Background: Cerebral hypoxia-ischemia impairs brain development in extremely preterm infants and is associated with poor neurological outcomes. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a noninvasive continuous monitoring method for regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rcSO2).Purpose: This study evaluated the clinical feasibility and neurological impact of a neurocritical care bundle that incorporates prolonged multidisciplinary hemodynamic monitoring and a stepwise management algorithm. Methods: Preterm infants with a gestational age (GA) ≤28 weeks or birth weight (BW) ≤1,000 g were prospectively enrolled in a bundle group subjected to NIRS for rcSO2, electrical cardiometry for cardiac output, and daily brain and cardiac echography during the first 72 hours of life. Monitoring was repeated weekly in the first month and then monthly until discharge or the term-equivalent age (TEA) was reached. We implemented a stepwise management algorithm for treating cerebral hypoxia. The primary outcome was a composite of mortality and adverse neurological events (structural abnormalities or electroencephalogram-confirmed seizures) before discharge. The secondary outcomes were the physiological pattern of rcSO2 within the initial 72 hours and up to discharge or TEA. Results: Thirty preterm infants (GA, 27.1±2.0 weeks; BW, 830±225 g) were enrolled in the bundle group. The mean time-averaged rcSO2 (66.8%±10.3%) was not associated with GA or BW. However, postnatal age appeared to influence physiological rcSO2 changes, given that rcSO2 values were higher during the initial 72 hours than at subsequent intervals. Seven infants (23.3%) had poor outcomes and significantly lower time-averaged rcSO2 (51.1% [50.0%–65.2%] vs. 71.8% [67.1%–73.1%], P=0.002). Multivariate regression indicated that a lower rcSO2 was an independent risk factor, and a 65% threshold showed an optimal predictive value for poor outcomes. Conclusion The neurocritical care bundle helped identify preterm infants at risk of cerebral hypoxia, and lower rcSO2 was an independent risk factor for composite mortality and adverse neurological outcomes.

Objective: Whether elevation in plasma levels of amyloid and tau protein biomarkers are better indicators of cognitive decline than higher baseline levels in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains understudied. Methods: We included 67 participants with twice testing for AD-related plasma biomarkers via immunomagnetic reduction (IMR) assays (amyloid beta [Aβ]1-40, Aβ1-42, total tau [t-Tau], phosphorylated tau [p-Tau] 181, and alpha-synuclein [α-Syn]) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) over a 1-year interval. We examined the correlation between biomarker levels (baseline vs. longitudinal change) and annual changes in the MMSE scores. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was conducted to compare the biomarkers. Results: After adjustment, faster cognitive decline was correlated with lower baseline levels of t-Tau (β=0.332, p=0.030) and p-Tau 181 (β=0.369, p=0.015) and rapid elevation of t-Tau (β=-0.330, p=0.030) and p-Tau 181 levels (β=-0.431, p=0.004). However, the levels (baseline and longitudinal changes) of Aβ1-40, Aβ1-42, and α-Syn were not correlated with cognitive decline. aMCI converters had lower baseline levels of p-Tau 181 (p=0.002) but larger annual changes (p=0.001) than aMCI non-converters. The change in p-Tau 181 levels showed better discriminatory capacity than the change in t-Tau levels in terms of identifying AD conversion in patients with aMCI, with an area under curve of 86.7% versus 72.2%. Conclusion We found changes in p-Tau 181 levels may be a suitable biomarker for identifying AD conversion.

Aim To investigate the effect of Zhenwu decoction on inflammation,oxidative stress and apopto-sis of human glomerular epithelial cells(HGEC)in-duced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS)based on Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway,and to explore the underlying mechanism.Methods HGEC were treated with LPS(1.0 mg·L-1)for 24 h to construct an oxidative damage model.On this basis,2.5％,5％and 10％Zhenwu decoction-containing serum were added to the low,medium and high dose groups of Zhenwu decoc-tion,and a normal group was set up.The changes of cell activity were assessed by MTT method and LDH method.The contents of TNF-α,IL-6,IL-10,SOD,CAT,GSH-Px,ROS and MDA in each group were de-tected by ELISA.The apoptosis of each group was de-tected by flow cytometry.The mRNA and protein ex-pressions of Bax,Bcl-2,caspase-3,caspase-9 and Nrf2/HO-1 pathway were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot,respectively.Results Compared to the normal group,the model group of HGEC exhibited increased levels of inflammatory cytokines,enhanced oxidative stress response and aggravated apoptosis;after inter-vention with various doses of Zhenwu decoction,the in-flammatory levels in HGEC were reduced,oxidative damage and apoptosis were effectively ameliorated,and the mRNA and protein expression levels of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway were upregulated.Conclu-sions Zhenwu decoction can protect HGEC from LPS-induced inflammation and oxidative damage and im-prove apoptosis.The mechanism may be related to the activation of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

The principle and composition of Philips Ingenia Series MRI scanners were introduced.Three common faults of Philips Ingenia Series MRI scanners were analyzed in terms of the phenomenon,cause and elimination measure.References were provided for clinical engineers to treat similar faults.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(6):116-120]

Aim To investigate the effect of Zhenwu decoction on inflammation,oxidative stress and apopto-sis of human glomerular epithelial cells(HGEC)in-duced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS)based on Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway,and to explore the underlying mechanism.Methods HGEC were treated with LPS(1.0 mg·L-1)for 24 h to construct an oxidative damage model.On this basis,2.5％,5％and 10％Zhenwu decoction-containing serum were added to the low,medium and high dose groups of Zhenwu decoc-tion,and a normal group was set up.The changes of cell activity were assessed by MTT method and LDH method.The contents of TNF-α,IL-6,IL-10,SOD,CAT,GSH-Px,ROS and MDA in each group were de-tected by ELISA.The apoptosis of each group was de-tected by flow cytometry.The mRNA and protein ex-pressions of Bax,Bcl-2,caspase-3,caspase-9 and Nrf2/HO-1 pathway were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot,respectively.Results Compared to the normal group,the model group of HGEC exhibited increased levels of inflammatory cytokines,enhanced oxidative stress response and aggravated apoptosis;after inter-vention with various doses of Zhenwu decoction,the in-flammatory levels in HGEC were reduced,oxidative damage and apoptosis were effectively ameliorated,and the mRNA and protein expression levels of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway were upregulated.Conclu-sions Zhenwu decoction can protect HGEC from LPS-induced inflammation and oxidative damage and im-prove apoptosis.The mechanism may be related to the activation of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) in the treatment of malignant tongue base tumors.Methods:A multicenter study was conducted to collect and analyze the clinical data of patients with malignant tongue base tumors who underwent TORS at five otolaryngology-head and neck surgery centers in China, including Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Tongji Hospital of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, and the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University between January 2017 and January 2023. Among the patients, 38 were males and 11 were females, with a mean age of 59.0±8.8 years. Baseline characteristics, complications, and follow-up data were compared between groups. Independent sample t-tests or Mann-Whitney U tests was used for comparisons of continuous variables; chi-square tests or Fisher′s exact tests was applied for categorical variables. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method to calculate overall survival and disease-free survival, and differences between groups were compared using the log-rank test. Results:Among the 49 patients, 41 (83.7%) were diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), with a p16 positive rate of 51.2% (21/41). There were no statistically significant differences between the p16-positive group ( n=21) and the p16-negative group ( n=20) in age, sex, or postoperative bleeding (all P>0.05). However, there was a significant difference in TNM stage between the two groups ( χ2=14.556, P=0.020), with the p16-positive group predominantly in stage I (66.7%) and the p16-negative group primarily in stages Ⅲ and Ⅳ (40.0% and 30.0%, respectively). The postoperative tracheotomy rate was 30.6% (15/49), and the incidence of postoperative bleeding was 6.1% (3/49). The 1-year and 3-year overall survival rates were 98.0% and 92.5%, respectively, while, the 1-year and 3-year disease-free survival rates were 89.2% and 84.9%, respectively. No significant differences were observed between the p16-positive and p16-negative groups in 3-year overall survival (100% vs. 83.8%, χ2=1.093, P=0.518) or 3-year disease-free survival (68.2% vs. 88.9%, χ2=2.161, P=0.382). Conclusion:TORS for malignant tongue base tumors demonstrates high clinical safety and favorable oncological outcomes.

