Natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising candidates for the development of a new generation of antimicrobials to combat antibiotic-resistant pathogens. They have found extensive applications in the fields of medicine, food, and agriculture. However, efficiently screening AMPs from natural sources poses several challenges, including low efficiency and high antibiotic resistance. This review focuses on the action mechanisms of AMPs, both through membrane and non-membrane routes. We thoroughly examine various highly efficient AMP screening methods, including whole-bacterial adsorption binding, cell membrane chromatography (CMC), phospholipid membrane chromatography binding, membrane-mediated capillary electrophoresis (CE), colorimetric assays, thin layer chromatography (TLC), fluorescence-based screening, genetic sequencing-based analysis, computational mining of AMP databases, and virtual screening methods. Additionally, we discuss potential developmental applications for enhancing the efficiency of AMP discovery. This review provides a comprehensive framework for identifying AMPs within complex natural product systems.

Flowering and bolting are important agronomic traits in cruciferous crops such as Brassica juncea. Timely flowering can ensure the crop organ yield and quality, as well as seed propagation. The WRKY family plays an important role in regulating plant bolting and flowering, while the function and mechanism of WRKY12 in B. juncea remain unknown. To explore its function and mechanism in bolting and flowering of B. juncea, we cloned and characterized the BjuWRKY12 gene in B. juncea and found that its expression levels were significantly higher in flowers and inflorescences than in leaves. BjuWRKY12 belonged to the Ⅱc subfamily of the WRKY family, and subcellular localization indicated that the protein was located in the nucleus. Ectopic overexpression of BjuWRKY12 in transgenic lines promoted bolting and flowering, leading to significant increases in the expression levels of flowering integrators SOC1 and FUL. Furthermore, yeast one-hybrid and dual luciferase reporter system assays confirmed that BjuWRKY12 directly bound to the promoters of BjuSOC1 and BjuFUL, undergoing protein-DNA interactions. This discovery gives new insights into the regulation network and molecular mechanisms of BjuWRKY12, laying a theoretical foundation for the breeding of high-yield and high-quality varieties of B. juncea.
Mustard Plant/metabolism* ; Flowers/growth & development* ; Plant Proteins/physiology* ; Promoter Regions, Genetic/genetics* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Plants, Genetically Modified/genetics* ; Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; MADS Domain Proteins/metabolism*

According to the latest 2022 Global Cancer Burden report released by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer,the number of newly diagnosed cancer patients worldwide continues to rise,and this trend is expected to become more pronounced by 2050.In the same year,China's cancer incidence report for 2022 revealed that both the number of new cancer cases and cancer-related deaths have continued to increase compared to previous years,indicating a worrying situation.Amid the growing demand for effective cancer therapies,the development of anti-cancer drugs is gaining significant momentum.Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)has begun to play an increasingly prominent role in the anti-cancer drug market,contributing a unique"Chinese solution"to global cancer treatment.However,TCM is characterized by its multi-component,multi-pathway,and multi-target nature,making it challenging to comprehensively study its anti-cancer mechanisms using traditional research models.Consequently,there is an urgent need to develop new research models that align with the characteristics of TCM.Organoids,as an emerging technology and an ideal preclinical model for human diseases,address the limitations of traditional disease models in TCM research.Their application in the study of TCM's anti-cancer effects is rapidly expanding.This article reviews and summarizes the use of organoid technology in TCM-based anti-cancer research,analyzing its advantages,limitations and developmental trends.

According to the latest 2022 Global Cancer Burden report released by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer,the number of newly diagnosed cancer patients worldwide continues to rise,and this trend is expected to become more pronounced by 2050.In the same year,China's cancer incidence report for 2022 revealed that both the number of new cancer cases and cancer-related deaths have continued to increase compared to previous years,indicating a worrying situation.Amid the growing demand for effective cancer therapies,the development of anti-cancer drugs is gaining significant momentum.Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)has begun to play an increasingly prominent role in the anti-cancer drug market,contributing a unique"Chinese solution"to global cancer treatment.However,TCM is characterized by its multi-component,multi-pathway,and multi-target nature,making it challenging to comprehensively study its anti-cancer mechanisms using traditional research models.Consequently,there is an urgent need to develop new research models that align with the characteristics of TCM.Organoids,as an emerging technology and an ideal preclinical model for human diseases,address the limitations of traditional disease models in TCM research.Their application in the study of TCM's anti-cancer effects is rapidly expanding.This article reviews and summarizes the use of organoid technology in TCM-based anti-cancer research,analyzing its advantages,limitations and developmental trends.

