OBJECTIVES: To explore the mechanism of Qingda Granules (QDG) for alleviating brain damage in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). METHODS: Twelve 5-week-old SHRs were randomized into SHR control group and SHR+QDG group treated with QDG by gavage at the daily dose of 0.9 g/kg for 12 weeks. The control rats, along with 6 age-matched WKY rats, were treated with saline only. Blood pressure changes of the rats were monitored, and pathologies and neuronal apoptosis in the cerebral cortex were examined with HE staining and TUNEL staining. Cerebral cortical expressions of miR-124 and STAT3 mRNA were detected using RT-qPCR, and the protein expressions of NeuN, STAT3, Bcl-2, Bax, and cleaved caspase-3 were detected with immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. In a HT22 cell model of oxygen and glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R), the effects of QDG on cell viability and apoptosis, expressions of miR-124 and STAT3 mRNA, and protein expressions of STAT3, Bcl-2, Bax, and cleaved caspase-3 were evaluated using CCK8 assay, Hoechst 33342 staining, RT-qPCR, and Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with WKY rats, SHRs had significantly elevated systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure with significantly increased neuronal apoptosis in the cerebral cortex, reduced expressions of NeuN, miR-124 and Bcl-2, and enhanced expressions of STAT3, Bax and cleaved caspase-3 (P<0.05). All these changes in the SHRs were significantly ameliorated by treatment with QDG (P<0.05). In the HT22 cell model, QDG treatment obviously reduced OGD/R-induced cell apoptosis, increased the expressions of miR-124 and Bcl-2, and suppressed the elevation of protein expressions of STAT3, Bax and cleaved caspase-3. CONCLUSIONS QDG inhibits cerebral cortical neuronal apoptosis and thereby attenuates brain damage in SHR rats by modulating the miR-124/STAT3 signaling axis.
Animals ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; STAT3 Transcription Factor/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Rats ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Male ; Hypertension

Objective To explore the mechanism of Qingda Granules(QDG)for alleviating brain damage in spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHRs).Methods Twelve 5-week-old SHRs were randomized into SHR control group and SHR+QDG group treated with QDG by gavage at the daily dose of 0.9 g/kg for 12 weeks.The control rats,along with 6 age-matched WKY rats,were treated with saline only.Blood pressure changes of the rats were monitored,and pathologies and neuronal apoptosis in the cerebral cortex were examined with HE staining and TUNEL staining.Cerebral cortical expressions of miR-124 and STAT3 mRNA were detected using RT-qPCR,and the protein expressions of NeuN,STAT3,Bcl-2,Bax,and cleaved caspase-3 were detected with immunohistochemistry and Western blotting.In a HT22 cell model of oxygen and glucose deprivation/reoxygenation(OGD/R),the effects of QDG on cell viability and apoptosis,expressions of miR-124 and STAT3 mRNA,and protein expressions of STAT3,Bcl-2,Bax,and cleaved caspase-3 were evaluated using CCK8 assay,Hoechst 33342 staining,RT-qPCR,and Western blotting.Results Compared with WKY rats,SHRs had significantly elevated systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure with significantly increased neuronal apoptosis in the cerebral cortex,reduced expressions of NeuN,miR-124 and Bcl-2,and enhanced expressions of STAT3,Bax and cleaved caspase-3(P＜0.05).All these changes in the SHRs were significantly ameliorated by treatment with QDG(P＜0.05).In the HT22 cell model,QDG treatment obviously reduced OGD/R-induced cell apoptosis,increased the expressions of miR-124 and Bcl-2,and suppressed the elevation of protein expressions of STAT3,Bax and cleaved caspase-3.Conclusion QDG inhibits cerebral cortical neuronal apoptosis and thereby attenuates brain damage in SHR rats by modulating the miR-124/STAT3 signaling axis.

Objective To explore the efficacy of bilateral facial muscle training combined with visual electromyography biofeedback on facial nerve function recovery in patients with idiopathic facial nerve palsy. Methods Patients with idiopathic facial nerve palsy admitted to Shanghai Fifth People’s Hospital, Fudan University from July 2022 to July 2024 were selected and randomly divided into a control group and an intervention group. The control group received conventional physical factor therapy, while the intervention group received bilateral facial muscle training combined with visual electromyography biofeedback therapy based on the control group’s regimen. After 20 treatment sessions, the total effective rate, the House-Brackmann (H-B) facial nerve grading system, the Sunnybrook Facial Grading System (SFGS) score, and the average value ratio of maximal amplitudes of bilateral frontalis and zygomaticus muscles were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 90 patients were included, 45 in each group. After 20 treatment sessions, the total effective rate was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (84.4% vs 75.6%, P＝0.003). Compared with the control group, the intervention group demonstrated a significantly lower H-B grade (P＝0.003) and a higher SFGS score (P＝0.001). The average value ratios of maximal amplitudes of the affected versus healthy side frontalis (P＝0.013) and zygomatic (P＝0.022) muscles were higher in the intervention group than in the control group. Conclusions Bilateral facial muscle training combined with visual electromyography biofeedback is an effective approach for treating idiopathic facial nerve palsy, effectively promoting the recovery of facial nerve function, and improving facial symmetry and facial muscle function.

Dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy（DRPLA） is a rare autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by CAG triplet expansion in the atrophin 1 （ATN1） gene. Up to now， the pathogenesis of DRPLA remains unclear. The main clinical features of DRPLA include myoclonus， epilepsy， ataxia， choreoathetosis， and cognitive impairment. DRPLA has great clinical heterogeneity， and the number of CAG repeats is negatively correlated with age of onset and disease severity. Some patients with late-onset DRPLA may have atypical manifestations without typical imaging changes， which brings challenges to the diagnosis of the disease. This article reviews the pathogenesis， pathological features， clinical and imaging manifestations， diagnosis， and potential treatment of DRPLA， in order to deepen the understanding of this disease.
Ataxia ; Myoclonus

Objectives:To analyze the correlation between the the body shape index(ABSI)and all-cause mortality(ACM)as well as cardiovascular mortality(CVM)in patients with acute heart failure.Methods:This study analyzed data from the National Registration Study of Major Chronic Diseases,a prospective cohort on heart failure.A total of 4 907 patients with acute heart failure were enrolled from multiple centers nationwide,of which 4 375 were eligible for this study.The relationships of between body mass index(BMI),waist circumference,and ABSI with ACM and CVM were assessed using multivariable cox proportional hazards models.Results:The mean age of the patients was(65.0±13.4)years,62.3%was male.The median follow-up time was 4.6(4.59,4.65)years,there were 1 972(45.1%)ACM and 1 400(32.0%)CVM.Multivariable cox regression analysis showed that higher ABSI was associated with an increased risk of mortality.Compared to the second quartile of ABSI,the hazard ratio(HR)for the highest(fourth)quartile were 1.29(95%CI:1.14-1.46,P<0.05)for ACM and 1.23(95%CI:1.06-1.43,P<0.05)for CVM.In contrast,BMI and waist circumference were inversely associated with risks of both ACM and CVM.Conclusions:ABSI can more intuitively reflect the correlation between obesity and death in patients with heart failure than BMI and waist circumference,which has important clinical significance.

Objective:To systematically synthesize the real experiences of cancer patients undergoing prehabilitation and provide a reference for the development of targeted prehabilitation programs.Methods:A systematic search was conducted in China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, VIP, China Biology Medicine disc, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library databases for qualitative studies on the prehabilitation experiences of cancer patients. The quality of the included studies was appraised, and the findings were integrated using a Meta-aggregative approach. The search covered publications up to June 30, 2024.Results:A total of 17 studies were included, yielding 76 themes. These were synthesized into 12 categories and further integrated into four integration results: heavy physical and psychological burden with low adherence to programs; positive cognition supported by multiple factors leads to high adherence under appropriate interventions; unmet practical needs require urgent attention; physical and psychological benefits are sustained and influential.Conclusions:Multiple factors affect patients' adherence to prehabilitation, and unmet needs are common. Future research should aim to identify barriers and meet patients' needs.

Objectives:To analyze the correlation between the the body shape index(ABSI)and all-cause mortality(ACM)as well as cardiovascular mortality(CVM)in patients with acute heart failure.Methods:This study analyzed data from the National Registration Study of Major Chronic Diseases,a prospective cohort on heart failure.A total of 4 907 patients with acute heart failure were enrolled from multiple centers nationwide,of which 4 375 were eligible for this study.The relationships of between body mass index(BMI),waist circumference,and ABSI with ACM and CVM were assessed using multivariable cox proportional hazards models.Results:The mean age of the patients was(65.0±13.4)years,62.3%was male.The median follow-up time was 4.6(4.59,4.65)years,there were 1 972(45.1%)ACM and 1 400(32.0%)CVM.Multivariable cox regression analysis showed that higher ABSI was associated with an increased risk of mortality.Compared to the second quartile of ABSI,the hazard ratio(HR)for the highest(fourth)quartile were 1.29(95%CI:1.14-1.46,P<0.05)for ACM and 1.23(95%CI:1.06-1.43,P<0.05)for CVM.In contrast,BMI and waist circumference were inversely associated with risks of both ACM and CVM.Conclusions:ABSI can more intuitively reflect the correlation between obesity and death in patients with heart failure than BMI and waist circumference,which has important clinical significance.

Objective:To systematically synthesize the real experiences of cancer patients undergoing prehabilitation and provide a reference for the development of targeted prehabilitation programs.Methods:A systematic search was conducted in China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, VIP, China Biology Medicine disc, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library databases for qualitative studies on the prehabilitation experiences of cancer patients. The quality of the included studies was appraised, and the findings were integrated using a Meta-aggregative approach. The search covered publications up to June 30, 2024.Results:A total of 17 studies were included, yielding 76 themes. These were synthesized into 12 categories and further integrated into four integration results: heavy physical and psychological burden with low adherence to programs; positive cognition supported by multiple factors leads to high adherence under appropriate interventions; unmet practical needs require urgent attention; physical and psychological benefits are sustained and influential.Conclusions:Multiple factors affect patients' adherence to prehabilitation, and unmet needs are common. Future research should aim to identify barriers and meet patients' needs.

Objectives:To explore the imaging features of patients with isolated left ventricular apical hypoplasia(ILVAH). Methods:Twelve patients diagnosed with ILVAH(ILVAH group)in our hospital from April 2018 to August 2023 were enrolled,and all of them received transthoracic echocardiography(TTE)examination;9 patients underwent CMR examination;and 1 patient underwent CT examination.Clinical data and imaging characteristics of the patients were analyzed.At the same time,twelve healthy age and sex matched participants who underwent physical examination in the same period were selected as the control group. Results:TTE showed that:compared with the control group,the left ventricular transverse diameter([46.3±5.7]mm vs.[57.8±12.6]mm)and right ventricular long diameter([62.0±4.2]mm vs.[73.6±6.4]mm)were larger in the ILVAH group(P＜0.05),the left ventricular long diameter([63.0±3.5]mm vs.[53.4±8.2]mm)was smaller(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in right ventricular transverse diameter between the two groups(P＞0.05).The interventricular septum was convex to the right ventricle,and the thickness at the apex was(5.2±2.0)mm in the ILVAH group.The papillary muscles were all attached to the flat left ventricular apex.Among the 9 patients who underwent CMR examination,adipose tissue replacement was found in the left ventricular apex in 7 out of the 9 patients,and endocardial fibrosis was found in 2 out of the 9 patients. Conclusions:The clinical presentation of ILVAH is non-specific,but there are specific imaging manifestations that may help improve the understanding of the disease.

Objectives:To compare the diagnostic efficacy of non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and the predictive value for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) of the 0/3-hour algorithm for high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) recommended by the 2015 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines for the management of non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) and the 2021 "Chinese Expert Consensus on Laboratory Testing and Clinical Application of Cardiac Troponin" in suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients in the Chinese population. Methods:This is a multicenter prospective observational study,including 1527 patients with suspected ACS from three clinical centers from January 2017 to September 2020.Plasma hs-cTnI levels were measured using the ARCHITECT assay at the time of presentation and 3 hours later in patients with suspected ACS (test determination).Clinical judgment (independent clinical judgment by cardiac experts,independent of the test results) was used as the gold standard to compare the sensitivity,specificity,and consistency of the two diagnostic algorithms,and to analyze their predictive value for MACE at 30 days and 180 days.MACE in this study was defined as a composite event of cardiovascular death,myocardial infarction,and unplanned coronary revascularization. Results:According to clinical judgment,there were 400 patients with NSTEMI and 1127 patients without NSTEMI.The 0/3-hour algorithm recommended by the 2021 Chinese Expert Consensus showed higher sensitivity in diagnosing NSTEMI than the 2015 ESC guidelines (91.50％[95％ CI:88.32％-94.04％]vs.87.75％[95％ CI:84.13％-90.80％]),but slightly lower specificity (93.88％[95％ CI:92.32％-95.21％]vs.95.56％[95％ CI:94.19％-96.69％]),with both differences being statistically significant (both P<0.001).In the follow-up at 30 days and 180 days,the incidence of MACE in patients diagnosed with NSTEMI by both algorithms was higher than in those without NSTEMI (P<0.001).The incidence of MACE at 30 days and 180 days for the group excluded from the diagnosis of NSTEMI by 2015 ESC guidelines was 0.19％ and 1.120％,respectively,and for the NSTEMI group was 2.89％ and 3.68％,respectively;for the group excluded from NSTEMI by the 2021 Chinese Expert Consensus,the incidence was 0.096％ and 0.770％,respectively,and for the NSTEMI group was 2.91％ and 4.36％,respectively.Cox analysis showed that the HR ratio for MACE at 180 days in the NSTEMI group diagnosed by both algorithms was 3.418 and 5.892,respectively,significantly higher than the group excluded from NSTEMI. Conclusions:The 0/3-hour algorithm recommended by the 2021 Chinese Expert Consensus has superior diagnostic sensitivity compared to the 2015 ESC NSTE-ACS guidelines,at the cost of slightly lower specificity.Both algorithms can effectively predict MACE within 180 days,but based on the data from this study,the algorithm recommended by the 2021 Chinese Expert Consensus is more sensitive in predicting the risk of MACE,and patients excluded from the diagnosis of NSTEMI by this method have a lower incidence of MACE,suggesting that its application in clinical practice may be more helpful in terms of long-term safe management of patients.