1.Explainable Machine Learning Model for Predicting Prognosis in Patients with Malignant Tumors Complicated by Acute Respiratory Failure: Based on the eICU Collaborative Research Database in the United States
Zihan NAN ; Linan HAN ; Suwei LI ; Ziyi ZHU ; Qinqin ZHU ; Yan DUAN ; Xiaoting WANG ; Lixia LIU
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2026;17(1):98-108
To develop and validate a model for predicting intensive care unit (ICU) mortality risk in patients with malignant tumors complicated by acute respiratory failure (ARF) based on an explainable machine learning framework. Clinical data of patients with malignant tumors and ARF were extracted from the eICU Collaborative Research Database in the United States, including demographic characteristics, comorbidities, vital signs, laboratory test indicators, and major interventions within the first 24 hours after ICU admission.The study outcome was ICU death.Enrolled patients were randomly divided into a training set and a validation set at a ratio of 7:3.Predictor variables were selected using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression.Five machine learning algorithms-extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), support vector machine (SVM), Logistic regression, multilayer perceptron (MLP), and C5.0 Decision Tree-were employed to construct predictive models.Model performance was evaluated based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, and other metrics.The optimal model was further interpreted using the Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) algorithm. A total of 3196 patients with malignant tumors complicated by ARF were included.The training set comprised 2, 261 patients and the validation set 935 patients; 683 patients died during ICU stay, while 2513 survived.LASSO regression ultimately selected 12 variables closely associated with patient ICU outcomes, including sepsis comorbidity, use of vasoactive drugs, and within the first 24 hours after ICU admission: minimum mean arterial pressure, maximum heart rate, maximum respiratory rate, minimum oxygen saturation, minimum serum bicarbonate, minimum blood urea nitrogen, maximum white blood cell count, maximum mean corpuscular volume, maximum serum potassium, and maximum blood glucose.After model evaluation, the XGBoost model demonstrated the best performance.The AUCs for predicting ICU mortality risk in the training and validation sets were 0.940 and 0.763, respectively; accuracy was 88.3% and 81.2%;sensitivity was 98.5% and 95.9%.Its predictive performance also remained optimal in sensitivity analyses.SHAP analysis indicated that the top five variables contributing to the model's predictions were minimum oxygen saturation, minimum serum bicarbonate, minimum mean arterial pressure, use of vasoactive drugs, and maximum white blood cell count. This study successfully developed a mortality risk prediction model for ICU patients with malignant tumors complicated by ARF based on a large-scale dataset and performed explainability analysis.The model aids clinicians in early identification of high-risk patients and implementing individualized interventions.
2.Effects of oral non-peptidic thrombopoietin receptor agonists on hepatic enzyme in adult patients with immune thrombocytopenia:a meta-analysis
Tiantian LU ; Nan SHEN ; Suyue ZHU ; Jingjing YAN
China Pharmacy 2026;37(4):510-515
OBJECTIVE To systematically evaluate the effects of oral non-peptidic thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RAs) on hepatic enzyme in adult patients with immune thrombocytopenia. METHODS A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang database and the Chinese Medical Association Journal Full-Text Database to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing oral non-peptidic TPO-RAs (intervention group) with placebo or conventional therapy (control group). All databases were searched from their inception to June 2025. After literature screening, data extraction and quality assessment of the included studies, meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.4.1 software. RESULTS Twelve RCTs comprising 1 388 patients were included, with 971 in the intervention group and 417 in the control group. Meta-analysis results showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the incidence of hepatic enzyme elevation[OR=1.24, 95%CI (0.77, 1.99), P =0.37 ] , the incidence of hepatic enzyme elevation in patients treated for ≥6 weeks[OR=1.21, 95%CI (0.73, 1.99), P =0.46 ] , and the incidence of severe hepatic enzyme elevation[OR=1.39, 95%CI(0.46, 4.20), P =0.55 ] . Subgroup analysis showed that there were no significant differences in the incidence of hepatic enzyme elevation between the intervention group and control group among patients using eltrombopag[OR=1.57,95%CI(0.85,2.87), P =0.15 ] , avatrombopag[OR=0.88,95%CI (0.09,8.46), P =0.91 ] , and hetrombopag[OR=1.04,95%CI(0.30,3.65), P =0.95 ] , respectively. CONCLUSIONS Oral non-peptidic TPO-RAs do not significantly increase the risk of hepatic enzyme elevation in adult patients with immune thrombocytopenia, and show an overall favorable hepatic safety profile.
3.LINC00657 Promotes Malignant Progression of Cervical Cancer by Sponging miR-30a-5p to Regulate Skp2 Expression
Changhui ZHOU ; Jingqin REN ; Zhen CHEN ; Qi YAN ; Nan YANG ; Jiaqi ZHAO ; Rong LI
Cancer Research on Prevention and Treatment 2026;53(2):103-111
Objective To investigate the role and regulatory mechanism of LINC00657 in the progression of cervical cancer. Methods Bioinformatics analysis predicted potential binding sites between LINC00657 and miR-30a-5p and between miR-30a-5p and Skp2. These sites were verified by using RNA immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase reporter experiments. LINC00657, miR-30a-5p, and Skp2 mRNA expression levels in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines were assessed by utilizing RT-qPCR. Western blot analysis was employed to examine the protein levels of Skp2 in cells and subcutaneous xenograft tumor models in nude mice. Immunohistochemistry was applied to analyze Skp2 expression in animal tissues. The cellular processes of cervical cancer cell lines were evaluated through CCK-8, scratch, and Transwell assays. Results LINC00657 and Skp2 presented binding sites for miR-30a-5p. In cervical cancer, LINC00657 and Skp2 showed high expression levels (P<0.05), whereas miR-30a-5p displayed low expression (P<0.05). Functional experiments demonstrated that linc00657 upregulates Skp2 expression, a process that is dependent on its sequestration of miR-30a-5p. Conclusion LINC00657 promoted the malignant progression of cervical cancer by upregulating Skp2 expression through specifically sequestering miR-30a-5p, thereby relieving its inhibitory effect on the target gene Skp2.
4.Application Analysis of Rehmanniae Radix in Medical Cases of Qing Court
Yan JIN ; Tiegui NAN ; Yihan WANG ; Zhilai ZHAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):232-238
To gain an in-depth understanding of the clinical application of Rehmanniae Radix during the Qing Dynasty and to clarify its specifications and corresponding therapeutic effects, this study took Rehmanniae Radix in the prescriptions documented in Research on Medical Cases of the Qing Imperial Court as the research subject. According to historical medical literature, a comprehensive investigation was conducted on the specifications, therapeutic efficacy, frequency of use, dosage, and seasonal patterns of Rehmanniae Radix employed by imperial physicians. The findings revealed that Rehmanniae Radix in the medical cases of the Qing court was primarily classified into three categories: Xiaoshengdi, Zhongshengdi, and Dashengdi. Xiaoshengdi was also referred to as Xishengdi or Cishengdi, all denoting dried Rehmanniae Radix. The term Xishengdi was inconsistently defined in the literature. It should refer to the slender variant of dried Rehmanniae Radix and was utilized as a specific specification in the medical cases of the Qing court. In contrast, the wild fresh roots of Rehmanniae Radix, described as "as slender as fingers", were commonly documented as fresh Rehmanniae Radix in these medical cases. There were variations in Rehmanniae Radix size and grading between historical and contemporary standards. Furthermore, therapeutic differences were observed among Rehmanniae Radix specifications in the medical cases of the Qing court. Xiaoshengdi and Zhongshengdi exhibited slightly stronger blood-cooling and heat-clearing effects while maintaining a non-cloying Yin-nourishing property. In contrast, Dashengdi demonstrated a greater emphasis on Yin supplementation with relatively milder heat-clearing activity. In the medical cases of the Qing court, the dosage of Rehmanniae Radix in different specifications was usually 11.2-18.7 g per dose, typically administered twice daily. Rehmanniae Radix in different specifications exhibits variations in efficacy, which can provide evidence-based insights for precise clinical application.
5.Application Analysis of Rehmanniae Radix in Medical Cases of Qing Court
Yan JIN ; Tiegui NAN ; Yihan WANG ; Zhilai ZHAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):232-238
To gain an in-depth understanding of the clinical application of Rehmanniae Radix during the Qing Dynasty and to clarify its specifications and corresponding therapeutic effects, this study took Rehmanniae Radix in the prescriptions documented in Research on Medical Cases of the Qing Imperial Court as the research subject. According to historical medical literature, a comprehensive investigation was conducted on the specifications, therapeutic efficacy, frequency of use, dosage, and seasonal patterns of Rehmanniae Radix employed by imperial physicians. The findings revealed that Rehmanniae Radix in the medical cases of the Qing court was primarily classified into three categories: Xiaoshengdi, Zhongshengdi, and Dashengdi. Xiaoshengdi was also referred to as Xishengdi or Cishengdi, all denoting dried Rehmanniae Radix. The term Xishengdi was inconsistently defined in the literature. It should refer to the slender variant of dried Rehmanniae Radix and was utilized as a specific specification in the medical cases of the Qing court. In contrast, the wild fresh roots of Rehmanniae Radix, described as "as slender as fingers", were commonly documented as fresh Rehmanniae Radix in these medical cases. There were variations in Rehmanniae Radix size and grading between historical and contemporary standards. Furthermore, therapeutic differences were observed among Rehmanniae Radix specifications in the medical cases of the Qing court. Xiaoshengdi and Zhongshengdi exhibited slightly stronger blood-cooling and heat-clearing effects while maintaining a non-cloying Yin-nourishing property. In contrast, Dashengdi demonstrated a greater emphasis on Yin supplementation with relatively milder heat-clearing activity. In the medical cases of the Qing court, the dosage of Rehmanniae Radix in different specifications was usually 11.2-18.7 g per dose, typically administered twice daily. Rehmanniae Radix in different specifications exhibits variations in efficacy, which can provide evidence-based insights for precise clinical application.
6.UPLC-Q-TOF-MS Reveals Mechanisms of Modified Qing'e Formula in Delaying Skin Photoaging and Regulating Circadian Rhythm
Wanyu YANG ; Xiujun ZHANG ; Yan WANG ; Chunjing SONG ; Haoming MA ; Lifeng WANG ; Nan LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(6):88-97
ObjectiveTo reveal the active substances and mechanisms of modified Qing'e formula (MQEF) in delaying skin photoaging by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS),network pharmacology, and cell experiments. MethodsUPLC-Q-TOF-MS and a literature review were employed to analyze the transdermally absorbed components in mice after the topical application of MQEF. The potential targets of MQEF in treating skin photoaging were retrieved from databases.The compound-potential target network and protein-protein interaction network were constructed to screen the key components and core targets. A photoaging cell model was established by irradiating HaCaT cells with medium-wave ultraviolet B (UVB). The safe doses of bakuchiol (BAK) and salvianolic acid B (SAB) for treating HaCaT cells and the effects of BAK and SAB on the viability of cells exposed to UVB irradiation were determined by the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) method.The reactive oxygen species (ROS) fluorescent probe was used to measure the ROS production in the cells treated with BAK and SAB.The expression levels of genes related to oxidative stress,inflammation,collagen metabolism,and circadian rhythm clock were measured by Real-time PCR. ResultsA total of 24 transdermally absorbed components of MQEF were identified,which acted on 367 potential targets,and 417 targets related to skin photoaging were screened out,among which 47 common targets were predicted as the targets of MQEF in treating skin photoaging. MQEF exerted the anti-photoaging effect via key components such as BAK and SAB,which acted on core proteins such as serine/threonine kinase 1 (Akt1) and mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 (MAPK3) and intervened in core pathways such as the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathways.Compared with the model group,the administration of BAK and SAB increased the survival rate of HaCaT cells (P<0.01),down-regulated the mRNA levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2),interleukin-6 (IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α),matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1),and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) (P<0.01),and up-regulated the mRNA levels of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO-1) (P<0.05,P<0.01) in photoaged HaCaT cells.In addition,it eliminated excess ROS production induced by UVB and up-regulated the mRNA levels of brain and muscle ARNT-like 1 (BMAL1) and circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (CLOCK) associated with circadian clock (P<0.05,P<0.01). ConclusionMQEF delays skin photoaging through the coordinated effects of various components,multiple targets,and diverse pathways.The key components BAK and SAB in MQEF exhibit anti-photoaging properties,which involve inhibiting oxidative stress,preventing collagen degradation,mitigating inflammation,and maintaining normal skin circadian rhythms by regulating clock gene expression.
7.Mechanisms of reproductive toxicity and ferroptosis induced by polystyrene microplastics in male mice
Jiabo WANG ; Rong LI ; Setiniaz NAZIRA ; Chengqing LIU ; Nan YANG ; Qi YAN
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(2):224-231
Background Polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) attract widespread public attention due to their adverse effects on mammalian reproductive systems. However, it is currently unclear whether ferroptosis is related to testicular damage and decreased sperm quality in mice exposed to PS-MPs. Objective To clarify the reproductive damage in male mice exposed to PS-MPs and investigate the mechanism of ferroptotic effects. Methods Five-week-old male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four experimental groups, including one control group and three PS-MPs groups at low dose (0.5 mg·kg−1), medium dose (5 mg·kg−1), and high dose (50 mg·kg−1), respectively, with 6 mice in each group. The treatment was delivered by gavage for 35 consecutive days (one time per day). After the mice were neutralized, the wet weights of testis and epididymis were measured, and organ coefficients were then calculated. Sperm was counted by hematimetry, and sperm motility and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level were evaluated using CCK-8 and CellTiter Glo ® Kit 2.0 Assay respectively. In addition, serum testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone were determined using ELISA kit, total testicular iron content was measured using tissue iron kit, and pathological changes in testicular tissue were observed after hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. We also used glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) assays to examine their changes to better understand the physiological status of testicular tissue. Finally, the expression levels of ferroptosis-associated proteins glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) were detected by Western blotting. Results Compared with the control group, the testicular index in the high dose group decreased, and the epididymal index decreased in all dose groups (P<0.05). The results of sperm quality analysis showed that the sperm count in each dose group was lower than that of the control group; the sperm motility decreased, sperm malformation rate increased, and ATP level in sperm decreased in the medium and high dose groups. The results of HE staining showed that the spermatogenic epithelium was disordered and the arrangement of spermatogenic cells were loose in the low dose group, the spermatogenic gap was enlarged in the middle dose group, and the cells in the high dose group were vacuolated and even azoospermic. The results of serum sex hormone levels showed that the serum testosterone levels decreased in each dose group, the serum follicle-stimulating hormone levels decreased in the medium and high dose groups, and the serum luteinizing hormone levels decreased in the high dose group (P<0.05). The iron content in the testicular tissue homogenate of the high dose group increased (P<0.05). The levels of GSH and SOD in the homogenate of testicular tissue decreased in the medium and high dose groups, while the levels of MDA increased (P<0.05). The results of Western blotting showed that the protein expression level of GPX4 in the testis in the high dose group was lower than that in the control group. The protein expression levels of SLC7A11 in the medium and high dose groups were lower than that in the control group. The results of correlation analysis showed that the expression level of GPX4 was positively correlated with sperm count, and negatively correlated with MDA level (P<0.05). SLC7A11 expression level was positively correlated with sperm count, and negatively correlated with sperm malformation rate and MDA level (P<0.05). Conclusion PS-MPs exposure leads to decreased sperm quality, testicular damage, and decreased serum sex hormone levels in male mice, and its mechanism of action may involve ferroptosis.
8.Spermine Synthase : A Potential Prognostic Marker for Lower-Grade Gliomas
Chen LIU ; Hongqi LI ; Xiaolong HU ; Maohui YAN ; Zhiguang FU ; Hengheng ZHANG ; Yingjie WANG ; Nan DU
Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society 2025;68(1):75-96
Objective:
: The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between spermine synthase (SMS) expression, tumor occurrence, and prognosis in lower-grade gliomas (LGGs).
Methods:
: A total of 523 LGG patients and 1152 normal brain tissues were included as controls. Mann-Whitney U test was performed to evaluate SMS expression in the LGG group. Functional annotation analysis was conducted to explore the biological processes associated with high SMS expression. Immune cell infiltration analysis was performed to examine the correlation between SMS expression and immune cell types. The association between SMS expression and clinical and pathological features was assessed using Spearman correlation analysis. In vitro experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of overexpressing or downregulating SMS on cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and key proteins in the protein kinase B (AKT)/epithelialmesenchymal transition signaling pathway.
Results:
: The study revealed a significant upregulation of SMS expression in LGGs compared to normal brain tissues. High SMS expression was associated with certain clinical and pathological features, including older age, astrocytoma, higher World Health Organization grade, poor disease-specific survival, disease progression, non-1p/19q codeletion, and wild-type isocitrate dehydrogenase. Cox regression analysis identified SMS as a risk factor for overall survival. Bioinformatics analysis showed enrichment of eosinophils, T cells, and macrophages in LGG samples, while proportions of dendritic (DC) cells, plasmacytoid DC (pDC) cells, and CD8+ T cells were decreased.
Conclusion
: High SMS expression in LGGs may promote tumor occurrence through cellular proliferation and modulation of immune cell infiltration. These findings suggest the prognostic value of SMS in predicting clinical outcomes for LGG patients.
9.Spermine Synthase : A Potential Prognostic Marker for Lower-Grade Gliomas
Chen LIU ; Hongqi LI ; Xiaolong HU ; Maohui YAN ; Zhiguang FU ; Hengheng ZHANG ; Yingjie WANG ; Nan DU
Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society 2025;68(1):75-96
Objective:
: The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between spermine synthase (SMS) expression, tumor occurrence, and prognosis in lower-grade gliomas (LGGs).
Methods:
: A total of 523 LGG patients and 1152 normal brain tissues were included as controls. Mann-Whitney U test was performed to evaluate SMS expression in the LGG group. Functional annotation analysis was conducted to explore the biological processes associated with high SMS expression. Immune cell infiltration analysis was performed to examine the correlation between SMS expression and immune cell types. The association between SMS expression and clinical and pathological features was assessed using Spearman correlation analysis. In vitro experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of overexpressing or downregulating SMS on cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and key proteins in the protein kinase B (AKT)/epithelialmesenchymal transition signaling pathway.
Results:
: The study revealed a significant upregulation of SMS expression in LGGs compared to normal brain tissues. High SMS expression was associated with certain clinical and pathological features, including older age, astrocytoma, higher World Health Organization grade, poor disease-specific survival, disease progression, non-1p/19q codeletion, and wild-type isocitrate dehydrogenase. Cox regression analysis identified SMS as a risk factor for overall survival. Bioinformatics analysis showed enrichment of eosinophils, T cells, and macrophages in LGG samples, while proportions of dendritic (DC) cells, plasmacytoid DC (pDC) cells, and CD8+ T cells were decreased.
Conclusion
: High SMS expression in LGGs may promote tumor occurrence through cellular proliferation and modulation of immune cell infiltration. These findings suggest the prognostic value of SMS in predicting clinical outcomes for LGG patients.
10.Ablation of IGFBP5 expression alleviates neurogenic erectile dysfunction by inducing neurovascular regeneration
Jiyeon OCK ; Guo Nan YIN ; Fang-Yuan LIU ; Yan HUANG ; Fitri Rahma FRIDAYANA ; Minh Nhat VO ; Ji-Kan RYU
Investigative and Clinical Urology 2025;66(1):74-86
Purpose:
To investigate the therapeutic potential of eliminating insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 5 (IGFBP5) expression in improving erectile function in mice with cavernous nerve injury (CNI)-induced erectile dysfunction (ED).
Materials and Methods:
Eight-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were divided into four groups: a sham-operated group and three CNI-induced ED groups. The CNI-induced ED groups were treated with intracavernous injections 3 days before the CNI procedure.These injections included phosphate-buffered saline, scrambled control short hairpin RNA (shRNA), or shRNA targeting mouse IGFBP5 lentiviral particles. One week after CNI, erectile function was evaluated and the penile tissue was then harvested for histological examination and western blot analysis. Additionally, the major pelvic ganglia (MPG) and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) were cultured for ex vivo neurite outgrowth assays.
Results:
Following CNI, IGFBP5 expression in the cavernous tissues significantly increased, reaching its peak at day 7. First, ablation of IGFBP5 expression promotes neurite sprouting in MPG and DRG when exposed to lipopolysaccharide. Second, ablating IGFBP5 expression in CNI-induced ED mice improved erectile function, likely owing to increased neurovascular contents, including endothelial cells, pericytes, and neuronal processes. Third, ablating IGFBP5 expression in CNI-induced ED mice promoted neurovascular regeneration by increasing cell proliferation, reducing apoptosis, and decreasing Reactive oxygen species production. Finally, western blot analysis demonstrated that IGFBP5 ablation attenuated the JNK/c-Jun signaling pathway, activated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and increased vascular endothelial growth factor and neurotrophic factor expression.
Conclusions
Ablating IGFBP5 expression enhanced neurovascular regeneration and ultimately improved erectile function in CNI-induced ED mice.

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