Objective To investigate the effects and mechanism of Linggui Qihua Prescription against myocardial inflammation and fibrosis in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction(HFpEF).Methods Totally 40 spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR)were equally divided into model group,Entresto group(18 mg/kg)and Linggui Qihua Prescription low-and high-dosage groups(3.87,7.74 g/kg),the HFpEF model was induced using a 16-week high fat-salt-sugar diet and 8-week streptozotocin intraperitoneal injection.Ten WKY rats(WKY group)and 10 SHR(SHR group)served as control.After successful modeling,the groups were subjected to a 6-week corresponding intervention.Left ventricular end diastolic diameter(LVEDD),left ventricular end-diastolic volume(LVEDV),relative ventricular wall thickness(RWT),left ventricular fractional shortening(LVFS),isovolumic relaxation time(IVRT),mitral annular early and late diastolic velocities of motion(e? and a?),global longitudinal strain(GLS)and global longitudinal strain rate(GLSr)were measured by echocardiography;serum tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and soluble growth stimulation expressed gene 2 protein(sST2)contents were detected by ELISA;the morphology of myocardial tissue was observed by HE staining;myocardial fibrosis was assessed by Masson staining;the mRNA and protein expressions of myocardial tissue vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1),intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1),growth differentiation factor-15(GDF-15)and sST2 were detected by qPCR and Western blot.Results Compared with the WKY group and SHR group,the model group exhibited significant increase in LVEDV,RWT,IVRT,along with significant decrease in e?,a? and absolute values of GLS and GLSr(P<0.05,P<0.01),the serum contents of TNF-α and sST2 significantly increased(P<0.01);there was pronounced myocardial inflammatory infiltration and collagen fiber deposition,while the mRNA and protein expression of VCAM-1,ICAM-1,GDF-15 and sST2 significantly increased(P<0.05,P<0.01).Compared with the model group,Entresto group and Linggui Qihua Prescription low-and high-dosage groups demonstrated significant decrease in LVEDV,RWT,IVRT,along with significant increases in e?,a? and absolute values of GLS and GLSr(P<0.05,P<0.01),the serum contents of TNF-α and sST2 significantly decreased(P<0.01);myocardial inflammatory infiltration and collagen fiber deposition were reduced,the mRNA and protein expressions of ICAM-1,GDF-15 and sST2 decreased in Linggui Qihua Prescription high-dosage group(P<0.01).Conclusion Linggui Qihua Prescription may inhibit chronic inflammation and fibrosis of the myocardium in HFpEF rats by regulating the expressions of ICAM-1,VCAM-1,GDF-15 and sST2,improving cardiac remodeling and functional impairment.

OBJECTIVE To explore the functional substance basis of Jinhong Tablet in the treatment of chronic superficial gastri-tis(CSG).METHODS Three different models were constructed to investigate the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects,func-tional material basis of Jinhong Tablet:inflammatory model in human gastric epithelial cells(GES-1)induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS),LPS-induced inflammatory model in mouse gastric organoids,and ethanol-induced oxidative damage model in GES-1 cells.MTS assay was performed to detect cell proliferation activity;qPCR was applied to measure the relative mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-1β(IL-1β),interleukin-6(IL-6),and interleukin-8(IL-8)in cells and gastric organoids;and the levels of superoxide dismutase(SOD),malondialdehyde(MDA),and reactive oxygen species(ROS)in cells were detected.RESULTS Jinhong Tablet and 10 functional components significantly reduced the relative expression of inflammation-relat-ed genes TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6,and IL-8 in LPS-induced GES-1 cells and gastric organoids,suggesting that these 10 components are the functional substance basis for the anti-inflammatory effects of Jin Hong Tablet.Jin Hong Tablet and 11 functional components markedly decreased the levels of MDA and ROS and increased the activity of SOD,indicating that these 11 components were the func-tional substance basis of the antioxidant effects of Jinhong Tablet.CONCLUSION Through in vitro cell and gastric organoid experi-ments,it has been preliminarily determined that allocryptopine,corydaline,dehydrocorydaline,palmatine hydrochloride,chlorogenic acid,costunolide,rutin,quercitrin,dehydrocostus lactone,tetrahydrocoptisine,isochlorogenic acid B,toosendanin,protopine,and quercetin are the functional material basis of Jinhong Tablet in treating CSG,accumulating scientific evidence for the enhancement of the quality standards of Jinhong Tablet.

OBJECTIVE To explore the functional substance basis of Jinhong Tablet in the treatment of chronic superficial gastri-tis(CSG).METHODS Three different models were constructed to investigate the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects,func-tional material basis of Jinhong Tablet:inflammatory model in human gastric epithelial cells(GES-1)induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS),LPS-induced inflammatory model in mouse gastric organoids,and ethanol-induced oxidative damage model in GES-1 cells.MTS assay was performed to detect cell proliferation activity;qPCR was applied to measure the relative mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-1β(IL-1β),interleukin-6(IL-6),and interleukin-8(IL-8)in cells and gastric organoids;and the levels of superoxide dismutase(SOD),malondialdehyde(MDA),and reactive oxygen species(ROS)in cells were detected.RESULTS Jinhong Tablet and 10 functional components significantly reduced the relative expression of inflammation-relat-ed genes TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6,and IL-8 in LPS-induced GES-1 cells and gastric organoids,suggesting that these 10 components are the functional substance basis for the anti-inflammatory effects of Jin Hong Tablet.Jin Hong Tablet and 11 functional components markedly decreased the levels of MDA and ROS and increased the activity of SOD,indicating that these 11 components were the func-tional substance basis of the antioxidant effects of Jinhong Tablet.CONCLUSION Through in vitro cell and gastric organoid experi-ments,it has been preliminarily determined that allocryptopine,corydaline,dehydrocorydaline,palmatine hydrochloride,chlorogenic acid,costunolide,rutin,quercitrin,dehydrocostus lactone,tetrahydrocoptisine,isochlorogenic acid B,toosendanin,protopine,and quercetin are the functional material basis of Jinhong Tablet in treating CSG,accumulating scientific evidence for the enhancement of the quality standards of Jinhong Tablet.

Objective To investigate the effects and mechanism of Linggui Qihua Prescription against myocardial inflammation and fibrosis in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction(HFpEF).Methods Totally 40 spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR)were equally divided into model group,Entresto group(18 mg/kg)and Linggui Qihua Prescription low-and high-dosage groups(3.87,7.74 g/kg),the HFpEF model was induced using a 16-week high fat-salt-sugar diet and 8-week streptozotocin intraperitoneal injection.Ten WKY rats(WKY group)and 10 SHR(SHR group)served as control.After successful modeling,the groups were subjected to a 6-week corresponding intervention.Left ventricular end diastolic diameter(LVEDD),left ventricular end-diastolic volume(LVEDV),relative ventricular wall thickness(RWT),left ventricular fractional shortening(LVFS),isovolumic relaxation time(IVRT),mitral annular early and late diastolic velocities of motion(e? and a?),global longitudinal strain(GLS)and global longitudinal strain rate(GLSr)were measured by echocardiography;serum tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and soluble growth stimulation expressed gene 2 protein(sST2)contents were detected by ELISA;the morphology of myocardial tissue was observed by HE staining;myocardial fibrosis was assessed by Masson staining;the mRNA and protein expressions of myocardial tissue vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1),intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1),growth differentiation factor-15(GDF-15)and sST2 were detected by qPCR and Western blot.Results Compared with the WKY group and SHR group,the model group exhibited significant increase in LVEDV,RWT,IVRT,along with significant decrease in e?,a? and absolute values of GLS and GLSr(P<0.05,P<0.01),the serum contents of TNF-α and sST2 significantly increased(P<0.01);there was pronounced myocardial inflammatory infiltration and collagen fiber deposition,while the mRNA and protein expression of VCAM-1,ICAM-1,GDF-15 and sST2 significantly increased(P<0.05,P<0.01).Compared with the model group,Entresto group and Linggui Qihua Prescription low-and high-dosage groups demonstrated significant decrease in LVEDV,RWT,IVRT,along with significant increases in e?,a? and absolute values of GLS and GLSr(P<0.05,P<0.01),the serum contents of TNF-α and sST2 significantly decreased(P<0.01);myocardial inflammatory infiltration and collagen fiber deposition were reduced,the mRNA and protein expressions of ICAM-1,GDF-15 and sST2 decreased in Linggui Qihua Prescription high-dosage group(P<0.01).Conclusion Linggui Qihua Prescription may inhibit chronic inflammation and fibrosis of the myocardium in HFpEF rats by regulating the expressions of ICAM-1,VCAM-1,GDF-15 and sST2,improving cardiac remodeling and functional impairment.

Objective To investigate the correlation between the expression of serum 25hydroxyvitamin D[25(OH)D]and growth differentiation factor 15(GDF-15)levels and the risk of malignancy in patients with metabolic syndrome(MS)and the development of combined thyroid nodules(TN).Methods From August 2019 to August 2023,185 MS patients who visited the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University were regarded as the study subjects,according to the results of thyroid ultrasound examination,they were separated into MS group(n=73)and MS+TN group(n=112).According to the malignant grading of thyroid nodules,MS+TN patients were separated into benign group(n=89)and malignant group(n=23).Another 68 healthy individuals who underwent physical examinations were regarded as control group.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was applied to determine the levels of serum 25(OH)D and GDF-15 in each group.Pearson was applied to analyze the correlation between serum 25(OH)D and GDF-15 levels and clinical indicators in MS in TN patients.Multivariate Logistic regression was applied to analyze the influencing factors of malignant TN in patients with MS combined with TN.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was plotted to evaluate the diagnostic value of serum 25(OH)D and GDF-15 levels in MS with malignant TN.Results Comparison of serum 25(OH)D(30.41±6.73 ng/ml,27.23±6.15 ng/ml,24.67±4.38 ng/ml)and GDF-15(167.99±22.56 ng/L,239.75±25.92 ng/L,286.63±26.04 ng/L)levels in control,MS and MS+TN groups,the differences were statistically significant(F=22.219,472.113,all P<0.05).Compared with the benign group,the serum 25(OH)D(26.28±4.53 ng/ml vs 18.44±3.79 ng/ml)level in the malignant group was obviously reduced,while the GDF-15(276.93±24.53 ng/L vs 324.17±31.89 ng/L)level was obviously increased,the differences were statistically significant(t=7.631,7.718,all P＜0.05).The BMI,age,FPG,TG,TSH and TGAb levels of patients in the malignant group were obviously higher than those in the benign group,the difference were statistically significant(t=2.868,3.523,3.542,3.603,4.581,5.516,all P＜0.05).Pearson correlation analysis,and the serum 25(OH)D level in MS patients with TN was negatively correlated with FPG,TSH,TG and TGAb levels(r=-0.302,-0.482,-0.524,-0.546,all P<0.001),while GDF-15 level was positively correlated with TG,TSH,TGAb and FPG levels(r=0.467,0.541,0.578,0.623,all P<0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis,GDF-15(OR=1.673,95%CI:1.146～2.442)was a risk factor for the occurrence of malignant TN in MS patients(P<0.05),and 25(OH)D(OR=0.744,95%CI:0.604～0.916)was a protective factor for the occurrence of malignant TN,the AUC values of serum 25(OH)D and GDF-15 levels in the diagnosis of MS combined with malignant TN were 0.813,0.799 and 0.930,respectively,and the combination was superior to the single diagnosis(Z=2.088,2.021,P=0.037,0.043).Conclusion The levels of serum 25(OH)D and GDF-15 in patients with MS combined with TN are obviously correlated with nodular nature.The decrease in serum 25(OH)D level and the increase in GDF-15 level are risk factors for malignant TN in MS patients.

Objective: To investigate the distribution characteristics and functional genes of cariogenic bacteria in oral microorganisms of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and to improve the understanding of the relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus and dental caries. Methods: The experimental group included 10 patients with type 2 diabetes treated in the Department of Endocrinology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University. The normal control group included healthy oral subjects without type 2 diabetes in the community population (10 cases). Samples of supragingival plaque from patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and normal controls were collected and sequenced. Bioinformatics and statistical analysis of cariogenic bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus, Actinomyces viscosus and Candida albicans were carried out. Results: There were slightly fewer cariogenic bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus, Actinomyces viscosus and Candida albicans in supragingival plaque samples of type 2 diabetic patients than in normal controls, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The results of KEGG pathway functional metabolic differences showed that the metabolic pathways of D-arginine and D-ornithine metabolism, biofilm formation-Escherichia coli, carolactam degradation and arginine biosynthesis were more abundant in the T2DM group than in the normal control group, while metabolic pathways such as tyrosine metabolism, selenocompound metabolism and pyruvate metabolism showed the opposite trend. Conclusion There was no significant difference in the content of cariogenic microorganisms between type 2 diabetic patients and normal control group. The differential metabolic pathways of the functional genes indicated that an increase in the arginine metabolic pathway was beneficial to the maintenance of acid-base balance in the oral microecological environment.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common prostate disease and one of the most common chronic diseases caused by aging in men. On the other hand, there has been no research on BPH using Abeliophyllum distichum Nakai (A.distichum). Therefore, this study investigated the effects of A. distichum on BPH.MATERIALS/METHODS: A. distichum leaves were extracted with distilled water, 70% ethanol, and 95% hexane as solvents. Subsequently, the inhibitory effects of each A. distichum extract on androgen receptor (AR) signaling were evaluated in vitro. The testosterone-induced BPH model was then used to confirm the efficacy of A. distichum leaves in 70% ethanol extract (ADLE). RESULTS: ADLE had the strongest inhibitory effect on AR signaling. A comparison of the activity of ADLE by harvest time showed that the leaves of A. distichum harvested in autumn had a superior inhibitory effect on AR signaling to those harvested at other times. In the BPH rat model, the administration of ADLE reduced the prostate size and prostate epithelial cell thickness significantly and inhibited AR signaling. Subsequently, the administration of ADLE also reduced the expression of growth factors, thereby inactivating the PI3K/AKT pathway. CONCLUSIONS An analysis of the efficacy of ADLE to relieve BPH showed that the ethanol extract grown in autumn exhibited the highest inhibitory ability of the androgen-signaling related factors in vitro. ADLE also inhibited the expression of growth factors by inhibiting the expression of the androgen-signaling related factors in vivo. Overall, ADLE is proposed as a functional food that is effective in preventing BPH.

Objective:To quantitatively evaluate the left ventricular circumferential and longitudinal strain after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction(AMI)using speckle-tracking imaging(STI)on echocardiography.Methods:A prospective case-control study was conducted on 47 elderly patients diagnosed with ST-elevation AMI and undergoing percutaneous coronary interference(PCI)in our hospital from August 2017 to June 2020 as PCI-study group.The 35 normal subjects matched for age and sex were as a normal-control group.The longitudinal peak systolic strain(LPSS)and circumferential peak systolic strain(CPSS)were measured using STI at one week and three months after PCI in the two groups.Results:The values of LPSS and CPSS were apical segment > middle segment > basal segment, which was the similar between LPSS and CPSS.Compared with normal-control group, AMI-PCI group showed that CPSS and LPSS in each segment were significantly reduced at 1 week and 3 months after operation.Compared with the control group, all the CPSS and LPSS values were significantly decreased in AMI group at one week after PCI(-12.3±2.7)% vs.(-22.5±1.7)%( t=19.62, P<0.01); (-12.9±3.2)% vs.(-23.1±2.6)%( t=15.43, P<0.01). Both LPSS and CPSS values were improved at a certain extent at three months after PCI compared with AMI group at one week after PCI.The complete CPSS and LPSS values were significantly increased in AMI group at three months after PCI compared with one week after PCI(-16.8±2.6)% vs.(-12.3±2.7)%, ( t=8.23, P<0.01); (-17.0±3.3)% vs.(-12.9±3.2)%( t=6.11, P<0.01). But, there were still significant differences compared with the NC group(-16.8±2.6)% vs.(-22.5±1.7)%( t=11.29, P<0.01); (-17.0±3.3)% vs.(-23.1±2.6)%( t=9.04, P<0.01). Conclusions:The longitudinal and circumferential strain of left ventricle were severely damaged in elderly patients with AMI.The speckle-tracking imaging technique can be used to quantitatively evaluate the left ventricular strain and its improved situation after PCI in elderly AMI patients.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) in patients with severe/critical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this retrospective study, data were collected from 662 patients with severe/critical COVID-19 who were admitted to a designated hospital to treat patients with severe COVID-19 in Wuhan before March 20, 2020. All patients were divided into an exposed group (CHM users) and a control group (non-users). After propensity score matching in a 1:1 ratio, 156 CHM users were matched by propensity score to 156 non-users. No significant differences in seven baseline clinical variables were found between the two groups of patients. All-cause mortality was reported in 13 CHM users who died and 36 non-users who died. After multivariate adjustment, the mortality risk of CHM users was reduced by 82.2% (odds ratio 0.178, 95% CI 0.076-0.418; P < 0.001) compared with the non-users. Secondly, age (odds ratio 1.053, 95% CI 1.023-1.084; P < 0.001) and the proportion of severe/critical patients (odds ratio 0.063, 95% CI 0.028-0.143; P < 0.001) were the risk factors of mortality. These results show that the use of CHM may reduce the mortality of patients with severe/critical COVID-19.
Age Factors ; Aged ; COVID-19/therapy* ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Propensity Score ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVE： To isolate and identify the coumarins from the seeds of Clausena lansium， and to study their inhibitory activity of α-glucosidase and nematicidal activity against Panagrellus redivivus. METHODS： Column chromatography， reversed phase silica gel column chromatography and HPLC method were used to separate and purify the coumarins from the seeds of C. lansium. The structures of compounds were identified according to physicochemical properties， 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectral data. Using acarbose and avermectin as positive control， PNPG and Berman funnel methods were used to investigate the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and nematicidal activity against P. redivivus， respectively. RESULTS： Seven coumarins compounds were isolated from the seeds of C. lansium， and were identified as 7-hydroxy-1-benzopiran-2-one （Ⅰ）， Wampetin （Ⅱ）， Lansiumarin-C （Ⅲ）， Claucoumarin A （Ⅳ）， Clausenalansimin A （Ⅴ）， （E，E）-8-（7-hydroxy-3，7-dimethylocta-2，5-dienyloxy） psoralen （Ⅵ）， Dihydroindicolactone （Ⅶ）. Under 0.25 mg/mL， the α-glucosidase inhibitory rates of compounds Ⅰ， Ⅲ， Ⅴ were （32.4±1.9）％，（37.1±6.0）％， （39.5±1.1）％， respectively. Under 2.5 mg/mL， corrected mortality of compounds Ⅰ， Ⅳwere 50.5％ and 47.9％. CONCLUSIONS： Compounds Ⅰ， Ⅲ， Ⅴ show α-glucosidase inhibitory activity， and compounds Ⅰ，Ⅳ display nematicidal activity against P. redivivus.  α-Glucosidase inhibitory activity of compounds Ⅲ， Ⅴ， and nematicidal activity of compound Ⅳ are found for the first time.