Objective: To investigate the correlation between color parameters (L^*, a^*, b^*, Eab^*) and the contents of reducing sugars, total polysaccharides, total oligosaccharides, as well as four saccharides (fructose, glucose, sucrose, and kestose) during the nine cycles of steaming and sun-drying processing of Polygonatum kingianum, and to preliminarily explore the optimal processing duration.
Methods: The color changes were objectively evaluated using a colorimeter. The anthrone-sulfuric acid method was employed to determine total polysaccharides and oligosaccharides. The 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) colorimetric method was used to measure total reducing sugar content. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with charged aerosol detection (HPLC-CAD) was applied for quantitative analysis of fructose, glucose, sucrose, and kestose. Multivariate statistical analysis was conducted to assess samples from different processing stages.
Results: Significant variations in color and component contents were observed across processing stages. The herbal pieces progressively darkened with increased processing cycles: brightness (L^*) and total color difference (Eab^*) initially decreased then stabilized, while a^* (red-green) and b^* (yellow-blue) values first increased then declined. Total polysaccharides and oligosaccharides showed overall decreasing trends, whereas reducing sugars initially increased before stabilizing. Fructose and glucose levels rose continuously, while sucrose and kestose decreased progressively, becoming undetectable after five cycles.
Conclusion: The chromatic alteration and saccharide composition of P. kingianum showed significant correlation with processing duration. Both total color difference (Eab^*) and reducing sugar content stabilized after four processing cycles (12 hours), suggesting that four cycles of steaming and sun-drying may represent the optimal processing duration.

Background/Aims: The pathophysiology of refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (RGERD), which differs from proton pump inhibitor dependent gastroesophageal reflux disease (DGERD), remains incompletely elucidated. This study aims to compare esophageal motility patterns, transdiaphragmatic pressure gradients (TPG), and reflux profiles between RGERD and DGERD patients, and to delineate dynamic pressure gradient-esophagogastric junction (EGJ) interactions in these patients. Methods: In this retrospective study, 274 patients who underwent 24-hour impedance-pH monitoring and high-resolution manometry, along with an assessment of proton pump inhibitor responsiveness, were classified as RGERD (32.5%), DGERD (54.4%), or non-GERD (13.1%). Clinical characteristics, TPG, esophageal motility, and reflux metrics were compared between RGERD and DGERD patients. Subgroup analysis excluding hiatal hernia (HH) was conducted to investigate the pathophysiology of RGERD. Results: The RGERD group exhibited a significantly higher proportion of chest pain compared to the DGERD group. Regarding reflux profiles, RGERD patients without HH (RGERDHH- group) experienced increased weakly acidic reflux (P < 0.001) and prolonged bolus exposure (P = 0.006) compared to their counterparts (DGERDHH- group). Mechanistically, the RGERDHH- group showed reduced lower esophageal sphincter basal pressure (P = 0.010) and EGJ contractile integral (P = 0.005). Notably, following a wet-swallow, the RGERDHH- group experienced the significant elevation in gastric pressure and TPG. Correlation analyses revealed weakly acidic reflux and bolus exposure were positively correlated with gastric pressure variation, and inversely correlated with lower esophageal sphincter basal pressure. Conclusions Transient gastric pressure elevation and compromised EGJ barrier function drive weakly acidic reflux and esophageal bolus exposure. This pressure gradient-barrier mismatch underpins the refractoriness of RGERD.

Diabetic microvascular complications （DMC） are major chronic complications of diabetes，primarily including diabetic kidney disease （DKD），diabetic retinopathy （DR），diabetic cardiomyopathy （DCM），and diabetic peripheral neuropathy （DPN）. These complications significantly impact patients' quality of life and prognosis. Modern medicine primarily focuses on symptomatic control in the treatment of DMC，with limited ability to reverse the disease progression. Endoplasmic reticulum stress （ERS），as a central event under hyperglycemic toxicity，is not only a key cause of pancreatic β-cell dysfunction （reduced insulin synthesis and secretion） but also a core driver of damage in various target organs of DMC. It activates three signaling pathways of the unfolded protein response （UPR）-inositol-requiring enzyme 1 （IRE1），activating transcription factor 6 （ATF6），and protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase （PERK），intertwining processes such as autophagy，apoptosis，oxidative stress，and calcium homeostasis imbalance. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） offers multi-target and multi-pathway therapeutic advantages and can curb the pathological progression of DMC by regulating ERS. This article systematically reviews the relationships of ERS with pancreatic β-cell function，insulin synthesis，and insulin secretion，and elucidates the core signaling pathways through which ERS mediates DMC. Furthermore，it categorizes and summarizes experimental evidence and mechanisms of single medicinal herbs and their extracts，TCM compound formulas，and modern TCM preparations in regulating ERS for the treatment of various DMC subtypes. Finally，this article proposes ERS as a molecular bridge for integrating traditional Chinese and Western medicine in DMC treatment. Future research should leverage emerging technologies such as network pharmacology，multi-omics analysis，and nano-formulations to establish a synergistic network combining modern hypoglycemic drugs and TCM regulation of ERS. This approach is expected to achieve dual efficacy，enhance drug targeting and bioavailability，deepen the understanding of scientific connotation of TCM，and pave new avenues for the prevention and treatment of DMC.

Diabetic microvascular complications （DMC） are major chronic complications of diabetes，primarily including diabetic kidney disease （DKD），diabetic retinopathy （DR），diabetic cardiomyopathy （DCM），and diabetic peripheral neuropathy （DPN）. These complications significantly impact patients' quality of life and prognosis. Modern medicine primarily focuses on symptomatic control in the treatment of DMC，with limited ability to reverse the disease progression. Endoplasmic reticulum stress （ERS），as a central event under hyperglycemic toxicity，is not only a key cause of pancreatic β-cell dysfunction （reduced insulin synthesis and secretion） but also a core driver of damage in various target organs of DMC. It activates three signaling pathways of the unfolded protein response （UPR）-inositol-requiring enzyme 1 （IRE1），activating transcription factor 6 （ATF6），and protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase （PERK），intertwining processes such as autophagy，apoptosis，oxidative stress，and calcium homeostasis imbalance. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） offers multi-target and multi-pathway therapeutic advantages and can curb the pathological progression of DMC by regulating ERS. This article systematically reviews the relationships of ERS with pancreatic β-cell function，insulin synthesis，and insulin secretion，and elucidates the core signaling pathways through which ERS mediates DMC. Furthermore，it categorizes and summarizes experimental evidence and mechanisms of single medicinal herbs and their extracts，TCM compound formulas，and modern TCM preparations in regulating ERS for the treatment of various DMC subtypes. Finally，this article proposes ERS as a molecular bridge for integrating traditional Chinese and Western medicine in DMC treatment. Future research should leverage emerging technologies such as network pharmacology，multi-omics analysis，and nano-formulations to establish a synergistic network combining modern hypoglycemic drugs and TCM regulation of ERS. This approach is expected to achieve dual efficacy，enhance drug targeting and bioavailability，deepen the understanding of scientific connotation of TCM，and pave new avenues for the prevention and treatment of DMC.

To compare psychological reactance, intention to adopt sleep-management recommendations, and intention to use sleep-support resources among students in medical and health-related disciplines exposed to sleep health messages with different outcome frames and expression styles, and to provide evidence for the design of sleep health information materials.

