Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of injectable platelet-rich fibrin (i-PRF) in the treatment of mild to moderate female pattern hair loss (FPHL), and to analyze the related clinical factors affecting the therapeutic efficacy of i-PRF. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of a prospective, randomized controlled trial. A total of 29 FPHL patients with Sinclair grade Ⅱ-Ⅲ, who attended the outpatient clinics of Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University and Peking University Third Hospital from March 2024 to April 2025, were enrolled. All patients received i-PRF treatment once every 4 weeks for a total of 4 sessions, with follow-up up to 24 weeks. Standardized clinical photographs were taken at baseline, week 12 and week 24. Trichoscopic examination was performed to measure the non-vellus target area hair count (TAHC) and hair diameter (HD) in the target area, and all adverse events were recorded. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the intergroup differences in efficacy for categorical influencing factors; Spearman rank correlation analysis was employed to assess the correlation between continuous influencing factors and efficacy; and multiple linear regression (enter method) was performed to identify independent influencing factors of efficacy. Results: A total of 27 patients completed the trial. At week 12, TAHC significantly increased from 112 (105, 120) hairs/cm at baseline to 128 (110, 150) hairs/cm , with a median increase of 12 (5, 28) hairs/cm and a median growth rate of 10.5 (4.2, 24.5)% (P=0.045); hair diameter significantly increased from 42.5 (39.8, 45.2) μm to 52.0 (47.0, 58.0) μm, with a median increase of 7.5 (3.0, 12.5) μm and a median growth rate of 18.0 (7.5, 29.0)% (P<0.001). At week 24, TAHC further significantly increased to 141 (125, 158) hairs/cm (P<0.001), with a median growth rate of 24.8 (18.5, 32.0)%; hair diameter continued to improve to 55.0 (50.0, 61.0) μm (P=0.008), with a median growth rate of 21.5 (16.0, 27.0)%. The overall incidence of adverse events was 10.34% (3/29), mainly presenting as mild scalp pruritus and transient headache, without severe adverse effects. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that baseline TAHC was an independent influencing factor for i-PRF efficacy (P<0.05), while age, BMI, disease duration, Sinclair grade, family history of AGA, and baseline HD showed no significant independent effect on efficacy in this model (P>0.05). Conclusion: This preliminary study indicates that i-PRF can improve hair density and hair shaft diameter in patients with FPHL with a favorable safety profile. Patients with FPHL and lower baseline TAHC may achieve greater clinical improvement.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Chaihu anxin capsules in the treatment of mild-to-moderate depression， analyze the influencing factors of its efficacy, construct a nomogram prediction model.METHODS Patients with mild-to-moderate depression treated at The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University from May 1， 2023 to March 10， 2025 were retrospectively included and categorized into Chaihu anxin capsules group and milnacipran group according to treatment regimen. Propensity score matching （PSM） was used to balance baseline characteristics， and treatment efficacy was compared after 8 weeks， including 24 Hamilton Depression Scale （HAMD-24） scores and changes， Hamilton Anxiety Scale （HAMA） scores and changes， and treatment response rate after 8 weeks of treatment. Patients receiving Chaihu anxin capsules were further classified as responders or non-responders based on the occurrence of treatment response. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the influencing factors of treatment response， and a nomogram model was constructed to predict the probability of treatment response， its predictive performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curves， calibration curves， and decision curve analysis.RESULTS A total of 297 patients were included before PSM， including 196 patients in the Chaihu anxin capsules group and 101 patients in the milnacipran group. After PSM， each group included 44 patients. After PSM， the HAMD-24 scores and HAMA scores at 8 weeks after treatment in the Chaihu anxin capsules group， as well as the HAMD-24 scores in the milnacipran group， were significantly lower than their respective baseline values （ P ＜0.05）； the change in HAMA score in the Chaihu anxin capsules group was significantly greater than that in the milnacipran group （ P ＝0.04）. Multivariable Logistic regression identified age， total bilirubin， and baseline HAMD-24 score as independent predictors of treatment response （ P ＜0.05）. The area under the ROC curve of the constructed nomogram prediction model was 0.72 （95% confidence interval： 0.637-0.799）， and the corrected Brier score was 0.143 （95% confidence interval： 0.112-0.176）； compared with the “all intervention” and “all non intervention” strategies， applying this nomogram prediction model could achieve higher net benefits within the threshold probability range of 8% to 37%.CONCLUSIONS The efficacy of Chaihu anxin capsules in improving mild-to-moderate depression is comparable to that of milnacipran， and it has certain advantages in improving anxiety symptoms； age， total bilirubin， and baseline HAMD-24 score are independent influencing factors for the treatment response of Chaihu anxin capsules. The nomogram prediction model constructed based on these factors has good discrimination， calibration， and clinical applicability.

The sensitive scalp is a complex syndrome characterised by abnormal nerve sensations, such as stinging, itching, burning, and tightness, and diminished tolerance to physical or chemical stimuli that would not typically cause such unpleasant responses, with its pathology involving physical barrier destruction at the stratum corneum level, neural hyperreactivity and sensory nerve sensitization, and local immunological dysregulation and chronic low‑grade inflammation. The homeostasis of the scalp microenvironment plays a crucial regulatory role in maintaining the hair follicle growth cycle, yet this “soil” factor has long been underappreciated in hair loss research, which has traditionally centered on intrinsic follicular defects, such as genetic predisposition or androgen-driven mechanisms. In this review, we summarized the potential mechanisms underlying the imbalance in the “barrier-neural-immune” network in sensitive scalps. Sensitive scalp is further manifested as impaired skin barrier, including increased transepidermal water loss and abnormal lipid secretion. These alterations are accompanied by increased surface pH, excessive secretion of sebum rich in free fatty acids, reduced microbial diversity, and dysbiosis characterized by a reduction in Cutibacterium and an increase in Staphylococcus colonization. Mechanistically, we also analyzed how neurogenic inflammation, mediated by substances such as substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), along with persistent low-grade inflammation, disrupts the microenvironment of the hair follicle stem cell niche through mechanisms involving mechanosensitive ion channels (e.g., Piezo1), oxidative stress, and cytokine cascades. When the barrier is compromised, the weakened stratum corneum may facilitate the penetration of external stimuli, sensitizing cutaneous nerve endings. Those hyperresponsive nerves then fire off neuropeptides like substance P and CGRP. These peptides activate mast cells and other immune cells via the MrgprB2 receptor, prompting degranulation and a wave of pro-inflammatory mediators that kick off neurogenic inflammation. At the same time, oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines drive a persistent low-grade inflammation that directly damages the hair follicle stem cell niche. Physical compression from shrinking hair shafts activates Piezo1 channels, setting off calcium influx and Caspase‑3‑dependent apoptotic signaling. We primarily considered the interactions between inflammatory signaling and the sensitization of the androgen receptor (AR) pathway, as well as the inhibition of the Wnt/β‑catenin pathway, which may subsequently contribute to hair follicle miniaturization and disruption of the growth cycle. The inflammatory microenvironment appears to boost AR expression in dermal papilla cells, making them more sensitive to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This heightened sensitivity may promote the expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), TGF-β2, and Dickkopf-1 (DKK1), which suppress the Wnt/β‑catenin pathway—essential for follicle growth and regeneration—potentially accelerating follicular miniaturization and stalling the growth cycle. Coupled with direct inflammatory apoptosis, oxidative stress, and circadian disruption, these routes may collectively speed up hair follicle stem cell depletion and diffuse hair thinning. These findings point to the need for more mechanistic and translational research to test the proposed pathways and explore therapies that target the microenvironment in sensitive scalp-related hair loss. Ultimately, we hope to provide theoretical support for the intervention of hair loss by restoring the steady state of the scalp microenvironment and combining with new precision delivery technologies such as microneedles.

