Objective To explore the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and its association with dietary and lifestyle habits among the adult physical examination population in Xuzhou area. Methods Retrospectively selected the physical examination population who underwent HP testing at our hospital's physical examination center from May 2021 to December 2023 as the research object. The prevalence of Hp infection in the population was analyzed based on the physical examination results. A questionnaire survey was used to collect information on the eating and living habits of all study subjects. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between eating and living habits and Hp infection. Results A total of 1 354 physical examination people were included in the study, and the Hp infection rate was 37.30% (505/1354). The difference in Hp infection rates among people of different age groups is statistically significant (P<0.05), with the middle-aged population (41-59 years old) having the highest Hp positive infection rate (45.38%).High salt (41.11%), hot diet (40.56%), history of smoking (45.23%) and drinking (43.80%), less consumption of fruits and vegetables (43.73%), irregular exercise (41.29%), irregular diet People who frequently eat out (43.56%) and eat out frequently (42.57%) have a higher Hp infection rate (P<0.05).After adjusting for demographic factors such as gender, age, place of residence and education level, multivariate Logistic regression results showed that high-salt diet (OR=3.975, 95%CI: 2.670-5.917) and hot diet (OR=3.357, 95%CI: 2.291-4.919), smoking (OR=1.458, 95%CI: 1.082-1.964), drinking alcohol (OR=1.654, 95%CI: 1.279-2.138), eating fruits and vegetables (OR=1.759, 95%CI: 1.345-2.301), regular exercise (OR=1.822, 95%CI: 1.371-2.421), regular diet (OR=1.893, 95%CI: 1.391-2.575), eating out (OR=1.690, 95%CI: 1.277-2.237) were associated with the risk of Hp infection (P<0.05). Conclusion The positive infection rate of Hp among the physical examination population in Xuzhou is slightly lower than the average epidemic level in China. Cultivating healthy eating and living habits can effectively reduce the risk of Hp infection.

OBJECTIVE To explore the protective effect of Jianpi Shengqing Jiangzhuo Recipe on db/db mice with diabetic kid-ney disease(DKD)and its possible mechanism.METHODS Thirty-two 8-week-old male db/db mice were randomly divided into four groups(n=8),including the model group,the Western medicine group[Dapagliflozin(1.0 mg·kg-1·d-1)],low-dose Jianpi Shengqing Jiangzhuo group(19.63 g·kg-1·d-1),and high-dose Jianpi Shengqing Jiangzhuo group(58.89 g·kg-1·d-1).Addi-tionally,8 db/m mice were used as the normal group.The mice were orally administered once a day for 10 consecutive weeks.The general survival status of the mice was observed,and the body weight,fasting blood glucose(FBG),and urine volume of the mice were dynamically monitored;urine creatinine and urine microalbumin were detected,and urine microalbumin excretion(UAE)and protein-creatinine ratio(ACR)were calculated.After the last intervention,mice were fasted for 12 h,blood was collected under anesthesia,and kidney tissue was separated;blood creatinine(Scr),serum urea nitrogen(BUN),triglycerides(TG),total cholesterol(TC),low-density lipoprotein(LDL-C),and high-density lipoprotein(HDL-C)were tested;HE and Masson staining were used to observe pathological changes in renal tissue;Oil Red O staining was used to observe the deposition of lipid droplets in the kidneys,and Image J was used for quantitative analysis;ELISA was used to detect the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in renal tissue;Western blot was used to detect the expression of SIRT1,SREBP-1,and PPAR-α proteins in renal tissue.RESULTS Compared with the normal group mice,the body weight,FBG,Scr,TG,TC,HDL-C,LDL-C,urine volume,UAE,and ACR of the model group mice were signifi-cantly increased(P<0.05,P<0.01);the glomerular volume was significantly increased,renal fibrosis was altered,and renal lipid droplet deposition increased(P<0.01);renal TNF-α,IL-1β,SREBP-1 expression increased(P<0.01),and SIRT1 and PPAR-α expression decreased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the FBG levels in the Western medicine group was significantly de-creased at the 5th and 10th weeks of intervention(P<0.05,P<0.01);after the intervention,the Scr,UAE and ACR in the Western medicine group and high-dose Jianpi Shengqing Jiangzhuo group were significantly decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the serum TG level in the high-dose Jianpi Shengqing Jiangzhuo group was also significantly decreased(P<0.01);the Western medicine group and the high-dose group of Jianpi Shengqing Jiangzhuo group improved renal pathological changes and lipid deposition(P<0.05,P<0.01),with decreased levels of TNF-α and IL-1β and increased expression of SIRT1 and PPAR-α proteins(P<0.05,P<0.01);high-dose group of Jianpi Shengqing Jiangzhuo decreased the expression of SREBP-1(P<0.01).CONCLUSION Jianpi Shengqing Jiangzhuo Recipe can improve proteinuria,kidney injury,renal lipid deposition as well as inflammatory reaction in DKD,which may be related to the activation of the SIRT1/SREBP-1/PPAR-α pathway to regulate lipid homeostasis.

Objective:To establish a stable rat model of sequelae of pelvic inflammatory disease(SPID)with clinical characteristics,and to provide a reliable experimental model for the study of the pharmcological effect and mechanism of SPID.Methods:Twenty-four 7-week-old SD rats were divided into sham operation group,model-A(108 cfu/mL mixed bacterial solution,0.2 mL),model-B(109 cfu/mL mixed bacterial solution 0.2 mL),and model-C(108 cfu/mL E.coli 0.2 mL).The weight of the rat's uterine was weighed and the uterine index was calculated.The automatic hematology analyzer was used to detect the blood routine;hematoxylin-eosin staining(HE)and masson staining were used to detect uterine pathlogical changes in rats.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect interleukin-1β(IL-1β),interleukin-6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)in rat uterine tissue homogenates.Western blot was used to detect the expression of proteins related to NF-κB signaling pathway.Results:Compared with the sham operation group,the uterine index of model-A,model-B,and model-C were significantly increased(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The levels of WBC and NE in the model-A increased significantly(P＜0.01).The level of LY in model-B decreased significantly(P＜0.01).The levels of IL-1β,TNF-α in model-A,model-B,and model-C were significantly increased(P＜0.01).The levels of IL-6 in model-A and model-B were significantly increased(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The collagen volume fraction of model-A and model-B were significantly increased(P＜0.01).Mechanism study indicates that the expression levels of p-IKKβ/IKKβ,p-IκBα/IκBα and p-p65/p65 in model-A were significantly increased(P＜0.01),and the expression levels of IκBα/β-actin were significantly decreased(P＜0.01).The expression level of p-IKKβ/IKKβ in model-B was significantly increased(P＜0.01).Conclusions:A stable rat model of SPID that conforms to clinical characteristics can be successfully constructed by combining 0.2 mL of mixed bacterial solution with a concentration of 108 cfu/mL and mechanical injury.This modeling method intervened in the expression of the NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway.

Aim To systematically investigate the ac-tive components,targets,and regulatory pathways of Po-lygonum capitatum in intervening atherosclerosis(AS)through network pharmacology,molecular docking and animal experiments.Methods Active components of Polygonum capitatum and AS-related targets were screened and identified through database searches.Protein-protein interaction(PPI)network analysis was performed using the STRING database,followed by GO and KEGG enrichment analyses via the David plat-form.Molecular docking validation was conducted with AutoDock.An AS model was established in Syrian golden hamsters fed a high-fat diet.Predicted pathways and targets were validated using qPCR,ELISA,and histopathological assessment of aortic and hepatic tis-sues via HE staining.Results Network pharmacology identified 27 potential active components of Polygonum capitatum(primarily flavonoids such as quercetin and luteolin)and 110 drug-disease intersection targets,in-cluding core targets MMP-9,ALB,and AKT1.GO and KEGG analyses enriched 593 and 125 pathways,re-spectively,with the NF-κB inflammatory pathway,TNF signaling pathway and lipid metabolism/atherosclerosis pathways highlighted as key mechanisms.Animal ex-periments demonstrated that Polygonum capitatum im-proved serum lipid profiles(reduced TC,TG,LDL-C)in AS hamsters,suppressed the MMP-9/NF-κB signa-ling pathway(downregulated MMP-9,p65 phosphoryla-tion,TNF-α,and IL-6),and inhibited VSMC synthetic phenotypic transformation(upregulated α-SMA and myocardin)by downregulating MCPIP1.Additionally,Polygonum capitatum ameliorated aortic lesions and he-patic lipid deposition in AS hamsters.Conclusions Polygonum capitatum alleviates AS by synergistically regulating the MMP-9/NF-κB/MCPIP1 axis through flavonoid components,suppressing vascular inflammato-ry cascades and maintaining VSMC contractile pheno-types.This reflects Polygonum capitatum's multi-com-ponent,multi-pathway,and multi-target characteristics in combating AS.

