1.Role of alkaloid compounds in regulating chronic liver diseases
Yihui ZHENG ; Jiahui WANG ; Tiejian ZHAO ; Xuelin DUAN ; Lei WANG ; Yang ZHENG ; Shiquan YANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(2):375-382
Chronic liver diseases with common causes including viral infections, alcohol abuse, and autoimmune diseases. Alkaloids, as a class of plant-derived compounds, have shown significant potential in regulating chronic liver diseases. Recent studies have shown that alkaloids are able to exert a therapeutic effect on chronic liver diseases through multiple pathways. These compounds have a regulatory effect on key pathological processes such as liver fibrosis, inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and cell apoptosis, and they also regulate the metabolic homeostasis of hepatocytes by modulating multiple signaling pathways, thereby playing a role in regulating chronic liver diseases. This article reviews the role and mechanism of alkaloids in the treatment of chronic liver diseases, in order to provide new ideas and directions for the treatment of chronic liver diseases.
2.Correlation Between Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio and eGFR in Diabetic Patients: A Cross-sectional Analysis Based on NHANES Data
Chunyu JIA ; Gangan WANG ; Jiahui WANG ; Gang CHEN ; Ke ZHENG ; Xuemei LI
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(2):379-385
To investigate the association between neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) andestimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in patients with diabetes using large-scale data. Across-sectional analysis was conducted using data from diabetic patients in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database from 2009 to 2014. Differences in NLR between patients with and without chronickidney disease (CKD) were compared. Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression models wereapplied to assess the relationship between NLR and eGFR. A total of 857 diabetic patients were included, with 190 (22.2%) having CKD and 667 (77.8%) without CKD. NLR was significantly higher in patients with CKD compared to those without CKD (2.94±1.69 vs.2.36±1.98, NLR is independently negatively associatedwith eGFR in diabetic patients, demonstrating potential clinical value as an indicator of kidney function declineand CKD risk in this population.
3.Increased CT Attenuation of Pericolic Adipose Tissue as a Noninvasive Marker of Disease Severity in Ulcerative Colitis
Jun LU ; Hui XU ; Jing ZHENG ; Tianxin CHENG ; Xinjun HAN ; Yuxin WANG ; Xuxu MENG ; Xiaoyang LI ; Jiahui JIANG ; Xue DONG ; Xijie ZHANG ; Zhenchang WANG ; Zhenghan YANG ; Lixue XU
Korean Journal of Radiology 2025;26(5):411-421
Objective:
Accurate evaluation of inflammation severity in ulcerative colitis (UC) can guide treatment strategy selection. The potential value of the pericolic fat attenuation index (FAI) on CT as an indicator of disease severity remains unknown.This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of pericolic FAI in predicting UC severity.
Materials and Methods:
This retrospective study enrolled 148 patients (mean age 48 years; 87 males). The fat attenuation on CT was measured in four different locations: the mesocolic vascular side (MS) and opposite side of MS (OMS) around the most severe bowel lesion, the retroperitoneal space (RS), and the subcutaneous area. The fat attenuation indices (FAI MS, FAI OMS, and FAI RS) were calculated as the fat attenuation measured in MS, OMS, and RS, respectively, minus that of the subcutaneous area, and were obtained in the non-enhanced, arterial, and delayed phases. Correlations between the FAI and UC Endoscopic Index of Severity (UCEIS) were assessed using Spearman’s correlation. Predictors of severe UC (UCEIS ≥7) were selected by univariable analysis. The performance of FAI in predicting severe UC was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).
Results:
The FAIMS and FAI OMS scores were significantly higher than FAI RS in three phases (all P < 0.001). The FAIMS and FAI OMS scores moderately correlated with the UCEIS score (r = 0.474–0.649 among the three phases). Additionally, FAI MS and FAI OMS identified severe UC, with AUC varying from 0.77 to 0.85.
Conclusion
Increased CT attenuation of pericolic adipose tissue could serve as a noninvasive marker for evaluating UC severity. FAI MS and FAI OMS of three phases showed similar prediction accuracies for severe UC identification.
4.Increased CT Attenuation of Pericolic Adipose Tissue as a Noninvasive Marker of Disease Severity in Ulcerative Colitis
Jun LU ; Hui XU ; Jing ZHENG ; Tianxin CHENG ; Xinjun HAN ; Yuxin WANG ; Xuxu MENG ; Xiaoyang LI ; Jiahui JIANG ; Xue DONG ; Xijie ZHANG ; Zhenchang WANG ; Zhenghan YANG ; Lixue XU
Korean Journal of Radiology 2025;26(5):411-421
Objective:
Accurate evaluation of inflammation severity in ulcerative colitis (UC) can guide treatment strategy selection. The potential value of the pericolic fat attenuation index (FAI) on CT as an indicator of disease severity remains unknown.This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of pericolic FAI in predicting UC severity.
Materials and Methods:
This retrospective study enrolled 148 patients (mean age 48 years; 87 males). The fat attenuation on CT was measured in four different locations: the mesocolic vascular side (MS) and opposite side of MS (OMS) around the most severe bowel lesion, the retroperitoneal space (RS), and the subcutaneous area. The fat attenuation indices (FAI MS, FAI OMS, and FAI RS) were calculated as the fat attenuation measured in MS, OMS, and RS, respectively, minus that of the subcutaneous area, and were obtained in the non-enhanced, arterial, and delayed phases. Correlations between the FAI and UC Endoscopic Index of Severity (UCEIS) were assessed using Spearman’s correlation. Predictors of severe UC (UCEIS ≥7) were selected by univariable analysis. The performance of FAI in predicting severe UC was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).
Results:
The FAIMS and FAI OMS scores were significantly higher than FAI RS in three phases (all P < 0.001). The FAIMS and FAI OMS scores moderately correlated with the UCEIS score (r = 0.474–0.649 among the three phases). Additionally, FAI MS and FAI OMS identified severe UC, with AUC varying from 0.77 to 0.85.
Conclusion
Increased CT attenuation of pericolic adipose tissue could serve as a noninvasive marker for evaluating UC severity. FAI MS and FAI OMS of three phases showed similar prediction accuracies for severe UC identification.
5.Increased CT Attenuation of Pericolic Adipose Tissue as a Noninvasive Marker of Disease Severity in Ulcerative Colitis
Jun LU ; Hui XU ; Jing ZHENG ; Tianxin CHENG ; Xinjun HAN ; Yuxin WANG ; Xuxu MENG ; Xiaoyang LI ; Jiahui JIANG ; Xue DONG ; Xijie ZHANG ; Zhenchang WANG ; Zhenghan YANG ; Lixue XU
Korean Journal of Radiology 2025;26(5):411-421
Objective:
Accurate evaluation of inflammation severity in ulcerative colitis (UC) can guide treatment strategy selection. The potential value of the pericolic fat attenuation index (FAI) on CT as an indicator of disease severity remains unknown.This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of pericolic FAI in predicting UC severity.
Materials and Methods:
This retrospective study enrolled 148 patients (mean age 48 years; 87 males). The fat attenuation on CT was measured in four different locations: the mesocolic vascular side (MS) and opposite side of MS (OMS) around the most severe bowel lesion, the retroperitoneal space (RS), and the subcutaneous area. The fat attenuation indices (FAI MS, FAI OMS, and FAI RS) were calculated as the fat attenuation measured in MS, OMS, and RS, respectively, minus that of the subcutaneous area, and were obtained in the non-enhanced, arterial, and delayed phases. Correlations between the FAI and UC Endoscopic Index of Severity (UCEIS) were assessed using Spearman’s correlation. Predictors of severe UC (UCEIS ≥7) were selected by univariable analysis. The performance of FAI in predicting severe UC was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).
Results:
The FAIMS and FAI OMS scores were significantly higher than FAI RS in three phases (all P < 0.001). The FAIMS and FAI OMS scores moderately correlated with the UCEIS score (r = 0.474–0.649 among the three phases). Additionally, FAI MS and FAI OMS identified severe UC, with AUC varying from 0.77 to 0.85.
Conclusion
Increased CT attenuation of pericolic adipose tissue could serve as a noninvasive marker for evaluating UC severity. FAI MS and FAI OMS of three phases showed similar prediction accuracies for severe UC identification.
6.Increased CT Attenuation of Pericolic Adipose Tissue as a Noninvasive Marker of Disease Severity in Ulcerative Colitis
Jun LU ; Hui XU ; Jing ZHENG ; Tianxin CHENG ; Xinjun HAN ; Yuxin WANG ; Xuxu MENG ; Xiaoyang LI ; Jiahui JIANG ; Xue DONG ; Xijie ZHANG ; Zhenchang WANG ; Zhenghan YANG ; Lixue XU
Korean Journal of Radiology 2025;26(5):411-421
Objective:
Accurate evaluation of inflammation severity in ulcerative colitis (UC) can guide treatment strategy selection. The potential value of the pericolic fat attenuation index (FAI) on CT as an indicator of disease severity remains unknown.This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of pericolic FAI in predicting UC severity.
Materials and Methods:
This retrospective study enrolled 148 patients (mean age 48 years; 87 males). The fat attenuation on CT was measured in four different locations: the mesocolic vascular side (MS) and opposite side of MS (OMS) around the most severe bowel lesion, the retroperitoneal space (RS), and the subcutaneous area. The fat attenuation indices (FAI MS, FAI OMS, and FAI RS) were calculated as the fat attenuation measured in MS, OMS, and RS, respectively, minus that of the subcutaneous area, and were obtained in the non-enhanced, arterial, and delayed phases. Correlations between the FAI and UC Endoscopic Index of Severity (UCEIS) were assessed using Spearman’s correlation. Predictors of severe UC (UCEIS ≥7) were selected by univariable analysis. The performance of FAI in predicting severe UC was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).
Results:
The FAIMS and FAI OMS scores were significantly higher than FAI RS in three phases (all P < 0.001). The FAIMS and FAI OMS scores moderately correlated with the UCEIS score (r = 0.474–0.649 among the three phases). Additionally, FAI MS and FAI OMS identified severe UC, with AUC varying from 0.77 to 0.85.
Conclusion
Increased CT attenuation of pericolic adipose tissue could serve as a noninvasive marker for evaluating UC severity. FAI MS and FAI OMS of three phases showed similar prediction accuracies for severe UC identification.
7.Increased CT Attenuation of Pericolic Adipose Tissue as a Noninvasive Marker of Disease Severity in Ulcerative Colitis
Jun LU ; Hui XU ; Jing ZHENG ; Tianxin CHENG ; Xinjun HAN ; Yuxin WANG ; Xuxu MENG ; Xiaoyang LI ; Jiahui JIANG ; Xue DONG ; Xijie ZHANG ; Zhenchang WANG ; Zhenghan YANG ; Lixue XU
Korean Journal of Radiology 2025;26(5):411-421
Objective:
Accurate evaluation of inflammation severity in ulcerative colitis (UC) can guide treatment strategy selection. The potential value of the pericolic fat attenuation index (FAI) on CT as an indicator of disease severity remains unknown.This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of pericolic FAI in predicting UC severity.
Materials and Methods:
This retrospective study enrolled 148 patients (mean age 48 years; 87 males). The fat attenuation on CT was measured in four different locations: the mesocolic vascular side (MS) and opposite side of MS (OMS) around the most severe bowel lesion, the retroperitoneal space (RS), and the subcutaneous area. The fat attenuation indices (FAI MS, FAI OMS, and FAI RS) were calculated as the fat attenuation measured in MS, OMS, and RS, respectively, minus that of the subcutaneous area, and were obtained in the non-enhanced, arterial, and delayed phases. Correlations between the FAI and UC Endoscopic Index of Severity (UCEIS) were assessed using Spearman’s correlation. Predictors of severe UC (UCEIS ≥7) were selected by univariable analysis. The performance of FAI in predicting severe UC was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).
Results:
The FAIMS and FAI OMS scores were significantly higher than FAI RS in three phases (all P < 0.001). The FAIMS and FAI OMS scores moderately correlated with the UCEIS score (r = 0.474–0.649 among the three phases). Additionally, FAI MS and FAI OMS identified severe UC, with AUC varying from 0.77 to 0.85.
Conclusion
Increased CT attenuation of pericolic adipose tissue could serve as a noninvasive marker for evaluating UC severity. FAI MS and FAI OMS of three phases showed similar prediction accuracies for severe UC identification.
8.How Fear Memory is Updated: From Reconsolidation to Extinction?
Jiahui CHEN ; Zhuowen FANG ; Xiaolan ZHANG ; Yanrong ZHENG ; Zhong CHEN
Neuroscience Bulletin 2025;41(6):1054-1084
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder caused by traumatic past experiences, rooted in the neurocircuits of fear memory formation. Memory processes include encoding, storing, and recalling to forgetting, suggesting the potential to erase fear memories through timely interventions. Conventional strategies such as medications or electroconvulsive therapy often fail to provide permanent relief and come with significant side-effects. This review explores how fear memory may be erased, particularly focusing on the mnemonic phases of reconsolidation and extinction. Reconsolidation strengthens memory, while extinction weakens it. Interfering with memory reconsolidation could diminish the fear response. Alternatively, the extinction of acquired memory could reduce the fear memory response. This review summarizes experimental animal models of PTSD, examines the nature and epidemiology of reconsolidation to extinction, and discusses current behavioral therapy aimed at transforming fear memories to treat PTSD. In sum, understanding how fear memory updates holds significant promise for PTSD treatment.
Fear/psychology*
;
Extinction, Psychological/physiology*
;
Animals
;
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/psychology*
;
Humans
;
Memory Consolidation/physiology*
;
Memory/physiology*
9.Distribution characteristics of polymorphonuclear neutrophil pulmonary infiltration and the mechanism of neutrophil elastase in promoting lung injury in the early stages of severe burns.
Xin ZHANG ; Chunfang ZHENG ; Jiahui CHEN ; Zaiwen GUO ; Linbin LI ; Jiamin HUANG ; Bingwei SUN
Chinese Critical Care Medicine 2025;37(5):431-437
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the distribution characteristics of polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) in the lungs during the early stage of severe burns and the mechanism of neutrophil elastase (NE) promoting lung injury.
METHODS:
6-8-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were selected for the experiments. A 30% total body surface area (TBSA) III degree burn mouse model was established (severe burn group); the Sham-injury group was treated with 37 centigrade water. In the sodium sivelestat intervention group (SV intervention group), NE competitive inhibitor, sivelestat, 100 mg/kg, was injected via tail vein immediately after injury, while other groups received an equal volume of saline. Ten mice were harvested from each group to observe survival for 72 hours. Respiratory function tests were tested at 0 (immediate), 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours after molding. hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and immunohistochemical staining were used to observe lung tissue structure, inflammatory changes and PMN infiltration. The PMN absolute count in mice lung tissue was detected buy flow cytometry. At 6, 12, and 24 hours after molding, PMN counts and the concentration of NE [enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)] in peripheral blood plasma, lung tissue, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were detected.
RESULTS:
(1) HE staining results showed that compared with the Sham-injury group, the lungs of mice in the severe burn group showed inflammatory changes and PMN infiltration, with more significant changes at 6 hours. Immunohistochemistry results also confirmed that the expression of NE protein released from PMN significantly increased after 6 hours of severe burn injury [(3.79±0.62)% vs. (0.18±0.05)%, t = 11.56, P < 0.01]. (2) Compared with the Sham-injury group, the number of PMN and the concentration of NE in the peripheral blood and lung tissues in the severe burn group were significantly increased (F values were 13.709, 55.350 and 29.890, 13.286, respectively, all P < 0.01), peaking at 6 hours [plasma PMN count (×109/L): 2.92±1.01 vs. 0.92±0.29, lung tissue PMN absolute count (cells): 48 788.03±11 833.91 vs. 1 516.72±415.35, plasma NE (ng/L): 24 522.71±3 842.92 vs. 7 009.34±4 067.86, lung tissue NE (ng/L): 262 189.04±9 695.13 vs. 65 026.03± 16 016.31, all P < 0.01]. The number of PMN in the lung of severely burned mice was highly correlated with NE concentration (r = 0.892, P < 0.001). There was no significantly difference in the PMN absolute count in the BALF of mice between the Sham-injury group and severe burn group (F = 1.403, P > 0.05). The Sham-injury group and severe burn group contained a small amount of NE in the BALF, and the concentration of NE in the BALF of the severely burned 6 hours and 12 hours groups were significantly higher than those of the Sham-injury group (ng/L: 328.58±158.10, 415.30±240.89 vs. 61.95±15.80, both P < 0.05). (3) Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that the 72-hour survival rate of mice in the SV intervention group was significantly higher than that in the severe burn group (100% vs. 10%, Log-Rank test: χ2 = 19.12, P < 0.001). (4) Compared with the Sham-injury group, all lung function indices of the severe burn group decreased significantly. All lung function indices of SV intervention group improved gradually over time, which were significantly better than those of the severe burn group. (5) Compared with the Sham-injury group, the PMN absolute count in lung tissue and the concentration of NE in plasma and lung tissue were significantly higher in the SV intervention group (F values were 46.709, 3.535, 32.701, respectively, all P < 0.05), with a peak at 6 hours. Compared with the severe burn group, the SV intervention group had a higher PMN absolute count in lung tissue (cells: 8 870.80±7 013.89 vs. 25 974.92±22 240.8, P < 0.05), and higher plasma and lung tissue NE concentrations (ng/L: 14 955.94±3 944.41 vs. 21 972.75±4 573.05, 81 956.87±38 658.35 vs. 168 182.30±83 513.91, both P < 0.01) were significantly decreased.
CONCLUSIONS
In the early stage of severe burns, there is a significant infiltration of PMN into the lungs. The NE promotes lung injury in the early stage of severe burn, and improve lung injury by inhibiting the action of NE.
Animals
;
Burns/metabolism*
;
Leukocyte Elastase/metabolism*
;
Male
;
Mice, Inbred C57BL
;
Mice
;
Neutrophils/metabolism*
;
Lung/metabolism*
;
Disease Models, Animal
;
Neutrophil Infiltration
;
Lung Injury/metabolism*
;
Glycine/analogs & derivatives*
;
Sulfonamides
10.Bibliometric analysis of researches on liver organoids
Canli XU ; Wenxing HE ; Lei WANG ; Fangting WU ; Jiahui WANG ; Xuelin DUAN ; Tiejian ZHAO ; Bin ZHAO ; Yang ZHENG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2024;28(7):1099-1104
BACKGROUND:In recent years,the development of liver organoids has made it a hot spot in the field of international liver disease research,but there is still no article on the bibliometric analysis of liver organoids. OBJECTIVE:To explore the hot trends in liver organoids in the last 20 years based on bibliometrics and visualization analysis. METHODS:We searched the articles about liver organoids in the Web of Science Core Collection from January 1,2002 to November 12,2022.Origin,Office,and CiteSpace software were used for bibliometrics and visualization analysis.We statistically analyzed the number of annually published articles,countries,institutions,authors,journals,and keywords of the articles by generating charts. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The number of articles,citation frequency,institutions and personnel involved in the research about liver organoids showed an overall upward trend in the last 20 years,indicating that the field was growing rapidly and attention was increasing.The USA had published the most papers and had the strongest influence in this field.Although it had invested a lot of time and energy,the number of papers published by a single research institution in the USA was not the highest among many research institutions.China was second only to the USA in the number of publications,with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Fudan University leading the list.Utrecht University in the Netherlands was the institution with the most publications.Clevers H was the author with the highest number of articles.The article with the highest co-citation frequency was"Long-term culture of genome-stable bipotent stem cells from adult human liver".The main fields of study for liver organoids were Molecular Science,Biology,and Immunology.The most frequently occurring keywords were stem cell,in vitro,and culture.The research hotspots in the liver organoids field were mainly focused on in vitro stem cell three-dimensional culture,differentiation and gene expression.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail