Effect of Polyvinyl Alcohol in Inner Aqueous Phase on Stability of Millimeter-scale Capsules

The millimeter-scale capsules with controllable morphology,ultra-low permeability and excellent mechanical stability were fabricated by millifluidics.Viscosity of inner phase was adjusted to control the morphology and properties of the capsules.In detail,as the concentration of polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)increased from 0 to 8% in the inner phase of the capsules,the diameter of capsules decreased from 3.33 ± 0.01mm to 2.97 ± 0.01 mm,the shell thickness of capsules decreased from 0.183 ± 0.004 mm to 0.155 ± 0.003 mm.While the capsules had round shape and high sphericity.Notably,the capsules with 2% PVA in the inner phase had remarkably decreased water permeability and good morphological stability.Specifically,the end-time of water losing of the capsules was up to 49 days,while the dehydrated capsules maintained spherical appearance,and crushing force of the capsules was up to 13.73 ± 0.79 N,which ensured stability during processing and transportation.This research provides a new strategy for stable encapsulation of small molecules.

Altered synaptic currents,mitophagy,mitochondrial dynamics in Alzheimer's disease models and therapeutic potential of Dengzhan Shengmai capsules intervention

Emerging research suggests a potential association of progression of Alzheimer's disease(AD)with alterations in synaptic currents and mitochondrial dynamics.However,the specific associations between these pathological changes remain unclear.In this study,we utilized Aβ42-induced AD rats and primary neural cells as in vivo and in vitro models.The investigations included behavioural tests,brain magnetic resonance imaging(MRI),liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS)analysis,Nissl staining,thioflavin-S staining,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,Golgi-Cox staining,transmission electron microscopy(TEM),immunofluorescence staining,proteomics,adenosine triphosphate(ATP)detection,mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP)and reactive oxygen species(ROS)assessment,mitochondrial morphology analysis,electrophysiological studies,Western blotting,and molecular docking.The results revealed changes in synaptic currents,mitophagy,and mitochondrial dynamics in the AD models.Remarkably,intervention with Dengzhan Shengmai(DZSM)capsules emerged as a pivotal element in this investigation.Aβ42-induced synaptic dysfunction was significantly mitigated by DZSM intervention,which notably amplified the frequency and amplitude of synaptic transmission.The cognitive impairment observed in AD rats was ameliorated and accompanied by robust protection against structural damage in key brain regions,including the hippocampal CA3,primary cingular cortex,prelimbic system,and dysgranular insular cortex.DZSM intervention led to increased IDE levels,augmented long-term potential(LTP)amplitude,and enhanced dendritic spine density and length.Moreover,DZSM intervention led to favourable changes in mitochondrial parameters,including ROS expression,MMP and ATP contents,and mitochondrial morphology.In conclusion,our findings delved into the realm of altered synaptic currents,mitophagy,and mitochondrial dynamics in AD,concurrently highlighting the therapeutic potential of DZSM intervention.

Therapeutic effect of San Bi Tang combined with glucosamine sulfate capsules in cold-dampness-type knee osteoarthritis

BACKGROUND Cold-dampness-type knee osteoarthritis is a common middle-aged and elderly disease,but its pathogenesis is not fully understood,and its clinical treatment has limitations.Glucosamine sulfate capsules are commonly used for treating arthritis,and San Bi Tang is a classic formula of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)that has the effects of warming yang,dispelling dampness,relaxing muscles,and activating collaterals.This research hypothesized that the combination of modified San Bi Tang and glucosamine sulfate capsules could enhance the clinical efficacy of treating cold-dampness-type knee osteoarthritis through complementary effects.AIM To analyze the clinical efficacy of San Bi Tang combined with glucosamine sulfate capsules when treating cold-dampness-type knee osteoarthritis.METHODS A total of 110 patients with cold-dampness-type knee osteoarthritis were selected as research subjects and randomly divided into a control group and an experimental group of 55 cases each.The control group received only treatment with glucosamine sulfate capsules,while the experimental group received additional treatment with modified San Bi Tang for a duration of 5 wk.The patients’knee joint functions,liver and kidney function indicators,adverse reactions,and vital signs were evaluated and analyzed using SPSS 26.0 software.RESULTS Before treatment,the two groups’genders,ages,and scores were not significantly different,indicating comparability.Both groups’scores improved after treatment,which could indicate pain and knee joint function improvement,but the test group had better scores.The TCM-specific symptoms and the clinical efficacy of the treatment in the test group were higher.Before and after treatment,there were no abnormalities in the patients’liver and kidney function indicators.CONCLUSION The combination of modified San Bi Tang and glucosamine sulfate capsules is superior to treatment with sulfated glucosamine alone and has high safety.

