Regional cerebral blood flow imaging assessment of brain function reconstruction in elderly hemiplegia patients by body weight support treadmill training

The mechanism underlying body weight support treadmill training in elderly hemiplegic stroke patients is largely unknown. This study aimed to elucidate the changes of cortical blood flow in seven elderly patients with post-stroke hemiplegia before and after body weight support treadmill training by semi-quantitative analysis of regional cerebral blood flow assessed by single photon emission computed tomography. Body weight support treadmill training for 6 months was effective in improving cerebral blood flow and promoting the walking speed and balance recovery in elderly patients with post-stroke hemiplegia.

The Relationship between Abnormal Circadian Blood Pressure Rhythm and Risk of Readmission in Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

Objective:Abnormal circadian blood pressure rhythm has been revealed to be associated with hypertensive target organ damage and cardiovascular events,but its association with readmission risk in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction(HFpEF)remains unknown.We conducted a retrospective study to explore the relationship between circadian blood pressure rhythm and readmission risk in HFpEF patients.Methods:We retrospectively collected baseline and follow-up data on HFpEF patients who underwent ambulatory blood pressure monitoring(ABPM)from May 2015 to October 2019.Patient circadian blood pressure rhythms defi ned by ABPM were grouped as dipper,nondipper,or riser patterns.Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to assess the association between circadian blood pressure rhythm and readmission risk.Results:A total of 122 patients were enrolled in this study.The mean age and ejection fraction were 69.87 years and 61.44%,respectively,with mean the N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP)level being 1048.15 pg/mL.There were signifi cant differences in the 24-hour systolic blood pressure(SBP),sleep SBP,and sleep diastolic blood pressure(DBP)among the three groups,where the 24-hour SBP,sleep SBP,and sleep DBP in the riser pattern group were markedly higher than in the dipper pattern group.Notably,serum NT-proBNP levels,the proportion of patients readmitted for heart failure and the mean number of admissions differed markedly among three groups.Instructively,multivariate linear regression analysis showed that the riser pattern was a signifi cant and independent risk factor for increased serum NT-proBNP level(β=929.16,95%confi dence interval 178.79–1679.53,P=0.016).In multivariate logistic regression analysis,the riser pattern was demonstrated to be a signifi cant risk factor for readmission(odds ratio 11.23,95%confi dence interval 2.01–62.67,P=0.006)in HFpEF patients.Conclusion:The riser blood pressure pattern is a potential risk factor for elevated serum NT-proBNP level and readmission in HFpEF patients.

Disturbing cytoskeleton by engineered nanomaterials for enhanced cancer therapeutics

Cytoskeleton plays a significant role in the shape change,migration,movement,adhesion,cytokinesis,and phagocytosis of tumor cells.In clinical practice,some anti-cancer drugs achieve cytoskeletal therapeutic effects by acting on different cytoskeletal protein components.However,in the absence of cell-specific targeting,unnecessary cytoskeletal recombination in organisms would be disastrous,which would also bring about severe side effects during anticancer process.Nanomedicine have been proven to be superior to some small molecule drugs in cancer treatment due to better stability and targeting,and lower side effects.Therefore,this review summarized the recent developments of various nanomaterials disturbing cytoskeleton for enhanced cancer therapeutics,including carbon,noble metals,metal oxides,black phosphorus,calcium,silicon,polymers,peptides,and metal-organic frameworks,etc.A comprehensive analysis of the characteristics of cytoskeleton therapy as well as the future prospects and challenges towards clinical application were also discussed.We aim to drive on this emerging topic through refreshing perspectives based on our own work and what we have also learnt from others.This review will help researchers quickly understand relevant cytoskeletal therapeutic information to further advance the development of cancer nanomedicine.