strains isolated from meningitis and nonmeningitis samples were resistant to rifampicin,vancomycin,or linezolid.The prevalence of β-lactamase-negative ampicillin-resistant(BLNAR)strains was 43.3％in Haemophilus influenzae.Conclusions MDROs were prevalent in PICU.It is necessary to establish an effective multidisciplinary team(MDT)to control the antimicrobial resistance.

Objective To investigate the protective effects of Ligilactobacillus salivarius Li01(L.salivarius Li01)against DNA damage induced by Helicobacter pylori(Hp),Benzo(a)pyrene(BaP),and Hp+BaP,and to evaluate the probiotic properties of L.salivarius Li01.Methods After 1 week of adaptive feeding,specific pathogen-free male Mongolian gerbils were randomly assigned to groups and subjected to intragastric administration of Hp,BaP,and Hp+BaP for model induction.At week 32 post model establishment,therapeutic L.salivarius Li01 was administered intragastrically.At week 36,peripheral blood samples were collected from each group for the comet assay,while liver tissues were collected and tested for Cyp1a1 gene expression levels.Results Compared with those in the control group,the comet tail length,％tail DNA,and hepatic Cyp1a1 expression levels were significantly increased in the Hp,BaP,and Hp+BaP groups(P＜0.0001).Among these,the comet tail length,olive tail moment,％tail DNA,and hepatic Cyp1a1 expression levels were significantly higher in the Hp+BaP group than in the Hp and BaP groups(P＜0.05).Following intervention with L.salivarius Li01,the comet tail length,olive tail moment,％tail DNA,and hepatic Cyp1a1 expression levels were significantly reduced in each group(P＜0.001).Conclusions Hp infection,BaP exposure,and the Hp+BaP combination induced DNA damage in the peripheral lymphocytes of Mongolian gerbils,with the Hp+BaP combination showing synergistic damage.L.salivarius Li01 had a protective effect against DNA damage caused by Hp,BaP,and Hp+BaP.

BACKGROUND:Molecular stability and biocompatibility of hemerythrin surpass those of human and mammalian hemoglobin,making it a potential candidate for a safer and more effective erythrocyte substitute after modification.OBJECTIVE:To prepare multi-modified hemerythrin nanoparticles,characterize them,and test their performance in vitro.METHODS:The hemerythrin of Sipunculus sphenodontus was separated and purified by tangential flow ultrafiltration.The intramolecular cross-linking was completed by genipin.The nanoparticles were encapsulated by dopamine,and passivated by polyethylene glycol to obtain multi-modified hemerythrin nanoparticles.The physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles were characterized.Hemerythrin nanoparticles,hemerythrin,and hemoglobin oxygen carrier HBOC-201 with different mass concentrations(0,0.25,0.5,1.0,and 2.0 mg/mL)were incubated with macrophages for 6 and 24 hours,and with endothelial cells for 24 hours.The cell survival rate was detected by CCK-8 assay.The levels of nitric oxide and vascular cell adhesion factor 1 in the culture medium of endothelial cells were detected by ELISA.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Under electron microscopy,hemerythrin nanoparticles were ellipsoidal,with a dense outer membrane and a relatively uniform internal texture.The particle size was(150.12±1.67)nm;the dispersion index was 0.21±0.03;the Zeta potential was(-24.54±2.61)mV;the half-saturated oxygen partial pressure was(0.97±0.15)kPa,and the Hill coefficient was 1.49±0.16.(2)After incubation for 6 hours,within the mass concentration range of≤1.0 mg/mL,the survival rates of macrophages in the hemerythrin nanoparticle group,the hemerythrin group,and the HBOC-201 group were all above 85%.At a mass concentration of 2.0 mg/mL,only the survival rate of macrophages in the hemerythrin nanoparticle group was above 80%.After incubation for 24 hours,the survival rates of macrophages in the three groups were all lower than 80%,among which the survival rate of macrophages in the hemerythrin nanoparticle group was higher than that in the hemerythrin group and the HBOC-201 group(P<0.05).(3)With the increase of drug concentration,the survival rate of vascular endothelial cells in the three groups decreased.At 1.0 mg/mL or 2.0 mg/mL mass concentration,the survival rate of cells in the hemerythrin nanoparticle group was higher than that in the hemerythrin group and HBOC-201 group(P<0.05).At the same mass concentration,the nitric oxide level in the hemerythrin nanoparticle group was higher than that in the hemerythrin group and HBOC-201 group(P<0.05).In the range of 0.25-2.0 mg/mL mass concentration,the vascular cell adhesion factor 1 level in the hemerythrin nanoparticle group was lower than that in the hemerythrin group and HBOC-201 group(P<0.05).(4)The results showed that the hemerythrin nanoparticles modified with intramolecular cross-linking and polydopamine/polyethylene glycol had good oxygen-carrying activity in vitro,better anti-phagocytic performance,and less cytotoxicity.

