Naoxintong Capsule for Secondary Prevention of Ischemic Stroke: A Multicenter, Randomized, and Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Objective: To examine whether the combination of Naoxintong Capsule with standard care could further reduce the recurrence of ischemic stroke without increasing the risk of severe bleeding.

Methods: A total of 23 Chinese medical centers participated in this trial. Adult patients with a history of ischemic stroke were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio using a block design to receive either Naoxintong Capsule (1.

Survey and analysis of the nutritional status in hospitalized patients with malignant gastric tumors and its influence on the quality of life.

Background/objectives: The assessment of nutritional status and the quality of life in patients with gastric cancer has become one of the important goals of current clinical treatment. The purpose of this study was to assess the nutritional status in hospitalized gastric cancer patients by using patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA) and to analyze the influence of nutritional status on the patients' quality of life (QOL).

Methods: We reviewed the pathological diagnosis of gastric cancer for 2322 hospitalized patients using PG-SGA to assess their nutritional status and collected data on clinical symptoms, the anthropometric parameters (height, weight, body mass index (BMI), mid-arm circumference (MAC), triceps skin-fold thickness (TSF), and hand-grip strength (HGS).

Is Hypercalcemia a Frequent Complication following Local Use of Calcium Sulfate with Antibiotics for the Treatment of Extremity Posttraumatic Osteomyelitis? A Preliminary Study.

Background: Previous study had reported hypercalcemia as a frequent complication (20%) following local use of antibiotic-eluting calcium sulfate (CS) during treatment of periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs). However, whether this complication may occur in patients who receive local CS implantation for management of posttraumatic osteomyelitis (OM) remains unclear.

Methods: Between April 2016 and May 2017, we included 55 patients with extremity posttraumatic OM who received local antibiotic-loaded CS therapy.

Determinants and nutritional assessment value of hand grip strength in patients hospitalized with cancer.

Background And Objectives: Hand grip strength (HGS) has emerged as a predictor of the nutritional status. However, many factors may modify the malnutrition-HGS association. This study explored the nutritional assessment value and determinants of HGS in patients hospitalized with cancer.

Changes of deceleration and acceleration capacity of heart rate in patients with acute hemispheric ischemic stroke.

Background And Purpose: Autonomic dysfunction is common after stroke, which is correlated with unfavorable outcome. Phase-rectified signal averaging is a newly developed technique for assessing cardiac autonomic function, by detecting sympathetic and vagal nerve activity separately through calculating acceleration capacity (AC) and deceleration capacity (DC) of heart rate. In this study, we used this technique for the first time to investigate the cardiac autonomic function of patients with acute hemispheric ischemic stroke.

Designer Self-Assemble Peptides Maximize the Therapeutic Benefits of Neural Stem Cell Transplantation for Alzheimer's Disease via Enhancing Neuron Differentiation and Paracrine Action.

The neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) include the presence of extracellular amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) in the form of amyloid plaques and neuronal loss. Neural stem cell (NSC) is being scrutinized as a promising cell replacement therapy for various neurodegenerative diseases. However, the unfavorable niche at the site of degenerative disease is hostile to the survival and differentiation of transplanted cells.

Associations between apolipoprotein E genotypes and serum levels of glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides in a cognitively normal aging Han Chinese population.

Purpose: To determine the associations between apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotypes and serum levels of glucose, total cholesterol, and triglycerides in a cognitively normal aging Han Chinese population.

Methods: There were 1,003 cognitively normal aging subjects included in this study. APOE genotypes were analyzed and biochemical parameters were tested.

The neuroprotective effect of losartan through inhibiting AT1/ASK1/MKK4/JNK3 pathway following cerebral I/R in rat hippocampal CA1 region.

Aims: It has been well documented that angiotensin II type 1 (AT(1) ) receptor blockers (ARBs) are known to attenuate neural damage and the c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase 3 (JNK3) pathway and caspase-3 signal are involved in neuronal cell death following cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). In this study, we first showed that losartan could protect neurons against cerebral I/R-induced injury.

Methods: Cerebral ischemia model was induced by four-vessel occlusion.

Sustained delivery of VEGF from designer self-assembling peptides improves cardiac function after myocardial infarction.

Poor vascularization and insufficient oxygen supply are detrimental to the survival of residual cardiomyocytes or transplanted stem cells after myocardial infarction. To prolong and slow the release of angiogenic factors, which stimulate both angiogenesis and vasculogenesis, we constructed a novel self-assembling peptide by attaching the heparin-binding domain sequence LRKKLGKA to the self-assembling peptide RADA16. This designer self-assembling peptide self-assembled into nanofiber scaffolds under physiological conditions, as observed by atomic force microscopy.