1.Pathogenesis and Syndrome Differentiation Treatment of Heart Failure Based on "Spleen-mitochondria" and Theory of "Dampness, Turbidity, Phlegm, and Fluid-related Diseases"
Rui ZHANG ; Fuyun JIA ; Jingshun YAN ; Xuan LIU ; Yadong WANG ; Yinan MA ; Yan LIU ; Qiang XU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(10):265-274
Guided by Academician Zhang Boli's theory of "dampness, turbidity, phlegm, and fluid-related diseases",this paper elaborated on the pathogenesis and syndrome differentiation treatment of heart failure from the perspective of the "spleen-mitochondria". It analyzed the essential similarities between "spleen-mitochondria" and "dampness, turbidity, phlegm, and fluid-related diseases", as well as their close association with the onset of heart failure. Furthermore,it explored the connection between spleen function and mitochondrial function in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM),positing that the spleen's role in transportation and transformation is analogous to mitochondrial material metabolism and energy conversion,with spleen deficiency closely related to mitochondrial dysfunction. It thus concluded that mitochondrial material metabolism and energy conversion represent the microscopic essence of the spleen's role in transportation and transformation,and mitochondrial dysfunction is a contributing factor to pathological products like dampness and turbid phlegm,which are closely associated with the occurrence of heart failure. The four elements of dampness,turbidity,phlegm,and fluid are a series of related symptoms resulting from abnormal fluid transportation and transformation,serving as both factors in the onset of heart failure and the core pathological basis for its deterioration. Therefore,during the treatment of heart failure,it is essential to regulate mitochondrial function. Early intervention should focus on eliminating dampness and turbidity to improve mitochondrial function and restore normal energy metabolism. In the middle and late stages,emphasis should be placed on resolving phlegm,promoting blood circulation,warming Yang,and reducing water retention to alleviate mitochondrial damage and improve cardiac function. Supporting Qi and strengthening the spleen should be a continuous approach,and treatment should be adjusted to enhance mitochondrial function and stabilize the condition,thereby improving prognosis. This paper discussed the role of the spleen and mitochondria in the pathogenesis of heart failure,examined the evolution of heart failure mechanisms from the perspective of dampness, turbidity, phlegm, and fluid-related diseases,and proposed a phased treatment strategy. It enriched the theory of dampness, turbidity, phlegm, and fluid-related diseases and offered new strategies for heart failure treatment. However,in practical application,TCM strategies for treating heart failure need to be integrated with modern medical approaches to provide a more solid scientific foundation for treatment.
2.Role of 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 receptors in the regulation of anxiety reactions
DU YINAN ; LI ZHIWEI ; ZHAO YUKUI ; HAN JING ; HU WEIPING ; LIU ZHIQIANG
Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B 2024;25(1):23-37
5-Hydroxytryptamine(5-HT)type 3 receptor(5-HT3R)is the only type of ligand-gated ion channel in the 5-HT receptor family.Through the high permeability of Na+,K+,and Ca2+ and activation of subsequent voltage-gated calcium channels(VGCCs),5-HT3R induces a rapid increase of neuronal excitability or the release of neurotransmitters from axon terminals in the central nervous system(CNS).5-HT3Rs are widely expressed in the medial prefrontal cortex(mPFC),amygdala(AMYG),hippocampus(HIP),periaqueductal gray(PAG),and other brain regions closely associated with anxiety reactions.They have a bidirectional regulatory effect on anxiety reactions by acting on different types of cells in different brain regions.5-HT3Rs mediate the activation of the cholecystokinin(CCK)system in the AMYG,and the γ-aminobutyric acid(GABA)"disinhibition"mechanism in the prelimbic area of the mPFC promotes anxiety by the activation of GABAergic intermediate inhibitory neurons(IINs).In contrast,a 5-HT3R-induced GABA"disinhibition"mechanism in the infralimbic area of the mPFC and the ventral HIP produces anxiolytic effects.5-HT2R-mediated regulation of anxiety reactions are also activated by 5-HT3R-activated 5-HT release in the HIP and PAG.This provides a theoretical basis for the treatment of anxiety disorders or the production of anxiolytic drugs by targeting 5-HT3Rs.However,given the circuit specific modulation of 5-HT3Rs on emotion,systemic use of 5-HT3R agonism or antagonism alone seems unlikely to remedy anxiety,which deeply hinders the current clinical application of 5-HT3R drugs.Therefore,the exploitation of circuit targeting methods or a combined drug strategy might be a useful developmental approach in the future.
