1.Pathological Roles and Regulatory Mechanisms of Macrophage Polarization Imbalance in Steroid-associated Osteonecrosis of The Femoral Head
Hui LI ; Duo-Xian WANG ; Wei-Chuang LIU ; Bo-Bo TUO ; Xin CHEN ; Jian-Jun LIU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(9):2392-2401
Steroid-associated osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SANFH) is a progressive osteoarticular disorder associated with prolonged or high-dose glucocorticoid exposure. Its development involves local ischemia, oxidative stress, dysregulated bone metabolism, and disruption of the osteoimmune microenvironment. Macrophages exhibit marked phenotypic plasticity, and their polarization is essential for maintaining the dynamic balance among inflammation, angiogenesis, and bone remodeling. Persistent glucocorticoid stimulation, hypoxia, excessive reactive oxygen species, and damage-associated signals released from necrotic tissues can shift macrophages toward a pro-inflammatory phenotype. Classically activated macrophages (M1 macrophages) predominantly mediate inflammatory responses. By releasing tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and other mediators, promoting osteoclast activation, suppressing the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), and impairing vascular endothelial function, M1 macrophages accelerate trabecular destruction and expansion of the necrotic lesion. In contrast, alternatively activated macrophages (M2 macrophages) contribute to inflammation resolution, neovascularization, osteogenic repair, and tissue remodeling, thereby supporting regeneration within the necrotic region. Macrophage-derived exosomes further influence disease progression through intercellular communication. Exosomes from different macrophage phenotypes can differentially regulate adipogenic differentiation, neutrophil extracellular trap formation, and endothelial phenotypic transition, thereby affecting the repair capacity of the necrotic area. These findings indicate that macrophage polarization shapes the local microenvironment not only through soluble mediators but also through vesicle-mediated communication with BMSCs, neutrophils, endothelial cells, and other cell populations. At the molecular level, the nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing receptor 3(NLRP3) inflammasome, nuclear factor kappa B (NF‑κB), Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT), and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) pathways jointly regulate macrophage polarization and its downstream osteoimmune effects. Dysregulation of these pathways may sustain inflammatory activation, aggravate oxidative and vascular injury, inhibit osteogenesis, and impair tissue repair. NLRP3 inflammasome activation links danger signals and oxidative stress to inflammatory cytokine maturation and pyroptotic injury; NF-κB signaling promotes pro-inflammatory gene transcription and M1 polarization; JAK/STAT signaling participates in the balance between inflammatory and reparative macrophage programs; and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling regulates cellular metabolism, survival, autophagy, and regeneration. Notably, the biological effects of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling are cell-type dependent, and Akt-mediated repair signaling should be distinguished from mTOR-related autophagy regulation. The pathological significance of macrophage polarization in SANFH is not determined simply by an increase or decrease in a single phenotype. Rather, disease progression appears to result from an imbalance between persistent pro-inflammatory activity and insufficient reparative responses at different stages of the disease. Such an imbalance disrupts the coordinated coupling of inflammation resolution, vascular regeneration, and bone remodeling, ultimately contributing to structural deterioration of the femoral head. This review summarizes the pathological roles, signaling regulation, and exosome-mediated intercellular communication associated with macrophage polarization imbalance in SANFH. A more precise understanding of these mechanisms may clarify the osteoimmune basis of SANFH and support the development of macrophage-targeted interventions. However, most available evidence is derived from cellular and animal studies, and the temporal evolution of macrophage phenotypes in patients remains insufficiently characterized. Therapeutic strategies should therefore move beyond the simple suppression of M1 macrophages or enhancement of M2 macrophages and instead aim to restore a stage-appropriate balance between inflammatory control and tissue repair while promoting angiogenesis and bone reconstruction.
2.Applications and challenges of behavioral economics theory in HIV/AIDS response
Yalan WANG ; Junjie WANG ; Duo SHAN
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;59(6):952-959
Behavioral economics offers an innovative theoretical and practical framework for HIV/AIDS prevention by elucidating the irrational tendencies in individual decision-making. This review explores core behavioral economics concepts and their applications in HIV/AIDS prevention, including how salience bias, present bias, and loss aversion influence high-risk populations′ behaviors. It also synthesizes empirical evidence on the effectiveness of nudge-based interventions in enhancing public health strategies, increasing HIV testing uptake, and improving treatment adherence.Additionally, the paper addresses key challenges in the field, such as interdisciplinary collaboration, cost-effectiveness analyses of economic incentives, and ethical and cultural considerations in implementation. Future research should further integrate sociocultural contexts specific to China to localize behavioral economics applications, refine intervention strategies, and optimize resource allocation. Such efforts will advance progress toward the global goal of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030.
3.Quality Research and Evaluation of Ketoconazole Lotion Based on National Drug Sampling and Testing
Yanbin XUN ; Kai DUO ; Changying XIN ; Xiaoxu HAN ; Xia ZHAO ; Siwen WANG ; Chunyu WANG ; Yu XIAO ; Longshan ZHAO ; Changyu WANG ; Xinying YU
Herald of Medicine 2025;44(10):1595-1600
Objective To evaluate the quality of ketoconazole lotion produced by different domestic companies.Methods Legal standards and exploratory research were used to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of 45 batches(40 batch numbers)of ketoconazole lotion for national drug sampling inspection in 2024,including related substances,antioxidant content,packaging oxygen permeability,in vitro permeation test,and viscosity,antibacterial efficacy,irritation,microstructure,etc.Results The legal standard inspection pass rate was 100.0%.Correlation analysis found that the main factors affecting the quality of this product are prescription technology and packaging.Conclusion It is recommended that manufacturers optimize the prescription process as soon as possible,and pay attention to choose suitable packaging materials,effectively improve the quality of ketoconazole lotion.
4.Predicting Postoperative Circulatory Complications in Older Patients: A Machine Learning Approach.
Xiao Yun HU ; Wei Xuan SHENG ; Kang YU ; Jie Tai DUO ; Peng Fei LIU ; Ya Wei LI ; Dong Xin WANG ; Hui Hui MIAO
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(3):328-340
OBJECTIVE:
This study examines utilizes the advantages of machine learning algorithms to discern key determinants in prognosticate postoperative circulatory complications (PCCs) for older patients.
METHODS:
This secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial involved 1,720 elderly participants in five tertiary hospitals in Beijing, China. Participants aged 60-90 years undergoing major non-cardiac surgery under general anesthesia. The primary outcome metric of the study was the occurrence of PCCs, according to the European Society of Cardiology and the European Society of Anaesthesiology diagnostic criteria. The analysis metrics contained 67 candidate variables, including baseline characteristics, laboratory tests, and scale assessments.
RESULTS:
Our feature selection process identified key variables that significantly impact patient outcomes, including the duration of ICU stay, surgery, and anesthesia; APACHE-II score; intraoperative average heart rate and blood loss; cumulative opioid use during surgery; patient age; VAS-Move-Median score on the 1st to 3rd day; Charlson comorbidity score; volumes of intraoperative plasma, crystalloid, and colloid fluids; cumulative red blood cell transfusion during surgery; and endotracheal intubation duration. Notably, our Random Forest model demonstrated exceptional performance with an accuracy of 0.9872.
CONCLUSION
We have developed and validated an algorithm for predicting PCCs in elderly patients by identifying key risk factors.
Aged
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Aged, 80 and over
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Female
;
Humans
;
Male
;
Middle Aged
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Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology*
;
Machine Learning
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Postoperative Complications/etiology*
;
Risk Factors
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Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
;
Secondary Data Analysis
5.Applications and challenges of behavioral economics theory in HIV/AIDS response
Yalan WANG ; Junjie WANG ; Duo SHAN
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;59(6):952-959
Behavioral economics offers an innovative theoretical and practical framework for HIV/AIDS prevention by elucidating the irrational tendencies in individual decision-making. This review explores core behavioral economics concepts and their applications in HIV/AIDS prevention, including how salience bias, present bias, and loss aversion influence high-risk populations′ behaviors. It also synthesizes empirical evidence on the effectiveness of nudge-based interventions in enhancing public health strategies, increasing HIV testing uptake, and improving treatment adherence.Additionally, the paper addresses key challenges in the field, such as interdisciplinary collaboration, cost-effectiveness analyses of economic incentives, and ethical and cultural considerations in implementation. Future research should further integrate sociocultural contexts specific to China to localize behavioral economics applications, refine intervention strategies, and optimize resource allocation. Such efforts will advance progress toward the global goal of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030.
6.Indications for prenatal diagnosis using copy number variation-sequencing and detection of abnormalities: a retrospective analysis of 17 994 cases
Panlai SHI ; Yaqin HOU ; Conghui WANG ; Yanjie XIA ; Duo CHEN ; Yongchao LIU ; Junke XIA ; Li WANG ; Yin FENG ; Xiangdong KONG
Chinese Journal of Perinatal Medicine 2025;28(2):105-112
Objective:To investigate the indications for prenatal diagnosis using copy number variation-sequencing (CNV-seq) and the abnormalities detected by the method.Methods:This retrospective analysis involved 17 994 singleton pregnant women who underwent prenatal CNV-seq at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2019 to December 2022. These cases were divided into five groups based on the following indications for CNV-seq: abnormal fetal ultrasound findings, high-risk results indicated by non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) or Down's syndrome serological screening (Down's screening), adverse pregnancy history, and advanced maternal age. The proportions of cases with the indications for prenatal CNV-seq, the detection rates of abnormalities (numerical abnormalities of chromosomes, pathogenic/likely pathogenic CNV in structural abnormalities) in the five groups, and the distribution of these abnormalities were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using Chi-square test. Results:Among the 17 994 pregnant women, the women with abnormal fetal ultrasound findings, high-risk NIPT results, high-risk Down's screening results, adverse pregnancy history, and advanced maternal age accounted for 32.65% (5 875/17 994), 11.90% (2 142/17 994), 31.62% (5 690/17 994), 11.70% (2 105/17 994), and 12.13% (2 182/17 994), respectively. The detection rates of abnormalities in the five groups were 10.60% (623/5 875), 34.64% (742/2 142), 4.69% (267/5 690), 2.99% (63/2 105), and 3.67% (80/2 182), respectively. The overall detection rate of abnormalities was 9.86% (1 775/17 994). The cases with numerical abnormalities of chromosomes accounted for 68.79% (1 221/1 775), trisomy 21 was predominant (49.30%, 602/1 221). Chromosomal structural abnormalities were detected in 31.21% (554/1 775) of the cases with abnormalities, with 57.76% (320/554) harboring pathogenic CNVs and 42.24% (234/554) harboring likely pathogenic CNVs. The detection rate of chromosomal numerical abnormalities was higher than that of structural abnormalities in the abnormal fetal ultrasound group, NIPT high-risk group, and advanced maternal age group [6.81% (400/5 875) vs. 3.80% (223/5 875), χ2=53.10; 27.96% (599/2 142) vs. 6.68% (143/2 142), χ2=338.40; 2.43% (53/2 182) vs. 1.24% (27/2 182), χ2=8.61; all P<0.01]. A total of 416 microdeletions and 255 microduplications were detected in the 554 cases. The top three regions with the highest frequencies in microdeletions were Xp22.31 (12.74%, 53/416), 22q11.21 (7.93%, 33/416), and 17q12 (5.77%, 24/416); in microduplications, they were 22q11.21 (14.90%, 38/255), 17q12 (3.53%, 9/255), and 7q11.23 (3.53%, 9/255). Conclusions:Abnormal fetal ultrasound findings accounted for the highest proportion of prenatal diagnostic indications. The overall detection rate of abnormalities by CNV-seq is relatively high, especially in those with high-risk NIPT results as an indication for prenatal diagnosis. Among the chromosomal structural abnormalities detected in this study, the frequencies of Xp22.31 microdeletion and 22q11.21 microduplication are higher.
7.Construction of a prediction model for non-curative resection after endoscopic submucosal dissection in elderly patients with early gastric cancer
Chinese Journal of Geriatrics 2025;44(5):610-615
Objective:To analyze the occurrence and relevant factors associated with non-curative resection following endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD)in elderly patients with early gastric cancer(EGC), as well as to establish a predictive model.Methods:Elderly patients diagnosed with EGC and treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University between January 2019 and January 2023 were retrospectively selected for this study.All patients underwent ESD surgery and were categorized based on the occurrence of non-curative resection( n=44)versus curative resection( n=284).Relevant factors contributing to non-curative resection after ESD surgery in elderly EGC patients were analyzed using both univariate and multivariate analyses.A predictive model was developed, and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was generated to assess its efficacy. Results:In this study, we analyzed a cohort of 328 elderly patients diagnosed with EGC, aged between 60 and 88 years, with a mean age of 70.87±2.67 years, of which 211 were male.Non-curative resection was performed in 44 cases, accounting for 13.41% of the cohort.Compared to the curative group, the non-curative group exhibited a significantly larger lesion diameter, greater infiltration depth into the submucosa, a lower degree of differentiation, a higher prevalence of undifferentiated types, and an increased fold interruption ratio(all P<0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified increased lesion diameter( OR=2.380, 95% CI: 1.361-4.160), invasion depth into the submucosa( OR=1.824, 95% CI: 1.120-2.971), undifferentiated degree( OR=1.960, 95% CI: 1.286-2.987), and fold interruption( OR=2.094, 95% CI: 1.384-3.166)as significant predictors of non-curable resection following ESD in elderly patients with EGC(all P<0.05).These factors were incorporated into a predictive model represented by the equation: logit( P)=-6.307+ (lesion diameter × 0.867)+ (infiltration depth into submucosa × 0.601)+ (undifferentiated degree × 0.673)+ (fold interruption × 0.739).The ROC curve analysis yielded an area under the curve(AUC)of 0.859, with diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 84.09% and 74.65%, respectively. Conclusions:There are numerous relevant factors influencing non-curable resection following ESD surgery in elderly patients with EGC.The prediction model developed herein can serve as a foundation for identifying high-risk patients and formulating effective clinical intervention strategies.
8.Construction of an ultrasound dynamic image segmentation model for thyroid nodules
Junpu HU ; Jialu LI ; Mengjie DOU ; Gang WANG ; Keyan LI ; Xiaofang FU ; Hao SUN ; Changqin SUN ; Duo SHI ; Yan LIAO ; Qiong WANG ; Faqin LYU
Chinese Journal of Ultrasonography 2025;34(6):518-524
Objective:To construct a thyroid nodule segmentation model using ultrasound dynamic images and explore its potential for assisting in the screening of thyroid nodules.Methods:A total of 126 patients with thyroid nodules(comprising 150 nodules)who were diagnosed and treated at Xuzhou Cancer Hospital from April 2024 to December 2024 were prospectively enrolled. Two-dimensional ultrasound was performed to capture short-axis and long-axis video images of thyroid nodules,forming a dynamic ultrasound image dataset. The dataset was divided into training,validation,and test sets in a ratio of 6∶1∶3. After the training loss curve converged,the model that performed well on the validation set was selected for testing. Three-fold cross-validation was employed for training and testing. All 300 ultrasound videos were divided into three subsets. In each experiment,two subsets were used as the training set,and one subset was used as the test set to evaluate the model's generalization ability. A collaborative spatiotemporal diffusion model was established based on the dynamic trends and tissue texture details of thyroid nodules. Six widely used segmentation metrics were employed to evaluate the model's application capabilities.Results:The study included 126 patients with 150 thyroid nodules,300 dynamic ultrasound images,and video lengths of 3-4 seconds per nodule,resulting in 12 312 segmented images. The size of the thyroid nodules was(10.7 ± 10.6)mm(transverse diameter)×(8.4 ± 6.3)mm(anteroposterior diameter). Among the nodules,62(41.3%)had clear boundaries,while 88(58.7%)had indistinct boundaries;61(40.7%)exhibited regular shapes,while 89(59.3%)were irregular;66(44.0%)had a taller-than-wide aspect ratio;and 70(46.7%)showed microcalcifications. The collaborative diffusion model based on dynamic ultrasound image segmentation achieved the following scores:a Jaccard score of(69.22 ± 0.03)%,a Dice score of(79.16 ± 0.18)%,a Precision score of(86.70 ± 0.17)%,a Recall score of(77.82 ± 0.04)%,an Sα score of(85.26 ± 0.01)%,and an Eθmn score of(90.58 ± 0.17)%. Compared to other models,this model demonstrated significant improvements across all evaluation metrics,achieving the highest values in each metric with increments of over 8% and 1%,respectively. Conclusions:The collaborative diffusion model with a dynamic controller,constructed based on dynamic ultrasound images of thyroid nodules,demonstrates excellent performance in ultrasound image segmentation. It improves the accuracy of thyroid nodule screening,thereby providing a valuable auxiliary diagnostic tool for clinical practice.
9.Quality Research and Evaluation of Ketoconazole Lotion Based on National Drug Sampling and Testing
Yanbin XUN ; Kai DUO ; Changying XIN ; Xiaoxu HAN ; Xia ZHAO ; Siwen WANG ; Chunyu WANG ; Yu XIAO ; Longshan ZHAO ; Changyu WANG ; Xinying YU
Herald of Medicine 2025;44(10):1595-1600
Objective To evaluate the quality of ketoconazole lotion produced by different domestic companies.Methods Legal standards and exploratory research were used to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of 45 batches(40 batch numbers)of ketoconazole lotion for national drug sampling inspection in 2024,including related substances,antioxidant content,packaging oxygen permeability,in vitro permeation test,and viscosity,antibacterial efficacy,irritation,microstructure,etc.Results The legal standard inspection pass rate was 100.0%.Correlation analysis found that the main factors affecting the quality of this product are prescription technology and packaging.Conclusion It is recommended that manufacturers optimize the prescription process as soon as possible,and pay attention to choose suitable packaging materials,effectively improve the quality of ketoconazole lotion.
10.Neuroimaging features of insomnia disorder and therapeutic effect of repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation
Zeqi YUAN ; Zhengnan ZHANG ; Huixiao WANG ; Haiqing YANG ; Pingyong FENG ; Lixia ZHOU ; Jiping YANG ; Duo GAO
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging Technology 2025;41(1):40-44
Objective To observe brain function changes in insomnia disorder(ID)patients and therapeutic effect of repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS)based on resting-state functional MRI(rs-fMRI).Methods Totally 37 patients with ID(ID group)and 20 healthy subjects(control group)were prospectively enrolled.The scores of sleep condition and psychological state scales were compared between groups,also within ID group before and after rTMS treatment.Brain regions with amplitude of low frequency fluctuations(ALFF)and regional homogeneity(ReHo)being significantly different between groups were evaluated based on brain rs-fMRI,and voxel-based resting-state functional connectivity(FC)analysis was performed in the above regions and the predefined regions of interest.Results Before treatment,Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI),insomnia severity index(ISI),Epworth sleepiness score(ESS),Beck depression inventory(BDI)score and Beck anxiety inventory(BAI)score in ID group were all higher than those in control group(all P<0.05).ALFF values and ReHo of the right median cingulate and paracingulate gyrus(Cingulum_Mid_R)were lower in ID group than those in control group(all FWE correctedP<0.05).FC between Cingulum_Mid_R and the left anterior cingulate gyrus and cingulate gyrus(Cingulum_Ant_L)decreased,so did that between the left hippocampus(Hippocampus_L)and the right frontal gyrus(Frontal_Mid_R)(all FWE corrected P<0.05).After rTMS,PSQI,ISI and ESS scores of ID patients decreased compared to those before treatment(all P<0.05),but no significant change of the above neuroimaging indicators was detected(all FWE corrected P>0.05).Conclusion ID caused synchronous decrease of Cingulum_Mid_R ALFF value and ReHo,as well as weakened FC between frontal cingulate gyrus and frontal with lobe limbic system.rTMS could improve sleep and mental state of ID patients,but its impact on neuroimaging needed further investigation.

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