1.Application of CRISPR/Cas System in Precision Medicine for Triple-negative Breast Cancer
Hui-Ling LIN ; Yu-Xin OUYANG ; Wan-Ying TANG ; Mi HU ; Mao PENG ; Ping-Ping HE ; Xin-Ping OUYANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(2):279-289
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents a distinctive subtype, characterized by the absence of estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Due to its high inter-tumor and intra-tumor heterogeneity, TNBC poses significant chanllenges for personalized diagnosis and treatment. The advant of clustered regular interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technology has profoundly enhanced our understanding of the structure and function of the TNBC genome, providing a powerful tool for investigating the occurrence and development of diseases. This review focuses on the application of CRISPR/Cas technology in the personalized diagnosis and treatment of TNBC. We begin by discussing the unique attributes of TNBC and the limitations of current diagnostic and treatment approaches: conventional diagnostic methods provide limited insights into TNBC, while traditional chemotherapy drugs are often associated with low efficacy and severe side effects. The CRISPR/Cas system, which activates Cas enzymes through complementary guide RNAs (gRNAs) to selectively degrade specific nucleic acids, has emerged as a robust tool for TNBC research. This technology enables precise gene editing, allowing for a deeper understanding of TNBC heterogeneity by marking and tracking diverse cell clones. Additionally, CRISPR facilitates high-throughput screening to promptly identify genes involved in TNBC growth, metastasis, and drug resistance, thus revealing new therapeutic targets and strategies. In TNBC diagnostics, CRISPR/Cas was applied to develop molecular diagnostic systems based on Cas9, Cas12, and Cas13, each employing distinct detection principles. These systems can sensitively and specifically detect a variety of TNBC biomarkers, including cell-specific DNA/RNA and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). In the realm of precision therapy, CRISPR/Cas has been utilized to identify key genes implicated in TNBC progression and treatment resistance. CRISPR-based screening has uncovered potential therapeutic targets, while its gene-editing capabilities have facilitated the development of combination therapies with traditional chemotherapy drugs, enhancing their efficacy. Despite its promise, the clinical translation of CRISPR/Cas technology remains in its early stages. Several clinical trials are underway to assess its safety and efficacy in the treatment of various genetic diseases and cancers. Challenges such as off-target effects, editing efficiency, and delivery methods remain to be addressed. The integration of CRISPR/Cas with other technologies, such as 3D cell culture systems, human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), and artificial intelligence (AI), is expected to further advance precision medicine for TNBC. These technological convergences can offer deeper insights into disease mechanisms and facilitate the development of personalized treatment strategies. In conclusion, the CRISPR/Cas system holds immense potential in the precise diagnosis and treatment of TNBC. As the technology progresses and becomes more costs-effective, its clinical relevance will grow, and the translation of CRISPR/Cas system data into clinical applications will pave the way for optimal diagnosis and treatment strategies for TNBC patients. However, technical hurdles and ethical considerations require ongoing research and regulation to ensure safety and efficacy.
2.Pharmacodynamic Substances and Mechanisms of Da Chengqitang in Treating Stroke: A Review
Yizhi YAN ; Xinyi LIU ; Yang DUAN ; Miaoqing LONG ; Chaoya LI ; Qiang LI ; Yi'an CHEN ; Shasha YANG ; Yue ZHANG ; Peng ZENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(9):297-306
Stroke is the main cause of death and disability among adults in China and is characterized by high incidence, disability, mortality, and recurrence rates. The combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine has great potential in treating stroke and its sequelae. The classic traditional Chinese medicine prescription Da Chengqitang (DCQT) has a long history and proven efficacy in treating stroke. Clinically, DCQT is often used to treat stroke and its sequelae. However, the number and quality of clinical trials of DCQT in treating stroke need to be improved. Because of the insufficient basic research, the active ingredients and multi-target mechanism of action of DCQT remain unclear. Our research group has previously confirmed that DCQT can effectively reverse neurological damage, reduce iron deposition, and downregulate the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the rat model of hemorrhagic stroke. The treatment mechanism is related to the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated signaling pathway and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling-mediated microglia activation. To clarify the pharmacodynamic basis and anti-stroke mechanism of DCQT, this article reviews the research progress in the treatment of stroke with DCQT in terms of clinical trials, pharmacodynamic material basis, safety evaluation, and mechanisms of absorbed components. This article summarizes 45 major phytochemical components of DCQT, 11 of which are currently confirmed absorbed components. Among them, emodin, rhein, chrysophanol, aloe-emodin, synephrine, hesperidin, naringin, magnolol, and honokiol can be used as quality markers (Q-markers) of DCQT. The mechanism of DCQT in treating stroke is complex, involving regulation of inflammatory responses, neuronal damage, oxidative stress, blood-brain barrier, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and anti-platelet aggregation. This article helps to deeply understand the pharmacodynamic basis and mechanism of DCQT in treating stroke and provides a theoretical basis for the clinical application of DCQT in treating stroke and the development of stroke drugs.
