BACKGROUND:Wogonin is a flavonoid extracted from the root of Scutellaria baicalensis.Previous studies have shown that baicalein has protective effects against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury,and can also reduce blood sugar and complications in diabetic mice,but its role and mechanism in diabetic cerebral infarction remain unclear. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of wogonin on nerve injury in rats with diabetic cerebral infarction and its mechanism. METHODS:Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups:control group,model group,low-dose wogonin group,medium-dose wogonin group,high-dose wogonin group,and high-dose wogonin+Ras homolog gene family member A(RhoA)activator group.Except for the control group,the other rats were established with diabetes and cerebral ischemia models using intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin and middle cerebral artery occlusion.Low,medium-and high-dose wogonin groups were intragastrically given 10,20,40 mg/kg wogonin,respectively;high-dose wogonin+RhoA activator group was intragastrically given 40 mg/kg wogonin and intraperitoneally injected 10 mg/kg lysophosphatidic acid;control group and model group were given the same amount of normal saline once a day for 7 consecutive days.Rats in each group were evaluated for neurological deficits and their blood glucose levels were measured after the last dose.TTC staining was applied to detect the volume of cerebral infarction.Hematoxylin-eosin staining was applied to observe pathological changes in brain tissue.ELISA kit was applied to detect tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-6,malondialdehyde,and superoxide dismutase levels in brain tissue.Western blot was applied to detect the protein expression of RhoA and Rho-associated protein kinase(ROCK)2 in brain tissue. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the control group,the neuronal structure of rats in the model group was severely damaged,with cell necrosis and degeneration,the neurological deficit score,blood glucose level,and infarct volume were significantly elevated(P<0.05),the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-6,and malondialdehyde,and the protein expression of RhoA and ROCK2 in brain tissue were significantly increased(P<0.05),and the superoxide dismutase level was decreased(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the low-,medium-,and high-dose wogonin groups showed improved neuronal damage,reduced cell degeneration and necrosis,a significant reduction in neurological deficit score,blood glucose level,infarct volume,and the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-6,and malondialdehyde,and the protein expression of RhoA and ROCK2 in brain tissue,and an increase in the superoxide dismutase level(P<0.05).Compared with the high-dose wogonin group,the high-dose wogonin+RhoA activator group significantly weakened the improvement in the above indexes of rats with diabetic cerebral infarction(P<0.05).To conclude,wogonin can improve the blood glucose level in rats with diabetic cerebral infarction,reduce cerebral infarction and nerve injury,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects and potential mechanisms of Tongmai Yangxin Pills （通脉养心丸） （TYPs） in preventing ischemia-reperfusion （I/R）-induced arrhythmia. MethodsSixty male SD rats were randomly assigned to sham operation group， model group， amiodarone group， low-dose and high-dose TYPs group， with 12 rats in each group. The sham operation group and the model group received 10 g/（kg·d） normal saline by gavage， the amiodarone group received 60 mg/（kg·d） amiodarone， and the low-dose and high-dose TMP groups received 1 g/（kg·d） and 2 g/（kg·d） TYPs solution respectively， for 21 days， administered twice daily. On the day after the last administration， the I/R model was established in the model and medication groups by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery with a cannula， while the sham operation group underwent the same procedure without ligation. Electrocardiogram recordings were continuously monitored throughout the modeling process. Heart rate was recorded at five time points， before ischemia （t-0）， 5-10 min after ischemia （t-1）， 10-15 min after ischemia （t-2）， 15-30 min after ischemia （t-3）， and during the first 2 min of reperfusion （t-4）； the incidence of arrhythmia including ventricular premature beats （VPB）， ventricular tachycardia （VT）， and ventricular fibrillation （VF） was recorded； arrhythmia scores were calculated. After 24 hours of reperfusion， left ventricular myocardial tissue was collected. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was performed to observe pathological changes. RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of microRNA-1 （miRNA-1）， microRNA-133a （miRNA-133a）， and potassium （K⁺） and calcium （Ca²⁺） ion channel-related genes including KCND2， KCNH2， KCNE2， KCNQ1， KCNE1， KCNJ2， CACNA1C， and CACNB1. Western blot analysis was used to measure protein levels of transient outward potassium current protein （Kv4.2）， rapidly activating delayed rectifier potassium current protein （HERG）， slowly activating delayed rectifier potassium current protein （KvLQT1）， inward rectifier potassium current protein （Kir2.1）， and L-type calcium channel protein （Cav1.2）. ResultsCompared with sham operation group， the model group showed diffuse myocardial hemorrhage， inflammatory cell infiltration， myocardial necrosis， nuclear pyknosis， vacuolar degeneration， and disrupted myocardial fibers； the model group also exhibited a decreased heart rate （t-1 to t-4）， increased arrhythmia scores， elevated miRNA-1 and miRNA-133a expression， and decreased mRNA expression of KCND2， KCNH2， KCNE2， KCNQ1， KCNE1， KCNJ2， CACNA1C， and CACNB1 in myocardial tissue； additionally， Kv4.2， HERG， KvLQT1， Kir2.1， and Cav1.2 protein levels significantly reduced （P＜0.01）. Compared to the model group， all medication-treated groups showed reduced myocardial damage， including less hemorrhage， reduced inflammatory infiltration， and improved myocardial structure， with the high-dose TYPs group exhibiting the most significant improvement； the amiodarone group and high-dose TYPs group showed a significant increase in heart rate （t-1 to t-4）， lower arrhythmia scores， reduced miRNA-1 and miRNA-133a expression； the high-dose TYPs group exhibited significantly increased mRNA expression levels of KCND2， KCNH2， KCNQ1， KCNJ2， and CACNA1C， as well as elevated protein levels of Kv4.2， HERG， KvLQT1， Kir2.1， and Cav1.2 （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. ConclusionTMPs can improve myocardial damage and reduce the incidence of ventricular arrhythmia in I/R rats. The underlying mechanism may be related to the downregulation of miRNA-1 and miRNA-133a gene expression， as well as the upregulation of K⁺ and Ca²⁺ channel-related genes and proteins.

