1.Quality Evaluation of Black Panacis Quinquefolii Radix Based on Neuroprotective Spectrum-effect Relationship
Yuting YANG ; Shuyun LIANG ; Shanshan LI ; Yulong YANG ; Ziqi YANG ; Guangzhi CAI ; Liru ZHAO ; Jiyu GONG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(18):149-156
ObjectiveTo clarify the neuroprotective effect of black Panacis Quinquefolii Radix(PQR) and explore its active ingredients, with the aim of establishing an activity-oriented quality evaluation method. MethodsTransgenic Tg(HuC∶EGFP) zebrafish was used to establish a neuronal injury model by aluminum chloride immersion. Different doses(10, 20 mg·L-1) of PQR and black PQR ethanol extracts were administered. The neuroprotective effects of PQR and black PQR were compared by analyzing the fluorescent area and intensity of zebrafish neurons. Based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography(UPLC), a fingerprint profile of black PQR was established, followed by principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA). Differential components were screened using the criteria of variable importance in the projection(VIP) value>1 and P<0.05. The neuroprotective activity of 14 batches of black PQR was assessed, and Spearman correlation analysis was used to identify saponins related to neuroprotective activity, which were then validated. Based on the above results, active marker components were determined, and an UPLC method was established for their quantitation with clear content limits. ResultsPharmacological efficacy results showed that both PQR and black PQR at different doses could significantly improved neuronal damage in zebrafish. At a dose of 20 mg·L-1, black PQR demonstrated superior efficacy(P<0.05). The fingerprint similarities of 14 batches of black PQR were>0.94, with 26 common peaks identified. Through comparison with the reference standards, 8 components were confirmed, including peak 1(ginsenoside Rg1), peak 2(ginsenoside Re), peak 5(ginsenoside Rb1), peak 9(ginsenoside Rd), peak 16[ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3], peak 17[ginsenoside 20(R)-Rg3], peak 18(ginsenoside Rk1), and peak 19(ginsenoside Rg5). The results of PCA and OPLS-DA indicated that there were differences in saponins among black PQR samples from different origins, and 12 differential components were screened. All 14 batches of black PQR exhibited good protective effects on zebrafish neurons, with Shaanxi-produced black PQR showing superior protective effects compared to the other three production regions. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that a total of 11 components, including ginsenosides 20(S)-Rg3, 20(R)-Rg3, Rk1 and Rg5, showed a significant positive correlation with the neuroprotective effect in zebrafish(P<0.05). The activity validation results indicated that ginsenosides 20(S)-Rg3, 20(R)-Rg3, Rk1 and Rg5 were the primary components responsible for the neuroprotective effects of black PQR. Quantitative analysis showed that the content of ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3 in 14 batches of black PQR ranged from 0.17% to 0.52%, and the repair rate of neuronal damage ranged from 42.77% to 97.83%. ConclusionBased on the fingerprint and neuronal protective activity, the spectrum-effect related quality control model of black PQR was established, with ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3 as the quality control index, and the neuronal damage repair rate≥60% as the evaluation standard, the minimum limit of ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3 in black PQR should be≥0.20%.
