ObjectiveTo optimize the extraction method for polysaccharides from turnip（Brassica rapa）， and analyze and evaluate the primary structure of the isolated and purified turnip polysaccharide fraction（BP-1） and its hypoglycemic effects in diabetic zebrafish. MethodsTaking polysaccharide yield as the evaluation index， a semi-bionic extraction method was employed. Single-factor experiments and Box-Behnken response surface methodology were used to investigate three factors of solid-to-liquid ratio， extraction time and extraction temperature， in order to optimize the extraction process. BP-1 was isolated and purified using the Sevage method and DEAE-52 cellulose column chromatography. Structural characterization of the turnip polysaccharides was performed using ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry（UV）， gas chromatography-mass spectrometry（GC-MS）， Congo red assay， and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy（FT-IR） to determine purity， monosaccharide composition， triple-helix structure， and functional groups. The microstructure of the polysaccharides was observed using scanning electron microscopy（SEM） and atomic force microscopy（AFM）. Zebrafish were divided into the blank group（adding E3 medium）， and BP-1-1， BP-1-10， BP-1-50， BP-1-200， BP-1-1 000 groups（adding BP-1 solutions at concentrations of 1， 10， 50， 200， 1 000 mg·L^-1， respectively）， and zebrafish embryos were subjected to a 96-hour exposure experiment. The maximum tolerated concentration of BP-1 in zebrafish was determined by evaluating its effects on phenotype， survival rate， malformation rate， and heart rate. Experimental animals were randomly divided into the blank group， model group， BP-1-10 group（10 mg·L^-1）， BP-1-50 group（50 mg·L^-1）， and BP-1-200 group（200 mg·L^-1）. The blank group was cultured in E3 medium， the model and treatment groups were induced to establish a diabetic model in 4 day-post-fertilization（dpf） zebrafish embryos using 10 g·L^-1 of glucose combined with 500 µmol·L^-1 of alloxan. The treatment groups received corresponding doses of BP-1 solution， while the blank and model groups received an equal volume of saline. Glucose and insulin（INS） levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA） kits， the effects on the liver were observed by hematoxylin-eosin（HE） histopathological sections. The mRNA expression levels of glucagon（Glucagon）， insulin（Insa）， and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1（PCK1） were detected with real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR）. ResultsThe optimized extraction conditions were determined as follows：solid-to-liquid ratio of 1∶40（g·mL^-1）， extraction time of 66 min， and extraction temperature of 79 ℃. Under these conditions， the yield of turnip polysaccharides was （10.34±0.96）%. UV analysis indicated that BP-1 contained no proteins or nucleic acids， GC-MS analysis revealed that BP-1 consisted of six monosaccharides（arabinose， rhamnose， ribose， mannose， galactose and glucose）. Congo red assay indicated that the molecular conformation did not exhibit a triple-helix structure， FT-IR analysis showed the presence of α-glycosidic bonds and uronic acids， SEM analysis revealed an irregular flaky structure with a flat and smooth surface， AFM analysis suggested that the aggregated structure might be formed by the entanglement of molecular chains and intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The maximum tolerated concentration of BP-1 in zebrafish over 96 h was determined to be 200 mg·L^-1. Pharmacodynamic results showed that， compared with the blank group， the model group exhibited significantly increased glucose levels and significantly decreased INS levels（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the BP-1-50 group significantly reduced glucose levels and increased INS levels（P<0.05）. Histopathological examination of liver tissue revealed that various doses of BP-1 had a certain reparative effect on damaged liver tissue. The liver tissue structure in the BP-1-200 group was nearly normal， with hepatocytes appearing plump. Real-time PCR results showed that， compared with the blank group， the model group exhibited significantly upregulated mRNA expressions of Glucagon and PCK1， and significantly downregulated mRNA expression of Insa（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the BP-1-50 and BP-1-200 groups showed significantly downregulated mRNA expressions of Glucagon and PCK1， and significantly upregulated mRNA expression of Insa（P<0.01）. ConclusionThe semi-bionic extraction method for turnip polysaccharides yields a high extraction rate， is simple to operate， has low costs， making it suitable for large-scale industrial production. BP-1 consists of six monosaccharides， contains α-glycosidic bonds and uronic acids， exhibits hypoglycemic activity， and provides a certain protective effect on the liver of alloxan-induced diabetic model zebrafish.

ObjectiveTo optimize the extraction method for polysaccharides from turnip（Brassica rapa）， and analyze and evaluate the primary structure of the isolated and purified turnip polysaccharide fraction（BP-1） and its hypoglycemic effects in diabetic zebrafish. MethodsTaking polysaccharide yield as the evaluation index， a semi-bionic extraction method was employed. Single-factor experiments and Box-Behnken response surface methodology were used to investigate three factors of solid-to-liquid ratio， extraction time and extraction temperature， in order to optimize the extraction process. BP-1 was isolated and purified using the Sevage method and DEAE-52 cellulose column chromatography. Structural characterization of the turnip polysaccharides was performed using ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry（UV）， gas chromatography-mass spectrometry（GC-MS）， Congo red assay， and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy（FT-IR） to determine purity， monosaccharide composition， triple-helix structure， and functional groups. The microstructure of the polysaccharides was observed using scanning electron microscopy（SEM） and atomic force microscopy（AFM）. Zebrafish were divided into the blank group（adding E3 medium）， and BP-1-1， BP-1-10， BP-1-50， BP-1-200， BP-1-1 000 groups（adding BP-1 solutions at concentrations of 1， 10， 50， 200， 1 000 mg·L^-1， respectively）， and zebrafish embryos were subjected to a 96-hour exposure experiment. The maximum tolerated concentration of BP-1 in zebrafish was determined by evaluating its effects on phenotype， survival rate， malformation rate， and heart rate. Experimental animals were randomly divided into the blank group， model group， BP-1-10 group（10 mg·L^-1）， BP-1-50 group（50 mg·L^-1）， and BP-1-200 group（200 mg·L^-1）. The blank group was cultured in E3 medium， the model and treatment groups were induced to establish a diabetic model in 4 day-post-fertilization（dpf） zebrafish embryos using 10 g·L^-1 of glucose combined with 500 µmol·L^-1 of alloxan. The treatment groups received corresponding doses of BP-1 solution， while the blank and model groups received an equal volume of saline. Glucose and insulin（INS） levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA） kits， the effects on the liver were observed by hematoxylin-eosin（HE） histopathological sections. The mRNA expression levels of glucagon（Glucagon）， insulin（Insa）， and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1（PCK1） were detected with real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR）. ResultsThe optimized extraction conditions were determined as follows：solid-to-liquid ratio of 1∶40（g·mL^-1）， extraction time of 66 min， and extraction temperature of 79 ℃. Under these conditions， the yield of turnip polysaccharides was （10.34±0.96）%. UV analysis indicated that BP-1 contained no proteins or nucleic acids， GC-MS analysis revealed that BP-1 consisted of six monosaccharides（arabinose， rhamnose， ribose， mannose， galactose and glucose）. Congo red assay indicated that the molecular conformation did not exhibit a triple-helix structure， FT-IR analysis showed the presence of α-glycosidic bonds and uronic acids， SEM analysis revealed an irregular flaky structure with a flat and smooth surface， AFM analysis suggested that the aggregated structure might be formed by the entanglement of molecular chains and intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The maximum tolerated concentration of BP-1 in zebrafish over 96 h was determined to be 200 mg·L^-1. Pharmacodynamic results showed that， compared with the blank group， the model group exhibited significantly increased glucose levels and significantly decreased INS levels（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the BP-1-50 group significantly reduced glucose levels and increased INS levels（P<0.05）. Histopathological examination of liver tissue revealed that various doses of BP-1 had a certain reparative effect on damaged liver tissue. The liver tissue structure in the BP-1-200 group was nearly normal， with hepatocytes appearing plump. Real-time PCR results showed that， compared with the blank group， the model group exhibited significantly upregulated mRNA expressions of Glucagon and PCK1， and significantly downregulated mRNA expression of Insa（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the BP-1-50 and BP-1-200 groups showed significantly downregulated mRNA expressions of Glucagon and PCK1， and significantly upregulated mRNA expression of Insa（P<0.01）. ConclusionThe semi-bionic extraction method for turnip polysaccharides yields a high extraction rate， is simple to operate， has low costs， making it suitable for large-scale industrial production. BP-1 consists of six monosaccharides， contains α-glycosidic bonds and uronic acids， exhibits hypoglycemic activity， and provides a certain protective effect on the liver of alloxan-induced diabetic model zebrafish.

Despite of the widespread use of hydrogen and methane breath test, the variability in testing protocols, gas measurement techniques, and interpretation criteria continues to challenge the reproducibility and comparability across centers, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. The Asian Neurogastroenterology and Motility Association hence presents the first Asian monograph guiding application and interpretation of breath test. The monograph was formulated according to the framework of indications, preparatory process, performance, and interpretation of results, as well as future direction for research.

Background: Visual impairment is increasingly prevalent, underscoring the need for effective prevention strategies. This study investigated the association between cardiovascular health and visual impairment using three progressively developed metrics: Life’s Simple 7 (LS7), a cardiovascular health score developed by the American Heart Association based on 7 components, including physical activity, smoking status, body mass index (BMI), diet, blood glucose, blood pressure, and total cholesterol; Life’s Essential 8(LE8), which adds sleep health as an additional component; and Life’s Crucial 9 (LC9), which further incorporates mental health. We aimed to evaluate whether these expanded metrics provide additional explanatory value and to inform future public health strategies. Objective: To investigate the associations among LS7, LE8, and LC9 cardiovascular health scores and visual impairment in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013 to 2018, assess the added value of sleep and mental health components, and identify key contributing subcomponents using regression and machine learning methods. Methods: We analyzed data from 9891 participants in the 2013 to 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Multivariable logistic regression, restricted cubic spline modeling, and subgroup analyses were conducted to evaluate the association between cardiovascular health and visual impairment. Machine learning methods, including Random Forest and SHapley Additive exPlanations, a model interpretation approach used to assess feature importance, were applied. The Boruta algorithm, a feature selection method, was used to identify key subcomponents of cardiovascular health. Results: Participants with visual impairment were older, had lower poverty-to-income ratios, and exhibited lower cardiovascular health scores (LS7, LE8, and LC9). Higher cardiovascular health scores were negatively associated with visual impairment. Each one standard deviation increase in LS7, LE8, and LC9 was associated with approximately 8%, 2%, and 3% lower odds of visual impairment, respectively. LS7 showed the strongest negative association, whereas LE8 and LC9 emerged as the most important predictors in the machine learning models. Key subcomponents such as blood glucose, blood pressure, and BMI, as well as mental health status, were strongly associated with visual impairment. Conclusion: Higher cardiovascular health scores were negatively associated with visual impairment. LS7 demonstrated the strongest statistical association, whereas LE8 and LC9 were the most influential features in the machine learning models. Blood glucose, blood pressure, BMI, and mental health status were important correlates of visual impairment. From the perspective of the “prevention and treatment of diseases” in traditional Chinese medicine and the holistic concept, the aforementioned research findings confirm that severe visual impairment is indeed an external manifestation of overall health imbalance (such as organ dysfunction and Qi deficiency and blood stasis). The prevention strategy lies in comprehensively adjusting lifestyle, emotional factors, and metabolic indicators (corresponding to the key factors in the study) to restore the body’s internal balance and achieve prevention before disease arises.

ObjectiveTo analyze the pharmacodynamic activity of Bupleuri Radix processed with Trionyx sinensis blood in the treatment of Yin deficiency and study the spectrum-effect relationship of this medicine. MethodsHigh performance liquid chromatography was employed to establish the fingerprints of 15 batches of Bupleuri Radix processed with Trionyx sinensis blood， and the similarity was evaluated according to the SOP of Similarity Evaluation System of Chromatographic Fingerprint of TCM （version 2012）. A mouse model of Yin deficiency induced by thyroxine was established. The relationship between the active components and the effect on Yin deficiency was explored by grey correlation analysis and partial least squares method based on the changes in the serum levels of triiodothyronine （T3）， thyroxine （T4）， cyclic adenosine phosphate （cAMP）， and cyclic guanosine phosphate （cGMP）. The components screened out based on the spectrum-effect relationship were used for retrieval of the targets from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology and Analysis Database （TCMSP）， The Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine （ETCM）， and Integrative Pharmacology-based Research Platform of Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCMIP）. Furthermore， the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man （OMIM）， GeneCards， TTD， DisGeNET， and Drugbank were employed to establish the active component-target against Yin deficiency network of Bupleuri Radix processed with Trionyx sinensis blood. Gene Ontology （GO） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway enrichment analyses were carried out for the core targets. Real-time PCR was conducted to verify the predicted key pathways and mechanisms. ResultsThe fingerprints of the 15 batches of Bupleuri Radix processed with Trionyx sinensis blood showed the similarities of 0.976-0.999 with the control fingerprint. Compared with the model group， the drug administration group showed elevated levels of T3 and T4 and lowered levels of cAMP， cGMP and cAMP/cGMP. The results of grey correlation analysis showed that active components in terms of the correlations followed the trend of saikosaponin B₁ > saikosaponin B₂ > saikosaponin C > saikosaponin D > saikosaponin A. The partial least squares analysis showed that saikosaponins A， D， B₁， and B₂ had higher VIP values. Network pharmacology predicted a total of 30 common targets， which were enriched in 276 GO terns and 115 KEGG pathways. The results of Real-time PCR showed that the model group had lower mRNA levels of Caspase-9， kinase insert domain receptor （KDR）， and mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） and higher mRNA level of mouse double minute 2 homolog （MDM2） than the blank group and the drug administration group. ConclusionBupleuri Radix processed with Trionyx sinensis blood has therapeutic effect on Yin deficiency syndrome， which provides a new idea for studying Bupleuri Radix processed with Trionyx sinensis blood.

Background/Aims: Reflux symptoms frequently present in patients diagnosed with functional dyspepsia (FD). This investigation sought to elucidate the contribution of gastroesophageal reflux in the overlap relationship. Methods: Consecutive patients presenting with reflux symptoms and/or FD symptoms were prospectively included. Comprehensive assessments, including symptoms evaluation, endoscopy, esophageal functional examinations (high-resolution manometry and reflux monitoring), and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment efficacy evaluation, were conducted in these patients. Results: The study enrolled 315 patients, 43.2% of which had concurrent FD symptoms and overlapping reflux symptoms. Notably, a mere 28.7% of patients in the overlap symptoms group had objective gastroesophageal reflux disease evidences (the grade of esophagitis≥ B or the acid exposure time ≥ 4.2%). Functional heartburn was demonstrated to be the main cause of overlapping reflux symptoms(55.1%). Reflux parameters analysis revealed that the reflux burden in the overlap symptoms group paralleled that of the FD symptoms group, with both registering lower levels than the reflux symptoms group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, PPI response rates were notably diminished in the overlap symptoms group (P < 0.001), even for those with objective gastroesophageal reflux disease evidences. Conclusions The study illuminated that overlapping reflux symptoms in FD was common. Strikingly, these symptoms primarily diverged from reflux etiology and exhibited suboptimal responses to PPI intervention. These findings challenge prevailing paradigms and accentuate the imperative for nuanced therapeutic approaches tailored to the distinctive characteristics of overlapping reflux symptoms in the context of FD.

OBJECTIVE To analyze and identify the metabolites of pirtobrutinib （PTN） in rats， and clarify the possible metabolic pathways of PTN in rats. METHODS Six rats were intragastrically administered with 10 mg/kg PTN suspension. Blood samples were collected from the rats 30 minutes before administration and at 0.25， 0.5， 1， 2， 4， 6， 8， 12， 24 hours after administration. Urine and feces samples were collected 12 hours before administration and 24 hours after administration. UHPLC- Orbitrap Exploris 240 system combined with Compound Discoverer 3.0 and Xcalibur 2.0 software were adopted for structural identification and metabolic pathway analysis of PTN metabolites in rat plasma， urine， and feces. RESULTS A total of 29 PTN metabolites were identified， including 17， 19 and 22 metabolites in plasma， urine and feces， respectively. The metabolic pathways of PTN mainly included oxidation， sulfation， glucuronidation， etc.， and its metabolites were mostly combination products of two or more different metabolic forms. In detail， a total of 26 metabolites were associated with phase Ⅰ metabolic reactions （14 oxidation metabolites， 9 reduction/dehydrogenation metabolites， 8 demethylation metabolites， and 5 hydrolysis metabolites）. Meanwhile， a total of 20 products were involved in phase Ⅱ metabolites （14 sulfation metabolites and 8 glucuronic acid binding metabolites）. CONCLUSIONS PTN exhibits a diverse range of metabolites in rat fecal samples， with the primary metabolic pathways being oxidation， sulfation， glucuronidation， and others.

Background/Aims: Reflux symptoms frequently present in patients diagnosed with functional dyspepsia (FD). This investigation sought to elucidate the contribution of gastroesophageal reflux in the overlap relationship. Methods: Consecutive patients presenting with reflux symptoms and/or FD symptoms were prospectively included. Comprehensive assessments, including symptoms evaluation, endoscopy, esophageal functional examinations (high-resolution manometry and reflux monitoring), and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment efficacy evaluation, were conducted in these patients. Results: The study enrolled 315 patients, 43.2% of which had concurrent FD symptoms and overlapping reflux symptoms. Notably, a mere 28.7% of patients in the overlap symptoms group had objective gastroesophageal reflux disease evidences (the grade of esophagitis≥ B or the acid exposure time ≥ 4.2%). Functional heartburn was demonstrated to be the main cause of overlapping reflux symptoms(55.1%). Reflux parameters analysis revealed that the reflux burden in the overlap symptoms group paralleled that of the FD symptoms group, with both registering lower levels than the reflux symptoms group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, PPI response rates were notably diminished in the overlap symptoms group (P < 0.001), even for those with objective gastroesophageal reflux disease evidences. Conclusions The study illuminated that overlapping reflux symptoms in FD was common. Strikingly, these symptoms primarily diverged from reflux etiology and exhibited suboptimal responses to PPI intervention. These findings challenge prevailing paradigms and accentuate the imperative for nuanced therapeutic approaches tailored to the distinctive characteristics of overlapping reflux symptoms in the context of FD.

Background/Aims: Reflux symptoms frequently present in patients diagnosed with functional dyspepsia (FD). This investigation sought to elucidate the contribution of gastroesophageal reflux in the overlap relationship. Methods: Consecutive patients presenting with reflux symptoms and/or FD symptoms were prospectively included. Comprehensive assessments, including symptoms evaluation, endoscopy, esophageal functional examinations (high-resolution manometry and reflux monitoring), and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment efficacy evaluation, were conducted in these patients. Results: The study enrolled 315 patients, 43.2% of which had concurrent FD symptoms and overlapping reflux symptoms. Notably, a mere 28.7% of patients in the overlap symptoms group had objective gastroesophageal reflux disease evidences (the grade of esophagitis≥ B or the acid exposure time ≥ 4.2%). Functional heartburn was demonstrated to be the main cause of overlapping reflux symptoms(55.1%). Reflux parameters analysis revealed that the reflux burden in the overlap symptoms group paralleled that of the FD symptoms group, with both registering lower levels than the reflux symptoms group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, PPI response rates were notably diminished in the overlap symptoms group (P < 0.001), even for those with objective gastroesophageal reflux disease evidences. Conclusions The study illuminated that overlapping reflux symptoms in FD was common. Strikingly, these symptoms primarily diverged from reflux etiology and exhibited suboptimal responses to PPI intervention. These findings challenge prevailing paradigms and accentuate the imperative for nuanced therapeutic approaches tailored to the distinctive characteristics of overlapping reflux symptoms in the context of FD.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism by which Mingshi prescription regulates the retinal melanopsin-dopamine （Opn4-DA） axis in myopic mice to inhibit endoplasmic reticulum （ER） stress in the retina and sclera， thereby delaying axial elongation associated with myopia. MethodsSixty 4-week-old male SPF-grade C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal group， a form-deprived myopia group （FDM group）， an intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells ablation group （ipRGCs group）， a Mingshi Prescription group （MSF group， 5.2 g·kg^-1）， and an ipRGCs + MSF group （5.2 g·kg^-1）. Except for the normal group， all other groups underwent FDM modeling. Additionally， the ipRGCs and ipRGCs + MSF groups received retinal ipRGC ablation. Three weeks after modeling， the MSF and ipRGCs + MSF groups were administered Mingshi prescription via continuous gavage for six weeks. After refraction and axial length were measured in all mice， eyeballs were collected along with retinal and scleral tissues. Pathological and morphological changes in the retina， choroid， and sclera were observed using periodic acid-Schiff （PAS） staining. Western blot was employed to detect the relative protein expression levels of dopamine D1 receptor （DRD1）， C/EBP homologous protein （CHOP）， and glucose-regulated protein 78 （GRP78） in the retina， and CHOP and GRP78 in the sclera. Real-time PCR was used to detect the relative mRNA expression of Opn4， CHOP， and GRP78 in the retina， and CHOP and GRP78 in the sclera. Immunofluorescence staining （IF） was performed to detect the expression of Opn4 and DRD1 in retinal tissues. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the FDM group showed a significant myopic shift in refraction （P<0.05） and a significant increase in axial length （P<0.05）. The retinal layers were thinner， the number of ganglion cells was reduced， and collagen fibers in the sclera were loosely arranged with evident gaps. Opn4 and DRD1 protein and mRNA expression in the retina were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， while CHOP and GRP78 protein and mRNA expression in both retinal and scleral tissues were significantly increased （P<0.05）. Compared with the FDM group， the ipRGCs group exhibited further increases in myopic refraction and axial length （P<0.05）， more pronounced thinning and looseness in the retinal， choroidal， and scleral layers， lower expression of Opn4 and DRD1 protein and mRNA in the retina （P<0.05）， and higher expression of CHOP and GRP78 protein and mRNA in the retina and sclera （P<0.05）. Compared with the FDM group， the MSF group showed significantly reduced refractive error and axial length （P<0.05）， with improved cellular number， arrangement， and thickness in ocular tissues， increased Opn4 and DRD1 protein and mRNA expression in the retina （P<0.05）， and reduced CHOP and GRP78 protein and mRNA expression in both retina and sclera （P<0.05）. Similarly， the ipRGCs + MSF group showed significant improvements in terms of the above items compared with the ipRGCs group （P<0.05）. ConclusionMingshi Prescription delays myopic axial elongation and refractive progression by regulating the Opn4-DA axis in the retina of myopic mice， thereby inhibiting ER stress in the retina and sclera. This intervention promotes Qi and blood nourishment of the eyes， softens the fascia， and restores ocular rhythm.