Objective: Inflammatory cascade reactions play a crucial role in secondary neuronal injury in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The aim of this study was to explore the correlations between specific serological indicators, early neurological deterioration (END), disease prognosis, and syndrome factors in AIS based on this injury mechanism. Methods: The data for this study were collected from 135 patients with AIS admitted to the emergency department of Fangshan Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, within 24 h of onset between November 2019 and May 2021. Among these, 29 patients had complete data and experienced END. Additionally, 9 non-END patients were matched from the remaining 90 patients with complete data, resulting in a total of 38 patients for statistical analysis. Statistical methods, including logistic regression and receiver operating curves, were used to analyze the correlation between serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) within 24 h of END onset, disease prognosis, and syndrome factors. Grouping criteria included END occurrence, presence of syndrome elements on the first and third day post-onset, and prognosis at 90 days post-onset. Results: All 38 cases had onset time of less than 12 h, and there were no significant differences in age, gender, and onset time between the END and non-END groups. The TNF-α serum level within 24 h of onset was not associated with the occurrence of END but was negatively correlated with all-cause mortality at 90 days [0.110; P<0.05). An elevated IL-10 serum level within 24 h of onset showed a strong negative correlation with non-disabling and good functional outcomes at 90 days post-onset (0.110; P<0.05). When the ICAM-1 serum levels exceeded 233 599.500 μg/L and 125 141.500 μg/L, respectively, the susceptibility to endogenous wind and endogenous fire on the third day of onset was 15.364 times and 6.071 times higher, respectively, than that in patients with serum levels below these thresholds. Conclusion As accessible and objective biomarkers, inflammatory serum indicators are closely associated with both disease progression and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome elements. They enhance AIS diagnosis, assessment, and treatment and contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of TCM syndrome differentiation in AIS diagnosis and treatment.

Objective: To investigate the potential of conventional cranial computed tomography (CT) in assessing the early neurological deterioration(END), long-term prognosis, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome elements during the acute phase in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Methods: This study included 101 patients with AIS onset within 24 h in the Emergency Department of Fangshan Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, from November 2019 to May 2021. To investigate the correlation between the relevant characteristics of the first conventional cranial CT in patients with AIS onset within 24 h and END, 90 d prognosis, and initial syndrome elements, the presence or absence of END, the 90 d prognosis (non-disabling outcome or functionally independent outcome), and the establishment of syndrome elements (internal fire, phlegm-dampness, blood stasis, qi deficiency, yin deficiency) were used as dependent variables and grouping criteria. Results: This study included 61 males and 40 females, with an age of (64.43±10.56) years. The time from onset to conventional cranial CT examination was 3.50 (1.50, 9.75) h. Among the patients, there were 70 cases (69.3%) of mild AIS, 30 cases (29.7%) of moderate AIS, and one case (1.0%) of severe AIS. Fifteen patients (14.9%) received intravenous thrombolysis. Among the 101 patients, six syndrome elements were observed within 24 h of onset: internal wind in 101 cases (100.0%), internal fire in 58 cases (57.4%), phlegm-dampness in 60 cases (59.4%), blood stasis in 67 cases (66.3%), qi deficiency in 39 cases (38.6%), and yin deficiency in 23 cases (22.8%). The incidence of END was higher in patients with lesions in the contralateral cerebral hemisphere to the affected limb (32.9%) than in those without such lesions (10.7%), showing a strong positive correlation with END occurrence (OR=4.082, P = 0.026). The incidence of END was higher in patients with lesions in the basal ganglia region (33.3%) and the