1.Experience Discussion on Feeding, Breeding and Genetic Management of Common Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)
Li LI ; Xuebo LI ; Yongheng FAN ; Donghua HE ; Jianhong LI ; Liangtang CHANG
Laboratory Animal and Comparative Medicine 2026;46(1):107-118
The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is a species of the genus Callithrix in the primate family Callitrichidae. Common marmosets are an important scientific research resource for the study of neuroscience, medicine, and pharmacy. The feeding and breeding of common marmosets provide important support for scientific research. At present, common marmoset resources in China are at a critical stage of development. This paper takes the Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (hereafter referred to as CEBSIT) as an example to discuss the experience of common marmoset feeding, breeding and genetic management. In terms of breeding environment and facilities, on the basis of the national standard, more stringent environmental parameter standards are implemented for environmental temperature, relative humidity, the number of air exchanges, and the average concentration of sedimentation bacteria. Two kinds of cages for common marmoset breeding and experimentation are designed. According to the differences in facility conditions and staffing, a cleaning and maintenance method combining "dry rearing" and "wet rearing" is introduced. In terms of feeding management, in order to meet the high nutritional needs of common marmosets, CEBSIT prepares special formulated diets, and introduces the transition method of common marmosets from diets mixed with formulated rations and pellets to exclusive commercial diets, and strictly regulates the operation procedures of formulated diets for common marmosets, and has accumulated a series of methods for preventing nutritional and metabolic diseases in common marmosets. In terms of animal health management, the health of common marmosets is ensured through measures such as regular quarantine, isolation and treatment, and epidemic prevention, and the health inspection process of common marmosets is described in detail, and hierarchical and classified management is carried out according to the physical condition of common marmosets. This paper also briefly describes the treatment of diarrhea and pneumonia that are common in common marmosets. In terms of breeding management, it covers the selection of breeding common marmosets, combining pairs of common marmosets into the same cage for breeding, group splitting and hand-rearing of infant common marmosets, and introduces the method of reintroducing hand-reared infant common marmosets to parental care from the perspective of animal welfare. In terms of genetic management, the common marmoset population in CEBSIT is maintained as a closed colony and follows a non-inbreeding method. CEBSIT has developed an inbreeding screening system to check pedigree information before pairing to avoid inbreeding. Under conditions without introducing new individuals from outside, CEBSIT has continuously bred the colony for 5 generations while maintaining genetic heterozygosity. This paper only discusses the feeding, breeding and genetic management of the common marmoset and aims to provide a useful reference for other institutions engaged in common marmoset breeding.
2.Effect of fluoride exposure on endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondrial calcium transfer and apoptosis in primary nerve cells
Yongheng LU ; Shuang ZHU ; Feiyan ZHAO ; Fujun AI ; Yanjie LIU ; Yangting DONG ; Zhizhong GUAN ; Na WEI
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(1):111-119
BACKGROUND:Previous studies have found that neuronal damage caused by continuous excessive fluoride exposure is related to Ca2+overload,but the mechanism of Ca2+flow conversion between intracellular calcium stores and cell apoptosis damage is still unclear.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of fluoride exposure on Ca2+transport channel proteins and apoptosis levels in the mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membrane of primary cultured neural cells.METHODS:Primary nerve cells of neonatal SD rats were cultured in vitro and identified by immunofluorescence staining with neuronal nucleus-specific antibody up to day 7.The nerve cells were divided into control group(containing 0 mmol/L sodium fluoride),low fluoride group(containing 0.5 mmol/L sodium fluoride),and high fluoride group(containing 1 mmol/L sodium fluoride).The cell morphological changes were observed by light microscope 24 hours after fluorine exposure.The expression levels of apoptosis-related protein BAX/BCL-2 and calcium transfer-related pathways VDAC1,GRP 75,and IP3R were detected using western blot assay.The expression levels of VDAC1,GRP 75,and IP3R mRNA were detected by RT-PCR.Ca2+levels were detected by Rhood-2AM Ca2+probe.Mitochondrial membrane potential detection kit was used to detect the change in mitochondrial membrane potential.The level of apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry and TUNEL staining.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The purity of neurons cultured on day 7 had been determined to be over 90%,with few impurities,good growth status,and tight cell network connections,meeting the requirements of subsequent experiments.(2)Compared with the control group,growth of neural cell clusters in the low-fluoride group and the high-fluoride group increased;the processes were broken;the cell body was rounded,and the connection network between cells was destroyed.Compared with the low-fluoride group,the cell damage changes in the high-fluoride group were more obvious.(3)Compared with the control group,the protein expressions of VDAC1,GRP75,and IP3R were increased in the low-fluoride group and the high-fluoride group(P<0.05),and the ratio of apoptosis-related protein BAX/BCL-2 was increased(P<0.05).Compared with the control group,the expression of VDAC1 and GRP75 mRNA in the low-fluoride group was significantly increased(P<0.05);the expression levels of VDAC1,GRP75,and IP3R mRNA in the high-fluoride group were significantly increased(P<0.01).(4)The level of cell apoptosis increased significantly after fluoride exposure,and the high-fluoride group was significantly higher than the control and low-fluoride groups(P<0.01).(5)After fluoride exposure,the concentration of mitochondrial Ca2+in nerve cells increased significantly(P<0.05),the mitochondrial membrane potential decreased(P<0.01),and the degree of damage in the high-fluoride group was more obvious(P<0.05).The results show that fluoride exposure impairs the morphological structure of primary neural cells,resulting in upregulation of Ca2+transfer pathway protein expression between the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria,mitochondrial Ca2+overload,mitochondrial damage,and increased levels of apoptosis.
3.Effect of fluoride exposure on endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondrial calcium transfer and apoptosis in primary nerve cells
Yongheng LU ; Shuang ZHU ; Feiyan ZHAO ; Fujun AI ; Yanjie LIU ; Yangting DONG ; Zhizhong GUAN ; Na WEI
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(1):111-119
BACKGROUND:Previous studies have found that neuronal damage caused by continuous excessive fluoride exposure is related to Ca2+overload,but the mechanism of Ca2+flow conversion between intracellular calcium stores and cell apoptosis damage is still unclear.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of fluoride exposure on Ca2+transport channel proteins and apoptosis levels in the mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membrane of primary cultured neural cells.METHODS:Primary nerve cells of neonatal SD rats were cultured in vitro and identified by immunofluorescence staining with neuronal nucleus-specific antibody up to day 7.The nerve cells were divided into control group(containing 0 mmol/L sodium fluoride),low fluoride group(containing 0.5 mmol/L sodium fluoride),and high fluoride group(containing 1 mmol/L sodium fluoride).The cell morphological changes were observed by light microscope 24 hours after fluorine exposure.The expression levels of apoptosis-related protein BAX/BCL-2 and calcium transfer-related pathways VDAC1,GRP 75,and IP3R were detected using western blot assay.The expression levels of VDAC1,GRP 75,and IP3R mRNA were detected by RT-PCR.Ca2+levels were detected by Rhood-2AM Ca2+probe.Mitochondrial membrane potential detection kit was used to detect the change in mitochondrial membrane potential.The level of apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry and TUNEL staining.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The purity of neurons cultured on day 7 had been determined to be over 90%,with few impurities,good growth status,and tight cell network connections,meeting the requirements of subsequent experiments.(2)Compared with the control group,growth of neural cell clusters in the low-fluoride group and the high-fluoride group increased;the processes were broken;the cell body was rounded,and the connection network between cells was destroyed.Compared with the low-fluoride group,the cell damage changes in the high-fluoride group were more obvious.(3)Compared with the control group,the protein expressions of VDAC1,GRP75,and IP3R were increased in the low-fluoride group and the high-fluoride group(P<0.05),and the ratio of apoptosis-related protein BAX/BCL-2 was increased(P<0.05).Compared with the control group,the expression of VDAC1 and GRP75 mRNA in the low-fluoride group was significantly increased(P<0.05);the expression levels of VDAC1,GRP75,and IP3R mRNA in the high-fluoride group were significantly increased(P<0.01).(4)The level of cell apoptosis increased significantly after fluoride exposure,and the high-fluoride group was significantly higher than the control and low-fluoride groups(P<0.01).(5)After fluoride exposure,the concentration of mitochondrial Ca2+in nerve cells increased significantly(P<0.05),the mitochondrial membrane potential decreased(P<0.01),and the degree of damage in the high-fluoride group was more obvious(P<0.05).The results show that fluoride exposure impairs the morphological structure of primary neural cells,resulting in upregulation of Ca2+transfer pathway protein expression between the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria,mitochondrial Ca2+overload,mitochondrial damage,and increased levels of apoptosis.
4.Pollution characteristics and ecological risk assessment of typical pharmaceutical and personal care products in Zhengzhou rivers
Xie WANG ; Qingqing MA ; Suge LU ; Hongli LIU ; Yongheng SU ; Zhiwei HAN ; Congke ZHANG
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(11):1330-1335
Background The residues of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) in aquatic environments have become an increasingly prominent urban pollution issue, attracting widespread attention. The analysis of PPCPs pollution in water environments holds profound implications in Zhengzhou, a strategically important city in central China. Objective To analyze the pollution characteristics of PPCPs, such as antidepressants and antibiotics, in rivers of Zhengzhou and assess associated ecological risk. Methods Water samples were collected from three rivers of Zhengzhou, and 13 PPCPs (5 antibiotics and 8 antidepressants) were analyzed quantitatively by high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) after automatic solid phase extraction. Risk quotient (RQ) was applied to assess ecological risk of PPCPs with high concentration. Results The primary antibiotics pollutants were norfloxacin and ofloxacin, both with a detection rate of 100%. Among antidepressants, venlafaxine and citalopram showed the highest detection rates at 92.3% and 88.5%, respectively. The detected antibiotics with the highest average concentrations included ofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole with concentrations of 99.8 ng·L−1and 96.2 ng·L−1, respectively, while antidepressants venlafaxine and citalopram were detected with the highest average concentrations of 15.2 ng·L−1and 1.35 ng·L−1, respectively. The inter-river comparisons revealed statistically significant differences in contaminant loads (P<0.05). The sums of average PPCP concentrations at sampling points in the Jialu River and Suoxu River were 83.4 ng·L−1 and 100.4 ng·L−1, respectively. The Xiaoqing River exhibited higher pollution levels than both the Jialu and Suoxu Rivers, with a total average concentration of 478.4 ng·L−1, where ofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole were identified as the predominant pollutants. The results of ecological risk assessment indicated the RQ contributed by sulfamethoxazole ranged between 0.50−0.95 in the Xiaoqing River, suggesting a controllable risk but requiring prioritized mitigation strategies. The RQ values of norfloxacin were distributed within the range of 0.10-0.30, indicating a moderate ecological risk. The RQ values for ofloxacin and venlafaxine remained below 0.10, indicating a lower risk level. Conclusion PPCPs contamination is positive in the rivers of Zhengzhou, and sulfamethoxazole and ofloxacin are the primary cantaminants. The Xiaoqing River exhibits the highest pollution levels. The initial risk assessment show that sulfamethoxazole and norfloxacin pose potential ecological risks, requiring prioritized contamination management.
5.Predictive factors of pathological complete response after neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer
Hao LI ; Yang LUO ; Tingfeng WANG ; Haiping LIN ; Tingyue GONG ; Yongheng ZHAO ; Ming ZHONG
Journal of Surgery Concepts & Practice 2025;30(1):47-53
Objective To analyze the tumor characteristics associated with achieving pathological complete response(pCR) and tumor prognosis in the patients undergoing laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy(nCRT). Methods A retrospective review was conducted on clinical and pathological data of locally advanced rectal cancer(LARC) patients who underwent nCRT at Renji Hospital from January 2017 to January 2024. Factors influencing the achievement of pCR were analyzed, and the patients prognosis of pCR group and non-pCR group was compared. Results Univariate analysis, multivariate Logistic regression analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that tumor length less than 5 cm(cutoff value 5.24 cm) and baseline carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) less than 5 μg/L(cutoff value 5.33 μg/L) were independent predictors of achieving pCR after nCRT in LARC patients. Prognostic survival analysis showed that the 3-year overall survival(OS) rate for pCR group and non-pCR group were 92.86% and 82.46%, respectively (P=0.193), and the 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate were 85.71% and 70.18%, respectively (P=0.141), with no statistically significant differences between the two groups. Conclusions Tumor length and baseline CEA level are independent predictors for achieving pCR after nCRT in LARC patients. Additionally, there were no statistically significant differences in 3-year OS and DFS between pCR group and non-pCR group.
6.Pharmacodynamic substances and mechanism of action of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction in the treatment of gouty arthritis:a study based on UPLC-Q-TOF/MS,network pharmacology,and molecular docking simulation
Wenting WANG ; Jinhui FENG ; Ke YANG ; Sha LI ; Bin WANG ; Jiping LIU ; Hao WEI ; Yongheng SHI ; Chuan WANG ; Guoquan WANG
Journal of Chongqing Medical University 2025;50(7):860-869
Objective:To identify the main components of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction(HLJDD)using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS),and to explore the potential mechanism of action of HLJDD in the treatment of gouty arthritis(GA)using network pharmacology and molecular docking methods.Methods:We identi-fied the chemical components of HLJDD by combining UPLC-Q-TOF-MS data acquired in both positive and negative ion modes with reference standards,relevant literature,and database searches.We analyzed the potential therapeutic mechanism of HLJDD for GA by using network pharmacology to determine the intersection targets between the active ingredients of HLJDD and GA for further enrich-ment analysis and visual network mapping.The binding affinity of the active ingredients with the intersection targets was validated through molecular docking.Results:A total of 47 components were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS;54 key components of HLJDD for GA treatment and 37 intersection targets were determined by net-work pharmacology;and the top 10 key targets by Degree value were obtained by protein-protein interaction analysis.The Gene On-tology functional enrichment analysis revealed 20 biological pro-cesses,7 cellular components,and 8 molecular functions.The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis demonstrated 96 GA-related intervention pathways,in which inflammatory signaling pathways such as interleukin-17(IL-17)and tu-mor necrosis factor(TNF)were involved.Molecular docking verified that the key components of HLJDD had high binding affinity with the core targets.Conclusion:The identified key components in HLJDD,such as phellodendrine,coptisine,wogonin,and β-sitosterol,may alleviate GA by regulating multiple core targets in the IL-17 and TNF pathways,such as PTSG2,which provides a theoretical ba-sis for future investigation into the mechanism of action of HLJDD.
7.Detection and clinical significance of serum thymic stromal lymphopoietin levels in patients with dermatomyositis
Yongheng CHEN ; Kaile HE ; Shile CHEN ; Xinlin SHAO ; Chenyu WU ; Ling JIN ; Weiru YUAN ; Hua CAO
Chinese Journal of Dermatology 2025;58(8):729-735
Objective:To explore the relationship between serum thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) levels and the occurrence of pruritus as well as interstitial lung diseases (ILD) in patients with dermatomyositis (DM) or clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis (CADM) .Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data from 61 diagnosed DM/CADM patients at Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine between February 2019 and March 2022. Thirty-five age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were included as controls. Serum TSLP and anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) antibody levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) . A multiplexed flow cytometry assay was performed to detect the serum levels of 12 cytokines, including interferon (IFN) -α2, IFN-γ, interleukin (IL) -4, IL-5, etc. Pruritus severity in DM/CADM patients was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) . Relationships of serum TSLP levels with skin lesions, inflammatory markers, and the severity of ILD were analyzed using GraphPad Prism 8.0.1 and R (version 4.3.2) software.Results:Among the 61 patients with DM/CADM, 18 were males (13 with DM and 5 with CADM) and 43 were females (30 with DM and 13 with CADM) , with ages of 53.08 ± 14.97 years and disease duration of 6.27 ± 4.27 months. No significant differences were observed in sex or age between the DM/CADM group and the healthy control group (both P > 0.05) . Of the 61 patients, 15 (24.59%) were positive for anti-MDA5 antibodies, and 31 (51.67%) had ILD, including 11 with acute/subacute interstitial pneumonia (A/SIP) . The pruritus VAS score ( M[ Q1, Q3]) among the 61 patients was 3 (0, 6) points; 20 patients (32.79%) reported no pruritus, while 11 (18.32%) , 17 (27.87%) , and 13 (21.31%) experienced mild, moderate, and severe pruritus, respectively. Serum TSLP levels were significantly higher in the DM/CADM patients than in the healthy controls (91.0 [34.6, 273.0] vs. 25.0 [0.0, 83.5] pg/ml, Z = 1 502.50, P < 0.001]. The TSLP levels were significantly positively correlated with serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) , lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and ferritin, and significantly negatively correlated with pruritus VAS scores, eosinophil percentages, and eosinophil counts (all P < 0.05) . Serum TSLP levels were significantly higher in the anti-MDA5 antibody-positive patients than in the anti-MDA5 antibody-negative patients (273.0 [103.8, 2 576.0] pg/ml vs. 67.4 [16.9, 218.7] pg/ml, P = 0.002) , as well as in the patients with A/SIP than in those without A/SIP (390.0 [168.2, 2 869.6] vs. 67.5 [21.8, 235.9] pg/ml, P < 0.001) . ROC analysis showed that the combined detection of serum TSLP levels and anti-MDA5 antibodies had a higher predictive value for A/SIP in DM/CADM patients (AUC = 0.922) than either the detection of anti-MDA5 antibodies (AUC = 0.831) or TSLP (AUC = 0.824) alone did. Conclusions:Serum TSLP levels were significantly higher in patients with DM/CADM than in healthy controls, with particularly higher levels observed in anti-MDA5 antibody-positive patients and patients with coexisting A/SIP, and were correlated with several indicators of disease activity. The combination of serum TSLP levels and anti-MDA5 antibodies provided greater predictive value for A/SIP than either of them alone did.
8.Strategies for diagnosis and treatment of multiple primary malignancies:A case report of heterochronous double primary cancer
Feng JIAO ; Yongchao WANG ; Yongheng SHI ; Liwei WANG
Tumor 2025;45(2):126-136
Objective:To explore the diagnosis and treatment strategies of multiple primary malignancies(MPM).Methods:The medical records and the process of diagnosis and treatment of a patient with heterochronous double primary cancer were retrospectively analyzed,and the treatment strategy was discussed by multi-disciplinary team(MDT).Results:A female patient with heterochronous double primary cancer was reported.The first primary tumor was gastric cancer and the second primary tumor was lung cancer.The first primary tumor was diagnosed at 67 years of age,and the interval between the first primary tumor and second primary tumor was 13 months.Pleural metastasis and pelvic metastasis occurred during the follow-up.Pleural metastasis originated from lung cancer,and pelvic metastasis was considered as gastric cancer implantation.Tumor MDT discussion was conducted at each stage of diagnosis and treatment,and the histopathological diagnosis was confirmed by puncture biopsy or surgical resection.The patient received systemic therapy combined with local treatment for metastases of different tumors and had a longer overall survival(67 months).Side effects were tolerable,and the quality of life was satisfactory throughout the treatment period.Conclusion:For patients with MPM,it is necessary to actively carry out MDT discussion,clarify the histopathological diagnosis,evaluate the clinicopathological and metastatic characteristics,and implement active and effective treatment.
9.Effects of remimazolam versus propofol sedation on pulmonary ventilation in patients undergoing fiberoptic bronchoscopy
Lan ZHANG ; Yingcong QIAN ; Yongheng HOU ; Jianping YANG ; Jian LI
Chinese Journal of Anesthesiology 2025;45(9):1157-1161
Objective:To compare the effects of remimazolam and propofol sedation on pulmonary ventilation in patients undergoing fiberoptic bronchoscopy.Methods:In this randomized controlled trial, 90 American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification Ⅰ to Ⅲ patients, aged 18-70 yr, with a body mass index of 18-30 kg/m 2, scheduled for elective fiberoptic bronchoscopy and/or treatment under sedation at the Endoscopy Center of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University between November 2021 and December 2022, were divided into 2 groups ( n=45 each) using a random number table: remimazolam group (group R) and propofol group (group P). After intravenous injection of sufentanil 0.1 μg/kg, an initial dose of remimazolam 0.075 mg/kg and propofol 0.9 mg/kg was intravenously injected in group R and group P, respectively. When necessary, additional single doses of remimazolam 0.025 mg/kg or propofol 0.3 mg/kg were administered until the bispectral index value reached 60–80 and the Modified Observer′s Assessment of Alertness/Sedation score was ≤3 (successful sedation). Electrical impedance tomography was conducted immediately after entering the operating room, immediately after successful sedation, immediately after completion of bronchoscopy the procedure, and immediately upon awakening to calculate the tidal impedance variation, center of ventilation, and global inhomogeneity index. The time to successful sedation, emergence time, the lowest SpO 2 during sedation, and occurrence of adverse events such as respiratory depression, injection pain, hypotension, hypertension, tachycardia, bradycardia and dizziness were recorded. Results:Compared with group P, the tidal impedance variation was significantly increased immediately after the procedure, the global inhomogeneity index was decreased immediately after the procedure and upon awakening, the emergence time was prolonged, the lowest SpO 2 was elevated, and the incidence of hypotension and injection pain was decreased in group R ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Compared with propofol sedation, remimazolam sedation has a smaller impact on pulmonary ventilation in patients undergoing fiberoptic bronchoscopy.
10.Application of Castor branching stent in treating Stanford type B aortic dissection:preliminary results
Jing GE ; Xiaojiao TANG ; Quan CHEN ; Yiwei HE ; Qiang ZHANG ; Yong ZHENG ; Rong MA ; Jianping LIU ; Yongheng ZHANG
Journal of Interventional Radiology 2025;34(10):1072-1077
Objective To investigate the efficacy of Castor branching stent in treating Stanford type B aortic dissection(TBAD)involving aortic arch.Methods The clinical data of 18 patients with Stanford TBAD,who were treated with Castor branching stent at the Suining Municipal Central Hospital of China from January 2020 to January 2022,were retrospectively analyzed.Results The main bracket and branch bracket of Castor branching stent were successfully released in all the 18 patients with a surgical success rate of 100%,and no internal leakage occurred during operation.During the perioperative period,there were neither aorta-related deaths nor serious complications such as stroke,upper limb ischemia,internal leakage,or stent displacement.The patients were followed up for(14.7±8.3)months,no aorta-related death,stroke,upper limb ischemia,internal leakage,or stent displacement was observed,the blood flow of the left subclavian artery(LSA)was unobstructed,but there was thrombosis formation within the false lumen of the covered stent segment.Conclusion The Castor branching stent has the advantages of reasonable release mode,accurate positioning,effective isolation of the first rupture of Stanford TBAD and reconstruction of LSA,with no serious short-term complications.However,further follow-up observation is needed before its long-term efficacy can be clarified.

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