1.The Near-infrared II Emission of Gold Clusters and Their Applications in Biomedicine
Zhen-Hua LI ; Hui-Zhen MA ; Hao WANG ; Chang-Long LIU ; Xiao-Dong ZHANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(8):2068-2086
Optical imaging is highly valued for its superior temporal and spatial resolution. This is particularly important in near-infrared II (NIR-II, 1 000-3 000 nm) imaging, which offers advantages such as reduced tissue absorption, minimal scattering, and low autofluorescence. These characteristics make NIR-II imaging especially suitable for deep tissue visualization, where high contrast and minimal background interference are critical for accurate diagnosis and monitoring. Currently, inorganic fluorescent probes—such as carbon nanotubes, rare earth nanoparticles, and quantum dots—offer high brightness and stability. However, they are hindered by ambiguous structures, larger sizes, and potential accumulation toxicity in vivo. In contrast, organic fluorescent probes, including small molecules and polymers, demonstrate higher biocompatibility but are limited by shorter emission wavelengths, lower quantum yields, and reduced stability. Recently, gold clusters have emerged as a promising class of nanomaterials with potential applications in biocatalysis, fluorescence sensing, biological imaging, and more. Water-soluble gold clusters are particularly attractive as fluorescent probes due to their remarkable optical properties, including strong photoluminescence, large Stokes shifts, and excellent photostability. Furthermore, their outstanding biocompatibility—attributed to good aqueous stability, ultra-small hydrodynamic size, and high renal clearance efficiency—makes them especially suitable for biomedical applications. Gold clusters hold significant potential for NIR-II fluorescence imaging. Atomic-precision gold clusters, typically composed of tens to hundreds of gold atoms and measuring only a few nanometers in diameter, possess well-defined three-dimensional structures and clear spatial coordination. This atomic-level precision enables fine-tuned structural regulation, further enhancing their fluorescence properties. Variations in cluster size, surface ligands, and alloying elements can result in distinct physicochemical characteristics. The incorporation of different atoms can modulate the atomic and electronic structures of gold clusters, while diverse ligands can influence surface polarity and steric hindrance. As such, strategies like alloying and ligand engineering are effective in enhancing both fluorescence and catalytic performance, thereby meeting a broader range of clinical needs. In recent years, gold clusters have attracted growing attention in the biomedical field. Their application in NIR-II imaging has led to significant progress in vascular, organ, and tumor imaging. The resulting high-resolution, high signal-to-noise imaging provides powerful tools for clinical diagnostics. Moreover, biologically active gold clusters can aid in drug delivery and disease diagnosis and treatment, offering new opportunities for clinical therapeutics. Despite the notable achievements in fundamental research and clinical translation, further studies are required to address challenges related to the standardized synthesis and complex metabolic behavior of gold clusters. Resolving these issues will help accelerate their clinical adoption and broaden their biomedical applications.
2.Visual analysis of dynamics and hotspots of biomechanics research on diabetic foot based on WoSCC.
Zhe WANG ; Wei-Dong LIU ; Jun LU ; Hong-Mou ZHAO ; Xue-Fei CAO ; Yun-Long ZHANG ; Xin CHANG ; Liang LIU
China Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology 2025;38(9):902-909
OBJECTIVE:
To explore the current research status and hotspots in the field of biomechanics of diabetic foot by bibliometric analysis methods.
METHODS:
Literatures related to biomechanics of diabetic foot published in the Web of Scienc Core Collection (WoSCC) from 1981 to 2024 were searched. CiteSpace software and R language bibliometrics plugin were used to conduct a visual analysis of annual publication volume of the literature, including publication volume of each country and region, the publication situation of authors and institutions, the citation situation of individual literature, and the co-occurrence network of keywords.
RESULTS:
Totally 996 literatures were included, and the number of published papers increased steadily. The United States (261 papers) and China (89 papers) were the top two countries in terms of the number of published papers. The mediating centrality of the United States was 0.94, and that of China was 0.01. Scholars such as Cavanagh and institutions like the Cleveland Clinic were at the core of research in this field. High-frequency keywords include plantar pressure (plantar pressure), diabetic foot (diabetic foot), ulceration (ulcer), etc. The research focuses on plantar pressure, ulcer formation and prevention, etc.
CONCLUSION
Biomechanical research on diabetic foot mainly focuses on the pressure distribution on the sole of the foot, callus formation, mechanical analysis of soft tissues on the sole of the foot, and the study of plantar decompression caused by Achilles tendon elongation. The research trend has gradually shifted from focusing on joint range of motion to gait and the design of braces and assistive devices, and has begun to pay attention to muscle strength, gait imbalance and proprioception abnormalities.
