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Background: Biopsy is the gold standard method for diagnosing liver fibrosis. FibroScan is a non-invasive method of diagnosing liver fibrosis, but it still faces some limitations. This study aimed to establish a nomogram model and identify patients at high risk of advanced liver fibrosis associated with hepatitis B infection., Methods: Data were collected from 375 patients with hepatitis B who underwent liver biopsy. Patients were divided randomly into the training (n = 263) and validation sets (n = 112). Their demographic and clinical characteristics were analyzed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression (LASSO). A nomogram model was established to predict the fibrosis stage, and its performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) and was compared with other recognized models., Results: In total, 209 patients with non-advanced fibrosis (S0-1) and 166 patients with advanced fibrosis (S ≥ 2) were included. Hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin, total cholesterol (TC), platelet, and age were entered into the nomogram model based on the LASSO analysis. The nomogram model for predicting advanced fibrosis exhibited a relatively high AUC in the training set. Compared with FIB4 and APRI, the nomogram model showed a better agreement between the actual status and predicted status based on the calibration curve. The nomogram model showed an AUC similar to FibroScan in the validation cohort, and showed high clinical net benefits in the training and validation sets., Conclusion: Our nomogram model can help identify patients with hepatitis B and advanced liver fibrosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

A practical and efficient trans -diboration of propargyl alcohols was accomplished using sodium hydride (NaH) as a base in N , N -dimethylformamide at room temperature. The mild reaction conditions demonstrate general applicability, facilitating the successful conversion of both terminal and internal propargyl alcohols with diverse structures and functional groups into highly functionalized alkenediboronates [4-borylated 1,2-oxaborol-2(5 H )-oles]. The resulting products, which incorporate two boron groups, can be selectively activated and subjected to stepwise transformations, thereby providing an effective platform for synthesizing a wide range of structurally diverse trisubstituted alkenes.

Background: The genus Apharinodes Raffray, 1890 (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae, Hybocephalini) includes four known species occurring in East and Southeast Asia., New Information: A new species, Apharinodesbaixiensis sp. nov. , is described from Heyuan City, Guangdong Province, China. Important morphological characters of the new species are illustrated by colour plates., (Jiang Zhu, Cheng-Bin Wang.)

Three new rhagophthalmids of the genus Diplocladon Gorham, 1883 are described from China, i.e. D. maai sp. nov. from Fujian, D. nezha sp. nov. from Yunnan, and D. wukong sp. nov. from Chongqing. Diplocladon atripenne Yiu, 2017 is redescribed and first recorded from Guangdong and Guangxi. Illustrations of the habituses and diagnostic characters of all four Chinese species are provided; a key to Chinese species of Diplocladon based on males is compiled; and a map is presented to exhibit their distributions.

An unexpected troglobitic staphylinid is described from a dolomite cave in western China as Domenelizeyui Wang & He, sp. nov. (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Paederinae). The habitus of both sexes and important diagnostic features are illustrated. Brief notes on the habitat, biology and taxonomic status of the new species are provided. This is the first discovery of a troglobitic representative of Paederinae from China, the first record of a troglobitic Domene species, and only the third cavernicolous species of Paederinae from eastern Asia., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Cheng-Bin Wang, Li He.)

Cistanche deserticola is a precious Chinese medicinal material with extremely high health care and medicinal value. In recent years, the frequent occurrence of stem rot has led to reduced or even no harvests of C. deserticola. The unstandardized use of farm chemicals in the prevention and control processes has resulted in excessive chemical residues, threatening the fragile desert ecological environment. Therefore, it is urgent to explore safe and efficient prevention and control technologies. Biocontrol agents, with the advantages of safety and environment-friendliness, would be an important idea. The isolation, screening and identification of pathogens and antagonistic endophytic bacteria are always the primary basis. In this study, three novel pathogens causing C. deserticola stem rot were isolated, identified and pathogenicity tested, namely Fusarium solani CPF1, F. proliferatum CPF2, and F. oxysporum CPF3. For the first time, the endophytic bacteria in C. deserticola were isolated and identified, of which 37 strains were obtained. Through dual culture assay, evaluation experiment and tissue culture verification, a biocontrol candidate strain Bacillus atrophaeus CE6 with outstanding control effect on the stem rot was screened out. In the tissue culture system, CE6 showed excellent control effect against F. solani and F. oxysporum, with the control efficacies reaching 97.2% and 95.8%, respectively, indicating its great potential for application in the production. This study is of great significance for the biocontrol of plant stem rot and improvement of the yield and quality of C. deserticola., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The genus Macrosemia Kato, 1925 (Hemiptera, Cicadidae, Cicadinae, Dundubiini, Dundubiina) currently includes 16 species (excluding subspecies and varieties), mainly occurring in the Oriental Region. More than half of them, 10 species, are known from China, including one new species, described in the present study., New Information: A new species of cicada, Macrosemiafengi Wang sp. nov. , is described from Yunnan and Guizhou, southwest China. Colour plates are presented to illustrate its diagnostic characters. The distribution map of the new species is also given., (Cheng-Bin Wang.)

