1.A panel study on association of short-term air pollution exposure and peripheral blood microparticles in healthy adults
Bin ZHANG ; Xinghou HE ; Jiahui LIU ; Xuyang SHAN ; Yan FANG ; Huiying XU ; Erlu ZHAO ; Shengcong LIU ; Hongbing XU ; Jianping LI ; Wei HUANG
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(1):1-7
Background Microparticles (MPs) are one of the main medium of inflammatory reaction with an important role in atherosclerotic progression. Studies on association of air pollution exposure and levels of peripheral blood MPs are limited among human. Objective To evaluate the effects of short-term exposure to air pollution on levels of peripheral blood MPs. Method A panel of 73 healthy adults was followed with 4 repeated follow-ups in Beijing, China, from November 2014 to January 2016. During each visit, we collected questionnaire information, fasting venous blood, urine, and exposures to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone. We used linear mixed-effect models to analyze associations of air pollution exposure with levels of total MPs (TMPs) and MPs derived from various cells. Stratified analysis was conducted by levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Results The results showed significant associations between air pollution exposure and peripheral blood TMPs at 2 h-6 d prior to the follow-ups (P<0.05), while no statistical associations were found for MPs derived from different cell types. Significant increases in TMPs of 7.8% (95%CI: 0.7%, 15.3%) and 14.3% (95%CI: 2.8%, 27.2%) were observed with each interquartile range (IQR) increase in PM2.5 (IQR=64.9 μg·m−3) at prior 18 h and NO (IQR=40.5 μg·m−3) at prior 48 h. Among participants with low levels of CRP and MDA, significantly positive associations were observed between air pollution exposure and levels of TMPs (P<0.05). Conclusion Short-term exposure to air pollution is significantly associated with increased levels of circulating MPs in healthy adults, and in people with lower systemic inflammation, peripheral blood MPs levels are more easily affected after exposure to air pollutants.
2.Analysis of Pharmacodynamic Material Basis, Mechanisms, and Efficacy-related Quality Markers of Puerariae Lobatae Radix and Puerariae Thomsonii Radix with Different Therapeutic Effect
Xiaowei MENG ; Zhenzhen YANG ; Wenting WU ; Ronghua LIU ; Yongmei GUAN ; Hui OUYANG ; Liping HUANG ; Yaqi WANG ; Qiong LI ; Huanhuan DONG ; Jianping GONG ; Weifeng ZHU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(18):269-281
Puerariae Lobatae Radix and Puerariae Thomsonii Radix are the dried roots of Pueraria lobata and Pueraria thomsonii of the Leguminosae family, respectively. Since their separate inclusion in the 2005 edition of Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China, the two herbs have been individually recorded. Although they share the same functions and indications, the required content of puerarin differs by a factor of up to eightfold between them. The current quality standard relies solely on a single indicator, puerarin, which fails to reflect the correlation between chemical constituents and core therapeutic effects. This has resulted in prominent issues of mixed use in clinical practice and production, thereby constraining the high-quality development of the industry. Modern research has demonstrated that Puerariae Lobatae Radix contains a comprehensive range and higher content of isoflavonoid constituents, while Puerariae Thomsonii Radix is rich in starch and polysaccharides. Puerariae Lobatae Radix exhibits stronger effects in antipyresis, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular protection, and central analgesia, while Puerariae Thomsonii Radix demonstrates greater advantages in anti-inflammation, hypoglycemia, and peripheral analgesia. Based on this, the chemical material bases of Puerariae Lobatae Radix and Puerariae Thomsonii Radix at both the macromolecule and micromolecule levels were systematically reviewed and compared. The pharmacodynamic material bases and mechanisms of action underlying their three core therapeutic effects, namely "relieving exterior syndrome and clearing heat", "promoting fluid production to quench thirst", and "dredging channels and activating collaterals", were summarized. The most highly correlated common metabolic pathway shared by both herbs for these three therapeutic effects is the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway, and their common core target is prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2). This review provided clinical application recommendations based on the therapeutic differences between the two herbs, elucidated the scientific connotation of their "same origin but different effects", and, grounded in the quality marker (Q-Marker), proposed the concept of efficacy-related Q-Marker based on "substance-efficacy-syndrome" association, as well as a novel strategy for efficacy-oriented quality evaluation. Preliminary screening of quality markers associated with different therapeutic effects was also conducted. This study aims to provide critical scientific evidence for the precise clinical application of Puerariae Lobatae Radix and Puerariae Thomsonii Radix, the improvement of quality standards, and the high-quality development of the industry.
3.Microbial Culture Results and Pathogen Profiles of Donor Corneas in Eye Bank
Jianping JI ; Huicong HU ; Zhancong OU ; Rongrong CHEN ; Jiabi LIANG ; Nandan WU ; Xiaojuan DONG ; Ting HUANG
Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Medical Sciences) 2026;47(5):886-898
ObjectiveTo analyze the microbial culture positivity rate, pathogen spectrum, prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), and differences among donor procurement sources in corneas from the Eye Bank of Guangdong Province, and to provide evidence for eye bank quality control and the prevention of post-keratoplasty infections. MethodsThis retrospective study included 7 442 donor corneas procured by the Eye Bank of Guangdong Province and used for keratoplasty at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, between 2018 and 2025. During surgery, donor corneoscleral rim tissue was excised for bacterial and fungal culture. Culture-positive specimens underwent microbial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). Culture-positive corneas were compared across study years, pathogen categories, and donor procurement sources. ResultsOf the 7 442 donor corneas, 251 were culture-positive, corresponding to an overall culture positivity rate of 3.37%, with annual rates ranging from 1.50% to 5.31%. Among culture-positive corneas, 178 (70.92%) yielded bacteria alone, 72 (28.68%) yielded fungi alone, and 1 (0.40%) yielded both bacteria and fungi. Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp. were the predominant fungal isolates. Gram-negative bacteria were more frequently isolated than Gram-positive bacteria. The most common bacterial isolates were Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Enterococcus faecium, and Pseudomonas fluorescens. MDROs accounted for 75.47% of bacterial isolates, predominantly Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Enterococcus faecium, and demonstrated an increasing trend over the study period. Donor corneas procured through the Hospital Cornea Retrieval Program (HCRP) had a higher culture positivity rate than those obtained through Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) (P<0.000 1). Among culture-positive donor corneas, the proportion of fungal culture-positive corneas was significantly higher in the HCRP group than in the OPO group (P=0.001 5), whereas the proportion of MDROs among bacterial culture-positive corneas was significantly higher in the OPO group than that in the HCRP group (P=0.005 2). ConclusionsThe overall culture positivity rate of donor corneas from the Eye Bank of Guangdong Province is relatively low, indicating that the risk of microbial contamination is controlled. However, pathogen profiles and antimicrobial resistance patterns varies by procurement source. Ongoing microbiological and antimicrobial resistance surveillance, together with optimized donor risk assessment and timely reporting of culture results, may further improve eye bank quality management and help inform strategies for preventing post-keratoplasty infections.
4.Microbial Culture Results and Pathogen Profiles of Donor Corneas in Eye Bank
Jianping JI ; Huicong HU ; Zhancong OU ; Rongrong CHEN ; Jiabi LIANG ; Nandan WU ; Xiaojuan DONG ; Ting HUANG
Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Medical Sciences) 2026;47(5):886-898
ObjectiveTo analyze the microbial culture positivity rate, pathogen spectrum, prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), and differences among donor procurement sources in corneas from the Eye Bank of Guangdong Province, and to provide evidence for eye bank quality control and the prevention of post-keratoplasty infections. MethodsThis retrospective study included 7 442 donor corneas procured by the Eye Bank of Guangdong Province and used for keratoplasty at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, between 2018 and 2025. During surgery, donor corneoscleral rim tissue was excised for bacterial and fungal culture. Culture-positive specimens underwent microbial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). Culture-positive corneas were compared across study years, pathogen categories, and donor procurement sources. ResultsOf the 7 442 donor corneas, 251 were culture-positive, corresponding to an overall culture positivity rate of 3.37%, with annual rates ranging from 1.50% to 5.31%. Among culture-positive corneas, 178 (70.92%) yielded bacteria alone, 72 (28.68%) yielded fungi alone, and 1 (0.40%) yielded both bacteria and fungi. Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp. were the predominant fungal isolates. Gram-negative bacteria were more frequently isolated than Gram-positive bacteria. The most common bacterial isolates were Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Enterococcus faecium, and Pseudomonas fluorescens. MDROs accounted for 75.47% of bacterial isolates, predominantly Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Enterococcus faecium, and demonstrated an increasing trend over the study period. Donor corneas procured through the Hospital Cornea Retrieval Program (HCRP) had a higher culture positivity rate than those obtained through Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) (P<0.000 1). Among culture-positive donor corneas, the proportion of fungal culture-positive corneas was significantly higher in the HCRP group than in the OPO group (P=0.001 5), whereas the proportion of MDROs among bacterial culture-positive corneas was significantly higher in the OPO group than that in the HCRP group (P=0.005 2). ConclusionsThe overall culture positivity rate of donor corneas from the Eye Bank of Guangdong Province is relatively low, indicating that the risk of microbial contamination is controlled. However, pathogen profiles and antimicrobial resistance patterns varies by procurement source. Ongoing microbiological and antimicrobial resistance surveillance, together with optimized donor risk assessment and timely reporting of culture results, may further improve eye bank quality management and help inform strategies for preventing post-keratoplasty infections.
5.Dipsacus asper Treats Alzheimer's Disease in Caenorhabditis elegans by Regulating PPARα/TFEB Pathway
Mengmeng WANG ; Jianping ZHAO ; Limin WU ; Shuang CHU ; Yanli HUANG ; Zhenghao CUI ; Yiran SUN ; Pan WANG ; Hui WANG ; Zhenqiang ZHANG ; Zhishen XIE
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(5):104-114
ObjectiveTo investigate the anti-Alzheimer's disease (AD) effect of Dipsacus asper(DA) in the Caenorhabditis elegans model, and decipher the underlying mechanism via the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα)/transcription factor EB (TFEB) pathway. MethodsFirst, transgenic AD C. elegans individuals were assigned into the blank control, model, positive control (WY14643, 20 µmol·L-1), and low-, medium-, and high-dose (100, 200, and 400 mg·L-1, respectively) DA groups. The amyloid β-42 (Aβ42) formation in the muscle cells, the paralysis time, and the deposition of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) in the head were detected. The lysosomal autophagy in the BV2 cell model was examined by Rluc-LC3wt/G120A. The expression levels of lysosomal autophagy-related proteins LC3Ⅱ, LC3I, LAMP2, and TFEB were detected by Western blot. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) was employed to determine the mRNA levels of autophagy-related genes beclin1 and Atg5 and lysosome-related genes LAMP2 and CLN2 downstream of PPARα/TFEB. A reporter gene assay was used to detect the transcriptional activities of PPARα and TFEB. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the fluorescence intensity of PPARα, and the active components of the ethanol extract of DA were identified by UPLC-MS. RCSB PDB, Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), and Autodock were used to analyze the binding between the active components and PPARα-ligand-binding domain (LBD). ResultsCompared with the model group, the positive control group and 200 and 400 mg·L-1 DA groups showed prolonged paralysis time (P<0.05), and all the treatment groups showed decreased Aβ deposition in the head (P<0.01). DA within the concentration range of 50-500 mg·L-1 did not affect the viability of BV2 cells. In addition, DA enhanced the autophagy flux (P<0.05), up-regulated the mRNA levels of beclin1, Atg5, LAMP2, and CLN2 (P<0.05, P<0.01), promoted the nuclear translocation of TFEB (P<0.05), increased LAMP2 expression and autophagy flux (P<0.05, P<0.01), and enhanced the transcriptional activities of PPARα and TFEB (P<0.01). The positive control group and 200 and 400 mg·L-1 DA groups showed enhanced fluorescence intensity of PPARα in the BV2 nucleus (P<0.01). UPLC-MS detected nine known compounds of DA, from which 8 active components of DA were screened out. The docking results suggested that a variety of components in DA could bind to PPARα-LBD and form stable hydrogen bonds. ConclusionDA may reduce the pathological changes in AD by regulating the PPARα-TFEB pathway.
6.Exploring medication patterns in cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease based on data mining
Yunxian BAI ; Huihe ZHANG ; Jianping HUANG ; Lingzhi WEN ; Xiaoxuan HUANG
China Modern Doctor 2025;63(2):72-75
Objective To analyze the pattern of group medication in Parkinson's disease cognitive disorders based on data mining.Methods The famous TCM experience and effective clinical treatment of cognitive impairment in the treatment of Parkinson's disease were retrieved in databases of CNKI,Wanfang and Weipu,from the founding of the databases to August 2024.Medication rules were analyzed.Results A total of 60 Chinese prescriptions were included,including 120 traditional Chinese medicines.High-frequency drugs for the treatment of cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease included Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata,Radix Paeoniae Alba,Rhizoma Gastrodiae Praeparata,Fructus Lycii,Herba Cistanches,Acorus Calamus and others.The flavour of the medicine were mainly sweet,bitter and pungent,the nature of the medicine was mainly warm,cold and calm and the meridians of the medicine were mainly liver,kidney and heart.Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata-Comu Cervi Pantotrichum,Rhizoma Gastrodiae Praeparata-Hooker's Tree,Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata-Cistanches are the commonly used pairs;Lycium barbarum-Cornus officinalis-Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata,Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata-Radix Angelicae Sinensis-Radix Paeoniae Alba were commonly used combination.Cluster analysis yielded 5 broad categories.Conclusion The primary pharmacological agents employed in traditional Chinese medicine to address cognitive impairment associated with Parkinson's disease emphasize the replenishment of essence and nourishing the marrow.These agents are complemented by nootropic substances that facilitate bodily openness,promote liver health,alleviate wind,resolve phlegm,and invigorate blood circulation and meridian pathways,worth of clinical promotion and application.
7.Ye Tianshi's approach to the management of internal wind utilizing data mining techniques
Yunxian BAI ; Enfa YANG ; Lingzhi WEN ; Jianping HUANG
China Modern Doctor 2025;63(5):72-75
Objective To examine of Ye Tianshi's approach to managing internal wind through herbal remedies.Methods A comprehensive search was conducted for medical cases pertaining to internal wind,liver wind,dizziness,head wind,deficiency labor,liver fire,insomnia,convulsions,epilepsy,and headache within the Clinical Guidelines in Medical Cases.Statistical analysis of symptom elements,target locations of symptom elements,frequency of Chinese medicinal substances,their properties,and meridian affiliations was performed using Excel.Prescription patterns were further analyzed through association rules and high-frequency drug clustering.Results The study included a total of 167 medical cases,from which 241 symptom elements and 333 target locations were extracted.A total of 183 prescriptions were analyzed,comprising 132 medicinal substances with an overall frequency of 1309 occurrences.The five most frequently used Chinese medicines were Sheng Di Huang,Fu Shen,E Jiao,Fu Ling,and Shu Di Huang.The predominant property observed was cold,followed by warm and neutral;the most common flavor was sweet,succeeded by bitter and warm.The leading meridian affiliations identified were liver,kidney,lung,heart,and spleen.The drug association rule analysis revealed 14 items,while high-frequency drug clustering resulted in 9 distinct categories.Conclusion Ye Tianshi's therapeutic approach to internal wind emphasizes the concept of"yang transforming into internal wind."The core principles of this treatment strategy involve nourishing bodily fluids to mitigate wind,addressing excess conditions in the upper body while rectifying deficiencies in the lower body,and promoting tranquility in the liver and stomach.Additionally,the use of pungent and sweet flavors is employed to facilitate the transformation of wind,to clear the liver and dispel heat,to eliminate wind and resolve phlegm,to tonify qi and enhance defensive qi,and to clear heat in order to soothe the spirit.This methodology seeks to achieve harmony among the organs and meridians while pacifying internal wind.
8.Exercise can improve the memory capacity of rats modeling vascular cognitive impairment by activating the Sema3G/Nrp2/PlexinA4 signaling pathway
Fansi GAO ; Yadan LIU ; Jianping HUANG ; Minghong SUI ; Yan LIU ; Ruifang SUN ; Peize CHEN ; Yun XIANG ; Guanglin LI ; Juntao DONG
Chinese Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2025;47(8):679-686
Objective:To explore the effect of exercise on the memory of rats modeling vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) and also its effects on the hippocampal Sema3G/neuropilin-2 (Nrp2)/PlexinA4 signaling pathway.Methods:Eighteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a sham-operated group, a model group, and an exercise group, each of 6. The model and exercise groups underwent VCI modeling via bilateral common carotid artery occlusion, while the sham-operated group received the same surgical procedure without vessel ligation or transection. Beginning forty-eight hours after the surgery, the exercise group carried out daily 30-minute treadmill training sessions, 5 days a week, for a total of 4 weeks, while the other two groups were placed on the same treadmill with it not in operation. After the intervention, cognitive functioning was assessed using the novel object recognition (NOR) test and a Y-maze test. Western blotting was employed to evaluate the expression of Sema3G, Nrp2, PlexinA4, and Rac1 in the hippocampus. Immunofluorescence staining was used to observe the distribution of Nrp2 and PlexinA4 in the hippocampus.Results:Compared with the model group, the exercise group exhibited significantly higher NOR indices during both the short-term and long-term memory testing phases after the intervention. Those rats also tended to have significantly longer total exploration times in the novel arm of the Y-maze test. The western blotting revealed that the expression levels of Sema3G, PlexinA4, and Rac1 in the hippocampus were significantly higher in the exercise group compared to the model group, on average. Immunofluorescence showed significantly increased PlexinA4 fluorescence intensity in the CA1, CA3, and dentate gyrus (DG) regions of the hippocampus, and significantly elevated Nrp2 fluorescence intensity in the CA3 region in the exercise group compared to the model group. The Pearson correlation coefficients for Nrp2/PlexinA4 co-localization in the CA1, CA3 and DG regions were significantly higher in the exercise group than in the model group.Conclusions:Exercise training significantly improves memory function in rats with VCI, and this effect may be associated with activation of the hippocampal Sema3G/Nrp2/PlexinA4 signaling pathway.
