This study reports a new species of Culicoides(Avaritia)isolated from Xunke County, Heilongjiang Province, China. The new species, Culicoides(Avaritia)dongshanensis Liu et Wang, sp. nov., was identified and illustrated based on female adults. Its diagnostic characteristics are as follows: eyes contiguous over a short distance, with short interfacetal hair, antennal ratio(AR)of 1.20, palpal ratio(PR)of 2.16, wing length of 0.83 mm, mandible with 15 teeth, one pale spot in base cell M1, one pale spot in cell M4, two pale spots in cell A, and two unequal spermathecae. Type specimens were deposited at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the Northern Theater Command.

Brain’s neural activities encompass both periodic rhythmic oscillations and aperiodic neural fluctuations. Rhythmic oscillations manifest as spectral peaks of neural signals, directly reflecting the synchronized activities of neural populations and closely tied to cognitive and behavioral states. In contrast, aperiodic fluctuations exhibit a power-law decaying spectral trend, revealing the multiscale dynamics of brain neural activity. In recent years, researchers have made notable progress in studying brain aperiodic dynamics. These studies demonstrate that aperiodic activity holds significant physiological relevance, correlating with various physiological states such as external stimuli, drug induction, sleep states, and aging. Aperiodic activity serves as a reflection of the brain’s sensory capacity, consciousness level, and cognitive ability. In clinical research, the aperiodic exponent has emerged as a significant potential biomarker, capable of reflecting the progression and trends of brain diseases while being intricately intertwined with the excitation-inhibition balance of neural system. The physiological mechanisms underlying aperiodic dynamics span multiple neural scales, with activities at the levels of individual neurons, neuronal ensembles, and neural networks collectively influencing the frequency, oscillatory patterns, and spatiotemporal characteristics of aperiodic signals. Aperiodic dynamics currently boasts broad application prospects. It not only provides a novel perspective for investigating brain neural dynamics but also holds immense potential as a neural marker in neuromodulation or brain-computer interface technologies. This paper summarizes methods for extracting characteristic parameters of aperiodic activity, analyzes its physiological relevance and potential as a biomarker in brain diseases, summarizes its physiological mechanisms, and based on these findings, elaborates on the research prospects of aperiodic dynamics.

ObjectiveTo establish an educational intervention framework of electronic picture books for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) based on Creative Problem Solving (CPS) model, and observe the effect on social function. MethodsElectronic picture books were designed using CPS model, including the program of reading, interactive animation design and associated artistic activities. From March to June, 2023, 24 children with mild to moderate ASD were recruited from Maanshan Institute of Special Education, and randomly assigned into experimental group 1 (CPS-based cognitive picture book interventions, n = 8), experimental group 2 (CPS-based social picture book interventions, n = 8) and control group (Bloom's Taxonomy-based picture book interventions, n = 8), and received the interventions for four weeks, with a total of twelve times. They were assessed with speech, social, perceptual and health behavior using Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) before and after treatment, and the differences were calculated. ResultsThere was a significant difference among the groups in the social and perceptual scores differences (F > 4.344, P < 0.05) and a near-significant difference in the health behaviour score difference (F = 2.921, P = 0.076). Post Hoc test showed that the differences in social scores were higher in both experimental groups than in the control group (P < 0.05); the difference in perceptual scores was significantly higher in experimental group 1 than in experimental group 2 (P < 0.01), but there was no significant difference with the control group (P > 0.05); the difference in health behavior scores was higher in experimental group 2 than in the control (P < 0.05), and the difference in experimental group 1 was slightly higher than in the control group (P = 0.072). ConclusionElectronic picture book interventions based on the CPS model may be more effective in enhancing social, perceptual and health behavior in children with ASD, but there may be differences among models.

Objective: To investigate the changes of dentin surface and the effects of different surface treatments on the rebonding effect following non-destructive restoration removal by an Er:YAG laser and to provide reference for oral clinical operation Methods: This study was approved by the ethics review committee of the unit. Using computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology, 102 zirconia specimens (4 mm × 4 mm × 1.5 mm) were fabricated. In total, 110 impacted third molar teeth were extracted, and 102 dentine blocks (4 mm × 4 mm × 2 mm) were prepared. The zirconia specimen and dentin blocks were bonded with resin cement before removal with an Er: YAG laser. Three disassembled dentin blocks were randomly selected, and the components of dentin surface elements were analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The removed dentin blocks were randomly divided into three groups (n = 33) based on the different surface treatments: control group (no treatment), sandblasting group (50 μm, Al2O3 sandblasting), and laser irradiation group (Er: YAG laser irradiation, parameters were set to 10 Hz, 60 mJ, 0.6 W). Three dentin blocks were randomly selected in each group for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation, and the residual resin on dentin surface of remaining 30 dentin blocks in each group were observed under an optical microscope at 20 times magnification. Scores were obtained using the adhesive remnant index (ARI) method. Three groups of dentin blocks (n = 30) that underwent different surface treatments were rebonded with resin cement according to standard procedures and then divided into two subgroups for aging (n = 15). One subgroup was subjected to a 37 ℃ water bath for 24 h, and the other subgroup was subjected to 5 000 thermal cycles after a 37 ℃ water bath for 24 h, and the micro-shear bonding strength of each group was measured. The microshear bonding strength of each group was measured, and fracture modes were analyzed. The differences of dentine surface ARI between the three groups, as well as the inter-group differences in fracture mode, and bonding strength, and the intra-group differences before and after aging were compared between the three groups. Results: When zirconia was removed by Er: YAG laser, there was no obvious damage on the dentin surface, but C and Si elements in dentin increased significantly. After different surface treatments, the ARI scores of the sandblasting and laser irradiation groups were lower than those of the control group (P<0.05), while ARI was not significantly different between the sandblasting and laser irradiation groups (P>0.05). The dentin surface morphology was also different. There was a large amount of residual resin on the dentin surface of the control group. In the sandblasting group, the residual resin was lower, the dentin surface was rough, and the dentin tubules were visible. A large amount of residual resin was observed on the dentin surface of the laser irradiation group. After 24 h of water bath at 37 ℃, the bonding strengths of the control group, sandblasting group, and laser irradiation group were (6.13 ± 2.40) MPa, (9.39 ± 2.00) MPa, and (5.85 ± 1.44) MPa, respectively, and the bonding strength of the sandblasting group was significantly higher than that of the other two groups (P<0.05). After being subjected to 24 h of water bath at 37 ℃ and 5 000 thermal cycles, the bonding strengths of the control group, sandblasting group, and laser irradiation group were (5.39 ± 0.83) MPa, (8.45 ± 1.20) MPa and (4.84 ± 1.43) MPa, respectively. The bonding strength of the sandblasting group was significantly higher than that of the other two groups (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the control group, sandblasting group, and laser irradiation group before and after 5 000 thermal cycles following 24 h of water bath at 37 ℃ (P>0.05). In the control group, sandblasting group, and laser irradiation group, cohesive fracture was not observed. The fracture mode was mainly adhesive fracture. Before and after 5 000 thermal cycles, the frequency of mixed fracture in the sandblasting group was significantly higher than that in the other two groups (P<0.05). Conclusion Er: YAG laser removal of zirconia does not damage dentin, but a large amount of resin remains on the dentin surface after removal. The sandblasting process can effectively remove these residual resins, thereby improving the dentine rebonding effect.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect and safety of Chinese medicine (CM) Fuzheng Huazhuo Decoction (FHD) in treating patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who persistently tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at Shanghai New International Expo Center shelter hospital in China between April 1 and May 30, 2022. Patients diagnosed as COVID-19 with persistently positive SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results for ⩾8 days after diagnosis were enrolled. Patients in the control group received conventional Western medicine (WM) treatment, while those in the FHD group received conventional WM plus FHD for at least 3 days. The primary outcome was viral clearance time. Secondary outcomes included negative conversion rate within 14 days, length of hospital stay, cycle threshold (Ct) values of the open reading frame 1ab (ORF1ab) and nucleocapsid protein (N) genes, and incidence of new-onset symptoms during hospitalization. Adverse events (AEs) that occurred during the study period were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 1,765 eligible patients were enrolled in this study (546 in the FHD group and 1,219 in the control group). Compared with the control group, patients receiving FHD treatment showed shorter viral clearance time for nucleic acids [hazard ratio (HR): 1.500, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.353-1.664, P<0.001] and hospital stays (HR: 1.371, 95% CI: 1.238-1.519, P<0.001), and a higher negative conversion rate within 14 days (96.2% vs. 82.6%, P<0.001). The incidence of new-onset symptoms was 59.5% in the FHD group, similar to 57.8% in the control group (P>0.05). The Ct values of ORF1ab and N genes increased more rapidly over time in the FHD group than those in the control group post-randomization (ORF1ab gene: β =0.436±0.053, P<0.001; N gene: β =0.415 ±0.053, P<0.001). The incidence of AEs in the FHD group was lower than that in the control group (24.2% vs. 35.4%, P<0.001). No serious AEs were observed. CONCLUSION FHD was effective and safe for patients with persistently positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests. (Registration No. ChiCTR2200063956).
Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Retrospective Studies ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; COVID-19 Drug Treatment ; SARS-CoV-2/drug effects* ; COVID-19/virology* ; Adult ; Aged ; Treatment Outcome

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (CIPN) is a severe dose-limiting adverse event of chemotherapy. Presently, the mechanism underlying the induction of CIPN remains unclear, and no effective treatment is available. In this study, through metabolomics analyses, we found that nab-paclitaxel therapy markedly increased serum serotonin [5-hydroxtryptamine (5-HT)] levels in both cancer patients and mice compared to the respective controls. Furthermore, nab-paclitaxel-treated enterochromaffin (EC) cells showed increased 5-HT synthesis, and serotonin-treated Schwann cells showed damage, as indicated by the activation of CREB3L3/MMP3/FAS signaling. Venlafaxine, an inhibitor of serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake, was found to protect against nerve injury by suppressing the activation of CREB3L3/MMP3/FAS signaling in Schwann cells. Remarkably, venlafaxine was found to significantly alleviate nab-paclitaxel-induced CIPN in patients without affecting the clinical efficacy of chemotherapy. In summary, our study reveals that EC cell-derived 5-HT plays a critical role in nab-paclitaxel-related neurotoxic lesions, and venlafaxine co-administration represents a novel approach to treating chronic cumulative neurotoxicity commonly reported in nab-paclitaxel-based chemotherapy.
Paclitaxel/toxicity* ; Animals ; Albumins/adverse effects* ; Serotonin/metabolism* ; Mice ; Humans ; Male ; Female ; Venlafaxine Hydrochloride/therapeutic use* ; Neurotoxicity Syndromes/metabolism* ; Middle Aged ; Schwann Cells/metabolism* ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases/drug therapy* ; Antineoplastic Agents

This paper aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of action of the Yiqi Fumai Formula(YQFM), a kind of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), on mice with experimental heart failure based on the "heart-gut axis" theory. Based on the network pharmacology integrated with the group collaboration algorithm, the active ingredients were screened, a "component-target-disease" network was constructed, and the potential pathways regulated by the formula were predicted and analyzed. Next, the model of experimental heart failure was established by intraperitoneal injection of adriamycin at a single high dose(15 mg·kg~(-1)) in BALB/c mice. After intraperitoneal injection of YQFM(lyophilized) at 7.90, 15.80, and 31.55 mg·d~(-1) for 7 d, the protective effects of the formula on cardiac function were evaluated using indicators such as ultrasonic electrocardiography and myocardial injury markers. Combined with inflammatory factors in the cardiac and colorectal tissue, as well as targeted assays, the relevant indicators of potential pathways were verified. Meanwhile, 16S rDNA sequencing was performed on mouse fecal samples using the Illumina platform to detect changes in gut flora and analyze differential metabolic pathways. The results show that the administration of injectable YQFM(lyophilized) for 7 d significantly increased the left ventricular end-systolic internal diameter, fractional shortening, and ejection fraction of cardiac tissue of mice with experimental heart failure(P<0.05). Moreover, markers of myocardial injury were significantly decreased(P<0.05), indicating improved cardiac function, along with significantly suppressed inflammatory responses in cardiac and intestinal tissue(P<0.05). Additionally, the species of causative organisms was decreased, and the homeostasis of gut flora was improved, involving a modulatory effect on PI3K-Akt signaling pathway-related inflammation in cardiac and colorectal tissue. In conclusion, YQFM can affect the "heart-gut axis" immunity through the homeostasis of the gut flora, thereby exerting a therapeutic effect on heart failure. This finding provides a reference for the combination of TCM and western medicine to prevent and treat heart failure based on the "heart-gut axis" theory.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Heart Failure/microbiology* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Male ; Disease Models, Animal ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Heart/physiopathology* ; Humans ; Signal Transduction/drug effects*

Since the promulgation of the first Drug Administration Law of the People's Republic of China 40 years ago in 1984, China has undergone four main stages in the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) regulation: the initial establishment of TCM regulation rules(1984-1997), the formation of a modern TCM regulatory system(1998-2014), the reform of the review and approval system for new TCM drugs(2015-2018), and the construction of a scientific regulation system for TCM(2019-2024). Over the past five years, a series of milestone achievements of TCM regulation in China have been achieved in the six aspects, including its strategic objectives and the establishment of a science-based regulatory system, the reform of the review and approval system for new TCM drugs, the optimization and improvement of the TCM standard system and its formation mechanism, comprehensive enhancement of regulatory capabilities for TCM safety, international harmonization of TCM regulation and its role in promoting innovation. Looking ahead, centered on advancing TCMRS to establish a sound regulatory framework tailored to the unique characteristics of TCM, TCM regulation will evolve into new reform patterns, advancing and extending across eight critical fronts, including the legal framework and policy architecture, the review and approval system for new TCM drugs, the quality standard and management system of TCM, the comprehensive quality & safety regulation and traceability system, the research and transformation system for TCMRS, AI-driven innovations in TCM regulation, the coordination between high-quality industrial development and high-level regulation, and the leadership in international cooperation and regulatory harmonization. In this way, a unique path for the development of modern TCM regulation with Chinese characteristics will be pioneered.
Humans ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/standards* ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/trends*

Objective:To investigate the expression of ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EPHA2) in psoriatic lesions and its effect on the proliferation and differentiation of normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) .Methods:The GDS4602 dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was analyzed to determine EPHA2 gene expression changes in psoriatic lesions. Skin tissue samples were collected from 3 psoriasis patients and 3 healthy controls, and EPHA2 expression was determined in the skin tissues by immunofluorescence staining. Twelve female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 3 groups (4 mice in each group) : a normal control group (receiving no treatment), an imiquimod group (topically treated with 62.5 mg of imiquimod 5% cream), and an imiquimod + ALWⅡ-41-27 group (topically treated with 62.5 mg of imiquimod 5% cream, followed by intraperitoneal injections of the EPHA2 inhibitor ALWⅡ-41-27 at a dose of 20 mg·kg -1·d -1) ; after 6 days of treatment, dorsal skin samples were harvested for hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, immunofluorescence staining was performed to determine the expression of EPHA2 and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2), and real-time fluorescence-based quantitative PCR (qPCR) was conducted to determine the mRNA expression of the nuclear proliferation antigen Ki67, involucrin (Ivl), loricrin (Lor), and keratin 10 (Krt10). In vitro cultured NHEKs were divided into a control group (receiving no treatment), an M5 group (treated with 10 ng/ml M5 cytokines [including interleukin-17A, interleukin-22, interleukin-1α, oncostatin M and tumor necrosis factor-α]), an ALWⅡ-41-27 group (treated with 1 μmol/L ALWⅡ-41-27), and an M5 + ALWⅡ-41-27 group (treated with 10 ng/ml M5 and 1 μmol/L ALWⅡ-41-27) ; after 24 hours of treatment, the 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay was performed to assess cellular proliferative activity, Western blot analysis to determine the expression of EPHA2, ERK and their phosphorylated proteins, and qPCR to determine the mRNA expression of KI67, IVL, LOR, and KRT10. One-way analysis of variance, Dunnett's T3 test, two-independent-sample t test, and paired t test were used for statistical analysis. Results:GEO database analysis revealed upregulated EPHA2 expression in psoriatic lesions compared with normal skin tissues from healthy controls ( t = 21.07, P < 0.001). Immunofluorescence staining showed increased EPHA2 expression in skin tissues from psoriasis patients and mouse models of psoriasis compared with those from healthy controls and normal control mice, respectively (both P < 0.01). In the animal experiments, the imiquimod group showed thicker epidermis, increased Ki67 mRNA expression, decreased mRNA expression of Ivl, Lor, and Krt10, and elevated p-ERK1/2 expression compared with the normal control group and imiquimod + ALWⅡ-41-27 group (all P < 0.05). In the cell experiments, the M5 group showed an increased proportion of EdU-positive cells (35.61% ± 1.18% vs. 24.83% ± 0.60% and 12.49% ± 1.52%, t = 8.12, 12.00, P = 0.015, 0.001, respectively), increased KI67 mRNA expression, and decreased mRNA expression of IVL, LOR, and KRT10 compared with the control group and M5 + ALWⅡ-41-27 group (all P < 0.05) ; Western blot analysis revealed that the expression levels of EPHA2, p-EPHA2, and p-ERK1/2 in NHEKs were significantly higher in the M5 group than in the control group and M5 + ALWⅡ-41-27 group (all P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in the ERK1/2 protein expression among groups ( P > 0.05) . Conclusion:EPHA2 expression was upregulated in psoriatic lesions, which may promote keratinocyte proliferation and inhibit its differentiation, possibly via the ERK pathway.

Ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke have different pathogenic mechanisms,but share similarities in metabolic dysregulation,inflammatory responses and oxidative stress.This paper summarized 28 metabolic markers shared between ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke with consistent trends through literature review.It also provided an overview of their involvement in abnormal energy metabolism,inflammatory responses,blood-brain barrier disruption,and neural damage in relation to stroke.The aim is to provide a scientific basis for future prognosis,curative efficacy evaluation and future homotherapy of ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke,and provide insights for the development of new therapies and new drugs.