1.Role of PI3K/Akt Pathway in Epirubicin Resistance in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Explored Through Transcriptomic Analysis
Lingshan NAN ; Xiaomin WANG ; Xi ZUO ; Haiming LI ; Dong CHEN ; Xiaohui YIN ; Ganlin ZHANG
Cancer Research on Prevention and Treatment 2026;53(5):339-348
Objective To establish an epirubicin (EPI)-resistant murine triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) (4T1/EPI) cell line and evaluate its biological characteristics and drug resistance. Methods The EPI-resistant cell line 4T1/EPI was developed through intermittent induction with gradually increasing EPI concentrations in vitro. Morphological changes were observed under an inverted microscope. Drug resistance index (MTT assay), cell doubling time (CCK-8 assay), and migration ability (wound healing assay) were evaluated. Western blot was used to detect the expression of drug resistance-related proteins. Transcriptome sequencing and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed to identify the pathways and targets involved in EPI resistance, followed by experimental validation. Results The 4T1 cells eventually grew normally in a medium containing 100 ng/mL EPI, confirming the establishment of the 4T1/EPI resistant cell line. After stable resistance was acquired, morphological alterations were observed. Compared with their parental 4T1 cells, 4T1/EPI cells showed significantly prolonged doubling time (P<0.01) and enhanced migration ability (P<0.05). Expression levels of drug resistance-related proteins MDR1, MRP1 (P<0.01), and ABCG2 (P<0.05) were elevated in 4T1/EPI cells. In vivo models also demonstrated significant EPI resistance in 4T1/EPI tumors in terms of tumor weight and volume. Transcriptome sequencing highlighted the involvement of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and ABC transporter pathway. Validation experiments showed the upregulation of Erbb3, Egfr, PI3K, and Akt (P<0.05) and significant downregulation of Fgfr1 (P<0.01) in 4T1/EPI cells. Conclusion The EPI-resistant TNBC cell line 4T1/EPI was successfully established, exhibiting significant resistance in vitro and in vivo. The mechanism may involve the EPI-induced upregulation of Egfr and Erbb3, activating the PI3K/Akt pathway and subsequently enhancing ABC transporter expression.
2.Investigation and health risk assessment of microbial contamination of indoor air in public places in Xi'an City
Dong LIU ; Fan GAO ; Feng ZHANG ; Ping LIU ; Ling CHANG
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2026;37(1):78-82
Objective To investigate the microbial contamination and its influencing factors of indoor air in public places in Xi'an City, to assess the health risk of employees, and to provide a scientific basis for improving the indoor environment of public places. Methods Total bacterial count and total fungal count in indoor air were monitored in hotels/inns, shopping malls/supermarkets, gyms, and waiting rooms in Xi'an from 2023 to 2024. The health risk assessment of employees was evaluated according to the Chinese Population Exposure Parameters Manual (Adult Volume). Results Overall, the standard-exceeding rate of total bacterial count in Xi'an was 3.85%, and the median values of total bacterial count and total fungal count were 350 CFU/m3 and 300 CFU/m3, respectively. The results of the generalized linear model showed that high indoor temperature and PM10 levels were associated with increased indoor bacterial concentrations (β>0, P<0.05), while high daily passenger flow, and high indoor relative humidity and PM10 levels were associated with increased indoor fungal concentrations (β>0, P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression showed that high levels of indoor bacterial and fungal concentrations were risk factors for respiratory discomfort among employees. The hazard quotient (HQ) values for all types of public places were less than 1, indicating that the health risk of microbial aerosol exposures for employees was relatively low. Conclusion The indoor microbial pollution in public places in Xi'an is relatively mild, but countermeasures still need to be taken to reduce indoor air microbial contamination.
3.Current status of preschool children neglect and the correlation with family characteristics of rural areas in Xi an
YANG Wuyue, PAN Jianping, XIANG Xiaomei, DONG Ning, XI Xuan
Chinese Journal of School Health 2026;47(3):374-378
Objective:
To understand the current status of neglect among rural preschool children in Xi an under the multi child policy and the association with family characteristics, so as to provide a reference for preventing and reducing the occurrence of child neglect.
Methods:
A total of 7 052 parents of preschool children were selected using stratified cluster sampling across 9 suburban counties/districts in Xi an from March to April 2025. A questionnaire survey was administered using the Chinese Norm Scale for Neglect Assessment of Rural(Preschool) Children Aged 3-6. The t-test, Chi-quare test, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for inter group comparisons.
