BackgroundMetabolic syndrome （MetS） is highly prevalent in patients with mental disorders， including elevated diastolic or systolic blood pressure， elevated fasting glucose， hypercholesterolemia， abdominal obesity and so on. As an important component of MetS， the relationship between hypercholesterolemia and mental disorder has been extensively reported， whereas few genome-wide association studies （GWAS） have been conducted to identify the causal role of mental disorders in hypercholesterolemia. ObjectiveTo explore the potential causal relationship between mental disorders and hypercholesterolemia by two-sample Mendelian randomization （MR） method. MethodsSummary data from GWAS were analyzed. Single nucleotide polymorphisms （SNPs） strongly associated with mental disorders were chosen as instrumental variables， and hypercholesterolemia was used as outcome variable. MR analysis utilized inverse-variance weighted （IVW）， MR-Egger regression and weighted median estimation （WME） as the primary analytical tool， and supplemented by simple mode （SM） and weighted mode （WM）. The causal relationship between mental disorders and the risk of hypercholesterolemia was illustrated in terms of odds ratio （OR）. ResultsA total of 36 SNPs associated with mental disorders were identified as instrumental variables. The primary findings from IVW revealed existence of a causal relationship between mental disorders and hypercholesterolemia （IVW： OR=1.067， 95% CI： 1.026~1.109， P=0.001）. Findings from the additional methods （MR-Egger regression， WME， SM， WM） were basically consistent with those reported in IVW method. Further verification indicated that the causal relationship between mental disorders and the risk of hypercholesterolemia was not affected by genetic polymorphism （P>0.05）. The absence of heterogeneity was confirmed through Cochran's Q test and MR-Egger regression （P>0.05）. Furthermore， no causal association in the reverse direction was found （P>0.05）. ConclusionThere is a causal relationship between mental disorders and hypercholesterolemia， and patients with mental disorders may have an increased probability of suffering from hypercholesterolemia.

Heart failure （HF）， as the terminal stage of most cardiovascular diseases， manifests with primary symptoms including dyspnea， fatigue， edema， and palpitations. With recurrent episodes and a protracted clinical course， HF imposes a substantial global disease burden. PANoptosis represents a distinctive form of programmed cell death （PCD） that integrates features of pyroptosis， apoptosis， and necroptosis， yet cannot be fully attributed to any single pathway among these three PCD modalities. Recent studies demonstrate significant dysregulation of PANoptosis-related genes during HF progression， positioning PANoptosis as both an emerging mechanism mediating HF pathogenesis and a novel therapeutic target. In recent years， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has gained substantial recognition for its therapeutic potential in HF management， offering advantages such as flexible compatibility， multi-target effects， and minimal adverse reactions. Astragali Radix， a representative Qi-invigorating and blood-activating herbal medicine， has demonstrated remarkable clinical efficacy in the treatment for various HF subtypes. Research reveals that its major bioactive components—including astragaloside Ⅳ， polysaccharide， quercetin， and calycosin—exhibit significant associations with the regulation of apoptosis， pyroptosis， and necroptosis pathways. This review systematically explores the therapeutic feasibility of Astragali Radix in the prevention and treatment of HF through the lens of PANoptosis mechanisms. By synthesizing recent advances in the mechanisms of Astragali Radix-derived bioactive compounds and Astragali Radix-containing compound prescriptions in modulating PANoptosis， this paper aim to provide critical insights for advancing the diagnosis and therapeutic strategies of HF.

Heart failure （HF）， as the terminal stage of most cardiovascular diseases， manifests with primary symptoms including dyspnea， fatigue， edema， and palpitations. With recurrent episodes and a protracted clinical course， HF imposes a substantial global disease burden. PANoptosis represents a distinctive form of programmed cell death （PCD） that integrates features of pyroptosis， apoptosis， and necroptosis， yet cannot be fully attributed to any single pathway among these three PCD modalities. Recent studies demonstrate significant dysregulation of PANoptosis-related genes during HF progression， positioning PANoptosis as both an emerging mechanism mediating HF pathogenesis and a novel therapeutic target. In recent years， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has gained substantial recognition for its therapeutic potential in HF management， offering advantages such as flexible compatibility， multi-target effects， and minimal adverse reactions. Astragali Radix， a representative Qi-invigorating and blood-activating herbal medicine， has demonstrated remarkable clinical efficacy in the treatment for various HF subtypes. Research reveals that its major bioactive components—including astragaloside Ⅳ， polysaccharide， quercetin， and calycosin—exhibit significant associations with the regulation of apoptosis， pyroptosis， and necroptosis pathways. This review systematically explores the therapeutic feasibility of Astragali Radix in the prevention and treatment of HF through the lens of PANoptosis mechanisms. By synthesizing recent advances in the mechanisms of Astragali Radix-derived bioactive compounds and Astragali Radix-containing compound prescriptions in modulating PANoptosis， this paper aim to provide critical insights for advancing the diagnosis and therapeutic strategies of HF.

Objective: To explore parents knowledge, vaccination attitude, and willingness influencing factors of human papillomavirus (HPV) and its vaccine for male primary and secondary school students, so as to provide a scientific basis for formulating targeted health education strategies and promoting the popularization of boys HPV vaccination. Methods: From March 3 to 14, 2025, a stratified cluster random sampling method was used to select 912 parents of boys in primary and secondary school in Bao an District, Shenzhen for a questionnaire survey. Data on their demographic characteristics, HPV related knowledge and its vaccine, vaccination attitude, and willingness were collected. Univariate analysis was performed by using the χ 2 test or t-test, and binary Logistic regression model was used to analyze related factors of HPV vaccine vaccination willingness. Results: The total awareness rate of parents knowledge related to HPV and its vaccine was 35.75%, among which the awareness rates of boys vaccine types ( 6.36% ), optimal age (21.16%), and optimal vaccination period (31.25%) were the lowest. The scores of parents knowledge and attitude related to HPV and its vaccine were (4.31±2.66) and (3.82±0.63). About 64.25% of parents expressed willingness to have boys vaccinated against HPV. The scores of knowledge and attitude related to HPV and its vaccine of parents with vaccination willingness (4.86±2.55, 4.02±0.58) were higher than those of parents without vaccination willingness (3.34±2.57, 3.46±0.55), and the differences were statistically significant ( t =8.59,13.96, both P <0.01). Logistic analysis showed that parents without raising daughters had a lower willingness to vaccinate boys against HPV ( OR=0.49, 95%CI =0.35-0.70); for each 1 increase in parents knowledge score related to HPV and its vaccine, the vaccination willingness increased by 9.0% ( OR=1.09, 95%CI =1.01-1.17); parents who were worried about boys infection risk ( OR=1.50, 95%CI =1.08-2.08) and parents who had their children vaccinated against HPV even if their classmates were not vaccinated ( OR=3.68, 95%CI =2.73-4.94) had higher willingness to vaccinate boys against HPV(all P <0.05). Conclusions Parents of boys in primary and secondary schools of Bao an District, Shenzhen have low scores of knowledge related to HPV and its vaccine.While parents show strong willingness to vaccinate boys against HPV, limited knowledge may hinder both the sustained growth of vaccination intentions and the actual implementation of vaccination practices.

