1.The mechanism of magnoflorine in inhibiting colon cancer based on network pharmacology and in vitro experiment
Lulu TAN ; Lina ZHU ; Shujin ZHANG ; Yuxuan WANG ; Huimei LI ; Yuke WANG ; Jiayi HOU ; Qilong FENG ; Jianyun SHI
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(6):1021-1031
ObjectiveTo explore the function and related molecular mechanisms of magnoflorine against colon cancer via network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vitro cell experiments. MethodsIn this study, the canonical SMILES of magnoflorine was obtained from the PubChem database, and the potential targets of magnoflorine were predicted by the Swiss Target Prediction database, while the disease targets of colon cancer were obtained from the DisGeNET, GeneCards and OMIM databases. The intersecting targets between magnoflorine's predicted targets and colon cancer disease targets were taken, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed and analyzed. The DAVID online database was employed to conduct Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses on core targets. The top five key targets screened were docked with magnoflorine using AutoDock software. Finally, cellular experiments including CCK-8 assays, EdU experiments, cell scratch assays, and Transwell assays were conducted to validate the results from network pharmacology and molecular docking. Results44 key targets of magnoflorine in resisting colon cancer were acquired. The molecular docking results showed that magnoflorine had a strong binding activity with the core target signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in the top five of the PPI network. Cellular experiments confirmed that magnoflorine could inhibit the proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells by suppressing the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway. ConclusionMagnoflorine may inhibit the proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells by regulating the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway.
2.Optimization of preparation process of Pollen Typhae dripping pills by AHP-EWM hybrid weighting method combined with Box-Behnken response surface methodology
Fuqin ZHU ; Luping SHI ; Jiayi MA ; Lingna CAI ; Yan YU
China Pharmacy 2026;37(18):2376-2381
OBJECTIVE To optimize the preparation process of Pollen Typhae dripping pills.METHODS Using appearance morphology, roundness, tailing phenomenon, adhesion condition, friability, and total flavonoids content of Pollen Typhae as evaluation indicators, the analytic hierarchy process-entropy weight method (AHP-EWM) hybrid weighting method was employed to determine the weight coefficients of each indicator and calculate the comprehensive score as the response value. The effects of matrix type and ratio, drug-to-matrix ratio, and condensation temperature on the forming process of dripping pills were respectively investigated, through single-factor experiments and Box-Behnken response surface methodology and the optimal process was optimized and validated. The cumulative dissolution rate of Pollen Typhae dripping pills within 150 min was determined and compared with that of total flavonoid extract from Pollen Typhae .RESULTS The optimal preparation process for Pollen Typhae dripping pills was determined as follows: the ratio of PEG4000 to PEG6000 was 2∶1, the drug-to-matrix ratio was 1∶2, and the condensation temperature was 17.5 ℃. The measured average comprehensive score of dripping pills prepared under these conditions was 9.208 (RSD=0.91%, n =3), with a relative error of 0.83% compared to the predicted value of 9.285. The release mechanism of Pollen Typhae dripping pills was Fickian diffusion controlled deceleration release. The initial dissolution rate was fast, and the dissolution rate decreased in the middle and later stages. The total flavonoid extract from Pollen Typhae was released rapidly in the initial dissolution stage and quickly entered the plateau phase. Their maximum dissolution rates were 95.96% and 84.07%, respectively.CONCLUSIONS The optimized preparation process for Pollen Typhae dripping pills was stable and reliable. The dissolution rate of Pollen Typhae dripping pills prepared by optimized process was higher than that of the total flavonoid extract from Pollen Typhae .