Objective:To summarize preliminary experience and outcomes of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) in hypopharyngeal cancer.Methods:Clinical data of 28 patients with hypopharyngeal cancer underwent TORS with Da Vinci Si or Xi surgical system in three medical centers(Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University and Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University) in China from Sep 2017 to Mar 2024 were respectively analyzed. All patients were males, aged from 47 to 82(62.5±7.1) years old. According to TNM staging of AJCC, the stages included T1 in 6 cases, T2 in 17 cases, T3 in 3 cases and T4 in 2 cases; N0 in 18 cases, N1 in 3 cases, N2 in 6 cases, N3 in 1 case. SPSS version 26 was applied, and with Kaplan-Meier surviving curves, overall survival, local control rate and disease-free survival for those patients were calculated.Results:All 28 patients underwent successfully their TORS, no any case with transfer opening or positive surgical margin. Two patients died within one month after surgery. Two patients experienced minor oral bleeding, and subsenquently was cured. The follow-up period ranged from 1 to 81 months, with an average of 24.8 months, in which, five patients(17.9%) died, five patients(17.9%) experienced local recurrence and four patients(14.3%) had distant metastases. The three year overall survival, local control rate and disease-free survival were 77.1%, 74.6% and 57.1%, respectively.Conclusion:In properly selected cases of hypopharyngeal cancer, TORS can offer acceptable survival and local control rates, which can be considered as a new useful option for the surgery of hypopharyngeal cancer.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and feasibility of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for resection of tumors in the parapharyngeal spaces.Methods:The clinical data of 57 patients who underwent TORS for parapharyngeal space tumors from September 2018 to February 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were treated at five medical institutions: The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. The patients were 28 males and 29 females, aged 17-77 years (median age, 47 years). The pathological types, locations, and sizes of the tumors, operation time, intraoperative bleeding volumes, postoperative hospital stays, and postoperative complications were evaluated. The data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0 software.Results:Postoperative pathological examination revealed 11 types of benign tumors. Among 57 cases, 27 cases had their tumors in the prestyloid spaces, predominantly with pleomorphic adenoma ( n=17), and 30 cases in the retrostyloid spaces, predominantly with schwannoma ( n=22). The tumor volumes ranged from 0.6 to 130.1 cm3, the intraoperative bleeding volumes ranged from 5 to 1 000 ml, the operation time ranged from 20 to 390 min, and the postoperative hospital stays ranged from 2 to 25 days. The total costs for individual cases were 36 000-100 000 yuan, with the highest cost in the case suffering from cerebrovascular accident. Four patients(7.0%) had tracheotomy and 36(63.2%) had nasogastric tube placement. Among the 57 patients, 5 had postoperative cavity effusion, 2 had wound dehiscence, 2 had cerebrovascular accidents, 1 had Horner syndrome, and 2 had other complications. The patients were followed up for 1-67 months, with only 1 patient with intracranial and extracranial communication relapsed. Conclusion:TORS is a safe and feasible approach for treating parapharyngeal space tumors, offering advantages such as minimal invasiveness, reduced blood loss, and faster recovery. It is suitable for parapharyngeal space tumors of various pathological types and locations. The postoperative complications are manageable, with favorable long-term follow-up results and low recurrence rates.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a central neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory impairment in clinical. Currently, there are no effective treatments for AD. In recent years, a variety of therapeutic approaches from different perspectives have been explored to treat AD. Although the drug therapies targeted at the clearance of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) had made a breakthrough in clinical trials, there were associated with adverse events. Neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in the onset and progression of AD. Continuous neuroinflammatory was considered to be the third major pathological feature of AD, which could promote the formation of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. At the same time, these toxic substances could accelerate the development of neuroinflammation, form a vicious cycle, and exacerbate disease progression. Reducing neuroinflammation could break the feedback loop pattern between neuroinflammation, Aβ plaque deposition and Tau tangles, which might be an effective therapeutic strategy for treating AD. Traditional Chinese herbs such as Polygonum multiflorum and Curcuma were utilized in the treatment of AD due to their ability to mitigate neuroinflammation. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and indomethacin had been shown to reduce the level of inflammasomes in the body, and taking these drugs was associated with a low incidence of AD. Biosynthetic nanomaterials loaded with oxytocin were demonstrated to have the capability to anti-inflammatory and penetrate the blood-brain barrier effectively, and they played an anti-inflammatory role via sustained-releasing oxytocin in the brain. Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells could reduce neuroinflammation and inhibit the activation of microglia. The secretion of mesenchymal stem cells could not only improve neuroinflammation, but also exert a multi-target comprehensive therapeutic effect, making it potentially more suitable for the treatment of AD. Enhancing the level of TREM2 in microglial cells using gene editing technologies, or application of TREM2 antibodies such as Ab-T1, hT2AB could improve microglial cell function and reduce the level of neuroinflammation, which might be a potential treatment for AD. Probiotic therapy, fecal flora transplantation, antibiotic therapy, and dietary intervention could reshape the composition of the gut microbiota and alleviate neuroinflammation through the gut-brain axis. However, the drugs of sodium oligomannose remain controversial. Both exercise intervention and electromagnetic intervention had the potential to attenuate neuroinflammation, thereby delaying AD process. This article focuses on the role of drug therapy, gene therapy, stem cell therapy, gut microbiota therapy, exercise intervention, and brain stimulation in improving neuroinflammation in recent years, aiming to provide a novel insight for the treatment of AD by intervening neuroinflammation in the future.

Objective: Whether elevation in plasma levels of amyloid and tau protein biomarkers are better indicators of cognitive decline than higher baseline levels in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains understudied. Methods: We included 67 participants with twice testing for AD-related plasma biomarkers via immunomagnetic reduction (IMR) assays (amyloid beta [Aβ]1-40, Aβ1-42, total tau [t-Tau], phosphorylated tau [p-Tau] 181, and alpha-synuclein [α-Syn]) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) over a 1-year interval. We examined the correlation between biomarker levels (baseline vs. longitudinal change) and annual changes in the MMSE scores. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was conducted to compare the biomarkers. Results: After adjustment, faster cognitive decline was correlated with lower baseline levels of t-Tau (β=0.332, p=0.030) and p-Tau 181 (β=0.369, p=0.015) and rapid elevation of t-Tau (β=-0.330, p=0.030) and p-Tau 181 levels (β=-0.431, p=0.004). However, the levels (baseline and longitudinal changes) of Aβ1-40, Aβ1-42, and α-Syn were not correlated with cognitive decline. aMCI converters had lower baseline levels of p-Tau 181 (p=0.002) but larger annual changes (p=0.001) than aMCI non-converters. The change in p-Tau 181 levels showed better discriminatory capacity than the change in t-Tau levels in terms of identifying AD conversion in patients with aMCI, with an area under curve of 86.7% versus 72.2%. Conclusion We found changes in p-Tau 181 levels may be a suitable biomarker for identifying AD conversion.