ObjectiveTo explore the effects of Jingui Shenqiwan （JSW） and Liuwei Dihuangwan （LDW） on the reproductive ability and brain function of normal mice and compare the actions of the two medications. MethodsSeven groups of female and male mice were divided at a ratio of 2∶1. Except for the control group， the other six groups were as follows： a group of both males and females receiving JSW （3.0 g·kg^-1）， a group of both males and females receiving LDW （4.5 g·kg^-1）， a group of males receiving water and females receiving JSW， a group of males receiving water while females receiving LDW， a group of females receiving water while males receiving JSW， and a group of females receiving water while males receiving LDW. Each group was administered the drug for 14 days and then caged together at a 2∶1 （female∶male） ratio to detect the number of pregnant mice and calculate the pregnancy rate. Pregnant mice continued receiving the drug until they naturally gave birth， which was followed by the observation of newborn mice， calculation of their average number， and the measurement of the offspring's preference for sugar water and neonatal recognition index. At the end of the experiment， the weights of the thymus and spleen were measured to calculate the organ coefficients， and mRNA or protein expression was analyzed in the brain and testes or ovaries. A 1% sucrose solution was used to examine the euphoria of their brain reward systems， while novel object recognition test （NOR） was applied to assess their memory capabilities. mRNA expression was detected using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） assay， and protein expression was analyzed with Western blot. ResultsCompared with the control group， oral administration of JSW to both male and female mice for 14 days significantly increased the pregnancy rate of female mice on day 2 after being caged together （P<0.05）， while LDW showed a trend but no statistical significance. Additionally， compared with the control group， JSW could upregulate the gene expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone （GnRH） in the thalamus， as well as reproductive stem cell factor （SCF） and tyrosine kinase receptor （c-Kit） in the testes and reproductive stem cell marker mouse vasa homologue （MVH） in the ovaries， upregulate the expression of proteins influencing neuronal functional activity， such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF）， in hippocampal neurons （P<0.05）， and enhance sucrose preference in male mice （P<0.05）. Compared with the control group， JSW significantly increased sucrose preference and novel object recognition index in offspring mice （P<0.05）， which was related to the upregulation of hippocampal dopamine D1 receptor （D1R） and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor （Nmdar） gene expression. Compared with the control group， both JSW and LDW could upregulate the protein expression of glucocorticoid receptor （GR）， BDNF， and tyrosine kinase receptor B （TrkB） in the hippocampus of offspring mice （P<0.05）. ConclusionJSW significantly enhances the reproductive ability of normal mice， which is not only related to the release of gonadotropin but also associated with its regulation of brain function. Additionally， JSW has a certain regulatory effect on the brain function of the offspring mice.

Objective: To characterize perioperative dynamic changes in immune-cell phenotypes and inflammatory cytokines in patients undergoing CPB (cardiopulmonary bypass) cardiac surgery, and to explore their associations with postoperative outcomes. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 120 adult patients who underwent elective cardiac surgery under CPB at West China Hospital from May 2022 to March 2023 were enrolled. Perioperative immune-cell phenotypes and concentrations of 40 inflammation-related cytokines were measured. The primary outcomes were the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score at 24 h after surgery and ΔSOFA (the peak SOFA score within 48 h after surgery minus the preoperative SOFA score). Secondary outcomes included major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), acute kidney injury (AKI), respiratory failure, severe liver injury, and infection. Results: The mean age of enrolled patients was 57±10 years. Of these, 52% (62/120) were male and 90% (108/120) underwent valve surgery. During the rewarming to the end of CPB, neutrophil counts rapidly increased (7.39×10 /L vs preoperative 3.07×10 /L, P<0.001), with significant upregulation of CD11b (7.30×10 /L vs preoperative 3.05×10 /L, P<0.001) and CD54 (7.15×10 /L vs preoperative 2.99×10 /L, P<0.001). Lymphocyte counts increased at the end of CPB (1.75×10 /L vs preoperative 1.12×10 /L, P<0.001) but decreased significantly at 24 h after surgery (0.59×10 /L vs preoperative 1.12×10 /L, P<0.001). Plasma analysis showed that multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines increased during CPB and remained elevated up to 24 h after surgery; five chemokines and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 peaked at the end of CPB. The SOFA score increased from 1 (1, 2) preoperatively to 7 (5, 10) at 24 h after surgery, with a ΔSOFA of 6 (4, 8). Within 30 days after surgery, 48 patients (40.0%) developed AKI, 17 (14.2%) developed infection, 4 (3.3%) developed severe liver injury, 3 (2.5%) developed respiratory failure, and 3 (2.5%) experienced MACE. During the 2-year follow-up, 8 patients (6.7%) experienced MACE and 5 (4.2%) died. Conclusion: Multi-organ dysfunction is common after cardiac surgery under CPB (median ΔSOFA, 6), accompanied by perioperative activation of multiple immune-cell subsets and upregulation of pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and chemotactic mediators. This study provides data-driven evidence and research clues for further investigation of the associations between CPB-related immune perturbations and postoperative organ dysfunction and clinical outcomes.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of Shenge Bushen Capsules （SBC） on sexual development in normal 3-week-old mice. MethodsThe experiment consisted of two parts. In the first part， mice were divided into four groups： The control group and the low， medium， and high-dose SBC groups （234.7， 469.4， 938.7 mg·kg^-1， respectively）. In the second part， mice were divided into four groups： Control group， Pseudostellariae Radix polysaccharide （PRP） group， total flavonoids group， and SBC group， all receiving a dose of 469.4 mg·kg^-1. After 7 days of administration， the vaginal opening of female mice and the descent of testes and scrotum in male mice， as well as the ovarian and testicular organ indices， were observed. After 4 weeks of administration， female and male mice were housed together for 2 days， and the pregnancy rate of females was monitored. After delivery， the pregnant female mice continued receiving the treatment for 4 weeks， and the sexual development of their offspring， including vaginal opening， testicular descent， and organ indices of ovaries and testes， was observed. Serum sex hormones were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）， and the expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone （GnRH） and growth hormone （GH） proteins in the hypothalamus was assessed by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the control group， there was no significant effect on the vaginal opening of female mice or the descent of testes in male mice after 7 days of SBC administration. After 4 weeks of administration， the pregnancy rate in the low-dose group was significantly reduced （P<0.05）， but no significant effects were observed in the other groups. The three doses of SBC did not significantly affect the ovarian or testicular organ indices， and there was no significant upregulation in the expression of GnRH or GH in the hypothalamus. The primary component of SBC， Pseudostellariae Radix polysaccharide， significantly reduced the vaginal opening in female mice after 7 days of administration （P<0.05）. After 4 weeks， the serum estradiol levels of non-pregnant female mice were decreased （P<0.05）， but there was no significant effect on the expression of GnRH or GH proteins in the hypothalamus of either male or female mice. Additionally， there were no significant effects on precocious puberty indicators， such as vaginal opening and testicular descent， in the offspring mice. ConclusionSBC does not significantly promote precocious puberty in young mice， and it does not have any noticeable effects on the pregnancy rate of adult mice or the sexual development of their offspring.

