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Objective To investigate the effect of rats'injuries and its mechanism caused by specific dose of radiation combined with decompression exposure.Methods 81 male SD rats were randomly divided into control group(n=9),radiation group(n=18),radiation+low-load decompression group(n=18),radiation+medium-load decompression group(n=18),and radiation+high-load decompression group(n=18).In addition to control group,the rats were irradiated with 60Co γ rays at 4 Gy and then underwent rapid escape experiments.The high-pressure exposure schemes were to stay underwater 57 m for 30 min,45 min or 60 min and reduce to normal pressure within(30±5)s,respectively.The high-pressure exposure was not carried out in radiation group.The behavior and death of rats in each group were observed 0.5 h after leaving the cabin.Blood(abdominal aorta)and lung tissues were collected at 3 h and 72 h,respectively.The changes of lung wet-dry weight ratio(W/D),lung pathology and serum levels of interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-6,tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),superoxide dismutase(SOD),malondialdehyde(MDA),nitric oxide(NO),intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1)and thromboxane B2(TXB2)were analyzed.Results Compared with control group and radiation group,radiation+low-load decompression group showed no significant difference in the injury and death rate of rats(P>0.05),while radiation+medium-load decompression group and radiation+high-load decompression group showed significantly increase of the injury and death rate of rats(P<0.05).Compared with control group,other groups showed no significant change in pulmonary W/D at 3 h(P>0.05),and increased at 72 h(P<0.05).HE staining showed that compared with control group,radiation group showed mild lung interstitial edema,while radiation+low-load decompression group showed obvious pulmonary tissue edema and a small number of red blood cells exudated in the alveolar cavity.The edema,congestion and inflammatory cell infiltration of lung tissue were more serious in radiation+medium-load decompression group and radiation+high-load decompression group.Compared with control group and radiation group,all radiation+decompression groups showed an increase in serum levels of IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-α,MDA,NO,ICAM-1 and TXB2(P<0.05),and a decrease in SOD activity(P<0.05).Compared with radiation+low-load decompression group,radiation+medium-load decompression group and radiation+high-load decompression group showed increase in serum levels of IL-1β,IL-6,MDA,ICAM-1 and TXB2(P<0.05),and decrease in activity of SOD(P<0.05).Except for control group,serum levels of IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-α,MDA,NO,ICAM-1 and TXB2 were decreased at 72 h compared with 3 h(P<0.05),and SOD activity was increased at 72 h in all groups(P<0.05).Conclusions High-load decompression can increase the injury and death rate of rats exposed to radiation and high pressure.The potential mechanism of the combined injury effect of radiation and decompression was related to inflammation,immune stress,oxidative damage,vasomotor activity and coagulation mechanism.
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Objective:To assess the value of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) burden in predicting prognosis in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion (LVO) after endovascular therapy (EVT).Methods:The study was a cross-sectional study. A total of 242 patients with AIS due to anterior circulation LVO received EVT in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from February 2018 to September 2022. The clinical and imaging data of all patients were analyzed retrospectively. On follow-up MRI within 7 days after EVT, CSVD features [white matter hyperintensity (WMH), lacune, perivascular space, cerebral microbleed, cerebral atrophy] and CSVD burden score (0-5) was evaluated. Modified Rankin scale (mRS) score at 90 days after EVT was assessed. Patients were categorized into a mild burden group (0-1 points) and a moderate-severe burden group (2-5 points) based on CSVD burden score. Meanwhile, patients were categorized into a good prognosis group (0-2 points) and a bad prognosis group (3-6 points) based on mRS score at 90 days after EVT. Mann-Whitney U test and χ2 test were used to compare the difference of clinical and imaging indexes between the 2 groups, and variables with P<0.1 in the univariate analysis were included in the multifactorial logistic regression to screen for independent factors to predict the prognosis. Results:There were 169 patients in the good prognosis group and 73 patients in the bad prognosis group out of 242 patients. Compared with the good prognosis group, age, incidence of hyperlipidemia, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, incidence of hemorrhagic conversion, CSVD burden scores, incidence of periventricular WMH scores of 3 and/or deep WMH scores≥2, and incidence of moderate-severe cerebral atrophy of patients in the bad prognosis group were higher, and the incidence of complete recanalization was lower (all P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed hyperlipemia ( OR=8.438, 95% CI 1.691-42.119, P=0.009), baseline NIHSS score ( OR=1.103, 95% CI 1.047-1.162, P<0.001), complete recanalization ( OR=0.131, 95% CI 0.038-0.454, P=0.001) and hemorrhage transformation ( OR=1.952, 95% CI 1.031-3.697, P=0.040) were independent factors for the prognosis of EVT in patients with LVO AIS. There were 157 cases in the mild burden group and 85 cases in the moderate-severe burden group. The 90-day mRS score was higher in the moderate-severe burden group compared with the mild burden group ( Z=-2.24, P=0.025). Conclusion:CSVD burden has some clinical implications in predicting the prognosis of EVT in patients with anterior circulation LVO AIS.
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AIM:The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical utility of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin(NGAL)and other biomarkers in serum for patients with acute and chronic kidney injury.METHODS:A total of 171 patients with acute kidney injury(AKI)and 209 patients with chronic kidney disease(CKD)who sought medical care at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou between January 2022 and July 2023 were in-cluded in this study.Data on potassium(K),sodium(Na),chloride(Cl),carbon dioxide(CO2),urea(Urea),and glu-cose(GLU)were collected from each group of participants.A total of 94 individuals who were deemed healthy and had un-dergone physical examinations within the same time frame were chosen as the control group.The serum NGAL levels of all three groups were measured using latex immunoturbidimetry.The diagnostic effectiveness of serum NGAL and other bio-markers in identifying acute and chronic kidney injury was analyzed.Multiple logistic regression equations were employed to examine the factors influencing the occurrence of AKI and CKD in patients.Additionally,receiver operating characteris-tic(ROC)curves were constructed to evaluate the clinical significance of these biomarkers in patients with kidney injury.RESULTS:Through bioinformatic analysis,it was suggested that NGAL may be a detection marker of kidney injury.Ac-cording to general data,in the AKI and the CKD groups,K,Na,CO2,Urea,GLU and NGAL levels were higher than those in the healthy control group(P<0.05).Multivariate logistic regression equation analysis showed that Na,Urea,GLU and NGAL levels were all independent risk factors for AKI or CKD disease occurrence(P<0.05).The ROC curve analysis showed that in the AKI group,the area under the curve(AUC)for Na,Urea,GLU and NGAL were 0.711,0.960,0.793 and 0.841,respectively(P<0.01).In the CKD group,the AUC for Na,Urea,GLU and NGAL were 0.681,0.990,0.703 and 0.930,respectively(P<0.01).The sensitivity and specificity of NGAL and Urea combined diagnosis for AKI were 81.9%and 61.1%,respectively,and those for CKD were 62.7%and 80.0%,respectively.CONCLUSION:Serum NGAL can serve as an indicator of acute and chronic kidney injury,and its combination with other biomarkers also has certain clinical application value in acute and chronic kidney injury.
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It remains unclear whether heart transplantation is still feasible on patients who develop neurological complications before surgery and underwent successful neurological treatment.This article reported the diagnosis and treatment process of a heart failure patient complicating with acute ischemic stroke,who underwent successful heart transplantation after thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke,aiming to provide clinical evidence and decision-making plan on diagnosis and treatment options for this group of patients with severe neurological complications.
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OBJECTIVE To standardize the use of sterile powder for injection redissolution solvent and intravenous drugs diluent solvent, and ensure the safety of clinical drug use. METHODS The intravenous drug resolvent generation system and the intravenous drug solvent incompatibility rules library were constructed and operated by prescription-checking pharmacist team in our hospital by formulating a list of intravenous drugs needed to be dissolved with sterilized water for injection and a contraindication list of intravenous solvent compatibility. The unreasonable medical orders reviewed and intervened in our hospital from January to April 2023 (before the implementation of the intravenous drug solvent incompatibility rules library) and from May to August 2023 (after the implementation) were analyzed statistically to compare the number of unreasonable solvent selection orders, interception rate, and the success rate of pharmacists’ interventions for unreasonable solvent selection orders before and after the implementation. RESULTS Before the implementation of the solvent incompatibility rules library, a total of 5 229 groups of medical orders with unreasonable solvent selection in our hospital were identified, among which there were 1 204 groups of seriously unreasonable medical orders, with interception rate of 23.03% and the success rate of pharmacists’ intervention of 15.90%. After the implementation of the solvent incompatibility rules library, the total number of medical orders with unreasonable solvent selection was 3 258 groups, among which there were 1 148 groups of seriously unreasonable medical orders, with interception rate of 35.24% and success rate of pharmacists’ intervention of 24.83%, being significantly higher than before implementation (P<0.01 or P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS The establishment and application of the intravenous drug resolvent generation system and the solvent incompatibility rules library can significantly increase the interception rate of unreasonable solvent selection orders and the success rate of pharmacists’ interventions, and ensure the safety of clinical drug use.
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Objective To evaluate the effect of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) on early allograft dysfunction (EAD) after heart transplantation. Methods Clinical data of 614 heart transplant recipients were retrospectively analyzed. All recipients were divided into the ECMO group (n=43) and non-ECMO group (n=571) according to postoperative application of ECMO. In the ECMO group, the conditions of recipients undergoing ECMO after heart transplantation were summarized. Perioperative status and long-term prognosis of recipients were compared between two groups. Results Among 43 recipients undergoing ECMO, 17 cases underwent thoracotomy due to bleeding, 10 cases of infection, 4 cases of venous thrombosis of the lower limbs, and 1 case of stroke, respectively. Twenty-six recipients were recovered and discharged after successful weaning from ECMO, six died during ECMO support, six died after weaning from ECMO, five received retransplantation due to unsuccessful weaning from ECMO, and only one survived after retransplantation. Compared with the non-ECMO group, intraoperative cardiopulmonary bypass duration was significantly longer, the proportion of recipients requiring postoperative intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), dialysis due to renal insufficiency, reoperation for hemostasis, infection, mechanical ventilation time≥96 h and tracheotomy was significantly higher, and the length of postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) stay was significantly longer in the ECMO group (all P < 0.05). The survival rate after discharge and 90-d survival rate in the ECMO group were 63% and 96%, significantly lower than 97% and 100% in the non-ECMO group (both P < 0.05). Survival analysis showed that the long-term survival rate in the ECMO group was significantly lower than that in the non-ECMO group (P < 0.05). After excluding the recipients who died within 90 d after heart transplantation, no significant difference was observed in the long-term survival rate (P > 0.05). Conclusions ECMO is an effective treatment of EAD after heart transplantation. The short-term survival rate of recipients using ECMO after heart transplantation is lower than that of those who do not use ECMO, and there is no significant difference in long-term survival of recipients surviving 90 d after heart transplantation.
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The spine is the most common site of bone metastases from malignant tumors, with metastatic epidural spinal cord compression occurring in about 10% of patients with spinal metastases. Palliative radiotherapy and simple laminectomy and decompression have been the main treatments for metastatic spinal cord compression. The former is ineffective and delayed for radiation-insensitive tumors, and the latter often impairs spinal stability. With the continuous improvement of surgical techniques and instrumentation in recent years, the treatment model of spinal metastases has changed a lot. Decompression surgery underwent open decompression, separation surgery, minimally invasive surgery and laser interintermal thermal ablation decompression. However, no matter what kind of surgical plan is adopted, it should be assessed precisely according to the specific situation of the patient to minimize the risk of surgery as far as possible to ensure the smooth follow-up radiotherapy. This paper reviews the research progress of decompression for spinal metastases.
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Humans , Spinal Cord Compression/surgery , Spinal Neoplasms/secondary , Decompression, Surgical/methods , Spine/surgery , Retrospective Studies , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
PURPOSE@#The long-term situation of children with spinal cord injury (SCI) was investigated, and suggestions for helping them better return to the society were provided.@*METHODS@#SCI patients less than 18 years old hospitalized in Beijing Boai Hospital from January 2011 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Information including motor function, complications, characteristic changes, self-care abilities, school attendance and social participation were collected by telephone interview and electronic questionnaire. All the answers were statistically analyzed.@*RESULTS@#A total of 86 cases were enrolled, 77 girls and 9 boys, with a median injury age of 6 years and 2 months. The follow-up time was 3-130 months. The main cause of trauma in these children was sport injury (66.3%), the thoracic spinal cord was involved the most (91.9%), and complete SCIs accounted for the majority (76.7%). In terms of complications, children with complete SCIs were more likely to have urinary incontinence, constipation and characteristic changes (p < 0.05); whereas the incomplete SCIs often have spasticity (p < 0.05). As to the daily living abilities, children with incomplete lumbar SCIs were more capable to accomplish personal hygiene, transfer, and bathing independently than those with complete injuries, or cervical/thoracic SCIs, respectively (p < 0.05). Moreover, children older than 9 years care more able to dress and transfer independently than the youngers (p < 0.05). Wheelchair users accounted for 84.9% and more than half of them were able to propel wheelchair independently, and those who move passively in wheelchairs were mostly introverted kids (p < 0.05). Almost all (93.8%) children with incomplete injuries were able to walk independently. Most (79.1%) children continued to attending school, and 41.9% participated in interest classes. Unfortunately, 67.4% of the children spent less time playing with their peers than before the injury.@*CONCLUSION@#SCIs impair physical structures and function of children, affect their independence in daily living, and restrict school attendance and social interaction. Comprehensive rehabilitation after injury is a systematic work. Medical staff and caregivers should not only pay attention to neurological function, but also help them improve self-care abilities. It is also important to balance rehabilitation training and school work and social participation.
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Male , Female , Humans , Child , Adolescent , Follow-Up Studies , Retrospective Studies , Spinal Cord Injuries/complications , PrognosisABSTRACT
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in children are a group of chronic developmental brain disorders caused by multiple genetic or acquired causes, including disorders of intellectual development, developmental speech or language disorders, autism spectrum disorders, developmental learning disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, tic disorders, and other neurodevelopmental disorders. With the improvement in the research level and the diagnosis and treatment techniques of NDDs, great progress has been made in the research on NDDs in children. This article reviews the research advances in NDDs, in order to further improve the breadth and depth of the understanding of NDDs in children among pediatricians.
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Humans , Child , Neurodevelopmental Disorders/therapy , Autism Spectrum Disorder/therapy , Attention Deficit Disorder with HyperactivityABSTRACT
Neuropathic pain is a chronic disease that severely afflicts the life and emotional status of patients, but currently available treatments are often ineffective. Novel therapeutic targets for the alleviation of neuropathic pain are urgently needed. Rhodojaponin VI, a grayanotoxin from Rhododendron molle, showed remarkable antinociceptive efficacy in models of neuropathic pain, but its biotargets and mechanisms are unknown. Given the reversible action of rhodojaponin VI and the narrow range over which its structure can be modified, we perforwmed thermal proteome profiling of the rat dorsal root ganglion to determine the protein target of rhodojaponin VI. N-Ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion (NSF) was confirmed as the key target of rhodojaponin VI through biological and biophysical experiments. Functional validation showed for the first time that NSF facilitated trafficking of the Cav2.2 channel to induce an increase in Ca2+ current intensity, whereas rhodojaponin VI reversed the effects of NSF. In conclusion, rhodojaponin VI represents a unique class of analgesic natural products targeting Cav2.2 channels via NSF.
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Objective To evaluate the effect of renal insufficiency before heart transplantation on perioperative death, complications and long-term survival, and to compare the differences between preoperative serum creatinine (Scr) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in preoperative risk assessment. Methods Clinical data of 1 095 heart transplant recipients were retrospectively analyzed. According to preoperative Scr level, all recipients were divided into the Scr < 133 μmol/L(n=980), Scr 133-176 μmol/L (n=83) and Scr≥177 μmol/L groups (n=32). According to preoperative eGFR, all recipients were divided into eGFR≥90 mL/(min·1.73m2) (n=436), eGFR 60-89 mL/(min·1.73m2) (n=418) and eGFR < 60 mL/(min·1.73m2) groups (n=241). Clinical prognosis of postoperative renal function, perioperative and long-term outcomes of recipients were compared among different groups. The effect of eGFR and Scr level on renal function injury and long-term survival after heart transplantation was assessed. Results With the increase of preoperative Scr level, the proportion of recipients undergoing postoperative continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) was increased, the proportion of recipients receiving postoperative mechanical circulatory support was elevated, the incidence of postoperative complications was increased, the duration of mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit(ICU) stay was prolonged, and the in-hospital fatality was increased. The differences among three groups were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). With the decrease of preoperative eGFR, the proportion of recipients receiving postoperative CRRT was increased, the proportion of recipients using postoperative intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) was elevated, the duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay was prolonged, and the in-hospital fatality was increased. The differences among three groups were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Scr≥177 μmol/L was an independent risk factor for postoperative death [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 3.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.89-6.99, P < 0.01]. Among different groups classified by Scr and eGFR, the cumulative incidence rate of postoperative renal function injury and long-term survival rate were statistically significant among three groups (all P < 0.05). In patients with preoperative Scr < 133 μmol/L, the cumulative incidence rate of postoperative long-term renal function injury was significantly increased with the decrease of preoperative eGFR (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in postoperative long-term survival rate among patients stratified by different eGFR (P > 0.05). Conclusions Renal insufficiency before heart transplantation is associated with poor perioperative and long-term prognosis. Preoperative Scr and eGFR are the independent risk factors for postoperative renal function injury. Scr yields low sensitivity in the assessment of preoperative renal function, whereas it has high accuracy in predicting perioperative death risk. And eGFR is a more sensitive parameter to evaluate preoperative renal function, which may identify early-stage renal functional abnormality and take effective measures during early stage to reduce adverse effect on prognosis.
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OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of buccal acupuncture on pain after lumbar spinal fusion.@*METHODS@#Sixty patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion were randomly divided into an observation group (30 cases, 1 case dropped off) and a control group (30 cases, 1 case was eliminated). The patients in the control group were treated with routine anesthesia. On the basis of the control group, the patients in the observation group were treated with buccal acupuncture at bilateral back point, waist point, and sacral point for 30 min per treatment. The first acupuncture was given before anesthesia induction, and then once a day postoperation for two days, totally 3 treatments. The dosage of sufentanil, the number of remedial analgesia, and the incidence of nausea and vomiting within 48 h after surgery were compared between the two groups; rest and motion visual analogue scale (VAS) scores at 2 (T1), 8 (T2), 12 (T3), 24 (T4), and 48 (T5) h after surgery were observed; the quality of recovery-15 scale (QoR-15) at 24 and 48 h after surgery were evaluated.@*RESULTS@#The dosage of sufentanil and the number of remedial analgesia within 48 h after surgery in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.01). There was no significant statistically difference in rest and motion VAS scores between the two groups in T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 (P>0.05). The QoR-15 scores in the observation group at 24 and 48 h after surgery were higher than those in the control group (P<0.01). The incidence of nausea in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Buccal acupuncture could reduce the amount of postoperative analgesic drugs of patients after lumbar spinal fusion, and promote early postoperative recovery.
Subject(s)
Humans , Spinal Fusion/adverse effects , Sufentanil , Acupuncture Therapy , Pain Management , Pain , NauseaABSTRACT
Panax notoginseng contains triterpene saponins, flavonoids, amino acids, polysaccharides, volatile oil and other active components, which have the effects of promoting blood circulation, stopping bleeding, removing blood stasis, etc. This study summarized the herbal research, chemical constituents and main pharmacological activities of P. notoginseng, and based on the theory of Q-markers of traditional Chinese medicine, predicted and analyzed the Q-markers of P. notoginseng from the aspects of plant kinship, efficacy, drug properties, measurability of chemical components, etc. It was found that ginsenosides Rg_1, Re, and Rb_1 with specific content ratio, ginsenosides Rb_2, Rb_3, Rc, Rd, Rh_2, and Rg_3, notoginseng R_1, dencichine and quercetin could be used as potential Q-markers of P. notoginseng, which facilitated the formulation of quality standards reflecting the efficacy of P. notoginseng.
Subject(s)
Panax notoginseng/chemistry , Ginsenosides/analysis , Saponins/analysis , Medicine, Chinese Traditional , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Panax/chemistryABSTRACT
By studying various ancient texts such as herbal classics and medical literature from different eras, it was found that there were discrepancies in the records about Bambusae Concretio Silicea(Tian Zhu Huang). In order to establish an accurate foundation, this research was based on ancient herbal literature and combined with plant morphology and investigative studies to examine its earliest mentions in ancient texts, nomenclature, medicinal properties, indications, and quality assessment standards. In the early records, Bambusae Concretio Silicea was referred to by several different names, such as "Zhu Huang" "Tian Zhu Huang" "Zhu Gao" "Zhu Tang", and "Zhu Huang". The earliest known formal usage of the name "Tian Zhu Huang" was found in the book Ri Hua-zi's Materia Medica(Ri Hua Zi Ben Cao). Throughout various ancient texts, the earliest recorded information about Bambusae Concretio Silicea also appeared in Ri Hua-zi's Materia Medica, not in Materia Medica of Sichuan(Shu Ben Cao) or other ancient texts. Ri Hua-zi's Materia Medica provided relevant descriptions of its origin, medicinal properties, and indications, albeit with some errors due to limited knowledge. However, this has been a valuable starting point for future research on Bambusae Concretio Silicea and holds pioneering significance in forming a mature system. As the research delved deeper, the medicinal properties of Bambusae Concretio Silicea have been consistent since Ri Hua-zi's Materia Medica, and the understanding has gradually improved through years of clinical verification. During the investigation process, the authors found limited records on the quality evaluation of Bambusae Concretio Silicea in ancient texts. Although the information is scarce, it serves as a foundational basis for establishing corresponding quality grading standards for Bambusae Concretio Silicea in the future.
Subject(s)
Materia Medica , China , Medicine, Chinese TraditionalABSTRACT
Objective To explore the effects and mechanisms of a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, "Fang-gan Decoction" (FGD), in protecting against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-induced lung and intestinal injuries in vitro and in vivo.Methods Female BALB/c mice and three cell lines pretreated with FGD were stimulated with recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (spike protein). Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and pathologic scoring of tissues, cell permeability and viability, and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) expression in the lung and colon were detected. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to detect the levels of inflammatory factors in serum and cell supernatant. The expression of NF-κB p65, p-NF-κB p65, p-IκBα, p-Smad2/3, TGF-β1, Caspase3, and Bcl-2 was evaluated by Western blotting.Results FGD protected against the damage to the lung and colon caused by the spike protein in vivo and in vitro according to the pathologic score and cell permeability and viability (P<0.05). FGD up-regulated ACE2 expression, which was reduced by the spike protein in the lung and colon, significantly improved the deregulation of inflammatory markers caused by the spike protein, and regulated the activity of TGF-β/Smads and NF-κB signaling.Conclusion Traditional Chinese medicine has a protective effect on lung and intestinal tissue injury stimulated by the spike protein through possible regulatory functions of the NF-κB and TGF-β1/Smad pathways with tissue type specificity.
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Mice , Animals , Female , Humans , NF-kappa B/metabolism , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/pharmacology , Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolism , Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2/pharmacology , COVID-19 , SARS-CoV-2/metabolism , Lung , Antineoplastic Agents , Transforming Growth Factor beta/pharmacology , Epithelial Cells/metabolism , ColonABSTRACT
Objective To determine the diagnostic accuracy of the intensity of fasciculation evaluated by muscle ultrasound in the differential diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods We prospectively recruited patients who had ALS and neuropathy-radiculopathy attending Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 2017 to 2020. Healthy adults from a community were recruited as healthy controls. Muscle strength was assessed using the Medical Research Council (MRC) scale. At the first visit to the hospital, patients were assessed for maximal grade of fasciculations, total fasciculation score, and fasciculation grade in 16 muscle groups of bilateral upper and lower limbs using ultrasonography. The sensitivity and specificity of maximal grade of fasciculations, total fasciculation score, and fasciculation grade for the diagnosis of ALS were assessed by receiver operating characteristic analyses. Results The percentage of limb muscles with a maximal fasciculation grade higher than grade 2 in ALS patients and neuropathy-radiculopathy patients was 84.9% and 9.8%, respectively (χ2 = 172.436, P < 0.01). Of the 16 limb muscles detected, the total fasciculation score [median (interquartile range)] was 29 (15, 41) in ALS patients and 3 (0, 8) in neuropathy-radiculopathy patients (Z = 9.642, P < 0.001). Remarkable fasciculations were seen in ALS patients whose muscles with a MRC score ranging from 2 to 4, followed by patients with MRC score 5, and then in those with MRC score 0 and 1. The sensitivity and specificity of total fasciculation score for diagnosis of ALS were 80.6% and 93.4%, respectively (cut-off value 14). In patients with ALS, for muscles with MRC score 4 and 5, the percentage of muscles with fasciculation grades ≥ 3 was 42.3% and 24.1% respectively, while in neuropathy-radiculopathy patients, the percentage for muscles with MRC score 4 and 5 was only 1.7% and 0, respectively. Conclusion A combined analysis of fasciculation intensity and MRC score of the limb muscles may be helpful for differential diagnosis of ALS.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/diagnostic imaging , Fasciculation/diagnostic imaging , Radiculopathy , Muscle, Skeletal/diagnostic imaging , Ultrasonography/methodsABSTRACT
With the continuous improvement of cancer treatment, the survival of patients with spinal metastases has been significantly prolonged. Currently, the treatment of spinal metastases presents a trend of multi-mode. Clinical surgical methods include vertebral tumor resecting spinal canal decompression and internal fixation surgery, separation surgery, minimally invasive surgery and percutaneous ablation technology, etc. Radiotherapy techniques include traditional external radiation therapy, stereotactic radiotherapy and brachytherapy, etc. The risk of vertebral tumor resecting spinal canal decompression and internal fixation surgery, and the incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications is high. The extension of postoperative recovery period may lead to delay of follow-up radiotherapy and other medical treatment, which has a serious impact on patients' survival and treatment confidence. However, the precision of traditional external radiation therapy is not high, and the limitation of tolerance of spinal cord makes it difficult to achieve the goal of controlling insensitive tumor. With the development of radiotherapy and surgical technology, stereotactic radiotherapy with higher accuracy and separation surgery with smaller surgical strike have become the focus of many clinical experts at present. This article reviews the progress of Hybrid treatment of separation surgery combined with stereotactic radiotherapy.
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Humans , Radiosurgery , Spinal Neoplasms/surgery , Spine , Decompression, Surgical , Fracture Fixation, InternalABSTRACT
Self-organized blastoids from extended pluripotent stem (EPS) cells possess enormous potential for investigating postimplantation embryo development and related diseases. However, the limited ability of postimplantation development of EPS-blastoids hinders its further application. In this study, single-cell transcriptomic analysis indicated that the "trophectoderm (TE)-like structure" of EPS-blastoids was primarily composed of primitive endoderm (PrE)-related cells instead of TE-related cells. We further identified PrE-like cells in EPS cell culture that contribute to the blastoid formation with TE-like structure. Inhibition of PrE cell differentiation by inhibiting MEK signaling or knockout of Gata6 in EPS cells markedly suppressed EPS-blastoid formation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that blastocyst-like structures reconstituted by combining the EPS-derived bilineage embryo-like structure (BLES) with either tetraploid embryos or tetraploid TE cells could implant normally and develop into live fetuses. In summary, our study reveals that TE improvement is critical for constructing a functional embryo using stem cells in vitro.
Subject(s)
Pregnancy , Female , Animals , Mice , Tetraploidy , Blastocyst , Embryo, Mammalian , Cell Differentiation , Embryonic DevelopmentABSTRACT
Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2)-positive breast cancer has higher predilection to metastasize and invade other organs, leading to poor prognosis. The anti-HER-2 drugs, such as trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and trastuzumab emtansinehas, can remarkably prolong the disease free survival (DFS) of patients. However, frequent multidrug resistance, tumor recurrence and metastasis, and adverse reactions such as cardiotoxicity and gastrointestinal discomfort caused by adjuvant therapy are still challenges for the treatment of HER-2-positive breast cancer. The understanding of breast cancer in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history. In thousands of years of inheritance and innovation, a standardized treatment system with TCM characteristics has been gradually formed, which shows unique advantages and significant curative effects in breast cancer treatment. The treatment principles of ''treatment based on syndrome differentiation'', ''treatment based on stages and types'', ''treatment according to individual conditions'', and ''treatment of different viscera and viscera based on the toxin and pathogen'' are closely related to the precise treatment concept. In view of the challenges in the treatment of HER-2-positive breast cancer, such as multidrug resistance, tumor recurrence and metastasis, cardiotoxicity, and gastrointestinal discomfort, this paper summarizes the characteristics of TCM in reversing the multidrug resistance, inhibiting tumor recurrence and metastasis, prolonging DFS, improving prognosis, reducing adverse reactions caused by adjuvant therapy, and improving the quality of life after breast cancer surgery according to the principles of reinforcing healthy Qi and eliminating pathogen, and treatment based on syndrome differentiation. This article is expected to serve as a reference for TCM treatment of HER-2 positive breast cancer.
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Primary myelofibrosis (PMF) is easily confused with cirrhosis, due to its main clinical manifestations of splenomegaly and the blood cytopenia. This review focuses on clinical studies to identify primary myelofibrosis and cirrhosis related portal hypertension, to analyze the differences between the two diseases, in order to distinguish PMF and cirrhosis from the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations and treatment principles, and simultaneously improve clinicians' understanding of PMF, which is a reference for exploring the early screening or diagnostic indicators of PMF, also provides a clinical basis for the application of new targeted drugs such as ruxolitinib.