Aromatic Chinese medicinal essential oils are volatile oils extracted from aromatic Chinese herbs， which can prevent and treat respiratory infectious diseases through multiple synergistic mechanisms including pathogen inhibition， immune regulation， and inflammatory response regulation. Essential oils are primarily used externally on the body to prevent infections and alleviate symptoms through methods like inhalation， smearing， topical application， bathing， gargling or as a suppository. They can also be utilized in the environment for disinfection and air purification， through methods like diffusion， vaporization， or spraying. The external application of essential oils extracted from Chinese aromatic herbs has the advantages of convenience， quick absorption， and simultaneous influence on both the body and mind. However， there are still challenges and deficiencies in aspects such as the positioning of functions， indications， safety， and the research on the mechanism of action. It has been proposed to combine the theory of aromatic Chinese medicinals with the characteristics of essential oils， and formulate prescriptions of Chinese medicinal essential oils under the principles of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation， and prevent and treat respiratory infectious diseases efficiently， accurately， and safely， thereby expanding the clinical application of aromatic Chinese medicinals and the preventive theory of traditional Chinese medicine.

In managing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, which affects over 30% of the general population, effective noninvasive biomarkers for assessing disease severity, monitoring disease progression, predicting the development of liver-related complications, and assessing treatment response are crucial. The advantage of simple fibrosis scores lies in their widespread accessibility through routinely performed blood tests and extensive validation in different clinical settings. They have shown reasonable accuracy in diagnosing advanced fibrosis and good performance in excluding the majority of patients with a low risk of liver-related complications. Among patients with elevated serum fibrosis scores, a more specific fibrosis and imaging biomarker has proved useful to accurately identify patients at risk of liver-related complications. Among specific fibrosis blood biomarkers, enhanced liver fibrosis is the most widely utilized and has been approved in the United States as a prognostic biomarker. For imaging biomarkers, the availability of vibration-controlled transient elastography has been largely improved over the past years, enabling the use of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) for accurate assessment of significant and advanced fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Combining LSM with other routinely available blood tests enhances the ability to diagnose at-risk metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis and predict liver-related complications, some reaching an accuracy comparable to that of liver biopsy. Magnetic resonance imaging-based modalities provide the most accurate quantification of liver fibrosis, though the current utilization is limited to research settings. Expanding their future use in clinical practice depends on factors such as cost and facility availability.

In managing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, which affects over 30% of the general population, effective noninvasive biomarkers for assessing disease severity, monitoring disease progression, predicting the development of liver-related complications, and assessing treatment response are crucial. The advantage of simple fibrosis scores lies in their widespread accessibility through routinely performed blood tests and extensive validation in different clinical settings. They have shown reasonable accuracy in diagnosing advanced fibrosis and good performance in excluding the majority of patients with a low risk of liver-related complications. Among patients with elevated serum fibrosis scores, a more specific fibrosis and imaging biomarker has proved useful to accurately identify patients at risk of liver-related complications. Among specific fibrosis blood biomarkers, enhanced liver fibrosis is the most widely utilized and has been approved in the United States as a prognostic biomarker. For imaging biomarkers, the availability of vibration-controlled transient elastography has been largely improved over the past years, enabling the use of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) for accurate assessment of significant and advanced fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Combining LSM with other routinely available blood tests enhances the ability to diagnose at-risk metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis and predict liver-related complications, some reaching an accuracy comparable to that of liver biopsy. Magnetic resonance imaging-based modalities provide the most accurate quantification of liver fibrosis, though the current utilization is limited to research settings. Expanding their future use in clinical practice depends on factors such as cost and facility availability.

In managing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, which affects over 30% of the general population, effective noninvasive biomarkers for assessing disease severity, monitoring disease progression, predicting the development of liver-related complications, and assessing treatment response are crucial. The advantage of simple fibrosis scores lies in their widespread accessibility through routinely performed blood tests and extensive validation in different clinical settings. They have shown reasonable accuracy in diagnosing advanced fibrosis and good performance in excluding the majority of patients with a low risk of liver-related complications. Among patients with elevated serum fibrosis scores, a more specific fibrosis and imaging biomarker has proved useful to accurately identify patients at risk of liver-related complications. Among specific fibrosis blood biomarkers, enhanced liver fibrosis is the most widely utilized and has been approved in the United States as a prognostic biomarker. For imaging biomarkers, the availability of vibration-controlled transient elastography has been largely improved over the past years, enabling the use of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) for accurate assessment of significant and advanced fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Combining LSM with other routinely available blood tests enhances the ability to diagnose at-risk metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis and predict liver-related complications, some reaching an accuracy comparable to that of liver biopsy. Magnetic resonance imaging-based modalities provide the most accurate quantification of liver fibrosis, though the current utilization is limited to research settings. Expanding their future use in clinical practice depends on factors such as cost and facility availability.

This study was aimed at analyzing the molecular characteristics of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli(E.coli)strains isolated from domestic animals at a surveillance site in Jiangsu province and evaluating their potential pathogenicity,to provide evidence supporting the surveillance,prevention,and control of infectious diarrhea.Thirty-seven EPEC strains isolated from domestic animals at this surveillance site were characterized by whole genome sequencing.All EPEC strains isolated from local livestock were aEPEC,which has a variety of serotypes and carries a variety of virulence genes associated with diarrhea.Nine ST types with regional epidemic characteristics were identified.Five eae gene subtypes were found,among which β1 was dominant and was also the most common strain in patients with diarrhea.According to analysis of the characteristics of 37 EPEC strains,all EPEC strains from local livestock were aEPEC,thus posing a potential threat to public health.Monitoring of livestock feces and the breeding environment must be strengthened in the surveillance of infectious diarrhea.

ObjectiveTo provide more basic information of comparative medicine for the study of biological changes and pathogenesis of COVID-19 by systematical sorting and analyzing the transcriptome data.MethodsFollowing a retrieval strategy, using COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 as key words, transcriptome datasets related to COVID-19 from January 2020 to May 2023 were collected from GEO, ArrayExpress and GEN Transcriptome databases. The composition, distribution, and research application of COVID-19 transcriptome data resources were analyzed. Data distribution was visually displayed and correlation analysis was performed. The research applications and limitations of existing COVID-19 transcriptome data were analyzed from the perspectives of clinical medicine and comparative medicine, focusing on clinical-related molecular mechanisms, biomarkers and related immune responses, treatment intervention strategies, etc. The research value and application prospects were discussed.Results A total of 975 sets of COVID-19 transcriptome data were included. Among three databases, datasets from humans accounted for the highest proportion, namely 71.9%, 77.9%, and 90%, respectively. Species other than humans, such as mice, were the main sources of data, with the respiratory and nervous systems having the highest distribution of data. Twenty-seven datasets were associated with clinical significance. Analysis revealed that respiratory tract injury and other related molecular mechanisms were obtained through transcriptome data mining. Biomarkers such as cfDNA could be used as therapeutic targets. The severity of COVID-19 infection was associated with cell changes and disorders represented by M1 macrophages. Comparative medical analysis showed that mice, hamsters, and other animals were susceptible to SARS-CoV-2. Rhesus monkeys and cynomolgus monkeys exhibited infection characteristics highly similar to human. Apart from respiratory symptoms, hamsters also exhibited digestive system symptoms. SARS-CoV-2 can replicate in the respiratory organs of various susceptible animals, the intestines of ferrets and the ears of minks, resulting in interstitial pneumonia, diffuse lung injury and other pathological changes of varying degrees. Based on the differences in immune responses, hamsters can be used for neutralizing antibody reaction research.Conclusion Currently there is a wealth of COVID-19 transcriptome data, but there is a lack of comparative transcriptome research. Transcriptomics can be combined with comparative medicine to further explore the differences in comparative medicine of COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the protective effect and mechanism of cryptotanshinone （CTS） on heart and kidney function in rats with cardiorenal syndrome （CRS） by regulating phosphoinositide kinase-3 （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt）/ mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaling pathway. METHODS CRS model of rats was induced by left anterior descending coronary artery ligation combined with acute renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. Model rats were randomly divided into CRS model group （CRS group）， low-dose CTS group （CTS-L）， high-dose CTS group （CTS-H group）， high-dose CTS+PI3K activator 740Y-P group （CTS-H+740Y-P group）， with 12 rats in each group. Another 12 rats were selected as the normal control group （Normal group） and were carried out surgery without modeling. CTS-L group and CTS-H group were respectively given CTS 30 and 60 mg/kg intragastrically， once a day， for consecutive 14 d. Besides the intervention of CTS 60 mg/kg intragastrically， CTS-H+740Y-P group was given 10 mg/kg 740Y-P intraperitoneally， once a day， for 14 consecutive days. After the last medication， the levels of cardiac function [left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF）， left ventricular end-systolic diameter （LVESD）， left ventricular end-diastolic diameter （LVEDD）， left ventricular fraction shortening （LVFS）] and renal function [24 h urinary protein， blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， serum creatinine （Scr）， brain natriuretic peptide （BNP）] were detected in rats. The pathological changes and fibrosis of the heart and kidney in rats were observed； the expressions of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in heart and renal tissue were all detected. RESULTS Compared with Normal group， the levels of LVEF and LVFS in rats were all decreased significantly in CRS group （P＜0.05）； the levels of LVESD， LVEDD， 24 h urinary protein， serum levels of BUN， Scr and BNP， collagen area and the phosphorylation of PI3K， Akt and mTOR protein in heart and renal tissue were all increased significantly （P＜0.05）. The morphology of myocardial cells was enlarged and disordered； the structure ofrenal tubules was disordered， epithelial cells were wrinkled， and there was infiltration of inflammatory cells. Compared with CRS group， the above indexes of rats were reversed significantly in CTS-L group and CTS-H group （P＜0.05）； heart and kidney function had been restored， and pathological damage and fibrosis had been reduced. PI3K activator 740Y-P weakened the protective effect of CTS on cardiac and renal function in CRS rats. CONCLUSIONS CTS can protect heart and kidney function in CRS rats， the mechanism of which may be associated with inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.