1.Development and Validation of a High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method for Detecting Adrenocortical Hormones and Establishment of Age-Stratified Reference Intervals in Reproductive-Aged Women from Guangxi, China
Yixuan LIU ; Tingwei JIN ; Yushuang WEI ; Xuelian QIN ; Siyu DENG ; Jie ZHENG ; Boteng YAN ; Yuanyuan NONG ; Yu YE ; Shengzhu HUANG ; Yu LONG ; Jianmin LI ; Ganqin WANG ; Pei HUANG ; Jinghang JIANG ; Fan WU ; Zengnan MO ; Yonghua JIANG
Annals of Laboratory Medicine 2026;46(2):146-154
Background:
Adrenocortical hormones, particularly 11-oxygenated androgens, are pivotal in female reproductive health and fertility. Standardized detection kits and population-specific reference intervals are lacking in China, hindering related clinical applications.
Methods:
A HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) pipeline was developed, rigorously validated, and applied to simultaneously quantify corticosterone, cortisone, cortisol, 18-OH cortisol, androstenedione (A4), 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione (11-OH A4), dehydroepiandrosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in serum samples from 455 reproductive-aged women (18–45 yrs) in Guangxi, China. Age-dependent concentration trends were analyzed, and reference intervals stratified by age (2.5th to 97.5th percentiles) were established. Correlations with body-composition metrics, ethnicity, and the menstrual cycle were investigated.
Results:
The HPLC-MS/MS method demonstrated high precision (intra- and inter-assay CVs < 15%), accuracy, and sensitivity. All eight hormones exhibited significant age-related declines (P < 0.001 for seven hormones; P = 0.001 for 11-OH A4). Notably, 11-OH A4 levels were significantly lower in the 35–45-yr (3.05 nmol/L) and 25–34-yr (3.09 nmol/L) age groups than in the 18–24-yr (3.57 nmol/L) age group, whereas no significant difference was observed between the 35–45-yr and 25–34-yr age groups. Weak negative correlations were observed between the body mass index and corticosterone and cortisone levels, whereas ethnicity and the menstrual cycle showed no significant associations with hormone levels.
Conclusions
We developed an HPLC-MS/MS-based method for simultaneously quantifying eight adrenocortical hormones, including 11-OH A4, and defined age-specific reference intervals for reproductive-aged Chinese women. These findings advance the clinical utility of adrenocortical hormones in diagnosing and managing reproductive disorders.
2.Sini San Treats Liver Fibrosis by Regulating Polarization of Intrahepatic Kupffer Cells
Yanyu QU ; Qiao GENG ; Zhuxiu ZHOU ; Dongyang ZHENG ; Jianmin YAN ; Huan LIU ; Li CHEN ; Feng ZHANG ; Desong KONG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(23):34-46
ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism by which Sini San (SNS) treats liver fibrosis through regulating the polarization of intrahepatic Kupffer cells. MethodsSixty SPF-grade male Balb/c mice were randomized into blank control, model, silymarin (0.2 g·kg-1), and low-, medium-, and high-dose (2.93, 5.85, 11.70 g·kg-1, respectively) SNS groups. A mouse model of liver fibrosis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of CCl4. After 5 weeks of administration, the body mass, liver pathological changes [Hematoxylin and Eosin (HE), Masson, and Sirius red staining], serum biochemical indicators [alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT)], liver fibrosis markers [procollagen type Ⅲ (PCⅢ), laminin (LN), and hyaluronic acid (HA)], inflammatory cytokines [interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-10 (IL-10)], and fibrosis-related proteins [α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen type Ⅰ (Col Ⅰ), and collagen type Ⅲ (Col Ⅲ)] were assessed. A co-culture system of THP-1 cells (M1 macrophages) and human hepatic stellate cells (LX-2) was established. The cell experiment was designed with blank control (LX-2 alone), model (LX-2 + M1 macrophages), and low-, medium-, and high-dose SNS (co-culture with 5%, 10%, or 20% SNS-containing serum, respectively) groups. Cell viability, inflammatory cytokines, and macrophage phenotype were examined. Human primary hepatic Kupffer cells were allocated into blank control, M1 (LPS 100 μg·L-1+IFN-γ 20 μg·L-1), M2 (IL-4 20 μg·L-1+IL-13 20 μg·L-1), M1+M2, M1+SNS (supplemented with 10% SNS-containing serum for 2 h after culture under M1 conditions for 24 h), M2+SNS (supplemented with 10% SNS-containing serum for 2 h after culture under M2 conditions for 24 h), and M1+M2+SNS groups (supplemented with 10% SNS-containing serum for 2 h after culture under M1+M2 conditions for 24 h), and the expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) at protein and mRNA levels was determined. ResultsCompared with the blank group, the model group exhibited increased serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP, PCⅢ, LN, HA, IL-6, and TNF-α, upregulated protein and mRNA levels of α-SMA, Col Ⅰ, and Col Ⅲ in the liver tissue (P<0.05, P<0.01), and decreased IL-10 level and STAT3 mRNA level (P<0.05, P<0.01), accompanied by marked collagen deposition and inflammatory infiltration in the liver. Compared with the model group, all doses of Sini San reversed these alterations (P<0.05, P<0.01), with the high-dose group showing the most pronounced effects. Cell experiments demonstrated that, compared with the blank control group, the model group had elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) and upregulated protein and mRNA levels of M1 markers [cluster of differentiation 86 (CD86, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1)] (P<0.01), along with declined level of IL-10 and downregulated expression of M2 markers [(CD163, CD206, and arginase-1 (Arg-1)] (P<0.05,P<0.01). Compared with the model group, treatment with Sini San-containing serum at various concentrations lowered the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and expression of M1 markers (P<0.05, P<0.01), while increasing the IL-10 level and M2 marker expression (P<0.05, P<0.01). Additionally, Sini San downregulated the mRNA level of NF-κB and upregulated the mRNA level of STAT (P<0.05, P<0.01). In the experiment with human primary Kupffer cells, compared with the blank group, the M1 group showed increased NF-κB p65 expression (P<0.01) and decreased STAT3 expression (P<0.05), whereas the M2 group exhibited increased STAT3 expression (P<0.01). Compared with the respective model groups, Sini San-containing serum reversed the M1-induced overexpression of NF-κB p65 (P<0.05, P<0.01) and further enhanced the M2-induced STAT3 expression (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionSini San can inhibit the NF-κB p65/STAT3 signaling pathway and repolarize intrahepatic Kupffer cells from the pro-inflammatory M1 to the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype to attenuate inflammation and suppress hepatic stellate cell activation and collagen deposition, thereby exerting anti-fibrotic effect.
