ObjectiveTo assess the therapeutic effectiveness and safety of the traditional Chinese medicine compound Shenlong decoction in addressing the symptoms of pulmonary deficiency and stasis in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis （IPF）. MethodsSixty eligible patients with lung deficiency and collateral stasis syndrome of IPF were randomly assigned to the observation （30 patients） and control groups （30 patients）. All patients underwent standard Western medical therapy. Additionally，the observation group received Shenlong decoction granules，while the control group received a placebo. Both treatments were packaged in four doses of 10.5 g each，taken twice daily for three months. The indexes of the patients during the treatment cycle were observed，and the main indexes include traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome scores and 6 min walk test （6MWT）. The secondary indexes include pulmonary function test ［actual value/expected value of total lung volume （TLC%），actual value/expected value of vital capacity（FVC%），actual/predicted diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide（DLCO%），actual/predicted forced expiratory volume in one second （FEV₁%），and FEV₁/ forced vital capacity （FVC）］，blood gas analysis ［arterial blood diathesis partial pressure of oxygen （PaO₂），partial pressure of carbon dioxide （PaCO₂），and arterial oxygen saturation （SaO₂）］，serum inflammatory factors ［transforming growth factor-β₁ （TGF-β₁），interleukin-4 （IL-4），interleukin-13 （IL-13），interleukin-12 （IL-12），and gamma-interferon （IFN-γ）］，and quality of survival evaluation ［St George's Respiratory Questionnaire （SGRQ） score］. The patients' clinical manifestations were determined at the end of the treatment， and the occurrence of adverse events was recorded. ResultsA total of 53 patients completed the study，comprising 27 in the control group and 26 in the observation group. Upon completion of the treatment period，the control group achieved a total effective rate of 33.33% （9/27），whereas the observation group demonstrated a total effective rate of 53.85% （14/26），which was statistically superior to the control group （χ²=4.034，P<0.05）. After the treatment，the TCM syndrome scores，6MWT，DLCO%，FEV₁%，PaO₂，PaCO₂，TGF-β₁，IL-4，IL-13，IL-12，and IFN-γ in the two groups were all significantly improved （P<0.01）. Compared with those in the control group after treatment at the same period，the TCM syndrome scores，6MWT，PaO₂，and PaCO₂ were significantly improved in the observation group after 60 days and 90 days of medication （P<0.01）. Three months after the end of medication，the SGRQ score in the observation group showed significant improvement when compared to that in the control group （P<0.05），and no severe adverse events were reported during the follow-up period. ConclusionCompound Shenlong decoction can alleviate clinical symptoms such as shortness of breath and wheezing in patients with lung deficiency and collateral stasis syndrome of IPF，enhance exercise tolerance，improve the quality of life，and have certain potential advantages in improving pulmonary function.

ObjectiveTo assess the therapeutic effectiveness and safety of the traditional Chinese medicine compound Shenlong decoction in addressing the symptoms of pulmonary deficiency and stasis in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis （IPF）. MethodsSixty eligible patients with lung deficiency and collateral stasis syndrome of IPF were randomly assigned to the observation （30 patients） and control groups （30 patients）. All patients underwent standard Western medical therapy. Additionally，the observation group received Shenlong decoction granules，while the control group received a placebo. Both treatments were packaged in four doses of 10.5 g each，taken twice daily for three months. The indexes of the patients during the treatment cycle were observed，and the main indexes include traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome scores and 6 min walk test （6MWT）. The secondary indexes include pulmonary function test ［actual value/expected value of total lung volume （TLC%），actual value/expected value of vital capacity（FVC%），actual/predicted diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide（DLCO%），actual/predicted forced expiratory volume in one second （FEV₁%），and FEV₁/ forced vital capacity （FVC）］，blood gas analysis ［arterial blood diathesis partial pressure of oxygen （PaO₂），partial pressure of carbon dioxide （PaCO₂），and arterial oxygen saturation （SaO₂）］，serum inflammatory factors ［transforming growth factor-β₁ （TGF-β₁），interleukin-4 （IL-4），interleukin-13 （IL-13），interleukin-12 （IL-12），and gamma-interferon （IFN-γ）］，and quality of survival evaluation ［St George's Respiratory Questionnaire （SGRQ） score］. The patients' clinical manifestations were determined at the end of the treatment， and the occurrence of adverse events was recorded. ResultsA total of 53 patients completed the study，comprising 27 in the control group and 26 in the observation group. Upon completion of the treatment period，the control group achieved a total effective rate of 33.33% （9/27），whereas the observation group demonstrated a total effective rate of 53.85% （14/26），which was statistically superior to the control group （χ²=4.034，P<0.05）. After the treatment，the TCM syndrome scores，6MWT，DLCO%，FEV₁%，PaO₂，PaCO₂，TGF-β₁，IL-4，IL-13，IL-12，and IFN-γ in the two groups were all significantly improved （P<0.01）. Compared with those in the control group after treatment at the same period，the TCM syndrome scores，6MWT，PaO₂，and PaCO₂ were significantly improved in the observation group after 60 days and 90 days of medication （P<0.01）. Three months after the end of medication，the SGRQ score in the observation group showed significant improvement when compared to that in the control group （P<0.05），and no severe adverse events were reported during the follow-up period. ConclusionCompound Shenlong decoction can alleviate clinical symptoms such as shortness of breath and wheezing in patients with lung deficiency and collateral stasis syndrome of IPF，enhance exercise tolerance，improve the quality of life，and have certain potential advantages in improving pulmonary function.

Objective: To develop a non-invasive predictive model for coronary artery stenosis severity based on adaptive multi-modal integration of traditional Chinese and western medicine data. Methods: Clinical indicators, echocardiographic data, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) tongue manifestations, and facial features were collected from patients who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) in the Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) of Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital between May 1, 2023 and May 1, 2024. An adaptive weighted multi-modal data fusion (AWMDF) model based on deep learning was constructed to predict the severity of coronary artery stenosis. The model was evaluated using metrics including accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC). Further performance assessment was conducted through comparisons with six ensemble machine learning methods, data ablation, model component ablation, and various decision-level fusion strategies. Results: A total of 158 patients were included in the study. The AWMDF model achieved excellent predictive performance (AUC = 0.973, accuracy = 0.937, precision = 0.937, recall = 0.929, and F1 score = 0.933). Compared with model ablation, data ablation experiments, and various traditional machine learning models, the AWMDF model demonstrated superior performance. Moreover, the adaptive weighting strategy outperformed alternative approaches, including simple weighting, averaging, voting, and fixed-weight schemes. Conclusion The AWMDF model demonstrates potential clinical value in the non-invasive prediction of coronary artery disease and could serve as a tool for clinical decision support.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety and prognostic factors influencing the treatment of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) combined with bladder cancer (BCa) by laparoscopic simultaneous radical cystectomy and nephroureterectomy (RCNU). METHODS: The clinical data of patients admitted to Peking University Third Hospital for laparoscopic RCNU surgery from January 2009 to September 2023 were analyzed retrospectively. Based on the same gender, age (±5 years), history of uroepithelial tumors, underlying diseases, T-stage, N-stage, M-stage, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, Charlson comorbidity index, and body mass index (BMI) (±5), 34 patients with RCNU were matched 1 ∶1 with patients with bladder cancer who underwent laparoscopic radical cystectomy (RC) alone. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to calculate patient survival, and Cox proportional regression risk model was used to analyze clinical factors affecting prognosis. RESULTS: Of the 68 patients enrolled, the follow-up rate was 100% with a median follow-up time of 27.0 (11.7, 60.2) months. Comparison of intraoperative conditions (including operation time, estimated intraoperative bleeding, intra-operative blood transfusion, etc.) between the two groups of patients showed no significant difference (P>0.05). Comparison of preoperative creatinine and postoperative creatinine between the two groups of patients showed significant differences (P < 0.05). The perioperative Clavien grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ complication rates were 2.9% (1/34) in the RC group and 5.9% (2/34) in the RCNU group. There was no significant difference in terms of perioperative complications between the two groups. Overall survival was significantly lower in the patients receiving RCNU compared with the matched group receiving RC alone (P < 0.05). Cox regression analysis suggested that two factors, high N stage and high postoperative creatinine, were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients in the 2 groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The overall survival prognosis of patients undergoing RCNU surgery was worse compared with laparoscopic RC surgery alone during the same period. There was no clinically significant difference between the two groups in terms of operation time, intraoperative bleeding, and perioperative complications, and there were clinically significant differences in preoperative renal function and post-operative renal function.
