This study aims to investigate the effect of Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula on the neuroinflammation of rats with insomnia complicated with depression through the regulation of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2(TREM2)/complement protein C1q signaling pathway. Rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a positive drug group, as well as a high, medium, and low-dose groups of Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula, with 10 rats in each group. Except for the normal group, the other groups were injected with p-chlorophenylalanine and exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress to establish the rat model of insomnia complicated with depression. The sucrose preference experiment, open field experiment, and water maze test were performed to evaluate the depression in rats. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to detect serum 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT), dopamine(DA), and norepinephrine(NE) levels. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and Nissl staining were used to observe the damage in nucleus accumbens neurons. Western blot and immunofluorescence were performed to detect TREM2, C1q, postsynaptic density 95(PSD-95), and synaptophysin 1(SYN1) expressions in rat nucleus accumbens, respectively. Golgi-Cox staining was utilized to observe the synaptic spine density of nucleus accumbens neurons. The results show that, compared with the model group, Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula can significantly increase the sucrose preference as well as the distance and number of voluntary activities, shorten the immobility time in forced swimming test and the successful incubation period of positioning navigation, and prolong the stay time of space exploration in the target quadrant test. The serum 5-HT, DA, and NE contents in the model group are significantly lower than those in the normal group, with the above contents significantly increased after the intervention of Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula. In addition, Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula can alleviate pathological damages such as swelling and loose arrangement of tissue cells in the nucleus accumbens, while increasing the Nissl body numbers. Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula can improve synaptic damage in the nucleus accumbens and increase the synaptic spine density. Compared to the normal group, the expression of C1q protein was significantly higher in the model group, while the expression of TREM2 protein was significantly lower. Compared to the model group, the intervention with Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula significantly downregulated the expression of C1q protein and significantly upregulated the expression of TREM2. Compared with the model group, the PSD-95 and SYN1 fluorescence intensity is significantly increased in the groups receiving different doses of Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula. In summary, Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula can reduce the C1q protein expression, relieve the TREM2 inhibition, and promote the synapse-related proteins PSD-95 and SNY1 expression. Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula improves synaptic injury of the nucleus accumbens neurons, thereby treating insomnia complicated with depression.
Animals ; Male ; Rats ; Nucleus Accumbens/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Depression/complications* ; Membrane Glycoproteins/genetics* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/complications* ; Neurons/metabolism* ; Receptors, Immunologic/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Synapses/metabolism*

Compounds isolated from Epimedium include the total flavonoids of Epimedium , icariin, and its metabolites (icaritin, icariside I, and icariside II), which have similar molecular structures. Modern pharmacological research and clinical practice have proved that Epimedium and its active components have a wide range of pharmacological effects, especially in improving sexual function, hormone regulation, anti-osteoporosis, immune function regulation, anti-oxidation, and anti-tumor activity. To date, we still need a comprehensive source of knowledge about the pharmacological effects of Epimedium and its bioactive compounds on the male reproductive system. However, their actions in other tissues have been reviewed in recent years. This review critically focuses on the Epimedium , its bioactive compounds, and the biochemical and molecular mechanisms that modulate vital pathways associated with the male reproductive system. Such intrinsic knowledge will significantly further studies on the Epimedium and its bioactive compounds that protect the male reproductive system and provide some guidances for clinical treatment of related male reproductive disorders.
Male ; Epimedium/chemistry* ; Humans ; Genitalia, Male/drug effects* ; Flavonoids/therapeutic use* ; Animals

Addressing the enduring challenge of evaluating traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), the integrated evidence chain-based effectiveness evaluation of TCMs (Eff-iEC) has emerged. This paper explored its capacity through a demonstration study that evaluated the effectiveness evidence of six commonly used anti-hepatic fibrosis Chinese patent medicines (CPMs), including Biejiajian Pill (BP), Dahuang Zhechong Pill (DZP), Biejia Ruangan Compound (BRC), Fuzheng Huayu Capsule (FHC), Anluo Huaxian Pill (AHP), and Heluo Shugan Capsule (HSC), using both Eff-iEC and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. The recognition of these CPMs within the TCM academic community was also assessed through their inclusion in relevant medical documents. Results showed that the evidence of BRC and FHC received higher assessments in both Eff-iEC and GRADE system, while the assessments for others varied. Analysis of community recognition revealed that Eff-iEC more accurately reflects the clinical value of these CPMs, exhibiting superior evaluative capabilities. By breaking through the conventional pattern of TCMs effectiveness evaluation, Eff-iEC offers a novel epistemology that better aligns with the clinical realities and reasoning of TCMs, providing a coherent methodology for clinical decision-making, new drug evaluations, and health policy formulation.

Nuclear radiation exposure events and tumor radiotherapy are highly susceptible to a range of psychological, physiological and other health problems, which can seriously affect patients' quality of life. It has been shown that 87.5 % of tumor patients are exposed to varying degrees of radiation injury during radiotherapy. The treatment of radiation injury (RI) in modern medicine is limited to drug therapy, cell therapy, etc. Among them, the most chemical drugs cause many adverse reactions including fatigue, nausea, vomiting, etc., and there are very few drugs dedicated to the treatment of RI. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a rich natural medicinal resource, which has a wide range of pharmacological activities, multiple targets of action and minimal toxic side effects. Many studies have demonstrated that TCM and its compound preparations have enormous potential in the treatment of radiation induced comprehensive diseases. However, TCM is limited in clinical application due to its slow onset of action, complex active ingredients, and low bioavailability. Therefore, the article reviews the application, molecular mechanisms, and new dosage forms of TCM in the prevention and treatment of RI. On this basis, we will focus on discussing the development advantages and application prospects of the combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine to achieve highly efficient treatment of RI. This review aims to provide scientific and effective drug delivery strategies and basic theoretical support for the clinical effective treatment of RI with TCM, and further promote the innovative development of TCM.

Objective To explore the impact of contrast agent concentration on the excimer laser's effect on plaque ablation.Methods Using a laser catheter with a diameter of 0.9 mm,we conducted plaque model ablation experiments employing a 308-nanometer xenon chloride excimer laser.During the excimer laser ablation process,five groups were formed based on the injected contrast agent concentrations:a saline group,25%concentration group,50%concentration group,75%concentration group,and 100%concentration group.Optical coherence tomography was utilized to assess the changes in plaque lumen area after excimer laser ablation,evaluating the impact of contrast agent concentration on the excimer laser's ablation efficacy.Simultaneously,a water manometer was used to measure the shockwave pressure generated by the excimer laser in liquids with different contrast agent concentrations,aiming to explore the correlation between the shockwave pressure of the excimer laser and its ablative effect.Results The ablation areas in the 75%concentration group and the 100%concentration group were similar(P＞0.05),both exceeding those in the 50%concentration contrast agent group,25%concentration group,and saline group(all P＜0.001).Specifically,the ablation area in the 50%concentration group was significantly larger than that in the 25%concentration group and saline group(both P＜0.001),while the 25%concentration group was larger than the saline group(P＜0.001).The influence of contrast agent concentration on the shockwave pressure of the excimer laser exhibited a similar trend.Additionally,there was a significant positive correlation between the shockwave pressure generated by the excimer laser and its ablation area(r=0.9987,P＜0.001).Conclusions The intensity of excimer laser ablation on plaque tissue can be modulated by altering the contrast agent concentration.These findings offer guidance for the application of excimer laser in conjunction with contrast agent injection techniques in the treatment of coronary artery disease.

Bacterial biofilms gave rise to persistent infections and multi-organ failure, thereby posing a serious threat to human health. Biofilms were formed by cross-linking of hydrophobic extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), such as proteins, polysaccharides, and eDNA, which were synthesized by bacteria themselves after adhesion and colonization on biological surfaces. They had the characteristics of dense structure, high adhesiveness and low drug permeability, and had been found in many human organs or tissues, such as the brain, heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, and skeleton. By releasing pro-inflammatory bacterial metabolites including endotoxins, exotoxins and interleukin, biofilms stimulated the body’s immune system to secrete inflammatory factors. These factors triggered local inflammation and chronic infections. Those were the key reason for the failure of traditional clinical drug therapy for infectious diseases.In order to cope with the increasingly severe drug-resistant infections, it was urgent to develop new therapeutic strategies for bacterial-biofilm eradication and anti-bacterial infections. Based on the nanoscale structure and biocompatible activity, nanobiomaterials had the advantages of specific targeting, intelligent delivery, high drug loading and low toxicity, which could realize efficient intervention and precise treatment of drug-resistant bacterial biofilms. This paper highlighted multiple strategies of biofilms eradication based on nanobiomaterials. For example, nanobiomaterials combined with EPS degrading enzymes could be used for targeted hydrolysis of bacterial biofilms, and effectively increased the drug enrichment within biofilms. By loading quorum sensing inhibitors, nanotechnology was also an effective strategy for eradicating bacterial biofilms and recovering the infectious symptoms. Nanobiomaterials could intervene the bacterial metabolism and break the bacterial survival homeostasis by blocking the uptake of nutrients. Moreover, energy-driven micro-nano robotics had shown excellent performance in active delivery and biofilm eradication. Micro-nano robots could penetrate physiological barriers by exogenous or endogenous driving modes such as by biological or chemical methods, ultrasound, and magnetic field, and deliver drugs to the infection sites accurately. Achieving this using conventional drugs was difficult. Overall, the paper described the biological properties and drug-resistant molecular mechanisms of bacterial biofilms, and highlighted therapeutic strategies from different perspectives by nanobiomaterials, such as dispersing bacterial mature biofilms, blocking quorum sensing, inhibiting bacterial metabolism, and energy driving penetration. In addition, we presented the key challenges still faced by nanobiomaterials in combating bacterial biofilm infections. Firstly, the dense structure of EPS caused biofilms spatial heterogeneity and metabolic heterogeneity, which created exacting requirements for the design, construction and preparation process of nanobiomaterials. Secondly, biofilm disruption carried the risk of spread and infection the pathogenic bacteria, which might lead to other infections. Finally, we emphasized the role of nanobiomaterials in the development trends and translational prospects in biofilm treatment.

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.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of unilateral adrenalectomy for treating primary bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (PBMAH) of different clinical types.Methods:The clinical and biochemical data of 54 patients with PBMAH who underwent unilateral adrenalectomy from May 2008 to March 2023 were retrospectively collected. Preoperative CT images of all patients showed enlarged bilateral adrenal glands with multiple nodules of " fused masses". Mean preoperative blood cortisol concentration at 8am was (21.5±7.7)μg/dl, urinary free cortisol concentration was (442.6±300.4)μg/24h, and mean 8am ACTH concentration was (6.4±2.3)pg/ml. Postoperative symptoms, BMI, blood pressure, mass diameter, cortisol and ACTH concentration were recorded and analyzed.Results:Compared with ordinary laparoscopic surgery, robot-assisted surgery showed shorter operation time [(115.4±22.1)min vs.(95.0±19.8)min, P=0.045]; less blood loss [(118.2±57.0)ml vs. (125.6±45.3)ml, P=0.441] and shorter hospitalization time [(5.2±0.9)day vs. (6.4±1.2)day, P=0.279]. Compared with laparoscopic surgery, open surgery showed longer operation time [(134 34.5) min vs. (104.3±20.1) min, P=0.035]; more blood loss [(305.5±85.2) ml vs. (122.5±44.3) ml, P=0.012] and longer hospitalization time[(10.4±3.2)day vs. (5.7±1.0) day, P=0.020]. The average follow-up time was (23.7±11.7) months. Sixteen cases biochemically relapsed, and the average relapse-free time was (25.4±13.4) month. Mean postoperative systolic blood pressure was (131.1±16.8)mmHg ( P=0.001) while diastolic blood pressure decreased to (82.2±11.1)mmHg ( P=0.002). Postsurgical average blood cortisol concentration decreased to (10.2±4.0)μg/dl ( P<0.01), while urine cortisol concentration decreased to (106.6±43.4)μg/24h( P<0.01). Average ACTH concentration increased to (12.6±4.1)pg/ml( P=0.005). Recurrent patients had higher preoperative blood and urine cortisol concentration(24.7±8.2)μg/dl( P=0.046), (522.8±234.2)μg/24h( P=0.028), and all of them underwent contralateral adrenalectomy. Conclusions:Unilateral adrenalectomy is safe and effective for treatment of PBMAH while part of patients biochemically relapsed. Subclinical patients were observed no recurrent cases after surgery. Recurrent patients have higher preoperative blood and urine cortisol levels and should undertake contralateral adrenalectomy and supplement corticosteroids for whole life.

Objective:To explore the expressions of zinc homeostasis-related proteins,G protein-coupled receptor 39(GPR39)and ANO1 mRNA in the sperm of patients with asthenozoospermia(AS),and analyze their correlation with sperm motility.Methods:We collected semen samples from 82 male subjects with PR+NP＜40％,PR＜32％and sperm concentration＞15 × 106/ml(the AS group,n=40)or PR+NP≥40％,PR≥32％and sperm concentration＞15 × 106/ml(the normal control group,n=42).We analyzed the routine semen parameters and measured the zinc content in the seminal plasma using the computer-assisted sperm analysis system,detected the expressions of zinc transporters(ZIP13,ZIP8 and ZNT10),metallothioneins(MT1G,MT1 and MTF),GPR39,and calcium-dependent chloride channel protein(ANO1)in the sperm by real-time quantitative PCR(RT qPCR),examined free zinc distribution in the sperm by laser confocal microscopy,and determined the expressions of GPR39 and MT1 proteins in the sperm by immunofluorescence staining,followed by Spearman rank correlation analysis of their correlation with semen parameters.Results:There was no statistically significant difference in the zinc concentration in the seminal plasma between the AS and normal control groups(P＞0.05).Compared with the controls,the AS patients showed a significantly reduced free zinc level(P＜0.05),relative expressions of MT1G,MTF,ZIP13,GPR39 and ANO1 mRNA(P＜0.05),and that of the GPR39 protein in the AS group(P＜0.05).No statistically significant differences were observed in the relative expression levels of ZIP8,ZNT10 and MT1 mRNA between the two groups(P＞0.05).The relative expression levels of GPR39,ANO1,MT1G and MTF mRNA were positively correlated with sperm motility and the percentage of progressively motile sperm(P＜0.05).Conclusion:The expressions of zinc homeostasis proteins(MT1G,MTF and ZIP13),GPR39 and ANO1 mRNA are downregulated in the sperm of asthenozoospermia pa-tients,and positively correlated with sperm motility.

Objective:To investigate the clinical profile of primary bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia(PBMAH) and sex difference.Methods:One hundred and forty cases of PBMAH were recruited in our center from 2014, and all patients were evaluated for hormone secretion, adrenal imaging, and metabolic parameters.Results:Overt Cushing′s syndrome accounted for 76.4% of PBMAH cohort and 47.9% were female. The overt group had higher serum cortisol and 24 h urinary free cortisol levels, lower adrenocorticotropic hormone, higher serum cortisol after low-dose dexamethasone suppression tests, larger total adrenal size, and a higher percentage of obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hypokalemia than the subclinical group(all P<0.05). When compared with the male group, the female group had smaller adrenal size( P<0.001), lower HbA 1C( P=0.003), higher total cholesterol( P=0.005), and lower density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels( P=0.035). Further, 24 h urinary free cortisol in the male group was found to be positively correlated with diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, 2 h postprandial glucose after oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT), and HbA 1C after adjusted for age, body mass index, and onset duration, and was negatively correlated with body mass index and potassium levels. While 24 h urinary free cortisol in the female group was positively correlated only with diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, and 2 h postprandial glucose after OGTT(all P<0.05). During follow-up, 80.0% of patients achieved remission after unilateral adrenalectomy, with a recurrence rate of 17.9%. Conclusion:PBMAH related metabolic disorder is more pronounced in overt Cushing′s syndrome and males. Unilateral adrenalectomy as an effective treatment can benefit the majority of patients.