1.Mechanical Loading Improves Qi-Blood Nourishment in "Sinew Wei (痿)"via Mitochondrial Regulation
Xili CHANG ; Sipeng HUANG ; Wuquan SUN ; Mengni SHI ; Chengheng YOU ; Min FANG ; Qingguang ZHU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(7):725-729
This study focuses on the core pathology of sinew wei (痿), which is mainly characterized by the fai-lure of qi and blood to nourish the sinews. A mechanical-biological response framework is constructed with mitochondria as a key component, explaining the modern interpretation of the disease location of sinew transmitting to qi and blood pathology. Mechanical loading, as a physical stress stimulus applied to the body, manifests primarily as passive loading formed by external forces such as massage, and active loading resulting from voluntary muscle contractions, such as dao yin (导引). Mechanical loading can regulate mitochondrial function through two pathways, mechanical signal transduction and metabolic demand-driven regulation. Skeletal muscle mitochondrial dysfunction is regarded as the core microscopic basis of qi imbalance in sinew wei, highlighting the intrinsic connection between qi and mitochondrial energy metabolism, as well as between blood and microcirculatory efficiency. Accordingly, distinct regulatory patterns of mechanical loading are identified. Wei associated with qi stagnation may correspond to mitochondrial network fragmentation and can be treated by regulating qi through passive loading, such as tuina, to restore mitochondrial dynamics. In contrast, wei caused by qi deficiency is attributed to insufficient mitochondrial biogenesis and may be treated by tonifying qi through active loading, such as dao yin, to promote mitochondrial biogenesis. This framework reveals the biological differences in mitochondrial regulation induced by distinct mechanical loading modalities and provides a microscopic mechanism-based explanation for the principle of "treating the same disease with different methods" in sinew wei.
2.Pharmaceutical care in thrombocytopenia after bioprosthetic heart valve replacement
Huanli YIN ; Yuezhou HUANG ; Min LUO
China Pharmacy 2026;37(1):77-82
OBJECTIVE To provide a reference for anticoagulation therapy, adverse drug reaction monitoring, and individualized medication adjustment in complex cases, such as those with thrombocytopenia following bioprosthetic heart valve replacement. METHODS Clinical pharmacists participated in the pharmaceutical care of a patient with thrombocytopenia following bioprosthetic heart valve replacement. For cardiac insufficiency, the pharmacists recommended maintaining oral bisoprolol, sacubitril/valsartan, spironolactone, furosemide, and potassium chloride, with levosimendan added to enhance myocardial contractility, while monitoring blood pressure, heart rate and serum potassium levels. For thrombocytopenia, based on literature- based risk assessment, the pharmacists advised administering recombinant human interleukin-11 (rhIL-11), platelet transfusion, and employing anticoagulation therapy with nadroparin calcium bridging to warfarin, with warfarin dosage adjusted according to the international normalized ratio (INR). For rapid ventricular rate atrial fibrillation, amiodarone and digoxin were recommended. For acute liver injury, suspected to be induced by amiodarone and rhIL-11, the pharmacists suggested discontinuing the relevant drugs and treating with ademetionine 1,4-butanedisulfonate combined with polyene phosphatidylcholine for liver protection treatment. The patient received anticoagulation medication education emphasizing strict INR monitoring and close observation for bleeding or thrombotic events. RESULTS The clinicians adopted these recommendations. Following the intervention, the patient’s liver function showed significant improvement, with alanine aminotransferase decreasing to 70 U/L and aspartate aminotransferase to 42 U/L. The ventricular rate stabilized at 70-100 beats per minute, cardiac function remained stable, the INR was maintained within the target range of 1.80-2.50, and the patient was ultimately discharged with improved condition. CONCLUSIONS Through balancing anticoagulation and bleeding risks, the clinical pharmacists applied pharmaceutical expertise to assist in developing personalized anticoagulation regimens, conducted adverse drug reaction monitoring and evaluation, and optimized medication strategies, thereby effectively ensuring patient safety and therapeutic efficacy.
