ObjectiveTo characterize the quality differences among different germplasm and introduced varieties of Bupleurum scorzonerifolium roots（BSR）， and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms， providing a basis for high-quality production and quality control. MethodsWild BSR from Yulin（YLW） served as the quality reference， we conducted comparative analysis among YLW， locally domesticated wild germplasm in Yulin（YLC3）， Daqing germplasm introduced and cultivated in Yulin（YLDQC3）， and locally cultivated germplasm in Daqing（DQC3）. A combination of traditional pharmacognostic methods and modern multi-omics analyses was employed， including macroscopic traits（appearance， odor）， microscopic features（proportions of cork， phloem， xylem）， cell wall component contents（hemicellulose， cellulose， lignin）， carbohydrate contents（starch， water-soluble polysaccharides）， marker compound contents（ethanol-soluble extracts， total saponins， liposoluble extracts， and saikosaponins A， B₂， C， D）， metabolomics， and transcriptomics， in order to systematically characterize quality differences and investigate molecular mechanisms among these samples. ResultsMacroscopically， Yulin-produced BSR（YLW， YLC3， YLDQC3） exhibited significantly greater weight， length， and upper and middle diameters than Daqing-produced BSR（DQC3）. Odor-wise， YLW and YLC3 had a a fragrance taste， YLDQC3 had a rancid oil odor， and DQC3 had a sweet and fragrant taste. Microscopically， Yulin germplasm（YLW， YLC3） and Daqing germplasm（YLDQC3， DQC3） shared similar structural features， respectively. However， Yulin germplasm showed significantly higher proportions of cork and phloem， as well as stronger xylem vessel staining intensity compared to Daqing germplasm. Regarding various component contents， Yulin germplasm contained significantly higher levels of ethanol-soluble extracts， total saponins， and saikosaponins A， B₂， C， D， while Daqing germplasm had significantly higher levels of hemicellulose， starch， and liposoluble extracts. After introduction to Yulin， the Daqing germplasm（YLDQC3） showed increased starch， water-soluble polysaccharides and liposoluble extracts contents， decreased cell wall component content， but no significant difference in other component contents. Metabolomics revealed that saponins and terpenes accumulated significantly in Yulin germplasm， while alcohols and aldehydes accumulated predominantly in Daqing germplasm. Transcriptomics indicated similar gene expression patterns within the same germplasm but specificity between different germplasms. Integrative metabolomic-transcriptomic analysis identified 145 potential key genes associated with the saikosaponin biosynthesis pathway， including one acetyl-coenzyme A（CoA） acetyltransferase gene（ACAT）， one 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A synthase gene（HMGS）， two hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA（HMG-CoA） reductase genes（HMG）， one phosphomevalonate kinase gene（PMK）， one 1-deoxy-D-xylose-5-phosphate synthase gene（CLA）， one hydroxymethylbuten-1-aldol synthase gene（HDR）， two farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase genes（FPPS）， one squalene synthase gene（SQS）， one β-amyrin synthase gene（BAS）， 102 cytochrome P450（CYP450） gene family members， and 32 uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase（UGT） gene family members. ConclusionAmong the three cultivated types， YLC3 most closely resembles YLW in appearance， microscopic features， contents of major bioactive constituents， metabolomic and transcriptomic profiles. Yulin germplasm exhibits superior saponin synthesis capability compared to Daqing germplasm， and Yulin region is more suitable for the growth of B. scorzonerifolium. Based on these findings， it is recommended that artificial cultivation in northern Shaanxi and similar regions utilize the local Yulin germplasm source cultivated for at least three years.

ObjectiveBased on the traditional quality evaluation methods summarized in previous dynasties， this paper systematically contrasted the quality differences between wild Polygalae Radix（WPR） and cultivated Polygalae Radix（CPR） from the aspects of character， microscope and chemical composition by modern scientific and technological means， providing a basis for high-quality production and quality control. MethodsCPR and local WPR in Yulin city， Shaanxi province from 1 to 6 years were collected， and a systematic comparative analysis was conducted using traditional pharmacognosy research methods combined with modern multi-omics analysis techniques， including character traits（length， weight， diameter）， cross-sectional microscopic features（proportions of cork， phloem， xylem， etc）， cell wall component content（hemicellulose， cellulose， lignin）， extracts content（water-soluble extract and alcohol-soluble extract）， carbohydrate content（starch， water-soluble polysaccharides）， contents of total flavonoids， total saponins and specific marker compounds（3，6′-disinapoyl sucrose， polygalaxanthone Ⅲ， tenuifoliside A， tenuifoliside C， sibiricose A₅ and A₆） and other indexes. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-TOF-MS） was employed to conduct comparative analysis of secondary metabolites in WPR and CPR， and multivariate statistical analysis such as principal component analysis（PCA） and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis（OPLS-DA） were combined to screen the key differential components of them. ResultsIn terms of appearance， there were significant differences between WPR and CPR. The characteristics of WPR conformed to the "thick wrinkles on the epidermis" recorded in ancient books， featuring a wrinkled surface and grayish-brown appearance. However， CPR had a finer texture and a yellowish white appearance， with weight， length， and diameter increasing with longer cultivation periods. In terms of microscopy， WPR exhibited a thick cork layer with fissures in the phloem， whereas CPR had a thinner cork layer with uniformly arranged cork cells. Younger PR specimens showed numerous phloem fissures in cross-sections， while older specimens display progressively denser arrangements of phloem parenchyma cells. In terms of the contents of various major components， the contents of water-soluble extract， starch and total saponins in WPR were inversely proportional to the root diameter， while the contents of water-soluble extract， water-soluble polysaccharides and total saponins in CPR decreased with the increase of planting years. The content of xanthones in WPR was significantly higher than that of CPR， while the contents of other major components showed no significant change pattern. Among the six indicator components， the average content of sibiricose A₅ in WPR was significantly higher than that of CPR， followed by slightly higher content of tenuifoliside A. In CPR， the relative content of 3，6′-disinapoyl sucrose and tenuifoliside A was the highest. The former showed an increase in volatility with increasing cultivation years， while the latter showed a decrease in volatility. The results of differential compound analysis based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS showed that there were significant differences in metabolites between WPR and CPR samples. Among them， the seven compounds with the largest differences among WPR samples of different thicknesses were polygalasaponins， and for CPR with different planting years， the main differential compounds were oligosaccharide esters. ConclusionThere are differences between WPR and CPR in character， microscopic structure and chemical composition， and some components are inversely proportional with the increase of diameter and cultivation duration due to the distribution characteristics. However， the longer the cultivation years of PR， the closer it is to the "thick wrinkles on the epidermis" of WPR， which has been respected by generations. It is suggested that this traditional character combined with modern component contents should be used as the index of artificial cultivation and quality control of PR.

To elucidate the genomic characteristics of Salmonella strains derived from sheep,this study employed various methods,including bacterial isolation and identification,biochemical identi-fication,pathogenicity test,whole-genome sequencing,and BLAST comparison,along with the screening of integrative conjugative elements(ICE)using ICEfinder and EasyFig for comparative analysis,as well as plasmid comparisons utilizing PlasmidBrig.The results revealed the isolation of a Gram-negative,non-spore-forming bacillus from nasal swabs of diseased sheep,which formed gray-white,smooth-surfaced,and neatly edged circular colonies on TSA sheep blood agar.On XLT-4 agar medium,it produced smooth-surfaced,white,circular colonies.The bacterium was identified as Salmonella enterica through 16S rRNA sequencing and biochemical identification.This bacteri-um induces hemorrhaging in the intestines of guinea pigs,resulting in their demise within a 48-hour period.The pathogen exhibits high virulence.Whole-genome alignment demonstrated a high degree of homology with Salmonella enterica subsp.diarizonae serotype 61:k:1,5,(7).ICE screen-ing and comparative analysis indicated the presence of a novel ICE in this strain,characterized by a core structural framework that includes an integrative shear module,a mobilizable processing mod-ule,a conjugative pair formation module,and a regulatory module.Notably,ICE from different spe-cies containing the same integrase exhibited identical inverted repeat sequences and insertion sites at tRNAPhe.Plasmid homology comparisons revealed that plasmid sequences from different strains of Salmonella enterica subsp.diarizonae serotype 61:k:1,5,(7)also showed high homology;however,the homology with plasmid sequences from other Salmonella and Escherichia coli strains was only 50％.These findings indicate that the isolated strain is Salmonella enterica subsp.diarizonae serotype 61:k:1,5,(7)and contains a novel ICE as well as a plasmid.This study fur-ther enriches the molecular epidemiology of Salmonella and provides a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of infections caused by this pathogen.

