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.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the underlying pharmacological mechanisms and its potential effects of Chinese medicine herbal formula Sini Powder (SNP) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: The active components of SNP and their in vivo distribution were identified using ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Construction of component-target-disease networks, protein-protein interaction network, Gene Ontology function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis, and molecular docking were employed to analyze the active components and anti-HCC mechanisms of SNP. Cell viability assay and wound healing assay were utilized to confirm the effect of SNP-containing serum (2.5%, 5.0%, 10%, 20%, and 40%), isoprenaline or propranolol (both 10, 100, and 1,000 µ mol/L) on proliferation and migration of HepG 2 or Huh7 cells. Meanwhile, the effect of isoprenaline or propranolol on the β 2 adrenergic receptor (ADRB2) mRNA expression on HepG2 cells were measured by real-time quantitative reverse transcription (RT-qPCR). Mice with subcutaneous tumors were either subjected to chronic restraint stress (CRS) followed by SNP administration (364 mg/mL) or directly treated with SNP (364 mg/mL). These two parallel experiments were performed to validate the effects of SNP on stress responses. Stress-related proteins and hormones were quantified using RT-qPCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and immunohistochemistry. Metagenomic sequencing was performed to confirm the influence of SNP on the gut microbiota in the tumor-bearing CRS mice. RESULTS: The distribution of the 12 active components of SNP was confirmed in various tissues and feces. Network pharmacology analysis confirmed the anti-HCC effects of the 5 active components. The potential anti-HCC mechanisms of SNP may involve the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Src (SRC) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathways. SNP-containing serum inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 and Huh7 cells at concentrations of 2.5% and 5.0%, respectively, after 24 h of treatment. Furthermore, SNP suppressed tumor progression in tumor-bearing mice exposed to CRS. SNP treatment also downregulated the expressions of stress-related proteins and pro-inflammatory cytokines, primarily by modulating the gut microbiota. Specifically, the abundance of Alistipes and Prevotella, which belong to the phylum Bacteroidetes, increased in the SNP-treated group, whereas Lachnospira, in the phylum Firmicutes, decreased. CONCLUSION SNP can combat HCC by alleviating stress responses through the regulation of gut microbiota.
Animals ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Liver Neoplasms/microbiology* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/microbiology* ; Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Powders ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Mice ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Hep G2 Cells ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2/genetics* ; Stress, Physiological/drug effects* ; Cell Movement/drug effects* ; Male ; Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects* ; Cell Survival/drug effects* ; Proto-Oncogene Mas

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the interplay between the life-course body mass index (BMI) trajectories and insulin resistance (IR) on incident diabetes. METHODS: This longitudinal cohort included 2,336 participants who had BMI repeatedly measured 3-8 times between 1989 and 2009, as well as glucose and insulin measured in 2009. BMI trajectories were identified using a latent class growth mixed model. The interplay between BMI trajectories and IR on diabetes was explored using the four-way effect decomposition method. Logistic regression and mediation models were used to estimate the interaction and mediation effects, respectively. RESULTS: Three distinct BMI trajectory groups were identified: low-stable ( n = 1,625), medium-increasing ( n = 613), and high-increasing ( n = 98). Both interaction and mediation effects of BMI trajectories and IR on incident diabetes were significant ( P < 0.05). The proportion of incident diabetes was higher in the IR-obesity than in the insulin-sensitivity (IS) obesity group (18.9% vs. 5.8%, P < 0.001). After adjusting for covariates, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of the IR, IS-obesity, and IR-obesity groups vs. the normal group were 3.22 (2.05, 5.16), 2.05 (1.00, 3.97), and 7.98 (5.19, 12.62), respectively. IR mediated 10.7% of the total effect of BMI trajectories on incident diabetes ( P < 0.001). CONCLUSION We found strong interactions and weak mediation effects of IR on the relationship between life-course BMI trajectories and incident diabetes. IS-obesity is associated with a lower risk of incident diabetes than IR-obesity.
Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Body Mass Index ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; China/epidemiology* ; Adult ; Longitudinal Studies ; Incidence ; Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology* ; Aged ; Obesity/epidemiology* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology* ; East Asian People

Objective To evaluate the value of a nomogram model based on ultrasonographic features and inflammatory indicators in the preoperative noninvasive prediction of pathological grading of urothelial carcinoma of bladder(UCB).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 471 patients with pathologically confirmed UCB,and the patients were assigned to high-grade group(401 cases)or low-grade group(70 cases).Basic clinical data(gender,age,macroscopic hematuria),ultrasonographic features(lesion location,blood flow signal,etc.),and blood inflammatory indicators(e.g.neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio[NLR])were collected.Independent predictors were screened using univariate and multivariate logistic regression,and a nomogram model was constructed.Model performance was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,calibration curve,and decision curve analysis(DCA).Results Multivariate logistic analysis identified gender(odds ratio[OR]=2.68),age(OR=1.08),macroscopic hematuria(OR=3.19),lesion located in the trigone(OR=4.59),positive blood flow signal(OR=2.87),and NLR(OR=1.03)were independent predictors of high-grade UCB(all P＜0.05).The combined model(clinical features+ultrasonographic characteristics+inflammatory indicators)achieved an area under curve(AUC)of 0.892,which was significantly higher than the clinical feature-only model(AUC=0.799)and the clinical+ultrasonographic model(AUC=0.856).The calibration curve demonstrated good consistency between predicted and actual outcomes,and DCA confirmed its optimal clinical net benefit.Conclusion The nomogram model integrating clinical features,ultrasonographic characteristics,and inflammatory indicators can effectively discriminate UCB pathological grading,providing a reliable preoperative noninvasive assessment tool for personalized treatment decisions.

Gastric cancer is a malignant tumor with high prevalence worldwide and limited therapeutic options.Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell(CAR-T)therapy has emerged as a promising approach for gastric cancer treatment;however,its application faces substantial challenges.This review provides comprehensive summary of the recent advances in CAR-T cell therapy for gastric cancer,systematic analysis of critical break throughs and core challenges from target discovery to clinical translation,and outlining of future perspectives.We describe the criter-ia for ideal target selection and highlight the current research landscape of major targets,including CLDN18.2 that demonstrated efficacy,and targets facing distinct challenges,including HER-2,CEA,EpCAM,and MUC1.This review also finely dissects three central barriers restrict-ing CAR-T cell efficacy,and discusses corresponding countermeasures:overcoming the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment through strategies such as local delivery,armored CAR-T cells,and combination therapies;engineering approaches including affinity modula-tion and logic-gate designs to mitigate on-target/off-tumor toxicity;and optimization of manufacturing processes and reduction of costs via early leukapheresis,rapid production platforms,and universal CAR-T cell strategies.Future multidimensional,integrative,and innovative strategies are pivotal for achieving comprehensive break throughs in CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors.

