1.Exploring Chemical Constituent Distribution in Blood/Brain(Hippocampus) and Emotional Regulatory Effect of Raw and Vinegar-processed Products of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride
Yi BAO ; Yonggui SONG ; Qianmin LI ; Zhifu AI ; Genhua ZHU ; Ming YANG ; Huanhua XU ; Qin ZHENG ; Yiting HUANG ; Zihan GAO ; Dan SU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(2):189-197
ObjectiveTo investigate the migration and distribution characteristics of chemical constituents in blood and hippocampal tissues before and after vinegar processing of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride(CRPV), and to explore the potential material basis and mechanisms underlying their regulatory effects on emotional disorders by comparing the effects of raw and vinegar-processed products of CRPV. MethodsUltra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) was employed to characterize and identify the chemical constituents of raw and vinegar-processed products of CRPV extracts, as well as their migrating components in blood and hippocampal tissues after oral administration. Reference standards, databases, and relevant literature were utilized for compound annotation, with data processing performed using PeakView 1.2 software. Seventy male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into seven groups, including the blank group, model group, diazepam group(2.5 mg·kg-1), raw CRPV low/high dose groups(0.6, 1.2 g·kg-1), and vinegar-processed CRPV low/high dose groups(0.6, 1.2 g·kg-1), with 10 mice per group. Except for the blank group, all other groups underwent chronic restraint stress(2 h·d-1) for 20 d. Each drug-treated group received oral administration at the predetermined dose starting 10 d after modeling, with a total treatment duration of 10 d. Following model-based drug administration, mice underwent open-field, forced swimming, and elevated plus maze tests. After anesthesia with isoflurane, whole brains were collected from each group of mice, and hippocampi were dissected. Reactive oxygen species(ROS) level in hippocampal tissues was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to observe hippocampal tissue morphology. Immunofluorescence was performed to detect neuronal nuclei(NeuN) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha(PPARα) expressions in hippocampal tissue. Then, pharmacodynamic evaluations were conducted to assess the effects of raw and vinegar-processed CRPV on mood disorders, exploring the potential mechanisms. ResultsVinegar processing caused significant changes in the chemical composition of CRPV, with 18 components showing increased relative content and 35 components showing decreased relative content. The primary changes occurred in flavonoid compounds, including 20 flavonoids, 20 flavonoid glycosides, 3 triterpenes, 3 phenolic acids, 1 alkaloid, and 6 other compounds. Twenty-one components were detected in blood(15 methoxyflavones, 4 flavonoid glycosides, and 2 phenolic acids), with 17 shared between raw and vinegar-processed CRPV. Seven components reached hippocampal tissues(all common to both forms). In regulating emotional disorders, Vinegar-processed CRPV exhibited superior antidepressant-like effects compared to raw products. HE staining revealed that both treatments improved hippocampal neuronal morphology, particularly in the damaged CA1 and CA3 regions. Immunofluorescence and ELISA analyses demonstrated that both raw and vinegar-processed CRPV significantly modulated NeuN and PPARα expressions in hippocampal tissue while alleviating oxidative stress induced by excessive ROS(P<0.05). ConclusionThe chemical composition of CRPV undergoes changes after vinegar processing, but the migrating components in blood and hippocampus are primarily methoxyflavonoids. These components may serve as the potential material basis for activating the PPARα pathway, thereby negatively regulating ROS generation in the hippocampus, reducing oxidative stress, and promoting the development of NeuN-positive neurons. These findings provide experimental evidence for enhancing quality standards, pharmacodynamic material research, and active drug development of raw and vinegar-processed CRPV.
