1.Metabolic Dysregulation-driven Protein Acylation in Osteoarthritis
Zi-Hao ZHANG ; Li DUAN ; Kan OUYANG ; Tayyab SHAFIQ
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(10):2703-2713
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common chronic degenerative joint disease and a major cause of pain and disability, particularly in middle-aged and older adults. OA is now recognized as a whole-joint disorder involving articular cartilage, synovium, subchondral bone, the meniscus, the infrapatellar fat pad, and the local inflammatory microenvironment. In addition to mechanical factors, metabolic abnormalities such as obesity, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and hyperglycemia are increasingly recognized as contributors to OA onset and progression. Obesity can increase mechanical joint loading, whereas metabolic abnormalities alter cellular metabolism and inflammatory responses within joint tissues. However, the molecular mechanisms by which metabolic stress leads to persistent cellular dysfunction and tissue damage remain incompletely understood. Protein acylation links cellular metabolism to chromatin regulation and protein function. Its dynamic balance is influenced by acyl-donor availability, cellular redox status, mitochondrial activity, glycolytic flux, and the activities of acyltransferases and deacylases. In OA, mitochondrial dysfunction, enhanced glycolysis, lactate accumulation, altered acyl-CoA metabolism, and dysregulated NAD+-dependent deacylation may reshape histone and non-histone protein acylation. These changes have been implicated in inflammatory gene expression, extracellular matrix metabolism, mitochondrial quality control, chondrocyte senescence, ferroptosis susceptibility, and synovial immune dysfunction. Recent studies increasingly focus on defined acylation sites, target proteins, regulatory enzymes, and cell-type-specific effects. Acetylation and deacetylation are involved in OA-related processes. sirtuin 1 (SIRT1)-mediated regulation of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) p65 acetylation is associated with inflammatory and catabolic responses, whereas histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3)-dependent control of Parkin acetylation links matrix stiffening to excessive mitophagy and chondrocyte senescence. SIRT3-related pathways connect nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent deacetylation with mitochondrial DNA integrity, mitochondrial renewal, and metabolic remodeling, while SIRT6 has been implicated in inflammation and cellular senescence. Lactylation has emerged as another important direction in OA research. Histone H3 lysine 18 (H3K18) lactylation is associated with glycolysis-related transcription through the lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA)-H3K18la-triosephosphate isomerase 1 (TPI1) axis. UGDH K6 lactylation impairs glycosaminoglycan synthesis and promotes matrix damage, whereas H4K12 lactylation has been linked to chondrocyte senescence and autophagy inhibition. In the synovial microenvironment, cluster of differentiation 11b (CD11b) lactylation in macrophages impairs efferocytosis and contributes to sustained inflammation under hyperglycemic conditions. In contrast, H3K56 lactylation has been associated with increased type II collagen synthesis in a post-traumatic OA model, indicating that lactylation effects depend on the modified site, target, cell state, and disease context. SIRT5-related malonylation and succinylation provide additional links between acylation and metabolic dysfunction in OA. Increased protein malonylation and reduced SIRT5 activity are associated with disturbed glycolysis, mitochondrial respiration, and carbon metabolism in chondrocytes. SIRT5-mediated acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4) desuccinylation has been linked to reduced lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis susceptibility. By contrast, OA-specific evidence for crotonylation remains limited and centers on crotonylation-related metabolic genes such as glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase (GCDH) rather than defined functional acylation sites. This review summarizes current evidence linking metabolic dysregulation to acylation regulation in OA. Collectively, available studies indicate that shared metabolic disturbances reshape distinct acylation programs across joint cell types, producing modification- and site-specific effects on cellular function and tissue homeostasis. However, evidence strength varies among acylation types, particularly regarding defined functional sites and in vivo causality. Further site-specific and in vivo studies are needed to clarify which acylation changes actively contribute to OA progression and to evaluate their mechanistic and therapeutic relevance.
