ObjectiveAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties with communication and social interaction, restricted and repetitive behaviors. Previous studies have indicated that individuals with ASD exhibit early and lifelong attention deficits, which are closely related to the core symptoms of ASD. Basic visual attention processes may provide a critical foundation for their social communication and interaction abilities. Therefore, this study explores the behavior of children with ASD in capturing attention to changes in topological properties. MethodsOur study recruited twenty-seven ASD children diagnosed by professional clinicians according to DSM-5 and twenty-eight typically developing (TD) age-matched controls. In an attention capture task, we recorded the saccadic behaviors of children with ASD and TD in response to topological change (TC) and non-topological change (nTC) stimuli. Saccadic reaction time (SRT), visual search time (VS), and first fixation dwell time (FFDT) were used as indicators of attentional bias. Pearson correlation tests between the clinical assessment scales and attentional bias were conducted. ResultsThis study found that TD children had significantly faster SRT (P<0.05) and VS (P<0.05) for the TC stimuli compared to the nTC stimuli, while the children with ASD did not exhibit significant differences in either measure (P>0.05). Additionally, ASD children demonstrated significantly less attention towards the TC targets (measured by FFDT), in comparison to TD children (P<0.05). Furthermore, ASD children exhibited a significant negative linear correlation between their attentional bias (measured by VS) and their scores on the compulsive subscale (P<0.05). ConclusionThe results suggest that children with ASD have difficulty shifting their attention to objects with topological changes during change detection. This atypical attention may affect the child’s cognitive and behavioral development, thereby impacting their social communication and interaction. In sum, our findings indicate that difficulties in attentional capture by TC may be a key feature of ASD.

BACKGROUND:Microcirculation,as the only place for the energy metabolism of body substances,is closely related to the human movement ability.Resistance exercise is an effective way to improve the function of microcirculation,but some studies have also pointed out that blood flow restriction exercise can also improve the function of microcirculation and has the advantages of small load and high safety. OBJECTIVE:To compare the effects of 6-week low-load blood flow restriction exercise and high-intensity resistance exercise on the thigh microcirculation function of athletic young men,and to explore the possible mechanism by which exercises improve microcirculation function from the perspective of vascular endothelial function. METHODS:Sixty sports students from Hubei Minzu University were divided into control group,high-intensity resistance exercise group and low-load blood flow restriction exercise group according to the random number table method,with 20 students in each group.The low-load blood flow restriction exercise group performed a low-load blood flow restriction exercise for 6 weeks(three times a week,90 minutes each,at an exercise intensity of 30%1RM).The high-intensity resistance exercise group received a high-intensity resistance exercise for 6 weeks(three times a week,90 minutes each,at an exercise intensity of 70%1RM).The control group did not perform any form of exercise training during this period.Microcirculatory blood perfusion,transcutaneous partial pressure,muscle oxygen saturation,nitric oxide,endothelial nitric oxide synthase,endothelin 1,vascular endothelial cell growth factor,thigh circumference,and muscle strength were tested in each group on the day before the intervention and the morning after the end of the 6-week intervention. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After the exercise intervention,heating values of microcirculatory blood flow perfusion and blood cell movement speed in the low-load blood flow restriction exercise group and the high-intensity resistance exercise group were significantly different from those in the control group and before the exercise intervention(P<0.05).The heating values of microcirculatory blood flow perfusion and blood cell movement speed showed significant differences between the low-load blood flow restriction exercise group and the high-intensity resistance exercise group(P<0.05).After the exercise intervention,the levels of nitric oxide,endothelial nitric oxide synthase,endothelin 1,and vascular endothelial cell growth factor were significantly different in the low-load blood flow-limiting exercise group and the high-intensity resistance exercise group compared with the control group and the pre-exercise intervention(P<0.05).After the exercise intervention,thigh circumference and thigh muscle strength were significantly different in low-load blood flow restriction group and high-intensity resistance exercise groups compared with the pre-exercise intervention(P<0.05).All these findings indicate that 6-week low-load blood flow restriction exercise and high intensity resistance exercise may regulate the secretion of vascular factors such as endogenous nitric oxide synthase,endothelin-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor to improve the function of thigh microcirculation and increase the contractile strength of the thigh muscle.In addition,And low-load blood flow restriction exercise has better intervention effects on microcirculatory blood perfusion volume and blood cell movement speed,so low-load blood flow restriction exercise is more advantageous than high-intensity resistance exercise in improving microcirculation function.

Objective: To evaluate the incremental vaccine effectiveness (VE) of two dose of the mumps containing vaccine (MuCV) in chidren, so as to provide a basis for optimizing mumps immunization strategies. Methods: A 1∶2 frequency matched case-control study was conducted by using reported mumps cases in childcare centers or schools from Lu an, Hefei, Ma anshan and Huainan cities of Anhui Province from September 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024, as a case group(383 cases). And healthy children in the same classroom were selected as a control group(766 cases). The MuCV immunization histories of participants were collected to estimate the incremental VE of the second dose of MuCV against mumps. Group comparisons were performed using the Chi square test or t-test. For matched case-control pairs, the Cox regression model was employed to calculate the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for two dose MuCV vaccination and to estimate the incremental vaccine effectiveness (VE). Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the case and control groups regarding gender, age, dosage of MuCV vaccination and the time interval since the last dose vaccination( χ 2/t=0.05, 0.20, 0.94, -0.02, P >0.05). The proportions of the case and control groups vaccinated with two doses of MuCV were 26.63% and 29.37%, respectively, and the overall incremental VE of the second dose of MuCV was 40.73% (95% CI=3.03%-63.77%, P <0.05). Subgroup analyses revealed that the incremental VE for children with a period of ≥1 year between the two doses of MuCV was 54.13% (95% CI=1.90%-78.56%, P <0.05), while for children with a period of <1 year, it was 30.63% (95% CI=-28.59%-62.58%, P >0.05). The incremental VE of the second dose of MuCV was 30.36% (95% CI=-25.95%-61.50%, P >0.05) in kindergarten children and 66.73% (95% CI=14.92%-86.99%, P <0.05) in elementary and secondary school students. The incremental VE was 28.78% (95% CI=-27.46%-60.21%, P >0.05) within five years of the last dose of MuCV vaccination and 66.07% (95% CI=-41.56%-91.87%, P >0.05) for vaccinations administered beyond five years. Conclusions The second dose of MuCV may offer additional protection for children; however, extending the interval between two dose of MuCV (<1 year) has shown limited incremental protective effects. Therefore, it is crucial to consider optimizing current immunization strategies for mumps.

Background The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is a vast area with a wide array of ecological environments, resulting in considerable regional variations in air pollution characteristics. Current research is limited by a scarcity of systematic, region-wide studies and risk assessments. Objective To assess the health risks associated with inhalation exposure to nine heavy metal and metalloid elements in atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) for the population of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Methods From the 10th to the 16th of each month throughout 2023, atmospheric PM_2.5 samples were collected at designated monitoring sites in 12 leagues (cities) across the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to analyze the characteristics and trends in concentration. The health risk assessment model developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency was employed to evaluate both the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks associated with the heavy metal elements beryllium (Be), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), hydrargyrum (Hg), plumbum (Pb), manganese (Mn), and nickel (Ni) and the metalloid elements stibium (Sb) and arsenic (As). Results In 2023, a total of 1206 valid PM_2.5 samples were analyzed from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The annual average PM_2.5 concentrations in Inner Mongolia, as well as in the cities of Ordos, Wuhai, and the Alxa League, all exceeded the national limit of 35 μg·m⁻³. The PM_2.5 concentrations across the leagues (cities) exhibited a clear seasonal variation, peaking in winter, followed by spring, and reaching a minimum in summer and autumn. The median PM_2.5 concentration in Ordos throughout the year was higher than that in the other leagues (cities) of the region. Concerning health risks, the non-carcinogenic risks associated with the 9 elements detected in each league (city) were all below 1, indicating acceptable levels. However, the non-carcinogenic risk values for Mn, Cr, and As were relatively high; specifically, Ordos City displayed the highest non-carcinogenic risk values for Mn (7.74×10⁻¹) and Cr (2.97×10⁻²), while Chifeng City recorded the highest value for As (2.34×10⁻³). The carcinogenic risk values for As, Cd, Cr, and Ni fell within the range of 1×10⁻⁹ to 1×10⁻⁵, representing an acceptable level. The health risks varied with age, and the elderly residents faced the highest non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks. Conclusion While the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks from heavy metals and metalloids within atmospheric PM_2.5 in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region are generally within acceptable limits, the potential risks that Mn, As, and Cr pose to the health of elderly people warrants particular attention, and Ordos and Chifeng cities exhibit notably higher health risks among other areas. It is recommended that regular, long-term monitoring be conducted, taking into account the specific conditions at monitoring sites across each league (city), and that targeted air quality management strategies be implemented to protect public health.

