1.Mechanistic Interpretation of Zheng’s San Qi San Powder in Treating Skeletal Muscle Injury via Bioinformatics Prediction, Chemical Analysis and Experimental Verification
Ding-Rui WANG ; Yun-Xin LIU ; Jun-Jie XU ; Liu YANG ; Jia-Hao LÜ ; Cheng-Yuan XING ; Lei LÜ ; Bei-Bei QIE
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(4):1028-1047
ObjectiveZheng’s San Qi San (ZSQS) power, a classic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, is used for treating soft tissue injuries involving muscles, tendons, and ligaments. However, its underlying therapeutic mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to screen and identify pharmaceutically active ingredients and their candidate biomolecule targets, and further elucidate the molecular mechanism of ZSQS in the treatment of skeletal muscle injury. MethodsNetwork pharmacology was employed to construct “ZSQS-component-target”, “protein-protein interaction (PPI)” and “active ingredient-core protein-pathway” networks to predict the key active ingredients and potential core targets of ZSQS for skeletal muscle injury. The predicted results were then validated via microarray data from the GEO database. Molecular docking was then performed to assess the binding ability between the screened active ingredients of ZSQS and the candidate core targets. Moreover, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used for qualitative and quantitative analysis to verify the active components of the drug and ZSQS serum. Finally, an animal model of eccentric exercise-induced skeletal muscle injury and a myotube cell model of oxidative stress-induced injury were established to validate the effects of ZSQS and its interventional effects on the biological functions of critical targets, thereby demonstrating the potential therapeutic mechanism of ZSQS. ResultsAmong the 111 active components identified in ZSQS and their corresponding 204 targets related to the skeletal muscle injury repair process, 14 core targets (including AKT1) and 4 core active components (quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, and β‑sitosterol) were screened out, while the corresponding metabolites of quercetin, luteolin and kaempferol were detected in the ZSQS serum. Among these targets, 5 candidate genes (IL-6, CASP3, HIF1A, STAT3, and JUN) overlapped with the differential expression screening results with GEO data, and IL-6 was confirmed to be enriched in the PI3K/AKT pathway. Combined with the prediction results of the AKT expression levels, these findings suggest that the phosphorylation level of AKT1 plays a core role in the therapeutic mechanism of ZSQS. Molecular docking analysis further revealed that the PH domain of AKT1 had high binding energy with all 4 core active components, as verified by LC-MS. Finally, animal model studies have shown the promoting effect of ZSQS administration on skeletal muscle injury repair and its possible antioxidant damage mechanism. Cell model studies further demonstrated that ZSQS-containing serum, core active ingredient combination therapy, and quercetin monomer could increase the phosphorylation level of AKT, promote the nuclear translocation of Nrf2, upregulate the expression of downstream antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GPx, and GR), and inhibit the expression of inflammatory factors (IL-6 and TNF-α), thereby alleviating oxidative stress and the inflammatory response. ConclusionZSQS alleviates skeletal muscle injury mainly by activating the AKT/Nrf2 signaling pathway, enhancing cellular antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities. The results of this study provide a scientific basis for the clinical application and modernized development of ZSQS.
2.A Method for Position Correction of Ultrasonic Arrays Used in High-resolution Photoacoustic Tomography
Yang TANG ; Zhan-Jun ZHANG ; Xing HUANG ; Kuan PENG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):767-778
ObjectivePhotoacoustic tomography (PAT) holds significant potential for high-resolution deep-tissue imaging. In preclinical research, custom-designed concave arc-shaped ultrasound transducer arrays are often used to maximize the detection aperture. However, manufacturing limitations and assembly tolerances frequently cause the actual physical positions of array elements to deviate from their theoretical design. Additionally, concave arrays are typically covered with an acoustic lens, which introduces a mismatch in the speed of sound between the coupling medium and the lens material. The combination of these geometric and acoustic-phase errors leads to severe image artifacts, reduced contrast, and degraded resolution. This study proposes a systematic two-step calibration strategy to address these issues and substantially improve image quality. MethodsFirst, a high-intensity isotropic photoacoustic point source was constructed using a multi-mode optical fiber coated with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to acquire high signal-to-noise ratio calibration data. The Akaike information criterion (AIC) was employed to accurately determine the time of arrival (ToA) of photoacoustic signals. Subsequently, a geometric calibration algorithm based on nonlinear least-squares (NLS) estimation was developed. This algorithm iteratively solves for the true spatial coordinates of each array element by minimizing the residual between theoretical and measured acoustic path lengths. To further address sound-speed inhomogeneity caused by the acoustic lens, a phase compensation algorithm based on bilinear interpolation was proposed. This algorithm computes a pixel-specific phase delay map across the imaging region and performs point-by-point signal correction during delay-and-sum (DAS) reconstruction. The proposed methods were validated using a custom 96-channel concave arc-shaped array (center frequency: 12 MHz) through both phantom imaging and in vivo mouse tumor models. ResultsPhantom experiments showed that at an imaging depth of14 mm, the reconstruction position deviation of the point source in the uncalibrated system reached up to 1 mm. After applying the combined calibration, the lateral resolution (full width at half maximum, FWHM) at the focal point of the arc array reached 95 μm—representing a 85% reduction compared to the uncalibrated state and a 79% reduction compared to geometric calibration alone without phase compensation. In vivo experiments demonstrated that the calibrated system clearly resolved the microvascular network of subcutaneous tumors in mice. Photoacoustic signals were strictly confined within tumor boundaries delineated by ultrasound imaging (USI), eliminating the vascular spillover artifacts commonly observed in uncalibrated images. Furthermore, after intravenous injection of indocyanine green (ICG), the system successfully detected weak photoacoustic signals at a depth of 5 mm, performing significantly better than the uncalibrated system. ConclusionThe proposed calibration method, which integrates nonlinear least-squares estimation with phase compensation, significantly improves image fidelity and spatial resolution consistency across a wide field of view by correcting systemic geometric errors and acoustic phase aberrations. This approach demonstrates high robustness and provides a reliable technical foundation for the clinical translation of photoacoustic probes with non-standard geometries.
3.Treatment of pathological myopic foveoschisis by pars plana vitrectomy with fovea-sparing internal limiting membrane peeling and silicone oil tamponade
Jun ZHOU ; Yingqi LI ; Jing XU ; Zhumin YANG ; Xing HUANG ; Xian WANG
International Eye Science 2025;25(8):1358-1362
AIM: To investigate the clinical efficacy of pars plana vitrectomy(PPV)combined with fovea-sparing internal limiting membrane(ILM)peeling and silicone oil(SO)tamponade for treating pathological myopic foveoschisis(PMF).METHODS:This study is a retrospective observational analysis of 10 cases(10 eyes)diagnosed with PMF that underwent PPV with fovea-sparing ILM peeling and SO tamponade between January 2023 and November 2024. The best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA), central foveal thickness(CFT), foveoschisis(FS), and the detachment and reattachment of FS and macular fovea were assessed preoperatively and at 1 wk, 1 and 3 mo postoperatively.RESULTS:Among the 10 cases of PMF patients(10 eyes), the complete reattachment rate was 30%(3 eyes), while partial reattachment was observed in 70%(7 eyes). At 3 mo postoperatively, BCVA(LogMAR)was significantly improved to 0.957±0.393 compared with 1.432±0.509 before surgery(P<0.05), and both CFT(437.9±180.4 vs. 207.5±76.1 μm)and FS(686.5±172.2 vs. 290.7±86.6 μm)showed significant decreases(P<0.05). No complications such as macular hole, retinal detachment, silicone oil emulsification, or endophthalmitis were observed during the surgery or throughout the follow-up period.CONCLUSION:PPV with SO tamponade and fovea-sparing ILM peeling has been demonstrated to facilitate both visual acuity improvement and anatomical reattachment in cases of PMF.
