Descurainiae Semen Lepidii Semen, also known as Tinglizi, originates from Brassicaceae plants Descurainia sophia or Lepidium apetalum. The former is commonly referred to as "Southern Tinglizi(Descurainiae Semen)", while the latter is known as "Northern Tinglizi(Lepidii Semen)". To scientifically and accurately identify the origin of Tinglizi medicinal materials and traditional Chinese medicine products, this study developed a specific DNA mini-barcode based on chloroplast genome sequences. By combining the DNA mini-barcode with DNA metabarcoding technology, a method for the qualitative and quantitative identification of Tinglizi medicinal materials and Chinese patent medicines was established. In this study, chloroplast genomes of Southern Tinglizi and Northern Tinglizi and seven commonly encountered counterfeit products were downloaded from the GenBank database. Suitable polymorphic regions were identified to differentiate these species, enabling the development of the DNA mini-barcode. Using DNA metabarcoding technology, medicinal material mixtures of Southern and Northern Tinglizi, as well as the most common counterfeit product, Capsella bursa-pastoris seeds, were analyzed to validate the qualitative and quantitative capabilities of the mini-barcode and determine its minimum detection limit. Additionally, the mini-barcode was applied to Chinese patent medicines containing Tinglizi to authenticate their botanical origin. The results showed that the developed mini-barcode(psbB) exhibited high accuracy and specificity, effectively distinguishing between the two authentic origins of Tinglizi and commonly encountered counterfeit products. The analysis of mixtures demonstrated that the mini-barcode had excellent qualitative and quantitative capabilities, accurately identifying the composition of Chinese medicinal materials in mixed samples with varying proportions. Furthermore, the analysis of Chinese patent medicines revealed the presence of the adulterant species(Capsella bursa-pastoris) in addition to the authentic species(Southern and Northern Tinglizi), indicating the occurrence of adulteration in commercially available Tinglizi-containing products. This study developed a method for the qualitative and quantitative identification of multi-origin Chinese medicinal materials and related products, providing a model for research on other multi-origin Chinese medicinal materials.
DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Drug Contamination ; Genome, Chloroplast ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

BACKGROUND: The relationship between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and cognitive impairment in older adults with coronary heart disease (CHD) remains unclear. METHODS: The present study used a prospective cohort study design and included 3244 participants aged ≥ 65 years in Beijing, China. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were used to assess cognitive function. Serum HbA1c was detected at admission. All patients were divided into high HbA1c group (≥ 6.5 mmol/L) and low HbA1c group (< 6.5 mmol/L) based on their HbA1c levels. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between HbA1c and cognitive impairment. RESULTS: In this study of 3244 participants, 1201 (37.0%) patients were in high HbA1c group and 2045 (63.0%) patients were in a state of cognitive impairment. Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that HbA1c was an independent risk factor for cognitive impairment regardless of whether the HbA1c was a continuous or categorical variable (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.15-1.40, P < 0.001; OR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.41-2.26, P ≤ 0.001, respectively). The restricted cubic spline curve exhibited that the relationship between the HbA1c and cognitive impairment was linear (p for non-linear = 0.323, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Elevated levels of HbA1c were associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment in older patients with CHD. These insights could be used to improve the accuracy and sensitivity of cognitive screening in these patient populations.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the pharmacological impact of hesperidin, the main component of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, on depressive behavior and elucidate the mechanism by which hesperidin treats depression, focusing on the gut-brain axis. METHODS: Fifty-four Sprague Dawley male rats were randomly allocated to 6 groups using a random number table, including control, model, hesperidin, probiotics, fluoxetine, and Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium groups. Except for the control group, rats in the remaining 5 groups were challenged with chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) for 21 days and housed in single cages. The sucrose preference test (SPT), immobility time in the forced swim test (FST), and number in the open field test (OFT) were performed to measure the behavioral changes in the rats. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in brain tissue, and the histopathology was performed to evaluate the changes of colon tissue, together with sequencing of the V3-V4 regions of 16S rRNA gene on feces to explore the changes of intestinal flora in the rats. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, the rats in the model group showed notable reductions in body weight, SPF, and number in OFT (P<0.01). Hesperidin was found to ameliorate depression induced by CUMS, as seen by improvements in body weight, SPT, immobility time in FST, and number in OFT (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Regarding neurotransmitters, it was found that at a dose of 50 mg/kg hesperidin treatment upregulated the levels of 5-HT and BDNF in depressed rats (P<0.05). Compared to the control group, the colon tissue of the model group exhibited greater inflammatory cell infiltration, with markedly reduced numbers of goblet cells and crypts and were significantly improved following treatment with hesperidin. Simultaneously, the administration of hesperidin demonstrated a positive impact on the gut microbiome of rats treated with CUMS, such as Shannon index increased and Simpson index decreased (P<0.01), while the abundance of Pseudomonadota and Bacteroidota increased in the hesperidin-treated group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The mechanism responsible for the beneficial effects of hesperidin on depressive behavior in rats may be related to inhibition of the expressions of BDNF and 5-HT and preservation of the gut microbiota.
Animals ; Hesperidin/therapeutic use* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Depression/drug therapy* ; Male ; Stress, Psychological/drug therapy* ; Brain/metabolism* ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/metabolism* ; Serotonin/metabolism* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Behavior, Animal/drug effects* ; Rats ; Brain-Gut Axis/drug effects* ; Chronic Disease ; Colon/drug effects*

Objective:To retrospectively analyze the clinical features and surgical efficacy of congenital cholesteatoma （CC） and acquired cholesteatoma （AC） in children. Methods:Clinical data of 169 children with middle ear cholesteatoma were reviewed in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2010 to July 2020. The clinical characteristics, stages, surgical methods, and postoperative recurrence rates were analyzed and summarized. Results:The age distribution of enrolled children ranged from 2 to 14 years. The mean age of the CC group was （5.60±2.48） years compared with （6.45±2.48） years in the AC group, and the difference was statistically significant （P<0.05）. Preoperative hearing in the CC group was （40.06±13.52） dB HL, which was better than in the AC group at （48.40±13.84） dB HL （P<0.05）. The proportion of stage Ⅰ in the CC group was lower than that in the AC group according to EAONO/JOS staging （P<0.05）. The recurrence rate after primary surgery was 19.23% （10/52） in the CC group compared with 36.29% （45/124） in the AC group （P<0.05）. The mastoid retention rates after all operations were 28.85% （15/52） in the CC group and 5.65% （7/124） in the AC group （P<0.05）. Conclusion:Compared with congenital cholesteatoma, acquired cholesteatoma in children is more aggressive and has more complications, higher postoperative recurrence rate, and less possibility of mastoid retention. Early clinical detection and treatment are required, and canal wall-down tympanoplasty should be considered in surgery.
Humans ; Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear/congenital* ; Child ; Retrospective Studies ; Child, Preschool ; Adolescent ; Male ; Female ; Recurrence ; Cholesteatoma/congenital* ; Tympanoplasty ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: Poxviruses are zoonotic pathogens that infect humans, mammals, vertebrates, and arthropods. However, the specific role of ticks in transmission and evolution of these viruses remains unclear. METHODS: Transcriptomic and metatranscriptomic raw data from 329 sampling pools of seven tick species across five continents were mined to assess the diversity and abundance of poxviruses. Chordopoxviral sequences were assembled and subjected to phylogenetic analysis to trace the origins of the unblasted fragments within these sequences. RESULTS: Fifty-eight poxvirus species, representing two subfamilies and 20 genera, were identified, with 212 poxviral sequences assembled. A substantial proportion of AT-rich fragments were detected in the assembled poxviral genomes. These genomic sequences contained fragments originating from rodents, archaea, and arthropods. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that ticks play a significant role in the transmission and evolution of poxviruses. These viruses demonstrate the capacity to modulate virulence and adaptability through horizontal gene transfer, gene recombination, and gene mutations, thereby promoting co-existence and co-evolution with their hosts. This study advances understanding of the ecological dynamics of poxvirus transmission and evolution and highlights the potential role of ticks as vectors and vessels in these processes.
Animals ; Poxviridae/physiology* ; Ticks/virology* ; Phylogeny ; Transcriptome ; Evolution, Molecular ; Poxviridae Infections/virology* ; Genome, Viral

Objective To observe the effects of Wuzi Yanzong Pill(WYP)on motor function in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease(PD)and to explore its potential mechanisms.Methods Twenty-four male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group,model group and WYP group,with 8 mice in each group.Mice in model and WYP group were intraperitoneally injected with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine for 7 consecutive days to establish a PD model.From the 1st day of model preparation,mice in WYP group were gavaged with WYP solution[16 g/(kg·d)]twice daily for 14 consecutive days.At the same time,mice in control group and model group were gavaged with 0.9%NaCl solution[50 ml/(kg·d)]twice a day.Gait experiment was utilized to assess the behavioral performance of mice in each group.Immunofluorescence staining was conducted to detect the number of tyrosine hydroxylase(TH)-positive cells in the substantia nigra region,the fluorescence intensity of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2(Nrf2),and the number of NeuN neurons co-labeled with Nrf2 in each group.Western blotting was employed to determine the expression levels of TH,Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1(Keap-1),Nrf2,and heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)in the brain tissue of mice in each group.Results The gait experiment results showed that,compared with control group,standing time of the left front paw,right front paw,left hind paw,and right hind paw of the mice in model group was significantly shortened(P<0.01),while swinging time of the left front paw,right front paw,left hind paw,and right hind paw was significantly prolonged(P<0.05).Compared with model group,standing time of the left front paw and right hind paw of the mice in WYP group was significantly prolonged(P<0.05),while swing time of the left front paw and right front paw was significantly shortened(P<0.05).Immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting results showed that,compared with control group,in model group the number of TH-positive cells,average fluorescence intensity of Nrf2,and HO-1 levels decreased(P<0.01),while the Keap-1 protein level increased(P<0.01),and the number of Nrf2 expression on NeuN neurons decreased(P<0.001).Compared with model group,the number of TH-positive cells,average fluorescence intensity of Nrf2,HO-1 level,and the number of Nrf2 expression on NeuN neurons in the brain tissue of mice in WYP group increased(P<0.05),while Keap-1 protein level decreased(P<0.05).Conclusions WYP could alleviate the motor dysfunction and protect dopaminergic neurons in PD mice.The underlying mechanism may be related to the regulation of Keap-1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway to inhibit oxidative stress response.

Myeloid neoplasms (MNs) belong to a group of hematological malignancies characterized by the abnormal biological functions of hematopoietic stem progenitor cells. The abnormal immune and hematopoietic microenvironment of patients with MN interact with malignant clonal hematopoietic stem cells, promoting the occurrence and development of their diseases. MN large granular lymphocyte proliferation (MN-LGLP) is a special and rare clinical phenomenon in this type of disease. Currently, research on this disease in domestic and international cohorts is limited. This study analyzes the clinical and laboratory characteristics of this type of patient and explores the impact of LGLP on the clinical characteristics and survival of patients with MN. Patients with MN-LGLP are prone to neutropenia and splenomegaly. The presence of LGLP is not a risk factor affecting the survival of patients with MN-LGLP. STAG, ASXL1, and TET2 are the most common accompanying gene mutations in MN-LGLP, and patients with MN-LGLP and STAG2 mutations have poor prognoses.