Diabetic retinopathy(DR), the most common microvascular complication of diabetes, has become a leading cause of visual impairment and blindness across all age groups. The early diagnosis and severity assessment of DR rely on the precise evaluation of retinal microvascular alterations. The periarterial capillary-free zone(paCFZ), a physiological avascular region surrounding retinal arteries, has recently been recognized as an important biomarker reflecting the status of retinal microcirculation. Advances in optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)have enabled noninvasive, high-resolution quantification of the paCFZ, offering a novel approach for the early detection and stratification of DR. This review systematically summarizes the definition and developmental mechanism of the paCFZ, as well as its morphological characteristics across different stages of DR, with a particular focus on the advantages of OCTA in visualizing and quantifying the paCFZ. We further discuss the differential manifestations of the paCFZ in nonproliferative DR and proliferative DR, and its associations with retinal ischemia and oxygenation status. In addition, the potential clinical value of paCFZ in evaluating responses to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)therapy and predicting disease progression is summarized. Finally, the challenges in clinical translation and future research directions are addressed, aiming to provide theoretical support and new perspectives for early screening, risk stratification, and personalized management of DR.

While cranial radiotherapy effectively kills tumor cells and significantly prolongs patient survival, it often leads to progressive cognitive decline. To date, the specific mechanisms underlying radiation-induced cognitive decline have not been fully elucidated, which greatly limits the development of related therapeutic strategies. Therefore, this article provides a comprehensive analysis of post-radiation changes in neurogenesis, neuronal synaptic plasticity, myelin injury plasticity, and parenchymal cells such as microglia in the brain, systematically elucidates the potential mechanisms of radiation-induced cognitive decline, and summarizes feasible therapeutic approaches. These findings provide a solid foundation for developing novel strategies to mitigate radiation-induced cognitive decline.

OBJECTIVE To study the improvement effect and mechanism of Tripterygium wilfordii multiglucoside （TWM） on nephrotic syndrome in rats. METHODS The nephrotic syndrome model was established by intravenous injection of adriamycin via the tail vein. The modeling rats were randomly divided into the model group （distilled water）， prednisone group （10 mg/kg）， and TWM high- and low-dose groups （10 and 5 mg/kg， respectively）. Additionally， blank group （distilled water） without model induction was established. Each group consisted of 9 rats. Rats in each group were administered the corresponding drugs or distilled water by gavage， once a day， for 6 consecutive weeks. The histopathological morphology of kidney tissues in rats was observed； the levels of 24-hour urinary protein （24 h-UTP） and serum biochemical indicators [albumin （ALB）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， serum creatinine （SCr）， cholesterol （CHOL）， and triglyceride （TG）] in rats were determined； the levels of oxidative stress indicators [superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）] in kidney tissue of rats were determined； expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α）/microRNA-155-5p （miR-155-5p）/nuclear factor erythriod 2- related factor 2 （Nrf2） signaling pathway-related mRNA and protein in the renal tissues of rats were detected. RESULTS Compared with the blank group， the rats in the model group exhibited disordered renal tissue structure， with a small amount of glomerular necrosis and edema of the renal tubular epithelial cells. 24 h-UTP， serum levels of SCr， BUN， CHOL and TG， MDA content， mRNA and protein expressions of HIF-1α and Keap1 as well as the expression of miR-155-5p in renal tissues were increased significantly （ P ＜0.05）. Serum level of ALB， SOD level in renal tissue as well as mRNA and protein expressions of Nrf2 were decreased significantly （ P ＜0.05）. Compared with the model group， TWM high-dose and low-dose groups exhibited significant improvements in renal injury， with notable reversals in the levels of the above quantitative indicators （ P ＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS TWM can alleviate oxidative stress-induced damage and thereby improve nephrotic syndrome in rats by regulating the HIF-1α/miR-155-5p/Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Ulcerative colitis （UC）， a chronic relapsing inflammatory bowel disease， involves multifaceted pathological mechanisms such as intestinal barrier dysfunction， immune dysregulation， and oxidative stress. Current therapeutic strategies remain limited in efficacy and safety. In recent years， the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK） signaling pathway has emerged as a pivotal therapeutic target for UC due to its central role in energy metabolism， inflammatory regulation， and intestinal homeostasis. This article systematically reviewed the mechanisms by which traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） prevented and treated UC through the regulation of the AMPK signaling pathway， with a focus on elucidating AMPK's multidimensional regulatory network in inflammatory signaling crosstalk， alleviating oxidative stress， restoring intestinal immune balance， repairing the intestinal barrier， and modulating gut microbiota. Leveraging its unique advantages of multi-target engagement and low toxicity， TCM demonstrates promising potential in UC treatment and has become a focal area of research. By systematically summarizing and synthesizing the existing literature on TCM-mediated AMPK pathway modulation in UC， this review aims to provide a theoretical foundation for advancing mechanistic research and clinical interventions in UC.

The repair of bone defects is heavily influenced by the dynamic osteogenic microenvironment. Static scaffolds constructed by traditional 3D printing technology cannot simulate the dynamic nature of the microenvironment during bone defect repair due to the fixed structure, uncontrollable release of active factors, and difficult regeneration of blood vessels, among other factors. Breaking through the limitations of these static scaffolds and realizing the intelligent and dynamic regulation of the osteogenic microenvironment is a key scientific issue in the field of bone tissue engineering. 4D printing technology combines the dynamic responsiveness of bone restoration materials with the concept of intelligent design to regulate the micro and macro structure of scaffolds. This technology provides a new method for bone tissue engineering by responding to endogenous and exogenous stimuli and creating a better osteogenic microenvironment through functionalized design, including drug delivery and antibacterial function. However, this technology currently suffers from challenges related to dynamic response material design, insufficient precision of printing technology, and mismatches between multi-stimulus response systems, metabolic rhythms of bone tissue, and functionalized composite scaffolds. Future research should focus on the development of smart response materials with excellent dynamic responses and bioactivity, the creation of new printing technologies, and the design of personalized and precise bone repair solutions. The aim of this paper is to review the current research status of 4D printing for bone tissue engineering in terms of material types, response mechanisms, and applications to provide a theoretical basis for the development and clinical application of functional bone repair materials in the future.

Objective: To understand the latent categories of sleep disturbances among children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in Tianjin and their relationship with behavioral and social issues, so as to provide a basis for preventing and improving sleep disturbances in the population. Methods: From September 2021 to June 2024, 272 children and adolescents aged 2-23 years with neurodevelopmental disorders were recruited from special education schools and designated rehabilitation institutions in Tianjin. Sleep disturbances were assessed using the Children s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). Behavioral and social issues and severity were evaluated using the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). Latent class analysis (LCA) was employed to categorize the subjects into different sleep disturbances categories. Cochran- Armitage test was used to analyze the trend of detection rate of sleep disturbances in different age groups. Spearman rank correlation was used to analyze the correlation between the scores of each scale. The generalized linear model was used to analyze the influence of CARS and ABC scale scores. Covariance analysis was used to examine differences in behavioral and social issues among the different categories. Results: Among 272 survey respondents, a total of 197(72.4%) children and adolescents with NDDs were identified with sleep disturbances. The detection rates of sleep disturbances were 88.9% for those aged 2-6 years, 70.6% for aged 7-12, 66.7% for aged 13-18 and 50.0% for 19-23 years old, which was decreased across age group ( Z =3.58, P <0.01). There was a positive correlation between the total CSHQ score and the total ABC score ( r=0.16, P =0.01). The generalized linear model analysis showed that after adjusting age, gender, parents education level and family monthly income, bedtime habit ( β =3.60) and sleeping latency disorder ( β =3.36) were positively correlated with CARS scores, while the bedtime habit ( β =16.73) and waking up at night ( β =17.46) were positively correlated with ABC scores ( P <0.05). LCA revealed that sleep disturbances in children and adolescents with NDDs could be classified into four categories. The covariance analysis results showed that there were statistically significant differences in the average scores of CSHQ (70.84±9.05, 50.96±6.64, 50.33±5.82, 43.84±5.44) and ABC (49.44± 39.34 , 53.04±39.75, 63.51±40.31, 38.14±34.23) among different categories of all partipants ( F=92.09, 3.95, P <0.05). Conclusion Sleep disturbances in children and adolescents with NDDs are severe and exhibit distinct categorical characteristics.

ObjectiveTo explore the differences in the accumulation of secondary metabolites of Dendrobium nobile cultivated on epiphytic stones and trees， so as to elucidate the scientific connotation of "only those that grow on stones has superior quality"， and provide a direction for the cultivation and quality evaluation of D. nobile. MethodsUltra-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole/linear ion trap mass spectrometry（UPLC-QTRAP-MS/MS）-based widely targeted metabolomics was used to detect the metabolites of D. nobile cultivated on epiphytic stones and trees. And the combination of principal component analysis（PCA）， hierarchical cluster analysis（HCA）， and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis（OPLS-DA） was performed for multivariate statistical analysis of metabolites. Differential metabolites were screened by variable importance in the projection（VIP） value≥1 and log₂fold change（FC）≥1 or ≤-1， and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes（KEGG） enrichment analysis was conducted. ResultsA total of 1 267 metabolites were identified in the stems of D. nobile from the two cultivation modes， dominated by flavonoids（292）， phenolic acids（284）， and alkaloids（189）. Through OPLS-DA screening， 473 differential metabolites were obtained. Compared to epiphytic tree-cultivated D. nobile， epiphytic stone-cultivated D. nobile exhibited upregulation of flavonoids， phenolic acids， alkaloids， lignans and coumarins， while quinones and terpenoids were down-regulated. The differential metabolites mainly included flavonoid glycosides and alkaloids， and these differential metabolites significantly contributed to characterizing the two cultivation patterns. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed significant enrichment in pathways of flavone and flavonol biosynthesis， flavonoid biosynthesis， tyrosine metabolism， and phenylalanine metabolism in epiphytic stone-cultivated D. nobile. ConclusionEpiphytic stone cultivation is beneficial for the accumulation of phenolic acids， flavonoids， and alkaloids in D. nobile， indicating that the "only those that grow on stones has superior quality" documented in the materia medica has certain scientific basis， and the findings also provide a reference for quality evaluation and discrimination research between epiphytic stone and tree cultivated D. nobile.

