1.Clinical Advantages of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treatment of Childhood Simple Obesity: Insights from Expert Consensus
Qi ZHANG ; Yingke LIU ; Xiaoxiao ZHANG ; Guichen NI ; Heyin XIAO ; Junhong WANG ; Liqun WU ; Zhanfeng YAN ; Kundi WANG ; Jiajia CHEN ; Hong ZHENG ; Xinying GAO ; Liya WEI ; Qiang HE ; Qian ZHAO ; Huimin SU ; Zhaolan LIU ; Dafeng LONG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(6):238-245
Childhood simple obesity has become a significant public health issue in China. Modern medicine primarily relies on lifestyle interventions and often suffers from poor long-term compliance, while pharmacological options are limited and associated with potential adverse effects. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a long history in the prevention and management of this condition, demonstrating eight distinct advantages, including systematic theoretical foundation, diversified therapeutic approaches, definite therapeutic efficacy, high safety profile, good patient compliance, comprehensive intervention strategies, emphasis on prevention, and stepwise treatment protocols. Additionally, TCM is characterized by six distinctive features: the use of natural medicinal substances, non-invasive external therapies, integration of medicinal dietetics, simple exercise regimens, precise syndrome differentiation, and diverse dosage forms. By combining internal and external treatments, TCM facilitates individualized regimen adjustment and holistic regulation, demonstrating remarkable effects in improving obesity-related metabolic indicators, regulating constitutional imbalance, and promoting healthy behaviors. However, challenges remain, such as inconsistent operational standards, insufficient high-quality clinical evidence, and a gap between basic research and clinical application. Future efforts should focus on accelerating the standardization of TCM diagnosis and treatment, conducting multicenter randomized controlled trials, and fostering interdisciplinary integration, so as to enhance the scientific validity and international recognition of TCM in the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity.
2.Evolving Paradigms in IgA Nephropathy Management: from Traditional Risk Stratification to Biomarker-Driven Precision Medicine
Dingding WANG ; Meng YAO ; Xiao LIU ; Qingxian ZHAI ; Qiong WEN ; Wei CHEN
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2026;17(2):317-323
IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerulonephritis worldwide and a major cause of chronic kidney disease and kidney failure. IgAN exhibits marked heterogeneity in clinical presentation, histopathology, and pathogenic mechanisms, contributing to variable treatment responses and prognosisamong patients. Precise risk assessment and individualized intervention are therefore of critical importance. This review systematically traces the evolution of IgAN management from traditional risk stratification toward biomarker-driven precision medicine. We first review the clinical utility and limitations of established risk stratification tools, including the KDIGO guidelines, the Oxford MEST-C classification, and the International IgAN Prediction Tool. We then discuss emerging biomarkers closely linked to disease pathogenesis, including galactose-deficient IgA1 (Gd-IgA1), anti-Gd-IgA1 autoantibodies, B cell activating factor (BAFF), a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL), and complement components, as well as the targeted therapies they have informed. In addition, urinary biomarkers and multi-omics approaches show promise for dynamic disease monitoring and individualized risk stratification.
3.Rapid Qualitative Analysis Methods and Their Application in Implementation Science
Xuehan WEI ; Xiaoying CHEN ; Runze WANG ; Yingqian ZHANG ; Xuehan LIU ; Jin SUN ; Guoyan YANG ; Wei XIAO ; Chunli LU
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2026;17(2):546-556
Implementation science (IS) aims to systematically analyze and address the real-world gaps from evidence to practice and the influencing factors of the context. It is necessary to carry out qualitative research to gather relevant implementation outcomes. Nevertheless, traditional qualitative analysis has issues such as consuming a great deal of time and energy, and it is unable to promptly provide the crucial data required for implementation science research. The Rapid Qualitative Analysis (RQA) method, through semi-structured interviews and the adoption of techniques such as immediate data condensation and matrix analysis, can effectively shorten the cycle of qualitative data collection and data processing. RQA can promptly identify social determinants of health such as structural barriers, facilitators, and the behavioral characteristics of target groups. It provides a real-time basis for public health decision-making, the interpretation of complex social phenomena, and the process and effectiveness evaluation of research projects. Although RQA is difficult to conduct in-depth theoretical analysis based on grounded theory, its efficiency and flexibility make it the preferred tool for large-scale and time-sensitive research. Thus, it has been widely applied in implementation science research. This paper sorts out the core concepts and commonly used technical methods of RQA, as well as the differences between RQA and traditional qualitative analysis. It also explores the applications of RQA in intervention optimization, process evaluation, and implementation outcome evaluation. By integrating specific cases, this paper clarifies its application value in the field of implementation science. In the future, it is advisable to explore the integration of RQA with technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data, in order to bridge the gap between the transformation of scientific research achievements into practice. Under circumstances of limited resources or tight time constraints, RQA can be used to efficiently conduct implementation science research, providing convenient and scientific methodological and technical support for accelerating evidence-based practice.
4.The expression and mechanistic study of Y‑box binding protein‑1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Yi ZHANG ; Xiao YU ; Wei SHAO ; Xin CHEN
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(3):524-532
ObjectiveTo analyze the expression level and clinical significance of Y‑box binding protein‑1(YB1) in tissues and cells of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). MethodsBioinformatics analysis, immunohistochemistry, Western blot and qRT-PCR were used to detect the expression of YB1 in OSCC tissues, and the prognosis and survival analysis were performed. The effects of YB1 on the proliferation, migration and invasion of OSCC cells were evaluated by CCK-8, scratch assay and Transwell assay, and the expression changes of phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) related markers after YB1 knockdown were detected by Western blot. ResultsBioinformation analysis showed that the expression level of YB1 in OSCC samples was higher than that in normal samples (P0.001), and its expression was correlated with gender (P=0.022) and tumor differentiation degree (P0.001). Kaplan-Meier plotter survival analysis showed that the survival rate of YB1 was low (Log-rank P=0.012). Immunohistochemistry, Western blot and qRT-PCR experiments verified that the expression level of YB1 in OSCC tissues was higher than that of normal tissues. The results of cell experiments showed that knockdown of YB1 inhibited the malignant biological behaviors such as proliferation, migration and invasion of OSCC cells. Western blot results showed that the knockdown of YB1 could reduce the protein expression levels of p-PI3K and p-AKT, and inhibit EMT. ConclusionYB1 is highly expressed in tissues and cells in OSCC, and reveals the important role of the YB1/PI3K/AKT axis in the process of EMT of OSCC, which is expected to become a new tumor marker for early diagnosis and treatment and prognosis evaluation of OSCC.
5.Acute Inflammatory Pain Induces Sex-different Brain Alpha Activity in Anesthetized Rats Through Optically Pumped Magnetometer Magnetoencephalography
Meng-Meng MIAO ; Yu-Xuan REN ; Wen-Wei WU ; Yu ZHANG ; Chen PAN ; Xiang-Hong LIN ; Hui-Dan LIN ; Xiao-Wei CHEN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):244-257
