Objective: To investigate the safety and feasibility of transurethral blue laser vaporization of the prostate (BVP) under intravenous anesthesia without intubation. Methods: Clinical data of 30 benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (prostate volume <40 mL) patients undergoing BVP under intravenous anesthesia without intubation in our hospital during Jul.and Nov.2024 were retrospectively analyzed.Preoperative and 1-month postoperative international prostate symptom score (IPSS), quality of life score (QoL), maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), and postvoid residual volume (PVR) were compared.The operation time, cumulative blue laser activation time, recovery time, postoperative bladder irrigation time, postoperative catheter indwelling time, postoperative 2-hour visual analog scale (VAS) score and incidence of surgical and anesthetic complications were recorded. Results: All 30 patients successfully completed BVP under intravenous anesthesia without intubation.The operation time was (12.5±5.0) min, cumulative laser activation time (9.8±4.1) min, recovery time (6.8±1.2) min, postoperative bladder irrigation time (11.0±4.6) h, postoperative catheter indwelling time (2.7±1.1) days and postoperative 2-hour VAS score was (3.0±1.3).No cases required conversion to intubated general anesthesia, and no severe perioperative surgical or anesthetic complications occurred.Significant improvements in IPSS, QoL, Qmax, and PVR were observed 1 month postoperatively (P＜0.001). Conclusion: BVP under intravenous anesthesia without intubation in the treatment of prostate volume <40 mL BPH is clinically feasible, significantly improving lower urinary tract symptoms without significant surgical or anesthetic complications.

In the present study, a mouse model of coronary artery ligation was employed to evaluate the effects of Jiming Powder on mitophagy in the mouse model of myocardial infarction and elucidate its underlying mechanisms. A mouse model of myocardial infarction post heart failure was constructed by ligating the left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery. The therapeutic efficacy of Jiming Powder was assessed from multiple perspectives, including ultrasonographic imaging, hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, Masson staining, and serum cardiac enzyme profiling. Dihydroethidium(DHE) staining was employed to evaluate the oxidative stress levels in the hearts of mice from each group. Mitophagy levels were assessed by scanning electron microscopy and immunofluorescence co-localization. Western blot was employed to determine the levels of key proteins involved in mitophagy, including Bcl-2-interacting protein beclin 1(BECN1), sequestosome 1(SQSTM1), microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 beta(LC3B), PTEN-induced putative kinase 1(PINK1), phospho-Parkinson disease protein(p-Parkin), and Parkinson disease protein(Parkin). The results demonstrated that compared with the model group, high and low doses of Jiming Powder significantly reduced the left ventricular internal diameter in systole(LVIDs) and left ventricular internal diameter in diastole(LVIDd) and markedly improved the left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) and left ventricular fractional shortening(LVFS), effectively improving the cardiac function in post-myocardial infarction mice. Jiming Powder effectively reduced the levels of myocardial injury markers such as creatine kinase(CK), creatine kinase isoenzyme(CK-MB), and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), thereby protecting ischemic myocardium. HE staining revealed that Jiming Powder attenuated inflammatory cell infiltration after myocardial infarction. Masson staining indicated that Jiming Powder effectively inhibited ventricular remodeling. Western blot results showed that Jiming Powder activated the PINK1-Parkin pathway, up-regulated the protein level of BECN1, down-regulated the protein level of SQSTM1, and increased the LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ ratio to promote mitophagy. In conclusion, Jiming Powder exerts therapeutic effects on myocardial infarction by inhibiting ventricular remodeling. The findings pave the way for subsequent pharmacological studies on the active components of Jiming Powder.
Animals ; Myocardial Infarction/physiopathology* ; Mitophagy/drug effects* ; Mice ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Protein Kinases/genetics* ; Male ; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases/genetics* ; Humans ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Signal Transduction/drug effects*

This study employed a mouse model of coronary artery ligation to assess the effect and mechanism of Jiming Powder on mitochondrial autophagy in mice with myocardial infarction. The mouse model of heart failure post-myocardial infarction was established by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery. The pharmacological efficacy of Jiming Powder was evaluated through echocardiographic imaging, hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, and Masson staining. The levels of malondialdehyde(MDA), Fe~(2+), reduced glutathione(GSH), and superoxide dismutase(SOD) in heart tissues, as well as MDA immunofluorescence of heart tissues, were measured to assess lipid peroxidation and Fe~(2+) levels in the hearts of mice in different groups. Ferroptosis levels in the groups were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy and Prussian blue staining. Western blot analysis was conducted to detect the levels of key ferroptosis-related proteins, including nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(NRF2), ferritin heavy chain(FTH), glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4), solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11), heme oxygenase 1(HO-1), and Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1(KEAP1). The results showed that compared with the model group, both the high-and low-dose Jiming Powder groups exhibited significantly reduced left ventricular internal diameter in systole(LVIDs) and left ventricular internal diameter in diastole(LVIDd), while the left ventricular ejection fraction(EF) and left ventricular fractional shortening(FS) were significantly improved, effectively enhancing cardiac function in mice post-myocardial infarction. HE staining revealed that Jiming Powder attenuated myocardial inflammatory cell infiltration post-infarction, and Masson staining indicated that Jiming Powder effectively reduced fibrosis in the infarct margin area. Treatment with Jiming Powder reduced the levels of MDA and Fe~(2+), indicators of lipid peroxidation post-myocardial infarction, while increasing GSH and SOD levels, thus protecting ischemic myocardium. Western blot results demonstrated that Jiming Powder reduced KEAP1 protein accumulation, activated the NRF2/HO-1/GPX4 pathway, and up-regulated the protein expression of FTH and SLC7A11, exerting an inhibitory effect on ferroptosis. This study reveals that Jiming Powder exerts a therapeutic effect on myocardial infarction by inhibiting ferroptosis through the NRF2/HO-1/GPX4 pathway, providing a foundation for subsequent research on the pharmacological effects of Jiming Powder.
Animals ; Ferroptosis/drug effects* ; Myocardial Infarction/physiopathology* ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/genetics* ; Mice ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Heme Oxygenase-1/genetics* ; Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase/genetics* ; Humans ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Disease Models, Animal

PURPOSE: To investigate the pathological changes of the synovium in mice with post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) treated with 4-octyl itaconate (4-OI) and evaluate the therapeutic effects of 4-OI. METHODS: In the phenotypic validation experiment, the mice were randomly divided into 3 groups: wild-type (WT) group, sham group, and destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) group. Through MRI, micro-CT, and histological analysis, it was determined that the DMM surgery induced a mouse PTOA model with significant signs of synovitis. At 12 weeks post-DMM surgery, synovial tissues from the DMM group and WT group mice were collected for ribonucleic acid sequencing analysis. In the 4-OI treatment experiment, mice were randomly divided into the sham group, DMM group, DMM + 4-OI (50 mg/kg) group, and DMM + 4-OI (100 mg/kg) group. Von Frey tests and open field tests were conducted at intervals during the 12 weeks following the DMM surgery. After 12 weeks of surgery, the efficacy of 4-OI treatment on PTOA in mice was evaluated using MRI, micro-CT, histological analysis, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Finally, we utilized network pharmacology analysis to predict the mechanism of 4-OI in treating PTOA synovitis and conducted preliminary validation. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Difference was considered statistically significant at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The DMM surgery effectively induced a PTOA mouse model, which displayed significant symptoms of synovitis. These symptoms included a notable increase in both the number of calcified tissues and osteophytes (p < 0.001), an enlargement of the calcified meniscus and synovial tissue volume (p < 0.001), and thickening of the synovial lining layer attributable to M1 macrophage accumulation (p = 0.035). Additionally, we observed elevated histological scores for synovitis (p < 0.001). Treatment with 4-OI inhibited the thickening of M1 macrophages in the synovial lining layer of PTOA mice (p < 0.001) and reduced fibrosis in the synovial stroma (p = 0.004). Furthermore, it reduced the histological scores of knee synovitis in PTOA mice (p = 0.006) and improved the inflammatory microenvironment associated with synovitis. Consequently, this treatment alleviated pain in PTOA mice (p < 0.001) and reduced spontaneous activity (p = 0.003). Bioinformatics and network pharmacology analyses indicated that 4-OI may exert its therapeutic effects by inhibiting the differentiation of synovial Th17 cells. Specifically, compared to the lipopolysaccharide stimulation group, 4-OI reduced the levels of positive regulatory factors of Th17 cell differentiation (IL-1: p < 0.001, IL-6: p < 0.001), key effector molecules (IL-17A: p < 0.001, IL-17F: p = 0.004), and downstream effector molecules in the IL-17 signaling pathway (CCL2: p < 0.001, MMP13: p < 0.001). CONCLUSION 4-OI is effective in inhibiting synovitis in PTOA, thereby alleviating the associated painful symptoms.
Animals ; Synovitis/etiology* ; Mice ; Osteoarthritis/etiology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Succinates/pharmacology* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; X-Ray Microtomography

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute infectious respiratory disease that has been prevalent since December 2019. Chinese medicine (CM) has demonstrated its unique advantages in the fight against COVID-19 in the areas of disease prevention, improvement of clinical symptoms, and control of disease progression. This review summarized the relevant material components of CM in the treatment of COVID-19 by searching the relevant literature and reports on CM in the treatment of COVID-19 and combining with the physiological and pathological characteristics of the novel coronavirus. On the basis of sorting out experimental methods in vivo and in vitro, the mechanism of herb action was further clarified in terms of inhibiting virus invasion and replication and improving related complications. The aim of the article is to explore the strengths and characteristics of CM in the treatment of COVID-19, and to provide a basis for the research and scientific, standardized treatment of COVID-19 with CM.
Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; COVID-19 Drug Treatment ; SARS-CoV-2/drug effects* ; COVID-19/therapy* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Antiviral Agents/pharmacology* ; Animals

Sigma-1 receptor (σ ₁R) has become a focus point of drug discovery for central nervous system (CNS) diseases. A series of novel 1-phenylethan-1-one O-(2-aminoethyl) oxime derivatives were synthesized. In vitro biological evaluation led to the identification of 1a, 14a, 15d and 16d as the most high-affinity (K _i < 4 nmol/L) and selective σ ₁R agonists. Among these, 15d, the most metabolically stable derivative exhibited high selectivity for σ ₁R in relation to σ ₂R and 52 other human targets. In addition to low CYP450 inhibition and induction, 15d also exhibited high brain permeability and excellent oral bioavailability. Importantly, 15d demonstrated effective antipsychotic potency, particularly for alleviating negative symptoms and improving cognitive impairment in experimental animal models, both of which are major challenges for schizophrenia treatment. Moreover, 15d produced no significant extrapyramidal symptoms, exhibiting superior pharmacological profiles in relation to current antipsychotic drugs. Mechanistically, 15d inhibited GSK3β and enhanced prefrontal BDNF expression and excitatory synaptic transmission in pyramidal neurons. Collectively, these in vivo proof-of-concept findings provide substantial experimental evidence to demonstrate that modulating σ ₁R represents a potential new therapeutic approach for schizophrenia. The novel chemical entity along with its favorable drug-like and pharmacological profile of 15d renders it a promising candidate for treating schizophrenia.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (CIPN) is a severe dose-limiting adverse event of chemotherapy. Presently, the mechanism underlying the induction of CIPN remains unclear, and no effective treatment is available. In this study, through metabolomics analyses, we found that nab-paclitaxel therapy markedly increased serum serotonin [5-hydroxtryptamine (5-HT)] levels in both cancer patients and mice compared to the respective controls. Furthermore, nab-paclitaxel-treated enterochromaffin (EC) cells showed increased 5-HT synthesis, and serotonin-treated Schwann cells showed damage, as indicated by the activation of CREB3L3/MMP3/FAS signaling. Venlafaxine, an inhibitor of serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake, was found to protect against nerve injury by suppressing the activation of CREB3L3/MMP3/FAS signaling in Schwann cells. Remarkably, venlafaxine was found to significantly alleviate nab-paclitaxel-induced CIPN in patients without affecting the clinical efficacy of chemotherapy. In summary, our study reveals that EC cell-derived 5-HT plays a critical role in nab-paclitaxel-related neurotoxic lesions, and venlafaxine co-administration represents a novel approach to treating chronic cumulative neurotoxicity commonly reported in nab-paclitaxel-based chemotherapy.
Paclitaxel/toxicity* ; Animals ; Albumins/adverse effects* ; Serotonin/metabolism* ; Mice ; Humans ; Male ; Female ; Venlafaxine Hydrochloride/therapeutic use* ; Neurotoxicity Syndromes/metabolism* ; Middle Aged ; Schwann Cells/metabolism* ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases/drug therapy* ; Antineoplastic Agents

OBJECTIVE: Pseudomonas aeruginosa( P. aeruginosa) is a prevalent pathogenic bacterium involved in meningitis; however, the virulence factors contributing to this disease remain poorly understood. METHODS: The virulence of the P. aeruginosa A584, isolated from meningitis samples, was evaluated by constructing in vitro blood-brain barrier and in vivo systemic infection models. qPCR, whole-genome sequencing, and drug efflux assays of A584 were performed to analyze the virulence factors. RESULTS: Genomic sequencing showed that A584 formed a phylogenetic cluster with the reference strains NY7610, DDRC3, Pa58, and Pa124. Its genome includes abundant virulence factors, such as hemolysin, the Type IV secretion system, and pyoverdine. A584 is a multidrug-resistant strain, and its wide-spectrum resistance is associated with enhanced drug efflux. Moreover, this strain caused significantly more severe damage to the blood-brain barrier than the standard strain, PAO1. qPCR assays further revealed the downregulation of the blood-brain barrier-associated proteins Claudin-5 and Occludin by A584. During systemic infection, A584 exhibited a higher capacity of brain colonization than PAO1 (37.1 × 10 ⁶ CFU/g brain versus 2.5 × 10 ⁶ CFU/g brain), leading to higher levels of the pro-inflammatory factors IL-1β and TNF-α. CONCLUSION This study sheds light on the virulence factors of P. aeruginosa involved in meningitis.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa/genetics* ; Virulence Factors/metabolism* ; Animals ; Virulence ; Mice ; Pseudomonas Infections/microbiology* ; Blood-Brain Barrier/microbiology* ; Humans ; Female

OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to evaluate the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of the pentavalent rotavirus vaccine (RV5) among < 5-year-old children in three provinces of China during 2020-2024 via a propensity score-matched test-negative case-control study. METHODS: Electronic health records and immunization information systems were used to obtain data on acute gastroenteritis (AGE) cases tested for rotavirus (RV) infection. RV-positive cases were propensity score matched with RV-negative controls for age, visit month, and province. RESULTS: The study included 27,472 children with AGE aged 8 weeks to 4 years at the time of AGE diagnosis; 7.98% (2,192) were RV-positive. The VE (95% confidence interval, CI) of 1-2 and 3 doses of RV5 against any medically attended RV infection (inpatient or outpatient) was 57.6% (39.8%, 70.2%) and 67.2% (60.3%, 72.9%), respectively. Among children who received the 3rd dose before turning 5 months of age, 3-dose VE decreased from 70.4% (53.9%, 81.1%) (< 5 months since the 3rd dose) to 63.0% (49.1%, 73.0%) (≥ 1 year since the 3rd dose). The three-dose VE rate was 69.4% (41.3%, 84.0%) for RVGE hospitalization and 57.5% (38.9%, 70.5%) for outpatient-only medically attended RVGE. CONCLUSION Three-dose RV5 VE against rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) in children aged < 5 years was higher than 1-2-dose VE. Three-dose VE decreased with time since the 3rd dose in children who received the 3rd dose before turning five months of age, but remained above 60% for at least one year. VE was higher for RVGE hospitalizations than for medically attended outpatient visits.
Humans ; Rotavirus Vaccines/immunology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Case-Control Studies ; Child, Preschool ; Infant ; Rotavirus Infections/epidemiology* ; Male ; Propensity Score ; Female ; Vaccine Efficacy ; Gastroenteritis/virology* ; Vaccines, Attenuated ; Rotavirus

Objective China is among the 30 countries with a high burden of tuberculosis(TB)worldwide,and TB remains a public health concern.Kashgar Prefecture in the southern Xinjiang Autonomous Region is considered as one of the highest TB burden regions in China.However,molecular epidemiological studies of Kashgar are lacking. Methods A population-based retrospective study was conducted using whole-genome sequencing(WGS)to determine the characteristics of drug resistance and the transmission patterns. Results A total of 1,668 isolates collected in 2020 were classified into lineages 2(46.0%),3(27.5%),and 4(26.5%).The drug resistance rates revealed by WGS showed that the top three drugs in terms of the resistance rate were isoniazid(7.4%,124/1,668),streptomycin(6.0%,100/1,668),and rifampicin(3.3%,55/1,668).The rate of rifampicin resistance was 1.8%(23/1,290)in the new cases and 9.4%(32/340)in the previously treated cases.Known resistance mutations were detected more frequently in lineage 2 strains than in lineage 3 or 4 strains,respectively:18.6%vs.8.7 or 9%,P<0.001.The estimated proportion of recent transmissions was 25.9%(432/1,668).Multivariate logistic analyses indicated that sex,age,occupation,lineage,and drug resistance were the risk factors for recent transmission.Despite the low rate of drug resistance,drug-resistant strains had a higher risk of recent transmission than the susceptible strains(adjusted odds ratio,1.414;95%CI,1.023-1.954;P = 0.036).Among all patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis(DR-TB),78.4%(171/218)were attributed to the transmission of DR-TB strains. Conclusion Our results suggest that drug-resistant strains are more transmissible than susceptible strains and that transmission is the major driving force of the current DR-TB epidemic in Kashgar.