2.Epidemiological dynamics and spatiotemporal diffusion trend of brucellosis in China from 2010 to 2024
Yunfei ZHANG ; Xinlou LI ; Qiang XU ; Di MU ; Yue SHI ; Xi CHEN ; Haijian ZHOU ; Tian QIN ; Biao KAN ; Canjun ZHENG ; Liqun FANG
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;59(6):884-891
Objective:To investigate the epidemiological dynamics and spatiotemporal diffusion trend of brucellosis in China from 2010 to 2024.Methods:Data on reported human brucellosis cases in mainland China from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2024, were collected via the"China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention", including detailed information on the date of onset, gender, age, occupation, and residential address of the cases. The Joinpoint regression and spatial interpolation techniques were used to investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics and population distribution characteristics of human brucellosis in pastoral/semi-pastoral areas and other regions, as well as urban and rural areas, and explore the epidemic trends of the disease.Results:From 2010 to 2024, pastoral/semi-pastoral regions reported 252 094 brucellosis cases, with a mean annual incidence rate of 36.57±7.28 per 100 000. In contrast, other regions cumulatively recorded 519 748 cases during the same period, demonstrating a significantly lower mean annual incidence rate of 2.54±0.74 per 100 000. The incidence rate of human brucellosis in pastoral/semi-pastoral regions exhibited a declining-rebounding-declining trend. Specifically, the incidence rate decreased significantly from 2010 to 2017 (APC=-7.20; P<0.001) and increased notably from 2017 to 2021 (APC=18.00; P=0.015) with a decline again from 2021 to 2024 (APC=-7.53; P=0.027). In other regions, the incidence rate showed a fluctuating upward trend. Specifically, the incidence rate increased significantly from 2010 to 2015 (APC=20.37; P<0.001) and decreased notably from 2015 to 2018 (APC=-21.78; P<0.001), followed by an increase again from 2018 to 2024, a significant upward trend in incidence rate from 2018 to 2021 (APC=26.73; P<0.001) and a non-significant decline from 2021 to 2024 (APC=-0.99; P=0.735), resulting in the maintenance of a relatively high incidence level. Rural areas demonstrated significantly higher brucellosis incidence rates than urban settings (all P<0.001). Brucellosis exhibited a diffusion trend from the northern epidemic areas of China to neighboring regions, along with sporadic diffusion in southern regions between 2010 and 2024. The age structure of patients in pastoral/semi-pastoral areas differed significantly from that in other regions. Specifically, in pastoral/semi-pastoral areas, the incidence rate was higher among the 35-49 age groups, while in other regions, the incidence rate was higher among those aged 55-64. Conclusion:There are notable disparities in the incidence of human brucellosis between pastoral/semi-pastoral areas and other regions in China. Human brucellosis exhibits a diffusion trend from the northern epidemic areas of China to neighboring regions, along with sporadic diffusion in southern regions.
3.Detection for fault about abnormal maximum value of conductivity of hemodialysis machine on the basis of signal characteristics of jump transition
Kan LI ; Wei JIANG ; Jing ZHANG ; Runrun CHI
China Medical Equipment 2025;22(10):30-34
Objective:To propose a detection method for the fault about abnormal maximum value of conductivity of hemodialysis machine on the basis of signal characteristics of jump transition,so as to solve the problem of lower accuracy in detecting fault about abnormal maximum value of conductivity of hemodialysis machine under the influence of interference source coupling.Method:Using a conductivity detector collected the conduction signal of dialysate,then,the processed and converted electrical signals were amplified,and the noise and interference signals from the electrical signal were further removed.The digital filter was constructed by using transfer functions and variable equations,and the digital filter was used to process and convert the original signal as electrical signal.The collected signals about flow volume of blood,flow volume of dialysate,and pressure of the hemodialysis machine were superposed and fitted.The mean values and standard deviations of signal changes were obtained by combining instantaneous frequency of the basic frequency of signal characteristics of jump transition.The chaos superposition was avoided when the signal mode was decomposed.The fault parameters of the signals of jump transition were extracted.The difference calculation was used to calculate the rate of signal change,and calibrate the signals of jump transition,and realize reconstruction for signals.The power spectrum was used to fit the power spectral density of the signals of jump transition.The conductivity value of the hemodialysis machine was calculated.Compare with the set threshold value,the detection for the faults about abnormal maximum value of conductivity of hemodialysis machine was realized.Results:The experimental results showed that the signal of jump transition was recognized at 1.5 and 4.5 s through applied the proposed method,and the corresponding conductivity values were respectively 15.0 and 14.7 mS/cm.The equipment occurred fault about abnormal maximum value of conductivity when it exceeded the preset threshold value 14.5 mS/cm.The false negative rate of the formulated method was less than 30%in detecting the fault about abnormal maximum value of conductivity of hemodialysis machine.Conclusion:This method improves the accuracy of detecting the faults about abnormal maximum value of conductivity of hemodialysis machine,which can effectively maintain stable operation of hemodialysis machine.
4.Exploration on the acceptability of routine biochemical test results for serum samples with varying degrees of chylous high triglyceride
Xi ZHANG ; Qing YANG ; Tao KANG ; Ge LI ; Zhiyang WANG ; Li ZHANG ; Xue WANG ; Pei LI ; Kan ZHONG ; Yanguo TAN
International Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2025;46(7):780-785
Objective To explore the acceptability of routine biochemical test results for serum samples with varying degrees of chylous high triglyceride(TG).Methods Blood samples of 69 patients with different degrees of lipids were collected,including 33 patients with mild to moderate lipids(1.7 mmol/L≤TG<5.6 mmol/L)and 36 patients with severe lipids(TG≥5.6 mmol/L).Twenty-nine biochemical tests were detected before and after high-speed centrifugation.The result acceptability before high speed centrifugation of serum was compared with the results after high speed centrifugation as the gold standard[TG and total cholesterol(TC)before centrifugation].The acceptable criteria were subject to the following three conditions at the same time.Firstly,correlation coefficient(R2)was greater than or equal to 0.95.Secondly,the slope of linear re-gression equation was 1.00±0.05.Thirdly,for the same index,the number of samples whose result bias be-fore and after centrifugation was less than 1/2 total allowable error(TEa)in more than 90%of the total sam-ple numbers.Results Firstly,in the mild to moderate lipemia group,22 tests met the criteria,7 tests did not,including total protein(TP),albumin(ALB),TG,aspartate aminotransferase(AST),carbon dioxide(CO2),α-L-fucosidase(AFU),lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)(bias<10%),and the coincidence rate was 75.9%.In the severe lipemia group,12 tests met the criteria,17 tests did not,including pre-albumin(PA),AFU,γ-glu-tamyltransferase(γ-GT),LDH,AST,TC,direct bilirubin(DBIL),CO2,5'-nucleotidase(5'-NT),small and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(sd-LDL-C),high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),adenosine deaminase(ADA),cystatin C(CysC),glycosylated albumin(GA),total bilirubin(TBIL)(bias>10%),the coincidence rate was 41.4%,and there was a statistically sig-nificant difference in the coincidence rate between the two groups(P<0.05).Secondly,there was no statisti-cally significant difference in the acceptability of results between continuous monitoring method and endpoint method detection methods(P>0.05).Conclusion Most test results of direct determination with mild or moderate lipemia samples are acceptable,and the bias of unacceptable tests is small(<10%),so it is recom-mended to issue a test report without further sample treatment.However,due to the large number of unacceptable tests and larger bias(>10%),severe lipemia samples should be determined after high-speed centrifugation.
5.The improvement effect and influencing factors of microsurgical varicocelectomy on scrotal pain
Kan CHEN ; Chun-hui YAN ; Bo LIU ; Jian SHI ; Fang LI
Journal of Regional Anatomy and Operative Surgery 2025;34(8):693-697
Objective To investigate the improvement effect of microsurgical varicocelectomy with vein ligation on scrotal pain and the related factors affecting the improvement of postoperative pain.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 110 patients who underwent microsurgical inguinal varicocelectomy in Central Theater Command General Hospital from November 2021 to June 2023.The degree of pain before and after the operation was evaluated by Numerical Rating Scale(NRS).The pain relief rate,the occurrence of postoperative complications and the overall satisfaction of patients were evaluated.The semen and hormone levels of the patients before and after the operation were analyzed.Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to investigate the relationship between clinical variables and postoperative 7-day NRS score.Results The average number of ligated veins during the operation was(6.60±3.76);postoperative satisfaction of patients was(4.23±1.08)points;complications occurred in 7 patients after the operation;after 3 months of follow-up,the overall pain relief rate was 92.73%(102/110).Compared with those before the operation,the NRS score of the patients significantly decreased 7 days after the operation,and the levels of total sperm motility,prolactin and testosterone increased 3 months after the operation,while the levels of serum follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH)and luteinizing hormone(LH)decreased,the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).The univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses showed that the Dubin-Amelar classification of varicocele(P=0.045),operation time(P=0.049),and number of ligated veins(P=0.024)were significantly correlated with the change of postoperative 7-day NRS score.Patients with 1 to 4,5 to 10,and>10 intraoperative ligation veins were analyzed,and pain relief rates 3 months after the operation were 77.78%(28/36),100%(58/58),and 100%(16/16),respectively,with statistically significant difference(χ2=17.732,P<0.001).Conclusion Microsurgical varicocelectomy can effectively relieve scrotal pain and improve semen quality.Moreover,the relief of postoperative pain is related to the Dubin-Amelar classification of varicocele,the sufficient number of ligated spermatic veins,and the surgical experience of the surgeon.
6.Epidemiological dynamics and spatiotemporal diffusion trend of brucellosis in China from 2010 to 2024
Yunfei ZHANG ; Xinlou LI ; Qiang XU ; Di MU ; Yue SHI ; Xi CHEN ; Haijian ZHOU ; Tian QIN ; Biao KAN ; Canjun ZHENG ; Liqun FANG
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;59(6):884-891
Objective:To investigate the epidemiological dynamics and spatiotemporal diffusion trend of brucellosis in China from 2010 to 2024.Methods:Data on reported human brucellosis cases in mainland China from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2024, were collected via the"China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention", including detailed information on the date of onset, gender, age, occupation, and residential address of the cases. The Joinpoint regression and spatial interpolation techniques were used to investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics and population distribution characteristics of human brucellosis in pastoral/semi-pastoral areas and other regions, as well as urban and rural areas, and explore the epidemic trends of the disease.Results:From 2010 to 2024, pastoral/semi-pastoral regions reported 252 094 brucellosis cases, with a mean annual incidence rate of 36.57±7.28 per 100 000. In contrast, other regions cumulatively recorded 519 748 cases during the same period, demonstrating a significantly lower mean annual incidence rate of 2.54±0.74 per 100 000. The incidence rate of human brucellosis in pastoral/semi-pastoral regions exhibited a declining-rebounding-declining trend. Specifically, the incidence rate decreased significantly from 2010 to 2017 (APC=-7.20; P<0.001) and increased notably from 2017 to 2021 (APC=18.00; P=0.015) with a decline again from 2021 to 2024 (APC=-7.53; P=0.027). In other regions, the incidence rate showed a fluctuating upward trend. Specifically, the incidence rate increased significantly from 2010 to 2015 (APC=20.37; P<0.001) and decreased notably from 2015 to 2018 (APC=-21.78; P<0.001), followed by an increase again from 2018 to 2024, a significant upward trend in incidence rate from 2018 to 2021 (APC=26.73; P<0.001) and a non-significant decline from 2021 to 2024 (APC=-0.99; P=0.735), resulting in the maintenance of a relatively high incidence level. Rural areas demonstrated significantly higher brucellosis incidence rates than urban settings (all P<0.001). Brucellosis exhibited a diffusion trend from the northern epidemic areas of China to neighboring regions, along with sporadic diffusion in southern regions between 2010 and 2024. The age structure of patients in pastoral/semi-pastoral areas differed significantly from that in other regions. Specifically, in pastoral/semi-pastoral areas, the incidence rate was higher among the 35-49 age groups, while in other regions, the incidence rate was higher among those aged 55-64. Conclusion:There are notable disparities in the incidence of human brucellosis between pastoral/semi-pastoral areas and other regions in China. Human brucellosis exhibits a diffusion trend from the northern epidemic areas of China to neighboring regions, along with sporadic diffusion in southern regions.
7.Clinical management of autoimmune oophoritis
Chengzhi WANG ; Yanning YANG ; Lingling LI ; Chulin HUANG ; Na LI ; Guojuan LAO ; Huisheng XIAO ; Kan SUN
Chinese Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism 2025;41(11):953-957
Autoimmune oophoritis is a rare cause of primary ovarian insufficiency(POI), and some patients may also have concurrent adrenal insufficiency. This condition significantly impairs reproductive function and is often difficult to distinguish from common causes of POI, leading to missed or incorrect diagnoses. This paper reports a case of autoimmune oophoritis treated in our department and provides an updated summary of recent advances in the understanding of this condition, with the aim of raising clinical awareness and improving diagnostic accuracy among healthcare professionals.
8.Detection for fault about abnormal maximum value of conductivity of hemodialysis machine on the basis of signal characteristics of jump transition
Kan LI ; Wei JIANG ; Jing ZHANG ; Runrun CHI
China Medical Equipment 2025;22(10):30-34
Objective:To propose a detection method for the fault about abnormal maximum value of conductivity of hemodialysis machine on the basis of signal characteristics of jump transition,so as to solve the problem of lower accuracy in detecting fault about abnormal maximum value of conductivity of hemodialysis machine under the influence of interference source coupling.Method:Using a conductivity detector collected the conduction signal of dialysate,then,the processed and converted electrical signals were amplified,and the noise and interference signals from the electrical signal were further removed.The digital filter was constructed by using transfer functions and variable equations,and the digital filter was used to process and convert the original signal as electrical signal.The collected signals about flow volume of blood,flow volume of dialysate,and pressure of the hemodialysis machine were superposed and fitted.The mean values and standard deviations of signal changes were obtained by combining instantaneous frequency of the basic frequency of signal characteristics of jump transition.The chaos superposition was avoided when the signal mode was decomposed.The fault parameters of the signals of jump transition were extracted.The difference calculation was used to calculate the rate of signal change,and calibrate the signals of jump transition,and realize reconstruction for signals.The power spectrum was used to fit the power spectral density of the signals of jump transition.The conductivity value of the hemodialysis machine was calculated.Compare with the set threshold value,the detection for the faults about abnormal maximum value of conductivity of hemodialysis machine was realized.Results:The experimental results showed that the signal of jump transition was recognized at 1.5 and 4.5 s through applied the proposed method,and the corresponding conductivity values were respectively 15.0 and 14.7 mS/cm.The equipment occurred fault about abnormal maximum value of conductivity when it exceeded the preset threshold value 14.5 mS/cm.The false negative rate of the formulated method was less than 30%in detecting the fault about abnormal maximum value of conductivity of hemodialysis machine.Conclusion:This method improves the accuracy of detecting the faults about abnormal maximum value of conductivity of hemodialysis machine,which can effectively maintain stable operation of hemodialysis machine.
9.Predictive value of proximal angle of atherosclerosis carotid plaque and distribution of neovascularization in evaluating the recurrence of cerebral infarction
Ziyue HU ; Ruyu ZHENG ; Dan LIU ; Shan TANG ; Yanmin KAN ; Xiang JING ; Qian LI
Tianjin Medical Journal 2025;53(4):439-443
Objective To explore the correlation between the proximal angle of carotid atherosclerotic plaques and neovascularization scores,and their clinical application value in predicting recurrent cerebral infarction.Methods A total of 88 patients who underwent carotid plaque ultrasound examination in our hospital were selected.According to CT/MRI results,patients were divided into the non-cerebral infarction group(45 cases)and the cerebral infarction group(43 cases).Conventional ultrasound examination was performed followed by contrast-enhanced ultrasound.Plaque length,thickness and proximal angle were measured,and the neovascularization score of the proximal end was evaluated using contrast-enhanced ultrasound,and the results were compared and analyzed.Results In the cerebral infarction group,plaque thickness,proximal angle,and neovascularization score were significantly higher than those in the non-cerebral infarction group(P<0.05),while there was no significant difference in plaque length.The proportion of plaques with a proximal neovascularization score of 2 or 3 was higher in the cerebral infarction group than those of the non-cerebral infarction group(79.1%vs.24.4%,P<0.01).A positive correlation was found between the proximal angle and neovascularization score in all patients(rs=0.374,P<0.01).There was no significant difference between the area under the ROC curve for neovascularization score in predicting recurrent cerebral infarction and the proximal angle(P>0.05).The optimal cutoff value of the proximal angle was 18.8,and the sensitivity and the specificity for predicting recurrent cerebral infarction were 93.0%and 62.2%.In the cerebral infarction group,seven patients(16.3%)had recurrent infarction within one year,and these patients had higher proximal neovascularization scores,with angles greater than 18.8°.Conclusion There is a strong correlation between proximal angle of carotid plaques and neovascularization score,which has a positive predictive role in the recurrence of cerebral infarction,providing a reliable auxiliary diagnostic basis for clinical practice.
10.Selection of respiratory motion management strategies for stereotactic radiotherapy in liver cancer based on machine learning
Shiqin DENG ; Zhen YANG ; Du TANG ; Hua PENG ; Zhao PENG ; Ying CAO ; Xiaoyu YANG ; Shuzhou LI ; Kan CHEN
Chinese Journal of Radiation Oncology 2025;34(4):363-368
Objective:To explore the feasibility of selecting appropriate respiratory motion management strategies for patients undergoing stereotactic radiotherapy for liver cancer using chi-square feature testing and machine learning techniques.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 95 liver cancer patients who underwent respiratory motion evaluation at Xiangya Hospital of Central South University between March 2022 and August 2024. Chi-square testing was used to screen features related to respiratory motion evaluation in liver cancer patients. Based on these features, predictive models were constructed using 4 machine learning classification algorithms: support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT), and adaptive boosting (AdaBoost). The predictive performance of these models was evaluated using accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, F1 value, and area under the curve (AUC).Results:The accuracy values for the SVM, RF, GBDT and AdaBoost models were 0.75, 0.75, 0.70, and 0.82, respectively. The sensitivity values were 0.82, 0.82, 0.64, and 0.82, respectively. The specificity values were 0.63, 0.63, 0.63, and 0.75, respectively. The F1 scores were 0.78, 0.78, 0.67, and 0.82, respectively. The AUC values were 0.85, 0.80, 0.76, and 0.85, respectively.Conclusions:The predictive models constructed by combining chi-square feature testing and machine learning methods can effectively predict the selection of respiratory motion management strategies. Among the models, the AdaBoost model demonstrated the best predictive performance for selecting respiratory motion management strategies.

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