Study on HPLC-DAD Fingerprint of Xueshuan Xinmaining Capsules

[Objectives]To establish the HPLC-DAD fingerprint of Xueshuan Xinmaining Capsule(XXC).[Methods]The chromatographic conditions for the analysis of XXC solution were as follows:XSelect HSS T3 column;acetonitrile-0.1%phosphoric acid water was used as mo-bile phase,gradient elution;flow rate:1.0 mL/min;column temperature 30℃;The injection volume is 10μL.The quality of XXC samples produced by different manufacturers was evaluated by similarity evaluation and cluster analysis.[Results]In theHPLC-dad fingerprints of 15 batches of XXC,23 common peaks were identified and 9 peaks were identified,and the similarity was greater than 0.95.According to the re-sults of cluster analysis,15 batches of XXC samples could be divided into two categories,S2,S5,S6,S7 and S8 batches belonged to category Ⅰ,and the rest batches belonged to category Ⅱ.[Conclusions]In this study,a representative and universal identification method of Xxc HPLC-DAD fingerprint was established.The method has high precision,stability and repeatability,is simple and reliable,and provides a pow-erful reference for further improving the quality evaluation system of XXC.

Clinical Effect of Yinhuang Qingfei Capsules in Treatment of Asymptomatic and Mild/Common Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection:An Analysis of 242 Cases

[Objectives]To investigate the clinical effect of Yinhuang Qingfei capsules in the treatment of asymptomatic and mild/common severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)infection.[Methods]A total of 362 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection were divided into the treatment group with 242 patients and control group with 120 patients according to their treatment regimen.The patients in the control group were given standard treatment regimen and those in the treatment group were given Yinhuang Qingfei capsules in addition to the treatment in the control group.The two groups were observed in terms of average length of hospital stay,mean time for nucleic acid clearance,TCM syndrome score,and progression to severe/critical illness,and clinical outcome was compared between the two groups.[Results]There was a significant difference in the overall response rate between the treatment group and the control group[97.52%(236/242)vs 95.00%(114/120),P<0.05].Compared with the control group,the treatment group had significantly shorter length of hospital stay and time for nucleic acid clearance(P<0.05).After 7 days of treatment,both groups had a significant change in TCM syndrome score,and there was a significant difference in TCM syndrome score between the two groups(P<0.05);after 15 days of treatment,both groups had a TCM syndrome score of 0.Progression to severe/critical illness was not observed in either group.[Conclusions]Compared with the standard treatment regimen alone,standard treatment regimen combined with Yinhuang Qingfei capsules can effectively shorten the length of hospital stay and time for nucleic acid clearance and improve TCM symptoms in patients with asymptomatic and mild/common SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Study on the Efficacy of Shugan Jieyu Capsules Combined with Trazodone in Patients with Post-Stroke Depression and Insomnia

Objective:To analyze the effectiveness of applying ShuGan JieYu Capsules(SGJYC)combined with trazodone in patients with post-stroke depression(PSD)with insomnia.Methods:60 cases of PSD with insomnia patients admitted to the hospital from May 2022 to May 2023 were selected and randomly divided into a reference group(trazodone)and a research group(SGJYC combined with trazodone)of 30 cases each.Statistics were analyzed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale(HAM-D),Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI),and Activities of Daily Living(ADL)scale before treatment and 4,8,and 12 weeks after treatment.Results:Before treatment,The results of HAM-D,PSQI,and ADL scale studies in the two groups before treatment were not statistically significant(P>0.05);4,8,and 12 weeks after treatment,the results of HAM-D and PSQI studies in the research group were lower than that of the reference group,and the results of ADL scale studies were higher than that of the reference group.There was a significant difference between the groups(P<0.05).The total adverse reaction rate of the research group was lower than that of the reference group,and there was a significant difference between the groups(P<0.05).Conclusion:The combination of SGJYC and trazodone reduced depression in post-stroke patients,corrected insomnia,improved sleep quality,was safe,and had a low rate of adverse reactions.

Preparation of multicore millimeter-sized spherical alginate capsules to specifically and sustainedly release fish oil

Specific and sustained release of nutrients from capsules to the gastrointestinal tract has attracted many attentions in the field of food and drug delivery.In this work,we reported a monoaxial dispersion electrospraying-ionotropic gelation technique to prepare multicore millimeter-sized spherical capsules for specific and sustained release of fish oil.The spherical capsules had diameters from 2.05 mm to 0.35 mm with the increased applied voltages.The capsules consisted of uniform(at applied voltages of≤10 k V)or nonuniform(at applied voltages of>10 k V)multicores.The obtained capsules had reasonable loading ratios(9.7%-6.3%)due to the multicore structure.In addition,the obtained capsules had specific and sustained release behaviors of fish oil into the small intestinal phase of in vitro gastrointestinal tract and small intestinal tract models.The simple monoaxial dispersion electrospraying-ionotropic gelatin technique does not involve complicated preparation formulations and polymer modification,which makes the technique has a potential application prospect for the fish oil preparations and the encapsulation of functional active substances in the field of food and drug industries.

Extraction Process and Quality Standard of Danshen Jianxin Capsules

[Objectives]This study was conducted to establish the quality standard of Danshen Jianxin Capsules.[Methods]Orthogonal design was adopted to optimize the water extraction process by taking the amount of water added,extraction time and extraction times as factors,and the content of tanshinone I as the index.Salviae Miltiorrhizae,Notoginseng Radix Et Rhizoma and Radix Astragali in the capsules were qualitatively identified by TLC,and the content of tanshinone I in the capsules was determined by HPLC.[Results]The best water extraction process included the steps of adding 12 times of water each time,extracting the materials twice,for 1 h each time.In TLC identification,the test samples showed spots of the same color at the positions corresponding to tanshinone II A,ginsenoside Rg1,notoginsenoside R1 and astragaloside IV reference samples.[Conclusions]Danshen Jianxin Capsules was prepared by the water extraction method,which is characterized by high efficiency and being suitable for mass production.The quality control method is reliable,fast and accurate,which can effectively control the quality of the product.

Capsule endoscopy and panendoscopy:A journey to the future of gastrointestinal endoscopy

In 2000,the small bowel capsule revolutionized the management of patients with small bowel disorders.Currently,the technological development achieved by the new models of double-headed endoscopic capsules,as miniaturized devices to evaluate the small bowel and colon[pan-intestinal capsule endoscopy(PCE)],makes this non-invasive procedure a disruptive concept for the management of patients with digestive disorders.This technology is expected to identify which patients will require conventional invasive endoscopic procedures(colonoscopy or balloon-assisted enteroscopy),based on the lesions detected by the capsule,i.e.,those with an indication for biopsies or endoscopic treatment.The use of PCE in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases,namely Crohn’s disease,as well as in patients with iron deficiency anaemia and/or overt gastrointestinal(GI)bleeding,after a non-diagnostic upper endoscopy(esophagogastroduodenoscopy),enables an effective,safe and comfortable way to identify patients with relevant lesions,who should undergo subsequent invasive endoscopic procedures.The recent development of magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy to evaluate the upper GI tract,is a further step towards the possibility of an entirely non-invasive assessment of all the segments of the digestive tract,from mouth-to-anus,meeting the expectations of the early developers of capsule endoscopy.

Efficacy and safety of Lianhuaqingwen capsules in high-risk common type COVID-19 pneumonia:A multicenter retrospective study

Objective:To evaluate the clinical safety and efficacy of Lianhuaqingwen(LHQW)capsules in patients with high-risk common type COVID-19 pneumonia.Methods:A retrospective multicenter study on 383 high-risk common type COVID-19 pneumonia cases was conducted.Patients were categorized as the standard treatment(SDT)group(n=168)and the LHQW+SDT group(n=215).The primary endpoint was the rate of symptom(fever,fatigue,coughing)recovery and the secondary endpoints included the time to symptom recovery,the proportion of patients with improvement in chest CT images,the proportion of patients with clinical cure,the timing and rate of negative conversion of SARS-CoV-2 RNA assay.Results:The recovery rate was significantly higher in the LHQW+SDT group as compared with the SDT group(89.7%vs.72.0%,P<0.01).The combined use of LHQW+SDT also showed shorter time for symptom recovery,as well as shorter time for individual symptom of fever,fatigue and coughing recovery than use of SDT alone.A higher proportion of patients in the LHQW+SDT group with improvements in chest CT images and clinical cure(77.7%vs.57.1%,P<0.01)but the proportion of patients deteriorating to severe cases(1%vs.25%,P<0.01)in this group was significant lower than those in the SDT group.No significant difference in negative conversion rate of viral assay results was observed(76.8%vs.75.0%,P>0.05).No serious adverse events were reported.Conclusions:LHQW capsules could be recommended to ameliorate clinical symptoms and reduce the rate of deteriorating to severe cases for high-risk common type COVID-19 pneumonia.

Advances in the Intervention of Prunella Spica Capsules on Postoperative Recurrence of Nodular Goiter

As important drugs for the treatment of nodular goiter(NG),Prunella Spica preparations are widely used clinically,and have a significant effect on NG.Various active ingredients in the preparations intervene in the formation of NG by inhibiting the proliferation of thyroid follicular cells,promoting cell apoptosis,regulating immunity,improving the microcirculation of thyroid tissue and other mechanisms,and can reduce the postoperative recurrence of NG.

LipoCol Forte capsules reduce the risk of liver cancer:A propensity score-matched,nationwide,population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND Liver cancer is among the top five most common cancers globally. Lipid-lowering drugs such as statins can lower the risk of liver cancer, but may also cause liver damage. LipoCol Forte capsules(LFC), a red yeast rice product, have demonstrated significant antihypercholesterolemic effects and a good safety profile in clinical studies.AIM To evaluate whether LFC lowers the risk of liver cancer in adults in this propensity score-matched, nationwide, population-based cohort study.METHODS We used data from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database, which includes electronic medical records for up to 99.99% of Taiwan’s population. LFC users and LFC non-users were matched 1:1 by propensity scores between January 2010 and December 2017. All had followup data for at least 1 year. Statistical analyses compared demographic distributions including sex, age, comorbidities, and prescribed medications. Cox regression analyses estimated adjusted hazard ratios(aHRs) after adjusting for potential confounders.RESULTS We enrolled 33231 LFC users and 33231 non-LFC users(controls). No significant differences between the study cohorts were identified regarding comorbidities and medications [standardized mean difference(SMD) < 0.05]. At follow-up, the overall incidence of liver cancer was significantly lower in the LFC cohort compared with controls [aHR 0.91;95% confidence interval(CI): 0.86-0.95;P < 0.001]. The risk of liver cancer was significantly reduced in both females(aHR 0.87;95%CI: 0.8-0.94;P < 0.001) and males(aHR 0.93;95%CI: 0.87-0.98;P < 0.01) in the LFC cohort compared with their counterparts in the non-LFC cohort. The antitumor protective effects applied to patients with comorbidities(including hypertension, ischemic stroke, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hepatitis B infection and hepatitis C infection). Those using LFC for more than 84 drug days had a 0.64-fold lower risk of liver cancer compared with controls(P < 0.001). Compared with controls, the risk of developing liver cancer in the LFC cohort progressively decreased over time;the lowest incidence of liver cancer occurred in LFC users followed-up for more than 6 years(27.44 vs 31.49 per 1,000 person-years;aHR 0.75;95%CI: 0.68-0.82;P < 0.001).CONCLUSION This retrospective cohort study indicates that LFC has a significantly protective effect on lowering the risk of liver cancer, in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner.

Expression Recognition Method Based on Convolutional Neural Network and Capsule Neural Network

Convolutional neural networks struggle to accurately handle changes in angles and twists in the direction of images,which affects their ability to recognize patterns based on internal feature levels. In contrast, CapsNet overcomesthese limitations by vectorizing information through increased directionality and magnitude, ensuring that spatialinformation is not overlooked. Therefore, this study proposes a novel expression recognition technique calledCAPSULE-VGG, which combines the strengths of CapsNet and convolutional neural networks. By refining andintegrating features extracted by a convolutional neural network before introducing theminto CapsNet, ourmodelenhances facial recognition capabilities. Compared to traditional neural network models, our approach offersfaster training pace, improved convergence speed, and higher accuracy rates approaching stability. Experimentalresults demonstrate that our method achieves recognition rates of 74.14% for the FER2013 expression dataset and99.85% for the CK+ expression dataset. By contrasting these findings with those obtained using conventionalexpression recognition techniques and incorporating CapsNet’s advantages, we effectively address issues associatedwith convolutional neural networks while increasing expression identification accuracy.

Ischemic colitis induced by a platelet-raising capsule: A case report

BACKGROUND Ischemic colitis(IC)is also known as colon ischemia and is caused by colon vascular occlusion or nonocclusion,which results in a reduced blood supply to the colon and is not significant enough to maintain the metabolic function of cells,leading to intestinal wall ischemia.Its main symptoms include abdominal pain,diarrhea,and bloody stool.In severe cases,intestinal gangrene,peritonitis,intestinal stenosis and even intestinal obstruction may occur.IC induced by long-term use of certain special drugs is relatively rare in clinical practice.This article describes the clinical diagnosis and treatment of a typical case and provides a new treatment idea for the treatment of IC.CASE SUMMARY The patient was admitted to the hospital with"abdominal pain for half a month and bloody stool with mucous and pus for 3 d"and was diagnosed with"IC".Symptomatic and supportive treatment,such as antibiotics(levofloxacin),acid inhibition and stomach protection,fluid replenishment,and intravenous nutrition,was given.The patient's colonic ulcers were considered to be related to the oral administration of platelet(PLT)-raising capsules;the patient was asked to stop PLT-raising drugs for selective review via colonoscopy,and antibiotics and mesalazine enteric-coated tablets were stopped.Under the guidance of hematology consultation,60 mg of methylprednisolone was given in combination with PLT infusion to increase the PLT.After treatment,the patient's condition stabilized,the patient’s stool turned yellow,the patient’s symptoms improved,and the patient was allowed to leave the hospital.CONCLUSION PLT-raising capsules can lead to IC,so clinicians should have a full understanding of the application of these drugs in the treatment of various causes of thrombocyt-INTRODUCTION Ischemic colitis(IC)is also known as colon ischemia(CI)and is caused by colon vascular occlusion or nonocclusion,which results in a reduced blood supply to the colon;this process is not significant enough to maintain the metabolic function of cells,leading to intestinal wall ischemia[1].Its main symptoms include abdominal pain,diarrhea,and bloody stool.In severe cases,intestinal gangrene,peritonitis,intestinal stenosis and even intestinal obstruction may occur[2,3].The pathogenesis of this disease has not been extensively studied,but increased clotting ability has been recognized as an important factor in the pathogenesis of IC[4].People older than 60 years(especially women)who suffer from certain underlying diseases,such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases,diabetes,and shock,are the most prone to colon IC.The lesions can involve any segment of the colon,among which the left half of the colon,such as the sigmoid colon,descending colon and spleen region,is the most common site of lesions.This is because the region south of the sigmoid colon is the"watershed region"of the colonic blood supply,where vascular dysplasia may easily cause ischemia.In addition,the left half of the colon is supplied by the inferior mesenteric artery,which is at an acute angle to the abdominal aorta and affects blood perfusion.The rectum is supplied by both the inferior mesenteric artery and the rectal artery,and ischemia is rare.Therefore,the IC lesions were mainly in the left colon,and most of them were of the first pass type.The disease is relatively mild and can be cured after conservative medical treatment,so the prognosis is favorable[5-7].Once ischemia improves,the patient’s condition can recover in a relatively short time,and this condition can be distin-guished from other types of enteritis[5-7],such as infectious colitis,inflammatory bowel disease,pseudomembranous enteritis,diverticulitis,colon cancer,and acute mesenteric ischemia.Clinically,ischemic colitis can be divided into gangrene and nongrene.The latter can also be subdivided into transient and chronic types.Treatment for IC usually includes fasting,gastrointestinal decompression,intravenous nutritional support,improved circulation,fluid resuscitation,empirical use of antibiotics and other symptomatic supportive treatments,and attention should be given to the treatment of the primary disease.Most patients will experience improvements in clinical symp-toms within 1 to 2 d,and patients with complications may require surgery.However,IC induced by long-term use of certain special drugs is relatively rare in clinical practice.This article describes the clinical diagnosis and treatment of a typical case and provides a new treatment idea for the treatment of ischemic colitis.

Treatment of 198 Cases of Thyroid Nodules with Sanying Capsule Combined with Xiaoying Patch

[Objectives]To observe the clinical efficacy of Sanying capsule combined with Xiaoying Patch in treating thyroid nodule(TN).[Methods]Two groups were treated similarly,with 200 cases in the control group undergoing basic treatment for 12 weeks and 198 cases in the observation group receiving Sanying capsule combined with Xiaoying patches for the same duration.The clinical symptoms,number of nodules,diameter of the largest nodule,and maximum reduction of nodules were observed before and after treatment.A control analysis was performed,and the underlying mechanisms were explored.[Results]The primary symptoms of the observation group exhibited a more favorable improvement than those of the control group.Additionally,the number of nodules decreased,the diameter of the largest nodule decreased,and the maximum reduction of nodules decreased in both groups following treatment.However,the observation group demonstrated a more pronounced improvement than the control group(P<0.05).[Conclusions]The combination of Sanying capsule and Xiaoying patch has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment for TN,with a high degree of reliability in terms of safety.

Detachable string magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy for the noninvasive diagnosis of esophageal diseases:A prospective,blind clinical study

BACKGROUND Traditional esophagogastroduodenoscopy(EGD),an invasive examination method,can cause discomfort and pain in patients.In contrast,magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy(MCE),a noninvasive method,is being applied for the detection of stomach and small intestinal diseases,but its application in treating esophageal diseases is not widespread.AIM To evaluate the safety and efficacy of detachable string MCE(ds-MCE)for the diagnosis of esophageal diseases.METHODS Fifty patients who had been diagnosed with esophageal diseases were pros-pectively recruited for this clinical study and underwent ds-MCE and conven-tional EGD.The primary endpoints included the sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value,and diagnostic accuracy of ds-MCE for patients with esophageal diseases.The secondary endpoints consisted of visualizing the esophageal and dentate lines,as well as the subjects'tolerance of the procedure.RESULTS Using EGD as the gold standard,the sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value,and diagnostic accuracy of ds-MCE for esophageal disease detection were 85.71%,86.21%,81.82%,89.29%,and 86%,respectively.ds-MCE was more comfortable and convenient than EGD was,with 80%of patients feeling that ds-MCE examination was very comfortable or comfortable and 50%of patients believing that detachable string v examination was very convenient.CONCLUSION This study revealed that ds-MCE has the same diagnostic effects as traditional EGD for esophageal diseases and is more comfortable and convenient than EGD,providing a novel noninvasive method for treating esophageal diseases.

Meta analysis of the efficacy of western medicine combined with Qiliqiangxin capsule versus western medicine alone in the treatment of chronic heart failure

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy of conventional Western medicine combined with Qiliqiangxin capsule and western medicine alone in the treatment of chronic heart failure, and to prove that Qiliqiangxin capsule combined treatment has more advantages, providing reference for clinical decision-making in the treatment of chronic heart failure. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of conventional Western medicine treatment and Western medicine combined with Qiliqiangxin capsule in the treatment of chronic heart failure were searched in databases such as PubMed, Embase, Webofscience, CNKI, WanFang, VIP, and CBM. The bias risk assessment was conducted using the RCT tool recommended by Cochrane, and then the meta-analysis was performed using RevMan5.4 and Stata17 software. Compare the efficacy evaluation of cardiac function, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD), cardiac stroke output (SV), 6-minute walking test (6MWT), and N-terminal proBNP in the conventional western medicine combined with Qiliqiangxin capsule group (hereinafter referred to as the treatment group) and the conventional western medicine group (hereinafter referred to as the control group). Results: A total of 20 RCTs meeting the criteria were included, including 2953 patients, including 1508 in the treatment group and 1445 in the control group. The results of meta-analysis showed that the treatment group had significantly better cardiac function evaluation, LVEF, LVEDD, SV, 6MWT, and NT-proBNP improvement than the control group. Its central functional efficacy evaluation (OR=2.09,95% CI: 1.71-2.55, P<0.001), LVEF (WMD=7.05,95% CI: 5.30-8.79, P<0.00001), LVEDD (WMD=6.73, 95% CI: 3.18-10.29, P=0.0002), SV (WMD=6.73, 95% CI: 3.18-10.29, P=0.0002), 6MWT (SMD=0.70,95% CI: 0.54-0.87, P<0.00001), NT-proBNP (SMD=-1.95,95% CI: -2.5 2 to 1.38 (P<0.0001), with statistically significant differences. Conclusion: Conventional western medicine combined with Qiliqiangxin capsule can significantly improve the clinical efficacy of heart failure, improve LVEF, LVEDD, SV, and NT-proBNP index, and improve exercise tolerance. It is worth using for reference in the treatment.

Efficacy of Juanbi capsule on ameliorating knee osteoarthritis:a network pharmacology and experimental verification-based study

Background:The purpose of the study was to investigate the active ingredients and potential biochemical mechanisms of Juanbi capsule in knee osteoarthritis based on network pharmacology,molecular docking and animal experiments.Methods:Chemical components for each drug in the Juanbi capsule were obtained from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform,while the target proteins for knee osteoarthritis were retrieved from the Drugbank,GeneCards,and OMIM databases.The study compared information on knee osteoarthritis and the targets of drugs to identify common elements.The data was imported into the STRING platform to generate a protein-protein interaction network diagram.Subsequently,a“component-target”network diagram was created using the screened drug components and target information with Cytoscape software.Common targets were imported into Metascape for GO function and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis.AutoDockTools was utilized to predict the molecular docking of the primary chemical components and core targets.Ultimately,the key targets were validated through animal experiments.Results:Juanbi capsule ameliorated Knee osteoarthritis mainly by affecting tumor necrosis factor,interleukin1β,MMP9,PTGS2,VEGFA,TP53,and other cytokines through quercetin,kaempferol,andβ-sitosterol.The drug also influenced the AGE-RAGE,interleukin-17,tumor necrosis factor,Relaxin,and NF-κB signaling pathways.The network pharmacology analysis results were further validated in animal experiments.The results indicated that Juanbi capsule could decrease the levels of tumor necrosis factor-αand interleukin-1βin the serum and synovial fluid of knee osteoarthritis rats and also down-regulate the expression levels of MMP9 and PTGS2 proteins in the articular cartilage.Conclusion:Juanbi capsule may improve the knee bone microstructure and reduce the expression of inflammatory factors of knee osteoarthritis via multiple targets and multiple signaling pathways.

Effects of Yigan Capsule on the expression of HMGB1,RAGE and NF-κB protein in rats with drug-induced liver injury

Objective:To study the effect of Yigan capsule on the expression of high mobility group protein B1(HMGB1),nuclear factor-B(NF-κB)and receptor for advanced glycation end products(RAGE)in anti-tuberculosis drug-induced liver injury(ATB-DILI),and to explore its protective effect and mechanism on ATB-DILI,so as to provide experimental basis for the clinical application of Yigan capsule.Methods:Twenty-four rats were divided into two groups.Except for the blank group(n=6),the other 18 rats were given isoniazid(INH)+rifampicin(RFP)(50 mg/kg.d)for 4 weeks.Then 18 rats were randomly divided into three groups(model group,low dose group of Yigan capsule and high dose group of Yigan capsule)according to 6 rats in each group.The blank group and the model group were given 0.9%sodium chloride solution by intragastric administration.The low dose group of Yigan capsule was 0.468 g/kg,and the high dose group of Yigan capsule was 1.872 g/kg[1].After 4 weeks,the pathological changes of liver were observed by HE staining.The contents of ALT,AST,ALP,γ-GT and TBIL were detected.The expression of HMGB1,NF-κBp65 and RAGE protein was detected by IHC.The expression levels of HMGB1,NF-κBp65,RAGE,TNF-αand IL-1βwere detected by WB.Result:HE staining showed that the structure of the liver in the model group was disordered,the liver cells showed swelling and fusion,the number of inflammatory cells increased and accompanied by punctate necrosis,while the above pathological changes in each treatment group of Yigan capsule were significantly improved.The contents of ALT,AST,ALP,γ-GT and TBIL in the model group were higher than those in the blank group(P<0.05).The contents of ALT,AST,ALP,γ-GT and TBIL in each treatment group were significantly lower than those in the model group(P<0.05).Compared with the blank group,the expression levels of TNF-αand IL-1βin the model group were increased(P<0.05),and the expression levels of HMGB1,NF-κBp65 and RAGE were increased(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the expression levels of TNF-αand IL-1βin each treatment group of Yigan capsule decreased(P<0.05),and the expression of HMGB1,NF-κBp65 and RAGE decreased(P<0.05).Conclusion:Yigan capsule may inhibit the secretion of inflammatory factors through HMGB1/RAGE/NF-κBp65 signaling pathway,thus protecting ATB-DILI.

Clinical and demographic features of patients undergoing videocapsule endoscopy management:A descriptive study

BACKGROUND Video-capsule endoscopy(VCE)is an efficient tool that has proven to be highly useful in approaching several gastrointestinal diseases.VCE was implemented in Colombia in 2003,however current characterization of patients undergoing VCE in Colombia is limited,and mainly comes from two investigations conducted before the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic period.AIM To describe the characteristics of patients undergoing VCEs and establish the main indications,findings,technical limitations,and other outstanding features.METHODS A descriptive study was carried out using data from reports of VCE(PillCam SB3 system)use in a Gastroenterology Unit in Bogotá,Colombia between September 2019 and January 2023.Demographic and clinical variables such as indication for the VCE,gastric and small bowel transit times(GTT,SBTT),endoscopic preparation quality,and limitations were described[n(%),median(IQR)].RESULTS A total of 133 VCE reports were analyzed.Most were in men with a median age of 70 years.The majority had good preparation(96.2%),and there were technical limitations in 15.8%of cases.The main indications were unexplained anemia(91%)or occult bleeding(23.3%).The median GTT and SBTT were 14 and 30 minutes,respectively.The frequencies of bleeding stigma(3.79%)and active bleeding(9.09%)were low,and the most frequent abnormal findings were red spots(28.3%),erosions(17.6%),and vascular ectasias(12.5%).CONCLUSION VCE showed high-level safety.The main indication was unexplained anemia.Active bleeding was the most frequent finding.Combined with artificial intelligence,VCE can improve diagnostic precision and targeted therapeutic interventions.