Objective To observe the correlations between left atrial myocardial strain and left ventricular function in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy(DMD).Methods Fifty-one DMD children(DMD group)and 42 healthy one(control group)were prospectively enrolled.The parameters of routine ultrasound and three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography(3D-STE)were compared between groups,and the correlations between left atrial strain parameters and left ventricular function parameters were analyzed.Results The mitral annular lateral wall velocity(e'),left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),left atrial ejection fraction(LAEF),left atrioventricular coupling index(LACI),left ventricular global longitudinal strain(LVGLS),left atrial strain during reservoir phase(LASr)and left atrial strain during conduit phase(LAScd)were all lower,while mitral early diastolic peak flow velocity/e'(E/e'),left atrial stiffness index(LASI)and left atrial filling index(LAFI)were higher in DMD group than those in control group(all P＜0.05).In DMD group,LAEF,LASr and LAScd were moderately positively correlated with LVGLS(r=0.409,0.437,0.440,all P＜0.05),LAFI and LASI were weakly negatively correlated with LVGLS(r=-0.207,-0.223,both P＜0.05),while LASr was moderately positively correlated with e'(r=0.419,P＜0.05).Conclusion The left atrial myocardial strain was correlated with left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in DMD children.

Objective:To identify the change trajectory of intrinsic capacity in people aged ≥50 years in Shanghai and explore the impact of intrinsic capacity trajectory change on overall function and dalily life activities in this population.Methods:The longitudinal data from round 1 to 3 Study of Global Ageing and Adult Health in Shanghai were used. The total intrinsic ability scores from five dimensions of cognition, psychology, sensory, vitality and locomotion were calculated. The censored normal model of group-based trajectory was used to identify the trajectory of intrinsic capacity change over time. Linear regression model and multivariate logistic regression model were used to analyse the effects of different levels intrinsic capacity trajectory on the scores of the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS), the activity of daily living (ADL) and the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL).Results:A total of 2 302 study participants aged ≥50 years with 3 round complete data were included in this study, and 3 levels of intrinsic capacity trajectory were identified, low-level trajectory (9.3%), medium-level trajectory (41.7%), and high-level trajectory (49.0%). Compared with the high-level group, the medium-level and low-level groups had higher WHODAS scores, which increased by 3.578 (95% CI: 2.028-5.129) and 12.620 (95% CI: 9.951-15.289), respectively, and those with more severe disability and those in the low-level group were at higher risk for severe difficulty in ADLs ( OR=12.450, 95% CI: 4.310-35.966) and IADLs ( OR=5.479, 95% CI: 1.311-22.904). Conclusions:Heterogeneity in trajectory of intrinsic capacity exists in people aged ≥50 years in Shanghai. Middle-aged and elderly people with low initial level and rapid decline trajectory of intrinsic capacity are at greater risk for the decline of daily life ability and the increase of disability. It is necessary to strengthen the long-term dynamic monitoring and evaluation of the change trajectory of intrinsic capacity in this population.

The global incidence of head and neck cancer (HNC) is rising, with over 60% of patients presenting at a locally advanced stage. Radiotherapy remains a cornerstone of HNC treatment, and advancements in modern techniques and concurrent chemotherapy have improved local control and survival rates of HNC patients. However, these benefits also bring challenges in the management of toxicities. Due to the proximity of salivary glands and tumors, especially the highly radiosensitive parotid and submandibular glands, this condition is among the most common adverse effects of radiotherapy. Radiation damages acinar cells and ducts, causing glandular atrophy, fibrosis, and reduced saliva secretion, thereby leading to xerostomia and related complications. The risk and severity of injury are associated with the radiation dose and volume affecting the glands. Prevention and management strategies emphasize precise radiotherapy planning, target optimization, and supportive care. Emerging multimodal imaging techniques offer potential for non-invasive prediction and early diagnosis and treatment of radiation-induced salivary gland injury. Future research in regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and molecular biology aims to elucidate molecular mechanisms, such as signaling pathways and genomics, facilitating personalized strategies to mitigate radiotherapy-induced toxicities and enhance the quality of life of patients.

ObjectiveBased on transcriptomics， to explore the mechanism of Hei Xiaoyaosan regulating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B （PI3K/Akt） signaling pathway to improve the learning and memory ability of insomnia rats with liver depression syndrome. MethodsSixty 8-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into the blank group， model group， eszopiclone group （0.09 mg·kg^-1）， and low， medium， and high dose groups of Hei Xiaoyaosan （3.82， 7.65， 15.30 g·kg^-1）， with ten rats in each group. Except for the blank group， the other groups were induced insomnia rat model with liver depression by chronic restraint， tail clamping stimulation and intraperitoneal injection of p-chlorophenylalanine （PCPA）. Each treatment group received intragastric administration according to the specified dosage， once a day for 14 consecutive days. The pentobarbital sodium cooperative sleep test， open field test， and Morris water maze test were used to test the sleep quality， depressive-like behavior， and learning and memory abilities of rats. Additionally， enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the contents of 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT）， γ-aminobutyric acid （GABA）， brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF）， glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor （GDNF） and nitric oxide （NO） in hippocampus. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was performed to observe pathological changes of the hippocampal tissue， while terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate （dUTP） nick end labeling （TUNEL） was used to evaluate apoptosis of hippocampal neurons. Transcriptomic sequencing technology was employed to identify differentially expressed genes in hippocampus between the model group and the blank group， as well as between the medium-dose group of Hei Xiaoyaosan and the model group. Gene Ontology （GO） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） enrichment analysis were performed on the intersecting genes. Subsequently， the enriched key genes and signaling pathways were analyzed and verified. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was utilized to assess the mRNA expression levels of phosphatase and tensin homolog （PTEN）， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）-like protein 11 （BCL2L11）， and mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 （MAPK1） in hippocampus， and Western blot was employed to evaluate the protein expressions of PI3K， phosphorylation （p）-PI3K， Akt， p-Akt， Bcl-2， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， and cleaved Caspase-3 in the same tissue. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the model group exhibited a reduction in body weight， an increase in sleep latency， and a decrease in sleep duration （P<0.01）. Additionally， rats showed obvious depression-like behavior， and their learning and memory abilities decreased. Furthermore， the contents of 5-HT， GABA， NO， BDNF and GDNF in hippocampus decreased （P<0.01）. Histological examination revealed a disorganized cell arrangement in the CA1 region of the hippocampus， characterized by irregular cell shapes， a reduced cell count， deeply stained and pyknotic nuclei， increased vacuolar degeneration， and an elevated apoptosis rate （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the body weight of the high and medium dose groups of Hei Xiaoyaosan increased， the sleep latency shortened and the sleep time prolonged （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Additionally， depression-like behavior and learning and memory abilities of rats were significantly improved， the levels of 5-HT， GABA， NO， BDNF and GDNF in the hippocampus increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. These interventions also ameliorated pathological damage in the hippocampal CA1 area and reduced the apoptosis of hippocampal neurons （P<0.01）. Transcriptomic sequencing results indicated that Hei Xiaoyaosan might exert a therapeutic effect by regulating PI3K/Akt pathway through key mRNAs such as PTEN， BCL2L11， and MAPK1. The roles of these key mRNAs and proteins within PI3K/Akt pathway were further validated. In comparison to the blank group， the expression levels of PTEN， BCL2L11 and MAPK1 mRNA in the hippocampus of rats in the model group were increased （P<0.01）， while the protein expression levels of p-PI3K， p-Akt and Bcl-2 were decreased （P<0.01）， and the protein expression levels of PTEN， Bax and cleaved Caspase-3 were increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the high-dose and medium-dose groups of Hei Xiaoyaosan could down-regulate the expressions of PTEN， BCL2L11 and MAPK1 mRNAs （P<0.01）， up-regulate the expressions of p-PI3K， p-Akt and Bcl-2 proteins （P<0.01）， and down-regulate the protein expressions of PTEN， Bax and cleaved Caspase-3 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionHei Xiaoyaosan may regulate PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by down-regulating expressions of key genes such as PTEN， BCL2L11 and MAPK1， and thus improve the learning and memory abilities of insomnia rats with liver depression syndrome.

As a medicinal and edible fungus, Inonotus obliquus has a long history of folk application in Russia, Japan, and Northeast China. It is rich in terpenoids, steroids, polysaccharides, phenols, alkaloids, etc, and exhibits pharmacological activities including anti-tumor, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and lipid-lowering effects. Among these, lanostane-type tetracyclic triterpenes represent its characteristic constituents. This review systematically summarizes the research progress on the chemical components isolated and identified from I. obliquus and their pharmacological activities in recent years. The structures of terpenoids, steroids, and phenolic compounds are compiled and illustrated, with a particular focus on the skeletal types and structural characteristics of lanostane-type tetracyclic triterpenes. This work aims to provide some reference for the further investigation and comprehensive development and utilization of I. obliquus.

Objective:To investigate the protective effects of Mailuoning(MLN)against cisplatin(CP)-induced acute kidney injury(AKI)utilizing network pharmacology and to analyze the underlying mechanism of action related to anti-apoptotic pathways.Methods:Active components of MLN and targets related to AKI were identified using network pharmacology.The active components of MLN were sourced from the TCMSP and ETCM 2.0 databases.The targets of components were predicted using the Swiss Target Prediction tool,and subsequently the targets related to AKI were retrieved from the GeneCards database to identify intersecting targets.A protein-protein interaction network was constructed using the STRING database,and a topological analysis was performed using Cytoscape to identify core targets.Gene Ontology(GO)functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway en-richment analyses were conducted on these core targets.For the animal experiments,forty mice were randomly assigned to four groups:solvent control,MLN toxicity control,CP model,and CP+MLN groups.The MLN group received intraperitoneal injections of MLN at a dose of 15 mL/(kg·d)for ten consecutive days.The CP model and CP+MLN groups were administered a single intraperitoneal injec-tion of CP at 20 mg/kg on day 7.Three days after the CP treatment,plasma levels of blood urea nitrogen(BUN)and creatinine(Cre)were measured.The pathological injury of kidney tissues was as-sessed using hematoxylin-eosin staining.Western blot analysis was utilized to determine the expression of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin(NGAL)and apoptosis-related proteins in kid-ney tissues.Results:A total of 104 active components of MLN and 224 targets were identified using network pharmacology,and 2 465 targets were identified to be related to AKI,resulting in 117 intersecting targets,of which,17 targets were classified as core targets.KEGG and GO analyses indicated that the apoptosis-related signal transduction pathway might be a crucial pathway through which MLN provided protective effects against AKI.The results of animal experiments confirmed the successful establishment of CP-induced AKI models in mice.Compared with the CP model group,MLN treatment significantly reduced plasma levels of BUN and Cre(P<0.05),inhibited NGAL protein expression in the kidneys(P<0.05),and improved the pathological injury observed in kidney tissues.Furthermore,MLN markedly reduced the expression levels of p-P53(ser 15)and cleaved caspase-3 proteins,as well as the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in kidney tissues of AKI model mice(P<0.05),while upregulating protein kinase B phosphorylation levels(P<0.05).Conclusion:MLN demonstrates protective effects against CP-induced AKI in mice,potentially through mechanisms related to its anti-apoptotic properties.

Objective:To explore the effective active components of Qi Bi Anshen decoction(QAT)in the treatment of autism spectrum disorder(ASD)and its effects on ASD behaviors and related lipid metabolism abnormalities.Methods:24 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups:Control group,PPA group and PPA+QAT group.The ASD rat model was established by intracerebroventricular injection of propionic acid,and the QAT administration group was given intragastric administration for 7 days.Behavioral tests were conducted to detect the so-cial,repetitive stereotyped and anxiety-like behaviors of rats.UPLC-MS was used to analyze the differential metabolites and enriched pathways of rats.Network pharmacology was used to screen the effective active monomer components of QAT involved in regulating ASD.10 sexually mature C57BL/6J mice were randomly paired in male-female cages.The ASD mouse model was established by a single intraperitoneal injection of sodium valproate to pregnant mice.The preg-nant mice were randomly divided into 3 groups:Control group,VPA group and VPA+QUE group.The administration group was given QUE in the drinking water of pregnant mice until the end of the perinatal period.Behavioral tests were conducted to detect ASD-like behaviors in mice.Reagent kits were used to detect the contents of alkaline phosphatase(AKP),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),triglycerides(TG)and total cholesterol(TC)in the liver and serum of mice.Oil red O staining was used to observe the morphology of liver cells.Results:QAT administration could improve the ASD-like behaviors induced by PPA(P＜0.05).UPLC-MS analysis showed that the differential metabolites of each group of rats were mainly enriched in lipid metabolism pathways.Network pharmacol-ogy screening identified QUE as the effective active monomer component.QUE administration could improve the ASD-like behaviors induced by VPA(P＜0.05).QUE administration could reverse the abnormal changes in AKP,TC and TG in the liver induced by VPA(P＜0.05)and reduce lipid droplet deposition in the liver.Conclusion:The active monomer component QUE in QAT has therapeutic effects on ASD behaviors and related liver lipid metabolism abnormali-ties.

Objective:To identify the change trajectory of intrinsic capacity in people aged ≥50 years in Shanghai and explore the impact of intrinsic capacity trajectory change on overall function and dalily life activities in this population.Methods:The longitudinal data from round 1 to 3 Study of Global Ageing and Adult Health in Shanghai were used. The total intrinsic ability scores from five dimensions of cognition, psychology, sensory, vitality and locomotion were calculated. The censored normal model of group-based trajectory was used to identify the trajectory of intrinsic capacity change over time. Linear regression model and multivariate logistic regression model were used to analyse the effects of different levels intrinsic capacity trajectory on the scores of the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS), the activity of daily living (ADL) and the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL).Results:A total of 2 302 study participants aged ≥50 years with 3 round complete data were included in this study, and 3 levels of intrinsic capacity trajectory were identified, low-level trajectory (9.3%), medium-level trajectory (41.7%), and high-level trajectory (49.0%). Compared with the high-level group, the medium-level and low-level groups had higher WHODAS scores, which increased by 3.578 (95% CI: 2.028-5.129) and 12.620 (95% CI: 9.951-15.289), respectively, and those with more severe disability and those in the low-level group were at higher risk for severe difficulty in ADLs ( OR=12.450, 95% CI: 4.310-35.966) and IADLs ( OR=5.479, 95% CI: 1.311-22.904). Conclusions:Heterogeneity in trajectory of intrinsic capacity exists in people aged ≥50 years in Shanghai. Middle-aged and elderly people with low initial level and rapid decline trajectory of intrinsic capacity are at greater risk for the decline of daily life ability and the increase of disability. It is necessary to strengthen the long-term dynamic monitoring and evaluation of the change trajectory of intrinsic capacity in this population.

Objective To observe the correlations between left atrial myocardial strain and left ventricular function in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy(DMD).Methods Fifty-one DMD children(DMD group)and 42 healthy one(control group)were prospectively enrolled.The parameters of routine ultrasound and three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography(3D-STE)were compared between groups,and the correlations between left atrial strain parameters and left ventricular function parameters were analyzed.Results The mitral annular lateral wall velocity(e'),left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),left atrial ejection fraction(LAEF),left atrioventricular coupling index(LACI),left ventricular global longitudinal strain(LVGLS),left atrial strain during reservoir phase(LASr)and left atrial strain during conduit phase(LAScd)were all lower,while mitral early diastolic peak flow velocity/e'(E/e'),left atrial stiffness index(LASI)and left atrial filling index(LAFI)were higher in DMD group than those in control group(all P＜0.05).In DMD group,LAEF,LASr and LAScd were moderately positively correlated with LVGLS(r=0.409,0.437,0.440,all P＜0.05),LAFI and LASI were weakly negatively correlated with LVGLS(r=-0.207,-0.223,both P＜0.05),while LASr was moderately positively correlated with e'(r=0.419,P＜0.05).Conclusion The left atrial myocardial strain was correlated with left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in DMD children.

Objective:To explore the effective active components of Qi Bi Anshen decoction(QAT)in the treatment of autism spectrum disorder(ASD)and its effects on ASD behaviors and related lipid metabolism abnormalities.Methods:24 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups:Control group,PPA group and PPA+QAT group.The ASD rat model was established by intracerebroventricular injection of propionic acid,and the QAT administration group was given intragastric administration for 7 days.Behavioral tests were conducted to detect the so-cial,repetitive stereotyped and anxiety-like behaviors of rats.UPLC-MS was used to analyze the differential metabolites and enriched pathways of rats.Network pharmacology was used to screen the effective active monomer components of QAT involved in regulating ASD.10 sexually mature C57BL/6J mice were randomly paired in male-female cages.The ASD mouse model was established by a single intraperitoneal injection of sodium valproate to pregnant mice.The preg-nant mice were randomly divided into 3 groups:Control group,VPA group and VPA+QUE group.The administration group was given QUE in the drinking water of pregnant mice until the end of the perinatal period.Behavioral tests were conducted to detect ASD-like behaviors in mice.Reagent kits were used to detect the contents of alkaline phosphatase(AKP),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),triglycerides(TG)and total cholesterol(TC)in the liver and serum of mice.Oil red O staining was used to observe the morphology of liver cells.Results:QAT administration could improve the ASD-like behaviors induced by PPA(P＜0.05).UPLC-MS analysis showed that the differential metabolites of each group of rats were mainly enriched in lipid metabolism pathways.Network pharmacol-ogy screening identified QUE as the effective active monomer component.QUE administration could improve the ASD-like behaviors induced by VPA(P＜0.05).QUE administration could reverse the abnormal changes in AKP,TC and TG in the liver induced by VPA(P＜0.05)and reduce lipid droplet deposition in the liver.Conclusion:The active monomer component QUE in QAT has therapeutic effects on ASD behaviors and related liver lipid metabolism abnormali-ties.