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.

This article systematically reviews and examines the historical evolution of Bambusae Succus as a medicinal material， covering aspects such as nomenclature， origin， geographical distribution， harvesting and processing methods， quality assessment， therapeutic effects and indications， by consulting ancient herbal texts， medical compendia， and modern literature. The aim is to provide a reference for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing this herb. Research indicated that Bambusae Succus was first documented in the Shennong Bencaojing during the Han dynasty， with Zhuli being the standard name used throughout history， alongside aliases like Zhuzhi， Zhuyou and Huoquan. Historically， the primary source of Bambusae Succus has been Phyllostachys nigra var. henonis（Danzhu）， although other species such as Pleioblastus amarus and Bambusa emeiensis have also been used medicinally. Ancient records predominantly noted its origin in Yizhou（present-day Chengdu and surrounding areas in Sichuan） and the Wuling region（between present-day Hunan， Guangdong， Guangxi and Jiangxi provinces）， while contemporary sources are mainly from regions south of the Yangtze River and southwestern China. Traditionally， Bambusae Succus was harvested from bamboo that had grown for exactly one year， today， it can be collected year-round without strict age requirements. Ancient preparation methods included direct fire roasting or dry distillation， whereas modern industrial production employs dry distillation， reflux extraction， and percolation. In terms of quality evaluation， ancient texts considered a sweet taste to be superior， while today， clarity and transparency are prioritized. Historically， Bambusae Succus was characterized as sweet and cold nature， targeting the lung and stomach meridians， with uses evolving from clearing heat and resolving phlegm to nourishing Yin， moistening dryness， and relaxing tendons and unblocking meridians. Modern descriptions classify it as sweet， bitter， and cold in nature， affecting the heart， liver， and lung meridians， with functions including clearing heat， resolving phlegm， and facilitating orifices. It is indicated for conditions such as stroke with phlegm confusion， lung heat with phlegm congestion， convulsions， epilepsy， excessive phlegm in febrile diseases， high fever with thirst， irritability during pregnancy， and tetanus， with more clearly defined applications. Based on the results of the research， it is recommended that when developing and utilizing famous classical formulas containing Bambusae Succus， the one-year-old Phyllostachys nigra var. Henonis， which has been highly praised throughout history， should be selected as the source material. Industrial production should adopt the dry distillation method. Furthermore， in-depth research should be conducted on the modern technological characterization of the traditional quality control indicator of sweet taste， and reasonable modern quality control standards should be established.

By consulting ancient and modern literature， this article systematically reviews and verifies the historical evolution of the herbal medicine known as Baijiang across various dimensions， including name， origin， scientific name verification， medicinal parts， production area， quality， harvesting and processing， as well as its nature， taste， and therapeutic effects， in order to provide a reference for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing Patriniae Herba. Patriniae Herba has a long history of use. It derives its name from the distinctive musty odor of its roots， which resembles spoiled soy sauce. However， due to its alias Kucai， there has been much confusion with other plants. Since the Ming dynasty， various plants have been used interchangeably as Baijiang. Herbal textual research showed that Patriniae Herba was first recorded in Shennong Bencaojing， and throughout history， Baijiang has been recognized as its standard name， though it has also been known by alternative names such as Luchang， Lujiang， and Suanyi. The main sources used throughout the ages were Patrinia scabiosaefolia or P. villosa， which is consistent with the 1977 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. However， while the roots were traditionally used medicinally， the whole plant is now more commonly used in modern practice. In addition， the whole plants of Thlaspi arvense from the Cruciferae family and Sonchus brachyotus from the Compositae family are commonly used as regional substitutes for Baijiang. According to ancient records， Patriniae Herba was primarily found in Jiangxia（present-day eastern Hubei province） and Jiangdong（the region south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River）， but modern literature shows that it is distributed throughout the country without a distinct geographical origin. In ancient times， the roots were harvested in August and sun-dried， today， the whole plant is typically dug up in summer or autumn and sun-dried. In recent times， the quality has been summarized as being best when the roots are long， the leaves are abundant and green， and the aroma is strong. Regarding the processing， ancient methods often involved baking（drying over fire）， while modern methods typically involve removing impurities， washing， and then cutting and drying the segments. The effects of Patriniae Herba are to clear heat and detoxify， eliminate blood stasis and drain pus. During the Han and Northern and Southern dynasties， it was used to treat skin diseases caused by heat， abscesses， postpartum diseases， and rheumatism， during the Five dynasties period， its therapeutic applications expanded to include diseases of the five senses， and by the modern era， conditions such as neurasthenia and insomnia were added. Regarding its properties and taste， it was recorded as bitter and neutral during the Han dynasty. By the Tang dynasty， it was slightly cold， with a taste of acrid and bitter. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties， it was mostly slightly cold and neutral， with a bitter and salty taste. In the Qing dynasty and modern times， it was mostly bitter and neutral， and in contemporary times， it has evolved to a taste of acrid， bitter， and cool. Based on the results of this study， it is recommended that when developing and utilizing famous classical formulas containing Patriniae Herba， one should select the entire herb of the historically mainstream sources， P. scabiosaefolia or P. villosa from the Valerianaceae family， and choose the processing method according to the prescription requirements. It is recommended to use raw products without specific requirements.

By consulting ancient and modern literature， this article systematically reviews and verifies the historical evolution of the herbal medicine known as Baijiang across various dimensions， including name， origin， scientific name verification， medicinal parts， production area， quality， harvesting and processing， as well as its nature， taste， and therapeutic effects， in order to provide a reference for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing Patriniae Herba. Patriniae Herba has a long history of use. It derives its name from the distinctive musty odor of its roots， which resembles spoiled soy sauce. However， due to its alias Kucai， there has been much confusion with other plants. Since the Ming dynasty， various plants have been used interchangeably as Baijiang. Herbal textual research showed that Patriniae Herba was first recorded in Shennong Bencaojing， and throughout history， Baijiang has been recognized as its standard name， though it has also been known by alternative names such as Luchang， Lujiang， and Suanyi. The main sources used throughout the ages were Patrinia scabiosaefolia or P. villosa， which is consistent with the 1977 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. However， while the roots were traditionally used medicinally， the whole plant is now more commonly used in modern practice. In addition， the whole plants of Thlaspi arvense from the Cruciferae family and Sonchus brachyotus from the Compositae family are commonly used as regional substitutes for Baijiang. According to ancient records， Patriniae Herba was primarily found in Jiangxia（present-day eastern Hubei province） and Jiangdong（the region south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River）， but modern literature shows that it is distributed throughout the country without a distinct geographical origin. In ancient times， the roots were harvested in August and sun-dried， today， the whole plant is typically dug up in summer or autumn and sun-dried. In recent times， the quality has been summarized as being best when the roots are long， the leaves are abundant and green， and the aroma is strong. Regarding the processing， ancient methods often involved baking（drying over fire）， while modern methods typically involve removing impurities， washing， and then cutting and drying the segments. The effects of Patriniae Herba are to clear heat and detoxify， eliminate blood stasis and drain pus. During the Han and Northern and Southern dynasties， it was used to treat skin diseases caused by heat， abscesses， postpartum diseases， and rheumatism， during the Five dynasties period， its therapeutic applications expanded to include diseases of the five senses， and by the modern era， conditions such as neurasthenia and insomnia were added. Regarding its properties and taste， it was recorded as bitter and neutral during the Han dynasty. By the Tang dynasty， it was slightly cold， with a taste of acrid and bitter. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties， it was mostly slightly cold and neutral， with a bitter and salty taste. In the Qing dynasty and modern times， it was mostly bitter and neutral， and in contemporary times， it has evolved to a taste of acrid， bitter， and cool. Based on the results of this study， it is recommended that when developing and utilizing famous classical formulas containing Patriniae Herba， one should select the entire herb of the historically mainstream sources， P. scabiosaefolia or P. villosa from the Valerianaceae family， and choose the processing method according to the prescription requirements. It is recommended to use raw products without specific requirements.

OBJECTIVE To observe the effects of Modified shaoyao gancao decoction on intestinal transit function， intestinal flora and the contents of metabolites [γ aminobutyric acid （GABA） and 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT）] in slow transit constipation （STC） rats. METHODS SD rats were randomly divided into blank group （10 rats） and modeling group （30 rats）， with half male and half female. The STC model was established by intragastric administration of Compound diphenoxylate tablets in the modeling group. The successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into model group， Modified shaoyao gancao decoction group [56 g/（kg·d）， calculated by crude drug] and positive control group [lactulose 2.09 g/（kg·d）]， with 10 rats in each group. Each administration group was given relevant medicine intragastrically， the blank group and model group received an equivalent volume of normal saline， once a day， for 14 consecutive days. During the experiment， the general situation of rats was observed in each group. After the last medication， the body weight was measured， and the Bristol score was used to evaluate the fecal characteristics. The fecal moisture content， intestinal propulsion rate， and the contents of GABA and 5-HT in intestinal content were detected； the diversity of intestinal flora in intestinal contents was investigated， and the correlation between the contents of GABA， 5-HT and relative abundance of microbiota was analyzed. RESULTS Compared with the model group， general conditions such as small body shape， sparse and rough fur， and slow movement were all improved in Modified shaoyao gancao decoction body weight， Bristol score， fecal moisture content，intestinal propulsion rate， 5-HT content， Chao1 index and Shannon index were increased significantly， while GABA content and Simpson index were decreased significantly （P＜0.05）. The intestinal flora of rats in the Modified shaoyao gancao decoction group could be classified as the same as the blank group， but was far from the model group； the relative abundances of Desulfobacterota， Firmicutes and Bacteroidota in this group showed a tendency of pull back， but the differences were not statistically significant compared to model group （P＞0.05）. Desulfobacterota was an intergroup differential factor （P＜0.05）. The content of GABA was negatively correlated with the relative abundance of Bacteroidota， Cyanobacteria， Patescibacteria and Actinobacteriota （P＜0.05）. The content of 5-HT was positively correlated with the relative abundance of Campilobacterota （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Modified shaoyao gancao decoction can improve the fecal properties and intestinal motility of STC rats. Its mechanism may be related to improving intestinal flora and then affecting the contents of GABA and 5-HT in intestinal contents. In addition， the contents of GABA and 5-HT may be significantly correlated with the relative abundance of specific bacterial phyla such as Bacteroidota and Campilobacterota.

OBJECTIVE To observe the effects of Modified shaoyao gancao decoction on intestinal transit function， intestinal flora and the contents of metabolites [γ aminobutyric acid （GABA） and 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT）] in slow transit constipation （STC） rats. METHODS SD rats were randomly divided into blank group （10 rats） and modeling group （30 rats）， with half male and half female. The STC model was established by intragastric administration of Compound diphenoxylate tablets in the modeling group. The successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into model group， Modified shaoyao gancao decoction group [56 g/（kg·d）， calculated by crude drug] and positive control group [lactulose 2.09 g/（kg·d）]， with 10 rats in each group. Each administration group was given relevant medicine intragastrically， the blank group and model group received an equivalent volume of normal saline， once a day， for 14 consecutive days. During the experiment， the general situation of rats was observed in each group. After the last medication， the body weight was measured， and the Bristol score was used to evaluate the fecal characteristics. The fecal moisture content， intestinal propulsion rate， and the contents of GABA and 5-HT in intestinal content were detected； the diversity of intestinal flora in intestinal contents was investigated， and the correlation between the contents of GABA， 5-HT and relative abundance of microbiota was analyzed. RESULTS Compared with the model group， general conditions such as small body shape， sparse and rough fur， and slow movement were all improved in Modified shaoyao gancao decoction body weight， Bristol score， fecal moisture content，intestinal propulsion rate， 5-HT content， Chao1 index and Shannon index were increased significantly， while GABA content and Simpson index were decreased significantly （P＜0.05）. The intestinal flora of rats in the Modified shaoyao gancao decoction group could be classified as the same as the blank group， but was far from the model group； the relative abundances of Desulfobacterota， Firmicutes and Bacteroidota in this group showed a tendency of pull back， but the differences were not statistically significant compared to model group （P＞0.05）. Desulfobacterota was an intergroup differential factor （P＜0.05）. The content of GABA was negatively correlated with the relative abundance of Bacteroidota， Cyanobacteria， Patescibacteria and Actinobacteriota （P＜0.05）. The content of 5-HT was positively correlated with the relative abundance of Campilobacterota （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Modified shaoyao gancao decoction can improve the fecal properties and intestinal motility of STC rats. Its mechanism may be related to improving intestinal flora and then affecting the contents of GABA and 5-HT in intestinal contents. In addition， the contents of GABA and 5-HT may be significantly correlated with the relative abundance of specific bacterial phyla such as Bacteroidota and Campilobacterota.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of single-balloon and double-balloon enteroscopy in diagnosing pediatric small bowel diseases and assess the diagnostic efficacy of computed tomography enterography (CTE) for small bowel diseases using enteroscopy as the reference standard. METHODS: Clinical data from 576 children who underwent enteroscopy at Hunan Children's Hospital between January 2017 and December 2023 were retrospectively collected. The children were categorized based on enteroscopy type into the single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE) group (n=457) and double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) group (n=119), and the clinical data were compared between the two groups. The sensitivity and specificity of CTE for diagnosing small bowel diseases were evaluated using enteroscopy results as the standard. RESULTS: Among the 576 children, small bowel lesions were detected by enteroscopy in 274 children (47.6%).There was no significant difference in lesion detection rates or complication rates between the SBE and DBE groups (P>0.05), but the DBE group had deeper insertion, longer procedure time, and higher complete small bowel examination rate (P<0.05). The complication rate during enteroscopy was 4.3% (25/576), with 18 cases (3.1%) of mild complications and 7 cases (1.2%) of severe complications, which improved with symptomatic treatment, surgical, or endoscopic intervention. Among the 412 children who underwent CTE, the sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing small bowel diseases were 44.4% and 71.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS SBE and DBE have similar diagnostic efficacy for pediatric small bowel diseases, but DBE is preferred for suspected deep small bowel lesions and comprehensive small bowel examination. Enteroscopy in children demonstrates relatively good overall safety. CTE demonstrates relatively low sensitivity but comparatively high specificity for diagnosing small bowel diseases.
Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Double-Balloon Enteroscopy/statistics & numerical data* ; Single-Balloon Enteroscopy/statistics & numerical data* ; Humans ; Male ; Female ; Child ; Operative Time ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/statistics & numerical data* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Intestine, Small/surgery* ; Intestinal Diseases/surgery*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the chain mediating role of family care and emotional management in the relationship between social support and anxiety among rural primary school students. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted among students in grades 4 to 6 from four counties in Hunan Province. Data were collected using the Social Support Rating Scale, Family Care Index Scale, Emotional Intelligence Scale, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder -7. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the influencing factors of anxiety symptoms. Mediation analysis was conducted to assess the chain mediating effects of family care and emotional management between social support and anxiety. RESULTS: A total of 4 141 questionnaires were distributed, with 3 874 valid responses (effective response rate: 93.55%). The prevalence rate of anxiety symptoms among these students was 9.32% (95%CI: 8.40%-10.23%). Significant differences were observed in the prevalence rates of anxiety symptoms among groups with different levels of social support, family functioning, and emotional management ability (P<0.05). The total indirect effect of social support on anxiety symptoms via family care and emotional management was significant (β=-0.137, 95%CI: -0.167 to -0.109), and the direct effect of social support on anxiety symptoms remained significant (P<0.05). Family care and emotional management served as significant chain mediators in the relationship between social support and anxiety symptoms (β=-0.025,95%CI:-0.032 to -0.018), accounting for 14.5% of the total effect. CONCLUSIONS Social support can directly affect anxiety symptoms among rural primary school students and can also indirectly influence anxiety symptoms through the chain mediating effects of family care and emotional management. These findings provide scientific evidence for the prevention of anxiety in primary school students from multiple perspectives.
Humans ; Female ; Male ; Social Support ; Anxiety/etiology* ; Child ; Students/psychology* ; Emotions ; Logistic Models

Objective To develop a self-care scale for patients with lymphedema after breast cancer surgery and verify its reliability and validity.Methods Based on the model of knowledge,belief and practice,a questionnaire item pool was constructed after literature reviews and qualitative interviews.A questionnaire-based scale was drafted based on the established item pool by carrying out two rounds of consultation with 15 clinical nursing specialists,nursing administrators and nursing educators from 8 provinces or cities in China.Reliability and validity of the scale were tested using convenience sampling,involving 444 patients with breast cancer surgery related lymphedema from 7 general hospitals in Hubei and Henan provinces,China,between May and July 2023.Results The response rates for the two rounds of expert consultation were 93.75%and 93.33%,respectively.The authority coefficients of the two rounds were 0.86 and 0.89,respectively,and the coordination coefficients for the 2 rounds were 0.130 and 0.379,respectively.In the first round,the average importance rating was from 4.33 to 4.93 with the coefficient of variation from 0.05 to 0.19,and the full score ratio from 53.33%to 93.33%.In the second round,the average importance rating ranged from 2.86 to 4.93 with the coefficient of variation from 0.05 to 0.36,and the full score ratios from 7.14%to 92.86%.A total of 421 patients completed the survey.The overall Cronbach's α coefficient of the scale was 0.943,the overall split-half reliability was 0.824,the scale-level content validity index(S-CVI)was 0.912,and the item-level content validity index(I-CVI)of the total scale ranged from 0.857 to 1.000.The KMO value of exploratory factor analysis was 0.919,the Bartrett spherical test value was 4671.724(P<0.001),and the cumulative variance contribution rate was 64.155%.Confirmatory factor analysis showed a good model fit.After the reliability and validity tests,the scale was finalised and determined to consist of three dimensions with 33 items:knowledge(9 items),attitude(6 items)and behaviour(18 items).Conclusion The self-care scale for the patients with lymphedema after breast cancer surgery has demonstrated good reliability and validity,and makes it an effective assessment tool for the patients with lymphedema after breast cancer surgery.

By consulting the ancient and modern literature， the name， origin， quality evaluation， harvesting and processing methods of Curculiginis Rhizoma（CR） were systematically combed and verified， in order to provide a basis for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing CR. The results of herbal textual research showed that the name Xianmao was first recorded in Leigong Paozhilun， the name of CR was used in all dynasties and this name came from its efficacy and morphological characteristics， the mainstream source for CR of the past dynasties was the rhizome of Curculigo orchioides or C. capitulata， since modern times， C. orchioides has been the main source of commodities. In ancient times， most of the places of origin of the description were the western regions and southwest China， while in modern times， Sichuan and Guizhou were regarded as genuine places. Since modern times， its quality has been summarized as the best with thick roots， firm texture and black-brown surface， the harvesting and processing methods recorded in the past dynasties are mainly sun drying after harvest in the second， eighth and ninth months of the lunar calendar， and most of them are harvested in autumn and winter in modern times. In ancient times， there were many processing methods of CR， mainly in processing with rice swill， while in modern times， stir-frying with wine was the main processing method. The nature， taste， meridian tropism， functions and indications of CR are basically consistent from ancient to modern times， the taboos for taking are to avoid iron， cow's milk， and beef. Although there are some differences in the understanding of the toxicity of CR in the past dynasties， most of the materia medica are clear that it has a certain toxicity. Based on the research conclusion， it is suggested that the rhizome of C. orchioides of Lycoris family should be used as its source in the famous classical formulas， and the corresponding processing method should be selected according to the processing requirements in the formulas， while the raw products is recommended to be selected as medicine if the processing requirement is not specified.