1.Mechanism of MEK/Ras/Raf/ERK Signaling Pathway Modulated by Mimenghua Prescription on Inflammatory Response in Dry Eye Animal Model
Shi TAN ; Pei LIU ; Yuan ZHONG ; Sainan TIAN ; Pengfei JIANG ; Genyan QIN ; Qinghua PENG ; Jun PENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(7):211-221
ObjectiveThis paper aims to investigate the effects and mechanism of Mimenghua prescription in modulating the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (Ras)/rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma kinase (Raf)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway to inhibit inflammatory responses in a dry eye animal model. MethodsA total of 60 C57BL/6J mice (eight weeks old, half male and half female) were used in the experiment. Ten mice were randomly selected as the blank control group, while the remaining 50 were exposed to a controlled dry system and received instillation of 0.2% benzalkonium chloride (BAC) into the eyes for four weeks to establish a dry eye mouse model. After successful modeling, the mice were randomly divided into five groups: Model group, sodium hyaluronate group, and Mimenghua prescription groups with low dose (4.83 g·kg-1), medium dose (9.67 g·kg-1), and high dose (19.34 g·kg-1). The mice in the model group received an equal volume of normal saline via gavage for four weeks. The mice in the sodium hyaluronate group received instillation of sodium hyaluronate eye drops twice daily for 14 consecutive days. The tear secretion volume, tear film break-up time (TBUT), and corneal fluorescein staining were evaluated once every two weeks. After four weeks of administration, mice were euthanized, and their lacrimal gland tissues and corneas were harvested. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to assess histopathological morphology. Western blot was performed to detect the protein expression levels of MEK, Ras, Raf, and ERK. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the contents and expressions of MEK, Ras, Raf, ERK, and interleukin (IL)-1β in lacrimal gland and corneal tissues of the mice in each group. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) was employed to determine mRNA expression levels of MEK, Ras, Raf, and ERK. ResultsThe Mimenghua prescription groups and the sodium hyaluronate group exhibited significantly increased tear secretion volume (P<0.05) and prolonged TBUT (P<0.05) after treatment. Ocular surface damage of mice was visibly recovered. Western blot results indicated that protein expression levels of MEK, Ras, Raf, and ERK in the lacrimal gland and corneal tissues were significantly downregulated in the sodium hyaluronate group and Mimenghua prescription group with high dose (P<0.05). ELISA results showed that IL-1β levels were highest in the model group but significantly reduced in the sodium hyaluronate group and Mimenghua prescription groups (P<0.05). Both ELISA and Real-time PCR results demonstrated that the expression levels of MEK, Ras, Raf, and ERK in the lacrimal glands and corneal tissues were significantly elevated in the model group (P<0.05), but markedly downregulated in the sodium hyaluronate group and Mimenghua prescription groups (P<0.05), suggesting that Mimenghua prescription can decrease the expressions of MEK, Ras, Raf, and ERK in the lacrimal glands and corneal tissues. ConclusionMimenghua prescription can reduce inflammatory responses, increase tear secretion, prolong TBUT, and promote corneal recovery by inhibiting the MEK, Ras, Raf, and ERK signaling pathways in lacrimal gland and corneal tissues.
2.Effects of Qizhi Tongluo Granules on Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Nrf2/OASL1 Signaling Pathway in Rats with Membranous Nephropathy
Qin LU ; Fei GAO ; Xiaomeng WANG ; Zhenhua WU ; Guodong YUAN ; Fengwen YANG ; Jinchuan TAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(13):134-143
ObjectiveTo investigate the therapeutic efficacy of Qizhi Tongluo granules on proteinuria in membranous nephropathy (MN) and its potential protective effects and underlying mechanism against endoplasmic reticulum stress. MethodsAfter 70 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were adaptively fed for one week, the MN rat model was established by injecting cationic bovine serum albumin (C-BSA) into the tail vein. Rats were divided into the normal group, model group, low-dose Qizhi Tongluo granules group (2.43 g·kg-1), medium-dose group (4.86 g·kg-1), high-dose group (9.72 g·kg-1), and benazepril group (0.01 g·kg-1), with 10 rats in each group. Treatment was administered for four weeks. The 24-hour urinary total protein (UTP) content, as well as the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in renal tissues, were measured. Renal pathological changes were assessed using immunoglobulin G (IgG) staining, periodic acid-silver methenamine (PASM) staining, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The localization and expression levels of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), phosphorylated inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (p-IRE1α), phosphorylated protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (p-PERK), activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and 2'-5' oligoadenylate synthetase-like protein 1 (OASL1) in rat kidneys were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The mRNA and protein expression levels of Nrf2, thioredoxin 1 (Trx1), thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP), and OASL1 in rat kidneys were measured using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) and Western blot analysis. ResultsCompared with the normal group, UTP levels were significantly increased in the model rats (P<0.05), with obvious renal pathological damage. GPX content levels were significantly decreased in renal tissue (P<0.05), while ROS and MDA content levels were significantly increased (P<0.05). The expression of GRP78, p-IRE1α, p-PERK, and ATF4 proteins was significantly increased in the kidneys (P<0.05), while the mRNA and protein expression levels of Trx1 and Nrf2 were significantly decreased (P<0.05). The mRNA and protein expression levels of TXNIP and OASL1 were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the UTP levels of rats in the Qizhi Tongluo granules groups and the benazepril group decreased to varying degrees (P<0.05), and renal pathological damage was significantly alleviated. The GPX content in renal tissue was significantly increased (P<0.05), while the ROS and MDA levels were significantly decreased (P<0.05). The expression of GRP78, p-IRE1α, p-PERK, and ATF4 proteins in the kidney was significantly decreased (P<0.05). The mRNA and protein expression levels of Trx1 and Nrf2 were significantly increased (P<0.05), while the mRNA and protein expression levels of TXNIP and OASL1 were significantly decreased (P<0.05). ConclusionQizhi Tongluo granules alleviates proteinuria in MN rats by modulating the Nrf2/OASL1 signaling pathway in renal tissues to reduce endoplasmic reticulum stress, which represents its underlying mechanism.
3.Evaluation of CARIFS Score and Negative Antigen Conversion Rate of Qingxuan Daozhi Formula in Treatment of Influenza in Children (Heat Accumulation in Lung and Stomach Syndrome):A Multi-center Randomized Controlled Clinical Study
Jing WANG ; Liqun WU ; Tiegang LIU ; Yongning CAO ; Jing QIU ; Jing LI ; Huaqing TAN ; Ying ZHANG ; Xulei GOU ; Jia WANG ; Jing LI ; Haipeng CHEN ; Xueying QIN ; Yuanshuo TIAN ; Yang WANG ; Chen BAI ; Zhendong WANG ; Qianqian LI ; He YU ; Xueyan MA ; Fei DONG ; Lin JIANG ; Yingqi XU ; Jianping LIU ; Xiaohong GU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(13):188-196
ObjectiveThis paper aims to observe the syndrome improvement and negative antigen conversion rate of Qingxuan Daozhi formula in the treatment of influenza in children (heat accumulation in the lung and stomach syndrome). MethodsThrough a multi-center randomized controlled methodology design,confirmed influenza cases were collected from October 2022 to April 2023 in the pediatrics department of eight hospitals,such as Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. A total of 180 children with influenza and heat accumulation in the lung and stomach syndrome conforming to the standard were recruited through the clinic. The sick children meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into groups by a block-randomized method. The children in the experimental group were treated with Qingxuan Daozhi formula for five days,and those in the control group were treated with Oseltamivir Phosphate Granules for five days. The primary efficacy indicator was the negative conversion rate of influenza antigen detection. Secondary efficacy indicators were the Canadian acute respiratory illness and flu scale (CARIFS) and the incidence of complications,severe cases, and critical cases. Follow-up observation was conducted on the day of enrollment,48 hours after medication,72 hours after medication, and (6+1) d after medication. ResultsOne hundred and eighty participants were randomly assigned to the experimental group (90 cases) or the control group (90 cases). All participants were followed up during the study. Comparison of influenza antigen detection results in the primary efficacy indicators showed that the average time of negative influenza antigen conversion in the experimental group was (5.29±1.25) d,and that in the control group was (5.40±1.68) d,without a statistically significant difference. After five days of intervention,52 cases in the experimental group and 51 cases in the control group converted to negative,without a statistically significant difference. CARIFS score results in the secondary efficacy indicators showed that during 72 hours after intervention,there were statistically significant differences between the experimental group and the control group in three dimensions, including headache,muscle soreness, and the need for extra care (P<0.05). On the (6+1) days after the intervention,the differences in both the experimental group and the control group were statistically significant in 10 dimensions, including sore throat,bad sleep,uncomfortable feeling,poor spirit and fatigue,crying more than usual,the need for extra care,symptom,function,influence on parents,and total score (P<0.05). The comparison results within the group in the dimensional scores of symptom, function, and influence on parents,as well as the CARIFS total score showed that with the delay of follow-up time,scores of both groups decreased significantly,with a statistically significant difference (P<0.01). Inter-group comparison results showed that the mean score of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group at the time of enrollment. With the progress of intervention,the score of the experimental group was significantly decreased compared with that of the control group. At the end of follow-up,the mean score of the experimental group was lower than that of the control group,with no statistically significant difference. In terms of the incidence of complications,severe cases, and critical cases, there were no complications,severe cases, and critical cases in the two groups,without a statistically significant difference. ConclusionThe symptom improvement effect and negative antigen conversion rate of Qingxuan Daozhi formula in the treatment of influenza in children (heat accumulation in the lung and stomach syndrome) are not inferior to Oseltamivir Phosphate granules, and children's acceptance is better. It can be more widely used in clinical treatment of influenza in children (heat accumulation in the lung and stomach syndrome).
4.Research progress on typical work-related diseases
Xuemei TAN ; Yingying FENG ; Tangfei GUAN ; Yuqin YAO ; Xin SUN ; Juan LIAO ; Yajia LAN ; Qin ZHANG
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(1):108-115
Work serves as a critical means of obtaining resources, facilitating personal growth, realizing self-worth, and engaging in social interactions. However, work-related diseases pose significant threats to workers’ health and productivity, and impose considerable economic burdens. This article categorized work-related diseases into six major types, including musculoskeletal disorders, mental and behavioral disorders, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, digestive system diseases, reproductive system diseases, and non-specific respiratory diseases, and summarized their risk factors, assessment methods, policy regulation, and prevention and control measures. Current research in this field predominantly relies on cross-sectional studies, which present limitations in causal inference and potential risks of bias. Future studies should expand sample sizes, optimize research designs, and establish multidimensional evaluation systems to comprehensively assess the health and economic impacts of work-related diseases. It is recommended to enhance the translation of research findings into practice, thereby providing a scientific basis for the occupational health protection system and promoting the well-being and sustainable development of the working population.
5.Study on the extraction process of Hongqijin granules based on standard decoction
Lingrui QIN ; Xutong WU ; Yicheng SUN ; Kaiping ZOU ; Liyuan TIAN ; Xiying TAN ; Jingxian XUE ; Chenguang ZHAO ; Shun LIU
China Pharmacy 2026;37(15):1954-1959
OBJECTIVE To study the extraction process of Hongqijin granules with the standard decoction of Hongqijin formula as the reference. METHODS Fifteen batches of Hongqijin formula standard decoction were prepared. The reference characteristic chromatogram was established, and the chromatographic similarity was calculated. The average extraction yield and average transfer rates of calycosin-7-glucoside, salidroside, curcumin, and emodin of the 15 batches of standard decoction were determined. Taking soaking time, water addition amount, and decoction time as influencing factors, and extraction yield, transfer rates of marker components, as well as chromatographic similarity with the reference characteristic chromatogram as evaluation indexes, orthogonal test combined with principal component analysis was adopted to optimize the extraction process of Hongqijin granules, followed by process verification. RESULTS The average extraction yield of 15 batches of Hongqijin formula standard decoction was 32.55%. The average transfer rates of calycosin-7-glucoside, salidroside, curcumin, and emodin were 70.68%, 74.35%, 2.16%, and 4.62%, respectively. The optimal extraction process of Hongqijin granules was confirmed as follows: extraction was carried out twice; the first extraction used 8-fold water for 60 min, and the second extraction adopted 6.5-fold water for 45 min. In three validation tests, the average extraction yield was 33.01%. The average transfer rates of the four marker components were 79.51%, 75.54%, 1.84%, and 4.30%, with all RSD values less than 2%. The chromatographic similarities between the extracting solution and reference characteristic chromatogram were all higher than 0.990. CONCLUSIONS The optimized extraction process of Hongqijin granules exhibits good stability, and the material basis of the extracting solution is consistent with that of Hongqijin formula standard decoction.
6.Role of Innate Trained Immunity in Diseases
Chuang CHENG ; Yue-Qing WANG ; Xiao-Qin MU ; Xi ZHENG ; Jing HE ; Jun WANG ; Chao TAN ; Xiao-Wen LIU ; Li-Li ZOU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):119-132
The innate immune system can be boosted in response to subsequent triggers by pre-exposure to microbes or microbial products, known as “trained immunity”. Compared to classical immune memory, innate trained immunity has several different features. Firstly, the molecules involved in trained immunity differ from those involved in classical immune memory. Innate trained immunity mainly involves innate immune cells (e.g., myeloid immune cells, natural killer cells, innate lymphoid cells) and their effector molecules (e.g., pattern recognition receptor (PRR), various cytokines), as well as some kinds of non-immune cells (e.g., microglial cells). Secondly, the increased responsiveness to secondary stimuli during innate trained immunity is not specific to a particular pathogen, but influences epigenetic reprogramming in the cell through signaling pathways, leading to the sustained changes in genes transcriptional process, which ultimately affects cellular physiology without permanent genetic changes (e.g., mutations or recombination). Finally, innate trained immunity relies on an altered functional state of innate immune cells that could persist for weeks to months after initial stimulus removal. An appropriate inducer could induce trained immunity in innate lymphocytes, such as exogenous stimulants (including vaccines) and endogenous stimulants, which was firstly discovered in bone marrow derived immune cells. However, mature bone marrow derived immune cells are short-lived cells, that may not be able to transmit memory phenotypes to their offspring and provide long-term protection. Therefore, trained immunity is more likely to be relied on long-lived cells, such as epithelial stem cells, mesenchymal stromal cells and non-immune cells such as fibroblasts. Epigenetic reprogramming is one of the key molecular mechanisms that induces trained immunity, including DNA modifications, non-coding RNAs, histone modifications and chromatin remodeling. In addition to epigenetic reprogramming, different cellular metabolic pathways are involved in the regulation of innate trained immunity, including aerobic glycolysis, glutamine catabolism, cholesterol metabolism and fatty acid synthesis, through a series of intracellular cascade responses triggered by the recognition of PRR specific ligands. In the view of evolutionary, trained immunity is beneficial in enhancing protection against secondary infections with an induction in the evolutionary protective process against infections. Therefore, innate trained immunity plays an important role in therapy against diseases such as tumors and infections, which has signature therapeutic effects in these diseases. In organ transplantation, trained immunity has been associated with acute rejection, which prolongs the survival of allografts. However, trained immunity is not always protective but pathological in some cases, and dysregulated trained immunity contributes to the development of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Trained immunity provides a novel form of immune memory, but when inappropriately activated, may lead to an attack on tissues, causing autoinflammation. In autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis, trained immunity may lead to enhance inflammation and tissue lesion in diseased regions. In Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, trained immunity may lead to over-activation of microglial cells, triggering neuroinflammation even nerve injury. This paper summarizes the basis and mechanisms of innate trained immunity, including the different cell types involved, the impacts on diseases and the effects as a therapeutic strategy to provide novel ideas for different diseases.
7.Research advances in the application of artificial intelligence in transfusion medicine
Xinxin YANG ; Shilan XU ; Bing HAN ; Lixin WANG ; Fu CHENG ; Dongmei YANG ; Bin TAN ; Li QIN ; Chunxia CHEN
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2025;38(11):1502-1513
Objective: To review the current development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the field of transfusion medicine. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in the Clarivate Web of Science Database from inception to December 2024 for literature related to AI and transfusion. A total of 4 775 publications were identified. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, 133 original studies were ultimately included and analyzed using a narrative synthesis approach. Results: Research on AI in transfusion has surged since 2020 (accounting for 77% of all publications), with China ranking second globally in publication volume. Among the included studies, 69.2% focused on predicting individual transfusion needs, followed by inventory management (8.3%), diagnosis and prediction of adverse transfusion reactions (6.0%), factors influencing transfusion outcomes (5.3%), blood group identification (5.3%), blood quality testing (4.5%), and precise blood volume measurement (1.5%). Additionally, 4.5% of the studies were published in journals with an impact factor greater than 10; 19.5% developed software or applications; 31.5% were multi-center studies; 48.1% utilized decision tree methods, while 31.5% employed neural network approaches; and 14.2% conducted external validation of the algorithms. Conclusion: AI demonstrates significant potential in transfusion risk prediction, decision support, and blood management. However, challenges remain, including limited model generalizability, insufficient algorithm interpretability, and barriers to clinical translation. The deep integration of AI with transfusion medicine will accelerate the advent of precision transfusion era, maximizing blood resource utilization, reducing waste, and ensuring transfusion safety.
8.Revision,reliability and validity testing,and development of normative data of Inventory of Alienation Toward Parents in military personnel
Jieying TAN ; Xiaoxiao SUN ; Zongpei DAI ; Chenxuan JIN ; Wenjun XIANG ; Qin DAI
Journal of Army Medical University 2025;47(8):885-892,后插1
Objective To revise the Inventory of Alienation Toward Parents(IAP)and test its reliability and validity in a military population in order to provide a scientific tool for assessing the level and grade of parent-child alienation among military personnel.Methods Whole-cluster stratified random sampling was used to subject 8 641 service members from 8 Army units.Then all participants were surveyed with 18-item adolescent IAP,Beck Depression Inventory-Ⅱ,and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7.SPSS 27.0 and AMOS 26.0 were used to perform item analysis,exploratory factor analysis(EFA),and confirmatory factor analysis(CFA)to assess reliability and validity.Subsequently,our revised 16-item version of IAP was employed to develop means,percentiles,cut-off scores,and category norms.Results ①Items 3 and 12 were deleted in item analysis.②EFA extracted the original communication and emotional distance factors;CFA indicated that the two-factor model had good fitness,with the mother-child alienation scale:χ2/df=4.248,comparative fit index(CFI)=0.962,Tucker-Lewis index(TLI)=0.929,root mean square error of approximation(RMSEA)=0.028,standardized root mean squared residual(SRMR)=0.023;while the father-child alienation scale:χ2/df=5.41,CFI=0.939,TLI=0.901,RMSEA=0.032,SRMR=0.044.③The internal consistency reliability of the total IAP was good(0.744~0.888).④The total IAP score and scores of the mother-child and father-child subscales were positively correlated with depression and anxiety(r=0.395~0.493,P<0.01).⑤ The average total IAP score for military personnel was 17.27±4.21,and the scores of mother-child alienation and father-child alienation were 8.64±2.26 and 8.62±2.43,respectively.With percentiles of P75 and P90 as the cut-off points,the total IAP score can be stratified into 3 levels,that is,normal(≤16),moderate(17~19),and severe(≥20).Then,additional category norms were developed based on demographic characteristics.Conclusion Our revised 16-item military version of IAP shows good reliability and validity.A preliminary and representative norm is developed primarily,and can be used to assess the level and grade of military parental alienation.
9.Synthesis and Application of Salicylhydrazone Probe for Highly Selective Detection of Al3+
Hao-Xue TAN ; Zhong-Long WANG ; Xiao-Qin YANG ; Xiao-Ping RAO ; Ping ZHAO ; Qian JIANG
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2025;53(2):214-223,中插3-中插12
In this work,four salicylhydrazone compounds(L1?L4)were designed and synthesized by using vanillin derivatives as raw material.The structures were confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)and high-resolution mass spectrometry(HRMS).The optical experiments showed that probe L1 and probe L3 could be used as aluminium ion(Al3+)fluorescence probes.The fluorescence color of probe L1 solution changed from colorless to blue after adding Al3+,and the limit of detection was 25.1 nmol/L.Compared with probe L1,the fluorescence color of probe L3 solution changed from colorless to green after complexing with Al3+,and the limit of detection was 17.3 nmol/L.Probe L1 and probe L3 showed the advantages of fast response speed,high selectivity and good anti-interference.The mechanism of Al3+recognition was further demonstrated by HRMS and 1H NMR.Cell imaging experiments showed that probe L1 and L3 had low cytotoxicity and had great application potential in detection of Al3+in vivo.
10.Construction and Application of"On-Off-On"Fluorescence Sensor for Chlorpromazine Hydrochloride Based on Near Infrared Carbon Quantum Dots
Yu LIN ; Feng TAN ; Yu-Hua SHEN ; Li-Qin ZHU ; Pei-Yao YAN ; Jin-Tao PAN ; Kai-Shun LIU
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2025;53(6):934-943
In this work,near infrared carbon quantum dots(NIR-CDs)were synthesized by hydrothermal method using biomass material Clausena lansium leaves.The synthesized NIR-CDs emitted maximum fluorescence signal at 677 nm,which was independent of excitation wavelength.The characterization results showed that there were abundant groups on the surface of NIR-CDs.Pd2+could form non-fluorescent compounds with the surface groups of NIR-CDs,resulting in fluorescence quenching(Fluorescence signal was denoted as F0).Because chlorpromazine hydrochloride(CPZ)parent nucleus contained unoxidized S atom,CPZ could form stable colored complex with Pd2+under acidic conditions.In the presence of CPZ,Pd2+dissociated from the surface of NIR-CDs and bonded with CPZ,so that the fluorescence signal could be restored(Fluorescence signal was denoted as F).An"on-off-on"fluorescence sensor was thus constructed.The fluorescence signal recovery value of NIR-CDs(△F=F-F0)showed a good linear relationship with the concentration of CPZ in the range of 5.68-28.43 μg/mL,and the detection limit(3σ)was 0.078 μg/mL.The sensor was applied to determination of CPZ in pharmaceutical preparations,and the recoveries were 94%-106%.The developed fluorescence sensor was expected to be used in quality control of actual pharmaceutical preparations.

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