OBJECTIVE To study the improvement effects and potential mechanisms of water extract from Chrysanthemum morifolium on skeletal muscle atrophy in rats after ischemic stroke. METHODS Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham operation group， model group， ATP group （10 mg/kg）， C. morifolium water extract high-dose and low-dose groups （1.08， 0.54 g/kg）. Except for sham operation group， ischemic stroke models were induced in rats from the other groups using middle cerebral artery occlusion. Starting from the first day after surgery， rats in each group were given corresponding drug/normal saline intragastrically， once a day， for consecutive 7 days. On the 7th day post-surgery， the rats’ body weights were measured， and their motor functions were evaluated， including Longa scores， exercise distance， grip strength； the electrophysiological signals of the skeletal muscles in rats were measured； the pathological morphology of the soleus muscle in rats was observed； the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in serum and soleus muscle were measured； the expressions of proteins related to TNF-α/c-Jun N- terminal kinase （JNK）/mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） signaling pathway in the soleus muscle were determined. RESULTS Compared with sham operation group， the body weight， grip strength and exercise distance of rats were decreased/ shortened significantly （P＜0.01）； additionally， there was a notable reduction in the interpeak value of skeletal muscle electrophysiology （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Longa score， as well as the levels of TNF-α in serum and soleus muscle， and the expression levels of TNF-α， phosphorylated JNK， phosphorylated MAPK， muscle ring-finger protein-1， and muscle atrophy Fbox- 1 protein in the soleus muscle， were all significantly elevated （P＜0.01）. The skeletal muscle cells of the soleus muscle in the model group showed significant atrophy， with a markedly decreased cross-sectional area （P＜0.01）. Compared with the model group， the levels of the aforementioned indicators were significantly reversed in C. morifolium water extract groups （P＜0.05 or P＜ 0.01）， and the skeletal muscle cells of the soleus muscle were markedly enlarged. CONCLUSIONS C. morifolium water extract can improve skeletal muscle atrophy in rats after ischemic stroke， the mechanism of which may be associated with suppressing the activation of the TNF- α/JNK/MAPK E-mail：19932015@cdutcm.edu.cn signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo investigate the pharmacodynamic effects of Houshihei San （HSHS） recorded with the effects of treating wind and limb heaviness on muscle tissue injury after middle cerebral artery occlusion （MCAO） in rats through the ferroptosis pathway. MethodsThirty SD male rats were selected and randomly grouped as follows： sham， MCAO， deferoxamine mesylate， high-dose HSHS （HSHS-H， 0.54 g·kg^-1）， and low-dose HSHS （HSHS-L， 0.27 g·kg^-1）， with 6 rats in each group. A laser scattering system was used to evaluate the stability of the MCAO model， and rats were administrated with corresponding agents by gavage for 7 days. During the administration period， behavioral， imaging and other methods were used to systematically evaluate the skeletal muscle tissue injury after MCAO and the therapeutic effect in each administration group. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was employed to evaluate the cross-section of muscle cells. Subsequently， immunohistochemistry was used to detect tumor suppressor p53 and glutathione peroxidase 4 （GPX4） in the soleus tissue. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of p53， GPX4， myogenic differentiation 1 （MyoD1）， nuclear factor E₂-related factor 2 （Nrf2）， Myostatin， solute carrier family 7 member 11 （SLC7A11）， muscle ring-finger protein-1 （MuRF1）， and muscle atrophy F-box protein （MAFbx） to verify the therapeutic effect in each group. ResultsCompared with the MCAO group， HSHS enhanced the locomotor ability and promoted muscle regeneration， which suggested that the pharmacological effects of HSHS were related to the inhibition of muscle tissue ferroptosis to reduce the expression of muscle atrophy factors. Behavioral and imaging results suggested that compared with the MCAO group， HSHS ameliorated neurological impairments in rats on day 7 （P<0.01）， enhanced 5-min locomotor distance and postural control （P<0.01）， strengthened grasping power and promoted muscle growth （P<0.01）， stabilized skeletal muscle length and weight （P<0.01）， and increased the cross-section of muscle cells （P<0.01）. Compared with the MCAO group， HSHS promoted the increases in glutathione and superoxide dismutase content and inhibited the increase in malondialdehyde content （P<0.05，P<0.01）. Ferroptosis pathway-related assays suggested that HSHS reduced the p53-positive cells and increased the GPX4-positive cells （P<0.01）. HSHS ameliorated muscle function decline after stroke by promoting the expression of GPX4， Nrf2， SLC7A11， and MyoD1 and inhibiting the expression of p53， Myostatin， MurRF1， and MAFbx to reduce ferroptosis in the muscle （P<0.01）. ConclusionHSHS， prepared with reference to the method in the Synopsis of Golden Chamber， can simultaneously reduce the myolysis and increase the protein synthesis in the skeletal muscle tissue after ischemic stroke by regulating the ferroptosis pathway.

