BACKGROUND:Autophagy,as a key regulatory mechanism of cell development,plays an important role in different stages of embryonic development.The mechanism of how autophagy regulates embryonic development through histone modifications is currently unclear.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of autophagy on trimethylation of lysine 4 on histone H3(H3K4me3)modification in embryos and its effect on embryonic development.METHODS:Mouse fertilized eggs were divided into control and autophagy inhibitor-treated groups(chloroquine phosphate-treated group and 3-methyladenine-treated group),and cultured in vitro to different periods of time,and were then classified as early 2-cell embryos,middle 2-cell embryos,late 2-cell embryos,4-cell embryos,8-cell embryos,morula stage,and blastocyst stage.Levels of reactive oxygen species,autophagy marker proteins LC3B and P62,DNA loss marker γH2AX,and H3K4me3 were analyzed by immunofluorescence assay in late 2-cell embryos of each group.Changes in H3K4me3 modification in late 2-cell embryos of each group were detected by CUT&Tag.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Autophagy inhibition caused embryo development arrest.(2)There was no significant difference in reactive oxygen species and γH2AX between the autophagy inhibitor-treated groups and control group.(3)H3K4me3 levels were significantly elevated in the autophagy inhibitor-treated group compared with the control group.(4)CUT&Tag results showed a significantly increased H3K4me3 peaks on the proximal promoter region of the genes after autophagy inhibition and an increase of H3K4me3-specific modification genes.These findings suggest that autophagy may affect embryonic development by regulating the level of H3K4me3 modification.

The prescription of Qidong Yixin oral liquid is derived from the experience of national medical master Ren Jixue in treating viral myocarditis （VMC）. It has the functions of tonifying Qi， nourishing the heart，calming the mind， and relieving palpitations. It is used to treat VMC and angina pectoris of coronary heart disease caused by deficiency of both Qi and Yin. However，the understanding of its efficacy evidence， advantageous aspects， dosage and administration， and medication safety remains insufficient in clinical practice. Therefore，the development of the Expert Consensus on the Clinical Application of Qidong Yixin Oral Liquid （hereinafter referred to as consensus） was initiated. Consensus strictly followed the process and methods of the expert consensus on the clinical application of Chinese patent medicines of the China Association of Chinese Medicine，successively completing multiple tasks such as the consensus project initiation，determination of clinical problems，evidence search and evaluation，formation of recommendation opinions and consensus suggestions，solicitation of opinions，peer review， submission for review and release， and so on. Consensus formed a total of 10 recommendation opinions and 12 consensus suggestions，clarifying the clinical positioning，efficacy advantages，syndrome differentiation，dosage and administration，combination therapy，timing of medication，adverse reactions，contraindications， and precautions of Qidong Yixin oral liquid，indicating that it has good clinical advantages and safety in the treatment of VMC and angina pectoris of coronary heart disease，providing norms and references for physicians to safely and rationally apply Qidong Yixin oral liquid. Consensus was reviewed and approved for release by the Standardization Office of the China Association of Chinese Medicine on December 23， 2024. Standard number：GSCACM-376-2024.

This paper systematically reviews the core concepts and lines of theoretical inheritance of major spleen-stomach theories in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， including spleen deficiency theory， spleen-stomach damp-heat theory， and liver-spleen disharmony theory. It is found that these theories have all undergone a developmental trajectory characterized by classical foundation， refinement of therapeutic methods， systematization of pathogenesis， and modern innovation. The evolution of spleen-stomach theory has achieved a shift from a singular focus on tonifying the spleen to regulating dynamic middle-jiao （焦） balance， and from localized spleen-stomach regulation to the circular movement of qi involving all five zang organs. In terms of modern disease-syndrome integrative research， spleen deficiency syndrome is shown to be closely associated with impairment of the gastrointestinal mucosal barrier， metabolic disorders， and gene polymorphisms related to Helicobacter pylori-associated gastric diseases. Spleen-stomach damp-heat syndrome is closely linked to hyperactive energy metabolism， inflammatory cytokines， and abnormal expression of aquaporins. Liver-spleen disharmony syndrome is mainly associated with dysregulation of the brain-gut axis and microbiota-related metabolic disorders. It is proposed that future research on spleen-stomach diseases and syndromes should further elucidate their potential multidimensional differential biological characteristics， thereby promoting the modernization of the TCM discipline of spleen-stomach studies.

Despite breakthroughs in immunotherapy for solid tumors, significant variations in treatment efficacy persist. Up to 80% of cancer patients suffer from malnutrition, which leads to: lymphoid atrophy and reduced T-cell reserves; deficiency of substrates required for T-cell activation and expansion; concurrent inflammation hindering T-cell infiltration into tumors; and cachexia accelerating PD-1 antibody clearance. Clinical studies confirm that severe malnutrition significantly impairs immune responses and increases the risk of treatment toxicity. Therefore, implementing standardized nutritional therapy is crucial for optimizing the reserve, activation, expansion, and infiltration capacity of immune cells, thereby providing a sound immune system foundation for immunotherapy. Immunonutrition therapy, by enhancing immunonutrients such as arginine, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and nucleotides, reduces the secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators and promotes T-cell activation and proliferation. This enhances anti-tumor immune responses, prolongs survival, and advances cancer treatment towards multimodal combination and precision approaches.

Objective: To compare the Reveos automated blood processing system with the current method, and to evaluate the feasibility and validity of using the Reveos system for blood component preparation. Methods: Forty units of 400 mL whole blood samples were divided into two groups: 2C group (for two-component preparation) and 3C group (for three-component preparation). Each group was further divided into a Reveos subgroup and a control subgroup. Blood components were prepared using the Reveos system and the current centrifugation method respectively. The 2C group yielded suspended red blood cells and plasma, while the 3C group yielded suspended red blood cells, plasma, and platelets. Key quality indicators for red blood cells, plasma, and platelets were measured before and after separation. Inter-group differences were analyzed using SPSS 25.0. Results: The trend of changes in the main performance indicators of red blood cells, plasma, and platelets before and after separation was generally consistent between the Reveos group and the control group, with no significant differences for most performance indicators. The Reveos system outperformed the current method in several aspects: in the 3C group, the hematocrit (Hct) was significantly higher in the Reveos group than in the control group [(62.82%±1.64%) vs (53.62%±3.04)%, P<0.001]; the white blood cell count in red blood cell suspensions was significantly lower than that in the control group [(3.37±1.42)×10 /L vs (8.42±2.30)×10 /L, P<0.001]; plasma yield was 27.5% higher than that in the control group [(183.90±17.37) mL vs (144.28±20.53) mL, P<0.001]; and the platelet activation rate was significantly lower than that in the control group [(21.97±14.25)% vs (34.73±11.92)%, P=0.044]. Conclusion: The Reveos system demonstrates good consistency with the current method in preparing blood components, and outperforms the current method in terms of leukocyte reduction and red blood cell concentration.

