1.Study on the effects of carvacrol on stomach-heat and stomach-cold rats and its mechanism of cooling and clearing based on energy metabolism and gastrointestinal function
Qi ZHANG ; Yi LI ; Hongye LI ; Fengwei ZHANG ; Minghui JIANG ; Xingyu ZHAO ; Linze LI ; Xiaofang WU ; Yinming ZHAO ; Songrui DI ; Jianjun ZHANG ; Chun WANG ; Linyuan WANG
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;48(4):471-482
Objective:
To investigate the biological effects of carvacrol on rats with stomach-heat and stomach-cold and its regulation on transient receptor potential(TRP) channels in rats with stomach-heat, and to study the cold and heat properties of carvacrol and its possible mechanism.
Methods:
According to the random number method, 100 SD rats were divided into stomach-heat blank group, stomach-heat model group, Coptidis Rhizoma group, stomach-heat low-dose and high-dose carvacrol group, stomach-cold blank group, stomach-cold model group, Baked ginger group, stomach-cold low-dose group and high-dose carvacrol group, 10 rats in each group. The rat model of stomach-heat was established by intragastric administration of pepper aqueous solution (0.80 g/kg) and anhydrous ethanol, and the rat model of stomach-cold was established by intragastric administration of water extract of Anemarrhena asphodeloides and sodium hydroxide (10.40 g/kg). On the day of modeling, the rats in the Baked ginger group were given Baked ginger decoction (0.78 g/kg), and the rats in the Coptidis Rhizoma group were given Coptidis Rhizoma decoction (0.43 g/kg).The stomach-cold and stomach-heat low-dose group of carvacrol was given carvacrol emulsion (40 mg/kg), high-dose group was given carvacrol emulsion (80 mg/kg).All rats of the blank and model groups were given the equal volume of emulsion prepared by 5% dimethyl sulfoxide, 1% Tween 80, 1% polyethylene glycol 400, and 93% normal saline, once a day, for 7 days. The general condition of rats was observed and the body mass was recorded. The pathological morphology of gastric tissue was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The changes of material and energy metabolism, cyclic nucleotide (cAMP), thyroid hormone and gastrointestinal hormone in each group were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression levels of transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1), transient receptor potential channel M8 (TRPM8) and uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) in rats with gastric fever were detected by Western blotting.
Results:
Compared with the stomach-heat blank group, the body mass of rats in the stomach-heat model group decreased at the fifth and seventh day (P<0.05). The contents (or ratio) of hepatic glycogen (HGlyc), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) were decreased (P<0.05), and Na+ -K+ -ATPase, Ca2+ -Mg2+ -ATPase, cytochrome C oxidase (COX), NADH dehydrogenase (ND), cyclic adenosine phosphate (cAMP), cAMP/cyclic guanosine phosphate (cGMP), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), gastrin (GAS), motilin (MTL), and α-amylase (α-AMS) all increased (P<0.05). Compared with the stomach-heat model group, the body mass of rats in the Coptidis Rhizoma group decreased at the third, fifth, and seventh day, the contents (or ratio) of HGlyc, TC, TG, VIP and α-AMS were increased, and Na+ -K+ -ATPase, COX, ND, cAMP, cAMP/cGMP, T3, T4, and GAS all decreased (P<0.05). The body mass of rats in the stomach-heat low-dose carvacrol group decreased at the seventh day. The contents (or ratio) of HGlyc, TC, and VIP were increased, Na+ -K+ -ATPase, COX, ND, cAMP, cAMP/cGMP, T3, T4, and MTL all decreased, the expression of TRPV1 and UCP1 in gastric tissue decreased, while TRPM8 increased (P<0.05) in rats of the stomach-heat low-dose and high-dose carvacrol groups. Compared with the stomach-cold blank group, the body mass of rats in the stomach-cold model group decreased at the third, fifth, and seventh day, the contents (or ratio) of HGlyc, TC, TG, α-AMS, and VIP all increased, while Na+ -K+ -ATPase, Ca2+ -Mg2+ -ATPase, COX, ND, cAMP, cAMP/cGMP, T3, T4, GAS, and MTL all decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the stomach-cold model group, the body mass of rats in the Baked ginger group was increased at the seventh day, and the contents (or ratio) of HGlyc, VIP, and α-AMS all decreased, while Na+ -K+ -ATPase, COX, ND, cAMP/cGMP, T3, T4, GAS, and MTL all increased (P<0.05). The contents of HGlyc, cAMP, α-AMS, and VIP of rats in the stomach-cold low and high-dose carvacrol group all decreased (P<0.05). TG in the stomach-cold low-dose carvacrol group was increased. TC, Ca2+ -Mg2+ -ATPase, and cGMP all increased, while cAMP/cGMP decreased (P<0.05) in the high-dose carvacrol group.