Debates persist regarding the efficacy and safety of azvudine, particularly its real-world outcomes. This study involved patients aged ≥60 years who were admitted to 25 hospitals in mainland China with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between December 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023. Efficacy outcomes were all-cause mortality during hospitalization, the proportion of patients discharged with recovery, time to nucleic acid-negative conversion (T _NANC), time to symptom improvement (T _SI), and time of hospital stay (T _HS). Safety was also assessed. Among the 5884 participants identified, 1999 received azvudine, and 1999 matched controls were included after exclusion and propensity score matching. Azvudine recipients exhibited lower all-cause mortality compared with controls in the overall population (13.3% vs. 17.1%, RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67-0.90; P = 0.001) and in the severe subgroup (25.7% vs. 33.7%; RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66-0.88; P < 0.001). A higher proportion of patients discharged with recovery, and a shorter T _NANC were associated with azvudine recipients, especially in the severe subgroup. The incidence of adverse events in azvudine recipients was comparable to that in the control group (2.3% vs. 1.7%, P = 0.170). In conclusion, azvudine showed efficacy and safety in older patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the SARS-CoV-2 omicron wave in China.

Liver cancer is still a major disease threatening the lives and health of the Chinese people. For early liver cancer with good liver functional reserve, surgical resection remains as the preferred treatment option. In the past several decades, great advances have been made in hepatectomy because of the refinement of surgical theories, advancements in surgical techniques, and improvements in surgical equipment. However, there are still different understandings in the academic community regarding whether to choose anatomic liver resection, how to choose the surgical margin, the design of surgical methods under the liver "territory theory", and the use of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging technology in liver cancer resection. The authors comprehensively review the current researches on the above issues and the research progress in hepatectomy for liver cancer, aiming to provide references for clinicians to optimize the surgical procedure.

OBJECTIVE To screen the prescription and preparation method of Bupleurum nanoemulsion, and evaluate its quality, study the antipyretic effect. METHODS The emulsifier and co-emulsifier of the nanoemulsion were preliminarily screened, and then the prescription was screened by pseudo-ternary phase diagram. The quality evaluation of the appearance, particle size distribution, structure type, stability and content of the prepared Bupleurum nanoemulsion was performed. Wistar rats were further randomly divided into blank control group, model control group, positive control group(aspirin group), Bupleurum nanoemulsion high-dose, medium-dose and low-dose groups(18.00, 9.00, 3.00 g·kg−1). Except for the blank control group, the pathological model of fever rats was prepared in the other groups. According to the scheduled experimental requirements, rats in each group were given the corresponding drugs. And the temperature changes of rats in each group were recorded at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3 h to observe the antipyretic effect of Bupleurum nanoemulsion. RESULTS The best prescription of Bupleurum nanoemulsion: Tween-80 6 g and n-butanol 3 g, Bupleurum extract dissolved in pure water as water phase 20 mL, Bupleurum oil as oil phase 2 g. At room temperature, the Bupleurum nanoemulsion was a yellow-brown clear and transparent liquid, O/W nanoemulsion, with an average particle size of (77.21±3.66)nm, polydispersity index of 0.28±0.04, Zeta potential of (–18.81±1.42)mV, and saikosaponin content of 3.071 mg·mL−1, with good stability. In animal experiments, compared with the model control group, the rectal temperature of aspirin group and Bupleurum nanoemulsion high-dose group was significantly lower after the first administration(P<0.01), the rectal temperature of Bupleurum nanoemulsion middle-dose group was significantly lower after the first administration 2, 3 h(P<0.01). CONCLUSION The Bupleurum nanoemulsion is transparent and stable, and it has good antipyretic effect on fever rat model.

