Objective: To investigate the status of condom use and its influencing factors among men who have sex with men (MSM), so as to provide a basis for improving condom utilization rates and AIDS prevention and control in this population. Methods: From May to October 2024, a snowball sampling method was employed to recruit MSM in Songjiang District, Shanghai Municipality. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data on demographic characteristics, AIDS-related knowledge, sexual behaviors, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and condom use in the past six months. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors for consistent condom use. Results: A total of 921 MSM were surveyed, with a median age of 29.00 (interquartile range, 9.00) years. Among them, 697 (75.68%) were aware of AIDS-related knowledge, 826 (89.69%) expressed willingness to use PrEP, and 835 (90.66%) were willing to use PEP. Additionally, 787 (85.45%) MSM reported their age at first homosexual intercourse as ≥18 years, while 519 (56.35%) reported consistent condom use in the past six months. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that MSM who were aware of AIDS-related knowledge (OR=0.582, 95% CI: 0.423-0.801), willing to use PrEP (OR =0.611, 95% CI: 0.385-0.969), and whose age at first homosexual intercourse was <18 years (OR=0.480, 95% CI: 0.330-0.700) were less likely to consistent use condoms. Conclusion The proportion of consistent condom use among the MSM remains relatively low, which is primarily associated with AIDS-related knowledge, willingness to use PrEP, and the age at first homosexual intercourse.

Objective: To analyze the characteristics and key risk factors of abnormal blood disposal throughout the 2024-2025 blood collection and supply process based on nationwide multi-site monitoring data, develop a comprehensive prevention and control strategy across the entire chain, reduce preventable blood waste, and ensure clinical blood safety. Methods: According to the Guidelines for Haemovigilance (T/CSBT 001-2026), we extracted 74 cases of abnormal blood disposal events reported by the China Blood Transfusion Association′s Blood Safety Monitoring System from January 1 2024, to December 31 2025, and conducted descriptive statistical analysis on the distribution of events, types of deviations, root causes, and classifications of disposal manifestations. Results: A total of 664 adverse events related to blood collection and supply were reported over two years, with 74 cases involving discarded abnormal blood units, accounting for 11.1% of the total. Among these, blood component preparation (40.5%) and blood collection (37.8%) remained traditional high-risk stages. The proportion of blood waste occurring during storage, distribution, and transportation increased from 7.7% in 2024 to 34.3% in 2025. Deviations from standard operating procedures (SOP) by personnel were the primary cause, accounting for 74.3% of cases. Discarded blood units were categorized into four types: compromised closed blood bag systems (40 cases), mainly due to inadequate heat sealing, physical damage, or dropped bags; blood out of the cold chain (12 cases), primarily resulting from blood being left at work sites; imbalanced proportion of preservation solution (10 cases), mostly caused by blood collection volumes exceeding the standard capacity of blood bags; and other causes (12 cases). Conclusion: Human operational errors are the core cause of abnormal blood waste. The collection and preparation stages have long been at high-risk, and the risks in the storage and transportation stages have been increasing year by year. We should focus on standardizing personnel management, improving specialized operation norms such as heat sealing, transportation, and storage, establishing a full-process intelligent cold chain monitoring and multi-node visual verification mechanism, and systematically reducing the occurrence rate of abnormal blood waste through a closed-loop quality intervention system, thereby improving the utilization efficiency of voluntary blood donation resources.

Enhancer-promoter communication is fundamental to the spatial and temporal control of gene expression. Cohesin-mediated loop extrusion has long been considered a major structural mechanism that brings distal regulatory elements into proximity with their target promoters. Recent findings from Aboreden et al. refine this view by showing that depletion of Nipped-B-like protein (NIPBL), a key regulator of cohesin loading and loop extrusion, markedly disrupts architectural chromatin loops, whereas many cis-regulatory contacts and broad post-mitotic transcriptional reactivation are only modestly affected. These observations suggest that loop extrusion is important, but not sufficient, for explaining productive regulatory communication. In this Comment, we discuss how transcriptional condensate-like assemblies may provide an additional biochemical and kinetic layer that helps convert regulatory proximity into transcriptional output. By locally enriching transcription factors, coactivators, mediator and RNA polymerase II(Pol II) around active loci, such regulatory hubs may stabilize productive enhancer-promoter encounters and modulate transcriptional activity. We further propose that transcriptional bursting provides a useful framework for understanding this conversion, because gene expression can be decomposed into burst frequency, burst duration and burst size. Integrating chromatin architecture, condensate organization and bursting dynamics may therefore provide a more complete view of how enhancer-promoter communication is re-established after mitosis and how regulatory proximity is converted into transcriptional output through mechanisms beyond loop extrusion.

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics, the types of unexpected antibodies, and their impacts on immunological risks among patients with different frequencies of cross-matching incompatibility, so as to propose corresponding solutions. Methods: Data of cross-matching incompatibility samples from 92 medical institutions during 2022 to 2024 were collected and divided into three groups based on the frequency of cross-matching. Statistical analysis was performed on disease types, distribution of hematologic diseases, alloantibody detection rates, and proportions of alloantibody types. Results: The 858 patients were divided into three groups based on the frequency of blood cross-matching incompatibility: ≥5 times (8.28%, 71/858), 2 to 4 times (28.21%, 242/858); 1 time (63.52%, 545/858). There was a clustered distribution of disease types in the ≥5 cross-matchings group, with 71.83% (51/71) of patients having tumors or hematologic and hematopoietic diseases. In contrast, the disease types in the 2 to 4 cross-matchings and 1 cross-matching groups were more diverse. An analysis of 249 patients with hematologic diseases found that multiple myeloma was the most common disease in all three groups, accounting for 31.43% (11/35), 35.37% (29/82), and 37.88% (50/132) respectively. In the ≥5 cross-matchings group, myelodysplastic syndrome (14.29%, 5/35) and thalassemia (14.29%, 5/35) were the second most common diseases. In contrast, in the 2 to 4 cross-matchings group and 1 cross-matching group, autoimmune hemolytic anemia was the second most common disease, with prevalence rates of 20.73% (17/82) and 24.24% (32/132), respectively. Alloantibodies were detected in 54.66% of the patients, with antibodies against Rh blood group being most frequent (>50%) in all three groups. The detection rates of alloantibodies/alloantibodies with coexisting autoantibodies decreased across groups: the ≥5 cross-matchings group (70.42%, 50/71) > the 2 to 4 cross-matchings group (54.96%, 133/242) > the 1 cross-matching group (52.48%, 286/545). Conclusion: The risk of alloantibody production increases in patients with multiple cross-matching incompatibilities, especially in those with tumors or hematologic diseases. For handling of cross-matching incompatibility cases, it is recommended to optimize the cross-matching process, implement individualized transfusion plans, and enhance the technical capabilities of clinical transfusion departments and blood group reference laboratories to ensure the safety and effectiveness of transfusions.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture based on the "head qijie" theory combined with endovascular intervention in the treatment of ischemic stroke (IS). METHODS: Sixty-six IS patients were randomly divided into an experimental group (33 cases, 3 cases dropped out) and a control group (33 cases, 3 cases dropped out). The control group received endovascular intervention. On the basis of the treatment in the control group, the experimental group received acupuncture based on the "head qijie" theory starting from the second day after surgery, Baihui (GV20) and bilateral Fengchi (GB20), Tianzhu (BL10), etc. were selected, once a day, 6 times a week for 2 weeks. Before and after treatment, the scores of National Institutes of Health stroke scale (NIHSS), modified Barthel index (MBI) and modified Rankin scale (mRS) were observed in the two groups, the clinical efficacy and safety were evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, the NIHSS and mRS scores were decreased compared with those before treatment in both groups (P<0.01), the NIHSS and mRS scores in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the MBI scores were increased compared with those before treatment in both groups (P<0.01), the MBI score in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate in the experimental group was 86.7% (26/30), which was higher than 66.7% (20/30) in the control group (P<0.05). The incidence of adverse events in the experimental group was 6.7% (2/30), which was lower than 13.3% (4/30) in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Acupuncture based on the "head qijie" theory combined with endovascular intervention in treating IS has good efficacy, improves neurological function, and enhances daily living ability.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Ischemic Stroke/therapy* ; Acupuncture Points ; Endovascular Procedures ; Treatment Outcome ; Adult ; Combined Modality Therapy

The sterile electrode acupuncture needle for single use is an innovative product that combines traditional acupuncture with modern electronic technology, and it has obtained Class Ⅱ medical device registration certificate. This acupuncture device consists of a needle body and a handle. The diameter of the needle body ranges from 0.16 mm to 0.55 mm, and the length from 7 mm to 150 mm. The spiral spray technology is adopted to modify the micron-level insulating coat on stainless steel needle body. The needle holder is connected to the electroacupuncture device (conductive), the micro-film insulated needle body (non-conductive) and the membrane-free needle tip (conductive) can provide a precise electrical stimulation for different tissue layers of acupoints (such as deep nerves and fascia). The intradermal stimulation test, cytotoxicity test and hypersensitivity reaction test have showed a favorable biocompatibility, laying a solid and reliable safety for clinical application. This acupuncture device is suitable for the in-depth invasive stimulation at the sites of human body surface in combination with electroacupuncture equipment in medical institutions.
Humans ; Needles ; Acupuncture Therapy/instrumentation* ; Electrodes ; Equipment Design ; Electroacupuncture/instrumentation* ; Acupuncture Points ; Animals

BACKGROUND: T cell dysfunction, which includes exhaustion, anergy, and senescence, is a distinct T cell differentiation state that occurs after antigen exposure. Although T cell dysfunction has been a cornerstone of cancer immunotherapy, its potential in transplant research, while not yet as extensively explored, is attracting growing interest. Interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) has been shown to play a pivotal role in inducing T cell dysfunction. METHODS: A novel ultra-low-dose combination of Trametinib and Rapamycin, targeting IRF4 inhibition, was employed to investigate T cell proliferation, apoptosis, cytokine secretion, expression of T-cell dysfunction-associated molecules, effects of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways, and allograft survival in both in vitro and BALB/c to C57BL/6 mouse cardiac transplantation models. RESULTS: In vitro , blockade of IRF4 in T cells effectively inhibited T cell proliferation, increased apoptosis, and significantly upregulated the expression of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), Helios, CD160, and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen (CTLA-4), markers of T cell dysfunction. Furthermore, it suppressed the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-17. Combining ultra-low-dose Trametinib (0.1 mg·kg -1 ·day -1 ) and Rapamycin (0.1 mg·kg -1 ·day -1 ) demonstrably extended graft survival, with 4 out of 5 mice exceeding 100 days post-transplantation. Moreover, analysis of grafts at day 7 confirmed sustained IFN regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) inhibition, enhanced PD-1 expression, and suppressed IFN-γ secretion, reinforcing the in vivo efficacy of this IRF4-targeting approach. The combination of Trametinib and Rapamycin synergistically inhibited the MAPK and mTOR signaling network, leading to a more pronounced suppression of IRF4 expression. CONCLUSIONS Targeting IRF4, a key regulator of T cell dysfunction, presents a promising avenue for inducing transplant immune tolerance. In this study, we demonstrate that a novel ultra-low-dose combination of Trametinib and Rapamycin synergistically suppresses the MAPK and mTOR signaling network, leading to profound IRF4 inhibition, promoting allograft acceptance, and offering a potential new therapeutic strategy for improved transplant outcomes. However, further research is necessary to elucidate the underlying pharmacological mechanisms and facilitate translation to clinical practice.
Animals ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Interferon Regulatory Factors/metabolism* ; Heart Transplantation/methods* ; T-Lymphocytes/immunology* ; Sirolimus/therapeutic use* ; Pyridones/therapeutic use* ; Graft Survival/drug effects* ; Pyrimidinones/therapeutic use* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Male ; Signal Transduction/drug effects*

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of eccentric treadmill exercise on adaptive hypertrophy of skeletal muscle in rats. Thirty-two 3-month-old Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were selected and randomly assigned to one of the four groups based on their body weights: 2-week quiet control group (2C), 2-week downhill running exercise group (2E), 4-week quiet control group (4C), and 4-week downhill running exercise group (4E). The downhill running protocol for rats in the exercise groups involved slope of -16°, running speed of 16 m/min, training duration of 90 min, and 5 training sessions per week. Twenty-four hours after the final session of training, all the four groups of rats underwent an exhaustion treadmill exercise. After resting for 48 h, all the rats were euthanized and their gastrocnemius muscles were harvested for analysis. HE staining was used to measure the cross-sectional area (CSA) and diameter of muscle fibers. Transmission electron microscope was used to observe the ultrastructural changes in muscle fibers. Purithromycin surface labeling translation method was used to measure protein synthesis rate. Immunofluorescence double labeling was used to detect the colocalization levels of lysosomal-associated membrane protein 2 (Lamp2)-leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LARS) and Lamp2-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Western blot was used to measure the protein expression levels of myosin heavy chain (MHC) IIb and LARS, as well as the phosphorylation levels of mTOR, p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K), and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 (4E-BP1). The results showed that, compared with the 2C group rats, the 2E group rats showed significant increases in wet weight of gastrocnemius muscle, wet weight/body weight ratio, running distance, running time, pre- and post-exercise blood lactate levels, myofibrillar protein content, colocalization levels of Lamp2-LARS and Lamp2-mTOR, and LARS protein expression. Besides these above changes, compared with the 4C group, the 4E group further exhibited significantly increased fiber CSA, fiber diameter, protein synthesis rate, and phosphorylation levels of mTOR, p70S6K, and 4E-BP1. Compared with the quiet control groups, the exercise groups exhibited ultrastructural damage of rat gastrocnemius muscle, which was more pronounced in the 4E group. These findings suggest that eccentric treadmill exercise may promote mTOR translocation to lysosomal membrane, activating mTOR signaling via up-regulating LARS expression. This, in turn, increases protein synthesis rate through the mTOR-p70S6K-4E-BP1 signaling pathway, promoting protein deposition and inducing adaptive skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Although the ultrastructural changes of skeletal muscle are more pronounced, the relatively long training cycles during short-term exercise periods have a more significant effect on promoting gastrocnemius muscle protein synthesis and adaptive hypertrophy.
Animals ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Physical Conditioning, Animal/physiology* ; Rats ; Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism* ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism* ; Male ; Hypertrophy ; Adaptation, Physiological/physiology* ; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/metabolism* ; Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa/metabolism* ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins