1.Research progress on the role of antigen-presenting cells in xenotransplantation
Kankan SHUI ; Haoran ZHOU ; Ye XU ; Qiulin LUO ; Tengfang LI ; Hedong ZHANG ; Longkai PENG ; Helong DAI
Organ Transplantation 2026;17(1):9-15
Organ transplantation is an effective alternative treatment for patients with end-stage organ failure. However, the shortage of donor organs has limited the widespread application of clinical transplantation. In recent years, breakthroughs in CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology have overcome the barrier of hyperacute rejection in xenotransplantation, offering a potential solution to the organ shortage crisis. Rejection remains a critical factor affecting graft survival. Antigen-presenting cells play a vital role in the initiation and progression of rejection and immune regulation in xenotransplantation. Therefore, in-depth investigation into the role of antigen-presenting cells in xenotransplantation is of great significance. This article summarizes the roles and therapeutic strategies of professional antigen-presenting cells, including macrophages, dendritic cells and B cells in xenotransplantation, aiming to provide insights for future research on immune regulation mechanisms in this field.
2.Effects and mechanisms of swimming for inhibiting traumatic joint contracture in a rat model
Xiaoping SHUI ; Chunying LI ; Xin ZHANG ; Bin LI ; Chao FENG ; Hongyu ZHOU ; Ke CHEN ; Yingying LIAO
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(2):262-268
BACKGROUND:Early exercise treatment is the main prevention way for traumatic joint contracture and is also a research focus.Swimming may be a potential intervention for joint contracture due to the special physical properties of water. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effects of swimming on the development of joint contracture in a rat model and study its mechanisms. METHODS:Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a blank control group(n=8)and a joint contracture group(n=16).After the surgical operation of knee joint contracture rat models,the joint contracture group was randomly subdivided into a surgical control group(n=8)and a swimming treatment group(n=8).Swimming started in the swimming treatment group in the second week after surgery and lasted for a total of 5 weeks.At the 6th week after surgery,the body mass,knee joint range of motion,and quadriceps diameter were tested,and the diameter/body mass index was calculated.Hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed to detect the pathological changes in the knee joint capsule and quadriceps muscle,and Masson staining was used to observe fibrotic changes in the knee joint capsule.Furthermore,the protein expression of transforming growth factor β1 and type I collagen in the knee joint capsule was quantified by immunohistochemical assay and western blot was performed to detect the protein expression of MuRF1 in the quadriceps femoris. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the blank control group,the knee range of motion decreased in the surgical control and swimming treatment groups(P<0.01),and knee extension deficit and arthrogenic extension deficit were significantly increased(P<0.01),the diameter of the quadriceps muscle was decreased(P<0.01),the joint capsule showed significant fibrosis,the quadriceps muscle was atrophied,and the diameter/body mass index was decreased(P<0.01).Compared with the surgical control group,the swimming treatment group showed a significant increase in knee joint range of motion and quadriceps diameter(P<0.01),and significant improvement in joint capsule fibrosis and quadriceps atrophy.Compared with the blank control group,collagen fiber content and expression of transforming growth factor β1 and type I collagen were increased in the joint capsule of rats in both the surgical control group and the swimming treatment group(P<0.01).Compared with the surgical control group,collagen fiber content and expression of transforming growth factor β1 and type I collagen protein in the joint capsule were decreased in the swimming treatment group.Compared with the blank control group,the expression of MuRF1 protein in the quadriceps muscle of rats in the surgical control group and the swimming treatment group was increased(P<0.05).Compared with the surgical control group,the expression of MuRF1 protein in the quadriceps muscle of rats in the swimming treatment group was decreased(P<0.05).To conclude,early swimming intervention reduces transforming growth factor β1 and type I collagen expression in the joint capsule of traumatic joint contracture rats,decreases MuRF1 expression in the quadriceps muscle,and increases joint range of motion and quadriceps diameter,thereby inhibiting the development of joint contracture.
3.Endoplasmic reticulum stress in the occurrence and development of common degenerative bone diseases
Kun QIAN ; Ziqing LI ; Shui SUN
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(6):1285-1295
BACKGROUND:The specific molecular mechanisms underlying common degenerative bone diseases,such as osteoarthritis,osteoporosis,and intervertebral disc degeneration,are currently unclear and may involve endoplasmic reticulum stress.At present,research on the systematic role of endoplasmic reticulum stress in the pathogenesis of these common skeletal diseases and related therapeutic progress is relatively limited. OBJECTIVE:To review the role of endoplasmic reticulum stress in common degenerative bone diseases,explore the molecular mechanisms of these diseases in depth,and provide new ideas and perspectives for prevention and treatment of these diseases. METHODS:Relevant literature from 2000 to 2024 was searched in CNKI,WanFang,VIP,PubMed and Web of Science databases using the search terms of"endoplasmic reticulum stress,bone disease,unfolded protein response,osteoarthritis,osteoporosis,intervertebral disc degeneration,autophagy,apoptosis,ferroptosis,pyroptosis"in Chinese and English.After removal of duplicates and older literature,a total of 115 articles met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Endoplasmic reticulum stress has a dual effect in regulating cell physiology.Mild endoplasmic reticulum stress promotes osteogenic differentiation and extracellular matrix synthesis;however,persistent excessive endoplasmic reticulum stress leads to cell death.Endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced cell autophagy and apoptosis are closely related to osteoarthritis,osteoporosis,and intervertebral disc degeneration.Aging,drug side effects,metabolic disorders,calcium imbalance,poor lifestyle habits and other reasons may lead to long-term activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress,which causes bone remodeling disorders,cartilage damage,nucleus pulposus cell death and other pathological manifestations,ultimately leading to the occurrence of osteoarthritis,osteoporosis and intervertebral disc degeneration.Intervention in the relevant mechanisms triggering endoplasmic reticulum stress is expected to play a role in the prevention and treatment of common degenerative bone diseases,such as osteoarthritis,osteoporosis and intervertebral disc degeneration.
4.Mendelian Randomized Study of Protective Effect of Statins on Breast Cancer
Di HU ; Yifang SHUI ; Keke MIAO ; Mengquan LI
Cancer Research on Prevention and Treatment 2025;52(2):165-171
Objective To genetically investigate the protective effects of statins on breast cancer. Methods Instrumental variables for the statin target gene HMGCR and five other cholesterol-regulated genes (LDLR, PCSK9, ABCG8, APOB, and NPC1L1) were obtained from previous expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) studies. Cholesterol-regulated genes predicted by these instrumental variables served as the exposure factors. Mendelian randomization based on pooled data (SMR) was conducted to explore the genetic effects of exposure factors on the incidence risk of all breast cancers, ER+ breast cancer, and ER-breast cancer. Instrumental variables for total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) were derived from a previous human genome-wide association study and restricted to be chromosomally located within 100 kb of the above cholesterol regulatory genes; the instrumental variables could predict TC, LDL-C, or non-HDL-C levels under the regulation of the abovementioned cholesterol-associated genes which were used as exposure factors. Two-sample Mendelian randomization (IVW, MR-PRESSO, and MR-Egger) was used to explore the genetic effects of exposure factors on the risk of all breast cancers, ER+ breast cancer, and ER− breast cancer. Results SMR analysis reported that elevated HMGCR expression was significantly associated with the increased incidence risk of all breast cancers and ER+ breast cancer (P=0.044 and P=0.039, respectively) but not with the change in incidence risk of ER− breast cancer (P=0.190); the other five regulatory genes were not significantly correlated with the change in incidence risk of all breast cancers, ER+ breast cancer, and ER− breast cancer (all P>0.05). IVW analysis reported that under the regulation of HMGCR, elevated levels of peripheral TC, LDL-C, and non-HDL-C significantly increased the incidence risk of all breast cancers (P=1.160e-05, P=1.248e-05, and P=1.869e-05) and the incidence risk of ER+ breast cancer (P=3.181e-04, P=2.231e-04, and P=3.520e-04), but they were not associated with a change in the incidence risk of ER− breast cancer (P=0.062, P=0.133, and P=0.055). The results of MR-PRESSO and MR-Egger analyses supported the IVW results. Conclusion Statins could reduce the incidence risk of ER+ breast cancer at the genetic level, but there is no such protective effects on ER− breast cancer.
5.Correlation between serum zinc level and prognosis of patients with sepsis
Xiao-Gang WANG ; Jia-Jun MA ; Rui-Xin ZHU ; Li-Bing ZHOU ; Sai-Hu HUANG ; Shui-Yan WU ; Wen-Si NIU ; Jie HUANG ; Zhen-Jiang BAI
Parenteral & Enteral Nutrition 2025;32(5):278-282
Objective:To investigate the differences in clinical outcomes of septic children with varying serum zinc levels,and to analyze the relationship between reduced serum zinc levels and organ dysfunction as well as 28-day mortality in septic children.Methods:This study conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical data from pediatric patients diagnosed with sepsis or septic shock in the Department of critical care medicine of the children's Hospital of Soochow University between January 2017 and December 2022.Clinical characteristics,organ dysfunction,and prognosis were compared between two groups:children with low serum zinc levels and those with normal zinc levels.Results:The serum zinc level of septic children within 24 hours of admission was 9.60(5.52,13.80)μmol/L,with 50.54%(94/186)of the children exhibiting low serum zinc levels(<10.07 μmol/L).Compared to the normal serum zinc group,the low serum zinc group had a significantly lower Pediatric Critical Illness Score(PCIS)[(78.71±9.35)vs.(85.12±8.51),P=0.005]and higher 28-day mortality(46.80%vs.14.13%,P<0.001).The low serum zinc group also had a higher proportion of invasive mechanical ventilation(64.89%vs.47.82%,P=0.019),renal replacement therapy(15.59%vs.3.26%,P=0.003),and use of vasoactive drugs(56.38%vs.30.43%,P<0.001).The rate of underlying conditions in the low serum zinc group was significantly higher than that in the normal serum zinc group(57.44%vs.36.95%,P=0.005).Additionally,the low serum zinc group had a higher incidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation(DIC),respiratory failure,acute kidney injury,shock,and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome(MODS)compared to the normal serum zinc group(P<0.05).Serum zinc levels had predictive value for 28-day mortality in septic children(AUC=0.813;95%CI:0.725~0.902;P<0.001).A serum zinc level of less than 6.950 μmol/L predicted the death of septic children with a sensitivity of 0.618 and a specificity of 0.902.Conclusion:Sepsis in children is commonly associated with low serum zinc levels,especially in those with underlying conditions such as hematologic and oncologic disorders.Sepsis patients hypozincemia with a higher incidence of DIC,respiratory failure,acute kidney injury,shock,and MODS.A serum zinc level below 6.95 μmol/L serves as a significant predictor of 28-day mortality in children with severe sepsis.
6.Synthesis of A New Naphthalenesulfonamide-based"Turn-on"Fluorescent Probe for Rapid Detection of Glyphosate
Rong-Rong ZHAO ; Hong-Lin LIU ; Ying-Ping HUANG ; Cui-Wen DENG ; Song-Yan LI ; Shui-Lian YU ; Mao-Sheng TAO ; Yi-Qun TIAN ; Xi YUAN
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2025;53(6):903-913
Widespread utilization of glyphosate has led to environmental residues,posing potential threats to ecological systems and human health.Traditional methods for detection of glyphosate are limited by specialized equipment and operational techniques,resulting in inefficient responses.Therefore,it is urgent to develop a convenient,sensitive and accurate detection method for detection of glyphosate.Herein,a new naphthalenesulfonamide-based"Turn-on"fluorescent probe was synthesized using 2-chloroaniline and dansyl chloride as raw materials through a one-step process,which showed a good linear relationship between the glyphosate concentration in concentration range of 0.003-70 μmol/L and the fluorescence intensity(R2=0.995),with a detection limit of 2.73 nmol/L(S/N=3).Analytical techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry(HRMS)were used to investigate the interaction mechanism between the fluorescent probe and glyphosate.The results indicated that a nucleophilic substitution reaction occurred between the probe and the secondary amine(—NH—)of glyphosate,inducing a photoinduced electron transfer(PET)effect which enhanced the fluorescence intensity by 11.2 times.The probe showed good anti-interference ability towards coexisting metal ions,anions and pesticides in water.When applied to determination of glyphosate in the samples such as tap water,river water(Xiangxi River Reservoir),soil,soybeans,and corn,the spiking recoveries ranged from 94.7%to 109.9%,demonstrating the high accuracy and broad applicability of this detection method.A portable test strip based on this fluorescent probe was developed for rapid semi-quantitative analysis of glyphosate.The developed method was rapid,sensitive,and portable,providing theoretical and technical support for on-site measurement of environmental contaminants.
7.Preparation,Properties and In Vitro Release Behavior Study of Inclusion Complex of Taxifolin with 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin
Shui-Xian MA ; Xin TAO ; Yun-Han YANG ; Sha XIA ; Yu-Xiang YANG ; Li YANG ; Li-Juan YANG
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2025;53(10):1684-1693
The inclusion complex of taxifolin(TAX)with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin(HP-β-CD)was prepared by saturated aqueous solution method,and the preparation conditions such as molar ratio,volume ratio of solution,inclusion temperature and inclusion time were selected by single-factor experiment.The orthogonal design of three-level four-factor L9(34)was used to screen the preparation process of the inclusion complex,and the inclusion complex was prepared with optimal preparation process.The prepared inclusion complex was characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),nuclear magnetic resonance(1H NMR,2D NMR),Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR),ultraviolet-visible(UV-Vis)absorption spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction(XRD).The inclusion ratio,biostability,solubility and in vitro release of the inclusion complex were investigated.The results of orthogonal experiments showed that the optimum conditions for preparation of the inclusion complex were as follows:the molar ratio of TAX to HP-β-CD was 1:1,the volume ratio of methanol to ultra-pure water was 1:8,the inclusion time was 8 h,and the inclusion temperature was 30℃.Under the optimal conditions,the inclusion ratio between TAX and HP-β-CD was calculated to be 1:1 by Job's curve method.According to the change of UV-vis absorption spectra,the host-guest complexation constant of 4.9488×104 L/mol was obtained by Benesi-Hildebrand curve method.The solubility of TAX increased from 1.2665 mg/mL to 19.3469 mg/mL after inclusion,demonstrating that HP-β-CD could serve as an effective host molecule for TAX,which could significantly enhance the bio-stability and solubility of the formed inclusion complex.
8.A deep learning model for the diagnosis of first-episode schizophrenia and grading of EEG abnormalities using EEG signals
Lili SHUI ; Chenchen LIU ; Yumin LI
Sichuan Mental Health 2025;38(4):308-314
BackgroundSchizophrenia is a highly heterogeneous disease with different clinical subtypes. Artificial intelligence technology represented by deep learning models has provided considerable benefits for the electroencephalogram (EEG)-based schizophrenia diagnosis, treatment and research, however, to date little research has been conducted regarding any of these benefits among Chinese schizophrenic patients. ObjectiveTo investigate the application of deep learning techniques utilizing EEG parameters for the diagnosis of first-episode schizophrenia and grading of EEG abnormalities in patients, with the aim of contributing to improved clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies for the disorder. MethodsFrom January 2020 to January 2023, a total of 130 patients with first-episode schizophrenia who met the diagnostic criteria of International Classification of Diseases, tenth edition (ICD-10), and attended at the Third People's Hospital of Fuyang, along with 150 health checkup examinees, were enrolled. All of them underwent EEG examination. An optimized long short-term memory (LSTM) deep learning model was developed utilizing EEG signals. Ten-fold cross-validation method was employed to evaluate the model's performance. The dataset was then split into two components: a training set (90%) for LSTM model development and a test set (10%) for validation. The accuracy, recall rate, precision, F1-score, schizophrenia diagnosis and EEG abnormality grading were used as evaluation indicators, and the results of the proposed model were compared to the assessments made by experienced psychiatrists. ResultsFor schizophrenia diagnosis, the modeling group achieved the following performance metrics: precision (94.40±3.03)%, recall rate (94.30±3.23)%, accuracy (94.60±2.22)%, and F1-score (94.20±2.20)%. In the validation group, the corresponding metrics were precision (90.90±2.85)%, recall rate (92.20±1.14)%, accuracy (92.20±1.69)%, and F1-score (91.50±1.78)%. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences between the LSTM diagnostic model and the experienced psychiatrists in terms of precision, recall rate, accuracy, and F1-score for schizophrenia diagnosis (χ2=1.500, 0.750, 2.722, 1.056, P>0.05). The modeling group demonstrated an accuracy rate of (91.71±1.73)% in grading EEG abnormalities. For Grade 1 abnormalities, the modeling group reported a precision of (96.40±2.39)%, a recall rate of (94.77±1.40)%, and an F1-score of (95.55±1.14)%. In the case of Grade 2 abnormalities, the precision was (85.89±2.04)%, the recall rate was (88.10±6.18)%, and the F1-score was (87.06±3.12)%. For the more severe Grade 3 abnormalities, the modeling group's precision was (79.61±7.33)%, the recall rate was (81.79±9.87)%, and the F1-score was (80.41±6.79)%. Additionally, the validation group exhibited an accuracy rate of (85.61±6.16)%. The precision, recall rate, and F1-score for Grade 1 abnormalities were (91.43±6.25)%, (92.64±9.65)% and (91.56±4.83)%, respectively. For Grade 2 abnormalities, these metrics were (71.17±19.02)%, (77.64±17.24)% and (71.88±11.33)%. In the case of Grade 3 abnormalities, the precision was (90.00±21.08)%, the recall rate was (80.00±25.82)%, and the F1-score was (81.67±19.95)%. There was no significant difference in the accuracy, recall, accuracy and F1 value between LSTM model and senior doctors in evaluating the abnormal degree of EEG in schizophrenia (χ2=0.098, 0.036, 0.020, 0.336, P>0.05). The LSTM model takes less time to diagnose schizophrenia and EEG abnormalities than senior doctors, and the differences were statistically significant (t=57.147, 43.104, P<0.01). ConclusionThe study utilizes an EEG-based LSTM deep learning model for diagnosing first-episode schizophrenia and grading EEG abnormalities, and the model not only matches the performance of experienced psychiatrists but also significantly reduces the time required for diagnosis.
9.Analysis of thickness changes in peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer and associated risk factors in patients with Moyamoya disease
Shui-Qin CAO ; Xiao-Han HU ; Fang-Bing HAO ; Qing GUO ; Ran DING ; Hui LI ; Li-Li CHEN ; Li-Li ZHANG ; Ge LIANG
Medical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army 2025;50(7):855-861
Objective To investigate the characteristics of thickness changes in peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer(pRNFL)and identify related risk factors in patients with Moyamoya disease(MMD).Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 150 MMD patients(150 eyes)aged 6-65 years admitted to the Neurosurgery Department of the Fifth Medical Center,Chinese PLA General Hospital from May 2016 to December 2023(observation group),and 150 age-matched healthy volunteers(150 eyes)from the hospital's ophthalmology outpatient department(control group).Both groups were subdivided into pediatric(≤18 years),young adult(18-40 years),and middle-aged(40-65 years)subgroups.The pRNFL thickness in four quadrants was measured by optical coherence tomography(OCT):superior(pRNFL-Sup),inferior(pRNFL-Inf),nasal(pRNFL-Nas),temporal(pRNFL-Tmp),and average thickness(pRNFL-Avg).General clinical data and pRNFL thickness were compared between two groups.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for pRNFL thinning in MMD patients.The cohort was randomly divided into training(n=210)and validation(n=90)sets at a 7:3 ratio.A predictive model for pRNFL thinning in MMD patients was constructed based on logistic regression results.Model performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC),and clinical utility was assessed via decision curve analysis.Results Compared with control group,MMD patients exhibited significantly reduced pRNFL-Avg,pRNFL-Sup,pRNFL-Tmp,and pRNFL-Inf thickness(P<0.05 or P<0.001),while pRNFL-Nas showed no significant difference(P>0.05).In the pediatric subgroup,pRNFL-Avg and pRNFL-Inf were thinner(P<0.05).In the young adult subgroup,pRNFL-Avg and pRNFL-Sup were reduced(P<0.001 or P<0.05).In the middle-aged subgroup,pRNFL-Avg,pRNFL-Sup,pRNFL-Inf,and pRNFL-Tmp were all thinner(P<0.05 or P<0.001).Multivariate logistic regression identified visual field defects(OR=15.28,95%CI 2.95-79.10),disease duration(OR=1.11,95%CI 1.05-1.18),and the number of involved cerebral vessels(OR=1.49,95%CI 1.01-2.22)as independent risk factors for pRNFL thinning.The predictive model achieved AUC of 0.94(95%CI 0.91-0.97)and 0.95(95%CI 0.91-0.99)in the training and validation sets,respectively.Decision curve analysis confirmed the model's favorable clinical net benefit.Conclusion Thinning of pRNFL was observed in Moyamoya disease patients with visual field defects,disease duration,and cerebral vascular involvement identified as independent risk factors for pRNFL atrophy.
10.Investigation of the association between air pollutants and the long-term risk of sudden cardiac death
Yue PAN ; Shui WANG ; Linghui JIANG ; Mengya LI ; Yifan WANG ; Juncheng DAI ; Xufeng CHEN ; Gang ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Emergency Medicine 2025;34(6):844-851
Objective:The association between air pollutants and the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between five air pollutants—PM 2.5, PM 2.5–10, PM 10, NO 2, and NO?—and the risk of SCD. Methods:We analyzed data from 460 862 participants in the UK Biobank cohort, all enrolled between 2006 and 2010, with no baseline SCD. Follow-up continued until the study endpoint. Annual average concentrations of the five pollutants were assessed. Associations between pollutants and SCD were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards models, followed by Mendelian randomization (MR) to assess causality.Results:Over a mean follow-up of 12.4 years, 2 662 SCD cases were recorded. After adjusting for confounders, no significant associations were found between air pollutants and SCD risk: PM 2.5 ( HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.99–1.07, P = 0.14), PM 2.5–10 ( HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00–1.08, P = 0.08), PM 10 ( HR 1.01, 95% CI 0.99–1.03, P = 0.26), NO? ( HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.99–1.00, P = 0.26), and NO x ( HR 1.00, 95% CI 1.00–1.01, P = 0.19). MR analysis further supported the absence of causal relationships: PM 2.5 ( β = -0.149, P = 0.90), PM 2.5–10 ( β = 0.387, P = 0.62), PM 10 ( β = -0.994, P = 0.62), NO? ( β = –0.005, P = 0.99), and NO 2 ( β = –0.827, P = 0.25). Conclusions:This study found no evidence linking PM 2.5, PM 2.5–10, PM 10, NO?, or NO 2 to an increased risk of SCD. Mendelian randomization confirmed the lack of causal associations between these pollutants and SCD.

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