1.Research advances on effects of ambient fine particulate matter on gut microbiota and potential mechanisms
Xiaoqing HONG ; Wenpu SHAO ; Yanyi XU
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(7):884-892
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a critical environmental factor that currently affects human health. It primarily enters the body through inhalation and can induce adverse health effects in multiple systems, including respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous, and digestive systems. The homeostasis of gut microbiota is crucial for human health, and gut microbiota may exert multiple effects through the regulation of immune function, metabolic balance, and neural signal transmission. Recently, more and more studies have indicated that exposure to PM2.5 may alter the composition and richness of gut microbiota and play a crucial role in the development and progression of various diseases through multiple pathways. Given the close interaction between PM2.5 exposure and gut microbiota, we comprehensively reviewed the effects of ambient PM2.5 exposure on gut microbiota and the potential underlying mechanisms based on existing epidemiological and toxicological studies. Additionally, the role of gut microbiota in the adverse health effects induced by PM2.5 exposure, particularly in the context of gut-lung, gut-brain and gut-liver axis were also explored here.
2.Prevalence of Schistosoma japonicum infections in wild rodents in key areas during the elimination phase
Chao LÜ ; Xiaojuan XU ; Jiajia LI ; Ting FENG ; Hai ZHU ; Yifeng LI ; Ling XU ; Zhihong FENG ; Huiwen JIANG ; Xiaoqing ZOU ; Wenjun WEI ; Zhiqiang QIN ; Yang HONG ; Shiqing ZHANG ; Jing XU
Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control 2025;37(5):475-481
Objective To investigate the prevalence of Schistosoma japonicum infections in wild rodents in schistosomiasis-endemic areas of China, so as to provide insights into formulation of technical guidelines for monitoring of and the precise control strategy for S. japonicum infections in wild rodents during the elimination phase. Methods Two administrative villages where schistosomiasis was historically highly prevalent were selected each from Dongzhi County, Anhui Province, and Duchang County, Jiangxi Province as study villages. Wild rodents were captured from study villages with baited traps or cages at night in June and September, 2021. The number of rodents captured was recorded, and the rodent species was characterized based on morphologi-cal characteristics. Liver tissues were sampled from captured rodents for macroscopical observation of the presence of egg granu- lomas, and S. japonicum infection was detected simultaneously using liver tissue homogenate microscopy, examinations of mesenteric tissues for parasites, and modified Kato-Katz thick smear technique (Kato-Katz technique). A positive S. japonicum infection was defined as detection of S. japonicum eggs or adult worms by any of these methods. The rate of wild rodent capture and prevalence of S. japonicum infections in wild rodents were compared in different study villages and at different time periods, and the detection of S. japonicum infections in wild rodents was compared by different assays. Results The overall rate of wild ro- dent capture was 8.28% (237/2 861) in Dongzhi County, and the wild rodent capture rates were 9.24% (133/1 439) and 7.31% (104/1 422) in two study villages (χ2 = 3.503, P = 0.061), and were 8.59% (121/1 409) and 7.99% (116/1 452) in June and September, 2021, respectively (χ2 = 0.337, P = 0.561). The overall rate of wild rodent capture was 3.72% (77/2 072) in Duchang County, and the wild rodent capture rates were 6.91% (67/970) and 0.91% (10/1 102) in two study villages (χ2 = 51.901, P < 0.001), and were 4.13% (39/945) and 3.37% (38/1 127) in June and September, 2021, respectively (χ2 = 0.815, P = 0.365). Rattus norvegicus was the predominant rodent species captured in both counties, accounting for 70.04% (166/237) of all captured wild rodents in Dongzhi County and 88.31% (68/77) in Duchang County. No S. japonicum infection was detected in wild rodents captured in Duchang County. Nevertheless, the overall prevalence of S. japonicum infections was 51.05% (121/237) in wild rodents captured in Dongzhi County, with prevalence rates of 50.38% (67/133) and 51.92% (54/104) in two study villages (χ2 = 0.098, P = 0.755), and 54.31% (63/116) and 47.93% (58/121) in September and June, 2021, respectively (χ2 = 0.964, P = 0.326). Of 237 wild rodents captured in Dongzhi County, there were 140 (59.07%) rodents with visible hepatic egg granulomas, 117 (49.47%) tested positive for S. japonicum eggs by liver tissue homogenate microscopy, 34 (14.35%) tested positive for S. japonicum eggs with Kato-Katz technique; however, no adult S. japonicum worms were detected in mesenteric tissues. In addition, hepatic egg granulomas were found in all wild rodents tested positive for S. japonicum eggs with liver tissue homogenate microscopy. Conclusions The rate of wild rodent capture and prevalence of S. japonicum infection in wild rodents vary greatly in schistosomiasis-endemic areas of China, and the prevalence of S. japonicum infection is slightly higher in wild rodents captured in autumn than in summer. Liver tissue is recommended as the preferred sample for surveillance of S. japonicum infection in wild rodents, and a combination of macroscopical observation of hepatic egg granulomas and liver tissue homogenate microscopy may be a standard method for surveillance of S. japonicum infection in wild rodents.
4.Application of peripheral blood inflammatory markers in prognosis evaluation of patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure
Xuefang YANG ; Xiaoqing YANG ; Haiwen MA ; Wenjuan SHI ; Hong WAN ; Jianyun WANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(11):2418-2423
Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) refers to severe liver dysfunction that occurs on the basis of chronic liver diseases, and it is characterized by rapid disease progression, poor prognosis, and high mortality rate. In recent years, inflammatory markers have become a research hotspot due to their significant role in assessing the prognosis of ACLF. This article reviews the advances in the application of inflammatory markers in assessing the prognosis of ACLF, such as systemic immune inflammatory index, lymphocyte-white blood cell ratio, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, and C-reactive protein, and discusses their clinical value and future research directions, in order to provide a theoretical basis for the early intervention and prognosis management of ACLF patients.
5.Application value of constructing a prediction model based on nutritional status combined with clinical data for infectious complications after radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer
Xiaoqing SHI ; Qunli LYU ; Peihua XIAO ; Jianzhong WU ; Pei HONG
Journal of Clinical Medicine in Practice 2025;29(2):63-68,74
Objective To explore the application value of predictive model based on nutritional status combined with clinical data in infectious complications after radical gastrectomy for gastric canc-er.Methods The clinical data on 394 gastric cancer patients who underwent radical gastrectomy at Suzhou Ninth Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University from January 2017 to July 2024 were retrospec-tively collected.According to whether the patients developed infection after surgery,they were divided into infection group(n=73)and non-infection group(n=321)based on whether they developed postoperative infections or not.The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)method was used to obtain the optimal related features associated with infectious complications after radical gas-trectomy for gastric cancer.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was conducted to screen for risk factors of infectious complications after radical gastrectomy.R software was used to randomly select 70%of data as training set(for establishing the nomogram model)and 30%of data as test set.The area under the curve(AUC)of the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,Bootstrap sampling validation,and decision curve analysis(DCA)were used to assess the value of the predictive model.Results of the 394 gastric cancer patients,73 developed postoperative infectious complications,in-cluding 53.42%with lung infections,17.81%with intra-abdominal infections,16.44%with uri-nary tract infections,and 12.33%with wound infections.Age,diabetes mellitus,preoperative nu-tritional risk,high preoperative PIV,combined organ resection,and prolonged operation time were identified as risk factors for infectious complications after radical gastrectomy(P<0.05).In the training set,the AUC of the nomogram model was 0.898,and the AUC validated in the test set was 0.891.Bootstrap sampling validation with 1,000 iterations showed that the average errors between the predicted probabilities and actual values in the training and test sets were 0.019 and 0.024,re-spectively.DCA results indicated that the model had clinical utility.Conclusion Infectious com-plications after gastrectomy for gastric cancer are common,and the predictive model based on nutri-tional assessment combined with clinical data has high value in predicting the risk of infectious com-plications after gastrectomy.
6.Therapeutic effect of fecal microbiota transplantation for patients with refractory gout
Shuting HONG ; Jinyuan QIU ; Xiaoqing HUANG ; Jianyu LIN ; Yingjie CHEN ; Yongsong CHEN ; Yongru CHEN
Journal of Clinical Medicine in Practice 2025;29(9):50-54
Objective To explore the effects of fecal microbiota transplantation on blood uric acid(UA)metabolism,adverse reactions,and gout control in patients with refractory gout.Methods A total of 102 patients with refractory gout in the First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Shantou University from June 2020 to June 2023 were randomly divided into two groups,with 51 cases in each group.Control group received benzbromarone and febuxostat treatment,while the observation group re-ceived fecal microbiota transplantation.The gout control status and occurrence of adverse reactions were observed in both groups;intestinal flora,UA,levels of C-reactive protein(CRP),interleukin-18(IL-18),interleukin-6(IL-6),and scores of joint pain,swelling and limited mobility were compared between the two groups before and after treatment.Results Five patients in each group were lost to follow-up.The total gout control rate in the observation group was 89.13%,which was significantly higher than 69.57% in the control group(P<0.05).At 4 and 12 weeks after treatment,the levels of Escherichia coli,UA,CRP,IL-18 and IL-6 as well as the scores of joint swelling,pain and limited mobility in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group,while the lev-els of Bifidobacterium,Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium to Escherichia coli(B/E)ratio were signifi-cantly higher than those in the control group(P<0.01).The total incidence of adverse reactions was 10.87% in the observation group and 6.52% in the control group,with no significant between-group difference(P>0.05).Conclusion Fecal microbiota transplantation has a definite therapeutic effect for patients with refractory gout,which can significantly reduce UA level and control clinical symptoms,and its mechanism may be related to the correction of intestinal flora imbalance.
7.Case 05(2024): A case of extremely preterm infant with giant placental chorioangioma and thrombocytopenia
Xiaoqing LI ; Qi ZHANG ; Jiaoe PAN ; Hong WEN
Chinese Journal of Perinatal Medicine 2024;27(10):849-855
This article reports a case diagnosed with a large placental chorioangioma during the mid-trimester of pregnancy. The condition of this case progressed rapidly, with complications of edema, severe anemia, and severe heart failure, presenting a critical condition. After multidisciplinary consultation and discussion, amniotic fluid reduction and intrauterine fetal blood transfusion were performed at 27 weeks and 1 day of gestation to alleviate maternal and fetal symptoms. An emergency cesarean section was performed due to placental abruption 25 h after the operation, delivering an extremely preterm infant. The infant was diagnosed with fetal/newborn alloimmune thrombocytopenia caused by positive anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies after ineffective multiple platelet transfusions within three days after birth. The infant's condition improved after the transfusion of platelets negative for anti-HLA antibodies. This case was complicated by multiple high-risk factors, with an extremely high risk of fetal and postnatal death. Successful rescue through multidisciplinary collaboration was achieved, and both mother and child recovered well after the operation. It suggests that in clinical practice, attention should be paid to large chorioangiomas, and regular monitoring of the chorioangioma and fetal intrauterine development is necessary. For fetuses and newborns with thrombocytopenia, especially those with ineffective platelet transfusions, the detection of platelet antibodies should be emphasized, and while considering anti-platelet specific antibodies, the role of HLA antibodies should also be considered.
8.Comparison on the curative effect of areola single-flap method,silk traction method,areola double-flap method in type Ⅲ nipple retraction
Guogui TAO ; Xiaomin LIU ; Xiaoqing SUN ; Tiantian ZUO ; Wan-Hong WU ; Zhiqi HU
The Journal of Practical Medicine 2024;40(22):3160-3164
Objective To compare and analyze clinical effects of three correction methods in type Ⅲnipple retraction.Methods A total of 93 patients with type Ⅲ nipple retraction were retrospectively enrolled at Clifford Hospital between May 2018 and December 2023.Based on the different surgical methods employed,they were categorized into three groups:group A(silk traction method,n=30),group B(areola double-flap method,n=31),and group C(areola single-flap method,n=32).The study compared the operation time,therapeutic efficacy,hemodynamic disorders,improvement in nipple appearance and function,complications,patient satisfac-tion,and recurrence rates among these three groups.Results The operation duration was significantly longer in group B compared to groups A and C(P<0.05).Group C exhibited a significantly higher total response rate than groups A and B(P<0.05),while no significant difference was observed between groups A and B(P>0.05).There were no significant differences in the incidence of hemodynamic disorders among the three groups(P>0.05).The improvement scores for nipple appearance and function were significantly higher in group C compared to groups A and B(P<0.05),with no significant difference between groups A and B(P>0.05).The incidence of complications was lower,satisfaction was higher,both being statistically significant,in group C compared to groups A and B(P<0.05),but there were no significant differences in the incidence of complications or satisfaction between groups A and B(P>0.05).The recurrence rate was significantly lower in group B and group C than in group A(P<0.05).Conclusion The correction effect of the areola single-flap method is superior to that of the silk trac-tion method and areola double-flap method in patients with type Ⅲ nipple retraction,thereby enhancing clinical efficacy,patient satisfaction,nipple aesthetics,and functionality while reducing complications and recurrence rates.
9.An analysis on clinical characteristics and prognosis-related risk factors in patients with drug-induced liver injury
Qian WEI ; Lei LI ; Xiaoqing ZENG ; Abidan Bai He Ti Ya Er ; Jie YIN ; Hong GAO ; Jinsheng GUO
Chinese Journal of Hepatology 2024;32(3):214-221
Objective:To explore the drugs and clinical characteristics causing drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in recent years, as well as identify drug-induced liver failure, and chronic DILI risk factors, in order to better manage them timely.Methods:A retrospective investigation and analysis was conducted on 224 cases diagnosed with DILI and followed up for at least six months between January 2018 and December 2020. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for drug-induced liver failure and chronic DILI.Results:Traditional Chinese medicine (accounting for 62.5%), herbal medicine (accounting for 84.3% of traditional Chinese medicine), and some Chinese patent medicines were the main causes of DILI found in this study. Severe and chronic DILI was associated with cholestatic type. Preexisting gallbladder disease, initial total bilirubin, initial prothrombin time, and initial antinuclear antibody titer were independent risk factors for DILI. Prolonged time interval between alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) falling from the peak to half of the peak (T 0.5ALP and T 0.5ALT) was an independent risk factor for chronic DILI [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC)?=?0.787, 95%CI: 0.697~0.878, P ?0.001], with cutoff values of 12.5d and 9.5d, respectively. Conclusion:Traditional Chinese medicine is the main contributing cause of DILI. The occurrence risk of severe DILI is related to preexisting gallbladder disease, initial total bilirubin, prothrombin time, and antinuclear antibodies. T 0.5ALP and T 0.5ALT can be used as indicators to predict chronic DILI.
10.Effect of Physical Activity on the Association Between Diet and Constipation: Evidence From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2010
Shijun LAI ; Changdong ZHU ; Xiaoqing ZHOU ; Qingfeng ZENG ; Lihua HUANG ; Xiaodong CAO ; Qiang ZHOU ; Yuhua ZHONG ; Jinjing HUANG ; Jianlan LIU ; Guifang ZENG ; Hong CHEN
Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility 2024;30(3):322-331
Background/Aims:
Previous studies have shown that diet and physical activity can influence constipation. However, the combined effect of diet and physical activity on constipation remains unclear.
Methods:
Constipation was defined based on stool consistency and frequency, while overall diet quality was assessed using Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 scores. Participants were categorized into low (metabolic equivalent [MET]-min/wk < 500) and high physical activitygroups (MET-min/wk ≥ 500). The association between diet and constipation across physical activity groups was analyzed using surveylogistic regression and restricted cubic splines.
Results:
Higher HEI-2015 scores were associated with reduced constipation risk in the high physical activity group when constipation was defined by stool consistency (odds ratio [OR], 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97-0.99). However, in the low physical activity group, increased HEI-2015 scores did not significantly affect constipation risk (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.97-1.05). Similar results were found when constipation was defined based on stool frequency. In the high physical activity group, increased HEI-2015 scores were significantly associated with a reduced constipation risk (OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.94-0.98). Conversely, in the low physical activity group, increased HEI-2015 scores did not affect the risk of constipation (OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.90-1.03).
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that a higher HEI-2015 score is negatively associated with constipation among individuals with high physical activity levels but not among those with low physical activity levels. This association was consistent when different definitions of constipation were used. These results highlight the importance of combining healthy diet with regular physical activity to alleviate constipation.

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