Heart failure is one of the main cardiovascular system diseases at present， and it is a clinical syndrome caused by changes in cardiac structure and function， resulting in impaired ejection function or ventricular filling. Therefore， heart failure has become the most important cardiovascular disease in the 21^st century. In recent years， the incidence of heart failure is increasing， and the survival rate of patients with heart failure is very low. Traditional Chinese medicine has rich experience in preventing and treating heart failure. With the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine， more and more attention has been paid to the research， development， and application of active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine has unique advantages in improving the heart function of patients with heart failure by treating multiple targets and multiple pathways through syndrome differentiation. Astragalus membranacus， a traditional Chinese medicine， is a kind of medicine that benefits Qi and blood circulation and removes evil spirits. It has the functions of improving myocardial energy metabolism and hemodynamics， protecting myocardial muscle， and promoting angiogenesis. Astragalus membranaceus is often used to treat patients with heart failure， yielding remarkable results. In recent years， it has been found that astragaloside， Astragalus polysaccharide， quercetin， calyx isoflavones， and other main active ingredients of Astragalus membranacus can improve cardiac function and treat heart failure by inhibiting inflammatory response， myocardial apoptosis， and myocardial fibrosis. This paper reviewed the research progress of the action and mechanism of the active ingredients of Astragalus membranacus in the treatment of heart failure by studying relevant literature， with a view to providing a reference for its further research， development， and application in the prevention and treatment of heart failure.

BACKGROUND:Exosomes are vesicle-like structures secreted by cells into extracellular compartments in the form of cytosol,which contain a large amount of microRNAs with important intercellular communication roles.MicroRNAs in exosomes rely on exosome transport and are able to enter target cells to exert important biological regulatory effects.In common bone and joint diseases,abnormal or damaged bone metabolism releases a large number of exosomes,while some exosome-derived microRNAs also promote the progression of osteoarthritis.Therefore,exosome-derived microRNAs are closely related to the skeletal system and are important for the development as well as diagnosis and treatment of many osteoarticular diseases. OBJECTIVE:To review the research progress of exosome-derived microRNAs in bone metabolism and bone and joint diseases. METHODS:Using"exosomes,extracellular vesicle,microRNA,miRNA,bone,bone diseases,bone formation,bone regeneration,bone resorption,bone destruction"as Chinese and English search terms,articles were searched on CNKI,Metasys,and PubMed databases.Finally,86 articles were included for summarization. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Exosome-derived microRNAs can regulate bone metabolism by affecting bone formation and bone resorption,and are closely related to the development of bone and joint diseases such as fracture healing,osteoporosis,osteoarthritis,rheumatoid arthritis,osteonecrosis of the femoral head,and osteosarcoma.Exosome-derived microRNAs will be an effective means of diagnosis and treatment of certain bone and joint diseases in the future.However,the current research on exosome-derived microRNAs in osteoarthritic diseases is limited,and more explorations and researches are still needed to diagnose and treat osteoarthritic diseases using exosome-derived microRNAs.

ObjectiveTo study the effect and mechanism of Yixintai on mitochondrial fission proteins in the rat model of chronic heart failure. MethodTen of 60 SD rats were randomly selected as the sham operation group， and the remaining 50 rats were subjected to ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery for the modeling of heart failure post myocardial infarction. The successfully modeled rats were randomized into model， low-， medium-， and high-dose （1.4， 2.8， and 5.6 g·kg^-1， respectively） Yixintai， and trimetazidine （10 mg·kg^-1） groups. The rats were administrated with corresponding doses of drugs by gavage， and the rats in the model group and sham operation group were given an equal volume of normal saline by gavage for 28 consecutive days. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was then employed to measure the levels of amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide （NT-pro BNP）， B-type natriuretic peptide （BNP）， and adenosine triphosphate （ATP） in the serum. Color Doppler ultrasound imaging was conducted to examine the cardiac function indicators. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson staining were conducted to observe the pathological changes in the heart， and Image J was used to calculate collagen volume fraction （CVF）. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to observe the ultrastructural changes of myocardial cells. Terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase-mediated nick-end labeling （TUNEL） was employed to measure the apoptosis rate of myocardial cells. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of mitochondrial fission protein 1 （Fis1） and mitochondrial fission factor （Mff） in the outer mitochondrial membrane of the myocardial tissue. ResultCompared with the sham operation group， the model group showed elevated levels of NT-pro BNP and BNP in the serum， decreased ATP content， left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF）， and left ventricular fraction shortening （LVFS）， increased left ventricular end-diastolic diameter （LVIDd） and left ventricular end-systolic diameter （LVIDs）， disarrangement of myocardial cells， inflammatory cell infiltration， increased collagen fibers and CVF， damaged myocardium and mitochondria， and increased apoptosis rate of myocardial cells， and up-regulated expression of Fis1 and Mff in the cardiac tissue （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， different doses of Yixintai and trimetazidine lowered the serum levels of NT-pro BNP and BNP （P<0.05）， increased the ATP content （P<0.05）， increased LVEF and LVFS （P<0.01）， decreased LVIDd and LVIDs （P<0.01）. Moreover， the drugs alleviated the myocardial inflammatory damage and fibrosis， reduced CVF （P<0.01）， repaired the myocardial mitochondrial structure， and decreased the apoptosis rate of myocardial cells （P<0.01）. Medium- and high-dose Yixintai and trimetazidine down-regulated the expression of Fis1 and Mff in the myocardial tissue （P<0.05）. ConclusionYixintai can improve mitochondrial structure， reduce myocardial cell apoptosis， and improve cardiac function by inhibiting the expression of Fis1 and Mff in the myocardial tissue.

