Background: High-mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) is a chromatin-binding protein involved in arthritis, ischemia, sepsis, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative disorders, meningitis, and cancer. HMGB1 exhibits dual roles in cancer, acting as either a tumor suppressor or oncoprotein depending on context. Objective: This research aimed to elucidate HMGB1’s functional significance in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Methods: We overexpressed HMGB1 in cSCC cell lines using recombinant adenovirus and examined its effects on cell proliferation, colony formation, and cell migration. Results: Immunohistochemical analysis revealed elevated HMGB1 expression levels in cSCC tissue relative to normal epidermis. To assess the influence of HMGB1, we employed recombinant adenoviruses expressing HMGB1 to transduce SCC cell lines (SCC12 and SCC13). Enhanced HMGB1 expression significantly promoted cellular proliferation and colony formation capacity.Notably, HMGB1 overexpression elevated the levels of proliferation regulators, including P63, SOX2, CDK4 and CDK6. Furthermore, HMGB1 overexpression substantially enhanced tumor invasiveness, accompanied by upregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers. Mechanistically, overexpression of HMGB1 enhanced transforming growth factor-β signaling by increasing phosphorylation of SMAD2/3, the key mediators of EMT. Conclusion These data imply that HMGB1 acts as a tumor-promoting factor in cSCC.

Objective In order to understand the current resistance status of Aedes albopictus(Ae. albopictus) adult population to commonly used insecticides and the resistance dynamics development in Zhejiang Province and provide a theoretical basis for the scientific and rational use of hygienic insecticides. Methods Resistance determination was carried out using the diagnostic dose method(GB/T 26347-2010)recommended by WHO in the adult mosquito contact cylinder method to monitor the resistance of Ae. albopictus field populations in 11 cities and districts in Zhejiang Province in 2024. Results The monitoring result showed that adult Ae. albopictus in 11 areas were resistant or suspected resistant populations to both cis-cypermethrin and permethrin; suspected and resistant populations to the organophosphate insecticide malathion were as high as 81.82%; while suspected resistance to the carbamate insecticide residual carbofuran accounted for 45.45%, and the rest of the monitoring sites were sensitive to it. Conclusions The result suggest that the generalized resistance of Ae. albopictus populations to pyrethroids and organophosphorus insecticides in the field in Zhejiang Province needs to be highly emphasized. In future mosquito vector and mosquito-borne disease control, insecticides should be selected based on the resistance monitoring information, while following scientific guidelines for insecticide use.

Hearing loss is the most prevalent disabling disease. Cochlear implantation（CI） serves as the primary intervention for severe to profound hearing loss. This consensus systematically explores the value of genetic diagnosis in the pre-operative assessment and efficacy prognosis for CI. Drawing upon domestic and international research and clinical experience, it proposes an evidence-based medicine three-tiered prognostic classification system（Favorable, Marginal, Poor）. The consensus focuses on common hereditary non-syndromic hearing loss（such as that caused by mutations in genes like GJB2, SLC26A4, OTOF, LOXHD1） and syndromic hereditary hearing loss（such as Jervell & Lange-Nielsen syndrome and Waardenburg syndrome）, which are closely associated with congenital hearing loss, analyzing the impact of their pathological mechanisms on CI outcomes. The consensus provides recommendations based on multiple round of expert discussion and voting. It emphasizes that genetic diagnosis can optimize patient selection, predict prognosis, guide post-operative rehabilitation, offer stratified management strategies for patients with different genotypes, and advance the application of precision medicine in the field of CI.
Humans ; Cochlear Implantation ; Prognosis ; Hearing Loss/surgery* ; Consensus ; Connexin 26 ; Mutation ; Sulfate Transporters ; Connexins/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the specific mechanisms by which electroacupuncture (EA) alleviates anxiety and fear behaviors associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), focusing on the role of lipocalin-2 (Lcn2). METHODS: The PTSD mouse model was subjected to single prolonged stress and shock (SPS&S), and the animals received 15 min sessions of EA at Shenmen acupoint (HT7). Behavioral tests were used to investigate the effects of EA at HT7 on anxiety and fear. Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to quantify Lcn2 and inflammatory cytokine levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Additionally, the activity of PFC neurons was evaluated by immunofluorescence and in vivo electrophysiology. RESULTS: Mice subjected to SPS&S presented increased anxiety- and fear-like behaviors. Lcn2 expression in the PFC was significantly upregulated following SPS&S, leading to increased expression of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 and suppression of PFC neuronal activity. However, EA at HT7 inhibited Lcn2 release, reducing neuroinflammation and hypoexcitability in the PFC. Lcn2 overexpression mitigated the effects of EA at HT7, resulting in anxiety- and fear-like behaviors. CONCLUSION EA at HT7 can ameliorate PTSD-associated anxiety and fear, and its mechanism of action appears to involve the inhibition of Lcn2-mediated neural activity and inflammation in the PFC. Please cite this article as: Yang YD, Zhong W, Chen M, Tang QC, Li Y, Yao LL, et al. Electroacupuncture alleviates behaviors associated with posttraumatic stress disorder by modulating lipocalin-2-mediated neuroinflammation and neuronal activity in the prefrontal cortex. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):537-547.
Electroacupuncture ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/metabolism* ; Animals ; Lipocalin-2/metabolism* ; Prefrontal Cortex/physiopathology* ; Male ; Mice ; Neurons/physiology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fear ; Behavior, Animal ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neuroinflammatory Diseases/metabolism* ; Anxiety/therapy* ; Acupuncture Points

