Intravenous Thrombolysis Is Safe and Effective for the Cryptogenic Stroke in China: Data From the Thrombolysis Implementation and Monitor of Acute Ischemic Stroke in China (TIMS-China)

Background

The intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) therapy is safe and efficient during the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. Nonetheless, the different outcomes among various stroke subgroups have limited data with regard to the safety and efficacy of cryptogenic stroke (CS). The present study compared the safety and efficacy when IVT with rt-PA was used for the treatment of CS and the other stroke subtypes.

Acute liver injury,acute liver failure and acute on chronic liver failure: A clinical spectrum of poisoning due to Gyromitra esculenta

Gyromitra esculenta, also known as “false morel” is one of the most poisonous mushrooms. This species is found all over the world, growing in coniferous forest in early spring time. Common manifestation of poisoning includes gastrointestinal symptoms which include varied degrees of liver impairment.We describe three cases: acute liver injury, acute liver failure and acute-on-chronic liver failure due to G. esculenta poisoning. At admission patients presented with encephalopathy and features of liver failure. Two of them recovered completely following supportive management while the remaining patient who also had preexisting liver disease developed multiorgan failure and subsequently died.Although a rare occurrence, G. esculenta poisoning should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute liver failure.     

New insights into bioelectronic medicines: A new approach to tackle diabetic peripheral neuropathy pain in clinics

Bioelectronic medicines are a newer way to treat and diagnose the diseases associated with biological systems. All vital organs of the body are innervated, commanding brain to regulate the homeostasis functions. Bioelectronic medicines rely on implications of electrical stimulations or signals associated with the nervous system for real-time treatment. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a most prevalent micro-vascular complication associated with diabetes mellitus. Complex plexus of nerves were affected in this complication with impaired function. Bioelectronic medicines are future hope for effective treatment of DPN.     

The neurobiology of chronic pain states

Plasticity enables alterations in transmission in nociceptive systems. It is this plasticity in the nervous system that can alter the linear relation between noxious stimuli and the perception of pain and is important in the switch from acute to chronic pain. In this way, a number of CNS mechanisms can alter neuronal activity, leading to abnormal ongoing and stimulus-evoked pains due to peripheral and central changes. Peripheral nerves can become sensitized, spinal cord neurons can be rendered hyperexcitable and ascending projections to higher centres can further trigger changes in descending controls from the midbrain and brainstem. Together, these changes, all of which appear to involve reversible physiological and pharmacological plasticity, can alter the relationship between an applied stimulus and the perceived response and so lead to persistent pain states.     

Assessing the CT findings and clinical course of ED patients with first-time versus recurrent acute pancreatitis

Study objectives

The primary objective of this study was to compare Emergency Department patients with first-time versus recurrent acute pancreatitis.

芪参补气胶囊治疗稳定期慢性阻塞性肺疾病肺气虚证的疗效观察

目的：探索芪参补气胶囊治疗稳定期慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）肺气虚证的临床疗效与安全性。方法：选取2017年10月16日至2018年11月20日在新疆维吾尔族自治区克州人民医院呼吸内科门诊随诊的COPD稳定期肺气虚证患者480例作为研究对象，随机分为观察组和对照组，每组240例，进行为期52周的观察。2组患者均给予健康指导、家庭氧疗、沙美特罗替卡松粉吸入剂、竹沥胶囊等基础治疗；对照组在基础治疗上给予玉屏风胶囊口服，2粒/次，3次/d；观察组在基础治疗上给予芪参补气胶囊口服，3粒/次，3次/d。观察比较2组患者的相关指标。结果：观察组平均急性加重次数（1.62±0.93）次，对照组（1.83±0.97）次，观察组发作次数显著减少（t=2.262，P=0.012）。观察组相对于对照组的急性加重风险RR=0.869（0.763~0.988，P=0.032），降低了13.1%。伴有咳嗽、喘息、便秘或吸烟的患者，观察组急性加重风险更低（P<0.05）。观察组CAT评分、FEV1显著优于对照组（P<0.05）。观察组炎性反应指标（TNF-α、IL-6、IL-8）改善情况显著优于对照组。观察组不良事件发生率显著低于对照组。结论：芪参补气胶囊与玉屏风散均具有良好的提高免疫功能，改善COPD属肺气虚证者咳痰喘症状的作用。其中芪参补气胶囊减少急性加重风险的效果较玉屏风胶囊更好，且安全性良好，值得推广使用。     

伞骨草利尿抗炎活性及急性毒性研究＊

目的 研究伞骨草水提物的利尿和抗炎作用，以及利尿后对电解质平衡、糖代谢及肾脏功能的影响，并对伞骨草水提物安全性进行初步评价。方法 采用小鼠代谢笼法，检测盐水负荷小鼠在给药6 h后的排尿量，并分析小鼠尿液中离子浓度、血清中糖原、尿素氮和肌酐的变化；采用二甲苯致小鼠耳廓肿胀法，计算耳廓肿胀度及肿胀抑制率，角叉菜胶致大鼠足趾肿胀法，计算足趾肿胀率，小鼠急性毒性试验初步评价伞骨草水提物的安全性。结果 与对照组比较，伞骨草水提物能明显增加小鼠的排尿量，尿液中K⁺、Cl^-的浓度明显增加，高剂量组Na⁺、Ca²⁺浓度明显增加；伞骨草对小鼠血清中的糖原、尿素氮和肌酐均无明显影响；伞骨草中、高剂量对二甲苯所致小鼠耳廓肿胀和角叉菜胶所致大鼠足趾肿胀具有明显的抑制作用；伞骨草水提物24 h内小鼠单次灌胃给药急性毒性试验的LD₅₀为：12.33 g·kg^-1（相当于生药82.15 g·kg^-1），动物在4 h内出现毒性反应，主要表现为主要表现为腹泻、俯卧、竖毛、运动失调、死亡，腹泻至给药第2天恢复。结论 伞骨草水提物具有明显的利尿和抗炎作用，并且对机体的血糖水平和肾脏功能无明显影响。     

A novel prognostic scoring model for newly diagnosed FLT3-ITD-positive acute myeloid leukemia

FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3-internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) is one of the most common somatic mutations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, the molecular structure characteristics and widely accepted prognostic factors for FLT3-ITD are still not well described. This study aimed to retrospectively examine 81 patients with FLT3-ITD-positive AML diagnosed and treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University from December 2013 to March 2018 using the next-generation sequencing 185-gene platform. High variant allele frequency (VAF) [> 0.48, P = 0.0089 for overall survival (OS), P = 0.13 for relapse-free survival (RFS)], multiple ITDs (> 1 ITDs, P = 0.011 for OS, P = 0.033 for RFS) and longer insertion length (> 69 bp, P = 0.14 for OS, P = 0.0078 for RFS) predicted poor survival. The study further proposed an easily applicable scoring model for OS using the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selector Operation (LASSO) Cox regression model. Also, an independent cohort of 30 patients was used for external model validation. The mode was expressed as follows: 0.659 × FLT3-ITD VAF + 0.375 × FLT3-ITD number + 0.807 × Age + 0.688 × DNMT3A + 1.939 × U2AF1 (FLT3-ITD VAF > 0.48 scored 1; FLT3-ITD number scored 1 if carried 1 ITD, 2 if carried ≥ 2 ITDs; age > 44 years scored 1, the presence of DNMT3A or U2AF1 scored 1; 0 for other conditions). It categorized patients into low-risk (L-R, score < 1, n = 20) and high-risk (H-R, score ≥ 1, n = 61) groups based on the risk score with a significant difference in survival (3-year OS, P < 0.0001; 3-year RFS, P = 0.0005). A prognostic nomogram that integrated these five factors was developed with a concordance index calculation [OS: 0.68, 95% CI (0.64-0.72)].