1."Olfactory Administration of Chinese Medicine"——A New Form of Application of Chinese Medicine
Shuangli ZHANG ; Shihui GE ; Zimeng GE ; Yue WANG ; Lianmin YUAN ; Beibei ZHANG ; Xinxuan LI ; Jinxin MIAO ; Mingsan MIAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(13):225-232
As an innovative form of combining traditional aromatherapy with modern nasal medicine delivery technology, "olfactory administration of Chinese medicine" carries the theoretical essence of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which is "moving and channeling Qi and fragrance, dredging and awakening the mind". Based on the systematic records of olfactory therapies in ancient books in emergency care, disorders of consciousness, lung system, and gynecological diseases, this paper examines the historical evolution of its clinical application, and elucidates the profound historical basis and theoretical feasibility of "olfactory administration of Chinese medicine" as a new form. Combined with the innovation and precise application of modern Chinese medicine olfactory agents in multi-system diseases such as nervous, respiratory, and cardiovascular diseases, this paper further analyzes the multi-dimensional mechanism of olfactory receptor pathway, olfactory brain pathway, nasal mucosal blood vessels, and lymphatic channels, and demonstrates its advantages of rapid onset, targeted brain entry, and systemic regulation. Under the background of continuous growth in the demand for external TCM treatment, continuous breakthroughs in the technology of nasal dosage forms, and increasingly accurate drug delivery paths, Chinese medicine olfactory agents have shown significant practical applicability and development potential. This study aims to provide theoretical support and practical direction for the system construction of this form.
2.Development and validation of predictive model for 30-day mortality in elderly patients with sepsis-associated liver dysfunction.
Beiyuan ZHANG ; Chenzhe HE ; Zimeng QIN ; Ming CHEN ; Wenkui YU ; Ting SU
Chinese Critical Care Medicine 2025;37(9):802-808
OBJECTIVE:
To develop and validate a nomogram model for predicting 30-day mortality among elderly patients with sepsis-associated liver dysfunction (SALD), to identify high-risk patients and improve prognosis.
METHODS:
A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-IV (MIMIC-IV) database for elderly patients with SALD who were first admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center between 2008 and 2019, including basic characteristics, severity scores, underlying diseases, infection foci, 24-hour vital signs, initial laboratory indicators, 24-hour complications, and prognosis related indicators. Patients were randomly assigned to training group and validation group in a ratio of 7 : 3. The training group used the LASSO regression analysis, as well as multivariate Logistic regression analysis to screen for independent risk factors for 30-day mortality. A nomogram prediction model was constructed, and receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve), calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the model, and validate the model using the validation cohort.
RESULTS:
A total of 630 elderly patients with SLAD were included in the study, including 441 in the training group and 189 in the validation group. Oxford acute severity of illness score (OASIS) for training group [odds ratio (OR) = 1.060, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 1.034-1.086], 24-hour pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2; OR = 0.876, 95%CI was 0.797-0.962), initial mean corpuscular volume (MCV; OR = 1.043, 95%CI was 1.009-1.077), initial red blood cell distribution width (RDW; OR = 1.237, 95%CI was 1.123-1.362), initial blood glucose (OR = 1.008, 95%CI was 1.004-1.013), and initial aspartate aminotransferase (AST; OR = 1.000, 95%CI was 1.000-1.001) were independent risk factors for 30-day mortality in patients (all P < 0.05). Based on the above variables, a nomogram model was constructed, and the ROC curve showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of the model in the training group was 0.757 (95%CI was 0.712-0.803), with a sensitivity of 65.05% and a specificity of 74.90%; the AUC of the model in the validation group was 0.712 (95%CI was 0.631-0.792), with a sensitivity of 58.67% and a specificity of 81.58%. The calibration curves of the training and validation groups show that both the fitted curves were close to the standard curves. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test: the training group (χ 2 = 6.729, P = 0.566), the validation group (χ 2 = 13.889, P = 0.085), indicating that the model can fit the observed data well. The DCA curve shows that when the threshold probability of the training group was 16% to 94% and the threshold probability of the validation group was 27% to 99%, the net benefit of the model was good.
CONCLUSIONS
OASIS, 24-hour SpO2, initial MCV, initial RDW, initial blood glucose and initial AST are independent risk factors for 30-day mortality in elderly patients with SALD. The nomogram based on these six variables demonstrates good predictive performance.
Humans
;
Sepsis/complications*
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Nomograms
;
Aged
;
Prognosis
;
Risk Factors
;
Liver Diseases/mortality*
;
Intensive Care Units
;
ROC Curve
;
Male
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Female
;
Logistic Models
3.Muscone improves coronary microvascular disease by promoting VEGF-mediated microvascular angiogenesis
Ziyang WANG ; Dingyuan TIAN ; Pan ZHENG ; Ming CHEN ; Zimeng ZHENG ; Fang DENG ; Zhihui ZHANG
Journal of Army Medical University 2025;47(19):2374-2384
Objective To explore the impact of Shexiang Baoxin Pill(SXBXP,a traditional Chinese patent medicine,broadly applied for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases)on coronary microvascular disease(CMD)and investigate the role and underlying mechanisms of muscone,a key bioactive component of the pills,in the treatment.Methods A total of 16 ob/ob mice(8 weeks old)were randomly and equally divided into an ob/ob-SXBXP group and a ob/ob-Control group,receiving 10 mg/kg·d SXBXP or PBS via oral gavage,and another 8 wild-type mice with the same genetic background(WT group)were subjected as a negative control group.Cell model of CMD was established based on mouse coronary microvascular endothelial cells(MCMEC)under ischemia and hypoxic(HI)condition,and the cells were further treated with 20 μg/mL SXBXP(HI+SX)and 30 μmol/L muscone(HI+Muscone),respectively.Echocardiography was carried out for coronary flow reserve(CFR)and left ventricular function,and laser speckle imaging was applied to evaluate myocardial blood flow(MBF).Microvascular density in the heart was evaluated with CD31 immunofluorescence staining.The expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)in cardiac microvascular endothelial cells of both mouse and cell models were detected by immunofluorescence staining and Western blot analysis.The proliferation and angiogenesis of MCMEC were observed by 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine staining and angiogenesis experiments.Results In the ob/ob-Control group of mice,the levels of CFR,MBF,and cardiac microvascular density were significantly lower than those in the WT group(P<0.05),and these indicators were significantly improved in the ob/ob-SXBXP group when compared with the ob/ob-Control group(P<0.05),which indicates that SXBXP improves the CMD phenotype.The expression level of VEGF in cardiac microvascular endothelial cells was significantly lower in the ob/ob-Control mice than the WT mice(P<0.05),while the level in the ob/ob-SXBXP group was significantly higher than that in the ob/ob-Control group(P<0.05),illustrating that SXBXP may ameliorate CMD through VEGF-mediated microvascular angiogenesis.In vitro experiments further revealed that the VEGF expression level and the proliferation and angiogenesis abilities in MCMEC were significantly lower in the HI group than the cells under the normoxia control condition(P<0.05).Both SXBXP and muscone treatment resulted in enhanced expression of VEGF and improved proliferative and angiogenesis abilities of MCMEC(P<0.05).These results suggest that muscone could improve CMD by VEGF-mediated microvascular angiogenesis.Conclusion SXBXP can improve CMD.Muscone,as a key component of SXBXP,promotes microvascular angiogenesis by inducing the expression of VEGF,then enhances myocardial perfusion,and consequently alleviates CMD.
4.Mechanistic study on the male flower of Eucommia ulmoides-Sanchi flower herb pair for improving glucose and lipid metabolism in type 2 diabetes mellitus model mice
Ning WANG ; Congyi LIU ; Ying DING ; Xinyu ZHONG ; Zimeng HUANG ; Na ZHENG ; Qiu'e ZHANG ; Ruifeng YANG ; Lili WU ; Lingling QIN ; Tonghua LIU
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;48(10):1390-1403
Objective Based on the traditional Chinese medicine theory of"simultaneous regulation of the liver and kidney,"this study integrated network pharmacology prediction,molecular docking,and animal experimental validation to analyze the multi-target regulatory network of Duzhong Xionghua(the male flower of Eucommia ulmoides)-Sanqi Hua(Sanchi flower)herb pair(hereinafter called"herb pair")in modulating glucolipid metabolic disorders in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM),thereby elucidating its underlying molecular mechanism.Methods Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals,and Wanfang Data were used to obtain the active ingredients of the male flower of Eucommia ulmoides and Sanchi flower.PubChem Compound,SwissTargetPrediction,and SuperPred were used to screen and predict the targets of the drugs;The Human Gene Database,The Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man,and Therapeutic Target Database were used to screen the key gene targets of T2DM.A"component-target-pathway"network diagram was constructed using Cytoscape software,and Gene Ontology functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis were employed to identify the functions of the relevant target genes and pathways.Molecular docking was used to verify the binding activities of the core components and the key targets.For animal experiments,spontaneous T2DM model mice were used,in which the normal group consisted of six mice(wild type)from the same litter,and the 24 successfully modeled mice were randomly divided into model,metformin(0.26 g/kg),high-dose herb pair(2.6 g/kg),and low-dose herb pair groups(1.3 g/kg)according to the blood glucose levels and body weights,with six mice per group.The drugs were administered by gavage daily for six consecutive weeks.The body weight and fasting blood glucose(FBG)levels were measured weekly,and an oral glucose tolerance test was performed in the fifth week.At the end of drug administration,body weight,naso-anal length,liver and bilateral epididymal adipose mass were measured;pathological changes in the liver were observed using HE staining;serum levels of aspartate transaminase(AST),alanine amino-transferase(ALT),total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)were detected using colorimetric assay;and liver tissue phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(AKT)/glycogen synthase kinase-3β(GSK-3β)signaling pathway protein expressions were determined using Western blotting.Results Network pharmacology screening identified 38 active components and 669 potential targets of the herb pair.Intersection analysis with 1,275 T2DM-related targets yielded 185 common targets.Protein-protein interaction network analysis and pathway enrichment revealed the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway as a key mechanism.Molecular docking confirmed the strong binding affinity of the core components to key targets such as AKT1,suggesting that the herb pair may activate the PI3K/AKT pathway and inhibit GSK-3β activity via beta-sitosterol etc.Animal experiments demonstrated that,compared with the model group,the metformin group exhibited reduced FBG,AST,and ALT levels(P<0.01),but failed to improve body weight,Lee's index,or epididymal fat coefficient.Both herb pair doses significantly lowered Lee's index,hepatic index,and the epididymal fat coefficient(P<0.01),with the low-dose herb pair group showing attenuated body weight gain in mice.In contrast,the high-dose herb pair group exhibited decreased FBG,improved glucose tolerance,reduced TC,TG,and LDL-C levels,and increased HDL-C level(all P<0.01).HE staining revealed that all metformin and the herb pair markedly restored hepatic structure and alleviated steatosis in model mice,with more pronounced effects in the high-dose group than in the low-dose group.Western blotting result indicated that in the low-dose herb pair group,phospho-PI3K(p-PI3K),AKT,and phospho-GSK-3β(p-GSK-3β)protein expressions significantly increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),whereas GSK-3β decreased(P<0.05).The high-dose group exhibited enhanced PI3K,p-PI3K,AKT,phospho-AKT,and p-GSK-3β protein expressions(all P<0.01),accompanied by reduced GSK-3β expression(P<0.01).Conclusion The male flower of Eucommia ulmoides-Sanchi flower herb pair may ameliorate T2DM-related glucolipid metabolic disorders by modulating the PI3K/AKT/GSK-3β pathway.
5.Application research of endoscopic-laparoscopic regional gastric resection combined with sentinel lymph node basin dissection in patients with early gastric cancer
Zhi ZHENG ; Zimeng WANG ; Rui XU ; Haiqiao ZHANG ; Zheng ZHANG ; Guotian RUAN ; Jie YIN ; Xiaoye LIU ; Jun CAI ; Guangyong CHEN ; Xiujing SUN ; Shengtao ZHU ; Peng LI ; Jun ZHANG ; Shutian ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Surgery 2025;63(7):587-596
Objective:To evaluate the short-term efficacy of endoscopic-laparoscopic regional gastric resection combined with sentinel lymph node basin dissection in patients with early-stage gastric cancer.Methods:This is a retrospective case series study. Data of 17 consecutive early gastric cancer patients from a prospective cohort at Beijing Friendship Hospital,Capital Medical University were analyzed between August 2023 and August 2024. Sixteen cases were from the department of general surgery and 1 from the department of gastroenterology. The cohort included 9 males and 8 females,with a mean age of 61.4 years (range: 46 to 79 years). Clinical data,including demographics,pathological features,surgical procedures,and follow-up outcomes,were collected through medical records and databases. All patients were followed for over 3 months,with follow-up ending on December 5,2024.Results:A total of 17 patients were involved. Among them, 5 patients underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) combined with laparoscopic sentinel lymph node dissection (LSBD),and another 3 patients who underwent complete ESD resection received LSBD due to pathological stage meeting the expanded indications. 6 patients who underwent non-curative ESD resection received laparoscopic gastric regional resection (LRG) combined with LSBD,and another 3 patients directly received LRG combined with LSBD. The average number of sentinel lymph nodes dissected before surgery ( M(IQR)) was 8.9 (4.5) (range: 4 to 21),and the detection rate and accuracy rate were both 100%. Postoperative pathology confirmed that there was no metastasis in the sentinel lymph nodes of 5 patients who underwent ESD combined with LSBD and 3 patients who underwent LSBD after complete ESD resection. The vertical and horizontal margins of ESD were all negative. One patient was an absolute indication for ESD. For the 6 patients who underwent non-curative ESD resection combined with LRG and LSBD,the horizontal margins were all negative. Two patients showed 1 metastasis in each of the 21 and 9 sentinel lymph nodes during the operation,and additional distal gastrectomy was performed during the operation. Postoperatively,73 and 39 lymph nodes were retrieved respectively. The former had 1 additional metastasis,while the latter had no metastasis. Among the 3 patients who underwent direct LRG combined with LSBD,the horizontal margins were negative. One patient was confirmed as an absolute indication for ESD by postoperative pathology,and one patient had 1 metastasis in 8 sentinel lymph nodes during the operation,and additional distal gastrectomy was performed. Postoperatively,there was no metastasis in 54 lymph nodes. All patients had no complications such as infection,bleeding,perforation,or death after surgery. Among the 14 patients who did not receive additional radical surgery,they were able to pass gas and defecate within 3 days after surgery,with an average hospital stay of 6 days. The nutritional indicators and gastric radionuclide emptying imaging half-emptying time were similar to those before surgery at 3 months after surgery. Conclusions:Laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative regional gastrectomy with sentinel lymph node basin dissection has the advantages of minimal invasiveness,preservation of gastric function,and precise treatment. It maybe suitable for patients with early-stage gastric cancer at high risk of lymph node metastasis and has good short-term efficacy.
