ObjectiveBased on whole-animal mass spectrometry imaging technology， spatial metabolomics was used to characterize in situ the metabolic alteration patterns in the lungs and brain of a rat model of lung heat-induced cough and asthma， as well as after treatment with Xiebai San. MethodsNine Sprague-Dawley （SD） rats were randomly divided into a blank group （physiological saline）， a model group （physiological saline）， and a Xiebai San group （9 g·kg^-1）， with three rats in each group. The model group and the Xiebai San group were both induced using lipopolysaccharide-ovalbumin （LPS-OVA） to establish an asthma rat model. After treatment with Xiebai San， the animals were euthanized on day 21 and rapidly frozen in liquid nitrogen to preserve morphology. Whole-animal tissue sections were prepared using a cryomicrotome， and imaging was performed using the Air-flow-assisted Desorption Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging （AFADESI-MSI） platform. Based on the corresponding optical images， ion data of metabolites from the lung and brain tissues of each group were extracted. Differential metabolites were analyzed using SIMCA and GraphPad Prism 9.0 software. Metabolites were identified using the HMDB （https：//hmdb.ca/） and LipidMAPS^® （https：//www.lipidmaps.org/） databases， and metabolic changes in the lungs and brain were analyzed. ResultsMass spectrometry imaging showed that， after Xiebai San intervention， components such as neoglycyrrhizin and glycyrrhizin from Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma， as well as palmitamide from Lycii Cortex， were significantly distributed in the lung and brain tissues of rats. Lung analysis indicated that substances with anti-inflammatory effects， such as citric acid， were significantly decreased （P0.01）， while lipid metabolites such as lysophosphatidylethanolamine （LPE 17：1）， LPE （22：4）， and LPE （19：0） （P0.01） were significantly increased， showing a marked inflammatory response in the model group. After Xiebai San intervention， these conditions were notably improved. Analysis of metabolic changes in brain tissue showed that， compared with the blank group， amino acid and fatty acid metabolic pathways in the model group exhibited restricted alterations. Among them， levels of aspartic acid， glutamic acid， fatty acid （FA 18：5）， hydroxy fatty acids （FAHFA 36：0；O）， FA （6：1；O6）， and LPE （18：1） increased， whereas FA （16：0） and FA （20：4） significantly decreased. Administration of Xiebai San improved these metabolic abnormalities in the brain. Systematic analysis of lung and brain metabolic changes in rats with lung heat-induced cough and asthma showed that antioxidant unsaturated phospholipid substances were significantly decreased in the model group， suggesting oxidative stress and inflammation-related lung-brain axis responses after the onset of lung heat-induced cough and asthma. ConclusionUsing whole-animal mass spectrometry imaging combined with spatial metabolomics revealed the in vivo distribution of Xiebai San constituents， characterized the metabolic alterations in the lungs and brain caused by lung heat-induced cough and asthma， and systematically demonstrated the lung-brain axis inflammatory responses and the regulatory effects of Xiebai San. These findings provide valuable information for the study of Chinese medicine in lung heat-induced cough and asthma.

ObjectiveBased on whole-animal mass spectrometry imaging technology， spatial metabolomics was used to characterize in situ the metabolic alteration patterns in the lungs and brain of a rat model of lung heat-induced cough and asthma， as well as after treatment with Xiebai San. MethodsNine Sprague-Dawley （SD） rats were randomly divided into a blank group （physiological saline）， a model group （physiological saline）， and a Xiebai San group （9 g·kg^-1）， with three rats in each group. The model group and the Xiebai San group were both induced using lipopolysaccharide-ovalbumin （LPS-OVA） to establish an asthma rat model. After treatment with Xiebai San， the animals were euthanized on day 21 and rapidly frozen in liquid nitrogen to preserve morphology. Whole-animal tissue sections were prepared using a cryomicrotome， and imaging was performed using the Air-flow-assisted Desorption Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging （AFADESI-MSI） platform. Based on the corresponding optical images， ion data of metabolites from the lung and brain tissues of each group were extracted. Differential metabolites were analyzed using SIMCA and GraphPad Prism 9.0 software. Metabolites were identified using the HMDB （https：//hmdb.ca/） and LipidMAPS^® （https：//www.lipidmaps.org/） databases， and metabolic changes in the lungs and brain were analyzed. ResultsMass spectrometry imaging showed that， after Xiebai San intervention， components such as neoglycyrrhizin and glycyrrhizin from Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma， as well as palmitamide from Lycii Cortex， were significantly distributed in the lung and brain tissues of rats. Lung analysis indicated that substances with anti-inflammatory effects， such as citric acid， were significantly decreased （P0.01）， while lipid metabolites such as lysophosphatidylethanolamine （LPE 17：1）， LPE （22：4）， and LPE （19：0） （P0.01） were significantly increased， showing a marked inflammatory response in the model group. After Xiebai San intervention， these conditions were notably improved. Analysis of metabolic changes in brain tissue showed that， compared with the blank group， amino acid and fatty acid metabolic pathways in the model group exhibited restricted alterations. Among them， levels of aspartic acid， glutamic acid， fatty acid （FA 18：5）， hydroxy fatty acids （FAHFA 36：0；O）， FA （6：1；O6）， and LPE （18：1） increased， whereas FA （16：0） and FA （20：4） significantly decreased. Administration of Xiebai San improved these metabolic abnormalities in the brain. Systematic analysis of lung and brain metabolic changes in rats with lung heat-induced cough and asthma showed that antioxidant unsaturated phospholipid substances were significantly decreased in the model group， suggesting oxidative stress and inflammation-related lung-brain axis responses after the onset of lung heat-induced cough and asthma. ConclusionUsing whole-animal mass spectrometry imaging combined with spatial metabolomics revealed the in vivo distribution of Xiebai San constituents， characterized the metabolic alterations in the lungs and brain caused by lung heat-induced cough and asthma， and systematically demonstrated the lung-brain axis inflammatory responses and the regulatory effects of Xiebai San. These findings provide valuable information for the study of Chinese medicine in lung heat-induced cough and asthma.

Objective A targeted nanopeptides(VEGF/TIE-2 targeted nanopeptides,VTN)that simultaneously inhibits vascu-lar endothelial growth factor(VEGF)/tyrosine kinase with immunoglobulin-like and EGF-like domains-2(TIE-2)signaling pathways were designed and synthesized,and explore its inhibitory effect on angiogenesis in renal clear cell carcinoma(ccRCC).Methods VTN and non-self-assembling control VTN-C were prepared by solid-phase peptide synthesis technology,and the molecular structures of VTN and VTN-C were analyzed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(ESI-MS).The CCK-8 method was used to evaluate the effect of VTN on the cell viability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVEC).The cell scratch assay,Transwell invasion assay and angiogenesis assay were used to detect the inhibitory effects of VTN on migration,invasion and angiogenesis of HUVEC.Western blot was used to detect the effect of VTN on the phosphorylation of downstream proteins of VEGF and TIE-2 signaling pathways.A 786-O cell mouse model was established,and the effects of VTN on tumor angiogenesis and tumor progression were observed through animal ex-periments.Results ESI-MS showed that the main charge state peaks of both synthesized VTN and VVTN-C pointed to the same molec-ular weight,which was highly consistent with the corresponding theoretical molecular mass.Immunofluorescence showed that VTN co-lo-calized with VEGF and TIE-2.VTN combined with MMP-2 could significantly inhibit the activity of HUVEC(P<0.001).The cell inva-sion rate and scratch closure rate in the VTN group were reduced by(78.30±1.35)%and(37.09±3.49)%compared those in the PBS group,respectively(P<0.001).Angiogenesis experiments showed that VTN could significantly inhibit the angiogenesis of HUVEC(P<0.001).Western blot showed that VTN significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt and ERK(P<0.001).The results from animal experimentsshowed that tumor volume in the VTN group was decreased by(87.16±1.30)%compared with the control group,and the CD31-positive area was reduced(P<0.001).Conclusion VTN significantly blocks ccRCC angiogenesis and delays tumor progression by inhibiting VEGF and TIE-2 signaling pathways and downregulating Akt and ERK phosphorylation.