In recent years,the rapid development of medical information technology has made it critical to analyze large-scale diagnosis and therapeutic data and extract rules based on real medical environment.This has become an essential approach for marketing evaluation and regulatory decision-making of drugs and devices both domestically and internationally.Real world study(RWS),as a novel methodology for clinical evaluation of drugs in the field of drug utilization research(DUR),have presented opportunities and challenges for observational studies in assessing actual efficacy or effectiveness.However,despite being a popular methodological approach among scholars in the field,there are still limitations and deficiencies when analyzing population medication characteristics in RWS.Systematic evaluation research methods have not yet been established,leading to inadequate generation of real-world evidence(RWE).The research design,methodological pathways,evaluation indicators,confounding factors,and bias management involved in DUR based on real-world data(RWD)were reviewed in this artical with the intention of providing guidance for further exploration into DUR.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of cardiac magnetic resonance(CMR)in patients with severe connective tissue disease-associated pulmonary hypertension(CTD-PAH).Methods A total of 48 patients diagnosed with CTD-PAH by right heart catheterization(RHC)in Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from June 2018 to July 2021 were retrospectively included.The parameters of right ventricular(RV)morphology,function and ventricular septum(IVS)were obtained by manual delineation on CMR images and corrected by body surface area.The late gadolinium enhancement(LGE)myocardial mass(MM)and its percentage in left ventricular(LV)MM were manually sketched and calculated on LGE images.The patients were divided into the mild-moderate group and the severe group according to mean pulmonary arterial pressure(mPAP).CMR parameters were compared between the two groups.The diagnostic value of CMR for severe CTD-PAH was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results A total of 48 patients with CTD-PAH were included in this study.The curvature of interventricular septum(CIVS)and RV ejection fraction(EF)were lower in the severe group than those in the mild-moderate group,and the time proportion of IVS deformation,RV end-diastolic volume index(EDVI),RV end-systolic volume index(ESVI)and RV MM were higher than those in the mild-moderate group(P＜0.05).ROC curve analysis showed that RV MM,time proportion of IVS deformation and RV ESVI had better diagnostic efficacy in severe CTD-PAH patients(AUC was 0.792,0.766 and 0.731,respectively).The combined AUC of the three parameters was 0.840,specificity was 85.7%and sensitivity was 79.4%.Conclusion The parameters of RV and IVS measured by CMR can effectively evaluate patients with severe CTD-PAH and directly reflect serverity of cardiac impairment in patients with severe CTD-PAH from the morphological and functional perspective.

Objective:To explored the feasibility and efficacy of a rapid ramp-up,2-week maximum regimen of venetoclax(VEN)plus low-dose cytarabine(LDAC)for treating relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia(R/R AML).Methods:We retrospectively analyzed patients with venetoclax-na?ve R/R AML treated with VEN+LDAC between October 2018 and November 2023.On the first day,patients received 200 mg of VEN,and the dose was quickly increased to 400 mg for the rest of the treatment;cytarabine was administered subcutaneously at a low dose of 20 mg/m2/day.The treatment duration was 10 or 14 days,depending on the condition of bone marrow hyperplasia determined on the 8th day of treatment.No patients received venetoclax monotherapy.All patients responding to salvage therapy received VEN+LDAC until disease progression or transplantation.Results:Among the patients,the median follow-up duration was 27.5 months.No clinical mani-festations of tumor lysis syndrome(TLS)occurred during the treatment.The overall response rate(ORR)was 68.75%,including four com-plete responses(CR),one complete remission with incomplete hematologic recovery(CRi),and six partial responses(PR).The median num-ber of best treatment result cycles was one cycle.The median overall survival(OS)in the whole cohort was 5.8(0.5-47.2)months;the medi-an progression-free survival(PFS)was 22.2(7.3-42.9)months.The major adverse events were grade 3-4 hematologic adverse events and in-fections.Conclusions:The 8th-day myelosuppression-adjusted VEN+LDAC regimen is a feasible salvage option with a reasonable safety pro-file in patients with venetoclax-na?ve R/R AML.Most patients tolerated the 14-day treatment;the response was generally rapid in the re-sponding patients.

Objective To observe area of coagulation necrosis after microwave ablation(MWA)of rabbit liver showed on contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)in comparison with pathological findings.Methods Twenty-five healthy male experimental rabbits were equally randomly divided into L0,M0,H0,M7 and M14 groups.MWA was achieved with different power and time,and then CEUS and pathological examinations were performed,respectively.Four target areas of rabbit liver were ablated under 20 W for 1 min in L0 group,under 30 W for 1 min in M0 group and under 30 W for 3 min in H0 group,and the ablated areas were observed on the same day after MWA,while 2 target areas of rabbit liver were ablated under 30 W for 1 min in M7 and M14 groups,and the ablated areas were observed 7 days and 14 days after MWA,respectively.The ablated foci and ablated foci+edema band(inflammatory reaction band,IRB)showed on CEUS and pathology were compared,and their differences and changes with time going were analyzed.Results On the day of ablation,the extent of ablation foci,ablation foci+IRB as well as IRB in L0,M0 and H0 groups showed on CEUS were all larger than pathological findings under light microscopy(all P＜0.05),and the difference value of the length of the ablation foci between 2 methods increased sequentially among group L0,M0 and H0(all adjusted P＜0.05).Seven days after ablation,the area of ablation foci measured with CEUS in M 7 group was slightly larger than that measured with pathology(adjusted P=0.045),but no significant difference of the length nor the short diameter was found(both adjusted P＞0.05).Fourteen days after ablation,no significant difference of the length,the short diameter nor the area of ablation foci was detected between 2 methods in M14 group(all adjusted P＞0.05).The length,short diameter and area of ablation foci in M0 group measured with CEUS or pathology were all smaller than those in M 7 and M14 groups(all adjusted P＜0.05),while no significant difference was found between the latter 2 groups(all adjusted P＞0.05).Conclusion On the day of MWA of rabbit liver with different power and time settings,the areas of ablation foci,ablation foci+IRB and IRB showed on CEUS were larger than pathological findings.The range of ablation foci showed on CEUS 7 days after ablation was basically in line with pathology,indicating that CUES should be reexamined 7 days after ablation to evaluate the actual extent of coagulation and necrosis of ablation foci.

Objective:To analyze the cardio-pulmonary ultrasound features of cardiogenic pulmonary edema (CPE) and pneumonia in adults with acute dyspnea, and to construct a differential diagnosis model.Methods:Seven hundred and forty-three patients with sudden acute dyspnea admitted to Hebei General Hospital from November 2018 to May 2022 were retropectively included. Ultrasonographer A performed lung ultrasound with 12 zone method, and interpreted and recorded the ultrasonic signs (including A-lines area, B-lines area, consolidation area and pleural effusion area) together with ultrasonographer B. According to the ultrasonic characteristics of the whole lung, it was divided into A-profile and B-profile. According to the continuity and symmetry of the distribution of B-lines in bilateral lung fields, it could be divided into bilateral lung continuous and discontinuous B-profile, bilateral lung symmetric and asymmetric B-profile. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular filling pressure (E/e′), right ventricular dilatation, tricuspid annular systolic displacement (TAPSE) and inferior vena cava diameter (IVCD) were evaluated by echocardiography, and all the indexes were transformed into binary variables. According to the final clinical diagnosis and treatment results, the disease was divided into CPE group and pneumonia group. Binary Logistic regression model was used to screen independent influencing factors, and partial regression coefficient β value was used as a weight to assign a score, and a differential diagnosis model was established based on the total score. The predictive value of the model was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and area under curve (AUC). After the model was built, 30 patients with CPE or pneumonia were independently collected by ultrasonographer C as external validation data, which were included in the model to draw ROC curve and evaluate the differential diagnosis efficiency of the model. The consistencies between ultrasonographer A and B, A and C in observing lung ultrasound were explored.Results:A total of 743 patients from 43 clinical departments were included, including 246 cases in CPE group and 497 cases in pneumonia group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that bilateral lung continuous B-profile, bilateral lung symmetric B-profile, ≥1 pleural effusion area, LVEF<50%, E/e′>14 were the risk factors for CPE (all OR>1, P<0.05), and ≥1 consolidation area and ≥1 pleural sliding disappearance area were the protective factors for CPE (all OR>1, P<0.05). The sensitivity, specificity and AUC of combined cardio-pulmonary ultrasound index β value weight score in the differential diagnosis of CPE and pneumonia were 0.939, 0.956 and 0.986, respectively. The AUC of external validation data was 0.904. Ultrasonographer A and B, A and C had good consistency in the interpretation of lung ultrasound signs ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The differential diagnosis model based on combined cardio-pulmonary ultrasound indexes has high differential diagnosis efficiency for CPE and pneumonia, and can be used in bedside cardio-pulmonary ultrasound practice.

