A Medicinal and Edible Plant Crocus sativus L.and Its Therapeutic Effects on Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases

This paper introduces the biological characteristics,medicinal value,chemical component,and pharmacological effects of Crocus sativus L.,and explores its therapeutic effects on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as angina pectoris and coronary heart disease.

Characterization of cerebrovascular changes in Alzheimer's disease mice by photoacoustic imaging

The cerebral vasculature plays a significant role in the development of Alzheimer's disease(AD),however,the specific association between them remains unclear.In this paper,based on the benefits of photoacoustic imaging(PAI),including label-free,high-resolution,in vivo imaging of vessels,we investigated the structural changes of cerebral vascular in wild-type(WT)mice and AD mice at different ages,analyzed the characteristics of the vascular in different brain regions,and correlated vascular characteristics with cognitive behaviors.The results showed that vascular density and vascular branching index in the cortical and frontal regions of both WT and AD mice decreased with age.Meanwhile,vascular lacunarity increased with age,and the changes in vascular structure were more pronounced in AD mice.The trend of vascular dysfunction aligns with the worsening cognitive dysfunction as the disease progresses.Here,we utilized in vivo PAI to analyze the changes in vascular structure during the progression of AD,elucidating the spatial and temporal correlation with cognitive impairment,which will provide more intuitive data for the study of the correlation between cerebrovascular and the development of AD.

Relationship of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases to Meteorological Conditions and Forecast Method in Nanjing City

[Objective] The study aimed to discuss the relationship of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases to meteorological conditions and forecast method in Nanjing City. [Method] Based on daily cases of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases from a hospital in Nanjing City as well as daily meteorological data from Nanjing Meteorological Station from January 2003 to July 2008, the monthly and seasonal variations in quantity of patients suffedng from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in Nanjing City were analyzed firstly, and then the relationship between mete- orological elements and incidence of the diseases was discussed, finally the forecast model for the incidence of the diseases was established using the stepwise regression method. [Result] Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in Nanjing City happened all the year round, and the inci- dance was high in the seasonal transition phase from autumn to winter. Daily incidence of the diseases in Nanjing City correlated negatively with dai- ly maximum, minimum and average vapor pressure, daily minimum relative humidity and so forth, but their incidence had positive correlations with diumal range of daily temperature, daily maximum, minimum and average pressure. Daily average number of patients suffering from the diseases obviously correlated with daily average temperature, daily maximum vapor pressure and daily average relative humidity. [ Conclusion] The research could provide scientific references for the prevention and forecast of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in future.

A CONTROL STUDY OF SCALP ACUPUNCTURE IN TREATING APHASIA AFTER ACUTE CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASES

A control study of clinical therapeutic effects of scalp acupuncture was made onforty-four Patients suffering from aphasia caused by acute cerebrovascular diseases,and was observedfor 4 weeks.The results revealed that the therapeutic effect in the scalp acupuncture group was betterthan that in the controlgroup.Aphasia was cured more rapidly in the scalpacupuncturegroug than inhe control group.The difference was of significance statistically.

Apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism in cerebrovascular diseases of the Chinese Naxi populations from Yunnan province

Currently it is not well known whether apolipoprotein E （ApoE） is a genetic susceptibility factor for cerebrovascular diseases in the Chinese Naxi population. The present study detected and sequenced ApoE polymorphisms of 90 patients with cerebrovascular diseases （58 cases of cerebral infarction and 32 cases of intracerebral hemorrhage）, and 50 normal people of Naxi nationality from Yunnan province, China. The populations were used to analyze the relationship of ApoE polymorphisms with cerebral infarction and intracerebral hemorrhage. Results showed an association between ApoE gene polymorphism and the onset of cerebral infarction, and a possibility that the ε4 allele is a susceptibility locus for the risk of cerebral infarction. However, there was no evidence of a relationship between the ApoE gene polymorphism and cerebral hemorrhage.

Systems pharmacology for traditional Chinese medicine with application to cardio-cerebrovascular diseases

Identified as a treasure of natural herbal products,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has attracted extensive attention for their moderate treatment effect and lower side effect.Cardio-cerebrovascular diseases(CCVD)are a leading cause of death.TCM is used in China to prevent and treat CCVD.However,the complexity of TCM poses challenges in understanding the mechanisms of herbs at a systems-level,thus hampering the modernization and globalization of TCM.A novel model,termed traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology(TCMSP)analysis platform,which relies on the theory of systems pharmacology and integrates absorption,distribution,metabolism,excretion and toxicity(ADME/T)evaluation,target prediction and network/pathway analysis,was proposed to address these problems.Here,we review the development of systems pharmacology,the TCMSP approach and its applications in the investigations of CCVD and compare it with other methods.TCMSP assists in uncovering the mechanisms of action of herbal formulas used in treating CCVD.It can also be applied in ascertaining the different syndrome patterns of coronary artery disease,decoding the multi-scale mechanisms of herbs,and in understanding the mechanisms of herbal synergism.

Protective effects of catalpol on cardio-cerebrovascular diseases: A comprehensive review

Catalpol,an iridoid glucoside isolated from Rehmannia glutinosa,has gained attention due to its potential use in treating cardio-cerebrovascular diseases(CVDs).This extensive review delves into recent studies on catalpol's protective properties in relation to various CVDs,such as atherosclerosis,myocardial ischemia,infarction,cardiac hypertrophy,and heart failure.The review also explores the compound's anti-oxidant,anti-inflammatory,and anti-apoptotic characteristics,emphasizing the role of vital signaling pathways,including PGC-1a/TERT,PI3K/Akt,AMPK,Nrf2/HO-1,estrogen receptor(ER),Nox4/NF-kB,and GRP78/PERK.The article discusses emerging findings on catalpol's ability to alleviate diabetic cardiovascular complications,thrombosis,and other cardiovascular-related conditions.Although clinical studies specifically addressing catalpol's impact on CVDs are scarce,the compound's established safety and well-tolerated nature suggest that it could be a valuable treatment alternative for CVD patients.Further investigation into catalpol and related iridoid derivatives may unveil new opportunities for devising natural and efficacious CVD therapies.

Gamma-glutamyl transferase 5 overexpression in cerebrovascular endothelial cells improves brain pathology,cognition,and behavior in APP/PS1 mice

In patients with Alzheimer’s disease,gamma-glutamyl transferase 5(GGT5)expression has been observed to be downregulated in cerebrovascular endothelial cells.However,the functional role of GGT5 in the development of Alzheimer’s disease remains unclear.This study aimed to explore the effect of GGT5 on cognitive function and brain pathology in an APP/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease,as well as the underlying mechanism.We observed a significant reduction in GGT5 expression in two in vitro models of Alzheimer’s disease(Aβ_(1-42)-treated hCMEC/D3 and bEnd.3 cells),as well as in the APP/PS1 mouse model.Additionally,injection of APP/PS1 mice with an adeno-associated virus encoding GGT5 enhanced hippocampal synaptic plasticity and mitigated cognitive deficits.Interestingly,increasing GGT5 expression in cerebrovascular endothelial cells reduced levels of both soluble and insoluble amyloid-βin the brains of APP/PS1 mice.This effect may be attributable to inhibition of the expression ofβ-site APP cleaving enzyme 1,which is mediated by nuclear factor-kappa B.Our findings demonstrate that GGT5 expression in cerebrovascular endothelial cells is inversely associated with Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis,and that GGT5 upregulation mitigates cognitive deficits in APP/PS1 mice.These findings suggest that GGT5 expression in cerebrovascular endothelial cells is a potential therapeutic target and biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease.

Risk factors of mortality and severe disability in the patients with cerebrovascular diseases treated with perioperative mechanical ventilation

BACKGROUND The prognosis of cerebrovascular diseases treated with mechanical ventilation during perioperative has not been clearly reported.AIM To analyze mortality and functional disability and to determine predictors of unfavorable outcome in the patients with cerebrovascular diseases treated with mechanical ventilation.METHODS A retrospective follow-up study of 111 cerebrovascular disease patients who underwent mechanical ventilation during the perioperative period in the First Hospital of Jilin University from June 2016 to June 2019 was performed.Main measurements were mortality and functional outcome in-hospital and after 3-month follow-up.According to the modified rankin scale(mRS),the functional outcome was divided into three groups:Good recovery(mRS≤3),severe disability(mRS=4 or 5)and death(mRS=6).Univariate analysis was used to compare the differences between three functional outcomes.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to for risk factors of mortality and severe disability.RESULTS The average age of 111 patients was 56.46±12.53 years,59(53.15%)were males.The mortality of in-hospital and 3-month follow-up were 36.9% and 45.0%,respectively.Of 71 discharged patients,46.47% were seriously disabled and 12.67% died after three months follow-up.Univariate analysis showed that preoperative glasgow coma scale,operation start time and ventilation reasons had statistically significant differences in different functional outcomes.Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the cause of ventilation was related to the death and poor prognosis of patients with cerebrovascular diseases.Compared with brainstem compression,the risk of death or severe disability of pulmonary disease,status epilepticus,impaired respiratory center function,and shock were 0.096(95%CI:0.028-0.328),0.026(95%CI:0.004-0.163),0.095(95%CI:0.013-0.709),0.095(95%CI:0.020-0.444),respectively.CONCLUSION The survival rate and prognostic outcomes of patients with cerebrovascular diseases treated with mechanical ventilation during the perioperative period were poor.The reason for mechanical ventilation was a statistically significant predictor for mortality and severe disability.

Arterial hypertension,cerebrovascular diseases and dementia

Arterial hypertension(AH)is the most relevant risk factor for acute cerebrovascular disease in general.However,the prevalence of AH is not the same for the different stroke subtypes and is particularly high in lacunar infarcts and atherothrombotic stroke,low in infarcts of unusual cause and undetermined origin,and intermediate in cardioembolic stroke.This risk factor has also been related to vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and their pathological manifestations(senile plaques,neurofibrillary tangles,hippocampal atrophy).The mechanisms linking AH to Alzheimer’s disease remain to be elucidated but some recent studies showed that white matter lesions seen on cerebral magnetic resonance imaging appear to be a good marker of this association.Hypertension-associated pathological changes in the brain and its vasculature include vascular remodelling and impaired cerebral autoregulation like hypoperfusion,ischemia and hypoxia,which may initiate the pathological process of Alzheimer’s disease and the expression of dementia.Therefore,prompt diagnosis and adequate control of hypertension and different vascular risk factors are the rational basis for a more effective strategy in the secondary prevention of cerebrovascular disease and dementia.

CONTRAST STUDY ON CT AND BA IN ACUTE CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASES

Objective: To explore contrast application on CT and BA in acute cerebrovascular diseases.Method: CT and BA were examined in 718 patients with acute cerebrovascular disease. Results: The different changes of CT and BA were showed in 718 patients with acute cerebrovascular disease. Conclusion: There were separately different advantage and shortcoming in CT and BA in diagnosis of acute cerebrovascular diseases. The value of clinical application of BA was important in acute cerebrovascular diseases.

Advances in arterial spin labeled cerebral perfusion imaging in cerebrovascular diseases

Cerebrovascular disease is a disease with high morbidity,disability and mortality rates,which seri-ously affects the daily life of patients and is a heavy burden on families and society.Arterial spin labeling(ASL)is a magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)technology that uses the magnetic labeling of hydrogen atoms in arterial blood as tracers to noninvasively evaluate brain blood flow.ASL does not require injection of an exogenous contrast agent,and has the advantages of no radiation,simplicity and low cost.In cerebrovascular diseases,ASL can evaluate the collateral cerebrovascular circulation and abnormal perfusion of brain tissue,which can provide a reliable basis for early diagnosis and clinical decision-making.This study reviewed ASL and its application in the diagnosis,treatment and prognosis of cerebrovascular diseases.

China Association of Chinese Medicine Paper notice for seminar on clinical application of new technology of integrated Chinese and western medicine in treating sequelae of cerebrovascular diseases

Hosted by ChinaAssociation of Chinese Medicine,and organized by World Journal of Integrated traditional and western Medicine,seminar on clinical application of new technology of integrated Chinese and western medicine in treating sequelae of cerebrovascular diseases is planned to be held in Nanning,Guangxi in August.

Status of Clinical Application of Yufeng Ningxin Preparations and the Meta-Analysis of Its Efficacy and Safety in the Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases

Objective The objective of this study was to analyze the status of the clinical application of Yufeng Ningxin(YFNX)preparations and systematically evaluate their efficacy and safety in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.Methods Through searching databases of China National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang,SinoMed,VIP,PubMed,Embase,and the Cochrane Library,the literature of clinical research on YFNX preparations in treating malignant tumors of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases from the establishment of the databases to February 2021 was collected.The clinical randomized controlled trials and case-control studies of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases treated with these preparations were analyzed.Two reviewers independently screened literature,extracted data,and assessed the risk of bias in the included studies,and meta analysis was performed by using ReMan 5.3 software to analyze the eficacy and safety of YFNX preparations in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.Results A total of 29 clinical studies were finally included.The dosage forms were dropping plls,tablets,capsules,and granules.The preparations were used for the treatment of coronary heart disease,hypertension,neuropathic headache,etc.This study systematically evaluated the efficacy and safety of YFNX preparations in the treatment of coronary heart disease,hypertension,and nervous headache.A total of 1,162 cases were included in 13 studies,582 cases of the YFNX preparation group and 580 cases of the Western medicine group.The results of meta-analysis showed that the clinical efficacy of YFNX preparations combined with the Western medicine group in the treatment of coronary heart disease and hypertension,improving electrocardiogram and reducing the frequency and duration of angina attacks,was better than that of the simple Western medicine group,and the difference was statistically significant.Conclusion YFNX preparations are effective for coronary heart disease,hypertension,and neuropathic headache,and the adverse reactions are few.

THE CONTRAST STUDY ON LEVEL DIAGNOSIS OF CT AND BA IN CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASES

Objective:To explore level diagnosis on CT and BA in cerebrovascular diseases.Method:CT and BA were examined in 53 patients with cerebrovascular diseases and compared in level diagnosis.Result:The sides on level diagonsis of CT and BA were identical.The rang of diseases was larger in BA than that in CT.Conclusion:BA can help level diagnosis in cerebrovascular diseases.The level diagnosis of BA and CT were basically identical.

Gut microbiota in common elderly diseases affecting activities of daily living

Gut microbiota are involved in the development or prevention of various diseases such as type 2 diabetes,fatty liver, and malignancy such as colorectal cancer,breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. Alzheimer'sdisease, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, atherosclerotic stroke and cardiovascular disease are major diseases associated with decreased activities of daily living(ADL), especially in elderly people. Recent analyses have revealed the importance of gut microbiota in the control of these diseases. The composition or diversity of these microbiota is different between patients with these conditions and healthy controls, and administration of probiotics or prebiotics has been shown effective in the treatment of these diseases. Gut microbiota may affect distant organs through mechanisms that include regulating the absorption of nutrients and/or the production of microbial metabolites, regulating and interacting with the systemic immune system, and translocating bacteria/bacterial products through disrupted mucosal barriers.Thus, the gut microbiota may be important regulators in the development of diseases that affect ADL. Although adequate exercise and proper diet are important for preventing these diseases, their combination with interventions that manipulate the composition and/or diversity of gut microbiota could be a promising strategy for maintaining health condition and preserving ADL. This review thus summarizes current understanding of the role of gut microbiota in the development or prevention of diseases closely associated with the maintenance of ADL.

Microstructural damage pattern of vascular cognitive impairment: a comparison between moyamoya disease and cerebrovascular atherosclerotic disease

Moyamoya disease and cerebrovascular atherosclerotic disease are both chronic ischemic diseases with similar presentations of vascular cognitive impairment. The aim of the present study was to investigate the patterns of microstructural damage associated with vascular cognitive impairment in the two diseases. The study recruited 34 patients with moyamoya disease(age 43.9 ± 9.2 years; 20 men and 14 women, 27 patients with cerebrovascular atherosclerotic disease(age: 44.6 ± 7.6 years; 17 men and 10 women), and 31 normal controls(age 43.6 ± 7.3 years; 18 men and 13 women) from Huashan Hospital of Fudan University in China. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination, long-term delayed recall of Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Trail Making Test Part B, and the Symbol Digit Modalities Test. Single-photon emission-computed tomography was used to examine cerebral perfusion. Voxel-based morphometry and tract-based spatial statistics were performed to identify regions of gray matter atrophy and white matter deterioration in patients and normal controls. The results demonstrated that the severity of cognitive impairment was similar between the two diseases in all tested domains. Patients with moyamoya disease and those with cerebrovascular atherosclerotic disease suffered from disturbed supratentorial hemodynamics. Gray matter atrophy in bilateral middle cingulate cortex and parts of the frontal gyrus was prominent in both diseases, but in general, was more severe and more diffuse in those with moyamoya disease. White matter deterioration was significant for both diseases in the genu and body of corpus callosum, in the anterior and superior corona radiation, and in the posterior thalamic radiation, but in moyamoya disease, it was more diffuse and more severe. Vascular cognitive impairment was associated with regional microstructural damage, with a potential link between, gray and white matter damage. Overall, these results provide insight into the pathophysiological nature of vascular cognitive impairment. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board in Huashan Hospital, China(approval No. 2014-278). This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov on December 2, 2014 with the identifier NCT02305407.

The prevalence rates of major chronic diseases in retired and in-service Chinese military officers(2000-2016): a meta-analysis

Background:Chronic diseases cause a tremendous burden to the military medical system.However,the prevalence rates of major chronic diseases among military officers remain unclear in China.Methods:China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),Wanfang Database,VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals(VIP),Pub Med and Web of Science were searched for studies(from 2000 to 2016)concerning 6 major chronic diseases:hypertension,hyperlipidemia,diabetes mellitus,heart diseases,cerebrovascular diseases,and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases(COPD)in Chinese military officers following strict inclusion and exclusion criteria.Three researchers independently extracted data from the included studies,and a fourth researcher reviewed and solved every disagreement.Statistical analysis was performed with STATA 14.0 and R 3.3.2.Heterogeneity was evaluated by the I^2 value.A random effect model was performed to combine the heterogeneous data.The Egger test was performed to test the publication bias.Results:A total of 90,758 military officers derived from 75 articles were pooled together.Publication bias was only observed in 37 studies reporting heart disease(P_(Egger test)=0.01).The overall prevalence rates of hypertension,hyperlipidemia,diabetes mellitus,heart diseases,cerebrovascular diseases,and COPD were 46.6%(95%CI 41.8%–51.5%),30.9%(26.4%–35.7%),20.7%(16.5%–25.7%),48.2%(41.7%–54.9%),20.2%(14.8%–26.9%)and 16.6%(12.9%–21.0%),respectively.The prevalence rates of hypertension,diabetes,heart disease,cerebrovascular disease,and COPD,rather than hyperlipidemia,increased with age in Chinese military officers.Heart diseases(P_(Q-test)<0.001)and hypertension(P_(Q-test)<0.001)increased sharply in retired officers compared with officers in service.Cerebrovascular disease was more frequent in Northern Theater Command than in any other theater command(P_(Q-test)<0.001).Conclusion:Major chronic diseases heavily affect Chinese military officers,especially retirees.Medical intervention should be enforced on the prevention of cerebrovascular diseases in those working in cold areas in the north,as well as hypertension and heart diseases in retirees.

Significance of ultrasound evaluation of carotid atherosclerotic plaque for diagnosing ischemic cerebrovascular disease

BACKGROUND： Carotid artery is the main source for craniocerebral blood supply. Its intimal plaque formation and arterial stenosis degree both are the risk factors for ischemic cerebrovascular disease.Therefore, the close relationship of carotid atherosclerotic plaque and ischemic cerebrovascular disease, and ultrasound evaluation of carotid atherosclerotic plaque have become the hot spot in studying ischemic cerebrovascular disease.OBJECTIVE： This study was to detect the degree of carotid atherosclerosis of ischemic cerebrovascular disease patients by ultrasonography, and to analyze the situation of carotid atherosclerosis and its relationship with clinic.DESIGN： Clinical randomized concurrent control experiment.SETTING： Lintong Convalescent Hospital of Lanzhou Military Area Command of Chinese PLA.PARTICIPANTS： Totally 60 outpatients and inpatients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease, 42 males and 18 females, admitted to Lintong Convalescent Hospital of Lanzhou Military Area Command of Chinese PLA between January 2006 and December 2006 were involved in the patient group. They met the diagnosis criteria of ischemic cerebrovascular disease constituted by the 4th Cerebrovascular Disease Conference in 1996, and were confirmed to suffer from ischemic cerebrovascular disease by skull CT and MRI. Another 20 subjects who received healthy examination concurrently in the same hospital, 12 males and 8 females, were involved in the control group. Informed consents of detected items were obtained from involved subjects.METHODS： The plaque thickness of mid portion, distal end and crotch of common carotid artery （CCA）,internal carotid artery （ICA）, external carotid artery （ECA） and vertebral artery （VA） of involved subjects,who received health examination was separately detected with color Doppler ultrasonograph （HDI-5000）.Then, total integral of plaque was calculated. The intima-media thickness （IMT） was measured with two-dimensional ultrasonography. The inner diameter stenosis degree of subjects who had plaque was measured. Blood flow parameters were recorded, and stenosis degree and plaque area were calculated. Blood flow volume of bilateral carotid artery and VA was separately measured with ultrasound equipment software,and brain blood flow volume was calculated.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Atherosclerotic degree and blood flow volume of patients of two groups.RESULTS： Sixty patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease and twenty subjects who received health examination participated in the final analysis. ①The IMT thickness, total plaque score, and total plaque area of patient group was significantly superior to that of control group, respectively（ t=5.216 - 10.158, P 〈 0.05 ）.② There were significant differences in the stenosis degree of CCA, ICA and VA between patient group and control group （t=6.720 - 12.816, P 〈 0.05 ） . ③ The blood flow volume of CCA, ICA, VA and brain of patient group was significantly lower than that of control group, respectively （t=2.872 - 10.860, P 〈 0.05）.CONCLUSION： Ischemic cerebrovascular disease patients have different degrees of changes in atherosclerosis and arterial blood flow.

Use of various CT imaging methods for diagnosis of acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease

Thirty-four patients with cerebral infarction and 18 patients with transient ischemic attack were examined by multi-slice spiral CT scan, CT perfusion imaging, and CT angiography within 6 hours after onset. By CT perfusion imaging, 29 cases in the cerebral infarction group and 10 cases in the transient ischemic attack group presented with abnormal blood flow perfusion, which corresponded to the clinical symptoms. By CT angiography, various degrees of vascular stenosis could be detected in 41 patients, including 33 in the cerebral infarction group and eight in the transient ischemic attack group. The incidence of intracranial artery stenosis was higher than that of extracranial artery stenosis. The intracranial artery stenosis was located predominantly in the middle cerebral artery and carotid artery siphon, while the extracranial artery stenosis occurred mainly in the bifurcation of the common carotid artery and the opening of the vertebral artery. There were 34 cases （83%） with convict vascular stenosis and perfusion abnormalities, and five cases （45%） with perfusion abnormalities but without convict vascular stenosis. The incidence of cerebral infarction in patients with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores 〉 5 points during onset was significantly higher than that in patients with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores 〈 5 points. These experimental findings indicate that the combined application of various CT imaging methods allows early diagnosis of acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease, which can comprehensively analyze the pathogenesis and severity of acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease at the morphological and functional levels.