1.Revealing VCAN as a Potential Common Diagnostic Biomarker of Renal Tubules and Glomerulus in Diabetic Kidney Disease Based on Machine Learning, Single-Cell Transcriptome Analysis and Mendelian Randomization
Li JIANG ; Jie JIAN ; Xulin SAI ; Xiai WU
Diabetes & Metabolism Journal 2025;49(3):407-420
Background:
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is recognized as a significant complication of diabetes mellitus and categorized into glomerular DKDs and tubular DKDs, each governed by distinct pathological mechanisms and biomarkers.
Methods:
Through the identification of common features observed in glomerular and tubular lesions in DKD, numerous differentially expressed gene were identified by the machine learning, single-cell transcriptome and mendelian randomization.
Results:
The diagnostic markers versican (VCAN) was identified, offering supplementary options for clinical diagnosis. VCAN significantly highly expressed in glomerular parietal epithelial cell and proximal convoluted tubular cell. It was mainly involved in the up-regulation of immune genes and infiltration of immune cells like mast cell. Mendelian randomization analysis confirmed that serum VCAN protein levels were a risky factor for DKD, while there was no reverse association. It exhibited the good diagnostic potential for estimated glomerular filtration rate and proteinuria in DKD.
Conclusion
VCAN showed the prospects into DKD pathology and clinical indicator.
2.Revealing VCAN as a Potential Common Diagnostic Biomarker of Renal Tubules and Glomerulus in Diabetic Kidney Disease Based on Machine Learning, Single-Cell Transcriptome Analysis and Mendelian Randomization
Li JIANG ; Jie JIAN ; Xulin SAI ; Xiai WU
Diabetes & Metabolism Journal 2025;49(3):407-420
Background:
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is recognized as a significant complication of diabetes mellitus and categorized into glomerular DKDs and tubular DKDs, each governed by distinct pathological mechanisms and biomarkers.
Methods:
Through the identification of common features observed in glomerular and tubular lesions in DKD, numerous differentially expressed gene were identified by the machine learning, single-cell transcriptome and mendelian randomization.
Results:
The diagnostic markers versican (VCAN) was identified, offering supplementary options for clinical diagnosis. VCAN significantly highly expressed in glomerular parietal epithelial cell and proximal convoluted tubular cell. It was mainly involved in the up-regulation of immune genes and infiltration of immune cells like mast cell. Mendelian randomization analysis confirmed that serum VCAN protein levels were a risky factor for DKD, while there was no reverse association. It exhibited the good diagnostic potential for estimated glomerular filtration rate and proteinuria in DKD.
Conclusion
VCAN showed the prospects into DKD pathology and clinical indicator.
3.Revealing VCAN as a Potential Common Diagnostic Biomarker of Renal Tubules and Glomerulus in Diabetic Kidney Disease Based on Machine Learning, Single-Cell Transcriptome Analysis and Mendelian Randomization
Li JIANG ; Jie JIAN ; Xulin SAI ; Xiai WU
Diabetes & Metabolism Journal 2025;49(3):407-420
Background:
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is recognized as a significant complication of diabetes mellitus and categorized into glomerular DKDs and tubular DKDs, each governed by distinct pathological mechanisms and biomarkers.
Methods:
Through the identification of common features observed in glomerular and tubular lesions in DKD, numerous differentially expressed gene were identified by the machine learning, single-cell transcriptome and mendelian randomization.
Results:
The diagnostic markers versican (VCAN) was identified, offering supplementary options for clinical diagnosis. VCAN significantly highly expressed in glomerular parietal epithelial cell and proximal convoluted tubular cell. It was mainly involved in the up-regulation of immune genes and infiltration of immune cells like mast cell. Mendelian randomization analysis confirmed that serum VCAN protein levels were a risky factor for DKD, while there was no reverse association. It exhibited the good diagnostic potential for estimated glomerular filtration rate and proteinuria in DKD.
Conclusion
VCAN showed the prospects into DKD pathology and clinical indicator.
4.Revealing VCAN as a Potential Common Diagnostic Biomarker of Renal Tubules and Glomerulus in Diabetic Kidney Disease Based on Machine Learning, Single-Cell Transcriptome Analysis and Mendelian Randomization
Li JIANG ; Jie JIAN ; Xulin SAI ; Xiai WU
Diabetes & Metabolism Journal 2025;49(3):407-420
Background:
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is recognized as a significant complication of diabetes mellitus and categorized into glomerular DKDs and tubular DKDs, each governed by distinct pathological mechanisms and biomarkers.
Methods:
Through the identification of common features observed in glomerular and tubular lesions in DKD, numerous differentially expressed gene were identified by the machine learning, single-cell transcriptome and mendelian randomization.
Results:
The diagnostic markers versican (VCAN) was identified, offering supplementary options for clinical diagnosis. VCAN significantly highly expressed in glomerular parietal epithelial cell and proximal convoluted tubular cell. It was mainly involved in the up-regulation of immune genes and infiltration of immune cells like mast cell. Mendelian randomization analysis confirmed that serum VCAN protein levels were a risky factor for DKD, while there was no reverse association. It exhibited the good diagnostic potential for estimated glomerular filtration rate and proteinuria in DKD.
Conclusion
VCAN showed the prospects into DKD pathology and clinical indicator.
5.Correlation between serum zinc level and prognosis of patients with sepsis
Xiao-Gang WANG ; Jia-Jun MA ; Rui-Xin ZHU ; Li-Bing ZHOU ; Sai-Hu HUANG ; Shui-Yan WU ; Wen-Si NIU ; Jie HUANG ; Zhen-Jiang BAI
Parenteral & Enteral Nutrition 2025;32(5):278-282
Objective:To investigate the differences in clinical outcomes of septic children with varying serum zinc levels,and to analyze the relationship between reduced serum zinc levels and organ dysfunction as well as 28-day mortality in septic children.Methods:This study conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical data from pediatric patients diagnosed with sepsis or septic shock in the Department of critical care medicine of the children's Hospital of Soochow University between January 2017 and December 2022.Clinical characteristics,organ dysfunction,and prognosis were compared between two groups:children with low serum zinc levels and those with normal zinc levels.Results:The serum zinc level of septic children within 24 hours of admission was 9.60(5.52,13.80)μmol/L,with 50.54%(94/186)of the children exhibiting low serum zinc levels(<10.07 μmol/L).Compared to the normal serum zinc group,the low serum zinc group had a significantly lower Pediatric Critical Illness Score(PCIS)[(78.71±9.35)vs.(85.12±8.51),P=0.005]and higher 28-day mortality(46.80%vs.14.13%,P<0.001).The low serum zinc group also had a higher proportion of invasive mechanical ventilation(64.89%vs.47.82%,P=0.019),renal replacement therapy(15.59%vs.3.26%,P=0.003),and use of vasoactive drugs(56.38%vs.30.43%,P<0.001).The rate of underlying conditions in the low serum zinc group was significantly higher than that in the normal serum zinc group(57.44%vs.36.95%,P=0.005).Additionally,the low serum zinc group had a higher incidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation(DIC),respiratory failure,acute kidney injury,shock,and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome(MODS)compared to the normal serum zinc group(P<0.05).Serum zinc levels had predictive value for 28-day mortality in septic children(AUC=0.813;95%CI:0.725~0.902;P<0.001).A serum zinc level of less than 6.950 μmol/L predicted the death of septic children with a sensitivity of 0.618 and a specificity of 0.902.Conclusion:Sepsis in children is commonly associated with low serum zinc levels,especially in those with underlying conditions such as hematologic and oncologic disorders.Sepsis patients hypozincemia with a higher incidence of DIC,respiratory failure,acute kidney injury,shock,and MODS.A serum zinc level below 6.95 μmol/L serves as a significant predictor of 28-day mortality in children with severe sepsis.
6.Research on the List of Data Quality Scoring Criteria for the Attached Sheet to the Summary Page of Inpatient Cases Based on AHIMA's Data Quality Management Model
Yang SUN ; Yaosong JIANG ; Chengzhen MENG ; Qin SHU ; Xiaobing XU ; Sai HU ; Di LI
Chinese Hospital Management 2024;44(2):72-74
Objective To construct a list of quality scoring criteria for the attached sheet to the summary page of inpatient cases to achieve quantitative evaluation of the data quality.Methods It uses the Data Quality Management model of the American AHIMA as the evaluation framework to develop the list of data quality scoring criteria for the attached sheet,and score in Attached Sheet to the Summary Page of Inpatient Cases issued by the Hubei Provincial Health Commission as a demonstration.Results The average score of the 40 items in Attached Sheet to the Summary Page of Inpatient Casesis 6.725 out of 10.The main quality defects include that all items fail to clarify the person responsible for filling or the time limit for filling.In addition,some items are duplicated with the summary page(35%)or do not have a summary nature(40%).Conclusion Significant room exists for the improvement in the data quality of the attached sheet,especially in defining the person responsible and the time limit for filling in when setting up the items,making sure that the items supplement and extend the summary page,and applying effective quality control methods to the items.
7.Hydroxylsafflor yellow A alleviating cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by regulating cyclooxygenase-2/prostaglandin E2 signaling pathway
Ying-Chun YANG ; Ying YANG ; Xiao-Liang ZHANG ; Sai-Hong GAO ; Qing-Liang JIANG ; Yu-Feng LI ; Shu-Yu JIA
Acta Anatomica Sinica 2024;55(4):468-474
Objective To observe the effect of hyolroxylsafflor(HSYA)on cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2)/prostaglandin E2(PGE2)signaling pathway,and to investigate the protective effect and mechanism of HSYA on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury(CIRI).Methods Totally 90 SD male rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group(S group),operation group(CIRI group),HSYA group and celecoxib group(C group),HSYA group subdivided into HSYA low dose group(HSYA-L group),HSYA medium dose group(HSYA-M group)and HSYA high dose group(HSYA-H group),15 rats in each group.CIRI model was prepared by thread embolism method.The rats in each group were given intraperitoneal injection 30 minutes before operation.HSYA groups were given HSYA 10 mg/kg,15 mg/kg,25 mg/kg respectirely;C group was given celecoxib 40 mg/kg;S group and CIRI group were given the same amount of normal saline.Neurofunctional scores of each group of rats were performed immediately after recovery from modeling,cerebral infarction volume was measured 24 hours after reperfusion;At the same time,neuronal injury was observed by Nissl staining,the changes of COX-2 mRNA and protein were detected by Real-time PCR and Western blotting,and the changes of PGE2,tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α)and interleukin(IL)-1β were detected by ELISA.Results Compared with the S group,in the CIRI group,neurofunctional scores increased dramatically(P<0.05),the volume of cerebral infarction increased dramatically(P<0.05),the damage of neurons increased and the number of neurons decreased dramatically(P<0.05),the expressions of COX-2 mRNA and protein increased dramatically(P<0.05),meanwhile the expressions of PGE2,TNF-α and IL-1β were also found dramatically increased(P<0.05);Compared with the CIRI group,in the HSYA group and C group,neurofunctional scores decreased dramatically(P<0.05),the volume of cerebral infarction was reduced dramatically(P<0.05),the damage of neurons decreased and the number of neurons increased dramatically(P<0.05),the expressions of COX-2 mRNA and protein,PGE2,TNF-α and IL-1β decreased dramatically(P<0.05).The differences between HSYA groups and both HSYA-L group and HSYA-M group compared with the C group were obvious(P<0.05),while no obvious differences were found in HSYA-H group compared with the C group(P>0.05).Conclusion HSYA alleviates reperfusion injury in ischemic stroke may be related to the inhibition of COX-2/PGE2 signaling pathway.
8.Effect of inhibiting cyclooxygenase-2 expression on neuronal apoptosis after cerebral ischemia/re-perfusion injury in rats
Ying-Chun YANG ; Ying YANG ; Xiao-Liang ZHANG ; Sai-Hong GAO ; Qing-Liang JIANG ; Yu-Feng LI
Acta Anatomica Sinica 2024;55(6):693-698
Objective To investigate the mechanism of neuronal apoptosis induced by cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2)after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion(CI/R)injury in rats.Methods Totally 45 male SD rats were divided into 3 groups by random number method,sham operation group(sham),model group(CI/R),COX-2 inhibitor group(NS-398).Blocking the middle cerebral artery to create a model,at the beginning of ischemia,NS-398 group was intraperitoneally injected with NS-398(20 mg/kg),while sham group and CI/R group were injected with the same amount of DMSO.Rats were performed for neurofunctional scores after 2 hours ischemia.After 24 hours reperfusion,2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride(TTC)staining was used to detect the infarct volume of rats.Meanwhile,cerebral tissue from penumbra area of frontal parietal cortex on ischemic side was taken,Nissl staining and TUNEL method were used to detect neuronal damage and apoptosis respectively,and finally Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of COX-2,Bcl-2 and Bax proteins.Results The neurofunctional scores of rats,cerebral infarction volume,apoptosis index,the expressions of COX-2 and Bax in CI/R group were higher than those in the sham group(P<0.05),the expression level of Bcl-2 and the number of neurons were lower than those in the sham group(P<0.05);The neurofunctional scores of rats,cerebral infarction volume,apoptosis index,the expression levels of COX-2 and Bax in NS-398 group were lower than those in CI/R group(P<0.05),the expression level of Bcl-2 and the number of neurons were higher than those in CI/R group(P<0.05).Conclusion COX-2 may promote neuronal apoptosis after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by regulating the expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax.
9.Determination of element impurities in medicinal excipient potassium sorbate by ICP-MS
Sai PANG ; Kun JIANG ; Ping WANG
China Pharmacist 2024;27(8):1303-1308
Objective To establish a inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry(ICP-MS)method for 7 elemental impurities,cadmium(Cd),lead(Pb),arsenic(As),mercury(Hg),cobalt(Co),vanadium(V)and nickel(Ni)in medicinal excipient potassium sorbate according to the latest requirement of The International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use(ICH)Q3D.Methods After dissolving the sample with 2%nitric acid solution,the potassium sorbate sample was digested by closed ultra-high pressure microwave digestion technology,and the elements rhenium(Re),rhodium(Rh),germanium(Ge),scandium(Sc)and bismuth(Bi)were used as internal standards to correct the matrix interference and drift.Results The 7 elements showed good linearity in the specified concentration range(r>0.998 0).The detection limits were between 0.002-0.042 ng/g,the recovery rates were between 85%-106%,and the RSDs of each element precision were<5%.The content of elemental impurities in 13 batches of domestic and imported potassium sorbate samples from different manufacturers was determined legally,and none exceeded the limit,which was in line with the provisions of ICH.Conclusion The established method is simple,accurate,sensitive,specific and reproducible.In this test,the elemental impurity residues in potassium sorbate are screened,which can not only grasp the overall quality level of potassium sorbate,but also ensure the safety of potassium sorbate as medicinal excipients,and provides a methodological basis for the revision of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia.
10.Association of cumulative resting heart rate exposure with rapid renal function decline: a prospective cohort study with 27,564 older adults.
Xi JIANG ; Xian SHAO ; Xing LI ; Pu-Fei BAI ; Hong-Yan LIU ; Jia-Mian CHEN ; Wei-Xi WU ; Zhuang CUI ; Fang HOU ; Chun-Lan LU ; Sai-Jun ZHOU ; Pei YU
Journal of Geriatric Cardiology 2023;20(9):673-683
OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the prospective association between cumulative resting heart rate (cumRHR) and rapid renal function decline (RRFD) in a cohort of individuals aged 60 and older.
METHODS:
In the Tianjin Chronic Kidney Disease Cohort Study, the individuals who underwent three consecutive physical examinations between 2014 and 2017, with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) greater than 60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 and aged 60 years or older were enrolled. A total of 27,564 patients were prospectively followed up from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2020. The 3-year cumRHR was calculated. The primary outcome was RRFD, defined as an annualized decline in eGFR of 5 mL/min per 1.73 m2 or greater. Logistic and restricted spline regression models and subgroup analysis were used to investigate the association of cumRHR with RRFD after adjusting for all confounders.
RESULTS:
During a median follow-up of 3.2 years, a total of 4,347 (15.77%) subjects developed RRFD. In fully-adjusted models, compared with the lowest quartile of cumRHR, the odds ratio (OR) for the highest was 1.44 (1.28-1.61), P < 0.001. Furthermore, each 1-standard deviation (27.97 beats/min per year) increment in cumRHR was associated with a 17% (P < 0.001) increased risk of RRFD, with a linear positive correlation (P for non-linear = 0.803). Participants with a 3-year cumRHR ≥ 207 (beats/min) * year (equivalent to ≥ 69 beats/min per year in 3 years) were found to be at a higher risk of RRFD.
CONCLUSIONS
The cumRHR is significantly associated with a higher risk of RRFD among older adults. These results might provide an effective goal for managing and delaying the decline of renal function in the older adults.

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