1.Differences in deltamethrin resistance and kdr gene mutation in Culex tritaeniorhynchus population in and outside the Yellow Sea wetland
Xiao-er ZHANG ; Zhi-ming WU ; Ye TIAN ; Qian CUI ; Yu-qian JI ; Huan WANG ; Shu-juan YANG ; Yi-chao ZHAO ; Yu WANG ; Hua-yu YIN ; Yu DING ; Guo-jin YAN ; Min-sen ZHAO ; Shou-gang ZHANG ; Bing-dong SONG ; Hong-na CHEN ; Jian GAO ; Wei-fang YANG ; Yu-fu ZHANG ; Hui LIU ; Hong-liang CHU
Acta Parasitologica et Medica Entomologica Sinica 2026;33(2):101-107
Objective To gain insights into the biological characteristics of different populations of Culex tritaeniorhynchus within and around the Yellow Sea wetland from the perspective of the occurrence of resistance, we investigated the levels of resistance to deltamethrin and kdr gene mutation in the wetland and its peripheral areas. Methods Specimens were collected from Cx. tritaeniorhynchus populations at two monitoring sites in the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area, and also from two populations in Yancheng City and the Liuhe District of Nanjing, and the resistance of these mosquitoes to deltamethrin was determined using the CDC biotest bottle method. For each concentration of deltamethrin assessed, a random subset of exposed specimens was selected for amplification of the kdr gene fragment, followed by Sanger sequencing to identify and analyze resistance-associated mutations. Results The LC50 levels of deltamethrin among mosquitoes from the four populations in Luhe, Yancheng, the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and the Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area were 2.048 5, 7.798 2, 3.473 3, and 17.695 5 mg/mL, respectively, with corresponding concentrations of deltamethrin ranging from 0.005 to 5.000,0.050 to 50.000,0.050 to 25.000 and 0.050 to 50.000 mg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the ranges of the KT50 values were 11.76-107.43, 67.05-216.30,29.77-107.43 and 28.40-329.51 min; the 1-h knockdown rates were 34.58%-99.15%, 9.52%-43.80%, 55.09%-73.01%, and 10.09%-68.07%; and the 24-h mortality rates were 12.15%-67.52%,9.52%-79.56%,13.17%-82.21%, and 11.01%-78.99%, respectively. With respect to kdr gene mutation, we assayed a total of 63,70,59, and 57 mosquitoes for the four populations, for which we detected L1014F mutation frequencies of 14.29%, 35.00%, 20.34%, and 31.58%, respectively, with a majority of these mutations being heterozygous for resistance. In addition, five adult mosquitoes were identified has having synonymous mutations at site 1011[i. e. , AAT(asparagine)mutation to AAC(asparagine)]. Conclusions Our findings revealed the clear resistance of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus to deltamethrin in the Yancheng region of the Yellow Sea wetland, and the resistance phenotype and kdr frequency of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment were comparable to those of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment, thereby indicating that the resistance of different populations of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus was homogeneous under the pressure of different insecticide selection within and around the wetland. However, the underlying mechanisms need to be further studied.
2.Three cases of acquired ocular toxoplasmosis
Rui-rui LI ; Shu ZHOU ; Hua LIU ; Bo ZHOU ; Yu-zhang HU
Acta Parasitologica et Medica Entomologica Sinica 2026;33(1):66-68
In this study, there were three toxoplasmosis patients, two of whom developed symptoms in both eyes. One patient had a slight deviation of the lesion from the central fovea, which had a minor impact on vision. The diagnosis of this disease requires not only a close pet contact history and typical clinical manifestations, but also serology and the gold standard Goldmann-Witmer coefficient(GWC). However, the GWC of some patients cannot be detected at the initial stage, such as the first patient′s GWC, which did not meet the standard. All three patients underwent metagenomic testing to assist with diagnosis.
