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.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease. The heterotopic colonization of periodontal pathogens results in the development of several systemic diseases. Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), a key pathogen for periodontitis, has been linked to the development of various cancers, such as oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), lung cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, and prostate cancer. P. gingivalis promote the progression of tumor through various mechanisms, P. gingivalis regulates proteins targeting cell cycle and apoptosis to promote proliferation of tumor cells directly, enhances tumor stemness by upregulating the expression of cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) and cluster of differentiation 133 (CD133), activates inflammasome and p38/c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1(JNK) pathways, regulates tumor-associated neutrophil (TAN) polarization to remodel the tumor microenvironment, regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to promote tumor metastasis, remodel macrophage function to evade host immune response, and regulates multi-communicating with symbiotic bacteria. In addition, P. gingivalis accelerates the progression of esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer by promoting cell proliferation, inhibiting apoptosis, inducing chronic inflammation, and escaping immunity. However, the oral microbiome is a complex system, whether the interactions between oral bacteria affect tumor progression needs to be further investigated.

ObjectiveThe research focuses on developing modeling and evaluation methodologies for an animal model exhibiting spleen deficiency and dampness excess syndrome， with the aim of standardizing such animal models for future reference. MethodsBy conducting a literature search on animal models of spleen deficiency and dampness excess syndrome， relevant publications meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria will be identified based on publication date， data source， types of diseases involved， animal characteristics， modeling methods， modeling duration， macroscopic syndrome assessment indicators， macroscopic quantification indicators， laboratory testing parameters， intervention approaches， positive controls and application context. A database will be established to facilitate the extraction of this information for quantitative analysis， statistical evaluation， and visual representation. ResultsA total of 137 literature articles meeting the standards have been included in the research. The primary animal species used in animal models of spleen deficiency and dampness excess are SD rats. Modeling methods include single-factor， dual-factor composite， and triple-factor composite methods， with various models widely applied in validation of pharmacological effects and mechanistic explorations. Evaluation indices of animal models for spleen deficiency and dampness excess primarily consist of macroscopic syndrome evaluation indicators and macroscopic quantitative indicators. Laboratory testing indicators are mostly related to research areas such as fluid metabolism and gastrointestinal function. The most commonly studied herbal formulas currently include Shenling Baizhu San and Pingwei San， with natural recovery and the use of the western medicine metronidazole as the most frequently used positive controls. ConclusionThe application of animal models for spleen deficiency and dampness excess is gradually increasing， with various modeling methods already simulating the typical characteristics of this syndrome pattern. However， there are still many areas that are worth contemplating and improving. This study aims to provide reference and ideas for the standardization of symptom names in animal models of spleen deficiency and dampness excess， as well as for the improvement of model construction and evaluation systems.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the most common type of head and neck malignancy, has a poor prognosis owing to its high invasiveness and high rate of cervical lymph node metastasis. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex microenvironment that is essential for tumor cell survival. Tumor-associated immune cell (TAIC), the main stromal cell of TME, regulates the proliferation, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT), and anti-tumor immunity of OSCC. M2-tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) promote the invasion and metastasis of OSCC through the macrophage migration inhibitory factor/NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3/interleukin (IL)-1β axis, while N2-tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) regulate the proliferation and EMT of OSCC through the Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 pathway. Meanwhile, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) accelerate the progression of OSCC by secreting IL-6, IL-10, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β; T cells promote inflammation by secreting IL-17 and inhibit inflammation-mediated tumor immune response by secreting IL-10 and TGF-β; and natural killer (NK) cells recognize and attack OSCC cells to inhibit OSCC progression. TAIC interaction network also regulates OSCC progression. M2-TAMs regulate the invasion and metastasis of OSCC by promoting T cell apoptosis through the secretion of IL-10 and programmed death-ligand (PD-L) -1, while N2-TANs inhibit T cell proliferation and cytotoxicity by secreting LOX-1 and arginase-1. MDSCs inhibit the proliferation and anti-tumor effects of CD8+ T cells through the inactivation of programmed cell death (PD)-1/PD-L1 signaling. Additionally, MDSCs inhibit the proliferation of T cells by decreasing the expression of the CD3-zeta chain and interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Moreover, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and NK cells were found to be positively correlated in OSCC progression. Therefore, target regulation, related signaling pathways, and the interaction network of TAIC may serve as promising therapeutic targets in the immunotherapy of OSCC. In this review, we summarize the recent research on the effects of TAIC and their interaction network in the TME in the progression of OSCC and explore its application in the early diagnosis and treatment of OSCC

[Objective] To conduct serological identification and molecular mechanism study on a ambiguous ABO blood group. [Methods] Standard serological techniques were used for the forward and reverse typing of ABO blood type. ABO gene coding and regulatory regions were analyzed by PCR after DNA extraction. Monoclonal sequencing was used to detect the haplotypes of the DNA sequence, and bioinformatics analysis was applied to predict the possible translation outcomes of the mutated DNA sequence. [Results] The sample’s red blood cells showed mixed field agglutination with anti-A, and the serum agglutinated with B cells, exhibiting serological characteristics of subtype A. Direct sequencing and monoclonal sequencing analysis of the ABO gene confirmed one allele as O02, the other had a c.27delC mutation compared with A102, which could cause the translation sequence to terminate prematurely at the 19th amino acids. Analysis and prediction suggested that the mutation might affect the function of the transferase through mechanisms such as shifting the initiation codon, altering the reading frame and affecting the splice sites. [Conclusion] This case is a rare A subtype caused by the c.27delC variation, and the impact on the glycosyltransferase may involve multiple mechanisms, which require further research and exploration.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative condition characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory loss. As the incidence of AD continues to rise annually, researchers have shown keen interest in the active components found in natural plants and their neuroprotective effects against AD. Quercetin, a flavonol widely present in fruits and vegetables, has multiple biological effects including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. Oxidative stress plays a central role in the pathogenesis of AD, and the antioxidant properties of quercetin are essential for its neuroprotective function. Quercetin can modulate multiple signaling pathways related to AD, such as Nrf2-ARE, JNK, p38 MAPK, PON2, PI3K/Akt, and PKC, all of which are closely related to oxidative stress. Furthermore, quercetin is capable of inhibiting the aggregation of β‑amyloid protein (Aβ) and the phosphorylation of tau protein, as well as the activity of β‑secretase 1 and acetylcholinesterase, thus slowing down the progression of the disease.The review also provides insights into the pharmacokinetic properties of quercetin, including its absorption, metabolism, and excretion, as well as its bioavailability challenges and clinical applications. To improve the bioavailability and enhance the targeting of quercetin, the potential of quercetin nanomedicine delivery systems in the treatment of AD is also discussed. In summary, the multifaceted mechanisms of quercetin against AD provide a new perspective for drug development. However, translating these findings into clinical practice requires overcoming current limitations and ongoing research. In this way, its therapeutic potential in the treatment of AD can be fully utilized.

Currently, the drug delivery system (DDS) based on nanomaterials has become a hot interdisciplinary research topic. One of the core issues is drug loading and controlled release, in which the key lever is carriers. Vaterite, as an inorganic porous nano-material, is one metastable structure of calcium carbonate, full of micro or nano porous. Recently, vaterite has attracted more and more attention, due to its significant advantages, such as rich resources, easy preparations, low cost, simple loading procedures, good biocompatibility and many other good points. Vaterite, gained from suitable preparation strategies, can not only possess the good drug carrying performance, like high loading capacity and stable loading efficiency, but also improve the drug release ability, showing the better drug delivery effects, such as targeting release, pH sensitive release, photothermal controlled release, magnetic assistant release, optothermal controlled release. At the same time, the vaterite carriers, with good safety itself, can protect proteins, enzymes, or other drugs from degradation or inactivation, help imaging or visualization with loading fluorescent drugs in vitro and in vivo, and play synergistic effects with other therapy approaches, like photodynamic therapy, sonodynamic therapy, and thermochemotherapy. Latterly, some renewed reports in drug loading and controlled release have led to their widespread applications in diverse fields, from cell level to clinical studies. This review introduces the basic characteristics of vaterite and briefly summarizes its research history, followed by synthesis strategies. We subsequently highlight recent developments in drug loading and controlled release, with an emphasis on the advantages, quantity capacity, and comparations. Furthermore, new opportunities for using vaterite in cell level and animal level are detailed. Finally, the possible problems and development trends are discussed.

Supercooling preservation technology, as a groundbreaking innovation in the field of organ preservation, significantly reduces the metabolic rate of cells and inhibits ice crystal formation by placing organs in a low-temperature environment near or below the freezing point. This technology extends the preservation time of organs and maintains their biological activity. Compared with the traditional low-temperature preservation at 4 °C, supercooling preservation effectively avoids cell damage and the accumulation of metabolic products, demonstrating significant advantages in the preservation of cells, tissues and organs. In recent years, important progress has been made in the optimization of cryoprotectants, the application of antifreeze proteins, the improvement of vitrification technology, and the development of nanotechnology-based rewarming techniques. These advancements provide new pathways to address the challenges of toxicity, ice crystal formation and uneven rewarming rates during supercooling preservation. This review summarizes the basic principles of supercooling preservation, the application of key technologies, and their practical effects in organ transplantation. It also analyzes the challenges of toxicity and rewarming efficiency, aiming to provide theoretical support and research directions for the future optimization of organ low-temperature preservation technology and its clinical application.

Hypothalamic neural stem cells (htNSCs) are a type of glial-like neural stem cell located in the hypothalamus, possessing unique biological characteristics. They not only have the capacity to proliferate and differentiate but can also migrate into the parenchymal regions of the hypothalamus, further developing into neurons and successfully integrating into neural circuits. HtNSCs play multiple key physiological roles in the adult hypothalamus, including contributing to the formation of the blood-hypothalamic barrier (BHB), which is crucial for maintaining the stability of the hypothalamic environment. Through the BHB, htNSCs facilitate the effective diffusion of small molecules between the blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and hypothalamic parenchyma, thereby ensuring the proper transmission of nutrients and signaling molecules. In addition, htNSCs can sense fluctuations in blood glucose levels and regulate the release of neuropeptides accordingly, thus influencing the body’s energy metabolism and endocrine balance. However, as the body ages, the function of htNSCs gradually declines. Studies have shown that the aging of htNSCs has significant adverse effects on energy metabolism, sex hormone secretion, and overall hypothalamic function. During the aging process, the proliferative and differentiative capacities of htNSCs diminish, leading to reduced neuronal replenishment and subsequently impairing the hypothalamus’s ability to regulate energy balance. Furthermore, aging htNSCs may secrete inflammatory factors that disrupt the endocrine functions of the hypothalamus, thereby affecting sex hormone secretion. This impact extends beyond the hypothalamus itself and may exert widespread effects on the entire endocrine system through pathways such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Fortunately, research has found that transplanting young htNSCs can effectively alleviate neurological and skeletal muscle dysfunction associated with aging. This transplantation therapy replenishes active htNSCs, restoring normal hypothalamic function and thereby improving the body’s energy metabolism and neuromuscular function. These findings offer new perspectives and potential therapeutic strategies for anti-aging interventions. In recent years, the role of htNSCs in regulating energy metabolism and promoting aging has attracted significant attention from researchers. Studies have shown that the aging of htNSCs is closely linked to the development of various diseases. For instance, in obesity and metabolic syndrome, htNSC dysfunction may lead to disturbances in energy metabolism. Moreover, the aging of htNSCs has also been associated with the onset of neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, in-depth research into the mechanisms underlying htNSC aging is crucial for understanding the pathogenesis of these conditions. This article briefly reviews the classification of htNSCs, the impacts of their aging on bodily functions, their relationship with related diseases, and the regulatory mechanisms that promote htNSC regeneration. Some strategies aimed at promoting htNSC regeneration and counteracting their aging appear to influence the overall aging phenotype of organisms. For example, studies have shown that modulating specific signaling pathways or gene expression can promote htNSC regeneration, thereby delaying the aging process. Additionally, certain natural products or pharmacological agents may also influence htNSC aging. Further research on htNSC aging will enhance our understanding of the hypothalamus’s role in systemic aging and elucidate the reasons behind gender differences in aging patterns. Moreover, these studies may offer novel approaches and therapeutic targets for improving energy metabolism disorders and treating diseases associated with gonadal hormone abnormalities. In summary, htNSCs play a vital role in the physiological functions of the hypothalamus and the aging process. Further investigation into the mechanisms and regulatory pathways of htNSC aging will aid in the development of new anti-aging therapies and provide innovative strategies for the treatment of related diseases.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder that significantly impacts patients’ independence and quality of life, imposing a substantial burden on both individuals and society. Although dopaminergic replacement therapies provide temporary relief from various symptoms, their long-term use often leads to motor complications, limiting overall effectiveness. In recent years, non-invasive deep brain stimulation (DBS) techniques have emerged as promising therapeutic alternatives for PD, offering a means to modulate deep brain regions with high precision without invasive procedures. These techniques include temporal interference stimulation (TIs), low-intensity transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation (LITFUS), transcranial magneto-acoustic stimulation (TMAS), non-invasive optogenetic modulation, and non-invasive magnetoelectric stimulation. They have demonstrated significant potential in alleviating various PD symptoms by modulating neural activity within specific deep brain structures affected by the disease. Among these approaches, TIs and LITFUS have received considerable attention. TIs generate low-frequency interference by applying two slightly different high-frequency electric fields, targeting specific brain areas to alleviate symptoms such as tremors and bradykinesia. LITFUS, on the other hand, uses low-intensity focused ultrasound to non-invasively stimulate deep brain structures, showing promise in improving both motor function and cognition in PD patients. The other three techniques, while still in early research stages, also hold significant promise for deep brain modulation and broader clinical applications, potentially complementing existing treatment strategies. Despite these promising findings, significant challenges remain in translating these techniques into clinical practice. The heterogeneous nature of PD, characterized by variable disease progression and individualized treatment responses, necessitates flexible protocols tailored to each patient’s unique needs. Additionally, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying these treatments is crucial for refining protocols and maximizing their therapeutic potential. Personalized medicine approaches, such as the integration of neuroimaging and biomarkers, will be pivotal in customizing stimulation parameters to optimize efficacy. Furthermore, while early-stage clinical trials have reported improvements in certain symptoms, long-term efficacy and safety data are limited. To validate these techniques, large-scale, multi-center, randomized controlled trials are essential. Parallel advancements in device design, including the development of portable and cost-effective systems, will improve patient access and adherence to treatment protocols. Combining non-invasive DBS with other interventions, such as pharmacological treatments and physical therapy, could also provide a more comprehensive and synergistic approach to managing PD. In conclusion, non-invasive deep brain stimulation techniques represent a promising frontier in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. While they have demonstrated considerable potential in improving symptoms and restoring neural function, further research is needed to refine protocols, validate long-term outcomes, and optimize clinical applications. With ongoing technological and scientific advancements, these methods could offer PD patients safer, more effective, and personalized treatment options, ultimately improving their quality of life and reducing the societal burden of the disease.