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.

Breast cancer is a kind of malignant tumor with a complex mechanism， and its morbidity and mortality are increasing year by year， which seriously threatens women's health. At present， the main clinical treatments are surgical resection， radiotherapy， chemotherapy， and drug therapy， but they are often accompanied by side effects and adverse reactions， which affect the therapeutic effect. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has the advantages of multi-component and multi-target treatment in the fight against breast cancer. The wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is one of the classic pathways in cancer research. Abnormally activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway inhibits β-catenin degradation by blocking the formation of Axin/glycogen synthase kinase 3β/adenomatous polyposis coli complex， thus promoting β-catenin nuclear metastasis， and it binds to T cell transcription factor/lymphoenhancer factor-1 to initiate downstream target genes and further interfere with the proliferation， migration， and invasion of tumor cells to affect the tumor process. Previous studies have shown that TCM monomers and compounds can mediate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to inhibit the malignant phenotype of breast cancer cells， thus playing an anti-breast cancer role， and the biochemical process involved in the regulation of therapeutic drugs has not been systematically combed. By analyzing and collating Chinese and foreign literature at the present stage， this paper discussed the association mechanism between Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and breast cancer and analyzed the internal mechanism of TCM monomers and compounds in mediating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to exert anti-breast cancer effect. The statistical results showed that the flavonoids， alkaloids， and terpenoids in TCM monomers could target the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and block the further development of malignant phenotype of breast cancer cells. TCM compounds with functions of clearing heat and detoxifying， promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis， and tonifying kidney and liver were commonly used to intervene in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to prevent breast cancer. Compared with the current inhibitors of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway， the application of TCM monomers and compounds is expected to bring low-toxicity and high-efficiency breast cancer treatment drugs to the clinical practice， and the existing results provide a reference for the subsequent screening， research， and development of TCM small-molecule compounds and TCM compounds against breast cancer.

Diabetes is a very complex endocrine disease whose common feature is the increase in blood glucose concentration. Persistent hyperglycemia can lead to blindness, kidney and heart disease, neurodegeneration, and many other serious complications that have a significant impact on human health and quality of life. The number of people with diabetes is increasing yearly. The global diabetes prevalence in 20-79 year olds in 2021 was estimated to be 10.5% (536.6 million), and it will rise to 12.2% (783.2 million) in 2045. The main modes of intervention for diabetes include medication, dietary management, and exercise conditioning. Medication is the mainstay of treatment. Marketed diabetes drugs such as metformin and insulin, as well as GLP-1 receptor agonists, are effective in controlling blood sugar levels to some extent, but the preventive and therapeutic effects are still unsatisfactory. Peptide drugs have many advantages such as low toxicity, high target specificity, and good biocompatibility, which opens up new avenues for the treatment of diabetes and other diseases. Currently, insulin and its analogs are by far the main life-saving drugs in clinical diabetes treatment, enabling effective control of blood glucose levels, but the risk of hypoglycemia is relatively high and treatment is limited by the route of delivery. New and oral anti-diabetic drugs have always been a market demand and research hotspot. Inhibitor cystine knot (ICK) peptides are a class of multifunctional cyclic peptides. In structure, they contain three conserved disulfide bonds (C3-C20, C7-C22, and C15-C32) form a compact “knot” structure, which can resist degradation of digestive protease. Recent studies have shown that ICK peptides derived from legume, such as PA1b, Aglycin, Vglycin, Iglycin, Dglycin, and aM₁, exhibit excellent regulatory activities on glucose and lipid metabolism at the cellular and animal levels. Mechanistically, ICK peptides promote glucose utilization by muscle and liver through activation of IR/AKT signaling pathway, which also improves insulin resistance. They can repair the damaged pancrease through activation of PI3K/AKT/Erk signaling pathway, thus lowering blood glucose. The biostability and hypoglycemic efficacy of the ICK peptides meet the requirements for commercialization of oral drugs, and in theory, they can be developed into natural oral anti-diabetes peptide drugs. In this review, the structural properties, activity and mechanism of ICK pattern peptides in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism were summaried, which provided a reference for the development of new oral peptides for diabetes.

Exercise-induced metabolic remodeling is a fundamental adaptive process whereby the body reorganizes systemic and cellular metabolism to meet the dynamic energy demands posed by physical activity. Emerging evidence reveals that such remodeling not only enhances energy homeostasis but also profoundly influences immune function through complex molecular interactions involving glucose, lipid, and protein metabolism. This review presents an in-depth synthesis of recent advances, elucidating how exercise modulates immune regulation via metabolic reprogramming, highlighting key molecular mechanisms, immune-metabolic signaling axes, and the authors’ academic perspective on the integrated “exercise-metabolism-immunity” network. In the domain of glucose metabolism, regular exercise improves insulin sensitivity and reduces hyperglycemia, thereby attenuating glucose toxicity-induced immune dysfunction. It suppresses the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and interrupts the AGEs-RAGE-inflammation positive feedback loop in innate and adaptive immune cells. Importantly, exercise-induced lactate, traditionally viewed as a metabolic byproduct, is now recognized as an active immunomodulatory molecule. At high concentrations, lactate can suppress immune function through pH-mediated effects and GPR81 receptor activation. At physiological levels, it supports regulatory T cell survival, promotes macrophage M2 polarization, and modulates gene expression via histone lactylation. Additionally, key metabolic regulators such as AMPK and mTOR coordinate immune cell energy balance and phenotype; exercise activates the AMPK-mTOR axis to favor anti-inflammatory immune cell profiles. Simultaneously, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is transiently activated during exercise, driving glycolytic reprogramming in T cells and macrophages, and shaping the immune landscape. In lipid metabolism, exercise alleviates adipose tissue inflammation by reducing fat mass and reshaping the immune microenvironment. It promotes the polarization of adipose tissue macrophages from a pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype to an anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype. Moreover, exercise alters the secretion profile of adipokines—raising adiponectin levels while reducing leptin and resistin—thereby influencing systemic immune balance. At the circulatory level, exercise improves lipid profiles by lowering pro-inflammatory free fatty acids (particularly saturated fatty acids) and triglycerides, while enhancing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) function, which has immunoregulatory properties such as endotoxin neutralization and macrophage cholesterol efflux. Regarding protein metabolism, exercise triggers the expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) that act as intracellular chaperones and extracellular immune signals. Exercise also promotes the secretion of myokines (e.g., IL-6, IL-15, irisin, FGF21) from skeletal muscle, which modulate immune responses, facilitate T cell and macrophage function, and support immunological memory. Furthermore, exercise reshapes amino acid metabolism, particularly of glutamine, arginine, and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), thereby influencing immune cell proliferation, biosynthesis, and signaling. Leucine-mTORC1 signaling plays a key role in T cell fate, while arginine metabolism governs macrophage polarization and T cell activation. In summary, this review underscores the complex, bidirectional relationship between exercise and immune function, orchestrated through metabolic remodeling. Future research should focus on causative links among specific metabolites, signaling pathways, and immune phenotypes, as well as explore the epigenetic consequences of exercise-induced metabolic shifts. This integrated perspective advances understanding of exercise as a non-pharmacological intervention for immune regulation and offers theoretical foundations for individualized exercise prescriptions in health and disease contexts.

Objective:To investigate the anemia conditions and characteristics of iron metabolism during different stages of pregnancy in women with different genotypes of thalassemia.Methods:This cohort study selected 3 303 singleton pregnant women who underwent regular prenatal examinations and genetic tests of thalassemia and were delivered at Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from January 2019 to December 2023. According to the results of thalassemia gene testing, the women were divided into groups: those without thalassemia genes served as the control group (1 539 cases), and those with thalassemia genes (1 764 cases) were further divided based on genotype into the -α/αα group (326 cases), --/αα or -α/-α group (649 cases), point mutation α-thalassemia group (201 cases), β 0-thalassemia group (368 cases), β +-thalassemia group (91 cases), and α combined with β-thalassemia group (129 cases). Hemoglobin (Hb) and serum ferritin (SF) levels were measured in the first, second, and third trimester of pregnancy. Differences in anemia and iron reserves among the groups at different pregnancy stages were compared using repeated measures analysis of variance, LSD test, Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum test, and Bonferroni correction. Results:Compared to the first trimester, Hb levels decreased in the second and third trimester across all groups (LSD test, all P<0.05), and the severity of anemia increased (Bonferroni correction, all P<0.017). The severity of anemia varied among the groups at the same pregnancy stage ( Hfirst trimester=918.20, Hsecond trimester=1 224.50, Hthird trimester=980.19; all P<0.001), and Hb levels also differed ( Ffirst trimester=282.54, Fsecond trimester=352.31, Fthird trimester=239.02; all P<0.001). The β 0-thalassemia group had higher rates of moderate anemia in the first, second, and third trimester of pregnancy [38.6% (142/368), 85.3% (314/368), and 73.6% (271/368)] compared to other groups (Bonferroni correction, all P<0.002), and lower Hb levels [(102.1±8.9), (92.0±7.3), and (94.6±7.7) g/L] than other groups (LSD test, all P<0.05). As pregnancy progresses, SF levels in each group of pregnant women gradually decreased (LSD test, all P<0.05), and the degree of iron deficiency worsened (Bonferroni correction, all P<0.05). The iron deficiency rate in thalassemia pregnant women during the third trimester ranges from 21.5% (79/368) to 46.0% (150/326). The degree of iron deficiency varies among groups within the same gestational period ( Hfirst trimester=79.13, Hsecond trimester=203.98, Hthird trimester=130.55; all P<0.001), and SF levels also differ ( Ffirst trimester=17.28, Fsecond trimester=44.60, Fthird trimester=31.87; all P<0.001). Among them, the β 0-thalassemia group had the lowest iron deficiency rates in the second, and third trimesters [9.8% (36/368), and 21.5% (79/368)] (Bonferroni correction, all P<0.002). SF levels in the β 0-thalassemia and β +-thalassemia groups were higher than those in other groups during each gestational period (LSD test, all P<0.05). Conclusions:Pregnant women with thalassemia may experience varying degrees of iron deficiency during pregnancy, with the severity of iron deficiency and anemia increasing with gestational age. The degree of iron deficiency and anemia during pregnancy varies among pregnant women with different genotypes of thalassemia. Clinically, individualized management should be provided for pregnant women with thalassemia based on their genotypes, with dynamic monitoring of anemia and iron metabolism changes.

The paper presents a case of 69-year-old male with marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) manifesting as acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring emergency hemodialysis. The patient presented with fever, fatigue and rapidly progressive renal dysfunction, and serum creatinine was 1 105 μmol/L. Emergency central venous catheterization and hemodialysis were performed. Serum immunofixation electrophoresis revealed monoclonal IgM and λ light chain positivity. Autoantibody testing showed positivity for both anti-SSA and anti-SSB antibodies. Renal biopsy demonstrated interstitial infiltration by atypical B lymphocytes with λ light chain restriction. The diagnosis of MZL was confirmed by bone marrow biopsy. Following hemodialysis and chemotherapy with bendamustine plus rituximab, renal function significantly improved and remained stable during follow-up. This case highlights that AKI may serve as the initial manifestation of lymphoma, underscoring the importance of considering hematologic malignancies in the differential diagnosis of unexplained renal failure.

Objective:To evaluate the sample preparation proficiency and storage proficiency of 11 clinical biobanks in Beijing through simulated experiments, and to establish an assessment method for the quality comparability of biological samples.Methods:An exploratory research design was adopted. In November 2023, artificial composite serum quality control materials containing six recombinant human protein markers—recombinant human alanine aminotransferase (rhALT), recombinant human aspartate aminotransferase (rhAST), recombinant human creatine kinase (rhCK), recombinant human creatine kinase-MB (rhCK-MB), recombinant human B-type natriuretic peptide (rhBNP), and recombinant human troponin I (rhTNI)—were distributed to 11 clinical biobanks in Beijing City. Sample preparation and storage followed the standardized operating procedures. Proficiency differences were assessed through statistical analysis.Results:Three-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed all six protein markers showed a declining trend over storage time in ultra-low-temperature environments ( F values 11.68-4 179.66, all P<0.01). However, neither long-term/temporary refrigerator types ( F values 0.01-1.23, all P>0.05)nor placement locations within refrigerators significantly affected the stability of these six proteins ( F valus 0.03-1.47, all P>0.05). The biases in detection results for rhALT, rhAST, rhTNI, and rhBNP at different storage time points were within the allowable bias limits for each item, supporting their use as markers for protein stability in biobank samples. All 11 institutions passed the storage proficiency assessment. In the preparation proficiency assessment, deviations were observed in post-preparation sample results, with a notably high out-of-control rate for rhCK (36.36%). Conclusion:Sample preparation proficiency can serve as a quality control metric for clinical biobanks. Future external quality assessment systems for biobanks should focus on sample preparation rather than storage processes.

Objective:To characterize the epidemiology, antimicrobial susceptibility, and molecular mechanisms of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) carrying multiple carbapenemase genes in China, and to provide evidence for infection control and antibiotic stewardship.Methods:From 2016 to 2023, 115 CRE isolates harboring at least two carbapenemase genes were collected from 41 hospitals in 18 provinces across China. Species identification, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and whole-genome sequencing were performed. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and capsular typing were conducted using Kleborate, plasmid replicon types were identified with PlasmidFinder, and a core genome phylogenetic tree was constructed.Results:The majority of isolates belonged to Klebsiella spp. (80.0%, 92/115), followed by E. cloacae (8.7%, 10/115) and E. coli (6.1%, 7/115). The isolates were mainly from Hebei, Beijing, Shandong, and Hunan (60.9%, 70/115), and sputum was the predominant specimen (43.5%, 50/115). The most common genotype was bla KPC+bla NDM (73.0%, 84/115), primarily in Klebsiella spp. (79.8%, 67/84), followed by bla NDM+bla IMP (15.7%, 18/115). The prevalent plasmid replicon types were IncFII (77.5%, 86/111), IncFIB (68.5%, 76/111), IncR (51.4%, 57/111), and IncX3 (20.7%, 23/111). Notably, 88.6% (31/35) of ST11-KL64 K. pneumoniae strains co-harbored IncFII, IncFIB, and IncR plasmids simultaneously. Between 2016 and 2022, the dominant subtype among Klebsiella spp. isolates was bla KPC-2+bla NDM-1 (56.2%, 36/64). In 2023, the bla KPC-2+bla NDM-13 subtype (29.5%, 19/64) emerged and exhibited clonal transmission (single nucleotide polymorphism 2?74 bp) in Hebei, Beijing, and Jilin. Susceptibility testing showed widespread resistance to β-lactams (90.2%-100%). Aztreonam-avibactam, tigecycline, and colistin retained high activity, with susceptibility rates of 90.16%-98.36%. Conclusions:In China, the majority of clinical Enterobacteriaceae strains that harbor multiple carbapenemases are Klebsiella spp. co-producing KPC and NDM enzymes. Dissemination is driven by both clonal expansion of ST11-KL64 and horizontal transfer of IncFII, IncFIB, and IncR plasmids. The recent emergence and regional clonal spread of the bla KPC-2+bla NDM-13 genotype underscore the urgent need for strengthened surveillance and containment measures.

Objective To investigate the distribution and antimicrobial resistance profiles of clinically isolated Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis in hospitals across China from 2015 to 2021,and provide evidence for rational use of antimicrobial agents.Methods Data of H.influenzae and M.catarrhalis strains isolated from 2015 to 2021 in CHINET program were collected for analysis,and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by disc diffusion method or automated systems according to the uniform protocol of CHINET.The results were interpreted according to the CLSI breakpoints in 2022.Beta-lactamases was detected by using nitrocefin disk.Results From 2015 to 2021,a total of 43 642 strains of Haemophilus species were isolated,accounting for 2.91％of the total clinical isolates and 4.07％of Gram-negative bacteria in CHINET program.Among the 40 437 strains of H.influenzae,66.89％were isolated from children and 33.11％were isolated from adults.More than 90％of the H.influenzae strains were isolated from respiratory tract specimens.The prevalence of β-lactamase was 53.79％in H.influenzae strains.The H.influenzae strains isolated from children showed higher resistance rate than the strains isolated from adults.Overall,779 strains of H.influenzae did not produce β-lactamase but were resistant to ampicillin(BLNAR).Beta-lactamase-producing strains showed significantly higher resistance rates to these antimicrobial agents than the β-lactamase-nonproducing strains.Of the 16 191 M.catarrhalis strains,80.06％were isolated from children and 19.94％isolated from adults.M.catarrhalis strains were mostly susceptible to both amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and cefuroxime,evidenced by resistance rate lower than 2.0％.Conclusions The emergence of antibiotic-resistant H.influenzae due to β-lactamase production poses a challenge for clinical anti-infective treatment.Therefore,it is very important to implement antibiotic resistance surveillance for H.influenzae and guide rational antibiotic use.All local clinical microbiology laboratories should actively improve antibiotic susceptibility testing and strengthen antibiotic resistance surveillance for H.influenzae.

BACKGROUND: Preclinical studies have indicated that Angong Niuhuang Pills (ANP) reduce cerebral infarct and edema volumes. This study aimed to investigate whether ANP safely reduces cerebral infarct and edema volumes in patients with moderate to severe acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial included patients with acute ischemic stroke with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores ranging from 10 to 20 in 17 centers in China between April 2021 and July 2022. Patients were allocated within 36 h after onset via block randomization to receive ANP or placebo (3 g/day for 5 days). The primary outcomes were changes in cerebral infarct and edema volumes after 14 days of treatment. The primary safety outcome was severe adverse events (SAEs) for 90 days. RESULTS: There were 57 and 60 patients finally included in the ANP and placebo groups, respectively for modified intention-to-treat analysis. The median age was 66.0 years, and the median NIHSS score at baseline was 12.0. The changes in cerebral infarct volume at day 14 were 0.3 mL and 0.4 mL in the ANP and placebo groups, respectively (median difference: -7.1 mL; interquartile range [IQR]: -18.3 to 2.3 mL, P = 0.30). The changes in cerebral edema volume of the ANP and placebo groups on day 14 were 11.4 mL and 4.0 mL, respectively ( median difference: 3.0 mL, IQR: -1.3 to 9.9 mL, P = 0.15). The rates of SAE within 90 days were similar in the ANP (3/57, 5%) and placebo (7/60, 12%) groups ( P = 0.36). Changes in serum mercury and arsenic concentrations were comparable. In patients with large artery atherosclerosis, ANP reduced the cerebral infarct volume at 14 days (median difference: -12.3 mL; IQR: -27.7 to -0.3 mL, P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: ANP showed a similar safety profile to placebo and non-significant tendency to reduce cerebral infarct volume in patients with moderate-to-severe stroke. Further studies are warranted to assess the efficacy of ANP in reducing cerebral infarcts and improving clinical prognosis. TRAIL REGISTRATION Clinicaltrials.gov , No. NCT04475328.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Ischemic Stroke/drug therapy* ; Pilot Projects ; Stroke/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome