1.Genetic differentiation of Anopheles sinensis (Diptera: Culicidae) based on COⅠ and ITS2 sequences
Gang WANG ; Chun-juan SHI ; Dan KONG ; Xuan ZHU ; Ji HE ; Ming-hui ZHAO ; Chong-cai WANG
Acta Parasitologica et Medica Entomologica Sinica 2026;33(2):90-95
Objective Exploring genetic differences among geographic strains of Anopheles sinensis in China. Methods Based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I(COⅠ )and ribosomal the second internal transcribed spacer(ITS2), genetic distance analyses were conducted on An. sinensis samples collected nationwide. Results Genetic differentiation was observed within An. sinensis geographic strains, primarily reflected in the genetic distances of COⅠ sequences, with some distances between samples exceeding those between closely related species. However, ITS2 sequences showed relatively low levels of differentiation within geographic strains. No significant separation was observed, and gene exchange exhibited a random pattern among geographic strains. Conclusions Significant differences in genetic distance were observed among An. sinensis samples, along with evidence of interspecific continuity among sibling species. For the identification of closely related species using wild-collected Anopheles mosquitoes samples, reliance solely on commonly used barcodes such as COⅠ and ITS2 may be insufficient. Additional molecular markers, including COⅡ and D3 gene fragments, should also be considered. Caution should be exercised when using COⅠ genes to identify cryptic species, especially within Anopheles mosquitoes.
2.Fluorescence Suppression Method of Raman Spectroscopy and Its Application in Skin and Cosmetics Analysis
Yun-Xia CHEN ; Jia-Rong WANG ; Jian-Yu ZHU ; Shi-Wen LIN ; Ya-Nan LIU ; Xiao-Yue MA ; Guang-Cheng XI ; Juan LIU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(7):1914-1926
Owing to its inherent advantages—such as being non-destructive, rapid, highly molecule-specific, and minimally interfered with by moisture—Raman spectroscopy has been widely adopted in the fields of skin barrier function assessment, monitoring the transdermal penetration of active cosmetic ingredients, and the identification and quality control of cosmetic products. Despite these strengths, the practical application of this technique faces a significant bottleneck: the strong fluorescence background generated by endogenous skin components and exogenous cosmetic additives. Endogenous skin substances, such as structural proteins (e.g., collagen and elastin), metabolic coenzymes (e.g., nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), and pigments (e.g., melanin), together with exogenous cosmetic constituents like organic colorants, chemical sunscreens, and fragrances, often possess strong absorption and emission characteristics. When excited by lasers, these components produce a fluorescence background that can be 106 to 108 times stronger than the Raman scattering signals, effectively masking the inherently weak vibrational fingerprint information. In recent years, driven by the rapid development of optoelectronic hardware and artificial intelligence algorithms, fluorescence suppression strategies have evolved from isolated, single-method approaches into comprehensive, multi-level synergistic systems. These systems are categorized into three distinct tiers: sample preparation, signal acquisition, and data processing. At the sample preparation level, techniques such as photobleaching and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) are employed to eliminate or bypass the generation of fluorescence at the source. At the signal acquisition level, instrumental improvements—including the use of long-wavelength near-infrared excitation (typically 785 nm or 1 064 nm), confocal spatial filtering, and shifted excitation Raman difference spectroscopy (SERDS)— are utilized to physically isolate Raman signals from the fluorescence background. Furthermore, at the data processing level, numerical baseline correction methods such as polynomial fitting, penalized least squares (e.g., airPLS, arPLS), wavelet transform, and derivative algorithms are increasingly integrated into the analytical pipeline to extract Raman spectral features from mixed signals without increasing hardware costs or acquisition time. This review provides a systematic categorization and critical evaluation of these fluorescence suppression methods, detailing their underlying principles, technical advantages, and inherent limitations in diverse experimental setups. By focusing on critical application scenarios—including skin barrier assessment, percutaneous absorption monitoring, the routine quality control of cosmetics, and the emerging field of portable on-site detection—this paper explores the current state of technique selection and optimization. Finally, the article discusses future development trends, emphasizing the necessity of constructing adaptive, tiered suppression strategies, developing intelligent and automated data processing algorithms, and promoting the integration of portable, multi-modal diagnostic devices. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive technical reference to facilitate the transition of Raman spectroscopy from a specialized laboratory tool into a routine, robust analytical platform for advancements in skin science and cosmetic research.
3.Shaoyao Gancaotang Alleviates High-fat Diet-aggravated Colitis in Mice by Suppressing Ferroptosis Through SLC7A11/GPX4 Signaling Pathway
Juan SHI ; Lianyin GAO ; Xiaohui ZHANG ; Jing JI ; Chongyang MA ; Xueqian WANG ; Fafeng CHENG ; Tian XU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(18):53-59
ObjectiveTo investigate the therapeutic effect of Shaoyao Gancaotang (SYGCT) on high-fat diet (HFD)-aggravated colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in mice and decipher the potential mechanism. MethodsForty male C57BL/6J mice were fed an HFD for 14 days, followed by gavage of 2%DSS for 7 days for the modeling of HFD-aggravated colitis. The mice were randomly allocated into control, model (HFD-aggravated colitis), low-dose (5.2 g·kg-1) SYGCT, high-dose (10.4 g·kg-1) SYGCT, and 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA, positive control, 50 mg·kg-1) groups. Body mass changes and disease activity index (DAI) scores were recorded. The colon length was measured. Pathological changes in the colon tissue were observed through hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Transcriptomic analysis was performed to identify differentially expressed genes. Western blot was employed to quantify the protein levels of Occludin, Claudin3, solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), and ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1). ResultsCompared with the control group, the model group exhibited diarrhea, bloody stools, increased DAI scores (P<0.01), colon shortening (P<0.01), severe colonic pathological damage, and reduced expression of tight junction proteins Occludin and Claudin3 (P<0.05, P<0.01). Transcriptomic analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes between the high-dose SYGCT group and the model group were significantly enriched in the ferroptosis signaling pathway. Compared with the model group, SYGCT treatment alleviated diarrhea and bloody stools, reduced DAI scores (P<0.01), increased the colon length (P<0.01), mitigated colonic pathological damage, and upregulated the expression of Occludin and Claudin3 (P<0.01), as well as proteins (SLC7A11, GPX4, and FTH1) associated with the inhibition of ferroptosis (P<0.05). ConclusionSYGCT significantly ameliorates HFD-aggravated DSS-induced colitis by suppressing ferroptosis via activation of the SLC7A11/GPX4 pathway.
4.An atrial fibrillation prediction model based on quantitative features of electrocardiogram during sinus rhythm in the Chinese population.
Xiaoqing ZHU ; Yajun SHI ; Juan SHEN ; Qingsong WANG ; Tingting SONG ; Jiancheng XIU ; Tao CHEN ; Jun GUO
Journal of Southern Medical University 2025;45(2):223-228
OBJECTIVES:
To develop an early atrial fibrillation (AF) risk prediction model based on large-scale electrocardiogram (ECG) data from the Chinese population.
METHODS:
The data of multiple ECG records of 30 383 patients admitted in the Chinese PLA General Hospital between 2009 and 2023 were randomly divided into the training set and the internal testing set in a 7:3 ratio. The predictive factors were selected based on the training set using univariate analysis, LASSO regression, and the Boruta algorithm. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to establish the ECG model and the composite model incorporating age, gender, and ECG model score. The discrimination power, calibration, and clinical net benefits of the models were evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), calibration curves, and decision curves.
RESULTS:
The cohort included 51.1% male patients with a median age of the patients of 51 (36, 62) years and an AF incidence of 4.5% (1370/30 383). In the ECG model, the parameters related to the P wave and QRS complex were identified as significant predictors. In the testing set, the AUROC of the ECG model for predicting 5-year AF risk was 0.77 (95% CI: 0.74-0.80), which was increased to 0.81 (95% CI: 0.78-0.83) after incorporating age and gender, with a net reclassification improvement of 0.123 and an integrated discrimination improvement of 0.04 (P<0.05). The calibration curve of the model was close to the diagonal line. Decision curve analysis showed that the clinical net benefit of the composite model was higher than that of the ECG model across the majority of threshold probability.
CONCLUSIONS
The composite model incorporating quantitative ECG features during sinus rhythm, along with age and gender, can effectively predict AF risk in the Chinese population, thus providing a low-cost screening tool for early AF risk assessment and management.
Humans
;
Atrial Fibrillation/epidemiology*
;
Electrocardiography
;
Middle Aged
;
Male
;
Female
;
China/epidemiology*
;
Proportional Hazards Models
;
Adult
;
Risk Factors
;
Risk Assessment
;
East Asian People
5.Hippocampal Extracellular Matrix Protein Laminin β1 Regulates Neuropathic Pain and Pain-Related Cognitive Impairment.
Ying-Chun LI ; Pei-Yang LIU ; Hai-Tao LI ; Shuai WANG ; Yun-Xin SHI ; Zhen-Zhen LI ; Wen-Guang CHU ; Xia LI ; Wan-Neng LIU ; Xing-Xing ZHENG ; Fei WANG ; Wen-Juan HAN ; Jie ZHANG ; Sheng-Xi WU ; Rou-Gang XIE ; Ceng LUO
Neuroscience Bulletin 2025;41(12):2127-2147
Patients suffering from nerve injury often experience exacerbated pain responses and complain of memory deficits. The dorsal hippocampus (dHPC), a well-defined region responsible for learning and memory, displays maladaptive plasticity upon injury, which is assumed to underlie pain hypersensitivity and cognitive deficits. However, much attention has thus far been paid to intracellular mechanisms of plasticity rather than extracellular alterations that might trigger and facilitate intracellular changes. Emerging evidence has shown that nerve injury alters the microarchitecture of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and decreases ECM rigidity in the dHPC. Despite this, it remains elusive which element of the ECM in the dHPC is affected and how it contributes to neuropathic pain and comorbid cognitive deficits. Laminin, a key element of the ECM, consists of α-, β-, and γ-chains and has been implicated in several pathophysiological processes. Here, we showed that peripheral nerve injury downregulates laminin β1 (LAMB1) in the dHPC. Silencing of hippocampal LAMB1 exacerbates pain sensitivity and induces cognitive dysfunction. Further mechanistic analysis revealed that loss of hippocampal LAMB1 causes dysregulated Src/NR2A signaling cascades via interaction with integrin β1, leading to decreased Ca2+ levels in pyramidal neurons, which in turn orchestrates structural and functional plasticity and eventually results in exaggerated pain responses and cognitive deficits. In this study, we shed new light on the functional capability of hippocampal ECM LAMB1 in the modulation of neuropathic pain and comorbid cognitive deficits, and reveal a mechanism that conveys extracellular alterations to intracellular plasticity. Moreover, we identified hippocampal LAMB1/integrin β1 signaling as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of neuropathic pain and related memory loss.
Animals
;
Laminin/genetics*
;
Hippocampus/metabolism*
;
Neuralgia/metabolism*
;
Cognitive Dysfunction/etiology*
;
Male
;
Peripheral Nerve Injuries/metabolism*
;
Extracellular Matrix/metabolism*
;
Integrin beta1/metabolism*
;
Pyramidal Cells/metabolism*
;
Signal Transduction
6.STAR Recommendations: A novel framework for generating recommendations.
Xu WANG ; Janne ESTILL ; Hui LIU ; Qianling SHI ; Jie ZHANG ; Shilin TANG ; Huayu ZHANG ; Xueping LI ; Zhewei LI ; Yaxuan REN ; Bingyi WANG ; Fan WANG ; Juan JUAN ; Huixia YANG ; Xiuyuan HAO ; Junmin WEI ; Yaolong CHEN
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(14):1643-1646
7.Disability-adjusted life years for colorectal cancer in China, 2017-2030: A prevalence-based analysis focusing on the impact of screening coverage and the application of local weights.
Yujie WU ; Yanjie LI ; Xin WANG ; Xinyi ZHOU ; Xinxin YAN ; Hong WANG ; Juan ZHU ; Wanqing CHEN ; Jufang SHI
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(8):962-972
BACKGROUND:
Most studies have evaluated disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients based on a set of generic disability weights (DWs). This study aimed to apply local CRC-stage-specific DWs to estimate the burden of DALYs for CRC (CRC-DALYs) in populations in China and consider the influence of local screening coverage of CRC.
METHODS:
A prevalence-based model was constructed using data from various sources. Years lived with disability (YLDs) were estimated mainly via cumulative prevalence data (based on CRC incidence rates, population numbers, and survival rates), stage-specific proportions of CRC, and DWs of the local population. Years of life lost (YLLs) were calculated based on the CRC mortality rates and standard life expectancies. CRC incidence and mortality rates for the years 2020, 2025, and 2030 were estimated by joinpoint regression, and the corresponding DALYs were predicted. The main assumption was made for CRC screening coverage. Sensitivity analyses were used to assess the impact of population, DWs, and coverage.
RESULTS:
In 2017, among the Chinese population, the estimated number of CRC-DALYs was 4,303,314 (11.9% for YLDs). If CRC screening coverage rate in China (2.3%) remains unchanged, the overall DALYs in 2030 are predicted to increase by 37.2% (45.1% of those aged ≥65 years). More optimistically, the DALYs would then decrease by 0.7% in 2030 (from 5,902,454 to 5,860,200) if the coverage could be increased to 25.0%. A sensitivity analysis revealed that using local DWs would change the base-case values by 5.7%.
CONCLUSIONS
The estimated CRC-DALYs in China using population-specific DWs were considerably lower (with a higher percentage of YLDs) than the global burden of disease (GBD) estimates (5,865,004, of 4.6% for YLDs), suggesting the impact extent of applying local parameters. Sustainable scale-up CRC screening needs to be in place to moderate the growth trend of CRC-DALYs in China.
Humans
;
Colorectal Neoplasms/diagnosis*
;
China/epidemiology*
;
Disability-Adjusted Life Years
;
Male
;
Prevalence
;
Female
;
Middle Aged
;
Aged
;
Early Detection of Cancer
;
Quality-Adjusted Life Years
;
Adult
;
Incidence
9.Tanreqing Capsules protect lung and gut of mice infected with influenza virus via "lung-gut axis".
Nai-Fan DUAN ; Yuan-Yuan YU ; Yu-Rong HE ; Feng CHEN ; Lin-Qiong ZHOU ; Ya-Lan LI ; Shi-Qi SUN ; Yan XUE ; Xing ZHANG ; Gui-Hua XU ; Yue-Juan ZHENG ; Wei ZHANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(8):2270-2281
This study aims to explore the mechanism of lung and gut protection by Tanreqing Capsules on the mice infected with influenza virus based on "the lung-gut axis". A total of 110 C57BL/6J mice were randomized into control group, model group, oseltamivir group, and low-and high-dose Tanreqing Capsules groups. Ten mice in each group underwent body weight protection experiments, and the remaining 12 mice underwent experiments for mechanism exploration. Mice were infected with influenza virus A/Puerto Rico/08/1934(PR8) via nasal inhalation for the modeling. The lung tissue was collected on day 3 after gavage, and the lung tissue, colon tissue, and feces were collected on day 7 after gavage for subsequent testing. The results showed that Tanreqing Capsules alleviated the body weight reduction and increased the survival rate caused by PR8 infection. Compared with model group, Tanreqing Capsules can alleviate the lung injury by reducing the lung index, alleviating inflammation and edema in the lung tissue, down-regulating viral gene expression at the late stage of infection, reducing the percentage of neutrophils, and increasing the percentage of T cells. Tanreqing Capsules relieved the gut injury by restoring the colon length, increasing intestinal lumen mucin secretion, alleviating intestinal inflammation, and reducing goblet cell destruction. The gut microbiota analysis showed that Tanreqing Capsules increased species diversity compared with model group. At the phylum level, Tanreqing Capsules significantly increased the abundance of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, while reducing the abundance of Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria to maintain gut microbiota balance. At the genus level, Tanreqing Capsules significantly increased the abundance of unclassified_f_Lachnospiraceae while reducing the abundance of Bacteroides, Eubacterium, and Phocaeicola to maintain gut microbiota balance. In conclusion, Tanreqing Capsules can alleviate mouse lung and gut injury caused by influenza virus infection and restore the balance of gut microbiota. Treating influenza from the lung and gut can provide new ideas for clinical practice.
Animals
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
;
Mice
;
Lung/metabolism*
;
Mice, Inbred C57BL
;
Capsules
;
Orthomyxoviridae Infections/virology*
;
Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects*
;
Male
;
Humans
;
Female
;
Influenza A virus/physiology*
;
Influenza, Human/virology*
10.Research progress on pentacyclic triterpenoids in medicinal Ilex species and their pharmacological activities.
Yu-Ling LIU ; Yi-Ran WU ; Bao-Lin WANG ; Xiao-Wei SU ; Qiu-Juan CHEN ; Yi RAO ; Shi-Lin YANG ; Li-Ni HUO ; Hong-Wei GAO
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(12):3252-3266
Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) capable of clearing heat and removing toxin is most commonly used in clinical practice and has the effect of removing fire-heat and toxin. Studies have shown that most of the Ilex plants have the effect of clearing heat and removing toxin, among which the varieties of I. cornuta, I. pubescens, I. rotunda, I. latifolia, and I. chinensis are most widely used. These plants generally contain triterpenoids and their glycosides, alkaloids, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, and other chemical components, especially pentacyclic triterpenoids. According to their skeletons, pentacyclic triterpenoids can be divided into the oleanane type, the ursane type, the lupinane type, etc. Among them, ursane-type components are the most abundant, and 136 species have been found so far. These components have been proved to have pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, hypolipidemic, anti-thrombosis, cardiomyocyte-protective, antibacterial, and hepatoprotective effects. Therefore, this paper systematically reviews the domestic and foreign literature on Ilex plants with a focus on the research progress on pentacyclic triterpenoids and their pharmacological activities, aiming to provide reference for the development of TCM resources with the effect of clearing heat and removing toxin.
Ilex/chemistry*
;
Plants, Medicinal/chemistry*
;
Pentacyclic Triterpenes/pharmacology*
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*
;
Humans
;
Animals


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