Objective A targeted nanopeptides(VEGF/TIE-2 targeted nanopeptides,VTN)that simultaneously inhibits vascu-lar endothelial growth factor(VEGF)/tyrosine kinase with immunoglobulin-like and EGF-like domains-2(TIE-2)signaling pathways were designed and synthesized,and explore its inhibitory effect on angiogenesis in renal clear cell carcinoma(ccRCC).Methods VTN and non-self-assembling control VTN-C were prepared by solid-phase peptide synthesis technology,and the molecular structures of VTN and VTN-C were analyzed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(ESI-MS).The CCK-8 method was used to evaluate the effect of VTN on the cell viability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVEC).The cell scratch assay,Transwell invasion assay and angiogenesis assay were used to detect the inhibitory effects of VTN on migration,invasion and angiogenesis of HUVEC.Western blot was used to detect the effect of VTN on the phosphorylation of downstream proteins of VEGF and TIE-2 signaling pathways.A 786-O cell mouse model was established,and the effects of VTN on tumor angiogenesis and tumor progression were observed through animal ex-periments.Results ESI-MS showed that the main charge state peaks of both synthesized VTN and VVTN-C pointed to the same molec-ular weight,which was highly consistent with the corresponding theoretical molecular mass.Immunofluorescence showed that VTN co-lo-calized with VEGF and TIE-2.VTN combined with MMP-2 could significantly inhibit the activity of HUVEC(P<0.001).The cell inva-sion rate and scratch closure rate in the VTN group were reduced by(78.30±1.35)%and(37.09±3.49)%compared those in the PBS group,respectively(P<0.001).Angiogenesis experiments showed that VTN could significantly inhibit the angiogenesis of HUVEC(P<0.001).Western blot showed that VTN significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt and ERK(P<0.001).The results from animal experimentsshowed that tumor volume in the VTN group was decreased by(87.16±1.30)%compared with the control group,and the CD31-positive area was reduced(P<0.001).Conclusion VTN significantly blocks ccRCC angiogenesis and delays tumor progression by inhibiting VEGF and TIE-2 signaling pathways and downregulating Akt and ERK phosphorylation.

Primary aldosteronism(PA)is the most common cause of secondary hypertension,yet its diagnosis remains under-recognized,with a high rate of missed diagnoses.This condition significantly impacts multiple systems,including the cardiovascular,renal,metabolic,and skeletal systems,resulting in notable complications.Patients with Klinefelter syndrome(KS)exhibit a markedly higher prevalence of metabolic disorders,which may further exacerbate cardiovascular and endocrine dysfunction.Here we report a patient who presented with refractory hypertension and an incidentally discovered adrenal mass,and was ultimately diagnosed with a left adrenal aldosterone-producing adenoma combined with KS.We provide a detailed description of the patient's clinical manifestations,biochemical indices,diagnostic process,and postoperative histopathological findings in order to enhance the understanding of PA and KS and their potential interconnections,which offers diagnostic insights to reduce misdiagnosis and missed diagnoses.

Objective:To explore the short-term clinical effects of deep cervical lymph node-venous anastomosis in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).Methods:A prospective exploratory study was conducted on the treatment of AD patients using the cervical deep lymph node-venous anastomosis technique in Scar and Wound Treatment Department, Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, from September to October 2024. The patients underwent high-frequency ultrasound to locate deep cervical lymph nodes and the external jugular vein. Under general anesthesia, bilateral deep cervical lymph node-venous anastomoses were performed. Indocyanine green (ICG) lymphography was conducted via subcutaneous injection behind the ear to visualize lymph nodes in levels Ⅱ and Ⅲ. After making a skin incision along the posterior margin of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, the external jugular vein, internal jugular veins, and associated lymph nodes were exposed. Adjacent veins were selected for anastomosis of lymph node. Using microsurgical techniques, end-to-side or end-to-end anastomosis was completed for lymph nodes in levels Ⅱ and Ⅲ. Preoperative assessments included the mini-mental state examination (MMSE, a higher score indicates better cognitive function), Alzheimer’s disease assessment scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog, a higher score indicates greater impairment of cognitive function), Alzheimer’s disease cooperative study scale for activities of daily living (ADCS-ADL, a higher score indicates better ability to perform daily activity), and neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI, a higher score indicates more severe behavioral and emotional symptom). Postoperative follow-up included the same scales to observe changes in cognitive function, activities of daily living, and emotional communication.Results:Four patients (1 male, 3 females, aged 58-79 years) with AD were included. All were diagnosed based on cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers. All patients successfully underwent bilateral deep cervical lymph node-venous anastomoses. On average, 4.3 (2-7 per person) anastomoses were performed per patient. Surgical procedures lasted an average of 6.5 h (5.5-8.5 h) with minimal blood loss (less than 50 ml). Patients resumed normal activity within 6 hours postoperatively and were discharged after an average of 4.1 d (3.5-5.0 d). Postoperative complications included one case each of aspiration pneumonia, lower limb venous thrombosis, and transient delirium, all of whom resolved without long-term effects. Clinical symptoms, including memory decline, mood swings, and anxiety, showed varying degrees of improvement. Patients reported enhanced quality of life, emotional stability, and social engagement, confirming the procedure’s safety and potential cognitive benefits. At one month postoperatively, the MMSE scores of the four patients increased by an average of 0.8 points compared to preoperative levels. Additionally, the two patients who completed the ADAS-Cog assessments showed a decrease in their scores (reduced by 1.0 points and 11.3 points, respectively, compared to preoperative scores), indicating a certain degree of improvement in cognitive function during this period. The ADCS-ADL and NPI scores of four patients varied significantly, without showing any clear pattern.Conclusion:Lymphovenous anastomosis of the deep cervical lymph node-venous anastomosis may provide a new surgical intervention approach for AD, but further large-scale studies and long-term follow-up are needed to validate its safety and effectiveness.

Accurate timing of myelination is crucial for the proper functioning of the central nervous system. Here, we identified a de novo heterozygous mutation in TMEM63A (c.1894G>A; p. Ala632Thr) in a 7-year-old boy exhibiting hypomyelination. A Ca²⁺ influx assay suggested that this is a loss-of-function mutation. To explore how TMEM63A deficiency causes hypomyelination, we generated Tmem63a knockout mice. Genetic deletion of TMEM63A resulted in hypomyelination at postnatal day 14 (P14) arising from impaired differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). Notably, the myelin dysplasia was transient, returning to normal levels by P28. Primary cultures of Tmem63a^-/- OPCs presented delayed differentiation. Lentivirus-based expression of TMEM63A but not TMEM63A_A632T rescued the differentiation of Tmem63a^-/- OPCs in vitro and myelination in Tmem63a^-/- mice. These data thus support the conclusion that the mutation in TMEM63A is the pathogenesis of the hypomyelination in the patient. Our study further demonstrated that TMEM63A-mediated Ca²⁺ influx plays critical roles in the early development of myelin and oligodendrocyte differentiation.
Animals ; Cell Differentiation/physiology* ; Oligodendroglia/metabolism* ; Mice, Knockout ; Mice ; Male ; Myelin Sheath/metabolism* ; Humans ; Child ; Cells, Cultured ; Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells/metabolism*

ObjectiveTo analyze the epidemiological characteristics of long COVID and to investigate its main influencing factors by examining individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 between March and June 2022 in two communities in Shanghai, to lay the foundation for further research on the mechanism and clinical treatment of long COVID, and to provide the basis for the development of inexpensive, convenient, and feasible prevention and intervention strategies. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted, enrolling 6 410 individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey. The incidence and common symptoms of long COVID were analyzed, along with their associations with demographic characteristics, medical history, and behavioral factors. A logistic regression model was used to identify the major factors associated with the development of long COVID symptoms. ResultsThe overall incidence rate of long COVID among the study population was 13.9%. The most commonly reported symptoms included fatigue (65.1%), attention disorders (23.1%), and cough (16.9%). The analysis showed that having underlying chronic diseases (OR=2.580, 95%CI: 2.165‒3.074), a history of allergies (OR=1.418, 95%CI: 1.003‒1.971), current smoking (OR=1.461, 95%CI: 1.013‒2.079), ever smoking (OR=2.462, 95%CI: 1.687‒3.551), a greater number of symptoms during the acute phase [1 symptom (OR=1.778, 95%CI: 1.459‒2.162), 2 symptoms (OR=2.749, 95%CI: 2.209‒3.409), ≥3 symptoms (OR=7.792, 95%CI: 6.333‒9.593)] and aggravated symptoms during the acute phase (OR=1.082, 95%CI: 1.070‒1.094) were factors associated with a higher risk of developing long COVID symptoms. Additionally, individuals who had consumed alcohol in the past year (OR=1.914, 95%CI: 1.344‒2.684) were more prone to objective long COVID symptoms. Among individuals under 50 years of age, females (OR=1.427, 95%CI: 1.052‒1.943) were more likely to develop objective long COVID symptoms. ConclusionThis study has identified the diversity of long COVID symptoms, which involve multiple organs and systems, including fatigue, attention disorders, cough, and joint pain. It has also revealed associations between long COVID and various demographic factors (e.g., age, gender), personal medical history (e.g., underlying chronic diseases, history of allergies), acute-phase characteristics (e.g., number and severity of symptoms), and behavioral factors (e.g., smoking, alcohol consumption). These findings highlight the need for further research and ongoing surveillance of long COVID and may inform the development of more targeted health management strategies for specific populations.

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is an important sugar crop. Biotic and abiotic stresses such as diseases, cold, and drought are major factors limiting sugarcane production. β-1,3-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.39), a member of the pathogenesis-related protein family, plays an essential role not only in the plant defenses against pathogens but also in plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. To systematically investigate the sugarcane β-1,3-glucanase gene family, 132 glycoside hydrolase (GH) 17 family members were identified in the genomes of the sugarcane wild species Saccharum spontaneum 'Np-X', the tropical species S. officinarum 'LA-Purple', and the Saccharum spp. hybrid cultivar 'R570'. The results of the phylogenetic analysis categorized them into four subfamilies, of which subfamily Ⅳ had the largest proportion of members (102). The members of the sugarcane GH17 gene family contained five conserved motifs and 0-16 introns. The majority of the GH17 genes exhibited a genome-wide replication pattern, with 89.50% originating from S. spontaneum 'Np-X' and S. officinarum 'LA-Purple', while 58.10% of them in the Saccharum spp. hybrid cultivar 'R570' belonged to the discrete replication type. Four major classes of cis-acting elements were identified in the promoters, including the elements related to plant growth, development, and tissue-specific expression (14.21%), light-responsive elements (38.24%), biotic or abiotic stress-responsive elements (9.18%), and hormone-responsive elements (38.37%), which suggested that this gene family was involved in plant growth, development, hormone responses, and stress responses. Transcriptome and quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) analyses showed that the sugarcane GH17 genes exhibited tissue-specific expression and were differentially expressed under low temperature, drought, and hormone treatments, as well as during the interactions between different sugarcane genotypes and Sporisorium scitamineum, suggesting their potential roles in plant defenses. In addition, some SsGlu genes (SsGlu5, SsGlu20, SsGlu21, SsGlu25, SsGlu28, and SsGlu39) were expected to serve as candidate stress-related genes. This study lays a foundation for further revealing the molecular mechanisms of the stress resistance of sugarcane via β-1,3-glucanase genes.
Saccharum/physiology* ; Stress, Physiological/genetics* ; Glucan 1,3-beta-Glucosidase/metabolism* ; Multigene Family ; Phylogeny ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Plant Proteins/genetics*

ObjectiveTo analyze the epidemiological characteristics and influencing factors of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection by conducting follow-up investigations among community residents who experienced their first SARS-CoV-2 infection between March and June 2022, so as to provide a scientific basis for predicting future epidemic trends and adjusting prevention and control strategies. MethodsA cohort study was conducted in Xuhui District, Shanghai. A total of 1 208 individuals with a documented primary SARS-CoV-2 infection between March and June 2022 were enrolled and followed-up longitudinally. Data were collected using structured questionnaire surveys to assess the reinfection rate, incidence density, and clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection. A logistic regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection. ResultsA total of 497 SARS-CoV-2 reinfection cases were observed among the 1 208 research subjects, with a reinfection rate of 41.14% and an incidence density of 0.63 cases per 1 000 person-days. The cumulative reinfection rates at 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 months following the initial infection were 0.08%, 15.31%, 19.04%, 33.53%, and 38.25%, respectively. Compared with the primary infection, reinfection was more likely to be symptomatic, with a greater severity of fever, dry cough, sore throat, and runny nose. Being female, younger age, and symptom duration ≥7 days during the primary infection were identified as influencing factors for SARS-CoV-2 reinfection, while a higher socioeconomic status can reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection. ConclusionSARS-CoV-2 reinfection is relatively common and often symptomatic. Age, gender, income level, and the duration of symptoms during the primary infection are identified as infuencing factors for SARS-CoV-2 reinfection. Continuous monitoring of reinfection in the population is recommended, along with the development of effective strategies to mitigate the impact of reinfection.