Baihuasheshecao(Hedyotis diffusa) is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine derived from the whole herb of H. diffusa and has been widely utilized in folk medicine. It possesses anti-tumor, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, making it one of the frequently used herbs in TCM clinical practice. However, Shuixiancao(H. corymbosa) and Xianhuaercao(H. tenelliflora), species of the same genus, are often used as substitutes for Baihuasheshecao. To substantiate the medicinal basis of Baihuasheshecao, this study systematically reviewed classical herbal texts and modern literature, examining its nomenclature, botanical origin, harvesting, processing, properties, meridian tropism, pharmacological effects, and clinical applications. The results indicate that Baihuasheshecao was initially recorded as "Shuixiancao" in Preface to the Indexes to the Great Chinese Botany(Zhi Wu Ming Shi Tu Kao). Based on its morphological characteristics and habitat description, it was identified as H. diffusa in the Rubiaceae family. Subsequent records predominantly refer to it as Baihuasheshecao as its official name. In most regions, Baihuasheshecao is recognized as the authentic medicinal material, distinct from Shuixiancao and Xianhuaercao. Baihuasheshecao is harvested in late summer and early autumn, and the dried whole plant, including its roots, is used medicinally. The standard processing method involves cutting. It is known for its effects in clearing heat, removing toxins, reducing swelling and pain, and promoting diuresis to resolve abscesses. Initially, it was mainly used for treating appendicitis, intestinal abscesses, and venomous snake bites, and later, it became a treatment for cancer. The excavation of its clinical value followed a process in which overseas Chinese introduced the herb from Chinese folk medicine to other countries. After its unique anti-cancer effects were recognized abroad, it was reintroduced to China and gradually became a crucial TCM for cancer treatment. The findings of this study help clarify the historical and contemporary uses of Baihuasheshecao, providing literature support and a scientific basis for its rational development and precise clinical application.
Humans ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Hedyotis/classification* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/history*

Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α), a core transcription factor responding to changes in cellular oxygen levels, is closely associated with a wide range of physiological and pathological conditions. However, its differential impacts on vascular cell types and molecular programs modulating human vascular homeostasis and regeneration remain largely elusive. Here, we applied CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing of human embryonic stem cells and directed differentiation to generate HIF-1α-deficient human vascular cells including vascular endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), as a platform for discovering cell type-specific hypoxia-induced response mechanisms. Through comparative molecular profiling across cell types under normoxic and hypoxic conditions, we provide insight into the indispensable role of HIF-1α in the promotion of ischemic vascular regeneration. We found human MSCs to be the vascular cell type most susceptible to HIF-1α deficiency, and that transcriptional inactivation of ANKZF1, an effector of HIF-1α, impaired pro-angiogenic processes. Altogether, our findings deepen the understanding of HIF-1α in human angiogenesis and support further explorations of novel therapeutic strategies of vascular regeneration against ischemic damage.
Humans ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism* ; Endothelial Cells/metabolism* ; Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Hypoxia/metabolism* ; Cell Hypoxia/physiology*

Objective With the widespread of transcatheter aortic valve replacement(TAVR)in patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis(AS),the life-cycle management has become a major determinant of prognosis.Methods A total of 408 AS patients who underwent successfully TAVR from June 2021 to August 2023 were consecutively enrolled in Hospital Valve Intervention Center.Patients were assigned to the Usual Care(UC)group between June 2021 and October 2022,while patients were assigned to the Heart Multi-parameter Monitoring(HMM)group between November 2022 and August 2023.The primary endpoint was defined as composite endpoint within 6 months post-TAVR,including all-cause death,cardiovascular death,stroke/transient ischemic attack,conduction block,myocardial infarction,heart failure rehospitalization,and major bleeding events.Secondary endpoints were the time interval(in hours)from event occurrence to medical consultation or advice and patient satisfaction.Statistical analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models.Results The incidence of primary endpoint in HMM group was significantly lower than that in UC group(8.9％vs.17.7％,P=0.016),the driving event was the rate of diagnosis and recognition of conduction block.The average time intervals from event occurrence to receiving medical advice were 3.02 h in HHM group vs.97.09 h in UC group(P＜0.001).Using cardiac monitoring devices and smart healthcare platforms provided significant improving in patients long-term management(HR 0.439,95％CI 0.244-0.790,P=0.006).Conclusions The utilization of cardiac monitoring devices and smart healthcare platforms effectively alerted clinical events and improved postoperative quality of life during long-term management post TAVR.

Objective To preliminarily evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a novel non-implantable atrial shunt device based on radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of chronic heart failure(CHF).Methods This was a prospective single-arm study.From January 2023 to December 2023,five eligible CHF patients were consecutively enrolled at Beijing Anzhen Hospital,Capital Medical University,and underwent inter-atrial shunt using Shenzhen Betterway atrial shunt device.Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure(PCWP),right atrial pressure(RAP),pulmonary artery pressure(PAP),total pulmonary resistance(TPR),pulmonary vascular resistance(PVR),and pulmonary/systemic blood flow ratio(Qp/Qs)were measured using right heart catheterization before and immediately after procedure.Patients were followed up for 90 days,and echocardiography,right heart catheterization,and cardiac functional indicators were evaluated.The primary endpoint was procedural success.Secondary endpoints included clinical success,echocardiographic changes,6-minute walk distance(6MWD)changes,New York Heart Association(NYHA)class changes,Kansas city cardiomyopathy questionnaire(KCCQ)score changes,and amino-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP)level changes at 90 days.The safety endpoint was major cardiovascular and cerebrovascular adverse events and device-related adverse events.Results All five patients successfully achieved left-to-right atrial shunt.Compared with baseline,PCWP decreased significantly immediately after procedure in all five patients,with a procedural success rate of 100％.There were no significant changes in RAP,PAP,TPR,and PVR before and immediately after procedure.After 90 days follow-up,four patients had persistent left-to-right atrial shunt,and PCWP was significantly lower than baseline,with a clinical success rate of 80％.Compared with baseline,LVEF increased,left ventricular end-diastolic diameter decreased,and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion and right ventricular fractional area change were not impaired in all five patients at 90 days.KCCQ scores and 6MWT improved,NT-proBNP decreased,and NYHA class did not change significantly.There were no deaths,rehospitalizations for heart failure,stroke-related adverse events,or device-related adverse events during the follow-up.Conclusions The novel non-implantable atrial shunt catheter can safely and effectively improve hemodynamic,echocardiographic,and cardiac functional indicators in patients with heart failure.However,larger-scale clinical studies are still needed to validate its long-term clinical effectiveness.

Despite significant advancements in treatments for heart failure,the overall prognosis for patients remains poor.Hemodynamic abnormalities in heart failure manifest as elevated left atrial pressure and pulmonary congestion.Previous studies have shown that reducing left atrial pressure can improve symptoms and prognosis for heart failure patients,suggesting that left-sided heart overload may be a potential target for heart failure treatment.Atrial shunting procedures aim to create a stable and controlled left-to-right intracardiac shunt,restoring the decompensated left heart volume and pressure load in heart failure patients to a compensatory state,thereby improving heart failure symptoms and prognosis.Currently,this treatment is still in the clinical research stage globally.Existing data indicate that atrial shunting procedures can lower left atrial pressure at rest or during exercise in heart failure patients,improve pulmonary congestion,enhance patients'exercise tolerance,and clinical cardiac function.However,no studies have yet confirmed that it can improve clinical endpoints such as rehospitalization and mortality due to heart failure.Future research will focus on identifying heart failure patients who may benefit from atrial shunting,with assessments of heart failure etiology,right heart function,and reversibility of pulmonary vascular resistance,as well as heart failure classification based on ejection fraction,serving as potential key factors for patient selection.

The testis is pivotal for male reproduction, and its progressive functional decline in aging is associated with infertility. However, the regulatory mechanism underlying primate testicular aging remains largely elusive. Here, we resolve the aging-related cellular and molecular alterations of primate testicular aging by establishing a single-nucleus transcriptomic atlas. Gene-expression patterns along the spermatogenesis trajectory revealed molecular programs associated with attrition of spermatogonial stem cell reservoir, disturbed meiosis and impaired spermiogenesis along the sequential continuum. Remarkably, Sertoli cell was identified as the cell type most susceptible to aging, given its deeply perturbed age-associated transcriptional profiles. Concomitantly, downregulation of the transcription factor Wilms' Tumor 1 (WT1), essential for Sertoli cell homeostasis, was associated with accelerated cellular senescence, disrupted tight junctions, and a compromised cell identity signature, which altogether may help create a hostile microenvironment for spermatogenesis. Collectively, our study depicts in-depth transcriptomic traits of non-human primate (NHP) testicular aging at single-cell resolution, providing potential diagnostic biomarkers and targets for therapeutic interventions against testicular aging and age-related male reproductive diseases.
Animals ; Male ; Testis ; Sertoli Cells/metabolism* ; Transcriptome ; Spermatogenesis/genetics* ; Primates ; Aging/genetics* ; Stem Cells

Objective: To explore the safety and efficacy of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) using the "All in One" single-artery/vessel technique. Methods: This is a retrospective study. A total of 30 consecutive patients underwent TAVR using the single artery/vascular technique in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from August to December 2021 were included. Baseline clinical data, operative situation, postoperative outcomes, and incidence of adverse events during hospitalization and at one month post TAVR were analyzed. Results: Mean age was (72.6±9.7) years, 16 were male patients, STS score was (4.73±3.12)%. Four patients were diagnosed as isolated aortic regurgitation (all with tricuspid aortic valves), and 26 patients were diagnosed as aortic stenosis (AS), 10 of whom with tricuspid aortic valves and 16 of whom with bicuspid aortic valves. The single-vessel technique was applied in 3 aortic stenosis cases; the single-artery technique was applied in 27 cases. Echocardiography was performed immediately after procedure and results showed no or trace perivalvular leak in 27 cases and small perivalvular leak in 3 cases; the mean aortic transvalvular gradient of 26 AS patients decreased from (50.4±16.0) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) to (9.4±3.2) mmHg (P<0.001). The procedure time was (64.8±18.9) min. There were no intraoperative death, valve displacement, conversion to surgery, coronary artery occlusion in all 30 patients. There were no major cardiac adverse events such as myocardial infarction or stroke occurred during hospitalization or at follow-up. One-month follow-up echocardiography indicated prosthesis works well. The symptoms were significantly alleviated, and the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Score (KCCQ score) of all patients increased from 48.1±18.4 to 73.5±17.6 (P<0.001). Conclusions: TAVR using the single artery/vessel technique is safe and feasible. This technique is related to reduced access complications and worthy of wide application.
Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement ; Retrospective Studies ; Arteries ; Aorta ; Aortic Valve Stenosis/surgery*

Objective: To explore the safety and efficacy of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) using the "All in One" single-artery/vessel technique. Methods: This is a retrospective study. A total of 30 consecutive patients underwent TAVR using the single artery/vascular technique in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from August to December 2021 were included. Baseline clinical data, operative situation, postoperative outcomes, and incidence of adverse events during hospitalization and at one month post TAVR were analyzed. Results: Mean age was (72.6±9.7) years, 16 were male patients, STS score was (4.73±3.12)%. Four patients were diagnosed as isolated aortic regurgitation (all with tricuspid aortic valves), and 26 patients were diagnosed as aortic stenosis (AS), 10 of whom with tricuspid aortic valves and 16 of whom with bicuspid aortic valves. The single-vessel technique was applied in 3 aortic stenosis cases; the single-artery technique was applied in 27 cases. Echocardiography was performed immediately after procedure and results showed no or trace perivalvular leak in 27 cases and small perivalvular leak in 3 cases; the mean aortic transvalvular gradient of 26 AS patients decreased from (50.4±16.0) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) to (9.4±3.2) mmHg (P<0.001). The procedure time was (64.8±18.9) min. There were no intraoperative death, valve displacement, conversion to surgery, coronary artery occlusion in all 30 patients. There were no major cardiac adverse events such as myocardial infarction or stroke occurred during hospitalization or at follow-up. One-month follow-up echocardiography indicated prosthesis works well. The symptoms were significantly alleviated, and the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Score (KCCQ score) of all patients increased from 48.1±18.4 to 73.5±17.6 (P<0.001). Conclusions: TAVR using the single artery/vessel technique is safe and feasible. This technique is related to reduced access complications and worthy of wide application.
Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement ; Retrospective Studies ; Arteries ; Aorta ; Aortic Valve Stenosis/surgery*

Humans ; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement ; Aortic Valve/surgery* ; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation ; Aortic Valve Stenosis/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome ; Heart Valve Prosthesis

Age-dependent loss of skeletal muscle mass and function is a feature of sarcopenia, and increases the risk of many aging-related metabolic diseases. Here, we report phenotypic and single-nucleus transcriptomic analyses of non-human primate skeletal muscle aging. A higher transcriptional fluctuation was observed in myonuclei relative to other interstitial cell types, indicating a higher susceptibility of skeletal muscle fiber to aging. We found a downregulation of FOXO3 in aged primate skeletal muscle, and identified FOXO3 as a hub transcription factor maintaining skeletal muscle homeostasis. Through the establishment of a complementary experimental pipeline based on a human pluripotent stem cell-derived myotube model, we revealed that silence of FOXO3 accelerates human myotube senescence, whereas genetic activation of endogenous FOXO3 alleviates human myotube aging. Altogether, based on a combination of monkey skeletal muscle and human myotube aging research models, we unraveled the pivotal role of the FOXO3 in safeguarding primate skeletal muscle from aging, providing a comprehensive resource for the development of clinical diagnosis and targeted therapeutic interventions against human skeletal muscle aging and the onset of sarcopenia along with aging-related disorders.
Animals ; Humans ; Sarcopenia/metabolism* ; Forkhead Box Protein O3/metabolism* ; Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism* ; Aging/metabolism* ; Primates/metabolism*