Objective:To compare the cardiac size，morphology，and function between anemic and normal fetuses using a hybrid artificial intelligence（AI）model，and to evaluate the utility of AI in quantitatively assessing fetal cardiac function in cases of anemia.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted by collecting data from 2018 to 2024 at the Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University，including 15 cases of anemic fetuses（anemia group）diagnosed through umbilical venous puncture and 32 cases of normal fetuses（control group）. Four-chamber fetal cardiac ultrasound videos and left/right ventricular segments were included，with 44 videos and 1 056 segments in the anemia group，and 46 videos and 1 104 segments in the control group. Based on dynamic four-chamber heart images，the hybrid AI model was employed to extract heart measurement parameters，including basal-apical length（BAL），transverse width（TW），global sphericity index（GSI），end-diastolic area（EDA），24-segment left and right ventricular end-diastolic diameter（LVEDD，RVEDD），segmental sphericity index（LVSI，RVSI），global longitudinal strain（LVGLS，RVGLS），fractional area change（LVFAC，RVFAC），segmental fractional shortening（LVFS，RVFS），along with their corresponding Z-scores. The differences in cardiac size，morphology，and function parameters between the two groups were compared. Pearson correlation analysis was performed for the parameters of the control group（BAL，TW，EDA，GLS，LVGLS，RVGLS，LVFAC，and RVFAC）against gestational age. The measurement consistencies of AI technology and fetal HQ technology in normal and anemia groups were evaluated.Results:No significant differences were found in BAL，TW，EDA，or GSI between groups（all P>0.05）. RVEDD in segments 3-24 was significantly larger in the anemia group（all P<0.05），with significantly higher Z-score abnormality rates for LVEDD and RVEDD across 24 segments（both P<0.001）. LVSI in segments 7-10，12，14-15 and RVSI in segments 1-23 were lower in the anemia group（all P<0.05），with significantly higher Z-score abnormality rates for LVSI and RVSI across 24 segments（both P<0.001）. The absolute values of LVGLS and LVFAC were significantly reduced in the anemia group（both P<0.05），while the absolute values of RVGLS and RVFAC showed no significant differences（both P>0.05）. Segmental LVFS values were significantly lower in the anemia group for segments 2，5-8，11-13（all P<0.05）. In the control group，BAL，TW，and EDA positively correlated with gestational age（ r=0.913，0.947，0.907；all P<0.001），while GSI，LVGLS，RVGLS，LVFAC and RVFAC showed no or weak correlations（ r=-0.221，0.353，0.515，-0.409，-0.425）. The intraclass correlation coefficient（ICC）between AI-based and conventional fetal HQ evaluations were 0.788 for the control group and 0.837 for the anemia group，indicating good consistency. Conclusions:AI offers a reliable approach for quantitatively evaluating fetal cardiac size，shape，and systolic function. Fetal anemia primarily affects right ventricular morphology and left ventricular systolic performance，characterized by spherical remodeling of the right ventricle and reductions in LVGLS，LVFAC，and segmental LVFS. The hybrid AI model holds potential value in fetal cardiac function assessment.

Objective:To compare the cardiac size，morphology，and function between anemic and normal fetuses using a hybrid artificial intelligence（AI）model，and to evaluate the utility of AI in quantitatively assessing fetal cardiac function in cases of anemia.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted by collecting data from 2018 to 2024 at the Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University，including 15 cases of anemic fetuses（anemia group）diagnosed through umbilical venous puncture and 32 cases of normal fetuses（control group）. Four-chamber fetal cardiac ultrasound videos and left/right ventricular segments were included，with 44 videos and 1 056 segments in the anemia group，and 46 videos and 1 104 segments in the control group. Based on dynamic four-chamber heart images，the hybrid AI model was employed to extract heart measurement parameters，including basal-apical length（BAL），transverse width（TW），global sphericity index（GSI），end-diastolic area（EDA），24-segment left and right ventricular end-diastolic diameter（LVEDD，RVEDD），segmental sphericity index（LVSI，RVSI），global longitudinal strain（LVGLS，RVGLS），fractional area change（LVFAC，RVFAC），segmental fractional shortening（LVFS，RVFS），along with their corresponding Z-scores. The differences in cardiac size，morphology，and function parameters between the two groups were compared. Pearson correlation analysis was performed for the parameters of the control group（BAL，TW，EDA，GLS，LVGLS，RVGLS，LVFAC，and RVFAC）against gestational age. The measurement consistencies of AI technology and fetal HQ technology in normal and anemia groups were evaluated.Results:No significant differences were found in BAL，TW，EDA，or GSI between groups（all P>0.05）. RVEDD in segments 3-24 was significantly larger in the anemia group（all P<0.05），with significantly higher Z-score abnormality rates for LVEDD and RVEDD across 24 segments（both P<0.001）. LVSI in segments 7-10，12，14-15 and RVSI in segments 1-23 were lower in the anemia group（all P<0.05），with significantly higher Z-score abnormality rates for LVSI and RVSI across 24 segments（both P<0.001）. The absolute values of LVGLS and LVFAC were significantly reduced in the anemia group（both P<0.05），while the absolute values of RVGLS and RVFAC showed no significant differences（both P>0.05）. Segmental LVFS values were significantly lower in the anemia group for segments 2，5-8，11-13（all P<0.05）. In the control group，BAL，TW，and EDA positively correlated with gestational age（ r=0.913，0.947，0.907；all P<0.001），while GSI，LVGLS，RVGLS，LVFAC and RVFAC showed no or weak correlations（ r=-0.221，0.353，0.515，-0.409，-0.425）. The intraclass correlation coefficient（ICC）between AI-based and conventional fetal HQ evaluations were 0.788 for the control group and 0.837 for the anemia group，indicating good consistency. Conclusions:AI offers a reliable approach for quantitatively evaluating fetal cardiac size，shape，and systolic function. Fetal anemia primarily affects right ventricular morphology and left ventricular systolic performance，characterized by spherical remodeling of the right ventricle and reductions in LVGLS，LVFAC，and segmental LVFS. The hybrid AI model holds potential value in fetal cardiac function assessment.

