1.Dilemmas and challenges for parasitology teachers at shortage of clinicalmedical sciences knowledge background in medical colleges and universities
Su HAN ; Yang CHENG ; Chao DENG ; Youyi LIU ; Yuhong LI
Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control 2026;38(1):69-73
Medical parasitology, as a course bridging basic medical sciences and clinical medicine, has an important disciplinary value in the medical education system. This study investigated the composition of parasitology teachers from multiple medical colleges and universities across China. The results showed that there was a significant difference in the proportion of teachers with clinical medicine background knowledge, and there was common dilemma that there were insufficient clinical medicine knowledge reserves among teachers in some medical colleges and universities, who encountered severe teaching challenges. Based on this issue, this study constructed a basic-clinical medicine collaborative problem-based learning (PBL) teaching model. This model integrated theoretical teaching, case analyses, and experimental operations, and combined transdisciplinary team building and multidimensional teacher training, which significantly improved the clinical teaching capability among parasitology teachers, and effectively compensated the impact of insufficient clinical medicine knowledge reserves on teaching. Following teaching reform, students' scores significantly improved, and their case analysis capability enhanced. This study provides a practical path to address the shortage of clinical medicine background knowledge among parasitology teachers, which facilitates the progress of educational reform of medical parasitology and improvement of teaching quality.
2.Association of mixed exposure to lithium, vanadium, uranium, and bismuth in early pregnancy with gestational weight gain
Jiao LI ; Qi LI ; Shuang CHENG ; Jiayi SONG ; Xiaohui GUO ; Xiang WANG ; Di CHENG ; Kefeng FAN ; Ju WANG
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(4):475-484
Background Gestational weight gain is closely related to maternal and infant health outcomes. Pregnant women are simultaneously exposed to four metals—lithium (Li), vanadium (V), uranium (U), and bismuth (Bi)—through inhalation of fine particulate matter and consumption of contaminated food and water. Existing studies suggest that exposure to these metals may be associated with gestational weight gain. However, no study has yet explored the complex relationships between exposure to mixtures of these four metals and weight gain at different stages of pregnancy. Objective To investigate the associations between mixed exposure to Li, V, U, and Bi in early pregnancy and the average weekly gestational weight gain during both early pregnancy and mid-to-late pregnancy. Methods This prospective study recruited eligible women in early pregnancy from an obstetrics clinic of a tertiary hospital in Jinan, China, between September 2021 and July 2023. Pre-pregnancy weight, current weight (at 11+0 to 13+6 weeks of gestation), and spot urine samples (≥5.0 mL) were collected at enrollment. Urinary concentrations of Li, V, Bi, and U were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Participants were followed up in late pregnancy (≥28 weeks of gestation) to collect information on physical activity via questionnaire; weight measurements at the last antenatal visit (35+0 to 37+6 weeks of gestation) were obtained from the hospital information system. After adjusting for covariates, multiple linear regression and generalized additive models were used to assess the associations of individual metals with weekly weight gain in early pregnancy and in mid-to-late pregnancy. Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) and quantile-based g-computation (Qgcomp) were applied to evaluate the joint effects of the metal mixture exposure on weekly weight gain at the two gestational stages. Results A total of 313 pregnant women were included. The geometric means of urinary Li, V, U, and Bi concentrations were 37.07, 0.20, 0.06, and 0.04 μg·L−1, respectively; after creatinine adjustment, the corresponding values were 46.82, 0.25, 0.07, and 0.05 μg·g−1 (Cr). The mean weekly gestational weight gain was (0.19±0.25) kg in early pregnancy and (0.53 ± 0.18) kg in mid-to-late pregnancy. Both multiple linear regression and generalized additive models showed that urinary V concentration was positively associated with average weekly gestational weight gain in early pregnancy, while no significant associations were found for other metals or for gestational weight gain in mid-to-late pregnancy. In the BKMR model with early-pregnancy weight gain as the outcome, V had the strongest association [posterior inclusion probability (PIP)=0.773]. When