1.Changes in the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines and CD8+T cell subsets in the peripheral blood of patients with diabetic retinopathy
Wenjun JIANG ; Bolin ZHAO ; Shanbo MA ; Weimei MA ; Zhiyun WANG ; Jingni YU ; Ya LI
International Eye Science 2025;25(4):638-643
AIM:To investigate alterations in the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines and subsets of CD8+ T cells in the peripheral blood of patients with diabetic retinopathy(DR).METHODS:Retrospective study. A total of 40 patients with type 2 diabetes admitted to Xi'an People's Hospital(Xi'an Fourth Hospital)from April to July 2022 were recruited for this study and categorized into two groups: 20 cases in the simple type 2 diabetes mellitus(DM)group, and 20 cases in the DR group. Additionally, 20 healthy individuals undergoing routine physical examinations served as the control group. The expression levels of cytokines, including interleukin(IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-10 in peripheral blood were quantified using ELISA. Flow cytometry was employed to analyze the expression of programmed cell death-1(PD-1), T cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain protein-3(TIM-3), CD28, and CD57 on CD8+ T cells.RESULTS:The peripheral blood expression of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 inflammatory cytokines were significantly elevated in DR patients as detected by ELISA(all P<0.001); flow cytometry analysis showed that the expression of PD-1, TIM-3, and CD57 were elevated in peripheral blood CD8+ T cells of DR patients(all P<0.001), and the expression of CD28 was decreased(all P<0.001).CONCLUSION:In DR patients, CD8+ T cells may undergo depletion and senescence as a result of elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10.
2.The Role and Mechanism of Circadian Rhythm Regulation in Skin Tissue Regeneration
Ya-Qi ZHAO ; Lin-Lin ZHANG ; Xiao-Meng MA ; Zhen-Kai JIN ; Kun LI ; Min WANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(5):1165-1178
Circadian rhythm is an endogenous biological clock mechanism that enables organisms to adapt to the earth’s alternation of day and night. It plays a fundamental role in regulating physiological functions and behavioral patterns, such as sleep, feeding, hormone levels and body temperature. By aligning these processes with environmental changes, circadian rhythm plays a pivotal role in maintaining homeostasis and promoting optimal health. However, modern lifestyles, characterized by irregular work schedules and pervasive exposure to artificial light, have disrupted these rhythms for many individuals. Such disruptions have been linked to a variety of health problems, including sleep disorders, metabolic syndromes, cardiovascular diseases, and immune dysfunction, underscoring the critical role of circadian rhythm in human health. Among the numerous systems influenced by circadian rhythm, the skin—a multifunctional organ and the largest by surface area—is particularly noteworthy. As the body’s first line of defense against environmental insults such as UV radiation, pollutants, and pathogens, the skin is highly affected by changes in circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythm regulates multiple skin-related processes, including cyclic changes in cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, as well as DNA repair mechanisms and antioxidant defenses. For instance, studies have shown that keratinocyte proliferation peaks during the night, coinciding with reduced environmental stress, while DNA repair mechanisms are most active during the day to counteract UV-induced damage. This temporal coordination highlights the critical role of circadian rhythms in preserving skin integrity and function. Beyond maintaining homeostasis, circadian rhythm is also pivotal in the skin’s repair and regeneration processes following injury. Skin regeneration is a complex, multi-stage process involving hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling, all of which are influenced by circadian regulation. Key cellular activities, such as fibroblast migration, keratinocyte activation, and extracellular matrix remodeling, are modulated by the circadian clock, ensuring that repair processes occur with optimal efficiency. Additionally, circadian rhythm regulates the secretion of cytokines and growth factors, which are critical for coordinating cellular communication and orchestrating tissue regeneration. Disruptions to these rhythms can impair the repair process, leading to delayed wound healing, increased scarring, or chronic inflammatory conditions. The aim of this review is to synthesize recent information on the interactions between circadian rhythms and skin physiology, with a particular focus on skin tissue repair and regeneration. Molecular mechanisms of circadian regulation in skin cells, including the role of core clock genes such as Clock, Bmal1, Per and Cry. These genes control the expression of downstream effectors involved in cell cycle regulation, DNA repair, oxidative stress response and inflammatory pathways. By understanding how these mechanisms operate in healthy and diseased states, we can discover new insights into the temporal dynamics of skin regeneration. In addition, by exploring the therapeutic potential of circadian biology in enhancing skin repair and regeneration, strategies such as topical medications that can be applied in a time-limited manner, phototherapy that is synchronized with circadian rhythms, and pharmacological modulation of clock genes are expected to optimize clinical outcomes. Interventions based on the skin’s natural rhythms can provide a personalized and efficient approach to promote skin regeneration and recovery. This review not only introduces the important role of circadian rhythms in skin biology, but also provides a new idea for future innovative therapies and regenerative medicine based on circadian rhythms.
3.Constructing core outcome set for clinical research on traditional Chinese medicine treatment of post-stroke aphasia.
Ya-Nan MA ; Min-Jie XU ; Yu-Ai YANG ; Jian CHEN ; Qiao-Sheng REN ; Ying LI ; Jing-Ling CHANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(1):238-253
According to the principle and current domestic and international construction processes of core outcome set(COS) and the characteristics of post-stroke aphasia, this study built COS with evidence-based support for traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) treatment of post-stroke aphasia. Firstly, a comprehensive review was conducted on the articles about the TCM treatment of post-stroke aphasia that were published in the four major Chinese databases, three major English databases, and three clinical registration centers over the past five years. The articles were analyzed and summarized, on the basis of which the main part of the COS for clinical research on the TCM treatment of post-stroke aphasia was formed. Secondly, clinical doctors and related nursing personnel were interviewed, and important outcome indicators in the clinical diagnosis and treatment process were supplemented to form a pool of core outcome indicators. Two rounds of Delphi surveys were carried out to score the importance of the core outcome indicators in the pool. Finally, a consensus meeting of experts was held to establish the COS for clinical research on the TCM treatment of post-stroke aphasia. The final COS included a total of 268 studies [236 randomized controlled trials(RCTs), 21 Meta-analysis, and 11 clinical registration protocols] and 20 open questionnaire survey results. After two rounds of Delphi surveys, a total of 14 outcome indicators and their corresponding measurement tools were included in the expert consensus meeting. The final expert consensus meeting determined the COS for post-stroke aphasia, which included 9 indicator domains and 12 outcome indicators.
Humans
;
Aphasia/therapy*
;
Stroke/complications*
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
;
Treatment Outcome
4.Clematichinenoside AR protects bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells from hypoxia-induced apoptosis by maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis.
Zi-Tong ZHAO ; Peng-Cheng TU ; Xiao-Xian SUN ; Ya-Lan PAN ; Yang GUO ; Li-Ning WANG ; Yong MA
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(5):1331-1339
This study aims to elucidate the role and mechanism of clematichinenoside AR(CAR) in protecting bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs) from hypoxia-induced apoptosis. BMSCs were isolated by the bone fragment method and identified by flow cytometry. Cells were cultured under normal conditions(37℃, 5% CO_2) and hypoxic conditions(37℃, 90% N_2, 5% CO_2) and treated with CAR. The BMSCs were classified into eight groups: control(normal conditions), CAR(normal conditions + CAR), hypoxia 24 h, hypoxia 24 h + CAR, hypoxia 48 h, hypoxia 48 h + CAR, hypoxia 72 h, and hypoxia 72 h + CAR. The cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) assay and terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling(TUNEL) were employed to measure cell proliferation and apoptosis, respectively. The number of mitochondria and mitochondrial membrane potential were measured by MitoTracker®Red CM-H2XRo staining and JC-1 staining, respectively. The level of reactive oxygen species(ROS) was measured with the DCFH-DA fluorescence probe. The protein levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 associated X protein(BAX), caspase-3, and optic atrophy 1(OPA1) were determined by Western blot. The results demonstrated that CAR significantly increased cell proliferation. Compared with the control group, the hypoxia groups showed increased apoptosis rates, reduced mitochondria, elevated ROS levels, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, upregulated expression of BAX and caspase-3, and downregulated expression of OPA1. In comparison to the corresponding hypoxia groups, CAR intervention significantly decreased the apoptosis rate, increased mitochondria, reduced ROS levels, elevated mitochondrial membrane potential, downregulated the expression of BAX and caspase-3, and upregulated the expression of OPA1. Therefore, it can be concluded that CAR may exert an anti-apoptotic effect on BMSCs under hypoxic conditions by regulating OPA1 to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells/metabolism*
;
Apoptosis/drug effects*
;
Mitochondria/metabolism*
;
Animals
;
Rats
;
Cell Hypoxia/drug effects*
;
Homeostasis/drug effects*
;
Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism*
;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
;
Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial/drug effects*
;
Saponins/pharmacology*
;
Caspase 3/genetics*
;
Male
;
bcl-2-Associated X Protein/genetics*
;
Bone Marrow Cells/metabolism*
;
Cell Proliferation/drug effects*
;
Protective Agents/pharmacology*
;
Cells, Cultured
5.Application of Assessment Scales in Palliative Care for Glioma: A Systematic Review.
Zhi-Yuan XIAO ; Tian-Rui YANG ; Ya-Ning CAO ; Wen-Lin CHEN ; Jun-Lin LI ; Ting-Yu LIANG ; Ya-Ning WANG ; Yue-Kun WANG ; Xiao-Peng GUO ; Yi ZHANG ; Yu WANG ; Xiao-Hong NING ; Wen-Bin MA
Chinese Medical Sciences Journal 2025;40(3):211-218
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Patients with glioma experience a high symptom burden and have diverse palliative care needs. However, the assessment scales used in palliative care remain non-standardized and highly heterogeneous. To evaluate the application patterns of the current scales used in palliative care for glioma, we aim to identify gaps and assess the need for disease-specific scales in glioma palliative care. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of five databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, EMBASE, and CINAHL for quantitative studies that reported scale-based assessments in glioma palliative care. We extracted data on scale characteristics, domains, frequency, and psychometric properties. Quality assessments were performed using the Cochrane ROB 2.0 and ROBINS-I tools. RESULTS: Of the 3,405 records initially identified, 72 studies were included. These studies contained 75 distinct scales that were used 193 times. Mood (21.7%), quality of life (24.4%), and supportive care needs (5.2%) assessments were the most frequently assessed items, exceeding half of all scale applications. Among the various assessment dimensions, the Distress Thermometer (DT) was the most frequently used tool for assessing mood, while the Short Form-36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36) was the most frequently used tool for assessing quality of life. The Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) was the most common tool for cognitive assessment. Performance status (5.2%) and social support (6.8%) were underrepresented. Only three brain tumor-specific scales were identified. Caregiver-focused scales were limited and predominantly burden-oriented. CONCLUSIONS: There are significant heterogeneity, domain imbalances, and validation gaps in the current use of assessment scales for patients with glioma receiving palliative care. The scale selected for use should be comprehensive and user-friendly.
Humans
;
Glioma/psychology*
;
Palliative Care/methods*
;
Quality of Life
;
Psychometrics
;
Brain Neoplasms/psychology*
6.Protocol for development of Guideline for Interventions on Cervical Spine Health.
Jing LI ; Guang-Qi LU ; Ming-Hui ZHUANG ; Xin-Yue SUN ; Ya-Kun LIU ; Ming-Ming MA ; Li-Guo ZHU ; Zhong-Shi LI ; Wei CHEN ; Ji-Ge DONG ; Le-Wei ZHANG ; Jie YU
China Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology 2025;38(10):1083-1088
Cervical spine health issues not only seriously affect patients' quality of life but also impose a heavy burden on the social healthcare system. Existing guidelines lack sufficient clinical guidance on lifestyle and work habits, such as exercise, posture, daily routine, and diet, making it difficult to meet practical needs. To address this, relying on the China Association of Chinese Medicine, Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences took the lead and joined hands with more than ten institutions to form a multidisciplinary guideline development group. For the first time, the group developed the Guidelines for Cervical Spine Health Intervention based on evidence-based medicine methods, strictly following the standardized procedures outlined in the World Health Organization Handbook for Guideline Development and the Guiding Principles for the Formulation/Revision of Clinical Practice Guidelines in China (2022 Edition). This proposal systematically explains the methods and steps for developing the guideline, aiming to make the guideline development process scientific, standardized, and transparent.
Humans
;
Practice Guidelines as Topic/standards*
;
Cervical Vertebrae
;
China
7.Application of colloidal gold method and chemiluminescence method for detecting gonadotropins in morning urine to assess pubertal development status in children.
Xue-Qi ZHAO ; Wen-Li LU ; Wen-Ying LI ; Jun-Qi WANG ; Zhi-Ya DONG ; Yuan XIAO ; Xiao-Fei ZHANG ; Li JIANG ; Xiao-Yu MA
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(2):199-204
OBJECTIVES:
To explore the application of the colloidal gold method and chemiluminescence method in detecting gonadotropin (Gn) in morning urine for assessing pubertal development status in children.
METHODS:
A total of 132 children diagnosed with central precocious puberty (CPP), early and fast puberty (EFP), and premature thelarche (PT) at Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from November 2021 to December 2022 were included, along with 685 healthy children who underwent routine health examinations at the hospital's pediatric health care department during the same period. All 132 patients underwent a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test. Both patients and healthy children had their urinary Gn levels measured using the colloidal gold method and chemiluminescence method, including levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). The correlation between serum Gn and urinary Gn detected by the two methods, as well as the correlation between Tanner stages of healthy children and urinary Gn, was analyzed.
RESULTS:
Urine Gn levels detected by both the colloidal gold method and chemiluminescence method showed a positive correlation with serum LH baseline values, LH peak values, baseline LH/FSH ratios, and peak LH/FSH ratios (P<0.05). In healthy children, urinary LH levels detected by the chemiluminescence method gradually increased from Tanner stage Ⅰ to Ⅳ (P<0.05), while urinary FSH levels were lower in Tanner stage I than in stages Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and IV (P<0.05). Urinary LH levels detected by the colloidal gold method were lower in Tanner stage I compared to stages Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and IV, with the highest levels observed in Tanner stage Ⅳ (P<0.05). Additionally, urinary FSH levels in Tanner stage Ⅲ were higher than in stages Ⅰ and Ⅱ (P<0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for evaluating Tanner stages I and II in healthy children using urinary LH and FSH levels by the chemiluminescence method and urinary LH levels by the colloidal gold method were 0.730, 0.699, and 0.783, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
The colloidal gold method and chemiluminescence method for detecting Gn in morning urine show good correlation with serum Gn levels. As a non-invasive and convenient detection method, the colloidal gold method can serve as a useful tool for screening the onset of pubertal development in children.
Humans
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Child
;
Male
;
Female
;
Gold Colloid
;
Luminescent Measurements/methods*
;
Gonadotropins/urine*
;
Puberty
;
Luteinizing Hormone/urine*
;
Child, Preschool
;
Adolescent
;
Follicle Stimulating Hormone/urine*
8.Neuropsychological development status and risk factors in small for gestational age infants at corrected ages 12-24 months.
Ran TAN ; Li-Ya MA ; Chang LIU ; Qian LYU ; Bi-Lan DING ; Wan-Xiang XIAO
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(11):1339-1345
OBJECTIVES:
To explore the status and risk factors of neuropsychological development in small for gestational age (SGA) infants at corrected 12-24 months of age.
METHODS:
Clinical data were retrospectively collected for 754 SGA infants at corrected ages 12-24 months in Shenzhen Bao'an Women and Children's Hospital between April 2018 and December 2023. Developmental quotient (DQ) levels were analyzed. According to the presence of global developmental delay (GDD), participants were divided into a GDD group (71 cases) and a control group (683 cases), and the incidence and influencing factors of GDD were investigated.
RESULTS:
In the high-risk preterm SGA group, the total DQ and DQ in all domains were lower than in the full-term SGA group (P<0.017). The overall incidence of GDD was 9.4% (71/754) and increased with decreasing gestational age (P<0.017). Compared with the control group, the GDD group had higher proportions of males; low-risk and high-risk preterm birth; mothers with less than a bachelor's degree; multiple birth; neonatal hypoglycemia; neonatal pneumonia; neonatal respiratory distress syndrome; bronchopulmonary dysplasia; and, at corrected 12-24 months, low body weight, growth retardation, and microcephaly. The length of neonatal hospital stay was longer in the GDD group than in the control group (P<0.05). The weight-for-age Z score, length-for-age Z score, and head circumference-for-age Z score at birth and at corrected 12-24 months were lower in the GDD group than in the control group (P<0.05). Multivariable logistic regression showed that male sex and maternal education below a bachelor's degree were independent risk factors for GDD in SGA infants (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Neuropsychological development in preterm SGA infants is comparatively delayed; male SGA infants born to mothers with less than a bachelor's degree should receive priority attention.
Humans
;
Female
;
Male
;
Infant, Small for Gestational Age/psychology*
;
Risk Factors
;
Infant
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Child Development
;
Developmental Disabilities/epidemiology*
;
Infant, Newborn
;
Child, Preschool
9.Clinical Features, Prognostic Analysis and Predictive Model Construction of Central Nervous System Invasion in Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma.
Ya-Ting MA ; Yan-Fang CHEN ; Zhi-Yuan ZHOU ; Lei ZHANG ; Xin LI ; Xin-Hua WANG ; Xiao-Rui FU ; Zhen-Chang SUN ; Yu CHANG ; Fei-Fei NAN ; Ling LI ; Ming-Zhi ZHANG
Journal of Experimental Hematology 2025;33(3):760-768
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the clinical features and prognosis of central nervous system (CNS) invasion in peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) and construct a risk prediction model for CNS invasion.
METHODS:
Clinical data of 395 patients with PTCL diagnosed and treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from 1st January 2013 to 31st December 2022 were analyzed retrospectively.
RESULTS:
The median follow-up time of 395 PTCL patients was 24(1-143) months. There were 13 patients diagnosed CNS invasion, and the incidence was 3.3%. The risk of CNS invasion varied according to pathological subtype. The incidence of CNS invasion in patients with anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) was significantly higher than in patients with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) (P <0.05). The median overall survival was significantly shorter in patients with CNS invasion than in those without CNS involvement, with a median survival time of 2.4(0.6-127) months after diagnosis of CNS invasion. The results of univariate and multivariate analysis showed that more than 1 extranodal involvement (HR=4.486, 95%CI : 1.166-17.264, P =0.029), ALCL subtype (HR=9.022, 95%CI : 2.289-35.557, P =0.002) and ECOG PS >1 (HR=15.890, 95%CI : 4.409-57.262, P <0.001) were independent risk factors for CNS invasion in PTCL patients. Each of these risk factors was assigned a value of 1 point and a new prediction model was constructed. It could stratify the patients into three distinct groups: low-risk group (0-1 point), intermediate-risk group (2 points) and high-risk group (3 points). The 1-year cumulative incidence of CNS invasion in the high-risk group was as high as 50.0%. Further evaluation of the model showed good discrimination and accuracy, and the consistency index was 0.913 (95%CI : 0.843-0.984).
CONCLUSION
The new model shows a precise risk assessment for CNS invasion prediction, while its specificity and sensitivity need further data validation.
Humans
;
Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral/pathology*
;
Prognosis
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Central Nervous System Neoplasms/pathology*
;
Neoplasm Invasiveness
;
Male
;
Female
;
Central Nervous System/pathology*
;
Middle Aged
;
Adult
10.Diagnostic and treatment strategies for testicular torsion.
Qing-Song MENG ; Wan-Ze ZHANG ; Ming ZHANG ; Jiang-Hua JIA ; Xin WANG ; Wan-Li MA ; Yao-Hua WANG ; Ya-Xuan WANG
National Journal of Andrology 2025;31(3):222-225
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the differences between high-frequency ultrasound-guided manual detorsion combined with surgery (MD+S) and surgery alone in the treatment of testicular torsion, and to provide some new evidence for the timely diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
METHODS:
We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data on 134 cases of unilateral testicular torsion within 48 hours treated in our hospital by MD+S or by surgery alone from January 2015 to May 2022. We statistically analyzed the age distribution, and duration and degrees of testicular torsion, followed by comparison between the two groups.
RESULTS:
In the 134 cases, the median age of onset was 15 (13-19) years old, the median onset-to-visit time was 15 (8-25) hours, and the median degree of torsion was 360° (180°-1080°). Of the total number of patients, 21 underwent testicular excision and the other 113 were treated with the testis preserved, with no statistically significant difference in age distribution between the two groups (P>0.05), and a higher rate of testis resection in those with longer duration and greater angle of torsion (P<0.05). Totally, 33 of the patients were assigned to the MD+S group and 101 to the surgery alone group. According to the actual clinical conditions and excluding those with torsion time longer than 24 hours and torsion angle greater than 720 °, 28 of the patients underwent ultrasound-guided MD+S (with 1 case of testis resection, 3.6%), and 68 received surgery alone (with 7 cases of testis resection, 10.3%). The rate of testis resection was higher in the surgery alone than that in the MD+S group, but with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05), which was considered to be related to the small sample size in this study.
CONCLUSION
The popularization of testicular torsion knowledge can shorten the onset-to-visit time, and reasonable manual detorsion before emergency surgery can reduce the rate of testis resection.
Humans
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Male
;
Spermatic Cord Torsion/therapy*
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Adolescent
;
Young Adult
;
Ultrasonography
;
Testis/surgery*
;
Adult

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