OBJECTIVE: This study reports the first imported case of Lassa fever (LF) in China. Laboratory detection and molecular epidemiological analysis of the Lassa virus (LASV) from this case offer valuable insights for the prevention and control of LF. METHODS: Samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood, urine, saliva, and environmental materials were collected from the patient and their close contacts for LASV nucleotide detection. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on positive samples to analyze the genetic characteristics of the virus. RESULTS: LASV was detected in the patient's CSF, blood, and urine, while all samples from close contacts and the environment tested negative. The virus belongs to the lineage IV strain and shares the highest homology with strains from Sierra Leone. The variability in the glycoprotein complex (GPC) among different strains ranged from 3.9% to 15.1%, higher than previously reported for the seven known lineages. Amino acid mutation analysis revealed multiple mutations within the GPC immunogenic epitopes, increasing strain diversity and potentially impacting immune response. CONCLUSION The case was confirmed through nucleotide detection, with no evidence of secondary transmission or viral spread. The LASV strain identified belongs to lineage IV, with broader GPC variability than previously reported. Mutations in the immune-related sites of GPC may affect immune responses, necessitating heightened vigilance regarding the virus.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Genome, Viral ; Lassa Fever/virology* ; Lassa virus/classification* ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Phylogeny

OBJECTIVE: To investigate chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection's effect on gestational liver function, pregnancy and delivery complications, and neonatal development. METHODS: A total of 157 HCV antibody-positive (anti-HCV[+]) and HCV RNA(+) patients (Group C) and 121 anti-HCV(+) and HCV RNA(-) patients (Group B) were included as study participants, while 142 anti-HCV(-) and HCV RNA(-) patients (Group A) were the control group. Data on biochemical indices during pregnancy, pregnancy complications, delivery-related information, and neonatal complications were also collected. RESULTS: Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) rates in Group C during early, middle, and late pregnancy were 59.87%, 43.95%, and 42.04%, respectively-significantly higher than Groups B (26.45%, 15.70%, 10.74%) and A (23.94%, 19.01%, 6.34%) ( P < 0.05). Median ALT levels in Group C were significantly higher than in Groups A and B at all pregnancy stages ( P < 0.05). No significant differences were found in neonatal malformation rates across groups ( P > 0.05). However, neonatal jaundice incidence was significantly greater in Group C (75.16%) compared to Groups A (42.25%) and B (57.02%) ( χ ² = 33.552, P < 0.001). HCV RNA positivity during pregnancy was an independent risk factor for neonatal jaundice ( OR = 2.111, 95% CI 1.242-3.588, P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS Chronic HCV infection can affect the liver function of pregnant women, but does not increase the pregnancy or delivery complication risks. HCV RNA(+) is an independent risk factor for neonatal jaundice.
Humans ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Adult ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Infant, Newborn ; Viremia/virology* ; Hepatitis C ; Hepacivirus/physiology* ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/virology* ; Young Adult ; Alanine Transaminase/blood*