3.Impact of cold spells on hospitalizations of residents in Hengyang City from 2017 to 2023: A time series study based on different definitions of cold spells
Xiaoming DENG ; Guanxiang ZOU ; Weixiong PENG ; Bin LI
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(7):808-813
Background The impact of cold spells on population health can be categorized into an independent main effect of extreme low temperatures and an added effect of prolonged low temperatures. However, studies on the added effects of cold spells on hospitalizations remain limited. Objective To investigate the added effects of cold spells on hospitalizations of residents in Hengyang City, Hunan Province, and to provide a scientific basis for establishing a cold spell early warning system. Methods Daily meteorological data, air pollutant data, and hospitalization data from six tertiary hospitals of four districts in Hengyang City from 2017 to 2023 were collected. A generalized linear model (GLM) combined with a distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) was used to assess the added effects of cold spells on non-accidental hospitalizations, as well as hospitalizations for circulatory system diseases and respiratory system diseases, after controlling the main effect of temperature. The modifying effects of cold spell characteristics (intensity and duration) and individual characteristics (gender and age) were also analyzed. Results Compared with non-cold spell periods, the relative risks (RRs) of total non-accidental hospitalizations and hospitalizations across disease categories, genders, and age groups were elevated during cold spells of varying intensities and durations. However, the total effects of cold spells exhibited a "U-shape" nonlinear relationship with intensity and decreased with prolonged duration. During high-intensity cold spells (daily average temperature < P5 and lasting ≥ 2 d), the RR (95%CI) for non-accidental hospitalizations was 1.71 (1.21, 2.42); the RRs (95%CIs) for males and females were 1.99 (1.38, 2.84) and 1.47 (1.00, 2.16), respectively; for individuals < 65 years and ≥ 65 years, the RRs (95%CIs) were 1.59 (1.12, 2.26) and 1.93 (1.27, 2.92), respectively; and for circulatory and respiratory system diseases, the RRs (95%CIs) were 1.84 (1.22, 2.79) and 1.07 (0.71, 1.60), respectively. No statistically significant differences were observed between the above subgroups. The single-day lagged effects of cold spells displayed a two-peaked pattern. The single-day lag RR for total non-accidental hospitalizations peaked at lag 1 d after cold spell exposure, declined thereafter, and began to rise again after lag 5 d, reaching a second peak at lag 12–13 d before gradually decreasing. The lagged effects remained statistically significant during lag 8–18 d. The lag patterns of cold spell associations across disease categories, genders, and age groups were largely consistent with those of total hospitalizations. Conclusion Cold spells have a significant impact on non-accidental hospitalizations of residents in Hengyang City, with notable lagged effects. The findings provide important theoretical support for establishing a more targeted cold spell early warning system.
4.Endometrial cancer lesion region segmentation based on large kernel convolution and combined attention.
Rushu PENG ; Qinghao ZENG ; Bin HE ; Junjie LIU ; Zhang XIAO
Journal of Biomedical Engineering 2025;42(5):928-935
Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most common gynecological malignancies, with an increasing incidence rate worldwide. Accurate segmentation of lesion areas in computed tomography (CT) images is a critical step in assisting clinical diagnosis. In this study, we propose a novel deep learning-based segmentation model, termed spatial choice and weight union network (SCWU-Net), which incorporates two newly designed modules: the spatial selection module (SSM) and the combination weight module (CWM). The SSM enhances the model's ability to capture contextual information through deep convolutional blocks, while the CWM, based on joint attention mechanisms, is employed within the skip connections to further boost segmentation performance. By integrating the strengths of both modules into a U-shaped multi-scale architecture, the model achieves precise segmentation of EC lesion regions. Experimental results on a public dataset demonstrate that SCWU-Net achieves a Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) of 82.98%, an intersection over union (IoU) of 78.63%, a precision of 92.36%, and a recall of 84.10%. Its overall performance is significantly outperforming other state-of-the-art models. This study enhances the accuracy of lesion segmentation in EC CT images and holds potential clinical value for the auxiliary diagnosis of endometrial cancer.
Humans
;
Endometrial Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging*
;
Female
;
Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods*
;
Deep Learning
;
Algorithms
;
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods*
;
Neural Networks, Computer
5.Intramedullary administration of tranexamic acid reduces bleeding in proximal femoral nail antirotation surgery for intertrochanteric fractures in elderly individuals: A randomized controlled trial.
Xiang-Ping LUO ; Jian PENG ; Ling ZHOU ; Hao LIAO ; Xiao-Chun JIANG ; Xiong TANG ; Dun TANG ; Chao LIU ; Jian-Hui LIU
Chinese Journal of Traumatology 2025;28(3):201-207
PURPOSE:
Intertrochanteric fractures undergoing proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) surgery are associated with significant hidden blood loss. This study aimed to explore whether intramedullary administration of tranexamic acid (TXA) can reduce bleeding in PFNA surgery for intertrochanteric fractures in elderly individuals.
METHODS:
A randomized controlled trial was conducted from January 2019 to December 2022. Patients aged over 60 years with intertrochanteric fractures who underwent intramedullary fixation surgery with PFNA were eligible for inclusion and grouped according to random numbers. A total of 249 patients were initially enrolled, of which 83 were randomly allocated to the TXA group and 82 were allocated to the saline group. The TXA group received intramedullary perfusion of TXA after the bone marrow was reamed. The primary outcomes were total peri-operative blood loss and post-operative transfusion rate. The occurrence of adverse events was also recorded. Continuous data was analyzed by unpaired t-test or Mann-Whitney U test, and categorical data was analyzed by Pearson Chi-square test.
RESULTS:
The total peri-operative blood loss (mL) in the TXA group was significantly lower than that in the saline group (577.23 ± 358.02 vs. 716.89 ± 420.30, p = 0.031). The post-operative transfusion rate was 30.67% in the TXA group and 47.95% in the saline group (p = 0.031). The extent of post-operative deep venous thrombosis and the 3-month mortality rate were similar between the 2 groups.
CONCLUSION
We observed that intramedullary administration of TXA in PFNA surgery for intertrochanteric fractures in elderly individuals resulted in less peri-operative blood loss and decreased transfusion rate, without any adverse effects, and is, thus, recommended.
Humans
;
Tranexamic Acid/administration & dosage*
;
Hip Fractures/surgery*
;
Male
;
Aged
;
Female
;
Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary/adverse effects*
;
Blood Loss, Surgical/prevention & control*
;
Antifibrinolytic Agents/administration & dosage*
;
Aged, 80 and over
;
Bone Nails
;
Middle Aged
;
Blood Transfusion/statistics & numerical data*
6.A real-world study on the application of modified midline catheter and central venous catheter in medical intensive care unit.
Guo LONG ; Zixi WANG ; Huan PENG ; Xiaoyuan CAO ; Yuxin LIU ; Li TAN
Chinese Critical Care Medicine 2025;37(10):956-961
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the differences in indwelling duration, clinical scenarios, and complications between the modified midline catheter (MMC) and the central venous catheter (CVC) in the treatment of patients in the medical intensive care unit (ICU) and the risk factors for complications based on real-world data.
METHODS:
A retrospective cohort study was conducted. The adult patients admitted to the medical ICU of the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University and had undergone placement of either a MMC or a CVC between January 1, 2023, and July 31, 2024, were consecutively enrolled by querying the hospital's electronic medical record system. Based on the type of catheter inserted, the patients were divided into the MMC group and the CVC group. The two groups were compared regarding the selection of catheters in the context of different underlying diseases, the actual clinical application after catheterization, catheter-related complications, the international normalized ratio (INR) and platelet count (PLT) during puncture and catheterization, the length of ICU stay, total length of hospital stay, catheter indwelling duration, and mortality during hospitalization. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify independent risk factors for catheter removal.
RESULTS:
Among the 274 patients, 52 received a MMC and 222 received a CVC. The utilization rate of MMC was significantly higher than that of CVC in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), cardiovascular disease, and cancer [ARDS: 92.3% (48/52) vs. 70.3% (156/222), cardiovascular disease: 84.6% (44/52) vs. 54.5% (121/222), cancer: 30.8% (16/52) vs. 17.1% (38/222), all P < 0.05]. However, the use of MMC was significantly lower than CVC when vasoactive drug infusion was required [57.7% (30/52) vs. 79.7% (177/222), P < 0.05]. A significantly higher proportion of patients in the MMC group had a catheter indwelling time ≥ 12 days as compared with the CVC group [32.7% (17/52) vs. 13.5% (30/222), P < 0.05]. There were no statistically significant differences in other underlying diseases, venous access usage, INR and PLT during puncture and catheterization, length of ICU stay, total length of hospital stay, and in-hospital mortality of patients between the two groups. Regarding catheter-related complications, although the incidence of partial or complete catheter removal in the MMC group was significantly higher than that in the CVC group [36.5% (19/52) vs. 5.4% (12/222), P < 0.05], the incidence of puncture site fluid leakage, puncture site skin allergy, and deep vein thrombosis were significantly lower than those in the CVC group [puncture site fluid leakage: 1.9% (1/52) vs. 22.1% (49/222), puncture site skin allergy: 0% (0/52) vs. 20.7% (46/222), deep vein thrombosis: 3.8% (2/52) vs. 16.7% (37/222), all P < 0.05]. Furthermore, the proportion of patients experiencing three or more types of complications in the MMC group was significantly lower than that in the CVC group [5.8% (3/52) vs. 17.6% (39/222), P < 0.05]. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis of risk factors for catheter removal identified the use of a MMC [odds ratio (OR) = 8.518, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 3.710-19.560, P < 0.001] and a catheter indwelling time ≥ 12 days (OR = 3.133, 95%CI was 1.297-7.567, P = 0.011) as independent risk factors.
CONCLUSIONS
MMC was more frequently used in patients with ARDS, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, whereas CVC was primarily employed for vasoactive drug infusion. The use of MMC and a longer indwelling time were identified as independent risk factors for catheter removal. Despite a higher removal rate, the overall incidence of complications was significantly lower with MMC than with CVC. These findings suggest that MMC could serve as a routine alternative to CVC in most of clinical scenarios, provided that measures are implemented to prevent removal.
Humans
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Intensive Care Units
;
Catheterization, Central Venous/methods*
;
Central Venous Catheters
;
Risk Factors
;
Length of Stay
;
Male
;
Female
;
Middle Aged
;
Adult
;
Catheters, Indwelling
;
Aged
7.Pharmacodynamic Substances and Action Mechanisms of Chaihu Shugansan in Antidepressant Treatment: A Review
Jieyun LIN ; Yang DUAN ; Miaoqing LONG ; Chaoya LI ; Manfei DENG ; Peng ZENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(10):246-257
Depression is a kind of complex mental illness, which is mainly treated by western medicine at present, but the effect of western antidepressant drugs is not good due to the combined influence of side effects and individual differences of patients. Depression is a "stagnation syndrome" in traditional Chinese medicine, and its treatment principle is to disperse stagnated liver Qi for relieving Qi stagnation. The classic traditional Chinese medicine formula Chaihu Shugansan (CHSGS) has a long history of treating depression and demonstrates significant therapeutic efficacy. Clinically, the addition and subtraction of CHSGS is flexible, but the properties of the active ingredients are vague, and the mechanism and function are unclear. In order to elucidate the pharmacodynamic basis and antidepressant mechanism of CHSGS, this article reviews the pharmacodynamic material basis of CHSGS, clinical research and antidepressant mechanism research progress. Clinically, CHSGS can treat various types of depression such as primary depression, post-stroke depression, and postpartum depression. This article summarizes 32 main ingredients of CHSGS, among which albiflorin, ferulic acid, naringin, hesperidin, saikosaponin a, glycyrrhetinic acid, tangeretin, meranzin hydrate, nobiletin and glycyrrhizic acid are the quality markers (Q-markers) for the antidepressant effect of CHSGS. The antidepressant mechanism of CHSGS is complex, including regulating monoamine neurotransmitters, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, neurotrophic factors, inflammatory response, cell damage-related pathways, oxidative stress, etc. This article helps to deeply understand the pharmacodynamic basis and mechanism of CHSGS in treating depression, and provides a theoretical basis for the clinical application of CHSGS in treating depression and the development of antidepressant drugs.
