Objective: Huntington’s disease (HD) is characterized by motor, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Oculomotor impairments and gait variability have been independently considered as potential markers in HD. However, an integrated analysis of eye movement and gait is lacking. We performed multiple examinations of eye movement and gait variability in HTT mutation carriers, analyzed the consistency between these parameters and clinical severity, and then examined the associations between oculomotor impairments and gait deficits. Methods: We included 7 patients with pre-HD, 30 patients with HD and 30 age-matched controls. We collected demographic data and assessed the Unified Huntington’s Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) score. Examinations, including saccades, smooth pursuit tests, and optokinetic (OPK) tests, were performed to evaluate eye movement function. The parameters of gait include stride length, walking velocity, step deviation, step length, and gait phase. Results: HD patients have significant impairments in the latency and velocity of saccades, the gain of smooth pursuit, and the gain and slow phase velocities of OPK tests. Only the speed of saccades significantly differed between pre-HD patients and controls. There are significant impairments in stride length, walking velocity, step length, and gait phase in HD patients. The parameters of eye movement and gait variability in HD patients were consistent with the UHDRS scores. There were significant correlations between eye movement and gait parameters. Conclusion Our results show that eye movement and gait are impaired in HD patients and that the speed of saccades is impaired early in pre-HD. Eye movement and gait abnormalities in HD patients are significantly correlated with clinical disease severity.

Objective: Huntington’s disease (HD) is characterized by motor, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Oculomotor impairments and gait variability have been independently considered as potential markers in HD. However, an integrated analysis of eye movement and gait is lacking. We performed multiple examinations of eye movement and gait variability in HTT mutation carriers, analyzed the consistency between these parameters and clinical severity, and then examined the associations between oculomotor impairments and gait deficits. Methods: We included 7 patients with pre-HD, 30 patients with HD and 30 age-matched controls. We collected demographic data and assessed the Unified Huntington’s Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) score. Examinations, including saccades, smooth pursuit tests, and optokinetic (OPK) tests, were performed to evaluate eye movement function. The parameters of gait include stride length, walking velocity, step deviation, step length, and gait phase. Results: HD patients have significant impairments in the latency and velocity of saccades, the gain of smooth pursuit, and the gain and slow phase velocities of OPK tests. Only the speed of saccades significantly differed between pre-HD patients and controls. There are significant impairments in stride length, walking velocity, step length, and gait phase in HD patients. The parameters of eye movement and gait variability in HD patients were consistent with the UHDRS scores. There were significant correlations between eye movement and gait parameters. Conclusion Our results show that eye movement and gait are impaired in HD patients and that the speed of saccades is impaired early in pre-HD. Eye movement and gait abnormalities in HD patients are significantly correlated with clinical disease severity.

Objective: Huntington’s disease (HD) is characterized by motor, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Oculomotor impairments and gait variability have been independently considered as potential markers in HD. However, an integrated analysis of eye movement and gait is lacking. We performed multiple examinations of eye movement and gait variability in HTT mutation carriers, analyzed the consistency between these parameters and clinical severity, and then examined the associations between oculomotor impairments and gait deficits. Methods: We included 7 patients with pre-HD, 30 patients with HD and 30 age-matched controls. We collected demographic data and assessed the Unified Huntington’s Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) score. Examinations, including saccades, smooth pursuit tests, and optokinetic (OPK) tests, were performed to evaluate eye movement function. The parameters of gait include stride length, walking velocity, step deviation, step length, and gait phase. Results: HD patients have significant impairments in the latency and velocity of saccades, the gain of smooth pursuit, and the gain and slow phase velocities of OPK tests. Only the speed of saccades significantly differed between pre-HD patients and controls. There are significant impairments in stride length, walking velocity, step length, and gait phase in HD patients. The parameters of eye movement and gait variability in HD patients were consistent with the UHDRS scores. There were significant correlations between eye movement and gait parameters. Conclusion Our results show that eye movement and gait are impaired in HD patients and that the speed of saccades is impaired early in pre-HD. Eye movement and gait abnormalities in HD patients are significantly correlated with clinical disease severity.

