1.Obesity-related genes and genetic susceptibility to gastric cancer
Wenhui WU ; Shiyun DING ; Jingrao LI ; Ji ZHENG ; Jianing MAO ; Tianyi ZHU ; Yiling WU ; Ruoxin ZHANG
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;37(7):569-580
ObjectiveTo explore the effects of genetic variation of obesity-related biological pathways and gene-obesity interactions on the incidence of gastric cancer, so as to better understand the pathogenesis of gastric cancer and help identify high-risk populations for individualized prevention of gastric cancer. MethodsA case-control study based on the Shanghai Suburban Adult Cohort and Biobank study (SSACB) was conducted on the cases with gastric cancer. A total of 267 cases with gastric cancer and 267 healthy controls matched 1∶1 by age and gender using propensity score were included in the study. After genome-wide genotyping, quality control and imputation, 19 250 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites from 115 genes in 4 obesity-related biological pathways were extracted. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between these SNP sites and the risk of gastric cancer, and false positive report probability (FPRP) was used for multiple test correction.Data from Biobank Japan (BBJ) and FinnGen public accessible databases were used to validate significant SNP sites. For validated sites, expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis and differentially expressed genes analysis were further performed. Additive and multiplicative interactions were used to evaluate the gene-obesity interactions on the incidence of gastric cancer. Additive interaction evaluation indicators included relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI), attributable proportion due to interaction (AP) and synergy index (SI), while multiplicative interaction evaluation indicators include ORGxE and Pinter. ResultsA total of 41 SNP sites were significantly associated with the onset of gastric cancer (Padj<0.05, FPRP0.1<0.1), among which 7 groups of haplotype blocks were formed. ACACB/ rs2268401 [SSACB: P=0.005, BBJ: P=0.049], HRAS/ rs12785860 (SSACB: P<0.001, FinnGen: P=0.045), and PTPN1/ rs6095985 (SSACB: P<0.001, FinnGen: P=0.023) were significantly associated with the risk of gastric cancer after validation in different populations. Among which, the G allele of HRAS/ rs12785860 was correlated with the downregulation of HRAS mRNA expression (P<0.001), and the expression level of HRAS in gastric cancer tissues was higher than that in adjacent normal tissues (P<0.001). Additionaly, JAK1/rs11208559 showed a positive additive interaction with waist circumstance (WC) on the risk of gastric cancer [RERI=2.29(0.06~4.53), AP=0.57(0.23~0.90), SI=4.03(2.20~5.87)]. ConclusionObesity-related biological pathway SNP sites and their haplotypes are associated with the risk of gastric cancer, suggesting that genetic variations in obesity pathways may affect gastric cancer. The HRAS/ rs12785860 is significantly associated with downregulation of HRAS gene expression, which may serve as a potential genetic marker for gastric cancer. JAK1/rs11208559 interacts with obesity additively on the risk of gastric cancer. Individuals with GC+CC genotypes and pre-central or central obesity have an increased risk of gastric cancer, providing clues and evidences for individualized prevention of gastric cancer.
2.Research progress of cooling therapy for heat stroke
Jin-Bao ZHAO ; Qian WANG ; Tian-Yu XIN ; Han-Ding MAO ; Ye TAO ; Bo NING ; Zhen-Zhen QIN ; Shu-Yuan LIU ; Qing SONG
Medical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army 2025;50(5):612-618
Heat stroke is a heat-related illness caused by an imbalance between the body's heat production and heat dissipation,which could lead to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome with a high mortality rate.Rapid and effective reduction of core body temperature is key to successful treatment.This article reviews recent progress in the treatment of heat stroke,including new understandings of organ injury mechanisms,the timing,velocity and goals of cooling treatment,evaluation and selection of traditional cooling techniques(such as cold water immersion),and scientific evaluation of new cooling technologies(such as blood purification technology and intravascular heat exchange cooling technology),aiming to promote understanding and treatment of heat stroke.