8.Prone position-cardiopulmonary resuscitation in adults: a scoping review
Xuhong LAN ; Longfei GUO ; Hongfang ZHOU ; Hengyang WANG ; Qian WANG ; Donghui JIA ; Wenjuan YUAN ; Yuchen WU ; Zhigang ZHANG ; Caili PENG
Chinese Critical Care Medicine 2024;36(10):1049-1055
Objective:To comprehensively search the relevant literature on prone position-cardiopulmonary resuscitation (PP-CPR) in adults at home and abroad, analyze the content, summarize the evidence, and provide reference for clinical health care professionals.Methods:Systematic search of CNKI, China Biomedical Literature Service System (SinoMed), Wanfang Data, VIP database, PubMed, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochran Library, Web of Science, Scopus literature database and other Chinese and English databases was conducted. The search period was from inception to June 15 in 2024. The contents of PP-CPR from randomized controlled trial (RCT), non-RCT (prospective or retrospective), cohort studies and case reports were extracted and systematically analyzed. The search results were standardized by the method of scoping review.Results:A total of 523 articles were obtained through preliminary search, and 14 references and gray literature were retrieved, totaling 537 articles. After strict screening by two researchers, a total of 26 literatures were included, 3 were non-RCT and 23 were case reports, involving 12 countries, including 3 in Chinese, 19 in English, 2 in French, 1 in German, and 1 in Korean. Three non-RCT demonstrated that compared with standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), PP-CPR could produce higher pressure, and provide good respiratory and circulatory support. A total of 25 adult patients were included in the 23 case reports, of which 17 reported total recovery time and 13 reported PP-CPR time ≤ 5 minutes, all of which recovered spontaneous circulation, indicating the effectiveness of PP-CPR technology. In terms of final outcome, 4 patients (16.0%) died and 21 patients (84.0%) survived, indicating that PP-CPR technology could provide timely blood circulation and improve clinical outcomes for prone cardiac arrest patients. Among the 11 patients who reported complications after resuscitation, no neurological damage was found in the short-term outcomes, indicating that PP-CPR technology had a certain level of safety.Conclusions:PP-CPR can provide timely blood circulation for patients with cardiac arrest who are unable to lie supine quickly, and win "golden time" for defibrillation and further treatment. In clinical practice, medical staff need to evaluate the emergency environment, the number of rescuers and the specific condition of the patient, and implement first aid as soon as possible, so as to reduce the time of no blood flow in the vital organs of patients with cardiac arrest in prone position, and improve the clinical prognosis.
9.Bushen Yizhi Formula in Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease: A Review
Peng ZENG ; Chaoyuan YE ; Hongfei SU ; Qing TIAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2023;29(1):270-282
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, and disease-modifying treatments are currently lacking. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), it is believed that kidney-essence deficiency is the internal mechanism of AD, and invigorating kidney and nourishing essence is the basic principle of TCM treatment of AD, which runs through the whole treatment process. Bushen Yizhi formula is a prescription for the treatment of AD, with rich experience in clinical practice. There have been massive literature reports on the treatment of AD with Bushen Yizhi formula, but its clinical safety is seldom studied, and its basic research is weak, with the active components and multi-target mechanism unclear. To clarify the mechanism of Bushen Yizhi formula in the treatment of AD with multiple components, targets and pathways, this paper summarized the research progress of Bushen Yizhi formula in the treatment of AD. We further collected 16 main chemical components of Bushen Yizhi formula based on HPLC fingerprints, and evaluated their druggability and safety. By combining network pharmacology and literature review on the important pathophysiological process of AD, we analyzed the active components and possible mechanisms of Bushen Yizhi formula targeting the cholinergic system and neuropathological characteristics of AD. This paper provided potential lead compounds for AD drug research and development, and a theoretical basis for the clinical application of Bushen Yizhi formula.
10.A New Approach to Network Pharmacological Analysis Based on Key Pathophysiological Processes
Yizhi YAN ; Chaoya LI ; Manfei DENG ; Peng ZENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2023;29(17):203-211
In recent years, the field of network pharmacology (NP) has developed rapidly, but the flawed and routine workflow has seriously affected the scientificity and reliability of NP analysis results. For complex diseases caused by environmental and genetic factors, symptomatic treatment or drugs targeting a single pathophysiological process cannot prevent or delay the progression of the disease, so the drug development fails or withdraws from the market. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new ideas for NP analysis that combines multiple pathophysiological processes. The key pathophysiological process is an important and complete set of pathological changes in the process of the occurrence, development, and outcome of the disease, which represents the current comprehensive and profound understanding of the nature of the disease. In order to improve the quality of NP research and promote the healthy development of the NP field, this paper proposes a new idea of NP analysis based on key pathophysiological processes. Based on the long-term clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine and the key pathophysiological process of the disease, the method comprehensively analyzes the pharmacological mechanism and active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine compound from the perspective of key pathophysiological process, which increases the scientifically, reliability, and repeatability of the analysis results. This paper takes Alzheimer's disease (AD) as an example to illustrate the necessity, feasibility, main workflow, advantages, and disadvantages of this method, and it is expected to screen disease-modifying drugs that prevent or reverse the course of the disease and promote the clinical transformation of research results.

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