1.Perioperative immune dynamics and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing on-pump cardiac surgery
Zhiyuan CHENG ; Xinyi LIAO ; Juan WU ; Ping YANG ; Tingting WANG ; Qinjuan WU ; Wentong MENG ; Zongcheng TANG ; Jiayi SUN ; Jia TAN ; Jing LIN ; Dan LUO ; Hao WANG ; Chaonan LIU ; Jiyue XIONG ; Liqin LING ; Jing ZHOU ; Lei DU
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2026;39(1):31-43
Objective: To characterize perioperative dynamic changes in immune-cell phenotypes and inflammatory cytokines in patients undergoing CPB (cardiopulmonary bypass) cardiac surgery, and to explore their associations with postoperative outcomes. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 120 adult patients who underwent elective cardiac surgery under CPB at West China Hospital from May 2022 to March 2023 were enrolled. Perioperative immune-cell phenotypes and concentrations of 40 inflammation-related cytokines were measured. The primary outcomes were the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score at 24 h after surgery and ΔSOFA (the peak SOFA score within 48 h after surgery minus the preoperative SOFA score). Secondary outcomes included major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), acute kidney injury (AKI), respiratory failure, severe liver injury, and infection. Results: The mean age of enrolled patients was 57±10 years. Of these, 52% (62/120) were male and 90% (108/120) underwent valve surgery. During the rewarming to the end of CPB, neutrophil counts rapidly increased (7.39×10
/L vs preoperative 3.07×10
/L, P<0.001), with significant upregulation of CD11b (7.30×10
/L vs preoperative 3.05×10
/L, P<0.001) and CD54 (7.15×10
/L vs preoperative 2.99×10
/L, P<0.001). Lymphocyte counts increased at the end of CPB (1.75×10
/L vs preoperative 1.12×10
/L, P<0.001) but decreased significantly at 24 h after surgery (0.59×10
/L vs preoperative 1.12×10
/L, P<0.001). Plasma analysis showed that multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines increased during CPB and remained elevated up to 24 h after surgery; five chemokines and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 peaked at the end of CPB. The SOFA score increased from 1 (1, 2) preoperatively to 7 (5, 10) at 24 h after surgery, with a ΔSOFA of 6 (4, 8). Within 30 days after surgery, 48 patients (40.0%) developed AKI, 17 (14.2%) developed infection, 4 (3.3%) developed severe liver injury, 3 (2.5%) developed respiratory failure, and 3 (2.5%) experienced MACE. During the 2-year follow-up, 8 patients (6.7%) experienced MACE and 5 (4.2%) died. Conclusion: Multi-organ dysfunction is common after cardiac surgery under CPB (median ΔSOFA, 6), accompanied by perioperative activation of multiple immune-cell subsets and upregulation of pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and chemotactic mediators. This study provides data-driven evidence and research clues for further investigation of the associations between CPB-related immune perturbations and postoperative organ dysfunction and clinical outcomes.
2.Inheritance and Current Research Status of Major Spleen-Stomach Theories in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Ling HU ; Fengyun WANG ; Xudong TANG ; Beihua ZHANG ; Yunkai DAI ; Xu CHEN ; Shiqi LI
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(1):87-94
This paper systematically reviews the core concepts and lines of theoretical inheritance of major spleen-stomach theories in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), including spleen deficiency theory, spleen-stomach damp-heat theory, and liver-spleen disharmony theory. It is found that these theories have all undergone a developmental trajectory characterized by classical foundation, refinement of therapeutic methods, systematization of pathogenesis, and modern innovation. The evolution of spleen-stomach theory has achieved a shift from a singular focus on tonifying the spleen to regulating dynamic middle-jiao (焦) balance, and from localized spleen-stomach regulation to the circular movement of qi involving all five zang organs. In terms of modern disease-syndrome integrative research, spleen deficiency syndrome is shown to be closely associated with impairment of the gastrointestinal mucosal barrier, metabolic disorders, and gene polymorphisms related to Helicobacter pylori-associated gastric diseases. Spleen-stomach damp-heat syndrome is closely linked to hyperactive energy metabolism, inflammatory cytokines, and abnormal expression of aquaporins. Liver-spleen disharmony syndrome is mainly associated with dysregulation of the brain-gut axis and microbiota-related metabolic disorders. It is proposed that future research on spleen-stomach diseases and syndromes should further elucidate their potential multidimensional differential biological characteristics, thereby promoting the modernization of the TCM discipline of spleen-stomach studies.
