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 analyze the characteristics of spirometry and type 2 inflammation indicators of patients with CVA,ACO and CA to determine their clinical utility in identifying and distinguishing among CVA,ACO and CA patients.Methods Clinical data from 483 patients diagnosed with bronchial asthma,CVA,and bronchial asthma combined with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the outpatient department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from July 2023 to June 2024 were collected and divided into CA,CVA and ACO groups according to diagnosis.Comparison of spirometry,fractional exhaled nitric oxide(FeNO),blood eosinophil(EOS),serum total immunoglobulin E(tIgE)and other tests between CA and CVA,CA and ACO groups.Perform logistic regression analysis on significant test results,then construct receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves to compare the area under the curve and corresponding cut-off values.Result There was a statistically significant difference in tIgE between the CVA and CA groups(P=0.018),whereas no significant differences were observed in FeNO and EOS.Additionally,no notable differences were found between the ACO and CA groups in tIgE,FeNO,or EOS.Finally,FEV1％pred(OR=1.086,P=0.019),FEV1/FVC(OR=1.153,P=0.023),and MEF50％pred(OR=0.922,P=0.045)were used to construct the discriminative model between CA and CVA.ROC curves were plotted,with FEV1％pred showing an AUC of 0.680(P<0.001),a Youden index of 0.358,and a corresponding cutoff value of 89.200.FEV1/FVC had an AUC of 0.684(P<0.001),a Youden index of 0.334,and a cutoff value of 76.075.MEF50％pred had an AUC of 0.668(P<0.001),a Youden index of 0.309,and a cutoff value of 59.800.The combined sensitivity of these three measures was 0.909,specificity was 0.514,positive predictive value was 0.600,negative predictive value was 0.873,and the AUC was 0.773(P<0.001),with a Youden index of 0.423.FEV1(OR=0.002,P=0.045),FEV1％pred(OR=1.490,P=0.006),and FEV1/FVC(OR=0.749,P=0.005)were used to construct the discriminative model between CA and ACO.ROC curves were plotted,with FEV1 showing an AUC of 0.819(P<0.001),a Youden index of 0.532,and a corresponding cutoff value of 2.060.FEV1％pred had an AUC of 0.788(P<0.001),a Youden index of 0.501,and a cutoff value of 75.000.FEV1/FVC had an AUC of 0.891(P<0.001),a Youden index of 0.678,and a cutoff value of 68.620.The combined sensitivity of these three measures was 1.000,specificity was 0.904,positive predictive value was 0.771,negative predictive value was 1.000,and the AUC was 0.973(P<0.001),with a Youden index of 0.904.Conclusions Differences exist in the spirometry among CVA,ACO and CA.The spirometry results incor-porated into the discriminative models provide good discriminative value for distinguishing between CA and CVA patients with similar clinical symptoms,as well as for identifying ACO in the CA population.

AIM To study the effect of Zuogui Pills on improving ovarian function in rats with premature ovarian failure(POF)by regulating autophagy.METHODS Seven rats were randomly selected as the blank group,and the remaining rats were injected with cisplatin(4.0 mg/kg)intraperitoneally to establish POF model.The success of the model was evaluated by observing the changes of estrous cycle.Twenty-one successful model of rats were randomly divided into model group and estradiol group(0.01 mg/mL)and Zuogui Pills group(1.85 g/kg),with 7 rats in each group,the drug was administered continuously for 21 days.Serum E2,FSH and LH levels were detected by ELISA;HE staining was used to observe the pathological morphology of ovarian tissue;immunohistochemical(IHC)method was used to detect the protein expressions of LC3B,SIRT1 and FoxO1 in ovarian tissues;RT-qPCR method was used to detect the mRNA expressions of LC3B,Beclin-1 and Atg5 in ovarian tissues;the protein expressions of SIRT1,FoxO1 and Ac-FoxO1 in ovarian tissue was detected by Western blot.RESULTS Compared with the blank group,the ovarian index of the model group decreased(P＜0.01);serum FSH and LH levels increased(P＜0.01)and E2 level decreased(P＜0.01);the structure of ovary is disordered,especially atresia follicle;the mRNA expressions of LC3B,Beclin-1 and Atg5 in ovarian tissue increased(P＜0.01),while the protein expressions of LC3B and Ac-FoxO1 increased(P＜0.01),while the protein expressions of SIRT1 and FoxO1 decreased(P＜0.01).Compared with the model group,the ovarian index of rats in estradiol group and Zuogui Pills group increased(P＜0.01);serum FSH and LH levels decreased(P＜0.01)and E2 level increased(P＜0.01);the number of primordial follicles in ovary increased and the number of atresia follicles decreased;the mRNA expressions of LC3B,Beclin-1 and Atg5 in ovarian tissue decreased(P＜0.01),while the protein expressions of LC3B and Ac-FoxO1 decreased(P＜0.01),while the protein expressions of SIRT1 and FoxO1 increased(P＜0.01).CONCLUSION Zuogui Pills may inhibit autophagy by activating SIRT1/FoxO1 signaling pathway,thus improving the pathological state of POF rats,regulating the level of sex hormones in rats,restoring endocrine balance,enhancing ovarian reserve function,promoting the normal development of follicles and delaying the progress of POF.

OBJECTIVE: Blood culture remains the gold standard for diagnosing bloodstream infections. Clinical laboratories must ensure the quality of blood culture processes from receipt to obtaining definitive results. We examined laboratory analytical indicators associated with positive blood culture results. METHODS: Blood cultures collected from Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2022, were retrospectively analyzed. The mode of transportation (piping logistics delivery vs. staff), source of blood cultures (outpatient/emergency department vs. inpatient department), rotation of personnel, and time of reception (8:00-19:59 vs. 20:00-07:59) were compared between blood culture-positive and -negative results. RESULTS: Between 2020 and 2022, the total positive rate of blood culture was 8.07%. The positive rate of blood cultures in the outpatient/emergency department was significantly higher than that in the inpatient department (12.46% vs. 5.83%; P < 0.0001). The time-to-detection of blood cultures was significantly affected by the delivery mode and personnel rotation. The blood culture positive rate of the total pre-analytical time within 1 h was significantly higher than that within 1-2 h or > 2 h ( P < 0.0170). CONCLUSION Laboratory analytical indicators such as patient source, transportation mode, and personnel rotation significantly impacted the positive detection rate or time of blood culture.
Blood Culture/statistics & numerical data* ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Emergency Service, Hospital/statistics & numerical data*

Extensive studies have identified potential adverse effects on semen quality of obesity, based on body mass index, but the association between body fat distribution, a more relevant indicator for obesity, and semen quality remains less clear. We conducted a longitudinal study of 4304 sperm donors from the Guangdong Provincial Human Sperm Bank (Guangzhou, China) during 2017-2021. A body composition analyzer was used to measure total and local body fat percentage for each participant. Generalized estimating equations were employed to assess the association between body fat percentage and sperm count, motility, and morphology. We estimated that each 10% increase in total body fat percentage (estimated change [95% confidence interval, 95% CI]) was significantly associated with a 0.18 × 10 6 (0.09 × 10 6 -0.27 × 10 6 ) ml and 12.21 × 10 6 (4.52 × 10 6 -19.91 × 10 6 ) reduction in semen volume and total sperm count, respectively. Categorical analyses and exposure-response curves showed that the association of body fat distribution with semen volume and total sperm count was stronger at higher body fat percentages. In addition, the association still held among normal weight and overweight participants. We observed similar associations for upper limb, trunk, and lower limb body fact distributions. In conclusion, we found that a higher body fat distribution was significantly associated with lower semen quality (especially semen volume) even in men with a normal weight. These findings provide useful clues in exploring body fat as a risk factor for semen quality decline and add to evidence for improving semen quality for those who are expected to conceive.
Humans ; Male ; Adult ; Semen Analysis ; China ; Body Fat Distribution ; Longitudinal Studies ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Body Mass Index ; Tissue Donors ; Obesity/complications* ; Spermatozoa ; Young Adult ; Middle Aged ; East Asian People

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Shexiang Tongxin Dropping Pill (STDP) in treating stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome by exercise duration and metabolic equivalents. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome from 22 hospitals. They were randomized 1:1 to STDP (35 mg/pill, 6 pills per day) or placebo for 56 days. The primary outcome was the exercise duration and metabolic equivalents (METs) assessed by the standard Bruce exercise treadmill test after 56 days of treatment. The secondary outcomes included the total angina symptom score, Chinese medicine (CM) symptom scores, Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) scores, changes in ST-T on electrocardiogram and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: This trial enrolled 309 patients, including 155 and 154 in the STDP and placebo groups, respectively. STDP significantly prolonged exercise duration with an increase of 51.0 s, compared to a decrease of 12.0 s with placebo (change rate: -11.1% vs. 3.2%, P<0.01). The increase in METs was significantly greater in the STDP group than in the placebo group (change: -0.4 vs. 0.0, change rate: -5.0% vs. 0.0%, P<0.01). The improvement of total angina symptom scores (25.0% vs. 0.0%), CM symptom scores (38.7% vs. 11.8%), reduction of nitroglycerin consumption (100.0% vs. 11.3%), and all domains of SAQ, were significantly greater with STDP than placebo (all P<0.01). The changes in Q-T intervals at 28 and 56 days from baseline were similar between the two groups (both P>0.05). Twenty-five participants (16.3%) with STDP and 16 (10.5%) with placebo experienced AEs (P=0.131), with no serious AEs observed. CONCLUSION STDP could improve exercise tolerance in patients with stable angina and phlegm-heat and blood stasis syndrome, with a favorable safety profile. (Registration No. ChiCTR-IPR-15006020).
Humans ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Angina, Stable/physiopathology* ; Aged ; Syndrome ; Treatment Outcome ; Placebos ; Tablets

Objective To analyze the characteristics of spirometry and type 2 inflammation indicators of patients with CVA,ACO and CA to determine their clinical utility in identifying and distinguishing among CVA,ACO and CA patients.Methods Clinical data from 483 patients diagnosed with bronchial asthma,CVA,and bronchial asthma combined with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the outpatient department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from July 2023 to June 2024 were collected and divided into CA,CVA and ACO groups according to diagnosis.Comparison of spirometry,fractional exhaled nitric oxide(FeNO),blood eosinophil(EOS),serum total immunoglobulin E(tIgE)and other tests between CA and CVA,CA and ACO groups.Perform logistic regression analysis on significant test results,then construct receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves to compare the area under the curve and corresponding cut-off values.Result There was a statistically significant difference in tIgE between the CVA and CA groups(P=0.018),whereas no significant differences were observed in FeNO and EOS.Additionally,no notable differences were found between the ACO and CA groups in tIgE,FeNO,or EOS.Finally,FEV1％pred(OR=1.086,P=0.019),FEV1/FVC(OR=1.153,P=0.023),and MEF50％pred(OR=0.922,P=0.045)were used to construct the discriminative model between CA and CVA.ROC curves were plotted,with FEV1％pred showing an AUC of 0.680(P<0.001),a Youden index of 0.358,and a corresponding cutoff value of 89.200.FEV1/FVC had an AUC of 0.684(P<0.001),a Youden index of 0.334,and a cutoff value of 76.075.MEF50％pred had an AUC of 0.668(P<0.001),a Youden index of 0.309,and a cutoff value of 59.800.The combined sensitivity of these three measures was 0.909,specificity was 0.514,positive predictive value was 0.600,negative predictive value was 0.873,and the AUC was 0.773(P<0.001),with a Youden index of 0.423.FEV1(OR=0.002,P=0.045),FEV1％pred(OR=1.490,P=0.006),and FEV1/FVC(OR=0.749,P=0.005)were used to construct the discriminative model between CA and ACO.ROC curves were plotted,with FEV1 showing an AUC of 0.819(P<0.001),a Youden index of 0.532,and a corresponding cutoff value of 2.060.FEV1％pred had an AUC of 0.788(P<0.001),a Youden index of 0.501,and a cutoff value of 75.000.FEV1/FVC had an AUC of 0.891(P<0.001),a Youden index of 0.678,and a cutoff value of 68.620.The combined sensitivity of these three measures was 1.000,specificity was 0.904,positive predictive value was 0.771,negative predictive value was 1.000,and the AUC was 0.973(P<0.001),with a Youden index of 0.904.Conclusions Differences exist in the spirometry among CVA,ACO and CA.The spirometry results incor-porated into the discriminative models provide good discriminative value for distinguishing between CA and CVA patients with similar clinical symptoms,as well as for identifying ACO in the CA population.

AIM To study the effect of Zuogui Pills on improving ovarian function in rats with premature ovarian failure(POF)by regulating autophagy.METHODS Seven rats were randomly selected as the blank group,and the remaining rats were injected with cisplatin(4.0 mg/kg)intraperitoneally to establish POF model.The success of the model was evaluated by observing the changes of estrous cycle.Twenty-one successful model of rats were randomly divided into model group and estradiol group(0.01 mg/mL)and Zuogui Pills group(1.85 g/kg),with 7 rats in each group,the drug was administered continuously for 21 days.Serum E2,FSH and LH levels were detected by ELISA;HE staining was used to observe the pathological morphology of ovarian tissue;immunohistochemical(IHC)method was used to detect the protein expressions of LC3B,SIRT1 and FoxO1 in ovarian tissues;RT-qPCR method was used to detect the mRNA expressions of LC3B,Beclin-1 and Atg5 in ovarian tissues;the protein expressions of SIRT1,FoxO1 and Ac-FoxO1 in ovarian tissue was detected by Western blot.RESULTS Compared with the blank group,the ovarian index of the model group decreased(P＜0.01);serum FSH and LH levels increased(P＜0.01)and E2 level decreased(P＜0.01);the structure of ovary is disordered,especially atresia follicle;the mRNA expressions of LC3B,Beclin-1 and Atg5 in ovarian tissue increased(P＜0.01),while the protein expressions of LC3B and Ac-FoxO1 increased(P＜0.01),while the protein expressions of SIRT1 and FoxO1 decreased(P＜0.01).Compared with the model group,the ovarian index of rats in estradiol group and Zuogui Pills group increased(P＜0.01);serum FSH and LH levels decreased(P＜0.01)and E2 level increased(P＜0.01);the number of primordial follicles in ovary increased and the number of atresia follicles decreased;the mRNA expressions of LC3B,Beclin-1 and Atg5 in ovarian tissue decreased(P＜0.01),while the protein expressions of LC3B and Ac-FoxO1 decreased(P＜0.01),while the protein expressions of SIRT1 and FoxO1 increased(P＜0.01).CONCLUSION Zuogui Pills may inhibit autophagy by activating SIRT1/FoxO1 signaling pathway,thus improving the pathological state of POF rats,regulating the level of sex hormones in rats,restoring endocrine balance,enhancing ovarian reserve function,promoting the normal development of follicles and delaying the progress of POF.

A 55-year-old male patient was treated with tacrolimus (2.5 mg in the morning and 2 mg at night) for 6 months after lung transplantation to prevent rejection. The blood trough concentration of tacrolimus was stable at 8.0-10.0 μg/L. The patient received antiviral treatment due to corona virus disease 2019 (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir 300 mg/100 mg twice daily orally for a total of 5 days). During the antiviral treatment, the patient continued the anti-rejection treatment. On the second day of antiviral treatment, the patient′s blood trough concentration of tacrolimus increased to >40.0 μg/L, which was considered to be caused by the interaction between nirmatrelvir/ritonavir and tacrolimus. Tacrolimus was withdrawn and antiviral therapy was continued. After discontinuation of tacrolimus for 8 days and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir for 3 days, the blood trough concentration of tacrolimus decreased to 25.7 μg/L. After re-giving tacrolimus at reducing dosage for 3 days, the blood trough concentration of tacrolimus was 8.3 μg/L. After 13 days of resuming administration of tacrolimus at the original dose and frequency, the patient′s blood trough concentration of tacrolimus was 9.2 μg/L. Since then, the blood trough concentration of tacrolimus in the patient was not abnormal again.

Objective:To investigate the effects of Curcumol on the malignant biological characteristics of acute myeloid leukemia (AML)cells and its molecular mechanism,and to provide theoretical and experimental evidence for the anti-leukemia treatment of traditional Chinese medicine.Methods:After the AML cell lines HL-60 and KG-1 cells were treated different concentrations of with Curcumol.The proliferation activity of cells was detected by CCK-8 method,and the expression changes of apoptotic proteins and PI3 K/AKT signaling pathway proteins were detected by Western blot. Real-time quantitative fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR ) was used to detect the expression of Caspase family mRNA.Results:Curcumol could inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of HL-60 and KG-1 cells,promote apoptosis by up-regulating the expression of Bax and down-regulating the expression of Bcl-2 protein (P<0.05).When Curcumol interferes with HL-60 and KG-1 cells,it can also induce programmed cell death of AML by inhibiting PI3 K/AKT signaling pathway.In addition,after the intervention of Curcumol,the expression of Caspase 3,Caspase 6,Caspase 8 and Caspase 9 were up-regulated in HL-60 cells (P<0.05 ),the expression of Caspase 3,Caspase 8 and Caspase 9 were significantly up-regulated in KG-1 cells (P<0.01),while the expression of Caspase 6 was weakly affected (P<0.05 ),but low concentration of Curcumol (<60 μg/ml)had no effect on the expression of Caspase 6 in KG-1 cells (P>0.05).Conclusion:Curcumol may mediate the programmed death of AML cells by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway,affecting the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins,and promoting the activation of core members of Caspase family,so as to play an anti-leukemia role.