This study aims to explore the protective effect of Chaihu Jia Longgu Muli Decoction on rats with heart failure after myocardial infarction, and to clarify its possible mechanisms, providing a new basis for basic research on the mechanism of classic Chinese medicinal formula-mediated inflammatory response in preventing and treating heart failure induced by apoptosis after myocardial infarction. A heart failure model after myocardial infarction was established in rats by coronary artery ligation. The rats were divided into sham group, model group, and low, medium, and high-dose groups of Chaihu Jia Longgu Muli Decoction, with 10 rats in each group. The low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose groups of Chaihu Jia Longgu Muli Decoction were given 6.3, 12.6, and 25.2 g·kg~(-1) doses by gavage, respectively. The sham group and model group were given an equal volume of distilled water by gavage once daily for four consecutive weeks. Cardiac function was assessed using color Doppler echocardiography. Myocardial pathology was detected by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, apoptosis was measured by TUNEL assay, and mitophagy was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin(IL)-1β, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP) in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The expression of apoptosis-related proteins B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), and cleaved caspase-3 was detected by Western blot. Additionally, the expression of phosphorylated nuclear transcription factor-κB(NF-κB) p65(p-NF-κB p65)(upstream) and nuclear factor kappa B inhibitor alpha(IκBα)(downstream) in the NF-κB signaling pathway was assessed by Western blot. The results showed that compared with the sham group, left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) and left ventricular short axis shortening(LVFS) in the model group were significantly reduced, while left ventricular end diastolic diameter(LVEDD) and left ventricular end systolic diameter(LVESD) increased significantly. Myocardial tissue damage was severe, with widened intercellular spaces and disorganized cell arrangement. The apoptosis rate was increased, and mitochondria were enlarged with increased vacuoles. Levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and NT-proBNP were elevated, indicating an obvious inflammatory response. The expression of pro-apoptotic factors Bax and cleaved caspase-3 increased, while the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2 decreased. The expression of p-NF-κB p65 was upregulated, and the expression of IκBα was downregulated. In contrast, the Chaihu Jia Longgu Muli Decoction groups showed significantly improved of LVEF, LVFS and decreased LVEDD, LVESD compared to the model group. Myocardial tissue damage was alleviated, and intercellular spaces were reduced. The apoptosis rate decreased, mitochondrial volume decreased, and the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and NT-proBNP were lower. The expression of pro-apoptotic factors Bax and cleaved caspase-3 decreased, while the expression of the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2 increased. Additionally, the expression of p-NF-κB p65 decreased, while IκBα expression increased. In summary, this experimental study shows that Chaihu Jia Longgu Muli Decoction can reduce the inflammatory response and apoptosis rate in rats with heart failure after myocardial infarction, which may be related to the regulation of the IκBα/NF-κB signaling pathway.
Animals ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Rats ; Myocardial Infarction/physiopathology* ; Male ; NF-kappa B/genetics* ; Heart Failure/etiology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha/genetics* ; Humans ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/genetics*

The zebrafish model has attracted much attention due to its strong reproductive ability, short research cycle, and ease of maintenance. It has always been an important vertebrate model system, often used to carry out human disease research. Its motor behavior features have the advantages of being simpler, more intuitive, and quantifiable. In recent years, it has received widespread attention in the study of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)for the treatment of sleep disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, fatigue, epilepsy, and other diseases. This paper reviews the characteristics of zebrafish motor behavior and its applications in the pharmacodynamic verification and mechanism research of TCM extracts, active ingredients, and TCM compounds, as well as in active ingredient screening and safety evaluation. The paper also analyzes its advantages and disadvantages, with the aim of improving the breadth and depth of zebrafish and its motor behavior applications in the field of TCM research.
Zebrafish/physiology* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical/methods* ; Animals ; Sleep Wake Disorders/physiopathology* ; Epilepsy/physiopathology* ; Neurodegenerative Diseases/physiopathology* ; Fatigue/physiopathology* ; Behavior, Animal/physiology* ; Motor Activity/physiology*

OBJECTIVES: To explore the relationship between white matter injury (WMI) and cerebral perfusion in preterm infants using arterial spin labeling (ASL). METHODS: A total of 293 preterm infants (gestational age <34 weeks) hospitalized at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between June 2022 and June 2024 were included. After achieving clinical stability, the infants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ASL. Based on MRI findings, infants were classified into WMI (n=66) and non-WMI (n=227) groups. Cerebral perfusion parameters were compared between groups, and the association between WMI and perfusion alterations was evaluated. RESULTS: The WMI group showed a higher incidence of mild intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) than the non-WMI group (P<0.05). Significantly lower cerebral perfusion was observed in the WMI group across bilateral frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes, as well as the basal ganglia and thalamus (P<0.05). After adjusting for gestational age, corrected gestational age at ASL scan, and mild IVH, WMI remained significantly associated with reduced regional perfusion (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS WMI in preterm infants correlates with localized cerebral hypoperfusion. ASL-detected perfusion abnormalities may provide novel insights into WMI pathogenesis.
Humans ; White Matter/blood supply* ; Infant, Newborn ; Spin Labels ; Infant, Premature ; Female ; Male ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Objective To screen the risk factors for hypoglycemia in adult intensive care unit(ICU)patients,construct a risk prediction model,and validate its predictive effect.Methods A retrospective study was conducted on adult critically ill patients admitted to the general ICU of Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from December 2023 to September 2024.Patients admitted from December 2023 to June 2024 served as the modeling group,and those from July to September 2024 as the validation group.A total of 928 patients were included,with 650 in the modeling group and 278 in the validation group.After literature review and expert consultation,27 potential risk factors for hypoglycemia in ICU patients were initially screened,and data were collected including general information[gender,age,acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ(APACHEⅡ)score,sequential organ failure assessment(SOFA)score,nutrition risk in critically ill(NUTRIC)score,mechanical ventilation status,hemodialysis status,enteral nutrition status],disease data(sepsis,liver disease history,kidney disease history,diabetes history,hypoglycemia history),blood glucose-related indicators[mean blood glucose,blood glucose coefficient of variation,insulin dosage,intravenous insulin titration use,inotropic drug use,insulin secretagogues(Sulfonylureas and Glinides),and combined use of hypoglycemic drugs(two or more)],and laboratory indicators[serum creatinine(SCr),blood urea nitrogen(BUN),serum albumin(Alb),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),total bilirubin(TBil),glomerular filtration rate(GFR)].The patients were divided into a hypoglycemia group and a non-hypoglycemia group based on the occurrence of hypoglycemia.Univariate analysis and binary Logistic regression analysis were used to identify influencing factors of hypoglycemia in adult ICU patients,and a nomogram prediction model was constructed.The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve(AUC)and calibration curves were employed to evaluate the discrimination and calibration of the model.Results The modeling cohort included 552 non-hypoglycemic patients and 98 hypoglycemic patients,with an ICU hypoglycemia incidence rate of 15.1％.Compared with the hypoglycemia group,the non-hypoglycemia group showed significantly lower proportions of patients with renal disease history,diabetes history,hypoglycemia history,undergoing hemodialysis,using intravenous insulin titration,and combined use of hypoglycemic drugs,as well as lower blood glucose coefficient of variation,lower APACHEⅡ scores,and significantly elevated GFR(all P<0.05).Binary Logistic regression analysis was performed using the 9 variables with statistically significant differences in univariate analysis as independent variables and hypoglycemia occurrence as the dependent variable.The results indicated that a history of diabetes,a history of hypoglycemia,APACHEⅡ score,GFR,blood glucose coefficient of variation,and combined use of hypoglycemic drugs were independent risk factors for hypoglycemia in ICU patients[odds ratios(OR)were 1.761,2.095,1.048,0.990,1.029,and 1.975,respectively,and 95％confidence intervals(95％CI)were 1.052-2.949,1.220-3.600,1.022-1.074,0.982-0.997,1.013-1.046,and 1.145-3.408,respectively.The corresponding Pvalues were 0.031,0.007,0.000,0.009,<0.001,0.014].A nomogram prediction model for hypoglycemia in ICU patients was constructed using six independent predictors selected through binary logistic regression analysis.The ROC curve AUC for the modeling group was 0.884(95％CI 0.826-0.941,P=0.250),with a maximum Youden index of 0.713,sensitivity of 92.1％,and specificity of 79.2％.The validation cohort included 38 patients with hypoglycemia and 240 patients without hypoglycemia.Compared with the hypoglycemia group,the non-hypoglycemia group showed significantly lower proportions of patients with a history of diabetes,a history of hypoglycemia,and combined use of hypoglycemic drugs,as well as lower APACHEⅡ scores and lower blood glucose coefficient of variation,with significantly increased GFR(all P<0.05).The ROC curve AUC for the validation cohort was 0.803(95％CI was 0.757-0.849,P=0.138),indicating high discriminatory ability.The predicted probability at the diagnostic cutoff point was P=0.138.The model's diagnostic threshold for predicted probability was P=0.138,while the optimal cut-off value based on the Youden index was 0.513,yielding a sensitivity of 76.5％and specificity of 74.8％,indicating predictive value for hypoglycemia in adult ICU patients.The mean absolute error(MAE)results for the modeling group and validation group were<0.05.The calibration curves of both the modeling and validation groups showed close alignment with the ideal curve,indicating excellent calibration performance of the model.Conclusion The constructed hypoglycemia risk prediction model for adult ICU patients has good predictive performance,which can quickly identify high-risk populations of hypoglycemia in ICU and provide reference for clinical preventive nursing.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of Qingda Granule (QDG) in ameliorating hypertension-induced cardiac damage and investigate the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS: Twenty spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were used to develope a hypertension-induced cardiac damage model. Another 10 Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as normotension group. Rats were administrated intragastrically QDG [0.9 g/(kg•d)] or an equivalent volume of pure water for 8 weeks. Blood pressure, histopathological changes, cardiac function, levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory response markers were measured. Furthermore, to gain insights into the potential mechanisms underlying the protective effects of QDG against hypertension-induced cardiac injury, a network pharmacology study was conducted. Predicted results were validated by Western blot, radioimmunoassay immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. RESULTS: The administration of QDG resulted in a significant decrease in blood pressure levels in SHRs (P<0.01). Histological examinations, including hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson trichrome staining revealed that QDG effectively attenuated hypertension-induced cardiac damage. Furthermore, echocardiography demonstrated that QDG improved hypertension-associated cardiac dysfunction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and colorimetric method indicated that QDG significantly reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory response levels in both myocardial tissue and serum (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Both network pharmacology and experimental investigations confirmed that QDG exerted its beneficial effects in decreasing hypertension-induced cardiac damage by regulating the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)/angiotensin II (Ang II)/Ang II receptor type 1 axis and ACE/Ang II/Ang II receptor type 2 axis.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Hypertension/pathology* ; Renin-Angiotensin System/drug effects* ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Male ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Rats ; Inflammation/pathology*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Shexiang Tongxin Dropping Pill (STDP) in treating stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome by exercise duration and metabolic equivalents. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome from 22 hospitals. They were randomized 1:1 to STDP (35 mg/pill, 6 pills per day) or placebo for 56 days. The primary outcome was the exercise duration and metabolic equivalents (METs) assessed by the standard Bruce exercise treadmill test after 56 days of treatment. The secondary outcomes included the total angina symptom score, Chinese medicine (CM) symptom scores, Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) scores, changes in ST-T on electrocardiogram and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: This trial enrolled 309 patients, including 155 and 154 in the STDP and placebo groups, respectively. STDP significantly prolonged exercise duration with an increase of 51.0 s, compared to a decrease of 12.0 s with placebo (change rate: -11.1% vs. 3.2%, P<0.01). The increase in METs was significantly greater in the STDP group than in the placebo group (change: -0.4 vs. 0.0, change rate: -5.0% vs. 0.0%, P<0.01). The improvement of total angina symptom scores (25.0% vs. 0.0%), CM symptom scores (38.7% vs. 11.8%), reduction of nitroglycerin consumption (100.0% vs. 11.3%), and all domains of SAQ, were significantly greater with STDP than placebo (all P<0.01). The changes in Q-T intervals at 28 and 56 days from baseline were similar between the two groups (both P>0.05). Twenty-five participants (16.3%) with STDP and 16 (10.5%) with placebo experienced AEs (P=0.131), with no serious AEs observed. CONCLUSION STDP could improve exercise tolerance in patients with stable angina and phlegm-heat and blood stasis syndrome, with a favorable safety profile. (Registration No. ChiCTR-IPR-15006020).
Humans ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Angina, Stable/physiopathology* ; Aged ; Syndrome ; Treatment Outcome ; Placebos ; Tablets

Objective To analyze the CT manifestations of high altitude pulmonary edema(HAPE)to provide radiological evidence for its early and accurate diagnosis.Methods Totally 200 HAPE patients clinically confirmed at some hospital from April 2021 to April 2024 were enrolled into a study group,and 56 individuals undergoing health examinations at the hospital's physical examination center between January and June 2023 were included into a control group.Examinations were carried out with a United Imaging uCT528 40-slice spiral CT scanner.The patients in the study group were observed in terms of HAPE staging,the extent of pulmonary involvement,CT manifestations of different stages including location,distribution,density and morphology of pulmonary lesion.The diameters of the main pulmonary arteries and ascending aortas of the subjects in the two groups were measured,and the ratios of the two diameters were calculated.SPSS 25.0 software was used for statistical analysis.Results In the study group,there were 26 cases(13.0%)at early stage,105 ones at progression stage(52.5%),32 ones at critical outbreak stage(16.0%)and 37 ones at resolution and absorption stage(18.5%),and there were 35.5%with unilateral lung involvement and 64.5%with bilateral involvement.At early stage,HAPE chest CT manifestations included increased and thickened bilateral bronchovascular bundles,widened main pulmonary artery lumen and faint ground-glass opacity in lungs;at progression stage,HAPE chest CT manifestations revealed multiple cloud-like or patchy areas of increased density within lungs;at critical outbreak stage,CT scanning indicated diffuse patchy opacities and consolidation in lungs,white lung-like changes could be found in some severe cases,and bronchial air signs were shown within affected segments in some ones with severer signs in the right lung than in the left lung;at resolution and absorption stage the CT manifestations were similar to those at early stage,with lesions completely resolving after treatment.The study group had the diameters of the main pulmonary arteries greater while the diameters of the ascending aortas less than those of the control group,and the ratios of the diameters of the two diameters in the study group were higher than those in the control group,with the differences being statistically significant(all P<0.05).Conclusion Chest CT is an important examination method for the early diagnosis of HAPE and clarification of its clinical staging,which directly reflects the pulmonary pathological changes in HAPE patients and helps doctors fully understand the disease progression.

Objective:To establish a method for determination of fluoride in water using a fully automated biochemical analyzer (abbreviated as this method).Methods:Based on the parameters of the fully automatic biochemical analyzer, appropriate reagent volumes and reaction time were optimized to determine fluoride ions in water within the standard curve range (0.0 - 2.0 mg/L). The method was validated through evaluation of linear range, detection limit, precision, accuracy, and comparative analysis with the manual measurement results of fluoride reagent spectrophotometric method specified in the "Standard Examination Methods for Drinking Water - Part 5: Inorganic Nonmetallic indices" (GB/T 5750.5-2023).Results:Within the range of 0.0 - 2.0 mg/L fluoride mass concentration, the absolute values of the correlation coefficients were > 0.999 0 and the detection limit of this method was 0.082 mg/L. The relative standard deviation for the determination of fluoride level in water samples with low, medium and high fluoride mass concentrations was 4.03%, 2.16% and 1.68%, respectively. The spiked recovery rates were 98.1%, 99.5%, and 100.2%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the results obtained by this method and manual measurement ( t = 1.07, P = 0.295). Conclusion:This method exhibits high sensitivity, accuracy, and efficiency in detecting fluoride, enabling rapid sample detection through instrumental automation instead of manual operation.