This paper aimed to systematically evaluate the effects of hypoxic training at different fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO₂) on body composition, glucose metabolism, and lipid metabolism in obese individuals, and to determine the optimal oxygen concentration range to provide scientific evidence for personalized and precise hypoxic exercise prescriptions. A systematic search was conducted in the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and CNKI databases for randomized controlled trials and pre-post intervention studies published up to March 31, 2025, involving hypoxic training interventions in obese populations. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software to assess the effects of different fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO₂≤14% vs. FiO₂>14%) on BMI, body fat percentage, waist circumference, fasting blood glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), with subgroup analyses based on oxygen concentration. A total of 22 studies involving 292 participants were included. Meta-analysis showed that hypoxic training significantly reduced BMI (mean difference (MD)=-2.29,95%CI: -3.42 to -1.17, P<0.000 1), body fat percentage (MD=-2.32, 95%CI: -3.16 to -1.47, P<0.001), waist circumference (MD=-3.79, 95%CI: -6.73 to -0.85, P=0.01), fasting blood glucose (MD=-3.58, 95%CI: -6.23 to -0.93, P=0.008), insulin (MD=-1.60, 95%CI: -2.98 to -0.22, P=0.02), TG (MD=-0.18, 95%CI: -0.25 to -0.12, P<0.001), and LDL-C (MD=-0.25, 95%CI: -0.39 to -0.11, P=0.000 3). Greater improvements were observed under moderate hypoxic conditions with FiO₂>14%. Changes in HOMA-IR (MD=-0.74, 95%CI: -1.52 to 0.04,P=0.06) and HDL-C (MD=-0.09, 95%CI: -0.21 to 0.02, P=0.11) were not statistically significant. Hypoxic training can significantly improve body composition, glucose metabolism, and lipid metabolism indicators in obese individuals, with greater benefits observed under moderate hypoxia (FiO>14%). As a key parameter in hypoxic exercise interventions, the precise setting of oxygen concentration is crucial for optimizing intervention outcomes.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy is a distinct form of cardiomyopathy that can lead to heart failure, arrhythmias, cardiogenic shock, and sudden death. It has become a major cause of mortality in diabetic patients. The pathogenesis of diabetic cardiomyopathy is complex, involving increased oxidative stress, activation of inflammatory responses, disturbances in glucose and lipid metabolism, accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), abnormal autophagy and apoptosis, insulin resistance, and impaired intracellular Ca²⁺ homeostasis. Recent studies have shown that adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) plays a crucial protective role by lowering blood glucose levels, promoting lipolysis, inhibiting lipid synthesis, and exerting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and anti-ferroptotic effects. It also enhances autophagy, thereby alleviating myocardial injury under hyperglycemic conditions. Consequently, AMPK is considered a key protective factor in diabetic cardiomyopathy. As part of diabetes prevention and treatment strategies, both pharmacological and exercise interventions have been shown to mitigate diabetic cardiomyopathy by modulating the AMPK signaling pathway. However, the precise regulatory mechanisms, optimal intervention strategies, and clinical translation require further investigation. This review summarizes the role of AMPK in the prevention and treatment of diabetic cardiomyopathy through drug and/or exercise interventions, aiming to provide a reference for the development and application of AMPK-targeted therapies. First, several classical AMPK activators (e.g., AICAR, A-769662, O-304, and metformin) have been shown to enhance autophagy and glucose uptake while inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory responses by increasing the phosphorylation of AMPK and its downstream target, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and/or by upregulating the gene expression of glucose transporters GLUT1 and GLUT4. Second, many antidiabetic agents (e.g., teneligliptin, liraglutide, exenatide, semaglutide, canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, and empagliflozin) can promote autophagy, reverse excessive apoptosis and autophagy, and alleviate oxidative stress and inflammation by enhancing AMPK phosphorylation and its downstream targets, such as mTOR, or by increasing the expression of silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor‑α (PPAR‑α). Third, certain anti-anginal (e.g., trimetazidine, nicorandil), anti-asthmatic (e.g., farrerol), antibacterial (e.g., sodium houttuyfonate), and antibiotic (e.g., minocycline) agents have been shown to promote autophagy/mitophagy, mitochondrial biogenesis, and inhibit oxidative stress and lipid accumulation via AMPK phosphorylation and its downstream targets such as protein kinase B (PKB/AKT) and/or PPAR‑α. Fourth, natural compounds (e.g., dihydromyricetin, quercetin, resveratrol, berberine, platycodin D, asiaticoside, cinnamaldehyde, and icariin) can upregulate AMPK phosphorylation and downstream targets such as AKT, mTOR, and/or the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), thereby exerting anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, anti-pyroptotic, antioxidant, and pro-autophagic effects. Fifth, moderate exercise (e.g., continuous or intermittent aerobic exercise, aerobic combined with resistance training, or high-intensity interval training) can activate AMPK and its downstream targets (e.g., acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), GLUT4, PPARγ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), PPAR-α, and forkhead box protein O3 (FOXO3)) to promote fatty acid oxidation and glucose uptake, and to inhibit oxidative stress and excessive mitochondrial fission. Finally, the combination of liraglutide and aerobic interval training has been shown to activate the AMPK/FOXO1 pathway, thereby reducing excessive myocardial fatty acid uptake and oxidation. This combination therapy offers superior improvement in cardiac dysfunction, myocardial hypertrophy, and fibrosis in diabetic conditions compared to liraglutide or exercise alone.