This study explored the drying kinetics of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma(SM), established the suitable models simulating the drying kinetics, and then analyzed the dynamic changes of active components during the drying processes with different methods, aiming to provide a basis for the establishment of suitable drying methods and the quality control of SM. The drying kinetics were studied based on the drying curve, drying rate, moisture effective diffusion coefficient, and drying activation energy, and the appropriate drying kinetics model of SM was established. The drying performance of different methods, such as hot air drying, infrared drying, and microwave drying of SM was evaluated, and the changes in the content of 10 salvianolic acids and 6 tanshinones during drying were analyzed by UPLC-TQ-MS. The Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution(TOPSIS) was employed to evaluate the quality of SM dried with different methods. The results showed that the drying rate and moisture effective diffusion coefficient of SM increased with the rise in drying temperature, and the maximum drying rates of different methods were in the order of microwave drying > infrared drying > hot air drying, slice > whole root. The drying rate decreased with the rise in temperature and the extension of drying time. The activation energy of hot air drying was higher than that of infrared drying in SM. The most suitable model for simulating the drying process of SM was the Page model. The TOPSIS results suggested infrared drying at 50 ℃ was the optimal drying method for SM. During the drying process, the content of salvianolic acids increased in different degrees with the loss of moisture, among which salvianolic acid B showed the largest increase of 44 times compared with that in the fresh medicinal material. Tanshinones also existed in the fresh herb of SM, and the content of tanshinone Ⅱ_A increased by 3 times after drying. The results provided a basis for the establishment of suitable drying methods and the quality control of SM.
Salvia miltiorrhiza/chemistry* ; Desiccation/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Rhizome/chemistry* ; Kinetics ; Quality Control ; Abietanes

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), a treasure of the Chinese nation, contains abundant chemical components and demonstrates unique pharmacological activities, showing important values in clinical applications. With profound connotations and broad application prospects, TCM urgently needs us to further explore and conduct systematic research. Puerarin is a small-molecule natural isoflavonoid carbon glycoside extracted from plants of Pueraria. It is also the main active ingredient of Puerariae Lobata Radix, a Chinese herbal medicine with both medicinal and edible values. Puerarin has a variety of pharmacological effects such as blood pressure-lowering, anti-atherosclerosis, anti-ischemia-reperfusion injury, antithrombotic, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, liver-protecting, nerve cell-protecting, and intestinal microbiota-regulating effects. It is also an active ingredient that has been widely studied. This article comprehensively reviews the research progress in the pharmacological effects and molecular mechanisms of puerarin over the years, aiming to provide references and theoretical support for the in-depth research and development as well as clinical application of puerarin.
Isoflavones/chemistry* ; Humans ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Pueraria/chemistry*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of the calcium/calmodulin (CaM)-mediated activation of calcineurin (CN)-nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) signaling pathway in mediating the regulatory effect of hyperforin (HY) on stress-induced depression-like disorder (DP) in mice. METHODS: C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control group, DP model group, and hyperforin treatment group (n=15). Behavioral changes of the mice were assessed using open field test (OFT), sucrose preference test (SPT), tail suspension test (TST), light/dark box test (LDB), and novel object suppression test (NSFT). Immunohistochemistry was used to detect tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, and serum serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NA) levels were detected with ELISA. Western blotting was used to analyze the expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-2, and CN-NFAT pathway proteins. In cultured BV-2 microglial cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, the effects of hyperforin and CN inhibitor (CNIS) on expressions of ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (IBA-1), 5-HT, NA, inflammatory cytokines and CN-NFAT pathway proteins were examined using immunofluorescence assay, ELISA or Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the control mice, the mice in DP group showed significantly reduced activity in OFT, decreased sucrose consumption in SPT, reduced shuttle crossing in LDB, and lowered food intake in NSFT with significantly increased immobility in TST. The mice with DP showed significantly decreased TH-positive neurons, lowered 5-HT and NA levels, and increased expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-2 and CaM-CN-NFAT pathway proteins. In cultured BV-2 cells, LPS stimulation strongly increased cellular IBA-1 expression, decreased the levels of neurotransmitters (5-HT and NA), and increased the levels of inflammatory cytokines and CN-NFAT signaling, and these changes were effectively reversed by treatment with hyperforin or CNIS. CONCLUSIONS Hyperforin improves stress-induced depression-like behaviors in mice and activated BV-2 cells by targeting the CN-NFAT signaling pathway.
