1.Relationship between social support and depressive symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder: the pathway of empathy
Lan ZHU ; Jie LI ; Meijuan LI ; Ying GAO
Sichuan Mental Health 2025;38(2):166-171
BackgroundSocial support can help alleviate depressive symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and improve individual levels of empathy. The higher the level of empathy, the lower the probability of depressive symptoms. At present, the relationship between social support, empathy and depressive symptoms in MDD patients is unclear. ObjectiveTo explore the pathway of empathy in the relationship between social support and depressive symptoms in patients with MDD, so as to provide references for clinical treatment of MDD patients. MethodsA total of 126 patients who visited the outpatient clinic of Tianjin Anding hospital from July 2020 to September 2022 and met the diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) were selected as the study subjects. Hamilton Depression Scale-17 item (HAMD-17), Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) were used for assessment. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to examine the correlations among the scale scores. Path analysis was performed using Model 4 of the Process 3.4.1. Bootstrap method was used to test the path effects. ResultsAmong MDD patients, HAMD-17 total score was positively correlated with IRI total score and its subscales of fantasy and personal distress (r=0.225, 0.213, 0.220, P<0.05). HAMD-17 total score was negatively correlated with SSRS total score and its subscales of subjective support and support utilization (r=-0.211, -0.181, -0.208, P<0.05). The score of support utilization subscale of SSRS was positively correlated with IRI total score and its subscale of perspective taking and empathic concern (r=0.257, 0.261, 0.331, P<0.01). Empathy served as a pathway between support utilization and depressive symptoms, with an indirect effect of 0.217 (95% CI: 0.060~0.426), and the effect size was 36.90%. ConclusionEmpathy may serve as a pathway between support utilization and depressive symptoms in patients with MDD.
2.Postoperative Stage-based Functional Protection Strategies for Lung Cancer Based on Theory of "Lungs Governing Qi"
Luchang CAO ; Guanghui ZHU ; Ruike GAO ; Manman XU ; Xiaoyu ZHU ; Wei HOU ; Ying ZHANG ; Jie LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(18):86-93
Lung cancer (LC) is a significant global public health issue, with both its incidence and mortality rates ranking among the highest worldwide. The age-standardized incidence and mortality rates are increasing annually, posing a serious threat to the life and health of LC patients. Radical surgical resection is the primary treatment for malignant lung tumors. However, postoperative multidimensional functional impairments, including respiratory, mucosal, and psychological functions, are common. These impairments not only reduce patients' quality of life and affect their treatment tolerance and duration, but also negatively correlate with prognosis, facilitating disease recurrence and metastasis. At present, postoperative functional dysfunction after LC surgery remains a key clinical challenge that urgently needs to be addressed. There is a lack of standardized and regulated postoperative rehabilitation treatment management and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) differentiation and treatment strategies for LC. Focusing on the core underlying pathogenesis of "Qi sinking" after LC surgery, and guided by the classical TCM theory of "lungs governing Qi", this study, based on the core concept of the "five perspectives on treatment" theory, innovatively proposes the respiratory dysfunction as the core pathogenesis of "Qi sinking in the chest" during the rapid rehabilitation phase, mucosal dysfunction as the core pathogenesis of "Yin deficiency and Qi sinking" during the postoperative adjuvant treatment phase, and the psychological dysfunction as the core pathogenesis of "Qi sinking with emotional constraint" during the consolidation phase. Accordingly, stage-specific dynamic functional protection strategies are constructed. In the rapid rehabilitation phase, the strategy emphasizes tonifying Qi and uplifting sinking Qi, with differentiation and treatment based on the principle of ''descending before ascending''. In the adjuvant treatment phase, the approach focuses on nourishing Yin and uplifting Qi, with prescription combinations that integrate unblocking and tonification. In the consolidation phase, the strategy aims to resolve constraint and uplift Qi, with clinical treatment emphasizing a combination of dynamic and static methods. At each stage of functional rehabilitation, clinical differentiation and treatment should support healthy Qi and eliminate pathogenic factors simultaneously. This study is the first to propose the concept of postoperative functional protection in TCM, offering a new approach for TCM differentiation and treatment in the full-cycle, stage-based, and dynamic protection of postoperative function in LC patients. It is expected to contribute to the construction and development of an integrated TCM-Western medicine comprehensive program for cancer prevention and treatment in China.
3.A Hierarchical Strategy for Differentiation and Treatment of Recurrent Aphthous Oral Ulcers Related to Targeted Therapy for Lung Cancer Based on Yin Deficiency and Qi Collapse
Luchang CAO ; Guanghui ZHU ; Ruike GAO ; Manman XU ; Xiaoyu ZHU ; Ming LIN ; Ying ZHANG ; Jie LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(18):116-125
Tumor treatment-related adverse reactions are a major focus of clinical concern, among which recurrent aphthous oral ulcers (RAU) associated with targeted therapy for lung cancer (LC) are among the most painful and distressing for patients. Currently, modern medical interventions show limited efficacy, and there is an urgent need for more effective treatment strategies. This study differentiates RAU associated with targeted therapy for LC from chemotherapy-related and ordinary oral ulcers, elucidates the pathophysiological basis of such ulcers, and traces the theoretical origin of "Yin deficiency and Qi collapse". Based on the new system of "five perspectives on diagnosis and treatment" for tumor prevention and treatment, with a focus on the core and symptom perspectives and rooted in the traditional concept of "lung dominating Qi", we innovatively propose the concept of "medicine-induced ulcer" and are the first to introduce the theory of "Yin deficiency and Qi collapse" into the syndrome differentiation and treatment of RAU associated with targeted therapy for LC (i.e., medicine-induced ulcer). We propose that "Yin deficiency and Qi collapse" is the core pathogenesis of medicine-induced ulcers, in which the collapse of formless Qi is the key to their onset, while the deficiency and stasis of tangible Yin and blood constitute the root of recurrence. A hierarchical strategy for syndrome differentiation and treatment is established: first treating the collapse of formless Qi, then replenishing tangible deficiencies, and concurrently preventing recurrence. We emphasize that treatment should address both root and manifestation, with appropriate prioritization. In the acute phase, while relieving symptoms and promoting ulcer healing by nourishing Qi, uplifting collapse, and generating body fluids, attention should also be paid to nourishing spleen Yin, facilitating the circulation of nutritive Qi, and alleviating stasis to target the root pathogenesis and reduce recurrence. A verified case is presented to support this approach. This study enriches the theoretical framework and clinical methods of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of RAU associated with targeted therapy for LC, promotes symptom management of treatment-related adverse reactions through integrated TCM and Western medicine, and provides theoretical support for the construction and development of a comprehensive differentiation and treatment system for lung cancer prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.
4.Study on strategies and methods for discovering risk of traditional Chinese medicine-related liver injury based on real-world data: an example of Corydalis Rhizoma.
Long-Xin GUO ; Li LIN ; Yun-Juan GAO ; Min-Juan LONG ; Sheng-Kai ZHU ; Ying-Jie XU ; Xu ZHAO ; Xiao-He XIAO
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(13):3784-3795
In recent years, there have been frequent adverse reactions/events associated with traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), especially liver injury related to traditional non-toxic TCM, which requires adequate attention. Liver injury related to traditional non-toxic TCM is characterized by its sporadic and insidious nature and is influenced by various factors, making its detection and identification challenging. There is an urgent need to develop a strategy and method for early detection and recognition of traditional non-toxic TCM-related liver injury. This study was based on national adverse drug reaction monitoring center big data, integrating methodologies such as reporting odds ratio(ROR), network toxicology, and computational chemistry, so as to systematically research the risk signal identification and evaluation methods for TCM-related liver injury. The optimized ROR method was used to discover potential TCM with a risk of liver injury, and network toxicology and computational chemistry were used to identify potentially high-risk TCM. Additionally, typical clinical cases were analyzed for confirmation. An integrated strategy of "discovery via big data, identification via dry/wet method, confirmation via typical cases, and precise risk prevention and control" was developed to identify the risk of TCM-related liver injury. Corydalis Rhizoma was identified as a TCM with high risk, and its toxicity-related substances and potential toxicity mechanisms were analyzed. The results revealed that liver injury is associated with components such as tetrahydropalmatine and tetrahydroberberine, with potential mechanisms related to immune-inflammatory pathways such as the tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, interleukin-17 signaling pathway, and Th17 cell differentiation. This paper innovatively integrated real-world evidence and computational toxicology methods, offering insights and technical support for establishing a risk discovery and identification strategy for TCM-related liver injury based on real-world big data, providing innovative ideas and strategies for guiding the safe and rational use of medication in clinical practices.
Corydalis/adverse effects*
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects*
;
Humans
;
Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/etiology*
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/adverse effects*
;
Rhizome/adverse effects*
;
Male
;
Female
5.Biomechanical finite element analysis of American Chiropractic intervention on the third lumbar transverse process syndrome based on imaging.
Ling-Feng ZHU ; Hai-Jie YU ; Hai-Fen YING ; Ben-Bao CHEN ; Xiao-Chun XIONG ; Li-Jiang LYU
China Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology 2025;38(4):403-410
OBJECTIVE:
To explore the displacement and pressure distribution of American Chiropractic in a model of third lumbar syndrome based on finite element analysis.
METHODS:
On March 2021, CT and MRI images of a 23-year-old male patient with right third lumbar syndrome were selected. A 3D stl model was established using Mimics and CATIA, and the data was imported into Hypermesh, Abaqus & ANSYS. The elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio of the affected side material were adjusted to establish its finite element model. Based on the comparison of the operating positions and routines of the American Chiropractic and the lumbar spine oblique pull method, but with differences in the focus and direction of force, the experimental group simulated the American Chiropractic with the healthy side (left side) lying position of the model. The upper endplate of L3 and the lower part below L3 twisted accordingly with the body position, we applied a vertical forward thrust of 246 N to the plane formed by the L4, L5 spinous processes and L4 upper articular processes;The control group simulates the oblique pull method of the lumbar spine, requiring the model to lie on the healthy side (left side), fix the upper endplate of L4, and perform a horizontal rotation along the longitudinal axis of L3 vertebral body. At this time, the contact force in the upward direction is also set to 246 N. Compare the displacement and stress differences between the L1-L5 intervertebral bodies, intervertebral discs, articular processes, and transverse process muscles in two intervention models.
RESULTS:
① Under safe load conditions, a test force of 246 N was applied to the model, and the maximum vertebral displacement occurred on the right side of the L3 vertebral body (1.197 mm) after manual intervention in the control group. The vertebral displacement between L1-L5 induced by manual intervention in the experimental group was smaller than that of the control group's manual intervention (P<0.05). ② The maximum vertebral body stress occurred on the right side of the L3 vertebral body after manual intervention in the control group (98.425 MPa). The stress on each vertebral body formed by the experimental group's manual intervention was lower than that of the control group's manual intervention (P<0.05). ③The maximum intervertebral disc stress occurred on the right side of the L2,3 intervertebral disc (6.282 MPa) after manual intervention in the control group. ④ The maximum joint process stress occurred on the right side of the L4 upper joint process after manual intervention in the experimental group (1.587 MPa). The joint process stress on the left side below L1 and the left side above and below L2 induced by manual intervention in the experimental group was lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). ⑤The maximum stress on the intertransverse process muscle was observed at the right lateral L3 process end (31.960 MPa) of L3,4 in the control group after manual intervention. The stress on the L2,3 and L4,5 segments of the intertransverse process muscle induced by manual intervention in the experimental group was lower than that of the control group's manual intervention (P<0.05).
CONCLUSION
The mechanical feedback of the L1-L5 vertebral body, the lower left side of the articular process L1, the upper and lower left side of the articular process L2, and the L2,3 and L4,5 segments of the transverse process muscle in the model indicates that performing American Chiropractic for the treatment of third lumbar transverse process syndrome can accurately hit the target pain point and allow the patient's tissue to form a low stress and low tension state after manual operation, thereby reducing the possibility of tissue damage caused by hypertonia after intervertebral joint movement, making it relatively safe. The application of American Chiropractic will be a new supplement to the traditional treatment plan for third lumbar transverse process syndrome.
Humans
;
Finite Element Analysis
;
Male
;
Lumbar Vertebrae/physiopathology*
;
Biomechanical Phenomena
;
Young Adult
;
Manipulation, Chiropractic
;
Adult
;
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
;
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
6.Study on the efficacy of automatic-controlled pressure cupping for lumbar disc herniation.
Bo-Chen PENG ; Min-Shan FENG ; Li LI ; Gui-Ju REN ; Yi-Zhen YUAN ; Li-Jie CHANG ; Shu-Ying REN ; Liu ZENG ; Guang-Wei LIU ; Li-Guo ZHU ; Na YUAN
China Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology 2025;38(11):1133-1138
OBJECTIVE:
To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of automatic pressure-controlled pressure cupping in patients with lumbar disc herniation, and compare it with traditional cupping.
METHODS:
A total of 100 patients diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation from January 2022 to August 2024 were selected and divided into two groups:the automatic pressure-controlled pressure cupping group (controlled pressure cupping group) and the traditional cupping group (control group), 50 cases in each group. In the controlled pressure cupping group, there were 18 males and 32 females, with an age of (51.98±12.69) years;in the control group, there were 16 males and 34 females, with an age of (51.32±12.05) years. The visual analogue scale(VAS), comfort score, and lumbar range of motion were observed before treatment and after the 1st, 3rd, and 7th treatments to evaluate the efficacy and safety.
RESULTS:
All patients completed the treatment intervention, with complete follow-up data collected. No adverse reactions or complications occurred during treatment and follow-up. After the 3rd treatment, the VAS score of the controlled pressure cupping group was (2.38±0.49), which was lower than that of the control group (2.94±0.68), with a statistically significant difference (P<0.001). In the controlled pressure cupping group, the VAS scores after the 1st, 3rd, and 7th treatments were significantly better than those before treatment (P=0.026);in the control group, the VAS scores after the 3rd and 7th treatments were better than those before treatment, but the difference was not statistically significant(P=0.182). Repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) on VAS scores at different time points in both groups showed that there were statistically significant differences in inter-group, time, and interaction effects (P<0.05). After the 1st treatment, in the controlled pressure cupping group, 0 patients felt comfortable, 42 patients (84%) felt mild discomfort, and 8 patients (16%) felt moderate discomfort;in the control group, 0 patients felt comfortable, 28 patients (56%) felt mild discomfort, and 22 patients(44%) felt moderate discomfort;the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P=0.005). After the 3rd treatment, in the controlled pressure cupping group, 30 patients(60%) felt comfortable, 20 patients (40%) felt mild discomfort, and 0 patients felt moderate discomfort; in the control group, 9 patients (18%) felt comfortable, 41 patients (82%) felt mild discomfort, and 0 patients felt moderate discomfort;the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in comfort between the two groups after the 7th treatment(P>0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in lumbar range of motion between the two groups before and after treatment(P>0.05);compared with before treatment, the lumbar range of motion of both groups after treatment was significantly improved, with statistically significant differences (P<0.001).
CONCLUSION
Automatic pressure-controlled pressure cupping can effectively relieve symptoms in patients with lumbar disc herniation, with excellent safety.
Humans
;
Female
;
Male
;
Intervertebral Disc Displacement/physiopathology*
;
Middle Aged
;
Adult
;
Lumbar Vertebrae/physiopathology*
;
Cupping Therapy/methods*
;
Pressure
;
Aged
;
Treatment Outcome
7.Genetic screening and follow-up results in 3 001 newborns in the Yunnan region.
Ao-Yu LI ; Bao-Sheng ZHU ; Jin-Man ZHANG ; Ying CHAN ; Jun-Yue LIN ; Jie ZHANG ; Xiao-Yan ZHOU ; Hong CHEN ; Su-Yun LI ; Na FENG ; Yin-Hong ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(6):654-660
OBJECTIVES:
To evaluate the application value of genetic newborn screening (gNBS) in the Yunnan region.
METHODS:
A prospective study was conducted with a random selection of 3 001 newborns born in the Yunnan region from February to December 2021. Traditional newborn screening (tNBS) was used to test biochemical indicators, and targeted next-generation sequencing was employed to screen 159 genes related to 156 diseases. Positive-screened newborns underwent validation and confirmation tests, and confirmed cases received standardized treatment and long-term follow-up.
RESULTS:
Among the 3 001 newborns, 166 (5.53%) were initially positive for genetic screening, and 1 435 (47.82%) were genetic carriers. The top ten genes with the highest variation frequency were GJB2 (21.29%), DUOX2 (7.27%), HBA (6.14%), GALC (3.63%), SLC12A3 (3.33%), HBB (3.03%), G6PD (2.94%), SLC25A13 (2.90%), PAH (2.73%), and UNC13D (2.68%). Among the initially positive newborns from tNBS and gNBS, 33 (1.10%) and 47 (1.57%) cases were confirmed, respectively. A total of 48 (1.60%) cases were confirmed using gNBS+tNBS. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that the areas under the curve for tNBS, gNBS, and gNBS+tNBS in diagnosing diseases were 0.866, 0.982, and 0.968, respectively (P<0.05). DeLong's test showed that the area under the curve for gNBS and gNBS+tNBS was higher than that for tNBS (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
gNBS can expand the range of disease detection, and its combined use with tNBS can significantly shorten diagnosis time, enabling early intervention and treatment.
Humans
;
Infant, Newborn
;
Neonatal Screening
;
Genetic Testing
;
Female
;
Male
;
Follow-Up Studies
;
Prospective Studies
;
China
8.Early screening and diagnosis of prostate cancer based on the innovative care for chronic conditions framework.
Han-Jing ZHU ; Liang DONG ; Bin ZHAO ; Feng ZHANG ; Rong LI ; Cheng-Ye ZHU ; Jia MAO ; Zhen-Ying YANG ; Yin-Jie ZHU ; Wei XUE
National Journal of Andrology 2025;31(3):229-233
OBJECTIVE:
To construct an integrated management model for early screening and diagnosis of PCa based on the Innovative Care for Chronic Conditions Framework (ICCC) and the 1+1 contract-based tiered diagnosis and treatment system (TDTS) in China.
METHODS:
Based on the 1+1 contract-based TDTS platform, we conducted PCa screening for the male residents aged 60 years and above during health check-ups in Pujin Community Health Center from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023. For those with abnormal total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA) ≥ 4 μg/L, we promptly referred them to higher-level hospitals for further diagnosis and treatment via the two-way referral green channel platform and information sharing service using the 1+1 contract model. We further analyzed the relevant data on screening and diagnosis.
RESULTS:
A total of 4 080 males aged 71.39±5.059 years received PCa screening from January to December 2023. PSA screening was performed in 43.96% of the male residents, revealing 654 cases of PSA abnormality, with a PSA positivity rate of 16.03%, which was higher than that found in the previous large-scale PCa screenings in other regions of China. Among the males with PSA abnormality, 292 (44.65%) expressed their willingness for medical referral, while the others did not seek further medical attention for reasons of being asymptomatic, low awareness of the disease, no accompany for medical visits, and concerns about further costs of diagnosis and treatment. Prostate biopsy was recommended to 154 cases after further examinations, which was accepted by 92 (59.74%). Fifty-eight cases were diagnosed with Pa, and thedetection rate reached 63.04%.
CONCLUSION
The integrated management model for PSA examination-based early screening and diagnosis of PCa using the 1+1 contract-based TDTS platform is plays a significant role in enhancing people's awareness and knowledge of PCa and improving the early detection rate of the malignancy.
Humans
;
Male
;
Prostatic Neoplasms/diagnosis*
;
Early Detection of Cancer
;
Prostate-Specific Antigen/blood*
;
Aged
;
China
;
Mass Screening
;
Middle Aged
;
Chronic Disease
10.A small molecule cryptotanshinone induces non-enzymatic NQO1-dependent necrosis in cancer cells through the JNK1/2/Iron/PARP/calcium pathway.
Ying HOU ; Bingling ZHONG ; Lin ZHAO ; Heng WANG ; Yanyan ZHU ; Xianzhe WANG ; Haoyi ZHENG ; Jie YU ; Guokai LIU ; Xin WANG ; Jose M MARTIN-GARCIA ; Xiuping CHEN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(2):991-1006
Human NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is a flavoenzyme expressed at high levels in multiple solid tumors, making it an attractive target for anticancer drugs. Bioactivatable drugs targeting NQO1, such as β-lapachone (β-lap), are currently in clinical trials for the treatment of cancer. β-Lap selectively kills NQO1-positive (NQO1+) cancer cells by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) via catalytic activation of NQO1. In this study, we demonstrated that cryptotanshinone (CTS), a naturally occurring compound, induces NQO1-dependent necrosis without affecting NQO1 activity. CTS selectively kills NQO1+ cancer cells by inducing NQO1-dependent necrosis. Interestingly, CTS directly binds to NQO1 but does not activate its catalytic activity. In addition, CTS enables activation of JNK1/2 and PARP, accumulation of iron and Ca2+, and depletion of ATP and NAD+. Furthermore, CTS selectively suppressed tumor growth in the NQO1+ xenograft models, which was reversed by NQO1 inhibitor and NQO1 shRNA. In conclusion, CTS induces NQO1-dependent necrosis via the JNK1/2/iron/PARP/NAD+/Ca2+ signaling pathway. This study demonstrates the non-enzymatic function of NQO1 in inducing cell death and provides new avenues for the design and development of NQO1-targeted anticancer drugs.

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