In view of the few studies on the influence of Armillaria spp. infection on the content of the chemical components in different parts of Polyporus umbellatus sclerotia, this study determined the biomass of P. umbellatus sclerotia and the contents of ergosterol, polyporusterone A, polyporusterone B and polysaccharide in the separated cavity wall of the sclerotia and the uninfected part of the sclerotia in different harvesting years under the conditions of A. gallica and A. mellea infection respectively. According to the difference of content and dynamic changes of the polysaccharide and the steroid substances, the superior Armillaria sp. was screened to obtain the best harvest years of P. umbellatus. Using HPLC and UV-VIS spectrophotometry methods, the contents of ergosterol, polyporusterone A, polyporusterone B and polysaccharide in P. umbellatus sclerotia infected by the two Armillaria spp. in different years were determined. In addition, the differentially expressed genes related to P. umbellatus polysaccharide synthesis were screened according to the transcriptomic data of different parts of P. umbellatus after A. mellea infection. With the increase of years, the biomass of sclerotia infected by different Armillaria spp. had significant differences, and there were significant differences in the four components of sclerotia. The four components of the separated cavity wall of the sclerotia were significantly higher than those of the uninfected part. The best harvest time was the third year after cultivation. Transcriptomic analysis showed that the infection of Armillaria spp. could significantly promote polysaccharide synthesis, which provided a basis for polysaccharide content determination at the molecular level. The study clarified the influence of different Armillaria spp. infection on the accumulation of chemical components of P. umbellatus sclerotia, laying a foundation for exploring the symbiosis mechanism and provided a scientific clue for screening superior Armillaria sp. and guiding the artificial cultivation of P. umbellatus sclerotia.

The inheritance, innovation, and development of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) need to be based on Chinese medicinal materials. The TCM seed industry is the source of TCM production, which is related to the stable supply and quality safety of TCM. This paper summarizes the basic situation of the TCM seed industry and introduces relevant policies and regulations to TCM seeds in the seed industry and the TCM field. At present, the Management Measures of TCM Seeds and Seedlings has not yet promulgated, and TCM seeds are classified as non-major crops in the category of crops for management. This paper also describes the current situation of TCM seed and seedling system construction, which is in the development stage, from six aspects, including the construction of TCM seed industry technical support system; the establishment of TCM seed standard; the construction of germplasm resource preservation system; TCM seed testing, variety registration, and variety protection; production and management of TCM seeds; TCM seed supervision. According to the development status of the TCM seed industry, four problems are put forward, including imperfect systems and standards relevant to TCM seeds, insufficient supervision and law enforcement regarding TCM seeds, insufficient policy measures and capital investment to promote the development of the industry, and the industry's falling into a low-level cycle.Accordingly, four suggestions are provided, including improving laws, regulations, and policies, perfecting standards and norms,strengthening supervision and law enforcement, and promoting support system construction, in order to boost the high-quality development of the TCM seed industry.
Seeds/chemistry* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/standards* ; Plants, Medicinal/chemistry*

This study aims to investigate the effect of Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula on the neuroinflammation of rats with insomnia complicated with depression through the regulation of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2(TREM2)/complement protein C1q signaling pathway. Rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a positive drug group, as well as a high, medium, and low-dose groups of Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula, with 10 rats in each group. Except for the normal group, the other groups were injected with p-chlorophenylalanine and exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress to establish the rat model of insomnia complicated with depression. The sucrose preference experiment, open field experiment, and water maze test were performed to evaluate the depression in rats. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to detect serum 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT), dopamine(DA), and norepinephrine(NE) levels. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and Nissl staining were used to observe the damage in nucleus accumbens neurons. Western blot and immunofluorescence were performed to detect TREM2, C1q, postsynaptic density 95(PSD-95), and synaptophysin 1(SYN1) expressions in rat nucleus accumbens, respectively. Golgi-Cox staining was utilized to observe the synaptic spine density of nucleus accumbens neurons. The results show that, compared with the model group, Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula can significantly increase the sucrose preference as well as the distance and number of voluntary activities, shorten the immobility time in forced swimming test and the successful incubation period of positioning navigation, and prolong the stay time of space exploration in the target quadrant test. The serum 5-HT, DA, and NE contents in the model group are significantly lower than those in the normal group, with the above contents significantly increased after the intervention of Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula. In addition, Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula can alleviate pathological damages such as swelling and loose arrangement of tissue cells in the nucleus accumbens, while increasing the Nissl body numbers. Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula can improve synaptic damage in the nucleus accumbens and increase the synaptic spine density. Compared to the normal group, the expression of C1q protein was significantly higher in the model group, while the expression of TREM2 protein was significantly lower. Compared to the model group, the intervention with Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula significantly downregulated the expression of C1q protein and significantly upregulated the expression of TREM2. Compared with the model group, the PSD-95 and SYN1 fluorescence intensity is significantly increased in the groups receiving different doses of Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula. In summary, Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula can reduce the C1q protein expression, relieve the TREM2 inhibition, and promote the synapse-related proteins PSD-95 and SNY1 expression. Chaijin Jieyu Anshen Formula improves synaptic injury of the nucleus accumbens neurons, thereby treating insomnia complicated with depression.
Animals ; Male ; Rats ; Nucleus Accumbens/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Depression/complications* ; Membrane Glycoproteins/genetics* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/complications* ; Neurons/metabolism* ; Receptors, Immunologic/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Synapses/metabolism*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of 2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone (2,6-DMBQ) in a mouse model of asthma. METHODS: SPF-grade BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 7 groups (n=8 each group): normal control group, ovalbumin (OVA) group, dimethyl sulfoxide+corn oil group, budesonide (BUD) group, and low, medium, and high dose 2,6-DMBQ groups. An asthma mouse model was established by OVA induction, followed by corresponding drug interventions. Non-invasive lung function tests were performed to measure airway hyperresponsiveness, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine levels of interleukin (IL)-17, IL-10, and serum immunoglobulin E in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. A cell counter was employed to detect eosinophil counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, while hematoxylin-eosin staining and periodic acid-Schiff staining were used to assess lung tissue pathological changes. Western blot was conducted to examine the expression of proteins related to the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway (p-AKT/AKT and p-p70S6K/p70S6K), and a fully automated biochemical analyzer was used to evaluate liver and kidney functions. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, the OVA group showed increased enhanced pause values, inflammation scores from hematoxylin-eosin staining, positive area from periodic acid-Schiff staining, percentage of eosinophils, IL-17/IL-10 ratio, serum immunoglobulin E levels, and relative expression levels of p-AKT/AKT and p-p70S6K/p70S6K (P<0.05). The BUD group and the medium and high dose 2,6-DMBQ groups exhibited decreased values for these indicators compared to the OVA group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS 2,6-DMBQ can inhibit the mTOR pathway to alleviate airway inflammation in asthmatic mice, possibly by mitigating the imbalance between Th17 and regulatory T cells.
Animals ; Asthma/pathology* ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Mice ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/physiology* ; Female ; Benzoquinones/pharmacology* ; Immunoglobulin E/blood* ; Interleukin-10/analysis* ; Interleukin-17/analysis* ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Lung/pathology*

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

Objective Hypertriglyceridemic waist(HW),hypertriglyceridemic waist-to-height ratio(HWHtR),and waist-to-hip ratio(WHR)have been shown to be indicators of cardiometabolic risk factors.However,it is not clear which indicator is more suitable for children and adolescents.We aimed to investigate the relationship between HW,HWHtR,WHR,and cardiovascular risk factors clustering to determine the best screening tools for cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents. Methods This was a national cross-sectional study.Anthropometric and biochemical variables were assessed in approximately 70,000 participants aged 6-18 years from seven provinces in China.Demographics,physical activity,dietary intake,and family history of chronic diseases were obtained through questionnaires.ANOVA,x2 and logistic regression analysis was conducted. Results A significant sex difference was observed for HWHtR and WHR,but not for HW phenotype.The risk of cardiometabolic health risk factor clustering with HW phenotype or the HWHtR phenotype was significantly higher than that with the non-HW or non-HWHtR phenotypes among children and adolescents(HW:OR = 12.22,95%CI:9.54-15.67;HWHtR:OR = 9.70,95%CI:6.93-13.58).Compared with the HW and HWHtR phenotypes,the association between risk of cardiometabolic health risk factors(CHRF)clustering and high WHR was much weaker and not significant(WHR:OR = 1.14,95%CI:0.97-1.34). Conclusion Compared with HWHtR and WHR,the HW phenotype is a more convenient indicator with higher applicability to screen children and adolescents for cardiovascular risk factors.

Humans ; Myocarditis/diagnostic imaging* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myocardium ; Giant Cells

Humans ; Myocarditis/diagnostic imaging* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myocardium ; Giant Cells

Aim To investigate the mechanisms of Chaijin JieYu Anshen formula modulating the depres-sive behaviors and the synaptic plasticity of hippocam-pal neurons in insomnia-concomitant depression rats based on the histone deacetylase 5(HDAC5)/myocyte enhancer factor 2C(MEF2C)pathway.Methods A rat model of insomnia-concomitant depression was es-tablished by PCPA injection combined with chronic un-predictable mild stress(CUMS),and the experiment was divided into the control group,the model group,the high,medium and low dose group of Chaijin JieYu Anshen formula,and the positive drug group.The de-pression of rats was evaluated by sugar-water prefer-ence test,open field test and morris water maze.The levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT)and dopamine(DA)in serum were measured by enzyme linked im-munosorbent assay(ELISA).The pathological damage of hippocampal neurons was observed by HE staining and Nissl staining.The damage of dendritic spines of hippocampal neurons was observed by Golgi staining,and the levels of HDAC5,MEF2C,postsynaptic densi-ty-95(PSD-95)and synaptophysin 1(SYN1)in hip-pocampus were measured by Western blot,immunohis-tochemistry and immunofluorescence.Results Com-pared with the model group,the Chaijin JieYu Anshen formula could increase the sugar-water preference rate of the model rats,reduce the immobility time in the open field experiment,increase the total activity dis-tance,shorten the evasion latency in the localization navigation experiment,and prolong the residence time in the quadrant where the platform was located in the space exploration experiment(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Moreover,the Chaijin JieYu Anshen formula improved the hippocampal neuron and dendritic spine damage and increase the dendritic branch length and dendritic spine density of hippocampal neurons(P＜0.01,P＜0.01),restore the serum levels of 5-HT and DA in insomnia-concomitant depression rats(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),down-regulate the HDAC5 protein,and up-regulate the expression of MEF2C,PSD-95,and SYN1 protein(P＜0.05,P＜0.01 or P＜0.001).Conclusions Chaijin JieYu Anshen formula may alle-viate the depression-like behavior of model rats by re-ducing the expression of HDAC5 protein,thus deregu-lating the inhibition of transcription factor MEF2C,promoting the expression of PSD-95 and SNY1 protein,and exerting a protective effect on hippocampal neurons and synapses.