Objective To explore the mechanism of the modified Erchen Decoction in preventing and treating hyperlipidemia with phlegm-dampness syndrome based on network pharmacology and animal experiment.Methods Active components and potential targets of modified Erchen Decoction were screened using TCMSP database.Hyperlipidemia disease targets were retrieved from GeneCards,DrugBank,DisGeNET,OMIM and TTD databases,and the intersection of drugs and disease targets was taken.A protein-protein interaction network was constructed using STRING database,and GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis on intersecting targets was conducted using DAVID database.Cytoscape 3.9.1 software constructed a component-target-pathway network to analyze key pathways.The molecular docking between main active components and key targets was performed.A rat model of hyperlipidemia with phlegm dampness syndrome was prepared,and was intervened with modified Erchen Decoction.Liver index was calculated,lipid levels were detected,liver tissue morphology was observed by HE staining,and related protein expressions in liver tissue were detected by Western blot.Results Network pharmacology analysis showed that there were 41 targets of modified Erchen Decoction in preventing and treating hyperlipidemia,including HMGCR,SREBF1,FASN,etc.,involved in AMPK signaling pathway,lipid and atherosclerosis,chemical carcinogenesis-receptor activation,etc.The animal experiment results showed that modified Erchen Decoction could effectively regulate the blood lipid levels of model rats,reduce liver fat accumulation,significantly increase p-AMPK protein expression in liver tissue(P<0.05),and reduce HMGCR,SREBP1c and FAS protein expressions(P<0.05).Conclusion Modified Erchen Decoction may inhibit the synthesis and absorption of cholesterol and fatty acids by activating AMPK/SREBP1c signaling pathway,so as to improve hyperlipidemia.

Objective To explore the mechanism of the modified Erchen Decoction in preventing and treating hyperlipidemia with phlegm-dampness syndrome based on network pharmacology and animal experiment.Methods Active components and potential targets of modified Erchen Decoction were screened using TCMSP database.Hyperlipidemia disease targets were retrieved from GeneCards,DrugBank,DisGeNET,OMIM and TTD databases,and the intersection of drugs and disease targets was taken.A protein-protein interaction network was constructed using STRING database,and GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis on intersecting targets was conducted using DAVID database.Cytoscape 3.9.1 software constructed a component-target-pathway network to analyze key pathways.The molecular docking between main active components and key targets was performed.A rat model of hyperlipidemia with phlegm dampness syndrome was prepared,and was intervened with modified Erchen Decoction.Liver index was calculated,lipid levels were detected,liver tissue morphology was observed by HE staining,and related protein expressions in liver tissue were detected by Western blot.Results Network pharmacology analysis showed that there were 41 targets of modified Erchen Decoction in preventing and treating hyperlipidemia,including HMGCR,SREBF1,FASN,etc.,involved in AMPK signaling pathway,lipid and atherosclerosis,chemical carcinogenesis-receptor activation,etc.The animal experiment results showed that modified Erchen Decoction could effectively regulate the blood lipid levels of model rats,reduce liver fat accumulation,significantly increase p-AMPK protein expression in liver tissue(P<0.05),and reduce HMGCR,SREBP1c and FAS protein expressions(P<0.05).Conclusion Modified Erchen Decoction may inhibit the synthesis and absorption of cholesterol and fatty acids by activating AMPK/SREBP1c signaling pathway,so as to improve hyperlipidemia.

Polygonati Rhizoma demonstrates significant potential for addressing both chronic and hidden hunger. The supply of high-quality seedlings is a primary factor influencing the development of the Polygonati Rhizoma industry. Warm water soaking is often used in agriculture to promote the rapid germination of seeds, while its application and molecular mechanism in Polygonati Rhizoma have not been reported. To rapidly obtain high-quality seedlings, this study treated Polygonatum kingianum var. grandifolium seeds with sand storage at low temperatures, warm water soaking, and cultivation temperature gradients. The results showed that the culture at 25 ℃ or sand storage at 4 ℃ for 2 months rapidly broke the seed dormancy of P. kingianum var. grandifolium, while the culture at 20 ℃ or sand storage at 4 ℃ for 1 month failed to break the seed dormancy. Soaking seeds in 60 ℃ warm water further increased the germination rate, germination potential, and germination index. Specifically, the seeds soaked at 60 ℃ and cultured at 25 ℃ without sand storage treatment(Aa25) achieved a germination rate of 78. 67%±1. 53% on day 42 and 83. 40%±4. 63% on day 77. The seeds pretreated with sand storage at 4 ℃ for 2 months, soaked in 60 ℃ water, and then cultured at 25 ℃ achieved a germination rate comparable to that of Aa25 on day 77. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that warm water soaking might promote germination by triggering reactive oxygen species( ROS), inducing the expression of heat shock factors( HSFs) and heat shock proteins( HSPs), which accelerated DNA replication, transcript maturation, translation, and processing, thereby facilitating the accumulation and turnover of genetic materials. According to the results of indoor controlled experiments and field practices, maintaining a germination and seedling cultivation environment at approximately 25 ℃ was crucial for the one-year seedling cultivation of P. kingianum var. grandifolium.
Germination ; Seedlings/genetics* ; Water/metabolism* ; Seeds/metabolism* ; Polygonatum/genetics* ; Temperature ; Plant Proteins/genetics* ; Plant Dormancy

Background: s/Aims: Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare histological subtype of HCC characterized by extremely poor prognosis; however, its molecular characterization has not been elucidated. Methods: In this study, we conducted an integrated multiomics study of whole-exome sequencing, RNA-seq, spatial transcriptome, and immunohistochemical analyses of 28 paired sarcomatoid tumor components and conventional HCC components from 10 patients with sarcomatoid HCC, in order to identify frequently altered genes, infer the tumor subclonal architectures, track the genomic evolution, and delineate the transcriptional characteristics of sarcomatoid HCCs. Results: Our results showed that the sarcomatoid HCCs had poor prognosis. The sarcomatoid tumor components and the conventional HCC components were derived from common ancestors, mostly accessing similar mutational processes. Clonal phylogenies demonstrated branched tumor evolution during sarcomatoid HCC development and progression. TP53 mutation commonly occurred at tumor initiation, whereas ARID2 mutation often occurred later. Transcriptome analyses revealed the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and hypoxic phenotype in sarcomatoid tumor components, which were confirmed by immunohistochemical staining. Moreover, we identified ARID2 mutations in 70% (7/10) of patients with sarcomatoid HCC but only 1–5% of patients with non-sarcomatoid HCC. Biofunctional investigations revealed that inactivating mutation of ARID2 contributes to HCC growth and metastasis and induces EMT in a hypoxic microenvironment. Conclusions We offer a comprehensive description of the molecular basis for sarcomatoid HCC, and identify genomic alteration (ARID2 mutation) together with the tumor microenvironment (hypoxic microenvironment), that may contribute to the formation of the sarcomatoid tumor component through EMT, leading to sarcomatoid HCC development and progression.

Background: s/Aims: Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare histological subtype of HCC characterized by extremely poor prognosis; however, its molecular characterization has not been elucidated. Methods: In this study, we conducted an integrated multiomics study of whole-exome sequencing, RNA-seq, spatial transcriptome, and immunohistochemical analyses of 28 paired sarcomatoid tumor components and conventional HCC components from 10 patients with sarcomatoid HCC, in order to identify frequently altered genes, infer the tumor subclonal architectures, track the genomic evolution, and delineate the transcriptional characteristics of sarcomatoid HCCs. Results: Our results showed that the sarcomatoid HCCs had poor prognosis. The sarcomatoid tumor components and the conventional HCC components were derived from common ancestors, mostly accessing similar mutational processes. Clonal phylogenies demonstrated branched tumor evolution during sarcomatoid HCC development and progression. TP53 mutation commonly occurred at tumor initiation, whereas ARID2 mutation often occurred later. Transcriptome analyses revealed the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and hypoxic phenotype in sarcomatoid tumor components, which were confirmed by immunohistochemical staining. Moreover, we identified ARID2 mutations in 70% (7/10) of patients with sarcomatoid HCC but only 1–5% of patients with non-sarcomatoid HCC. Biofunctional investigations revealed that inactivating mutation of ARID2 contributes to HCC growth and metastasis and induces EMT in a hypoxic microenvironment. Conclusions We offer a comprehensive description of the molecular basis for sarcomatoid HCC, and identify genomic alteration (ARID2 mutation) together with the tumor microenvironment (hypoxic microenvironment), that may contribute to the formation of the sarcomatoid tumor component through EMT, leading to sarcomatoid HCC development and progression.

Background: s/Aims: Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare histological subtype of HCC characterized by extremely poor prognosis; however, its molecular characterization has not been elucidated. Methods: In this study, we conducted an integrated multiomics study of whole-exome sequencing, RNA-seq, spatial transcriptome, and immunohistochemical analyses of 28 paired sarcomatoid tumor components and conventional HCC components from 10 patients with sarcomatoid HCC, in order to identify frequently altered genes, infer the tumor subclonal architectures, track the genomic evolution, and delineate the transcriptional characteristics of sarcomatoid HCCs. Results: Our results showed that the sarcomatoid HCCs had poor prognosis. The sarcomatoid tumor components and the conventional HCC components were derived from common ancestors, mostly accessing similar mutational processes. Clonal phylogenies demonstrated branched tumor evolution during sarcomatoid HCC development and progression. TP53 mutation commonly occurred at tumor initiation, whereas ARID2 mutation often occurred later. Transcriptome analyses revealed the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and hypoxic phenotype in sarcomatoid tumor components, which were confirmed by immunohistochemical staining. Moreover, we identified ARID2 mutations in 70% (7/10) of patients with sarcomatoid HCC but only 1–5% of patients with non-sarcomatoid HCC. Biofunctional investigations revealed that inactivating mutation of ARID2 contributes to HCC growth and metastasis and induces EMT in a hypoxic microenvironment. Conclusions We offer a comprehensive description of the molecular basis for sarcomatoid HCC, and identify genomic alteration (ARID2 mutation) together with the tumor microenvironment (hypoxic microenvironment), that may contribute to the formation of the sarcomatoid tumor component through EMT, leading to sarcomatoid HCC development and progression.

Objective: To establish a machine learning-based precision blood donor recruitment model at the county level and assess its generalizability and applicability. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using blood donation and SMS recruitment data from the Taicang Branch of the Suzhou Blood Center between 2019 and 2024. Multiple machine learning algorithms were employed, including extreme gradient boosting, support vector machine, k-nearest neighbor, logistic regression, decision tree, random forest, and multilayer perceptron. These were combined with techniques such as synthetic minority oversampling, undersampling, and cost-sensitive learning (using MFE and MSFE loss functions). Model parameters were optimized through grid search to identify the best-performing model. Results: In a prospective comparative study against conventional methods, the machine learning models increased the recruitment success rate among high-willingness donors by an average of 129.15%, and the recruitment efficiency per SMS improved by 125.02% compared with the traditional method. Under full-scale SMS sending, the recruitment rate per SMS increased by 42.61%, and SMS sending efficiency improved by 31.77%, significantly enhancing recruitment performance. Conclusion: This study represents the first application of a machine learning-based precision donor recruitment model at the county-level in China. The precise recruitment framework not only improves recruitment efficiency and reduces recruitment costs but also demonstrates strong scalability and generalizability. It provides a scientific and feasible intelligent pathway to ensure the safety and sustainability of the blood supply.

Objective:To investigate the value of preoperative intestinal ultrasound parameters in predicting early postoperative recurrence（EPR）in patients with Crohn's disease（CD）.Methods:Ninety-five patients with CD who underwent I-stage intestinal resection at the Sixth Affiliated Hospital， Sun Yat-sen University from March 2015 to December 2020 were retrospectively enrolled. The patients were divided into EPR group （ n=50） and non-EPR （NEPR） group （ n=45） based on recurrence within one year postoperatively. Differences in preoperative intestinal ultrasound parameters including bowel wall thickness，bowel wall stratification， color Doppler grading， mesenteric fat hypertrophy （MFH） ， mesenteric lymphadenopathy， abscess/fistula， abdominal effusion， and clinical factors such as preoperative C-reactive protein （CRP） and erythrocyte sedimentation rate （ESR） were compared between the two groups. The predictive values of ultrasound parameters with statistically significant differences between the two groups were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent predictive factors associated with EPR in patients with CD. Results:During the 1-year follow-up，EPR occurred in 52.6%（50/95）patients with CD. Among clinical factors，preoperative CRP and ESR levels showed statistically significant differences between the EPR and NEPR groups（all P<0.05）. For ultrasound parameters，the incidences of mesenteric fat hypertrophy（MFH）and abscess/fistula were significantly higher in the EPR group than the NEPR group（all P<0.05）. MFH demonstrated a significantly higher AUC value for predicting EPR compared to abscess/fistula（0.797 vs.0.617， P=0.002）. Univariate Logistic analysis showed that CRP，ESR，MFH and abscess/fistula were candidate variables for diagnosing EPR（all P<0.05）. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that MFH（ OR=13.800， P<0.001）and the laboratory measure CRP（ OR=1.015， P=0.030）were effective predictive factors for EPR. Conclusions:Preoperative intestinal ultrasound parameter MFH may serve as a valuable predictor for assessing EPR risk in patients with CD.

The genome tagging project (GTP) plays a pivotal role in addressing a critical gap in the understanding of protein functions. Within this framework, we successfully generated a human influenza hemagglutinin-tagged sperm-specific protein 411 (HA-tagged Ssp411) mouse model. This model is instrumental in probing the expression and function of Ssp411. Our research revealed that Ssp411 is expressed in the round spermatids, elongating spermatids, elongated spermatids, and epididymal spermatozoa. The comprehensive examination of the distribution of Ssp411 in these germ cells offers new perspectives on its involvement in spermiogenesis. Nevertheless, rigorous further inquiry is imperative to elucidate the precise mechanistic underpinnings of these functions. Ssp411 is not detectable in metaphase II (MII) oocytes, zygotes, or 2-cell stage embryos, highlighting its intricate role in early embryonic development. These findings not only advance our understanding of the role of Ssp411 in reproductive physiology but also significantly contribute to the overarching goals of the GTP, fostering groundbreaking advancements in the fields of spermiogenesis and reproductive biology.
Animals ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Spermatids/metabolism* ; Spermatogenesis/physiology* ; Spermatozoa/metabolism* ; Thioredoxins/genetics*

Objective:To investigate the value of preoperative intestinal ultrasound parameters in predicting early postoperative recurrence（EPR）in patients with Crohn's disease（CD）.Methods:Ninety-five patients with CD who underwent I-stage intestinal resection at the Sixth Affiliated Hospital， Sun Yat-sen University from March 2015 to December 2020 were retrospectively enrolled. The patients were divided into EPR group （ n=50） and non-EPR （NEPR） group （ n=45） based on recurrence within one year postoperatively. Differences in preoperative intestinal ultrasound parameters including bowel wall thickness，bowel wall stratification， color Doppler grading， mesenteric fat hypertrophy （MFH） ， mesenteric lymphadenopathy， abscess/fistula， abdominal effusion， and clinical factors such as preoperative C-reactive protein （CRP） and erythrocyte sedimentation rate （ESR） were compared between the two groups. The predictive values of ultrasound parameters with statistically significant differences between the two groups were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent predictive factors associated with EPR in patients with CD. Results:During the 1-year follow-up，EPR occurred in 52.6%（50/95）patients with CD. Among clinical factors，preoperative CRP and ESR levels showed statistically significant differences between the EPR and NEPR groups（all P<0.05）. For ultrasound parameters，the incidences of mesenteric fat hypertrophy（MFH）and abscess/fistula were significantly higher in the EPR group than the NEPR group（all P<0.05）. MFH demonstrated a significantly higher AUC value for predicting EPR compared to abscess/fistula（0.797 vs.0.617， P=0.002）. Univariate Logistic analysis showed that CRP，ESR，MFH and abscess/fistula were candidate variables for diagnosing EPR（all P<0.05）. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that MFH（ OR=13.800， P<0.001）and the laboratory measure CRP（ OR=1.015， P=0.030）were effective predictive factors for EPR. Conclusions:Preoperative intestinal ultrasound parameter MFH may serve as a valuable predictor for assessing EPR risk in patients with CD.