ObjectiveThe biosynthesis of heterophyllin B （HB）， a cyclopeptide from Pseudostellaria heterophylla， is regulated by various abiotic stresses. Elucidating the transcriptional regulatory mechanism underlying HB biosynthesis is of great guiding significance for the directional improvement of P. heterophylla varieties and the enhancement of HB content. MethodsBased on transcriptome data from different tissues of P. heterophylla， transcription factors （TFs） specifically upregulated and highly expressed in the phloem of tuberous roots were screened through a combination of Mfuzz time-series clustering， transcription factor family prediction， and correlation analysis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was employed to analyze expression patterns of candidate TFs under abscisic acid （ABA） induction， and the dual-luciferase reporter assay was applied to verify their regulatory effects on HB precursor genes. ResultsContent determination showed that HB accumulated at the highest in the phloem of P. heterophylla tuberous roots （34 μg·g^-1 fresh weight）. Transcriptome analysis identified 15 868 up-regulated differentially expressed genes （DEGs）， among which 4 375 were specifically up-regulated in the phloem. From these， 25 TFs highly expressed in the phloem were screened. Correlation analysis revealed that the expression level of WRKY70 was significantly positively correlated with HB content， the expression of precursor genes prePhHB， and PhPOP1. Additionally， WRKY70 expression was significantly upregulated under ABA induction. Dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed that WRKY70 specifically activated the transcriptional activity of the prePhHB promoter （Pro-prePhHB）. ConclusionHB is mainly accumulated in the phloem of P. heterophylla tuberous roots. WRKY70 positively regulates HB biosynthesis by directly activating the promoter activity of prePhHB. This study clarifies the key role of WRKY70 in the regulation of HB biosynthesis and provides an important theoretical basis for the in-depth analysis of the molecular regulatory mechanism underlying HB biosynthesis.

Objective This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial resistance profiles of bacterial strains isolated from pediatric intensive care units(PICU)in China for better antimicrobial therapy.Methods Clinical isolates were collected from 17 institutions,including tertiary care children's hospitals and pediatric department of tertiary general hospitals in China from January 1,2020 to December 31,2022.Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out according to a unified protocol using Kirby-Bauer method or automated systems.Results were interpreted according to the breakpoints released by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)in 2020.Results A total of 10 688 isolates were collected,including gram-positive organisms(39.2％)and gram-negative organisms(60.8％).The top three organisms were S.aureus(13.6％,1 453/10 688),A.baumannii(10.0％,1 067/10 688),and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus(9.9％,1 058/10 688).Multi-drug resistant organisms(MDROs)were very common in children.The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA),carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales(CRE),carbapenem-resistant E.coli,carbapenem-resistant K.pneumoniae(CRKP),carbapenem-resistant A.baumannii(CRAB),and carbapenem-resistant P.aeruginosa(CRPA)was 41.1％,19.4％,8.8％,30.9％,67.4％,and 28.8％,respectively.Overall,more than 50％of Enterobacteriales isolates were resistant to cephalosporins,while nearly 25％of Enterobacteriales isolates were resistant to carbapenems.MDROs were highly resistant to commonly used antibiotics.More than 80％of CRE and CRAB strains were resistant to all beta-lactam antibiotics.CRE and CRAB showed low resistance rates to tigecycline and polymyxin.CRPA showed lower resistance rates to piperacillin,beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations than the resistance rates to third and fourth generation cephalosporins.All of the Staphylococcus and Enterococcus isolates were susceptible to vancomycin and tigecycline.None of PRSP strains isolated from meningitis and nonmeningitis samples were resistant to rifampicin,vancomycin,or linezolid.The prevalence of β-lactamase-negative ampicillin-resistant(BLNAR)strains was 43.3％in Haemophilus influenzae.Conclusions MDROs were prevalent in PICU.It is necessary to establish an effective multidisciplinary team(MDT)to control the antimicrobial resistance.

