Objective To fabricate a large-diameter vascular graft with a pore size gradient structure mimicking that of natural blood vessels, using poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL) as base materials through electrospinning and ultrasonic pore-forming techniques, and to evaluate its application potential. Methods A three-layered tubular graft was fabricated from a PCL/PLLA blend (mass ratio 6 : 4) via electrospinning, followed by an ultrasonic pore-forming process to create a gradient porosity. The resulting graft (diameter: 2 cm, length: 4 cm) was implanted into the descending thoracic aorta of an experimental pig using an end-to-end anastomosis. Graft patency and anastomotic sites were monitored by computed tomography angiography (CTA) at 1 and 6 weeks post-surgery. After 2 months, the graft was explanted for systematic evaluation of vascular regeneration and repair through gross examination, histopathology (H&E and elastic fiber staining), immunohistochemistry [for ETS-related gene (ERG), Actin, and Vimentin], and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results Postoperative CTA confirmed excellent graft patency at both 1 and 6 weeks, with no evidence of thrombosis or anastomotic stenosis. Gross examination of the 2-month explant revealed a smooth luminal surface covered by neotissue. Histopathological analysis demonstrated that the graft successfully induced the formation of a three-layered structure resembling a native vessel wall, comprising endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and fibroblasts. Immunohistochemistry further verified coverage of the luminal surface by endothelial cells (ERG-positive), along with the presence of neosmooth muscle (Actin-positive) and fibroblasts (Vimentin-positive). Endothelial cells were observed adhering to the inner surface of the artificial vessel under SEM. Conclusion The biomimetic, three-layered PLLA/PCL large-diameter vascular graft, constructed via electrospinning and ultrasonic pore-forming, exhibits excellent short-term patency and biocompatibility in a large animal model. More importantly, it demonstrates a significant potential to promote host cell infiltration and achieve in situ regeneration of a three-layered vascular wall structure, providing a promising experimental basis for the development of next-generation functional vascular substitutes.

Objective This study reports on the obligatory parasitism of water mites Arrenurus sp. on Anopheles messeae at the Manzhouli Port, Inner Mongolia, China. Methods Duing July 2024, a survey on the mosquito diversity was conducted at the Manzhouli Port. Captured mosquitoes and their ectoparasites were identified to species level. Results A total of 1840 adult mosquitoes were collected, representing species from three genera: Culex(Cx. modestus, Cx. pipiens pallens), Aedes(Ae. dorsalis, Ae. flavidorsalis, Ae. flavescens), and Anopheles (An. messeae). Among all the mosqutioes specimens,3 out of 150 captured An. messeae were found to carry ectoparasitic mites, with number of 2,4,27 mites separately. Morphological and molecular identification reached the same result as water mites(Hydrachnidiae, Hydracrina). COI gene sequence showed 94% similarity with the closest species Arrenurus truncatellus. Conlusions Literature review suggests water mites are host-specific parasitism of mosquito species and herein with the first record of Arrenurus sp. parasiting on An. Messeae in the most high-latitude region globally.

OBJECTIVE: Baicalein has been reported to have wide therapeutic effects that act through its anti-inflammatory activity. This study examines the effect and mechanism of baicalein on sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SIC). METHODS: A thorough screening of a small library of natural products, comprising 100 diverse compounds, was conducted to identify the most effective drug against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated H9C2 cardiomyocytes. The core target proteins and their associated signaling pathways involved in baicalein's efficacy against LPS-induced myocardial injury were predicted by network pharmacology. RESULTS: Baicalein was identified as the most potent protective agent in LPS-exposed H9C2 cardiomyocytes. It exhibited a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on cell injury and inflammation. In the LPS-induced septic mouse model, baicalein demonstrated a significant capacity to mitigate LPS-triggered myocardial deficits, inflammatory responses, and ferroptosis. Network pharmacological analysis and experimental confirmation suggested that hypoxia-inducible factor 1 subunit α (HIF1-α) is likely to be the crucial factor in mediating the impact of baicalein against LPS-induced myocardial ferroptosis and injury. By combining microRNA (miRNA) screening in LPS-treated myocardium with miRNA prediction targeting HIF1-α, we found that miR-299b-5p may serve as a regulator of HIF1-α. The reduction in miR-299b-5p levels in LPS-treated myocardium, compared to the control group, was reversed by baicalein treatment. The reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and dual-luciferase reporter gene analyses together identified HIF1-α as the target of miR-299b-5p in cardiomyocytes. CONCLUSION Baicalein mitigates SIC at the miRNA level, suggesting the therapeutic potential of it in treating SIC through the regulation of miR-299b-5p/HIF1-α/ferroptosis pathway. Please cite this article as: Zhou WY, Du JK, Liu HH, Deng L, Ma K, Xiao J, Zhang S, Wang CN. Baicalein attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced myocardial injury by inhibiting ferroptosis via miR-299b-5p/HIF1-α pathway. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):560-575.
Flavanones/pharmacology* ; Animals ; MicroRNAs/genetics* ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/genetics* ; Ferroptosis/drug effects* ; Mice ; Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Rats ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Cardiomyopathies/etiology* ; Cell Line ; Sepsis/complications*

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) is widely used to treat common bile duct stones (CBDS); however, long-term studies have revealed the increasing incidence of recurrent CBDS after EST. Loss of sphincter of Oddi function after EST was the main cause of recurrent CBDS. Reparation of the sphincter of Oddi is therefore crucial. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness and safety of endoclip papilloplasty (ECPP) for repairing the sphincter of Oddi and elucidate its mechanism. METHODS: Eight healthy Bama minipigs were randomly divided into the EST group and the ECPP group at a 1:1 ratio, and bile samples were collected before endoscopy and 6 months later. All minipigs underwent transabdominal biliary ultrasonography for the diagnosis of cholelithiasis 6 months after endoscopy. The biliary microbiota composition and alpha and beta diversity were analyzed by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. Differential metabolites were analyzed by bile acid metabolomics to explore the predictive indicators of cholelithiasis. RESULTS: Three minipigs were diagnosed with cholelithiasis in the EST group, while none in the ECPP group showed cholelithiasis. The biliary Firmicutes/Bacteroidota (F/B) ratio was increased after EST and decreased after ECPP. The Chao1 and observed species index significantly decreased 6 months after EST ( P  = 0.017 and 0.018, respectively); however, the biliary α-diversity was similar before and 6 months after ECPP. The β-diversity significantly differed in the EST group before and 6 months after EST, as well as in the ECPP group before and 6 months after ECPP (analysis of similarities [ANOSIM]: R  = 0.917, P  = 0.040; R  = 0.740, P  = 0.035; respectively). Glycolithocholic acid (GLCA) and taurolithocholic acid (TLCA) accumulated in bile 6 months after EST. CONCLUSIONS ECPP has less impact on the biliary microenvironment than EST and prevents duodenobiliary reflux by repairing the sphincter of Oddi. The bile levels of GLCA and TLCA may be used to predict the risk of cholelithiasis.
Animals ; Swine, Miniature ; Swine ; Cholelithiasis/prevention & control* ; Sphincterotomy, Endoscopic/methods* ; Sphincter of Oddi/surgery* ; Female ; Male

Asarum forbesii is a perennial herb born in a shaded and humid environment, which is warm in nature. With the efficacy of warming lung, resolving fluid retention, and relieving coughs, it can be used to treat the syndrome of cold fluid accumulating in lung. To investigate the effects of different shading conditions on the composition and efficacy of A. forbesii, this study planted A. forbesii under 20% natural light(NL20), 40% natural light(NL40), 60% natural light(NL60), and 80% natural light(NL80) and utilized ultra performance liquid chromatography(UPLC) and micro broth 2-fold dilution method to detect the volatile chemical compounds and the minimum inhibitory concentration. At the same time, the study investigated the effects of A. forbesii grown under different shading conditions on the signs, pathological changes of lung tissues, serum cytokine levels, activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes Ⅰ-Ⅴ in lung tissues, and relative expression of related genes of mice with syndrome of cold fluid accumulating in lung. The results indicated that with the increase of shading, the content of kakuol, methyl eugenol, and asarinin in A. forbesii and the antibacterial effect showed a tendency of increasing first and then decreasing, and the NL40 group was significantly better than the other groups. Under the conditions of NL20 and NL40, A. forbesii significantly alleviated the pathological damage to lung tissues, restored the homeostasis of the lung, and enhanced the energy metabolism level of mice with syndrome of cold fluid accumulating in lung. In addition, A. forbesii planted under the two conditions reduced the content of interleukin-8(IL-8), interleukin-13(IL-13), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and mucin 5AC(MUC5AC), increased the levels of interleukin-10(IL-10) and aquaporin 1(AQP1), lowered the expression of MMP9, VEGF, TGF-β, and MAPK3. In conclusion, the therapeutic effect of A. forbesii on the syndrome of cold fluid accumulating in lung was positively correlated with the degree of shading, and the chemical composition and efficacy of warming lung and resolving fluid retention were optimal under the conditions of NL20-NL40. This study can provide reference for the pharmacological research and cultivation of A. forbesii.
Animals ; Mice ; Lung/pathology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Light ; Cytokines/genetics* ; Humans

Coronary heart disease is a cardiovascular disease that affects coronary arteries. It presents high incidence and high mortality worldwide, bringing a serious threat to human health and quality of life. Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma derived from Salvia miltiorrhiza is widely used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary heart disease. Salvianolic acid B is an active component in Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma extracts, and studies have shown that it has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, apoptosis-and autophagy-regulating, anti-fibrosis, and metabolism-modulating effects. This article reviews the research progress regarding the therapeutic effect of salvianolic acid B on coronary heart disease in the recent decade. It elaborates on the role and mechanism of salvianolic acid B in treating coronary heart disease from multiple perspectives, such as the inhibition of thrombosis, improvement of blood circulation, reduction of myocardial cell injury, and inhibition of cardiac remodeling. This article provides a theoretical basis for the application of Chinese medicinal materials and TCM prescriptions containing salvianolic acid B in the treatment of coronary heart disease.
Humans ; Benzofurans/administration & dosage* ; Coronary Disease/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Salvia miltiorrhiza/chemistry* ; Animals ; Depsides

Following the core outcome set standards for development(COS-STAD), this study aims to construct core outcome set(COS) for clinical research on traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) treatment of simple obesity. Firstly, a comprehensive review was conducted on the randomized controlled trial(RCT) and systematic review(SR) about TCM treatment of simple obesity that were published in Chinese and English databases to collect reported outcomes. Additional outcomes were obtained through semi-structured interviews with patients and open-ended questionnaire surveys for clinicians. All the collected outcomes were then merged and organized as an initial outcome pool, and then a preliminary list of outcomes was formed after discussion by the working group. Subsequently, two rounds of Delphi surveys were conducted with clinicians, methodology experts, and patients to score the importance of outcomes in the list. Finally, a consensus meeting was held to establish the COS for clinical research on TCM treatment of simple obesity. A total of 221 RCTs and 12 SRs were included, and after integration of supplementary outcomes, an initial outcome pool of 141 outcomes were formed. Following discussions in the steering advisory group meeting, a preliminary list of 33 outcomes was finalized, encompassing 9 domains. Through two rounds of Delphi surveys and a consensus meeting, the final COS for clinical research on TCM treatment of simple obesity was determined to include 8 outcomes: TCM symptom scores, body mass index(BMI), waist-hip ratio, waist circumference, visceral fat index, body fat rate, quality of life, and safety, which were classified into 4 domains: TCM-related outcomes, anthropometric measurements, quality of life, and safety. This study has preliminarily established a COS for clinical research on TCM treatment of simple obesity. It helps reduce the heterogeneity in the selection and reporting of outcomes in similar clinical studies, thereby improving the comparability of research results and the feasibility of meta-analysis and providing higher-level evidence support for clinical practice.
Humans ; Obesity/therapy* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Treatment Outcome ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*

This study aims to explore the pharmacodynamic material basis of Jinbei Oral Liquid(JBOL) against idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis(IPF) based on serum pharmacochemistry and network pharmacology. The ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) technology was employed to analyze and identify the components absorbed into rat blood after oral administration of JBOL. Combined with network pharmacology, the study explored the pharmacodynamic material basis and potential mechanism of JBOL against IPF through protein-protein interaction(PPI) network construction, "component-target-pathway" analysis, Gene Ontology(GO) functional enrichment, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. First, a total of 114 compounds were rapidly identified in JBOL extract according to the exact relative molecular mass, fragment ions, and other information of the compounds with the use of reference substances and a self-built compound database. Second, on this basis, 70 prototype components in blood were recognized by comparing blank serum with drug-containing serum samples, including 28 flavonoids, 25 organic acids, 4 saponins, 4 alkaloids, and 9 others. Finally, using these components absorbed into blood as candidates, the study obtained 212 potential targets of JBOL against IPF. The anti-IPF mechanism might involve the action of active ingredients such as glycyrrhetinic acid, cryptotanshinone, salvianolic acid B, and forsythoside A on core targets like AKT1, TNF, and ALB and thereby the regulation of multiple signaling pathways including PI3K/AKT, HIF-1, and TNF. In conclusion, JBOL exerts the anti-IPF effect through multiple components, targets, and pathways. The results would provide a reference for further study on pharmacodynamic material basis and pharmacological mechanism of JBOL.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacokinetics* ; Animals ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Network Pharmacology ; Rats ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Male ; Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis/metabolism* ; Humans ; Administration, Oral ; Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the current research status and hotspots in the field of biomechanics of diabetic foot by bibliometric analysis methods. METHODS: Literatures related to biomechanics of diabetic foot published in the Web of Scienc Core Collection (WoSCC) from 1981 to 2024 were searched. CiteSpace software and R language bibliometrics plugin were used to conduct a visual analysis of annual publication volume of the literature, including publication volume of each country and region, the publication situation of authors and institutions, the citation situation of individual literature, and the co-occurrence network of keywords. RESULTS: Totally 996 literatures were included, and the number of published papers increased steadily. The United States (261 papers) and China (89 papers) were the top two countries in terms of the number of published papers. The mediating centrality of the United States was 0.94, and that of China was 0.01. Scholars such as Cavanagh and institutions like the Cleveland Clinic were at the core of research in this field. High-frequency keywords include plantar pressure (plantar pressure), diabetic foot (diabetic foot), ulceration (ulcer), etc. The research focuses on plantar pressure, ulcer formation and prevention, etc. CONCLUSION Biomechanical research on diabetic foot mainly focuses on the pressure distribution on the sole of the foot, callus formation, mechanical analysis of soft tissues on the sole of the foot, and the study of plantar decompression caused by Achilles tendon elongation. The research trend has gradually shifted from focusing on joint range of motion to gait and the design of braces and assistive devices, and has begun to pay attention to muscle strength, gait imbalance and proprioception abnormalities.
Humans ; Diabetic Foot/physiopathology* ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Bibliometrics