1.Exploring Intervention Effect of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma Processed with Aurantii Fructus Immaturus Juice on Slow-transit Constipation and Its "Microbiota-Metabolism" Synergistic Regulation Mechanism Based on Theory of "Spleen Governing Transportation and Transformation"
Dan LI ; Xiaoxia LIU ; Xiaofen WANG ; Zuxin HE ; Junnan WEI ; Yanqing LIU ; Yuxuan GAO ; Ping LUO ; Fang WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):201-209
ObjectiveBased on the theory of "spleen governing transportation and transformation", this study investigates the efficacy of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma processed with Aurantii Fructus Immaturus juice(AMR-AFI) in improving slow-transit constipation(STC), as well as the synergistic regulatory mechanism involving the microbiota-metabolism axis, thereby elucidating the scientific basis of its processing theory. MethodsAnimals were randomly divided into the control group, model group, positive drug(mosapride) group(3 mg·kg-1), and low-, medium-, and high-dose groups of AMR-AFI(3.9, 7.8, 15.6 g·kg-1). Except for the control group, the remaining five groups were induced with STC using loperamide hydrochloride. Following modeling, interventions were administered. All groups received continuous administration for 15 d, during which fecal samples, colon tissue, and serum were collected. Constipation improvement was assessed by measuring fecal moisture content and small intestinal propulsion rate, histological morphology of colonic tissue was observed via hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, and the levels of interleukin(IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α, and IL-2 in serum were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Furthermore, the microbial community structure in mouse feces was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing, while transcriptomic sequencing was employed to screen differentially expressed genes in colonic tissue, followed by gene ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) enrichment analyses. Finally, Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to explore the association between differential microbiota and differential genes. ResultsCompared with the control group, the intestinal propulsion rate and fecal moisture content in the model group were significantly decreased(P<0.01), while serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-2 were significantly elevated(P<0.01). HE staining showed damage and shedding of colonic mucosal epithelial cells, along with a reduction in goblet cells in the model group. In comparison with the model group, all treatment groups improved the pathological state of the colonic mucosa to varying degrees and reduced serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-2(P<0.01). Among these, the high-dose group of AMR-AFI significantly increased the intestinal propulsion rate and fecal moisture content of rats(P<0.05, P<0.01). Further transcriptomic analysis revealed that a total of 104 differentially expressed genes were identified from comparisons between the model group and the control group, as well as between the model group and the high-dose group of AMR-AFI. These genes were mainly enriched in pathways closely related to STC pathogenesis, such as arachidonic acid metabolism and aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption. 16S rRNA sequencing results indicated that AMR-AFI reversed the structural imbalance of the gut microbiota in model mice, increased species richness, downregulated the relative abundance of pro-inflammatory bacteria such as Parasutterella, and enriched beneficial and butyrate-producing bacteria, including Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Ruminococcaceae, and Lachnospiraceae. Spearman correlation analysis further showed that the beneficial bacteria enriched in the AMR-AFI group were negatively correlated with genes involved in the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway and positively correlated with genes in the aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption pathway. In contrast, pro-inflammatory bacteria in the model group exhibited the opposite correlation trends. ConclusionAMR-AFI can effectively exert synergistic therapeutic effects on STC by regulating intestinal microbiota, arachidonic acid-mediated inflammatory metabolism, and aldosterone-regulated water-salt balance pathways.
2.Exploring Intervention Effect of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma Processed with Aurantii Fructus Immaturus Juice on Slow-transit Constipation and Its "Microbiota-Metabolism" Synergistic Regulation Mechanism Based on Theory of "Spleen Governing Transportation and Transformation"
Dan LI ; Xiaoxia LIU ; Xiaofen WANG ; Zuxin HE ; Junnan WEI ; Yanqing LIU ; Yuxuan GAO ; Ping LUO ; Fang WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):201-209
ObjectiveBased on the theory of "spleen governing transportation and transformation", this study investigates the efficacy of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma processed with Aurantii Fructus Immaturus juice(AMR-AFI) in improving slow-transit constipation(STC), as well as the synergistic regulatory mechanism involving the microbiota-metabolism axis, thereby elucidating the scientific basis of its processing theory. MethodsAnimals were randomly divided into the control group, model group, positive drug(mosapride) group(3 mg·kg-1), and low-, medium-, and high-dose groups of AMR-AFI(3.9, 7.8, 15.6 g·kg-1). Except for the control group, the remaining five groups were induced with STC using loperamide hydrochloride. Following modeling, interventions were administered. All groups received continuous administration for 15 d, during which fecal samples, colon tissue, and serum were collected. Constipation improvement was assessed by measuring fecal moisture content and small intestinal propulsion rate, histological morphology of colonic tissue was observed via hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, and the levels of interleukin(IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α, and IL-2 in serum were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Furthermore, the microbial community structure in mouse feces was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing, while transcriptomic sequencing was employed to screen differentially expressed genes in colonic tissue, followed by gene ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) enrichment analyses. Finally, Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to explore the association between differential microbiota and differential genes. ResultsCompared with the control group, the intestinal propulsion rate and fecal moisture content in the model group were significantly decreased(P<0.01), while serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-2 were significantly elevated(P<0.01). HE staining showed damage and shedding of colonic mucosal epithelial cells, along with a reduction in goblet cells in the model group. In comparison with the model group, all treatment groups improved the pathological state of the colonic mucosa to varying degrees and reduced serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-2(P<0.01). Among these, the high-dose group of AMR-AFI significantly increased the intestinal propulsion rate and fecal moisture content of rats(P<0.05, P<0.01). Further transcriptomic analysis revealed that a total of 104 differentially expressed genes were identified from comparisons between the model group and the control group, as well as between the model group and the high-dose group of AMR-AFI. These genes were mainly enriched in pathways closely related to STC pathogenesis, such as arachidonic acid metabolism and aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption. 16S rRNA sequencing results indicated that AMR-AFI reversed the structural imbalance of the gut microbiota in model mice, increased species richness, downregulated the relative abundance of pro-inflammatory bacteria such as Parasutterella, and enriched beneficial and butyrate-producing bacteria, including Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Ruminococcaceae, and Lachnospiraceae. Spearman correlation analysis further showed that the beneficial bacteria enriched in the AMR-AFI group were negatively correlated with genes involved in the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway and positively correlated with genes in the aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption pathway. In contrast, pro-inflammatory bacteria in the model group exhibited the opposite correlation trends. ConclusionAMR-AFI can effectively exert synergistic therapeutic effects on STC by regulating intestinal microbiota, arachidonic acid-mediated inflammatory metabolism, and aldosterone-regulated water-salt balance pathways.
3.Genome-wide DNA methylation and mRNA transcription analysis revealed aberrant gene regulation pathways in patients with dermatomyositis and polymyositis.
Hui LUO ; Honglin ZHU ; Ding BAO ; Yizhi XIAO ; Bin ZHOU ; Gong XIAO ; Lihua ZHANG ; Siming GAO ; Liya LI ; Yangtengyu LIU ; Di LIU ; Junjiao WU ; Qiming MENG ; Meng MENG ; Tao CHEN ; Xiaoxia ZUO ; Quanzhen LI ; Huali ZHANG
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(1):120-122
4.Overview of host-directed antiviral targets for future research and drug development.
Xiaoxia GU ; Mengzhu ZHENG ; Ya GAO ; Shuang LIN ; Xiaotian ZHANG ; Chunmei CHEN ; Hucheng ZHU ; Weiguang SUN ; Yonghui ZHANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(4):1723-1751
Viruses constitute a significant group of pathogens that have caused numerous fatalities and substantial economic losses in recent years, particularly with the emergence of coronaviruses. While the impact of SARS-CoV-2 appears to be diminishing in daily life, only a limited number of drugs have received approval or emergency use authorization for its treatment. Given the high mutation rate of viral genomes, host-directed agents (HDAs) have emerged as a preferred choice due to their broad applicability and lasting effectiveness. In contrast to direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), HDAs offer several advantages, including broad-spectrum antiviral activities, potential efficacy against future emerging viruses, and a lower likelihood of inducing drug resistance. In our review article, we have synthesized known host-directed antiviral targets that span diverse cellular pathways and mechanisms, shedding light on the intricate interplay between host cells and viruses. Additionally, we have provided a brief overview of the development of HDAs based on these targets. We aim for this comprehensive analysis to offer valuable perspectives and insights that can guide future antiviral research and drug development efforts.
5.Distribution of pathogens isolated from patients with eczema and clinical laboratory test indexes of patients with TCM syndrome type of eczema
Hongye MA ; Xiang GAO ; Xiaoxia HUANG ; Xuanyu WANG ; Chunyan JIANG ; Honglin GUO
Chinese Journal of Nosocomiology 2025;35(18):2765-2769
OBJECTIVE To explore the differences in the clinical laboratory test indexes between the patients with two different TCM syndrome types of eczema(dampness-heat infiltration type and non-dampness-heat infiltration type)and observe the distribution and drug resistance rate of pathogens isolated from the skin lesions so as to pro-vide bases for syndrome differentiation and reasonable use of antibiotics.METHODS A total of 180 patients with eczema who were positive for bacterial culture of skin secretions and were treated in Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Jan.2021 to Dec.2023 were enrolled in the study and were divided into the dampness-heat infiltration group with 134 cases and the non-dampness-heat infiltration group with 46 cases.The data of clini-cal laboratory test indexes were collected from the two groups of patients,the secretion specimens were sampled from the skin lesion sites,the isolated pathogens were identified by VITEK 2 Compact automatic microorganism analysis system,and the drug susceptibility testing was performed.RESULTS The direct bilirubin level of the dampness-heat infiltration group was(3.99±1.62)umol/L,higher than(3.46±1.12)umol/L of the non-damp-ness-heat infiltration group(P<0.05),but both were in the normal range;there were no significant differences in other test indexes between the two groups.Totally 180 strains of pathogens were isolated from the 180 patients with eczema,156(86.67%)of which were gram-positive bacteria;Staphylococcus aureus(98 strains),Staphy-lococcus epidermidis(29 strains)and Staphylococcus haemolyticus(15 strains)were the predominant species of the gram-positive bacteria.The gram-negative bacteria accounted for 12.22%(22 strains).The drug resistance rate of the S.aureus strains to penicillin was up to 82.65%,and the isolation rate of methicillin-resistant Staphy-lococcus aureus(MRSA)was 12.24%(12/98);the drug resistance rates of the S.epidermidis strains to penicil-lin and erythromycin were 75.86%,and the drug resistance rate of the S.haemolyticus strains to erythromycin was 100.00%.CONCLUSIONS The gram-positive bacteria(dominated by the S.aureus)are dominant among the pathogens isolated from the skin lesion specimens of the eczema patients and are highly resistant to penicillin and erythromycin.The isolation rate of MRSA is relatuvely low.There is limited clinical significant difference in the direct bilirubin between the two groups.It is necessary to further explore more reliable indexes for syndrome dif-ferentiation.
6.Effect of unilateral or bilateral transcranial direct current stimulation on post-stroke dysphagia
Fei GAO ; Lixu LIU ; Xueyan HU ; Xiaoli WU ; Lingyu YANG ; Yuqi YANG ; Changqing YE ; Xiaoxia DU
Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice 2025;31(9):993-999
Objective To investigate the effect of unilateral or bilateral transcranial direct current stimulation(tDCS)on post-stroke dysphagia.Methods From February,2023 to March,2025,27 stroke patients with dysphagia and nasal feeding in Beijing Bo'ai Hos-pital were randomly divided into healthy side stimulation group,bilateral stimulation group and sham stimulation group,with nine cases in each group.All the groups received conventional swallowing training and tDCS,while the healthy side stimulation group stimulated on the healthy side of oropharyngeal cortex;and the bilateral stimu-lation group alternatively stimulated bilateral oropharyngeal cortex,with one hour interval between bilateral stim-ulation;the sham stimulation group stimulated the healthy side of oropharyngeal cortex for 30 seconds and then stop.The course lasted two weeks.The scores of Standard Swallowing Function Assessment Scale(SSA),Modi-fied Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability(MMASA)and Rosenbek Penetration-Aspiration Scale(PAS)were compared before and after treatment.Results The intra-group effect(F=16.185,P<0.01)was significant in the scores of SSA,the intra-group effect(F=28.650,P<0.01)and interaction effect(F=3.453,P<0.01)were significant in the scores of MMASA,and there was no significant difference in the inter-group effect,intra-group effect and interaction effect in the scores of PAS(P>0.05).Post hoc test showed that there was no significant difference in the scores of SSA,MMASA and PAS among three groups(P>0.05).There was significant difference in the score difference of MMASA be-fore and after treatment among three groups(F=4.698,P<0.05).Post hoc test showed that the score difference of MMAS was more in the healthy side stimulation group than in the bilateral stimulation group and the sham stimulation group(P<0.05),with no significant difference between the bilateral stimulation group and the sham stimulation group(P>0.05).Conclusion tDCS can partly improve post-stroke dysphagia.The healthy side anode stimulation is superior to the alter-nating bilateral hemisphere anode stimulation.
7.Construction of a predictive model for stress injury risk in neurocritically ill patients using machine learning algorithms
Xiaoxia GAO ; Mingya YAO ; Shishi CHEN ; Kaili YE ; Xiaoqing CHEN
Chinese Journal of Primary Medicine and Pharmacy 2025;32(6):835-840
Objective:To construct logistic regression, decision tree, and neural network models to predict pressure injury in neurocritically ill patients using machine learning algorithms, and compare the predictive performance of the three models.Methods:The clinical data of 341 neurocritically ill patients who received treatment in the Department of Neurosurgery at The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from May 2020 to February 2023 were collected retrospectively. The patients were randomly divided into a training set and a testing set in a 7:3 ratio. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted based on the clinical data from the training set. According to the results of the multivariate analysis, logistic regression, decision tree, and neural network models were constructed. The predictive performance of the three models was validated and compared using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.Results:Among the 341 patients, 35 developed pressure injury (a total of 40 occurrences), with an incidence rate of 10.26%. Multivariate analysis indicated that incontinence ( OR = 47.32, 95% CI: 1.360-1 647.700), decreased albumin levels ( OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.360-0.870), increased sensory ability ( OR = 0.00, 95% CI: 0.000-0.190), and increased mobility ( OR = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.000-0.390) were independent risk factors for pressure injury in neurocritically ill patients (all P < 0.05). Based on these independent risk factors, logistic regression, decision tree, and neural network models were constructed. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the area under the curve for the three models was 0.987 (95% CI: 0.941-0.999), 0.945 (95% CI: 0.881-0.980), and 0.908 (95% CI: 0.834-0.956), respectively. These results suggest that all three models exhibited high predictive performance for pressure injury in neurocritically ill patients, with the logistic regression model showing a significantly greater area under the curve than the neural network model. Conclusions:The occurrence of pressure injury in neurocritically ill patients is closely related to incontinence, albumin levels, sensory ability, and mobility. Constructing predictive models using machine learning algorithms can provide valuable insights for the early prevention and management of pressure injury in neurocritically ill patients.
8.Study on the Protective Effects of the Mongolian Prescription Jiruhen Gurigumu-7 and Guangzao Sanwei Tang on Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Mice
Zhongyue ZHANG ; Shuhong ZHOU ; Qian GAO ; Xiaoxia SONG ; Xiaoru ZHANG ; Lingze YU ; Yulu DU ; Na GUO ; Minjie WANG
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;27(8):2331-2339
Objective To explore the protective effects of pretreatment with the Mongolian medicine Jiruhen Gurigumu-7(JG-7)and Guangzao Sanwei Tang(GZ-3)on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury(MIRI)in mice.Methods 60 male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into sham operation(Sham)group,model(Model)group,compound danshen drip pill(CDDP)positive control group,JG-7 group,GZ-3 group,and 12 mice in each group to establish the MIRI model,and the H9C2 cells were randomly divided into Control(normoxic)group,H/R(hypoxia 6 h reoxygenation 14 h)group,H/R+JG-7 group,H/R+GZ-3 group.The mice in each group were tested for cardiac function indexes after 30 min of ischemia,24 h and 7 d of reperfusion,TTC staining to detect infarct area after 24 h of MIRI,HE staining to detect myocardial tissue structure and cellular morphology after 24 h of MIRI,TUNEL apoptosis kit to detect apoptosis of myocardial cells after 24 h of MIRI,Masson staining to detect myocardial fibrosis after 7 d of MIRI.Blood was taken from the abdominal aorta,serum was separated,and the indexes after oxidative stress of MIRI were detected in each group of mice,and the survival rate of H9C2 cells after H/R was detected in each group by CCK-8 method.Results The results of TTC showed that JG-7 and GZ-3 reduced the infarct area after 24 h of MIRI in mice.ELISA and kit assays proved that JG-7 and GZ-3 reduced creatine phosphokinase isoenzyme(Creatinekinase-MB,CK-MB),Lactic dehydrogenase(LDH),malondialdehyde(MDA)levels,and increased superoxide dismutase(SOD)levels.HE staining showed that JG-7 and GZ-3 improved myocardial pathology after MIRI 24 h.The results of TUNEL apoptosis assay showed that JG-7 and GZ-3 improved apoptosis in myocardial tissues 24 h after MIRI.Masson staining results showed that JG-7 and GZ-3 could reduce the area of myocardial tissue fibrosis after MIRI 7 d.CCK-8 assay results showed that JG-7 and GZ-3 could improve the cell survival rate after H/R in H9C2 cells.Conclusion Pre-treatment with Mongolian medicine Jiruhen Gurigumu-7 and Guangzao Sanwei Tang can reduce the damage caused after ischemia-reperfusion(I/R),decrease the area of myocardial infarction and fibrosis after I/R in mice,and protect the heart.
9.Research Progress of Selective Nerve Root Block in the Treatment of Lumbosacral Radiculopathy
Leilei GAO ; Jun LIU ; Xiaoxia HUANG ; Tao LIU ; Yong TENG
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(3):739-748
Lumbosacral radiculopathy refers to the pain syndrome caused by inflammation or mechanical compression of the lumbar nerve root, mainly manifested as low back pain, and radiating to the lower limbs in cutaneous mode, which can be accompanied by numbness, paresthesia, tingling, muscle weakness and loss of specific reflexes and other symptoms, which not only bring physical pain and life inconvenience to the patients, but also bring huge economic burden to the social medical care. Selective nerve root block(SNRB), as a safe, effective, low-cost, precise and minimally invasive clinical technique, can accurately intervene in specific nerve roots and quickly relieve pain symptoms by reducing inflammation and improving the surrounding environment of nerves. However, there are still many challenges and controversies in practice, such as precise targeting requirements, drug selection, potential risks and complications, and differences in efficacy among different patient populations. The purpose of this review is to systematically review and analyze the existing research results on SNRB, so as to provide useful reference and guidance for the further development of this field.
10.Latent categories and factors influencing decent work perception among nurses in tuberculosis wards
Liwei YAO ; Dan GAO ; Jinpeng HUANG ; Xiaoxia LIU
Chinese Journal of Modern Nursing 2025;31(27):3695-3701
Objective:To explore latent categories of decent work perception among nurses in tuberculosis wards and analyze their influencing factors.Methods:Convenience sampling was used to select tuberculosis ward nurses from 13 general or specialized hospitals in China in July 2024 for the study. General Information Questionnaire, Decent Work Perception Scale (DWPS), Work-Family Support Scale, and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale were used to survey the tuberculosis ward nurses. Mplus 8.3 software was used for latent profile analysis of decent work perception of nurses in tuberculosis wards. Unordered multicategorical Logistic regression was used to explore the factors influencing the latent categories of decent work perception for nurses in tuberculosis wards.Results:A total of 920 questionnaires were distributed, and 833 valid questionnaires were recovered, with a valid recovery rate of 90.54%. The mean DWPS item score of 833 tuberculosis ward nurses was [3.44 (2.94, 3.88) ]. Decent work perceptions of tuberculosis ward nurses were classified into three latent categories, namely, low decent perception-low occupational recognition type (15.61%, 130/833), medium decent perception-moderate occupational recognition type (50.54%, 421/833), and high decent perception-high occupational recognition type (33.85%, 282/833). Unordered multicategorical Logistic regression analysis revealed that organizational support, psychological resilience, job title, monthly income, hospital class, and number of monthly night shifts were the influencing factors of latent categories of decent work perception among nurses in tuberculosis wards.Conclusions:The decent work perception of nurses in tuberculosis wards is at a medium level. Nursing managers should focus on nurses with low decent perception-low occupational recognition and manage and support nurses according to the characteristics and influencing factors of different categories.

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