Objective To investigate the regulatory mechanism of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in different types of mitral valvular disease (MVD) with atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods From August 2011 to August 2012, patients with moderate to severe MVD accompanied by AF who required mitral valve replacement at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, were included. Based on echocardiographic results, patients were divided into two groups: a mitral regurgitation (MR) with AF (MR-AF) group and a mitral stenosis (MS) with AF (MS-AF) group. Left atrial tissue samples were collected during surgery. Techniques such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting were used to detect key molecules in the TGF-β1/JNK pathway. Results Sixteen patients were enrolled. There were 8 patients in the MR-AF group, including 5 males and 3 females, with an average age of (41.38±11.19) years; and 8 patients in the MS-AF group, including 6 males and 2 females, with an average age of (43.12±5.30) years. The left atrial volume load was higher in MR-AF patients, while the left atrial pressure load was higher in MS-AF patients. In MS-AF patients, the relative expression levels of MAPK9, JUN, CASP3, BAX, and BCL2 mRNA in left atrial tissues were significantly upregulated. The serum TGF-β1 protein level and the relative expression levels of p-JNK, p-c-Jun, and Caspase-3 proteins in the left atrial tissues of the MR-AF group were higher. Myocardial cell damage was more severe in the MS-AF group, and the protein expression level of Bcl-2 was higher. Conclusion Different MVD have distinct hemodynamic characteristics. The myocardium of the left atrium in MR-AF patients is more prone to apoptosis, possibly through the activation of the TGF-β1/JNK signaling pathway.

Owing to its inherent advantages—such as being non-destructive, rapid, highly molecule-specific, and minimally interfered with by moisture—Raman spectroscopy has been widely adopted in the fields of skin barrier function assessment, monitoring the transdermal penetration of active cosmetic ingredients, and the identification and quality control of cosmetic products. Despite these strengths, the practical application of this technique faces a significant bottleneck: the strong fluorescence background generated by endogenous skin components and exogenous cosmetic additives. Endogenous skin substances, such as structural proteins (e.g., collagen and elastin), metabolic coenzymes (e.g., nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), and pigments (e.g., melanin), together with exogenous cosmetic constituents like organic colorants, chemical sunscreens, and fragrances, often possess strong absorption and emission characteristics. When excited by lasers, these components produce a fluorescence background that can be 10⁶ to 10⁸ times stronger than the Raman scattering signals, effectively masking the inherently weak vibrational fingerprint information. In recent years, driven by the rapid development of optoelectronic hardware and artificial intelligence algorithms, fluorescence suppression strategies have evolved from isolated, single-method approaches into comprehensive, multi-level synergistic systems. These systems are categorized into three distinct tiers: sample preparation, signal acquisition, and data processing. At the sample preparation level, techniques such as photobleaching and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) are employed to eliminate or bypass the generation of fluorescence at the source. At the signal acquisition level, instrumental improvements—including the use of long-wavelength near-infrared excitation (typically 785 nm or 1 064 nm), confocal spatial filtering, and shifted excitation Raman difference spectroscopy (SERDS)— are utilized to physically isolate Raman signals from the fluorescence background. Furthermore, at the data processing level, numerical baseline correction methods such as polynomial fitting, penalized least squares (e.g., airPLS, arPLS), wavelet transform, and derivative algorithms are increasingly integrated into the analytical pipeline to extract Raman spectral features from mixed signals without increasing hardware costs or acquisition time. This review provides a systematic categorization and critical evaluation of these fluorescence suppression methods, detailing their underlying principles, technical advantages, and inherent limitations in diverse experimental setups. By focusing on critical application scenarios—including skin barrier assessment, percutaneous absorption monitoring, the routine quality control of cosmetics, and the emerging field of portable on-site detection—this paper explores the current state of technique selection and optimization. Finally, the article discusses future development trends, emphasizing the necessity of constructing adaptive, tiered suppression strategies, developing intelligent and automated data processing algorithms, and promoting the integration of portable, multi-modal diagnostic devices. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive technical reference to facilitate the transition of Raman spectroscopy from a specialized laboratory tool into a routine, robust analytical platform for advancements in skin science and cosmetic research.

Objective The aim of this study was to develop a method for the determination of nine vulcanizing agents and accelerators in pharmaceutical rubber stoppers by headspace gas chromatography with sulfur chemiluminescence detector(HS-GC-SCD).Methods A DB-1 capillary column(30 m×0.32 mm×0.25 μm)was used with He as the carrier gas.The injection port temperature was 220 ℃,the split ratio was 10∶1,and the carrier gas flow rate was 1.5 mL·min-1.The temperature program was as follows:the starting temperature was 40 ℃,and it was increased to 60 ℃ at a rate of 5 ℃ per minute,and then to 260 ℃ at a rate of 15℃per minute.SCD detector parameters:base temperature was 280℃,combustion chamber temperature was 800 ℃,air flow rate was 60 mL·min-1,and hydrogen flow rate was 40 mL·min-1.Results The sample pretreatment method was simple and convenient,and it effectively reduced the extraction loss.The methodological results showed that all sulfides showed good linear relationships within the concentration range(r2≥ 0.990).The RSD was less than 2％;and the average recovery rate was 86.4％-97.5％.From the analysis of the sample test results,free sulfur is commonly found in rubber stoppers.Among all the samples of the vulcanization system,the free sulfur detected in the sulfur vulcanization system is higher than the free sulfur produced by degradation of other vulcanization systems.Conclusions This method is simple to operate,compared with other existing detection methods.HS-GC-SCD has a smaller matrix effect,higher sensitivity and selectivity,and is appropriate for quantifying the concentrations of sulfide present in various rubber stoppers.

Objective To propose an in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation method for novel iron-based biodegradable mateirals focusing on their degrading characteristics.Methods Half-finished scaffolds of nitrided iron tubes with a higher iron content of over 99％and a nitrogen content of 0.03％to 0.20％were selected as test samples,and based on the treatment mode were divided into an anaerobic treatment group,a non-anaerobic treatment group,a non-anaerobic treatment with removed iron particle group and a non-anaerobic treatment with plate-washing group.The anaerobic treatment group was processed in an anaerobic workstation;the conventional treatment group underwent standard handling in a biosafety cabinet;the conventional treatment with removed iron particle group was subjected to iron particle elimination using a Midimacs Starting Kit manual sorter after conventional treatment;and the conventional treatment with plate-washing group was rinsed with 0.9％sodium chloride injection before tetrazolium salt reagent treatment.Different extraction media(simulated body fluid,cell culture medium,phosphate buffer and 0.9％sodium chloride injection)were used for the immersion treatment of the test samples in each group to compare the effects of the degradation products on the survival rate of L929 cells.Results The anaerobic treatment group and the conventional treatment with removed iron particle group exhibited no detectable cytotoxicity.Trypan blue staining revealed significant cytotoxicity in the conventional treatment group,while false-negative results emerged due to interactions between the tetrazolium salt reagent and degradation products.In the non-anaerobic treatment with washing plate group,the false negative from iron particles was eliminated while potential cytotoxicity was showen,and the result accuracy was affected because some cells were washed out.Conclusion The proposed method can be used for the in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation,and facilitates the safety evaluation of the application of such materials.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(3):35-41]

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 investigate the early diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)combined with serum creatinine(Scr)and urea nitrogen(BUN)in children with renal parenchymal injury caused by urinary tract infections(UTIs).Methods:A total of 120 children with UTIs admitted from January 2020 to January 2025 were selected and divided into a renal parenchymal injury group(n=65)and a non-injury group(n=55)based on the results of 99mTc-DMSA renal static imaging.All children underwent CEUS examination within 24 hours of admission to obtain hemodynamic parameters of the renal cortex and medulla(time-to-peak[TTP],peak intensity[PI],and area under the curve[AUC]),and Scr and BUN levels were measured.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors,and the diagnostic efficacy was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves.Results:In the renal parenchymal injury group,Scr(0.82±0.25 vs 0.53±0.15 mg/dL),BUN(16.23±4.82 vs 12.42±3.27 mg/dL),and cortical TTP(51.47±12.38 vs 43.45±12.55 s)were significantly elevated,while cortical PI(32.63±6.37 vs 39.23±7.31 dB)and AUC(2915.36±536.37 vs 3415.35±681.5 dB·s)were significantly decreased(all P＜0.05).Multivariate analysis showed that Scr(OR=6.17),BUN(OR=2.58),cortical TTP(OR=1.98),and PI(OR=0.60)were independent predictors.In the ROC curve analysis,the combination of CEUS parameters(cortical TTP,PI,AUC)with Scr and BUN demonstrated the best diagnostic efficacy(AUC=0.953,sensitivity 87.3％,specificity 90.3％).Conclusion:CEUS can sensitively identify renal parenchymal injury associated with UTIs by dynamically assessing abnormal renal cortical blood perfusion.When combined with Scr and BUN,it significantly improves diagnostic accuracy,providing an important basis for early intervention and renal function protection in children with UTIs.

Objective To propose an in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation method for novel iron-based biodegradable mateirals focusing on their degrading characteristics.Methods Half-finished scaffolds of nitrided iron tubes with a higher iron content of over 99％and a nitrogen content of 0.03％to 0.20％were selected as test samples,and based on the treatment mode were divided into an anaerobic treatment group,a non-anaerobic treatment group,a non-anaerobic treatment with removed iron particle group and a non-anaerobic treatment with plate-washing group.The anaerobic treatment group was processed in an anaerobic workstation;the conventional treatment group underwent standard handling in a biosafety cabinet;the conventional treatment with removed iron particle group was subjected to iron particle elimination using a Midimacs Starting Kit manual sorter after conventional treatment;and the conventional treatment with plate-washing group was rinsed with 0.9％sodium chloride injection before tetrazolium salt reagent treatment.Different extraction media(simulated body fluid,cell culture medium,phosphate buffer and 0.9％sodium chloride injection)were used for the immersion treatment of the test samples in each group to compare the effects of the degradation products on the survival rate of L929 cells.Results The anaerobic treatment group and the conventional treatment with removed iron particle group exhibited no detectable cytotoxicity.Trypan blue staining revealed significant cytotoxicity in the conventional treatment group,while false-negative results emerged due to interactions between the tetrazolium salt reagent and degradation products.In the non-anaerobic treatment with washing plate group,the false negative from iron particles was eliminated while potential cytotoxicity was showen,and the result accuracy was affected because some cells were washed out.Conclusion The proposed method can be used for the in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation,and facilitates the safety evaluation of the application of such materials.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(3):35-41]

Body weight abnormalities, including overweight, obesity, and underweight, have become a dual public health challenge in Chinese adults: overweight and obesity lead to a variety of chronic complications, while underweight increases the risks of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and organ dysfunction. To systematically address these issues, multidisciplinary experts in endocrinology, sports science, nutrition, and psychiatry from various regions have held multiple weight management seminars. Based on the latest epidemiological data and clinical evidence, they expanded the guideline to include assessment and intervention strategies for underweight, in addition to the core content of obesity management. This guideline outlines the etiological mechanisms, evaluation methods, and multidimensional management strategies for overweight and obesity, covering key areas such as diagnosis and assessment, medical nutrition therapy, exercise prescription, pharmacological intervention, and psychological support. It is intended to provide a scientific and standardized approach to weight management across the adult population, aiming to curb the rising prevalence of obesity, mitigate complications associated with abnormal body weight, and improve nutritional status and overall quality of life.

Objective To investigate the association of endometrial thickness(EMT)with obstetric and neonatal outcomes of monoparous pregnancy in fresh cleavage embryos transfer.Methods A total of 1 845 patients of monoparous pregnancy after fresh cleavage embryos transfer cycles from Jan 2016 to Mar 2022 at Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital,Tongji Universtiy were analyzed retrospectively.Patients were categorized into three groups by EMT on transferation day:≤8 mm(group A),8-14 mm(group B)and≥14 mm(group C).The primary outcomes were preterm birth(PTB),birth weight and birth weight z-score,small-for-gestation age,large-for-gestation age,very low birth weight,low birth weight and macrosomia.The second outcomes were pregnancy and perinatal complications.The relationship between EMT and adverse neonatal outcomes was estimated by Logistic regression analysis.Results The rate of ectopic pregnancy was increased significantly in group A.No significant differences were found among the three groups in gestation age,birth weight,birth weight z-score,PTB,small for gestation age,large for gestation age,low birth weight,very low birth weight and macrosomia.Compared with group B,the odds of adverse neonatal outcomes did not show significant differences before and after adjustment in both group A and group C by Logistic regression analysis.Conclusion Thinner EMT in fresh cleavage embryos transfer is associated with higher rate of ectopic pregnancy,while it is not independently associated with adverse perinatal outcomes.

Objective:To investigate the early diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)combined with serum creatinine(Scr)and urea nitrogen(BUN)in children with renal parenchymal injury caused by urinary tract infections(UTIs).Methods:A total of 120 children with UTIs admitted from January 2020 to January 2025 were selected and divided into a renal parenchymal injury group(n=65)and a non-injury group(n=55)based on the results of 99mTc-DMSA renal static imaging.All children underwent CEUS examination within 24 hours of admission to obtain hemodynamic parameters of the renal cortex and medulla(time-to-peak[TTP],peak intensity[PI],and area under the curve[AUC]),and Scr and BUN levels were measured.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors,and the diagnostic efficacy was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves.Results:In the renal parenchymal injury group,Scr(0.82±0.25 vs 0.53±0.15 mg/dL),BUN(16.23±4.82 vs 12.42±3.27 mg/dL),and cortical TTP(51.47±12.38 vs 43.45±12.55 s)were significantly elevated,while cortical PI(32.63±6.37 vs 39.23±7.31 dB)and AUC(2915.36±536.37 vs 3415.35±681.5 dB·s)were significantly decreased(all P＜0.05).Multivariate analysis showed that Scr(OR=6.17),BUN(OR=2.58),cortical TTP(OR=1.98),and PI(OR=0.60)were independent predictors.In the ROC curve analysis,the combination of CEUS parameters(cortical TTP,PI,AUC)with Scr and BUN demonstrated the best diagnostic efficacy(AUC=0.953,sensitivity 87.3％,specificity 90.3％).Conclusion:CEUS can sensitively identify renal parenchymal injury associated with UTIs by dynamically assessing abnormal renal cortical blood perfusion.When combined with Scr and BUN,it significantly improves diagnostic accuracy,providing an important basis for early intervention and renal function protection in children with UTIs.