ObjectiveTo observe the effects of Yangjing Zhongyutang （YJZYT） on mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative stress damage mediated by the silent information regulator 1 （SIRT1）/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1alpha （PGC-1α） signaling pathway in cyclophosphamide （CTX）-induced rats with diminished ovarian reserve （DOR）， and to explore its mechanism in improving ovarian reserve function and follicular development. MethodsForty-two 8-week-old female SD rats with normal estrous cycles were randomly divided into a blank control group （n=7） and a model group （n=35）. Rats in the model group received a single intraperitoneal injection of CTX （90 mg·kg^-1） to establish the DOR model. After modeling， estrous cycles were monitored for 7 consecutive days， and model success was confirmed based on criteria for estrous cycle disruption. After successful modeling， rats were divided into groups for intervention： estradiol valerate group （0.09 mg·kg^-1）， and YJZYT high-， medium-， and low-dose groups （19.98， 9.99， 5.00 g·kg^-1）. The blank control group and model group were given an equal volume of distilled water by gavage. All groups received daily gavage once for 4 consecutive weeks. The general state， body weight， and ovarian wet weight of rats were observed and recorded， and the ovarian organ index was calculated. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to measure serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH）， luteinizing hormone （LH）， estradiol （E₂）， anti-Müllerian hormone （AMH）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， and glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px）. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was performed to observe ovarian histomorphological changes and follicular development status. Immunofluorescence was used to detect reactive oxygen species （ROS） expression levels. Colorimetric assays were employed to measure adenosine triphosphate （ATP） and malondialdehyde （MDA） content in ovarian tissues. Quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect mitochondrial DNA （mtDNA） copy number and the mRNA expression levels of key genes including SIRT1， PGC-1α， nuclear respiratory factor 1 （NRF1）， and mitochondrial transcription factor A （TFAM）. Western blot was performed to detect the protein expression levels of SIRT1， PGC-1α， NRF1， and TFAM. ResultsCompared with the blank group， rats in the model group exhibited disrupted estrous cycles， obviously reduced body weight， and decreased ovarian index （P<0.05）. Ovarian histopathology revealed cortical thinning， loose structure， and a significant reduction in both primordial and growing follicles （P<0.01）. Serum FSH and LH levels were significantly elevated （P<0.01）， while E₂ and AMH levels were obviously reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ATP content and mtDNA copy number decreased in ovarian tissue （P<0.01）， ROS expression increased， MDA levels rose， while SOD and GSH-Px activities obviously decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， mRNA and protein expression levels of SIRT1， PGC-1α， NRF1， and TFAM were obviously downregulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）. After treatment， compared with the model group， body weight and ovarian index obviously recovered in rats administered various doses of YJZYT （P<0.05）， serum E₂ and AMH levels increased， while FSH and LH levels obviously decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， ovarian tissue ATP content and mtDNA copy number were up-regulated， ROS and MDA levels decreased， and antioxidant enzymes SOD and GSH-Px activity obviously increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， Gene and protein expression levels related to the SIRT1/PGC-1α /NRF1/TFAM signaling pathway were obviously up-regulated compared to the model group （P<0.05， P<0.01）， HE staining revealed that ovarian structure gradually recovered to integrity in all treatment groups， with a obviously increase in the number of primordial and growing follicles （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Granulosa cells were neatly arranged， indicating marked improvement in ovarian function. ConclusionYJZYT may improve ovarian function and follicular development in rats with diminished ovarian reserve by activating the SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway， promoting mitochondrial biogenesis， enhancing mitochondrial function， and alleviating oxidative stress damage.

BACKGROUND: The available evidence regarding the benefits of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on patients receiving dialysis with coronary artery disease (CAD) is limited and inconsistent. This study aimed to evaluate the association between PCI and clinical outcomes as compared with medical therapy alone in patients undergoing dialysis with CAD in China. METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective study was conducted in 30 tertiary medical centers across 12 provinces in China from January 2015 to June 2021 to include patients on dialysis with CAD. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal stroke. Secondary outcomes included all-cause death, the individual components of MACE, and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium criteria types 2, 3, or 5 bleeding. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the association between PCI and outcomes. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) and propensity score matching (PSM) were performed to account for potential between-group differences. RESULTS: Of the 1146 patients on dialysis with significant CAD, 821 (71.6%) underwent PCI. After a median follow-up of 23.0 months, PCI was associated with a 43.0% significantly lower risk for MACE (33.9% [ n  = 278] vs . 43.7% [ n  = 142]; adjusted hazards ratio 0.57, 95% confidence interval 0.45-0.71), along with a slightly increased risk for bleeding outcomes that did not reach statistical significance (11.1% vs . 8.3%; adjusted hazards ratio 1.31, 95% confidence interval, 0.82-2.11). Furthermore, PCI was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause and cardiovascular mortalities. Subgroup analysis did not modify the association of PCI with patient outcomes. These primary findings were consistent across IPTW, PSM, and competing risk analyses. CONCLUSION This study indicated that PCI in patients on dialysis with CAD was significantly associated with lower MACE and mortality when comparing with those with medical therapy alone, albeit with a slightly increased risk for bleeding events that did not reach statistical significance.
Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Coronary Artery Disease/drug therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Renal Dialysis/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; China ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Treatment Outcome

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of children with cervicothoracic hemivertebra at different ages and evaluate the surgical outcomes of hemivertebra resection.Methods:This retrospective cohort study analyzed clinical and radiographic data of 35 children (under 18 years old) with cervicothoracic hemivertebra who underwent one-stage posterior hemivertebra resection at the Department of Spine Surgery, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, from June 2005 to June 2022. The cohort included 19 males and 16 females, with a surgical age of (9.7±4.1) years (range: 3 to <18 years). Patients were divided into three groups based on initial surgical age: preschool group (≤5 years, n=10), school-age group (6 to 10 years, n=10), and adolescent group (11 to <18 years, n=15). The intraoperative blood loss, operative time, number of fixed vertebrae, and perioperative and postoperative complications were recorded. Radiographic measurements were taken preoperatively, postoperatively, and at final follow-up, including the Cobb angle of the primary curve, curve length, distal curve Cobb angle, neck tilt, shoulder balance, coronal balance, trunk tilt, clavicle angle, head deviation, and local kyphosis. Statistical analyses included one-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis H test, chi-square test, and Fisher′s exact test. Results:The operative time was (333±74) minutes (range:200 to 450 minutes), the intraoperative blood loss was (419±132) ml (range:200 to 650 ml), and the number of fixed vertebrae was (6.0±2.7) segments (range:2 to 12 segments). Preoperatively, the preschool group had a smaller primary curve Cobb angle compared to the adolescent group (33.6°±8.4° vs. 43.0°±9.4°, F=3.394, P=0.046) and distal curve Cobb angle (6.4°±2.4° vs.11.9°±4.5°, F=6.550, P=0.038). The preschool group had better coronal balance ((8.8±4.3) mm vs. (20.2±11.7)mm, F=9.448, P=0.009) and trunk tilt (4.0°±2.0° vs.7.0°±3.0°, F=4.343, P=0.029) than the school-age group. The preschool group had fewer fused vertebrae than the school-age and adolescent groups (3.8±1.6 vs. 7.0±2.6 vs. 6.8±2.6, F=10.480, P=0.005). The preschool group also had less intraoperative blood loss than the adolescent groups ((320±125) ml vs. (480±113) ml, F=8.666, P=0.013). However, no significant differences were found in postoperative and final follow-up measurements of primary and distal curve Cobb angles, neck tilt, shoulder balance, coronal balance, trunk tilt, clavicle angle, head deviation, local kyphosis, or complication rates (all P>0.05). Conclusions:Children with cervicothoracic hemivertebra across different age groups exhibit similar surgical outcomes and complication rates. But the preschool group had fewer fixed segments and less intraoperative blood loss, suggesting that this age group is an ideal time for surgery.

