1.Controllability Analysis of Structural Brain Networks in Young Smokers
Jing-Jing DING ; Fang DONG ; Hong-De WANG ; Kai YUAN ; Yong-Xin CHENG ; Juan WANG ; Yu-Xin MA ; Ting XUE ; Da-Hua YU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):182-193
ObjectiveThe controllability changes of structural brain network were explored based on the control and brain network theory in young smokers, this may reveal that the controllability indicators can serve as a powerful factor to predict the sleep status in young smokers. MethodsFifty young smokers and 51 healthy controls from Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology were enrolled. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to construct structural brain network based on fractional anisotropy (FA) weight matrix. According to the control and brain network theory, the average controllability and the modal controllability were calculated. Two-sample t-test was used to compare the differences between the groups and Pearson correlation analysis to examine the correlation between significant average controllability and modal controllability with Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND) in young smokers. The nodes with the controllability score in the top 10% were selected as the super-controllers. Finally, we used BP neural network to predict the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in young smokers. ResultsThe average controllability of dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, supplementary motor area, lenticular nucleus putamen, and lenticular nucleus pallidum, and the modal controllability of orbital inferior frontal gyrus, supplementary motor area, gyrus rectus, and posterior cingulate gyrus in the young smokers’ group, were all significantly different from those of the healthy controls group (P<0.05). The average controllability of the right supplementary motor area (SMA.R) in the young smokers group was positively correlated with FTND (r=0.393 0, P=0.004 8), while modal controllability was negatively correlated with FTND (r=-0.330 1, P=0.019 2). ConclusionThe controllability of structural brain network in young smokers is abnormal. which may serve as an indicator to predict sleep condition. It may provide the imaging evidence for evaluating the cognitive function impairment in young smokers.
2.Analysis of the nonlinear relationship between hypothermic machine perfusion parameters and delayed graft function and construction of an optimized predictive model based on sampling algorithms
Boqing DONG ; Chongfeng WANG ; Yuting ZHAO ; Huanjing BI ; Ying WANG ; Jingwen WANG ; Zuhan CHEN ; Ruiyang MA ; Wujun XUE ; Yang LI ; Xiaoming DING
Organ Transplantation 2025;16(4):582-590
Objective To analyze the nonlinear relationship between hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) parameters and delayed graft function (DGF) and optimize the construction of a predictive model for DGF. Methods The data of 923 recipients who underwent kidney transplantation from deceased donors were retrospectively analyzed. According to the occurrence of DGF, the recipients were divided into DGF group (n=823) and non-DGF group (n=100). Donor data, HMP parameters and recipient data were analyzed for both groups. The nonlinear relationship between HMP parameters and the occurrence of DGF was explored based on restricted cubic splines (RCS). Over-sampling, under-sampling and balanced sampling were used to address the imbalance in the proportion of DGF to construct logistic regression predictive models. The area under the curve (AUC) of each model was compared in the validation set, and a nomogram model was constructed. Results Donor BMI, cold ischemia time of the donor kidney, and HMP parameters (initial and final pressures, resistance, and perfusion time) were significantly different between the DGF and non-DGF groups (all P<0.05). The RCS analysis revealed a threshold-like nonlinear relationship between HMP parameters and the risk of DGF. Among the models constructed using different sampling methods, the balanced sampling model had the highest AUC. Using this model, a nomogram was constructed to stratify recipients based on risk scores. Recipients in the high-risk group had higher serum creatinine levels at 1, 6, and 12 months after kidney transplantation compared to those in the low-risk group (all P<0.05). Conclusions There is a nonlinear relationship between HMP parameters and the risk of DGF, and the threshold is helpful for organ quality assessment and monitoring of graft function after transplantation. The predictive model for DGF constructed on the base of balanced sampling algorithms helps perioperative decision-making and postoperative graft function monitoring of kidney transplantation.
3.Adolescent Smoking Addiction Diagnosis Based on TI-GNN
Xu-Wen WANG ; Da-Hua YU ; Ting XUE ; Xiao-Jiao LI ; Zhen-Zhen MAI ; Fang DONG ; Yu-Xin MA ; Juan WANG ; Kai YUAN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(9):2393-2405
ObjectiveTobacco-related diseases remain one of the leading preventable public health challenges worldwide and are among the primary causes of premature death. In recent years, accumulating evidence has supported the classification of nicotine addiction as a chronic brain disease, profoundly affecting both brain structure and function. Despite the urgency, effective diagnostic methods for smoking addiction remain lacking, posing significant challenges for early intervention and treatment. To address this issue and gain deeper insights into the neural mechanisms underlying nicotine dependence, this study proposes a novel graph neural network framework, termed TI-GNN. This model leverages functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data to identify complex and subtle abnormalities in brain connectivity patterns associated with smoking addiction. MethodsThe study utilizes fMRI data to construct functional connectivity matrices that represent interaction patterns among brain regions. These matrices are interpreted as graphs, where brain regions are nodes and the strength of functional connectivity between them serves as edges. The proposed TI-GNN model integrates a Transformer module to effectively capture global interactions across the entire brain network, enabling a comprehensive understanding of high-level connectivity patterns. Additionally, a spatial attention mechanism is employed to selectively focus on informative inter-regional connections while filtering out irrelevant or noisy features. This design enhances the model’s ability to learn meaningful neural representations crucial for classification tasks. A key innovation of TI-GNN lies in its built-in causal interpretation module, which aims to infer directional and potentially causal relationships among brain regions. This not only improves predictive performance but also enhances model interpretability—an essential attribute for clinical applications. The identification of causal links provides valuable insights into the neuropathological basis of addiction and contributes to the development of biologically plausible and trustworthy diagnostic tools. ResultsExperimental results demonstrate that the TI-GNN model achieves superior classification performance on the smoking addiction dataset, outperforming several state-of-the-art baseline models. Specifically, TI-GNN attains an accuracy of 0.91, an F1-score of 0.91, and a Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) of 0.83, indicating strong robustness and reliability. Beyond performance metrics, TI-GNN identifies critical abnormal connectivity patterns in several brain regions implicated in addiction. Notably, it highlights dysregulations in the amygdala and the anterior cingulate cortex, consistent with prior clinical and neuroimaging findings. These regions are well known for their roles in emotional regulation, reward processing, and impulse control—functions that are frequently disrupted in nicotine dependence. ConclusionThe TI-GNN framework offers a powerful and interpretable tool for the objective diagnosis of smoking addiction. By integrating advanced graph learning techniques with causal inference capabilities, the model not only achieves high diagnostic accuracy but also elucidates the neurobiological underpinnings of addiction. The identification of specific abnormal brain networks and their causal interactions deepens our understanding of addiction pathophysiology and lays the groundwork for developing targeted intervention strategies and personalized treatment approaches in the future.
4.Regulatory effect of physiological tensile stress on differentiation of ATDC5 chondrocytes through Nell-1/Ihh signaling pathway
Ziwei DONG ; Huichuan QI ; Jun MA ; Qing XUE ; Jinhan NIE ; Hang YU ; Min HU
Journal of Jilin University(Medicine Edition) 2024;50(1):1-9
Objective:To discuss the regulatory effect of physiological tensile stress on the differentiation of chondrocytes,and to clarify the associated signaling pathway mechanism.Methods:The ATDC5 chondrocytes were cultured in vitro and subjected to physiological tensile stress by four-point bending cell mechanical loading device.Initially,the cells were divided into control group and tensile stress group(2 000 μstrain/2 h group),and further divided into different stress magnitudes(1 000,2 000,and 3 000 μstrain)for 2 h,and 2 000 μstrain for different duration time(1,2,and 4 h)groups;the cells without tensile stress were used as control group.Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)method was used to detect the expression levels of type Ⅱ collagen(Col-Ⅱ),type Ⅹ collagen(Col-Ⅹ),aggregated proteoglycom(Aggrecan),sex-determining region Y-box protein 9(SOX9),vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA),Nel-like molecule tyep 1(Nell-1),Runt-related transcription factor 2(Runx2),Indian hedgehog(Ihh),patched homolog 1(Ptch-1),GLI family zinc finger protein 1(Gli-1),and hedgehog interacting protein 1(Hhip-1)mRNA in the cells in various groups;Western blotting method was used to detect the expression levels of Nell-1,Runx2,and Ihh proteins in the cells in various groups.The ATDC5 cells were divided into control group,cyclopamine group,tensile stress group,and cyclopamine + tensile stress group.RT-qPCR method was used to detect the expression levels of Nell-1,Ihh,Ptch-1,Gli-1,and Hhip-1 mRNA in the cells in various groups;Western blotting method was used to detect the expression levels of Nell-1 and Ihh proteins in the cells in various groups.Results:Compared with control group,the expression levels of Col-Ⅱ,Col-Ⅹ,Aggrecan,SOX9,VEGF,and PCNA mRNA in the cells in 2 000 μstrain/2 h group were significantly increased(P<0.01);after treated with 2 000 μstrain tensile stress for different duration time(1,2,and 4 h)or different tensile stresses(1 000,2 000,and 3 000 μstrain)for 2 h,compared with control group,the expression levels of Runx2 mRNA in the cells in other groups were increased with the prolongation of time or the increasing of tensile stress(P<0.01),and the expression levels of Nell-1,Ihh,Ptch-1,Gli-1,and Hhip-1 mRNA were gradually increased(P<0.01),the expression levels reached the peaking at 2 000 μstrain/2 h,and then decreased but remained significantly higher than that in control group(P<0.01).The Western blotting results showed that the expression levels of Nell-1,Runx2,and Ihh proteins in the cells were consistent with the change trend of mRNA expression levels.After pre-treated with cyclopamine,compared with control group,the expression levels of Ihh,Ptch-1,Gli-1,and Hhip-1 mRNA in the cells in cyclopamine group were significantly decreased(P<0.01),and the expression levels of Ihh,Ptch-1,Gli-1,and Hhip-1 mRNA in the cells in tensile stress and cyclopamine+tensile stress groups were significantly increased(P<0.01);compared with cyclopamine group,the expression levels of Nell-1,Ihh,Ptch-1,Gli-1,and Hhip-1 mRNA in the cells in cyclopamine+tensile stress group were significantly increased(P<0.01);compared with tensile stress group,the expression levels of Ihh,Ptch-1,Gli-1,and Hhip-1 mRNA in the cells in cyclopamine + tensile stress group were significantly decreased(P<0.01).Compared with control group,the expression level of Ihh protein in the cells in cyclopamine group was significantly decreased(P<0.01),but there was no significant difference in expression level of Nell-1 protein in the cells between control group and cyclopamine group(P>0.05),while the expression levels of Nell-1 and Ihh proteins in the cells in tensile stress group and cyclopamine + tensile stress group were significantly increased(P<0.01);compared with cyclopamine group,the expression levels of Nell-1 and Ihh proteins in the cells in tensile stress group and cyclopamine + tensile stress group were significantly increased(P<0.01);compared with tensile stress group,in the expression levels of Nell-1 and Ihh proteins in the cells in cyclopamine + tensile stress group had no significant differences(P>0.05).Conclusion:After stimulated with physiological tensile stress,Nell-1 can activate the Ihh signaling pathway upstream,and regulate the differentiation of the ATDC5 chondrocytes.
5.Discussion on the Evolution of the Traditional Preparation Process of Pinelliae Rhizoma Fermentata
Da-Meng YU ; Hui-Fang LI ; Chun MA ; Guo-Dong HUA ; Qiang LI ; Xue-Yun YU ; Li-Wei LIU
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;41(3):790-797
This article discussed the evolution of the traditional preparation process of Pinelliae Rhizoma Fermentata.The production methods for Pinelliae Rhizoma Fermentata in Song Dynasty include cake-making of Pinelliae Rhizoma together with ginger juice and fermentation after cake-making,and the former method of cake-making was the mainstream.The process technology in Jin and Yuan Dynasties inherited from that in Song Dynasty,and the application of Pinelliae Rhizoma Fermentata had certain limitations.The medical practitioners of Ming Dynasty elucidated the mechanism of processing of Pinelliae Rhizoma Fermentata,and proposed the view of"sliced Pinelliae Rhizoma being potent while fermented Pinelliae Rhizoma being mild".In the Ming Dynasty,LI Shi-Zhen defined the cake-making process and fermentation process for Pinelliae Rhizoma,and HAN Mao's Han Shi Yi Tong(Han's Clear View of Medicine)contained five prescriptions for the processing of Pinelliae Rhizoma Fermentata,which had the epoch-making signficance in the expansion of prescriptions for the processing of Pinelliae Rhizoma Fermentata.In the Qing Dynasty,HAN Fei-Xia's ten methods for making Pinelliae Rhizoma Fermentata were summarized on the basis of the methods recorded in Han Shi Yi Tong,and at that time,the processing of Pinelliae Rhizoma Fermentata and the preparation of Massa Medicata Fermentata interacted with each other.After the founding of the People's Republic of China,the local experience in the preparation of Pinelliae Rhizoma Fermentata was deeply influenced by the methods in the Qing Dynasty,and the local preparation technical standards gradually became the same.Moreover,this article also explored the issues of the importance of"Pinelliae Rhizoma"and"ingredients for fermentation",the pre-treatment of Pinelliae Rhizoma,the distinction between cake-making process and fermentation process for Pinelliae Rhizoma,the amount of flour added as well as the timing of adding,the addition of Massa Medicata Fermentata powder,the role of Alum in Pinelliae Rhizoma Fermentata and so on.
6.Research status of quercetin-mediated MAPK signaling pathway in prevention and treatment of osteoporosis
Ke-Xin YUAN ; Xing-Wen XIE ; Ding-Peng LI ; Yi-Sheng JING ; Wei-Wei HUANG ; Xue-Tao WANG ; Hao-Dong YANG ; Wen YAN ; Yong-Wu MA
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(9):1375-1379
Quercetin can mediate the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)signaling pathways to prevent osteoporosis(OP).This paper comprehensively discusses the interrelationship between MAPK and osteoporosis-related cells based on the latest domestic and international research.Additionally,it elucidates the research progress of quercetin in mediating the MAPK signaling pathway for OP prevention.The aim is to provide an effective foundation for the clinical prevention and treatment of OP and the in-depth development of quercetin.
7.Clinicopathological features and prognosis of non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma in young patients aged 18-40 years
Shiying TANG ; Zixuan XUE ; Jinghan DONG ; Min QIU ; Xiaojun TIAN ; Min LU ; Shudong ZHANG ; Lulin MA
Journal of Modern Urology 2024;29(1):60-64
【Objective】 To summarize the clinicopathological features and prognosis of young patients (18-40 years old) with non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (nccRCC) treated in a single center to provide reference for the diagnosis and treatment of similar patients. 【Methods】 Clinical data of 113 nccRCC patients treated during Jan. 2012 and Aug. 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including 57 males (50.4%) and 56 females (49.6%). The average age of onset was (31.6±5.8) years. Among all patients, 57 had lesions (50.4%) on the left side, and 56 (49.6%) on the right side. Young patients undergoing renal cancer surgery accounted for approximately 12.4% of the total number of renal cancer patients undergoing surgery, and nccRCC accounted for 34.8% of the total number of cases. 【Results】 Minimally invasive surgery (laparoscopic or robot-assisted) was performed in 102 cases (90.3%), and open surgery in 11 cases (9.7%). Fifty-five cases (48.7%) underwent partial nephrectomy and 58 (51.3%) radical nephrectomy. Among them, 11 patients (9.7%) developed tumor thrombi. All surgeries were successful with no serious complications. The pathological types included 32 cases (28.3%) of chromophobe renal cell carcinoma, 25 cases (22.1%) of MiT family translocation renal cell carcinoma, and 20 cases (17.7%) of papillary renal cell carcinoma. The total proportion of the three pathological subtypes reached 68.1%. After 46 (2-115) months of follow-up, 8 cases (7.8%, 8/102) developed tumor metastasis and 2 died. 【Conclusion】 The nccRCC is rare in young patients. The major pathological type is chromophobe, and the major treatment method is minimally invasive surgery. Most pathological types have good long-term prognosis, while patients with tumor thrombi have a high risk of metastasis and poor prognosis.
8.Analysis of the molecular mechanism of pancreatic islet ischemic injury and identification of core transcription factors based on single-cell transcriptomics
Boqing DONG ; Ying WANG ; Chenge WANG ; Huanjing BI ; Jingwen WANG ; Ruiyang MA ; Jin ZHENG ; Wujun XUE ; Xiaoming DING ; Yang LI
Organ Transplantation 2024;15(6):920-927
Objective To explore the molecular mechanisms and cell-cell interactions in the injury process of pancreatic islet transplantation.Methods Single-cell transcriptome data from mouse islets treated with inflammatory factors were used,and data processing was performed using the Seurat package,with integrated data to remove batch effects.Cell subpopulations were annotated based on known markers.Cell-cell interactions in the inflammatory factor-treated group were analyzed using the CellChat package,and inferred based on the expression of cell surface receptors and ligands.Gene set enrichment analysis was used to clarify the biological processes enriched in β-cells after treatment with inflammatory factors.Finally,differentially expressed transcription factors were identified and verified using microarray datasets of donor islet ischemic injury and Western blotting.Results A total of 7 different cell subpopulations were found in mouse islets,with β-cells being the most abundant.Cell-cell interaction network analysis showed that the number and strength of interactions between ductal cells and other cells were the highest.Gene set enrichment analysis showed that after treatment with inflammatory factors,the immune response was positively enriched in β-cells,while peptide hormone metabolism,bile acid metabolism,and ion homeostasis were downregulated.The common differential transcription factors identified in the mouse single-cell transcriptome and the microarray dataset of donor islet ischemic injury were early growth response 1(EGR1),nuclear factor-κB inhibitor α(NFKBIA),and activating transcription factor 3(ATF3).Among them,NFKBIA and ATF3 were upregulated,while EGR1 was downregulated.The expression of EGR1 protein was downregulated after 24 h,48 h,and 72 h of cold ischemia.Conclusions EGR1 is a transcription factor closely related to islet cold ischemia,and future research should focus on the specific mechanisms of EGR1 and its downstream target genes,in order to provide more effective strategies for clinical treatment of islet transplantation.
9.Biomechanical Effects of the Backside Design of UKA Tibial Tray on the Bone-Prosthesis Fixation Interface
Zhangwen MA ; Bing ZHANG ; Min XUE ; Tianqi DONG ; Jing ZHANG ; Zhenxian CHEN
Journal of Medical Biomechanics 2024;39(4):637-643
Objective To investigate the biomechanical effects of the backside design of tibial trays on the bone-prosthesis fixation interfaces in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty(UKA).Methods Finite element models of medial knee arthroplasty were constructed using a fixed UKA prosthesis.The knee joint load and joint motion under walking motion were considered as boundary conditions,and the differences in tibial von Mises stress,contact stress,and micromotion of the bone-prosthesis fixation interface of the UKA tibial trays with big keel,small keel,two-peg with fin,three-oblique peg,and three-upright peg types were compared.Results At the maximum medical knee force moment,compared to the two-peg with fin type,the tibial von Mises stress,contact stress,and micromotion of the bone-prosthesis fixation interface decreased by 8%and 15.9%and increased by 9.9%for the big keel type;decreased by 12.3%and increased by 7.5%and 0.9%for the small keel type;decreased by 10%,10.5%,and increased by 1.2%for the three-oblique peg type;and decreased by 7.7%,14.7%,and 1.6%for the three-upright peg type,respectively.However,the maximum micromotion of the bone-prosthesis fixation interface occurred at 21%of the gait cycle.Compared to the two-peg with fin type,the micromotion of the bone-prosthesis fixation interface increased by 11.6%for the big keel type,increased by 1.6%for the small keel type,decreased by 0.4%for the three-oblique peg type,and decreased by 2.3%for the three-upright peg type.Conclusions To improve the long-term fixation effects of tibial prostheses,it is recommended to focus on a two-upright peg with fin or small keel designs when UKA tibial trays are designed,which can effectively balance the stress transfer and interface micromotion,thereby ensuring prosthesis stability and reducing the risk of aseptic loosening.
10.Clinical features of hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell carcinoma syndrome-associated renal cell carcinoma: a multi-center real-world retrospective study
Yunze XU ; Wen KONG ; Ming CAO ; Guangxi SUN ; Jinge ZHAO ; Songyang LIU ; Zhiling ZHANG ; Liru HE ; Xiaoqun YANG ; Haizhou ZHANG ; Lieyu XU ; Yanfei YU ; Hang WANG ; Honggang QI ; Tianyuan XU ; Bo YANG ; Yichu YUAN ; Dongning CHEN ; Dengqiang LIN ; Fangjian ZHOU ; Qiang WEI ; Wei XUE ; Xin MA ; Pei DONG ; Hao ZENG ; Jin ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Urology 2024;45(3):161-167
Objective:To investigate the clinical features and therapeutic efficacy of patients with hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell carcinoma(RCC) syndrome-associated RCC (HLRCC-RCC) in China.Methods:The clinical data of 119 HLRCC-RCC patients with fumarate hydratase (FH) germline mutation confirmed by genetic diagnosis from 15 medical centers nationwide from January 2008 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 73 were male and 46 were female. The median age was 38(13, 74) years. The median tumor diameter was 6.5 (1.0, 20.5) cm. There were 38 cases (31.9%) in stage Ⅰ-Ⅱand 81 cases (68.1%) in stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ. In this group, only 11 of 119 HLRCC-RCC patients presented with skin smooth muscle tumors, and 44 of 46 female HLRCC-RCC patients had a history of uterine fibroids. The pathological characteristics, treatment methods, prognosis and survival of the patients were summarized.Results:A total of 86 patients underwent surgical treatment, including 70 cases of radical nephrectomy, 5 cases of partial nephrectomy, and 11 cases of reductive nephrectomy. The other 33 patients with newly diagnosed metastasis underwent renal puncture biopsy. The results of genetic testing showed that 94 patients had FH gene point mutation, 18 had FH gene insertion/deletion mutation, 4 had FH gene splicing mutation, 2 had FH gene large fragment deletion and 1 had FH gene copy number mutation. Immunohistochemical staining showed strong 2-succinocysteine (2-SC) positive and FH negative in 113 patients. A total of 102 patients received systematic treatment, including 44 newly diagnosed patients with metastasis and 58 patients with postoperative metastasis. Among them, 33 patients were treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) combined with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI), 8 patients were treated with bevacizumab combined with erlotinib, and 61 patients were treated with TKI monotherapy. Survival analysis showed that the median progression-free survival (PFS) of TKI combined with ICI was 18 (5, 38) months, and the median overall survival (OS) was not reached. The median PFS and OS were 12 (5, 14) months and 30 (10, 32) months in the bevacizumab combined with erlotinib treatment group, respectively. The median PFS and OS were 10 (3, 64) months and 44 (10, 74) months in the TKI monotherapy group, respectively. PFS ( P=0.009) and OS ( P=0.006) in TKI combined with ICI group were better than those in bevacizumab combined with erlotinib group. The median PFS ( P=0.003) and median OS ( P=0.028) in TKI combined with ICI group were better than those in TKI monotherapy group. Conclusions:HLRCC-RCC is rare but has a high degree of malignancy, poor prognosis and familial genetic characteristics. Immunohistochemical staining with strong positive 2-SC and negative FH can provide an important basis for clinical diagnosis. Genetic detection of FH gene germ line mutation can confirm the diagnosis. The preliminary study results confirmed that TKI combined with ICI had a good clinical effect, but it needs to be confirmed by the results of a large sample multi-center randomized controlled clinical study.

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