ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects and safety of the optimized new Shengmai Powder （优化新生脉散方） on exercise tolerance in patients with chronic heart failure （CHF） of qi deficiency， blood stasis， and fluid retention syndrome. MethodsA randomized， double-blind， placebo-controlled trial was conducted. A total of 78 CHF patients with qi deficiency， blood stasis， and fluid retention syndrome were recruited and randomly assigned to a treatment group （39 cases） and a control group （39 cases）. On the basis of conventional western medical therapy， patients in the treatment group additionally received the optimized new Shengmai Powder granules， while the control group was given an oral placebo of optimized new Shengmai Powder granules. Patients in both groups took 30.6 g each time， twice a day， mixed with water for administration， with a total treatment course of 4 weeks. The primary outcomes were 6-minute walk distance （6MWD） and peak oxygen uptake （Peak VO₂） measured by cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Secondary outcomes included New York Heart Association （NYHA） functional classification， B-type natriuretic peptide （BNP） levels， cardiac function indexes including left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF）， left ventri-cular end-systolic diameter （LVESD） and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter （LVEDD）， Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire （MLHFQ） scores， and scores of four diagnostic information of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. All indicators were assessed once before and after treatment respectively. Safety indicators were evaluated， and adverse events during the trial were recorded. ResultsAll patients in both groups were included in the full ana-lysis set （FAS） and safety set （SS）. Compared with baseline， the 6MWD and Peak VO₂ of cardiopulmonary exercise test in the treatment group significantly increased after treatment， while the MLHFQ scores， serum BNP levels and scores of TCM four diagnostic information significantly decreased， and the NYHA cardiac function grade significantly improved （P＜0.01）. After treatment， the 6MWD and Peak VO₂ of cardiopulmonary exercise test， as well as their changes from baseline in the treatment group were higher than those in the control group； the MLHFQ scores， serum BNP levels and scores of TCM four diagnostic information in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group； and the improvement of NYHA cardiac function grade in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group （P＜0.01）. There was no statistically significant differences in all indicators after treatment in the control group （P＞0.05）. The incidence of adverse events was 5.1% （2/39） in the treatment group and 2.6% （1/39） in the control group， with no statistically significant difference between groups （P＞0.05）. ConclusionOn the basis of conventional western medicine treatment， the addition of the optimized new Shengmai Powder can further improve exercise tolerance， cardiac function and quality of life in patients with CHF of qi deficiency， blood stasis and fluid retention syndrome， and show good safety.

Objective To investigate the distribution characteristics of pathogens causing infections within 90 days after liver transplantation and the influencing factors of infection. Methods Clinical data of 176 recipients who underwent liver transplantation at the Liver Transplant Center of Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from September 2021 to August 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into the infection group (n=124) and the non-infection group (n=52) based on whether they developed infection within 90 days after transplantation. The distribution characteristics of pathogens in infected patients were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to explore the influencing factors of infection. Results Among the 176 liver transplant recipients, 124 cases developed 243 episodes of 518 bacterial, fungal, viral or mycoplasma infections within 90 days after transplantation, with an overall infection rate of 70.5% (124/176). The composition of pathogens was mainly Gram-negative bacteria (38.6%, 200/518), followed by Gram-positive bacteria (32.2%, 167/518) and viruses (15.4%, 80/518), and fungi accounted for 13.1% (68/518). Among Gram-negative bacteria, the main pathogen was Klebsiella pneumoniae (6.8%, 35/518), and among Gram-positive bacteria, the main pathogen was Enterococcus faecalis (8.5%, 44/518). Viruses included Epstein-Barr virus (3.7%, 19/518) and cytomegalovirus (3.7%, 19/518), and fungi were mainly Candida albicans (6.8%, 35/518). The most common infection site among the 243 episodes was pulmonary infection (42.0%, 102/243), followed by abdominal infection (22.6%, 55/243) and bloodstream infection (18.1%, 44/243). The infections mainly occurred within 2 weeks after transplantation (60.9%, 148/243). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that preoperative infection within 2 weeks, a high preoperative model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, and preoperative sarcopenia were independent risk factors for infection within 90 days after liver transplantation (all odds ratio>1, P<0.05). After multivariate correction, the levels of CD4⁺T cells and CD8⁺T cells within 90 days after surgery were independently associated with the occurrence of infection. Low levels of CD4⁺T cells and CD8⁺T cells might be related to an increased risk of infection. Conclusions The infection rate after liver transplantation is high, and the pathogens are mainly Gram-negative bacteria. The lungs are the most common infection site. Preoperative MELD score, preoperative sarcopenia and preoperative infection within 2 weeks are independent risk factors for infection within 90 days after liver transplantation. Regular monitoring of immune indicators CD4⁺T cells and CD8⁺T cells levels after transplantation is helpful to reduce the occurrence of post-transplantation infection.

ObjectiveTo explore the clinical potential of magnetic resonance elastography （MRE） for assessing the stiffness of common intracranial tumors. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on 47 patients with brain tumors who underwent surgical treatment at The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between April 2023 and September 2024. The cohort included 10 cases of glioma， 12 cases of vestibular schwannoma， and 25 cases of meningioma. All patients underwent multiparameter MRI and MRE preoperatively. After co-registering MRE images with contrast-enhanced 3D T1-weighted images， three regions of interest （ROIs） were placed in the areas of maximum and minimum tumor stiffness respectively to measure the shear stiffness values， and the mean was calculated as the average shear stiffness. Additionally， one ROI was placed in the white matter and one in the grey matter of the posterior horn of the lateral ventricle at the basal ganglia level to obtain normal reference values. A neurosurgeon， blind to the MRE results， graded the intraoperative tumor stiffness based on surgical videos using a 5-point scale （1： soft； 5： hard）. Intraclass correlation coefficient （ICC） was used to assess inter-observer consistency. Analysis of variance （ANOVA） and nonparametric tests were employed to compare the differences of shear stiffness values between groups. Spearman correlation analysis was used to examine the correlation between elasticity values and clinicopathological parameters. The discriminatory efficacy of shear stiffness values for tumor types was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curves. ResultsThe ICCs for elasticity values measured by two physicians in the hardest and softest tumor areas were 0.868 and 0.831， respectively （both P＜ 0.01）. The maximum， minimum， and average shear stiffness values of meningiomas［（1.91±0.28） m/s， （1.66±0.25） m/s， （1.78±0.26） m/s， respectively］ were significantly higher than those of gliomas［（1.59±0.23） m/s， （1.42±0.23） m/s， （1.50±0.22） m/s， respectively （P＜0.05）］. The shear stiffness values of vestibular schwannomas［（1.70±0.30） m/s， （1.51±0.23） m/s， （1.61±0.26） m/s， respectively） were lower than those of meningiomas and higher than those of gliomas， but these differences were not statistically significant （both P＞0.05）. The shear stiffness values of white matter were significantly higher than that of grey matter［（1.63±0.08） m/s vs. （1.39±0.12） m/s， P＜0.05）］. In the overall sample， the maximum， minimum， and average shear stiffness values were significantly positively correlated with the intraoperative hardness grade （r_s = 0.591， r_s = 0.541， r_s = 0.571， respectively； all P＜0.001）， negatively correlated with WHO grade （r_s = -0.458， r_s = -0.458， r_s = -0.480， respectively； all P＜0.01）， but showed no correlation with Ki-67 （all P＞0.05）. ConclusionMRE can be used to assess the stiffness of intracranial tumors and to some extent differentiate between tumor types， which aids in formulating more individualized preoperative surgical plans.

Objective:To study the characteristics of soil microbial composition in sheep sheds in agricultural and pastoral areas, and explore potential zoonotic pathogen species.Methods:Using cross-sectional survey method, soil samples from sheep sheds in the agricultural and pastoral areas of Darhan-Muminggan Joint County, Baotou City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region were collected from August to October 2023. Genomic DNA was extracted, and metagenomic second-generation sequencing was conducted. Microbial species annotation was carried out by Kaiju method, and the soil microbial composition and zoonotic pathogen species of sheep sheds in agricultural and pastoral areas were analyzed.Results:A total of 10 and 5 soil samples were collected from sheep sheds in agricultural and pastoral areas, respectively. The results of β diversity analysis showed that there was a significant separation trend in soil samples from sheep sheds in agricultural and pastoral areas, and the interpretation of principal co-ordinates analysis (PCoA) 1 and PCoA2 were 27.8% and 17.4%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the microbial composition of soil samples from sheep sheds in agricultural and pastoral areas ( R = 0.09, P = 0.242). At the phylum level, the dominant bacterial phyla were Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes. At the genus level, the dominant bacterial genera were Corynebacterium, Luteimonas, Atopostipes, and Salinicoccus. A variety of zoonotic pathogens were detected, including Brucella melitensis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Clostridium tetani in 15 soil samples. Conclusion:The soil microorganisms in sheep sheds in agricultural and pastoral areas are diverse, and zoonotic pathogens such as Brucella melitensis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Clostridium tetani are detected.

Fasting plasma glucose(FPG)has been widely used in the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus(DM)for its advantages of rapidity,economy,simplicity and acceptability.Hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c)has the advantages of being simple,stable,accurate and unaffected by related factors,and has been used in the diagnosis of DM since it was standardized.However,the value of FPG and HbA1c in the early diagnosis of diabetes have been controversial.The purpose of this paper is to explore the value of the two in the early diagnosis of diabetes.

BACKGROUND:Spine osteoarthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the spine,articular ligaments,and tendons,and is the main cause of chronic low back pain.Artificial tiger bone powder has anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving biological effects,so it is expected to provide a new strategy for targeted therapy of spinal osteoarthritis.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the mechanism of artificial tiger bone meal in regulating the expression level of interleukin-23/interleukin-17 immune axis in improving spine osteoarthritis in rats.METHODS:Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into blank control group,model group,artificial tiger bone meal low-,medium-and high-dose groups,with 12 rats in each group.Except for the blank control group,osteoarthritis models were established in the other groups by injecting 0.1 mL of iodoacetic acid into the joint cavity of the lumbar vertebral joint capsule of the rats.15 days after modeling,the artificial tiger bone meal low,medium and high dose groups were treated by intragastric administration of 120,240 and 480 mg/kg per day respectively.The blank control group and model group were given the same volume of normal saline by gavage.After 21 days of treatment,the expression levels of interleukin-17,interleukin-23,matrix metalloproteinase-3,and chemokine receptor-6 in rat spinal articular cartilage were measured by western blot assay.The expression levels of related inflammatory factors in rat serum were detected by ELISA.The degree of joint injury and degeneration in rats was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and safranin O-fast green staining.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The results of western blot assay showed that the expression levels of interleukin 17,interleukin 23,matrix metalloproteinase 3,and chemokine receptor 6 in the articular cartilage of rats in the artificial tiger bone meal high-dose group were significantly lower than those in the model group(P＜0.05).(2)ELISA results showed that compared with the model group,the artificial tiger bone meal medium-and high-dose groups had a significant down-regulating effect on the levels of serum interleukin 17,tumor necrosis factor α,interleukin 1β,and matrix metalloproteinase 3(P＜0.05).(3)Hematoxylin-eosin staining and saffron O-solid green staining showed that the infiltration and proliferation of synovial inflammatory cells in each treatment group of artificial tiger bone meal were significantly improved compared with the model group,and the pathological inflammation Osteoarthritis Research Society International score and Mankin's score in the medium-and high-dose groups of artificial tiger bone meal were significantly reduced(P＜0.05).(4)It is suggested that artificial tiger bone meal could significantly improve the inflammation and degeneration of spinal facet joints caused by iodoacetic acid chemical stimulation.Among them,the effect of the high-dose group was more significant.The mechanism may be to inhibit the expression of interleukin-23/interleukin-17 immune axis-related inflammatory factors and improve the immune microenvironment of articular cartilage.

Objective: There were associations between emotional abuse and neglect (EAN) and depression, but few studies had tested potential mechanisms underlying these relationships. We aimed to provide insights on how (the mediation role of neuroticism), and under what conditions (the moderator role of psychological resilience), led to a higher level of depression. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study that used a random cluster sampling method. We randomly selected 3,993 participants from four junior middle schools in northern city of China. Participants were asked to complete four self-reported questionnaires, including the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Children Depression Inventory-Short Form, Chinese Big Five Personality Inventory Brief Version, and Chinese Resilience Scale. Results: The results showed that neuroticism mediated the associations between EAN and depression. In addition, the mediating effect of neuroticism was moderated by psychological resilience (p<0.05). Conclusion EAN and neuroticism could have an adverse impact on depression, and psychological resilience could alleviate these negative effects as a moderator. Our model suggested psychological resilience could be a particularly effective intervention point for victims of EAN.

Objective:To explore how the teaching of ideological and political courses in colleges and universities can effectively guide online public opinion under the background of melted media,so as to cope with the challenges posed by diversified information transmission channels and complex and changeable online public opinion,thereby promoting the formation of correct values and ideological cognition among students.Methods:A total of 1 353 students who volunteered to participate in this survey in a university that offers courses related to online public opinion guidance were selected as the survey subjects.Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze how universities should teach students to deal with online hot topics through relevant ideological and political courses.Results:Results of multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the teaching of ideological and political courses in colleges and universities under the background of melted media significantly enhanced students'awareness of online public opinion,and the courses played a positive role in the guidance.The improvement of media literacy facilitated the formation of students'correct values and ideological cognition,effectively responding to the challenges of diversified information dissemination.Variables including the infringement of personal privacy by online public opinion,the enhancement of civic consciousness,the impact on learning,and the distortion of reality understanding all had an impact on students'perception of the teaching effect of ideological and political courses.Conclusions:The teaching of ideological and political courses in colleges and universities plays a significant role in guiding online public opinion under the background of melted media.By enhancing students'media literacy,discernment,and emotional management ability,it effectively promotes the formation of students'correct values and ideological ideological,and provides strong support for the healthy growth of students in the complex network environment.The important role of ideological and political teaching in cultivating students'comprehensive abilities and guiding them to correctly deal with online public opinion is emphasized.

Pristimerin, which is one of the compounds present in Celastraceae and Hippocrateaceae, has antitumor effects. However, its mechanism of action in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the efficacy and mechanism of pristimerin on ESCC in vitro and in vivo. The inhibitory effect of pristimerin on cell growth was assessed using trypan blue exclusion and colony formation assays. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry. Gene and protein expressions were analyzed through quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was employed to identify significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Cell transfection and RNA interference assays were utilized to examine the role of key proteins in pristimerin?s effect. Xenograft models were established to evaluate the antitumor efficiency of pristimerin in vivo. Pristimerin inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis in ESCC cells. Upregulation of Noxa was crucial for pristimerin-induced apoptosis. Pristimerin activated the Forkhead box O3a (FoxO3a) signaling pathway and triggered FoxO3a recruitment to the Noxa promoter, leading to Noxa transcription. Blocking FoxO3a reversed pristimerin-induced Noxa upregulation and cell apoptosis. Pristimerin treatment suppressed xenograft tumors in nude mice, but these effects were largely negated in Noxa-KO tumors. Furthermore, the chemosensitization effects of pristimerin in vitro and in vivo were mediated by Noxa. This study demonstrates that pristimerin exerts an antitumor effect on ESCC by inducing AKT/FoxO3a-mediated Noxa upregulation. These findings suggest that pristimerin may serve as a potent anticancer agent for ESCC treatment.
Forkhead Box Protein O3/genetics* ; Humans ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma/physiopathology* ; Esophageal Neoplasms/physiopathology* ; Pentacyclic Triterpenes ; Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/genetics* ; Mice ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Mice, Nude ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Triterpenes/pharmacology* ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Male ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects*

Objective:To study the characteristics of soil microbial composition in sheep sheds in agricultural and pastoral areas, and explore potential zoonotic pathogen species.Methods:Using cross-sectional survey method, soil samples from sheep sheds in the agricultural and pastoral areas of Darhan-Muminggan Joint County, Baotou City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region were collected from August to October 2023. Genomic DNA was extracted, and metagenomic second-generation sequencing was conducted. Microbial species annotation was carried out by Kaiju method, and the soil microbial composition and zoonotic pathogen species of sheep sheds in agricultural and pastoral areas were analyzed.Results:A total of 10 and 5 soil samples were collected from sheep sheds in agricultural and pastoral areas, respectively. The results of β diversity analysis showed that there was a significant separation trend in soil samples from sheep sheds in agricultural and pastoral areas, and the interpretation of principal co-ordinates analysis (PCoA) 1 and PCoA2 were 27.8% and 17.4%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the microbial composition of soil samples from sheep sheds in agricultural and pastoral areas ( R = 0.09, P = 0.242). At the phylum level, the dominant bacterial phyla were Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes. At the genus level, the dominant bacterial genera were Corynebacterium, Luteimonas, Atopostipes, and Salinicoccus. A variety of zoonotic pathogens were detected, including Brucella melitensis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Clostridium tetani in 15 soil samples. Conclusion:The soil microorganisms in sheep sheds in agricultural and pastoral areas are diverse, and zoonotic pathogens such as Brucella melitensis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Clostridium tetani are detected.