1.Antidepressant Mechanisms of Polygalae Radix: A Review
Liming LIU ; Shuaijun PENG ; Pan SU ; Yucheng LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(5):300-309
Depression is a high-incidence mental disorder with complex causes and multifaceted pathogenic mechanisms. Its pathogenesis has not yet been fully elucidated, which has hindered the development of novel and highly effective antidepressant drugs. This condition severely affects human physical and mental health while imposing a significant socio-economic burden. At present, several hypotheses exist regarding the pathogenesis of depression, including monoamine neurotransmitter imbalances, neurotrophic factor deficiencies, neural plasticity impairments, glutamate dysregulation, neuroinflammatory disorders, gut microbiota imbalances, and mitochondrial autophagy dysfunction. Currently, most clinical antidepressants are monoamine neurotransmitter reuptake inhibitors. Although they exhibit certain therapeutic effects, they are associated with significant drawbacks, such as severe adverse reactions and poor patient compliance. In contrast, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), characterized by its multi-targeted effects, mild efficacy, and minimal side effects, has demonstrated significant advantages in the treatment of depression. Chinese medicine Polygalae Radix possesses the functions of calming the mind, enhancing cognitive functions, harmonizing the heart and kidneys, and dispelling phlegm to open orifices. It is often included in compound prescriptions for the clinical treatment of depression. Based on current hypotheses regarding the pathogenesis of depression, this paper systematically reviews research progress on the antidepressant mechanisms of Polygalae Radix from multiple perspectives, including its active components, its use in herbal pairings, and its inclusion in TCM compound prescriptions. This review aims to provide a scientific basis for the clinical application of Polygalae Radix in antidepressant therapy and to serve as a reference for the modernization of its antidepressant research.
2.Immunotherapy strategies and pharmaceutical care practice on a long-term surviving patient with advanced gastric cancer and mismatch repair deficient
Jinyin LI ; Rong QIAN ; Ling JIANG ; Liming WANG ; Xian ZHANG ; Xiaoyan YANG
Chinese Journal of Clinical Medicine 2025;32(4):703-709
To analyze the treatment strategy for a 78-year-old female patient with mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) gastric cancer who achieved long-term survival. After third-line chemotherapy failed, gene testing showed ARID1A p.Gln748fs, c.2733-1G>T variation, with PD-L1 TPS 30%, CPS 60%. The nivolumab was employed, and two weeks later, the best response was partial response (PR). During the fourth-line immunotherapy maintenance treatment, progression of left adrenal metastasis was observed. The expression of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) was positive, and the antibody drug conjugate disitamab vedotin (RC48) was chosen for treatment. After 10 months of treatment with nivolumab combined with RC48, the best efficacy was assessed as stable disease (SD), with a progression free survival (PFS) of up to 12 months. Radiotherapy was employed, and immunotherapy was maintained, allowing the patient to achieve a PFS of 18 months again. During immunotherapy, a clinical pharmacist developed a personalized pharmaceutical care plan for this patient. At the last follow-up, this patient achieved 78 months of long-term survival.
3.Association of dietary behaviors, physical activity and altitude with nutritional status among children and adolescents
Chinese Journal of School Health 2025;46(10):1411-1415
Objective:
To analyze the association between altitudes and nutritional status of children and adolescents, and to explore the moderating effects of dietary behaviors and physical activity, so as to provide a scientific basis for developing lifestyle interventions tailored to local conditions.
Methods:
From September to November 2023, physical examinations and questionnaire surveys were conducted among children and adolescents aged 7-17 in two autonomous regions, Inner Mongolia and Xizang, with a final sample of 156 511 participants by the stratified cluster random sampling method. Height and weight were measured to calculate body mass index (BMI). Sociodemographic characteristics, dietary behaviors, and physical activity were collected via questionnaires, while the altitude of each participant s school was obtained using Amap. Logistic regression was performed to examine the relationship between altitudes and nutritional status. Interaction terms and stratified analyses were applied to assess the moderating effects of dietary behaviors and physical activity. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) were used for visualization.
Results:
In 2023, the prevalence of wasting and overweight/obesity among children and adolescents in Xizang were 9.7% and 9.0%, respectively, compared to 2.9% and 22.0% in Inner Mongolia. Logistic regression analysis results showed that for every 1 km increase in altitude, the risk of wasting increased, while the risk of overweight/obesity decreased ( OR =1.43, 0.19, both P <0.05). The results of the stratified analysis showed that compared to those living at altitudes <1 km, children and adolescents with healthy diets showed no significant association between altitudes (1-<2 and 2-<3 km) and wasting ( OR =1.22, 0.75, both P >0.05), whereas significant associations were observed at 3-<4 and ≥4 km altitudes ( OR =2.25, 2.89, both P <0.05). In contrast, unhealthy dietary groups showed statistically significant associations across altitudes ( OR =1.18-4.04, all P <0.05), consistent with RCS results. No moderating effects were observed for physical activity on the altitude wasting association or for dietary behaviors and physical activity combined on the altitude overweight/obesity association ( P interaction =0.63, 0.10, 0.53).
Conclusion
Healthy dietary behaviors play a critical role in improving the nutritional status of children and adolescents and reducing regional disparities, providing a scientific foundation for public health policy formulation and implementation.
4.Construction and practice of the first-class undergraduate course of Treatise on Febrile Diseases
Jun YANG ; Rui NIU ; Liming CHENG ; Yingying TAN ; Xiaohui LI ; Jingfeng YANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2024;23(8):1050-1054
To explore the method of constructing the first-class undergraduate course of Treatise on Febrile Diseases. The undergraduates majoring in traditional Chinese medicine were selected as the teaching subjects. Three combinations (combination of theory and clinics, combination of science and education, and combination of ideological/political education and professional education) were adopted as the starting point. A variety of teaching methods were used. The combination of in-class and after-class and the combination of theory and clinics were implemented. Course construction was carried out from the aspects of course objectives, course resource construction, course content, organization and implementation, and course evaluation methods. Emphasis was placed on the process evaluation and formative evaluation. Questionnaire survey and final examination were used to evaluate the teaching effect. The results showed that a total of 10 first and second prizes were awarded in the provincial and municipal innovation competitions related to the theory of cold disease in the past three years. During the same time, more than 70 medical records were collected and collated, 82 research papers and 155 learning experiences were documented, five communities were visited along with the affiliated hospital and the school hospital for providing healthcare services in rural areas, and more than 20 traditional Chinese diagnosis and treatment activities were performed in these communities. The average score of students in overall course evaluation was 87. More than 94.00% (141/150) students highly evaluated the course construction. They believed that the course construction was very helpful to the theoretical study and clinical application of Treatise on Febrile Diseases, and improved their levels and abilities in classic reading, medical case evaluation and analysis, and syndrome differentiation and treatment. Students' recognition of this course has been improved and phased results have been achieved.
5.A randomized controlled trial on the teaching effect of bullet screen interaction versus traditional interaction in classroom: a case study of internal medicine of traditional Chinese medicine
Xiongfeng ZHANG ; Liming HUANG ; Zhengsheng LI ; Zhengqi LIU ; Min XIE ; Xia LI
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2024;23(9):1248-1252
Objective:To investigate the application effect of bullet screen interaction in the teaching of internal medicine of traditional Chinese medicine.Methods:A randomized controlled trial was conducted, and 150 students were randomly divided into bullet screen interaction group and traditional interaction group and received teaching with bullet screen interaction and traditional interaction, respectively. Flanders Interaction Analysis System (FIAS), class rating, questionnaire survey, and performance test were used to evaluate the effect of classroom interaction and teaching achievement. SPSS 22.0 was used to perform the t-test and the chi-square test. Results:Compared with the traditional interaction group, the bullet screen interaction group had a significantly lower teacher's language ratio [(62.63±2.83)% vs. (71.05±3.19)%] and significantly higher student's language ratio [(32.68±2.62)% vs. (22.79±1.32)%], teacher's indirect/direct influence ratio [(96.63±9.59)% vs. (69.84±3.48)%], and teacher's positive/negative influence ratio [(122.89±6.43)% vs. (50.58±2.35)%]. Compared with the traditional interaction group, the bullet screen interaction group had significantly higher scores of teacher's emotional atmosphere (23.82±6.54 vs. 21.01±6.51), quality of classroom activities (25.67±5.51 vs. 22.56±11.95), and information transmission of teacher's classroom interactive activities (25.46±10.30 vs. 18.44±6.52). The questionnaire survey showed that compared with the traditional interaction group, the bullet screen interaction group had a significantly higher number of the students who selected excellent and good for student interest in classroom, dullness of classroom, and the mastery of classroom knowledge [104 (69.33%)/110 (73.33%)/106 (70.67%) vs. 72(48.00%)/74 (49.33%)/84(56.00%)], and the bullet screen interaction group had significantly higher scores of basic knowledge and case analysis than the traditional interaction group (84.30±4.13/78.53±7.21 vs. 79.26±5.67/72.56±4.22).Conclusions:The application of bullet screen interaction teaching in the teaching of internal medicine of traditional Chinese medicine can help to improve interactive effect and teaching achievement.
6.Homoharringtonine promotes heart allograft acceptance by enhancing regulatory T cells induction in a mouse model
Xia QIU ; Hedong ZHANG ; Zhouqi TANG ; Yuxi FAN ; Wenjia YUAN ; Chen FENG ; Chao CHEN ; Pengcheng CUI ; Yan CUI ; Zhongquan QI ; Tengfang LI ; Yuexing ZHU ; Liming XIE ; Fenghua PENG ; Tuo DENG ; Xin JIANG ; Longkai PENG ; Helong DAI
Chinese Medical Journal 2024;137(12):1453-1464
Background::Homoharringtonine (HHT) is an effective anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-tumor protein synthesis inhibitor that has been applied clinically. Here, we explored the therapeutic effects of HHT in a mouse heart transplant model.Methods::Healthy C57BL/6 mice were used to observe the toxicity of HHT in the liver, kidney, and hematology. A mouse heart transplantation model was constructed, and the potential mechanism of HHT prolonging allograft survival was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier analysis, immunostaining, and bulk RNA sequencing analysis. The HHT-T cell crosstalk was modeled ex vivo to further verify the molecular mechanism of HHT-induced regulatory T cells (Tregs) differentiation. Results::HHT inhibited the activation and proliferation of T cells and promoted their apoptosis ex vivo. Treatment of 0.5 mg/kg HHT for 10 days significantly prolonged the mean graft survival time of the allografts from 7 days to 48 days ( P <0.001) without non-immune toxicity. The allografts had long-term survival after continuous HHT treatment for 28 days. HHT significantly reduced lymphocyte infiltration in the graft, and interferon-γ-secreting CD4 + and CD8 + T cells in the spleen ( P <0.01). HHT significantly increased the number of peripheral Tregs (about 20%, P <0.001) and serum interleukin (IL)-10 levels. HHT downregulated the expression of T cell receptor (TCR) signaling pathway-related genes ( CD4, H2-Eb1, TRAT1, and CD74) and upregulated the expression of IL-10 and transforming growth factor (TGF) -β pathway-related genes and Treg signature genes ( CTLA4, Foxp3, CD74, and ICOS). HHT increased CD4 + Foxp3 + cells and Foxp3 expression ex vivo, and it enhanced the inhibitory function of inducible Tregs. Conclusions::HHT promotes Treg cell differentiation and enhances Treg suppressive function by attenuating the TCR signaling pathway and upregulating the expression of Treg signature genes and IL-10 levels, thereby promoting mouse heart allograft acceptance. These findings may have therapeutic implications for organ transplant recipients, particularly those with viral infections and malignancies, which require a more suitable anti-rejection medication.
7.Research progress of supplementing qi and nourishing yin traditional Chinese medicine in treatment of palpitation
Liming YANG ; Li JIN ; Hong LIU ; Zinan ZHOU ; Xindan ZHANG
International Journal of Biomedical Engineering 2024;47(3):292-299
Arrhythmia is one of the most common diseases in clinical practice that can threaten the health and safety of patients and is referred to as "palpitations" in traditional Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine often uses the method of tonifying qi and nourishing yin to treat palpitations in clinical practice. However, there is currently a lack of relevant research on its treatment mechanism. From the perspective of pharmacology and through a literature search, this paper summarized the progress in the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine for supplementing qi and nourishing yin commonly used in the treatment of palpitations, as well as traditional Chinese patent medicines and simple preparations for the treatment of arrhythmia, to explore their mechanism of action on palpitations. This paper also summarized that traditional Chinese medicine drugs for tonifying qi and nourishing yin mainly regulate various signal pathways and ion channels through multiple target genes, thereby regulating heart rhythm and improving clinical symptoms in patients with palpitations. The results can provide new ideas for colleagues on palpitations treatment.
8.Analysis of Residual Shunt and Therapeutic Effect in Migraine Patients After One Year of Patent Foramen Ovale Closure
Chunying JI ; Zhaoxu HUANG ; Jing LI ; Qingna MENG ; Liming ZHOU ; Zhaoxia PU
Chinese Circulation Journal 2024;39(9):883-888
Objectives:To observe the incidence of residual shunt post patent foramen ovale(PFO)closure and the effect of PFO closure in these migraine patients at one year after PFO. Methods:This retrospective study included patients who underwent PFO closure for migraine in the Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2019 to June 2022,patients were divided into the grade 0 shunt group(n=67),the grade Ⅰ shunt group(n=10),the grade Ⅱ shunt group(n=13)and the grade Ⅲ shunt group(n=16)according to the results of contrast transthoracic echocardiography(cTTE)at 1 year after PFO closure.The incidence of postoperative migraine attacks among different groups of patients were compared.The risk factors of residual shunt after PFO closure were explored. Results:The mean age of enrolled 106 patients with migraine was(35.80±11.70)years,of which 83 patients(78.30%)were female.One year after PFO closure,the migraine attack and rating scale were significantly decreased compared to baseline in the grade 0 shunt group,in the grade Ⅰ shunt group and in the grade Ⅱ shunt group(all P<0.05),but not in the grade Ⅲ shunt group(P>0.05).The rate of significant and complete migraine was significantly higher in the grade 0 shunt group(58.21%),in the gradeⅠ shunt group(60.00%),in the grade Ⅱ shunt group(69.23%)as compared to the grade Ⅲ shunt group(18.75%,P=0.02)at one year after PFO.The rate of grade 0 shunt after PFO closure in patients with the microvesicles appearing in≥6 cardiac cycles in resting state before operation was significantly lower than in patients with the microvesicles appearing within 6 cardiac cycles and no microvesicles in resting state(24.00%vs.83.87%vs.70.00%,P=0.04).Logistic multivariate regression analysis showed that patients with microvesicles appearing beyond 6 cardiac cycles in resting state were more likely to have residual shunts in postoperative cTTE compared to the patients with negative cTTE and microvesicles appearing within 6 cardiac cycles in the cTTE in resting state before operation(OR=0.06,95%CI:0.02-0.23,P<0.01;OR=0.014,95%CI:0.05-0.41,P<0.01). Conclusions:Migraine patients who underwent PFO closure and with grade 0 to grade Ⅱ residual shunt at one year after PFO are most likely to have significant remission of migraine,while the incidence of migraine remission is low in patients with grade Ⅲresidual shunt.The incidence of residual shunt after PFO closure is higher in patients with the microvesicles appearing in 6 cardiac cycles in resting state in the cTTE before operation than in patients with the microvesicles appearing within 6 cardiac cycles and no microvesicles.
9.The correlation between thyroid function and chronic kidney disease in adults receiving physical examination
Lin LI ; Xiaojing MA ; Xianglei KONG ; Liming LIANG ; Minghui XING ; Wenbin LI
Chinese Journal of Health Management 2024;18(6):433-438
Objective:To explore the association between thyroid function and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adults.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted in adults who received health checkup in the First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University from January to December in 2021. Clinical data were collected, including age, gender, height, weight, blood pressure, etc. And blood glucose, blood lipid, blood creatinine, blood uric acid, routine urine function, thyroid function (free triiodine, free thyroxine, thyroid stimulating hormone) were measured. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to investigate the correlation between thyroid function indicators and the onset of CKD; and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was used to explore the ability of thyroid function indicators in evaluating CKD.Results:In the study, 46 342 adults with an average age of (47.6±14.3) years were enrolled, of which 56.2% were males. The prevalence of DeGFR (eGFR<60 ml·min -1·(1.73 m 2) -1), proteinuria and CKD was 1.15%, 0.53% and 1.58%, respectively. The TSH subgroup analysis showed that the prevalence of DeGFR, albuminuria and CKD in the hypothyroidism group was significantly increased to 1.07%, 2.36% and 3.20%, respectively (all P<0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that FT3 was negatively associated with CKD ( OR=0.63, 95% CI: 0.54-0.74), however FT4 ( OR=1.05, 95% CI: 1.03-1.07) and TSH ( OR=1.03, 95% CI: 1.01-1.04) were positively correlated with CKD. Similar results were obtained in the subgroup without hypertension and diabetes ( P<0.05). The ROC analysis indicated that FT3 had a better capability for evaluating CKD than FT4 and TSH, with an area under the curve of 0.63, a cut-off value of 4.18 pmol/L, and a sensitivity and specificity of 57.5% and 62.6%, respectively. Conclusions:Thyroid function status is closely associated with the onset of CKD in the adult population receiving health check-up. FT3 is a risk factor for the onset of CKD.
10.Co-word clustering analysis of research hotspots on the application of digital intelligence technology in ICU at home and abroad
Peiyu LIN ; Liming SHAN ; Xiaofang FANG ; Jiajia CHEN ; Xuyan YANG ; Li NING
China Modern Doctor 2024;62(24):41-49
Objective To analyze the hot spots and trends of digital intelligence technology research in intensive care unit(ICU).Methods ICU digital intelligence technology related literature collected in Web of Science core database,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform,VIP Chinese Journal Service Platform were searched,and the retrieval period is from the establishment of the database to December 12,2023,and visualized analysis was performed by CiteSpace software.Results 700 Chinese literatures and 1705 English literatures were included.Conclusion A total of 18 clusters were formed in Chinese literature,including smart phones,data mining,ventricular premature beats,sepsis,etc.A total of 17 clusters were formed in English literature,including deep learning,expert systems,natural language processing,physiological characteristics,etc.Among them,risk prediction model and clinical decision support are the trends of future research.Conclusion By broadening the scope of diseases and populations,joint artificial intelligence research and development of wearable devices and intelligent detection cloud systems,robots,etc.,is the development trend of the future application field of ICU digital intelligence technology.


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