1.Controllability Analysis of Structural Brain Networks in Young Smokers
Jing-Jing DING ; Fang DONG ; Hong-De WANG ; Kai YUAN ; Yong-Xin CHENG ; Juan WANG ; Yu-Xin MA ; Ting XUE ; Da-Hua YU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):182-193
ObjectiveThe controllability changes of structural brain network were explored based on the control and brain network theory in young smokers, this may reveal that the controllability indicators can serve as a powerful factor to predict the sleep status in young smokers. MethodsFifty young smokers and 51 healthy controls from Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology were enrolled. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to construct structural brain network based on fractional anisotropy (FA) weight matrix. According to the control and brain network theory, the average controllability and the modal controllability were calculated. Two-sample t-test was used to compare the differences between the groups and Pearson correlation analysis to examine the correlation between significant average controllability and modal controllability with Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND) in young smokers. The nodes with the controllability score in the top 10% were selected as the super-controllers. Finally, we used BP neural network to predict the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in young smokers. ResultsThe average controllability of dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, supplementary motor area, lenticular nucleus putamen, and lenticular nucleus pallidum, and the modal controllability of orbital inferior frontal gyrus, supplementary motor area, gyrus rectus, and posterior cingulate gyrus in the young smokers’ group, were all significantly different from those of the healthy controls group (P<0.05). The average controllability of the right supplementary motor area (SMA.R) in the young smokers group was positively correlated with FTND (r=0.393 0, P=0.004 8), while modal controllability was negatively correlated with FTND (r=-0.330 1, P=0.019 2). ConclusionThe controllability of structural brain network in young smokers is abnormal. which may serve as an indicator to predict sleep condition. It may provide the imaging evidence for evaluating the cognitive function impairment in young smokers.
2.Effect Analysis of Different Interventions to Improve Neuroinflammation in The Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
Jiang-Hui SHAN ; Chao-Yang CHU ; Shi-Yu CHEN ; Zhi-Cheng LIN ; Yu-Yu ZHOU ; Tian-Yuan FANG ; Chu-Xia ZHANG ; Biao XIAO ; Kai XIE ; Qing-Juan WANG ; Zhi-Tao LIU ; Li-Ping LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(2):310-333
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a central neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory impairment in clinical. Currently, there are no effective treatments for AD. In recent years, a variety of therapeutic approaches from different perspectives have been explored to treat AD. Although the drug therapies targeted at the clearance of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) had made a breakthrough in clinical trials, there were associated with adverse events. Neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in the onset and progression of AD. Continuous neuroinflammatory was considered to be the third major pathological feature of AD, which could promote the formation of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. At the same time, these toxic substances could accelerate the development of neuroinflammation, form a vicious cycle, and exacerbate disease progression. Reducing neuroinflammation could break the feedback loop pattern between neuroinflammation, Aβ plaque deposition and Tau tangles, which might be an effective therapeutic strategy for treating AD. Traditional Chinese herbs such as Polygonum multiflorum and Curcuma were utilized in the treatment of AD due to their ability to mitigate neuroinflammation. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and indomethacin had been shown to reduce the level of inflammasomes in the body, and taking these drugs was associated with a low incidence of AD. Biosynthetic nanomaterials loaded with oxytocin were demonstrated to have the capability to anti-inflammatory and penetrate the blood-brain barrier effectively, and they played an anti-inflammatory role via sustained-releasing oxytocin in the brain. Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells could reduce neuroinflammation and inhibit the activation of microglia. The secretion of mesenchymal stem cells could not only improve neuroinflammation, but also exert a multi-target comprehensive therapeutic effect, making it potentially more suitable for the treatment of AD. Enhancing the level of TREM2 in microglial cells using gene editing technologies, or application of TREM2 antibodies such as Ab-T1, hT2AB could improve microglial cell function and reduce the level of neuroinflammation, which might be a potential treatment for AD. Probiotic therapy, fecal flora transplantation, antibiotic therapy, and dietary intervention could reshape the composition of the gut microbiota and alleviate neuroinflammation through the gut-brain axis. However, the drugs of sodium oligomannose remain controversial. Both exercise intervention and electromagnetic intervention had the potential to attenuate neuroinflammation, thereby delaying AD process. This article focuses on the role of drug therapy, gene therapy, stem cell therapy, gut microbiota therapy, exercise intervention, and brain stimulation in improving neuroinflammation in recent years, aiming to provide a novel insight for the treatment of AD by intervening neuroinflammation in the future.
3.Correlation between adult mosquito density and meteorological factors in Pudong New Area of Shanghai, China
Ge GE ; Yongting YUAN ; Lei FENG ; Hanzhao LIU ; Chen LIN ; Ruohua GU ; Juan GE ; Jun LIU
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;37(2):105-108
ObjectiveTo learn the density and seasonal variation of adult mosquitoes in Pudong New Area of Shanghai, and to explore the influence of meteorological factors on the density of adult mosquitoes. MethodsFrom April to November in 2017‒2021, adult mosquito density in Pudong New Area was monitored every ten days a time by using CO2 trapping light method. Meteorological data were collected during the same time, and Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression model were used to investigate the correlation between adult mosquito density and meteorological factors. ResultsThe seasonal variation of adult mosquito density showed a single-peak pattern, with the peak of 7.09 mosquitoes·(set·time)-1 in July. The adult mosquito density was positively correlated with the monthly average temperature, monthly maximum temperature, monthly minimum temperature, and monthly average relative humidity (r=0.813, 0.793, 0.820, 0.617, all P<0.05), but negatively correlated with monthly average air pressure (r=-0.738, P<0.05). The regression equation of the adult mosquito density and monthly minimum temperature in Pudong New Area of Shanghai was Y=0.066 X3-0.884, with a corrected R2 of 0.673, indicating a good model fitting. ConclusionThe overall seasonal variation of adult mosquito density in Pudong New Area showed a single-peak pattern. The density of adult mosquitoes was correlated with the monthly average temperature, monthly maximum temperature, monthly minimum temperature, monthly average relative humidity, and monthly average air pressure, and linearly correlated with monthly minimum temperature.
4.Adolescent Smoking Addiction Diagnosis Based on TI-GNN
Xu-Wen WANG ; Da-Hua YU ; Ting XUE ; Xiao-Jiao LI ; Zhen-Zhen MAI ; Fang DONG ; Yu-Xin MA ; Juan WANG ; Kai YUAN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(9):2393-2405
ObjectiveTobacco-related diseases remain one of the leading preventable public health challenges worldwide and are among the primary causes of premature death. In recent years, accumulating evidence has supported the classification of nicotine addiction as a chronic brain disease, profoundly affecting both brain structure and function. Despite the urgency, effective diagnostic methods for smoking addiction remain lacking, posing significant challenges for early intervention and treatment. To address this issue and gain deeper insights into the neural mechanisms underlying nicotine dependence, this study proposes a novel graph neural network framework, termed TI-GNN. This model leverages functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data to identify complex and subtle abnormalities in brain connectivity patterns associated with smoking addiction. MethodsThe study utilizes fMRI data to construct functional connectivity matrices that represent interaction patterns among brain regions. These matrices are interpreted as graphs, where brain regions are nodes and the strength of functional connectivity between them serves as edges. The proposed TI-GNN model integrates a Transformer module to effectively capture global interactions across the entire brain network, enabling a comprehensive understanding of high-level connectivity patterns. Additionally, a spatial attention mechanism is employed to selectively focus on informative inter-regional connections while filtering out irrelevant or noisy features. This design enhances the model’s ability to learn meaningful neural representations crucial for classification tasks. A key innovation of TI-GNN lies in its built-in causal interpretation module, which aims to infer directional and potentially causal relationships among brain regions. This not only improves predictive performance but also enhances model interpretability—an essential attribute for clinical applications. The identification of causal links provides valuable insights into the neuropathological basis of addiction and contributes to the development of biologically plausible and trustworthy diagnostic tools. ResultsExperimental results demonstrate that the TI-GNN model achieves superior classification performance on the smoking addiction dataset, outperforming several state-of-the-art baseline models. Specifically, TI-GNN attains an accuracy of 0.91, an F1-score of 0.91, and a Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) of 0.83, indicating strong robustness and reliability. Beyond performance metrics, TI-GNN identifies critical abnormal connectivity patterns in several brain regions implicated in addiction. Notably, it highlights dysregulations in the amygdala and the anterior cingulate cortex, consistent with prior clinical and neuroimaging findings. These regions are well known for their roles in emotional regulation, reward processing, and impulse control—functions that are frequently disrupted in nicotine dependence. ConclusionThe TI-GNN framework offers a powerful and interpretable tool for the objective diagnosis of smoking addiction. By integrating advanced graph learning techniques with causal inference capabilities, the model not only achieves high diagnostic accuracy but also elucidates the neurobiological underpinnings of addiction. The identification of specific abnormal brain networks and their causal interactions deepens our understanding of addiction pathophysiology and lays the groundwork for developing targeted intervention strategies and personalized treatment approaches in the future.
5.Mechanism of Si Junzitang in Treatment of Liver Injury in Rats with Spleen Qi Deficiency Syndrome Based on Liver and Spleen Correlation
Peng PENG ; Min BAI ; Jin JIN ; Qihui YUAN ; Xiaoyi YANG ; Juan DU ; Yongqiang DUAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(24):11-20
ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of Si Junzitang in treating liver injury in rats with spleen Qi deficiency syndrome based on transcriptomics and to experimentally verify its effects. MethodsSixty male SD rats were randomly divided into blank group, model group, low-dose Si Junzitang (6 g·kg-1·d-1), medium-dose Si Junzitang group (12 g·kg-1·d-1), high-dose Si Junzitang group (24 g·kg-1·d-1), and natural recovery group, with 10 rats in each group. A composite multifactorial modeling method (forced swimming + intragastric administration of Xiao Chengqitang + irregular diet) was used to establish a spleen Qi deficiency model. After 30 days of continuous intervention, body weight and 3-hour food intake were measured, and macroscopic symptom scores for spleen Qi deficiency syndrome were evaluated. Serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in each group were detected, and hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was used to observe histopathological changes in liver tissue. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) among the blank, model, and high-dose Si Junzitang groups. Gene ontology(GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genome(KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed on the DEGs. Immunofluorescence (IF) and Western blot were used to detect NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC), Caspase-1, and the N-terminal domain of gasdermin D (GSDMD-N). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect the expression of downstream inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-18 (IL-18). ResultsCompared with the blank group, the model group showed significantly reduced body weight and 3-hour food intake, significantly increased macroscopic symptom scores, and elevated serum AST and ALT levels (P<0.01), with mild inflammatory liver injury observed histologically. Compared with the model group, Si Junzitang at all doses significantly improved these parameters and alleviated liver injury in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05,P<0.01). RNA-Seq analysis revealed 1 254 DEGs between the blank and model groups, and 842 DEGs between the model and high-dose Si Junzitang groups. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway was activated in liver injury associated with spleen Qi deficiency, suggesting that the NLRP3 inflammasome may be a key target. Results from IF, IHC, and Westernblot showed that compared with the blank group, the expression of NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, GSDMD-N, and the downstream inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-18 were significantly increased in the model group (P<0.01), while these levels were markedly decreased in the high-dose Si Junzitang group (P<0.01). ConclusionSi Junzitang effectively improves mild inflammatory liver injury in rats with spleen Qi deficiency syndrome in a dose-dependent manner. Its mechanism may be associated with inhibition of the NLRP3/ASC/Caspase-1 signaling pathway, downregulation of the pyroptosis executioner protein GSDMD-N, and reduction of pyroptosis-related inflammatory cytokine release.
6.Analysis on Application and Funding Situation of General,Young Scholar and Regional Scholar Programs from NSFC in Field of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in 2023
Yuan XU ; Zipeng GONG ; Juan LI ; Jinwei ZHANG ; Xuewei LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(2):172-178
By combing the application and funding situation of general, young scholar and regional scholar programs from National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC) in field of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine in 2023, this paper summarizes the distribution of supporting units, application and funding hotspots, and the problems of application and funding projects in this discipline, in order to provide a reference for applicants and supporting organizations to understand the hotspot dynamics and reporting requirements of the discipline. In 2023, the discipline of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine received a total of 2 793 applications, and there were 1 254 applications for general programs, 1 278 applications for young scholar programs, and 261 applications for regional scholar programs. The amounts of project funding obtained by the three were 145, 164 and 35, respectively, and the funding rates were 11.56%, 12.83% and 13.41% in that order. From the situation of obtaining funding, the age distribution of the project leaders who obtained funding for the general, young scholar and regional scholar programs were mainly distributed in the age of 40-46, 30-34, 38-44 years, respectively. Within the supported programs, the Chinese medicine affiliations accounted for 55.52%. With respect to research subjects, the proportion of one single Chinese herbs, or monomers, or extracts accounted for 29.4%, but the proportion of Chinese herb pairs or prescriptions accounted for 47.1%. Research hotspots included ferroptosis, bile acid metabolism, macrophages, mitochondria, microglia, exosomes, intestinal flora, microecology and so on. The current research mainly focused on the common key problems of the advantageous diseases of Chinese and western integrative medicine, but still need to be improved in the basic theories of Chinese and western medicine and multidisciplinary cross-disciplinary research.
7.Pathogenesis and Differentiated Treatment Strategies of Childhood Tic Disorders Based on WANG Xugao's “Thirty Methods of Treating the Liver”
Rui ZHAI ; Juan DUAN ; Yuan LI ; Yanlin JIANG ; Congxiao ZHOU ; Zhenhua YUAN ; Da LI ; Junhong WANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;65(2):149-153
Based on WANG Xugao's “thirty methods of treating the liver”, it is believed that the occurrence and development of childhood tic disorders follow the dynamic progression from liver qi disease to liver fire disease and then liver wind disease. The basic pathogenesis of three stages are characterized by binding constraint of liver qi, liver fire hyperactivity, and internal stirring of liver wind. Moreover, liver-blood deficiency and stagnation, and malnutrition of liver yin as the main point in terms of the imbalance of liver qi, blood, yin, and yang should be considered, as well as the imbalance relationship of the five zang organs such as the involvement of other organs and the gradually reach of the other organs. Guided by the principles of “thirty methods of treating the liver”, the treatment of tic disorders in liver qi stage should focus on soothing the liver and rectifying qi, soothing the liver and unblocking the collaterals, using Xiaochaihu Decoction (小柴胡汤) and Sini Powder (四逆散). The treatment of tic disorders in liver fire stage involves clearing, draining and resolving liver heat, using Longdan Xiegan Decoction (龙胆泻肝汤), Xieqing Pill (泻青丸), Danggui Longhui Pill (当归龙荟丸), and Huagan Decoction (化肝煎). The treatment of tic disorders in liver wind stage involves extinguishing wind and subduing yang, using Lingjiao Gouteng Decoction (羚角钩藤汤) and Liuwei Dihuang Pill (六味地黄丸). Throughout the treatment process, attention should be paid to harmonizing the liver's qi, blood, yin, and yang, as well as addressing the pathology of other organs.
8.Study on the effect of synaptic nuclear protein γ on migration and invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells
Zuo-Dong REN ; Zhao-Wei ZHUANG ; Juan ZHAO ; Wu-Mei YUAN ; Yan ZENG
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(9):1267-1271
Objective Lentivirus-mediated interference with synaptic nuclear protein γ(SNCG)in human oral squamous cell carcinoma was established to study the role of SNCG in the migration and invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma.Methods Oral cancer CAL27 cells were infected with LV-shNC and LV-shSNCG constructed by lentivirus vector,respective,and then selected with puromycin to obtain cell lines stably interfering with SNCG,which were named NC group and experimental group,respectively.Detect the expression of SNCG through real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR)and Western blot experiments;Transwell and scratch experiments were used to detect changes in migration and invasion ability.Results Compared with the NC group,the experimental group showed an 80%reduction in SNCG mRNA expression(P<0.01).The relative expression level of SNCG protein was also decreased in the experimental group compared to the NC group(P<0.01).In the NC group and the experimental group,the migration area percentages at 36 hours were 0.54±0.06 and 0.40±0.02,respectively;and at 48 hours were 0.83±0.01 and 0.47±0.05,respectively.The experimental group showed decrease in migration area compared to the NC group,and these differences were statistically significant(P<0.05,P<0.001).Compared to the NC group,the migration and invasion cell numbers in the experimental group(98.00±13.49 and 88.00±5.72)were significantly reduced to(48.00±2.16 and 49.00±2.94),and these differences were statistically significant(P<0.01,P<0.001).Conclusion Interference of SNCG expression can significantly reduce the migration and invasion ability of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells.
