1.Analysis of follicular helper T cell percentage and expression levels of functionally related cytokines in a mouse model of incomplete embryo implantation disorders
Peng WANG ; Xiaoyun GONG ; Manli ZHANG ; Yunian ZHANG ; Xiaolin LA
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(1):38-44
ObjectiveTo detect the proportion of splenic follicular helper T (Tfh) cells and their functionally related cytokine expression levels in the incomplete embryo implantation disorder (EID) model mice, and to explore the immunological mechanism of Tfh in infertility caused by embryo implantation disorder. MethodsSixteen female Kunming mice were randomly divided into two groups, with eight mice in each group. On day 4 of pregnancy, an incomplete EID mouse model was established by oral gavage of mifepristone suspension, while an equal volume of saline was administered to the control group. On day 8 of pregnancy, the mice were euthanized. Flow cytometry was used to detect the levels of Tfh cells in the spleen lymphocytes of both incomplete EID mice and normal control mice. qRT-PCR was performed to measure the mRNA levels of B-cell lymphoma 6 (Bcl-6) and C-X-C chemokine receptor type 5 protein (CXCR5) in the spleen lymphocytes of both groups. Western blot was employed to assess the protein expression levels of Bcl-6 and CXCR5 in the spleen lymphocytes of both groups. Serum levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-6, and IL-21 were measured by ELISA. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to observe the expression levels of progesterone receptor (PR), Bcl-6, and CXCR5 proteins in the uterine endometrial tissue of mice in both groups. ResultsIncomplete-type EID mice had a reduced number of embryo implantation points and reduced endometrial PR expression. Flow assay results showed that the proportion of CD4+CXCR5+Tfh cells in splenic lymphocytes of incomplete-type EID mice was significantly higher than that of normal controls (P<0.05). Compared with the normal control group, Bcl-6 and CXCR5 mRNA levels and protein levels were elevated in splenic lymphocytes of incomplete EID mice, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05); serum IL-4, IL-6, and IL-21 levels were elevated in incomplete EID mice, and Bcl-6 and CXCR5 proteins in the endometrium were significantly elevated (P<0.05). ConclusionThe increase of Tfh cells and their associated cytokines Bcl-6 and CXCR5 is associated with the development of incomplete EID, and may be involved in the development of female immune infertility.
2.Research Progress on Short Stature Accompanied by Disorders of Sex Development
Xinran GONG ; Huifang PENG ; Jiali CHEN ; Hongwei JIANG
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2026;17(2):476-483
Short stature(SS) and disorder of sex development(DSD) are two types of conditions characterized by high clinical heterogeneity and complex etiology. There is interplay and mutual influence between the pathways regulated by growth hormone and sex hormones in skeletal and gonadal development. Causing co-occurrence of SS and DSD, as seen in conditions such as Turner syndrome, mixed gonadal dysgenesis, Noonan syndrome, and Prader-Willi syndrome. Patients with these disorders are often accompanied by distinctive facial features, endocrine and metabolic disturbances, cardiovascular disease, and other systemic complications. Genetic factors involved include chromosomal numerical and structural abnormalities; mutations in genes such as SHOX, CHD7, SOX8, and PTPN11, dysregulation of the RAS/mitogen activated protein kinase signaling pathway, and defects in imprinted genes. This article aims to systematically review the relevant research progress, in order to provide a reference for the clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies of patients with coexisting SS and DSD.
3.Multidimensional analysis of concurrent proximal bronchiolar adenoma and lung carcinoma
Lu-Yao LI ; Gong-Ming DONG ; Yun-Peng ZHANG ; Ting-Ting WANG ; Fu-Quan JIA ; Guan-Jun ZHANG
Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine 2026;60(3):356-363
Bronchiolar adenoma (BA) is a rare type of lung tumor characterized by bilayered epithelial cells having a continuous basal layer and a luminal layer. It resembles mucinous adenocarcinoma (MA) on frozen section, with difficulty in distinguishing the basal layer. Immunohistochemistry is the best choice for verifying the diagnosis. This study aimed to comprehensively characterize three cases of BA-combined carcinoma using clinical, histopathological, and genetic features. BA and carcinoma sections were subjected to next-generation sequencing, respectively. It was hypothesized that while different mutation forms matched different regions, BA and lung adenocarcinoma shared the same gene mutation when they co-occurred in the same location. BA with extensive carcinoma is extremely rare and presents diagnostic challenges due to its overlap with conditions such as MA. Because of its distinctive morphological characteristics, BA may be regarded as a low-grade malignancy, particularly during a confusing evaluation. A multifaceted examination of clinical, radiological, immunohistochemical, and genetic data is necessary for an accurate diagnosis.
4.Activation of the Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)ergic Neural Circuit in Salicylate-Induced Tinnitus: the Inferior Colliculus to the Medial Geniculate Body
Xu-Yuan PENG ; Jiang WANG ; Ming-Yue GONG ; Li-Yuan ZHANG ; Min ZHANG ; Zhi-Bin CHEN ; Zheng-Quan TANG ; Lei CHENG
Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology 2026;19(1):55-69
Objectives:
. This study aimed to investigate the regulatory functions of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neural circuits from the inferior colliculus (IC) to the medial geniculate body (MGB) in salicylate-induced tinnitus.
Methods:
. Mice were treated with salicylate to induce tinnitus, and tinnitus-like behaviors were evaluated via gap prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle. Using combined viral tracing methodologies, we identified and mapped the pathways and connections from the IC to the MGB. Furthermore, we employed Gq-coupled human M3 designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) and Gi-coupled human M4 DREADDs to achieve targeted excitation or suppression of GABAergic neurons in the IC and MGB. Following the administration of clozapine N-oxide, which binds to these receptors, we modulated these neural circuits to assess their impact on tinnitus severity in a mouse model.
Results:
. Our findings demonstrated that mice exposed to salicylate exhibited tinnitus-like behaviors. GABAergic neurons projecting retrogradely from the MGB to the IC were primarily concentrated in the external nucleus of the IC. After clozapine N-oxide administration, chemogenetic activation of IC-MGB GABAergic neurons aggravated salicylate-induced tinnitus. Additionally, activation of GABAergic neurons between the IC and MGB induced the perception of tinnitus even without salicylate. However, chemogenetic inhibition of the IC-MGB GABAergic circuit did not reverse salicylate-induced tinnitus.
Conclusion
. These findings suggest that activation of the IC-MGB GABAergic neural circuit may contribute to tinnitus generation through a mechanism distinct from that of salicylate-induced tinnitus. This study provides novel insights into the mechanisms underlying tinnitus.
5.Experimental study of magnetic tracer technique in the localization of pulmonary nodules in dogs
Huan-chen SHA ; Miao-miao ZHANG ; Jia-hui WAN ; Qiu-ye ZHONG ; Rui-min GONG ; Yi LYU ; Xiao-peng YAN
Journal of Regional Anatomy and Operative Surgery 2025;34(10):841-845
Objective To investigate the feasibility of magnetic tracer technique for locating pulmonary nodules.Methods A tracer magnet and a matching puncture instrument were designed by ourselves for locating pulmonary nodules.After preliminarily verifying the feasibility of the operation in the isolated lung,four beagle dogs were used as animal models to perform puncture localization of the assumed lesions in the upper lobe of the right lung under the guidance of X-ray by using self-designed tracer magnets and puncture instruments,and the positioning effect was observed and evaluated after thorax opening.The operation time required for the tracer magnet implantation,whether there is bleeding at the puncture site,whether the tracer magnet is displaced,and the positioning time of pulmonary nodules after thorax opening were recorded.Results Two tracer magnets were successfully inserted into the upper lobe of the right lung under X-ray guidance in four beagle dogs,and the magnets were successfully attracted and fixed.The median insertion time of the tracer magnet was 5 minutes(4 to 7 minutes),and the insertion process was smooth without bleeding at the puncture site.After thorax opening,oval forceps were used to conveniently locate the location of the tracer magnet,achieving accurate positioning of pulmonary nodules with a median positioning time of 13 seconds(10 to 17 seconds),and the tracer magnet did not shift during the whole process.Conclusion The magnetic tracer technique is simple to operate and pricise for localization of pulmonary nodules.With further optimization of the operation process,this technique is expected to be applied in clinic.
6.Value of Serum lncRNA SNHG7 and miR-34a-5p Expression Levels in the Diagnosis and Prognostic Evaluation of Bloodstream Infections
Xiaobo GONG ; Cuicui PENG ; Binrong MO ; Yongqing LIN ; Xiaojun YU
Journal of Modern Laboratory Medicine 2025;40(5):67-72
Objective To investigate the value of serum long noncoding RNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 7(lncRNA SNHG7)and microRNA(miR)-34a-5p expression in the diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of bloodstream infection(BSI).Methods A total of 193 suspected BSI patients admitted to the emergency department of Guangxi Wuzhou Red Cross Hospital from March 2022 to March 2023 were collected as the study subjects.After diagnosis,BSI patients were included as the infection group(n=100),and non BSI patients were included as the non infection group(n=93).After 28 days of treatment,BSI patients were separated into a death group(n=32)and a survival group(n=68)based on their prognosis.The real time fluorgenic quantitative PCR(qRT-PCR)method was applied to detect the expression levels of serum lncRNA SNHG7 and miR-34a-5p.The Target Scan Human website was applied to predict the targeting relationship between miR-34a-5p and lncRNA SNHG7.Pearson method was applied to analyze the correlation between serum lncRNA SNHG7 level and miR-34a-5p level.Multivariate Logistic regression was applied to analyze the influencing factors of prognosis in patients with BSI.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was applied to analyze the prognostic value of serum lncRNA SNHG7 and miR-34a-5p.Results The serum lncRNA SNHG7 level(1.47±0.35)in the infection group was obviously higher than that in the non infection group(1.03±0.15),and the miR-34a-5p level(0.85±0.21)was obviously lower than that in the non infection group(1.02±0.13),and the differences were statistically significant(t=11.203,6.703,all P<0.05).Compared with survival group,the serum lncRNA SNHG(1.68±0.21 vs 1.37±0.19),C-reactive protein(CRP)(85.74±9.16mg/L vs 63.18±7.68mg/L),procalcitonin(PCT)levels(56.37±8.72ng/ml vs 34.69±5.54ng/ml),albumin(92.51±10.18g/L vs 65.27±7.24g/L),Acute Physiological and Chronic Health Evaluation(APACHE II)scores(28.15±5.12scores vs 16.35±4.31scores)of the death group were obviously higher,and serum miR-34a-5p level(0.67±0.14 vs 0.93±0.16)was obviously lower,the differences were statistically significant.(t=7.357~15.340,all P<0.05).LncRNA SNHG7 had a targeted binding site with miR-34a-5p,and lncRNA SNHG7 was negatively correlated with miR-34a-5p(r=-0.568,P<0.05).Serum lncRNA SNHG7 and miR-34a-5p were prognostic factors for BSI patients(all P<0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)of serum lncRNA SNHG7,miR-34a-5p,and their combined evaluation of prognosis in BSI patients was better than that of serum lncRNA SNHG7 and miR-34a-5p detected sepatately(Z=0.001,2.304,all P<0.05),with sensitivity and specificity of 78.12%and 97.06%,respectively.Conclusion The serum lncRNA SNHG7 level in BSI patients is obviously elevated,while the serum miR-34a-5p level is obviously reduced.The two are closely related to the prognosis of BSI patients,and the combination of the two has good evaluation value for the prognosis of BSI patients.
7.Study on the Relationship between the Changes of Four Indexes Related to Plasma Ferroptosis and the Prognosis after TACE in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Fei YANG ; Jicheng GAO ; Song LIU ; Huixiao ZUO ; Weiyong GONG ; Zhe ZHANG ; Tao PENG
Journal of Modern Laboratory Medicine 2025;40(5):78-81,87
Objective To analyze the relationship between the expression of ferroptosis markers in the tumor microenvironment(TME)and the prognosis of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE)for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods This prospective observational study included 100 HCC patients who received TACE treatment at Langfang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from March 2019 to June 2021 as the study subjects.The levels of 8-isoprostaglandin F2α(8-iso-PGF2α),4-hydroxy-2-nonenal(4-HNE),8-hydroxy-2'deoxyguanosine(8-OH-dG)and hepcidin in plasma were evaluated by ELISA kit at baseline(1 day before TACE),1 day after TACE and 4~8 weeks.The changes of ferroptosis related markers during TACE treatment were compared.The difference between the level of 8-iso-PGF2α,4-HNE and the baseline 1 day after TACE treatment was recorded as △8-iso-PGF2α,△4-HNE.Results Compared with the baseline,the levels of 8-iso-PGF2α and 4-HNE increased significantly and the level of hepcidin decreased significantly one day after TACE treatment,and the differences were statistically significant(t=8.03,16.29,2.92,all P<0.05).Compared with 1 day after treatment,the levels of 8-iso-PGF2α,4-HNE decreased and the level of 8-OH-dG increased at 4~8 weeks after TACE treatment,and the differences were statistically significant(t=9.12,17.17,2.63,all P<0.05).Multivariate COX analysis showed that △8-iso-PGF2α,△4-HNE and 8-iso-PGF2α 1 day after TACE treatment were independent factors affecting the overall survival after TACE(Wald χ2=5.205,13.801,6.054,all P<0.05).The survival time of patients with △4-HNE>2.01 μg/ml was significantly longer than that of patients with △4-HNE≤2.01 μg/ml(Log-rank=5.718,P=0.017),and that of patients with△8-iso-PGF2α>1.75ng/ml was sig-nificantly longer than that of patients with△8-iso-PGF2≤1.75ng/ml(Log-rank=4.163,P=0.041).Conclusion The prognosis of HCC patients who are in a state of high ferroptosis(4-HNE and 8-iso-PGF2 increased)at 1 day after TACE treatment is better,which indicate that ferroptosis mediated HCC death induced by TACE treatment.
8.AI-driven prognostic assessment and treatment strategy optimization for hepatocellular carcinoma:technological innovations and advances in clinical translation
Xiaocheng LI ; Jing PENG ; Jianping GONG ; Huai NING
Chinese Journal of General Surgery 2025;34(7):1498-1504
Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide,and accurate prognostic assessment and treatment planning are vital for improving patient outcomes.Conventional prognostic models,which rely on limited clinicopathological parameters,often fail to capture the profound heterogeneity of HCC.In recent years,artificial intelligence(AI)-particularly machine learning and deep learning-has driven a paradigm shift in precision oncology by leveraging its powerful capabilities in data mining and pattern recognition.This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in AI for prognostic assessment and treatment optimization in HCC,with an emphasis on key methodologies such as radiomics and multi-modal data integration.It further discusses the clinical potential and challenges of AI in predicting postoperative recurrence,evaluating therapeutic response,and supporting individualized treatment decisions,while also outlining future directions in this rapidly evolving field.The review aims to inform and facilitate the clinical translation of AI technologies into the management of HCC.
9.Wearable Muscle Strength Monitoring System Based on Muscle Perimeter Change
Han QIN ; Yangming ZHU ; Peng SUN ; Jia YANG ; Xiaobo GONG
Journal of Medical Biomechanics 2025;40(5):1178-1185
Objective To realize real-time monitoring and evaluation of muscle strength,this study designed and validated a wearable muscle strength monitoring system based on muscle perimeter changes.Methods Six healthy college students who are not sports majors wore the monitoring gear based on the change of muscle perimeter to perform the isokinetic muscle strength test,the real-time data of the change of muscle perimeter during the isokinetic exercise was obtained.After analyzing and processing the curve of muscle perimeter change overtime,namely,the peak muscle perimeter change(PP),the peak velocity of muscle perimeter change(PVP)and the accumulation of muscle perimeter change(AP)over time in a single exercise,Pearson correlation analysis was conducted with the peak torque(PT),the peak torque to body weight ratio(PT/BW),the torque at 0.18 s(T0.18)and the endurance ratio(ER)obtained by the isokinetic muscle strength test.The reliability of wearable system for real-time muscle strength monitoring was verified.The muscle perimeter changes were sampled with the arm and leg wearable protectors,and the muscle perimeter monitoring positions corresponded to the largest muscle perimeter changes when the strength of biceps in the upper arm was applied,as well as the largest muscle perimeter changes when the strength of quadriceps above the knee was applied.The isokinetic muscle strength test was performed on elbow and knee joints using the Biodex System 4 pro device.Results Dynamic muscle perimeter changes could be used to monitor the muscle strength level of the human body.There was a significant correlation between arm muscle perimeter and elbow muscle strength index(P≤0.01),and the maximum correlation coefficient was 0.91.Leg muscle perimeter was significantly correlated with knee muscle strength(P≤0.01),and the maximum correlation coefficient was 0.99.Conclusions The wearable muscle strength monitoring system has a high reliability and can be used for real-time monitoring of the elbow and knee muscle strength during isokinetic exercise.
10.Study on the Application Effect of Personalized Nutrition Program Combined with Rehabilitation Training in Stroke Rehabilitation Patients
Wen-fang HUANG ; Jian-liang WEI ; Qi-ping ZHU ; Peng ZHANG ; Jian-gong LAI ; Yi LU
Progress in Modern Biomedicine 2025;25(16):2698-2704,2714
Objective:To observe the intervention effect of personalized nutrition program combined with rehabilitation training in stroke rehabilitation patients.Methods:86 stroke rehabilitation patients who were admitted to our hospital from January 2023 to June 2024 were prospectively selected,they were divided into control group and study group according to the random number table method,with 43 cases in each group,the control group received rehabilitation training,while the study group received personalized nutrition program combine with rehabilitation training.Simple Fugl Meyer motor function(FMA)score,immune function indicators[immunoglobulin(Ig)A,IgG,complement C3,IgM,complement C4],National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS),nutritional status indicators[albumin(ALB),prealbumin(PA),total protein(TP),hemoglobin(HB)],Stroke Specific Quality of Life Scale(SS-QOL),Barthel Index(BI)score were compared between the two groups.Results:NIHSS score in the study group at 8 weeks after intervention was lower than that in the control group,and SS-QOL score,BI score,FMA score,IgM,IgA,IgG,complement C3,complement C4,ALB,HB,TP and PA were higher than those in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Personalized nutrition program combined with rehabilitation training in stroke rehabilitation patients,can reduce neurological damage,improve limb motor function,enhance nutritional status,immunity,and quality of life.

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