Since its establishment in 2016, the National Rare Diseases Registry System of China (NRDRS) has accumulated valuable case data and bio-specimen for basic and clinical research on rare diseases in China. However, the emerging challenges in clinical diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases make it unable for data and resource platform to fully meet the diversified needs. Under this backdrop, we have developed a protocol to optimize and upgrade the system based on the core functions of the NRDRS platform. The goal is to leverage intelligent digital technologies to transform NRDRS into a new platform integrating multimodal data and auxiliary diagnostic and treatment functions. It is specified as the development and construction of "one platform and four intelligent tools." Currently, we have upgraded and developed NRDRS platform, intelligent tool for genotype-phenotype analysis of rare diseases, AI-assisted diagnostic tool for rare diseases, remote multidisciplinary diagnosis and teaching tool for rare diseases, drug screening and validation tool for rare diseases. The next step will focus on the promotion of the application of these tools in clinical settings in order to address the issue of severe imbalance in the allocation of resources for the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. This article provides an overview of the digital and intelligent upgrades of the NRDRS, the trials in applications in clinical settings, and direction in the future.

Most chemical medicines have polymorphs. The difference of medicine polymorphs in physicochemical properties directly affects the stability, efficacy, and safety of solid medicine products. Polymorphs is incomparably important to pharmaceutical chemistry, manufacturing, and control. Meantime polymorphs is a key factor for the quality of high-end drug and formulations. Polymorph prediction technology can effectively guide screening of trial experiments, and reduce the risk of missing stable crystal form in the traditional experiment. Polymorph prediction technology was firstly based on theoretical calculations such as quantum mechanics and computational chemistry, and then was developed by the key technology of machine learning using the artificial intelligence. Nowadays, the popular trend is to combine the advantages of theoretical calculation and machine learning to jointly predict crystal structure. Recently, predicting medicine polymorphs has still been a challenging problem. It is expected to learn from and integrate existing technologies to predict medicine polymorphs more accurately and efficiently.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) belong to ligand-gated ion channel receptors, of which α7 nAChR subtype is widely distributed in the cerebral cortex, thalamus, hippocampus, and also identified in microglia, macrophages, bone marrow cells, etc. Previous studies revealed that α7 nAChR is closely related to the function of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, and is a vital target for drug development of Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. The establishment of a stable α7 nAChR in vitro drug screening system is crucial for the efficient screening of novel drugs targeting this target. Recombinant expression of different subtypes of nAChRs on Xenopus laevis oocyte membranes and current detected by two-electrode voltage clamp (TEVC) is an advanced and complex model for novel drug screening. Molecular chaperones can assist the assembly of some nAChR subunits to form functional receptors, providing a stable expression model for the screening of compounds targeting this receptor. In this study, a molecular chaperone gene of α7 nAChR, transmembrane protein 35A (Tmem35a), was isolated and cloned from rats. We constructed the recombinant expression vector and obtained the cRNA of Tmem35a by in vitro transcription technique. Two cRNAs (Tmem35a and α7) were mixed and injected into X. laevis oocytes for expression. Then, the effects of this molecular chaperone on the current expression and pharmacological properties of α7 nAChR were evaluated by the TEVC. The results revealed that TMEM35A, also known as novel acetylcholine receptor chaperone (NACHO) could effectively increase the expression of α7 nAChR protein on oocyte membranes, and the amount of α7 nAChR protein was increased about 1-fold. The peak current induced by agonist acetylcholine (ACh) was increased about 10-fold. After injection of Tmem35a cRNA, the median effect concentration (EC₅₀) value of α7 nAChR to agonist ACh is 228.5 μmol·L^-1, which shows almost no difference from native α7 nAChR (EC₅₀: 223.3 μmol·L^-1), indicating the preservation of the normal properties of α7 nAChR. The results of this investigation indicate that the molecular chaperone NACHO effectively assists the heterologous expression of α7 nAChR in X. laevis oocytes, which provides a model for screening the potency of lead compounds targeting α7 nAChR. All animal experiments in this study were reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of Guangxi University (approval number: GXU-2023-0249).

N-type voltage-gated calcium (Ca²⁺) channels (N-type VGCC, Ca_V2.2) mediate Ca²⁺ influx in response to action potential at the presynaptic terminal, and play an important role in synaptogenesis, neurotransmitter release and nociceptive signal transduction. It is a new target for the development of drugs for the treatment of neuralgia (chronic pain) and other major diseases. Due to the difficulty of calcium channel expression in vitro and the detection of channel current, there is a great lack of new drug screening models. In this study, we established and optimized the electrophysiological drug screening model using Xenopus laevis oocytes for the recombinant expression of Ca_V2.2 in vitro (this study were reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of Guangxi University, approval number: GXU-2023-0249). Firstly, the linear plasmids encoding cDNA of major subunit α1B and auxiliary subunits α2δ1 and β3 of rat Ca_V2.2 were used as templates for in vitro transcription to generate their related mRNA (cRNA), after which three kinds of cRNA were injected into Xenopus laevis oocytes at the mass ratio of 2∶1∶1 for expression. The two-electrode voltage clamp (TEVC) technique was used to detect the inward current produced by Ca_V2.2. At the same time, the expression conditions of Ca_V2.2 were optimized, and its gating function was characterized from the aspects of channel activation and inactivation. The results showed that 3-5 days after cRNA microinjection, stable Ca_V2.2-mediated barium ion (Ba²⁺) currents were successfully detected. The interference of endogenous potassium channels and Ca²⁺-activated chloride channels can be eliminated by tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH) and 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid tetrakis (BAPTA-AM) treatment. The maximum potential for Ca_V2.2 activation is 0 mV, and the current reverses to be outward when the membrane potential is greater than +50 mV. By fitting the steady-state activation and inactivation curves, the half-maximal activation potential and half-maximal inactivation potential of Ca_V2.2 are identified as -15.9 and -60.2 mV. In this study, a stable Ca_V2.2 expression system was established based on Xenopus laevis oocytes. The in vitro expression system can provide a new way for the screening of Ca_V2.2 active compounds or lead drugs.

[Objective] To determine the feasibility of preparing plasminogen (Pg) with Fraction Ⅲ precipitation (hereinafter referred to as FⅢ-P) from low-temperature ethanol process by full chromatography (hereinafter referred to as FⅢ-P process). [Methods] The FⅢ-P was diluted with dissolution buffer at different dilution times and stirring time. The potency and antigen concentration of Pg in dissolution sample were detected and the dissolution and clarification conditions were determined. Pre-treatment of loading sample and pre-experiment of affinity chromatography were carried out on the FⅢ-P dissolution sample to judge whether the loading sample had an impact on the chromatography by observing the performance of the affinity chromatography column and to evaluate whether the affinity chromatography could achieve the purpose of purifying Pg by detecting the plasma protein antigen concentration and Pg potency of the samples in the process. Two batches of FⅢ-P process were studied step by step, and the specific activity, steps and total recovery, and the output of Pg per ton of plasma were calculated. The feasibility of preparing Pg by FⅢ-P process was evaluated by comparing with the data of full chromatography process using plasma as raw material (hereinafter referred to as plasma process). [Results] The FⅢ-P was dissolved with 10 times of dissolution buffer, stirred for 1 hour, centrifuged at room temperature of 10 000×g for 15 minutes. The supernatant was first filtered with a screen, then clarified with an 8/0.8 μm filter, and finally filtered with a 0.45/0.2 μm filter and loaded. Pre-test showed that from clarification and filtration to Pg affinity chromatography, the step recovery of activity and antigen was 39.51% and 108.64%, respectively, the antigen concentration of Pg increased by 31.16 times and the activity increased by 11.39 times after affinity chromatography, which reaching the effect of affinity chromatography purification of Pg. The results of 2 batches of step-by-step scale-up FⅢ-P process showed that the total recoveries of antigen and activity from plasma to SP chromatography of FⅢ-P process were (45.76±1.10)% and (24.15±0.59)%, respectively, which had a total loss of about 1/3 of antigen and about 2/3 of activity compared to the plasma process. The Pg specific activity of SP chromatography eluent was (4.68±0.25) U/mg, which was about half of that of plasma process, but meeted the internal standard of > 4 U/mg. The output of Pg antigen per ton of plasma in the FⅢ-P process was 68.73% of that in the plasma process, and the output of Pg activity per ton of plasma in the plasma process was 29.82% of that in the plasma process, which basically achieved the purpose of waste utilization of FⅢ-P. [Conclusion] The technical route of preparing Pg from FⅢ-P by full chromatography is feasible.

Objective:To assess the effectiveness of a 6-month Ba Duan Jin exercise program in improving the balance of community-dwelling older adults.Methods:A two arms, parallel-group, cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in 1 028 community residents aged 60-80 years in 40 communities in 5 provinces of China. Participants in the intervention group (20 communities, 523 people) received Ba Duan Jin exercise 5 days/week, 1 hour/day for 6 months, and three times of falls prevention health education, and the control group (20 communities, 505 people) received falls prevention health education same as the intervention group. The Berg balance scale (BBS) score was the leading outcome indicator, and the secondary outcome indicators included the length of time of standing on one foot (with eyes open and closed), standing in a tandem stance (with eyes open and closed), the closed circle test, and the timed up to test.Results:A total of 1 028 participants were included in the final analysis, including 731 women (71.11%) and 297 men (28.89%), and the age was (69.87±5.67) years. After the 3-month intervention, compared with the baseline data, the BBS score of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group by 3.05 (95% CI: 2.23-3.88) points ( P<0.001). After the 6-month intervention, compared with the baseline data, the BBS score of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group by 4.70 (95% CI: 4.03-5.37) points ( P<0.001). Ba Duan Jin showed significant improvement ( P<0.05) in all secondary outcomes after 6 months of exercise in the intervention group compared with the control group. Conclusions:This study showed that Ba Duan Jin exercise can improve balance in community-dwelling older adults aged 60-80. The longer the exercise time, the better the improvement.

Objective:To understand the current status of gastroscopy in diagnosing gastric lesions in general population, and to recommend the optimal age for the first gastroscopy and intervals for repeated gastroscopy.Methods:The gastroscopy records of residents aged 18-80 years in Yinzhou District of Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, between April 2010 and December 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. The detections of gastric lesions across different years, age and genders were described. Goodness of fit tests were applied to compare the differences in detection rates of different lesions in first-time endoscopy in different age groups and different populations. Generalized additive models were used to fit the trend of age specific gastric lesion detection rate explore the optimal age for gastroscopy. The appropriate gastroscopy intervals were determined according to the progress of the gastric lesions detected in repeated gastroscopy.Results:A total of 237 751 participants with 344 398 gastroscopy records were included in analyses. A total of 5 597 cases of chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), 9 796 cases of intestinal metaplasia (IM), 165 cases of low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN), 52 cases of high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIN) and 435 cases of gastric cancer were detected by the first gastroscopy. The overall detection rate of gastric lesions increased significantly in age group 45-70 years, and remained stable after 70 years old, with LGIN and HGIN showing notable increases at 50 and 55 years old, respectively. Repeated gastroscopy detected CAG, IM, LGIN, and HGIN at a higher rate compared with the first gastroscopy. Normal/superficial gastritis progressed in 3-5 years, whereas CAG or more severe lesions progressed in 1-6 years.Conclusion:Gastroscopy is recommended for general population aged 45 years and above. Furthermore, gastroscopy can be performed every 3-5 years for individuals with normal endoscopy results and once a year for patients with CAG or more severe gastric lesions.

Objective To explore the correlations between serum Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor X2 (MRGPRX2), interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-13, IL-23 and IL-33 levels and chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). Methods The clinical characteristics and laboratory data from 55 patients with CSU and 21 healthy controls at Huashan Hospital, Fudan University from February 2021 to September 2023 were collected. The disease activity and severity of CSU patients were assessed. Serum level of MRGPRX2 was tested using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-13, IL-23, and IL-33 were measured using Luminex multiplex assay in all subjects. Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlations between biomarkers and other parameters in CSU patients, and logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors influencing CSU. Results CSU patients exhibited significantly higher serum levels of MRGPRX2 (2.41[0, 11.51] ng/mL vs 0[0, 2.86] ng/mL, P＝0.015) and IL-23 (0.09[0.04, 0.56] pg/mL vs 0.05[0.03, 0.08] pg/mL, P＝0.033) than healthy controls. There was no difference in levels of other cytokines between the two groups. There was no difference in levels of MRGPRX2 and cytokines between severe and non-severe CSU patients. Correlation analysis showed that serum MRGPRX2 levels in CSU patients were positively correlated with IL-4 (r＝0.345, P＝0.010) and IL-6 (r＝0.395, P＝0.003) levels. Logistic regression analysis indicated that MRGPRX2≥0.055 ng/mL and IL-23≥0.135 pg/mL were independent risk factors for CSU (P＜0.05). Conclusions Serum levels of MRGPRX2 and IL-23 in CSU patients are elevated, which may be involved in the pathogenesis of CSU.

Objective To compare the changes of the Chinese Materia Medica resources(CMMR)in Sichuan based on the data of the 3rd Chinese Materia Medica Resource Inventory(CMMRI,1983-1986)and the 4th CMMRI(2011-2022).Methods Using new techniques,after field investigation,collection and identification of the specimens of the animals,plants and minerals.The data of the CMMR in Sichuan found in the 4th CMMRI were analysed and compared with the data of 3rd CMMRI.Results ①9055 species of CMMR were found in Sichuan during the 4th CMMRI,including 8272 species of medicinal plants,745 species of medicinal animals and 38 species of medicinal minerals.Compared with the 3rd CMMRI,the number of CMMR found in Sichuan have greatly increased.The number of medicinal plants increased 5018 species,the number of medicinal animals increased 637 species and the number of medicinal minerals increased 5 species,too.②The medicinal plants is the main part of the CMMR,and the higher plants(7774 species)has the absolute advantage of the CMMR.The top 20 families which have plenty of plant species include Compositae,Rosaceae,Leguminosae,Ranunculaceae,etc.③ Based on the data of the CMMR of the 183 counties in Sichuan,the reserves of 235 species of wild CMMR in Sichuan is about 36.72 million ton.There were 49 CMMR which have reserves beyond 100 thousand tons,such as Arisaematis rhizoma,Epimedii folium,Cimicifugae rhizoma,Acori tatarinowii rhizoma,Gentianae macrophyllae radix,Polygoni multiflori radix etc.④In 2021,there were 215 species of CMMR cultivated in Sichuan,the main species were Aurantii fructus,Chuanxiong rhizoma,Polygonati rhizome,Salviae miltiorrhizae radix et rhizome.The planting area was 8.17 million and the production was 1.26 million ton.⑤All 183 countries were found CMMR,the number of the species of CMMR in 30 countries exceeded 800,including 16 countries which had more than 1000 kinds of CMMR,such as Emeishan,Hongya,Muli etc.The total types of the CMMR(up 118.31%),the reserves of the wild CMMR(up 119 times)and the number of the counties(up 3 times)which had plenty of CMMR,showed a marked increase over the 3rd CMMRI.8 new species were found in the the 4th CMMRI,such as Codonopsis atriplicifolia,Tongoloa tagongensis,Allium xinlongense,etc.Conclusion The species,the reserves of the CMMR and the resource rich countries in Sichuan are the top 3 in China and Sichuan is worthy of the title of"Hometown of Traditional Chinese Medicine".The compositions and types of the family,genus and species of the CMMR in Sichuan have significantly increased.The basic information of the CMR in Sichuan was clearly found out during the 4th CMMRI,and beneficial for the sustainable development and utilization of the CMMR in Sichuan.

Objective To study the influence of rosemary essential oil inhalation on the memory of mice experiencing sleep deprivation and to delineate the possible mechanisms involved.Methods C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into four experimental groups in this study:a control group(Con),a control group with rosemary essential oil inhalation(Con+REO),a sleep deprivation group(SD)and a sleep deprivation group with rosemary essential oil inhalation(SD+REO).A 72-hour sleep deprivation model was induced using the multiple platform water environment method,with the Con+REO and SD+REO groups exposed to rosemary essential oil inhalation.Cognitive function was evaluated through Y-maze and novel object recognition tests.The hippocampal tissue was analyzed for superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity and the concentrations of malondialdehyde(MDA)and glutathione(GSH).ELISA was used to determine the levels of norepinephrine(NE),dopamine(DA),and serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT)in the hippocampus.The expression levels of postsynaptic density 95(PSD95)and brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)in the hippocampus were determined using immunoblotting techniques.Results Compared with the Con and Con+REO groups,the SD group demonstrated a significant reduction in the spontaneous alternation percentage in the Y-maze as well as the novel object recognition index.Additionally,there was a pronounced decrease in hippocampal SOD activity and GSH content,a substantial elevation in MDA levels,and a decrease in the levels of DA,NE,and 5-HT.The expressions of PSD95 and BDNF proteins also decreased.In comparison with the SD group,the SD+REO group exhibited a significant increase in the spontaneous alternation percentage in the Y-maze and the novel object recognition index.There was also a marked increase in hippocampal SOD activity and GSH content,a reduction in MDA levels and elevated levels of NE and DA.Moreover,the expressions of PSD95 and BDNF proteins were upregulated.Conclusion The inhalation of rosemary essential oil enhances the memory of sleep-deprived mice,and the underlying mechanism may involve the mitigation of oxidative stress within the hippocampal tissue,the modulation of neurotransmitter levels,and the facilitation of synaptic plasticity.