ObjectiveMagnetoencephalography (MEG), a non-invasive neuroimaging technique, meticulously captures the magnetic fields emanating from brain electrical activity. Compared with MEG based on superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUID), MEG based on optically pump magnetometer (OPM) has the advantages of higher sensitivity, better spatial resolution and lower cost. However, most of the current studies are clinical studies, and there is a lack of animal studies on MEG based on OPM technology. Pain, a multifaceted sensory and emotional phenomenon, induces intricate alterations in brain activity, exhibiting notable sex differences. Despite clinical revelations of pain-related neuronal activity through MEG, specific properties remain elusive, and comprehensive laboratory studies on pain-associated brain activity alterations are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of inflammatory pain (induced by Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA)) on brain activity in a rat model using the MEG technique, to analysis changes in brain activity during pain perception, and to explore sex differences in pain-related MEG signaling. MethodsThis study utilized adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. Inflammatory pain was induced via intraplantar injection of CFA (100 μl, 50% in saline) in the left hind paw, with control groups receiving saline. Pain behavior was assessed using von Frey filaments at baseline and 1 h post-injection. For MEG recording, anesthetized rats had an OPM positioned on their head within a magnetic shield, undergoing two 15-minute sessions: a 5-minute baseline followed by a 10-minute mechanical stimulation phase. Data analysis included artifact removal and time-frequency analysis of spontaneous brain activity using accumulated spectrograms, generating spectrograms focused on the 4-30 Hz frequency range. ResultsMEG recordings in anesthetized rats during resting states and hind paw mechanical stimulation were compared, before and after saline/CFA injections. Mechanical stimulation elevated alpha activity in both male and female rats pre- and post-saline/CFA injections. Saline/CFA injections augmented average power in both sexes compared to pre-injection states. Remarkably, female rats exhibited higher average spectral power 1 h after CFA injection than after saline injection during resting states. Furthermore, despite comparable pain thresholds measured by classical pain behavioral tests post-CFA treatment, female rats displayed higher average power than males in the resting state after CFA injection. ConclusionThese results imply an enhanced perception of inflammatory pain in female rats compared to their male counterparts. Our study exhibits sex differences in alpha activities following CFA injection, highlighting heightened brain alpha activity in female rats during acute inflammatory pain in the resting state. Our study provides a method for OPM-based MEG recordings to be used to study brain activity in anaesthetized animals. In addition, the findings of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of pain-related neural activity and pain sex differences.
6.A practice guideline for therapeutic drug monitoring of mycophenolic acid for solid organ transplants.
Shuang LIU ; Hongsheng CHEN ; Zaiwei SONG ; Qi GUO ; Xianglin ZHANG ; Bingyi SHI ; Suodi ZHAI ; Lingli ZHANG ; Liyan MIAO ; Liyan CUI ; Xiao CHEN ; Yalin DONG ; Weihong GE ; Xiaofei HOU ; Ling JIANG ; Long LIU ; Lihong LIU ; Maobai LIU ; Tao LIN ; Xiaoyang LU ; Lulin MA ; Changxi WANG ; Jianyong WU ; Wei WANG ; Zhuo WANG ; Ting XU ; Wujun XUE ; Bikui ZHANG ; Guanren ZHAO ; Jun ZHANG ; Limei ZHAO ; Qingchun ZHAO ; Xiaojian ZHANG ; Yi ZHANG ; Yu ZHANG ; Rongsheng ZHAO
Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B 2025;26(9):897-914
Mycophenolic acid (MPA), the active moiety of both mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS), serves as a primary immunosuppressant for maintaining solid organ transplants. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) enhances treatment outcomes through tailored approaches. This study aimed to develop an evidence-based guideline for MPA TDM, facilitating its rational application in clinical settings. The guideline plan was drawn from the Institute of Medicine and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Using the Delphi method, clinical questions and outcome indicators were generated. Systematic reviews, Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) evidence quality evaluations, expert opinions, and patient values guided evidence-based suggestions for the guideline. External reviews further refined the recommendations. The guideline for the TDM of MPA (IPGRP-2020CN099) consists of four sections and 16 recommendations encompassing target populations, monitoring strategies, dosage regimens, and influencing factors. High-risk populations, timing of TDM, area under the curve (AUC) versus trough concentration (C0), target concentration ranges, monitoring frequency, and analytical methods are addressed. Formulation-specific recommendations, initial dosage regimens, populations with unique considerations, pharmacokinetic-informed dosing, body weight factors, pharmacogenetics, and drug-drug interactions are covered. The evidence-based guideline offers a comprehensive recommendation for solid organ transplant recipients undergoing MPA therapy, promoting standardization of MPA TDM, and enhancing treatment efficacy and safety.
Mycophenolic Acid/administration & dosage*
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Drug Monitoring/methods*
;
Humans
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Organ Transplantation
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Immunosuppressive Agents/administration & dosage*
;
Delphi Technique
7.Clinical characteristics of congenital and acquired middle ear cholesteatoma in children.
Jianbo SHAO ; Min CHEN ; Jinsheng HAO ; Yang YANG ; Wei LIU ; Bing LIU ; Ning MA ; Xiao ZHANG ; Xiaoxu WANG ; Jie ZHANG
Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 2025;39(2):133-136
Objective:To retrospectively analyze the clinical features and surgical efficacy of congenital cholesteatoma (CC) and acquired cholesteatoma (AC) in children. Methods:Clinical data of 169 children with middle ear cholesteatoma were reviewed in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2010 to July 2020. The clinical characteristics, stages, surgical methods, and postoperative recurrence rates were analyzed and summarized. Results:The age distribution of enrolled children ranged from 2 to 14 years. The mean age of the CC group was (5.60±2.48) years compared with (6.45±2.48) years in the AC group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Preoperative hearing in the CC group was (40.06±13.52) dB HL, which was better than in the AC group at (48.40±13.84) dB HL (P<0.05). The proportion of stage Ⅰ in the CC group was lower than that in the AC group according to EAONO/JOS staging (P<0.05). The recurrence rate after primary surgery was 19.23% (10/52) in the CC group compared with 36.29% (45/124) in the AC group (P<0.05). The mastoid retention rates after all operations were 28.85% (15/52) in the CC group and 5.65% (7/124) in the AC group (P<0.05). Conclusion:Compared with congenital cholesteatoma, acquired cholesteatoma in children is more aggressive and has more complications, higher postoperative recurrence rate, and less possibility of mastoid retention. Early clinical detection and treatment are required, and canal wall-down tympanoplasty should be considered in surgery.
Humans
;
Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear/congenital*
;
Child
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Child, Preschool
;
Adolescent
;
Male
;
Female
;
Recurrence
;
Cholesteatoma/congenital*
;
Tympanoplasty
;
Treatment Outcome
8.Real-world efficacy and safety of azvudine in hospitalized older patients with COVID-19 during the omicron wave in China: A retrospective cohort study.
Yuanchao ZHU ; Fei ZHAO ; Yubing ZHU ; Xingang LI ; Deshi DONG ; Bolin ZHU ; Jianchun LI ; Xin HU ; Zinan ZHAO ; Wenfeng XU ; Yang JV ; Dandan WANG ; Yingming ZHENG ; Yiwen DONG ; Lu LI ; Shilei YANG ; Zhiyuan TENG ; Ling LU ; Jingwei ZHU ; Linzhe DU ; Yunxin LIU ; Lechuan JIA ; Qiujv ZHANG ; Hui MA ; Ana ZHAO ; Hongliu JIANG ; Xin XU ; Jinli WANG ; Xuping QIAN ; Wei ZHANG ; Tingting ZHENG ; Chunxia YANG ; Xuguang CHEN ; Kun LIU ; Huanhuan JIANG ; Dongxiang QU ; Jia SONG ; Hua CHENG ; Wenfang SUN ; Hanqiu ZHAN ; Xiao LI ; Yafeng WANG ; Aixia WANG ; Li LIU ; Lihua YANG ; Nan ZHANG ; Shumin CHEN ; Jingjing MA ; Wei LIU ; Xiaoxiang DU ; Meiqin ZHENG ; Liyan WAN ; Guangqing DU ; Hangmei LIU ; Pengfei JIN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(1):123-132
Debates persist regarding the efficacy and safety of azvudine, particularly its real-world outcomes. This study involved patients aged ≥60 years who were admitted to 25 hospitals in mainland China with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between December 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023. Efficacy outcomes were all-cause mortality during hospitalization, the proportion of patients discharged with recovery, time to nucleic acid-negative conversion (T NANC), time to symptom improvement (T SI), and time of hospital stay (T HS). Safety was also assessed. Among the 5884 participants identified, 1999 received azvudine, and 1999 matched controls were included after exclusion and propensity score matching. Azvudine recipients exhibited lower all-cause mortality compared with controls in the overall population (13.3% vs. 17.1%, RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67-0.90; P = 0.001) and in the severe subgroup (25.7% vs. 33.7%; RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66-0.88; P < 0.001). A higher proportion of patients discharged with recovery, and a shorter T NANC were associated with azvudine recipients, especially in the severe subgroup. The incidence of adverse events in azvudine recipients was comparable to that in the control group (2.3% vs. 1.7%, P = 0.170). In conclusion, azvudine showed efficacy and safety in older patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the SARS-CoV-2 omicron wave in China.
9.A novel anti-ischemic stroke candidate drug AAPB with dual effects of neuroprotection and cerebral blood flow improvement.
Jianbing WU ; Duorui JI ; Weijie JIAO ; Jian JIA ; Jiayi ZHU ; Taijun HANG ; Xijing CHEN ; Yang DING ; Yuwen XU ; Xinglong CHANG ; Liang LI ; Qiu LIU ; Yumei CAO ; Yan ZHONG ; Xia SUN ; Qingming GUO ; Tuanjie WANG ; Zhenzhong WANG ; Ya LING ; Wei XIAO ; Zhangjian HUANG ; Yihua ZHANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(2):1070-1083
Ischemic stroke (IS) is a globally life-threatening disease. Presently, few therapeutic medicines are available for treating IS, and rt-PA is the only drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US. In fact, many agents showing excellent neuroprotection but no blood flow-improving activity in animals have not achieved ideal clinical efficacy, while thrombolytic drugs only improving blood flow without neuroprotection have limited their wider application. To address these challenges and meet the huge unmet clinical need, we have designed and identified a novel compound AAPB with dual effects of neuroprotection and cerebral blood flow improvement. AAPB significantly reduced cerebral infarction and neural function deficit in tMCAO rats, pMCAO rats, and IS rhesus monkeys, as well as displayed exceptional safety profiles and excellent pharmacokinetic properties in rats and dogs. AAPB has now entered phase I of clinical trials fighting IS in China.
10.Extracellular vesicles deliver thioredoxin to rescue stem cells from senescence and intervertebral disc degeneration via a feed-forward circuit of the NRF2/AP-1 composite pathway.
Xuanzuo CHEN ; Sheng LIU ; Huiwen WANG ; Yiran LIU ; Yan XIAO ; Kanglu LI ; Feifei NI ; Wei WU ; Hui LIN ; Xiangcheng QING ; Feifei PU ; Baichuan WANG ; Zengwu SHAO ; Yizhong PENG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(2):1007-1022
Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is largely attributed to impaired endogenous repair. Nucleus pulposus-derived stem cells (NPSCs) senescence leads to endogenous repair failure. Small extracellular vesicles/exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells (mExo) have shown great therapeutic potential in IDD, while whether mExo could alleviate NPSCs senescence and its mechanisms remained unknown. We established a compression-induced NPSCs senescence model and rat IDD models to evaluate the therapeutic efficiency of mExo and investigate the mechanisms. We found that mExo significantly alleviated NPSCs senescence and promoted disc regeneration while knocking down thioredoxin (TXN) impaired the protective effects of mExo. TXN was bound to various endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) proteins. Autocrine motility factor receptor (AMFR) mediated TXN K63 ubiquitination to promote the binding of TXN on ESCRT proteins and sorting of TXN into mExo. Knocking down exosomal TXN inhibited the transcriptional activity of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and activator protein 1 (AP-1). NRF2 and AP-1 inhibition reduced endogenous TXN production that was promoted by exosomal TXN. Inhibition of NRF2 in vivo diminished the anti-senescence and regenerative effects of mExo. Conclusively, AMFR-mediated TXN ubiquitination promoted the sorting of TXN into mExo, allowing exosomal TXN to promote endogenous TXN production in NPSCs via TXN/NRF2/AP-1 feed-forward circuit to alleviate NPSCs senescence and disc degeneration.

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