Objective This study investigated the diversity of rodent populations and the infection status of Bartonella at three ports along the China-Mongolia border in 2022. Methods Rodents at three Belt and Road ports along the China-Mongolia border, namely Ganqimaodu, Erenhot, and Zhuengadabuqi, were morphologically identified. The Bartonella citrate synthase(gltA)gene was amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction(PCR), and PCR-positive products were sequenced. The resulting sequences were then analyzed for genetic characteristics. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using MEGA 11.0 software using Neighbor-Joining and Maximum-Likelihood method. Results A total of 94 rodents were captured, representing seven species from five families and six genera: Mus musculus, Meriones unguiculatus, Meriones meridianus, Spermophilus dauricus, Allactaga sibirica, Dipus sagitta, and Phodopus roborovskii. Among them, M. unguiculatus was the most abundant species, with 58 rodents, accounting for 61.70% of the total. Overall,11 positive Bartonella pathogen sequences were obtained from the three ports, with a positive detection rate of 11.70%(11/94). The infected rodent species included M. unguiculatus, M. meridianus, and A. sibirica, and two species of Bartonella were detected. Conclusions Rodents at Ganqimaodu, Erenhot, and Zhuengadabuqi ports along the China-Mongolia border were naturally infected with Bartonella. Rodent monitoring and pathogen prevention and control in this area should be strengthened.

Objective:To construct a key item checklist for the Mini-HTA report specification,providing scientific guidance for drafting each section of Mini-HTA research reports,enhancing their standardization,scientific rigor,and completeness,thereby improving the efficiency and quality of health decision-making.Methods:Based on preliminary literature review and qualitative systematic review,a pool of problem items for the Mini-HTA report specification was formed.Delphi questionnaires were distributed,and the Delphi technique was employed through two rounds of expert consultation to optimize and select key items.Results:Through two rounds of Delphi expert consultation,the initial Mini-HTA report specification item checklist was screened,integrated,and supplemented.A finalized key item checklist was constructed,comprising 8 first-level items(Title,Abstract,Introduction,Methods,Results,Discussion,Conclusion,and Other Relevant Information)and 48 second-level items.Conclusion:The constructed key item checklist for the Mini-HTA report specification provides scientific guidance for drafting Mini-HTA research reports.It helps enhance the standardization and transparency of the assessment process and the reliability of results,thereby optimizing the efficiency and quality of health decision-making.

With the increasing demand for dynamic,real-time and rapid qualitative analysis of chemical composition in areas such as emergency response and space exploration,chip-scale mass spectrometers have attracted significant attention.These devices are expected to drive the integration of mass spectrometry with micro/nano-fabrication and intelligent sensing technologies,fostering profound innovation and breakthroughs in analytical chemistry.As an excellent mass analyzer,the ion trap exhibits numerous advantages,and its miniaturization creates favorable conditions for the high-density integration of miniature mass spectrometers.However,the reduction in ion storage capacity may compromise its sensitivity and dynamic range,rendering the study of ion unidirectional ejection in highly miniaturized ion traps of significant practical importance.In this work,a research was conducted on achieving efficient ion unidirectional ejection while maintaining high mass resolution in the extremely miniature hyperbolic linear ion trap(M-HLIT)with a field radius of 1 mm,and an electric field compensation method was proposed,which combined asymmetric electrode stretching and unbalanced RF voltage to achieve high-precision optimization of the electric field composition.Simulations showed that in an ideal structure,this method achieved 100％unidirectional ejection efficiency with the mass resolution of 518,significantly outperforming traditional asymmetric structure method(365)and unbalanced voltage method(321).Following the introduction of ion ejection slots,further optimization through bidirectional stretching and electrical parameters improved the resolution to 790 while maintaining a unidirectional ejection efficiency of 93％.This method eliminated the requirement for additional excitation voltage,offering an ideal solution for the miniature mass analyzer with high detection performance of chip-level mass spectrometers.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ibuprofen in treating hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus(hsPDA)in preterm infants of different postnatal ages at treatment initiation.Methods Clinical records of infants with gestational age<37 weeks who received ibuprofen for hsPDA in the Department of Neonatology,Fourth Hospital of Shijiazhuang,from January 2020 to December 2023 were retrospectively reviewed.One hundred eligible infants were divided by the postnatal age at the first ibuprofen administration into three groups:group A(≤4 days),group B(5-7 days),and group C(>7 days).Clinical efficacy and safety indicators were compared among groups.Results After treatment,cure rates were 92%in group A,72%in group B,and 60%in group C,and effective rates were 8%,25%,and 33%,respectively.Differences in clinical efficacy among the three groups were statistically significant(P<0.05).No significant differences were observed among groups in the incidence of pulmonary hemorrhage,gastrointestinal bleeding,cholestasis,bronchopulmonary dysplasia,necrotizing enterocolitis,intracranial hemorrhage,or acute kidney injury(P>0.05).Conclusions For hsPDA requiring pharmacologic therapy,earlier oral ibuprofen administration yields a higher ductal closure rate and does not increase the incidence of adverse events.

Anemarrhenae Rhizoma is bitter, sweet, and cold in nature, and has the effects of clearing heat, dispelling fire, nourishing Yin, and moisturizing dryness. It is associated with the lung, stomach, and kidney meridians, and is mainly distributed in the northwestern and northern regions of China. Modern research has shown that Anemarrhenae Rhizoma contains various chemical active constituents, including steroidal saponins, flavonoids, polysaccharides, lignans, volatile oils, and alkaloids. These constituents exhibit pharmacological effects such as anti-tumor, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective activities. However, there have been few comprehensive summaries of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma in recent years, which has limited its in-depth research and development. The complexity of traditional Chinese medicine constituents, along with their quality and efficacy, is easily influenced by processing, preparation, and the growing environment and resource distribution. This paper summarizes the resources, chemical constituents, and pharmacological effects of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma, and predicts its quality markers(Q-markers) from several aspects, including the specificity of chemical composition, properties related to preparation and active ingredients, measurability of chemical components, compounding environment, construction of the ″active ingredient-target″ network pathway, and differences in active ingredient content from different origins and parts. These predicted Q-markers may provide a basis for improving the quality evaluation system of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma.
Anemarrhena/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Rhizome/chemistry* ; Humans ; Animals ; Quality Control

Sophorae Flavescentis Radix is one of the commonly used traditional Chinese medicine in China, and a large amount of pharmaceutical residue generated during its processing and production is discarded as waste, which not only wastes resources but also pollutes the environment. Therefore, elucidating the chemical composition of the residue of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and the differences between the residue and Sophorae Flavescentis Radix itself is of great significance for the comprehensive utilization of the residue. This study, based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) technology combined with multivariate statistical methods, provides a thorough characterization, identification, and differential analysis of the overall components of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and its residue. Firstly, 61 compounds in Sophorae Flavescentis Radix were rapidly identified based on their precise molecular weight, fragment ions, and compound abundance, using a self-constructed compound database. Among them, 41 compounds were found in the residue, mainly alkaloids and flavonoids. Secondly, through principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA), 15 key compounds differentiating Sophorae Flavescentis Radix from its residue were identified. These included highly polar alkaloids, such as oxymatrine and oxysophocarpine, which showed significantly reduced content in the residue, and less polar flavonoids, such as kurarinone and kuraridin, which were more abundant in the residue. In summary, this paper clarifies the overall composition, structure, and content differences between Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and its residue, suggesting that the residue of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix can be used as a raw material for the extraction of its high-activity components, with promising potential for development and application in cosmetics and daily care. This research provides a scientific basis for the future comprehensive utilization of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and its residue.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Sophora/chemistry* ; Flavonoids/chemistry* ; Alkaloids/chemistry*

Continuous manufacturing, as an innovative pharmaceutical production model, offers advantages such as high production efficiency and ease of control compared to traditional batch production, aligning with the future trend of drug production moving toward greater efficiency and intelligence. However, the development of continuous manufacturing technology in wet granulation has been slow. On one hand, this is closely related to its high technical complexity, substantial equipment investment costs, and stringent process control requirements. On the other hand, the long-term use of the traditional batch production model has created strong path dependence, and the lack of mature standardized processes further increases the difficulty of technological transformation. To promote the deep integration of wet granulation technology with continuous manufacturing, this review systematically outlines the current application of wet granulation in continuous manufacturing. It focuses on the development of key technologies such as online detection, process modeling, and process scale-up, with the aim of providing a reference for process innovation and application in wet granulation.
Drug Compounding/instrumentation* ; Technology, Pharmaceutical/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Models, Theoretical

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

In this study, lipopolysaccharide(LPS), ovalbumin(OVA), and compound 48/80(C48/80) were administered to establish non-infectious pneumonia models under simulated clinical conditions, and the correlation between their pathological characteristics and traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) syndromes was compared, providing the basis for the selection of appropriate animal models for TCM efficacy evaluation. An acute pneumonia model was established by nasal instillation of LPS combined with intraperitoneal injection for intensive stimulation. Three doses of OVA mixed with aluminum hydroxide adjuvant were injected intraperitoneally on days one, three, and five and OVA was administered via endotracheal drip for excitation on days 14-18 to establish an OVA-induced allergic pneumonia model. A single intravenous injection of three doses of C48/80 was adopted to establish a C48/80-induced pneumonia model. By detecting the changes in peripheral blood leukocyte classification, lung tissue and plasma cytokines, immunoglobulins(Ig), histamine levels, and arachidonic acid metabolites, the multi-dimensional analysis was carried out based on pathological evaluation. The results showed that the three models could cause pulmonary edema, increased wet weight in the lung, and obvious exudative inflammation in lung tissue pathology, especially for LPS. A number of pyrogenic cytokines, inclading interleukin(IL)-6, interferon(IFN)-γ, IL-1β, and IL-4 were significantly elevated in the LPS pneumonia model. Significantly increased levels of prostacyclin analogs such as prostaglandin E2(PGE2) and PGD2, which cause increased vascular permeability, and neutrophils in peripheral blood were significantly elevated. The model could partly reflect the clinical characteristics of phlegm heat accumulating in the lung or dampness toxin obstructing the lung. The OVA model showed that the sensitization mediators IgE and leukotriene E4(LTE4) were increased, and the anti-inflammatory prostacyclin 6-keto-PGF2α was decreased. Immune cells(lymphocytes and monocytes) were decreased, and inflammatory cells(neutrophils and basophils) were increased, reflecting the characteristics of "deficiency", "phlegm", or "dampness". Lymphocytes, monocytes, and basophils were significantly increased in the C48/80 model. The phenotype of the model was that the content of histamine, a large number of prostacyclins(6-keto-PGE1, PGF2α, 15-keto-PGF2α, 6-keto-PGF1α, 13,14-D-15-keto-PGE2, PGD2, PGE2, and PGH2), LTE4, and 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid(5S-HETE) was significantly increased, and these indicators were associated with vascular expansion and increased vascular permeability. The pyrogenic inflammatory cytokines were not increased. The C48/80 model reflected the characteristics of cold and damp accumulation. In the study, three non-infectious pneumonia models were constructed. The LPS model exhibited neutrophil infiltration and elevated inflammatory factors, which was suitable for the efficacy study of TCM for clearing heat, detoxifying, removing dampness, and eliminating phlegm. The OVA model, which took allergic inflammation as an index, was suitable for the efficacy study of Yiqi Gubiao formulas. The C48/80 model exhibited increased vasoactive substances(histamine, PGs, and LTE4), which was suitable for the efficacy study and evaluation of TCM for warming the lung, dispersing cold, drying dampness, and resolving phlegm. The study provides a theoretical basis for model selection for the efficacy evaluation of TCM in the treatment of pneumonia.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice ; Pneumonia/genetics* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Male ; Humans ; Cytokines/immunology* ; Female ; Lipopolysaccharides/adverse effects* ; Lung/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Ovalbumin ; Mice, Inbred BALB C

Objective To investigate the protective effect and its mechanism of low-dose interleukin-2(IL-2)against hepatocyte injury in Concanavalin A(Con A)-induced autoimmune hepatitis(AIH)mice.Methods Eighteen SPF female C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal group,model group and treatment group,each group with 6 mice.Mice in the treatment group were subcutaneously injected with 300 μl 10,000 U IL-2 for 12 d,once a day.2 h after the last dose,Con A(15 mg/kg)was injected through the tail vein in the model group and treatment group.After 8 h of modeling,the histopathological changes in the mouse liver were observed using HE staining,and the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase(AST),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),and interferon-γ(IFN-γ)were detected using ELISA method;the expression of apoptotic protein caspase 8/9/3 was detected by Western blotting;and the percentages of Treg and Th1 cells were observed by flow cytometry.Results Compared with normal group,the liver index,spleen index,the percentage of necrotic area of liver tissue,the serum levels of ALT,AST,TNF-α and IFN-γ,and the expression of apoptosis protein caspase 8/9/3 significantly increased in the model group(P<0.05 or P<0.01);Compared with model group,the liver index,spleen index,the percentage of necrotic area of liver tissue,the serum levels of ALT,TNF-α and IFN-γ,and the expression of apoptosis protein caspase 8/9/3 significantly decreased in the treatment group(P<0.05 or P<0.01).The flow cytometry results showed that compared with normal group,the percentages of Treg and Th1 cells and Th1/Treg ratio increased in the model group(P<0.05 or P<0.01);Compared with the model group,the percentage of Treg cells further increased(P<0.01),Th1/Treg ratio decreased significantly in the treatment group(P<0.05),but there was no significant difference in the percentage of Th1 cells between two groups(P>0.05).Conclusion Low-dose of IL-2 can effectively improve liver injury in AIH mice,and the mechanism of action may be related to inducible Treg cell activation.