Objective: To investigate the correlation between color parameters (L^*, a^*, b^*, Eab^*) and the contents of reducing sugars, total polysaccharides, total oligosaccharides, as well as four saccharides (fructose, glucose, sucrose, and kestose) during the nine cycles of steaming and sun-drying processing of Polygonatum kingianum, and to preliminarily explore the optimal processing duration.
Methods: The color changes were objectively evaluated using a colorimeter. The anthrone-sulfuric acid method was employed to determine total polysaccharides and oligosaccharides. The 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) colorimetric method was used to measure total reducing sugar content. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with charged aerosol detection (HPLC-CAD) was applied for quantitative analysis of fructose, glucose, sucrose, and kestose. Multivariate statistical analysis was conducted to assess samples from different processing stages.
Results: Significant variations in color and component contents were observed across processing stages. The herbal pieces progressively darkened with increased processing cycles: brightness (L^*) and total color difference (Eab^*) initially decreased then stabilized, while a^* (red-green) and b^* (yellow-blue) values first increased then declined. Total polysaccharides and oligosaccharides showed overall decreasing trends, whereas reducing sugars initially increased before stabilizing. Fructose and glucose levels rose continuously, while sucrose and kestose decreased progressively, becoming undetectable after five cycles.
Conclusion: The chromatic alteration and saccharide composition of P. kingianum showed significant correlation with processing duration. Both total color difference (Eab^*) and reducing sugar content stabilized after four processing cycles (12 hours), suggesting that four cycles of steaming and sun-drying may represent the optimal processing duration.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between the color parameters (L^*, a^*, b^*, Eab^* values) of Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata powder prepared by different processing techniques and the contents of 2,3,5,4’-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, emodin, physcion, emodin-8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, physcion-8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside.
Methods: The L^*, a^*, b^* and Eab^* values of Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata powder prepared by different processing techniques were determined by spectrophotometer, and the contents of the five components were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Secondly, SPSS 26.0 software and Simca 14.1 software were used to analyze the correlation.
Results: Through the hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), it was found that the steamed samples and black bean steamed samples could be obviously divided into two categories: raw products and processed products. The processed products could be further divided into 2-8 h and 12-48 h. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the content of stilbene glycoside was significantly positively correlated with L^*, a^* and b^* values (P<0.01). The a^* value was significantly positively correlated with the content of emodin and physcion (P<0.01). Emodin-8-O-β-D-glucoside was positively correlated with L^* value and b^* value, while physcion-8-O-β-D-glucoside was negatively correlated with a^* value. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS) showed that 2,3,5,4’-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside (VIP=1.69) and emodin-8-O-β-D-glucoside (VIP=1.06) were the key variables affecting chromaticity characteristics (P<0.01).
Conclusion: The three processes of steaming, black bean steaming and black bean stewing are consistent in composition transformation and chromaticity variation, and stilbene glycoside can be used as a specific index component to characterize the processed color. Chromatic parameters can effectively reflect the processing progression and serve as quality monitoring indicators during production.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of Yijing decoction to inhibit oxidative stress induced by chronic iron overload and improve ovarian reserve hypofunction in mice. MethodsSeventy-two female C57BL/6J mice with normal estrous cycles were randomly divided into six groups （n=12 per group）：blank group，model group，Yijing decoction（YJD） low-dose group，medium-dose group，high-dose group，and dehydroepiandrosterone （DHEA） group. Mice in the blank group received intraperitoneal injections of normal saline，while those in all other groups were administered iron dextran （Sigma-Aldrich） at a dose of 0.5 g·kg^-1 once weekly for 8 weeks to establish a chronic iron overload model. Following the final injection，interventions were initiated and continued for 4 weeks. The low，medium，and high dose groups of YJD received oral gavage of Yijing decoction aqueous solution at doses of 18.165， 36.33，and 72.66 g·kg^-1·d^-1，respectively. The DHEA group received DHEA aqueous solution at 10.812 5 mg·kg^-1·d^-1. The blank and model groups received an equivalent volume of distilled water by gavage once daily. Body weight was recorded weekly，and food intake was monitored throughout the treatment period. Vaginal smears were collected daily and stained with hematoxylin-eosin （HE） to assess estrous cycle regularity. At the end of the experiment，mice were euthanized，and bilateral ovaries and uteri were rapidly excised and weighed to calculate ovarian and uterine indices （mg·g^-1）. Ovarian tissues were fixed，embedded，and sectioned for hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining to evaluate histopathological changes. Iron deposition in ovarian tissue was visualized using Prussian blue staining. Serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH），luteinizing hormone （LH），estradiol （E₂），and anti-Müllerian hormone （AMH） were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Malondialdehyde （MDA） content and superoxide dismutase （SOD） activity in ovarian homogenates were determined using commercial biochemical assay kits. Reactive oxygen species （ROS） levels in ovarian tissue were assessed by ROS fluorescence staining on frozen sections. Mitochondrial ultrastructure in ovarian tissue was examined by transmission electron microscopy （TEM）. Total RNA was extracted from ovarian tissue for real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） to quantify mRNA expression of ferritin heavy chain 1 （Fth1），ferritin light chain （Ftl），transferrin （Tf），transferrin receptor 1 （Tfr1），catalase （Cat），and glutathione peroxidase 1 （GPX1）. Protein expression levels of Fth1，Ftl，Tf，Tfr1，and glutathione peroxidase 4 （GPX4） were analyzed by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the blank group，mice in the model group exhibited significantly reduced body weight and severe estrous cycle disruption （P<0.01），a markedly increased uterine index （P<0.01），and a significantly decreased ovarian index （P<0.01）. The number of antral follicles was significantly reduced，while atretic follicles were markedly increased，accompanied by pronounced iron deposition in the ovarian stroma. Serum levels of AMH and E₂，as well as ovarian SOD activity，protein and mRNA expression of Tf and Tfr1，and mRNA levels of GPX1 and Cat were all significantly downregulated （P<0.05，P<0.01）. Conversely，serum FSH and LH levels，MDA content，protein and mRNA expression of Fth1 and Ftl，and ROS fluorescence intensity were significantly elevated （P<0.05，P<0.01），along with a marked decrease in GPX4 protein expression （P<0.01）. TEM revealed an increased number of damaged mitochondria in ovarian tissue，characterized by loss or disappearance of mitochondrial cristae. Compared with the model group，treatment with low，medium，and high doses of YJD and DHEA significantly improved body weight and ameliorated estrous cycle irregularities （P<0.05，P<0.01），decreased the uterine index （P<0.05），and increased the ovarian index （P<0.05，P<0.01）. These groups also showed increased numbers of antral follicles，reduced atretic follicles，and significantly diminished iron deposition in the ovarian stroma. Serum AMH and E₂ levels，ovarian SOD activity，protein and mRNA expression of Tf and Tfr1，and mRNA levels of GPX1 and Cat were all significantly upregulated （P<0.05，P<0.01）. In contrast，serum FSH and LH levels，MDA content，protein and mRNA expression of Fth1 and Ftl，and ROS fluorescence intensity were significantly reduced （P<0.05，P<0.01），while GPX4 protein expression was markedly increased （P<0.01）. Moreover，mitochondrial damage was alleviated，and mitochondrial ultrastructure was notably restored in ovarian tissue. ConclusionYijing decoction ameliorates ovarian reserve function in mice with chronic iron overload by upregulating the expression of Tf，Tfr1，and GPX4，downregulating the expression of Ft，Fth1，and Ftl，thereby alleviating systemic iron metabolism disorders，reducing oxidative stress in ovarian tissue，and restoring mitochondrial morphology and structure.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a severe gestational disorder characterized by hypertension and proteinuria, with a subset of cases exhibiting an immune-driven phenotype marked by placental overexpression of proinflammatory cytokines and chronic inflammatory damage, profoundly impacting fetal development. To elucidate the pathophysiology of this PE subtype, we established an inflammation-driven PE mouse model via lipopolysaccharide (LPS) intraperitoneal injection, systematically evaluating histopathological changes in maternal heart, liver, lung, kidney, and placenta, and integrating transcriptomic profiling to uncover molecular mechanisms. LPS administration robustly induced maternal hypertension and proteinuria, hallmarks of PE, without significantly altering organ or fetal weights. Histological analyses revealed pronounced inflammatory damage in the maternal lung, kidney, and placenta, with the lung exhibiting the most severe pathology, characterized by inflammatory cell infiltration, alveolar wall thickening, and interstitial edema-challenging the conventional focus on placental and renal primacy in PE. Placental labyrinth and junctional zones displayed extensive structural disruption and necrosis, indicating functional impairment. Transcriptomic analysis identified 27 inflammation-related genes consistently upregulated across tissues, with protein-protein interaction networks pinpointing Il1β, Il6, Ccl5, Ccl2, Cxcl10, Tlr2, and Icam1 as hub genes. Quantitative PCR validation confirmed Tlr2 as a central regulator, evidenced by significant upregulation of Tlr2 in lung, kidney, and placenta of LPS-induced PE mice, while Cxcl10 exhibited placenta-specific upregulation, suggesting a synergistic inflammatory axis in placental pathology. These findings highlight the lung as a critical, yet underappreciated, target in inflammation-driven PE, reframe the multi-organ inflammatory landscape of the disease, and nominate Tlr2 and Cxcl10 as potential diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets, offering new avenues for precision intervention in PE.
Animals ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Mice ; Pre-Eclampsia/genetics* ; Inflammation ; Lipopolysaccharides/adverse effects* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Transcriptome ; Placenta/pathology* ; Phenotype

This study explores the mechanism of Guben Jiannao Liquid on Alzheimer's disease(AD) by regulating autophagy based on the liver kinase B1(LKB1)/adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase(AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR) pathway. Male SD rats were randomly divided into the blank group, model group, low-dose and high-dose groups of Guben Jiannao Liquid, and rapamycin group, with 10 rats in each group. Except for the blank group, all other groups of rats were injected bilaterally in the hippocampus with β-amyloid(Aβ)_(1-42) to establish the AD model. The low-dose(6.21 g·kg~(-1)) and high-dose(12.42 g·kg~(-1)) groups of Guben Jiannao Liquid and rapamycin group(1 mg·kg~(-1)) were given the corresponding drugs by gavage, and the blank and model groups were given an equal volume of saline by gavage for four weeks. Morris water maze was used to test the learning and memory ability of rats in each group; hematoxylin-eosin(HE) and Nissl staining were used to observe the morphological and quantitative changes of neurons and Nissl bodies in the CA1 region of rat hippocampus; immunohistochemistry was utilized to detect Aβ-positive cell expression in the CA1 region of rat hippocampus; transmission electron microscopy was employed to observe ultrastructural changes in rat hippocampal tissue, and Western blot was used to examine the protein expression levels of LKB1, p-AMPK/AMPK, p-mTOR/mTOR, Beclin1, p62, and LC3-Ⅱ in the hippocampal tissue of the rats. The results showed that compared with those in the blank group, rats in the model group had elevated evasion latency and decreased number of platform transversal and residence time in the platform quadrant. The number of neurons in the hippocampal area was reduced, and the morphology was impaired. The average integral optical density value of Aβ-positive cells was elevated; the expression levels of LKB1, p-AMPK/AMPK, Beclin1, and LC3-Ⅱ were decreased, and the expression levels of p-mTOR/mTOR and p62 were increased. Compared with those in the model group, rats in the low-dose and high-dose groups of Guben Jiannao Liquid had shorter evasion latency, higher number of platform transversal, longer residence time in the platform quadrant, increased number of neurons, decreased expression of Aβ-positive cells and average integral optical density values, and increased number of autophagic lysosomes in hippocampal tissue. The expression levels of LKB1, Beclin1, and LC3-Ⅱ were elevated in the hippocampus of rats in the low-dose group of Guben Jiannao Liquid. The expression levels of LKB1, p-AMPK/AMPK, Beclin1, and LC3-Ⅱ were elevated in the hippocampal tissue of rats in the high-dose group of Guben Jiannao Liquid, and the expression levels of p-mTOR/mTOR and p62 were decreased. The findings suggest that Guben Jiannao Liquid can improve cognitive impairment in AD rats, and its mechanism of action may be related to the activation of the LKB1/AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway and the up-regulation of autophagy level.
Animals ; Alzheimer Disease/physiopathology* ; Male ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics* ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics* ; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases/genetics* ; Rats ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases ; Humans ; Hippocampus/metabolism*

To investigate the impact of preoperative serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels on the probability of testicular sperm retrieval, we conducted a study of nonobstructive azoospermic (NOA) men with different testicular volumes (TVs) who underwent microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE). A total of 177 NOA patients undergoing micro-TESE for the first time from April 2019 to November 2022 in Shenzhen Zhongshan Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital (formerly Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital, Shenzhen, China) were retrospectively reviewed. The subjects were divided into four groups based on average TV quartiles. Serum hormone levels in each TV group were compared between positive and negative sperm retrieval subgroups. Overall sperm retrieval rate was 57.6%. FSH levels (median [interquartile range]) were higher in the positive sperm retrieval subgroup compared with the negative outcome subgroup when average TV was <5 ml (first quartile [Q1: TV <3 ml]: 43.32 [17.92] IU l -1 vs 32.95 [18.56] IU l -1 , P = 0.048; second quartile [Q2: 3 ml ≤ TV <5 ml]: 31.31 [15.37] IU l -1 vs 25.59 [18.40] IU l -1 , P = 0.042). Elevated serum FSH levels were associated with successful micro-TESE sperm retrieval in NOA men whose average TVs were <5 ml (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.06 per unit increase; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.11; P = 0.011). In men with TVs ≥5 ml, larger TVs were associated with lower odds of sperm retrieval (adjusted OR: 0.84 per 1 ml increase; 95% CI: 0.71-0.98; P = 0.029). In conclusion, elevated serum FSH levels were associated with positive sperm retrieval in micro-TESE in NOA men with TVs <5 ml. In men with TV ≥5 ml, increases in average TVs were associated with lower odds of sperm retrieval.
Humans ; Male ; Azoospermia/surgery* ; Sperm Retrieval/statistics & numerical data* ; Adult ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood* ; Retrospective Studies ; Testis/pathology* ; Microdissection ; Organ Size

Varicocele (VC) is a common cause of male infertility, yet there is a lack of molecular information for VC-associated male infertility. This study investigated alterations in the seminal plasma metabolomic and lipidomic profiles of infertile male VC patients. Twenty infertile males with VC and twenty-three age-matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited from Peking Union Medical College Hospital (Beijing, China) between October 2019 and April 2021. Untargeted metabolite and lipid profiles from seminal plasma were analyzed using mass spectrometry. Four hundred and seventy-six metabolites and seventeen lipids were significantly different in infertile male VC patients compared to HCs. The top enriched pathways among these significantly different metabolites are protein digestion and absorption, aminoacyl-transfer RNA (tRNA) biosynthesis, and biosynthesis of amino acids. Different key lipid species, including triglyceride (TG), diacylglycerol (DG), ceramides (Cer), and phosphatidylserine (PS), varied between VC and HC groups. The distinct metabolites and lipids were moderately correlated. DL-3-phenyllactic acid is a potential diagnostic biomarker for VC-related male infertility (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.893), positively correlating with sperm count, concentration, and motility. Furthermore, DL-3-phenyllactic acid is the only metabolite shared by all four comparisons (VC vs HC, VC-induced oligoasthenospermia [OAS] vs VC-induced asthenospermia [AS], OAS vs HC, and AS vs HC). DL-3-phenyllactic acid significantly decreased in OAS than AS. Metabolite-targeting gene analysis revealed carbonic anhydrase 9 (CA9) might be the strongest candidate associated with the onset and severity of VC. The seminal plasma metabolite and lipid profiles of infertile males with VC differ significantly from those of HCs. DL-3-phenyllactic acid could be a promising biomarker.
Humans ; Male ; Varicocele/complications* ; Infertility, Male/etiology* ; Semen/metabolism* ; Lipidomics ; Adult ; Metabolomics ; Case-Control Studies ; Biomarkers/metabolism*

The patient was a boy aged 1 year and 9 months who presented with 46,XY disorder of sex development (DSD), with severe undermasculinization of the external genitalia. Laboratory tests and ultrasound examinations showed normal functions of Leydig cells and Sertoli cells in the testes. Genetic testing revealed a novel pathogenic heterozygous variant, c.1186dupA (p.T396Nfs*17), in the PPP1R12A gene. Thirteen cases of PPP1R12A gene variants have been reported previously. These variants may cause isolated involvement of the genitourinary or neurological systems, or affect other systems/organs including the digestive tract, eyes, heart, etc. Patients with DSD typically present with a 46,XY karyotype and variable degrees of undermasculinization involving the external genitalia, gonads, and reproductive tract. This article reports a child with 46,XY DSD accompanied by growth retardation caused by a heterozygous variant in the PPP1R12A gene, which expands the clinical disease spectrum associated with PPP1R12A gene variants.
Humans ; Male ; Infant ; Disorder of Sex Development, 46,XY/etiology* ; Protein Phosphatase 1/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between serum levels of fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23), heparanase (HPSE) and early renal impairment (RI) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 125 MM patients who were initially diagnosed in the Department of Hematology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology from June 2020 to June 2023. The patients were divided into RI group (>176.80 μmol/L) and non-RI group (≤176.80 μmol/L) based on their serum creatinine levels when diagnosed. The baseline data and laboratory indexes of the two groups were compared. The relationship between serum FGF-23, HPSE and early RI in MM patients was analyzed. RESULTS: Among 125 newly diagnosed MM patients, 33 cases developed early RI, accounting for 26.40%. The proportion of light chain type, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), blood uric acid, lactate dehydrogenase, FGF-23, and HPSE levels in RI group were higher than those in non-RI group (all P <0.05). There was no statistical significant difference in other data between the two groups (P >0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that BUN, FGF-23 and HPSE were associated with early RI in MM patients (all P <0.05). The serum FGF-23 level was divided into Q1-Q4 groups by quartile, and the serum HPSE level was divided into q1-q4 groups. The correlation analysis showed that with the increase of serum FGF-23 and HPSE levels, the incidence of early RI increased (r =0.668, 0.592). Furthermore, logistic regression analysis showed that after controlling for confounding factors, elevated levels of serum FGF-23 and HPSE were still influencing factors for early RI in MM patients (OR>1, P <0.05). According to Pearson's linear correlation test, there was a positive correlation between serum FGF-23 level and HPSE level (r =0.373). CONCLUSION There is a certain correlation between serum levels of FGF-23, HPSE and early RI in MM patients, and the incidence of early RI is higher in patients with abnormally high levels of both.
Humans ; Multiple Myeloma/complications* ; Fibroblast Growth Factor-23 ; Retrospective Studies ; Fibroblast Growth Factors/blood* ; Glucuronidase/blood* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Renal Insufficiency/blood* ; Aged

BACKGROUND: Based on the China-VHD database, this study sought to develop and validate a Valvular Heart Disease- specific Age-adjusted Comorbidity Index (VHD-ACI) for predicting mortality risk in patients with VHD. METHODS & RESULTS: The China-VHD study was a nationwide, multi-centre multi-centre cohort study enrolling 13,917 patients with moderate or severe VHD across 46 medical centres in China between April-June 2018. After excluding cases with missing key variables, 11,459 patients were retained for final analysis. The primary endpoint was 2-year all-cause mortality, with 941 deaths (10.0%) observed during follow-up. The VHD-ACI was derived after identifying 13 independent mortality predictors: cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary artery hypertension, low body weight, anaemia, hypoalbuminaemia, renal insufficiency, moderate/severe hepatic dysfunction, heart failure, cancer, NYHA functional class and age. The index exhibited good discrimination (AUC, 0.79) and calibration (Brier score, 0.062) in the total cohort, outperforming both EuroSCORE II and ACCI (P < 0.001 for comparison). Internal validation through 100 bootstrap iterations yielded a C statistic of 0.694 (95% CI: 0.665-0.723) for 2-year mortality prediction. VHD-ACI scores, as a continuous variable (VHD-ACI score: adjusted HR (95% CI): 1.263 (1.245-1.282), P < 0.001) or categorized using thresholds determined by the Yoden index (VHD-ACI ≥ 9 vs. < 9, adjusted HR (95% CI): 6.216 (5.378-7.184), P < 0.001), were independently associated with mortality. The prognostic performance remained consistent across all VHD subtypes (aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, mitral stenosis, mitral regurgitation, tricuspid valve disease, mixed aortic/mitral valve disease and multiple VHD), and clinical subgroups stratified by therapeutic strategy, LVEF status (preserved vs. reduced), disease severity and etiology. CONCLUSION The VHD-ACI is a simple 13-comorbidity algorithm for the prediction of mortality in VHD patients and providing a simple and rapid tool for risk stratification.