Results:
The overall prevalence rate and mean score of neglect among rural preschool aged children in Xi an were 32.4% and 38.27±6.70, respectively. Statistically significant differences were detected in neglect rates and neglect degrees among preschool children of different genders and grade levels ( χ 2=30.41, 15.15, t/F =4.92,7.03, all P <0.05). Statistically significant differences were also detected in neglect rates and neglect degrees among preschool children from whether only one child, different family structures, numbers of children in a family and families with different annual incomes ( χ 2=29.22, 10.41 , 31.99, 186.47, t/F =-9.96, 5.50, 33.57, 68.63, all P <0.05). In multi child families, there was a statistically significant difference in neglect degree among children with different birth orders ( F =4.25, P <0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference in neglect rate ( χ 2=5.73, P >0.05). Among all subgroups, the highest neglect rates and neglect degrees were observed in children from multi child families(35.0%,39.00±6.71), other family types(50.0%,42.38±12.34) and families with three children(39.9%,39.50±7.43). Lower annual family income was associated with higher neglect rates and neglect degrees among preschool children( χ 2 trend =186.47, F =270.68,both P <0.05).
Conclusions
Under the multiple child policy, the neglect of preschool children in rural areas of Xi an is quite severe, particularly in families with multiple children and low income households. Targeted interventions should be implemented for high risk groups.
4.Comparative analysis of the clinical characteristics of pneumococcal meningitis in different populations in Baoji, Shaanxi Province
Ruize WANG ; Weixuan LI ; Yuanyuan DONG ; Xiaoyu ZHANG ; Tiantian ZHOU ; Dan ZHANG ; Weijun HU
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2026;37(2):59-63
Objective To compare the clinical characteristics of pneumococcal meningitis in different age groups, and to provide a basis for early diagnosis of pneumococcal meningitis. Methods Cerebrospinal fluid and/or serum samples were collected from 1742 suspected cases of meningitis in Baoji, Shaanxi Province from August 2013 to July 2019. Streptococcus pneumoniae was detected by isolation culture and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Retrospective analysis of clinical manifestations, biochemical indicators and other information of laboratory confirmed cases was conducted by χ2 test or Fisher's exact test. Results A total of 1742 samples of encephalitis or meningitis cases were detected, and 41 cases were confirmed as laboratory-confirmed Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. Among them, there were 12 cases (29.27%) in the infant group, 14 cases (34.15%) in the child group, and 15 cases (36.59%) in the adult group. The proportion of the adults with headache was significantly higher than that of the infants (χ2=11.408,P<0.017). The proportion of the adults with consciousness disorder, elevated white blood cells and elevated neutrophils were significantly higher than those in the infant and the child groups(Fisher's exact test, P<0.017;χ2 =6.428,P<0.017;χ2 =10.898,P<0.017;χ2 =6.421,P<0.017;χ2 =9.758,P<0.017;χ2 =7.744,P<0.017). The proportion of the infants with cerebrospinal fluid turbidity was significantly higher than that of the children (Fisher's exact test,P<0.017). The proportion of the infants with decreased white blood cells and reduced glucose in cerebrospinal fluid was significantly higher than that of the children group and the adult group(Fisher's exact test, P<0.001;Fisher's exact test, P<0.001;Fisher's exact test, P<0.017; Fisher's exact test, P<0.017). Conclusion Most adult patients with pneumococcal meningitis have headache and consciousness disorders, with significantly increased proportion of white blood cells and neutrophils. Infant patients tend to have cloudy appearance of cerebrospinal fluid, leukopenia in blood, and decreased glucose in cerebrospinal fluid.
