1.Osler’s view of the physician and physician’s narrative literacy in narrative medicine
Huihui CHEN ; Wenhua CAO ; Yanling TAO ; Ying ZHAO ; Xiaolin YANG
Chinese Medical Ethics 2026;39(3):399-404
In the era of evidence-based medicine, the progress of medical science and technology has enriched medical diagnostic tools and treatment methods, but it has also led to the loss of medical warmth and the alienation of the doctor-patient relationships. William Osler emphasized that while medical technology advances, attention should also be paid to the practice of narrative medicine and the development of physician’s narrative literacy. The view of the physician he advocated reminds us that the core of medicine still lies in the narrative connection between doctors and patients, as well as a deep understanding of human nature. By exploring the relationship between Osler’s view of the physician and narrative medicine as well as physician’s narrative literacy, this paper analyzed the methods of cultivating physician’s narrative literacy, providing references for modern medical education and practice, and assisting in the harmony and unity of science and technology and humanity.
2.The role and mechanism of protein synthesis in muscle atrophy induced by acute kidney injury
Xiaolin LIU ; Qiongzhi ZHAO ; Bin GUO ; Sheng ZHANG
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(3):416-423
ObjectiveTo investigate the role and mechanism of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) transcription and ribosome biogenesis in muscle atrophy induced by acute kidney injury (AKI). MethodsEight male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into a control group (Ctrl) and a model group (AKI). An AKI model was established via intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin. Muscle atrophy was phenotypically assessed by measuring muscle mass, myofiber cross-sectional area (HE staining), and mRNA expression levels of atrophy-related genes (Murf-1, Atrogin-1, Igf-1) using qRT-PCR. In vivo protein synthesis rates were determined via the SUnSET assay (puromycin incorporation). Ribosome biogenesis was evaluated by assessing rRNA content and 47S pre-rRNA expression levels. Myotubes differentiated from mouse skeletal muscle cell lines (C2C12 myotubes) were treated with serum from AKI mice, and the effects on rDNA transcription, ribosome biogenesis, and protein metabolism were analyzed using chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (ChIP-qPCR) and Western blot. ResultsAKI successfully induced muscle atrophy, as evidenced by a significant reduction in skeletal muscle mass. The most pronounced decrease occurred in the extensor digitorum longus muscle (21.0%, P 0.01), along with a trend toward reduced myofiber cross-sectional area. At the molecular level, AKI inhibited muscle protein synthesis (83.14% reduction in puromycin incorporation, P 0.000 1) and impaired ribosome biogenesis, manifested by suppressed rDNA transcription elongation (52.62% decrease in 47S pre-rRNA ITS-1 levels, P 0.01) and reduced total rRNA content (65.29%, P 0.000 1). In contrast, serum from AKI mice promoted rDNA transcription initiation and protein synthesis in C2C12 myotubes in vitro. ConclusionAKI induces muscle atrophy by suppressing rDNA transcription and ribosome biogenesis in skeletal muscle, leading to impaired protein synthesis. Dysregulated ribosome biogenesis may play a critical role in AKI-induced muscle atrophy.
3.Treatment of Infection-Related Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus from the Perspective of Latent Pathogen and Dryness Disorder
Zhaobo WANG ; Yingying YANG ; Jia WANG ; Linhua ZHAO ; Xiaolin TONG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(12):1329-1333
Infection is an important trigger for the initiation of pancreatic islet autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). From the perspective of latent pathogen and dryness disorder, this study analyzes the core pathogenesis and dynamic evolution of T1DM in the subclinical and clinical stages. Combined with the T1DM "constraint, heat, deficiency, damage" state and target differentiation and treatment theory, the course of infection-induced T1DM is divided into three stages, including latent dryness, dry-heat and collateral damage. The "latent dryness" stage corresponds to the subclinical phase of T1DM, while the "dry-heat" stage corresponds to the clinical phase, and the "collateral damage" stage corresponds to the phase in which chronic complications develop. Treatment principles include supplementing deficiency and dispelling pathogen during the "latent dryness" stage, clearing heat and moistening dryness in the "dry-heat" stage, and dissolving stasis and unblocking collaterals in the "collateral damage" stage. Furthermore, syndrome-targeted and target-directed therapeutic modifications were made according to T1DM-related autoimmune activity, metabolic comorbidities, and vascular comorbidities, providing a reference for clinical management of T1DM.
4.Connotation of the Theory of Spirit Collaterals and Its Clinical Application in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Top Jiao (焦) Diseases
Dongsen HU ; Linhua ZHAO ; Jianwen GUO ; Bing XIA ; Juexian SONG ; Xiaolin TONG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(18):1925-1930
psychiatric disorders (PD) and neurological disorders (ND) are currently major public health issues. The "four jiao (焦) and eight systems" theory categorizes them respectively into "spirit-system diseases" and "marrow-system diseases", collectively attributing to "top jiao diseases". In the prevention and treatment of these diseases, deficiencies still exist in treating only the physical form while neglecting the spirit, or treating only the spirit while neglecting the physical form, lacking theoretical basis that integrates both form and spirit. Accordingly, the theory of spirit collaterals is proposed, aiming to expand the scope of collateral disease theory based on the concept of the unity of form and spirit, thereby providing a reference for the differentiation and treatment of top jiao diseases. By clarifying the relationships between concepts such as spirit, collaterals, marrow, brain spirit, the five spirit organs, brain orifices, clear orifices and spirit collaterals, and combining modern medical research on neurovascular units and neurovascular bundles, the connotations of spirit collaterals are elucidated from the perspectives of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and western medicine. It is also demonstrated that spirit collaterals takes top jiao as its center, spreads throughout the body, and possesses the attributes of qi collaterals, blood collaterals, and fluid collaterals, achieving the unity of physical structure and functional regulation. Based on the spirit collaterals theory, the core pathogenesis of top jiao diseases is proposed as collateral stasis and failure of spirit mechanism, with an evolutionary pattern of "collateral stagnation-collateral stasis-collateral block". In the clinical differentiation and treatment of top jiao diseases, unblocking and regulating the spirit collaterals is taken as the core therapeutic method. Basic formulas are formulated respectively for spirit-system diseases and marrow-system diseases, and a modification strategy is formed that takes into account the three collaterals, regulates qi and treats the spirit, and performs precise treatment according to the disease location.
5.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.
6.The Development and Application of Chatbots in Healthcare: From Traditional Methods to Large Language Models
Zixing WANG ; Le QI ; Xiaodan LIAN ; Ziheng ZHOU ; Aiwei MENG ; Xintong WU ; Xiaoyuan GAO ; Yujie YANG ; Yiyang LIU ; Wei ZHAO ; Xiaolin DIAO
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(5):1170-1178
With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence technology, chatbots have shown great potential in the healthcare sector. From personalized health advice to chronic disease management and psychological support, chatbots have demonstrated significant advantages in improving the efficiency and quality of healthcare services. As the scope of their applications expands, the relationship between technological complexity and practical application scenarios has become increasingly intertwined, necessitating a more comprehensive evaluation of both aspects. This paper, from the perspective of he althcare applications, systematically reviews the technological pathways and development of chatbots in the medical field, providing an in-depth analysis of their performance across various medical scenarios. It thoroughly examines the advantages and limitations of chatbots, aiming to offer theoretical support for future research and propose feasible recommendations for the broader adoption of chatbot technologies in healthcare.
7.Gut microbiota and their metabolites in hemodialysis patients.