Objective:To investigate the expression characteristics and clinical significance of FOXC1 in colon cancer,and decipher its mo-lecular mechanism in regulating tumor cell proliferation and apoptosis.Methods:The GEPIA database was employed to analyze the expres-sion of FOXC1 and its correlation with prognosis in colon cancer.Differential expression of FOXC1 was detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot in colon cancer cells(HCT116 and SW620)and normal colon epithelial cells(NCM460),and stable FOXC1-knockdown(sh-FOXC1)cell lines were established.Western blot,flow cytometry,CCK-8,and plate colony formation assays were performed to analyze the effects of FOXC1 knockdown on cell proliferation,cell cycle,and apoptosis.Furthermore,the downstream signaling pathway was verified using Rap1 overexpression rescue experiments.Results:FOXC1 mRNA expression was significantly higher in colon cancer tissues than in normal tissues(P<0.001).FOXC1 overexpression was nearing significance in relation to tumor staging(P=0.053),and patients with high FOXC1 expression had a shorter overall survival(Log-rank P=0.013).After FOXC1 knockdown,the expression of CyclinD1 and Bcl-2 decreased,whereas the ex-pression of Bax increased(P<0.01).The proportion of cells in the G0/G1 phase increased,while the proportion of cells in the S phase de-creased(P<0.001),and the cell proliferation activity and number of colonies formed decreased(P<0.001).Mechanistic studies demonstrated that after FOXC1 knockdown,Rap1 expression was reduced,while the expression of Rap1GAP increased(P<0.05).After restoration of Rap1 expression in FOXC1-knockdown cells,the downregulation of CyclinD1 and Bcl-2 expression and the increase in Bax expression were re-versed(P<0.05),the S phase ratio was increased(P<0.05),and cell proliferation activity and colony formation abilities were also re-scued.Conclusion:FOXC1 promotes colon cancer progression by facilitating Rap1 expression and downregulating Rap1GAP.Targeted inter-vention of the FOXC1-Rap1 signaling axis may emerge as a potential therapeutic strategy.

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic value and imaging features of high resolution magnetic resonance imaging(HR-MRI)in patients with lesions in carotid artery and intracranial artery.Methods:Sixty-nine patients with suspected lesions in carotid artery and intracranial artery who admitted to Handan Central Hospital from June 2021 to December 2023 were selected,and they underwent routine MRI and HR-MRI examinations.Digital subtraction angiography(DSA)examination was used as the"gold standard"to analyze the detection rates of different MRI examinations for lesions in carotid artery and intracranial artery.The diagnostic efficacy of them was calculated,and the HR-MRI imaging features of positive cases and negative patients were compared under the"gold standard".Results:For 69 patients with suspected lesions in carotid artery and intracranial artery,41 cases(59.42%)were confirmed by"gold standard"examination,and 31 positive cases were confirmed by routine MRI examination,and 35 positive cases were confirmed by HR-MRI examination,and 39 positive cases were confirmed by combined examination of routine MRI and HR-MRI.The results indicated that the accuracy,sensitivity,specificity,positive and negative predictive values of the combined examination of routine MRI and HR-MRI were respectively 88.41%,87.80%,89.29%,92.31%and 83.33%,all of which were higher than those of single image examination,and the differences were statistically significant(x2=5.459,7.329,6.216,6.395,6.141,P<0.05).The irregular shape,blurred boundary,high signal,plaque formation,intra-plaque bleeding,displacement of common carotid artery or vein,and calcification of lesion in HR-MRI imaging features of positive patients were significantly higher than those of negative patients,and the differences were statistically significant(x2=8.918,4.418,7.001,4.746,8.743,5.951,4.947,P<0.05),respectively.Conclusion:The detection rates both of routine MRI and HR-MRI are higher in patients with lesions in carotid artery and intracranial artery.However,the combined examination of them can improve the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity,and the morphology,boundary,signal and calcification foci of confirmed patients are more obvious in HR-MRI examination,which can provide reference for subsequent diagnosis and treatment.

[Objective]To investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in semen after COVID-19 infection in vaccinated individuals and to evaluate the impact of different recovery stages on sperm quality.[Methods]From January to March 2023,vaccinated male patients with recent SARS-CoV-2 infections confirmed by throat swabs were recruited from the Reproductive Medicine Center at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University.Semen samples were analyzed with RT-qPCR to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA.A retrospective analysis assessed sperm quality across recovery stages,comparing patients within 30 days of recovery to those with 30 days or more.Semen parameters evaluated included volume,total sperm count,forward motility percentage,abnormal morphology rate,and sperm DNA fragmentation index.In addition,a longitudinal self-comparison was performed to examine changes in semen quality before and after recovery(＜30 days and≥30 days).[Results]SARS-CoV-2 RNA was undetectable in the semen of all 205 patients.Neither cross-sectional comparisons nor longitudinal analyses showed significant differences in semen volume,sperm concentration,total sperm count,sperm morphology rate,sperm DNA fragmentation index,or high DNA stainability between recovery stages or compared to pre-infection values(P＞0.05).However,forward motility percentage markedly decreased during recovery,with statistical significant between groups(P＜0.05).[Conclusions]In vaccinated individuals who contracted COVID-19,SARS-CoV-2 was not transmitted through semen.Although the incidence of asthenozoospermia may increase within 30 days post-infection,this effect appears reversible in the short time.

AIM To investigate the effects of rice wine type and wine processing method on chemical constituents and anti-coagulation effect of Angelicae sinensis Radix.METHODS Wine-washed products and wine-stir-fried products were prepared by different types and ages of rice wine,respectively,after which HPLC was adopted in the content determination of tryptophan,chlorogenic acid,vanillic acid,phthalic acid,ferulic acid,senkyunolide I,senkyunolide H,coniferyl ferulate and ligustilide,and PT,APTT,TT were detected in rabbit plasma.RESULTS Phenolic acids and volatile constituents demonstrated lower contents in the wine-stir-fried products than those in the raw product(P＜0.05),while those in the wine-washed products displayed no obvious changes(except for senkyunolide I)(P＞0.05).The contents of volatile constituents in the wine-washed products were higher than those in the wine-stir-fried products(P＜0.05).After being processed with dry rice wine,various constituents exhibited increased contents as compared with those after being processed with sweet rice wine(P＜0.05).Compared with the raw product,prolonged PT,APTT and TT were observable in the processed products prepared by 3-year semi-dry rice wine(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION The optimal rice wine type is determined to be 3-year semi-dry.Wine-washed Angelicae sinensis Radix shows high contents of ferulic acid and volatile constituents,whose activating blood and resolving stasis effect may be stronger.

Objective:To explore the genotype-phenotype relationship in a child with Opitz G/BBB syndrome (OS) with mild clinical phenotype.Methods:A child with motor developmental delay as the initial symptom admitted to Xi ′an Children′s Hospital on June 10, 2021 was selected for this study. Clinical data were collected, and peripheral blood samples were obtained from the child and his mother. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed to identify genetic variant in the child. Candidate variant were verified by Sanger sequencing to assess inheritance patterns and pathogenicity. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot (WB) analyses were conducted to evaluate the effects of the variant on mRNA and protein expression, respectively, using recombinant expression plasmids generated in vitro. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Xi′an Children′s Hospital (Ethics No. 20240045).Results:① The child, a 9-month-and-7-day-old boy, presented with a low nasal bridge, hypertelorism, and difficulty sitting independently. Echocardiography revealed an atrial septal defect. ② WES identified a homozygous variant in the MIDI gene, c. 1483C>T (p.R495X), which was confirmed by Sanger sequencing and found to be inherited from the mother.③ Recombinant expression plasmids were successfully constructed. RT-qPCR analysis showed that the variant significantly reduced MIDI gene mRNA expression, while WB results indicated that the variant led to the production of a truncated protein. Conclusion:The mild clinical phenotype of OS in this child may be attributed to the mRNA degradation escape mechanism induced by the nonsense variant c. 1483C>T(p.R495X) in the MIDI gene. These findings provide valuable diagnostic insights for this pedigree and contribute to the understanding of the genotype-phenotype correlation in OS.