Conclusion
In this study, the rat model of stomach-cold and stomach-heat were successfully established by using cold and heat factors. The result showed that carvacrol had a certain inhibitory effect on body mass, material energy metabolism, cyclic nucleotide level, thyroid hormone and gastrointestinal function in rats with stomach-heat, indicating that the drug was cold. Carvacrol′s cold medicinal property could be biologically explained by TRPV1 activation, UCP1 induction, and TRPM8 suppression.
2.Health risk assessment of heavy metals and metalloids in atmospheric PM2.5 from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in 2023
Jiake ZHU ; Shengmei YANG ; Yuhan QIN ; Nana WEI ; Wenqian ZHANG ; Xinrui JIA ; Wenyu ZHANG ; Xuanhao BAI ; Minghui YIN ; Li ZHANG ; Huan LI ; Duoduo WU ; Xuanzhi YUE ; Yaochun FAN
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(10):1201-1208
Background The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is a vast area with a wide array of ecological environments, resulting in considerable regional variations in air pollution characteristics. Current research is limited by a scarcity of systematic, region-wide studies and risk assessments. Objective To assess the health risks associated with inhalation exposure to nine heavy metal and metalloid elements in atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM2.5) for the population of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Methods From the 10th to the 16th of each month throughout 2023, atmospheric PM2.5 samples were collected at designated monitoring sites in 12 leagues (cities) across the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to analyze the characteristics and trends in concentration. The health risk assessment model developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency was employed to evaluate both the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks associated with the heavy metal elements beryllium (Be), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), hydrargyrum (Hg), plumbum (Pb), manganese (Mn), and nickel (Ni) and the metalloid elements stibium (Sb) and arsenic (As). Results In 2023, a total of
3.Heterotopic ossification: Current developments and emerging potential therapies.
Mingjian BEI ; Qiyong CAO ; Chunpeng ZHAO ; Yaping XIAO ; Yimin CHEN ; Honghu XIAO ; Xu SUN ; Faming TIAN ; Minghui YANG ; Xinbao WU
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(4):389-404
This review aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the etiology, epidemiology, pathology, and conventional treatment of heterotopic ossification (HO), especially emerging potential therapies. HO is the process of ectopic bone formation at non-skeletal sites. HO can be subdivided into two major forms, acquired and hereditary, with acquired HO predominating. Hereditary HO is a rare and life-threatening genetic disorder, but both acquired and hereditary form can cause severe complications, such as peripheral nerve entrapment, pressure ulcers, and disability if joint ankylosis develops, which heavily contributes to a reduced quality of life. Modalities have been proposed to treat HO, but none have emerged as the gold standard. Surgical excision remains the only effective modality; however, the optimal timing is controversial and may cause HO recurrence. Recently, potential therapeutic strategies have emerged that focus on the signaling pathways involved in HO, and small molecule inhibitors have been shown to be promising. Moreover, additional specific targets, such as small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and non-coding RNAs, could be used to effectively block HO or develop combinatorial therapies for HO.
Humans
;
Ossification, Heterotopic/genetics*
4.Clinical efficacy of therapeutic whole blood exchange combined with lymphoplasmapheresis in refractory autoimmune hemolytic anemia
Gang WANG ; Yixin GAO ; Linyan WU ; Liuyan PAN ; Suying HE ; Lijuan ZHOU ; Yongzheng PENG ; Minghui YANG
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2025;38(10):1348-1354
Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of therapeutic whole blood exchange combined with lymphoplasmapheresis in the treatment of refractory autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA). Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of AIHA patients who underwent therapeutic whole blood exchange combined with lymphoplasmapheresis at our hospital from March 2022 to May 2025. Efficacy was assessed by comparing changes in hemoglobin, platelet count, and bilirubin levels before and after treatment. Safety was evaluated by analyzing vital signs before and after the procedure, parameters during the exchange, and adverse reactions. Results: A total of 12 AIHA patients were enrolled, completing 19 exchange procedures. The number of procedures per patient ranged from 1 to 3. The median treatment duration was 67 (65-73) minutes, with a median exchange volume of 2 025 (1 851-2 121) mL, comprising 4.5 (4-6) units of red blood cells and 1 350 (1 200-1 400) mL of plasma. Ten patients achieved partial remission, one achieved complete remission, and one showed no response, yielding an response rate of 91% (11/12). After a single session, hemoglobin increased significantly by 17.58±9.85 g/L (P<0.01), while platelets counts decreased by 45 (17.5, 79)×10
/L (P<0.05), and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure showed a significant elevation (P<0.05). However, no statistically significant differences were observed in total bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, white blood cell count, or heart rate. During the procedures, 4 adverse reactions occurred in 3 patients: one child experienced severe heart rate fluctuation twice consecutively, and two adults developed plasma allergies. All reactions resolved spontaneously without pharmacological intervention. Conclusion: The combination of therapeutic whole blood exchange and lymphoplasmapheresis appears to be a safe and effective treatment for refractory AIHA patients.
5.Multi-Voiced Narrative of Home-Based Palliative Care:Report of One Case
Xiaotian ZHANG ; Zidan WANG ; Minghui WANG ; Lingling WU ; Peng YUE
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2024;46(1):68-71
Terminally ill patients face multiple difficulties in home care.Home-based palliative care ad-hering to the concept of whole-person,whole-family,whole-team,and whole-course care is able to meet the needs of terminally ill patients and their families.In this paper,we reported the care history and home-based pal-liative care process of a patient with end-stage breast tumor and summarized the experience,aiming to provide reference for the future work of home-based palliative care.
6.Vascular segmentation and reconstruction in diabetic retinopathy based on deep learning
Shiyi XU ; Minghui CHEN ; Yi SHAO ; Kaibo QIN ; Yuquan WU ; Zhijie YIN ; Zhengqi YANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Physics 2024;41(10):1256-1264
A method capable of retinal vessel segmentation and three-dimensional(3D)reconstruction is proposed for the early diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy.The 3D reconstruction can avoid the misjudgments of blood vessel length,curvature and branch angle after segmentation,which will affect the early diagnosis.IAAnet algorithm for retinal image segmentation combines traditional Unet with Inception V3,atrous spatial pyramid pooling and AttentionGates to reduce information loss and avoid over-fitting,thereby improving the network's ability to extract features.The projection reconstruction method is used to restore the 3D information of blood vessels,and supports the adjustments of brightness and contrast,so that doctors can better observe the real state of blood vessels.The proposed algorithm has an accuracy,recall rate,F1 score,intersection over union and area under ROC curve of 97.68%,96.07%,97.26%,92.79%and 94.00%,respectively.Compared with other networks,IAAnet algorithm exhibits higher segmentation accuracy,and can obtain more vascular information in 3D image after 3D projection reconstruction to assist in the early diagnosis.
7.Correlation between CT imaging-derived hip muscle factors and recovery of independent mobility within 1 year after surgery in older adults with hip fractures
Yufeng GE ; Feng GAO ; Chao TU ; Ling WANG ; Gang LIU ; Wenshuang ZHANG ; Shiwen ZHU ; Minghui YANG ; Xinbao WU
Chinese Journal of Trauma 2024;40(6):531-538
Objective:To explore the correlation between hip muscle factors measured with CT imaging and recovery of independent mobility within 1 year after surgery in elderly patients with hip fractures.Methods:A prospective cohort study was conducted on the clinical data of 680 elderly patients with hip fractures admitted to Beijing Jishuitan Hospital of Capital Medical University from November 2018 to December 2019. The patients were assigned to dependent group and assistant group according to whether they regained pre-injury independent mobility within 1 year after surgery. Gender, age, body mass index, personal history, living habits, past diseases, Charlson comorbidity index, laboratory test indicators, fracture types, anesthesia types, surgical methods, rehabilitation training, time from injury to surgery, and hip muscle parameters in both groups were recorded. OsiriX software was employed in the measurement of the hip muscles to measure the muscle area and density of the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius/minimus on CT images, and the average values were calculated as hip muscle area and density. Then the variables of hip muscle area and density were converted seperately to gender-normalized Z-scores, and were divided into high-area group ( Z≥0) and low-area group ( Z<0), and high-density group ( Z≥0) and low-density group ( Z<0) respectively. Observable variables were primarily analyzed using univariate analysis between the independent group and assistant group. Those variables with statistically significant differences in the univariate analysis or would potentially affect mobility recovery according to previous researches although there were no statistical significance were included in a multivariate Logistic regression analysis. Three Logistic regression models were designed (Model 1 uncorrected, Model 2 corrected for gender, age and body mass index, Model 3 corrected for variables in Model 2 and other variables included after above-mentioned analysis) to analyze whether muscle parameters were risk factors for recovery of independent mobility. Additionally, generalized estimating equations were used for repeated measurement to analyze the correlation between hip muscle area and recovery of independent mobility after surgery. Results:Compared to the assistant group, the independent group were younger in age, with lower rate of living alone, being housebound, cognitive impairment, and Charlson comorbidity index, lower level of hemoglobin and albumin, higher rate of femoral neck fractures, lower rate of internal fixation, shorter time from injury to surgery, larger hip muscle area, and higher hip muscle density ( P<0.05 or 0.01). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that, in the fully corrected Model 3, only hip muscle area remained significantly correlated with recovery of independent mobility ( P<0.05), while no significant difference was found between the high-density group and low-density group ( P>0.05). In the repeated measurement, patients in the high-area group were 1.84 times more likely to restore independent mobility than those in the low-area group ( OR=1.84, 95% CI 1.33, 2.53, P<0.01). Conclusions:Hip muscle area measured with CT imaging is closely correlated to the recovery of independent mobility within 1 year after surgery in elderly patients with hip fractures. Moreover, larger hip muscle area indicates a larger likelihood of recovery of independent mobility.
8.A digital classification system of pelvic fractures based on close reduction techniques
Xu SUN ; Yuneng LI ; Qiyong CAO ; Chunpeng ZHAO ; Yimin CHEN ; Minghui YANG ; Shiwen ZHU ; Honghua WU ; Xinbao WU
Chinese Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma 2024;26(5):428-434
Objective:To explore the feasibility and consistency of a new digital classification system of pelvic fractures named as JST classification based on close reduction techniques.Methods:A retrospective collection was conducted of the data from the 63 patients with pelvic fracture who had undergone surgical treatment after JST classification at Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital from March 2021 to March 2023. Digital classification of the pelvic fractures was performed based on their locations and displacements. The classification first divides the pelvis into 4 parts: left half pelvis and right half pelvis; sacral Denis Ⅲ area and pubic symphysis. The symmetrical left and right sacral Denis Ⅰ and Denis Ⅱ areas are also included in the left/right half pelvis. Subsequently, the left half pelvis and right half pelvis are divided into 4 regions and marked by capitalized English letters: Sacrum Area (including Denis Ⅰ and Denis Ⅱ, denoted as S), Sacroiliac Joint Area (denoted as J), Iliac Area (denoted as I), and Pubic Area (denoted as P); to distinguish right/left, R and L are used as prefixes. The 2 asymmetric parts are also marked with English letters: Denis Ⅲ area of the sacrum (denoted as Sac), and pubic symphysis (denoted as C). Afterwards, the fracture line morphology and displacement in each region are marked digitally to form a complete JST classification system. The inter- and intra-observer reliabilities (Fleiss' and Cohen's Kappa) of the JST classification system were tested by 3 observers with more than 10 years of experience in pelvic fracture treatment.Results:Consistency analysis of the JST classification results showed that the mean κ value of the intra-observer reliability was 0.818 (from 0.658 to 0.946, P<0.001) and the inter-observer reliability 0.873 (from 0.674 to 1.000, P<0.001), both indicating excellent agreement. Of the 63 patients, 59 obtained successful closed reduction with the assistance of the Rossum Robot R-Universal intelligent orthopedic surgical robot system after fracture classification by the JST system, yielding a success rate of 93.7% (59/63). Conclusions:The new JST classification system for pelvic fractures demonstrates strong intra and inter-observer reliabilities compared with traditional classification systems. As JST classification system labels each fracture site and key bones, it is of great significance for the deep learning and intraoperative operations of intelligent fracture robots.
9.Comparison of the early postoperative visual quality of oval versus round valve in FS-LASIK
Xion-Gzi LIANG ; Qingsong ZHANG ; Wanju YANG ; Si LENG ; Haixia WU ; Minghui ZHANG
The Journal of Practical Medicine 2024;40(17):2430-2434
Objective To investigate the difference in visual quality between oval and round corneal flaps in femtosecond excimer laser in situ keratomileusis(FS-LASIK).Methods In a prospective randomized controlled clinical study,patients who voluntarily underwent FS-LASIK surgery in Wuhan University Affiliated Aier Ophthalmology Hospital from June 2022 to February 2023 were randomly divided into oval valve group and round valve group,with 36 patients(72 eyes)in each group.During FS-LASIK,oval and round corneal flaps were made,and excimer laser surgery was performed in parallel.Observe intraoperative and postoperative complications.The unaided visual acuity(UCVA)and spherical equivalent(SE)at 1 day,1 week,1 month and 3 months after surgery were compared between the two groups at 3 months after surgery,and the modulation transfer function(MTF),Strel ratio(SR)and total higher-order aberration at 3 months after surgery were compared between the two groups.Results All patients had successfully completed the surgery without serious complications.There was no significant difference between the oval valve group and the round valve group in UCVA at 1 day,1 week after surgery,1 month after surgery,3 months after surgery.There was no significant difference between the two groups on the postoperative SE at 1 day,1 week after surgery,1 month after surgery,and 3 months after surgery.There was no significant difference in MTF,SR and total higher-order aberration between the two groups at 3 months after surgery.Conclusion Ideal visual acuity can be achieved with either oval or round corneal flap during FS-LASIK,and there is no significant difference in visual quality between the two in the early postoperativeperiod.
10.Research progress in the mechanism of Polygalae Radix in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease
Li WU ; Minghui DENG ; Yongjiao LIU ; Wei ZHUANG
International Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;46(10):1383-1387
Polygalae Radix can calm the mind, enhance intelligence, dispel phlegm, and open the orifices. Often administered in combination with herbs such as Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma, Polygalae Radix is frequently prescribed for the management of Alzheimer's disease. Rhizoma Polygalae and its chemical constituents play an important role in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease by acting on multiple targets and regulating multiple signaling pathways, such as inhibiting tau protein hyperphosphorylation, antioxidant stress, regulating cholinergic system, improving neuroinflammation, regulating β-amyloid abnormal metabolism, etc. Compound prescriptions composed of Polygalae Radix, such as Kaixin Powder, Yuanzhi Powder, Dihuang Decoction, Anshen Dingzhi Prescription, etc., also have anti-Alzheimer's disease effects and are widely used in clinical practice.


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