ObjectiveTo characterize the quality differences among different germplasm and introduced varieties of Bupleurum scorzonerifolium roots（BSR）， and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms， providing a basis for high-quality production and quality control. MethodsWild BSR from Yulin（YLW） served as the quality reference， we conducted comparative analysis among YLW， locally domesticated wild germplasm in Yulin（YLC3）， Daqing germplasm introduced and cultivated in Yulin（YLDQC3）， and locally cultivated germplasm in Daqing（DQC3）. A combination of traditional pharmacognostic methods and modern multi-omics analyses was employed， including macroscopic traits（appearance， odor）， microscopic features（proportions of cork， phloem， xylem）， cell wall component contents（hemicellulose， cellulose， lignin）， carbohydrate contents（starch， water-soluble polysaccharides）， marker compound contents（ethanol-soluble extracts， total saponins， liposoluble extracts， and saikosaponins A， B₂， C， D）， metabolomics， and transcriptomics， in order to systematically characterize quality differences and investigate molecular mechanisms among these samples. ResultsMacroscopically， Yulin-produced BSR（YLW， YLC3， YLDQC3） exhibited significantly greater weight， length， and upper and middle diameters than Daqing-produced BSR（DQC3）. Odor-wise， YLW and YLC3 had a a fragrance taste， YLDQC3 had a rancid oil odor， and DQC3 had a sweet and fragrant taste. Microscopically， Yulin germplasm（YLW， YLC3） and Daqing germplasm（YLDQC3， DQC3） shared similar structural features， respectively. However， Yulin germplasm showed significantly higher proportions of cork and phloem， as well as stronger xylem vessel staining intensity compared to Daqing germplasm. Regarding various component contents， Yulin germplasm contained significantly higher levels of ethanol-soluble extracts， total saponins， and saikosaponins A， B₂， C， D， while Daqing germplasm had significantly higher levels of hemicellulose， starch， and liposoluble extracts. After introduction to Yulin， the Daqing germplasm（YLDQC3） showed increased starch， water-soluble polysaccharides and liposoluble extracts contents， decreased cell wall component content， but no significant difference in other component contents. Metabolomics revealed that saponins and terpenes accumulated significantly in Yulin germplasm， while alcohols and aldehydes accumulated predominantly in Daqing germplasm. Transcriptomics indicated similar gene expression patterns within the same germplasm but specificity between different germplasms. Integrative metabolomic-transcriptomic analysis identified 145 potential key genes associated with the saikosaponin biosynthesis pathway， including one acetyl-coenzyme A（CoA） acetyltransferase gene（ACAT）， one 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A synthase gene（HMGS）， two hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA（HMG-CoA） reductase genes（HMG）， one phosphomevalonate kinase gene（PMK）， one 1-deoxy-D-xylose-5-phosphate synthase gene（CLA）， one hydroxymethylbuten-1-aldol synthase gene（HDR）， two farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase genes（FPPS）， one squalene synthase gene（SQS）， one β-amyrin synthase gene（BAS）， 102 cytochrome P450（CYP450） gene family members， and 32 uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase（UGT） gene family members. ConclusionAmong the three cultivated types， YLC3 most closely resembles YLW in appearance， microscopic features， contents of major bioactive constituents， metabolomic and transcriptomic profiles. Yulin germplasm exhibits superior saponin synthesis capability compared to Daqing germplasm， and Yulin region is more suitable for the growth of B. scorzonerifolium. Based on these findings， it is recommended that artificial cultivation in northern Shaanxi and similar regions utilize the local Yulin germplasm source cultivated for at least three years.

