Objective To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of Yiqi Huoxue Tongmai Decoction(a modified priscription derived from Buyang Huanwu Decoction)combined with western medicines in the treatment of patients with pulmonary hypertension due to left heart disease(PH-LHD)of qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome,and to explore its effect on endothelial function.Methods Eighty patients with PH-LHD of qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome who were admitted to Shangluo Central Hospital from March 2022 to December 2023 were randomly divided into a study group and a control group,with 40 patients in each group.The control group was given routine treatment with western medicine,and the study group was treated with Yiqi Huoxue Tongmai Decoction on the basis of treatment for the control group,three weeks constituting a course of treatment.Before and after intervention,the two groups of patients were observed in the changes of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome scores,pulmonary circulation indicators[mean pulmonary arterial pressure(mPAP)and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure(PCWP)],cardiopulmonary exercise testing(CPET)indicators[peak heart rate,peak systolic blood pressure,peak diastolic blood pressure,maximal oxygen uptake(VO2max),peak oxygen pulse],vascular endothelial function indicators[serum nitric oxide(NO)and endothelin 1(ET-1)]and the scores of quality of life.After treatment,the clinical efficacy and incidence of adverse reactions of the patients between the two groups were compared.Results(1)After three-week of intervention,the total effective rate of the study group was 90.00%(36/40),while that of the control group was 72.50%(29/40),and the comparison between the two groups(tested by chi-square test)showed that the efficacy of the study group was significantly superior to that of the control group(P<0.05).(2)After intervention,the primary symptom scores,secondary symptom scores and total TCM syndrome scores of the two groups of patients were all decreased compared with those before intervention(P<0.05),and the decrease of the scores in the study group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P<0.01).(3)After intervention,the levels of pulmonary circulation indicators of mPAP and PCWP in the two groups were all decreased compared with those before intervention(P<0.05),and the decrease in the study group were significantly superior to that in the control group(P<0.01).(4)After intervention,the CPET indicators of peak heart rate,peak systolic blood pressure and peak diastolic blood pressure in the two groups were all decreased(P<0.05),while the VO2max and peak oxygen pulse rate were all increased compared with those before intervention(P<0.05),and the decrease of peak heart rate,peak systolic blood pressure and peak diastolic blood pressure as well as the increase of VO2max and peak oxygen pulse rate in the study group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P<0.05 or P<0.01).(5)After intervention,the vascular endothelial function indicator of serum ET-1 level in the two groups was decreased compared with that before intervention(P<0.05),and the serum NO level was increased compared with that before intervention(P<0.05),and the decrease of serum ET-1 level and the increase of serum NO level in the study group were significantly superior to those in the control group(P<0.01).(6)After intervention,the scores of six dimensions of 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey(SF-36),including mental health,role-emotional,social functioning,role-physical,vitality,and general health in the patients of the two groups were increased compared with those before intervention(P<0.05),and the increase in the study group was significantly superior to that of the control group(P<0.05 or P<0.01).(7)The incidence of adverse reactions in the study group was 20.00%(8/40)and that was 15.00%(6/40)in the control group,and the comparison between the two groups showed that the difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05).Conclusion Yiqi Huoxue Tongmai Decoction combined with western medicines is effective on enhancing the clinical efficacy for the intervention of patients with PH-LHD of qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome,and can improve the patients'cardiopulmonary function,vascular endothelial function and improve the quality of life,with higher safety.

Brain tinnitus is a common clinical condition whose pathogenesis is not yet fully understood,and it still lacks effective therapies in clinical practice.Professor Liu Maocai believes that the clinical manifestations of brain tinnitus are usually characterized by deficiency syndrome,and sometimes are complicated excess syndrome.The disease is located in the brain and is closely related to the liver,spleen,and kidney.The treatment of brain tinnitus should be focused on tonifying the liver and kidney,and strengthening the spleen,and methods of calming the liver to extinguish wind,resolving phlegm to open the orifices,and activating blood circulation to unblock collaterals can be used for excess syndrome.In clinical practice,Professor Liu Maocai is skilled in using herb pairs such as Astragali Radix-Codonopsis Radix,Eucommiae Cortex-Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix,Paeoniae Radix Alba-Bupleuri Radix,Angelicae Sinensis Radix-Chuanxiong Rhizoma,Gastrodiae Rhizoma-Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis,and Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma-Polygalae Radix.Professor Liu Maocai's experience in treating brain tinnitus from the perspective of the liver,spleen,and kidney can provide valuable references for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of brain tinnitus with traditional Chinese medicine.

Rapid developments in biotechnology have led researchers to seek new method to improve the efficiency and accuracy of biomedical research and drug development,promoting interdisciplinary integration.Recent advancements in artificial intelligence(AI)technologies have brought unprecedented opportunities to this field.The integration of various AI models allows researchers to better utilize multi-omics data,identify disease phenotypes,interpret animal behavior,assess treatment effects,improve experimental designs,reduce the use of experimental animals,enhance animal facility management,and improve animal welfare.This article reviews the advancements in AI biomedical research over the past decade and discusses its contributions to disease phenotype identification,the selection and design of experimental animal models,animal behavior analysis,and animal facility management.It also points out the challenges related to data standardization,AI model selection and interpretability,the extrapolation process from AI models to animal experiments and clinical practice,as well as ethical considerations in using AI in sensitive areas involving human genetics and personalized medicine.This review aims to help researchers and practitioners in relevant fields understand the current state and opportunities of AI development,thus providing support for its broader application.

Rapid developments in biotechnology have led researchers to seek new method to improve the efficiency and accuracy of biomedical research and drug development,promoting interdisciplinary integration.Recent advancements in artificial intelligence(AI)technologies have brought unprecedented opportunities to this field.The integration of various AI models allows researchers to better utilize multi-omics data,identify disease phenotypes,interpret animal behavior,assess treatment effects,improve experimental designs,reduce the use of experimental animals,enhance animal facility management,and improve animal welfare.This article reviews the advancements in AI biomedical research over the past decade and discusses its contributions to disease phenotype identification,the selection and design of experimental animal models,animal behavior analysis,and animal facility management.It also points out the challenges related to data standardization,AI model selection and interpretability,the extrapolation process from AI models to animal experiments and clinical practice,as well as ethical considerations in using AI in sensitive areas involving human genetics and personalized medicine.This review aims to help researchers and practitioners in relevant fields understand the current state and opportunities of AI development,thus providing support for its broader application.

