1.Using Digital Intelligence in Promoting Mechanism for Medical Care Insurance for Rare Diseases: Concepts and Applications
Xinyu YANG ; Yuzheng ZHANG ; Shengfeng WANG ; Wudong GUO
JOURNAL OF RARE DISEASES 2025;4(1):30-38
Our study aims at systematically summarizing and evaluating the applications of digital intelligence technologies in the field of rare disease medical care insurance now and in the future and at constructing a conceptual framework for the digital powered mechanism for the medical care insurance for rare diseases. By using Chinese keywords of " rare disease" " medical insurance"" artificial intelligence"" prediction model"" machine learning"" big data"" algorithm" and their English equivalents, we searched the databases of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP, collected relevant literature, and decided the criteria of inclusion and exclusion. The finding of our study shows that medical care insurance mechanism of rare disease in China faces significant challenges in drug accessbility and the funding sustainability. Meanwhile, our study shows that the digital intelligence technologies have broad potential in applications-in financing, accessbility, payment, and supervision. Specifically, dynamic simulation models and big data analysis can make precise prediction of the demand for funding of medical care insurance. The machine learning algorithms improve the dynamic evaluation of drug safety and cost-effectiveness. The personalized payment models enhance the efficiency in identifying the cohort with high expenditure so as to alleviate fund expenditure pressures. The intelligent monitoring technologies can accurately detect the abnormal behaviors in funds of medical care insurance. These technologies provide systematic and scientific solutions for improving the medical care mechanism for rare diseases. Even though further investigation is needed, the digital intelligence technologies have shown remarkable potential in enhancing the flexibility, efficiency, and sustainability of the medical care insurance system and a promising future in meeting the needs of patients with rare diseases.
2.Therapeutic Effect of Wenweishu Granules on Functional Dyspepsia Rats with Spleen-stomach Deficiency Cold Syndrome Based on Bioinformatics Analysis and Experimental Validation
Xinyu YANG ; Xiaoyi JIA ; Zihua XUAN ; Shuangying GUI ; Yanfang WU ; Yuhan MA ; Qin RUAN ; Jia ZHENG ; Zhiyong JIAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(18):30-40
ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the therapeutic effects of Wenweishu granule (WWSG) on functional dyspepsia (FD) with spleen-stomach deficiency cold syndrome in rats by integrating network pharmacology, molecular docking, and animal experiments. MethodsActive components and corresponding targets of WWSG were collected from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) and the Bioinformatics Analysis Tool for Molecular Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine (BATMAN-TCM). Disease-related targets for FD with spleen-stomach deficiency cold syndrome were screened using GeneCards and the Integrative Pharmacology-based Research Platform of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCMIP). Core therapeutic targets were identified via Cytoscape and validated by molecular docking. A rat model of FD with spleen-stomach deficiency cold syndrome was established using vinegar gavage combined with tail-clamping. The rats were randomly divided into a model group, low-, medium-, and high-dose WWSG groups (2.0, 4.0, 8.0 g·kg-1), a domperidone group (3.0 mg·kg-1), a Fuzi Lizhong pillwan (0.8 g·kg-1), and a normal control group (n=10 per group). Drugs were administered once daily by gavage for 14 consecutive days. After treatment, body weight, symptom scores, and gastrointestinal motility indices were recorded. Gastric and duodenal pathologies changes were observed via hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Brain-gut peptides were measured in serum and tissue using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were performed to assess stem cell factor (SCF) and receptor tyrosine kinase (c-Kit) protein expression in gastric tissues. ResultsA total of 305 drug targets, 1 140 disease targets, and 116 overlapping targets were identified. Cytoscape analysis revealed 104 core targets. Enrichment analysis indicated that the SCF/c-Kit signaling pathway was the key mechanism. Molecular docking confirmed a strong binding affinity between active components of WWSG and SCF/c-Kit proteins (binding energy<-5.1 kcal·mol-1). Compared with the normal group, model rats exhibited slower weight gain (P<0.05), reduced gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion (P<0.01), mild gastric mucosal shedding, duodenal inflammatory cell infiltration, decreased levels of gastrin (GAS), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) (P<0.05, P<0.01), and elevated somatostatin (SS) expression (P<0.05, P<0.01). WWSG treatment ameliorated weight gain, symptom scores, and low-grade inflammation in gastric/duodenal tissues. High-dose WWSG significantly improved gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion, upregulated GAS, 5-HT, and VIP, and downregulated SS expression in serum and tissues (P<0.05, P<0.01). Immunohistochemistry and Western blot demonstrated that SCF and c-Kit protein expression was decreased in the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01), which was reversed by WWSG intervention (P<0.05). ConclusionWWSG exerts therapeutic effects on FD with spleen-stomach deficiency cold syndrome in rats, potentially by regulating the SCF/c-Kit signaling pathway to enhance gastrointestinal motility.
3.Effects of Rhizosphere Organic Acids on Metabolism of Hairy Roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza
Xinyu FU ; Wenying HAN ; Jidong JU ; Bingqian ZHOU ; Guohong YANG ; Xiao WANG ; Lanping GUO ; Wei LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(18):166-174
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of rhizosphere organic acids secreted by the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza on continuous cropping obstacles. MethodsThe mixed solution of organic acids in the rhizosphere of S. miltiorrhiza in continuous cropping and rotation cropping was added to the hairy roots subcultured for 21 days, and samples were collected on days 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. The changes of biomass, effective components, primary metabolites, secondary metabolites, antioxidant enzymes, and hormones in hairy roots of S. miltiorrhiza were observed and determined. ResultsCompared with the rotation cropping group and the blank control group, the simulation of organic acid secretion from the roots of S. miltiorrhiza had a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of hairy roots and decreased the content of effective components as well as total sugar and total protein in primary metabolites. Compared with the blank control group, the rotation cropping group and the continuous cropping group showed total sugar and total protein content decreases of 33.9% and 5.1%, respectively. On the other hand, the secretion of organic acids from S. miltiorrhiza roots significantly promoted the accumulation of total phenolic acids and total tanshinone, which showed increases of 14.6% and 1.6%, respectively, in continuous cropping group and rotation cropping group compared with the blank control group. ConclusionThe organic acid environment under continuous cropping significantly inhibited the growth of hairy roots and the accumulation of primary metabolites, while promoting the synthesis and accumulation of secondary metabolites of S. miltiorrhiza.
4.Different Effects of Fresh and Dried Dendrobium Huoshanense on Chronic Atrophic Gastritis
Mengqing HU ; Xinyu YANG ; Weihan GONG ; Huiqun XIE ; Lan HAN ; Daiyin PENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(22):29-39
ObjectiveTo compare the protective effects of water extracts from fresh and dried Dendrobium huoshanense on gastric mucosa in chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG). MethodsMale SD rats (n=72) were randomly divided into 9 groups, with 8 rats in each group, which were normal group, model group, Yangwei Shu (4 g·kg-1) group, low-, medium-, and high-dose fresh D. huoshanense (3.5, 7, and 14 g·kg-1) groups, and low-, medium-, and high-dose dried D. huoshanense (0.7, 1.4, 2.8 g·kg-1) groups. The CAG rat model was successfully established by inducing with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and other factors for a total of 11 weeks. Then, the rats were intervened with fresh and dried D. huoshanense for 4 weeks. The serum and gastric tissues of the rats were collected. The changes in gastric juice secretion volume and gastric acid pH value in each group were observed. The gastric mucosal injury was observed by naked eyes and hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. The gastric mucus secretion level was determined by Alcian blue and periodic acid-Schiff staining(AB-PAS) staining. The expression levels of tight junction proteins Occludin and ZO-1 in gastric tissues were determined by immunofluorescence. The expression levels of serum pepsinogen Ⅰ (PG Ⅰ), pepsinogen Ⅱ (PG Ⅱ), gastrin 17 (G-17), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression levels of aquaporin 1 (AQP1), aquaporin 3 (AQP3), and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) in gastric tissues were determined by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the normal group, the model group showed an obviously reduced gastric juice secretion volume (P0.05), significantly increased gastric acid pH value (P0.01), gastric mucosa with obvious atrophy, and a significantly reduced gastric mucus secretion volume (P0.01). The expression of Occludin and ZO-1 in the gastric mucosal barrier was significantly decreased (P0.01). The levels of PG Ⅰ and PG Ⅱ in the serum were obviously decreased (P0.05, P0.01), and the levels of G-17, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were significantly increased (P0.01). The expression level of AQP1 in the gastric tissue was