Forsythia suspensa is a traditional Chinese medicine and a commonly used landscaping plant. Its dried fruit is used in medicine for its functions of clearing heat, removing toxins, reducing swelling, dissipating masses, and dispersing wind and heat. It possesses extremely high medicinal and economic value. However, the genetic differentiation and diversity of its wild populations remain unclear. In this study, chloroplast genome sequences were obtained from 15 wild individuals of F. suspensa using high-throughput sequencing technology. The sequence characteristics and intraspecific variations were analyzed. The results were as follows:(1) The full length of the F. suspensa chloroplast genome ranged from 156 184 to 156 479 bp, comprising a large single-copy region, a small single-copy region, and two inverted repeat regions. The chloroplast genome encoded a total of 132 genes, including 87 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes.(2) A total of 166-174 SSR loci, 792 SNV loci, and 63 InDel loci were identified in the F. suspensa chloroplast genome, indicating considerable genetic variation among individuals.(3) Population structure analysis revealed that F. suspensa could be divided into five or six groups. Both the population structure analysis and phylogenetic reconstruction results indicated significant genetic variation within the wild populations of F. suspensa, with no obvious correlation between intraspecific genetic differentiation and geographical distribution. This study provides new insights into the genetic diversity and differentiation within F. suspensa species and offers additional references for the conservation of species diversity and the utilization of germplasm resources in wild F. suspensa.
Genome, Chloroplast ; Forsythia/classification* ; Phylogeny ; Genetic Variation ; Chloroplasts/genetics* ; Microsatellite Repeats

The quality of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is a critical foundation for ensuring the stability of its efficacy, as well as the safety and effectiveness of its clinical use. The identification of critical quality attributes(CQAs) is one of the core components of TCM preparation quality control. This study focuses on Jianwei Xiaoshi Tablets and explores their CQAs related to property and flavor from the perspective of taste receptor proteins. Three taste receptor proteins, T1R2, T1R3, and TRPV1, were selected, and a biosensor based on high-electron-mobility transistor(HEMT) was constructed to detect the interactions between Jianwei Xiaoshi Tablets and taste receptor proteins. Simultaneously, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS) technology was used to analyze the chemical composition of Jianwei Xiaoshi Tablets. In examining the interaction strength, the results indicated that the interaction between Jianwei Xiaoshi Tablets and TRPV1 protein was the strongest, followed by T1R3, with the interaction with T1R2 being relatively weaker. By combining biosensing technology with LC-MS, 16 chemical components were identified from Jianwei Xiaoshi Tablets, among which six were selected as CQAs for sweetness and seven for pungency. Further validation experiments demonstrated that CQAs such as hesperidin and hesperetin had strong interactions with their corresponding taste receptor proteins. Through the combined use of multiple technological approaches, this study successfully determined the property and flavor-related CQAs of Jianwei Xiaoshi Tablets. It provides novel ideas and approach for the identification of CQAs in TCM preparations and offers comprehensive theoretical support for TCM quality control, contributing to the improvement and development of TCM preparation quality control systems.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Biosensing Techniques/methods* ; TRPV Cation Channels/chemistry* ; Tablets/chemistry* ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/genetics* ; Quality Control ; Taste ; Humans ; Mass Spectrometry

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is the pillar for the development of motherland medicine, and animal medicine has a long history of application in China, characterized by wide resources, strong activity, definite efficacy, and great benefits. It has significant potential and important status in the consumption market of raw materials of TCM. In the context of global climate change, farming system alterations, and low renewability, the depletion of wild medicinal animal resources has accelerated. Accordingly, the conservation and sustainable utilization of wild resources of animal medicinal materials has become a problem that garners increasing attention and urgently needs to be solved. This paper summarizes the current situation of domestic and foreign medicinal animal breeding and research progress in industrial application in recent years and points out the issues related to standardized breeding, germplasm selection and breeding, and quality evaluation standards for medicinal animals. Furthermore, this paper discusses standardized breeding, quality standards, resource protection and utilization, and the search for alternative resources for rare and endangered medicinal animals. It proposes that researchers should systematically carry out in-depth basic research on animal medicine, improve the breeding scale and level of medicinal animals, employ modern technology to enhance the quality standards of medicinal materials, and strengthen the research and development of alternative resources. This approach aims to effectively address the relationship between protection and utilization and make a significant contribution to the sustainable development of medicinal animal resources and the animal-based Chinese medicinal material industry.
Animals ; Breeding ; China ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Conservation of Natural Resources

Microbial detection and control of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) decoction pieces are crucial for the quality control of TCM preparations. It is also a key area of research in the measurement technology and equipment development for TCM manufacturing. Guided by TCM manufacturing measurement methodologies, this study presented a design of a novel portable microbial detection device, using Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma decoction pieces as a demonstration. Immunomagnetic separation technology was employed for specific isolation and labeling of target microorganisms. Enzymatic signal amplification was utilized to convert weak biological signals into colorimetric signals, constructing an optical biosensor. A self-developed smartphone APP was further applied to analyze the colorimetric signals and quantify target concentrations. A portable and automated detection system based on Arduino microcontroller was developed to automatically perform target microbial separation/extraction, as well as mimetic enzyme labeling and catalytic reactions. The developed equipment specifically focuses on the rapid and quantitative microbial analysis of TCM active pharmaceutical ingredients, intermediates in TCM manufacturing, and final TCM products. Experimental results demonstrate that the equipment could detect Salmonella in samples within 2 h, with a detection limit as low as 5.1 × 10~3 CFU·mL~(-1). The equipment enables the rapid detection of microorganisms in TCM decoction pieces, providing a potential technical solution for on-site rapid screening of microbial contamination indicators in TCM. It has broad application prospects in measurement technology for TCM manufacturing and offers strong technical support for the modernization, industrialization, and intelligent development of TCM.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/analysis* ; Atractylodes/microbiology* ; Rhizome/microbiology* ; Biosensing Techniques/methods* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Colorimetry/instrumentation* ; Quality Control

PURPOSE: To investigate the protective effect of sub-hypothermic mechanical perfusion combined with membrane lung oxygenation on ischemic hypoxic injury of yorkshire brain tissue caused by traumatic blood loss. METHODS: This article performed a random controlled trial. Brain tissue of 7 yorkshire was selected and divided into the sub-low temperature anterograde machine perfusion group (n = 4) and the blank control group (n = 3) using the random number table method. A yorkshire model of brain tissue injury induced by traumatic blood loss was established. Firstly, the perfusion temperature and blood oxygen saturation were monitored in real-time during the perfusion process. The number of red blood cells, hemoglobin content, NA⁺, K⁺, and Ca²⁺ ions concentrations and pH of the perfusate were detected. Following perfusion, we specifically examined the parietal lobe to assess its water content. The prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were then dissected for histological evaluation, allowing us to investigate potential regional differences in tissue injury. The blank control group was sampled directly before perfusion. All statistical analyses and graphs were performed using GraphPad Prism 8.0 Student t-test. All tests were two-sided, and p value of less than 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. RESULTS: The contents of red blood cells and hemoglobin during perfusion were maintained at normal levels but more red blood cells were destroyed 3 h after the perfusion. The blood oxygen saturation of the perfusion group was maintained at 95% - 98%. NA⁺ and K⁺ concentrations were normal most of the time during perfusion but increased significantly at about 4 h. The Ca²⁺ concentration remained within the normal range at each period. Glucose levels were slightly higher than the baseline level. The pH of the perfusion solution was slightly lower at the beginning of perfusion, and then gradually increased to the normal level. The water content of brain tissue in the sub-low and docile perfusion group was 78.95% ± 0.39%, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (75.27% ± 0.55%, t = 10.49, p < 0.001), and the difference was statistically significant. Compared with the blank control group, the structure and morphology of pyramidal neurons in the prefrontal cortex and CA1 region of the hippocampal gyrus were similar, and their integrity was better. The structural integrity of granulosa neurons was destroyed and cell edema increased in the perfusion group compared with the blank control group. Immunofluorescence staining for glail fibrillary acidic protein and Iba1, markers of glial cells, revealed well-preserved cell structures in the perfusion group. While there were indications of abnormal cellular activity, the analysis showed no significant difference in axon thickness or integrity compared to the 1-h blank control group. CONCLUSIONS Mild hypothermic machine perfusion can improve ischemia and hypoxia injury of yorkshire brain tissue caused by traumatic blood loss and delay the necrosis and apoptosis of yorkshire brain tissue by continuous oxygen supply, maintaining ion homeostasis and reducing tissue metabolism level.
Animals ; Perfusion/methods* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Brain Injuries/etiology* ; Swine ; Male ; Hypothermia, Induced/methods*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the molecular epidemiology of children with phenylketonuria (PKU) in Gansu, China, providing foundational data for intervention strategies. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 1 159 PKU families who attended Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child Care Hospital from January 2012 to December 2024. Sanger sequencing, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, whole exome sequencing, and deep intronic variant analysis were used to analyze the PAH gene. RESULTS: For the 1 159 children with PKU, 2 295 variants were identified in 2 318 alleles, resulting in a detection rate of 99.01%. The detection rates were 100% (914/914) in 457 classic PKU families, 99.45% (907/912) in 456 mild PKU families, and 96.34% (474/492) in 246 mild hyperphenylalaninemia families. The 2 295 variants detected comprised 208 distinct mutation types, among which c.728G>A (14.95%, 343/2 295) had the highest frequency, followed by c.611A>G (4.88%, 112/2 295) and c.721C>T (4.79%, 110/2 295). The cumulative frequency of the top 23 hotspot variants reached 70.28% (1 613/2 295), and most variant alleles were detected in exon 7 (29.19%, 670/2 295). CONCLUSIONS Deep intronic variant analysis of the PAH gene can improve the genetic diagnostic rate of PKU. The development of targeted detection kits for PAH hotspot variants may enable precision screening programs and enhance preventive strategies for PKU.
Humans ; Phenylketonurias/epidemiology* ; Female ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Phenylalanine Hydroxylase/genetics* ; Mutation ; Child, Preschool ; China/epidemiology* ; Child ; Infant

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of DCAG (decitabine, cytarabine, anthracyclines, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor) regimen in the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia (AML). METHODS: The clinical data of 64 R/R AML patients received treatment at Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 1st, 2012 to December 31st, 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Primary endpoints included efficacy measured by overall response rate (ORR) and safety. Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), event-free survival (EFS) and duration of response (DOR). The patients were followed from enrollment until death, or the end of last follow-up (June 1st, 2023), whichever occurred first. RESULTS: Sixty-four patients who failed prior therapy were enrolled and completed 1 cycle, and 26 and 5 patients completed 2 and 3 cycles, respectively. Objective response rate was 67.2% ［39: complete remission (CR)/CR with incomplete hematologic recovery (CRi), 4: partial remission (PR)］. With a median follow-up of 62.0 months (1.0-120.9), the median overall survival (OS) was 23.3 and event-free survival was 10.6 months. The median OS was 51.7 months (3.4-100.0) in responders (CR/CRi/PR) while it was 8.4 months (6.1-10.7) in nonresponders ( P <0.001). Grade 3-4 hematologic toxicities were observed in all patients. Four patients died from rapid disease progression within 8 weeks after chemotherapy. CONCLUSION The DCAG regimen represents a feasible and effective treatment for R/R AML.
Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/drug therapy* ; Cytarabine/administration & dosage* ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor/administration & dosage* ; Retrospective Studies ; Male ; Female ; Decitabine ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use* ; Anthracyclines/administration & dosage* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Aged ; Recurrence

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics, curative effect and prognostic factors of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) complicated with light chain myocardial amyloidosis (AL-CA). METHODS: The data of 38 patients diagnosed with MM complicated with AL-CA in our hospital from January 2018 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed, and the data were comprehensively screened by multiple methods such as positive two-dimensional spot tracking echocardiography (2D-STE). Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox regression models were used to screen for independent prognostic factors. RESULTS: Among the 38 MM patients with AL-CA, 23 were male and 15 were female, with a median age of 60(50,75) years. The 1-year survival rate was 71.05%. Patients who underwent transplantation had significantly better survival outcomes than those who did not (P < 0.01). Additionally, the median survival time of patients with all-negative FISH results at the first visit was statistically different compared to patients with other mutations (P < 0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that all negative FISH results at the first visit and the absence of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) were not independent risk factor for the prognosis of patients with MM and AL-CA (P >0.05). CONCLUSION ASCT may improve the prognosis of MM patients with AL-CA, and negative FISH results may indicate poor prognosis, but the results still need to be verified by larger samples.
Humans ; Multiple Myeloma/complications* ; Retrospective Studies ; Aged ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Amyloidosis/complications* ; Survival Rate ; Proportional Hazards Models

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) load in different lymphocyte subsets, as well as clinical characteristics and outcomes in patients with hematologic malignancies experiencing EBV reactivation. METHODS: Peripheral blood samples from patients were collected. B, T, and NK cells were isolated sorting with magnetic beads by flow cytometry. The EBV load in each subset was quantitated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Clinical data were colleted from electronic medical records. Survival status was followed up through outpatient visits and telephone calls. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 25.0. RESULTS: A total of 39 patients with hematologic malignancies were included, among whom 35 patients had undergone allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). The median time to EBV reactivation was 4.8 months (range: 1.7-57.1 months) after allo-HSCT. EBV was detected in B, T, and NK cells in 20 patients, in B and T cells in 11 patients, and only in B cells in 4 patients. In the 35 patients, the median EBV load in B cells was 2.19×10⁴ copies/ml, significantly higher than that in T cells (4.00×10³ copies/ml, P <0.01) and NK cells (2.85×10² copies/ml, P <0.01). Rituximab (RTX) was administered for 32 patients, resulting in EBV negativity in 32 patients with a median time of 8 days (range: 2-39 days). Post-treatment analysis of 13 patients showed EBV were all negative in B, T, and NK cells. In the four non-transplant patients, the median time to EBV reactivation was 35 days (range: 1-328 days) after diagnosis of the primary disease. EBV was detected in one or two subsets of B, T, or NK cells, but not simultaneously in all three subsets. These patients received a combination chemotherapy targeting at the primary disease, with 3 patients achieving EBV negativity, and the median time to be negative was 40 days (range: 13-75 days). CONCLUSION In hematologic malignancy patients after allo-HSCT, EBV reactivation commonly involves B, T, and NK cells, with a significantly higher viral load in B cells compared to T and NK cells. Rituximab is effective for EBV clearance. In non-transplant patients, EBV reactivation is restricted to one or two lymphocyte subsets, and clearance is slower, highlighting the need for prompt anti-tumor therapy.
Humans ; Hematologic Neoplasms/virology* ; Herpesvirus 4, Human/physiology* ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Virus Activation ; Lymphocyte Subsets/virology* ; Flow Cytometry ; Killer Cells, Natural/virology* ; Male ; Female ; B-Lymphocytes/virology* ; Viral Load ; Adult ; T-Lymphocytes/virology* ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVE: By analyzing the differential miRNA in seminal plasma between individuals with normal and abnormal sperm DNA fragmentation index（DFI）, we aim to identify miRNA that may impact sperm DNA integrity and target genes, and attempt to analyze their potential mechanisms of action. METHODS: A total of 161 study subjects were collected and divided into normal control group, DFI-medium group and DFI-abnormal group based on the DFI detection values. Differential miRNA were identified through miRNA chip analysis. Through bioinformatics analysis and target gene prediction, miRNA related to DFI and specific target genes were identified. The relative expression levels of differential miRNA and target genes in each group were compared to explore the impact of their differential expression on DFI. RESULTS: Through miRNA chip analysis, a total of 11 differential miRNA were detected. Bioinformatics analysis suggested that miR-26a-5p may be associated with reduced sperm DNA integrity. And gene prediction indicated that PTEN was a specific target gene of miR-26a-5p. Compared to the normal control group, the relative expression levels of miR-26a-5p in both the DFI-medium group and the DFI-abnormal group showed a decrease, while the relative expression levels of PTEN showed an increase. The relative expression levels of miR-26a-5p in all groups were negatively correlated with DFI values, while the relative expression levels of PTEN showed a positive correlation with DFI values in the DFI-medium group and the DFI-abnormal group. The AUC of miR-26a-5p in the DFI-medium group was 0.740 (P<0.05), with a sensitivity of 73.6% and a specificity of 71.5%; the AUC of PTEN was 0.797 (P<0.05), with a sensitivity of 76.5% and a specificity of 78.4%. In the DFI-abnormal group, the AUC of miR-26a-5p was 0.848 (P<0.05), with a sensitivity of 81.3% and a specificity of 78.1%. While the AUC of PTEN was 0.763 (P<0.05), with a sensitivity of 77.2% and a specificity of 80.2%. CONCLUSION miR-26a-5p affects the integrity of sperm DNA by regulating the expression of PTEN negatively. The relative expression levels of seminal plasma miR-26a-5p and PTEN have good diagnostic value for sperm DNA integrity damage, which can help in the etiological diagnosis and prognosis analysis of abnormal DFI. This provides a diagnostic and treatment approach for the study and diagnosis of DFI abnormalities without clear etiology.
Male ; Humans ; MicroRNAs/genetics* ; PTEN Phosphohydrolase/genetics* ; Spermatozoa ; Semen/metabolism* ; DNA Fragmentation