1.Pharmacodynamic Substance Basis and Mechanisms of Shangkeling Spray on Knee Osteoarthritis
Pengbo GUO ; Changhao XIAO ; Fei XIA ; Chong QIU ; Jigang WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(6):206-216
ObjectiveTo analyze the pharmacodynamic substance basis of Shangkeling Spray and its potential mechanisms in intervening knee osteoarthritis (KOA) using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS), network pharmacology, and molecular docking technology. MethodsUPLC-MS was used to identify the chemical components of Shangkeling Spray. Pharmacokinetic properties were employed to screen potential active ingredients. Network pharmacology methods were utilized to collect potential targets of these ingredients and the pathological gene set of KOA. An "active ingredient-disease" target network was constructed using databases such as STRING. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional enrichment analyses were performed using clusterProfiler. Libraries including NumPy were employed to calculate shortest path lengths to identify dominant pharmacodynamic links. Core gene clusters were identified using MCODE, validated through the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and molecular docking was performed between key active ingredients and core targets. ResultsA total of 322 and 314 chemical components were identified under positive and negative ion modes, respectively, with 410 components in total after de-duplication, mainly including flavonoids, coumarins, terpenoids, organic acids, and alkaloids. Analysis of the "active ingredient-disease" network identified "development and regeneration", "cell growth and death", "immune system", and "nervous system" as the dominant pharmacodynamic links of Shangkeling Spray in the treatment of KOA. Molecular docking showed that key active ingredients, such as bletillin A, formononetin, morin, oxymatrine, aconitine, gallic acid, curdione, apigenin, naringenin, and oleanolic acid, tightly bound to functional domains of 10 key targets including Jun proteins(JUN), interleukin-6 (IL-6), protein kinase B1 (Akt1), Caspase-3, nuclear transcription factor-κB subunit p65(RELA), nuclear factor-kappaB1(NF-κB1), Cyclin D1, mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and Fos proto-oncogene protein (FOS). These interactions synergistically regulated the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mTOR-related signaling axis and nervous system-related pathways, mediating cartilage repair, reducing inflammation and pain, and improving KOA. ConclusionThis study preliminarily clarifies the pharmacodynamic substance basis of Shangkeling Spray and suggests that its main active ingredients may improve KOA by synergistically regulating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR-related pathways, providing a reference for subsequent exploration of its substance benchmark and mechanism of action.
2.Gender-specific patterns of external occipital protuberance hyperplasia: associations with nuchal ligament ossification and cervical sagittal imbalance in myelopathy patients
Zhaoyang GONG ; Hanqiu SUN ; Dachuan LI ; Xiao LU ; Siyang LIU ; Ximeng WANG ; Xinlei XIA ; Feizhou LYU ; Jianyuan JIANG ; Fei ZOU ; Hongli WANG ; Xiaosheng MA
Asian Spine Journal 2026;20(1):10-19
Methods:
Cervical radiographs were analyzed. EOP hyperplasia was classified into three subtypes with standardized length measurements. Variables encompassed demographics, ONL-related indices, and sagittal parameters. Subtype comparisons and multivariate regression analyses (with EOP length as dependent variable) were conducted.
Results:
Analysis of 187 CSM patients (64.2% male) identified gender-specific patterns: males exhibited greater EOP length (9.4±6.8 mm vs. 4.6±3.4 mm, p<0.001). Type III EOP demonstrated male predominance (82.4% vs. type I 31.8%, type II 51.4%; p<0.001), with associated longer hyperplasia length (11.6±6.6 mm vs. type II 5.1±1.9 mm, p<0.001). Type III EOP was associated with higher ONL prevalence (type III 64.8% vs. type I 45.5%, type II 41.9%; p=0.010) and longer ONL osteophyte length (type III 18.8±9.8 mm vs. type I 14.2±8.1 mm, type II 14.2±9.4 mm; p=0.046). Multivariate regression confirmed male sex (β=–3.82, p=0.009), ONL osteophyte length (β=0.16, p=0.017), T1 slope (β=0.27, p=0.041), and spino-cranial angle (β=–0.19, p=0.009) as factors independently associated with EOP length (adjusted R²=0.382).
Conclusions
Severe EOP hyperplasia exhibits a male-predominant distribution pattern and demonstrates significant radiological associations with ONL and cervical sagittal imbalance in CSM patients. These findings advocate for EOP evaluation in clinical evaluations to identify high-risk biomechanical profiles.
3.Neuroelectromagnetic Activities Across Temporal Scales
Zhuo-Qun SHEN ; Xiao-Fei XU ; Yan-Qing WANG ; Jing-Xin LI ; Lan TIAN ; Wei GUO ; Jing-Jing XU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(6):1541-1560
Although global brain science research has progressed rapidly in recent decades, several fundamental questions in neuroscience remain unresolved. In particular, the physical mechanism underlying neural signal transmission remains controversial, and the carriers responsible for neural information storage and retrieval have not yet been fully clarified. These unresolved issues motivate us to re-examine the processes of neural information generation, transmission, integration, storage, and retrieval from multiple perspectives. A key observation is that neural electromagnetic activities are closely associated with time. Their duration, temporal structure, and dynamic evolution play crucial roles in neural information processing. In this work, we analyze neural electromagnetic activities from the perspective of temporal scales (referred to here as the “time course”). By reviewing and integrating findings from previous studies, we examine the characteristic time requirements and dynamic features of neural processes occurring at different stages of information processing. These stages include neural signal generation, signal transmission along axons, synaptic integration, synaptic plasticity, and memory formation and retrieval. Based on this temporal analysis, we outline a framework describing neural electromagnetic activities across a wide range of time scales, spanning from microseconds to minutes, hours, or even longer periods associated with long-term memory, which suggests that neural information processing involves multiple physical processes operating at different time levels. Rapid electromagnetic events may occur on microsecond scales, whereas electrophysiological phenomena such as action potentials typically last on the order of milliseconds. Longer time scales are associated with synaptic plasticity and memory-related processes. From this perspective, we propose that the physical carrier of neural information may be transient electromagnetic pulses with durations on the microsecond scale. In this framework, action potentials can be interpreted as the macroscopic electrophysiological manifestation of underlying electromagnetic processes triggered by ionic currents across neuronal membranes. Rather than being the fundamental neural signal itself, the action potential may represent a measurable membrane-level response associated with the successful activation of these electromagnetic events. Moreover, we discuss a possible mechanism for long-term memory storage. Considering the apparent temporal contradiction between the millisecond-scale excitation of neurons and the long-term persistence of memories, we believe that long-term memory information may be stored within neural network topologies formed by electrical synapse coupling. Such structures, referred to as electrically coupled memory networks (ECMNs), may enable neurons within the same network to respond rapidly and synchronously to stimuli, thereby facilitating efficient memory retrieval. Overall, this study emphasizes the importance of considering the temporal organization of neural electromagnetic activities when interpreting neural signaling mechanisms. It may provide new insights into the physical nature of neural information carriers and the mechanisms of memory storage and retrieval. Furthermore, highlighting the potential role of electromagnetic interactions in neural activity may contribute to the development of new theoretical frameworks and experimental approaches in neuroscience. Such perspectives may also offer valuable references for future research on neural coding, brain function mechanisms, and neuromodulation technologies.
4.PPARα activation alleviates lithocholic acid-induced liver injury by inhibiting pyroptosis
Hang-Fei Liang ; Chuo-Ying Mai ; Xuan Li ; Jia-Ning Tian ; Hai-Guo Su ; Min Huang ; Jian-Hong Fang ; Hai-Tao Wang ; Xiao Yang ; Hui-Chang Bi
Liver Research 2026;10(2):177-188
Background and aims
The mechanism of cholestatic liver injury (CLI) is unclear, and effective therapies are lacking. While peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) agonists show potential hepatoprotective effect and pyroptosis is implicated in hepatocellular damage, how PPARα activation mitigates lithocholic acid (LCA)-induced pyroptosis remains unknown.
Methods
The hepatoprotective effect of PPARα agonists was evaluated in a mouse model of intrahepatic cholestasis induced by LCA. Liver injury was assessed via serum biochemistry, hematoxylin and eosin and TUNEL staining, and electron microscopy. Pyroptosis pathways were analyzed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and co-immunoprecipitation.
Results
Combined morphological, histopathological, and biochemical analyses confirmed that PPARα activation protects against CLI. Compared with LCA treatment alone, PPARα activation significantly attenuated the elevation of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), the increased TUNEL-positive cells, and the formation of hepatocyte membrane pores. Mechanistically, PPARα activation suppressed both NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis and apoptosis protease-activating factor-1 (APAF-1)/CASPASE-3/GSDME-mediated pyroptosis. Furthermore, PPARα agonist pretreatment inhibited activation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) signaling pathways.
Conclusions
PPARα protects against LCA-induced CLI by inhibiting both NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis associated with NF-κB and APAF-1/CASPASE-3/GSDME-mediated pyroptosis associated with the FOXO1 signaling pathway.