Humans
;
Diabetic Foot/physiopathology*
;
Biomechanical Phenomena
;
Bibliometrics
3.Qingda Granule Attenuates Hypertension-Induced Cardiac Damage via Regulating Renin-Angiotensin System Pathway.
Lin-Zi LONG ; Ling TAN ; Feng-Qin XU ; Wen-Wen YANG ; Hong-Zheng LI ; Jian-Gang LIU ; Ke WANG ; Zhi-Ru ZHAO ; Yue-Qi WANG ; Chao-Ju WANG ; Yi-Chao WEN ; Ming-Yan HUANG ; Hua QU ; Chang-Geng FU ; Ke-Ji CHEN
Chinese journal of integrative medicine 2025;31(5):402-411
OBJECTIVE:
To assess the efficacy of Qingda Granule (QDG) in ameliorating hypertension-induced cardiac damage and investigate the underlying mechanisms involved.
METHODS:
Twenty spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were used to develope a hypertension-induced cardiac damage model. Another 10 Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as normotension group. Rats were administrated intragastrically QDG [0.9 g/(kg•d)] or an equivalent volume of pure water for 8 weeks. Blood pressure, histopathological changes, cardiac function, levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory response markers were measured. Furthermore, to gain insights into the potential mechanisms underlying the protective effects of QDG against hypertension-induced cardiac injury, a network pharmacology study was conducted. Predicted results were validated by Western blot, radioimmunoassay immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively.
RESULTS:
The administration of QDG resulted in a significant decrease in blood pressure levels in SHRs (P<0.01). Histological examinations, including hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson trichrome staining revealed that QDG effectively attenuated hypertension-induced cardiac damage. Furthermore, echocardiography demonstrated that QDG improved hypertension-associated cardiac dysfunction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and colorimetric method indicated that QDG significantly reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory response levels in both myocardial tissue and serum (P<0.01).
CONCLUSIONS
Both network pharmacology and experimental investigations confirmed that QDG exerted its beneficial effects in decreasing hypertension-induced cardiac damage by regulating the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)/angiotensin II (Ang II)/Ang II receptor type 1 axis and ACE/Ang II/Ang II receptor type 2 axis.
Animals
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
;
Hypertension/pathology*
;
Renin-Angiotensin System/drug effects*
;
Rats, Inbred SHR
;
Oxidative Stress/drug effects*
;
Male
;
Rats, Inbred WKY
;
Blood Pressure/drug effects*
;
Myocardium/pathology*
;
Rats
;
Inflammation/pathology*
4.The Role of VSD in Enhancing the Biological Environment of Scarred Skin Incisions in Valve Replacement: A Clinical Study on Postoperative Outcomes in Patients with Extensive Burns and Cardiac Valve Neoplasms.
Wei LIU ; Ting HE ; Yang CHANG ; Long Long YANG ; Chuan-An SHEN
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(3):394-399
5.Analysis of the Development and Implementation of the Environmental Damage Compensation System in Japan
Kai HE ; Jin-Long YUAN ; Chang-Mao QIU ; Ze-Jun LIU ; Yuan-Feng QI ; Zhen-Hui GAO
Journal of Forensic Medicine 2025;41(1):74-82
In the 1950s and 1960s,Japan's implementation of policies prioritizing economic develop-ment caused a lack of effective supervision over the discharge of industrial wastewater and exhaust gases,which led to the occurrence of the"Four Major Pollution Diseases",including Minamata disease,causing serious social and public health problems.To more effectively address public nuisances and pro-vide compensation to victims,the Japanese government gradually established an environmental damage compensation system with administrative relief characteristics since the 1970s.Through long-term prac-tice and system optimization,this system has evolved into a mature institutional framework with a clear division of labor and efficient collaboration.This paper systematically reviews the development process of Japan's environmental damage compensation system and deeply analyzes its legal frame-work and supporting policies,aiming to provide useful references for the construction and improve-ment of China's environmental damage compensation system.Meanwhile,through the case analysis of Minamata disease,the paper explores the specific mechanisms and effects in the compensation practices,further revealing the system's operational characteristics and implications,and providing a reference ba-sis for the construction of China's environmental governance legal system.
6.Research progress on the application of intelligent medical treatment in abdominal war trauma
Si-Zhe WANG ; Xu SUN ; Ding-Chang LI ; Xian-Qiang LIU ; Wen-Xing GAO ; Wen ZHAO ; Hao LIU ; Guang-Long DONG
Medical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army 2025;50(1):22-27
Abdominal war trauma is a common and high-risk type of injury in the modern battlefield,with rapid changes in condition and a high mortality rate.There is an urgent need for emerging medical technologies to improve the efficiency and success rate of first aid for military casualties.With the development of artificial intelligence(AI),5G,and other emerging technologies,the concept of intelligent medical treatment is gradually forming and can assist in the diagnosis and treatment of abdominal trauma.This paper reviews the characteristics of abdominal war trauma in modern wars,discusses the application of intelligent medical treatment for abdominal war trauma and its drawbacks to be solved,aiming to provide reference for research related to abdominal war trauma.
7.Comprehensive Analysis of Proteins and Their Phosphorylation in Milk-derived Exosomes From Different Species
Chang-Mei LIU ; Yi-Fan HU ; Wen-Yan CHEN ; Dan LIU ; Jie SHI ; Gang-Long YANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2024;51(7):1697-1710
ObjectiveExosomes are microvesicles which could be secreted by all cell types with diameters between 30 and 150 nm. It was widely distributed in body fluids including blood, urine, and breast milk. Exosomes are considered as potential biomarkers and drug carriers by reason of containing nucleic acids, lipids, proteins and other bioactive molecules. Milk-derived exosomes have been widely used as drug delivery carriers to treat targeted diseases with a lower cost, higher biocompatibility and lower immunogenicity. Until now, there is no research about the milk-derived exosomes phosphorylation to reveal the difference of protein phosphorylation in different species of milk. To investigate the pathways and proteins with specific functions, phosphorylated proteomic analysis of milk-derived exosomes from different species is performed, and provide new ideas for exploring diversified treatments of disease. MethodsWhey and exosomes derived from bovine, porcine and caprine milk were performed for proteomics and phosphoproteomics analysis. The relationship between milk exosome proteins from different species and signaling pathways were analyzed using bioinformatics tools. ResultsA total of 4 191 global proteins, 1 640 phosphoproteins and 4 064 phosphosites were identified from 3 species of milk-derived exosomes, and the exosome proteins and phosphoproteins from different species were significantly higher than those of whey. Meanwhile, some special pathways were enriched like Fcγ-mediated phagocytosis from bovine exosomes, pathways related with neural and immune system from caprine exosomes, positive and negative regulation of multiple activities from porcine exosomes. ConclusionIn this study, the proteomic and phosphoproteomic analyses of exosomes and whey from bovine, porcine and caprine milk were carried out to reveal the difference of composition and related signaling pathways of milk exosome from different species. These results provided powerful support for the application of exosomes from different milk sources in the field of disease treatment.
8.Effect of XUE Ji's Morning-Evening Supplementing Method Combined with Seretide on Exercise Endurance in Patients with Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease of Lung and Kidney Deficiency Type
Qian SU ; Chang LI ; Ting LEI ; Yuan LIU ; Xuan-Er LONG
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;41(6):1430-1437
Objective To investigate the effect of XUE Ji's morning-evening supplementing method,a therapy by tonification according to the alteration of daily yang-qi in the human body and the nature proposed by practitioner XUE Ji in Ming Dynasty,combined with Seretide on exercise endurance in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)of lung and kidney deficiency type.Methods Ninety-two patients with stable COPD of lung and kidney deficiency type were randomly divided into treatment group and control group,with 46 cases in each group.The control group was given inhalation of Salmeterol/Fluticasone Inhalation Powder(Seretide),and the treatment group was treated with Buzhong Yiqi Pills in the morning and Liuwei Dihuang Pills at evening on the basis treatment for the control group.The course of treatment covered 3 months.The changes of the scale scores of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome and St Georges respiratory questionnaire(SGRQ)for quality of life,the distance of 6-minute walking test(6MWT)for exercise endurance,and pulmonary function indicators of forced expiratory volume in one second(FEV1),forced vital capacity(FVC)and their ratio(FEV1/FVC)in the two groups before and after treatment were observed.After treatment,the clinical efficacy and the incidence of adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.Results(1)During the trial,a total of 3 cases were lost,and a total of 89 patients were eventually included,including 45 cases in the treatment group and 44 cases in the control group.(2)After 3 months of treatment,the total effective rate of the treatment group was 82.22%(37/45),and that of the control group was 72.73%(32/44).The intergroup comparison by chi-square test showed that the efficacy of the treatment group was significantly superior to that of the control group(P<0.05).(3)After treatment,the scores of TCM syndromes in the two groups were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment(P<0.01),and the decrease in the treatment group was more significant than that in the control group(P<0.01).(4)After treatment,the lung function indicators of FEV1,FVC and FEV1/FVC in the two groups were significantly improved compared with those before treatment(P<0.05),and the improvement in the treatment group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P<0.05).(5)After treatment,the scores of SGRQ items of respiratory symptoms,disease impact and activity limitation in the two groups were significantly lower than those before treatment(P<0.01),and the decrease in the treatment group was significantly superior to that in the control group,the differences being statistically significant(P<0.01).(6)After treatment,the 6MWT distance of the two groups was significantly improved compared with that before treatment(P<0.01),and the improvement in the treatment group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P<0.01).(7)During the treatment,no abnormal changes in the indicators of blood routine test,liver and kidney function,electrocardiogram,and urine and stool routine were found in the two groups.Conclusion XUE Ji's morning-evening supplementing method combined with Seretide exert certain effect in treating stable COPD patients with lung and kidney deficiency syndrome.The therapy can effectively alleviate the clinical symptoms ofnd improve the lung function,exercise endurance and quality of life of the patients,with high safety.
9.Discussion on the Pathogenesis of Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head Under the System of Non-uniform Settlement During Bone Resorption and Multidimensional Composite Bowstring Working in Coordination with the Theory of Liver-Kidney and Muscle-Bone Based on the Concept of Liver and Kidney Sharing the Common Source
Gui-Xin ZHANG ; Feng YANG ; Le ZHANG ; Jie LIU ; Zhi-Jian CHEN ; Lei PENG ; En-Long FU ; Shu-Hua LIU ; Chang-De WANG ; Chun-Zhu GONG
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;41(1):239-246
From the perspective of the physiological basis of liver and kidney sharing the common source in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),and by integrating the theory of kidney dominating bone,liver dominating tendon,and meridian sinew of TCM as well as the bone resorption and collapse theory,and non-uniform settlement theory and lower-limb musculoskeletal bowstring structure theory of modern orthopedics,the pathogenesis of osteonecrosis of the femoral head(ONFH)under the system of non-uniform settlement during bone resorption and multidimensional composite bowstring working in coordination with the theory of liver-kidney and muscle-bone was explored.The key to the TCM pathogenesis of ONFH lies in the deficiency of the liver and kidney,and then the imbalance of kidney yin-yang leads to the disruption of the dynamic balance of bone formation and bone resorption mediated by osteoblasts-osteoclasts,which manifests as the elevated level of bone metabolism and the enhancement of focal bone resorption in the femoral head,and then leads to the necrosis and collapse of the femoral head.It is considered that the kidney dominates bone,liver dominates tendon,and the tendon and bone together constitute the muscle-bone-joint dynamic and static system of the hip joint.The appearance of collapse destroys the originally balanced muscle-bone-joint system.Moreover,the failure of liver blood in the nourishment of muscles and tendons further exacerbates the imbalance of the soft tissues around the hip joint,accelerates the collapse of the muscle-bone-joint dynamic and static system,speeds up the process of femoral head collapse,and ultimately results in irreversible outcomes.Based on the above pathogenesis,the systematic integrative treatment of ONFH should be based on the TCM holistic concept,focuses on the focal improvement of internal and external blood circulation of the femoral head by various approaches,so as to rebuild the coordination of joint function.Moreover,attention should be paid to the physical constitution of the patients,and therapy of tonifying the kidney and regulating the liver can be used to restore the balance between osteogenesis and osteoblastogenesis,and to reconstruct the muscle-bone-joint system,so as to effectively delay or even prevent the occurrence of ONFH.
10.Predictive value of a new radiotherapy plan evaluation tool for bladder toxicity in cervical cancer
Qingxiao LIU ; Yuexiang ZHU ; Long TIAN ; Songlin YANG ; Zheng WANG ; Yusen ZHAO ; Zhiying REN ; Maoye CHANG
Chinese Journal of Radiological Health 2024;33(2):189-194
Objective To evaluate the predictive value of a dose-surface histogram (DSH) for radiation cystitis (RC) in patients with cervical cancer. Methods We retrospectively included 190 patients with cervical cancer who underwent image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) from the HIS system of The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University from May 2013 to May 2023. The patients were divided into test group (n = 100) and control group (n = 90). The dose distribution in the bladder was evaluated by using a DSH for the test group and using a dose-volume histogram (DVH) for the control group. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the predictive value of DSH for RC in comparison with DVH. Results There were no significant differences in baseline data and RC incidence between the two groups (all P>0.05). All evaluation indicators were significantly different between DSH and DVH (all P<0.05). The predictive value of S45 and V45 for the incidence of grade-I, -II, and -III RC was low (all P<0.05). The predictive value of S50 and V50 for the incidence of grade-I, -II, and -III RC was moderate (all P<0.05). S55−S57 and V55−V57 showed high value for predicting the incidence of grade-I, -II, and -III RC (all P<0.05). Conclusion DSH shows basically the same predictive value for the incidence of RC caused by IGRT in cervical cancer as DVH, which is expected to become a new tool for evaluating radiotherapy plans.

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