Backgrounds Insomnia is frequent in schizophrenia and is found to be negatively affected by stressful life events,psychotic symptoms and depressive disorder,while the relationship among the four remains understudied in community-dwelling patients with schizophrenia.Objective To analyze the effect of stressful life events on insomnia in community-dwelling patients with schizophrenia,and to explore the mediation effect of psychotic symptoms and depression,so as to provide references for the intervention of insomnia in community-dwelling patients with schizophrenia.Methods From April to June 2023,a sample of 1 105 patients with schizophrenia attending 48 community health centers in Chengdu,Sichuan province and fulfilling the International Classification of Diseases,tenth edition(ICD-10)diagnostic criteria were included.All subjects were assessed using Stressful Life Event Scale(SLEs),Athens Insomnia Scale(AIS),Psychosis Screening Questionnaire(PSQ),and Patient Health Questionnaire Depression Scale(PHQ-9).Spearman correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation among the scales.Then the mediation model was constructed using Smart PLS 4.0,and tested with partial least squares algorithm and Bootstrap techniques.Results 332 patients(30.05%)with community schizophrenia were found to have insomnia.AIS scores in patients with schizophrenia were positively correlated with the scores on SLEs,PSQ and PHQ-9(r=0.165,0.322,0.554,P<0.01).Stressful life events indirectly contributed to insomnia through both separate mediation path and chained mediation path of psychotic symptoms and depressive disorder,and the indirect effect size of 0.102,0.372 and 0.190 was obtained,accounting for 10.46%,38.15%and 19.49%,respectively.Conclusion The stressful life events not only directly exert an impact on insomnia,but also indirectly contribute to insomnia through both the separate and chained mediation effect of psychotic symptoms and depressive disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influences of andrographolide (Andro) on bladder cancer cell lines and a tumor xenograft mouse model bearing 5637 cells. METHODS: For in vitro experiments, T24 cells were stimulated with Andro (0-40 µmol/L) and 5637 cells were stimulated with Andro (0 to 80 µmol/L). Cell growth, migration, and infiltration were assessed using cell counting kit-8, colony formation, wound healing, and transwell assays. Apoptosis rate was examined using flow cytometry. In in vivo study, the antitumor effect of Andro (10 mg/kg) was evaluated by 5637 tumor-bearing mice, and levels of nuclear factor κ B (NF- κ B) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT related-proteins were determined by immunoblotting. RESULTS: Andro suppressed growth, migration, and infiltraion of bladder cancer cells (P⩽0.05 or P⩽0.01). Additionally, Andro induced intrinsic mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in bladder cancer cell lines. Furthermore, Andro inhibited bladder cancer growth in mice (P⩽0.01). The expression of p65, p-AKT were suppressed by Andro treatment in vitro and in vivo (P⩽0.05 or P⩽0.01). CONCLUSIONS Andrographolide inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis in bladder cancer cells by interfering with NF- κ B and PI3K/AKT signaling in vitro and in vivo.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Diterpenes/therapeutic use* ; Humans ; Mice ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/drug therapy*

Objective:To examine the correlations of C-reactive protein (CRP)/albumin ratio (CAR) with the postoperative complications of patients with colorectal cancer.Methods:The clinic data of 312 patients undergoing elective surgery for colorectal cancer in Hainan Hospital of People′s Liberation Army General Hospital between January 2013 and July 2018 was analyzed retrospectively. There were 188 males and 124 females, aged (61.0±12.9) years (range: 21 to 86 years). Logistic analysis was used to identify relative factors for postoperative complications. Receiver operating characteristic curves were developed to examine the cutoff values and compare diagnostic accuracy of the CAR and CRP levels.Results:Postoperative complications occured in 28.5% (89/312) cases. Hemoglobin on postoperative day(POD) 3 ( OR=0.977, 95% CI: 0.957 to 0.998, P=0.034), preoperative CRP ( OR=1.209, 95% CI: 1.055 to 1.386, P=0.006) and CAR on POD 3 ( OR=0.033, 95% CI: 0.016 to 0.067, P<0.01) were found to be significant independent relative factors for postoperative complications. The cutoff point of CAR on POD 3 was 0.325, patients with CAR≥0.325 were found to have more postoperative complications than those with CAR<0.325. The area under the curve of CAR on POD 3 and preoperative CRP were 0.872, 0.626, respectively. The positive predictive value of CAR on POD 3 was higher than that of preoperative CRP (79.9% vs. 55.1%). Conclusions:CAR is closely related to the occurrence of postoperative complications in colorectal surgery. Patients with CAR≥0.325 on POD 3 has higher incidence of postoperative complications.

Objective:To examine the correlations of C-reactive protein (CRP)/albumin ratio (CAR) with the postoperative complications of patients with colorectal cancer.Methods:The clinic data of 312 patients undergoing elective surgery for colorectal cancer in Hainan Hospital of People′s Liberation Army General Hospital between January 2013 and July 2018 was analyzed retrospectively. There were 188 males and 124 females, aged (61.0±12.9) years (range: 21 to 86 years). Logistic analysis was used to identify relative factors for postoperative complications. Receiver operating characteristic curves were developed to examine the cutoff values and compare diagnostic accuracy of the CAR and CRP levels.Results:Postoperative complications occured in 28.5% (89/312) cases. Hemoglobin on postoperative day(POD) 3 ( OR=0.977, 95% CI: 0.957 to 0.998, P=0.034), preoperative CRP ( OR=1.209, 95% CI: 1.055 to 1.386, P=0.006) and CAR on POD 3 ( OR=0.033, 95% CI: 0.016 to 0.067, P<0.01) were found to be significant independent relative factors for postoperative complications. The cutoff point of CAR on POD 3 was 0.325, patients with CAR≥0.325 were found to have more postoperative complications than those with CAR<0.325. The area under the curve of CAR on POD 3 and preoperative CRP were 0.872, 0.626, respectively. The positive predictive value of CAR on POD 3 was higher than that of preoperative CRP (79.9% vs. 55.1%). Conclusions:CAR is closely related to the occurrence of postoperative complications in colorectal surgery. Patients with CAR≥0.325 on POD 3 has higher incidence of postoperative complications.

Objective:To establish autoverification rules for coagulation tests in multicenter cooperative units, in order to reduce workload for manual review of suspected results and shorten turnaround time (TAT) of test reports, while ensure the accuracy of results.Methods:A total of 14 394 blood samples were collected from fourteen hospitals during December 2019 to March 2020. These samples included: Rules Establishment Group 11 230 cases, including 1 182 cases for Delta check rules; Rules Validation Group 3 164 cases, including 487cases for Delta check; Clinical Application Trial Group 77 269 cases. Samples were analyzed for coagulation tests using Sysmex CS series automatic coagulation analyzers, and the clinical information, instrument parameters, test results, clinical diagnosis, medication history of anticoagulant and other relative results such as HCT, TG, TBIL, DBIL were summarized; on the basis of historical data, the 2.5 and 97.5 percentile of all data arranged from low to high were initially accumulated; on the basis of clinical suggestions, critical values and specific drug use as well as relative guidelines, autoverification rules and limits were established.The rules were then input into middleware, in which Stage I/Stage II validation was done. Positive coincidence, negative coincidence, false negative, false positive, autoverification pass rate, passing accuracy (coincidence of autoverification and manual verification) were calculated. Autoverification rules underwent trial application in coagulation results reports.Results:(1) The autoverification algorisms involve 33 rules regarding PT/INR, APTT, FBG, D-dimer, FDP,Delta check, reaction curve and sample abnormalities; (2)Autoverification Establishment Group showed autoverification pass rate was 68.42% (7 684/11 230), the false negative rate was 0%(0/11230), coincidence of autoverification and manual verification was 98.51%(11 063/11 230), in which positive coincidence and negative coincidence were respectively 30.09% (3 379/11 230) and 68.42%(7 684/11 230); Autoverification Validation Group showed autoverification pass rate was 60.37%(1 910/3 164), the false negative rate was 0%(0/11 230), coincidence of autoverification and manual verification was 97.79%(3 094/3 164), in which positive coincidence and negative coincidence were respectively 37.42%(1 184/3 164) and 60.37%(1 910/3 164); (3) Trialed implementation of these autoverification rules on 77 269 coagulation samples showed that the average TAT shortened by 8.5 min-83.1 min.Conclusions:This study established 33 autoverification rules in coagulation tests. Validation showedthese rules could ensure test quality while shortening TAT and lighten manual workload.

Patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection with immune control generally have no or little liver damage, with a low incidence rate of adverse events, and spontaneous HBsAg seroclearance may occur in some patients. Most scholars do not recommend antiviral therapy for such patients in China and foreign countries. However, with the gradual aging of chronic HBV infection, patients with immune control are also faced with disease progression and the development of liver cirrhosis or liver cancer. This article introduces the clinical significance of appropriate timing of antiviral therapy for the prognosis of patients with chronic HBV infection with immune control.