9.Improving effects of Hedysarum polysaccharide on renal injury in db/db mice with diabetic nephropathy
Yan-Xu CHEN ; Lei ZHANG ; Zhi-Sheng JIN ; Xiao-Xue JIANG ; Qin-Yuan ZHANG ; Peng-Cheng DOU ; Yuan-Yuan NIU ; Juan-Juan YANG
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(14):2078-2082
Objective To study the effect of Hedysarum polysaccharides(HPS)on the expression of transforming growth factor-β,(TGF-β1),smad homologue 3 recombinant protein(smad3)and smad7 in renal tissue of db/db mice with diabetic nephropathy(DN).Methods According to their body weight,6-week-old male db/db mice were randomly divided into 5 groups:model group(0.9%NaCl 0.2 mL·d-1),positive control group(22.75 mg·kg-1·d-1 irbesartan)and experimental-H,-M,-L groups(200,100,50 mg kg-1·d-1 HPS),with 10 mice in each group;another 10 SPF grade male C57BL/6 mice of the same week were selected as normal group(0.9%NaCl 0.2mL·d-1).The mice in the 6 groups were given intragastric administration once a day for 12 weeks.The blood glucose concentration of mice was measured before treatment and at the 4th,8th and 12th week after treatment.The expression levels of TGF-β1,smad3 and smad7 were detected by Western blotting.Results After treatment,the blood glucose levels of the model group was significantly higher than those of the normal group(all P<0.01);compared with the model group,the levels of blood glucose in the experimental-H,-M groups decreased significantly,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05,P<0.01).The relative expression levels of TGF-β,protein in normal group,model group,positive control group and experimental-H,-M groups were 0.71±0.16,1.66±0.18,1.00±0.17,0.88±0.15 and 1.23±0.15;the relative expression levels of smad3 protein were 0.89±0.32,2.26±0.35,1.24±0.31,1.05±0.30 and 1.67±0.35;the relative expression levels of smad7 protein were 1.66±0.03,0.60±0.03,1.10±0.07,1.48±0.08 and 0.97±0.09;there were statistically significant differences between the experimental-H,-M groups and the model group(P<0.05,P<0.01).Conclusion Hedysarum polysaccharides can improve renal fibrosis and delay the development of diabetic nephropathy by regulating the level of blood glucose,inhibiting TGF-β1,smad3 and increasing the expression of smad7.
10.Expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in hippocampal tissue of central obese mice induced by sodium glutamate
Peng-Juan CAO ; Jia-Yuan TANG ; Mei-Zi YANG ; Yuan-Yuan LI ; Li-Ting HUANG ; Wen-Wen MENG ; Yong-Jun JIN ; Jian-Xun MO
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(15):2227-2230
Objective To explore whether the cognitive function of central obese mice is decreased by affecting the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)in hippocampus.Methods Healthy mice at the neonatal stage were divided into normal group and model group at random.To obtain the obese models,model group mice were injected at cervical subcutaneous with 10%L-monosodium glutamate(MSG;3 mg·g-1·d-1)for 5 days.The normal group was injected with the same dose of 0.9%NaCl.In addition,mice were removed according to the requirements.Finally,we got 8 mice in each group.The following parameters were compared:body weight,Lee's index and levels of the serum lipid.The BDNF expression levels in hippocampal tissue were measured using western blotting.Results At the 8th weekend,the body weight of the model and normal groups was(49.01±2.47)and(41.27±3.28)g;the Lee's indexes were(357.14±9.24)and(330.15±7.37)g1/3·cm-1;triglyceride levels were(1.37±0.52)and(0.73±0.31)mmol·L-1;total cholesterol levels were(2.98±0.18)and(1.98±0.30)mmol·L-1;low-density lipoprotein levels were(0.31±0.03)and(0.24±0.02)mmol·L-1;high-density lipoprotein levels were(2.70±0.15)and(1.98±0.40)mmol·L-1;the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05,P<0.01),which were consistent with the characteristics of the central obesity model.The BDNF protein expression levels in the hippocampus of the model and normal groups were 6.02 x 104±626.53 and 7.04 x 104±1 440.81,which has statistically significant(P<0.01).Conclusion The cognitive function of central obese mice may be decreased by down-regulating the expression of BDNF in hippocampus.

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