Objective:To discuss the role of changes of serum total bile acid(TBA)levels induced by long-term high-fat diet in the occurrence of supraventricular arrhythmia(SVA)in the apolipoprotein E knockout(ApoE-/-)mice,and to clarify its mechanism.Methods:Twenty ApoE-/-mice were randomly divided into normal diet group and high-fat diet(HFD)group(n=10);after 20 weeks of feeding,surface electrocardiogram was used to detect cardiac electrophysiology of the mice in various groups;echocardiography was used to detect cardiac systolic function and structure in the mice in various groups;enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect serum levels of blood lipids,total bile acid(TBA)and inflammatory factors in the mice in various groups;hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining was used to detect cardiac inflammatory response in the mice in various groups;Masson staining was used to observe myocardial fibrosis degree in the mice in various groups.Results:Compared with normal diet group,4 cases of junctional premature beat(JPB)/junctional tachycardia(JT),1 case of premature atrial contraction(PAC)and 1 case of premature ventricular contraction(PVC)were found in HFD group,while only 1 case of JPB/JT and 1 case of PAC were found in normal diet group.Compared with normal diet group,the heart rate of the mice in HFD group was significantly decreased(P<0.05);the QRS and QT intervals were significantly prolonged(P<0.05);the ejection fraction(EF)and fractional shortening(FS)were significantly decreased(P<0.05);the end-diastolic volume(EDV)was increased(P<0.05),but there was no significant difference in end-systolic volume(ESV)between groups(P>0.05);the left ventricular internal diameter at end-diastole(LVIDd)and left ventricular internal diameter at end-systole(LVIDs)were significantly increased(P<0.05).There were no significant differences in plasma total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),high-density lipoprotein(HDL-c)and low-density lipoprotein(LDL-c)levels and body weight between normal diet group and HFD group(P>0.05).Compared with normal diet group,the TBA level of the mice in HFD group was significantly increased(P<0.05).There were no significant differences in interleukin-6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1),and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1(CXCL-1)levels between HFD group and normal diet group.Compared with normal diet group,the interleukin-1β(IL-1β)level in HFD group showed an increasing trend,but there was no significant difference between groups(P>0.05).The HE staining results showed that the inflammatory cell infiltration was similar between HFD group and normal diet group.The Masson staining results showed that compared with normal diet group,the fibrosis of the mice in HFD group showed an increasing trend,but there was no significant difference in myocardial fibrosis area between groups(P>0.05).Conclusion:Long-term high-fat diet may increase serum TBA level in ApoE-/-mice,which may induce SVA.

Gout significantly impacts both physical health and quality of life,while current pharmacological treatments face notable limitations.TCM non-pharmacological therapies have shown promising potential in the management of gout,offering diverse approaches with favorable efficacy.This article summarized the characteristics,clinical efficacy and mechanisms of different TCM non-pharmacological therapies for treating gout.Recent studies suggest that these therapies may be applied across all clinical stages of gout.During the acute phase,they can rapidly reduce joint inflammation and relieve pain.In the intercritical phase,they help prevent recurrence,decrease the frequency of attacks,and shorten episode duration.In the chronic tophaceous phase,they alleviate persistent symptoms,improve joint function,and support minimally invasive tophi removal.TCM non-pharmacological therapies have their own characteristics and good safety,and can be combined for clinical use,providing TCM treatment strategies for gout.

BACKGROUND:Traditional Chinese medicine has unique advantages in preventing and treating spleen-deficiency and hyperlipidemia.In basic studies,models of spleen-deficiency and hyperlipidemia are commonly found in rats,pigs,and other animals.This has limitations for medical research that can only use mouse models.It is urgent to establish and evaluate mouse models of spleen-deficiency and hyperlipidemia to support basic research on traditional Chinese medicine in preventing and treating spleen-deficiency and hyperlipidemia.OBJECTIVE:To establish a mouse model of spleen-deficiency hyperlipidemia.METHODS:Totally 24 C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal group(n=12)and spleen-deficiency hyperlipemia group(n=12).Mice in normal group were fed basic diet.Mice in the spleen-deficiency hyperlipemia group were prepared with a diet disorder+fatigue internal injury+high-fat feeding method to establish a spleen-deficiency high-fat model.In the first 2 weeks,the mice were forced to swim to their endurance limit on a single day and were only fed cabbage,with free access to water.They were also gavaged with refined lard+high-fat feed on two-day intervals.After 2 weeks,the mice were fed a high-fat diet every day and the diet continued until 12 weeks.The mice were fed with a high-fat diet for 4 and 12 weeks,and their body weight,food intake,gripping strength,fecal water content,small intestinal charcoal propulsion rate,serum D-xylose and gastrin levels,spleen index and thymus index,blood lipid level,total body fat mass,body fat percentage,and liver lipid deposition were tested.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with the normal group,the body weight,fecal water content,total body fat mass,body fat percentage,triglyceride and total cholesterol levels of the mice in the spleen-deficiency hyperlipemia group fed with high-fat diet for 4 and 12 weeks were increased(P＜0.05);the daily food intake,gripping force,and D-xylose level of the mice fed with high-fat diet for 4 and 12 weeks were decreased(P＜0.05);the spleen index of the mice fed with high-fat diet for 4 weeks was increased(P＜0.05);the small intestinal carbon propulsion rate,gastrin level,spleen index,and thymus index of the mice fed with high-fat diet for 12 weeks were decreased(P＜0.05);the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level of the mice fed with high-fat diet for 12 weeks was increased(P＜0.05).(2)The results of liver oil red O staining showed that the lipid deposition in the spleen-deficiency hyperlipemia group after 4 weeks of high-fat diet feeding was slightly more than that in the normal group,and the lipid deposition in the high-fat diet feeding for 12 weeks was significantly more than that in the normal group.(3)The results show that a stable spleen deficiency and hyperlipidemia mouse model can be prepared by the compound method of eating disorders,exhaustion,and high-fat feeding.

Objective:To investigate the effect of CT-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) measurement sites on the values and the diagnostic performance, and to determine the optimal measurement site for CT-FFR using invasive FFR as the reference standard.Methods:This study was part of the CT-FFR CHINA clinical trial. Patients with suspected coronary artery disease who were scheduled for invasive coronary angiography (ICA) were prospectively recruited from five clinical centers across the country from November 2018 to March 2020. Each enrolled patient underwent coronary CT angiography (CCTA), CT-FFR, ICA, and invasive pressure wire-based FFR assessments sequentially within one week. Four groups of CT-FFR values were obtained on each enrolled target vessels according to different CT-FFR measurement locations: 1, 2, 3 cm distal to the target lesion, and terminal vessel groups. Spearman and Bland-Altman analyses were used to explore the correlation and consistency of CT-FFR values and FFR values at different measurement sites. The measurement deviation of CT-FFR was also compared. Diagnostic accuracy and performance of CT-FFR, including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), in discriminating myocardial ischemia were analyzed across all measurement site groups on a per-vessel level, using FFR as the reference standard.Results:A total of 289 patients with 345 target lesion vessels were included. According to CCTA, there were 51 target vessels (14.8%) with<50% stenosis, 106 vessels (30.7%) with 50%-69% stenosis, and 188 vessels (54.5%) with stenosis≥70%. At per-vessel level, CT-FFR and FFR values at each measurement position group were highly positively correlated: 1 cm distal to target lesion group, r=0.734 ( P<0.001); 2 cm distal to target lesion group, r=0.732 ( P<0.001); 3 cm distal to target lesion group, r=0.737 ( P<0.001); terminal vessel group was 0.719 ( P<0.001). At per-vessel level, CT-FFR and FFR values of all measurement sites were in good agreement (Bland-Altman analysis results): 1 cm distal to target lesion group, 0.014 (95% LoA 0.002-0.026); 2 cm distal to target lesion group, 0.026 (95% LoA 0.015-0.038); 3 cm distal to target lesion group, 0.040 (95% LoA 0.039-0.051); terminal vessel group, 0.075 (95% LoA 0.064-0.087). And at per-vessel level, the accuracy of diagnosing myocardial ischemia with CT-FFR at 1 cm was highest [84.6% (95% CI 80.4%-88.3%)], and the lowest accuracy in the terminal vessel group [67.0% (95% CI 61.7%-72.0%)]. However, there was no significant difference in the diagnostic accuracy of CT-FFR at 1 cm, 2 cm [80.6% (95% CI 76.1%-84.6%)] and 3 cm [77.5% (95% CI 72.6%-81.7%)]. AUC of CT-FFR at 1 cm distal to the lesion were both highest for global level and moderately stenosis (50%-69%) lesions [0.85 (95% CI 0.81-0.89), 0.84 (95% CI 0.77-0.90)]. And the differences were statistically significant among the four measurement location groups (all P<0.05). Conclusions:The deviation of CT-FFR increases with measurement site distance distal to target lesions. One centimeter distal to the target lesion is the optimal measurement site, and the CT-FFR value here shows the highest diagnostic performance for myocardial ischemic lesions, especially for moderate stenosis.

Knee osteoarthritis is a common joint disease within osteoarthritis,characterized by pain,swelling,and limited functionality as the main clinical manifestations.In severe cases,it affects daily life and falls under the category of"impediment syndrome"or"bone impediment"in TCM.The author believes that the theory of"bones,tendons,and muscles"is closely related to this disease.Treatment should focus on simultaneously nourishing the liver,spleen and kidneys,considering tendons,bones and muscles,while also dispelling wind,cold and dampness.The clinical application of Sanbi Decoction has shown good efficacy,and this discussion aimed to provide ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of knee osteoarthritis.

Objective:To explore the genetic etiology of congenital solitary functioning kidney (CSFK).Methods:This retrospective study included 422 fetuses diagnosed with CSFK by prenatal ultrasound who underwent invasive prenatal genetic testing at Guangdong Women and Children Hospital between January 2015 and February 2023. These CSFK fetuses were classified into different subtypes (unilateral renal agenesis and unilateral multicystic dysplastic kidney) and divided into the isolated group ( n=312) and the non-isolated group ( n=110) based on whether there were other associated abnormalities. The results of G-banding karyotyping, chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA), and whole-exome sequencing (WES) among fetuses with different subtypes or from different groups were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square (or Fisher's exact) test and rank-sum test. Results:(1) The median maternal age at the time of invasive prenatal diagnosis was 29 years (range: 18-43 years), and the median gestational age was 25 weeks (range: 17-34 weeks). Among the 422 cases, 234 underwent karyotyping and CMA, 63 underwent CMA and WES, and seven underwent all three tests. Therefore, karyotyping, CMA, and WES were completed in 257, 406, and 70 cases, respectively. (2) The detection rate of chromosomal abnormality by G-banding karyotyping was 1.6% (4/257). Among these four cases, CMA detected no abnormalities in one case with chromosomal mosaicism, while the CMA results were consistent with G-banding karyotyping in three cases with chromosomal structural rearrangements. (3) CMA results: The CNV detection was 8.9% (36/406), with 22 cases being classified as pathogenic/likely pathogenic CNVs. Common CNV loci included 17q12 (five cases), 22q11.21 (five cases), and 16p11.2 (two cases). Fifteen cases (68.2%) were associated with microdeletion syndromes. Nineteen mothers opted for pregnancy termination, two continued the pregnancies, and one was lost to follow-up. (4) Among the 241 cases that underwent both G-banding karyotyping and CMA (including seven cases with all three tests), the positive rates for G-banding karyotyping and CMA were 1.7% (4/241) and 5.8% (14/241), respectively. Compared to G-banding karyotyping, CMA provided an additional diagnostic yield of 4.1% (10/241). (5) Among the 70 cases that underwent family-based WES, 26 (37.1%) showed abnormal results, including 12 pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants and 14 variants of uncertain significance. The positive rateby WES was 17.1% (12/70). Six gene variants (mainly PKD1 and HNF1B variants) were associated with the CSFK phenotype, including five autosomal dominant and one autosomal recessive inheritance. Among the 12 WES-positive cases, six had heterozygous variants and six had compound heterozygous variants. Eight mothers chose to continue the pregnancy, two opted for termination, and two were lost to follow-up. (6) Among the 422 CSFK fetuses, 35 (8.3%) had genetic abnormalities. The highest genetic abnormality rate was observed in CSFK fetuses with isolated urinary system abnormalities (15.1%, 8/53), followed by those with additional non-urinary system abnormalities (12.3%, 7/57), and isolated CSFK fetuses (6.4%, 20/312). The differences among the three groups were statistically significant ( χ2=5.95, P=0.048), but no significant differences were found in pairwise comparisons. Conclusion:The primary genetic etiologies of CSFK fetuses include 17q12 microdeletion syndrome, 22q11.2 microdeletion syndrome, and variants in the PKD1 and HNF1B genes.

Gout significantly impacts both physical health and quality of life,while current pharmacological treatments face notable limitations.TCM non-pharmacological therapies have shown promising potential in the management of gout,offering diverse approaches with favorable efficacy.This article summarized the characteristics,clinical efficacy and mechanisms of different TCM non-pharmacological therapies for treating gout.Recent studies suggest that these therapies may be applied across all clinical stages of gout.During the acute phase,they can rapidly reduce joint inflammation and relieve pain.In the intercritical phase,they help prevent recurrence,decrease the frequency of attacks,and shorten episode duration.In the chronic tophaceous phase,they alleviate persistent symptoms,improve joint function,and support minimally invasive tophi removal.TCM non-pharmacological therapies have their own characteristics and good safety,and can be combined for clinical use,providing TCM treatment strategies for gout.

BACKGROUND:Traditional Chinese medicine has unique advantages in preventing and treating spleen-deficiency and hyperlipidemia.In basic studies,models of spleen-deficiency and hyperlipidemia are commonly found in rats,pigs,and other animals.This has limitations for medical research that can only use mouse models.It is urgent to establish and evaluate mouse models of spleen-deficiency and hyperlipidemia to support basic research on traditional Chinese medicine in preventing and treating spleen-deficiency and hyperlipidemia.OBJECTIVE:To establish a mouse model of spleen-deficiency hyperlipidemia.METHODS:Totally 24 C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal group(n=12)and spleen-deficiency hyperlipemia group(n=12).Mice in normal group were fed basic diet.Mice in the spleen-deficiency hyperlipemia group were prepared with a diet disorder+fatigue internal injury+high-fat feeding method to establish a spleen-deficiency high-fat model.In the first 2 weeks,the mice were forced to swim to their endurance limit on a single day and were only fed cabbage,with free access to water.They were also gavaged with refined lard+high-fat feed on two-day intervals.After 2 weeks,the mice were fed a high-fat diet every day and the diet continued until 12 weeks.The mice were fed with a high-fat diet for 4 and 12 weeks,and their body weight,food intake,gripping strength,fecal water content,small intestinal charcoal propulsion rate,serum D-xylose and gastrin levels,spleen index and thymus index,blood lipid level,total body fat mass,body fat percentage,and liver lipid deposition were tested.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with the normal group,the body weight,fecal water content,total body fat mass,body fat percentage,triglyceride and total cholesterol levels of the mice in the spleen-deficiency hyperlipemia group fed with high-fat diet for 4 and 12 weeks were increased(P＜0.05);the daily food intake,gripping force,and D-xylose level of the mice fed with high-fat diet for 4 and 12 weeks were decreased(P＜0.05);the spleen index of the mice fed with high-fat diet for 4 weeks was increased(P＜0.05);the small intestinal carbon propulsion rate,gastrin level,spleen index,and thymus index of the mice fed with high-fat diet for 12 weeks were decreased(P＜0.05);the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level of the mice fed with high-fat diet for 12 weeks was increased(P＜0.05).(2)The results of liver oil red O staining showed that the lipid deposition in the spleen-deficiency hyperlipemia group after 4 weeks of high-fat diet feeding was slightly more than that in the normal group,and the lipid deposition in the high-fat diet feeding for 12 weeks was significantly more than that in the normal group.(3)The results show that a stable spleen deficiency and hyperlipidemia mouse model can be prepared by the compound method of eating disorders,exhaustion,and high-fat feeding.

Objective:To investigate the effect of CT-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) measurement sites on the values and the diagnostic performance, and to determine the optimal measurement site for CT-FFR using invasive FFR as the reference standard.Methods:This study was part of the CT-FFR CHINA clinical trial. Patients with suspected coronary artery disease who were scheduled for invasive coronary angiography (ICA) were prospectively recruited from five clinical centers across the country from November 2018 to March 2020. Each enrolled patient underwent coronary CT angiography (CCTA), CT-FFR, ICA, and invasive pressure wire-based FFR assessments sequentially within one week. Four groups of CT-FFR values were obtained on each enrolled target vessels according to different CT-FFR measurement locations: 1, 2, 3 cm distal to the target lesion, and terminal vessel groups. Spearman and Bland-Altman analyses were used to explore the correlation and consistency of CT-FFR values and FFR values at different measurement sites. The measurement deviation of CT-FFR was also compared. Diagnostic accuracy and performance of CT-FFR, including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), in discriminating myocardial ischemia were analyzed across all measurement site groups on a per-vessel level, using FFR as the reference standard.Results:A total of 289 patients with 345 target lesion vessels were included. According to CCTA, there were 51 target vessels (14.8%) with<50% stenosis, 106 vessels (30.7%) with 50%-69% stenosis, and 188 vessels (54.5%) with stenosis≥70%. At per-vessel level, CT-FFR and FFR values at each measurement position group were highly positively correlated: 1 cm distal to target lesion group, r=0.734 ( P<0.001); 2 cm distal to target lesion group, r=0.732 ( P<0.001); 3 cm distal to target lesion group, r=0.737 ( P<0.001); terminal vessel group was 0.719 ( P<0.001). At per-vessel level, CT-FFR and FFR values of all measurement sites were in good agreement (Bland-Altman analysis results): 1 cm distal to target lesion group, 0.014 (95% LoA 0.002-0.026); 2 cm distal to target lesion group, 0.026 (95% LoA 0.015-0.038); 3 cm distal to target lesion group, 0.040 (95% LoA 0.039-0.051); terminal vessel group, 0.075 (95% LoA 0.064-0.087). And at per-vessel level, the accuracy of diagnosing myocardial ischemia with CT-FFR at 1 cm was highest [84.6% (95% CI 80.4%-88.3%)], and the lowest accuracy in the terminal vessel group [67.0% (95% CI 61.7%-72.0%)]. However, there was no significant difference in the diagnostic accuracy of CT-FFR at 1 cm, 2 cm [80.6% (95% CI 76.1%-84.6%)] and 3 cm [77.5% (95% CI 72.6%-81.7%)]. AUC of CT-FFR at 1 cm distal to the lesion were both highest for global level and moderately stenosis (50%-69%) lesions [0.85 (95% CI 0.81-0.89), 0.84 (95% CI 0.77-0.90)]. And the differences were statistically significant among the four measurement location groups (all P<0.05). Conclusions:The deviation of CT-FFR increases with measurement site distance distal to target lesions. One centimeter distal to the target lesion is the optimal measurement site, and the CT-FFR value here shows the highest diagnostic performance for myocardial ischemic lesions, especially for moderate stenosis.

Knee osteoarthritis is a common joint disease within osteoarthritis,characterized by pain,swelling,and limited functionality as the main clinical manifestations.In severe cases,it affects daily life and falls under the category of"impediment syndrome"or"bone impediment"in TCM.The author believes that the theory of"bones,tendons,and muscles"is closely related to this disease.Treatment should focus on simultaneously nourishing the liver,spleen and kidneys,considering tendons,bones and muscles,while also dispelling wind,cold and dampness.The clinical application of Sanbi Decoction has shown good efficacy,and this discussion aimed to provide ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of knee osteoarthritis.