1.Single-cell transcriptomic analysis reveals immune dysregula-tion and macrophage reprogramming in diabetic foot ulcers.
Chunli HUANG ; Yu JIANG ; Wei JIAO ; Ying SUI ; Chunlei WANG ; Yongtao SU
Journal of Zhejiang University. Medical sciences 2025;54(5):602-610
OBJECTIVES:
To elucidate the underlying mechanisms of macrophage-mediated inflammation and tissue injury in diabetic foot ulcer (DFU).
METHODS:
Skin tissue samples were collected from patients with DFU and with non-DFU. A total of 79 272 high-quality cell transcriptomes were obtained using single-cell RNA sequencing. An unbiased clustering approach was employed to identify cell subpopulations. Seurat functions were used to identify differentially expressed genes between DFU and non-DFU groups, and gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis was used to reveal gene function. Furthermore, cell-cell communication network construction and ligand-receptor interaction analysis were performed to reveal the mechanisms underlying cellular interactions and signaling regulation in the DFU microenvironment from multiple perspectives.
RESULTS:
The results revealed a significant expansion of myeloid cells in DFU tissues, alongside a marked reduction in structural cells such as endothelial cells, epithelial cells, and smooth muscle cells. Major cell types underwent functional reprogramming, characterized by immune activation and impaired tissue remodeling. Specifically, macrophages in DFU skin tissues exhibited a shift toward a pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype, with upregulation of genes associated with inflammation and oxidative stress. Cell communication analysis further demonstrated that M1 macrophages served as both primary signal receivers and influencers in the COMPLEMENT pathway mediated communication network, and as key signal senders and mediators in the secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) pathway mediated communication network, actively shaping the inflammatory microenvironment. Key ligand-receptor interactions driving macrophage signaling were identified, including C3-(ITGAM+ITGB2) and SPP1-CD44.
CONCLUSIONS
This study establishes a comprehensive single-cell atlas of DFU, revealing the role of macrophage-driven cellular networks in chronic inflammation and impaired healing. These findings may offer potential novel therapeutic targets for DFU treatment.
Humans
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Macrophages/immunology*
;
Diabetic Foot/pathology*
;
Single-Cell Analysis
;
Transcriptome
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Gene Expression Profiling
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Inflammation
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Skin
;
Cell Communication
;
Signal Transduction
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Cellular Reprogramming
2.Research on the Practice of High-Level Talent Management System in the National Children's Regional Medical Center
Yingying YU ; Chongchen ZHOU ; Hetuan HUANG ; Yongtao DUAN ; Jie ZHANG ; Xingxue YAN ; Haobin CHEN ; Shuying LUO
Chinese Hospital Management 2024;44(2):91-93,96
The presence of high-level talents plays a crucial role in ensuring the successful establishment of national regional medical centers.It presents the high-level talent management experience of Henan Children's Hospital,aiming to facilitate the coordinated development of pediatrics in Central China.To address the practical challenges and difficulties encountered in high-level talent management within hospitals,lean talent management is achieved by standardizing the management structure,clarifying management objectives,refining the management mechanism,establishing a performance appraisal incentive system,and implementing an integrated'induction and utilization'management approach.These measures effectively facilitate the development of national children's regional medical centers.
3.Construction of an indicator system for the ideological and political construction of medical professional courses in military medical universities
Jiajun XIE ; Yongtao HE ; Guoqiong HUANG ; Xin LI ; Chunji HUANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2024;23(4):442-448
Objective:To construct a scientific and systematic indicator system for the ideological and political construction of medical professional courses in military medical universities, and to provide a reference for the teaching management department of military medical universities to guide and manage the ideological and political construction of courses, as well as for medical professional course instructors to carry out the ideological and political teaching of courses.Methods:On the basis of literature research and case studies, a framework of the indicator system was established for the ideological and political construction of medical professional courses in military medical universities, and six experts in the field of military medical education were invited for pre-consultation. A preliminary draft of the indicator system was formed after discussion within the research group. A total of 25 experts, who had intermediate or above professional titles and long-term experience in military medical education, teaching and management, military academy education management, and military ideological and political education in military academies, were invited to conduct two rounds of Delphi expert consultation, and a statistical analysis was performed for the consultation results to determine the indicator system for the ideological and political construction of medical professional courses in military medical universities. The percentage weight method and the product method were used to calculate the weight coefficient of each indicator and combined weight coefficient.Results:In the two rounds of expert consultation, the expert positivity coefficient was 100%, the expert authority coefficient was 0.883, and the Kendall harmony coefficients were 0.254 and 0.268, respectively ( P<0.05). Finally, an indicator system was established for the ideological and political construction of medical professional courses in military medical universities, which consisted of 5 primary indicators, 12 secondary indicators, and 31 tertiary indicators. The 5 primary indicators were the teaching objectives, teaching team, teaching resources, teaching implementation, and teaching effect of curriculum ideology and politics, with a weight coefficient of 0.210, 0.202, 0.197, 0.202, and 0.189, respectively. Conclusions:The indicator system constructed in this study is scientific, reliable, systematic, and comprehensive and has a certain guiding significance for the ideological and political construction of medical professional courses in military medical universities.
4.Exploration and practice of scenario-based onsite first-aid skills station in objective structured clinical examination
Qijun CHENG ; Xiaolin ZHANG ; Chi SHU ; Hongxiao FAN ; Yongtao HE ; Chunji HUANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2024;23(4):496-500
Objective:To explore the application of a scenario-based onsite first-aid skills station in objective structured clinical examination (OSCE).Methods:Based on common scenarios and cases in medical practice, an evaluation framework of the OSCE onsite first-aid skills station—containing assessment indicators, exam room setting, examiner training, and assessment process—was designed to evaluate the onsite first-aid competencies of medical graduates of the five-year program for three consecutive years. SPSS 24.0 was used to perform the Kruskal-Wallis test and Pearson correlation analysis to calculate the correlation between course examination scores and OSCE onsite first-aid skills station assessment scores. Excel was used to calculate the difficulty index and discrimination index of test items.Results:The graduates' OSCE onsite first-aid skills station assessment scores were improved year by year, with a mean score of about 80 points. The station assessment items showed a moderate difficulty level (0.7-0.8), a good discrimination level (>0.4), and good internal consistency (Cronbach's α>0.7). The examiners and examinees had a high recognition of the design and effectiveness of this station assessment method. There was a positive correlation between the OSCE scores and corresponding course scores (2016, r=0.245, P=0.001; 2017, r=0.108, P=0.026; 2018, r=0.198, P=0.006). Conclusions:Through scientific scoring and strict examination management, the OSCE scenario-based onsite first-aid skills station can effectively evaluate examinees' injury treatment competencies in different situations, which can provide a reference for course teaching.
5.Application of highly selective arterial indocyanine green angiography in the design of anterolateral thigh free flap
Shi WANG ; Shuai DONG ; Yang CAO ; Guiyang WANG ; Chengpeng YANG ; Fengwen SUN ; Yongtao HUANG ; Liping GUO ; Liang YANG ; Rong ZHOU ; Jihui JU
Chinese Journal of Burns 2024;40(10):948-954
Objective:To introduce the application of highly selective arterial indocyanine green angiography (hereinafter referred to as highly selective arterial angiography) in the design of anterolateral thigh free flap.Methods:This study was a retrospective observational study. From November 2023 to April 2024, 29 patients with wounds in extremities which were repaired by anterolateral thigh free flaps designed under the assistance of highly selective arterial angiography and met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the Department of Hand Surgery and Department of Wound Repair Surgery of Suzhou Ruihua Orthopedic Hospital, including 26 males and 3 females, aged 16 to 71 years. The wound area after debridement ranged from 8.0 cm×4.5 cm to 27.0 cm×16.0 cm. During the surgery, highly selective arterial angiography was used to assist in flap design. The fluorescence development range of the source arteries or perforators of flaps was observed. The blood supply range of the source arteries or perforators of flaps was determined based on the fluorescence development of the skin, and the excision position of the flap was adjusted. The flap incision area ranged from 9.0 cm×6.0 cm to 29.0 cm×16.0 cm. During the surgery, the number of highly selective arterial angiography, the type of source artery of perforators for puncture, and changes in the excision position of flaps were observed and recorded. After surgery, the blood supply and survival of flaps, the healing of wounds and the survival of skin grafts in the flap donor sites, and the angiography-related complications were observed.Results:All the 32 flaps of 29 patients were successfully excised. The highly selective arterial angiography was performed 37 times, including 13 cases of puncture of the oblique branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery, 6 cases of puncture of the descending branch, 8 cases of double puncture of the oblique and descending branches, and 2 cases of puncture of arteries from other branches. During the surgery, the excision position of 28 flaps did not change, the excision position of 3 flaps moved towards proximal extremity of the thigh, and the excision position of 1 flap moved towards distal extremity of the thigh. All the flaps survived successfully after the surgery, and there was no partial necrosis of the flaps at the proximal or distal ends. The wounds in the flap donor sites healed, and all skin grafts survived. No angiography-related complications occurred.Conclusions:Highly selective arterial angiography can be used to determine the blood supply range of the source artery and perforators of the anterolateral thigh free flaps during the surgery. It can evaluate the blood supply of flaps more intuitively and objectively. Its application in assisting flap design can avoid partial flap necrosis caused by unreasonable preoperative design to a certain extent, and it is safe and reliable.
6.The correlation between serum HIF-1 α, VEGF, sTREM-1 and inflammatory factors and incision infection after anal fistula surgery
Yongtao LIU ; Yangyi LI ; Juan HUANG
Journal of Chinese Physician 2024;26(8):1222-1226
Objective:To investigate the correlation between serum hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1), and inflammatory factors and incision infection after anal fistula surgery.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 120 patients who underwent anal fistula thread hanging surgery at the First People′s Hospital of Shuangliu District, Chengdu from June 2022 to April 2023. The patients were divided into an infected group (36 cases) and a non infected group (84 cases) based on their postoperative incision infection status. The differences in serum HIF-1 α, VEGF, sTREM-1 and inflammatory factors [C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)] between the infected and non infected groups were compared, and the correlation between CRP, IL-6, TNF-α, HIF-1 α, VEGF, sTREM-1 and postoperative infection of anal fistula was analyzed by Pearson correlation coefficient; The correlation between CRP, IL-6, TNF-α and HIF-1 α, VEGF, sTREM-1. And the efficacy of serum HIF-1 α, VEGF, sTREM-1, inflammatory factors and their individual and combined diagnosis of incision infection after anal fistula surgery was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.Results:The levels of serum HIF-1 α, sTREM-1, CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α in the infected group were higher than those before surgery and higher than those in the uninfected group 3 days after surgery; VEGF levels were lower than preoperative levels and lower than those in the non infected group (all P<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that HIF-1α, sTREM-1, CRP, IL-6, TNF-α were positively correlated with postoperative infection in anal fistula ( r=0.456, 0.494, 0.455, 0.510, 0.363, all P<0.05), while VEGF was negatively correlated with postoperative infection in anal fistula ( r=-0.462, P<0.05). CRP, IL-6, TNF-α were positively correlated with HIF-1 α and sTREM-1 ( r=0.574/0.611/0.653, 0.661/0.608/0.610, all P<0.05), while CRP, IL-6, TNF-α were negatively correlated with VEGF ( r=-0.200, -0.207, -0.254, all P<0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) of HIF-1 α, VEGF, sTREM-1, CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α for diagnosing incision infection after anal fistula surgery were 0.716, 0.787, 0.741, 0.678, 0.792, and 0.688, respectively. The AUC of the combined diagnosis of inflammatory factors and 6 data points for postoperative incision infection in anal fistula surgery were 0.836 and 0.921, respectively. Conclusions:Serum levels of HIF-1 α, sTREM-1, CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α are abnormally high in patients with incision infection after anal fistula surgery, while VEGF is abnormally low in expression. HIF-1 α, VEGF, sTREM-1, and inflammatory factors can be used as effective indicators for clinical diagnosis of incision infection after anal fistula surgery, and their combined diagnostic value is better. HIF-1 α and sTREM-1 are positively correlated with inflammatory factors, while VEGF is negatively correlated with inflammatory factors.
7.Distribution characteristics and clinical application of perforators of anterolateral thigh flap pedicled with oblique branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery
Lin YANG ; Yang CAO ; Junnan CHENG ; Yongtao HUANG ; Zhijin LIU ; Qinfeng GAO ; Chengpeng YANG ; Fengwen SUN ; Yucheng LIU ; Jihui JU
Chinese Journal of Plastic Surgery 2023;39(5):463-471
Objective:To explore the distribution characteristics of the perforators of the oblique branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery, and to report the clinical effect of the anterolateral thigh flap pedicled with the oblique branch in repairing the wounds of the extremities.Methods:The clinical data of the patients with anterolateral thigh flap pedicled with oblique branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery in Suzhou Ruihua Orthopaedic Hospital from December 2020 to April 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. High frequency color Doppler ultrasound was used to detect the large perforators of the oblique branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery near the midpoint of the line between the anterior superior iliac spine and the lateral margin of the patella. With reference to the location of the perforators, according to the size and shape of the defect in the recipient area, the anterolateral thigh flap pedicled with oblique branch was designed and dissected to repair the wound. During the operation, the distance between the emitting point of the main oblique branch, the skin entry point of the perforators and the anterior superior iliac spine was measured with a steel ruler, the diameter of the perforators was measured with a microscale, and the number of perforators was counted. The survival and complications of the flap were observed and followed up after operation. In the last follow-up, the comprehensive evaluation scale was used to evaluate the repair effect: 90 to 100 points is excellent, 75 to 89 points is good, 60 to 74 points is average, and less than 60 points is poor.Results:A total of 84 patients were included, including 62 males and 22 females, aged from 14 to 82 years (mean 46.9 years), including 32 cases of hand wounds, 6 cases of forearm wounds, 3 cases of upper arm wounds, 10 cases of calves and 33 cases of foot and ankle wounds. The wound area was 6 cm × 4 cm-20 cm × 45 cm. A total of 88 flaps were removed in 84 patients (skin flaps on both thighs were removed in 4 patients). The size of the skin flap of 88 thighs was 7 cm × 5 cm-37 cm × 11 cm, of which 85 sides of 82 cases survived completely. One case of diabetes had complete necrosis 1 month after operation, and 1 case of 34 cm had necrosis of the distal end of 3 cm × 3 cm skin flap. Necrotic skin flaps were repaired with skin grafting. Four patients developed arterial crisis within 24 hours after operation, and those flaps survived after surgical exploration. All donor areas healed. During the follow-up of 6 to 9 months, the shape of the recipient area was normal in all patients, and there was no deep tissue infection such as osteomyelitis. The color and texture of all flaps were good. The sensation returned to S1-S2 after operation. The skin flap comprehensive evaluation scale was used to evaluate the repair effect. The patients’ score ranged from 73 to 94 points, with an average of 88.1 points. Including 33 excellent cases, 46 good cases and 5 average cases, the excellent and good rate was 94.0%(79/84). A total of 215 perforators were marked with 88 flaps before operation, and 208 perforators were found during the operation(the diameter of the perforators was 0.4-1.5 mm), of which 130 were sent out by oblique branches. There were perforators of the oblique branch in all flaps, with an average of 1.5 on each side, including 84(64.6%) septocutaneous perforators and 46(35.4%) musculocutaneous perforators. Most of the oblique branches originate from the lateral circumflex femoral artery, which runs in the intermuscular septum between the rectus femoris and the intermediate femoris muscle. It is divided into deep branches and superficial branches at the middle and upper 1/3 junction of the line between the anterior superior iliac spine and the lateral margin of the patella. The skin perforators of the oblique branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery is mostly sent out from the superficial branch, and there are 118 perforators located at the midpoint and proximal end of the line between the anterior superior iliac spine and the lateral margin of the patella, accounting for 90.8% (118/130), reaching a peak at 0.4 (there are 37 perforators).Conclusion:The oblique branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery is relatively constant, and most of the perforators are located near the midpoint of the line between the anterior superior iliac spine and the lateral margin of the patella, and the proportion of septocutaneous perforator is high. The distribution of perforator is regular, the blood supply is reliable, the application mode is flexible, and the donor site position is more concealed while the blood supply of the flap is secured.
8.Visualization research on research hotspots and development trends of ideological and political education of medical courses
Jiajun XIE ; Yongtao HE ; Guoqiong HUANG ; Xin LI ; Chunji HUANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2023;22(8):1138-1142
Objective:To explore the research hotspot and development trend of ideological and political education of medical courses , analyze the existing problem, and provide a reference for the future development of ideological and political education of medical courses.Methods:The CNKI database was searched for the literature on ideological and political education of medical courses included from 2017 to 2021. Excel and CiteSpace were used for visual analysis of the publication time, publication quantity, main authors, research institutions, keywords, and mutated words of 1 257 articles included in the study.Results:In recent five years, the number of articles on ideological and political education of medical courses was on the rise; Zhao Wenxing, Liu Ruiting, and Yang Hongmei published a relatively large number of papers, while Heze Medical College, Fujian Health College, and Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences published a relatively large number of papers. Keywords with high frequency included "teaching reform, "biochemistry", and "ideological and political education". The keywords with strong mediating centrality included "practical teaching", "ideological and political course", "medical English", and "humanistic quality". The keywords with high mutation intensity included ideological and political education, ideological and political curriculum, and professional quality.Conclusion:The ideological and political education is currently a hotspot of medical education. The current research topics include teaching reform and teaching practice. Clarifying the logic of curriculum ideological and political evaluation and gradually building the evaluation system and mechanism of curriculum ideological and political evaluation will be a hot research topic in the future.
9.Analysis on the Connotation and Practice Path of Ideological and Political Construction of Medical Courses
Jiajun XIE ; Yongtao HE ; Guoqiong HUANG ; Shuo ZENG ; Yutong QIN ; Xin LI ; Chunji HUANG
Chinese Medical Ethics 2023;36(6):658-664
The ideological and political construction of medical courses reveals the educational essence of "truth, goodness, and beauty" in medicine. Scientificity and humanity are the embodiment of "seeking truth" and "advocating goodness" in medicine, and the unity of their content and form reaches the highest level of "advocating beauty". Studying the ideological and political construction of medical courses plays an important role in implementing the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education, and carrying out the Healthy China initiative. In terms of teaching objectives, the goals of ideological and political education in medical courses should not only include the goals of basic literacy goals, such as political literacy, cultural literacy, legal literacy, and moral cultivation, but also include professional literacy goals, such as medical humanistic cultivation. Thus, a "five in one" model of ideological and political education in medical courses will be established. In the practical path, it is suggested to explore from five aspects that changing the educational concept and strengthening the educational awareness, establishing teaching objectives and clarifying education direction, digging deeply into the ideological and political elements and clearing teaching content, innovating teaching methods and improving teaching effectiveness, and constructing evaluation indicators and evaluating teaching effectiveness scientifically.
10.Clinical analysis of 32 cases of Alport syndrome with predominant COL4A5 gene mutation
Yi'nan LIU ; Yongtao ZHANG ; Shaowei YU ; Lirong LUO ; Yihui HUANG ; Shengyou YU ; Li YU
The Journal of Practical Medicine 2023;39(21):2768-2774
Objective To analyze the clinical phenotypes and mutation types of children with X-linked Alport syndrome(XLAS)with mutations in COL4A5 gene,and to explore the relationship between children with XLAS and nephrotic syndrome nephritic type.Methods Thirty-two children with COL4A5 gene mutations detected by second-generation sequencing and finally diagnosed with Alport syndrome at Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital affiliated with Jinan University and the First People's Hospital of Guangzhou between April 2016 and April 2023 were included,and their clinicopathological features and gene mutation characteristics were retrospectively analyzed.Results The mean age of onset of disease in children with XLAS was(3.68±2.07)years old,the mean age at diagnosis(6.56±2.95)years old,12 cases(37.5%)started with isolated hematuria,8 cases(25%)started with hematuria and proteinuria,12 cases(37.5%)started with nephrotic syndrome nephritic phenotype,and the positive family history of the children was found in 11 cases(34.4%),ocular lesions were found in 3 cases(9.37%),ear lesions in 6 cases(18.75%),and 7 cases(21.87%)were found to have developed chronic kidney disease(CKD)in the later follow-up.21 children underwent renal tissue puncture biopsy,and electron microscopy showed thinning of the basement membrane(diffuse or segmental)in 13 cases(61.9%),and uneven thickness of the basement membrane in 8 cases(38.09%);light microscopy showed thinning of the basement membrane in 13 cases(61.9%);light microscopy showed thinning of the basement membrane in 8 cases(38.09%);and light microscopy showed thinning of the basement membrane in 3 cases(11.5%).(38.09%);light microscopy:focal segmental glomerulosclerosis(FSGS)in 2 cases(9.52%),mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis(Ms PGN)in 11 cases(52.38%),and minimal change disease(MCD)in 8 cases(38.09%).The type of mutation was categorized as missense mutation in 12 cases(37.5%),shear site mutation in 9 cases(28.12%),nonsense mutation in 6 cases(18.75%),deletion mutation in 3 cases(9.37%),and code shift mutation in 2 cases(6.25%).Genetic mutations were present in 22 cases(68.75%);spontaneous mutations were present in 10 cases(27.02%).Conclusions Children with XLAS have atypical clinical manifestations and pathologic features in the early stage of the disease,and the progress is slow,and some of them are easy to be misdiagnosed as nephrotic syndrome nephritis type in the early stage,so it is important to improve the genetic test for this disease as early as possible,and to make reason-able drug choices to predict the prognosis scientifically.

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