1.Mechanisms of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis Based on AMPK Signaling Pathway: A Review
Keqiu YAN ; Xiaoyu ZHANG ; Yifan CAI ; Wenjie XIAO ; Xinkun BAO ; Guangjun SUN ; Aizhen LIN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(7):341-351
Ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic relapsing inflammatory bowel disease, involves multifaceted pathological mechanisms such as intestinal barrier dysfunction, immune dysregulation, and oxidative stress. Current therapeutic strategies remain limited in efficacy and safety. In recent years, the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway has emerged as a pivotal therapeutic target for UC due to its central role in energy metabolism, inflammatory regulation, and intestinal homeostasis. This article systematically reviewed the mechanisms by which traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prevented and treated UC through the regulation of the AMPK signaling pathway, with a focus on elucidating AMPK's multidimensional regulatory network in inflammatory signaling crosstalk, alleviating oxidative stress, restoring intestinal immune balance, repairing the intestinal barrier, and modulating gut microbiota. Leveraging its unique advantages of multi-target engagement and low toxicity, TCM demonstrates promising potential in UC treatment and has become a focal area of research. By systematically summarizing and synthesizing the existing literature on TCM-mediated AMPK pathway modulation in UC, this review aims to provide a theoretical foundation for advancing mechanistic research and clinical interventions in UC.
2.Research on type 2 diabetes prediction algorithm based on photoplethysmography.
Mingying HU ; Quanyu WU ; Yifan CAO ; Jin CAO ; Yifan ZHAO ; Lin ZHANG ; Xiaojie LIU
Journal of Biomedical Engineering 2025;42(5):1005-1011
To address the current issues of data imbalance and scarcity in photoplethysmography (PPG) data for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) prediction, this study proposes an improved conditional Wasserstein generative adversarial network with gradient penalty (CWGAN-GP). The algorithm integrated gated recurrent unit (GRU) networks and self-attention mechanisms to construct a generator, aiming to produce high-quality PPG signals. Various data augmentation methods, including the improved CWGAN-GP, were employed to expand the PPG dataset, and multiple classifiers were applied for T2DM prediction analysis. Experimental results showed that the model trained on data generated by the improved CWGAN-GP achieved the optimal prediction performance. The highest accuracy reached 0.895 0, and compared with other data enhancement methods, this approach exhibited significant advantages in terms of precision and F1-score. The generated data notably enhances the accuracy and generalization ability of T2DM prediction models, providing a more reliable technical basis for non-invasive early T2DM screening based on PPG signals.
Photoplethysmography/methods*
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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/diagnosis*
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Humans
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Algorithms
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Neural Networks, Computer
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Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
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Prediction Algorithms
3.Analysis of Differences in Secondary Metabolites Between Dendrobium nobile Bionic Wild Cultivated on Epiphytic Stones and Trees Based on Widely Targeted Metabolomics
Yifan SHI ; Changqing ZHOU ; Jiaojiao WANG ; Lin CHEN ; Hongping CHEN ; Fu WANG ; Yuan HU ; Youping LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(10):218-224
ObjectiveTo explore the differences in the accumulation of secondary metabolites of Dendrobium nobile cultivated on epiphytic stones and trees, so as to elucidate the scientific connotation of "only those that grow on stones has superior quality", and provide a direction for the cultivation and quality evaluation of D. nobile. MethodsUltra-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole/linear ion trap mass spectrometry(UPLC-QTRAP-MS/MS)-based widely targeted metabolomics was used to detect the metabolites of D. nobile cultivated on epiphytic stones and trees. And the combination of principal component analysis(PCA), hierarchical cluster analysis(HCA), and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) was performed for multivariate statistical analysis of metabolites. Differential metabolites were screened by variable importance in the projection(VIP) value≥1 and log2fold change(FC)≥1 or ≤-1, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) enrichment analysis was conducted. ResultsA total of 1 267 metabolites were identified in the stems of D. nobile from the two cultivation modes, dominated by flavonoids(292), phenolic acids(284), and alkaloids(189). Through OPLS-DA screening, 473 differential metabolites were obtained. Compared to epiphytic tree-cultivated D. nobile, epiphytic stone-cultivated D. nobile exhibited upregulation of flavonoids, phenolic acids, alkaloids, lignans and coumarins, while quinones and terpenoids were down-regulated. The differential metabolites mainly included flavonoid glycosides and alkaloids, and these differential metabolites significantly contributed to characterizing the two cultivation patterns. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed significant enrichment in pathways of flavone and flavonol biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, tyrosine metabolism, and phenylalanine metabolism in epiphytic stone-cultivated D. nobile. ConclusionEpiphytic stone cultivation is beneficial for the accumulation of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and alkaloids in D. nobile, indicating that the "only those that grow on stones has superior quality" documented in the materia medica has certain scientific basis, and the findings also provide a reference for quality evaluation and discrimination research between epiphytic stone and tree cultivated D. nobile.
4.Process Optimization and Health Risk Assessment of Calcined Haematitum Based on QbD Concept
Yue YANG ; Jingwei ZHOU ; Jialiang ZOU ; Guorong MEI ; Yifan SHI ; Lei ZHONG ; Jiaojiao WANG ; Xuelian GAN ; Dewen ZENG ; Xin CHEN ; Lin CHEN ; Hongping CHEN ; Shilin CHEN ; Yuan HU ; Youping LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(13):187-196
ObjectiveTo investigate the processing technology of calcined Haematitum based on the concept of quality by design(QbD) and to assess its health risk. MethodsTaking whole iron content, Fe2+ dissolution content and looseness as critical quality attributes(CQAs), and calcination temperature, calcination time, spreading thickness and particle size as critical process parameters(CPPs) determined by the failure mode and effect analysis(FMEA), the processing technology of calcined Haematitum was optimized by orthogonal test combined with analytic hierarchy process-criteria importance through intercriteria correlation(AHP-CRITIC) hybrid weighting method. The contents of heavy metals and harmful elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and the health risk assessment was carried out by daily exposure(EXP), target hazard quotient(THQ) and lifetime cancer risk(LCR), and the theoretical value of the maximum limit was deduced. ResultsThe optimal processing technology for calcined Haematitum was calcination at 650 ℃, calcination time of 1 h, particle size of 0.2-0.5 cm, spreading thickness of 1 cm, and vinegar quenching for 1 time[Haematitum-vinegar(10:3)]. The contents of 5 heavy metals and harmful elements in 13 batches of calcined Haematitum were all decreased with reductions of up to 5-fold. The cumulative THQ of 2 batches of samples was>1, while the cumulative THQ of all batches of Haematitum was>1. The LCR of As in 1 batches of Haematitum was 1×10-6-1×10-4, and the LCR of the rest was<1×10-6, and the LCRs of calcined Haematitum were all<1×10-6, indicating that the carcinogenic risk of calcined Haematitum was low, but special attention should still be paid to Haematitum medicinal materials. Preliminary theoretical values of the maximum limits of Cu, As, Cd, Pb and Hg were formulated as 1 014, 25, 17, 27, 7 mg·kg-1. ConclusionThe optimized processing technology of calcined Haematitum is stable and feasible, and the contents of heavy metals and harmful elements are reduced after processing. Preliminary theoretical values of the maximum limits of Cu, As, Cd, Pb and Hg are formulated to provide a scientific basis for the formulation of standards for the limits of harmful elements in Haematitum.
5.Process Optimization and Health Risk Assessment of Calcined Haematitum Based on QbD Concept
Yue YANG ; Jingwei ZHOU ; Jialiang ZOU ; Guorong MEI ; Yifan SHI ; Lei ZHONG ; Jiaojiao WANG ; Xuelian GAN ; Dewen ZENG ; Xin CHEN ; Lin CHEN ; Hongping CHEN ; Shilin CHEN ; Yuan HU ; Youping LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(13):187-196
ObjectiveTo investigate the processing technology of calcined Haematitum based on the concept of quality by design(QbD) and to assess its health risk. MethodsTaking whole iron content, Fe2+ dissolution content and looseness as critical quality attributes(CQAs), and calcination temperature, calcination time, spreading thickness and particle size as critical process parameters(CPPs) determined by the failure mode and effect analysis(FMEA), the processing technology of calcined Haematitum was optimized by orthogonal test combined with analytic hierarchy process-criteria importance through intercriteria correlation(AHP-CRITIC) hybrid weighting method. The contents of heavy metals and harmful elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and the health risk assessment was carried out by daily exposure(EXP), target hazard quotient(THQ) and lifetime cancer risk(LCR), and the theoretical value of the maximum limit was deduced. ResultsThe optimal processing technology for calcined Haematitum was calcination at 650 ℃, calcination time of 1 h, particle size of 0.2-0.5 cm, spreading thickness of 1 cm, and vinegar quenching for 1 time[Haematitum-vinegar(10:3)]. The contents of 5 heavy metals and harmful elements in 13 batches of calcined Haematitum were all decreased with reductions of up to 5-fold. The cumulative THQ of 2 batches of samples was>1, while the cumulative THQ of all batches of Haematitum was>1. The LCR of As in 1 batches of Haematitum was 1×10-6-1×10-4, and the LCR of the rest was<1×10-6, and the LCRs of calcined Haematitum were all<1×10-6, indicating that the carcinogenic risk of calcined Haematitum was low, but special attention should still be paid to Haematitum medicinal materials. Preliminary theoretical values of the maximum limits of Cu, As, Cd, Pb and Hg were formulated as 1 014, 25, 17, 27, 7 mg·kg-1. ConclusionThe optimized processing technology of calcined Haematitum is stable and feasible, and the contents of heavy metals and harmful elements are reduced after processing. Preliminary theoretical values of the maximum limits of Cu, As, Cd, Pb and Hg are formulated to provide a scientific basis for the formulation of standards for the limits of harmful elements in Haematitum.
6.Evolution-guided design of mini-protein for high-contrast in vivo imaging.
Nongyu HUANG ; Yang CAO ; Guangjun XIONG ; Suwen CHEN ; Juan CHENG ; Yifan ZHOU ; Chengxin ZHANG ; Xiaoqiong WEI ; Wenling WU ; Yawen HU ; Pei ZHOU ; Guolin LI ; Fulei ZHAO ; Fanlian ZENG ; Xiaoyan WANG ; Jiadong YU ; Chengcheng YUE ; Xinai CUI ; Kaijun CUI ; Huawei CAI ; Yuquan WEI ; Yang ZHANG ; Jiong LI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(10):5327-5345
Traditional development of small protein scaffolds has relied on display technologies and mutation-based engineering, which limit sequence and functional diversity, thereby constraining their therapeutic and application potential. Protein design tools have significantly advanced the creation of novel protein sequences, structures, and functions. However, further improvements in design strategies are still needed to more efficiently optimize the functional performance of protein-based drugs and enhance their druggability. Here, we extended an evolution-based design protocol to create a novel minibinder, BindHer, against the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). It not only exhibits super stability and binding selectivity but also demonstrates remarkable properties in tissue specificity. Radiolabeling experiments with 99mTc, 68Ga, and 18F revealed that BindHer efficiently targets tumors in HER2-positive breast cancer mouse models, with minimal nonspecific liver absorption, outperforming scaffolds designed through traditional engineering. These findings highlight a new rational approach to automated protein design, offering significant potential for large-scale applications in therapeutic mini-protein development.
7.The safety and efficacy of urinary microbiota transplantation in the treatment of interstitial cystitis
Bo LIU ; Yuwei ZHANG ; Lili ZHANG ; Xinyu XU ; Yang WANG ; Hao LIN ; Chaoqun GU ; Peng JIANG ; Yifan SUN ; Ninghan FENG
Chinese Journal of Urology 2025;46(6):421-429
Objective:To investigate the safety and efficacy of urinary microbiota transplantation(UMT)in treating interstitial cystitis(IC).Methods:A retrospective analysis of the clinical data of three patients with IC treated with UMT at the Central Hospital of Jiangnan University from May 2022 to August 2024. Three women(45,62,79 years)presented with urinary frequency(10 - 90 min intervals),urgency,dysuria,lower abdominal pain,and non-organic sleep disorder,with nocturia(2 - 15 episodes)causing sleep difficulty. Disease durations were 3,6,and 21 years. Prior antibiotic therapy failed. Preoperative urinalysis/culture(x2)ruled out bacterial cystitis,and diagnosed as interstitial cystitis(IC),with one of transient positive urine culture. Preoperative scores for case 1 were self-rating depression scale(SDS)of 49,self-rating anxiety scale(SAS)of 31,interstitial cystitis symptom index(ICSI)of 5,interstitial cystitis problem index(ICPI)of 2,brief urological problem scale of 50,genitourinary pain assessment scale of 10,and pain catastrophizing scale(PCS)of 0. For case 2,the scores were 60 of SDS,66 of SAS,9 of ICSI,11 of ICPI,50 of brief urological problem scale,28 of genitourinary pain assessment scale,and 34 of PCS. For case 3,the scores were 44 of SDS,48 of SAS,11 of ICSI,5 of ICPI,33 of brief urological problem scale,27 of genitourinary pain assessment scale,and 21 of PCS. Preoperative bladder hydro-distention showed mucosal hemorrhage including central block hemorrhage(Case 1),numerous spots(Case 2),and distinct sheets(Case 3). Preoperative urine 16S rRNA sequencing revealed low diversity,increased Gardnerella/ Bacteroides(opportunistic),and decreased Bacillus/ Streptococcus(beneficial). Two healthy young female donors had normal comprehensive tests covering blood/urine/stool,coagulation,CRP,immunity,liver/kidney function,lipids,infectious diseases,hormones,tumor markers,urine culture,TOUCH,and expanded quantitative urine culture. Donor urine 16S rRNA showed low pathogenic( Gardnerella/ Bacteroides)abundance. Donor midstream morning urine was catheter-collected,centrifuged,and the bacterial pellet resuspended in saline. Recipients underwent bladder irrigation pre-UMT. On UMT day,donor bacterial suspension was instilled via catheter with adverse event monitoring. Follow-up included clinic visits at 1 month and 1 year for symptom assessment,scale scoring,cystoscopy evaluating mucosal inflammation,hydrodistension checks,and telephone tracking