Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a diabetic ocular complication that can lead to poor vision and blindness. This experiment aimed to investigate the ameliorative effect and its mechanism of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) eye drops on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) in rats. All experiments were approved by the Animal Research Committee of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Animal welfare and the animal experimental protocols were strictly consistent with related ethics regulations of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (No. PZSHUTCM 211115004). Diabetes mellitus was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ into rats. Two months later, PNS solution was dropped binocular twice per day at 6 h intervals at dose of 20, 40, and 80 mg·kg^-1 continuously for 1 month. The morphological structure and activation of microglia of the retina were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemical assay. The disruption of the blood-retina barrier (BRB) was conducted by the Evans blue dye leakage assay. The number of acellular capillaries in the retina was assessed by digesting and hematoxylin-eosin staining assay. The number of retinal leukocyte adhesion was observed by fluorescein isothiocyanate-coupled concanavalin A lectin labeling assay. The serum expression of inflammatory factors was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Western blot experiments were used to detect the expression of relevant proteins in retinal tissue and transcriptional activation of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB). The results revealed that PNS eye drops significantly increased the thickness of the retina, decreased the number of acellular capillaries, and up-regulated the expression of the tight junction proteins claudin-1 and occludin, thereby alleviating BRB damage. In addition, PNS eye drops were also able to significantly reduce leukocyte adhesion and microglia activation, the expression of inflammatory factors in serum, and the nuclear translocation of retinal p65 proteins, effectively inhibiting the occurrence of retinal inflammation. The above results showed that PNS eye drops played a role in improving NPDR by inhibiting the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway and reducing inflammation.

Objective In order to shorten the transparency time of clear,unobstructed brain imaging cocktails and computational analysis(CUBIC),improve the transparency efficiency,and explore the possibility of applying hydrophilic tissue transparency technique,this study was conducted to optimize the perfusion of CUBIC technique and compare it with four hydrophilic tissue clearing method in terms of tissue transparency effect,transparency time,area change,volume change and adeno-associated virus(AAV)fluorescence retention.Methods Brain,liver,spleen and kidney of 6 adult Institute of Cancer Research(ICR)mice were subjected to clearing treatment by SeeDB,FRUIT,ScaleS and CUBIC method,respectively.The area and gray value of the samples were measured by Image J 1.8.0,and the volume before and after transparency was measured by drainage method to compare the transparency effect,time and size deformation of each group.Perfusion optimization of the CUBIC was performed by improving the perfusion rate with the optimal perfusion dose,each group of the experimental sample size was 6.Fluorescence preservation by different techniques was evaluated by injecting AAV in the motor cortex of 16 adult mice and taking the cervical spinal segments for transparency treatment after four weeks,and the fluorescence photographs were measured by Image J 1.8.0 to measure the mean fluorescent intensity.Results The optimal perfusion rate and dose of CUBIC was 15 ml/min and 200 ml respectively.For transparency ability and speed,the perfusion CUBIC had the lowest mean gray value and took the shortest time,while CUBIC consumed the longest time,and SeeDB,FRUIT,and ScaleS did not show good transparency ability.In terms of area and volume changes,several techniques showed different degrees of expansion after transparency of tissues or organs.In terms of fluorescence retention,perfusion CUBIC showed the best retention of green fluorescent protein(GFP)fluorescence signal,followed by CUBIC,ScaleS,FRUIT,and SeeDB.Conclusion Perfusion CUBIC technique shows the best tissue transparency,the shortest transparency time,and the most AAV fluorescence retention compared with other techniques.

Objective To design a novel oxygenator to solve the existing problems of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)machine in high transmembrane pressure difference,low efficiency of blood oxygen exchange and susceptibility to thrombosis.Methods The main body of the oxygenator vascular access flow field was gifted with a flat cylindrical shape.The topology of the vascular access was modeled in three dimensions,and the whole flow field was cut into a blood inlet section,an inlet buffer,a heat exchange zone,a blood oxygen exchange zone,an outlet buffer and a blood outlet section.The oxygenator was compared with Quadrox oxygenator by means of ANSYS FLUENT-based simulation and prototype experiments.Results Simulation calculations showed the oxygenator designed was comparable to the clinically used ones in general,and gained advantages in transmembrane pressure difference,blood oxygen exchange and flow uniformity.Experimental results indicated that the oxygenator behaved better than Quadrox oxygenator in transmembrane pressure difference and blood oxygen exchange.Conclusion The oxygenator has advantages in transmem-brane pressure difference,temperature change,blood oxygen ex-change and low probability of thrombosis.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(3):23-28]