Objective To explore the effect of the horticultural therapy in the elderly with mild cognitive impairment in elderly care institutions.Methods A convenient cluster sampling method was used.The study was conducted among the elderly with mild cognitive impairment in 2 nursing homes with 5A-level in Guangzhou,from March to September 2024.Using a lottery method,subjects from 2 nursing areas across 2 elderly care institutions were allocated to an experimental group,with the other 2 nursing areas serving as a control group,each group comprising 55 cases.The experimental group participated in horticultural therapy on the basis of control group interventions,while the control group was given routine care and daily leisure activities.The cognitive function,basic psychological needs and quality of life were compared between the 2 groups after the intervention.Results Eventually,37 cases in the experimental group and 38 cases in the control group completed the study.After the intervention,the cognitive function,basic psychological needs and quality of life in the experimental group were all better than those in the control group,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion The horticultural therapy program can delay the progression of cognitive decline in the elderly with mild cognitive impairment in nursing homes,meet their basic psychological needs and improve their quality of life.

Objective:To explore the therapeutic efficacy and prognostic factors of combined rituximab and intensive chemotherapy for sporadic adult Burkitt lymphoma (BL) .Methods:This retrospective study examined the clinical and survival data of 30 patients newly diagnosed with BL between July 2011 and February 2023 at the Blood Diseases Hospital. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, and the log-rank test was used for univariate analysis of prognostic factors.Results:The median age of the 30 patients was 43 years (24 - 66 years), and the male to female ratio was 3: 2. Extranodal invasion was present in 80% of the patients, with involvement of the bone marrow in 53.3% and central nervous system in 10.0%. The Ann Arbor stage was Ⅲ and Ⅳ in 86.7%. According to the number of Burkitt Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (BL-IPI) risk factors, patients were classified as low risk (0) in 20.0%, intermediate risk (1) in 43.3%, and high risk (≥2) in 36.7%. All patients were treated with an induction regimen of rituximab combined with intensive chemotherapy, with objective and complete response rates of 80.0% and 76.7%, respectively. The median follow-up was 49 months (6-153 months), and the 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were both (76.7±7.7) %. All patients with limited stage ( n=4) achieved continuous complete remission (CCR). Patients who had high risk, advanced stage sensitive to induction therapy ( n=10) sequentially received first-line autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) as consolidation therapy; 9 patients achieved CCR, whereas 1 patient with central nervous system invasion developed early disease progression and died. The BL-IPI low, intermediate, and high risk groups had respective 5-year PFS rates of (83.3±15.2) %, 100.0%, and (45.5±15.0) % ( P=0.0069) and OS rates of (83.3±15.2) %, 100.0%, and (45.5±15.0) % ( P=0.0075). The main adverse effects of induction therapy were myelosuppression and secondary infections, which were effectively managed by appropriate symptomatic treatment. Univariate analysis demonstrated that worse PFS was associated with BL-IPI score ≥2 ( HR=4.90, 95% CI 1.02-23.45, P=0.0329) ; extranodal invasion at ≥2 sites ( HR=12.62, 95% CI 2.59-61.62, P=0.0021) ; and failure to achieve first complete response (CR1) after induction therapy ( HR=31.86, 95% CI 4.19-242.20, P<0.0001) . Conclusions:Intensive immunochemotherapy regimens were effective and well-tolerated by adult patients with highly aggressive BL. Treatment efficacy was ideal in patients with limited-stage disease, whereas prognosis was unsatisfactory in patients with high-risk BL-IPI. Sequential first-line auto-HSCT consolidation therapy may further improve outcomes in patients with high-risk advanced-stage disease who are sensitive to induction therapy. BL-IPI score ≥2, extranodal invasion at ≥2 sites, and failure to achieve CR1 after induction therapy were adverse prognostic factors in adult patients with BL.

BACKGROUND:Studies have reported that alendronate intake significantly increases bone mineral density in patients with osteoporosis. OBJECTIVE:To analyze and compare the changes in metabolites before and after alendronate intervention in ovariectomized rats by chromatography-mass spectrometry,and to further explore the specific mechanism and target of alendronate in the treatment of osteoporosis. METHODS:A total of 36 female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into model group,alendronate sodium group and sham operation group.The osteoporosis model was established by ovariectomy in the first two groups.Four weeks after modeling,the rats in the alendronate group were intragastrically given alendronate sodium,while those in the sham operation group and model group were given equal volume of normal saline.After 12 weeks of continuous gavage,the metabolites of the lumbar spine were analyzed by chromatography-mass spectrometry,and the common differential metabolites were obtained,which were analyzed by bioinformatics such as Kyoto Gene and Genome Encyclopedia pathway. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Totally 17 different metabolites were obtained in the three groups.The enrichment analysis of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes showed that alendronate sodium could regulate unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis,linoleic acid metabolism and other pathways to protect ovariectomized rats.These results indicate that alendronate sodium may exert its anti-osteoporosis effect by interfering with unsaturated fatty acid bioanabolism and linoleic acid metabolism,so as to achieve the purpose of preventing osteoporosis