Objective To observe the morphology of the superficial,middle,and deep layers of the masseter muscle and related bony structures in the lateral facial region of adults through gross anatomy,and to probe into the effects of these muscle layers on the bony structures of the lateral facial region.Methods The bilateral masseter muscles of 12 adult cadavers were exposed,and the superficial,middle,and deep layers were separated and measured for muscle length,tendon length,and muscle belly length.After the masseter muscles were stripped,the total thickness was measured,and the mandible and zygomatic arch were exposed to measure the angle of the mandibular angle,thickness of the zygomatic arch,and width of the zygomatic arch.Observations were made of the masseter tuberosities,and statistical analysis was conducted on their interrelations.Results The zygomatic arch thickness was positively correlated with the length of superficial,middle and deep masseter muscles and the length of superficial and middle masseter belly(r superficial masseter length=0.624,r middle masseter length=0.787,r deep masseter length=0.423,r superficial masseter belly length=0.493,r middle masseter belly length=0.548).The width of the zygomatic arch was positively correlated with the lengths of the superficial and middle muscle layers and the middle muscle belly length(r superficial masseter length=0.527,r middle masseter length=0.521,r middle masseterbelly length=0.437).The angle of the mandibular angle was only negatively correlated with the middle muscle belly length(r=-0.422).The tuberosities of the superficial and middle masseter muscles were not affected by the corresponding muscle layers;However,the tuberosity of the deep masseter was negatively correlated with the length of the deep muscle and the length of the deep tendon(r deep masseter length=-0.543,r deep masseter tendon length=-0.443).Conclusion In the masseter muscle layers of Chinese individuals,the superficial and middle layers have the most significant impact on the bony structures structures of the lateral facial region.These findings are of guiding significance for the remodeling of structures in the lateral facial region.

Objective To observe the regulating effect and mechanism of Yichang Sanjie Granules on intestinal flora and immune function in mice with colon cancer.Methods Sixty mice were randomly divided into six groups,i.e.,the normal group,the model group,the low-,medium-and high-dose groups of Yichang Sanjie Granules,and the overexpression of melanoma absent gene 2(AIM2)plasmid(pcDNA-AIM2)intervention group,with 10 mice in each group.Colorectal cancer model was prepared by oxidized azomethine(AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium(DSS)induction method in all groups except normal group.After drug administration,the survival curves of mice in each group were plotted and the tumor volume was calculated;serum levels of immunoglobulin(Ig)G,IgM,interleukin(IL)-1β and IL-18 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA);peripheral blood levels of CD3+,CD4+,CD8+ T cells were detected by flow cytometry;the splenic index was determined;Hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining was used to observe the pathological changes in colon tissues;16S-rDNA intestinal flora sequencing was used to detect the α-diversity of intestinal flora and the structure of intestinal flora communities;and protein immunoblotting(Wetsern Blot)was used to detect the protein expressions of AIM2,apoptosis-associated speckled-like protein containing a CARD(ASC),and cystatinase-1(caspase-1)in colon tissues.Results Compared with the normal group,the survival rate,serum levels of IgG and IgM,peripheral blood levels of CD3+ and CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ ratio,protein expression levels of colon tissue AIM2,ASC and caspase-1 in the model group were significantly decreased,and the tumor volume,serum levels of IL-1β and IL-18,peripheral blood level of CD8+,and splenic index were significantly increased(all P＜0.05),and the HE staining results showed the characteristic manifestations of colon cancer;compared with the model group,the survival rate,serum levels of IgG and IgM,peripheral blood levels of CD3+ and CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ ratio,protein expression levels of colon tissue AIM2,ASC and caspase-1 in the low-,medium-and high-dose groups of Yichang Sanjie Granules and the pcDNA-AIM2 group were significantly increased,and the tumor volume,serum levels of IL-1β and IL-18,level of peripheral blood CD8+,and splenic index were significantly decreased(all P＜0.05),and the HE staining results showed the manifestations of colon cancer were improved.Compared with the normal group,the Observed index,Chao1 index,Shannon index,the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes,Proteobacteria,Muribaculaceae,Lachnospiraceae-NK4A136group,and Ruminiclostridium in the model group were significantly decreased,while the relative abundance of Firmicutes,Actinobacteria,Patescibateria,Lactobacillus,Odoribacter,Alistipes,Ruminococcaceae-uncultured and Bacteroides was increased in the model group(P＜0.05);compared with the model group,the Observed index,Chao1 index,Shannon index,the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes,Proteobacteria,Muribaculaceae,Lachnospiraceae-NK4A136group and Ruminiclostridium were significantly increased,and the relative abundance of Firmicutes,Actinobacteria,Patescibateria,Lactobacillus,Odoribacter,Alistipes,Ruminococcaceae-uncultured and Bacteroides was decreased in the low-,medium-and high-dose groups of Yichang Sanjie Granules and the pcDNA-AIM2 group(all P＜0.05).Conclusion Yichang Sanjie Granules can increase autoimmunity and improve intestinal flora structure in mice with colon cancer,and its mechanism is related to the activation of AIM2 inflammatory vesicles.

Objective:To investigate the changes in N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and its role in predicting major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in patients with end-stage heart failure (ESHF) before and after implanted a HeartCon left ventricular assist device (LVAD).Methods:The retrospective study included 30 ESHF patients [23 males and 7 females, aged 54.5 (40.8, 60.0) years], who were admitted to TEDA International Cardiovascular Disease Hospital from September 15, 2020 to June 20, 2023 to receive treatment with HeartCon LVAD implantation. Their clinical data were analyzed and NT-proBNP concentrations in their blood samples were measured preoperatively and during the follow-up period. Patients were followed regularly and MACEs, including cardiac death and rehospitalization for right heart failure, were recorded within 6 months of discharge; Logistic regression was used for prognostic analysis, and Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the adjunctive diagnostic value of NT-proBNP for poor prognosis in LVAD patients. The cut-off values for diagnosing poor prognosis by NT-proBNP were divided into two groups, and survival analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier and tested by log rank; Cox regression was performed to analyze whether high levels of NT-proBNP at 6 months of follow-up wsa a risk factor for poor prognosis in patients with LVAD.Results:The median preoperative NT-proBNP level in 30 ESHF patients successfully implanted with HeartCon LVADs was 3 251.0 (1 544.5, 6 401.5) pg/ml. It decreased significantly 7 days postoperatively (3 251.0 vs. 1 815.0 pg/ml, P<0.05), and then the decreasing trend slowed. It decreased to 1 182.0 (620.0, 3 385.3) pg/ml on the 90th post-operative day. The preoperative NT-proBNP>3 251.0 pg/ml group had a longer postoperative hospital stay (47 d vs 33 d, Z=-2.138, P=0.032). Multivariate logistic regression analysis, only NT-proBNP at 7 days postoperatively was found to predict poor prognosis in LVAD patients, with an OR of 1.001 ( P=0.01); ROC curves were analyzed for the adjunctive diagnostic value of 7-day postoperative NT-proBNP levels for poor prognosis (cut-off value of 2 083.0 pg/ml), with an AUC of 0.833 ( P=0.002); The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the time to MACEs within 6 months was significantly shorter in the group with NT-proBNP>2 083.0 pg/mL on postoperative day 7 than in the group with NT-proBNP≤2 083.0 pg/ml (3.538±0.689 vs. 5.471±0.323 months, P=0.004); Cox regression analysis showed that the risk of MACEs was 4.25 times higher in the 7-day postoperative NT-proBNP>2 083.0 pg/ml group than in the NT-proBNP≤2 083.0 pg/ml group ( HR=4.25, P=0.035). Conclusions:The higher the preoperative NT-proBNP level, the longer the postoperative hospital stay in HeartCon LVAD patients. NT-proBNP levels decrease most significantly on postoperative day 7 and is a risk factor for MACEs. It may be used as a prognostic predictor in ESHF patients with implanted LVADs.

