Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of two-point localized injection of the depressor anguli oris (DAO) muscle combined with pan-platysma microbotox injection of botulinum toxin type A for improving the aesthetic of mouth corner.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data from patients who received concomitant DAO localized injection and pan-platysma microbotox of botulinum toxin type A for improving drooping mouth corners at the Facial and Neck Plastic Surgery Center and the Limb and Scar Center of Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, between December 2022 and June 2025. Botulinum toxin type A was reconstituted to two concentrations: 40 U/ml and 20 U/ml for the combined injection. Patients were instructed to repeatedly perform upward puckering motions to identify the trapezoidal outline of the DAO muscle. Two injection points were uniformly marked slightly medial to the midline of the DAO muscle for dual-target injection (1.5 U each at the middle one-third and lower one-third of the muscle belly). The pan-platysma microbotox for the platysma muscle extended superiorly to a line parallel and 3-4 cm above the mandibular border, innerly to 1 cm beyond the lateral edge of the DAO muscle, inferiorly to the submental area and the anterior neck region above the clavicle, and laterally to the anterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. The injection dose was 0.6 U per point, with 1 cm spacing between points, administered at the superficial subcutaneous layer. Complications were recorded. At 1-month postoperatively, efficacy was evaluated using the global aesthetic improvement scale (GAIS, scores ranging from 5 to 1, representing "much worse" to "very much improved" ) and subjective patient satisfaction (categorized as very satisfied, satisfied, dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied; satisfaction rate was calculated as the percentage of patients reporting very satisfied or satisfied among the total). Patients’ willingness to receive the same treatment in the future was also surveyed. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis.Results:A total of 21 patients were included (1 male, 20 females), with a mean age of (37.1±3.2) years (range: 34-45 years). The treatment procedures were successful. Post-treatment, 4 cases experienced pain and swelling, 8 had neck ecchymosis, and 1 had temporary asymmetry in mouth corner movement, all of which resolved within 2 weeks. The follow-up period ranged from 1 to 6 months (mean: 1.4 months). At short-term follow-up (4-6 weeks after treatment), patients reported a skin "tightening" sensation in the lower face and neck region, noting significant improvement in lower facial and neck contour, sharper bilateral jawlines, and reduced neck wrinkles. Drooping mouth corners were improved. The satisfaction survey showed that 17 patients were "very satisfied" and 5 were "satisfied", resultsing in a subjective satisfaction rate of 100%. Nineteen patients (90.5%) expressed willingness to undergo repeat treatment. The mean GAIS score was 1.45±0.69, with 14 patients achieving "very much improved", 5 patients "much improved", and 2 patients "improved" .Conclusion:The combination of two-point localized injection of the DAO muscle and pan-platysma microbotox injection of botulinum toxin into the platysma muscle effectively improve the aesthetic of mouth corners and lower facial contour through synergistic middle and superficial layer treatment. This approach aligns with anatomical and physiological merits and offers advantages such as minimal invasiveness and rapid recovery, making it applicable for patients with early signs of lower facial aging.

Objective:To study the effects of hypoxia on the autophagy level in the spleen of mice with OSAHS.Methods:Mouse OSAHS hypoxia model was established in 24 C57BL/6 mice and the mice were divided into 3 groups:normoxic group,hypoxic group and resveratrol group(n=8).Real time PCR,Western blot and immunohistochemical staining(IHC)were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of autophagy related proteins microtube associated protein 1 light chain 3 B(LC3B),myosin-like BCL2 inteacting protein(Beclin1)and autophagy related gene 5(ATG5)in mouse spleen respectively.Results:The mRNA expres-sion of LC3B,Beclin1,and ATG5 in the hypoxic group was lower than that in the normoxic group(P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P＜0.001),resveratrol upregulated the expression levels of LC3B and ATG5 mRNA in the hypoxic group(P＜0.05,P＜0.001),but did not up-regulate the expression of Beclin1(P＞0.05).The protein expression levels of LC3B,Beclin1 and ATG5 in the hypoxic group were lower than that in the normoxic group(P＜0.05,P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Resveratrol upregulated the expression levels of LC3B and ATG5 in the hypoxic group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),but did not upregulated the expression of Beclin1(P＞0.05).IHC test showed that the expression level of LC3B,Beclin1 and ATG5 in the hypoxic group was lower than that in the normoxic group(P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P＜0.001).Resveratrol increased the expression level of LC3B and ATG5 in the hypoxic group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),but did not upregulate the expression of Beclin1(P＞0.05).Conclusion:Hypoxia may inhibite the autophagy level of spleen in mice.Resvera-trol derivatives increases the autophagy level of mice under hypoxia condition,but has no significant effect on Beclin1 expression.

Objective:To study the effects of hypoxia on the autophagy level in the spleen of mice with OSAHS.Methods:Mouse OSAHS hypoxia model was established in 24 C57BL/6 mice and the mice were divided into 3 groups:normoxic group,hypoxic group and resveratrol group(n=8).Real time PCR,Western blot and immunohistochemical staining(IHC)were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of autophagy related proteins microtube associated protein 1 light chain 3 B(LC3B),myosin-like BCL2 inteacting protein(Beclin1)and autophagy related gene 5(ATG5)in mouse spleen respectively.Results:The mRNA expres-sion of LC3B,Beclin1,and ATG5 in the hypoxic group was lower than that in the normoxic group(P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P＜0.001),resveratrol upregulated the expression levels of LC3B and ATG5 mRNA in the hypoxic group(P＜0.05,P＜0.001),but did not up-regulate the expression of Beclin1(P＞0.05).The protein expression levels of LC3B,Beclin1 and ATG5 in the hypoxic group were lower than that in the normoxic group(P＜0.05,P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Resveratrol upregulated the expression levels of LC3B and ATG5 in the hypoxic group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),but did not upregulated the expression of Beclin1(P＞0.05).IHC test showed that the expression level of LC3B,Beclin1 and ATG5 in the hypoxic group was lower than that in the normoxic group(P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P＜0.001).Resveratrol increased the expression level of LC3B and ATG5 in the hypoxic group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),but did not upregulate the expression of Beclin1(P＞0.05).Conclusion:Hypoxia may inhibite the autophagy level of spleen in mice.Resvera-trol derivatives increases the autophagy level of mice under hypoxia condition,but has no significant effect on Beclin1 expression.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of two-point localized injection of the depressor anguli oris (DAO) muscle combined with pan-platysma microbotox injection of botulinum toxin type A for improving the aesthetic of mouth corner.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data from patients who received concomitant DAO localized injection and pan-platysma microbotox of botulinum toxin type A for improving drooping mouth corners at the Facial and Neck Plastic Surgery Center and the Limb and Scar Center of Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, between December 2022 and June 2025. Botulinum toxin type A was reconstituted to two concentrations: 40 U/ml and 20 U/ml for the combined injection. Patients were instructed to repeatedly perform upward puckering motions to identify the trapezoidal outline of the DAO muscle. Two injection points were uniformly marked slightly medial to the midline of the DAO muscle for dual-target injection (1.5 U each at the middle one-third and lower one-third of the muscle belly). The pan-platysma microbotox for the platysma muscle extended superiorly to a line parallel and 3-4 cm above the mandibular border, innerly to 1 cm beyond the lateral edge of the DAO muscle, inferiorly to the submental area and the anterior neck region above the clavicle, and laterally to the anterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. The injection dose was 0.6 U per point, with 1 cm spacing between points, administered at the superficial subcutaneous layer. Complications were recorded. At 1-month postoperatively, efficacy was evaluated using the global aesthetic improvement scale (GAIS, scores ranging from 5 to 1, representing "much worse" to "very much improved" ) and subjective patient satisfaction (categorized as very satisfied, satisfied, dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied; satisfaction rate was calculated as the percentage of patients reporting very satisfied or satisfied among the total). Patients’ willingness to receive the same treatment in the future was also surveyed. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis.Results:A total of 21 patients were included (1 male, 20 females), with a mean age of (37.1±3.2) years (range: 34-45 years). The treatment procedures were successful. Post-treatment, 4 cases experienced pain and swelling, 8 had neck ecchymosis, and 1 had temporary asymmetry in mouth corner movement, all of which resolved within 2 weeks. The follow-up period ranged from 1 to 6 months (mean: 1.4 months). At short-term follow-up (4-6 weeks after treatment), patients reported a skin "tightening" sensation in the lower face and neck region, noting significant improvement in lower facial and neck contour, sharper bilateral jawlines, and reduced neck wrinkles. Drooping mouth corners were improved. The satisfaction survey showed that 17 patients were "very satisfied" and 5 were "satisfied", resultsing in a subjective satisfaction rate of 100%. Nineteen patients (90.5%) expressed willingness to undergo repeat treatment. The mean GAIS score was 1.45±0.69, with 14 patients achieving "very much improved", 5 patients "much improved", and 2 patients "improved" .Conclusion:The combination of two-point localized injection of the DAO muscle and pan-platysma microbotox injection of botulinum toxin into the platysma muscle effectively improve the aesthetic of mouth corners and lower facial contour through synergistic middle and superficial layer treatment. This approach aligns with anatomical and physiological merits and offers advantages such as minimal invasiveness and rapid recovery, making it applicable for patients with early signs of lower facial aging.

Objective:To investigate whether ultra-high dose rate (FLASH) irradiation can reduce radiation-induced intestinal injuries of mice compared to conventional dose rate (CONV) irradiation.Methods:Both FLASH and CONV irradiation were delivered with electron beam, with dose rates of 750 Gy/s and 0.5G y/s, respectively. A total of 105 mice were randomly divided into groups using a simple randomization method. Twenty-one mice were selected for weight observation, 7 mice in each group. After 9 Gy FLASH and CONV irradiation on the abdomen, the weight changes of mice were measured every other day, and compared among three groups. Twenty-four mice were selected for pathological examination including 5 mice in the control group. Three-and-a-half-day days after 12 Gy FLASH ( n=10) and CONV irradiation ( n=9) on the abdomen, the intestines of the mice were taken. Pathological sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) to compare the number and percentage of regenerated crypts of the small intestine between two groups. After 12 Gy FLASH ( n=10) and CONV irradiation ( n=10) on the abdomen, the survival of 20 mice was observed. After FLASH using 4.5 Gy×2 times ( n=10) and CONV irradiation at 9 Gy×1 time ( n=10) on the abdomen, the weight changes were observed. After FLASH using 6 Gy×2 times ( n=10) and CONV irradiation at 12 Gy×1 time ( n=10) on the abdomen, the survival of mice was observed. The time interval between two irradiation was 1 min. EBT3 film was employed to monitor the actual exposure dose of the mice. The variables conforming to normal distribution were expressed by Mean±SD. Inter group comparison was performed by independent t-test. The survival of mice among different groups was compared by log-rank test. Results:After 9 Gy of abdominal irradiation, the mean weight of mice in the FLASH group was significantly higher than that in the CONV group. The weight of mice in the FLASH and CONV groups was (19.8±0.8) g and (18.0±1.8)g ( P=0.036) at 7 days after irradiation, (22.0±1.0)g and (21.2±0.5)g ( P=0.075) at 15 days after irradiation, and (24.2±1.4)g and (22.0±1.2)g ( P=0.012) at 25 days after irradiation, respectively. After 12 Gy irradiation, the mean survival of mice in FLASH and CONV groups was 4 days and 4.7 days ( P=0.029). After 12 Gy total abdominal irradiation, the mean number of intestinal regenerative crypts in the FLASH and CONV groups was 2.9/mm and 1.2/mm ( P=0.041), and the percentage of intestinal regenerative crypts was 34.1% and 14.1%, respectively. The survival of mice irradiated by FLASH using 6 Gy×2 times was longer compared with that of mice after CONV irradiation at 12 Gy×1 time. The weight of mice after 4.5 Gy×2 times irradiation was higher than that of mice after CONV irradiation at 9 Gy×1 time. Conclusion:Weight, survival and the number of intestinal regenerative crypts in the FLASH group are higher than those in the CONV group after irradiation, indicating that radiation-induced intestinal injury caused by FLASH irradiation is slighter than that of CONV irradiation.

