Osteoarthritis (OA), a highly prevalent degenerative joint disease worldwide, is defined by articular cartilage degradation, abnormal bone remodeling, and persistent chronic inflammation. It severely compromises patients’ quality of life, and currently, there is no radical cure. Abnormal mechanical stress is widely regarded as a core driver of OA pathogenesis, and the exploration of mechanical signal perception and transduction mechanisms has become crucial for deciphering OA’s pathophysiological processes. Piezo1, a key mechanosensitive cation channel belonging to the Piezo protein family, has recently gained significant attention due to its pivotal role in mediating cellular responses to mechanical stimuli in joint tissues. This review systematically examines Piezo1’s expression patterns, regulatory mechanisms, and pathological functions in OA, with a particular focus on its dual roles in modulating chondrocyte homeostasis and bone metabolism disorders, while also delving into the underlying molecular signaling pathways and potential therapeutic implications. Piezo1, consisting of approximately 2 500 amino acids and forming a unique trimeric propeller-like structure, is widely expressed in chondrocytes, osteocytes, mesenchymal stem cells, and synovial cells. It exhibits permeability to cations such as Ca²⁺, K⁺, and Na⁺, and directly responds to membrane tension changes induced by mechanical stimuli like fluid shear stress and mechanical overload. In OA patients and animal models, Piezo1 expression is significantly upregulated, especially in cartilage regions subjected to abnormal mechanical stress (e.g., human temporomandibular joint cartilage). This overexpression is closely associated with aggravated cartilage degeneration, increased chondrocyte apoptosis, accelerated cellular senescence, and intensified inflammatory responses. Mechanical overload and pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β) are key inducers of Piezo1 upregulation: IL-1β activates the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway to enhance Piezo1 expression, forming a pathogenic positive feedback loop that inhibits chondrocyte autophagy, promotes apoptosis, and further accelerates joint degeneration. Mechanistically, Piezo1 mediates OA progression through multiple interconnected pathways. When activated by mechanical stress, Piezo1 triggers excessive Ca²⁺ influx, leading to endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and mitochondrial dysfunction, which directly induce chondrocyte apoptosis. This process involves the activation of downstream signaling cascades such as cGAS-STING and YAP-MMP13/ADAMTS5. YAP, a transcriptional regulator, upregulates the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) and aggrecanase (ADAMTS5), thereby accelerating cartilage matrix degradation. Additionally, Piezo1-driven Ca²⁺ overload promotes the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and upregulates senescence markers (p16 and p21), accelerating chondrocyte senescence via the p38MAPK and NF-κB pathways. Senescent chondrocytes secrete senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors (e.g., IL-6, IL-1β), further amplifying joint inflammation. In terms of bone metabolism, Piezo1 maintains joint homeostasis by promoting the differentiation of fibrocartilage stem cells into chondrocytes and balancing bone formation and resorption through regulating the FoxC1/YAP axis and RANKL/OPG ratio. Therapeutically, targeting Piezo1 shows promising potential. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that Piezo1 inhibitors (e.g., GsMTx4) can reduce joint damage and alleviate pain in OA mice. Simultaneously, siRNA-mediated co-silencing of Piezo1 and TRPV4 (another mechanosensitive channel) decreases intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration, inhibits chondrocyte apoptosis, and promotes cartilage repair. Conditional knockout of Piezo1 using Gdf5-Cre transgenic mice alleviates cartilage degeneration in post-traumatic OA models by downregulating MMP13 and ADAMTS5 expression. Despite existing challenges, such as off-target effects of inhibitors, inefficient local drug delivery, and interindividual genetic variability, strategies like developing selective Piezo1 antagonists, optimizing targeted nanocarriers, and combining Piezo1-targeted therapy with physical therapy provide viable avenues for clinical translation. The authors propose that Piezo1 serves as a critical therapeutic target for OA, and future research should focus on deciphering its context-dependent regulatory networks, developing tissue-specific intervention strategies, and validating their efficacy and safety in clinical trials to address the unmet medical needs of OA patients.

ObjectiveProtein-protein interactions (PPIs) are fundamental to the execution of biological functions within living cells. However, traditional biochemical methods, such as co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), often fail to capture transient, weak, or membrane-associated interactions due to the stringent detergent requirements for cell lysis. Proximity labeling (PL) has emerged in recent years as a transformative technology for mapping the proteomes of specific subcellular compartments and identifying dynamic interactomes in situ. Golgi protein 73 (GP73, also known as GOLPH2), a resident type II Golgi transmembrane protein, is a well-recognized clinical biomarker for liver diseases, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite its clinical significance, the comprehensive physiological and pathological functions of GP73 remain partially understood. This study aims to establish an APEX2-mediated proximity labeling system specifically targeting GP73 to map its interactome in a living cellular environment, thereby providing new insights into its molecular roles and regulatory mechanisms. MethodsTo achieve spatial specificity, we first constructed a stable cell line expressing a fusion protein consisting of GP73 and the engineered soybean peroxidase APEX2. The localization of the GP73-APEX2 fusion protein was validated to ensure it correctly targeted the Golgi apparatus. The proximity labeling reaction was initiated by incubating the cells with biotin-phenol (BP) for 30 min, followed by a brief (1 min) treatment with1 mmol/L hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). This catalytic reaction converts BP into highly reactive, short-lived biotin-phenoxyl radicals that covalently attach to endogenous proteins within a small labeling radius of the GP73-APEX2 enzyme. Subsequently, the cells were quenched, and biotinylated proteins were enriched using high-affinity streptavidin-coated magnetic beads. The captured “neighbor” proteins were subjected to on-bead digestion and analyzed via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for high-throughput identification. Rigorous bioinformatics analysis, including Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, and protein-protein interaction network mapping, was performed to interpret the biological significance of the identified candidates. ResultsOur results demonstrate the successful establishment of a robust and sensitive APEX2-based proximity labeling system for GP73. We identified a total of 95 high-confidence interacting proteins that were significantly enriched in the GP73 proximity proteome compared to control groups. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that these interactors were predominantly associated with biological processes such as vesicular transport, protein localization, and, most notably, molecular functions related to “ribosome binding” and “translation regulation”. This suggested an unexpected role for the Golgi-resident GP73 in the cellular translation machinery. To validate these findings, we performed targeted biochemical assays which confirmed a direct interaction between GP73 and the subunits of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3 (eIF3) complex, specifically EIF3G and EIF3I. Furthermore, functional validation using the surface sensing of translation (SUnSET) assay—a non-radioactive method to monitor protein synthesis—revealed that the overexpression of GP73 significantly promoted global protein translation levels in the cell, whereas its depletion or inhibition resulted in reduced translation efficiency. ConclusionThis study successfully utilized APEX2-mediated proximity labeling to provide the first systematic map of GP73 interactome in living cells. Our findings uncover a novel, unconventional function of GP73 as a regulator of cellular protein translation, likely mediated through its interaction with the eIF3 complex. This discovery significantly broadens our understanding of the biological roles of GP73 beyond its traditional function in the Golgi apparatus and suggests that it may act as a bridge between Golgi-related trafficking and the protein synthesis machinery. Furthermore, the technical framework established in this study provides a valuable template for investigating other complex organelle-associated protein networks and resolving transient macromolecular interactions in various physiological and pathological contexts.

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.

The recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone (rhTSH) can be used for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) preparation before ¹³¹I therapy, and follow-up. Since its approval by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1998, rhTSH has been clinically used in European countries, the United States, and other countries for nearly 30 years. In April 2024, China’s first independently developed rhTSH agent was approved. Based on clinical experience and evidence from domestic and international studies, an expert consensus on the application of rhTSH has been developed following thorough consultations among experts. The consensus offers evidence-based recommendations to guide the appropriate use of rhTSH in clinical practice.

Mass vaccination represents a highly effective strategy for accelerating disease control while simultaneously reducing incidence and mortality rates. By developing comprehensive plans and standards for mass vaccination, it is feasible to optimize resource allocation and swiftly enhance vaccination coverage, thereby preventing, controlling, or interrupting outbreaks or epidemics of specific infectious diseases. To standardize the mass vaccination process and establish a population immunity barrier in an orderly, efficient, and safe manner, a panel of experts was convened to develop the Recommendations on Mass Vaccination. These recommendations are grounded in the requirements of relevant policies and regulations in China, as well as the insights gained from the mass vaccination campaign for COVID-19 vaccines conducted in the country. The recommendations outline the system requirements pertaining to initiation conditions, departmental coordination, responsibilities, mobilization, operational specifications, and responses to vaccine reactions, among other aspects of mass vaccination implementation, so as to serve as a reference for future mass vaccination initiatives and the formulation of related policies.

In recent decades, the global community has encountered several significant viral outbreaks, including the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, the Zika virus epidemic in South America, and the recent worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. In these instances, the deployment of effective vaccines has been instrumental in protecting public health. Nevertheless, as new challenges emerge in the prevention and management of infectious diseases, the traditional model of global vaccine development confronts both unprecedented opportunities and challenges. These circumstances underscore the limitations inherent in conventional vaccine development, particularly the protracted timelines and substantial costs involved. This article examines innovative approaches in contemporary vaccine clinical trials, investigates randomization techniques specific to vaccine studies, and delineates essential statistical considerations pertinent to vaccine trial design. The objective is to provide scientific support for vaccine development and to foster ongoing innovation and optimization within the realm of vaccine research and development.

Objective:To analyze the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening status and the resulting residual risk (RR) among blood donors across 17 provincial blood centers in China.Methods:This study used a cross-sectional study. Data on HIV infection markers per 100 000 first-time donors (FD) and repeat donors (RD) from January 2015 to December 2024 were extracted from the National Blood Establishment Performance Comparison Information Management System. Questionnaires were used to collect each center′s HIV screening strategy, algorithm, serological test (ST) kit manufacturers, gray-zone setting for ST, and nucleic acid test (NAT) modality, method, and platform. The incidence-window-period model was used to calculate the residual risk for first-time donors (RR FD), repeat donors (RR RD), and total donors (RR TD) at each center. Horizontal and vertical analysis of RR FD, RR RD, and RR TD across centers and years were performed. Results:All 17 centers applied the same HIV screening strategy which was two rounds of ST followed by one round of NAT. Eight of them operated a single screening algorithm, six employed two algorithms and three used three. Eleven centers used both imported and domestic ST kits, five relied on domestic ST kits only, and one used imported ST kits only, while four centers never set a grey zone for ST throughout the decade. For NAT modalities, eight centers adopted both individual nucleic acid test (ID-NAT) and minipool nucleic acid test (MP-NAT), eight used MP-NAT only and one used ID-NAT only. Seven centers combined transcription mediated amplification (TMA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), nine used PCR only and one used TMA only, and fourteen centers ran both imported and domestic NAT systems, two used imported systems only and one used a domestic system only. Over the ten-year period, the mean RR FD across the centers ranged from 2.22 to 12.33 per 10 6 person-years, RR RD from 0.83 to 3.29 per 10 6 person-years and RR TD from 1.59 to 9.29 per 10 6 person-years, with center Z4 consistently showing the lowest values for all three metrics and center U4 recording the highest RR FD and RR TD, while center D2 had the highest RR RD. In 2024 compared with 2015, eleven centers achieved a lower RR FD and ten centers achieved lower RR RD and RR TD. The RR FD and RR TD of centers W2 and U4 displayed pronounced fluctuations and an upward trend in recent years. Conclusions:The 17 provincial blood centers maintain consistent HIV screening strategies, while demonstrating variations in screening algorithm, ST kit manufacturers, NAT modalities, methods, and platform. And the RR FD, RR RD, and RR TD differ across centers. Although most centers show declining trend in RR over the ten-year period, some centers exhibite data fluctuations with a rising trend, suggesting potential for further optimization of HIV screening protocols.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the frailty status of elderly patients with acquired immune deficiency syn-drome(AIDS)and opportunistic infection,and to analyze the associated risk factors.METHODS A convenience sampling method was used to survey 210 elderly patients with AIDS and opportunistic infection in Guangzhou from May 2024 to Apr.2025.General information questionnaires,FRAIL scale,Nutritional Risk Screening 2002,Athens Insomnia Scale and objective biological indicators were utilized to investigate the incidence of frailty.Logis-tic regression analysis was employed to identify the risk factors for frailty in elderly patients with AIDS and oppor-tunistic infection.RESULTS Among the 210 elderly patients with AIDS and opportunistic infection,40(19.05％)were frail,including 20(15.62％)patients aged＜60 years and 20(24.39％)≥60 years.Advanced age(OR=1.111,95％CI:1.033-1.194,P=0.004),body mass index(BMI)≥ 24.0 kg/m2(OR=4.329,95％CI:1.008-18.1585,P=0.049),hemoglobin level(OR=1.037,95％CI:1.009-1.065,P=0.009)and CD4+T lymphocyte count＜200(OR=10.792,95％CI:1.358-85.765,P=0.024)were identified as risk factors for frailty.Regular exercise(OR=0.108,95％CI:0.032-0.362,P＜0.001)was found to be a protective factor.CONCLUSIONS Elderly patients with AIDS and opportunistic infection experience early onset and high inci-dence of frailty,influenced by multiple factors.Early intervention,enhanced nutrition and engaging in regular ex-ercise can reduce the occurrence of frailty.

Objective To systematic evaluate the impact of applying the clinical nursing pathway(CNP)on epidural anesthetic analgesia natural delivery.Methods The randomized controlled trial(RCT)and quasi-experimental researches on the application of CNP in epidural anesthetic analgesia natural delivery were retrieved from PubMed,Cochrane Library,Embase,Web of Science,China Knowledge Network database,Wanfang database,VIP and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database.The retrieval time limit was from January 1,2014,to July 31,2024 with no language limitation.The meta analysis on the included studies was performed by applying RevMan5.4.1.Results A total of 5 RCTs and 2 quasi-experimental studies were in-cluded,involving 979 parturients with deliveries.The meta analysis showed that compared with the conven-tional nursing,CNP could shorten the duration of the first stage of labor(MD=—1.06,95％CI:—1.95——0.17,P=0.02)and the duration of the second stage of labor(MD=—0.12,95％CI:—0.21——0.03,P=0.006);decreased the rate of perineal lateral incision(RR=0.73,95％CI:0.65-0.83,P＜0.001)and inci-dence rate of postpartum urinary retention(RR=0.35,95％CI:0.20-0.63,P＜0.001);and shortened the time to lactation initiation(SMD=—1.52,95％CI:—2.38——0.66,P＜0.001).There was no influence on reducing postpartum 24 h hemorrhage amount(SMD=—0.51,95％CI:—1.23-0.21,P=0.16).The study subjects were divided into the primipara women subgroup and unclassified parturients subgroup.Compared with the conventional nursing group,compared with the conventional nursing,CNP had no impact on the dura-tion of the first stage of labor(MD=—0.32,95％CI:—0.61-0.98,P=0.63)and the duration of the second stage of labor(MD=—0.11,95％CI:—0.25-0.04,P=0.15)in the primipara women subgroup.CNP could reduce the postpartum 24 h hemorrhage volume in the unclassified parturients subgroup(SMD=—1.47,95％CI:—1.72——1.21,P＜0.001).Conclusion Application of CNP in parturients labor analgesia could reduce the perineal lateral incision rate and incidence rate of postpartum urinary retention and shorten the time to lac-tation initiation.Due to the heterogeneity among studies,the impact of CNP on the labor duration and the bleeding amount within postpartum 24 h still requires more high-quality studies to be conducted in the future for verification.

Objective To investigate the effect of dexmedetomidine(Dex)on bone loss in tail-suspended rats and primarily explore its regulatory mechanism on bone metabolism.Methods A total of 30 male rats were randomly divided into a control group,a model group,and a Dex group,with 10 animals in each group.Rat model of osteoporosis was established by hind limb suspension for 4 weeks.Dex at a dose of 10 μg/kg was given intraperitoneally,once every other day from the day of tail suspension.And equal amount of normal saline was given to the control and model group.Bone histological staining was used to observe the trabecular bone area fraction.Biomechanical three-point bending test was employed to measure the maximum load,stiffness,and fracture energy.Dual calcein/alizarin red fluorescence labeling and tartrate resistant acid phosphatase(TRAP)staining were applied respectively to detect the mineral apposition rate and bone formation rate as well as the number of osteoclasts on bone surfaces.Secondly,after primary osteoblasts were isolated from the tibiae of tail-suspended rats and then treated with 1 nmol/L Dex,the proportion of alkaline phosphatase(ALP)-positive osteoblasts and the activity of the enzyme were detected by ALP staining and activity test.qRT-PCR was applied to measure the expression of osteogenic activity-related factors,including osteocalcin(Ocn),Runt related transcription factor 2(Runx2),Osterix protein(Osx),and type 1 collagen(Col1).Results The animal experiments revealed that Dex treatment significantly increased the tibial trabecular bone area fraction,inhibited the decrease in bone mechanical strength,and enhanced the mineralization deposition rate and new bone formation rate of trabecular bone in the tail-suspended rats(all P＜0.001).The in vitro experiments showed that Dex treatment obviously improved ALP activity and the number of ALP-positive osteoblasts in primary osteoblasts isolated from tail-suspended rats(P＜0.01),and up-regulated the expression levels of osteogenic differentiation-related genes,such as Ocn,Runx2,Osx and Col1(P＜0.01).Conclusion Dex exerts anti-bone loss effect in tail-suspended rats,which may be associated with its stimulation on osteoblast-mediated bone formation.