1.The Mechanisms of Quercetin in Improving Alzheimer’s Disease
Yu-Meng ZHANG ; Yu-Shan TIAN ; Jie LI ; Wen-Jun MU ; Chang-Feng YIN ; Huan CHEN ; Hong-Wei HOU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(2):334-347
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative condition characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory loss. As the incidence of AD continues to rise annually, researchers have shown keen interest in the active components found in natural plants and their neuroprotective effects against AD. Quercetin, a flavonol widely present in fruits and vegetables, has multiple biological effects including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. Oxidative stress plays a central role in the pathogenesis of AD, and the antioxidant properties of quercetin are essential for its neuroprotective function. Quercetin can modulate multiple signaling pathways related to AD, such as Nrf2-ARE, JNK, p38 MAPK, PON2, PI3K/Akt, and PKC, all of which are closely related to oxidative stress. Furthermore, quercetin is capable of inhibiting the aggregation of β‑amyloid protein (Aβ) and the phosphorylation of tau protein, as well as the activity of β‑secretase 1 and acetylcholinesterase, thus slowing down the progression of the disease.The review also provides insights into the pharmacokinetic properties of quercetin, including its absorption, metabolism, and excretion, as well as its bioavailability challenges and clinical applications. To improve the bioavailability and enhance the targeting of quercetin, the potential of quercetin nanomedicine delivery systems in the treatment of AD is also discussed. In summary, the multifaceted mechanisms of quercetin against AD provide a new perspective for drug development. However, translating these findings into clinical practice requires overcoming current limitations and ongoing research. In this way, its therapeutic potential in the treatment of AD can be fully utilized.
2.Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer
Pei-Yang LI ; Feng-Qi LI ; Xiao-Jun HOU ; Xue-Ren LI ; Xin MU ; Hui-Min LIU ; Shou-Chun PENG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(8):1998-2017
Lung cancer is the most common malignant tumor worldwide, ranking first in both incidence and mortality rates. According to the latest statistics from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), approximately 2.5 million new cases and around 1.8 million deaths from lung cancer occurred in 2022, placing a tremendous burden on global healthcare systems. The high mortality rate of lung cancer is closely linked to its subtle early symptoms, which often lead to diagnosis at advanced stages. This not only complicates treatment but also results in substantial economic losses. Current treatment options for lung cancer include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted drug therapy, and immunotherapy. Among these, immunotherapy has emerged as the most groundbreaking advancement in recent years, owing to its unique antitumor mechanisms and impressive clinical benefits. Unlike traditional therapies such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, immunotherapy activates or enhances the patient’s immune system to recognize and eliminate tumor cells. It offers advantages such as more durable therapeutic effects and relatively fewer toxic side effects. The main approaches to lung cancer immunotherapy include immune checkpoint inhibitors, tumor-specific antigen-targeted therapies, adoptive cell therapies, cancer vaccines, and oncolytic virus therapies. Among these, immune checkpoint inhibitors and tumor-specific antigen-targeted therapies have received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical use in lung cancer, significantly improving outcomes for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Although other immunotherapy strategies are still in clinical trials, they show great potential in improving treatment precision and efficacy. This article systematically reviews the latest research progress in lung cancer immunotherapy, including the development of novel immune checkpoint molecules, optimization of treatment strategies, identification of predictive biomarkers, and findings from recent clinical trials. It also discusses the current challenges in the field and outlines future directions, such as the development of next-generation immunotherapeutic agents, exploration of more effective combination regimens, and the establishment of precise efficacy prediction systems. The aim is to provide a valuable reference for the continued advancement of lung cancer immunotherapy.
3.Diagnostic Techniques and Risk Prediction for Cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) Syndrome
Song HOU ; Lin-Shan ZHANG ; Xiu-Qin HONG ; Chi ZHANG ; Ying LIU ; Cai-Li ZHANG ; Yan ZHU ; Hai-Jun LIN ; Fu ZHANG ; Yu-Xiang YANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(10):2585-2601
Cardiovascular disease (CVD), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and metabolic disorders are the 3 major chronic diseases threatening human health, which are closely related and often coexist, significantly increasing the difficulty of disease management. In response, the American Heart Association (AHA) proposed a novel disease concept of “cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome” in October 2023, which has triggered widespread concern about the co-treatment of heart and kidney diseases and the prevention and treatment of metabolic disorders around the world. This review posits that effectively managing CKM syndrome requires a new and multidimensional paradigm for diagnosis and risk prediction that integrates biological insights, advanced technology and social determinants of health (SDoH). We argue that the core pathological driver is a “metabolic toxic environment”, fueled by adipose tissue dysfunction and characterized by a vicious cycle of systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, which forms a common pathway to multi-organ injury. The at-risk population is defined not only by biological characteristics but also significantly impacted by adverse SDoH, which can elevate the risk of advanced CKM by a factor of 1.18 to 3.50, underscoring the critical need for equity in screening and care strategies. This review systematically charts the progression of diagnostic technologies. In diagnostics, we highlight a crucial shift from single-marker assessments to comprehensive multi-marker panels. The synergistic application of traditional biomarkers like NT-proBNP (reflecting cardiac stress) and UACR (indicating kidney damage) with emerging indicators such as systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and Klotho protein facilitates a holistic evaluation of multi-organ health. Furthermore, this paper explores the pivotal role of non-invasive monitoring technologies in detecting subclinical disease. Techniques like multi-wavelength photoplethysmography (PPG) and impedance cardiography (ICG) provide a real-time window into microcirculatory and hemodynamic status, enabling the identification of early, often asymptomatic, functional abnormalities that precede overt organ failure. In imaging, progress is marked by a move towards precise, quantitative evaluation, exemplified by artificial intelligence-powered quantitative computed tomography (AI-QCT). By integrating AI-QCT with clinical risk factors, the predictive accuracy for cardiovascular events within 6 months significantly improves, with the area under the curve (AUC) increasing from 0.637 to 0.688, demonstrating its potential for reclassifying risk in CKM stage 3. In the domain of risk prediction, we trace the evolution from traditional statistical tools to next-generation models. The new PREVENT equation represents a major advancement by incorporating key kidney function markers (eGFR, UACR), which can enhance the detection rate of CKD in primary care by 20%-30%. However, we contend that the future lies in dynamic, machine learning-based models. Algorithms such as XGBoost have achieved an AUC of 0.82 for predicting 365-day cardiovascular events, while deep learning models like KFDeep have demonstrated exceptional performance in predicting kidney failure risk with an AUC of 0.946. Unlike static calculators, these AI-driven tools can process complex, multimodal data and continuously update risk profiles, paving the way for truly personalized and proactive medicine. In conclusion, this review advocates for a paradigm shift toward a holistic and technologically advanced framework for CKM management. Future efforts must focus on the deep integration of multimodal data, the development of novel AI-driven biomarkers, the implementation of refined SDoH-informed interventions, and the promotion of interdisciplinary collaboration to construct an efficient, equitable, and effective system for CKM screening and intervention.
5. Finite element analysis of cervical intervertebral discs after removing different ranges of uncinate processes
Yang YANG ; Jun SHI ; Kun LI ; Shao-Jie ZHANG ; Er-Fei HOU ; Jie CHEN ; Xing WANG ; Zhi-Jun LI ; Kun LI ; Yuan MA ; Shao-Jie ZHANG ; Zhi-Jun LI ; Chao-Qun WANG
Acta Anatomica Sinica 2024;55(1):88-97
Objective To study the stress change characteristics of the cervical disc after removing different ranges of the uncinate process by establishing a three⁃dimensional finite element model of the C
6.Imaging findings of 14 cases of intestinal schwannoma
Yong YU ; Shen-Chu GONG ; Rui-Ting WANG ; Kai HOU ; Xiu-Liang LU ; Li-Heng LIU ; Jian-Jun ZHOU ; Yu-Qin DING
Fudan University Journal of Medical Sciences 2024;51(1):62-68
Objective To investigate the imaging features of intestinal schwannoma(IS)in order to improve the diagnostic ability of the disease.Methods The clinical and imaging data of 14 patients with surgically and pathologically confirmed IS were retrospectively analyzed,including the location,size,morphology,nature,growth pattern,CT density,MRI signal,PET/CT metabolism and other characteristics of the tumors.Results Of the 14 IS cases,the lesions of 3 cases were located in the duodenum,2 cases in the cecum,8 cases in the colon and 1 case in the rectum.The lesions were all round or oval,with an average maximum diameter of(2.4±1.1)cm.The lesions were solid in 13 cases,extraluminal growth in 10 cases,cystic degeneration in 1 case and myxoid degeneration in 1 case.Chronic inflammatory lymph nodes were seen around the diseased intestines in 9 cases,and the short diameter of lymph nodes was greater than 5 mm in 6 cases.All 14 cases of IS showed low attenuation on plain CT scan,and progressive enhancement after contrast injection,including 1 case of mild enhancement,2 cases of moderate enhancement,and 11 cases of obvious enhancement.Two cases of IS showed low signal intensity on T1WI,slightly high signal intensity on T2WI,significantly high signal intensity on DWI,and obvious progressive enhancement after contrast injection on MRI.Two cases of IS showed high metabolism on 18F-FDG-PET/CT,and the SUVmax was 9.4 and 8.8,respectively.Conclusion The imaging findings of IS were characteristic to a certain extent.They mainly manifested as solid nodules or masses derived from the intestinal submucosa,with uniform attenuation or signal intensity,obvious progressive enhancement after contrast injection,obvious hypermetabolism on 18F-FDG-PET/CT,and slightly larger homogeneous lymph nodes were common around the lesions.
7.Comparison of the predictive value of venous thromboembolism assessment tools in medical inpatients
Yifang HOU ; Xiaomei DENG ; Jun DUAN ; Ping ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Practical Nursing 2024;40(10):758-764
Objective:A comparison was made between the predictive efficacy of the Padua Score and the simplified Assessment Scheme Recommended by Chinese experts (hereinafter referred to as the Simplified Method) for the risk assessment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in medical inpatients, aiming to provide a reference for the clinical selection of appropriate risk assessment tools.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted, selecting 42 257 internal medicine inpatients discharged from Peking University Shenzhen Hospital between May 1, 2021, and April 30, 2022, using a convenience sampling method. Data collected included general information upon admission, VTE-related information, occurrences of VTE during hospitalization, and results from the two assessment tools. The predictive efficacy of the tools was evaluated by plotting ROC curves and calculating AUC, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and predictive accuracy.Results:Among 42 257 patients, there were 21 065 male and 21 192 female participants, aged (55.04 ± 15.17) years old. The incidence rate of VTE among medical inpatients was 2.24% (948/42 257). The AUC for Padua Score and the Simplified Method in medical patients were 0.735 (95% CI 0.717-0.753) and 0.582 (95% CI 0.561-0.602), respectively. Sensitivities were 49.4% and 18.2%, specificities were 89.6% and 98.1%, positive predictive values were 9.9% and 17.7%, negative predictive values were 98.7% and 98.1%, and predictive accuracy were 88.7% and 96.3%, respectively. The departments with the highest incidence rates of VTE during hospitalization were rehabilitation medicine, emergency, neurology, geriatrics, and respiratory medicine. Within these departments, the AUC values for the Padua Score and the Simplified Method were as follows: 0.864 and 0.612, 0.782 and 0.653, 0.792 and 0.664, 0.850 and 0.551, 0.867 and 0.664, respectively. Conclusions:The Padua Score demonstrated better predictive efficacy compared to the Simplified Method. However, the Simplified Method had more accessible assessment criteria and could serve as an initial VTE risk screening tool in emergency situations or when complete data are not available.
8.Effects of etomidate and sevoflurane anesthesia on cerebral oxygen metabolism, cerebral blood flow perfusion and postoperative delusion in elderly patients undergoing spinal surgery
Chinese Journal of Postgraduates of Medicine 2024;47(3):205-211
Objective:To study cerebral oxygen metabolism and cerebral blood flow in etomidate and sevoflurane anesthesia effects of perfusion and postoperative delusions.Methods:A prospective study was used. The 96 elderly patients who underwent elective spinal surgery in Guang′anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from March 2020 to May 2021 were selected as the study subjects. All patients were divided into sevoflurane group and etomidide group by random numbers table, each with 48 cases. The sevoflurane group was treated with sevoflurane inhalation for analgesia, with etomidate intravenous-controlled analgesia in the etomidate group. The recovery time of spontaneous respiratory, wake time, awake extubation time, numerical rating score (NRS; 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h), incidence of postoperative delusion, internal jugular vein oxygen saturation (SjvO 2) were recorded. Arteriovenous oxygen content (AVDO 2) and cerebral oxygen intake rate (CERO 2) were calculated. The peak cerebral artery constriction rate (Vs-MCA), diastolic velocity (Vd-MCA) and mean flow rate (Vm-MCA) pre-induction of anesthesia (T 0), loss of consciousness (T 1), after fentanyl injection (T 3), endotracheal intubation (T 4), 30 min (T 5), 60 min (T 6) and postoperative (T 7) were recorded. Results:There were no significant differences in the recovery time of spontaneous breathing, wake time and awake extubation time between the two groups ( P>0.05). The resting NRS in sevoflurane group at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h after operation were (1.27 ± 0.12), (2.13 ± 0.22), (3.26 ± 0.23), (3.29 ± 0.22), (2.52 ± 0.11) and (2.02 ± 0.11) points, respectively. Etomidate group was (1.27 ± 0.13), (2.02 ± 0.21), (2.13 ± 0.13), (2.11 ± 0.26), (2.08 ± 0.17) and (1.02 ± 0.17) points, respectively. The results of repeated measurement ANOVA showed that there was significant difference in NRS between the two groups ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in postoperative resting NRS between the two groups at different time points ( P<0.05). The incidence of postoperative delusion in etomidate group was lower than that in sevoflurane group: 4.17% (2/48) vs. 16.67% (8/48), and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Postoperative SjvO 2 in sevoflurane group and etomidate group was higher than that before surgery: (69.96 ± 4.17)% vs. (58.26 ± 4.16)%, (61.22 ± 4.19)% vs. (58.25 ± 4.17)%. In addition, both AVDO 2 and CERO 2 were lower than those before operation: (60.23 ± 5.22)% vs. (64.22 ± 4.17)%, (50.23 ± 6.19)% vs. (64.23 ± 4.19)%, (37.22 ± 6.23)% vs. (40.23 ± 5.16)%, (31.26 ± 5.17)% vs. (40.27 ± 4.18)% ( P<0.05), postoperative SjvO 2 in etomidate group was higher than that in sevoflurane group, and AVDO 2 and CERO 2 were lower than that in sevoflurane group. The difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). The results of repeated measurement ANOVA showed that there were statistically significant differences in cerebral blood perfusion indexes of Vs-MCA, Vd-MCA and Vm-MCA between the two groups ( P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in Vs-MCA, Vd-MCA and Vm-MCA between two groups at different time points ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in Vs-MCA, Vd-MCA and Vm-MCA between the two groups at different time points ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Compared with sevoflurane, etomidate can reduce the postoperative delusion rate, improve cerebral oxygen metabolism and reduce cerebral blood flow perfusion.
9.Spinal infection caused by Prevotella intermedia:analysis of misdiagnosis and literature review
Chong WANG ; Yi YANG ; Dai-Jun LI ; Hua-Hua FAN ; Jia-Qiang YAN ; Rui-Chun WANG ; Xiao-Jun CAI ; Yu-Qiang CAI ; Hou-Jie SUN
Chinese Journal of Infection Control 2024;23(1):86-94
Objective To explore the clinical characteristics and treatment scheme of patients with spinal infection caused by Prevotella intermedia(P.intermedia).Methods Clinical diagnosis and treatment processes of a patient with spinal infection caused by P.intermedia admitted to the spinal surgery department of a hospital were summa-rized,and relevant literature was retrieved from database for reviewing.Results The patient,a 50 year old male,was admitted to the hospital due to"lumbago pain complicated with pain in double lower extremities for 2 months".The lesion tissue was taken for metagenomic next-generation sequencing(mNGS)detection,which detected P.in-termedia,and the patient was diagnosed with P.intermedia spondylitis.After treatments with open lesion clea-rance,tube rinsing+autologous bone transplantation fusion internal fixation,intravenous drip of ceftriaxone sodium and metronidazole,as well as metronidazole rinsing,infection was under control.A total of 16 available papers were retrieved,together with this case,a total of 17 patients were included,with 7 males and 10 females.The main risk factors were diabetes and history of corticosteroid use(35.3%).The most common invasion sites were lumbar ver-tebra(n=12)and thoracic vertebra(n=6).13 cases were positive for pathogen culture,3 cases were positive for molecular detection,and 1 case was positive for staining microscopy.17 patients received anti-anaerobic bacteria treatment,with 14 cases receiving combined surgical treatment.One case died,with a mortality of 5.9%;5 cases had partial neurological impairment,with a disability rate of 29.4%.The survival rate of patients who received treatment of anti-anaerobic bacteria combined with surgery was 92.8%,3 patients only with anti-anaerobic bacteria treatment but without surgery were all cured.Conclusion P.intermedia is an opportunistic pathogeanic bacteria which often causes infection in immunocomprised individuals and is prone to be misdiagnosed.It is recommended to perform mNGS detection to identify the pathogen as early as possible and seize the opportunity for treatment to reduce mortality.
10.Expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporotic proximal humeral fracture with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine (version 2024)
Xiao CHEN ; Hao ZHANG ; Man WANG ; Guangchao WANG ; Jin CUI ; Wencai ZHANG ; Fengjin ZHOU ; Qiang YANG ; Guohui LIU ; Zhongmin SHI ; Lili YANG ; Zhiwei WANG ; Guixin SUN ; Biao CHENG ; Ming CAI ; Haodong LIN ; Hongxing SHEN ; Hao SHEN ; Yunfei ZHANG ; Fuxin WEI ; Feng NIU ; Chao FANG ; Huiwen CHEN ; Shaojun SONG ; Yong WANG ; Jun LIN ; Yuhai MA ; Wei CHEN ; Nan CHEN ; Zhiyong HOU ; Xin WANG ; Aiyuan WANG ; Zhen GENG ; Kainan LI ; Dongliang WANG ; Fanfu FANG ; Jiacan SU
Chinese Journal of Trauma 2024;40(3):193-205
Osteoporotic proximal humeral fracture (OPHF) is one of the common osteoporotic fractures in the aged, with an incidence only lower than vertebral compression fracture, hip fracture, and distal radius fracture. OPHF, secondary to osteoporosis and characterized by poor bone quality, comminuted fracture pattern, slow healing, and severely impaired shoulder joint function, poses a big challenge to the current clinical diagnosis and treatment. In the field of diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of OPHF, traditional Chinese and Western medicine have accumulated rich experience and evidence from evidence-based medicine and achieved favorable outcomes. However, there is still a lack of guidance from a relevant consensus as to how to integrate the advantages of the two medical systems and achieve the integrated diagnosis and treatment. To promote the diagnosis and treatment of OPHF with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine, relevant experts from Orthopedic Expert Committee of Geriatric Branch of Chinese Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Youth Osteoporosis Group of Orthopedic Branch of Chinese Medical Association, Osteoporosis Group of Orthopedic Surgeon Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, and Osteoporosis Committee of Shanghai Association of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine have been organized to formulate Expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporotic proximal humeral fracture with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine ( version 2024) by searching related literatures and based on the evidences from evidence-based medicine. This consensus consists of 13 recommendations about the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of OPHF with integrated traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine, aimed at standardizing, systematizing, and personalizing the diagnosis and treatment of OPHF with integrated traditional Chinse and Western medicine to improve the patients ′ function.

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