carotid system blood supply area (32.8%) than in those without lesions in the basal ganglia region (15.8%) and the carotid system territory (14.7%), showing moderate positive correlations with END occurrence (OR=2.667, P =0.047; OR=2.836, P=0.044). The proportion of non-disabling outcomes was lower among patients with white matter degeneration (30.8%) and lesions in the contralateral cerebral hemisphere to the affected limb (52.1%) than in those without white matter degeneration (63.6%) and without such lesions in the contralateral cerebral hemisphere to the affected limb (78.6%), both showing strong negative correlations with the occurrence of non-disabling outcomes (OR=0.254, P=0.034; OR=0.296, P=0.015). Similarly, the proportion of functionally independent outcomes was lower among individuals with white matter degeneration (30.8%) and lesions in the contralateral cerebral hemisphere to the affected limb (64.4%) than in those without white matter degeneration (77.3%) and without such lesions in the contralateral cerebral hemisphere to the affected limb (89.3%), both also showing strong negative correlations with the occurrence of functionally independent outcomes (OR=0.131, P=0.001; OR=0.217, P=0.014). The incidence rates of internal fire, blood stasis, and yin deficiency syndrome elements were 66.7%, 73.0%, and 30.2%, respectively, among patients with lesions in the basal ganglia region, compared to 42.1%, 55.3%, and 10.5% among those without lesions in this region. The presence of lesions in the basal ganglia region showed moderate to strong positive correlations with internal fire and yin deficiency syndrome elements (OR=2.750, P=0.016; OR=3.670, P=0.028). Patients with lesions in the centrum semiovale and corona radiata regions (66.7%) had a higher incidence of qi deficiency than those without lesions in this region (33.7%), showing a strong positive correlation with the occurrence of qi deficiency (OR=3.931, P=0.022). No CT characteristics were found to be correlated with phlegm-dampness syndrome elements. Conclusion The first cranial CT in patients with AIS has potential application value in predicting disease progression, assessing prognosis, and diagnosing syndromes, which can provide physicians with diagnostic and treatment decisions to improve the long-term prognosis of patients with AIS.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of the traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） compound Chaiqin Xiaoyong Decoction （柴芩消痈饮， CXD） combined with Jinhuang Ointment （金黄膏， JO） in treating the nodular stage of acne mastitis of liver meridian heat accumulation type. MethodsA randomized， double-blind， placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted. A total of 108 patients with liver meridian heat accumulation type acne mastitis in the nodular stage were randomly assigned to a treatment group and a control group， with 54 patients in each group. Both groups received topical application of JO once daily at a thickness of 3~5 mm for 8 hours， along with standard nursing care. On this basis， the treatment group received oral CXD granules， while the control group received placebo granules， administered twice daily， 3 sachets per dose， for 14 consecutive days. Clinical efficacy， TCM symptom scores， nodule size， visual analogue scale （VAS） pain scores， white blood cell （WBC） count， C-reactive protein （CRP） level， and systemic immune-inflammation index （SII） were compared. At the end of treatment， efficacy and safety indicators were evaluated. A 6-month follow-up was conducted to compare the proportion of patients undergoing surgical treatment. ResultsThe total clinical efficacy rate in the treatment group was 90.38% （47/52）， significantly higher than 32.00% （16/50） in the control group （P＜0.01）. The treatment group also showed significantly lower TCM symptom scores， VAS scores， nodule size， WBC count， CRP level， and SII （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. During follow-up， the surgical intervention rate in the treatment group was 5.77% （3/52）， lower than 14.00% （7/50） in the control group， with a statistically significant difference （P＜0.01）. No significant abnormalities were observed in safety indicators before and after treatment in either group. ConclusionCXD effectively reduces nodule size and alleviates symptoms such as redness and pain in patients with acne mastitis of liver meridian heat accumulation type， improves TCM symptom scores， enhances overall clinical efficacy， and demonstrates good safety.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of heat and acid elution methods for IgG anti-M and anti-Ku. Methods: Ten samples with IgG anti-M and two samples with IgG anti-Ku were selected and standardized to a titer of 64. These antibodies underwent overnight absorption at 4℃ with O-type MM and kk-type erythrocytes, and then heat and acid elution methods were used on the absorbed sensitized erythrocytes respectively by detecting the titer of anti-M and anti-Ku in the eluate to compare the differences in the elution efficiency of IgG anti-M and anti-Ku between the two elution methods. Results: In heat elution tests, all 10 anti-M samples showed positive results with titers ranging from 8 to 64, while 2 anti-Ku samples yielded negative results. In acid elution tests, all 10 anti-M samples demonstrated negative results, whereas both anti-Ku (n=2) samples exhibited positive reactions with consistent titers of 32. Following acid elution with subsequent heat elution, 8 of 10 anti-M samples showed positive results with titers ranging from 8 to 32, while 2 remained negative. Both anti-Ku samples demonstrated positive with titers of 4. Conclusion: Heat elution demonstrated superior efficiency for IgG anti-M compared to acid elution, whereas acid elution showed greater efficacy for IgG anti-Ku than heat elution.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of heat and acid elution methods for IgG anti-M and anti-Ku. Methods: Ten samples with IgG anti-M and two samples with IgG anti-Ku were selected and standardized to a titer of 64. These antibodies underwent overnight absorption at 4℃ with O-type MM and kk-type erythrocytes, and then heat and acid elution methods were used on the absorbed sensitized erythrocytes respectively by detecting the titer of anti-M and anti-Ku in the eluate to compare the differences in the elution efficiency of IgG anti-M and anti-Ku between the two elution methods. Results: In heat elution tests, all 10 anti-M samples showed positive results with titers ranging from 8 to 64, while 2 anti-Ku samples yielded negative results. In acid elution tests, all 10 anti-M samples demonstrated negative results, whereas both anti-Ku (n=2) samples exhibited positive reactions with consistent titers of 32. Following acid elution with subsequent heat elution, 8 of 10 anti-M samples showed positive results with titers ranging from 8 to 32, while 2 remained negative. Both anti-Ku samples demonstrated positive with titers of 4. Conclusion: Heat elution demonstrated superior efficiency for IgG anti-M compared to acid elution, whereas acid elution showed greater efficacy for IgG anti-Ku than heat elution.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of manual acupuncture manipulations (MAMs) on subcutaneous muscle tissue, by developing quantitative models of "lifting and thrusting" and "twisting and rotating", based on machine learning techniques. METHODS: A depth camera was used to capture the acupuncture operator's hand movements during "lifting and thrusting" and "twisting and rotating" of needle. Simultaneously, the ultrasound imaging was employed to record the muscle tissue responses of the participants. Amplitude and angular features were extracted from the movement data of operators, and muscle fascicle slope features were derived from the data of ultrasound images. The dynamic time warping barycenter averaging algorithm was adopted to align the dual-source data. Various machine learning techniques were applied to build quantitative models, and the performance of each model was compared. The most optimal model was further analyzed for its interpretability. RESULTS: Among the quantitative models built for the two types of MAMs, the random forest model demonstrated the best performance. For the quantitative model of the "lifting and thrusting" technique, the coefficient of determination (R²) was 0.825. For the "twisting and rotating" technique, R² reached 0.872. CONCLUSION Machine learning can be used to effectively develop the models and quantify the effects of MAMs on subcutaneous muscle tissue. It provides a new perspective to understand the mechanism of acupuncture therapy and lays a foundation for optimizing acupuncture technology and designing personalized treatment regimen in the future.
Humans ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Machine Learning ; Male ; Adult ; Female ; Subcutaneous Tissue/diagnostic imaging* ; Young Adult

INTRODUCTION: Lecanemab has shown promise in treating early Alzheimer's disease (AD), but its safety and efficacy in Chinese populations remain unexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and 6-month clinical outcomes of lecanemab in Chinese patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild AD. METHODS: In this single-arm, real-world study, participants with MCI due to AD or mild AD received biweekly intravenous lecanemab (10 mg/kg). The study was conducted at Hainan Branch, Ruijin Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Patient enrollment and baseline assessments commenced in November 2023. Safety assessments included monitoring for amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) and other adverse events. Clinical and biomarker changes from baseline to 6 months were evaluated using cognitive scales (mini-mental state examination [MMSE], montreal cognitive assessment [MoCA], clinical dementia rating-sum of boxes [CDR-SB]), plasma biomarker analysis, and advanced neuroimaging. RESULTS: A total of 64 patients were enrolled in this ongoing real-world study. Safety analysis revealed predominantly mild adverse events, with infusion-related reactions (20.3%, 13/64) being the most common. Of these, 69.2% (9/13) occurred during the initial infusion and 84.6% (11/13) did not recur. ARIA-H (microhemorrhages/superficial siderosis) and ARIA-E (edema/effusion) were observed in 9.4% (6/64) and 3.1% (2/64) of participants, respectively, with only two symptomatic cases (one ARIA-E presenting with headache and one ARIA-H with visual disturbances). After 6 months of treatment, cognitive scores remained stable compared to baseline (MMSE: 22.33 ± 5.58 vs . 21.27 ± 4.30, P = 0.733; MoCA: 16.38 ± 6.67 vs . 15.90 ± 4.78, P = 0.785; CDR-SB: 2.30 ± 1.65 vs . 3.16 ± 1.72, P = 0.357), while significantly increasing plasma amyloid-β 42 (Aβ42) (+21.42%) and Aβ40 (+23.53%) levels compared to baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Lecanemab demonstrated a favorable safety profile in Chinese patients with early AD. Cognitive stability and biomarker changes over 6 months suggest potential efficacy, though high dropout rates and absence of a control group warrant cautious interpretation. These findings provide preliminary real-world evidence for lecanemab's use in China, supporting further investigation in larger controlled studies. REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT07034222.
Humans ; Alzheimer Disease/drug therapy* ; Male ; Female ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Cognitive Dysfunction/drug therapy* ; Aged, 80 and over ; Amyloid beta-Peptides/metabolism* ; Biomarkers ; East Asian People

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the short-term clinical effect of closed reduction single arm external fixator combined with percutaneous needle fixation in the treatment of C1 distal radius fracture in elderly patients. METHODS: Between December 2022 and December 2023, a total of 60 elderly patients diagnosed with type C1 distal radius fractures were treated, comprising 9 males and 51 females. The age ranged from 65 to 84 years old, with an average of (72.69±8.14) years old. Among them, there were 18 cases on the left side and 42 cases on the right side. There were 55 cases of falling injury and 5 cases of traffic accident injury. According to the different surgical methods, the patients were divided into observation group and control group, with 30 cases in each group. The control group underwent manual reduction and unilateral external fixator fixation, consisting of 4 males and 26 females. The mean age was (72.54±8.67) years old. The body mass index (BMI) was (20.61±2.17) kg·m^-2. There were 10 cases on the left side and 20 cases on the right side. Among them, there were 27 cases of falling injury and 3 cases of traffic accident injury. The observation group was treated with manual reduction and unilateral external fixator combined with percutaneous Kirschner wire fixation, including 5 males and 25 females. The mean age was (72.76±7.23) years old. BMI (20.82±2.03) kg·m^-2. The left side was involved in 8 cases and the right side in 22 cases. There were 28 cases of falling injury and 2 cases of traffic accident injury. The changes in radial height, ulnar declination, palmar inclination angle parameters and patient-rated wrist evaluation (PRWE) were assessed on X-ray films before surgery, 2 days after surgery, and 12 weeks after surgery between the two groups. RESULTS: All surgical procedures were successfully completed in both groups without any significant complications. All patients were followed up for a duration from 12 to 20 weeks with an average of(14.50±2.78) weeks. The two groups exhibited significant differences in radial height, palmar inclination angle, and ulnar deviation angle at 2 days and 12 weeks post-operation (P<0.05). However, there was no statistically significant difference observed in radial height, palmar inclination, and ulnar deviation between the two groups at 2 days after the operation (P>0.05). There were significant differences in radial height, palmar inclination angle, and ulnar deviation between the two groups at 12 weeks after operation (P<0.05). At 2 days and 12 weeks after the operation, there were significant differences in PRWE scores of the two groups compared with preoperative scores(P<0.05). At 2 days after the operation, there was no significant difference in PRWE score between the two groups (P>0.05). The PRWE score showed a significant difference between the two groups at 12 weeks post-operation(P<0.05). CONCLUSION The combination of closed reduction and unilateral external fixator, along with percutaneous pin fixation provides move stable fixation for type C1 distal radius fractures. Gradual removal of external fixator further facilitatse the recovery of wrist joint function.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Radius Fractures/surgery* ; External Fixators ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Wires ; Fracture Fixation/instrumentation* ; Wrist Fractures

Given that ovarian stimulation is vital for assisted reproductive technology (ART) and results in elevated serum estrogen levels, exploring the impact of elevated estrogen exposure on oocytes and embryos is necessary. We investigated the effects of various ovarian stimulation treatments on oocyte and embryo morphology and gene expression using a mouse model and estrogen-treated mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). Female C57BL/6J mice were subjected to two types of conventional ovarian stimulation and ovarian hyperstimulation; mice treated with only normal saline served as controls. Hyperstimulation resulted in high serum estrogen levels, enlarged ovaries, an increased number of aberrant oocytes, and decreased embryo formation. The messenger RNA (mRNA)‍-sequencing of oocytes revealed the dysregulated expression of lysine-specific demethylase 6b (Kdm6b), which may be a key factor indicating hyperstimulation-induced aberrant oocytes and embryos. In vitro, Kdm6b expression was downregulated in mESCs treated with high-dose estrogen; treatment with an estrogen receptor antagonist could reverse this downregulated expression level. Furthermore, treatment with high-dose estrogen resulted in the upregulated expression of histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) and phosphorylated H2A histone family member X (γ-H2AX). Notably, knockdown of Kdm6b and high estrogen levels hindered the formation of embryoid bodies, with a concomitant increase in the expression of H3K27me3 and γ-H2AX. Collectively, our findings revealed that hyperstimulation-induced high-dose estrogen could impair the demethylation of H3K27me3 by reducing Kdm6b expression. Accordingly, Kdm6b could be a promising marker for clinically predicting ART outcomes in patients with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.
Female ; Mice ; Demethylation/drug effects* ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; Estrogens/administration & dosage* ; Gene Expression/drug effects* ; Histones/metabolism* ; Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Oocytes ; Ovary/drug effects* ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Animals

Ferroptosis is a form of programmed cell death characterized by overwhelmed lipid oxidation, and it has emerged as a promising strategy for cancer therapy. Enhanced ferroptosis could overcome the limitations of conventional therapeutic modalities, particularly in difficult-to-treat tumors. In this study, we developed a dual-modality therapy in nanomedicine by combining paclitaxel (PTX) chemotherapy and pyropheophorbide-a (Ppa) phototherapy. Heparin (HP) was grafted with poly(N-(2'-hydroxy) propyl methacrylamide) (pHPMA) using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization to form HP-pHPMA (HH), which was utilized to deliver Ppa and PTX, yielding HP-pHPMA-Ppa (HH-Ppa) and HP-pHPMA-PTX (HH-PTX), respectively. The prodrug-based combinational nanomedicine (HH-PP) was formed by co-assembly of HH-PTX and HH-Ppa. It was found that HH-PP treatment significantly disrupted lipid metabolism in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells, induced extensive lipid oxidation, and promoted ferroptosis. In vivo, HH-PP intervention achieved a tumor growth inhibition rate of 86.63% and activated adaptive immunity with an elevated CD8⁺ cytotoxic T cell infiltration level. This combinational nanomedicine offers a promising platform for co-delivery of multiple therapeutic agents. It exerts a promising anti-tumor effect via enhanced ferroptosis and ferroptosis-induced immune activation by disrupting lipid metabolism in TNBC cancer cells.