significantly upregulated (P0.01), and the expression levels of AQP3 and AQP4 were significantly downregulated (P0.01). Compared with the model group, each drug administration group could improve the gastric mucosal atrophy of CAG model rats to varying degrees, obviously increase the gastric juice secretion volume of the model rats (P0.05, P0.01), significantly decrease the gastric acid pH value (P0.01), obviously increase the gastric mucus secretion volume (P0.05, P0.01), obviously decrease the expression levels of G-17, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α (P0.05, P0.01), obviously increase the expression levels of Occludin, ZO-1, PG Ⅰ, and PG Ⅱ (P0.05, P0.01), obviously upregulate the expression levels of AQP3 and AQP4 (P0.05, P0.01), and obviously downregulate the expression level of AQP1 (P0.05, P0.01). ConclusionThe water extracts of fresh and dried D. huoshanense can exert therapeutic effects on CAG by improving gastric mucosal injury, reducing inflammation, and regulating water metabolism. Moreover, the dried D. huoshanense has a better effect.
5.Research progress of layered double hydroxide nanomaterials in treatment of cancer
Xinyu YANG ; Linhua ZHANG ; Dunwan ZHU
International Journal of Biomedical Engineering 2024;47(2):174-179
Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) nanomaterial is a two-dimensional nanomaterial with a multi-layer structure. Due to their unique structural composition, LDHs can act as a "molecular switch" to achieve controllable release of payload under specific physiological pH conditions while remaining stable during blood circulation. In addition, LDHs are composed of several specific cations and have specific regulatory effects on various cellular functions. In addition to the excellent drug loading performance, LDHs can respond to the tumor microenvironment and realize a smart release of drugs, reduce the side effects of drugs, and enhance the tumor killing effect, having a wide range of applications in the field of tumor therapy. In this paper, the research progress of LDHs for chemotherapy drug delivery, immunotherapy, photodynamic therapy, and immunocombination therapy for tumors was reviewed.
6.Human AKR1A1 involves in metabolic activation of carcinogenic aristolochic acid Ⅰ
Zhenna GAO ; Xinyue YOU ; Weiying LIU ; Jiaying WU ; Jing XI ; Yiyi CAO ; Xiaohong ZHANG ; Xinyu ZHANG ; Yang LUAN
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2024;38(9):641-651
OBJECTIVE To investigate whether aldo-keto reductases(AKRs)can act as a nitrore-ductase(NR)and bioactivate aristolochic acid Ⅰ(AA-Ⅰ)to produce AA-Ⅰ-DNA adducts.METHODS① Human-induced hepatocytes(hiHeps)and human bladder RT4 cells were used as tool cells and treated with AA-Ⅰ0,0.5,1.0 and 2 μmol·L-1 for 24 h.Cell viability was detected using the CCK-8 method,and the half maximal inhibition concentration(IC50)was calculated using the CCK-8 method and the level of DNA adduct production was calculated.②hiHeps and RT4 cells were treated with AKR inhibitor luteotin(0,5,10 and 25 μmol·L-1)+AA-Ⅰ 0.2 and 1.0 μmol·L-1 for 24 h,respectively,and the levels of DNA adducts were detected by a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometer(LC-MS/MS).③hiHeps cells were incubated with 80 nmol·L-1 small interfering RNAs(si-AKRs)for 48 h and treated with AA-Ⅰ1.0 μmol·L-1 for 24 h.Real-time qualitative PCR(RT-qPCR)method was used to detect the mRNA expression of AKRs gene and LC-MS/MS technology was used to investigate the effect of specific AKR gene knockdown on DNA adduct levels.④500 nmol·L-1 human AKR recombinant proteins AKR1A1 and AA-Ⅰwere incubated in vitro under anaerobic conditions and the formation of AA-Ⅰ-DNA adducts was detected.RESULTS ①The IC50 of AA-Ⅰto hiHeps and RT4 cells was 1.9 and 0.42 μmol·L-1,respec-tively.The level of DNA adduct production of the two cell lines was significantly different(P<0.01).② Luteolin≥5 μmol·L-1 significantly inhibited the production of AA-Ⅰ-DNA adducts in both cells(P<0.05),and there was a concentration-dependent effect in hiHeps cells(P<0.01,R=0.84).③In the AKR family,the knockdown of AKR1A1 gene up to 80%inhibited the generation of AA-Ⅰ-DNA adducts by 30%-40%.④The AA-Ⅰ-DNA adducts were detected in the incubation of recombinant protein AKR1A1 and AA-Ⅰ under anaerobic conditions in vitro,approximately 1 adduct per 107 nucleotides.CONCLU-SION AKR1A1 is involved in AA-Ⅰ bioactivation,providing a reference for elucidation of the carcino-genic mechanism of AA-Ⅰ.
7.Progress in resource utilization and model animal research of Daurian ground squirrel
Xin XING ; Youtao FU ; Xinyu LIU ; Ming YANG
Acta Laboratorium Animalis Scientia Sinica 2024;32(8):1052-1058
The Daurian ground squirrel(Spermophilus dauricus)is the main animal model used for hibernation research in China.This species has many striking physiological adaptive characteristics,such as an adaptation to extreme hypothermia,a low metabolism,resistance to ischemia-reperfusion injury,disuse muscular atrophy,and unique mechanisms of body fat accumulation.These characteristics make the Daurian ground squirrel a unique and significant reference model with research value in clinical and space flight applications.The application of the Daurian ground squirrel as a model animal will help us to further explore the physiological mechanisms mentioned above.This review summarizes the biological characteristics and research values of Daurian ground squirrels in clinical and space flight applications.We also introduce the current progress made in the breeding and experimental animalization of Daurian ground squirrels for laboratory and field research,and advise on precautions that need to be considered during the experimental animalization of this species.
8.Study on biological characterization and immuno-protection of Trueperella pyo-genes from a bovine lung
Yuanyuan WANG ; Lezhen YANG ; Xiang YUAN ; Xu PENG ; Xinyu LIU ; Yuanyi PENG ; Nengzhang LI
Chinese Journal of Veterinary Science 2024;44(6):1156-1164
Trueperella pyogenes(TP),an important livestock and poultry pathogen,can cause vari-ous diseases such as suppurative pneumonia,arthritis,and mastitis in animals.The newly brought calves of one cattle farm occurred respiratory diseases and accompanied death in Yunyang,Chongqing,based on post-mortem examination,suppuration nodules were found in the lungs,and microscopic observation of tissue smears with staining showed that a lot of short rod shape bacteri-a were in tissue.The bacteria were isolated and purified from the clinic lung tissue and analyzed by 16S rRNA sequence,the result showed the infectious bacteria was Rueperella pyogenes,and it was nominated as TpCQ-yy1.TpCQ-yy1 cultured on rabbit blood agar plates could form double-zone hemolysis,and can utilize glucose and lysine.Interestingly,the drug-resistance characteristics of TpCQ-yy1 partially changed along with the variation of the culture medium.Pathogenicity analysis showed that TpCQ-yy1 could make suppurative lesions in the lungs of mice infected via the thorac-ic and intraperitioneal route,and later led mice to death,while the subcutaneous and intramuscular routes of infection had only suppurative foci at the site of injection and were dose-dependent and non-lethal.The genome size of TpCQ-yy1 is 2.335 Mb,which encoding 2 107 proteins,and the phy-logenetic analysis showed TpCQ-yy1 is close to Trueperella pyogenes TP1 strain but away from other strains.TpCQ-yy1 infection could promote the secretion of inflammatory factors of macro-phage.TpCQ-yy1 inactivated bacterial vaccine and recombinant hemolysin(rPLO)subunit vaccine could induce high levels of antibodies production in mice immunized via subcutaneous and muscle route,but only provided 33.3%-66.7%protection to the immunized mice against TpCQ-yyl infec-tion via intraperitioneal route.This research provides a fundamental basis for the understanding of the biological characteristics,pathogenicity,and prevention and control of Trueperella pyogenes.
9.Chebulagic acid regulates LPS-induced inflammatory response in dairy cow endom-etrial tissue through MAPK/NF-κB pathway
Ying YANG ; Xinyu LIU ; Feifan ZHAO ; Wenrui GUO ; Ruifeng GAO
Chinese Journal of Veterinary Science 2024;44(10):2251-2259
To investigate the role of chebulagic acid(CA)in regulating lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-in-duced inflammatory response in endometrial tissue of dairy cows,and to provide new ideas for the treatment and new drug development of endometritis in dairy cows.The endometrial tissues of dairy cows were isolated and cultured in vitro,stimulated with 1 mg/L LPS for 1 h and then co-cultured with CA(12.5,25.0,50.0,100.0 mg/L).Then the endometrial tissues of different treat-ment groups were collected for experiments.The protein secretion and gene expression levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β were detected by ELISA and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.HE staining was used to observe the degree of endometrial tissue damage.The expressions of high mobility protein 1(HMGB-1)and hyaluronidase binding protein 2(HABP-2)were detected by immunofluorescence.The phosphorylation levels of ERK,p65 and IκBα were detected by Western blot.The results showed that the protein secretion levels of TNF-α at 6,24 h and IL-6 at 6,12 and 24 h,and the gene expression levels of IL-1β and IL-6 at 6,9,and 12 h and TNF-α at 6 h were sig-nificantly down-regulated after CA treatment with the LPS-induced endometrial tissue inflammation response model of dairy cows.HE staining showed that compared with the LPS group,the LPS+CA group had some improvements,the degree of epithelial cell exfoliation was reduced,the struc-ture of glands and blood vessels was relatively complete,the degree of inflammatory cell infiltra-tion was reduced,and there was no obvious necrosis or hemorrhage.The expression of HMGB-1 and HABP-2 in LPS+CA group was also significantly down-regulated.The phosphorylation levels of ERK,IκBα and p65 in the LPS+CA group were significantly decreased.In conclusion,CA can reduce LPS-induced inflammation in the endometrial tissue of dairy cows by inhibiting the activa-tion of MAPK and NF-κB pathways and down-regulating the expression of inflammatory factors in the uterine tissue.It is concluded that CA may be a potential therapeutic agent for endometritis in dairy cows and deserves further research and development.
10.Comparison of Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes Between Transforaminal Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy and Microdiscectomy: A Follow-up Exceeding 5 Years
Xinyu YANG ; Shijun ZHANG ; Junxiao SU ; Sai GUO ; Yakubu IBRAHIM ; Kai ZHANG ; Yonghao TIAN ; Lianlei WANG ; Suomao YUAN ; Xinyu LIU
Neurospine 2024;21(1):303-313
Objective:
To compare the long-term clinical and radiographic outcomes of transforaminal endoscopic lumbar discectomy (TELD) versus microdiscectomy (MD).
Methods:
The data of 154 patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) who underwent TELD (n = 89) or MD (n = 65) were retrospectively analyzed. The patients’ clinical outcomes were evaluated using visual analogue scales for leg and low back pain, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The evolution of radiographic manifestations was observed during follow-up. Potential risk factors for a poor clinical outcome were investigated.
Results:
During a mean follow-up of 5.5 years (range, 5–7 years), the recurrence rate was 4.49% in the TELD group and 1.54% in the MD group. All scores significantly improved from preoperatively to postoperatively in both groups (p < 0.01). The improvement in the ODI and JOA scores was significantly greater in the TELD than MD group (p < 0.05). Forty-seven patients (52.8%) in the TELD group and 32 (49.2%) in the MD group had Modic changes before surgery, most of which showed no changes at the last follow-up. The degeneration grades of 292 discs (71.0%) were unchanged at the last follow-up, while 86 (20.9%) showed improvement, mostly at the upper adjacent segment. No significant difference was observed in the intervertebral height index or paraspinal muscle-disc ratio.
Conclusion
Both TELD and MD provide generally satisfactory long-term clinical outcomes for patients with LDH. TELD can be used as a reliable alternative to MD with less surgical trauma. Modic type II changes, decreased preoperative intervertebral height, and a high body mass index are predictors of a poor prognosis.

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