Objective To explore the role of secreted frizzled-related protein 3 (sFRP3), a regulator of the Wnt signaling pathway, in the activation and proliferation of murine cardiac fibroblasts (CFs).Methods Neonatal mice aged 1-3 days were obtained for surgical procedures to collect heart tissues.After digestion, CFs were isola-ted and cultured.Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) stimulation was used to induce activation and prolif-eration in CFs after they adhered to the culture dish.Once the model was confirmed, experimental and control groups were transfected with sFRP3 overexpression plasmids and empty plasmids for 24-48 hours.Expression lev-els of sFRP3, Periostin (POSTN), Type Ⅰ collagen (Collagen Ⅰ), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PC-NA) were assessed at the molecular level using Western blot and qRT-PCR.Changes in cell proliferation capacity were examined using MTT, CCK-8, and EdU staining methods.Results In the TGF-β1-induced activation and proliferation model of CFs, compared to the control group, the model group exhibited decreased expression of sFRP3 protein and mRNA, while the expression of activation and proliferation-related proteins PCNA, POSTN, and Collagen Ⅰ was upregulated.Furthermore, in CFs overexpressing sFRP3 through plasmid transfection, the protein and mRNA expression of PCNA, POSTN, and Collagen Ⅰ decreased compared to the empty vector group.MTT, CCK-8 , and EdU experiments indicated a significant decrease in the proliferative activity of CFs in the sFRP3 over-expression group compared to the empty vector group.Conclusion Overexpression of sFRP3 markedly inhibits the activation and proliferation of CFs, suggesting that sFRP3 may be a key gene involved in the regulation of CF acti-vation and proliferation.

Objective To investigate the effects of ursolic acid(UA)on the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway and Th17/Treg cells in type 1 diabetes mellitus(T1DM)rats.Methods T1DM rat models were established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(STZ)and randomly divided into blank(Control),Model,metformin(MET),and UA groups.General conditions,such as body weight and blood glucose,were recorded,and peripheral blood and pancreatic tissues were collected after 6 weeks of gavage to assess insulin treatment.Immunohistochemistry was used to observe pathological changes in pancreatic tissues.Horseshoe crab reagent was used to assess changes in serum lipopolysaccharide(LPS)content.qRT-PCR was used to measure expression of pancreatic TLR4,MyD88,IκBα,and NF-κB p65 mRNAs,and mRNA expression of transcription factors RORγt and Foxp3.Western blot was used to assess pancreatic TLR4,MyD88,IκBα,NF-κB p65,RORγt,and Foxp3.Flow cytometry was used to assess changes Th17/Treg cell ratio in peripheral blood.ELISA were used to measure serum contents of TNF-α,IL-6,and IL-1 β.Results After STZ-induced diabetic rats were treated by gavage for 6 weeks,compared with the Model group,the fasting blood glucose of rats in MET and UA groups was significantly decreased and their body weights were increased.Inflammatory infiltration of pancreatic islet β-cells was reduced.Expression of TLR4,MyD88,IκBα,NF-κB p65,and RORγt mRNAs and proteins was significantly decreased.LPS content was significantly decreased.IκBα and Foxp3 mRNA and protein expression was significantly increased.The Th17/Treg ratio was significantly decreased,and TNF-α,IL-6,and IL-1 β contents were significantly decreased.Conclusions UA improves the symptoms of rats by reducing the LPS shift,inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB pathway,down-regulating RORγt expression,and up-regulating Foxp3 expression to correct the imbalance in the Th17/Treg cell ratio in T1DM rats.

Objectives:Present study analyzed the efficacy and safety of percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)using the distal transradial access(dTRA)for patients with complex coronary lesions. Methods:A total of 10 033 patients with complex coronary artery lesions(type B2 and type C lesions)who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)via dTRA or conventional transradial access(TRA)at Fuwai Hospital between June 2021 and May 2022 were included(9 625 patients in the TRA group and 408 patients in the dTRA group).After propensity score matching,391 patients were included in each group.Baseline data,PCI intraoperative data(including lesion characteristics,intervention success rate,etc.),and incidence of major bleeding related to the access were compared between the two groups before and after propensity score matching. Results:Before propensity score matching,the proportions of patients with hypertension,hyperlipidemia,family history of coronary heart disease,history of myocardial infarction,and history of coronary artery bypass grafting were significantly higher in the dTRA group than in the TRA group(all P<0.05).After propensity score matching,the baseline data of the two groups were similar(all P>0.05).Before propensity score matching,compared with the TRA group,patients in the dTRA group had a higher proportion of patients with type B2 lesions,while the proportions of patients with type C lesions and those using intravascular ultrasound(IVUS)were lower(all P<0.05).The proportion of patients with chronic complete occlusion was similar between the two groups(P>0.05).After propensity score matching,compared with the TRA group,patients in the dTRA group had a lower proportion using IVUS and had a higher percent of stent implantation(both P<0.05).There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of SYNTAX score,guide catheter size,target lesion distribution,proportion of patients using intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation,success rate of intervention procedures,and incidence of major bleeding events related to the access(all P>0.05). Conclusions:Compared with the conventional TRA,interventional treatment of complex lesions through dTRA is equally safe and effective for patients with complex coronary lesions.

Although the development of COVID-19 vaccines has been a remarkable success, the heterogeneous individual antibody generation and decline over time are unknown and still hard to predict. In this study, blood samples were collected from 163 participants who next received two doses of an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine (CoronaVac®) at a 28-day interval. Using TMT-based proteomics, we identified 1,715 serum and 7,342 peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) proteins. We proposed two sets of potential biomarkers (seven from serum, five from PBMCs) at baseline using machine learning, and predicted the individual seropositivity 57 days after vaccination (AUC = 0.87). Based on the four PBMC's potential biomarkers, we predicted the antibody persistence until 180 days after vaccination (AUC = 0.79). Our data highlighted characteristic hematological host responses, including altered lymphocyte migration regulation, neutrophil degranulation, and humoral immune response. This study proposed potential blood-derived protein biomarkers before vaccination for predicting heterogeneous antibody generation and decline after COVID-19 vaccination, shedding light on immunization mechanisms and individual booster shot planning.
Humans ; COVID-19 Vaccines ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; Proteomics ; COVID-19/prevention & control* ; Vaccination ; Antibodies ; Antibodies, Viral ; Antibodies, Neutralizing

BACKGROUND: There are few data comparing clinical outcomes of complex percutaneous coronary intervention (CPCI) when using biodegradable polymer drug-eluting stents (BP-DES) or second-generation durable polymer drug-eluting stents (DP-DES). The purpose of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of BP-DES and compare that with DP-DES in patients with and without CPCI during a 5-year follow-up. METHODS: Patients who exclusively underwent BP-DES or DP-DES implantation in 2013 at Fuwai Hospital were consecutively enrolled and stratified into two categories based on CPCI presence or absence. CPCI included at least one of the following features: unprotected left main lesion, ≥2 lesions treated, ≥2 stents implanted, total stent length >40 mm, moderate-to-severe calcified lesion, chronic total occlusion, or bifurcated target lesion. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACE) including all-cause death, recurrent myocardial infarction, and total coronary revascularization (target lesion revascularization, target vessel revascularization [TVR], and non-TVR) during the 5-year follow-up. The secondary endpoint was total coronary revascularization. RESULTS: Among the 7712 patients included, 4882 (63.3%) underwent CPCI. Compared with non-CPCI patients, CPCI patients had higher 2- and 5-year incidences of MACE and total coronary revascularization. Following multivariable adjustment including stent type, CPCI was an independent predictor of MACE (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 1.151; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.017-1.303, P  = 0.026) and total coronary revascularization (aHR: 1.199; 95% CI: 1.037-1.388, P  = 0.014) at 5 years. The results were consistent at the 2-year endpoints. In patients with CPCI, BP-DES use was associated with significantly higher MACE rates at 5 years (aHR: 1.256; 95% CI: 1.078-1.462, P  = 0.003) and total coronary revascularization (aHR: 1.257; 95% CI: 1.052-1.502, P  = 0.012) compared with that of DP-DES, but there was a similar risk at 2 years. However, BP-DES had comparable safety and efficacy profiles including MACE and total coronary revascularization compared with DP-DES in patients with non-CPCI at 2 and 5 years. CONCLUSIONS Patients underwent CPCI remained at a higher risk of mid- to long-term adverse events regardless of the stent type. The effect of BP-DES compared with DP-DES on outcomes was similar in CPCI and non-CPCI patients at 2 years but had inconsistent effects at the 5-year clinical endpoints.
Humans ; Drug-Eluting Stents/adverse effects* ; Myocardial Infarction/complications* ; Polymers/therapeutic use* ; Treatment Outcome ; Coronary Artery Disease/complications* ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/adverse effects* ; Absorbable Implants ; Prosthesis Design