Objective To understand the current status of blood pressure variability and dyslipidemia in young and middle-aged patients with ischemic stroke, and to explore their relationship with prognosis. Methods A total of 312 young and middle-aged patients with ischemic stroke who met the inclusion criteria in Beijing Pinggu District Hospital from January 2022 to January 2025 were selected. The prognosis status [modified Rankin scale (mRS)], blood pressure variability, and blood lipids [total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)] were analyzed. The correlation of blood pressure variability and blood lipids levels with prognosis was explored by logistic regression analysis. Results There were 206 patients with good prognosis and 106 patients with poor prognosis. The number of patients who received diversified health education in the good prognosis group was more than that in the poor prognosis group (P<0.05). The systolic blood pressure successive variation (SV) and average real variability (ARV), and diastolic blood pressure SV and ARV were lower in the good prognosis group than those in the poor prognosis group (P<0.05). Furthermore, compared with the poor prognosis group, the good prognosis group had lower levels of TC, TG and LDL-C, while the number of patients receiving diversified health education and the level of HDL-C were higher (P<0.05). After logistic regression analysis, it was found that the levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, systolic blood pressure SV and ARV, and diastolic blood pressure SV and ARV were risk factors for poor prognosis. Conversely, receiving diversified health education and HDL-C level were protective factors for poor prognosis (P<0.05). Conclusion High blood pressure fluctuation, dyslipidemia, and lack of health education will increase the risk of poor prognosis in young and middle-aged stroke patients.

This article reviews the progress of clinical research on abnormal sounds after ceramic-on-ceramic total hip arthroplasty, with a focus on analyzing the differences between the third-generation and fourth-generation ceramic prostheses. Abnormal sounds generally refer to high-pitched audible sounds (such as creaking, clicking, etc.) during hip joint movement after surgery, which are considered possible precursors to prosthesis fragmentation (for example, patients with abnormal sounds have more ceramic particles in the joint fluid, and some are accompanied by prosthesis fragmentation). The fundamental frequency of abnormal sounds in the third-generation ceramic prostheses ranges from 400 to 7 500 Hz (approximately 1 500 Hz in males and 2 500 Hz in females), while the acoustic characteristics of the fourth-generation ones remain unclear. The reported occurrence time of abnormal sounds varies significantly among different studies, with an average of 6.4 to 40 months after surgery. This variation may be influenced by patient characteristics, surgical technique, and prosthesis type. Abnormal sounds are considered a possible early indicator of prosthesis fragmentation; for instance, higher concentrations of ceramic particles have been detected in the synovial fluid of affected patients, and some cases have been accompanied by prosthesis fracture. The incidence of abnormal sounds with the fourth-generation prostheses ranges from 3.8% to 46.6% (with a follow-up period exceeding 10 years), while the third-generation shows rates of 0% to 19.7% with no difference between the two generations. Although the fourth-generation prostheses are superior to the third-generation in material toughness (flexural strength>1 380 MPa) and hardness, they still fail to solve the problem of abnormal sounds, and the incidence may increase with the extension of the follow-up time (for example, in some studies, the incidence at 10-year follow-up is higher than that at 5-year follow-up). Abnormal sounds are mostly associated with movements such as extreme flexion (e.g., squatting) and walking. Different sound properties (such as friction sound) correspond to specific inducing movements and locations, among which friction sound requires vigilance against the risk of prosthesis fragmentation. The risk factors include patient-related factors (height, weight, activity level, etc.), surgical factors (prosthesis position angle), and prosthesis-related factors (design, diameter, neck length, etc.). Proposed mechanisms include abnormal edge loading, stripe wear, femoral neck impingement, wear particle generation, and prosthesis mismatch. Adverse outcomes include decreased patient satisfaction with life, revision surgery (with an incidence of 0.2% to 4.65%), and prosthesis fragmentation. Currently, there are still controversies in research. Future studies need to focus on special patient groups, surgical techniques (such as robot-assisted surgery), and the optimization of prosthesis materials and designs (such as gradient structures and surface coatings) to reduce the incidence of abnormal sounds.

Objective To observe the effects of four different modeling method on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal(HPA)axis,blood rheology,platelet aggregation rate,and myocardial ischemia in rats,and to provide new ideas for the establishment of a rat model of"double heart"disease in line with clinical diagnosis and treatment characteristics.Methods Sixty-nine male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into a Control group(unstimulated),chronic unpredictable mild stimulation(CUMS)group,isoproterenol(ISO)group(intraperitoneal injection of ISO),high-fat diet(HFD)group(fed high-fat chow),and composite model(CUMS+ISO+HFD)group(n=12 rats in the Control and HFD groups;n=15 rats in the other three groups,respectively).Modeling procedures were carried out for a total of 8 weeks,with ISO injection started from week 6 of the experiment for a total of 3 weeks.At the end of modeling,rats in each group were subjected to absent-field and sugar-water preference behavioral tests.Electrocardiography(ECG)was performed to observe changes in ECG lead Ⅱ in each group.Serum levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH),cortisol(Cor),corticosterone(CORT),endothelin-1(ET-1),and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1(sICAM-1)were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Myocardial histopathological changes were detected by hematoxylin/eosin(HE)staining.Serum total cholesterol(TC),triglycerides(TG),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)were measured using an enzyme labeling instrument.Whole-blood high-cut viscosity(200 V/S),whole-blood low-cut viscosity(10 I/S),plasma viscosity,and fibrinogen were assessed using an automatic blood rheology analyzer.The maximum platelet aggregation rate(MAR)and average platelet aggregation rate(AAR)induced by arachidonic acid and adenosine diphosphate were detected using a whole-blood platelet aggregometer.Results Compared with the Control group,all four model groups had significantly lower absenteeism distance and number of entries into the central region in the absent-field test,and a lower sugar-water preference ratio(P＜0.01).ECG revealed ST-segment elevation in the ISO and CUMS+ISO+HFD groups,tachycardia in the CUMS group,and mild ST-segment elevation in the HFD.Serum ACTH,Cor,CORT,ET-1,and sICAM-1 were all significantly elevated in the four model groups(P＜0.01).HE staining showed that myocardial tissue was severely damaged in rats in the ISO and CUMS+ISO+HFD groups,with pathological changes such as localized fibrosis and inflammatory infiltration of the myocardium,while mild cardiomyocyte disarrangement and fracture was seen in the CUMS and HFD groups.Rats in the HFD group had increased serum TC and LDL(P＜0.01)and decreased HDL contents(P＜0.01).Compared with the Control group,whole-blood high-cut viscosity(200 V/S),whole-blood low-cut viscosity(10 I/S),plasma viscosity,and fibrinogen were all increased in the CUMS,HFD,and CUMS+ISO+HFD groups(P＜0.01,P＜0.05),while whole blood high-cut viscosity(200 V/S),whole blood low-cut viscosity(10 I/S),plasma viscosity,and fibrinogen levels were decreased in rats in the ISO group(P＜0.01,P＜0.05).MAR and AAR were significantly higher in rats in the CUMS,HFD,and CUMS+ISO+HFD groups(P＜0.01),while the platelet aggregation rate was decreased in the ISO group compared with the Control group(P＜0.01,P＜0.05).Conclusions These result showed that the rat CUMS+ISO+HFD model better reflected the complexity of clinical double heart disease than the other three models.

