1.Electroacupuncture Ameliorates NLRP3-mediated Pyroptosis in Spinal Cord Injury Rats by Reshaping The Gut Microbiota
Yin-Jie CUI ; Hong-Ru LI ; Jing-Yi LIU ; Hai-Lin DU ; Shu-Wen LIU ; Yuan YANG ; Chen-Guang ZHENG ; Jian-Qin XIANG ; Xiao-Juan SONG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1132-1153
ObjectiveSpinal cord injury (SCI) directly impairs the regulatory function of the autonomic nervous system, induces intestinal dysfunction, and significantly reduces patients’ quality of life. Preclinical studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) therapy can regulate the brain-gut axis and is used to treat central nervous system diseases such as major depressive disorder, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Recent research has established that fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from EA-treated SCI rats restored intestinal motility and colonic morphology. However, it remains unclear whether the regulation of gut microbiota by EA therapy directly contributes to neural repair after SCI. This study aims to explore whether gut microbiota mediates the neuroprotective effect of EA in the treatment of SCI and its possible mechanism. MethodsThe study employed RNA transcriptome analysis of spinal cord tissue to characterize gene expression profiles and to identify key signaling pathways following EA treatment for SCI. Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining and Nissl staining were used to observe the morphological changes in spinal cord tissue. Western blot (WB) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were applied to detect the effects of EA on the expression of proteins related to nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing receptor 3 (NLRP3) -dependent pyroptosis. Using 16S rDNA sequencing, the study observed alterations in gut microbiota diversity and community composition in SCI rats. Prior to establishing SCI models, rats were pretreated with an antibiotic cocktail to induce gut dysbiosis, and the effects on intestinal function and spinal cord neural repair were evaluated. FMT was performed to investigate the regulatory effects of post-EA FMT on motor function, general status, liver and spleen indices, and NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis in SCI rats. ResultsEA improved motor function and reduced regulated neuronal cell death in SCI rats. Transcriptomic analysis demonstrated the activation of immune- and inflammation-related pathways post-SCI, including NOD-like receptors, nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB), and Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways. EA primarily influenced intestinal inflammation and autoimmune functions. 16S rDNA sequencing illustrated that EA did not alter the diversity of gut microbiota. However, EA altered the gut microbiota composition in SCI rats, increasing Lactobacillus and Akkermansia genera while rebalancing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. Furthermore, depletion of gut microbiota by antibiotics disrupted the intestinal barrier, reduced the expression of intestinal barrier proteins Zonula Occludens-1 (ZO-1) and Occludin, elevated serum lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) levels, exacerbated spinal cord tissue damage, and hindered motor function recovery in SCI rats. FMT from donors treated with EA reduced LBP levels in the intestine, blood, and spinal cord of rats, inhibited the TLR4 myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MyD88)-NF‑κB pathway and NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis, and improved motor function. On the other hand, FMT treatment resulted in decreased body weight and food intake, whereas FMT using EA-treated donors effectively alleviated these alterations. ConclusionEA effectively alleviated neuroinflammatory responses in rats with SCI, primarily through regulating the gut microbiota and suppressing the NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis signaling pathway.
2.Electroacupuncture Ameliorates NLRP3-mediated Pyroptosis in Spinal Cord Injury Rats by Reshaping The Gut Microbiota
Yin-Jie CUI ; Hong-Ru LI ; Jing-Yi LIU ; Hai-Lin DU ; Shu-Wen LIU ; Yuan YANG ; Chen-Guang ZHENG ; Jian-Qin XIANG ; Xiao-Juan SONG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1132-1153
