1.Inflammation-driven Epithelial Remodeling and Persistent Cell-death Signaling Provide New Clues to Inflammatory Bowel Disease Relapse——a Commentary on Pang et al.’s Paper in Science (2026)
Xuan DONG ; Jia-Qi ZHANG ; Lian-Xiang LUO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(10):2733-2738
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disorder characterized by recurrent mucosal inflammation. Although biologics and small-molecule therapies can effectively suppress inflammation, only 13%-34% of patients achieve deep histological remission, and most experience relapse within 2-3 years. Existing biomarkers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), fecal calprotectin, and endoscopic measures, have limited ability to detect subclinical molecular abnormalities, suggesting that disease-driving factors may persist even during clinical remission. Recently, Pang et al. reported a study in Science that investigated the role of epithelial cell-death signaling using a prospective adult IBD cohort comprising 80 participants and more than 900 biopsy specimens. By integrating bulk and spatial transcriptomics, patient-derived organoids, and 24-36 months of longitudinal follow-up, the authors characterized epithelial cell-death programs associated with IBD persistence. They found that the necroptosis-associated marker pRIPK3 could be detected in the absence of overt histological inflammation and persisted during advanced therapy. IFN‑γ and TNF reshaped the transcriptional landscape of specific colonic epithelial cells, inducing an inflammatory macrophage-like program termed cluster B and triggering RIPK1-independent RIPK3 signaling. This was followed by NOS2/iNOS-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis driving colonocyte death, whereas PUMA-dependent apoptosis contributed to intestinal stem-cell loss. Higher baseline pRIPK3 levels were associated with subsequent disease activity, although their independent predictive value remains to be established. These findings suggest that persistent IBD may reflect not only residual immune inflammation but also inflammation-induced pathological epithelial states. Future therapeutic strategies may therefore need to extend beyond inflammation control toward “molecular repair”, including targeting noncanonical RIPK3 signaling, modulating iNOS/PUMA-dependent mitochondrial apoptosis, and developing relapse-risk stratification strategies based on tissue biomarkers such as pRIPK3. Such approaches may help shift the therapeutic goal from “clinical remission” toward “molecular healing”.
2.Reforming general practitioner training in China: system construction and practical exploration for a new era
Zequan JI ; Bingjie HU ; Yuyin LIAN ; Fangjian LI ; Xiang LIANG ; Yichuan LUO
Chinese Journal of General Practitioners 2025;24(9):1163-1167
This paper analyzes current issues in general practitioners (GP) education (e.g., inadequate systems, faculty shortages, misaligned training with community needs, low workforce attractiveness) and proposes strategies for reform in the new development era. Key recommendations include: strengthening academic discipline building in general practice within medical universities; innovating curricula to integrate prevention with treatment and emphasize practical skills; leveraging institutional resources to foster clinician-educator-researcher roles; tailoring training pathways to regional contexts; deepening collaboration between medical education and healthcare delivery systems; and building a robust lifelong learning framework for GPs. Furthermore, the paper details the comprehensive reform initiatives undertaken by Guangzhou Medical University (GMU). These include establishing integrated education platforms spanning university, hospital, and community settings. GMU′s experience offers valuable insights for enhancing GP training quality and scalability in China.
3.Exploration of New Susceptible Genes associated with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease among Children with Obesity Using Whole Exome Sequencing.
Xiong Feng PAN ; Cai Lian WEI ; Jia You LUO ; Jun Xia YAN ; Xiang XIAO ; Jie WANG ; Yan ZHONG ; Mi Yang LUO
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(6):727-739
OBJECTIVE:
This study aimed to evaluate the association between susceptibility genes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in children with obesity.
METHODS:
We conducted a two-step case-control study. Ninety-three participants were subjected to whole-exome sequencing (exploratory set). Differential genes identified in the small sample were validated in 1,022 participants using multiplex polymerase chain reaction and high-throughput sequencing (validation set).
RESULTS:
In the exploratory set, 14 genes from the NAFLD-associated pathways were identified. In the validation set, after adjusting for sex, age, and body mass index, ECI2 rs2326408 (dominant model: OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.02-1.72; additive model: OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.01-1.47), C6orf201 rs659305 (dominant model: OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.01-1.69; additive model: OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.00-1.45), CALML5 rs10904516 (pre-ad dominant model: OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.01-1.83; adjusted dominant model: OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.03-1.91; and pre-ad additive model: OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.04-1.66) polymorphisms were significantly associated with NAFLD in children with obesity ( P < 0.05). Interaction analysis revealed that the gene-gene interaction model of CALML5 rs10904516, COX11 rs17209882, and SCD5 rs3733228 was optional ( P < 0.05), demonstrating a negative interaction between the three genes.
CONCLUSION
In the Chinese population, the CALML5 rs10904516, C6orf201 rs659305, and ECI2 rs2326408 variants could be genetic markers for NAFLD susceptibility.
Humans
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Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/genetics*
;
Child
;
Male
;
Female
;
Genetic Predisposition to Disease
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Case-Control Studies
;
Exome Sequencing
;
Adolescent
;
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
;
Obesity/complications*
;
Pediatric Obesity/complications*
;
China
4.Reforming general practitioner training in China: system construction and practical exploration for a new era
Zequan JI ; Bingjie HU ; Yuyin LIAN ; Fangjian LI ; Xiang LIANG ; Yichuan LUO
Chinese Journal of General Practitioners 2025;24(9):1163-1167
This paper analyzes current issues in general practitioners (GP) education (e.g., inadequate systems, faculty shortages, misaligned training with community needs, low workforce attractiveness) and proposes strategies for reform in the new development era. Key recommendations include: strengthening academic discipline building in general practice within medical universities; innovating curricula to integrate prevention with treatment and emphasize practical skills; leveraging institutional resources to foster clinician-educator-researcher roles; tailoring training pathways to regional contexts; deepening collaboration between medical education and healthcare delivery systems; and building a robust lifelong learning framework for GPs. Furthermore, the paper details the comprehensive reform initiatives undertaken by Guangzhou Medical University (GMU). These include establishing integrated education platforms spanning university, hospital, and community settings. GMU′s experience offers valuable insights for enhancing GP training quality and scalability in China.
5.Analysis of drug resistance and molecular characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes from food and clinical sources in Guizhou Province in 2022
Qian ZHOU ; Lian ZHENG ; Jing-Shu XIANG ; Jing-Yu HUANG ; Shu ZHU ; De-Zhu ZHANG ; Xin-Xu LUO ; Li ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Zoonoses 2024;40(7):613-619
This study was aimed at understanding the serotypes,virulence,drug resistance,and genetics of the pathogenic genes from 29 strains of foodborne Listeria monocytogenes in Guizhou Province in 2022.The minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC)values against eight antibiotics were determined with the microbroth dilution method,and whole genome sequencing was performed on 29 L.monocytogenes strains isolated from food microbiology and foodborne disease surveillance efforts in the province in 2022.The genome sequences were assembled,and bioinformatics analyses were conducted to examine genealogy,serogroups,sequence analysis(ST type),clonal groups(CC type),resistance genes,and virulence genes.A total of 29 strains of L.monocytogenes had resistance to zero to eight antibiotics,and carried six resistance genes.All strains of L.monocytogenes carried fosX,mprF,Lin,and norB.The 29 strains of L.monocytogenes belonged to 2 lineages(Ⅰ and Ⅱ):17 strains belonged to lineage Ⅱ,which was the dominant strain,and 12 strains belonged to lineage Ⅰ.The strains were classified into 13 ST types,among which ST8 was dominant,accounting for 31.03%(9/29 strains),and was followed by ST619 and ST121,accounting for three strains each.The strains were di-vided into four serogroups,with 15 strains in serogroups 1/2a and 3a;11 strains in serogroups 1/2b,3b,and 7;2 strains in serogroups 1/2c and 3c;and 1 strain in serogroups 4b,4d,and 4e.The strains were divided into 12 CC types,and one unsub-divided CC type,ST2348,among which CC8 was dominant,accounting for 27.59%(nine strains).A total of 25 virulence genes were found,which belonged to three virulence islands(LIPI-1,LIPI-2,and LIPI-3)and 23 CL types,including one or two strains each,and three CL types including two strains each.Foodborne L.monocytogenes in Guizhou Province has a low level of drug resistance,carries a high number of virulence genes,and shows genetic diversity in serogroups and molecular phe-notypes.These findings should strengthen the continuous surveillance efforts for Listeria monocytogenes.
6.Actinomycotic osteomyelitis in the maxilla and the zygomatic bone: a case report and literature review
ZHENG Xiaofei ; CHENG Jiao ; LUO Xiangyou ; XIANG Xiaobo ; MAN Cheng ; JIANG Lian
Journal of Prevention and Treatment for Stomatological Diseases 2023;31(9):653-659
Objective:
To investigate the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of osteomyelitis of the jaw caused by an actinomycotic infection and to provide a reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Methods:
A case of osteomyelitis in the bilateral maxilla and the left zygomatic bone and arch caused by a mixed bacterial infection dominated by Actinomycetes was reviewed and analyzed in combination with the literature.
Results :
The patient had left upper posterior tooth pain with repeated left facial swelling for 7 months. The patient's left face was swollen before surgery, the left maxillary alveolar bone was necrotic, and the upper palate showed fistula discharge. A maxillofacial magnetic resonance imaging scan excluded tumors and other space-occupying lesions. According to CBCT images, the initial diagnoses were left infraorbital space infection and osteomyelitis of the bilateral maxillary, the left zygomatic bone, the left zygomatic arch and the lateral orbital wall. Necrosis of the left maxilla and the zygomatic bone was excised, the focus was cleared and the focal tooth was extracted under general anesthesia. Histopathological results confirmed osteomyelitis and actinomycotic infection. Anti-inflammatory therapy with penicillin sodium was given before surgery, and piperacillin sodium and tazobactam sodium, dexamethasone sodium phosphate, tranexamic acid and mecobalamine were given after surgery. The patients' 6-month follow-up results showed that the maxillofacial shape was basically symmetrical; no ulceration, pus or abnormal secretion was found in the skin or intraoral mucosa; and the surgical area showed good recovery. A review of the relevant literature showed that Actinomyces is an opportunistic pathogen, and factors such as trauma and dental infection have been implicated in the pathogenesis of osteomyelitis. In addition to surgery, antibiotics are used to treat the disease and multidisciplinary symptomatic treatment combined with supportive treatment is required to achieve a better prognostic effect.
Conclusion
Actinomycotic osteomyelitis occurring in the maxilla and the zygomatic bone is an extremely rare disease that can be diagnosed by clinical manifestations, bacteriological examination and biopsy. Appropriate and effective penicillin drugs should be given at the initial stage of treatment, more sensitive antibiotics should be selected according to the results of the drug sensitivity test, and the lesions should be surgically removed when the patient's condition improves. Active symptomatic and supportive treatment should be performed during the treatment period.
7.A comparative study of automatic delineation of organs at risk for prostate cancer based on deep learning and atlas library
Xuejing XIANG ; Yuanyuan LUO ; Lian LI ; Yu DENG ; Xiaojie MA
Chinese Journal of Radiological Medicine and Protection 2023;43(6):435-439
Objective:To compare the effect of uPWS R15 software based on deep learning with MIM-Maestro 6.9 software based on atlas library to automatically delineate the organs at risk of prostate cancer in order to provide a reference for clinical application.Methods:The CT data of 90 prostate cancer patients admitted to the Department of Oncology Radiotherapy of the Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College from 2018 to 2022 were retrospectively selected. Based on the uPWS R15 software developed by Shanghai United Imaging Medical Technology Company and the MIM-Maestro 6.9 software developed by Beijing Mingwei Vision Medical Software Company, the effects of uPWS and MIM software on automatic delineation of organs at risk were evaluated according to five parameters, including delineation time (T), Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), Jaccard similarity coefficient (JSC), Hausdorff distance (HD) and the mean distance to agreement (MDA).Results:The sketching time of uPWS software was less than that of MIM software. There were no significant differences in the sketching effect of femoral head and skin between the two software (all P>0.05). The delineation of right kidney ( tMDA=-3.43, zDSC=-4.03, zJSC=-4.16, P<0.05), left kidney ( tMDA=-3.87, zDSC=-4.18, zJSC=-4.41, P<0.05), small intestine ( tMDA=-8.57, zDSC=-9.99, tJSC=14.21, P<0.05) and rectum ( zMDA=-4.00, tDSC=-9.98, tJSC= 9.72, P< 0.05) except HD, was statistically different. The bladder ( z=-7.88, -9.00, -8.17, -8.74, P<0.05) and spinalcord ( z=-3.87, -4.43, 4.03, 3.05, P<0.05) were also delineated with significant differences. The DSC automatically delineated by uPWS software was >0.7, while the DSC automatically delineated by MIM software was >0.7 for all other organs at risk except small intestine and rectum. In addition, the HD, MDA and JSC values of the organs at risk (bilateral femoral head, bilateral kidneys, spinal cord, bladder, skin, rectum and small intestine) automatically delineated by uPWS software were generally better than those with MIM software. Conclusions:The uPWS software outlines better than the MIM software, but the MIM software can also be used clinically with modifications to the small bowel and rectum, saving a great deal of time in preparation for radiation therapy.
8.Survey on natural language processing in medical image analysis.
Zhengliang LIU ; Mengshen HE ; Zuowei JIANG ; Zihao WU ; Haixing DAI ; Lian ZHANG ; Siyi LUO ; Tianle HAN ; Xiang LI ; Xi JIANG ; Dajiang ZHU ; Xiaoyan CAI ; Bao GE ; Wei LIU ; Jun LIU ; Dinggang SHEN ; Tianming LIU
Journal of Central South University(Medical Sciences) 2022;47(8):981-993
Recent advancement in natural language processing (NLP) and medical imaging empowers the wide applicability of deep learning models. These developments have increased not only data understanding, but also knowledge of state-of-the-art architectures and their real-world potentials. Medical imaging researchers have recognized the limitations of only targeting images, as well as the importance of integrating multimodal inputs into medical image analysis. The lack of comprehensive surveys of the current literature, however, impedes the progress of this domain. Existing research perspectives, as well as the architectures, tasks, datasets, and performance measures examined in the present literature, are reviewed in this work, and we also provide a brief description of possible future directions in the field, aiming to provide researchers and healthcare professionals with a detailed summary of existing academic research and to provide rational insights to facilitate future research.
Humans
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Natural Language Processing
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Surveys and Questionnaires
9.Anti-tumor Effect and Mechanisms of Triterpenoids and Polysaccharides in Ganoderma lucidum: A Review
Meng-chen WANG ; Xue-lian ZHANG ; Xiang-dong CHEN ; Jin LAN ; Fei WEI ; Yun LUO ; Xiao-bo SUN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2022;28(5):234-241
With the population aging, the morbidity and mortality of cancer patients continue to rise. At present, the treatment methods for tumors include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. However, most chemotherapeutic drugs can cause severe side effects and drug resistance. Therefore, as an alternative therapy, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment can effectively relieve the clinical symptoms of tumor patients, improve the quality of life, inhibit or stabilize the development of tumors, and prolong the survival period of patients. Due to the good safety of Chinese medicine, its potential anti-cancer activity has attracted increasing attention. Ganoderma lucidum, a treasure of Chinese medicinal material, is a medicinal fungus with a history of more than 2 000 years in China. So far, many studies have proposed the anti-cancer properties of G. lucidum. G. lucidum has extensive pharmacological activities, such as anti-tumor, anti-atherosclerosis, and anti-aging. It can also regulate immunity, protect the liver and the heart, and reduce blood glucose and lipid. The chemical composition of G. lucidum is complex. At present, it is proved to contain polysaccharides, triterpenoids, alkaloids, nucleosides, amino acids, and various trace elements. The anti-tumor mechanisms of polysaccharides and triterpenoids in G. lucidum are mainly achieved by apoptosis induction, immune regulation, anti-angiogenesis, and induction of cell cycle arrest. Currently, it has been widely used in the adjuvant treatment of complex tumors such as lung cancer, liver cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer. The present study reviewed the bioactivities and mechanisms of triterpenoids and polysaccharides in G. lucidum in recent years and highlighted the anti-tumor effects and mechanisms to provide references for the further development and utilization of G. lucidum.
10.Value of Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound in Differential Diagnosis between Cholesterol Polyp and Gallbladder Adenoma.
Lian-Hua ZHU ; Xiang FEI ; Peng HAN ; Nan LI ; Shu-Yuan LIANG ; Yu-Kun LUO
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2021;43(3):350-356
Objective To compare the performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)and ultrasound(US)in the differential diagnosis between cholesterol polyps and gallbladder adenomas. Methods A total of 136 patients with gallbladder polyp lesions(GPLs)and undergoing cholecystectomy in the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2019 to October 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.All the patients underwent US and CEUS examinations before cholecystectomy.US and CEUS images of cholesterol polyps and gallbladder adenomas were compared for the evaluation of the performance of CEUS in the diagnosis of gallbladder adenomas. Results The 136 cases of GPLs included 95 cases of cholesterol polyps and 41 cases of gallbladder adenomas.Cholesterol polyps and gallbladder adenomas showed significant differences in the maximum size of GPLs(
Adenoma/diagnostic imaging*
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Cholesterol
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Contrast Media
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Diagnosis, Differential
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Gallbladder/diagnostic imaging*
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Humans
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Retrospective Studies
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Ultrasonography


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