Objective:To investigate microstructural alterations in the optic chiasm and optic radiations of multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) based on diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI).Methods:This study was a cross-sectional study. Retrospective analyses were conducted on the clinical and imaging data of 63 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and 62 patients with NMOSD diagnosed at First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 2019 to December 2023. According to the occurrence of optic neuritis (ON), they were categorized into ON-positive MS (ON+MS) group (40 cases), ON-negative MS (ON-MS) group (23 cases), ON-positive NMOSD (ON+NMOSD) group (40 cases) and ON-negative NMOSD (ON-NMOSD) group (22 cases). In addition, 40 healthy controls were enrolled during the same period. DKI data of all subjects were collected, and DKI post-processing was performed to obtain fractional anisotropy (FA), mean kurtosis (MK), axial kurtosis (AK), and radial kurtosis (RK) values of the optic chiasm and bilateral optic radiations. The scores of the mini-mental state examination (MMSE), montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), and expanded disability status scale (EDSS) were obtained. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze the differences in DKI parameters of the optic chiasm and bilateral optic radiation among the 5 groups, and the Holm-Bonferroni method was employed for multiple comparison correction in pairwise comparisons.Results:There were statistically significant overall differences in the DKI parameters of the optic chiasm and bilateral optic radiations among healthy control group, ON+MS group, ON-MS group, ON+NMOSD group, and ON-NMOSD group (all P0.05). The FA value of the optic chiasm in ON+NMOSD group was significantly lower than that of healthy control group and ON-MS group, as well as ON-NMOSD group ( P0.05). The FA value of the left optic radiation in ON+NMOSD group was lower than that in healthy control group and the ON-MS group. The RK value of the optic chiasm in ON+MS group was lower than that in the healthy control group and ON-NMOSD group ( P0.05). The MK and RK values of the left optic radiation in ON-MS group were significantly lower than those in the ON+NMOSD group and ON-NMOSD group ( P0.05). Conclusions:NMOSD and RRMS patients demonstrate varying degrees of microstructural damage in the optic chiasm and optic radiations. Differences of DKI parameters suggest different pathological mechanisms of visual pathway damage between NMOSD and MS, which may be helpful for early detection of occult visual pathway lesions.

BACKGROUND: Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is indicated as a broad-spectrum medicine for a variety of diseases, including cancer and cardiac disease. While the role of ATO in hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury (HIRI) has not been reported. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify the effects of ATO on HIRI. METHODS: In the present study, we established a 70% hepatic warm I/R injury and partial hepatectomy (30% resection) animal models in vivo and hepatocytes anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R) models in vitro with ATO pretreatment and further assessed liver function by histopathologic changes, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, cell counting kit-8, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) for extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 was transfected to evaluate the role of ERK1/2 pathway during HIRI, followed by ATO pretreatment. The dynamic process of autophagic flux and numbers of autophagosomes were detected by green fluorescent protein-monomeric red fluorescent protein-LC3 (GFP-mRFP-LC3) staining and transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: A low dose of ATO (0.75 μmol/L in vitro and 1 mg/kg in vivo ) significantly reduced tissue necrosis, inflammatory infiltration, and hepatocyte apoptosis during the process of hepatic I/R. Meanwhile, ATO obviously promoted the ability of cell proliferation and liver regeneration. Mechanistically, in vitro  studies have shown that nontoxic concentrations of ATO can activate both ERK and phosphoinositide 3-kinase-serine/threonine kinase (PI3K-AKT) pathways and further induce autophagy. The hepatoprotective mechanism of ATO, at least in part, relies on the effects of ATO on the activation of autophagy, which is ERK-dependent. CONCLUSION Low, non-toxic doses of ATO can activate ERK/PI3K-AKT pathways and induce ERK-dependent autophagy in hepatocytes, protecting liver against I/R injury and accelerating hepatocyte regeneration after partial hepatectomy.
Animals ; Arsenic Trioxide ; Autophagy/physiology* ; Reperfusion Injury/prevention & control* ; Mice ; Male ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/physiology* ; Arsenicals/therapeutic use* ; Oxides/therapeutic use* ; Liver/metabolism* ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of endovascular therapy (EVT) guided by noncontrast CT (NCCT) in patients with large vessel occlusive stroke within a late window (6-24 hours after onset).Methods:Consecutive patients with acute large vessel occlusive stroke within a late window admitted to the General Hospital of Wanbei Coal-electricity Group Co., Ltd from July 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024 were included retrospectively. All patients completed CT angiography or magnetic resonance angiography to confirm the presence of anterior circulation large vessel occlusion and rule out intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). The Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) ≥4 as assessed by NCCT images was used as the EVT screening criteria. The main outcome measure was the functional outcome assessed by the modified Rankin Scale at 90 days after onset, 0-2 was defined as good outcome. The secondary outcome measures were symptomatic ICH (sICH) and death within 90 days. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent influencing factors of functional outcome. Results:A total of 74 patients with large vessel occlusive stroke within the late window were enrolled, including 42 males (56.8%), aged 68.69±11.62 years (range, 47-89 years), with a baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score 11.20±5.12 and a median baseline ASPECTS 7 (interquartile range, 6-8). Ten (13.5%) and 7 patients (9.5%) respectively experienced any ICH and sICH, and 7 (9.5%) died within 90 days after onset. Twenty-seven patients (36.5%) received EVT, 47 (63.5%) only received conventional drug treatment; 20 (27.0%) had good outcome, and 54 (73.0%) had poor outcome. Univariate analysis showed that the good outcome rate in the EVT group at 90 days was significantly higher than that in the non-EVT group (40.7% vs. 19.1%; χ2=4.054, P=0.044), and there was no significant difference in the proportion of patients in sICH (11.1% vs. 8.5%; χ2=0.701, P=0.505) and who died within 90 days (7.4% vs. 10.6%; χ2=1.000, P=0.495) compared to the non-EVT group. The proportion of patients receiving EVT in the good outcome group was significantly higher than that in the poor outcome group (60.0% vs. 27.8%; χ2=6.539, P=0.011). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that EVT was an independent influencing factor of good outcome (odds ratio 0.440, 95% confidence interval 0.144-0.987; P=0.041). Conclusion:Compared with the conventional drug treatment alone, EVT guided by NCCT evaluation can achieve better outcome in patients with large vessel occlusion stroke within late window, and does not increase the risk of sICH and death within 90 days.

Objective To assess the technical levels of computed tomography (CT) quality control testing capabilities among radiological health technology service institutions in Hubei Province, China. Methods Ten radiological health technology service institutions in Hubei Province were organized to participate in an inter-institutional capability comparison of selected indicators in CT quality control testing with reference to the Specification for testing of quality control in X-ray computed tomography (WS 519—2019). The robust Z-score method was employed to evaluate the results of the capability comparison data from the ten institutions. Results Six institutions achieved a "satisfactory" rating in all assessed indicators, with a satisfaction rate of 60%. Indicators rated as "unsatisfactory" or "questionable" included "positioning light accuracy", "uniformity", "noise", and "high-contrast resolution". Conclusion The CT quality control testing capabilities of some radiological health technology service institutions in Hubei Province require further enhancement. Improved training and education for testing personnel are recommended.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 1 (PTPN1) gene polymorphism and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).Methods:In this case-control study, 4 835 pregnant women who delivered from March, 2012 to July, 2014 in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University were consecutively enrolled. Among them, 789 cases were diagnosed with GDM. A simple random sampling method was used to select 334 pregnant women with GDM as the case group, and 334 healthy pregnant women matched by maternal age, gestation time and residence were set as control. The DNA genotyping was performed in the subjects, and those with genotyping deletions10% were excluded; and finally, 322 and 317 subjects were included in case and control group, respectively. Under the codominant, dominant, recessive, and allelic genetic models, the unconditional logistic regression model was used to check the relationship between 13 candidate single nucleotide polymorphism (snp) loci in PTPN1 gene and the risk of GDM. The Haploview was used to analyze the relationship between haplotypes and risk of GDM, and multiple comparisons were adjusted with the false discovery rate (FDR) method.Results:The age of the 639 pregnant women analyzed in this study was (30.28±4.32) years. The proportions of pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI)≥24.0 kg/m 2 and having a family history of diabetes were significantly higher in the GDM group compared to those in the control group (29.19% vs 16.72% and 13.04% vs 6.31%, respectively, both P0.05). The rs6096644 locus was positively associated with increased risk of GDM in co-dominant (GG vs AA, OR=2.76, 95% CI: 1.18-6.44) and recessive (GG vs AA+AG, OR=2.78, 95% CI: 1.20-6.46) genetic models (all q0.2). The rs6096655 locus was positively associated with increased risk of GDM in codominant (AA vs GG, OR=5.90, 95% CI: 1.27-27.36) and recessive (AA vs GG+GA, OR=5.50, 95% CI: 1.19-25.38) and alleles (A vs G, OR=1.51, 95% CI: 1.09-2.08) genetic models (all q0.2). The rs6013317 locus was associated with an increased risk of GDM in the allele (A vs G, OR=1.74, 95% CI: 1.15-2.63) genetic model (all q0.2). The GAGG haplotype and GGAG haplotype in haplotype block 1 (rs4811262, rs6096646, rs6096655, rs6013317), and the GGGA haplotype in haplotype block 2 (rs6068018, rs6123105, rs6013324, rs2869621) of the PTPN1 gene were all positively associated with an increased risk of GDM (all P0.05). Conclusion:PTPN1 gene polymorphisms may associated with risk of GDM, moreover, complex haplotype structures within the gene influence the risk of GDM.

Objective:To evaluate the application effect of improved problem-based learning (PBL) based on 5W2H thinking in the course of "massage therapy".Methods:The undergraduate students in Class 1 and Class 2 of Acupuncture and Massage in the first semester of the 2023-2024 academic year at Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine were selected as the research subjects. The "massage therapy" was taught in Class 1 with the traditional method (control group, n=66) and in Class 2 with the method of improved PBL with 5W2H thinking (observation group, n=68). The two groups of students were compared in terms of theoretical knowledge of massage therapy, the assessment of massage skills, comprehensive ability, innovation ability, and practical ability, as well as the procedural evaluation indicators of massage. SPSS 25.0 was used for normality test and t test χ2 test. Results:After the completion of the study, the observation group showed higher scores in theoretical knowledge (90.56±11.73), massage skill proficiency [(87.22±11.57) vs. (78.23±9.45)], massage skill demonstration [(84.56±11.20) vs. (74.69±9.13)], mannequin usage [(82.98±10.75) vs. (72.66±8.89)], and massage skill mechanics [(86.38±11.45) vs. (73.35±8.94)] compared to the control group. The observation group also outperformed the control group in medical humanities [(85.53±10.64) vs. (64.86±7.33)], teacher-student and student-student interaction [(85.35±8.67) vs. (80.15±7.46)], clinical thinking and operation [(90.05±12.13) vs. (74.26±8.94)], and team coordination and cooperation [(85.60±10.06) vs. (81.53±9.33)]. In addition, the observation group scored higher than the control group in learning participation rate [(18.20±3.75) vs. (13.15±2.93)], error correction rate [(27.56±5.85) vs. (22.11±4.62)], operational stability [(48.43±7.79) vs. (42.06±6.60)], and total score [(94.19±7.56) vs. (77.32±6.78)].Conclusions:The application of improved PBL based on 5W2H thinking in the course of "massage therapy" has significant clinical implications. It can not only improve the teaching quality and effect, but also cultivate students' clinical thinking, teamwork, learning interest, and innovation ability, making it suitable for further promotion and application.

To elucidate the genomic characteristics of Salmonella strains derived from sheep,this study employed various methods,including bacterial isolation and identification,biochemical identi-fication,pathogenicity test,whole-genome sequencing,and BLAST comparison,along with the screening of integrative conjugative elements(ICE)using ICEfinder and EasyFig for comparative analysis,as well as plasmid comparisons utilizing PlasmidBrig.The results revealed the isolation of a Gram-negative,non-spore-forming bacillus from nasal swabs of diseased sheep,which formed gray-white,smooth-surfaced,and neatly edged circular colonies on TSA sheep blood agar.On XLT-4 agar medium,it produced smooth-surfaced,white,circular colonies.The bacterium was identified as Salmonella enterica through 16S rRNA sequencing and biochemical identification.This bacteri-um induces hemorrhaging in the intestines of guinea pigs,resulting in their demise within a 48-hour period.The pathogen exhibits high virulence.Whole-genome alignment demonstrated a high degree of homology with Salmonella enterica subsp.diarizonae serotype 61:k:1,5,(7).ICE screen-ing and comparative analysis indicated the presence of a novel ICE in this strain,characterized by a core structural framework that includes an integrative shear module,a mobilizable processing mod-ule,a conjugative pair formation module,and a regulatory module.Notably,ICE from different spe-cies containing the same integrase exhibited identical inverted repeat sequences and insertion sites at tRNAPhe.Plasmid homology comparisons revealed that plasmid sequences from different strains of Salmonella enterica subsp.diarizonae serotype 61:k:1,5,(7)also showed high homology;however,the homology with plasmid sequences from other Salmonella and Escherichia coli strains was only 50％.These findings indicate that the isolated strain is Salmonella enterica subsp.diarizonae serotype 61:k:1,5,(7)and contains a novel ICE as well as a plasmid.This study fur-ther enriches the molecular epidemiology of Salmonella and provides a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of infections caused by this pathogen.