1.Construction of glucose oxidase–loaded nanogels and its inhibition effect on the Warburg effect in glioma cells
Wenbo ZHOU ; Weilin LI ; Wuting DAI ; Ruiyao LIU ; Yuan YU
Journal of Pharmaceutical Practice and Service 2026;44(3):132-136
Objective To construct glucose oxidase(GOx)–loaded nanogels (GONGs), optimize their formulation, and evaluate their capacity to inhibit the Warburg effect in glioma cells. Methods A responsive polymer (HAM) was synthesized and used to self-assemble GONGs, which were then characterized. Encapsulation efficiency and drug loading were determined using fluorescence spectrophotometry. Biocompatibility was tested by measuring cytotoxicity and hemolytic activity. Western blotting was used to evaluate the effects of GONGs on the expression of proteins associated with the Warburg phenotype and oxidative damage in glioma cells. Results GONGs prepared at a drug–to–polymer ratio of 1∶10 exhibited a particle size of 140.3 nm and a zeta potential of −27.2 mV. Compared with free GOx, GONGs markedly reduced cytotoxicity, increased the IC50 in hUVEC cells from 2.150 nmol/L to 74.86 nmol/L, and significantly decreased hemolysis. At a GOx concentration of 2 nmol/L, GONGs effectively downregulated glycolysis-related proteins, such as HK2 and LDHA, and inhibited glutamine metabolism in glioma cells. Conclusion GONGs exhibited high GOx loading capacity, significantly reduced GOx-induced cytotoxicity, inhibited the Warburg effect in glioma cells and induced oxidative damage.
2.Exploration of Training System for Visiting Physicians in Department of Rare Diseases
Jiayuan DAI ; Jing XIE ; Jingjing CHAI ; Yueying MAO ; Chunlei LI ; Yaping LIU ; Jin XU ; Min SHEN ; Shuyang ZHANG
JOURNAL OF RARE DISEASES 2026;5(1):112-116
The construction of a training system for visiting physicians in the department of rare diseases in China is an important measure to improve the overall diagnosis and treatment capacity for rare diseases and address the critical challenge of insufficient knowledge and skills among clinicians in practice. This article systematically describes the visiting physician training system established by the Department of Rare Diseases at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. It summarizes the training objectives and positioning, design logic, and learning modules of the system, aiming to provide a reference for the construction of the specialized talent team for rare diseases in China.
3.Survey of post-discharge exercise behavior and analysis of factors influencing exercise intensity in patients undergoing lung surgery
Hongyu ZENG ; Xiang WANG ; Tian ZHANG ; Yaqin WANG ; Xing WEI ; Zhen DAI ; Liping ZHANG ; Xiaoqin LIU ; Qiang LI ; Qiuling SHI ; Wei DAI ; Jia LIAO
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(05):734-742
Objective To investigate the post-discharge exercise behavior and factors influencing moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) in patients undergoing lung surgery. Methods A total of 2874 patients from the large prospective, observational perioperative lung symptom study cohort (CN-PRO-Lung 3) in the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Sichuan Cancer Hospital between April 7, 2021, and January 31, 2024, were selected as the survey subjects. A survey was conducted using the Investigation of Exercise Behavior after Lung Surgery questionnaire and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) among patients who underwent lung surgery. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the factors influencing patients’ engagement in MVPA. Results A total of 702 patients were surveyed, including 252 males and 450 females, with an average age of (52.4±10.2) years. Patients with lung cancer accounted for 85.9%. Only 36.0% of the patients had regular exercise habits, while 42.3% did not engage in any physical activity. The three main barriers for postoperative exercise were physical discomfort (pain, coughing, shortness of breath, etc, 54.7%), lack of professional guidance (41.7%), and concerns about the surgical wound (28.9%). The proportions of patients engaging in vigorous, moderate, and low-intensity physical activity were 5.7%, 28.2%, and 66.1%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that patients with a personal annual income ≥50000 yuan (OR=1.52, 95%CI 1.01-2.29, P=0.044), high school education or above (OR=1.92, 95%CI 1.33-2.76, P<0.001), and lobectomy (OR=1.44, 95%CI 1.02-2.03, P=0.037) engaged in more MVPA. Conclusion Patients undergoing lung surgery have inadequate physical activity after discharge, particularly lacking in MVPA. Patients with higher income, higher educational levels, and lobectomy are more frequently engaged in MVPA. Measures such as symptom control, providing exercise guidance, and enhancing education on wound care may potentially improve the inadequate physical activity in lung surgery patients after discharge.
