ObjectiveTo investigate the epigenetic mechanism of Diwu Yanggan Capsule in improving liver regeneration microenvironment in a rat model of liver cancer by regulating DNA methylation， and to provide a basis for scientific clinical medication. MethodsA total of 48 specific pathogen-free Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into normal group， model group， and Diwu Yanggan Capsule group using a random number table， with 16 rats in each group. The Solt-Farber two-step method was used to establish a rat model of liver cancer. The rats in the Diwu Yanggan Capsule group were given Diwu Yanggan Capsule at a dose of 750 mg/kg/d by gavage， and those in the normal group and the model group were given an equal volume of normal saline by gavage. Liver tissue samples were collected from each group of rats after 16 weeks of continuous intervention； DNA methylation chips were used to analyze the change in DNA methylation in liver tissue， and gene ontology （GO） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） analyses were used for data analysis. In addition， the MeDIP-PCR technique was used to detect the changes in candidate differentially methylated genes such as YWHAB， ADCK2， ERLIN2， SEMA3B， and TPH2 in the liver tissue of rats， and Western blot and RT-qPCR were used to verify the expression of key methylated genes. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups， and a one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups， while the least significant difference t-test was used for further comparison between two groups. ResultsThe DNA methylation chip analysis showed that compared with the normal group， the model group had significant methylation changes in the promoter region of 2 422 genes in liver tissue of rats. The GO functional enrichment analysis and the KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that these differentially methylated genes were significantly enriched in metabolic pathways such as steroid hormone biosynthesis and drug metabolism-cytochrome P450. Compared with the model group， the Diwu Yanggan Capsule group had significant reversal of promoter methylation in 1 650 genes， and the KEGG enrichment analysis showed that these genes were mainly involved in the pathways closely associated with cell proliferation， apoptosis， and microenvironment regulation， such as the calcium ion signaling pathway， the cAMP signaling pathway， and the extracellular factor signaling pathway. Compared with the model group， the Diwu Yanggan Capsule group had a significant increase in the promoter methylation level of the ADCK2 gene （P<0.05） and significant reductions in the promoter methylation levels of the ERLIN2 and TPH2 genes （all P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the Diwu Yanggan Capsule group had significant reductions in the mRNA expression levels and the protein expression levels of the ADCK2 （all P<0.05）. ConclusionAbnormal DNA methylation in liver tissue participates in the development and progression of liver cancer. The effect of Diwu Yanggan Capsule on DNA methylation level is an important epigenetic mechanism for its effect in the prevention and treatment of liver cancer.

Objective This study reports on the obligatory parasitism of water mites Arrenurus sp. on Anopheles messeae at the Manzhouli Port, Inner Mongolia, China. Methods Duing July 2024, a survey on the mosquito diversity was conducted at the Manzhouli Port. Captured mosquitoes and their ectoparasites were identified to species level. Results A total of 1840 adult mosquitoes were collected, representing species from three genera: Culex(Cx. modestus, Cx. pipiens pallens), Aedes(Ae. dorsalis, Ae. flavidorsalis, Ae. flavescens), and Anopheles (An. messeae). Among all the mosqutioes specimens,3 out of 150 captured An. messeae were found to carry ectoparasitic mites, with number of 2,4,27 mites separately. Morphological and molecular identification reached the same result as water mites(Hydrachnidiae, Hydracrina). COI gene sequence showed 94% similarity with the closest species Arrenurus truncatellus. Conlusions Literature review suggests water mites are host-specific parasitism of mosquito species and herein with the first record of Arrenurus sp. parasiting on An. Messeae in the most high-latitude region globally.

Objective To examine the impact of climate, land use and their interaction effect on the population density of Oncomelania hupensis. Methods O. hupensis snail surveillance data in Yunnan Province from 2013 to 2022 were obtained from the National Information System for Parasitic Diseases Prevention and Control of Chinese Information System for Disease Control and Prevention, and the density of living snails was calculated in each county-level administrative district. Climate data were obtained from the China Meteorological Forcing Dataset version 2.0, and land use data were captured from the China Land Cover Dataset. The raster climate data and land use data were clipped to the administrative border of Yunnan Province in the R package version 4.5, and the climate data were resampled to a spatial resolution of 30 m × 30 m consistent with the land use data using bilinear interpolation. Annual meteorological indicators were extracted from each county-level schistosomiasis surveillance administrative area in Yunnan Province from 2013 to 2022, including average temperature, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, temperature difference, average precipitation rate, maximum precipitation rate, minimum precipitation rate, downward shortwave radiation flux, downward longwave radiation flux, air pressure, wind speed, specific humidity and relative humidity. Annual land use structure and landscape pattern index in each county-level schistosomiasis surveillance administrative area in Yunnan Province from 2013 to 2022 were extracted and calculated, including the proportion of areas occupied by each type of land use, patch density, largest patch index, landscape separation index, landscape fragmentation index, landscape segmentation index, contagion index, patch cohesion index, edge density, and shape index. Land use entropy index was introduced to represent the degree of habitat fragmentation and ecological niche breadth. The density of living snails and environmental factors were subjected to rank correlation analysis, and variables with no statistically significant correlation (P>0.1) were excluded. Then, a correlation coefficient matrix was constructed, and |r_s| of 0.85 and greater was defined as the threshold of high collinearity. For highly correlated variables in each group, indicators with a more biological explanatory power or a better statistical efficiency were retained. A generalized additive model (GAM) was constructed with O. hupensis snail density as a response variable and screened environmental variables as independent variables, and the model performance was evaluated using the variance explained. Results The area occupied by O. hupensis snail habitats was 1 056 to 1 680 hm² in Yunnan Province from 2013 to 2022, appearing an overall tendency towards a decline; however, the density of living snails appeared a tendency towards a slight rise. Based on the correlation coefficient matrix, 14 core explanatory variables were retained, including farmland, water bodies, bare land, impervious surface, landscape separation index, landscape fragmentation index, edge density, shape index, land use entropy index, downward longwave radiation flux, downward shortwave radiation flux, maximum temperature, minimum precipitation rate and specific humidity. Two types of GAM were constructed, including the main-effects model without interaction terms and the interaction model with interaction terms. The corrected Akaike information criterion (AICc) of the optimal main-effects model was −285.223, and the core variables included bare land, impervious surface, landscape separation index, edge density, shape index, land use entropy index and downward shortwave radiation flux. Following introduction of second-order interaction terms, the AICc value of the optimal interaction model was −345.526, and the significant interaction combinations included: farmland × impervious surface, farmland × landscape separation index, farmland × shape index, farmland × land use entropy index, impervious surface × landscape separation index, impervious surface × edge density, and shape index × downward shortwave radiation flux. The proportion of the main-effects model explaining the variation of O. hupensis snail density was 39.8%, and the explanatory power of GAM increased to 79.0% following introduction of interaction terms. Conclusion Landscape separation index, edge density, shape index and other landscape pattern indicators pose significant impacts on the intensity and direction of changes in O. hupensis snail density in Yunnan Province.

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Yiqi Tongluo Decoction in the intervention of early traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes after ischemic cerebrovascular disease (ICVD) intervention. Methods: From October 2020 to July 2023, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted to include 60 patients with qi deficiency, blood stasis, and phlegm obstruction syndrome after ICVD interventional therapy. They were assigned to the Yiqi Tongluo Decoction treatment group (30 cases) and the TCM placebo routine treatment control group (30 cases) according to the randomized block design. Both groups received routine standardized treatment of Western medicine, including dual antiplatelet, lipid regulation, and control of risk factors for cerebrovascular disease. The treatment group was treated with Yiqi Tongluo Decoction based on the control group. The course of treatment was 60 days and follow-up was carried out 2 and 6 months after the operation. The improvement of qi deficiency syndrome, blood stasis syndrome, phlegm syndrome score and TCM syndrome score, modified Rankin score (mRS), Barthel index (BI) score, Fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) level, incidence of transient ischemic attack (TIA) and ischemic stroke (IS) and incidence of adverse reactions, Head and neck CT angiography (CTA) or digital subtraction angiography (DSA) examination were collected. The clinical efficacy of the patients 2 months after the operation was taken as the main outcome index to preliminarily evaluate the early and long-term efficacy of Yiqi Tongluo Decoction after the ICVD intervention. The early and long-term clinical efficacy and safety of Western medicine standardized treatment combined with TCM Yiqi Tongluo Decoction on patients with qi deficiency, blood stasis and phlegm obstruction syndrome after ICVD intervention were evaluated. The safety of Yiqi Tongluo Decoction in the treatment of patients after ICVD intervention with white blood cell (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen (FIB), plasminogen time (PT), recurrence of cerebral ischaemia and restenosis in patients at 2 and 6 months after treatment were evaluated. Results: Compared to the control group, the TCM syndrome scores for qi deficiency, blood stasis and phlegm syndrome in the treatment group reduced significantly, the clinical efficacy improved significantly, the mRS score and FABP4 were reduced, and the BI score was increased. Adverse events such as cerebral ischaemia were fewer in the treatment group than in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant; levels of CRP, WBC and PT were reduced, and levels of FIB were reduced at 6 months post-treatment, all P<0.01, and images were intuitively compared. The treatment group was superior to the control group. Conclusion Yiqi Tongluo Decoction combined with Western medicine standard treatment can improve the early clinical efficacy of ICVD patients with qi deficiency, blood stasis and phlegm obstruction syndrome after interventional surgery, improve neurological impairment and daily living ability, reduce the state of qi deficiency syndrome, blood stasis syndrome and phlegm syndrome after interventional surgery, and improve the clinical efficacy of TCM. At the same time, it can reduce the level of FABP4, the target of atherosclerosis and restenosis after interventional surgery, reduce the level of inflammation after interventional surgery in patients with ICVD, regulate coagulation function, and reduce the incidence of long-term recurrence of cerebral ischemia after interventional surgery, with good safety.

[Objective] To explore the effects of different methods on antibody detection through investigating the causes of cross-matching incompatible in a patient with gastric malignant tumor, and to establish flow cytometry protocol for confirming hemolytic transfusion reaction (HTR). [Methods] Antibodies in the patient's serum were identified by red blood cells (RBCs) blood grouping, antibody screening and identification, acid elution test and PEG enhancement test. To confirm HTR, patient RBCs, proximal and distal ends RBCs, separated by capillary centrifugation, were tested by direct antiglobulin test (DAT) and Jk^a antigen single label and double label flow cytometry. [Results] Routine serological technology revealed the presence of anti-C, e (titer:2) and anti-Jka (titer >1) in the patient’s serum. After separation using capillary centrifugation technology, both the proximal and distal DAT and Jk^a antigen tests were negative. Both DAT and Jk^a antigen positive red blood cells (0.21%, 6/6 327) were found in the patient's blood samples by flow cytometry. After separation of blood samples by capillary centrifugation, there were significantly more DAT and Jk^a antigen double-positive RBCs in the distal end (0.43%, 33/7 707) than in the proximal end (0.09%, 15/7 225). Two blood samples were screened from over 100 donor blood samples that are compatible with the patient's cross-matching, and the transfusion effect was favorable. [Conclusion] Serological methods combined with flow cytometry could improve the sensitivity of antibody detection, provide a more accurate basis for the diagnosis of HTRs, and guarantee the safety of blood transfusion.

Objective: To design and establish a new method for flow cytometry-based detection of commonly observed highly expressed antigens on red blood cells, and to further evaluate the differences and distribution characteristics of antigen expression levels between ABO blood type homozygotes and heterozygotes in healthy individuals. Methods: Residual blood samples after donor blood type identification by Shanghai Blood Center in April 2024 were collected. Among them, samples of 19 homozygous and 19 heterozygous individuals of type A and type B were selected. Then the expression level of ABO antigen on red blood cells were detected using the new method established in this study and the traditional aldehyde fixed red blood cell method. Both methods were tested independently three times and the results were compared. Results: The mean values of the three detection results of the new method was (×10 /RBC): AA homozygous 3.3±0.5, AO heterozygous 2.8±0.3, BB homozygous 3.6±0.3, BO heterozygous 3.1±2.8. The mean values of the three detection results of the aldehyde fixation method were AA homozygous 5.9±0.9, AO heterozygous 5.0±1.4, BB homozygous 3.8±0.6, and BO heterozygous 3.3±0.4. The average antigen distribution of each genotype followed a normal distribution. Comparing the average antigen expression levels of homozygotes and heterozygotes, both methods showed that A/B homozygotes had higher antigen levels than heterozygotes, with AA being 1.17 to 1.18 times that of AO and BB being 1.15 to 1.16 times that of BO. Comparing the inter batch differences in the three test results of two methods, the new method showed no significant difference in the three test results for four genotypes (P>0.05). The aldehyde fixation method showed significant differences in the test results for all three genotypes (P<0.01) except for BB homozygotes (P>0.05). The reliability and reproducibility of the new method were better than those of the traditional aldehyde fixation method. Conclusion: The antigen expression level of ABO homozygotes is higher than that of heterozygotes, and the difference in antigen level between type A homozygotes and heterozygotes is slightly higher than that of type B. The new method is superior to traditional aldolization fixation methods.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) in regulating the viability, migration, and apoptosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells, and to explore its potential epigenetic mechanisms. METHODS: PINK1 was overex-pressed or knocked down in HCT116 and DLD1 CRC cell lines using lentiviral vectors, with efficiency verified by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and apoptosis were assessed using CCK-8, colony formation, wound healing, Transwell, and Hoechst 33258 staining assays, respectively. Protein levels of apoptosis-related and histone modification-related markers were analyzed by Western blotting. Genome-wide chromatin accessibility was profiled using ATAC-seq. RESULTS: PINK1 expression was significantly downregulated at both mRNA and protein levels in CRC tissues compared to normal tissues. PINK1 overexpression inhibited cell prolifera-tion, colony formation, and migration in HCT116 and DLD1 cells (all P<0.05), whereas PINK1 knockdown promoted these malignant phenotypes (all P<0.05). PINK1 overex-pression induced apoptosis, associated with decreased levels of anti-apoptotic proteins (Mcl-1, Bcl-2, Bcl-xl) and increased pro-apoptotic Bax (all P<0.05), without altering p53 expression. Mechanistically, PINK1 overexpression reduced the expression of histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylation (H3K9me3) and histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), and increased the expression of histone H3 lysine 9 acetylation (H3K9ac) and histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac). It also downregulated key histone-modifying enzymes, including EZH2, EZH1, SUZ12, and histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) (all P<0.01). ATAC-seq revealed that PINK1 overexpression increased chromatin accessibility, particularly around transcription start sites. CONCLUSIONS PINK1 acts as a tumor suppressor in colorectal cancer by inhibiting proliferation and migration, promoting apoptosis, and remodeling the epigenetic landscape through altering histone modifications and enhancing chromatin accessibility.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

Objective To explore the feasibility and safety of ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation for unresectable pancreatic cancer.Methods Totally 84 patients who underwent ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation for unresectable pancreatic cancer were enrolled,and the technical success rate,complete ablation rate,complication rate,pain relief rate and survival time,etc.were observed.Results The median age of 84 cases was 61.5 years.Totally 86 tumors,including 44.19％(38/86)at the head/neck and 55.81％(48/86)at the body/tail of pancreas were detected,and a total of 85 ablation sessions were performed with the median ablation energy applied per tumor of 9.90(1.08,21.60)kJ and the complete ablation rate of 42.86％(36/84).The technical success rate was 100％(85/85).Thirty-nine complication events occurred in 25 cases,no ablation-related death.Among 34 patients underwent ablation mainly for pain symptoms,the pain score decreased from(6.22±1.12)points before treatment to(1.94±1.64)points after treatment(P＜0.001).During 6.8(3.3,12.9)months' follow-up,the mean survival time was(8.5±6.7)months,and all 47 patients died due to tumor progression.Conclusion Ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation was safe and feasible for unresectable pancreatic cancer.