The study was conducted to investigate the mechanism of Xinyang Tablets( XYP) in modulating the fat mass and obesity-associated protein(FTO)/N6-methyladenosine(m6A) signaling pathway to ameliorate ventricular remodeling in heart failure(HF). A mouse model of HF was established by transverse aortic constriction(TAC). Mice were randomized into sham, model, XYP(low, medium, and high doses), and positive control( perindopril) groups(n= 10). From day 3 post-surgery, mice were administrated with corresponding drugs by gavage for 6 consecutive weeks. Following the treatment, echocardiography was employed to evaluate the cardiac function, and RT-qPCR was employed to determine the relative m RNA levels of key markers, including atrial natriuretic peptide( ANP), B-type natriuretic peptide( BNP), β-myosin heavy chain(β-MHC), collagen type I alpha chain(Col1α), collagen type Ⅲ alpha chain(Col3α), alpha smooth muscle actin(α-SMA), and FTO. The cardiac tissue was stained with Masson's trichrome and wheat germ agglutinin(WGA) to reveal the pathological changes. Immunohistochemistry was employed to detect the expression levels of Col1α, Col3α, α-SMA, and FTO in the myocardial tissue. The m6A modification level in the myocardial tissue was measured by the m6A assay kit. An H9c2 cell model of cardiomyocyte injury was induced by angiotensin Ⅱ(AngⅡ), and small interfering RNA(siRNA) was employed to knock down FTO expression. RT-qPCR was conducted to assess the relative m RNA levels of FTO and other genes associated with cardiac remodeling. The m6A modification level was measured by the m6A assay kit, and Western blot was employed to determine the phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(p-PI3K)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K) and phosphorylated serine/threonine kinase(p-Akt)/serine/threonine kinase(Akt) ratios in cardiomyocytes. The results of animal experiments showed that the XYP treatment significantly improved the cardiac function, reduced fibrosis, up-regulated the m RNA and protein levels of FTO, and lowered the m6A modification level compared with the model group. The results of cell experiments showed that the XYP-containing serum markedly up-regulated the m RNA level of FTO while decreasing the m6A modification level and the p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt ratios in cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, FTO knockdown reversed the protective effects of XYP-containing serum on Ang Ⅱ-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. In conclusion, XYP may ameliorate ventricular remodeling by regulating the FTO/m6A axis, thereby inhibiting the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
Animals ; Ventricular Remodeling/drug effects* ; Heart Failure/physiopathology* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Mice ; Male ; Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Humans ; Adenosine/analogs & derivatives* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal

This study investigated the effects of Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata on striatal neuronal apoptosis in rats with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) based on the B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2)/Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax)/caspase-3 signaling pathway. Twenty-four 3-week-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR) were randomly divided into a model group, a methylphenidate group(2 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and a Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata group(2.4 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)). Age-matched male Wistar Kyoto(WKY) rats were used as the normal control group, with 8 rats in each group. The rats were administered by gavage for 28 days. Body weight and food intake were recorded for each group. The open field test and elevated plus maze test were used to assess hyperactivity and impulsive behaviors. Nissl staining was used to detect changes in striatal neurons and Nissl bodies. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL) fluorescence staining was used to detect striatal cell apoptosis. Western blot was employed to detect the expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 proteins in the striatum. The results showed that compared with the model group, Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata significantly reduced the total movement distance, average movement speed, and central area residence time in the open field test, and significantly reduced the ratio of open arm entries, open arm stay time, and head dipping in the elevated plus maze test. Furthermore, it increased the number of Nissl bodies in striatal neurons, significantly downregulated the apoptosis index, significantly increased Bcl-2 protein expression and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, and reduced Bax and caspase-3 protein expression. In conclusion, Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata can reduce hyperactivity and impulsive behaviors in ADHD rats. Its mechanism may be related to the regulation of the Bcl-2/Bax/caspase-3 signaling pathway in the striatum, enhancing the anti-apoptotic capacity of striatal neurons.
Animals ; Male ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Rats ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Caspase 3/genetics* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/genetics* ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein/genetics* ; Rehmannia/chemistry* ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/physiopathology* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Neurons/cytology* ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Humans ; Corpus Striatum/cytology* ; Plant Extracts

This study investigates the effect and underlying mechanism of Guizhi Tongluo Tablets(GZTL) in treating atherosclerosis(AS) in a mouse model. Apolipoprotein E-knockout(ApoE~(-/-)) mice were randomly assigned to the following groups: model, high-, medium-, and low-dose GZTL, and atorvastatin(ATV), and age-matched C57BL/6J mice were selected as the control group. ApoE~(-/-) mice in other groups except the control group were fed with a high-fat diet for the modeling of AS and administrated with corresponding drugs via gavage for 8 weeks. General conditions, signs of blood stasis, and body mass of mice were monitored. Aortic plaques and their stability were assessed by hematoxylin-eosin, Masson, and oil red O staining. Serum levels of total cholesterol(TC), triglycerides(TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C) were measured by biochemical assays, and those of interleukin-1β(IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and interleukin-6(IL-6) were determined via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Apoptosis was assessed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL). Single-cell RNA sequencing(scRNA-seq) was employed to analyze the differential expression of CD72hi macrophages(CD72hi-Mφ) in the aortas of AS patients and mice. The immunofluorescence assay was employed to visualize CD72hi-Mφ expression in mouse aortic plaques, and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was utilized to determine the mRNA levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 in the aorta. The results demonstrated that compared with the control group, the model group exhibited significant increases in body mass, aortic plaque area proportion, necrotic core area proportion, and lipid deposition, a notable decrease in collagen fiber content, and an increase in apoptosis. Additionally, the model group showcased elevated serum levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6, alongside marked upregulations in the mRNA levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 in the aorta. In comparison with the model group, the GZTL groups and the ATV group showed a reduction in body mass, and the medium-and high-dose GZTL groups and the ATV group demonstrated reductions in aortic plaque area proportion, necrotic core area proportion, and lipid deposition, an increase in collagen fiber content, and a decrease in apoptosis. Furthermore, the treatment goups showcased lowered serum levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6. The data of scRNA-seq revealed significantly elevated CD72hi-Mφ signaling in carotid plaques of AS patients compared with that in the normal arterial tissue. Animal experiments confirmed that CD72hi-Mφ expression, along with several pro-inflammatory cytokines, was significantly upregulated in the aortas of AS mice, which were downregulated by GZTL treatment. In conclusion, GZTL may alleviate AS by inhibiting CD72hi-Mφ activity.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Atherosclerosis/immunology* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Macrophages/immunology* ; Male ; Humans ; Apolipoproteins E/genetics* ; Tablets ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/genetics* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Interleukin-1beta/genetics* ; Interleukin-6/genetics* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice, Knockout

The chemical constituents were systematically separated from the roots of Berberis polyantha by various chromatographic methods, including silica gel column chromatography, HP20 column chromatography, polyamide column chromatography, reversed-phase C_(18) column chromatography, and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. The structures of the compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectroscopic techniques(1D NMR, 2D NMR, UV, MS, and CD). Four phenylpropanoids were isolated from the methanol extract of the roots of B. polyantha, and they were identified as(2R)-1-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-propanone-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(1), methyl 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzoate(2),(+)-syringaresinol(3), and syringaresinol-4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(4). Compound 1 was a new compound, and other compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time. The anti-inflammatory activity of these compounds was evaluated based on the release of nitric oxide(NO) in the culture of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. At a concentration of 10 μmol·L~(-1), all the four compounds inhibited the LPS-induced release of NO in RAW264.7 cells, demonstrating potential anti-inflammatory properties.
Plant Roots/chemistry* ; Animals ; Mice ; Berberis/chemistry* ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Macrophages/immunology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification* ; Nitric Oxide/metabolism* ; Molecular Structure ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/isolation & purification*

Various techniques have been described for reconstructing the skin of the penile shaft; however, no universally accepted standard exists for correcting buried penis in adults. We aimed to describe a new technique for correcting an adult-acquired buried penis through a diamond-shaped incision at the penopubic junction. We retrospectively analyzed data from patients treated with our technique between March 2019 and June 2023 in the Department of Andrology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital (Nanjing, China). Forty-two adult males with buried penises, with a mean (±standard deviation [s.d.]) age of 26.6 (±6.6) years, underwent surgery. All patients were obese, with an average (±s.d.) body mass index of 35.56 (±3.23) kg m -2 . In addition to phalloplasty, 32 patients concurrently underwent circumcision, and 28 underwent suprapubic liposuction. The mean (±s.d.) duration of the operation was 98.02 (±13.28) min. The mean (±s.d.) duration of follow-up was 6.71 (±3.43) months. The length in the flaccid unstretched state postoperatively was significantly greater than that preoperatively (mean ± s.d: 5.55±1.19 cm vs 1.94±0.59 cm, P < 0.01). Only minor complications, such as wound disruption (7.1%) and infection (4.8%), were observed. The mean (±s.d.) score of patient satisfaction was 4.02 (±0.84) on a scale of 5. This technique provides excellent cosmetic and functional outcomes with a minimal risk of complications. However, additional clinical studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of this procedure.
Humans ; Male ; Patient Satisfaction ; Adult ; Lipectomy/methods* ; Penis/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods* ; Young Adult ; Penile Diseases/surgery* ; Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male/methods*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between serum levels of fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23), heparanase (HPSE) and early renal impairment (RI) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 125 MM patients who were initially diagnosed in the Department of Hematology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology from June 2020 to June 2023. The patients were divided into RI group (>176.80 μmol/L) and non-RI group (≤176.80 μmol/L) based on their serum creatinine levels when diagnosed. The baseline data and laboratory indexes of the two groups were compared. The relationship between serum FGF-23, HPSE and early RI in MM patients was analyzed. RESULTS: Among 125 newly diagnosed MM patients, 33 cases developed early RI, accounting for 26.40%. The proportion of light chain type, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), blood uric acid, lactate dehydrogenase, FGF-23, and HPSE levels in RI group were higher than those in non-RI group (all P <0.05). There was no statistical significant difference in other data between the two groups (P >0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that BUN, FGF-23 and HPSE were associated with early RI in MM patients (all P <0.05). The serum FGF-23 level was divided into Q1-Q4 groups by quartile, and the serum HPSE level was divided into q1-q4 groups. The correlation analysis showed that with the increase of serum FGF-23 and HPSE levels, the incidence of early RI increased (r =0.668, 0.592). Furthermore, logistic regression analysis showed that after controlling for confounding factors, elevated levels of serum FGF-23 and HPSE were still influencing factors for early RI in MM patients (OR>1, P <0.05). According to Pearson's linear correlation test, there was a positive correlation between serum FGF-23 level and HPSE level (r =0.373). CONCLUSION There is a certain correlation between serum levels of FGF-23, HPSE and early RI in MM patients, and the incidence of early RI is higher in patients with abnormally high levels of both.
