1.Application of proteomics technology in dry eye disease and acupuncture treatment
Qingbo WEI ; Ning DING ; Xiaocun YANG ; Xia WU ; Huxing SHEN ; Weiping GAO ; Yunchuan WU ; Zhixin JIANG
International Eye Science 2024;24(1):58-61
Dry eye disease(DED)refers to a condition characterized by reduced stability of the tear film or an imbalance in the microenvironment of the ocular surface, resulting from abnormalities in quality, quantity and kinetics of tear. This condition leads to various ocular discomforts and even visual impairment. The pathogenesis of DED is multifactorial and current treatment mainly focuses on symptom relief and preservation of visual function. Acupuncture has shown effectiveness in treating dry eye, although its underlying mechanism remains incompletely understood. Proteomics technology offers a comprehensive and systematic approach to studying the functions, structures and interactions of proteins. Its application in DED research can provide valuable insights into the dynamic changes in protein levels associated with different etiology or the course of DED and facilitate the identification of potential biomarkers. Furthermore, proteomics can systematically explore the regulatory mechanisms underlying acupuncture treatment for DED, providing a theoretical basis for acupuncture treatment research and contributing to the understanding of its effects at a fundamental level. This paper aims to explore the potential application of proteomics in both clinical and basic research on DED. Ultimately, it strives to offer scientific and effective strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of DED and advance our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying acupuncture therapy.
2.Evaluation of Simulated Weightlessness Model of Hindlimb Unloading Miniature Pigs and Their Tissue Damage
Yingxin TU ; Yilan JI ; Fei WANG ; Dongming YANG ; Dongdong WANG ; Zhixin SUN ; Yuexin DAI ; Yanji WANG ; KAN GUANGHAN ; Bin WU ; Deming ZHAO ; Lifeng YANG
Laboratory Animal and Comparative Medicine 2024;44(5):475-486
Objective To establish a weightlessness simulation animal model using miniature pigs, leveraging the characteristic of multiple systems’ tissue structures and functions similar to those of humans, and to observe pathophysiological changes, providing a new method for aerospace research. Methods Nine standard-grade miniature pigs were selected and randomly divided into an experimental group (n=7) and a control group (n=2). The experimental group was fixed using customized metal cages, with canvas slings suspending their hind limbs off the ground, and the body positioned at a -20° angle relative to the ground to simulate unloading for 30 days (24 hours a day). Data on body weight, blood volume, and blood biochemistry indicators were collected at different time points for statistical analysis of basic physiological changes. After the experiment, the miniature pigs were euthanized and tissue samples were collected for histopathological observation of the cardiovascular, skeletal and muscle systems HE and Masson staining. Statistical analysis was also conducted on the thickness of arterial vessels and the diameter of skeletal muscle fibers. Additionally, western blotting was employed to detect the expression levels of skeletal muscle atrophy-related proteins, including muscle-specific RING finger protein 1 (MuRf-1) and muscle atrophy F-box (MAFbx, as known as Atrogin-1), while immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), an indicator of astrocyte activation in the brain, reflecting the pathophysiological functional changes across systems. Results After hindlimb unloading, the experimental group showed significant decreases in body weight (P<0.001) and blood volume (P<0.01). During the experiment, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell count levels significantly decreased (P<0.05) but gradually recovered. The expression levels of alanine aminotransferase and γ-glutamyltransferase initially decreased (P<0.05) before rebounding, while albumin significantly decreased (P<0.001) and globulin significantly increased (P<0.01). Creatinine significantly decreased (P<0.05). The average diameter of gastrocnemius muscle fibers in the experimental group significantly shortened (P<0.05), with a leftward shift in the distribution of muscle fiber diameters and an increase in small-diameter muscle fibers. Simultaneously, Atrogin-1 expression in the gastrocnemius and paravertebral muscles significantly increased (P<0.05). These changes are generally consistent with the effects of weightlessness on humans and animals in space. Furthermore, degenerative changes were observed in some neurons of the cortical parietal lobe, frontal lobe, and hippocampal regions of the experimental group, with a slight reduction in the number of Purkinje cells in the cerebellar region, and a significant enhancement of GFAP-positive signals in the hippocampal area (P<0.05). Conclusion Miniature pigs subjected to a -20° angle hind limb unloading for 30 days maybe serve as a new animal model for simulating weightlessness, applicable to related aerospace research.
3.The application of spectral CT multiparametric myocardial imaging in preoperative non-invasive assessment for percutaneous coronary intervention
Xinglu LI ; Yiwen YANG ; Qingguo DING ; Zhixin SUN ; Yuhao SONG ; Xingbiao CHEN ; Su HU ; Chunhong HU
Chinese Journal of Radiology 2024;58(3):273-278
Objective:To investigate the clinical value of multiparametric myocardial imaging using a dual-layer detector spectral CT in the non-invasive preoperative assessment of patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CHD) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods:The clinical and imaging data of 90 patients who underwent coronary CT angiography (CCTA) with dual-layer spectral detector CT and invasive coronary angiography (ICA) within 30 days at the Affiliated Changshu Hospital of Nantong University from January 2021 to October 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 189 coronary arteries were included in the study cohort. The patients were divided into PCI ( n=44) and non-PCI groups ( n=46) according to whether they received PCI after evaluation with ICA. The diameter stenosis rate of the coronary arteries, myocardial iodine concentration (IC) and effective atomic number (Z eff) values were obtained from CCTA conventional and spectral images. The IC values and Z eff values of the myocardium in the areas with abnormal perfusion were compared with those in the areas with normal perfusion. The diagnostic performance of these parameters, as well as their combined model, was evaluated and compared using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and area under the curve (AUC) in the pre-PCI assessment of patients with CHD. Results:Baseline patient data did not show statistically significant differences between the PCI and non-PCI groups (all P>0.05). There were statistically significant differences in IC values [(0.42±0.28) and (2.26±0.48) mg/ml] and Z eff values (7.39±0.33 and 8.50±0.25) between the myocardium areas with abnormal perfusion and the myocardium areas with normal perfusion in all patients (all P<0.001). The AUC for assessing whether patients with CHD need PCI treatment using myocardial IC and Z eff values were 0.865 and 0.853, respectively, which were significantly higher than assessment based only on lumen diameter stenosis rate (AUC=0.726, P<0.001). Conclusions:The IC and Z eff derived from myocardial spectral images can be used to diagnose myocardial perfusion abnormalities in patients with CHD. The spectral myocardial multi-parameters imaging shows promising potentials in pre-PCI assessment of patients with CHD, which can improve the efficiency of evaluation and may help to avoid unnecessarily invasive procedures.
4.Research advances in neutrophil extracellular traps and liver diseases
Zhuoga RENZENG ; Kangjie YANG ; Yongliang LU ; Zhixin WANG ; Haijiu WANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2024;40(3):639-643
Neutrophils play an immune defense role by releasing the proteases such as neutrophil elastase and myeloperoxidase to form neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) and participate in the inflammatory response of various liver diseases, but the excessive release of NET may worsen liver tissue damage and has thus become one of the risk factors for liver diseases. In recent years, studies have shown that the excessive release of NET can promote the progression of liver diseases (such as viral hepatitis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, and hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury) to liver cancer, and clarifying the mechanism of action of NET is of great importance for the diagnosis and progression of liver diseases. Therefore, this article elaborates on the latest research advances in NET in liver diseases, so as to provide new insights into the diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases and the prevention of liver cancer.
5.Expression of neutrophil extracellular traps and phagocytic functions among patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis
Zhuoga RENZENG ; Haining FAN ; Kangjie YANG ; Zhixin WANG ; Yaogang ZHANG ; Yongliang LU ; Haijiu WANG
Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control 2024;36(1):25-33
Objective To investigate the expression of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and phagocytic function in the peripheral blood of patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE), and to examine their correlations with clinical inflamma tory indicators and liver functions. Methods A total of 50 patients with HAE admitted to Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University from August 2022 to June 2023 were enrolled, while 50 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals from the Centre for Healthy Examinations of the hospital during the same period served as controls. The levels of NETs markers neutrophil myeloperoxidase (MPO) and neutrophil elastase (NE) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Peripheral blood neutrophils were isolated using density gradient centrifugation, stimulated in vitro using phorbol 12-myristate 13 acetate (PMA), and the levels of MPO and citrullination histone H3 (CitH3) released by neutrophils were quantified using flow cytometry. The phagocytic functions of neutrophils were examined using flow cytometry. In addition, the correlations of MPO and NE levels with clinical inflammatory indicators and liver biochemical indicators were examined using Spearman correlation analysis among HAE patients. Results The peripheral blood plasma MPO[(417.15 ± 76.08) ng/mL vs. (255.70 ± 80.84) ng/mL; t = 10.28, P < 0.05], NE[(23.16 ± 6.75) ng/mL vs. (11.92 ± 3.17) ng/mL; t = 10.65, P < 0.05]and CitH3 levels[(33.93 ± 18.93) ng/mL vs. (19.52 ± 13.89) ng/mL; t = 4.34, P < 0.05]were all significantly higher among HAE patients than among healthy controls, and a lower phagocytosis rate of neutrophils was detected among HAE patients than among healthy controls[(70.85 ± 7.32)% vs. (94.04 ± 3.90)%; t = 20.18, P < 0.05], and the ability to produce NETs by neutrophils was higher among HAE patients than among healthy controls following in vitro PMA stimulation. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the phagocytosis rate of neutrophils correlated negatively with platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), interleukin-6 (IL-6) level and C-reactive protein (CRP) level (rs = −0.515 to −0.392, all P values < 0.05), and the MPO and NE levels positively correlated with inflammatory markers NLR, PLR, CRP and IL-6 (rs = 0.333 to 0.445, all P values < 0.05) and clinical liver biochemical indicators aspartic transaminase, alanine aminotransferase, direct bilirubin and total bilirubin among HAE patients (rs = 0.290 to 0.628, all P values < 0.001). Conclusions Excessive formation of NETs is found among HAE patients, which affects the phagocytic ability of neutrophils and results in elevated levels of inflammatory indicators. NETs markers may be promising novel biomarkers for early diagnosis, monitoring, and severity assessment of liver disease.
6.The Implications of the Four Traditional Medical Education Systems in the World and for the Traditional Chinese Medicine
Xiuyan LI ; Dongfei FENG ; Yanhong WANG ; Zhixin YANG ; Qingxia GUAN ; Rui WANG ; Yufei FENG ; Weinan LI ; Yan ZHANG
Chinese Hospital Management 2024;44(8):84-88
Traditional Chinese medicine,ancient Greek medicine,Ayurvedic medicine,and Arab medicine are recognized as the four major traditional medicines in the world.It reviews the education and training systems of the four major traditional medicines and finds that traditional Chinese medicine focuses on the teacher-student relation-ship and the combination of theory and practice;Ancient Greek medicine was mainly characterized by strong theoreti-cal research and experimental observation;Ayurveda highly values cultural identity as its main characteristic;Arab medicine attaches great importance to cultural exchange and practical promotion.It suggests promoting innovative de-velopment,strengthening practical teaching,improving teaching quality,strengthening international exchanges and cooperation,and increasing public acceptance abroad.
7.The Implications of the Four Traditional Medical Education Systems in the World and for the Traditional Chinese Medicine
Xiuyan LI ; Dongfei FENG ; Yanhong WANG ; Zhixin YANG ; Qingxia GUAN ; Rui WANG ; Yufei FENG ; Weinan LI ; Yan ZHANG
Chinese Hospital Management 2024;44(8):84-88
Traditional Chinese medicine,ancient Greek medicine,Ayurvedic medicine,and Arab medicine are recognized as the four major traditional medicines in the world.It reviews the education and training systems of the four major traditional medicines and finds that traditional Chinese medicine focuses on the teacher-student relation-ship and the combination of theory and practice;Ancient Greek medicine was mainly characterized by strong theoreti-cal research and experimental observation;Ayurveda highly values cultural identity as its main characteristic;Arab medicine attaches great importance to cultural exchange and practical promotion.It suggests promoting innovative de-velopment,strengthening practical teaching,improving teaching quality,strengthening international exchanges and cooperation,and increasing public acceptance abroad.
8.The Implications of the Four Traditional Medical Education Systems in the World and for the Traditional Chinese Medicine
Xiuyan LI ; Dongfei FENG ; Yanhong WANG ; Zhixin YANG ; Qingxia GUAN ; Rui WANG ; Yufei FENG ; Weinan LI ; Yan ZHANG
Chinese Hospital Management 2024;44(8):84-88
Traditional Chinese medicine,ancient Greek medicine,Ayurvedic medicine,and Arab medicine are recognized as the four major traditional medicines in the world.It reviews the education and training systems of the four major traditional medicines and finds that traditional Chinese medicine focuses on the teacher-student relation-ship and the combination of theory and practice;Ancient Greek medicine was mainly characterized by strong theoreti-cal research and experimental observation;Ayurveda highly values cultural identity as its main characteristic;Arab medicine attaches great importance to cultural exchange and practical promotion.It suggests promoting innovative de-velopment,strengthening practical teaching,improving teaching quality,strengthening international exchanges and cooperation,and increasing public acceptance abroad.
9.The Implications of the Four Traditional Medical Education Systems in the World and for the Traditional Chinese Medicine
Xiuyan LI ; Dongfei FENG ; Yanhong WANG ; Zhixin YANG ; Qingxia GUAN ; Rui WANG ; Yufei FENG ; Weinan LI ; Yan ZHANG
Chinese Hospital Management 2024;44(8):84-88
Traditional Chinese medicine,ancient Greek medicine,Ayurvedic medicine,and Arab medicine are recognized as the four major traditional medicines in the world.It reviews the education and training systems of the four major traditional medicines and finds that traditional Chinese medicine focuses on the teacher-student relation-ship and the combination of theory and practice;Ancient Greek medicine was mainly characterized by strong theoreti-cal research and experimental observation;Ayurveda highly values cultural identity as its main characteristic;Arab medicine attaches great importance to cultural exchange and practical promotion.It suggests promoting innovative de-velopment,strengthening practical teaching,improving teaching quality,strengthening international exchanges and cooperation,and increasing public acceptance abroad.
10.The Implications of the Four Traditional Medical Education Systems in the World and for the Traditional Chinese Medicine
Xiuyan LI ; Dongfei FENG ; Yanhong WANG ; Zhixin YANG ; Qingxia GUAN ; Rui WANG ; Yufei FENG ; Weinan LI ; Yan ZHANG
Chinese Hospital Management 2024;44(8):84-88
Traditional Chinese medicine,ancient Greek medicine,Ayurvedic medicine,and Arab medicine are recognized as the four major traditional medicines in the world.It reviews the education and training systems of the four major traditional medicines and finds that traditional Chinese medicine focuses on the teacher-student relation-ship and the combination of theory and practice;Ancient Greek medicine was mainly characterized by strong theoreti-cal research and experimental observation;Ayurveda highly values cultural identity as its main characteristic;Arab medicine attaches great importance to cultural exchange and practical promotion.It suggests promoting innovative de-velopment,strengthening practical teaching,improving teaching quality,strengthening international exchanges and cooperation,and increasing public acceptance abroad.

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