ObjectiveSpinal cord injury (SCI) directly impairs the regulatory function of the autonomic nervous system, induces intestinal dysfunction, and significantly reduces patients’ quality of life. Preclinical studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) therapy can regulate the brain-gut axis and is used to treat central nervous system diseases such as major depressive disorder, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Recent research has established that fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from EA-treated SCI rats restored intestinal motility and colonic morphology. However, it remains unclear whether the regulation of gut microbiota by EA therapy directly contributes to neural repair after SCI. This study aims to explore whether gut microbiota mediates the neuroprotective effect of EA in the treatment of SCI and its possible mechanism. MethodsThe study employed RNA transcriptome analysis of spinal cord tissue to characterize gene expression profiles and to identify key signaling pathways following EA treatment for SCI. Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining and Nissl staining were used to observe the morphological changes in spinal cord tissue. Western blot (WB) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were applied to detect the effects of EA on the expression of proteins related to nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing receptor 3 (NLRP3) -dependent pyroptosis. Using 16S rDNA sequencing, the study observed alterations in gut microbiota diversity and community composition in SCI rats. Prior to establishing SCI models, rats were pretreated with an antibiotic cocktail to induce gut dysbiosis, and the effects on intestinal function and spinal cord neural repair were evaluated. FMT was performed to investigate the regulatory effects of post-EA FMT on motor function, general status, liver and spleen indices, and NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis in SCI rats. ResultsEA improved motor function and reduced regulated neuronal cell death in SCI rats. Transcriptomic analysis demonstrated the activation of immune- and inflammation-related pathways post-SCI, including NOD-like receptors, nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB), and Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways. EA primarily influenced intestinal inflammation and autoimmune functions. 16S rDNA sequencing illustrated that EA did not alter the diversity of gut microbiota. However, EA altered the gut microbiota composition in SCI rats, increasing Lactobacillus and Akkermansia genera while rebalancing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. Furthermore, depletion of gut microbiota by antibiotics disrupted the intestinal barrier, reduced the expression of intestinal barrier proteins Zonula Occludens-1 (ZO-1) and Occludin, elevated serum lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) levels, exacerbated spinal cord tissue damage, and hindered motor function recovery in SCI rats. FMT from donors treated with EA reduced LBP levels in the intestine, blood, and spinal cord of rats, inhibited the TLR4 myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MyD88)-NF‑κB pathway and NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis, and improved motor function. On the other hand, FMT treatment resulted in decreased body weight and food intake, whereas FMT using EA-treated donors effectively alleviated these alterations. ConclusionEA effectively alleviated neuroinflammatory responses in rats with SCI, primarily through regulating the gut microbiota and suppressing the NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis signaling pathway.
3.Association between mobile phone addiction and high myopia among college students
Jian YIN ; Zeshi LIU ; Yan LI ; Yangyang GONG ; Naichuan CHEN ; Yuqi ZHAO ; Jia SONG ; Yanping ZHANG
International Eye Science 2025;25(2):301-305
AIM:To analyze the association between mobile phone addiction and high myopia among college students.METHODS:We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire survey in December 2022 on all students of a university in Shaanxi Province, and the questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics, mobile phone addiction, high myopia, and lifestyle. Binary Logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between mobile phone addiction and high myopia among college students.RESULTS:A total of 19 952 college students were included. The prevalence of high myopia was 7.31%. The rate of mobile phone addiction was 25.68%, and the mobile phone addiction score was 37.59±13.38. The incidence of high myopia among college students with mobile phone addiction was higher than non-mobile phone addiction(P<0.001). After adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics and lifestyle, the risk of high myopia among college students with mobile phone addiction was 1.274 times(95%CI:1.131-1.434)higher than non-mobile phone addiction. For each point increase of total mobile phone addiction score, withdrawal symptoms score, salience score, social comfort score, and mood changes score, the risk of high myopia among college students increased by 0.9%(95%CI:1.005-1.013), 2.0%(95%CI:1.010-1.030), 2.6%(95%CI:1.010-1.043), 4.8%(95%CI:1.030-1.066), and 3.3%(95%CI:1.014-1.052), respectively.CONCLUSION:Mobile phone addiction is significantly associated with the increased risk of high myopia among college students, and early intervention of mobile phone use may reduce the risk of high myopia among college students.
4.CDK8/19 Enhances the Anti-tumor Efficacy of Gastric Cancer by Regulating PARP Inhibitor Sensitivity
Jun-Di WANG ; Wan-Chang LIU ; Jian-Song LIU ; Tian-Run LI ; Yan TIAN ; Dan-Tong SUN ; Ze-Nan FAN ; Xiao-Man LI ; Jia-Dong WANG
Chinese Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2025;41(9):1280-1297
Gastric cancer remains one of the most prevalent and lethal malignancies of the digestive tract worldwide,underscoring the urgent need for more effective targeted therapeutic strategies.Poly(ADP-ri-bose)polymerase(PARP)inhibitors have demonstrated remarkable efficacy in tumors with homologous recombination repair(HRR)deficiency;however,their clinical application in gastric cancer remains limited.Clinical evidence suggests that patients harboring Helicobacter pylori infection in combination with HRR gene mutations exhibit a significantly elevated risk of developing gastric cancer,thereby supporting the potential benefit of PARP inhibition in this setting.In this study,a kinase inhibitor library was screened in combination with the PARP inhibitor olaparib in gastric cancer cells.And we identify the cy-clin-dependent kinase 8/19(CDK8/19)inhibitor Senexin A as a compound that synergistically enhances the cytotoxic effect of PARP inhibition(P<0.05).Phenotypic validation using CCK-8 and colony for-mation assays demonstrated that the combination treatment significantly suppressed cellular proliferation and clonogenic potential compared to either monotherapy(P<0.0001).Mechanistically,alkaline comet assays revealed a significant increase in DNA damage in the combination treatment group relative to either single-agent group(P<0.0001),suggesting that the synergistic effect results from the exacerbation of DNA damage via impaired DNA repair mechanisms.In addition,treatment with CDK8/19 inhibitors a-lone markedly increased the formation of γH2AX and 53BP1 foci in irradiated gastric cancer cells(P<0.0001),indicating inhibition of DNA damage repair pathways.Transcriptome sequencing further re-vealed that CDK8/19 inhibition impacts critical cellular pathways,including DNA repair,cell cycle reg-ulation,and RNA splicing.Co-immunoprecipitation assays confirmed that inhibition of CDK8/19 kinase activity significantly reduces the phosphorylation level of PARP1,suggesting a potential regulatory inter-action.Immunohistochemical analysis of tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissues from gastric cancer pa-tients demonstrated that CDK8 is significantly overexpressed in tumor tissues,supporting its potential as both a prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target.Collectively,this study elucidates a mechanistic ba-sis by which CDK8/19 inhibition enhances the sensitivity of gastric cancer cells to PARP inhibitors.These findings provide a strong rationale for the combined use of CDK8/19 and PARP inhibitors as a tar-geted therapeutic strategy and offer promising translational implications for advancing personalized medi-cine in gastric cancer treatment.
5.Application of esophageal-tubular gastric asymmetric anastomosis in esophageal and esophagogastric junction cancer
Liqun PANG ; Jian JI ; Chenglin LI ; Chao LIU ; Jie ZHANG ; Yan QIAN ; Cong PANG ; Song CHEN ; Shangnong WU ; Yunyun CHEN ; Yanran QIN ; Congxue XIE
Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery 2025;28(10):1198-1202
Objective:To evaluate the anti-reflux effect of digestive tract reconstruction using esophageal-tubular gastric asymmetric anastomosis after radical resection of esophageal and esophagogastric junction cancer.Methods:The main steps were as follows:(1)oblique incision of the lower esophagus;(2)curved incision of the tubular anterior gastric wall;(3)the lower end of the esophagus was anastomosed to the tubular gastric incision with a 90-degree torsion; (4)The anterior wall of the anastomosis was reinforced with a transverse-inverted suture,the posterior wall with a folded suture,and the corners of the gastric stump were buried with sutures.The anastomosis operation time,postoperative complications and postoperative hospital stay were recorded;the reconstructed structure and anti-reflux effect of the anastomosis were observed by digestive tract radiography,gastroscopy and follow-up investigation.Results:The Department of Gastrointestinal and Thoracic Surgery of Huaian First People's Hospital, affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, treated 5 patients of esophagogastric junction cancer and 20 esophageal cancer cases between August 2022 and November 2024, including 19 men and 6 women, with a mean age of (66.7±7.4) years. The mean anastomosis time was (35.4±5.9) minutes, the intraoperative blood loss was (117.6±33.4) ml and the mean postoperative hospital stay was(16.6±5.2) days, with no complications such as anastomotic leakage and bleeding. Postoperative digestive tract radiography (Trendelenburg position)showed that all the patients had no contrast reflux,gastroscopy showed no signs of reflux esophagitis and bile reflux gastritis, the anastomosis showed an inverted whiskers valve-like structure. The median follow-up time was (16.8±6.3) months, and all patients had no reflux symptoms such as acid reflux and belching,and no acid suppressive medication was needed.Conclusion:The esophageal-tubular gastric asymmetric anastomosis is a safe and effective antireflux reconstruction technique.
6.Ligustilide improves demyelination of dMCAO mouse model by inhibiting inflammation through AIM2/caspase-1 signaling pathway
Ya-jie LIANG ; Jian LIU ; Ying CHEN ; Zi-wei ZHANG ; Meng PU ; Yi-bin TANG ; Hai-fei ZHANG ; Guo-bin SONG ; Cun-gen MA ; Qing WANG
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(5):851-860
Aim To explore the mechanism of ligustil-ide(LIG)improving demyelination by inhibiting in-flammatory response in mice with distal middle cerebral artery occlusion(dMCAO)through AIM2/caspase-1 signal pathway.Methods Thirty C57BL/6N male mice were randomly divided into three groups:sham operation group(Sham group,n=10),model group(dMCAO group,n=10)and treatment group(LIG group,n=10).The dMCAO mouse model was estab-lished by electrocoagulation in dMCAO group and LIG group.The mice were scored by Longa after waking up,and the changes of cerebral blood flow were moni-tored by laser speckle blood flow imaging system after dMCAO.One hour after modeling,LIG(30 mg·kg-1·d-1)was injected intraperitoneally in LIG group,and the same amount of normal saline was injected in sham group and dMCAO group for one week until the end of the experiment.The mice in each group were stained with TTC,and the brain injury was observed pathologically.Fatigue turning bar test and open field test were used to evaluate the motor function and anxie-ty degree of mice,and then the brain tissues of mice were taken for black gold staining to compare the chan-ges of myelin sheath in each group.Immunofluores-cence staining was used to detect the average fluores-cence intensity of MBP,IBA1 and GFAP in CC,CPU and CX regions of mouse brains.ELISAwas used to de-tect the contents of TNF-α,IL-6,IL-1 β,IL-17A and BDNF in brain tissue proteins of mice.Western blot-ting was used to detect the protein expressions of AIM2,caspase-1 and ASC-in each group.Results Compared with the dMCAO group,the infarct area was reduced,the behavior was significantly improved and the demyelination was reduced in the LIG group.The expression of MBP protein in CC,CPU and CX regions increased(P<0.05),the expression of IBA1 in CX decreased(P<0.01),and the expression of GFAP in-creased in CC,CPU and CX regions(P<0.01).The results of ELISA showed that the levels ofTNF-α(P<0.01),IL-6(P<0.01),IL-1β(P<0.05)and IL-17A(P<0.01)significantly decreased,while the ex-pression of BDNF increased(P<0.05).The protein expression levels of AIM2,caspase-1 and ASC in mouse brain decreased after treatment(P<0.01).Conclusion LIG has a protective effect on demyelina-tion in dMCAO mice,which may be related to the inhi-bition of AIM2/caspase-1 signaling pathway and in-flammation and to the promotion of BDNF secretion.
7.Visualization analysis based on research into adverse reactions of CT enhanced examination using CiteSpace
Hong ZHANG ; Xiuli SONG ; Jian LIU ; Jinxia ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Practical Nursing 2025;41(32):2547-2555
Objective:To summarize the domestic and international research progress on adverse reactions to contrast-enhanced CT examinations, and forecast research themes, future hotspots, and trends.Methods:Using CiteSpace bibliometric methodology, retrieve Chinese and English literature on adverse reactions in patients undergoing contrast-enhanced CT examinations from China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI), Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, and Web of Science. The search period covers database inception to December 31, 2023. After deduplication, CiteSpace and other software are employed to conduct statistics and analyses on publication volume, publishing countries, institutions, and keywords for both Chinese and English literature separately.Results:A total of 3 749 articles were included, comprising 3 044 Chinese-language articles and 705 English-language publications. Visual analysis revealed that the annual number of publications on CT contrast-enhanced examination-related adverse reactions exhibited fluctuating growth from 1994 to 2023. The United States emerged as the leading contributor in this research domain, while China demonstrated rapid growth in recent years. Network analysis of research institutions revealed insufficient collaboration and communication among domestic institutions. Thematic clustering identified 22 clusters and 25 emerging keywords in Chinese literature, compared to 20 clusters and 7 burst keywords in English publications. Domestic research priorities focused predominantly on adverse reactions to contrast agents, nursing interventions, and nursing prevention strategies. International research trends emphasized safety, risk factor identification for adverse reactions, contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) prevention, and the prevention of adverse reactions using contrast-agent nanomaterials.Conclusions:Both domestic and international research in this field exhibits distinct emphases but universally underscores the importance of nursing. It is imperative to strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration among domestic institutions in the future. By focusing on research hotspots and cutting-edge frontiers, expanding the depth and breadth of China's research in this domain, and continuously optimizing nursing strategies, we can effectively enhance nursing quality for CT contrast-enhanced examination patients, optimize patient experience, and contribute to the high-quality development of nursing practice in this field.
8.Bedside transesophageal echocardiography-guided atrial septostomy under extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support
Ang LIU ; Ke WANG ; Fu-jian DUAN ; Wen-ying KANG ; Jun-song GONG ; PINGCUO-YUNDAN ; Chao-wu YAN
Chinese Journal of Interventional Cardiology 2025;33(4):189-194
Objective To investigate the feasibility and safety of bedside transesophageal echocardiography(TEE)-guided atrial septostomy in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)support.Methods Eight patients(2 females and 6 males)who developed pulmonary edema during VA-ECMO treatment between January 2020 and October 2024 were enrolled.All patients underwent bedside TEE-guided atrial septal puncture,followed by gradual balloon dilation using an Inoue balloon(diameter:18-24 mm).The endpoint for dilation was defined as mean left atrial pressure<15 mmHg.Post-procedure evaluation included assessment of the septal defect size,mean left atrial pressure,and improvement in bilateral pulmonary edema.Results The mean age of all 8 patients was(43.50±16.84)years old.Atrial septostomy was successfully performed in all patients.The mean balloon dilation diameter was(22.75±2.68)mm,resulting in a mean septal defect size of(6.31±0.37)mm.The mean left atrial pressure significantly decreased from(26.63±1.77)mmHg pre-procedure to(12.75±1.28)mmHg post-procedure(P<0.001).All patients demonstrated marked improvement in bilateral pulmonary edema,and six patients also showed a significant reduction in the severity of mitral regurgitation following the procedure.No procedure-related complications were observed.Conclusions Bedside TEE-guided atrial septostomy is safe and effective for reducing left heart loading during ECMO support and improving pulmonary edema.
9.Bedside transesophageal echocardiography-guided atrial septostomy under extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support
Ang LIU ; Ke WANG ; Fu-jian DUAN ; Wen-ying KANG ; Jun-song GONG ; PINGCUO-YUNDAN ; Chao-wu YAN
Chinese Journal of Interventional Cardiology 2025;33(4):189-194
Objective To investigate the feasibility and safety of bedside transesophageal echocardiography(TEE)-guided atrial septostomy in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)support.Methods Eight patients(2 females and 6 males)who developed pulmonary edema during VA-ECMO treatment between January 2020 and October 2024 were enrolled.All patients underwent bedside TEE-guided atrial septal puncture,followed by gradual balloon dilation using an Inoue balloon(diameter:18-24 mm).The endpoint for dilation was defined as mean left atrial pressure<15 mmHg.Post-procedure evaluation included assessment of the septal defect size,mean left atrial pressure,and improvement in bilateral pulmonary edema.Results The mean age of all 8 patients was(43.50±16.84)years old.Atrial septostomy was successfully performed in all patients.The mean balloon dilation diameter was(22.75±2.68)mm,resulting in a mean septal defect size of(6.31±0.37)mm.The mean left atrial pressure significantly decreased from(26.63±1.77)mmHg pre-procedure to(12.75±1.28)mmHg post-procedure(P<0.001).All patients demonstrated marked improvement in bilateral pulmonary edema,and six patients also showed a significant reduction in the severity of mitral regurgitation following the procedure.No procedure-related complications were observed.Conclusions Bedside TEE-guided atrial septostomy is safe and effective for reducing left heart loading during ECMO support and improving pulmonary edema.
10.PSO algorithm-based optimization study of water conductivity control system for pharmaceutical water equipment of full membrane process
Lin-yong LIU ; Jun MA ; Hong-bin LIU ; Jian-jun SUN ; Yan-jun ZHANG ; Xiu-guo ZHAO ; Zhen-xing SONG
Chinese Medical Equipment Journal 2025;46(6):14-19
Objective To optimize the design of the existing water conductivity control system for pharmaceutical water equipment of full membrane process so as to solve its problems in precision and long cycle time due to water source,ambient temperature and intermittent working mode.Methods The optimized water conductivity control system was composed of an alkali metering pump,a conductivity sensor and a programmable logic controller(PLC),which used a fuzzy proportional-integral-derivative(PID)controller to regulate the water conductivity of pharmaceutical water equipment of full membrane process,and the particle swarm optimization(PSO)algorithm to optimize the parameters of the fuzzy PID controller.A simulation model was established with MATLAB software to verify the performance of the optimized control system.Results Simulation results showed the optimized control system had reductions in overshoot(by 19%)and adjustment time(by 29%)when compared with the fuzzy PID control system,and enhanced control efficiency effectively.Conclusion The optimized control system optimized by the PSO algorithm improves the quality of produced water,and can meet the demands for rapid and safe production of pharmaceutical water by pharmaceutical water equipment of full membrane process in different conditions.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(6):14-19]

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail