1.Curzerene Ameliorates Depression-Like Behaviors and Cognitive Impairment by Modulating the Gut Microbiota and HMGB1/RAGE/ TLR4 Pathway
Fengjing HUANG ; Xiaohong MA ; Xiao XU ; Jingwen ZHANG ; Chunlai WANG ; Ruoxi SONG ; Xiangxiang WANG ; Mingxing CHEN ; Yu QI
Biomolecules & Therapeutics 2026;34(1):174-188
Curzerene, a sesquiterpene compound isolated from Curcuma Radix, exhibits various therapeutic effects, such as anti-tumor and anti-hyperlipidemic properties. However, its neuroprotective effects have not yet been reported. This study focused on exploring the neuroprotective effect of curzerene and elucidating its potential mechanism by combining molecular biotechnology with multi-omics approaches. Curzerene was orally administered to LPS-induced depressive-like behaviors and cognitive impairment in mice for 14 days, and the related biochemical parameters were evaluated. The possible mechanisms were elucidated using qRT-PCR, Western Blot, immunofluorescence, untargeted metabolomics, GC-MS and 16S rDNA comprehensively. Curzerene ameliorated depression symptoms and cognitive impairment by increasing the preference for sucrose in SPT and the central area and total distance traveled in OFT, reducing the immobility time in TST and FST, as well as rising the spontaneous alternation ratio in Y maze. Multiple molecular biology techniques analyses indicated the ameliorative effect of curzerene via HMGB1/RAGE/ TLR4 pathway. Moreover, curzerene primarily regulates purine metabolism, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, phenylalanine metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, etc. Furthermore, intervention increased the relative abundance of Parabacteroides, Clostridia_UCG-014_unclassified, and Rhodospirillales_unclassified, and enhanced the production of SCFAs. This work demonstrated that curzerene effectively protects against LPS-induced neurological damage, potentially by inhibiting the HMGB1/ RAGE/TLR4 pathway through the restoration of gut microbiota homeostasis, modulation of metabolites, and enhancement of SCFAs. In conclusion, this study offers new perspectives on the therapeutic possibilities of curzerene in mitigating depressive-like behaviors and cognitive impairment.
2.Traditional Chinese Medicine Regulates JAK/STAT Signaling Pathway to Treat Colorectal Cancer: A Review
Mingxing WANG ; Wanhui DONG ; Baorui ZHANG ; Tong LAI ; Aixin LIU ; Qingming SUN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(4):278-287
Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Although preventive colonoscopy screening has improved the survival rate of CRC patients in the past few years, there are still many patients diagnosed after symptoms appear. The surgery for CRC carries high risks and high recurrence, and ideal therapies remain to be developed. The Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway has become a focus of research due to its central role in cellular activities. As a classic oncogenic pathway, the JAK/STAT signaling pathway offers new possibilities for diagnosing and treating various malignancies, and it paves a new way for developing therapies for CRC. This pathway not only participates in basic cellular processes, such as proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis but also plays a crucial role in immune responses and inflammation. Abnormal activation of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway is closely related to the occurrence and development of CRC. Studies have shown that the active components and compound prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can inhibit the proliferation, invasion, migration, and angiogenesis while promoting the apoptosis and autophagy of CRC cells by interfering with the JAK/STAT signaling pathway. Furthermore, this pathway may also play a role in regulating the sensitivity of tumor cells to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, thus influencing the effectiveness of tumor treatment and impeding the progression of CRC. In recent years, research results have been updated rapidly, and previous literature summaries have failed to incorporate the latest findings, creating obstacles to accessing current literature. Therefore, this article supplements and summarizes information from the definition of the JAK/STAT pathway, association of this pathway with CRC, and TCM intervention of CRC. This review aims to provide references for future development of molecular biology regarding CRC and the research and development of new drugs.