4.Clinical Efficacy and Radiographic Outcomes of Manipulative Reduction Combined with Small Splint Fixation for Distal Radius Fractures:A Retrospective Multicenter Study with Propensity Score Matching
Mao WU ; Guoda DAI ; Yang SHAO ; Shaoshuo LI ; Zhen HUA ; Hengyan CUI ; Tingchen ZHU ; Dipeng LI ; Jintao LIU ; Ming ZHOU ; Peimin WANG ; Liyong ZHANG ; Jianwei WANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(10):1086-1092
ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy and radiographic outcomes of manipulative reduction combined with small splint fixation in the treatment of distal radius fractures. MethodsThe clinical data of 1051 patients with distal radius fractures were retrospectively collected from five hospitals included in the Jiangsu Diagnosis and Treatment Data Platform for Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) Dominant Diseases. Propensity score matching at a 1∶4 ratio was applied, resulting in 580 cases selected for final analysis, which comprised 448 patients in the TCM group(manipulative reduction plus small splint fixation) and 132 in the surgical treatment group(open reduction and internal fixation). Each group was further stratified into type A, B, and C subgroups based on AO fracture classification. Radiographic indicators including palmar tilt, radial inclination, and radial height were compared between groups before treatment and 1 day, 1 week, and 4-6 weeks after treatment, and pain visual analog scale(VAS) scores before treatment and 1 week and 4-6 weeks after treatment were also compared. Wrist joint function was assessed 12 weeks after treatment, using the Dienst wrist function score and the Gartland and Werley(G-W) wrist function score. Additionally, the radiographic indicators at different timepoints and the 12-week wrist function levels were compared between groups across different fracture types. ResultsNo statistically significant difference was observed in radiographic indicators and VAS scores at all timepoints before and after treatment, as well as wrist joint function grades assessed by the Dienst score and the G-W score at 12 weeks after treatment (P>0.05). Compared to those before treatment, both groups showed increased palmar tilt, radial inclination, and radial height 1 week and 4-6 weeks after treatment, and decreased VAS scores (P<0.05). Compared to those 1 week after treatment, both groups showed a decrease in palmar tilt, an increase in radial inclination and radial height, and a reduction in VAS score 4-6 weeks after treatment(P<0.05). In type A and B subgroups, the surgical treatment group had a higher radial inclination than the TCM group 4-6 weeks after treatment, while in the type C subgroup, a higher radial height was shown in the surgical treatment group than in the TCM group 4-6 weeks after treatment(P<0.05). In type C subgroup, there was significant difference between groups in the wrist joint function by G-W scores 12 weeks after treatment(P<0.05). ConclusionManipulative reduction combined with small splint fixation can maintain fracture alignment and alleviate pain in treating distal radius fractures, which achieves therapeutic outcomes comparable to surgical treatment. It is particularly suitable for type A and B fractures and can be considered an effective treatment option for distal radius fractures.
5.Construction and Clinical Validation of a Deep Learning-Based Automatic Measurement Model for Palmar Tilt and Radial Inclination in Distal Radius Fractures
Guoda DAI ; Jianwei WANG ; Mao WU ; Bin KANG ; Yang SHAO ; Hengyan CUI ; Shaoshuo LI ; Tingchen ZHU ; Zhen HUA ; Zhongming SHEN ; Jintao LIU ; Ming ZHOU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(10):1093-1100
ObjectiveTo construct an automatic measurement model for palmar tilt and radial inclination suitable for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinical scenarios, and to validate its accuracy and efficiency in TCM manipulative reduction settings. MethodsData on anteroposterior (AP) and lateral X-rays of distal radius fractures were collected from patients admitted to 18 TCM/ integrated TCM and western medicine hospitals in Jiangsu province between September 1st, 2023, and September 1st, 2024, via the Jiangsu Diagnosis and Treatment Big Data Platform for TCM Dominant Diseases. A medical image segmentation framework based on multi-scale feature fusion and edge-awareness was employed, combined with anatomical knowledge specific to TCM orthopedics, to optimize the feature extraction strategy of an artificial intelligence (AI) model. This framework enabled automatic segmentation of fracture regions and measurement of distal radius palmar tilt and radial inclination. The accuracy of the AI model in measuring radial inclination and volar tilt was validated, and the measurement time and average time gain rate of the AI model were compared to those of manual measurement. ResultsA total of 15,444 AP and lateral X-ray images of distal radius fractures were collected, and were divided into a training set (11,144 images, 5066 AP and 6078 lateral), a validation set (3700 images, 1840 AP and 1860 lateral), and an independent test set (600 images, 300 AP and 300 lateral) after preprocessing. In the measurement of 300 AP X-rays in the independent test set for radial inclination, when the degree error between AI measurement and manual measurement was <3° and <5°, AI measurement accuracy was 83% and 93%, respectively. In 300 lateral X-rays in the test set for palmar tilt, when AI measurements had an error of <3° and <5° compared to manual measurements, corresponding accuracy rate was 78% and 90%, respectively. For 50 X-ray images, AI measurement time was (1.37±0.05) min for radial inclination while manual measurement time was (22.57±2.52) min (P<0.001); in terms of palmar tilt, the AI measurement time was (1.33±0.14) min, shorter than (23.70±2.80) min for manual measurement time (P<0.001). Average time gain rates for manual and AI measurements were 93.93% and 94.39% respectively. ConclusionAn automatic measurement model for palmar tilt and radial inclination in distal radius fractures has been established, enabling more accurate and efficient assessment as well as providing a tool to support the quantitative evaluation of the efficacy of TCM manipulative reduction and large-sample clinical research.
6.A Computational Perspective on Differences Between MHC-I and MHC-II in TCR-pMHC Structure Prediction Resources: Review and Benchmarking
Xiao-Qin WU ; Da-Wei LIU ; Bin-Yu LI ; Yang LIU ; Yang CAO ; Wen-Tao DAI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1376-1399
The initiation of adaptive immune responses relies on the precise recognition and interpretation of antigenic information. In this process, the specific binding of T cell receptors (TCRs) to peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) molecules represents one of the key molecular events in the initiation of adaptive immune responses. Accordingly, the structural features of TCR-pMHC complexes provide a fundamental basis for dissecting antigen recognition mechanisms and support rational vaccine design, therapeutic target discovery in TCR-based immunotherapy, and TCR identification and optimization. However, experimental determination of TCR-pMHC structures remains costly, time-consuming, and limited in coverage, making computational approaches essential for rapidly obtaining reliable structural information. Computational methods for predicting the structures of TCR-pMHC complexes have advanced rapidly in recent years, driven by progress in deep learning-based modeling frameworks and the increasing availability of structural and sequence resources. Despite these developments, most existing tools do not adequately distinguish the key structural and biophysical differences between MHC class I (MHC-I) and MHC class II (MHC-II) complexes during model construction. As a consequence, their predictive performance differs substantially between class I and class II complexes. In general, structural predictions for class I complexes outperform those for class II complexes. This discrepancy may be related to several fundamental differences between the two systems, including the architecture of the peptide-binding groove, the distribution of peptide lengths, and the properties of peptide flanking residues (PFRs). Compared with MHC-I molecules, MHC-II molecules usually bind longer antigenic peptides, which typically range from 13 to 25 amino acids in length. PFRs at both termini of these peptides participate in regulating the overall conformation of TCR-pMHC class II complexes and exert a pronounced effect on the geometric and physicochemical characteristics of the TCR-pMHC binding interface. Furthermore, within the TCR recognition interface, the complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) consist of segments that differ markedly in conformational behavior. They commonly include regions that are relatively rigid and structurally stable, together with highly flexible segments exhibiting substantial conformational plasticity. These rigidity-flexibility features constitute an essential structural basis enabling TCRs to recognize diverse peptide-MHC ligands and to accommodate conformational heterogeneity at the interface. However, many current modeling tools, in an effort to enforce global conformational stability or reduce structural noise, tend to over-constrain intrinsically flexible regions. Such oversimplification may lead to inappropriate rigidification of flexible CDR loops, resulting in local structural distortions, compromised interface geometry, or even complete modeling failure for specific complexes. Against this background, the review approaches the field from the perspective of computational differences between MHC-I and MHC-II complexes. We first systematically organize and summarize available resources related to TCRs and pMHCs, including structural datasets, sequence databases, prediction tools, and benchmarking studies. We then focus on five representative tools capable of predicting both class I and class II complexes—AlphaFold2, AlphaFold3, TCRmodel2, tFold-TCR, and TCR-pHLA_ModellerS. After excluding structures present in the training sets of these tools, we constructed a benchmark dataset comprising 25 class I and 10 class II TCR-pMHC complexes in the bound state and conducted a systematic evaluation using this dataset. We first employ widely used general evaluation metrics, including All-Atom Root Mean Square Deviation (All-Atom RMSD), Backbone RMSD, Template Modeling score (TM-score), and DockQ, to assess the global conformational accuracy and interface modeling quality of class I and class II complexes. For class II complexes, we propose for the first time a peptide flanking residue deviation index, including the PFRs-Deviation Index (PFRs-DI), N-PFR-Deviation Index (N-PFR-DI), and C-PFR-Deviation Index (C-PFR-DI), to quantitatively characterize conformational deviations in PFRs. In addition, we propose the CDR conformational consistency index (CCC) designed to qualitatively evaluate the ability of prediction tools to capture TCR CDR conformational flexibility. These metrics collectively assess a tool’s ability to model both overall conformation and critical functional regions, thereby addressing the limitations of existing evaluation criteria that overemphasize global structure while inadequately capturing modeling quality in key functional areas. This establishes a unified analytical framework for MHC-I and MHC-II complexes to guide data resource selection, modeling strategy formulation, and evaluation system development. The framework further advances computational modeling and provides crucial support for multi-scale analysis of TCR-pMHC recognition mechanisms and their biological functions.
7.A Computational Perspective on Differences Between MHC-I and MHC-II in TCR-pMHC Structure Prediction Resources: Review and Benchmarking
Xiao-Qin WU ; Da-Wei LIU ; Bin-Yu LI ; Yang LIU ; Yang CAO ; Wen-Tao DAI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1376-1399
The initiation of adaptive immune responses relies on the precise recognition and interpretation of antigenic information. In this process, the specific binding of T cell receptors (TCRs) to peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) molecules represents one of the key molecular events in the initiation of adaptive immune responses. Accordingly, the structural features of TCR-pMHC complexes provide a fundamental basis for dissecting antigen recognition mechanisms and support rational vaccine design, therapeutic target discovery in TCR-based immunotherapy, and TCR identification and optimization. However, experimental determination of TCR-pMHC structures remains costly, time-consuming, and limited in coverage, making computational approaches essential for rapidly obtaining reliable structural information. Computational methods for predicting the structures of TCR-pMHC complexes have advanced rapidly in recent years, driven by progress in deep learning-based modeling frameworks and the increasing availability of structural and sequence resources. Despite these developments, most existing tools do not adequately distinguish the key structural and biophysical differences between MHC class I (MHC-I) and MHC class II (MHC-II) complexes during model construction. As a consequence, their predictive performance differs substantially between class I and class II complexes. In general, structural predictions for class I complexes outperform those for class II complexes. This discrepancy may be related to several fundamental differences between the two systems, including the architecture of the peptide-binding groove, the distribution of peptide lengths, and the properties of peptide flanking residues (PFRs). Compared with MHC-I molecules, MHC-II molecules usually bind longer antigenic peptides, which typically range from 13 to 25 amino acids in length. PFRs at both termini of these peptides participate in regulating the overall conformation of TCR-pMHC class II complexes and exert a pronounced effect on the geometric and physicochemical characteristics of the TCR-pMHC binding interface. Furthermore, within the TCR recognition interface, the complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) consist of segments that differ markedly in conformational behavior. They commonly include regions that are relatively rigid and structurally stable, together with highly flexible segments exhibiting substantial conformational plasticity. These rigidity-flexibility features constitute an essential structural basis enabling TCRs to recognize diverse peptide-MHC ligands and to accommodate conformational heterogeneity at the interface. However, many current modeling tools, in an effort to enforce global conformational stability or reduce structural noise, tend to over-constrain intrinsically flexible regions. Such oversimplification may lead to inappropriate rigidification of flexible CDR loops, resulting in local structural distortions, compromised interface geometry, or even complete modeling failure for specific complexes. Against this background, the review approaches the field from the perspective of computational differences between MHC-I and MHC-II complexes. We first systematically organize and summarize available resources related to TCRs and pMHCs, including structural datasets, sequence databases, prediction tools, and benchmarking studies. We then focus on five representative tools capable of predicting both class I and class II complexes—AlphaFold2, AlphaFold3, TCRmodel2, tFold-TCR, and TCR-pHLA_ModellerS. After excluding structures present in the training sets of these tools, we constructed a benchmark dataset comprising 25 class I and 10 class II TCR-pMHC complexes in the bound state and conducted a systematic evaluation using this dataset. We first employ widely used general evaluation metrics, including All-Atom Root Mean Square Deviation (All-Atom RMSD), Backbone RMSD, Template Modeling score (TM-score), and DockQ, to assess the global conformational accuracy and interface modeling quality of class I and class II complexes. For class II complexes, we propose for the first time a peptide flanking residue deviation index, including the PFRs-Deviation Index (PFRs-DI), N-PFR-Deviation Index (N-PFR-DI), and C-PFR-Deviation Index (C-PFR-DI), to quantitatively characterize conformational deviations in PFRs. In addition, we propose the CDR conformational consistency index (CCC) designed to qualitatively evaluate the ability of prediction tools to capture TCR CDR conformational flexibility. These metrics collectively assess a tool’s ability to model both overall conformation and critical functional regions, thereby addressing the limitations of existing evaluation criteria that overemphasize global structure while inadequately capturing modeling quality in key functional areas. This establishes a unified analytical framework for MHC-I and MHC-II complexes to guide data resource selection, modeling strategy formulation, and evaluation system development. The framework further advances computational modeling and provides crucial support for multi-scale analysis of TCR-pMHC recognition mechanisms and their biological functions.
8.Effect of Zishen Tongguan Formula on "Gut-prostate" Axis of Rats with Chronic Non-bacterial Prostatitis Based on 16S rDNA Sequencing
Xiran LI ; Mengjiao CHEN ; Kaiping ZOU ; Chenguang ZHAO ; Xingbin DAI ; Xiaoqing ZHANG ; Shun LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(7):63-71
ObjectiveBased on the theory of "gut-prostate" axis, this study explored the effects and mechanisms of Zishen Tongguan formula and Cinnamomi Cortex in the formula in treating rats with chronic non-bacterial prostatitis(CNP) by detecting the levels of inflammatory factors, and the composition and structure of intestinal flora in CNP rats. MethodsEight out of 42 SD rats were randomly selected as the normal group, and the remaining rats were injected with carrageenan to prepare the CNP model. After successful modeling, 32 rats were randomly divided into the model group, Ningmitai capsule group(0.50 g·kg-1), Zishen Tongguan formula group(2.00 g·kg-1), and the Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex-Anemarrhenae Rhizoma pair group(PCC-AR group, 2.00 g·kg-1), with 8 rats in each group. The administered groups were given the corresponding medicinal solution by gavage, and the normal and model groups were intragastrically administered with an equal volume of normal saline, once a day for 14 consecutive days. The prostate tissues of rats were collected and subjected to hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining and Masson staining to observe the pathological changes of the tissues in each group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to detect the levels of related inflammatory factors in rat serum, and 16S rDNA sequencing was used to analyze the abundance and diversity changes of gut microbiota before and after administration, and species difference analysis was performed. ResultsAll the administered groups could alleviate the inflammatory symptoms of CNP rats, increase the expression levels of anti-inflammatory factors and decrease the expression levels of pro-inflammatory factors, with the most sIgnificant effect observed in the Zishen Tongguan formula group. Compared with the normal group, the expression levels of interleukin(IL)-8, hypersensitive C-reactive protein(hs-CRP), immunoglobulin(Ig)M, secretory IgA (sIgA), and inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS) were sIgnificantly increased in the model group(P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the expression levels of the above inflammatory factors in all administered groups were significantly reduced(P<0.01). When compared with the PCC-AR group, the Zishen Tongguan formula group showed a significant decrease in transforming growth factor(TGF)-β1 expression level(P<0.05) and a significant increase in IgM expression level(P<0.01). The results of gut microbiota analysis showed that, compared with the PCC-AR group, at the order level, the Zishen Tongguan formula group significantly reduced the relative abundance of conditional pathogens such as Bacteroidales, Acidaminococcales, Rhodospirillales, Clostridiales, and Elusimicrobiales(P<0.01). And at the genus level, the Zishen Tongguan formula group significantly decreased the relative abundance of pathogenic microbiota such as Lachnospira and Bacteroides(P<0.01) and significantly increased the relative abundances of beneficial microbiota such as Ruminococcus and Lactobacillus(P<0.01). ConclusionZishen Tongguan formula can reduce the level of harmful intestinal bacteria, increase the level of beneficial intestinal bacteria, down-regulate the expression of serum inflammatory factors, and the small amount of Cinnamomi Cortex in the formula may play a key role in the treatment of CNP with this formula.
9.Effect of Zishen Tongguan Formula on "Gut-prostate" Axis of Rats with Chronic Non-bacterial Prostatitis Based on 16S rDNA Sequencing
Xiran LI ; Mengjiao CHEN ; Kaiping ZOU ; Chenguang ZHAO ; Xingbin DAI ; Xiaoqing ZHANG ; Shun LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(7):63-71
ObjectiveBased on the theory of "gut-prostate" axis, this study explored the effects and mechanisms of Zishen Tongguan formula and Cinnamomi Cortex in the formula in treating rats with chronic non-bacterial prostatitis(CNP) by detecting the levels of inflammatory factors, and the composition and structure of intestinal flora in CNP rats. MethodsEight out of 42 SD rats were randomly selected as the normal group, and the remaining rats were injected with carrageenan to prepare the CNP model. After successful modeling, 32 rats were randomly divided into the model group, Ningmitai capsule group(0.50 g·kg-1), Zishen Tongguan formula group(2.00 g·kg-1), and the Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex-Anemarrhenae Rhizoma pair group(PCC-AR group, 2.00 g·kg-1), with 8 rats in each group. The administered groups were given the corresponding medicinal solution by gavage, and the normal and model groups were intragastrically administered with an equal volume of normal saline, once a day for 14 consecutive days. The prostate tissues of rats were collected and subjected to hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining and Masson staining to observe the pathological changes of the tissues in each group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to detect the levels of related inflammatory factors in rat serum, and 16S rDNA sequencing was used to analyze the abundance and diversity changes of gut microbiota before and after administration, and species difference analysis was performed. ResultsAll the administered groups could alleviate the inflammatory symptoms of CNP rats, increase the expression levels of anti-inflammatory factors and decrease the expression levels of pro-inflammatory factors, with the most sIgnificant effect observed in the Zishen Tongguan formula group. Compared with the normal group, the expression levels of interleukin(IL)-8, hypersensitive C-reactive protein(hs-CRP), immunoglobulin(Ig)M, secretory IgA (sIgA), and inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS) were sIgnificantly increased in the model group(P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the expression levels of the above inflammatory factors in all administered groups were significantly reduced(P<0.01). When compared with the PCC-AR group, the Zishen Tongguan formula group showed a significant decrease in transforming growth factor(TGF)-β1 expression level(P<0.05) and a significant increase in IgM expression level(P<0.01). The results of gut microbiota analysis showed that, compared with the PCC-AR group, at the order level, the Zishen Tongguan formula group significantly reduced the relative abundance of conditional pathogens such as Bacteroidales, Acidaminococcales, Rhodospirillales, Clostridiales, and Elusimicrobiales(P<0.01). And at the genus level, the Zishen Tongguan formula group significantly decreased the relative abundance of pathogenic microbiota such as Lachnospira and Bacteroides(P<0.01) and significantly increased the relative abundances of beneficial microbiota such as Ruminococcus and Lactobacillus(P<0.01). ConclusionZishen Tongguan formula can reduce the level of harmful intestinal bacteria, increase the level of beneficial intestinal bacteria, down-regulate the expression of serum inflammatory factors, and the small amount of Cinnamomi Cortex in the formula may play a key role in the treatment of CNP with this formula.
10.Causal association of obesity and chronic pain mediated by educational attainment and smoking: a mediation Mendelian randomization study
Yunshu LYU ; Qingxing LU ; Yane LIU ; Mengtong XIE ; Lintong JIANG ; Junnan LI ; Ning WANG ; Xianglong DAI ; Yuqi YANG ; Peiming JIANG ; Qiong YU
The Korean Journal of Pain 2025;38(2):177-186
Background:
Obesity and chronic pain are related in both directions, according to earlier observational research.This research aimed to analyze the causal association between obesity and chronic pain at the genetic level, as well as to assess whether common factors mediate this relationship.
Methods:
This study used bidirectional two sample Mendelian randomization (MR) technique to analyze the association between obesity and chronic pain. Obesity's summary genome-wide association data were obtained from European ancestry groups, as measured by body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio, waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference (HC), genome-wide association study data for chronic pain also came from the UK population, including chronic pain at three different sites (back, hip, and headache), chronic widespread pain (CWP), and multisite chronic pain (MCP). Secondly, a two-step MR and multivariate MR investigation was performed to evaluate the mediating effects of several proposed confounders.
Results:
The authors discovered a link between chronic pain and obesity. More specifically, a sensitivity analysis was done to confirm the associations between greater BMI, WC, and HC with an increased risk of CWP and MCP.Importantly, the intermediate MR results suggest that education levels and smoking initiation may mediate the causal relationship between BMI on CWP, with a mediation effect of 23.08% and 15.38%, respectively.
Conclusions
The authors’ findings demonstrate that the importance of education and smoking in understanding chronic pain’s pathogenesis, which is important for the primary prevention and prognosis of chronic pain.

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