Cardiac fibrosis(CF) is a cardiac pathological process characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix(ECM). When the heart is damaged by adverse stimuli, cardiac fibroblasts are activated and secrete a large amount of ECM, leading to changes in cardiac fibrosis, myocardial stiffness, and cardiac function declines and accelerating the development of heart failure. There is a close relationship between heart yin deficiency and cardiac fibrosis, which have similar pathogenic mechanisms. Heart Yin deficiency, characterized by insufficient Yin fluids, causes the heart to lose its nourishing function, which acts as the initiating factor for myocardial dystrophy. The deficiency of body fluids leads to stagnation of blood flow, resulting in blood stasis and water retention. Blood stasis and water retention accumulate in the heart, which aligns with the pathological manifestation of excessive deposition of ECM, as a tangible pathogenic factor. This is an inevitable stage of the disease process. The lingering of blood stasis combined with water retention eventually leads to the generation of heat and toxins, triggering inflammatory responses similar to heat toxins, which continuously stimulate the heart and cause the ultimate outcome of CF. Considering the syndrome of heart Yin deficiency, traditional Chinese medicine capable of nourishing Yin, activating blood, and promoting urination can reduce myocardial cell apoptosis, inhibit fibroblast activation, and lower the inflammation level, showing significant advantages in combating CF.
Humans ; Fibrosis/drug therapy* ; Animals ; Yin Deficiency/metabolism* ; Myocardium/metabolism* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*

Objective To investigate gender differences and age-related changes in body composition(BC)among Miao adults in Rongshui,Guangxi Province,and to provide the basis for assessing nutritional status and health.Methods With informed consent,630 Miao adults(218 males,412 females)were randomly selected for this study.Body composition was assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis(BIA).Results Weight,fat-free mass,muscle mass,trunk muscle mass,limb muscle mass,waist-to-hip ratio(WHR),body water,presumtion of bone mass and protein were significantly higher in males than in females.And the fat mass,trunk fat mass,limb fat mass,visceral fat content,subcutaneous fat content and percentage of body fat were significantly higher in females than in males.According to the evaluation of body mass index(BMI)and WHR,the proportion of overweight and obesity of Miao adults was higher than the average level of Miao residents,and their obesity was characterized by central obesity.With age,weight,fat mass,muscle mass,fat-free mass,limb muscle mass,limb fat mass,subcutaneous fat content,percentage of body fat,body water,presumtion of bone mass,and protein of Rongshui Miao adults showed a gradual decreasing trend,while visceral fat content and WHR increased progressively.BMI in male Miao adults,along with BMI,fat mass,trunk fat mass,subcutaneous fat content,percentage of body fat,and body water in female Miao adults,showed a trend of increasing followed by decreasing,peaking at the age of 40-49 years.Conclusion The body composition of Miao adults in Rongshui,Guangxi,exhibits significant gender differences and age-related variation change patterns,which may increase the risk of sarcopenia and metabolic diseases with aging.

This study was aimed at identifying the pathogenic bacteria responsible for the death of a young tiger at the Fujian Meihua Mountain South China Tiger Breeding Research Institute.Tissue samples from the lungs,liver,and intestines of the deceased tiger were collected,and the bacteria were cultured inasterile environment.The bacterial strains were characterized according to their morphological and molecular biological properties,including assessment of virulence genes and antibiotic resistance genes,mouse lethality tests,and antibiotic susceptibility evaluations.A predominant bacterial strain isolated from the liver of the deceased tiger was identified as enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC)strain Tiger22513F.Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that the Tiger22513F strain exhibited close genetic similarity to the reference strain ETEC(MF919609.1),with 99.9%nucleotide similarity,and resided on the same evolutionary branch.The Tiger22513F strain contained 11 antibiotic resistance genes(tetA,sul1,sul3,cmlA,floR,blaTEM,blaSHV,blaCMY-2,qnrA,qnrS,and qnrD)along with five virulence genes(VT1,fyuA,tsh,iucD,and ST).Mouse lethality tests indicated significant pathogenicity toward mice,affecting primarily the lungs,liver,and intestines.Antibiotic susceptibility testing demonstrated that this strain exhibited resistance to various classes of beta-lactam antibiotics,as well as quinolones and aminoglycosides.This investigation successfully isolated a multi-drug resistant enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strain with pronounced pathogenicity from the liver of a deceased tiger;thus providing valuable scientific insights for clinical diagnosis,as well as prevention and control measures,against ETEC infections in South China tigers.

Aim To investigate the effects of sodium lactate(NALA)on right heart failure induced by monocrotaline(MCT)-induced pulmonary arterial hy-pertension in rats and to reveal the underlying mecha-nisms.Methods Forty male Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were randomly allocated into four groups,with ten rats in each group,namely,MCT group,NALA group,and NALA+MCT group;the MCT and NALA+MCT groups were administered a single intraperito-neal injection of MCT at 60 mg·kg-1 to induce pul-monary hypertension,and one week later,the NALA and NALA+MCT groups received intraperitoneal in-jections of NALA at 0.1 g·kg-1(once a day,for 5 weeks),while the CON and MCT groups received e-qual volumes of physiological saline(once a day,for 5 weeks);right heart function was assessed using echo-cardiography,right ventricular and pulmonary artery remodeling were evaluated via histopathological sec-tions,and the expression levels of ANP,BNP,and in-flammatory factors were measured by ELISA,along with assessments of oxidative stress levels,Western blot detection of the expression levels of proteins in the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.Results Compared to the CON group,the MCT group exhibited increased RVSP and RVHI,decreased right heart function,in-creased collagen fiber deposition,and elevated oxida-tive stress and inflammatory factor expression,and the expression levels of proteins in the TLR4/NF-κB signa-ling pathway increased(P＜0.05);compared to the MCT group,the NALA+MCT group showed reduced RVSP and RVHI,improved right heart function,atten-uated pulmonary vascular remodeling,decreased ex-pression of ANP,BNP,inflammatory factors,and H2O2,along with increased antioxidant enzyme expres-sion,and the expression levels of proteins in the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway decreased(P＜0.05).Conclusion NALA can inhibit right ventric-ular remodeling in rats with pulmonary hypertension,and the underlying mechanism may involve the allevia-tion of inflammatory responses and oxidative stress through the inhibition of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

This study was aimed at identifying the pathogenic bacteria responsible for the death of a young tiger at the Fujian Meihua Mountain South China Tiger Breeding Research Institute.Tissue samples from the lungs,liver,and intestines of the deceased tiger were collected,and the bacteria were cultured inasterile environment.The bacterial strains were characterized according to their morphological and molecular biological properties,including assessment of virulence genes and antibiotic resistance genes,mouse lethality tests,and antibiotic susceptibility evaluations.A predominant bacterial strain isolated from the liver of the deceased tiger was identified as enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC)strain Tiger22513F.Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that the Tiger22513F strain exhibited close genetic similarity to the reference strain ETEC(MF919609.1),with 99.9%nucleotide similarity,and resided on the same evolutionary branch.The Tiger22513F strain contained 11 antibiotic resistance genes(tetA,sul1,sul3,cmlA,floR,blaTEM,blaSHV,blaCMY-2,qnrA,qnrS,and qnrD)along with five virulence genes(VT1,fyuA,tsh,iucD,and ST).Mouse lethality tests indicated significant pathogenicity toward mice,affecting primarily the lungs,liver,and intestines.Antibiotic susceptibility testing demonstrated that this strain exhibited resistance to various classes of beta-lactam antibiotics,as well as quinolones and aminoglycosides.This investigation successfully isolated a multi-drug resistant enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strain with pronounced pathogenicity from the liver of a deceased tiger;thus providing valuable scientific insights for clinical diagnosis,as well as prevention and control measures,against ETEC infections in South China tigers.

