This study aims to explore the protective effect of Chaihu Jia Longgu Muli Decoction on rats with heart failure after myocardial infarction, and to clarify its possible mechanisms, providing a new basis for basic research on the mechanism of classic Chinese medicinal formula-mediated inflammatory response in preventing and treating heart failure induced by apoptosis after myocardial infarction. A heart failure model after myocardial infarction was established in rats by coronary artery ligation. The rats were divided into sham group, model group, and low, medium, and high-dose groups of Chaihu Jia Longgu Muli Decoction, with 10 rats in each group. The low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose groups of Chaihu Jia Longgu Muli Decoction were given 6.3, 12.6, and 25.2 g·kg~(-1) doses by gavage, respectively. The sham group and model group were given an equal volume of distilled water by gavage once daily for four consecutive weeks. Cardiac function was assessed using color Doppler echocardiography. Myocardial pathology was detected by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, apoptosis was measured by TUNEL assay, and mitophagy was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin(IL)-1β, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP) in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The expression of apoptosis-related proteins B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), and cleaved caspase-3 was detected by Western blot. Additionally, the expression of phosphorylated nuclear transcription factor-κB(NF-κB) p65(p-NF-κB p65)(upstream) and nuclear factor kappa B inhibitor alpha(IκBα)(downstream) in the NF-κB signaling pathway was assessed by Western blot. The results showed that compared with the sham group, left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) and left ventricular short axis shortening(LVFS) in the model group were significantly reduced, while left ventricular end diastolic diameter(LVEDD) and left ventricular end systolic diameter(LVESD) increased significantly. Myocardial tissue damage was severe, with widened intercellular spaces and disorganized cell arrangement. The apoptosis rate was increased, and mitochondria were enlarged with increased vacuoles. Levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and NT-proBNP were elevated, indicating an obvious inflammatory response. The expression of pro-apoptotic factors Bax and cleaved caspase-3 increased, while the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2 decreased. The expression of p-NF-κB p65 was upregulated, and the expression of IκBα was downregulated. In contrast, the Chaihu Jia Longgu Muli Decoction groups showed significantly improved of LVEF, LVFS and decreased LVEDD, LVESD compared to the model group. Myocardial tissue damage was alleviated, and intercellular spaces were reduced. The apoptosis rate decreased, mitochondrial volume decreased, and the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and NT-proBNP were lower. The expression of pro-apoptotic factors Bax and cleaved caspase-3 decreased, while the expression of the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2 increased. Additionally, the expression of p-NF-κB p65 decreased, while IκBα expression increased. In summary, this experimental study shows that Chaihu Jia Longgu Muli Decoction can reduce the inflammatory response and apoptosis rate in rats with heart failure after myocardial infarction, which may be related to the regulation of the IκBα/NF-κB signaling pathway.
Animals ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Rats ; Myocardial Infarction/physiopathology* ; Male ; NF-kappa B/genetics* ; Heart Failure/etiology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha/genetics* ; Humans ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/genetics*

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common diseases in elderly men, the incidence of which gradually increases with age and leads to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), which seriously affects the quality of life of patients. Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) are widely used for the treatment of BPH in China and some other countries. To explore the molecular mechanisms of CHMs for BPH, we conducted a review based on peer-reviewed English-language publications in PubMed and Web of Science databases from inception to December 31, 2023. This article primarily reviewed 32 papers on the use of CHMs and its active compounds in the treatment of BPH, covering animal and cell experiments, and identified relevant mechanisms of action. The results suggest that the mechanisms of action of CHMs in treating BPH may involve the regulation of sex hormones, downregulation of cell growth factors, anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects, inhibition of cell proliferation, and promotion of apoptosis. CHMs also exhibit α-blocker-like effects, with the potential to relax urethral smooth muscle and alleviate LUTS. Additionally, we also reviewed 4 clinical trials and meta-analyses of CHMs for the treatment of BPH patients, which provided initial evidence of the safety and effectiveness of CHMs treatment. CHMs treatment for BPH shows advantages as a multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway therapy, which can mitigate the severity of the disease, improve LUTS, and may become a reliable treatment option in the future.
Prostatic Hyperplasia/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Male ; Animals

To understand the background of Escherichia coli(E.coli)carried by artificially bred sika deer and the biological characteristics of the isolated strains,such as drug resistance and pathogenicity,in April 2024,we collected 184 fresh deer fecal samples from four deer farms in Luxiang Township,Shuangyang District,Changchun City,Jilin Province,for isolation and cultivation of E.coli.The isolates were tested for drug resistance and biochemical identification with a BD PhoenixTM-100 Automated Microbiology System.The virulence genes were detected with PCR,and the strains were molecularly typed with ERIC-PCR.A total of 165 E.coli strains were isolated from 184 samples of deer feces,with an isolation rate of 89.67%.Twenty strains had a drug resistance phenotype,and the drug resistance rate was 12.12%;these strains included 15 strains of multi-drug resistant bacteria and 11 strains of ESBL-producing bacteria.Virulence gene detection indicated that the sika deer isolates carried multiple diarrhea-associated virulence genes,such as EAST-1(12.12%),eae(1.21%),stx1(7.88%),stx2(7.27%),and STa(1.82%).ERIC-PCR demonstrated that the isolates showed high polymorphism.The ESBL-producing E.coli carried by sika deer are likely to spread drug resistance in the community and livestock population.Some isolates carried multiple diarrhea-associated virulence genes,thus posing a human transmission risk.Therefore,monitoring of drug resistance and virulence genes must be strengthened,and antibiotics must be used reasonably during the breeding process to avoid excessive use and misuse.

Objective To explore the applicative value of spectral CT in increasing positive rates of lung cancer puncture and reducing complications during CT guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy(PTNB).Methods The pathological results and complica-tion incidences of 260 PTNB patients were analyzed retrospectively.All patients were divided into three groups:group A(conventional CT group,103 cases)used a scheme based on conventional enhanced CT;group B(PET/CT group,84 cases)used a scheme combining the maximum standardized uptake value(SUVmax)with conventional enhanced CT;group C(spectral CT group,73 cases)used a scheme of quantitative spectral CT parameters and images.Results Group A included 103 cases in total,of which 87 were positive(84.47％),41 pneumothorax(39.81％),and 31 hemorrhage(30.10％).Group B totaled 84 cases,including 82 positive cases(97.62％),19 cases of pneumothorax(22.62％),and 11 cases of hemorrhage(13.10％).Group C was of 73 cases,including 70 positive cases(95.89％),16 cases of pneumothorax(21.92％),and 10 cases of hemorrhage(13.70％).There were statistically significant differ-ences in biopsy positive rates,pneumothorax incidences,and hemorrhage incidences among groups A,B,and C(P＜0.05).There were also statistically significant differences in biopsy positive rates,pneumothorax incidences,and hemorrhage incidences between groups A and B or groups A and C(P＜0.016 7),respectively.However,no statistically significant differences were found between groups B and C in biopsy positive rates,pneumothorax incidences,and hemorrhage incidences(P＞0.016 7).Conclusion Spectral CT can improve the positive rate of lung cancer and reduce the risk of pneumothorax and hemorrhage with PTNB.

Objective:To investigate the method and clinical efficacy of simultaneous correction of sunken upper eyelid during double eyelid plasty.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with single eyelids and sunken upper eyelid treated at the Department of Plastic Surgery, the First People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou, from October 2022 to February 2024. All patients underwent incisional double eyelid plasty with individualized correction based on depression severity. For mild depression, a combination of pretarsal orbicularis oculi muscle flap folding and orbital septum fat flap transposition was performed for correction. For moderate depression, additional autologous stromal vascular fraction (SVF)-gel grafting would be performed if residual depression persisted after the aforementioned approach. For severe depression, if the orbital fat was sufficient, the orbicularis oculi muscle flap folding, orbital fat flap repositioning and autologous SVF-gel transplantation were used. If there was insufficient orbital fat, the correction involved the use of a orbicularis oculi muscle flap and SVF-gel transplantation. Postoperative follow-up was conducted regularly, and related complications were statistically analyzed. Six months after the surgery, two blinded plastic surgeons evaluated outcomes via visual analog scale (VAS), including five aspects: symmetry of palpebral folds(including width and curvature of the double eyelid fold), fold contour, depression improvement, scar quality, overall eyelid aesthetics. Each aspect was rated on a scale from 1 to 10, with higher scores indicating better outcomes. Patient satisfaction was scored separately (1-5 per item), with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction.Results:A total of 64 patients were enrolled, including 4 males and 60 females; the age ranged from 19 to 66 years[ (32.0±9.7) years]. The degree of sunken upper eyelid was mild in 33 cases, moderate in 19 cases and severe in 12 cases. All patients underwent double eyelid plasty and orbicularis oculi flap folding. Based on this, 45 cases (33 mild and 12 moderate cases) underwent orbital septum fat flap transposition, 11 severe cases underwent SVF-gel grafting, and 8 cases (7 moderate and 1 severe cases) required combined approaches to correct depression. During the procedure, 19 cases (38 sides) received (1.8±0.8) ml of SVF-gel injection. Among these cases, one case with severe sunken upper eyelid who did not receive orbital fat transfer was injected with high density fat (left side: 0.6 ml, right side: 0.8 ml) due to insufficient SVF-gel volume. Two cases with severe sunken upper eyelid who only had autologous SVF-gel transplantation did not fully correct the depression within 3 months post-surgery received a second SVF-gel injection[(1.0±0.1) ml]. Follow-up was conducted for 6 to 12 months after surgery. All patients experienced varying degrees of eyelid edema, which typically lasted 2 to 3 months. Ecchymosis (34 sides), conjunctival congestion (3 sides), and temporary ptosis (5 sides) all resolved within 2 weeks. Pigmentation (14 sides) and scar hyperplasia (3 sides) disappeared or stabilized within 6 months. No patients developed complications such as incision infection, hematoma, fat liquefaction, local skin unevenness, or induration. The surgeons’ VAS scores of the above five indicators were all > 8 points, and the satisfaction scores of patients for the five indicators were all > 4 points. In both scoring, the improvement of sunken upper eyelid scored the highest, which were (9.2 ± 0.9) points and (4.8 ± 0.6) points respectively.Conclusion:For patients with single eyelids and varying degrees of sunken upper eyelid, performing double eyelid plasty and orbicularis oculi muscle flap folding, individualized correction is achieved through autologous fat redistribution techniques, based on the severity of the sunken upper eyelid and the amount of orbital fat. This single procedure can restore upper eyelid volume and rejuvenate the appearance, resulting in a natural and aesthetically pleasing double eyelid with minimal complications and high patient satisfaction.

Objective:To explore the effect of bumetanide(BUM)on learning and memory in a rat model of hydro-cephalus induced by kaolin.Methods:A rat model of hydrocephalus was established by injecting kaolin into the lateral ventricle.Bumetanide was administered intranasally.The volume of the lateral ventricle was measured by magnetic resonance imaging,and changes in intracranial pressure were detected.The learning and memory ability of rats was evaluated by the novel object recognition test,and neuronal damage in the hippocampus was detected by Nissl staining.Results:Compared with the control group,the lateral ventricle expansion was more obvious,intracranial pressure was elevated,and the exploring novel object time was significantly decreased in the bumetanide treatment group.Nissl stai-ning showed neuronal damage.After bumetanide treatment,the volume of the lateral ventricle decreased,intracranial pressure decreased,the exploring novel object time increased,and neuronal damage was alleviated.Conclusion:Bu-metanide can alleviate kaolin-induced hydrocephalus in rats and improve learning and memory ability.