Objective This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial resistance profiles of bacterial strains isolated from pediatric intensive care units(PICU)in China for better antimicrobial therapy.Methods Clinical isolates were collected from 17 institutions,including tertiary care children's hospitals and pediatric department of tertiary general hospitals in China from January 1,2020 to December 31,2022.Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out according to a unified protocol using Kirby-Bauer method or automated systems.Results were interpreted according to the breakpoints released by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)in 2020.Results A total of 10 688 isolates were collected,including gram-positive organisms(39.2％)and gram-negative organisms(60.8％).The top three organisms were S.aureus(13.6％,1 453/10 688),A.baumannii(10.0％,1 067/10 688),and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus(9.9％,1 058/10 688).Multi-drug resistant organisms(MDROs)were very common in children.The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA),carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales(CRE),carbapenem-resistant E.coli,carbapenem-resistant K.pneumoniae(CRKP),carbapenem-resistant A.baumannii(CRAB),and carbapenem-resistant P.aeruginosa(CRPA)was 41.1％,19.4％,8.8％,30.9％,67.4％,and 28.8％,respectively.Overall,more than 50％of Enterobacteriales isolates were resistant to cephalosporins,while nearly 25％of Enterobacteriales isolates were resistant to carbapenems.MDROs were highly resistant to commonly used antibiotics.More than 80％of CRE and CRAB strains were resistant to all beta-lactam antibiotics.CRE and CRAB showed low resistance rates to tigecycline and polymyxin.CRPA showed lower resistance rates to piperacillin,beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations than the resistance rates to third and fourth generation cephalosporins.All of the Staphylococcus and Enterococcus isolates were susceptible to vancomycin and tigecycline.None of PRSP strains isolated from meningitis and nonmeningitis samples were resistant to rifampicin,vancomycin,or linezolid.The prevalence of β-lactamase-negative ampicillin-resistant(BLNAR)strains was 43.3％in Haemophilus influenzae.Conclusions MDROs were prevalent in PICU.It is necessary to establish an effective multidisciplinary team(MDT)to control the antimicrobial resistance.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the comprehensive quality of Houttuynia cordata from different producing areas. METHODS Using total flavonoids， water-soluble extract， moisture， total ash and acid-insoluble ash as indicators， the entropy weight method was used to objectively weigh each indicator， and the relative correlation degree （r）i calculated by grey correlation method was used as a measure to comprehensively evaluate the quality of H. cordata. RESULTS The weights of total flavonoids， total ash， moisture， acid-insoluble ash， and water-soluble extract were 0.295 5， 0.227 3， 0.188 7， 0.145 1， and 0.143 4， respectively. The weights of total flavonoids and total ash were relatively large. The ri of 30 batches of H. cordata ranged from 0.233 2 to 0.673 9； the average ri of samples from Quanzhou County and Ziyuan County of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region were the highest， which were 0.638 3 and 0.598 7， respectively， followed by samples from Lingchuan County of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region （0.556 1） and Jianshui County of Yunnan Province （0.452 8）. The quality of medicinal materials produced in the above producing areas was generally good and stable. CONCLUSIONS Entropy weight method combined with the grey correlation method can be used to comprehensively evaluate the quality of H. cordata. The overall quality of H. cordata produced in Quanzhou County of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is the best.

Objective:To investigate the clinical, skeletal muscle pathological, and genetic characteristics of fatal infantile hypertonic myofibrillar myopathy (FIHMM).Methods:The clinical manifestations, laboratory assessments data and gene sequencing results of 10 patients diagnosed with FIHMM in Shenzhen Children′s Hospital from February 2017 to April 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of both musculoskeletal system and the brain, and electromyogram (EMG) were performed in 3 cases, while muscle biopsy was performed in 2 cases.Results:Among these 10 cases, 1 case was from Northeast China and 1 case from East China, while the rest 8 cases were from South China.Eight of the 10 patients were male, and the other 2 cases were female.They were all born normal and not related to each other.The age of onset varied from 2 to 12 months.The main clinical manifestations for all the patients were progressive rigidity of the rectus abdominis (8 cases), neck muscles (7 cases), rectus abdominis (2 cases) and intercostal muscles (1 case), resulting in respiratory failure.Mildly to moderately elevated serum creatine kinase level was detected (436-5 804 IU/L) (reference range: 24-229 IU/L). Complex repetitive discharges can be seen in the EMG, without any myotonic potential.Muscle fiber degeneration, necrosis, and vacuolar degeneration were noted in the histopathological examination of the vastus lateralis and rectus abdominis.An abnormal red granular deposit was observed in a portion of the field of the modified Gomory Trichrome staining.Immunohistochemistry showed substantial deposition of desmin.Under the electron microscopy, the sarcomere structure of the muscle fibers was seriously disordered, with the destruction of Z-bands and the presence of granular deposits.The whole-exome sequencing identified the same homozygous variation c. 3G>A, p.Met1? of CRYAB gene in all the patients, but heterozygous variation in their parents. Conclusions:Axial muscles involvement, such as rectus abdominis rigidity, is the main clinical characteristic of FIHMM.c.3G>A, p.Met1? mutation in the CRYAB gene is a hotspot mutation in Chinese children.

OBJECTIVE: To improve the quality standard of Folium Mahoniae. METHODS: TLC was used for qualitative identification. The contents of moisture, ash and ethanol extract were determined. The content of berberine hydrochloride was determined by HPLC. The determination was performed on WondaSil C18 column with mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile-0. 05 mol/L monopotassium phosphate solution (25: 75, V/V) at the flow rate of 1. 0 mL/min. The detection wavelength was 264 nm, column temperature was 30 ℃, and sample size was 10 μL. RESULTS: TLC spots were clear and well-separated. The contents of moisture, total ash, acid-insoluble ash and ethanol extract were 3. 92％-7. 03％, 3. 65％-6. 95％, 0. 05％-1. 03％ and 10. 87％-33. 14％, respectively. The linear range of berberine hydrochloride was 0. 183-0. 915 μg(r=0. 999 9); quantitation limit and detection limit was 0. 143, 0. 095 μg, respectively. RSDs of precision, stability and reproducibility tests were lower than 2. 0％ (n=6); recovery was 95. 21％ -103. 10％ (RSD = 2. 95％, n=6). CONCLUSIONS: The content of moisture, total ash and acid-insoluble ash of medicinal materials is not exceed 8. 0％, 6. 0％ and 0. 4％, respectively. The content of ethanol extract and berberine hydrochloride is not less than 16. 0％ and 1. 0％, respectively. Established standard can be used for quality control of Folium Mahoniae.

Objective To study the predictive value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),positron emission computed tomography (PET)and PET/MRI coregistration in intractable epilepsy of children.Methods A retrospec-tively analysis was performed based on the surgery data at the Department of Children Epilepsy Center of Peking Univer-sity First Hospital from September 2015 to March 2016.The clinical data,surgery and follow－up study data,interictal and ictal electroencephalogram,MRI,PET and PET/MRI coregistration data were collected.By comparison with the epi-leptogenic zone designed by pre－surgical workup,the accuracy of MRI,PET and PET/MRI coregistration in detecting lesion was assessed.In the patients who had no seizure during≥1 year follow－up,their sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value of MRI,PET and PET/MRI coregistration were calculated.Results (1)A total of 62 patients underwent surgery,30 boys and 32 girls. The average age on epilepsy onset was 2. 50 years (2 days－11.70 years),and average age on surgery was 5.10 years old(0.75－15.60 years old).(2)Surgical treat-ment of 62 cases included the resection of the focal or lobar (32 cases,51.6%),and the multilobar (16 cases, 25. 8%).Hemispherotomy was done in 14 cases (22.6%).During ≥1 year follow－up,seizure outcome was Engel class Ⅰ in 57 cases (91.9%)out of the 62 patients,Engel classⅡto Engel classⅣin 1 case,3 cases,and 1 case, respectively.(3)Referred to epileptogenic zone designed by presurgical workup,MRI represented 64.5%(40/62 ca-ses)results with accordance,PET and PET/MRI coregistration was 72.5%(45/62 cases)and 85.5%(53/62 cases), respectively,and the difference was significant(χ2＝7.25,P＝0.03).(4)Based on the patients of Engel class Ⅰ, their sensitivity and specificity were 66.7%,60.0% in MRI,75.4%,60.0% in PET %,and 85.9%,80.0% in PET/MRI coregistration,respectively.(5)There were 11 ＂non－lesion＂ cases of all focal cortical dysplasia in patholo-gy,and subtle structural abnormalities were de tected in 9 cases by reviewing MRI.Conclusions PET/MRI coregistra-tion can improve lesion detection of intractable epilepsy in children.

OBJECTIVESeed dormancy mechanisms, breaking dormancy and the optimal germinating conditions were studied to improve reproductive efficiency and quality standard of Pseudostellaria heterophylla.

METHODThe P. heterophylla seeds were stratified into wettish sand for 65 days under the temperature of -2-3 degrees C, embryo length and germination dynamic change of seeds were measured in prophase every other 10 days and in middle every other 5 days. The influences on seed germination and seedling growth under different temperatures, germination beds were investigated.

RESULTThe P. heterophylla seeds embryo morphology was unchanged in stratification. The seeds could not germinate at stratification within the first 35 days. The germination rate and germination energy of seeds increased with the stratification time after 35 days. Germination rate, germination energy, plant height and fresh weight under the 10 degrees C were significantly higher than those under other temperatures. Germination rate, germination energy, plant height, fresh weight and dry weight of plant in sand bed were higher than those of plant in other beds, and seed mildew rate and abnormal seedling proportion of plant in sand bed were less than those of plant in other beds.

CONCLUSIONThe dormancy of P. heterophylla seeds is mainly the physiological post-maturation. The optimal germination conditions of seeds is 10 degrees C the culture of sand. The dormancy was broke under -2-3 degrees C of wettish sand for 45-50 days in practice.

Caryophyllaceae ; growth & development ; Germination ; Light ; Plant Dormancy ; physiology ; Seeds ; physiology ; Temperature

OBJECTIVEThrough comparative study on contents of icariin and total flavonoid of Epimedium acuminatum in different habitats and parts, the distribution and correlation of the two components were observed.

METHODTwenty-four sample spots in four habitats were set up, and the whole plant of these samples was divided as following: leaf, root, stem and rhizome. Total flavonoid and icariin of samples were determined by using the UV method and the HPLC, respectively. The data was analyzed by SPSS 17.0.

RESULTThe distribution of icariin in different parts had the pattern: leaf > root > stem > rhizome, the total flavonoid content was higher in leaf, but it showed no difference in other parts. Habitat had certain effect on icariin accumulation in E. acuminatum. The significant differences of total flavonoid content in E. acuminatum from different parts were not observed.

CONCLUSIONThe distribution of icariin from different parts and habitats has high selectivity. Metabolism and accumulation of flavonoid content in each part have no difference. Flavonoid content is less affected by environment. Considering the distribution of icariin and flavonoid content in every part and the growth strategy in different habitats comprehensively, it is reasonable to harvest the aerial part for the sustainable utilization of E. acuminatum.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Ecosystem ; Epimedium ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; metabolism ; Plant Structures ; chemistry ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the biomass structure of Epimedium acuminatum Franch in the different ecological environments for the development and protection.

METHODThrough the scientific investigation in four typical habitats, the sampling spots were set up, the functional modules' biomass structure and relationship of E. acuminatum were researched.

RESULTThe average of rhizome, as the largest biomass, and the average total biomass had the same pattern: the open areas of forest edge > shrub lumber > shrub-weed > stream drains. The ratio of the functional modules' biomass had different rates under different habitat conditions. By analyzing and combining investigation, the aerial part of E. acuminatum in the shrub-weed were comparative advantage, and the roots of nutrient accumulation of E. acuminatum in the open areas of forest edge were the highest efficient. Under different ecological condition, the distribution of water metabolism was different strategies.

CONCLUSIONIn the open areas of forest edge, E. acuminatum growing well, followed by shrub-weed. These two habitats are the ideal ecological environments while the rhizome or the whole plant used as medicine, but also the protection of E. acuminatum.

Biomass ; Ecosystem ; Epimedium ; growth & development