Heat acclimation provides cardiovascular protection in high-temperature environments through multilevel mechanisms; however, the complete molecular basis of its effects remains unclear. In this paper, we systematically review the effects of heat acclimation on blood volume, vascular function, cardiac structure, energy metabolism, and anti-stress regulation, revealing their potential mechanisms in cardiovascular adaptive protection. We also summarizes the multilevel responses induced by heat stress and heat acclimation, including the modulatory effects of heat acclimation on heat shock proteins (HSPs), hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), and apoptotic pathways. Additionally, we highlights the comprehensive protective effects of heat acclimation across various stressors (e.g., hypoxia, heat stress). This review provides a significant physiological basis for cardiovascular disease management and sports medicine, emphasizing the potential application of heat acclimation in response to multiple stressors and supporting its role as an effective tool in cardiovascular health management and stress protection interventions.
Humans ; Acclimatization/physiology* ; Hot Temperature ; Heat-Shock Proteins/metabolism* ; Animals ; Heat-Shock Response/physiology* ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1/metabolism* ; Apoptosis/physiology*

The mechanism of L-perilla alcohol(L-POH) in intervening hypoxic pulmonary hypertension(HPAH) was discussed based on network pharmacology, and experimental verification. The active components and potential targets of the volatile oil of Rhodiola tangutica(VORA) in the intervention of HPAH were screened by network pharmacology. The biological process of Gene Ontology(GO) and the signaling pathway enrichment of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) were analyzed for the core targets, and a "component-common target-disease" network was constructed. Four active components were screened from VORA: L-POH, linalool, geraniol, and(-)-myrtenol. The core targets for treating HPAH were HSP90AA1, AKT1, ESR1, PIK3CA, EP300, EGFR, and JAK2. GO enrichment analysis mainly involved biological processes such as reaction to hypoxia, heme binding, and steroid binding. KEGG enrichment analysis mainly involved hypoxia-inducing factor 1(HIF-1) signaling pathway, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway, and Janus kinase/activator of signal transduction and transcription(JAK/STAT) signaling pathway. The vasodilation effects of the four active components were screened by perfusion experiment of extracorporeal vascular rings, and the mechanism of the main active component L-POH was studied by channel blockers. The inhibitory effects of the four active components on the proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells(PASMCs) induced by hypoxia were screened by cell proliferation experiment, and the mechanism of the main active component L-POH was studied by flow cytometry, cell cycle experiment, and Western blot. The results showed that L-POH could directly act on vascular smooth muscle to relax pulmonary arterioles, induce ATP-sensitive potassium channels to open, and inhibit extracellular Ca~(2+) influx through voltage-gated calcium channels to relax blood vessels. In addition, L-POH could inhibit the abnormal proliferation of PASMCs induced by hypoxia and promote its apoptosis, and its mechanism may be related to the increase in Bax protein expression and the decrease in p-JAK2, p-STAT3, Bcl-2, and cyclinA2 protein expression. In summary, L-POH can interfere with HPAH by relaxing pulmonary arterioles and inhibiting the proliferation of smooth muscle cells.
Network Pharmacology ; Animals ; Hypertension, Pulmonary/physiopathology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Rats ; Hypoxia/metabolism* ; Rhodiola/chemistry* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Humans ; Monoterpenes/chemistry* ; Male ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

This paper aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of action of the Yiqi Fumai Formula(YQFM), a kind of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), on mice with experimental heart failure based on the "heart-gut axis" theory. Based on the network pharmacology integrated with the group collaboration algorithm, the active ingredients were screened, a "component-target-disease" network was constructed, and the potential pathways regulated by the formula were predicted and analyzed. Next, the model of experimental heart failure was established by intraperitoneal injection of adriamycin at a single high dose(15 mg·kg~(-1)) in BALB/c mice. After intraperitoneal injection of YQFM(lyophilized) at 7.90, 15.80, and 31.55 mg·d~(-1) for 7 d, the protective effects of the formula on cardiac function were evaluated using indicators such as ultrasonic electrocardiography and myocardial injury markers. Combined with inflammatory factors in the cardiac and colorectal tissue, as well as targeted assays, the relevant indicators of potential pathways were verified. Meanwhile, 16S rDNA sequencing was performed on mouse fecal samples using the Illumina platform to detect changes in gut flora and analyze differential metabolic pathways. The results show that the administration of injectable YQFM(lyophilized) for 7 d significantly increased the left ventricular end-systolic internal diameter, fractional shortening, and ejection fraction of cardiac tissue of mice with experimental heart failure(P<0.05). Moreover, markers of myocardial injury were significantly decreased(P<0.05), indicating improved cardiac function, along with significantly suppressed inflammatory responses in cardiac and intestinal tissue(P<0.05). Additionally, the species of causative organisms was decreased, and the homeostasis of gut flora was improved, involving a modulatory effect on PI3K-Akt signaling pathway-related inflammation in cardiac and colorectal tissue. In conclusion, YQFM can affect the "heart-gut axis" immunity through the homeostasis of the gut flora, thereby exerting a therapeutic effect on heart failure. This finding provides a reference for the combination of TCM and western medicine to prevent and treat heart failure based on the "heart-gut axis" theory.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Heart Failure/microbiology* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Male ; Disease Models, Animal ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Heart/physiopathology* ; Humans ; Signal Transduction/drug effects*

Emodin is a hydroxyanthraquinone compound that is widely distributed and has multiple pharmacological activities, including anti-diarrheal, anti-inflammatory, and liver-protective effects. Research indicates that emodin may be one of the main components responsible for inducing hepatotoxicity. However, studies on the mechanisms of liver injury are relatively limited, particularly those related to bile acids(BAs) metabolism. This study aims to systematically investigate the effects of different dosages of emodin on BAs metabolism, providing a basis for the safe clinical use of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)containing emodin. First, this study evaluated the safety of repeated administration of different dosages of emodin over a 5-week period, with a particular focus on its impact on the liver. Next, the composition and content of BAs in serum and liver were analyzed. Subsequently, qRT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of nuclear receptors and transporters related to BAs metabolism. The results showed that 1 g·kg~(-1) emodin induced hepatic damage, with bile duct hyperplasia as the primary pathological manifestation. It significantly increased the levels of various BAs in the serum and primary BAs(including taurine-conjugated and free BAs) in the liver. Additionally, it downregulated the mRNA expression of farnesoid X receptor(FXR), retinoid X receptor(RXR), and sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide(NTCP), and upregulated the mRNA expression of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase(CYP7A1) in the liver. Although 0.01 g·kg~(-1) and 0.03 g·kg~(-1) emodin did not induce obvious liver injury, they significantly increased the level of taurine-conjugated BAs in the liver, suggesting a potential interference with BAs homeostasis. In conclusion, 1 g·kg~(-1) emodin may promote the production of primary BAs in the liver by affecting the FXR-RXR-CYP7A1 pathway, inhibit NTCP expression, and reduce BA reabsorption in the liver, resulting in BA accumulation in the peripheral blood. This disruption of BA homeostasis leads to liver injury. Even doses of emodin close to the clinical dose can also have a certain effect on the homeostasis of BAs. Therefore, when using traditional Chinese medicine or formulas containing emodin in clinical practice, it is necessary to regularly monitor liver function indicators and closely monitor the risk of drug-induced liver injury.
Emodin/administration & dosage* ; Bile Acids and Salts/metabolism* ; Animals ; Male ; Liver/injuries* ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Humans ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Mice ; Rats

Paclitaxel (PTX), a valuable natural product derived from Taxus species, exhibits remarkable anti-cancer properties. It penetrates nanopores in microtubule walls, interacting with tubulin on the lumen surface and disrupting microtubule dynamics, thereby inducing cytotoxic effects in cancer cells. PTX and its derivatives have gained approval for treating various diseases due to their low toxicity, high efficiency, and broad-spectrum application. The widespread success and expanding applications of PTX have led to increased demand, raising concerns about accessibility. Consequently, researchers globally have focused on developing alternative production methods and applying nanocarriers in PTX delivery systems to enhance bioavailability. This review examines the challenges and advancements in PTX sourcing, production, physicochemical properties, anti-cancer mechanisms, clinical applications, trials, and chemo-immunotherapy. It aims to provide a comprehensive reference for the rational development and effective utilization of PTX.
Humans ; Paclitaxel/pharmacology* ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/pharmacology* ; Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Animals ; Taxus/chemistry*

Objective To analyze the effectiveness of reasonable control measures for prophylactic use of antibiotics in urinary system lithotripsy. Methods By antimicrobial stewardship, strengthening special comments on antibiotics and information notification on rational use of antibiotics, adding and improving the pre-review rules for antibiotics prescriptions, conducting in-depth clinical training and consultation by clinical pharmacists, strengthening innovation in rational use of drugs, and taking various measures to actively improve rational use of prophylactic antibiotics of lithotripsy in urology department, the changes of indexes related to antibiotics in urology department from 2019 to 2022 were analyzed. Results After active and reasonable control, Antibiotics Use Density in urology department decreased year by year. The utilization rate of antibiotics in inpatients decreased from 94.27% in 2019 to 77.47% in 2022. Various rate of microbial inspection reached the standard in 2022. The imipenem and cilastatin sodium for injection ranking of prophylactic use of antibiotics consumption DDDs for urinary system lithotripsy decreased from the 4th place in 2019 to the 8th place in 2022. The ranking of the urology department on carbapenem consumption DDDs in the whole hospital decreased from the 8th place in 2019 to the 12th place in 2022. At the same time, the incidence of urinary tract lithotripsy postoperative infection showed a decreasing trend year by year, from 0.84% in 2019 to 0.49% in 2022. Conclusion Positive control measures can promote the rational use of prophylactic antibiotics for urinary system lithotripsy.

Objective: To analyze differences in the expression levels of lipid metabolism-related proteins in adi- pose tissue exosomes between obese mice and wild-type mice using proteomic techniques . Methods: Wild-type (WT) and obese (ob/ob) model mice of the same age were selected , with 8 mice per group . Adipose tissue from both groups was minced and cultured for 48 hours . Conditioned media was collected , and exosomes were isolated u- sing differential centrifugation . Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry ( LC-MS/MS) was utilized for proteomic analysis to screen differentially expressed proteins ( DEPs) . Gene ontology ( GO) enrichment analysis and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed on the DEPs . Heatmaps were generated to visualize DEPs expression patterns , and Western blot was employed to validate DEPs expression levels . Results: Exosomes were successfully extracted from the culture supernatant of adipose tissues from mice in the WT group and the ob/ob group . Mass spectrometry analysis identified a total of 25 629 peptides and 3 376 proteins . Compared with the WT group , there were 699 proteins with high expression and 632 proteins with low expression in the exosomes derived from adipose tissues of ob/ob mice . Both GO and KEGG analyses showed that DEPs were mainly enriched in metabolic pathways . Heatmap analysis visualized the expression patterns of metabolism-related DEPs , and the expression levels of lipid metabolism-related proteins such as acyl-CoA syn- thetase long-chain family member 1 (ACSL1) , apolipoprotein E (ApoE) , and albumin (Alb) changed significant- ly in the obese state (P < 0. 05) . Western blot verification results showed that the expression of ApoE and Alb pro- teins in the adipose tissue-derived exosomes of ob/ob mice decreased ( P < 0. 01) . Conclusion In the obese state , the expression levels of lipid metabolism-related proteins in mouse adipose tissue exosomes are significantly altered . These differentially expressed proteins may thus serve as potential molecular targets for treating obesity and its associated metabolic complications .