Objective:A comparison was made between the predictive efficacy of the Padua Score and the simplified Assessment Scheme Recommended by Chinese experts (hereinafter referred to as the Simplified Method) for the risk assessment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in medical inpatients, aiming to provide a reference for the clinical selection of appropriate risk assessment tools.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted, selecting 42 257 internal medicine inpatients discharged from Peking University Shenzhen Hospital between May 1, 2021, and April 30, 2022, using a convenience sampling method. Data collected included general information upon admission, VTE-related information, occurrences of VTE during hospitalization, and results from the two assessment tools. The predictive efficacy of the tools was evaluated by plotting ROC curves and calculating AUC, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and predictive accuracy.Results:Among 42 257 patients, there were 21 065 male and 21 192 female participants, aged (55.04 ± 15.17) years old. The incidence rate of VTE among medical inpatients was 2.24% (948/42 257). The AUC for Padua Score and the Simplified Method in medical patients were 0.735 (95% CI 0.717-0.753) and 0.582 (95% CI 0.561-0.602), respectively. Sensitivities were 49.4% and 18.2%, specificities were 89.6% and 98.1%, positive predictive values were 9.9% and 17.7%, negative predictive values were 98.7% and 98.1%, and predictive accuracy were 88.7% and 96.3%, respectively. The departments with the highest incidence rates of VTE during hospitalization were rehabilitation medicine, emergency, neurology, geriatrics, and respiratory medicine. Within these departments, the AUC values for the Padua Score and the Simplified Method were as follows: 0.864 and 0.612, 0.782 and 0.653, 0.792 and 0.664, 0.850 and 0.551, 0.867 and 0.664, respectively. Conclusions:The Padua Score demonstrated better predictive efficacy compared to the Simplified Method. However, the Simplified Method had more accessible assessment criteria and could serve as an initial VTE risk screening tool in emergency situations or when complete data are not available.

Objective:To compare the differences of chemical components between single decoction and mixed decoction with different compatibility ratio of Inulae Flos- Haematitum medicinal pair. Methods:UPLC method was used to determine the contents of 5-caffeoylquinic acid, chlorogenic acid, 4-dicaffeoylquinic acid, caffeic acid, isoquercitrin, isochlorogenic acid B, 1,5- dicaffeoyl quinic acid, isochlorogenic acid C and the fingerprints of the single decoctions and mixed decoctions of Inulae Flos- Haematitum medicinal pair in four groups of proportions. The "peak area/sample weight" value of each common peak in the fingerprints was calculated, and the SPSS 26.0 was used for independent-sample t-test analysis. Results:There are significant differences in the "peak area/weight" values of peak 1, peak 2, peak 4, peak 6 , peak 9, peak 10, peak 12, peak 13, peak 15 between mixed decoction and single decoction of Inulae Flos - Haematitum medicinal pair with different compatibility ratios ( P<0.05), with statistical significance; when the compatibility ratio of Inulae Flos- Haematitum medicinal pair was 3:1, the difference of fingerprints and index components content between single decoction and combined decoction was the largest. Except for peak 7 and peak 14, the difference of "peak area/sample weight" value of other characteristic peaks was statistically significant ( P<0.05), and the content difference of 8 index components was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusion:There are differences in the chemical components of Inulae Flos - Haematitum medicinal pair for single decoction and mixed decoction.

Objective:To study the effects of progesterone on the morphology, proliferation, and secretion of cytokines of human decidual stromal cells (DSCs) in late pregnancy, and to explore the mechanism of progesterone in preventing spontaneous preterm birth.Methods:Human decidual stromal cells in late pregnancy were cultured and treated with different concentrations of progesterone (in the experimental groups, 10 -6 mol/L, 10 -5 mol/L and 10 -4 mol/L progesterone was added to the culture medium respectively, and no progesterone was added to the culture medium of control group). The morphology of DSCs was observed under the microscope, the cell length/width ratio was measured, the proliferation was detected by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) method, and the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA were detected by RT-qPCR. Results:The length/width ratios of DSCs in progesterone 10 -4 mol/L (5.87±0.19) and 10 -5 mol/L (5.98±0.27) groups were lower than that in control group (6.42±0.19), the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.001, P=0.002). The length/width ratio in the 10 -4 mol/L group was lower than that in the 10 -6 mol/L group (6.28±0.32, P=0.005). The proliferation of DSCs in the 10 -5 mol/L (0.70±0.04) and 10 -4 mol/L (0.78±0.04) groups was higher than that in control group (0.59±0.05; P=0.027, P=0.002), and proliferation of DSCs in 10 -4 mol/L group was higher than that in 10 -6 mol/L group (0.61±0.01, P=0.004). The expression of TNF-α mRNA in each progesterone group was lower than that in control group (all P<0.001) and the expression of TNF-α mRNA in the 10 -5 mol/L and 10 -4 mol/L groups was lower than that in the 10 -6 mol/L group (all P<0.001) . The expressions of IL-6 mRNA decreased gradually in control group, 10 -6 mol/L, 10 -5 mol/L and 10 -4 mol/L groups, the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.001). Conclusion:Progesterone can make the decidual stromal cells wider, promote proliferation, and decrease the expressions of TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA, which may play an important role in the mechanism of progesterone preventing spontaneous preterm birth.

Objective:To study the effects of progesterone on the morphology, proliferation, and secretion of cytokines of human decidual stromal cells (DSCs) in late pregnancy, and to explore the mechanism of progesterone in preventing spontaneous preterm birth.Methods:Human decidual stromal cells in late pregnancy were cultured and treated with different concentrations of progesterone (in the experimental groups, 10 -6 mol/L, 10 -5 mol/L and 10 -4 mol/L progesterone was added to the culture medium respectively, and no progesterone was added to the culture medium of control group). The morphology of DSCs was observed under the microscope, the cell length/width ratio was measured, the proliferation was detected by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) method, and the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA were detected by RT-qPCR. Results:The length/width ratios of DSCs in progesterone 10 -4 mol/L (5.87±0.19) and 10 -5 mol/L (5.98±0.27) groups were lower than that in control group (6.42±0.19), the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.001, P=0.002). The length/width ratio in the 10 -4 mol/L group was lower than that in the 10 -6 mol/L group (6.28±0.32, P=0.005). The proliferation of DSCs in the 10 -5 mol/L (0.70±0.04) and 10 -4 mol/L (0.78±0.04) groups was higher than that in control group (0.59±0.05; P=0.027, P=0.002), and proliferation of DSCs in 10 -4 mol/L group was higher than that in 10 -6 mol/L group (0.61±0.01, P=0.004). The expression of TNF-α mRNA in each progesterone group was lower than that in control group (all P<0.001) and the expression of TNF-α mRNA in the 10 -5 mol/L and 10 -4 mol/L groups was lower than that in the 10 -6 mol/L group (all P<0.001) . The expressions of IL-6 mRNA decreased gradually in control group, 10 -6 mol/L, 10 -5 mol/L and 10 -4 mol/L groups, the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.001). Conclusion:Progesterone can make the decidual stromal cells wider, promote proliferation, and decrease the expressions of TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA, which may play an important role in the mechanism of progesterone preventing spontaneous preterm birth.

Objective:To investigate the assessment and occurrence of first-occured venous thromboembolism(VTE) among hospitalized patients.Methods:The clinical data of 6 532 surgical patients in Shenzhen Hospital, Peking University who were admitted from May 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. The demographic data, Caprini score at admission and the incidence of VTE during hospitalization were analyzed by two independent sample t test and chi square test. Results:The Caprini score at admission of 6 532 patients was 1.81 ± 1.71. The number of cases in high, medium and low risks was 363 (5.6%), 1 189 (18.2%), 4 980 (76.2%), respectively. There was significant difference in VTE risk assessment scores and grades in different gender ( t=5.31, χ 2=48.31), length of stay ( F=195.21, χ 2=548.52) and hypertension ( t=17.07, χ 2=280.89), diabetes ( t=12.14, χ 2=51.18), smoking ( F=31.71, χ 2=53.23) and drinking ( F=18.78, χ 2=30.07) ( P<0.05). Forty-four(0.7%) patients got hospital-acquired VTE totally, among which, 24 cases (6.6%) were in high-risk, 14 cases (1.2%) were in medium-risk and 6 cases (0.1%) were in low-risk. What′s more, the top five VTE risky departments based on the assessment were not completely consistent with the top five departments with the highest incidence of VTE. Conclusions:The hospitalized patients are at high risk of VTE. The risk factors of diabetes, hypertension, smoking, drinking and other related factors should be included in the evaluation model. Meanwhile, the VTE risk assessment of in-patients should be emphasized and prophylactic treatments should be taken to reduce the incidence of VTE.

Objective:To develop a negative emotion screening scale for inpatients(NESSI) and test its validity and reliability.Methods:Based on our previous studies and the theory model of psychological stress, the original item pool was established through literature review, expert interviews and patient consultation.The first version of NESSI was constructed by Delphi method, then initially tested in 421 inpatients followed by the project analysis and reliability test. After those above, the formal scale was developed and tested in 318 inpatients followed by confirmatory factor analysis and reliability test.Finally, 7-item generalized anxiety disorder scale (GAD-7), 9-item patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9), anger state expression scale (SAS) and simplified Chinese version of fear of disease progression scale(FoP-Q-SF) were used to test the criterion validity.Results:After exploratory factor analysis, 17 items were retained in the final scale, which can be categorized into four dimensions: fear of illness, depression, somatization and anger, which could explain 63.49% of the total variation.Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the fitting degree of each factor model was good and met the requirements of reference value (χ 2/ df=2.949, RMR=0.044, CFI=0.929, NFI=0.897, IFI=0.930, TLI=0.915, PGFI=0.655, RMSEA=0.078). The Cronbach's α coefficient of the total scale was 0.925, and the Cronbach's α coefficient of the four factors ranged from 0.762 to 0.898.The criterion validity showed that there was a significant positive correlation between the scale and the four criterion scales ( r= 0.574-0.805, all P<0.01). Conclusion:The NESSI scale has good reliability and validity, and can be used as a psychological problem screening tool among non-psychiatric inpatients.