1.Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Stimulation of the Primary Somatosensory Cortex Evokes Hand Tactile Perception: The Effect of Sonication Duration
Xu-Xu CHEN ; Huan-Jun XI ; Zhen LIANG ; Bo WANG ; Xu-Dong ZHAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(7):1942-1952
ObjectiveTranscranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) has emerged as a promising noninvasive neuromodulation technique capable of modulating neural activity with high spatial specificity. However, whether tFUS stimulation of the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) can reliably evoke conscious tactile perception without external peripheral sensory input remains unclear. Therefore, this study examined the feasibility of inducing hand-related tactile perception through targeted S1 stimulation and further investigated how sonication duration (SD), a key temporal parameter, influences the consistency of this perceptual response. The findings may provide empirical evidence for optimizing tFUS parameters in human somatosensory modulation. MethodsForty-eight healthy adults participated in the study and were assigned to two experiments. Experiment 1 included 24 participants and was designed to preliminarily examine whether S1-targeted tFUS could evoke hand-related tactile sensations. This experiment comprised two sub-experiments, Experiment 1a and Experiment 1b, with 12 participants in each. Specifically, Experiment 1a used a randomized active stimulation protocol targeting the bilateral S1 to assess the initial feasibility of inducing contralateral tactile perception, whereas Experiment 1b employed an alternating hemispheric design incorporating both active and sham stimulation to verify the specificity of the tFUS-induced sensations. Experiment 2 enrolled another 24 participants and used a real-sham dual-probe design to control for spatial tactile cues that might arise from probe-scalp contact. Five SD levels, including 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1 000 ms, were systematically tested to evaluate how stimulation duration influenced the behavioral response. The primary behavioral outcome was the perceptual consistency rate, quantified according to the accuracy of contralateral tactile localization. ResultsIn Experiment 1, 91.7% of participants reported reliable hand-related tactile sensations during active tFUS stimulation, including numbness, tingling, or similar sensory experiences. Contralateral localization accuracy under active stimulation was significantly higher than the0.50 chance level (P<0.05). In contrast, localization performance under sham stimulation did not differ from chance, suggesting that the observed tactile responses were mainly induced by active S1-targeted tFUS stimulation rather than nonspecific stimulation cues. In Experiment 2, perceptual consistency rates significantly exceeded the chance level under the 400 and 1 000 ms SD conditions(P<0.05), whereas no significant effect was observed at 200, 600, or 800 ms. Pairwise comparisons further showed that the 400 and 1 000 ms conditions produced significantly higher perceptual consistency rates than the 200 ms condition (P<0.05). ConclusiontFUS stimulation of S1 can elicit distinct hand-related tactile sensations without peripheral sensory input, demonstrating the feasibility of using targeted cortical ultrasound stimulation to induce conscious somatosensory perception. The reliability of this perceptual effect was modulated by sonication duration, indicating that temporal stimulation parameters play an important role in shaping both the occurrence and consistency of behavioral responses. Among the tested conditions, 400 ms appeared to provide a favorable temporal window for generating stable tactile perception, whereas excessively short stimulation may be insufficient to produce consistent responses. These findings highlight the sensitivity of somatosensory networks to ultrasonic modulation and provide useful parameter guidance for the application of tFUS in noninvasive sensory enhancement and cortical functional mapping.
2.Total triterpenoids from Hovenia dulcis increase sensitivity of A549/DDP to cisplatin by inducing Nrf2-mediated ferroptosis
Xiao-lan KUANG ; Dong-ning SHEN ; Ting FU ; Fan WU ; Jian-zhan YANG ; Jin-lang ZHONG ; Bo LIU ; Fang-fang XU
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(11):2128-2134
Aim To elucidate the underlying mecha-nism by which total triterpenoids extracted from Hove-nia dulcis(H-TP)enhance the sensitivity of A549/DDP cells to cisplatin.Methods The ARE-Nrf2 lu-ciferase reporter assay was applied to investigate the impact of H-TP on Nrf2 expression.Western blot was used to detect the protein levels of Keap-1/Nrf2/HO-1,Nrf2-GPX4 signaling pathway,apoptosis-related proteins of Bcl-2 and Bax.Further validation of its effects on Nrf2 was conducted by using Nrf2 activator/inhibitor.Results H-TP could enhance the sensitivi-ty of A549/DDP cells to cisplatin by modulating the expression of apoptosis-related proteins Bax and Bcl-2,inhibiting the Keap-1/Nrf2/HO-1/GPX4 signating pathway in A549/DDP cells,and inducing ferroptosis.Conclusion H-TP enhances the sensitivity of A549/DDP cells to cisplatin by inducing the Nrf2-mediated ferroptosis pathway.
3.The efficacy analysis of arthroscopic reduction combined with percutaneous screw technique in the treatment of Sanders type Ⅱ and type Ⅲ calcaneal fractures
Kang SONG ; Yu DONG ; Yongwen DAI ; Deyuan ZHAO ; Tienan SONG ; Bo SONG ; Gang XU
Tianjin Medical Journal 2025;53(11):1191-1196
Objective To explore the efficacy of arthroscopic reduction combined with percutaneous screw fixation in the treatment of Sanders types Ⅱ and Ⅲ calcaneal fractures.Methods Forty-eight patients with Sanders types Ⅱ and Ⅲcalcaneal fractures were divided into the arthroscopic reduction combined with percutaneous screw fixation(arthroscopy)group(n=23)and the tarsal sinus approach open reduction combined with screw internal fixation(tarsal sinus approach)group(n=25)according to different surgical methods and plans.The operative time,incision length,postoperative complications and secondary removal of internal fixation were compared between the two groups.Changes in B?hler's angle and Gissane's angle were evaluated and compared between the two groups at 3 months,6 months after operation and at the last follow-up.Additionally,the American Orthopaedic Foot&Ankle Society(AOFAS)ankle-hindfoot score and the visual analog scale(VAS)for pain were used to assess outcomes at the last follow-up.Results Compared with the tarsal sinus approach group,the incision length was reduced,the operation time was prolonged and the incidence of complications was decreased in the arthroscopic group(P<0.05).At 3 months,6 months after the operation and the last follow-up,there were no significant differences in the B?hler Angle,Gissanes Angle,AOFAS and VAS scores between the arthroscopic group and the tarsal sinus approach group(P>0.05).Conclusion Both groups of regimens can enable patients to achieve good postoperative therapeutic efficacy.However,under arthroscopic assistance,surgical incisions inherently possess minimally invasive advantages,while the incidence of postoperative complications is lower compared to the sinus tarsi approach.
4.Mechanism of silibinin derivative Sil-1 modulating MAPK signaling pathway to inhibit acute myocardial infarction in rats
Yi-fan LIU ; Meng LI ; De-yu CUI ; Xiao-yan LU ; Ting-bo NING ; Chun-xiu XU ; Jing-chun YAO ; Ji-dong ZHOU ; Zhong LIU
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(8):1453-1462
Aim To study the protective effect of the silibinin derivative Sil-1 on acute myocardial ischemia in SD rats and its mechanism of action.Methods Af-ter 18 hours of oxygen-glucose deprivation and treat-ment of H9c2 cells,the protective effect of Sil-1 on rat cardiomyocytes was examined.SD rats were treated 30 minutes before surgery,followed by 24 h ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery.The cardiopro-tective effects of Sil-1 and its mechanisms for improving myocardial ischemic injury were investigated using pro-teomics technology.Results In vitro,compared with the control group,the activity of H9c2 cells in the mod-el group showed reduced cell viability,increased dead cells,elevated ROS and higher levels of LDH and in-flammatory cytokines TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6 in the culture medium.Sil-1 could improve the above condi-tions to different degrees.In vivo,compared with the control group,rats in the model group showed signifi-cantly higher T waves on electrocardiogram,significant ischemic areas in the heart section,disorganized ar-rangement of cardiomyocytes,increased inflammatory factor infiltration and elevated CK,CK-MB,LDH and inflammatory factors TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β.Besides,NF-κB phosphorylation levels in myocardial tissue in-creased.Sil-1 improved the above conditions to varying degrees.The results of proteomics showed that 90 pro-teins were found between the control vs model group and the Sil-1 vs model group,and KEGG enrichment a-nalysis showed that MAPK,chemokines,VEGF and other signaling pathways were abundant.Western blot results showed that Sil-1 blocked the phosphorylation of ERK,JNK and p38 MAPK.Conclusions Sil-1 inhib-its the MAPK pathway by blocking the phosphorylation of JNK,ERK,and p38 MAPK,and achieves a protec-tive effect on rats with acute myocardial infarction.
5.Total triterpenoids from Hovenia dulcis increase sensitivity of A549/DDP to cisplatin by inducing Nrf2-mediated ferroptosis
Xiao-lan KUANG ; Dong-ning SHEN ; Ting FU ; Fan WU ; Jian-zhan YANG ; Jin-lang ZHONG ; Bo LIU ; Fang-fang XU
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(11):2128-2134
Aim To elucidate the underlying mecha-nism by which total triterpenoids extracted from Hove-nia dulcis(H-TP)enhance the sensitivity of A549/DDP cells to cisplatin.Methods The ARE-Nrf2 lu-ciferase reporter assay was applied to investigate the impact of H-TP on Nrf2 expression.Western blot was used to detect the protein levels of Keap-1/Nrf2/HO-1,Nrf2-GPX4 signaling pathway,apoptosis-related proteins of Bcl-2 and Bax.Further validation of its effects on Nrf2 was conducted by using Nrf2 activator/inhibitor.Results H-TP could enhance the sensitivi-ty of A549/DDP cells to cisplatin by modulating the expression of apoptosis-related proteins Bax and Bcl-2,inhibiting the Keap-1/Nrf2/HO-1/GPX4 signating pathway in A549/DDP cells,and inducing ferroptosis.Conclusion H-TP enhances the sensitivity of A549/DDP cells to cisplatin by inducing the Nrf2-mediated ferroptosis pathway.
6.The efficacy analysis of arthroscopic reduction combined with percutaneous screw technique in the treatment of Sanders type Ⅱ and type Ⅲ calcaneal fractures
Kang SONG ; Yu DONG ; Yongwen DAI ; Deyuan ZHAO ; Tienan SONG ; Bo SONG ; Gang XU
Tianjin Medical Journal 2025;53(11):1191-1196
Objective To explore the efficacy of arthroscopic reduction combined with percutaneous screw fixation in the treatment of Sanders types Ⅱ and Ⅲ calcaneal fractures.Methods Forty-eight patients with Sanders types Ⅱ and Ⅲcalcaneal fractures were divided into the arthroscopic reduction combined with percutaneous screw fixation(arthroscopy)group(n=23)and the tarsal sinus approach open reduction combined with screw internal fixation(tarsal sinus approach)group(n=25)according to different surgical methods and plans.The operative time,incision length,postoperative complications and secondary removal of internal fixation were compared between the two groups.Changes in B?hler's angle and Gissane's angle were evaluated and compared between the two groups at 3 months,6 months after operation and at the last follow-up.Additionally,the American Orthopaedic Foot&Ankle Society(AOFAS)ankle-hindfoot score and the visual analog scale(VAS)for pain were used to assess outcomes at the last follow-up.Results Compared with the tarsal sinus approach group,the incision length was reduced,the operation time was prolonged and the incidence of complications was decreased in the arthroscopic group(P<0.05).At 3 months,6 months after the operation and the last follow-up,there were no significant differences in the B?hler Angle,Gissanes Angle,AOFAS and VAS scores between the arthroscopic group and the tarsal sinus approach group(P>0.05).Conclusion Both groups of regimens can enable patients to achieve good postoperative therapeutic efficacy.However,under arthroscopic assistance,surgical incisions inherently possess minimally invasive advantages,while the incidence of postoperative complications is lower compared to the sinus tarsi approach.
7.Role and mechanism of allopurinol in restoring abnormal metabolism of kynurenine to alleviate ulcerative colitis in mice
Yue-lan CHEN ; Wei-bo DONG ; He-peng XU ; Shang-xue YAN ; Wei WEI ; Yan CHANG
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(5):830-836
Aim To investigate the role and mecha-nism of allopurinol(ALLO)in restoring the abnormal metabolism of kynurenine(Kyn)mediated by trypto-phan-2,3-dioxygenase 2(TDO2)to ameliorate ulcera-tive colitis(UC)in mice,and to provide experimental basis for the treatment of UC by ALLO.Methods A dextran sodium sulfate(DSS)-induced mouse UC mod-el was established,and the mice were randomly divided into the control group,the model group,the ALLO low,medium and high-dose groups(10,20,and 40 mg·kg-1),and the positive-significant salazosulfapyridine(SASP)(200 mg·kg-1)group.The body mass and disease activity index(DAI)scores of mice were re-corded;HE staining was performed to observe the de-gree of pathological damage in colon tissue;Western blot was performed to detect TDO2 protein expression in colon tissue;flow cytometry was performed to detect changes in the proportion of macrophages in spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes;ELISA was employed to de-tect the levels of TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6 pro-inflamma-tory cytokines in the supernatant of colon tissue homog-enate;high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)was used to detect the levels of tryptophan(Trp)and Kyn in the supernatant of colon tissue ho-mogenate.Results Compared with the model group,ALLO administration significantly ameliorated colonic histopathological injury in UC mice,decreased the pro-portion of macrophages in spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes,down-regulated the levels of TNF-α,IL-1 β,and IL-6 pro-inflammatory factors in serum of homogenate of colonic tissues,and inhibited the activity(Kyn/Trp ratio)and expression of TDO2 in colonic tissues.Con-clusion ALLO improves disease manifestations in mice with ulcerative colitis,which may be related to its restoration of abnormal Kyn metabolism.
8.A comparative study of the outcomes of primary reverse total shoulder arthroplasty and revision procedure after treatment failure of complex proximal humerus fractures in elderly patients
Bingshan YAN ; Ming XIANG ; Lei HAN ; Junyang LIU ; Bo ZHANG ; Xu TIAN ; Lintao LIU ; Jingming DONG
Chinese Journal of Orthopaedics 2025;45(15):984-992
Objective:To evaluate the clinical outcomesof primary reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) and revision procedure with RTSA after treatment failure of complex proximal humeral fractures in the elderly.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conductedon 24 elderly patients with Neer three- or four-part proximal humeral fractures who underwent RTSA revision after treatment failure (RTSA revision group) from January 2017 to June 2022. There were 7 males and 17 females included, with a mean age of 78.23±5.78 years (range, 67-86 years). Forty-eight patients who underwent primary RTSA (primary RTSA group) during the same time period were selected by propensity score matchingin a 1∶2 ratio as controls, based on age, dominanthand, etiology, Neer typing, glenohumeral joint dislocation, rotator cuff integrity, and osteoporosis T-score. The primary RTSA group included 12 males and 36 females, with a mean age of 76.38±6.15 years (range, 65-87 years). Clinical indicators including demographic characteristics, healing rate of the greater tuberosity, visual analogue score (VAS), Constant-Murley score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), shoulder range of motion (ROM), patient satisfaction, and complication rate were collected and analyzed.Results:The mean follow-up duration was 40(32, 60) months (range, 25-72 months) in the primary RTSA group and 38(30, 61) months (range, 24-68 months) in RTSA revision group. There was no significant difference (χ 2=5.058, P=0.168) in the healing rate of the greater tuberosity between the primary RTSA group (41/48, 85.4%) and the RTSA revision group (15/24, 62.5%). Compared with preoperative status, the ROM of anterior elevation, abduction supination, external rotation, VAS score, Constant-Murley score, and ASES score were significantly improved at the last follow-up (all P<0.05) in the RTSA revision group. The anterior elevation (123.74°± 16.57°), abduction supination (113.73°±16.42°), and external rotation (36.45°±10.36°) in the primary RTSA group were superior to those in the RTSA revision group (109.43°±18.75°, 98.64°±15.47°, 30.47°±10.64°, respectively), the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). No statistical difference of ROM of internal rotation between the two groups was found (χ 2=4.034, P=0.133). At the last follow-up, the Constant-Murley scores (75.47±11.66) and ASES scores (73.58±15.72) of the primary RTSA group were higher than those in the RTSA revision group (60.43±10.24 and 63.28±18.77, respectively), and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). In terms of VAS (1.66±0.93 vs. 2.02±1.15) and patient satisfaction [83%(40/48) vs. 88%(21/24)], no statistical difference was identified ( P>0.05). The complication rate were 10.4% (5/48) in the primary RTSA group and 20.8% (5/24) in the RTSA revision group (χ 2=1.452, P=0.285), with no serious complications requiring revision surgery in either group. Conclusions:For elderly patients with proximal humeral fractures after failed operation, RTSA revision might effectively improve the limb function and alleviatepain. However, compared with RTSA revision, primary RTSA demonstrated superiorearly clinical outcomes in shoulder ROM and functional recovery.
9.Chromatin landscape alteration uncovers multiple transcriptional circuits during memory CD8+ T-cell differentiation.
Qiao LIU ; Wei DONG ; Rong LIU ; Luming XU ; Ling RAN ; Ziying XIE ; Shun LEI ; Xingxing SU ; Zhengliang YUE ; Dan XIONG ; Lisha WANG ; Shuqiong WEN ; Yan ZHANG ; Jianjun HU ; Chenxi QIN ; Yongchang CHEN ; Bo ZHU ; Xiangyu CHEN ; Xia WU ; Lifan XU ; Qizhao HUANG ; Yingjiao CAO ; Lilin YE ; Zhonghui TANG
Protein & Cell 2025;16(7):575-601
Extensive epigenetic reprogramming involves in memory CD8+ T-cell differentiation. The elaborate epigenetic rewiring underlying the heterogeneous functional states of CD8+ T cells remains hidden. Here, we profile single-cell chromatin accessibility and map enhancer-promoter interactomes to characterize the differentiation trajectory of memory CD8+ T cells. We reveal that under distinct epigenetic regulations, the early activated CD8+ T cells divergently originated for short-lived effector and memory precursor effector cells. We also uncover a defined epigenetic rewiring leading to the conversion from effector memory to central memory cells during memory formation. Additionally, we illustrate chromatin regulatory mechanisms underlying long-lasting versus transient transcription regulation during memory differentiation. Finally, we confirm the essential roles of Sox4 and Nrf2 in developing memory precursor effector and effector memory cells, respectively, and validate cell state-specific enhancers in regulating Il7r using CRISPR-Cas9. Our data pave the way for understanding the mechanism underlying epigenetic memory formation in CD8+ T-cell differentiation.
CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/metabolism*
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Cell Differentiation
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Chromatin/immunology*
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Animals
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Mice
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Immunologic Memory
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Epigenesis, Genetic
;
SOXC Transcription Factors/immunology*
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NF-E2-Related Factor 2/immunology*
;
Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Gene Regulatory Networks
;
Enhancer Elements, Genetic
10.National bloodstream infection bacterial resistance surveillance report 2023: Gram-positive bacteria
Chaoqun YING ; Jinru JI ; Zhiying LIU ; Qing YANG ; Haishen KONG ; Jiangqin SONG ; Hui DING ; Yanyan LI ; Yuanyuan DAI ; Haifeng MAO ; Pengpeng TIAN ; Lu WANG ; Yongyun LIU ; Yizheng ZHOU ; Jiliang WANG ; Yan JIN ; Donghong HUANG ; Hongyun XU ; Peng ZHANG ; Xinhua QIANG ; Hong HE ; Lin ZHENG ; Junmin CAO ; Zhou LIU ; Ying HUANG ; Yan GENG ; Haiquan KANG ; Dan LIU ; Guolin LIAO ; Lixia ZHANG ; Fenghong CHEN ; Yanhong LI ; Baohua ZHANG ; Haixin DONG ; Xiaoyan LI ; Donghua LIU ; Qiuying ZHANG ; Xuefei HU ; Liang GUO ; Sijin MAN ; Dijing SONG ; Rong XU ; Youdong YIN ; Kunpeng LIANG ; Aiyun LI ; Zhuo LI ; Hongxia HU ; Guoping LU ; Jinhua LIANG ; Qiang LIU ; Yinqiao DONG ; Jilu SHEN ; Shuyan HU ; Liang LUAN ; Jian LI ; Ling MENG ; Dengyan QIAO ; Xiusan XIA ; Bo QUAN ; Dahong WANG ; Chunhua HAN ; Xiaoping YAN ; Fei LI ; Shifu WANG ; Ping SHEN ; Yunbo CHEN ; Yonghong XIAO
Chinese Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases 2025;18(2):118-132
Objective:To report the nationwide surveillance results of pathogenic profiles and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Gram-positive bloodstream infections in China in 2023.Methods:The clinical isolates of Gram-posttive bacteria from blood cultures were collected in member hospitals of National Bloodstream Infection Bacterial Resistant Investigation Collaborative System(BRICS)during January to December 2023. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the dilution method recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI). Statistical analyses were conducted using WHONET 5.6 and SPSS 25.0 software.Results:A total of 4 385 Gram-positive bacterial isolates were obtained from 60 participating center. The top five pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus( n=1 544,35.2%),coagulase-negative Staphylococci( n=1 441,32.9%), Enterococcus faecium( n=574,13.1%), Enterococcus faecalis( n=385,8.8%),and α-hemolytic Streptococci( n=187,4.3%). The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA)and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococci(MRCNS)was 26.2%(405/1 544)and 69.8%(1 006/1 441),respectively. Notably,all Staphylococci remained susceptible to glycopeptide or daptomycin. Staphylococcus aureus demonstrated excellent susceptibility(>97.0%)to cephalobiol,rifampicin,trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole,linezolid,minocycline,tigecycline,and eravacycline. No Enterococcus exhibiting resistance to linezolid were detected. Glycopeptide resistance was uncommon but more frequent in Enterococcus faecium(resistance to vancomycin and teicoplanin:both 1.7%)compared to Enterococcus faecalis(both 0.3%). The detection rates of MRSA and MRCNS exhibited significant regional variations across the country( χ2=17.674 and 148.650,respectively,both P<0.001). No vancomycin-resistant Enterococci were detected in central China. Institutional comparison demonstrated higher prevalence of MRSA( χ2=14.111, P<0.001)and MRCNS( χ2=4.828, P=0.028)in provincial hospitals than that in municipal hospitals. Socioeconomic analysis identified elevated detection rates of both MRSA( χ2=18.986, P<0.001)and MRCNS( χ2=4.477, P=0.034)in less developed regions(per capita GDP

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