Background: s/Aims: Non-invasive models stratifying clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) are limited. Herein, we developed a new non-invasive model for predicting CSPH in patients with compensated cirrhosis and investigated whether carvedilol can prevent hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified using the new model. Methods: Non-invasive risk factors of CSPH were identified via systematic review and meta-analysis of studies involving patients with hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG). A new non-invasive model was validated for various performance aspects in three cohorts, i.e., a multicenter HVPG cohort, a follow-up cohort, and a carvediloltreating cohort. Results: In the meta-analysis with six studies (n=819), liver stiffness measurement and platelet count were identified as independent risk factors for CSPH and were used to develop the new “CSPH risk” model. In the HVPG cohort (n=151), the new model accurately predicted CSPH with cutoff values of 0 and –0.68 for ruling in and out CSPH, respectively. In the follow-up cohort (n=1,102), the cumulative incidences of decompensation events significantly differed using the cutoff values of <–0.68 (low-risk), –0.68 to 0 (medium-risk), and >0 (high-risk). In the carvediloltreated cohort, patients with high-risk CSPH treated with carvedilol (n=81) had lower rates of decompensation events than non-selective beta-blockers untreated patients with high-risk CSPH (n=613 before propensity score matching [PSM], n=162 after PSM). Conclusions Treatment with carvedilol significantly reduces the risk of hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified by the new model.

Background: s/Aims: Non-invasive models stratifying clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) are limited. Herein, we developed a new non-invasive model for predicting CSPH in patients with compensated cirrhosis and investigated whether carvedilol can prevent hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified using the new model. Methods: Non-invasive risk factors of CSPH were identified via systematic review and meta-analysis of studies involving patients with hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG). A new non-invasive model was validated for various performance aspects in three cohorts, i.e., a multicenter HVPG cohort, a follow-up cohort, and a carvediloltreating cohort. Results: In the meta-analysis with six studies (n=819), liver stiffness measurement and platelet count were identified as independent risk factors for CSPH and were used to develop the new “CSPH risk” model. In the HVPG cohort (n=151), the new model accurately predicted CSPH with cutoff values of 0 and –0.68 for ruling in and out CSPH, respectively. In the follow-up cohort (n=1,102), the cumulative incidences of decompensation events significantly differed using the cutoff values of <–0.68 (low-risk), –0.68 to 0 (medium-risk), and >0 (high-risk). In the carvediloltreated cohort, patients with high-risk CSPH treated with carvedilol (n=81) had lower rates of decompensation events than non-selective beta-blockers untreated patients with high-risk CSPH (n=613 before propensity score matching [PSM], n=162 after PSM). Conclusions Treatment with carvedilol significantly reduces the risk of hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified by the new model.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of remimazolam-based anesthesia in daytime laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Methods:In this multicenter, non-inferiority, randomized controlled trial, 300 American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification Ⅰ or Ⅱ patients of either sex, aged 18-60 yr, with body mass index of 18-28 kg/m 2, who underwent daytime laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anesthesia with tracheal intubation at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang University School of Medicine, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou First People′s Hospital Affiliated to Westlake University School of Medicine, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from August 2021 to August 2023, were selected and divided into 2 groups ( n=150 each) using a random number table method: remimazolam group (R group) and propofol group (P group). Anesthesia was induced as follows: Sufentanil was intravenously injected at a rate of 0.5 μg/kg, remimazolam was intravenously injected at a rate of 0.3 mg/kg in group R, propofol was intravenously injected at a rate of 2.0-2.5 mg/kg in group P, and cisatracurium besilate was intravenously injected at a rate of 0.2 mg/kg after loss of consciousness in two groups. The patients were mechanically ventilated after tracheal intubation. Anesthesia was maintained as follows: Remimazolam was intravenously injected at a rate of 0.5-1.0 mg·kg -1·h -1 in group R, propofol was intravenously injected at a rate of 4-10 mg·kg -1·h -1 in group P, and remifentanil was intravenously infused at a rate of 0.25-2.00 μg·kg -1·min -1, maintaining intraoperative bispectral index value of 40-60. The success rate of sedation was recorded, and non-inferiority tests were conducted. The time to loss of consciousness, emergence time, extubation time, recovery time of orientation, time of stay in post-anesthesia care unit and occurrence of delayed emergence were recorded. Liver function and renal function were measured before operation and within 24 h after operation. The occurrence of abnormal alanine transaminase, abnormal aspartate transaminase, abnormal creatinine and abnormal urea was recorded. The occurrence of adverse reactions during and after operation was recorded. Results:The success rates of sedation were 98.6% and 99.3% in group R and group P, respectively, there was no statistically significant difference in the success rate of sedation between the two groups ( P>0.05), and the difference in the success rates of sedation between the two groups was -0.007 (95% confidence interval-0.0301-0.0161), which met the pre-set non-inferiority criteria(95% confidence interval >-0.055). Compared with group P, the time to loss of consciousness and recovery time of orientation were significantly prolonged, and the incidence of delayed emergence was increased ( P<0.05), and no statistically significant changes were found in the emergence time, extubation time, time of stay in post-anesthesia care unit and severity of postoperative nausea and vomiting in group R ( P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the abnormal rates of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, creatinine and urea before and after operation between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The efficacy of remimazolam-based anesthesia in daytime laparoscopic cholecystectomy is not inferior to that of propofol-based anesthesia.

Background: s/Aims: Non-invasive models stratifying clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) are limited. Herein, we developed a new non-invasive model for predicting CSPH in patients with compensated cirrhosis and investigated whether carvedilol can prevent hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified using the new model. Methods: Non-invasive risk factors of CSPH were identified via systematic review and meta-analysis of studies involving patients with hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG). A new non-invasive model was validated for various performance aspects in three cohorts, i.e., a multicenter HVPG cohort, a follow-up cohort, and a carvediloltreating cohort. Results: In the meta-analysis with six studies (n=819), liver stiffness measurement and platelet count were identified as independent risk factors for CSPH and were used to develop the new “CSPH risk” model. In the HVPG cohort (n=151), the new model accurately predicted CSPH with cutoff values of 0 and –0.68 for ruling in and out CSPH, respectively. In the follow-up cohort (n=1,102), the cumulative incidences of decompensation events significantly differed using the cutoff values of <–0.68 (low-risk), –0.68 to 0 (medium-risk), and >0 (high-risk). In the carvediloltreated cohort, patients with high-risk CSPH treated with carvedilol (n=81) had lower rates of decompensation events than non-selective beta-blockers untreated patients with high-risk CSPH (n=613 before propensity score matching [PSM], n=162 after PSM). Conclusions Treatment with carvedilol significantly reduces the risk of hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified by the new model.

Targeting drug delivery systems mediated by nanoparticles has shown great potential in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. However, influences of different tumor progressions on the accumulation of nanoparticles, especially the ligand-modified active targeting nanoparticles are seldom exploited. In this work, the accumulation and penetration of RGD-modified gold nanoparticles (active AuNPs) with different sizes were investigated in orthotopic breast cancer with different tumor progressions. The results showed that the smallest active AuNPs had better accumulation and permeation effects in early tumor tissues with the relatively looser extracellular matrix, larger gaps, lower interstitial fluid pressure, and less receptor expression, which was due to size effects. However, the larger active AuNPs had better accumulation and penetration effects in late tumor tissues with highly expressed target receptors integrin α _v β ₃ because of the multivalent interactions between larger active nanoparticles and integrin α _v β ₃. In the midterm, tumor accumulation of active AuNPs was equally influenced by size effects and multivalent interactions. Therefore, RGD-modified nanoparticles with sizes of 7 and 90 nm accumulated more in tumors. This study will guide a rational design of active targeting nanoparticles for enhancing the diagnosis and treatment of tumors based on their progressions.

This study explored the drying kinetics of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma(SM), established the suitable models simulating the drying kinetics, and then analyzed the dynamic changes of active components during the drying processes with different methods, aiming to provide a basis for the establishment of suitable drying methods and the quality control of SM. The drying kinetics were studied based on the drying curve, drying rate, moisture effective diffusion coefficient, and drying activation energy, and the appropriate drying kinetics model of SM was established. The drying performance of different methods, such as hot air drying, infrared drying, and microwave drying of SM was evaluated, and the changes in the content of 10 salvianolic acids and 6 tanshinones during drying were analyzed by UPLC-TQ-MS. The Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution(TOPSIS) was employed to evaluate the quality of SM dried with different methods. The results showed that the drying rate and moisture effective diffusion coefficient of SM increased with the rise in drying temperature, and the maximum drying rates of different methods were in the order of microwave drying > infrared drying > hot air drying, slice > whole root. The drying rate decreased with the rise in temperature and the extension of drying time. The activation energy of hot air drying was higher than that of infrared drying in SM. The most suitable model for simulating the drying process of SM was the Page model. The TOPSIS results suggested infrared drying at 50 ℃ was the optimal drying method for SM. During the drying process, the content of salvianolic acids increased in different degrees with the loss of moisture, among which salvianolic acid B showed the largest increase of 44 times compared with that in the fresh medicinal material. Tanshinones also existed in the fresh herb of SM, and the content of tanshinone Ⅱ_A increased by 3 times after drying. The results provided a basis for the establishment of suitable drying methods and the quality control of SM.
Salvia miltiorrhiza/chemistry* ; Desiccation/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Rhizome/chemistry* ; Kinetics ; Quality Control ; Abietanes

Aim To explore the mechanism by which the compound Chaijin Jieyu formula(CCJJY)regulates the TLR4/NLRP3 signaling pathway to inhibit central oxidative stress and improve hippocampal synaptic plasticity damage in depression.Methods SD rats were randomly divided into the control group,chronic unpredictable mild stress group,sleep deprivation group,chronic unpredictable mild stress combined with sleep deprivation group,positive drug group(venlafax-ine+melatonin),low-dose group of CCJJY,medium dose group of CCJJY,and high-dose group of CCJJY,with nine rats in each group.Except for the control group,a rat model of depression complicated with in-somnia was established using chronic unpredictable mild stress combined with sleep deprivation.Depres-sion-like and sleep behaviors in rats were evaluated through weight,food intake,water maze,and pento-barbital sodium tests.ELisa was used to detect ROS,AANAT,and HPLC-EC was used to detect 5-HT con-tent,while Western blot/RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of IL-1β,TLR4,NLRP3,PSD-95,and SYN related proteins and mRNA.HE and Golgic stai-ning were used to observe the pathological changes in the third ventricle,hippocampus,and neuronal synap-ses.Results Compared with the control group,the depression-like behaviors of the model group rats were significant.The expression of IL-1β,TLR4,and NL-RP3 in the hippocampus increased,while the expres-sion of PSD-95 and SYN decreased.Activation of NL-RP3 inflammasomes led to "sleeve like" pathological changes in the third ventricle,with hippocampal neu-rons undergoing apoptosis and significant damage to neuronal synaptic plasticity.Compared with the model group,after intervention with CCJJY,the expression of ROS,IL-1β,TLR4,and NLRP3 decreased,while the expression of AANAT,5-HT,PSD-95,and SYN in-creased.Pathological damage to the third ventricle and hippocampal neurons was repaired.Conclusion The CCJJY improves hippocampal synaptic plasticity dam-age in depression by regulating the TLR4/NLRP3 sig-naling pathway to inhibit central oxidative stress.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of remimazolam-based anesthesia in daytime laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Methods:In this multicenter, non-inferiority, randomized controlled trial, 300 American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification Ⅰ or Ⅱ patients of either sex, aged 18-60 yr, with body mass index of 18-28 kg/m 2, who underwent daytime laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anesthesia with tracheal intubation at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang University School of Medicine, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou First People′s Hospital Affiliated to Westlake University School of Medicine, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from August 2021 to August 2023, were selected and divided into 2 groups ( n=150 each) using a random number table method: remimazolam group (R group) and propofol group (P group). Anesthesia was induced as follows: Sufentanil was intravenously injected at a rate of 0.5 μg/kg, remimazolam was intravenously injected at a rate of 0.3 mg/kg in group R, propofol was intravenously injected at a rate of 2.0-2.5 mg/kg in group P, and cisatracurium besilate was intravenously injected at a rate of 0.2 mg/kg after loss of consciousness in two groups. The patients were mechanically ventilated after tracheal intubation. Anesthesia was maintained as follows: Remimazolam was intravenously injected at a rate of 0.5-1.0 mg·kg -1·h -1 in group R, propofol was intravenously injected at a rate of 4-10 mg·kg -1·h -1 in group P, and remifentanil was intravenously infused at a rate of 0.25-2.00 μg·kg -1·min -1, maintaining intraoperative bispectral index value of 40-60. The success rate of sedation was recorded, and non-inferiority tests were conducted. The time to loss of consciousness, emergence time, extubation time, recovery time of orientation, time of stay in post-anesthesia care unit and occurrence of delayed emergence were recorded. Liver function and renal function were measured before operation and within 24 h after operation. The occurrence of abnormal alanine transaminase, abnormal aspartate transaminase, abnormal creatinine and abnormal urea was recorded. The occurrence of adverse reactions during and after operation was recorded. Results:The success rates of sedation were 98.6% and 99.3% in group R and group P, respectively, there was no statistically significant difference in the success rate of sedation between the two groups ( P>0.05), and the difference in the success rates of sedation between the two groups was -0.007 (95% confidence interval-0.0301-0.0161), which met the pre-set non-inferiority criteria(95% confidence interval >-0.055). Compared with group P, the time to loss of consciousness and recovery time of orientation were significantly prolonged, and the incidence of delayed emergence was increased ( P<0.05), and no statistically significant changes were found in the emergence time, extubation time, time of stay in post-anesthesia care unit and severity of postoperative nausea and vomiting in group R ( P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the abnormal rates of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, creatinine and urea before and after operation between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The efficacy of remimazolam-based anesthesia in daytime laparoscopic cholecystectomy is not inferior to that of propofol-based anesthesia.

Aim To explore the mechanism by which the compound Chaijin Jieyu formula(CCJJY)regulates the TLR4/NLRP3 signaling pathway to inhibit central oxidative stress and improve hippocampal synaptic plasticity damage in depression.Methods SD rats were randomly divided into the control group,chronic unpredictable mild stress group,sleep deprivation group,chronic unpredictable mild stress combined with sleep deprivation group,positive drug group(venlafax-ine+melatonin),low-dose group of CCJJY,medium dose group of CCJJY,and high-dose group of CCJJY,with nine rats in each group.Except for the control group,a rat model of depression complicated with in-somnia was established using chronic unpredictable mild stress combined with sleep deprivation.Depres-sion-like and sleep behaviors in rats were evaluated through weight,food intake,water maze,and pento-barbital sodium tests.ELisa was used to detect ROS,AANAT,and HPLC-EC was used to detect 5-HT con-tent,while Western blot/RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of IL-1β,TLR4,NLRP3,PSD-95,and SYN related proteins and mRNA.HE and Golgic stai-ning were used to observe the pathological changes in the third ventricle,hippocampus,and neuronal synap-ses.Results Compared with the control group,the depression-like behaviors of the model group rats were significant.The expression of IL-1β,TLR4,and NL-RP3 in the hippocampus increased,while the expres-sion of PSD-95 and SYN decreased.Activation of NL-RP3 inflammasomes led to "sleeve like" pathological changes in the third ventricle,with hippocampal neu-rons undergoing apoptosis and significant damage to neuronal synaptic plasticity.Compared with the model group,after intervention with CCJJY,the expression of ROS,IL-1β,TLR4,and NLRP3 decreased,while the expression of AANAT,5-HT,PSD-95,and SYN in-creased.Pathological damage to the third ventricle and hippocampal neurons was repaired.Conclusion The CCJJY improves hippocampal synaptic plasticity dam-age in depression by regulating the TLR4/NLRP3 sig-naling pathway to inhibit central oxidative stress.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the intervention effect and mechanism of Lycium barbarum leaves on letrozole-induced polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) mice. The PCOS model was prepared by letrozole combined with high-fat diet. After successful modeling, 40 mice were randomly divided into PCOS group, positive drug metformin group, low-dose Lycium barbarum leaves group, and high-dose Lycium barbarum leaves group. The corresponding drugs were given by gavage for 29 days. At the end of the experiment, the eyeballs were removed for blood collection and ovarian tissue was collected. The ovarian mass, fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting insulin (FINS), testosterone (T), anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and estradiol (E₂) levels were measured in each group. The morphology of ovarian tissue was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining, and the oocytes, cystic follicles and corpus luteum were counted. Cecal contents of mice were collected for analysis of intestinal flora composition and differential flora. The animal experiment process was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The results showed that the estrous cycle of PCOS mice was disordered. Compared with the PCOS group, the Lycium barbarum leaves group can significantly reduce the ovarian damage of mice, reduce the number of cystic dilated follicles, and normalize the estrous cycle. After the intervention of Lycium barbarum leaves, the levels of FBG, FINS, T, AMH, LH, FSH and LH/FSH were significantly decreased (P < 0.05), while the level of E₂ was significantly increased (P < 0.001). In addition, Lycium barbarum leaves can regulate the disorder of intestinal flora diversity in PCOS mice, increase the abundance of Bacteroidetes, and reduce the abundance of Firmicutes, Ileibacterium, Romboutsia and Faecalibaculum. In summary, Lycium barbarum leaves can play a therapeutic role in PCOS mice by improving insulin resistance, regulating reproductive hormone disorders and gut microbiota imbalance. It provides scientific basis and useful reference for the rational utilization and development of Lycium barbarum leaves.