1.Construction of a COPD risk prediction model based on machine learning and the COPD-SQ questionnaire
Lin CHEN ; Luna ZHAO ; Yue ZHOU ; Panpan WANG ; Jingkun LI ; Wenwen ZHANG ; Xinxin ZHANG ; Chao WU ; Dong LIU
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(7):1261-1268
ObjectiveTo construct and evaluate various machine learning models for predicting the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in individuals, thereby providing data support for early screening and intervention. MethodsA total of 823 subjects were selected for this study, comprising 142 individuals in the high-risk group for COPD and 681 individuals in the low-risk group. Data collected included demographic characteristics, smoking history, symptoms (such as cough and shortness of breath), and scores from the Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease screening questionnaire. Four machine learning algorithms—Logistic regression, random forest, support vector machine, and XGBoost—were utilized to construct risk prediction models. The performance of these models was assessed using 5-fold cross-validation, with evaluation metrics including accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and average precision (AP). Furthermore, a feature importance analysis was performed. ResultsThe Logistic Regression model exhibited superior performance, achieving an AUC of 0.982 and an AP of 0.939. This was closely followed by the Random Forest model, which recorded an AUC of 0.975 and an AP of 0.890. Feature importance analysis revealed that smoking history, symptoms of shortness of breath, and body weight were significant predictors. All models demonstrated robust performance in identifying low-risk populations; however, variations were observed in their efficacy in identifying high-risk populations. ConclusionMachine learning models have proven effective in identifying individuals at high risk for COPD. Among these, the Logistic regression model exhibits the best overall performance, efficiently identifying high-risk populations and serving as a valuable clinical auxiliary screening tool. Various models, each with distinct performance characteristics, are suited to different clinical screening scenarios, thereby offering targeted decision-making support for the establishment of a hierarchical and intelligent COPD screening pathway.
2.A real-world analysis of cardiovascular adverse events in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma
Chenqi YU ; Fanjie ZHOU ; Jing LI ; Yang YANG ; Panpan LI ; Jiadai XU ; Peng LIU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Medicine 2026;33(4):569-581
Objective To evaluate the characteristics, related therapeutic regimens, risk factors of cardiovascular adverse events (CVAEs) and prognosis in the current therapy of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients in China. Methods A retrospective observational study was performed on patients with NDMM treated at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, from January 2013 to October 2021. The propensity score matching at a ratio of 1∶1 was employed to balance baseline confounders between the therapeutic group and the control group, and CVAEs incidences were compared between the corresponding groups. Independent risk factors for CVAEs were identified through Fine-Gray competing risk regression model. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and log-rank tests were used to assess overall survival and progression-free survival of patients. Results A total of 829 patients with NDMM were analyzed, with a median of 33.1 months of follow-up for survivors. CVAEs occurred in 65 patients (7.8%) during first-line treatment, and a total of 74 events were recorded, with 52.7% grade 3 or greater in severity. Arrhythmia (particularly atrial fibrillation), thrombotic event (TE), and heart failure were the most common types. The median time from treatment to the first occurrence of CVAEs was 26 days, while the medium occurrence time of TE was later than the other events (76 d vs 19 d, P=0.003). The exposure to immunomodulatory drugs was related to a higher incidence of TEs, whereas other therapeutic regimens, including bortezomib, didn’t show the effect of cardiovascular toxicity. Results of multivariate analysis showed that Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status >2, symptomatic heart diseases within three months before treatment, and estimated glomerular filtration rate≤50 mL·min−1·(1.73 m2)−1 were independent risk factors for CVAEs. Compared with patients without CVAE, patients who experienced CVAEs had significantly inferior progression-free survival and overall survival, and higher cardiovascular mortality (P<0.001). Conclusions The incidence of CVAE is relatively high during first-line treatment in NDMM patients, and the prognosis of CVAE patients is poor. The risk of CVAE is significantly increased in patients with underlying cardiovascular diseases.
3.Role of cellular autophagy in cerebral ischemic injury and the regulatory mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine
Panpan ZHOU ; Yinglin CUI ; Wentao ZHANG ; Shurui WANG ; Jiahui CHEN ; Tong YANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(8):1650-1658
BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that ischemia-induced cellular autophagy dysfunction is a key factor in brain injury.Autophagy related genes 6(ATG6),microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain(LC3),p62,and other autophagy key proteins are involved in the processes such as neuronal axonal degeneration,death,and intracellular homeostasis maintenance,playing an important role in the recovery of neural function. OBJECTIVE:To review the research progress in the role of cellular autophagy in cerebral ischemic injury and the regulatory mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine. METHODS:The first author used"ischemic stroke,brain tissue injury,cellular autophagy,signaling pathways,traditional Chinese medicine compounds,terpenoids,alkaloids,flavonoids,saponins,lignans,phthalates"as Chinese and English keywords respectively to search for literature on autophagy,cerebral ischemic injury,and the regulatory mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine from China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI)and PubMed databases from January 2016 to February 2024.Literature that is not highly relevant,repetitive,or outdated was excluded.A total of 1 746 relevant literature were retrieved,and 92 articles were ultimately included. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Numerous studies have confirmed that autophagy plays an important role in cerebral ischemic injury.Moderate autophagy can promote cell survival,while excessive autophagy exacerbates brain injury.Traditional Chinese medicine can regulate the expression of autophagy related proteins,inhibit neuronal necrosis and apoptosis,and exert neuroprotective effects at different stages of cerebral ischemia by regulating signaling pathways such as PI3K/Akt/mTOR,AMPK-mTOR,and mitogen activated protein kinase.
4.Life's Essential 8 scores, socioeconomic deprivation, genetic susceptibility, and new-onset chronic kidney diseases.
Panpan HE ; Huan LI ; Mengyi LIU ; Ziliang YE ; Chun ZHOU ; Yanjun ZHANG ; Sisi YANG ; Yuanyuan ZHANG ; Xianhui QIN
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(15):1835-1842
BACKGROUND:
The American Heart Association recently released a new cardiovascular health (CVH) metric, Life's Essential 8 (LE8), for health promotion. However, the association between LE8 scores and the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains uncertain. We aimed to explore the association of LE8 scores with new-onset CKD and examine whether socioeconomic deprivation and genetic risk modify this association.
METHODS:
A total of 286,908 participants from UK Biobank and without prior CKD were included between 2006 and 2010. CVH was categorized using LE8 scores: low (LE8 scores <50), moderate (LE8 scores ≥50 but <80), and high (LE8 scores ≥80). The study outcome was new-onset CKD, ascertained by data linkage with primary care, hospital inpatient, and death data. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to investigate the association between CVH categories and new-onset CKD.
RESULTS:
During a median follow-up of 12.5 years, 8857 (3.1%) participants developed new-onset CKD. Compared to the low CVH group, the moderate (adjusted hazards ratio [HR], 0.50; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.47-0.53) and high CVH (adjusted HR, 0.31; 95% CI: 0.27-0.34) groups had a significantly lower risk of developing new-onset CKD. The population-attributable risk associated with high vs. intermediate or low CVH scores was 40.3%. Participants who were least deprived ( vs. most deprived; adjusted HR, 0.75; 95% CI: 0.71-0.79) and with low genetic risk of CKD ( vs. high genetic risk; adjusted HR, 0.89; 95% CI: 0.85-0.94) had a significantly lower risk of developing new-onset CKD. However, socioeconomic deprivation and genetic risks of CKD did not significantly modify the relationship between LE8 scores and new-onset CKD (both P -interaction >0.05).
CONCLUSION
Achieving a higher LE8 score was associated with a lower risk of developing new-onset CKD, regardless of socioeconomic deprivation and genetic risks of CKD.
Humans
;
Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/epidemiology*
;
Male
;
Female
;
Middle Aged
;
Genetic Predisposition to Disease/genetics*
;
Aged
;
Risk Factors
;
Adult
;
Proportional Hazards Models
;
Socioeconomic Factors
5.Overview of Studies on the Intervention of Chinese Medicinals in Energy Metabolism Reconstruction in Heart Failure
Xinyue NING ; Wenxiao LI ; Zhenyu ZHAO ; Yang GUO ; Panpan ZHOU ; Ludan ZHAO ; Lin LI
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(10):1073-1077
Energy metabolism reconstruction is the new target of the treatment of heart failure. By combing the researches of Chinese medicinals for energy metabolism reconstruction of heart failure, it was found that Chinese medicinal compound formula and single Chinese medicinal have a certain role in regulating energy metabolism, mainly through three aspects, including the optimization of substrate utilization, improvement of mitochondrial structure, function, and homeostasis, and improvement of mitochondrial energy transport, so as to make the energy metabolism of the cardiomyocyte adjusted in the direction of beneficial to the organism, increasing the supply of energy, and improving the cardiac function.
6.Roles of the Keap1/Nrf2 pathway and mitophagy in liver diseases.
Qihui ZHOU ; Panpan CEN ; Zhi CHEN ; Jie JIN
Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B 2025;26(10):972-994
Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is an intracellular transcription factor that helps protect against oxidative stress in different types of cells under pathological conditions. Mitochondria are vital organelles that function in diverse metabolic processes in the body, including redox reactions, lipid metabolism, and cell death. Mitophagy, a specific form of autophagy for damaged mitochondria, plays a critical role in the pathophysiology of liver diseases. In this review, we explain in detail the roles of the Nrf2 signaling pathway and mitophagy, and the relationship between them, in various hepatic diseases (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, drug-induced liver injury, autoimmune hepatitis, hepatic ischemia‒reperfusion injury, and liver cancer). We also offer some potential insights and treatments relevant to clinical applications.
Humans
;
NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism*
;
Mitophagy/physiology*
;
Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1/metabolism*
;
Signal Transduction
;
Liver Diseases/etiology*
;
Animals
;
Oxidative Stress
;
Mitochondria/metabolism*
;
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
;
Liver Neoplasms
7.Role of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in cypermethrin-induced oxidative injury of mice hippocampal neurons.
Lihua ZHOU ; Xun ZHANG ; Yingying YU ; Panpan ZHANG
Journal of Southern Medical University 2025;45(5):893-900
OBJECTIVES:
To explore whether the antioxidant axis Nrf2/HO-1 is involved in the regulation of hippocampus injury induced by cypermethrin and its underlying mechanism.
METHODS:
Ten-week-old C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group and cypermethrin exposure groups with low, medium, and high exposure levels. After 21 days of oral gavage of corn oil (control) or cypermethrin, the levels of MDA, T-SOD, GSH-Px and CAT in the hippocampus of the mice were examined to evaluate the oxidative stress levels. HE staining was used to observe morphological changes of the hippocampal neurons. Western blotting, immunofluorescence staining and RT-qPCR were employed to detect the protein expressions and mRNA expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 and HO-1.
RESULTS:
Subacute oral exposure to cypermethrin significantly increased MDA level, decreased the activities of antioxidant enzymes T-SOD, GSH-Px and CAT, and induced neuronal damage in the CA1 and CA3 regions in the hippocampus of C57BL/6 mice. Cypermethrin exposure also caused Nrf2 protein translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, accompanied by upregulated expression levels of the key antioxidant factor Nrf2 and its downstream target kinase HO-1.
CONCLUSIONS
Cypermethrin exposure dose-dependently causes oxidative damage in the hippocampus of C57BL/6 mice, which is regulated by the Nrf2/HO-1 antioxidant pathway.
Animals
;
Pyrethrins/toxicity*
;
NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism*
;
Hippocampus/cytology*
;
Mice, Inbred C57BL
;
Mice
;
Oxidative Stress/drug effects*
;
Neurons/pathology*
;
Heme Oxygenase-1/metabolism*
;
Signal Transduction
;
Membrane Proteins
8.WNK1 Alleviates Chloride Efflux-Induced NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Subsequent Neuroinflammation in Early Brain Injury Following Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.
Panpan ZHAO ; Huimiao FENG ; Xinyu ZHOU ; Jingyuan ZHOU ; Fangbo HU ; Taotao HU ; Yong SUN
Neuroscience Bulletin 2025;41(9):1570-1588
The nod-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome plays a crucial role in the prognosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). WNK1 kinase negatively regulates NLRP3 in various inflammatory conditions, but its role in early brain injury (EBI) after SAH remains unclear. In this study, we used an in vivo SAH model in rats/mice and AAV-WNK1 intraventricular injection to investigate its neuroprotective mechanisms. WNK1 expression was significantly reduced in SAH patient blood and SAH model brain tissue, correlating negatively with microglial activation. AAV-WNK1 alleviated brain edema, neuronal necrosis, behavioral deficits, and inflammation by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation. In hemin-stimulated BV-2 cells, WNK1 overexpression reduced NLRP3 activation and inflammatory cytokines. Chloride counteracted WNK1's inhibitory effects, and WNK1 suppressed P2X7R-induced NLRP3 activation. Mechanistically, WNK1 functioned via the OXSR1/STK39 pathway. These findings highlight WNK1 as a key regulator of intracellular chloride balance and neuroinflammation, presenting a potential therapeutic target for SAH treatment.
Animals
;
NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism*
;
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/complications*
;
Inflammasomes/metabolism*
;
Rats
;
Mice
;
Neuroinflammatory Diseases/metabolism*
;
WNK Lysine-Deficient Protein Kinase 1/genetics*
;
Male
;
Humans
;
Chlorides/metabolism*
;
Mice, Inbred C57BL
;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
;
Brain Injuries/metabolism*
;
Microglia/metabolism*
;
Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
9.LBD gene family in Hippophae rhamnoides: identification and expression pattern during flower bud development.
Xinjuan LI ; Panpan YANG ; Tian ZHANG ; Qiandan REN ; Wu ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Biotechnology 2025;41(2):753-770
Lateral organ boundaries (LOB) domain (LBD) genes encode a family of transcription factors ubiquitous in higher plants, playing crucial roles in the growth, development, and stress responses. Hippophae rhamnoides, known for its drought, cold, and saline-alkali tolerance, offers significant economic benefits and ecological values. Utilizing the whole genome data and bioinformatics approaches, this study identified and analyzed the LBD gene family in H. rhamnoides. Additionally, we examined the expression pattern of HrLBD genes by integrating the transcriptome data from male and female flower buds in development. Eleven LBD genes were identified in H. rhamnoides, and these genes were distributed on five chromosomes. The HrLBD proteins showed the lengths ranging from 159 aa to 302 aa, the molecular weights between 18 249.91 Da and 33 202.01 Da, and the subcellular localization in the nucleus or chloroplasts. LBD protein domains and gene structures were highly conserved, featuring similar motifs. The phylogenetic analysis of HrLBD genes and the LBD genes in Arabidopsis thaliana and Hordeum vulgare revealed that HrLBD genes falled into two major categories: Class Ⅰ and Class Ⅱ. The transcriptome data and RT-qPCR showed that HrLBD genes were highly expressed in male flower buds, with up-regulated expression levels throughout bud development, indicating a role in the specific stage of male flower bud development. This study lays a theoretical foundation for exploring the roles of HrLBD genes in the growth, development, and sex differentiation of H. rhamnoides flower buds.
Flowers/genetics*
;
Hippophae/metabolism*
;
Phylogeny
;
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
;
Plant Proteins/genetics*
;
Transcription Factors/genetics*
;
Multigene Family
;
Genes, Plant
10.Role of ferroptosis in ischemic brain injury and the regulatory mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine
Panpan ZHOU ; Tong YANG ; Shurui WANG ; Yinglin CUI
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(17):3675-3683
BACKGROUND:Ferroptosis is a programmed cell death mode regulated by iron dependent lipid peroxidation,closely related to the occurrence,development,and outcome of ischemic brain injury.With the continuous deepening of research on ferroptosis in recent years,it has been found that Chinese herbal compounds and monomers can regulate ferroptosis by reducing iron overload,reducing the production of reactive oxygen species,and regulating lipid synthesis,to alleviate cerebral ischemic injury and promote neurological function recovery.OBJECTIVE:To explore the relationship between ferroptosis and ischemic brain injury,and the mechanism by which traditional Chinese medicine regulates ferroptosis in the treatment of ischemic brain injury.METHODS:Literature on ferroptosis and ischemic brain injury and the regulatory mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine published from January 2018 to May 2024 was searched in CNKI and PubMed databases.The search terms were"iron death,ischemic stroke,brain injury,reactive oxygen species,lipid metabolism,traditional Chinese medicine formulas,terpenes,flavonoids,phenols,alkaloids,phthalides"in Chinese and English,respectively.Irrelevant,duplicated or outdated literature was excluded.A total of 1 526 relevant literature were retrieved,and 87 articles were ultimately included.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Numerous experimental studies have confirmed that ferroptosis plays an important role in ischemic brain injury.Chinese medicine prescriptions can regulate ferroptosis through various approaches,for examples:total saponins of Panax notoginseng can regulate iron metabolism and inhibit lipid peroxidation;carvacrol inhibits neuronal ferroptosis by increasing glutathione peroxidase 4 expression;Chinese herbal compounds and monomeric active ingredients can regulate ferroptosis-related pathways,such as glutathione/glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4),nuclear factor E2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/hemoglobin oxygenase 1(HO-1),ferric death inhibitory protein 1(FSP1)/CoQ10 and guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase 1(GCH1)/tetrahydrobiopterin(BH4),to reduce neuronal damage and death,and exert neuroprotective effects.

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