1.Serum nitric oxide synthase 4 and matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression in patients with diabetic neovascular glaucoma and their clinical significance
Xiaomin LIU ; Jingfei BAN ; Jing LYU ; Wenwen LI ; Jingke LI ; Shunling YANG
International Eye Science 2026;26(1):103-108
AIM: To investigate and analyze serum nitric oxide synthase 4(NOX4)and matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)-2 expressions in patients with diabetes mellitus(DM)complicated with neovascular glaucoma(NVG)and their clinical significance.METHODS: A prospective study was conducted on 161 patients with DM complicated with NVG admitted to Handan City Eye Hospital(The Third Hospital of Handan)from June 2020 to June 2023. Based on whether complications occurred 1 a after trabeculectomy in the study group patients, they were divided into a group with good prognosis(n=90)and a group with poor prognosis(n=71). During the same period, 161 patients with chronic angle-closure glaucoma without iris neovascularization were selected as the control group. ELISA method was applied to detect the expression levels of serum NOX4 and MMP-2. ROC curve was plotted to evaluate the diagnostic value and postoperative complication prediction value of NOX4 and MMP-2 in patients with DM complicated with NVG. Pearson method was applied to analyze the correlation of NOX4 and MMP-2 with vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)and interleukin-6(IL-6). Multivariate Logistic regression was applied to analyze the influencing factors of postoperative complications in the study group.RESULTS:The general information of the study group and control group of patients is comparable. Compared with the control group, the expression levels of serum NOX4, MMP-2, VEGF, and IL-6 in the study group were significantly increased(P<0.001). According to Pearson analysis, serum NOX4 and MMP-2 levels significantly positively correlated with VEGF and IL-6 levels, respectively(P<0.001). According to ROC curve, the AUC of NOX4 combined with MMP-2 in the diagnosis of DM complicated with NVG was better than that of individual diagnosis of NOX4(Z=3.341, P<0.05)and MMP-2(Z=2.788, P<0.05). The duration of DM, the proportion of people with intraocular pressure >21 mmHg, and the expression levels of NOX4, MMP-2, VEGF, and IL-6 in the poor prognosis group were all higher than those in the good prognosis group(P<0.001). The duration of DM, intraocular pressure >21 mmHg, the levels of NOX4, MMP-2, VEGF, and IL-6 were all risk factors for poor prognosis in DM patients with NVG(P<0.001). According to ROC curve, the combined prediction of NOX4 and MMP-2 for postoperative complications in patients with DM complicated by NVG was superior to the AUC predicted by NOX4(Z=3.727, P<0.05)and MMP-2(Z=2.219, P<0.05), respectively.CONCLUSION:NOX4 and MMP-2 are upregulated in the serum of patients with DM complicated by NVG. Combined detection of these two markers holds significant clinical value for the early diagnosis and prognosis of patients with DM complicated by NVG.
2.Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Comorbidity of Parkinson's Disease and Depression: A Review
Qi ZHENG ; Xiaomin XU ; Simeng WANG ; Shumin LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(4):268-276
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder primarily characterized by motor dysfunction. Traditionally, its main clinical features include resting tremor, muscular rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural balance disorders. However, an increasing number of studies have shown that its non-motor symptoms (NMS) exert an even greater impact on patients' quality of life than motor symptoms, severely affecting daily functioning and increasing the burden on families and society. Among these, depression is one of the most common and most debilitating NMS, with statistics indicating that the incidence of depression among PD patients reaches as high as 40%-50%. The pathological mechanisms are complex, involving the interplay between degenerative changes in dopaminergic neurons and disruptions in emotional regulatory circuits, which poses a substantial challenge to clinical treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), characterized by holistic regulation and multi-target intervention, has demonstrated significant advantages in the treatment of PD and depression, offering new insights for managing PD-depression comorbidity. This study integrates research extracted from multiple databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), that investigates the potential mechanisms of PD and depression as well as TCM-based treatments for these conditions. The aim is to elucidate the shared pathological mechanisms underlying PD and depression and to explore the therapeutic potential of TCM in effectively combating PD-depression comorbidity through these shared mechanisms, thereby providing valuable insights for the development of targeted therapies.
3.Preventive effect of LifePort combined with polymyxin B on donor-derived infections in kidney transplantation
Xiaomin LI ; Yuewei YIN ; Chenming ZHAO ; Yalin NIU ; Kailong LIU ; Pingying GUO ; Wei LI ; Baosai LU
Organ Transplantation 2026;17(2):227-234
Objective To evaluate the effect of LifePort combined with polymyxin B in preventing donor-derived infections caused by preservation solution contamination. Methods Clinical data of 110 kidney transplant recipients were retrospectively analyzed. According to the decontamination status of preservation solution, the recipients were divided into the decontamination group (n=62) and the non-decontamination group (n=48). The general data of the two groups were compared, and the preventive effect of polymyxin B on possible donor-derived infections (p-DDI) was analyzed, especially infections associated with multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (MDR GNB). Results There were no statistically significant differences in baseline data (gender, age, preservation solution contamination status, etc.) between the decontamination group and the non-decontamination group (all P > 0.05). The overall contamination rate of preservation solution was 80.0%, and 68 contaminated samples were with single microorganism and 20 with multiple microorganisms. Coagulase-negative staphylococci, Enterococcus and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the most common microorganisms in the positive samples. Fifteen cases of preservation solution were contaminated by MDR GNB, including 10 cases in the non-decontamination group and 5 cases in the decontamination group, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.053). Postoperative infection-related events occurred in 69 recipients, including 39 cases in the non-decontamination group and 30 cases in the decontamination group, with the incidence rate in the non-decontamination group significantly higher than that in the decontamination group (P < 0.001). Only 10 cases of infections were identified as p-DDI, all of which were positive for preservation solution culture, including 8 cases in the non-decontamination group and 2 cases in the decontamination group (P < 0.05). There were 5 cases of p-DDI related to MDR GNB in the non-decontamination group, while no such cases occurred in the decontamination group (P < 0.05). No adverse reactions related to polymyxin B were observed, and no recipient death or renal allograft dysfunction occurred in either group. Conclusions Adding polymyxin B to the preservation fluid during hypothermic machine perfusion with LifePort before renal transplantation may reduce p-DDI and its potential adverse consequences.
4.Ethical challenges and countermeasures of generative artificial intelligence in medical informed consent: a case study of Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer
Yongqi REN ; Mengyuan LI ; Xing LIU ; Xiaomin WANG
Chinese Medical Ethics 2026;39(3):307-313
Informed consent constitutes a fundamental ethical principle in medical practice. With the in-depth integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) represented by Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT) with medicine, it has brought revolutionary development to traditional informed consent while also introducing new ethical challenges. ChatGPT offers features such as improving the readability of informed consent content, enhancing its comprehensiveness and accuracy, and increasing the convenience of obtaining informed consent. However, as the application of ChatGPT in informed consent is still in the exploratory stage, it is imperative to proactively and fully consider the accompanying ethical issues, such as information security, liability determination, transparency, and fairness. This paper conducted an ethical analysis on the challenges faced by generative AI, represented by ChatGPT, in the application of informed consent and proposed countermeasures, such as upholding free and fully informed consent, strengthening the balance of rights and obligations in informed consent, and establishing a transparent and fair supervision mechanism. The aim was to promote the ethically compliant, orderly, and controllable development of generative AI in the field of medical informed consent.
5.Optimization strategy of inpatient pharmacy “internet-based medicine delivery”management model based on SWOT analysis
Jing XIE ; Shupei LI ; Shijia LIU ; Xiaomin WANG
China Pharmacy 2026;37(10):1346-1351
OBJECTIVE To address the management challenges encountered by inpatient pharmacy of our hospital in undertaking “internet-based medicine delivery” (IMD) services, and to improve service efficiency and medication safety. METHODS SWOT analysis method was applied to systematically examine both internal and external factors, formulate comprehensive management strategies, and restructure the service processes. Process optimization included: establishing a closed-loop process for dispensing and returning drugs based on the drug traceability codes; unifying the drug inventory of the inpatient pharmacy with that of IMD, optimizing the management of storage locations; improving the inventory management function of the hospital information system, and adjusting the inventory counting plan and shift scheduling rules. The indicators of the inpatient pharmacy, including inventory structure, dispensing efficiency, inventory checks accuracy rate, the rationality rate of prescription, and consistency rate of human-machine review, were compared before and after the implementation of the strategies to evaluate the implementation effects. RESULTS After implementation, the structure of the drug inventory was significantly optimized. The proportion of drugs approaching their expiration dates decreased by 35.55%, the proportion of unsold drugs decreased by 64.52%, and the proportion of drugs that had been accumulated for more than 4 weeks decreased by 33.26%. The speed of prescription dispensing increased by 34.92%, and the daily drug requisition time was shortened by 62.03%. The accuracy rate of inventory checks rose from 86.33% to 90.33%, while the rationality rate of prescriptions and the consistency rate of human-machine review rose from 86.00% and 89.33% to 95.00% and 97.00% respectively. Furthermore, the launch of the drug traceability system reduced external dispensing errors from 4 to 1. CONCLUSIONS The comprehensive management strategy based on SWOT analysis can effectively improve the quality of drug management in the inpatient pharmacy and the operational efficiency of IMD, ensuring timely and safe medication for patients.
6.Advances in basic and clinical research on congenital ectopia lentis
International Eye Science 2026;26(7):1174-1179
Congenital ectopialentis(CEL)is a significant cause of blindness-related disease in children and adolescents, with a highly heterogeneous etiology. It can manifest either as a prominent ocular phenotype of connective tissue disorders such as Marfan syndrome or as an isolated condition. Emerging evidence indicates that zonular microfibrils and extracellular matrix homeostasis represent the core pathological basis. Variants in genes including FBN1, ADAMTSL4, LTBP2, ADAMTS10/17, ASPH, and SUOX lead to lens malposition and anterior segment remodeling by disrupting microfibril assembly, anchoring, and signaling regulation. Clinically, after excluding secondary causes, a stratified diagnosis based on phenotypic presentation should be pursued. Genetic testing can adopt a stepwise strategy of “panel-first, supplemented by whole-exome/whole-genome sequencing(WES/WGS)”, combined with family-based follow-up and reassessment. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the pathogenic basis, genetic spectrum and genotype-phenotype correlations, diagnostic workflows, and testing strategies, and presents a clinically oriented stratified diagnostic framework aimed at improving early recognition and systemic risk management.
7.Neurotoxicity Mechanism of Dictamni Cortex Based on Network Toxicology and Metabolomics
Xiaomin XU ; Jiameixue WO ; Suxia JIA ; Wenkai HU ; Fang LU ; Shumin LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(20):31-39
ObjectiveThis study aims to explore the neurotoxicity mechanism of Dictamni Cortex by integrating network toxicology and metabolomics techniques. MethodsThe neurotoxicity targets induced by Dictamni Cortex were screened by the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), Traditional Chinese Medicine Information Database (TCM-ID), and Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD). The target predictions of the components were performed by the Swiss Target Prediction tool. Neurotoxicity-related targets were collected from the Pharmacophore Mapping and Potential Target Identification Platform (PharmMapper), GeneCards Human Gene Database (GeneCards), DisGeNET Disease Gene Network (DisGeNET), and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), and the intersection targets were identified. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis were conducted. A "drug-compound-toxicity target-pathway" network was constructed via Cytoscape software to display the core regulatory network. Based on the prediction results, the neurotoxicity mechanism of Dictamni Cortex in mice was verified by using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, Nissl staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), quantitative real-time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR), and Western blot. The effects of Dictamni Cortex on the metabolic profile of mouse brain tissue were further explored by non-targeted metabolomics. ResultsNetwork toxicology screening identified 13 compounds and 175 targets in Dictamni Cortex that were related to neurotoxicity. PPI network analysis revealed that serine/threonine-protein kinase (Akt1) and tumor protein 53 (TP53) were the core targets. Additionally, GO/KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that Dictamni Cortex may regulate the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway and affect oxidative stress and cell apoptosis, thereby inducing neural damage. The "Dictamni Cortex-compound-toxicity target-pathway-neural damage" network showed that dictamnine, phellodendrine, and fraxinellone may be the toxic compounds. Animal experiments showed that compared with those in the blank group, the hippocampal neurons in the brain tissue of mice treated with Dictamni Cortex were damaged. The level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and acetylcholine (ACh) in the brain tissue was significantly reduced, while the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) was significantly increased. The level of Akt1 and p-Akt1 mRNAs and proteins in the brain tissue was significantly decreased, while the level of TP53 was significantly increased. Non-targeted metabolomics results showed that Dictamni Cortex could disrupt the level of 40 metabolites in mouse brain tissue, thereby regulating the homeostasis of 13 metabolism pathways, including phenylalanine, glycerophospholipid, and retinol. Combined analysis revealed that Akt1, p-Akt1, and TP53 were significantly correlated with phenylalanine, glycerophospholipid, and retinol metabolites. This suggested that Dictamni Cortex induced neurotoxicity in mice by regulating Akt1, p-Akt1, and TP53 and further modulating the phenylalanine, glycerophospholipid, and retinol metabolism pathways. ConclusionDictamni Cortex can induce neurotoxicity in mice, and its potential mechanism may be closely related to the activation of oxidative stress, inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, and regulation of phenylalanine, glycerophospholipid, and retinol metabolism pathways.
8.Effect of Dictamni Cortex on Intestinal Barrier Damage by Untargeted Metabolomics and Targeted Metabolomics for Short-chain Fatty Acids
Xiaomin XU ; Donghua YU ; Yu WANG ; Pingping CHEN ; Jiameixue WO ; Suxia JIA ; Wenkai HU ; Fang LU ; Shumin LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(20):40-47
ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the effect of Dictamni Cortex on intestinal barrier damage in rats and its mechanism by untargeted metabolomics and targeted metabolomics for short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). MethodsRats were randomly divided into a control group, a high-dose group of Dictamni Cortex (8.1 g·kg-1), a medium-dose group (2.7 g·kg-1), and a low-dose group (0.9 g·kg-1). Except for the control group, the other groups were administered different doses of Dictamni Cortex by gavage for eight consecutive weeks. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the pathological changes in the ileal tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to detect the level of cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), in the ileal tissue of rats. Quantitative real-time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) technology was used to detect the expression level of tight junction proteins, including zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), Occludin, and Claudin-1 mRNAs, in the ileal tissue of rats to preliminarily explore the effects of Dictamni Cortex on intestinal damage. The dose with the most significant toxic phenotype was selected to further reveal the effects of Dictamni Cortex on the metabolic profile of ileal tissue in rats by non-targeted metabolomics combined with targeted metabolomics for SCFAs. ResultsCompared with the control group, all doses of Dictamni Cortex induced varying degrees of pathological damage in the ileum, increased TNF-α (P<0.01), IL-6 (P<0.01), and IL-1β (P<0.01) levels in the ileal tissue, and decreased the expression level of ZO-1 (P<0.05, P<0.01), Occludin (P<0.01), and Claudin-1 (P<0.05) in the ileal tissue, with the high-dose group showing the most significant toxic phenotypes. The damage mechanisms of the high-dose group of Dictamni Cortex on the ileal tissue were further explored by integrating non-targeted metabolomics and targeted metabolomics for SCFAs. The non-targeted metabolomics results showed that 21 differential metabolites were identified in the control group and the high-dose group. Compared with that in the control group, after Dictamni Cortex intervention, the level of 14 metabolites was significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the level of seven metabolites was significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01) in the ileal contents. These metabolites collectively acted on 10 related metabolic pathways, including glycerophospholipids and primary bile acid biosynthesis. The quantitative data of targeted metabolomics for SCFAs showed that Dictamni Cortex intervention disrupted the level of propionic acid, butyric acid, acetic acid, caproic acid, isobutyric acid, isovaleric acid, valeric acid, and isocaproic acid in the ileal contents of rats. Compared with those in the control group, the level of isobutyric acid, isovaleric acid, and valeric acid were significantly increased, while the level of propionic acid, butyric acid, and acetic acid were significantly decreased in the ileal contents of rats after Dictamni Cortex intervention (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionDictamni Cortex can induce intestinal damage by regulating glycerophospholipid metabolism, primary bile acid biosynthesis, and metabolic pathways for SCFAs.
9.Association between unhealthy lifestyle and risk of heart disease and diabetes in the elderly in Xi'an
Ning CUI ; Jun LIU ; Rui WANG ; Nini MA ; Man ZHANG ; Aiping SUN ; Xiaomin RAN ; Aiqing PAN
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2025;36(5):163-167
Objective To investigate the association between lifestyle and risk of heart disease and diabetes in the elderly population in Xi'an City. Methods From January 2021 to January 2024, a staged cluster sampling method was used to investigate the lifestyle and the occurrence of heart disease and diabetes in elderly population aged 60 years and above in the communities of Xi'an. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between lifestyle and the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Results A total of 413 elderly people were investigated, of which 31.96% had heart disease, 27.12% had diabetes, and 10.90% had diabetes with heart disease. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age, BMI, family history, sweet food preference, smoking, and sitting and lying for a long time were risk factors for diabetes in the elderly population (P<0.05). Age, BMI, family history, history of diabetes, preference for salted products, smoking, drinking, and sitting and lying for a long time were risk factors for heart disease in the elderly population (P<0.05). Conclusion The incidence rates of heart disease and diabetes are high in the elderly population in Xi'an City. The risk of diabetes is related to unhealthy lifestyles such as sweet food preference, smoking, and sitting and lying for a long time, while heart disease is related to unhealthy lifestyles such as preference for salted products, smoking, drinking, and sitting and lying for a long time.
10.Mechanism by which esketamine improves postoperative cognitive impairment in rats with hip fracture through AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway
Xuan LIU ; Xiaomin ZHANG ; Jinting LIU ; Yan HAO ; Yeming WANG ; Lixing CHEN
China Pharmacy 2025;36(21):2674-2680
OBJECTIVE To investigate the mechanism by which esketamine improves postoperative cognitive impairment in rats with hip fracture based on the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/silencing information regulatory factor 1 (SIRT1)/ peroxisome proliferator activated-receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) signaling pathway. METHODS Rats with hip fracture surgery were assigned into model group, esketamine group (10 mg/kg), inhibitor group (250 μg/mL AMPK inhibitor Compound C), and esketamine+inhibitor group (10 mg/kg esketamine + 250 μg/mL Compound C), and rats undergoing sham surgery were used as the control group, with 12 rats in each group. New object recognition and Barnes maze experiments were used to E-mail:448231@163.com evaluate cognitive function in rats. The levels of serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β),superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), dopamine (DA) and glutamate (Glu), and the apoptosis of hippocampal neurons were detected. The pathological morphology of the hippocampal tissue and the ultrastructure of mitochondria were observed. The mRNA expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax),the mRNA and protein expression of AMPK, SIRT1 and PGC-1α, as well as the expression of phosphorylated (p)-AMPK in hippocampal tissue, were detected. RESULTS Compared with the control group, the hippocampal neurons in the model group of rats were disordered, with more neurons necrotic and swollen mitochondria;the new object recognition index, the SOD, GABA, DA levels, Bcl-2, AMPK, SIRT1 and PGC-1α mRNA expression levels, and p-AMPK, SIRT1, PGC-1α protein expression levels were significantly reduced, while the latency and number of errors for locating unknown holes, the TNF-α, IL-1β, MDA and Glu levels, neuronal cell apoptosis rate, and Bax mRNA expression levels were significantly increased/prolonged (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the esketamine group showed reduced pathological damage to the hippocampal tissue of rats, and the new object recognition index, the SOD, GABA and DA levels, the Bcl-2, AMPK, SIRT1 and PGC-1α mRNA expression levels, and p-AMPK, SIRT1, PGC-1α protein expression levels were significantly increased,while the latency and error frequency for locating unknown holes, TNF-α, IL-1β, MDA and Glu levels, neuronal cell apoptosis rate, and Bax mRNA expression levels were significantly decreased (P<0.05);the inhibitor group showed the opposite trend of changes in these indicators compared to the esketamine group (P<0.05).AMPK inhibitor could reverse the improvement effect of esketamine on the above indicators after hip fracture surgery in rats (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Esketamine may improve postoperative inflammatory response and oxidative stress levels in rats with hip fracture by activating the AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway, inhibiting neuronal cell apoptosis, improving mitochondrial structure, and promoting postoperative cognitive function recovery.


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