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Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Qili Qiangxin Capsule (QLQXC) combined with western medicine in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) comorbid with heart failure (HF) for clinical application. Methods: We searched relevant references in Chinese databases including China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Scientific Journal Database (VIP), Wanfang Database, and China Biology Medicine (CBM), as well as English databases including PubMed and Embase, from the foundation of the database to January 8, 2023, without language restrictions. All statistical analyses, including subgroup and sensitivity analyses, were performed using the Review Manager (version 5.4) and Stata (version 15.0). Results: QLQXC combined with western medicine significantly increased the endpoints of overall response rate (ORR) (P < 0.000 01), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (P < 0.000 01), the score of Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) (P = 0.000 2), and 6-minute walking distance (6MWD) (P < 0.000 01), decreased left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) (P < 0.000 01), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD) (P = 0.03), and pro-brain natriuretic peptide (pro-BNP) (P < 0.00001), and reduced the incidence of rehospitalization (P = 0.0003) and adverse events (AEs) (P = 0.000 6) compared with those under the conventional western therapy alone. Nonetheless, no significant difference was observed in reducing the mortality between the QLQXC combined with western medicine group and the western medicine group (P = 0.30). Conclusion: The combination therapy of QLQXC with western medicine can potentiate cardiac function and raise the quality of life in patients with ICM comorbid with HF.

[Introduction] In order to find an economic and effective solution to the improvement of the hydrodynamic performance of floating offshore wind turbines, this paper studies the design scheme of heave plates to improve the hydrodynamic damping performance and anti-rolling effect of the floating body, and finally improve the stability of the output power of floating offshore wind turbines. [Method] Taking a 10 MW semi-submersible floating wind turbine as an example, this paper discussed the effect of different design parameters of the heave plate structure on improving the hydrodynamic damping using the method of computational fluid dynamics, and found an optimal design scheme. [Result] After optimized design, the heave damping of the heave plate structure is increased by 14.9%, and the roll damping is increased by 19.1%, and while the heave damping of the “quincunx-shaped” edge heave plate is increased by 36.98% compared with the original model. [Conclusion] This paper reveals the formation mechanism of the generation of vortex vents and the improvement of the hydrodynamic damping of the heave plate, and puts forward the “quincunx-shaped” heave plate structure in an innovative manner that can effectively improve the damping performance of the heave motion of the floating body. The above conclusions provide important references for the research and design of the foundation structure of the floating offshore wind turbines of this kind in the future.

Concerning the determination of excessive defense, the main problems are the judicial practice of determining excessive defense only based on the result of harm inflicted on a perpetrator; identifying excessive harm generally as an intentional crime; limiting the scope of exemption from punishment of excessive defense relatively narrowly as well as repeated appraisals and indirect punishments. For the improvement of judicial determination of excessive defense, the following efforts should be made. First, from the perspective of ex ante, determining the necessary limits as the standard of whether the act of defense was necessary to stop unlawful infringement. Second, paying due attention to the influence of the awareness of defense on the form of culpability and in general circumstances determining excessive defense as a negligent crime. Third, giving sufficient consideration of the extent to which the possibility of anticipation decreased when the defender was faced with unlawful infringement and expanding the scope of exemption from punishment for excessive defense. Fourth, avoiding repeated appraisals and indirect punishments by analyzing the factual grounds and essential foundations of the circumstances of lesser or greater punishments.

AIM: To investigate the effects and mechanism of Xin-Tong-Tai granule on oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in mice with atherosclerosis (AS). METHODS: A total of 72 SPF-grade healthy male ApoEmice aged 6-8 weeks were fed with high-fat diet for 12 weeks to replicate AS models, and 12 SPF-grade healthy male C57BL/6J wild mice were fed with ordinary diet as the control group. After the corresponding drugs were administered for 8 weeks, the body weight and general condition of mice in each group were observed. The serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were detected by biochemical kits. The pathological structures of aorta were observed by HE and oil red O staining. The levels of serum ox-LDL and aortic ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were detected by ELISA. The protein levels of NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4), NOX subunit p22phox, inhibitor of kB kinase-a (IKK-a), IKK-p and nuclear factor-KB (NF-kB) in aorta were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with control group, the mice in model group showed increased body weight (P<0. 05), dull and local shedding hair, slow grasping response, increased serum TC, TG and LDL-C levels, decreased serum HDL-C level (P< 0.05), increased the levels of serum ox-LDL and aortic ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 (P<0. 05), and increased protein expressions of NOX4, p22phox, IKK-a, IKK-p and NF-kB in aorta (P<0. 05). Compared with model group, the body weight of mice in each treatment group decreased (P<0. 05), the hair loss and the response flexibility were also improved. The serum levels of TC, TG and LDL-C decreased and HDL-C increased (P<0. 05). The levels of serum ox-LDL and aortic ICAM-1 (except the low-dose Xin-Tong-Tai granule group) and VCAM-1 decreased (P<0. 05). The protein levels of NOX4, p22phox, IKK-a, IKK-p and NF-kB in aorta decreased (P<0. 05). HE and oil red O staining showed that typical AS plaques could be seen in blood vessels of the model group, and the red-stained areas were widely distributed. The above lesions were alleviated to different degrees in each treatment group compared with model group. CONCLUSION: Xin-Tong-Tai granule reduces the atherosclerotic plaque area of Apoh mice induced by high-fat diet, decreased serum TC, TG and LDL-C levels, increased HDL-C level, decreased the levels of serum ox-LDL and aorta ICAM-1 and VCAM- 1,and inhibited protein expression of NOX4, p22phox, IKK-a and IKK-p in the aorta, thereby attenuating AS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]