3.Feixin Decoction Treats Hypoxic Pulmonary Hypertension by Regulating Pyroptosis in PASMCs via PPARγ/NF-κB/NLRP3 Signaling Pathway
Junlan TAN ; Xianya CAO ; Runxiu ZHENG ; Wen ZHANG ; Chao ZHANG ; Jian YI ; Feiying WANG ; Xia LI ; Jianmin FAN ; Hui LIU ; Lan SONG ; Aiguo DAI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(18):1-9
ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism by which Feixin decoction treats hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH) by regulating the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB)/NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) signaling pathway. MethodsForty-eight male SD rats were randomly allocated into normal, hypoxia, and low-, medium- and high-dose (5.85, 11.7, 23.4 g·kg-1, respectively) Feixin decoction groups, with 8 rats in each group. Except the normal group, the remaining five groups were placed in a hypoxia chamber with an oxygen concentration of (10.0±0.5)% for 8 h per day, 28 days, and administrated with corresponding drugs during the modeling process. After 4 weeks of treatment, echocardiographic parameters [pulmonary artery acceleration time (PAT), pulmonary artery ejection time (PET), right ventricular anterior wall thickness (RVAWd), and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE)] were measured for each group. The right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) was measured by the right heart catheterization method, and the right ventricular hypertrophy index (RVHI) was calculated by weighing the heart. The pathological changes in pulmonary arterioles were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The co-localization of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) with NLRP3, N-terminal gasdermin D (N-GSDMD), and cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-1 (Caspase-1) in pulmonary arteries was detected by immunofluorescence. The protein levels of PPARγ, NF-κB, NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC), N-GSDMD, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-18(IL-18), and cleaved Caspase-1 in the lung tissue was determined by Western blot. The ultrastructural changes in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) were observed by transmission electron microscopy. ResultsCompared with the normal group, the hypoxia group showed increased RVSP and RVHI (P<0.01), decreased right heart function (P<0.01), increased pulmonary vascular remodeling (P<0.01), increased co-localization of α-SMA with NLRP3, N-GSDMD, and Caspase-1 in pulmonary arterioles (P<0.01), up-regulated protein levels of NF-κB, NLRP3, ASC, N-GSDMD, IL-1β, IL-18, and cleaved Caspase-1 in the lung tissue (P<0.05, P<0.01), a down-regulated protein level of PPARγ (P<0.05, P<0.01), and pyroptosis in PASMCs. Compared with the hypoxia group, Feixin decoction reduced RVSP and RVHI, improved the right heart function and ameliorated pulmonary vascular remodeling (P<0.05, P<0.01), decreased the co-localization of α-SMA with NLRP3, N-GSDMD, and Caspase-1 (P<0.05, P<0.01), down-regulated the protein levels of NF-κB, NLRP3, ASC, N-GSDMD, IL-1β, IL-18, and cleaved Caspase-1 in the lung tissue (P<0.05, P<0.01), up-regulated the protein level of PPARγ (P<0.05, P<0.01), and alleviated pyroptosis in PASMCs. ConclusionFeixin decoction can ameliorate pulmonary vascular remodeling and right heart dysfunction in chronically induced HPH rats by regulating pyroptosis in PASMCs through the PPARγ/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway.
4.A practical study on cultivating undergraduate innovative abilities under the perspective of integration of research and teaching
Jianhua LI ; Ziyu YIN ; Jianmin ZHENG ; Hui ZHANG ; Tafan WU
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2025;24(11):1523-1527
Innovative talents are the main driving force behind the transformation of scientific and technological innovations into new quality productive forces, while the integration of research and teaching represents an advanced form of the deep integration between scientific research and educational teaching. Guangzhou Medical University, focusing on social needs and guided by the IMH (innovation, mission, and humanism) educational philosophy, has established an undergraduate innovative ability cultivation model that integrates research and teaching. By building training platforms, establishing learning communities for teachers and students, constructing courses and projects, and strengthening talent cultivation mechanisms to promote the implementation of the integration of research and teaching, the university has effectively improved the quality of education and teaching, creating a favorable environment for talent growth.
5.Development and practice of a comprehensive personnel information management system for multi-campus public hospitals
Peini YU ; Pingping HUANG ; Ning WEI ; Chun YANG ; Lian LI ; Jun ZHAO ; Jianmin ZHENG ; Dong YANG
Modern Hospital 2025;25(7):1091-1095
Objective To address personnel management challenges in large comprehensive hospitals by developing a comprehensive personnel information management system for refined multi-campus administration.Methods A centralized data-base was employed to construct a personnel information management system compatible with both"interactive management"and"independent management"modes.The system progressively implemented functions including personnel information manage-ment,meal card and subsidy administration,and shift scheduling.Results The system achieved effective interconnections be-tween subsystems,significantly improving personnel management efficiency,data governance,risk prevention capabilities,and operational decision-making.Personnel data were efficiently utilized across multiple scenarios.Conclusion The multi-campus comprehensive personnel information management system meets the refined requirements of multi-campus personnel administration and provides valuable experience for the development and expansion of subsequent hospital operation management information sys-tems.
6.A practical study on cultivating undergraduate innovative abilities under the perspective of integration of research and teaching
Jianhua LI ; Ziyu YIN ; Jianmin ZHENG ; Hui ZHANG ; Tafan WU
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2025;24(11):1523-1527
Innovative talents are the main driving force behind the transformation of scientific and technological innovations into new quality productive forces, while the integration of research and teaching represents an advanced form of the deep integration between scientific research and educational teaching. Guangzhou Medical University, focusing on social needs and guided by the IMH (innovation, mission, and humanism) educational philosophy, has established an undergraduate innovative ability cultivation model that integrates research and teaching. By building training platforms, establishing learning communities for teachers and students, constructing courses and projects, and strengthening talent cultivation mechanisms to promote the implementation of the integration of research and teaching, the university has effectively improved the quality of education and teaching, creating a favorable environment for talent growth.
7.Development and practice of a comprehensive personnel information management system for multi-campus public hospitals
Peini YU ; Pingping HUANG ; Ning WEI ; Chun YANG ; Lian LI ; Jun ZHAO ; Jianmin ZHENG ; Dong YANG
Modern Hospital 2025;25(7):1091-1095
Objective To address personnel management challenges in large comprehensive hospitals by developing a comprehensive personnel information management system for refined multi-campus administration.Methods A centralized data-base was employed to construct a personnel information management system compatible with both"interactive management"and"independent management"modes.The system progressively implemented functions including personnel information manage-ment,meal card and subsidy administration,and shift scheduling.Results The system achieved effective interconnections be-tween subsystems,significantly improving personnel management efficiency,data governance,risk prevention capabilities,and operational decision-making.Personnel data were efficiently utilized across multiple scenarios.Conclusion The multi-campus comprehensive personnel information management system meets the refined requirements of multi-campus personnel administration and provides valuable experience for the development and expansion of subsequent hospital operation management information sys-tems.
8.Correlation of contrast-enhanced ultrasound parameters of adenomyoma before and after MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery with therapeutic efficacy
Peidi ZHANG ; Xiao YANG ; Jianmin ZHENG ; Haijing LIU ; Lina PANG ; Lei DING ; Wen LUO
Chinese Journal of Interventional Imaging and Therapy 2024;21(5):257-261
Objective To explore the correlation of contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)parameters of adenomyoma before and after MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery(MRgFUS)with the therapeutic efficacy.Methods Uterine ultrasound and CEUS data of 26 patients with adenomyoma before and 24 h,1 and 6 months after MRgFUS,as well as MRI before and immediately after MRgFUS were retrospectively analyzed.The lesion volume shown on CEUS and MRI before MRgFUS,the non perfusion volume(NPV)of adenomyoma on MRI immediately after and CEUS 24 h after MRgFUS were compared.The ablation rate of lesions was calculated based on CEUS 24 h after MRgFUS.The focal blood flow score before,24 h after MRgFUS and the sum of the two,also the numerical rating scale(NRS)score before and 1,6 months after MRgFUS and the change rate were analyzed.The correlations of CEUS parameters with the efficacy of MRgFUS for treating adenomyoma were observed.Results No significant difference of lesion volume nor NPV on CEUS or MRI was found(both P>0.05).The ablation rate of lesions 24 h after treatment was(58.11±24.92)%.The focal blood flow score before,24 h after MRgFUS and the sum of the two was 2.00(2.00,2.00),1.00(1.00,1.00)and 3.50(3.00,3.50),respectively,with significant difference between before and 24 h after MRgFUS(Z=-4.463,P<0.001).NRS score was 5.00(4.00,6.00),3.00(2.00,4.00)and 2.00(1.00,3.00)before treatment,1 and 6 months after treatment,respectively,with significant differences at different time points(all P<0.01).The change rate of NRS score 1 and 6 months after treatment was 35.42%(23.75%,50.00%)and 60.00%(50.00%,77.08%),respectively.The lesion blood flow score before and 24 h after MRgFUS and the sum of the two were all negatively correlated with ablation rate(rs=-0.552,-0.820,-0.745),while positively correlated with NRS scores 6 months after treatment(rs=0.513,0.552,0.496)but negatively correlated with the change rate of NRS scores 6 months after treatment(rs=-0.525,-0.479,-0.531).The ablation rate 24 h after treatment was negatively correlated with NRS scores(rs=-0.462)while positively correlated with the change rate of NRS scores 6 months after treatment(rs=0.500).Conclusion CEUS parameters before and after treatment were correlated with the therapeutic efficacy of MRgFUS for treating adenomyoma.
9.Quantitative Expression of Latent Disease Factors in Individuals Associated with Psychopathology Dimensions and Treatment Response.
Shaoling ZHAO ; Qian LV ; Ge ZHANG ; Jiangtao ZHANG ; Heqiu WANG ; Jianmin ZHANG ; Meiyun WANG ; Zheng WANG
Neuroscience Bulletin 2024;40(11):1667-1680
Psychiatric comorbidity is common in symptom-based diagnoses like autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention/deficit hyper-activity disorder (ADHD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, these co-occurring symptoms mediated by shared and/or distinct neural mechanisms are difficult to profile at the individual level. Capitalizing on unsupervised machine learning with a hierarchical Bayesian framework, we derived latent disease factors from resting-state functional connectivity data in a hybrid cohort of ASD and ADHD and delineated individual associations with dimensional symptoms based on canonical correlation analysis. Models based on the same factors generalized to previously unseen individuals in a subclinical cohort and one local OCD database with a subset of patients undergoing neurosurgical intervention. Four factors, identified as variably co-expressed in each patient, were significantly correlated with distinct symptom domains (r = -0.26-0.53, P < 0.05): behavioral regulation (Factor-1), communication (Factor-2), anxiety (Factor-3), adaptive behaviors (Factor-4). Moreover, we demonstrated Factor-1 expressed in patients with OCD and Factor-3 expressed in participants with anxiety, at the degree to which factor expression was significantly predictive of individual symptom scores (r = 0.18-0.5, P < 0.01). Importantly, peri-intervention changes in Factor-1 of OCD were associated with variable treatment outcomes (r = 0.39, P < 0.05). Our results indicate that these data-derived latent disease factors quantify individual factor expression to inform dimensional symptom and treatment outcomes across cohorts, which may promote quantitative psychiatric diagnosis and personalized intervention.
Humans
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Male
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Female
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Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
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Adult
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Autism Spectrum Disorder
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Bayes Theorem
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Adolescent
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Young Adult
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Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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Middle Aged
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Child
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Brain/metabolism*
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Cohort Studies
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Comorbidity
10.Progresses and hot spots of robotic surgery for rectal cancer
Peng ZHENG ; Qingyang FENG ; Jianmin XU
Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery 2024;27(8):774-778
Surgery takes up the core position in the treatment for rectal cancer. Compared to traditional laparoscopic surgery, the most significant technological advantage of robotic surgery is its ability to perform precise and dexterous procedures in narrow spaces, making it particularly suitable for rectal surgery. With the development of robotic surgery of rectal cancer, accumulating evidence suggests that the technological advantages of robotic surgery are gradually demonstrated in treatment effect. Several randomized controlled trials and large cohorts suggest that robotic rectal cancer surgery has certain advantages over laparoscopic surgery in terms of short-term outcomes (conversion rate, incidence of complication, etc.), and is comparable in terms of specimen quality. Evidence concerning long-term outcomes remains limited. In this article, we will review evidence in the field of robotic surgery of rectal cancer, summarize recent progress, and envision future development.

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