1.Comparison of Protein and Polypeptide Components and Antithrombotic Activity In Vitro of Three Preparations Containing Hirudo
Wanling ZHONG ; Yunnan MA ; Jinhong YE ; Xiaoyu FAN ; Huijuan SHEN ; Rui YUAN ; Yaxuan ZHANG ; Zhuyuan LIU ; Shouying DU ; Pengyue LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(20):184-194
ObjectiveTo compare the contents and relative molecular weight distributions of proteins and polypeptides in Naoxuekang dropping pills, Huoxue Tongmai capsules and Maixuekang capsules of Hirudo single medicinal preparations, to evaluate the in vitro anticoagulant, antiplatelet and fibrinolytic activities of the three preparations, and to investigate the effects of temperature, pH and digestive enzymes on the anticoagulant activities of the three preparations. MethodsThe contents of soluble proteins and polypeptides in the three preparations were determined by bicinchoninic acid assay(BCA) and Bradford method, and the relative molecular weight distributions of the three preparations were determined by electrophoresis combined with gel chromatography. The antithrombin activity of the three preparations was evaluated by fibrinogen-thrombin time(Fibg-TT) method, and their anticoagulant activities were further assessed by the elongations of activated partial thromboplastin time(APTT), prothrombin time(PT) and thrombin time(TT). The antiplatelet aggregation activities of the three preparations were measured by turbidimetry and the fibrinolytic activities were measured by fibrin plate method. Relative TT was used as index to investigate the effects of temperature, pH and digestive enzyme buffer on anticoagulant activities of the three preparations. ResultsAt the lowest single dosage, the contents of proteins and polypeptides were in the order of Maixuekang capsules>Huoxue Tongmai capsules>Naoxuekang dropping pills. Both Huoxue Tongmai capsules and Maixuekang capsules had 11 electrophoretic bands between 4.0 kDa and 90 kDa, the bands of Maixuekang capsules were more clear in the range of >25 kDa, and there was 1 obvious band at 14 kDa for the two capsules. Huoxue Tongmai capsules had one specific band at 9.0 kDa and Maixuekang capsules had one specific band at 48.0 kDa. Naoxuekang dropping pills only had 2 electrophoretic bands at 6.5 kDa and 8.5 kDa, primarily containing peptides below 2 kDa, most of which were oligopeptides. The anticoagulant activity concentrations of the three preparations exhibited a certain dose-dependent effect. At the lowest single dosage, The anticoagulant activity concentrations were ranked as Naoxuekang dropping pills>Huoxue Tongmai capsules>Maixuekang capsules. The prolongation effect of the three preparations on coagulation time was dose-dependent. At the same concentration, the prolongation effect of Naoxuekang dropping pills and Huoxue Tongmai capsules was APTT prolongation rate>TT prolongation rate>PT prolongation rate, whereas for Maixuekang capsules, the sequence was TT prolongation rate>APTT prolongation rate>PT lengthening rate. At the single minimum dosage, the order of APTT prolongation rate was Maixuekang capsules>Huoxue Tongmai capsules≈Naoxuekang dropping pills, the order of PT prolongation rate was Naoxuekang dropping pills≈Maixuekang capsules>Huoxue Tongmai capsules, and the order of TT prolongation rate was Maixuekang capsules>Huoxue Tongmai capsules>Naoxuekang dropping pills. The three preparations showed dose-dependent effects on platelet aggregation induced by adenosine diphosphate(ADP) and arachidonic acid(AA), and the effect induced by ADP was stronger than that induced by AA. The anti-platelet aggregation effect of Naoxuekang dropping pills was significantly stronger than that of Maixuekang capsules(P<0.01), whereas Huoxue Tongmai capsules had the effect of promoting platelet aggregation. None of the three preparations had the ability to dissolve fibrin. The anticoagulant activity of Naoxuekang dropping pills was least affected by heating, while the activities of the two capsules decreased significantly within 5 min above 80 ℃, and continued to decrease within 2 h. Compared with pure water, the anticoagulant activities of the three preparations could be increased by 1-3 times under strong acidity(pH 1-3). In the pepsin buffer, the anticoagulant activity of Naoxuekang dropping pills could be increased by 1-3 times, while the anticoagulant activities of Huoxue Tongmai capsules and Maxuekang capsules were significantly decreased, the lowest levels were about 60% and 20%, respectively. In trypsin buffer, the anticoagulant activities of Naoxuekang dropping pills, Huoxue Tongmai capsules and Maixuekang capsules decreased significantly, and the lowest levels decreased to about 41%, 41% and 35%, respectively. ConclusionThe contents of proteins and polypeptides and relative molecular weights of the preparations derived from lyophilized fresh Hirudo powder, dried Hirudo powder and reflux extract of Hirudo decrease sequentially, and the anticoagulant activity decrease gradually, but the anticoagulant pathway is different. And the anti-platelet aggregation activity of the reflux extract is significantly enhanced. The heat resistance and gastrointestinal stability of the three preparations increase successively, and the first two are suitable for enteric-soluble preparations, while the latter is suitable for routine oral administration. The above results can provide data reference for the rationality of different preparation methods, active substances, pharmacodynamics and mechanism of Hirudo preparations.
2.Expert consensus on evaluation index system construction for new traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) from TCM clinical practice in medical institutions.
Li LIU ; Lei ZHANG ; Wei-An YUAN ; Zhong-Qi YANG ; Jun-Hua ZHANG ; Bao-He WANG ; Si-Yuan HU ; Zu-Guang YE ; Ling HAN ; Yue-Hua ZHOU ; Zi-Feng YANG ; Rui GAO ; Ming YANG ; Ting WANG ; Jie-Lai XIA ; Shi-Shan YU ; Xiao-Hui FAN ; Hua HUA ; Jia HE ; Yin LU ; Zhong WANG ; Jin-Hui DOU ; Geng LI ; Yu DONG ; Hao YU ; Li-Ping QU ; Jian-Yuan TANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(12):3474-3482
Medical institutions, with their clinical practice foundation and abundant human use experience data, have become important carriers for the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and the "cradles" of the preparation of new TCM. To effectively promote the transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and establish an effective evaluation index system for the transformation of new TCM conforming to the characteristics of TCM, consensus experts adopted the literature research, questionnaire survey, Delphi method, etc. By focusing on the policy and technical evaluation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions, a comprehensive evaluation from the dimensions of drug safety, efficacy, feasibility, and characteristic advantages was conducted, thus forming a comprehensive evaluation system with four primary indicators and 37 secondary indicators. The expert consensus reached aims to encourage medical institutions at all levels to continuously improve the high-quality research and development and transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and targeted at clinical needs, so as to provide a decision-making basis for the preparation, selection, cultivation, and transformation of new TCM for medical institutions, improve the development efficiency of new TCM, and precisely respond to the public medication needs.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards*
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Humans
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Consensus
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
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Surveys and Questionnaires
3.Research and development of new traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for "preventive treatment of diseases" and innovation of TCM.
Rui-Ting LYU ; Yan-Ling AI ; Zhong-Qi YANG ; Ting WANG ; Jian-Yuan TANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(13):3589-3595
In the development of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), the concept of "preventive treatment of disease" has a long history and plays a crucial role in bridging the past and the future. With the continuous growth of public health needs and the ongoing transformation of the registration management of TCM, its position in the research and development of new drugs has become increasingly significant. As one of the important sources of new drug innovation, the new TCM for "preventive treatment of diseases" represents a new thinking proposed based on the current routine registration and research and development. The research and development of TCM for "preventive treatment of diseases" mainly cover four stages: prevention(before the onset of disease), early intervention(when the disease is about to occur), interruption and reversal(when the disease has already occurred), and prevention of recurrence after recovery(after the disease). This study aims to comprehensively analyze the positioning, key points, and difficulties in the research and development of TCM for "preventive treatment of diseases" and explore effective paths to promote the innovative development of TCM through relevant cases. The research and development of new TCM for "preventive treatment of disease" require researchers to seize the opportunities for innovation before the start of the research and development, accurately grasp the key issues at different stages, and pay attention to the full lifecycle evaluation of the drugs. Meanwhile, in the design of the research plan, the optimal effectiveness evaluation indicators should be explored; key and difficult areas such as chronic diseases and rare diseases should be taken seriously, and the limitations of new drug development only based on the diagnosed diseases should be broken, so as to cater to more patients. In addition, through relevant representative cases in China and abroad, the unique advantages of TCM for "preventive treatment of diseases" should be fully leveraged. By learning from the past, all aspects of key points in the evaluation of new drug research and development should be strengthened. Finally, this study proposed that TCM for "preventive treatment of diseases" can employ novel methods and advanced technologies such as new biomarkers and innovative clinical design protocols, as well as new perspectives on disease research and health management. This can provide new paths for the innovation of TCM and public health management.
Humans
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
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Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods*
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Pharmacy Research
4.Expert Consensus on the Ethical Requirements for Generative AI-Assisted Academic Writing
You-Quan BU ; Yong-Fu CAO ; Zeng-Yi CHANG ; Hong-Yu CHEN ; Xiao-Wei CHEN ; Yuan-Yuan CHEN ; Zhu-Cheng CHEN ; Rui DENG ; Jie DING ; Zhong-Kai FAN ; Guo-Quan GAO ; Xu GAO ; Lan HU ; Xiao-Qing HU ; Hong-Ti JIA ; Ying KONG ; En-Min LI ; Ling LI ; Yu-Hua LI ; Jun-Rong LIU ; Zhi-Qiang LIU ; Ya-Ping LUO ; Xue-Mei LV ; Yan-Xi PEI ; Xiao-Zhong PENG ; Qi-Qun TANG ; You WAN ; Yong WANG ; Ming-Xu WANG ; Xian WANG ; Guang-Kuan XIE ; Jun XIE ; Xiao-Hua YAN ; Mei YIN ; Zhong-Shan YU ; Chun-Yan ZHOU ; Rui-Fang ZHU
Chinese Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2025;41(6):826-832
With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence(GAI)technologies,their widespread application in academic research and writing is continuously expanding the boundaries of sci-entific inquiry.However,this trend has also raised a series of ethical and regulatory challenges,inclu-ding issues related to authorship,content authenticity,citation accuracy,and accountability.In light of the growing involvement of AI in generating academic content,establishing an open,controllable,and trustworthy ethical governance framework has become a key task for safeguarding research integrity and maintaining trust within the academic community.This expert consensus outlines ethical requirements across key stages of AI-assisted academic writing-including topic selection,data management,citation practices,and authorship attribution.It aims to clarify the boundaries and ethical obligations surrounding AI use in academic writing,ensuring that technological tools enhance efficiency without compromising in-tegrity.The goal is to provide guidance and institutional support for building a responsible and sustainable research ecosystem.
5.Liquiritin inhibits osteoclast differentiation and alleviates bone loss
Wensheng ZHANG ; Haiwei GUO ; Rui WENG ; Ling MO ; Zhenjie SONG ; Han TIAN ; Yelin ZHONG ; Yuancheng WANG ; Hanwu TANG ; Caijun LIU ; Chao YUAN ; Ying LI
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(12):2429-2437
BACKGROUND:Relatively or absolutely active bone resorption function of osteoclasts is one of the causative factors of osteoporosis. Therefore,how to inhibit the formation of osteoclasts and reduce the bone resorption activity is a key element in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Liquiritin,which is derived from licorice,plays a role in the clinical treatment of bone diseases,but there are fewer studies addressing the application of liquiritin in osteoporosis and the mechanism is unknown.OBJECTIVE:To confirm,through both in vivo and in vitro experiments,that liquiritin inhibits osteoclast differentiation and alleviates bone loss.METHODS:Cell counting kit-8 was used to detect whether Liquiritin exerts toxic or proliferative effects on mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages,and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining was performed to observe the effect of liquiritin in inhibiting osteoclast differentiation. The affinity of liquiritin binding to proteins related to osteoclast differentiation was verified by network pharmacology. RT-PCR and western blot assays were performed to detect the inhibitory effects of liquiritin on osteoclast-specific protein and gene expression as well as relevant signaling pathways. Finally,the mitigating effect of liquiritin on bone loss was verified in the C57BL/6J mouse osteoporosis model.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Liquiritin,at concentrations of 20 μmol/L and below,could inhibit the formation and differentiation of osteoclasts. Concurrently,it exhibited a high affinity with osteoclast-specific proteins such as nuclear factor of activated T-cells 1,Cathepsin K,c-Fos,and matrix metalloproteinase 9,and reduced the relative expression levels of these genes and proteins. Liquiritin could also effectively lower the phosphorylation expression level of JNK in the MAPK signaling pathway at the 15th,30th,45th,and 60th minutes,and it could salvage the degradation of nuclear factor-κB inhibitor α in the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway at the 60th minute. In vivo experiments demonstrated that liquiritin could mitigate bone loss caused by osteoclasts and improve parameters related to trabecular bone. To conclude,liquiritin possesses the capacity to inhibit osteoclast differentiation and alleviate bone loss,thereby exerting a protective role against osteoporosis.
6.Expert Consensus on the Ethical Requirements for Generative AI-Assisted Academic Writing
You-Quan BU ; Yong-Fu CAO ; Zeng-Yi CHANG ; Hong-Yu CHEN ; Xiao-Wei CHEN ; Yuan-Yuan CHEN ; Zhu-Cheng CHEN ; Rui DENG ; Jie DING ; Zhong-Kai FAN ; Guo-Quan GAO ; Xu GAO ; Lan HU ; Xiao-Qing HU ; Hong-Ti JIA ; Ying KONG ; En-Min LI ; Ling LI ; Yu-Hua LI ; Jun-Rong LIU ; Zhi-Qiang LIU ; Ya-Ping LUO ; Xue-Mei LV ; Yan-Xi PEI ; Xiao-Zhong PENG ; Qi-Qun TANG ; You WAN ; Yong WANG ; Ming-Xu WANG ; Xian WANG ; Guang-Kuan XIE ; Jun XIE ; Xiao-Hua YAN ; Mei YIN ; Zhong-Shan YU ; Chun-Yan ZHOU ; Rui-Fang ZHU
Chinese Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2025;41(6):826-832
With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence(GAI)technologies,their widespread application in academic research and writing is continuously expanding the boundaries of sci-entific inquiry.However,this trend has also raised a series of ethical and regulatory challenges,inclu-ding issues related to authorship,content authenticity,citation accuracy,and accountability.In light of the growing involvement of AI in generating academic content,establishing an open,controllable,and trustworthy ethical governance framework has become a key task for safeguarding research integrity and maintaining trust within the academic community.This expert consensus outlines ethical requirements across key stages of AI-assisted academic writing-including topic selection,data management,citation practices,and authorship attribution.It aims to clarify the boundaries and ethical obligations surrounding AI use in academic writing,ensuring that technological tools enhance efficiency without compromising in-tegrity.The goal is to provide guidance and institutional support for building a responsible and sustainable research ecosystem.
7.Liquiritin inhibits osteoclast differentiation and alleviates bone loss
Wensheng ZHANG ; Haiwei GUO ; Rui WENG ; Ling MO ; Zhenjie SONG ; Han TIAN ; Yelin ZHONG ; Yuancheng WANG ; Hanwu TANG ; Caijun LIU ; Chao YUAN ; Ying LI
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(12):2429-2437
BACKGROUND:Relatively or absolutely active bone resorption function of osteoclasts is one of the causative factors of osteoporosis. Therefore,how to inhibit the formation of osteoclasts and reduce the bone resorption activity is a key element in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Liquiritin,which is derived from licorice,plays a role in the clinical treatment of bone diseases,but there are fewer studies addressing the application of liquiritin in osteoporosis and the mechanism is unknown.OBJECTIVE:To confirm,through both in vivo and in vitro experiments,that liquiritin inhibits osteoclast differentiation and alleviates bone loss.METHODS:Cell counting kit-8 was used to detect whether Liquiritin exerts toxic or proliferative effects on mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages,and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining was performed to observe the effect of liquiritin in inhibiting osteoclast differentiation. The affinity of liquiritin binding to proteins related to osteoclast differentiation was verified by network pharmacology. RT-PCR and western blot assays were performed to detect the inhibitory effects of liquiritin on osteoclast-specific protein and gene expression as well as relevant signaling pathways. Finally,the mitigating effect of liquiritin on bone loss was verified in the C57BL/6J mouse osteoporosis model.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Liquiritin,at concentrations of 20 μmol/L and below,could inhibit the formation and differentiation of osteoclasts. Concurrently,it exhibited a high affinity with osteoclast-specific proteins such as nuclear factor of activated T-cells 1,Cathepsin K,c-Fos,and matrix metalloproteinase 9,and reduced the relative expression levels of these genes and proteins. Liquiritin could also effectively lower the phosphorylation expression level of JNK in the MAPK signaling pathway at the 15th,30th,45th,and 60th minutes,and it could salvage the degradation of nuclear factor-κB inhibitor α in the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway at the 60th minute. In vivo experiments demonstrated that liquiritin could mitigate bone loss caused by osteoclasts and improve parameters related to trabecular bone. To conclude,liquiritin possesses the capacity to inhibit osteoclast differentiation and alleviate bone loss,thereby exerting a protective role against osteoporosis.
8.Long-Term Exposure to Low-Level Ambient Air Pollution and Mortality among 0.3 Million Chinese Older Adults.
Likun LIU ; Xueli YUAN ; Wenqing NI ; Jing WEI ; Tingting LIU ; Ruijun XU ; Yingxin LI ; Zihua ZHONG ; Yi ZHENG ; Sihan LIANG ; Rui WANG ; Jian XU ; Yuewei LIU
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2024;37(12):1362-1372
OBJECTIVE:
Evidence that long-term exposure to ambient air pollution increases mortality among older adults, particularly those residing in low-level air pollution locations, remains scarce. This study investigated the potential links between long-term low-level air pollution exposure and mortality among Chinese older adults.
METHODS:
A population-based study with 317,464 individuals aged ≥ 65 years was conducted in Shenzhen, China during 2018 and 2020. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the associations between long-term exposure to air pollution and all-cause mortality, as the primary outcome, as well as non-accidental, cancer and cardiovascular mortality.
RESULTS:
Significant associations of PM 1, PM 2.5, PM 10, SO 2, CO, and O 3 exposures with a higher risk of all-cause mortality were found. Adjusted odds ratio ( OR) for each 1 µg/m 3 increment was 1.49 [95% confidence interval ( CI): 1.46, 1.53] for PM 1, 1.30 (1.27, 1.32) for PM 2.5, 1.05 (1.04, 1.06) for PM 10, 5.84 (5.39, 6.32) for SO 2, 1.04 (1.04, 1.05) for CO, and 1.02 (1.00, 1.03) for O 3, respectively. Long-term PM 1, PM 2.5, PM 10, SO 2, and CO exposures also elevated the risks of non-accidental, cancer and cardiovascular mortality.
CONCLUSION
Long-term low-level air pollution exposure was associated with an increased mortality risk among Chinese older adults.
Humans
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Aged
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China/epidemiology*
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Male
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Female
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Air Pollution/adverse effects*
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Environmental Exposure/adverse effects*
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Air Pollutants/analysis*
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Aged, 80 and over
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Particulate Matter/adverse effects*
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Cardiovascular Diseases/mortality*
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Mortality
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Neoplasms/mortality*
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East Asian People
9.Effect mechanism investigation of herb-partitioned moxibustion on relieving colon inflammation in Crohn disease rats based on neutrophil extracellular traps
Chi LU ; Jing XU ; Yuan LU ; Luyi WU ; Chunhui BAO ; Zhe MA ; Rui ZHONG ; Zhaoqin WANG ; Kexin SUN ; Handan ZHENG ; Zhijun WENG ; Yan HUANG ; Huangan WU ; Yanping YANG
Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science 2024;22(3):173-183
Objective:To explore the mechanism of herb-partitioned moxibustion in relieving rat intestinal inflammation by focusing on the neutrophil extracellular traps(NETs)in Crohn disease(CD)development. Methods:Rats were randomly divided into a normal group,a model group,a herb-partitioned moxibustion group,and a mesalazine group.The CD rat model was prepared with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid except for rats in the normal group.Rats in the normal group and model group did not receive any treatment but had the same fixation as the other groups.Rats in the herb-partitioned moxibustion group received herb-partitioned moxibustion at Qihai(CV6)and bilateral Tianshu(ST25).Rats in the mesalazine group received intragastric administration of mesalazine enteric-coated tablets.The general situation of rats in each group was recorded,and the histopathological changes in the colon were observed and scored by hematoxylin-eosin staining.The serum concentrations of NETs DNA(NETs-DNA),neutrophil elastase(NE)-DNA,and myeloperoxidase(MPO)-DNA were detected by ABC enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,and the citrullinated histone 3(citH3),MPO,and NE protein and mRNA expression levels in rat colon tissue were observed by immunofluorescence and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results:Compared with the normal group,the mucosal ulcer reached the muscularis,the epithelium was incomplete,the goblet cells decreased obviously with significant inflammatory cell infiltration in the colon;the colonic mucosa damage index(CMDI)score increased significantly(P<0.01);the serum NETs-DNA,NE-DNA,and MPO-DNA concentrations increased(P<0.05);the NE,citH3,and MPO protein and mRNA expression in the colonic tissue increased significantly in the model group(P<0.01 or P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the mucosal epithelium in the herb-partitioned moxibustion group and the mesalazine group was repaired and the goblet cells increased with a few infiltrating inflammatory cells in the colon;the CMDI score decreased(P<0.01);the serum NETs-DNA,NE-DNA,and MPO-DNA concentrations decreased(P<0.05);the NE,citH3,and MPO protein and mRNA expression in the colonic tissue was down-regulated(P<0.01 or P<0.05). Conclusion:Herb-partitioned moxibustion reduced the serum NETs complex and inhibited the protein and mRNA expression of NETs complex in the colon tissue,which may be one mechanism of herb-partitioned moxibustion in relieving colon mucosal inflammation in CD.
10.Investigation of tick species and potential pathogenic ricks in certain areas of Wuwei City,Gansu Province
Rui-Shan LI ; Zhen HE ; Xiang YUAN ; Shi-Wei SUN ; Yi-Wen LIU ; Wen-Kai ZHANG ; Lin ZHANG ; Yu-Hua WANG ; Zhen-Hua LU ; Zhao-Hua JI ; Zhong-Jun SHAO
Chinese Journal of Zoonoses 2024;40(4):328-333
To understand the distribution of ticks in the Wuwei Region,enrich tick species data,and provide a basis for the prevention of tick-borne diseases,tick were collected using flagging and tick-picking methods during the highest activity period from April to September in 2021 and 2022 in the mountainous areas of Wuwei City.The ticks were identified based on morpho-logical and molecular biological characteristics,and characteristic sequences were obtained.A systematic evolutionary tree was constructed using the neighbor-joining method in MEGA 11.0 software.In total,7 342 ticks collected in Wuwei,which be-longed to 5 species from 4 genera with in the Ixodidae family,which included Dermacentor nuttalli,Hyalomma asiaticum,Ixodes canisuga,Haemaphysalis longicornis and Haema-physalis danieli.Ticks of the same species clustered together into the same branch of an evolutionary tree.In the Wuwei Re-gion,five common tick species are found across various habi-tats,with each habitat featuring different distributions of tick species and populations.The Dermacentor nuttalli is the dom-inant tick species in this area.

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