OBJECTIVES: To explore the mechanism of Qingda Granules (QDG) for alleviating brain damage in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). METHODS: Twelve 5-week-old SHRs were randomized into SHR control group and SHR+QDG group treated with QDG by gavage at the daily dose of 0.9 g/kg for 12 weeks. The control rats, along with 6 age-matched WKY rats, were treated with saline only. Blood pressure changes of the rats were monitored, and pathologies and neuronal apoptosis in the cerebral cortex were examined with HE staining and TUNEL staining. Cerebral cortical expressions of miR-124 and STAT3 mRNA were detected using RT-qPCR, and the protein expressions of NeuN, STAT3, Bcl-2, Bax, and cleaved caspase-3 were detected with immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. In a HT22 cell model of oxygen and glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R), the effects of QDG on cell viability and apoptosis, expressions of miR-124 and STAT3 mRNA, and protein expressions of STAT3, Bcl-2, Bax, and cleaved caspase-3 were evaluated using CCK8 assay, Hoechst 33342 staining, RT-qPCR, and Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with WKY rats, SHRs had significantly elevated systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure with significantly increased neuronal apoptosis in the cerebral cortex, reduced expressions of NeuN, miR-124 and Bcl-2, and enhanced expressions of STAT3, Bax and cleaved caspase-3 (P<0.05). All these changes in the SHRs were significantly ameliorated by treatment with QDG (P<0.05). In the HT22 cell model, QDG treatment obviously reduced OGD/R-induced cell apoptosis, increased the expressions of miR-124 and Bcl-2, and suppressed the elevation of protein expressions of STAT3, Bax and cleaved caspase-3. CONCLUSIONS QDG inhibits cerebral cortical neuronal apoptosis and thereby attenuates brain damage in SHR rats by modulating the miR-124/STAT3 signaling axis.
Animals ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; STAT3 Transcription Factor/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Rats ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Male ; Hypertension

Objective To develop a machine learning(ML)-based prediction model for assessing the therapeutic effects of resveratrol(RES)on the pathological damage of acute pancreatitis(AP),and to optimize RES administration strategies for AP through validation using an animal model.Methods AAn ML-based prediction model was constructed using published data.Interpretability analysis was applied to identify high-efficacy zones within the parameter space of administration dose and frequency,which was followed by rigorous screening to select the optimal dosing strategy that balanced therapeutic efficacy and experimental feasibility.A total of 32 C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to 4 groups(n=8 per group),including a control group(Ctrl),an AP model group induced by caerulein(CER)and referred to as CER-AP,a treatment group receiving RES via intraperitoneal injection(RES i.p.),and a treatment group receiving RES via intragastric gavage(RES i.g.).The Ctrl group received intraperitoneal injection of normal saline.The CER-AP and the treatment groups were induced with 10 intraperitoneal injections of CER at 50 μg/kg.RES was administered to the RES i.p.and RES i.g.groups according to the optimal dose and timing predicted by the ML model.Blood and tissue samples were collected 12 hours after the experiment started.Results The gradient boosting decision tree model,optimized via Hyperopt,yielded the best performance,predicting that the optimal dose and administration frequency were 19.992 mg/kg and 3.828 times,respectively.Accordingly,a regimen of 20 mg/kg RES,administered four times,was used in the animal experiments.Compared with the Ctrl group,the CER-AP group exhibited higher pancreatic pathology scores and elevated levels of serum amylase,lipase,pancreatic myeloperoxidase,and trypsin,with all differences reaching statistical significance(all P<0.05).The administration of 20 mg/kg RES via both intraperitoneal injection and intragastric gavage mitigated pancreatic inflammatory cell infiltration and necrosis,improved the overall pathology score,and reduced serum amylase,lipase,and pancreatic myeloperoxidase levels to varying degrees(all P<0.05).Conclusion A regimen of 20 mg/kg RES administered four times effectively alleviates the severity of CER-induced AP.The therapeutic benefits appear to arise from a multi-target regulatory network that simultaneously suppresses inflammatory cascades,mitigates oxidative stress,and reduces apoptosis,thereby reducing pancreatic tissue damage and systemic inflammatory responses.

Objective To explore the mechanism of Qingda Granules(QDG)for alleviating brain damage in spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHRs).Methods Twelve 5-week-old SHRs were randomized into SHR control group and SHR+QDG group treated with QDG by gavage at the daily dose of 0.9 g/kg for 12 weeks.The control rats,along with 6 age-matched WKY rats,were treated with saline only.Blood pressure changes of the rats were monitored,and pathologies and neuronal apoptosis in the cerebral cortex were examined with HE staining and TUNEL staining.Cerebral cortical expressions of miR-124 and STAT3 mRNA were detected using RT-qPCR,and the protein expressions of NeuN,STAT3,Bcl-2,Bax,and cleaved caspase-3 were detected with immunohistochemistry and Western blotting.In a HT22 cell model of oxygen and glucose deprivation/reoxygenation(OGD/R),the effects of QDG on cell viability and apoptosis,expressions of miR-124 and STAT3 mRNA,and protein expressions of STAT3,Bcl-2,Bax,and cleaved caspase-3 were evaluated using CCK8 assay,Hoechst 33342 staining,RT-qPCR,and Western blotting.Results Compared with WKY rats,SHRs had significantly elevated systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure with significantly increased neuronal apoptosis in the cerebral cortex,reduced expressions of NeuN,miR-124 and Bcl-2,and enhanced expressions of STAT3,Bax and cleaved caspase-3(P＜0.05).All these changes in the SHRs were significantly ameliorated by treatment with QDG(P＜0.05).In the HT22 cell model,QDG treatment obviously reduced OGD/R-induced cell apoptosis,increased the expressions of miR-124 and Bcl-2,and suppressed the elevation of protein expressions of STAT3,Bax and cleaved caspase-3.Conclusion QDG inhibits cerebral cortical neuronal apoptosis and thereby attenuates brain damage in SHR rats by modulating the miR-124/STAT3 signaling axis.

Colorectal cancer （CRC）， a most common malignant tumor of the digestive tract， is often manifested by abdominal pain， changes in stool quality， blood in the stool， and weight loss， with rising morbidity and mortality year by year. The onset and development of CRC involve a variety of mechanisms， in which tumor microenvironment （TME） and tumor-associated macrophages （TAMs） have received increasing attention. TAMs influence the tumor development via immune escape and angiogenesis promotion and are associated with the prognosis of tumors. In recent years， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has been widely researched and applied in the treatment of cancers. Studies have discovered that TCM mainly exerts the therapeutic effects on CRC by inhibiting the proliferation， metastasis， and angiogenesis， promoting the apoptosis， and inducing autophagy of tumor cells and boosting the immune function. TCM as an effective treatment approach can regulate TAMs to inhibit tumor growth. Moreover， the active components and targets of TCM can be taken as new research directions of immunotherapy. This review describes TAMs and their roles in CRC progression and summarizes the molecular targets and mechanisms of different active components， compound prescriptions， and novel preparations of TCM against CRC， aiming to provide a mechanism reference for the clinical treatment of CRC with TCM and give new insights into the in-depth research on the prevention and treatment of CRC-related diseases with TCM.

Objective:To observe the recovery of exercise tolerance among stroke survivors using the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) and analyze the factors influencing it.Methods:A total of 81 stroke survivors hospitalized in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine of our hospital in year 2018 and 2019 were selected. The general clinical data of all patients were collected retrospectively and combined with the data from CPET to establish a data set. Version 25.0 of the SPSS software was used for multiple linear regressions analysis, with the peak oxygen uptake as the dependent variable, and the age, Brunnstrom stage, peak power, peak heart rate, peak respiratory exchange ratio, peak breathing reserve, peak ventilation per minute, the slope of the VE-VCO 2 curve (ΔVE/ΔVCO 2) and peak end tidal partial pressure of carbon dioxide as independent variables. Results:Stroke survivors at Brunnstrom stage III Ⅲ, Ⅳ and Ⅴ or higher decreased sequentially with their age, but their peak oxygen uptake increased gradually. The multiple linear regression model constructed by " stepwise method" showed that the fitted multiple linear regression equation was statistically significant ( F=100.228, P<0.001). Moreover, the average peak power, peak heart rate, peak ventilation per minute and the slope of the VE-VCO 2 curve were all found to be significant independent predictors of peak oxygen uptake in these stroke survivors. Conclusions:Skeletal muscle power, cardiac function, pulmonary ventilation and ventilation efficiency are useful independent predictors of the exercise tolerance of stroke survivors.

Objective To study the effect of multidisciplinary rehabilitation nursing on the number of acute exacerbation, quality of life and pulmonary function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods A total of 1088 cases of COPD patients admitted to department of respiratory medicine from February 2015 to July 2016 were divided into the study group and the control group by random digits table method, 544 cases in each group. The control group was given COPD related health education and routine care. The study group was given comprehensive rehabilitation of multidisciplinary lung care. After 1 years, the mental status, dyspnea grade improvement, acute exacerbation and 6 min walk test distance (6MWD) were compared between the two groups. Results One year after intervention, 6MWD and the times of acute exacerbation in the study group were (450.32 ± 67.21)m and (0.37 ± 0.28) times, and (394.12 ± 63.17)m and (2.08 ± 1.65) times in the control group, the study group was better than the control group (t=2.064, 2.029, P<0.05). One year after intervention, the scores of mental state, function, symptom were 1.76 ± 1.02, 1.69 ± 1.01, 1.61 ± 0.79 in the study group respectively, and 2.10 ± 1.08, 2.08 ± 2.03, 1.79 ± 0.80 in the control group,the difference was statistically significant (t=2.051, 2.017, 2.103, P<0.05). Conclusions After comprehensive nursing intervention of multidisciplinary rehabilitation, COPD patients can not only have obvious improvement in lung function, but also reduce the frequency of acute exacerbation of COPD.

Objective: To investigate the inhibitory effect of macrophage foaming by Yinlan Tianzhi formula (YLTZ) and to explain its effects on lipid-induced inflammation and LXRα-ABCA1 signal pathway. Methods: The model of macrophage foaming was induced by incubating the RAW264.7 cells or BMMs with ox-LDL (50 mg·L-1). The serum containing YLTZ was prepared. The cells were divided into blank group, model group, and drug group. After drug intervention, MTT method was used to detect cell proliferation. The lipid accumulation in cells was observed by oil red O staining, and GPO-PAP method was used to determine the total cholesterol content in cells. Protein and mRNA levels were determined by Western blot and RT- qPCR. Results: Compared with control group, after YLTZ treatment, the lipid level was significantly decreased, and the level of mRNA and protein of LXRα and ABCA1 were significant increased. The expression of inflammatory factor COX2 and iNOS was significantly decreased. Conclusion: YLTZ inhibits macrophage foaming through enhancing LXRα-ABCA1 pathway and suppressing of inflammatory response.

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of full-field digital mammography (FFDM) combined with digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) in breast diseases.Methods 506 patients receiving mammary gland molybdenum target inspection from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014 were selected.The images from FFDM and DBT were analyzed, respectively.The breast imaging reports and pathological results were compared to investigate the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of FFDM, DBT alone and combined use of DBT and FFDM.Results The results of preoperative mammography in the 506 women (bilateral breast) were as follows: FFDM combined with DBT detected 202 benign cases (39.9%) and 304 malignant cases (60.1%);FFDM alone detected 194 benign cases (38.3%) and 312 malignant cases (61.7%);DBT alone detected 187 benign cases (37.0%) and 319 malignant cases (63.0%).Pathologically, 214 benign cases (42.3%) were detected and 292 malignant cases (57.7%).In terms of the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy, The combined use of DBT combined with FFDM was the best, followed by FFDM alone and DBT alone.Conclusion The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of FFDM combined with DBT for diagnosis are better than those of FFDM alone or DBT alone.

AIM To study the effects of No.1 Weiyan Decoction (Codonopsis Radix,Paeoniae Radix alba,Taraxaci Herba,etc.) on hypoxia and hypoxic tolerance in gastric mucosal epithelial cells in rats with precancerous lesion of gastric cancer (PLGC).METHODS Forty rats were randomly divided into normal,model,Vitacoenzyme Tablets and No.1 Weiyan Decoction groups.Except for the normal group,the rats in the other groups were given with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine and Little Chengqi Decoction to establish a PLGC rat model.Ten weeks after the administration,the gastric mucosal epithelial microvascular ultrastructure was observed,the expressions of Hif1a mRNA,HIF-1 α protein and VEGF protein in gastric mucosal epithelium were detected.RESULTS Compared with the normal group,the number of microvasculatures in gastric mucosal epithelium was decreased;lumen was severely stenosed or expansive;inner wall was not smooth and had adhesion;vascular endothelial cells were swollen;the expression of Hif1α mRNA showed an increasing trend;the expressions of HIF-1α protein and VEGF protein were anomalous in the model group.Compared with the model group,the gastric mucosal vascular lesion of PLGC rats was improved,and the expressions of Hif1a mRNA,HIF-1α protein and VEGF protein were significantly decreased in the No.1 Weiyan Decoction group.CONCLUSION No.1 Weiyan Decoction can improve hypoxia and hypoxia tolerance,and induce angiogenesis in gastric mucosal epithelium in PLGC rats.

Objective · To design and synthesize five new tropane compounds, and test their antagonistic activity against M3 receptor and inhibition activity to neutrophil elastase (NE), of which the structure-activity relationship were preliminarily investigated. Methods · The five compounds, A1-A3,B1 and C1, were prepared with 3α-hydroxy-tropane (A0) as the starting material by modifying the structure in C-3α position and N atom on the tropane skeleton. The antagonistic activity of the compounds to muscarinic M3 receptors on tracheal rings of guinea pigs was evaluated by functional assays in vitro. The hydrolysis of PGlu-Pro-Val-PNA as substrate was catalyzed by NE to get colorful nitroaniline (PNA). The NE inhibition activity of the tropane compounds was obtained by determining the absorbance [(D(405 nm)] of PNA. Results · The five new tropane compounds generated strong antagonistic activity against M3 receptors. Among them, A2 had the greatest activity [antagonistic parameter pA2(M3)=9.004], and elicited obvious inhibitory effect to NE (inhibition ratio YA2=20.29%). Conclusion · Introducing strong electron-attraction group, such as sulfuryl and hydrophobic group with large volume into C-3α position on the tropane skeleton can improve the M3 receptor antagonistic activity as well as the NE inhibition activity.