1.Observation of the therapeutic effect of rituximab combined with traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation on treating steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome in children and the regularity of traditional Chinese medicine use
Xia ZHANG ; Xuejun LI ; Tingting XU ; Guang LI ; Yifan LI ; Chundong SONG ; Wensheng ZHAI ; Xianqing REN ; Ying DING
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;48(1):80-90
Objective:
To investigate the efficacy, safety, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) medication patterns of rituximab (RTX) combined with TCM on treating children with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome (SDNS).
Methods:
One hundred and forty-three children with SDNS who visited the Pediatric Nephrology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine from January 2018 to December 2022 were enrolled. A cohort study design was adopted, with " RTX treatment" as the exposure factor. Children who met this exposure factor were assigned to the RTX cohort (RTX, glucocorticoid, immunosuppressive agent, combined with traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation treatment), whereas those who did not were assigned to the basic treatment cohort (glucocorticoid, immunosuppressive agent, combined with traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation treatment ), and followed up for 6 months. The frequency of urinary protein recurrences, urinary protein remission duration, proportion and duration of steroid reduction and cessation, cumulative usage of steroids, proportion of recurrence, recurrence amount of steroid used, efficacy of TCM syndrome, and laboratory and safety indicators after treatment, and height and CD19+ B cell count before and after treatment were compared between the two cohorts. The medication patterns of TCM in the two cohorts were analyzed using frequency statistics, association rule analysis, and systematic clustering analysis.
Results:
Compared with the basic treatment cohort, the RTX cohort showed a decrease in the frequency of urinary protein recurrence, extended sustained remission of urinary protein, an increase in the proportion of steroid reduction and cessation, a shorter duration of steroid reduction and cessation, a decrease in cumulative steroid dosage, a lower recurrence rate, a decrease in CD19+ B cell count, and a decrease in 24-h urinary total protein quantification and the level of cholesterol (P<0.05). No significant difference in the recurrence amount of steroid used, height, TCM syndrome efficacy, albumin, aspartate transaminase, blood urea nitrogen, platelet count, and safety indicators between the two cohorts. Children with SDNS were mostly characterized by qi and yin deficiency syndrome, followed by spleen and kidney yang deficiency syndrome. A total of 175 TCMs were included, including 28 high-frequency drugs such as Huangqi, Fuling, Gancao, Baizhu, Dangshen, and Jiuyurou. The primary use of medication is to nourish the qi and spleen, nourish the kidney, and warm yang. The analysis of association rules yielded eight binary associations and ten three-phase associations, with Huangqi, Baizhu, Fuling, and Dangshen, being the most closely related. Cluster analysis identified four TCM combinations, primarily focusing on tonifying kidney and replenishing essence, benefiting qi and nourishing yin, and removing blood stasis.
Conclusion
RTX combined with TCM syndrome differentiation treatment can reduce the recurrence frequency of SDNS, prolong the remission period, reduce the glucocorticoid dosage, and have no marked effect on height growth. No apparent adverse reactions were observed. TCM should focus on nourishing qi and yin while removing blood stasis.
2.Analysis of Clinical Diagnosis and Traditional Chinese Medicine Medication Rule of Children with Nephrotic Syndrome in Single Center
Tingting XU ; Xia ZHANG ; Ying DING ; Long WANG ; Shanshan XU ; Yijin WANG ; Yue WANG ; Feiyu YAO ; Chundong SONG ; Wensheng ZHAI ; Xianqing REN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(12):176-184
ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical treatment plan and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) medication rule of children with primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS) in the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine. MethodsThe gender and age of children firstly diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome in the pediatric nephrology department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine from November 2019 to December 2022 were collected, and the use of immunosuppressive agents and related frequencies were counted. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, an independent TCM prescription database for children with nephrotic syndrome was established. Excel was used to analyze the relevant information of the literature. The frequency counting, association rule analysis, and cluster analysis were carried out on TCM in the prescription, and the high-frequent drugs were analyzed. Results(1) General information: A total of 711 children were included, consisting of 522 males (73.42%) and 189 females (26.58%). The ratio of male to female was about 2.76∶1. The disease mainly occurred in infants and preschool age, and the average age of onset was (4.74 ± 3.48) years old. (2) Clinical treatment plan and use of immunosuppressive agents: Of the 711 children with PNS, 237 were treated with hormone alone (32.33%), and 474 (66.67%) received immunosuppressive agents combined with hormones. In the initial treatment, hormone combined with Tacrolimus (TAC) was the preferred treatment (32.91%). For children with refractory PNS who exhibited poor clinical efficacy, Rituximab (RTX) was mostly used for treatment, with a ratio of up to 23.63%. (3) TCM syndrome and medication rule: In PNS syndrome differentiation, Qi and Yin deficiency was identified as the main syndrome. This involved a total of 477 cases, accounting for 67.09%. Yang deficiency of spleen and kidney was observed in 118 cases, accounting for 16.60%. A total of 711 children were included, of which 706 children were treated with TCM. This involved a total of 706 prescriptions, 226 TCM, and 9 793 frequencies. There were 30 herbs used more than 95 times. The top five TCM were Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae (81.16%), Radix Astragali (71.81%), Poria (68.84%), Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (63.60%), and Fructus Corni (57.37%). The drug association rules and network diagram showed that the combination of ''Radix Astragali-Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae-Poria'' was the closest, and five types of combinations were obtained by cluster analysis. ConclusionIn the diagnosis and treatment of PNS in children, TAC combined with hormones shows good clinical efficacy and high safety. For children with refractory PNS, RTX combined with hormones can be used. TCM medication for PNS should follow the basic principles of strengthening the body and vital Qi and make good use of drugs such as Radix Astragali, Poria, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, and cornus to regulate the Yin and Yang balance and achieve better clinical efficacy.
3.Analysis of Clinical Diagnosis and Traditional Chinese Medicine Medication Rule of Children with Nephrotic Syndrome in Single Center
Tingting XU ; Xia ZHANG ; Ying DING ; Long WANG ; Shanshan XU ; Yijin WANG ; Yue WANG ; Feiyu YAO ; Chundong SONG ; Wensheng ZHAI ; Xianqing REN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(12):176-184
ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical treatment plan and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) medication rule of children with primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS) in the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine. MethodsThe gender and age of children firstly diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome in the pediatric nephrology department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine from November 2019 to December 2022 were collected, and the use of immunosuppressive agents and related frequencies were counted. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, an independent TCM prescription database for children with nephrotic syndrome was established. Excel was used to analyze the relevant information of the literature. The frequency counting, association rule analysis, and cluster analysis were carried out on TCM in the prescription, and the high-frequent drugs were analyzed. Results(1) General information: A total of 711 children were included, consisting of 522 males (73.42%) and 189 females (26.58%). The ratio of male to female was about 2.76∶1. The disease mainly occurred in infants and preschool age, and the average age of onset was (4.74 ± 3.48) years old. (2) Clinical treatment plan and use of immunosuppressive agents: Of the 711 children with PNS, 237 were treated with hormone alone (32.33%), and 474 (66.67%) received immunosuppressive agents combined with hormones. In the initial treatment, hormone combined with Tacrolimus (TAC) was the preferred treatment (32.91%). For children with refractory PNS who exhibited poor clinical efficacy, Rituximab (RTX) was mostly used for treatment, with a ratio of up to 23.63%. (3) TCM syndrome and medication rule: In PNS syndrome differentiation, Qi and Yin deficiency was identified as the main syndrome. This involved a total of 477 cases, accounting for 67.09%. Yang deficiency of spleen and kidney was observed in 118 cases, accounting for 16.60%. A total of 711 children were included, of which 706 children were treated with TCM. This involved a total of 706 prescriptions, 226 TCM, and 9 793 frequencies. There were 30 herbs used more than 95 times. The top five TCM were Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae (81.16%), Radix Astragali (71.81%), Poria (68.84%), Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (63.60%), and Fructus Corni (57.37%). The drug association rules and network diagram showed that the combination of ''Radix Astragali-Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae-Poria'' was the closest, and five types of combinations were obtained by cluster analysis. ConclusionIn the diagnosis and treatment of PNS in children, TAC combined with hormones shows good clinical efficacy and high safety. For children with refractory PNS, RTX combined with hormones can be used. TCM medication for PNS should follow the basic principles of strengthening the body and vital Qi and make good use of drugs such as Radix Astragali, Poria, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, and cornus to regulate the Yin and Yang balance and achieve better clinical efficacy.
4.Analyzing the heart-oriented view of the treatment of mental illness in Synopsis of Golden Chamber based on the theory of five-spirit-viscera
ZOU Peng ; Kai CHENG ; Minlong XIA ; Menghan LI ; Shuxian WANG ; Hui KONG ; Yan ZHAO ; Changming ZHAI ; Fang LU
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;48(4):495-500
Mental state is an important part of the normal life activities of the human body, and it is also the most external expression and the most easily obtained information of the physical condition. The normal activities of the mind depend on the normal operation of the viscera, qi, and blood, and are a unified whole that prospers together and suffers together. The theory of the five-spirit-viscera in the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic revealed that the normal mental activities of the human body were dominated by the five internal organs, that is, the five internal organs were the body and the five spirits were the function. And it highlighted the viewpoint that the five internal organs store the spirits and are actually one. The heart governs the spirit and belongs to the four internal organs. On this basis, Synopsis of Golden Chamber used the internal organs to diagnose and treat mental diseases, integrating the theory of the five spirits into it, forming a unique method of diagnosis and treatment with the heart as the leading factor and regulating the qi and blood of the four internal organs. It identified the pathogenesis of diseases such as pathogenic crying, lily disease, and hysteria from five levels: heart deficiency and weak qi, heart-lung disharmony, heart-liver disharmony, the heart of the loss of the spleen nourishment, and disharmony between heart and kidney. The treatment was mainly to replenish the deficiency of the viscera and eliminate the pathogens, reflecting the characteristics of regulating the mind and calming the four internal organs. This unique view on diagnosis and treatment has profoundly influenced the diagnosis and treatment theories of mental illnesses by later doctors, and is of great significance to the current clinical treatment of such illnesses.
5.Theoretical discussion and research progress on treatment of glucocorticoid- induced osteoporosis with traditional Chinese medicine.
Ting-Ting XU ; Ying DING ; Xia ZHANG ; Long WANG ; Shan-Shan XU ; Chun-Dong SONG ; Wen-Sheng ZHAI ; Xian-Qing REN
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(16):4437-4450
Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis(GIOP) is a serious metabolic bone disease caused by long-term application of glucocorticoids(GCs). Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has unique advantages in improving bone microstructure and antagonizing hormone toxicity. This paper systematically reviews the theoretical research, clinical application, and basic research progress of TCM intervention in GIOP. In terms of theoretical research, the theory of "kidney governing bone and generating marrow" indicates that the kidney is closely related to bone development, revealing that core pathogenesis of GIOP is Yin-Yang disharmony, which can be discussed using the theories of "Yin fire", "ministerial fire", and "Yang pathogen damaging Yin". Thus, regulating Yin and Yang is the basic principle to treat GIOP. In terms of clinical application, effective empirical prescriptions(such as Bushen Zhuanggu Decoction, Bushen Jiangu Decoction, and Zibu Ganshen Formula) and Chinese patent medicines(Gushukang Capsules, Hugu Capsules, Xianling Gubao Capsules, etc.) can effectively increase bone mineral density(BMD) and improve calcium and phosphorus metabolism. The combination of traditional Chinese and western medicine can reduce the risk of fracture and play an anti-GIOP role. In terms of basic research, it has been clarified that active ingredients of TCM(such as fraxetin, ginsenoside Rg_1, and salidroside) reduce bone loss and promote bone formation by inhibiting oxidative stress, ferroptosis, and other pathways, effectively improving bone homeostasis. Additionally, classical prescriptions(Modified Yiguan Decoction, Modified Qing'e Pills, Zuogui Pills, etc.) and Chinese patent medicines(Gushukang Granules, Lurong Jiangu Dropping Pills, Gubao Capsules, etc.) can improve bone marrow microcirculation, promote osteoblast differentiation, and inhibit bone cell apoptosis through multiple pathways, multiple targets, and multiple mechanisms. Through the above three aspects, the TCM research status on GIOP is elucidated in the expectation of providing reference for its diagnosis and treatment using traditional Chinese and western medicine treatment programs.
Osteoporosis/physiopathology*
;
Humans
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Glucocorticoids/adverse effects*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
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Animals
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Medicine, Chinese Traditional
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Bone Density/drug effects*
6.E3 ubiquitin ligase FBXW11-mediated downregulation of S100A11 promotes sensitivity to PARP inhibitor in ovarian cancer.
Ligang CHEN ; Mingyi WANG ; Yunge GAO ; Yanhong LV ; Lianghao ZHAI ; Jian DONG ; Yan CHEN ; Xia LI ; Xin GUO ; Biliang CHEN ; Yi RU ; Xiaohui LV
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(7):101246-101246
Resistance to poly adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribose polymerase inhibitor (PARPi) presents a considerable obstacle in the treatment of ovarian cancer. F-box and tryptophan-aspartic (WD) repeat domain containing 11 (FBXW11) modulates the ubiquitination of growth-and invasion-related factors in lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and osteosarcoma. The function of FBXW11 in PARPi therapy is still ambiguous. In this study, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) showed that FBXW11 expression was raised in ovarian cancer cells that had been treated with PARPi. FBXW11 was abnormally expressed at low levels in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) tissues, and low levels of FBXW11 were associated with shorter overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in HGSOC patients. Overexpressing FBXW11 made ovarian cancer more sensitive to PARPi, while knocking down FBXW11 made it less sensitive. The four-dimensional (4D) label-free quantitative proteomic analysis revealed that FBXW11 targeted S100 calcium binding protein A11 (S100A11) and promoted its degradation through ubiquitination. The increased degradation of S100A11 led to less efficient DNA damage repair, which in turn contributed to increased PARPi-induced DNA damage. The role of FBXW11 in promoting PARPi sensitivity was also confirmed in xenograft mouse models. In summary, our study confirms that FBXW11 promotes the susceptibility of ovarian cancer cells to PARPi via affecting S100A11-mediated DNA damage repair.
7.Caffeic acid alleviates myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury by directly targeting Keap1N532/M550 and promoting its degradation.
Ying ZHANG ; Huan LAN ; Wenjuan ZHAI ; Lin JIANG ; Xiaotong XIA ; Fang LIU ; Lin ZHANG ; Jinjun WU ; Zhongqiu LIU ; Caiyan WANG
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(11):101219-101219
Myocardial infarction (MI) is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease-related death worldwide. Nonetheless, existing therapeutic approaches for MI are hampered by issues such as reliance on pharmacological agents and suboptimal patient adherence. Caffeic acid (CA) is a bioactive polyphenolic compound with important anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant functions. Still, its specific role and mechanism in treating cardiovascular disease remain to be further studied. In recent years, a large number of studies have shown that the kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1/nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Keap1/Nrf2) pathway is a key factor in the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases. In this study, H2O2-induced oxidative stress model of H9c2 cells and left anterior descending branch (LAD) conjunctival induced acute myocardial infarction reperfusion (AMI/R) model were used to evaluate the protective effect of CA on the heart. The interaction between CA and Keap1 was analyzed by CA-labeled fluorescence probe, target fishing, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), protein crystallography and surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Our results suggested that CA binds Keap1 and degrades Keap1 in a p62-dependent manner, further promoting nuclear transcription of Nrf2 and thus effectively reducing oxidative stress. In addition, based on the three-dimensional eutectic structure, it was confirmed that CA directly targets Keap1 protein by interacting with residues M550 and N532, inducing conformation changes in Keap1 protein. We also found that the CA analog chlorogenic acid (GCA) can bind Keap1. In conclusion, this study elucidates a novel molecular mechanism and structural basis for the protective effects of CA against oxidative damage via the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway.
8.Research Progress on the Application of Large Language Model-based Intelligent Medical Assistants
Yuchen ZHANG ; Chuantao WANG ; Hailiang XIA ; Jiliang ZHAI
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(6):1511-1518
Large language models (LLMs), represented by ChatGPT, have garnered significant attention due to their powerful capabilities in understanding and generating human language. Research on the application of LLMs across various medical tasks has shown a vigorous development trend. This review aims to outline the development and clinical applications of LLMs, with a focus on the primary tasks of medical intelligent assistants, including their associated opportunities and challenges. At the technical level, we provide a detailed explanation of the architecture and training processes of existing medical LLMs, and summarize the general technical steps for adapting large models to the healthcare domain. At the application level, we introduce the main tasks of medical intelligent assistants from both healthcare provider- and patient-oriented perspectives, andcompare the performance of different LLMs across various medical tasks to illustrate their unique advantages and limitations in medical applications.
9.Changes of etiology and management of male urethral stricture in recent 10 years:a single-center review
Haizhui XIA ; Jianpo ZHAI ; Jianwei WANG ; Guizhong LI ; Guanglin HUANG ; Libo MAN
Journal of Modern Urology 2024;29(9):797-802
Objective To investigate the changing trends in etiology and treatment of male urethral stricture in recent 10 years.Methods A total of 940 male patients with urethral stricture admitted to the Department of Urology of Beijing Jishuitan Hospital during Jan.2013 and Dec.2022 were continually collected.The clinical data were divided into two groups according to the time of admission,namely the group from 2013 to 2017 and the group from 2018 to 2022,for a comparative analysis of the previous and subsequent 5 years.The etiology,location,length and the type of treatment of urethral stricture were retrospectively analyzed.Results The causes of the 940 cases of male urethral stricture were trauma in 447(47.55%),iatrogenic injury in 220(23.40%),idiopathic causes in 128(13.62%),lichen sclerosus(LS)in 78(8.30%),infection in 46(4.89%),and other causes in 21(2.23%).The treatment methods were urethroplasty in 691(73.51%),direct vision internal urethrotomy(DVIU)in 122(12.98%),urethral dilatation in 86(9.15%),and suprapubic cystostomy in 41(4.36%).Compared with the previous 5 years,in the past 5 years,the proportion of urethral stricture caused by trauma decreased significantly(60.34%vs.41.71%,P<0.001),while the proportion of iatrogenic injury increased significantly(17.63%vs.26.05%,P=0.005).In the past 5 years,the proportion of urethroplasty increased from 68.81%to 75.66%(P=0.027),while the proportion of DVIU decreased from 19.66%to 9.92%(P<0.001).Inthe past 5 years,the proportion of membranous urethral stenosis decreased significantly(26.98%vs.50.85%,x2=51.06,P<0.001),the proportion of penile urethral stricture(21.40%vs.7.80%,=26.37,P<0.001)and meatal stenosis(9.30%vs.4.75%,x2=5.80,P<0.001)increased significantly.Conclusion In the past decade,trauma was the main cause of male urethral strictures,but its proportion showed a decreasing trend.Iatrogenic injury led to a gradual increase in urethral strictures,which was the second leading cause of male urethral stricture.The application of urethroplasty increased significantly,making it the main treatment method for male urethral stricture.
10.Reliability and Validity of the Life History of Aggression-Chinese Version in Schizophrenia Patients Assessment
Xia-Can CHEN ; Qin YANG ; Qin-Ting ZHANG ; Ai-Li OUYANG ; Jia-Jun XU ; Rui YANG ; Zi-Ye WANG ; Jin-Hui ZHAI ; Yan LI ; Xiao-Rong QIN ; Jun-Mei HU
Journal of Forensic Medicine 2024;40(4):352-358
Objective To provide a longitudinal evaluation tool based on the frequency of aggressive be-havior for the aggression assessment of schizophrenia patients.Methods The Life History of Aggression was translated and revised to form the Life History of Aggression-Chinese Version(LHA-CV)based on 369 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia in the Chengdu community and compulsory medical insti-tution.The reliability of LHA-CV was analyzed by means of split-half reliability,test-retest reliability and inter-evaluator consistency.The validity was analyzed by item analysis,construct validity and crite-rion validity.Results Item analysis found that LHA-CV had good homogeneity and discriminant validity.Exploratory factor analysis found that the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin(KMO)test value was 0.80,and the Bartlett's sphericity test χ2=1203.46(P<0.05),and it revealed four factors including non-physical ag-gression,physical aggression,self-directed aggression and antisocial behavior/consequences.The factor loadings for all 11 items were greater than 0.40.Confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the factor model,Chi-square degree of freedom(χ2/df)was 3.61,root mean square error of approxima-tion(RMSEA)was 0.07,goodness-of-fit index(GFI)was 0.92,comparative fit index(CFI)was 0.90,incremental fit index(IFI)was 0.90,and the discriminant validity of each factor was good.The criterion validity test showed the total score of LHA-CV was positively correlated with the aggressive behavior level of MacArthur Community Violence Instrument,the total score of Buss-Perry Aggression Scale,and the score of Antisocial Personality Disorder Subscale of Personality Diagnostic Question-naire-4th Edition Plus(PDQ-4+_ASPD,P<0.05).The Cronbach's α coefficient of non-physical aggres-sion,physical aggression,self-directed aggression,antisocial behavior/consequences and LHA-CV total score were 0.82,0.73,0.74,0.56 and 0.79,respectively.The test-retest reliability,Spearman-Brown split-half reliability and intra-class correlation coefficient of LHA-CV total score were 0.82(P<0.05),0.66 and 0.99,respectively.Conclusion LHA-CV has good reliability and validity,and can be used as an evaluation tool for longitudinally assessing aggressive behavior in schizophrenia patients.


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