OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of Qingda Granule (QDG) in ameliorating hypertension-induced cardiac damage and investigate the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS: Twenty spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were used to develope a hypertension-induced cardiac damage model. Another 10 Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as normotension group. Rats were administrated intragastrically QDG [0.9 g/(kg•d)] or an equivalent volume of pure water for 8 weeks. Blood pressure, histopathological changes, cardiac function, levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory response markers were measured. Furthermore, to gain insights into the potential mechanisms underlying the protective effects of QDG against hypertension-induced cardiac injury, a network pharmacology study was conducted. Predicted results were validated by Western blot, radioimmunoassay immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. RESULTS: The administration of QDG resulted in a significant decrease in blood pressure levels in SHRs (P<0.01). Histological examinations, including hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson trichrome staining revealed that QDG effectively attenuated hypertension-induced cardiac damage. Furthermore, echocardiography demonstrated that QDG improved hypertension-associated cardiac dysfunction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and colorimetric method indicated that QDG significantly reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory response levels in both myocardial tissue and serum (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Both network pharmacology and experimental investigations confirmed that QDG exerted its beneficial effects in decreasing hypertension-induced cardiac damage by regulating the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)/angiotensin II (Ang II)/Ang II receptor type 1 axis and ACE/Ang II/Ang II receptor type 2 axis.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Hypertension/pathology* ; Renin-Angiotensin System/drug effects* ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Male ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Rats ; Inflammation/pathology*

BackgroundPatients demonstrating depressive disorder with psychotic symptoms often have increased risk of death and poor prognosis. A large amount of research has explored the factors influencing psychotic symptoms in adult patients with depressive disorder， but few has focused on adolescent patients. ObjectiveTo explore the influencing factors of psychotic symptoms in adolescent patients with depressive disorder， so as to provide references for early screening and intervention in clinic. MethodsA total of 96 adolescent patients who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders， fifth edition （DSM-5） for depressive disorder and were seen in the psychiatry departments of Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University and The Fourth People's Hospital of Hefei from September 2022 to January 2023 were included. Another 56 healthy individuals from the health examination center of Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University were concurrently recruited as control group. Patients were assigned into psychotic group （n=32） and non-psychotic group （n=64） according to the presence or absence of psychotic symptoms. Hamilton Depression Scale-24 item （HAMD-24）， Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale （PANSS）， Positive and Negative Suicide Ideation （PANSI） and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form （CTQ-SF） were used for evaluation. Plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF） concentration was obtained using Meso Scale Discovery electrochemiluminescence assay. Pearson and Spearman correlation analysis were adopted to determine the correlation of PANSS positive symptom subscale score with plasma BDNF concentration and clinical characteristics of adolescent depression patients with psychotic symptoms. Binary Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors influencing the presence of psychotic symptoms in adolescent patients with depressive disorder， and multiple linear regression analysis was utilized to screen the factors affecting the severity of psychotic symptoms. ResultsThe plasma BDNF concentration of adolescent patients with depressive disorder was lower than that of control group （t=-3.080， P<0.01）.The plasma BDNF concentration of psychotic group was lower than that of non-psychotic group （t=2.418， P<0.05）， while the body mass index （BMI） PANSI scores， CTQ-SF scores and HAMD-24 total scores were all higher than those of non-psychotic group （t=-2.024， -2.530， -2.187， -4.977， P<0.05 or 0.01）. Correlation analysis showed that PANSS positive symptom subscale scores were negatively correlated with anxiety/somatization factor score and weight factor score in HAMD-24 of psychotic group （r=-0.438， -0.498， P<0.05 or 0.01）. Binary Logistic regression showed that BMI， plasma BDNF concentration， HAMD-24 total scores and cognitive dysfunction factor score were the influencing factors of psychotic symptoms in adolescent patients with depressive disorder. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that weight factor scores （β=-0.349， P<0.05） and anxiety/somatization factor score （β=-0.433， P<0.05） in HAMD-24 were the factors influencing the severity of psychotic symptoms. ConclusionHigh BMI， low plasma BDNF concentration， severe depressive symptoms and cognitive dysfunction may be the risk factors of psychotic symptoms in adolescent patients with depressive disorder， furthermore， BMI and anxiety symptoms are found to be associated with the severity of psychotic symptoms. ［Funded by Scientific Research Fund Project of Anhui Institute of Translational Medicine （number， 2022zhyx-B01）； Central Finance Supported Provincial Key Clinical Specialty Construction Project of Anhui Province in 2019］

AIM To establish the HPLC characteristic chromatogram of Baqi Rougan Decoction reference sample,and to investigate its quantitative transmission laws.METHODS The contents of calycosin 7-O-glucoside,hesperidin,rosmarinic acid,curcumenol and nystose were determined.The transfer rates of decoction piece-aqueous decoction-reference sample were calculated,after which the paste-forming rate and pH value were recorded.RESULTS There were sixteen characteristic peaks in fifteen batches of reference samples with the similarities of 0.90,nine of which were identified.The average transfer rates of nystose and calycosin 7-O-glucoside in the reference sample were(83.14±6.25)%and(77.81±8.31)%,while those of rosmarinic acid and curcumenol in the aqueous decoction-reference sample were(81.71±6.27)%and(72.16±5.91)%,along with the average paste-forming rate and pH value of(38.91%±1.46%)and 5.13±0.08,respectively.CONCLUSION This stable and feasible method can provide a reference for the selection of preparation process and evaluation of key chemical properties for Baqi Rougan Decoction.

Patients with severe trauma require an extremely timely treatment and transfusion plays an irreplaceable role in the emergency treatment of such patients. An increasing number of evidence-based medicinal evidences and clinical practices suggest that patients with severe traumatic bleeding benefit from early transfusion of low-titer group O whole blood or hemostatic resuscitation with red blood cells, plasma and platelet of a balanced ratio. However, the current domestic mode of blood supply cannot fully meet the requirements of timely and effective blood transfusion for emergency treatment of patients with severe trauma in clinical practice. In order to solve the key problems in blood supply and blood transfusion strategies for emergency treatment of severe trauma, Branch of Clinical Transfusion Medicine of Chinese Medical Association, Group for Trauma Emergency Care and Multiple Injuries of Trauma Branch of Chinese Medical Association, Young Scholar Group of Disaster Medicine Branch of Chinese Medical Association organized domestic experts of blood transfusion medicine and trauma treatment to jointly formulate Chinese expert consensus on blood support mode and blood transfusion strategies for emergency treatment of severe trauma patients ( version 2024). Based on the evidence-based medical evidence and Delphi method of expert consultation and voting, 10 recommendations were put forward from two aspects of blood support mode and transfusion strategies, aiming to provide a reference for transfusion resuscitation in the emergency treatment of severe trauma and further improve the success rate of treatment of patients with severe trauma.

AIM: To investigate the expression changes of MMP-12 during the long-term axon regeneration induced by the lens injury after the optic nerve clamp trauma in sprague-dawley(SD)rats.METHODS: The optic nerve injury model and lens injury model of SD rats were established, and the 24 experimental animals were divided into control group; lens injury group; optic nerve injury group; lens injury combined with optic nerve injury group, with 6 rats in each group. Reference transcriptome sequencing was used to analyze the expression changes of differentially expressed genes in the injured optic nerve region, and relevant differentially expressed genes with high expression were screened. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR)and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)were used to quantify the expression changes of matrix metalloproteinase-12(MMP-12)in the injured optic nerve region.RESULTS: The Principal Component Analysis of transcriptome sequencing indicated that lens injury combined with optic nerve injury was the principal component of gene expression change. Analysis of gene expression differences showed that the expression of MMP-12 gene was up-regulated in the lens injury combined with optic nerve injury group. The mRNA expression level of MMP-12 in the lens injury combined optic nerve injury group was up-regulated compared with the control group, the optic nerve injury group and the lens injury group at 14d and 21d after successful modeling(P<0.05). At 7, 28d, there was no difference in expression among all groups. The protein expression level of MMP-12 in the lens injury combined with optic nerve injury group was up-regulated compared with the control group and optic nerve injury group at 7, 14 and 21d after successful modeling(P<0.05), and it was up-regulated in the lens injury group combined with optic nerve injury group compared with optic nerve injury group at 21d(P<0.05). At 28d, there was no difference in expression among all groups.CONCLUSION: The up-regulated expression of MMP-12 may be involved in the long-term regeneration of the optic nerve after lens injury.

Objective    To explore the predictive value of CT signs of mixed ground-glass nodules in the pathological subtype and differentiation of lung adenocarcinoma. Methods    The clinical data of 66 patients with mixed ground-glass nodules pathologically diagnosed as invasive adenocarcinoma (IAC) in the Second Department of Thoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University from May to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed, including 20 males and 46 females, aged 35-75 years. The CT findings were analyzed before operation, and the lesion profile was cut after operation to distinguish the ground-glass and solid components, and the pathological results of different positions were obtained. According to the postoperative pathological results, the patients were divided into a low-risk group (containing adherent type and no components of micropapillary subtype and solid subtype, n=16), a medium-risk group (containing niple or acinar type and no components of micropapillary subtype and solid subtype, n=38), and a high-risk group (containing micropapillary or solid subtype, n=12). The relationships between CT features and the pathological subtype and degree of differentiation were analyzed and compared. Results    In 66 patients with IAC, the infiltration degree of solid components was greater than that of ground-glass components. When the solid component ratio (CTR) was≥25% (sensitivity 90.2%, specificity 64.0%, P=0.005), and the average CT value was>−283.95 HU (sensitivity 82.9%, specificity 64.0%, P=0.000), the histological grade was more inclined to medium and low differentiation. The CTR, Ki-67, average CT value and histological grade of IAC in the medium- and high-risk groups were higher than those of nodules in the low-risk group. Conclusion    The infiltration degree of solid components is higher than that of ground-glass components in IAC mixed ground-glass nodules. The pathological subtype, Ki-67 expression and histological grade of lung adenocarcinoma can be predicted according to its CT characteristics, which has important clinical significance for determining the timing of surgery.

Objective     To investigate the perioperative clinical effects and follow-up results of minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting (MICS CABG) versus conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in thoracotomy. Methods     The patients who received off-pump CABG in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from January 2017 to October 2021 were collected. Among them, the patients receiving MICS CABG performed by the same surgeon were divided into a minimally invasive group, and the patients receiving median thoracotomy were into a conventional group. By propensity score matching, preoperative data were balanced. Perioperative and postoperative follow-up data of the two groups were compared. Results     A total of 890 patients were collected. There were 211 males and 28 females, aged 60.54±9.40 years in the minimally invasive group, and 487 males and 164 females, aged 62.31±8.64 years in the conventional group. After propensity score matching, there were 239 patients in each group. Compared with the conventional group, patients in the minimally invasive group had longer operation time, shorter drainage duration, less drainage volume on the first postoperative day, shorter postoperative hospital stay, and lower rate of positive inotropenic drugs use, while there was no statistical difference in the mean number of bypass grafts, ICU stay, ventilator-assisted time, blood transfusion rate or perioperative complications (P>0.05). During the median follow-up of 2.25 years, there was no statistical difference in major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, including all-cause death, stroke or revascularization between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion    Reasonable clinical strategies can ensure perioperative and mid-term surgical outcomes of MICS CABG not inferior to conventional CABG. In addition, MICS CABG has the advantages in terms of postoperative hospital stay, postoperative drainage volume, and rate of positive inotropic drugs use.

Background: and Purpose Intravenous tenecteplase (TNK) efficacy has not been well demonstrated in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) beyond 4.5 hours after onset. This study aimed to determine the effect of intravenous TNK for AIS within 4.5 to 24 hours of onset. Methods: In this pilot trial, eligible AIS patients with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)-fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) mismatch were randomly allocated to intravenous TNK (0.25 mg/kg) or standard care within 4.5–24 hours of onset. The primary endpoint was excellent functional outcome at 90 days (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score of 0–1). The primary safety endpoint was symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH). Results: Of the randomly assigned 80 patients, the primary endpoint occurred in 52.5% (21/40) of TNK group and 50.0% (20/40) of control group, with no significant difference (unadjusted odds ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval 0.46–2.66; P=0.82). More early neurological improvement occurred in TNK group than in control group (11 vs. 3, P=0.03), but no significant differences were found in other secondary endpoints, such as mRS 0–2 at 90 days, shift analysis of mRS at 90 days, and change in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score at 24 hours and 7 days. There were no cases of sICH in this trial; however, asymptomatic intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 3 of the 40 patients (7.5%) in the TNK group. Conclusion This phase 2, randomized, multicenter study suggests that intravenous TNK within 4.5–24 hours of onset may be safe and feasible in AIS patients with a DWI-FLAIR mismatch.

Objective: To develop effective alternatives to natural enzymes, it is crucial to develop nanozymes that are economical, resource efficient, and environmentally conscious. Carbon nanomaterials that have enzyme-like activities have been extensively developed as substitutes for traditional enzymes. Methods: Carbide-derived carbons (CDCs) were directly synthesized via a one-step electrochemical method from a MAX precursor using an ammonium bifluoride electrolyte at ambient conditions. The CDCs were characterized by systematic techniques. Results: CDCs showed bienzyme-like activities similar to that of peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. We systematically studied the dependence of CDC enzyme-like activity on different electrolytes and electrolysis times to confirm activity dependence on CDC content. Additionally, the synthesis mechanism and CDC applicability were elaborated and demonstrated, respectively. Conclusion The demonstrated synthesis strategy eliminates tedious intercalation and delamination centrifugation steps and avoids using high concentrations of HF, high temperatures, and halogen gases. This study paves the way for designing two-dimensional material-based nanocatalysts for nanoenzyme and other applications.
Ammonium Compounds/chemical synthesis* ; Carbon/chemistry* ; Electrochemical Techniques ; Enzymes ; Fluorides/chemical synthesis* ; Humans ; Nanostructures ; Oxidation-Reduction

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of relationship between the expression of miRNA181a-5p and imbalance of Treg/Th17 in the pathogenesis of primary immune thrombocytopenia(ITP), which contributes to clarify the mechanism of T cell immune imbalance in ITP patients. METHODS: Peripheral blood was collected from 37 ITP patients, concluding 21 untreated patients and 16 effectively treated patients, and 19 healthy controls; Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated and the expression of miRNA181a-5p and Notch1 was analyzed by RT-PCR. The proportion of Th17 subsets and Treg cells in the peripheral circulation was detected by flow cytometer (FCM). Clinical data of ITP group was collected, including age, platelet count and disease course. RESULTS: The expression of miR-181a-5p was significantly decreased in ITP group than that of healthy control group (P＜0.01). After effective treatment, the expression of miR-181a-5p was significantly higher than that of ITP group (P＜0.05), but still significantly lower than that of healthy control group (P＜0.01); The expression of Notch1 was significantly increased in ITP group and effectively treated group than that of healthy control group (P＜0.01). There was no significant difference in proportion of Treg cells in ITP group, effectively treated group and healthy control group (P＞0.05). The proportion of Th17 subsets in ITP group was significantly increased than that of healthy control group (P＜0.05), while the ratio of Treg/Th17 was significantly decreased (P＜0.05). There was a positive correlation between the expression of miR-181a-5p and ratio of Treg/Th17 in ITP group (r=0.555). CONCLUSION The expression of miR-181a-5p is significantly decreased in ITP patients, which is closely related to the imbalance of Treg/Th17 cells. After effective treatment, the expression of miR-181a-5p can be significantly corrected, but still failed to reach the level of healthy people. While the expression of Notch1 is significantly increased in ITP patients, and could not reach the level of healthy people after effective treatment.
Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; Platelet Count ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; Th17 Cells