ObjectiveTo investigate the influence of entecavir （ETV） versus tenofovir alafenamide fumarate （TAF） on renal function in previously untreated patients with chronic hepatitis B （CHB）. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 167 previously untreated CHB patients who received ETV or TAF treatment for at least 48 weeks at the outpatient service of Department of Infectious Diseases in The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from September 2019 to November 2023， and according to the antiviral drug used， they were divided into ETV group with 117 patients and TAF group with 50 patients. In order to balance baseline clinical data， propensity score matching （PSM） was used for matching and analysis at a ratio of 2∶1， and the two groups were compared in terms of estimated glomerular filtration rate （eGFR） and the incidence rate of abnormal renal function at week 48. According to eGFR at week 48， the patients were divided into normal renal function group and abnormal renal function group. The independent-samples t test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups， and the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the influencing factors for abnormal renal function， and the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was used to assess the performance of each indicator in predicting abnormal renal function. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the cumulative incidence rate of abnormal renal function， and the log-rank test was used for comparison. The analysis of variance with repeated measures was used to compare the dynamic changes of eGFR during antiviral therapy in CHB patients. ResultsAfter PSM matching， there were 100 patients in the ETV group and 50 patients in the TAF group. There were no significant differences in baseline clinical data between the ETV group and the TAF group （all P>0.05）， with an eGFR level of 112.29±9.92 mL/min/1.73 m² in the ETV group and 114.72±12.15 mL/min/1.73 m² in the TAF group. There was a reduction in eGFR from baseline to week 48 in both groups， and compared with the TAF group at week 48， the ETV group had a significantly lower eGFR （106.42±14.12 mL/min/1.73 m² vs 112.25±13.44 mL/min/1.73 m²， t=-2.422， P=0.017） and a significantly higher incidence rate of abnormal renal function （17.00% vs 4.00%， χ²=5.092， P=0.024）. After the patients were divided into normal renal function group with 131 patients and abnormal renal function group with 19 patients， the univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences between the two groups in age （Z=-2.039， P=0.041）， treatment drug （ETV/TAF） （χ²=5.092， P=0.024）， and baseline eGFR level （t=4.023， P<0.001）， and the multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that baseline eGFR （odds ratio ［OR］=0.896， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 0.841 — 0.955， P<0.001） and treatment drug （OR=5.589， 95%CI： 1.136 — 27.492， P=0.034） were independent influencing factors for abnormal renal function. Baseline eGFR had an area under the ROC curve of 0.781 in predicting abnormal renal function in CHB patients， with a cut-off value of 105.24 mL/min/1.73 m²， a sensitivity of 73.68%， and a specificity of 82.44%. The Kaplan-Meier curve analysis showed that the patients with baseline eGFR≤105.24 mL/min/1.73 m² had a significantly higher cumulative incidence rate of abnormal renal function than those with baseline eGFR>105.24 mL/min/1.73 m² （χ²=22.330， P<0.001）， and the ETV group had a significantly higher cumulative incidence rate of abnormal renal function than the TAF group （χ²=4.961， P=0.026）. With the initiation of antiviral therapy， both the ETV group and the TAF group had a significant reduction in eGFR （F=5.259， P<0.001）， but the ETV group only had a significant lower level of eGFR than the TAF group at week 48 （t=-2.422， P=0.017）； both the baseline eGFR≤105.24 mL/min/1.73 m² group and the baseline eGFR>105.24 mL/min/1.73 m² group had a significant reduction in eGFR （F=5.712， P<0.001）， and there was a significant difference in eGFR between the two groups at baseline and weeks 12， 24， 36， and 48 （t=-13.927， -9.780， -8.835， -9.489， and -8.953， all P<0.001）. ConclusionFor CHB patients initially treated with ETV or TAF， ETV antiviral therapy has a higher risk of renal injury than TAF therapy at week 48.

OBJECTIVE: To study incident and clinical characteristics of the coronary microcirculation dysfunction (CMD) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) by myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) and to explore the predictive value of CMD for in-hospital acute heart failure event. METHODS: One hundred and forty five patients with AMI who had received PCI and completed MCE during hospitalization in Peking University People' s Hospital from November 2015 to July 2021 were enrolled in our study. The patients were divided into CMD group and normal group according to the coronary microcirculation status detected by MCE. Clinical data and MCE data of the two groups were collected and analyzed. The acute heart failure event during hospitalization was described. A multivariate Logistic regression model was built to analyze the risk of acute heart failure in patients with CMD. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to evaluate the value of CMD in predicting acute heart failure event. RESULTS: CMD detected by MCE occurred in 87 patients (60%). Compared with normal group, patients with CMD had higher troponin I (TnI) peak level [52.8 (8.1, 84.0) μg/L vs. 18.9 (5.7, 56.1) μg/L, P=0.005], poorer Killip grade on admission (P=0.030), different culprit vessel (P < 0.001) and more patients had thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow pre-PCI less than grade 3 in culprit vessel (65.1% vs. 43.1%, P=0.025). Meanwhile, patients with CMD had poorer left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) [52% (43%, 58%) vs. 61% (54%, 66%)], poorer global longitudinal strain (GLS) [-11.2% (-8.7%, -14.0%) vs.-13.9% (-10.8%, -17.0%)] and worse wall motion score index (WMSI) (1.58±0.36 vs. 1.25± 0.24) (P all < 0.001). Acute left heart failure happened in 13.8% of the CMD patients, which were significant higher than that in the patients with normal coronary microcirculation perfusion (1.7%, P=0.013). After correcting for the culprit vessel, the TIMI flow pre-PCI in the culprit vessel and the peak TnI value, the risk of acute left heart failure in the patients with CMD was still high (OR=9.120, 95%CI: 1.152-72.192, P=0.036). The area under ROC curve (AUC) was 0.677 (95%CI: 0.551-0.804, P=0.035). CONCLUSION The incidence of CMD detected by MCE in patients with AMI post-PCI was 60%. Patients with CMD have a higher risk of acute left heart failure during hospitalization.
Humans ; Heart Failure/physiopathology* ; Microcirculation ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/adverse effects* ; Myocardial Infarction/complications* ; Male ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Echocardiography ; Coronary Circulation ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Troponin I/blood*

Animal models of cardiac arrhythmia are important tools for analyses of antiarrhythmic drug mechanisms and medical laboratory teaching.In this study,two major models,namely,barium chloride-induced arrhythmia in rabbits and ouabain-induced arrhythmia in guinea pigs,were systematically compared in terms of technical principles,modeling method,and indexes.By optimizing electrocardiographic parameters,standardizing arrhythmia grading criteria,and introducing quantitative analysis method,we revealed differences between the two models in terms of ion channel mechanisms,drug targets,and applicability to teaching.The barium chloride model was characterized by rapidly induced ventricular arrhythmia,which is suitable for the observation of acute drug efficacy.The ouabain model simulated the development of progressive arrhythmia,which is suitable for the study of the preventive effects of anti-arrhythmic drugs.This study provides a technical reference for the selection of arrhythmia models,optimization process,and mechanistic analyses in medical experimental teaching and is of great significance for improving the electrophysiology experimental skills of medical students.

Animal models of cardiac arrhythmia are important tools for analyses of antiarrhythmic drug mechanisms and medical laboratory teaching.In this study,two major models,namely,barium chloride-induced arrhythmia in rabbits and ouabain-induced arrhythmia in guinea pigs,were systematically compared in terms of technical principles,modeling method,and indexes.By optimizing electrocardiographic parameters,standardizing arrhythmia grading criteria,and introducing quantitative analysis method,we revealed differences between the two models in terms of ion channel mechanisms,drug targets,and applicability to teaching.The barium chloride model was characterized by rapidly induced ventricular arrhythmia,which is suitable for the observation of acute drug efficacy.The ouabain model simulated the development of progressive arrhythmia,which is suitable for the study of the preventive effects of anti-arrhythmic drugs.This study provides a technical reference for the selection of arrhythmia models,optimization process,and mechanistic analyses in medical experimental teaching and is of great significance for improving the electrophysiology experimental skills of medical students.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of children with cervicothoracic hemivertebra at different ages and evaluate the surgical outcomes of hemivertebra resection.Methods:This retrospective cohort study analyzed clinical and radiographic data of 35 children (under 18 years old) with cervicothoracic hemivertebra who underwent one-stage posterior hemivertebra resection at the Department of Spine Surgery, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, from June 2005 to June 2022. The cohort included 19 males and 16 females, with a surgical age of (9.7±4.1) years (range: 3 to <18 years). Patients were divided into three groups based on initial surgical age: preschool group (≤5 years, n=10), school-age group (6 to 10 years, n=10), and adolescent group (11 to <18 years, n=15). The intraoperative blood loss, operative time, number of fixed vertebrae, and perioperative and postoperative complications were recorded. Radiographic measurements were taken preoperatively, postoperatively, and at final follow-up, including the Cobb angle of the primary curve, curve length, distal curve Cobb angle, neck tilt, shoulder balance, coronal balance, trunk tilt, clavicle angle, head deviation, and local kyphosis. Statistical analyses included one-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis H test, chi-square test, and Fisher′s exact test. Results:The operative time was (333±74) minutes (range:200 to 450 minutes), the intraoperative blood loss was (419±132) ml (range:200 to 650 ml), and the number of fixed vertebrae was (6.0±2.7) segments (range:2 to 12 segments). Preoperatively, the preschool group had a smaller primary curve Cobb angle compared to the adolescent group (33.6°±8.4° vs. 43.0°±9.4°, F=3.394, P=0.046) and distal curve Cobb angle (6.4°±2.4° vs.11.9°±4.5°, F=6.550, P=0.038). The preschool group had better coronal balance ((8.8±4.3) mm vs. (20.2±11.7)mm, F=9.448, P=0.009) and trunk tilt (4.0°±2.0° vs.7.0°±3.0°, F=4.343, P=0.029) than the school-age group. The preschool group had fewer fused vertebrae than the school-age and adolescent groups (3.8±1.6 vs. 7.0±2.6 vs. 6.8±2.6, F=10.480, P=0.005). The preschool group also had less intraoperative blood loss than the adolescent groups ((320±125) ml vs. (480±113) ml, F=8.666, P=0.013). However, no significant differences were found in postoperative and final follow-up measurements of primary and distal curve Cobb angles, neck tilt, shoulder balance, coronal balance, trunk tilt, clavicle angle, head deviation, local kyphosis, or complication rates (all P>0.05). Conclusions:Children with cervicothoracic hemivertebra across different age groups exhibit similar surgical outcomes and complication rates. But the preschool group had fewer fixed segments and less intraoperative blood loss, suggesting that this age group is an ideal time for surgery.

OBJECTIVE To study the effects of Phellodendron amurense polysaccharides （PAP） on improving gouty nephropathy （GN） in rats， and to investigate its mechanism primarily by interfering the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （p38 MAPK）/nuclear factor-κB（NF-κB）/tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α）. METHODS Sixty rats were randomly divided into normal group （water）， model group （water）， allopurinol group （positive control， 20 mg/kg）， PAP high-dose， medium-dose and low-dose groups （100， 50， 25 mg/kg， by raw material） after being stratified by body weight， with 10 rats in each group. Except for the normal group， the other groups were induced to construct GN model by giving 1 500 mg/kg potassium oxazinate and 100 mg/kg adenine intragastrically for 14 days. After modeling， the rats in each group were given relevant medicine/water intragastrically， once a day， for consecutive 28 days. After the last medication， the levels of biochemical parameters related to renal function [uric acid， creatinine （Cr）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， xanthine oxidase （XOD）] were detected in rats， and the histopathological changes in the rat kidney were observed. The protein expressions of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1（MCP-1），TNF-α and interleukin-6（IL-6） as well as the phosphorylation levels of p38 MAPK and NF-κB p65 protein were determined in renal tissue of rats. RESULTS Compared with the normal group， the model group suffered from the dilatation of renal tubules， structural damage to glomeruli， accompanied by inflammatory infiltration and fibrosis； the contents of uric acid， Cr， BUN and XOD， the protein expressions of MCP-1，TNF-α and IL-6 and the phosphorylation levels of p38 MAPK and NF-κB p65 protein were all increased significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the model group， the pathological symptoms of renal tissue in rats had been improved to varying degrees in different dose groups of PAP； the contents of uric acid， Cr， BUN and XOD， protein expressions of MCP-1， TNF-α and IL-6， the phosphorylation levels of p38 MAPK and NF-κB p65 protein in PAP high-dose and PAP medium-dose groups were all decreased significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS PAP exhibits an anti-GN effect， the mechanism of which may be associated with inhibiting the p38 MAPK/NF-κB/TNF-α signaling pathway.

Objective:To assess the effectiveness of a 6-month Ba Duan Jin exercise program in improving the balance of community-dwelling older adults.Methods:A two arms, parallel-group, cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in 1 028 community residents aged 60-80 years in 40 communities in 5 provinces of China. Participants in the intervention group (20 communities, 523 people) received Ba Duan Jin exercise 5 days/week, 1 hour/day for 6 months, and three times of falls prevention health education, and the control group (20 communities, 505 people) received falls prevention health education same as the intervention group. The Berg balance scale (BBS) score was the leading outcome indicator, and the secondary outcome indicators included the length of time of standing on one foot (with eyes open and closed), standing in a tandem stance (with eyes open and closed), the closed circle test, and the timed up to test.Results:A total of 1 028 participants were included in the final analysis, including 731 women (71.11%) and 297 men (28.89%), and the age was (69.87±5.67) years. After the 3-month intervention, compared with the baseline data, the BBS score of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group by 3.05 (95% CI: 2.23-3.88) points ( P<0.001). After the 6-month intervention, compared with the baseline data, the BBS score of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group by 4.70 (95% CI: 4.03-5.37) points ( P<0.001). Ba Duan Jin showed significant improvement ( P<0.05) in all secondary outcomes after 6 months of exercise in the intervention group compared with the control group. Conclusions:This study showed that Ba Duan Jin exercise can improve balance in community-dwelling older adults aged 60-80. The longer the exercise time, the better the improvement.