Heart failure (HF) is the terminal stage of a variety of cardiovascular diseases. Mitochondrial dysfunction is a key factor in the development of HF. Yang deficiency and water stagnation is the core TCM pathogenesis of HF. Mitochondrial dysfunction leads to energy deficiency, produces reactive oxygen species (ROS), and accelerates cardiomyocyte injury, which is similar to the pathogenesis of "yang deficiency" in TCM; mitochondrial dysfunction leads to water and sodium retention and edema, which is consistent with the TCM pathogenesis of "water stagnation". Mitochondrial dysfunction may explain the syndrome of "yang deficiency and water stagnation" in HF at the micro level, while the method of warming yang and diuresis or regulating mitochondrial function through multiple targets can improve HF. This provides a new research idea and theoretical basis for the treatment of HF with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

Background and aims:Primary sclerosing cholangitis(PSC)is an autoimmune liver disease characterized by complex pathogenesis and limited available therapeutic options.The mechanisms underlying the development and progression of PSCs remain unclear.Liver X receptor beta(LXR-β)is recognized to modulate lipid metabolism and immune response,but its specific involvement in the PSC has not been elucidated.Here,we explored the role and mechanism of LXR-β in PSC induced by 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydro-2,4,6-collidine(DDC).Methods:CRISPR-Cas9 technology was applied to generate Abcb4(coding MDR2,next named as Mdr2),Nr1h2(coding LXR-β,next named as Lxrβ),and Rag2(coding RAG2)knockout mice.DDC was used to induce PSC.Hematoxylin and eosin and Sirius red staining were used to assess the extent of hepatic injury and fibrosis.Flow cytometry was used to observe immune cell subsets.Results:We observed a declining trend in hepatic Lxrβ in the PSC model.Unexpectedly,Lxrβ knockout failed to modulate DDC-induced PSC pathogenesis.Concomitantly,assessment of the influence of Rag2 deficiency on PSC progression revealed the absence of aggravated or alleviated hepatic injury or fibrosis in the Rag2-/-DDC mice.However,Lxrβ depletion intensified DDC-induced PSC in the Rag2-/-mice,with more abundant infiltrative inflammatory cells and more severe liver fibrosis.Compared with Rag2-/-DDC mice,Lxrβ-/-Rag2-/-DDC mice had higher serum ALT and AST levels and mRNA expression of proinflammatory and profibrotic genes.Flow cytometry showed that LXR-β deficiency resulted in a diminished population of hepatic innate immune cells.Conclusion:This study indicated innate immune cell LXR-β deficiency can exacerbate hepatic injury and fibrosis in murine models of PSC suggesting that LXR-β may regulate the function of innate immunity in the fibrotic advancement of PSC.

Objective:To discuss the protective effect of velvet antler peptide(VAP)in the osteoporosis(OP)model rats,and to clarify the possible mechanism.Methods:Sixty 12-week-old SD rats were randomly divided into control group,model group,positive drug group(treated with 1 mg·kg-1·d-1 of alendronate sodium by gavage),low dose of VAP group(treated with 100 mg·kg-1·d-1 VAP),medium dose of VAP group(treated with 200 mg·kg-1·d-1 VAP),and high dose of VAP group(treated with 300 mg·kg-1·d-1 VAP),and there were ten rats in each group.Except for control group,the rats in the other groups were injected with dexamethasone(2 mg·kg-1)to replicate the OP rat model,while the rats in control group were injected with the equivalent volume of saline twice a week for 11 consecutive weeks.Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to detect the bone mineral density(BMD)of femur tissue of the rats in various groups;enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)method was used to detect the levels of serum calcium(Ca2+),phosphate(P),osteoprotegerin(OPG),alkaline phosphatase(ALP),and osteocalcin(OCN)in serum of the rats in various groups;biochemical method was used to detect the malondialdehyde(MDA)level and superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity in serum of the rats in various groups;HE staining was used to observe the pathomorphology of bone tissue of the rats in various groups;Western blotting method was used to detect the expression levels of silent information regulator 1(SIRT1),catalase(CAT),Runt-related transcription factor 2(RUNX2),and forkhead box protein O1(FOXO1)proteins in bone tissue of the rats in various groups.Results:Compared with control group,the BMD of femoral tissue of the rats in model group was decreased(P<0.05);compared with model group,the BMD of femur tissue of the rats in positive drug group,medium dose of VAP group,and high dose of VAP group were increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Compared with control group,the levels of Ca2+,P,OPG,and SOD activities in serum of the rats in model group were decreased(P<0.05),and the levels of ALP,OCN,and MDA were increased(P<0.05);compared with model group,the level of OPG in serum of the rats in low dose of VAP group was significantly increased(P<0.05),the levels of Ca2+,P,OPG,and activities of SOD in serum of the rats in positive drug group,medium dose of VAP group,and high dose of VAP group were significantly increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),and the levels of ALP,OCN,and MDA in serum of the rats in positive drug group and different doses of VAP groups were decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01).The HE staining results showed that compared with control group,the rats in model group had fewer bone cells and disordered arrangements in the bone tissue,thinner bone trabeculae with large fractures,and an expanded marrow cavity;compared with model group,the rats in positive drug group,medium dose of VAP group,and high dose of VAP group had thicker bone trabeculae arranged more tightly.The Western blotting results showed that compared with control group,the expression levels of SIRT1,CAT,RUNX2,and FOXO1 proteins in bone tissue of the rats in model group were decreased(P<0.05);compared with model group,the expression levels of SIRT1,CAT,RUNX2,and FOXO1 proteins in bone tissue of the rats in positive drug group,medium dose of VAP group,and high dose of VAP group were significantly increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusion:VAP has the protective effect against OP in the rats,and its mechanism may be related to mediating the antioxidant stress action through the SIRT1/FOXO1 signaling pathway.

Objective:Exploratory study on the relationship between TCM syndrome types, TCM constitution and clinical symptoms of idiopathic central precocious puberty children and rapidly progressive early development children in Shanghai, so as to provide a basis for early intervention and syndrome differentiation and treatment.Methods:A cross-sectional study and retrospectively enrolled. Through questionnaire survey, the basic information, clinical symptoms and TCM constitution of children diagnosed with idiopathic central precocious puberty and rapidly progressive early development were collected from the Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic of Affiliated Shuguang Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from July to August 2022, and the correlation between the distribution, differentiation and clinical symptoms of TCM constitution in children with idiopathic central precocious puberty and children with rapidly progressive precocious puberty in Shanghai were explored through data analysis.Results:① Fast progressive early development children with higher BMI and age than idiopathic central precocious puberty were statistically significant ( P<0.05), and no significant difference in the sex composition ratio between the two groups. ② Among children with idiopathic central precocious puberty and children with rapid progressive early development, the proportion of liver depression fire syndrome was the highest, 59.15% (42/71) and 46.51% (60/129) respectively, and the proportion of Qi depression was the highest, 35.21% (25/71) and 36.43% (47/129) respectively. However, there was no significant difference in the TCM syndrome types and physical distribution of the two groups. ③ The TCM syndrome types of 200 precocious children weres correlated with physical distribution, among which Yin deficiency fire flourishing syndrome was significantly associated with Yin deficiency, liver stagnation fire syndrome was significantly correlated with qi depression, and phlegm dampness obstruction syndrome was significantly correlated with phlegm dampness and Yang deficiency ( P<0.01). ④ A total of 200 children with precocious puberty were more female than male, male BMI was higher than female, and the BMI of children with precocious puberty was higher than other syndrome types, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.01). Liver stasis fire syndrome was the highest proportion between boys and girls, but there was no obvious difference in TCM syndrome types between different genders. The highest proportion of breast pain in clinical symptoms was 22.19% (69/311). Conclusion:Children with idiopathic central precocious puberty and rapidly progressive early development children have differences in age and BMI, with no obvious difference in gender composition, TCM syndrome type and physical distribution, but there is a correlation between TCM syndrome type and physical constitution of precocious puberty children.

Alzheimer′s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder. In the past few decades, the exact mechanisms underlying the onset of the disease have remained unclear, and treatment options are still lacking. Due to the inability of two-dimensional cell and animal models to fully simulate the pathogenesis of AD, there have been shortcomings in clinical trials of new drugs. The development of organoids and organ-on-a-chip technologies has improved the dilemma of AD research, providing reliable in vitro research models for studying pathogenic mechanisms and drug screening. This article elaborates on the applications and progress of organoids and organ-on-a-chip in AD modeling, pathogenesis, and drug development, and discusses the current limitations of organoids and organ-on-a-chip and their future perspectives.