other metals were fixed at their medians, V showed a positive non-linear association with the outcome. A significant single-metal effect of V and its interaction with Li were observed. Compared with the 50th percentile of the metal mixture, the average weekly weight gain in early pregnancy increased by 0.016 (95%CI: 0.003, 0.029) and 0.018 (95%CI: 0.001, 0.036) at the 60th and 65th percentiles, respectively; conversely, at the 25th percentile, it decreased by 0.026 (95%CI: 0.002, 0.050). Overall, the joint effect of the metal mixture on early- pregnancy weight gain showed an upward trend. In the BKMR model for mid-to-late pregnancy gestational weight gain, all PIPs were<0.5, and no significant single-metal effects, interactions, or joint effects were identified. Qgcomp results confirmed a positive association between the metal mixture and early-pregnancy weight gain (b=0.031, 95%CI: 0.010, 0.051; P<0.01), with V contributing the highest positive weight (0.71). No significant association was found for weight gain in mid-to-late pregnancy (b=0.007, P=0.339). Conclusion Higher levels of co-exposure to the Li, V, Bi, and U metal mixture during early pregnancy may be associated with increased average weekly weight gain in early pregnancy. Among these metals, V exhibits a predominant role and appears to interact with Li. No association is observed between early-pregnancy metal mixture exposure and average weekly gestational weight gain in mid-to-late pregnancy. These findings suggest that monitoring and managing metal exposure during early pregnancy may be crucial for the rational regulation of gestational weight gain.
3.MRI findings of spinal cord atrophy after spinal cord injury in children and their injury level
Yingxin ZHANG ; Genlin LIU ; Di CHEN ; Hongxia ZHANG ; Yifan TIAN ; Yiji WANG ; Yang JING ; Ruidong CHENG ; Shaomin ZHANG ; Jiafeng YAO ; Bo SUN ; Xiaomeng SUN
Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice 2026;32(4):387-392
ObjectiveTo delineate imaging findings using an imaging platform and investigate the correlation between MRI characteristics of spinal cord atrophy and clinical diagnosis in children with spinal cord injury (SCI). MethodsImaging data of 150 children with SCI admitted to Beijing Bo'ai Hospital, China Rehabilitation Research Center, from January, 2002 to March, 2024 were collected and imported into the imaging platform. The anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the middle part of the spinal cord at the cross-section with the most severe atrophy were measured, and the relevant indicators of the previous normal spinal cord segment were measured as controls; the radiomic features were extracted. Clinical data of the children including gender, age, cause of injury, sensory level, motor level, spinal cord injury level, injury severity and disease course were collected. ResultsSpinal cord atrophy was identified in 81 cases (54%), among which 78 cases (96%) were American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) grade A and 3 cases (4%) were AIS grade C. The upper boundary of the spinal cord atrophy site strongly correlated with the injury level, motor level and sensory level (r > 0.8, P < 0.001). ConclusionMore than half of children with SCI may develop secondary spinal cord atrophy, the vast majority of whom suffer from complete spinal cord injury; the upper boundary of spinal cord atrophy is correlated with the injury level.
4.Application of action observation therapy in stroke rehabilitation from 2016 to 2025: a bibliometric analysis
Cheng HUANG ; Yangyi SHEN ; Biying LU ; Tong LIU ; Yue LIU
Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice 2026;32(4):399-410
ObjectiveTo analyze the application trends and research hotspots of action observation therapy (AOT) in the field of stroke rehabilitation over the past decade. MethodsLiteratures on AOT in stroke rehabilitation published from January, 2016 to December, 2025 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database. CiteSpace 6.4.R1 was used for visual analysis. ResultsA total of 463 articles were included. The annual publication volume showed a fluctuating upward trend. The country with the highest number of publications was China, the most productive institution was Chang Gung University and Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, and the most prolific author was Avanzini Pietro. Mirror neuron system, motor imagery, upper limb and facilitation were identified as high-frequency keywords and bursting words. ConclusionIn the past decade, the number of publications on AOT in stroke rehabilitation has generally increased. Researches are focusing on the synergy of sensory-closed-loop multimodal technologies, reconstruction of fine upper limb function and neural facilitation mechanisms.
5.Construction of a renal rehabilitation, diagnosis and quality control information platform
Ying SHI ; Xiaomeng SUN ; Jun CHENG ; Di CHEN ; Yifan TIAN ; Yingchun MA ; Xinxin WANG ; Haiyan YE
Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice 2026;32(4):488-496
ObjectiveTo develop a full-process data platform of renal rehabilitation, diagnosis and quality control information. MethodsA hierarchical architectural design was proposed, adhering to clinical pathway models and standardized data protocols. The platform comprehensively covered assessment, intervention, follow-up and quality control for maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. By integrating multidisciplinary resources and standardizing rehabilitation workflows, it delivered standardized and intelligent rehabilitation services. ResultsThe platform achieved standardized and intelligent management of rehabilitation services, effectively improved the physiological function, psychological state and quality of life convenience for MHD patients, while significantly reduced the economic and care burden on patients' families and society. ConclusionThe rehabilitation service model based on a full-process data platform may provide scientific and systematic support for MHD patients.
6.MCC950 Targeted Inhibition of TXNIP-NLRP3 Axis-mediated Podocyte Pyroptosis in Diabetic Nephropathy
Hong ZHENG ; Zhong-Cheng MO ; Hang LIU ; Xi-Zhang PAN ; Bing WEI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(2):418-430
Diabetic Nephropathy (DN) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) globally, representing a major global health burden with limited disease-modifying therapies. Podocyte injury serves as the core pathological hallmark of DN, and conventional treatments targeting metabolic disorders or hemodynamic abnormalities fail to reverse the progressive decline of renal function. Accumulating evidence over the past decade has established that high glucose-induced podocyte pyroptosis—a pro-inflammatory form of programmed cell death—is a key driving force in DN progression. Its core molecular mechanism hinges on the activation of the TXNIP-NLRP3 inflammasome axis. Under sustained hyperglycemic conditions, excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated via pathways including the polyol pathway, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) accumulation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Concurrently, methylglyoxal (a glucose metabolite) mediates post-translational modification of thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP). These events collectively trigger the dissociation of TXNIP from thioredoxin (TRX), a redox-regulating protein. The free TXNIP then translocates to the mitochondria, where it binds to The NACHT, LRR, and PYD domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) and promotes inflammasome assembly. This assembly activates cysteine-aspartic acid protease 1 (caspase-1), which cleaves Gasdermin D (GSDMD) to generate its N-terminal fragment (GSDMD-NT). GSDMD-NT oligomerizes to form membrane pores, leading to podocyte swelling, rupture, and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-18 (IL-18). These cytokines amplify local inflammatory responses, induce mesangial cell proliferation, and accelerate extracellular matrix deposition, ultimately exacerbating glomerulosclerosis. MCC950, a highly selective NLRP3 inhibitor, exerts its therapeutic effects through a multi-layered mechanism: it binds to the NACHT domain (NAIP, CIITA, HET-E and TP1 domain) of NLRP3 with nanomolar affinity, forming hydrogen bonds with key residues (Lys-42 and Asp-166) within the ATP-hydrolysis pocket to block ATP hydrolysis, thereby locking NLRP3 in an inactive conformational state. Additionally, MCC950 interferes with the protein-protein interaction between TXNIP and NLRP3 and regulates mitochondrial homeostasis to reduce ROS production. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that MCC950 dose-dependently reduces proteinuria, restores the expression of podocyte-specific markers (nephrin and Wilms tumor 1 protein, WT1), and alleviates podocyte foot process fusion and glomerulosclerosis in both streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetic models (characterized by absolute insulin deficiency) and db/db type 2 diabetic models (driven by insulin resistance). However, discrepancies in therapeutic outcomes exist across different models—some studies report exacerbated renal inflammation and fibrosis in STZ-induced models—which may stem from differences in disease pathogenesis, intervention timing (early vs. mid-stage disease), and dosing duration. Despite its promising preclinical efficacy, MCC950 faces significant translational challenges, including low oral bioavailability, insufficient podocyte targeting, potential hepatotoxicity, and drug-drug interactions with statins (commonly prescribed to diabetic patients for cardiovascular risk management). Furthermore, off-target effects such as the inhibition of carbonic anhydrase 2 have been identified, raising concerns about its safety profile. Nevertheless, its unique mechanism of action—directly blocking podocyte pyroptosis by targeting the TXNIP-NLRP3 axis—endows it with substantial translational value. In the future, strategies to overcome these barriers are expected to advance its clinical application: targeted delivery via nanocarriers (e.g., PLGA-PEG nanoparticles or nephrin antibody-conjugated systems) to enhance renal accumulation and podocyte specificity; precise patient stratification based on biomarkers such as serum IL-18 and renal TXNIP/NLRP3 expression to identify “inflammatory-phenotype” DN patients most likely to benefit; and combination therapy with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors—whose metabolic benefits synergize with MCC950’s anti-inflammatory effects. These approaches hold great potential to break through clinical translation bottlenecks, offering a novel, precise anti-inflammatory treatment option for DN and addressing an unmet clinical need for therapies targeting the inflammatory underpinnings of the disease.
7.Spatiotemporal Electrical Impedance Tomography for Speech Respiratory Assessment in Cleft Palate: an Interpretable Machine Learning Study
Yang WU ; Xiao-Jing ZHANG ; Hao YU ; Cheng-Hui JIANG ; Bo SUN ; Jia-Feng YAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(2):485-500
ObjectiveCleft palate (CP) is a common congenital deformity often associated with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), which disrupts the physiological coupling between respiration and speech. Conventional clinical assessments, such as nasometry and spirometry, provide limited static data and fail to visualize the dynamic spatiotemporal distribution of lung ventilation during phonation. This study introduces spatiotemporal electrical impedance tomography (ST-EIT) to evaluate speech-respiratory functional features in CP patients compared to normal controls (NC). The aim is to characterize multi-domain respiratory patterns and to validate an interpretable machine learning framework for providing objective, quantitative evidence for clinical assessment. MethodsSeventy-five participants were enrolled in this study, comprising 37 patients with surgically repaired CP and 38 healthy volunteers matched for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). All subjects performed standardized sustained phonation tasks while undergoing synchronous monitoring with a 16-electrode EIT system and a pneumotachograph. A comprehensive feature engineering pipeline was developed to extract physiological parameters across 3 complementary domains. (1) Temporal domain: including inspiratory/expiratory phase duration (tPhase), time constants (Tau), and inspiratory-to-expiratory time ratios (TI/TE); (2) airflow domain: comprising mean flow, peak flow, and instantaneous flow at 25%, 50%, and 75% of tidal volume; and (3) spatial domain: quantifying global and regional tidal impedance variation (TIV), global inhomogeneity (GI), and center of ventilation (CoV). Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) classifiers were trained using 5 distinct data sources (Spirometry, Nasometry, Inspiratory-EIT, Expiratory-EIT, and fused ST-EIT). Model performance was rigorously evaluated via stratified 5-fold cross-validation, and Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) were employed to quantify global and local feature contributions. ResultsThe CP group exhibited a distinct respiratory phenotype compared to controls. In the temporal domain, CP patients showed significantly shorter inspiratory (1.60 s vs.1.85 s, P<0.001) and expiratory phase durations (2.45 s vs. 3.95 s, P<0.001), indicating a rapid, shallow breathing rhythm. In the airflow domain, while inspiratory flows were comparable, the CP group demonstrated significantly elevated mean and peak flows during the expiratory phase (P<0.001), reflecting compensatory respiratory effort. Spatially, CP patients presented significant ventilation redistribution, characterized by higher regional TIV in the right-anterior (ROI1) and left-posterior (ROI4) quadrants, but lower TIV in the left-anterior (ROI2) quadrant. In terms of diagnostic accuracy, the multi-modal ST-EIT model achieved the highest performance (AUC: 0.915±0.012, Accuracy: 0.843±0.019, F1-score: 0.872±0.017), substantially outperforming models based on spirometry (AUC: 0.721) or nasometry (AUC: 0.625) alone. Interpretability analysis revealed that spatial domain features were the most critical, contributing 53.4% to the model’s decision-making, followed by temporal (25.0%) and airflow (21.6%) features. ConclusionST-EIT successfully captures the temporal, airflow, and spatial deviations in CP speech respiration that are undetectable by conventional methods—specifically, rapid phase transitions, hyperdynamic expiratory airflow, and regional ventilation heterogeneity. This study validates ST-EIT as a robust, non-invasive, and radiation-free tool for characterizing speech-respiratory dysfunction, offering high clinical value for bedside screening, rehabilitation planning, and longitudinal monitoring of patients with cleft palate.
8.MCC950 Targeted Inhibition of TXNIP-NLRP3 Axis-mediated Podocyte Pyroptosis in Diabetic Nephropathy
Hong ZHENG ; Zhong-Cheng MO ; Hang LIU ; Xi-Zhang PAN ; Bing WEI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(2):418-430
Diabetic Nephropathy (DN) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) globally, representing a major global health burden with limited disease-modifying therapies. Podocyte injury serves as the core pathological hallmark of DN, and conventional treatments targeting metabolic disorders or hemodynamic abnormalities fail to reverse the progressive decline of renal function. Accumulating evidence over the past decade has established that high glucose-induced podocyte pyroptosis—a pro-inflammatory form of programmed cell death—is a key driving force in DN progression. Its core molecular mechanism hinges on the activation of the TXNIP-NLRP3 inflammasome axis. Under sustained hyperglycemic conditions, excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated via pathways including the polyol pathway, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) accumulation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Concurrently, methylglyoxal (a glucose metabolite) mediates post-translational modification of thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP). These events collectively trigger the dissociation of TXNIP from thioredoxin (TRX), a redox-regulating protein. The free TXNIP then translocates to the mitochondria, where it binds to The NACHT, LRR, and PYD domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) and promotes inflammasome assembly. This assembly activates cysteine-aspartic acid protease 1 (caspase-1), which cleaves Gasdermin D (GSDMD) to generate its N-terminal fragment (GSDMD-NT). GSDMD-NT oligomerizes to form membrane pores, leading to podocyte swelling, rupture, and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-18 (IL-18). These cytokines amplify local inflammatory responses, induce mesangial cell proliferation, and accelerate extracellular matrix deposition, ultimately exacerbating glomerulosclerosis. MCC950, a highly selective NLRP3 inhibitor, exerts its therapeutic effects through a multi-layered mechanism: it binds to the NACHT domain (NAIP, CIITA, HET-E and TP1 domain) of NLRP3 with nanomolar affinity, forming hydrogen bonds with key residues (Lys-42 and Asp-166) within the ATP-hydrolysis pocket to block ATP hydrolysis, thereby locking NLRP3 in an inactive conformational state. Additionally, MCC950 interferes with the protein-protein interaction between TXNIP and NLRP3 and regulates mitochondrial homeostasis to reduce ROS production. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that MCC950 dose-dependently reduces proteinuria, restores the expression of podocyte-specific markers (nephrin and Wilms tumor 1 protein, WT1), and alleviates podocyte foot process fusion and glomerulosclerosis in both streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetic models (characterized by absolute insulin deficiency) and db/db type 2 diabetic models (driven by insulin resistance). However, discrepancies in therapeutic outcomes exist across different models—some studies report exacerbated renal inflammation and fibrosis in STZ-induced models—which may stem from differences in disease pathogenesis, intervention timing (early vs. mid-stage disease), and dosing duration. Despite its promising preclinical efficacy, MCC950 faces significant translational challenges, including low oral bioavailability, insufficient podocyte targeting, potential hepatotoxicity, and drug-drug interactions with statins (commonly prescribed to diabetic patients for cardiovascular risk management). Furthermore, off-target effects such as the inhibition of carbonic anhydrase 2 have been identified, raising concerns about its safety profile. Nevertheless, its unique mechanism of action—directly blocking podocyte pyroptosis by targeting the TXNIP-NLRP3 axis—endows it with substantial translational value. In the future, strategies to overcome these barriers are expected to advance its clinical application: targeted delivery via nanocarriers (e.g., PLGA-PEG nanoparticles or nephrin antibody-conjugated systems) to enhance renal accumulation and podocyte specificity; precise patient stratification based on biomarkers such as serum IL-18 and renal TXNIP/NLRP3 expression to identify “inflammatory-phenotype” DN patients most likely to benefit; and combination therapy with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors—whose metabolic benefits synergize with MCC950’s anti-inflammatory effects. These approaches hold great potential to break through clinical translation bottlenecks, offering a novel, precise anti-inflammatory treatment option for DN and addressing an unmet clinical need for therapies targeting the inflammatory underpinnings of the disease.
9.Spatiotemporal Electrical Impedance Tomography for Speech Respiratory Assessment in Cleft Palate: an Interpretable Machine Learning Study
Yang WU ; Xiao-Jing ZHANG ; Hao YU ; Cheng-Hui JIANG ; Bo SUN ; Jia-Feng YAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(2):485-500
ObjectiveCleft palate (CP) is a common congenital deformity often associated with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), which disrupts the physiological coupling between respiration and speech. Conventional clinical assessments, such as nasometry and spirometry, provide limited static data and fail to visualize the dynamic spatiotemporal distribution of lung ventilation during phonation. This study introduces spatiotemporal electrical impedance tomography (ST-EIT) to evaluate speech-respiratory functional features in CP patients compared to normal controls (NC). The aim is to characterize multi-domain respiratory patterns and to validate an interpretable machine learning framework for providing objective, quantitative evidence for clinical assessment. MethodsSeventy-five participants were enrolled in this study, comprising 37 patients with surgically repaired CP and 38 healthy volunteers matched for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). All subjects performed standardized sustained phonation tasks while undergoing synchronous monitoring with a 16-electrode EIT system and a pneumotachograph. A comprehensive feature engineering pipeline was developed to extract physiological parameters across 3 complementary domains. (1) Temporal domain: including inspiratory/expiratory phase duration (tPhase), time constants (Tau), and inspiratory-to-expiratory time ratios (TI/TE); (2) airflow domain: comprising mean flow, peak flow, and instantaneous flow at 25%, 50%, and 75% of tidal volume; and (3) spatial domain: quantifying global and regional tidal impedance variation (TIV), global inhomogeneity (GI), and center of ventilation (CoV). Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) classifiers were trained using 5 distinct data sources (Spirometry, Nasometry, Inspiratory-EIT, Expiratory-EIT, and fused ST-EIT). Model performance was rigorously evaluated via stratified 5-fold cross-validation, and Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) were employed to quantify global and local feature contributions. ResultsThe CP group exhibited a distinct respiratory phenotype compared to controls. In the temporal domain, CP patients showed significantly shorter inspiratory (1.60 s vs.1.85 s, P<0.001) and expiratory phase durations (2.45 s vs. 3.95 s, P<0.001), indicating a rapid, shallow breathing rhythm. In the airflow domain, while inspiratory flows were comparable, the CP group demonstrated significantly elevated mean and peak flows during the expiratory phase (P<0.001), reflecting compensatory respiratory effort. Spatially, CP patients presented significant ventilation redistribution, characterized by higher regional TIV in the right-anterior (ROI1) and left-posterior (ROI4) quadrants, but lower TIV in the left-anterior (ROI2) quadrant. In terms of diagnostic accuracy, the multi-modal ST-EIT model achieved the highest performance (AUC: 0.915±0.012, Accuracy: 0.843±0.019, F1-score: 0.872±0.017), substantially outperforming models based on spirometry (AUC: 0.721) or nasometry (AUC: 0.625) alone. Interpretability analysis revealed that spatial domain features were the most critical, contributing 53.4% to the model’s decision-making, followed by temporal (25.0%) and airflow (21.6%) features. ConclusionST-EIT successfully captures the temporal, airflow, and spatial deviations in CP speech respiration that are undetectable by conventional methods—specifically, rapid phase transitions, hyperdynamic expiratory airflow, and regional ventilation heterogeneity. This study validates ST-EIT as a robust, non-invasive, and radiation-free tool for characterizing speech-respiratory dysfunction, offering high clinical value for bedside screening, rehabilitation planning, and longitudinal monitoring of patients with cleft palate.
10.Mechanistic Interpretation of Zheng’s San Qi San Powder in Treating Skeletal Muscle Injury via Bioinformatics Prediction, Chemical Analysis and Experimental Verification
Ding-Rui WANG ; Yun-Xin LIU ; Jun-Jie XU ; Liu YANG ; Jia-Hao LÜ ; Cheng-Yuan XING ; Lei LÜ ; Bei-Bei QIE
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(4):1028-1047
ObjectiveZheng’s San Qi San (ZSQS) power, a classic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, is used for treating soft tissue injuries involving muscles, tendons, and ligaments. However, its underlying therapeutic mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to screen and identify pharmaceutically active ingredients and their candidate biomolecule targets, and further elucidate the molecular mechanism of ZSQS in the treatment of skeletal muscle injury. MethodsNetwork pharmacology was employed to construct “ZSQS-component-target”, “protein-protein interaction (PPI)” and “active ingredient-core protein-pathway” networks to predict the key active ingredients and potential core targets of ZSQS for skeletal muscle injury. The predicted results were then validated via microarray data from the GEO database. Molecular docking was then performed to assess the binding ability between the screened active ingredients of ZSQS and the candidate core targets. Moreover, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used for qualitative and quantitative analysis to verify the active components of the drug and ZSQS serum. Finally, an animal model of eccentric exercise-induced skeletal muscle injury and a myotube cell model of oxidative stress-induced injury were established to validate the effects of ZSQS and its interventional effects on the biological functions of critical targets, thereby demonstrating the potential therapeutic mechanism of ZSQS. ResultsAmong the 111 active components identified in ZSQS and their corresponding 204 targets related to the skeletal muscle injury repair process, 14 core targets (including AKT1) and 4 core active components (quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, and β‑sitosterol) were screened out, while the corresponding metabolites of quercetin, luteolin and kaempferol were detected in the ZSQS serum. Among these targets, 5 candidate genes (IL-6, CASP3, HIF1A, STAT3, and JUN) overlapped with the differential expression screening results with GEO data, and IL-6 was confirmed to be enriched in the PI3K/AKT pathway. Combined with the prediction results of the AKT expression levels, these findings suggest that the phosphorylation level of AKT1 plays a core role in the therapeutic mechanism of ZSQS. Molecular docking analysis further revealed that the PH domain of AKT1 had high binding energy with all 4 core active components, as verified by LC-MS. Finally, animal model studies have shown the promoting effect of ZSQS administration on skeletal muscle injury repair and its possible antioxidant damage mechanism. Cell model studies further demonstrated that ZSQS-containing serum, core active ingredient combination therapy, and quercetin monomer could increase the phosphorylation level of AKT, promote the nuclear translocation of Nrf2, upregulate the expression of downstream antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GPx, and GR), and inhibit the expression of inflammatory factors (IL-6 and TNF-α), thereby alleviating oxidative stress and the inflammatory response. ConclusionZSQS alleviates skeletal muscle injury mainly by activating the AKT/Nrf2 signaling pathway, enhancing cellular antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities. The results of this study provide a scientific basis for the clinical application and modernized development of ZSQS.

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