ObjectiveThe study explores the influence of voluntary wheel running on the behavioral abnormalities and the activation state of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rats through gut microbiota. MethodsSD female rats were selected and administered either400 mg/kg of valproic acid (VPA) solution or an equivalent volume of saline via intraperitoneal injection on day 12.5 of pregnancy. The resulting offspring were divided into 2 groups: the ASD model group (PASD, n=35) and the normal control group (PCON, n=16). Behavioral assessments, including the three-chamber social test, open field test, and Morris water maze, were conducted on postnatal day 23. After behavioral testing, 8 rats from each group (PCON, PASD) were randomly selected for serum analysis using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and corticosterone (CORT) concentration, to evaluate the functional state of the HPA axis in rats. On postnatal day 28, the remaining 8 rats in the PCON group were designated as the control group (CON, n=8), and the remaining 27 rats in the PASD group were randomly divided into 4 groups: ASD non-intervention group (ASD, n=6), ASD exercise group (ASDE, n=8), ASD fecal microbiota transplantation group (FMT, n=8), and ASD sham fecal microbiota transplantation group (sFMT, n=5). The rats in the ASD group and the CON group were kept under standard conditions, while the rats in the ASDE group performed 6 weeks of voluntary wheel running intervention starting on postnatal day 28. The rats in the FMT group were gavaged daily from postnatal day 42 with 1 ml/100 g fresh fecal suspension from ASDE rats which had undergone exercise for 2 weeks, 5 d per week, continuing for 4 weeks. The sFMT group received an equivalent volume of saline. After the interventions were completed, behavioral assessments and HPA axis markers were measured for all groups. ResultsBefore the intervention, the ASD model group exhibited significantly reduced social ability, social novelty preference, spontaneous activity, and exploratory interest, as well as impaired spatial learning, memory, and navigation abilities compared to the normal control group (P<0.05). Serum concentration of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and corticosterone (CORT) in the PASD group were significantly higher than those in the PCON group (P<0.05). Following 6 weeks of voluntary wheel running, the ASDE group showed significant improvements in social ability, social novelty preference, spontaneous activity, exploratory interest, spatial learning, memory, and navigation skills compared to the ASD group (P<0.05), with a significant decrease in serum CORT concentration (P<0.05), and a downward trend in CRH and ACTH concentration. After 4 weeks of fecal microbiota transplantation in the exercise group, the FMT group showed marked improvements in social ability, social novelty preference, spontaneous activity, exploratory interest, as well as spatial learning, memory, and navigation abilities compared to both the ASD and sFMT groups (P<0.05). In addition, serum ACTH and CORT concentration were significantly reduced (P<0.05), and CRH concentration also showed a decreasing trend. ConclusionExercise may improve ASD-related behaviors by suppressing the activation of the HPA axis, with the gut microbiota likely playing a crucial role in this process.

Through a systematic review of the literature on the treatment of eczema with Binghuang Fule Ointment, the "6+1" assessment model was used to comprehensively evaluate its clinical value, providing a basis for decisions on the allocation of medical resources, rational clinical medication use, and hospital procurement and supply of Chinese patent medicines in China. Based on the relevant standards in the Guidelines for the Management of Clinical Evidence and Value Evaluation of Drugs, diversified research methods were adopted, including evidence-based medical evidence, questionnaire surveys, and pharmacoeconomic evaluations. These methods were combined with both qualitative and quantitative research approaches, and the multi-criteria decision analysis(MCDA) model was applied to perform a comprehensive evaluation of Binghuang Fule Ointment in treating eczema. Safety was evaluated based on evidence adequacy assessments and known risk evaluations, and thus the safety was rated as grade A, indicating that its risk is controllable, its safety is good, and there is sufficient evidence to confirm its safety. The evidence of effectiveness came from the results of Meta-analysis, which showed that Binghuang Fule Ointment + conventional treatment/Binghuang Fule Ointment vs conventional treatment had better clinical effective effect, and the effectiveness was rated as grade A. The economic evaluation, integrating evidence value and evidence quality results, thus the economy was rated as grade B. Innovation was evaluated based on three primary indexes and 18 secondary indexes, with Binghuang Fule Ointment's innovation rated as grade B, indicating a good level of innovation. Suitability was assessed through a questionnaire survey and Chinese patent medicine information service data, and Binghuang Fule Ointment's suitability was rated as grade B, indicating good suitability. Accessibility was assessed based on the proportion of Binghuang Fule Ointment's daily cost relative to the median disposable income of urban and rural residents. The proportion was only 0.05% in urban residents' median disposable income, and 0.14% in rural residents' median disposable income. Accessibility was rated as grade B, reflecting good accessibility. Binghuang Fule Ointment was prescribed by a senior Tibetan doctor with many years of clinical experience at the People's Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region. Its traditional Chinese medicine characteristics were rated as grade B. Based on the results from the "6+1" evaluation dimensions, the comprehensive value score of Binghuang Fule Ointment was calculated using CSC v2.0 software, yielding a score of 0.79, which corresponds to a class A, indicating good clinical value.
Humans ; Ointments ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Eczema/economics*

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*

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) decoction pieces are a core carrier for the inheritance and innovation of TCM, and their quality and safety are critical to public health and the sustainable development of the industry. Conventional quality control models, while having established a well-developed system through long-term practice, still face challenges such as relatively long inspection cycles, insufficient objectivity in characterizing complex traits, and urgent needs for improving the efficiency of integrating multidimensional quality information when confronted with the dual demands of large-scale production and precision quality control. With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, machine learning can deeply analyze multidimensional data of the morphology, spectroscopy, and chemical fingerprints of decoction pieces by constructing high-dimensional feature space analysis models, significantly improving the standardization level and decision-making efficiency of quality evaluation. This article reviews the research progress in the application of machine learning in the processing, production, and rapid quality evaluation of TCM decoction pieces. It further analyzes current challenges in technological implementation and proposes potential solutions, offering theoretical and technical references to advance the digital and intelligent transformation of the industry.
Machine Learning ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/standards* ; Quality Control ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards* ; Humans