5.Ectopic expression of hemoglobin subunits enhances the in vitro cytotoxicity of CAR-T cells against tumor cells under hypoxic conditions
YANG Jianxun1,2 ; ZHENG Rui3 ; LIANG Sixin3 ; PAN Jie4 ; LI Yanlong5 ; ZHAI Chenxi5 ; ZHAO Xiaojuan2 ; WANG Pengju3 ; DONG Hao4 ; YAN Bo2 ; SUN Zhihong1 ; YANG Angang3
Chinese Journal of Cancer Biotherapy 2026;33(3):233-242
[摘 要] 目的:探讨异位表达血红蛋白亚基(HBA/HBB)对缺氧条件下嵌合抗原受体T细胞(CAR-T细胞)功能障碍的改善作用及其对肿瘤细胞的杀伤效应。方法:全基因合成技术合成靶向HER2的CAR序列,构建共表达HBA或HBB的CAR慢病毒载体,包装慢病毒后感染人原代T淋巴细胞,制备异位表达HBA/HBB的CAR-T细胞,命名为HBA CAR-T和HBB CAR-T。采用缺氧探针检测小鼠实体瘤缺氧状态。通过流式细胞术检测瘤内CAR-T细胞占比、异位表达血红蛋白亚基的CAR-T细胞阳性率及CAR-T细胞的活性氧、凋亡水平。WB法检测HBA CAR-T和HBB CAR-T内相关血红蛋白亚基表达情况,采用细胞计数板计数检测细胞增殖水平,通过萤光素酶报告基因法检测CAR-T细胞对肿瘤细胞的杀伤能力,qPCR检测CAR-T细胞中缺氧诱导因子-1α(HIF-1α)表达水平,利用MitoXpress Intra试剂盒检测CAR-T细胞内氧气含量。结果:不同细胞构建的实体瘤模型均存在明显缺氧情况,且CAR-T细胞浸润水平与缺氧程度呈显著负相关(P < 0.000 1)。HBA CAR-T与HBB CAR-T构建成功(阳性率 > 60%),相应血红蛋白亚基可稳定表达。缺氧环境下HBA CAR-T和HBB CAR-T的ROS水平、凋亡水平显著下降,增殖、对肿瘤细胞的体外杀伤能力显著强于传统CAR-T细胞(均P < 0.05)。HBA CAR-T与HBB CAR-T内HIF-1α表达降低(均P < 0.001),且缺氧程度显著降低(均P < 0.001)。结论:异位表达血红蛋白亚基可改善缺氧条件下CAR-T细胞功能障碍并增强其对肿瘤细胞的体外杀伤作用。
6.The first record of Anopheles messeae (Diptera: Culicidae) parasitized by water mites in China
Xue-ru CHEN ; Wen-zhen YAO ; Yu-hao LI ; Gui-chang LI ; Tao MENG ; Qun-ling FENG ; Xin-hui LIU ; Li-hong QIAO ; Xiang-ting WU ; Xue-feng ZHANG ; Cheng-lin LI ; Xue-cheng DONG ; Da-wei WANG ; Xiao-yan SI ; Yu-hong GUO
Acta Parasitologica et Medica Entomologica Sinica 2026;33(1):53-57
Objective This study reports on the obligatory parasitism of water mites Arrenurus sp. on Anopheles messeae at the Manzhouli Port, Inner Mongolia, China. Methods Duing July 2024, a survey on the mosquito diversity was conducted at the Manzhouli Port. Captured mosquitoes and their ectoparasites were identified to species level. Results A total of 1840 adult mosquitoes were collected, representing species from three genera: Culex(Cx. modestus, Cx. pipiens pallens), Aedes(Ae. dorsalis, Ae. flavidorsalis, Ae. flavescens), and Anopheles (An. messeae). Among all the mosqutioes specimens,3 out of 150 captured An. messeae were found to carry ectoparasitic mites, with number of 2,4,27 mites separately. Morphological and molecular identification reached the same result as water mites(Hydrachnidiae, Hydracrina). COI gene sequence showed 94% similarity with the closest species Arrenurus truncatellus. Conlusions Literature review suggests water mites are host-specific parasitism of mosquito species and herein with the first record of Arrenurus sp. parasiting on An. Messeae in the most high-latitude region globally.
7.Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Stimulation of the Primary Somatosensory Cortex Evokes Hand Tactile Perception: The Effect of Sonication Duration
Xu-Xu CHEN ; Huan-Jun XI ; Zhen LIANG ; Bo WANG ; Xu-Dong ZHAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(7):1942-1952
ObjectiveTranscranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) has emerged as a promising noninvasive neuromodulation technique capable of modulating neural activity with high spatial specificity. However, whether tFUS stimulation of the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) can reliably evoke conscious tactile perception without external peripheral sensory input remains unclear. Therefore, this study examined the feasibility of inducing hand-related tactile perception through targeted S1 stimulation and further investigated how sonication duration (SD), a key temporal parameter, influences the consistency of this perceptual response. The findings may provide empirical evidence for optimizing tFUS parameters in human somatosensory modulation. MethodsForty-eight healthy adults participated in the study and were assigned to two experiments. Experiment 1 included 24 participants and was designed to preliminarily examine whether S1-targeted tFUS could evoke hand-related tactile sensations. This experiment comprised two sub-experiments, Experiment 1a and Experiment 1b, with 12 participants in each. Specifically, Experiment 1a used a randomized active stimulation protocol targeting the bilateral S1 to assess the initial feasibility of inducing contralateral tactile perception, whereas Experiment 1b employed an alternating hemispheric design incorporating both active and sham stimulation to verify the specificity of the tFUS-induced sensations. Experiment 2 enrolled another 24 participants and used a real-sham dual-probe design to control for spatial tactile cues that might arise from probe-scalp contact. Five SD levels, including 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1 000 ms, were systematically tested to evaluate how stimulation duration influenced the behavioral response. The primary behavioral outcome was the perceptual consistency rate, quantified according to the accuracy of contralateral tactile localization. ResultsIn Experiment 1, 91.7% of participants reported reliable hand-related tactile sensations during active tFUS stimulation, including numbness, tingling, or similar sensory experiences. Contralateral localization accuracy under active stimulation was significantly higher than the0.50 chance level (P<0.05). In contrast, localization performance under sham stimulation did not differ from chance, suggesting that the observed tactile responses were mainly induced by active S1-targeted tFUS stimulation rather than nonspecific stimulation cues. In Experiment 2, perceptual consistency rates significantly exceeded the chance level under the 400 and 1 000 ms SD conditions(P<0.05), whereas no significant effect was observed at 200, 600, or 800 ms. Pairwise comparisons further showed that the 400 and 1 000 ms conditions produced significantly higher perceptual consistency rates than the 200 ms condition (P<0.05). ConclusiontFUS stimulation of S1 can elicit distinct hand-related tactile sensations without peripheral sensory input, demonstrating the feasibility of using targeted cortical ultrasound stimulation to induce conscious somatosensory perception. The reliability of this perceptual effect was modulated by sonication duration, indicating that temporal stimulation parameters play an important role in shaping both the occurrence and consistency of behavioral responses. Among the tested conditions, 400 ms appeared to provide a favorable temporal window for generating stable tactile perception, whereas excessively short stimulation may be insufficient to produce consistent responses. These findings highlight the sensitivity of somatosensory networks to ultrasonic modulation and provide useful parameter guidance for the application of tFUS in noninvasive sensory enhancement and cortical functional mapping.
8.Comparison of the toxicity and safety of protein derivatives from novel fusion strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Hao-qi XU ; Jiang-tao DONG ; Jie ZHANG ; Fang WU ; Su LIANG ; Xiao-ling LIU ; Lan-ru GAO ; Ju WANG ; Hui ZHANG ; Jiang-dong WU ; Le ZHANG ; Xi-ling DENG ; Wan-jiang ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Zoonoses 2025;41(4):376-384
The objective of this study was to evaluate the toxicity and safety of novel Mycobacterium tuberculosis fusion strain protein derivatives,referred to as B/R strain active proteins.In cellular experiments,RAW264.7 cells were treated with each vaccine preparation,and apoptosis rates were measured.In subsequent animal experiments,C57BL/6 mice were immunized via subcutaneous injection,and their survival and body weight changes were monitored and recorded at 2,4,8,12,and 16 weeks.The lungs and spleens were harvested to calculate organ coefficients,and pathological examinations were conducted.At the eighth week of immunization,the mice were infected with high concentrations of BCG,and pathological changes in the lungs and spleens were observed 4 weeks post-infection.The apoptosis rate at 6 hours was significantly higher in the experimental group than the PBS group(P<0.05).At 12 and 24 hours,the apoptosis rate in the experimental group remained higher than that in the PBS group,although this difference was not statistically significant.After immunization,mice in all four groups exhibited normal growth patterns,as indicated by stable body weight changes.At 4 and 12 weeks post-immunization,the lung coefficients in the protein group were significantly higher than those in the PBS group at the same time points.Additionally,the lung coefficients in the BCG group were significantly elevated across all time periods(P<0.05).The spleen coefficients in the protein and BCG groups were significantly higher than those in the PBS group at 2,4,8,12,and 16 weeks,whereas the ICD B/R group showed higher spleen coefficients than the PBS group only at week 8(P<0.05).Pathological examination revealed normal lung and spleen tissues in the PBS group.However,during the 2-8 weeks immunization period,lung and spleen tissues in all experimental groups exhibited varying degrees of damage,which gradually diminished by 12-16 weeks.Notably,no tuberculosis nodules were observed in any experimental group.After infection with high concentrations of BCG,no overt pathological changes were observed on the surfaces of the lungs and spleens in any group.Microscopic examination revealed less severe pathological changes in the lungs and spleens of mice in the experimental groups than the PBS group.Furthermore,no statistically significant differences were observed between the protein group and the BCG group.Our findings suggested that the B/R strain active proteins'toxicity and safety profiles were comparable to those of BCG,and showed immunoprotective effects.This study provides an experimental foundation for the development of a novel tuberculosis vaccine.
9.Evaluation of a deep learning-driven centerline extraction algorithm for optimizing the diagnosis of the"gray zone"in noninvasive coronary fractional flow reserve
Zi-qiang GUO ; Xi WANG ; Zi-nuan LIU ; Yi-pu DING ; Ran XIN ; Dong-kai SHAN ; Jun GUO ; Yun-dai CHEN ; Jun-jie YANG
Chinese Journal of Interventional Cardiology 2025;33(6):312-318
Objective To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the minimum-cost-path-based CT angiography-derived fractional flow reserve(MCP-FFR)and the deep learning-driven CT angiography-derived fractional flow reserve(DeepCL-FFR),and to particularly explore the potential value of the DeepCL algorithm in improving diagnostic accuracy within the"gray zone."Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 151 coronary vessels from 109 patients with coronary artery disease,who were hospitalized at the General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army between January 2020 and June 2021.Pearson correlation and Bland-Altman plots were employed to assess the correlation and agreement of the two CT-FFR methods with invasive FFR.A CT-FFR range of 0.70-0.80 was defined as the diagnostic"gray zone."The accuracy,sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,and negative predictive value for detecting hemodynamic abnormalities were calculated and analyzed.The DeLong test was used to compare the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves(AUC)between the two CT-FFR calculation methods.Results Both CT-FFR methods exhibited a positive correlation with invasive FFR(MCP-FFR:r=0.75,P<0.001;DeepCL-FFR:r=0.86,P<0.001)and showed good agreement(MCP-FFR:mean difference=0.010,P=0.351;DeepCL-FFR:mean difference=-0.003,P=0.772).Both DeepCL-FFR(AUC 0.97,95%CI 0.94-0.99)and MCP-FFR(AUC 0.92,95%CI 0.88-0.97)demonstrated favorable diagnostic performance for detecting hemodynamic abnormalities(P=0.122).In the"gray zone"for hemodynamic abnormality,the diagnostic accuracy of MCP-FFR was 68.8%,whereas DeepCL-FFR increased it to 89.7%.DeepCL-FFR also exhibited superior diagnostic performance(AUC 0.89,95%CI 0.73-0.99)within the"gray zone,"which was significantly higher than that of MCP-FFR(AUC 0.71,95%CI 0.54-0.87)(P<0.001).Conclusions The deep learning-driven coronary centerline extraction algorithm,DeepCL,demonstrates superior diagnostic performance in CT-FFR for detecting hemodynamic abnormalities,particularly by significantly improving diagnostic accuracy in the"gray zone."
10.Honokiol inhibits the malignant progression of pancreatic cancer cells by regulating glycolysis through the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway
Xin LIU ; Jing LI ; Xi WANG ; Lei DONG
Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University(Medical Sciences) 2025;46(5):818-823
Objective To explore the effects of honokiol on malignant phenotypes in PANC-1 cells and its mechanisms.Methods In our experiments,MTT assay was used to detect the effects of honokiol on PANC-1 cell viability.The migration and invasion of PANC-1 cells were evaluated by wound healing assay and Transwell assay.The glycolysis level was detected by ELISA and ECAR.Western blotting was used to detect the expressions of OCT4,SOX2,Nanog,LDHA,HK2 and Raf/MEK/ERK pathway related proteins.Results Honokiol could significantly inhibit the migration and invasion abilities of PANC-1 cells(migration rate and invasion rate being 13.78%-59.45%and 12.47%-44.47%,respectively).Mechanistically,honokiol targeted Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway and significantly reduced the expressions of LDHA(29.60%)and HK2(31.98%),thereby reducing glycolysis and lactate production(29.42%-56.31%,compared with control group P<0.05).This metabolic reprogramming effect ultimately inhibited the protein expressions of OCT4(33.38%),SOX2(33.07%),and Nanog(26.24%).Conclusion Honokiol treatment can inhibit the cell viability,migration and invasion abilities of PANC-1 cells.The mechanisms are related to the inhibition of glycolysis and cell stemness by regulating Raf/MEK/ERK pathway.


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