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of hypomethylating agents (HMA) in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) .Methods:A total of 409 MDS patients from 45 hospitals in Zhejiang province who received at least four consecutive cycles of HMA monotherapy as initial therapy were enrolled to evaluate the efficacy and safety of HMA. Mann-Whitney U or Chi-square tests were used to compare the differences in the clinical data. Logistic regression and Cox regression were used to analyze the factors affecting efficacy and survival. Kaplan-Meier was used for survival analysis. Results:Patients received HMA treatment for a median of 6 cycles (range, 4-25 cycles) . The complete remission (CR) rate was 33.98% and the overall response rate (ORR) was 77.02%. Multivariate analysis revealed that complex karyotype ( P=0.02, OR=0.39, 95% CI 0.18-0.84) was an independent favorable factor for CR rate. TP53 mutation ( P=0.02, OR=0.22, 95% CI 0.06-0.77) was a predictive factor for a higher ORR. The median OS for the HMA-treated patients was 25.67 (95% CI 21.14-30.19) months. HMA response ( P=0.036, HR=0.47, 95% CI 0.23-0.95) was an independent favorable prognostic factor, whereas complex karyotype ( P=0.024, HR=2.14, 95% CI 1.10-4.15) , leukemia transformation ( P<0.001, HR=2.839, 95% CI 1.64-4.92) , and TP53 mutation ( P=0.012, HR=2.19, 95% CI 1.19-4.07) were independent adverse prognostic factors. There was no significant difference in efficacy and survival between the reduced and standard doses of HMA. The CR rate and ORR of MDS patients treated with decitabine and azacitidine were not significantly different. The median OS of patients treated with decitabine was longer compared with that of patients treated with azacitidine (29.53 months vs 20.17 months, P=0.007) . The incidence of bone marrow suppression and pneumonia in the decitabine group was higher compared with that in the azacitidine group. Conclusion:Continuous and regular use of appropriate doses of hypomethylating agents may benefit MDS patients to the greatest extent if it is tolerated.

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of Jianwei Xiaozhang Tablets on rats with precancerous lesions of gastric cancer(PLGC).Methods Forty male SD rats were randomly divided into the normal group,the model group,the folic acid group and the Jianwei Xiaozhang Tablets group,with 10 rats in each group.In addition to the normal group,the other three groups of rats were prepared by gavage with Ranitidine Aqueous Solution combined with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine(MNNG)solution drinking method for the preparation of PLGC model.After successful modeling,drugs were administered accordingly for 7 weeks.The changes in body mass of rats during modeling and drug administration were recorded,the gross view of the stomach was observed and scored pathologically,the coefficients of spleen and liver were determined,the pathological changes in gastric tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to measure serum gastrin(GAS),motilin(MTL)and glucagon(GC),Alisin Blue-Periodic Acid Schiff's(AB-PAS)staining was used to observe the thickness of the mucosal layer of gastric tissues,the expressions of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K),phosphorylated PI3K(p-PI3K),protein kinase B(Akt),phosphorylated Akt(p-Akt),and endothelial-type nitric oxide synthase(eNOS)proteins in gastric tissues were detected by protein immunoblotting(Western Blot),and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A(VEGFA)protein in gastric tissues was detected by immunofluorescence staining.Results Compared with the normal group,the body mass of rats in the model group grew slowly during the experimental period,gastric macroscopic pathological scores were significantly increased(P＜0.01),splenic coefficient and hepatic coefficient were significantly decreased(P＜0.01),the gastric tissues showed cuprocyte hyperplasia and intestinal chemotaxis,gastric tissues'inflammation scores were significantly increased(P＜0.01),the serum GAS content was significantly increased(P＜0.01),and the MTL,GC contents were significantly reduced(P＜0.05),and the thickness of the mucous membrane layer of gastric tissue was significantly reduced(P＜0.05),the protein expression levels of PI3K,p-PI3K,Akt,p-Akt and eNOS were reduced(P＜0.01),and the protein expression level of VEGFA was reduced(P＜0.01);compared with the model group,the above indexes of the Jianwei Xiaozhang Tablets group and the folic acid group were all significantly improved(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),among which,the Jianwei Xiaozhang Tablets group had a better improvement effect in the proliferation of cup cells and intestinal chemotaxis in gastric tissues,the content of serum GAS,and the thickness of the mucous layer in gastric tissues.Conclusion The mechanism of the improvement of PLGC in rats by Jianwei Xiaozhang Tablets may be related to the activation of the PI3K-Akt-eNOS pathway,which in turn promotes the angiogenesis and repair of gastric damaged tissues.