Microcephaly is a common pediatric neurodevelopmental disorder with complex etiology. In recent years, with the development of brain organoid technology, there has been rapid progress in understanding the pathogenesis and treatment strategies of microcephaly using this technology. This article elucidates the advantages of brain organoids over traditional experimental models, reviews the research progress of brain organoid technology in disease modeling and drug screening for various causes of microcephaly, and discusses the limitations and future prospects of brain organoids.

Objective:To observe the clinical characteristics and treatment prognosis of patients with ocular toxocariasis (OT).Methods:A retrospective clinical trial. From March 2018 to September 2021, 40 eyes of 40 OT patients diagnosed by ophthalmic examination in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were included in the study. All patients underwent best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) examination. Color Doppler ultrasound flow imaging (CDFI), fluorescein fundus angiography (FFA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were performed in 25, 26 and 26 eyes, respectively. Among the 40 patients, there were 23 males (57.5%, 23/40) and 17 females (42.5%, 17/40). All patients were monocular. Thirty patients (75.0%, 30/40) were younger than 18 years old, with the mean age of (9.60±0.60) years. Ten patients (25.0%, 10/40) were great than or equal to 18 years old, with the mean age of (34.60±4.52) years. Thirty-three patients (82.5%, 33/40) lived in rural areas for a long time. There were 27 patients (67.5%, 27/40) with a history of contact with dogs and cats. In 40 eyes, peripheral granuloma (peripheral type), posterior pole granuloma (posterior pole type), vitreous opacity similar to endophthalmitis (turbid type) and hybrid type were 18(45.0%, 18/40), 11(27.5%, 11/40), 6(15.0%, 6/40) ang 5(12.5%,5/40), respectively. All patients were treated with drugs and/or surgery after definite diagnosis. There were 28 eyes of peripheral type, posterior pole type and hybrid type, 17 eyes were treated with surgery and 11 eyes with drug treatment, respectively. Five eyes with turbid type were only treated with drugs. In 40 patients, 33 patients participated in follow-up. The follow-up time after treatment was (18.78±9.44) months. The improvement of BCVA was observed. The number of eyes with different BCVA before and after treatment was compared by χ2 test or Fisher's test. Results:At the first visit, the BCVA ranged from light perception to 0.6, including 20 eyes with BCVA <0.1, 13 eyes with BCVA 0.1-0.3, and 7 eyes with BCVA >0.3. The posterior vitreous anterior limiting membrane was thickened in 24 eyes (60.0%, 24/40). There were 27 eyes (67.5%, 27/40) with lamellar vitreous opacity and 22 eyes (55.0%, 22/40) with peripheral/posterior pole granulomas. Among 25 eyes examined by CDFI, 14 eyes (56.0%, 14/25) showed characteristic stratified or diffuse opacity in vitreous body. Of the 26 eyes examined by FFA, 15 eyes (57.7%, 15/26) had "fern-like" leakage of retinal capillaries, and the lesion had a patchy non-perfused area. In 26 eyes examined by OCT, epiretinal membrane, cystoid macular edema and vitreoretinal traction were 8 (30.8%, 8/26), 5 (19.2%, 5/26) and 2 (7.7%, 2/26) eyes, respectively. At the last follow-up, compared with before treatment, the BCVA of 5 eyes with turbid type increased, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). In 28 eyes with peripheral type, posterior pole type and hybrid type, 17 eyes with surgical treatment improved BCVA, and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=6.258, P<0.05). In 11 eyes only treated with drugs, BCVA remained unchanged, and the difference was not statistically significant ( χ2=0.594, P>0.05). Conclusions:OT patients are mostly children; retinal granulomas, gray-white hyperplastic membrane behind lens or vitreous stratified opacity are specific characteristics. OT is mainly treated by glucocorticoid drugs and vitrectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the biomarkers of tinnitus in vestibular schwannoma patients using electroencephalographic (EEG) microstate technology. METHODS: The EEG and clinical data of 41 patients with vestibular schwannoma were collected. All the patients were evaluated by SAS, SDS, THI and VAS scales. The EEG acquisition time was 10-15 min, and the EEG data were preprocessed and analyzed using MATLAB and EEGLAB software package. RESULTS: Of the 41 patients with vestibular schwannoma, 29 patients had tinnitus and 12 did not have tinnitus, and their clinical parameters were comparable. The average global explanation variances of the non-tinnitus and tinnitus groups were 78.8% and 80.1%, respectively. The results of EEG microstate analysis showed that compared with those without tinnitus, the patients with tinnitus had an increased frequency (P=0.033) and contribution (P=0.028) of microstate C. Correlation analysis showed that THI scale scores of the patients were negatively correlated with the duration of microstate A (R=-0.435, P=0.018) and positively with the frequencies of microstate B (R=0.456, P=0.013) and microstate C (R=0.412, P=0.026). Syntax analysis showed that the probability of transition from microstate C to microstate B increased significantly in vestibular schwannoma patients with tinnitus (P=0.031). CONCLUSION EEG microstate features differ significantly between vestibular schwannoma patients with and without tinnitus. This abnormality in patients with tinnitus may reflect the potential abnormality in the allocation of neural resources and the transition of brain functional activity.
Humans ; Neuroma, Acoustic/complications* ; Electroencephalography ; Patients ; Probability

OBJECTIVE To prepare and evalu ate doxorubicin-loaded red blood cell membrane chitosan-targeted nanoparticles of targeting tumor cell folate acid （FA）receptor（FA-RBC-DOX-CS-NPs）. METHODS Doxorubicin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles （DOX-CS-NPs） were prepared by ion cross-linking method. FA and amino polyethylene glycol phospholithin （NH2- PEG2000-DSPE）were covalently linked to modify the red blood cell membrane to construct FA-RBC-DOX-CS-NPS. FA-RBC- DOX-CS-NPs were characterized and investigated on in vitro drug release characteristics ，antitumor activity and endocytosis ability （investigation with human breast cancer MCF- 7 cells）. RESULTS Average particle size of FA-RBC-DOX-CS-NPs was （254.200± 2.651）nm，and polydispersity index was 0.199±0.031；Zeta potential was （－10.100±0.213）mV. FA-RBC-DOX-CS-NPs released fast in the tumor microenvironment （pH6.5）. Cellular experiments showed that ，the nanoparticles could inhibit the activity of MCF- 7 cell proliferation and improve the efficiency of endocytosis. CONCLUSIONS FA-RBC-DOX-CS-NPs are prepared successfully. The nanoparticles have good tumor cell targeting and endocytosis ability ，and can realize the enrichment of drugs in tumor cells.

OBJECTIVE To establish a method for simultaneously determining the contents of camphor ，menthol，borneol and methyl salicylate in Compound shexiang xuelian liuzhi plaster . METHODS The test solution was prepared by reflux extraction with ethyl acetate ，and was determined by gas chromatography （GC）. A Shimadzu SH -Rtx-Wax capillary column was used as the chromatographic column ，and a flame ionization detector was used as the detector . The detector temperature and the injector temperature were both set at 200 ℃. The flow rate of carrier gas （nitrogen）was 2.0 mL/min，the separation ratio was 20∶1，and the sample size was 1.0 μL. RESULTS The linear ranges of camphor ，menthol，borneol（calculated by the sum of isoborneol and borneol）and methyl salicylate were 11.5-230.4，10.6-211.6，11.3-225.5，11.0-219.1 μg/mL（r＞0.999）. RSDs of the precision ， repeatability and stability （48 h）tests were all less than 4%. The average recoveries of the four components were 100.7%，99.7%， 98.9% and 100.7%（RSDs were 4.3%，2.9%，2.2%，3.7%，n＝9）. The contents of camphor ，menthol，borneol and methyl salicylate in two specifications of Compound shexiang xuelian liuzhi plaster were 16.8-19.5，4.6-6.0，9.8-11.9，6.9-8.2 mg/piece（7 cm×10 cm/piece），and 8.3-8.6，2.2-2.4，4.7-4.8，3.2-3.6 mg/piece （5 cm×7 cm/piece）. CONCLUSIONS The method is successfully established for simultaneous determination of four volatile components in Compound shexiang xuelian liuzhi plaster .