2.Changing trend of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among young people aged 20—44 years in East Asian countries in 1990—2023
Fei SU ; Chunzhi SU ; Xianxin MENG ; Jingyao LI ; Xiaodi ZHU ; Jinli ZHANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(5):1048-1055
ObjectiveTo investigate the disease burden of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among young people in East Asian countries (including China, North Korea, Japan, Mongolia, and South Korea) in 1990—2023, and to provide a basis for formulating and adjusting the prevention and treatment strategies for NAFLD. MethodsRelated disease burden data of NAFLD among the young people in these five East Asian countries were collected from the Global Burden of Disease 2023 (GBD 2023) database, including incidence rate, prevalence rate, and disability-adjusted life years (DALY), and the young people were divided into groups based on country, sex, and age. Estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was used to comprehensively evaluate the changing trend of the disease burden of NAFLD among young people from 1990 to 2023, and the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average model was used to predict the disease burden of NAFLD among the young people in China. ResultsIn 2023, the standardized incidence rates of NAFLD among the young people in China, North Korea, Japan, Mongolia, and South Korea were 926.57/100 000, 805.83/100 000, 412.66/100 000, 747.66/100 000, and 534.08/100 000, respectively; the standardized prevalence rates of NAFLD among the young people in China, North Korea, Japan, Mongolia, and South Korea were 16 817.94/100 000, 14 500.98/100 000, 8 534.40/100 000, 13 705.28/100 000, and 11 587.93/100 000, respectively; the standardized DALY rates of NAFLD among the young people in China, North Korea, Japan, Mongolia, and South Korea were 6.34/100 000, 10.18/100 000, 5.23/100 000, 47.93/100 000, and 6.76/100 000, respectively. From 1990 to 2023, there was a tendency of increase in the standardized incidence rate of NAFLD among the young people in China, North Korea, Japan, Mongolia, and South Korea, with an EAPC of 0.87%, 0.52%, 0.26%, 0.48%, and 0.87%, respectively; there was also a tendency of increase in the standardized prevalence rate of NAFLD among the young people in China, North Korea, Japan, Mongolia, and South Korea, with an EAPC of 0.99%, 0.49%, 0.24%, 0.59%, and 0.93%, respectively; conversely, there was a tendency of reduction in the standardized DALY rate of NAFLD among the young people in China, Japan, Mongolia, and South Korea, with an EAPC of -2.21%, -2.01%, -0.37%, and -4.62%, respectively, while the standardized DALY rate of NAFLD among the young people in North Korea remained relatively stable, with an EAPC of -0.01%. The subgroup analysis based on sex showed that there was a significant difference in the disease burden of NAFLD between the young people with different sexes in the five East Asian countries, and the subgroup analysis based on age showed that the incidence rate of NAFLD in young people decreased with the increase in age, while the prevalence rate and DALY rate of NAFLD increased with age. In addition, the standardized incidence rate and standardized prevalence rate of NAFLD among Chinese young people would further increase in the future, while there would be a reduction in standardized DALY rate in the future. ConclusionThere is a significant difference in the disease burden of NAFLD in young people across different countries, sexes, and age groups. In the future, targeted prevention and treatment measures should be developed based on the distribution characteristics of the disease burden of NAFLD, in order to effectively reduce the disease burden of NAFLD among young people.
3.Research progress on the mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine in improving premature ovarian insufficiency
Yinxiang SUN ; Guijian TAN ; Wenlong YU ; Bingxue SU ; Jiangming CHEN ; Yongjun CAO ; Yizhun ZHU
China Pharmacy 2026;37(12):1641-1647
Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a reproductive endocrine disorder that severely affects female reproductive health. However, there remains a lack of clinically effective and safe therapeutic options to restore ovarian function. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), with its advantages of multi-component and multi-target holistic regulation, has shown unique potential in the prevention and treatment of POI. Among TCM monomers, curcumin, resveratrol, and icariin exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-ovarian granulosa cell apoptosis effects by regulating signaling pathways such as nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B, and mitogen-activated protein kinase. Single TCM herbs, including American ginseng, Cuscutae Semen, and Cistanches Herba, can regulate sex hormone levels, and alleviate ovarian oxidative stress and immune damage. TCM compound formulas such as Yijing decoction, Siwu decoction, Zuogui pill, and Kuntai capsule modulate multiple signaling pathways, including vascular endothelial growth factor/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin, and silence information regulator 1/p53, thereby promoting angiogenesis, inhibiting mitochondrial apoptosis, and regulating autophagy and ferroptosis, which ultimately delay follicular atresia and improve ovarian reserve function. Further studies are suggested to apply artificial intelligence to deeply explore the underlying mechanisms and carry out high-quality clinical trials, so as to promote the standardized application of TCM in the prevention and treatment of POI.
4.From mechanism to clinical practice: advances and challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic graft-versus-host disease
Organ Transplantation 2026;17(4):680-687
Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is the most common late complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, with an incidence rate of 30% to 70%. It significantly affects the long-term survival of patients. The clinical manifestations of this disease are highly heterogeneous and can involve multiple organs such as the skin, mouth, eyes, lungs and liver. Its core mechanism involves chronic inflammation, disruption of immune tolerance and dysregulation of T and B cells, ultimately leading to tissue fibrosis. In recent years, with the deepening of research on the pathogenesis, the treatment of cGVHD has evolved from traditional glucocorticoids to targeted drugs targeting key signaling pathways such as JAK, ROCK2 and BTK, biological agents that deplete pathogenic immune cells, and cell therapies for reestablishing immune tolerance, forming a diversified and precise treatment landscape. This article reviews the progress in the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnostic assessment and treatment strategies of cGVHD. Current evidence suggests that combined and sequential treatment targeting fibrosis and immune tolerance is a key direction for breaking through the current treatment bottleneck of cGVHD.
5.Disease burden and changing trends of bladder cancer in China and globally in 1992 - 2021
Zhengnan LI ; Zhuang LI ; Yuanyuan LUO ; Bo YU ; Hao SU ; GuangYong CAO ; Kai YIN ; Dongbo YUAN ; Jianguo ZHU
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2026;37(3):8-13
Objective To analyze the disease burden and trends of bladder cancer in China and globally from 1992 to 2021. Methods Using the GBD 2021 database, the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) rates of bladder cancer in China and globally from 1992–2021 were analyzed. Average annual percentage change (AAPC) was calculated using Joinpoint regression. Subgroup analyses by sex and age were conducted, and a Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) model was used to predict trends in age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) for the next 15 years. Results In 2021, China reported 106 000 new cases (ASIR: 5.14/100 000), 571 000 prevalent cases (age-standardized prevalence rate, ASPR: 26.61/100 000), 43 000 deaths (ASMR: 2.34/100 000), and a DALY rate of 45.31/100 000. From 1992–2021, China showed upward trends in ASIR and ASPR but declines in ASMR and DALYs, while global ASIR, ASMR, and DALYs decreased overall with slow ASPR growth. The peak cases in China and globally were both concentrated in the 65-79 age group, with a significantly higher burden on males than females. In China, smoking-related ASMR and ASDR exceeded global averages and rose, whereas high glucose-related indexes were lower and declined. Projections for 2021–2036 indicated that the global incidence and mortality rates would be rising, but ASIR/ASPR would be declining, while in China, the incidence rate would continue to rise, and the mortality rate will stabilize, with a significant increase in ASIR and a gradual decrease in ASPR. Conclusion From 1992 to 2021, the incidence of bladder cancer in China has shown a continuous upward trend and is projected to persist in the future, with significant gender and age differences. Particular attention should be given to elderly males aged 85-89. The disease burden of bladder cancer attributable to smoking continues to rise, highlighting the urgent need to strengthen tobacco control policies.
6.Progress and prospect of modern research methods for safety analysis of animal traditional Chinese medicine
YANG Yichun ; ZHU Zeren ; HAN Xu ; ZHANG Yu ; SU Qi
Drug Standards of China 2026;27(1):0021-0027
Exogenous harmful residues and endogenous toxic components are the main contents of safety analysis for animal traditional Chinese medicine. This review summarizes the inspection methods for exogenous harmful residues, as well as the research methods for the toxic effects and mechanisms of endogenous toxic components. The strategies for enhancing efficacy and reducing toxicity of toxic animal drugs and quality control, and prospects the development trend of safety analysis for animal drugs were also discussed. In the detection of exogenous harmful residues in animal drugs, traditional methods such as atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry are widely used, and new methods such as high-resolution mass spectrometry and biochemical analysis are continuously developing. In the study of endogenous toxic components, the toxic components and mechanisms of some animal drugs including cantharidin and toad venom have been revealed through chemical composition analysis, toxicity tests and multiomics technologies, and some strategies for enhancing efficacy and reducing toxicity have been proposed based on this. In the future, it is necessary to strengthen multidisciplinary integration to innovate detection technologies, clarify toxic mechanisms to achieve efficacy enhancement and toxicity reduction, and improve the biosafety research system, so as to enhance the quality and safety of traditional Chinese medicine animal drugs and promote the internationalization process of traditional Chinese medicine.
7.Fluid Suppression Techniques Combined With Amide Proton Transfer-Weighted Imaging for the Evaluation of Adult-Type Diffuse Gliomas
Hongquan ZHU ; Yuanhao LI ; Yujie DING ; Yufei LIU ; Nanxi SHEN ; Yan XIE ; Su YAN ; Dong LIU ; Xiaoxiao ZHANG ; Li LI ; Wenzhen ZHU
Korean Journal of Radiology 2026;27(3):252-263
Objective:
To evaluate the diagnostic potential of fluid suppression (FS) techniques combined with amide proton transferweighted imaging (APTw) for assessment of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation status, glioma subtypes, and tumor proliferation.
Materials and Methods:
This retrospective study included 117 patients with adult-type diffuse gliomas. Conventional APTw, FSAPTw, and spillover-corrected FS-APTw (SCFS-APTw) metrics were calculated from 3T MRI data in tumor parenchyma, necrotic or cystic regions, and contralateral normal-appearing white matter. APTw signals were compared across the three techniques within each region, between IDH-mutant and IDH-wildtype gliomas, and among astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, and glioblastoma subtypes. Diagnostic performance for distinguishing IDH mutation status and glioma subtypes was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Correlations between APTw metrics and Ki-67 expression were also analyzed.
Results:
Both FS-APTw and SCFS-APTw significantly reduced signal intensity in tumor parenchyma and necrotic or cystic regions, with SCFS-APTw demonstrating a stronger suppression effect. IDH-wildtype gliomas showed significantly higher APTw metrics than IDH-mutant gliomas (all P < 0.001). Glioblastomas exhibited significantly higher metrics than oligodendrogliomas (all corrected P ≤ 0.015) and astrocytomas (all corrected P < 0.001). SCFS-APTw achieved the highest area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.846 for identification of IDH mutation status. For differentiation between astrocytomas and glioblastomas, the 90th percentile of APTw yielded the highest AUC (0.860), followed by SCFS-APTw (0.849). For discrimination between oligodendrogliomas and glioblastomas, the highest AUC (0.832) was obtained using the 90th percentile of SCFS-APTw. None of these metrics successfully differentiated oligodendrogliomas from astrocytomas. SCFS-APTw demonstrated the strongest correlation with Ki-67 expression (r = 0.451).
Conclusion
FS techniques effectively reduce elevated APTw signals originating from fluid compartments. Their combination with APTw imaging enables evaluation of IDH mutation status, glioma subtypes, and tumor proliferative activity in adulttype diffuse gliomas.
8.Effect and mechanism of Tangzhi formula in improving glucose and lipid metabolism in type 2 diabetic rats
Jing CHEN ; Min BAI ; Fubin SHANG ; Runsheng YU ; Yan SU ; Jianfeng WANG ; Xiangdong ZHU
China Pharmacy 2026;37(16):2112-2118
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect and mechanism of Tangzhi formula(TZF) on improving glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rats.METHODS Thirty SPF-grade SD rats were used to establish a T2DM rat model through high-fat diet feeding combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. After successful modeling, the rats were divided into the model group, metformin group (positive control, 0.18 g/kg), and TZF low-, medium-, and high-dose groups (5, 10, and 20 g/kg), with 6 rats in each group. An additional 6 rats were selected as the blank group. The rats in each group were orally administered the corresponding volume of drug solution or saline, and continuous dosing was performed for 6 weeks, once daily. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), area under the curve of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT-AUC), area under the curve of intraperitoneal insulin tolerance test (IPITT-AUC), serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were measured. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and oil red O staining were used to observe hepatic pathological morphology and lipid deposition. Differentially expressed proteins in liver tissues were screened by proteomics analysis, and key proteins in signaling pathways were verified by Western blot and immunofluorescence staining.RESULTS Compared with the blank group, the levels of FBG, OGTT-AUC, IPITT-AUC, LDL-C, TG, and TC in the model group were significantly increased ( P <0.05), while HDL-C level was significantly decreased ( P <0.05); the liver tissues showed disordered hepatic cords, punctate necrosis of hepatocytes, and significant lipid deposition, the NAFLD activity score and positive area of lipid droplets were significantly increased( P <0.05). Compared with the model group, the above indicators in TZF low-, medium-, and high-dose groups and metformin group were significantly reversed ( P <0.05); hepatic pathological injury and lipid deposition were alleviated. Proteomics results showed that a total of 442 differentially expressed proteins were screened between the model group and the blank group, and 358 differentially expressed proteins were screened between the TZF high-dose group and the model group. Among these differentially expressed proteins, multiple proteins closely related to glucose and lipid metabolism showed a reversal trend after TZF intervention. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis showed that the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway was significantly enriched. The validation experiment results showed that TZF could significantly up-regulate the expression of PPARα, PPARγ, and apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) in rat liver tissues ( P <0.05), and down-regulate the expression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) and perilipin 2 (PLIN2) ( P <0.05).CONCLUSIONS TZF can improve glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in T2DM rats; its mechanism may be related to the activation of the PPAR signaling pathway and the regulation of downstream lipid metabolism-related proteins SCD1, PLIN2, and ApoA1.
9.Association between near work duration under different illuminance levels and screening myopia among third and fourth grade primary school students in Jiading District of Shanghai
CHANG Yuchen, MAIHELIYAKEZI Tuersunniyazi, ZHU Yanhong, LIU Su, LIU Xinxin, SHI Huijing
Chinese Journal of School Health 2026;47(8):1086-1090
Objective:
To analyze near work illuminance patterns on school days and weekends among third and fourth grade primary school students by using objectively monitored data, and to examine the associations of the duration of near work under different illuminance levels and time weighted average near work illuminance with screening myopia.
Methods:
From April to June 2024, students from grades 3 and 4 in two primary schools in Jiading District, Shanghai were selected as study subjects by using stratified random cluster sampling method. Continuous objective monitoring of near work behavior was conducted for 7 days while information from uncorrected visual acuity and refractive assessment was collected, and an online questionnaire survey was administered to their parents. Valid samples comprised 372 students on school days and 292 on weekends. Welch s t test was used to compare differences in the duration of near work under different illuminance levels between the screening myopia and non-myopia groups. Multivariable binary Logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the association between the duration of near work under different illuminance levels and screening myopia. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) model was used to explore the nonlinear association between time weighted average near work illuminance with 60 cm and screening myopia, and the critical thresholds identified by the RCS model were used to categorize illuminance levels for subsequent Logistic regression analyses.
Results:
Objective monitoring of near work behavior showed that the duration of near work in the low illuminance range of [0,125)lx was significantly longer on weekends[(4.12±2.21)h] than on school days [(2.42±1.22)h]. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that only on school days, each additional hour of near work duration in the [0,125)lx ( OR =1.56, 95% CI =1.23-1.98) and ≥1 000 lx range ( OR =5.92, 95% CI =1.48-23.73) were significantly associated with higher odds of screening myopia(both P < 0.05). RCS plot showed that on school days, time weighted average near work illuminance with 60 cm had a non-linear association with screening myopia ( P non-linear <0.05). On weekends, no significant association was found between near work illuminance indicators and screening myopia (all P >0.05).
Conclusions
Primary school students engage in near work for considerable durations in insufficient lighting environments on both school days and weekends. Increased duration of near work in overly dim or bright environments on school days may increase the risk of screening myopia.
10.New perspectives in the research of cell therapy in chronic graft-versus-host disease
Organ Transplantation 2026;17(5):852-858
Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a major challenge affecting the long-term survival of patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, especially for those who are resistant to glucocorticoid. In recent years, cell therapy, as an "active drug", has brought breakthroughs in the treatment of cGVHD by actively regulating immunity rather than using traditional broad-spectrum immunosuppression. Mesenchymal stem cells have shown potential in reducing the incidence of cGVHD and treating refractory patients, but their efficacy is affected by the cell source and heterogeneity; regulatory T cell (Treg) has performed outstandingly in restoring immune tolerance and are gradually evolving towards antigen-specific and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-Treg in a precise direction; in addition, CAR-T cell therapies targeting pathogenic B cell, plasma cell, or fibroblast, as well as novel strategies such as regulatory B cell and myeloid-derived suppressor cell, have further expanded the treatment options. Despite challenges such as product standardization, efficacy prediction and cost, in the future, through the integration of combination therapy, universal products and genetic engineering technologies, cell therapy is expected to drive cGVHD towards an individualized and precise treatment era.


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