of urinary symptoms every 2 - 3 months. Prognosis was assessed by symptom relief,scale score reduction,and mucosal recovery. Results:No adverse reactions occurred within 24 hours post-UMT in all 3 cases. Two patients showed same-day urinary urgency reduction;three reported relief from urinary frequency/urgency on postoperative day 7,with 2 - 3 hour daytime intervals and 0 - 5 nocturnal voids. Two patients experienced lower abdominal pain alleviation. Postoperative Week 1 urinalysis and urine cultures revealed no abnormalities. The 16S rRNA test showed a decrease in the abundance of harmful bacteria(e.g., Cupriavidus,Ureaplasm,Mycobacterium,Pseudomonas)and an increase in the abundance of beneficial bacteria( Dietzia,Halomonas,and Streptococcus),and the overall urobacterial structure was significantly improved and similar to that of the donor. Case 1 was followed up for 20 months,and the lab tests were normal,with SDS scales of 38,SAS of 20,ICSI of 3,ICPI of 2,brief urological problem scale of 44,genitourinary pain assessment scale of 10,PCS of 0,at 9 months post-op follow-up,indicating physical and mental improvement. The bladder hydro-distention revealed intact mucosa with only mild inflammation,which improved versus preoperative situation. Case 2 was followed up for 15 months,and the lab tests were normal,with SDS scales of 44,SAS of 34,ICSI of 4,ICPI of 2,brief scale of urinary problems of 0,genitourinary pain assessment scale of 9,PCS of 7,at 2 months post-op follow-up,showing improved anxiety/depression and quality of life. The hydro-distention showed decreased scattered hemorrhagic dots and mucosal inflammation. Case 3 was followed up for 13 months,with an increased leukocytes of urine and the other being normal for lab tests,and SDS scales of 35,SAS of 46,ICSI of 13,ICPI of 13,brief scale of urinary problems of 10,genitourinary pain assessment scale of 33,PCS of 11,at 13 months post-op follow-up,indicating physical and mental improvement. The hydro-distention revealed mucosal congestion,marked submucosal vasodilation,and inflammation decreased compared with preoperative situation. Conclusions:UMT alleviates urinary frequency,urgency,and pain in IC patients with sustained effects,significantly improves urine microecology,and shows no adverse events,positioning it as a viable intervention for IC.
8.Investigation on Metabolic Syndrome Status and Related Factors of Adult Residents in Zhifu District,Yantai City
Yifan TANG ; Yuxi CHEN ; Yang LIN
Chinese Journal of Health Statistics 2025;42(3):360-363,368
Objective To investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome(MS)and its influencing factors among adult residents in Zhifu district of Yantai city,and to provide data support and scientific basis for relevant departments to formulate policies and measures.Methods A total of 2412 residents in Zhifu district were selected by multi-stage stratified sampling method,and their basic information,personal health status,height,weight,blood pressure,fasting blood glucose,blood lipids and other indicators were collected by questionnaire survey,physical measurement and laboratory examination.The screening of MS was based on the diagnostic criteria of MS recommended by Chinese Diabetes Society(CDS).Results Among the adult residents in Zhifu district,the number of MS patients was 522,with a crude prevalence rate of 21.6%.The prevalence of MS in men was 26.9%higher than that in women(16.9%)(χ2=35.939,P<0.001).With the increase of age,the prevalence rate of MS showed an overall upward trend(linear trend test χ2=150.557,P<0.001).With the increase of education level,the prevalence rate of MS showed an overall downward trend(linear trend test χ2=81.670,P<0.001).The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis further showed that male and age increase were high risk factors for MS;higher education level,unmarried,engaged in static occupation,and increased activity were protective factors for MS.Conclusion The prevalence rate of MS in adult residents in Zhifu district of Yantai is basically equal to the national average level,suggesting that the government and health service institutions at all levels should take health exercise,smoking cessation and alcohol restriction as the entry point for health education and early diagnosis and treatment;meanwhile,targeted interventions should be carried out according to different characteristics of the population.
9.Exploration on the Effect of Acupuncture at"Weizhong"on Angiogenesis in Rats with Chronic Blunt Lumbar Muscle Injury Based on PI3K/AKT/HIF-1α Pathway
Dongmei WANG ; Yifan SUN ; Xiulian ZHENG ; Pingping ZHENG ; Jianping LIN ; Qun CHEN ; Shaoqing CHEN
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;32(2):85-90
Objective To observe the effects of acupuncture at"Weizhong"on angiogenesis of chronic blunt injury of lumbar muscle in rats;To explore the possible mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic lumbar skeletal muscle injury based on PI3K/AKT/HIF-1α signaling pathway.Methods A total of 24 SD male rats were established chronic blunt injury of lumbar muscle model,and were randomly divided into model group,Weizhong group and non-acupoint group,with 8 rats in each group.Another 8 rats of the same age were selected as the blank group.In the Weizhong group,acupuncture intervention was performed on both sides of"Weizhong",while in the non-acupoint group,acupuncture intervention was performed on both sides of"Weizhong"inwardly by 0.5 cm,once a day for 20 minutes each time,for 2 consecutive weeks.The blank group and model group adopted the same grasping fixed posture without any intervention.The body mass and limb grip strength of each group were measured,the lumbar muscle tissue morphology was observed by HE staining,the content of NO in lumbar muscle tissue was detected by ELISA,the expression of VEGF in lumbar muscle tissue was observed by immunofluorescence,the expression of PI3K/AKT/HIF-1α pathway protein in lumbar muscle tissue was detected by Western blot.Results Compared with the blank group,body mass and limb grip strength of model group decreased(P<0.01),cell structure of waist skeletal muscle was loosely arranged,red blood cells and nuclear exudation were observed,NO content and positive expression of VEGF in lumbar muscle tissue decreased(P<0.01),and the protein expressions of p-PI3K/PI3K,p-AKT/AKT and HIF-1α in lumbar muscle tissue were down-regulated(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the body mass and limb grip strength of rats in Weizhong group increased(P<0.05,P<0.01),the arrangement of skeletal muscle cells in the waist was more compact and orderly,and the content of NO and positive expression of VEGF in lumbar muscle tissue were increased(P<0.01),the protein expressions of p-PI3K/PI3K,p-AKT/AKT and HIF-1α in lumbar muscle tissue were up-regulated(P<0.01).The effects of Weizhong group was better than those in non-acupoint group(P<0.05,P<0.01).Conclusion Acupuncture at"Weizhong"can effectively promote the repair of chronic blunt injury of lumbar muscle in rats.The mechanism may be related to activating the PI3K/AKT/HIF-1α pathway to regulate angiogenesis and improve vascular injury.
10.Design for a wireless regulation system based on STM 32 single-chip microcomputer for 3D water tank
Wei LI ; Cheng LIN ; Xiaoqing ZHENG ; Xiaopo KE ; Yifan WANG
China Medical Equipment 2025;22(2):161-164,169
Objective:To design a wireless regulation system based on STM 32 single chip microcomputer for three-dimension(3D)water tank,so as to improve the efficiency of physical verification for radiation.Methods:The wireless regulation system of 3D water tank was designed on the basis of STM32F103 single chip microcomputer and ZigBee technique through combined with regulation and control system for conventional 3D water tank,and the indicators of testing performance was also evaluated.Results:The wireless regulation system for 3D water tank can realize remote control to drive the operation of motor.The accuracy error of the detector was less than 0.2 mm along the x axis,y axis and z axis of the water tank.The repetitive error of the designated position was less than 0.1 mm after the detector repetitively reached the specified location along each axis.The vertical error of motion was less than 0.5 mm when the itinerary was less and equal to 200 mm,and this error was less than 1.0 mm when it was greater than 200 mm.Conclusion:The wireless regulation system of 3D water tank based on STM 32 can improve the information and intelligence levels that are measured and verified by ray beam,which is more in line with the requirement of radiation physics for measurement,and it can provide better technical support for the metrological verification of the equipment of nuclear medicine.

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