1.Meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety total glucosides of paeonia in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus
Xiangyan HAO ; Jiahui LENG ; Zhengqi LIU ; Xinchang WANG ; Cong HUANG ; Xiaopeng LI ; Yi LING
China Pharmacy 2026;37(2):232-237
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of total glucosides of paeonia (TGP) in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS Randomized controlled trial (RCT) about TGP combined with western medicine versus western medicine alone for SLE treatment were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Data, and CBM. The search period spanned from the inception of each database to June 1, 2025. After literature screening, data extraction, and quality assessment of the included studies, Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. RESULTS Fifteen RCTs, involving 1 318 patients, were included. Meta-analysis results showed that compared with western medicine alone, TGP combined with western medicine significantly improved clinical efficacy [OR=4.96, 95%CI(3.41, 7.23), P<0.000 01], complement 3 [MD=0.18, 95%CI (0.13, 0.23), P<0.000 01] and complement 4[MD=0.08, 般021) 95%CI (0.04, 0.11), P<0.000 01], and reduced the levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) [MD=-3.10, 95%CI (-3.59,-2.62), P<0.000 01], IgA [MD=-0.68, 95%CI (-0.78, -0.58), P<0.000 01], IgM [MD=-0.43, 95%CI (-0.53,-0.34), P<0.000 01], systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) [MD=-1.59, 95%CI (-2.20, -0.99), P<0.000 01], recurrence rate [OR=0.23, 95%CI (0.13, 0.42), P<0.000 01] and the incidence of adverse drug reactions [OR= 0.54, 95%CI (0.36, 0.82), P=0.004]. CONCLUSIONS TGP therapy can improve clinical efficacy of SLE patients, promote the restoration of immunoglobulins and complements, reduce SLEDAI and recurrence rate and has good safety.
2.Current Research Status,Challenges,Differentiation and Treatment Strategies of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Fengyun WANG ; Mi LYU ; Bingduo ZHOU ; Beihua ZHANG ; Yi WANG ; Tingting XU ; Cong HE ; Xiaokang WANG ; Xin LIU ; Yang WANG ; Kaiyue HUANG ; Lusi XU ; Xudong TANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(4):392-396
This article systematically reviews the current research status as well as diagnosis and treatment strategies of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Studies demonstrate that TCM, based on the "disease-syndrome combination" approach, exhibits multi-target advantages in alleviating symptoms of various GERD subtypes, promoting mucosal repair, regulating emotions, and facilitating the reduction of western medication. To address clinical challenges such as symptom overlap and limited therapeutic efficacy, strategies have been proposed including "treating different diseases with the same method" and integrated regulation based on viscera correlation. Future efforts should focus on elucidating the mechanisms of compound prescriptions, promoting TCM drug development under the "three-combination" evaluation framework that integrates TCM theory, human experience and clinical trial evidence, and optimizing integrated traditional and western medicine models to enhance GERD management.
3.Huangqi Jianzhongtang Regulates Polarization of Macrophages M1/M2 and Improves Fat Consumption in Cancer Cachexia Mice
Zhiyan FANG ; Haiyan ZHU ; Wenying HUAI ; Cong HUANG ; Ruocong YANG ; Haiyan YU ; Tiane ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(2):61-69
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Huangqi Jianzhongtang (HQJZ) on macrophage polarization and fat consumption in cancer cachexia (CC) mice. MethodsUltra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/electrostatic field Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS) was used to control the quality of HQJZ. (1) In vitro experiment: HQJZ-containing serum was prepared, and the optimal concentration was determined by cytotoxicity assay. Mouse monocyte-derived macrophages (RAW264.7) were cultured and randomly divided into six groups, including a blank group, a classically activated macrophages (M1) group, an alternatively activated macrophages (M2) group, a HQJZ + blank group, a HQJZ+M1 group, and a HQJZ + M2 group. The relative expression of macrophage marker genes CD86, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), CD206, and arginase-1 (Arg1) was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR ). (2) In vivo experiment: Thirty-two BALB/c mice were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, a medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) group, and a HQJZ group. Except for the control group, the other mice were injected with CT-26 colon cancer cells to establish a CC model. Mice in the MPA and HQJZ groups were given MPA (0.13 g·kg-1·d-1) or HQJZ (13.13 g·kg-1·d-1) by gavage, respectively, while mice in the control and model groups were given an equal volume of saline by gavage, with interventions continued for 10 d. Real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of macrophage markers (iNOS, Arg1, CD86, CD206) and fat browning-related genes uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) in epididymal adipose tissue. Western blot (WB) was used to detect protein expression levels of UCP1 and PPARγ. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) was used to measure residual fat volume, and hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to assess fat browning and calculate pathological scores. ResultsIn vitro, the dominant effective concentration of HQJZ-containing serum was 12.5%. Real-time PCR results showed that, compared with the blank group, Arg1 expression decreased in the HQJZ+blank group (P<0.05), CD206 showed a downward trend without statistical significance, while iNOS and CD86 expression were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with the M1 group, Arg1 and CD206 expression decreased in the HQJZ+M1 group (P<0.05). Compared with the M2 group, CD206 expression decreased in the HQJZ+M2 group (P<0.05), CD86 expression increased significantly (P<0.01). In vivo, Real-time PCR results showed that, compared with the control group, CD86 and CD206 expression levels were significantly increased in the model group (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, CD206 expression in the MPA group was significantly decreased (P<0.01). In the HQJZ group, CD206 was significantly decreased (P<0.01). WB results showed that, compared with the model group, protein expression of UCP1 and PPARγ was significantly reduced in the HQJZ group (P<0.05, P<0.01). micro-CT results showed that the total white fat volume in the HQJZ group was greater than that in the model group (P<0.05). HE staining results showed that pathological scores in the HQJZ group were lower than those in the model group (P<0.05). ConclusionHQJZ may inhibit white adipose tissue browning by promoting macrophage M1 polarization and suppressing M2 polarization, thereby delaying fat consumption in CC mice.
4.Preliminary Outcomes of Endoscopic Spine Surgery Adoption at a Singapore Tertiary Hospital: A Multisurgeon Experience
John Wen Cong THNG ; Nicholas WONG ; Kai Lin LEE ; Wu Jie TOH ; Haobin CHEN ; Ghim Hoe NEO ; Yilun HUANG
Journal of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and Technique 2026;11(1):95-104
Objective:
This study characterizes the demographic and clinical profiles of patients undergoing unilateral biportal endoscopic spine surgery (UBE ESS) for lumbar decompression/discectomy at a tertiary hospital in Singapore. It examines service implementation across multiple senior surgeons, evaluates preliminary clinical outcomes, and describes the learning curve observed during early adoption among surgeons already experienced in minimally invasive spine surgery, benchmarked against international standards. In the context of increasing global uptake of endoscopic techniques, this work provides evidence to inform institutional adoption and surgeon training. This analysis forms part of a multi-paper series comparing surgeon experience and patient outcomes between conventional minimally invasive approaches and UBE ESS for lumbar decompression/discectomy.
Methods:
We conducted a retrospective review of 111 patients who underwent UBE lumbar decompression/discectomy at a public tertiary hospital between October 2022 and April 2024. Data on patient demographics, comorbidities, presenting symptoms, operative details, and clinical outcomes, including visual analogue scale (VAS) scores and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) health domains, were analyzed using appropriate statistical methods.
Results:
The mean patient age was 56.8 years, with a slight female predominance (54.1%). Statistically significant improvements were observed in VAS scores for both back and leg pain (p<0.05), alongside significant gains in SF-36 domains including physical functioning, bodily pain, vitality, and social functioning. Operative times decreased progressively with increasing case volume, consistent with the presence of a procedural learning curve.
Conclusion
UBE ESS for lumbar decompression/discectomy is a safe and efficacious technique that can be successfully adopted by spinal surgeons with prior minimally invasive surgical experience. Operative time demonstrates a meaningful reduction once the initial learning curve has been overcome. ESS provides a reproducible option for the treatment of degenerative lumbar spine disease in the tertiary hospital setting in Singapore, with outcomes comparable to established international benchmarks. Future work will include long-term follow-up of this patient cohort and direct comparison with conventional minimally invasive techniques in subsequent studies.
5.Trends in Lumbar Spinal Decompression Surgery at a Single Tertiary Center: A Retrospective Review
Kai Lin LEE ; Dhivakaran GENGATHARAN ; John Wen Cong THNG ; Thanos SIVRIDIS ; Dickson CHAU ; Ghim Hoe NEO ; Haobin CHEN ; Ji Min LING ; Thomas Choo Heng TAN ; Yilun HUANG
Journal of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and Technique 2026;11(1):65-76
Objective:
Spinal stenosis and degenerative spinal disorders are increasingly prevalent and have a substantial impact on quality of life. Surgical decompression, performed using either open microscopic or endoscopic approaches, remains a cornerstone of management for these conditions. This study examines evolving trends in single-level lumbar spinal decompression procedures performed at a tertiary academic hospital in Singapore.
Methods:
A retrospective observational study was conducted involving 588 patients who underwent single-level spinal decompression between 2021 and 2024, including endoscopic spine surgery (ESS; n=364) and microdecompression (n=224). Primary outcome measures were changes in 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores at 3 months, 6 months, and 2 years postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included length of hospital stay, reoperation rates, and operative time. Patient demographics, spinal level and pathology characteristics, surgical techniques, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed. Difference-in-differences (DID) analysis was used to compare outcomes between the 2 groups.
Results:
Both groups demonstrated significant postoperative improvements in SF-36 and VAS scores. At 2 years, Short Form Health Survey physical function (SFPF) scores improved in the endoscopic group (mean difference [MD], 18.6; standard deviation [SD], 21.7; p=0.064) and in the open microscopic group (MD, 36.7; SD, 20.9; p=0.007), with a non-significant DID of -18.1 (p=0.155). No DID comparisons across SF-36 domains reached statistical significance. Mean operative time for endoscopic procedures decreased from 249 minutes in 2022 to 145 minutes in 2024, reflecting a procedural learning curve. Surgeons with higher endoscopic caseloads exhibited greater improvements in functional outcomes.
Conclusion
Both endoscopic and open microscopic decompression achieve comparable short- and long-term clinical outcomes. ESS provides similar effectiveness while being associated with shorter recovery periods and reduced hospital stay. Further research is warranted to identify factors contributing to incomplete symptom resolution or the need for revision surgery.
6.Swine TRIM25 inhibits vesicular stomatitis virus replication by activation of type I IFN signaling pathway and binding vRNA
Ying CAO ; Jinxia ZHANG ; Dongwan YOO ; Haowen ZHANG ; Dandan JIANG ; Yue HU ; Xiaoyan CONG ; Juntong LI ; Xiangju WU ; Yijun DU ; Jing QI ; Juan HUANG
Journal of Veterinary Science 2026;27(3):e25-
Objective:
To define the mechanism by which swine TRIM25 restricts vesicular stomatitis virus replication.
Methods:
Porcine 3D4/21 cells with TRIM25 overexpression or knockdown were infected with vesicular stomatitis virus. Viral replication was quantified by immunoblotting, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and 50% tissue culture infectious dose assays. Type I interferon signaling was assessed by transcript quantification, interferon-beta and interferon-stimulated response element reporter assays, and co-immunoprecipitation.Viral RNA binding was tested by RNA immunoprecipitation.
Results:
TRIM25 overexpression reduced viral RNA and infectious titers, whereas TRIM25 knockdown increased replication (p < 0.01). TRIM25 increased interferon-beta and interferon-stimulated gene expression and enhanced interferon-beta and interferonstimulated response element promoter activity (p < 0.01). Mechanistically, TRIM25 promoted Lys63-linked ubiquitination of RIG-I and increased phosphorylation of TANK-binding kinase 1 and interferon regulatory factor 3. TRIM25 also bound vesicular stomatitis virus genomic RNA, and binding required the C-terminal region.
Conclusions
and Relevance: Porcine TRIM25 restricts vesicular stomatitis virus replication by amplifying type I interferon signaling and directly binding viral RNA.
7.Research progress and prospects of non-invasive preimplantation genetic testing technology
Aomiao HUANG ; Yinfeng ZHANG ; Cong LIU ; Ying HAN ; Haining LUO
Chinese Journal of Reproduction and Contraception 2025;45(8):846-850
Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) is a crucial technique currently used to improve embryo implantation rate, reduce miscarriage rate, and shorten the time to pregnancy for patients who are of advanced maternal age (≥35 years), have experienced repeated implantation failures, or have a history of recurrent miscarriages. Conventional PGT-A necessitates an invasive embryo biopsy, which may pose potential risks to subsequent embryo development and long-term health outcomes. Consequently, there is a growing interest among reproductive medicine professionals in developing non-invasive, safe, accurate, and effective methods for assessing embryo chromosomal status and quality. This paper provides an overview of recent advancements in the use of next-generation sequencing for detecting cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in non-invasive preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (niPGT-A). The review highlights both the potential of this approach and its existing limitations. Additionally, the paper proposes a novel hypothesis regarding the application of single-molecule nanopore technology for cfDNA detection in niPGT-A, offering new insights and serving as a reference for future research in this field.
8.Effect of Wenyang Ligong Decoction on pregnancy outcomes after transcervical resection of adhesion in patients with intrauterine adhesions: a retrospective cohort study
Zheng GONG ; Rong DONG ; Linlin FAN ; Baojuan WANG ; Yuanyuan SONG ; Yinan ZHANG ; Cong WANG ; Yue GAO ; Jing WANG ; Yongqing HUANG ; Tian XIA
Chinese Journal of Reproduction and Contraception 2025;45(9):873-879
Objective:To investigate the impact of Wenyang Ligong Decoction on pregnancy outcomes after transcervical resection of adhesions (TCRA) in patients with intrauterine adhesions (IUA).Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to collect clinical data from 151 patients with IUA who underwent TCRA in the Reproductive Medicine Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine between January 2020 and January 2023. Patients were divided into a Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) group (79 patients) and a control group (72 patients) based on whether they received Wenyang Ligong Decoction after TCRA. The TCM group received estrogen and progesterone sequential therapy post-surgery, combined with Wenyang Ligong Decoction for 2-3 menstrual cycles. The control only received sequential treatment with estrogen and progesterone.Pregnancy outcomes one year after surgery were compared between the two groups. After adjusting for confounding factors using multivariate Cox regression analysis, the effect of Wenyang Ligong Decoction on pregnancy outcomes after TCRA in patients with IUA was observed.Results:The live birth rate [54.43% (43/79)], the ongoing pregnancy rate [56.96% (45/79)], and the clinical pregnancy rate [52.03% (49/79)] were higher in the TCM group than in the control [26.39% (19/72), P<0.001; 30.56% (22/72), P=0.001;37.50% (27/72), P=0.003], with statistically significant differences. There were no statistically significant differences in early abortion rate and late abortion rate between the TCM group and the control (all P>0.05). According to the stratified analysis by preparation methods, in the natural conception group, the live birth rate [60.78% (31/51)], the ongoing pregnancy rate [62.75% (32/51)], and the clinical pregnancy rate [68.63% (35/51)] in the TCM group were significantly higher than those in control group [21.43% (12/56), P<0.001; 26.79% (15/56), P<0.001; 33.93% (19/56), P<0.001]; there were no statistically significant differences in early miscarriage rate and late miscarriage rate between the two groups (both P>0.05). In the assisted reproductive technology group, there were no statistically significant differences in live birth rate, ongoing pregnancy rate, clinical pregnancy rate, early miscarriage rate, and late miscarriage rate between the two groups (all P>0.05). According to the stratified analysis by age, in the <35-year-old patients, the live birth rate [66.00% (33/50)], the ongoing pregnancy rate [70.00% (35/50)], and the clinical pregnancy rate [74.00% (37/50)] in the TCM group were significantly higher than those in control group [41.30% (19/46), P=0.015; 47.83% (22/46), P=0.027; 54.35% (25/46), P=0.044]; there were no statistically significant differences in early miscarriage rate and late miscarriage rate between the two groups (both P>0.05). In the ≥35-year-old patients, the live birth rate [34.48% (10/29)], the ongoing pregnancy rate [34.48% (10/29)], and the clinical pregnancy rate [41.38% (12/29)] in the TCM group were significantly higher than those in control group [0%, P=0.001; 0%, P=0.001; 7.69% (2/26), P=0.004]; there were no statistically significant differences in early miscarriage rate and late miscarriage rate between the two groups (both P>0.05).Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that age, number of previous uterine cavity interventions, IUA score, degree of IUA, and endometrial thickness after TCRA were independent risk factors for live births, and age, IUA score, degree of IUA, intima thickness after TCRA, and treatment group were the influencing factors of persistent pregnancy (all P<0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors, multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that Wenyang Ligong Decoction significantly improved the live birth rate ( HR=3.19, 95% CI: 1.77-8.11, P=0.001) and the rate of continuous pregnancy ( HR=3.66, 95% CI: 1.80-7.48, P<0.001) in patients with IUA. Conclusion:Wenyang Ligong Decoction can significantly improve pregnancy outcomes after TCRA in patients with IUA.
9.Deep learning algorithm for lung CT synthesis based on iterative registration and perceptual loss
Tao YANG ; Miao HUANG ; Cong LIU ; Zhihua HU ; Lili TAO ; Shuping ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Physics 2025;42(1):59-66
Objective To synthesize high-quality synthetic CT (sCT) images from cone beam CT (CBCT) by learning lung CT domain image features with a deep learning algorithm. Methods A sCT generation algorithm which employs perceptual loss-based cyclic generative adversarial network model (CycleGAN) and iterative registration was presented. CycleGAN model was trained to generate high-quality sCT images by combining perceptual loss and cycle consistency loss;and Elastix was used to register the generated sCT image and the planned CT (pCT) image,and iterate CycleGAN generator model. Results Experiments were conducted on the obtained pCT and CBCT data of 70 patients with lung tumors. From a quantitative perspective,the SSIM between sCT generated by the proposed algorithm and pCT was improved by 11.9% as compared with that between CBCT and pCT,increasing from 0.825 to 0.923;additionally,RMSE dropped from 110.97 HU to 78.62 HU,PSNR increased from 32.21 dB to 34.74 dB,and mutual information increased from 1.187 to 1.418. The visual evaluation revealed that the proposed algorithm greatly eliminated the scattering artifacts of CBCT slices,highlighted the bone structure,and repaired the soft tissue structure. The comparisons with U-CycleGAN,R-CycleGAN and CUT models confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. Conclusion Using the proposed algorithm for sCT images generation can effectively reduce the dose error and structural error between CBCT and pCT,making it possible to apply the proposed algorithm to accurate dose calculations and assist doctors in clinical diagnosis.
10.Effect of Dulagopeptide on Physical Examination Indexes,Plasma Glucose Metabolism and Islet Function in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients with Poorly Controlled Plasma Glucose
Zhong-yu ZHOU ; Cong WANG ; Lin WANG ; Zhuang-sen CHEN ; Ying HUANG ; Cai-yan HUANG ; Kun FENG
Progress in Modern Biomedicine 2025;25(17):2790-2796,2834
Objective:To investigate the effect of dulagopeptide on physical examination indexes,plasma glucose metabolism and islet function in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)patients with poorly controlled plasma glucose.Methods:135 T2DM patients with poorly controlled plasma glucose who were admitted in our hospital from January 2023 to July 2024 were selected.A prospective randomized controlled design was adopted,they were divided into control group 1(received treatment with sitagliptin,n=45),control group 2(received treatment with insulin glargine,n=45),and observation group(received treatment with dulaglutide,n=45)according to the random number table method.Physical examination indexes,plasma glucose indicators,islet function,and incidence of adverse reactions were compared among the three groups.Results:12 weeks after treatment,body mass index(BMI),waist circumference,fasting plasma glucose(FPG),glycated hemoglobin(HbA1c),and postprandial 2-hour plasma glucose(2hPG)in the observation group were lower than those in control group 1 and control group 2(P<0.05).12 weeks after treatment,the observation group had the highest HbA1c compliance rate,reaching 71.1%(P<0.05).12 weeks after treatment,the fasting C-peptide(FC-P)and HOMA-islet(CP-DM)levels in the observation group were higher than those in control group 1 and control group 2(P<0.05).Conclusion:Dulagopeptide can effectively improve physical examination indexes,plasma glucose indicators,and islet function in T2DM patients with poorly controlled plasma glucose.

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