Objective:To analyze the trends and research hotspots in English publications from China′s anesthesiology discipline in international journals from 2000 to 2023 using the bibliometric analysis.Methods:Based on the results retrieved from the Science Citation Index Expanded database covering English publications from China′s anesthesiology discipline in international journals from January 2000 to December 2023, CiteSpace 6.3.R1 and VOSviewer 1.6.20.0 were employed to analyze the annual publication counts, institutions, authors, co-cited references, and keywords, etc. with knowledge graph generated.Results:A total of 53, 039 articles published in English from January 2000 to December 2023 were included. The annual number of articles published in English showed an overall increasing trend year by year. Basic research articles exhibited a phase of slow growth during 2000-2007, entered a period of accelerated growth from 2008, and demonstrated a slightly decreased trend by 2023. The number of clinical research articles increased rapidly since 2008, was equivalent to the basic research articles by 2020, surpassed basic research articles by 2023 and became the mainstream research direction of anesthesiology discipline. Among clinical research publications, case series studies predominated from 2000 to 2022, and cohort studies exceeded case series for the first time in 2023, ranking second only to the randomized controlled trials. Research hotspots in anesthesiology discipline predominantly focused on the relationship of neuropsychiatry to anesthesia, pain management, cardiovascular surgery and organ injury, COVID-19 pandemic and patient safety. In terms of journals, Medicine was the journal with the largest number of publications, with 1, 345 publications in 2023 and an impact factor of 1.3. American journals dominated the top 15 highly productive journals, and Anesthesiology had the highest h-index (60) and g-index (98) with an impact factor of 9.1. In terms of domestic high-yield institutions, Shanghai Jiao Tong University topped the list, publishing about 1, 200 papers between 2000 and 2023, followed by Sichuan University (about 850) and Capital Medical University (about 720). Conclusions:China′s anesthesiology research has demonstrated a meteoric rise in both the number of papers published and cited frequency, reflecting ascending scientific academic levels and innovation capacity in the the international arena. While acknowledging this quantitative expansion, recognition is warranted that enhancing research quality and international impact remains imperative to narrow the gap with advanced nations and gradually achieve advancement.

Objective:To explore the effect of bumetanide(BUM)on learning and memory in a rat model of hydro-cephalus induced by kaolin.Methods:A rat model of hydrocephalus was established by injecting kaolin into the lateral ventricle.Bumetanide was administered intranasally.The volume of the lateral ventricle was measured by magnetic resonance imaging,and changes in intracranial pressure were detected.The learning and memory ability of rats was evaluated by the novel object recognition test,and neuronal damage in the hippocampus was detected by Nissl staining.Results:Compared with the control group,the lateral ventricle expansion was more obvious,intracranial pressure was elevated,and the exploring novel object time was significantly decreased in the bumetanide treatment group.Nissl stai-ning showed neuronal damage.After bumetanide treatment,the volume of the lateral ventricle decreased,intracranial pressure decreased,the exploring novel object time increased,and neuronal damage was alleviated.Conclusion:Bu-metanide can alleviate kaolin-induced hydrocephalus in rats and improve learning and memory ability.

Objective:To analyze the trends and research hotspots in English publications from China′s anesthesiology discipline in international journals from 2000 to 2023 using the bibliometric analysis.Methods:Based on the results retrieved from the Science Citation Index Expanded database covering English publications from China′s anesthesiology discipline in international journals from January 2000 to December 2023, CiteSpace 6.3.R1 and VOSviewer 1.6.20.0 were employed to analyze the annual publication counts, institutions, authors, co-cited references, and keywords, etc. with knowledge graph generated.Results:A total of 53, 039 articles published in English from January 2000 to December 2023 were included. The annual number of articles published in English showed an overall increasing trend year by year. Basic research articles exhibited a phase of slow growth during 2000-2007, entered a period of accelerated growth from 2008, and demonstrated a slightly decreased trend by 2023. The number of clinical research articles increased rapidly since 2008, was equivalent to the basic research articles by 2020, surpassed basic research articles by 2023 and became the mainstream research direction of anesthesiology discipline. Among clinical research publications, case series studies predominated from 2000 to 2022, and cohort studies exceeded case series for the first time in 2023, ranking second only to the randomized controlled trials. Research hotspots in anesthesiology discipline predominantly focused on the relationship of neuropsychiatry to anesthesia, pain management, cardiovascular surgery and organ injury, COVID-19 pandemic and patient safety. In terms of journals, Medicine was the journal with the largest number of publications, with 1, 345 publications in 2023 and an impact factor of 1.3. American journals dominated the top 15 highly productive journals, and Anesthesiology had the highest h-index (60) and g-index (98) with an impact factor of 9.1. In terms of domestic high-yield institutions, Shanghai Jiao Tong University topped the list, publishing about 1, 200 papers between 2000 and 2023, followed by Sichuan University (about 850) and Capital Medical University (about 720). Conclusions:China′s anesthesiology research has demonstrated a meteoric rise in both the number of papers published and cited frequency, reflecting ascending scientific academic levels and innovation capacity in the the international arena. While acknowledging this quantitative expansion, recognition is warranted that enhancing research quality and international impact remains imperative to narrow the gap with advanced nations and gradually achieve advancement.