1.Huayu Mingmu Prescription Downregulates PI3K/Akt/mTOR-HIF-1α/VEGFA Signaling Pathway to Intervene in Retinal Angiogenesis of DR Rats
Xiaoqiu MA ; Lei ZHAO ; Huimin ZHOU ; Fanghui ZHENG ; Guoqing YANG ; Tao ZUO ; Xiande MA
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(8):78-87
ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Huayu Mingmu prescription on retinal angiogenesis and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR)-hypoxia inducible factor-1α/vascular endothelial growth factor A (HIF-1α/VEGFA) signaling pathway in diabetic retinopathy (DR) rats. MethodsSixty-four SPF-grade male SD rats were used in the study. Eleven rats were randomly selected as the normal group, while the remaining 53 rats were fed a high-sugar, high-fat diet combined with low-dose streptozotocin (STZ) intraperitoneal injection to establish a type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rat model. DR model evaluation was performed after 12 weeks of diabetes. The rats were then divided into model, low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose groups of Huayu Mingmu prescription (9.29, 18.57, 37.14 g·kg-1), and a calcium dobesilate group (0.16 g·kg-1), with 10 rats in each group. The rats were orally administered the corresponding doses of Huayu Mingmu prescription and calcium dobesilate. The normal and model groups received equal volumes of physiological saline via gavage for 8 consecutive weeks. Retinal vascular changes were observed through fundus photography, and pathological changes in retinal tissue were evaluated using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Retinal microvascular pathological changes were examined through retinal vascular network preparation and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. Immunofluorescence (IF) was used to detect the expression of VEGFA and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) in retinal tissue. Western blot was employed to detect the protein expression of PI3K, Akt, mTOR, HIF-1α, VEGFA, and VEGFR2 in retinal tissue. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) was used to assess the mRNA expression of PI3K, Akt, mTOR, HIF-1α, VEGFA, and VEGFR2 in retinal tissue. ResultsCompared with the normal group, the model group exhibited significant pathological changes in retinal tissue, including the appearance of acellular capillaries, as well as significant endothelial cell (E) proliferation and pericyte (P) loss (P<0.01). The E/P was significantly elevated (P<0.01). Protein and mRNA expression levels of PI3K, Akt, mTOR, HIF-1α, VEGFA, and VEGFR2 in retinal tissue were significantly increased (P<0.01), and the expression of Ang-2 protein was significantly elevated (P<0.01). In contrast, retinal tissue in the treatment groups showed alleviated pathological changes, with reduced endothelial cell proliferation and pericyte loss (P<0.05, P<0.01). Among the treatment groups, the high-dose Huayu Mingmu prescription and the calcium dobesilate group exhibited a decreased E/P (P<0.01). Protein and mRNA expression levels of PI3K, Akt, mTOR, HIF-1α, VEGFA, and VEGFR2 in retinal tissue were significantly reduced (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the expression of Ang-2 protein was significantly decreased (P<0.01). ConclusionHuayu Mingmu prescription can intervene in retinal neovascularization in DR rats, delay the progression of DR, and its mechanism may be related to antagonizing the PI3K/Akt/mTOR-HIF-1α/VEGFA signaling pathway.
2.Daoqi acupuncture technique in Huangdi Neijing for moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.
Guoqing ZHU ; Na ZHAO ; Lin TANG ; Weihua SONG ; Xintong YU ; Wenjia YANG ; Ruilong LIANG
Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion 2025;45(7):911-917
OBJECTIVE:
To observe the clinical efficacy of Daoqi (directing qi flowing) acupuncture technique in Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic) for moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).