3.Effect of Zhengan Xifengtang on Intestinal Mucosal Barrier in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats via FXR-MLCK/p-MLC Pathway
Meilong SI ; Hua JIN ; Yu WANG ; Qiuju ZHANG ; Tao LIU ; Yun YONG ; Xuan BAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(21):1-10
ObjectiveTo investigate the repair effects of Zhengan Xifengtang on intestinal mucosal barrier in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) through the pathways of farnesoid X receptor (FXR)-myosin light chain kinase (MLCK)/phosphorylated myosin light chain (p-MLC) and its potential mechanism. MethodsForty 10-week-old male SHRs were randomly divided into model group, amlodipine besylate group (0.5 mg·kg-1·d-1), and high, middle and low dose groups of Zhengan Xifengtang (34.5, 17.25, 8.625 g·kg-1·d-1); eight age-matched male Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats of the same origin served as the normal control group. Drug intervention was carried out for 8 weeks, and the blood pressure of the rats was measured regularly. After the intervention, the rats were euthanized to collect tissue samples. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and Alcian blue-periodic acid-Schiff (AB-PAS) staining were used to evaluate the pathological morphology and the number of goblet cells in colonic mucosa. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to measure plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and diamine oxidase (DAO) levels in each group of rats. Immunofluorescence (IF) assay was used to detect the relative fluorescence intensity of FXR and p-MLC in colonic tissue. Western blot was used to detect the zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), Occludin, Claudin-1, junctional adhesion molecule-1 (JAM-1), mucin-2 (MUC2), FXR, MLCK, and p-MLC protein expression in colon tissue. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) was used to detect mRNA expression levels of ZO-1, Occludin, Claudin-1, JAM-1, MUC2, FXR, MLCK, and MLC in colon tissue. ResultsCompared with the normal group, the blood pressure in the model group increased significantly (P<0.01), the colonic mucosal structure was seriously damaged, and the number of goblet cells decreased significantly. The contents of LPS and DAO increased significantly (P<0.01), the relative fluorescence intensity of FXR in colon decreased, while that of p-MLC increased (P<0.01). The protein and mRNA expressions of ZO-1, Claudin-1, JAM-1, Occludin, MUC2 and FXR decreased significantly (P<0.01), whereas the protein expression of MLCK and p-MLC increased significantly (P<0.01). Additionally, the mRNA expression of MLCK and MLC increased significantly (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the Zhengan Xifengtang groups at various dosages and the amlodipine besylate group showed significantly reduced blood pressure (P<0.01). The damage of colonic mucosa structure was alleviated, the infiltration of inflammatory cells decreased, and the number of goblet cells increased. LPS and DAO levels were decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01). In the colon, the relative fluorescence intensity of FXR increased, while that of p-MLC decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01). The protein and mRNA expression levels of ZO-1, Claudin-1, JAM-1, Occludin, and FXR increased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01), while the protein expression of MLCK and p-MLC decreased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01). Furthermore, the mRNA expression of MLCK and MLC decreased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the protein expression of MUC2 increased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01). The expression of MUC2 mRNA in each dose group of Zhengan Xifengtang increased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionZhengan Xifengtang may regulate the FXR-MLCK/p-MLC signaling pathway and enhance the expression of tight junction protein, thereby reducing intestinal mucosal permeability, promoting mucosal barrier repair, decreasing LPS release into the blood, and ultimately lowering blood pressure.
4.Effect of Zhengan Xifengtang on Intestinal Mucosal Barrier in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats via FXR-MLCK/p-MLC Pathway
Meilong SI ; Hua JIN ; Yu WANG ; Qiuju ZHANG ; Tao LIU ; Yun YONG ; Xuan BAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(21):1-10
ObjectiveTo investigate the repair effects of Zhengan Xifengtang on intestinal mucosal barrier in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) through the pathways of farnesoid X receptor (FXR)-myosin light chain kinase (MLCK)/phosphorylated myosin light chain (p-MLC) and its potential mechanism. MethodsForty 10-week-old male SHRs were randomly divided into model group, amlodipine besylate group (0.5 mg·kg-1·d-1), and high, middle and low dose groups of Zhengan Xifengtang (34.5, 17.25, 8.625 g·kg-1·d-1); eight age-matched male Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats of the same origin served as the normal control group. Drug intervention was carried out for 8 weeks, and the blood pressure of the rats was measured regularly. After the intervention, the rats were euthanized to collect tissue samples. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and Alcian blue-periodic acid-Schiff (AB-PAS) staining were used to evaluate the pathological morphology and the number of goblet cells in colonic mucosa. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to measure plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and diamine oxidase (DAO) levels in each group of rats. Immunofluorescence (IF) assay was used to detect the relative fluorescence intensity of FXR and p-MLC in colonic tissue. Western blot was used to detect the zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), Occludin, Claudin-1, junctional adhesion molecule-1 (JAM-1), mucin-2 (MUC2), FXR, MLCK, and p-MLC protein expression in colon tissue. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) was used to detect mRNA expression levels of ZO-1, Occludin, Claudin-1, JAM-1, MUC2, FXR, MLCK, and MLC in colon tissue. ResultsCompared with the normal group, the blood pressure in the model group increased significantly (P<0.01), the colonic mucosal structure was seriously damaged, and the number of goblet cells decreased significantly. The contents of LPS and DAO increased significantly (P<0.01), the relative fluorescence intensity of FXR in colon decreased, while that of p-MLC increased (P<0.01). The protein and mRNA expressions of ZO-1, Claudin-1, JAM-1, Occludin, MUC2 and FXR decreased significantly (P<0.01), whereas the protein expression of MLCK and p-MLC increased significantly (P<0.01). Additionally, the mRNA expression of MLCK and MLC increased significantly (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the Zhengan Xifengtang groups at various dosages and the amlodipine besylate group showed significantly reduced blood pressure (P<0.01). The damage of colonic mucosa structure was alleviated, the infiltration of inflammatory cells decreased, and the number of goblet cells increased. LPS and DAO levels were decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01). In the colon, the relative fluorescence intensity of FXR increased, while that of p-MLC decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01). The protein and mRNA expression levels of ZO-1, Claudin-1, JAM-1, Occludin, and FXR increased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01), while the protein expression of MLCK and p-MLC decreased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01). Furthermore, the mRNA expression of MLCK and MLC decreased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the protein expression of MUC2 increased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01). The expression of MUC2 mRNA in each dose group of Zhengan Xifengtang increased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionZhengan Xifengtang may regulate the FXR-MLCK/p-MLC signaling pathway and enhance the expression of tight junction protein, thereby reducing intestinal mucosal permeability, promoting mucosal barrier repair, decreasing LPS release into the blood, and ultimately lowering blood pressure.
5.Artificial intelligence in traditional Chinese medicine: from systems biological mechanism discovery, real-world clinical evidence inference to personalized clinical decision support.
Dengying YAN ; Qiguang ZHENG ; Kai CHANG ; Rui HUA ; Yiming LIU ; Jingyan XUE ; Zixin SHU ; Yunhui HU ; Pengcheng YANG ; Yu WEI ; Jidong LANG ; Haibin YU ; Xiaodong LI ; Runshun ZHANG ; Wenjia WANG ; Baoyan LIU ; Xuezhong ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2025;23(11):1310-1328
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) represents a paradigmatic approach to personalized medicine, developed through the systematic accumulation and refinement of clinical empirical data over more than 2000 years, and now encompasses large-scale electronic medical records (EMR) and experimental molecular data. Artificial intelligence (AI) has demonstrated its utility in medicine through the development of various expert systems (e.g., MYCIN) since the 1970s. With the emergence of deep learning and large language models (LLMs), AI's potential in medicine shows considerable promise. Consequently, the integration of AI and TCM from both clinical and scientific perspectives presents a fundamental and promising research direction. This survey provides an insightful overview of TCM AI research, summarizing related research tasks from three perspectives: systems-level biological mechanism elucidation, real-world clinical evidence inference, and personalized clinical decision support. The review highlights representative AI methodologies alongside their applications in both TCM scientific inquiry and clinical practice. To critically assess the current state of the field, this work identifies major challenges and opportunities that constrain the development of robust research capabilities-particularly in the mechanistic understanding of TCM syndromes and herbal formulations, novel drug discovery, and the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered clinical care. The findings underscore that future advancements in AI-driven TCM research will rely on the development of high-quality, large-scale data repositories; the construction of comprehensive and domain-specific knowledge graphs (KGs); deeper insights into the biological mechanisms underpinning clinical efficacy; rigorous causal inference frameworks; and intelligent, personalized decision support systems.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods*
;
Artificial Intelligence
;
Humans
;
Precision Medicine
;
Decision Support Systems, Clinical
6.Expert consensus on prognostic evaluation of cochlear implantation in hereditary hearing loss.
Xinyu SHI ; Xianbao CAO ; Renjie CHAI ; Suijun CHEN ; Juan FENG ; Ningyu FENG ; Xia GAO ; Lulu GUO ; Yuhe LIU ; Ling LU ; Lingyun MEI ; Xiaoyun QIAN ; Dongdong REN ; Haibo SHI ; Duoduo TAO ; Qin WANG ; Zhaoyan WANG ; Shuo WANG ; Wei WANG ; Ming XIA ; Hao XIONG ; Baicheng XU ; Kai XU ; Lei XU ; Hua YANG ; Jun YANG ; Pingli YANG ; Wei YUAN ; Dingjun ZHA ; Chunming ZHANG ; Hongzheng ZHANG ; Juan ZHANG ; Tianhong ZHANG ; Wenqi ZUO ; Wenyan LI ; Yongyi YUAN ; Jie ZHANG ; Yu ZHAO ; Fang ZHENG ; Yu SUN
Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 2025;39(9):798-808
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
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Cochlear Implantation
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Prognosis
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Hearing Loss/surgery*
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Consensus
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Connexin 26
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Mutation
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Sulfate Transporters
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Connexins/genetics*
7.The decade of otoendoscope in China.
Yu SUN ; Xiuyong DING ; Yunfeng WANG ; Wuqing WANG ; Wei WANG ; Wenlong SHANG ; Wen ZHANG ; Jie ZHANG ; Yang CHEN ; Zhaoyan WANG ; Haidi YANG ; Qiong YANG ; Yu ZHAO ; Zhaohui HOU ; Yong CUI ; Lingyun MEI ; Youjun YU ; Hua LIAO
Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 2025;39(12):1103-1109
8.N 6-Methyladenosine modification of circDcbld2 in Kupffer cells promotes hepatic fibrosis via targeting miR-144-3p/Et-1 axis.
Sai ZHU ; Xin CHEN ; Lijiao SUN ; Xiaofeng LI ; Yu CHEN ; Liangyun LI ; Xiaoguo SUO ; Chuanhui XU ; Minglu JI ; Jianan WANG ; Hua WANG ; Lei ZHANG ; Xiaoming MENG ; Cheng HUANG ; Jun LI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(1):296-313
Kupffer cells (KCs), as residents and sentinels of the liver, are involved in the formation of hepatic fibrosis (HF). However, the biological functions of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in KCs to HF have not been determined. In this study, the expression levels of circRNAs, microRNAs, and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in KCs from a mouse model of HF mice were investigated using microarray and circRNA-Seq analyses. circDcbld2 was identified as a candidate circRNA in HF, as evidenced by its up-regulation in KCs. Silver staining and mass spectrometry showed that Wtap and Igf2bp2 bind to cirDcbld2. The suppression of circDcbld2 expression decreased the KC inflammatory response and oxidative stress and inhibited hepatic stellate cell (HSCs) activation, attenuating mouse liver fibrogenesis. Mechanistically, Wtap mediated the N 6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation of circDcbld2, and Igf2bp2 recognized m6A-modified circDcbld2 and increased its stability. circDcbld2 contributes to the occurrence of HF by binding miR-144-3p/Et-1 to regulate the inflammatory response and oxidative stress. These findings indicate that circDcbld2 functions via the m6A/circDcbld2/miR-144-3p/Et-1 axis and may act as a potential biomarker for HF treatment.
9.VenusMutHub: A systematic evaluation of protein mutation effect predictors on small-scale experimental data.
Liang ZHANG ; Hua PANG ; Chenghao ZHANG ; Song LI ; Yang TAN ; Fan JIANG ; Mingchen LI ; Yuanxi YU ; Ziyi ZHOU ; Banghao WU ; Bingxin ZHOU ; Hao LIU ; Pan TAN ; Liang HONG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(5):2454-2467
In protein engineering, while computational models are increasingly used to predict mutation effects, their evaluations primarily rely on high-throughput deep mutational scanning (DMS) experiments that use surrogate readouts, which may not adequately capture the complex biochemical properties of interest. Many proteins and their functions cannot be assessed through high-throughput methods due to technical limitations or the nature of the desired properties, and this is particularly true for the real industrial application scenario. Therefore, the desired testing datasets, will be small-size (∼10-100) experimental data for each protein, and involve as many proteins as possible and as many properties as possible, which is, however, lacking. Here, we present VenusMutHub, a comprehensive benchmark study using 905 small-scale experimental datasets curated from published literature and public databases, spanning 527 proteins across diverse functional properties including stability, activity, binding affinity, and selectivity. These datasets feature direct biochemical measurements rather than surrogate readouts, providing a more rigorous assessment of model performance in predicting mutations that affect specific molecular functions. We evaluate 23 computational models across various methodological paradigms, such as sequence-based, structure-informed and evolutionary approaches. This benchmark provides practical guidance for selecting appropriate prediction methods in protein engineering applications where accurate prediction of specific functional properties is crucial.
10.Psychological stress-activated NR3C1/NUPR1 axis promotes ovarian tumor metastasis.
Bin LIU ; Wen-Zhe DENG ; Wen-Hua HU ; Rong-Xi LU ; Qing-Yu ZHANG ; Chen-Feng GAO ; Xiao-Jie HUANG ; Wei-Guo LIAO ; Jin GAO ; Yang LIU ; Hiroshi KURIHARA ; Yi-Fang LI ; Xu-Hui ZHANG ; Yan-Ping WU ; Lei LIANG ; Rong-Rong HE
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(6):3149-3162
Ovarian tumor (OT) is the most lethal form of gynecologic malignancy, with minimal improvements in patient outcomes over the past several decades. Metastasis is the leading cause of ovarian cancer-related deaths, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Psychological stress is known to activate the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), a factor associated with poor prognosis in OT patients. However, the precise mechanisms linking NR3C1 signaling and metastasis have yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we demonstrate that chronic restraint stress accelerates epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis in OT through an NR3C1-dependent mechanism involving nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1). Mechanistically, NR3C1 directly regulates the transcription of NUPR1, which in turn increases the expression of snail family transcriptional repressor 2 (SNAI2), a key driver of EMT. Clinically, elevated NR3C1 positively correlates with NUPR1 expression in OT patients, and both are positively associated with poorer prognosis. Overall, our study identified the NR3C1/NUPR1 axis as a critical regulatory pathway in psychological stress-induced OT metastasis, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for intervention in OT metastasis.


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