1.Bioinformatics Analysis and Validation of Cuproptosis-related Genes in Wilson Disease
Zhuang TAO ; Meixia WANG ; Shuai KANG ; Jipeng LIU ; Rui WANG ; Jiafeng ZHOU ; Wenming YANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(15):124-131
ObjectiveTo explore the role of cuproptosis and identify cuproptosis-related genes in Wilson disease (WD) through bioinformatics analysis and clinical validation,providing implications and directions for the diagnosis and treatment of WD. Methods(1) Screening of target genes: The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between WD and healthy control were obtained from GeneCards,and the cuproptosis-related genes were obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and published literature.The cuproptosis-related genes in WD were obtained by intersection.Through gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses,the specific biological process,functions or metabolic pathways of cuproptosis-related genes in WD were predicted.Molecular docking and PyMOL visualization were then performed to analyze and verify the potential regulatory mechanism of Gandou Fumu Decoction for cuproptosis.(2)Validation of target genes: The blood samples of 15 WD patients treated in the department of encephalopathy and 15 healthy volunteers undergoing physical examinations in the health management center were randomly collected from the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine.The expression levels of target genes were determined by Western blot and real-time PCR. Results(1) A total of 3 607 DEGs in WD were obtained from GSE107323 in GEO,and 68 cuproptosis-related genes were obtained from GeneCards and published literature.Twelve common target genes were obtained by intersection,including three up-related genes(SQSTM1,MIF1,and TAX1BP1) and nine down-regulated genes(CP,SERPINE1,AOC3,GPX4,SLC27A5,VEGF-A,PDHB,PDK1,and ATP7B).The common target genes were mainly enriched in monocarboxylic acid metabolism,oxidoreductase activity,negative regulation of molecular functions,which mainly involved HIF-1,ferroptosis and other signaling pathways.Molecular docking and PyMOL visualization results showed Gandou Fumu Decoction had good binding ability with the cuproptosis-related genes PDK1,SERPINE1,VEGFA,and AOC3 in WD.(2)A total of 30 blood samples were collected,including 15 WD patients and 15 health volunteers.Western blot results showed that expression levels of target genes were consistent with the results obtained by bioinformatics analysis.RT-qPCR results showed that compared with healthy volunteers,WD patients had down-regulated mRNA levels of SERPINE1,GPX4,SLC27A5,and VEGF-A and up-regulated mRNA levels of SQSTM1 and MIF1(P<0.05). ConclusionThe expression levels of cuproptosis-related genes in WD patients are consistent with the results predicted by bioinformatics analysis.The characteristic preparation Gandou Fumu Decoction of Xin'an Medicine showed good binding abilities with the cuproptosis-related genes in WD.Cuproptosis may play a key role in the pathophysiological mechanism of WD,which can provide a new target for the diagnosis and treatment of WD.
2.Development and multicenter validation of machine learning models for predicting postoperative pulmonary complications after neurosurgery.
Ming XU ; Wenhao ZHU ; Siyu HOU ; Hongzhi XU ; Jingwen XIA ; Liyu LIN ; Hao FU ; Mingyu YOU ; Jiafeng WANG ; Zhi XIE ; Xiaohong WEN ; Yingwei WANG
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(17):2170-2179
BACKGROUND:
Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are major adverse events in neurosurgical patients. This study aimed to develop and validate machine learning models predicting PPCs after neurosurgery.
METHODS:
PPCs were defined according to the European Perioperative Clinical Outcome standards as occurring within 7 postoperative days. Data of cases meeting inclusion/exclusion criteria were extracted from the anesthesia information management system to create three datasets: The development (data of Huashan Hospital, Fudan University from 2018 to 2020), temporal validation (data of Huashan Hospital, Fudan University in 2021) and external validation (data of other three hospitals in 2023) datasets. Machine learning models of six algorithms were trained using either 35 retrievable and plausible features or the 11 features selected by Lasso regression. Temporal validation was conducted for all models and the 11-feature models were also externally validated. Independent risk factors were identified and feature importance in top models was analyzed.
RESULTS:
PPCs occurred in 712 of 7533 (9.5%), 258 of 2824 (9.1%), and 207 of 2300 (9.0%) patients in the development, temporal validation and external validation datasets, respectively. During cross-validation training, all models except Bayes demonstrated good discrimination with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.840. In temporal validation of full-feature models, deep neural network (DNN) performed the best with an AUC of 0.835 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.805-0.858) and a Brier score of 0.069, followed by Logistic regression (LR), random forest and XGBoost. The 11-feature models performed comparable to full-feature models with very close but statistically significantly lower AUCs, with the top models of DNN and LR in temporal and external validations. An 11-feature nomogram was drawn based on the LR algorithm and it outperformed the minimally modified Assess respiratory RIsk in Surgical patients in CATalonia (ARISCAT) and Laparoscopic Surgery Video Educational Guidelines (LAS VEGAS) scores with a higher AUC (LR: 0.824, ARISCAT: 0.672, LAS: 0.663). Independent risk factors based on multivariate LR mostly overlapped with Lasso-selected features, but lacked consistency with the important features using the Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) method of the LR model.
CONCLUSIONS:
The developed models, especially the DNN model and the nomogram, had good discrimination and calibration, and could be used for predicting PPCs in neurosurgical patients. The establishment of machine learning models and the ascertainment of risk factors might assist clinical decision support for improving surgical outcomes.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ChiCTR 2100047474; https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=128279 .
Adult
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Aged
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle Aged
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Algorithms
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Lung Diseases/etiology*
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Machine Learning
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Neurosurgical Procedures/adverse effects*
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Postoperative Complications/diagnosis*
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Risk Factors
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ROC Curve
3.Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair using MitraClipTM G4 for severe mitral regurgitation in an advanced elderly patient with Barlow disease.
Fei LUO ; Jiafeng WANG ; Zhifu GUO ; Yongwen QIN ; Yuan BAI
Journal of Zhejiang University. Medical sciences 2025;54(2):199-203
A 91-year-old male patient was admitted with a history of mitral valve prolapse diagnosed by physical examination ten years prior and recent onset of exertional chest discomfort persisting for over one month. Transthoracic echocardiography showed that the anterior leaflet of mitral valve was thickened and prolapsed with severe regurgitation, and transesophageal echocardiography further confirmed that the anterior and posterior leaflets of mitral valve were prolapsed with massive regurgitation (A1, A2, A3, P1 and P2 were all prolapsed). Thus, the diagnosis of Barlow syndrome was considered. Transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral repair was performed with two MitraClipTM G4 XTWs. After a 10 months follow-up, the patient's cardiac function was significantly improved, and the degree of mitral regurgitation was mild.
Humans
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Male
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Aged, 80 and over
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Mitral Valve Insufficiency/surgery*
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Mitral Valve Prolapse/diagnostic imaging*
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Cardiac Catheterization/methods*
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Mitral Valve/surgery*
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Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation/methods*
4.Akkermansia muciniphila-derived acetate activates the hepatic AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α axis to alleviate ferroptosis in metabolic-associated fatty liver disease.
Aoxiang ZHUGE ; Shengjie LI ; Shengyi HAN ; Yin YUAN ; Jian SHEN ; Wenrui WU ; Kaicen WANG ; Jiafeng XIA ; Qiangqiang WANG ; Yifeng GU ; Enguo CHEN ; Lanjuan LI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(1):151-167
Emerging evidences have indicated the role of ferroptosis in the progression of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD); thus, inhibiting ferroptosis is a promising strategy for the development of MAFLD therapeutics. Recent studies have demonstrated the antioxidative effect of the gut commensal bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muc); however, whether it can alleviate ferroptosis remains unclear. The current study indicates A. muc intervention efficiently reversed high-fat high-fructose diet (HFHFD)-induced lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis in the liver. These beneficial effects were mediated by activation of the hepatic AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α axis, as evidenced by the finding that AMPK deficiency abrogated the amelioration of lipid peroxidation in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were enriched upon A. muc treatment, and acetate was identified as a key activator of hepatic AMPK signalling. Mechanistically, microbiota-derived acetate was transported to the liver and metabolized to adenosine monophosphate (AMP), which triggered AMPK activation. Furthermore, a colonization assay in germ-free mice confirmed that A. muc mediated antiferroptotic effects in the absence of other microbes. These data indicated that A. muc exerts antiferroptotic effects against MAFLD, at least partially by producing acetate, which activates the hepatic AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α axis to alleviate ferroptosis via the inhibition of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) synthesis.
5.Common challenges and resolutions in the spatial construction of endoscopic thyroid surgery using a gasless axillary approach
Liehao JIANG ; Qing LIU ; Xiaokai LING ; Jiafeng WANG ; Jiajie XU ; Zhuo TAN ; Minghua GE ; Chuanming ZHENG
Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University(Medical Sciences) 2024;45(1):87-93
Objective To enhance the standardization of surgical operations,shorten the learning curve,and reduce surgical complications by summarizing common errors and proposing solutions for beginners during pre-study of cavity construction in non-inflatable axillary approach laparoscopic thyroid surgery.Methods A retrospective analysis was made on 210 patients who underwent noninflatable axillary approach luminal thyroid surgery at the Department of Head and Neck Surgery,Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital,between January 2022 and June 2023.Among them,150 patients were luminalized by the practitioners in the practice group,while 60 patients were luminalized by the practitioners in the skilled group.The occurrence of nine common errors during cavity construction,such as supraclavicular nerve injury and scapulohumeral muscle injury,was assessed and compared between the two groups.Results There was no statistically significant difference in age,gender,tumor diameter,tumor location or pathology type between the two groups(P>0.05).The staff in the practice group had a significant difference in supraclavicular cutaneous nerve injury(19.33%vs.3.33%),scapulohumeral muscle injury or disarticulation(16.00%vs.0),anterior cervical band of free excess(24.00%vs.3.33%),pectoralis major muscle and supraclavicular fascia injury(16.00%vs.5.00%),external jugular vein and genuine branch injury(8.00%vs.0),excessive freeing of the sternoclavicular joint(7.33%vs.0),and incorrect entry of the sternocleidomastoid muscle gap(8.67%vs.0)were significantly higher in incidence than the employees in the skilled group(P<0.05).There was no statistically significant difference between employees in the practice group and those in the skilled group in terms of injury to the internal jugular vein and its geniculate branches(4.00%vs.0),and incorrect entry of the anterior cervical strap muscles into the hierarchy(2.00%vs.0)(P>0.05).Conclusion The incidence of damage to the surrounding tissue was significantly higher in the novice group than in the expert group during endoscopic thyroid surgery for space construction.A solid anatomical foundation and proficient endoscopic surgical technique serve as fundamental prerequisites for achieving a successful space system construction.By summarizing common challenges and providing corresponding solutions encountered during endoscopic thyroid surgery,this study further enhances and refines the learning system for total endoscopic thyroid procedures.
6.Clinical analysis of patients with early gastric cancer undergoing non-curative endoscopic resection followed by additional surgical procedures
Jiafeng WANG ; Xinxin WANG ; Da GUAN ; Runzi WANG ; Ningli CHAI ; Enqiang LINGHU
Chinese Journal of Digestive Endoscopy 2024;41(1):30-34
Objective:To analysis the necessity of additional surgical intervention for non-curative endoscopic resection patients with early gastric cancer.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 73 patients with early gastric cancer who underwent additional surgical procedures after non-curative endoscopic resection at Chinese PLA General Hospital from July 2009 to May 2023. The main outcome measures included pathological classification, positive horizontal margins, positive vertical margins, invasion depth, vascular and lymphatic invasion, eCura grade, lymph node metastasis, and overall survival rate.Results:A total of 73 patients with early gastric cancer who were determined to have non-curative endoscopic resection underwent additional surgical procedures, including 58 males and 15 females with a mean age of 61 (53-67) years. In terms of the site of onset, 37 cases were located in the upper part of the stomach, 24 cases in the lower part, 11 cases in the middle part, and 1 case had multiple lesions. In terms of pathological classification, 43 cases were highly differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma, 16 cases were mucinous/signet ring cell carcinoma, 10 cases were poorly differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma, and 4 cases were high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia. In terms of morphological classification, 22 cases were type 0-Ⅱa, 43 cases were type 0-Ⅱb, and 8 cases were type 0-Ⅲ. In terms of invasion depth, 17 cases were mucosal cancer, 23 cases had submucosal invasion less than 500 μm, and 33 cases had submucosal invasion more than 500 μm. In terms of vascular and lymphatic invasion, 8 cases had lymphatic vessel invasion and 8 cases had venous invasion. Among the 73 patients, 4 were diagnosed as having eCura A, 5 as eCuraB, 4 as eCura C1, and 60 as eCura C2. Among the 60 patients diagnosed as having eCura C2, only 2 cases (3.3%) were found to have lymph node metastasis around the stomach based on postoperative pathological evaluation. Among the 73 endoscopic specimens, 7 patients had positive horizontal margins, 21 had positive vertical margins, and 2 had positive margins in both directions, totaling 30 patients with positive horizontal or vertical margins. According to postoperative pathological evaluation, 9 cases (30.0%) had residual tumors in the original site. Among the 73 patients, 5 were lost to follow-up and 4 died, resulting in an overall survival rate of 94.12% (64/68) and disease-specific survival rate of 98.53% (67/68). The follow-up time of patients was 61.37 (10-166) months.Conclusion:For early gastric cancer patients with eCura C2 following non-curative endoscopic resection, additional surgery is feasible. However, the proportion of patients with actual lymph node metastasis is relatively low.
7.Analysis of epidemiological characteristics of the clustered cases of hand, foot and mouth disease in Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 2017‒2022
Jiafeng CHEN ; Anran ZHANG ; Hongmei XU ; Huozheng GU ; Chuchu YE ; Yuanping WANG
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;36(5):439-443
ObjectiveTo analyze the epidemiological characteristics and etiology of clustered outbreaks of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) in Pudong New Area, Shanghai from 2017 to 2022, and to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of HFMD in the area. MethodsThe data related to HFMD clustered outbreaks from 2017 to 2022 were obtained from the Pudong New Area HFMD outbreak database. Descriptive analysis was conducted to explore the outbreak scope, seasonal characteristics, distribution of occurrence settings, and etiological composition. ResultsFrom 2017 to 2022, Pudong New Area reported a total of 2 547 HFMD clusters, involving 8 884 cases, with an average of 3.49 cases per event. The majority of events (78.52%) had between 2 and 4 cases. The peak reporting periods for clustered HFMD from 2017 to 2019 and in 2021 were during the summer (May‒July) and autumn (September‒November). The seasonal pattern was less distinct in 2020 and 2022, likely due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of clustered outbreaks occurred in childcare facilities (44.64%), followed by households/neighborhood committees (44.21%), with schools accounting for a smaller proportion (12.39%). The etiology revealed the coexistence of multiple enterovirus genotypes, with a positive detection rate of 60.46%, and CoxA6 being the dominant strain. ConclusionHFMD clustered outbreaks in Pudong New Area show fluctuating trends, with significant yearly differences in the number of incidents. The predominant seasons for outbreaks are summer and autumn, with CoxA6 identified as the dominant strain. The implementation of prevention and control measures for COVID-19 significantly reduced the occurrence of HFMD outbreaks. Continuous monitoring and focus on large-scale clustered outbreaks in key institutions are essential for the future.
8.Role of synaptic input remodeling of corticospinal motor neurons after spinal cord injury
Jiafeng DAI ; Lizhao WANG ; Qi HAN ; Hongxing SHEN
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2024;28(25):4054-4059
BACKGROUND:The recovery of function after spinal cord injury depends on the functional remodeling of the motor cortex.However,the anatomical evidence underlying the functional remodeling of the motor cortex is still illusive.Analyzing the anatomical changes in the motor cortex after spinal cord injury can provide new ideas and research directions for regulating functional recovery and rehabilitation after spinal cord injury. OBJECTIVE:To analyze the neural circuit structural basis of functional remodeling of the primary motor cortex after spinal cord injury. METHODS:C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a sham operation group and a spinal cord injury group.The adeno-associated virus vectors expressing the fusion protein of Cre recombinase were injected into C4 of mice of both groups.The adeno-associated virus vectors with Cre recombinase-inducible expression of avian sarcoma/leukosis envelope glycoprotein receptor TVA and rabies glycoprotein were injected into the primary motor cortex.Fourteen days later,a C6 dorsal hemisection mice model was established in the spinal cord injury group.The pseudotyped rabies virus was injected into the primary motor cortex of mice of both groups.After 7 days,brain samples were collected and frozen sections were made.The distribution of input neurons innervating corticospinal motor neurons in the brain was observed and analyzed quantitatively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Fluorescence microscopy observation and quantitative analysis found that input neurons innervating corticospinal motor neurons of the primary motor cortex in mice of both groups were distributed in the cerebral cortex,thalamus and midbrain.Among them,in the sham operation group,the number of input neurons in the mouse cerebral cortex accounted for(84.0±3.6)%of total brain input neurons;that in the thalamus accounted for(10.6±2.3)%,and that in the midbrain accounted for(0.7±0.4)%.Direct synaptic input neurons in the spinal cord injury group accounted for(81.7±1.0)%,(13.1±0.5)%,and(1.6±0.8)%in the cerebral cortex,thalamus and midbrain,respectively.The proportion and number of primary motor cortex input neurons in the three regions of the spinal cord injury group did not differ significantly from that of the sham operation group.After spinal cord injury,the number of input neurons innervating corticospinal pyramidal motor neurons in various brain regions did not change significantly,suggesting that functional remodeling of the motor cortex after spinal cord injury may not only depend on changes in synaptic input related to injured corticospinal motor neurons,but also on transcriptional regulation changes within the injured neurons themselves.
9.Perception of first-order grating acuity and second-order spatial contrast sensitivity in anisometropia amblyopia
Jiafeng WANG ; Qianqian WAN ; Yunhui ZHAO ; Ning BAO ; Liming TAO
International Eye Science 2024;24(1):42-47
AIM: To study the perception of first-order grating acuity and second-order spatial contrast sensitivity in patients with monocular anisometropia amblyopia.METHODS:A total of 715 children(715 eyes)diagnosed as monocular anisometropia amblyopia in our hospital from January 2018 to December 2022 were collected as amblyopia group, and 745 children(745 eyes)with normal corrected visual acuity were collected. The best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), first-order grating acuity and/or second-order spatial contrast sensitivity were measured, repectively. The perception ability of amblyopia patients to first-order grating acuity and second-order spatial contrast sensitivity were analyzed.RESULTS:There were significant differences between amblyopia group and normal control group in the perception of first-order grating acuity(11.58±6.10 vs. 20.27±3.47, P<0.001)and second-order spatial contrast sensitivity(0.33±0.16 vs 0.12±0.04, P<0.001). And there were significant differences between mild-to-moderate amblyopia and severe amblyopia patients in first-order grating acuity(12.10±6.23 vs. 8.13±3.70, P<0.001)and second-order spatial contrast sensitivity(0.32±0.16 vs. 0.37±0.17, P<0.05).CONCLUSION: The first-order and second-order visual pathway of the cerebral cortex in children with monocular anisometropia amblyopia have different degrees of damage. The injury of severe amblyopia is more serious than that of mild-to-moderate amblyopia.
10.HIV-1 molecular transmission network among HIV/AIDS cases in Zhoushan City
CHEN Yuanjing ; LI Kefeng ; FAN Qin ; ZHANG Jiafeng ; WU Mingyu ; ZHANG Bo ; GU Songye ; WANG Hai ; CHENG Wei
Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;36(10):834-837
Objective:
To investigate the characteristics of HIV-1 molecular transmission network among HIV/AIDS patients in Zhoushan City, Zhejing Province.
Methods:
The newly reported HIV/AIDS cases in Zhoushan City from 2020 to 2022 were selected. Basic information was collected and whole blood samples were obtained at the initial follow-up. The pol gene sequences of HIV-1 were amplified by RT-PCR and nested-PCR. HIV-1 subtypes were identified by Neighbor-Joining phylogenetic trees. The HIV-1 molecular transmission network was built and analyzed using Cytoscape 3.6.1 software.
Results:
A total of 222 HIV/AIDS cases were reported in Zhoushan City from 2020 to 2022, 200 whole blood samples were collected, and 152 sequences were obtained successfully, including 122 males (80.26%), 75 cases aged 50 years and above (49.34%), 109 cases with a junior high school education or below (71.71%), and 63 cases with commercial heterosexual contact (41.45%). The main subtypes were CRF07_BC and CRF01_AE, accounting for 45.39% and 21.05%, respectively. When the threshold of genetic distance was set to 1%, 20 molecular clusters were formed in 69 cases, with a clustering rate of 45.39%. Using the molecular network constituted by reported HIV/AIDS cases in 2020 as the baseline network, there were 2 active molecular clusters with ≥5 new cases in 2022, each with 9 cases, characterized mainly by individuals aged 50 or above, with a junior high school education or below, and transmission through commercial heterosexual sex.
Conclusions
The predominant HIV-1 subtypes among HIV/AIDS cases in Zhoushan City are CRF07_BC and CRF01_AE. Transmission through commercial heterosexual contact among middle-aged and elderly people is a main mode of HIV transmission.


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