Animals ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice ; Microglia/drug effects* ; Depression/etiology* ; Perylene/pharmacology* ; Calcineurin/metabolism* ; NFATC Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Calcium Signaling/drug effects* ; Stress, Psychological ; Phloroglucinol/pharmacology* ; Signal Transduction ; Male ; Behavior, Animal/drug effects* ; Terpenes

Objective To compare the efficacy of mediastinoscope-assisted transhiatal esophagectomy (MATHE) and functional minimally invasive esophagectomy (FMIE) for esophageal cancer. Methods Patients who underwent minimally invasive esophagectomy at Jining No.1 Hospital from March 2018 to September 2022 were retrospectively included. The patients were divided into a MATHE group and a FMIE group according to the procedures. The patients were matched via propensity score matching (PSM) with a ratio of 1 : 1 and a caliper value of 0.2. The clinical data of the patients were compared after the matching. Results A total of 73 patients were include in the study, including 54 males and 19 females, with an average age of (65.12±7.87) years. There were 37 patients in the MATHE group and 36 patients in the FMIE group. Thirty pairs were successfully matched. Compared with the FMIE group, MATHE group had shorter operation time (P=0.022), lower postoperative 24 h pain score (P=0.031), and less drainage on postoperative 1-3 days (P<0.001). FMIE group had more lymph node dissection (P<0.001), lower incidence of postoperative hoarseness (P=0.038), lower white blood cell and neutrophil counts on postoperative 1 day (P<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the bleeding volume, R0 resection, hospital mortality, postoperative hospital stay, anastomotic leak, chylothorax, or pulmonary infection between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Compared with the FMIE, MATHE has shorter operation time, less postoperative pain and drainage, but removes less lymph nodes, which is deficient in oncology. For some special patients such as those with early cancer or extensive pleural adhesions, MATHE may be a suitable surgical method.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect and safety of Jiuxin Pill （救心丸） on exercise tolerance and quality of life in patients with stable angina pectoris （SAP）. MethodsA randomised， double-blind， placebo-controlled， multicentre study design was used to enroll 170 patients of SAP from nine centres， which were divided into 85 patients each in the trial group and control group with 1∶1 ratio. Both groups maintained the original western medicine treatment plan， and added Jiuxin Pill or placebo respectively， 2 pills （0.05 g） each time twicely for 28 days. The main outcomes were total exercise time （TED） in the exercise treadmill test and Seattle Angina Questionnaire （SAQ） scores including physical limitation （PL）， angina stability （AS）， angina frequency （AF）， treatment satisfaction （TS）， and disease perception （DP）. The secondary outcomes were exercise treadmill test indicators including heart rate recovery in 1 min （HRR1）， metabolic equivalents （METs）， maximum magnitude of ST-segment depression， and the Borg rating of perceived exertion scale， the average number of angina attacks per week， withdrawal and reduction rate of nitroglycerin， traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores， incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events. Safety indicators were evaluated and the occurrence of adverse events during the trial was recorded. Data was collected before treatment， day 28±2 in treatment period， and follow-up at day 56 which is 28±2 days after treatment period finished. ResultsEighty-four and eighty-five patients respectively from trial group and control group were included to the full analysis set （FAS） and safety analysis set （SS）. Compared with the group before treatment and with the control group after treatment， the trial group had higher TED， HRR1， and METs， and lower maximum magnitude of ST-segment depression and Borg rating of perceived exertion scores after treatment （P＜0.01）. Compared with the group before treatment and with the control group after treatment and at follow-up， the total SAQ score and scores of AS， AF， TS and DP of the trial group after treatment and at follow-up elevated， while the average number of angina attacks per week and traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores reduced （P＜0.01）. There was no statistically significant difference in the withdrawal and reduction rate of nitroglycerin between groups （P＞0.05）. Major adverse cardiovascular events occurred in 1 case （1/84， 1.19%） in the trial group and 1 case （1/85， 1.18%） in the control group， and the difference between groups was not statistically significant （P＞0.05）. A total of 3 cases of adverse events occurred in the trial group （3/84， 3.57%）， and a total of 6 cases of adverse events occurred in the control group （6/85， 7.06%）， and there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between groups （P＞0.05）. ConclusionIn the treatment of SAP， Jiuxin Pill combined with conventional western medicine can further enhance exercise tolerance， improve quality of life， and demonstrate great safety.