Synergistic effects of carbon cycle metabolism and photosynthesis in Chinese cabbage under salt stress

Chinese cabbage(Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis) has a long cultivation history and is one of the vegetable crops with the largest cultivation area in China. However, salt stress severely damages photosynthesis and hormone metabolism, nutritional balances, and results in ion toxicity in plants. To better understand the mechanisms of salt-induced growth inhibition in Chinese cabbage, RNA-seq and physiological index determination were conducted to explore the impacts of salt stress on carbon cycle metabolism and photosynthesis in Chinese cabbage. Here, we found that the number of thylakoids and grana lamellae and the content of starch granules and chlorophyll in the leaves of Chinese cabbage under salt stress showed a time-dependent response, first increasing and then decreasing. Chinese cabbage increased the transcript levels of genes related to the photosynthetic apparatus and carbon metabolism under salt stress, probably in an attempt to alleviate damage to the photosynthetic system and enhance CO_(2) fixation and energy metabolism. The transcription of genes related to starch and sucrose synthesis and degradation were also enhanced;this might have been an attempt to maintain intracellular osmotic pressure by increasing soluble sugar concentrations. Soluble sugars could also be used as potential reactive oxygen species(ROS) scavengers, in concert with peroxidase(POD)enzymes, to eliminate ROS that accumulate during metabolic processes. Our study characterizes the synergistic response network of carbon metabolism and photosynthesis under salt stress.

Understandings of Urban Sustainability in China:a Bibliometric Analysis Using Chinese Literatures

Cities hold a critical responsibility for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)due to their high population density,extensive resource consumption,and significant economic contributions.To examine the present state of understandings regarding urban sustainability(SDG 11:Sustainable Cities and Communities)within Chinese research communities,this study collected 15950 papers from 1994 to 2022 on the 12 indicators of SDG 11,from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),a hub of Chinese academic papers,that directly relate to policymaking.Significant research topics on SDG 11 were identified for each indicator using bibliometrics analysis approaches.The high-frequency keywords and clusters of keywords over the last three decades reveal that existing studies primarily concentrated on the physical aspects,such as transportation and environment,while there is a lack of consideration of societal aspects.This indicates a limited and biased understanding of the urban sustainability within the Chinese academic community.Hence,it is crucial to prioritize the societal aspects in order to develop a research agenda that further advances urban sustainability.

Research progress of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of endocrine metabolic diseases in 2023

This study aimed to provide a comprehensive review of the research progress in Chinese medicine in the treatment of endocrine metabolic diseases in 2023,covering traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)monomers,TCM extracts,and TCM combinations,including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease,type 2 diabetes mellitus and its complications,obesity,hyperuricaemia,and thyroid disorders.After systematic sorting and summary,we found that in 2023,the research focusing on the application of TCM for endocrine metabolic diseases was still on the mechanism of action at the cellular and molecular levels,which not only influenced the classical pathways of lipid metabolism,but also delved into the key mechanisms of anti-inflammation,anti-oxidation,anti-insulin resistance,and so on.Additionally,TCM has shown remarkable results in the treatment of endocrine metabolic diseases by improving intestinal flora disorders and abnormal cellular iron death.These research results provide valuable ideas,methods,and tools for TCM in the prevention and treatment of endocrine metabolic diseases,and provide important references and guidance for future research and practice.

Effect of Modified Biochar with Organic Fertiliser on the Growth and Development of Chinese Rose

In order to reduce the waste of resources and environmental pollution caused by excessive application of chemical fertilizers, improve the utilization rate of fertilizers, and promote the large-scale and high-quality development of the Chinese rose industry. In this experiment, corn stover biochar, phosphoric acid modified biochar and organic fertilizer were used as test materials, and the effects of mixed application of modified biochar and organic fertilizer on the growth and development of Chinese rose as well as soil physicochemical properties were investigated by using the method of pot planting test. The results showed that modified biochar with organic fertilizer had the most significant effect on the enhancement of soil pH, organic matter content and soil carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. After 120 d of planting, modified biochar with organic fertilizer had the most significant effect on the enhancement of plant height and crown width of Chinese rose;both organic fertilizer and modified biochar with organic fertilizer significantly increased the chlorophyll content of Chinese rose. The number of flowers and the number of branches were the highest in the modified biochar with organic fertilizer treatment. In conclusion, the application of modified biochar with organic fertilizer can better improve the soil pH, and increase the soil organic matter content and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio to change the biological traits of Chinese rose. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for the reduction of chemical fertilizers and the resource utilization of agricultural wastes and guarantee the sustainable development of the cut flower industry.

The metabolic profiling of Chinese yam fermented by Saccharomyces boulardii and the biological activities of its ethanol extract in vitro

Chinese yam(Dioscorea opposita Thunb.),as one of the medicinal and edible homologous plants,is rich in various nutrients and functional factors.In this study,Chinese yam fermented by Saccharomyces boulardii was performed to investigate its bioactive components and metabolic profile.And then,the main bioactive components and biological activities of fermented Chinese yam ethanol extract(FCYE)were evaluated.Results showed that there were 49 up-regulated metabolites and 52 down-regulated metabolites in fermented Chinese yam compared to unfermented Chinese yam.Besides,corresponding metabolic pathways analysis initially revealed that the distribution of bioactive substances was concentrated on alcoholsoluble small molecular substances.Ulteriorly,the total polyphenol content and the total flavonoid content in FCYE were significantly increased,and the corresponding antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities in vitro were also significantly enhanced.Our study provided a new reference for the comprehensive utilization of Chinese yam and laid a theoretical foundation for the development and application of natural probiotic-fermented products.

Improve Chinese Aspect Sentiment Quadruplet Prediction via Instruction Learning Based on Large Generate Models

Aspect-Based Sentiment Analysis(ABSA)is a fundamental area of research in Natural Language Processing(NLP).Within ABSA,Aspect Sentiment Quad Prediction(ASQP)aims to accurately identify sentiment quadruplets in target sentences,including aspect terms,aspect categories,corresponding opinion terms,and sentiment polarity.However,most existing research has focused on English datasets.Consequently,while ASQP has seen significant progress in English,the Chinese ASQP task has remained relatively stagnant.Drawing inspiration from methods applied to English ASQP,we propose Chinese generation templates and employ prompt-based instruction learning to enhance the model’s understanding of the task,ultimately improving ASQP performance in the Chinese context.Ultimately,under the same pre-training model configuration,our approach achieved a 5.79%improvement in the F1 score compared to the previously leading method.Furthermore,when utilizing a larger model with reduced training parameters,the F1 score demonstrated an 8.14%enhancement.Additionally,we suggest a novel evaluation metric based on the characteristics of generative models,better-reflecting model generalization.Experimental results validate the effectiveness of our approach.

Comparative efficacy and safety of Chinese patent medicines of iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy:A network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Iron deficiency anemia(IDA)is a prevalent nutritional disorder during pregnancy.Clinical studies indicate that incorporating Chinese patent medicines(CPMs)with oral iron(OI)in treating IDA in pregnancy can reduce adverse effects and improve clinical outcomes.Nonetheless,the comparative efficacy of different CPMs remains unclear.AIM To assess the safety and effectiveness of different CPMs for treating IDA during pregnancy using network meta-analysis.METHODS We conducted a search for randomized controlled trials(RCTs)that combined CPM and OI for IDA treatment in pregnancy,spanning from 2013 to the present.Data analysis was performed using Rev Man 5.3 and Stata 14.0 on literature that satisfied the quality criteria.RESULTS The analysis included 45 RCTs,encompassing 4422 pregnant patients with IDA.Six CPMs were examined,including Shengxuebao Mixture,Shengxuening Tablets(SXN),Yiqi Weixue CPMs(YQWX),Jianpi Shengxue CPMs(JPSX),Yiqi Buxue Tablets,and Compound Hongyi Buxue Oral Liquid(FFHY).Findings indicated that FFHY+OI significantly improved the clinical effective rate.SXN+OI was most effective in boosting red blood cells counts and hemoglobin levels.YQWX+OI showed superior results in improving serum ferritin,and SXN+OI was most effective in increasing serum iron levels.JPSX+OI was optimal in reducing adverse pregnancy outcomes,while YQBX+OI effectively minimized adverse events.A cluster analysis suggested that SXN+OI could be the potentially optimal therapeutic regimen for IDA in pregnancy.CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that the combination of OI with CPMs offers better outcomes than OI alone.Based on clinical efficacy and other measured outcomes,SXN+OI emerges as the most effective treatment modality for improving the health of pregnant patients with IDA.

Mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of psoriasis with depression:A review

Psoriasis is a kind of immune-mediated, chronic, inflammatory skin disease, which is often associated with different degrees of psychological disorders. Specifically, there is a significant correlation between psoriasis and depression, and they show the relationships of reciprocal causation and mutual promotion. Psoriasis with depression is more harmful than simple psoriasis, and its prognosis is worse, which brings a huge burden to the family and society and is worthy of clinical attention. Based on the pathogenic factors of western medicine and pathogenesis of traditional Chinese medicine in psoriasis with depression, the paper summarized and elaborated the research progress on the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of psoriasis with depression, in order to provide new ideas for clinical treatment.

In Silico Screening of Potential Inhibitors against dPLA2 from Named Chinese Herbs for Identification of Compounds with Antivenom Effects Due to Deinagkistrodon acutus Snake Bites

Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) is the key enzyme to the venom from Deinagkistrodon acutus which is one of the highly venomous snakes in China. In addition to being a catalyst for the hydrolysis of phospholipases A2 from snake venom, its well known that it possesses a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities, such as myotoxicity, neurotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, and hemolytic, anticoagulant and antiplatelet activities. However, snakebites are not efficiently treated by conventional serum therapy. Acute wounds can still cause poisoning and death. In order to find effective inhibitors of Deinagkistrodon venom acid phospholipase A2 (dPLA2), we obtained 385 compounds in 9 Chinese herbs from the TCMSP. These compounds were further performed to virtual screen using in silico tools like ADMET analysis, molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. After Pharmacokinetics analysis, we found 7 candidate compounds. Besides, analysis of small molecule interactions with dPLA2 confirmed that the amino acid residues HIS47 and GLY29 are key targets. Because they bind not only to the natural substrate phosphatidylcholine and compounds known for having inhibitory functions, but also for combining with potential antidote molecules in Chinese herbal medicine. This study is the first to report experience with virtual screening for possible inhibitor of dPLA2, such as the interaction spatial structure, binding energy and binding interaction analysis, these experiences not only provide reference for further experimental research, but also have a guideline for the study of drug molecular mechanism of action.

An Exploration of Traditional Chinese Cultural Programs:The Construction of Rituals,Narrative Strategies,and Experiential Insights

In the context of the cultural development of the new era and the burgeoning spiritual demands of the people,there has been a remarkable surge in the proliferation of traditional Chinese cultural programs.The“Chinese Festivals”series,produced by Henan TV,standing out as an engaging TV program that showcases traditional Chinese culture,has rapidly captivated a diverse audience across different age groups,creating a rich,multi-dimensional,and cross-media cultural communication ecosystem.The program strategically selects symbolic elements by systematically categorizing and organizing traditional Chinese cultural symbols to create a rich cultural space.It employs cutting-edge scientific and technological methods to enrich viewer immersion,crafting media rituals with both temporal significance and a profound sense of media ritual.This approach boosts the program’s popularity and sets a benchmark for industry innovation.By fostering an interactive narrative between mainstream media and the public,the program continuously broadens the scope of the“story world,”fostering a harmonious and structured national cultural community through the creative interpretation of traditional Chinese culture and the evocative crafting of the aesthetic sensibilities inherent in Chinese art.It is worth noting that the phenomenon of aesthetic fatigue besets the development of this serial program.To address this issue and further improve the appeal of the program,a comprehensive approach is required to develop a cohesive narrative mode for the“story world.”This involves harmonizing the interplay between artistic endeavors and technological advancements,synchronizing sensory experiences with the foundational ritualistic elements,and enhancing the effectiveness of the media communication matrix to construct a brand of media culture that has social significance,aesthetic value,and economic profits in the new era.

Structural similarity of lithospheric velocity models of Chinese mainland

Existing lithospheric velocity models exhibit similar structures typically associated with the first-order tectonic features,with dissimilarities due to different data and methods used in model generation.The quantification of model structural similarity can help in interpreting the geophysical properties of Earth's interior and establishing unified models crucial in natural hazard assessment and resource exploration.Here we employ the complex wavelet structural similarity index measure(CW-SSIM)active in computer image processing to analyze the structural similarity of four lithospheric velocity models of Chinese mainland published in the past decade.We take advantage of this method in its multiscale definition and insensitivity to slight geometrical distortion like translation and scaling,which is particularly crucial in the structural similarity analysis of velocity models accounting for uncertainty and resolution.Our results show that the CW-SSIM values vary in different model pairs,horizontal locations,and depths.While variations in the inter-model CW-SSIM are partly owing to different databases in the model generation,the difference of tomography methods may significantly impact the similar structural features of models,such as the low similarities between the full-wave based FWEA18 and other three models in northeastern China.We finally suggest potential solutions for the next generation of tomographic modeling in different areas according to corresponding structural similarities of existing models.

Intravitreal injection practice patterns among Chinese ophthalmologists

AIM:To describe the practice patterns of intravitreal injections(IVIs)among ophthalmologists in China.METHODS:This was a cross-sectional online survey.Ophthalmologists who had performed accumulated more than 100 injections were contacted by the Brightness Center,a hospital-based national network,to complete an anonymous,24-question,internet-based survey.They were surveyed on practices in injection techniques,pre-,and post-injections procedures.RESULTS:A total of 333 ophthalmologists from 28 provinces/municipalities/autonomous regions responded to the survey(50.68%response rate).The 91.29%of the respondents evaluated systemic risk factors by medical history,electrocardiogram(ECG)and blood test.All the respondents used pre-injection prophylactic antibiotics.Most checked intraocular pressure(IOP,99.1%)and blood pressure(96.1%)before injections.A majority of the respondents performed injections in the operating room(98.8%),wore masks(99.7%),gloves(99.4%)and sterile surgical clothing(96.1%),performed topical anesthetics(97.9%),and applied povidone-iodine(95.8%)pre-injection.The 61.26%of the respondents dilated pupil.About half of the respondents(51.05%)performed bilateral injections in the same setting.Superior temporal quadrant(40.54%)was the most frequent site of injection.Around three quarters used 30-gauge needles.Most respondents(97.9%)measured the site of injection from limbus.More than half(53.45%)performed conjunctiva displacement prior to injection.The 32.43%of the respondents checked IOP post-injection and 87.99%physicians checked hand motion(HM)or counting fingers(CF)after injection,while 36.94%observed optic nerve perfusion.All participants used topical antibiotics post-injections.Most physicians(91.89%)reviewed patients on the following day.CONCLUSION:This study provides a description of the real-world practice patterns in IVIs in China and offers critical information regarding education and training of ophthalmologists and amendment of local society guidelines.

Ecological Networks of Allometric Growth,Feeding Behavior and Gut Microbiota in Chinese Alligator Hatchlings

Chinese alligator hatchlings in captivity are fragile and have a high mortality rate within first year.The body mass gain of reptile animals is closely related to their feeding behavior and gut microbiota.This study analyzed the intrinsic factors influencing the allometric growth of Chinese alligator hatchlings based on their body mass gain,feeding behavior,and gut microbiota.This information would enhance the health management of Chinese alligator hatchlings.There was a significant correlation between the total distance moved,the average number of conspecifics nearby,and body mass gain.Chinese alligator hatchlings with a greater growth rate showed greater activity and more independent behavior during feeding than those with a lower growth rate.Moreover,after feeding started,some functions of the gut microbiota showed significant relationships with growth rate and feeding activity.Chinese alligator hatchlings with a greater growth rate showed greater levels of heme biosynthesis than those with a lower growth rate,and feeding activity was inhibited by long-chain fatty acid biosynthesis.These results elucidate the relationships between health,feeding behavior,and the gut microbiota of Chinese alligator hatchlings.Understanding the intrinsic factors of their health and feeding behavior can improve the health management of Chinese alligator hatchlings in captivity for conservation.

Chinese Medicine,Acupuncture and Science

Ever since the introduction of Western biomedicine into China, there has been friction between proponents of this new approach, and proponents of the traditional medical practices that had evolved over thousands of years in China. For the most part, this friction has been couched in the unexamined assumption that Western medicine is based on science, while Chinese medicine is not. This article will examine that assumption, which in this author’s opinion is unjustified and incorrect. Having practiced acupuncture for the past 50 years, after receiving my doctoral degrees in medicine and physiology, my thinking on this topic has also evolved over time. I will begin this article with some historical information that bears on the topic under discussion, followed by my personal ideas about how to resolve the confiicts that have arisen.

The potential of Chinese herbal medicines in treating anxiety disorders

In recent years,there has not been much progress in developing anxiolytic drugs.Amongst the barriers are the lack of clarity on the pathogenesis of anxiety disorders,low product conversion rates for developing drugs targeting the receptors,and species variability.Some scientists have focused on natural medicines,especially herbal medicines in traditional Chinese medicine.New drugs with excellent anxiolytic activity are hoped to be found in herbal medicines with anxiolytic effects.This mini-review summarised three Chinese herbal medicines with anxiolytic effects and anxiolytic herbal formulas used in the traditional Chinese medicine clinic.Several key issues that block the development of new anxiolytic drugs are also discussed.We hope to provide some ideas for researching and developing new anxiolytic drugs and studying anxiolytic components in traditional Chinese medicine.

A telomere-to-telomere genome assembly of Hongyingzi,a sorghum cultivar used for Chinese Baijiu production

Sorghum(Sorghum bicolor(L.)Moench)is a world cereal crop used in China for producing Baijiu,a distilled spirit.We report a telomere-to-telomere genome assembly of the Baijiu cultivar Hongyingzi,HYZ-T2T,using ultralong reads.The 10 chromosome pairs contained 33,462 genes,of which 93%were functionally annotated.The 20 telomeres and 10 centromeric regions on the HYZ-T2T chromosomes were predicted and two consecutive large inversions on chromosome 2 were characterized.A 65-gene reconstruction of the metabolic pathway of tannins,the flavor substances in Baijiu,was performed and may advance the breeding of sorghum cultivars for Baijiu production.

Bio-soft matter derived from traditional Chinese medicine:Characterizations of hierarchical structure,assembly mechanism,and beyond

Structural and functional explorations on bio-soft matter such as micelles,vesicles,nanoparticles,aggregates or polymers derived from traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has emerged as a new topic in the field of TCM.The discovery of such cross-scaled bio-soft matter may provide a unique perspective for unraveling the new effective material basis of TCM as well as developing innovative medicine and biomaterials.Despite the rapid rise of TCM-derived bio-soft matter,their hierarchical structure and assembly mechanism must be unambiguously probed for a further in-depth understanding of their pharmacological activity.In this review,the current emerged TCM-derived bio-soft matter assembled from either small molecules or macromolecules is introduced,and particularly the unambiguous elucidation of their hierarchical structure and assembly mechanism with combined electron microscopic and spectroscopic techniques is depicted.The pros and cons of each technique are also discussed.The future challenges and perspective of TCM-derived bio-soft matter are outlined,particularly the requirement for their precise in situ structural determination is highlighted.

UV-B irradiation enhances the accumulation of beneficial glucosinolates induced by melatonin in Chinese kale sprout

Cruciferous sprout is a new form of vegetable product rich in bioactive compounds,especially glucosinolates.Previous studies have focused on increasing the accumulation of glucosinolates in cruciferous sprouts by applying different chemical regulators,with a particular focus on their contribution to nutritional quality and health benefits.Nevertheless,the effects of melatonin and UV-B irradiation on glucosinolate biosynthesis remain unclear.In this study,it was found that changes in melatonin concentrations significantly affected the contents of individual as well as total aliphatic and indolic glucosinolates.The 5μmol·L^(-1)melatonin was decided as the optimum concentration that could increase the content of beneficial glucosinolates including glucoraphanin and 4-methoxy glucobrassicin in Chinese kale sprouts.Notably,the enhancement of glucosinolate accumulation by melatonin treatment could be further amplified by UV-B irradiation.Furthermore,our results showed that R2R3-MYB transcription factor BoaMYB28 and BoaMYB51,which are central regulators of aliphatic and indolic glucosinolate biosynthesis respectively,were both involved in the regulation of glucosinolate biosynthesis by melatonin and UV-B irradiation.Additionally,the expression of glucosinolate biosynthetic genes,including BoaCYP79F1,BoaCYP83A1,BoaSUR1,BoaUGT74B1,BoaCYP79B2,BoaCYP79B3,and BoaCYP83B1 participated in the formation of core structures and BoaFMOGS-OX5,BoaAOP2,BoaCYP81F2,and BoaIGMT1 involved in the sidechain modification of aliphatic and indolic glucosinolate,was regulated by melatonin or UV-B irradiation.Taken together,these findings provide a potential strategy for improving the nutritional quality and resistance of Chinese kale sprouts.

Knee osteoarthritis:A review of animal models and intervention of traditional Chinese medicine

Background:Knee osteoarthritis(KOA)characterized by degeneration of knee cartilage and subsequent bone hyperplasia is a prevalent joint condition primarily affecting aging adults.The pathophysiology of KOA remains poorly understood,as it involves complex mechanisms that result in the same outcome.Consequently,researchers are interested in studying KOA and require appropriate animal models for basic research.Chinese herbal compounds,which consist of multiple herbs with diverse pharmacological properties,possess characteristics such as multicomponent,multipathway,and multitarget effects.The potential benefits in the treatment of KOA continue to attract attention.Purpose:This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the advantages,limitations,and specific considerations in selecting different species and methods for KOA animal models.This will help researchers make informed decisions when choosing an animal model.Methods:Online academic databases(e.g.,PubMed,Google Scholar,Web of Science,and CNKI)were searched using the search terms“knee osteoarthritis,”“animal models,”“traditional Chinese medicine,”and their combinations,primarily including KOA studies published from 2010 to 2023.Results:Based on literature retrieval,this review provides a comprehensive overview of the methods of establishing KOA animal models;introduces the current status of advantages and disadvantages of various animal models,including mice,rats,rabbits,dogs,and sheep/goats;and presents the current status of methods used to establish KOA animal models.Conclusion:This study provides a review of the animal models used in recent KOA research,discusses the common modeling methods,and emphasizes the role of traditional Chinese medicine compounds in the treatment of KOA.

The Essential Role of Zheng Qi in Promoting Health: From the Perspective of Chinese Medicine and Modern Medicine

The concept of Zheng Qi in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) refers to the vital energy produced by the interaction of Yin and Yang forces in the body. Zheng Qi performs two main functions: Wei Qi (defensive Qi), which shields the body from external pathogens, and Ying Qi (nutritive Qi), which sustains the internal organs and enhances their functionality. In TCM, Chinese tonifying herbs can help restore the balance of Yin/Yang and Qi/Blood function in visceral organs (i.e., optimal physiological functions), thereby fostering the efficient production of Zheng Qi and enhancing health. To ensure the quality of Chinese herbal products, functional assays to measure Yin/Yang, Qi/Blood functions, and Zheng Qi production should be implemented. The efficacy of Yang and Qi herbs can be evaluated by their ability to increase mitochondrial ATP in cultured mouse cardiomyocytes, while Yin and Blood herbs are tested through their immunostimulatory effects on antigen-induced T/B cell proliferation in mouse splenocytes and the production of erythropoietin/nitric oxide in hepatocytes/vascular endothelial cells, respectively. Additionally, Zheng Qi’s effect can be gauged by examining natural killer cell activity and antigen-induced T/B cell proliferation in mice ex vivo. These assays act as biomarkers for assessing the quality and effectiveness of herbal health products within TCM theory.