1.Study on the protective effect of saikosaponin C on acute liver injury in mice based on metabolomics
Xincun LI ; Donghui PENG ; Yongfu WANG ; Yamin SHI ; Mengjuan WU ; Zhihui FU ; Juan WANG
China Pharmacy 2025;36(5):552-557
OBJECTIVE To investigate the protective effect and mechanism of saikosaponin C (SSC) on acute liver injury (ALI) in mice induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) based on serum metabolomics. METHODS Forty mice were divided into blank group (water), model group (water), positive control drug group (Biphenyl diester drop pills, 150 mg/kg), and SSC low- and high-dose groups (2.5, 10 mg/kg) using the random number table method, with 8 mice in each group. They were given water/ relevant drugs, once a day, for 7 consecutive days. One hour after the last administration, all mice were intraperitoneally injected with 0.2% CCl4 olive oil to induce ALI model, except for the blank group. After 17 hours of the modeling, the liver index of mice was calculated. The levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-1β in serum of mice were detected. The histopathological changes of liver tissue were observed. Meanwhile, the serum metabolomics of mice were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS Compared with the blank group, the levels of liver index, ALT, AST, LDH, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in the model group were significantly increased (P<0.01). Hepatocytes were edema, vacuolar degeneration, more necrosis, and a large number of inflammatory cells were infiltrated. Compared with the model group, liver index and serum index levels of mice were significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), accompanied by marked improvement in histopathological damage to the liver tissue. The metabolomics results showed that compared with the model group, there were 63 up-regulated and 256 down-regulated differential metabolites in the serum of mice in the SSC high-dose group, including prostaglandin B2, 20-hydroxy-leukotriene B4, 5- hydroxy-L-tryptophan, 7α -hydroxycholesterol, etc.; these metabolites were primarily involved in metabolic pathways such as arachidonic acid metabolism, 5-hydroxytryptamine synapse, primary bile acid biosynthesis. CONCLUSIONS SSC exerts a protective effect against CCl4-induced ALI by down-regulating the level of key metabolites such as prostaglandin B2 and 20-hydroxy-leukotriene B4, and then ruducing metabolic pathways such as arachidonic acid metabolism, 5- hydroxytryptamine synapse, and primary bile acid biosynthesis.
2.Construction and Validation of a Large Language Model-Based Intelligent Pre-Consultation System for Traditional Chinese Medicine
Yiqing LIU ; Ying LI ; Hongjun YANG ; Linjing PENG ; Nanxing XIAN ; Kunning LI ; Qiwei SHI ; Hengyi TIAN ; Lifeng DONG ; Lin WANG ; Yuping ZHAO
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(9):895-900
ObjectiveTo construct a large language model (LLM)-based intelligent pre-consultation system for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to improve efficacy of clinical practice. MethodsA TCM large language model was fine-tuned using DeepSpeed ZeRO-3 distributed training strategy based on YAYI 2-30B. A weighted undirected graph network was designed and an agent-based syndrome differentiation model was established based on relationship data extracted from TCM literature and clinical records. An agent collaboration framework was developed to integrate the TCM LLM with the syndrome differentiation model. Model performance was comprehensively evaluated by Loss function, BLEU-4, and ROUGE-L metrics, through which training convergence, text generation quality, and language understanding capability were assessed. Professional knowledge test sets were developed to evaluate system proficiency in TCM physician licensure content, TCM pharmacist licensure content, TCM symptom terminology recognition, and meridian identification. Clinical tests were conducted to compare the system with attending physicians in terms of diagnostic accuracy, consultation rounds, and consultation duration. ResultsAfter 100 000 iterations, the training loss value was gradually stabilized at about 0.7±0.08, indicating that the TCM-LLM has been trained and has good generalization ability. The TCM-LLM scored 0.38 in BLEU-4 and 0.62 in ROUGE-L, suggesting that its natural language processing ability meets the standard. We obtained 2715 symptom terms, 505 relationships between diseases and syndromes, 1011 relationships between diseases and main symptoms, and 1 303 600 relationships among different symptoms, and constructed the Agent of syndrome differentiation model. The accuracy rates in the simulated tests for TCM practitioners, licensed pharmacists of Chinese materia medica, recognition of TCM symptom terminology, and meridian recognition were 94.09%, 78.00%, 87.50%, and 68.80%, respectively. In clinical tests, the syndrome differentiation accuracy of the system reached 88.33%, with fewer consultation rounds and shorter consultation time compared to the attending physicians (P<0.01), suggesting that the system has a certain pre- consultation ability. ConclusionThe LLM-based intelligent TCM pre-diagnosis system could simulate diagnostic thinking of TCM physicians to a certain extent. After understanding the patients' natural language, it collects all the patient's symptom through guided questioning, thereby enhancing the diagnostic and treatment efficiency of physicians as well as the consultation experience of the patients.
3.USP29 alleviates the progression of MASLD by stabilizing ACSL5 through K48 deubiquitination
Sha HU ; Zhouxiang WANG ; Kun ZHU ; Hongjie SHI ; Fang QIN ; Tuo ZHANG ; Song TIAN ; Yanxiao JI ; Jianqing ZHANG ; Juanjuan QIN ; Zhigang SHE ; Xiaojing ZHANG ; Peng ZHANG ; Hongliang LI
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 2025;31(1):147-165
Background/Aims:
Metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a chronic liver disease characterized by hepatic steatosis. Ubiquitin-specific protease 29 (USP29) plays pivotal roles in hepatic ischemiareperfusion injury and hepatocellular carcinoma, but its role in MASLD remains unexplored. Therefore, the aim of this study was to reveal the effects and underlying mechanisms of USP29 in MASLD progression.
Methods:
USP29 expression was assessed in liver samples from MASLD patients and mice. The role and molecular mechanism of USP29 in MASLD were assessed in high-fat diet-fed and high-fat/high-cholesterol diet-fed mice and palmitic acid and oleic acid treated hepatocytes.
Results:
USP29 protein levels were significantly reduced in mice and humans with MASLD. Hepatic steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis were significantly exacerbated by USP29 deletion and relieved by USP29 overexpression. Mechanistically, USP29 significantly activated the expression of genes related to fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) under metabolic stimulation, directly interacted with long-chain acyl-CoA synthase 5 (ACSL5) and repressed ACSL5 degradation by increasing ACSL5 K48-linked deubiquitination. Moreover, the effect of USP29 on hepatocyte lipid accumulation and MASLD was dependent on ACSL5.
Conclusions
USP29 functions as a novel negative regulator of MASLD by stabilizing ACSL5 to promote FAO. The activation of the USP29-ACSL5 axis may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for MASLD.
4.USP29 alleviates the progression of MASLD by stabilizing ACSL5 through K48 deubiquitination
Sha HU ; Zhouxiang WANG ; Kun ZHU ; Hongjie SHI ; Fang QIN ; Tuo ZHANG ; Song TIAN ; Yanxiao JI ; Jianqing ZHANG ; Juanjuan QIN ; Zhigang SHE ; Xiaojing ZHANG ; Peng ZHANG ; Hongliang LI
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 2025;31(1):147-165
Background/Aims:
Metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a chronic liver disease characterized by hepatic steatosis. Ubiquitin-specific protease 29 (USP29) plays pivotal roles in hepatic ischemiareperfusion injury and hepatocellular carcinoma, but its role in MASLD remains unexplored. Therefore, the aim of this study was to reveal the effects and underlying mechanisms of USP29 in MASLD progression.
Methods:
USP29 expression was assessed in liver samples from MASLD patients and mice. The role and molecular mechanism of USP29 in MASLD were assessed in high-fat diet-fed and high-fat/high-cholesterol diet-fed mice and palmitic acid and oleic acid treated hepatocytes.
Results:
USP29 protein levels were significantly reduced in mice and humans with MASLD. Hepatic steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis were significantly exacerbated by USP29 deletion and relieved by USP29 overexpression. Mechanistically, USP29 significantly activated the expression of genes related to fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) under metabolic stimulation, directly interacted with long-chain acyl-CoA synthase 5 (ACSL5) and repressed ACSL5 degradation by increasing ACSL5 K48-linked deubiquitination. Moreover, the effect of USP29 on hepatocyte lipid accumulation and MASLD was dependent on ACSL5.
Conclusions
USP29 functions as a novel negative regulator of MASLD by stabilizing ACSL5 to promote FAO. The activation of the USP29-ACSL5 axis may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for MASLD.
5.USP29 alleviates the progression of MASLD by stabilizing ACSL5 through K48 deubiquitination
Sha HU ; Zhouxiang WANG ; Kun ZHU ; Hongjie SHI ; Fang QIN ; Tuo ZHANG ; Song TIAN ; Yanxiao JI ; Jianqing ZHANG ; Juanjuan QIN ; Zhigang SHE ; Xiaojing ZHANG ; Peng ZHANG ; Hongliang LI
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 2025;31(1):147-165
Background/Aims:
Metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a chronic liver disease characterized by hepatic steatosis. Ubiquitin-specific protease 29 (USP29) plays pivotal roles in hepatic ischemiareperfusion injury and hepatocellular carcinoma, but its role in MASLD remains unexplored. Therefore, the aim of this study was to reveal the effects and underlying mechanisms of USP29 in MASLD progression.
Methods:
USP29 expression was assessed in liver samples from MASLD patients and mice. The role and molecular mechanism of USP29 in MASLD were assessed in high-fat diet-fed and high-fat/high-cholesterol diet-fed mice and palmitic acid and oleic acid treated hepatocytes.
Results:
USP29 protein levels were significantly reduced in mice and humans with MASLD. Hepatic steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis were significantly exacerbated by USP29 deletion and relieved by USP29 overexpression. Mechanistically, USP29 significantly activated the expression of genes related to fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) under metabolic stimulation, directly interacted with long-chain acyl-CoA synthase 5 (ACSL5) and repressed ACSL5 degradation by increasing ACSL5 K48-linked deubiquitination. Moreover, the effect of USP29 on hepatocyte lipid accumulation and MASLD was dependent on ACSL5.
Conclusions
USP29 functions as a novel negative regulator of MASLD by stabilizing ACSL5 to promote FAO. The activation of the USP29-ACSL5 axis may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for MASLD.
6.Analysis of factors correlating with the initial seizure threshold in modified electroconvulsive therapy for patients with mental disorders
Yingyin LI ; Peng YANG ; Meijie WANG ; Yajie SHI ; Yanfei LI ; Kun LI ; Xiaoming ZHANG
Sichuan Mental Health 2025;38(4):302-307
BackgroundModified electroconvulsive therapy (MECT) is a common front-line strategy widely used in psychiatric practice, and the optimal first stimulus dosage in MECT is usually estimated clinically based on the factors influencing the patient's initial seizure threshold (IST). However, previous studies on the influencing factors of IST have mostly suffered from limitations such as small sample sizes and single-dimensional research perspectives. ObjectiveTo explore the factors influencing IST in MECT for patients with mental disorders, so as to provide references for stimulus dosing strategies in MECT for the patients. MethodsA retrospective study was used to include 1 446 inpatients fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for any specific mental disorder listed in the ICD-10 and receiving MECT at Shandong Daizhuang Hospital from January 1, 2021 to August 1, 2023. Their general and clinical data were collected, including IST, psychiatric diagnostic categories, gender, ethnicity, age, body weight, body mass index (BMI), course of disease, family history of psychiatric disorders, first episode status, use of antiepileptic drugs the day before treatment, use of benzodiazepines the day before treatment, and previous MECT treatment history. Pearson correlation analysis was utilized to test the correlation of IST with age, height, body weight, BMI, and course of disease, and stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to identify the factors affecting IST. ResultsIST yielded statistical difference among patients in terms of gender, first episode status, use of antiepileptic drugs the day before treatment, and use of benzodiazepines the day before treatment (t=2.256, -3.059, -2.136, -3.006, P<0.05 or 0.01). IST in patients of different ages and psychiatric diagnostic categories also demonstrated statistical difference (F=913.120, 6.212, P<0.01). Within young population, IST varied significantly based on the psychiatric diagnostic categories (F=2.986, P<0.05). Correlation analysis indicated that IST was positively correlated with age, body weight, BMI and course of disease (r=0.886, 0.055, 0.184, 0.456, P<0.05 or 0.01), and negatively correlated with height (r=-0.183, P<0.01). Stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that age, gender, and body weight were influencing factors of IST (β=0.888, -0.049, -0.035, P<0.01). ConclusionsAge, gender and body weight may be factors influencing IST in MECT for patients with mental disorders. [Funded by Key R&D Plan Projects of Jining City in 2024 (number, 2024YXNS202)]
7.Humanistic Care for the Prevention of Perioperative Hypothermia in the Elderly
Na LI ; Liyan ZHAO ; Lina WU ; Xiongtao LIU ; Ru GU ; Wei PENG ; Xiali SHI ; Dan LEI ; Jing ZHANG ; Weiling LUO
Chinese Medical Ethics 2024;35(3):350-352
The intervention and prevention of perioperative hypothermia is not only reflected in the technical level, but also reveals the important role of humanistic care in the whole intervention work. If perioperative patients have hypothermia, it is likely to cause a series of complications such as postoperative shivering, which seriously threatens the life safety of patients. Prevention and intervention was based on a comprehensive understanding of the causes and hazards of hypothermia, especially the impact on the lives of the elderly. Effective supervision was implemented in the whole process of operation, such as dynamic monitoring of vital signs including body temperature, followed by room temperature regulation, body temperature protection and preoperative and postoperative psychological nursing. At this time, the sense of responsibility, good humanistic care of medical staff are of positive significance to effectively prevent and reduce the probability of perioperative hypothermia and accelerate the postoperative rehabilitation of patients.
9.Acute effects of air pollution on pulmonary function and exhaled nitric oxide in children in Shanghai
Jianhui GAO ; Yuhong WANG ; Yichen DING ; Lisha SHI ; Dong XU ; Limin LING ; Li PENG ; Lijun ZHANG
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;36(3):241-248
ObjectiveTo investigate the acute effects of compound air pollution on children’s respiratory function. MethodsUsing panel group study design, 223 students in five classes of grade 4 from two primary schools (a, b) in Xuhui and Hongkou districts of Shanghai were randomly selected to measure pulmonary function and exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). The first three tests were carried out from May to June in 2020, and the fourth test was carried out from September to December in 2021. At the same time, the daily and hourly mean values of PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, O3 and CO was collected from the nearby air quality monitoring points of the two schools during the same period , as well as meteorological monitoring data (temperature, humidity, wind speed and atmospheric pressure). The linear mixed effect model was used to analyze the effects of air pollution on pulmonary function and respiratory inflammation in the summer. ResultsThe results of single pollutant model showed that PM2.5, PM10, SO2 and NO2 were positively correlated with FeNO, and the effect was reflected in lag0, lag1 and lag3 (P<0.05). PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 were negatively correlated with the changes of lung function FEF25%, FEF50%, FEF75%, FeF25%-75%, PEF, FVC, FEV1 and FEV1/FVC, and the effect was reflected in lag0 to lag3 days (P<0.05). The results of the dual pollutant model showed that the concentration changes of SO2 and NO2 were significantly correlated with the decrease of FEV1 when combined with O3 or PM2.5 (P<0.01), and the concentration changes of PM2.5 was significantly correlated with the increase of FeNO when O3, SO2 and NO2 were combined respectively (P<0.01). The effects of the dual pollutant model were greater than the effect of PM2.5 single pollutant model. ConclusionThe health effects of different air pollutants on children’s respiratory tract function indexes in summer are different. The combined effects of two pollutants on the lung function of children increased to different degrees. Although air pollution is light in summer, it still has an impact on children’s respiratory tract function index and inflammation index, and the combined effect of dual pollutants is more significant than that of single pollutant.
10.Risk factors for developmental dysplasia of the hip in infants in Yili area
Kai LI ; Yinming XIA ; Xinping SHAN ; Peng WU ; Nurmaimaiti ALPA ; Yan SHI
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2024;35(3):157-160
Objective To investigate the in-hospital screening results of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) in infants and young children in Ili area, and to analyze the risk factors affecting the occurrence of DDH. Methods According to the cluster sampling method 5 536 infants and young children who underwent DDH screening in the pediatric outpatient department and orthopedic outpatient department of our hospital from December 2019 to June 2022 were selected as the research objects. The children who met the diagnostic criteria of DDH were selected as the observation group (n=35), and 100 normal children were selected as the control group. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to determine the independent risk factors affecting the occurrence of DDH in infants. Results Among the 39 cases were positive in primary screening, 35 cases were positive in secondary screening, and the positive rate was 6.32‰ . The results of single factor analysis showed that the proportion of women, second birth and above, caesarean section, breech delivery, family history, high altitude area, living environment room temperature < 18°C, and leg binding when swaddling in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05) . Logistic regression analysis showed that mode of production, region, room temperature of living environment and swaddling mode were independent risk factors for DDH in infants (P<0.05). Conclusion Caesarean section, high altitude area, living environment room temperature < 18°C and leg binding in infants are related to the occurrence of DDH in infants, which can provide some reference for clinical screening, diagnosis and treatment.


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