ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Niuhuang Qingxinwan （NHQXW） in improving intracerebral hemorrhage （ICH） with Tanre Fushi （phlegm-heat and fu-organ excess） syndrome by maintaining blood-brain barrier （BBB） integrity， and to explore its potential mechanism. MethodsMale mice were administered with 15% autologous feces for 3 consecutive days to simulate spontaneous Tanre Fushi syndrome， followed by surgical induction of collagenase-induced ICH on the fourth day. Mice were randomly assigned to seven groups： Sham， Sham+NHQXW-H， collagenase， collagenase+feces， and NHQXW intervention groups at low （NHQXW-L， 0.225 g·kg^-1）， medium （NHQXW-M， 0.45 g·kg^-1）， and high （NHQXW-H， 0.9 g·kg^-1） doses. Treatments were administered for 3 days after surgery. NHQXW effects on Tanre Fushi syndrome were assessed via fecal water content and small intestinal carbon propulsion rate. Protective effects of NHQXW against ICH with Tanre Fushi syndrome were evaluated by measuring hematoma volume， neurological deficits， and brain water content. BBB integrity was further assessed using Evans blue staining， hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， immunofluorescence， and Western blot for Claudin-5， plasmalemma vesicle-associated protein （PLVAP）， matrix metalloproteinase （MMP）-2， and MMP-9. The potential mechanism of NHQXW was investigated by detecting protein expression of protein kinase B （Akt）， extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 （ERK1/2）， signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3）， Yes-associated protein （YAP）， and their phosphorylated forms. ResultsCompared with the collagenase+feces group， NHQXW-M and NHQXW-H significantly reduced fecal water content （P<0.05， P<0.01） and intestinal propulsion rate （P<0.01）， alleviated neurological deficits （P<0.01）， decreased hematoma volume （P<0.01） and Evans blue extravasation （P<0.01）， increased Claudin-5 protein expression （P<0.05， P<0.01） and fluorescence intensity （P<0.01）， and decreased PLVAP protein expression （P<0.01） and fluorescence intensity （P<0.05， P<0.01）， as well as MMP-2 （P<0.05， P<0.01） and MMP-9 （P<0.01） expression. NHQXW-H downregulated p-Akt （P<0.05）， p-ERK1/2 （P<0.05）， p-STAT3 （P<0.01）， and p-YAP （P<0.05）， with the most significant effect observed on STAT3 phosphorylation. ConclusionNHQXW effectively alleviates neurological deficits and BBB injury in ICH mice with Tanre Fushi syndrome， primarily by inhibiting STAT3 activation.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) at neuro-arterial stimulation points with topical western medication in treating post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome (SHS). METHODS: A total of 72 patients with post-stroke SHS were randomly assigned to an observation group (n=36, 2 cases dropped out) and a control group (n=36, 3 cases dropped out). Both groups received standard neurological treatment, comprehensive rehabilitation, and physical therapy. The observation group received EA at neuro-arterial stimulation points, including the ipsilateral stellate ganglion point, vagus nerve trunk and auricular branch (left side), and stimulation points of the radial and ulnar arteries, radial nerve, ulnar nerve, and median nerve, once daily for 4 weeks. The control group was treated with topical diclofenac diethylamine emulgel, and mucopolysaccharide polysulfate cream was added for patients with pronounced early-stage edema, twice a day for 4 weeks. The VAS pain score and hand edema volume were recorded before treatment, at 2 and 4 weeks during treatment, and 2 weeks after treatment completion (follow-up). Musculoskeletal ultrasound was used to measure the thickness of the dorsal hand and middle finger skin on the affected side before and after 4 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the VAS pain scores and edema volume of the affected hand in both groups were decreased at week 2, week 4, and follow-up (P<0.05). At week 4, both groups showed lower VAS pain scores and edema volume than those at week 2 (P<0.05); during follow-up, both VAS pain scores and edema volume were further reduced compared to those at week 4 (P<0.05). At week 2, week 4, and follow-up, the VAS scores and edema volume of the affected hand in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). Compared before treatment, the dorsal hand skin thickness and middle finger skin thickness on the affected side were decreased in both groups after 4 weeks of treatment (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the observation group showed thinner dorsal hand and middle finger skin thickness after 4 weeks of treatment (P<0.05). CONCLUSION EA at neuro-arterial stimulation points effectively alleviates pain and edema in patients with post-stroke SHS, and demonstrates superior efficacy compared to topical western medication.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Electroacupuncture ; Aged ; Stroke/complications* ; Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/physiopathology* ; Treatment Outcome ; Hand