This study aims to systematically characterize the targeted effects of Quanduzhong Capsules on cartilage lesions in knee osteoarthritis by integrating spatial transcriptomics data mining and animal experiments validation, thereby elucidating the related molecular mechanisms. A knee osteoarthritis model was established using Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats, via a modified Hulth method. Hematoxylin and eosin(HE) staining was employed to detect knee osteoarthritis-associated pathological changes in knee cartilage. Candidate targets of Quanduzhong Capsules were collected from the HIT 2.0 database, followed by bioinformatics analysis of spatial transcriptomics datasets(GSE254844) from cartilage tissues in clinical knee osteoarthritis patients to identify spatially specific disease genes. Furthermore, a "formula candidate targets-spatially specific genes in cartilage lesions" interaction network was constructed to explore the effects and major mechanisms of Quanduzhong Capsules in distinct cartilage regions. Experimental validation was conducted through immunohistochemistry using animal-derived biospecimens. The results indicated that Quanduzhong Capsules effectively inhibited the degenerative changes in the cartilage of affected joints in rats, which was associated with the regulation of Quanduzhong Capsules on the thioredoxin-interacting protein(TXNIP)-NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3)-bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 2(BMPR2)-fibronectin 1(FN1)-matrix metallopeptidase 2(MMP2) signal axis in the articular cartilage surface and superficial zones, subsequently inhibiting cartilage matrix degradation leading to oxidative stress and inflammatory diffusion. In summary, this study clarifies the spatially specific targeted effects and protective mechanisms of Quanduzhong Capsules within pathological cartilage regions in knee osteoarthritis, providing theoretical and experimental support for the clinical application of this drug in the targeted therapy on the inflamed cartilage.
Animals ; Osteoarthritis, Knee/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Male ; Humans ; Capsules ; Female ; Disease Models, Animal

Macroporous resin adsorption column chromatography, silica gel column chromatography, ODS column chromatography, and semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography, combined with analytical methods such as NMR and MS, were employed to separate and identify compounds from the 70% ethanol extract of Ajania purpurea. A total of 30 compounds were isolated and identified, including 13 phenolic acids, 7 coumarins, 2 lignans, 1 flavonoid, 2 sesquiterpenes, 1 steroid, and 4 others. Among them, compounds 1 and 2 were newly discovered compounds, and compounds 4, 6, 8, 12, 14-23, 25, 28, and 30 were isolated from Ajania plants for the first time. Bioactivity screening showed that multiple compounds significantly inhibited the production of nitric oxide in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, compound 2 elevated the levels of glutathione in LPS-induced BEAS-2B cells, reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α, interleukin(IL)-6, and IL-1β, enhanced the mRNA of GPX4, HMOX1, NFE2L2, and enhanced protein levels of GPX4, HO-1, Nrf2, and SLC7A11, demonstrating potential anti-ferroptotic effect.
Mice ; Animals ; Lignans/isolation & purification* ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/immunology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification* ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism* ; Macrophages/metabolism* ; Interleukin-6/immunology*

The quality of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is a critical foundation for ensuring the stability of its efficacy, as well as the safety and effectiveness of its clinical use. The identification of critical quality attributes(CQAs) is one of the core components of TCM preparation quality control. This study focuses on Jianwei Xiaoshi Tablets and explores their CQAs related to property and flavor from the perspective of taste receptor proteins. Three taste receptor proteins, T1R2, T1R3, and TRPV1, were selected, and a biosensor based on high-electron-mobility transistor(HEMT) was constructed to detect the interactions between Jianwei Xiaoshi Tablets and taste receptor proteins. Simultaneously, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS) technology was used to analyze the chemical composition of Jianwei Xiaoshi Tablets. In examining the interaction strength, the results indicated that the interaction between Jianwei Xiaoshi Tablets and TRPV1 protein was the strongest, followed by T1R3, with the interaction with T1R2 being relatively weaker. By combining biosensing technology with LC-MS, 16 chemical components were identified from Jianwei Xiaoshi Tablets, among which six were selected as CQAs for sweetness and seven for pungency. Further validation experiments demonstrated that CQAs such as hesperidin and hesperetin had strong interactions with their corresponding taste receptor proteins. Through the combined use of multiple technological approaches, this study successfully determined the property and flavor-related CQAs of Jianwei Xiaoshi Tablets. It provides novel ideas and approach for the identification of CQAs in TCM preparations and offers comprehensive theoretical support for TCM quality control, contributing to the improvement and development of TCM preparation quality control systems.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Biosensing Techniques/methods* ; TRPV Cation Channels/chemistry* ; Tablets/chemistry* ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/genetics* ; Quality Control ; Taste ; Humans ; Mass Spectrometry

Moringa oleifera, widely utilized in Ayurvedic medicine, is recognized for its leaves, seeds, and velamen possessing traditional effects such as vātahara(wind alleviation), sirovirecaka(brain clearing), and hridya(mental nourishment). This study aims to identify the medicinal part of ■ in the Sārasvata ghee formulation as described in the Bower Manuscript, while investigating the ameliorative effects of different medicinal parts of M. oleifera on learning and memory deficits in mice and elucidating the underlying molecular mechanisms. A total of 144 male ICR mice were randomly assigned to the following groups: control, model(scopolamine hydrobromide, Sco, 2 mg·kg~(-1)), donepezil(donepezil hydrochloride, Don, 3 mg·kg~(-1)), M. oleifera leaf low-, medium-, and high-dose groups(0.5, 1, 2 g·kg~(-1)), M. oleifera seeds low-, medium-, and high-dose groups(0.25, 0.5, 1 g·kg~(-1)), and M. oleifera velamen low-, medium-, and high-dose groups(0.31, 0.62, 1.24 g·kg~(-1)). Learning and memory abilities were assessed using the passive avoidance test and Morris water maze. Nissl and HE staining were employed to examine histopathological changes in the hippocampus. Transcriptomics and targeted metabolomics were used to screen differential genes and metabolites, with MetaboAnalyst 6.0 and O2PLS methods applied to identify key disease-related targets and pathways. RESULTS:: demonstrated that M. oleifera leaf(1 g·kg~(-1)) significantly ameliorated Sco-induced learning and memory deficits, outperforming M. oleifera seeds(0.25 g·kg~(-1)) and M. oleifera velamen(1.24 g·kg~(-1)). This was evidenced by improved behavioral performance, reversal of neuronal damage, and reduced acetylcholinesterase(AChE) activity. Multi-omics analysis revealed that M. oleifera leaf upregulated Tuba1c gene expression through the synaptic vesicle cycle, enhancing glutamate(Glu), dopamine(DA), and acetylcholine(ACh) release via Tuba1c-Glu associations for neuroprotection. M. oleifera seeds targeted the dopaminergic synapse pathway, promoting memory consolidation through Drd2-ACh associations. M. oleifera velamen was associated with the cocaine addiction pathway, modulating dopamine metabolism via Adora2a-DOPAC, with limited relevance to learning and memory. In conclusion, M. oleifera leaf exhibits superior efficacy and mechanistic advantages over M. oleifera seeds and velamen, suggesting that the ■ in the Sārasvata ghee formulation is likely M. oleifera leaf, providing scientific evidence for its identification in ancient texts.
Animals ; Moringa oleifera/chemistry* ; Male ; Mice ; Seeds/chemistry* ; Plant Leaves/chemistry* ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Memory Disorders/psychology* ; Transcriptome/drug effects* ; Memory/drug effects* ; Learning/drug effects* ; Metabolomics ; Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Maze Learning/drug effects*

Microbial detection and control of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) decoction pieces are crucial for the quality control of TCM preparations. It is also a key area of research in the measurement technology and equipment development for TCM manufacturing. Guided by TCM manufacturing measurement methodologies, this study presented a design of a novel portable microbial detection device, using Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma decoction pieces as a demonstration. Immunomagnetic separation technology was employed for specific isolation and labeling of target microorganisms. Enzymatic signal amplification was utilized to convert weak biological signals into colorimetric signals, constructing an optical biosensor. A self-developed smartphone APP was further applied to analyze the colorimetric signals and quantify target concentrations. A portable and automated detection system based on Arduino microcontroller was developed to automatically perform target microbial separation/extraction, as well as mimetic enzyme labeling and catalytic reactions. The developed equipment specifically focuses on the rapid and quantitative microbial analysis of TCM active pharmaceutical ingredients, intermediates in TCM manufacturing, and final TCM products. Experimental results demonstrate that the equipment could detect Salmonella in samples within 2 h, with a detection limit as low as 5.1 × 10~3 CFU·mL~(-1). The equipment enables the rapid detection of microorganisms in TCM decoction pieces, providing a potential technical solution for on-site rapid screening of microbial contamination indicators in TCM. It has broad application prospects in measurement technology for TCM manufacturing and offers strong technical support for the modernization, industrialization, and intelligent development of TCM.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/analysis* ; Atractylodes/microbiology* ; Rhizome/microbiology* ; Biosensing Techniques/methods* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Colorimetry/instrumentation* ; Quality Control