2.Effect of tritiated water on the immune system of zebrafish and mechanism analysis
Xiaofang GENG ; Chang LIU ; Yinyin YANG ; Yang ZHANG ; Le ZHAO ; Bingqing ZENG ; Chen WANG ; Pengyu LIN ; Yulong LIU
Chinese Journal of Radiological Health 2025;34(3):354-362
Objective To investigate the effect of tritiated water on the immune system of zebrafish and its potential molecular mechanism. Methods Zebrafish embryos (2.5 to 3 hours post-fertilization [hpf]) were exposed to 3.7 × 104 Bq/mL tritiated water (tritiated water group), and those exposed to E3 culture medium were used as the control group. The mortality rate, hatching rate, deformity rate, heart rate, body length, yolk sac area, neutrophil count in the tail, immune-related gene expression, and immune-related protein expression of zebrafish in the two groups were determined. Then transcriptome technology was used to further analyze the possible mechanism of tritiated water affecting the immune system of zebrafish. Results Compared with the control group, zebrafish at 72 hpf in the tritiated water group had no significant changes in the mortality rate, hatching rate, deformity rate, body length, and yolk sac area((t = 0.9045, 0.5000, 1.0000, 0.7238, 0.0337, P = 0.4169, 0.6433, 0.3739, 0.4785, 0.9735), but had significantly increased heart rate(t = 4.575,P = 0.002). At 4 days post-fertilization (dpf), the neutrophil count in the tail of zebrafish in the tritiated water group was significantly increased(t = 2.563,P = 0.0196), the mRNA expression of TNF-α was significantly decreased(t = 2.891, P = 0.045), the protein expression of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) was significantly increased(t = 3.848, P = 0.018), and the protein expression of NLRP3 was significantly decreased(t = 14.98, P = 0.001). At 7 dpf, the neutrophil count in the tail and the protein expression levels of NF-κB, NLRP3, and interleukin-1β were significantly decreased(t = 3.772, 7.048, 15.620, 4.423, P = 0.014, 0.002, 0.0001, 0.012). Transcriptome sequencing revealed that differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in the “neutrophil activation” and “platelet activation pathways” at 4 dpf and in the “neutrophil apoptosis”, “ferroptosis”, and “necroptosis” pathways at 7 dpf. Conclusion Tritiated water exposure induces a temporally dynamic immune response in zebrafish, potentially affecting immune homeostasis by regulating neutrophil activation and apoptosis, as well as the expression of NF-κB and NLRP3.
3.Consistency Evaluation of Processing of Black Panacis Quinquefolii Radix Decoction Pieces Based on "Chromaticity-chemistry-activity"
Yulong YANG ; Shanshan LI ; Yuting YANG ; Ziqi YANG ; Guangzhi CAI ; Liru ZHAO ; Jiyu GONG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(20):195-203
ObjectiveTo assess the quality consistency of black Panacis Quinquefolii Radix(bPQR) decoction pieces prepared by atmospheric and pressurized steaming processes based on chromaticity-chemical composition-vasoactive inhibition. The ultimate goal was to screen the pressurized steaming process yielding quality equivalent to atmospheric steaming, and optimize the processing technology of bPQR. MethodsThe bPQR decoction pieces were prepared using both atmospheric and pressurized steaming processes, and the chromaticity values[lightness value(L*), red/green chromaticity value(a*), yellow/blue chromaticity value(b*), total chromaticity value(E*ab)] were measured. High performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) was employed to establish fingerprint profiles for the decoction pieces, and cluster analysis was conducted on chromaticity values and the common peak areas in fingerprint profiles to elucidate the quality relationships between the decoction pieces processed by different methods. The optimal atmospheric steaming of bPQR decoction pieces was determined through zebrafish angiogenesis inhibition experiments. The contents of ginsenosides Rg1, Re, Rb1, 20(S)-Rg3, Rk1 and Rg5 in the decoction pieces were quantified, and Spearman correlation analysis was employed to investigate the relationship between saponin content, chromaticity, and angiogenesis inhibition activity during the steaming process. By integrating the consistency of chromaticity, saponin components and angiogenesis inhibition activity, pressurized steaming conditions with quality equivalent to the atmospheric pressure method were selected. ResultsCompared with the atmospheric steaming method, pressurized steaming resulted in faster color darkening and higher conversion rates of ginsenosides in bPQR decoction pieces. Moreover, the neovascularization inhibitory activity of bPQR decoction pieces continued to increase with the deepening of processing. Based on the effectiveness and safety, the optimal process for preparing bPQR decoction pieces with neovascularization inhibitory activity was determined to be atmospheric steaming for 21 h. All six ginsenosides tested exhibited strong to extremely strong correlations with both the chromaticity values of the decoction pieces and their neovascularization inhibitory activities. Among them, ginsenosides Rg1, Re and Rb1 exhibited positive correlations with chromaticity values and negative correlations with zebrafish angiogenesis inhibition activity. Conversely, ginsenosides 20(S)-Rg3, Rk1 and Rg5 showed negative correlations with chromaticity values and positive correlations with zebrafish angiogenesis inhibition activity. By integrating chromaticity values, cluster analysis results, as well as the results of activity, it was determined that the quality of bPQR decoction pieces steamed under pressurized conditions of 110 ℃(0.045 MPa) for 5 h and 115 ℃(0.07 MPa) for 3 h was highly consistent with that obtained by atmospheric steaming for 21 h. ConclusionThe preparation of bPQR decoction pieces by pressurized steaming has the advantages of short preparation time, low energy consumption, and rapid saponin conversion rate, making it a viable alternative to atmospheric steaming for preparing bPQR decoction pieces. Meanwhile, the evaluation method based on chromaticity-chemical composition-activity can provide a more scientific and effective explanation of change rules in the quality during traditional Chinese medicine processing, and offer a new model for optimizing processing technology and enhancing quality control.
4.Immune Checkpoints Mediate Tumor Immune Regulation through Metabolic Pathways.
Weiguang DU ; Xiyang TANG ; Yulong ZHOU ; Mengchao LI ; Ze JIN ; Jiaqi DOU ; Jinbo ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Lung Cancer 2025;28(3):213-220
Immune checkpoints include a series of receptor-ligand pairs that play a key role in the proliferation, activation, and immune regulatory responses of immune cells. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), such as programmed death protein 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) have achieved good therapeutic effects in clinical practice, some patients still experience ineffective treatment and immune resistance. A large amount of evidence has shown that immune checkpoint proteins are related to cell metabolism during immune regulation. On the one hand, immune checkpoints connect to alter the metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells to compete for nutrients required by immune cells. On the other hand, immune checkpoints regulate the metabolic pathways of immune cells, such as phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/AKT/mTOR) to affect the activation of immune cells. Based on a review of the literature, this article reviews the mechanisms by which PD-1, CTLA-4, T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT), T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (TIM-3), cluster of differentiation 47 (CD47), and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) regulate cell metabolic reprogramming, and looks forward to whether targeting the ligand-receptor pairs of immune checkpoints in a "dual regulation" manner and inhibiting metabolic pathways can effectively solve the problem of tumor immune resistance.
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Humans
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Neoplasms/genetics*
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Metabolic Networks and Pathways/immunology*
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Animals
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Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/pharmacology*
5.PKM1 Regulates the Expression of Autophagy and Neuroendocrine Markers in Small Cell Lung Cancer
TANG CHENCHEN ; JIN YULONG ; ZHAO PEIYAN ; TIAN LIN ; LI HUI ; YANG CHANGLIANG ; ZHONG RUI ; LIU JINGJING ; MA LIXIA ; CHENG YING
Chinese Journal of Lung Cancer 2024;27(9):645-653
Background and objective Small cell lung cancer(SCLC)is known as recalcitrant cancer with high malignancy and heterogeneity.Immunotherapy has changed the treatment pattern of extensive-disease SCLC(ED-SCLC),but the beneficiary population is limited.Therefore,exploring new therapeutic strategies is an urgent clinical problem to be solved for SCLC.SCLC is characterized by highly active glycolytic metabolism and pyruvate kinase Ml(PKM1)is one of the isozymes of PK,an important rate-limiting enzyme in glycolysis pathway.Previous studies have shown that PKM1 is related to autophagy and drug sensitivity,however,how PKM1 regulates drug sensitivity in SCLC and its mechanism remain unclear.The aim of this study was to investigate the biological functions of PKM1 in SCLC,including its effects on proliferation,migra-tion,autophagy,drug sensitivity,and expression of neuroendocrine(NE)-related markers in SCLC.Methods Western blot was used to detect the expression level of PKM1 in SCLC cells.PKM1 gene-overexpressed SCLC cell lines were constructed by stable lentivirus transfection.Proliferation of cells and drug sensitivity were detected by MTT,and migration ability of cells was determined by Transwell.The level of autophagy was detected by flow cytometry.Western blot was used to determine the expression levels of NE-related proteins.Results PKM1 was differentially expressed among various SCLC cell lines,and was lower in H1092 cells(P<0.01).Compared with the control group,there was no significant difference in proliferation level of PKM1 overexpressing H1092 cell,but the migration ability was significantly increased(P<0.001),the drug sensitivity was re-duced,and the level of autophagy was inhibited(P<0.001).Additionally,overexpression of PKM1 could upregulate the expres-sion of non-neuroendocrine(non-NE)-related proteins(P<0.01)and decrease the expression of NE-related proteins(P<0.01).Conclusion PKM1 was differentially expressed in SCLC cell lines,and high expression of PKM1 did not affect the prolifera-tion,but affected the migration of SCLC cells.PKM1 might affect drug sensitivity by inhibiting autophagy and regulating the expression of NE markers.These results provide a theoretical basis for exploring the role of PKM1 in SCLC.
6.Research progress on the impact of public health and social measures on influenza during the COVID-19 pandemic
Zhourong LI ; Yong ZHAO ; Tingting LI ; Ke JIANG ; Yulong YANG ; Yu XIONG ; Qin LI ; Li QI
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;58(6):924-930
Public health and social measures (PHSMs) are one of the most important measures in the prevention and control of COVID-19 and have also been effective in suppressing the spread of influenza viruses, but their effectiveness has not been fully investigated. This study aimed to review the progress of research on the impact of PHSMs on influenza during the COVID-19 pandemic based on the latest evidence of the effectiveness of various PHSMs in controlling transmission of influenza viruses, to provide scientific evidence for optimizing influenza prevention and control strategies.
7.Data-Driven Inversion of Hemodynamic Parameters for Combined Stenotic Left Coronary Artery Aneurysms
Zhengjia SHI ; Lifang SUN ; Mingxuan ZHAO ; Mengqiang JI ; Yulong SHI ; Jianbing SANG
Journal of Medical Biomechanics 2024;39(5):853-859
Objective To investigate the application of machine learning to predict the hemodynamic parameters of combined stenotic left coronary artery(LCA)aneurysms.Methods Parameterized modeling and simulation based on the geometric parameter range of combined stenosis LCA aneurysms in clinical statistics were conducted.The obtained simulation data was used as the dataset,and two common machine learning models were constructed and trained for optimization to predict two key hemodynamic parameters:wall shear stress(WSS)and pressure.By comparing and analyzing the performances of these models on the training and testing sets,the accuracy of each model was evaluated,and the effectiveness of the data-driven prediction of hemodynamic parameters for LCA aneurysms with concomitant stenosis was verified.Results The effectiveness of machine learning method in inverting the hemodynamic parameters of aneurysms was determined.For WSS prediction,the trained deep learning model and random forest model achieved mean squared error(MSE),mean absolute error(MAE),and determination coefficient R2 of 0.052 8,0.032 2,0.988 3,and 0.078 2,0.046 3,and 0.976 6,respectively.For pressure prediction,the accuracies of the deep learning models and random forest models were comparable,with MSE,MAE,and R2 of 4.67×10-6,3×10-4,0.999 7,and 1.07×10-5,5×10-4,and 0.999 3,respectively.Conclusions Machine learning methods show high accuracy in predicting the hemodynamic parameters of combined stenotic coronary artery aneurysm models.The predictive accuracy of the model,computational efficiency,and needs of the application scenarios need to be considered in machine learning prediction so that the appropriate model can be selected according to the specific situation.This study has clinical significance,helping doctors to more accurately evaluate a patient's condition and provide new ideas and method for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
8.Research progress on the impact of public health and social measures on influenza during the COVID-19 pandemic
Zhourong LI ; Yong ZHAO ; Tingting LI ; Ke JIANG ; Yulong YANG ; Yu XIONG ; Qin LI ; Li QI
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;58(6):924-930
Public health and social measures (PHSMs) are one of the most important measures in the prevention and control of COVID-19 and have also been effective in suppressing the spread of influenza viruses, but their effectiveness has not been fully investigated. This study aimed to review the progress of research on the impact of PHSMs on influenza during the COVID-19 pandemic based on the latest evidence of the effectiveness of various PHSMs in controlling transmission of influenza viruses, to provide scientific evidence for optimizing influenza prevention and control strategies.
9.Exploring the regulatory effects of abdominal breathing training on brain function based on electroencephalogram signals
Ruoshui WANG ; Tianyi LYU ; Xirui ZHAO ; Dan LIN ; Jiaxuan LYU ; Chaoyang ZHANG ; Xinzheng ZHANG ; Kang YAN ; Yulong WEI
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;47(9):1322-1332
Objective To investigate the effects of qigong abdominal breathing training on human brain function.Methods Seventy-two university students were recruited and randomly divided into the control and treatment groups in a 1:1 ratio. Both the control and treatment groups underwent the same standing pile work operation. However,only the treatment group received additional abdominal breathing training. The intervention process comprised two phases:2 weeks of intensive training and 6 weeks of counseling training. Electrocardiogram and electroencephalogram (EEG) tests were performed before (baseline period) and after training respectively. Sample entropy algorithm and empirical mode decomposition were used to analyze the EEG signals. The sample entropy complexity index and the correlation between EEG changes and respiratory curves were calculated to explore the brain function regulation effect. Results The complexity of different brain regions in the treatment group was higher than that of the control group after training. A large difference was observed when comparing the brain complexity in the temporoparietal junction,posterior temporal,parietal,parietal-occipital junction,and occipital regions. The brain complexity in the posterior temporal region of the treatment group was significantly higher than that of the control group after the intervention,with a significant difference (P<0.05). In the control group,the brain complexity in the frontal pole,anterior temporal,frontal reion,frontal-temporal junction,frontal-central junction,middle temporal,central,and temporal-parietal junction regions decreased to different degrees. However,the comparison between before and after was not significant. Furthermore,brain complexity in the central-parietal junction,posterior temporal,parietal,parietal-occipital junction,and occipital regions increased to different degrees in the control group;however,the difference was not significant. The brain complexity of the treatment group in the frontotemporal junction,middle temporal,and temporoparietal junction areas decreased slightly;however,the before-and-after comparison was not significant. The brain complexity of the treatment group in the frontal pole,frontotemporal,frontal,frontal-central junction,central,central-parietal junction,posterior-temporal,parietal,parietal-occipital junction,and occipital areas increased. The posterior-temporal,parietal,parietal-occipital junction,and occipital areas had more significant increases than the other areas. However,the before-and-after comparison was not significant. In both groups,brain complexity decreased in the frontotemporal junction,middle temporal,and temporoparietal junction areas and increased in the parietal,parieto-occipital junction,and occipital areas. The comparison of complexity between the treatment and control groups in P3 and PO3 leads after training was significant. P3 and PO3 are situated in the parietal region and parieto-occipital junction areas,respectively,indicating that antebellum breathing also affects brain function in these regions. The correlation between the respiratory curve and EEG components was enhanced after training. Conclusion Abdominal breathing training can significantly increase the complexity of the corresponding brain regions (posterior temporal,parietal,and parieto-occipital junction regions),and a significant correlation was observed between the two.
10.Visual analysis of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation research
Jie YAN ; Jing ZHOU ; Jingpu ZHAO ; Qingfang ZHANG ; Mingchao ZHOU ; Yulong WANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2024;28(32):5110-5115
BACKGROUND:In recent years,High-definition transcranial direct current stimulation(HD-tDCS)has garnered significant attention due to its potential non-invasive modulation of brain function.However,there is still a lack of visual analysis in the literature regarding this technique. OBJECTIVE:To perform a visual analysis of HD-tDCS-related research so as to explore the current status and trends in this field. METHODS:English literature related to HD-tDCS was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database covering the period from January 1,2010 to May 6,2023.The VOSviewer software was used to visualize and analyze the source journals,countries/regions,authors,institutions,cited references,and keywords of the included literature,creating a knowledge map to uncover the research landscape and hotspots. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of 336 articles were included,showing a consistent increase in the annual publication count of HD-tDCS research.Among these,the United States contributed the highest number of publications(141 articles)with 4 221 citations,followed by China with 70 articles and 401 citations.Brain Stimulation was the most prolific journal(28 articles),Marom Bikson was the most productive author(37 articles),and The City College of New York was the most active institution(35 articles).The most frequently mentioned keywords in the field included motor cortex,regulation,working memory,excitability,and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.Notable recent keywords in the last 5 years include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder,brain networks,and stimulation intensity.Currently,the volume of HD-tDCS research is relatively limited,but is on an upward trajectory,indicating substantial research potential.It is expected that future studies in this domain will continue to focus on the application of HD-tDCS in cognitive and neuropsychiatric disorders,while also exploring its therapeutic mechanisms targeting the motor cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex based on brain network analysis.

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