4.18 F-PSMA-1007 PET/MRI for diagnosing seminal vesicle invasion of prostatic cancer
Yingying LUO ; Yihong YANG ; Zhiwen YOU ; Xing CHEN ; Zirong ZHOU ; Zengbei YUAN ; Haifeng WANG ; Jun ZHAO ; Haiyan WANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging Technology 2025;41(2):310-315
Objective To observe the value of 18F-prostate specific membrane antigen(PSMA)-1007 PET/MRI for diagnosing seminal vesicle invasion(SVI)of prostatic cancer(PCa).Methods Totally 92 male patients with PCa who underwent radical prostatectomy were retrospectively enrolled and divided into positive group(n=26)and negative group(n=66)based on postoperative pathology showed SVI or not.PET/MRI parameters,including maximum standard uptake value(SUVmax),minimum apparent diffusion coefficient(ADCmin),mean apparent diffusion coefficient(ADCmean),SUVmax/ADCmin,SUVmax/ADCmean,PSMA tumor volume(PSMA-TV)and total lesion PSMA(TL-PSMA)were compared between groups.The receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn,and the efficacy of each parameter for diagnosing SVI was analyzed.Results Among 92 cases of PCa,18F-PSMA-1007 PET/MRI showed 30 cases with SVI and 62 cases without SVI,with accuracy of 73.91%,sensitivity of 61.54%,specificity of 78.79%,positive predictive value of 53.33%and negative predictive value of 83.87%.Significant differences of ADCmin,PSMA-TV and TL-PSMA were found between groups(all P<0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)of SUVmax,ADCmin,ADCmean,SUVmax/ADCmin,SUVmax/ADCmean,PSMA-TV and TL-PSMA for diagnosing SVI of PCa was 0.554,0.341,0.396,0.603,0.581,0.755 and 0.705,respectively.The AUC of PSMA-TV was higher than other parameters except for TL-PSMA,with sensitivity of 84.60%and specificity of 56.10%.Conclusion 18 F-PSMA-1007 PET/MRI was helpful for diagnosing SVI of PCa.
5.Artificial intelligence and cervical spine image recognition:application prospects and challenges
Simin WANG ; Dezhou ZHANG ; Jing ZHAO ; Chaoqun WANG ; Kun LI ; Jie CHEN ; Xue BAI ; Hailong ZHAO ; Shaojie ZHANG ; Yuan MA ; Yunteng HAO ; Yang YANG ; Zhijun LI ; Jun SHI ; Xing WANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(33):7231-7240
BACKGROUND:Cervical spondylosis is a chronic degenerative disease that has become one of the most common and frequent diseases threatening human health.At present,the initial diagnosis of the cervical spine and its surrounding structures mainly relies on the interpretation of medical images by radiologists,which not only requires a high level of technical requirements for operators,but also has the disadvantages of strong subjectivity,high labor intensity,and low efficiency.With the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology,its powerful data processing and image recognition capabilities have shown broad application prospects in the medical field.Deep learning has also made certain progress in the research of spinal diseases.OBJECTIVE:To summarize the current status and research progress in the application of artificial intelligence technology in cervical spine imaging images in recent years,evaluating the performance of artificial intelligence models as well as future trends and challenges to be overcome.METHODS:The first author searched the relevant articles in WanFang,CNKI,and PubMed in June 2024.The Chinese search terms were"artificial intelligence,deep learning,cervical spine."English serach terms were"artificial intelligence,Al,cervical vertebrae,cervical."Finally,101 articles were included and analyzed.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Artificial intelligence technology can realize automatic segmentation of cervical vertebrae and measurement of curvature change by segmentation,classification,landmarks recognition of medical image parts,detect cervical vertebral fracture,nerve root,and spinal cord type cervical spondylosis,identify cervical spine ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament,and predict post-surgery related risk factors and cervical vertebra maturation classification.(2)Although artificial intelligence technology has shown great potential in the field of cervical spine research,it is still in the early stages of exploration and rapid development,with unlimited room for development and innovation.
6.Construction of sulfur mustard analogue-induced skin contamina-tion models in BALB/c mice and its decontamination
Shuai GUO ; Huanchun XING ; Wenbin CAO ; Lin WANG ; Aibing CHEN ; Yongan WANG ; Jun YANG
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2025;39(4):277-284
OBJECTIVE To establish skin contamination models with sulfur mustard analogue 1-chloro-2-ethylsulfanyl ethane(CEES),and evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of reactive skin decontamination lotion kit(RSDL).METHODS ①Kunming,BALB/c,BALB/c-nu,and C57BL/6N were contaminted with CEES 75 μL·kg-1 using exposed method and covered method for 10 min on the dorsal skin.Wound healing times and areas were assessed to determine the stock of mice and exposure method.② BALB/c mice were exposed to a gradient of CEES at the doses of 75,150,250,350 and 500 μL·kg-1(10 min)using the covered method.Wound healing times,areas and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to determine the optimal dose.③ BALB/c mice were exposed to CEES 150 μL·kg-1 for varying durations(5,10 and 20 min)using the covered method.Wound healing times,areas and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were analyzed to determine the optimal exposure time.④ BALB/c mice were divided into four groups:control(exposed with the covered method at 150 μL·kg-1,10 min),treatment(20 μL RSDL treatment after exposure,as the control group),5 min treatment(20 μL RSDL treatment after 5 min of exposure,followed by 5 min of coverage)and immediate-treatment(exposed with the exposed method at 150 μL·kg-1,immediately treated with 20 μL RSDL,followed by 10 min of coverage).The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated based on the wound area,subcutaneous microvesicle count,epidermal thick-ness,and inflammatory cytokine(IL-6 and TNF-α)expressions.RESULTS ① The covered method caused more severe and prolonged wounds than the exposed method.BALB/c mice exhibited a high sensitivity to CEES with delayed wound healing and were therefore selected as the model animal.② Survival rates in BALB/c mice dropped below 50%at doses of 250,350 and 500 μL·kg-1,whereas an 83.3%survival rate was observed at 150 μL·kg-1.③ The mice exposed to CEES(150 μL·kg-1,20 min)died within 3 days.The wound area was consistently smaller in the 5 min covered group than in the 10 min covered group.④CEES-induced skin injury led to epidermal nuclear pyknosis,follicular disrup-tion,inflammatory infiltration,and microvesicle formation in both treatment and poisoned control groups.As more immediate treatment,the wound area significantly decreased.While the IL-6 expres-sion showed no significant intergroup difference,the TNF-α expression was significantly higher in the treatment group.CONCLUSION A CEES-induced skin contamination model has been established in BALB/c mice using the covered method(150 μL·kg-1,10 min covered).However,RSDL should be ad-ministered in 10 min post-contamination.
7.Effects of high-intensity interval training on cardiopulmonary function,cardiac autonomic function and quality of life in patients with coronary artery disease
Changran YANG ; Jun XING ; Manman ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 2025;40(11):1666-1673
Objective:To investigate effects of high-intensity interval training(HIIT)and moderate-intensity continuous training(MICT)on cardiorespiratory function,aerobic capacity,cardiac autonomic function,cardiovascular risk factors,and quality of life in patients with coronary heart disease.Method:Forty-six patients with coronary heart disease were selected and randomly divided into 23 cases in the HIIT group and 23 cases in the MICT group.The cardiac function indexes[left ventricular end-diastolic volume(LVEDV),left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),and stroke volume(SV)],pulmonary function in-dexes[maximal voluntary ventilation(MVV),maximal expiratory flow(PEF),and maximal expiratory pressure(MEP)],and aerobic exercise capacity indexes[peak oxygen uptake(PeakVO2),anaerobic threshold(AT),peak oxygen pulse(VO2/HR),six-minute walking distance(6MWD)],cardiac autonomic function indices[heart rate recovery(HRR-1 min),peak heart rate,resting heart rate],cardiovascular risk factor indices[body mass index(BMI),resting systolic blood pressure,resting diastolic blood pressure],and quality of life indices(selected dimensions of SF-36).Result:After training,the levels of LVEDV,LVEF,and SV were higher in the HIIT group than in the MICT group(P<0.05).After training,the levels of MVV,PEF,and MEP were higher in the HIIT group than in the MICT group(P<0.05).After training,the levels of PeakVO2,AT,VO2/HR and 6MWD were high-er in the HIIT group than in the MICT group(P<0.05).After training,HRR-1 min and peak heart rate were higher in the HIIT group than in the MICT group(P<0.05).After training,the BMI,resting systolic blood pressure,and resting diastolic blood pressure levels in the MICT group were lower than those in the HIIT group(P<0.05).After training,the SF-36 scale scores of physical function,vitality,and health transition in the HIIT group were higher than those of the MICT group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Both HIIT and MICT can effectively improve cardiopulmonary function,aerobic exercise capaci-ty,cardiac autonomic function,cardiovascular risk factors,and quality of life in patients with coronary heart disease.HIIT demonstrated superior effects in improving cardiopulmonary function,aerobic exercise capacity,cardiac autonomic function,and quality of life in patients with coronary heart disease,while MICT is more ef-fective in improving cardiovascular risk factors.
8.EIF5A2 promotes epithelial mesenchymal transition in intrahepatic chol-angiocarcinoma cells through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway
Shao-hua YANG ; Yong-ping XU ; Zhuo-yu ZHAO ; Shi-bo ZHANG ; Xing-bao FANG ; Zhou-jun LIAO
Chinese Journal of Current Advances in General Surgery 2025;28(10):757-762
Objective:To investigate the the differential expression of EIF5A2 in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cell lines RBE,HCCC9810,and HUCCT1,and its effects on HCCC9810 cell migration and invasion,epithelial mesenchymal transition,and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.Methods:The differential expression of EIF5A2 in RBE,HCCC9810,and HUCCT1 cell lines was detected using WB method.The HCCC9810 cell line,with the highest expression of EIF5A2,was selected for this experiment.The expression of EIF5A2 in HCCC9810 cell line was silenced by transient transfection of small interfering RNA.The best silencing effect of small interfering RNA was screened by WB.Scratch assay and Tran-swell migration invasion assay were used to detect the effect of silencing EIF5A2 on the migration and invasion ability of HCCC9810 cells.WB was used to detect the effect of silencing EIF5A2 on PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and epithelial mesenchymal transition in HCCC9810 cells.Results:The WB results showed that EIF5A2 had the highest expression in the HCCC9810 cell line,and siRNA1 had the best silencing effect on EIF5A2 in the HCCC9810 cell line.Scratch assay and Transwell migration invasion assay results showed that silencing EIF5A2 in the HCCC9810 cell line resulted in a decrease in cell invasion and metastasis ability(P<0.05).At the same time,the expression of p-PI3K and p-AKT in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was significantly decreased(P<0.05),while the epithelial cell marker E-cadherin expression increased(P<0.05)and the stromal cell marker N-cadherin expression decreased(P<0.05).Conclusion:EIF5A2 may promote epi-thelial mesenchymal transition and enhance the migration and invasion ability of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cells through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
9.Effects of high-intensity interval training on cardiopulmonary function,cardiac autonomic function and quality of life in patients with coronary artery disease
Changran YANG ; Jun XING ; Manman ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 2025;40(11):1666-1673
Objective:To investigate effects of high-intensity interval training(HIIT)and moderate-intensity continuous training(MICT)on cardiorespiratory function,aerobic capacity,cardiac autonomic function,cardiovascular risk factors,and quality of life in patients with coronary heart disease.Method:Forty-six patients with coronary heart disease were selected and randomly divided into 23 cases in the HIIT group and 23 cases in the MICT group.The cardiac function indexes[left ventricular end-diastolic volume(LVEDV),left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),and stroke volume(SV)],pulmonary function in-dexes[maximal voluntary ventilation(MVV),maximal expiratory flow(PEF),and maximal expiratory pressure(MEP)],and aerobic exercise capacity indexes[peak oxygen uptake(PeakVO2),anaerobic threshold(AT),peak oxygen pulse(VO2/HR),six-minute walking distance(6MWD)],cardiac autonomic function indices[heart rate recovery(HRR-1 min),peak heart rate,resting heart rate],cardiovascular risk factor indices[body mass index(BMI),resting systolic blood pressure,resting diastolic blood pressure],and quality of life indices(selected dimensions of SF-36).Result:After training,the levels of LVEDV,LVEF,and SV were higher in the HIIT group than in the MICT group(P<0.05).After training,the levels of MVV,PEF,and MEP were higher in the HIIT group than in the MICT group(P<0.05).After training,the levels of PeakVO2,AT,VO2/HR and 6MWD were high-er in the HIIT group than in the MICT group(P<0.05).After training,HRR-1 min and peak heart rate were higher in the HIIT group than in the MICT group(P<0.05).After training,the BMI,resting systolic blood pressure,and resting diastolic blood pressure levels in the MICT group were lower than those in the HIIT group(P<0.05).After training,the SF-36 scale scores of physical function,vitality,and health transition in the HIIT group were higher than those of the MICT group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Both HIIT and MICT can effectively improve cardiopulmonary function,aerobic exercise capaci-ty,cardiac autonomic function,cardiovascular risk factors,and quality of life in patients with coronary heart disease.HIIT demonstrated superior effects in improving cardiopulmonary function,aerobic exercise capacity,cardiac autonomic function,and quality of life in patients with coronary heart disease,while MICT is more ef-fective in improving cardiovascular risk factors.
10.EIF5A2 promotes epithelial mesenchymal transition in intrahepatic chol-angiocarcinoma cells through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway
Shao-hua YANG ; Yong-ping XU ; Zhuo-yu ZHAO ; Shi-bo ZHANG ; Xing-bao FANG ; Zhou-jun LIAO
Chinese Journal of Current Advances in General Surgery 2025;28(10):757-762
Objective:To investigate the the differential expression of EIF5A2 in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cell lines RBE,HCCC9810,and HUCCT1,and its effects on HCCC9810 cell migration and invasion,epithelial mesenchymal transition,and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.Methods:The differential expression of EIF5A2 in RBE,HCCC9810,and HUCCT1 cell lines was detected using WB method.The HCCC9810 cell line,with the highest expression of EIF5A2,was selected for this experiment.The expression of EIF5A2 in HCCC9810 cell line was silenced by transient transfection of small interfering RNA.The best silencing effect of small interfering RNA was screened by WB.Scratch assay and Tran-swell migration invasion assay were used to detect the effect of silencing EIF5A2 on the migration and invasion ability of HCCC9810 cells.WB was used to detect the effect of silencing EIF5A2 on PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and epithelial mesenchymal transition in HCCC9810 cells.Results:The WB results showed that EIF5A2 had the highest expression in the HCCC9810 cell line,and siRNA1 had the best silencing effect on EIF5A2 in the HCCC9810 cell line.Scratch assay and Transwell migration invasion assay results showed that silencing EIF5A2 in the HCCC9810 cell line resulted in a decrease in cell invasion and metastasis ability(P<0.05).At the same time,the expression of p-PI3K and p-AKT in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was significantly decreased(P<0.05),while the epithelial cell marker E-cadherin expression increased(P<0.05)and the stromal cell marker N-cadherin expression decreased(P<0.05).Conclusion:EIF5A2 may promote epi-thelial mesenchymal transition and enhance the migration and invasion ability of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cells through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

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