Humans ; Laparoscopy/methods* ; Nephroureterectomy/methods* ; Cystectomy/methods* ; Prognosis ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Female ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/mortality* ; Middle Aged ; Aged

OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the anti-aging effect of β-sitosterol (BS), an important component in the fruits of Alpinia oxyphylla Miq., in C. elegans and its regulatory effect on ETS-5 gene to modulate ferroptosis. METHODS: C. elegans treated with 10 µg/mL BS were monitored for survival time and changes in body length, motility, and reproductive function. The effect of ETS-5 gene knockdown on survival time of C. elegans was observed, and the changes in fat accumulation and lipid redox homeostasis in the transfected C. elegans were assessed using Oil Red O staining and by detecting MDA levels and the GSH/GSSG ratio. The mRNA expression levels of ferroptosis-related genes (FTN-1, GPX-1 and AAT-9) were detected using qPCR. The effects of BS treatment and ETS-5 knockdown on AAT-9 enzyme activity in C. elegans were examined. The effect of BS on nuclear localization of FEV (the human homolog of ETS-5) was validated in cultured human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVECs). RESULTS: Both BS treatment and ETS-5 knockdown significantly prolonged the lifespan, promoted lipid accumulation and reduced lipid peroxidation in C. elegans. ETS-5 knockdown resulted in upregulated expressions of the ferroptosis repressors GPX-1, AAT-9 and FTN-1 and increased the GSH/GSSG ratio in C. elegans. CONCLUSIONS BS inhibits ferroptosis in C. elegans by suppressing the expression of ETS-5 transcription factor and hence the activity of AAT-9 enzyme, a key gene for ferroptosis, which in turn prolongs the lifespan of C. elegans.
Animals ; Caenorhabditis elegans/physiology* ; Ferroptosis/drug effects* ; Alpinia/chemistry* ; Sitosterols/pharmacology* ; Longevity/drug effects* ; Fruit/chemistry* ; Humans

Objective:To discuss the effects of superelastic nickel-titanium archwires(SENT)and heat-activated nickel-titanium archwires(HANT)on the initial alignment efficiency of mandibular anterior teeth and pain levels of the patients with extraction orthodontic treatment and non-extraction orthodontic treatment by using low-friction self-ligating brackets,and to provide the basis for the selection of the most suitable archwire in orthodontic clinical practice.Methods:Eighty patients underwent fixed orthodontic treatment with self-ligating brackets were randomly assigned to SENT or HANT subgroups,and there were 40 patients in extraction orthodontic treatment group and 40 patients in non-extraction orthodontic treatment group.A single operator fully engaged a 0.014-inch straight archwire into the brackets.The patients,operators,and data measurers were all blinded;the initial clinical alignment efficiency of the archwires of the patients in various groups was observed,and the Little's index was calculated;the visual analog scale(VAS)scores and pain perception of the patients in various groups were recorded 4 h after initial bonding of the appliances and every day before breakfast during the first week of orthodontic treatment;multivariate regression analysis was performed for the initial Little's index,gender,and age,and the influence factors of pain in the patients was analyzed.Results:There were no significant differences in age,gender,and initial Little's index among the patients in extraction group and non-extraction group(P＞0.05).Compared with before treatment,the Little's indexes of the patients in both HANT and SENT subgroups in non-extraction orthedontic treatment group were decreased 4 weeks after treatment,but the difference between groups was not significant(P＞0.05).Compared with SENT subgroup in non-extraction orthodontic treatment group,the Little's index of the patients in HANT subgroup was decreased(P＜0.05).In extraction orthodontic treatment group,there were no significant differences in Little's indexes of the patients between the HANT and SENT subgroups before and after treatment(P＞0.05).The pain perception peaked on the first day after initial bonding and gradually decreased to baseline levels.The patients in SENT and HANT subgroups in both extraction and non-extraction orthodontic treatment groups showed the similar patterns of pain change.There were no significant differences in the average VAS scores and maximum pain intensity scores between the patients in SENT and HANT subgroups at different time points(P＞0.05).The type of archwire had no significant effect on the degree of pain,while time significantly affected the degree of pain.The multivariate regression analysis results showed a significant correlation between initial Little's index and maximum VAS scores of the patients in extraction orthodontic treatment group(b=0.359,P=0.033).Gender and age did not affect the degree of pain of the patients in either group.Conclusion:When applying low-friction self-ligating brackets for orthodontic treatment,the initial alignment efficiency with 0.014-inch HANT archwires is superior to 0.014-inch SENT archwires in non-extraction treatment group,while both archwires show the same efficiency in extraction patients.SENT and HANT archwires do not affect the initial degrees of pain of the orthodontic patients.

Objective:To develop and evaluate the efficacy and safety of a three-dimensional (3D) digestive endoscope for gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) through animal experiments.Methods:Two Dutch pigs were utilized from the Zhengzhou University Animal Experiment Center for the study. ESD procedures were performed by two senior endoscopists, one using 3D glasses and the other utilizing a 3D high-definition head display. The success of ESD was assessed based on predefined criteria, including completion of surgical steps, complete detachment of the presumptive lesion, and effective bleeding control during and after the surgery. The number of successful procedures and incidences of perforation were recorded. The stereoscopic experience of the endoscopists, including both the primary endoscopist and the assistant, was also evaluated. Furthermore, the assessment encompassed any reported symptoms of eye discomfort, such as eye fatigue, ocular pain, and blurred vision. Additionally, the confidence level of the endoscopists in the mechanical aspects of the operation, as well as encountered issues during the endoscopic procedures, were documented.Results:Two ESD were successful and no perforation occurred. Feedback from endoscopists suggested that 3D digestive endoscopy offered clear images with enhanced three-dimensionality during surgery, clear sense of distance and layering, allowing for a precise judgment of bleeding points, which surpassed 2D capabilities. No eye discomfort was experienced by endoscopists or assistants during or after the procedures. While endoscopists exhibited high confidence in 3D digestive endoscopy, they noted issues with image blurring when the camera was positioned less than 10 mm from the gastrointestinal tract wall.Conclusion:Preliminary results show that 3D digestive endoscopes can provide excellent stereo imaging, improved positioning accuracy, and safety during live animal stomach ESD procedures, without significantly increasing endoscopists' eye discomfort. Nevertheless, efforts are needed to address image blurring concerns when the camera is close to the gastrointestinal tract wall.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the protective effect of Tibetan medicine Sanguo decoction on hyperlipidemic rats based on the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and its related mechanisms. METHODS Forty-eight male SD rats were randomly divided into six groups: the normal control group, the model control group, the simvastatin group(3.5 mg·kg−1), and the Tibetan medicine Sanguo decoction low, medium, and high dose groups(0.43 , 0.86 , 1.72 g·kg−1), with eight rats in each group. The normal control group was fed a basal diet, and the remaining groups were fed the H10060 high-fat diet to prepare a hyperlipidemic rat model. At the same time, each treatment group was given corresponding drugs by gavage once a day. The normal control group and model control group were given an equal volume of physiological saline(once a day) by gavage for 6 consecutive weeks. After 6 weeks, serum levels of lipids[totalcholesterol(TC), triglyceride(TG), low density lipoprotein(LDL) and high density lipoprotein(HDL)] and oxidative parameters[malondialdehyde(MDA), superoxide dismutase(SOD), and glutathione(GSH)] were measured by reagent kit. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2), heme oxygenase 1(HO-1), Keap1, and quinone oxidoreductase(NQO1) protein expression in liver tissues were analyzed by Western blotting. The correlation of lipid and oxidative indices was investigated by person correlation. RESULTS Compared with the normal control group, the model control group showed a significant increase in body weight, significantly higher serum levels of TC, TG, LDL, and MDA, significantly lower serum levels of HDL, and significantly lower SOD and GSH activity. Compared with the model control group, each administration group showed a decrease in body weight and serum TC, TG, LDL, and MDA levels. In comparison with the model control group, the body weight was reduced, the serum levels of TC, TG, LDL, and MDA were significantly lower, the serum levels of HDL were significantly higher, and the SOD and GSH activities were significantly higher. Keap1 protein level expression was significantly up-regulated compared with the normal control group, and Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1 protein level expression were significantly down-regulated in the model control group. Keap1 protein level expression was significantly down-regulated compared to the model control group, and Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1 protein level expression were significantly up-regulated in the liver tissues of low and high doses of Sanguo decoction. The expressions of Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1 were significantly up-regulated. Correlation analysis showed that TG was negatively correlated with SOD, HO-1, and NQO1, and positively correlated with Keap1, while TC was negatively correlated with SOD, HO-1, GSH, and Nrf2, and positively correlated with Keap1 and MDA. CONCLUSION The Tibetan medicine Sanguo decoction can improve body weight and blood lipid levels in hyperlipidemic rats, and the mechanism may be related to the regulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and the improvement of oxidative stress.

ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanism of Danggui Sini Granules （当归四逆颗粒） in treatment of coronary heart disease with cold congealing and blood stasis syndrome. MethodsFifty SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group， a model group， a Danshen Pill （丹参滴丸） group， and a low- and high-dosage Danggui Sini Granules group， with 10 rats in each group. Except for the blank group， the rat model of coronary heart disease with cold congealing and blood stasis syndrome was established by repeated cold stimulation at low temperature combined with intraperitoneal injection of posterior pituitary hormone in all other groups. In the 6th week of modelling， 0.073 g·kg^-1·d^-1 of compound Danshen Pill was given to the Danshen Pill group， 20.2 and 40.4 g·kg^-1·d^-1 of Danggui Sini Granules were given to the low- and high-dose Danggui Sini Granules groups， respectively， and 0.2 ml/10 g of sterile water was given to the blank group and the model group， all for 2 consecutive weeks. The general conditions of the rats were recorded， and the body mass was compared weekly. At the end of the intervention， electrocardiogram， blood rheological indexes， including whole blood low-cut viscosity， whole blood high-cut viscosity， erythrocyte aggregation index， and cardiac index were detected to evaluate the effect of the medication， and HE staining was used to observe the myocardial histopathological changes， TUNEL staining to detect the apoptotic situation of cardiomyocytes， and ELISA to detect the serum thyroid-stimulating hormone （TSH）， free triiodothyronine （FT₃）， free tetraiodothyronine （FT₄） levels and thromboxane B₂ （TXB₂）， 6-keto-prostaglandin F1α （6-Keto-PGF_1α）， endothelin 1 （ET-1）， and nitric oxide （NO） levels. ResultsCompared with the blank group at the same time point， the body mass of rats in the remaining groups decreased at all time points （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； compared with the model group at the same time point， the body mass of rats in high-dose Danggui Sini Granules group and Danshen Pill group increased at the 6th and 7th weeks （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. In the blank group， the S-T segment of the electrocardiogram was close to the isoelectric line， the myocardial structure was regular， the fibres were closely arranged， and the nuclei of the cells were intact and neatly aligned； in the model group， the S-T segment of the electrocardiogram significantly elevated， and the arrangement of the myocardial fibres was obviously disordered， with myocardial cells appearing to be swollen， necrotic， and infiltrated by inflammatory cells， and the apoptosis-positive cells of the cardiac muscle cells obviously increased； in each of the medication groups， the electrocardiogram had a lowered S-T segment， and myocardial fibres were aligned， myocyte structure and morphology were improved， inflammatory cells reduced， and the number of apoptosis-positive cells significantly reduced. Compared with the blank group， the cardiac index， whole blood high cut viscosity， whole blood low cut viscosity， erythrocyte aggregation index increased in the model group， and the serum levels of TSH， FT₃， FT₄， NO， 6-Keto-PGF_1α significantly reduced， and the levels of ET-1 and TXB₂ significantly increased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the model group， the levels of cardiac index， whole blood high cut viscosity， whole blood low cut viscosity， erythrocyte aggregation index， ET-1 and TXB₂ significantly decreased and the levels of NO and 6-Keto-PGF_1α significantly increased in each medication group， and the serum levels of TSH， FT₃， and FT₄ elevated in the high-dose Danggui Sini Granules group and Danshen Pill group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. The serum TSH level of rats in the low-dose Danggui Sini Granules group was lower than that in Danshen Pill group and the high-dose Danggui Sini Granules group （P＜0.01）. ConclusionDanggui Sini Granules have the effect of alleviating myocardial injury in coronary heart disease with cold congealing and blood stasis syndrome， and its mechanism may be related to reducing myocardial cell apoptosis， improving energy metabolism， and regulating the level of vasoactive factors.

ObjectiveTo analyze the quantity-quality transfer of standard decoction of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma（GRR） decoction pieces produced by fresh and traditional cutting， and to provide reference for quality control and application development of the decoction pieces produced by fresh cutting. MethodTen batches of representative GRR decoction pieces produced by fresh and traditional cutting and their standard decoctions were prepared by standard process， and high performance liquid chromatography（HPLC） fingerprint of the standard decoction was established and performed on an Agilent EC-C₁₈ column（4.6 mm×150 mm， 2.7 μm） with acetonitrile（A）-0.1% phosphoric acid aqueous solution（B） as the mobile phase for gradient elution（0-23 min， 18%-21%A； 23-35 min， 21%-28%A； 35-80 min， 28%-32%A）， and the detection wavelength was 203 nm. Then similarity evaluation， principal component analysis（PCA） and partial least squares-discriminant analysis（PLS-DA） of fingerprint of the standard decoction were performed to screen the differential components with variable importance in the projection（VIP） value>1. Quantitative analysis was carried out on the screened known differential components， and combined with the indicators of the dry extract rate and the transfer rate， to explore the differences in the quantity-quality transfer between the standard decoction of GRR decoction pieces produced by fresh and traditional cutting. ResultThe fingerprint similarity of the standard decoction of GRR decoction pieces produced by fresh and traditional cutting was more than 0.950， and 18 common peaks were identified， including 9 identified common peaks. The results of PCA and PLS-DA showed that there were some differences in the contents of index components between the two standard decoctions. The contents of ginsenoside Rg₁， Re and Ro in GRR decoction pieces produced by fresh cutting were higher than those in traditional decoction pieces， while the contents of ginsenoside Rb₁， Rc ， Rb₂ and Rd were lower than those in traditional decoction pieces. The contents of ginsenoside Rg₁， Re， Rb₁ and Ro in the standard decoction of GRR decoction pieces produced by fresh cutting were higher than those in the standard decoction of traditional decoction pieces， while the contents of ginsenoside Rc ， Rb₂ and Rd were comparable between the two standard decoctions. Compared with the standard decoction of the traditional decoction pieces， the average transfer rates of ginsenoside Rg₁， Rb₁， Rc， Rb₂ and dry extract rate of the standard decoction of GRR decoction pieces produced by fresh cutting were significantly increased（P<0.05）， and the average transfer rate of ginsenoside Re and Rd also increased， but the difference was not statistically significant. ConclusionThe dry extract rate， content and transfer rate of index components of standard decoction of GRR decoction pieces produced by fresh cutting are better than those of the standard decoction of traditional decoction pieces， which can provides data support for the subsequent clinical application of fresh cutting products.