ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Huanglian Jiedutang （HLJDT） on cognitive function in mice with ischemic stroke （IS） and to elucidate whether its neuroprotective effects are mediated by inhibition of the nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway and subsequent suppression of NF-κB-regulated neuronal apoptosis. MethodsAn IS model was established using middle cerebral artery occlusion （MCAO）. Sixty C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to five groups （n =12 per group）， i.e.， sham operation， model， HLJDT low-dose （3.9 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， HLJDT high-dose （7.8 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， and Ginkgo biloba extract （GBE， 31.2 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）. Post-operatively， neurological deficit scores （Longa score）， cerebral infarct volume assessed by 2，3，5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride （TTC） staining， and brain water content were evaluated. Learning and memory were assessed using new object recognition （NOR） and fear conditioning （FC） tests. Hippocampal pathology was examined via hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining. Immunofluorescence detected expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein （GFAP， astrocyte marker）， cellular oncogene Fos （c-Fos， neuronal activation marker）， and glutamate decarboxylase 65 （GAD65）. Western blot measured nuclear factor-κB inhibitor protein α （IκBα）， phosphorylated IκBα （p-IκBα）， NF-κB p65， phosphorylated NF-κB p65 （p-NF-κB p65）， ionic calcium binding adapter molecule 1 （Iba-1）， tumor necrosis factor （TNF）-α， interleukin （IL）-1β， and apoptosis-related proteins， such as cleaved cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease 3 （Caspase-3）， B-cell lymphoma 2 （Bcl-2）， and Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）. Real-time quantitative PCR （Real-time PCR） was used to assess mRNA levels of Iba-1， TNF-α， IL-1β， NF-κB p65， cleaved Caspase-3， Bax， and Bcl-2. ResultsCompared with the sham group， the model group exhibited significantly increased neurological deficit scores， brain water content， and cerebral infarct volume （P<0.01）. Hippocampal CA1 neurons were disorganized， showing nuclear pyknosis and karyolysis. NOR exploration time and FC freezing time were significantly reduced （P<0.01）. GFAP and c-Fos expression were increased， while GAD65 expression was decreased （P<0.01）. Cleaved Caspase-3 and Bax were upregulated， Bcl-2 was downregulated， and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was elevated （P<0.01）. Expression levels of p-IκBα， p-NF-κB p65， IL-1β， TNF-α， and Iba-1 were significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， HLJDT high-dose， low-dose， and GBE groups showed significant improvements in all parameters （P<0.01）. Among them， the HLJDT high-dose group showed the most pronounced neuronal structural recovery and superior performance in NOR and FC tests （P<0.01）. In this group， GFAP and c-Fos decreased， GAD65 increased （P<0.01）， apoptosis-related protein expression was reversed， and NF-κB signaling and related inflammatory factor expression were suppressed （P<0.01）. ConclusionHLJDT ameliorates cognitive dysfunction in mice after IS， potentially by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway， thereby reducing neuroinflammation and hippocampal neuronal apoptosis.

Objective To compare the reflux characteristics between reflux esophagitis (RE) patients with Los Angeles (LA) classification grade A and grades B/C based on esophageal pH-impedance monitoring results. Methods A total of 74 RE patients at Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen Branch), Fudan University from June 2021 to June 2024 were enrolled, and were divided into the LA-A group (n＝46) and the LA-B/C group (n＝28) based on the endoscopic diagnosis results. The general clinical data, symptom questionnaire score, and esophageal 24-hour pH-impedance monitoring results were compared between the two groups. Results There were no statistically significant differences in demographic data and the response rate of acid suppression therapy between the two groups. 24-hour esophageal pH-impedance monitoring results showed that there were no statistically significant differences in upright, supine, and total reflux indices, including reflux episodes, acid exposure time (AET), AET percentage (AET%), long acid reflux episodes, longest reflux duration, and total DeMeester score between the two groups. There were no statistically significant differences in distal reflux episodes, proximal reflux episodes, and high reflux (acid, weak acid, and non-acidic reflux) episodes, mean nocturnal baseline impedance (MNBI) between the two groups. The rates of pathological reflux (AET%≥6%) in LA-A group and LA-B/C group were 67.4% and 71.4%, respectively; there were no statistically significant differences in the ratio of AET% composition and the count of impedance reflux exceeding 80 during 24 h between the two groups. Conclusions LA-A grade RE based on the endoscopic diagnosis facilitates the identification of gastroesophageal reflux disease in the Chinese population

Aristolochic acid (AA), extracted from Aristolochiaceae plants, plays an essential role in traditional herbal medicines and is used for different diseases. However, AA has been found to be nephrotoxic and is known to cause aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN).AA-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) is a syndrome in AAN with a high morbidity that manifests mitochondrial damage as a key part of its pathological progression. Melatonin primarily serves as a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant. However, its mitochondrial protective role in AA-induced AKI is barely reported. In this study, mice were administrated 2.5 mg/kg AA to induce AKI. Melatonin reduced the increase in Upro and Scr and attenuated the necrosis and atrophy of renal proximal tubules in mice exposed to AA. Melatonin suppressed ROS generation, MDA levels and iNOS expression and increased SOD activities in vivo and in vitro. Intriguingly, the in vivo study revealed that melatonin decreased mitochondrial fragmentation in renal proximal tubular cells and increased ATP levels in kidney tissues in response to AA. In vitro, melatonin restored the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in NRK-52E and HK-2 cells and led to an elevation in ATP levels. Confocal immunofluorescence data showed that puncta containing Mito-tracker and GFP-LC3A/B were reduced, thereby impeding the mitophagy of tubular epithelial cells. Furthermore, melatonin decreased LC3A/B-II expression and increased p62 expression. The apoptosis of tubular epithelial cells induced by AA was decreased. Therefore, our findings revealed that melatonin could prevent AA-induced AKI by attenuating mitochondrial damage, which may provide a potential therapeutic method for renal AA toxicity.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of endovascular recanalization treatment for acute vertebral basilar artery occlusion (AVBAO) underlying intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) using a balloon-mounted stent.Methods:A total of 16 cases of consecutive AVBAO patients who underwent endovascular treatment with the balloon-mounted stent within 24 h after onset were retrospectively enrolled in Henan Provincial People′s Hospital from February 2017 to August 2019. And the recanalization rate, operation-related complications, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, the improvement of 1 week National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score and 3 months modified Rankin Scale (mRS) after treatment were recorded.Results:In all of the 16 patients, 4 patients underwent direct stenting angioplasty, 12 patients received salvage stenting. Stent placement was successful in all 16 patients. Balloon-mounted stent were implanted in basilar artery of 4 cases, in intracranial segment of vertebral artery of 8 cases, and in origination segment of vertebral artery of 4 cases. Recanalization was successful (thrombolysis in cerebral infarction grade 2b and 3) in 15 patients. The time between arterial puncture and recanalization was 79.0 (72.3, 109.3) min. One patient experienced distal thrombosis during surgery. Two patients suffered symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage within 48 h after surgery. The scores of the NIHSS were improved more than 4 points at 1 week after operation in 8 patients. At 3 months follow-up, 9 patients had a good outcome (mRS 0-3 points) and 4 patients died.Conclusion:Selective stenting angioplasty treatment with a balloon-mounted stent seems to be feasible and safe for AVBAO patients underlying ICAD.

Objective:To examine the clinical treatment methods and short- and mid-term results of traumatic aortic injury (TAI).Methods:The clinical data of 30 patients suffering from TAI who were admitted to Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, General Hospital of Eastern Theater Command from January 2010 to December 2018 were summarized and analyzed retrospectively. All patients were diagnosed as TAI by aortic CT angiography. There were 20 males and 10 females, aging (46.4±15.2) years (range: 17 to 76 years). One patient was diagnosed as extensive intramural hematoma (IMH). The other 29 cases had aortic intimal injury, and the primary intimal tear of all these patients was located in the isthmus of descending aorta. There were 2 cases of ulcer-like changes combined with IMH, and 27 cases of traumatic aortic dissection (TAD) including 23 cases of localized TAD and 4 cases of extensive TAD. Endovascular repair, artificial vascular replacement or conservative treatment were performed according to the patient′s specific condition. The patients were followed up in outpatient or by telephone. The clinical data of all the patients of the in-hospital treatment and during follow-up period was analyzed retrospectively.Results:One patient with IMH was treated conservatively. Surgical intervention was performed in 29 cases with intimal injury, of which 14 cases underwent emergency surgery on the day of admission or the next day, and 15 cases underwent elective surgery. Twenty-seven cases underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), and 2 cases underwent artificial vascular replacement. Nine cases suffered combined operations in early or late stage. All patients were cured and discharged with in-hospital stay of (13.2±5.4) days (range: 7 to 30 days). There was no in-hospital death. Two patients underwent tracheotomy, and the rest had no serious complications. Up to the last follow-up in June 2019, 4 patients were lost to follow-up, and the remaining 26 patients were followed up for (50.6±34.1) months (range: 6 to 112 months) and survived healthily without new aortic events.Conclusions:Most of TAD cases are ascribed to Stanford type B aortic dissection, and a satisfactory short-term and mid-term result can be achieved by emergency TEVAR in most patients. Some patients can achieve good long-term results by open surgery with artificial vascular replacement.

Objective:To explore the characteristics of high-density sign of flat-panel CT (FDCT) after endovascular treatment in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in the anterior circulation of large vessels and their relation with hemorrhagic transformation.Methods:Seventy-eight patients with AIS in the anterior circulation of large vessels accepted endovascular treatment in our hospital from March 2018 to June 2019 were chosen in our study. All patients underwent FDCT, and they were grouped according to the presence of local high-density sign and occurrence of hemorrhagic transformation. The baseline and clinical data of patients from high-density sign group and non-high-density sign group, and from hemorrhagic transformation group and non-hemorrhagic transformation group were compared and analyzed. The correlation between high-density sign and hemorrhagic transformation was analyzed. The morphological characteristics and distribution of FDCT high-density sign in patients from high-density sign group were analyzed, and univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were used to screen the influencing factors for post-operative hemorrhagic transformation in patients from the high-density sign group.Results:(1) The incidence of high-density sign in these patients after endovascular treatment was 41.0% (32/78); as compared with patients in the non-high-density sign group, patients in the high-density sign group had significantly higher rate of hemorrhagic transformation (6.5% vs. 53.1%, P<0.05) and significantly higher 3-month modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores (2.0 [1.0, 3.0] vs. 3.9 [3.0, 5.3], P<0.05). (2) The incidence of hemorrhagic transformation after endovascular treatment was 25.6% (20/78); as compared with those in the non-hemorrhagic transformation group, patients in the hemorrhage transformation group had statistically higher incidence of high-density sign in FDCT (31% vs. 70%, P<0.05); multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that FDCT high density sign was an independent risk factor for hemorrhage transformation after endovascular treatment ( OR=1.823, 95%CI: 1.125-2.358, P=0.000). (3) In the 32 patients with FDCT high-density sign, 4 (12.5%), 13 (40.6%) and 7 (21.9%) had high-density sign in the cortex and subcortex, basal ganglia, and subarachnoid space, whose hemorrhagic transformation incidences were 75% (3/4), 53.8% (7/13), and 57.1% (4/7), respectively, and mean 3-month mRS scores were 4.5, 3.0 and 4.0, respectively; another 8 patients (25%) had endovascular FDCT high-density sign, whose hemorrhagic transformation incidence was 87.5% (7/8), and 3-month mRS scores were ≥4. (4) Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the vascular opening time ≤6 h was a protective factor for hemorrhage transformation in patients with FDCT high-density sign ( OR=0.687, 95%CI: 0.193-0.936, P=0.044). Conclusions:In patients with AIS in the anterior circulation of large vessels accepted endovascular treatment, FDCT high-density sign indicates high risk of hemorrhage transformation and poor prognosis, especially in patients having high-density sign in the cerebral cortex, subcortical area and intravascular area. Minimizing the vascular opening time may reduce the risk of hemorrhagic transformation in patients with FDCT high-density sign.