Post-stroke depression (PSD) is a common sequelae of stroke, which can affect patients' neurological function recovery and quality of life. At present, the diagnosis of PSD mainly relies on subjective scales, and lacks objective biomarkers for early identification. This article reviews the research progress in magnetic resonance imaging for PSD, including structural imaging, functional network, and spectral analysis, aiming to reveal the neuropathological mechanism of PSD and provide a basis for constructing an objective diagnostic system based on magnetic resonance imaging.

Objective To investigate the frequency of therapy-oriented oral radiation in Nanping, China and its distribution, and to provide a basis for the rational application of therapy-oriented oral radiation and the effective allocation of resources in Nanping. Methods A questionnaire was designed to investigate the frequency of therapy-oriented oral radiation in all oral radiation diagnosis and treatment institutions in Nanping. Results In 2021, there were 54 oral radiation diagnosis and treatment institutions and 79 oral radiation machines in Nanping. The total frequency of therapy-oriented oral radiation was 61593 visits and the radiation frequency was 19.54 visits per thousand patients. The average annual frequency of medical institutions at all levels was 721.87 to 3713.25 visits per institution; the male-to-female composition ratio of frequency of therapy-oriented oral radiation in December 2021 was 50.5%:49.5%. The proportion of radiation frequency of different devices was as follows: 38.7% (intraoral dental film), 46.5% (oral panorama), 10.3% (oral computed tomography [CT]), and 4.5% (cranial photography). The proportion of radiation frequency in patients of different ages was as follows: 17.1% (0−15 years), 48.2% (15−40 years), and 34.7% (over 40 years). The frequency of therapy-oriented oral radiation grew by 77.43%, 35.18%, and 8.16% every two years from 2015 to 2021, respectively. Conclusion The frequency level of therapy-oriented oral radiation in Nanping is at the level of Class II health care. The distribution of therapy-oriented oral radiation is highly unbalanced and is related to the level of economic development. Private healthcare institutions are growing rapidly, and public healthcare institutions of grade two and above occupy the main healthcare resources. The oral panorama accounts for the most, cranial photography accounts for the least, and oral CT is the fastest-growing portion. Therapy-oriented oral radiation is predominantly performed in the young and middle-aged populations, regardless of sex. Except for intraoral dental films, the general trend is upward.

ObjectiveTo explore the influence of electroacupuncture combined with point bloodletting and cupping for facial nerve function recovery in acute stage of idiopathic facial palsy （IFP）. MethodsEighty patients with IFP in the acute stage were randomly divided into 40 cases each in the treatment group and the control group. In the control group， oral prednisone acetate tablets were administered during the acute stage when the disease duration was less than 10 days； and electroacupuncture and flash cupping were provided during the recovery stage when the disease duration was more than 10 days， five times a week. For treatment group in acute stage， the stellate ganglion， vagus nerve stimulation point in the auricular cavity， Yifeng （TE 17） and Tinghui （GB 2） were needled on the affected side on the basis of the treatment of control group， with Yifeng and Tinghui connecting to electroacupuncture apparatus， once a day； point bloodletting and then cupping in Yifeng 2 times a week； in recovery stage， the treatment was the same as that of the control group. Both groups were treated until the 45th day from onset. The primary outcome was the Toronto facial grading system （SFGS）， and the secondary outcomes included house-brackmann （H-B） grade， facial disability index （FDI） score， and number of H-B grade-Ⅰ cases. Adverse events were recorded in both groups. ResultsThe SFGS scores of the patients in both groups were higher on the 10th， 30th and 45th days after onset of disease compared with those before the treatment （P＜0.05）； the H-B grade was lower on the 30th and 45th days after the onset of the disease compared with those before the treatment （P＜0.05）； and the facial disability index physical function （FDIP） and facial disability index social function （FDIS） scores were higher on the 30th and 45th days after onset of disease （P＜0.05）. SFGS scores of patients in the treatment group were significantly higher than those of the control group on the 30th and 45th days after onset （P＜0.05）； H-B grade was significantly lower than that of the control group on the 30th and 45th days after onset （P＜0.05）； and FDIP scores on the 45th day after onset， and FDIS scores on the 30th and 45th days after onset were significantly higher than those of the control group （P＜0.05）. At the end of treatment， 77.50% （31 cases） achieved H-B grade-Ⅰ in the treatment group， which was more than 55.00% （22 cases） in the control group （P＜0.05）. No adverse events occurred in either group. ConclusionElectroacupuncture combined with point bloodletting and cupping for IFP in acute stage can improve the recovery degree of facial nerve function， improve effectiveness， and show a high degree of safety.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the major complications of sepsis.Aurantio-obtusin (AO) is an anthraquinone compound with antioxidant and antiinflammatory activities. This study was developed to concentrate on the role and mechanism of AO in sepsis-induced AKI. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) and BALB/c mice receiving cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) surgery were used to establish in vitro cell model and in vivo mouse model. HK-2 cell viability was measured using MTT assays. Histological alterations of mouse renal tissues were analyzed via hematoxylin and eosin staining.Renal function of mice was assessed by measuring the levels of serum creatinine (SCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). The concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines in HK-2 cells and serum samples of mice were detected using corresponding ELISA kits. Protein levels of factors associated with nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway were measured in HK-2 cells and renal tissues by Western blotting. AO exerted no cytotoxic effect on HK-2 cells and AO dose-dependently rescued LPS-induced decrease in HK-2 cell viability. The concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines were increased in response to LPS or CLP treatment, and the alterations were reversed by AO treatment. For in vivo experiments, AO markedly ameliorated renal injury and reduced high levels of SCr and BUN in mice underwent CLP operation. In addition, AO administration inhibited the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, AO alleviates septic AKI by suppressing inflammatory responses through inhibiting the NF-κB pathway.

Objective    To compare and analyze the postoperative quality of life in patients after minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting (MICABG) and conventional median thoracotomy off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (OPCABG). Methods    From November 2015 to January 2018, 94 patients who underwent MICABG in the Peking University Third Hospital were included in the MICABG group. During the same period 441 patients who received OPCABG were included in the OPCABG group. The patients were matched by using propensity score matching method with a ratio of 1∶1. The quality of life was compared between two groups at 1 month, 6 months and 12 months after the surgery using SF-36 scale. Results    A total of 82 patients were matched for each group. In the MICABG group, there were 66 males and 16 females with a mean age of 62.6±8.2 years. In the OPCABG group, there were 67 males and 15 females with a mean age of 63.2±13.2 years. One month after the operation, the physical health assessment (PCS) and mental health assessment (MCS) of the MICABG group were higher than those of the OPCABG group (50.3±10.6 points vs. 46.1±10.3 points, P=0.011; 59.5±9.3 points vs. 54.2±11.0 points, P=0.002). Scores of these following five dimensions: general health, physical functioning (PF), role-physical, social functioning (SF), role-emotion in the MICABG group were higher than those in the OPCABG group, while the score of body pain was inferior to that in the OPCABG group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Six months after the surgery, the PCS and MCS of the two groups were not statistically different (80.0±13.1 points vs. 77.8±12.4 points, P=0.271; 81.6±13.5 points vs. 80.4±11.2 points, P=0.537). However, the scores of PF and SF in the MICABG group were still higher than those in the OPCABG group (P<0.05). Twelve months after the surgery, there was no statistical difference in the score of each dimension between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion    The improvement of quality of life within 6 months after MICABG is better than that of OPCABG, and it is similar between the two groups at 12 months after the surgery, indicating that MICABG has a certain effect of improving the short-term quality of life after the surgery, and the long-term quality of life is comparable to conventional surgery.

Sepsis is a complex syndrome caused by multiple pathogens and involves multiple organ failure, particularly spleen dysfunction. In 2017, the worldwide incidence was 48.9 million sepsis cases and 11 million sepsis-related deaths were reported (Rudd et al., 2020). Inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis are the most common pathologies seen in sepsis. Liensinine (LIE) is a bisbenzylisoquinoline-type alkaloid extracted from the seed embryo of Nelumbo nucifera. Lotus seed hearts have high content of LIE which mainly has antihypertensive and antiarrhythmic pharmacological effects. It can exert anti-carcinogenic activity by regulating cell, inflammation, and apoptosis signaling pathways (Manogaran et al., 2019). However, its protective effect from sepsis-induced spleen damage is unknown. In this research, we established a mouse sepsis model induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and investigated the protective effects of LIE on sepsis spleen injury in terms of inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and apoptosis.
Mice ; Animals ; Lipopolysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Spleen ; Inflammation ; Apoptosis ; Sepsis ; Oxidative Stress

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of recapping laminoplasty preserving the continuity of superior spinous ligament in the treatment of benign tumors in the lumbar spinal canal.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed. The clinical data of 23 patients with benign tumors in lumbar spinal canal, admitted to our hospital from March 2018 to March 2020, were collected. Follow up was performed for 12-23 months; Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores were used for efficacy evaluation. X-ray, CT and MRI were used for imaging evaluation.Results:The number of replanted lamina was 1-4, with an average of 2.2. The surgical duration was (77.2±22.7) min, ranged from 67 min to 146 min; and the amount of intraoperative bleeding was (127±32.6) mL, ranged from 90-290 mL. The tumors were completely removed in all patients, and there were 2 patients complicated with cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and the wound healed after electrolyte supplement and local pressure treatment. No spinal cord injury, epidural hematoma, infection or other related complications were noted. The JOA scores increased from 11.85±1.38 before surgery to 23.22±2.47 at the last follow-up, with significant difference ( t=18.505, P<0.001). Of them, 10 had excellent efficacy, 9 had good efficacy, and 4 had medium efficacy, enjoying an excellent and good rate of 82.6%. Lumbar lordosis angle (LLA) was (51.58±2.39)°at the last follow-up, which showed no significant difference as compared with the preoperative LLA ([52.24±3.17]°, t=0.672, P=0.505). Imaging results showed that there was no spondylolisthesis or instability of lumbar spine, no recurrence of tumors was noted, and no displacement of lamina or secondary reduction of spinal canal volume were noted. Conclusion:The treatment of benign tumors in lumbar spinal canal by modified recapping laminoplasty preserving the continuity of superior spinous ligament can restore the normal anatomical structure of lumbar spinal canal, achieve no bone loss and maintain lumbar curvature well.

Background: We hypothesized that specific amino acids or acylcarnitines would have benefits for the differential diagnosis of diabetes. Thus, a targeted metabolomics for amino acids and acylcarnitines in patients with diabetes and its complications was carried out. Methods: A cohort of 54 normal individuals and 156 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or diabetic complications enrolled from the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University was studied. The subjects were divided into five main groups: normal individuals, impaired fasting glucose, overt diabetes, diabetic microvascular complications, and diabetic peripheral vascular disease. The technique of tandem mass spectrometry was applied to obtain the plasma metabolite profiles. Metabolomics multivariate statistics were applied for the metabolic data analysis and the differential metabolites determination. Results: A total of 10 cross-comparisons within diabetes and its complications were designed to explore the differential metabolites. The results demonstrated that eight comparisons existed and yielded significant metabolic differences. A total number of 24 differential metabolites were determined from six selected comparisons, including up-regulated amino acids, down-regulated medium-chain and long-chain acylcarnitines. Altered differential metabolites provided six panels of biomarkers, which were helpful in distinguishing diabetic patients. Conclusion Our results demonstrated that the biomarker panels consisted of specific amino acids and acylcarnitines which could reflect the metabolic variations among the different stages of diabetes and might be useful for the differential diagnosis of prediabetes, overt diabetes and diabetic complications.