3.A study on brain iron status in sensorimotor cortex and its correlation with functional connectivity of brain in patients with chronic low back pain using MRI
Yuxiao DING ; Kaidong CHEN ; Haixia MAO ; Xuefang LU ; Jiayi YANG ; Liujia LU ; Peng YUAN ; Xiangming FANG
Chinese Journal of Radiology 2025;59(12):1393-1400
Objective:To investigate the brain iron status in the sensorimotor cortex of patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) and its relationship with changes in resting-state functional connectivity (RS-FC).Methods:This was a cross-sectional study. Thirty-two patients with CLBP (CLBP group) who were treated at Wuxi People′s Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from July 2023 to March 2024 and 30 age-and gender-matched healthy volunteers (control group) were prospectively included. All subjects underwent pain and neuropsychological assessments and head MRI examinations, including conventional sequences, quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), and blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) functional MRI. QSM values of the sensorimotor cortex and the left middle frontal gyrus, right inferior temporal gyrus, right olfactory cortex, and right posterior cingulate gyrus were extracted using the ANTs toolkit. The bilateral postcentral gyrus and posterior portion of the bilateral precentral gyrus in the sensorimotor cortex were selected as seed points using SPM software to extract the average time series of BOLD signals and evaluate the changes in RS-FC values with other brain regions. Two-sample t-tests were used to compare the differences in QSM values and RS-FC values between the two groups. Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between iron deposition in key brain regions and RS-FC values and clinical scale scores. Results:The QSM values in the posterior portion of the bilateral precentral gyrus and the left postcentral gyrus in the CLBP group were significantly higher than those in the control group ( t=2.17, P=0.009; t=4.44, P<0.001), and the QSM value in the left postcentral gyrus was positively correlated with pain-related scale scores ( P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the QSM values in the left orbital part of the middle frontal gyrus ( t=2.22, P=0.031) and the right inferior temporal gyrus ( t=2.98, P=0.004) were increased, while the QSM values in the right olfactory cortex ( t=2.54, P=0.014) and the right posterior cingulate gyrus ( t=2.70, P=0.009) were decreased in the CLBP group. Compared with the control group, the RS-FC values between the left postcentral gyrus, the posterior part of the bilateral precentral gyrus, and the left superior frontal gyrus were increased in the CLBP group ( P<0.001), the RS-FC value between the right postcentral gyrus and the right precuneus was increased ( P<0.001). The RS-FC of the bilateral motor cortex and the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus was positively correlated with the QSM values of the bilateral motor cortex ( r=0.444, P=0.015). Conclusion:Iron deposition in the sensorimotor cortex (posterior portion of the bilateral precentral gyrus and the left postcentral gyrus) is increased in CLBP patients and is correlated with abnormal functional connectivity within and between brain regions.
4.The effectiveness of targeted sonic vibration load brushing method in stroke patients with oral stage swallowing disorders
Yifan TANG ; Erli MAO ; Chuyan WU ; Qiumin ZHOU ; Chuan GUO ; Hui DING ; Li ZHOU ; Hui SUN
Chinese Journal of Nursing 2025;60(11):1330-1336
Objective To evaluate the rehabilitative effect of targeted sonic vibration load brushing method in stroke patients with oral phase swallowing disorders.Methods A total of 60 stroke patients with swallowing disor-ders,who hospitalized in the rehabilitation department of a Grade Ⅲ Class A hospital in Nanjing City from October 2023 to May 2024,were randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group,with 30 patients in each group.Both groups received the conventional swallowing function training.The experimental group received targeted sonic vibration load brushing therapy,while the control group received routine oral care with manual toothbrushes.After 30 days of intervention,the swallowing function(Gugging Swallowing Screen,GUSS),modified Beck oral score,incidence of swallowing disorder-related complications,Swallowing Quality of Life(SWAL-QOL)scores,and oral care satisfaction were assessed in both groups.Results No sample detachment.After the intervention,the GUSS score for the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group,with a statistical difference(Z=-4.239,P<0.001).Additionally,the modified Beck oral score and the overall complications rate related to swallowing disor-ders in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group(both P<0.05).Furthermore,the SWAL-QOL score and the oral care satisfaction score were both higher in the experimental group compared to those in the control group,with statistically significant differences(both P<0.001).Conclusion Targeted sonic vibration load brushing method significantly improves swallowing function,enhances oral cleanliness,reduces the occurrence of swallowing disorder-related complications,and effectively improves patients' quality of life and nursing satisfaction.
5.HAN Mingxiang's Experience in Staged and Syndrome-Based Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Jian DING ; Hui TAO ; Gang CHENG ; Weizhen GUO ; Zegeng LI ; Ya MAO ;
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(8):780-785
This paper summarizes Professor HAN Mingxiang's clinical experience in treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). He believes that the key pathomechanism of COPD in the acute exacerbation stage is the invasion of external pathogens triggering latent illness, while lung qi deficiency is the primary mechanism in the stable stage. The core pathological factors throughout disease progression are deficiency, phlegm, and blood stasis. Treatment emphasizes a staged and syndrome-based approach. During the acute exacerbation stage, for wind-cold invading the lung syndrome, the self-formulated Sanzi Wenfei Decoction (三子温肺汤) is used to relieve the exterior, dispel cold, warm the lung, and resolve phlegm. For phlegm-dampness obstructing the lung syndrome, Huatan Jiangqi Fomulation (化痰降气方) is prescribed to warm the lung, transform phlegm, descend qi, and calm wheezing. For phlegm-heat obstructing the lung syndrome, Qingfei Huatan Fomulation (清肺化痰方) is applied to clear heat, resolve phlegm, moisten the lung, and stop coughing. For phlegm and blood stasis interlocking syndrome, Qibai Pingfei Fomulation (芪白平肺方) is used to tonify qi, resolve phlegm, and activate blood circulation to remove stasis. During the stable stage, for lung qi deficiency syndrome, Shenqi Wenfei Decoction (参芪温肺汤) is employed to warm the lung, tonify qi, resolve phlegm, and eliminate turbidity. For lung-spleen qi deficiency syndrome, Shenqi Buzhong Decoction (参芪补中汤) is utilized to strengthen the spleen, tonify qi, and reinforce metal (lung) from earth (spleen). For lung-kidney deficiency syndrome, Shenqi Tiaoshen Fomulation (参芪调肾方) is prescribed to tonify the lung, warm yang, and regulate kidney function to calm wheezing. These strategies provide insights into the traditional Chinese medicine treatment of COPD.
6.Hepatitis E virus infection among blood donors in Ningbo
Mingxi PENG ; Yiyu LIU ; Huyan MAO ; Dan LIN ; Lu XIN ; Ning SHU ; Jianfeng HAN ; Feng DING
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2025;38(1):7-12
[Objective] To investigate the infection status and characteristics of HEV among voluntary blood donors in Ningbo, and to provide a basis for improving the blood screening strategy. [Methods] A total of 12 227 blood samples from voluntary blood donors in Ningbo from June 2022 to May 2023 were tested for HEV serology, enzymology, and nucleic acid testing. Furthermore, HEV gene sequencing was performed for genotyping analysis, and donors with reactive nucleic acid testing results were followed up to confirm their infection status. [Results] The reactivity rate of HEV Ag, anti-HEV IgM and anti-HEV IgG was 0.098%, 0.899% and 29.198%, respectively. There was no difference in the reactivity of anti-HEV IgM and anti-HEV IgG between genders, donation frequencies and donation types (P>0.05). The reactivity rate increased significantly with age (P<0.05). The rate of ALT disqualification (ALT>50U/L) was significantly higher than that in non-reactive samples (P<0.05). The HEV Ag reactivity rate (0.098%) was not correlated with gender, donation frequency, donation type or age. One HEV RNA positive case was found, with a positive rate of 0.008%(1/12 227). It was confirmed to be hepatitis E virus genotype 3 by sequencing analysis. Apart from HEV Ag reactivity, all other blood safety screening items were non-reactive, suggesting this case might be in the acute infection phase. The follow-up results showed that all indicators of the donor's previous blood donation were non-reactive. [Conclusion] Pre-donation ALT detection can reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted HEV (TT-HEV) to a certain extent, and the effective way to prevent TT-HEV is to detect HEV RNA and serology of donor blood.
7.Repurposing drugs for the human dopamine transporter through WHALES descriptors-based virtual screening and bioactivity evaluation
Ding LUO ; Zhou SHA ; Junli MAO ; Jialing LIU ; Yue ZHOU ; Haibo WU ; Weiwei XUE
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(8):1916-1925
Computational approaches,encompassing both physics-based and machine learning(ML)methodolo-gies,have gained substantial traction in drug repurposing efforts targeting specific therapeutic entities.The human dopamine(DA)transporter(hDAT)is the primary therapeutic target of numerous psychi-atric medications.However,traditional hDAT-targeting drugs,which interact with the primary binding site,encounter significant limitations,including addictive potential and stimulant effects.In this study,we propose an integrated workflow combining virtual screening based on weighted holistic atom localization and entity shape(WHALES)descriptors with in vitro experimental validation to repurpose novel hDAT-targeting drugs.Initially,WHALES descriptors facilitated a similarity search,employing four benztropine-like atypical inhibitors known to bind hDAT's allosteric site as templates.Consequently,from a compound library of 4,921 marketed and clinically tested drugs,we identified 27 candidate atypical inhibitors.Subsequently,ADMETlab was employed to predict the pharmacokinetic and toxi-cological properties of these candidates,while induced-fit docking(IFD)was performed to estimate their binding affinities.Six compounds were selected for in vitro assessments of neurotransmitter re-uptake inhibitory activities.Among these,three exhibited significant inhibitory potency,with half maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50)values of 0.753 μM,0.542 μM,and 1.210 μM,respectively.Finally,molecular dynamics(MD)simulations and end-point binding free energy analyses were con-ducted to elucidate and confirm the inhibitory mechanisms of the repurposed drugs against hDAT in its inward-open conformation.In conclusion,our study not only identifies promising active compounds as potential atypical inhibitors for novel therapeutic drug development targeting hDAT but also validates the effectiveness of our integrated computational and experimental workflow for drug repurposing.
8.SITA:Predicting site-specific immunogenicity for therapeutic antibodies
Yewei CUN ; Hao DING ; Tiantian MAO ; Yuan WANG ; Caicui WANG ; Jiajun LI ; Zihao LI ; Mengdie HU ; Zhiwei CAO ; Tianyi QIU
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(6):1378-1389
Antibody humanization is critical to reduce immunogenicity and enhance efficacy in the preclinical phase of the development of therapeutic antibodies originated from animal models.Computational suggestions have long been desired,but available tools focused on immunogenicity calculation of whole antibody sequences and sequence segments,missing the individual residue sites.This study introduces Site-specific Immunogenicity for Therapeutic Antibody(SITA),a novel computational framework that predicts B-cell immunogenicity score for not only the overall antibody,but also individual residues,based on a comprehensive set of amino acid descriptors characterizing physicochemical and spatial features for antibody structures.A transfer-learning-inspired framework was purposely adopted to overcome the scarcity of Antibody-Antibody structural complexes.On an independent testing dataset derived from 13 Antibody-Antibody structural complexes,SITA successfully predicted the epitope sites for Antibody-Antibody structures with a receiver operating characteristic(ROC)-area unver the ROC curve(AUC)of 0.85 and a precision-recall(PR)-AUC of 0.305 at the residue level.Furthermore,the SITA score can significantly distinguish immunogenicity levels of whole human antibodies,therapeutic antibodies and non-human-derived antibodies.More importantly,analysis of an additional 25 thera-peutic antibodies revealed that over 70%of them were detected with decreased immunogenicity after modification compared to their parent variants.Among these,nearly 66%antibodies successfully iden-tified actual modification sites from the top five sites with the highest SITA scores,suggesting the ability of SITA scores for guide the humanization of antibody.Overall,these findings highlight the potential of SITA in optimizing immunogenicity assessments during the process of therapeutic antibody design.
9.Role of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived nanovesicles in inducing hair regeneration
Yuxin DING ; Yujie MIAO ; Meiqi MAO ; Jinyang CHEN ; Zhiwei LIN ; Zhongfa LYU
Chinese Journal of Dermatology 2025;58(5):431-439
Objective:To investigate the role of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) -derived nanovesicles in hair regeneration.Methods:(1) Nanovesicles were prepared by continuously extruding umbilical cord MSCs through polycarbonate membranes, and were identified using transmission electron microscopy and nanoparticle tracking analysis. (2) Six C57BL/6 female mice with full-thickness skin wounds were randomly divided into a nanovesicle group (subcutaneously injected with nanovesicles once at the wound margin) and a control group (subcutaneously injected with an equal volume of phosphate-buffered saline [PBS] at the wound margin) ; skin samples were collected on day 16 for hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining to assess wound healing and hair follicle regeneration. (3) Human hair follicle dermal papilla cells (DPCs) were isolated using a two-step enzyme method; the uptake of PKH26-pre-labeled nanovesicles by DPCs was observed by fluorescence microscopy; the proliferative activity of DPCs co-cultured with nanovesicles was evaluated using cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assays. (4) Six healthy C57BL/6 female mice were randomly divided into two groups after anesthesia, and subcutaneously injected with either fluorescent dye DIR-pre-labeled nanovesicles or PBS; an in vivo imaging system was used to observe the uptake and metabolism of nanovesicles in the mouse skin. (5) Twenty-four C57BL/6 female mice with depilated backs were randomly divided into a nanovesicle group (subcutaneously injected with nanovesicles on days 0, 8, and 15) and a control group (subcutaneously injected with an equal volume of PBS at the same time points) ; skin samples were collected on days 4, 18, and 21 for HE staining to analyze differences in hair follicle cycling; transcriptome sequencing was performed on skin samples collected on day 4. Statistical analyses were conducted using the t test. Results:(1) Transmission electron microscopy showed that nanovesicles exhibited a spherical membranous structure with diameters of 141.3 ± 60.0 nm. (2) In 6 C57BL/6 female mice with full-thickness skin wounds, the wound area on day 12 was significantly smaller in the nanovesicle group (1.27 ± 0.50 mm 2) than in the control group (4.13 ± 1.03 mm 2, t = 4.34, P = 0.012). (3) Fluorescence microscopy revealed that nanovesicles were taken up by DPCs within 20 hours; the absorbance of DPCs was significantly higher in the nanovesicle group than in the control group ( t = 20.23, P < 0.001), and the percentage of EdU-positive cells was also significantly higher in the nanovesicle group (49.62% ± 6.45%) than in the control group (37.58% ± 3.42%, t = 3.69, P = 0.006). (4) In vivo imaging of the 6 C57BL/6 female mice showed strong fluorescence in the back of mice in the nanovesicle group on day 0, which markedly decreased by day 8, while no fluorescence was observed in the control group throughout the experiment. (5) Hair follicle cycle experiments on the 24 C57BL/6 female mice with depilated backs showed that the hair follicle length on day 4 after depilation was significantly longer in the nanovesicle group (368.00 ± 63.17 μm) than in the control group (266.90 ± 34.41 μm, t = 9.87, P < 0.001), and the hair bulb diameter was also significantly longer in the nanovesicle group (54.83 ± 10.32 μm) than in the control group (39.12 ± 7.54 μm, t = 16.02, P < 0.001) ; on day 18, the nanovesicle group showed a significantly higher hair follicle density (19.12 ± 0.90) compared with the control group (11.07 ± 1.51, t = 7.92, P = 0.001) ; on day 21, 46.13% ± 8.64% of hair follicles in the nanovesicle group remained in the anagen phase Ⅵ to the catagen phase Ⅱ, and 46.24% ± 3.29% were in the catagen phases Ⅲ to Ⅳ, while 78.89% ± 18.36% of hair follicles in the control group were in the telogen phases Ⅶ to Ⅷ. Transcriptome sequencing showed that differentially expressed genes in the nanovesicle group were significantly positively enriched in the keratinization process (NES = 2.23, P < 0.001) . Conclusion:Umbilical cord MSC-derived nanovesicles could promote the proliferation of DPCs, advance the entry of hair follicles into the anagen phase, delay their entry into the catagen phase, and induce hair regeneration.
10.Value of pulmonary ultrasound B-line score,LVEF,IGFBP7 and NT-proBNP in differentiating cardiogenic acute dyspnea
Feilong XIAO ; Jianghua CHENG ; Yingwei DING ; Yun MAO
China Modern Doctor 2025;63(25):19-23
Objective Exploring the clinical value of pulmonary ultrasound B-line score,left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),insulin-like growth factor binding protein-7(IGFBP7),and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP)levels in diagnosing cardiogenic acute dyspnea.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 80 patients with acute dyspnea diagnosed and treated at Jinhua Municipal Central Hospital from February 2021 to February 2024.According to the discharge diagnosis of patients,they were divided into cardiogenic group(cardiogenic acute dyspnea,50 cases)and non-cardiogenic group(non-cardiogenic acute dyspnea,30 cases).The pulmonary ultrasound B-line score,LVEF,IGFBP7 and NT-proBNP levels of two groups of patients were compared,their correlations were analyzed,and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was drawn to evaluate the diagnostic value of each index for cardiogenic acute dyspnea.Results There were no statistically significant differences in the clinical baseline data such as age,gender,body mass index,proportion of atrial fibrillation,urea nitrogen,serum creatinine,systolic blood pressure,arterial partial pressure of oxygen,heart rate and blood oxygen saturation between two groups of patients(P>0.05).The pulmonary ultrasound B-line score,the levels of IGFBP7 and NT-proBNP in cardiogenic group were significantly higher than those in non-cardiogenic group,and the LVEF was significantly lower than that in non-cardiogenic group(P<0.05).Pearson correlation analysis showed that the pulmonary ultrasound B-line score was positively correlated with both IGFBP7 and NT-proBNP(P<0.05),with no significant correlation with LVEF(P>0.05).The results of ROC curve showed that the pulmonary ultrasound B-line score,LVEF,IGFBP7 and NT-proBNP all had high diagnostic value for cardiogenic acute dyspnea,and the area under the curve were 0.917,0.855,0.946 and 0.925,respectively.Conclusion The pulmonary ultrasound B-line score,LVEF,IGFBP7,and NT-proBNP levels have high diagnostic value for cardiogenic acute dyspnea and are worthy of clinical promotion and application.

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