Objective: To explore the associations between caregivers nutrition literacy and pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), so as to provide scientific evidence for the key contents of family intervention measures. Methods: In September 2022, a study involving 1 609 thirdgrade students and their caregivers from six schools in Yinzhou, Haishu, and Zhenhai Districts of Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, was conducted. Venous blood samples were collected to measure lipid profiles and investigate the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among the children. Family Food Environment Questionnaire was used to assess the nutrition literacy levels of the caregivers. Generalized linear regression analysis was employed to explore the correlation between caregivers nutrition literacy levels and the prevalence of NAFLD in children. Results: Among the surveyed students, 191 were in the NAFLD group, whereas 1 418 were in the nonNAFLD group. The median nutrition literacy score of caregivers in the NAFLD group and nonNAFLD group all were 11.00 (9.00,12.00), which was not significantly different (Z=-0.40, P=0.71). The generalized linear regression results revealed that the level of nutrition literacy of caregivers had no significant effect on childrens Triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and Triglyceride-glucose-Waisttoheight ratio (TyG-WHtR) [β(95%CI) were 0.001(-0.005-0.006) and 0.000(-0.014-0.014), P>0.05]. Conclusions The nutrition literacy level of caregivers has no significant correlation with the direct incidence of NAFLD in children. As for family intervention measures, it is necessary not only to improve the nutrition literacy level of caregivers but also to effectively apply nutritional knowledge in practice to optimize health management.

Testicular radiation injury is a structural and functional abnormality of the testes caused directly or indirectly by radiation, which disrupts spermatogenesis and compromises male fertility. The development of effective preventive and therapeutic interventions is essential because of the high prevalence of this condition in clinical settings and its profound effect on patients′ reproductive health and overall well-being. The concept of "the struggle between vital qi and pathogen" is first seen in the Treatise on Cold Pathogenic Diseases. It denotes the dynamic struggle between vital and pathogenic qi. The occurrence, development, and sequelae of all diseases reflect this ongoing conflict. In this context, this study defines the "vital qi" of the testis as its capacity to generate and preserve the essence of reproduction and to resist damage. The pathogenic qi associated with testicular radiation injury is categorized into two types: ionizing poison and retaining evil. The pathogenesis of testicular radiation damage is delineated into three stages by integrating the characteristics of vital and pathogenic qi: the injury, adhesion, and recovery phases. Based on the theoretical framework advanced by this study, the therapeutic approach for testicular radiation injury should adhere to the fundamental principle of strengthening vital qi and eliminating pathogenic factors. Although the primary focus of treatment should be on strengthening vital qi, it should also be complemented by strategies to eliminate pathogenic influences. This paper aims to provide a novel perspective and strategic approach to the traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of testicular radiation injury. By elucidating the process of testicular radiation injury and its corresponding treatment principles, it seeks to offer valuable insights for clinical practice.

Objective To explore the promoting effect of long-term administration of nicotiflorin on the recovery of neurological function in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury （CIRI）. Methods The CIRI model was established and nicotiflorin was injected intraperitoneally after 1 hour of obstruction for 8 weeks. Tail suspension deflection experiment, balance beam experiment and water maze test were performed in the 2nd, 4th and 8th weeks. After 8 weeks, TTC staining was used to observe the volume of infarct atrophy, transcriptome sequencing was employed to screen differential expressed genes （DEGs） and highly enriched pathways were analyzed, Western-bloting and Elisa were used to assess proteins expression related to the pyroptosis pathway and inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18. Results By long-term administration of nicotiflorin, the contralateral deflection rate was significantly reduced and beam experiment score of CIRI rats was balanced, the number of crossing the platform in water maze test was increased （P<0.05）, the volume of cerebral infarction atrophy was decreased （P<0.01）, which significantly promoted the recovery of neurological function in rats. Transcriptome sequencing found that the expression of genes in the pyroptosis-related signaling pathways in the brain tissue of rats in the nicotiflorin group was significantly down-regulated （P<0.05）. Western-blot and Elisa experiments showed that nicotiflorin reduced the expression levels of Caspase-1 and GSDMD-N and other pyroptosis-related proteins, and at the same time, the release of inflammatory factors IL-1β and IL-18 was significantly reduced （P<0.05）, indicating that nicotiflorin could inhibit the inflammatory process of pyroptosis. Conclusion Nicotiflorin exhibited a significant long-term promotion effect on the recovery of neurological function in CIRI rats, which potentially attributed from its ability to inhibit pyroptosis.