BACKGROUND: While the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) is implicated in sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE), its pathophysiological contributions require further investigation. METHODS: SAE was induced in mice via cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), and microglia were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). PHA-543613 (an α7 nAChR agonist) was used to activate α7 nAChR. To study the role of α7 nAChR in mitophagy and pyroptosis, caspase-1-deficient mice and PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) small interfering RNA (siRNA) were used. Cognitive function, cerebral oxygen extraction ratio (CERO2), and brain tissue oxygen pressure (PbtO2) were measured. Blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity was evaluated via Evan’s blue staining. Mitophagy, pyroptosis, and cytokine levels were analyzed via Western blotting and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: CLP or LPS treatment significantly down-regulated α7 nAChR protein expression in microglia. The administration of PHA-543613 to activate α7 nAChR not only restored its expression post-sepsis, but also notably decreased BBB permeability and mitigated cognitive deficits. Both α7 nAChR activation and caspase-1 knockout effectively suppressed microglial pyroptosis. The activation of α7 nAChR also promoted mitophagy in microglia. This led to an amelioration of brain tissue hypoxia, as shown by elevated PbtO2 and reduced CERO2 levels. The suppression of microglial pyroptosis by α7 nAChR was counteracted when mitophagy was inhibited through the siRNA-mediated silencing of PINK1. CONCLUSION: The activation of α7 nAChR reduces pyroptosis by enhancing microglial mitophagy, thereby mitigating SAE.

Objective To screen items of the Clinical Aided Decision Scheme for Stroke Simultaneous Treatment of Disease,Pulse and Syndrome;To provide reference for the formulation and improvement of the scheme.Methods The Delphi method was used to distribute two rounds of questionnaires to 60 experts in cerebropathy or neurology across the country.Statistical analysis was performed on the questionnaire results of the scheme's items,including the disease names,etiology and pathogenesis,syndrome characteristics,rules and regulations,representative prescriptions,acupuncture and other therapies,and preventive care.Results Totally 42 and 50 valid questionnaires were collected.The experts reached the consensus for the importance of etiology and pathogenesis,rules and regulations,acupuncture and other therapies,and preventive care.In the section on syndrome characteristics,items with low relevance or causing ambiguity were removed.Items that were no longer used in modern times and different prescriptions with the same name were removed from the representative prescriptions.The names of syndromes,rules and regulations were unified.Conclusion The experts generally reached the consensus for the importance of the Clinical Aided Decision Scheme for Stroke Simultaneous Treatment of Disease,Pulse and Syndrome.However,there are still some limitations that require further study and discussion.

Non-neonatal tetanus is an acute, specific, toxic disease in patients over 28 days of age, characterized by continuous rigidity and paroxysmal spasms of the skeletal muscles throughout the body caused by the intrusion of Clostridium tetani through skin or mucosal membrane into the body and reproducing in anaerobic environments to produce exotoxins. The mortality rate of severe patients is close to 100% without medical intervention. Even with aggressive comprehensive treatment, the global mortality rate remains at 30%-50%, making it a potentially fatal disease. In order to standardize the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of non-neonatal tetanus, based on "Regulation for Diagnosis and Treatment of Non-neonatal Tetanus (2019 Edition)", experts have revised this regulation according to clinical practice and recent research progress in this field to guide medical institutions in the prevention and control of non-neonatal tetanus. This article interprets the key points and basis for updating the 2024 edition regulation to guide clinical implementation and application.

ObjectiveTo investigate the abnormal changes of gray matter structure covariant network in post-stroke aphasia (PSA) patients. MethodsFrom June, 2019 to March, 2022, 15 PSA patients (patient group) from Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and Beijing Bo'ai Hospital were recruited, as well as 15 healthy subjects (control group). Their brain structure magnetic resonance imaging data were collected. The brain covariant network was constructed based on gray matter volume correlation, and graph theory analysis method was used to evaluate the global and node network level topology properties of structural covariant network. The differences of gray matter covariant network properties between patients and controls were compared. ResultsThere was no significant difference in the global network level topology properties between two groups (P > 0.05). At the nodal level, compared with the control group, the betweenness decreased in the right middle frontal gyrus, right posterior cingulate gyrus, right amygdala, left middle occipital gyrus, and increased in the right inferior frontal gyrus and the right suboccipital gyrus of the insula operculum (P < 0.05); the node degree decreased in the left superior frontal gyrus, left anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyrus, left hippocampus and left amygdala, while it increased in the right inferior frontal gyrus, left supplementary motor area, right superior occipital gyrus, right inferior occipital gyrus, and right lentiform pallidus (P < 0.05); the node efficiency decreased in the left anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyrus, left hippocampus, left amygdala, left temporal pole: superior temporal gyrus, and increased in the inferior frontal gyrus of right insula, left supplementary motor area and right suboccipital gyrus (P < 0.05). ConclusionThe abnormal reduction of node network properties in some brain regions in the left hemisphere of PSA patients may be a characteristic structural covariation pattern, and there may be some compensation in the right hemisphere of the structural network in some brain regions.

Objective To study the pharmacokinetics of raltitrexed using different ways of drug delivery, including femoral venous infusion, hepatic artery perfusion, hepatic artery injection of lipiodol suspension, hepatic artery perfusion followed by embolization with Gelfoam. Methods According to the administration way of raltitrexed, a total of 40 New Zealand rabbit models with VX2 liver tumor were randomly divided into group A (femoral venous perfusion), group B (hepatic arterial perfusion), group C (hepatic artery injection of lipiodol suspension), and group D(hepatic artery perfusion followed by embolization with Gelfoam). Drug concentration in plasma were determined by using LC-MS/MS method and the pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated. Results After administration of raltitrexed, the Tmax was 5 minutes in all 4 groups. In group A, B, C and D, the values were (5.88±1.39), (7.31±2.60), (9.86±5.10) and (7.19±2.27) respectively, with group C having the longest t1/2 value, which was significantly different with that of group A (P＜0.05); the (ng·ml-1·h-1) values were (2 056.40± 139.17), (1 389.21±180.28), (911.84±105.62) and (1 133.41±181.42)respectively, with the value of group A being obviously higher than that of group B, C and D (P＜0.05) and the value of group C being the lowest; the AUC0-t(ng· ml-1·h-1) values were (5 482.72±1 007.07), (4 156.99±1 475.77), (2 785.13±1 107.36) and (3 903.64±947.25) respectively, with the value of group A being remarkably higher than that of group B, C and D (P＜0.05) and the value of group C being the lowest. Conclusion Compared with the femoral vein infusion way, the ways of hepatic artery infusion, hepatic artery lipiodol suspension injection and hepatic artery perfusion followed by embolization with Gelfoam may promote more raltitrexed to deposit in the tumor area, thus, the curative effect is enhanced, the drug concentration in plasma is lowered and the side effects are alleviated.

Objective To explore whether hypertonic saline would partake in regulating Notch signaling in microglia in experimentally induced cerebral ischemic rats.Methods Male SD rats were randomly divided into sham group, cerebral ischemia group, normal saline group ( NS group ) , 10%hypertonic saline group (10%HS group) , the model of cerebral ischemia were established in all rats except the sham group by using middle cerebral artery occlusion ( MCAO) .After 2 hours of MCAO, the rats were through reperfusion for 24 h.In addition, rats in the normal saline group and 10% HS group were respectively treated with a continuous intravenous injection of normal saline (0.3 mL/h) and 10%HS (0.3 mL/h) by tail vein for 24 h.Immunofluorescence methods, RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of Notch1 and intracellular Notch receptor domain ( NICD) .All data was analyzed by one-way analysis of variance ( ANOVA) , The intergroup comparisons were analyzed by the least-significant-difference (LSD) tests.Differences were considered statistically significant if P<0.05.Results Immunofluorescence showed that the expression of Notch1 and NICD were significantly increased in the microglia around peri-ischemia area in cerebral ischemia group and normal saline group compared to sham group;the expression of Notch1 and NICD in the microglia around peri-ischemia area were significantly reduced in 10% HS group compared to ischemia group and NS group.RT-PCR showed that the mRNA expression of Notch1 was significantly increased in ischemia group and NS group compared to sham group ( sham group: 1.000 ± 0.076; ischemia group: 2.203 ±0.283; NS group: 1.616 ±0.185; P <0.01 ); however, it was significantly reduced in 10% HS group compared to ischemia group and NS group ( ischemia group:2.203 ±0.283; NS group: 1.616 ±0.185; 10%HS group: 1.202 ±0.177; P <0.05 ) .Western blot showed that the protein expression of Notch1 was significantly increased in ischemia group and NS group compared to sham group ( sham group: 0.290 ±0.079; ischemia group: 0.750 ±0.029; NS group:0.765 ±0.182;P<0.01);but was significantly reduced in 10%HS group compared to ischemia group and NS group ( ischemia group:0.750 ±0.029; NS group:0.765 ±0.182;10%HS group:0.390 ±0.195;P<0.05 ) .The protein expression of NICD was significantly increased in ischemia group and NS group compared to sham group ( sham group: 0.401 ±0.196; ischemia group: 0.906 ±0.359; NS group:0.847 ±0.153;P<0.01);but was significantly reduced in 10%HS group compared to ischemia group and NS group ( ischemia group:0.906 ±0.359; NS group:0.847 ±0.153;10%HS group:0.561 ±0.165;P<0.05 ) .Conclusion Our results suggest that HS markedly suppresses Notch signaling in microglia around the ischemia tissue area in experimental induced cerebral ischemic rats.

Objective To explore the clinical application value of early bundle therapy in patients with septic shock after per‐cutaneous nephrolithotomy(PCNL) .Methods The retrospective analysis was conducted patients with septic shock after PCNL ad‐mitted to the central ICU of the First Affiliated Hospital ,University of South China from January 1st ,2011 to september 30 ,2013 . The patients were divided into non‐bundle therapy group and bundle therapy group according to whether treated by early bundle therapy .the APACHE‐Ⅱscore and SOFA score in the before and 1 ,3 ,7 d after treatment ,mortality rate within 28 d and length of ICU were compared with both groups .Results 54 patients were enrolled in the study ,there were 28 and 26 patients in non‐bundle therapy group and bundle therapy group ,respectively .The clinical data of patients in both groups had no significant difference be‐tween the groups ,all P>0 .05 .Compared with the patients in non‐bundle therapy group ,the APACHE‐Ⅱscore and SOFA score in 1 ,3 ,7 d after treatment significantly decreased in bundle therapy group ,all P<0 .05 .mortality rate in bundle therapy group and non‐bundle therapy group were 15 .38% and 35 .71% ,respectively ,P<0 .05 ;and length of ICU were(9 .04 ± 4 .48)d and(7 .00 ± 2 .32)d ,respectively ,P<0 .05 .Conclusion Early bundle therapy can effectively alleviate the severity of the disease and reduce mor‐tality of patients with septic shock after PCNL .

OBJECTIVETo provide the basis for standardization cultivation of medicinal Chrysanthemum morifolium, the relationship between the seedling grading and plant growth, yield and quality were studied.

METHODThe morphological index of the seedlings was measured and the method of principal component and correlation analysis were used to determine the grading index, and step-wise cluster analysis was applied for clustering analysis. Pot experiments were used to measure the indicators of plant growth and development, yield and quality.

RESULTThe height and ground diameter were determined for the quality indicators of the seedlings grading, and the standard quality grading of seedlings of Ch. morifolium was initially set up. The ground diameter of the class I and II were larger than that of the class III, and the number of branches of class I and II was more than that of the class III, on the contrary, the plant height of the class III was higher than that of the class I and II. The shape and appearance of the plant had no effect on the intrinsic quality. Flower center diameter and tubular floret number of the class I and II were significantly larger than those of the class III, so as the yield. The seedling grading had no obvious effect on the internal quality of medicinal material.

CONCLUSIONSeedlings of the class I and class II were suitable for transplanting.

Chrysanthemum ; growth & development ; Flowers ; growth & development ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Seedlings ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo study the influence of host species on growth and development and active component content of Thesium chinense.

METHODPlant morphology and active component content of T. chinense grown with different hosts were measured. The hosts were evaluated by using index-sum method.

RESULTHosts significantly promoted the growth of T. chinense by increasing height, per plant weight, stem diameter, leaf area, the number of seed and haustorium,and decreased RW/SW ratio compared to without host treatment. Considerable differences existed among the effect of different host species treatments. Synthetical evaluation score of Gnaphlium affine was the highest (37), followed by Imperata cylindrical and Prunella vulgaris (36). It is suggested that they were superior hosts for T. chinense. But the scores of Triticum aestivum (25) and Eremochloa ophiuroides (17) were lower, so they were unsuited hosts for T. chinense.

CONCLUSIONHosts significantly promoted the growth of T. chinense. Considerable differences existed among the growth and development of T. chinense grown with different hosts, as well as active component content. Gnaphlium affine, Imperata cylindrical and Prunella vulgaris were superior hosts for T. chinense. While Triticum aestivum and Eremochloa ophiuroides were unsuited hosts for T. chinense.

Host-Parasite Interactions ; Poaceae ; growth & development ; parasitology ; Prunella ; growth & development ; parasitology ; Santalaceae ; growth & development ; physiology ; Triticum ; growth & development ; parasitology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of storage period and grading standards on the quality of Prunella vulgaris in order to provide a theoretical basis for standardized cultivation.

METHODThe spices of P. vulgaris in different storage period (including current year, first-year and second-year) were collected from Lujiang base in Anhui Province. The samples were randomized, with the methods of morphologic characteristics and commercial size on P. vulgaris, the samples were graded into three grades; according to the methods from the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China, water-soluble extracts, ethanol-soluble extracts, total ash and acid insoluble ash were measured, respectively, utilizing the UV spectrophotometry to detection the contents of total flavonoids and polysaccharides, the levels of ursolic acid, oleanolic acid and rosmarinic acid were adopted by HPLC.

RESULTThe total ash and acid insoluble ash of P. vulgaris showed significantly increase during prolonged storage; however, the content of water-soluble extracts, ethanol-soluble, total flavonoids, polysaccharides, ursolic acid, oleanolic acid,rosmarinic acid showed significantly decrease during prolonged storage. The spica of P. vulgaris exhibited no rules differences between the quality and grading standards, The second-degree belongs to high content of total flavonoids; the high content of polysaccharides was first-degree; the total ash and acid insoluble ash of spicas exhibited gradually decreased from first-degree to third-grade, and the content of water-soluble extracts, ethanol-soluble extracts,ursolic acid,oleanolic acid, rosmarinic acid showed gradually increased from first-degree to third-grade.

CONCLUSIONThe current year was a suitable storage time of spicas from P. vulgaris could be selected; and the main bioactive components highest level of P. vulgaris spicas was third-degree, second-grade next, first-degree minimum.

China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Cinnamates ; analysis ; Depsides ; analysis ; Drug Storage ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; Oleanolic Acid ; analysis ; Polysaccharides ; analysis ; Prunella ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; analysis