Objective:To examine the clinical treatment methods and short- and mid-term results of traumatic aortic injury (TAI).Methods:The clinical data of 30 patients suffering from TAI who were admitted to Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, General Hospital of Eastern Theater Command from January 2010 to December 2018 were summarized and analyzed retrospectively. All patients were diagnosed as TAI by aortic CT angiography. There were 20 males and 10 females, aging (46.4±15.2) years (range: 17 to 76 years). One patient was diagnosed as extensive intramural hematoma (IMH). The other 29 cases had aortic intimal injury, and the primary intimal tear of all these patients was located in the isthmus of descending aorta. There were 2 cases of ulcer-like changes combined with IMH, and 27 cases of traumatic aortic dissection (TAD) including 23 cases of localized TAD and 4 cases of extensive TAD. Endovascular repair, artificial vascular replacement or conservative treatment were performed according to the patient′s specific condition. The patients were followed up in outpatient or by telephone. The clinical data of all the patients of the in-hospital treatment and during follow-up period was analyzed retrospectively.Results:One patient with IMH was treated conservatively. Surgical intervention was performed in 29 cases with intimal injury, of which 14 cases underwent emergency surgery on the day of admission or the next day, and 15 cases underwent elective surgery. Twenty-seven cases underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), and 2 cases underwent artificial vascular replacement. Nine cases suffered combined operations in early or late stage. All patients were cured and discharged with in-hospital stay of (13.2±5.4) days (range: 7 to 30 days). There was no in-hospital death. Two patients underwent tracheotomy, and the rest had no serious complications. Up to the last follow-up in June 2019, 4 patients were lost to follow-up, and the remaining 26 patients were followed up for (50.6±34.1) months (range: 6 to 112 months) and survived healthily without new aortic events.Conclusions:Most of TAD cases are ascribed to Stanford type B aortic dissection, and a satisfactory short-term and mid-term result can be achieved by emergency TEVAR in most patients. Some patients can achieve good long-term results by open surgery with artificial vascular replacement.

Objective To study the development of the first county-level key clinical specialized talent teams in Henan province. Methods Data on the first 30 county-level key clinical specialized talent teams were collected through questionnaire in 2014 and 2017 respectively, and signed rank sum test was conducted to analyze such facts as the changes of medical service volume, academic titles and scientific researches of discipline leaders before and after such construction. McNemar′s test and chi-square test were conducted to study the age structure, seniority, education and technical title makeup of these discipline leaders. Such tests were also conducted to study the age structure, seniority, education and technical title makeup of the talents. These efforts aim to discern the construction achievement of the key clinical specialties. Results The indexes of healthcare capacities of the first batch of clinical key specialties were observed as improved ( P <0. 05 ) in terms of the medical service volume. Of the discipline leaders′ age structure, the 51 -60 age groups accounted for 40. 0％ and 66. 7％ respectively, before and after the construction, scoring a difference of statistical significance ( P <0. 05 ); the number of senior physicians increased by 80 persons, the number of physicians having master or above titles increased by 40 persons;the number of physicians participating in continuing education held by these specialties grew from 146. 50 to 262. 50(P<0. 05). Conclusions The volume of medical service of the first batch of county-level clinical key specialties has been elevated, and a group of talents of high education and senior titles have been recruited. Whereas, the title structure needs to be improved, and more young academic leaders are expected, while more opportunities of further education and training are also expected for the physicians, in order to enhance their professional ability.

Objective To investigate the multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) evaluating the clinical staging of adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.Methods The retrospective cross-sectional study conducted.The clinicopathological data of 46 AEG patients who were admitted to the Peking University Cancer Hospital between January 2016 and April 2018 were collected.All patients underwent MDCT before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and at preoperative 2 weeks,the distance between tumor center and boundary of esophagogastric junction (EGJ) was judged through coronal measured values and axial formula method.Patients underwent radical resection of gastric cancer + D2 lymph node dissection after neoadjuvant chemotherapy,pathologists reviewed the distance between center of AEG and boundary of EGJ,T staging (ycT) and N staging (ycN) of clinical staging,T staging (ypT) and N staging (ypN) of pathological staging after neoadjuvant chemotherapy were determined according to TNM staging of American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) (8th edition),and tumor regression grading (TRG) was determined according to the criterion established by National Comprehensive Cancer Network.Observation indicators:(1) CT examination after neoadjuvant chemotherapy;(2) clinical staging after neoadjuvant chemotherapy;(3) postoperative pathological examination;(4) postoperative pathological staging;(5) accuracy of clinical staging after neoadjuvant chemotherapy;(6)relationship between imaging changes of CT examination and pathological reactions.Count data were described as absolute number or percentage,and comparisons among groups were analyzed by the chi-square test.Comparisons of ordinal data were analyzed by the non-parametric test.Results (1) CT examination after neoadjuvant chemotherapy:5 of 46 AEG patients,coronal images of CT showed whole tumor and boundary of EGJ,axial images of CT showed EGJ wall thickening,heterogeneous enhancement in all layers of lesions,and unsmooth serosal surface;the distance between tumor center and boundary of EGJ is less than 2 cm by direct measurement,5 patients were confirmed as esophageal cancer staging.For 41 patients,the same coronal image of CT cannot showed whole tumor and boundary of EGJ,axial images of CT showed EGJ wall thickening,heterogeneous enhancement in all layers of lesions,and irregular-shaped serosal surface;27 patients whose calculated values were negative based on formula method used esophageal cancer staging,and 14 patients whose calculated values were positive used gastric staging.(2) Clinical staging after neoadjuvant chemotherapy:among 46 AEG patients,ycT staging:staging ycT1,ycT2,ycT3,ycT4a and ycT4b were respectively detected in 1,6,31,6 and 2 patients;ycN staging:staging ycN0,ycN1,ycN2 and ycN3a were respectively detected in 5,14,23 and 4 patients.(3) Postoperative pathological examination:of 46 patients,38,3,3 and 2 were respectively confirmed as adenocarcinoma,adenocarcinoma with signet-ring cell carcinoma,adenocarcinoma with neuroendocrine carcinoma and adenocarcinoma with squamous carcinoma.Of 46 patients,the distance between tumor center and boundary of EGJ can be observed in 14 patients by gastric cancer staging and 32 patients by esophageal cancer staging.(4) Postoperative pathological staging:ypT staging:1,3,5,29,7 and 1 patients were respectively detected in staging ypT0,ypT1,ypT2,ypT3,ypT4a and ypT4b;ypN staging:17,4,15,9 and 1 patients were respectively detected in staging ypN0,ypN1,ypN2,ypN3a and ypN3b.One,3,16 and 26 patients were confirmed as staging TRG 0,TRG 1,TRG 2 and TRG 3,including 20 patients tumor regression and 26 patients without tumor regression.(5) Accuracy of clinical staging after neoadjuvant chemotherapy:the accuracies of ycT staging and ycN staging were 78.3％ (36/46) and 54.3％ (25/46).(6) Relationship between imaging changes of CT examination and pathological reactions:of 46 patients,33 and 13 had respectively reduced and stable gastric wall thickness of primary lesion.Among 20 patients with tumor regression,17 and 3 had respectively reduced and stable gastric wall thickness of primary lesion;of 26 patients without tumor regression,reduced and stable gastric wall thickness of primary lesion were respectively in 16 and 10 patients,with no statistically significant difference (x2 =3.069,P＞0.05).Of 46 patients,31,14 and 1 had respectively reduced,stable and increased sum of minor diameters of suspicious celiac lymph nodes.The reduced,stable and increased sum of minor diameters of suspicious celiac lymph nodes were detected in 16,4,0 of 20 patients with tumor regression and 15,10,1 of 26 patients without tumor regression,respectively,with no statistically significant difference (Z =-1.629,P＞ 0.05).The changes of gastric wall thickness of primary lesion and sum of minor diameters of celiac lymph nodes before operation were not consistent to that after operation in 3 patients.CT examination showed gastric wall thickness of primary lesion reduced after chemotherapy,and sum of minor diameters of celiac lymph nodes didn't change;pathological staging and clinical staging were respectively in staging ypN0 and ycN1.Conclusion According to the TNM staging of AJCC (Sth edition),the distance between tumor center and boundary of EGJ is judged through coronal measured values and axial formula method and therefore determining to select staging system of esophageal cancer or gastric cancer,meanwhile,rectifying over T3 staging of Siewert Ⅱ gastric cancer and increasing overall accuracy of clinical staging.