Retraction Note: Roles of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in the anti-oxidative stress response to ischemia-reperfusion brain injury in rats.

The article "Roles of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in the anti-oxidative stress response to ischemia-reperfusion brain injury in rats", by L.-J. Jiang, S.-M. Zhang, C.-W. Li, J.-Y. Tang, F.-Y. Che, Y.-C. Lu, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2017; 21 (7): 1532-1540-PMID: 28429353 has been retracted by the Editor in Chief. Following some concerns raised on PubPeer (link: https://pubpeer.com/publications/4C502B6EB4FCA59AC9F42A8278A3D4), the Editor in Chief has started an investigation to assess the validity of the results as well as possible figure manipulation. The authors have been informed about the journal's investigation but remained unresponsive and have not provided the study's raw data. The journal investigation revealed several figure duplications and manipulations in Figures 3 and 6. Consequently, the Editor in Chief mistrusts the results presented and has decided to retract the article. This article has been retracted. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/12521.

[Recent advance in neurological complications following wasp stings].

Wasp sting refers to a series of clinical syndromes caused by the venom in the tail poison sac of the poisonous bee when attacking the attacked body, mainly manifested as local skin damage, systemic allergic reaction and multi-organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) . Wasp venom can also act on the nervous system, and cause rare complications such as cerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, cerebral infarction, epilepsy, encephalitis, and Parkinson's disease, which can seriously affect the prognosis. This review will elaborate the above complications for clinical reference.

[Study on the image of fragrant plants in Wood section of Compendium of Materia Medica].

As a representative work of materia medica in the Ming Dynasty, the plant images attached to Compendium of Materia Medica retain the results of Li Shizhen's research on the original plants of medicinal materials in another form, which truly reflects the understanding and utilization of herbs in the Ming Dynasty.Taking the image of fragrant plants in Wood section in the book as an example, the original of the plants depicted in the images is examined to reveal the level of understanding of plant knowledge and medicinal properties in the Ming dynasty.Among the 25 images contained in the woody section, 20 images accurately depict the leaves, flowers and fruits of plants, and the description of the morphological details of the plant Cephalotaxus fortunei Hook. f. proves a high level of understanding of plant morphology and medicinal properties at the time. However, the errors of a total of 5 diagrams such as Wuyao and A wei also showed limitations. By comparing the results of the image with the medicinal properties contained in the text,it is clear that the level of understanding of medicinal properties is very high in the Ming dynasty, and the understanding of the medicinal properties of some plants is even higher than the understanding of their morphology.

[Analysis of the clinical characteristics and misdiagnosis of area postrema syndrome manifesting as intractable nausea, vomiting, and hiccups in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders].

Objective: To investigate the misdiagnosis of area postrema syndrome (APS) manifesting as intractable nausea, vomiting and hiccups in neuromyelitis optic spectrum disease (NMOSD) and reduce the risk of misdiagnosis. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from NMOSD patients attending the Department of Neurology at the First Medical Center of PLA General Hospital between January 2019 and July 2021. SPSS25.0 was then used to analyze the manifestations, misdiagnosis, and mistreatment of APS. Results: A total of 207 patients with NMOSD were included, including 21 males and 186 females. The mean age of onset was 39±15 years (range: 5-72 years). The proportion of patients who were positive for serum aquaporin 4 antibody was 82.6% (171/207). In total, 35.7% (74/207) of the NMOSD patients experienced APS during the disease course; of these patients, 70.3% (52/74) had APS as the first symptom and 29.7% (22/74) had APS as a secondary symptom. The misdiagnosis rates for these conditions were 90.4% (47/52) and 50.0% (11/22), respectively. As the first symptom, 19.2% (10/52) of patients during APS presented only with intractable nausea, vomiting and hiccups; 80.8% (42/52) of patients experienced other neurological symptoms. The Departments of Gastroenterology and General Medicine were the departments that most frequently made the first diagnosis of APS, accounting for 54.1% and 17.6% of patients, respectively. The most common misdiagnoses related to diseases of the digestive system and the median duration of misdiagnosis was 37 days. Conclusions: APS is a common symptom of NMOSD and is associated with a high rate of misdiagnosis. Other concomitant symptoms often occur with APS. Gaining an increased awareness of this disease/syndrome, obtaining a detailed patient history, and performing physical examinations are essential if we are to reduce and avoid misdiagnosis.

[Short-term efficacy of empagliflozin in children with glycogen storage disease type â b].

Objective: To analyze the short-time efficacy of empagliflozin in the treatment of glycogen storage disease type Ⅰb (GSD Ⅰb). Methods: In this prospective open-label single-arm study, the data of 4 patients were collected from the pediatric department in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from December 2020 to December 2022. All of them were diagnosed by gene sequencing and had neutropenia. These patients received empagliflozin treatment. Their clinical symptoms such as height and weight increase, abdominal pain, diarrhea, oral ulcer, infection times, and drug applications were recorded at 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, and 15 months after treatment to assess the therapeutic effect. The liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was used to monitor the changes in 1, 5-anhydroglucitol (1, 5AG) concentration in plasma. At the same time, adverse reactions such as hypoglycemia and urinary tract infection were closely followed up and monitored. Results: The 4 patients with GSD Ⅰb were 15, 14, 4 and 14 years old, respectively at the beginning of empagliflozin treatment, and were followed up for 15, 15, 12 and 6 months, respectively. Maintenance dose range of empagliflozin was 0.24-0.39 mg/(kg·d). The frequency of diarrhea and abdominal pain decreased in cases 2, 3, and 4 at 1, 2 and 3 months of treatment, respectively. Their height and weight increased at different degrees.The absolute count of neutrophils increased from 0.84×109, 0.50×109, 0.48×109, 0.48×109/L to 1.48×109, 3.04×109, 1.10×109, 0.73×109/L, respectively. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor was gradually reduced in 1 patients and stopped in 3 patient. Plasma 1, 5 AG levels in 2 children were significantly decreased after administration of empagliflozin (from 46.3 mg/L to 9.6 mg/L in case 2, and from 56.1 mg/L to 15.0 mg/L in case 3). All 4 patients had no adverse reactions such as hypoglycemia, abnormal liver or kidney function, or urinary system infection. Conclusion: In short-term observation, empagliflozin can improve the symptoms of GSD Ⅰb oral ulcers, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and recurrent infection, also can alleviate neutropenia and decrease 1, 5AG concentration in plasma, with favorable safety.

LncRNA FOXD2-AS1 facilitates the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma by regulating TWIST1.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed at elucidating the role of FOXD2-AS1 in facilitating the malignant progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by regulating TWIST1. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Relative levels of FOXD2-AS1 and TWIST1 in HCC tissues classified by tumor size and tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging were detected by quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The Kaplan-Meier method was applied to assess the prognostic potential of FOXD2-AS1 in HCC patients, followed by survival rate comparison using a log-rank test. After the knockdown of FOXD2-AS1 in HepG2 cells, the viability and migratory abilities were examined by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and transwell assay, respectively. The subcellular distribution of FOXD2-AS1 was detected. Finally, the involvement of TWIST1 in the regulation of HCC cell functions influenced by FOXD2-AS1 was explored. RESULTS: FOXD2-AS1 was upregulated in HCC tissues, especially large tumor size or stage III-IV cases. High levels of FOXD2-AS1 predicted poor prognosis in HCC patients. FOXD2-AS1 was mainly distributed in the nucleus, and knockdown of FOXD2-AS1 weakened proliferative and migratory abilities in HepG2 cells. TWIST1 was upregulated in HCC tissues, which was positively correlated to FOXD2-AS1 level. The overexpression of TWIST1 could reverse the inhibited proliferative and migratory abilities in HepG2 cells with FOXD2-AS1 knockdown. CONCLUSIONS: FOXD2-AS1 facilitates the progression of HCC by upregulating TWIST1.

[Metagenomic sequencing for diagnosis of sparganosis mansoni: a case report].

The patient was found to develop a migrating mass in the lower abdomen without any known cause in 2000, and the cause had not been identified following multiple diagnoses since then. The mass was found to migrate to the left anterior axillary regions on August 11, 2020. Then, three segments of incomplete white worms were resected through minimally invasive surgery, and metagenomic sequencing revealed sparganosis mansoni. After surgical resection of complete worms was performed on October 21, 2021, the case was cured and discharged from the hospital. Follow-up revealed satisfactory outcomes and no new mass was found throughout the body.

Maternal alcohol consumption and risk of postpartum depression: a meta-analysis of cohort studies.

OBJECTIVES: The relationship between maternal alcohol consumption and postpartum depression (PPD) is still controversial. The objective of the present study was to assess the association between maternal alcohol consumption and the risk of developing PPD by means of a meta-analysis of cohort studies. STUDY DESIGN: This was a meta-analysis. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, China Biology Medicine disc, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Weipu, and Wanfang databases were searched up to February 4, 2021, to identify relevant studies that evaluated the association between maternal alcohol consumption and PPD. Meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan software and Stata software. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to explore the potential heterogeneity source, and Begg's funnel plots and Begg's linear regression test were conducted to assess the potential publication bias. RESULTS: A total of 12 studies involving 50,377 participants were identified in our study. Overall, pregnant women who were exposed to alcohol were at a significantly greater risk of developing PPD compared with those who did not consume alcohol (odds ratio = 1.21; 95% confidence interval: 1.04-1.41; P = 0.020). CONCLUSIONS: Maternal alcohol consumption is significantly associated with the risk of developing PPD. These results emphasize the necessity of enhancing health awareness, improving the public health policies and regulations concerning alcohol use, and strengthening the prevention and intervention of maternal alcohol consumption to promote maternal mental health.

[Clinical effects of pulsed dye laser dynamically combined with triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment of keloids].

Objective: To explore the clinical effects of pulsed dye laser (PDL) dynamically combined with triamcinolone acetonide (TAC) in the treatment of keloids. Methods: A retrospectively observational study was conducted. From April 2015 to October 2020, 34 keloid patients (46 keloids) who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to Huaihe Hospital of Henan University. The patients were divided into TAC group and dynamic treatment group according to their treatment methods. There were 18 patients (26 keloids) in TAC group, including 8 males and 10 females, aged (30±12) years, who were treated with TAC injection alone. There were 16 patients (20 keloids) in dynamic treatment group, including 6 males and 10 females, aged (26±11) years, who were treated with TAC injection, PDL, or PDL combined with TAC injection according to the Vancouver scar scale (VSS) score before each treatment. Before the first treatment (hereinafter referred to as before treatment) and 12 months after the first treatment (hereinafter referred to as after treatment), the keloids were assessed by VSS, patient and observer scar assessment scale (POSAS), and the effect of keloids on the quality of life of patients was evaluated with dermatology life quality index (DLQI) scale. Twelve months after treatment, the curative effect of keloid was evaluated according to the VSS score and the effective rate was calculated. The first effective time and the cumulative times of TAC injection at the first effective time, the number of follow-up and the occurrence of adverse reactions of keloids within 12 months after treatment were recorded, and the incidence of adverse reactions was calculated. Data were statistically analyzed with paired sample t test, independent sample t test, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, and Fisher's exact probability test. Results: The total VSS scores of patients' keloids in TAC group and dynamic treatment group 12 months after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment (with t values of 7.53 and 8.09, respectively, P<0.01), and the total scores of pigmentation and vascularity in VSS and POSAS, the total POSAS score, and the DLQI scale score were significantly lower than those before treatment (with Z values of -3.71, -4.04, -4.21, -4.11, -3.76, -3.73, -3.92, and -3.93, respectively, P<0.01). The total scores of pigmentation and vascularity in VSS and POSAS of patients' keloids in dynamic treatment group 12 months after treatment were significantly lower than those in TAC group (with Z values of -2.03 and -2.12, respectively, P<0.05). Twelve months after treatment, the effective rate of patients' keloids in dynamic treatment group was significantly higher than that in TAC group (χ2=3.88, P<0.05). The first effective time of patients' keloids in dynamic treatment group was 5.5 (2.0, 6.0) months, which was significantly shorter than 6.0 (2.3, 10.3) months in TAC group (χ2=4.02, P<0.05). The cumulative times of TAC injection at the first effective time of patients' keloids in dynamic treatment group was 3.2±1.7, which was significantly less than 4.2±1.8 in TAC group (t=2.09, P<0.05). The number of follow-up of patients' keloids within 12 months after treatment in dynamic treatment group was significantly more than that in TAC group (t=-2.94, P<0.01), and the total incidence of adverse reactions was lower than that in TAC group but without statistically significant difference (P>0.05). Conclusions: Compared with TAC injection alone, PDL dynamically combined with TAC in the treatment of keloid can shorten the effective time, reduce the number of TAC injection, and improve the patient's compliance and clinical efficacy.

Differences in corneal and anterior segment morphology between diabetic vs. healthy children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare corneal and anterior segment morphology among children and adolescents with and without diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, Embase and Scopus databases were systematically searched. Studies that were observational in design were considered. Included studies should have been done in young children and/or adolescents and compared relevant outcomes of interest based on the diabetic status. The outcomes of interest were related to corneal morphology, morphology of lens, as well as important characteristics of anterior segment such as depth, pupillary diameter, intra-ocular pressure and axial length. The pooled effect sizes were reported as weighted mean difference (WMD). STATA software was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The meta-analysis included 17 studies. Diabetic children had lower corneal endothelial cell density (cells/mm2) (WMD -215.7, 95% CI: -406.5, -24.9), higher central corneal thickness (µm) (WMD 12.66, 95% CI: 5.47, 19.84), higher lenticular thickness (mm) (WMD 0.25, 95% CI: 0.13, 0.36) and density (WMD 3.02, 95% CI: 2.23, 3.81) than non-diabetic children. The anterior chamber depth (mm) (WMD -0.17, 95% CI: -0.24, -0.09) and pupillary diameter (mm) (WMD -0.61, 95% CI: -1.12, -0.10) was significantly reduced in diabetic children, compared to non-diabetic children. No differences in the corneal curvature, corneal diameter, spherical equivalent, intra-ocular pressure, axial length, tear film breakup time and Schirmer test were noted among diabetic and non-diabetic children. CONCLUSIONS: Significant structural changes in cornea and lens along with reduction in anterior chamber depth and pupillary diameter were found. These morphological changes may be indication for early and prompt management and underscore the need for more advanced ophthalmological evaluation techniques, in addition to routine examination.

[Clinical diagnosis and treatment analysis of 553 cases of acoustic neuroma in a single center].

Objective: To explore the relationship between microsurgery and prognosis of acoustic neuroma. Methods: A total of 553 acoustic neuroma surgical cases admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 1, 1986 to September 30, 2016, were collected retrospectively. They were divided into 1986-1995 group, 1996-2005 group, and 2006-2016 group. The general information, tumor size, preoperative hospital stay, total hospital stay, operation time, intraoperative blood transfusion, use of neuroelectrophysiological monitoring, internal auditory canal wall grinding, tumor resection degree, postoperative facial nerve function rating (House-Brackmann grading), discharge status, and quality of life assessment KPS of patients were statistically analyzed. Results: Compared with the 1986-1995 group and the 1996-2005 group, the average age of patients in the 2006-2016 group ((52.9±13.3) years) was larger but the overall tumor volume ((3.7±0.8) cm) was smaller, and preoperative hospital stay ((4.9±1.9) days), the total hospital stay ((19.4±6.4) days) was significantly reduced, the operation time ((4.6±1.0) hours) was shortened, the intraoperative blood transfusion rate (18.5%) was significantly reduced, the intraoperative neuroelectrophysiological monitoring utilization rate (8.9%), and the internal auditory canal rate (12.7%) was higher. While increasing the tumor total resection and near total resection rate (89.2%), it further improved the postoperative facial nerve function retention rate (71.5%), and significantly increased the discharge cure rate (88.5%) (P<0.05). At the same time, the postoperative quality of life assessment good rate (KPS≥60 points) and excellent rate (KPS≥80 points) of the patients in the 2006-2016 group increased significantly, reaching 94.2% and 45.8% (P<0.05). Conclusion: The maturity of microsurgery techniques and the use of intraoperative neuroelectrophysiological monitoring can shorten the treatment cycle of patients with acoustic neuroma, increase the tumor resection rate and postoperative facial nerve function retention rate, and effectively improve the quality of life of patients after surgery.

[Urinary retinol binding protein and ß2-microglobulin were associated with urinary albumin to creatinine ratio and renal function in hospitalized diabetic patients].

Objective: To explore the associations of urinary retinol binding protein (RBP) and ß2-microglobulin (ß2-MG) with urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR) and renal function in hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: A total of 1 030 Chinese patients with T2DM were included in this study. The subjects were divided into the UACR normal group (<30 mg/g), microalbuminuria group (30-300 mg/g) and macroalbuminuria group (>300 mg/g). Patients with normal UACR were further divided into two groups according to the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR): the eGFR low group (<90 ml·min-1·1.73m-2) and the normal eGFR group (≥90 ml·min-1·1.73m-2). Urine RBP and ß2-MG levels among the groups were compared. Multiple linear regression analyses were applied to evaluate risk factors of urine RBP and ß2-MG. Results: In all patients (n=1 030), urine RBP and ß2-MG increased gradually with the increase of UACR across the three groups, the proportions of abnormal urine RBP (>0.7 mg/L) and ß2-MG (>370 µg/L) in these groups were 3.8%, 8.5%, 39.0% (P<0.001), and 12.9%, 26.7%, 46.8% (P<0.001), respectively. In the UACR normal group (n=788), 12.2% of the patients were with eGFR<90 ml·min-1·1.73m-2. The proportion of abnormal ß2-MG (>370 µg/L) was higher in the eGFR low group than that in the eGFR normal group (29.2% vs. 10.7%, P<0.001). Multivariate linear stepwise regression analyses were performed using natural logarithm of urine RBP or ß2-MG as dependent variable, and showed that urine RBP was independently associated with UACR (ß=0.0005, P<0.001), serum creatinine (ß=0.006, P<0.001) and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (ß=0.050, P=0.001), and ß2-MG was independently correlated with UACR (ß=0.000 4, P<0.001), serum creatinine (ß=0.011, P<0.001), systolic blood pressure (ß=0.005, P=0.031) and fasting blood-glucose (ß=0.027, P=0.046). Conclusions: Urine RBP and ß2-MG are positively associated with high UACR and impaired renal function in T2DM patients, and these changes could occur before UACR and eGFR turned out to be abnormal. It is recommended that urine RBP and ß2-MG be detected as early as possible to identify diabetic kidney disease in patients with normal UACR and eGFR.

[Safety and efficacy of percutaneous left atrial appendage closure in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients with left atrial spontaneous echocardiographic contrast].

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients (NVAF) with left atrial spontaneous echocardiographic contrast (LA SEC). Methods: A total of 95 NVAF patients treated in the Department of Cardiology of Ningbo First Hospital from July 2018 to June 2019 were enrolled in this study. The study population was divided into two group according to the presence or absence of LA SEC detected by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). TEE was scheduled 45 days post-procedure to detect device-related thrombus (DRT). Stroke and bleeding events were recorded during follow-up. Periprocedural complications and follow-up results were compared between the two groups. Results: LA diameters were smaller in non-LA SEC group than LA SEC group ((44.0±7.4)mm vs (47.3±6.6)mm, P=0.033). Watchman device was successfully implanted into all the enrolled patients. No death, transient ischemic attack (TIA)/stroke, device embolization and major bleeding events occurred. Fifty patients (90.2%) in LA SEC group and 31 patients (91.2%) in non-LA SEC group finished TEE follow-up 45 days post-procedure. No device-related thrombus was detected in non-LA SEC group, while 2 cases (6.5%) were detected in LA SEC group, but there was no significant differences in the incidence between the two groups (P=0.127). The LA SEC group and non-LA SEC group were followed-up for (12.3±3.8) months and (12.9±3.3) months, respectively; and there was no significant differences in the incidence of death, TIA/stroke, major and minor bleeding events between two groups during the follow-up (all P>0.05). Conclusion: LAAC in NVAF patients with LA SEC was safe and effective. However, the incidence of DRT was slightly higher.

[A study of neurotoxicity of crotonaldehyde in male rats].

Objective: To investigate the neurotoxicity of crotonaldehyde exposure in male rats and its possible mechanism of action. Methods: From July to October 2019, 24 specific pathogen-free male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group and 2.5, 4.5, and 8.5 mg/kg exposure groups, with 6 rats in each group, and the rats in these groups were given oral administration of crotonaldehyde solution at doses of 0.0, 2.5, 4.5, and 8.5 mg/kg, respectively, 5 times a week for 90 consecutive days. Body weight was measured after exposure, and brain tissue and liver tissue were collected. The activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in brain tissue and the level of acetylcholine (ACh) in liver tissue were measured; The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) in brain tissue were measured; ELISA was used to measure the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) , interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) , and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in brain tissue. Results: Compared with the control group, the 2.5, 4.5, and 8.5 mg/kg exposure groups had a significant reduction in the activity of AChE in brain tissue, and the 8.5 mg/kg exposure group had a significant increase in the level of ACh in liver tissue (P<0.05) . Compared with the control group, the 4.5 and 8.5 mg/kg exposure groups had a significant increase in the level of MDA and significant reductions in the level of GSH and the activities of SOD and GSH-Px in brain tissue (P<0.05) . Compared with the control group, the 2.5, 4.5, and 8.5 mg/kg exposure groups had significant increases in the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in brain tissue, and the 4.5 and 8.5 mg/kg exposure groups had a significant increase in the level of IL-1ß (P<0.05) . Conclusion: Crotonaldehyde exposure can induce nervous system injury in rats, possibly by altering oxidative balance and upregulating the expression of inflammatory factors in brain tissue.

Alprostadil alleviates liver injury in septic rats via TLR4/NF-κB pathway.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the role of alprostadil (Alp) in cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced septic injury in rats and its possible mechanism of action. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Wistar rats were randomly assigned into three groups, including: Sham group (no CLP was performed), CLP group (CLP was conducted) and Alp group (Alp was injected after CLP). Serum liver function markers, pathological changes in liver tissues, alterations in the level of oxidative stress, activity of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) pathway, and release of inflammatory factor tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in the liver tissue homogenate were detected in each group. RESULTS: Compared with Sham group, the rats in CLP group had substantially elevated content of serum liver function markers, increased apoptotic liver cells, upregulated levels of oxidative stress, enhanced activity of the TLR4/NF-κB pathway, and increased release of TNF-α (p<0.05). Meanwhile, there were evident pathological changes under microscopic examination in CLP group compared with Sham group (p<0.05). In comparison with CLP group, Alp group exhibited significantly decreased concentrations of liver function markers, microscopic findings, such as decreased inflammatory cell infiltration in the interstitum, notably lowered proportion of apoptotic cells, decreased level of oxidative stress, weakened activity of the TLR4/NF-κB pathway and restrained release of TNF-α (p<0.05). Furthermore, normal morphology of liver cells was observed in Alp group compared with CLP group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Alp alleviates liver injury in septic rats by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB pathway.

[Analysis of prognosis and risk factors of 730 patients with anterior communicating aneurysm].

Objective: To investigate the prognosis and risk factors of patients with anterior communicating aneurysm treated by aneurysm clipping or interventional embolization. Methods: The clinical data of 730 patients with anterior communicating aneurysm who underwent aneurysm clipping or interventional embolization in the department of neurosurgery, the first affiliated hospital of Soochow University from January 1999 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The prognosis of patients in the clipping group from 1999 to 2008 and the clipping group from 2009 to 2018, the clipping group from 2009 to 2018 and the interventional group from 2009 to 2018 were compared respectively, and the risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients were statistically analyzed. Results: The rate of poor prognosis was 32.7% in the clipping group from 1999 to 2008, 21.3% in the clipping group from 2009 to 2018, and the rate of intraoperative aneurysm rupture and postoperative cerebral infarction was lower in the clipping group from 2009 to 2018 (P<0.05). There was no significant statistical difference in the prognosis between the clipping group and the interventional group from 2009 to 2018 (P>0.05). The results of multivariate analysis showed that preoperative Hunt-Hess grade, postoperative cerebral infarction and postoperative hemorrhage were the risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients (P<0.05). Conclusion: The prognosis of patients treated by clipping from 2009 to 2018 was significantly improved compared with that from 1999 to 2008. There was no significant difference in the prognosis between the clipping group and the interventional group from 2009 to 2018. Preoperative Hunt-Hess grading, postoperative cerebral infarction and postoperative hemorrhage were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis.

[Method of dietary nutritional status assessment and its application in cohort study of nutritional epidemiology].

Minimizing the burden on study subjects and assessing the general dietary nutritional status as accurately as possible are the basis of a nutritional epidemiological cohort study in the general population. While introducing the main dietary nutrition assessment methods, this paper manly describes the basic contents and principles for the development of food frequency questionnaire, and briefly illustrates the problems and solutions for the development of area specific food frequency questionnaires by taking the example of Tianjin Chronic Low-grade Systemic Inflammation and Health (TCLSIH) cohort study. Finally, discusses preliminarily the necessity and possibility of developing a national food frequency questionnaire.

Effect of rosiglitazone on myocardial injury in septic rats through NF-κB pathway.

INTRODUCTION: To explore the effect of rosiglitazone on myocardial injury in septic rats through the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) pathway. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60 healthy adult female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, namely, group A (sepsis model group, n=15), group B (sham operation group, n=15), group C (sepsis model + 3 mg/kg rosiglitazone, n=15), and group D (sham operation group + 3 mg/kg rosiglitazone, n=15), respectively. After the sepsis model was successfully established, the rats were administered with 3 mg/kg rosiglitazone by gavage, with a gavage volume of 1 mL, once a day for a total of 3 days. Blood was taken from the abdominal aorta, while lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine phosphokinase kits were used to detect the levels of LDH and creatine phosphokinase in serum. Then, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining was adopted to identify myocardial tissue apoptosis, hematoxylin and eosin staining (H&E) was applied to detect myocardial tissue morphology, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was utilized to examine the protein expression level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in rat serum. Subsequently, the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) level of TNF-α in myocardial tissues was measured via fluorescence quantitative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) method, and the activity of NF-κB was detected by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). RESULTS: Compared with those in group A, apoptotic cells in group B and group D were notably increased (p<0.05). At 3 days after administration with rosiglitazone (3 mg/kg), apoptotic cells were markedly decreased (p<0.05). H&E staining results manifested that 3 mg/kg rosiglitazone prominently improved myocardial tissue morphology in rats. The protein level of TNF-α in serum, the mRNA expression level of TNF-α in myocardial tissues, and the activity of NF-κB in group C treated with rosiglitazone were lower than those in group A (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Rosiglitazone can alleviate myocardial injury in septic rats by suppressing the TNF-α expression and this process is associated with the regulation on the NF-κB signal transduction pathway.

Factors Influencing the Initiation Time of Forensic Psychiatric Assessment of Criminal Cases in Hunan Province.

ABSTRACT: Objective To discuss the related factors influencing the initiation time of forensic psychiatric assessment by analysis of the initiation time of forensic psychiatric assessment of criminal cases in Hunan Province. Methods Related data in assessment files of criminal cases accepted by 8 forensic psychiatric assessment institutions in Hunan Province from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2016 were extracted. The Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the factors influencing the initiation time of forensic psychiatric assessment. After using property score matching （PSM） to control the influence of confounding factors, the efficiency of public security organs to initiate assessments of suspects with （without） mental disorders and with （without） responsibilities were compared. Results A total of 4 346 cases were included. The Logistic regression analysis suggested that the factors independently related to the initiation time of assessment include： cause of assessment, nationality of the assessed, history of diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses, history of crimes, history of drug abuse, and status of alcohol consumption before the crime （all P<0.05）. The initiation time of assessment of suspects diagnosed with mental disorder was shorter than those with none （P<0.05）; the initiation time of assessment of suspects without criminal responsibility was shorter than those with responsibility （P<0.05）. After using PSM to control confounding factors, the differences above still existed. Conclusion The cause of assessment, nationality of the assessed, history of diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses, history of crimes, history of drug abuse, and status of alcohol consumption before the crime are factors that influence the efficiency of public security organs to initiate forensic psychiatric assessments. Under the current assessment initiation mode, forensic psychiatric assessment of suspects who have mental disorders, especially those with no responsibility may be given priority to initiate.