1.Estimated glucose disposal rate as a practical tool for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease identification:A NHANES-based cross-sectional study uncovering its protective threshold
Shangyu WANG ; Peng JIA ; Xiaojiao YANG ; Quanyou LAI
Journal of Army Medical University 2025;47(22):2837-2846
Objective To explore the early detection value of estimated glucose disposal rate(eGDR)for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD),providing a simple tool for precise clinical intervention.Methods A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on totally 3 262 participants with complete data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey Database of the United States from 2007 to 2018.Univariate regression and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to explore the correlation between the estimated glucose treatment rate and the incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.Subgroup analysis,restricted cubic spline and threshold effect analysis were conducted to investigate the potential factor influences and nonlinear relationships.Result Among all the included populations,948 cases(25.29%)were diagnosed with NAFLD,and the number gradually decreased with the increase of the estimated glucose treatment rate(P<0.001).Multivariate logistic regression showed that the estimated grape processing rate was negatively correlated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(OR=0.86,95%CI:0.83~0.88,P<0.001),and when the estimated glucose processing rate was≥10.246,it could significantly reduce the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(OR=0.20,95%CI:0.10~0.39,P<0.001),and stratified analysis further confirmed this result.Conclusion The eGDR is significantly associated with the incidence risk of NAFLD.A higher eGDR indicates a lower risk of NAFLD.This implies that in clinical practice,the risk of disease detection can be quantified through this indicator,thereby identifying potential patients earlier and initiating intervention.Countermeasures As decision-makers,they should strengthen public health education on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease,reduce health risks by promoting healthy diets and lifestyle interventions,and pay attention to the cardiovascular health of high-risk groups for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.At the same time,promote the research and application of drugs,and dynamically adjust policies through continuous disease monitoring to comprehensively reduce the burden of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
2.Investigation of 90Sr radioactivity levels in drinking water and food around the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant from 2012 to 2022
Lei ZHOU ; Yiyao CAO ; Hua ZOU ; Rui WANG ; Hong REN ; Peng WANG ; Shunfei YU ; Zhiqiang XUAN ; Zhongjun LAI
Chinese Journal of Radiological Medicine and Protection 2025;45(5):449-453
Objective:To investigate the radioactivity levels and variation trends of 90Sr in drinking water and food around the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant in operation. Methods:From 2012 to 2022, the source, factory, and tap water was collected within 30 km around the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant during the wet and dry seasons (i.e., May and October, respectively) each year to determine the 90Sr concentration in water. According to the dietary habits of local residents, four kinds of food, including rice, cabbage, mullet, and crucian carp, were collected to determine and analyze the 90Sr radioactivity concentration in food using the bis-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid extraction chromatographic method. Results:From 2012 to 2022, the 90Sr radioactivity concentrations in the source, factory, and tap water around the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant ranged from 3.73 to 11.89 mBq/L, 2.95 to 9.83 mBq/L, and 3.12 to 8.70 mBq/L, respectively, showing nonsignificant fluctuations over the years. The 90Sr radioactivity concentrations in rice, cabbage, mullet, and crucian carp ranged from 0.02 to 0.46 Bq/kg (dry weight), 0.26 to 1.07 Bq/kg (fresh weight), 0.38 to 1.05 Bq/kg (fresh weight), and 0.08 to 1.32 Bq/kg (fresh weight), respectively, all below the national standard limits. Conclusions:From 2012 to 2022, the 90Sr radioactivity levels in drinking water and food around the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant were at the background level and remained stable.
3.Impacts of Glaucocalyxin A on myocardial inflammation and immune function in diabetes rats by regulating cGAS/STING pathway
Qingzhou LAI ; Yuping GONG ; Yongli XIE ; Xing PAN ; Peng YUAN
Chinese Journal of Immunology 2025;41(5):1090-1095
Objective:To investigate the impacts of Glaucocalyxin A on myocardial inflammation and immune function in dia-betes rats by regulating cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase(cGAS)/stimulator of interferon genes(STING)pathway.Methods:STZ was injected intraperitoneally to model diabetes in rats,after successful modeling,the rats were divided into model group,low-dose Glaucocalyxin A group[10 mg/(kg·d)],high-dose Glaucocalyxin A group[20 mg/(kg·d)]and H-151(750 nmol/d)group,control group was also set up,with 10 rats in each group,the model group and control group were given the same volume of physiological saline for 4 weeks.The fully automated biochemical analyzer was applied to detect TG,TC,HDL-C and LDL-C levels;flow cytometry was applied to detect the levels of CD4+T,CD8+T,CD4+T/CD8+T in the serum of rats in each group;ELISA was applied to detect the levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β in myocardial tissue;HE staining was applied to observe pathologi-cal changes in rat myocardium;TUNEL staining was applied to observe the apoptosis of myocardial cells;Western blot was applied to detect the levels of Bcl-2,Bax,cGAS and STING pathway proteins.Results:The myocardial cells of rats in the control group were ar-ranged neatly and structurally intact;compared with the control group,the myocardial cells of rats in the model group were arranged in a disordered manner,with unclear nuclear structure and infiltration of inflammatory cells,the levels of serum TG,TC,CD8+T,myo-cardial tissue TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β,myocardial cell apoptosis rate,and the protein expression levels of Bax,cGAS and STING in rats were obviously increased,the levels of HDL-C,CD4+T,CD4+T/CD8+T,and the protein expression level of Bcl-2 were obviously reduced(P<0.05);compared with the model group,the pathological damage status of myocardial cells in the low and high doses Glau-cocalyxin A groups and H-151 group was obviously reduced,the levels of serum TG,TC,CD8+T,myocardial tissue TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β,myocardial cell apoptosis rate,and the protein expression levels of Bax,cGAS,and STING in rats were obviously reduced,the levels of HDL-C,CD4+T,CD4+T/CD8+T,and the protein expression level of Bcl-2 were obviously increased(P<0.05);compared with the high-dose Glaucocalyxin A group,there was no statistically obvious difference in all detection indicators in the H-151 group(P>0.05).Conclusion:Glaucocalyxin A may reduce myocardial inflammation and improve immune function in diabetes rats by inhi-biting cGAS-STING signaling pathway.
4.RXRα modulates hepatic stellate cell activation and liver fibrosis by targeting CaMKKβ-AMPKα axis.
Lijun CAI ; Meimei YIN ; Shuangzhou PENG ; Fen LIN ; Liangliang LAI ; Xindao ZHANG ; Lei XIE ; Chuanying WANG ; Huiying ZHOU ; Yunfeng ZHAN ; Gulimiran ALITONGBIEKE ; Baohuan LIAN ; Zhibin SU ; Tenghui LIU ; Yuqi ZHOU ; Zongxi LI ; Xiaohui CHEN ; Qi ZHAO ; Ting DENG ; Lulu CHEN ; Jingwei SU ; Luoyan SHENG ; Ying SU ; Ling-Juan ZHANG ; Fu-Quan JIANG ; Xiao-Kun ZHANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(7):3611-3631
Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the primary fibrogenic cells in the liver, and their activation plays a crucial role in the development and progression of hepatic fibrosis. Here, we report that retinoid X receptor-alpha (RXRα), a unique member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, is a key modulator of HSC activation and liver fibrosis. RXRα exerts its effects by modulating calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase β (CaMKKβ)-mediated activation of AMP-activated protein kinase-alpha (AMPKα). In addition, we demonstrate that K-80003, which binds RXRα by a unique mechanism, effectively suppresses HSC activation, proliferation, and migration, thereby inhibiting liver fibrosis in the CCl4 and amylin liver NASH (AMLN) diet animal models. The effect is mediated by AMPKα activation, promoting mitophagy in HSCs. Mechanistically, K-80003 activates AMPKα by inducing RXRα to form condensates with CaMKKβ and AMPKα via a two-phase process. The formation of RXRα condensates is driven by its N-terminal intrinsic disorder region and requires phosphorylation by CaMKKβ. Our results reveal a crucial role of RXRα in liver fibrosis regulation through modulating mitochondrial activities in HSCs. Furthermore, they suggest that K-80003 and related RXRα modulators hold promise as therapeutic agents for fibrosis-related diseases.
5.Research progress on correlation between circadian rhythm disturbance and work-related musculoskeletal disorders
Lichong LAI ; Pinyue TAO ; Dejing FAN ; Shuyu LU ; Jie PENG ; Huiqiao HUANG
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(3):319-324
Circadian rhythm refers to the 24-hour periodic changes in behavior, physiology, and molecular processes in the human body. Disruptions to the circadian rhythm not only affect mental health but are also associated with various metabolic disorders, including the regulation of bone and muscle metabolism. Research has shown that work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are influenced not only by workload but also by circadian rhythm factors, such as shift work. This review examined the relationships between circadian rhythm-related antecedents, outcomes, and WMSDs, exploring their shared metabolic markers and mechanisms. It provided a systematic overview of the intrinsic connection between circadian rhythm disruptions and WMSDs. While current studies highlight the impact of circadian rhythm disturbances on musculoskeletal disorders, further investigation is required to address the confounding factors involved. Future research should integrate chronobiology with both subjective and objective data to explore the pathway from environmental factors to intermediate phenotypes to diseases, ultimately providing a more comprehensive understanding of the network mechanisms underlying WMSDs.
6.Geographical Inference Study of Dust Samples From Four Cities in China Based on ITS2 Sequencing
Wen-Jun ZHANG ; Yao-Sen FENG ; Jia-Jin PENG ; Kai FENG ; Ye DENG ; Ke-Lai KANG ; Le WANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(4):970-981
ObjectiveIn the realm of forensic science, dust is a valuable type of trace evidence with immense potential for intricate investigations. With the development of DNA sequencing technologies, there is a heightened interest among researchers in unraveling the complex tapestry of microbial communities found within dust samples. Furthermore, striking disparities in the microbial community composition have been noted among dust samples from diverse geographical regions, heralding new possibilities for geographical inference based on microbial DNA analysis. The pivotal role of microbial community data from dust in geographical inference is significant, underscoring its critical importance within the field of forensic science. This study aims to delve deeply into the nuances of fungal community composition across the urban landscapes of Beijing, Fuzhou, Kunming, and Urumqi in China. It evaluates the accuracy of biogeographic inference facilitated by the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) fungal sequencing while concurrently laying a robust foundation for the operational integration of environmental DNA into geographical inference mechanisms. MethodsITS2 region of the fungal genomes was amplified using universal primers known as 5.8S-Fun/ITS4-Fun, and the resulting DNA fragments were sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq FGx platform. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis (NMDS) was employed to visually represent the differences between samples, while analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) were utilized to statistically evaluate the dissimilarities in community composition across samples. Furthermore, using Linear Discriminant Analysis Effect Size (LEfSe) analysis to identify and filter out species that exhibit significant differences between various cities. In addition, we leveraged SourceTracker to predict the geographic origins of the dust samples. ResultsAmong the four cities of Beijing, Fuzhou, Kunming and Urumqi, Beijing has the highest species richness. The results of species annotation showed that there were significant differences in the species composition and relative abundance of fungal communities in the four cities. NMDS analysis revealed distinct clustering patterns of samples based on their biogeographic origins in multidimensional space. Samples from the same city exhibited clear clustering, while samples from different cities showed separation along the first axis. The results from ANOSIM and PERMANOVA confirmed the significant differences in fungal community composition between the four cities, with the most pronounced distinctions observed between Fuzhou and Urumqi. Notably, the biogeographic origins of all known dust samples were successfully predicted. ConclusionSignificant differences are observed in the fungal species composition and relative abundance among the cities of Beijing, Fuzhou, Kunming, and Urumqi. Employing fungal ITS2 sequencing on dust samples from these urban areas enables accurate inference of biogeographical locations. The high feasibility of utilizing fungal community data in dust for biogeographical inferences holds particular promise in the field of forensic science.
7.Probiotics empower postoperative intestinal function recovery after colorectal surgery: mechanisms and clinical progress
Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery 2025;28(6):619-626
Gastrointestinal dysfunction is a common and significant complication in colorectal surgical practice, which is associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis caused by various perioperative interventions. Currently, enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols have been increasingly adopted in clinical practice, greatly accelerating the recovery of postoperative intestinal function. However, there are still no effective interventions in the ERAS protocols to target surgery-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis. Probiotics, as a key treatment method targeting the gut microbiota, can stimulate intestinal motility, inhibit the colonization of pathogenic bacteria, enhance intestinal barrier function, among other effects. Based on these effects of probiotics, they are expected to resolve the neglected gut microbiota dysbiosis, further accelerating the postoperative recovery of intestinal function after colorectal surgery. This article reviews the mechanisms and clinical progress in postoperative bowel functional recovery after colorectal surgery.
8.Cross-regulation Between Protein Acylation and Cancer Cell Metabolism
Yu-Xin LAI ; Zi-Jun PENG ; Jing LIANG
Chinese Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2025;41(2):169-177
Protein acylation is a group of recently identified chemical modification closely linked to me-tabolism with the metabolic intermediate acyl-coenzyme A(acyl-coA)as the substrate.Acylation posses-ses similar chemical structures to acetylation,with differences in carbon chain length,hydrophobicity,and charge.Most acyl-CoAs are intermediate metabolites,the level of which are influenced by the intra-cellular metabolic state.Therefore,protein acylation is greatly affected by cellular metabolism.Metabolic reprogramming is an important feature of tumor cells.In addition to the classic"Warburg effect",cancer cells exhibit abnormal regulation in lipid metabolism,amino acid metabolism and biological oxidation.Acylation on histones can impact chromatin structure,regulating gene expression and DNA repair critical-ly involved in cancer progression.On the other hand,acylation on non-histones can regulate signal trans-duction,enzymatic activity,or protein-protein interactions to affect cancer cell behaviors such as prolifer-ation,invasion,immune evasion,and vascular remodeling.Focusing on three types of acylation closely related to metabolism:lactylation,succinylation,and crotonylation,this article introduces the produc-tion,raw materials,regulatory mechanism and factors of protein acylation.We then review representative studies to show how cancer cell metabolic reprogramming can regulate these processes and histone/non-histone acylation levels,which subsequently affect the expression and function metabolism-related genes/proteins to form a bidirectional dialogue and accelerate cancer progression.In addition,we present sever-al prospects for potential research directions and translational applications in the field.
9.Development trajectory of sleep quality and its influencing factors in patients with insomnia after CBT-I treatment
Shuchuan ZHENG ; Yanyu HU ; Peng LAI ; Xueyi DUAN
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science 2025;34(7):618-624
Objective:To analyze the development trajectory of sleep quality in patients with insomnia after cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-I), and to explore the influencing factors of different development trajectories.Methods:A total of 418 patients with insomnia who received CBT-I at the Sleep Medicine Center of Xiamen Xianyue Hospital from February 2019 to June 2023 were recruited using convenience sampling. All patients completed the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) at five time points: before CBT-I initiation (T1), at the end of treatment (T2), and at 3 months (T3), 6 months (T4), and 12 months (T5) post-treatment. At T1, all patients were evaluated by the insomnia severity index (ISI), Flinders fatigue scale (FFS), Beck depression inventory-Ⅱ (BDI-Ⅱ), Beck anxiety inventory (BAI), and dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep scale (DBAS). Latent class growth modeling (LCGM) was constructed and employed to analyze the development trajectories of sleep quality post-CBT-I using Mplus 8.0 software. Univariate analysis and Logistic regression analysis were conducted by SPSS 26.0 software to explore influencing factors of the sleep quality trajectories.Results:The PSQI scores of insomnia patients at T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 were 15(12, 18), 8(6, 11), 5(3, 7), 5(3, 7) and 5(2, 7), respectively. Three distinct development trajectories were identified. Based on these trajectories, 418 patients were categorized into fluctuating development group ( n=44, 10.53%), slow improvement group ( n=193, 46.17%), and sustained improvement group ( n=181, 43.30%). Logistic regression analysis revealed that depressive symptom severity, anxiety symptom severity, family history of insomnia, and use of hypnotic medications were significant influencing factors for the sleep quality trajectories after CBT-I treatment (all P<0.05). Conclusion:The sleep quality of insomnia patients after CBT-I treatment shows different development trajectories, and its influencing factors are depression, anxiety, family history of insomnia and the use of hypnotic medications.
10.A multicenter clinical study on intramedullary vancomycin injection for preventing periprosthetic joint infection in total knee arthroplasty
Te LIU ; Jun FU ; Shiguang LAI ; Zhuo ZHANG ; Chi XU ; Lei GENG ; Yang LUO ; Peng REN ; Xin ZHI ; Quanbo JI ; Heng ZHANG ; Runkai ZHAO ; Haichao REN ; Ye TAO ; Qingyuan ZHENG ; Zeyu FENG ; Jianfeng YANG ; Yiming WANG ; Pengcheng LI ; Shuai LIU ; Wei CHAI ; Xiang LI ; Huiwu LI ; Xiaogang ZHANG ; Baochao JI ; Xianzhe LIU ; Xinzhan MAO ; Jianbing MA ; Xiangxiang SUN ; Jiying CHEN ; Yonggang ZHOU ; Jinliang WANG ; Weijun WANG ; Guoqiang ZHANG ; Ming NI
Chinese Journal of Orthopaedics 2025;45(12):803-811
Objective:To explore the safety and efficacy of intraosseous regional administration (IORA) of vancomycin for preventing infection in primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA).Methods:A total of 124 patients with knee osteoarthritis undergoing TKA between February 2024 and May 2024 at nine hospitals were enrolled. Preoperative infection prophylaxis involved either IORA (0.5 g vancomycin administered via intraosseous regional infusion before incision) or intravenous infusion (1 g vancomycin via peripheral vein). The IORA group included 15 males and 47 females with a median age of 66.5 years (range, 60.0-70.0 years), while the intravenous group included 14 males and 48 females with a median age of 66.0 years (range, 61.8-70.3 years) years. Intraoperative samples were collected including fat and synovium tissues after incision, before prosthesis placement, and after tourniquet release; distal femoral cancellous bone during femoral osteotomy; proximal tibial cancellous bone during tibial osteotomy; proximal intercondylar cancellous bone before prosthesis placement; and peripheral blood from non-infused arms at surgery initiation and after tourniquet release. Vancomycin concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Vital sign changes were recorded from admission to 5~10 minutes post-IORA (IORA group) or post-incision (intravenous group). Follow-ups were conducted on postoperative day 1 and 3, and at 1 and 3 months, to document complications including IORA-related adverse events, periprosthetic joint infections, surgical site infections, red man syndrome, acute kidney injury, deep vein thrombosis and so on.Results:Vancomycin concentrations in bone, fat, and synovial tissue samples were significantly higher in the IORA group than in the intravenous group ( P<0.05), while vancomycin concentrations in blood samples were significantly lower in the IORA group than in the intravenous group ( P<0.05). Only 7.3%(41/558) of tissue samples in the IORA group had vancomycin concentrations below 2.0 μg/g (the minimum inhibitory concentration of vancomycin against coagulase-negative staphylococcus), compared to 59.3%(331/558) in the intravenous group (χ 2=11.285, P<0.001). In the intravenous group, 16.9%(21/124) of blood samples had vancomycin concentrations exceeding 15.0 mg/L (the threshold associated with a significantly increased risk of nephrotoxicity), while all concentrations in the IORA group were below this threshold, the difference was statistically significant (χ 2=22.943, P<0.001). There were no statistically significant difference ( P>0.05) in vital signs changes before and after vancomycin administration between the two groups. Two patients in the intravenous group experienced incision exudate, while no other related complications occurred in either group. Conclusions:Compared to the traditional intravenous infusion of 1 g vancomycin, intraosseous injection of a low dose (0.5 g) of vancomycin achieves higher local tissue concentrations in the knee joint with a lower incidence of adverse reactions and is safe for infection prophylaxis. Despite guidelines not recommending the routine use of vancomycin for preventing infection after primary TKA, intraosseous injection of 0.5 g vancomycin may be considered intraoperatively for primary TKA in the following scenarios: patients in medical institutions with a high prevalence of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, patients with potential preoperative MRSA colonization, or patients with cephalosporin allergy.

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