3.Analysis of clinical characteristics of autoimmune encephalitis: a multicenter retrospective study
Jun PENG ; Ping ZHANG ; Lin CHEN ; Wan FU ; Yinan LIU ; Heng WU
Journal of Chinese Physician 2024;26(7):980-984
Objective:To retrospectively analyze and study the clinical characteristics, imaging manifestations, laboratory tests, electroencephalography (EEG) results, immunotherapy efficacy, and prognosis of 48 patients with autoimmune encephalitis (AE) in the Hengyang area.Methods:Clinical data of 48 AE patients admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital, the Second Affiliated Hospital, and the Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, University of South China from January 2020 to April 2024 were collected. Retrospective analysis was conducted on age, gender, prodromal symptoms, initial symptoms, main clinical manifestations, cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalogram, cerebrospinal fluid routine biochemistry, serum and cerebrospinal fluid antibody detection results, and immunotherapy efficacy.Results:Among the 48 patients, there were 24 males and 24 females, with a median age of onset of 50 years. In terms of clinical manifestations, abnormal mental behavior is the most common initial symptom, accounting for 37.5%(18/48); The next was epileptic seizures, accounting for 35.4%(17/48); 16.7%(8/48) of patients experienced cognitive impairment; Rare initial symptoms included movement disorders, blurred vision, and loss of consciousness. In terms of neuroimaging, 47.9%(23/48) of patients had abnormal signals on cranial MRI, including 47.8%(11/23) of abnormal signals in the temporal lobe or hippocampus, 39.1%(9/23) in the frontal and parietal regions, 17.4%(4/23) in the occipital region, 13.0%(3/23) in the basal ganglia, and 8.7%(2/23) in the thalamus. In terms of EEG, 33.3%(16/48) of patients showed varying degrees of EEG abnormalities, manifested as diffuse slow waves, focal slow waves, epileptic like discharges, or increased fast waves. In terms of laboratory testing, 60.4%(29/48) of patients had routine biochemical abnormalities in cerebrospinal fluid, including elevated white blood cell count (>10×10 6 cells/L) in 33.3%(16/48), elevated protein (>0.45 g/L) in 37.5%(18/48), and elevated IgG in 33.3%(16/48). In terms of antibody testing, 27 cases were positive for antibodies, including 17 cases of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antibody, 3 cases of anti-contactin associated protein 2 (CASPR2) antibody, 3 cases of anti-metabotropic glutamate receptors 5 (mGluR5) antibody, 2 cases of anti-dipeptidyl-peptidase-like protein (DPPX) antibody, 1 case of anti-GlyR antibody, and 1 case of anti-GAD65 antibody. In terms of treatment, 33 patients received immunotherapy on the basis of symptomatic treatment, and 13 of them showed improvement in clinical symptoms. Conclusions:The clinical manifestations of AE patients are highly heterogeneous, with typical initial clinical manifestations including mental abnormalities, epileptic seizures, cognitive and motor disorders. Neuroimaging changes are mainly in the temporal lobe or hippocampus, and antibody detection can timely confirm the diagnosis of AE. Early immunotherapy is the key to improving the prognosis of AE.
4.The proposal and exploration of medical education and research standards
Lu WANG ; Bo LIU ; Qianxia LI ; Yinan SUN ; Xianglin YUAN
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2024;23(5):631-635
With the proposal and development of new technologies, new methods, and new education theories, the research on medical education and teaching has been conducted extensively. The theories, methods, and management mode of the research on medical education and teaching are keeping pace with the times and thus promote the rapid improvement in teaching ability, medical talents, and the training level of medical humanities. However, current studies on medical education and teaching focus too much on the innovation of education theories, methods, and management and neglect the aspects such as educational ethics, student awareness, and assessment of potential benefits and risks. In addition, the lack of unified implementation and supervision standards in the whole process management of education research is also a problem that needs to be solved urgently, especially in empirical studies, which brings great challenges to the standardized implementation of education research. By performing an analogy with the clinical trial research system and summarizing education research and educational ethics, this study, for the first time, proposes a set of standardized and systematic medical education and research standards, including the paradigms of classification, staging and different stages. These standards provide a theoretical basis for implementing medical education research, improving the education compliance of target students, fully guaranteeing the benefits of target students, and avoiding the risks in education research, which provides a reference for standardized education research in other disciplines.
5.Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Options of Peripheral Spondyloarthritis
Lulu ZENG ; Xiaojian JI ; Lidong HU ; Jiawen HU ; Yinan ZHANG ; Jiaxin ZHANG ; Xingkang LIU ; Shiwei YANG ; Feng HUANG
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2024;16(1):50-58
To compare the differences in clinical features and treatment choices between peripheral spondyloarthritis(pSpA) and axial spondyloarthritis(axSpA), and better understand the clinical characteristics and medication needs of pSpA. Our study is a retrospective cohort study. The patients who first visited the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital between January 2016 and December 2022 and were diagnosed with axSpA or pSpA according to the classification criteria established by the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society were selected as the study subjects. Demographic data, clinical characteristics, laboratory tests, and treatment information of these patients were obtained through the electronic medical records management system and the intelligent management system for spondyloarthritis. The research compared the distribution of swollen and tender joints between pSpA and axSpA patients, as well as that between pSpA1(excluding patients with psoriatic arthritis) and axSpA patients. Additionally, we analyzed differences in clinical features and treatment options among these groups. A total of 1639 patients were included in the study, of which 184 had pSpA(including 97 with psoriatic arthritis), and 1455 had axSpA. Compared to axSpA patients, pSpA patients had fewer male patients(62.5% pSpA patients tend to have a later onset of disease, a lower proportion of male and HLA-B27 positivity, more associated peripheral arthritis, dactylitis, psoriasis, and a more common family history of psoriasis. The disease burden in terms of treatment for pSpA is not lower than that for axSpA. Due to the presence of more peripheral symptoms, psoriasis, and higher levels of inflammation, they also require more medication.
6.Evaluation of machine learning prediction of altered inflammatory metabolic state after neoadjuvant therapy for breast cancer
Qizhen WU ; Qiming LIU ; Yezi CHAI ; Zhengyu TAO ; Yinan WANG ; Xinning GUO ; Meng JIANG ; Jun PU
Journal of Shanghai Jiaotong University(Medical Science) 2024;44(9):1169-1181
Objective·To develop a machine learning approach for early identification of metabolic syndromes associated with inflammatory metabolic state changes in breast cancer patients after neoadjuvant therapy,using common laboratory and transthoracic echocardiography indices.Methods·Female patients with primary invasive breast cancer diagnosed at the Department of Breast Surgery,Renji Hospital,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine,between September 2020 and September 2022,were included.General patient information,laboratory test results,and transthoracic echocardiography data were collected.After feature extraction,five machine learning algorithms,including random forest(RF),gradient boosting(GB),support vector machine(SVM),K-nearest neighbor(KNN),and decision tree(DT),were applied to construct a prediction model for the changes of the patients' metabolic state after neoadjuvant therapy,and the prediction performances of the five models were compared.Results·A total of 232 cases with valid clinical data were included,comprising 135 cases before neoadjuvant therapy and 97 cases after completing 4 cycles of neoadjuvant therapy.Feature extraction identified five key features:white blood cell count,hemoglobin,high-density lipoprotein(HDL),interleukin-2 receptor,and interleukin-8.In the multi-feature analysis,the area under the receiver operating characferistic curve(AUC)was higher in the combination of white blood cell count,hemoglobin and HDL compared to the combination of interleukin-2 receptor and interleukin-8(RF:0.928 vs 0.772,GB:0.900 vs 0.792,SVM:0.941 vs 0.764,KNN:0.907 vs 0.762,DT:0.799 vs 0.714).The RF,SVM,and GB models showed higher AUC(0.928,0.941,0.900)and accuracy(0.914,0.897,0.776).The SVM model exhibited superior accuracy in the training data compared to the RF and GB models(P=0.394,0.122 and 0.097,respectively).Conclusion·The SVM model can be used to establish a prediction model for identifying breast cancer patients at high risk of developing inflammatory metabolic state-related metabolic syndrome after neoadjuvant therapy by incorporating five common clinical indicators,namely,white blood cell count,hemoglobin,high-density lipoprotein,interleukin-2 receptor,and interleukin-8.SVM modeling may be useful for clinicians to establish individualized screening protocols based on a patient's inflammatory metabolic state.
7.Development of the Nutrition Impact Symptom Scale for Colorectal Cancer Patients and its reliability and validity
Jie CHEN ; Tiantian WANG ; Aifeng MENG ; Yamei BAI ; Yinan ZHANG ; Haitao ZHU ; Lu LIU ; Xiaoxu ZHI
Chinese Journal of Modern Nursing 2024;30(15):1986-1992
Objective:To develop the Nutrition Impact Symptom Scale for Colorectal Cancer Patients.Methods:Guided by the theory of unpleasant symptoms, the initial draft of the scale was formed through literature research, expert consultation, and small sample pre-survey. From March to May 2023, convenience sampling was used to select 127 colorectal cancer patients who visited Jiangsu Cancer Hospital as the research subject for item analysis and reliability and validity testing of the scale.Results:The final scale consisted of five dimensions and a total of 17 items. The content validity index of the scale was from 0.83 to 1.00, with an average content validity index of 0.97. Exploratory factor analysis extracted five common factors, and the cumulative variance contribution rate was 61.622%. The total Cronbach's α coefficient of the scale was 0.708, and the coefficients for each dimension were 0.762, 0.642, 0.625, 0.510, and 0.644, respectively. The half reliability coefficient of the scale was 0.824.Conclusions:The development process of the Nutrition Impact Symptom Scale for Colorectal Cancer Patients is scientific, with good reliability and validity, and can be used to evaluate the nutrition impact symptom of colorectal cancer patients.
8.Fractional order calculus model diffusion weighted imaging for evaluating pathological classification and differentiation degree of cervical cancer
Jinchao ZHANG ; Yinan SUN ; Qing YANG ; Ming CHEN ; Wangyan XU ; Mengxiao LIU ; Juan ZHU ; Fei WANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging Technology 2024;40(11):1730-1734
Objective To explore the value of fractional order calculus(FROC)model diffusion weighted imaging(DWI)for evaluating pathological classification and differentiation degree of cervical cancer(CCA).Methods Totally 74 CCA patients were enrolled and divided into squamous cell carcinoma(SCC)group(n=54)and adenocarcinoma(ACA)group(n=20)based on pathological classification,also low differentiation group(n=33)and medium-high differentiation group(n=41)based on differentiation degree.Conventional MR examination and DWI with 12 b-values were performed,FROC model parameters(D,β,and p value)and the apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)of mono-exponential model were obtained via software analysis.The parameters were compared between groups,and receiver operating characteristic curve of those being significantly different between groups were drawn,the area under the curves(AUC)were calculated to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy.Results Significant differences of ADC,D,and β values were found between SCC group and ACA group(all P<0.05),and D value had the highest AUC(0.726)for distinguishing pathological classification CCA.Meanwhile,significant differences of D,β,p values and ADC were observed between low differentiation group and medium-high differentiation group(all P<0.05),D value also had the highest AUC(0.865).AUC of the combined model constructed based on significant variables β and p values in logistic regression was 0.926,higher than that of each parameter alone(all P<0.05).Conclusion FROC model DWI could be used to evaluate pathological classification and differentiation degree of CCA.
9.Efficacy of Lenvatinib Combined with Anti–PD-1 Antibodies Plus Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Portal Vein Tumor Thrombus: A Retrospective, Multicenter Study
Xiangye OU ; Junyi WU ; Jiayi WU ; Yangkai FU ; Zhenxin ZENG ; Shuqun LI ; Yinan LI ; Deyi LIU ; Han LI ; Bin LI ; Jianyin ZHOU ; Shaowu ZHUANG ; Shuqun CHENG ; Zhibo ZHANG ; Kai WANG ; Shuang QU ; Maolin YAN
Cancer Research and Treatment 2024;56(4):1207-1218
Purpose:
The prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) is extremely poor, and systemic therapy is currently the mainstream treatment. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib combined with anti–programmed cell death-1 antibodies and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (triple therapy) in patients with HCC and PVTT.
Materials and Methods:
This retrospective multicenter study included patients with HCC and PVTT who received triple therapy, were aged between 18 and 75 years, classified as Child-Pugh class A or B, and had at least one measurable lesion. The overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rates, and disease control rates were analyzed to assess efficacy. Treatment-related adverse events were analyzed to assess safety profiles.
Results:
During a median follow-up of 11.23 months (range, 3.07 to 34.37 months), the median OS was greater than 24 months, and median PFS was 12.53 months. The 2-year OS rate was 54.9%. The objective response rate and disease control rate were 69.8% (74/106) and 84.0% (89/106), respectively; 20.8% (22/106) of the patients experienced grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events and no treatment-related deaths occurred. The conversion rate to liver resection was 31.1% (33/106), with manageable postoperative complications. The median OS was not reached in the surgery group, but was 19.08 months in the non-surgery group. The median PFS in the surgery and non-surgery groups were 20.50 and 9.00 months, respectively.
Conclusion
Triple therapy showed promising survival benefits and high response rates in patients with HCC and PVTT, with manageable adverse effects.
10.Effect of Cuscutae Semen on Learning and Memory and N6-methyladenosine Modification in Hippocampus of Offspring of Fear-damaged Pregnant Rats
Tong ZHANG ; Junlin HOU ; Yu JIANG ; Liping YANG ; Zhixin DU ; Yuexuan LIU ; Shenao DING ; Xueming YANG ; Yinan YAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2023;29(2):104-112
ObjectiveTo observe the effects of Cuscutae Semen on the learning and memory ability, N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-related modification enzymes and total m6A level in hippocampus of the offspring of fear-damaged pregnant rats. MethodForty-five pregnant rats were randomly divided into blank group, model group and Cuscutae Semen group. From the 1st day to the 19th day of pregnancy, rats in the model group and the Cuscutae Semen group were induced by observing electric shock of other rats. The Cuscutae Semen group was treated with 5 g·kg-1·d-1 Cuscutae Semen decoction (ig), while the other two groups were treated with the same amount of purified water. The offspring were assigned following the grouping method of their maternal generation. The behavioral changes of the offspring were tested by Morris water maze on 21st day after birth, and the development of hippocampal neurons was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The mRNA and protein expression levels of methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3), METTL14, Wilms tumor 1 associated protein (WTAP), fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) and Alk B homologue 5 (ALKBH5) were detected by Real-time polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR), Western blot and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The total content of m6A in hippocampus was determined by high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). ResultCompared with the conditions in the blank group, the average latency duration in the model group was prolonged, and the number of entries in the target quadrant, the target quadrant duration and the number of crossing the platform were decreased (P<0.01). Additionally, the model group had seriously damaged structure of hippocampal CA1 and CA3 neurons, swollen mitochondria, expanded endoplasmic reticulum, and small number of synapses with some having blurred structure, and the expression levels of METTL3, METTL14, FTO, ALKBH5 as well as the total m6A level were lower than those in the blank group (P<0.05,P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the Cuscutae Semen group had shortened average latency duration, increased number of entries in the target quadrant, target quadrant duration and number of crossing the platform (P<0.01), alleviated damage of hippocampal CA1 and CA3 neurons, fine structure of mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum, and clear, intact and dense synapses. And the expression levels of METTL3, METTL14, FTO as well as the total level of m6A were up regulated, while the expression level of ALKBH5 was down regulated in the Cuscutae Semen group (P<0.05,P<0.01). ConclusionCuscutae Semen improved the learning and memory ability of the offspring of the rats affected by fear damaging kidney during pregnancy, protected hippocampal neurons, and up-regulated the expression levels of METTL3, METTL14, FTO and the total m6A level in hippocampus.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail