Objective:To assess the clinical effect and safety of comprehensive therapy of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)in the treatment of erectile dysfunction(ED)with damp-heat stasis.Methods:We selected 108 cases of ED with damp-heat stasis meeting the inclusion criteria and treated with tadalafil(the control group,n=54)or tadalafil+comprehensive TCM therapy(the trial group,n=54)in the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine in the same period.After 8 weeks of treatment,we recorded the patients'scores on IIEF-5,TCM syndrome,erectile quality(EQS),9-Item Patient Health Questionnaire(PHQ-9)and Generalized Anxiety Scale 7(GAD-7).At 16 weeks of our study,we collected the efficacy parameters,safety indicators and adverse reactions by telephone follow-up and compared the data obtained between the two groups of patients.Results:Totally,103 of the patients completed the study,51 in the control and 52 in the trial group.Compared with the baseline,the IIEF-5 and EQS scores were both markedly increased after 8 weeks of treatment in the trial group(12.35±3.00 vs 18.36±2.82,P＜0.05;39.5[30.25-43]vs 67.5[54.5-76.75],P＜0.05)and the control(11.96±2.79 vs 15.88±3.86,P＜0.05;38.0[29-42]vs 56[49-64],P＜0.05),even more significantly in the former than in the latter(P＜0.05);the TCM syndrome and GAD-7 scores were remarkably decreased in the trial(9.5[8-12]vs 4.0[2.25-5],P＜0.05;5[2.25-6.75]vs 2.5[1-4.75],P＜0.05)and the control group(10.0[8-12]vs 5.0[3-6],P＜0.05;5.0[3-6]vs 4.0[2-5],P＜0.05),even more signif-icantly in the former than in the latter(P＜0.05),so were the PHQ-9 scores(P＜0.05),but with no statistically significant differ-ence between the two groups(P＞0.05).The IIEF-5 scores of the two groups remained significantly higher than the baseline during the follow-up(P＜0.05),even higher in the trial than in the control group(17.04±2.60 vs 14.16±3.34,P＜0.05).No obvious abnormal safety indicators or adverse events were observed during the study.Conclusion:Comprehensive TCM therapy combined with tadalafil is superior to tadalafil alone in the treatment of ED with damp-heat stasis,and has a better long-term efficacy and a higher safety.

Objective:To systematically evaluate the effect and safety of electroacupuncture in the treatment of chronic prostati-tis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome(CP/CPPS).Methods:We searched the major Chinese and English databases of CNKI,Wan-fang Data,VIP,CBM,PubMed,Cochrane Library,Web of Science and Embase for randomized controlled trials(RCT)on electroa-cupuncture or combination therapy in the treatment of CP/CPPS published from the establishment of the databases to August 2024.The dichotomous data and continuous data were represented by risk ratio(RR)and mean difference(MD)respectively,both with 95％confidence interval(CI).We analyzed the data with the Revman(v.5.4)software and assessed the quality of the evidence in each RCT using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment,Development and Evaluation system(GRADE).Results:Totally 17 RCTs were identified,involving 1 404 cases of CP/CPPS treated by electroacupuncture or combination of electroacupuncture with medication or with other therapies(the trial group)or by medication with Western or Chinese drugs alone(the control group).Compared with the control group,the trial group showed a significantly higher rate of clinical effectiveness(RR=1.25;95％CI:1.18-1.32;P＜0.05),decreased CPSI scores(MD=-4.56;95％CI:-5.01--4.11;P＜0.05),improved CPSI-pain,-urination and-quali-ty of life scores,and increased maximum and average urinary flow rates.And electroacupuncture did not increase the likelihood of ad-verse reactions.Conclusion:Medium-quality evidence suggests that electroacupuncture is beneficial complementary and alternative therapy for CP/CPPS,with a significant advantage in improving the NIH-CPSI scores of the patients.However,more high-quality multi-centered RCTs with larger sample sizes are still needed to further verify the effect of electroacupuncture on CP/CPPS.

Objective To campare biomechanical effects of different postural compression techniques on three-dimensional model of lumbar disc herniation(LDH)by finite element analysis.Methods Lumbar CT image of a 48-year-old female patient with LDH(heighted 163 cm,weighted 53 kg)was collected.Mimics 20.0,Geomagic Studio,Solidwords and other software were used to establish three-dimensional finite element model of LDH on L4,5 segments.Compression techniques under horizon-tal position,30° forward bending and 10° backward extension were simulated respectively.After applying the pressure,the ef-fects of compression techniques under different positions on stress,strain and displacement of various tissues of intervertebral disc and nerve root were observed.Results L4,5 segment finite element model was successfully established,and the model was validated.When compression manipulation was performed on the horizontal position,30° flexion and 10° extension,the annular stress were 0.732,5.929,1.286 MPa,the nucleus pulposus stress were 0.190,1.527,0.295 MPa,and the annular strain were 0.097,0.922 and 0.424,the strain sizes of nucleus pulposus were 0.153,1.222 and 0.282,respectively.The overall displace-ment distance of intervertebral disc on Y direction were-3.707,-18.990,-4.171 mm,and displacement distance of nerve root on Y direction were+7.836,+5.341,+3.859 mm,respectively.The relative displacement distances of nerve root and interverte-bral disc on Y direction were 11.543,24.331 and 8.030 mm,respectively.Conclusion Compression manipulation could make herniated intervertebral disc produce contraction and retraction trend,by increasing the distance between herniated interverte-bral disc and nerve root,to reduce symptoms of nerve compression,to achieve purpose of treatment for patients with LDH,in which the compression manipulation is more effective when the forward flexion is 30°.

Purpose To explore the value of the new generation tau PET tracer 18F-Florzolotau in Alzheimer's disease(AD)at different stages.Materials and Methods Twenty-five MCI patients and sixty-one AD patients with positive β-amyloid status in Huashan Hospital,Fudan University from February 2020 to January 2022 were retrospectively enrolled with 18F-Florzolotau PET imaging and demographic and clinical data.The pre-processed PET images were analyzed by SPM two-sample t-test between MCI and AD groups,and the standardized uptake value ratios(SUVR)were extracted from the region of interest defined by SPM analysis(P＜0.001);scaled subprofile model/principal component analysis was used to construct the different tau related patterns(MCItauRP,ADtauRP)and calculate the corresponding expression values.The classification efficiency of SUVR and MCItauRP,ADtauRP expression values was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve.Results Compared with MCI patients,tau protein deposition of AD patients was increased mainly in the bilateral temporal,occipital lobe(P＜0.001),and the SUVR of these brain region in the AD group was higher than that in the MCI group(Z=-3.164,P＜0.00l);the expression values of MCItauRP and ADtauRP were significantly different between the AD group and MCI group(t=3.72,Z=-3.51;both P＜0.001),and these expression values of AD patients were higher than those in the MCI group;the accuracy of tauRP expression values and SUVR for the differentiation between the AD and MCI group were 61.63％,65.12％and 65.12％,respectively;the sensitivity was 88.00％,96.00％and 100.00％,respectively;the specificity was 50.82％,52.46％and 50.82％,respectively.Conclusion The new tau PET can identify and distinguish the differences in tau protein deposition between AD and MCI patients.However,the classification and diagnosis efficiency is not high.In the future,it is necessary to find a more ideal analysis method.

Objective:Analysis of surgical strategies for atrial functional mitral regurgitation with atrial fibrillation.Methods:Retrospective analysis of 112 patients with mitral regurgitation and atrial fibrillation between June 2017 and January 2023. Among them, 56 cases were severe atrial functional mitral regurgitation with atrial fibrillation, and the other 56 cases were degenerative mitral regurgitation with atrial fibrillation. All patients underwent maze Ⅳ procedure and mitral valve surgery. Follow up will be conducted through outpatient follow-up and telephone calls. The condition of postoperative mitral valve is obtained through echo. The postoperative cardiac rhythm is based on the patient's conscious symptoms, electrocardiogram, 24 hour dynamic electrocardiogram.Results:The comparison of preoperative basic data shows that the age, duration of atrial fibrillation, and comorbidity of patients with atrial functional mitral regurgitation are significantly higher than those in the degenerative mitral regurgitation group. All patients successfully completed the surgery. Postoperative death occurred in 2 cases in the atrial mitral regurgitation group. The causes of death were ARDS and pulmonary infection, respectively. The main postoperative complications include bleeding, low cardiac output, pulmonary infection, and acute kidney injury. During follow-up, 43 patients (79.6%) in the atrial mitral regurgitation group maintained sinus rhythm, while 49 patients (87.5%) in the degenerative group. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the Kaplan- Meier curves. In the atrial mitral regurgitation group, there were 47 cases with no mitral regurgitation, 4 cases with mild regurgitation, and 1 case with moderate regurgitation. In the degenerative group, there were 42 cases with no mitral regurgitation, 6 cases with mild regurgitation, 1 case with moderate regurgitation, and 1 case with severe regurgitation. The risk for atrial fibrillation recurrence in the atrial mitral regurgitation is related to postoperative left atrial diameter greater than 50 mm, while in the degenerative group, atrial fibrillation recurrence is related to postoperative left atrial diameter greater than 50 mm and residual mitral regurgitation. Conclusion:Mitral valve repair combined with maze Ⅳ procedure is an effective treatment for patients with severe atrial functional mitral regurgitation and atrial fibrillation. Further improving the success rate of atrial fibrillation and reducing surgical trauma will benefit patients in the future.

This study aims to explore the neuroprotective effect of bilobalide(BB) and the mechanisms such as inhibiting inflammatory response in macrophage/microglia, promoting neurotrophic factor secretion, and interfering with the activation and differentiation of peripheral CD4~+ T cells. BB of different concentration(12.5, 25, 50, 100 μg·mL~(-1)) was used to treat the RAW264.7 and BV2 cells for 24 h. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide(MTT) assay and cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) were employed to detect the cytotoxicity of BB and appropriate concentration was selected for further experiment. Lipopolysaccharide(LPS) was applied to elicit inflammation in RAW264.7 and BV2 cells, mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages(BMDMs), and primary microglia, respectively. The effect of BB on cell proliferation and secretion of inflammatory cytokines and neurotrophic factors was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Spleen monocytes of C57BL/6 female mice(7-8 weeks old) were isolated, and CD4~+ T cells were separated by magnetic beads under sterile conditions. Th17 cells were induced by CD3/CD28 and the conditioned medium for eliciting the inflammation in BMDMs. The content of IL-17 cytokines in the supernatant was detected by ELISA to determine the effect on the activation and differentiation of CD4~+ T cells. In addition, PC12 cells were incubated with the conditioned medium for eliciting inflammation in BMDMs and primary microglia and the count and morphology of cells were observed. The cytoto-xicity was determined by lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) assay. The result showed that BB with the concentration of 12.5-100 μg·mL~(-1) had no toxicity to RAW264.7 and BV2 cells, and had no significant effect on the activity of cell model with low inflammation. The 50 μg·mL~(-1) BB was selected for further experiment, and the results indicated that BB inhibited LPS-induced secretion of inflammatory cytokines. The experiment on CD4~+ T cells showed that the conditioned medium for LPS-induced inflammation in BMDMs promoted the activation and differentiation of CD4~+ T cells, while the conditioned medium of the experimental group with BB intervention reduced the activation and differentiation of CD4~+ T cells. In addition, BB also enhanced the release of neurotrophic factors from BMDMs and primary microglia. The conditioned medium after BB intervention can significantly reduce the death of PC12 neurons, inhibit neuronal damage, and protect neurons. To sum up, BB plays a neuroprotective role by inhibiting macrophage and microglia-mediated inflammatory response and promoting neurotrophic factors.
Female ; Rats ; Mice ; Animals ; Bilobalides/pharmacology* ; Neuroprotection ; Lipopolysaccharides/toxicity* ; Culture Media, Conditioned/pharmacology* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Macrophages/metabolism* ; Microglia ; Cytokines/metabolism* ; Nerve Growth Factors/pharmacology* ; Inflammation/metabolism*

Objective:To study correlation between high density lipoprotein-cholesterol(HDL-C)and red cell dis-tribution width(RDW)in patients with coronary heart disease(CHD).Methods:According to coronary stenotic severity,a total of 151 patients undergoing coronary CT angiography in our hospital were divided into CHD group(n=72)and non-CHD group(n=79).General clinical data were compared between two groups.Correlation be-tween HDL-C and RDW,influencing factors of CHD and diagnostic value of HDL-C and RDW for CHD were analyzed.Results:Compared with non-CHD group,there were significant rise in percentage of diabetes mellitus,age,serum triglyceride(TG)level and RDW,and significant reduction in serum HDL-C level in CHD group(P＜0.05 or＜0.01).Pearson correlation analysis indicated that serum HDL-C level was significant inversely correla-ted with RDW(r=-0.373,P=0.001),and there was a significant negative correlation between two indexes in CHD group and non-CHD group(r=-0.415,-0.243,P=0.001,0.031).Multivariate Logistic regression a-nalysis indicated that TG and RDW were independent risk factors for CHD(OR= 1.794,1.588,P=0.030,0.020),and HDL-C was its independent protective factor(OR=0.212,P=0.036).ROC curve indicated that AUC of combined detection of HDL-C and RDW diagnosing CHD was 0.674,its sensitivity was 58.33%and spe-cificity was 70.89%.Conclusion:RDW possesses certain diagnostic value for patients with coronary heart disease.

Objective:To study the influence of Mei mini maze procedure for atrial functional mitral regurgitation.Methods:The data of 33 patients with atrial fibrillation and atrial functional mitral regurgitation from January 2017 to June 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients received Mei mini maze procedure for atrial fibrillation. The procedure is carried out thoracoscopically through the left thoracic approach. The ablation of atrial fibrillation includes bilateral circumferential pulmonary vein ablation, isolation of the left atrium posterior wall, left atrial appendage resection, ablation of Marshall's ligament and autonomic ganglion, etc. Follow-up was conducted by outpatient follow-up and telephone. Postoperative heart rhythm was recorded by the patient's symptoms, electrocardiogram, 24 h holter and other examinations. Postoperative mitral valve lesions were obtained by echocardiography.Results:33 patients successfully completed the operation. There was no conversion to thoracotomy and no perioperative death. Thirty patients(90.9%) maintained sinus rhythm at discharge. Before discharge, 16 patients had no mitral regurgitation in echocardiography, 8 patients had mild mitral regurgitation, and 9 patients had moderate mitral regurgitation. Follow-up was 1-4 years after discharge, with a mean of(2.6±1.1) years. Sinus rhythm was maintained in 23 patients(69.7%). 17 patients had no mitral regurgitation, 9 had mild mitral regurgitation, 6 had moderate, and 1 had severe mitral regurgitation. The degree of regurgitation in 25 patients was reduced compared with pre-operation, 5 patients remained unchanged, and 3 patients mitral regurgitation aggravated. Unreduced atrial functional mitral regurgitation was associated with recurrence of atrial fibrillation by Cox multivariate analysis.Conclusion:This study found a close relationship between atrial fibrillation rhythm and atrial functional mitral regurgitation. Most moderate atrial functional mitral regurgitation can be alleviated by effective treatment for atrial fibrillation. It is not recommended that patients with severe atrial functional mitral regurgitation only receive treatment for atrial fibrillation.

Humans ; Aortic Valve/surgery* ; Aortic Valve Stenosis/surgery* ; Calcinosis/surgery* ; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement ; Heart Valve Prosthesis

Humans ; Aortic Valve/surgery* ; Aortic Valve Stenosis/surgery* ; Calcinosis/surgery* ; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement ; Heart Valve Prosthesis