Objective To explore the application effect of dexmedetomidine combined with ropivacaine for quadratus lumborum block at the lateral supra-arcuate ligament(QLB-LSAL) in open hepatocellular carcinoma resection.Methods A prospective study was conducted in 60 patients who underwent elective open hepatocellular carcinoma resection at Jining First People's Hospital. The patients were randomly divided into the compound group and the control group,with 30 cases in each group. Patients in the compound group received QLB-LSAL combined general anesthesia,and patients in the control group received simple general anesthesia. All patients underwent patient controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA)postoperatively. The mean arterial pressure (MAP),heart rate (HR) and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores during rest and coughing at different time points were observed and compared between the two groups. The number of postoperative PCIA compressions,the dosage of sufentanil,the first postoperative exhaust time,the first postoperative ambulation time,the hospital stay and the occurrence of adverse reactions of the two groups were recorded. Results In the compound group,the HR and MAP were significantly lower than those of the control group at the time of skin incision (T2) and at the end of surgery (T3);the VAS scores during rest and coughing were significantly lower than those of the control group at the time of exiting the anesthesia recovery room and 6 hours and 12 hours after surgery;and the PCIA compression times were significantly less than those of the control group;the dosage of sufentanil was significantly lower than that in the control group 0 to 24 hours after surgery,and the dosage of sufentanil was higher than that in the control group 25 to 48 hours after surgery;the first postoperative ambulation time and the first postoperative exhaust time were significantly earlier than those in the control group;and the above differences were statistically significant(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the HR or MAP at 5 minutes into the operating room (T0) and 5 minutes before skin incision (T1),VAS scores during rest and coughing 24 hours and 48 hours after surgery,hospital stay and incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (P>0.05).Conclusion For patients with open hepatocellular carcinoma resection,dexmedetomidine combined with ropivazine for QLB-LSAL can provide more ideal postoperative analgesia,reduce perioperative opioid consumption,and have less impact on circulatory system,which is conducive to rapid postoperative recovery.

Gastric cancer is a malignant tumor with high prevalence worldwide and limited therapeutic options.Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell(CAR-T)therapy has emerged as a promising approach for gastric cancer treatment;however,its application faces substantial challenges.This review provides comprehensive summary of the recent advances in CAR-T cell therapy for gastric cancer,systematic analysis of critical break throughs and core challenges from target discovery to clinical translation,and outlining of future perspectives.We describe the criter-ia for ideal target selection and highlight the current research landscape of major targets,including CLDN18.2 that demonstrated efficacy,and targets facing distinct challenges,including HER-2,CEA,EpCAM,and MUC1.This review also finely dissects three central barriers restrict-ing CAR-T cell efficacy,and discusses corresponding countermeasures:overcoming the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment through strategies such as local delivery,armored CAR-T cells,and combination therapies;engineering approaches including affinity modula-tion and logic-gate designs to mitigate on-target/off-tumor toxicity;and optimization of manufacturing processes and reduction of costs via early leukapheresis,rapid production platforms,and universal CAR-T cell strategies.Future multidimensional,integrative,and innovative strategies are pivotal for achieving comprehensive break throughs in CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors.

Objective To explore the application effect of dexmedetomidine combined with ropivacaine for quadratus lumborum block at the lateral supra-arcuate ligament(QLB-LSAL) in open hepatocellular carcinoma resection.Methods A prospective study was conducted in 60 patients who underwent elective open hepatocellular carcinoma resection at Jining First People's Hospital. The patients were randomly divided into the compound group and the control group,with 30 cases in each group. Patients in the compound group received QLB-LSAL combined general anesthesia,and patients in the control group received simple general anesthesia. All patients underwent patient controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA)postoperatively. The mean arterial pressure (MAP),heart rate (HR) and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores during rest and coughing at different time points were observed and compared between the two groups. The number of postoperative PCIA compressions,the dosage of sufentanil,the first postoperative exhaust time,the first postoperative ambulation time,the hospital stay and the occurrence of adverse reactions of the two groups were recorded. Results In the compound group,the HR and MAP were significantly lower than those of the control group at the time of skin incision (T2) and at the end of surgery (T3);the VAS scores during rest and coughing were significantly lower than those of the control group at the time of exiting the anesthesia recovery room and 6 hours and 12 hours after surgery;and the PCIA compression times were significantly less than those of the control group;the dosage of sufentanil was significantly lower than that in the control group 0 to 24 hours after surgery,and the dosage of sufentanil was higher than that in the control group 25 to 48 hours after surgery;the first postoperative ambulation time and the first postoperative exhaust time were significantly earlier than those in the control group;and the above differences were statistically significant(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the HR or MAP at 5 minutes into the operating room (T0) and 5 minutes before skin incision (T1),VAS scores during rest and coughing 24 hours and 48 hours after surgery,hospital stay and incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (P>0.05).Conclusion For patients with open hepatocellular carcinoma resection,dexmedetomidine combined with ropivazine for QLB-LSAL can provide more ideal postoperative analgesia,reduce perioperative opioid consumption,and have less impact on circulatory system,which is conducive to rapid postoperative recovery.

Background/Aims: Despite the high efficacy of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), approximately 1–3% of hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients fail to achieve a sustained virological response. We conducted a nationwide study to investigate risk factors associated with DAA treatment failure. Machine-learning algorithms have been applied to discriminate subjects who may fail to respond to DAA therapy. Methods: We analyzed the Taiwan HCV Registry Program database to explore predictors of DAA failure in HCV patients. Fifty-five host and virological features were assessed using multivariate logistic regression, decision tree, random forest, eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and artificial neural network. The primary outcome was undetectable HCV RNA at 12 weeks after the end of treatment. Results: The training (n=23,955) and validation (n=10,346) datasets had similar baseline demographics, with an overall DAA failure rate of 1.6% (n=538). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, poor DAA adherence, and higher hemoglobin A1c were significantly associated with virological failure. XGBoost outperformed the other algorithms and logistic regression models, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 1.000 in the training dataset and 0.803 in the validation dataset. The top five predictors of treatment failure were HCV RNA, body mass index, α-fetoprotein, platelets, and FIB-4 index. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the XGBoost model (cutoff value=0.5) were 99.5%, 69.7%, 99.9%, 97.4%, and 99.5%, respectively, for the entire dataset. Conclusions Machine learning algorithms effectively provide risk stratification for DAA failure and additional information on the factors associated with DAA failure.

Objective To study the inhibitory effect of Huidu Yinhua powder from the Orthodox Manual of External Medicine on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA),virulence factor α-hemolysin(Hla)activity,and biofilm formation,and to explore the optimal ratios of Huidu Yinhua powder and provide experimental support for its use.Methods The inhibitory effects of Huidu Yinhua powder and the herbs in the formula on USA300 were analyzed by the minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC),minimum bactericidal concentration(MBC),and disk diffusion assay(K-B method).Hemolysis,neutralization,oligomerization,and Western blot assays were used to verify in which form the drug inhibits the activity of virulence factor α-hemolysin(Hla).A biofilm assay was performed to evaluate the inhibitory effect of Huidu Yinhua powder on biofilm.Orthogonal experiments were performed to explore the optimal ratio of Huidu Yinhua powder.Results Huidu Yinhua powder inhibited the MRSA strain with a MIC90 of 64 mg/mL and an MBC of 256 mg/mL with antibacterial circle diameter of(7.50±0.50)mm.Huidu Yinhua powder inhibited Hla activity by inhibiting Hla secretion.The minimum effective concentration(MEC)was 16 mg/mL,and the MEC of biofilm was 8 mg/mL.In Huidu Yinhua powder,honeysuckle and astragalus only affected the hemolytic activity of MRSA and biofilm formation without inhibiting bacterial growth.The hemolytic activity and biofilm of MEC were both 32 mg/mL.Glycyrrhiza had a strong bacterial inhibitory capacity with a MIC90 of 8 mg/mL and biofilm MEC of 1 mg/mL without showing inhibitory hemolytic activity at subinhibitory concentrations.The orthogonal experiment showed that,at a ratio of honeysuckle,astragalus,and glycyrrhiza in Huidu Yinhua powder of 1∶2∶4,the MIC90 was 16 mg/mL,MEC of hemolytic activity was 8 mg/mL and that of biofilm was 4 mg/mL,both of which were the lowest among the nine groups.Conclusions Huidu Yinhua powder affects the hemolytic activity and biofilm formation of MRSA at subinhibitory concentrations with the optimal ratio of honeysuckle,astragalus,and glycyrrhiza being 1∶2∶4.