OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Shexiang Tongxin Dropping Pill (STDP) in treating stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome by exercise duration and metabolic equivalents. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome from 22 hospitals. They were randomized 1:1 to STDP (35 mg/pill, 6 pills per day) or placebo for 56 days. The primary outcome was the exercise duration and metabolic equivalents (METs) assessed by the standard Bruce exercise treadmill test after 56 days of treatment. The secondary outcomes included the total angina symptom score, Chinese medicine (CM) symptom scores, Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) scores, changes in ST-T on electrocardiogram and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: This trial enrolled 309 patients, including 155 and 154 in the STDP and placebo groups, respectively. STDP significantly prolonged exercise duration with an increase of 51.0 s, compared to a decrease of 12.0 s with placebo (change rate: -11.1% vs. 3.2%, P<0.01). The increase in METs was significantly greater in the STDP group than in the placebo group (change: -0.4 vs. 0.0, change rate: -5.0% vs. 0.0%, P<0.01). The improvement of total angina symptom scores (25.0% vs. 0.0%), CM symptom scores (38.7% vs. 11.8%), reduction of nitroglycerin consumption (100.0% vs. 11.3%), and all domains of SAQ, were significantly greater with STDP than placebo (all P<0.01). The changes in Q-T intervals at 28 and 56 days from baseline were similar between the two groups (both P>0.05). Twenty-five participants (16.3%) with STDP and 16 (10.5%) with placebo experienced AEs (P=0.131), with no serious AEs observed. CONCLUSION STDP could improve exercise tolerance in patients with stable angina and phlegm-heat and blood stasis syndrome, with a favorable safety profile. (Registration No. ChiCTR-IPR-15006020).
Humans ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Angina, Stable/physiopathology* ; Aged ; Syndrome ; Treatment Outcome ; Placebos ; Tablets

Dry eye disease (DED) is a prevalent and intractable ocular disease induced by a variety of causes. Elevated sphingomyelin (SM) levels and pro-inflammatory cytokines were detected on the ocular surface of DED patients, particularly in the meibomian glands. Sphingomyelin synthase 2 (SMS2), one of the proteins involved in SM synthesis, would light a novel way of developing a DED therapy strategy. Herein, we report the design and optimization of a series of novel thiophene carboxamide derivatives to afford 14l with an improved highly potent inhibitory activity on SM synthesis (IC_{50, SMS2} = 28 nmol/L). Moreover, 14l exhibited a notable protective effect of anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis on human corneal epithelial cells (HCEC) under TNF-α-hyperosmotic stress conditions in vitro, with an acceptable ocular specific distribution (corneas and meibomian glands) and pharmacokinetics (PK) profiles (t _{1/2, cornea} = 1.11 h; t _{1/2, meibomian glands} = 4.32 h) in rats. Furthermore, 14l alleviated the dry eye symptoms including corneal fluorescein staining scores and tear secretion in a dose-dependent manner in mice. Mechanically, 14l reduced the mRNA expression of Tnf-α, Il-1β and Mmp-9 in corneas, as well as the proportion of very long chain SM in meibomian glands. Our findings provide a new strategy for DED therapy based on selective SMS2 inhibitors.

This experiment aims to study the taste-masking effects of different kinds of corrigent used individually and in combination on ibuprofen oral solution, in order to optimize the taste-masking formulation. Firstly, a wide range of corrigent and the mass fractions were extensively screened using electronic tongue technology. Subsequently, a combination of sensory evaluation, analytic hierarchy process (AHP)-fuzzy mathematics evaluation, and Box-Behnken experimental design were employed to comprehensively assess the taste-masking effects of different combinations of corrigent on ibuprofen oral solution, optimize the taste-masking formulation, and validate the results. The study received ethical approval from the Review Committee of the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (ethical code: 2024BZYLL0102). The results showed that corrigent fractions and types were screened separately through single-factor experiments. Subsequently, a Box-Behnken response surface design combined with AHP and fuzzy mathematics evaluation was used to fit a functional model: Z = 688.310 11 - 3 023.722 22X₁ - 11.477 00X₂ + 62.721 67X₃ + 14.600 00X₁X₂ - 179.666 67X₁X₃ - 3.152 00X₂X₃ + 4 031.111 11X₁² + 0.525 28X₂² + 9.772 00X₃². This model is stable and reliable, determining the optimal taste-masking formulation to be 3.9 g·L^-1 of stevioside, 100 g L^-1 of xylitol, and 30 g L^-1 of methyl-β-cyclodextrin. The comprehensive score of the verification test is 88.14, with a relative RSD of 0.39%, indicating the feasibility of this model. This study achieved the improvement of the taste of ibuprofen oral solution through a combination of objective and subjective methods. Three types of corrigent were identified for enhancing drug taste, leading to the selection of the optimal taste-masking formulation for ibuprofen oral solution. This significantly enhanced the taste of the original formulation, improved patient compliance, and offered a new approach to mitigating the undesirable taste of formulations.

Soluble programmed cell death 1 ligand 1(PD-L1)in the serum includes exosomal,mi-crovesical and secreted forms of PD-L1.Previous studies have shown that the level of exosomal PD-L1 in the serum significantly correlated with the prognosis of various cancers.However,current analysis detects all forms of PD-L1 in the serum as a whole,without distinguishing exosomal PD-L1 from other forms.In this study,a specific detection method for exosomal PD-L1 was established based on surface plasmon res-onance.This method first captures PD-L1 by antibody recognition and immobilizes it on the surface of the detection chip.Then,α-hemolysin was recruited to form multiple oligomers on the exosomal membrane.This method quantifies the content of exosomal PD-L1 by monitoring the signal change during the binding process of α-hemolysin,effectively reducing background noises and amplifying the signal.The linear range before signal amplification with α-hemolysin was 0.035-2.208 pg/mL,and after signal amplifica-tion,it was 0.004-0.552 pg/mL.Methodological validation showed that this method has good specifici-ty,sensitivity,and repeatability,and has certain clinical application prospects.

Objective To systematically evaluate the real-life experience of stroke patients in the hospital-home transition period,and to provide a reference for better clinical development of transitional nursing practice.Methods We searched PubMed,Web of Science,Embase,CINAHL,Cochrane library,CNKI,Wanfang Data,VIP database,and China Biomedical Literature Database for qualitative studies on the real experience of stroke patients in the hospital-to-home transition period from the establishment of the database to October 2023.The quality of the literature was evaluated using the Joanna Brigg Institute(JBI)Australian Centre for Evidence-Based Health Care Quality Assessment Criteria for Qualitative Research(2016),and the results were integrated using meta-integration methods.Results A total of 14 studies were included,and 48 research results were extracted and 9 categories were summarized.The final synthesis included 3 integrated results:the discharge preparation period was in contradiction;after being discharged from the hospital,life changed dramatically and there was a variety of transition barriers;active response to illness and the experience of self-growth.Conclusion The hospital-home transition period for stroke patients is a critical period for patients'rehabilitation,and medical staff should strengthen the implementation of the transitional discharge plan,strengthen the connection between hospitals and families and communities,pay attention to the psychological experience of patients,so as to help stroke patients achieve a smooth transition from hospital to home.

Objective:Clot waveform analysis (CWA) of activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) was used to rapidly identify patients with hemophilia A (HA) and lupus anticoagulant (LA) positive, and to explore the diagnostic efficacy of APTT-CWA in HA and LA-positive patients.Methods:From July 25, 2022, to December 28, 2023, 145 patients with APTT prolongation were admitted to the First Hospital of Jilin University. This group comprised 106 males and 39 females, with an average age of (29.3±15.8) years, among whom there were 94 clinically confirmed HA cases and 51 LA-positive cases. The retrospective analysis employed the Mann-Whitney U test to compare APTT results and CWA parameters between HA patients and LA-positive individuals.CWA parameters including the first derivative of maximum reaction velocity (|min1|), the second derivative of maximum acceleration (|min2|), and maximum deceleration (|max2|) were investigated. Patients were classified based on the duration of APTT prolongation into mild (33 s53 s) groups. A comparison of APTT seconds and CWA parameters |min1|, |min2|, and |max2| was conducted for HA and LA-positive patients between each group. Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the curve (AUC) were utilized to assess the diagnostic efficacy of CWA parameters and determine cut-off values. Results:The APTT results for HA and LA-positive patients were 70.2 s and 41.5 s, respectively, exhibiting a statistically significant difference ( P<0.001). CWA parameters |min1| were 1.459 %/s vs 3.868 %/s, |min2| were 0.124 %/s2 vs 0.502 %/s2, and |max2| were 0.054 %/s2 vs 0.388 %/s2in HA and LA patients, respectively ( P<0.001). In all APTT prolongation groups, the CWA parameters |min1|, |min2|and |max2| for HA were significantly lower than those for LA-positive patients ( P<0.05). CWA graph analysis revealed that the peak heights of |min1|, |min2|, and |max2| in HA were lower compared to LA patients. In the severe extension group, HA displayed significantly decreased peak values and a flatter, incomplete curve. ROC curve analysis indicated AUC values were greater than 0.8 ( P<0.01) for |min1|, |min2|, and |max2| in all APTT prolongation groups. Cut-off values for |min1|, |min2|, and |max2| were established for each prolongation group: mild (3.205 %/s, 0.423 %/s2, and 0.300 %/s2), moderate (2.884 %/s, 0.340 %/s2, 0.231 %/s2), and severe (2.209 %/s, 0.190 %/s2, 0.095 %/s2). Conclusion:When APTT was extended within the same range, there were significant differences in CWA parameters between HA patients and LA patients, ROC curve analysis demonstrated the effectiveness of CWA parameters in distinguishing HA from LA-positive patients,APTT-CWA can serve as a low-cost, efficient, and specific method for the rapid identification of hemophilia and lupus anticoagulant-positive patients.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of pneumococcal meningitis(PM),and drug sensitivity of Streptococcus pneumoniae(SP)isolates in Chinese children.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical information,laboratory data,and microbiological data of 160 hospitalized children under 15 years old with PM from January 2019 to December 2020 in 33 tertiary hospitals across the country.Results Among the 160 children with PM,there were 103 males and 57 females.The age ranged from 15 days to 15 years,with 109 cases(68.1% )aged 3 months to under 3 years.SP strains were isolated from 95 cases(59.4% )in cerebrospinal fluid cultures and from 57 cases(35.6% )in blood cultures.The positive rates of SP detection by cerebrospinal fluid metagenomic next-generation sequencing and cerebrospinal fluid SP antigen testing were 40% (35/87)and 27% (21/78),respectively.Fifty-five cases(34.4% )had one or more risk factors for purulent meningitis,113 cases(70.6% )had one or more extra-cranial infectious foci,and 18 cases(11.3% )had underlying diseases.The most common clinical symptoms were fever(147 cases,91.9% ),followed by lethargy(98 cases,61.3% )and vomiting(61 cases,38.1% ).Sixty-nine cases(43.1% )experienced intracranial complications during hospitalization,with subdural effusion and/or empyema being the most common complication[43 cases(26.9% )],followed by hydrocephalus in 24 cases(15.0% ),brain abscess in 23 cases(14.4% ),and cerebral hemorrhage in 8 cases(5.0% ).Subdural effusion and/or empyema and hydrocephalus mainly occurred in children under 1 year old,with rates of 91% (39/43)and 83% (20/24),respectively.SP strains exhibited complete sensitivity to vancomycin(100% ,75/75),linezolid(100% ,56/56),and meropenem(100% ,6/6).High sensitivity rates were also observed for levofloxacin(81% ,22/27),moxifloxacin(82% ,14/17),rifampicin(96% ,25/26),and chloramphenicol(91% ,21/23).However,low sensitivity rates were found for penicillin(16% ,11/68)and clindamycin(6% ,1/17),and SP strains were completely resistant to erythromycin(100% ,31/31).The rates of discharge with cure and improvement were 22.5% (36/160)and 66.2% (106/160),respectively,while 18 cases(11.3% )had adverse outcomes.Conclusions Pediatric PM is more common in children aged 3 months to under 3 years.Intracranial complications are more frequently observed in children under 1 year old.Fever is the most common clinical manifestation of PM,and subdural effusion/emphysema and hydrocephalus are the most frequent complications.Non-culture detection methods for cerebrospinal fluid can improve pathogen detection rates.Adverse outcomes can be noted in more than 10% of PM cases.SP strains are high sensitivity to vancomycin,linezolid,meropenem,levofloxacin,moxifloxacin,rifampicin,and chloramphenicol.[Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,2024,26(2):131-138]

Uric acid (UA) is the final product of purine metabolism in human body,and its metabolic disorder will induce hyperuricemia (HUA).The occurrence and development of HUA are associated with a variety of pathological mechanisms such as oxidative stress injury,activation of inflammatory cytokines,and activation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.These mechanisms directly or indirectly affect the bioavailability of endogenous nitric oxide (NO).The decrease in NO bioavailability is common in the diseases with high concentration of UA as an independent risk factor.In this review,we summarize the mechanisms by which high concentrations of UA affect the endogenous NO bioavailability,with a focus on the mechanisms of high-concentration UA in decreasing the synthesis and/or increasing the consumption of NO.This review aims to provide references for alleviating the multisystem symptoms and improving the prognosis of HUA,and lay a theoretical foundation for in-depth study of the correlations between HUA and other metabolic diseases.
Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; Uric Acid ; Hyperuricemia ; Biological Availability ; Cytokines

BACKGROUND: Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) is a serious and irreversible injury. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is considered to be a potential therapy for I/R injury due to the paracrine effects. High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a novel mediator in MSC and regulates the response of inflammation injury. Signal Transduction and Transcription Activator 3 (STAT3) is a critical transcription factor and important for release of paracrine factors. However, the relationship between HMGB1 and STAT3 in paracrine effect of MSC remains unknown. METHODS: In vitro, hypoxia/reoxygenation injury model was established by AnaeroPack System and examined by Annexin V flow cytometry, CCK8 assay and morphology observation. Detection of apoptotic proteins and protein expression of HMGB1 and STAT3 by Western blot. RESULTS: The conditioned medium of MSCs with or without LPS pretreatment was cocultured with H9C2 cells for 24 h before hypoxia treatment and MSC showed obvious cardiomyocytes protect role, as evidence by decreased apoptosis rate and improved cells viability, and LPS pretreated MSC exhibited better protect role than untreated MSC. However, such effect was abolished in HMGB1 deficiency group, silencing HMGB1 decreased the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), insulin growth factor (IGF), cell viability, and the expression of STAT3. Furthermore, STAT3 silence attenuated the protective effect of LPS in MSC. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggested that LPS improved MSC-mediated cardiomyocytes protection by HMGB1/STAT3 signaling.

ObjectiveStudy on the mechanism of Guishao Yunpi decoction in preventing and treating breast hyperplasia based on phosphatase and tensin homolog （PTEN）/ phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） pathway. MethodSeventy SPF-grade SD rats were randomly assigned into blank group （n=15） and modeling group （n=55）. The mammary gland hyperplasia model of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency was established by the comprehensive modeling method （hunger and satiety abnormality + tail stimulation + estradiol benzoate + progesterone）， and then 5 rats were randomly selected for model verification. The modeled rats were then randomly assigned into five groups： model group， positive control （4 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 tamoxifen） group， and high-， medium-， and low-dose （17.2， 8.6， 4.3 g·kg^-1·d^-1， respectively） Guishao Yunpi decoction groups， with 10 rats in each group. The rats in the blank group and model group were given 10 mL·kg^-1·d^-1 distilled water， and those in other groups were orally administrated with corresponding drugs. After 30 days of treatment， the general living conditions of rats were observed， and the thickness of breast tissue was measured by an ultrasonic diagnostic instrument. The open field test was carried out for behavioral evaluation. The levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2） and Bcl-2-associated X （Bax） in the breast tissue were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The mRNA and protein levels of PTEN， PI3K， and Akt in the breast tissue were determined by Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot， respectively. ResultCompared with those in the blank group， the rats in the model group were irritable， curled up in clusters， and showed positive behavior in the open field test. The modeling led to nipple swelling and increased the breast thickness （P<0.05）. Moreover， the modeling elevated the level of Bcl-2 and lowered that of Bax in the breast tissue （P<0.05）， down-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of PTEN， and up-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of PI3K and Akt （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， drug administration relieved the general survival state， the degree of nipple swelling， and the positive behavior in the open field test and reduced the breast thickness （P<0.05）. In addition， drug administration reduced the level of Bcl-2 and increased that of Bax in the breast tissue （P<0.05）， up-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of PTEN， and down-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of PI3K and Akt （P<0.05）. ConclusionGuishao Yunpi decoction can improve the general living conditions and alleviate the mammary gland hyperplasia of rats with the syndrome of liver depression and spleen deficiency， which may be realized by the regulation of the PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathway.