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.

BACKGROUND: The clinical impact of post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) quantitative flow ratio (QFR) in patients treated with PCI for chronic total occlusion (CTO) was still undetermined. METHODS: All CTO vessels treated with successful anatomical PCI in patients from PANDA III trial were retrospectively measured for post-PCI QFR. The primary outcome was 2-year vessel-oriented composite endpoints (VOCEs, composite of target vessel-related cardiac death, target vessel-related myocardial infarction, and ischemia-driven target vessel revascularization). Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis was conducted to identify optimal cutoff value of post-PCI QFR for predicting the 2-year VOCEs, and all vessels were stratified by this optimal cutoff value. Cox proportional hazards models were employed to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) with 95% CI. RESULTS: Among 428 CTO vessels treated with PCI, 353 vessels (82.5%) were analyzable for post-PCI QFR. 31 VOCEs (8.7%) occurred at 2 years. Mean value of post-PCI QFR was 0.92 ± 0.13. Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis shown the optimal cutoff value of post-PCI QFR for predicting 2-year VOCEs was 0.91. The incidence of 2-year VOCEs in the vessel with post-PCI QFR < 0.91 (n = 91) was significantly higher compared with the vessels with post-PCI QFR ≥ 0.91 (n = 262) (22.0% vs. 4.2%, HR = 4.98, 95% CI: 2.32-10.70). CONCLUSIONS Higher post-PCI QFR values were associated with improved prognosis in the PCI practice for coronary CTO. Achieving functionally optimal PCI results (post-PCI QFR value ≥ 0.91) tends to get better prognosis for patients with CTO lesions.

The progression from gastric mucosal inflammation to cancer signifies a pivotal event in the trajectory of gastric cancer (GC) development. Chinese medicine (CM) exhibits unique advantages and holds significant promise in inhibiting carcinogenesis of the gastric mucosa. This review intricately examines the critical pathological events during the transition from gastric mucosal inflammation-cancer transformation (GMICT), with a particular focus on pathological evolution mechanisms of spasmolytic polypeptide-expressing metaplasia (SPEM). Moreover, it investigates the pioneering applications and advancements of CM in intervening within the medical research domain of precancerous transformations leading to GC. Furthermore, the analysis extends to major shortcomings and challenges confronted by current research in gastric precancerous lesions, and innovative studies related to CM are presented. We offer a highly succinct yet optimistic outlook on future developmental trends. This paper endeavors to foster a profound understanding of forefront dynamics in GMICT research and scientific implications of modernizing CM. It also introduces a novel perspective for establishing a collaborative secondary prevention system for GC that integrates both Western and Chinese medicines.
Stomach Neoplasms/pathology* ; Humans ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/pathology* ; Gastric Mucosa/pathology* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Inflammation/pathology* ; Animals

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is largely attributed to impaired endogenous repair. Nucleus pulposus-derived stem cells (NPSCs) senescence leads to endogenous repair failure. Small extracellular vesicles/exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells (mExo) have shown great therapeutic potential in IDD, while whether mExo could alleviate NPSCs senescence and its mechanisms remained unknown. We established a compression-induced NPSCs senescence model and rat IDD models to evaluate the therapeutic efficiency of mExo and investigate the mechanisms. We found that mExo significantly alleviated NPSCs senescence and promoted disc regeneration while knocking down thioredoxin (TXN) impaired the protective effects of mExo. TXN was bound to various endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) proteins. Autocrine motility factor receptor (AMFR) mediated TXN K63 ubiquitination to promote the binding of TXN on ESCRT proteins and sorting of TXN into mExo. Knocking down exosomal TXN inhibited the transcriptional activity of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and activator protein 1 (AP-1). NRF2 and AP-1 inhibition reduced endogenous TXN production that was promoted by exosomal TXN. Inhibition of NRF2 in vivo diminished the anti-senescence and regenerative effects of mExo. Conclusively, AMFR-mediated TXN ubiquitination promoted the sorting of TXN into mExo, allowing exosomal TXN to promote endogenous TXN production in NPSCs via TXN/NRF2/AP-1 feed-forward circuit to alleviate NPSCs senescence and disc degeneration.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) using either oXiris or conventional hemopurification filters in the treatment of intra-abdominal sepsis. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of septic patients with severe intra-abdominal infections admitted to our hospital from October 2019 to August 2023. Patients who meet the criteria for intra-abdominal sepsis based on medical history, symptoms, physical examination, and laboratory/imaging findings were included. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: pregnancy, terminal malignancy, prior CRRT before intensive care unit admission, pre-existing liver or renal failure. Heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure, oxygenation index, lactic acid level (Lac), platelet count (PLT), neutrophil percentage, serum levels of procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, interleukin (IL)-6, norepinephrine dosage, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II), and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores before and after 24 h and 72 h of treatment, as well as ventilator use time, hemopurification treatment time, intensive care unit and hospital lengths of stay, and 14-day and 28-day mortality were compared between patients receiving CRRT using either oXiris or conventional hemofiltration. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Statistics 26.0 software, including the construction of predictive models via logistic regression equations and repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS: Baseline values including time to antibiotic administration, time to source control, and time to initiation of CRRT were similar between the 2 groups (all p>0.05). Patients receiving conventional CRRT exhibited significant changes in HR but of none of the other indexes at the 24 h and 72 h time points (p=0.041, p=0.026, respectively). The oXiris group showed significant improvements in HR, Lac, IL-6, and APACHE II score 24 h after treatment (p<0.05); after 72 h, all indexes were improved except PLT (all p<0.05). Intergroup comparison disclosed significant differences in HR, Lac, norepinephrine dose, APACHE II, SOFA, neutrophil percentage, and IL-6 after 24 h of treatment (p<0.05). Mean arterial pressure, serum levels of procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, SOFA score, and norepinephrine dosage were similar between the 2 groups at 24 h (p>0.05). Except for HR, oxygenation index, and PLT, post-treatment change rates of △ (%) were significantly greater in the oXiris group (p < 0.05). Duration of ventilator use, CRRT time, and intensive care unit and hospital lengths of stay were similar between the 2 groups (p>0.05). The 14-day mortality rates of the 2 groups were similar (p=0.091). After excluding patients whose CRRT was interrupted, 28-day mortality was significantly lower in the oXiris than in the conventional group (25.0% vs. 54.2%; p=0.050). The 28-day mortality rate increased by 9.6% for each additional hour required for source control and by 21.3% for each 1-point increase in APACHE II score. CONCLUSIONS In severe abdominal infections, the oXiris filter may have advantages over conventional CRRT, which may provide an alternative to clinical treatment. Meanwhile, early active infection source control may reduce the case mortality rate of patients with severe abdominal infections.
Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sepsis/mortality* ; Aged ; Adult ; Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy/methods* ; Intraabdominal Infections/mortality* ; APACHE ; Organ Dysfunction Scores ; Intensive Care Units ; Treatment Outcome

The aim of this investigation was to determine the optimal storage medium for testicular hypothermic transportation and identify the ideal concentration for the application of the protective agent 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA). Furthermore, this study aimed to explore the underlying mechanism of the protective effects of 5-ALA. First, we collected and stored mouse testicular fragments in different media, including Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS; n = 5), Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium/Nutrient Mixture F-12 (DMEM/F12; n = 5), and alpha-minimum essential medium (αMEM; n = 5). Storage of testicular tissue in HBSS preserved the integrity of testicular morphology better than that in the DMEM/F12 group ( P < 0.05) and the αMEM group ( P < 0.01). Testicular fragments were subsequently placed in HBSS with various concentrations of 5-ALA (0 [control], 1 mmol l -1 , 2 mmol l -1 , and 5 mmol l -1 ) to determine the most effective concentration of 5-ALA. The 2 mmol l -1 5-ALA group ( n = 3) presented the highest positive rate of spermatogonial stem cells compared with those in the control, 1 mmol l -1 , and 5 mmol l -1 5-ALA groups. Finally, the tissue fragments were preserved in HBSS with control ( n = 3) and 2 mmol l -1 5-ALA ( n = 3) under low-temperature conditions. A comparative analysis was performed against fresh testes ( n = 3) to elucidate the underlying mechanism of 5-ALA. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) for WikiPathways revealed that the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway was downregulated in the 2 mmol l -1 5-ALA group compared with that in the control group (normalized enrichment score [NES] = -1.57, false discovery rate [FDR] = 0.229, and P = 0.019). In conclusion, these data suggest that using 2 mmol l -1 5-ALA in HBSS effectively protected the viability of spermatogonial stem cells upon hypothermic transportation.
Male ; Animals ; Testis/cytology* ; Aminolevulinic Acid/pharmacology* ; Mice ; Organ Preservation/methods* ; Organ Preservation Solutions/pharmacology* ; Cryopreservation/methods*

OBJECTIVE: By analyzing the hormone secretion of the adenohypophysis, thyroid glands, gonads, and adrenal cortex in patients with hematological diseases before and after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), this study aims to preliminarily explore the effect of HSCT on patients' hormone secretion and glandular damage. METHODS: The baseline data of 209 hematological disease patients who underwent HSCT in our hospital from January 2019 to December 2023, as well as the data on the levels of hormones secreted by the adenohypophysis, thyroid glands, gonads and adrenal cortex before and after HSCT were collected, and the changes in hormone levels before and after transplantation were analyzed. RESULTS: After allogeneic HSCT, the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), free triiodothyronine (FT3) and estradiol (E2) decreased, while the levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle- stimulating hormone (FSH) increased. The T3 level of patients with decreased TSH after transplantation was lower than that of those with increased TSH after transplantation. In female patients, the levels of prolactin (PRL), progesterone (Prog), and testosterone (Testo) decreased after HSCT. Testo and PRL decreased when there was a donor-recipient sex mismatch, and the levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol (COR) decreased when the HLA matching was haploidentical. The levels of T3, FT3, and PRL decreased after autologous HSCT. In allogeneic HSCT patients, the levels of TSH, T4, T3, FT3, and ACTH in the group with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) were significantly lower than those in the group without GVHD. Logistic regression analysis showed the changes in hormone levels after transplantation were not correlated with factors such as the patient's sex, age, or whether the blood types of the donor and the recipient are the same. CONCLUSION HSCT can affect the endocrine function of patients with hematological diseases, mainly affecting target glandular organs such as the thyroid, gonads, and adrenal glands, while the secretory function of the adenohypophysis is less affected.
Humans ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Female ; Male ; Hematologic Diseases/blood* ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood* ; Triiodothyronine/blood* ; Luteinizing Hormone/blood* ; Thyroid Gland/metabolism* ; Estradiol/blood* ; Thyrotropin/blood* ; Gonads/metabolism* ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone/blood* ; Hormones/metabolism* ; Adrenal Cortex/metabolism* ; Prolactin

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the regulatory effect of Wip1 phosphatase on hematopoietic function in the mouse spleen. METHODS: Wip1 knockout mice were bred, and the effect of Wip1 deletion on the proportion and number of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, as well as their mature subsets in mouse spleen was detected by flow cytometry. The Proteome Profiler^TM antibody array was used to analyze the role of Wip1 deletion on the expression of inflammatory cytokines in CD45^highCD11b⁺ myeloid cells sorted from mouse spleen. RESULTS: Wip1 deletion resulted in smaller size and significant reduction of cell number in the mouse spleen. The absolute numbers of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells were decreased. Meanwhile, the absolute number of T and B lymphocytes also significantly declined. However, the proportion of erythroid progenitors and erythroid cells at various stage significantly increased, but the number of mature erythroid cells decreased. Furthermore, the myeloid cells and their subsets neutrophils, monocytes, CD45^highCD11b⁺ and CD45^lowCD11b⁺ were all reduced. CD45^highCD11b⁺ myeloid cells displayed proinflammatory phenotype in the spleen. CONCLUSION Wip1 gene deletion impairs normal hematopoietic function in the mouse spleen, leading to a significant reduction of mature hematopoietic cells of various lineages, and proinflammatory phenotype in CD45^highCD11b⁺ myeloid cells.
Animals ; Mice ; Spleen/cytology* ; Mice, Knockout ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells/cytology* ; Myeloid Cells/cytology* ; Protein Phosphatase 2C ; Hematopoiesis ; Flow Cytometry

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a highly prevalent chronic metabolic disease with an increasing incidence worldwide, that poses a significant risk to public health. In many current clinical practices for diabetes management, conventional Western treatments, including oral or injectable hypoglycemic agents, have serious side effects. Given that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is characterized by a multi-component, multi-target and multi-pathway approach, its combination with Western medicine could enhance efficacy and reduce adverse effects. Consequently, the use of TCM as a potential auxiliary or alternative treatment for the prevention and/or management of T2DM has emerged as a research hotspot. This article reviews existing reports on TCM in the treatment of T2DM and provides a detailed discussion of its applications. By integrating relevant clinical evidence, this review summarizes the clinical data on 23 TCM formulas and Chinese patent medicines, comprehensively describing their efficacy and potential pharmacological mechanisms in the treatment of T2DM. This includes an exploration of the impacts of TCM-based therapeutic interventions on T2DM-related microRNAs and their target genes. We hope this review not only offers new insights for future research directions but also enhances the understanding of the scientific value of TCM. Please cite this article as: Ni HX, Cao LH, Gong XX, Zang ZY, Chang H. Traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus: Clinical evidence and pharmacological mechanisms. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(6):605-622.
Humans ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Hypoglycemic Agents/pharmacology*

OBJECTIVE: To explore and quantify the association of hot night exposure during the sperm development period (0-90 lag days) with semen quality. METHODS: A total of 6,640 male sperm donors from 6 human sperm banks in China during 2014-2020 were recruited in this multicenter study. Two indices (i.e., hot night excess [HNE] and hot night duration [HND]) were used to estimate the heat intensity and duration during nighttime. Linear mixed models were used to examine the association between hot nights and semen quality parameters. RESULTS: The exposure-response relationship revealed that HNE and HND during 0-90 days before semen collection had a significantly inverse association with sperm motility. Specifically, a 1 °C increase in HNE was associated with decreased sperm progressive motility of 0.0090 (95% confidence interval [ CI]: -0.0147, -0.0033) and decreased total motility of 0.0094 (95% CI: -0.0160, -0.0029). HND was significantly associated with reduced sperm progressive motility and total motility of 0.0021 (95% CI: -0.0040, -0.0003) and 0.0023 (95% CI: -0.0043, -0.0002), respectively. Consistent results were observed at different temperature thresholds on hot nights. CONCLUSION Our findings highlight the need to mitigate nocturnal heat exposure during spermatogenesis to maintain optimal semen quality.
Humans ; Male ; Semen Analysis ; Adult ; Sperm Motility ; Hot Temperature/adverse effects* ; China ; Middle Aged ; Spermatozoa/physiology* ; Young Adult