Background: The genus Tanna Distant, 1905 (Hemiptera, Cicadidae, Cicadinae, Leptopsaltriini, Leptopsaltriina) currently includes 23 species (three tentatively placed), with its actual geographical distribution in China, Japan, Nepal, Bhutan, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. Most of them, 16 species, are known from China, including one new species here described., New Information: A new species of cicada, Tannafengi Wang sp. nov. , is described from Yunnan, southwest China. Colour plates are presented to illustrate all diagnostic characters. An updated list of Tanna species occurring in China is provided., (Cheng-Bin Wang.)

Background: The purpose of the study was to develop a genotype-incorporated population pharmacokinetic (PPK) model of tacrolimus (TAC) in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) to investigate the factors influencing TAC pharmacokinetics and to develop an individualized dosing regimen based on the model. In addition, a non-genotype-incorporated model was also established to assess its predictive performance compared to the genotype-incorporated model., Methods: A total of 365 trough concentrations from 133 adult SLE patients treated with TAC were collected to develop a genotype-incorporated PPK model and a non-genotype-incorporated PPK model of TAC using a nonlinear mixed-effects model (NONMEM). External validation of the two models was performed using data from an additional 29 patients. Goodness-of-fit diagnostic plots, bootstrap method, and normalized predictive distribution error test were used to validate the predictive performance and stability of the final models. The goodness-of-fit of the two final models was compared using the Akaike information criterion (AIC). The dosing regimen was optimized using Monte Carlo simulations based on the developed optimal model., Results: The typical value of the apparent clearance (CL/F) of TAC estimated in the final genotype-incorporated model was 14.3 L h -1 with inter-individual variability of 27.6%. CYP3A5 polymorphism and coadministered medication were significant factors affecting TAC-CL/F. CYP3A5 rs776746 GG genotype carriers had only 77.3% of the TAC-CL/F of AA or AG genotype carriers. Omeprazole reduced TAC-CL/F by 3.7 L h -1 when combined with TAC, while TAC-CL/F increased nonlinearly as glucocorticoid dose increased. Similar findings were demonstrated in the non-genotype-incorporated PPK model. Comparing these two models, the genotype-incorporated PPK model was superior to the non-genotype-incorporated PPK model (AIC = 643.19 vs. 657.425). Monte Carlo simulation based on the genotype-incorporated PPK model indicated that CYP3A5 rs776746 AA or AG genotype carriers required a 1/2-1 fold higher dose of TAC than GG genotype carriers to achieve the target concentration. And as the daily dose of prednisone increases, the dose of TAC required to reach the target concentration increases appropriately., Conclusions: We developed the first pharmacogenetic-based PPK model of TAC in adult patients with SLE and proposed a dosing regimen based on glucocorticoid dose and CYP3A5 genotype according to the model, which could facilitate individualized dosing for TAC., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

In situ mitochondrial oxidative stress amplification is an effective strategy to improve efficacy of cancer treatment. In this work, a tumor and mitochondria dual-targeted multifunctional nanoplatform CMS@AIPH@PDA@COTPP@FA (CAPCTF) was prepared, in which a thermally decomposable radical initiator AIPH was loaded inside the mesoporores of Cu x Mo y S z (CMS) nanoparticles with polydopamine (PDA) covered films that were further covalently functionalized by a mitochondria-targeted CO donor (COTPP) and a directing group of folic acid (FA). The prepared CAPCTF nanoplatform selectively accumulated in cancer cells and further targeted the mitochondrial organelle where carbon monoxide (CO) and O 2 -independent free radicals (•OH/•R) were in situ generated upon 1064 nm laser irradiation. Furthermore, the CMS nanocarrier was capable of depleting the GSH overexpressed in the tumor microenvironment (TME), thus preventing free radical scavenging. As a result, the CAPCTF nanoplatform exhibited outstanding in vitro and in vivo antitumor efficacy under hypoxic conditions. This provides an innovative strategy that combines O 2 -independent free radicals (•OH/•R) generation, CO delivery and GSH consumption to amplify intracellular oxidative stresses and induce mitochondrial dysfunction, thus leading to cancer cells eradication, which may have significant implications for personalized hypoxic tumor treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no competing interests to declare., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objectives: Tacrolimus (TAC) has been increasingly used in patients with non-transplant settings. Because of its large between-subject variability, several population pharmacokinetic (PPK) studies have been performed to facilitate individualized therapy. This review summarized published PPK models of TAC in non-transplant patients, aiming to clarify factors affecting PKs of TAC and identify the knowledge gap that may require further research., Methods: The PubMed, Embase databases, and Cochrane Library, as well as related references, were searched from the time of inception of the databases to February 2023, to identify TAC population pharmacokinetic studies modeled in non-transplant patients using a non-linear mixed-effects modeling approach., Results: Sixteen studies, all from Asian countries (China and Korea), were included in this study. Of these studies, eleven and four were carried out in pediatric and adult patients, respectively. One-compartment models were the commonly used structural models for TAC. The apparent clearance (CL/F) of TAC ranged from 2.05 to 30.9 L·h -1 (median of 14.9 L·h -1 ). Coadministered medication, genetic factors, and weight were the most common covariates affecting TAC-CL/F, and variability in the apparent volume of distribution (V/F) was largely explained by weight. Coadministration with Wuzhi capsules reduced CL/F by about 19 to 43%. For patients with CYP3A5*1*1 and *1*3 genotypes, the CL/F was 39-149% higher CL/F than patients with CYP3A5*1*1., Conclusion: The optimal TAC dosage should be adjusted based on the patient's co-administration, body weight, and genetic information (especially CYP3A5 genotype). Further studies are needed to assess the generalizability of the published models to other ethnic groups. Moreover, external validation should be frequently performed to improve the clinical practicality of the models., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Two new species of starry longhorn beetles are described from China, i.e. Anoplophora iadina sp. nov. from Yunnan and A. zibroides sp. nov. from Hunan and Guangxi. Color plates are presented to illustrate their diagnostic characters.

Phyllosticta (Phyllostictaceae, Botryosphaeriales) includes plant pathogens, endophytes and saprobes, occurring on various hosts worldwide. During the present study, isolates associated with leaf spots were obtained from the hosts Quercusaliena and Viburnumodoratissimum , and identified based on morphological features and phylogenetic inference from the analyses of five loci (ITS, LSU, tef1 , act and gapdh ). Results supported the introduction of two novel species, namely Phyllostictaanhuiensis and P.guangdongensis . Phylogenetically, P.anhuiensis and P.guangdongensis formed two well-separated lineages in the P.concentrica and P.capitalensis species complexes, distinguishing from all presently accepted species in this genus by DNA sequence data. Morphologically, P.anhuiensis and P.guangdongensis have the typical structure of the genus Phyllosticta , and differed from their closely related species by the length of the conidial appendage., (Cheng-Bin Wang, Jing Yang, Yong Li, Han Xue, Chun-Gen Piao, Ning Jiang.)

A new species of cicada, Hea qiuae Wang, sp. n. (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadettinae), is described and illustrated from Chongqing and Yunnan, Southwest China. An annotated catalogue and an updated key to the four species of Hea are presented.

Eurypogon Motschulsky, 1859 is a small artematopodid genus from the Nearctic and Palaearctic realms, with only three species known from mainland China. Here, we describe Eurypogon schuhi Packova & Kundrata, sp. nov. from the Hubei province in China, which is similar in the black body coloration to the recently described Eurypogon sanzang Wang & Liu, 2021 from the Henan province. Both species differ mainly in the ratio of basal antennomeres, elytral surface and proportions, and shape of male genitalia. We report populations of E. sanzang from the Qinling Shan in the Shaanxi province (a new province record) and from the Xiong'er Shan in the Henan province. Additionally, we describe the female of E. sanzang and discuss intraspecific variability in male genitalia. We provide images of main diagnostic characters for both species.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is an important pathogen that is responsible for over 90% of documented cases of human microsporidiosis worldwide, causing a threat to public health and husbandry development. In immunocompromised patients, it can cause persistent diarrhoea, wasting diathesis and malabsorption and developing life-threatening chronic diarrhoea. However, there was little information on the prevalence and multilocus genotypes of E. bieneusi in diarrheic pigs in three provinces of southern China. In this study, 1254 faecal samples of diarrheic pigs were collected from 37 pig farms in Hunan, Jiangxi, and Fujian provinces in southern China, and were investigated the prevalence and genotypes of E. bieneusi by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA gene. The overall prevalence of E. bieneusi was 5.7% (72/1254) in three provinces. Furthermore, the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001) in the prevalence of E. bieneusi in age groups. ITS sequence analysis revealed that 13 E. bieneusi genotypes were identified, including 8 known genotypes (EbpC, n = 30; Henan-IV, n = 21; CH5, n = 6; EbpA, n = 3; KIN-1, n = 2; O, n = 1; GX3, n = 1; CHS5, n = 1) and 5 novel genotypes (JX1, n = 2; JX2, n = 1; JX3, n = 2; FJ1, n = 1; FJ2, n = 1), and the genotype EbpC was the preponderant genotype. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that all genotypes of E. bieneusi were clustered as the zoonotic group 1. Moreover, a high genetic diversity of E. bieneusi were identified in this study, which the 64, 57, 52 and 64 samples were identified by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) at MS1, MS3, MS4 and MS7 loci, respectively. Then, 45 samples were successfully amplified and sequenced at four loci, forming 41 distinct multilocus genotypes (MLGs). These findings suggest that diarrheic pigs may potentially threaten to transmit E. bieneusi to humans, revealing E. bieneusi genetic variability in diarrheic pigs in three provinces of southern China., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Colletotrichum is an important plant pathogenic genus causing anthracnose on a wide range of host plants. During 2019 and 2021, Colletotrichum isolates were obtained during surveys of anthracnose on garden plants in China. Multi-gene phylogenetic analyses of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gapdh), chitin synthase 1 ( chs-1 ), actin (act) and beta-tubulin (tub2) sequences coupled with morphological evidence support the introduction of two novel species namely Colletotrichumchinense sp. nov. from Yuccagloriosa in Beijing and C.quercicola sp. nov. from Quercusvariabilis in Shaanxi Province. Phylogenetic inference revealed that two isolates of C.chinense belonged to the agaves species complex and were closely related to C.agaves , and differed from the other species within this species complex by shorter conidia and the host association. Molecular identification showed that two isolates of C.quercicola formed a highly supported lineage close to C.tanaceti in the destructivum species complex, which could be distinguished from C.tanaceti by straighter conidia. In pathogenicity tests, yellow spots and orange conidial masses displayed on the inoculated Y.gloriosa leaves and brown spots appeared on the inoculated Q.variabilis leaves. In addition, C.chinense and C.quercicola were re-isolated from spots of the tested leaves of Y.gloriosa and Q.variabilis ., (Cheng-Bin Wang, Ning Jiang, Han Xue, Chun-Gen Piao, Yong Li.)

Strain DKSPLA3 T , a novel Gram-negative, catalase-positive, oxidase-positive, non-spore-forming, aerobic, non-nitrogen-fixing, non-motile bacterium was isolated from Quercus variablis leaf, in Zunyi, Guizhou, China. Growth occurred at 4-37 °C (optimum 28 °C), pH 4.0-9.0 (optimum pH 7.0) and up to 4.0% (w/v) NaCl (optimum under 2.0%, w/v). Phylogeny based on 16S rRNA gene indicated that strain DKSPLA3 T was a novel species in the genus Rhizobium, which was supported by average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values. The predominant fatty acids of strain DKSPLA3 T were C 16:0 , C 18:1 ω7c and/or C 18:1 ω6c and C 18:1 ω7c 11-methyl. The major respiratory quinone was Q-10. Major polar lipids were diphosphatidyl glycerol (DPG), phosphatidyl glycerol (PG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine (PME), phosphatidylcholine (PC), two unidentified phospholipids (PL) and nine unidentified lipids (L). The genomic G + C content was 64.47 mol%. Based on the phenotypic, phylogenetic and genotypic data, DKSPLA3 T should be classified as a novel species in the genus Rhizobium, for which the name Rhizobium quercicola sp. nov. (KCTC 82843 T  = CFCC 16,707T) is proposed., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Entamoeba spp. is a common zoonotic intestinal protozoan that can parasitize most vertebrates, including humans and pigs, causing severe intestinal diseases and posing a serious threat to public health. However, the available data on Entamoeba spp. infection in pigs are relatively limited in China. To characterize the infection of Entamoeba spp. within pigs in southern China, 1254 fecal samples of diarrheic pigs were collected from 37 intensive pig farms in Hunan, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces and the infection of Entamoeba spp. was investigated based on the small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene. The overall infection rate of Entamoeba spp. was 58.4% (732/1254), including 38.4% (118/307) in suckling piglets, 51.2% (153/299) in weaned piglets, 57.9% (55/95) in fattening pigs and 73.4% (406/553) in sows, respectively. Moreover, age and the sampling cities in Jiangxi and Fujian provinces were found to be the key factors influencing the infection of Entamoeba spp. (p < 0.05). Two subtypes (ST1 and ST3) with a zoonotic potential of Entamoeba polecki and Entamoeba suis were detected in all age groups of pigs and all sampling areas, with the predominant species and predominant subtype being E. polecki (91.3%, 668/732) and E. polecki ST1 (573/668), respectively, and E. polecki ST1 + E. polecki ST3 (78.6%, 239/304) being the most frequently detected form of mixed infection. Severe Entamoeba spp. infection and zoonotic subtypes were found in this study, exposing a large public health problem in the study area, and strategies need to be implemented to eliminate the risk in the future.

Photoactivated chemotherapy has attracted widespread attention due to its ability to circumvent the shortcomings of hypoxia in tumor tissues compared with traditional photodynamic therapy. In this work, novel multifunctional nanoplatform (1), Ru-inhibitor@TPPMnCO@N-GQDs, was designed and prepared, which was capable of mitochondria-targeted co-delivery of the cysteine protease inhibitor and carbon monoxide (CO) stimulated with an 808 nm near infrared (NIR) laser. Nanoplatform (1) was prepared by covalent attachment of a mitochondria-targeted CO donor (TPPMnCO) and a Ru(II)-caged cysteine protease inhibitor (Ru-inhibitor) on the surface of fluorescent N-doped graphene quantum dots (N-GQDs). Nanoplatform (1) preferentially accumulated in the mitochondria of cancer cells and instantly delivered CO and the cysteine protease inhibitor upon 808 nm NIR light irradiation, thus damaging mitochondria and leading to significant in vitro and in vivo anticancer efficacy. In addition, nanoplatform (1) has good biocompatibility and did not exert any toxic side effects on mice during the period of treatment. The targeted subcellular mitochondrial co-delivery of CO and the cysteine protease inhibitor may provide new insights into CO and enzyme inhibitor combined therapies for cancer treatment.

Background: The tribe Polyneurini Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843 (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadinae) is a small tribe which includes four genera and 18 species, distributing in eastern Palaearctic and Oriental Regions. Most of them, four genera and 16 species, are known from China., New Information: A remarkable new species of cicada, Polyneuraguoliangi sp. n. (Hemiptera, Cicadidae, Cicadinae), is described and illustrated from Yunnan, southwest China. The diagnostic characters of the new species are compared with allied species or genera., (Cheng-Bin Wang, Peng-Yu Liu.)

A new species of stag beetle, Prosopocoilus zhuchuangi new species (Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Lucaninae) is described from China (Guizhou) and Vietnam. It is closely related to P. fulgens (Didier, 1927), sharing a fringe of dense setae in the apical 2/3 of the mesal sides of the mesotibiae and metatibiae. Diagnostic characters of the two species are illustrated and compared.

Background: The genus Latouchia Pocock, 1901 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Halonoproctidae: Ummidiinae) includes 21 species and 1 subspecies occurring in southeast Eurasia. Just like other trapdoor spiders, the specimens of Latouchia are rare in collections, unless from targeted collecting., New Information: Two new species of mygalomorph spiders, Latouchiarufa sp. n. from Guangdong, China and L.yejiei sp. n. from Hainan, China, are described and illustrated from both sexes. Diagnostic characters of the two species are provided., (Shu-Yuan Zhang, Cheng-Bin Wang.)

Background: The genus Falsonannocerus Pic, 1947 (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Stenochiinae, Cnodalonini) includes 13 known species occurring in West Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia. The bionomics of species in this genus are unknown., New Information: The genus Falsonnannocerus Pic, 1947 is recorded for the first time from China, including two species: F.thailandicus Masumoto, 1986 from Yunnan and F.haizhuensis sp. n. from Guangdong. Morphological characters of the two species are illustrated and compared. The photographs of female reproductive system, which were never shown for this genus before, are also presented., (Jiang Zhu, Cheng-Bin Wang, Bao-Ying Feng.)

Objective: To review the therapeutic effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on allergic rhinitis based on the network Meta-analysis., Methods: The randomized controlled trials of acupuncture and moxibustion for allergic rhinitis were retrieved from the databases, starting from the date of establishment to August 17, 2020, i.e. the PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP. The traditional Meta-analysis and network Meta-analysis were performed by RevMan5.3 and GeMTC0.14.3., Results: A total of 50 RCTs were included, including 4260 patients, involving 5 kinds of acupuncture and moxibustion therapies, such as acupuncture, moxibustion, acupoint application, acupoint thread-embedding and auricular point therapy.①In term of total effective rate, acupuncture, moxibustion and acupoint thread-embedding were superior to western medication and auricular point therapy ( P <0.05); moxibustion was superior to acupoint application ( P <0.05); acupoint thread-embedding was superior to acupoint application ( P <0.05). Acupoint thread-embedding was most likely to be the best treatment ( P <0.05). ②In term of total effective rate in follow-up, acupuncture, moxibustion, acupoint thread-embedding and auricular point therapy were superior to western medication ( P <0.05); acupuncture and moxibustion were superior to acupoint application ( P <0.05). Moxibustion was most likely to be the best treatment ( P <0.05). ③In term of total score of nasal symptom, moxibustion and acupoint thread-embedding were superior to acupuncture ( P <0.05)., Conclusion: The therapeutic effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on allergic rhinitis is better than western medication, and acupoint thread-embedding has the best curative effect.

A new species of the genus Enanea (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Diaperinae), E. baba sp. n., is described and illustrated from Southwest China, based on a male specimen from Dulongjiang in northwestern Yunnan. Diagnostic characters of the new species are provided. This is the first record of an Enanea species from the Chinese Mainland, which represents a remarkable extension of the known range of the genus.

A new species of the genus Lemaireia Nssig Holloway, 1988 (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae: Saturniinae: Saturniini), L. daparo sp. n., is described from evergreen broad-leaf forests in Panzhihua (Sichuan), Qujing (Yunnan) and Dali (Yunnan) of China. The new species resembles L. luteopeplus aureopeplus Nssig Holloway, 1988 and L. hainana Nssig Wang, 2006 from China, but can be easily separated from them by the male genitalia. In addition, the genus Lemaireia is reported here for the first time from Sichuan Province, and now its distribution range reached the northeastern extreme point. The habitus, diagnostic characters and distribution map of the three species of the genus Lemaireia from China are provided. A list of all Lemaireia species presently known worldwide is also given.

Background: The genus Anoplophora Hope, 1839 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Lamiini) includes 47 species (without subspecies) occurring in East, South and Southeast Asia. Amongst them, 38 species are known from CHINA. Members of this genus are familiar to Chinese people with a widely-used common name: " [starry longhorn beetle]". Anoplophora species have great economic importance, attacking and damaging numerous hardwood trees and some coniferous trees., New Information: A new species of starry longhorn beetle, Anoplophorahuangjianbini sp. n. (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Lamiini) is described from Fujian and Guangxi, CHINA. Diagnostic characters of the new species are illustrated and comparison with closely-related congeners is provided., (Cheng-Bin Wang, Li He.)

Machine learning is a newly emerged discipline. It develops rapidly and has been penetrated into all walks of life and made great achievements in medical field. The introduction of machine learning in the field of acupuncture and moxibustion should fully play the advantages of targeted therapy of acupuncture and moxibustion, optimize the resource allocation of traditional Chinese medicine and accurately serve the clinic rather than only limited to data mining and analysis. In the paper, through the analysis of the relevant literature in recent years, the combination of acupuncture-moxibustion with machine learning was discussed from the aspects of acupoint selection and prescription, clinical teaching application of acupuncture and moxibustion, the prediction on acupuncture curative effect, etc. Moreover, on the base of multidisciplinary intersection and by means of machine learning, the exploration was given on the future direction of acupuncture and moxibustion.

A new species of longhorn beetle, Anoplophora puxian sp. n. (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae, Lamiini) is described from Sichuan, China. It is closely related to A. freyi (Breuning, 1947). Diagnostic characters of the two species are illustrated and compared.

With an almost unremittent progression of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections all around the world, there is a compelling need to introduce rapid, reliable, and high-throughput testing to allow appropriate clinical management and/or timely isolation of infected individuals. Although nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) remains the gold standard for detecting and theoretically quantifying SARS-CoV-2 mRNA in various specimen types, antigen assays may be considered a suitable alternative, under specific circumstances. Rapid antigen tests are meant to detect viral antigen proteins in biological specimens (e.g. nasal, nasopharyngeal, saliva), to indicate current SARS-CoV-2 infection. The available assay methodology includes rapid chromatographic immunoassays, used at the point-of-care, which carries some advantages and drawbacks compared to more conventional, instrumentation-based, laboratory immunoassays. Therefore, this document by the International Federation for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) Taskforce on COVID-19 aims to summarize available data on the performance of currently available SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid detection tests (Ag-RDTs), providing interim guidance on clinical indications and target populations, assay selection, and evaluation, test interpretation and limitations, as well as on pre-analytical considerations. This document is hence mainly aimed to assist laboratory and regulated health professionals in selecting, validating, and implementing regulatory approved Ag-RDTs., (© 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.)

An annotated catalogue for 22 extant species of the subfamily Rhysodinae (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from East Asia is presented, with 7 genera classified into 3 tribes: I. Clinidiini Bell Bell, 1978: Clinidium Kirby, 1830 (1 sp.) and Rhyzodiastes Fairmaire, 1895 (4 spp.); II. Omoglymmiini Bell Bell, 1978: Arrowina Bell Bell, 1978 (1 sp.), Yamatosa Bell Bell, 1979 (6 spp.), Shyrodes Grouvelle, 1903 (1 sp.), and Omoglymmius Ganglbauer, 1891 (8 spp.); III. Rhysodini Laporte, 1840: Rhysodes Germar, 1822 (1 sp.). For each genus- and species-group name, synonymy, type locality, type depository, distribution, and bibliography are provided where appropriate. A modified key to genera of rhysodine beetles from East Asia is compiled.

The two species of the genus Eurypteryx C. Felder R. Felder, 1874 known from China, E. bhaga and E. dianae (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae, Macroglossinae, Macroglossini) were examined and compared with E. geoffreyi from Thailand. The male E. dianae is described for the first time based on a single specimen from an evergreen broad-leaf forest in Maolan Nature Reserve, Libo, Guizhou, China. The diagnostic features and a distribution map of the species of Eurypteryx in China are provided. A list of all Eurypteryx species presently known worldwide is also given.

Serological testing for the detection of antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is emerging as an important component of the clinical management of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as well as the epidemiological assessment of SARS-CoV-2 exposure worldwide. In addition to molecular testing for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection, clinical laboratories have also needed to increase testing capacity to include serological evaluation of patients with suspected or known COVID-19. While regulatory approved serological immunoassays are now widely available from diagnostic manufacturers globally, there is significant debate regarding the clinical utility of these tests, as well as their clinical and analytical performance requirements prior to application. This document by the International Federation for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) Taskforce on COVID-19 provides interim guidance on: (A) clinical indications and target populations, (B) assay selection, (C) assay evaluation, and (D) test interpretation and limitations for serological testing of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 infection. These evidence-based recommendations will provide practical guidance to clinical laboratories in the selection, verification, and implementation of serological assays and are of the utmost importance as we expand our pandemic response from initial case tracing and containment to mitigation strategies to minimize resurgence and further morbidity and mortality.

The diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection globally has relied extensively on molecular testing, contributing vitally to case identification, isolation, contact tracing, and rationalization of infection control measures during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Clinical laboratories have thus needed to verify newly developed molecular tests and increase testing capacity at an unprecedented rate. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose a global health threat, laboratories continue to encounter challenges in the selection, verification, and interpretation of these tests. This document by the International Federation for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) Task Force on COVID-19 provides interim guidance on: (A) clinical indications and target populations, (B) assay selection, (C) assay verification, and (D) test interpretation and limitations for molecular testing of SARS-CoV-2 infection. These evidence-based recommendations will provide practical guidance to clinical laboratories worldwide and highlight the continued importance of laboratory medicine in our collective pandemic response.

Routine biochemical and hematological tests have been reported to be useful in the stratification and prognostication of pediatric and adult patients with diagnosed coronavirus disease (COVID-19), correlating with poor outcomes such as the need for mechanical ventilation or intensive care, progression to multisystem organ failure, and/or death. While these tests are already well established in most clinical laboratories, there is still debate regarding their clinical value in the management of COVID-19, particularly in pediatrics, as well as the value of composite clinical risk scores in COVID-19 prognostication. This document by the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) Task Force on COVID-19 provides interim guidance on: (A) clinical indications for testing, (B) recommendations for test selection and interpretation, (C) considerations in test interpretation, and (D) current limitations of biochemical/hematological monitoring of COVID-19 patients. These evidence-based recommendations will provide practical guidance to clinical laboratories worldwide, underscoring the contribution of biochemical and hematological testing to our collective pandemic response.

In December 2019, an outbreak of pneumonia of unknown origin was reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Pneumonia cases were epidemiologically linked to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market. Inoculation of respiratory samples into human airway epithelial cells, Vero E6 and Huh7 cell lines, led to the isolation of a novel respiratory virus whose genome analysis showed it to be a novel coronavirus related to SARS-CoV, and therefore named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 is a betacoronavirus belonging to the subgenus Sarbecovirus . The global spread of SARS-CoV-2 and the thousands of deaths caused by coronavirus disease (COVID-19) led the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic on 12 March 2020. To date, the world has paid a high toll in this pandemic in terms of human lives lost, economic repercussions and increased poverty. In this review, we provide information regarding the epidemiology, serological and molecular diagnosis, origin of SARS-CoV-2 and its ability to infect human cells, and safety issues. Then we focus on the available therapies to fight COVID-19, the development of vaccines, the role of artificial intelligence in the management of the pandemic and limiting the spread of the virus, the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on our lifestyle, and preparation for a possible second wave.

The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has presented major challenges for clinical laboratories, from initial diagnosis to patient monitoring and treatment. Initial response to this pandemic involved the development, production, and distribution of diagnostic molecular assays at an unprecedented rate, leading to minimal validation requirements and concerns regarding their diagnostic accuracy in clinical settings. In addition to molecular testing, serological assays to detect antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are now becoming available from numerous diagnostic manufacturers. In both cases, the lack of peer-reviewed data and regulatory oversight, combined with general misconceptions regarding their appropriate use, have highlighted the importance of laboratory professionals in robustly validating and evaluating these assays for appropriate clinical use. The International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) Task Force on COVID-19 has been established to synthesize up-to-date information on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and laboratory diagnosis and monitoring of COVID-19, as well as to develop practical recommendations on the use of molecular, serological, and biochemical tests in disease diagnosis and management. This review summarizes the latest evidence and status of molecular, serological, and biochemical testing in COVID-19 and highlights some key considerations for clinical laboratories operating to support the global fight against this ongoing pandemic. Confidently this consolidated information provides a useful resource to laboratories and a reminder of the laboratory's critical role as the world battles this unprecedented crisis.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the third coronavirus outbreak that has emerged in the past 20 years, after severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). One important aspect, highlighted by many global health organizations, is that this novel coronavirus outbreak may be especially hazardous to healthcare personnel, including laboratory professionals. Therefore, the aim of this document, prepared by the COVID-19 taskforce of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC), is to provide a set of recommendations, adapted from official documents of international and national health agencies, on biosafety measures for routine clinical chemistry laboratories that operate at biosafety levels 1 (BSL-1; work with agents posing minimal threat to laboratory workers) and 2 (BSL-2; work with agents associated with human disease which pose moderate hazard). We believe that the interim measures proposed in this document for best practice will help minimazing the risk of developing COVID-19 while working in clinical laboratories.

Objectives: A global survey was conducted by the IFCC Task Force on COVID-19 to better understand how general biochemistry laboratories manage the pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical processes to mitigate biohazard risks during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic., Methods: An electronic survey was developed to record the general characteristics of the laboratory, as well as the pre-analytical, analytical, post-analytical and operational practices of biochemistry laboratories that are managing clinical samples of patients with COVID-19., Results: A total of 1210 submissions were included in the analysis. The majority of responses came from hospital central/core laboratories that serve hospital patient groups and handle moderate daily sample volumes. There has been a decrease in the use of pneumatic tube transport, increase in hand delivery and increase in number of layers of plastic bags for samples of patients with clinically suspected or confirmed COVID-19. Surgical face masks and gloves are the most commonly used personal protective equipment (PPE). Just >50% of the laboratories did not perform an additional decontamination step on the instrument after analysis of samples from patients with clinically suspected or confirmed COVID-19. A fifth of laboratories disallowed add-on testing on these samples. Less than a quarter of laboratories autoclaved their samples prior to disposal., Conclusions: The survey responses showed wide variation in pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical practices in terms of PPE adoption and biosafety processes. It is likely that many of the suboptimal biosafety practices are related to practical local factors, such as limited PPE availability and lack of automated instrumentation.

Objectives: The International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) Task Force on COVID-19 conducted a global survey to understand how biochemistry laboratories manage the operational challenges during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic., Materials and Methods: An electronic survey was distributed globally to record the operational considerations to mitigate biosafety risks in the laboratory. Additionally, the laboratories were asked to indicate the operational challenges they faced., Results: A total of 1210 valid submissions were included in this analysis. Most of the survey participants worked in hospital laboratories. Around 15% of laboratories restricted certain tests on patients with clinically suspected or confirmed COVID-19 over biosafety concerns. Just over 10% of the laboratories had to restrict their test menu or services due to resource constraints. Approximately a third of laboratories performed temperature monitoring, while two thirds of laboratories increased the frequency of disinfection. Just less than 50% of the laboratories split their teams. The greatest reported challenge faced by laboratories during the COVID-19 pandemic is securing sufficient supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE), analytical equipment, including those used at the point of care, as well as reagents, consumables and other laboratory materials. This was followed by having inadequate staff, managing their morale, anxiety and deployment., Conclusions: The restriction of tests and services may have undesirable clinical consequences as clinicians are deprived of important information to deliver appropriate care to their patients. Staff rostering and biosafety concerns require longer-term solutions as they are crucial for the continued operation of the laboratory during what may well be a prolonged pandemic.

Objective: To compare the therapeutic effects of "Bangci"(focal center-side needling) and encircling needling in promoting skin wound healing and local blood perfusion in diabetic mice., Methods: Thirty-two male C57BL/6N mice were randomized into normal, diabetic model, focal center-side needling and encircling needling groups ( n =8 in each group). The skin wound model was prepared by cutting a piece of full-thickness skin at the mouse's back by using a puncher. One hour after modeling, two acupuncture needles were respectively inserted into the center of the wound and the spot at the normal skin about 0.5 cm away from the edge of the wound for mice of the focal center-side needling group, followed by EA (0.5 mA, 0.5 Hz) for 30 min. For mice of the encircling needling group, 4 acupuncture needles were respectively inserted into the upper, lower, left and right normal marginal skin around the wound, followed by EA stimulation with the same parameters as those of the center-side needling group. The wound conditions, diameter and area of the wound were monitored, and the wound blood perfusion volume was measured by using a laser speckle flowmeter., Results: The wound shrinkage rates were significantly higher at the time-points of 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 d after modeling in both focal center-side needling and encircling needling groups than in the model group ( P <0.05), and on day 3, 5, 7 and 9 in the encircling needling group than in the focal center-side needling group ( P <0.05). The wound healing time was obviously earlier in both focal center-side needling and encircling needling groups than in the model group ( P <0.05), and in the encircling needling group than in the focal center-side needling group ( P <0.05). Following modeling, the volume of wound blood perfusion was considerably higher from day 1 to 9 and markedly lower on day 11 in the model group than in the normal group ( P <0.01), and after the intervention, the blood perfusion volume was considerably decreased on day 3, 5, 7 and 9 in both the focal center-side needling and encircling needling groups( P <0.05, P <0.01), and obviously increased on day 11 in the encircling needling group relevant to the model group ( P <0.01).Comparison between post- and pre-EA stimulation showed that the immediate blood perfusion volume was significantly increased from day 1 to 11 after EA stimulation in both the focal center-side needling and encircling needling groups ( P <0.01, P <0.05). The therapeutic effect of the encircling needling group was significantly superior to that of the focal center-side needling group in lowering blood perfusion volume from day 3 to 7, and in increasing blood perfusion volume on day 9 and 11 ( P <0.01). Under the naked eyes, the conditions of exudation and inflammatory reaction, and the scar and granulation tissue were relatively milder and better respectively in both the center-side needling and encircling needling groups than in the model group., Conclusion: Both focal center-side needling and encircling needling can promote the skin wound healing by increasing the blood perfusion in diabetic mice, and the therapeutic effect of the encircling needling method was significantly superior to that of the focal center-side needling method.

A new species of hawkmoth, Dahira sichuanica sp. nov. (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae, Macroglossinae, Macroglossini), is described based on a single male from an evergreen broad-leaf forest in Dafengding Nature Reserve, Leshan, Sichuan, China. The habitus and diagnostic features of the new species are described and illustrated. A list of all Dahira species presently known from China and the distribution map of the new species are also given.

A new species of stag beetle, Dorcus tianlongi Wang Zhou, new species (Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Lucaninae) is described from Guizhou Province, China. It is closely related to D. liyingbingi Huang Chen, 2013 and D. mencius (Kriesche, 1935). Diagnostic characters of the three species are illustrated and compared. Dorcus mencius is for the first time recorded from Henan Province of China.

A new species of flanged bombardier beetle form Hainan Island, China, Eustra yinggelingensis sp. nov. (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Paussinae, Ozaenini) is described. The new species was collected in rotten wood from Yinggeling Nature Reserve. Habitus and diagnostic features of the new species are illustrated. List, key and distribution map of all known Chinese Eustra species are given.

Background: Grafting vessel with LIMA to the left anterior descending coronary artery plays a most important role in the long-term prognosis of OPCABG surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of isoflurane preconditioning on miRs and mRNAs levels in the left internal mammary arterie (LIMA) graft with propofol in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCABG)., Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to receive either propofol (n = 15), or interrupted isoflurane (n = 15). In group P, propofol administration was continued at 3-5 mg/kg/h intravenous injection for the duration of surgery. Five minutes prior to incision, patients of the isoflurane group (group Iso) received 2 cycles of 1 MAC isoflurane., Results: miR-221 were significantly lower in group Iso (P < 0 .05). E-selectin mRNA, RhoA mRNA and ROK mRNA were significantly lower at specimens of LIMA in group Iso compared with those in group P patients (P < 0 .05). The expression of NOS3 mRNA was significantly higher in group Iso patients (P < 0 .05)., Conclusion: Our findings provide some insight that prior interrupted isoflurane administration could regulate miR-221, and downstream effectors (mRNAs) and resulted in actual attenuation of inflammation and spasm of LIMA in patients undergoing OPCABG surgery., Trial Registration: NCT No. ( ClinicalTrials.gov ): NCT02678650; Registration date: January 23, 2016.

Two new species of reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) are described: Tenomerga angulinota sp. nov. from Laos and T. helii sp. nov. from Sichuan, China. Important morphological characters of both new species are illustrated. T. angulinota sp. nov. can be easily recognized from all other Palaearctic-Oriental species by bifid anterior angles of pronotum; T. helii sp. nov. is in habitus very similar to widespread T. anguliscutis (Kolbe, 1886) and can be distinguished based on shape of pronotum, colour pattern of elytra and predominantly male genitalia. In addition, T. anguliscutis is for the first time recorded from Hainan and Jiangxi Provinces of China.

A new species of micropepline beetle is described from Sichuan, China, Micropeplus liweiae sp. n. (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae). Important morphological characters of the new species are illustrated by colour plates.