AIM To establish the quality standard of the zhujieshen Formula Granules based on standard decoction.METHODS The contents and transfer rates of ginsenoside Ro and chikusetsu saponin Ⅳa in standard decoction and formula granules were determined by HPLC,after which the transfer rates were calculated.The HPLC characteristic chromatograms of standard decoctions were established,after which cluster analysis and principal component analysis were adopted.Then the HPLC characteristic chromatograms of formula granules were established.RESULTS Nine common peaks were found in the HPLC characteristic chromatograms of seventeen batches of standard decoctions with the similarities of more than 0.9(except for S6,S12),which were clustered into two categories,and the accumulative variance contribution rate of three principal components reached 86.7％.The contents of ginsenoside Ro in three batches of formula granules were 83.1-88.6 mg/g,and the transfer rates were 53.1％-55.5％.The contents of chikusetsusaponin Ⅳa were 14.8-15.0 mg/g,and the transfer rates were 47.4％-48.1％.Nine common peaks were found in the HPLC characteristic chromatograms of three batches of formula granules with the similarities of 0.998,0.998 and 0.999,respectively.CONCLUSION This reasonable and reliable method can comprehensively evaluate the quality of Zhujieshen Formula Granules,and provide a reference for the quality control.

Type Ⅵ secretion system(T6SS)is a lethal weapon that releases effectors in direct contact to kill eukaryotic predators or prokaryotic competitors.T6SS is of great significance in bacterial environmental adaptability,pathogenicity,and gene horizontal transfer.T6SS has been identified in about 25％of Gram-negative bacteria.Because of its widespread existence,T6SS is considered the key factor of ecological competition.T6SS effectors exerting biological functions have high diversity and do not have conserved sequences,and the regulatory mechanisms involved are complex.Therefore,it is a hot and difficult topic in T6SS research.Vibrio fluvialis(V.fluvialis)as a newly emerging foodborne pathogen,has unique characteristics in the quantity,composition,and physiological function of T6SS,which is related to its wide environmental adaptability and pathoge-nicity.This article mainly reviews the research progress of V.fluvialis T6SS,including its composition,structure,functional activity,and regulatory mechanism.

Purpose: Tamoxifen showed individual differences in efficacy under different CYP2D6*10 genotypes. Our study evaluated the prognosis of tamoxifen or toremifene in hormone receptor (HR)–positive breast cancer patients under different genotypes. Materials and Methods: CYP2D6*10 genotypes of HR-positive breast cancer patients were determined by Sanger sequencing, and all the patients were divided into tamoxifen group or toremifene group. Results: A total of 268 patients with HR-positive breast cancer were studied. The median follow-up time was 72.0 months (range, 5.0 to 88.0 months). Of these, 88 (32.9%), 114 (42.5%), and 66 (24.6%) patients had C/C, C/T, and T/T genotypes, respectively. Among patients who received tamoxifen (n=176), the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate in patients with C/C and C/T genotype was better than that in patients with T/T genotype, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001 and p=0.030, respectively). In patients receiving toremifene, CYP2D6*10 genotype was not significantly associated with DFS (p=0.325). Regardless of genotypes, the 5-year DFS rate was higher in patients treated with toremifene than in patients with tamoxifen (91.3% vs. 80.0%, p=0.011). Compared with tamoxifen, toremifene remained an independent prognostic marker of DFS in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 0.422; p=0.021). For all the 180 patients with CYP2D6*10 C/T and T/T genotypes, the 5-year DFS rate was significantly higher in the toremifene group than in the tamoxifen group (90.8% vs. 70.1%, p=0.003). Conclusion Toremifene may be an alternative adjuvant endocrine therapy for patients with CYP2D6*10 mutant genotypes.

Objective To explore the potential target and mechanism of Dengzhan Shengmai capsule (DZSM) in the treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD) based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology. Methods TCMSP and ETCM databases were employed to search the chemical components of DZSM. Swiss ADME database was used to screen active ingredients, and Swiss Target Prediction database was used to obtain potential targets of active ingredients. The CHD target was obtained by searching GeneCards and DisGeNET databases, and the DZSM-active ingredient-CHD target network was constructed. Molecular docking of key active ingredients and core targets was performed to verify binding properties. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) enrichment analysis were performed in the DAVID database. A mouse macrophage cell line (RAW264.7 cells) model induced by oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) was used to test the therapeutic effect of scutellarin on CHD in vitro. The production of nitric oxide (NO) in cell supernatant was measured by Griess reaction. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression level of serine/threonine kinase (AKT); The expression and phosphorylation of AKT protein were detected by Western Blot. Results A total of 56 active compounds of DZSM were obtained to regulate CHD progression by acting on 136 targets. Among them, kaempferol, quercetin, luteolin, apigenin, scutellarein, 6-hydroxykaempferol, scutellarin, nonylphenol, Ophiopogonin D, and Ginsenoside Rb1 could regulate 113 CHD targets. AKT1, SRC, PPARG, EGFR, ESR1, PTGS2, SIRT1, MAPK1, MMP9 and PPARA genes were the core targets of DZSM therapy for CHD. Molecular docking showed that the key active ingredients and core targets had good binding properties. The results of in vitro experiments showed that scutellarin could reduce the production of nitric oxide and increase the level of AKT, protein expression and phosphorylation in macrophages (P < 0.05). KEGG enrichment analysis showed that DZSM treated CHD mainly by regulating cancer pathways, endocrine resistance, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, lipid and atherosclerosis, and relaxin signaling pathway. Conclusion DZSM plays a role in the treatment of CHD through multi-component, multi-target and multi-pathway.

Ramulus Mori (Sangzhi) alkaloids (SZ-A) are a group of polyhydroxy alkaloids extracted and isolated from the traditional Chinese medicine mulberry twig, which is mainly used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In addition to acting as a glycosidase inhibitor in the small intestine after oral administration, SZ-A can also be absorbed into blood and widely distributed to target organs related to diabetes, exerting multiple pharmacological effects. It is important to elucidate the possible pharmacokinetic influences of SZ-A for its clinical rational applications, such as drug interactions, the effects of food and alcohol on the absorption of SZ-A. However, studies in this area are limited. Therefore, the pharmacokinetic interactions between orally administrated SZ-A (50 mg·kg^-1) and metformin hydrochloride (Met, 200 mg·kg^-1) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were examined. Then, the effect of food (standard feed) on the pharmacokinetics of SZ-A was investigated using fasting administration of SZ-A (50 mg·kg^-1) in rats as a control. Finally, we investigated the pharmacokinetic characteristics of SZ-A (50 mg·kg^-1) in different concentrations alcohol solutions using aqueous solution of SZ-A administered to rats as a control to evaluate the effect of alcohol on the bioabsorption of SZ-A. The results showed no significant pharmacokinetic interactions between SZ-A and Met after combination treatment. The standard feed had little effect on the pharmacokinetic profile of SZ-A. Alcohol retarded the absorption of SZ-A, resulting in a significant decrease in the C_max of SZ-A. The decrease was greater at higher alcohol concentrations; however, no significant difference was observed in the AUC_0-t. These results support the clinical rational applications of SZ-A. All animal protocols were approved by the Ethics Committee of Kangtai Medical Laboratory Service Hebei Co., Ltd. (Hebei, China) (No. MDL2022-01-17-1).

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), also known as National Institutes of Health (NIH) type III prostatitis, is a common disorder with an unclear etiology and no known curative treatments. Based on the presence or absence of leukocytes in expressed prostatic secretion (EPS), CP/CPPS is classified further into IIIa (inflammatory) and IIIb (noninflammatory) subtypes. However, the severity of symptoms is not entirely consistent with the white blood cell (WBC) count. Following the preliminary finding of a link between inflammatory cytokines and CP/CPPS, we performed this clinical study with the aim of identifying cytokines that are differentially expressed according to whether the prostatitis subtype is IIIa or IIIb. We found that granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), interleukin-18 (IL-18), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) levels were significantly elevated and interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) and platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) levels were downregulated in the EPS of patients with type IIIa prostatitis. In a word, it is a meaningful study in which we investigate the levels of various cytokines in EPS according to whether prostatitis is the IIIa or IIIb subtype. The combination of G-CSF, IL-18, MCP-1, IP-10, and PDGF-BB expression levels could form a basis for classification, diagnosis, and therapeutic targets in clinical CP/CPPS.

Objective:To analyze the therapeutic effect of 3D printing technology combined with locking plate fixation on femoral shaft fracture in patients with femoral deformity.Methods:The clinical data of 33 patients with femoral shaft fracture with femoral deformity who met the inclusion criteria and underwent locking plate fixation in the Xi′an Honghui Hospital Affiliated to Xi′an Jiaotong University from June 2014 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into 3D printing group ( n=18) and control group ( n=15) according to whether 3D printing was performed before operation. The 3D printing group including 11 males and 7 females with an age of (46.78±13.76) years.The control group including 9 males and 6 females with an age of (48.20±14.27) years.The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, fracture healing time and complications of the two groups were recorded. Visual analogue scale (VAS) scores of pain were evaluated before and 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after operation. According to the Harris hip score, the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score and The MOS 36-item short-from Health Survey (SF-36), the hip and knee function and quality of life of the patients before and 12 months after injury were evaluated. The measurement data were represented as mean±standard deviation( ± s), and the comparison between groups was conducted using the t-test; the comparison of count data between groups was conducted by Chi-square test or Fisher exact probability. Results:The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and incidence of complications in the 3D printing group were (91.50±9.07) min, (191.11±16.01) mL, and 0(0/18), respectively, and those in the control group were (118.07±14.19) min, (270.27±17.59) mL, and 26.7% (4/15), the differences between the two groups were statistically significant ( P <0.05). The pain VAS scores of the 3D printing group were significantly better than those of the control group at 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h after operation ( P<0.05). There were no differences in fracture healing time and preoperative pain VAS between the two groups( P>0.05). There were no significant differences in hip function, knee function and quality of life scores between the two groups before injury and 12 months after injury( P>0.05). Conclusion:In the treatment of femoral shaft fractures in patients with femoral deformity with locking plate fixation, the application of 3D printing technology can be used for preoperative design and plate preshaping, which can shorten the operation time, reduce the amount of intraoperative blood loss, reduce the VAS of pain and the incidence of complications, improve the satisfaction of surgery, and provide a new option for the treatment of femoral shaft fractures in patients with femoral deformity.