ObjectiveTo explore the effect of a novel initiation model on initiating behavioral requests in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). MethodsFrom November to December, 2022, 44 children with ASD were selected from Jiaxing Sunlight Rehabilitation Kindergarten, and divided into prelinguistic group (n = 23) and linguistic group (n = 21) according to the language function. The initiation-requested skills, and types and frequency of initiation-requested behaviors were observed under the novel initiation model and the conventional initiation model. ResultsBoth the groups scored higher in the novel initiation model than in the conventional initiation model for initiation-requested skills (|t| > 2.794, P < 0.05) and types of initiation-requested behaviors (|t| > 3.697, P < 0.01), and it increased for the frequency of the use of two- and three-behavioral initiation of requests (χ² > 7.986, P < 0.05). ConclusionThe novel initiation model can improve initiation request skills in children with ASD.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma polysaccharides on hyperlipidemia in mice by modulating the gut microbiota. MethodsNinety male C57BL/6J mice were randomized into the following groups （n=15）： control， model， simvastatin， low- （100 mg·kg^-1）， medium- （200 mg·kg^-1）， and high-dose （400 mg·kg^-1） Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma polysaccharides groups. Other groups except the control group were fed with a high-fat diet for the modeling of hyperlipidemia， and drug interventions lasted for 12 weeks. Serum levels of total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C） were measured by an automatic biochemical analyzer. The pathological changes in the liver and epididymal fat were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining， and lipid accumulation in the liver was assessed by oil red O staining. The gut microbiota was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group exhibited an increase in body weight （P<0.01）， along with marked elevations in serum levels of TC， TG， and LDL-C （P<0.05，P<0.01）. Furthermore， the model group showcased increase in the liver index and epididymal fat coefficient （P<0.05）， increased liver fat accumulation， enlargement of adipocytes in the epididymal fat， decreases in both alpha and beta diversity of the gut microbiota， and an increase in the relative abundance of Allobaculum （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma polysaccharides suppressed the increase in body weight （P<0.01）， lowered the serum levels of TC， TG， and LDL-C （P<0.05，P<0.01）， reduced the liver index and epididymal fat coefficient （P<0.05）， alleviated liver fat accumulation， and decreased the size of adipocytes in the epididymal fat. Furthermore， it enhanced the alpha and beta diversity of the gut microbiota in mice， reduced the relative abundance of Allobaculum， Erysipelotrichaceae， and Clostridium （P<0.01）， and increased the relative abundance of Akkermansia and Blautia （P<0.01）. ConclusionPolygonati Odorati Rhizoma polysaccharides can ameliorate hyperlipidemia induced by a high-fat diet in mice by regulating the diversity and composition of the gut microbiota.

ObjectiveTo observe the antidepressant effect of Chaihu Shugansan combined with ferulic acid on the rat model of chronic unpredictable mild stress （CUMS） and explore the mechanism from the histomorphology of frontal cortex， expression of key molecules in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF）/tyrosine kinase receptor B （TrkB） signaling pathway， and changes in monoamine neurotransmitter levels. MethodsSixty adult male SD rats were randomized into six groups （n=10）： blank control， depression model， Chaihu Shugansan （3.3 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， ferulic acid （50 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）， Chaihu Shugansan （3.3 g·kg^-1·d^-1） + ferulic acid （50 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）， and fluoxetine （2.1 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）. Rats in other groups except the blank control group were subjected to a mild chronic unpredictable stress stimulus every day. Seven stimuli were used， including fasting with free access to water for 24 h， water deprivation with free access to food for 24 h， wetting the bedding with water in the cage， restraint for 3 h， tail clamping for 1 min， swimming in ice water at 4 ℃， and day and night reversal. Each stimulus was used 1 to 3 times， and the modeling lasted for a total of 21 days. At the same time of stimulation， rats in each medication group were treated with corresponding agents by gavage， while those in the blank control group and the depression model group received equal volumes of normal saline by gavage. The open field test， sucrose preference test， and forced swimming test were conducted before and after modeling. The rats were anesthetized by intraperitoneal injection of 3% pentobarbital sodium， and the frontal cortex was isolated on ice. The mRNA and protein levels of BDNF， TrkB， and cyclic adenosine monophosphate-responsive element-binding protein （CREB） in the frontal cortex were determined by Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot， respectively. The levels of monoamine neurotransmitters 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT）， dopamine （DA）， and norepinephrine （NE） in the frontal cortex were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Light microscopy was employed to observe the histopathological changes in the frontal cortex. ResultsCompared with the blank control group， the depression model group showed reduced body mass （P<0.05， P<0.01）， decreased number of crossings and rearings in the open field test and sucrose preference （P<0.01）， prolonged time of immobility in the forced swimming test （P<0.01）， reduced neuronal cells， increased necrotic cells， and darkening cell staining in the frontal cortex， down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of BDNF， TrkB， CREB， and lowered levels of 5-HT， NE， and DA in the frontal cortex （P<0.01）. Compared with the depression model group， each intervention group showed improved general state， increased body mass （P<0.05）， increased number of crossings （P<0.05）， shortened immobility time in the forced swimming test （P<0.01）， increased neuronal cells， reduced necrotic cells， and lightened cellular staining in the frontal cortex， up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of BDNF， TrkB and CREB， and elevated levels of 5-HT， NE， and DA in the frontal cortex （P<0.01）. Moreover， the Chaihu Shugansan + ferulic acid group outperformed the Chaihu Shugansan group and the ferulic acid group in increasing the body mass and the 5-HT content in the frontal cortex （P<0.05）. The combination group outperformed the Chaihu Shugansan group regarding the number of rearings and up-regulation in the mRNA level of BDNF in the frontal cortex （P<0.05）， and it was superior to the ferulic acid group in terms of shortening the immobility time in the forced swimming test， up-regulating the mRNA levels of BDNF， TrkB， and CREB and the protein levels of BDNF and CREB in the frontal cortex， and increasing the DA content in the frontal cortex （P<0.05）. ConclusionChaihu Shugansan combined with ferulic acid can exert antidepressant effect on the rat model of CUMS by regulating the BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway and monoamine neurotransmitter content in the frontal cortex. Moreover， the antidepressant effect of Chaihu Shugansan combined with ferulic acid was more significant than that of Chaihu Shugansan and ferulic acid used alone.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and possible mechanism of prolyl endopeptidase （PREP） on a mouse model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis （NASH） induced by high-fat diet. MethodsA total of 18 healthy male C57BL/6J mice， aged 6‍ ‍—‍ ‍8 weeks， were randomly divided into normal control group， NASH group， and NASH+rosmarinic acid （RA） group， with 6 mice in each group. The mice in the control group were fed with normal diet for 16 weeks， and those in the NASH group and the NASH+RA group were fed with high-fat diet for 16 weeks； the mice in the NASH+RA group were given the PREP inhibitor RA by gavage since week 9 at a dose of 100 mg/kg， once a day for 8 weeks. The mice were sacrificed after modeling and intervention， and each group of mice was observed in terms of serum inflammatory indicators， the concentration of triglyceride in the liver， and the changes in liver lipids/inflammation/liver fibrosis； NAFLD activity score （NAS） was calculated. Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR were used to measure the protein and mRNA expression levels of PREP， peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ （PPAR-γ）， fibroblast growth factor 21 （FGF21）， and silent information regulator 1 （SIRT1） in liver tissue. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between multiple groups， while the least significant difference t-test and the Dunnett’s-T3 test were used for further comparison between two groups. The Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between multiple groups and further comparison between two groups. ResultsCompared with the NASH group， the NASH+RA group had significant reductions in the serum levels of interleukin-6， tumor necrosis factor-α， and triglyceride （all P<0.05）， as well as significant improvements in hepatic steatosis， hepatocyte edema， inflammatory cell infiltration， and liver tissue lesion. The NASH+RA group had a significant reduction in NAS compared with the NASH group （P<0.05）， and the NASH group had an increase in perivascular collagen fiber with occasional fiber bridging， while the NASH+RA group had a slight reduction in perivascular collagen fiber compared with the NASH group. Compared with the normal control group， the NASH group had a significant increase in collagen area percentage in the liver （P<0.05）， while the NASH+RA group had no significant reduction in collagen area percentage compared with the NASH group. Compared with the NASH group， the NASH+RA group had significant increases in the relative protein expression levels of PPAR-γ， FGF21， and SIRT1 （all P<0.05） and a significant reduction in the relative protein expression level of PREP （P<0.05）. Compared with the NASH group， the NASH+RA group had significant increases in the relative mRNA expression levels of PPAR-γ， FGF21， and SIRT1 （P<0.05） and a significant reduction in the relative mRNA expression level of PREP （P<0.05）. ConclusionPREP reduces the level of inflammation and improves NASH in mice by regulating the PPAR-γ/FGF21/SIRT1 signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the enrollment scale and distribution of Master's Degree in Pediatrics programs in China, and to provide a reference for promoting pediatric education and disciplinary development.Methods:Data on colleges and universities authorized to award Master's Degree in Pediatrics in 2023 were collected, sorted, and analyzed for the number, structure, distribution, and enrollment scale and direction of these institutions using descriptive statistics.Results:Among the 117 clinical medicine academic master's degree programs in China, 72 enroll pediatric academic master's degree candidates, with an enrollment of 260 students. Among the 120 master's degree programs in clinical medicine, 104 enroll professional master's degree candidates, enrolling 1 195 students. Enrollment is mainly concentrated in East China, "non-double first-class" colleges and universities, medical colleges and universities with subject level B, and enrollment is carried out in the direction of secondary disciplines.Conclusions:The number of colleges and universities authorized to award Master's Degree in Pediatrics was small, and the distribution of these colleges and universities was unbalanced. The enrollment scale was small and the orientation of Professional Master's Degree was not reasonable. Some colleges and universities were authorized to award Master's Degree in Pediatrics, but did not enroll any students. It is suggested to increase the number of colleges and universities authorized to award Master's Degree in Pediatrics and strengthen the staffing of pediatric departments. The aim is to expand the enrollment scale of candidates for Master's Degree in Pediatrics, improving the differential training of candidates for Academic Master's Degree and Professional Master's Degree, and attach importance to the construction of pediatrics.

Iron is indispensable for the viablility of nearly all living organisms, and it is imperative for cells, tissues, and organisms to acquire this essential metal sufficiently and maintain its metabolic stability for survival. Disruption of iron homeostasis can lead to the development of various diseases. There is a robust connection between iron metabolism and infection, immunity, inflammation, and aging, suggesting that disorders in iron metabolism may contribute to the pathogenesis of arthritis. Numerous studies have focused on the significant role of iron metabolism in the development of arthritis and its potential for targeted drug therapy. Targeting iron metabolism offers a promising approach for individualized treatment of arthritis. Therefore, this review aimed to investigate the mechanisms by which the body maintains iron metabolism and the impacts of iron and iron metabolism disorders on arthritis. Furthermore, this review aimed to identify potential therapeutic targets and active substances related to iron metabolism, which could provide promising research directions in this field.

Objective To analyze the influencing factors of clinical pregnancy and live birth rates in patients undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer(FET)for the first time.Methods The clinical data of 1 458 patients who underwent FET cycle-assisted pregnancy for the first time were retrospectively analyzed and divided into four groups according to clinical pregnancy and live bith outcomes.The clini-cal data were compared to analyze the factors affecting clinical pregnancy and live birth rates in FET cycles that were included in multiple logistic regression analysis.Results Of the 1458 cycles,the clinical pregnancy and live birth rates were 44.0% and 34.0%,respectively.The mean age of the clinical pregnancy and live birth groups was lower than that in non-clinical pregnancy and stillbirth groups(P<0.05).The clinical pregnancy and live birth rates of patients aged<35 years were higher than those aged≥35 years(P<0.05).The clinical preg-nancy and live birth rates of patients with≥8 mm endometrial thickness were higher than those with<8 mm endometrial thickness(P<0.05).The clinical pregnancy rate of natural cycles of endometrial preparation regimen was higher than that of HRT cycles(P<0.05).The clinical pregnancy and live birth rates of double-embryo transfers were higher than that of single-embryo transfers(P<0.05).The clinical pregnancy and live birth rates of blastocyst transfers were higher than those of cleavage stage(P<0.05).Conclusion Age,endometrial thickness,number of transplanted embryos,and embryo morphology were the independent factors influencing clinical pregnancy and live birth outcomes during FET cycle transplantation.

Objective:To investigate whether hsa_circ_0054595(circRTN4)is involved in glomerulosclerosis of lupus nephri-tis(LN)by regulating monocyte-derived TNF-α.Methods:RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence were used to detect the expression of TNF-α in monocytes of LN patients,and fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH)was used to detect the expression of circRTN4.THP1 cells were transfected with circRTN4-siRNA and negative control NC-siRNA,respectively.RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of TNF-α in THP1cell,and ELISA was used to detect the expression of TNF-α in THP1 culture superna-tant.THP1 cells were transfected with mircoRNA mimics,and the expression of TNF-α was detected by Western blot.The direct bind-ing of miR-486-3p to TNF-α and circRTN4 were verified by reversion experiment and dual luciferase reporter gene experiment.MRL/lpr mice were injected with circRTN4 recombinant adeno-associated virus via tail vein,and the expression of circRTN4 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the mice was detected by RT-qPCR.ELISA was used to detect the expression of serum TNF-α.HE staining and PAS staining were used to observe the pathological changes,and immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression of FN.Results:The expressions of TNF-α and circRTN4 were increased in monocytes of LN patients(P<0.05).The expression of TNF-α in THP1 was significantly increased in the LN group(P<0.01).Knockdown of circRTN4 inhibited the expression and secretion of TNF-α(P<0.05),and this effect was achieved by binding to miR-486-3p(P<0.01).In vivo,knockdown of circRTN4 in peripheral blood monocytes of MRL/lpr mice reduced the expression of TNF-α in serum(P<0.05),and improved glomerular cell proliferation and FN deposition.Conclusion:Highly expressed circRTN4 in monocytes promotes the expression of TNF-α by binding to miR-486-3p,and participates in the occurrence and development of glomerulosclerosis in LN.

Background and Aims:Cholangiocarcinoma,a rare malignant tumor,is difficult to diagnose and often detected at an advanced stage,limiting treatment options to palliative care.Conventional chemotherapy drugs have poor efficacy against cholangiocarcinoma,making the search for new treatments critical.This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Huai'erjunzhi on the malignant biological behavior of human cholangiocarcinoma cells and its relationship with the TGF-β/Smad pathway,aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the use of Huai'erjunzhi in cholangiocarcinoma treatment. Methods:Human normal liver cells(L-02)and human cholangiocarcinoma cells(HuCCT1)were incubated with different concentrations of Huai'erjunzhi for various durations.Cell proliferation was assessed,and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50)was calculated.HuCCT1 cells were divided into a negative control group(no intervention),a positive control group(15 mg/L cisplatin),and different Huai'erjunzhi intervention groups(1/5 IC50,2/5 IC50,and IC50 based on preliminary experimental results).Scratch and Transwell assays were used to measure cell migration and invasion,while Western blot was employed to detect the expression of proteins related to the TGF-β/Smad pathway in HuCCT1 cells. Results:Only high concentrations of Huai'erjunzhi(＞312.5 mg/L)significantly inhibited the proliferation of L-02 cells.Huai'erjunzhi significantly inhibited the proliferation of HuCCT1 cells at concentrations above 5 mg/L in a concentration-dependent manner(all P＜0.05),with IC50 values of 138.52 mg/L at 24 h,99.41 mg/L at 48 h,and 113.52 mg/L at 72 h.Compared with the negative control group,the positive control group and the three Huai'erjunzhi intervention groups(20,40,and 100 mg/L)exhibited reduced migration distance,decreased invasive cell numbers,lower expression of TGF-β1,Smad2,Smad3,Smad4,N-cadherin,Snail,and Slug,and increased expression of E-cadherin(all P＜0.05).Compared with the positive control group,these changes in the Huai'erjunzhi groups were less pronounced but showed a clear concentration-dependent relationship(all P＜0.05). Conclusion:Huai'erjunzhi can potentially inhibit the malignant biological behavior of HuCCT1 cells by inhibiting the TGF-β/Smad pathway.

Objective:In chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with previous 96-week treatment with tenofovir amibufenamide (TMF) or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), we investigated the efficacy of sequential TMF treatment from 96 to 144 weeks.Methods:Enrolled subjects who were previously assigned (2:1) to receive either 25 mg TMF or 300 mg TDF with matching placebo for 96 weeks received extended or switched TMF treatment for 48 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated based on virological, serological, biological parameters, and fibrosis staging. Statistical analysis was performed using the McNemar test, t-test, or Log-Rank test according to the data. Results:593 subjects from the initial TMF group and 287 subjects from the TDF group were included at week 144, with the proportions of HBV DNA<20 IU/ml at week 144 being 86.2% and 83.3%, respectively, and 78.1% and 73.8% in patients with baseline HBV DNA levels ≥8 log10 IU/ml. Resistance to tenofovir was not detected in both groups. For HBeAg loss and seroconversion rates, both groups showed a further increase from week 96 to 144 and the 3-year cumulative rates of HBeAg loss were about 35% in each group. However, HBsAg levels were less affected during 96 to 144 weeks. For patients switched from TDF to TMF, a substantial further increase in the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization rate was observed (11.4%), along with improved FIB-4 scores.Conclusion:After 144 weeks of TMF treatment, CHB patients achieved high rates of virological, serological, and biochemical responses, as well as improved liver fibrosis outcomes. Also, switching to TMF resulted in significant benefits in ALT normalization rates (NCT03903796).