ObjectiveTo screen suitable packaging and storage conditions for small packaged Alismatis Rhizoma decoction pieces， laying the foundation for developing standardized storage， maintenance techniques and determining shelf life. MethodsUsing the accelerated stability test method， the small packaged decoction pieces of Alismatis Rhizoma were placed in polyethylene plastic bags， aluminum foil polyethylene composite bags， and cowhide coated paper bags under temperature of （40±2） ℃ and relative humidity of （75±5）% conditions， the quality testing was conducted at the end of the 0^th， 1^st， 2^nd， 3^rd， and 6^th month， respectively. Using long-term stability test method， an orthogonal experiment was designed to investigate storage conditions， packaging materials， and packaging methods. At the end of the 0^th， 1^st， 3^rd， 6^th， 9^th， 12^th， 18^th， and 24^th month， the quality of small packaged Alismatis Rhizoma decoction pieces was tested under different packaging and storage conditions（including 2 packaging methods：vacuum packaging and sealed packaging， 3 storage conditions：room temperature， cool， and modified atmosphere， 3 packaging materials：cowhide coated paper bag， aluminum foil polyethylene composite bag， and polyethylene plastic bag）. Then， the G1-entropy weight method combined with orthogonal experiment was used to analyze the quality changes of the decoction pieces under different packaging and storage conditions to identify optimal packaging and storage conditions. The quality testing indicators for Alismatis Rhizoma decoction pieces were expanded beyond those specified in the 2020 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. In addition to the existing indicators（characteristics， moisture content， extractives， and the total content of 23-acetyl alisol B and 23-acetyl alisol C）， new indicators including color value， water activity， total triterpenoid content， and alisol B content have been added. ResultsThe accelerated stability test results indicated that the quality of small packaged Alismatis Rhizoma decoction pieces was more stable when packaged in aluminum foil-polyethylene composite materials compared to cowhide-coated paper bags and polyethylene plastic bags. Analysis of the long-term stability test results using the G1-entropy weight method combined with orthogonal experiment revealed that storage conditions had the greatest impact on both raw and salt-processed products， followed by packaging materials， while the packaging method had the least influence. For both types of small packaged Alismatis Rhizoma decoction pieces， modified atmosphere storage demonstrated superior efficacy compared to cool storage or room temperature storage. Storage in aluminum foil-polyethylene composite bags was superior to polyethylene plastic bags or cowhide-coated paper bags. However， the stability of sealed raw products was better than vacuum-packed ones， whereas vacuum-packed salt-processed products exhibited greater stability than their sealed counterparts. ConclusionBased on the results of the quality changes of small packaged Alismatis Rhizoma decoction pieces under different storage conditions， it is recommended that the suitable storage packaging conditions for small packaged raw products are sealed packaging with aluminum foil polyethylene composite bags and controlled atmosphere storage， and the suitable storage and packaging conditions for small packaged salt-processed products are vacuum packaging with aluminum foil polyethylene composite bags and controlled atmosphere storage.

Background: and Purpose Accurately predicting long-term functional outcomes of basilar artery occlusion (BAO) remains challenging. We compared the predictive performance of the baseline, 24-hour, and 72-hour National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores for 90-day BAO functional outcomes using the Acute Basilar Artery Occlusion: Endovascular Thrombectomy versus Standard Medical Treatment (ATTENTION) trial data. We identified the optimal assessment time point, determined treatment-specific NIHSS cutoff values, and explored the role of early neurological function in treatment effects. Methods: This retrospective post hoc analysis included 324 patients with acute BAO with baseline NIHSS scores ≥10 and complete NIHSS assessments at each time point. The primary outcome was a favorable 90-day functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale score, 0–3). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to assess the predictive ability of NIHSS scores. The optimal 72-hour NIHSS predictive cutoff values were determined for the endovascular treatment (EVT) and best medical management (BMM) subgroups. Results: The 72-hour NIHSS score showed the highest predictive accuracy for the primary outcome (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC]: 0.954), outperforming the 24-hour (AUC: 0.903) and baseline (AUC: 0.688) scores; its optimal predictive cut-off value was ≤11 in the EVT group (sensitivity: 85.6%, specificity: 92.9%, positive predictive value [PPV]: 91.8%, negative predictive value [NPV]: 87.4%) and ≤9 in the BMM group (sensitivity: 84.6%, specificity: 95.1%, PPV: 84.6%, NPV: 95.1%). Conclusions The 72-hour NIHSS score outperformed the baseline and 24-hour scores in predicting 90-day functional outcomes and mediating the effects of EVT. Treatment-specific 72-hour NIHSS cut-off values may guide early risk stratification and prognostic assessments.

ObjectiveHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents 90% of all primary liver cancers. The main risk factors associated with HCC include viral hepatitis (B and/or C), alcohol abuse, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), which progressively advance to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and ultimately evolve into HCC. Surgical resection represents the most effective treatment for HCC, while recent advances in immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapies, have provided improved treatment prospects for patients with unresectable HCC. However, the complex metabolic heterogeneity of HCC limits the therapeutic efficacy. Metabolic intermediates acyl-CoA not only provide energy and substrates for numerous biochemical reactions but also serve as donors for protein lysine acylation, a major class of post-translational modification (PTM). Therefore, a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying protein lysine acylation and hepatocarcinogenesis is urgently needed. MethodsThe levels of protein lysine acylation and silence information regulator 5 (SIRT5) expression levels in clinical HCC samples were analyzed by Western blot. Quantitative malonylome and succinylome of HCC samples were analyzed by antibody-based affinity enrichment coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The proliferation of HCC cells was analyzed with Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays, the apoptosis was quantified by Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide (PI) staining coupled with flow cytometry, and the ability of cells to migrate was assayed by Transwell assays. The enzymatic activity of glutathione S-transferase Mu 1 (GSTM1) was quantified. Transgenic mice with hepatic overexpression of SIRT5 were constructed using CRISPR-Cas9, and primary hepatocarcinogenesis was induced by administration of diethylnitrosamine. ResultsWestern blot analysis indicated that the expression level of SIRT5 was elevated in clinical samples from HCC patients, and the levels of lysine malonylation, glutarylation, and succinylation were significantly reduced in HCC tissues. Knockout of SIRT5 in MHCC-97H and MHCC-97L hepatoma cells suppressed cell proliferation, and increased the percentage of apoptotic cells significantly. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses of the differentially malonylome and succinylome of HCC samples revealed significant enrichment in two major classes of biological processes: core energy metabolism (e.g., glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, tricarboxylic acid metabolic process, fatty acid beta oxidation) and detoxification and oxidative stress response (e.g., response to toxic substance, chemical carcinogenesis, reactive oxygen species (ROS)). SIRT5 removes malonylation from lysine residues in GSTM1 and restores its detoxification activity, which is crucial for the survival of hepatocytes under stressed conditions. More importantly, in vivo experiment indicated that hepatic-specific overexpression of SIRT5 in mice accelerated diethylnitrosamine-induced liver fibrosis and hepatocarcinogenesis, indicating the critical role of SIRT5 in HCC progression. ConclusionThis study highlights the previously unrecognized SIRT5-GSTM1 axis as a key regulator in hepatocarcinogenesis, and suggests a potential target for the treatment of patients with HCC.

ObjectiveType I interferon (IFN-I) signaling is essential for antiviral innate immunity, yet its sustained or excessive activation contributes to the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases and interferonopathies, such as systemic lupus erythematosus and Aicardi-Goutières syndrome. Current strategies targeting this pathway, exemplified by JAK inhibitors, act mainly on downstream signal transduction and provide limited direct control over upstream IFN-I production, while also carrying the risk of broad immunosuppression. Phyllanthus emblica L. has long been used in traditional medicine for inflammatory disorders, but the bioactive constituent responsible for its regulation of IFN-I signaling and the underlying molecular mechanism have not been clearly defined. This study aimed to identify the active anti-inflammatory component of P. emblica and to characterize its mechanism of action on the IFN-I pathway in macrophages. MethodsActive components ofP. emblica and their candidate targets were screened by network pharmacology using the TCMSP and DrugBank databases (oral bioavailability≥30%, drug-likeness≥0.18) and intersected with inflammation-related genes retrieved from public databases. The predicted interaction between EGCG and IFN-I pathway proteins (TBK1, IRF3, STAT1) was evaluated by molecular docking, with BX795 and GSK8612 used as reference TBK1 inhibitors. Mechanistic experiments were performed in THP-1-derived macrophages and primary bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM). Upstream signaling was activated by transfection of the nucleic acid analogs poly(I∶C) and poly(dA∶dT) or by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, whereas downstream signaling was activated by exogenous IFN-β. An siRNA-mediated TREX1 knockdown model was used to mimic endogenous nucleic acid-driven interferonopathy. Expression of IFN-β1 and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) was measured by RT-qPCR, protein phosphorylation by Western blot, and IFN-β secretion by ELISA. Cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) and drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) were used to probe the interactionbetween EGCG and IRF3. ResultsNetwork pharmacology identified (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) as a candidate IFN-I-suppressive constituent of P. emblica, with predicted binding to TBK1, IRF3, and STAT1. Molecular docking yielded binding energies of -9.2, -7.2, and -8.2 kcal/mol for TBK1, IRF3, and STAT1, respectively, indicating an affinity for TBK1 comparable to that of the reference inhibitors BX795 (-5.7 kcal/mol) and GSK8612 (-6.4 kcal/mol). EGCG suppressed IFN-β1 and ISG mRNA expression under poly (I∶C), poly (dA∶dT), and LPS stimulation in both THP-1 macrophages and BMDM. At the protein level, EGCG reduced the phosphorylation of TBK1 and IRF3 without affecting the levels of the upstream sensors cGAS and RIG-I, and lowered IFN-β secretion in a concentration-dependent manner. CETSA and DARTS showed that EGCG did not enhance the thermal stability or protease resistance of IRF3, indicating that its effect on IRF3 is indirect. Following IFN-β stimulation, prolonged EGCG treatment reduced STAT1 phosphorylation in a time-dependent manner without an apparent change in IRF9, and partially attenuated ISG transcription; this effect was not monotonicly concentration-dependent, and CXCL10 showed the most consistent suppression. In TREX1-knockdown cells, the elevated mRNA levels of ISG15, ISG56, and CXCL10 were reduced by EGCG. ConclusionEGCG suppresses IFN-I responses by concurrently inhibiting TBK1-IRF3-dependent IFN‑β production and JAK-STAT1-mediated downstream transcription. These in vitro findings provide a mechanistic basis for the anti-inflammatory use of P. emblica in traditional medicine and identify EGCG as a candidate for further evaluation in interferon-driven autoimmune disease models.

Background: Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) due to variants of hepatocyte nuclear factor 1-beta (HNF1β) (MODY5) has not been well studied in the Chinese population. This study aimed to estimate its prevalence and evaluate the application of a clinical screening method (Faguer score) in Chinese early-onset diabetes (EOD) patients. Methods: Among 679 EOD patients clinically diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (age at diagnosis ≤40 years), the exons of HNF1β were sequenced. Functional impact of rare variants was evaluated using a dual-luciferase reporter system. Faguer scores ≥8 prompted multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) for large deletions. Pathogenicity of HNF1β variants was assessed following the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) guidelines. Results: Two rare HNF1β missense mutations (E105K and G454R) were identified by sequencing in five patients, showing functional impact in vitro. Another patient was found to have a whole-gene deletion by MLPA in 22 patients with the Faguer score above 8. Following ACMG guidelines, six patients carrying pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant were diagnosed with MODY5. The estimated prevalence of MODY5 in Chinese EOD patients was approximately 0.9% or higher. Conclusion MODY5 is not uncommon in China. The Faguer score is helpful in deciding whether to perform MLPA analysis on patients with negative sequencing results.

Background: Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) due to variants of hepatocyte nuclear factor 1-beta (HNF1β) (MODY5) has not been well studied in the Chinese population. This study aimed to estimate its prevalence and evaluate the application of a clinical screening method (Faguer score) in Chinese early-onset diabetes (EOD) patients. Methods: Among 679 EOD patients clinically diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (age at diagnosis ≤40 years), the exons of HNF1β were sequenced. Functional impact of rare variants was evaluated using a dual-luciferase reporter system. Faguer scores ≥8 prompted multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) for large deletions. Pathogenicity of HNF1β variants was assessed following the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) guidelines. Results: Two rare HNF1β missense mutations (E105K and G454R) were identified by sequencing in five patients, showing functional impact in vitro. Another patient was found to have a whole-gene deletion by MLPA in 22 patients with the Faguer score above 8. Following ACMG guidelines, six patients carrying pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant were diagnosed with MODY5. The estimated prevalence of MODY5 in Chinese EOD patients was approximately 0.9% or higher. Conclusion MODY5 is not uncommon in China. The Faguer score is helpful in deciding whether to perform MLPA analysis on patients with negative sequencing results.

This study established the HPLC fingerprints, characteristic chromatograms, and a multi-component content determination method for Bidens bipinnata and B. biternata. The chemical pattern recognition analysis was then employed to clarify the characteristic indexes of quality differences between the two original plants of Bidentis Herba, providing a reference for establishing the quality standards of Bidentis Herba. HPLC was launched on an Agilent Poroshell 120 EC-C_(18) chromatographic column(4.6 mm×250 mm, 4 μm) by gradient elution with a mobile phase of 0.1% aqueous phosphoric acid-acetonitrile at a flow rate of 0.7 mL·min~(-1), detection wavelength of 270 nm, column temperature of 25 ℃, and an injection volume of 5 μL. The similarity between the fingerprints of 18 batches of Bidentis Herba samples and the common pattern(R) ranged from 0.572 to 0.933. A total of 23 chromatographic peaks were calibrated. Through comparison with the reference substances, six components(neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid A, isochlorogenic acid B, rutin, and hyperoside) were identified and subjected to quantitative analysis. The characteristic fingerprints of B. bipinnata and B. biternata were calibrated with 20 and 17 characteristic peaks, respectively. Among them, peaks 8, 9, 22, and 23 were the characteristic peaks of B. bipinnata, and peak 7 was the characteristic peak of B. biternata, which can be used to distinguish the two original plants of Bidentis Herba. The relative standard deviation of the content of the above-mentioned six components ranged from 36% to 123%. The cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) classified the 18 batches of Bidentis Herba samples into two categories. Additionally, through the analysis of variable importance in projection(VIP) under OPLS-DA, three characteristic indexes, rutin, isochlorogenic acid A, and isochlorogenic acid B, were identified. The analytical method established in this study can comprehensively evaluate the consistency of Bidentis Herba samples derived from different original plants, specifically identify the differential components between them, and effectively distinguish the two original plants of Bidentis Herba, providing a basis for the differentiation between different original plants and the quality control of Bidentis Herba.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Quality Control ; Bidens/chemistry*

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the correlation between baseline ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) parameters in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and compare the value of the two methods in the prognosis assessment of DLBCL. METHODS: A total of 50 DLBCL patients confirmed by pathology, including 26 males and 24 females, with a median age of 55.5(43.5, 64.0) years from August 2018 to April 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. PET/CT parameters, including maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG), ctDNA parameters, including mutation number, mutation gene number, mean variant allele frequency (meanVAF), and clinical data of patients were collected. The relationship between PET/CT, ctDNA parameters and patient clinical features was analyzed, as well as the correlation between PET/CT and ctDNA parameters. The diagnostic efficacy of PET/CT and ctDNA parameters was compared. Patients were followed up for 36-69 months. Progression-free survival (PFS) was calculated, and survival analysis was performed. RESULTS: PET/CT parameters all had good correlation with ctDNA parameters, among which MTV was moderately correlated with mutation number, mutation gene number, and meanVAF (r_s=0.72, 0.64, 0.71), TLG was strongly correlated with mutation number (r_s=0.83) and moderately correlated with mutation gene number and mean VAF (r_s=0.72, 0.79), while SUVmax was weakly correlated with mutation number, mutation gene number and meanVAF (r_s=0.47, 0.46, 0.47). PET/CT parameters and ctDNA parameters showed no statistically significant differences in predicting the prognosis of DLBCL and area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) (P >0.05). However, the specificity of MTV and TLG in predicting prognosis of 1-, 2- and 3-year PFS was better than that of meanVAF (all P < 0.05), while the sensitivity of meanVAF in predicting prognosis of 1-, 2- and 3-year PFS was better than that of MTV (all P < 0.05). The optimal cut-off values of SUVmax, MTV, TLG, mutation number, mutation gene number and meanVAF in predicting tumor progression were obtained using ROC curve analysis. Patients were divided into high and low expression groups according to the cut-off values and survival analysis was performed. The results of survival analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences in PFS between the high and low expression groups (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Baseline ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT and ctDNA parameters can both predict the prognosis of DLBCL, and are equally valuable in the evaluation of DLBCL prognosis.
Humans ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/diagnosis* ; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Female ; Male ; Circulating Tumor DNA ; Retrospective Studies ; Adult ; Mutation

Objective： The aim of this study is to explore the predictive value of biparametric magnetic resonance imaging(bpMRI)for pelvic lymph node metastasis in prostate cancer patients with PSA≤20 μg/L and establish a nomogram. Methods： The imaging data and clinical data of 363 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from July 2018 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used to screen independent risk factors for pelvic lymph node metastasis in prostate cancer, and a nomogram of the clinical prediction model was established. Calibration curves were drawn to evaluate the accuracy of the model. Results： Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed extrocapusular extension (OR=8.08,95%CI=2.62－24.97, P<0.01), enlargement of pelvic lymph nodes (OR=4.45,95%CI=1.16－17.11,P=0.030), and biopsy ISUP grade(OR=1.97,95%CI=1.12－3.46, P=0.018)were independent risk factors for pelvic lymph node metastasis. The C-index of the prediction model was 0.834, which indicated that the model had a good prediction ability. The actual value of the model calibration curve and the prediction probability of the model fitted well, indicating that the model had a good accuracy. Further analysis of DCA curve showed that the model had good clinical application value when the risk threshold ranged from 0.05 to 0.70.Conclusion： For prostate cancer patients with PSA≤20 μg/L, bpMRI has a good predictive value for the pelvic lymph node metastasis of prostate cancer with extrocapusular extension, enlargement of pelvic lymph nodes and ISUP grade≥4.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging* ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Retrospective Studies ; Nomograms ; Prostate-Specific Antigen/blood* ; Lymph Nodes/pathology* ; Pelvis ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prostatectomy ; Lymph Node Excision ; Risk Factors ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Logistic Models ; Middle Aged ; Aged

Background: Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) due to variants of hepatocyte nuclear factor 1-beta (HNF1β) (MODY5) has not been well studied in the Chinese population. This study aimed to estimate its prevalence and evaluate the application of a clinical screening method (Faguer score) in Chinese early-onset diabetes (EOD) patients. Methods: Among 679 EOD patients clinically diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (age at diagnosis ≤40 years), the exons of HNF1β were sequenced. Functional impact of rare variants was evaluated using a dual-luciferase reporter system. Faguer scores ≥8 prompted multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) for large deletions. Pathogenicity of HNF1β variants was assessed following the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) guidelines. Results: Two rare HNF1β missense mutations (E105K and G454R) were identified by sequencing in five patients, showing functional impact in vitro. Another patient was found to have a whole-gene deletion by MLPA in 22 patients with the Faguer score above 8. Following ACMG guidelines, six patients carrying pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant were diagnosed with MODY5. The estimated prevalence of MODY5 in Chinese EOD patients was approximately 0.9% or higher. Conclusion MODY5 is not uncommon in China. The Faguer score is helpful in deciding whether to perform MLPA analysis on patients with negative sequencing results.