ObjectiveThis paper aims to conduct a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial on the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome （MDS） with deficiency of both the spleen and kidney and blockage of toxin and blood stasis with an arsenic-containing traditional Chinese medicine compound， by applying the mixed model for repeated measure （MMRM） and the method of stratified composite outcome with win ratio. The analysis includes the assessment of hematological efficacy and the composite outcome evaluation of adverse reactions， so as to more comprehensively assess the therapy of this regimen. MethodsThe MMRM and win ratio methods were used to evaluate the efficacy of a prospective，multi-center，double-blind，randomized controlled study. The blood routine （hemoglobin concentration，neutrophil count， and platelet count） and biochemical indexes （aspartate aminotransferase，alanine aminotransferase，serum creatinine，and serum ferritin） of the patients were detected at the time of enrollment and at the end of each course of treatment in the laboratory department of Xiyuan Hospital. The patients' syndromes at the time of enrollment and after treatment were recorded and scored according to the therapy standard of traditional Chinese medicine for diseases and syndromes. MMRM was used to analyze the blood routine indexes of the experimental group and the control group. This method has the advantages of high data reliability and dynamic efficacy under intervention and time. The win ratio method was used to evaluate the composite outcome of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores and biochemical indexes according to the priority and to verify the clinical safety of arsenic-containing traditional Chinese medicine compound. ResultsThe results of MMRM analysis showed that the hemoglobin concentration of patients in the group with arsenic-containing traditional Chinese medicine compound increased significantly compared with that before treatment in the group，while that in the placebo group decreased significantly （P<0.01）. When compared with that after treatment in the placebo group，the hemoglobin concentration of patients in the group with arsenic-containing traditional Chinese medicine compound increased significantly，and the mean difference of least squares （LS） was statistically significant （P<0.01）. When compared with those before treatment in the group，there were no statistically significant differences in the neutrophil count and platelet count in both groups. After treatment，there were no statistically significant differences in the neutrophil count， platelet count， and the mean difference of LS between the two groups. The analysis results of win ratio showed that the group with arsenic-containing traditional Chinese medicine compound had a significant advantage in the comparison of composite outcomes，with a win ratio （95% CI） of 2.01 （1.24-3.27） （P<0.01），and that the possibility of "winning" in terms of safety was 2.01 times that of the placebo group. The safety advantage of the group with arsenic-containing traditional Chinese medicine compound mainly came from the traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores，renal function indexes， and iron reserve capacity indexes，and the number of winning times was less than that of losing times in the comparison of liver function outcomes. ConclusionThe MMRM analysis proves that the arsenic-containing traditional Chinese medicine compound can significantly improve the hemoglobin concentration of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome with refractory cytopenia and multilineage dysplasia （MDS-RCMD） of the type of deficiency of both the spleen and kidney and blockage of toxin and blood stasis. This conclusion is not interfered with by time trends and individual relationships and methodologically improves the credibility of the therapy of the arsenic-containing traditional Chinese medicine compound in treating MDS. Four outcomes are evaluated by the win ratio method，namely traditional Chinese medicine syndromes，liver function，renal function， and iron reserve capacity，proving that the arsenic-containing traditional Chinese medicine compound has the comprehensive advantages of improving the survival quality of the patients and reducing adverse reactions. The win ratio outcome provides clear comparative indexes for the evaluation of adverse reactions，making it easier for regulatory authorities，medical staff， and patients to understand the safety of the arsenic-containing traditional Chinese medicine compound in clinical application.

There are various complicated wired connections in traditional endoscopic systems, which have disadvantages such as prolonging the preoperative setup time, restricting the movement of laparoscope, hindering the intraoperative manipulation, potentially contaminating the operation area and causing safety hazards.Our team has developed a wireless intelligent ultra-high-definition endoscopic system for the first time, which has been widely applied in many urological surgeries, such as tumors, stones, transurethral prostate enucleation, laparoscopic pyeloureteroplasty, laparoscopic renal cyst top decompression and so on.This essay reviews the applications and advantages of this system in urology, and forecasts its prospects.

ObjectiveFunctional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a novel non-invasive technique for monitoring cerebral activity, can be integrated with upper limb rehabilitation robots to facilitate the real-time assessment of neurological rehabilitation outcomes. The rehabilitation robot is designed with 3 training modes: passive, active, and resistance. Among these, the resistance mode has been demonstrated to yield superior rehabilitative outcomes for patients with a certain level of muscle strength. The control modes in the resistance mode can be categorized into dynamic and static control. However, the effects of different control modes in the resistance mode on the motor function of patients with upper limb hemiplegia in stroke remain unclear. Furthermore, the effects of force, an important parameter of different control modes, on the activation of brain regions have rarely been reported. This study investigates the effects of dynamic and static resistance modes under varying resistance levels on cerebral functional alterations during motor rehabilitation in post-stroke patients. MethodsA cohort of 20 stroke patients with upper limb dysfunction was enrolled in the study, completing preparatory adaptive training followed by 3 intensity-level tasks across 2 motor paradigms. The bilateral prefrontal cortices (PFC), bilateral primary motor cortices (M1), bilateral primary somatosensory cortices (S1), and bilateral premotor and supplementary motor cortices (PM) were examined in both the resting and motor training states. The lateralization index (LI), phase locking value (PLV), network metrics were employed to examine cortical activation patterns and topological properties of brain connectivity. ResultsThe data indicated that both dynamic and static modes resulted in significantly greater activation of the contralateral M1 area and the ipsilateral PM area when compared to the resting state. The static patterns demonstrated a more pronounced activation in the contralateral M1 in comparison to the dynamic patterns. The results of brain network analysis revealed significant differences between the dynamic and resting states in the contralateral PFC area and contralateral M1 area (F=4.709, P=0.038), as well as in the contralateral PM area and ipsilateral M1 area (F=4.218, P=0.049). Moreover, the findings indicated a positive correlation between the activation of the M1 region and the increase in force in the dynamic mode, which was reversed in the static mode. ConclusionBoth dynamic and static resistance training modes have been demonstrated to activate the corresponding brain functional regions. Dynamic resistance modes elicit greater oxygen changes and connectivity to the region of interest (ROI) than static resistance modes. Furthermore, the effects of increasing force differ between the two modes. In patients who have suffered a stroke, dynamic modes may have a more pronounced effect on the activation of exercise-related functional brain regions.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of finerenone combined with standard of care （SoC） in the treatment of heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction （HFmrEF） or preserved ejection fraction （HFpEF）. METHODS Based on a phase Ⅲ clinical trial， a Markov model was constructed from the perspective of China’s healthcare system to compare the treatment outcomes of finerenone combined with SoC regimen versus SoC regimen alone in the treatment of different cardiac functional statuses of HFmrEF/HFpEF. Using quality-adjusted life year （QALY） as the health output index， 3 times China’s per capita GDP in 2023 as the willingness-to-pay （WTP） threshold， a simulation was conducted with a 3-month cycle length and a 10- year time horizon， incorporating an annual discount rate of 5%. The dynamic changes across various stages of HFmrEF/HFpEF treated with finerenone combined with SoC versus SoC alone were simulated to evaluate the long-term effectiveness and costs of the two treatment strategies. Additionally， one-way sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed， to test the robustness of the results. RESULTS The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio （ICER） of the finerenone combined with SoC regimen versus SoC regimen alone was 179 504.75 yuan/QALY， which was below the WTP threshold set in this study， indicating that the finerenone combined with SoC regimen possessed certain economic advantages. The results of one-way sensitivity analysis showed that the utility value of NYHA Ⅱ status， the drug price of finerenone， the discount rate， and the probability of hospital transfer for both groups had a great influence on ICER， but did not affect the robustness of the model. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis also confirmed the robustness of the model. CONCLUSIONS Under the WTP threshold set in this study， finerenone combined with SoC is cost-effective in the treatment of HFmrEF/HFpEF， compared with the SoC regimen.

To study the therapeutic effect and mechanisms of ethyl syringate(MD) on ulcerative colitis(UC), the MTT assay was used to detect the proliferation inhibition of RAW264.7 cells and HT-29 cells by different concentrations of MD(50, 100, 200, 400 μmol·L~(-1)). UC cell models were constructed by inducing RAW264.7 cells and HT-29 cells with lipopolysaccharide(LPS) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α). An animal model was established by inducing mice with 2.5% dextran sulfate sodium(DSS) to verify the therapeutic effect of MD on UC. A control group, a model group(LPS or TNF-α), and groups treated with different concentrations of MD(50, 100, 200, 400 μmol·L~(-1)) were set up in this study. Nitric oxide(NO) levels were measured using a NO detection kit. Intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS) levels were assessed using a laser confocal microscope and ROS kit. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to detect changes in the levels of interleukin-6(IL-6), TNF-α, interferon-γ(INF-γ), interleukin-10(IL-10), and myeloperoxidase(MPO) in cells and animal tissues. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of phosphorylated Janus kinase 2(p-JAK2), Janus kinase 2(JAK2), phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(p-STAT3), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3), zonula occludens-1(ZO-1), occludin, and claudin-1 in cells and animal tissues. The results showed that MD can improve the inflammatory response by inhibiting the production of NO and ROS and regulating the expression of inflammatory factors. It significantly reduced the disease activity index(DAI) in mice, improved the shortening of the colon, and repaired intestinal epithelial damage by inhibiting the activation of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway, thereby exerting anti-UC activity.
Animals ; Colitis, Ulcerative/chemically induced* ; Janus Kinase 2/genetics* ; STAT3 Transcription Factor/genetics* ; Mice ; Humans ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Male ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Nitric Oxide/metabolism* ; HT29 Cells ; Salicylates/administration & dosage* ; Protective Agents/administration & dosage*

Emodin is a hydroxyanthraquinone compound that is widely distributed and has multiple pharmacological activities, including anti-diarrheal, anti-inflammatory, and liver-protective effects. Research indicates that emodin may be one of the main components responsible for inducing hepatotoxicity. However, studies on the mechanisms of liver injury are relatively limited, particularly those related to bile acids(BAs) metabolism. This study aims to systematically investigate the effects of different dosages of emodin on BAs metabolism, providing a basis for the safe clinical use of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)containing emodin. First, this study evaluated the safety of repeated administration of different dosages of emodin over a 5-week period, with a particular focus on its impact on the liver. Next, the composition and content of BAs in serum and liver were analyzed. Subsequently, qRT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of nuclear receptors and transporters related to BAs metabolism. The results showed that 1 g·kg~(-1) emodin induced hepatic damage, with bile duct hyperplasia as the primary pathological manifestation. It significantly increased the levels of various BAs in the serum and primary BAs(including taurine-conjugated and free BAs) in the liver. Additionally, it downregulated the mRNA expression of farnesoid X receptor(FXR), retinoid X receptor(RXR), and sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide(NTCP), and upregulated the mRNA expression of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase(CYP7A1) in the liver. Although 0.01 g·kg~(-1) and 0.03 g·kg~(-1) emodin did not induce obvious liver injury, they significantly increased the level of taurine-conjugated BAs in the liver, suggesting a potential interference with BAs homeostasis. In conclusion, 1 g·kg~(-1) emodin may promote the production of primary BAs in the liver by affecting the FXR-RXR-CYP7A1 pathway, inhibit NTCP expression, and reduce BA reabsorption in the liver, resulting in BA accumulation in the peripheral blood. This disruption of BA homeostasis leads to liver injury. Even doses of emodin close to the clinical dose can also have a certain effect on the homeostasis of BAs. Therefore, when using traditional Chinese medicine or formulas containing emodin in clinical practice, it is necessary to regularly monitor liver function indicators and closely monitor the risk of drug-induced liver injury.
Emodin/administration & dosage* ; Bile Acids and Salts/metabolism* ; Animals ; Male ; Liver/injuries* ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Humans ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Mice ; Rats

Gardeniae Fructus, a traditional Chinese medicine, has significant pharmacological activities such as clearing heat and detoxifying, promoting bile secretion and protecting liver injury. It is widely used in clinical practice for treating conditions like fever-induced restlessness, damp-heat jaundice, dysuria with pain, and fire-toxin sores. Gardeniae Fructus has been included in "list of items that are both food and medicine", so it is also used as an ingredient in food and health products. However, recent toxicological studies have shown that Gardeniae Fructus has certain potential hepatotoxicity, and its improper use may pose a risk. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the dual regulatory effects and their scientific connotations of Gardeniae Fructus on efficacy and toxicity. Based on the current progress in clinical, pharmacological and toxicological researches, this paper will discuss the characteristics and possible mechanisms of the dual effects of efficacy and toxicity of Gardeniae Fructus, and propose thoughts on the rational clinical use and scientific supervision of Gardeniae Fructus.
Animals ; Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Fruit/chemistry* ; Gardenia/chemistry* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Liver/drug effects*

In this study, lipopolysaccharide(LPS), ovalbumin(OVA), and compound 48/80(C48/80) were administered to establish non-infectious pneumonia models under simulated clinical conditions, and the correlation between their pathological characteristics and traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) syndromes was compared, providing the basis for the selection of appropriate animal models for TCM efficacy evaluation. An acute pneumonia model was established by nasal instillation of LPS combined with intraperitoneal injection for intensive stimulation. Three doses of OVA mixed with aluminum hydroxide adjuvant were injected intraperitoneally on days one, three, and five and OVA was administered via endotracheal drip for excitation on days 14-18 to establish an OVA-induced allergic pneumonia model. A single intravenous injection of three doses of C48/80 was adopted to establish a C48/80-induced pneumonia model. By detecting the changes in peripheral blood leukocyte classification, lung tissue and plasma cytokines, immunoglobulins(Ig), histamine levels, and arachidonic acid metabolites, the multi-dimensional analysis was carried out based on pathological evaluation. The results showed that the three models could cause pulmonary edema, increased wet weight in the lung, and obvious exudative inflammation in lung tissue pathology, especially for LPS. A number of pyrogenic cytokines, inclading interleukin(IL)-6, interferon(IFN)-γ, IL-1β, and IL-4 were significantly elevated in the LPS pneumonia model. Significantly increased levels of prostacyclin analogs such as prostaglandin E2(PGE2) and PGD2, which cause increased vascular permeability, and neutrophils in peripheral blood were significantly elevated. The model could partly reflect the clinical characteristics of phlegm heat accumulating in the lung or dampness toxin obstructing the lung. The OVA model showed that the sensitization mediators IgE and leukotriene E4(LTE4) were increased, and the anti-inflammatory prostacyclin 6-keto-PGF2α was decreased. Immune cells(lymphocytes and monocytes) were decreased, and inflammatory cells(neutrophils and basophils) were increased, reflecting the characteristics of "deficiency", "phlegm", or "dampness". Lymphocytes, monocytes, and basophils were significantly increased in the C48/80 model. The phenotype of the model was that the content of histamine, a large number of prostacyclins(6-keto-PGE1, PGF2α, 15-keto-PGF2α, 6-keto-PGF1α, 13,14-D-15-keto-PGE2, PGD2, PGE2, and PGH2), LTE4, and 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid(5S-HETE) was significantly increased, and these indicators were associated with vascular expansion and increased vascular permeability. The pyrogenic inflammatory cytokines were not increased. The C48/80 model reflected the characteristics of cold and damp accumulation. In the study, three non-infectious pneumonia models were constructed. The LPS model exhibited neutrophil infiltration and elevated inflammatory factors, which was suitable for the efficacy study of TCM for clearing heat, detoxifying, removing dampness, and eliminating phlegm. The OVA model, which took allergic inflammation as an index, was suitable for the efficacy study of Yiqi Gubiao formulas. The C48/80 model exhibited increased vasoactive substances(histamine, PGs, and LTE4), which was suitable for the efficacy study and evaluation of TCM for warming the lung, dispersing cold, drying dampness, and resolving phlegm. The study provides a theoretical basis for model selection for the efficacy evaluation of TCM in the treatment of pneumonia.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice ; Pneumonia/genetics* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Male ; Humans ; Cytokines/immunology* ; Female ; Lipopolysaccharides/adverse effects* ; Lung/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Ovalbumin ; Mice, Inbred BALB C

To address issues such as loss of detailed information, blurred target boundaries, and unclear structural hierarchy in medical image fusion, this paper proposes an adaptive feature medical image fusion network based on a full-scale diffusion model. First, a region-level feature map is generated using a kernel-based saliency map to enhance local features and boundary details. Then, a full-scale diffusion feature extraction network is employed for global feature extraction, alongside a multi-scale denoising U-shaped network designed to fully capture cross-layer information. A multi-scale feature integration module is introduced to reinforce texture details and structural information extracted by the encoder. Finally, an adaptive fusion scheme is applied to progressively fuse region-level features, global features, and source images layer by layer, enhancing the preservation of detail information. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, this paper validates the proposed model on the publicly available Harvard dataset and an abdominal dataset. By comparing with nine other representative image fusion methods, the proposed approach achieved improvements across seven evaluation metrics. The results demonstrate that the proposed method effectively extracts both global and local features of medical images, enhances texture details and target boundary clarity, and generates fusion image with high contrast and rich information, providing more reliable support for subsequent clinical diagnosis.
Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods* ; Algorithms ; Neural Networks, Computer ; Diagnostic Imaging/methods* ; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted/methods*

OBJECTIVE: Rhei Radix et Rhizoma has five types of products, namely, raw rhubarb (RR), wine rhubarb (WR), vinegar rhubarb (VR), cooked rhubarb (CR), and rhubarb charcoal (RC). However, Rhei Radix et Rhizoma is easily contaminated with fungi and mycotoxins if not harvested or processed properly. Here, we intend to analyze how microbiome assemblies and co-occurrence patterns are influenced by sampling locations and processing methods. METHODS: High-throughput sequencing and internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) were carried out to study the diversities (α- and β-diversity), composition (dominant taxa and potential biomarkers), and network complexitity of surface fungi on RR, WR, VR, CR, and RC collected from Gansu and Sichuan provinces, China. RESULTS: The phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota; the genera Kazachstania, Malassezia, and Asterotremella; and the species Kazachstania exigua, Asterotremella pseudolonga, and Malassezia restricta were the dominant fungi and exhibited differences in the two provinces and the five processed products. The α-diversity and network complexity were strongly dependent on processing methods. Chao 1, the Shannon index, and network complexity and connectivity were highest in the CR group. The α-diversity and network complexity were influenced by sampling locations. Chao 1 and network complexity and connectivity were highest in the Gansu Province. CONCLUSION The assembly and network of the surface microbiome on Rhei Radix et Rhizoma were shaped by processing methods and sampling locations. This paper offers a comprehensive understanding of microorganisms, which can provide early warning for potential mycotoxins and ensure the safety of drugs and consumers.