1.Artificial intelligence-based quality control of hand hygiene for hospital-acquired infection
Xuchen YANG ; Jingwen LI ; Wan ZHANG ; Shasha FENG ; Min ZENG ; Jianan SHI ; Youqiong CHEN ; Tao ZHENG ; Xun YAO
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(02):241-247
Objective To explore an artificial intelligence (AI)-based method for automated hand hygiene monitoring and to compare the effectiveness of three algorithms (UniFormerV2, TDN, C3D) in recognizing hand hygiene steps in surgical settings, thereby aiding hospital infection control. Methods From April to October 2024, we non-invasively collected 641 video recordings of healthcare staff performing hand hygiene at four-bay scrub sinks in two tertiary hospitals using overhead HD cameras. The dataset was annotated by five trained experts for model training and validation. Results Following training on 385 samples, internal validation (n=119) showed the C3D model achieved 81% accuracy, 87% recall, and an 83% F1-score. The TDN model achieved 93%, 91%, and 92% for the same metrics. The UniFormerV2 model outperformed both, with an accuracy, recall, and F1-score of 93%—an improvement of over 10 percentage points compared to traditional CNNs (TDN, C3D). It also achieved an 84% accuracy in external validation, demonstrating strong generalization. Conclusion The UniFormerV2 model is more accurate than CNN-based models for hand hygiene step recognition and shows robust performance in external validation. It presents a viable tool for healthcare facilities to enhance hand hygiene management, ultimately improving medical quality and patient safety.
2.Targeted Regulation of Inflammation-related Signaling Pathways by Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Atherosclerosis: A Review
Shuang ZHAO ; Mingxue ZHANG ; Ning LIU ; Jianan SU ; Yuhan AO ; Jing LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):273-283
Atherosclerosis (AS) is the main pathological basis of cardiovascular diseases and seriously threatens human quality of life. Its prevention and treatment urgently need breakthroughs. The inflammatory response, which runs through the physiological and pathological evolution process of AS, is one of the important mechanisms for AS occurrence. Currently, the treatment methods for AS in Western medicine are relatively mature. However, they have adverse reactions such as abnormal liver and kidney function, drug tolerance, target vessel restenosis, and stent thrombosis, which remain the key bottleneck restricting clinical efficacy. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), characterized by multiple components, multiple targets, and multi-pathway synergy, shows unique clinical application potential and efficacy advantages in the intervention of AS. This article reviewed the research progress of TCM in intervening in AS by regulating inflammatory-related signaling pathways, such as nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), Toll-like receptors (TLRs), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT), in the past five years. It summarized the combined mechanism of action of TCM monomers, TCM pairs, and compound preparations in inhibiting the inflammatory cascade reaction through multiple targets, regulating lipid metabolism disorders, and improving vascular endothelial dysfunction and the imbalance of the microenvironment. It deepened the research on the molecular mechanism of TCM in anti-AS, so as to provide a scientific basis for the clinical transformation application and related theoretical research of TCM in anti-AS.
3.Targeted Regulation of Inflammation-related Signaling Pathways by Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Atherosclerosis: A Review
Shuang ZHAO ; Mingxue ZHANG ; Ning LIU ; Jianan SU ; Yuhan AO ; Jing LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):273-283
Atherosclerosis (AS) is the main pathological basis of cardiovascular diseases and seriously threatens human quality of life. Its prevention and treatment urgently need breakthroughs. The inflammatory response, which runs through the physiological and pathological evolution process of AS, is one of the important mechanisms for AS occurrence. Currently, the treatment methods for AS in Western medicine are relatively mature. However, they have adverse reactions such as abnormal liver and kidney function, drug tolerance, target vessel restenosis, and stent thrombosis, which remain the key bottleneck restricting clinical efficacy. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), characterized by multiple components, multiple targets, and multi-pathway synergy, shows unique clinical application potential and efficacy advantages in the intervention of AS. This article reviewed the research progress of TCM in intervening in AS by regulating inflammatory-related signaling pathways, such as nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), Toll-like receptors (TLRs), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT), in the past five years. It summarized the combined mechanism of action of TCM monomers, TCM pairs, and compound preparations in inhibiting the inflammatory cascade reaction through multiple targets, regulating lipid metabolism disorders, and improving vascular endothelial dysfunction and the imbalance of the microenvironment. It deepened the research on the molecular mechanism of TCM in anti-AS, so as to provide a scientific basis for the clinical transformation application and related theoretical research of TCM in anti-AS.
4.Best evidence summary for prevention and management of high-output ileostomy
Qing ZHANG ; Haiyan HU ; Xin YIN ; Xiaoshuang ZHAO ; Yuting XU ; Tingting HE ; Jianan SUN
Chinese Journal of Practical Nursing 2025;41(29):2301-2307
Objective:To retrieve, appraise and synthesize evidence regarding the prevention and management of high-output ileostomy in post-enterostomy patients, thereby providing a scientific reference for clinical practice.Methods:A computerized search was conducted, systematically exploring national and international databases, as well as the websites of pertinent associations, to gather evidence relevant to the topic. The literature types included clinical decision-making, evidence summaries, guidelines, expert consensus, and systematic reviews. The search timeframe was established from the date of database construction until 23 August 2024. The methodological quality assessment of the literature, along with the extraction and synthesis of the evidence, was performed by two independent researchers utilizing established criteria and adhering to rigorous standards.Results:A total of 13 papers were included in the review, comprising one clinical decision, four guidelines, and eight systematic reviews. Eighteen pieces of best evidence were distilled and summarized across six key areas: diagnosis and risk identification, fluid/diet/nutrition management, medication administration, skin management, monitoring and health education, and follow-up care.Conclusions:The clinical practice rationale for the prevention and management of high-output ileostomy in post-enterostomy patients, when summarized, would offer scientific and effective evidence-based support for practice changes by clinical care staff. The practical application and translation of this evidence should thoroughly consider the nuances of clinical practice in China, as well as individual patient differences, to ensure the effective implementation of the best evidence for maximizing patient benefit.
5.Proton pump inhibitor pantoprazole promotes colonization of Helicobacter pylori Sydney strain 1 in the mouse stomach
Shuo YAN ; Xue LI ; Chao WANG ; Jiali XU ; Yu CHENG ; Liping ZHANG ; Lei SU ; Jianan GONG
Chinese Journal of Comparative Medicine 2025;35(2):24-32
Objective To explore method for improving the colonization efficiency of Helicobacter pylori(Hp)in the mouse stomach and to determine if the proton pump inhibitor(PPI)pantoprazole can act as a colonization adjuvant to enhance Hp colonization,with the aim of providing an effective tool for establishing an Hp infection mouse model.Methods The Hp Sydney strain 1(SS1)was introduced and solid plate and liquid culture systems were established.The effects of different doses of pantoprazole on gastric acid secretion in mice were compared.The impact of Hp inoculation,alone or combined with pantoprazole pretreatment,on Hp colonization efficiency was analyzed using rapid urease tests,bacterial plate cultures,and TaqMan quantitative polymerase chain reaction.Results PPI pretreatment inhibited gastric acid secretion and promoted Hp colonization in the mouse stomach,to some extent.Conclusions PPI can serve as colonization adjuvants to enhanc e the efficiency of constructing Hp infection mouse models.
6.N 6-Methyladenosine modification of circDcbld2 in Kupffer cells promotes hepatic fibrosis via targeting miR-144-3p/Et-1 axis.
Sai ZHU ; Xin CHEN ; Lijiao SUN ; Xiaofeng LI ; Yu CHEN ; Liangyun LI ; Xiaoguo SUO ; Chuanhui XU ; Minglu JI ; Jianan WANG ; Hua WANG ; Lei ZHANG ; Xiaoming MENG ; Cheng HUANG ; Jun LI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(1):296-313
Kupffer cells (KCs), as residents and sentinels of the liver, are involved in the formation of hepatic fibrosis (HF). However, the biological functions of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in KCs to HF have not been determined. In this study, the expression levels of circRNAs, microRNAs, and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in KCs from a mouse model of HF mice were investigated using microarray and circRNA-Seq analyses. circDcbld2 was identified as a candidate circRNA in HF, as evidenced by its up-regulation in KCs. Silver staining and mass spectrometry showed that Wtap and Igf2bp2 bind to cirDcbld2. The suppression of circDcbld2 expression decreased the KC inflammatory response and oxidative stress and inhibited hepatic stellate cell (HSCs) activation, attenuating mouse liver fibrogenesis. Mechanistically, Wtap mediated the N 6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation of circDcbld2, and Igf2bp2 recognized m6A-modified circDcbld2 and increased its stability. circDcbld2 contributes to the occurrence of HF by binding miR-144-3p/Et-1 to regulate the inflammatory response and oxidative stress. These findings indicate that circDcbld2 functions via the m6A/circDcbld2/miR-144-3p/Et-1 axis and may act as a potential biomarker for HF treatment.
7.PARylation promotes acute kidney injury via RACK1 dimerization-mediated HIF-1α degradation.
Xiangyu LI ; Xiaoyu SHEN ; Xinfei MAO ; Yuqing WANG ; Yuhang DONG ; Shuai SUN ; Mengmeng ZHANG ; Jie WEI ; Jianan WANG ; Chao LI ; Minglu JI ; Xiaowei HU ; Xinyu CHEN ; Juan JIN ; Jiagen WEN ; Yujie LIU ; Mingfei WU ; Jutao YU ; Xiaoming MENG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(9):4673-4691
Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PARylation) is a specific form of post-translational modification (PTM) predominantly triggered by the activation of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase 1 (PARP1). However, the role and mechanism of PARylation in the advancement of acute kidney injury (AKI) remain undetermined. Here, we demonstrated the significant upregulation of PARP1 and its associated PARylation in murine models of AKI, consistent with renal biopsy findings in patients with AKI. This elevation in PARP1 expression might be attributed to trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3). Furthermore, a reduction in PARylation levels mitigated renal dysfunction in the AKI mouse models. Mechanistically, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry indicated that PARylation mainly occurred in receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1), thereby facilitating its subsequent phosphorylation. Moreover, the phosphorylation of RACK1 enhanced its dimerization and accelerated the ubiquitination-mediated hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) degradation, thereby exacerbating kidney injury. Additionally, we identified a PARP1 proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC), A19, as a PARP1 degrader that demonstrated superior protective effects against renal injury compared with PJ34, a previously identified PARP1 inhibitor. Collectively, both genetic and drug-based inhibition of PARylation mitigated kidney injury, indicating that the PARylated RACK1/HIF-1α axis could be a promising therapeutic target for AKI treatment.
8.Anthraquinones of Cassiae Semen alleviate lipid accumulation in obesity by regulating brown adipose tissue and liver function.
Yijie LI ; Ruiyu WU ; Xin LI ; Jianan LI ; Yinhao ZHANG ; Yanbo HUANG ; Guifang FAN ; Xiaojiaoyang LI
Chinese Herbal Medicines 2025;17(3):488-499
OBJECTIVE:
Cassiae Semen (CS, Juemingzi in Chinese) is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine with a variety of pharmacological effects. This study aimed to investigate the potential therapeutic effects and molecular mechanisms of anthraquinones of CS (AQS) for adiposity.
METHODS:
The chemical components of the AQS were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Network pharmacology analysis was used to predict potential anti-obesity targets of action for AQS. We constructed high fat with high sugar water diet-induced obese mice and observed their body weight and whole-body lipid metabolism to evaluate the efficacy of AQS in promoting lipid metabolism. Subsequently, the epidermal temperature at the brown adipose tissue (BAT) before and after cold stimulation was observed and the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes in the liver and BAT tissues was detected to clarify the mechanism of action of AQS.
RESULTS:
Network pharmacology analysis showed that AQS was involved in the regulation of liver and adipose tissue function under obesity. Pathological and biochemical results showed that AQS reduced lipid accumulation in the liver and adipose tissue induced by an unhealthy diet. With the increase of cold tolerance, the volume and weight of BAT were increased by AQS, suggesting that it regulated the body heat production dominated by BAT. After AQS treatment, the levels of genes related to uncoupling protein1 (UCP1)-mediated adaptive thermogenesis in BAT tissues and lipid metabolism in the liver were also increased, which further proved that AQS activated BAT function to promote lipid metabolism in the whole body.
CONCLUSION
This study revealed the pharmacological effects of AQS, thereby providing a scientific basis for regulating BAT thermogenesis and liver lipid metabolism to alleviate obesity and providing clues for further exploring the application of natural active ingredients in the treatment of metabolism-related diseases.
9.Cost-effectiveness of Fractional Flow Reserve Versus Intravascular Ultrasound to Guide Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Results From the FLAVOUR Study
Doyeon HWANG ; Hea-Lim KIM ; Jane KO ; HyunJin CHOI ; Hanna JEONG ; Sun-ae JANG ; Xinyang HU ; Jeehoon KANG ; Jinlong ZHANG ; Jun JIANG ; Joo-Yong HAHN ; Chang-Wook NAM ; Joon-Hyung DOH ; Bong-Ki LEE ; Weon KIM ; Jinyu HUANG ; Fan JIANG ; Hao ZHOU ; Peng CHEN ; Lijiang TANG ; Wenbing JIANG ; Xiaomin CHEN ; Wenming HE ; Sung Gyun AHN ; Ung KIM ; You-Jeong KI ; Eun-Seok SHIN ; Hyo-Soo KIM ; Seung-Jea TAHK ; JianAn WANG ; Tae-Jin LEE ; Bon-Kwon KOO ;
Korean Circulation Journal 2025;55(1):34-46
Background and Objectives:
The Fractional Flow Reserve and Intravascular UltrasoundGuided Intervention Strategy for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Intermediate Stenosis (FLAVOUR) trial demonstrated non-inferiority of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI. We sought to investigate the cost-effectiveness of FFR-guided PCI compared to IVUS-guided PCI in Korea.
Methods:
A 2-part cost-effectiveness model, composed of a short-term decision tree model and a long-term Markov model, was developed for patients who underwent PCI to treat intermediate stenosis (40% to 70% stenosis by visual estimation on coronary angiography).The lifetime healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated from the healthcare system perspective. Transition probabilities were mainly referred from the FLAVOUR trial, and healthcare costs were mainly obtained through analysis of Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Health utilities were mainly obtained from the Seattle Angina Questionnaire responses of FLAVOUR trial participants mapped to EQ-5D.
Results:
From the Korean healthcare system perspective, the base-case analysis showed that FFR-guided PCI was 2,451 U.S. dollar lower in lifetime healthcare costs and 0.178 higher in QALYs compared to IVUS-guided PCI. FFR-guided PCI remained more likely to be cost-effective over a wide range of willingness-to-pay thresholds in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis.
Conclusions
Based on the results from the FLAVOUR trial, FFR-guided PCI is projected to decrease lifetime healthcare costs and increase QALYs compared with IVUS-guided PCI in intermediate coronary lesion, and it is a dominant strategy in Korea.
10.Identifying phenotypes of surgical site infection in patients after gastrointestinal surgery
Xufei ZHANG ; Yiyu YANG ; Meilin WU ; Zhiwu HONG ; Huajian REN ; Lei WU ; Xiuwen WU ; Jianan REN
Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery 2025;28(1):67-74
Objective:Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common health care-related infection after gastrointestinal surgery. Once SSI occurs after surgery, it can significantly prolong the postoperative hospital stay, increase the cost burden of patients and society, and even endanger the life safety of patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical phenotypes of gastrointestinal surgery, identify the clinical characteristics of SSI, and provide reference for the prevention of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery.Methods:This is a multicenter prospective cohort study that collected clinical data from all adult patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery from March 2021 to February 2022 at 42 hospitals in China, including baseline and perioperative characteristics. Based on the variables associated with SSI, latent class analysis (LCA) was used to explore the population characteristics of SSI.Results:In total, 16 087 patients were included in the study, of whom 345 (2.1%) developed SSI. LCA analysis revealed that patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery were classified into four clinical phenotypes, including α (3851), β (1538), γ (6387), and δ (4311). Type α had minimal abnormality on related system functions (ASA score > 2: 4.5% [173/3851]), and mainly underwent appendix surgery (98.9% [3808/3851]). The postoperative SSI incidence of type α was 0.4% (16/3,851), which belonged to the group of SSI low risk. The abnormality of system functions of type β (ASA score > 2: 17.4% [268/1538]) was worse than that of type α. Type β mainly underwent stomach surgery (72.4% [1113/1538]), and its incidence of postoperative SSI was 1.2% (18/1538), belonging to the group of SSI medium risk. The ASA score of type γ (ASA score > 2: 18.0% [1148/6387]) was comparable to that of type β. Type γ mainly received colorectal surgery (colon surgery: 40.1% [2562/6387]; rectal surgery: 33.6%[2143/6387]), and its incidence of postoperative SSI was 1.7% (106/6387), belonging to the group of SSI medium risk. Type δ (ASA score > 2: 23.5%[1015/4311]) was the most serious type with the highest proportion of open surgery. Type δ mainly underwent small intestine (54.0%[2327/4311]) and stomach surgery (32.3% [1392/4311]) and had the highest incidence of SSI (4.8% [205/4311]) and the highest mortality rate (0.6% [24/4311]), belonging to the group of SSI high risk. Compared with type α and β, the median length of hospital stay (α, β, γ, and δ: 5.0 days, 9.6 days, 13.0 days, and 16.0 days, P<0.001) and postoperative hospital stay (α, β, γ, and δ: 4.0days, 6.0days, 8.3 days, and 10.0 days, P<0.001) of type γ and δ were significantly increased, and the median medical costs (α, β, γ, and δ: 14 178.7 yuan, 39 514.2 yuan, 62 893.0 yuan and 57 266.6 yuan, P<0.001) were also significantly increased. Conclusion:LCA analysis elucidated four clinical phenotypes of patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery. Type α had a low risk of SSI. Type β and γ had a medium risk of SSI, and type δ had a high risk of SSI.

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