3.Clinical value of CT radiomics in predicting liver cancer grade and prognosis after hepatectomy
Mingxing SUN ; Shan LIU ; Zezhou ZHANG ; Jining CHEN ; Jian LI ; Di LIU ; Zhijun WANG
Journal of Practical Radiology 2025;41(5):775-779
Objective To explore the clinical application value of CT radiomics in predicting the grade of liver cancer and the prognosis after hepatectomy.Methods A retrospective selection was conducted on 385 liver cancer patients who underwent preoperative CT scans,and they were divided into training group(265 cases)and testing group(120 cases).The CT radiomics features were extracted and logistic regression was used to construct radiomics markers.A retrospective analysis was performed on 60 patients with liver cancer who underwent hepatectomy and regular follow-up.Results The area under the curve(AUC)of the radiomics signature in the train-ing group was 0.889.The AUC in the testing group was 0.941.For predicting prognosis after hepatectomy,the radiomics features with filter parameter of Filter 1.0 achieved optimal performance,with Dif.Scale1.2 being a good independent predictor of overall survival(OS).Conclusion CT radiomics has certain application value in predicting the grade of liver cancer and the prognosis after hepatectomy.
4.Clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with spontaneous coronary artery dissection
Tianqing CAO ; Yiming SUN ; Zhaoke BU ; Yahui ZHANG ; Shuqing YANG ; Mingxing CHEN
Journal of Clinical Medicine in Practice 2025;29(5):36-39,44
Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with spon-taneous coronary artery dissection(SCAD).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted in 40 patients with acute myocardial infarction(AMI).All patients were diagnosed with SCAD during hos-pitalization through coronary angiography(CAG)or intravascular ultrasound(IVUS).The clinical characteristics,CAG or IVUS findings,and treatment regimens of the patients were analyzed,and their prognosis was assessed through follow-up.Results Among 40 SCAD patients,there were 11 males and 29 females,with a mean age of(53.04±9.15)years.Twelve patients had identified causative factors,and seven patients presented with chest pain as the initial symptom.CAG or IVUS results showed that a total of 69 SCAD lesions were detected in 40 patients,with 15 patients having a single lesion.The primary treatment approach for the patients was medical therapy.The median fol-low-up duration was 34 months(ranging 2 to 48 months),during which 5 major adverse cardiovascu-lar and cerebrovascular events(MACCE)occurred.The patients were divided into MACCE group(5 patients)and non-MACCE group(35 patients)based on occurrence of MACCE.The mean age and the incidence of regional wall motion abnormalities on echocardiography were higher in the MACCE group than in the non-MACCE group(P<0.05).Conclusion SCAD has distinct imaging features on CAG,and IVUS can confirm the diagnosis.Most patients are treated with medical therapy and have a generally favorable prognosis.However,patients with older age or regional wall motion abnormali-ties on echocardiography have poorer prognosis.
5.Improvement of lower limb walking function in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain by biofeedback assisted electrical stimulation
Xiang ZHENG ; Mingxing ZHANG ; Ya HUANG ; Sharui SHAN
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(3):547-553
BACKGROUND:There have been many studies on biofeedback therapy and three-dimensional gait function analysis for chronic non-specific low back pain at home and abroad,but few studies on the combination of the two have been reported. OBJECTIVE:To study the effect of biofeedback assisted electrical stimulation on the change of walking ability in chronic non-specific low back pain by collecting gait parameter data through three-dimensional gait analysis. METHODS:Sixty patients with chronic non-specific low back pain,34 males and 26 females,aged 32-58 years,were selected and admitted to First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University from June 2021 to September 2022.They were divided into control group(n=30)and trial group(n=30)according to the principle of random allocation.Both groups of patients received conventional treatment of dynamic interference with the waist,20 minutes/time,once/day,5 times a week,for 20 times.The control group received supine bypass and prone bypass suspension core muscle training on the basis of conventional treatment,5 times a week,for 20 times.The trial group received biofeedback assisted electrical stimulation therapy on the basis of the control group,20 minutes/time,once/day,5 times a week,for 20 times.The low back pain score,the mean value of electromyography and the gait parameters were compared and analyzed before and after treatment between the two groups. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)After treatment,the numerical rating scale score,Japanese Orthopaedic Association score,and Oswestry disability index of the two groups were significantly improved compared with those before treatment(P<0.05).Numerical rating scale score,Japanese Orthopaedic Association score,and Oswestry disability index of the trial group were better than those of the control group(P<0.05).(2)After treatment,the mean values of surface electromyography of rectus abdominis,gluteus maximus,and erector spinae muscle in the two groups were higher than those before treatment(P<0.05),and the mean values of surface electromyography of rectus abdominis,gluteus maximus,and erector spinae muscle in the trial group were higher than those in the control group(P<0.05).(3)After treatment,the step width,step speed,step frequency,step length ratio between healthy and diseased sides,the relative value of support between healthy and diseased sides,the relative value of swing between diseased and healthy sides,the sagittal motion range of hip joint and knee joint between healthy and diseased sides and the foot angle between healthy and diseased sides were all better than those before treatment in both groups(P<0.05).The above indexes of the trial group were better than those of the control group after treatment(P<0.05).(4)These results suggest that biofeedback assisted electrical stimulation can significantly alleviate chronic non-specific low back pain,and improve the lower limb walking function.
6.Relationship between reflux laryngitis and the success rate of type Ⅰ tympanoplasty for otitis media
Jie WU ; Lingyi PENG ; Mingxing TANG ; Nan ZENG ; Lue ZHANG ; Quanming ZHANG ; Jing HU ; Shuyue GUO ; Xiangbin ZUO ; Qiong YANG
Chinese Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 2025;32(3):158-163
OBJECTIVE Aimed at investigating whether reflux pharyngitis is an independent risk factor for the failure of type Ⅰ tympanoplasty for chronic otitis media.This is achieved by analyzing the relationship between the postoperative tympanic membrane healing in patients who underwent type Ⅰ tympanoplasty and pharyngolaryngeal reflux finding score(RFS).METHODS Patients who underwent type Ⅰ tympanoplasty in the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery,Nanshan People's Hospital,Shenzhen,China,from January 2023 to July 2024 were retrospectively included.All the patients received preoperative perfect nasal endoscopy,laryngoscopy,evaluation by the RFS questionnaire,preoperative otoscopy for tympanoplasty,pure tone hearing threshold,and temporal bone thin-layer CT examination.Postoperative otoscopic examination was performed to observe tympanic membrane healing and followed up for 3 months.The patients were divided into surgery success group and failure group based on the criterion of whether a complete tympanic membrane was formed by endoscopic examination within 3 months.The RFS scores of the two groups were statistically analyzed.RESULTS A total of 135 patients with an average age of 44.78 years(±12.22 years)took part in this study,with 60 males and 75 females included,and 68 left ears and 67 right ears involved.There were 120 patients in the surgery success group,and 15 patients in the failure group.Statistical analysis revealed that the RFS score of the patients in the tympanoplasty failure group was remarkably higher than that of the patients in the tympanoplasty success group.Moreover,there were significantly more cases with suspected reflux pharyngitis in the surgery failure group(P=0.007).Reflux-induced tympanic membrane lesion and reperforation mostly occurred in the central part of the tympanic membrane graft.CONCLUSION Reflux pharyngitis has been implicated with tympanoplasty failure,and thus may be a causative factor.Additionally,the RFS can be used to screen patients with chronic suppurative otitis media for suspected reflux pharyngitis.Findings from this work indicate that perioperative anti-reflux therapy,combined with dietary and lifestyle counselling for the patients who suffer from reflux pharyngitis and are about to undergo the tympanoplasty surgery may improve surgical success rate.