A quantitative method for the analysis of the multi-component contents in Marsdenia tenacissimae was established, and the quality differences were evaluated by principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), factor analysis (FA) and weighted technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) method. The contents of chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, sinapic acid, tenacigenoside A, tenacissoside G, tenacissoside I, tenacissoside H, drevogenin A, betulinic acid and lupeol were determined by HPLC wavelength switching method. At the same time, the contents of alcohol-soluble extract and total ash were detected. PCA, OPLS-DA and FA methods were used to identify the origin of M. tenacissimae from different producing areas. According to the OPLS-DA model, the index weight was determined to construct the weighted TOPSIS evaluation model. The qualities of M. tenacissimae from different producing areas were analyzed by model scoring results. The contents of 12 indexes in 18 batches of M. tenacissimae varied to different degrees, and the repeatability and accuracy of the test method were satisfactory. PCA analysis divided 18 batches of M. tenacissimae into three categories. OPLS-DA identified five main potential quality markers, including tenacissoside A, tenacissoside I, lupeol, tenacissoside H and chlorogenic acid. The evaluation results of FA and weighted TOPSIS method were consistent, which showed that the quality of M. tenacissimae from Yunnan and Guizhou was better. The established multi-component quantitative analysis method is accurate and reliable, the chemometrics model has strong predictive ability, and the evaluation results of FA and weighted TOPSIS method are scientific and objective. The combination of the four methods can clearly determine the qualities of M. tenacissimae from different producing areas.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of oral sodium butyrate on skeletal muscle atrophy in CT26 tumor mice through the gut microbiota-skeletal muscle axis and its potential mechanism. MethodsSixty SPF BALB/c male mice aged 8 weeks were randomly divided into a normal control group (NC, n=18) and a ABX-depleted group (ABX, n=42). The ABX mice were pretreated with a quadruple antibiotic cocktail via oral gavage (0.2 ml per administration, once daily, 6 d per week, for 2 weeks), whereas NC received an equal volume of sterile water. The quadruple antibiotic cocktail consisted of metronidazole (1 g/L), vancomycin (0.5 g/L), ampicillin (1 g/L), and gentamicin (1 g/L). Following successful pretreatment, six mice from each group were randomly selected for gut microbiota sequencing analysis and designated as the Abx group and the NC0 group, respectively. Theremaining mice in ABX were subcutaneously inoculated in the dorsum with 0.2 ml of CT26 cell suspension (at a cell density of 1×10⁷/ml). Then these mice were randomly allocated into three subgroups: a control tumor bearing model group (0_NaB, n=12), a tumor-bearing model group receiving low-dose oral sodium butyrate (L_NaB, n=12), a tumor-bearing model group receiving high-dose oral sodium butyrate (H_NaB, n=12). And mice in NC were inoculated at the same site with 0.2 ml of normal saline. The administration dose for L_NaB was 0.3 g/(kg·d), that for H_NaB was 0.5 g/(kg·d), while NC and 0_NaB were given the same volume of normal saline (0.2ml per time, once daily, 6 d per week, for 4 weeks). The general condition of mice was monitored, and forelimb grip strength gastrocnemius muscle mass and its muscle fiber cross-sectional area were measured for each group. The structural changes in gut microbiota were assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing of cecal contents. Pathological alterations in the intestinal wall were examined via HE staining. Serum and gastrocnemius muscle levels of TNF‑α, IL-6, IL-1β, and LPS were quantified using ELISA. The protein expression of ZO-1 and occludin in the small intestine, as well as proteins associated with the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway in the gastrocnemius muscle, were detected by Western blot analysis. Results(1) The alpha-diversity in Abx was significantly lower than that in NC0 (P<0.01), a significant decrease of the mass and muscle fiber cross-sectional area of the gastrocnemius (P<0.01), with the majority of gut microbiota being effectively depleted. (2) Compared with NC, the subcutaneous tumors of mice in 0_NaB were prominent, a significant increase of the mass and muscle fiber cross-sectional area of the gastrocnemius, accompanied by a significant decrease in body weight at the end of the 3th and 4th week (P<0.05), and a significant weakening of the forelimb grasping strength at the 5th and 6th week (P<0.01). Compared with 0_NaB, the tumor mass of mice in L_NaB and H_NaB showed a significant decreasing trend, and the grip strength of the forelimbs significantly increased at the 5th and 6th week (P<0.05, P<0.01). (3) Compared with 0_NaB, the Shannon and Observed species indices in α diversity of L_NaB and H_NaB were significantly increased (P<0.05). At the genus level, compared with 0_NaB, L_NaB exhibited a significant decrease in the relative abundance of Parasutterella (P< 0.01), while H_NaB showed significant reductions in the relative abundances of both Escherichia-Shigella and Parasutterella (P < 0.01). (4) Compared with 0_NaB, the small intestinal tissue structure in L_NaB and H_NaB was more intact, the infiltration of inflammatory cells was significantly reduced, and the capillaries were slightly dilated. The expression levels of ZO-1 and occludin proteins in L_NaB were significantly increased (P<0.01). (5) The LPS concentration in the gastrocnemius muscle and the protein expression levels of TLR4, MyD88, p-IκBα, and p-NF‑κB p65 in L_NaB and H_NaB were significantly lower than those in 0_NaB (P<0.05). The serum TNF‑α concentration in H_NaB and TNF-α concentration in the gastrocnemius muscle of the L_NaB and H_NaB were significantly lower than those in 0_NaB (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.01). ConclusionOral administration of NaB can improve gut microbiota α diversity, adjusting its composition, improving intestinal mucosal barrier function, reducing the LPS-induced pro-inflammatory response, and delaying skeletal muscle atrophy. The underlying mechanism may involve down regulation of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling in skeletal muscle.

BACKGROUND:Autophagy,as a key regulatory mechanism of cell development,plays an important role in different stages of embryonic development.The mechanism of how autophagy regulates embryonic development through histone modifications is currently unclear.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of autophagy on trimethylation of lysine 4 on histone H3(H3K4me3)modification in embryos and its effect on embryonic development.METHODS:Mouse fertilized eggs were divided into control and autophagy inhibitor-treated groups(chloroquine phosphate-treated group and 3-methyladenine-treated group),and cultured in vitro to different periods of time,and were then classified as early 2-cell embryos,middle 2-cell embryos,late 2-cell embryos,4-cell embryos,8-cell embryos,morula stage,and blastocyst stage.Levels of reactive oxygen species,autophagy marker proteins LC3B and P62,DNA loss marker γH2AX,and H3K4me3 were analyzed by immunofluorescence assay in late 2-cell embryos of each group.Changes in H3K4me3 modification in late 2-cell embryos of each group were detected by CUT&Tag.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Autophagy inhibition caused embryo development arrest.(2)There was no significant difference in reactive oxygen species and γH2AX between the autophagy inhibitor-treated groups and control group.(3)H3K4me3 levels were significantly elevated in the autophagy inhibitor-treated group compared with the control group.(4)CUT&Tag results showed a significantly increased H3K4me3 peaks on the proximal promoter region of the genes after autophagy inhibition and an increase of H3K4me3-specific modification genes.These findings suggest that autophagy may affect embryonic development by regulating the level of H3K4me3 modification.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of e-cigarette use and associated factors among primary and secondary school students in Pudong New Area, Shanghai, and to explore the pathways linking harm perception of e-cigarettes, interpersonal social influence, and attitudes toward e-cigarette use with experimentation behavior, in order to provide scientific basis for further optimizing the prevention and control strategies of e-cigarette among adolescents. Methods: From September to October 2025, a multi stage cluster random sampling method was used to select 5 144 primary and secondary school students aged 8-19 years from 47 primary and secondary schools in Pudong New Area, Shanghai, to conduct an anonymous questionnaire survey. The questionnaire collected information on e-cigarette use, harm perception of e-cigarette, interpersonal social influence, and attitudes toward e-cigarette use. The Chi-square test was applied to analyze the differences in cigarette and e-cigarette use behavior among primary and secondary school students with different demographic characteristics. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was constructed using Mplus 8.3 software, and the bootstrap method was utilized to test the mediating effects. Results: The reported rates of cigarette experimentation, e-cigarette experimentation, and current e-cigarette use among primary and secondary school students were 1.85%, 2.10%, and 0.70%, respectively. Higher reporting rates of e-cigarette experimentation were observed among boys (2.82%), secondary school students aged 16-19 (3.39%), senior high school students (3.05%), and those with weekly pocket money >100 yuan ( 6.11% ) ( χ 2=11.67, 8.61, 8.00, 54.18, all P <0.05). Structural pathway analysis results demonstrated that e-cigarette harm perception positively predicted interpersonal social influence ( β =0.61) and e-cigarette use attitude ( β = 0.53 ), and interpersonal social influence ( β =0.65) and e-cigarette use attitude ( β =0.25) further promoted e-cigarette experimentation behavior among primary and secondary school students (all P <0.01), with interpersonal social influence playing a major mediating role (indirect effect=0.40). Conclusions E-cigarette experimentation behavior among primary and secondary school students in Pudong New Area is jointly influenced by multiple psychosocial factors. Intervention strategies should strengthen interpersonal social factors such as family and peers on the basis of health education, thereby constructing a comprehensive prevention and control strategy for e-cigarette use among primary and secondary school students.

BACKGROUND:The guinea pig is considered to be the most useful spontaneous model for evaluating primary osteoarthritis in humans because of its similar knee joint structure and close histopathologic features to those of humans. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the pathological process of spontaneous knee osteoarthritis in guinea pigs by analyzing the histopathology of the total knee joint of guinea pigs aged 1 to 18 months. METHODS:Eight healthy female Hartley guinea pigs in each age group of 1,6,10,14,16,and 18 months old were selected.The quadriceps femoris was taken for hematoxylin-eosin staining,and the total knee joint was stained with hematoxylin-eosin and toluidine blue.The histopathology of the cartilage,subchondral bone,synovium,meniscus,and muscles were observed under light microscope.Mankin's score and synovitis score were compared,and the correlation analysis was conducted. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:As the guinea pig age increased,the Mankin's score increased(P<0.05),and the pathological score of synovitis also gradually increased(P<0.05),and there was a significant positive correlation between the two(r=0.641,P<0.001).The incidence rate of subchondral bone marrow lesion in 18-month-old guinea pigs was 50%,and the incidence of meniscus injury was 37.5%.In addition,osteophyte and narrowing of the joint space were observed,and only a few guinea pigs had inflammation in the quadriceps femoris.To conclude,guinea pigs develop significant cartilage defects,synovial inflammation,subchondral bone lesions,meniscus injury,osteophyte formation,and joint space narrowing as they age,all of which are similar to the pathological processes of primary knee osteoarthritis in humans,making it an ideal model of spontaneous knee osteoarthritis.