A novel lncRNA TCONS_00071187 upregulated by activated GSK3ß promotes high glucose-induced mesangial cell proliferation in the diabetic nephropathy.

Inhibiting mesangial cell proliferation is one of the strategies to control the early progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN). GSK3ß is closely related to cell apoptosis as well as the development of DN, but whether it acts on the proliferation of mesangial cells is unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the role and mechanism of GSK3ß-mediated lncRNA in high glucose-induced mesangial cell proliferation. HBZY-1 cells were used to establish the cell model of DN. The automatic cell counter was applied to assess cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis and intracellular ROS levels. High-throughput transcriptomics sequencing was performed to detect the different expressions of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the cell model of DN after knocking down the expression of GSK3ß by the transfection of siRNA. The expression of RNA was detected by real-time PCR. In the cell model of DN using HBZY-1 cells, cell proliferation was enhanced accompanied by GSK3ß activation and elevated apoptosis rate and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. A panel of novel lncRNAs, which were differentially expressed after GSK3ß knockdown in the cell model of DN, were identified by high-throughput transcriptomics sequencing. Among them, the expression of TCONS_00071187 was upregulated under high glucose conditions while the knockdown of the GSK3ß expression led to the downregulation of TCONS_00071187. The knockdown of TCONS_00071187 resulted in reduced mesangial cell proliferation, and decreased apoptosis rates and ROS levels. In conclusion, GSK3ß promoted mesangial cell proliferation by upregulating TCONS_00071187, which led to enhanced ROS production under high glucose conditions in the cell model of DN. This study revealed the role of GSK3ß medicated lncRNAs in the development of DN.

Isolation of new compounds related to xyloketals biosynthesis implies an alternative pathway for furan-fused-chromene formation.

In fungi, there is a rare group of natural products harboring the 2,3,3a,9a-tetrahydro-4H-furo[2,3-b]chromene skeleton, represented by xyloketal B, which display a wide range of biological activities and have drawn significant attention. In this work, four new analogues simpliketals A-D (1-4), as well as two other new compounds simplilactones A and B (5 and 6), were isolated from Simplicillium sp. AHK071-01. Their structures were elucidated by extensive NMR spectroscopic methods, 13C NMR calculation, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and ECD calculation. In addition, five known compounds (7-11) including alboatrin (7) were also obtained. Based on the structural similarity of the above compounds, we inferred that compounds 5, 6, and 8-11 might be biosynthetically related with 1-4 and 7, which allowed us to propose an alternative biosynthetic route to generate the furan-fused chromene skeleton of this class of compounds, instead of a previously presumed polyketide-terpenoid hybrid pathway. Finally, cytotoxicity assays showed that 1-4 exhibited weak inhibitory activity on PANC-1 cells and that 2 and 3 possessed moderate activity against SH-SY5Y cells.

Association study of the pneumatization degree of mastoid air cells and postoperative complications after microvascular decompression in hemifacial spasm.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyse the association between the degree of pneumatization of mastoid air cells (MACs) and postoperative complications after microvascular decompression in hemifacial spasm. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 308 patients with hemifacial spasm who underwent surgery at our institute between January 2017 and March 2021. The degree of pneumatization of MACs was classified into four grades (grades 1, 2, 3, and 4) according to method of Han et al. The clinical data of the four grades were analysed and statistically examined. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the four grades in terms of the operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and postoperative hospital stay (all, P > 0.05). The incidence of hearing loss was higher in grade 4 MACs (26.56%) than in grades 1 and 2 MACs (5.41% and 2.89%, respectively; P < 0.05). The incidence of facial paralysis was higher in grade 4 MACs (28.13%) than in grades 1 and 2 MACs (5.41% and 9.18%, respectively; P < 0.001). The incidence of intracranial infection was higher in grade 3 MACs (17.65%) than in grade 2 MACs (3.89%) (P < 0.05). All four patients with cerebrospinal fluid leakage belonged to grade 4 MACs. The incidence of cerebrospinal fluid leakage was higher in grade 4 MACs (5.13%) than in grade 2 MACs (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study found that the degree of pneumatization of MACs was closely related to the postoperative complications after MVD surgeries. Well-pneumatized MACs increase the risk of cerebrospinal fluid leakage and intracranial infection. However, insufficient exposure increases the risk of facial paralysis and hearing loss. For patients with well-pneumatized MACs, sufficient surgical exposure is the top priority when locating the bone hole. For those who may have a latent MAC opening, preventive occlusion should be considered.