7.Research and development trends and hot spots of spinal surgical robots for treatment of spinal diseases
Yanyan NIU ; Qi ZHANG ; Mingxing FAN
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(21):4612-4620
BACKGROUND:In recent years,the application of surgical robots has become a research hotspot in the field of spinal surgery,but there is still a lack of literature visualization analysis of spinal surgical robots in China.OBJECTIVE:To conduct literature visualization analysis on the research hotspots of spinal surgical robots for the treatment of spinal diseases to provide a useful reference for the research and development of spinal surgical robots in China.METHODS:The Web of Science core set database was applied to search for relevant literature on spinal surgical robots for the treatment of spinal diseases,and 900 articles were finally included. Visualization analysis was conducted on number of publications,journals,institutions,countries,keywords,co-cited documents and highly cited documents of the included literature using VOSviewer 1.6.19 software.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) The literature in the field of spinal surgical robots for the treatment of spinal diseases has been increasing year by year,especially in 2023,when the number of publications reached a peak. United States,China,and Germany are the research hotspots in this field. National Natural Science Foundation of China is the main fund in this field. (2) Beijing Jishuitan Hospital,China and Hospital for Special Surgery in United States have made great publications to the research in this field. (3) World Neurosurgery,Spine,and Operative Neurosurgery are the main publication journals in this field. (4) Keyword analysis showed that the research mainly focused on the accuracy of robot-assisted spinal surgery,minimally invasive surgery,robotic spinal surgery,and navigation technology. (5) The results of the co-citation analysis of the literature exhibit that robot-assisted technology has significant advantages in spinal surgery. Compared with traditional surgery,spinal surgical robots such as ROSA? Spine,ExcelsiusGPS,Mazor X,and TiRobot have the advantages of high-precision navigation,precise pedicle screw placement,and real-time feedback. They reduce X-ray radiation exposure during surgery,diminish the risk of complications for patients,and improve the success rate of surgery,showing their application prospects in the field of spinal surgery. (6) Despite this,the application and accuracy of related technologies still need to accumulate experience for improvement. Robotic surgery technology has shown cost-effectiveness in reducing surgical radiation exposure and enhancing surgical accuracy. However,it is needed to explore its accuracy in pedicle screw placement surgery,the impact of surgical time,and economic benefits. (7) The results of the analysis of highly cited literature from 2021 to 2024 further show that the latest research hotspots in this field are currently focused on the application of virtual reality and augmented reality technologies,the improvement of the accuracy of robot-assisted pedicle screw placement,and the application of navigation robot spinal surgery platforms. For example,innovative technologies such as organic electrochemical neurons provide new integrated solutions for brain-computer interfaces,prosthetics,and intelligent soft robotics. Simultaneously,virtual reality and augmented reality technologies have shown broad application prospects in areas such as spinal deformity correction.
8.Study on the correlation between frailty and telomere length in the elderly
Mingxing XIONG ; Wei YUE ; Fanggang REN ; Linzhong ZHANG ; Ying GAO
Chinese Journal of Geriatrics 2025;44(10):1371-1375
Objective:To investigate the correlation between frailty and telomere length in the elderly.Methods:Cross-sectional study.A total of 128 elderly patients aged ≥65 years who were hospitalized in the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from January to June 2024 were selected.Frailty assessment was conducted using the Edmonton Scale, and patients were divided into the non-frail group(n=64)and the frail group(n=64)based on frailty score.The telomere length of peripheral blood leukocyte was detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qPCR), and the correlation analysis between frailty and telomere length was conducted.Results:Compared with the non-frailty group, the frailty group had older age, higher body mass index(BMI), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists(ASA)grade, an increased proportion of diabetes and hypertension, and shorter telomere length( P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis: ageing, increased BMI, hypertension and diabetes were risk factors for frailty in the elderly( OR=1.280, 1.135, 1.543, 1.081, P=0.001, 0.036, 0.010, 0.021), while ASA grade and telomere length were not related to the occurrence of frailty.After stratification, frailty scores were weakly correlated with telomere length in the age ≤73 years old ( r=-0.344, P=0.005)and the BMI ≥24 kg/m 2( r=-0.336, P=0.001). The correlation between frailty scores and telomere length was strengthened in the poorly controlled hypertension group( r=-0.571, P=0.042)and the group with poorly controlled diabetes( r=-0.613, P=0.045)showed a stronger correlation between frailty scores and telomere length. Conclusions:In the overall analysis, there was no definitive association between telomere length and frailty.After stratification, it was found that telomere length was weakly to moderately correlated with frailty, suggesting that telomere length may interact with other factors, and strong risk factors such as age, BMI, hypertension and diabetes may mask the weak effect of telomere length on frailty.
9.Prioritization of potential drug targets for diabetic kidney disease using integrative omics data mining and causal inference
Junyu ZHANG ; Jie PENG ; Chaolun YU ; Yu NING ; Wenhui LIN ; Mingxing NI ; Qiang XIE ; Chuan YANG ; Huiying LIANG ; Miao LIN
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(8):1787-1799
Diabetic kidney disease(DKD)with increasing global prevalence lacks effective therapeutic targets to halt or reverse its progression.Therapeutic targets supported by causal genetic evidence are more likely to succeed in randomized clinical trials.In this study,we integrated large-scale plasma proteomics,genetic-driven causal inference,and experimental validation to identify prioritized targets for DKD using the UK Biobank(UKB)and FinnGen cohorts.Among 2844 diabetic patients(528 with DKD),we identified 37 targets significantly associated with incident DKD,supported by both observational and causal evi-dence.Of these,22%(8/37)of the potential targets are currently under investigation for DKD or other diseases.Our prospective study confirmed that higher levels of three prioritized targets-insulin-like growth factor binding protein 4(IGFBP4),family with sequence similarity 3 member C(FAM3C),and prostaglandin D2 synthase(PTGDS)—were associated with a 4.35,3.51,and 3.57-fold increased likeli-hood of developing DKD,respectively.In addition,population-level protein-altering variants(PAVs)analysis and in vitro experiments cross-validated FAM3C and IGFBP4 as potential new target candidates for DKD,through the classic NLR family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3)-caspase-1-gasdermin D(GSDMD)apoptotic axis.Our results demonstrate that integrating omics data mining with causal inference may be a promising strategy for prioritizing therapeutic targets.
10.Clinical Observation on Shengyang Juxian Acupuncture Combined with Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation for Postpartum Diastasis Recti Abdominis
Jian ZHANG ; Qian LIN ; Tingting LIU ; Mingxing WANG ; Xiaoyan ZHANG ; Xiuling XING
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;42(7):1687-1692
Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Shengyang Juxian Acupuncture Method(mainly with the function of elevating yang to cure prolapse syndrome)combined with neuromuscular electrical stimulation(NMES)in treating postpartum diastasis recti abdominis(DRA).Methods A total of 200 patients diagnosed with postpartum DRA at Tangshan Maternal and Child Health Hospital from March 2022 to December 2022 were enrolled and randomly divided into an observation group and a control group using a number list,with 100 cases in each group.The control group received NMES therapy,while the observation group underwent additional Shengyang Juxian Acupuncture Method for 1 month.Clinical efficacy was assessed by comparing inter-recti distance(IRD),abdominal circumference,pelvic floor muscle strength(type Ⅰ and Ⅱ muscle fibers).The Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)scores for low back pain,and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey(SF-36)scores were compared before and after treatment.Results(1)After treatment,both groups showed significant improvements in IRD and abdominal circumference(P<0.05),with superior outcomes in the observation group,the difference being statistically significant(P<0.05).(2)Pelvic floor muscle strength of type Ⅰ and Ⅱ fibers markedly improved in both groups,with greater enhancement in the observation group,the difference being statistically significant(P<0.05).(3)VAS and SF-36 scores significantly improved in both groups(P<0.05),yet the observation group demonstrated more pronounced improvements,the difference being statistically significant(P<0.05).(4)The total effective rate was 96.00%(96/100)in the observation group versus 80.00%(80/100)in the control group,with superior outcomes in the observation group,the difference being statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion Shengyang Juxian Acupuncture Method combined with NMES effectively promotes rectus abdominis recovery,enhances pelvic floor muscle strength,alleviates low back pain,and improves quality of life in postpartum DRA patients,demonstrating significant clinical efficacy.

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