1.Thalidomide mitigates Crohn's disease colitis by modulating gut microbiota,metabolites,and regulatory T cell immunity
Chao-Tao TANG ; Yonghui WU ; Qing TAO ; Chun-Yan ZENG ; You-Xiang CHEN
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(4):817-834
Thalidomide(THA)is renowned for its potent anti-inflammatory properties.This study aimed to eluci-date its underlying mechanisms in the context of Crohn's disease(CD)development.Mouse colitis models were established by dextran sulfate sodium(DSS)treatment.Fecal microbiota and metabolites were analyzed by metagenomic sequencing and mass spectrometry,respectively.Antibiotic-treated mice served as models for microbiota depletion and transplantation.The expression of forkhead box P3+(FOXP3+)regulatory T cells(Tregs)was measured by flow cytometry and immunohistochemical assay in colitis model and patient cohort.THA inhibited colitis in DSS-treated mice by altering the gut microbiota profile,with an increased abundance of probiotics Bacteroides fragilis,while pathogenic bacteria were depleted.In addition,THA increased beneficial metabolites bile acids and significantly restored gut barrier function.Transcriptomic profiling revealed that THA inhibited interleukin-17(IL-17),IL-1β and cell cycle signaling.Fecal microbiota transplantation from THA-treated mice to microbiota-depleted mice partly recapitulated the effects of THA.Specifically,increased level of gut commensal B.fragilis was observed,correlated with elevated levels of the microbial metabolite 3alpha-hydroxy-7-oxo-5beta-cholanic acid(7-ketolithocholic acid,7-KA)following THA treatment.This microbial metabolite may stable FOXP3 expression by targeting the receptor FMR1 autosomal homolog 1(FXR1)to inhibit auto-phagy.An interaction between FOXP3 and FXR1 was identified,with binding regions localized to the FOXP3 domain(aa238-335)and the FXR1 domain(aa82-222),respectively.Conclusively,THA modu-lates the gut microbiota and metabolite profiles towards a more beneficial composition,enhances gut barrier function,promotes the differentiation of FOXP3+Tregs and curbs pro-inflammatory pathways.
2.Expert Consensus on the Ethical Requirements for Generative AI-Assisted Academic Writing
You-Quan BU ; Yong-Fu CAO ; Zeng-Yi CHANG ; Hong-Yu CHEN ; Xiao-Wei CHEN ; Yuan-Yuan CHEN ; Zhu-Cheng CHEN ; Rui DENG ; Jie DING ; Zhong-Kai FAN ; Guo-Quan GAO ; Xu GAO ; Lan HU ; Xiao-Qing HU ; Hong-Ti JIA ; Ying KONG ; En-Min LI ; Ling LI ; Yu-Hua LI ; Jun-Rong LIU ; Zhi-Qiang LIU ; Ya-Ping LUO ; Xue-Mei LV ; Yan-Xi PEI ; Xiao-Zhong PENG ; Qi-Qun TANG ; You WAN ; Yong WANG ; Ming-Xu WANG ; Xian WANG ; Guang-Kuan XIE ; Jun XIE ; Xiao-Hua YAN ; Mei YIN ; Zhong-Shan YU ; Chun-Yan ZHOU ; Rui-Fang ZHU
Chinese Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2025;41(6):826-832
With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence(GAI)technologies,their widespread application in academic research and writing is continuously expanding the boundaries of sci-entific inquiry.However,this trend has also raised a series of ethical and regulatory challenges,inclu-ding issues related to authorship,content authenticity,citation accuracy,and accountability.In light of the growing involvement of AI in generating academic content,establishing an open,controllable,and trustworthy ethical governance framework has become a key task for safeguarding research integrity and maintaining trust within the academic community.This expert consensus outlines ethical requirements across key stages of AI-assisted academic writing-including topic selection,data management,citation practices,and authorship attribution.It aims to clarify the boundaries and ethical obligations surrounding AI use in academic writing,ensuring that technological tools enhance efficiency without compromising in-tegrity.The goal is to provide guidance and institutional support for building a responsible and sustainable research ecosystem.
3.Thalidomide mitigates Crohn's disease colitis by modulating gut microbiota, metabolites, and regulatory T cell immunity.