Constructing an efficient and easy-to-operate multigene expression system is currently a crucial part of plant genetic engineering. In this study, a fragment carrying three independent gene expression cassettes and the expression unit of the gene-silencing suppressor protein(RNA silencing suppressor 19 kDa protein, P19) simultaneously was designed and constructed. This fragment was cloned into the commonly used plant expression vector pCAMBIA300, and the plasmid pC1300-TP2-P19 was obtained. Each gene expression cassette consists of different promoters, fusion tags, and terminators. The target gene can be flexibly inserted into the corresponding site through enzymatic digestion and ligation or recombination and fused with different protein tags, which provides great convenience for subsequent detection. The enhanced green fluorescent protein(eGFP) reporter gene was individually constructed into each expression cassette to verify the feasibility of this vector system. The results of tobacco transient expression and laser-confocal microscopy showed that each expression cassette presented independent and normal expression. Meanwhile, the three key enzyme genes in the betanin synthesis pathway, BvCYP76AD, BvDODA1, and DbDOPA5GT, were constructed into the three expression cassettes. The results of tobacco transient expression phenotype, protein immunoblotting(Western blot), and chemical detection of product demonstrated that the three exogenous genes were highly expressed, and the target compound betanin was successfully produced. The above results indicated that the constructed multigene expression system for plants in this study was efficient and reliable and can achieve the co-transformation of multiple plant genes. It can provide a reliable vector platform for the analysis of plant natural product synthesis pathways, functional verification, and plant metabolic engineering.
Nicotiana/metabolism* ; Genetic Vectors/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Plants, Genetically Modified/metabolism* ; Genetic Engineering/methods* ; Green Fluorescent Proteins/metabolism* ; Gene Expression

Radiochemotherapy-induced oral mucositis (OM) is a common oral complication in patients with tumors following head and neck radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Erosion and ulcers are the main features of OM that seriously affect the quality of life of patients and even the progress of tumor treatment. To date, differences in clinical prevention and treatment plans for OM have been noted among doctors of various specialties, which has increased the uncertainty of treatment effects. On the basis of current research evidence, this expert consensus outlines risk factors, clinical manifestations, clinical grading, ancillary examinations, diagnostic basis, prevention and treatment strategies and efficacy indicators for OM. In addition to strategies such as basic oral care, anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents, anti-infective agents, pro-healing agents, and photobiotherapy recommended in previous guidelines, we also emphasize the role of traditional Chinese medicine in OM prevention and treatment. This expert consensus aims to provide references and guidance for dental physicians and oncologists in formulating strategies for OM prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, standardizing clinical practice, reducing OM occurrence, promoting healing, and improving the quality of life of patients.
Humans ; Chemoradiotherapy/adverse effects* ; Consensus ; Risk Factors ; Stomatitis/etiology*

In managing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, which affects over 30% of the general population, effective noninvasive biomarkers for assessing disease severity, monitoring disease progression, predicting the development of liver-related complications, and assessing treatment response are crucial. The advantage of simple fibrosis scores lies in their widespread accessibility through routinely performed blood tests and extensive validation in different clinical settings. They have shown reasonable accuracy in diagnosing advanced fibrosis and good performance in excluding the majority of patients with a low risk of liver-related complications. Among patients with elevated serum fibrosis scores, a more specific fibrosis and imaging biomarker has proved useful to accurately identify patients at risk of liver-related complications. Among specific fibrosis blood biomarkers, enhanced liver fibrosis is the most widely utilized and has been approved in the United States as a prognostic biomarker. For imaging biomarkers, the availability of vibration-controlled transient elastography has been largely improved over the past years, enabling the use of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) for accurate assessment of significant and advanced fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Combining LSM with other routinely available blood tests enhances the ability to diagnose at-risk metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis and predict liver-related complications, some reaching an accuracy comparable to that of liver biopsy. Magnetic resonance imaging-based modalities provide the most accurate quantification of liver fibrosis, though the current utilization is limited to research settings. Expanding their future use in clinical practice depends on factors such as cost and facility availability.

In managing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, which affects over 30% of the general population, effective noninvasive biomarkers for assessing disease severity, monitoring disease progression, predicting the development of liver-related complications, and assessing treatment response are crucial. The advantage of simple fibrosis scores lies in their widespread accessibility through routinely performed blood tests and extensive validation in different clinical settings. They have shown reasonable accuracy in diagnosing advanced fibrosis and good performance in excluding the majority of patients with a low risk of liver-related complications. Among patients with elevated serum fibrosis scores, a more specific fibrosis and imaging biomarker has proved useful to accurately identify patients at risk of liver-related complications. Among specific fibrosis blood biomarkers, enhanced liver fibrosis is the most widely utilized and has been approved in the United States as a prognostic biomarker. For imaging biomarkers, the availability of vibration-controlled transient elastography has been largely improved over the past years, enabling the use of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) for accurate assessment of significant and advanced fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Combining LSM with other routinely available blood tests enhances the ability to diagnose at-risk metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis and predict liver-related complications, some reaching an accuracy comparable to that of liver biopsy. Magnetic resonance imaging-based modalities provide the most accurate quantification of liver fibrosis, though the current utilization is limited to research settings. Expanding their future use in clinical practice depends on factors such as cost and facility availability.

[Objective] To explore the relationship between neutrophil activation under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and the incidence of cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CS-AKI). [Methods] This prospective cohort study enrolled adult patients who scheduled for cardiac surgery under CPB at West China Hospital between May 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023. The primary outcome was acute kidney injury (AKI). Blood samples (5 mL) were obtained from the central vein before surgery, at rewarming, at the end of CPB, and 24 hours after surgery. Neutrophils were labeled with CD11b, CD54 and other markers. To assess the effect of neutrophils activation on AKI, propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to equilibrate covariates between the groups. [Results] A total of 120 patients included into the study, and 17 (14.2%) developed AKI. Both CD11b⁺ and CD54⁺ neutrophils significantly increased during the rewarming phase and the increases were kept until 24 hours after surgery. During rewarming, the numbers of CD11b⁺ neutrophils were significantly higher in AKI compared to non-AKI (4.71×10⁹/L vs 3.31×10⁹/L, Z=-2.14, P<0.05). Similarly, the CD54⁺ neutrophils counts were also significantly higher in AKI than in non-AKI before surgery (2.75×10⁹/L vs 1.79×10⁹/L, Z=-2.99, P<0.05), during rewarming (3.12×10⁹/L vs 1.62×10⁹/L, Z=-4.34, P<0.05), and at the end of CPB (4.28×10⁹/L vs 2.14×10⁹/L, Z=-3.91, P<0.05). An analysis of 32 matched patients (16 in each group) revealed that CD11b⁺ and CD54⁺ neutrophil levels of AKI were 1.74 folds (4.83×10⁹/L vs 2.77×10⁹/L, Z=-2.72, P<0.05) and 2.34 folds (3.32×10⁹/L vs 1.42×10⁹/L, Z=-4.12, P<0.05), respectively, of non-AKI at rewarming phase. [Conclusion] Neutrophils are activated during CPB, and they can be identified by CD11b/CD54 markers. The activated neutrophils of AKI patients are approximately 2 folds of non-AKI during the rewarming phase, with disparity reached peak between groups during rewarming. These findings suggest the removal of 50% of activated neutrophils during the rewarming phase may be effective to reduce the risk of AKI.

In managing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, which affects over 30% of the general population, effective noninvasive biomarkers for assessing disease severity, monitoring disease progression, predicting the development of liver-related complications, and assessing treatment response are crucial. The advantage of simple fibrosis scores lies in their widespread accessibility through routinely performed blood tests and extensive validation in different clinical settings. They have shown reasonable accuracy in diagnosing advanced fibrosis and good performance in excluding the majority of patients with a low risk of liver-related complications. Among patients with elevated serum fibrosis scores, a more specific fibrosis and imaging biomarker has proved useful to accurately identify patients at risk of liver-related complications. Among specific fibrosis blood biomarkers, enhanced liver fibrosis is the most widely utilized and has been approved in the United States as a prognostic biomarker. For imaging biomarkers, the availability of vibration-controlled transient elastography has been largely improved over the past years, enabling the use of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) for accurate assessment of significant and advanced fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Combining LSM with other routinely available blood tests enhances the ability to diagnose at-risk metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis and predict liver-related complications, some reaching an accuracy comparable to that of liver biopsy. Magnetic resonance imaging-based modalities provide the most accurate quantification of liver fibrosis, though the current utilization is limited to research settings. Expanding their future use in clinical practice depends on factors such as cost and facility availability.