Intraperitoneal administration of timosaponin A-III (TA-III) has therapeutic effects on high-fat diet-induced metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), but oral administration has no effect. This suggests that gut microbiota may affect the oral bioavailability of TA-III. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is an inflammatory subtype of MASLD. To investigate the therapeutic effect of different administration modes of TA-III on MASH and its relationship with gut microbiota metabolism. In this study, a MASH mouse model was induced by choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet (CDAHFD). Comparing the therapeutic effect of intraperitoneal injection (10 mg·kg^-1, ip) and intragastric administration (100 mg·kg^-1, ig) of TA-III. The concentration of TA-III in serum of rats under the two administration modes was analyzed. On this basis, the metabolic effect of gut microbiota on TA-III in mice was verified by the experiment of metabolism of gut microbiota in vitro. The pharmacokinetic experiment of combined antibiotic intervention in mice further verified the metabolism of TA-III by gut microbiota in mice. Finally, the concentration of TA-III in serum of mice after the administration of TA-III by intragastric administration under different antibiotic intervention conditions was compared, and 16S rRNA sequencing analysis was combined to find the key bacteria that may participate in the metabolism of TA-III. The animal welfare and experimental procedures in this paper were in accordance with the provisions of the Animal Ethics Committee of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The ethics approval number is PZSHUTCM2307030004 and PZSHUTCM2310200003. The results showed that TA-III (10 mg·kg^-1, ip) had definite therapeutic effect on MASH mice, but TA-III (100 mg·kg^-1, ig) was ineffective. The analysis showed that the prototype concentration of TA-III in serum and liver of mice in TA-III (100 mg·kg^-1, ig) was significantly lower than TA-III (10 mg·kg^-1, ip), suggesting that the oral administration of TA-III may be metabolized by gut microbiota. The concentration of TA-III in serum of streptomycin (Str) treated mice was higher than normal mice. Combined with 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis, it was found that the abundance of Akkermansia_muciniphila (A. muciniphila) was significantly reduced in the Str group. In vitro experiments showed that A. muciniphila could metabolize TA-III. In conclusion, gut microbiota is an important factor affecting the efficacy of TA-III administration through the gastrointestinal tract, in which A. muciniphila may play an important role.

Traditional decoction pieces have low efficiency, poor batch-to-batch consistency, and irregular physical form, making it difficult to meet the demands of modern automated production and precise and rapid clinical blending. Therefore, this study aims to develop a new type of granular drinking tablet to meet the demand for high-quality development in the traditional Chinese medicine industry. In the current study, the differences and similarities between the new Lonicerae Japonicae Flos (LJF) granular drinking tablets and the traditional ones were evaluated based on the flowability, the paste rate of the standard soup, the characterization fingerprint, the degree of pasting, the content of active ingredients, the transfer rate, and its traditional antipyretic and anti-inflammatory efficacy, using the traditional LJF decoction piece as a reference. The flowability experiments showed that the flowability of medium-sized granules (10-24 mesh) was significantly better than that of traditional drinking tablets (P < 0.01); the results of the paste rate showed that there was no significant difference between the different particle sizes and the original decoction pieces (P > 0.05), but the small particle sizes (24-65 mesh) had poor decoction clarity and gelatinization; the transfer rate was calculated as chlorogenic acid and luteoloside, and there was no significant difference in the transfer rate between traditional slices and different particle sizes (P > 0.05); the pharmacological results showed that the contents of rat tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), rat interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and rat prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), xylene ear swelling inhibition rate and granuloma inhibition rate showed that there was no significant difference between the traditional and new granule decoction pieces (P > 0.05). In this study, by examining the fluidity, paste rate, paste degree, and antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effects of the new granular decoction piece of LJF, it was initially revealed that the new granular drinking tablets of LJF were consistent with the basic properties and pharmacological effects of the commercially available traditional drinking tablets. Still, the new granular tablets were characterized by high utilization rate, homogeneous quality, and ease of clinical transfer, which had a good prospect for application. The animal experiment was approved by the Ethics Committee of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (approval number. 2022B214).

The pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) is related to a variety of factors such as mechanical overload, metabolic dysfunction, aging, etc., and is a group of total joint diseases characterized by intra-articular chondrocyte apoptosis, cartilage fibrillations, synovial inflammation, and osteophyte formation. At present, the treatment methods for osteoarthritis include glucosamine, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate, etc., which are difficult to take effect in a short period of time and require long-term treatment, so the patients struggle to adhere to doctor’s advice. Some methods can only provide temporary relief without chondrocyte protection, and some even increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and gastrointestinal disease. In the advanced stages of OA, patients often have to undergo joint replacement surgery due to pain and joint dysfunction. Mitochondrial dysfunction plays an important role in the development of OA. It is possible to improve mitochondrial biogenesis, quality control, autophagy balance, and oxidative stress levels, thereby exerting a protective effect on chondrocytes in OA. Therefore, compared to traditional treatments, improving mitochondrial function may be a potential treatment for OA. Here, we collected relevant literature on mitochondrial research in OA in recent years, summarized the potential pathogenic factors that affect the development of OA through mitochondrial pathways, and elaborated on relevant treatment methods, in order to provide new diagnostic and therapeutic ideas for the research field of osteoarthritis.

Objective To investigate the effect of microplastic(MPs)exposure on learning and memory in mice,and its mechanism by observing the protein expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)/tyrosine receptor kinase B(TrkB)/N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subtype 2B(NR2B)signaling pathway and neurogenesis.Methods Forty male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group(Ctrl)and microplastics exposure group(MPs).Mice in MPs group were treated with 0.3 mg/(kg·d)microplastics,administered by gavage at a volume of 200 μl for 30 consecutive days.Morris water maze test was used to evaluate the spatial learning and memory ability of mice.Western blotting was used to detect the protein levels of BDNF,TrkB and NR2B in hippocampus of mice.Immunofluorescent staining was used to observe the number of doublecortin(DCX)and neuronal nuclei antigen(NeuN)positive cells in the hippocampus of mice to evaluate hippocampal neurogenesis.Results Compared with the control group,the ability of learning and memory decreased significantly in MPs group mice(P＜0.01).The expression levels of BDNF,TrkB and NR2B in the hippocampus of MPs group mice were significantly lower than those of control group(P＜0.05).The number of DCX and NeuN positive cells in the hippocampus of MPs group was significantly lower than that of control group(P＜0.01).Conclusion MPs exposure induces learning and memory impairment which may be related to inhibiting BDNF/TrkB/NR2B signaling pathway and reducing hippocampal neurogenesis.

Objective:To investigate the current status of early nutritional support treatment in patients with severe acute pancreatitis complicated with intestinal fistula,and analyze the impact on the clinical outcomes of patients.Methods:Retrospective analysis was used to select the relevant data of 60 ICU admission patients with severe acute pancreatitis complicated with intestinal fistula of a tertiary hospital in Nanjing from May 2022 to May 2023,the statistics analysis of the patients'early nutritional support treatment were carried out,and explored the impact on clinical outcomes of patients.Results:A total of 45(75％)and 57(95％)patients started EN and PN treatment within 48 h of admission.The EEN calorie compliance rate after admission of 1 week was 44.2％.There was a difference in mechanical ventilation time and hospitalization expenses between the early enteral nutrition calorie group and non-compliance group,but no significant difference in the length of ICU stay(P＞0.005).Conclusion:The early enteral nutrition compliance rate of patients with severe acute pancreatitis combined with intestinal fistula is slightly lower.Compared with the early enteral nutrition non-compliance group,the enteral nutrition standard group has shorter mechanical ventilation time and lower total hospitalization costs,which can improve the clinical outcome of patients.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between peripheral blood sST2 level and prognosis in patients with heart failure (HFpEF) complicated with hypertension with ejection fraction preservation.Methods:A total of 122 patients with HFpEF hospitalized in Teda International Cardiovascular Hospital and Baoding First Central Hospital from May 5, 2021 to March 9, 2023 were selected. According to whether they were combined with hypertension, they were divided into HFpEF combined with hypertension group (73 cases, 32 males, (67.56±12.06) years old). There were 41 females (70.61±9.95 years old) and 49 males (67.00±11.64 years old) in the HFpEF group alone. There were 24 female patients (70.12±7.49 years old). sST2 levels in peripheral blood were compared between the two groups.HFpEF patients with hypertension were grouped by hypertension grade and prognosis, and the difference of sST2 in different groups was compared. Logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis. ROC curve to evaluate the diagnostic value of sST2 in the poor prognosis of HFpEF patients with hypertension. Patients were followed up regularly and major adverse cardiac events were recorded within 6 months after discharge, including cardiogenic death and heart failure re-hospitalization. The critical value of poor prognosis diagnosed by sST2 was divided into two groups, survival analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier,and the Log Rank test was performed. Cox regression analysis was performed to determine whether high levels of sST2 were a risk factor for poor prognosis after 6 months of follow-up.Results:There was no significant difference in sST2 in HFpEF combined with hypertension and HFpEF alone ( P>0.05). sST2 was higher in grade 2 and 3 than in grade 1 hypertension (23.83 ng/ml vs. 12.68 ng/ml, Z=-2.778, P=0.005; 22.54 ng/ml vs. 12.68 ng/ml, Z=-2.865, P=0.004); BNP was higher in grade 3 hypertension than in grade 1 hypertension (582.95 pg/ml vs. 154.50 pg/ml, Z=-2.101, P<0.05). sST2 and BNP were higher in the poor prognosis group than in the good prognosis group (30.10 ng/ml vs. 18.95 ng/ml, Z=-2.803; 685.00 pg/ml vs. 347.50 pg/ml, Z=-2.385), all P<0.05. Logistic regression analysis showed that sST2 was a risk factor for poor prognosis ( OR=1.045, P=0.013). The auxiliary diagnostic value of sST2 level in HFpEF patients with hypertension was analyzed by ROC curve (AUC was 0.721, P<0.05). The incidence of cardiac adverse events in sST2>29.12 group was higher than that in sST2≤29.12 group (44.00% vs. 14.58%), and the difference was statistically significant (χ 2=7.657, P=0.006). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the percentage of patients with no endpoint event in the sST2≤29.12 group was higher than that in the sST2>29.12 group ( P=0.003).Cox regression analysis showed that the risk of endpoint event in sST2>29.12 group was 3.879 times that in sST2≤29.12 group ( OR=3.879, P=0.011). Conclusions:sST2 level can be used as an indicator of poor prognosis in HFpEF patients with hypertension, and can be used to stratify the risk of HFpEF patients. High levels of sST2 are associated with major adverse cardiac events.

This study aims to investigate the effect of Bombyx Batryticatus extract(BBE) on behaviors of rats with global cerebral ischemia reperfusion(I/R) and the underlying mechanism. The automatic coagulometer was used to detect the four indices of human plasma coagulation after BBE intervention for quality control of the extract. Sixty 4-week-old male SD rats were randomized into sham operation group(equivalent volume of normal saline, ip), model group(equivalent volume of normal saline, ip), positive drug group(900 IU·kg~(-1) heparin, ip), and low-, medium-, and high-dose BBE groups(0.45, 0.9, and 1.8 mg·g~(-1)·d~(-1) BBE, ip). Except the sham operation group, rats were subjected to bilateral common carotid artery occlusion followed by reperfusion(BCCAO/R) to induce I/R. The administration lasted 7 days for all the groups. The behaviors of rats were examined by beam balance test(BBT). Morphological changes of brain tissue were observed based on hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. Immunofluorescence method was used to detect common leukocyte antigen(CD45), leukocyte differentiation antigen(CD11b), and arginase-1(Arg-1) in cerebral cortex(CC). The protein expression of interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-4(IL-4), interleukin-6(IL-6), and interleukin-10(IL-10) was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The non-targeted metabonomics was employed to detect the levels of metabolites in plasma and CC of rats after BBE intervention. The results of quality control showed that the BBE prolonged the activated partial thromboplastin time(APTT), prothrombin time(PT), and thrombin time(TT) of human plasma, which was similar to the anticoagulation effect of BBE obtained previously. The results of behavioral test showed that the BBT score of the model group increased compared with that of the sham operation group. Compared with the model group, BBE reduced the BBT score. As for the histomorphological examination, compared with the sham operation group, the model group showed morphological changes of a lot of nerve cells in CC. The nerve cells with abnormal morphology in CC decreased after the intervention of BBE compared with those in the model group. Compared with the sham operation group, the model group had high average fluorescence intensity of CD45 and CD11b in the CC. The average fluorescence intensity of CD11b decreased and the average fluorescence intensity of Arg-1 increased in CC in the low-dose BBE group compared with those in the model group. The average fluorescence intensity of CD45 and CD11b decreased and the average fluorescence intensity of Arg-1 increased in medium-and high-dose BBE groups compared with those in the model group. The expression of IL-1β and IL-6 was higher and the expression of IL-4 and IL-10 was lower in the model group than in the sham operation group. The expression of IL-1β and IL-6 was lower and the expression of IL-4 and IL-10 was higher in the low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose BBE groups than in the model group. The results of non-targeted metabonomics showed that 809 metabolites of BBE were identified, and 57 new metabolites in rat plasma and 45 new metabolites in rat CC were found. BBE with anticoagulant effect can improve the behaviors of I/R rats, and the mechanism is that it promotes the polarization of microglia to M2 type, enhances its anti-inflammatory and phagocytic functions, and thus alleviates the damage of nerve cells in CC.
Humans ; Rats ; Male ; Animals ; Interleukin-10 ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Interleukin-4/metabolism* ; Bombyx ; Interleukin-6/metabolism* ; Microglia/metabolism* ; Saline Solution/metabolism* ; Reperfusion Injury/metabolism* ; Brain Ischemia/metabolism* ; Cerebral Infarction ; Reperfusion ; Neurons