Objective To investigate the expression and role of neutrophil extracellular traps(NETs)in oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC).Methods Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of NETs in OSCC.The clinico-pathological characteristics and prognosis of patients with different NETs expression levels were analyzed.Density gradient centrifugation was used to isolate neutrophils from human peripheral blood.NETs were induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate(PMA)and co-cultured with OSCC cells.CCK-8 assay was used to detect changes in OSCC cell proliferation ability.OSCC cell migration ability was detected by Transwell cell migration assay and cell scratch assay.Western blotting(WB)assay was used to detect the effect of NETs on the index of epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT).Results NETs'expression in OSCC was higher than that in normal tissues(P＜0.001).The prognosis of patients with high NETs expression was worse than that of patients with low NETs expression(P＜0.05).The expression level of NETs was correlated with the clinical grade,invasion and recurrence degree of OSCC patients(P＜0.05).NETs pro-moted the proliferation and migration of Cal27 and HN6 cells(P＜0.05),and inhibited the protein expression level of epithelial marker and promoted the protein expression level of mesenchymal markers(P＜0.05),which could be reversed by the NETs inhibitor DNaseⅠ.Conclusion NETs are expressed at high levels in OSCC.NETs can promote the proliferation and migration of OSCC cells by regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition and can affect the prognosis of OSCC patients.

With the advancement in surgical techniques, an increasing number of women with complex congenital heart diseases (such as tetralogy of Fallot, transposition of the great arteries, and single ventricle) survive to childbearing age and conceive, significantly raising the mortality risks for both mother and infant. Early diagnosis, surgical intervention, comprehensive pre-pregnancy assessment, and multidisciplinary collaboration during pregnancy and delivery are crucial to reducing maternal and infant complications and mortality rates in patients with pregnancy complicated by complex congenital heart disease. Therefore, this article provides a review of the current advances in the diagnosis and treatment of pregnancy complicated by complex congenital heart disease.

ObjectiveTo observe the pharmacodynamic effects of Cinnamomi Cortex on the incretin effect in the rat model of diabetes mellites （DM） induced by streptozotocin （STZ） and explore the underlying mechanism from glucagon-like peptide-1 （GLP-1） and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 （DPP-4）. MethodForty SD rats were randomly assigned into blank， model， sitagliptin （0.1 g·kg^-1）， and low- and high-dose Cinnamomi Cortex （0.45 and 0.9 g·kg^-1， respectively） groups. The DM rat model was established by a high-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of 40 mg·kg^-1 STZ in other groups except the blank group. The intervention lasted for 8 weeks. The status， body weight， water intake， food intake， and fasting blood glucose （FBG） of the rats were observed and determined. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was employed to reveal the pathological changes of the pancreas， and immunohistochemistry to detect the expression of glucagon in the pancreas. Biochemical assay was employed to measure the serum levels of lipid metabolism indexes such as total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， low-density lipoprotein （LDL）， and high-density lipoprotein （HDL）. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to determine the levels of glycosylated hemoglobin， insulin， glucagon， GLP-1， and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide （GIP） in rat serum， and Western blot to determine the protein levels of GLP-1 and DPP-4 in the pancreas. ResultAfter 8 weeks of intervention， the model group showed higher body weight， FBG， TC， TG， LDL， glycosylated hemoglobin， glucagon， insulin， and insulin resistance index and lower HDL， GLP-1， and GIP than the blank group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The Cinnamomi Cortex groups showed lower body weight， FBG， TC， TG， LDL， glycosylated hemoglobin， glucagon， insulin， and insulin resistance index and higher HDL， GLP-1， and GIP than the model group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The Cinnamomi Cortex groups showed recovered morphology of islet cells and no nucleus aggregation. Compared with the model group， the Cinnamomi Cortex groups showed declined levels of glucagon in the center of islet cells. Compared with the blank group， the model group showed up-regulated protein level of DPP-4 and down-regulated protein level of GLP-1 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the high-dose Cinnamomi Cortex groups showed down-regulated protein level of DPP-4 and up-regulated protein level of GLP-1 （P<0.05）. ConclusionCinnamomi Cortex may reduce blood glucose and improve incretin effect to lower the blood glucose level by regulating DPP-4 and GLP-1 in DM rats.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the clinical features and spectrum of genetic variants in 12 patients with Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS), and to explore the correlation between the type of genetic variants and clinical phenotypes. METHODS: Twelve patients suspected for LDS at Beijing Anzhen Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from January 2015 to January 2022 were selected as the study subjects. Clinical data of the patients were collected. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples and subjected to genetic testing. Pathogenicity of candidate variants was analyzed. RESULTS: The clinical phenotypes of the 12 patients have mainly included cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, craniofacial, skin, ocular and other systemic signs. Four patients (patients 5-1, 5-2, 6, 7) have carried heterozygous missense variants of the TGFBR1 gene, 5 patients (patients 1-1, 1-2, 2, 3, 4) have carried heterozygous variants of the TGFBR2 gene, and 2 patients (patients 8-1, 8-2) had carried heterozygous frameshift variants of the TGFB3 gene. One patient (patient 9) had carried a heterozygous missense variant of the SMAD3 gene. Among these, TGFBR1 c.603T>G (p.1201M) and TGFB3 c.536delA (p.H179FS35) had not been reported previously. CONCLUSION Variants of the TGFBR1, TGFBR2, SMAD3, TGFB2, TGFB3 and SMAD2 genes are mainly associated with LDS. The severity of the disease phenotype caused by the same variant may vary, whilst the clinical phenotype caused by different variant sites may be specific.
Humans ; Loeys-Dietz Syndrome/genetics* ; Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I/genetics* ; Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II/genetics* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta3 ; Face

Objective:To study the logistic regression model and Chi-square automatic interaction detection decision tree model in the prediction of the recurrence of acute pancreatitis (AP).Methods:Clinical data of 364 patients with AP admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University from June 2021 to June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including 219 males and 145 females, aged 53 (19-91) years. The patients were divided into the recurrence group ( n=63), those who experienced a second or more episodes of AP, and the initial group ( n=301), those who were diagnosed of AP for the first time. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with recurrence of AP, and the decision tree model was used to analyze those factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were plotted to analyze the predictive performance of the two models. Results:Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age ( OR=0.969, 95% CI: 0.949-0.990, P=0.004), body mass index ( OR=1.142, 95% CI: 1.059-1.232, P=0.001), and hyperlipidemia ( OR=3.034, 95% CI: 1.543-5.964, P=0.001) were independent factors influencing the recurrence of AP. The accuracy of the model in predicting recurrence was 83.2% (303/364). The decision tree model showed that hyperlipidemia and body mass index were factors influencing the recurrence of AP, with an accuracy of 82.7% (301/364) in predicting recurrence. The area under the ROC curve was larger in the logistic regression model compared to that in the decision tree model (0.776 vs 0.730, Z=2.02, P=0.043). Conclusion:The logistic regression model and the Chi-square automatic interaction detection decision tree model can help predict the recurrence of AP. It is recommended to combine the two models to better guide clinical practice.