1.Research Advances in Construction Methods and Novel Technologies for Animal Models of Pulmonary Hypertension
Ziyi CHEN ; Hongyan SUN ; Pinfang KANG ; Wenjuan WU
Laboratory Animal and Comparative Medicine 2026;46(1):81-93
Pulmonary hypertension (PH), marked by sustained elevation of pulmonary artery pressure, imposes a heavy burden on the right ventricle and may culminate in right heart failure. Its pathogenesis is multifaceted, encompassing endothelial dysfunction, vascular smooth muscle proliferation, inflammation, thrombosis, and genetic factors. Animal models serve as core tools for exploring PH mechanisms and therapies, each with unique strengths and limitations. The single-dose monocrotaline (MCT) model is one of the most commonly used experimental animal models of PH and is widely applied in mechanistic studies, drug screening, and efficacy evaluation; it offers simplicity and cost-effectiveness, can induce PH within a short period, yet its pathophysiology differs to some extent from human idiopathic PH. In contrast, the Sugen5416 combined with chronic hypoxia model better mimics PH progression by placing animals under hypoxic conditions to induce pulmonary vasoconstriction and vascular remodeling, but it requires a longer modelling time, and the degree of hypoxia has a substantial impact on experimental outcomes. Beyond these two commonly used modeling approaches, a variety of emerging techniques have been applied in PH research; gene-editing technologies enable precise investigation of specific gene functions in PH. Additionally, induced pluripotent stem cell-based 3D organoid technology allows for individualized modelling while preserving patients' genetic information for precise clinical translation. Each model or technology can simulate different aspects of the pathological processes of human PH, and their findings provide key insights into the nature of the disease and serve as an important platform for the development of novel therapeutic targets. This paper comprehensively describes various animal models and emerging technologies used in PH research, analyzing their characteristics, applications, and limitations, with the aim of providing experimental and technical support for the development of new therapeutic strategies and drugs.
2.Correlation analysis of inflammatory markers (NLR/PLR/SII) with the severity of intrauterine adhesions
Ying WANG ; Xuan XU ; Longyu ZHANG ; Rong WU ; Jingjing HU ; Wenjuan YANG ; Xiao WU ; Zhaolian WEI
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(1):146-150
ObjectiveTo investigate the correlation between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and the severity of intrauterine adhesions (IUA). MethodsThe retrospective study included 380 patients who underwent transcervical resection of adhesions (TCRA) from December 2019 to March 2025. Based on the American Fertility Society (AFS) classification, patients were divided into mild (n=61), moderate (n=225), and severe (n=94) groups. NLR, PLR, and SII were calculated from preoperative blood tests. Statistical analyses included Kruskal-Wallis test and ordinal Logistic regression. ResultsNLR, PLR, and SII were significantly higher in the severe IUA group compared to the mild group (P<0.05), with SII showing the strongest predictive ability (OR=1.004, P=0.001). The number of intrauterine procedures was an independent risk factor (OR=1.27/level, P=0.016). The predictive model [Logit(P)=-0.676+0.241×operation times+0.004×SII] effectively identified severe IUA cases. ConclusionInflammatory markers (particularly SII) are correlated with IUA severity and may serve as non-invasive tools for clinical assessment.
3.Physical exercise improves physical function in burn patients:a systematic review and meta-analysis
Qiang CHEN ; Wenjuan WU ; Shuhua JIANG ; Da HUANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(5):1269-1281
OBJECTIVE:Some studies have shown that physical exercise can effectively improve knee extensor strength and cardiorespiratory function in burn patients;some studies have also shown that physical exercise is not effective in improving respiratory function in burn patients.Improvement effects of physical exercise on physical functions(muscle function,walking function,cardiopulmonary function,and lean body mass)of burn patients were evaluated by a systematic evaluation and meta-analysis.METHODS:Based on databases including Web of Science,PubMed,Embase,Cochrane Library,CNKI,WanFang,and the Chinese Biomedical Database,literature on the improvement of physical function in burn patients through physical exercise was searched using subject headings and free terms.With muscle function,walking ability,cardiopulmonary function,and lean body mass as the primary outcome measures,a meta-analysis was conducted to compare the efficacy of physical exercise with traditional physical therapy or conventional care methods.RESULTS:A total of 38 papers were included,of which 26 papers were included in the meta-analysis,involving 1 658 patients.Meta-analysis results showed that:(1)Physical exercise significantly enhances the knee extensor strength of the dominant leg in burn patients(mean difference[MD]=8.34,95%confidence interval[CI]:6.95-9.72,P<0.000 01),increases quadriceps strength,peak oxygen uptake,forced vital capacity and maximum ventilation volume in 1 second,and resting heart rate(standardized mean difference[SMD]=4.41,95%CI:2.52-6.30,P<0.000 01;MD=4.91,95%CI:3.52-6.29,P<0.000 01;MD=5.86,95%CI:0.09-11.63,P=0.05;MD=6.90,95%CI:2.93-10.87,P=0.000 7;MD=5.03,95%CI:1.45-8.61,P=0.006),and improves the 6-minute walking distance,gait parameters,and total lean body mass(MD=45.29,95%CI:24.7-65.89,P<0.0001;SMD=7.84,95%CI:6.05-9.63,P<0.000 01;MD=2.47,95%CI:2.01-2.93,P<0.000 01).(2)The subgroup analysis results indicated that the improvement in knee extensor strength of the dominant leg may be better in children than in adults and better in the extra-heavy group than in the heavy group.Improvement in the 6-minute walking distance is better in children than in adults,and higher degree of burn indicates better improvement effects,with no difference from the control group for<12 weeks.Peak oxygen uptake may be better in adults and severe burn groups than in children and moderate burn groups,resistance combined with aerobic exercise modalities may be better than aerobic exercise alone,and exercise duration>60 minutes may be better than<60 minutes.CONCLUSION:Physical activity is effective in improving physical function in burn patients,as evidenced by improvements in muscle strength,walking ability,cardiorespiratory fitness,and lean body mass.The quality of evidence recommended for all indicator results is moderate or below,with imprecision and inconsistency being the main factors for downgrading.Therefore,more high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed in the future to verify the reliability of the results.
4.Physical exercise improves physical function in burn patients:a systematic review and meta-analysis
Qiang CHEN ; Wenjuan WU ; Shuhua JIANG ; Da HUANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(5):1269-1281
OBJECTIVE:Some studies have shown that physical exercise can effectively improve knee extensor strength and cardiorespiratory function in burn patients;some studies have also shown that physical exercise is not effective in improving respiratory function in burn patients.Improvement effects of physical exercise on physical functions(muscle function,walking function,cardiopulmonary function,and lean body mass)of burn patients were evaluated by a systematic evaluation and meta-analysis.METHODS:Based on databases including Web of Science,PubMed,Embase,Cochrane Library,CNKI,WanFang,and the Chinese Biomedical Database,literature on the improvement of physical function in burn patients through physical exercise was searched using subject headings and free terms.With muscle function,walking ability,cardiopulmonary function,and lean body mass as the primary outcome measures,a meta-analysis was conducted to compare the efficacy of physical exercise with traditional physical therapy or conventional care methods.RESULTS:A total of 38 papers were included,of which 26 papers were included in the meta-analysis,involving 1 658 patients.Meta-analysis results showed that:(1)Physical exercise significantly enhances the knee extensor strength of the dominant leg in burn patients(mean difference[MD]=8.34,95%confidence interval[CI]:6.95-9.72,P<0.000 01),increases quadriceps strength,peak oxygen uptake,forced vital capacity and maximum ventilation volume in 1 second,and resting heart rate(standardized mean difference[SMD]=4.41,95%CI:2.52-6.30,P<0.000 01;MD=4.91,95%CI:3.52-6.29,P<0.000 01;MD=5.86,95%CI:0.09-11.63,P=0.05;MD=6.90,95%CI:2.93-10.87,P=0.000 7;MD=5.03,95%CI:1.45-8.61,P=0.006),and improves the 6-minute walking distance,gait parameters,and total lean body mass(MD=45.29,95%CI:24.7-65.89,P<0.0001;SMD=7.84,95%CI:6.05-9.63,P<0.000 01;MD=2.47,95%CI:2.01-2.93,P<0.000 01).(2)The subgroup analysis results indicated that the improvement in knee extensor strength of the dominant leg may be better in children than in adults and better in the extra-heavy group than in the heavy group.Improvement in the 6-minute walking distance is better in children than in adults,and higher degree of burn indicates better improvement effects,with no difference from the control group for<12 weeks.Peak oxygen uptake may be better in adults and severe burn groups than in children and moderate burn groups,resistance combined with aerobic exercise modalities may be better than aerobic exercise alone,and exercise duration>60 minutes may be better than<60 minutes.CONCLUSION:Physical activity is effective in improving physical function in burn patients,as evidenced by improvements in muscle strength,walking ability,cardiorespiratory fitness,and lean body mass.The quality of evidence recommended for all indicator results is moderate or below,with imprecision and inconsistency being the main factors for downgrading.Therefore,more high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed in the future to verify the reliability of the results.
5.Association between photodynamic diagnosis and treatment efficacy of 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in situ
Qinyuan ZHU ; Wenjuan MA ; Jing LUAN ; Wenyu WU ; Shujun CHEN
Journal of Chongqing Medical University 2025;50(8):1115-1121
Objective:To investigate the association between photodynamic diagnosis(PDD)and treatment efficacy of 5-aminolevu-linic acid(ALA)photodynamic therapy(PDT)in patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in situ(cSCCis).Methods:A pro-spective cohort study was conducted among the patients with cSCCis who underwent ALA-PDT in Department of Dermatology,Huashan Hospital,Fudan University,from January 2020 to November 2024.All patients were diagnosed with cSCCis based on biopsy,and invasive squamous cell carcinoma was excluded.Clinical information was collected and PDD was performed before treatment,and the patients were divided into moderate fluorescence group and strong fluorescence groups based on fluorescence intensity.All patients received six sessions of PDT treatment at an interval of 1-2 weeks.The primary endpoint was the initial complete clearance rate at 3 months after the last treatment session,and secondary endpoints were the sustained complete clearance rate at 12 months after the last treatment session and treatment failure rate.The multivariate regression analysis,the survival curves,and the Cox regression analysis were used to investigate the association between PDD fluorescence intensity and treatment efficacy,as well as other influencing factors for treatment efficacy.Results:Compared with the strong fluorescence group,the moderate fluorescence group had significantly lower initial complete clearance rate[57.14%(8/14)vs.93.33%(28/30),odds ratio OR=0.100,P=0.010]and sustained complete clearance rate[42.86%(6/14)vs.76.67%(23/30),OR=0.230,P=0.030)].The multivariate regression analysis showed that moderate fluores-cence was an independent risk factor for initial complete clearance(OR=0.030,P=0.030).The moderate fluorescence group had a significantly higher treatment failure rate than the strong fluorescence group[57.14%(8/14)vs.23.33%(7/30),P=0.030].The survival analysis and the Cox regression analysis showed that moderate fluo-rescence was an independent risk factor for PDT treatment failure(hazard ratio=3.040,P=0.048).There were no significant differences in adverse reactions between the two groups.Conclusion:PDD fluorescence intensity can predict the efficacy of ALA-PDT in patients with cSCCis.Moderate fluorescence indicates a higher risk of treatment failure,which can help to guide clinicians in develop-ing individualized treatment strategies.
6.Caffeic acid alleviates myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury by directly targeting Keap1N532/M550 and promoting its degradation.
Ying ZHANG ; Huan LAN ; Wenjuan ZHAI ; Lin JIANG ; Xiaotong XIA ; Fang LIU ; Lin ZHANG ; Jinjun WU ; Zhongqiu LIU ; Caiyan WANG
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(11):101219-101219
Myocardial infarction (MI) is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease-related death worldwide. Nonetheless, existing therapeutic approaches for MI are hampered by issues such as reliance on pharmacological agents and suboptimal patient adherence. Caffeic acid (CA) is a bioactive polyphenolic compound with important anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant functions. Still, its specific role and mechanism in treating cardiovascular disease remain to be further studied. In recent years, a large number of studies have shown that the kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1/nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Keap1/Nrf2) pathway is a key factor in the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases. In this study, H2O2-induced oxidative stress model of H9c2 cells and left anterior descending branch (LAD) conjunctival induced acute myocardial infarction reperfusion (AMI/R) model were used to evaluate the protective effect of CA on the heart. The interaction between CA and Keap1 was analyzed by CA-labeled fluorescence probe, target fishing, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), protein crystallography and surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Our results suggested that CA binds Keap1 and degrades Keap1 in a p62-dependent manner, further promoting nuclear transcription of Nrf2 and thus effectively reducing oxidative stress. In addition, based on the three-dimensional eutectic structure, it was confirmed that CA directly targets Keap1 protein by interacting with residues M550 and N532, inducing conformation changes in Keap1 protein. We also found that the CA analog chlorogenic acid (GCA) can bind Keap1. In conclusion, this study elucidates a novel molecular mechanism and structural basis for the protective effects of CA against oxidative damage via the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway.
7.Curvularin derivatives from hydrothermal vent sediment fungus Penicillium sp. HL-50 guided by molecular networking and their anti-inflammatory activity.
Chunxue YU ; Zixuan XIA ; Zhipeng XU ; Xiyang TANG ; Wenjuan DING ; Jihua WEI ; Danmei TIAN ; Bin WU ; Jinshan TANG
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2025;23(1):119-128
Guided by molecular networking, nine novel curvularin derivatives (1-9) and 16 known analogs (10-25) were isolated from the hydrothermal vent sediment fungus Penicillium sp. HL-50. Notably, compounds 5-7 represented a hybrid of curvularin and purine. The structures and absolute configurations of compounds 1-9 were elucidated via nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations, 13C NMR calculation, modified Mosher's method, and chemical derivatization. Investigation of anti-inflammatory activities revealed that compounds 7-9, 11, 12, 14, 15, and 18 exhibited significant suppressive effects against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in murine macrophage RAW264.7 cells, with IC50 values ranging from 0.44 to 4.40 μmol·L-1. Furthermore, these bioactive compounds were found to suppress the expression of inflammation-related proteins, including inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), NLR family pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3), and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB). Additional studies demonstrated that the novel compound 7 possessed potent anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting the transcription of inflammation-related genes, downregulating the expression of inflammation-related proteins, and inhibiting the release of inflammatory cytokines, indicating its potential application in the treatment of inflammatory diseases.
Penicillium/chemistry*
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Mice
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Animals
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Anti-Inflammatory Agents/isolation & purification*
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RAW 264.7 Cells
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Nitric Oxide/metabolism*
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Hydrothermal Vents/microbiology*
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Macrophages/immunology*
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Molecular Structure
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Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/immunology*
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Cyclooxygenase 2/immunology*
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Geologic Sediments/microbiology*
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NF-kappa B/immunology*
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NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/immunology*
8.Application of a student-faculty collaborative dynamic question bank based on outcome based education in the teaching of maternal and infant nursing
Zeting WU ; Tong GUO ; Xi YAN ; Linhong LUO ; Yeling LIU ; Wenjuan YING
Chinese Journal of Modern Nursing 2025;31(29):4034-4038
Objective:To explore the application effect of a student-faculty collaborative dynamic question bank based on outcome based education (OBE) in the teaching of maternal and infant nursing.Methods:A total of 204 junior nursing undergraduates (Grade 2021 and Grade 2022) enrolled at Shantou University Medical College between September 2023 and January 2025 were selected by convenience sampling. Ninety-two students from Grade 2021 were assigned to the control group, and 112 students from Grade 2022 were assigned to the intervention group. The control group received the traditional teaching syllabus before the course, used the People's Medical Publishing House question bank for self-testing, and the original static self-constructed exam question bank in the Kaoyi system for assessment. The intervention group practiced and was assessed using a student-faculty collaborative dynamic question bank based on OBE. The intervention lasted for one semester. Course performance and satisfaction were compared between the two groups.Results:The number of questions in the bank increased from 347 to 2 058. After course completion, the intervention group had higher stage test scores, final exam scores, and overall course scores than the control group ( P<0.05). The intervention group also reported higher levels of overall course satisfaction, perceived personal ability improvement, and satisfaction with course content and instructors than the control group ( P<0.05) . Conclusions:The student-faculty collaborative dynamic question bank based on OBE can effectively improve students' academic performance and satisfaction, and is worthy of wider application.
9.Development of risk prediction models for hypertension comorbidity in community-dwelling patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus based on machine learning
Wentao LI ; Shuai JIN ; Wenjuan GAO ; Xinying LIU ; Hao WU
Chinese Journal of General Practitioners 2025;24(5):561-570
Objective:To develop and validate risk prediction models for hypertension comorbidity in community-dwelling patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Methods:The health records of 2 979 T2DM patients from two community health service centers in Fengtai District of Beijing from January 2023 to January 2024 were collected,including 2 591 cases from Fangzhuang Center(model development group) and 388 cases from Youanmen Center(external validation group). Patients in model development group were randomly assigned in a training set( n=1 813) and an internal validation set(778 cases) at a ratio of 7∶3. The risk factors associated with hypertention comorbidity in T2DM patients were identified with LASSO regression analysis,based on which risk prediction models was developed using six machine learning algorithms,including logistic regression(LR),classification and regression tree(CART),random forest(RF),extreme gradient boosting(XGB),support vector machine(SVM) and artificial neural network(ANN). The internal and external validations of the prediction models were conducted. Results:Among 2 979 patients with T2DM,2 158(72.44%) had concurrent hypertension,with 1 572 in the development set,280 in the internal validation set,306 in the external validation set. The LASSO regression identified 14 risk factors: age,educational level,occupation,medical insurance type,alcohol consumption,exercise frequency,BMI,SBP,TG/HDL-C,METS-IR,FBG,eGFR,duration of T2DM,and dyslipidemia. The nomogram model based on 14 predictive factors was constructed with XGB algorithm showed the best performance in predicting risk of hypertention for T2DM patients,showing the highest area under the curve(AUC) of 0.694(95% CI: 0.524-0.810) and effective calibration(Brier Score=0.121). Decision curve analysis confirmed the clinical utility of the predictive model. Conclusion:The risk prediction models based on machine learning algorithms have been developed in the study,which show good prediction perfomance for hiypertention comorbidity in community-dwelling T2DM patients.
10.A clinical study on shunt reduction in the treatment of refractory hepatic encephalopathy after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt
Nianjun XIAO ; Wenjuan LYU ; Baojie WEI ; Zhibo XIA ; Lang WU ; Kai AN ; Zheyi HAN ; Shoubin NING ; Jianguo CHU
Chinese Journal of Digestion 2025;45(7):457-461
Objective:To explore the safety and efficacy of shunt reduction using the Interlock-35 fibered interlocking detachable coil (IDC) occlusion system in the treatment of refractory hepatic encephalopathy (HE) after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS).Methods:From August 2022 to December 2023, at the Department of Gastroenterology of the Air Force Medical Center, the clinical data of patients with refractory HE after TIPS who were treated with shunt reduction using the Interlock-35 fibered IDC occlusion system were retrospectively collected, which included portal vein pressure gradient (PVPG), HE grades, blood ammonia levels, prothrombin time (PT), liver function parameters, and other related indicators. The primary indicators related to the efficacy of the shunt reduction included symptom improvement, and changes in PVPG, blood ammonia levels, and Child-Pugh score. The safety of shunt reduction was analyzed based on the incidence of complications such as gastrointestinal bleeding and ascites during the follow-up period. Paired t-test was used for statistical analysis. Results:A total of 21 patients were enrolled. Prior to shunt reduction, there were 5 cases with HE of grade 3 and 16 cases with HE of grade 2. Before operation, the blood ammonia was (103.14±27.69) mol/L; and the liver function Child-Pugh grade of 1 case was classified as grade A, 16 cases as grade B, and 4 cases as grade C. Shunt reduction was performed between 7 and 1 879 d, with a median time of 99 (54, 806) d after TIPS. The procedure was technically successful in all patients, with a total of 25 coils implanted. Before shunt reduction, the PVPG was (14.02±5.28) cmH 2O (1 cmH 2O=0.098 kPa), after shunt reduction procedure, the PVPG increased to (25.05±6.04) cmH 2O, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=-11.26, P<0.001). After operation, 16 patients returned to the hospital for follow-up examinations, with a median follow-up time of 114 (46, 195) d, the blood ammonia levels, PT, and Child-Pugh scores during the follow-up were all lower than those before operation ((78.19±27.85) μmol/L vs. (105.00±30.53) μmol/L, (14.09±1.65) s vs. (15.41±2.35) s, and 6.88±1.59 vs. 8.13±1.75, respectively), and the differences were statistically significant ( t=2.23, 3.23, and 2.61; P=0.040, <0.001, =0.020). There was no statistically significant in PVPG between during follow-up and immediately post-procedure ((28.91±6.20) cmH 2O vs. (25.22±5.92) cmH 2O, P>0.05). During the follow-up period, HE symptoms disappeared in 12 patients among the 16 patients who returned to hospital for follow-up, however gastrointestinal bleeding occurred in 5 patients and ascites occurred in 3 patients; additionally, 4 patients experienced intermittent HE symptoms (grade 1 in 3 cases, grade 2 in 1 case). After operation, 5 patients were followed up via telephone, among them, 3 patients died, and 2 patients experienced intermittent HE (grade 1) which could be spontaneously restored with dietary adjustments and(or) medication. Conclusions:Interlock-35 fibered IDC occlusion system for shunt reduction is a feasible and effective treatment for refractory HE after TIPS. It can effectively improve symptoms and decrease liver function score. After shunt reduction, early follow-up and adjustment of flow reduction can help reduce the occurrence of severe complications.

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