ObjectiveBased on functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), we investigated the brain activity characteristics of gross motor tasks in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and motor dysfunctions (MDs) to provide a theoretical basis for further understanding the mechanism of MDs in children with ASD and designing targeted intervention programs from a central perspective. MethodsAccording to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 48 children with ASD accompanied by MDs were recruited into the ASD group and 40 children with typically developing (TD) into the TD group. The fNIRS device was used to collect the information of blood oxygen changes in the cortical motor-related brain regions during single-handed bag throwing and tiptoe walking, and the differences in brain activation and functional connectivity between the two groups of children were analyzed from the perspective of brain activation and functional connectivity. ResultsCompared to the TD group, in the object manipulative motor task (one-handed bag throwing), the ASD group showed significantly reduced activation in both left sensorimotor cortex (SMC) and right secondary visual cortex (V2) (P<0.05), whereas the right pre-motor and supplementary motor cortex (PMC&SMA) had significantly higher activation (P<0.01) and showed bilateral brain region activity; in terms of brain functional integration, there was a significant decrease in the strength of brain functional connectivity (P<0.05) and was mainly associated with dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and V2. In the body stability motor task (tiptoe walking), the ASD group had significantly higher activation in motor-related brain regions such as the DLPFC, SMC, and PMC&SMA (P<0.05) and showed bilateral brain region activity; in terms of brain functional integration, the ASD group had lower strength of brain functional connectivity (P<0.05) and was mainly associated with PMC&SMA and V2. ConclusionChildren with ASD exhibit abnormal brain functional activity characteristics specific to different gross motor tasks in object manipulative and body stability, reflecting insufficient or excessive compensatory activation of local brain regions and impaired cross-regions integration, which may be a potential reason for the poorer gross motor performance of children with ASD, and meanwhile provides data support for further unraveling the mechanisms underlying the occurrence of MDs in the context of ASD and designing targeted intervention programs from a central perspective.

This study aimed to characterize and identify the non-volatile components in aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the stems and leaves of Rhododendron tomentosum by using sensitive and efficient ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) combined with a self-built information database. By comparing with reference compounds, analyzing fragment ion information, searching relevant literature, and using a self-built information database, 118 compounds were identified from the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of R. tomentosum, including 35 flavonoid glycosides, 15 phenolic glycosides, 12 flavonoids, 7 phenolic acids, 7 phenylethanol glycosides, 6 tannins, 6 phospholipids, 5 coumarins, 5 monoterpene glycosides, 6 triterpenes, 3 fatty acids, and 11 other types of compounds. Among them, 102 compounds were reported in R. tomentosum for the first time, and 36 compounds were identified by comparing them with reference compounds. The chemical components in the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of R. tomentosum leaves and stems showed slight differences, with 84 common chemical components accounting for 71.2% of the total 118 compounds. This study systematically characterized and identified the non-volatile chemical components in the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of R. tomentosum for the first time. The findings provide a reference for active ingredient research, quality control, and product development of R. tomentosum.
Rhododendron/chemistry* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Plant Leaves/chemistry*

