ObjectiveTo investigate differential metabolites associated with browning in the post-harvest processing of Pinelliae Rhizoma， providing data support for elucidating the key metabolites and metabolic pathways involved in browning， and developing safe and efficient sulfur-free processing techniques. MethodsUltra-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole/linear ion trap mass spectrometry（UPLC-QTRAP-MS/MS） was used to detect the metabolites of Pinelliae Rhizoma at different browning stages（0， 8， 16 h） for widely targeted metabolomics. Subsequently， Multivariate statistical analysis of metabolites was conducted using principal component analysis（PCA）， hierarchical cluster analysis（HCA）， orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis（OPLS-DA）， and K-means cluster analysis. Differential metabolites at different browning stages were screened based on variable importance in the projection（VIP） value>1 and |log₂fold change（FC）|≥1， and metabolic pathway enrichment analysis was performed using Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes（KEGG）. ResultsA total of 1 416 metabolites were identified across the three browning stages of Pinelliae Rhizoma， predominantly comprising amino acids and their derivatives（239）， lipids（219）， alkaloids（156）， phenolic acids（121）， terpenoids（113）， and flavonoids（111）. A two-by-two comparison of the three browning phases， yielded 622 differential metabolites that were significantly enriched in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis， flavone and flavonol biosynthesis， and purine metabolic pathway. Further analysis revealed that carbohydrates such as D-mannose and turanose， phenolic acids such as 1-O-caffeoyl-6-O-glucosyl-β-D-glucose， dicaffeoylshikimic acid， and flavonoids such as epigallocatechin gallate， vitexin-7-O-rutinoside， luteolin-7-O-（6″-malonyl）glucoside-5-O-arabinoside， catechin gallate， epicatechin gallate， isovitexin-7-O-glucoside-2″-O-rhamnoside， apigenin-7-O-rutinoside-4ʹ-O-sophoroside， 3，5，3ʹ，4ʹ，5ʹ-penta-hydroxyflavan-7-gallate may act as browning substrates and play important roles in the browning process. ConclusionCarbohydrates， phenolic acids， and flavonoids may serve as key substrates in the browning process of Pinelliae Rhizoma， involving pathways such as phenylpropanoid biosynthesis， flavone and flavonol biosynthesis， and purine metabolism， which can provide a theoretical basis for further exploration of the browning mechanism.

Colorectal cancer （CRC） is one of the most common cancers， with its incidence ranking high among cancers. It stands as the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. In the early stages， CRC lacks specific symptoms， and most patients are diagnosed at advanced stages， making it a major research focus in the field of gastrointestinal tumors. Currently， clinical CRC treatments face several common challenges， including high surgical risks， frequent metastasis and recurrence， drug resistance， and significant side effects from chemotherapy and radiation therapy. With the development and application of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， it has been found that TCM and its active ingredients can effectively inhibit CRC cell proliferation， invasion， migration， and angiogenesis， and promote apoptosis and autophagy， thereby slowing the progression of CRC. This has become a key focus of CRC treatment research. Salvia Miltiorrhiza has multiple pharmacological effects， including activating blood circulation to dispel blood stasis， unlocking meridians to relieve pain， clearing heat to calm irritability， and cooling blood to reduce abscesses. It contains a variety of chemical components， including diterpenoids， phenolic acids， flavonoids， polysaccharides， nitrogen-containing compounds， steroids， and lactone compounds. This review summarized the molecular mechanisms of Salvia miltiorrhiza and its active ingredients in the treatment of CRC. It is found that these ingredients exert anti-CRC effects through various molecular mechanisms， including cell cycle arrest， promotion of apoptosis， inhibition of cell invasion and migration， induction of autophagy， suppression of tumor angiogenesis， and remodeling of the tumor microenvironment. The review aims to provide new insights for the drug development and clinical application of Salvia miltiorrhiza in CRC treatment.

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.

ObjectiveGastrodia elata has evolved ecological types with shortened rhizome internodes and diversified flower and fruit coloration in response to different altitudes. Studying the genetic mechanisms of different ecotype germplasm is significant for guiding variety breeding in different cultivation areas. MethodsThe bHLH gene family was identified based on the whole-genome datasets of G. elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca. Subsequently， the gene family members were subject to analysis， including gene structure， chromosomal localization， cis-acting elements， gene synteny， and phylogeny. Combined with transcriptome data and quantitative Real-time PCR， the expression patterns of bHLH genes in the stems of the different G. elata ecotype germplasm were analyzed. Finally， correlation analysis was conducted between gene expression patterns and color to obtain the key bHLH genes regulating the color formation of stem. ResultsA total of 63 bHLH genes were identified in both G elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca， unevenly distributed across 17 chromosomes and clustered into 16 subfamilies， with significant expansion in some family members. Obvious inversions of bHLH genes on the same chromosome and interchromosomal translocations were detected in the two ecotype germplasm. Among these genes， 12 bHLH genes （such as bHLH62-3 and bHLH74） were associated with the bright yellow color of G elata f. elata stem， while 9 bHLH genes （such as PIL13， UNE12， and bHLH130） were correlated with the red color of G. elata f. glauca stem. Compared to G. elata f. glauca， the bHLH48 expression level was significantly higher in flowers and scale leaves of G elata f. elata， and the bHLH62-3 expression level was significantly higher in all organs of G elata f. elata. ConclusionsFunctional pathway divergence of the bHLH family members has occurred across different chromosomes in G elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca. Through synergism or antagonism with other genes， 21 bHLH genes participate in the coloration metabolic pathway regulation of stems， flowers， and fruits. Specifically， bHLH62-3 is involved in regulating stem color differentiation in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway of G. elata， thus relevant to the color formation of stem. Additionally， GebHLH48 positively regulates flowering-related pathways to promote the early-flowering phenotype of G. elata f. elata. These findings have laid the foundation for analyzing the genetic regulatory mechanisms underlying the color formation of the G. elata stem.

AIM: To investigate the application value of pre-treatment tear inflammatory factor levels in predicting therapeutic efficacy for dry eye patients.METHODS:Prospective controlled observational study. A total of 120 patients with dry eye(240 eyes)admitted to our hospital from November 2022 to March 2024 were included. Before dry eye treatment, the levels of inflammatory factors, including interlukin-4(IL-4), IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-15, IL-18, IL-1β, interferon-γ(IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), granulocyte-colony stimulating factor(G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor(GM-CSF), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1)in the tear fluid were detected by ELISA. According to the treatment protocol in the Chinese Expert Consensus on the Treatment of Dry Eye(2020), the patients were given treatments, and the related factors affecting the treatment outcomes of dry eye patients were analyzed.RESULTS:After continuous treatment for 4 wk, all the patients completed follow-up, and they were divided into the markedly effective group(60 patients, 120 eyes)and the ineffective group(60 patients, 120 eyes)based on their therapeutic effects. The markedly effective group had significantly lower pre-treatment levels of IL-6, IL-10, IL-18, IL-1β, and TNF-α than the poor efficacy group(all P<0.05). IL-6(OR=0.994), IL-18(OR=0.998), IL-1β(OR=0.933), and TNF-α(OR=0.998)were independently associated with treatment efficacy(all P<0.05). The nomogram model yielded a C-index of 0.971(95% CI: 0.950-0.993), with calibration curves closely aligned to the ideal curve. The model demonstrated significant predictive value for early therapeutic efficacy(sensitivity=96.67%, specificity=71.67%, cutoff=208, AUC=0.866, 95% CI=0.794-0.952, P<0.001).CONCLUSION:The nomogram model constructed based on the levels of inflammatory factors in dry eye patients before treatment can well predict the treatment effect of patients.

Myosteatosis is one of the common complications in patients with end-stage liver disease, which is significantly associated with poor outcomes after liver transplantation. Currently, diagnostic criteria of myosteatosis have not been established, and CT is the most commonly used for diagnosis. The pathogenesis of myosteatosis is multifactorial, and the pathophysiological mechanisms linking it to end-stage liver disease are not fully understood. An increasing number of scholars have recognized that the severity of myosteatosis is closely related to its clinical consequences, but there are no effective treatment options available. This article reviews the pathophysiological mechanisms and diagnostic methods of myosteatosis, and its impact on the prognosis of liver transplant recipients, and discusses current treatment strategies to provide references for the perioperative management of liver transplant recipients.

Objective: To explore the association of vegetables and fruits intake with depressive symptoms among multi ethnic first year junior high school students in Yunnan Province, so as to provide data support for preventing and reducing depressive symptoms among first year junior high school students. Methods: From October to December 2022, a cluster random sampling method was used to select 8 500 first year junior high school students from 11 ethnic minority areas in Yunnan Province (Fugong County, Longling County, Longyang District, Luchun County, Mojiang County, Nanjian County, Qiaojia County, Shuangjiang County, Tengchong City, Yuanmou County, Zhenyuan County), to investigate with a questionnaire. The Dietary Frequency Questionnaire was used to collect dietary behavior datas, and the Chinese version of Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) was used to assess depressive symptoms. The generalized linear model was used to analyze the association of vegetable and fruit intake with depressive symptoms in students, and stratified analysis was performed according to ethnicity. Results: The detection rate of depressive symptoms among first year junior high school students in Yunnan Province was 29.5%. The detection rates of depressive symptoms in Han and minority first year junior high school students were 26.9% and 31.6%. After controlling for demographic variables such as gender, age, family residence and other confounding factors, the generalized linear model analysis results showed that the intake of leafy vegetables ( β= -0.07 , 95%CI =-0.12 to -0.01), flat fruits ( β=-0.06, 95%CI =-0.12 to -0.00) and hot natured fruits ( β=0.11, 95%CI = 0.04- 0.17) were associated with depressive symptoms in Han first year junior high school students (all P <0.05). The intake of melon and fruit vegetables ( β=-0.06, 95%CI =-0.11 to -0.01) and hot natured fruits ( β=0.06, 95%CI =0.01-0.12) were associated with depressive symptoms in ethnic minority first year junior high school students (both P <0.05). Conclusions The intake of vegetables and fruits among multi ethnic first year junior high school students in Yunnan Province is related to the risk of depressive symptoms. It is suggested to strengthen the consumption guidance and education of vegetables and fruits to prevent depressive symptoms among first year junior high school students.

ObjectiveGastrodia elata has evolved ecological types with shortened rhizome internodes and diversified flower and fruit coloration in response to different altitudes. Studying the genetic mechanisms of different ecotype germplasm is significant for guiding variety breeding in different cultivation areas. MethodsThe bHLH gene family was identified based on the whole-genome datasets of G. elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca. Subsequently， the gene family members were subject to analysis， including gene structure， chromosomal localization， cis-acting elements， gene synteny， and phylogeny. Combined with transcriptome data and quantitative Real-time PCR， the expression patterns of bHLH genes in the stems of the different G. elata ecotype germplasm were analyzed. Finally， correlation analysis was conducted between gene expression patterns and color to obtain the key bHLH genes regulating the color formation of stem. ResultsA total of 63 bHLH genes were identified in both G elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca， unevenly distributed across 17 chromosomes and clustered into 16 subfamilies， with significant expansion in some family members. Obvious inversions of bHLH genes on the same chromosome and interchromosomal translocations were detected in the two ecotype germplasm. Among these genes， 12 bHLH genes （such as bHLH62-3 and bHLH74） were associated with the bright yellow color of G elata f. elata stem， while 9 bHLH genes （such as PIL13， UNE12， and bHLH130） were correlated with the red color of G. elata f. glauca stem. Compared to G. elata f. glauca， the bHLH48 expression level was significantly higher in flowers and scale leaves of G elata f. elata， and the bHLH62-3 expression level was significantly higher in all organs of G elata f. elata. ConclusionsFunctional pathway divergence of the bHLH family members has occurred across different chromosomes in G elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca. Through synergism or antagonism with other genes， 21 bHLH genes participate in the coloration metabolic pathway regulation of stems， flowers， and fruits. Specifically， bHLH62-3 is involved in regulating stem color differentiation in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway of G. elata， thus relevant to the color formation of stem. Additionally， GebHLH48 positively regulates flowering-related pathways to promote the early-flowering phenotype of G. elata f. elata. These findings have laid the foundation for analyzing the genetic regulatory mechanisms underlying the color formation of the G. elata stem.

Objective To explore the impact of number of positive regional lymph nodes (nPRLN) in N1 stage on the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Methods Patients with TxN1M0 stage NSCLC who underwent lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection from 2010 to 2015 were screened from SEER database (17 Regs, 2022nov sub). The optimal cutoff value of nPRLN was determined using X-tile software, and patients were divided into 2 groups according to the cutoff value: a nPRLN≤optimal cutoff group and a nPRLN>optimal cutoff group. The influence of confounding factors was minimized by propensity score matching (PSM) at a ratio of 1 : 1. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate overall survival (OS) and lung cancer-specific survival (LCSS) of patients. Results A total of 1316 patients with TxN1M0 stage NSCLC were included, including 662 males and 654 females, with a median age of 67 (60, 73) years. The optimal cutoff value of nPRLN was 3, with 1165 patients in the nPRLN≤3 group and 151 patients in the nPRLN>3 group. After PSM, there were 138 patients in each group. Regardless of before or after PSM, OS and LCSS of patients in the nPRLN≤3 group were superior to those in the nPRLN>3 group (P<0.001). N1 stage nPRLN>3 was an independent prognostic risk factor for OS [HR=1.52, 95%CI (1.22, 1.89), P<0.001] and LCSS [HR=1.72, 95%CI (1.36, 2.18), P<0.001]. Conclusion N1 stage nPRLN>3 is an independent prognostic risk factor for NSCLC patients in TxN1M0 stage, which may provide new evidence for future revision of TNM staging N1 stage subclassification.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intraoperative pleural irrigation with Nocardia rubra cell-wall skeleton (N-CWS) for reducing pleural effusion drainage after radical surgery for lung cancer. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of lung cancer patients who underwent lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University between December 2024 and May 2025. Patients were divided into a control group and an irrigation group based on the intraoperative use of N-CWS. Patients in the irrigation group received pleural irrigation with 800 μg of N-CWS diluted in 10 mL of normal saline. The following outcomes were compared between the two groups: pleural effusion drainage volume at 0-24 h, 24-48 h, and 48-72 h postoperatively, degree of air leak, chest tube duration, postoperative length of stay, and the incidence of adverse events (fever, chest pain, and nausea and vomiting). Results A total of 245 patients were included (97 males, 148 females) with a mean age of (61.28±6.26) years, with 205 in the control group and 40 in the irrigation group. Compared to the control group, the irrigation group showed significantly lower pleural effusion drainage volumes at 0-24 h, 24-48 h, and 48-72 h, as well as shorter chest tube duration and postoperative length of stay (all P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in the degree of postoperative air leak (P=0.661). No significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding the highest body temperature within 72 h post-surgery (P=0.130), fever grade (P=0.196), severity of chest pain (P=0.105), or the incidence of nausea and vomiting (P=0.376). Conclusion Intraoperative pleural irrigation with N-CWS in patients undergoing lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection for lung cancer can significantly reduce postoperative pleural effusion drainage volume, shorten chest tube duration and length of hospital stay. The procedure is safe and feasible.