Objective The study aimed to investigate whether montelukast sodium could alleviate airway inflammatory responses in asthmatic mice by affecting the PHD2/HIF-1α pathway.Methods An allergic asthma model was established by ovalbumin(OVA)induction,and 18 female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into a control group(Con group),an asthma group(OVA group),and an asthma group with montelukast sodium intervention(30 mg/kg montelukast sodium by oral administration 1 h before OVA challenge,Mon group).HE staining was used to analyze the pathological changes in the lungs of mice.Blood cell analyzer and kits were used to determine the number of inflammatory cells and the levels of cytokines,the content of lactic acid and pyruvic acid in the lungs,respectively.RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of HIF-1α,PHD2,E-cad and p120 in the lungs of mice.Results Compared with the Con group,there was a significant increase in the number of eosinophils,lymphocytes,neutrophils and monocytes,the levels of IL-5,IL-13,complement factor D(CFD)and contents of lactate and pyruvate in the lungs of mice in the OVA group.Lung HIF-1α,PHD2,p120 and E-cad mRNA levels were reduced,meanwhile HIF-1α and PHD2 protein expression were upregulated but E-cad and p120 protein expression were downregulated(all with P<0.05).After montelukast sodium intervention,the number of eosinophils and monocytes and CFD expression were significantly decreased in the lungs of Mon group,the contents of lactate and pyruvate were basically restored to normal,and the mRNA and protein expression of HIF-1α,PHD2,p120 and E-cad were effectively improved.Conclusion Montelukast sodium could alleviate the airway inflammatory responses in the lungs of asthmatic mice by regulating the PHD2/HIF-1α signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: The transcription factor POU2F1 regulates the expression levels of microRNAs in neoplasia. However, the miR-29b1/a cluster modulated by POU2F1 in gastric cancer (GC) remains unknown. METHODS: Gene expression in GC cells was evaluated using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR), western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and RNA in situ hybridization. Co-immunoprecipitation was performed to evaluate protein interactions. Transwell migration and invasion assays were performed to investigate the biological behavior of GC cells. MiR-29b1/a cluster promoter analysis and luciferase activity assay for the 3'-UTR study were performed in GC cells. In vivo tumor metastasis was evaluated in nude mice. RESULTS: POU2F1 is overexpressed in GC cell lines and binds to the miR-29b1/a cluster promoter. POU2F1 is upregulated, whereas mature miR-29b-3p and miR-29a-3p are downregulated in GC tissues. POU2F1 promotes GC metastasis by inhibiting miR-29b-3p or miR-29a-3p expression in vitro and in vivo . Furthermore, PIK3R1 and/or PIK3R3 are direct targets of miR-29b-3p and/or miR-29a-3p , and the ectopic expression of PIK3R1 or PIK3R3 reverses the suppressive effect of mature miR-29b-3p and/or miR-29a-3p on GC cell metastasis and invasion. Additionally, the interaction of PIK3R1 with PIK3R3 promotes migration and invasion, and miR-29b-3p , miR-29a-3p , PIK3R1 , and PIK3R3 regulate migration and invasion via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) pathway in GC cells. In addition, POU2F1 , PIK3R1 , and PIK3R3 expression levels negatively correlated with miR-29b-3p and miR-29a-3p expression levels in GC tissue samples. CONCLUSIONS The POU2F1 - miR-29b-3p / miR-29a-3p-PIK3R1 / PIK3R1 signaling axis regulates tumor progression and may be a promising therapeutic target for GC.
MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms/pathology* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement/physiology* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Animals ; Mice ; Octamer Transcription Factor-1/metabolism* ; Mice, Nude ; Class Ia Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/metabolism* ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/genetics* ; Male ; Immunohistochemistry ; Female

The subcortical visual pathway is generally thought to be involved in dangerous information processing, such as fear processing and defensive behavior. A recent study, published in Human Brain Mapping, shows a new function of the subcortical pathway involved in the fast processing of non-emotional object perception. Rapid object processing is a critical function of visual system. Topological perception theory proposes that the initial perception of objects begins with the extraction of topological property (TP). However, the mechanism of rapid TP processing remains unclear. The researchers investigated the subcortical mechanism of TP processing with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). They find that a subcortical magnocellular pathway is responsible for the early processing of TP, and this subcortical processing of TP accelerates object recognition. Based on their findings, we propose a novel training approach called subcortical magnocellular pathway training (SMPT), aimed at improving the efficiency of the subcortical M pathway to restore visual and attentional functions in disorders associated with subcortical pathway dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: The beneficial effects of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) on adverse cardiac outcomes in diabetic patients are well-established. However, the effects of SGLT2i against cancer therapy-related cardiotoxicity remain understudied. We investigated the association between SGLT2i and cardiac outcomes in cancer patients. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched from their inception until September 30, 2024 for studies evaluating the effects of SGLT2i in patients with cancer. The primary outcomes included incident heart failure (HF), HF exacerbation, HF hospitalization, atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter (AF/AFL), myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality. The secondary outcomes included acute kidney injury and sepsis. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI was pooled. RESULTS: Thirteen studies with 85,596 patients were included. Compared to non-SGLT2i use, SGLT2i treatment was associated with lower risks of incident HF (OR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.32-0.79, P = 0.003), HF exacerbation (OR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.63-0.87, P < 0.001), AF/AFL (OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.55-0.82, P < 0.001), myocardial infarction (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.41-0.90, P = 0.01), and all-cause mortality (OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.28-0.69, P < 0.001), but not for HF hospitalization (OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.22-1.55, P = 0.28). As for safety outcomes, SGLT2i use was associated with lower risks of acute kidney injury (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.57-0.81, P < 0.001) and sepsis (OR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.23-0.44, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS SGLT2i were associated with lower risks of incident HF, HF exacerbation, AF/AFL, myocardial infarction, all-cause mortality, acute kidney injury, and sepsis in cancer patients.

Liver ischemia-reperfusion injury (LIRI) is a pathological process involving multiple injury factors and cell types, with different stages. Currently, protective drugs targeting a single condition are limited in efficacy, and interventions on immune cells will also be accompanied by a series of side effects. In the current bottleneck research stage, the multi-target and obvious clinical efficacy of Chinese medicine (CM) is expected to become a breakthrough point in the research and development of new drugs. In this review, we summarize the roles of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) in various stages of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion and on various types of cells. Combined with the current research progress in reducing ROS/RNS with CM, new therapies and mechanisms for the treatment of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion are discussed.
Reperfusion Injury/drug therapy* ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Reactive Nitrogen Species/metabolism* ; Humans ; Liver/drug effects* ; Animals ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

Periodontitis is a common oral disease characterized by progressive alveolar bone resorption and inflammation of the periodontal tissues. Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) has been used in the treatment of various immune-inflammatory diseases due to its excellent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant functions. Here, we investigated for the first time the therapeutic effect of DMF on periodontitis. In vivo studies showed that DMF significantly inhibited periodontal destruction, enhanced mitophagy, and decreased the M1/M2 macrophage ratio. In vitro studies showed that DMF inhibited macrophage polarization toward M1 macrophages and promoted polarization toward M2 macrophages, with improved mitochondrial function, inhibited oxidative stress, and increased mitophagy in RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, DMF increased intracellular mitochondrial Tu translation elongation factor (TUFM) levels to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis, promoted mitophagy, and modulated macrophage polarization, whereas TUFM knockdown decreased the protective effect of DMF. Finally, mechanistic studies showed that DMF increased intracellular TUFM levels by protecting TUFM from degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasomal degradation pathway. Our results demonstrate for the first time that DMF protects mitochondrial function and inhibits oxidative stress through TUFM-mediated mitophagy in macrophages, resulting in a shift in the balance of macrophage polarization, thereby attenuating periodontitis. Importantly, this study provides new insights into the prevention of periodontitis.
Dimethyl Fumarate/pharmacology* ; Mitophagy/drug effects* ; Animals ; Mice ; Macrophages/metabolism* ; Periodontitis/prevention & control* ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Peptide Elongation Factor Tu/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Male ; Mitochondria/drug effects*