Humans ; Multiple Myeloma/complications* ; Fibroblast Growth Factor-23 ; Retrospective Studies ; Fibroblast Growth Factors/blood* ; Glucuronidase/blood* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Renal Insufficiency/blood* ; Aged

Objective To evaluate the effects of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation(TEAS)combined with Chinese medicine emotional intervention on immune function and psychological stress in patients undergoing laparoscopic radical rectal cancer surgery.Methods A total of 100 patients hospitalized for laparoscopic radical surgery for rectal cancer were randomly divided into 4 groups of Group A,B,C,and D,25 patients in each group.Group A was given TEAS for 30 minutes before anesthesia,Group B was given TEAS continuously until the end of the surgery,Group C was given TEAS for 30 minutes and Chinese medicine emotional intervention before anesthesia,Group D was given TEAS continuously until the end of the surgery together with Chinese medicine emotional intervention.TEAS was performed at bilateral Zusanli(ST36)points,bilateral Sanyinjiao(SP6)points,Baihui(GV20)points,bilateral Neiguan(PC6)points.The changes of perioperative outcomes and the changes of parameters associated with the immune function,molecular mechanism of Th1/Th2 cells,and psychological stress response before the surgery and 3 days after the surgery in each group were observed.Moreover,the occurrence of adverse reactions in each group was compared.Results(1)The differences of perioperative outcomes operation time,bleeding volume and infusion amount were not statistically significant among the 4 groups(P＞0.05).The Sufentanil dosage,Remifentanil dosage,postoperative awakening time,and 24-hour postoperative pain Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)scores of group D were lower than those of Groups A,B,and C(P＜0.05),and the above indexes of group B and group C were all lower than those of Group A(P＜0.05).(2)Three days after the surgery,the levels of immune function indicators of T lymphocyte subsets CD3+,CD4+ and natural killer(NK)cells in Group D were higher than those in Groups A,B,and C(P＜0.05),while the above indexes in Groups B and C were higher than those in Group A(P＜0.05).(3)Three days after the surgery,the levels of parameters associated with the molecular mechanism of Th1/Th2 cells such as interleukin 2(IL-2)and interferon gamma(IFN-γ)in Group D were higher(P＜0.05),and the serum interleukin 10(IL-10)level was lower than those in Groups A,B,and C(P＜0.05);the serum IL-2 and IFN-γ levels in Group B and C were higher(P＜0.05)and serum IL-10 level was lower than those in Group A(P＜0.05).(4)Three days after the surgery,the scores of the psychological stress response indicators of self-rating anxiety scale(SAS)and self-rating depression scale(SDS)in Group D were lower than those in Groups A,B,and C(P＜0.05),while the above scores in Groups B and C were lower than those in Group A(P＜0.05).(5)In Group A,there was one case of nausea and vomiting;in Group B,there were two cases of nausea and vomiting and one case of dizziness;no adverse reaction occurred in Group C,and there was one case of nausea and vomiting in Group D.The incidences of adverse reactions in Groups A,B,C and D were 4.0%(1/25),12.0%(3/25),0.0%(0/25),and 4.0%(1/25),respectively.The intergroup comparison showed no statistically significant difference among the 4 groups(χ2 = 0.400,P = 0.527).Conclusion In treating patients undergoing laparoscopic radical surgery for rectal cancer,TEAS combined with Chinese medicine emotional intervention can effectively regulate the perioperative immune function,reduce the stress response,and alleviate the anxiety of the patients.Moreover,the therapy exerts certain analgesic effect,which leads to the reduction of the dosage of opioids and the increase of perioperative comfort and surgical tolerance of the patients.

ObjectiveExisting artificial vision devices can be divided into two types: implanted devices and extracorporeal devices, both of which have some disadvantages. The former requires surgical implantation, which may lead to irreversible trauma, while the latter has some defects such as relatively simple instructions, limited application scenarios and relying too much on the judgment of artificial intelligence (AI) to provide enough security. Here we propose a system that has voice interaction and can convert surrounding environment information into tactile commands on head and neck. Compared with existing extracorporeal devices, our device can provide a larger capacity of information and has advantages such as lower cost, lower risk, suitable for a variety of life and work scenarios. MethodsWith the latest remote wireless communication and chip technologies, microelectronic devices, cameras and sensors worn by the user, as well as the huge database and computing power in the cloud, the backend staff can get a full insight into the scenario, environmental parameters and status of the user remotely (for example, across the city) in real time. In the meanwhile, by comparing the cloud database and in-memory database and with the help of AI-assisted recognition and manual analysis, they can quickly develop the most reasonable action plan and send instructions to the user. In addition, the backend staff can provide humanistic care and emotional sustenance through voice dialogs. ResultsThis study originally proposes the concept of “remote virtual companion” and demonstrates the related hardware and software as well as test results. The system can not only achieve basic guide functions, for example, helping a person with visual impairment to shop in supermarkets, find seats at cafes, walk on the streets, construct complex puzzles, and play cards, but also can meet the demand for fast-paced daily tasks such as cycling. ConclusionExperimental results show that this “remote virtual companion” is applicable for various scenarios and demands. It can help blind people with their travels, shopping and entertainment, or accompany the elderlies with their trips, wilderness explorations, and travels.

Objective To evaluate the bioequivalence of the vardenafil hydrochloride tablets in fasting and fed conditions in healthy Chinese adult subjects with the test and reference formulations.Methods A randomized,open,single-dose,two-preparation,two-sequence,two-period,crossover design was used,and 40 healthy male subjects enrolled in the fasting state and 66 healthy male subjects enrolled in the fed state.The trial was conducted in two cycles,with 20 mg of either the subject formulation or the reference formulation,vardenafil hydrochloride tablets,being administered in each cycle.The drug concentration of vardenafil in plasma was determined by the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(LC/MS-MS)method.Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using the non-compartment model,and the safety evaluation indexes were statistically analyzed using SAS 9.4 or above version program data statistical software.Results Arithmetic mean values of the main pharmacokinetic parameters of the subject formulation of vardenafil hydrochloride tablets and the reference formulation in the fasting state:Cmaxwere(34.94±18.33)and(36.69±19.45)ng·mL-1;AUC0-t were(74.38±34.11)and(74.25±33.37)ng·mL-1·h;AUC0-∞ were(76.70±34.36)and(76.46±33.84)ng·mL-1·h,respectively.Arithmetic mean values of the main pharmacokinetic parameters of the subject formulation of vardenafil hydrochloride tablets and the reference formulation in the fed state:Cmax were(22.84±12.48)and(21.68±11.12)ng·mL-1;AUC0_twere(70.82±35.88)and(72.71±34.63)ng·mL-1·h;AUC0-∞ were(73.48±36.44)and(75.29±35.12)ng·mL-1·h,respectively.The 90％confidence intervals for the geometric mean ratios of the main pharmacokinetic parameters such as Cmax,AUC0-t and AUC0-∞ of the prototype drug vardenafil in plasma after oral administration of 20 mg of the test and reference formulations of vardenafil tablets to the subjects in fasting and postprandial states fell within the equivalence interval of 80.00％to 125.00％.Conclusion The subject formulation of vardenafil hydrochloride tablets was bioequivalent to the reference formulation in fasting and fed conditions in healthy Chinese subjects.

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of spotted fever group rickettsia(SFGR)in wild rodents collected from Fengshan County in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,and to determine their species.Wild rodents were captured in cages in Fengshan County,Hechi City,Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.The rodents were identified according to morphological characteristics,and the findings were confirmed through molecular biology methods.Subsequently,spleen samples were collected,and DNA was extracted.The outer membrane protein A(ompA)gene was amplified with semi-nested PCR to determine the species of SFGR in captured wild rodents.After sequencing of the PCR products,homology and phylogenetic analyses of ompA gene sequences were performed.A total of 105 wild rodents belonging to seven species were captured.FGR was detected in six rodent species(Bandicota indica,Leopoldamys edwardsi,Mus caroli,Mus Pahari,Rat-tus andamanensis,and Rattus losea,but not Berylmys bower si),and the total positivity rate was 23.8％.Three Rickettsia species,Candidatus Rickettsia jingxinensis,Rickettsia raoultii,and Rickettsia sibirica,were identified from analysis of the ompA gene sequence.This study revealed the presence of three species of SFGR infecting wild rodents from Fengshan County,Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,thus suggesting that Fengshan County is a natural focus of tick-borne spotted fever.This study highlights the need to strengthen monitoring and prevention measures for rickettsiosis.