3.Interventional Effect of Active Ingredients of Chinese Medicine and Compound Formulas on Epithelial-mesenchymal Transition in Lung Cancer: A Review
Shanshan SONG ; Min JIANG ; Xinxin LIU ; Bozhen HUANG ; Siyi MA ; Guoyu WANG ; Wanqing WANG ; Luyao WANG ; Liang WANG ; Ruiqing BO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(6):336-346
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and tumor metastasis is a key factor contributing to the mortality of most lung cancer patients. Aberrant activation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a major driver of lung cancer progression and metastasis. EMT is characterized by the loss of apical-basal polarity and intercellular adhesion in highly differentiated, polarized, and organized epithelial cells, which acquire motility, migratory potential, and invasive properties. During this process, cells undergo cytoskeletal remodeling and transform into a mesenchymal phenotype, accompanied by associated changes in cellular markers. The EMT process is highly complex and is tightly regulated by intricate networks involving multiple transcription factors, post-translational controls, epigenetic modifications, and non-coding RNAs. Therefore, therapies targeting the mechanisms of malignant transformation and their associated pathways in lung cancer are of significant clinical importance. In recent years, EMT has attracted increasing attention as a potential target for cancer therapy. Chinese medicine, with its characteristics of multi-target action, low side effects, and good therapeutic efficacy, has demonstrated an important role in anticancer treatment. A series of studies have investigated the role of Chinese medicine in inhibiting EMT in lung cancer. Active ingredients of Chinese medicine, including flavonoids, glycosides, phenols, terpenoids, saccharides, and alkaloids, as well as Chinese medicine compound formulas, have shown significant regulatory effects on EMT. Their mechanisms mainly involve multiple pathways, targets, and links, including signaling pathways, exosomes, microRNAs (miRNAs), and the tumor-associated immune microenvironment. This article summarizes the mechanisms by which EMT promotes malignant tumor progression and reviews the current research on how Chinese medicine active ingredients, monomers, and compound formulas inhibit EMT and suppress lung cancer cell migration and invasion. This study is expected to provide comprehensive theoretical information for basic and translational research on lung cancer.
4.PPARα activation alleviates lithocholic acid-induced liver injury by inhibiting pyroptosis
Hang-Fei Liang ; Chuo-Ying Mai ; Xuan Li ; Jia-Ning Tian ; Hai-Guo Su ; Min Huang ; Jian-Hong Fang ; Hai-Tao Wang ; Xiao Yang ; Hui-Chang Bi
Liver Research 2026;10(2):177-188
Background and aims
The mechanism of cholestatic liver injury (CLI) is unclear, and effective therapies are lacking. While peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) agonists show potential hepatoprotective effect and pyroptosis is implicated in hepatocellular damage, how PPARα activation mitigates lithocholic acid (LCA)-induced pyroptosis remains unknown.
Methods
The hepatoprotective effect of PPARα agonists was evaluated in a mouse model of intrahepatic cholestasis induced by LCA. Liver injury was assessed via serum biochemistry, hematoxylin and eosin and TUNEL staining, and electron microscopy. Pyroptosis pathways were analyzed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and co-immunoprecipitation.
Results
Combined morphological, histopathological, and biochemical analyses confirmed that PPARα activation protects against CLI. Compared with LCA treatment alone, PPARα activation significantly attenuated the elevation of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), the increased TUNEL-positive cells, and the formation of hepatocyte membrane pores. Mechanistically, PPARα activation suppressed both NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis and apoptosis protease-activating factor-1 (APAF-1)/CASPASE-3/GSDME-mediated pyroptosis. Furthermore, PPARα agonist pretreatment inhibited activation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) signaling pathways.
Conclusions
PPARα protects against LCA-induced CLI by inhibiting both NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis associated with NF-κB and APAF-1/CASPASE-3/GSDME-mediated pyroptosis associated with the FOXO1 signaling pathway.
5.Occupational health literacy and its association with work-related musculoskeletal disorders and occupational stress among medical staff
Xiaolin WANG ; Huiqing CHEN ; Xinyang YU ; Qingping LIU ; Manqi HUANG ; Min YANG
China Occupational Medicine 2026;53(2):216-222
Objective To analyze the factors influencing occupational health literacy (OHL), work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), and occupational stress in medical staff, and to investigate the potential associations between OHL and WMSDs as well as occupational stress. Methods A total of 880 medical staff members from 18 medical institutions were selected as the study subjects using a probability proportional method. Data on OHL, WMSDs, and occupational stress were investigated using the National Key Populations Occupational Health Literacy Surveillance Individual Questionnaire (including the Musculoskeletal Disorders Questionnaire and the Core Occupational Stress Scale), and the influencing factors and potential relationships were analyzed. Results The OHL level was 63.1%, the prevalence of WMSDs was 88.1%, and the detection rate of occupational stress was 24.0% in the study subjects. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that female medical staff had lower OHL levels than males (P<0.05). Medical staff with higher education levels and those working in higher-level medical institutions had higher OHL levels (all P<0.05). Medical staff working >40-<49 hours per week and those working ≥49 hours per week had higher OHL levels than those working ≤40 hours per week (all P<0.01). Medical staff with higher education levels or longer working hours had a higher risk of WMSDs (all P<0.05). Medical staff with lower monthly personal income, longer weekly working hours, and lower OHL levels had a higher risk of occupational stress (all P<0.05), and those working night shifts had a higher risk of occupational stress than those who did not (P<0.01). Conclusion The study participants had a relatively high level of OHL, a high prevalence of WMSDs, and a low detection rate of occupational stress. It is recommended that medical institutions effectively implement occupational health promotion and support measures to improve the OHL level of medical staff, to reduce the risk of WMSDs and occupational stress.
6.Technique and Application of Deep Learning-based EEG Denoising
Bao-Lian SHAN ; Hai-Qing YU ; Yong-Zhi HUANG ; Jia-Yuan MENG ; Min-Peng XU ; Tzyy-Ping JUNG ; Dong MING
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(8):2147-2160
Electroencephalography (EEG) is a non-invasive neurophysiological monitoring technique. It records the electrical activity of the cerebral cortex using electrodes placed on the scalp surface. Owing to its high safety, portability, and millisecond-level temporal resolution, EEG has been widely utilized in a variety of fields, including clinical diagnosis, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), and cognitive neuroscience research. However, due to its microvolt-level amplitude, EEG is highly susceptible to various artifacts, including electrooculographic (EOG), electrocardiographic (ECG), electromyographic (EMG), and power line interference (PLI). These artifacts can obscure genuine neural activity and introduce spurious electrophysiological features. Consequently, they may compromise EEG signal quality, thereby reducing the reliability of downstream analyses. To address this issue, numerous EEG artifact removal methods have been developed, including both traditional denoising techniques and deep learning-based approaches. Traditional EEG denoising methods have long served as the primary solutions for artifact removal. Representative approaches include filtering, regression, and blind source separation. Although these methods have demonstrated effectiveness in specific scenarios, they suffer from several inherent limitations. Filtering assumes that artifacts and EEG signals can be separated in the frequency domain, but many artifacts, such as EOG and EMG, overlap with EEG spectra, which may lead to the loss of valuable neural information. Regression methods require high-quality artifact references to estimate and subtract contaminations, limiting their effectiveness in reference-free scenarios. Blind source separation can remove artifacts without external references, but it typically requires the number of EEG channels to exceed the number of sources, restricting its application in single- or low-channel EEG recordings. Deep learning-based EEG denoising methods address these limitations effectively. First, they learn the nonlinear mapping between contaminated and clean EEG directly from data in an end-to-end manner. This approach does not rely on assumptions about spectral separability, thereby preserving neural activity more completely. Second, the reference information is incorporated during the training phase, allowing the trained model to perform artifact removal independently without external references. Third, deep learning models can be flexibly designed to accommodate various recording setups, achieving robust denoising for both high-density and single-channel EEG. Collectively, these advantages enable deep learning-based methods to overcome the main challenges of traditional approaches, providing more accurate and reliable EEG signal recovery. The superior denoising performance of deep learning-based EEG denoising methods has attracted increasing attention in EEG artifact removal research. As a result, many deep learning-based denoising methods have been developed and successfully applied in neural engineering areas. However, a systematic review of the techniques and applications in this field is still lacking. To address this gap, this paper reviews recent advances in deep learning-based EEG denoising from four perspectives: technical principle, benchmark dataset, denoising model, and evaluation method. Representative applications in neural signal analysis and BCI decoding are also summarized. Furthermore, the advantage, existing challenge, and future research direction of deep learning-based EEG denoising are discussed. This review aims to provide valuable theoretical insights and technical guidance for researchers. It is also expected to promote further advances and broader applications of deep learning-based EEG denoising techniques.
7.Mechanistic Study on IRF7-mediated Regulation of Learning and Memory Function by Aerobic Exercise in Aged Mice
Min-Yan ZHENG ; Xiao-Han HUANG ; Chang-Ling WEI ; Yuan-Ting ZHANG ; Yu JIN ; Xue LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(9):2449-2461
ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism by which aerobic exercise improves hippocampal neuroinflammation and learning and memory ability in brain-aged mice via interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7). MethodsA total of 60 male specific pathogen-free (SPF) C57BL/6J mice were enrolled in the experiment, including 30 young mice (2 months old) and 30 naturally aging mice (12 months old). Young mice and old mice were respectively randomly assigned to four groups: young control group (group C, n=15), young exercise group (group CE, n=15), and aging control group (group A, n=15), aging exercise group (group AE, n=15). Mice in the exercise groups received an 8-week continuous treadmill aerobic exercise intervention, while control mice were kept under routine feeding without exercise intervention. After the intervention, Barnes maze and Y-maze behavioral tests were performed to comprehensively assess the learning and memory abilities of each group of mice. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the ultrastructural morphological changes of hippocampal synapses. Western blot assay was utilized to detect the protein expression and phosphorylation levels of Janus kinase 1 (JAK1), signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), as well as the expression of postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95). Immunofluorescence staining was applied to quantify the fluorescence intensity of ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (IBA1) in hippocampal tissues. The expression levels of inflammatory cytokines including interferon-α (IFN-α), interferon-β (IFN-β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect the mRNA expression level of IRF7, and DNA methylation assay was further conducted to analyze the methylation level of the IRF7 gene in mouse hippocampus. ResultsAt the molecular level, compared with group C, the protein expression levels of JAK1, STAT1, p‑JAK1, and p‑STAT1 in group A were significantly increased (P<0.05), whereas PSD95 expression was decreased (P<0.05). ELISA assays showed that the levels of IFN‑α, IFN‑β, TNF‑α, and IL‑1β were significantly elevated in group A (P<0.001). RT‑PCR analysis revealed that, compared with group C, the mRNA expression of IRF7 in group A was markedly upregulated (P<0.000 1), while the CpG methylation rate of the IRF7 promoter was significantly reduced (P<0.05). In contrast, all the above parameters in the AE group showed improvements relative to those in group A. Immunofluorescence staining indicated positive IBA1 expression in the brain tissues of group A mice. Exercise intervention reversed these abnormal changes. ConclusionIn aged mice, aerobic exercise induces hypermethylation of the IRF7 promoter region, suppresses IRF7 expression and activation of the downstream IFN‑I/JAK1/STAT1 signaling pathway, accompanied by alleviated neuroinflammation, improved learning and memory, and ameliorated brain aging-related phenotypes.
8.Analysis of trends in potentially inappropriate medication among elderly cancer patients in the context of DRG-based medical insurance payment reform
Yonghui LIU ; Min ZHAO ; Xiaolin ZHANG ; Mingmei HUANG ; Hongliang ZHANG
China Pharmacy 2026;37(18):2430-2436
OBJECTIVE To analyze the trends of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) among elderly cancer patients in the context of the diagnosis-related groups(DRG)-based medical insurance payment reform.METHODS Relevant data were extracted for elderly inpatients with cancer at a Grade-A Level-Ⅲ hospital from January 2018 to March 2025. Prescribed medications were screened for PIM using the 2024 Chinese Criteria for Identifying PIM in the Elderly and the US 2023 Beers Criteria, and consistency was evaluated. An interrupted time-series (ITS) model was established, with the period from January 2018 to December 2020 designated as the pre-implementation group, and January 2021 to March 2025 as the post-implementation group. The study analyzed the impact of the medical insurance DRG payment reform on per capita hospitalization costs, per capita length of stay, average number of medication specifications per patient, overall PIM incidence, and PIM incidences for target medications among elderly cancer inpatients. To eliminate the influence of baseline characteristics (age, sex), propensity score matching(PSM) was further applied, followed by an ITS model analysis to assess the impact of the DRG payment reform on the overall PIM incidence among elderly cancer inpatients.RESULTS A total of 16 910 elderly cancer inpatients were included (6 552 in the pre-implementation group, and 10 358 in the post-implementation group); PIMs occurred in 9 138 patients, with an incidence of 54.04%. PIMs involved 198 types of medications, among which six target medications (including Diclofenac sodium enteric capsules and Oxycodone hydrochloride sustained-release tablets), exhibited a higher average PIM incidence or a significant trend change; the Kappa value for the consistency evaluation of the assessments by two pharmacists was 0.931 ( P <0.001) . After the implementation of DRG, the per capita hospitalization costs showed a downward trend of 103.501 yuan per month ( P <0.001); the per capita length of stay showed a slight upward trend (increasing by 0.052 days per month, P =0.017), but the actual slope (-0.036) was less than 0; there was no significant change in the average number of medication specifications per patient ( P =0.193). The DRG payment reform under medical insurance can produce statistically significant instantaneous impact effects on the PIM incidences among users of Diclofenac sodium enteric capsules, Doxofylline injection, and Cimetidine injection ( P values of 0.041, 0.001, and 0.036, respectively), a statistically significant long-term trend effect on the PIM incidences among users of Oxycodone hydrochloride sustained-release tablets ( P =0.008), and statistically significant instantaneous shock and long-term trend effects on the PIM incidences among users of Spironolactone tablets ( P values of 0.035 and 0.031) and Aminophylline injection ( P values of 0.009 and 0.031). Regardless of whether PSM was applied, the overall PIM incidence among patients showed a slight upward trend [an increase of 0.228% per month, P =0.001 (without PSM), or an increase of 0.239% per month, P <0.001 (after PSM)].CONCLUSIONS Following the implementation of the DRG payment reform for medical insurance, the per capita hospitalization cost for elderly inpatients with cancer decreases significantly, while the decline in the per capita length of stay slows. The overall PIM incidence shows a slight upward trend, and the trends in PIM incidence vary across different drug formulations.
9.Peripheral microstructure designed spectacles for myopia control in children
Min YANG ; Zaihong HUANG ; Liwen LI ; Sihao YANG ; Weiqi MOU ; Xiuping TANG
International Eye Science 2026;26(7):1293-1298
AIM:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of three types of spectacle lenses with different peripheral microstructure designs in controlling myopia progression among children.METHODS: Retrospective case analysis was conducted. Children diagnosed with myopia aged 6 to 12 y who were received initial spectacle fitting and completed 1-year follow-up at the Optometry Clinic of Suining Central Hospital between January 2023 and August 2024 were enrolled. Only right eye data of all subjects were included for analysis. Based on the type of spectacle lenses independently selected by the children and their parents/guardians, they were divided into four groups: diffusion optics technology(DOT), cylindrical annular refractive element(CARE), highly aspherical lenslets(HAL), and single-vision lenses(SVL). Changes in axial length(AL)and spherical equivalent(SE)from baseline were observed after 1-year lens wear in four groups. Variations between three peripheral microstructure-designed spectacles and single-vision spectacles were compared. The effects of different lens designs on spherical power, astigmatism, corneal curvature, corneal astigmatism, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, and vitreous cavity depth were analyzed.RESULTS:In this retrospective study, a total of 118 eyes from 118 myopic children were included. There were 28 eyes in 28 children in DOT group [16 males and 12 females, age 10(9, 12)y]. CARE group contained 26 eyes in 26 children, [12 males and 14 females, age 11(9, 12)y]. HAL group had 26 eyes in 26 children [16 males and 10 females, age 10(9, 11)y]. SVL group included 38 eyes in 38 children [20 males and 18 females, age 11(9, 12)y]. There were no significant differences in age, gender, baseline AL, or SE among the four groups(all P>0.05). After 1-year wearing, no increase and slight regression were observed in AL and SE in the DOT group, with no significant differences compared with baseline(all P>0.05). AL and SE increased to varying degrees in the CARE, HAL and SVL groups(all P<0.01). Significant inter-group differences were found in the changes of AL and SE(F=22.820, 30.949, both P<0.001). The mean changes in AL and SE for the DOT group(-0.034±0.180 mm, 0.040±0.243 D)were significantly smaller than those in the CARE group(0.225±0.174 mm, -0.375±0.308 D)and the HAL group(0.147±0.130 mm, -0.255±0.256 D). The changes of AL and SE in the three groups were significantly lower than those in the SVL group(0.355±0.240 mm, -0.891±0.592 D)(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION: In children, short-term wear of spectacles with peripheral microstructural design demonstrates better myopia control efficacy compared to single-vision spectacles. DOT lenses show superior short-term efficacy compared with CARE and HAL lenses.
10.Trends in Lumbar Spinal Decompression Surgery at a Single Tertiary Center: A Retrospective Review
Kai Lin LEE ; Dhivakaran GENGATHARAN ; John Wen Cong THNG ; Thanos SIVRIDIS ; Dickson CHAU ; Ghim Hoe NEO ; Haobin CHEN ; Ji Min LING ; Thomas Choo Heng TAN ; Yilun HUANG
Journal of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and Technique 2026;11(1):65-76
Objective:
Spinal stenosis and degenerative spinal disorders are increasingly prevalent and have a substantial impact on quality of life. Surgical decompression, performed using either open microscopic or endoscopic approaches, remains a cornerstone of management for these conditions. This study examines evolving trends in single-level lumbar spinal decompression procedures performed at a tertiary academic hospital in Singapore.
Methods:
A retrospective observational study was conducted involving 588 patients who underwent single-level spinal decompression between 2021 and 2024, including endoscopic spine surgery (ESS; n=364) and microdecompression (n=224). Primary outcome measures were changes in 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores at 3 months, 6 months, and 2 years postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included length of hospital stay, reoperation rates, and operative time. Patient demographics, spinal level and pathology characteristics, surgical techniques, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed. Difference-in-differences (DID) analysis was used to compare outcomes between the 2 groups.
Results:
Both groups demonstrated significant postoperative improvements in SF-36 and VAS scores. At 2 years, Short Form Health Survey physical function (SFPF) scores improved in the endoscopic group (mean difference [MD], 18.6; standard deviation [SD], 21.7; p=0.064) and in the open microscopic group (MD, 36.7; SD, 20.9; p=0.007), with a non-significant DID of -18.1 (p=0.155). No DID comparisons across SF-36 domains reached statistical significance. Mean operative time for endoscopic procedures decreased from 249 minutes in 2022 to 145 minutes in 2024, reflecting a procedural learning curve. Surgeons with higher endoscopic caseloads exhibited greater improvements in functional outcomes.
Conclusion
Both endoscopic and open microscopic decompression achieve comparable short- and long-term clinical outcomes. ESS provides similar effectiveness while being associated with shorter recovery periods and reduced hospital stay. Further research is warranted to identify factors contributing to incomplete symptom resolution or the need for revision surgery.


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