Objective:To screen differentially expressed circular RNA (circRNA) in rat articular chondrocyte injury induced by T-2 toxin, and explore the mechanism of cartilage injury.Methods:Twenty-four SD rats (males, body weight 60 - 80 g) were randomly divided into T-2 toxin group (administrated T-2 toxin 100 ng·g -1·d -1 by gavage) and control group (administrated equal amounts of deionized water by gavage) using a random number table method, 12 rats in each group. After 4 weeks of intervention, the articular cartilage was collected for transcriptome sequencing. Deseq2 software [ P < 0.05 and |log 2(fold change)| > 1, fold change was the multiple of differential expression] was used to identify differentially expressed circRNA. Based on the competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) hypothesis, the miRanda software was used to predict the microRNA (miRNA, miR) binding sites of differentially expressed circRNA, and Cytoscape 3.10.0 software was used to plot the circRNA-miRNA interaction network. MiRWalk 3.0, MiRDB, and miRTarBase softwares were used to predict downstream target genes, and Cytoscape 3.10.0 software was used to map the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction network. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were used to analyze the biological functions and enrichment pathways of target genes. Results:A total of 19 differentially expressed circRNAs were screened (including 10 upregulated and 9 downregulated). A total of 1 320 miRNAs binding sites and 16 target genes were predicted. Target gene enrichment analysis revealed significant enrichment of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling pathway ( P < 0.05). Tumour necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (Traf6) and interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 1 (Irak1) were enriched in the MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways, with corresponding miRNA and circRNA of miR-146a-5p and chr2: 94716330|94720889. Conclusion:Nineteen differentially expressed circRNAs in rat articular chondrocyte injury are successfully screened, and chr2: 94716330|94720889 may regulate the MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways through the miR-146a-5p/Traf6/Irak1 axis, inducing articular chondrocyte injury.

AIM:To study the role of amifostine on the formation of benzo [a]pyrene (BaP)-induced abdomi-nal aortic aneurysm ( AAA) in C57BL/6J mice and the underlying mechanism .METHODS: RAW246.7 mononuclear macrophage in vitro were divided into control group , DMSO group, BaP group, low dose (1 μmol/L) amfostine treated group, middle dose (5 μmol/L) amfostine treated group and high dose (25μmol/L) amfostine treated group .The influ-ence of BaP on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, MMP-12, TNF-α, NF-κB in the RAW246.7 mono-nuclear macrophages in vitro was determined by Western blot .Male C57BL/6J mice (8 months old) were divided into con-trol group, model group (AngII+BaP group), low dose (50 mg/kg) amfostine treated group and high dose (100 mg/kg) amfostine treated group.After 6 weeks, the abdominal aorta were isolated .The aortic tissues were subjected to HE and Masson staining.The vascular wall structure , infiltration of macrophage , the expression of MMP-9, MMP-12, TNF-α, NF-κB were evaluated by Western blot and immunochemistry staining .RESULTS:Amifostine attenuated BaP-induced expres-sion of TNF-α, MMP-9, MMP-12, NF-κB in the RAW246.7 mononuclear macrophages (P<0.05).The results of animal experiments showed that the incidence of AAA in high dose amifostine treated group were significantly lower than that in low dose amifostine treated group and model group (P<0.05).Immunohistochemistry staining observation showed that amifos-tine inhibited the aortic macrophage infiltration more obviously in high amifostine treated group compared with model group and low dose amifostine treated group (P<0.05).Compared with model group and low dose amifostine treated group , the MMP-9, MMP-12, TNF-αand NF-κB expression of abdominal aorta in high amifostine treated group was reduced signifi -cantly ( P<0.05 ) .CONCLUSION: Amifostine inhibits BaP-induced activation of macrophages , and also prevents the formation of abdominal aortic aneurysm in C 57BL/6J mice induced by BaP by inhibition of the NF-κB pathway, macro-phage infiltration and the expression of TNF-αand MMPs.