ObjectiveTo analyze the processing mechanism underlying the enhanced effect of invigorating spleen and stopping diarrhea of soil-fried Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma（AMR） by analyzing the changes of microstructure， chemical composition and anti-ulcerative colitis（UC） activity before and after soil stir-frying. MethodsThe microstructure and elemental composition of AMR before and after soil stir-frying were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy（SEM-EDS）， to investigate the differences in microstructure and the underlying causes. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-TOF-MS） coupled with UNIFI 1.9.2 natural product analysis platform were used to analyze and identify the chemical constituents in raw and soil-fried products， and multivariate statistical methods including principal component analysis（PCA） and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis（OPLS-DA） were used to explore the differences and sources of chemical constituents between them. A dextran sulfate sodium（DSS）-induced UC mouse model was established. The method of disease activity index（DAI） was used to evaluate the severity of intestinal inflammation. Hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining was used to observe the pathological changes of colon tissue， enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA） was used to detect the levels of inflammatory factors， Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） and Western blot were used to analyze the expressions of key genes and proteins involved in the intestinal mucosal barrier. The 16S rRNA sequencing was used to evaluate the diversity of intestinal flora， headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry（HS-GC-MS） was used to explore the levels of short-chain fatty acids（SCFAs） in feces. Base on the above findings， this paper investigated the effects of raw and soil-fried AMR on the biological， chemical， mechanical and immune barriers of model animals， and the differences in pharmacological effects and underlying mechanisms from the perspective of regulating the intestinal mucosal barrier in UC mice. ResultsSEM observation revealed numerous hearth soil particles on the surface of soil-fried AMR， accompanied by bubble-like bulges. At the same time， there were many cracks and folds on the surface of the hearth soil. EDS analysis revealed that the contents of Si， Al， Mg and Ca in soil-fried AMR were significantly higher than those of raw products， and these elements constituted the primary components of hearth soil. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS combined with database comparison was used to identify the chemical constituents of raw and soil-fried AMR. In positive ion mode， a total of 132 components were identified， primarily comprising three categories of terpenoids， polyphenols and amino acids. In negative ion mode， a total of 40 components were identified， primarily polyphenolic and glycoside compounds. Among them， the contents of sesquiterpenes and polyphenolic acids were changed significantly before and after processing. Soil-fried AMR could reduce the DAI score of UC mice， alleviate the shortening of colon length， reduce the levels of pro-inflammatory factors such as interleukin（IL）-17， IL-18， γ-interferon（IFN-γ） and tumor necrosis factor（TNF）-α in serum， increase the levels of anti-inflammatory factors such as secretory immunoglobulin A（sIgA）， IL-10， IL-4 and transforming growth factor-β（TGF-β） in serum， increase the expressions of key genes and proteins of intestinal mucosal barrier such as tight junction protein-1（ZO-1）， Occludin， Claudin-1 and mucin 2（MUC2） in colonic mucosa， and improve the disorders of intestinal flora diversity and the levels of SCFAs（P<0.05， P<0.01）. The raw and stir-fried products of AMR also exhibited the aforementioned effects， but they were weaker than the soil-fried products. Additionally， the auxiliary material hearth soil also had a certain pharmacodynamic effect. ConclusionSoil-fried AMR can enhance the protective effect on intestinal mucosal barrier in UC mice. These changes or heating-induced alterations in the microscopic structure and chemical composition of AMR may be attributed to the dual effects of adsorption of hearth soil.

ObjectiveTo analyze the processing mechanism underlying the enhanced effect of invigorating spleen and stopping diarrhea of soil-fried Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma（AMR） by analyzing the changes of microstructure， chemical composition and anti-ulcerative colitis（UC） activity before and after soil stir-frying. MethodsThe microstructure and elemental composition of AMR before and after soil stir-frying were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy（SEM-EDS）， to investigate the differences in microstructure and the underlying causes. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-TOF-MS） coupled with UNIFI 1.9.2 natural product analysis platform were used to analyze and identify the chemical constituents in raw and soil-fried products， and multivariate statistical methods including principal component analysis（PCA） and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis（OPLS-DA） were used to explore the differences and sources of chemical constituents between them. A dextran sulfate sodium（DSS）-induced UC mouse model was established. The method of disease activity index（DAI） was used to evaluate the severity of intestinal inflammation. Hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining was used to observe the pathological changes of colon tissue， enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA） was used to detect the levels of inflammatory factors， Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） and Western blot were used to analyze the expressions of key genes and proteins involved in the intestinal mucosal barrier. The 16S rRNA sequencing was used to evaluate the diversity of intestinal flora， headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry（HS-GC-MS） was used to explore the levels of short-chain fatty acids（SCFAs） in feces. Base on the above findings， this paper investigated the effects of raw and soil-fried AMR on the biological， chemical， mechanical and immune barriers of model animals， and the differences in pharmacological effects and underlying mechanisms from the perspective of regulating the intestinal mucosal barrier in UC mice. ResultsSEM observation revealed numerous hearth soil particles on the surface of soil-fried AMR， accompanied by bubble-like bulges. At the same time， there were many cracks and folds on the surface of the hearth soil. EDS analysis revealed that the contents of Si， Al， Mg and Ca in soil-fried AMR were significantly higher than those of raw products， and these elements constituted the primary components of hearth soil. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS combined with database comparison was used to identify the chemical constituents of raw and soil-fried AMR. In positive ion mode， a total of 132 components were identified， primarily comprising three categories of terpenoids， polyphenols and amino acids. In negative ion mode， a total of 40 components were identified， primarily polyphenolic and glycoside compounds. Among them， the contents of sesquiterpenes and polyphenolic acids were changed significantly before and after processing. Soil-fried AMR could reduce the DAI score of UC mice， alleviate the shortening of colon length， reduce the levels of pro-inflammatory factors such as interleukin（IL）-17， IL-18， γ-interferon（IFN-γ） and tumor necrosis factor（TNF）-α in serum， increase the levels of anti-inflammatory factors such as secretory immunoglobulin A（sIgA）， IL-10， IL-4 and transforming growth factor-β（TGF-β） in serum， increase the expressions of key genes and proteins of intestinal mucosal barrier such as tight junction protein-1（ZO-1）， Occludin， Claudin-1 and mucin 2（MUC2） in colonic mucosa， and improve the disorders of intestinal flora diversity and the levels of SCFAs（P<0.05， P<0.01）. The raw and stir-fried products of AMR also exhibited the aforementioned effects， but they were weaker than the soil-fried products. Additionally， the auxiliary material hearth soil also had a certain pharmacodynamic effect. ConclusionSoil-fried AMR can enhance the protective effect on intestinal mucosal barrier in UC mice. These changes or heating-induced alterations in the microscopic structure and chemical composition of AMR may be attributed to the dual effects of adsorption of hearth soil.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of atorvastatin （ATV） on the proliferation and differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells （BMSCs）， periodontal ligament stem cells （PDLSCs）， and dental pulp stem cells （DPSCs） in vitro， and to validate the regulatory effect of ATV on periodontal bone formation and tooth movement using a rat orthodontic tooth movement （OTM） model. MethodsThe effects of ATV on the proliferation and osteogenic/odontogenic differentiation of rat BMSCs， PDLSCs， and DPSCs were assessed in vitro. CCK-8 assay was used to detect the proliferation of the three types of cells. Alkaline phosphatase （ALP） staining and Alizarin Red staining were employed to evaluate osteogenic differentiation capacity. Western blot was used to detect the expression of osteogenesis-related proteins ［collagen type I （COL-I）， Runt-related transcription factor 2 （Runx2）， bone morphogenetic protein-2 （BMP-2）， osteocalcin （OCN）］ and the odontogenesis-related protein dentin sialophosphoprotein （DSPP） in BMSCs， PDLSCs and DPSCs. An OTM rat model was established， with rats randomly assigned to an ATV gavage group and a control group. The ATV gavage group received daily oral administration of ATV at a dose of 20 mg/kg， while the control group received an equal volume of solvent by gavage. Tooth movement distance was measured via Micro-CT on days 7， 14， and 21. Histomorphology of periodontal tissues was observed using Hematoxylin and Eosin （HE） staining and Masson staining. The gene and protein expression levels of osteogenic markers （BMP-2， Runx2， OCN） on the tension side of the first molar were detected by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry， respectively. ResultsATV at concentrations of 1×10⁻⁶ mol/L and 1×10⁻⁷ mol/L significantly promoted the proliferation and osteogenic/odontogenic differentiation of BMSCs， PDLSCs， and DPSCs， manifested as enhanced ALP activity， increased mineralized nodule formation， and up-regulated expression of osteogenic/odontogenic proteins COL-I， Runx2， BMP-2， OCN， and DSPP （P<0.001）. In the OTM model， compared with the control group， the ATV gavage group showed a significant reduction in tooth movement distance （P<0.05）， enhanced osteogenic activity in periodontal tissues， and significantly increased gene （P<0.001） and protein （P<0.05） expression of BMP-2， Runx2， and OCN on the tension side of the first molar. ConclusionATV enhances periodontal osteogenesis by promoting osteogenic/dentinogenic differentiation， thus inhibiting tooth movement.

Objective:To develop a rapid assessment scale for healthy aging suitable for the Chinese population.Methods:Based on existing healthy aging assessment scales, national standards, and expert consensus, an initial Healthy Aging Rapid Assessment Scale was drafted through two rounds of expert consultation. A pre-survey was conducted with 3 220 subjects recruited from Guangzhou between July 2023 and July 2024. Items were screened through item analysis and exploratory factor analysis to form the final scale. Reliability and validity of the final scale were validated across five cities: Guangzhou, Dongguan, Shenzhen, Baoding, and Chuxiong.Results:The initial version comprised 36 items, while the finalized scale contained 18 items across three dimensions: metabolic health, mental health, and cognitive health. Test-retest reliability ranged from 0.71 to 0.81 across all study sites. The Spearman-Brown coefficient varied between 0.91-0.96, Cronbach′s α between 0.77-0.83, comparative fit index (CFI) between 0.90-0.98, goodness-of-fit index (GFI) between 0.90-0.99, and root-mean-square error of approximation (RMSEA) between 0.03-0.09. For the three dimensions, reliability and validity metrics demonstrated consistency: Spearman-Brown coefficients 0.87-0.99, Cronbach′s α 0.77-0.83, CFI 0.90-0.98, GFI 0.90-0.99, and RMSEA 0.03-0.09 across four regions.Conclusion:The developed Healthy Aging Rapid Assessment Scale for the Chinese population exhibits robust reliability and validity.

Objective:To analyze the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening status and the resulting residual risk (RR) among blood donors across 17 provincial blood centers in China.Methods:This study used a cross-sectional study. Data on HIV infection markers per 100 000 first-time donors (FD) and repeat donors (RD) from January 2015 to December 2024 were extracted from the National Blood Establishment Performance Comparison Information Management System. Questionnaires were used to collect each center′s HIV screening strategy, algorithm, serological test (ST) kit manufacturers, gray-zone setting for ST, and nucleic acid test (NAT) modality, method, and platform. The incidence-window-period model was used to calculate the residual risk for first-time donors (RR FD), repeat donors (RR RD), and total donors (RR TD) at each center. Horizontal and vertical analysis of RR FD, RR RD, and RR TD across centers and years were performed. Results:All 17 centers applied the same HIV screening strategy which was two rounds of ST followed by one round of NAT. Eight of them operated a single screening algorithm, six employed two algorithms and three used three. Eleven centers used both imported and domestic ST kits, five relied on domestic ST kits only, and one used imported ST kits only, while four centers never set a grey zone for ST throughout the decade. For NAT modalities, eight centers adopted both individual nucleic acid test (ID-NAT) and minipool nucleic acid test (MP-NAT), eight used MP-NAT only and one used ID-NAT only. Seven centers combined transcription mediated amplification (TMA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), nine used PCR only and one used TMA only, and fourteen centers ran both imported and domestic NAT systems, two used imported systems only and one used a domestic system only. Over the ten-year period, the mean RR FD across the centers ranged from 2.22 to 12.33 per 10 6 person-years, RR RD from 0.83 to 3.29 per 10 6 person-years and RR TD from 1.59 to 9.29 per 10 6 person-years, with center Z4 consistently showing the lowest values for all three metrics and center U4 recording the highest RR FD and RR TD, while center D2 had the highest RR RD. In 2024 compared with 2015, eleven centers achieved a lower RR FD and ten centers achieved lower RR RD and RR TD. The RR FD and RR TD of centers W2 and U4 displayed pronounced fluctuations and an upward trend in recent years. Conclusions:The 17 provincial blood centers maintain consistent HIV screening strategies, while demonstrating variations in screening algorithm, ST kit manufacturers, NAT modalities, methods, and platform. And the RR FD, RR RD, and RR TD differ across centers. Although most centers show declining trend in RR over the ten-year period, some centers exhibite data fluctuations with a rising trend, suggesting potential for further optimization of HIV screening protocols.

Objective To explore the quality markers of Puerariae Lobatue Radix;To predict its"efficacy component group"with alcohol detoxification and liver protection effects.Methods Fingerprints of 26 batches of Puerariae Lobatue Radix samples from different origins in China was established.Multivariate statistical analysis was employed to identify quality markers,while network pharmacology and molecular docking were used to predict the potential"efficacy component group".Results UPLC fingerprint analysis calibrated 11 common peaks.Clustering analysis classified 26 batches of samples into 3 categories,and 7 quality markers were ultimately screened through multivariate statistical analysis,including mirificin,puerarin,puerarin-6''-O-xyloside,3'-methoxypuerarin,ononin,genistin and daidzin.Network pharmacology revealed that all 7 markers interacted with targets related to alcohol-associated liver disease,identifying 19 core targets such as TNF,CASP3,BCL2,MMP9,IL2,and 93 signaling pathways involving IL-17 and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways.Molecular docking demonstrated strong binding affinity between the 7 markers and target proteins,with binding energies<-5 kcal/mol.Conclusion The"efficacy component group",main targets and signaling pathways predicted in this study can provide support for the research on the mechanism,material basis and quality control of the alcohol detoxification and liver protection effects of Puerariae Lobatue Radix.

Objective To investigate the expression of ubiquitin binding enzyme E2T (UBE2T) in breast cancer (BRCA) and its role and mechanism in the prognosis of BRCA patients. Methods The Tumor Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to analyze UBE2T expression in BRCA tissues, and the effects of UBE2T expression on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival curve. In vitro, real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot were used to confirm the knock-down and overexpression efficiency, to analyze its effect on tumor cell biological behavior. The effect of UBE2T on cell epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) was studied by Western blot. A xenograft tumor model was established to verify the effect of UBE2T knockdown on the growth of BRCA cells in vivo. Results The UBE2T expression levels in BRCA and adjacent tissues were statistically different (P<0.001), and the expression was increased in tissues with distant metastasis or late stage (all P<0.05). The DFS and OS were decreased in the UBE2T high-level group (both P<0.05). UBE2T was highly expressed in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells and lowly expressed in MDA-MB-361 cells (all P<0.01). After UBE2T was silenced by shRNA, the proliferation ability of tumor cells significantly decreased, whereas it increased after UBE2T up-expression (all P<0.05). The apoptotic rates of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells in the silent groups were significantly higher than those in the shNC groups, while the apoptotic rates of MAD-MB-361 cells in the overexpression group decreased (all P<0.001). The mobility in the knockdown groups were lower than in the shNC groups, while the mobility in the overexpression group significantly increased (both P<0.01). The migration and invasion cells in the shUBE2T groups were lower than those in the shNC groups, and the migration and invasion cells in the UBE2T group were higher than those in the vector group (all P<0.01). Downregulation of UBE2T decreased the expression levels of N-cadherin, Snail, and Vimentin (all P<0.05) and increased that of E-cadherin; however, the result of UBE2T upregulation was opposite (all P<0.01). TIMER results showed that UBE2T was positively correlated with E-cadherin (P<0.001), N-cadherin (P=0.013), and Snail (P<0.001) and negatively correlated with Vimentin (P<0.001). In vivo experiments showed that downregulation of UBE2T slowed down the growth of transplanted tumors. Conclusion UBE2T is highly expressed in BRCA tissues and may affect the prognosis. UBE2T can promote the proliferation of BRCA cells, inhibit apoptosis, and increase the migration and invasion abilities by changing the expression levels of EMT-related proteins.

BackgroundSleep disorder in the first trimester is a fairly common health problem， and previous studies have mainly reflected the overall sleep quality through scale assessments， which may not accurately capture the differences among various subtypes. ObjectiveTo explore the latent profiles of sleep quality in first-trimester pregnant women and identify the physiological， psychological and social factors， in order to provide practical references for the development of personalized interventions for sleep disorders in first-trimester pregnant women. MethodsA total of 1 066 first-trimester pregnant women who visited the obstetric outpatient clinic of a tertiary A hospital in Shenzhen from October 2021 to October 2022 were investigated using the general information questionnaire， Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index （PSQI）， Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale （EPDS）， Chinese version of short International Physical Activity Questionnaire （IPAQ-S-C） and Social Capital Assessment Tool in Pregnancy for Maternal Health （SCAT-MH）. Then the sleep profiles were identified through latent profile analysis， and the robust mixture regression model was employed to determine the influencing factors of sleep profiles. ResultsA 3-profile solution showed the best fit： 732 cases （68.67%） of good sleep quality group， 87 cases （8.16%） of low sleep efficiency group， and 247 cases （23.17%） of daytime dysfunction group. In comparison with subjects in good sleep quality group， first-trimester pregnant women in low sleep efficiency group were at a younger age （OR=0.951， 95% CI： 0.922~0.980）， held a Bachelor's degree or above （OR=1.869， 95% CI： 1.260~2.773） and exhibited lower levels of social capital （OR=0.962， 95% CI： 0.951~0.973）， while those in daytime dysfunction group were at an older age （OR=1.072， 95% CI： 1.027~1.120） and had higher levels of depression （OR=1.166， 95% CI： 1.115~1.218）. Pregnant women who were workers （OR=0.507， 95% CI： 0.293~0.876） were less likely to report daytime dysfunction. ConclusionThree latent profiles with significant heterogeneity are derived from the sleep quality of first-trimester pregnant women， and levels of depression and social capital are the main influencing factors of sleep quality. ［Funded by Industry-University-Research Innovation Fund for Chinese Universities （number， 2023HT018）］

[Objective] To analyse the distribution of antigen phenotypes in the Rh, MNS and Kidd blood group systems of Han and Tujia blood donors in Chongqing, and to provide data support for the establishment of an expanded blood group antigen phenotype database and the development of expanded blood group coordinated transfusion in blood donors. [Methods] The antigens of Rh, MNS and Kidd blood group systems in Han and Tujia blood donors in Chongqing were detected by test-tube method, and the Hardy-Weinborg anastomosis of the three blood group systems was calculated. Pearson's chi-square test and Fisher's exact probability method were used to compare the differences in phenotypic distribution frequencies among different regions and ethnic groups. [Results] Han and Tujia blood donors accounted for the highest proportion of CCee in the antigenic phenotype of the Rh blood group system, followed by CcEe, and then Ccee and ccEE. Tujia blood donors accounted for 52.02% of CCee, which was higher than that of Han blood donors (47.24%), while Han blood donors accounted for 32.20% of CcEe, which was higher than that of Tujia blood donors (28.94%). In the antigenic phenotype of the MNS blood group system, the blood donors of Han nationality and Tujia were MN>MM>NN,. The antigen phenotype distribution frequency of the Kidd blood group system was highest for Jk(a+b+) among both Han and Tujia blood donors, and the blood donors of Han nationality were Jk(a+b+)>Jk(a+b+), while those of Tujia were Jk(a-b+)>Jk(a+b-). The antigens of the three blood groups of Han and Tujia blood donors were consistent with the Hardy-Weinberg balance(P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of antigen phenotypes of the three blood group systems between Han and Tujia blood donors(P>0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the phenotypic distribution frequency of Rh antigens between Chongqing and Xi'an, Zhejiang, Shantou, Foshan, Nanning and Yangzhou(P<0.05), but not with Guang'an and Shenzhen(P>0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the phenotypic distribution frequency of Rh antigens between Han, Tujia, Zang, Mongolian, Korean and Hani ethnic groups in Chongqing(P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the phenotypic distribution frequency of MNS antigens between Han blood donors in Chongqing and Urumqi, Hainan and Yuncheng, but not with Xi'an and Wenzhou. There was a statistically significant difference in the phenotypic distribution frequency of MNS antigen between Tujia blood donors in Chongqing and Urumqi and Hainan(P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the phenotypic distribution frequency of MNS antigen between Tujia blood donors in Chongqing, Urumqi and Hainan(P>0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in the phenotypic distribution frequency of Kidd antigens between blood donors in Chongqing and Harbin(P<0.05), but not in Huizhou, Wenzhou and Yichang(P>0.05). [Conclusion] The population in Chongqing has multi-ethnic characteristics, and the antigenic phenotypes of Rh, MNS and Kidd blood group systems exhibit diversity and regional differences. Establishing an expanded blood bank can provide more options for precision blood transfusion.

[Objective] To investigate the factors influencing the detection of HLA-C expression by flow cytometry. [Methods] A total of 12 hematopoietic stem cell suspension samples from peripheral hematopoietic stem cell volunteer donors were randomly collected after CD34⁺ cell counting detection. The influence of detecting different number of nucleated cell (500 000, 50 000 and 5 000), sequential order of red blood cell lysis and antibody incubation, and the HLA-C antibody with varied remaining time from the expiration date on the detection results of HLA-C expression by flow cytometry were investigated, respectively. The significance of differences between different groups was analyzed through Student t test. [Results] There was no significant difference in the proportion of HLA-C positive cells and mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) among the three groups with different nucleated cell numbers detected (500 000, 50 000 and 5 000) (P>0.05). The sequential order of red blood cell lysis and antibody incubation had no influence on the proportion of HLA-C positive cells (P>0.05), but HLA-C MFI value was significantly lower when antibody incubation was performed after red blood cell lysis than that when antibody incubation was performed before red blood cell lysis (P<0.05). The proportion of HLA-C positive cells and MFI value detected by HLA-C antibody remaining 24 months from the expiration date were significantly higher than those detected by HLA-C antibody remaining only 5 months from the expiration date (P<0.05). [Conclusion] The present study has investigated the factors of influencing HLA-C expression level by flow cytometry, the results have important reference and application value for standardizing the experimental operation of HLA-C expression and improving the accuracy and comparability of detection results.