ObjectiveTo study the effects of applying different microbial fertilizers on the growth and rhizosphere soil environment of Codonopsis pilosula and provide a theoretical basis for ecological cultivation of this medicinal plant. MethodsSeven groups were designed， including CK （no application of microbial fertilizer）， T1 （Trichoderma longibrachiatum fertilizer）， T2 （Bacillus subtilis fertilizer）， T3 （Trichoderma viride fertilizer）， T4 （compound microbial fertilizer）， T5 （C. pilosula stems and leaves fermented with compound microbial fertilizer）， and T6 （Scutellaria baicalensis stems and leaves fermented with T. viride fertilizer）. The physiological indicators， yield， and quality of C. pilosula and the physicochemical properties， enzyme activities， and microbial diversity in the rhizosphere soil of different fertilizer treatments were measured. ResultsGroup T1 showed slight decreases in soluble protein content （SPC） and superoxide dismutase （SOD）. Groups T2-T6 showed increases in physiological indicators such as proline （Pro）， soluble solids content （SSC）， SPC， catalase （CAT）， and peroxidase （POD） and a decrease in malondialdehyde （MDA） in C. pilosula leaves. All the fertilizer treatments increased the yield of C. pilosula and the total polysaccharide content in the roots. T1， T2， T3， T4， and T5 increased the total flavonoid content in the roots. Meanwhile， T4 increased the total saponin content in the roots. All the fertilizer treatments reduced the pH and increased the electric conductivity （EC）， soil organic matter （SOM）， and alkaline nitrogen （AN） in the soil. T2 and T5 increased the available phosphorus （AP）， and T3， T4， T5， and T6 increased the available potassium （AK） in the soil. All the fertilizer treatments increased the activities of urease， sucrase， and CAT in the soil. Except that T1 decreased the bacterial diversity in the soil， other fertilizer treatments significantly increased bacterial and fungal diversity in the soil. Different fertilizer treatments significantly affected the composition of bacterial and fungal communities in the soil. At the phylum level， the dominant bacterial phyla included Proteobacteria， Acidobacteriota， and Bacteroideta， and the dominant fungal phyla were Ascomycota， Mortierellomycota， and unclassified_fungi in the rhizosphere soil of C. pilosula after bacterial fertilizer treatment. At the genus level， unclassified Gemmatimonadaceae， Sphingomonas， and unclassified Vicinamibacteraceae were the dominant bacterial genera， while unidentified， unclassified Fungi， and unclassified Sordariomycetes were the dominant fungal genera in the rhizosphere soil. The results of redundancy analysis indicated that the main physicochemical factors affecting changes of microbial communities in the rhizosphere soil of C. pilosula were pH， EC， AK， AN， AP， and soil organic matter （SOM） in the soil. The correlation heatmap showed that Bryobacter had significantly positive correlations with EC， AK， and AN. There was a significantly negative correlation between Fusarium and SOM. In summary， applying an appropriate amount of microbial fertilizer can promote the growth and improve the rhizosphere soil environment of C. pilosula. ConclusionThe compound microbial fertilizer and the C. pilosula stems and leaves fermented with compound microbial fertilizer can improve the soil nutrients， growth， development， yield， and quality of C. pilosula， and thus they can be applied to the artificial cultivation of C. pilosula.

ObjectiveTo study the effects of applying different microbial fertilizers on the growth and rhizosphere soil environment of Codonopsis pilosula and provide a theoretical basis for ecological cultivation of this medicinal plant. MethodsSeven groups were designed， including CK （no application of microbial fertilizer）， T1 （Trichoderma longibrachiatum fertilizer）， T2 （Bacillus subtilis fertilizer）， T3 （Trichoderma viride fertilizer）， T4 （compound microbial fertilizer）， T5 （C. pilosula stems and leaves fermented with compound microbial fertilizer）， and T6 （Scutellaria baicalensis stems and leaves fermented with T. viride fertilizer）. The physiological indicators， yield， and quality of C. pilosula and the physicochemical properties， enzyme activities， and microbial diversity in the rhizosphere soil of different fertilizer treatments were measured. ResultsGroup T1 showed slight decreases in soluble protein content （SPC） and superoxide dismutase （SOD）. Groups T2-T6 showed increases in physiological indicators such as proline （Pro）， soluble solids content （SSC）， SPC， catalase （CAT）， and peroxidase （POD） and a decrease in malondialdehyde （MDA） in C. pilosula leaves. All the fertilizer treatments increased the yield of C. pilosula and the total polysaccharide content in the roots. T1， T2， T3， T4， and T5 increased the total flavonoid content in the roots. Meanwhile， T4 increased the total saponin content in the roots. All the fertilizer treatments reduced the pH and increased the electric conductivity （EC）， soil organic matter （SOM）， and alkaline nitrogen （AN） in the soil. T2 and T5 increased the available phosphorus （AP）， and T3， T4， T5， and T6 increased the available potassium （AK） in the soil. All the fertilizer treatments increased the activities of urease， sucrase， and CAT in the soil. Except that T1 decreased the bacterial diversity in the soil， other fertilizer treatments significantly increased bacterial and fungal diversity in the soil. Different fertilizer treatments significantly affected the composition of bacterial and fungal communities in the soil. At the phylum level， the dominant bacterial phyla included Proteobacteria， Acidobacteriota， and Bacteroideta， and the dominant fungal phyla were Ascomycota， Mortierellomycota， and unclassified_fungi in the rhizosphere soil of C. pilosula after bacterial fertilizer treatment. At the genus level， unclassified Gemmatimonadaceae， Sphingomonas， and unclassified Vicinamibacteraceae were the dominant bacterial genera， while unidentified， unclassified Fungi， and unclassified Sordariomycetes were the dominant fungal genera in the rhizosphere soil. The results of redundancy analysis indicated that the main physicochemical factors affecting changes of microbial communities in the rhizosphere soil of C. pilosula were pH， EC， AK， AN， AP， and soil organic matter （SOM） in the soil. The correlation heatmap showed that Bryobacter had significantly positive correlations with EC， AK， and AN. There was a significantly negative correlation between Fusarium and SOM. In summary， applying an appropriate amount of microbial fertilizer can promote the growth and improve the rhizosphere soil environment of C. pilosula. ConclusionThe compound microbial fertilizer and the C. pilosula stems and leaves fermented with compound microbial fertilizer can improve the soil nutrients， growth， development， yield， and quality of C. pilosula， and thus they can be applied to the artificial cultivation of C. pilosula.

Aquatic organisms can secrete biomacromolecules through specialized organs, tissues, or structures, enabling adhesion to underwater material surfaces and leading to severe biofouling issues. This phenomenon adversely impacts aquatic ecosystem health and human activities. Biofouling has emerged as an emerging global environmental challenge. Adhesion serves as the foundation of biofouling, representing a critical step toward a comprehensive understanding of the adhesion mechanisms of aquatic organisms. Biomacromolecules, including proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates, are the primary functional components in the adhesive substances of aquatic fouling organisms. Research indicates that these biomacromolecules exhibit diversity in types and characteristics across different aquatic organisms, yet their adhesion mechanisms show unifying features. Despite significant progress, there remains a lack of comprehensive reviews on the adhesion mechanisms mediated by biomacromolecules in aquatic fouling organisms, particularly on the roles of lipids and carbohydrates. Through a comprehensive analysis of existing literature, this review systematically summarizes the mechanistic roles of three classes of macromolecules in aquatic biofouling adhesion processes. Proteins demonstrate central functionality in interfacial adhesion and cohesion through specialized functional amino acids, conserved structural domains, and post-translational modifications. Lipids enhance structural stability via hydrophobic barrier formation and antioxidative protection mechanisms. Carbohydrates contribute to adhesion persistence through cohesive reinforcement and enzymatic resistance of adhesive matrices. Building upon these mechanisms, this review proposes four prospective research directions: optimization of protein-mediated adhesion functionality, elucidation of lipid participation in adhesion dynamics, systematic characterization of carbohydrate adhesion modalities, and investigation of macromolecular synergy in composite adhesive systems. The synthesized knowledge provides critical insights into underwater adhesion mechanisms of aquatic fouling organisms and establishes a theoretical foundation for developing mechanism-driven antifouling strategies. This work advances fundamental understanding of bioadhesion phenomena while offering practical guidance for next-generation antifouling technology development.

Background Swimming is becoming increasingly popular for its combined leisure and fitness benefits. However, polluted swimming pool water may pose various health risks. Previous studies have indicated that health indicators of swimming venues have lower qualification rates compared to other public places, highlighting the urgent need to optimize hygiene management measures. Objective To assess the overall hygiene status and identify the key factors influencing water quality in Shanghai’s swimming venues from 2010 to 2024, and to provide a scientific basis for optimizing water quality management. Methods Water quality was assessed in three stages (2010—2019, 2020—2022, and 2023—2024) based on the monitoring data of Shanghai’s swimming venues (2010—2024). The influences of monitoring stage, region, season, scale, day of week, and per capita attendance on water quality were analyzed using chi-square tests and logistic regression. Results From 2010 to 2024, water quality was monitored in 1478 swimming venues. The compliance rates of turbidity, pH, urea, oxidation-reduction potential, free residual chlorine, combined residual chlorine, total bacteria, coliforms, and heat-resistant coliforms in swimming pool water, and free residual chlorine in the foot disinfection basin water samples were 99.56%, 94.73%, 73.00%, 47.50%, 56.55%, 54.12%, 97.74%, 99.49%, 99.90%, and 69.19%, respectively. The overall water quality compliance rate was 85.28%. The main non-compliant indicators for swimming pool water were urea, ORP, free residual chlorine, and combined residual chlorine, along with free chlorine residual in the foot disinfection basin water samples. Using the period before the implementation of the new national standard as reference, the results of logistic regression revealed that the qualification rates of urea, ORP, and free residual chlorine in the swimming pool water samples, as well as free residual chlorine in foot disinfection basin water samples, were significantly higher during the two phases after launching the new standard (2020–2022 and 2023–2024), and the associated odds ratios (95%CI) were 1.28 (1.00, 1.64) and 1.48 (1.12, 1.95), 13.35 (7.63, 23.37) and 10.78 (7.00, 16.60), 2.54 (1.81, 3.58) and 3.18 (2.41, 4.20), and 3.14 (2.14, 4.60) and 2.83 (1.89, 4.23), respectively. Compared with the reference group, those sampled in urban pools and in non-summer seasons showed higher qualification rates of urea and ORP; in contrast, the pools with high visitor flow showed lower qualification rates of free residual chlorine in both water samples of swimming pools and foot disinfection basins (P<0.05). Conclusion The implementation of the new national standard has effectively enhanced the management standards and significantly improved overall water quality of swimming venues in Shanghai. However, the compliance rates of free residual chlorine and urea in swimming pool water still need further improvement. The compliance of some indicators is influenced by region, season, scale, and average passenger flow, particularly in small suburban swimming venues. Future efforts should focus on refining water quality management strategies and enhancing public health management.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical features of children with STAT gene mutations, and to explore corresponding immunotherapy strategies. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 10 children with STAT gene mutations who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, from October 2015 to October 2024. Exploratory immunotherapy was implemented in some refractory cases, and the changes in symptoms, imaging manifestations, and cytokine levels were assessed after treatment. RESULTS: For the 10 children, the main clinical manifestations were recurrent rash since birth (7/10), cough (8/10), wheezing (5/10), expectoration (4/10), and purulent nasal discharge (4/10). Genotyping results showed that there was one child with heterozygous loss-of-function (LOF) mutation in the STAT1 gene, four children with heterozygous LOF mutation in the STAT3 gene, and five children with heterozygous gain-of-function (GOF) mutation in the STAT3 gene. Two children with LOF mutation in the STAT3 gene showed decreased interleukin-6 levels and improved clinical symptoms and imaging findings after omalizumab treatment. Three children with GOF mutation in the STAT3 gene achieved effective disease control after treatment with methylprednisolone (0.5 mg/kg per day). Two children with GOF mutation in the STAT3 gene received treatment with JAK inhibitor and then showed some improvement in symptoms. CONCLUSIONS STAT gene mutation screening should be considered for children with recurrent rash and purulent respiratory tract infections. Targeted immunotherapy may improve prognosis in patients with no response to conventional treatment.
Humans ; Male ; Immunotherapy ; Female ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Gain of Function Mutation ; Retrospective Studies ; Infant ; Loss of Function Mutation ; STAT Transcription Factors/genetics*

Interfering hepatitis B virus (HBV) capsid assembly holds promise as a therapeutic approach for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Novel anti-HBV agents are urgently needed to overcome drug resistance challenges, with targeted protein degradation (TPD) emerging as a hopeful strategy. Herein, we report the first degradation of HBV core protein (HBC), a multifunctional structural protein, using small-molecule degraders developed by hydrophobic tagging (HyT) technology. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis identified compound HyT-S7, featuring an adamantyl group, exhibiting potent inhibitory activity (EC₅₀ = 0.46 μmol/L, HepAD38 cells) and degradation ability (DC₅₀ = 3.02 ± 0.54 μmol/L) in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that the autophagy-lysosome pathway was a potential driver of HyT-S7-induced HBC degradation. Remarkably, HyT-S7 effectively degraded 11 drug-resistant mutants, including highly resistant strains P25G and T33N, to Phase III drug GLS4. Furthermore, cellular thermal shift assay, surface plasmon resonance assay, and molecular dynamics simulations revealed the precise mode of HyT-S7 binding to HBC with the adamantyl group potentially mimicking protein misfolding to facilitate HBC degradation. This first proof-of-concept study highlights the potential of HyT-mediated TPD in HBC as a promising avenue for discovering novel HBV and other antiviral agents with favorable drug resistance profiles.