Mechanisms underlying vasorelaxant action of astragaloside IV in isolated rat aortic rings

1. Astragaloside IV is a component from the widely used traditional Chinese herb Astragalus membranaceus and its effect on rat aortic ring contraction and relaxation were investigated. 2. The aorta from male Sprague-Dawley rats was isolated in an organ bath and ring tension was recorded with or without endothelium. Cumulative effects of astragaloside IV on vessel contraction and relaxation were observed in the presence of various antagonists related to vessel activity. 3. Astragaloside IV showed concentration-dependent inhibition of vessel contraction induced by phenylephrine and potassium chloride. The amount of calcium released from intracellular stores sensitive to phenylephrine was also markedly reduced by astragaloside IV. There was dose-dependent vasorelaxation in endothelium-intact rings, which was partly inhibited by pre-incubation with nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS) Nomega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and guanylate cyclase inhibitor, 1H-[1,2,4] oxadiazolo [4,3-alpha] quinoxalin-1-one. Astragaloside IV also induced a significant increase in aortic tissue content of guanosine 3",5"-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) both in vivo and in vitro. Endothelial NOS inhibitor Nomega-nitro-L-arginine prevented vasodilatation, whereas neuronal NOS inhibitor 7-nitroindazole did not show significant influence on the vessel relaxation of astragaloside IV. 4. In conclusion, astragaloside IV inhibited vessel contraction through blocking calcium influx and intracellular calcium release. The endothelium-dependent vessel dilation of astragaloside IV was attributed mainly to the endothelium-dependent NO-cGMP pathway.     

Increasing nodal vulnerability and nodal efficiency implied recovery time prolonging in patients with supplementary motor area syndrome

Supplementary motor area (SMA) syndrome is a surgery‐related complication that commonly occurs after removing SMA glioma, and needs weeks to recover. However, susceptible factors of patients suffering from SMA syndrome remain unknown. Graphic theory was applied to reveal topological properties of sensorimotor network (SMN) by processing resting‐state functional magnetic resonance images in 66 patients with SMA gliomas. Patients were classified into SMA and non‐SMA groups based on whether they suffered from SMA syndrome. We collected recovery time and used causal mediation analysis to find association between topological properties and recovery time. Compared with the non‐SMA group, higher vulnerability (left: p = .0018; right: p = .0033) and lower fault tolerance (left: p = .0022; right: p = .0248) of the whole SMN were found in the SMA group. Moreover, higher nodal properties of lesional‐hemispheric cingulate cortex (nodal efficiency: left, p = .0389; right, p = .0169; nodal vulnerability: left, p = .0185; right, p = .0085) and upper limb region of primary motor cortex (PMC; nodal efficiency: left, p = .0132; right, p = .0001; nodal vulnerability: left, p = .0091; right, p = .0209) were found in the SMA group. Nodal efficiency and nodal vulnerability of cingulate cortex and upper limb region of PMC were important predictors for SMA syndrome occurring and recovery time prolonging. Neurosurgeons should carefully deal with upper limb region of PMC and cingulate cortex, and protect them if these two region were unnecessary to damage during SMA glioma resection.     

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy for cervical esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: clinical outcomes and patterns of failure

The objective of the study was to report clinical outcomes and patterns of failure for these patients with cervical esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (CESCC) treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). A total of 64 patients with CESCC treated with definitive IMRT from May 2005 to March 2012 in our center were analyzed. Forty-two patients received radiotherapy alone and 22 patients received concurrent chemoradiotherapy. The location and extent of locoregional failures were transferred to the pretreatment planning computed tomography for dosimetry analysis. For all patients, the overall 2-year local failure-free survival, regional failure-free survival, distant failure-free survival, and overall survival rate was 74.5, 88.0, 66.6 and 42.5 %, respectively. Twenty-eight patients had developed treatment failure. Of the 28 patients, 14, 5, and 18 had developed local failure, regional failure, and distant metastasis, respectively. All of the 14 local failures were considered in-field failures. Of the five regional failures, three were considered in-field failures and two were marginal failures. The most frequently observed acute toxicity was mainly Grade 1 or 2. The incidence of acute Grade 3 mucositis (including pharyngitis), skin reaction, and leukopenia was 4.7, 12.5 and 10.9 %, respectively. IMRT provides satisfactory locoregional control for CESCC. Distant metastasis remains the predominate pattern of failure and the predominate pattern of locoregional failures is in-field failure.     

面神经水平段梳理术治疗半面痉挛

半面痉挛（HFS）病因机理不清，有神经冲动短路、局部癫痛、微血管压迫学说，尚无特效药物治疗。本文报告经鼓室探查术进路行面神经水平段减压术治疗HFS6例，平均随访1.2年，显效4例，复发2例，但程度减轻。5例术中未分离砧镫关节，听力不变。HFS行水平段神经梳理术不复杂，安全有效，是多种手术疗法中可取的一种。作者介绍提高手术效果的几点经验：①鼓室探查术外耳道鼓膜皮瓣比常现大一点，有利于暴露面神经水平段；②镫骨上层结构及砧镫关节是定位面神经骨管的重要标志；③为保持听力，一般不要分离砧镫关节；④面神经水平段骨管近卵圆窗缘较薄，可用细钩针挑开；⑤根据面痉挛病程和痉挛程度的不同，进行不同强度的梳理；⑥对病情顽固者，可行第二次梳理术。     

腺病毒介导酸性成纤维生长因子对兔角膜内皮细胞感染及促增殖作用的实验研究

目的　观察复制缺陷型重组腺病毒载体介导酸性成纤维生长因子 (aFGF)对体外培养的兔角膜内皮细胞 (RCEC)的感染效率和促增殖作用。方法　 2 93A细胞扩增复制缺陷型重组腺病毒 ,选用细胞半数感染剂量 (TCID50 )法测定病毒滴度。体外培养RCEC ,用携带报告基因 (LacZ)的重组腺病毒 (Ad LacZ)感染RCEC ,二甲基甲酰胺 (X gal)染色估计瞬时感染效率 ,将含aFGF的重组腺病毒 (Ad aFGF)感染RCEC ,RT PCR、Westernblot分别检测aFGF转录及蛋白质表达情况 ,噻唑盐 (MTT)法检测转基因细胞增殖情况。结果　病毒滴度为 2× 10 8pfu/ml;重组腺病毒感染RCEC 2 4h后即可检测到外源基因表达 ,当感染倍数 (MOI)值等于 2 0时 ,Ad LacZ对RCEC的感染效率为 10 0 % ,感染Ad aFGF对RCEC增殖有促进作用 (F =2 17.10 7,P <0 .0 5 )。结论　复制缺陷型重组腺病毒载体介导的外源基因在RCEC中可有效表达 ,感染Ad aFGF对RCEC增殖具有促进作用。     

半规管开窗放置链霉素对正常和膜迷路积水耳的内耳功能和形态学影响

为探索临床应用氨基甙类药物治疗病的途径和可行性，对豚鼠正常耳和人工造成膜迷路积水耳行外半规管开窗放置硫酸链霉素后的内耳功能和形态进行观察。结果表明开窗放药后正常耳耳蜗电图（ＥＣｏｃｈＧ）动作电位（ＡＰ）阈值无变化，积水耳ＡＰ阈值升高，正常耳和积水耳冰水试验眼震消失。光镜下正常耳给药后三个半规管壶腹嵴和椭圆囊斑前庭上皮严重受损，耳蜗毛细胞正常；积水耳用药后前庭上皮受损更重，部分变性、萎缩，耳蜗底回及部分第二回毛细胞亦受损。揭示在膜迷路积水状态下对链霉素的耳毒敏感性增加。     