3.Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang Regulates NLRP3 Inflammasomes to Ameliorate Cognitive Impairment in Epilepsy
Xingdan ZHU ; Yinhua KAI ; Rong TIAN ; Xin YANG ; Jiayi HE ; Xiangxin GUO ; Yadong MU ; Cui JIANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(14):308-316
ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism through which Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang ameliorates cognitive impairment in epileptic rats induced by lithium chloride-pilocarpine by regulating the neuroinflammatory reaction mediated by NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes. MethodsSixty male SD rats were randomly allocated into blank, model, carbamazepine (0.125 g·kg-1·d-1), Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang (1.04 g·kg-1·d-1), and carbamazepine (0.125 g·kg-1·d-1) + Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang (1.04 g·kg-1·d-1) groups (n=12). After the modeling of epilepsy, rats were administrated with corresponding agents by gavage for 12 weeks. At the 6th and 12th week of the intervention, the rats’ hyper-excited behavior was evaluated by the stylus experiment, and at the 12th week of intervention, the cognitive function was evaluated by Barnes maze. At the same time, the seizure frequency and severity grade (Racine score) were recorded. The serum and hippocampus tissue samples were collected after anesthesia for the following tests. Nissl staining was used to evaluate the degree of neuronal damage in the hippocampal CA1 area. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the hippocampus was determined by the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) method. Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-18 (IL-18) were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Immunohistochemical method was adopted to detect the expression of apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a card (ASC) in the hippocampus. Western blot was employed to quantitatively analyze the protein levels of NLRP3, cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-1 (Caspase-1), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus. ResultsThe model group showed increased stylus scores at the 6th and 12th week after modeling, a decreased Barnes maze strategy score at the 12th week, a prolonged incubation period (P<0.05), elevated serum levels of inflammatory factors (P<0.05), decreased neurons with scattered arrangement and large gaps in the hippocampus, increased content of MDA in the hippocampus (P<0.05), an increased positive expression of ASC, and up-regulated protein levels of Caspase-1, NLRP3, and BDNF (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the intervention with Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang for 12 weeks was accompanied by a decreased stylus score, epileptic seizures with a decreased score, a decreased number, and shortened duration, an increased Barnes maze strategy score, shortened escape latency (P<0.01), declined serum levels of inflammatory factors (P<0.05), regular morphology of hippocampal neurons, reduced MDA content in the hippocampus (P<0.05), a decreased positive expression of ASC, and down-regulated protein levels of Caspase-1, NLRP3, and BDNF (P<0.05, P<0.01). In addition, compared with the carbamazepine group, Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang + carbamazepine showed improved performance in controlling the seizure, improved the cognitive behavior score and morphology of hippocampal neurons, alleviated the oxidative stress products, lowered the levels of inflammatory factors, reduced the positive expression of ASC in the hippocampus, and down-regulated the expression of Caspase-1, NLRP3 and BDNF, with no significant differences. ConclusionBanxia Baizhu Tianmatang may reduce neuroinflammation, control epileptic seizures, and ameliorate cognitive impairment by inhibiting the expression of NLRP3 inflammasomes.
4.Salidroside exerts cytoprotective effects on bone endothelial progenitor cells via the AMPK pathway in atherosclerotic mouse model
Fang JIA ; Mengfei WANG ; Sifan FEI ; Jiayi XU ; Tianhong YU ; Lin ZHU ; Min ZHOU
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(4):653-661
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of salidroside (SAL) on the impaired bioactivity of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in atherosclerotic (As) mice and the potential mechanisms regarding AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). MethodsAtherosclerosis was induced in 8-week-old male ApoE-/- mice with high-fat diet. Intragastric administration of SAL was given to one mice group to investigate the effects of SAL on aortic plaque burden, plasma NO level, the migration and angiogenic capabilities of bone marrow-derived EPCs (BM-EPCs). The proliferation, migration and vasculogenic properties of EPCs isolated from As mice were investigated in vitro. AMPK-sh-RNA or the AMPK inhibitor Compound C was used to investigate the role of AMPK/Akt/eNOS pathway in the regulatory effects of SAL. ResultsCompared with As group, NO level was significantly elevated in SAL group. The sizes of atherosclerotic plaques at the aortic root were reduced with smaller lipid cores in SAL group compared with As group. Moreover, the migration and angiogenesis capacity of EPCs markedly decreased in As mice, while SAL treatment reversed these impairments. Incubation with SAL at concentrations of 20, 40, and 80 μmol/L for 48 hours significantly promoted the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of EPCs. AMPK-sh-RNA transfection abrogated the 20 μmol/L SAL improvement in EPC biological activities. Western blot analysis further demonstrated that treatment with Compound C blocked the activation of AMPK/Akt/eNOS signaling pathway induced by SAL. ConclusionSAL upregulates the biological functions of EPCs through activating the AMPK/Akt/eNOS signaling pathway, thereby ameliorating EPC dysfunction during the pathological progression of atherosclerosis.
5.Artificial intelligence course construction of nursing ethics based on the knowledge graph
Lan ZENG ; Chunjuan LIU ; Lei WANG ; Yawen LUO ; Dongyu WANG ; Jiayi ZHU ; Xiaofeng XIE ; Fengying ZHANG
Chinese Medical Ethics 2026;39(8):1105-1112
Against the backdrop of digital transformation in higher education, the traditional teaching model has become inadequate to meet the demands for cultivating new-quality nursing talents. Nursing ethics teaching confronts several dilemmas, such as unbalanced regional development, disconnection between theory and practice, scattered teaching resources, and fragmented knowledge points. With the iterative update of modern digital technologies, the knowledge graph, due to its structured, semantic, scalable, and multi-source integrative characteristics, offers a technological pathway to address these issues. Based on the construction foundation of the Ministry of Education’s first batch of virtual teaching and research platforms for humanistic nursing courses, the nursing ethics artificial intelligence(Al)course was developed around the“thinking-research-teaching-learning”framework. By strengthening ideological and political guidance, constructing a curriculum knowledge graph, and promoting the deep integration of humanistic care and professional knowledge,the course realized intelligent support for research,learning,and teaching. This innovative education model provides a replicable paradigm for cultivating outstanding nursing talents equipped with humanistic literacy, digital competence, and advanced ethical thinking, while also offering references for the digital transformation of higher nursing education.
6.Youguiwan Promotes Localization and Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells in Mouse Ovaries via Akt/mTOR/4EBP1/P70S6K Signaling Pathway
Xiang HU ; Mingya ZHU ; Qin ZHOU ; Jiayi SUN ; Zimo LI ; Xiao WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(22):51-60
ObjectiveTo observe the effects of Youguiwan on the localization and differentiation of embryonic stem cells transplanted into ovaries,and to preliminarily explore whether its mechanism is related to the protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/4E-binding protein 1 (4EBP1)/p70S6 kinase (P70S6K) signaling pathway. MethodsA total of 81 healthy adult female C57BL/6 mice that had received ovarian transplantation of GFP-labeled embryonic stem cells were randomly allocated into a control group,a Youguiwan group,and a positive control group. The control group received normal saline via gavage,the Youguiwan group was administered Youguiwan decoction at a clinical equivalent dose of 17.1 g·kg-1,and the positive control group received human menopausal gonadotropin (HMG) injections every 48 h. Ovarian tissue samples were collected on days 7,14,and 21 post-administration. Frozen sections were prepared to observe stem cell localization. The immunofluorescence assay was used to detect growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and mTOR expression. real time polymerase chain reaction(Real-time PCR) was performed to measure the mRNA levels of follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) and luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR). Western blotting was conducted to assess the expression and phosphorylation levels of Akt,mTOR,4EBP1,and P70S6K. ResultsFluorescence microscopy revealed that the transplanted embryonic stem cells were predominantly localized within the granular cell layer,the cell layer of the follicular structure,and the stroma. After 14 days of drug intervention,compared with the control group,the Youguiwan group showed upregulated mRNA levels of FSHR and LHR in the ovarian tissue (P<0.01),as well as elevated phosphorylation/protein ratios of Akt,mTOR,4EBP1,and P70S6K (P<0.05). After 21 days of drug intervention,compared with the control group,the Youguiwan group exhibited enhanced expression of GDF9 and mTOR in the ovarian tissue as detected by immunofluorescence (P<0.05),along with elevated mRNA levels of FSHR and LHR (P<0.01) and phosphorylation/protein ratios of Akt and 4EBP1 (P<0.05). ConclusionYouguiwan can promote the localization and differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells within the ovary and enhance the expression of GDF9,FSHR,and LHR mRNA in the ovarian tissue by influencing the Akt/mTOR/4EBP1/P70S6K pathway.
7.Clinical and genetic characteristics of SCN2A gene related developmental delay
Jialu GU ; Shaofang SHANGGUAN ; Jianhong WANG ; Jiayi LI ; Hua XIE ; Xia QU ; Nan PENG ; Xi WANG ; Qi XU ; Yike ZHU ; Xinghui LI ; Xuefeng SUN ; Xiaoli CHEN ; Lin WANG
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;59(5):667-676
Objective:To explore the genotype and the clinical phenotype of SCN2A-related developmental delay in children. Methods:A case series study was adopted. Collect clinical data from 10 cases of children with SCN2A gene variants diagnosed with global developmental delay/intellectual disability who were admitted to the Children′s Hospital between July 2019 and March 2023. Summarize the clinical phenotype and genotype based on clinical data such as general information, clinical manifestations, imaging examinations, laboratory tests, genetic testing results, and comprehensive pediatric neuropsychological development assessment. Results:A total of 10 patients were recruited, including 7 males and 3 females, with an age range of 27 days to 5 years and 9 months. 9 patients underwent children′s neuropsychological and behavioral assessments, and the results were consistent with global developmental delay, including 2 mild cases, 4 moderate cases, and 3 severe cases. 3 cases had autism spectrum disorder, and 2 cases had epilepsy. 6 patients underwent complete head MRI examination, and 4 of them showed abnormalities, including delayed myelination, widening of the local extra brain space in the frontal lobe, and abnormal frontal lobe morphology. All 10 cases had point variants. Among them, 9 cases are de novo and 1 case is maternal inheritance. Out of 10 cases, there were 5 cases with copy number variations, but all of them were of unknown significance. Among the 10 variants, 8 have been reported and 2 have not been reported, namely c.4145A>T(p.N1382I) and c.4937T>A(p.I1646N). In this study, 4 out of 10 patients with SCN2A variants had variation sites located in the S4 segment of domain which constitute Nav1.2, the sodium ion channel encoded by SCN2A. The developmental quotient level was lower when the variation sites were located in the S4 segment of domain, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=-3.101, P=0.017), indicating that the severity of developmental delay may be related to the localization of amino acids corresponding to variant sites within the protein domain. Conclusion:SCN2A mutations are strongly associated with diverse neurodevelopmental disorders. In this study, the phenotypic spectrum of SCN2A variants encompassed epilepsy, global developmental delay, and autism spectrum disorder. Affected individuals exhibited early-onset developmental delays, predominantly moderate to severe in severity. Voltage-sensing domain dysfunction in sodium channels may constitute a critical pathomechanism underlying neurodevelopmental impairments. Further electrophysiological characterization and molecular mechanistic studies are warranted todelineate the genotype-phenotype correlations between specific variant loci and clinical severity.
8.The effects of pulsed electric field combined gemcitabine therapy on the proliferation and stemness of HCCC-9810 cholangiocarcinoma stem cells
Yingxue WANG ; Jiayi DU ; Jinshuang ZHU ; Kunyan LI ; Han WANG ; Zi'ang LI ; Jiayi GAO ; Junyao FENG ; Yi LYU ; Xue CHEN
Chinese Journal of Hepatobiliary Surgery 2025;31(7):540-546
Objective:To investigate the effects of pulsed electric field (PEF) combined with gemcitabine (GEM) on the viability and stemness of HCCC-9810 cholangiocarcinoma stem cells.Methods:HCCC-9810 cholangiocarcinoma stem cells were established in serum-free, cytokine-rich medium and divided into four groups: the control group, GEM group, PEF group, and the pulsed electric field combined with gemcitabine (PEF+ GEM) group. Cell proliferation was detected using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assay. Cell viability and apoptosis rate were measured by flow cytometry. Cell invasion ability was assessed using the Transwell assay. The expression of stemness marker proteins CD133 and Octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4), as well as the expression of β-catenin, was detected by Western blotting.Results:Regarding cell viability, the GEM, PEF, and PEF+ GEM groups showed significantly lower cell viability and higher apoptosis rate than the control group at 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h (all P<0.05). At 48 h and 72 h, the PEF+ GEM group showed significantly lower cell viability (7.2%±0.3% and 5.9%±0.8%, respectively) than the GEM group (50.7%±0.6% and 31.0%±1.2%, respectively) and the PEF group (12.2%±0.2% and 12.8%±0.2%, respectively) (all P<0.05). Regarding stemness inhibition, the PEF+ GEM groups showed significantly lower expression levels of CD133 and OCT4 at 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h compared with the control group (all P<0.05). Notably, at 48 h, the PEF+ GEM group showed a significantly lower expression level of the OCT4 (0.61±0.02) than the GEM group (0.87±0.08) and the PEF group (1.00±0.10) ( P<0.01). Furthermore, at 24 h and 48 h, the GEM, PEF, and PEF+ GEM groups showed significantly lower expression levels of β-catenin compared with the control group (all P<0.05). Conclusion:Pulsed electric field combined with gemcitabine therapy demonstrated more effective anti-proliferation and cancer stemness inhibition effects on HCCC-9810 cholangiocarcinoma stem cells compared with either monotherapy.
9.Association of blood selenium exposure with sex hormones among men aged 18-79 years in China
Zheng LI ; Yingli QU ; Yawei LI ; Saisai JI ; Haocan SONG ; Qi SUN ; Miao ZHANG ; Wenli ZHANG ; Jiayi CAI ; Liang DING ; Ying ZHU ; Feng ZHAO ; Zhaojin CAO ; Yuebin LYU ; Lu WANG ; Xiaoming SHI
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;59(10):1632-1639
Objective:To investigate the association between blood selenium levels and sex hormones in Chinese men aged 18-79 years.Methods:Data were derived from the China National Human Biomonitoring survey conducted in 2017-2018, with a final sample size of 5 414 men. General demographic characteristics, behavioral habits, and dietary frequency were collected through questionnaires and physical examinations. Fasting blood samples were collected to measure blood lead, serum testosterone, and estradiol levels. Complex sampling linear regression models were used to analyze the associations between blood selenium levels and testosterone, estradiol, and the testosterone/estradiol ratio, adjusting for confounding factors including age, education level, marital status, smoking status, alcohol consumption, seafood intake, soy product intake, protein supplement intake, BMI, and diabetes status.Results:The mean age of the 5 414 participants was (46.85±27.91) years; 4 774 (91.65%) were of Han ethnicity and 4 505 (86.68%) were married. The median ( Q1, Q3) blood selenium concentration in men was 97.80 (80.64, 116.99) μg/L. After adjusting for confounding factors, the complex sampling linear regression model revealed negative associations between blood selenium levels and both testosterone levels and the testosterone/estradiol ratio, with a significant linear trend ( Ptrend<0.05). Compared with the Q1 group, the β (95% CI) values for testosterone in the Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups were -0.02 (-0.06 to 0.02), -0.03 (-0.08 to 0.01), and -0.06 (-0.09 to -0.02), respectively. Similarly, the β (95% CI) values for the testosterone/estradiol ratio in the Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups were -0.01 (-0.03 to 0.02), -0.01 (-0.04 to 0.04), and -0.03 (-0.06 to -0.01), respectively. Subgroup analysis indicated stronger associations between blood selenium levels and testosterone/estradiol levels in non-smoking and obese men (BMI≥28 kg/m2). Conclusion:Blood selenium levels are negatively associated with testosterone levels and the testosterone/estradiol ratio in Chinese adult males.
10.Colonization rates of carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria among ICU patients and influencing factors:an active screening study
Ying SHI ; Bingwei ZHU ; Jian GUO ; Jiayi WANG ; Qingfeng SHI ; Jing WANG ; Lifeng CHEN
Chinese Journal of Nosocomiology 2025;35(17):2571-2575
OBJECTIVE To explore the colonization rates of carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria(CRGNB)in intestinal tracts of intensive care unit(ICU)patients and analyze the influencing factors.METHODS The ICU patients were recruited from a three-A general hospital of Shanghai from Jan.2024 to Dec.2024,an ac-tive screening was carried out for intestinal tract CRGNB,and the detection rates of 5 types of carbapenems resist-ance genes(CRGs)in the CRGNB strains were observed.The baseline data and hospitalization data before the ac-tive screening were collected from the patients,logistic regression analysis was performed for the influencing fac-tors for the colonization of CRGNB.The effects of targeted infection control measures on length of ICU stay,hos-pitalization cost and prognosis were observed and compared before and after the active screening was carried out.RESULTS A total of 748 patients were included in the active screening,and the colonization rate of CRGNB in intestinal tracts was 11.50%(86/748).Among the CRGs,the detection rate of blaNDM was the highest(6.82%),followed by blaIMP(4.55%)and blaKPC(2.54%).The result of logistic regression analysis showed that,with an increase of 1 each day of hospital stay before the admission to ICUs,the risk was increased by 1.055 times(OR=1.055,95%CI:1.030 to 1.081,P<0.001),the risk was 0.442 times the use of as aminoglycosides as the use of β-lactams(OR=0.442,95%CI:0.244 to 0.801,P=0.007).The targeted infection control measures that were taken after the active screening shortened the length of hospital stay(Z=-3.514,P<0.001),reduce the hospitalization cost(Z=3.030,P=0.002)and improve the prognosis of the patients(x2=7.470,P=0.006).CONCLUSIONS The colonization rates of CRGNB in intestinal tracts are high among the ICU patients.It is necessary to reduce the length of hospital stay prior to ICU and strengthen the surveillance of drug-resistant strains and management of antibiotics.

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