A single-center, randomized, double-blind, dose-controlled trial of modified Sini Powder in treating mild to moderate generalized anxiety disorder(GAD) in the patients with syndrome of liver depression transforming into fire was conducted at Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. A total of 80 patients with mild to moderate GAD and the syndrome of liver depression transforming into fire were included. Patients were assigned by the central randomization system at a ratio of 3∶1 into an observation group(n=60, receiving a conventional-dose of granules of modified Sini Powder) and a control group(n=20, receiving low-dose granules with the active ingredients being 50% of that in observation group). Assessments were conducted before treatment(baseline), after 2 weeks of introduction, after 2/4/8 weeks of treatment, and after 4 weeks of follow-up. The results were summarized as follows. In terms of primary outcome indicators, the observation group(62.2%) showed higher total response rate than the control group(26.6%)(P<0.05), and greater Hamilton anxiety scale(HAMA) score reduction after 8 weeks of treatment(P<0.05). In terms of secondary outcome indicators, the HAMA score(somatic anxiety score), traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) syndrome scores, Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI) scale, and clinical global impression(CGI) scale score in the observation group showed a significant compared to the control group at each visit points(P<0.05). Adverse events occurred in 10 cases, including 9(16.9%) cases in the observation group and 1(6.6%) case in the control group. No adverse reaction was observed. In conclusion, conventional-dose modified Sini Powder demonstrated superior efficacy and favorable safety for mild and moderate GAD in the patients with the syndrome of liver depression transforming into fire over low-dose treatment.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Anxiety Disorders/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult ; Powders ; Aged ; Liver/drug effects* ; Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Extensive studies have identified potential adverse effects on semen quality of obesity, based on body mass index, but the association between body fat distribution, a more relevant indicator for obesity, and semen quality remains less clear. We conducted a longitudinal study of 4304 sperm donors from the Guangdong Provincial Human Sperm Bank (Guangzhou, China) during 2017-2021. A body composition analyzer was used to measure total and local body fat percentage for each participant. Generalized estimating equations were employed to assess the association between body fat percentage and sperm count, motility, and morphology. We estimated that each 10% increase in total body fat percentage (estimated change [95% confidence interval, 95% CI]) was significantly associated with a 0.18 × 10 6 (0.09 × 10 6 -0.27 × 10 6 ) ml and 12.21 × 10 6 (4.52 × 10 6 -19.91 × 10 6 ) reduction in semen volume and total sperm count, respectively. Categorical analyses and exposure-response curves showed that the association of body fat distribution with semen volume and total sperm count was stronger at higher body fat percentages. In addition, the association still held among normal weight and overweight participants. We observed similar associations for upper limb, trunk, and lower limb body fact distributions. In conclusion, we found that a higher body fat distribution was significantly associated with lower semen quality (especially semen volume) even in men with a normal weight. These findings provide useful clues in exploring body fat as a risk factor for semen quality decline and add to evidence for improving semen quality for those who are expected to conceive.
Humans ; Male ; Adult ; Semen Analysis ; China ; Body Fat Distribution ; Longitudinal Studies ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Body Mass Index ; Tissue Donors ; Obesity/complications* ; Spermatozoa ; Young Adult ; Middle Aged ; East Asian People

Acute mitochondrial damage and the energy crisis following axonal injury highlight mitochondrial transport as an important target for axonal regeneration. Syntaphilin (Snph), known for its potent mitochondrial anchoring action, has emerged as a significant inhibitor of both mitochondrial transport and axonal regeneration. Therefore, investigating the molecular mechanisms that influence the expression levels of the snph gene can provide a viable strategy to regulate mitochondrial trafficking and enhance axonal regeneration. Here, we reveal the inhibitory effect of microRNA-146b (miR-146b) on the expression of the homologous zebrafish gene syntaphilin b (snphb). Through CRISPR/Cas9 and single-cell electroporation, we elucidated the positive regulatory effect of the miR-146b-snphb axis on Mauthner cell (M-cell) axon regeneration at the global and single-cell levels. Through escape response tests, we show that miR-146b-snphb signaling positively regulates functional recovery after M-cell axon injury. In addition, continuous dynamic imaging in vivo showed that reprogramming miR-146b significantly promotes axonal mitochondrial trafficking in the pre-injury and early stages of regeneration. Our study reveals an intrinsic axonal regeneration regulatory axis that promotes axonal regeneration by reprogramming mitochondrial transport and anchoring. This regulation involves noncoding RNA, and mitochondria-associated genes may provide a potential opportunity for the repair of central nervous system injury.
Animals ; Zebrafish ; MicroRNAs/genetics* ; Nerve Regeneration/physiology* ; Mitochondria/metabolism* ; Zebrafish Proteins/genetics* ; Axons/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/physiology* ; Axonal Transport/physiology* ; Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics*

OBJECTIVE To provide a detailed report and interpretation of the method and results for determining the weights of the technical indicators from the “multi-dimensional and multi-criteria comprehensive evaluation index system （first edition）” stated in Guideline for Multi-dimensional and Multi-criteria Comprehensive Evaluation of Chinese Patent Medicine. METHODS Normalization calculations were performed on the comprehensive weight values calculated by the analytic hierarchy process and expert weighting method to obtain the objective weights of the indicators. RESULTS The weight results of the six primary dimensions in the current comprehensive evaluation indicator system of Chinese patent medicine showed effectiveness dimension＞ safety dimension＞standard dimension＞application dimension＞scientific dimension＞economic dimension， with weight values of 0.281 0， 0.268 5， 0.195 8， 0.107 3， 0.096 1 and 0.051 3 respectively， consistent with the results of most researches currently. CONCLUSIONS The process of weight determination in this indicator system is scientifically reasonable， with clear methods and clear interpretations， and is worthy of further optimization and widespread application.

Juvenile open angle glaucoma(JOAG)is a subtype of primary open angle glaucoma(POAG)that severely affects the quality of life of young patients and has a high disability rate. While JOAG is commonly considered an autosomal dominant disease, it has been found to have a diverse mode of inheritance, including autosomal recessive inheritance in specific populations. The variable genetic predisposition of JOAG may be attributed to the co-regulation of several key disease-causing genes, such as MYOC, CYP1B1, and CPAMD8. Mutations in these genes are closely associated with various biological processes in ocular tissues, including cellular metabolic regulation, oxidative stress response, and abnormal induction of programmed death. Therefore, a comprehensive study of the causative genes associated with JOAG is crucial to understanding the specific genetic background of disease onset, progression, and clinical phenotype. This knowledge will provide a strong foundation for early identification and screening of high-risk populations. The objective of this review is to focus on the genetic characterization and genetic studies of JOAG. Through a systematic review of the relevant literature, we summarize the causative genes and their mutations associated with JOAG and explore their potential applications and value in advancing research in the field, aiming to provide valuable insights for the diagnosis and treatment of JOAG.

In developing rapid and living guidelines of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） in response to public health emergencies， it is important that evidence continue to be reviewed， and clinical questions and recommendations updated if necessary， due to the rapid changes in disease progression and the continuous generation of relevant research evidence. This paper proposed that the updating scope in dynamic mode should first be identified； then evidence monitoring should be carried out in four aspects， including clinical research， related guidelines or laws and regulations， disease progression， as well as clinical use of recommendations and clinical needs； finally， based on the results of the evidence monitoring， different options should be made， including revising the clinical questions， updating the evidence and recommendations， and withdrawing the guideline.

The clinical practice guidelines of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） have problems such as limited clinical application and unclear implementation effects， which may be related to the lack of clinical practice evidence. To provide reliable and precise evidence for clinical practice， this article proposes a model of combining TCM guidelines with real-world study， which includes 4 steps. Firstly， during the implementation process of the guidelines， a high-quality research database is established. Secondly， the recommendations in the guidelines are evaluated based on the established database in multiple dimensions， including applicability， effectiveness， safety， and cost-effectiveness， and thus their effectiveness in practical applications can be determined. Thirdly， based on the established database， core prescriptions are identified， and the targeted populations and medication plans are determined. That is， the best treatment regimen is established based on the analysis of abundant clinical data regarding the effects of different medication frequencies， dosages， and duration on efficacy. Fourthly， the guidelines are updated according to the real-world evidence. The research based on this model can provide real-world evidence for ancient and empirical prescriptions， improving their application in clinical practice. Moreover， this model can reduce research costs and improve research efficiency. When applying this model， researchers need to pay attention to the quality of real-world evidence， ensuring that it can truly reflect the situation in clinical practice. In addition， importance should be attached to the clinical application of guideline recommendations， ensuring that doctors can conduct standardized diagnosis and treatment according to the guidelines. Finally， full-process participation of multidisciplinary experts is encouraged to ensure the comprehensiveness and scientificity of the study. In conclusion， the application of this model will contribute to the development of TCM guidelines responsive to the needs of clinical practice and achieve the goal of promoting the homogenization of TCM clinical diagnosis and treatment.

The classification of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndromes is one of the core technical elements in the industry standard of Specification of Diagnosis and Therapeutic Effect Evaluation of Diseases and Syndromes in TCM. In the past，when clinical standards for TCM were formulated，the determination of TCM syndrome classification relied heavily on textbooks and expert experience，lacking systematic research. This approach thus failed to reflect the advancement and scientificity of the standards，thereby affecting their implementation and application. This article reviewed the presentation forms and technical methods of TCM syndrome classification，including the two-tier syndrome classification model with primary and secondary symptoms，as well as the application of modern literature research，ancient literature research，Delphi method，in-depth expert interviews，consensus conferences，and real-world research. When syndrome classification standards are developed，it is necessary to build upon modern literature research，adopt a mixed approach combining qualitative research and quantitative analysis results，and reach expert consensus through consensus conferences. Through systematic research，the scientificity，applicability，and coordination of TCM syndrome classification standards can be enhanced，providing guidance for the standardization of TCM.