不明原因智力障碍/脑发育迟缓患儿染色体亚端粒重组突变的检测

目的联合应用多重连接依赖的探针扩增法和荧光原位杂交法检测染色体亚端粒重组,进行不明原因智力障碍／脑发育迟缓（mental retardation／developmental delay,MR／DD）的病因学研究。方法人选病例必须满足：①中一重度MR／DD;②无明确围产期异常病史;③无明确生后中毒、缺氧、中枢神经系统感染及头颅外伤等病史;④常规核型分析显示正常;⑤头颅影像及尿有机酸、氨基酸分析未提示典型遗传代谢性疾病或神经变性病;⑥男性患儿FMR1基因检测未提示脆性X综合征。并至少符合以下条件之一：①MR家族史阳性;②反复流产或围产期死亡家族史阳性;③体格发育异常;④面部畸形;⑤非面部畸形或发育异常。联合应用多重连接依赖的探针扩增法过筛和荧光原位杂交技术验证对患儿及父母标本进行染色体亚端粒重组检测。结果人组39例中发现4例阳性病例,重组分别为：①新发der（2）t（2;4）（pter;pter）,文献未见报道;②新发8pter缺失,国外曾有报道,但临床表型不同;③新发15q11．2缺失,属中间重组,结合患儿临床表型,Angelman综合征可能性大;④新发11qter缺失,文献未见报道。结论首次报道2种新重组,其新发出现提示致病性可能性大;染色体亚端粒重组是遗传性MR／DD的重要病因,临床表型差异大,对原因不明的常规染色体检查无异常的MR／DD患者均应进行检测,联合应用多重连接依赖的探针扩增法和荧光原位杂交法是相对经济的确诊手段。     

Emerging trends in sacubitril/valsartan research: A bibliometric analysis of the years 1995–2021

Background:Sacubitril/valsartan has been approved for the treatment of heart failure (HF) patients with reduced ejection fraction; since then, it gradually became a new star drug in the therapy of HF. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of sacubitril/valsartan remains under investigation. Thus far, only a few bibliometric studies have systematically analyzed the application of sacubitril/valsartan.Methods:Publications on sacubitril/valsartan were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection on April 29, 2021. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2019 (Redmond, WA), VOS viewer (Redmond, WA), and Cite Space V (Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA).Results:A total of 1309 publications on sacubitril/valsartan published from 1995 to 2021 were retrieved. The number of publications regarding sacubitril/valsartan increased sharply in the last 6 years (2015–2021), and American scholars authored >40% of those publications. Most were published in the European Journal of Heart Failure, the United States was the bellwether with a solid academic reputation in this area. Solomon published the highest number of related articles and was the most frequently cited author. “Heart failure” was the leading research hotspot. The keywords, “inflammation,” “fibrosis,” and “oxidative stress” appeared most recently as research fronts.Conclusions:Research attention should be focused on clinical trial outcomes. Considering its effectiveness in HF, the mechanisms and further applications of sacubitril/valsartan may become research hotspots in the future and should be closely examined.     

关节镜下缝线固定治疗儿童胫骨髁间前棘骨折

目的探讨关节镜下应用缝线固定治疗儿童胫骨髁间前棘骨折的临床疗效。方法2003年5月～2006年7月,对11例胫骨髁间前棘骨折移位患儿,在关节镜下行骨折复位。以钢丝引导PDSⅡ缝线经骨隧道固定,术后石膏或支具外固定。术后随访采用IKDC和Lysholm评分标准评估疗效。结果全部病例均获随访,平均随访14个月(6～28个月),膝关节活动均正常,Lachman试验阴性;3～6个月,患儿均已恢复正常生活及部分体育锻炼;X线片显示骨折愈合。术后末次随访,KT-2000检查双膝松弛度相差0～4mm(平均1.5mm)。Lysholm评分术后末次随访93～100分,与术前56～79分比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01)。术后IKDC评分分级为A级(8例,占72.72%)和B级(3例,占27.28%)。结论儿童胫骨髁间前棘骨折经关节镜下骨折复位、缝线固定是一种创伤小、不损伤骺板、疗效可靠的治疗方法。