5.Disease burden and trends in enteric infections in China,1990-2021:a One Health perspective
Jing TAN ; Fei WANG ; Shi-pan CHEN ; Xiao-chun LI ; Hong-xin JU ; Chun-xiao YANG ; Wen-qiang YIN ; Lan-hua LI
Chinese Journal of Zoonoses 2025;41(5):472-479
This study analyzed the burden and trends in enteric infections in China from 1990 to 2021 from a One Health perspec-tive.Data on mortality associated with enteric infections were extracted from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease(GBD)database.The analysis focused on assessing the mortality rates of enteric infectious diseases attributed to various etiologies and risk factors,along with the age and sex distribution,from 1990 to 2021.Average annual percentage change(AAPC)was used to assess the total changes in disease burden.The age-standardized mortality rate of intestinal infections in China decreased from 9.642/100 000 in 1990 to 0.439/100 000 in 2021,with an AAPC of-57.103%(95%CI:-57.118%to-57.088%).In 2021,Rotavirus,Norovirus,and Crypto-sporidium were the top three etiologies contributing to disease burden,with mortality rates of 1.020/100 000,0.040/100 000 and 0.079/100 000,respectively.A significant variation in etiology distribution was observed across age groups:Rotavirus,Shigella,and Crypto-sporidium dominated among children under 5 years of age,whereas Cryptosporidium,Norovirus,and Clostridioides difficile were more prevalent in older populations.Risk factor analysis indicated that unsafe water sources and poor sanitation accounted for 73.394%of all enteric disease-related deaths.In conclusion,the burden of enteric infections in China markedly declined from 1990 to 2021,and sig-nificant variations in the etiological spectrum and disease burden were observed across age groups.The persistent effects of unsafe wa-ter sources and poor sanitation underscore the need for targeted interventions to further decrease the burden of these diseases.Our find-ings highlight the success of public health interventions in decreasing the burden of enteric infections in China,while emphasizing the need for targeted measures to address disparities in high-risk populations and improve environmental sanitation.
6.Analysis of the influence of embolic agent type selection on the clinical efficacy of transfemoral artery interventional therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma
Zhenfei REN ; Xiao LIU ; Chunxia GUO ; Linlin BI ; Fei WANG
Chinese Journal of Postgraduates of Medicine 2025;48(6):515-519
Objective:To analyze the influence of embolic agent type selection on the clinical efficacy of transfemoral artery interventional therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods:The clinical data of 140 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with femoral artery interventional therapy in the 960th Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force of the PLA from January 2020 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 35 patients treated with iodized oil was in group A, 35 patients treated with anhydrous ethanol was in group B, 35 patients treated with gelatin sponge granule embolization agent was in group C, 35 patients treated with drug-loaded microsphere embolization agents was in group D. The clinical efficacy and serum tumor markers before and after treatment of the four groups were compared, and the occurrence of adverse reactions in the four groups were analyzed.Results:There was statistical significance in the total effective rate of the four groups ( P<0.05), among which the total effective rate of group D was the highest [97.14% (34/35)], followed by group C [85.71% (30/35)], and the total effective rate of group A and B [54.29% (19/35), 62.86% (22/35)] was lower.After treatment, the levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and alpha-fetoprotein anisoplast L3 (AFP-L3) were all decreased compared with those before treatment ( P<0.05), and there were statistically significant differences in the above indexes among the four groups ( P<0.05). Among them, the levels of AFP, CEA, ALP, GGT and AFP-L3 in group D were the lowest, followed by group C, and higher in group A and B. There was no significant difference in the total incidence of adverse reactions among the four groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:There is no significant difference in the safety of oil iodide, anhydrous ethanol, gelatin sponge particles embolic agent and drug-carrying microspheres embolic agent applied in transfemoral interventional therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma, and in the comparison of the efficacy, it is found that the drug-carrying microspheres embolic agent have the best efficacy, followed by gelatin sponge particles embolic agent, and oil iodide embolic agent and anhydrous ethanol are poor.
7.Efficacy of Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Combined with Budesonide Nasal Spray in the Treatment of Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps and Its Impact on Nasal Mucosal Function and Quality of Life
Jun-ping LIU ; Fei LIANG ; Hui WANG ; Zhen LIU ; Xiao-liang CHEN
Progress in Modern Biomedicine 2025;25(16):2666-2673
Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy and underlying mechanisms of endoscopic sinus surgery(ESS)combined with budesonide nasal spray in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps(CRSwNP),with a focus on its effects on symptom control,nasal mucosal function repair,immune regulation,and recurrence rate.Methods:A total of 110 patients with CRSwNP were randomly divided into a matched group(60 cases,receiving ESS alone)and an observation group(50 cases,receiving ESS followed by 6 months of postoperative budesonide nasal spray).The Lund-Kennedy score,Visual Analog Scale(VAS)score for symptoms,nasal mucociliary clearance rate(MTR),nasal mucosal T-cell subsets(CD4+/CD8+),inflammatory factors(TGF-β1,VEGF),serum marker(IL-3,IL-4,IL-5,IL-13,TSLP)and complications,recurrence rate(6 months and 12 months)were compared between the two groups before surgery and at 3 and 6 months postoperatively.Results:At 3 months postoperatively,the VAS scores for nasal obstruction,hyposmia,and facial pain in the observation group were lower than those in the matched group(0.76±0.21 vs 1.26±0.34,0.88±0.17 vs 1.48±0.33,0.37±0.07 vs 0.55±0.11,all P<0.001).At 6 months postoperatively,the Lund-Kennedy score(1.34±0.31 vs 1.65±0.33)and MTR(7.53±1.67 vs 6.54±1.39 mm/min)in the observation group were superior to those in the matched group(both P<0.05).The CD4+/CD8+ratio(1.03±0.17 vs 0.87±0.14)and TGF-β1 levels(568.33±75.48 vs 506.27±72.87 μg/L)were higher,while VEGF levels(145.95±27.94 vs 178.33±36.37 ng/L)were lower in the observation group(all P<0.001).At 6 months after surgery,the levels of IL-4,IL-5,IL-13,and TSLP were lower than those in the matched group(P<0.05).The complication rate(8.00%vs 16.67%)and recurrence rate(4.00%vs 18.33%)in the observation group were lower than those in the matched group(P<0.05).Conclusion:ESS combined with budesonide can significantly alleviate CRSwNP symptoms and reduce the risk of recurrence by inhibiting Th2-type inflammatory responses,regulating T-cell immune balance,improving ciliary function,and suppressing angiogenesis.The synergistic mechanism involves the dynamic regulation of inflammatory microenvironment remodeling and mucosal repair,demonstrating significant clinical efficacy and safety.This study is the first to propose a postoperative management strategy that integrates mucosal repair,Th2 suppression,and inflammatory remodeling,filling a gap in research on postoperative immune microenvironment regulation.
8.Feasibility of modified LIFT guided by magnetic resonance imaging in the treatment of deep anorectal abscess
Zhilong SI ; Hao WANG ; Fei XIAO
The Journal of Practical Medicine 2025;41(1):65-70
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of magnetic resonance-guided modified ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract in the treatment of deep anorectal abscess.Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 148 patients with deep anorectal abscess treated at our hospital from September 2019 to June 2023,who met the inclusion criteria.Of these,51 patients in the observation group underwent modified LIFT,while 97 patients in the control group received incision and drainage.Using propensity score matching,47 patients from each group with balanced baseline characteristics were selected,resulting in a total of 94 patients being included in the analysis.The study compared operation time,hospital stay,pain index,postoperative complications,anal function,and healing rate between the two groups.Results Primary lesions originating in the sphincter space were identified through preoperative magnetic resonance imaging in all 94 patients.The mean operation time for the observation group was(43.75±11.77)minutes,significantly longer than that of the control group at(28.90±8.67)minutes(P<0.05).At three months post-surgery,the healing rate in the observation group was 80.9%,which was signifi-cantly higher than the 57.4%observed in the control group(P<0.05).Among patients with fistulas in the observation group,the healing rate was 73.1%,although this difference was not statistically significant in the univariate analysis of clinical characteristics(P>0.05).No significant differences were found between the two groups regarding the length of hospital stay,pain index,postoperative complications,or anal function(all P>0.05).Conclusions Modified LIFT guided by MRI can be conditionally applied in the treatment of deep anorectal abscesses.This approach can enhance the initial surgical healing rate without significantly increasing the incidence of postoperative complications,thereby avoiding potential damage to anal function.
9.Liraglutide may alleviate acetaminophen-induced liver injury by enhancing autophagy
Guo-jing XING ; Wen-bin LI ; Long-long LUO ; Li-fei WANG ; Yuan DENG ; Zhen WANG ; Zhao-jie ZHANG ; Xiao-hui YU ; Jiu-cong ZHANG
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(10):1867-1875
Aim To investigate the protective effect of liraglutide(LIRA)on acetaminophen(APAP)-in-duced hepatotoxicity at the in vivo level and to reveal the underlying mechanism.Methods Forty SPF grade male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into the Control,LIRA(200 μg·kg-1),APAP(500 mg·kg-1),LIRA+APAP,LIRA+APAP+3-methylade-nine(3-MA,30 mg·kg-1)groups,with eight mice in each group.The mice were administered for three con-secutive days,and the materials were taken after 24 h.The general condition and body weight of mice in each group were recorded,and liver morphology was ob-served.Serum ALT and AST levels,as well as SOD ac-tivity,MDA,and GSH content in liver homogenates,were measured using biochemical assay kits.The levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-6,TNF-α,and IL-1β in serum were detected by ELISA.Liver pathological changes were assessed by HE staining,while mitochon-drial and autophagosome structures in liver tissues were observed using transmission electron microscopy.The number of PCNA-positive cells in liver tissues was e-valuated using immunohistochemical staining.The pro-tein expression levels of LC3Ⅱ,p62,Bax,Bcl-2,PC-NA,and CyclinD1 in liver tissues were determined by Western blot.Results LIRA pretreatment can im-prove the general condition of mice with acetamino-phen-induced liver injury(AILI),reduce serum ALT and AST levels,and effectively ameliorate the appear-ance and morphology of the liver as well as the patho-logical damage to liver tissue.Simultaneously,the lev-els of inflammatory cytokines IL-6,TNF-α,and IL-1βare significantly decreased;SOD activity and GSH con-tent are significantly increased,while MDA content is significantly reduced.Transmission electron microsco-py observations reveal the presence of numerous auto-phagosomes in the cytoplasm of liver tissue.Immuno-histochemical staining results indicate a significant in-crease in the number of PCNA-positive cells.Further-more,the expression of LC3Ⅱ,Bcl-2,PCNA,and Cy-clinD1 proteins in liver tissue is significantly upregulat-ed,while the expression of p62 and Bax proteins is significantly downregulated.However,after interven-tion with the autophagy inhibitor 3-MA,the aforemen-tioned protective effects of LIRA are significantly.Conclusions LIRA pretreatment can significantly im-prove liver injury in AILI mice.Its protective mecha-nism may be related to enhancing autophagy in hepato-cytes,thereby reducing oxidative stress,inflammatory response and apoptosis in liver of AILI mice.
10.Outcomes of transcatheter transseptal mitral valve-in-valve replacement using Edward's SAPIEN 3 in high surgical risk patients-a multicenter study in China
Xiang CHEN ; Bin WANG ; Yi-wei XU ; Xiao-ping PENG ; Fan QIAO ; Xiang-wen LIANG ; Ke HAN ; Xiao-fei JIANG ; Xiang MA ; Wen-yi YANG ; Guo-sheng FU ; Mao-long SU ; Yan WANG
Chinese Journal of Interventional Cardiology 2025;33(2):79-86
Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of valve-in-valve transcatheter mitral valve replacement(ViV-TMVR)in patients with bioprosthetic valve degeneration who are at high surgical risk.Methods This study is a multi-center,retrospective cohort analysis of 20 consecutive patients who underwent transseptal ViV-TMVR using the Edwards SAPIEN 3 transcatheter heart valve(THV).The primary endpoints include technical success and procedural success,both defined according to the Mitral Valve Academic Research Consortium(MVARC)criteria,as well as mortality and functional change assessed based on New York Heart Association(NYHA)classification at 30-days and six months post-procedure.Clinical follow-up assessments are conducted at 30-days and six months.Results From February 2021 to October 2022,a total of 20 patients with symptoms of bioprosthetic valve degeneration were enrolled across nine sites in China.The patients had a mean age of(73.5±5.5)years,with 85.0%being females and 70.0%classified as NYHA class Ⅲ/Ⅳ.The study achieved a 100.0%technical success rate and a 90.0%procedural success rate finally.All patients remained alive during the 30-day follow-up period.However,six months post-intervention,two patients(10.0%)were re-hospitalized due to heart failure,and sadly,one of them(5.0%)died.None of the patients reported any adverse events related to ViV-TMVR during the follow-up period.Notably,there was a significant improvement in NYHA class compared to baseline(P=0.0004)at six-month follow-ups.Conclusions The transseptal ViV-TMVR technique proved to be highly successful and was associated with significant improvement in NYHA class function.These findings strongly suggest that it serves as a safe and efficient treatment alternative for high-risk patients suffering from bioprosthetic valve degeneration.


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