1.Research progress on the microbiota-gut-brain axis regulatory mechanisms and targeted dietary interventions in autism spectrum disorder
Mingyue HAO ; Jiajun CHANG ; Zhihua ZHANG ; Lan GAO
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(2):376-386
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), also known as autism, is a series of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by social disorders and repetitive stereotyped behaviors/narrow interests. Its pathogenesis is complex, and there is a lack of effective treatment drugs, with some cases having adverse outcomes. Recent studies have consistently revealed that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly exhibit characteristics such as gut microbiota dysbiosis (abnormal Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio), impaired intestinal barrier function (elevated serum levels of zonulin and LPS), and intestinal immune dysregulation (increased pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-6 and TNF-α), suggesting that gastrointestinal abnormalities may influence central nervous system development through neuroendocrine, immunoregulatory, and metabolic pathways. Consequently, growing scholarly attention has focused on dietary interventions as potential approaches to alleviate clinical symptoms in children with ASD. This review systematically summarizes the role of gut microbiota and their metabolite alterations in ASD pathogenesis, along with recent advancements in understanding the microbiota-gut-brain axis mechanisms. Additionally, it elaborates on the therapeutic effects and underlying biological basis of restrictive diet therapy, modified diet therapy, and nutritional supplementation therapy in promoting the health of children with ASD. This systematic review reveals that children with ASD exhibit significant gut microbiota dysbiosis (e.g., increased Clostridium, decreased Faecalibacterium) and abnormal metabolite profiles (e.g., altered short-chain fatty acid spectra, elevated 4EPS levels). These alterations exacerbate neuroinflammation and immune dysregulation through the microbiota-gut-brain axis, thereby impacting nervous system development and function. Furthermore, interventions such as ketogenic diets, camel milk, and specific nutritional supplements can alleviate certain ASD symptoms by modulating gut microbiota, restoring intestinal barrier function, and improving metabolic pathways. Future investigations should aim to create multi-omics evaluation systems for pinpointing potential beneficiaries, devise individualized intervention strategies rooted in microbiome characteristics, and verify their therapeutic value and safety in large-scale randomized controlled trials. These efforts are crucial to transitioning ASD treatment from symptomatic control to address disease etiology, thereby paving the way for improving prognoses.
2.The causal relationship between immune cells and heart failure risk and the mediating role of serum metabolites: A Mendelian randomization study
Yun ZHU ; Jiaming WEI ; Ruifang LIN ; Yongjun LIU ; Yue LIU ; Guohua ZHANG ; Zhihua GUO
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(01):115-121
Objective To explore the causal relationship between immune cells and heart failure (HF), and the mediating role of serum metabolites, in order to identify potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Methods We employed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis method based on genome-wide association study (GWAS) data, analyzing the direct and indirect effects of 731 types of immune cells and 1 400 metabolites on HF. We selected valid instrumental variables and conducted statistical analyses using R software. The primary analysis was performed using the inverse variance weighted method, supplemented by MR-Egger analysis and weighted median method. The stability of the results was assessed through tests such as Cochran’s Q test. Results Our research found a negative causal relationship between PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+ and HF. Sensitivity analysis supported this result. The reverse MR analysis did not find an effect of HF on PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+, indicating that PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+ might play a unidirectional role in reducing the risk of HF. Further mediation MR analysis showed that PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+ might influence the risk of HF onset by regulating the levels of sphingomyelin (d17:1/14:0, d16:1/15:0), with a mediation effect ratio of 6.7%. Conclusion PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+ may reduce the risk of HF by elevating the levels of sphingomyelin (d17:1/14:0, d16:1/15:0), which provides a new perspective for understanding the pathogenesis of HF.
3.Integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine therapy for Wilson disease
Yumei GU ; Yeqing HUANG ; Bei ZHANG ; Aiqun LIU ; Zhongxing PENG ; Mingfan HONG ; Zhihua ZHOU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(3):529-534
Wilson disease (WD) is one of the few treatable neurogenetic disorders. Currently, Western medicine remains the main treatment method for WD, while since the 1990s, multiple studies conducted by Professor Yang Renmin and his team have shown that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) also has a favorable therapeutic effect. Based on the principle of low-copper diet for WD, this article systematically elaborates on the advantages, limitations, and key considerations of current Western medicine therapies (pharmacotherapy, liver transplantation, and splenectomy) and reviews the research findings of TCM in China, especially the wide application of Gandou Decoction in clinical practice. Studies have shown that Gandou Decoction can effectively improve neurological symptoms, protect hepatic and renal function, and avoid the adverse drug reactions associated with metal chelating agents, and therefore, it can be used an effective long-term adjuvant therapy for WD. It should be noted that symptoms and signs should be considered in integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine therapy for WD, and high-copper TCM drugs should be avoided to prevent deterioration.
4.Echocardiographic features of critically ill patients with concurrent infections and their predictive value for 28-day mortality and cardiac injury
Peng GUO ; Yushan ZHOU ; Yibing WANG ; Zhihua ZHANG ; Jie SHEN ; Weichun MO
Chinese Journal of Clinical Medicine 2026;33(3):414-423
Objective To explore the echocardiographic features of critically ill patients with infection, and to evaluate the predictive value of echocardiographic parameters for 28-day mortality and myocardial injury. Methods Using a single-center prospective cohort design, 120 critically ill patients with infection admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, Jinshan Hospital of Fudan University from January 2024 to January 2025 were enrolled consecutively. According to the severity of infection, patients were divided into the sepsis group (n=75) and the non-sepsis group (n=45). Cox proportional hazards models and modified Poisson regression were used to analyze risk factors of 28-day all-cause mortality and myocardial injury. Kaplan-Meier survival curve and log-rank test were used to assess prognosis differences among patients with different ultrasound parameters. ROC curve and area under the curve (AUC) were applied to evaluate the predictive performance of ultrasound parameters, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) model was used to explore nonlinear relationships. Results The E/e′ ratio was significantly higher in the sepsis group than in the non-sepsis group (P<0.001), while left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS) were lower in the sepsis group (P<0.05). The Cox proportional hazards model found no association between ultrasound parameters and 28-day all-cause mortality. Modified Poisson regression showed that, after adjusting for confounding factors, elevated E/e′ was an independent risk factor of myocardial injury (RR=1.12, 95% CI 1.07–1.17, P<0.001). Survival analysis demonstrated that patients with E/e′ >10.9 had lower 28-day survival rates (P=0.02), and the AUC for E/e′ predicting myocardial injury was 0.835. RCS analysis suggested a nonlinear relationship between E/e′ and myocardial injury risk (P<0.001). Conclusions E/e′, LVEF, and LVFS have no significant predictive value for 28-day mortality risk in critically ill patients with infections. Elevated E/e′ is an independent risk factor of myocardial injury in such patients, with a nonlinear relationship.
5.Application value of soluble C5b-9 in the diagnosis of delayed graft function after kidney transplantation
Lihong SHANG ; Zhihua WANG ; Wenyan ZHANG ; Jiaoxia LIANG ; Mingjun WANG ; Ning LI ; Shaohua SHI ; Linru ZHU
Organ Transplantation 2026;17(5):757-764
Objective To explore the diagnostic value of soluble C5b-9 (sC5b-9) for delayed graft function (DGF) following kidney transplantation. Methods Clinical data of 49 kidney transplant recipients who underwent sC5b-9 detection at the Second People’s Hospital of Shanxi Province between January 2024 and December 2025 were retrospectively analyzed. Recipients were divided into the DGF group (n=25) and the non-DGF group (n=24) according to the occurrence of DGF. Baseline characteristics and serum sC5b-9 levels were compared between the two groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of sC5b-9 for DGF. A restricted cubic spline model was adopted to investigate the association between sC5b-9 and DGF. Results Among the 49 recipients, DGF occurred in 25 patients. Compared with the non-DGF group, the DGF group presented a higher proportion of male patients, a higher incidence of adverse transplant outcomes, and elevated final serum creatinine levels (all P<0.05). Within 30 days after transplantation, sC5b-9 concentrations were significantly higher in the DGF group than those in the non-DGF group (P<0.001). ROC analysis revealed that the area under the curve (AUC) of sC5b-9 for diagnosing DGF was 0.81, with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.68-0.92, and the optimal cutoff value was 265.7 ng/mL. Recipients with elevated sC5b-9 (≥265.7 ng/mL) had a significantly higher incidence of DGF than those with low sC5b-9 levels (<265.7 ng/mL) (P<0.001). Recipients with adverse outcomes exhibited significantly higher sC5b-9 levels than those without adverse outcomes (P<0.001), and the AUC of sC5b-9 for identifying adverse outcomes was 0.82 (95%CI 0.63-0.95). A significant nonlinear correlation was observed between sC5b-9 and final serum creatinine (P<0.001). Conclusions Elevated sC5b-9 is correlated with the development of DGF after kidney transplantation and exhibits favorable diagnostic performance. It may serve as a potential biomarker for predicting early allograft dysfunction and adverse outcomes in kidney transplant recipients.
6.Application effect of combined traction methods in endoscopic submucosal dissection for early intestinal lesions
Chengcheng ZHU ; Yalong HE ; Jing TIAN ; Wei ZHANG ; Min XU ; Zhihua WANG ; Ping CHEN ; Wenhua ZHANG
Chongqing Medicine 2025;54(6):1307-1311,1318
Objective To investigate the application effect of postural gravity traction combined with floss and titanium clip pulley external traction in endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD)for early intestinal lesions.Methods A total of 100 patients with early colorectal lesions admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University from January 2022 to September 2024 were selected as the research subjects and divided in-to the observation group and the control group,with 50 cases in each group.The control group underwent con-ventional intestinal ESD treatment,while the observation group used positional gravity traction combined with dental floss and titanium clips to form pulley external traction in ESD treatment.Clinical data including opera-tion time,number of submucosal injections,intraoperative blood loss,lesion resection effect,complication inci-dence,and hospital stay were compared between the two groups.Results The total operation time in the ob-servation group was shorter than that in the control group,and the total number of submucosal injections was less than that in the control group,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).There were no signifi-cant differences in intraoperative blood loss,complete resection rate,complication incidence,en bloc resection rate,and hospital stay between the two groups(P>0.05).For lesions≤1 cm or>5 cm in size,there were no significant differences in operation time,complete resection rate and en bloc resection rate between the two groups(P>0.05).For lesions>1-3 cm or>3-5 cm in size and laterally spreading lesions,significant differences were observed in operation time,number of submucosal injections,complete resection rate,and en bloc resection rate between the two groups(P<0.05).For pedunculated polyps,there were no significant differences in the number of submucosal injections,complete resection rate and en bloc resection rate between the two groups(P>0.05),but the operation time differed significantly(P<0.05).Conclusion Postural gravity traction combined with dental floss and titanium clip to form pulley external traction is simple to oper-ate in ESD for early intestinal lesions.It can maintain a clear field of view,shorten operation time,reduce the incidence of complications,and is safe and effective.
7.Effect and underlying mechanism of L-carnitine improving myocardial systolic dysfunction in sepsis mice
Zhihua WANG ; Yuanqun ZHOU ; Xinming XIANG ; Qianwei ZHANG ; Xingnan OUYANG ; Jie ZHANG ; Tao LI ; Linqiang TIAN ; Liangming LIU
Journal of Army Medical University 2025;47(21):2630-2640
Objective To explore the protective effect of L-carnitine on myocardial systolic dysfunction in sepsis and its underlying mechanism.Methods A mouse sepsis model was established by cecal ligation and puncture(CLP).Ten-week-old male SPF-grade C57BL/6 mice(body weight 20~30 g)were randomly divided into 5 groups via random number table:Sham group,Sepsis group,L-carnitine group,L-carnitine+Etomoxir(Eto)group,and Eto group.Echocardiography assessed cardiac function,ELISA measured serum creatine kinase isoenzyme MB(CK-MB)levels,and 72-hour survival rates were recorded to evaluate L-carnitine's effects on cardiac function.Cardiomyocytes were isolated,and a cell microtensiometer was used to detect cardiomyocyte contractile function and calcium transients.Myocardial tissues were collected from each group,and ELISA was used to determine the contents of triglyceride(TG),free fatty acid(FFA),and adenosine triphosphate(ATP).An in vitro sepsis model was constructed by stimulating HL-1 cardiomyocytes with lipopolysaccharide(LPS)for 12 hours,which was divided into 5 groups:control(CTRL)group,LPS group,L-carnitine group,L-carnitine+Eto group,and Eto group.ELISA was used to detect the contents of TG,FFA,and ATP as well as the activity of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A(CPT1A)in cardiomyocytes.A cellular energy metabolism analysis system was employed to measure fatty acid oxidation capacity,and Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of CPT1A in cardiomyocytes.BODIPY-FL-C16(green fluorescently labeled palmitic acid)was utilized to detect the distribution of fatty acids in the cytoplasm and mitochondria via immunofluorescence technology,thereby observing the ability of cells to transport fatty acids into mitochondria.Results Compared with the Sham group,cardiac function was significantly impaired in the Sepsis group,as evidenced by decreased ejection fraction and mean arterial pressure(P<0.05),along with elevated levels of the cardiac injury marker CK-MB(P<0.05).Treatment with L-carnitine significantly improved myocardial function,restored blood pressure in septic mice,and increased their survival rate from 12.50%to 81.25%(P<0.05).Compared with the Sham group,the contractile function and calcium transients of acutely isolated single cardiomyocytes were significantly reduced in the Sepsis group(P<0.05),while L-carnitine treatment remarkably restored the contractile function and calcium release capacity of septic cardiomyocytes(P<0.05).Both in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that TG and FFA levels were significantly increased(P<0.05),and ATP levels was significantly decreased(P<0.05)in the Sepsis and LPS groups—effects significantly reversed by L-carnitine treatment.Compared with the CTRL group,the basal oxidation rate and maximum oxidation capacity of fatty acids in cardiomyocytes of the LPS group were significantly reduced(P<0.05),and L-carnitine treatment notably improved these indicators.Compared with the CTRL group,the expression and activity of CPT1A in cardiomyocytes of the LPS group were significantly decreased(P<0.05),while L-carnitine treatment significantly increased the expression and activity of CPT1A(P<0.05).In LPS group cardiomyocytes,green fluorescently labeled palmitic acid primarily formed numerous granular/clumpy aggregates in the cytoplasm with minimal mitochondrial colocalization.In the L-carnitine group,the green fluorescent granules in the cytoplasm of cardiomyocytes were smaller,and colocalization with mitochondria was increased.However,the L-carnitine+Eto group exhibited similar phenomena to the LPS group.In addition,both in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that treatment with the CPT1A inhibitor Eto reversed the effect of L-carnitine.Compared with the L-carnitine group,the ATP content in the L-carnitine+Eto group was significantly decreased(P<0.05),while the FFA content was significantly increased(P<0.05).Conclusion L-carnitine facilitates fatty acid entry into mitochondria for β-oxidation via a CPT1A-dependent mechanism,thereby ameliorating fatty acid oxidation dysfunction in septic cardiomyocytes and improving myocardial contractile function.
8.Diagnostic value of serum CCL3 and Semaphorin 3A in patients with T2DM complicated by osteoporosis
Xiaoliang CUI ; Zhihua DUN ; Chen ZHANG ; Tao LIU
International Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2025;46(14):1730-1735
Objective To explore the diagnostic value of serum C-C motif chemokine ligand 3(CCL3)and Semaphorin 3A in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)complicated by osteoporosis(OP).Methods A total of 125 patients with T2DM complicated by OP who visited the hospital from August 2022 to August 2023 were selected as the OP group,and another 125 patients with T2DM without OP who visited the hospital during the same period were selected as the T2DM group.The OP group was divided into Group A(T value>-1.0,but slightly lower than the normal value),Group B(T value between-2.5 and-1.0),and Group C(T value<-2.5)based on the measurement results of bone mineral density(BMD).The lev-els of serum CCL3 and Semaphorin 3A in each group were compared.Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlations between serum CCL3,Semaphorin 3A and BMD in patients with T2DM complicated by OP.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors of T2DM compli-cated by OP.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to analyze the diagnostic value of se-rum CCL3 and Semaphorin 3A for T2DM complicated by OP.Results Compared with the T2DM group,the serum CCL3 level in the OP group increased,and the Semaphorin 3A level decreased,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Compared with group A,the serum CCL3 levels in group B and group C increased,while the Semaphorin 3A level decreased,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).Compared with group B,the serum CCL3 level in group C increased and the Semaphorin 3A level de-creased,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Compared with the T2DM group,the femo-ral neck bone BMD,lumbar spine BMD and total hip BMD in the OP group were significantly decreased,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).The serum CCL3 level in patients with T2DM accompa-nied by OP was negatively correlated with femoral neck bone BMD,lumbar spine BMD and total hip BMD(P<0.05),and the serum Semaphorin 3A level was positively correlated with femoral neck bone BMD,lum-bar spine BMD and total hip BMD(P<0.05).The results of multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that CCL3 was an independent risk factor for T2DM with OP(P<0.05),and Semaphorin 3A was an inde-pendent protective factor for T2DM with OP(P<0.05).The results of ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve(AUC)of serum CCL3,Semaphorin 3A and their combination diagnosis of T2DM accom-panied by OP were 0.810,0.802 and 0.869,respectively.The AUC of the combined diagnosis of T2DM ac-companied by OP was superior to their individual diagnoses(Zcombination-CCL3=2.235,Zcombination-Semaphorin 3A=2.021,P=0.025,0.043).Conclusion The serum CCL3 level is increased in patients with T2DM accompanied by OP,and the Semaphorin 3A level is decreased.The combination of the two has certain diagnostic value for T2DM accompanied by OP.
9.Research progress on postoperative quality of life in adult patients with ureteropelvic junction obstruction
Zhihua LI ; Man ZHANG ; Xiang WANG ; Han ZHAO ; Qiang ZHANG ; Xinfei LI ; Kunlin YANG ; Xuesong LI
International Journal of Surgery 2025;52(10):657-661
Ureteropelvic junction obstruction, as a common urological disorder, not only affects the renal function of patients, but also seriously reduces their quality of life. Pyeloplasty, as the first-line therapy for ureteral stricture at present, is a key approach to eliminating hydronephrosis and improving renal function. The quality of life of postoperative patients, as an important criterion for measuring the therapeutic effect, has also attracted increasing attention. Therefore, this article reviews the evaluation tools, research status and influencing factors of the postoperative quality of life of ureteropelvic junction obstruction patients, aiming to provide a reference for the formulation of relevant nursing intervention measures in clinical practice.
10.Predictive factors and prognostic value of textbook outcomes after radical resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma
Biyuan ZHANG ; Weixuan XIE ; Yang BAI ; Zheng FANG ; Kunlun LUO ; Xue MEI ; Haiting XU ; Zhihua ZHOU ; Qingzhou ZHU
Chinese Journal of General Surgery 2025;34(8):1688-1695
Background and Aims:Radical resection is the only potentially curative treatment for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(ICC),yet the high recurrence rate results in poor prognosis.In recent years,"textbook outcome"(TO)has been proposed as a comprehensive quality metric,but its association with prognosis remains unclear.This study aimed to analyze the risk factors influencing the achievement of TO after radical resection of ICC and to explore the relationship between TO and survival.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 180 ICC patients who underwent radical resection at the 904th Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force of the PLA between February 2018 and February 2023.Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors associated with TO,and survival analysis was carried out using the Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test.Results:Of the 180 patients,66 achieved TO.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that preoperative total bilirubin>22 μmol/L,preoperative CA19-9>35 U/mL,maximum tumor diameter>5 cm,poor tumor differentiation,microvascular invasion(MVI),and lymph node metastasis were independent risk factors for failing to achieve TO(all P<0.05).Survival analysis demonstrated that patients who achieved TO had a significantly longer median survival compared with those who did not(36 months vs.16 months,P<0.001).Conclusion:Preoperative total bilirubin>22 μmol/L,preoperative CA19-9>35 U/mL,maximum tumor diameter>5 cm,poor tumor differentiation,MVI,and lymph node metastasis are independent risk factors for not achieving TO after radical resection of ICC.Patients who achieved TO exhibited markedly longer survival,suggesting that TO not only reflects perioperative treatment quality but also serves as an important prognostic indicator.Greater attention to these risk factors and optimization of perioperative management may improve the likelihood of achieving TO and enhance long-term outcomes.

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