1.Correlation of the interaction between uric acid and inflammatory factors and hyperuricemia in overweight/obese patients
Zengyun YUAN ; Yuan LIU ; Xin LIU ; Guangquan LI ; Pei ZHONG ; Yuanting YING ; Xuezhi YANG
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2026;37(1):171-174
Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between the interaction of uric acid and inflammatory factors and hyperuricemia in overweight/obese patients. Methods The personnel with hyperuricemia who underwent physical examination in our hospital from September 2021 to September 2022 were selected as the study subjects, and they were divided into 100 cases of overweight group and 90 cases of obese group according to the BMI index; 120 cases of healthy and non-hyperuricemic personnel were randomly selected as the control group; venous blood of the three groups was collected in 5 mL after 8 h of fasting, and were tested respectively for serum uric acid, lipid indexes and inflammatory factors: IL-6, IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-10. Results Glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL were significantly higher in the obese group versus the overweight group (P<0.001), while HDL was significantly lower than the control group (P<0.001), and these changes were more pronounced in the obese group (P<0.001).The Pearson correlation coefficient pointed out that the levels of serum uric acid in patients with hyperuricosuric acid were significantly associated with the pro-inflammatory factors IL- 6, IL-2, IFN-γ, and TNF-α were significantly positively correlated (P<0.001), whereas they were significantly negatively correlated with the anti-inflammatory factors IL-4, IL-10 (P<0.001). Conclusion High uric acid levels in overweight/obese patients can cause enhanced inflammatory responses and reduced expression levels of anti-inflammatory factors, and the interaction between uric acid and pro-inflammatory factors aggravates the condition of patients with hyperuricemia.
2.Olfactory Receptors Expressed in The Intestine and Their Functions
Pei-Wen YANG ; Meng-Meng YUAN ; Ying ZHOU ; Peng LI ; Gui-Hong QI ; Ying YANG ; Zhong-Yi MAO ; Meng-Sha ZHOU ; Xiao-Shuang MAO ; Jian-Ping XIE ; Yi-Nan YANG ; Shi-Hao SUN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):534-549
Olfactory receptors (ORs) form the largest superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Traditionally recognized for their role in the nasal olfactory epithelium, where they mediate the sense of smell, accumulating evidence has firmly established their ectopic expression in non-olfactory tissues, including the intestine, lungs, and kidneys. The intestine, as the primary site for nutrient digestion and absorption, harbors a highly complex chemical environment. To adapt to this environment, the gut employs a sophisticated network of “chemosensors” to monitor luminal contents and maintain homeostasis. Among these sensors, intestinal ORs have emerged as crucial functional components, serving as a molecular bridge that connects environmental chemical signals—such as food-derived odorants—to specific physiological responses. This discovery has significantly deepened our understanding of how dietary flavors and compounds influence intestinal physiology at the molecular level. This review systematically summarizes the expression profiles, ligand classification, and biological functions of ORs within the gastrointestinal tract. Studies indicate that intestinal ORs exhibit distinct spatial distribution patterns across different gut segments and display cell-type specificity, particularly within enterocytes and enteroendocrine cells. These receptors function as versatile sensors capable of recognizing a wide variety of ligands, including exogenous dietary components, gut microbiota metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, and endogenous small molecules like azelaic acid. Upon activation by specific ligands, intestinal ORs trigger intracellular signaling cascades, primarily involving the AC-cAMP-PKA pathway or calcium influx channels. A major focus of this review is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which these receptors regulate the secretion of gut hormones. Activation of specific ORs in enteroendocrine cells has been shown to stimulate the release of hormones such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), peptide YY (PYY), and serotonin (5-HT), thereby modulating systemic energy metabolism, glucose homeostasis, and gastrointestinal motility. Furthermore, the review addresses the critical roles of ORs in immune regulation and pathology. Evidence suggests that specific ORs contribute to the maintenance of intestinal immune homeostasis and may offer protection against inflammation. Beyond their involvement in inflammatory responses, ORs such as Olfr78 have been shown to regulate the differentiation and function of intestinal endocrine cells. Similarly, Olfr544 has been demonstrated to alleviate intestinal inflammation by remodeling the gut microbiome and metabolome. These findings collectively suggest that specific ORs hold promise as therapeutic targets for mitigating intestinal inflammation and maintaining gut homeostasis. Additionally, the review explores the emerging role of ORs in cancer. Although OR expression is often downregulated in tumor tissues compared to normal mucosa, activation of specific ORs by certain ligands can inhibit tumor cell proliferation and migration and induce apoptosis via pathways such as MEK/ERK and p38 MAPK. Conversely, other receptors, such as OR7C1, may serve as biomarkers for cancer-initiating cells. In conclusion, intestinal ORs represent a vital component of the gut’s sensory network. The review also discusses the translational potential of these findings. By elucidating the precise pairing relationships between dietary components and specific ORs, novel therapeutic strategies could be developed. Intestinal ORs may thus emerge as promising targets for nutritional and pharmacological interventions in metabolic diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases, and malignancies.
3.Simultaneous content determination of thirteen constituents in Zexie Decoction by UPLC-MS/MS
Pei-qi SUN ; Jia-yang WANG ; Jin-ping WANG ; Yuan-ye JIANG
Chinese Traditional Patent Medicine 2025;47(9):2829-2834
AIM To establish a UPLC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous content determination of alisol A,23-acetyl alisol B,alisol A-24-acetate,alisol B,alisol C,23-acetyl alisol C,alisol F,alisol G,atractylenolideⅠ,atractylenolide Ⅱ,atractylenolide Ⅲ,atractylon and ferulic acid in Zexie Decoction.METHODS The analysis was performed on a 30 ℃ thermostatic Waters ACQUITY UPLC HSS C18 column(100 mm×2.1 mm,1.8μm),with the mobile phase comprising of water(containing 0.1%formic acid)-acetonitrile(containing 0.1%formic acid)flowing at 0.3 mL/min in a gradient elution manner,and electron spray ionization source was adopted in positive and negative ion scanning with multiple reaction monitoring mode.RESULTS Thirteen constituents showed good linear relationships within their own ranges(r>0.999 1),whose average recoveries were 95.05%-103.8%with the RSDs of 1.4%-6.7%.CONCLUSION This simple,rapid and accurate method can provide experimental basis for the quality control of Zexie Decoction.
4.The impact of internet use on the well-being of the elderly in China:A trajectory-based analysis
Jing GUO ; Pei WANG ; He LIU ; Yuan YAO ; Yan-xi HU ; Yao YANG
Chinese Journal of Health Policy 2025;18(10):40-48
Objective:To identify the developmental trajectories of internet use and well-being among the elderly in China,and to explore the dynamic relationship between these trajectories and the moderating role of intergenerational support from children.Methods:Group-Based Trajectory Modeling was employed to identify developmental trajectories,and moderated generalized logits models were used to analyze the relationship between trajectories and the moderating effect of intergenerational support from children.Results:Both internet use and well-being among the elderly exhibited differentiated developmental trajectories.Internet use trajectories had a significant positive impact on well-being trajectories.Compared with the low-level group,the elderly in the moderate internet use group being classified into the medium-and high-level well-being groups were 1.550 times(P<0.01)and 1.539 times(P<0.05)those of the offline group respectively,while those in the high-frequency internet use group were 9.560 times(P<0.01)and 9.030 times(P<0.01),respectively.Intergenerational support from children negatively moderated this relationship(medium-level well-being group:OR=0.768,P<0.05;high-level well-being group:OR=0.733,P<0.05).Conclusions:Internet use can sustainably enhance the well-being of the elderly over the long term,with this effect being more pronounced among those receiving less intergenerational support from children.It is recommended to establish a dual-track service system integrating online and offline channels,and to prioritize internet empowerment as a targeted social support strategy for the elderly with insufficient intergenerational support from children.
5.Utility of the China-PAR Score in predicting secondary events among patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.
Jianxin LI ; Xueyan ZHAO ; Jingjing XU ; Pei ZHU ; Ying SONG ; Yan CHEN ; Lin JIANG ; Lijian GAO ; Lei SONG ; Yuejin YANG ; Runlin GAO ; Xiangfeng LU ; Jinqing YUAN
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(5):598-600
6.Application of ArcherQA for independent dose verification of SRT plans for CyberKnife
Xuyao YU ; Yuwen WANG ; Yang DONG ; Daguang ZHANG ; Yongchun SONG ; Qiang REN ; Xi PEI ; Zhiyong YUAN ; Wei WANG ; Jianrong DAI
Chinese Journal of Radiation Oncology 2025;34(11):1139-1145
Objective:To evaluate the feasibility of using the domestic ArcherQA system for fast and simplified independent verification of CyberKnife (CK) stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) plans.Methods:SRT plans of 57 patients treated with CK at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital from August 2021 to August 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including 15 intracranial, 30 pulmonary, and 12 abdominal tumors cases. Point-dose and planar-dose verifications were performed using an ionization chamber and radiochromic films embedded in a homogeneous phantom, and the results were compared with those calculated by the treatment planning system (TPS). The localization CT images and corresponding SRT plans were imported into the ArcherQA system for independent dose verification and analysis. The correlation between ArcherQA results and phantom measurements was analyzed, with comparisons of target mean dose differences and γ pass rates.Results:Phantom measurement results showed, the measured point-dose differences for intracranial, lung, and abdominal plans were -0.94% ± 3.22%, 1.92% ± 2.05%, and 2.12% ± 0.77%, respectively. The mean dose differences in target dose calculation between ArcherQA and TPS: intracranial in the gross tumor volume (GTV) regions were 0.34% ± 2.21%, lung tumor GTV were -2.47% ± 2.46%, and abdominal tumor GTV were 0.80% ± 2.61%, respectively. Among them, the abdominal GTV region showed the highest correlation between ArcherQA and measured results ( r=0.78). The average two-dimensional γ pass rates (2 mm/2%, threshold=10%) measured using phantom films were 95.92% ± 2.35% for intracranial, 95.70% ± 2.74% for lung, and 96.74% ± 3.41% for abdominal tumors plans, respectively. The three-dimensional ArcherQA results showed comparable γ pass rates (1 mm/2%, threshold=10%) for lung and abdominal GTV and PTV regions, with similar medians and data dispersion to film measurements. Conclusions:The ArcherQA system enables rapid and efficient independent dose verification of CK SRT plans without the need for additional hardware. The verification results show good correlation with phantom measurements, supporting its potential as an auxiliary quality assurance tool in clinical CK SRT implementation.
7.The impact of internet use on the well-being of the elderly in China:A trajectory-based analysis
Jing GUO ; Pei WANG ; He LIU ; Yuan YAO ; Yan-xi HU ; Yao YANG
Chinese Journal of Health Policy 2025;18(10):40-48
Objective:To identify the developmental trajectories of internet use and well-being among the elderly in China,and to explore the dynamic relationship between these trajectories and the moderating role of intergenerational support from children.Methods:Group-Based Trajectory Modeling was employed to identify developmental trajectories,and moderated generalized logits models were used to analyze the relationship between trajectories and the moderating effect of intergenerational support from children.Results:Both internet use and well-being among the elderly exhibited differentiated developmental trajectories.Internet use trajectories had a significant positive impact on well-being trajectories.Compared with the low-level group,the elderly in the moderate internet use group being classified into the medium-and high-level well-being groups were 1.550 times(P<0.01)and 1.539 times(P<0.05)those of the offline group respectively,while those in the high-frequency internet use group were 9.560 times(P<0.01)and 9.030 times(P<0.01),respectively.Intergenerational support from children negatively moderated this relationship(medium-level well-being group:OR=0.768,P<0.05;high-level well-being group:OR=0.733,P<0.05).Conclusions:Internet use can sustainably enhance the well-being of the elderly over the long term,with this effect being more pronounced among those receiving less intergenerational support from children.It is recommended to establish a dual-track service system integrating online and offline channels,and to prioritize internet empowerment as a targeted social support strategy for the elderly with insufficient intergenerational support from children.
8.Clinical effects of Supplemented Gegen Qinlian Decoction combined with acupuncture on patients with ulcerative colitis of Large Intestinnal Dampness-heat Pattern
Tian CHEN ; Ze-hui WANG ; Yun-hua PENG ; Qing-yuan WANG ; Yan-ni PEI ; Qi-qi YANG ; Wei YANG
Chinese Traditional Patent Medicine 2025;47(2):453-457
AIM To investigate the clinical effects of Supplemented Gegen Qinlian Decoction combined with acupuncture on patients with ulcerative colitis of Large Intestinal Dampness-heat Pattern.METHODS One hundred and twenty patients were randomly assigned into control group(60 cases)for 1-month administration of Pefikang Capsules and Mesalazine Sustained Release Granules,and observation group(60 cases)for 1-month administration of Supplemented Gegen Qinlian Decoction,acupuncture,Pefikang Capsules and Mesalazine Sustained Release Granules.The changes in clinical effects,symptom remission time,TCM syndrome scores,Geboes index,lesion activity index,Baron score,inflammatory factors(IL-6,IL-8,TNF-α),immune function indices(IgA,IgG,IgM),IBDQ score and recurrence rate were detected.RESULTS The observation group demonstrated higher total effective rate than the control group(P<0.05),along with shorter symptom remission time(P<0.05)and lower recurrence rate(P<0.05).After the treatment,the two groups displayed decreased TCM syndrome scores,Geboes index,lesion activity index,Baron score,inflammatory factors,IgG,IgM(P<0.05),and increased IBDQ score(P<0.05),especially for the observation group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION For the patients with ulcerative colitis of Large Intestinal Dampness-heat Pattern,Gegen Qinlian Decoction combined with acupuncture can improve clinical symptoms,promote disease recovery,enhance immune functions and life quality,and reduce recurrence rate.
9.Advances in the role of protein post-translational modifications in circadian rhythm regulation.