Chao-Tao TANG ; Yonghui WU ; Qing TAO ; Chun-Yan ZENG ; You-Xiang CHEN
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(4):101121-101121
Thalidomide (THA) is renowned for its potent anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to elucidate its underlying mechanisms in the context of Crohn's disease (CD) development. Mouse colitis models were established by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) treatment. Fecal microbiota and metabolites were analyzed by metagenomic sequencing and mass spectrometry, respectively. Antibiotic-treated mice served as models for microbiota depletion and transplantation. The expression of forkhead box P3+ (FOXP3+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) was measured by flow cytometry and immunohistochemical assay in colitis model and patient cohort. THA inhibited colitis in DSS-treated mice by altering the gut microbiota profile, with an increased abundance of probiotics Bacteroides fragilis, while pathogenic bacteria were depleted. In addition, THA increased beneficial metabolites bile acids and significantly restored gut barrier function. Transcriptomic profiling revealed that THA inhibited interleukin-17 (IL-17), IL-1β and cell cycle signaling. Fecal microbiota transplantation from THA-treated mice to microbiota-depleted mice partly recapitulated the effects of THA. Specifically, increased level of gut commensal B. fragilis was observed, correlated with elevated levels of the microbial metabolite 3alpha-hydroxy-7-oxo-5beta-cholanic acid (7-ketolithocholic acid, 7-KA) following THA treatment. This microbial metabolite may stable FOXP3 expression by targeting the receptor FMR1 autosomal homolog 1 (FXR1) to inhibit autophagy. An interaction between FOXP3 and FXR1 was identified, with binding regions localized to the FOXP3 domain (aa238-335) and the FXR1 domain (aa82-222), respectively. Conclusively, THA modulates the gut microbiota and metabolite profiles towards a more beneficial composition, enhances gut barrier function, promotes the differentiation of FOXP3+ Tregs and curbs pro-inflammatory pathways.
4.Cellular and Histopathological Characteristics of Ultrasonically Underdiagnosed 3/4a Thyroid Nodules.
Wu WEI-QI ; Xu CUN-BAO ; Li YOU-JIA ; Su CHUN-YANG ; Feng-Shun ZHANG ; Yi-Feng CHEN
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2025;47(1):23-28
Objective To analyze the cellular and histopathological characteristics of underdiagnosed thyroid nodules of Chinese thyroid imaging reporting and data system(C-TIRADS) categories 3 and 4a,thus improving the understanding of these lesions. Methods The data of ultrasound and fine needle aspiration cytology were collected from 683 nodules diagnosed based on pathological evidence in 549 patients undergoing thyroid surgery.The cellular and histopathological characteristics of C-TIRADS 3 and 4a nodules were analyzed. Results Two hundred and sixty-eight nodules were classified as C-TIRADS category 3,including 236 benign nodules,12 low-risk ones,and 20 (7.46%) malignant ones.Two hundred and twenty-one nodules were classified as C-TIRADS category 4a,including 133 benign nodules,7 low-risk ones,and 81 (36.65%) malignant ones.The malignancy rates differed between C-TIRADS 3 and 4a nodules (χ2=58.93,P<0.001),and both were higher than the recommended malignancy rate in the guidelines for malignancy risk stratification of thyroid nodules (C-TIRADS) (both P<0.001).According to the pathological evidence,the underdiagnosed C-TIRADS 3/4a nodules were mainly papillary thyroid carcinoma,especially in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis.There was not a consistent one-to-one match between each ultrasound result and each cytological classification of low-risk thyroid nodules.Conclusions When the malignant features in preoprative ultrasound imaging are atypical or absent,papillary thyroid carcinoma (especially with Hashimoto thyroiditis),follicular carcinoma,and medullary carcinoma are likely to be underdiagnosed as C-TIRADS 3 or 4a nodules.Therefore,efforts should be made to fully understand the cellular and pathological characteristics of these lesions.
Humans
;
Thyroid Nodule/diagnostic imaging*
;
Female
;
Male
;
Middle Aged
;
Adult
;
Ultrasonography
;
Biopsy, Fine-Needle
;
Aged
;
Young Adult
;
Thyroid Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging*
;
Adolescent
5.A preliminary study on the effect of high-fat diet on the prognosis of post-spinal cord injury mice and its mechanism
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(3):422-429
Objective :
To clarify the intrinsic link between a high-fat diet(HFD) and the pathological progression and prognosis of spinal cord injury(SCI) while preliminarily exploring the potential underlying mechanisms.
Methods:
SCI models were established in mice that were fed either a regular diet(RD) or HFD, with injury inflicted specifically on the T9-T12segments. Hematoxylin-Eosin(HE) staining, Masson staining, and Nissl staining were used to observe the local histological changes in SCI tissues. The basso, beattie, and bresnahan(BBB) score and footprint analysis were used to evaluate and compare hindlimb functional recovery after SCI in both RD and HFD mice.In vitroexperiments were conducted to identify key fatty acids in the HFD that exacerbate neuronal damage, whilein vivoexperiments assessed the effects of 2-bromopalmitate(2-BP), a palmitic acid inhibitor, on HFD-fed mice with SCI.
Results :
Compared to RD-fed mice, HFD-fed mice exhibited significantly larger lesion areas, more severe neuronal damage, and poorer hindlimb functional recovery after SCI. Palmitic acid was identified as the key fatty acid aggravating neuronal damage. Further more, inhibition of palmitoylation, mediated by palmitic acid, enhanced neuronal survival, promoted tissue repair, and improved hindlimb functional recovery in HFD-fed mice post-SCI.
Conclusion
HFD exacerbates pathological damage following SCI in mice through palmitic acid, impairing recovery. Palmitic acid-mediated palmitoylation is likely the main mechanism underlying this effect.
6.Expert Consensus on the Ethical Requirements for Generative AI-Assisted Academic Writing
You-Quan BU ; Yong-Fu CAO ; Zeng-Yi CHANG ; Hong-Yu CHEN ; Xiao-Wei CHEN ; Yuan-Yuan CHEN ; Zhu-Cheng CHEN ; Rui DENG ; Jie DING ; Zhong-Kai FAN ; Guo-Quan GAO ; Xu GAO ; Lan HU ; Xiao-Qing HU ; Hong-Ti JIA ; Ying KONG ; En-Min LI ; Ling LI ; Yu-Hua LI ; Jun-Rong LIU ; Zhi-Qiang LIU ; Ya-Ping LUO ; Xue-Mei LV ; Yan-Xi PEI ; Xiao-Zhong PENG ; Qi-Qun TANG ; You WAN ; Yong WANG ; Ming-Xu WANG ; Xian WANG ; Guang-Kuan XIE ; Jun XIE ; Xiao-Hua YAN ; Mei YIN ; Zhong-Shan YU ; Chun-Yan ZHOU ; Rui-Fang ZHU
Chinese Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2025;41(6):826-832
With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence(GAI)technologies,their widespread application in academic research and writing is continuously expanding the boundaries of sci-entific inquiry.However,this trend has also raised a series of ethical and regulatory challenges,inclu-ding issues related to authorship,content authenticity,citation accuracy,and accountability.In light of the growing involvement of AI in generating academic content,establishing an open,controllable,and trustworthy ethical governance framework has become a key task for safeguarding research integrity and maintaining trust within the academic community.This expert consensus outlines ethical requirements across key stages of AI-assisted academic writing-including topic selection,data management,citation practices,and authorship attribution.It aims to clarify the boundaries and ethical obligations surrounding AI use in academic writing,ensuring that technological tools enhance efficiency without compromising in-tegrity.The goal is to provide guidance and institutional support for building a responsible and sustainable research ecosystem.
7.Effects of esketamine-mediated opioid-free anesthesia on postopera-tive gastrointestinal function in patients undergoing laparoscopic rad-ical resection of distal gastric cancer
Yidong XU ; Siqi YANG ; Tao WANG ; Liuyan WU ; Ting PAN ; Sen WANG ; Zhenhui ZHOU ; Shasha YOU ; Xingzi CHEN ; Saifu WANG ; Linjun WANG ; Cunming LIU ; Chun YANG ; Di WANG
Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2025;30(10):1297-1304
AIM:To investigate the impact of es-ketamine-mediated opioid-free anesthesia(OFA)on postoperative gastrointestinal function in patients undergoing laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for gas-tric cancer.METHODS:A total of 150 pa-tients,scheduled for elective laparoscopic distal gas-trectomy for gastric cancer and meeting the inclu-sion and exclusion criteria,were randomly assigned to either the OFA group or the opioid-based anes-thesia(OBA)group using a random number ta-ble,with 75 patients in each group.The OFA group was administered an anesthesia regimen pri-marily consisting of esketamine,while the OBA group received conventional opioid anesthesia,pri-marily consisting of sufentanil and remifentanil.The primary outcome measure was postoperative flatus time,defined as the interval from the end of sur-gery to the first passage of gas.RESULTS:The OFA group exhibited a shorter postoperative flatus time compared to the OBA group(P<0.01).Intraopera-tive blood loss and norepinephrine consumption were significantly less in the OFA group compared to the OBA group(P<0.05);the postoperative HADS-D score was better in the OFA group than in the OBA group,and both the OFA and OBA groups showed significantly lower postoperative HADS-A and HADS-D scores compared to their preoperative levels(P<0.05);the incidence rate of abdominal distension was significantly lower in the OFA group compared to the OBA group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:The use of esketamine-mediated opioid-free anesthesia can expedite gastrointestinal function recovery,reduce hospital stay duration,and decrease postoperative adverse reactions in patients undergoing laparo-scopic distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
8.Effects of esketamine-mediated opioid-free anesthesia on postopera-tive gastrointestinal function in patients undergoing laparoscopic rad-ical resection of distal gastric cancer
Yidong XU ; Siqi YANG ; Tao WANG ; Liuyan WU ; Ting PAN ; Sen WANG ; Zhenhui ZHOU ; Shasha YOU ; Xingzi CHEN ; Saifu WANG ; Linjun WANG ; Cunming LIU ; Chun YANG ; Di WANG
Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2025;30(10):1297-1304
AIM:To investigate the impact of es-ketamine-mediated opioid-free anesthesia(OFA)on postoperative gastrointestinal function in patients undergoing laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for gas-tric cancer.METHODS:A total of 150 pa-tients,scheduled for elective laparoscopic distal gas-trectomy for gastric cancer and meeting the inclu-sion and exclusion criteria,were randomly assigned to either the OFA group or the opioid-based anes-thesia(OBA)group using a random number ta-ble,with 75 patients in each group.The OFA group was administered an anesthesia regimen pri-marily consisting of esketamine,while the OBA group received conventional opioid anesthesia,pri-marily consisting of sufentanil and remifentanil.The primary outcome measure was postoperative flatus time,defined as the interval from the end of sur-gery to the first passage of gas.RESULTS:The OFA group exhibited a shorter postoperative flatus time compared to the OBA group(P<0.01).Intraopera-tive blood loss and norepinephrine consumption were significantly less in the OFA group compared to the OBA group(P<0.05);the postoperative HADS-D score was better in the OFA group than in the OBA group,and both the OFA and OBA groups showed significantly lower postoperative HADS-A and HADS-D scores compared to their preoperative levels(P<0.05);the incidence rate of abdominal distension was significantly lower in the OFA group compared to the OBA group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:The use of esketamine-mediated opioid-free anesthesia can expedite gastrointestinal function recovery,reduce hospital stay duration,and decrease postoperative adverse reactions in patients undergoing laparo-scopic distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
9.Clinical Study on Oral Use of Jiawei Puji Xiaodu Granules Combined with External Application of Xiaozhong Sanjie Ointment in the Treatment of Acute Tonsillitis in Children
You-Wei SHANG ; Jian-Guo MAO ; Qing CHEN ; Xue-Feng NING ; Chun-Yang MAO
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;41(3):638-645
Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of oral use of Jiawei Puji Xiaodu Granules(mainly composed of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos,Forsythiae Fructus,Taraxaci Herba,Violae Herba,Schizonepetae Herba,Arctii Fructus,Gleditsiae Spina,Paeoniae Radix Rubra,Moutan Cortex,and Phragmitis Rhizoma)combined with external application of Xiaozhong Sanjie Ointment(mainly composed of Scutellariae Radix,Coptidis Rhizoma,Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex,and Gleditsiae Spina,etc.)in the treatment of acute tonsillitis in children,and to observe their effects on the immune function and related inflammatory indexes of the patients.Methods A total of 116 children with acute tonsillitis of heat stagnation in the lung and stomach type were randomly divided into the control group and the observation group,with 58 cases in each group.The control group was treated with Cefixime Dispersible Tablets,while the observation group was treated with Jiawei Puji Xiaodu Granules for oral use and Xiaozhong Sanjie Ointment for external application.Both groups were treated for 14 days and then were followed-up for a period of 6 months.The changes of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome scores,white blood cell(WBC)count,T lymphocyte subset CD3+,CD4+,CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+ levels,and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α),interleukin 1β(IL-1β),interleukin 6(IL-6)and C-reactive protein(CRP)in the two groups were observed before and after the treatment.Moreover,the clinical efficacy and time for the disappearance of clinical symptoms were compared between the two groups,and the occurrence of adverse reactions and the recurrence of tonsillitis in the two groups were monitored at the same time.Results(1)During the trial,there were 8 cases falling off in the control group but none case falling off in the observation group,and eventually 50 cases in the control group and 58 cases in the observation group completed the full course of treatment.(2)After 14 days of treatment,the total effective rate of the observation group was 98.28%(57/58),while that of the control group was 90.00%(45/50).The intergroup(tested by rank sum test)showed that the clinical efficacy of the observation group was significantly superior to that of the control group(P<0.05).(3)After treatment,the time for the disappearance of sore throat,time for the disappearance of purulent spots,time for subsiding fever and time for the tonsils recovering to normal in the observation group were all significantly shorter than those in the control group(P<0.05).(4)After treatment,the scores of primary and secondary symptoms and the overall symptom scores in the two groups were significantly lower than those before treatment(P<0.05),and the reduction of the scores in the observation group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P<0.05).(5)After treatment,the levels of T lymphocyte subset CD3+,CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ in the two groups were significantly higher(P<0.05)while the level of CD8 + was significantly lower(P<0.05)than those before treatment,and the increase in the levels of CD3+,CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ and the reduction of the CD8+ level of the observation group were significantly superior to those of the control group(P<0.05).(6)After treatment,the levels of WBC,TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6 and CRP in the two groups were significantly lower than those before treatment(P<0.05),and the reduction in the observation group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P<0.05).(7)During the treatment period,no skin allergy,nausea,vomiting or other gastrointestinal adverse reactions occurred in the two groups,which showed a high degree of safety.(8)The 6-month follow-up showed that the recurrence rate of tonsillitis in the observation group was 5.17%(3/58),which was significantly lower than that of 24.00%(12/50)in the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(χ2 = 8.330,P<0.05).Conclusion The efficacy of Jiawei Puji Xiaodu Granules combined with Xiaozhong Sanjie Ointment exert notable curative effect for children with acute tonsillitis of heat stagnation in the lung and stomach type.The combined therapy can significantly shorten the duration of the disease,improve the clinical symptoms of the children and effectively reduce the recurrence rate of tonsillitis.The therapeutic mechanism may be related to the enhancement of the immune function and the inhibition of inflammatory response.
10.The Quantitative Evaluation of Automatic Segmentation in Lumbar Magnetic Resonance Images
Yao-Wen LIANG ; Yu-Ting FANG ; Ting-Chun LIN ; Cheng-Ru YANG ; Chih-Chang CHANG ; Hsuan-Kan CHANG ; Chin-Chu KO ; Tsung-Hsi TU ; Li-Yu FAY ; Jau-Ching WU ; Wen-Cheng HUANG ; Hsiang-Wei HU ; You-Yin CHEN ; Chao-Hung KUO
Neurospine 2024;21(2):665-675
Objective:
This study aims to overcome challenges in lumbar spine imaging, particularly lumbar spinal stenosis, by developing an automated segmentation model using advanced techniques. Traditional manual measurement and lesion detection methods are limited by subjectivity and inefficiency. The objective is to create an accurate and automated segmentation model that identifies anatomical structures in lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging scans.
Methods:
Leveraging a dataset of 539 lumbar spinal stenosis patients, the study utilizes the residual U-Net for semantic segmentation in sagittal and axial lumbar spine magnetic resonance images. The model, trained to recognize specific tissue categories, employs a geometry algorithm for anatomical structure quantification. Validation metrics, like Intersection over Union (IOU) and Dice coefficients, validate the residual U-Net’s segmentation accuracy. A novel rotation matrix approach is introduced for detecting bulging discs, assessing dural sac compression, and measuring yellow ligament thickness.
Results:
The residual U-Net achieves high precision in segmenting lumbar spine structures, with mean IOU values ranging from 0.82 to 0.93 across various tissue categories and views. The automated quantification system provides measurements for intervertebral disc dimensions, dural sac diameter, yellow ligament thickness, and disc hydration. Consistency between training and testing datasets assures the robustness of automated measurements.
Conclusion
Automated lumbar spine segmentation with residual U-Net and deep learning exhibits high precision in identifying anatomical structures, facilitating efficient quantification in lumbar spinal stenosis cases. The introduction of a rotation matrix enhances lesion detection, promising improved diagnostic accuracy, and supporting treatment decisions for lumbar spinal stenosis patients.


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