Objective To evaluate the safety and feasibility of percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty with the assistance of arterio-venous circuit.Methods From January 2015 to October 2022,a total 25 patients[19 females,6 males;age(61.60±9.00)years]were included,who were diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease and severe mitral stenosis.A transseptal puncture was performed to establish a femoral arterio-venous circuit,followed by graded dilation with Inoue balloon(diameters:22.00 mm to 28.00 mm).The target was a mitral valve area≥1.50 cm2 with mild or less regurgitation.Results The arterio-venous circuit was established,and mitral balloon valvuloplasty was successfully completed in all 25 patients.Among them,20 patients experienced difficulty with transvalvular crossing using the balloon catheter with conventional methods,16 patients had valvular severe calcification,and 3 patients presented with a left atrial appendage thrombus despite of more than 6-month anticoagulation therapy with warfarin.The mean balloon diameter was(25.00±1.40)mm.The mitral valve area increased from(0.91±0.15)cm2 preoperatively to(1.70±0.14)cm2 postoperatively(P＜0.001).Mean left atrial pressure decreased from(27.00±7.50)mmHg to(16.36±4.07)mmHg(P＜0.001),and mean pulmonary artery pressure decreased from(40.84±13.81)mmHg to(25.00±7.12)mmHg(P＜0.001).All patients showed significant symptom improvement with no complications.Conclusions Arterio-venous circuit for percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty is safe and feasible.This technique can serve as an alternative to standard technique for patients with complex mitral stenosis.

Objective To investigate the expression of microRNA-508-3p(miR-508-3p)in epithelial ovarian cancer(EOC)tissue,its impact on the migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells,and its regulatory relationship with zinc-finger E-box-binding homeobox 1(ZEB1).Methods The surgical resection of EOC cancer tissues and paired adjacent normal tissues were collected.SKOV3 cells were divided into the NC mimic group(transfected with NC mimic),miR-508-3p mimic group(transfected with miR-508-3p mimic),si-NC group(transfected with si-NC),si-ZEB1 group(transfected with si-ZEB1)and co-transfection group(co-transfected with si-ZEB1 and miR-508-3p mimic).The mRNA expression levels of miR-508-3p and ZEB1 in EOC cancer tissues,adjacent normal tissues and five groups of cells were measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.The Transwell assay was used to detect the cell migration and invasion abilities.Results The relative expression levels of miR-508-3p in EOC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were 0.77±0.36 and 1.07±0.40,the relative expression levels of ZEB1 mRNA in EOC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were 2.10±1.21 and 1.29±0.95,and the differences were statistically significant(all P＜0.01).The migration cell number of the NC mimic,miR-508-3p mimic,si-NC,si-ZEB1 and co-transfection groups was 633.00±32.49,319.20±19.89,650.40±25.85,375.00±17.25 and 129.40±17.10;the invasion cell number was 527.20±25.01,288.60±16.68,520.00±25.83,293.40±18.37 and 76.60±8.76;the relative expression levels of miR-508-3p were 1.05±0.37,3.94±1.21,1.01±0.21,1.26±0.34 and 3.40±0.41;the relative expression levels of ZEB1 mRNA were 1.00±0.04,0.58±0.05,1.00±0.08,0.54±0.07 and 0.29±0.03,respectively.The above indicators showed statistically significant differences between the miR-508-3p mimic group and the NC mimic group,between the si-NC group and the co-transfection group(P＜0.01,P＜0.05).Conclusion MiR-508-3p is lowly expressed in EOC cancer tissue,and it may inhibit the migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells by targeting ZEB1 expression.

Objective To evaluate the safety and feasibility of percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty with the assistance of arterio-venous circuit.Methods From January 2015 to October 2022,a total 25 patients[19 females,6 males;age(61.60±9.00)years]were included,who were diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease and severe mitral stenosis.A transseptal puncture was performed to establish a femoral arterio-venous circuit,followed by graded dilation with Inoue balloon(diameters:22.00 mm to 28.00 mm).The target was a mitral valve area≥1.50 cm2 with mild or less regurgitation.Results The arterio-venous circuit was established,and mitral balloon valvuloplasty was successfully completed in all 25 patients.Among them,20 patients experienced difficulty with transvalvular crossing using the balloon catheter with conventional methods,16 patients had valvular severe calcification,and 3 patients presented with a left atrial appendage thrombus despite of more than 6-month anticoagulation therapy with warfarin.The mean balloon diameter was(25.00±1.40)mm.The mitral valve area increased from(0.91±0.15)cm2 preoperatively to(1.70±0.14)cm2 postoperatively(P＜0.001).Mean left atrial pressure decreased from(27.00±7.50)mmHg to(16.36±4.07)mmHg(P＜0.001),and mean pulmonary artery pressure decreased from(40.84±13.81)mmHg to(25.00±7.12)mmHg(P＜0.001).All patients showed significant symptom improvement with no complications.Conclusions Arterio-venous circuit for percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty is safe and feasible.This technique can serve as an alternative to standard technique for patients with complex mitral stenosis.

OBJECTIVE To explore the protective effect of Jianpi Shengqing Jiangzhuo Recipe on db/db mice with diabetic kid-ney disease(DKD)and its possible mechanism.METHODS Thirty-two 8-week-old male db/db mice were randomly divided into four groups(n=8),including the model group,the Western medicine group[Dapagliflozin(1.0 mg·kg-1·d-1)],low-dose Jianpi Shengqing Jiangzhuo group(19.63 g·kg-1·d-1),and high-dose Jianpi Shengqing Jiangzhuo group(58.89 g·kg-1·d-1).Addi-tionally,8 db/m mice were used as the normal group.The mice were orally administered once a day for 10 consecutive weeks.The general survival status of the mice was observed,and the body weight,fasting blood glucose(FBG),and urine volume of the mice were dynamically monitored;urine creatinine and urine microalbumin were detected,and urine microalbumin excretion(UAE)and protein-creatinine ratio(ACR)were calculated.After the last intervention,mice were fasted for 12 h,blood was collected under anesthesia,and kidney tissue was separated;blood creatinine(Scr),serum urea nitrogen(BUN),triglycerides(TG),total cholesterol(TC),low-density lipoprotein(LDL-C),and high-density lipoprotein(HDL-C)were tested;HE and Masson staining were used to observe pathological changes in renal tissue;Oil Red O staining was used to observe the deposition of lipid droplets in the kidneys,and Image J was used for quantitative analysis;ELISA was used to detect the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in renal tissue;Western blot was used to detect the expression of SIRT1,SREBP-1,and PPAR-α proteins in renal tissue.RESULTS Compared with the normal group mice,the body weight,FBG,Scr,TG,TC,HDL-C,LDL-C,urine volume,UAE,and ACR of the model group mice were signifi-cantly increased(P<0.05,P<0.01);the glomerular volume was significantly increased,renal fibrosis was altered,and renal lipid droplet deposition increased(P<0.01);renal TNF-α,IL-1β,SREBP-1 expression increased(P<0.01),and SIRT1 and PPAR-α expression decreased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the FBG levels in the Western medicine group was significantly de-creased at the 5th and 10th weeks of intervention(P<0.05,P<0.01);after the intervention,the Scr,UAE and ACR in the Western medicine group and high-dose Jianpi Shengqing Jiangzhuo group were significantly decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the serum TG level in the high-dose Jianpi Shengqing Jiangzhuo group was also significantly decreased(P<0.01);the Western medicine group and the high-dose group of Jianpi Shengqing Jiangzhuo group improved renal pathological changes and lipid deposition(P<0.05,P<0.01),with decreased levels of TNF-α and IL-1β and increased expression of SIRT1 and PPAR-α proteins(P<0.05,P<0.01);high-dose group of Jianpi Shengqing Jiangzhuo decreased the expression of SREBP-1(P<0.01).CONCLUSION Jianpi Shengqing Jiangzhuo Recipe can improve proteinuria,kidney injury,renal lipid deposition as well as inflammatory reaction in DKD,which may be related to the activation of the SIRT1/SREBP-1/PPAR-α pathway to regulate lipid homeostasis.

Aim To systematically investigate the ac-tive components,targets,and regulatory pathways of Po-lygonum capitatum in intervening atherosclerosis(AS)through network pharmacology,molecular docking and animal experiments.Methods Active components of Polygonum capitatum and AS-related targets were screened and identified through database searches.Protein-protein interaction(PPI)network analysis was performed using the STRING database,followed by GO and KEGG enrichment analyses via the David plat-form.Molecular docking validation was conducted with AutoDock.An AS model was established in Syrian golden hamsters fed a high-fat diet.Predicted pathways and targets were validated using qPCR,ELISA,and histopathological assessment of aortic and hepatic tis-sues via HE staining.Results Network pharmacology identified 27 potential active components of Polygonum capitatum(primarily flavonoids such as quercetin and luteolin)and 110 drug-disease intersection targets,in-cluding core targets MMP-9,ALB,and AKT1.GO and KEGG analyses enriched 593 and 125 pathways,re-spectively,with the NF-κB inflammatory pathway,TNF signaling pathway and lipid metabolism/atherosclerosis pathways highlighted as key mechanisms.Animal ex-periments demonstrated that Polygonum capitatum im-proved serum lipid profiles(reduced TC,TG,LDL-C)in AS hamsters,suppressed the MMP-9/NF-κB signa-ling pathway(downregulated MMP-9,p65 phosphoryla-tion,TNF-α,and IL-6),and inhibited VSMC synthetic phenotypic transformation(upregulated α-SMA and myocardin)by downregulating MCPIP1.Additionally,Polygonum capitatum ameliorated aortic lesions and he-patic lipid deposition in AS hamsters.Conclusions Polygonum capitatum alleviates AS by synergistically regulating the MMP-9/NF-κB/MCPIP1 axis through flavonoid components,suppressing vascular inflammato-ry cascades and maintaining VSMC contractile pheno-types.This reflects Polygonum capitatum's multi-com-ponent,multi-pathway,and multi-target characteristics in combating AS.

BACKGROUND: Quantitative flow ratio (QFR) holds significant value in guiding drug-coated balloon (DCB) treatment and enhancing outcomes. However, the predictive capability of post-angioplasty QFR for long-term clinical events in patients with de novo lesions who receive DCB treatment remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to explore the potential significance of post-angioplasty QFR measurements in predicting clinical outcomes in patients underwent DCB treatment for de novo lesions. METHODS: Patients who underwent DCB-only intervention for de novo lesions were enrolled. QFR was conducted after DCB treatment. The patients were then categorized based on post-angioplasty QFR. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACE), encompassing all-cause death, cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, and target vessel revascularization. RESULTS: A total of 553 patients with 561 lesions were included. The median follow-up period was 505 days, during which 66 (11.8%) MACEs occurred. Based on post-procedural QFR grouping, there were 259 cases in the high QFR group (QFR > 0.93) and 302 cases in the low QFR group (QFR ≤ 0.93). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a significantly higher cumulative incidence of MACE in the low QFR group (log-rank P = 0.004). The multivariate Cox proportional hazards model demonstrated a significant inverse correlation between QFR and the occurrence of MACEs (HR = 0.522, 95%CI: 0.289-0.942, P = 0.031). Landmark analysis indicated that high QFR had a significant reducing effect on the cumulative incidence of MACEs within 1 year (log-rank P = 0.016) and 1-5 years (log-rank P = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS In patients who underwent DCB-only treatment for de novo lesions, higher post-procedural QFR values (> 0.93) were identified as an independent protective factor against adverse prognosis.