Stroke, a major cerebrovascular disease, has high morbidity and mortality. Effective methods to reduce the risk and improve the prognosis are lacking. Currently, uric acid (UA) is associated with the pathological mechanism, prognosis, and therapy of stroke. UA plays pro/anti-oxidative and pro-inflammatory roles in vivo. The specific role of UA in stroke, which may have both neuroprotective and damaging effects, remains unclear. There is a U-shaped association between serum uric acid (SUA) levels and ischemic stroke (IS). UA therapy provides neuroprotection during reperfusion therapy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Urate-lowering therapy (ULT) plays a protective role in IS with hyperuricemia or gout. SUA levels are associated with the cerebrovascular injury mechanism, risk, and outcomes of hemorrhagic stroke. In this review, we summarize the current research on the role of UA in stroke, providing potential targets for its prediction and treatment.
Humans ; Uric Acid/metabolism* ; Stroke/drug therapy* ; Animals ; Hyperuricemia/drug therapy* ; Ischemic Stroke/blood* ; Biomarkers/blood*

Objective:To explore the value of tacrolimus blood concentration and other related indexes in evaluating early postoperative infection in patients with liver transplantation.Methods:Patients with complete medical records who underwent liver transplantation in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2014 to December 2019 were screened. Cohort study was used, and demographic data, laboratory test results, tacrolimus blood concentration and other data of patients with liver transplantation were collected. All patients with postoperative infection were divided into four groups, inculding two to four weeks, five to 12 weeks, 13 to 52 weeks and >52 weeks groups, and uninfected patients in each group were matched 1∶1 according to age ± 3 years old. Independent sample t test and rank sum test were used to analyze the differences in clinical data between postoperative infected and uninfected patients with liver transplantation patients. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the influencing factors of infection in the early postoperative period (two to four weeks after operation). The relative safe value of tacrolimus blood concentration in the early postoperative period was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve. Results:A total of 150 patients with infection after liver transplantation were included, including 65 patients in the two to four weeks group, 31 patients in the five to 12 weeks group, 27 patients in the 13 to 52 weeks group, and 27 patients in the >52 weeks group. There were 52, 30, 32, and 39 uninfected patients in the four groups, respectively. There were 247 males (81.52%) in 303 patients with liver transplantation, and the age ranged from 10 to 78 years old. Hepatitis B cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma were the main primary diseases, accounting for 41.91%(127/303) and 47.52%(144/303), respectively. The tacrolimus blood concentration and alanine aminotransferase in patients with infection in the two to four weeks group were (11.46±4.94) μg/L and 118.20(38.80, 215.80) U/L, respectively, which were both higher than those in the uninfected group ((7.12±2.33) μg/L and 39.40(23.40, 142.70) U/L, respectively). The differences were both statistically significant ( t=6.26, Z=2.66, respectively, both P<0.05). Sputum sources accounted for the largest number of samples, accounting for 61.6%(98/159). A total of 174 pathogens were isolated, of which gram-negative bacteria (55.2%(96/174)) were the majority, mainly Klebsiella pneumoniae (20.1%(35/174)) and Acinetobacter baumannii (13.8%(24/174)). Multivariate analysis showed that tacrolimus blood concentration (odds ratio ( OR)=1.634, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.298 to 2.058, P=0.001) was a risk factor for infection at two to four weeks after liver transplantation, while lymphocyte count ( OR=0.165, 95% CI 0.057 to 0.474, P=0.010) was a protective factor. The area under the curve of tacrolimus blood concentration in evaluating the infection at two to four weeks after liver transplantation was 0.817. The cut-off value was 8.7 μg /L ( P<0.05), with the sensitivity of 0.708 and the specificity of 0.846. Conclusions:The main site of infection in patients with liver transplantation is respiratory system. Gram-negative bacilli are the main pathogens. When tacrolimus blood concentration is below 8.7 μg/L at two to four weeks after liver transplantation, the probability of infection in the early postoperative period may be reduced.

Objective The diagnosis of nasal fractures poses challenges in forensic clinical evaluation.This study aims to develop and enhance an artificial intelligence-based model for nasal fracture recognition,evaluate its performance,and provide assistance and support for forensic clinical identification.Methods Multi-center nasal CT images were selected and screened according to the consensus standards set by Chinese experts in nasal CT examination and diagnosis.A recognition model was constructed,followed by external verification and evaluation.Additionally,the diagnostic capabilities of qualified appraisers/doctors with different professional titles(primary,intermediate,and senior)were compared with the performance of the intelligent recognition model.The accuracy,sensitivity,specificity),and negative predictive value(NP)of the intelligent recognition model were comprehensively evaluated.Results The intelligent recognition model exhibited high diagnostic efficiency and stability.It improved the diagnostic accuracy of radiologists and appraisers in detecting nasal fractures while effectively bridging the gap between inexperienced doctors/appraisers and experienced ones.Conclusion The intelligent recognition model for nasal fractures can assist appraisers in enhancing their ability to locate such fractures on CT images and improve work efficiency while enhancing appraisal opinions'accuracy and scientificity.