Objective:To explore the value of video-electroencephalography (VEEG) combined with amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) in evaluating the condition and prognosis of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia brain injuries.Methods:A total of 120 children with hyperbilirubinemia treatedin the Central Hospital of Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture from July 2019 to July 2020 were enrolled. According to MRI with or without T 1 weighted imging (T 1WI) hyperintensity changes in the globus pallidus, they were divided into the brain injury group (52 cases) and the normal group(68 cases). According to the severity of brain injury, the brain injury group was divided into bilirubin encephalopathy group (23 cases) and subclinical bilirubin brain injury group (29 cases). According to the scores of Gesell Development Scale, the brain injury group was divided into good prognosis group (37 cases)and poor prognosis group (15 cases). The diagnostic value in brain injury with hyperbilirubinemia, the evaluation of the severity of brain injury and the predictive value of VEEG and aEEG were analyzed. Results:The abnormal rates of VEEG and aEEG in the brain injury group were higher than those in the normal group: 76.92% (40/52) vs. 8.82% (6/68), 80.77% (42/52) vs. 11.76% (8/68), the differences were statistically significant ( χ2 = 57.81 and 57.73, P<0.01). The abnormal rates of VEEG and aEEG in bilirubin encephalopathy group were higher than those in subclinical bilirubin brain injury group: 91.30% (21/23) vs. 65.52% (19/29), 95.65% (22/23) vs. 68.97% (20/29), the differences were statistically significant ( χ2 = 4.80 and 5.88, P<0.05). There was no significant difference in abnormal rates of VEEG and aEEG between the good prognosis group and poor prognosis group ( P>0.05). The results of operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the areas under the curve of VEEG combined with aEEG in the diagnosis of brain injury with hyperbilirubinemia, evaluation of the severity of brain injury, predicting the prognosis of children were higher than those of each examination method used alone ( P<0.05). Conclusions:VEEG combined with aEEG has diagnostic value for neonatal brain injury with hyperbilirubinemia, and has evaluation value for severity and prognosis of the disease.

Heart sound analysis is significant for early diagnosis of congenital heart disease. A novel method of heart sound classification was proposed in this paper, in which the traditional mel frequency cepstral coefficient (MFCC) method was improved by using the Fisher discriminant half raised-sine function (F-HRSF) and an integrated decision network was used as classifier. It does not rely on segmentation of the cardiac cycle. Firstly, the heart sound signals were framed and windowed. Then, the features of heart sounds were extracted by using improved MFCC, in which the F-HRSF was used to weight sub-band components of MFCC according to the Fisher discriminant ratio of each sub-band component and the raised half sine function. Three classification networks, convolutional neural network (CNN), long and short-term memory network (LSTM), and gated recurrent unit (GRU) were combined as integrated decision network. Finally, the two-category classification results were obtained through the majority voting algorithm. An accuracy of 92.15%, sensitivity of 91.43%, specificity of 92.83%, corrected accuracy of 92.01%, and F score of 92.13% were achieved using the novel signal processing techniques. It shows that the algorithm has great potential in early diagnosis of congenital heart disease.
Humans ; Heart Sounds ; Algorithms ; Neural Networks, Computer ; Heart Defects, Congenital/diagnosis* ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

Epilepsy is a common and severe brain disease affecting >65 million people worldwide. Recent studies have shown that kinesin superfamily motor protein 17 (KIF17) is expressed in neurons and is involved in regulating the dendrite-targeted transport of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subtype 2B (NR2B). However, the effect of KIF17 on epileptic seizures remains to be explored. We found that KIF17 was mainly expressed in neurons and that its expression was increased in epileptic brain tissue. In the kainic acid (KA)-induced epilepsy mouse model, KIF17 overexpression increased the severity of epileptic activity, whereas KIF17 knockdown had the opposite effect. In electrophysiological tests, KIF17 regulated excitatory synaptic transmission, potentially due to KIF17-mediated NR2B membrane expression. In addition, this report provides the first demonstration that KIF17 is modified by SUMOylation (SUMO, small ubiquitin-like modifier), which plays a vital role in the stabilization and maintenance of KIF17 in epilepsy.
Animals ; Epilepsy/metabolism* ; Kinesins/metabolism* ; Mice ; Neurons/metabolism* ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate/metabolism* ; Seizures/metabolism*