9.Analysis of treatment response and post-discontinuation efficacy maintenance of cyclophosphamide monotherapy in T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia
Lele ZHANG ; Linzhu TIAN ; Hong PAN ; Zhen GAO ; Weiwang LI ; Ruonan LI ; Jingyu ZHAO ; Jinbo HUANG ; Xin ZHAO ; Jianping LI ; Neng NIE ; Xiao YU ; Liyun LI ; Zhexiang KUANG ; Liwei FANG ; Jun SHI
Chinese Journal of Hematology 2025;46(7):631-635
Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of cyclophosphamide in patients with T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia (T-LGLL) and the maintenance of treatment-free remission (TFR) following drug discontinuation.Methods:Clinical data were collected from 37 patients with T-LGLL who received oral cyclophosphamide at the Regenerative Medicine Clinic of the Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital between June 2019 and March 2024. Patient clinical characteristics, treatment efficacy, and long-term TFR were analyzed.Results:The median age of the 37 patients was 60 years (range: 37-86), and 22 (59.5%) were male. Anemia was observed in 30 patients (81.1%), and 28 (75.7%) met the diagnostic criteria for secondary pure red cell aplasia. Neutropenia occurred in 15 patients (40.5%), lymphocytosis in 11 (29.7%), and thrombocytopenia in three (8.1%). Sixteen patients (43.2%) had not received prior immunosuppressive therapy (treatment-naive group), while 21 patients (56.8%) were refractory to or had relapsed after immunosuppressive treatment (refractory/relapsed group). All patients met the treatment criteria and received oral cyclophosphamide at doses of 50-100 mg/day. Among the 36 evaluable patients, hematologic remission was achieved in 25 (69.4%), with a median time of 2.0 months (range: 0.7-7.0). There was no statistically significant difference in remission rates between the treatment-naive and refractory/relapsed groups (68.5% vs. 66.7%, P=0.589). Among the 25 patients who achieved hematologic remission, 24 discontinued cyclophosphamide. With a median follow-up of 39.0 months (range: 8.0-56.0), the median TFR duration was not reached. The estimated TFR rates were (90.87± 6.16) % at 12 months and (75.72±11.04) % at 36 months. No significant difference in TFR was observed between the treatment-naive and refractory/relapsed groups ( P=0.451) . Conclusion:Oral cyclophosphamide is effective in the treatment of T-LGLL, and patients may maintain long-term TFR following drug discontinuation.
10.Evaluation value of urinary 8-oxo-7, 8-dihydroguanosine in the short-term prognosis of sepsis in frail elderly patients
Jie CHANG ; Wei WEN ; Jinhua QUAN ; Dahai HUANG ; Chunyi FU ; Fan WANG ; Jianping CAI ; Yaqing MA ; Yamin DANG ; Chaojie CHEN
Chinese Journal of Geriatrics 2025;44(2):162-166
Objective:To investigate the significance of urinary 8-oxo-7, 8-dihydroguanosine(8-oxoGuo)in assessing the short-term prognosis of sepsis in frail elderly patients.Methods:We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 62 frail elderly patients diagnosed with sepsis who were admitted to the Emergency Intensive Care Unit(EICU)at Beijing Hospital between March 2021 and March 2022.Based on their 28-day prognosis, the patients were categorized into two groups: those who died and those who survived.Upon admission, we collected urine samples and clinical data from both groups.We employed isotope dilution high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to measure the levels of the RNA oxidation marker 8-oxoGuo in the urine.Results:A total of 62 frail elderly patients[aged(85.1±6.3)years]diagnosed with sepsis were included in the study, comprising 36 patients in the 28-day mortality group and 26 patients in the survival group.Univariate analysis revealed that the survival group had significantly lower body temperature, blood calcitonin(PCT)levels, sequential organ failure assessment(SOFA)scores, and urinary 8-oxoGuo levels compared to the mortality group.Additionally, the survival group exhibited a higher mean arterial pressure(MAP)than the mortality group, with all differences reaching statistical significance(all P<0.05).Spearman correlation analysis indicated that urinary 8-oxoGuo levels were positively correlated with both PCT and SOFA scores in frail elderly sepsis patients( r=0.426, 0.768, both P<0.05).Furthermore, logistic regression analysis identified urinary 8-oxoGuo and SOFA as independent risk factors for 28-day mortality in this population( OR=1.936, 1.427; P=0.006, 0.002).The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC)for urinary 8-oxoGuo and SOFA in predicting the 28-day prognosis of frail elderly sepsis patients was 0.761 and 0.741, respectively, both demonstrating statistical significance(both P<0.001). Conclusions:Our findings suggest that urinary 8-oxoGuo possesses strong predictive value for the short-term prognosis of sepsis in this vulnerable population.

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