1.Current Status and Strategies of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in the Treatment of Helicobacter pylori Infection
Xuezhi ZHANG ; Xia DING ; Zhen LIU ; Hui YE ; Xiaofen JIA ; Hong CHENG ; Zhenyu WU ; Xudong TANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(1):111-116
This paper systematically reviews the current status of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection, as well as recent progress in clinical and basic research both in China and internationally. It summarizes the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in Hp infection management, including improving Hp eradication rates, enhancing antibiotic sensitivity, reducing antimicrobial resistance, decreasing drug-related adverse effects, and ameliorating gastric mucosal lesions. These advantages are particularly evident in patients who are intolerant to bismuth-containing regimens, those with refractory Hp infection, and individuals with precancerous gastric lesions. An integrated, whole-process management approach and individualized, staged comprehensive treatment strategies combining TCM and western medicine are proposed for Hp infection. Future prevention and control of Hp infection should adopt an integrative Chinese-western medical strategy, emphasizing prevention, strengthening primary care, implementing proactive long-term monitoring, optimizing screening strategies, and advancing the development of novel technologies and mechanistic studies of Chinese herbal interventions. These efforts aim to provide a theoretical basis and practical pathways for the establishment and improvement of Hp infection prevention and control systems.
2.The first record of Anopheles messeae (Diptera: Culicidae) parasitized by water mites in China
Xue-ru CHEN ; Wen-zhen YAO ; Yu-hao LI ; Gui-chang LI ; Tao MENG ; Qun-ling FENG ; Xin-hui LIU ; Li-hong QIAO ; Xiang-ting WU ; Xue-feng ZHANG ; Cheng-lin LI ; Xue-cheng DONG ; Da-wei WANG ; Xiao-yan SI ; Yu-hong GUO
Acta Parasitologica et Medica Entomologica Sinica 2026;33(1):53-57
Objective This study reports on the obligatory parasitism of water mites Arrenurus sp. on Anopheles messeae at the Manzhouli Port, Inner Mongolia, China. Methods Duing July 2024, a survey on the mosquito diversity was conducted at the Manzhouli Port. Captured mosquitoes and their ectoparasites were identified to species level. Results A total of 1840 adult mosquitoes were collected, representing species from three genera: Culex(Cx. modestus, Cx. pipiens pallens), Aedes(Ae. dorsalis, Ae. flavidorsalis, Ae. flavescens), and Anopheles (An. messeae). Among all the mosqutioes specimens,3 out of 150 captured An. messeae were found to carry ectoparasitic mites, with number of 2,4,27 mites separately. Morphological and molecular identification reached the same result as water mites(Hydrachnidiae, Hydracrina). COI gene sequence showed 94% similarity with the closest species Arrenurus truncatellus. Conlusions Literature review suggests water mites are host-specific parasitism of mosquito species and herein with the first record of Arrenurus sp. parasiting on An. Messeae in the most high-latitude region globally.
