1.The change of EPA1-ROS-NLRP1 signaling in CUMS-induced depression model mice
Shuxiang TIAN ; Mengqing LIU ; Han YANG ; Mingguang NIU ; Yanyan YIN
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(5):836-844
ObjectiveTo investigate the expression changes of the Endophilin A1 (EPA1)-reactive oxygen species (ROS)-NLR family pyrin domain containing 1 (NLRP1) signaling pathway in chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced depression model mice. Methods50 C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group and CUMS model group(n=25). The model mice received 42 days of CUMS stress exposure, after which behavioral changes were assessed through monitoring body weight, sucrose preference test, forced swim test, tail suspension test, open field test, and elevated plus-maze test. Hematoxylin-Eosin and Nissl staining were used to observe neuronal damage in hippocampal CA1 and CA3 regions. Calcium ion (Ca²⁺) assay kit was used to detect Ca²⁺ levels in the hippocampus. Immunofluorescence was used to detect colocalization of EPA1 and NLRP1 as well as ROS changes in the hippocampus. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe mitochondrial structure in hippocampal neurons. The expression levels of calcium-activated neutral protease 1 (Calpain-1), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 2 (NOX2), NLRP1 inflammasome, downstream inflammatory proteins, and synapse-associated proteins in the hippocampus of mice was detected by using Western blot. ResultsCompared with the control group, mice in the CUMS model group exhibited depressive-like behavior and hippocampal neuronal damage. The levels of NLRP1 and EPA1 significantly increased in the hippocampus, and both were co-expressed in the cytoplasm and membrane of hippocampal neurons in the CUMS group mice(P<0.01). Ca²⁺ concentration was elevated(P<0.01), and the protein levels of Calpain 1 and NOX2 were upregulated(P<0.01). The average fluorescence intensity of ROS significantly increased, accompanied by structural damage to neuronal mitochondria(P<0.01). The levels of NLRP1 and its downstream inflammatory proteins significantly increased (P<0.01), while the expression levels of synapse-associated proteins significantly decreased (P<0.01). ConclusionEPA1 exhibits abnormal expression changes in CUMS-induced depression model mice, which may be closely associated with ROS generation, NLRP1 inflammasome activation, and the regulation of synaptic protein expression.
2.Pregnancy outcomes in dichorionic twins: comparing assisted reproductive technology and spontaneous conception
Jiancai YIN ; Ziyan ZHAO ; Baojing ZHAO ; Zhen YU ; Yuanyuan YANG
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(5):908-913
ObjectiveTo investigate the differences in pregnancy outcomes between dichorionic diamniotic (DCDA) twin pregnancies conceived via assisted reproductive technology (ART) and those from spontaneous conception, in order to provide evidence for the perinatal management of ART-conceived DCDA twins. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 549 DCDA twin parturients. Based on the mode of conception, they were divided into ART group (423 cases) and spontaneous conception group (126 cases). The baseline characteristics, pregnancy complications and neonatal outcomes were compared between the two groups. ResultsRegarding baseline characteristics, the ART group had higher maternal age, number of previous abortions, proportions of primiparas, proportions of advanced maternal age and greater 24-hour postpartum blood loss, but lower parity and proportion of scarred uterus compared to the spontaneous conception group (P<0.05). For pregnancy complications, the ART group exhibited higher incidences of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, placental adhesion, postpartum hemorrhage and a higher application rate of uterine artery ascending branch ligation (P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in neonatal-related indicators between the two groups. After adjusting for confounding factors such as age, number of abortions and parities, ART remained an independent risk factor for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, placental adhesion and postpartum hemorrhage (P<0.05), while it did not increase the risk of adverse neonatal outcomes. Further subgroup analysis by gestational age showed that in the late preterm subgroup, the risk of ART-related pregnancy complications remained elevated (P<0.05). Additionally, neonatal outcomes showed no significant difference between the two groups in both the late preterm and term subgroups. ConclusionART increases the risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, placental adhesion and postpartum hemorrhage in DCDA twin parturients. Clinically, enhanced monitoring of blood pressure during pregnancy and blood loss during delivery and postpartum, along with targeted prevention and management of these complications, are crucial for improving pregnancy outcomes.
3.Intervention effects of moderate to vigorous classroom physical exercise on psychological sub health among Uyghur junior high school students
BI Cunjian, RAN Xiaokang, ZHANG Feng, YIN Xiaojian, GUO Yaru, SUN Pengwei, ZHU Yongfei
Chinese Journal of School Health 2026;47(6):837-840
Objective:
To analyze the intervention effects of moderate to vigorous classroom physical exercise on psychological sub health among Uyghur junior high school students, providing reference for mental health promotion and intervention in the ethnic group.
Methods:
From April to July 2022, 647 eighth grade Uighur junior high school students from two middle schools in the Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang, were selected using a random cluster digital sampling method. They were randomly assigned to a control group ( n =326) and an intervention group ( n =321). While adhering to the regular curriculum, the intervention group additionally received 12 week, 36 session (every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoon) moderate to vigorous classroom physical exercise intervention (45 minutes per session, including warm up, main exercises, and cool down activities). Self administered psychological sub health was completed through Brief Instrument on Psychological Health of Youths before and after intervention, and the data were analyzed using covariance analysis.
Results:
Before intervention, there were no statistically significant differences between the control and intervention groups in the total scores for psychological sub health or in the scores for the three dimensions including emotional problems, conduct problems, and social adaptation difficulties ( t =0.76, 0.40, 0.01, 0.94 , all P >0.05). After intervention, the scores of the intervention group s junior high school students on the emotional problems, conduct problems, and social adaptation difficulties dimensions decreased by 0.50, 0.28, and 0.18, respectively, compared with the control group, and all differences were statistically significant ( t =3.35, 3.36, 2.07, all P <0.05). The main effect of the psychological sub health category was statistically significant ( F =60.66, P <0.01, partial η 2=0.09). Compared with the control group, the psychological sub health scores of junior high school students in the intervention group decreased by 0.96 ( t =3.42, P < 0.05 ).
Conclusion
The 12 week moderate to vigorous classroom physical exercise intervention has a positive effect on the psychological sub health of Uyghur junior high school students.
4.Research progress on the impact of conversational artificial intelligence on proactive health behaviors in adolescents
LIU Yaowu,YIN Zhihua,ZHOU Qingyuan
Chinese Journal of School Health 2026;47(6):898-903
Abstract
Conversational artificial intelligence (CAI), as an emerging digital tool, holds distinct potential for enhancing adolescents health literacy and fostering proactive health behaviors. In light of the increasing need for upstream prevention and early intervention in adolescent physical and mental health, the review systematically synthesizes current evidence on the role of CAI in shaping proactive health behaviors. It dissects the underlying mechanisms of CAI through a triple logic framework: technological context driven, psychological motivation activation, and behavior generation and maintenance.It also maps the evolving applications of CAI in areas such as psychological support and lifestyle interventions. Finally, it outlines future prospects, emphasizing the strengthening of agency awareness cultivation and human-computer collaborative interventions, aiming to provide a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for leveraging CAI to power adolescents in developing proactive health behaviors.
5.Extraction of tetralones and quinic acids from Cyclocarya paliurus
Yu YE ; Siyang FANG ; Xiao LI ; Lei WANG ; Jian ZHANG ; Ke PAN ; Zhiqi YIN
Journal of China Pharmaceutical University 2026;57(3):314-321
Chemical constituents of n-butanol fraction of ethanol extract from the leaves of Cyclocarya paliurus (Batalin) Iljinskaja were studied. Ten compounds were purified by silica gel, MCI, ODS, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. Based on the physicochemical properties and spectroscopic data, these compounds were identified as (4S)-4,8-dihydroxy-α-tetralone-5-[6′-(3′′,5′′-dimethoxy-(E)-p-coumaroyl)]-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), (4S)-4,8-dihydroxy-α-tetralone-5-[6′-(E)-feruloyl]-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), (1S,3R,4S,5R)-4,5-di-O-caffeoyl quinic acid methyl ester (3), (1R,3R,4S,5R)-3,4-di-O-caffeoyl quinic acid methyl ester (4), (3R,5R)-3,4,5-tri-O-caffeoylquinic acid methyl ester (5), (1R,3R,4S,5R)-3-O-caffeoyl-5-O-p-coumaroyl quinic acid methyl ester (6), (1R,3R,4S,5R)-3-O-p-coumaroy-4-O-caffeoyl quinic acid methyl ester (7), (1R,3R,4S,5R)-3-O-caffeoyl-4-O-p-coumaroy quinic acid methyl ester (8), (3R,5R)-3,5-di-O-caffeoyl quinic acid methyl ester (9) and (1S,3R,4R,5R)-4-O-caffeoyl-5-O-feruloyl quinic acid methyl ester (10). Among them, compound 1 was a new compound, and compounds 3–10 were isolated from the genus Cyclocarya for the first time.
6.High expression of E2F2 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma and its association with prognosis and tumor immune microenvironment
Genyi QU ; Chaohui LONG ; Wenlin HUANG ; Guang YANG ; Cheng TANG ; Yong XU ; Li YIN
Journal of Modern Urology 2026;31(2):172-181
Objective To investigate the expression characteristics of the transcription factor E2F2 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), its impact on patient prognosis, and its potential role in the tumor immune microenvironment, with validation using clinical samples and functional assays. Methods RNA sequencing data and clinical information of ccRCC patients were obtained from the TCGA database; GSE53757 and GSE66272 datasets were downloaded from the GEO database as external validation cohorts. The expression difference of E2F2 between ccRCC tissue and normal tissue was compared, and the relationship between E2F2 expression and clinical pathological characteristics was analyzed. Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival analysis with log-rank test was performed to evaluate the effects of E2F2 on overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and disease-specific survival (DSS). The prognostic efficacy of E2F2 in predicting 1-, 3- and 5-year survival was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. GSEA was performed to identify E2F2-related signaling pathways, and the ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT algorithms were used to assess the relationship between E2F2 expression level and tumor immune cell infiltration and immune microenvironment. Twenty pairs of surgically resected and pathologically confirmed ccRCC tissues and matched adjacent non-tumor tissues were collected from our hospital, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to detect the protein expression of E2F2. Human ccRCC cell line 786-O was used for functional assays;shRNA was used to knock down E2F2 expression (constructing stable shE2F2#1 and shE2F2#2 cell lines), and qRT-PCR and Western blot were performed to verify knockdown efficiency, followed by MTT, colony formation, and Transwell migration assays to evaluate the effects of E2F2 on the biological behaviors of ccRCC cells. Results E2F2 was significantly upregulated in ccRCC tissues (the same results in the verification set). Higher E2F2 expression was associated with advanced histological grade, clinical stage and higher TNM classification (P<0.05). KM analysis showed that patients in the E2F2 high-expression group had worse OS, PFS, and DSS (P=0.019, 0.036, <0.001); the ROC curves showed area under the curve (AUC) of E2F2 of predicting 1-, 3- and 5- year survival of ccRCC patients were 0.844, 0.851 and 0.815, respectively. GSEA revealed that the E2F2 low-expression group was enriched in multiple metabolism-related pathways, whereas the E2F2 high-expression group was associated with immune-related pathways. Immune analysis demonstrated that high E2F2 expression was associated with increased immune scores, increased proportion of immune cells, higher tumor mutation burden, and potentially stronger immunotherapy response. IHC results showed that the E2F2 immunoreactivity score in ccRCC tissues was significantly higher than that in adjacent non-tumor tissues (P<0.05). Functional assays indicated that E2F2 knockdown significantly inhibited the proliferation, colony formation, and migration of ccRCC cells. Conclusion E2F2 is highly expressed in ccRCC and may be involved in tumorigenesis and progression through modulation of the immune microenvironment. Its expression level is closely associated with patient prognosis, and E2F2 has the potential to serve as a prognostic biomarker and immunotherapeutic target in ccRCC.
7.Current status and influencing factors of work readiness in patients returning to work after lung cancer surgery
Yuanyuan YIN ; Xingxia LONG ; Jie ZHANG ; Yanli, JI ; Ying ZHU ; Lijun HE ; Mei YANG
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(07):1079-1084
Objective To investigate the current status of work readiness and its influencing factors among patients returning to work after lung cancer surgery. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on young and middle-aged postoperative lung cancer patients who were treated at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University from March to September 2023 and returned to their jobs. Data were collected through a general information questionnaire, readiness for return-to-work scale (RRTW), general self-efficacy scale (GSES), and simplified coping style questionnaire (SCSQ). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to explore the factors affecting the work readiness of patients returning to work. Results A total of 219 patients were included, with 59 males and 160 females aged 18-60 years. Among the postoperative lung cancer patients returning to work, 73.1% were in the active maintenance stage of return-to-work readiness with a RRTW score of (17.59±1.48) points, and 26.9% were in the uncertain maintenance stage with a RRTW score of (16.22±1.50) points. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that patients aged≤30 years (OR=52.381), employees of enterprises and institutions (OR=7.682), agricultural, pastoral, fishery, forestry laborers (OR=15.665), positive coping (OR=5.043), those with higher self-efficacy (OR=1.157) and engaged in physically demanding work (OR=2.449) had higher return-to-work readiness, while patients with≥2 children (OR=0.055), self-payment (OR=0.044), and those working more than 40 hours per week (OR=0.122) had lower return-to-work readiness. Conclusion The return-to-work readiness of young and middle-aged postoperative lung cancer patients needs to be improved, and occupation, job nature, main coping styles, general self-efficacy and other factors are associated with return-to-work readiness.
8.Electroacupuncture Attenuates Neuroinflammation and Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction in Aged Rats by Suppressing the cGAS–STING Pathway
Baobao MA ; Shiwen FAN ; Jiaojiao DENG ; Kaihua WEI ; Yan LI ; Jiangwen YIN ; Liping XIE
Experimental Neurobiology 2026;35(1):42-55
Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a clinically significant complication in elderly patients, largely driven by surgery-induced neuroinflammation. The cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathway, a crucial regulator of innate immunity, has been implicated in neuroinflammatory activation. This study investigated whether electroacupuncture (EA) improves POCD by modulating this pathway in aged rats. Aged male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to sevoflurane anesthesia and splenectomy to establish a POCD model. Animals were divided into sham, POCD, POCD+EA, and POCD+EA+cGAS inhibitor groups. The EA groups received stimulation at Baihui (Governor Vessel 20 (GV20)), Neiguan (Pericardium 6 (PC6)), and Zusanli (Stomach 36 (ST36)) acupoints. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Morris water maze, while hippocampal expression of cGAS-STING pathway components and downstream effectors—interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β)—was assessed by Western blot. Cellular localization was determined by immunofluorescence staining. Compared with the Sham group, rats in the POCD group showed significant impairments in spatial memory, accompanied by upregulated protein expression of cGAS, STING, NF-κB, IRF3, and IL-1β in the hippocampus. Upon pathway activation, cGAS and STING proteins were predominantly co-localized with neurons, and their fluorescence intensity in the hippocampus was markedly increased. These behavioral deficits and molecular alterations were partially reversed in both the POCD+EA and POCD+EA+inhibitor groups. Electroacupuncture alleviates POCD in aged rats by inhibiting hippocampal cGAS-STING pathway activation and reducing neuroinflammation, suggesting a promising non-pharmacological strategy for POCD management.
9.Research progress on the effects and mechanisms of plateau hypoxia on drug metabolism
Qian LI ; Rong WANG ; Feng YANG ; Xiaofeng WANG ; Dongfeng YIN
Journal of Pharmaceutical Practice and Service 2026;44(6):275-279
The plateau region is known for its unique environmental characteristics of low oxygen, low pressure, strong radiation, cold and dryness. Under the low oxygen environment, human physiological functions and drug metabolism are significantly affected. In order to gain a deeper understanding of drug metabolism in the plateau hypoxic environment and to guide the rational use of drugs in the plateau region, the effects of plateau hypoxia on drug metabolism were reviewed in this paper, which focused on changes in metabolic profiles, enzyme activity and expression, and probed the relevant mechanisms in depth.
10.Research progress on the effects and mechanisms of plateau hypoxia on drug metabolism
Qian LI ; Rong WANG ; Feng YANG ; Xiaofeng WANG ; Dongfeng YIN
Journal of Pharmaceutical Practice and Service 2026;44(6):275-279
The plateau region is known for its unique environmental characteristics of low oxygen, low pressure, strong radiation, cold and dryness. Under the low oxygen environment, human physiological functions and drug metabolism are significantly affected. In order to gain a deeper understanding of drug metabolism in the plateau hypoxic environment and to guide the rational use of drugs in the plateau region, the effects of plateau hypoxia on drug metabolism were reviewed in this paper, which focused on changes in metabolic profiles, enzyme activity and expression, and probed the relevant mechanisms in depth.


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