Objective To investigate the distribution characteristics of Oncomelania hupensis snails in Yunnan Province fol-lowing interruption of schistosomiasis transmission, so as to provide the evidence for assessing the risk of schistosomiasis transmission and scientifically formulating the schistosomiasis surveillance program. Methods According to the requirements of the National Schistosomiasis Surveillance Scheme (2020 Edition), O. hupensis snail surveillance data were collected from 18 schistosomiasis-endemic counties (cities, districts) in Yunnan Province from 2020 to 2024, including area of snail survey, area of snail habitats, area of re-emerging snail habitats, number of frames surveyed, number of frames with O. hupensis snails, number of O. hupensis snails captured, and number of living snails, and the occurrence of frames with snails and mean density of living snails were calculated. Changes in snail status over the 5-year period from 2020 to 2024 and the differences in snail distributions specified by epidemic intensity, environmental type, and vegetation type were analyzed. Results The areas of snail survey increased from 1 727.96 hm² in 2020 to 3 894.45 hm² in 2024 (peak) across 18 schistosomiasis-endemic counties (cities, districts) in Yunnan Province during the period from 2020 through 2024. The areas of snail habitats increased from 70.36 hm² in 2020 to a peak in 2023 (172.04 hm²), followed by a reduction to 132.36 hm² in 2024, and the areas of re-emerging snail habitats increased from 42.71 hm² in 2020 to a peak in 2022 (78.43 hm²), followed by a reduction to 40.21 hm² in 2024. The occurrence of frames with snails and mean density of living snails increased from 1.24% (3 025/244 404) and (0.033 2 ± 0.038 7) snails/0.1 m² in 2020 to peaks at 2.03% (6 231/307 563) and (0.066 9 ± 0.068 4) snails/0.1 m² in 2023, followed by reductions to 1.04% (5 829/559 941) and (0.032 6 ± 0.057 7) snails/0.1 m² in 2024, respectively. There was a significant difference in the occurrence of frames with snails over the 5-year study period (χ² = 1 962.95, P < 0.05), and the occurrence of frames with snails reduced by 48.71% in 2024 relative to in 2023 (χ² = 1 411.05, P < 0.005); however, there was no significant difference in the mean density of living snails over the 5 years (H = 5.310, P > 0.05). There were significant differences in the occurrence of frames with snails (χ² = 481.27, P < 0.05) and mean density of living snails (H = 6.872, P < 0.05) in schistosomiasis-endemic areas with different epidemic intensities. The occurrence of frames with snails (χ² = 25.32 and 38.70, both P values < 0.017) and mean density of living snails (Z = 28.55 and 49.96, both P values < 0.017) were higher in schistosomiasis transmission-interrupted and eliminated areas with snails than in schistosomiasis-eliminated areas without snails, and the occurrence of frames with snails (χ² = 453.54, P < 0.017) and mean density of living snails (Z = −56.97, P < 0.017) were higher in schistosomiasis-eliminated areas with snails than in schistosomiasis transmission-interrupted areas with snails. O. hupensis snails were mainly distributed in paddy fields, dry farmlands and ditches; however, the occurrence of frames with snails (13.40%, 424/3 164) and mean density of living snails [(0.252 8 ± 0.158 7) snails/0.1 m²] were higher in ponds/weirs than in other types of environments (both P values < 0.05). Rice, dry farmland crops and weeds were main vegetations in which O. hupensis snails were distributed, and the occurrence of frames with snails (2.29%, 7 111/310 140) and mean density of living snails [(0.072 3 ± 0.018 9) snails/0.1 m²] were higher in weeds than in other types of environments (both P values < 0.05). Conclusions O. hupensis snails have been effectively controlled in Yunnan Province following implementation of integrated schistosomiasis control measures; however, there are still risk factors for schistosomiasis transmission, including reduced attention to schistosomiasis control and snail re-emergence. Improved control efforts and surveillance system construction and timely identification of risk factors of snail status and timely management are recommended to ensure the achievement of the target of schistosomiasis elimination as scheduled.

Objective To gain insights into the biological characteristics of different populations of Culex tritaeniorhynchus within and around the Yellow Sea wetland from the perspective of the occurrence of resistance, we investigated the levels of resistance to deltamethrin and kdr gene mutation in the wetland and its peripheral areas. Methods Specimens were collected from Cx. tritaeniorhynchus populations at two monitoring sites in the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area, and also from two populations in Yancheng City and the Liuhe District of Nanjing, and the resistance of these mosquitoes to deltamethrin was determined using the CDC biotest bottle method. For each concentration of deltamethrin assessed, a random subset of exposed specimens was selected for amplification of the kdr gene fragment, followed by Sanger sequencing to identify and analyze resistance-associated mutations. Results The LC50 levels of deltamethrin among mosquitoes from the four populations in Luhe, Yancheng, the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and the Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area were 2.048 5, 7.798 2, 3.473 3, and 17.695 5 mg/mL, respectively, with corresponding concentrations of deltamethrin ranging from 0.005 to 5.000,0.050 to 50.000,0.050 to 25.000 and 0.050 to 50.000 mg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the ranges of the KT50 values were 11.76-107.43, 67.05-216.30,29.77-107.43 and 28.40-329.51 min; the 1-h knockdown rates were 34.58%-99.15%, 9.52%-43.80%, 55.09%-73.01%, and 10.09%-68.07%; and the 24-h mortality rates were 12.15%-67.52%,9.52%-79.56%,13.17%-82.21%, and 11.01%-78.99%, respectively. With respect to kdr gene mutation, we assayed a total of 63,70,59, and 57 mosquitoes for the four populations, for which we detected L1014F mutation frequencies of 14.29%, 35.00%, 20.34%, and 31.58%, respectively, with a majority of these mutations being heterozygous for resistance. In addition, five adult mosquitoes were identified has having synonymous mutations at site 1011[i. e. , AAT(asparagine)mutation to AAC(asparagine)]. Conclusions Our findings revealed the clear resistance of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus to deltamethrin in the Yancheng region of the Yellow Sea wetland, and the resistance phenotype and kdr frequency of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment were comparable to those of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment, thereby indicating that the resistance of different populations of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus was homogeneous under the pressure of different insecticide selection within and around the wetland. However, the underlying mechanisms need to be further studied.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of Schistosoma japonicum infections in wild murines in schistosomiasisendemic areas of Yunnan Province, so as to provide the evidence for improving the schistosomiasis surveillance and early warning capability and implementing precise interventions in the province. Methods A total of 56 natural villages were sampled from 14 schistosomiasis-endemic counties (cities, districts) in Yunnan Province as surveillance sites from 2024 to 2025. Wild murines were captured using traps at night and characterized for species. Liver samples were collected from wild murines, S. japonicum eggs and miracidia were simultaneously detected using liver tissue compression microscopy, liver tissue homogenate microscopy, and liver tissue homogenate hatching. In addition, stool samples were collected from wild murine rectum, with S. japonicum eggs detected using a modified Kato-Katz thick smear technique and S. japonicum miracidia detected using the hatching test with nylon gauzes. Results A total of 15 577 valid murine traps were recovered, and 891 wild murines belonging to 16 species were captured, with a capture rate of 5.72%(891/15 577). The captured wild murines were predominantly districted in paddy fields, dry lands, ditches, ponds and marshlands, with Apodemus chevrieri, Rattus norvegicus, Crocidura attenuata, R. rattus sladeni, R. flavipectus, and Eothenomys miletus as dominant species. No S. japonicum eggs or miradicia were in laboratory; however, other parasites were identified in 25 wild murines. The prevalence rates of Schistosoma sinensis, Capillaria hepatica and Hymenolepis nana were 2.24% (20/891), 0.90% (8/891) and 0.56% (5/891), and the prevalence of S. sinensis and C. hepatica co-infection was 0.90% (8/891), respectively. Conclusions S. sinensis, C. hepatica and H. nana are predominant parasite species in wild murines in schistosomiasis-endemic areas of Yunan Province. No S. japonicum infection was detected during the study period; however, there is still a risk of wild murines as a potential source of infection for schistosomiasis transmission. Continuous intensified surveillance of S. japonicum infections in wild murines is a critical programme in schistosomiasis surveillance and early warning in Yunnan Province.

Objective To investigate the combined effect of berberine （BBR） and fluconazole （FLC） on FLC-tolerant Candida albicans in vitro. Methods The sensitivity of 8 strains of Candida albicans to FLC was assessed by determining their minimal inhibitory concentration （MIC） using broth microdilution method. FLC-tolerant strains were screened from FLC-sensitive strains by disk diffusion assay. The effect of BBR combined with FLC on FLC-tolerant Candida albicans was investigated by disk diffusion assay. Results All eight strains of Candida albicans exhibited sensitivity to FLC, with minimal inhibitory concentration （MIC₅₀） values below 0.5 μg/ml. Strains Y0109, 9821, 7879, 7654, and 9296 displayed colony growth in the inhibition zone after 48 h of constant temperature incubation, indicating FLC tolerance. When strains Y0109 and 9821 were subjected to a combination of BBR and FLC, the number of colonies within the inhibition zone decreased progressively with the increase of BBR concentration following a 48 h constant temperature culture. The inhibition zone became clear with the increasing of BBR concentration and increased with the increase of FLC loading, which showed a dose-dependent relationship. Conclusion The BBR combined with FLC demonstrated efficacy against FLC-tolerant strains.

To explore the anti-depression effect of Suanzaoren Decoction(SZRD), the regulatory effects on endogenous metabolites in the liver of rats with depression induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS) were analyzed by using LC-MS metabolomics. The rats were randomly divided into normal control group, model group, low-dose SZRD group, high-dose SZRD group, and positive drug group. The CUMS depression model was replicated by applying a variety of stimuli, such as fasting and water deprivation, ice water swimming, hot water swimming, day and night reversal, tail clamping, and restraint for rats. Modeling and treatment were conducted for 56 days. The behavioral indexes of rats in each group, including body weight, open field test, sucrose preference test, and tail suspension test, were observed. Plasma samples and liver tissue samples were collected, and the contents of 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT), dopamine(DA), and norepinephrine(NE) in plasma were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Meanwhile, the regulatory effects of SZRD on the liver metabolic profile of CUMS model rats were analyzed by the LC-MS metabolomics method. The results show that SZRD can significantly improve the depression-like behavior of CUMS model rats and increase the neurotransmitter levels of 5-HT, DA, and NE in plasma. A total of 24 different metabolites in the rats' liver are identified using the LC-MS metabolomics method, and SZRD can reverse 13 of these metabolites. Metabolic pathway analysis indicates that nine metabolic pathways are found to be significantly associated with depression, and in the low-dose SZRD group, four pathways can be regulated, including pentose phosphate pathway, purine metabolism, inositol phosphate metabolism, and sphingolipid metabolism. In the high-dose SZRD group, two metabolic pathways can be regulated, including sphingolipid metabolism and glycerol glycerophospholipid metabolism. Sphingolipid metabolism is a metabolic pathway that can be regulated by SZRD at different doses, so it is speculated that it may be the primary pathway through which SZRD can alleviate metabolic disturbances in the liver of CUMS model rats.
Animals ; Rats ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Metabolomics ; Depression/metabolism* ; Male ; Liver/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Antidepressive Agents/administration & dosage* ; Serotonin/blood* ; Humans ; Disease Models, Animal ; Behavior, Animal/drug effects*

This study aims to comprehensively analyze the material basis of toad visceral oil(hereafter referred to as toad oil), and explore the pharmacological effect of toad oil on atopic dermatitis(AD). Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-linear ion trap/orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry(UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS) were employed to comprehensively identify the chemical components in toad oil. The animal model of AD was prepared by the hapten stimulation method. The modeled animals were respectively administrated with positive drug(0.1% hydrocortisone butyrate cream) and low-and high-doses(1%, 10%) of toad oil by gavage. The effect of toad oil on AD was evaluated with the AD score, ear swelling rate, spleen index, and pathological section results as indicators. A total of 99 components were identified by UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS, including 14 bufadienolides, 7 fatty acids, 6 alkaloids, 10 ketones, 18 amides, and other compounds. After methylation of toad oil samples, a total of 20 compounds were identified by GC-MS. Compared with the model group, the low-and high-dose toad oil groups showed declined AD score, ear swelling rate, and spleen index, alleviated skin lesions, and reduced infiltrating mast cells. This study comprehensively analyzes the chemical composition and clarifies the material basis of toad oil. Meanwhile, this study proves that toad oil has a good therapeutic effect on AD and is a reserve resource of traditional Chinese medicine for external use in the treatment of AD.
Animals ; Dermatitis, Atopic/immunology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice ; Male ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Humans ; Bufonidae ; Oils/administration & dosage* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Female ; Mice, Inbred BALB C

Bacillus mycoides JA20-1 was screened and identified as a biocontrol bacterium with a high capacity for producing volatile organic compounds(VOCs) in the laboratory. This strain had significant inhibitory effects on various postharvest disease pathogens in crops, such as Botrytis cinerea, as well as soil-borne disease pathogens in ginseng, such as Sclerotinia ginseng. In order to accelerate its industrialization process, in this study, single-factor experiments and response surface optimization methods were used. The fermentation medium and fermentation conditions in the shake flask of strain JA20-1 were systematically optimized by using cell production volume as the response variable. Meanwhile, the biocontrol effect of JA20-1 on B. cinerea of ginseng during the storage period was evaluated by using the method of fumigation in a dry dish in vitro. The results indicated that the optimal fermentation medium formulation for strain JA20-1 was as follows: 1% yeast paste, 1% soluble starch, 0.25% K_2HPO_4·3H_2O, and 0.2% NaCl. The optimal fermentation conditions in the shake flask were vaccination size of 3%, culture volume of 50 mL in a 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask, pH of 6.2, fermentation temperature of 34 ℃, shaking speed of 180 r·min~(-1), and incubation time of 18 hours. The bacteria count in the fermentation broth under these conditions reached 2.17 × 10~8 CFU·mL~(-1), which was 6.58 times higher than before. The average control efficacy of the fermentation broth on Botrytis cinerea of ginseng under in vitro fumigation reached 61.70% and 84.04% respectively, when 20 mL and 30 mL per dish were used. The research provided theoretical support and technical foundation for the development and utilization of Bacillus mycoides JA20-1 and the biocontrol of soil-borne diseases in ginseng and postharvest diseases in crops.
Botrytis/drug effects* ; Fermentation ; Panax/microbiology* ; Plant Diseases/prevention & control* ; Volatile Organic Compounds/metabolism* ; Bacillus/physiology* ; Pest Control, Biological/methods* ; Biological Control Agents/metabolism* ; Culture Media/chemistry*

Descurainiae Semen Lepidii Semen, also known as Tinglizi, originates from Brassicaceae plants Descurainia sophia or Lepidium apetalum. The former is commonly referred to as "Southern Tinglizi(Descurainiae Semen)", while the latter is known as "Northern Tinglizi(Lepidii Semen)". To scientifically and accurately identify the origin of Tinglizi medicinal materials and traditional Chinese medicine products, this study developed a specific DNA mini-barcode based on chloroplast genome sequences. By combining the DNA mini-barcode with DNA metabarcoding technology, a method for the qualitative and quantitative identification of Tinglizi medicinal materials and Chinese patent medicines was established. In this study, chloroplast genomes of Southern Tinglizi and Northern Tinglizi and seven commonly encountered counterfeit products were downloaded from the GenBank database. Suitable polymorphic regions were identified to differentiate these species, enabling the development of the DNA mini-barcode. Using DNA metabarcoding technology, medicinal material mixtures of Southern and Northern Tinglizi, as well as the most common counterfeit product, Capsella bursa-pastoris seeds, were analyzed to validate the qualitative and quantitative capabilities of the mini-barcode and determine its minimum detection limit. Additionally, the mini-barcode was applied to Chinese patent medicines containing Tinglizi to authenticate their botanical origin. The results showed that the developed mini-barcode(psbB) exhibited high accuracy and specificity, effectively distinguishing between the two authentic origins of Tinglizi and commonly encountered counterfeit products. The analysis of mixtures demonstrated that the mini-barcode had excellent qualitative and quantitative capabilities, accurately identifying the composition of Chinese medicinal materials in mixed samples with varying proportions. Furthermore, the analysis of Chinese patent medicines revealed the presence of the adulterant species(Capsella bursa-pastoris) in addition to the authentic species(Southern and Northern Tinglizi), indicating the occurrence of adulteration in commercially available Tinglizi-containing products. This study developed a method for the qualitative and quantitative identification of multi-origin Chinese medicinal materials and related products, providing a model for research on other multi-origin Chinese medicinal materials.
DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Drug Contamination ; Genome, Chloroplast ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

This study aims to investigate the ameliorating effect of Corni Fructus(CF) on the myocardial ischemic injury and the pharmacokinetic properties of characteristic components of CF. The mouse model of isoproterenol-induced myocardial ischemia was established and administrated with the aqueous extract of CF. The general efficacy of CF in ameliorating the myocardial ischemic injury was evaluated based on the cardiac histopathology and the levels of myocardial injury markers: creatine kinase isoenzyme(CK-MB) and cardiac troponin I(cTn-I). The metabolomics analysis was carried out for the heart and serum samples of mice to screen the biomarkers of CF in ameliorating the myocardial ischemic injury and then the predicted biomarkers were submitted to metabolic pathway enrichment. The pharmacokinetic analysis was performed for morroniside, loganin, and cornuside Ⅰ in mouse heart and serum samples to obtain the pharmacokinetic parameters of these components. The pharmacokinetic parameters were then integrated on the basis of self-defined weighting coefficients to simulate an integrated pharmacokinetic profile of CF iridoid glycosides in the heart and serum of the mouse model of myocardial ischemia. The results indicated that CF reduced the pathological damage to cardiac cells and tissue(hematoxylin-eosin staining) and lowered the levels of CK-MB and cTn-I in the serum of the mouse model of myocardial ischemia(P<0.01). Metabolomics analysis screed out 31 endogenous metabolites in the heart and 35 in the serum as biomarkers of CF in ameliorating the myocardial ischemic injury. These biomarkers were altered by modeling and restored by CF. Six metabolic pathways in the heart and 5 in the serum were enriched based on these metabolic markers. The main integrated pharmacokinetic parameters of CF iridoid glycosides were T_(max)=1 h, t_(1/2)=(1.52±0.05) h in the heart and T_(max)=1 h, t_(1/2)=(1.56±0.50) h in the serum. Both concentration-time curves showed a double-peak phenomenon. In conclusion, CF demonstrated the cardioprotective effect by regulating metabolic pathways such as taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, and pantothenic acid and coenzyme A biosynthesis. The integrated pharmacokinetics reflect the general pharmacokinetic properties of characteristic components in CF.
Animals ; Cornus/chemistry* ; Mice ; Metabolomics ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia/metabolism* ; Humans ; Troponin I/metabolism* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Biomarkers/metabolism* ; Creatine Kinase, MB Form/metabolism*

Background/Aims: Dexamethasone (DEX) is a widely used exogenous therapeutic glucocorticoid in clinical settings. Its long-term use leads to many side effects. However, its effect on metabolic disorders in individuals on a high-fat diet (HFD) remains poorly understood. Methods: In this study, HFD-fed mice were intraperitoneally injected with DEX 2.5 mg/kg/day for 30 days. Lipid metabolism, adipocyte proliferation, and inflammation were assayed using typical approaches. Results: DEX increased the epididymal fat index and epididymal adipocyte size in HFD-fed mice. The number of epididymal adipocytes with diameters > 70 μm accounted for 0.5% of the cells in the control group, 30% of the cells in the DEX group, 19% of the cells in the HFD group, and 38% of all the cells in the D+H group. Adipocyte proliferation in the D+H group was inhibited by DEX treatment. Adipocyte enlargement in the D+H group was associated with increased the lipid accumulation but not the adipocyte proliferation. In contrast, the liver triglyceride and total cholesterol levels and their metabolism were downregulated by the same treatment, indicating the therapeutic potential of DEX for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Conclusions DEX synergizes with HFD to promote lipid deposition in adipose tissues. A high risk of obesity development in patients receiving HFD and DEX treatment is suggested.