1.Exploring Mechanism of Hei Xiaoyaosan Regulating PI3K/Akt Pathway to Improve Learning and Memory Ability of Insomnia Rats with Liver Depression Syndrome Based on Transcriptomics
Jiamin LIU ; Yale WANG ; Hai HUANG ; Yue LI ; Xin FAN ; Pengpeng LIANG ; Shizhao ZHANG ; Mei YAN ; Guiyun LI ; Hongyan WU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(16):114-125
ObjectiveBased on transcriptomics, to explore the mechanism of Hei Xiaoyaosan regulating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway to improve the learning and memory ability of insomnia rats with liver depression syndrome. MethodsSixty 8-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into the blank group, model group, eszopiclone group (0.09 mg·kg-1), and low, medium, and high dose groups of Hei Xiaoyaosan (3.82, 7.65, 15.30 g·kg-1), with ten rats in each group. Except for the blank group, the other groups were induced insomnia rat model with liver depression by chronic restraint, tail clamping stimulation and intraperitoneal injection of p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA). Each treatment group received intragastric administration according to the specified dosage, once a day for 14 consecutive days. The pentobarbital sodium cooperative sleep test, open field test, and Morris water maze test were used to test the sleep quality, depressive-like behavior, and learning and memory abilities of rats. Additionally, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the contents of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and nitric oxide (NO) in hippocampus. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was performed to observe pathological changes of the hippocampal tissue, while terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) nick end labeling (TUNEL) was used to evaluate apoptosis of hippocampal neurons. Transcriptomic sequencing technology was employed to identify differentially expressed genes in hippocampus between the model group and the blank group, as well as between the medium-dose group of Hei Xiaoyaosan and the model group. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis were performed on the intersecting genes. Subsequently, the enriched key genes and signaling pathways were analyzed and verified. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) was utilized to assess the mRNA expression levels of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)-like protein 11 (BCL2L11), and mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1) in hippocampus, and Western blot was employed to evaluate the protein expressions of PI3K, phosphorylation (p)-PI3K, Akt, p-Akt, Bcl-2, Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), and cleaved Caspase-3 in the same tissue. ResultsCompared with the blank group, the model group exhibited a reduction in body weight, an increase in sleep latency, and a decrease in sleep duration (P<0.01). Additionally, rats showed obvious depression-like behavior, and their learning and memory abilities decreased. Furthermore, the contents of 5-HT, GABA, NO, BDNF and GDNF in hippocampus decreased (P<0.01). Histological examination revealed a disorganized cell arrangement in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, characterized by irregular cell shapes, a reduced cell count, deeply stained and pyknotic nuclei, increased vacuolar degeneration, and an elevated apoptosis rate (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the body weight of the high and medium dose groups of Hei Xiaoyaosan increased, the sleep latency shortened and the sleep time prolonged (P<0.05, P<0.01). Additionally, depression-like behavior and learning and memory abilities of rats were significantly improved, the levels of 5-HT, GABA, NO, BDNF and GDNF in the hippocampus increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). These interventions also ameliorated pathological damage in the hippocampal CA1 area and reduced the apoptosis of hippocampal neurons (P<0.01). Transcriptomic sequencing results indicated that Hei Xiaoyaosan might exert a therapeutic effect by regulating PI3K/Akt pathway through key mRNAs such as PTEN, BCL2L11, and MAPK1. The roles of these key mRNAs and proteins within PI3K/Akt pathway were further validated. In comparison to the blank group, the expression levels of PTEN, BCL2L11 and MAPK1 mRNA in the hippocampus of rats in the model group were increased (P<0.01), while the protein expression levels of p-PI3K, p-Akt and Bcl-2 were decreased (P<0.01), and the protein expression levels of PTEN, Bax and cleaved Caspase-3 were increased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the high-dose and medium-dose groups of Hei Xiaoyaosan could down-regulate the expressions of PTEN, BCL2L11 and MAPK1 mRNAs (P<0.01), up-regulate the expressions of p-PI3K, p-Akt and Bcl-2 proteins (P<0.01), and down-regulate the protein expressions of PTEN, Bax and cleaved Caspase-3 (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionHei Xiaoyaosan may regulate PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by down-regulating expressions of key genes such as PTEN, BCL2L11 and MAPK1, and thus improve the learning and memory abilities of insomnia rats with liver depression syndrome.
2.Buqi-Tongluo Decoction inhibits osteoclastogenesis and alleviates bone loss in ovariectomized rats by attenuating NFATc1, MAPK, NF-κB signaling.
Yongxian LI ; Jinbo YUAN ; Wei DENG ; Haishan LI ; Yuewei LIN ; Jiamin YANG ; Kai CHEN ; Heng QIU ; Ziyi WANG ; Vincent KUEK ; Dongping WANG ; Zhen ZHANG ; Bin MAI ; Yang SHAO ; Pan KANG ; Qiuli QIN ; Jinglan LI ; Huizhi GUO ; Yanhuai MA ; Danqing GUO ; Guoye MO ; Yijing FANG ; Renxiang TAN ; Chenguang ZHAN ; Teng LIU ; Guoning GU ; Kai YUAN ; Yongchao TANG ; De LIANG ; Liangliang XU ; Jiake XU ; Shuncong ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2025;23(1):90-101
Osteoporosis is a prevalent skeletal condition characterized by reduced bone mass and strength, leading to increased fragility. Buqi-Tongluo (BQTL) decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, has yet to be fully evaluated for its potential in treating bone diseases such as osteoporosis. To investigate the mechanism by which BQTL decoction inhibits osteoclast differentiation in vitro and validate these findings through in vivo experiments. We employed MTS assays to assess the potential proliferative or toxic effects of BQTL on bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) at various concentrations. TRAcP experiments were conducted to examine BQTL's impact on osteoclast differentiation. RT-PCR and Western blot analyses were utilized to evaluate the relative expression levels of osteoclast-specific genes and proteins under BQTL stimulation. Finally, in vivo experiments were performed using an osteoporosis model to further validate the in vitro findings. This study revealed that BQTL suppressed receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast resorption activity in vitro in a dose-dependent manner without observable cytotoxicity. The inhibitory effects of BQTL on osteoclast formation and function were attributed to the downregulation of NFATc1 and c-fos activity, primarily through attenuation of the MAPK, NF-κB, and Calcineurin signaling pathways. BQTL's inhibitory capacity was further examined in vivo using an ovariectomized (OVX) rat model, demonstrating a strong protective effect against bone loss. BQTL may serve as an effective therapeutic TCM for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis and the alleviation of bone loss induced by estrogen deficiency and related conditions.
Animals
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NFATC Transcription Factors/genetics*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*
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Ovariectomy
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Osteoclasts/metabolism*
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Female
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Osteogenesis/drug effects*
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Rats
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NF-kappa B/genetics*
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Osteoporosis/genetics*
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Signal Transduction/drug effects*
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Bone Resorption/genetics*
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Cell Differentiation/drug effects*
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Humans
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RANK Ligand/metabolism*
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/genetics*
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Transcription Factors
3.New tetrahydroanthraquinones and γ-butenolides from the fungus Auxarthron umbrinum DSM3193.
Ling TIAN ; Bingyu LIU ; Qian WEI ; Chen ZHANG ; Jiamin SHANG ; Xiaoxue LI ; Xiuying YANG ; Jinhua WANG ; Youcai HU
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2025;23(8):951-960
Nine novel compounds, comprising seven tetrahydroanthraquinones (auxarthrolones A-G, 1-7), a γ-butenolide glycoside (malfilamentoside E, 26), and a γ-butenolide (auxarthrolide A, 27), together with eighteen known compounds (8-25) were isolated from rice-based solid culture of Auxarthron umbrinum (A. umbrinum) DSM3193 using the one strain many compounds (OSMAC) approach. The structural elucidation of these compounds was accomplished through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS), and NMR calculation combined with DP4+ analysis or MAEΔΔδ parameter, while the absolute configurations of new compounds were established through single-crystal X-ray diffraction, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectroscopic data analysis and/or chemical derivatization. Austrocortilutein (10) and auxarthrol H (14) demonstrated moderate cytotoxicity against U87 and U251 [half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) 3.5-12.1 μmol·L-1]. Additionally, auxarthrolone A (1), auxarthrol H (14), eupolyphagin B (15), and 7-hydroxy-2-(2-hydroxypropyl)-5-methylchromone (17) exhibited torsional effects on fibroblast proliferation challenges induced by oleic acid, thus demonstrating fibroblast proliferation-promoting activity.
4-Butyrolactone/pharmacology*
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Molecular Structure
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Anthraquinones/pharmacology*
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Humans
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Animals
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Mice
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Cell Line, Tumor
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Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
4.Effect and mechanism of microRNA-93-5p on ovarian granulosa cell proliferation in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome
Jingmin WANG ; Wei LI ; Jiamin YAN ; Kai ZHAO ; Hui ZHANG ; Ying LIU ; Yimeng REN ; Shuai JIN ; Dan HAN
Journal of Xinxiang Medical College 2024;41(6):548-553
Objective To investigate the effect of plasma microRNA(miR)-93-5p on ovarian granulosa cell proliferation in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS)and its possible mechanism.Methods A total of 120 PCOS patients of childbearing period who were treated at Jiaozuo People's Hospital from January 2022 to January 2023 were selected as the PCOS group,and 18 healthy women of childbearing period who were physically examined at the same hospital during the same period were selected as the control group.The age,body weight and height of the subjects in the two groups were recorded,and the body mass index(BMI)was calculated.Fasting venous blood was collected from the subjects during the follicular phase of the natural menstrual cycle or the progesterone-induced withdrawal bleeding phase,and serum levels of luteinizing hormone(LH),follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH),total testosterone(TT),anti-Mullerian hormone(AMH),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),fasting insulin(FINS),and fasting blood glucose(FBG)were measured by using the electrochemical method;and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance(HOMA-IR)was calculated.Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR)was used to detect the expression level of miR-93-5p in plasma of patients in the two groups.Human ovarian granulosa cells(KGN cells)in logarithmic growth phase were cultured in 6-well plates with 3 × 105 cells per well,and they were randomly divided into the miR-93-5p mimics group,LY294002+miR-93-5p group,AZD5363+miR-93-5p group,negative control(NC)group,and blank control group.The KGN cells in the miR-93-5p group were transfected with miR-93-5p mimics;the KGN cells in the LY294002+miR-93-5p group were transfected with miR-93-5p mimics and treated with 50 mmol·L-1 LY294002 one hour before transfection;the KGN cells in the AZD5363+miR-93-5p group were transfected with miR-93-5p mimics and treated with 50 μmol·L-1 AZD5363 one hour before transfection;the KGN cells in the NC group were transfected with the negative control plasmids;and the KGN cells in the blank control group were not treated at all.The expression of miR-93-5p in the KGN cells in each group was detected by qRT-PCR,and the proliferation of the KGN cells in each group was detected by cell counting kit-8.Results There was no significant differences in age,FSH,ALT,and AST levels of patients between the PCOS group and the blank control group(P>0.05).The BMI,TT,AMH,LH,FINS,FBG,and HOMA-IR of patients in the PCOS group were significantly higher than those in the blank control group(P<0.05).The relative expression of miR-93-5p in plasma of patients in the PCOS group was significantly higher than that in the blank control group(t=-5.549,P<0.001).miR-93-5p was moderately positively correlated with TT,FINS and HOMA-IR(r=0.434,0.622,0.586;P<0.001)and was mildly positively correlated with FBG and LH(r=0.398,0.398;P<0.001).The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the optimal cut-off value for plasma miR-93-5p in diagnosing PCOS was 1.380,the area under the curve was 0.906(95%confidence interval:0.839-0.973,P<0.001),the sensitivity was 0.858,the specificity was 0.833,and the Youden index was 0.691.The relative expression of miR-93-5p in the KGN cells in the miR-93-5p mimics group,LY294002+miR-93-5p group and AZD5363+miR-93-5p group was significantly higher than that in the blank control group and NC group(P<0.05).After 24,48 and 72 hours of culture,the proliferation of the KGN cells in the miR-93-5p mimics group,LY294002+miR-93-5p group and AZD5363+miR-93-5p group was significantly higher than that in the blank control group and the NC group(P<0.05);the proliferation of the KGN cells in the LY294002+miR-93-5p group and AZD5363+miR-93-5p group was significantly lower than that in the miR-93-5p mimics group(P<0.05).Conclusion miR-93-5p in plasma is overexpressed in PCOS patients,and it may be involved in the occurrence and development of PCOS by mediating the proliferation of ovarian granulosa cells through the phosphoinositide 3 kinase/protein kinase B signaling pathway.The miR-93-5p level in plasma has a certain diagnostic value for PCOS.
5.Expression and significance of microRNA-320a-3p in peripheral blood of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome
Jingmin WANG ; Wei LI ; Jiamin YAN ; Kai ZHAO ; Hui ZHANG ; Ying LIU ; Yimeng REN ; Shuai JIN ; Dan HAN
Journal of Xinxiang Medical College 2024;41(10):957-961
Objective To explore the expression level of microRNA(miR)-320a-3p in peripheral blood in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS)and its possible mechanism for regulating PCOS.Methods A total of 149 PCOS patients admitted to the Jiaozuo People's Hospital from July 2021 to July 2022 were selected as the research subjects(PCOS group),and 18 healthy volunteers with a regular menstrual cycle(28-35 d),no clinical or biochemical manifestations of hyperandrogenism,and no polycystic ovary changes detected by ultrasonography were selected as the control group.Clinical data of the subjects in the two groups were collected and compared.The expression level of miR-320a-3p in plasma of subjects in the two groups was detected by using the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.The correlation between plasma miR-320a-3p expression and clinical indexes was evaluated by using the Pearson partial correlation analysis.The predictive value of miR-320a-3p for PCOS was analyzed by using the receiver operating characteristic curve.The relationship between miR-320a-3p and androgen receptor was evaluated by using the dual luciferase reporter gene assay.Results There was no significant difference in age,hip circumference,follicle stimulating hormone(FSH),prolactin(PRL),and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)between the two groups(P>0.05).The body mass index,waist circumference,total testosterone(TT),anti-Miillerian hormone(AMH),luteinizing hormone(LH),fasting insulin(FINS),fasting blood glucose(FBG),2-hour postprandial blood glucose(2 h BG),homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance(HOMA-IR),total cholesterol,triglycerides(TG),and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)of patients in the PCOS group were significantly higher than those in the control group,while the level of estradiol(E2)was significantly lower than that in the control group(P<0.05).The relative expression level of miR-320a-3p in plasma of patients in the PCOS group was significantly lower than that in the control group(P<0.05).The expression level of miR-320a-3p was moderately negatively correlated with TT(r=-0.594,P<0.05)and slightly negatively correlated with waist circumference,FINS,2 h BG,HOMA-IR,and LDL-C(r=-0.293,-0.208,-0.227,-0.208,-0.208;P<0.05),and showed no significant correlation with hip circumference,AMH,FSH,E2,PRL,FBG,TG,and HDL-C(r=-0.079,0.020,-0.042,0.089,0.005,-0.141,-0.116,0.059;P>0.05).The area under the curve of miR-320a-3p for predicting PCOS was 0.968(95%confidence interval:0.922-1.000,P<0.05),with a cut-off value of 0.515,a sensitivity of 0.917,a specificity of 0.789,and a Jordon index of 0.706.miR-320a-3p negatively regulated androgen receptors.Conclusion miR-320a-3p is abnormally low expressed in peripheral blood of PCOS patients and may participate in the occurrence and development of PCOS by negatively regulating androgen receptors to increase TT levels.It has high predictive value for diagnosing PCOS.
6.Resveratrol treats peri-implantitis in mice via inhibiting the MAPKs/NF-κB signaling pathway
Senq-Ing LIU ; Hua ZHANG ; Yanyan CHEN ; Haipeng HE ; Jiamin HUANG ; Jingyi YUAN ; Tianyong HU ; Ruitian DU
Journal of Prevention and Treatment for Stomatological Diseases 2024;32(11):845-852
Objective To investigate the effect of resveratrol(RSV)in the treatment of peri-implantitis in a murine model and its effect on nuclear factor kappa-B(NF-κB)signaling and mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPKs)signal-ing.Methods This study has been reviewed and approved by the Ethics.After extracting the right maxillary molars of 40 C57BL/6 mice and allowing them to heal naturally for 8 weeks,implants were implanted at the site of the first molar.The mice were randomly divided into a control group,a mouse peri implantitis model group,a low-dose group of 20 mg/kg resveratrol(RSV-L),and a high-dose group of 40 mg/kg resveratrol(RSV-H).After 4 weeks of implant implantation,a silk thread ligation induced peri implantitis model was established in all mice except for the control group.The model group received intervention with physiological saline by gavage,while the drug group received intervention with resvera-trol by gavage for 6 consecutive weeks.After 6-week treatment,observe the swelling of the gums around the implant and measure the bone resorption around the mouse implant using micro CT.Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect the levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α)and interleukin-6(IL-6)in gingival crevicular fluid.HE staining was used to observe the infiltration of inflammatory cells in the surrounding tissues of mouse implants.Pro-tein expression level and phosphorylation level of extracellular regulated protein kinases(ERK),p-ERK,c-Jun N-termi-nal kinase(JNK),p-JNK,p38 mitogen activated protein kinase(p38 MAPK),p-p38MAPK,nuclear factor kappa-B(NF-κB),p-NF-κB,nuclear factor-κB inhibitory protein(IκBα),p-IκBα in MAPKs/NF-κB signaling pathway were detected by Western blot(WB).Results Resveratrol group showed reduced tissue edema and decreased alveolar bone resorp-tion.Among them,the high-dose resveratrol group had lighter tissue edema and weaker bone resorption compared to the low-dose group.The micro CT results showed that significant changes in the bone level around the implant were observed in the model group mice at four sites:proximal,distal,buccal,and palatal.High dose resveratrol intervention reduced al-veolar bone resorption(P<0.05);compared with the low-dose group,the high-dose group showed a decrease in palatal bone resorption(P<0.05),while there was no significant difference in absorption between the mesial,distal,and buccal sides(P>0.05).The ELISA results showed that compared with the model group,the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the gingival crevicular fluid of mice in the low-dose and high-dose resveratrol groups were lower(P<0.05).The IL-6 in the gingival crevicular fluid of mice in the high-dose resveratrol group was lower than that in the low-dose group(P<0.05).However,there was no significant difference in TNF-α levels between the two groups.HE staining showed a decrease in inflammatory cell infiltration in mice after treatment with resveratrol.The WB results showed that compared with the con-trol group,the expression levels of p-Erk,p-JNK,p-p38MAPK,p-IκA,and p-NF-κB phosphorylated proteins in the gingi-val tissue of the model group mice were significantly increased(P<0.01).The resveratrol treatment group significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of p-Erk,p-JNK,p-p38MAPK,p-IκA,and p-NF-κB proteins.Compared with the low-dose group,the high-dose group inhibited the phosphorylation of MAPKs/NF-κB signaling pathway related proteins more sig-nificantly(P<0.05).Conclusion Resveratrol protect ligature induced peri-implantitis murine model,which may be re-lated to its inhibition of phosphorylation of MAPKs/NF-κB pathway.
7.Research Progress of Granulocytic Myeloid-derived Suppressor Cells in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
YANG CHAODAN ; ZHU RUI ; ZHANG YUTING ; YING LISHA ; WANG JIAMIN ; LIU PAN ; SU DAN
Chinese Journal of Lung Cancer 2024;27(1):65-72
Granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells(G-MDSCs)are one of the main subgroups of MD-SCs,which are widely enriched in most cancers.It can inhibit the killing function of T-lymphocyte through the expression of arginase-1(Arg-1)and reactive oxygen species(ROS),reshape the tumor immune microenvironment,and promote the oc-currence and development of tumors.In recent years,more and more studies have found that G-MDSCs are significantly cor-related with the prognosis and immunotherapy efficacy of patients with non-small cell lung cancer,and the use of drugs specifi-cally targeting the recruitment,differentiation and function of G-MDSCs can effectively inhibit tumor progression.This article reviews the immunosuppressive effect of G-MDSCs in non-small cell lung cancer and the progress of related pathway targeting drugs.
8.Analysis and research of online teaching supervision based on the characteristics of medical disciplines
Jiamin YANG ; Yang ZOU ; Hongyi HU ; Chuanhai PU ; Wei ZHANG ; Yujin LIU ; Peihan LI ; Yu TANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2024;23(2):242-245
Given the systematic, rigorous, and practical characteristics of medical disciplines, ensuring the teaching quality of online courses has become a significant focus. In traditional teaching models, teaching supervision is an important method to guarantee instructional quality, and introducing teaching supervision into online teaching activities is of great significance. This article systematically reviews and summarizes the domestic and international experience of conducting online medical courses. We explore the instructional supervision of online medical courses from the following perspectives: the meaning of supervision, the necessity of online supervision, online supervision methods and technical approaches, the feedback and application of supervision information, and the establishment of a standardized online supervision process.
9.Efficacy and Safety of Modified Qingjin Huatantang Combined with Western Medicine in Treatment of Phlegm-heat: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Lu WANG ; Jiajia WANG ; Jiamin LIU ; Jiansheng LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(19):154-162
ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of modified Qingjin Huatantang combined with Western medicine in the treatment of phlegm-heat and to provide reference for the clinical application of this therapy and development of new drugs. MethodChina Biology Medicine (CBM),Chinan National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI),Wanfang Data,VIP,and PubMed were searched for the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of modified Qingjin Huatantang in the treatment of phlegm-heat that were published from inception to November 1,2023. Two researchers independently screened the RCTs and extracted data according to pre-set inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias was used for quality evaluation. Revman 5.4 was used for the Meta-analysis of outcome indicators. ResultA total of 91 RCTs were included,involving 7 868 patients (3 942 patients in the experimental group and 3 926 patients in the control group). The results of Meta-analysis showed that compared with simple Western medicine treatment,modified Qingjin Huatantang combined with Western medicine improved the clinical response rate [relative risk (RR)=1.16,95% confidence interval (CI)[1.14,1.19],P<0.000 01] and PaO2 [mean difference (MD)=4.65,95%CI [1.88,7.43],P=0.001]. The combined therapy had advantages in decreasing the scores of clinical symptoms including cough [MD=-0.69,95%CI [-1.33,-0.06],P=0.03),expectoration [MD=-1.04,95%CI [-2.02,-0.07],P=0.04),phlegm volume [MD=-0.38,95%CI [-0.69,-0.07],P=0.02],fever [MD=-0.22,95%CI [-0.36,-0.09],P=0.000 8],wheezing [MD=-0.34,95%CI [-0.40,-0.29],P<0.000 01],chest tightness [MD=-0.32,95%CI [-0.39,-0.26],P<0.000 01],and rales [MD=-0.35,95%CI [-0.42,-0.27],P<0.000 01]). Moreover,the combined therapy outperformed Western medicine treatment alone in reducing PaCO2 (MD=-5.42,95%CI [-7.12,-3.72],P<0.000 01], white blood cell count (WBC) [MD=-1.27,95%CI [-1.56,-0.97],P<0.000 01],C-reactive protein (CRP) [standard mean difference (SMD)=-1.52,95%CI [-1.96,-1.07],P<0.000 01], procalcitonin (PCT) [SMD=-1.23,95%CI [-1.87,-0.58],P=0.000 2],and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α [SMD=-2.63,95%CI [-3.19,-2.08],P<0.000 01]), shortening hospital stay [MD=-2.45,95%CI [-3.34,-1.57],P<0.000 01], and lowering the incidence of adverse reactions [RR=0.66,95%CI (0.49,0.88),P=0.005]. ConclusionModified Qingjin Huatantang combined with Western medicine in the treatment of patients with phlegm-heat syndrome has advantages in improving clinical response rate and PaO2, reducing symptom scores and inflammatory factors, and shortening hospital stay, with high safety.
10.Exploring Pharmacodynamic Material Basis and Mechanism of Hei Xiaoyaosan in Improving Learning and Memory Ability of Insomnia Rats Based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and Network Pharmacology
Jiamin LIU ; Hai HUANG ; Pengpeng LIANG ; Yale WANG ; Guiyun LI ; Hongyan WU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(21):19-30
ObjectiveBased on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS), network pharmacology and pharmacodynamics, to investigate the pharmacodynamic material basis and mechanism of Hei Xiaoyaosan in improving learning and memory ability of insomnia rats. MethodUPLC-Q-TOF-MS was used to characterize the chemical constituents of Hei Xiaoyaosan. Network pharmacology was applied to construct the network of active ingredients-intersecting targets-pathways, and molecular docking was performed on key ingredients and core targets. Sixty 8-week-old male SD rats were selected and randomly divided into blank group, model group, Hei Xiaoyaosan low, medium, and high dose groups(3.82, 7.65, 15.30 g·kg-1), and zolpidem tartrate group(0.5 mg·kg-1), with 10 rats in each group. Except for the blank group, the insomnia model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of p-chlorophenylalanine(PCPA) for 4 consecutive days. Rats in each dosing group were administered the corresponding dose by gavage, once a day for 14 consecutive days. Morris water maze test was utilized to assess the learning and memory ability of rats, transmission electron microscopy was employed to examine the ultrastructure of hippocampal synapses, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was conducted to analyze the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT), interleukin-6(IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in hippocampal tissues, and Western blot was performed to detect the expression levels of tumor suppressor protein p53(TP53), rat sarcoma virus(RAS), epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR), cyclic adenosine monophosphate(cAMP)-response element binding protein(CREB) binding protein(CREBBP), glycogen synthase kinase-3β(GSK-3β), protein kinase B1(Akt1), nitric oxide synthase 1(NOS1), phosphorylated(p)-Akt1, and p-GSK-3β in hippocampal tissues. Additionally, real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(Real-time PCR) was used to assess the mRNA expression levels of TP53, RAS, EGFR, CREBBP, GSK-3β, Akt1 and NOS1. ResultA total of 176 components were identified in Hei Xiaoyaosan, mainly flavonoids, triterpene saponins, phenylpropanoids and other compounds. Network pharmacological analysis revealed that TP53, V-Ha-Ras Harvey Rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog(HRAS), neuroblastoma sarcoma viral oncogene homolog(NRAS), EGFR, CREBBP, GSK-3β, Akt1 and NOS1 were the key targets of Hei Xiaoyaosan in treating insomnia. The core targets were predominantly associated with cAMP, RAS, Ras-associated protein 1(Rap1), advanced glycation end products(AGE)/receptor for AGE(RAGE), and EGFR signaling pathways, and the key active ingredients of Hei Xiaoyaosan in treating insomnia were 8-shogaol, ligustilide F, 6-gingerol, levistilide A and senkyunolide E. Animal experiment results demonstrated that Hei Xiaoyaosan medium and high dose groups significantly increased body weight, shortened sleep latency and prolonged sleep duration in insomnia rats(P<0.01), significantly decreased escape latency and increased platform crossing frequency(P<0.01), and improved the pathological changes of hippocampal synaptic ultrastructure. Meanwhile, the two groups could significantly elevate 5-HT level, Akt1 mRNA expression, Akt1 and p-Akt1 protein expression(P<0.01), reduce inflammatory factor levels(P<0.01), and down-regulate protein expression levels of TP53, RAS, NOS1, EGFR, CREBBP, GSK-3β and p-GSK-3β(P<0.01), as well as mRNA expression levels of TP53, RAS, NOS1, EGFR, CREBBP and GSK-3β in hippocampal tissues(P<0.01). ConclusionThis study determined that the five key active ingredients(8-shogaol, ligustilide F, 6-gingerol, levistilide A and senkyunolide E) in Hei Xiaoyaosan may improve the learning and memory ability of insomnia rats by regulating signaling pathways such as cAMP, RAS, and EGFR, providing an important reference for its mechanism research and clinical application.


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