The anti-inflammatory phytochemical investigation of the leaves of Illicium dunnianum (I. dunnianum) resulted in the isolation of five pairs of new lignans (1-5), and 7 known analogs (6-12). The separation of enantiomer mixtures 1-5 to 1a/1b-5a/5b was achieved using a chiral column with acetonitrile-water mixtures as eluents. The planar structures of 1-2 were previously undescribed, and the chiral separation and absolute configurations of 3-5 were reported for the first time. Their structures were determined through comprehensive spectroscopic data analysis [nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high-resolution electrospray ionization mass (HR-ESI-MS), infrared (IR), and ultraviolet (UV)] and quantum chemistry calculations (ECD). The new isolates were evaluated by measuring their inhibitory effect on NO in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 cells. Compounds 1a, 3a, 3b, and 5a demonstrated partial inhibition of NO production in a concentration-dependent manner. Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays revealed that 1a down-regulated the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), COX-2, and iNOS and the protein expressions of COX-2 and iNOS. This research provides guidance and evidence for the further development and utilization of I. dunnianum.
Lignans/isolation & purification* ; Plant Leaves/chemistry* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/isolation & purification* ; Mice ; Animals ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology* ; Illicium/chemistry* ; Cyclooxygenase 2/immunology* ; Interleukin-6/immunology* ; Nitric Oxide/metabolism* ; Cell Line ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/immunology* ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/immunology* ; Lipopolysaccharides

Objective To analyze the reverse mechano-electric effect of the layered structure of articular cartilage and its influencing factors.Methods The cartilage samples were classified according to their physiological thickness(approximately 0.4 mm for the upper layer,1 mm for the middle layer,and 0.6 mm for the lower layer).Through a non-contact external electric field testing method,how different influencing factors affected the reverse mechano-electric effect of articular cartilage was analyzed.Results When the electric field spacing decreased,water content increased,and in vitro time decreased,the displacement of normal layered cartilage in a non-contact electric field increased by 18,10,15 μm,respectively.In the case of simulated arthritis defects,as the defect depth and radius increased,the overall deviation deflection of articular cartilage gradually decreased by about 7 μm.Conclusions The three-layer cartilage differed in their reverse mechano-electricity effects,showing the greatest deflection in the middle layer at 90％water content,under 7 mm electric field spacing,and after 12 hours ex vivo.

The superficial zone (SFZ) of articular cartilage is an important interface that isolates deeper zones from the microenvironment of the articular cavity and is directly exposed to various biological and mechanical stimuli. The SFZ is not only a crucial structure for maintaining the normal physiological function of articular cartilage but also the earliest site of osteoarthritis (OA) cartilage degeneration and a major site of cartilage progenitor cells, suggesting that the SFZ might represent a key target for the early diagnosis and treatment of OA. However, to date, SFZ research has not received sufficient attention, accounting for only about 0.58% of cartilage tissue research. The structure, biological composition, function, and related mechanisms of the SFZ in the physiological and pathological processes of articular cartilage remain unclear. This article reviews the key role of the SFZ in articular cartilage physiology and pathology and focuses on the characteristics of SFZ in articular cartilage degeneration and regeneration in OA, aiming to provide researchers with a systematic understanding of the current research status of the SFZ of articular cartilage, hoping that scholars will give more attention to the SFZ of articular cartilage in the future.
Cartilage, Articular/pathology* ; Humans ; Regeneration/physiology* ; Animals ; Osteoarthritis/physiopathology*

Objective To analyze the reverse mechano-electric effect of the layered structure of articular cartilage and its influencing factors.Methods The cartilage samples were classified according to their physiological thickness(approximately 0.4 mm for the upper layer,1 mm for the middle layer,and 0.6 mm for the lower layer).Through a non-contact external electric field testing method,how different influencing factors affected the reverse mechano-electric effect of articular cartilage was analyzed.Results When the electric field spacing decreased,water content increased,and in vitro time decreased,the displacement of normal layered cartilage in a non-contact electric field increased by 18,10,15 μm,respectively.In the case of simulated arthritis defects,as the defect depth and radius increased,the overall deviation deflection of articular cartilage gradually decreased by about 7 μm.Conclusions The three-layer cartilage differed in their reverse mechano-electricity effects,showing the greatest deflection in the middle layer at 90％water content,under 7 mm electric field spacing,and after 12 hours ex vivo.

To investigate the efficacy and safety of aromatase inhibitors (AI) combined with recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) in improving the final height (FH) of boys in late puberty.

Bone marrow suppression is one of the common adverse reactions to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Anticancer treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy first directly damage the patient′s peripheral blood cells, impairing qi and blood; further, they damage the actively proliferating cell populations in the bone marrow, impairing yin and blood; and then they interfere with hematopoietic stem cells, impairing essence and blood. This process is rapid and intense, consistent with the characteristics of " acute deficiency syndrome" , marked by sudden onset, rapid changes, critical condition, complexity and variability, multiple complications, and poor prognosis. Given this, its diagnosis and treatment should differ from those of general deficiency syndromes. This paper advocates the principles and ideas of diagnosis and treatment such as " preventing first and treating early to prevent changes; supplementing for deficiency and strengthening vital qi to eliminate pathogenic factor; urgent rescue for critical conditions, no time to lose; and comprehensive supplementing throughout the process, with severe cases requiring singular action" . This approach is intended to provide theoretical reference and practical guidance for bone marrow suppression after radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of the Corheart 6 left ventricular assist system in patients with end-stage heart failure. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on patients with end-stage heart failure who were treated with Corheart 6 left ventricular assist system from March 2022 to June 2024 in 4 hospitals in Jiangsu Province. The efficacy of the device was evaluated by comparing changes in clinical indicators at preoperative, discharge, 3-month postoperative, and 6-month postoperative timepoints, including the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD). The safety of the device was assessed by analyzing the intraoperative position and orientation of the blood pump inlet cannula, as well as the incidence of adverse events. Results In this study, 39 patients were collected, including 34 males and 5 females with a mean age of (56.4±12.5) years, ranging from 20 to 75 years. There was no operative death. There was no death in postoperative 3 months with a survival rate of 100.0%. There were 3 deaths in 6 months postoperatively, with a survival rate of 92.3%. All patients had a preoperative NYHA cardiac function classification of class Ⅳ. The NYHA cardiac function class of the patients improved (P<0.05) at discharge, 3 and 6 months after surgery when compared to the preoperative period. LVEF was significantly higher at 3 months after surgery than that during the preoperative period (P<0.05). LVEDD was significantly smaller at discharge, 3 and 6 months after surgery than that during the preoperative period (P<0.05). The safety evaluation's findings demonstrated that all 39 patients' intraoperative blood pump inlet tubes were oriented correctly, the artificial blood vessel suture sites were appropriate, there were no instances of device malfunction or pump thrombosis, or instances of bleeding or hemolysis, and the rate of the remaining adverse events was low. Conclusion With a low rate of adverse events and an excellent safety profile, the Corheart 6 left ventricular assist system can efficiently enhance cardiac function in patients with end-stage heart failure. It also has considerable clinical uses.

Turning to critical illness is a common stage of various diseases and injuries before death. Patients usually have complex health conditions, while the treatment process involves a wide range of content, along with high requirements for doctor′s professionalism and multi-specialty teamwork, as well as a great demand for time-sensitive treatments. However, this is not matched with critical care professionals and the current state of medical care in China. Telemedicine, which shortens the distance of medical professionals and the gap of disease diagnosis and treatments in various regions through electronic information, can effectively solve the current problem. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a standardized, high-quality visualization telemedicine round system .Therefore, experts have been organized to search domestic and foreign literature on telemedicine round for critically ill patients and to form this consensus based on clinical experiences so as to further improve the level of critical care treatments in regions.

Fresh osteochondral allograft transplantation (FOCA) can effectively repair large-area articular cartilage defects and has been applied internationally, with approximately ten thousand cases performed annually. However, in China, it is still at an early developmental stage. This article analyzes the challenges and future prospects of FOCA from multiple perspectives, including legal and regulatory support, relevant policy backing, sources of cartilage tissue, construction of tissue banks, establishment of information supervision systems, academic environment, as well as scientific research and clinical application.