Diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hyperuricemia have emerged as global chronic metabolic disorders posing significant public health challenges. Edible medicinal plants demonstrate multitarget regulatory effects and favorable safety profiles in the management of chronic metabolic diseases, owing to their bioactive compounds and nutritional synergy. Radix Astragali (RA), a traditional Chinese medicine with medicine–food homology, has a long history of application in China. Based on a review of relevant literature, this article discusses the historical background, modern research, therapeutic functions, and mechanisms of RA in the treatment of chronic metabolic diseases. Modern studies have shown that RA contains a variety of bioactive components and demonstrates efficacy in managing diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hyperuricemia. Its mechanisms of action involve modulation of the insulin signaling pathway, regulation of lipid metabolism-related enzyme activity, promotion of uric acid excretion, and other processes. Notably, RA exhibits certain common therapeutic effects across hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and hyperuricemia. Through modulation of the gut microbiota and inhibition of inflammatory pathways, RA exerts synergistic, multitarget effects that improve metabolic disorders associated with chronic metabolic diseases.

Astrocytes and microglia engage in extensive and complex communication and mutual effect, which referrs to microglia-astrocyte crosstalk. Recent studies have highlighted that this crosstalk plays a pivotal role in neurodegenerative diseases, exerting either protective or detrimental effects. This review briefly introduces the molecular mechanism of microglia-astrocyte crosstalk and its research progress in Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease, aiming to provide new research directions and therapeutic targets for clinical improvement of neurodegenerative diseases from perspective of microglia-astrocyte crosstalk.

Objective To develop an artificial intelligence(AI)diagnostic system for computed tomography angiography(CTA)images related to acute aortic syndrome(AAS)and to evaluate its efficacy in diagnosing and differentiating between AAS subtypes.Methods We collected the CTA images of patients diagnosed with aortic dissection(AD),intramural hematoma(IMH),or penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer(PAU)who were treated in the Department of Peripheral Vascular Diseases,The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University,from June 2016 to June 2022.Based on the strict inclusion and exclusion criteria,2 057 CTA images were selected and extracted.Normal human aorta CTA images served as the control group.The YOLO v7 neural network was used to diagnose and differentiate subgroups of AAS patients in the CTA images,and its diagnostic performance was evaluated.Results The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value,and total accuracy of the AAS diagnostic system based on the YOLO v7 were 98.72％,83.10％,97.82％,89.40％,and 96.92％,respectively.The total accuracy for differential diagnosis of the subgroups was 85.58％.The total accuracy of diagnosis results was significantly higher than that of differential diagnosis results(P＜0.05).Conclusion The AI-based AAS diagnostic system utilizing YOLO v7 meets the established standards for disease diagnosis.However,further research is warranted involving larger image databases and more advanced deep learning networks to improve the differentiation among AAS subtypes.

Objective To explore the independent risk factors for long-term adverse prognosis after percutaneous renal artery angioplasty in patients with transplant renal artery stenosis(TRAS).Methods We retrospectively collected medical records and surgery details of TRAS patients who underwent renal artery angioplasty at the Department of Peripheral Vascular Diseases,The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University,from January 2017 to June 2021.All patients were followed up for 3 years post-operation.Multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to find the independent predictive factors for long-term adverse prognosis after renal artery angioplasty in the TRAS patients.Results A total of 45 TRAS patients who underwent percutaneous renal artery angioplasty were included in this study.During the five-year follow-up period,10 patients(22.2％)experienced long-term adverse events.These consisted of 3 patients(6.7％)who died from any cause,1 patient(2.2％)who developed transplant renal artery dissection,6 patients(13.3％)who had restenosis of the transplant renal artery,and 1 patient(2.2％)who lost the transplant kidney and received dialysis again.Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that male gender(HR=4.915,95％CI:1.036-23.328,P=0.045)and balloon angioplasty alone(HR=8.594,95％CI:2.191-33.710,P=0.002)were independent risk factors for long-term adverse prognosis after renal artery angioplasty in TRAS patients.Conclusion Male gender and balloon angioplasty alone are independent risk factors for long-term adverse prognosis after renal artery angioplasty in TRAS patients.

Objective To develop an artificial intelligence(AI)diagnostic system for computed tomography angiography(CTA)images related to acute aortic syndrome(AAS)and to evaluate its efficacy in diagnosing and differentiating between AAS subtypes.Methods We collected the CTA images of patients diagnosed with aortic dissection(AD),intramural hematoma(IMH),or penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer(PAU)who were treated in the Department of Peripheral Vascular Diseases,The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University,from June 2016 to June 2022.Based on the strict inclusion and exclusion criteria,2 057 CTA images were selected and extracted.Normal human aorta CTA images served as the control group.The YOLO v7 neural network was used to diagnose and differentiate subgroups of AAS patients in the CTA images,and its diagnostic performance was evaluated.Results The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value,and total accuracy of the AAS diagnostic system based on the YOLO v7 were 98.72％,83.10％,97.82％,89.40％,and 96.92％,respectively.The total accuracy for differential diagnosis of the subgroups was 85.58％.The total accuracy of diagnosis results was significantly higher than that of differential diagnosis results(P＜0.05).Conclusion The AI-based AAS diagnostic system utilizing YOLO v7 meets the established standards for disease diagnosis.However,further research is warranted involving larger image databases and more advanced deep learning networks to improve the differentiation among AAS subtypes.

Purpose To explore the expression level of let-7b-5p in glioma and its effects and potential mecha-nisms on U251 cell growth.Methods The expression of let-7b-5p in glioma was detected using qRT-PCR.Data from the CGGA database were analyzed to examine the relationship between the let-7b-5p expression levels,WHO grade and overall survival rates of glioma patients.Transient transfection was used to downregulate the expression of let-7b-5p and IGF1R in U251 cells.The role and potential mechanism of let-7b-5p in the U251 cell were evaluated using qRT-PCR,CCK8 assays,clone formation assays,Western blotting,and double luciferase reporter assays.Results The expres-sion of let-7b-5p in glioma cells(A172:3.64±0.64,V251:4.56±0.52,U87-MG:3.31±0.50)and tissues(2.18±0.22)was significantly higher than that in astrocytes(HMC3:1.00±0.21,P＜0.05 or P＜0.01)and nor-mal brain tissues(1.01±0.19,P＜0.05).Let-7b-5p expression was negatively correlated with WHO grades but pos-itively correlated with survival rates in primary and recurrent glioma patients(P＜0.000 1 and P=0.028,respective-ly).Knockdown of let-7b-5p in U251 cells significantly promoted the growth of glioma cells(CCK8:knockdown group 126.00±12.09 vs miR-NC group 90.93±5.13,P＜0.05)and activated PI3K/AKT signal pathway.Suppressing IGF1R expression in U251 cells reversed the effects of let-7b-5p knockdown on glioma cell growth[CCK8:let-7b-5p knockdown+IGF1R knockdown group(92.08±6.14)vs let-7b-5p knockdown+sh-NC group(116.67.08±8.50)]and PI3K/AKT signal pathway activation.Conclusion Let-7b-5p functions as a tumor suppressor gene in glioma.It may regulate glioma cell growth by targeting IGF1R and modulating PI3K/AKT signal pathway.

Astrocytes and microglia engage in extensive and complex communication and mutual effect, which referrs to microglia-astrocyte crosstalk. Recent studies have highlighted that this crosstalk plays a pivotal role in neurodegenerative diseases, exerting either protective or detrimental effects. This review briefly introduces the molecular mechanism of microglia-astrocyte crosstalk and its research progress in Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease, aiming to provide new research directions and therapeutic targets for clinical improvement of neurodegenerative diseases from perspective of microglia-astrocyte crosstalk.

Objective:To dynamically assess liver fibrosis using magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and explore factors associated with fibrosis reversal in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).Methods:This study included data from patients diagnosed with MASH by liver biopsy who underwent at least two MRE examinations. Patients were divided into a fibrosis reversal group and a non-reversal group according to whether MRE values decreased by 20% during follow-up. Differences in clinical data between the groups were compared using analysis of variance, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and the chi-square test. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to explore independent risk factors for fibrosis reversal in MASH.Results:A total of 46 cases were included in this study (mean age 50.1±12.3 years, BMI 26.1±3.1 kg/m2). Among them, the reversal group accounted for 26.1%. The rate of decrease in MRI proton density fat fraction (PDFF) was significantly higher in the reversal group (-50.0% vs. -8.1%, P=0.001) than in the non-reversal group between the two MRE examinations. The reversal group showed a more significant change rate of decreases in fasting insulin (-37.3% vs. -3.6%, P=0.011), insulin resistance index (-38.6% vs. -6.5%, P=0.044), and ALP (-24.9% vs. 0, P=0.004). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the rate of change in MRI PDFF was an independent predictor of fibrosis reversal ( OR=0.96, 95% CI: 0.92-1.00, P=0.046). Conclusion:A decrease in MRI proton density fat fraction levels is independently associated with liver fibrosis reversal in MASH, suggesting that intervention targeting liver fat content may be an effective treatment strategy.

Objective To explore the independent risk factors for long-term adverse prognosis after percutaneous renal artery angioplasty in patients with transplant renal artery stenosis(TRAS).Methods We retrospectively collected medical records and surgery details of TRAS patients who underwent renal artery angioplasty at the Department of Peripheral Vascular Diseases,The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University,from January 2017 to June 2021.All patients were followed up for 3 years post-operation.Multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to find the independent predictive factors for long-term adverse prognosis after renal artery angioplasty in the TRAS patients.Results A total of 45 TRAS patients who underwent percutaneous renal artery angioplasty were included in this study.During the five-year follow-up period,10 patients(22.2％)experienced long-term adverse events.These consisted of 3 patients(6.7％)who died from any cause,1 patient(2.2％)who developed transplant renal artery dissection,6 patients(13.3％)who had restenosis of the transplant renal artery,and 1 patient(2.2％)who lost the transplant kidney and received dialysis again.Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that male gender(HR=4.915,95％CI:1.036-23.328,P=0.045)and balloon angioplasty alone(HR=8.594,95％CI:2.191-33.710,P=0.002)were independent risk factors for long-term adverse prognosis after renal artery angioplasty in TRAS patients.Conclusion Male gender and balloon angioplasty alone are independent risk factors for long-term adverse prognosis after renal artery angioplasty in TRAS patients.

Purpose To explore the expression level of let-7b-5p in glioma and its effects and potential mecha-nisms on U251 cell growth.Methods The expression of let-7b-5p in glioma was detected using qRT-PCR.Data from the CGGA database were analyzed to examine the relationship between the let-7b-5p expression levels,WHO grade and overall survival rates of glioma patients.Transient transfection was used to downregulate the expression of let-7b-5p and IGF1R in U251 cells.The role and potential mechanism of let-7b-5p in the U251 cell were evaluated using qRT-PCR,CCK8 assays,clone formation assays,Western blotting,and double luciferase reporter assays.Results The expres-sion of let-7b-5p in glioma cells(A172:3.64±0.64,V251:4.56±0.52,U87-MG:3.31±0.50)and tissues(2.18±0.22)was significantly higher than that in astrocytes(HMC3:1.00±0.21,P＜0.05 or P＜0.01)and nor-mal brain tissues(1.01±0.19,P＜0.05).Let-7b-5p expression was negatively correlated with WHO grades but pos-itively correlated with survival rates in primary and recurrent glioma patients(P＜0.000 1 and P=0.028,respective-ly).Knockdown of let-7b-5p in U251 cells significantly promoted the growth of glioma cells(CCK8:knockdown group 126.00±12.09 vs miR-NC group 90.93±5.13,P＜0.05)and activated PI3K/AKT signal pathway.Suppressing IGF1R expression in U251 cells reversed the effects of let-7b-5p knockdown on glioma cell growth[CCK8:let-7b-5p knockdown+IGF1R knockdown group(92.08±6.14)vs let-7b-5p knockdown+sh-NC group(116.67.08±8.50)]and PI3K/AKT signal pathway activation.Conclusion Let-7b-5p functions as a tumor suppressor gene in glioma.It may regulate glioma cell growth by targeting IGF1R and modulating PI3K/AKT signal pathway.