Due to the diverse composition and complex physicochemical and biological characteristics, the pre-treatment of microbiological counting method （preparation of test solution） in microbiological limit test were interfered by many factors, which ultimately affected the repeatability and accuracy of test results. Improving the accuracy of microbiological test is of practical significance to ensure the safety and effectiveness of non-sterile preparations. In this paper, the key factors and optimization methods involved in the pre-treatment of proprietary Chinese medicines were systematically analyzed and summarized.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of Tongnaoyin on the blood-brain barrier status and neurological impairment in acute ischemic stroke （AIS） patients with the syndrome of phlegm-stasis blocking collaterals by dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging （DCE-MRI）. MethodsA total of 63 patients diagnosed with AIS in the Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine from October 2022 to December 2023 were enrolled in this study. According to random number table method，the patients were assigned into a control group （32 cases） and an observation group （31 cases）. The control group received conventional Western medical treatment，and the observation group took 200 mL Tongnaoyin after meals，twice a day from day 2 of admission on the basis of the treatment in the control group. After 7 days of treatment，the patients were examined by DCE-MRI. The baseline data for two groups of patients before treatment were compared. The National Institute of Health Stroke Scale （NIHSS） score and modified Rankin Scale （mRS） score were recorded before treatment and after 90 days of treatment for both groups. The rKtrans，rKep，and rVe values were obtained from the region of interest （ROI） of the infarct zone/mirror area and compared between the two groups. ResultsThere was no significant difference in the NIHSS or mRS score between the two groups before treatment. After 90 days of treatment，the NIHSS and mRS scores declined in both groups，and the observation group had lower scores than the control group （P<0.05）. After treatment，the rKtrans and rVe in the observation group were lower than those in the control group （P<0.01）. ConclusionCompared with conventional Western medical treatment alone，conventional Western medical treatment combined with Tongnaoyin accelerates the repair of the blood-brain barrier in AIS patients，thereby ameliorating neurological impairment after AIS to improve the prognosis.

To guide transfusion practice in critically ill children who often need plasma and platelet transfusions, the Transfusion and Anemia Expertise Initiative-Control/Avoidance of Bleeding (TAXI-CAB) developed Recommendations and Expert Consensus for Plasma and Platelet Transfusion Practice in Critically Ill Children. This guideline addresses 53 recommendations related to plasma and platelet transfusion in critically ill children with 8 kinds of diseases, laboratory testing, selection/treatment of plasma and platelet components, and research priorities. This paper introduces the specific methods and results of the recommendation formation of the guideline.

ObjectiveTo investigate the changes in cerebral blood perfusion in patients with acute cerebral infarction after taking Tongnaoyin， a traditional Chinese medicine， based on head and neck computed tomography （CT） angiography （CTA） combined with brain CT perfusion imaging （CTP）. MethodA total of 240 patients with cerebral infarction of phlegm and blood stasis syndrome treated in Jiangsu Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from March 2018 to September 2023 were randomly divided into a control group （99 cases） and a Tongnaoyin group （141 cases）. Based on the guidelines， the control group was treated with conventional treatment such as anti-aggregation， anticoagulation， lipid-lowering and plaque stabilization， brain protection， and supportive treatment. The Tongnaoyin group was treated with Tongnaoyin of 200 mL in warm conditions in the morning and evening on the basis of the control group. Both groups underwent CTA combined with CTP within 24 hours after admission， and they were reexamined by CTA and CTP in the sixth month after admission. The degree of intracranial artery stenosis was determined according to the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial （NASCET） method. The relative cerebral blood volume （rCBV）， relative cerebral blood flow （rCBF）， mean transit time （MTT）， and time to peak （TTP） of the lesion area before and after treatment were compared. The adverse outcomes of the two groups within six months after discharge were compared. ResultCompared with the group before treatment， the degree of vascular stenosis in the Tongnaoyin group was significantly reduced， and the difference was statistically significant （Z=105.369，P<0.05）. Compared with the control group after treatment， the improvement rate of vascular stenosis in the Tongnaoyin group was higher （χ²=84.179，P<0.01）， and the curative effect was better.After treatment， the rCBV and rCBF of patients in the Tongnaoyin group were significantly increased， and the difference was statistically significant （P<0.01）. MTT and TTP showed a trend of shortening， but the difference was not statistically significant. There was no statistically significant difference in rCBV， rCBF， MTT， and TTP in the control group. Compared with those in the control group after treatment， the rCBV and rCBF in the Tongnaoyin group were significantly increased， while MTT and TTP were significantly reduced （P<0.01）. After six months of discharge， the risk of poor prognosis in the Tongnaoyin group was significantly reduced compared with the control group （P<0.05）. ConclusionTongnaoyin has a good effect on improving cerebral blood perfusion in patients with acute cerebral infarction. It can be used as an effective supplement for the conventional treatment of ischemic stroke to improve clinical efficacy.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a complication in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The Chinese Children's Cancer Group-ALL-2015 protocol was carried out in China, and epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and risk factors associated with VTE were analyzed. We collected data on VTE in a multi-institutional clinical study of 7640 patients with ALL diagnosed in 20 hospitals from January 2015 to December 2019. First, VTE occurred in 159 (2.08%) patients, including 90 (56.6%) during induction therapy and 108 (67.92%) in the upper extremities. T-ALL had a 1.74-fold increased risk of VTE (95% CI 1.08-2.8, P = 0.022). Septicemia, as an adverse event of ALL treatment, can significantly promote the occurrence of VTE (P < 0.001). Catheter-related thrombosis (CRT) accounted for 75.47% (n = 120); and, symptomatic VTE, 58.49% (n = 93), which was more common in patients aged 12-18 years (P = 0.023), non-CRT patients (P < 0.001), or patients with cerebral thrombosis (P < 0.001). Of the patients with VTE treated with anticoagulation therapy (n = 147), 4.08% (n = 6) had bleeding. The VTE recurrence rate was 5.03% (n = 8). Patients with VTE treated by non-ultrasound-guided venous cannulation (P = 0.02), with residual thrombus (P = 0.006), or with short anticoagulation period (P = 0.026) had high recurrence rates. Thus, preventing repeated venous puncture and appropriately prolonged anticoagulation time can reduce the risk of VTE recurrence.
Humans ; Child ; Venous Thromboembolism/etiology* ; East Asian People ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/epidemiology* ; Risk Factors ; Thrombosis/chemically induced* ; China/epidemiology* ; Anticoagulants/adverse effects* ; Recurrence

Objective:To observe any relationship between corticospinal tract integrity and the upper limb motor function of stroke survivors treated with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS).Methods:Bilateral corticospinal tracts (CSTs) were reconstructed in ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke survivors with upper limb motor dysfunction using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Thirty patients with good CST integrity (rFA>0.5) and 30 with rFA≤0.5 were further divided into a high frequency rTMS group (HF, n=10), a low frequency group (LF, n=10), and a control group ( n=10). All groups were given routine rehabilitation, while the high and low frequency groups were additionally provided with 5Hz and 1Hz rTMS respectively applied over the M1 area of the contralesional hemisphere. Before and after 3 weeks of treatment, all of the subjects were evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer upper extremity scale (F-M UE), the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) and the Modified Barthel Index (MBI). Results:For the high CST integrity group, significant improvement was observed in the average scores of all measurements, with the average FMA-UE, WMFT and MBI scores of the LF group [(38.10±5.71), (43.20±5.32) and (78.00±11.35)] significantly better than those of the other 2 groups. Among the low CST integrity group, the HF subgroup showed greater improvement than the other 2 on average.Conclusions:For patients with good CST integrity, LF-rTMS over the contralesional cortex is superior to HF-rTMS in promoting upper limb motor function, while for patients with low CST integrity HF-rTMS over the contralesional cortex has a better effect than LF-rTMS or sham stimulation in terms of improving upper limb motor function after a stroke.

Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a hotspot in the field of fatty liver disease at present and it has become the most common chronic liver disease around the world. It is predicted that the incidence rates of MAFLD and related liver cirrhosis will continue to grow in the next 20 years and that they will become new global health issues. Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is defined as a clinical syndrome of acute or subacute liver function decompensation within a short period of time in the presence of existing chronic liver diseases, with the main clinical manifestations of ascites, jaundice, coagulation disorder, and hepatic encephalopathy. Based on the existing data, this article discusses the epidemiology, pathogenesis, treatment and management strategies, and future prospects of MAFLD-ACLF.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir (OBV/PTV/r) 25/150/100 mg once daily and dasabuvir (DSV) 250 mg twice daily combined with ribavirin in adult patients of Mainland China with chronic HCV genotype 1b infection and compensated cirrhosis. Methods: An open-label, multicenter, phase 3 clinical trial study was conducted in mainland China, Taiwan, and South Korea. Adult patients with compensated cirrhosis (Metavir score =F4) who were newly diagnosed and treated for hepatitis C virus genotype 1b infection with ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir combined with ribavirin for 12 weeks were included. Assessed SVR rate of patients obtained at 12 and 24 weeks after drug withdrawal. Efficacy and safety were evaluated in patients who received at least one time study drugs. Results: A total of 63 patients from mainland China were enrolled, 62 of whom (98.4%) had a baseline Child-Pugh score of 5 points. The overall rate of SVR12 and SVR24 in patients was 100% (95% CI: 94.3% to 100.0%). Most of the adverse events that occurred were mild. The incidence of common (≥10%) adverse events and laboratory abnormalities included elevated total bilirubin (36.5%), weakness (19.0%), elevated unconjugated bilirubin (19.0%) and conjugated bilirubin (17.5%), and anemia (14.3%). Three cases (4.8%) of patients experienced Grade ≥ 3 adverse events that were considered by the investigators to be unrelated to the study drug. None patients had adverse events leading to premature drug withdrawal. Conclusion Mainland Chinese patients with chronic HCV genotype 1b infection and compensated cirrhosis who were treated with OBV/PTV/r plus DSV combined with RBV for 12 weeks achieved 100 % SVR at 12 and 24 weeks after drug withdrawal. Tolerability and safety were good, and majority of adverse events were mild.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of moxibustion plus anus-lifting exercise in preventing hemorrhoids relapse.Method Seventy eligible patients with mixed hemorrhoids whose symptoms had been released by conservative treatment were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 35 cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened by moxibustion plus anus-lifting exercise, while the control group only practiced anus-lifting exercise. The intervention was conducted successively for 4 weeks. Symptoms including hematochezia, bearing-down pain, prolapse, and size of hemorrhoid were scored in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th treatment weeks as well as the 4th week after the intervention, meanwhile, the relapse rates of the above symptoms were observed.Result In the 3rd treatment week, there were significant differences in comparing the scores of prolapse, bearing-down pain, and hemorrhoid size between the two groups (allP<0.05); in the 4th treatment week and the 4th week after the intervention, there were significant differences in comparing the scores of hematochezia, prolapse, bearing-down pain and hemorrhoid size between the two groups (allP<0.05); in the 4th week after the intervention, there were significant differences in comparing the relapse rates of hematochezia, bearing-down pain, prolapse and hemorrhoid size between the two groups (P<0.05).Conclusion Moxibustion plus anus-lifting exercise can produce a significant efficacy in preventing the hemorrhoids relapse.

Objective To explore the effect of apolipoprotein E (ApoE) on matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9) expression and its mechanism in astrocytes.Methods (1) Astrocytes in ApoE gene knock out (ApoE-/-) and wild type (WT) C57BL/6J suckling mice were cultured in vitro;glial fibrillary acidic protein antibodies were employed to identify the astrocytes;MMP-9.antibodies were employed to detect the MMP-9 expression in the astrocytes.(2) Astrocytes from the ApoE-/-and wild type WT C57BL/6J suckling mice were divided into activation group,antibody groups and control group randomly;cells in the control group did not give any treatment;cells in the activation group were given whooping cough toxin and thermal inactivation-mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra;cells in the antibody groups were given anti-interleukin-6 (IL-6),interferon gamma (IFN--γ),tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and IL-12,respectively,to inhibit their inflammatory factors.ELISA was performed to detect the concentrations of MMP-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1),and the inflammatory factors concentrations ofTNF-,IL-12,IL-6,and IFN-γ.Results These two kinds of rat astrocytes could both qualitatively express MMP-9;as compared with the control group,the activation group had significantly higher MMP-9 concentration (P＜0.05);the activation group had significantly higher MMP-9 concentration as compared with the antibody groups (P＜0.05);activation group from ApoE-/-C57BL/6J suckling mice had significantly higher MMP-9 concentration than that from wild type C57BL/6J suckling mice (P＜0.05).The concentration of TIMP-1 was not significantly different among various groups (P＞0.05).The concentrations of inflammatory factors in the activation groups from two kinds of mice were significantly higher than those in the control group (P＜0.05);the concentrations of IL-6,IFN-γ TNF-α and IL-12 in each antibody group were significantly lower than those in the activated group (P＜0.05);the concentrations of inflammatory factors in ApoE-/-rats were significantly higher than those in WT rats (P＜0.05).Conclusion ApoE can regulate the MMP-9 expression by regulating the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines,which can affect the integrity of blood brain barrier.