This study investigates the material basis and mechanism of Arisaematis Rhizoma Preparatum in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) using animal experiments, component analysis, network pharmacology, and molecular docking. A mouse model of COPD was constructed by cigarette smoke and lipopolysaccharide(LPS). Blood gas analysis was performed to measure the pH and partial pressure of carbon dioxide(PCO_2) in the blood of the mice. Lung tissue sections were analyzed using HE staining, and the effects of Arisaematis Rhizoma Preparatum water extract on inflammatory factors(TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in the lung tissue of COPD model mice were studied by qPCR and Western blot. The composition of the Arisaematis Rhizoma Preparatum water extract was analyzed using UPLC Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS. The SwissTargetPrediction database was used to predict the targets of the chemical components in Arisaematis Rhizoma Preparatum. GeneCards, OMIM, TTD, PharmGKB and DrugBank disease databases were used to screen for COPD targets, and the potential targets of Arisaematis Rhizoma Preparatum in treating COPD were identified. A protein-protein interaction(PPI) network of intersection targets was constructed and analyzed using the STRING database and Cytoscape 3.9.0, and core genes were screened. GO functional analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed using R language, and molecular docking verification was conducted using AutoDock Vina software. The results of the animal experiments showed that Arisaematis Rhizoma Preparatum water extract improved pulmonary ventilation function in COPD model mice, reduced lung inflammatory cells, decreased alveolar cavities, and improved lung tissue condition. The levels of inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β were decreased, and the phosphorylation levels of PI3K and AKT were inhibited. Fifty-two chemical components were identified from Arisaematis Rhizoma Preparatum, and 440 intersection targets related to COPD were found. Nine key components were screened, including hydroxyphenylethylamine, L-tyrosine, L-tyrosyl-L-alanine, 3,4,5-trihydroxy-1-cyclohexene-1-carboxylic acid, methyl azelate, zingerone, 6-gingerol, linoleamide, and linoleoyl ethanolamine. Five core targets were identified, including AKT1, TNF, STAT3, ESR1, and IL1B. The PI3K/AKT pathway was identified as the key pathway for the treatment of COPD with Arisaematis Rhizoma Preparatum. Molecular docking results showed that 75% of the binding energies of key components and core targets were less than-5 kcal·mol~(-1), indicating good binding affinity. In conclusion, Arisaematis Rhizoma Preparatum may improve pulmonary ventilation function, enhance lung pathological morphology, and reduce pulmonary inflammation in COPD model mice by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and downregulating TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β inflammatory factors. The material basis may be associated with L-tyrosyl-L-alanine, 3,4,5-trihydroxy-1-cyclohexene-1-carboxylic acid, zingerone and 6-gingerol, and AKT1 and TNF may be the primary targets.
Animals ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/metabolism* ; Network Pharmacology ; Mice ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Rhizome/chemistry* ; Humans ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Disease Models, Animal ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Lung/metabolism* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Interleukin-6/immunology*

Quality control is a key link in the modernization process of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). Studies have shown that the effects of active components in TCM depend on not only their chemical composition but also their suitable physical forms and states. The physical phase structures, such as micelles, vesicles, gels, and nanoparticles, can improve the solubility, delivery efficiency, and targeting precision of active components. These structures significantly enhance the pharmacological activity while reducing the toxicity and side effects, demonstrating functional activity surpassing that of active components and highlighting the key effects of "structures" on "functions" of active components. Taking the physical phase structure as a breakthrough point, this paper outlines the common types of TCM physical phase structures. Furthermore, this paper explores how to realize the quality upgrading of TCM through the precise regulation of physical phase structures based on the current applications and potential of TCM physical phase structures in processing to increase the efficacy and reduce the toxicity, compounding and decocting processes, drug delivery systems, and quality control, aiming to provide novel insights for the future quality control of TCM.
Quality Control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/standards* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards* ; Humans ; Drug Delivery Systems

OBJECTIVE: To establish foot and ankle models of different lateral collateral ligament injuries of ankle joint, and conduct finite element analysis on, and to explore the force conditions of subtalar articular cartilage during foot inversion movements under different gait stages and under different loads. METHODS: A normal ankle CT scan of a 30-year-old male healthy volunteer (heighted 175 cm and weighted 60 kg) was selected. The CT images were imported into software such as Mimics 21.0, Geomajic 2017, and Solidworks 2017 respectively, extract the normal ankle bone model. Then, the foot and ankle finite element models of different lateral collateral ligament injuries of ankle joint were constructed and divided into anterior talofibular ligament(ATFL) rupture group, ATFL and calcaneo fibular ligament (CFL) rupture group, ATFL, CFL and posterior talofibular ligament (PTFL) rupture group, and control group with intact ligament function by ANSYS 2021. Corresponding horizontal and vertical loads and torques were applied respectively on tibia and talus according to the force conditions of different phases to simulate landing phase, neutral and off-ground phase in walking gait. The changes in stress distribution area and stress peak of subtalar articular cartilage in the loading phase, neutral phase and off-ground phase gaits among four groups were observed. Simulate varus sprain action, apply different loads of 600, 1, 800, and 4, 200 N respectively, and changes in stress distribution area and the stress peak of subtalar articular cartilage among four groups of models were observed. RESULTS: In the gait simulation, the stress results of loading phase in ATFL fracture group, ATFL and CFL fracture groups, ATFL, CFL and PTFL fracture groups, and control group were 0.889 54, 0.960 89, 1.139 20, and 0.722 64 MPa, respectively. The neutral response force results were 1.250 60, 1.358 50, 1.363 70, 1.246 40 MPa respectively;the results of corresponding forces off-ground phase were 1.029 90, 1.138 70, 1.145 90 and 0.832 40 MPa respectively. In the inversion simulation, the stresses of ATFL fracture group, ATFL and CFL fracture groups, ATFL, CFL and PTFL fracture groups, and control group under load of 600 N were 2.191 3, 2.208 5, 2.215 7, and 2.156 6 MPa respectively. The stresses under a load of 1 800 N were 7.134 7, 9.715 2, 10.064 0, and 7.107 0 MPa respectively;the stresses under a load of 4 200 N were 17.435 0, 25.309 0, 26.119 0 and 16.010 0 MPa respectively. CONCLUSION The lateral collateral ligament of ankle joint plays an important role in the stability of the subtalar joint, especially CFL plays an important role in restricting calcaneal varus. If these ligaments are damaged, it will cause instability of the subtalar joint and further lead to lesions in the subtalar articular cartilage. Relevant exercises should be reduced or the ligament injuries should be treated in a timely manner.
Humans ; Finite Element Analysis ; Male ; Adult ; Cartilage, Articular/physiopathology* ; Ankle Injuries/physiopathology* ; Ankle Joint/physiopathology* ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Subtalar Joint/injuries* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Stem cell treatment may enhance erectile dysfunction (ED) in individuals with cavernous nerve injury (CNI). Nevertheless, no investigations have directly ascertained the implications of varying amounts of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HUC-MSCs) on ED. We compare the efficacy of three various doses of HUC-MSCs as a therapeutic strategy for ED. Sprague-Dawley rats (total = 175) were randomly allocated into five groups. A total of 35 rats underwent sham surgery and 140 rats endured bilateral CNI and were treated with vehicles or doses of HUC-MSCs (1 × 10 6 cells, 5 × 10 6 cells, and 1 × 10 7 cells in 0.1 ml, respectively). Penile tissues were harvested for histological analysis on 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days, 28 days, 60 days, and 90 days postsurgery. It was found that varying dosages of HUC-MSCs enhanced the erectile function of rats with bilateral CNI and ED. Moreover, there was no significant disparity in the effectiveness of various dosages of HUC-MSCs. However, the expression of endothelial markers (rat endothelial cell antigen-1 [RECA-1] and endothelial nitric oxide synthase [eNOS]), smooth muscle markers (alpha smooth muscle actin [α-SMA] and desmin), and neural markers (neurofilament [RECA-1] and neurogenic nitric oxide synthase [nNOS]) increased significantly with prolonged treatment time. Masson's staining demonstrated an increased in the smooth muscle cell (SMC)/collagen ratio. Significant changes were detected in the microstructures of various types of cells. In vivo imaging system (IVIS) analysis showed that at the 1 st day, the HUC-MSCs implanted moved to the site of damage. Additionally, the oxidative stress levels were dramatically reduced in the penises of rats administered with HUC-MSCs.
Male ; Animals ; Erectile Dysfunction/metabolism* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation/methods* ; Rats ; Penis/pathology* ; Humans ; Disease Models, Animal ; Umbilical Cord/cytology* ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries/complications* ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III/metabolism* ; Actins/metabolism* ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I/metabolism*

OBJECTIVES: To study the differences in clinical characteristics of term and preterm neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) undergoing surgical treatment. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 142 NEC neonates who underwent surgery at the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from June 2017 to August 2023. The neonates were categorized into a preterm group (gestational age <37 weeks; 95 cases) and a term group (gestational age 37-42 weeks; 47 cases) to compare clinical characteristics. RESULTS: The preterm group had a higher postnatal age at both diagnosis and surgery compared to the term group (P<0.05). The preterm group also had a higher incidence of preoperative bloody stools, lower preoperative platelet counts, and higher rates of preoperative respiratory distress, apnea, reduced/absent bowel sounds, and mechanical ventilation compared to the term group (P<0.05). Postoperatively, the preterm group had higher rates of purulent meningitis, sepsis, and coagulation dysfunction, lower postoperative platelet counts, and lower intraoperative minimum body temperature than the term group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS There are significant differences in the clinical characteristics of preterm and term neonates with NEC undergoing surgery, suggesting the need for tailored perioperative management strategies based on these characteristics.
Humans ; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/surgery* ; Infant, Newborn ; Retrospective Studies ; Male ; Female ; Infant, Premature ; Gestational Age