Zi-Di ZHAO ; Qi-Miao HU ; Zi-Yi YANG ; Peng-Cheng SUN ; Bo-Wen JING ; Rong-Xi MAN ; Yuan XU ; Ru-Yu YAN ; Si-Yao QU ; Jian-Fei PEI
Acta Physiologica Sinica 2025;77(4):605-626
The circadian clock plays a critical role in regulating various physiological processes, including gene expression, metabolic regulation, immune response, and the sleep-wake cycle in living organisms. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are crucial regulatory mechanisms to maintain the precise oscillation of the circadian clock. By modulating the stability, activity, cell localization and protein-protein interactions of core clock proteins, PTMs enable these proteins to respond dynamically to environmental and intracellular changes, thereby sustaining the periodic oscillations of the circadian clock. Different types of PTMs exert their effects through distincting molecular mechanisms, collectively ensuring the proper function of the circadian system. This review systematically summarized several major types of PTMs, including phosphorylation, acetylation, ubiquitination, SUMOylation and oxidative modification, and overviewed their roles in regulating the core clock proteins and the associated pathways, with the goals of providing a theoretical foundation for the deeper understanding of clock mechanisms and the treatment of diseases associated with circadian disruption.
Protein Processing, Post-Translational/physiology*
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Circadian Rhythm/physiology*
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Humans
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Animals
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CLOCK Proteins/physiology*
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Circadian Clocks/physiology*
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Phosphorylation
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Acetylation
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Ubiquitination
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Sumoylation
10.Effects of total extract of Anthriscus sylvestris on immune inflammation and thrombosis in rats with pulmonary arterial hypertension based on TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway.
Ya-Juan ZHENG ; Pei-Pei YUAN ; Zhen-Kai ZHANG ; Yan-Ling LIU ; Sai-Fei LI ; Yuan RUAN ; Yi CHEN ; Yang FU ; Wei-Sheng FENG ; Xiao-Ke ZHENG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(9):2472-2483
This study aimed to explore the effects and mechanisms of total extracts from Anthriscus sylvestris on pulmonary hypertension in rats. Sixty male SD rats were divided into normal(NC) group, model(M) group, positive drug sildenafil(Y) group, low-dose A. sylvestris(ES-L) group, medium-dose A. sylvestris(ES-M) group, and high-dose A. sylvestris(ES-H) group. On day 1, rats were intraperitoneally injected with monocrotaline(60 mg·kg~(-1)) to induce pulmonary hypertension, and the rat model was established on day 28. From days 15 to 28, intragastric administration of the respective treatments was performed. After modeling and treatment, small animal echocardiography was used to detect the right heart function of the rats. Arterial blood gas was measured using a blood gas analyzer. Hematoxylin and eosin(HE) staining and Masson staining were performed to observe cardiopulmonary pathological damage. Flow cytometry was used to detect apoptosis in the lung and myocardial tissues and reactive oxygen species(ROS) levels. Western blot was applied to detect the expression levels of transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1), phosphorylated mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3(p-Smad3), Smad3, tissue plasminogen activator(t-PA), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1(PAI-1) in lung tissue. A blood routine analyzer was used to measure inflammatory immune cell levels in the blood. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to detect the expression levels of P-selectin and thromboxane A2(TXA2) in plasma. The results showed that, compared with the NC group, right heart hypertrophy index, right ventricular free wall thickness, right heart internal diameter, partial carbon dioxide pressure(PaCO_2), apoptosis in cardiopulmonary tissue, and ROS levels were significantly increased in the M group. In contrast, the ratio of pulmonary blood flow acceleration time(PAT)/ejection time(PET), right cardiac output, change rate of right ventricular systolic area, systolic displacement of the tricuspid ring, oxygen partial pressure(PaO_2), and blood oxygen saturation(SaO_2) were significantly decreased in the M group. After administration of the total extract of A. sylvestris, right heart function and blood gas levels were significantly improved, while apoptosis in cardiopulmonary tissue and ROS levels significantly decreased. Further testing revealed that the total extract of A. sylvestris significantly decreased the levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-6(IL-6), and PAI-1 proteins in lung tissue, while increasing the expression of t-PA. Additionally, the extract reduced the levels of inflammatory cells such as leukocytes, lymphocytes, granulocytes, and monocytes in the blood, as well as the levels of P-selectin and TXA2 in plasma. Metabolomics results showed that the total extract of A. sylvestris significantly affected metabolic pathways, including arginine biosynthesis, tyrosine metabolism, and taurine and hypotaurine metabolism. In conclusion, the total extract of A. sylvestris may exert an anti-pulmonary hypertension effect by inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway, thereby alleviating immune-inflammatory responses and thrombosis.
Animals
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Male
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Smad3 Protein/metabolism*
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Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolism*
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Rats
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Signal Transduction/drug effects*
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Hypertension, Pulmonary/genetics*
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Thrombosis/immunology*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
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Humans
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Apoptosis/drug effects*


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