Objective To investigate the relationship between Ct value of mice liver and postmortem interval (PMI) under various ambient temperatures. Methods mice were stored at 10℃, 15℃, 20℃, 25℃ and 30℃ after execution, and total RNA was extracted from mice liver every 6 hours (PMI 6h to 72h). The levels of 18s rRNA were examined using real-time PCR. The results were expressed by cycle threshold (Ct) value to explore relationship between PMI and Ct value, and the interpolation functions were established to estimate PMI. Results In each group, Ct value increased with PMI increased. Surface equation was obtained after interpolation analysis on temperature range 10℃~30℃. The three-variable quintic surface equation was f(x, y)=-426.9+30.82x+44.48y-1.297x2-1.837xy-1.388y2+0.034 38x3+0.038 17x2y+0.038 67xy2+0.028 77y3-0.000 612 9x4-3.897e-7x3y-0.001 223x2y2+0.000 256 6xy3-0.000 537 4y4+3.606e-6x5-2.846e-6x4y+1.009e-5x3y2-3.439e-6x2y3-2.556e-7xy4+2.664e-6y5(r2=0.999 4). Conclusion The rule of Ct value changes at ambient temperature complied with three-variable quintic surface equation distribution. Measurement of interpolation function may be used for PMI estimation at ambient temperature.

Objective To assess the left ventricular systolic function (LVSF) in patients with implanted dual-chamber(DDD) mode cardiac pacemakers using Two-dimensional Echocardiography (2DE),Real-time Tri-plane Echocardiography (RT-3PE)and Full-volume Three Dimensional Echocardiography (FV-3DE).Methods A total of 30 patients with DDD mode cardiac pacemaker were ex-amined by 2DE, RT-3PE and FV-3DE separately.Left ventricle end diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricle end systolic volume (LVESV), and ejection fraction (EF) were measured and compared within the three methods above .Results The measurement of EF with patients of post-operation was higher than the patients of pre-operation.The measurements of EF with 2DE were higher than RT-3PE.The measurements of LVEDV , LVESV and SV with 2DE and RT-3PE were lower than FV-3DE, and EF was higher .There were statistically significant differences in above measurements ( P <0.05 ) .But there were no statistically significant differences in measurements of LVEDV and LVESV between 2DE and RT-3DE ( P >0.05).Conclusions Implanting DDD mode cardiac pace-maker can evaluate LVSF of patients obviously .FV-3DE can evaluate LVSF in patients with DDD mode cardiac pacemaker accurately . The LVEDV, LVESV and SV are underestimated by 2DE and RT-3PE, and EF is overestimated by 2DE and RT-3PE.

Objective To evaluate the left ventricular systolic dyssynchrony in patients with left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome (LVABS) quantitatively by real-time three-dimensional echocardiography(RT-3DE) and its correlation with left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF).Methods 7patients with LVABS were enrolled in this study.The images of left ventricle in full volume mode were obtained by RT-3DE in the different time (just after admission,4 weeks and 8 weeks).Post-processing software of 4D LV Volume Tom-Tec was used for calculation of EF and 16-segmental time-volume curves was obtained.The time to the point with minimal systolic volume(Tmsv) of each segment was calculated and by which the following indexes of systolic dyssynchrony were derived:Tmsv16-SD/Dif,Tmsv-basalSD/Dif,Tmsv-mid-SD/Dif and Tmsv-apical-SD/Dif.The correlation between systolic dyssynchrony index (SDI) and LVEF was analysed.Results ① The Tmsv16-SD/Dif,Tmsv-basal-SD/Dif,Tmsv-mid-SD/Dif and Tmsv apical-SD/Dif of left ventricle in the patients of 4 weeks and 8 weeks were smaller than those of the patients just after admission.There were significant differences among them(all P ＜0.05).②The more SDI increased,the more LVEF decreased,and vice versa.SDI was negatively associated with LVEF in the different time of admission (just after admission:r =-0.758; 4 weeks:r =-0.831 ; 8 weeks:r =-0.889;all P ＜0.05).Conclusions Left ventricular systolic dyssynchrony of severe degree is observed in patients with LVABS just after admission.But the condition of dyssynchrony has been improved gradually after 4 weeks and 8 weeks.SDI is negatively correlated with LVEF.