1.Exploring Chemical Constituent Distribution in Blood/Brain(Hippocampus) and Emotional Regulatory Effect of Raw and Vinegar-processed Products of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride
Yi BAO ; Yonggui SONG ; Qianmin LI ; Zhifu AI ; Genhua ZHU ; Ming YANG ; Huanhua XU ; Qin ZHENG ; Yiting HUANG ; Zihan GAO ; Dan SU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(2):189-197
ObjectiveTo investigate the migration and distribution characteristics of chemical constituents in blood and hippocampal tissues before and after vinegar processing of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride(CRPV), and to explore the potential material basis and mechanisms underlying their regulatory effects on emotional disorders by comparing the effects of raw and vinegar-processed products of CRPV. MethodsUltra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) was employed to characterize and identify the chemical constituents of raw and vinegar-processed products of CRPV extracts, as well as their migrating components in blood and hippocampal tissues after oral administration. Reference standards, databases, and relevant literature were utilized for compound annotation, with data processing performed using PeakView 1.2 software. Seventy male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into seven groups, including the blank group, model group, diazepam group(2.5 mg·kg-1), raw CRPV low/high dose groups(0.6, 1.2 g·kg-1), and vinegar-processed CRPV low/high dose groups(0.6, 1.2 g·kg-1), with 10 mice per group. Except for the blank group, all other groups underwent chronic restraint stress(2 h·d-1) for 20 d. Each drug-treated group received oral administration at the predetermined dose starting 10 d after modeling, with a total treatment duration of 10 d. Following model-based drug administration, mice underwent open-field, forced swimming, and elevated plus maze tests. After anesthesia with isoflurane, whole brains were collected from each group of mice, and hippocampi were dissected. Reactive oxygen species(ROS) level in hippocampal tissues was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to observe hippocampal tissue morphology. Immunofluorescence was performed to detect neuronal nuclei(NeuN) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha(PPARα) expressions in hippocampal tissue. Then, pharmacodynamic evaluations were conducted to assess the effects of raw and vinegar-processed CRPV on mood disorders, exploring the potential mechanisms. ResultsVinegar processing caused significant changes in the chemical composition of CRPV, with 18 components showing increased relative content and 35 components showing decreased relative content. The primary changes occurred in flavonoid compounds, including 20 flavonoids, 20 flavonoid glycosides, 3 triterpenes, 3 phenolic acids, 1 alkaloid, and 6 other compounds. Twenty-one components were detected in blood(15 methoxyflavones, 4 flavonoid glycosides, and 2 phenolic acids), with 17 shared between raw and vinegar-processed CRPV. Seven components reached hippocampal tissues(all common to both forms). In regulating emotional disorders, Vinegar-processed CRPV exhibited superior antidepressant-like effects compared to raw products. HE staining revealed that both treatments improved hippocampal neuronal morphology, particularly in the damaged CA1 and CA3 regions. Immunofluorescence and ELISA analyses demonstrated that both raw and vinegar-processed CRPV significantly modulated NeuN and PPARα expressions in hippocampal tissue while alleviating oxidative stress induced by excessive ROS(P<0.05). ConclusionThe chemical composition of CRPV undergoes changes after vinegar processing, but the migrating components in blood and hippocampus are primarily methoxyflavonoids. These components may serve as the potential material basis for activating the PPARα pathway, thereby negatively regulating ROS generation in the hippocampus, reducing oxidative stress, and promoting the development of NeuN-positive neurons. These findings provide experimental evidence for enhancing quality standards, pharmacodynamic material research, and active drug development of raw and vinegar-processed CRPV.
2.Status and predictive factors of future acute exacerbation of asthma in adults
Qin XIAO ; Wenjun GAO ; Dan ZHOU
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2026;37(4):164-168
Objective To investigate the status and predictive factors of future acute exacerbation of asthma in adults. Methods Adult patients with asthma who were admitted to the hospital from March 2023 to July 2025 were selected. Based on the acute exacerbation status after follow-up, the patients were categorized into acute exacerbation group (n=107) and control group (n=245). The clinical data, pulmonary function [peak expiratory flow (PEF) and forced expiratory volume in the 1st second/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC)] and health status [asthma control questionnaire (ACQ), Morisky medication adherence scale (MMAS-8), short form 36-item health survey (SF-36)] of the study subjects were collected. The correlation between the indicators and acute exacerbation was explored by logistic regression analysis, and the predictive efficiency was evaluated by ROC curve. Results The age, smoking history, asthma course, allergen exposure and ACQ in the acute exacerbation group were higher than those in the control group, while the average monthly family income, glucocorticoid treatment, PEF, FEV1/FVC, MMAS-8 and SF-36 were lower (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression suggested that ACQ score, glucocorticoid treatment, MMAS-8 score, FEV1/FVC, PEF and smoking history were the influencing factors of acute asthma exacerbation (P<0.05). ROC analysis revealed that the diagnostic efficiency of combined prediction was the highest (AUC=0.965), with sensitivity of 0.944 and specificity of 0.857 (P<0.05). Conclusion It is necessary to pay more attention to the medication compliance and asthma control level of patients, and integrate multi-dimensional information such as smoking history, pulmonary function and treatment conditions to accurately identify patients with high-risk acute exacerbation and implement targeted intervention measures.
3.Impact of various diabetic conditions on ocular surface status and tear MMP-9 levels in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction
Qin TIAN ; Dan ZHANG ; Xingde LIU
International Eye Science 2026;26(9):1632-1637
AIM: To investigate the changes in ocular surface-related indicators and tear matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9)levels in diabetic patients complicated with meibomian gland dysfunction(MGD), analyze the effects of diabetes mellitus on ocular surface status and tear MMP-9 levels in patients with MGD, and provide evidence for clinical diagnosis and treatment.METHODS: Prospective observational study.Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated with MGD who visited the Department of Ophthalmology of the hospital from June 2024 to December 2024 were enrolled(diabetes mellitus+MGD group), and patients diagnosed solely with MGD without a history of diabetes mellitus during the same period were recruited as the non-diabetic MGD group. Patients in the diabetes mellitus+MGD group were further subdivided into aglycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c)<7.5% subgroup and an HbA1c≥7.5% subgroup based on HbA1c levels, and into a diabetes duration<10 y subgroup and a diabetes duration ≥10 y subgroup according to the duration of diabetes mellitus. Multiple ocular surface parameters, including the Ocular Surface Disease Index(OSDI)score and eyelid margin alteration score, as well as tear MMP-9 concentration, were measured in all participants, followed by between-group comparative analyses.RESULTS:Total of 101 patients(202 eyes)with type 2 diabetes mellitus combined with MGD were enrolled, including 56 males and 45 females with a mean age of 60.2±8.5 y. The non-diabetic MGD group consisted of 151 patients(302 eyes), with 82 males and 69 females and a mean age of 57.5±7.8 y.The HbA1c <7.5% group comprised 55 patients(110 eyes)aged 59.6±8.2 y; 31 males and 24 females. The HbA1c ≥7.5% group included 46 patients(92 eyes)aged 60.9±8.7 y; 25 males and 21 females.The subgroup with diabetes duration <10 y had 50 patients(100 eyes)aged 58.7±8.1 y; 28 males and 22 females, and the subgroup with duration ≥10 y consisted of 51 patients(102 eyes)aged 61.6±8.4 y; 27 males and 24 females. Patients in diabetes mellitus+MGD group exhibited higher OSDI scores, meibomian gland orifice scores, meibum expressibility scores, meibum quality scores, corneal fluorescein staining scores, and tear MMP-9 levels compared with non-diabetic MGD patients(all P<0.01), while tear film breakup time(BUT)and Schirmer test values were lower(all P<0.01).Among diabetic patients with MGD, the HbA1c≥7.5% subgroup had significantly higher OSDI score, meibomian gland orifice score, meibum expressibility scores, meibum quality scores, corneal fluorescein staining scores, and tear MMP-9 concentration than the HbA1c<7.5% subgroup(all P<0.05), accompanied by significantly shorter BUT and lower Schirmer I test results(all P<0.05). Similarly, the diabetes duration≥10 y subgroup showed significantly higher OSDI score, meibomian gland orifice score, meibum expressibility scores, meibum quality scores, corneal fluorescein staining scores, and tear MMP-9 concentration compared with the diabetes duration<10 y subgroup(all P<0.05), whereas BUT and Schirmer I values were significantly lower(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Diabetes mellitus may be associated with aggravated ocular surface damage in patients with MGD, accompanied by elevated tear MMP-9 levels. Poor glycemic control and longer disease duration are related to more severe ocular surface injury and higher tear MMP-9 levels. Tear MMP-9 may serve as a potential indicator for evaluating ocular surface inflammation and damage in diabetic patients with MGD, providing certain evidence for clinical treatment decision-making.
4.Association of dietary patterns with adolescent development in girls in Pudong New Area,Shanghai
Dan JI ; Hui HU ; Tianfeng WU ; Cun QIN ; Xiaowei LIU ; Yaping REN ; Pinqing BAI
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2026;37(5):60-63
Objective To investigate the association between dietary patterns and adolescent development in girls in Pudong New Area,Shanghai. Methods Using a stratified cluster sampling method, a total of 998 girls were selected from the cohort of growth, development, and health of children and adolescents in Pudong New Area of Shanghai. Physical development examinations and dietary surveys were conducted on these girls. Principal component analysis was used to determine girls' dietary patterns, and their relationship with adolescent development was analyzed using logistic regression. Results Among the 998 participants, 770 (77.15%) were pubertal girls. The factor analysis identified three dietary patterns, fungi and algae~nuts~legumes pattern, meat-vegetables and fruits-cereals pattern, and milk-eggs pattern. Logistic regression analysis revealed that after adjusting for age, waist circumference, residential district, mother's education level, and father's education level, the Q2 level (OR=0.54, 95% CI: 0.30-0.99), Q3 level (OR=0.50, 95% CI: 0.27-0.91), and Q4 level (OR=0.49, 95% CI: 0.26-0.90) of the fungi and algae-nuts-legumes pattern were negatively correlated with adolescent development. The Q2 level (OR=0.48, 95% CI: 0.27-0.87) and Q3 level (OR=0.49, 95% CI: 0.27-0.88) of the milk-eggs pattern were also negatively correlated with adolescent development. Conclusion The fungi and algae~nuts~legumes pattern and milk-eggs patterns are inversely related to pubertal development.
5.Relationship among occupational stress, work-related rumination, and sleep quality in emergency medical dispatchers in some areas of China
Xiaoying SHI ; Qing ZHANG ; Zhongyuan YAN ; Qin ZHANG ; Dan XU
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(8):932-938
Background The increasing demand for emergency services coupled with the special working environment has exacerbated occupational stress and work-related rumination among emergency medical dispatchers, which is noteworthy for its impact on dispatchers' sleep quality. Objective To explore the relationship among occupational stress, work-related rumination, and sleep quality of emergency medical dispatchers, so as to provide reference for improving sleep quality and maintaining physical and mental health of this occupational group. Methods A total of 386 emergency medical dispatchers from 16 provinces and municipalities including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Inner Mongolia, Zhejiang, Shanxi, Jiangxi, Anhui, Hubei, Hebei, Henan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Fujian, and Hainan of China were investigated with the Chinese version of Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire, Work-Related Rumination Questionnaire, and Insomnia Severity Index. Spearman correlation was used to analyze the association among occupational stress, work-related rumination, and sleep quality. A structural equation model was constructed, with occupational stress as independent variable, the two dimensions of work-related rumination as mediating variables, and sleep quality as dependent variable, respectively. Bootstrap testing was then used to verify potential mediating effect of work-related rumination on the relationship between occupational stress and sleep quality among the emergency medical dispatchers. Results Among the enrolled emergency medical dispatchers, the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) index was 1.03, the score of affective rumination was 15.35±5.26, the score of problem-solving rumination was 17.64±4.63, and the total score of sleep quality was 21.10±6.53. Their ERI index was positively correlated with affective rumination scores (r=0.636, P<0.01), but not with problem-solving rumination scores (P>0.05). Their ERI index, affective rumination scores, and problem-solving rumination scores were positively correlated with sleep quality scores (P<0.05). The direct effect size of occupational stress on sleep quality was 0.627, the indirect effect size of affective rumination was 0.124, and the mediating effect of affective rumination accounted for 16.4% of the total effect (0.755), while the problem-solving rumination had no mediating effect on the relationship between occupational stress and sleep quality. Conclusion Occupational stress and affective rumination in emergency medical dispatchers can predict their sleep quality. Occupational stress can directly affect sleep quality, and indirectly affect it through affective rumination. Managers should pay attention to and evaluate the affective rumination level of emergency medical dispatchers, so as to take corresponding intervention measures to reduce their occupational stress and improve their sleep quality.
6.Study on component analysis,fingerprint establishment and anti-inflammatory spectrum-effect relationship of Yao ethnic medicine Pittosporum pauciflorum
Dan QIN ; Peng FU ; Jiajie CAO ; Qingchen TANG ; Jie GAO
China Pharmacy 2025;36(18):2244-2249
OBJECTIVE To analyze chemical components of Yao ethnic medicine Pittosporum pauciflorum, establish its fingerprint and investigate the spectrum-effect relationship of its anti-inflammatory effect. METHODS UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS technology was used to analyze the chemical components of P. pauciflorum (batch S6). The fingerprints for 10 batches of P. pauciflorum from different producing areas in Guangxi Province (batches S1-S10) were established by HPLC, and similarity assessment and chemometric pattern recognition analysis were conducted. RAW264.7 inflammatory cell model was induced by lipopolysaccharide, and the anti-inflammatory activity of P. pauciflorum was investigated. Using inhibition rates of nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-1β as efficacy indicators, grey relational analysis and partial least squares regression analysis were adopted to evaluate the spectrum-effect relationship of the anti-inflammatory effect of P. pauciflorum. RESULTS There were 60 chemical components, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, lipids, etc., identified in P. pauciflorum. The fingerprints for 10 batches of P. pauciflorum showed 14 common peaks,with similarity values ranging from 0.883 to 0.991. Three common peaks were assigned neochlorogenic acid (peak 5), chlorogenic acid (peak 7), and syringaldehyde (peak 10). The classification results of the systematic clustering analysis and the principal component analysis were basically consistent. Batches S1 to S10 of P. pauciflorum significantly reduced the levels of NO, TNF-α, IL-6 (except for batch S5) and IL-1β in the cell supernatant (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Inhibition rates of above inflammatory indexes were 10.26%-39.96%, 14.96%-31.36%, 1.38%-21.27%, 18.54%-28.00%, respectively. The contents of neochlorogenic acid, syringaldehyde, as well as the components corresponding to peaks 1, 3, 9, 12 and 14,exhibited a strong correlation with the anti-inflammatory effects of P. pauciflorum. CONCLUSIONS The present study has analyzed the chemical components of P. pauciflorum and established HPLC fingerprints for 10 batches of P. pauciflorum. Each batch of medicinal herbs demonstrates certain anti- inflammatory activities, among which neochlorogenic acid, syringaldehyde, and the components corresponding to peaks 1, 3, 9, 12 and 14 are likely to be the active anti-inflammatory components.
7.Recent Advances of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Treatment of Cervical Cancer
Haojie QIN ; Zhifan ZUO ; Dan CHEN ; Jia LIU ; Shan JIN ; Yang ZHANG ; Yongpeng WANG
Cancer Research on Prevention and Treatment 2025;52(10):848-854
As a hot spot in clinical research today, immune checkpoint inhibitor has been recommended by guidelines in the first- and second-line treatments of advanced cervical cancer as immune monotherapy or combination therapy. It has also achieved good efficacy in clinical practice. In locally advanced cervical cancer, immune checkpoint inhibitors have been included in the guidelines for adjuvant therapy, and good tumor regression effects have been achieved in clinical practice. Based on the results of existing trials, immune checkpoint inhibitors have also shown good clinical potential as neoadjuvant therapy. Furthermore, the issue of immunotherapy rechallenge has increasingly captured clinicians’ attention, offering a potential new therapeutic strategy for cervical cancer patients with prior immunotherapy exposure. In this article, the clinical application and research progress of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of cervical cancer in recent years are summarized to provide valuable ideas and directions for clinical treatment.
8.Immunoregulatory mechanisms,development and application of terpenoid compounds from the Isodon genus
Haiyue YANG ; Qin LIU ; Shiqing PENG ; Guicai LIANG ; Dan HE ; Tao LI ; Hong YAO
China Pharmacy 2025;36(22):2868-2872
Plants of the Isodon genus are an important source of terpenoids, with their constituents exhibiting rich structural diversity and remarkable biological activities (such as anticancer, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties), demonstrating significant potential in the field of immunomodulation. This review summarizes recent advances in the immunomodulatory mechanisms, development and application of terpenoid compounds from the Isodon genus. It has been found that these compounds can modulate key inflammatory signaling pathways, such as nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), thereby blocking the cascade amplification of inflammatory factors, alleviating chronic inflammatory responses, and correcting immune dysregulation. Additionally, they can influence the polarization direction of macrophages and dynamically regulate the balance among different functional subsets of T cells, restoring immune homeostasis. Their clinical translation faces multiple challenges, including poor druggability, a lack of systematic safety data, the absence of precise pharmacodynamic biomarkers, complexities in clinical trial design, and unclear industrialization pathways.
10.Advances in the function and mechanisms of stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 in metabolic diseases.
Qin SUN ; Xiao-Rui XING ; Cheng LIU ; Dan-Dan JIA ; Ru WANG
Acta Physiologica Sinica 2025;77(3):545-562
Metabolic diseases characterized by an imbalance in energy homeostasis represent a significant global health challenge. Individuals with metabolic diseases often suffer from complications related to disorders in lipid metabolism, such as obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Understanding core genes involved in lipid metabolism can advance strategies for the prevention and treatment of these conditions. Stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) is a key enzyme in lipid metabolism that converts saturated fatty acids into monounsaturated fatty acids. SCD1 plays a crucial regulatory role in numerous physiological and pathological processes, including energy homeostasis, glycolipid metabolism, autophagy, and inflammation. Abnormal transcription and epigenetic activation of Scd1 contribute to abnormal lipid accumulation by regulating multiple signaling axes, thereby promoting the development of obesity, NAFLD, diabetes, and cancer. This review comprehensively summarizes the key role of SCD1 as a metabolic hub gene in various (patho)physiological contexts. Further it explores potential translational avenues, focusing on the development of novel SCD1 inhibitors across interdisciplinary fields, aiming to provide new insights and approaches for targeting SCD1 in the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases.
Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase/metabolism*
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Humans
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Metabolic Diseases/physiopathology*
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Lipid Metabolism/physiology*
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Animals
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Obesity/enzymology*
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Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease


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