1.Exploring Intervention Effect of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma Processed with Aurantii Fructus Immaturus Juice on Slow-transit Constipation and Its "Microbiota-Metabolism" Synergistic Regulation Mechanism Based on Theory of "Spleen Governing Transportation and Transformation"
Dan LI ; Xiaoxia LIU ; Xiaofen WANG ; Zuxin HE ; Junnan WEI ; Yanqing LIU ; Yuxuan GAO ; Ping LUO ; Fang WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):201-209
ObjectiveBased on the theory of "spleen governing transportation and transformation", this study investigates the efficacy of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma processed with Aurantii Fructus Immaturus juice(AMR-AFI) in improving slow-transit constipation(STC), as well as the synergistic regulatory mechanism involving the microbiota-metabolism axis, thereby elucidating the scientific basis of its processing theory. MethodsAnimals were randomly divided into the control group, model group, positive drug(mosapride) group(3 mg·kg-1), and low-, medium-, and high-dose groups of AMR-AFI(3.9, 7.8, 15.6 g·kg-1). Except for the control group, the remaining five groups were induced with STC using loperamide hydrochloride. Following modeling, interventions were administered. All groups received continuous administration for 15 d, during which fecal samples, colon tissue, and serum were collected. Constipation improvement was assessed by measuring fecal moisture content and small intestinal propulsion rate, histological morphology of colonic tissue was observed via hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, and the levels of interleukin(IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α, and IL-2 in serum were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Furthermore, the microbial community structure in mouse feces was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing, while transcriptomic sequencing was employed to screen differentially expressed genes in colonic tissue, followed by gene ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) enrichment analyses. Finally, Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to explore the association between differential microbiota and differential genes. ResultsCompared with the control group, the intestinal propulsion rate and fecal moisture content in the model group were significantly decreased(P<0.01), while serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-2 were significantly elevated(P<0.01). HE staining showed damage and shedding of colonic mucosal epithelial cells, along with a reduction in goblet cells in the model group. In comparison with the model group, all treatment groups improved the pathological state of the colonic mucosa to varying degrees and reduced serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-2(P<0.01). Among these, the high-dose group of AMR-AFI significantly increased the intestinal propulsion rate and fecal moisture content of rats(P<0.05, P<0.01). Further transcriptomic analysis revealed that a total of 104 differentially expressed genes were identified from comparisons between the model group and the control group, as well as between the model group and the high-dose group of AMR-AFI. These genes were mainly enriched in pathways closely related to STC pathogenesis, such as arachidonic acid metabolism and aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption. 16S rRNA sequencing results indicated that AMR-AFI reversed the structural imbalance of the gut microbiota in model mice, increased species richness, downregulated the relative abundance of pro-inflammatory bacteria such as Parasutterella, and enriched beneficial and butyrate-producing bacteria, including Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Ruminococcaceae, and Lachnospiraceae. Spearman correlation analysis further showed that the beneficial bacteria enriched in the AMR-AFI group were negatively correlated with genes involved in the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway and positively correlated with genes in the aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption pathway. In contrast, pro-inflammatory bacteria in the model group exhibited the opposite correlation trends. ConclusionAMR-AFI can effectively exert synergistic therapeutic effects on STC by regulating intestinal microbiota, arachidonic acid-mediated inflammatory metabolism, and aldosterone-regulated water-salt balance pathways.
2.Exploring Intervention Effect of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma Processed with Aurantii Fructus Immaturus Juice on Slow-transit Constipation and Its "Microbiota-Metabolism" Synergistic Regulation Mechanism Based on Theory of "Spleen Governing Transportation and Transformation"
Dan LI ; Xiaoxia LIU ; Xiaofen WANG ; Zuxin HE ; Junnan WEI ; Yanqing LIU ; Yuxuan GAO ; Ping LUO ; Fang WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):201-209
ObjectiveBased on the theory of "spleen governing transportation and transformation", this study investigates the efficacy of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma processed with Aurantii Fructus Immaturus juice(AMR-AFI) in improving slow-transit constipation(STC), as well as the synergistic regulatory mechanism involving the microbiota-metabolism axis, thereby elucidating the scientific basis of its processing theory. MethodsAnimals were randomly divided into the control group, model group, positive drug(mosapride) group(3 mg·kg-1), and low-, medium-, and high-dose groups of AMR-AFI(3.9, 7.8, 15.6 g·kg-1). Except for the control group, the remaining five groups were induced with STC using loperamide hydrochloride. Following modeling, interventions were administered. All groups received continuous administration for 15 d, during which fecal samples, colon tissue, and serum were collected. Constipation improvement was assessed by measuring fecal moisture content and small intestinal propulsion rate, histological morphology of colonic tissue was observed via hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, and the levels of interleukin(IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α, and IL-2 in serum were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Furthermore, the microbial community structure in mouse feces was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing, while transcriptomic sequencing was employed to screen differentially expressed genes in colonic tissue, followed by gene ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) enrichment analyses. Finally, Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to explore the association between differential microbiota and differential genes. ResultsCompared with the control group, the intestinal propulsion rate and fecal moisture content in the model group were significantly decreased(P<0.01), while serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-2 were significantly elevated(P<0.01). HE staining showed damage and shedding of colonic mucosal epithelial cells, along with a reduction in goblet cells in the model group. In comparison with the model group, all treatment groups improved the pathological state of the colonic mucosa to varying degrees and reduced serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-2(P<0.01). Among these, the high-dose group of AMR-AFI significantly increased the intestinal propulsion rate and fecal moisture content of rats(P<0.05, P<0.01). Further transcriptomic analysis revealed that a total of 104 differentially expressed genes were identified from comparisons between the model group and the control group, as well as between the model group and the high-dose group of AMR-AFI. These genes were mainly enriched in pathways closely related to STC pathogenesis, such as arachidonic acid metabolism and aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption. 16S rRNA sequencing results indicated that AMR-AFI reversed the structural imbalance of the gut microbiota in model mice, increased species richness, downregulated the relative abundance of pro-inflammatory bacteria such as Parasutterella, and enriched beneficial and butyrate-producing bacteria, including Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Ruminococcaceae, and Lachnospiraceae. Spearman correlation analysis further showed that the beneficial bacteria enriched in the AMR-AFI group were negatively correlated with genes involved in the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway and positively correlated with genes in the aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption pathway. In contrast, pro-inflammatory bacteria in the model group exhibited the opposite correlation trends. ConclusionAMR-AFI can effectively exert synergistic therapeutic effects on STC by regulating intestinal microbiota, arachidonic acid-mediated inflammatory metabolism, and aldosterone-regulated water-salt balance pathways.
3.Regulatory effect of astragaloside Ⅰ and calycosin on a mouse model of cholestatic liver fibrosis
Xiaoyu JIANG ; Wei LIU ; Jiamei CHEN ; Ping LIU ; Chunhui LI
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(5):1083-1092
ObjectiveTo identify and validate the optimal compatibility dosage of astragaloside Ⅰ (ASⅠ) and calycosin (CY) in the treatment of cholestatic liver fibrosis. MethodsA 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC) diet was used to establish a mouse model of liver fibrosis, and the uniform design method was used to identify the optimal combination ratio of the saponin component ASⅠ and the flavonoid component CY in Astragalus membranaceus. In the uniform design experiment, 80 male C57/BL6J mice were divided into normal group, model group, total astragalosides (TAS) group, groups A — F with a uniform design, and obeticholic acid (OCA) group using a random number table, with 8 mice in each group. The multiple regression analysis was used to establish the optimal regression equation and obtain the potential optimal combination ratio. The in vivo efficacy of the empirically optimal combination identified in the uniform design and the optimal dose combination predicted by the regression equation were compared for validation. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between multiple groups; the Levene test was used to determine the homogeneity of variance, and the least significant difference t-test was used for comparison of data with homogeneity of variance between two groups, while the Dunnett T3 test was used for comparison of data with heterogeneity of variance. ResultsIn the uniform design regimen, the JYB combination (3.125 mg/kg ASI+50 mg/kg CY) significantly reduced the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bile acid (TBA), total bilirubin (TBil), and indirect bilirubin (IBil) in mice with DDC-induced cholestatic liver fibrosis (all P<0.05), and it also reduced hepatic Hyp content (P<0.01), semi-quantified collagen deposition area (P<0.001), and the mRNA expression levels of Acta2, Col1a1, Ck7, Ck19, Adgre1, TLR4, TNF-α, and CCL5 in liver tissue (all P<0.05). The regression equation showed that 50 mg/kg ASⅠ+50 mg/kg CY was the potential optimal combination, which was named as P1 combination. However, subsequent validation experiments showed that P1 combination only significantly improved the serum levels of AST and IBil and hepatic Hyp content in DDC mice (all P<0.05), with no significant impact on hepatic collagen deposition and the mRNA expression levels of Acta2, Ck7, Ck19, Adgre1, and CCL5 (all P>0.05). In contrast, the JYB combination significantly improved the serum levels of ALP, ALT, AST, TBA, TBil, and IBil, hepatic collagen deposition, hepatic Hyp content, and the mRNA expression levels of Acta2, Col1a1, Ck7, Ck19, Adgre1, TLR4, TNF-α, and CCL5 (all P<0.05). ConclusionThis study shows that the JYB combination (3.125 mg/kg ASⅠ+50 mg/kg CY) can significantly alleviate DDC-induced liver fibrosis, with comparable efficacy to total saponins from Astragalus membranaceus, and compared with ASⅠ or CY administered alone, the JYB combination has a significantly better regulatory effect on the serum levels of ALP and TBA.
4.Impact of portal vein tumor thrombus classification on rebleeding in hepatocellular carcinoma patients with esophagogastric variceal bleeding
Jiali MA ; Xiaohui YE ; Hongshan WEI ; Ping LI ; Xiuxia LIANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(5):1101-1108
ObjectiveTo investigate the impact of portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) classification on rebleeding in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with different PVTT subtypes and esophagogastric variceal bleeding (EGVB), and to provide a reference for formulating rational treatment regimens for such patients. MethodsA retrospective study was performed for 130 patients with HCC and PVTT who were treated due to EGVB in Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, from July 2020 to January 2025, and according to whether endoscopic treatment was performed, the patients were divided into endoscopic treatment group with 97 patients and conservative treatment group with 33 patients. Demographic and clinical data were collected from all patients, and the two groups were compared in terms of hemostasis success rate and rebleeding rate. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between groups; the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the cumulative incidence rate of rebleeding in patients with different subtypes of PVTT. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed for the endoscopic treatment group and the conservative treatment group to balance the baseline data of the two groups. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to perform univariate and multivariate analyses and identify independent risk factors for rebleeding. ResultsThe endoscopic treatment group had a significantly lower cumulative rebleeding rate within 6 months than the conservative treatment group (35.1% vs 57.6%, hazard ratio [HR]=0.480, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.272—0.851, P=0.019). The PVTT Ⅲ—Ⅳ group had a significantly higher cumulative rebleeding rate within 6 months than the PVTT Ⅱ group (52.2% vs 37.5%, HR=1.744, 95%CI: 1.008 — 3.018, P=0.022). After PSM, there was no significant difference in rebleeding rate between the endoscopic treatment group and the conservative treatment group (38.1% vs 14.3%,HR=1.500,95%CI:0.125 — 2.002, P=0.588), while the PVTT Ⅲ—Ⅳ group had a significantly higher cumulative rebleeding rate than the PVTT Ⅱ group (58.8% vs 12.5%,HR=1.561,95%CI:1.195 — 12.499,P=0.033). The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that PVTT subtype (HR=1.412, 95%CI: 0.998 — 1.997, P=0.049), platelet count (HR=1.006, 95%CI: 1.001 — 1.010, P=0.021), C-reactive protein (HR=1.011, 95%CI: 1.001 — 1.021, P=0.026), and ascites (HR=1.803, 95%CI: 1.059 — 3.068, P=0.030) were independent risk factors for rebleeding. ConclusionFor HCC patients with PVTT and EGVB, endoscopic treatment can successfully achieve hemostasis, while it fails to significantly reduce rebleeding rates. PVTT classification can affect the risk of rebleeding, and patients with PVTT types Ⅲ—Ⅳ have a relatively high rebleeding rate.
5.Panax notoginseng saponins regulate differential miRNA expression in osteoclast exosomes and inhibit ferroptosis in osteoblasts
Hongcheng TAO ; Ping ZENG ; Jinfu LIU ; Zhao TIAN ; Qiang DING ; Chaohui LI ; Jianjie WEI ; Hao LI
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(19):4011-4021
BACKGROUND:Steroid-induced femoral head necrosis is mostly caused by long-term and extensive use of hormones,but its specific pathogenesis is not yet clear and needs further study. OBJECTIVE:To screen out the differential miRNAs in osteoclast exosomes after the intervention of Panax notoginseng saponins,and on this basis,to further construct an osteogenic-related ferroptosis regulatory network to explore the potential mechanism and research direction of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head. METHODS:MTT assay was used to detect the toxic effects of different concentrations of dexamethasone and different mass concentrations of Panax notoginseng saponins on Raw264.7 cell line.Tartrate resistant acid phosphatase staining and TUNEL assay were used to detect the effects of Panax notoginseng saponins on osteoclast inhibition and apoptosis.Exosomes were extracted from cultured osteoclasts with Panax notoginseng saponins intervention.Exosomes from different groups were sequenced to identify differentially expressed miRNAs.CytoScape 3.9.1 was used to construct and visualize the regulatory network between differentially expressed miRNAs and mRNAs.Candidate mRNAs were screened by GO analysis and KEGG analysis.Finally,the differential genes related to ferroptosis were screened out,and the regulatory network of ferroptosis-related genes was constructed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The concentration of dexamethasone(0.1 μmol/L)and Panax notoginseng saponins(1 736.85 μg/mL)suitable for intervention of Raw264.7 cells was determined by MTT assay.(2)Panax notoginseng saponins had an inhibitory effect on osteoclasts and could promote their apoptosis.(3)Totally 20 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified from osteoclast-derived exosome samples,and 11 differentially expressed miRNAs related to osteogenesis were predicted by target mRNAs.The regulatory networks of 4 up-regulated differentially expressed miRNAs corresponding to 155 down-regulated candidate mRNAs and 7 down-regulated differentially expressed miRNAs corresponding to 238 up-regulated candidate mRNAs were constructed.(4)Twenty-four genes related to ferroptosis were screened out from the differential genes.Finally,12 networks were constructed(miR-98-5p/PTGS2,miR-23b-3p/PTGS2,miR-425-5p/TFRC,miR-133a-3p/TFRC,miR-185-5p/TFRC,miR-23b-3p/NFE2L2,miR-23b-3p/LAMP2,miR-98-5p/LAMP2,miR-182-5p/LAMP2,miR-182-5p/TLR4,miR-23b-3p/ZFP36,and miR-182-5p/ZFP36).These results indicate that Panax notoginseng saponins may regulate osteoblast ferroptosis by regulating the expression of miRNAs derived from osteoclast exosomes,thus providing a new idea for the study of the mechanism of steroid-induced femoral head necrosis.
6.Safety and efficacy of puncture cyanoacrylate selective seal under endoscopic ultrasound versus traditional endoscopy in treatment of gastroesophageal varices: A randomized controlled trial
Jiali MA ; Lingling HE ; Hongshan WEI ; Ping LI ; Xiuxia LIANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(6):1113-1119
ObjectiveTo investigate the safety and efficacy of puncture cyanoacrylate selective seal (PCSS) under endoscopic ultrasound in the treatment of gastroesophageal varices (GOV). MethodsA total of 100 patients with liver cirrhosis who underwent endoscopic therapy for the secondary prevention of GOV bleeding in Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, from March 1 to December 31, 2023 were enrolled and randomly divided into PCSS group and traditional endoscopy group. The patients were followed up for 6 months after surgery, and the two groups were compared in terms of clinical outcome and complications. The primary outcome measure was the rate of alleviation or disappearance of GOV, and the secondary outcome measure was variceal rebleeding and death. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed or approximately normally distributed quantitative data between two groups, and the Wilcoxon non-parametric test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed quantitative data between two groups; the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of qualitative data between two groups. ResultsThere were 50 patients in the PCSS group, among whom 1 patient was lost to follow-up, and there were 50 patients in the traditional endoscopy group, among whom 3 patients were lost to follow-up. There were no significant differences between the two groups in baseline data such as age, sex, Child-Pugh class, varices grade, and GOV typing (all P>0.05). Compared with the traditional endoscopy group, the PCSS group had significantly better results of the number of endoscopic treatment sessions (t=-15.671, P=0.001), the total amount of tissue adhesive used (t=-2.830, P=0.006), and the rate of alleviation or eradication of varices sclerosis (χ2=7.078, P=0.029). Both groups had low rates of postoperative rebleeding, adverse reactions, and complications, and there were no significant differences between the two groups (all P>0.05). ConclusionCompared with traditional endoscopy, PCSS can significantly enhance treatment outcome while maintaining safety standards.
7.Fast Object Perception in The Subcortical Pathway: a Commentary on Wang et al.’s Paper in Human Brain Mapping (2023)
Hao-Yun MA ; Yu-Yin WEI ; Li-Ping HU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(7):1904-1908
The subcortical visual pathway is generally thought to be involved in dangerous information processing, such as fear processing and defensive behavior. A recent study, published in Human Brain Mapping, shows a new function of the subcortical pathway involved in the fast processing of non-emotional object perception. Rapid object processing is a critical function of visual system. Topological perception theory proposes that the initial perception of objects begins with the extraction of topological property (TP). However, the mechanism of rapid TP processing remains unclear. The researchers investigated the subcortical mechanism of TP processing with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). They find that a subcortical magnocellular pathway is responsible for the early processing of TP, and this subcortical processing of TP accelerates object recognition. Based on their findings, we propose a novel training approach called subcortical magnocellular pathway training (SMPT), aimed at improving the efficiency of the subcortical M pathway to restore visual and attentional functions in disorders associated with subcortical pathway dysfunction.
8.Trauma surgical care in modern naval warfare
Zong SHEN ; Chenru WEI ; Yulu BAO ; Wei LI ; Ping LING ; Guosheng WU ; Yu SUN
Academic Journal of Naval Medical University 2025;46(4):536-539
As a sub-discipline of field surgery,trauma surgery of naval warfare focuses on the treatment of marine casualties,which is the extension and application of field surgical theories and techniques in the context of naval warfare.Informatization and 3-dimension have been the basic features of modern naval warfare.With the extensive use of high-tech weapons,maritime combat styles and security needs have undergone profound changes.The complexity and diversity of marine trauma injuries have created new opportunities and challenges for the development of trauma surgery.This paper analyzes the marine trauma under the conditions of modern warfare,the characteristics of marine trauma surgical care,and the medical evacuation system of casualty care in naval battle,aiming to promote the research of naval medical support and the development of field surgery.
9.Development of a prediction model for chemotherapy and immunotherapy response in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients using machine learning algorithms
Jincheng CHEN ; Xiaoqin ZHANG ; Jie LIU ; Tongxin LI ; Yi WU ; Ping HE ; Wei WU
Journal of Army Medical University 2025;47(6):591-601
Objective To develop models for predicting response to chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy in patients with esophageal squamous carcinoma with various machine learning algorithms,and then select the optimal model.Methods A retrospective study was performed for 174 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma undergoing chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy admitted in Department of Thoracic Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University from January 2022 to December 2023.The CT scans and clinical information were collected before treatment.They were randomly divided into a training set(n=122)and a testing set(n=52)in a ratio of 7∶3.CT radiomic features were extracted and selected,and then 5 machine-learning algorithms were employed to establish the prediction models,including radiomics model and clinical-radiomics model.Five-fold cross-validation was conducted on the training set,and the performance of the prediction models was evaluated on the testing set using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve and the F1 score.The best-performing model was further explained using local interpretable model-agnostic explanations(LIME)algorithm.Results Among the 174 patients,115(66.1%)achieved clinical remission.From the clinical information and CT images,1 clinical features and 10 radiomic features were identified.The area under of ROC curve(AUC)for the radiomics and clinical-radiomics models was 0.750(95%CI:0.616~0.883),and 0.766(95%CI:0.637~0.895),respectively.The F1 score of the optimal clinical-radiomics model was 0.829.LIME algorithm indicated that this best model demonstrated reliability in predicting individual samples.Conclusion The clinical-radiomics prediction model based on machine learning algorithm performs well,and can provide a reference for doctors'clinical decision-making by predicting the response to chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
10.Artificial intelligence-driven personalized teaching new paradigm for thoracic wall dissection
Quan-Cheng CHENG ; Ping LIU ; Huai-Cun LIU ; Liang WANG ; Yan ZHANG ; Li-Ju LUAN ; Chun-Hua CHEN ; Shu-Wei LIU ; Wei-Guang ZHANG
Acta Anatomica Sinica 2025;56(5):601-606
Facing of mounting resource constraints and rising demands for personalization in medical education,regional anatomy teaching urgently requires transformation.In this paper,we focus on the regional anatomy of the thoracic wall,in order to explore a novel AI-driven teaching paradigm.Anchored in the core principle of"virtual-real integration with cadaveric dissection as the cornerstone,"the paradigm redefines educational objective and constructs an intelligent,closed-loop teaching model integrating students,computers,and instructors.Leveraging the robust support of digital intelligence(e.g.,DeepSeek),this paradigm incorporates interactive method including group collaboration,branching instruction,and gamified assessments.It achieves a comprehensive intelligent transformation of the entire teaching process-from goal setting and plan customization to activity implementation,task completion,outcome exchange,multidimensional evaluation,and reflective iteration.This new paradigm centers on medical students and leverages digital intelligence to activate deep personalized learning potential.It seamlessly integrates fundamental anatomical knowledge with clinical scenarios(e.g.,key anatomy in breast cancer surgery,flap design in breast reconstruction),and significantly enhances clinical decision-making abilities,scientific research and innovative thinking,as well as medical humanistic literacy,paving a new path for intelligent medical education.

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