Objective:To conduct the clinical effect achieved by the combination of axillary flap trimming and scraping through small axillary incisions in treating bromhidrosis.Methods:From June 2021 to December 2022, a study was conducted on patients with bilateral bromhidrosis in the Department of Plastic Surgery, Jining First People’s Hospital. The study used a self-control method, with one side undergoing axillary flap trimming combined with scraping through small axillary incisions (designated as Group A), while the other side underwent direct axillary flap trimming through central axillary incisions (designated as Group B). Randomization was achieved using a number table method for both sides. In Group A, two short incision lines of 0.5-1.0 cm were designed on both sides of the armpit. These incisions separated all layers of the skin, and excised the sweat glands and fat tissue. Additionally, two drainage openings were left in the surgical area to maintain two drainage tubes through the surgical incision. In Group B, the incision lines of 2-3 cm were designed in the central axillary area. After incision and dissection, four drainage tubes were retained in the operation area. The efficacy evaluation consisted of three aspects: the surgical outcome one month post-operation, categorized as cure, effective, or ineffective; the recurrence of bromhidrosis six months post-operation; and the occurrence of surgical complications. SPSS 25.0 software was used for data analysis, and chi-square test was applied for the comparisons between the two groups in terms of response rate, recurrence rate, and complication rate. A statistically significant difference was determined at the P<0.05 level. Results:A study was conducted on 62 patients, aged between 16 and 35 years, with bilateral bromhidrosis, including 38 males and 24 females. In Group A, 55 patients achieved complete cure, while 7 patients experienced significant improvement, resulting in an overall effectiveness rate of 100%. However, 5 cases of recurrence were observed, with a recurrence rate of 8.1%. Additionally, there were 1 case of subflap hematoma, 2 cases of flap erosion, and 1 case of scar hypertrophy, resulting in a complication rate of 6.5%. In Group B, 58 patients achieved complete cure, while 4 patients experienced improvement, resulting in an overall effectiveness rate of 100%. Three cases of recurrence were reported within 6 months, with a recurrence rate of 4.8%. Furthermore, there were 4 cases of subflap hematoma, 4 cases of flap erosion, 2 cases of flap necrosis, and 4 cases of scar hypertrophy, resulting in a complication rate of 22.6%. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference in treatment response rate ( χ2=0.34, P=0.559) or postoperative recurrence rate ( χ2=0.53, P=1.000) between the two groups. However, the complication rate in Group A was significantly lower than that in Group B ( χ2=6.50, P=0.011). Conclusion:The clinical outcome is satisfactory, achieving a high rate of effectiveness by the combination of axillary flap trimming and scraping through small axillary incisions in treating bromhidrosis. And the complications are fewer compared to the direct axillary flap trimming through central axillary incisions.

AIM:One of the important characteristics of the occurrence and development of triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC)is dysregulated cell metabolism.The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanism of pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 subunit alpha 1(PDHA1),a key enzyme component in aerobic glycolysis,affecting the proliferation,metastasis and invasion of TNBC.METHODS:(1)The expression levels of PDHA1 in breast cancer tissues and adja-cent tissues were analyzed by UALCAN database,KM-plotter database,Gene MANIA database and TCGA database.The expression of PDHA1 was compared according to tumor pathological stage,subtype classification and breast cancer bio-markers.The function of PDHA1 in TNBC was explored by gene enrichment analysis.(2)Immunohistochemistry assays were used to detect the expression of PDHA1 in human TNBC tissue and adjacent tissue samples.(3)Stable PDHA1 knockout and PDHA1 rescue TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells were constructed.The proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells was de-tected by colony formation assay and cell counting assay.The regulatory effect of PDHA1 on the invasion and migration of MDA-MB-231 cells was detected by in vitro scratch assay and Transwell migration assay.RESULTS:Database analysis showed that the group with high PDHA1 expression in breast cancer had shorter survival and worse prognosis.In clinical specimens,the expression of PDHA1 in cancer tissues was higher than that in adjacent normal tissues.Knockout of PDHA1 inhibited the proliferation,metastasis,invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of MDA-MB-231 cells.CONCLUSION:PDHA1 is overexpressed in TNBC,and it promotes cell proliferation and facilitates TNBC metastasis through the epithelial-mesenchymal transition pathway.

Objective:To explore the effects of genistein-3'-sodium sulfonate (GSS) on on motor function and brain autophagy levels in Parkinson disease (PD) model mice.Methods:Forty C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control group, model group, low-dose GSS group (0.15 mg/kg), medium-dose GSS group (0.50 mg/kg) and high-dose GSS group (1.50 mg/kg), with 8 mice in each group.Mice in the model group and the high, medium, and low-dose GSS groups were injected intraperitoneally with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine to establish the PD mouse model, then mice in high, medium and low-close GSS group were intraperitoneally injected with corresponding doses of GSS (once a day for 21 days). The mice in model group were injected with equal volume 0.9% sodium chloride solution(once a day for 21 days), while the control group mice were fed normally.After 21 days, the motor and cognitive abilities of mice were evaluated by gait analysis, open field test, rotarod test, and modified Y maze test.Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of LC3-Ⅱ and Beclin-1 proteins in the cerebral cortex and striatum tissues of mice.SPSS 26.0 software was used for data analysis.One-way ANOVA was used for normal distribution data comparison among multiple groups, and LSD test was used for further pairwise comparisons, while Kruskal-Wails H test was used for non normal distribution data comparison. Results:(1) Gait analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences in the stride length of left forelimb, left hindlimb, right hindlimb( F=5.93, 6.21, 3.78, all P<0.01) and regularity index( H=14.409, P<0.01). The regularity index of the model group mice was lower than that of the control group ( P<0.05), and the regularity indexes of the low, medium, and high-dose GSS groups were all higher than that of the model group (all P<0.05). (2)In the open field test, there were statistically significant differences in the total distance and speed of movement among the 5 groups ( F=5.49, 5.49, both P<0.01). The total distance and speed of movement in the model group were both lower than those in the control group (both P<0.05). The total distance and speed of movement in the medium-dose GSS group( (2 395.57±319.35) cm, (7.98±1.06) cm/s) and high-dose GSS group ((2 386.51±396.00) cm, (7.95±1.32) cm/s) were higher than those of the model group ((1 863.31±278.96) cm, (6.21±0.93) cm/s) and the low-dose GSS group ((1 956.90±297.15) cm, (6.52±0.99) cm/s) (all P<0.05). (3) In the rotarod test and modified Y maze test, there were significant differences in latency to fall and residence time among the 5 groups ( F=58.41, 9.90, both P<0.01). The latency to fall and residence time of model group were lower than those of control group (both P<0.05), while those in the medium-dose and high-dose GSS groups were higher than those in the model group and low-dose GSS group (all P<0.05). (4) Western blot results showed that there were significant differences in the expression levels of LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ ratio ( F=8.17, 15.47, both P<0.01)and Beclin-1 protein( F=29.07, 20.54, both P<0.01) in cerebral cortex and striatum among the five groups.The LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ ratio and Beclin-1 protein levels in the cerebral cortex ((0.51±0.14), (0.46±0.06)) and striatum ((0.58±0.09), (0.55±0.10)) of the model group were lower than those in the control group (cerebral cortex: (1.00±0.10), (1.00±0.05), striatumm: (1.00±0.06), (1.00±0.25), all P<0.01). The LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰratio and Beclin-1 protein in the medium-dose GSS group were higher than those in the model group, low-dose and high-dose GSS groups in both cerebral cortex and striatum (all P<0.05). The level of Beclin-1 of cerebral cortex in model group was lower than those in various doses of GSS group(all P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences of Beclin-1 protein levels between the model group mice and various doses of GSS groups in striatum (all P>0.05). Conclusion:GSS can improve the motor and cognitive functions of PD model mice, and the mechanism may be related to the upregulation of autophagic activity in the cerebral cortex and striatum of mice.

Heart failure is a group of complex clinical syndromes in the middle and late stages of cardiovascular diseases.Mitochondrial homeostasis imbalance is one of the pathological mechanisms in the occurrence and development of heart failure.This article revolved around the"yin-yang theory"in TCM and explained the pathological mechanism of heart failure through mitochondrial homeostasis.Heart failure is the syndrome of deficiency in nature and excess in superficiality fundamental.Its basic pathogenesis is"yang deficiency and yin excess".Based on the deficiency of heart yang qi and the stagnation of yin pathogens,the combination of deficiency and excess runs through the entire disease.Mitochondrial homeostasis imbalance is a manifestation of yin-yang imbalance at the cellular micro level,mainly manifested as inhibition of mitochondrial biosynthesis,mitochondrial dynamics imbalance,mitophagy disorder,etc.,which affects mitochondrial structure and function and leads to abnormal myocardial energy metabolism.Therefore,based on the"yin-yang theory",the basic treatment method is to"tonify deficiency and damage excess"to regulate mitochondrial biosynthesis,mitochondrial dynamics,and mitophagy,thereby maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis and improving myocardial energy metabolism,which is of great significance for the prevention and treatment of heart failure.

Background::Although some well-established oncogenes are involved in cancer initiation and progression such as prostate cancer (PCa), the long tail of cancer genes remains to be defined. Goosecoid ( GSC) has been implicated in cancer development. However, the comprehensive biological role of GSC in pan-cancer, specifically in PCa, remains unexplored. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of GSC in PCa development. Methods::We performed a systematic bioinformatics exploration of GSC using datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas, Genotype-Tissue Expression, Gene Expression Omnibus, German Cancer Research Center, and our in-house cohorts. First, we evaluated the expression of GSC and its association with patient prognosis, and identified GSC-relevant genetic alterations in cancers. Further, we focused on the clinical characterization and prognostic analysis of GSC in PCa. To understand the transcriptional regulation of GSC by E2F transcription factor 1 ( E2F1), we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Functional experiments were conducted to validate the effect of GSC on the tumor cellular phenotype and sensitivity to trametinib. Results::GSC expression was elevated in various tumors and significantly correlated with patient prognosis. The alterations of GSC contribute to the progression of various tumors especially in PCa. Patients with PCa and high GSC expression exhibited worse progression-free survival and biochemical recurrence outcomes. Further, GSC upregulation in patients with PCa was mostly accompanied with higher Gleason score, advanced tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, and elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. Mechanistically, the transcription factor, E2F1, stimulates GSC by binding to its promoter region. Detailed experiments further demonstrated that GSC acted as an oncogene and influenced the response of PCa cells to trametinib treatment. Conclusions::GSC was highly overexpressed and strongly correlated with patient prognosis in PCa. We found that GSC, regulated by E2F1, acted as an oncogene and impeded the therapeutic efficacy of trametinib in PCa.

Objective To explore the value of peripheral blood circulating DNA in predicting the efficacy and prognosis of immunotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer.Method A retrospective study was conducted on 78 NSCLC patients who were admitted to the Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University and were treated with tirelizumab for advanced driver gene negativity from January 2021 to December 2021.After 2 cycles of immunotherapy,the efficacy was evaluated according to the Solid Tumor Efficacy Evaluation Criteria(RECIST 1.1),including complete remission,partial remission,disease stability,and disease progression.CR and PR patients were defined as the experimental group(n=48)Other patients were defined as the control group(n=30),and the ctDNA levels in peripheral blood were measured before and after treatment in both groups.ROC curves were used to analyze the predictive value of periph-eral blood ctDNA levels for achieving objective remission after immunotherapy.All patients were followed up and their progression free survival were calcutated.Using univariate and multivariate regression analysis identified the factors affecting the prognosis of patients after immunotherapy.Using Spearman correlation coefficient analyzed the correlation between ctDNA levels and PFS.Kalplan Meier survival curve were used for survival analysis.Result The peripheral blood ctDNA levels before and after treatment in the experimental group were(4.47±1.21)ng/μL and(2.65±1.14)ng/μL,respectively(t=7.559,P<0.001),while those in the control group were(4.54±1.15)ng/mL and(4.29±1.57)ng/μL,respectively(t=0.699,P=0.487).There was no statistically significant difference in peripheral blood ctDNA levels between the two groups before treatment(t=-0.25,P=0.801).The peripheral blood ctDNA levels in the experimental group decreased compared to the control group after treatment(t=-5.35,P<0.001).The ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve for predicting objective remission after immunotherapy based on peripheral blood ctDNA levels was 0.819,with a sensitivity of 81.3%and specificity of 80%.Peripheral blood ctDNA levels were negatively correlated with progression free survival(r=-0.784,P=0.000).Single factor COX regression was used to analyze the clinical and pathological characteristics and ctDNA levels of enrolled patients,and the results showed that the maximum tumor diameter was greater than 5 cm(HR=0.501,95%CI:6.731～35.567)Tumor stage IV(HR=0.392,95%CI:0.227～0.677),treatment approach(HR=15.473,95%CI:6.731～35.567),and ctDNA levels(HR=4.657,95%CI:3.182～6.555)are all influencing factors for PFS in advanced NSCLC patients after immunotherapy.Multiple factor analysis was conducted on the appeal indicators with statistical differences,and the results showed that treatment approach(HR=2.981,95%CI:1.019～8.722)and peripheral blood ctDNA levels(HR=3.918,95%CI:2.619～5.861)It is an independent influencing factor of PFS in advanced NSCLC patients.The Kalplan Meier survival curve was used for analysis,and the results showed that the median PFS of the treatment effective group was 8.4 months,while the median PFS of the control group was 5.4 months.(χ2=49.277,P=0.000).Conclusion Immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy can enhance the ability to kill tumor cells,and peripheral blood ctDNA levels can evaluate the efficacy and prognosis of immunotherapy,which can be used to guide immunotherapy in advanced NSCLC patients.

Objective:To conduct the clinical effect achieved by the combination of axillary flap trimming and scraping through small axillary incisions in treating bromhidrosis.Methods:From June 2021 to December 2022, a study was conducted on patients with bilateral bromhidrosis in the Department of Plastic Surgery, Jining First People’s Hospital. The study used a self-control method, with one side undergoing axillary flap trimming combined with scraping through small axillary incisions (designated as Group A), while the other side underwent direct axillary flap trimming through central axillary incisions (designated as Group B). Randomization was achieved using a number table method for both sides. In Group A, two short incision lines of 0.5-1.0 cm were designed on both sides of the armpit. These incisions separated all layers of the skin, and excised the sweat glands and fat tissue. Additionally, two drainage openings were left in the surgical area to maintain two drainage tubes through the surgical incision. In Group B, the incision lines of 2-3 cm were designed in the central axillary area. After incision and dissection, four drainage tubes were retained in the operation area. The efficacy evaluation consisted of three aspects: the surgical outcome one month post-operation, categorized as cure, effective, or ineffective; the recurrence of bromhidrosis six months post-operation; and the occurrence of surgical complications. SPSS 25.0 software was used for data analysis, and chi-square test was applied for the comparisons between the two groups in terms of response rate, recurrence rate, and complication rate. A statistically significant difference was determined at the P<0.05 level. Results:A study was conducted on 62 patients, aged between 16 and 35 years, with bilateral bromhidrosis, including 38 males and 24 females. In Group A, 55 patients achieved complete cure, while 7 patients experienced significant improvement, resulting in an overall effectiveness rate of 100%. However, 5 cases of recurrence were observed, with a recurrence rate of 8.1%. Additionally, there were 1 case of subflap hematoma, 2 cases of flap erosion, and 1 case of scar hypertrophy, resulting in a complication rate of 6.5%. In Group B, 58 patients achieved complete cure, while 4 patients experienced improvement, resulting in an overall effectiveness rate of 100%. Three cases of recurrence were reported within 6 months, with a recurrence rate of 4.8%. Furthermore, there were 4 cases of subflap hematoma, 4 cases of flap erosion, 2 cases of flap necrosis, and 4 cases of scar hypertrophy, resulting in a complication rate of 22.6%. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference in treatment response rate ( χ2=0.34, P=0.559) or postoperative recurrence rate ( χ2=0.53, P=1.000) between the two groups. However, the complication rate in Group A was significantly lower than that in Group B ( χ2=6.50, P=0.011). Conclusion:The clinical outcome is satisfactory, achieving a high rate of effectiveness by the combination of axillary flap trimming and scraping through small axillary incisions in treating bromhidrosis. And the complications are fewer compared to the direct axillary flap trimming through central axillary incisions.