The effects of short-term, long-term, and reapplication of biochar on the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soil.

Biochar, a cost-effective amendment, has been reported to play pivotal roles in improving soil fertility and immobilizing soil pollutants due to its well-developed porous structure and tunable functionality. However, the properties of biochar and soils can vary inconsistently after field application. This may affect the remediation of biochar on heavy metal (HM)-contaminated soil being altered. Therefore, we selected lettuce as a model crop to determine the effects of short-term, long-term, and reapplication of biochar on soil physicochemical properties, microbial community, HM bioavailability, and plant toxicity. Our investigation revealed that the long-term application of biochar remarkably improved soil fertility, increased the relative abundance of the phylum Proteobacteria which was highly resistant to HMs, and reduced the abundance of phylum Acidobacteria. These changes in soil properties decreased the accumulation of Cd and Pb in lettuce tissues. The short- and long-term applications of biochar had no substantial effects on biomass, quality, and photosynthesis of lettuce. Moreover, the short-term and reapplication of biochar had no significant effects on soil bacterial communities but decreased the accumulation of Cd and Pb in lettuce tissues. It showed that the changes in the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil after long-term application of biochar promoted the remediation of HM-contaminated soil. Furthermore, microbial community compositions varied with metal stress and biochar application, while the relative abundance of the phylum Actinobacteria in HM-contaminated soil with long-term biochar application was markedly higher than in HM-contaminated soil without biochar application.

The Venous Occlusion Image Score: A Novel Quantitative Scoring Instrument for Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis.

PURPOSE: This study aims to test the validity of a new quantitative scoring instrument-the Venous Occlusion Image Score (VOIS), and assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of VOIS for cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). METHODS: The VOIS divided the major cerebral venous sinuses and internal jugular veins into nine parts of interest. CT venography and DSA source images and reconstruction were extracted from the database, then interpreted and scored independently according to VOIS by a panel of three reviewers. Inter-observer and intra-observer reliability were determined using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the kappa coefficient (κ). The primary outcome was the 3-month functional outcome and evaluated by modified Rankin Scale (mRS). The sensitivity and specificity of VOIS for the primary outcomes were computed. Logistic regression was applied to evaluate the association between the score on VOIS and the primary outcomes. RESULTS: Fifty-six patients with CVST were included in the study. For 16 patients underwent cerebral CTV and DSA, excellent interobserver agreement was observed for DSA (ICC=0.90, 95%CI = 0.87 - 0.92, P < 0.001), and CTV (ICC = 0.92, 95%CI = 0.84 - 0.93, P < 0.001). The κ coefficient of agreement for the two radiology measures was 0.88 (95%CI = 0.79-0.92), indicating good inter-method agreement. For 56 patients followed up by CTV, baseline VOIS value correlated inversely with the severity of stroke on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (r = -0·53, P < 0·001), and modified Rankin Scale (r = -0·59, P < 0·001). Baseline CTV-VOIS value predicted functional outcome (P < 0·05). CONCLUSION: VOIS may serve as a convenient and reliable method in the treatment guidance and outcome prediction of patients with CVST.

SMRT sequencing of a full-length transcriptome reveals transcript variants involved in C18 unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis and metabolism pathways at chilling temperature in Pennisetum giganteum.

BACKGROUND: Pennisetum giganteum, an abundant, fast-growing perennial C4 grass that belongs to the genus Pennisetum, family Poaceae, has been developed as a source of biomass for mushroom cultivation and production, as a source of forage for cattle and sheep, and as a tool to remedy soil erosion. However, having a chilling-sensitive nature, P. giganteum seedlings need to be protected while overwintering in most temperate climate regions. RESULTS: To elucidate the cold stress responses of P. giganteum, we carried out comprehensive full-length transcriptomes from leaf and root tissues under room temperature (RT) and chilling temperature (CT) using PacBio Iso-Seq long reads. We identified 196,124 and 140,766 full-length consensus transcripts in the RT and CT samples, respectively. We then systematically performed functional annotation, transcription factor identification, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) prediction, and simple sequence repeat (SSR) analysis of those full-length transcriptomes. Isoform analysis revealed that alternative splicing events may be induced by cold stress in P. giganteum, and transcript variants may be involved in C18 unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis and metabolism pathways at chilling temperature in P. giganteum. Furthermore, the fatty acid composition determination and gene expression level analysis supported that C18 unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis and metabolism pathways may play roles during cold stress in P. giganteum. CONCLUSIONS: We provide the first comprehensive full-length transcriptomic resource for the abundant and fast-growing perennial grass Pennisetum giganteum. Our results provide a useful transcriptomic resource for exploring the biological pathways involved in the cold stress responses of P. giganteum.

Inhibitory effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor on epilepsy.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and its receptor, GLP-1R, are valuable tools in the therapy of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Although GLP-1R stimulation is also potentially applicable to neurological disorders, few investigators have evaluated its beneficial effects in neurological disease models. Thus, we aimed to look into the antiepileptic effects of GLP-1R on epilepsy and its underlying mechanisms. The cerebral cortex of 22 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and 16 patients with trauma were collected to the epilepsy and control groups, respectively. Seizures were induced by pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) in rats. Liraglutide was used to up-regulate GLP-1R, and exendin fragment 9-39 (ex9-39) was used to down-regulate GLP-1R. The motor responses and scalp electroencephalograms of rats were recorded, and the interaction between GLP-1R and neuronal receptors (GABAARß2/3, GluA1-4, GluNR1, GluN2A and GluN2B) was evaluated by coimmunoprecipitation. GLP-1R expression was investigated by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining, and the levels of GLP-1R and neuronal receptors were evaluated by western blotting. The results indicated that GLP-1R was decreased in patients with TLE and in PTZ-treated rats and the administration of liraglutide decreased seizure severity, which indicates that liraglutide exerts antiepileptic effects. Moreover, liraglutide significantly up-regulated GLP-1R and GABAARß2/3 and down-regulated GluA1-4, GluNR1, GluN2A and GluN2B. In addition, ex9-39 exerted adverse effects and weakened the effects of liraglutide. Therefore, GLP-1R might suppress seizures by regulating the levels of neuronal receptors.

UCH-L1 inhibition aggravates mossy fiber sprouting in the pentylenetetrazole kindling model.

Mossy fiber sprouting (MFS) is a pathological phenomenon that is commonly observed in epilepsy, and plentiful data reveal that abnormal phosphorylated modification of tau protein plays a critical role in MSF by the regulation of microtubule dynamics and axonal transport. Ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1), a proteasomal deubiquitinating enzyme, has been proved to be associated with tau aggregation through mediating degradation of ubiquitinated and hyperphosphorylated tau. Thus, this study aimed to determine the expression of UCH-L1 in the rat hippocampus during the pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced process and to demonstrate the possible correlation with MFS in epileptogenesis. Seizures were established by intraperitoneal injection of PTZ and LDN-57444 was used to inhibit the hydrolase activity of UCH-L1. We used western blot, immunofluorescence, immunoprecipitation, and timm staining to detect phosphorylated modification of tau and MSF. The results presented that LDN-57444 induced the deteriorated severity of seizures, increased phosphorylation of tau and increased distribution of Timm granules in both the supragranular region of the dentate gyrus (DG) and the stratum pyramidale of CA3 subfield. Our results suggest that UCH-L1 may be associated with hippocampal MSF followed the epileptogenesis through mediating phosphorylation of tau. UCH-L1 may be a potential and novel therapeutic target to limit epileptogenesis.

Inhibition of Calcineurin A by FK506 Suppresses Seizures and Reduces the Expression of GluN2B in Membrane Fraction.

FK506, a calcineurin inhibitor, shows neuroprotective effects and has been associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Calcineurin A (CaNA), a catalytic subunit of calcineurin, mediates the dephosphorylation of various proteins. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (GluN) is closely related to epileptogenesis, and various phosphorylation sites of GluN2B, a regulatory subunit of the GluN complex, have different functions. Thus, we hypothesized that one of the potential anti-epileptic mechanisms of FK506 is mediated by its ability to promote the phosphorylation of GluN2B and reduce the expression of GluN2B in membrane fraction by down-regulating CaNA. CaNA expression was increased in the cortex of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced epileptic models. CaNA was shown to be expressed in neurons using immunofluorescence staining. According to our behavioral observations, epileptic rats exhibited less severe seizures and were less sensitive to PTZ after a systemic injection of FK506. The levels of phosphorylated GluN2B were decreased in epileptic rats but increased after the FK506 treatment. Moreover, there was no difference in the total GluN2B levels before and after FK506 treatment. However, the expression of GluN2B in membrane fraction was suppressed after FK506 treatment. Based on these results, FK506 may reduce the severity and frequency of seizures by reducing the expression of GluN2B in membrane fraction.

Abnormal Expression of FBXL20 in Refractory Epilepsy Patients and a Pilocarpine-Induced Rat Model.

E3 ubiquitin ligases are important protein-modifying enzymes involved in the pathogenesis of a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. F-box and leucine-rich repeat protein 20 (FBXL20), an E3 ubiquitin ligase widely expressed in the central nervous system, plays an important role in the ubiquitin-dependent degradation of regulating synaptic membrane exocytosis 1 (RIM1), which is an important factor in the release of synaptic vesicles. FBXL20 has been associated with a variety of neurodegenerative diseases; thus, we hypothesized that FBXL20 is involved in the development of epilepsy. Herein, we used immunofluorescence staining, immunohistochemistry and western blotting to determine the expression pattern of FBXL20 in temporal lobe epilepsy patients and pilocarpine-induced epilepsy animal models. We also injected SD rats with lentivirus-vector mediated overexpression of FBXL20. The results showed that FBXL20 is expressed in the membrane and the cytoplasm of cortical neurons, and overexpression of FBXL20 decreased the onset level of spontaneous seizure, the frequency and duration of seizures. Additionally, FBXL20 protein level was decreased but RIM1 protein level was increased in the epileptic group compared with the LV-FBXL20 and LV-GFP group. These findings in humans were consistent with the results from a pilocarpine-induced animal model of chronic epilepsy. Thus, abnormal expression of FBXL20 might play an important role in the development of epilepsy.

Effect of APOE gene on cerebral oxygen saturation, cerebral electrical activity and prognosis after intracerebral hemorrhage.

Cerebral hemorrhage represents a severe neurological disorder with significant implications for patient health. Numerous factors play a crucial role in determining the prognosis of this condition. In recent years, research has highlighted the polymorphism of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene as being closely associated with cerebrovascular diseases and the recovery of neurological functions. This study aims to explore the influence of APOE gene polymorphism on cerebral oxygen saturation, cerebral electrical activity, and the clinical prognosis of patients experiencing cerebral hemorrhage. The goal is to identify potential new biomarkers that could enhance the management and treatment of individuals who have suffered from this type of bleed in the brain.To investigate this relationship, the study analyzed the ε2, ε3, and ε4 alleles of the APOE gene through gene sequencing techniques. Measurements of cerebral oxygen saturation and electrical brain activity were conducted using specialized equipment including brain oxygen monitors and electroencephalography (EEG) devices. Additionally, detailed clinical data were gathered, encompassing neurological function assessments and the duration of recovery for each patient.A comparative analysis was performed to assess the cerebral oxygen saturation levels, EEG characteristics, and overall prognosis associated with the different APOE genotypes. The findings indicated that patients carrying the APOE ε4 allele exhibited significantly impaired cerebral oxygen metabolism and diminished electrical activity in the initial stages of intracerebral hemorrhage. This impairment potentially results in a worse prognostic outlook when compared to individuals who are non-carriers of the APOE ε4 allele. Furthermore, the relationship between the pulsatility index (PR) and regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO2) was found to be negatively correlated. Specifically, patients with intracerebral hemorrhage who exhibited elevated PR levels alongside reduced rScO2 demonstrated poorer clinical outcomes.

Analysis of risk factors related to the progression rate of hemifacial spasm.

Introduction: Although there have been many researches on the etiology and risk factors with the onset of hemifacial spasm, researches on the risk factors related to progression rate are limited. This study aims to analyze the risk factors related to the progression rate of hemifacial spasm. Methods: The study enrolled 142 patients who underwent microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm. Based on the duration and severity of symptoms, patients were classified into rapid progression group and slow progression group. To analyze risk factors, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. Of 142 patients with hemifacial spasm, 90(63.3%) were classified as rapid progression group, 52(36.7%) were classified as slow progression group. Results: In the univariate analysis, there were significant statistical differences between the two groups in terms of age of onset (P = 0.021), facial nerve angle (P < 0.01), hypertension (P = 0.01), presence of APOE ε4 expression (P < 0.01) and different degrees of brainstem compression in the Root Entry Zone (P < 0.01). In the multivariable analyses, there were significant statistical differences between the two groups in terms of age of symptom onset (P < 0.01 OR = 6.591), APOE ε4 (P < 0.01 OR = 5.691), brainstem compression (P = 0.006 OR = 5.620), and facial nerve angle (P < 0.01 OR = 5.758). Furthermore, we found no significant correlation between the severity of facial spasms and the progression rate of the disease (t = 2.47, P = 0.12>0.05). Conclusion: According to our study, patients with facial nerve angle ≤ 96.5°, severer compression of the brainstem by offending vessels, an onset age > 45 years and positive expression of APOE ε4, may experience faster progression of hemifacial spasm.

Effects of Propofol on Cortical Electroencephalograms in the Operation of Glioma-Related Epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: A cortical electroencephalogram (ECoG) is often used for the intraoperative monitoring of epilepsy surgery, and propofol is an important intravenous anesthetic, but its effect on EEGs is unclear. OBJECTIVES: To further clarify the effect of propofol on cortical ECoGs during glioma-related epilepsy surgery and to clarify the possible clinical value. METHODS: A total of 306 patients with glioma were included in the study. Two hundred thirty-nine with glioma-related epilepsy were included in the epilepsy group, and 67 without glioma-related epilepsy were included in the control group. All patients experienced continuous, real-time ECoG monitoring and long-term follow-up after surgery. RESULTS: After injection of low-dose propofol, the rate of activated ECoGs in the epilepsy group (74%) was significantly higher than in the control group (9%). Furthermore, compared with patients in the untreated group, patients in the treated group had lower rates of early and long-term postoperative seizure frequencies and fewer interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs). CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose infusion of propofol can specifically activate ECoGs in epilepsy patients. Therefore, activated ECoGs might provide an accurate and reliable method for identifying potential epileptic zones during glioma-related epilepsy surgery, resulting in better early and long-term prognoses after epilepsy surgery.

Effects of apolipoprotein E polymorphism on cerebral oxygen saturation, cerebral perfusion, and early prognosis after traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene on oxygen saturation and cerebral perfusion in the early stages of traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHODS: This study included 136 consecutive TBI patients and 51 healthy individuals. The APOE genotypes of all subjects were determined using quantitative fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR). Regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO2) of patients with TBI and normal subjects was monitored using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Computed tomography (CT) perfusion was used to obtain cerebral perfusion in patients with TBI and normal subjects. RESULTS: In the TBI group, the rScO2 of APOEε4 carriers (53.06 ± 6.87%) was significantly lower than that of non-carriers (58.19 ± 5.83%, p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the MTT of APOEε4 carriers (6.75 ± 1.30 s) was significantly longer than that of non-carriers (5.87 ± 1.00 s, p < 0.05). Furthermore, correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between rSCO2 and MTT in patients with TBI. Both the univariate and multifactorial logistic regression analyses revealed that APOE ε4, hypoxia, MTT >5.75 s, Marshall CT Class, and GCS were independent risk factors for early poor prognosis in patients with TBI. CONCLUSION: Both cerebral perfusion and cerebral oxygen were significantly impaired after TBI, and low cerebral perfusion and hypoxia were related to poor prognosis of patients with TBI. Compared with APOE ε4 non-carriers, APOE ε4 carriers not only had poorer cerebral perfusion and cerebral oxygen metabolism but also worse prognosis in the early stages of TBI. Furthermore, a negative correlation was observed between the rSCO2 and MTT levels. In addition, both CT perfusion scanning (CTP) and NIRS are reliable for monitoring the condition of patients with TBI in the neurological intensive care unit (NICU).

Numerical Simulation and Experimental Study on the TIG (A-TIG) Welding of Dissimilar Magnesium Alloys.

The welding experiments and numerical simulation analysis of dissimilar magnesium alloy AZ61-AM60 were carried out by TIG and A-TIG methods. The mathematical model of welding pool under three-dimensional transient moving heat source has been established, and the temperature field has been numerically simulated. The influence of welding process parameters on the surface forming quality of welded joints has been discussed. The simulation results show that temperature field distribution of dissimilar magnesium alloy AZ61-AM60 during the TIG welding process presents a certain asymmetry and the shape distribution of the melting field on both sides of the molten pool is asymmetrical. When A-TIG welding was coated with activating flux, the surface of the molten pool is ingot-shaped. These simulation results are verified through experiment investigation. The consistency between the experimental results and the simulation results reveals the variation law of temperature field and molten pool shape in the welding process, which provides an effective guidance for the optimization of welding process parameters of dissimilar magnesium alloys.

The predictive value of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio on 30-day outcomes in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage patients after surgical treatment: A retrospective analysis of 128 patients.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the predictive value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) on 30-day outcomes in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) after surgical treatment. Methods: This retrospective study utilized data from patients with ICH who underwent craniotomy or minimally invasive puncture and drainage (MIPD) between January 2015 and June 2021. The patients meeting the inclusion criteria were divided into two groups according to 30-day outcomes, namely, the favorable outcome group and the poor outcome group. Sex, age, time from onset to admission, vital signs at admission, admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hematoma volume, hematoma location, surgical approach, and NLR at different time points were all recorded and analyzed. Results: A total of 128 patients were finally enrolled in this study, including 32 and 96 patients in the favorable outcome group and the poor outcome group, respectively. During the course of ICH, the changing trend of NLR was to increase first and then decrease and peaked within 48 h after surgery. In the univariate analysis, systolic blood pressure, admission GCS score, hematoma volume, surgical approach, and NLR within 48 h after surgery were statistically significant. In the multivariable analysis, NLR within 48 h after surgery (odds ratio [OR] = 1.342, p < 0.001) was an independent risk factor of the 30-day outcomes in patients with ICH after surgical treatment. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that the best predictive cut-off value for NLR within 48 h after surgery was 12.35 [sensitivity 82.9%, specificity 81.8%, and area under the curve (AUC) 0.877] and 14.46 (sensitivity 55.1%, specificity 87.5%, and area under the curve 0.731) for the MIPD group and the craniotomy group, respectively. Conclusions: In the process of ICH, the value of NLR was increased first and then decreased and peaked within 48 h after surgery. NLR within 48 h after surgery was an independent risk factor of the 30-day outcomes in patients with ICH. The peak NLR >12.35 or 14.46 in patients receiving MIPD or craniotomy reflected a poor prognosis, respectively.

MRI measurements the linear volume of posterior cranial fossa in patients with hemifacial spasm.

To explore the pathogenesis of hemifacial spasm (HFS) and the effect of posterior fossa volume on postoperative complications. The measurements of the antero-posterior diameter of foramen magnum, the length of supraocciput, the angle of tentorium cerebelli, clivus and occipital bone were performed on MRI. The data of measurements and postoperative complications were then analyzed and statistically examined. The antero-posterior diameter of the foramen magnum was smaller in HFS group (34.98 ± 2.83) mm than in control group (35.83 ± 2.67) mm (P < 0.05); The length of supraocciput was smaller in HFS group (44.67 ± 4.48) mm than in control group (45.84 ± 4.25) mm (P < 0.05); The angle of tentorium cerebelli was larger in HFS group (41.03 ± 5.01)°than in control group (37.28 ± 4.31)° (P < 0.05); The angle of clivus was smaller in HFS group (52.71 ± 6.22)° than in control group (56.39 ± 6.61)° (P < 0.05). The operation time was significantly longer in crowding group (107.90 ± 26.20) min than in non-crowding group (96.48 ± 20.52) min (P < 0.05); The incidence of postoperative facial paralysis was significantly higher in crowding group (16.19%) than in non-crowding group (7.20%) (P < 0.05); The incidence of postoperative hearing loss was significantly higher in crowding group (13.33%) than in non-crowding group (4.00%) (P < 0.05). Factors such as shorter antero-posterior diameter of foramen magnum, lower tentorium cerebelli, and shorter length of supraocciput in patients with HFS indicate the posterior fossa dysplasia and promote the occurrence of HFS. The crowding of the posterior fossa will increase the difficulty of the surgery and the incidence of postoperative facial paralysis and hearing loss.

Prediction of early prognosis after traumatic brain injury by multifactor model.

AIMS: To design a model to predict the early prognosis of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) based on parameters that can be quickly obtained in emergency conditions from medical history, physical examination, and supplementary examinations. METHODS: The medical records of TBI patients who were hospitalized in two medical institutions between June 2015 and June 2021 were collected and analyzed. Patients were divided into the training set, validation set, and testing set. The possible predictive indicators were screened after analyzing the data of patients in the training set. Then prediction models were found based on the possible predictive indicators in the training set. Data of patients in the validation set and the testing set was provided to validate the predictive values of the models. RESULTS: Age, Glasgow coma scale score, Apolipoprotein E genotype, damage area, serum C-reactive protein, and interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels, and Marshall computed tomography score were found associated with early prognosis of TBI patients. The accuracy of the early prognosis prediction model (EPPM) was 80%, and the sensitivity and specificity of the EPPM were 78.8% and 80.8% in the training set. The accuracy of the EPPM was 79%, and the sensitivity and specificity of the EPPM were 66.7% and 86.2% in the validation set. The accuracy of the early EPPM was 69.1%, and the sensitivity and specificity of the EPPM were 67.9% and 77.8% in the testing set. CONCLUSION: Prediction models integrating general information, clinical manifestations, and auxiliary examination results may provide a reliable and rapid method to evaluate and predict the early prognosis of TBI patients.

Development and Validation of an Automatic System for Intracerebral Hemorrhage Medical Text Recognition and Treatment Plan Output.

The main purpose of the study was to explore a reliable way to automatically handle emergency cases, such as intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Therefore, an artificial intelligence (AI) system, named, H-system, was designed to automatically recognize medical text data of ICH patients and output the treatment plan. Furthermore, the efficiency and reliability of the H-system were tested and analyzed. The H-system, which is mainly based on a pretrained language model Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) and an expert module for logical judgment of extracted entities, was designed and founded by the neurosurgeon and AI experts together. All emergency medical text data were from the neurosurgery emergency electronic medical record database (N-eEMRD) of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Emergency Medical Center, and Chongqing First People's Hospital, and the treatment plans of these ICH cases were divided into two types. A total of 1,000 simulated ICH cases were randomly selected as training and validation sets. After training and validating on simulated cases, real cases from three medical centers were provided to test the efficiency of the H-system. Doctors with 1 and 5 years of working experience in neurosurgery (Doctor-1Y and Doctor-5Y) were included to compare with H-system. Furthermore, the data of the H-system, for instance, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC), were calculated and compared with Doctor-1Y and Doctor-5Y. In the testing set, the time H-system spent on ICH cases was significantly shorter than that of doctors with Doctor-1Y and Doctor-5Y. In the testing set, the accuracy of the H-system's treatment plan was 88.55 (88.16-88.94)%, the specificity was 85.71 (84.99-86.43)%, and the sensitivity was 91.83 (91.01-92.65)%. The AUC value of the H-system in the testing set was 0.887 (0.884-0.891). Furthermore, the time H-system spent on ICH cases was significantly shorter than that of doctors with Doctor-1Y and Doctor-5Y. The accuracy and AUC of the H-system were significantly higher than that of Doctor-1Y. In addition, the accuracy of the H-system was more closed to that of Doctor-5Y. The H-system designed in the study can automatically recognize and analyze medical text data of patients with ICH and rapidly output accurate treatment plans with high efficiency. It may provide a reliable and novel way to automatically and rapidly handle emergency cases, such as ICH.

Modified Xiaoqinglong decoction alleviates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in mice by regulating arachidonic acid metabolism and exerting anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects.

Effective therapeutics are not available for acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Modified Xiaoqinglong decoction (M-XQL) is reported to effectively treat pneumonia, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. In this study, the therapeutic effect and mechanism of M-XQL were examined using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI mouse model. The effects of M-XQL on lung injury, inflammatory responses, and cell apoptosis were analyzed. Additionally, high-throughput sequencing was performed to evaluate the therapeutic mechanism of M-XQL. Pretreatment with M-XQL significantly and dose-dependently mitigated the pathological changes and upregulation of pulmonary, nitric oxide content and cell apoptosis and serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha contents in the LPS-induced ALI mouse model. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that the expression of several arachidonic acid metabolism-associated genes in the LPS + high-dose M-XQL group differed from that in the LPS group. In particular, the Cbr2, Cyp4f18, and Cyp2e1 levels were upregulated, whereas the Alox12, Ptges, and Ptges2 levels were downregulated in the LPS + high-dose M-XQL group. These results suggest that M-XQL exerts therapeutic effects in ALI mice by regulating arachidonic acid metabolism and exerting anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects. Thus, M-XQL is a potential agent for the clinical treatment of ALI.