Junxia DU ; Xiaolin ZHAO ; Xiaonan DING ; Qinqin REN ; Haoran WANG ; Qiuxia HAN ; Chenwen SONG ; Xiaochen WANG ; Dong ZHANG ; Hanyu ZHU
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(4):502-504
8.Syndrome Element Distribution and Complication Risks in Type 2 Diabetic Patients:A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study
Yu WEI ; Lili ZHANG ; Ling ZHOU ; Linhua ZHAO ; Qing NI ; Xiaolin TONG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(13):1363-1368
ObjectiveTo investigate the distribution of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome elements in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients based on maximum body mass index (maxBMI) and explore their association with complication risks. MethodsA retrospective cross-sectional study was used to collect clinical data from hospitalized T2DM patients, extracting age, gender, smoking history, alcohol consumption history, duration of disease, HbA1c level, complications, and TCM syndromes, and extracting the syndrome elements of disease location and disease nature based on their TCM syndromes. MaxBMI was calculated by telephone survey of patients' self-reported maximum body weight; patients with maxBMI ≥24 kg/m2 were classified into spleen-heat syndrome group, and those with maxBMI <24 kg/m2 were classified into consumptive-heat syndrome group. The distribution of TCM syndrome types and syndrome elements of patients in the two groups were analysed. Then the propensity score matching method was used to balance the baseline characteristics between the two groups and compare the differences in the distribution of syndrome types and syndrome elements and the risk of macrovascular and microvascular complications between the two groups. ResultsAmong the 1178 T2DM patients, syndrome elements in spleen-heat patients (1034 cases) were primarily located in the spleen (351 cases, 33.95%), liver (240 cases, 23.21%), and stomach (139 cases, 13.44%), while in consumptive-heat patients (144 cases), they were concentrated in the spleen (57 cases, 39.58%), liver (34 cases, 23.61%), and kidneys (17 cases, 11.81%); regarding syndrome elements of disease nature, spleen-heat patients were predominantly characterized by qi deficiency (481 cases, 46.52%), phlegm (353 cases, 22.73%), and dampness (241 cases, 23.31%), whereas consumptive-heat patients showed more qi deficiency (84 cases, 58.33%) and yin deficiency (44 cases, 30.56%). After propensity score matching, 132 cases were included in each group, and no statistically significant differences were observed in the distribution of syndrome elements of disease location between the two groups (P>0.05), but the phlegm element was significantly more prevalent in spleen-heat patients than in consumptive-heat patients (P = 0.006). Regarding the risk of complications, spleen-heat patients had a significantly higher risk of developing macrovascular complications compared to consumptive-heat patients (OR=2.04, P=0.010), while no significant differences were found between groups in the occurrence of microvascular complications (P>0.05). ConclusionThe spleen-heat T2DM patients show a more frequent syndrome element of disease nature of phlegm, and a higher risk of developing macrovascular complications compared to consumptive-heat patients.
9.Gut microbiota and osteoporotic fractures
Wensheng ZHAO ; Xiaolin LI ; Changhua PENG ; Jia DENG ; Hao SHENG ; Hongwei CHEN ; Chaoju ZHANG ; Chuan HE
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(6):1296-1304
BACKGROUND:Osteoporotic fracture is the most serious complication of osteoporosis.Previous studies have demonstrated that gut microbiota has a regulatory effect on skeletal tissue and that gut microbiota has an important relationship with osteoporotic fracture,but the causal relationship between the two is unclear. OBJECTIVE:To explore the causal relationship between gut microbiota and osteoporotic fractures using Mendelian randomization method. METHODS:The genome-wide association study(GWAS)datasets of gut microbiota and osteoporotic fracture were obtained from the IEU Open GWAS database and the Finnish database R9,respectively.Using gut microbiota as the exposure factor and osteoporotic fracture as the outcome variable,Mendelian randomization analyses with random-effects inverse variance weighted,MR-Egger regression,weighted median,simple model,and weighted model methods were performed to assess whether there is a causal relationship between gut microbiota and osteoporotic fracture.Sensitivity analyses were performed to test the reliability and robustness of the results.Reverse Mendelian randomization analyses were performed to further validate the causal relationship identified in the forward Mendelian randomization analyses. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The results of this Mendelian randomization analysis indicated a causal relationship between gut microbiota and osteoporotic fracture.Elevated abundance of Actinomycetales[odds ratio(OR)=1.562,95%confidence interval(CI):1.027-2.375,P=0.037),Actinomycetaceae(OR=1.561,95%CI:1.027-2.374,P=0.037),Actinomyces(OR=1.544,95%CI:1.130-2.110,P=0.006),Butyricicoccus(OR=1.781,95%CI:1.194-2.657,P=0.005),Coprococcus 2(OR=1.550,95%CI:1.068-2.251,P=0.021),Family ⅩⅢ UCG-001(OR=1.473,95%CI:1.001-2.168,P=0.049),Methanobrevibacter(OR=1.274,95%CI:1.001-1.621,P=0.049),and Roseburia(OR=1.429,95%CI:1.015-2.013,P=0.041)would increase the risk of osteoporotic fractures in patients.Elevated abundance of Bacteroidia(OR=0.660,95%CI:0.455-0.959,P=0.029),Bacteroidales(OR=0.660,95%CI:0.455-0.959,P=0.029),Christensenellacea(OR=0.725,95%CI:0.529-0.995,P=0.047),Ruminococcaceae(OR=0.643,95%CI:0.443-0.933,P=0.020),Enterorhabdus(OR=0.558,95%CI:0.395-0.788,P=0.001),Eubacterium rectale group(OR=0.631,95%CI:0.435-0.916,P=0.016),Lachnospiraceae UCG008(OR=0.738,95%CI:0.546-0.998,P=0.048),and Ruminiclostridium 9(OR=0.492,95%CI:0.324-0.746,P=0.001)would reduce the risk of osteoporotic fractures in patients.We identified 16 gut microbiota associated with osteoporotic fracture by the Mendelian randomization method.That is,using gut microbiota as the exposure factor and osteoporotic fracture as the outcome variable,eight gut microbiota showed positive causal associations with osteoporotic fracture and another eight gut microbiota showed negative causal associations with osteoporotic fracture.The results of this study not only identify new biomarkers for the early prediction of osteoporotic fracture and potential therapeutic targets in clinical practice,but also provide an experimental basis and theoretical basis for the study of improving the occurrence and prognosis of osteoporotic fracture through gut microbiota in bone tissue engineering.
10.Sigma-1 receptor expression in rat brain tissue is correlated with brain injury after cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Haiyan ZHAO ; Yijie WANG ; Rong LIU ; Jilin YANG ; Ting LI ; Xiaolin ZHU ; Jiahong QIN
Basic & Clinical Medicine 2025;45(9):1200-1207
Objective To explore the effects of sigma-1 receptor(Sig-1R)on brain function in rats after cardiopulmo-nary resuscitation and its protective role in brain injury.Methods Rats were randomly assigned to four groups with 20 in each:sham-operated control(sham group),6-hour post-resuscitation(PR 6 h group),12-hour post-resuscitation(PR 12 h group)and 24-hour post-resuscitation(PR 24 h group).In the latter three groups,cardiac arrest was induced by as-phyxiation,and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed 6 minutes after cardiac arrest.The rats were scored for neu-rological deficits at 6,12 and 24 hrs after resuscitation,respectively;after that,the rats were executed,and the expres-sion of Sig-1R protein,mitochondrial function index,and endoplasmic reticulum stress index apoptosis index were detec-ted by Western blot and immunohistochemistry.The correlation between Sig-1R and mitochondrial,endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis indexes was evaluated.Results Compared with the sham-operated group,the rats in test group showed a gradual decrease in neurological deficit scores,Sig-1R protein expression,brain tissue adenosine triphos-phate(ATP)concentration and mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP)levels at 6,12,and 24 hrs of PR(P<0.05);CHOP protein,activated cleaved caspase-12 and cleaved caspase-3 protein expression were consistently elevated(P<0.05).In addition,Sig-1R was negatively correlated with brain tissue endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis(P<0.05)but positively correlated with mitochondrial membrane potential level(P<0.05).Conclusions Sig-1R ex-pression in rat brain tissue correlates with brain injury after cardiopulmonary resuscitation and potential mechanism seems to be neuronal protection through modulating mitochondrial function and endoplasmic reticulum stress.

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