3.Zuoguiwan Mitigates Oxidative Stress in Rat Model of Hyperthyroidism Due to Kidney-Yin Deficiency via DRD4/NOX4 Pathway
Ling LIN ; Qianming LIANG ; Changsheng DENG ; Li RU ; Zhiyong XU ; Chao LI ; Mingshun SHEN ; Yueming YUAN ; Muzi LI ; Lei YANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(2):43-51
ObjectiveTo decipher the mechanism by which Zuoguiwan (ZGW) treat hyperthyroidism in rats with kidney-Yin deficiency based on the dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4)/nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase 4 (NOX4) signaling pathway. MethodsThe rat model of kidney-Yin deficiency was induced by unilateral intramuscular injection of dexamethasone (0.35 mg·kg-1). After successful modeling, the rats were randomized into model, methimazole (positive control, 5 mg·kg-1), low-, medium-, and high-dose (1.85, 3.70, 7.40 g·kg-1, respectively) ZGW, and normal control groups. After 21 days of continuous gavage, the behavioral indexes and body weight changes of rats were evaluated. The pathological changes of the renal tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The serum levels of thyroid hormones [triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)], renal function indexes [serum creatine (Scr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN)], energy metabolism markers [cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)], and oxidative stress-related factors [superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and NADPH)] were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Western blot was employed to analyze the expression of DRD4, NOX4, mitochondrial respiratory chain complex proteins [NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase subunit S4 (NDUFS4) and cytochrome C oxidase subunit 4 (COX4)], and inflammation-related protein [tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)] pathway in the renal tissue. ResultsCompared with the normal group, the model group showed mental malaise, body weight decreases (P<0.01), inflammatory cell infiltration in the renal tissue, a few residual parotid glands in the thyroid, elevations in serum levels of T3, T4, Scr, BUN, cAMP, cAMP/cGMP, MDA, and NADPH (P<0.01), down-regulation in protein levels of TSH, SOD, and DRD4 (P<0.05, P<0.01), and up-regulation in expression of NOX4, p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK, and inflammatory factors (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, ZGW increased the body weight (P<0.05, P<0.01), reduced the infiltration of renal interstitial inflammatory cells, restored the thyroid structure and follicle size, lowered the serum levels of T3, T4, Scr, BUN, cAMP, cAMP/cGMP, MDA and NADPH (P<0.05, P<0.01), up-regulated the expression of TSH, SOD and DRD4 (P<0.05, P<0.01), and down-regulated the expression of NOX4, p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK, and inflammatory factors (P<0.05, P<0.01). Moreover, high-dose ZGW outperformed methimazole (P<0.05). ConclusionBy activating DRD4, ZGW can inhibit the expression of NOX4 mediated by the p38 MAPK pathway, reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory response, thereby ameliorating the pathological state of hyperthyroidism due to kidney-Yin deficiency. This study provides new molecular mechanism support for the clinical application of ZGW.
4.γ-Elemene Impairs Mitochondrial Biogenesis in Breast Cancer Cells by Upregulating GCN5-Mediated PGC-1α Acetylation
Ling TANG ; Mingyan WANG ; Jia LIU ; Qiong YU ; Chen CHEN ; Lihua JIA ; Jiyi XIA
Biomolecules & Therapeutics 2026;34(1):165-173
Mitochondrial biogenesis represents a promising therapeutic target in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) due to its essential role in cancer cell metabolism and survival. The natural compound γ-Elemene exhibits potent anti-tumor activity, but its effects on mitochondrial regulation in TNBC remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that γ-Elemene induces dose-dependent cytotoxicity in MDA-MB-468 and HCC1806 TNBC cells while significantly impairing mitochondrial function, as shown by reduced membrane potential, oxidative phosphorylation capacity, and ATP production. γ-Elemene treatment markedly suppressed mitochondrial biogenesis, decreasing mitochondrial DNA content and downregulating key mitochondrial genes and proteins. These effects were associated with reduced expression of the master regulators NRF1 and TFAM, but independent of PGC-1α expression levels.Mechanistically, γ-Elemene upregulated the acetyltransferase GCN5, leading to enhanced PGC-1α acetylation. This upregulation occurs primarily through increased GCN5 transcription. Genetic ablation of GCN5 completely reversed γ-Elemene-induced PGC-1α acetylation and restored mitochondrial biogenesis and cell viability, establishing a critical role for GCN5 in mediating these effects. Our findings reveal a novel mechanism whereby γ-Elemene disrupts mitochondrial function in TNBC through GCN5-mediated PGC-1α acetylation, providing new insights into its anti-cancer properties and potential therapeutic applications against TNBC.
5.Incidence and influencing factors of atrial fibrillation in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Jiajia LI ; Hui HU ; Jian ZHANG ; Ju ZHAO ; Qiumei YANG ; Qingqing TANG ; Ling YUAN
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2026;37(4):86-90
Objective To analyze the incidence rate and risk factors of atrial fibrillation (AF) in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods A total of 392 patients with COPD in the hospital were selected from December 2020 to December 2024. Patients' data (medical history, echocardiographic data, etc.) were recorded. The incidence rate of AF in patients was recorded and the patients were grouped according to whether or not they developed AF. The differences were compared between the two groups, and the risk factors of AF occurrence in elderly patients with COPD were analyzed. Results Among the 392 patients with COPD, 127 cases (32.40%) met the diagnostic criteria of AF. There were statistically significant differences in age, pulmonary infection, heart failure, diabetes, smoking history, disease duration, LAD, severe renal insufficiency and coronary heart disease between the AF group and the non-AF group (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that age, pulmonary infection, heart failure, diabetes mellitus, smoking history, disease course, LAD, severe renal insufficiency and coronary heart disease were all risk factors for elderly patients with COPD (OR=1.129, 4.246, 3.955, 4.125, 2.038, 1.112, 1.102, 4.397, and 3.865, P<0.05). Conclusion The incidence rate of AF is high in elderly patients with COPD. Age, pulmonary infection, heart failure, diabetes mellitus, smoking history, course of disease, LAD, severe renal insufficiency, and coronary heart disease are all risk factors for AF.
6.Impact of"knowledge-attitude-practice"training mode on head nurses' core competency in healthcare-associated infection prevention and control in a tertiary first-class general hospital
Jiahui FEI ; Jing ZHANG ; Yuning TANG ; Wei GE ; Gaihua HE ; Lili MA ; Ling GAO ; Shanhong FAN
Chinese Journal of Infection Control 2025;24(6):837-844
Objective To explore the impact of"knowledge-attitude-practice"(KAP)training mode on head nur-ses' core competency in healthcare-associated infection(HAI)prevention and control in a tertiary first-class general hospital.Methods Head nurses of 113 departments in a tertiary first-class general hospital were taken as the re-search objects.Guided by problems and demands,HAI training was conducted using the KAP training mode.The training was divided into two stages:a stage with problems of infection control and investigation of knowledge de-mands,as well as a stage with KAP training mode implementation.It included theoretical lectures,visits and lear-ning,and supervision on rectification.Scores of theory,supervision,and core competency of head nurses before training,1 month and 6 months after training were compared by the analysis of variance.SPSS 26.0 statistical soft-ware was used for analysis.Results The top three infection control problems in this hospital were hand hygiene,prevention and control of infection with multidrug-resistant organisms,as well as HAI prevention and control in the wards.The top three training modules required urgently by the head nurses were occupational exposure and self-protection,principles of medical waste disposal,as well as prevention and control of HAI in the wards.Both scores of theory and supervision after training were higher than those before training,with statistically significant diffe-rences(both P<0.01).The core competencies of the head nurses were at a high level.After implementing KAP training mode,the scores of dimensions in critical thought and research,clinical nursing,leadership,and profe-ssional development,as well as the overall score of core competencies were all higher than before training.Diffe-rences were all statistically significant(all P<0.05).The overall scores of dimensions in legal and ethical practice,education and consultation,as well as interpersonal relationship were all higher than before training,but the diffe-rences were not statistically significant(all P>0.05).Conclusion KAP training mode can significantly improve the scores of theory,supervision,and core competencies of head nurses,and can be further promoted and applied in head nurses' infection control training.
7.Risk prediction model for ischemic stroke in symptomatic intracranial atherosclerosis patients based on high-resolution MRI and arterial spin labeling
Ling LI ; Qianqian WANG ; Min TANG ; Na ZHANG ; Yu WEN ; Xiaoling ZHANG ; Xiaoyan LEI ; Xuejiao YAN
Journal of Practical Radiology 2025;41(5):726-731
Objective To develop a risk prediction model for ischemic stroke in symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis(ICAS)patients based on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging(HR-MRI)and arterial spin labeling(ASL)imaging.Methods A total of 142 patients were included and divided into acute ischemic stroke(AIS)and transient ischemic attack(TIA)groups based on stroke occurrence.Clinical risk factors,plaque characteristics,and arterial transit artifact(ATA)presence on ASL images were compared between the two groups.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed,incorporating clinical risk factors,plaque characteristics,and double post labeling delay(PLD)ATA presence.The predictive value of different models was compared using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve and DeLong tests.Results Hypertension,positive lumen remodeling,plaque enhance-ment rate,1.5 s-ATA presence,and 2.5 s-ATA presence were independent risk factors for AIS(P<0.05).The combination of HR-MRI and ASL imaging predicted AIS most effectively[area under the curve(AUC)=0.908;95% confidence interval(CI)0.862-0.954].No significant difference was found between the prediction performances of HR-MRI and ASL(95%CI-0.041-0.082,Z=0.659,P=0.509).Conclusion ASL is more convenient than HR-MRI for predicting ischemic stroke in ICAS patients.A model combining plaque characteristics and ATA presence effectively predicts AIS occurrence.
8.Study on the consistency of voice collection across different smartphone brands and its clinical usability
Jiaxing ZHENG ; Kaiwen CHEN ; Yuting TANG ; Gang WANG ; Yunting XU ; Jianlin OU ; Yixuan HUANG ; Weixing LING ; Zhuoming CHEN
Journal of Audiology and Speech Pathology 2025;33(3):216-221
Objective To compare the consistency of voice parameters collected by commonly used smart-phone brands in China and professional recording equipment,and to study whether smartphones can be used for voice research.Methods A total of 67 normal subjects were selected for voice recording using six different smart-phone brands(via the"Active Health"screening APP from the National Key Research and Development Program)and professional recording equipment.Acoustic voice parameters such as fundamental frequency parameters,fre-quency variation parameters,amplitude variation parameters,formant parameters,and energy parameters were ex-tracted from the vowels/a/,/i/,and/u/.A one-way ANOVA test and Tukey's HSD post-hoc comparisons were conducted on the independent variables.Results There were no significant differences between smartphones and professional recording equipment in terms of fundamental frequency parameters such as median F0,mean F0,max F0 and min F0;frequency parameters such as jitter local,jitter local absolute,jitter rap,jitter ppq5,and jitter ddp;amplitude parameters such as shimmer local,shimmer local dB,shimmer apq3,shimmer apq5,shimmer apq11,and shimmer dda;and formant parameters such as F1,F2,F3,and F4.However,significant differences were found in energy parameters such as mean energy(F=31.171,P<0.001),max energy(F=34.193,P<0.001),and min energy(F=5.453,P<0.001)between smartphones and professional recording equipment.Conclusion The smartphones using the"Active Health"screening app from the National Key Research and Development Program can replace professional recording equipment for voice research.However,caution should be exercised when selec-ting energy-related acoustic parameters.
9.Application of electrical stimulation-induced auditory brainstem response monitoring in acoustic neuroma surgery
Tianci FENG ; Maojin LIANG ; Haidi YANG ; Yuebo CHEN ; Xiaowu TANG ; Ling CHEN ; Suijun CHEN
Journal of Audiology and Speech Pathology 2025;33(3):244-248
Objective To investigate the protective effect of electrical stimulation-induced auditory brainstem response(EABR)monitoring on the cochlear nerve pathway during acoustic neuroma surgery.Methods The data of 36 patients who underwent acoustic neuroma surgery were studied,all surgeries were performed using the middle fossa approach.Among them,18 cases were monitored intraoperatively using EABR monitoring 4 times as the mo-nitoring group,while the other 18 cases underwent surgery without monitoring as the control group.The monito-ring group,preoperatively,there were 7 ears classified as grade A,6 ears as grade B,and 5 ears as grade C.The preoperative pure tone average thresholds(0.5,1.0,2.0,4.0 kHz)were 37.60±16.95 dB HL,and the maximum tumor diameter was 13.76±4.37 mm.The control group,preoperatively,there were 4 ears classified as grade A,7 ears as grade B,and 7 ears as grade C.The preoperative pure tone average was 46.80±22.64 dB HL,and the max-imum tumor diameter was 13.74±4.26 mm.Results In the monitoring group,except for the first monitoring,the V-wave evoked rate was 72.22%(13/18),and for the remaining three times,it was 100.00%(18/18).The mini-mum current stimulation intensity that could evoke the V-wave was 0.5 mA,and the V-wave latency was 3.97±0.17 ms.Follow-up was conducted for both groups of patients within 1 to 3 months postoperatively.In the monito-ring group,there were 7 ears classified as grade A,4 ears as grade B,4 ears as grade C,and 3 ears as grade D.Among them,3 patients experienced hearing loss after surgery,and the postoperative pure tone average was 52.20±38.35 dB HL.In the control group,there was 1 ear classified as grade A,1 ear as grade B,6 ears as grade C,and 10 ears as grade D.Among them,10 patients experienced hearing loss after surgery,and the postoperative pure tone average was 90.90±37.28 dB HL.Conclusion EABR monitoring during the resection of acoustic neuroma not only has positive significance for improving the hearing protection rate of acoustic neuroma surgery,but also assists the surgeons in identifying the cochlear nerve during surgery.The integrity of the auditory nerve pathway is protec-ted to the greatest extent for possible cochlear implanting.
10.Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in children:clinical analysis of 6 cases and literature review
Mei-Ling TANG ; Wei-Ling ZHANG ; Yi-Zhuo WANG ; Yi ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(12):1520-1525
Objective To study the clinical characteristics,imaging findings,pathological features,treatment methods,and prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in children.Methods The clinical data of 6 children(<18 years)with nasopharyngeal carcinoma admitted to the Department of Pediatrics,Beijing Tongren Hospital from March 2021 to February 2025 were retrospectively reviewed,and outcomes were followed up.Results All 6 patients were male.Age at onset ranged from 11 to 15 years,with a median of 12.5 years.The interval from onset to diagnosis was 1-6 months.The main clinical symptoms were cervical mass(4 cases,67%)and headache(3 cases,50%);some patients also had nasal congestion and rhinorrhea,epistaxis,or limited mouth opening.TNM staging was stage III in 4 cases and stage IVa in 2 cases.All patients had non-keratinizing undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma on pathology.Treatments included radiotherapy,chemotherapy,surgery,targeted therapy,and immunotherapy.By July 1,2025,after comprehensive treatment,5 patients(83%)achieved complete remission,and 1 patient(17%)experienced recurrence and progression and died.Conclusions Comprehensive treatment based on combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy is the mainstay for childhood nasopharyngeal carcinoma,overall prognosis is favorable,and long-term follow-up is required.Molecular targeted therapy and immunotherapy are expected to improve the prognosis of advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma and require further research for validation.


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