6.Exploration of intelligent application in quality control of fetal ultrasound examination in early pregnancy in Liaoning province
Zimeng ZHANG ; Fujiao HE ; Sihong WANG ; Ying HUANG ; Lizhu CHEN
Chinese Journal of Ultrasonography 2025;34(7):571-578
Objective:To evaluate the application efficiency of the artificial prenatal sonography quality assurance system(PSAIS)in the quality control of fetal image quality during the first trimester(11-14 weeks),and to assist the quality control of fetal ultrasound examinations in the first trimester in Liaoning Province using this system.Methods:One hundred fetuses(2 757 ultrasound images)from early pregnancy ultrasound screenings at the Shengjing Hospital Affiliated to China Medical University in November 2022 were retrospectively randomly selected as the test set. The performance of PSAIS were evaluated by 3 obstetric ultrasound experts. First,the experts' sectional classification was used as the gold standard,the accuracy of PSAIS in classifying standard sections was assessed;the consistency between PSAIS and expert ratings was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC). The difference of time between PSAIS and expert quality control was analyzed. Finally,PSAIS was used to evaluate the quality of early pregnancy fetal ultrasound examinations at various levels of hospitals in Liaoning province,involving a total of 35 hospitals. Ten early pregnancy fetal ultrasound screening cases were randomly selected from each hospital. The specific evaluation content included the number of stored ultrasound images per examination,the completion rate of standard sections,image quality scores for each examination and individual images,excellence rates and pass rates. The assessment results were statistically described and analyzed.Results:The accuracy rate of PSAIS classification reached to 88.25%(706/800);the ICC between PSAIS and expert ratings was 0.978. PSAIS analysis showed that the time for each early pregnancy fetal ultrasound examination was less than the average time required by experts(3.0 s vs. 63.5 s, P<0.05).Quality control checks revealed statistically significant differences among hospitals at various levels in terms of the number of stored images,completeness of sections,scoring,excellence rate,and pass rate(all P<0.05). Among them,tertiary hospitals performed better than secondary hospitals,private hospitals outperformed public ones,and specialized hospitals excelled over general hospitals. In the evaluation of section standardization,the fetal median sagittal plane had the highest completion rate[99.43%(348/350)],while the umbilical cord abdominal wall entry transverse plane scan had the lowest completion rate[31.14%(109/350)]. Conclusions:PSAIS can reliably assess the quality of early pregnancy fetal ultrasound examinations,significantly enhancing the efficiency of quality control. There are noticeable differences among hospitals at various levels in Liaoning Province regarding the image quality of early pregnancy fetal ultrasounds,and there are also some common issues in standardizing sections. The quality of obstetric ultrasound images still needs further improvement.
7.Intergenerational Associations of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy With Offspring Metabolomics: A Systematic Review
Jinrui XIONG ; Ling-Jun LI ; Yongping ZHANG ; Zhihong ZHANG ; Yue YANG ; Huan HU ; Jinhong LIU ; Zimeng CHEN ; Peng HUANG ; Mengjiao LIU
Maternal-Fetal Medicine 2025;07(3):157-165
Objective::To examine the impact of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) on offspring metabolomics.Methods::We searched five databases: PubMed, Ovid Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and included studies that reported metabolomics among human offspring born to HDP-complicated pregnancies.Results::Database search yielded 4054 articles, and after full-text screening, ten observational studies met inclusion criteria. Half of the studies had a sample size of less than 100 and were all observational studies in preeclampsia (PE) and gestational hypertension.Neonates were the most focused group in all included studies. Offspring born to HDP-complicated pregnancies exhibited statistically significant variations in blood metabolomics compared to their counterparts, characterized by amino acids, lipids, carnitine, and others (e.g., 1α,25-(OH) 2-D). Most studies reported a significant increase in differential metabolites of offspring born to HDP-complicated pregnancies. Four studies ( n = 1109) measured lipids-related metabolites, and all consistently showed that offspring born to PE-complicated pregnancies had significantly higher concentrations than non-PE exposed offspring. Conclusion::The existing evidence suggests an intergenerational effect of HDP on offspring metabolomics. Long-term follow-up studies are needed to advance the health effects of related adverse health outcomes and inform the prevention of offspring’s health.
8.Intergenerational Associations of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy With Offspring Metabolomics: A Systematic Review
Jinrui XIONG ; Ling-Jun LI ; Yongping ZHANG ; Zhihong ZHANG ; Yue YANG ; Huan HU ; Jinhong LIU ; Zimeng CHEN ; Peng HUANG ; Mengjiao LIU
Maternal-Fetal Medicine 2025;07(3):157-165
Objective::To examine the impact of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) on offspring metabolomics.Methods::We searched five databases: PubMed, Ovid Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and included studies that reported metabolomics among human offspring born to HDP-complicated pregnancies.Results::Database search yielded 4054 articles, and after full-text screening, ten observational studies met inclusion criteria. Half of the studies had a sample size of less than 100 and were all observational studies in preeclampsia (PE) and gestational hypertension.Neonates were the most focused group in all included studies. Offspring born to HDP-complicated pregnancies exhibited statistically significant variations in blood metabolomics compared to their counterparts, characterized by amino acids, lipids, carnitine, and others (e.g., 1α,25-(OH) 2-D). Most studies reported a significant increase in differential metabolites of offspring born to HDP-complicated pregnancies. Four studies ( n = 1109) measured lipids-related metabolites, and all consistently showed that offspring born to PE-complicated pregnancies had significantly higher concentrations than non-PE exposed offspring. Conclusion::The existing evidence suggests an intergenerational effect of HDP on offspring metabolomics. Long-term follow-up studies are needed to advance the health effects of related adverse health outcomes and inform the prevention of offspring’s health.
9.Mechanistic study on the male flower of Eucommia ulmoides-Sanchi flower herb pair for improving glucose and lipid metabolism in type 2 diabetes mellitus model mice
Ning WANG ; Congyi LIU ; Ying DING ; Xinyu ZHONG ; Zimeng HUANG ; Na ZHENG ; Qiu'e ZHANG ; Ruifeng YANG ; Lili WU ; Lingling QIN ; Tonghua LIU
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;48(10):1390-1403
Objective Based on the traditional Chinese medicine theory of"simultaneous regulation of the liver and kidney,"this study integrated network pharmacology prediction,molecular docking,and animal experimental validation to analyze the multi-target regulatory network of Duzhong Xionghua(the male flower of Eucommia ulmoides)-Sanqi Hua(Sanchi flower)herb pair(hereinafter called"herb pair")in modulating glucolipid metabolic disorders in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM),thereby elucidating its underlying molecular mechanism.Methods Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals,and Wanfang Data were used to obtain the active ingredients of the male flower of Eucommia ulmoides and Sanchi flower.PubChem Compound,SwissTargetPrediction,and SuperPred were used to screen and predict the targets of the drugs;The Human Gene Database,The Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man,and Therapeutic Target Database were used to screen the key gene targets of T2DM.A"component-target-pathway"network diagram was constructed using Cytoscape software,and Gene Ontology functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis were employed to identify the functions of the relevant target genes and pathways.Molecular docking was used to verify the binding activities of the core components and the key targets.For animal experiments,spontaneous T2DM model mice were used,in which the normal group consisted of six mice(wild type)from the same litter,and the 24 successfully modeled mice were randomly divided into model,metformin(0.26 g/kg),high-dose herb pair(2.6 g/kg),and low-dose herb pair groups(1.3 g/kg)according to the blood glucose levels and body weights,with six mice per group.The drugs were administered by gavage daily for six consecutive weeks.The body weight and fasting blood glucose(FBG)levels were measured weekly,and an oral glucose tolerance test was performed in the fifth week.At the end of drug administration,body weight,naso-anal length,liver and bilateral epididymal adipose mass were measured;pathological changes in the liver were observed using HE staining;serum levels of aspartate transaminase(AST),alanine amino-transferase(ALT),total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)were detected using colorimetric assay;and liver tissue phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(AKT)/glycogen synthase kinase-3β(GSK-3β)signaling pathway protein expressions were determined using Western blotting.Results Network pharmacology screening identified 38 active components and 669 potential targets of the herb pair.Intersection analysis with 1,275 T2DM-related targets yielded 185 common targets.Protein-protein interaction network analysis and pathway enrichment revealed the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway as a key mechanism.Molecular docking confirmed the strong binding affinity of the core components to key targets such as AKT1,suggesting that the herb pair may activate the PI3K/AKT pathway and inhibit GSK-3β activity via beta-sitosterol etc.Animal experiments demonstrated that,compared with the model group,the metformin group exhibited reduced FBG,AST,and ALT levels(P<0.01),but failed to improve body weight,Lee's index,or epididymal fat coefficient.Both herb pair doses significantly lowered Lee's index,hepatic index,and the epididymal fat coefficient(P<0.01),with the low-dose herb pair group showing attenuated body weight gain in mice.In contrast,the high-dose herb pair group exhibited decreased FBG,improved glucose tolerance,reduced TC,TG,and LDL-C levels,and increased HDL-C level(all P<0.01).HE staining revealed that all metformin and the herb pair markedly restored hepatic structure and alleviated steatosis in model mice,with more pronounced effects in the high-dose group than in the low-dose group.Western blotting result indicated that in the low-dose herb pair group,phospho-PI3K(p-PI3K),AKT,and phospho-GSK-3β(p-GSK-3β)protein expressions significantly increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),whereas GSK-3β decreased(P<0.05).The high-dose group exhibited enhanced PI3K,p-PI3K,AKT,phospho-AKT,and p-GSK-3β protein expressions(all P<0.01),accompanied by reduced GSK-3β expression(P<0.01).Conclusion The male flower of Eucommia ulmoides-Sanchi flower herb pair may ameliorate T2DM-related glucolipid metabolic disorders by modulating the PI3K/AKT/GSK-3β pathway.
10.Exploration of intelligent application in quality control of fetal ultrasound examination in early pregnancy in Liaoning province
Zimeng ZHANG ; Fujiao HE ; Sihong WANG ; Ying HUANG ; Lizhu CHEN
Chinese Journal of Ultrasonography 2025;34(7):571-578
Objective:To evaluate the application efficiency of the artificial prenatal sonography quality assurance system(PSAIS)in the quality control of fetal image quality during the first trimester(11-14 weeks),and to assist the quality control of fetal ultrasound examinations in the first trimester in Liaoning Province using this system.Methods:One hundred fetuses(2 757 ultrasound images)from early pregnancy ultrasound screenings at the Shengjing Hospital Affiliated to China Medical University in November 2022 were retrospectively randomly selected as the test set. The performance of PSAIS were evaluated by 3 obstetric ultrasound experts. First,the experts' sectional classification was used as the gold standard,the accuracy of PSAIS in classifying standard sections was assessed;the consistency between PSAIS and expert ratings was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC). The difference of time between PSAIS and expert quality control was analyzed. Finally,PSAIS was used to evaluate the quality of early pregnancy fetal ultrasound examinations at various levels of hospitals in Liaoning province,involving a total of 35 hospitals. Ten early pregnancy fetal ultrasound screening cases were randomly selected from each hospital. The specific evaluation content included the number of stored ultrasound images per examination,the completion rate of standard sections,image quality scores for each examination and individual images,excellence rates and pass rates. The assessment results were statistically described and analyzed.Results:The accuracy rate of PSAIS classification reached to 88.25%(706/800);the ICC between PSAIS and expert ratings was 0.978. PSAIS analysis showed that the time for each early pregnancy fetal ultrasound examination was less than the average time required by experts(3.0 s vs. 63.5 s, P<0.05).Quality control checks revealed statistically significant differences among hospitals at various levels in terms of the number of stored images,completeness of sections,scoring,excellence rate,and pass rate(all P<0.05). Among them,tertiary hospitals performed better than secondary hospitals,private hospitals outperformed public ones,and specialized hospitals excelled over general hospitals. In the evaluation of section standardization,the fetal median sagittal plane had the highest completion rate[99.43%(348/350)],while the umbilical cord abdominal wall entry transverse plane scan had the lowest completion rate[31.14%(109/350)]. Conclusions:PSAIS can reliably assess the quality of early pregnancy fetal ultrasound examinations,significantly enhancing the efficiency of quality control. There are noticeable differences among hospitals at various levels in Liaoning Province regarding the image quality of early pregnancy fetal ultrasounds,and there are also some common issues in standardizing sections. The quality of obstetric ultrasound images still needs further improvement.

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