3.A cross-sectional study on the screening-detected rate of scoliosis among primary and secondary school students in Jiangqiao Town in Jiading District of Shanghai in 2025
Zhen DAI ; Bingyang ZHANG ; Xiaolong WANG ; Hui PENG ; Shifeng KAN ; Yujie MO
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2026;38(6):468-473
ObjectiveTo investigate the detection status of scoliosis and its influencing factors among primary and secondary school students in Jiangqiao Town in Jiading District of Shanghai, thereby providing evidence for the prevention and management of scoliosis in children and adolescents. MethodsA stratified cluster random sampling was conducted in March 2025. Three primary schools and two secondary schools in Jiangqiao Town were randomly selected; within each school, 3‒4 entire classes were randomly chosen. Screening was performed in accordance with the criteria specified in GB/T 16133‒2014 Screening for Abnormal Spinal Curvature in Children and Adolescents, and a self-designed structured questionnaire was administered to conduct face-to-face surveys (Cronbach’s α=0.730). ResultsA total of 772 valid questionnaires were collected on-site, representing a 100% response rate. The sample consisted of 413 males (53.50%) and 359 females (46.50%), including 385 primary school students (49.87%) and 387 secondary school students (50.13%). The detection rate of scoliosis in primary and secondary school students was 12.05%. The detection rates were 8.72% for males and 15.88% for females, with the female rate being significantly higher than the male rate (χ²=9.29, P=0.002). For primary and secondary school students, the detection rates were 6.75% and 17.31%, respectively, with the secondary school student rate being significantly higher (χ²=20.31, P<0.001). The results of univariate analysis revealed that students with sufficient sleep and standard sitting postures during reading/writing had a significantly lower scoliosis detection rate compared to those with insufficient sleep and non-standard sitting postures (χ²=5.90, P=0.015 and χ²=5.09, P=0.024). Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that the detection rate of scoliosis was significantly higher in females than in males (OR=1.846, 95%CI: 1.156‒2.984), and significantly higher in secondary school students than in primary school students (OR=2.722, 95%CI: 1.656‒4.472). ConclusionThe scoliosis detection rate among primary and secondary school students in Jiangqiao Town in Jiading District is relatively high. Females and secondary school students are key populations requiring targeted prevention and control efforts. It is imperative to strengthen health education on scoliosis, promote early screening and diagnosis, and implement timely targeted interventions.
4.Pseudolaric Acid B Alleviates Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Targeting PPARα to Regulate Lipid Metabolism and Promote Mitochondrial Biogenesis.
Shu-Yan LIU ; Xiao-Wei ZHANG ; Gai GAO ; Chang-Xin LIU ; Hui CHEN ; Zhong-Xue FU ; Jiang-Yan XU ; Zhen-Zhen WANG ; Zhen-Qiang ZHANG ; Zhi-Shen XIE
Chinese journal of integrative medicine 2025;31(10):877-888
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the therapeutic potential of pseudolaric acid B (PAB) on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its underlying molecular mechanism in vitro and in vivo.
METHODS:
Eight-week-old male C57BL/6J mice (n=32) were fed either a normal chow diet (NCD) or a high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks. The HFD mice were divided into 3 groups according to a simple random method, including HFD, PAB low-dose [10 mg/(kg·d), PAB-L], and PAB high-dose [20 mg/(kg·d), PAB-H] groups. After 8 weeks of treatment, glucose metabolism and insulin resistance were assessed by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and insulin tolerance test (ITT). Biochemical assays were used to measure the serum and cellular levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). White adipose tissue (WAT), brown adipose tissue (BAT) and liver tissue were subjected to hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining or Oil Red O staining to observe the alterations in adipose tissue and liver injury. PharmMapper and DisGeNet were used to predict the NAFLD-related PAB targets. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) pathway involvement was suggested by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and search tool Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) analyses. Luciferase reporter assay, cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA), and drug affinity responsive target stability assay (DARTS) were conducted to confirm direct binding of PAB with PPARα. Molecular dynamics simulations were applied to further validate target engagement. RT-qPCR and Western blot were performed to assess the downstream genes and proteins expression, and validated by PPARα inhibitor MK886.
RESULTS:
PAB significantly reduced serum TC, TG, LDL-C, AST, and ALT levels, and increased HDL-C level in HFD mice (P<0.01). Target prediction analysis indicated a significant correlation between PAB and PPARα pathway. PAB direct target binding with PPARα was confirmed through luciferase reporter assay, CETSA, and DARTS (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The target engagement between PAB and PPARα protein was further confirmed by molecular dynamics simulations and the top 3 amino acid residues, LEU321, MET355, and PHE273 showed the most significant changes in mutational energy. Subsequently, PAB upregulated the genes expressions involved in lipid metabolism and mitochondrial biogenesis downstream of PPARα (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Significantly, the PPARα inhibitor MK886 effectively reversed the lipid-lowering and PPARα activation properties of PAB (P<0.05 or P<0.01).
CONCLUSION
PAB mitigates lipid accumulation, ameliorates liver damage, and improves mitochondrial biogenesis by binding with PPARα, thus presenting a potential candidate for pharmaceutical development in the treatment of NAFLD.
Animals
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PPAR alpha/metabolism*
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Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/pathology*
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Male
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Lipid Metabolism/drug effects*
;
Diterpenes/therapeutic use*
;
Organelle Biogenesis
;
Diet, High-Fat
;
Humans
;
Mice
;
Liver/metabolism*
;
Insulin Resistance
;
Mitochondria/metabolism*
;
Molecular Docking Simulation
5.The Near-infrared II Emission of Gold Clusters and Their Applications in Biomedicine
Zhen-Hua LI ; Hui-Zhen MA ; Hao WANG ; Chang-Long LIU ; Xiao-Dong ZHANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(8):2068-2086
Optical imaging is highly valued for its superior temporal and spatial resolution. This is particularly important in near-infrared II (NIR-II, 1 000-3 000 nm) imaging, which offers advantages such as reduced tissue absorption, minimal scattering, and low autofluorescence. These characteristics make NIR-II imaging especially suitable for deep tissue visualization, where high contrast and minimal background interference are critical for accurate diagnosis and monitoring. Currently, inorganic fluorescent probes—such as carbon nanotubes, rare earth nanoparticles, and quantum dots—offer high brightness and stability. However, they are hindered by ambiguous structures, larger sizes, and potential accumulation toxicity in vivo. In contrast, organic fluorescent probes, including small molecules and polymers, demonstrate higher biocompatibility but are limited by shorter emission wavelengths, lower quantum yields, and reduced stability. Recently, gold clusters have emerged as a promising class of nanomaterials with potential applications in biocatalysis, fluorescence sensing, biological imaging, and more. Water-soluble gold clusters are particularly attractive as fluorescent probes due to their remarkable optical properties, including strong photoluminescence, large Stokes shifts, and excellent photostability. Furthermore, their outstanding biocompatibility—attributed to good aqueous stability, ultra-small hydrodynamic size, and high renal clearance efficiency—makes them especially suitable for biomedical applications. Gold clusters hold significant potential for NIR-II fluorescence imaging. Atomic-precision gold clusters, typically composed of tens to hundreds of gold atoms and measuring only a few nanometers in diameter, possess well-defined three-dimensional structures and clear spatial coordination. This atomic-level precision enables fine-tuned structural regulation, further enhancing their fluorescence properties. Variations in cluster size, surface ligands, and alloying elements can result in distinct physicochemical characteristics. The incorporation of different atoms can modulate the atomic and electronic structures of gold clusters, while diverse ligands can influence surface polarity and steric hindrance. As such, strategies like alloying and ligand engineering are effective in enhancing both fluorescence and catalytic performance, thereby meeting a broader range of clinical needs. In recent years, gold clusters have attracted growing attention in the biomedical field. Their application in NIR-II imaging has led to significant progress in vascular, organ, and tumor imaging. The resulting high-resolution, high signal-to-noise imaging provides powerful tools for clinical diagnostics. Moreover, biologically active gold clusters can aid in drug delivery and disease diagnosis and treatment, offering new opportunities for clinical therapeutics. Despite the notable achievements in fundamental research and clinical translation, further studies are required to address challenges related to the standardized synthesis and complex metabolic behavior of gold clusters. Resolving these issues will help accelerate their clinical adoption and broaden their biomedical applications.
6.Research progress on the role of macrophage polarization in drug-induced liver injury
Guo-Jing XING ; Li-Fei WANG ; Long-Long LUO ; Yuan DENG ; Zhen WANG ; Xiao-Feng ZHENG ; Xiao-Hui YU ; Jiu-Cong ZHANG
Medical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army 2025;50(11):1478-1484
Drug-induced liver injury(DILI)is a common adverse drug reaction in clinical practice,which can lead to acute liver failure and even death in severe cases.In recent years,with the continuous introduction of new drugs and the expansion of their usage,the incidence and mortality rates of DILI have shown an upward trend,posing significant challenges to public health and clinical treatment.Macrophages,as a crucial component of the innate immune system,exhibit high plasticity and heterogeneity.They can polarize into pro-inflammatory M1 type or anti-inflammatory M2 type in response to microenvironmental signals.Research has demonstrated that macrophage polarization plays a central regulatory role in the occurrence and progression of DILI by influencing various processes such as inflammatory responses,cell apoptosis,and tissue repair.This review focuses on elucidating the regulatory mechanisms and roles of macrophage polarization in DILI,providing a theoretical framework for developing precise immunotherapeutic strategies.
7.Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation regulates functional connectivity of thalamic subregions in patients with premenstrual syndrome
Ruijing SUN ; Yinqi LAI ; Ya CHEN ; Yuejuan WU ; Zhen LIU ; Qingping ZHANG ; Ziyan LAI ; Gaoxiong DUAN ; Yan ZHANG ; Shanshan LI ; Yuanyuan OU ; Sijing TUO ; Hui ZHOU ; Rongcai WU ; Zhizhong CHEN ; Demao DENG
Chinese Journal of Radiology 2025;59(12):1384-1392
Objective:To investigate the regulatory effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) on functional connectivity (FC) of thalamic subregions in patients with premenstrual syndrome (PMS).Methods:This study was a cross-sectional investigation. Clinical, laboratory, and imaging data were retrospectively collected from 56 PMS patients (PMS group) and 66 healthy controls (control group) recruited from various universities and hospitals in Nanning between November 2021 and June 2024. Resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data and fMRI data during taVNS immediate stimulation (2 Hz, 25 Hz) were acquired from subjects during their late luteal phase. Using thalamic subregions (anterior thalamic nucleus, lateral nucleus, ventral nucleus, medial nucleus, central nucleus, posterior nucleus) as seeds, two-sample t-tests or paired t-tests were employed to analyze alterations in thalamic subregion FC in PMS patients and the regulatory effects of taVNS on these changes. Independent samples t-test were used to compare the differences in clinical and laboratory indicators between the PMS group and the control group. The relationship between taVNS regulation of thalamic subregion FC in PMS patients and thalamic internal functional connectivity were analyzed using mediation effect analysis. Results:Compared to the control group, patients in the PMS group showed increased scores on the Daily Record of Severity of Problems, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Self-Rating Depression Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale 17, and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 14 during the late luteal phase ( P<0.05). At baseline, PMS patients exhibited higher FC between the left thalamic lateral nucleus and the left insula, and lower FC between the left medial nucleus, posterior nucleus, and ventral nucleus of the thalamus and the right middle frontal gyrus (MFG) compared to the control group (GRF corrected, voxel-level P<0.001, cluster-level P<0.05). During 2 Hz taVNS immediate stimulation in PMS group, FC between the left thalamic medial nucleus, posterior nucleus, ventral nucleus and the right MFG, as well as the FC between the left thalamic ventral nucleu and the left MFG increased compared to baseline levels; meanwhile, FC between the left thalamic posterior nucleus, ventral nucleus and the left insula decreased compared to baseline levels (GRF corrected, voxel-level P<0.001, cluster-level P<0.05). During 25 Hz taVNS immediate stimulation, the FC between the left thalamic ventral nucleus and the right MFG decreased compared to the baseline level (GRF corrected, voxel-level P<0.001, cluster-level P<0.05). Mediation effect analysis showed that the FC between the left thalamic posterior nucleus and the left lateral nucleus mediated part of the association between the FC of the left lateral thalamic nucleus-left insula and the FC of the left ventral thalamic nucleus-left putamen/insula; there were significant direct effects between the FC of the left lateral thalamic nucleus-the left posterior nucleus and FC of the left lateral thalamic nucleus-the left insula, as well as between the FC of the left ventral thalamic nucleus-the left MFG and FC of the left ventral thalamic nucleus-the right MFG. Conclusions:taVNS can modulate abnormal FC of the left thalamic subregions in PMS patients, restoring it toward normalization. The regulatory effects of 2 Hz stimulation are more pronounced than those of 25 Hz stimulation. This modulation primarily operates through two pathways: the left thalamic lateral nucleus-left insula-left thalamic ventral nucleus pathway and the left MFG-left thalamic ventral nucleus-right MFG.
8.Clinical effects of Jiawei Yanghe Decoction combined with Budesonide and Formoterol Fumarate Powder for Inhalation on patients with mild to moderate bronchial asthma in chronic and persistent period
Yu WANG ; Hui-yong ZHANG ; Lin-jin CHEN ; Zheng-yi ZHANG ; Cui LI ; Jie CUI ; Ben SU ; Ping BAI ; Zi-feng MA ; Zhen-hui LU
Chinese Traditional Patent Medicine 2025;47(1):81-86
AIM To explore the clinical effects of Jiawei Yanghe Decoction combined with Budesonide and Formoterol Fumarate Powder for Inhalation on patients with mild to moderate bronchial asthma in chronic and persistent period.METHODS One hundred and eighteen patients were randomly assigned into control group(59 cases)for 4-week administration of Budesonide and Formoterol Fumarate Powder for Inhalation,and observation group(59 cases)for 4-week administration of both Jiawei Yanghe Decoction and Budesonide and Formoterol Fumarate Powder for Inhalation.The changes in clinical effects,ACT score,bronchial asthma control rate,pulmonary function indices(FEV1,PEF,FEV1%,PEF%),inflammatory indices(EOS,EOS%,FeNO),TCM syndrome score and incidence of adverse reactions were detected.RESULTS The observation group demonstrated higher total effective rate than the control group(P<0.05).After the treatment,the two groups displayed increased bronchial asthma control rate,ACT score,PEF(P<0.05),and decreased TCM syndrome score(P<0.05),especially for the observation group(P<0.05);the observation group exhibited increased FEV1,FEV1%,PEF%(P<0.05),among which FEV1,PEF%were higher than those in the control group(P<0.05);the observation group showed decreased inflammatory indices(P<0.05),among which FeNO was lower than that in the control group(P<0.05).No significant difference in incidence of adverse reactions was found between the two groups(P>0.05).CONCLUSION For the patients with mild to moderate bronchial asthma in chronic and persistent period,Jiawei Yanghe Decoction combined with Budesonide and Formoterol Fumarate Powder for Inhalation can safely and effectively alleviate clinical symptoms,improve pulmonary functions,airway inflammatory reactions,and enhance bronchial asthma control rate.
9.Validation and application of Chinese Clinical Context Assessment for Community Health in evidence-based hypertension medication management
Jingying ZHANG ; Fengpei ZHANG ; Hui TU ; Yanhong ZHAO ; Yingqian SONG ; Minxing OU ; Zhen YANG ; Xiujie ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Nursing 2025;60(10):1230-1237
Objective To translate the Context Assessment for Community Health(COACH)scale into Chinese,thereby providing a standardized measurement tool for context assessment in clinical evidence-based practice.Methods The scale was translated following the Brislin translation model,ultimately forming the Chinese version of the COACH scale.Using convenience sampling,584 healthcare professionals were recruited from 3 tertiary hospitals in Jiangxi,Henan,and Liaoning provinces and 2 community hospitals in Liaoning province from May to September 2024 to evaluate the reliability and validity of the scale.In October 2024,the Chinese version of COACH was applied to 44 healthcare professionals in a hypertension specialist ward of a provincial tertiary hospital.Results Of the 584 distributed questionnaires,519 valid questionnaires were collected(the effective response rate of 88.87%).The Chinese version consists of 7 dimensions with 42 items.The overall Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.975;the McDonald's omega coefficient was 0.979;split-half reliability was 0.808,and the test-retest reliability was 0.917.The scale-content validity index/average was 0.950,and the scale-content validity index/universal agreement was 0.980,with item-content validity index ranging from 0.775 to 1.000.Exploratory factor analysis extracted 7 factors,accounting for 79.260%of the cumulative variance,with factor loadings ranging from 0.569 to 0.954.Confirmatory factor analysis showed good model fit.The preliminary application results showed that the total score of the scale was 185.18±17.82.The correlation coefficients between dimensions and total score ranged from 0.116 to 0.905.Conclusion The Chinese version of the COACH scale demonstrates good reliability and validity,making it suitable as a context measurement tool for implementation research at different stages in clinical and public health settings.
10.Therapeutic efficacy of edaravone dexmedetomidine at different time points after intravenous thrombolysis in elderly patients with acute ischemic stroke
Ju LUO ; Hui ZHANG ; Zhen TIAN ; Hongfeng LI
Chinese Journal of Geriatric Heart Brain and Vessel Diseases 2025;27(11):1458-1462
Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of using edaravone dexmedetomidine at different times after intravenous thrombolysis in elderly patients with acute ischemic stroke(AIS).Methods A prospective study was conducted on 180 elderly AIS patients undergoing intravenous thrombolysis with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator in our department from April 2022 to December 2023.The patients were randomly divided into immediate group,12 h group and 24 h group,receiving an edaravone dexmedetomidine injection immediately and at 12 and 24 h after thrombolysis,respectively.During the study period,2 cases were excluded from both the immediate group and the 24 h group.NIHSS and MMSE were used to assess neurological function and cognitive function.The levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and hs-CRP were detected.The occurrence of complications after thrombolytic therapy was recorded in the three groups.Results The NIHSS scores of the three groups were significantly lower at 7 d after thrombolysis and 3 months after discharge than those before thrombolysis(P<0.05).The scores of the immediate group were obviously lower than those of the 12 h and 24 h groups 7 d after thrombolysis,and 3 months after discharge,and the scores of the 12 h group were significantly lower than that of the 24 h group at 3 months after discharge(P<0.05).The MMSE scores were significantly higher in the three groups at 7 d after thrombolysis and 3 months after discharge than before thrombolysis(P<0.05).The MMSE scores of the immediate group were significantly higher than those of the 12 h and 24 h groups at 7 d after thrombolysis,and 3 months after discharge(P<0.05),and the MMSE scores of the 12 h group were significantly higher at 7 d after thrombolysis,and 3 months after discharge than those of the 24 h group(P<0.05).At 7 d after thrombolysis,the levels of TNF-α,IL-6,and hs-CRP were significantly decreased in the three groups than before thrombolysis(P<0.05),and the levels were notably lower in the immediate group than the 12 h and 24 h groups,and in the 12 h group than the 24 h group(P<0.05).The incidence of complications was significantly lower in the immediate group than the 12 and 24 h groups(P<0.05).At 3 months after discharge,good prognosis was observed in 22 cases(37.93%)from the immediate group,11 cases(18.33%)from the 12 h group,and 10 cases(17.24%)from the 24 h group,and the rate of good prognosis was significantly higher the immediate group than the other two groups(x2 three groups=8.558,x2 immediate group vs.12h group=4.623,x2 immediate group vs.24h group=6.214,P<0.05).Conclusion Immediately using edaravone dexmedetomidine as adjuvant therapy for AIS after thrombolysis is more effective than using in 12 and 24 h after thrombolysis,which can significantly attenuate inflammatory reactions,better restore neurological and cognitive functions,reduce the occurrence of complications,and improve their short-term prognosis.


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