METHODS:
Sixty patients with moderate-to-severe OSAHS were randomly divided into a Daoqi acupuncture group (30 cases) and a conventional acupuncture group (30 cases, 1 case dropped out). In the Daoqi acupuncture group, Daoqi acupuncture technique in Huangdi Neijing was applied at Shanglianquan (Extra), Fengfu (GV16), and bilateral Lieque (LU7), Zhaohai (KI6); in the conventional acupuncture group, conventional acupuncture was applied at Shanglianquan (Extra), Fengfu (GV16), Yamen (GV15), and bilateral Lieque (LU7), Zhaohai (KI6), Zusanli (ST36), Fenglong (ST40). The treatment was adopted once every other day, 3 times a week, 4 weeks as one course and 3 courses were required totally in both groups. Before and after treatment, the polysomnography (PSG) indexes [apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), hypopnea index (HI), apnea index (AI), longest apnea duration, lowest nocturnal SaO2 (LSaO2)], and scores of Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), World Health Organization quality of life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) were observed, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated after treatment in the two groups.
RESULTS:
After treatment, the AHI, HI, AI and longest apnea duration were reduced compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.01), the LSaO2 was increased in the Daoqi acupuncture group (P<0.01); in the Daoqi acupuncture group, the AHI, HI, AI and longest apnea duration were lower than those in the conventional acupuncture group (P<0.05), and the LSaO2 was higher than that in the conventional acupuncture group (P<0.05). After treatment, the ESS and PSQI scores were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.01), while the WHOQOL-BREF scores were increased compared with those before treatment (P<0.01) in the two groups; in the Daoqi acupuncture group, the ESS and PSQI scores were lower than those in the conventional acupuncture group (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the WHOQOL-BREF score was higher than that in the conventional acupuncture group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 93.3% (28/30) in the Daoqi acupuncture group, which was higher than 82.8% (24/29) in the conventional acupuncture group (P<0.01).
CONCLUSION
Daoqi acupuncture technique in Huangdi Neijing can effectively treat moderate-to-severe OSAHS patients, improve the clinical symptoms and quality of life, and has the advantages i.e. simpler acupoints selection and gentler stimulation.
Humans
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Sleep Apnea, Obstructive/physiopathology*
;
Male
;
Female
;
Middle Aged
;
Acupuncture Therapy
;
Adult
;
Acupuncture Points
;
Treatment Outcome
;
Aged
;
Quality of Life
3.Risk assessment tools for 0-6 years old children unintentional injuries: A systematic literature analysis.
Yang YUAN ; Li LI ; Guoqing HU
Journal of Central South University(Medical Sciences) 2025;50(1):130-142
OBJECTIVES:
Injuries are the leading cause of death among children and adolescents. Although numerous risk assessment tools for unintentional injuries in children have been developed and published both domestically and internationally, there is currently no global consensus on standardized use. This study aims to systematically characterize existing unintentional injury risk assessment tools for children aged 0-6 years, with the goal of informing scientific tool selection and optimization.
METHODS:
Relevant literature published up to January 2025 was retrieved from CNKI, Wanfang, PubMed, and Web of Science. An information extraction form was developed to gather data on the basic features of each assessment tool, assessment format, scoring methods and criteria, dimensions assessed, reliability and validity, and types of unintentional injuries covered.
RESULTS:
A total of 50 risk assessment tools for unintentional injuries among children aged 0-6 years were included. Among them, 35 tools assessed two or more types of unintentional injuries. Regarding assessment format, 38 tools relied on caregiver self-report, 2 on investigator interviews, 3 on direct observation by investigators, and 7 used multiple methods. The tools covered four major dimensions: knowledge, attitude, behavior, and environment. Eleven tools covered 3 dimensions, while only one tool addressed all 4. Nineteen tools provided clear scoring methods, 14 included criteria for risk determination, and only 11 had both scoring methods and risk criteria. Twenty-eight tools lacked both. Twenty-two tools had been evaluated for reliability and/or validity. Among the 25 English-language tools, only 3 had been translated into Chinese.
CONCLUSIONS
Currently, no existing tool comprehensively assesses all major types of unintentional injuries for children under six years of age. It is recommended that practitioners select appropriate tools based on specific needs. In addition, improvements should be pursued, such as translating and validating English-language tools, developing quantitative scoring methods and criteria for tools tailored to Chinese children for important but underrepresented injury types (e.g., road traffic injuries, drowning).
Humans
;
Infant
;
Child, Preschool
;
Child
;
Risk Assessment/methods*
;
Accidental Injuries/prevention & control*
;
Infant, Newborn
;
Wounds and Injuries/epidemiology*
;
Reproducibility of Results
5.Silent or low expression of bla TEM and bla SHV suggests potential for targeted proteomics in clinical detection of β-lactamase-related antimicrobial resistance.
Huige WU ; Wenting DONG ; Xinxin HU ; Chunyang XIE ; Xinyi YANG ; Congran LI ; Guoqing LI ; Yun LU ; Xuefu YOU
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(7):101220-101220
Image 1.
6.Efficacy and safety of CM310 in moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2b trial
Yan ZHAO ; Jianzhong ZHANG ; Bin YANG ; Jingyi LI ; Yangfeng DING ; Liming WU ; Litao ZHANG ; Jinyan WANG ; Xiaohong ZHU ; Furen ZHANG ; Xiaohua TAO ; Yumei LI ; Chunlei ZHANG ; Linfeng LI ; Jianyun LU ; Qingchun DIAO ; Qianjin LU ; Xiaoyong MAN ; Fuqiu LI ; Xiujuan XIA ; Hao CHENG ; Yingmin JIA ; Guoqing ZHAO ; Jinchun YAN ; Bo CHEN
Chinese Medical Journal 2024;137(2):200-208
Background::Atopic dermatitis (AD) affects approximately 10% of adults worldwide. CM310 is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-4 receptor alpha that blocks interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 signaling. This trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CM310 in Chinese adults with moderate-to-severe AD.Methods::This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2b trial was conducted in 21 medical institutions in China from February to November 2021. Totally 120 eligible patients were enrolled and randomized (1:1:1) to receive subcutaneous injections of 300 mg CM310, 150 mg CM310, or placebo every 2 weeks for 16 weeks, followed by an 8-week follow-up period. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving ≥75% improvement in the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI-75) score from baseline at week 16. Safety and pharmacodynamics were also studied.Results::At week 16, the proportion of EASI-75 responders from baseline was significantly higher in the CM310 groups (70% [28/40] for high-dose and 65% [26/40] for low-dose) than that in the placebo group (20%[8/40]). The differences in EASI-75 response rate were 50% (high vs. placebo, 95% CI 31%–69%) and 45% (low vs. placebo, 95% CI 26%–64%), with both P values <0.0001. CM310 at both doses also significantly improved the EASI score, Investigator’s Global Assessment score, daily peak pruritus Numerical Rating Scale, AD-affected body surface area, and Dermatology Life Quality Index compared with placebo. CM310 treatment reduced levels of thymus and activation-regulated chemokine, total immunoglobulin E, lactate dehydrogenase, and blood eosinophils. The incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) was similar among all three groups, with the most common TEAEs reported being upper respiratory tract infection, atopic dermatitis, hyperlipidemia, and hyperuricemia. No severe adverse events were deemed to be attributed to CM310. Conclusion::CM310 at 150 mg and 300 mg every 2 weeks demonstrated significant efficacy and was well-tolerated in adults with moderate-to-severe AD.Trial Registration::ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04805411.
7.Molecular characteristics of HA1 and NA genes of influenza A (H3N2) virus in Yancheng city from 2022 to 2024
Chunxiang LI ; Xiongying SUN ; Min YANG ; Peng SHEN ; Jiajing YUAN ; Min ZHANG ; Chen CHEN ; Changcheng LI ; Guoqing CHEN
Chinese Journal of Experimental and Clinical Virology 2024;38(4):446-453
Objective:To analyze the molecular evolutional characteristics of the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes of influenza A (H3N2) viruses isolated in Yancheng from 2022 to 2024.Methods:The throat swab specimens of influenza-like illness ( ILI) from sentinel surveillance hospital and outbreak sites were detected using the method of real time Rt-qPCR. The influenza A(H3N2) viruses were isolated using MDCK cells culture method from April 2022 to Marh 2024. The strains isolated from 2022 to 2024 were selected randomly and their sequences of the HA1 and NA genes were amplified through one step RT-PCR method and the PCR products were sequenced.The nucleotide and amino acid site variations and evolutionary characteristics of the genes were analyzed using relevant bioinformatics software. The mutations of genes and nucleic acid locus were analyzed and the evolutional trees were generated using bioinformatics software.Results:A total of 5 020 samples were collected between April 2022 and March 2024, the positive detection rate of influenza virus nucleic acid was 18.59%(933/5 020).The winter and spring influenza peaks were obvious in the two monitoring seasons from April 2022 to March 2024. Among them, the summer influenza peak was obvious in the monitoring season from April 2022 to March 2023, and the H3N2 subtype influenza virus was the dominant epidemic strain in the two monitoring seasons. Genetic evolution tree displayed: the clustering relationships of the respective branches of HA1 and NA genes of 32 strains isolated in Yancheng were basically the same.The HA1 and NA genes of 24 strains isolated from 2023-2024 in Yancheng and the 2022-2024 Northern Hemisphere vaccine strain A/Darwin/9/2021 (H3N2) were located in the 3C.2a1b2a.2a.3a.1 evolutionary lineage, while the 8 strains isolated in the 2022 in Yancheng and the 2021-2022 Northern Hemisphere vaccine strain A/Cambodia/e0826360/2020 (H3N2) were located in the 3C.2a1b.2a.1a evolutionary lineage.The 6 strains (A/JSTH/11735/2023, A/JSTH/11788/2023, A/JSTH/11974/2023, A/JSYD/353/2023, A/JSYD/354/2023, A/JSTH/138/2023) all exhibited variations in the F79L, N122D, P239S, and K276E amino acid sites, which were present in both sporadic and outbreak strains. Because the strains of the antigen epitopes, receptor binding sites and glycosylation sites in the HA1 genes had a certain degree of variations in Yancheng in the 2022-2024 year, the immunogenicity matching between the 24 strains isolated in the 2023-2024 and the Northern Hemisphere vaccine strain A/Darwin/9/2021 was good, while the immunogenicity matching between the 8 strains isolated in the 2022 and the Northern Hemisphere vaccine strain A/Cambodia/e0826360/2022 was good; 32 strains isolated from 2022 to 2024 had no mutations in catalytic residues and drug resistant sites of NA genes.Conclusion:These result indicated that the HA1 and NA genes of influenza A/H3N2 viruses circulated in Yancheng city from 2022 to 2024 are changed gradually.The accumulation of these mutations would result in antigenic drift of influenza A(H3N2) viruses and increase the mismatching of the recommended vaccine strain.Compared with the vaccine strain A/Darwin/9/2021(H3N2), the strains isolated in the 2022 had substantially result in antigenic drift on the whole.The influenza A(H3N2) viruses surveillance should be strengthened to find the new mutant of virus in time.
8.Chest CT quantitative parameters in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease:Correlations with blood eosinophil level
Lu YANG ; Yadan SHENG ; Kai YANG ; Liyu HE ; Huihui GU ; Guoqing SUN ; Weiting CHEN ; Bingjie ZHU ; Yanrong CHEN ; Chenwang JIN
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging Technology 2024;40(8):1189-1193
Objective To observe the correlations of chest CT quantitative parameters in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD)with blood eosinophil(EOS)level.Methods Chest CT data of 162 AECOPD patients with elevated eosinophils were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were divided into low EOS group(n=105)and high EOS group(n=57)according to the absolute counting of blood EOS.The quantitative CT parameters,including the number of whole lung bronchi and the volume of blood vessels,low-attenuation area percentage(LAA%)of whole lung,of left/right lung and each lobe of lung,as well as the luminal diameter(LD),wall thickness(WT),wall area(WA)and WA percentage of total bronchial cross-section(WA%)of grade 3 to 8 bronchi were compared between groups.Spearman correlations were performed to analyze the correlations of quantitative CT parameters with blood EOS level.Results LAA%of the whole lung,of the left/right lung and each lobe of lung,as well as of the upper lobe of right lung LDgrade4,middle lobe of right lung WTgrade5,upper lobe of right lung WAgrade4,middle lobe of right lung WAgrade5 and lower lobe of left lung WAgrade3 in low EOS group were all higher than those in high EOS group(all P<0.05).Except for the upper lobe of right lung LDgrade4,the above quantitative CT indexes being significant different between groups were all weakly and negatively correlated with blood EOS level(r=-0.335 to-0.164,all P<0.05).Conclusion Chest CT quantitative parameters of AECOPD patients were correlated with blood EOS level,among which LAA%,a part of WT and WA were all weakly negatively correlated with blood EOS level.
9.Artificial intelligence models based on non-contrast chest CT for measuring bone mineral density
Wei DUAN ; Guoqing YANG ; Yang LI ; Feng SHI ; Lian YANG ; Xin XIONG ; Bei CHEN ; Yong LI ; Quanshui FU
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging Technology 2024;40(8):1231-1235
Objective To observe the value of artificial intelligence(AI)models based on non-contrast chest CT for measuring bone mineral density(BMD).Methods Totally 380 subjects who underwent both non-contrast chest CT and quantitative CT(QCT)BMD examination were retrospectively enrolled and divided into training set(n=304)and test set(n=76)at a ratio of 8∶2.The mean BMD of L1-L3 vertebrae were measured based on QCT.Spongy bones of T5-T10 vertebrae were segmented as RO1,radiomics(Rad)features were extracted,and machine learning(ML),Rad and deep learning(DL)models were constructed for classification of osteoporosis(OP)and evaluating BMD,respectively.Receiver operating characteristic curves were drawn,and area under the curves(AUC)were calculated to evaluate the efficacy of each model for classification of OP.Bland-Altman analysis and Pearson correlation analysis were performed to explore the consistency and correlation of each model with QCT for measuring BMD.Results Among ML and Rad models,MLBagging OP and RadBagging-OP had the best performances for classification of OP.In test set,AUC of MLBagging-OP,RadBagging-op and DLOP for classification of OP was 0.943,0.944 and 0.947,respectively,with no significant difference(all P>0.05).BMD obtained with all the above models had good consistency with those measured with QCT(most of the differences were within the range of(x)±1.96s),which were highly positively correlated(r=0.910-0.974,all P<0.001).Conclusion AI models based on non-contrast chest CT had high efficacy for classification of OP,and good consistency of BMD measurements were found between AI models and QCT.
10.Application of CT CE-Boost Technique in Preoperative Evaluation of Renal Cancer
Yanhui ZHAI ; Shiping WANG ; Guoqing XUAN ; Xiaobo FAN ; Nannan SUN ; Ying LI ; Chenxiao YANG ; Shouqiang JIA
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging 2024;32(10):1046-1050
Purpose To explore the application value of contrast enhancement boost(CE-Boost)technique in image quality of tumors and their feeding arteries in preoperative evaluation of renal cancer patients.Materials and Methods A total of 36 renal cancer patients in People's Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University from August 2022 to May 2023 with pathologically confirmed were retrospective collected.All patients underwent renal enhanced CT.The cortical phase images were post-processed using the CE-Boost technique to obtain CE-Boost images.The cortical phase images were set as group A and the CE-Boost images were set as group B.The CT value and image noise(SD)of abdominal aorta,renal artery,tumor and its adjacent renal cortex,and SD of the vertical spinal muscle on both sides of the spine of two groups were measured and recorded,and then the signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio of tumor,abdominal aorta and renal artery were calculated.The image quality of the tumor,tumor feeding artery and renal artery was scored on 4 points by 2 doctors with double-blind method.Results The signal-to-noise ratio,contrast-to-noise ratio and CT value of group B were significantly higher than those of group A(t=-27.385--5.267,all P<0.05).The SD of tumor,abdominal aorta,right and left renal artery were not significantly different between group A and B(t=-1.849-0.993,all P>0.05).The subjective score of tumor in group A and B were no significant difference(Z=-1.490,P=0.136).However,the subjective score of tumor feeding arteries and renal arteries were significantly higher in group B than in group A(Z=-3.512,P=0.000;Z=-2.127,P=0.033).Conclusion The CT CE-Boost technique can improve the image quality of renal enhanced CT and provide visualization of tumor feeding arteries.

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