This study identified 8 members including NjBIN2 of the GSK3 family in Nardostachys jatamansi by bioinformatics analysis. Moreover, the phylogenetic tree revealed that the GKS3 family members of N. jatamansi had a close relationship with those of Arabidopsis. RT-qPCR results showed that NjBIN2 presented a tissue-specific expression pattern with the highest expression in roots, suggesting that NjBIN2 played a role in root growth and development. In addition, the application of epibrassinolide or the brassinosteroid(BR) synthesis inhibitor(brassinazole) altered the expression pattern of NjBIN2 and influenced the photomorphogenesis(cotyledon opening) and root development of N. jatamansi, which provided direct evidence about the functions of NjBIN2. In conclusion, this study highlights the roles of BIN2 in regulating the growth and development of N. jatamansi by analyzing the expression pattern and biological function of NjBIN2. It not only enriches the understanding about the regulatory mechanism of the growth and development of N. jatamansi but also provides a theoretical basis and potential gene targets for molecular breeding of N. jatamansi with improved quality in the future.
Brassinosteroids/metabolism* ; Steroids, Heterocyclic/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant/drug effects* ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Phylogeny ; Nardostachys/metabolism* ; Plant Growth Regulators/pharmacology* ; Plant Roots/drug effects*

Jiuwei Xifeng Granules have become a Chinese patent medicine in the market. Because the formula contains Os Draconis, a top-level protected fossil of ancient organisms, the formula was to be improved by replacing Os Draconis with Ostreae Concha. To evaluate whether the improved formula has the same effectiveness and safety as the original formula, a randomized, double-blind, parallel-controlled, equivalence clinical trial was conducted. This study enrolled 288 tic disorder(TD) of children and assigned them into two groups in 1∶1. The treatment group and control group took the modified formula and original formula, respectively. The treatment lasted for 6 weeks, and follow-up visits were conducted at weeks 2, 4, and 6. The primary efficacy endpoint was the difference in Yale global tic severity scale(YGTSS)-total tic severity(TTS) score from baseline after 6 weeks of treatment. The results showed that after 6 weeks of treatment, the declines in YGTSS-TSS score showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. The difference in YGTSS-TSS score(treatment group-control group) and the 95%CI of the full analysis set(FAS) were-0.17[-1.42, 1.08] and those of per-protocol set(PPS) were 0.29[-0.97, 1.56], which were within the equivalence boundary [-3, 3]. The equivalence test was therefore concluded. The two groups showed no significant differences in the secondary efficacy endpoints of effective rate for TD, total score and factor scores of YGTSS, clinical global impressions-severity(CGI-S) score, traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) response rate, or symptom disappearance rate, and thus a complete evidence chain with the primary outcome was formed. A total of 6 adverse reactions were reported, including 4(2.82%) cases in the treatment group and 2(1.41%) cases in the control group, which showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. No serious suspected unexpected adverse reactions were reported, and no laboratory test results indicated serious clinically significant abnormalities. The results support the replacement of Os Draconis by Ostreae Concha in the original formula, and the efficacy and safety of the modified formula are consistent with those of the original formula.
Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Tic Disorders/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome

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OBJECTIVE: Observational studies have found associations between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the risk of dementia, including Alzheimer's dementia (AD) and vascular dementia (VD); however, these findings are inconsistent. It remains unclear whether these associations are causal. METHODS: We conducted a meta-analysis by systematically searching for observational studies on the association between IBD and dementia. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis based on summary genome-wide association studies (GWASs) was performed. Genetic correlation and Bayesian co-localization analyses were used to provide robust genetic evidence. RESULTS: Ten observational studies involving 80,565,688 participants were included in this meta-analysis. IBD was significantly associated with dementia (risk ratio [ RR] =1.36, 95% CI = 1.04-1.78; I ² = 84.8%) and VD ( RR = 2.60, 95% CI = 1.18-5.70; only one study), but not with AD ( RR = 2.00, 95% CI = 0.96-4.13; I ² = 99.8%). MR analyses did not supported significant causal associations of IBD with dementia (dementia: odds ratio [ OR] = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.98-1.03; AD: OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.95-1.01; VD: OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.97-1.07). In addition, genetic correlation and co-localization analyses did not reveal any genetic associations between IBD and dementia. CONCLUSION Our study did not provide genetic evidence for a causal association between IBD and dementia risk. The increased risk of dementia observed in observational studies may be attributed to unobserved confounding factors or detection bias.
Humans ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/complications* ; Dementia/etiology* ; Observational Studies as Topic ; Genome-Wide Association Study

AIM To establish a quantitative analysis of multi-components by single-marker(QAMS)method for the simultaneous content determination of gastrodin,parishin E,syringin,parishin B,parishin C,ferulic acid,parishin A,buddleoside,harpagoside and cinnamic acid in Tianma Toufengling Capsules.METHODS The analysis was performed on a 30℃thermostatic GL Science InertsilTM ODS-3 column(150 mm×4.6 mm,5 μm),with the mobile phase comprising of acetonitrile-0.1%phosphoric acid flowing at 1.0 mL/min in a gradient elution manner,and the detection wavelengths were set at 220,280 nm.Syringin was used as an internal standard to calculate the relative correction factors of the other nine constituents,after which the content determination was made.RESULTS Ten constituents showed good linear relationships within their own ranges(r≥0.999 7),whose average recoveries were 98.53%-102.22%with the RSDs of 1.26%-2.68%.The result obtained by QAMS approximated those obtained by external standard method.CONCLUSION This accurate and specific method can be used for the quality control of Tianma Toufengling Capsules.

The toad, known for its various medicinal properties including parotid gland secretion (toad venom), dried skin, and gallbladder (toad bile), holds considerable medicinal applications as a valuable traditional Chinese animal medicine. Currently, in-depth attentions have been paid to the chemical composition and pharmacological properties of toad venom and skin; however, a lesser number of detailed analyses were concentrated on the toad bile. This review provides an overview of the chemical constituents in the bile of the Bufo genus, with a special focus on the cholestane and bufadienolides, and highlights the progress in their biosynthetic pathway and pharmacological activities. The analysis uncovers a distinct category of unsaturated Δ²² or Δ²³-C₂₇/C₂₈ bile acids in the toad gallbladder, potentially acting as key intermediaries in forming C-17 α-pyrone of bufadienolides. Furthermore, the high presence of 3α-OH configured bufadienolides in toad bile, in contrast to the common 3β-OH configured found in toad venom or skin, indicates a possible link between their minimal toxicity and the toad's self-defensive or physiological control. This review provides scientific basis for the development and utilization of toad bile resources, and provides useful reference for the discovery of lead compounds, analysis of the biosynthetic pathway of bufadienolides, and research on toad physiology.

The new medical reform takes the major aim to facilitate the expansion of high-quality medical resources and balance the regional distribution of the resources so as to meet the people's growing demand for high-quality healthcare.To exem-plify the expansion and balance of the high-quality resources,this paper scrutinizes the cooperation between aiding and aided hos-pitals by taking a state-level regional medical center hospital in Guizhou Province as an example.With cooperation-oriented pro-jects,the hospital achieved a homogenized development with the hospitals in developed regions in management,personnel,tech-nology,discipline,and hospital culture by introducing the high-quality resources from those hospitals.Such homogenized devel-opments empower the high-quality development of health care services in the less-developed regions of southwest China.Further-more,the experience of the hospital offers a reference for the development of other aided hospitals of state-level regional medical centers under new circumstances.

The traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） in pediatric care has a long history，proven efficacy，and distinctive characteristics.The China Association of Chinese Medicine has organized a series of youth salons to discuss the clinical advantages of treating diseases.Experts at this seminar proposed that the superior disease categories in pediatric TCM are significant for showcasing the unique strengths and advantages of TCM in the treatment of pediatric diseases，enhancing diagnostic and treatment levels，inheriting TCM knowledge，promoting the integration of TCM and Western medicine，and meeting patients' needs.The strengths of pediatric TCM are summed up as "having what others do not，excelling at what others have，being special in what others excel at，and ensuring safety in what others specialize in." The scope of superiority in pediatric TCM covers multiple systems，including respiratory，digestive，endocrine，psychological，and dermatological systems.This article summarized the advantages of TCM in treating 13 diseases discussed in the salon，such as upper respiratory tract infections，coughs，pneumonia，allergic rhinitis，bronchial asthma，atopic dermatitis，functional dyspepsia，functional constipation，enuresis，marginal short stature，simple obesity，attention deficit hyperactivity disorder，and tic disorders.The overall advantages were reflected in three aspects：First，the holistic concept and treatment based on syndrome differentiation in TCM highlight the advantage of treating the root causes of diseases，making the treatment methodical and precise.Second，most traditional Chinese herbs are natural and have strong safety profiles.Third，TCM treatment methods are abundant，especially the external treatment methods，which are widely used in pediatrics，highly accepted by parents，and have definite efficacy，as well as good safety and compliance.

Bladder cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide, with a high rate of recurrence and mortality, which is the ninth most common malignancy globally. Cystoscopy remains the gold standard for clinical bladder cancer diagnosis, but its invasive nature can lead to bacterial infection and inflammation. Urine cytology is a non-invasive and simple diagnostic method, but it has lower sensitivity in detecting low-grade bladder cancer and may yield false negative results. Therefore, identifying ideal diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers is crucial for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of bladder cancer. Aptamers, characterized as single-stranded DNA or RNA with unique three-dimensional conformations, exhibit the ability to identify various targets, ranging from small molecules to tumor cells. Aptamers, also known as chemical antibodies, are generated by systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) process and can function similarly to traditional antibodies. They hold numerous advantages over antibodies, such as ease of modification, low immunogenicity, and rapid tissue penetration and cell internalization due to their nucleic acid molecule structure. Since their discovery in the 1990s, aptamers have been widely used in biochemical analysis, disease detection, new drug research and other fields. This article provides an overview of aptamer selection and characterization for bladder cancer, discussing the research advancements involving aptamers in diagnosing and treating this disease. It covers aptamers obtained through different SELEX methods, including protein-SELEX, cell-SELEX, tissue-SELEX, and aptamers from other cancer SELEX; the detection in blood samples and urine samples; and application in targeted therapy and immunotherapy for bladder cancer. Currently, several aptamers capable of identifying bladder cancer have been generated, serving as molecular probes that have played a pivotal role in the early detection and treatment of bladder cancer. Bladder cancer perfusion therapy is well-suited for aptamer drug therapy because it does not require internal circulation, making it a suitable clinical indication for aptamer drug development. In addition, bladder cancer can be detected and monitored by collecting urine samples from patients, making it a preferred disease for clinical conversion of aptamers. While aptamers show promise, there is still much room for development compared with antibodies. There are still many clinically applied cancer biomarkers without corresponding aptamers, and more aptamers targeting different biomarkers should be selected and optimized to improve the sensitivity and accuracy for cancer detection and therapy. The field of aptamers urgently needs successful commercial products to promote its development, and home rapid detection/monitoring, imaging and targeted therapy of bladder cancer by infusion may be the breakthrough point for future application of aptamers.

Objective:To investigate the association of urinary cadmium level with body mass index (BMI) and body circumferences among the older adults over 65 years old in 9 longevity areas of China.Methods:Subjects were older adults over 65 years old from the Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study (HABCS) between 2017 and 2018 conducted in 9 longevity areas in China. A total of 1 968 older adults were included in this study. Information including socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyles, diet intake, and health status was collected by using questionnaires and physical examinations. Urine samples were collected to detect urinary cadmium and creatinine levels. Body circumferences included waist circumference, hip circumference and calf circumference. Subjects were divided into three groups (low:<0.77 μg/g·creatinine, middle:0.77-1.69 μg/g·creatinine, high:≥1.69 μg/g·creatinine) by tertiles of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium concentration. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the association of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium level with BMI and body circumferences. The dose-response relationship of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium concentration with BMI and body circumferences was analyzed by using restrictive cubic splines fitting multiple linear regression model.Results:The mean age of subjects was (83.34±11.14) years old. The median (Q1, Q3) concentration of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium was 1.13 (0.63, 2.09) μg/g·creatinine, and the BMI was (22.70±3.82) kg/m 2. The mean values of waist circumference, hip circumference, and calf circumference were (85.42±10.68) cm, (92.67±8.90) cm, and (31.08±4.76) cm, respectively. After controlling confounding factors, the results of the multiple linear regression model showed that for each increment of 1 μg/g·creatinine in creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium, the change of BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, and calf circumference in the high-level group was -0.28 (-0.37, -0.19) kg/m 2, -0.74 (-0.96, -0.52) cm, -0.78 (-0.96, -0.61) cm, and -0.20 (-0.30, -0.11) cm, respectively. The restrictive cubic splines curve showed a negative nonlinear association of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium with BMI ( Pnonlinear<0.001) and negative linear associations of creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium with waist circumference ( Plinear<0.001), hip circumference ( Plinear<0.001), and calf circumference ( Plinear<0.001). Conclusion:Urinary cadmium level is significantly associated with decreased BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference and calf circumference among older adults over 65 years old in 9 longevity areas of China.