Aim To investigate the effects of sodium lactate(NALA)on right heart failure induced by monocrotaline(MCT)-induced pulmonary arterial hy-pertension in rats and to reveal the underlying mecha-nisms.Methods Forty male Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were randomly allocated into four groups,with ten rats in each group,namely,MCT group,NALA group,and NALA+MCT group;the MCT and NALA+MCT groups were administered a single intraperito-neal injection of MCT at 60 mg·kg-1 to induce pul-monary hypertension,and one week later,the NALA and NALA+MCT groups received intraperitoneal in-jections of NALA at 0.1 g·kg-1(once a day,for 5 weeks),while the CON and MCT groups received e-qual volumes of physiological saline(once a day,for 5 weeks);right heart function was assessed using echo-cardiography,right ventricular and pulmonary artery remodeling were evaluated via histopathological sec-tions,and the expression levels of ANP,BNP,and in-flammatory factors were measured by ELISA,along with assessments of oxidative stress levels,Western blot detection of the expression levels of proteins in the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.Results Compared to the CON group,the MCT group exhibited increased RVSP and RVHI,decreased right heart function,in-creased collagen fiber deposition,and elevated oxida-tive stress and inflammatory factor expression,and the expression levels of proteins in the TLR4/NF-κB signa-ling pathway increased(P＜0.05);compared to the MCT group,the NALA+MCT group showed reduced RVSP and RVHI,improved right heart function,atten-uated pulmonary vascular remodeling,decreased ex-pression of ANP,BNP,inflammatory factors,and H2O2,along with increased antioxidant enzyme expres-sion,and the expression levels of proteins in the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway decreased(P＜0.05).Conclusion NALA can inhibit right ventric-ular remodeling in rats with pulmonary hypertension,and the underlying mechanism may involve the allevia-tion of inflammatory responses and oxidative stress through the inhibition of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), a time-saving and cost-effective repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation regime, has been shown to improve cognition in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the specific mechanism underlying iTBS-induced cognitive enhancement remains unknown. Previous studies suggested that mitochondrial functions are modulated by magnetic stimulation. Here, we showed that iTBS upregulates the expression of iron-sulfur cluster assembly 1 (ISCA1, an essential regulatory factor for mitochondrial respiration) in the brain of APP/PS1 mice. In vivo and in vitro studies revealed that iTBS modulates mitochondrial iron-sulfur cluster assembly to facilitate mitochondrial respiration and function, which is required for ISCA1. Moreover, iTBS rescues cognitive decline and attenuates AD-type pathologies in APP/PS1 mice. The present study uncovers a novel mechanism by which iTBS modulates mitochondrial respiration and function via ISCA1-mediated iron-sulfur cluster assembly to alleviate cognitive impairments and pathologies in AD. We provide the mechanistic target of iTBS that warrants its therapeutic potential for AD patients.
Humans ; Mice ; Animals ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ; Alzheimer Disease/therapy* ; Cognitive Dysfunction/therapy* ; Cognition ; Sulfur ; Iron ; Iron-Sulfur Proteins ; Mitochondrial Proteins

Animals ; Cadmium/toxicity* ; Dysbiosis/metabolism* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Glutamine/pharmacology* ; Methionine ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Ostreidae ; Protein Hydrolysates ; Tyrosine

Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological/adverse effects* ; Humans ; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors ; Myocarditis/chemically induced*

AIM: To systematically evaluate the effects of 0.01%, 0.025% and 0.05% ophthalmic atropine on the change of spherical equivalent(SE)degree and axial length(AL)of myopic children. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang Database, VIP and CBM were searched for all publications related to 0.01%, 0.025% and 0.05% atropine to control myopia simultaneously. The publication time is from the database construction to May 2022. The Cochrane handbook was used to evaluate the risk of bias and quality of the included literature, STATA12.0 was used to detect publication bias and Revman5.4 software was used for Meta-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 6 literatures(1 239 eyes)were included, with 5 randomized controlled trials and 1 case-control study. Meta-analysis results showed that 0.025% atropine had better inhibitory effect on SE and AL than 0.01% atropine(SE: WMD=-0.15, 95%CI: -0.23--0.06, P<0.001; AL: WMD=0.07, 95%CI: 0.03-0.10, P<0.001). The inhibitory effect of 0.05% atropine on SE and AL was better than 0.01% atropine(SE: WMD=-0.35, 95%CI: -0.44--0.26, P<0.001; AL: WMD=0.16, 95%CI: 0.12-0.20, P<0.001). The inhibitory effect of 0.05% atropine on SE and AL increase was better than 0.025% atropine(SE: WMD=-0.20, 95%CI: -0.28--0.11, P<0.001; AL: WMD=0.09, 95%CI: 0.06-0.12, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The concentration of 0.05% atropine is superior to 0.01% and 0.025% atropine in the control of SE and AL. However, the side effects of long-term use remain to be observed.