OBJECTIVE To investigate the equivalence of different decoction processes based on rat model of hypertension with liver-yang hyperactivity. METHODS Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry （ICP-MS） was used to compare the dissolution differences of inorganic elements in the powder-directly-decocted decoction versus the pieces-decocted-first decoction of Ostreae Concha- Haliotidis Concha- Margaritifera Concha drug pair. Six SD rats were included in the normal group. The spontaneously hypertensive rats were given Aconite decoction for six weeks to induce the hypertension model with liver-yang hyperactivity. After successful modeling， 48 rats were randomly divided into the model group， the captopril group [positive control， 8 mL/（kg·d） ] ， as well as low-， medium-， and high-dose groups of pieces decocted first or directly powder decocted [2.02， 4.05， 8.10 mL/（kg·d） ] ， with 6 rats in each group. Each group received the corresponding drug or equal volume of pure water intragastrically， once a day， for two consecutive weeks. After the last administration， the degree of irritability， facial temperature， pressure pain threshold， blood pressure， and pathological changes of the thoracic aorta were observed in each group. Serum nitric oxide （NO） and plasma angiotensin Ⅱ （Ang Ⅱ）， renin， and aldosterone （ALD） levels were also measured. RESULTS ICP-MS analysis results showed statistically significant differences in the contents of macroelements Li， Na， Mg， Ca， Mn， Ga， Sr， Mo， Cd， Sn， and Sb， between the powder-directly-decocted decoction and the pieces-decocted-first decoction （ P ＜0.05） ，the elements P， Cr， Fe， Ni， Zn， Hg， Tl， and Pb were not detected in either decoction. Animal experiments showed that after two weeks of administration， compared with the model group， the facial temperature， and blood pressure decreased in all treatment groups， while the pressure pain threshold increased； plasma levels of Ang Ⅱ， renin and ALD， as well as the serum level of NO were all decreased， and thoracic aortic media thickness was significantly reduced， most of the differences in the above indicators were statistically significant （ P ＜0.05 or P ＜0.01 or P ＜0.001）. Pathological observation showed improvement in thoracic aortic pathological injury. CONCLUSIONS The powder-directly-decocted process for the Ostreae Concha- Haliotidis Concha- Margaritifera Concha drug pair significantly promotes the dissolution of key elements such as Ca， Mg， and Sr without increasing the dissolution of harmful elements. It is equivalent to the traditional pieces-decocted-first in alleviating liver-yang hyperactivity syndrome， lowering blood pressure， and protecting the vascular endothelium， and even shows better performance in some indicators.

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is an important sugar crop. Biotic and abiotic stresses such as diseases, cold, and drought are major factors limiting sugarcane production. β-1,3-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.39), a member of the pathogenesis-related protein family, plays an essential role not only in the plant defenses against pathogens but also in plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. To systematically investigate the sugarcane β-1,3-glucanase gene family, 132 glycoside hydrolase (GH) 17 family members were identified in the genomes of the sugarcane wild species Saccharum spontaneum 'Np-X', the tropical species S. officinarum 'LA-Purple', and the Saccharum spp. hybrid cultivar 'R570'. The results of the phylogenetic analysis categorized them into four subfamilies, of which subfamily Ⅳ had the largest proportion of members (102). The members of the sugarcane GH17 gene family contained five conserved motifs and 0-16 introns. The majority of the GH17 genes exhibited a genome-wide replication pattern, with 89.50% originating from S. spontaneum 'Np-X' and S. officinarum 'LA-Purple', while 58.10% of them in the Saccharum spp. hybrid cultivar 'R570' belonged to the discrete replication type. Four major classes of cis-acting elements were identified in the promoters, including the elements related to plant growth, development, and tissue-specific expression (14.21%), light-responsive elements (38.24%), biotic or abiotic stress-responsive elements (9.18%), and hormone-responsive elements (38.37%), which suggested that this gene family was involved in plant growth, development, hormone responses, and stress responses. Transcriptome and quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) analyses showed that the sugarcane GH17 genes exhibited tissue-specific expression and were differentially expressed under low temperature, drought, and hormone treatments, as well as during the interactions between different sugarcane genotypes and Sporisorium scitamineum, suggesting their potential roles in plant defenses. In addition, some SsGlu genes (SsGlu5, SsGlu20, SsGlu21, SsGlu25, SsGlu28, and SsGlu39) were expected to serve as candidate stress-related genes. This study lays a foundation for further revealing the molecular mechanisms of the stress resistance of sugarcane via β-1,3-glucanase genes.
Saccharum/physiology* ; Stress, Physiological/genetics* ; Glucan 1,3-beta-Glucosidase/metabolism* ; Multigene Family ; Phylogeny ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Plant Proteins/genetics*

Childhood primary renal tubular diseases are chronic kidney diseases characterized by impaired renal tubular reabsorption. Primary renal tubular disease has diverse clinical manifestations and lacks of specificity. Laboratory tests are limited，making it prone to missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis. Based on the current knowledge of renal tubular diseases，authors propose early warning signals of renal tubular diseases such as family history of primary tubular diseases，unexplained polyhydramnios during pregnancy，polydipsia，polyuria，delayed growth and development or rickets，decreased muscle strength and tone，unexplained electrolyte disturbance，hyperuricemia，acid-base disturbance，positive urine sugar test，renal tubular proteinuria，urinary imaging examination suggesting kidney stones，calcium deposition，renal cysts and early onset of eye，ear，joint and neuron injury.Meanwhile，some universal management strategies for primary renal tubular disease are proposed，emphasizing the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration，genetic testing and individualized intervention to improve the long-term prognosis of childhood primary renal tubular diseases.

ObjectiveA qualitative analysis method was established for the composition of Astragali Radix（AR） before and after rice stir-frying. On the basis of systematic characterization of the chemical compositions in AR and stir-fried AR with rice（ARR）， the structures of their major compounds were deduced and identified， and the differential compositions between them were analyzed. MethodsUltra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS） was used to detect the samples of AR and ARR in positive and negative ion modes， respectively. The compounds were analyzed and identified through self-constructed databases， literature， and reference standards， etc. And the data were analyzed by chemometrics， in order to screen for the differential components between AR and ARR. ResultsA total of 123 compounds were identified in AR and ARR， including 41 flavonoids， 19 terpenoids， 26 organic acids， 8 amino acids， 5 nucleotides， 5 carbohydrates and 19 other compounds. Among them， there were 95 common components in both， 18 unique components in AR， and 10 unique components in ARR. Principal component analysis（PCA） and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis（OPLS-DA） results both showed that there were significant differences in the chemical constituents of AR before and after rice stir-frying， and a total of 26 constituents with differences in the content were screened out， including L-canavanine， L-pyroglutamic acid， L-phenylalanine， cis-caffeic acid， and malonylastragaloside Ⅰ. Among them， 19 constituents of ARR were down-regulated and 7 constituents were up-regulated by comparing with AR. ConclusionThis study clarifies that the chemical composition of AR and ARR is mainly composed of flavonoids， terpenoids， and organic acids， and analyzes the components with significant differences in content between the two in combination with chemometrics， and the differential components are dominated by amino acids， organic acids and terpenoids， which can provide reference for the subsequent quality control and material basis research.

Objective To investigate the expression of ferritinophagy-related gene ELAV-like RNA binding protein 1(ELAVL1)in multiple myeloma(MM)and elucidate its diagnostic and prognostic value for MM.Methods First,we analyzed ELAVL1 expression level in healthy controls and MM patients using data from the GEO and TCGA databases.Subsequently,bone marrow specimens were collected from 28 newly diagnosed MM patients and 20 healthy controls,and qRT-PCR was employed to validate ELAVL1 expression.The diagnostic and prognostic potential of ELAVL1 was assessed using ROC curve analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival curves.Additionally,univariate and multivariate COX regression analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors for MM prognosis.Finally,KEGG and GO enrichment analyses were performed using the DAVID online platform.Results The level of ELAVL1 expression was significantly higher in newly diagnosed MM patients and refractory/relapsed MM patients than in the healthy controls(P＜0.001).Moreover,ELAVL1 expression was positively correlated with the International Staging System(ISS)stage of MM(P＜0.01).Furthermore,qRT-PCR validation confirmed that ELAVL1 expression was elevated in the 28 newly diagnosed MM patients compared to the 20 healthy controls(P＜0.001).ROC curve analysis demonstrated that ELAVL1 could effectively differentiate between newly diagnosed MM patients,healthy controls,and MGUS patients(P＜0.001 and P=0.000 2,respectively).Survival analysis revealed that high ELAVL1 expression was associated with shorter progression-free survival(P=0.0141)and overall survival(P=0.008 0).Univariate and multivariate COX regression analyses identified high ELAVL1 expression as an independent risk factor for poor MM prognosis(P=0.005 0).KEGG analysis suggested that ELAVL1 might be involved in the Hippo and MAPK signaling pathways.Conclusion High ELAVL1 expression in MM may serve as a biomarker for diagnosis and poor prognosis.ELAVL1 may promote MM initiation and progression via the Hippo and MAPK signaling pathways.

As a critical component of global agriculture,the dairy industry is essential for the food security and economic development.In China,the dairy sector in plateau regions plays an important role in addressing the nutritional needs of residents,boosting farmers' incomes,and fostering re-gional economic growth.However,the harsh high-altitude conditions,such as low oxygen,low at-mospheric pressure,and severe climate,pose significant challenges to the health and survival of dairy cows.This article summarizes the changes in physiological characteristics,metabolic perform-ance,production performance,and health status of dairy under high altitude areas,providing in-sights for the identification of adaptive traits in dairy to plateau.Also,the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms behind these phenotypic adaptations are discussed,and future directions and strategies for enhancing adaptability of dairy of dairy n plateau regions are outlined,thereby guiding re-searchers in adaptation evolution and breeding of dairy cattle.

Objective To investigate the expression of ferritinophagy-related gene ELAV-like RNA binding protein 1(ELAVL1)in multiple myeloma(MM)and elucidate its diagnostic and prognostic value for MM.Methods First,we analyzed ELAVL1 expression level in healthy controls and MM patients using data from the GEO and TCGA databases.Subsequently,bone marrow specimens were collected from 28 newly diagnosed MM patients and 20 healthy controls,and qRT-PCR was employed to validate ELAVL1 expression.The diagnostic and prognostic potential of ELAVL1 was assessed using ROC curve analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival curves.Additionally,univariate and multivariate COX regression analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors for MM prognosis.Finally,KEGG and GO enrichment analyses were performed using the DAVID online platform.Results The level of ELAVL1 expression was significantly higher in newly diagnosed MM patients and refractory/relapsed MM patients than in the healthy controls(P＜0.001).Moreover,ELAVL1 expression was positively correlated with the International Staging System(ISS)stage of MM(P＜0.01).Furthermore,qRT-PCR validation confirmed that ELAVL1 expression was elevated in the 28 newly diagnosed MM patients compared to the 20 healthy controls(P＜0.001).ROC curve analysis demonstrated that ELAVL1 could effectively differentiate between newly diagnosed MM patients,healthy controls,and MGUS patients(P＜0.001 and P=0.000 2,respectively).Survival analysis revealed that high ELAVL1 expression was associated with shorter progression-free survival(P=0.0141)and overall survival(P=0.008 0).Univariate and multivariate COX regression analyses identified high ELAVL1 expression as an independent risk factor for poor MM prognosis(P=0.005 0).KEGG analysis suggested that ELAVL1 might be involved in the Hippo and MAPK signaling pathways.Conclusion High ELAVL1 expression in MM may serve as a biomarker for diagnosis and poor prognosis.ELAVL1 may promote MM initiation and progression via the Hippo and MAPK signaling pathways.

As a critical component of global agriculture,the dairy industry is essential for the food security and economic development.In China,the dairy sector in plateau regions plays an important role in addressing the nutritional needs of residents,boosting farmers' incomes,and fostering re-gional economic growth.However,the harsh high-altitude conditions,such as low oxygen,low at-mospheric pressure,and severe climate,pose significant challenges to the health and survival of dairy cows.This article summarizes the changes in physiological characteristics,metabolic perform-ance,production performance,and health status of dairy under high altitude areas,providing in-sights for the identification of adaptive traits in dairy to plateau.Also,the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms behind these phenotypic adaptations are discussed,and future directions and strategies for enhancing adaptability of dairy of dairy n plateau regions are outlined,thereby guiding re-searchers in adaptation evolution and breeding of dairy cattle.

Gelsemium elegans, a vine plant of Loganiaceae, has both medicinal and forage values. However, it is susceptible to low temperatures during growth. Exploring low temperature response genes is of great significance for cold resistance breeding of G. elegans. Ethylene response factors (ERFs) are the transcription factors of the AP2/ERF superfamily and play a crucial role in plant stress response. In this study, based on the unigene GeERF involved in the response to low temperature stress in the transcriptome of G. elegans, a full-length cDNA sequence of the transcription factor GeERF4B-1 was cloned from the leaves of G. elegans by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Bioinformatics analysis showed that GeERF4B-1 had an open reading frame of 759 bp, encoding a protein composed of 252 amino acid residues and with a relative molecular weight of 27 kDa. The deduced protein was predicted to be an unstable, alkaline, and hydrophilic protein. The phylogenetic tree showed that GeERF4B-1 was in the same clade as the B-4 subfamily of the ERF family. The results of the subcellular localization experiment revealed that GeERF4B-1 was located in the nucleus. Real time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis indicated that GeERF4B-1 was expressed in the root, stem, and leaf of G. elegans, with the highest expression level in the root. Compared with the control, the treatments with a low temperature (4 ℃), methyl jasmonate (MeJA), and abscisic acid (ABA) up-regulated the expression level of GeERF4B-1, which reached the peak at 24-48 h. This result revealed that GeERF4B-1 actively responded to low temperature, MeJA, and ABA stresses. However, both sodium chloride (NaCl) and drought treatments down-regulated the expression of GeERF4B-1. In addition, a prokaryotic expression vector of GeERF4B-1 was constructed, and a fusion protein of approximately 52 kDa was yielded after induced expression. The results of the plate stress assay showed that compared with the control, the prokaryotic strain expressing GeERF4B-1 demonstrated enhanced tolerance to low temperatures and sensitivity to salt and mannitol stresses. This study provides theoretical references and potential genetic resources for breeding G. elegans varieties with stress resistance.
Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Gelsemium/metabolism* ; Acetates/pharmacology* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Phylogeny ; Cold Temperature ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Cyclopentanes/metabolism* ; Oxylipins/metabolism* ; Stress, Physiological/genetics* ; Abscisic Acid/metabolism* ; Cloning, Molecular

Objective:To understand the pathogen distributions of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children, and to provide evidence for clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods:The hospitalized children with CAP in Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from January to December 2022 were selected as the research subjects. They were divided into infant group (28 d to less than one year), toddler group (one year to less than three years), preschool age group (three years to less than six years), and school age group (not less than six years) by age. According to the onset season, they were divided into spring group (February to April), summer group (May to July), autumn group (August to October), and winter group (January, November to December). Deep airway sputum samples were collected from all patients for bacterial culture identification. Respiratory viruses (influenza A virus (IVA), influenza B virus (IVB), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus, parainfluenza virus type 1 (PIV1), parainfluenza virus type 2 (PIV2), parainfluenza virus type 3 (PIV3)) were detected using direct immunofluorescence assay. Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) DNA was detected using fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and particle agglutination was used to detect serum MP antibodies. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square test. Results:Among the 397 cases of CAP in children, pathogens were detected in 269 cases, with a positivity rate of 67.8%. A total of 309 pathogens were identified, including 204 strains of MP (66.0%), 60 strains of bacteria (19.4%), 42 strains of viruses (13.6%), and three strains of fungi (1.0%). Staphylococcus aureus (19 strains), Haemophilus influenzae (15 strains) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (five strains) were the predominant bacteria, while RSV (19 strains) and PIV3 (nine strains) were the main viruses. The distribution rates of MP, bacteria, and viruses showed statistically significant differences among different age groups ( χ2=99.82, 24.71 and 17.40, respectively, all P<0.05). MP infection was mainly observed in the preschool age group and school age group, and bacterial infection predominantly occurred in the infant group, and viral infection was most common in the toddler group. Among virus infected patients, RSV was detected in the toddler group and the preschool age group, while three cases of PIV3 cases were found in children over five years old. The distribution differences of MP, bacterial and viral infections between different seasons were statistically significant ( χ2=141.65, 20.44 and 31.87, respectively, all P<0.001), with a higher prevalence in winter. RSV infections demonstrated a clear seasonal trend, with 16 cases of RSV infections occurring in winter and spring. Conclusions:MP is the most frequently detected pathogen in children with CAP. Bacterial infection is the most common pathogen in infants with CAP. RSV is the most common viral pathogen, with infections concentrated in the toddler group and the preschool age group, and prevalence in winter and spring. Attention should be paid to PIV3 pneumonia in children over five years old. Rational drug use should be based on the pathogen spectrum characteristics of different seasons and age groups before selecting empirical treatment combinations.