1.The Regulatory Effects and Mechanisms of Piezo1 Channel on Chondrocytes and Bone Metabolic Dysregulation in Osteoarthritis
Yan LI ; Tao LIU ; Yu-Biao GU ; Hui-Qing TIAN ; Lei ZHANG ; Bi-Hui BAI ; Zhi-Jun HE ; Wen CHEN ; Jin-Peng LI ; Fei LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):564-576
Osteoarthritis (OA), a highly prevalent degenerative joint disease worldwide, is defined by articular cartilage degradation, abnormal bone remodeling, and persistent chronic inflammation. It severely compromises patients’ quality of life, and currently, there is no radical cure. Abnormal mechanical stress is widely regarded as a core driver of OA pathogenesis, and the exploration of mechanical signal perception and transduction mechanisms has become crucial for deciphering OA’s pathophysiological processes. Piezo1, a key mechanosensitive cation channel belonging to the Piezo protein family, has recently gained significant attention due to its pivotal role in mediating cellular responses to mechanical stimuli in joint tissues. This review systematically examines Piezo1’s expression patterns, regulatory mechanisms, and pathological functions in OA, with a particular focus on its dual roles in modulating chondrocyte homeostasis and bone metabolism disorders, while also delving into the underlying molecular signaling pathways and potential therapeutic implications. Piezo1, consisting of approximately 2 500 amino acids and forming a unique trimeric propeller-like structure, is widely expressed in chondrocytes, osteocytes, mesenchymal stem cells, and synovial cells. It exhibits permeability to cations such as Ca2+, K+, and Na+, and directly responds to membrane tension changes induced by mechanical stimuli like fluid shear stress and mechanical overload. In OA patients and animal models, Piezo1 expression is significantly upregulated, especially in cartilage regions subjected to abnormal mechanical stress (e.g., human temporomandibular joint cartilage). This overexpression is closely associated with aggravated cartilage degeneration, increased chondrocyte apoptosis, accelerated cellular senescence, and intensified inflammatory responses. Mechanical overload and pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β) are key inducers of Piezo1 upregulation: IL-1β activates the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway to enhance Piezo1 expression, forming a pathogenic positive feedback loop that inhibits chondrocyte autophagy, promotes apoptosis, and further accelerates joint degeneration. Mechanistically, Piezo1 mediates OA progression through multiple interconnected pathways. When activated by mechanical stress, Piezo1 triggers excessive Ca2+ influx, leading to endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and mitochondrial dysfunction, which directly induce chondrocyte apoptosis. This process involves the activation of downstream signaling cascades such as cGAS-STING and YAP-MMP13/ADAMTS5. YAP, a transcriptional regulator, upregulates the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) and aggrecanase (ADAMTS5), thereby accelerating cartilage matrix degradation. Additionally, Piezo1-driven Ca2+ overload promotes the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and upregulates senescence markers (p16 and p21), accelerating chondrocyte senescence via the p38MAPK and NF-κB pathways. Senescent chondrocytes secrete senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors (e.g., IL-6, IL-1β), further amplifying joint inflammation. In terms of bone metabolism, Piezo1 maintains joint homeostasis by promoting the differentiation of fibrocartilage stem cells into chondrocytes and balancing bone formation and resorption through regulating the FoxC1/YAP axis and RANKL/OPG ratio. Therapeutically, targeting Piezo1 shows promising potential. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that Piezo1 inhibitors (e.g., GsMTx4) can reduce joint damage and alleviate pain in OA mice. Simultaneously, siRNA-mediated co-silencing of Piezo1 and TRPV4 (another mechanosensitive channel) decreases intracellular Ca2+ concentration, inhibits chondrocyte apoptosis, and promotes cartilage repair. Conditional knockout of Piezo1 using Gdf5-Cre transgenic mice alleviates cartilage degeneration in post-traumatic OA models by downregulating MMP13 and ADAMTS5 expression. Despite existing challenges, such as off-target effects of inhibitors, inefficient local drug delivery, and interindividual genetic variability, strategies like developing selective Piezo1 antagonists, optimizing targeted nanocarriers, and combining Piezo1-targeted therapy with physical therapy provide viable avenues for clinical translation. The authors propose that Piezo1 serves as a critical therapeutic target for OA, and future research should focus on deciphering its context-dependent regulatory networks, developing tissue-specific intervention strategies, and validating their efficacy and safety in clinical trials to address the unmet medical needs of OA patients.
2.Machine learning-based risk prediction models for acute kidney injury in patients with acute coronary syndrome: A systematic review
Qi ZHANG ; Chenming LI ; Guyue YAN ; Qing WU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(07):1111-1118
Objective To systematically evaluate the risk prediction models for acute kidney injury in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) based on machine learning, providing a reference for clinical selection of appropriate risk assessment tools. Methods Clinical studies using machine learning methods for predicting the risk of acute kidney injury in ACS patients were retrieved from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science core database, CNKI, Wanfang Database, CBM, and VIP. The retrieval time was from the establishment of the database to May 24, 2025. The quality of the models were evaluated using the prediction model risk of bias assessment tool. Results Nine articles were included, and a total of 58 prediction models were constructed using 20 machine learning methods. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ranged from 0.733 to 0.894. The most commonly used predictors were age and creatinine. The overall bias risk of the included studies was relatively high, but the applicability was good.Conclusion Machine learning models can identify the risk of acute kidney injury in ACS patients. All models have good predictive potential, but they are still in the development stage. It is recommended that future studies adopt prospective design with external validation to improve the stability and predictive accuracy of the models.
3.Clinical Efficacy of Juanbitang Hot Compress Pack Combined with Intensive Rehabilitation Training in Ameliorating Hemiplegia After Stroke
Yuqin SHENG ; Yong YU ; Yan ZHANG ; Yuqing XIE ; Qing LIN ; Qian HU ; Longyu ZHANG ; Hongmei XU ; Xiaohong FAN ; Shouliang MA
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(17):210-218
ObjectiveTo explore the clinical efficacy of Juanbitang hot compress pack combined with intensive rehabilitation training in stroke patients with hemiplegia. MethodsA total of 80 stroke patients with hemiplegia were selected and assigned into a control group (40 cases) and an observation group (40 cases) according to the random number table method. The control group received conventional rehabilitation training and nursing intervention,while the observation group was additionally treated with Juanbitang hot compress pack. The two groups were compared in terms of the neurological function (national institute of health stroke scale score,NIHSS score),muscle strength,motor function (fugl-meyer assessment scale score,FMA score),daily living activity (modified barthel index,MBI),balance ability (berg balance scale score,BBS score),trunk control ability (Sheikh Trunk Control Test score,Sheikh TCT score),and homocysteine (Hcy) level before and after treatment. ResultsAfter treatment,the observation group had lower NIHSS score and Hcy level than the control group (P<0.05). The total response rate of the observation group (97.50%) was higher than that of the control group (77.50%). The scores of upper limb and lower limb FMA,MBI,BBS,and Sheikh TCT in the observation group were all higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). ConclusionThe application of Juanbitang hot compress pack combined with rehabilitation training can effectively improve the neurological function,muscle strength,motor function,daily living ability,balance ability,and trunk control ability and reduce the Hcy level in stroke patients with hemiplegia,demonstrating enhanced clinical efficacy.
4.Risk factors and predictive value of postoperative pulmonary infection after thoracoscopic lobectomy for NSCLC
Jia YAN ; Jiayuan JIN ; Qing ZHANG ; Bin LI ; Jingtao LI
Clinical Medicine of China 2025;41(2):111-116
Objective:To explore the risk factors of pulmonary infection in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after thoracoscopic lobectomy and evaluate their predictive value.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 152 NSCLC patients who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy at the Central Hospital of Tongchuan Mining Bureau in Shaanxi Province from May 2021 to May 2024. Among them, 45 cases were diagnosed with pulmonary infection by postoperative lung CT examination (postoperative infection group), while the remaining 107 cases did not develop pulmonary infection (non infection group). The levels of serum procalcitonin, serum amyloid A (SAA), and soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cell-1 (sTREM-1) between two groups of patients before and after surgery were compared, and conduct a multivariate logistic regression analysis on the risk factors of pulmonary infection in NSCLC patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy was conducted to evaluate the predictive value of each indicator for pulmonary infection in NSCLC patients after thoracoscopic lobectomy. The normally distributed quantitative data was represented by xˉ± s. Independent sample t-test was used for comparison between two groups, and paired t-test was used for comparison before and after treatment; The count data was presented as an example (%), and the comparison between groups was conducted using the chi square test. The risk factors for postoperative pulmonary infection in NSCLC patients were analyzed using multiple logistic regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to analyze the predictive value of each indicator for pulmonary infection after thoracoscopic lobectomy. Results:No difference were found in the levels of serum procalcitonin, SAA, and sTREM-1 between two groups of patients before surgery(all P>0.05); 24 hours after surgery, the levels of serum procalcitonin, SAA, and sTREM-1 in both groups of patients were higher than before surgery [Postoperative infection group: (1.16±0.29) μg/L compared to (0.34±0.09) μg/L, (10.2±1.8) mg/L compared to (7.3±0.9) mg/L, (20.3±4.8) ng/L compared to (8.0±1.2) ng/L, t-values were 20.70, 9.70, and 16.89, respectively, all P<0.001; The uninfected group (0.84±0.14) μg/L compared to (0.32±0.08) μg/L, (8.2±1.1) mg/L compared to (7.4±0.9) mg/L, and (13.5±6.3) ng/L compared to (8.1±1.2) ng/L, with t-values of 33.36, 6.13, and 8.73, respectively, all P<0.001, and the infected group was higher than the uninfected group ( t-values of 9.18, 8.32, and 6.52, respectively, all P<0.001). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that serum procalcitonin, SAA, and sTREM-1 levels at 24 hours after surgery were all risk factors for pulmonary infection in NSCLC patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy (odds ratios of 2.40, 1.61, 1.60, 95% confidence intervals: 1.14~5.04, 1.09~2.38, 1.13~2.26, P values of 0.021, 0.017, 0.009, respectively). The area under curve(AUC) of serum procalcitonin, SAA, and sTREM-1 predicting pulmonary infection after thoracoscopic lobectomy in NSCLC patients 24 hours after surgery were 0.84, 0.74, and 0.79, respectively, with cutoff values of 1.03 μg/L, 9.74 mg/L, and 16.85 ng/L, respectively. Conclusions:The levels of serum procalcitonin, SAA, and sTREM-1 24 hours after surgery are all risk factors for pulmonary infection in NSCLC patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy, and all three had a high predictive value for postoperative pulmonary infection.
5.Intervention effects of comprehensive infection prevention and control measures in suspected CRAB infection outbreaks in a neurosurgical care unit
Qing GAO ; Xiaoxia WANG ; Yinghua ZHANG ; Ling CAI ; Kangle GUO ; Yuqing FAN ; Yanzhi HE ; Yan WANG
Chinese Journal of Nosocomiology 2025;35(15):2357-2362
OBJECTIVE To analyze the reasons for the outbreak of suspected carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii(CRAB)infections in the neurosurgical intensive care unit to take comprehensive prevention and con-trol measures to control the spread of infections,and to provide a reference for the control of multidrug-resistant organisms(MDRO)infections in intensive care units.METHODS Epidemiological data were collected from five patients with CRAB infections in the neurosurgical intensive care unit of Gansu Provincial People's Hospital in Mar.2024,and environmental hygiene monitoring and comprehensive infection prevention and control measures were conducted.RESULTS A total of five cases of lower respiratory tract infections occurred,all of which were hospital-acquired infections,and all patients had consistent spatial-temporal distribution.A.baumannii was detec-ted in the sputum cultures of all patients,and all were resistant to carbapenems,aminoglycosides and some β-lac-tam drugs.Before the implementation of comprehensive prevention and control measures,a total of 25 samples from the surfaces and the hands of health workers were collected,with a pass rate of 52.00%;CRAB was detected on the surface of treatment carts and the wall of sputum suction bottles in the treatment room,with a detection rate of 8.00%.After the implementation,a total of 24 samples were collected,with a pass rate of 100.00%,and the difference was statistically significant when compared with the pre-implementation period(χ2=16.987,P<0.001).Through the implementation of comprehensive measures such as isolation,standardization of the ward cleaning and disinfection process,strengthening hand hygiene,standardization of sterile operations and personnel management,the indicators such as hand hygiene compliance rate,the execution rate of multi-drug-resistant bac-terial preventive and control measures and the fluorescent marker removal rate were all improved,and the suspec-ted CRAB infection outbreak was timely controlled.CONCLUSION This suspected CRAB hospital-acquired infec-tion outbreak may be related to a variety of factors,and timely environmental hygiene monitoring and comprehen-sive infection prevention and control measures can effectively control the spread of CRAB infection.
6.Audiological characteristics in infants and young chindren with cochlear nerve deficiency
Yongbo ZHANG ; Wendi SHI ; Qing ZHANG ; Zhuo WU ; Yan ZHAO
Chinese Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 2025;32(4):221-224
OBJECTIVE To investigate the auditory characteristics of patients with congenital unilateral cochlear nerve deficiency(CND).METHODS This study enrolled 21 patients(21 ears)with unilateral auditory nerve dysplasia confirmed by inner ear MRI,including 9 males and 12 females,aged 10 months to 7 years,(1.91±1.38)years.A retrospective analysis was performed on the correlation between behavioral audiometry and auditory steady-state response(ASSR)thresholds,chirp-evoked auditory brainstem response(chirp-ABR),otoacoustic emission(OAE),and other results to analyze the audiological characteristics of unilateral auditory nerve dysplasia.RESULTS In all 21 patients(21 ears)with auditory nerve dysplasia,behavioral audiometry,chirp-ABR,and ASSR results all indicated severe to profound hearing loss in the affected ears.There was a high correlation between behavioral audiometry thresholds and ASSR thresholds,with small differences observed between ASSR and behavioral audiometry results.CONCLUSION The difference between ASSR and behavioral audiometry is small in patients with CND.A-ABR can't be elicited.OAE has a certain false negative rate.The ABR often predominantly shows wave III,with prolonged latency,and a threshold indicative of profound hearing loss.These audiological characteristics can improve the early detection and diagnosis of CND and enhance the effect of intervention.
7.Dual-modal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agents Based on Polymetallic Nanoclusters for Targeted Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer
Qing-Dong LI ; Peng WANG ; Jian-Min XIAO ; Wen-Juan GAO ; Zhen-Hong XIA ; Gui-Long ZHANG ; Zheng-Yan WU
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2025;53(4):602-611
Fe/Mn/Gd polymetallic nanooxide(FMGN)were prepared by one-step solvent thermal reaction by using Fe(acac)3,Mn(acac)2 and Gd(acac)3 as reaction precursors.Next,hyaluronic acid(HA)was used to modify FMGN to fabricate tumor-targeting T 1-T 2 dual-mode magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)contrast agent(HA-FMGN)for accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer.The structure and morphology of FMGN were observed by transmission electron microscope(TEM).It was found that FMGN exhibited a uniform nanocluster spherical structure when the feeding ratio of iron acetylacetonate,manganese acetylacetonate,and gadolinium acetylacetonate was 3:2:1.X-ray diffraction(XRD)analysis showed that FMGN had a typical inverse spinel structure of Mn doped Fe 3O 4,with Gd existing in the form of amorphous gadolinium oxide.The longitudinal relaxivity(r 1)and transverse relaxivity(r 2)of FMGN were 13.395 and 428.535 L/(mmol·s),respectively,measured by 0.5 T MRI analyzer,which proved that FMGN had excellent T 1-T 2 dual-mode MRI contrast capability.The cytotoxicity and hemolysis test found that HA-FMGN didn't damage red cells and induce toxicity for normal cells,indicating that HA-FMGN had excellent cell biocompatibility.The internalization efficacy of HA-FMGN was observed by CLSM,and the results showed that HA-FMGN possessed excellent prostate tumor-targeting ability.In vivo MRI experiment showed that HA-FMGN significantly enhanced T 1 and T 2 weighted MRI signal to noise ratio(SNR)of prostate tumor,which promoted the accurate diagnosis of orthotopic prostate cancer.
8.Ion Unidirectional Ejection Simulation Study of An Extremely Miniature Hyperbolic Linear Ion Trap
Yun-Fan HE ; Zhuo-Qing YANG ; Yan WANG ; Jiu-Wen SUN ; Yun-Na SUN ; Lu-Yue ZHU ; Di ZHANG ; Feng-Dan WANG ; Min LIU ; Gui-Fu DING ; Jin-Yuan YAO
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2025;53(6):885-893
With the increasing demand for dynamic,real-time and rapid qualitative analysis of chemical composition in areas such as emergency response and space exploration,chip-scale mass spectrometers have attracted significant attention.These devices are expected to drive the integration of mass spectrometry with micro/nano-fabrication and intelligent sensing technologies,fostering profound innovation and breakthroughs in analytical chemistry.As an excellent mass analyzer,the ion trap exhibits numerous advantages,and its miniaturization creates favorable conditions for the high-density integration of miniature mass spectrometers.However,the reduction in ion storage capacity may compromise its sensitivity and dynamic range,rendering the study of ion unidirectional ejection in highly miniaturized ion traps of significant practical importance.In this work,a research was conducted on achieving efficient ion unidirectional ejection while maintaining high mass resolution in the extremely miniature hyperbolic linear ion trap(M-HLIT)with a field radius of 1 mm,and an electric field compensation method was proposed,which combined asymmetric electrode stretching and unbalanced RF voltage to achieve high-precision optimization of the electric field composition.Simulations showed that in an ideal structure,this method achieved 100%unidirectional ejection efficiency with the mass resolution of 518,significantly outperforming traditional asymmetric structure method(365)and unbalanced voltage method(321).Following the introduction of ion ejection slots,further optimization through bidirectional stretching and electrical parameters improved the resolution to 790 while maintaining a unidirectional ejection efficiency of 93%.This method eliminated the requirement for additional excitation voltage,offering an ideal solution for the miniature mass analyzer with high detection performance of chip-level mass spectrometers.
9.AuNPs-FeCDs Dual Nanozyme Cascade System Integrated with A Smartphone Platform for Sensitive Detection of Glucose
Qing-Jing YE ; Xue-Ying ZHOU ; Yan-Ying ZHENG ; Yun ZHANG ; Wen-Ying JIN ; Ya-Li YUAN
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2025;53(9):1457-1466
A centrifugation-free,single-reaction colorimetric method for detection of glucose,utilizing a dual nanozyme cascade system based on gold nanoparticles(AuNPs)and iron-doped carbon dots(FeCDs),was developed in this work.The AuNPs exhibited glucose oxidase-like activity to catalyze glucose oxidation for generation of H2O2,while the FeCDs demonstrated peroxidase-like activity to subsequently catalyze the H2O2-mediated oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine(TMB).To prevent interference from the blue signal generated by self-aggregation of AuNPs in subsequent quantitative detection,the reaction system was terminated with HCl,converting oxTMB into a stable yellow product.Based on changes in the absorbance at 450 nm of this yellow solution,a quantitative relationship was established between glucose concentration and absorbance at 450 nm(A450).Experimental results demonstrated that this sensor achieved a linear detection range of 44 μmol/L to 11.11 mmol/L(R2=0.993)with a detection limit of 30.68 μmol/L and spiked recoveries of 97.9%-104.7%.By integrating smartphone-based color recognition capabilities,a rapid visual detection platform was established for quantification of glucose through RGB analysis.The validation experimental results using commercial glucose injection samples further confirmed the practical application potential of this methodology.
10.Rapid On-site Analysis of Four Prohibited Sex Hormones in Cosmetics Using Online Derivatization Reaction and A Miniature Mass Spectrometer
Li-Li TONG ; Yan-Hong HU ; Ren-You YANG ; Yue-Guang LYU ; Yu-Han SHANG ; Qing LYU ; Qing ZHANG ; Qiang WANG ; Xiang-Yu GUO
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2025;53(10):1623-1630
Due to the poor ionization efficiency and the weak mass spectrometry(MS)intensity of weakly polar substances,direct analysis using the traditional electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(ESI-MS)is a big challenge.In this study,a novel rapid on-site detection method of four prohibited sex hormones in cosmetics was proposed using online derivatization strategy coupled with a miniature mass spectrometer.The target substances in the samples were extracted by a custom-made polyaniline/multi-walled carbon nanotube solid-phase microextraction(SPME)probe.The stirring speed was 200 r/min,the extraction temperature was 40℃,and the extraction time was 2 min.A pulled dual-channel θ borosilicate glass capillary emitter was used as the nano-ESI ion source.The SPME probe was inserted into the channel containing methanol in theθborosilicate glass capillary.When the spray voltage was applied,the four sex hormones were desorbed and formed spray microdroplets,which then collided with the hydroxylamine microdroplets generated from the other channel.The microdroplets of reaction product entered into the miniature mass spectrometer for direct analysis.The limits of detection(LOD)and limits of quantification(LOQ)for the four sex hormones were 10-20 ng/mL and 20-50 ng/mL,respectively.The recoveries were from 84.6%to 107.8%with the relative standard deviations(RSD)from 4.1%to 11.6%.Compared to detection without derivatization,the MS signals of the four target substances were increased by 3 to 15 times.This method was simple,rapid,highly efficient and sensitive,and suitable for on-site rapid analysis of weakly polar sex hormones in cosmetics.

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