1.Autophagy in skeletal muscle dysfunction of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: implications, mechanisms, and perspectives.
Xiaoyu HAN ; Peijun LI ; Meiling JIANG ; Yuanyuan CAO ; Yingqi WANG ; Linhong JIANG ; Xiaodan LIU ; Weibing WU
Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B 2025;26(3):227-239
Skeletal muscle dysfunction is a common extrapulmonary comorbidity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is associated with decreased quality-of-life and survival in patients. The autophagy lysosome pathway is one of the proteolytic systems that significantly affect skeletal muscle structure and function. Intriguingly, both promoting and inhibiting autophagy have been observed to improve COPD skeletal muscle dysfunction, yet the mechanism is unclear. This paper first reviewed the effects of macroautophagy and mitophagy on the structure and function of skeletal muscle in COPD, and then explored the mechanism of autophagy mediating the dysfunction of skeletal muscle in COPD. The results showed that macroautophagy- and mitophagy-related proteins were significantly increased in COPD skeletal muscle. Promoting macroautophagy in COPD improves myogenesis and replication capacity of muscle satellite cells, while inhibiting macroautophagy in COPD myotubes increases their diameters. Mitophagy helps to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis by removing impaired mitochondria in COPD. Autophagy is a promising target for improving COPD skeletal muscle dysfunction, and further research should be conducted to elucidate the specific mechanisms by which autophagy mediates COPD skeletal muscle dysfunction, with the aim of enhancing our understanding in this field.
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/physiopathology*
;
Autophagy/physiology*
;
Humans
;
Muscle, Skeletal/pathology*
;
Mitophagy
;
Animals
;
Mitochondria/metabolism*
;
Lysosomes
2.Strategies for the Syndrome Differentiation and Treatment of Malignant Tumors Based on the Theory of Stagnant Toxin
Luchang CAO ; Ruike GAO ; Manman XU ; Xiaoyu ZHU ; Guanghui ZHU ; Jie LI
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(10):1000-1006
"Stagnation" is an important pathological state in the development and progression of malignant tumors. However, its intrinsic connection with different stages of tumor evolution has not been clearly elucidated in previous studies. Drawing on clinical practice, this paper proposes the theory of stagnant toxin, emphasizing stage-specific pathogenesis and differentiated treatment strategies for tumors based on the varying manifestations of stagnation at each phase. The theory interprets the pathogenesis of stagnant toxin across the stages of tumor development through the five elements "wood, fire, earth, metal, and water" corresponding respectively to wood stagnation in the precancerous stage, metal stagnation in the postoperative phase, fire stagnation during adjuvant therapy, earth stagnation in the progressive stage, and water stagnation in the advanced stage. Each type of stagnation reflects a distinct pathogenic mechanism, such as wood stagnation giving rise to disease, metal stagnation inducing residual symptoms, fire stagnation resulting in ulceration, earth stagnation spreading toxin transmission, and water stagnation leading to critical deterioration. Accordingly, the treatment principles include guiding wood stagnation with counterflow, dispersing metal stagnation to harmonize symptoms, venting fire stagnation to regress ulcers, depleting earth stagnation to block progression, and controlling water stagnation to preserve vitality. This theoretical framework offers a traditional Chinese medicine perspective for understanding and treating malignant tumors based on the concept of stagnant toxin.
3.Postoperative Stage-based Functional Protection Strategies for Lung Cancer Based on Theory of "Lungs Governing Qi"
Luchang CAO ; Guanghui ZHU ; Ruike GAO ; Manman XU ; Xiaoyu ZHU ; Wei HOU ; Ying ZHANG ; Jie LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(18):86-93
Lung cancer (LC) is a significant global public health issue, with both its incidence and mortality rates ranking among the highest worldwide. The age-standardized incidence and mortality rates are increasing annually, posing a serious threat to the life and health of LC patients. Radical surgical resection is the primary treatment for malignant lung tumors. However, postoperative multidimensional functional impairments, including respiratory, mucosal, and psychological functions, are common. These impairments not only reduce patients' quality of life and affect their treatment tolerance and duration, but also negatively correlate with prognosis, facilitating disease recurrence and metastasis. At present, postoperative functional dysfunction after LC surgery remains a key clinical challenge that urgently needs to be addressed. There is a lack of standardized and regulated postoperative rehabilitation treatment management and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) differentiation and treatment strategies for LC. Focusing on the core underlying pathogenesis of "Qi sinking" after LC surgery, and guided by the classical TCM theory of "lungs governing Qi", this study, based on the core concept of the "five perspectives on treatment" theory, innovatively proposes the respiratory dysfunction as the core pathogenesis of "Qi sinking in the chest" during the rapid rehabilitation phase, mucosal dysfunction as the core pathogenesis of "Yin deficiency and Qi sinking" during the postoperative adjuvant treatment phase, and the psychological dysfunction as the core pathogenesis of "Qi sinking with emotional constraint" during the consolidation phase. Accordingly, stage-specific dynamic functional protection strategies are constructed. In the rapid rehabilitation phase, the strategy emphasizes tonifying Qi and uplifting sinking Qi, with differentiation and treatment based on the principle of ''descending before ascending''. In the adjuvant treatment phase, the approach focuses on nourishing Yin and uplifting Qi, with prescription combinations that integrate unblocking and tonification. In the consolidation phase, the strategy aims to resolve constraint and uplift Qi, with clinical treatment emphasizing a combination of dynamic and static methods. At each stage of functional rehabilitation, clinical differentiation and treatment should support healthy Qi and eliminate pathogenic factors simultaneously. This study is the first to propose the concept of postoperative functional protection in TCM, offering a new approach for TCM differentiation and treatment in the full-cycle, stage-based, and dynamic protection of postoperative function in LC patients. It is expected to contribute to the construction and development of an integrated TCM-Western medicine comprehensive program for cancer prevention and treatment in China.
4.A Hierarchical Strategy for Differentiation and Treatment of Recurrent Aphthous Oral Ulcers Related to Targeted Therapy for Lung Cancer Based on Yin Deficiency and Qi Collapse
Luchang CAO ; Guanghui ZHU ; Ruike GAO ; Manman XU ; Xiaoyu ZHU ; Ming LIN ; Ying ZHANG ; Jie LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(18):116-125
Tumor treatment-related adverse reactions are a major focus of clinical concern, among which recurrent aphthous oral ulcers (RAU) associated with targeted therapy for lung cancer (LC) are among the most painful and distressing for patients. Currently, modern medical interventions show limited efficacy, and there is an urgent need for more effective treatment strategies. This study differentiates RAU associated with targeted therapy for LC from chemotherapy-related and ordinary oral ulcers, elucidates the pathophysiological basis of such ulcers, and traces the theoretical origin of "Yin deficiency and Qi collapse". Based on the new system of "five perspectives on diagnosis and treatment" for tumor prevention and treatment, with a focus on the core and symptom perspectives and rooted in the traditional concept of "lung dominating Qi", we innovatively propose the concept of "medicine-induced ulcer" and are the first to introduce the theory of "Yin deficiency and Qi collapse" into the syndrome differentiation and treatment of RAU associated with targeted therapy for LC (i.e., medicine-induced ulcer). We propose that "Yin deficiency and Qi collapse" is the core pathogenesis of medicine-induced ulcers, in which the collapse of formless Qi is the key to their onset, while the deficiency and stasis of tangible Yin and blood constitute the root of recurrence. A hierarchical strategy for syndrome differentiation and treatment is established: first treating the collapse of formless Qi, then replenishing tangible deficiencies, and concurrently preventing recurrence. We emphasize that treatment should address both root and manifestation, with appropriate prioritization. In the acute phase, while relieving symptoms and promoting ulcer healing by nourishing Qi, uplifting collapse, and generating body fluids, attention should also be paid to nourishing spleen Yin, facilitating the circulation of nutritive Qi, and alleviating stasis to target the root pathogenesis and reduce recurrence. A verified case is presented to support this approach. This study enriches the theoretical framework and clinical methods of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of RAU associated with targeted therapy for LC, promotes symptom management of treatment-related adverse reactions through integrated TCM and Western medicine, and provides theoretical support for the construction and development of a comprehensive differentiation and treatment system for lung cancer prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.
5.Evolution of Medication Patterns in Traditional Chinese Medicine for Treating Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Chen WANG ; Xiaoyu CAO ; Yalan LI ; Shaoshuai LIU ; Guiying PENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(20):94-102
ObjectiveTo explore the evolution of medication patterns and syndrome-herb associations of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), providing a theoretical foundation for precise syndrome differentiation and treatment in clinical practice. MethodsMedical case literature on TCM treatment of IBD from 1960 to 2024 was retrieved to establish a database. Frequency statistics, cluster analysis, change point detection, and association rule mining were employed to comprehensively analyze the syndrome distribution, therapeutic methods, medication patterns, and their temporal variations. ResultsA total of 685 medical cases were included. Common syndromes were dampness-heat (66.42%) and spleen deficiency (56.20%). Primary therapeutic methods included heat clearing (63.65%), spleen invigorating (47.45%), and dampness draining (36.79%). High-frequency herbs included Coptidis Rhizoma (354), Paeoniae Radix Alba (303), Aucklandiae Radix (292), Codonopsis Radix (253), and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (244). Initial prescription clustering revealed three core therapeutic method combinations: heat clearing and detoxifying (represented by Baitouweng Tang), spleen invigorating and Qi reinforcing (represented by Shenling Baizhusan), and cold-heat regulation (represented by Wumeiwan combined with Shaoyao tang). Temporal analysis identified 2008 as a key transition point in TCM treatment of IBD, with significantly increased usage frequency of heat-clearing and dampness-drying herbs such as Fraxini Cortex, Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex, Sophorae Flavescentis Radix, and Scutellariae Radix as well as hemostatic herbs such as carbonized Sanguisorbae Radix, Bletillae Rhizoma, Agrimoniae Herba, and Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma. Follow-up efficacy analysis showed median improvement rates of 64.0% at the first follow-up, 76.0% at the second follow-up, and 78.7% at the third follow-up. Syndrome-drug association analysis revealed specific herb pairs with significant therapeutic advantages, including Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma + Coicis Semen, Sanguisorbae Radix + Coptidis Rhizoma, and Codonopsis Radix + Aconii Lateralis Radix Praeparaia. ConclusionTCM medication patterns for treating IBD demonstrate distinct temporal evolution characteristics, with significantly increased usage frequency of herbs such as Fraxini Cortex, Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma, and Agrimoniae Herba. Significant therapeutic method-herb associations and syndrome-herb association patterns exist, with the formation of specific herb pairs, providing evidence-based support for precise syndrome differentiation and treatment of IBD.
6.Comparison of predictive accuracy and clinical applicability among four vancomycin individualized dosing tools
Shu CHEN ; Yanqin LU ; Yun SHEN ; Chang CAO ; Kunming PAN ; Xiaoyu LI ; Qianzhou LYU
China Pharmacy 2025;36(22):2822-2827
OBJECTIVE To compare the predictive accuracy and clinical applicability of four vancomycin individualized dosing tools (SmartDose, ClinCalc, Gulou, Pharmado) and provide a basis for rational clinical medication use. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted, enrolling 479 adult patients who received vancomycin therapy and underwent steady-state trough concentration monitoring in Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University (Xiamen Branch) from January 1, 2022, to June 30, 2024. The predictive accuracy of each tool was evaluated using indicators, such as mean error (ME), mean absolute error (MAE), mean percentage error (MPE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), the proportion of patients with an absolute percentage error (APE) of less than 30%, the 95% limits of agreement, and the overall relative percentage difference between predicted and measured values. Using indicators such as accessibility, patient management, and recommendation of multiple treatment options, the clinical panxso@163.com applicability of the tools for all patients was evaluated; using the discrepancy in accuracy between the predicted and actual measured blood drug concentrations as an indicator, the clinical applicability was assessed for patients in different renal function subgroups (hyperfunction, normal, mild impairment, moderate impairment, and severe impairment). RESULTS In terms of accuracy, SmartDose demonstrated the best overall performance with an MAPE of 46.40% and a proportion of APE <30% (46.56%). Bland-Altman analysis indicated that SmartDose had the smallest overall relative percentage difference (-7.25%), although the 95% limits of agreement were broad for all tools, with differences between the upper and lower limits exceeding 200%. In terms of applicability, all four dosing tools were freely accessible and demonstrated good availability; SmartDose and Pharmado provided the most comprehensive solutions, offering features such as patient management, multiple regimen recommendations, and drug concentration-time curve plotting. Stratified analysis based on renal function revealed that Pharmado showed optimal prediction for hyperfiltration patients (mean difference: 0.11 mg/L). SmartDose and ClinCalc showed relatively better performance in normal and mild renal impaiment (mean difference: 0.37, 0.51 mg/L and -1.13, -1.33 mg/L,respectively). SmartDose performed best in moderate renal impairment (mean difference: -2.60 mg/L). Pharmado and Gulou had smaller prediction biases in severe renal impairment (mean differences: 1.52 mg/L and -0.23 mg/L, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The four individualized dosing tools demonstrated limited accuracy in the initial prediction of vancomycin concentrations. Among them, SmartDose demonstrates the highest overall prediction accuracy and possesses comprehensive clinical management features. It is recommended that Pharmado be preferred for patients with renal hyperfiltration; SmartDose or ClinCalc can be used for patients with normal or mildly impaired renal function; SmartDose is recommended for patients with moderately impaired renal function; Pharmado or Gulou may be considered for patients with severely impaired renal function.
7.Heat stress affects expression levels of circadian clock gene Bmal1 and cyclins in rat thoracic aortic endothelial cells.
Xiaoyu CHANG ; Hanwen ZHANG ; Hongting CAO ; Ling HOU ; Xin MENG ; Hong TAO ; Yan LUO ; Guanghua LI
Journal of Southern Medical University 2025;45(7):1353-1362
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the structural changes of rat thoracic aorta and changes in expression levels of Bmal1 and cyclins in thoracic aorta endothelial cells following heat stress.
METHODS:
Twenty male SD rats were randomized equally into control group and heat stress group. After exposure to 32 ℃ for 2 weeks in the latter group, the rats were examined for histopathological changes and Bmal1 expression in the thoracic aorta using HE staining and immunohistochemistry. In the cell experiments, cultured rat thoracic aortic endothelial cells (RTAECs) were incubated at 40 ℃ for 12 h with or without prior transfection with a Bmal1-specific small interfering RNA (si-Bmal1) or a negative sequence. In both rat thoracic aorta and RTAECs, the expressions of Bmal1, the cell cycle proteins CDK1, CDK4, CDK6, and cyclin B1, and apoptosis-related proteins Bax and Bcl-2 were detected using Western blotting. TUNEL staining was used to detect cell apoptosis in rat thoracic aorta, and the changes in cell cycle distribution and apoptosis in RTAECs were analyzed with flow cytometry.
RESULTS:
Compared with the control rats, the rats exposed to heat stress showed significantly increased blood pressures and lowered heart rate with elastic fiber disruption and increased expressions of Bmal1, cyclin B1 and CDK1 in the thoracic aorta (P<0.05). In cultured RTAECs, heat stress caused significant increase of Bmal1, cyclin B1 and CDK1 protein expression levels, which were obviously lowered in cells with prior si-Bmal1 transfection. Bmal1 knockdown also inhibited heat stress-induced increase of apoptosis in RTAECs as evidenced by decreased expression of Bax and increased expression of Bcl-2.
CONCLUSIONS
Heat stress upregulates Bmal1 expression and causes alterations in expressions of cyclins to trigger apoptosis of rat thoracic aorta endothelial cells, which can be partly alleviated by suppressing Bmal1 expression.
Animals
;
ARNTL Transcription Factors/genetics*
;
Male
;
Aorta, Thoracic/metabolism*
;
Rats
;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
;
Endothelial Cells/metabolism*
;
Apoptosis
;
Cells, Cultured
;
Heat-Shock Response
;
Cyclin B1/metabolism*
;
CDC2 Protein Kinase/metabolism*
;
Cyclins/metabolism*
;
RNA, Small Interfering
;
bcl-2-Associated X Protein/metabolism*
8.Expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of cemental tear.
Ye LIANG ; Hongrui LIU ; Chengjia XIE ; Yang YU ; Jinlong SHAO ; Chunxu LV ; Wenyan KANG ; Fuhua YAN ; Yaping PAN ; Faming CHEN ; Yan XU ; Zuomin WANG ; Yao SUN ; Ang LI ; Lili CHEN ; Qingxian LUAN ; Chuanjiang ZHAO ; Zhengguo CAO ; Yi LIU ; Jiang SUN ; Zhongchen SONG ; Lei ZHAO ; Li LIN ; Peihui DING ; Weilian SUN ; Jun WANG ; Jiang LIN ; Guangxun ZHU ; Qi ZHANG ; Lijun LUO ; Jiayin DENG ; Yihuai PAN ; Jin ZHAO ; Aimei SONG ; Hongmei GUO ; Jin ZHANG ; Pingping CUI ; Song GE ; Rui ZHANG ; Xiuyun REN ; Shengbin HUANG ; Xi WEI ; Lihong QIU ; Jing DENG ; Keqing PAN ; Dandan MA ; Hongyu ZHAO ; Dong CHEN ; Liangjun ZHONG ; Gang DING ; Wu CHEN ; Quanchen XU ; Xiaoyu SUN ; Lingqian DU ; Ling LI ; Yijia WANG ; Xiaoyuan LI ; Qiang CHEN ; Hui WANG ; Zheng ZHANG ; Mengmeng LIU ; Chengfei ZHANG ; Xuedong ZHOU ; Shaohua GE
International Journal of Oral Science 2025;17(1):61-61
Cemental tear is a rare and indetectable condition unless obvious clinical signs present with the involvement of surrounding periodontal and periapical tissues. Due to its clinical manifestations similar to common dental issues, such as vertical root fracture, primary endodontic diseases, and periodontal diseases, as well as the low awareness of cemental tear for clinicians, misdiagnosis often occurs. The critical principle for cemental tear treatment is to remove torn fragments, and overlooking fragments leads to futile therapy, which could deteriorate the conditions of the affected teeth. Therefore, accurate diagnosis and subsequent appropriate interventions are vital for managing cemental tear. Novel diagnostic tools, including cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), microscopes, and enamel matrix derivatives, have improved early detection and management, enhancing tooth retention. The implementation of standardized diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols, combined with improved clinical awareness among dental professionals, serves to mitigate risks of diagnostic errors and suboptimal therapeutic interventions. This expert consensus reviewed the epidemiology, pathogenesis, potential predisposing factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cemental tear, aiming to provide a clinical guideline and facilitate clinicians to have a better understanding of cemental tear.
Humans
;
Dental Cementum/injuries*
;
Consensus
;
Diagnosis, Differential
;
Cone-Beam Computed Tomography
;
Tooth Fractures/therapy*
9.Detection of six common trichothecene toxins in oats by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry
Po CHEN ; Xiao NING ; Jingyun LI ; Jin CAO ; Xiaoyu HOU
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;36(7):653-660
ObjectiveTo establish a method using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) for the detection of six common trichothecene toxins in oats. MethodsOats were selected as the research subject in this study. Response surface design was used to optimize the QuEChERS extraction method. Additionally, a rapid and efficient strategy for sample extraction and purification was developed. Combined with UHPLC-MS/MS, six commonly co-occurring trichothecene toxins in oats were quantitatively analyzed simultaneously. ResultsThis method demonstrated good analytical performance for each analyte across the corresponding concentration ranges (r>0.99), with accuracy ranging from 87.26% to 99.64%. The inter-day and intra-day relative standard deviations were less than 6.8% and 5.5%, respectively, indicating its potential for practical application. This method was used to detect mycotoxins in 12 oat samples from China, and it was found that one sample exceeded the standard limits for deoxynivalenol (DON), and the co-contamination of trichothecene toxin was prevalent. ConclusionThe risk posed by these toxins has been underestimated. Ongoing, extensive monitoring is necessary to provide contamination data to assess the consumer risk.
10.Application of the comprehensive index method in occupational health risk assessment on chemical hazards in a metal product enterprise
Dongdong CAO ; Zihuan WANG ; Xiaoyu HU ; Lei ZHONG ; Lixia LIU ; Jia FU ; Li HU ; Liu LIU ; Yan YE
China Occupational Medicine 2024;51(5):533-538
Objective To evaluate the applicability of the comprehensive index method for assessing occupational health risks on chemical hazards in key work sites of a metal product enterprise. Methods A metal product enterprise in Beijing City was chosen as the research subject using the convenience sampling method. Occupational health investigations and chemical hazard monitoring were conducted at four work sites: grinding machine operation, welding, cutting, and painting. The comprehensive index method was used to determine the risk levels of chemical hazards. Results The grinding dust in the grinding machine operation work site was assessed as moderate risk. The nitrogen oxides and ozone in the welding (southeast) work sites were assessed as moderate risk. The nitrogen oxides ozone and welding fumes in the welding (northwest) and cutting work site were assessed as moderate risk. Benzene in the painting work site was assessed as moderate risk. All chemical hazards in other work sites were determined to pose low risks. Co-exposures to nitrogen oxides and ozone in the two welding work sites and cutting work site were classified as moderate risk. Co-exposure to ethylbenzene, xylene, methanol, ethyl acetate, and butyl acetate in the painting work site also posed moderate risk, while the co-exposure to toluene and methanol in the painting work site was assessed as low risk. Conclusion The comprehensive index method could be used for the occupational health risk assessment in the metal product enterprise. The enterprise should strengthen hazard control measures for exposure to grinding dust, welding fumes, nitrogen oxides, ozone, and benzene, and closely monitor the health risks associated with co-exposures of chemical hazards.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail