1.The Neurobiological Mechanisms of Runner’s High
Yun-Teng WANG ; Jia-Qi LIANG ; Wan-Tang SU ; Li ZHAO ; Yan LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(2):358-373
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			“Runner’s high” refers to a momentary sense of pleasure that suddenly appears during running or other exercise activities, characterized by anti-anxiety, pain relief, and other symptoms. The neurobiological mechanism of “runner’s high” is unclear. This review summarizes human and animal models for studying “runner’s high”, analyzes the neurotransmitters and neural circuits involved in runner’s high, and elucidates the evidence and shortcomings of researches related to “runner’s high”. This review also provides prospects for future research. Research has found that exercise lasting more than 30 min and with an intensity exceeding 70% of the maximum heart rate can reach a “runner’s high”. Human experiments on “runner’s high” mostly use treadmill exercise intervention, and evaluate it through questionnaire surveys, measurement of plasma AEA, miRNA and other indicators. Animal experiments often use voluntary wheel running intervention, and evaluate it through behavioral experiments such as conditional place preference, light dark box experiments (anxiety), hot plate experiments (pain sensitivity), and measurement of plasma AEA and other indicators. Dopamine, endogenous opioid peptides, endogenous cannabinoids, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and other substances increase after exercise, which may be related to the “runner’s high”. However, attention should be paid to the functional differences of these substances in the central and peripheral regions, as well as in different brain regions. Moreover, current studies have not identified the targets of the neurotransmitters or neural factors mentioned above, and further in-depth researches are needed. The mesolimbic dopamine system, prefrontal cortex-nucleus accumbens projection, ventral hippocampus-nucleus accumbens projection, red nucleus-ventral tegmental area projection, cerebellar-ventral tegmental area projection, and brain-gut axis may be involved in the regulation of runner’s high, but there is a lack of direct evidence to prove their involvement. There are still many issues that need to be addressed in the research on the neurobiological mechanisms of “runner’s high”. (1) Most studies on “runner’s high” involve one-time exercise, and the characteristics of changes in “runner’s high” during long-term exercise still need to be explored. (2) The using of scales to evaluate subjects lead to the lacking of objective indicators. However, some potential biomarkers (such as endocannabinoids) have inconsistent characteristics of changes after one-time and long-term exercise. (3) The neurotransmitters involved in the formation of the “runner’s high” all increase in the peripheral and/or central nervous system after exercise. Attention should be paid to whether peripheral substances can enter the blood-brain barrier and the binding effects of neurotransmitters to different receptors are completely different in different brain regions. (4) Most of the current evidence show that some brain regions are activated after exercise. Is there a functional circuit mediating “runner’s high” between these brain regions? (5) Although training at a specific exercise intensity can lead to “runner’s high”, most runners have not experienced “runner’s high”. Can more scientific training methods or technological means be used to make it easier for people to experience the “runner’s high” and thus be more willing to engage in exercise? (6) The “runner’s high” and “addiction” behaviors are extremely similar, and there are evidences that exercise can reverse addictive behaviors. However, why is there still a considerable number of people in the sports population and even athletes who smoke or use addictive drugs instead of pursuing the “pleasure” brought by exercise? Solving the problems above is of great significance for enhancing the desire of exercise, improving the clinical application of neurological and psychiatric diseases through exercise, and enhancing the overall physical fitness of the population. 
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
2. Network pharmacology-based study on mechanism of Zhi-Huang-Zhi-Tong powder in rheumatoid arthritis treatment
Xiao-Yun TIAN ; Ying-Jie YANG ; Wan-Ting ZHENG ; Ming-Qing HUANG ; Li-Hong NAN ; Jian-Yu CHEN ; Hai-Yu ZHAO
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2024;40(2):381-389
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			 Aim To discover the potential active compounds and possible mechanisms in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment with Zhi-Huang-Zhi-Tong powder (ZHZTP) by using network pharmacology and in vitro study. Methods The active ingredient targets and disease targets of Zhihuang Zhitong Powder were searched and screened by database; they intersected to get a common target; and the "drug-component-target" relationship network diagram was constructed for GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of the overlapping genes; then the core components were docked with the core targets. Finally, based on the inflammation model of HUVECs in vitro, the efficacy and mechanism of Zhihuang Zhitong powder were verified by MTT method, plate scratch test and Western blot. Results Active compounds involved in RA treatment were screened in the present study, and the top two were ursolic acid and emodin, all playing crucial roles in RA treatment with ZHZTP. Additionally, the key target was AKTA, TNF and IL-6. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that ZHZTP regulated BP, MF and CC, and also focused on regulating AKTA, TNF and IL-6 signaling pathway. Molecular docking showed that interactions between key active compounds and key targets were stable. In vitro ZHZTP significantly inhibited cell viability and migration of TNF-a-stimulated HUVECs, and the involved mechanism may be associated with PI3K/AKT/m-TOR signaling. Conclusions The present study reveals that the potential active compounds of ZHZTP are ursolic acid and emodin, and moreover, the involved mechanisms of ZHZTP for RA treatment are associated with PI3 K/AKT/m-TOR signaling. 
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
3.Experience of mesenteric sector fixation in mesenteric torsion treatment
Liangbi ZHOU ; Yun LUO ; Wenhao FENG ; Zhili WAN ; Long HUANG ; Guizhong LI ; Bin LIU ; Haiping ZENG ; Lijie LUO ; Wei WANG
Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery 2024;27(5):510-513
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Objective:The preliminary results was reported regarding the treatment of mesenteric torsion by mesenteric fixation in the last decade, especially preventing recurrence of mesenteric torsion by mesenteric fan-shaped fixation.Methods:We selected 12 patients who received emergency operation in Chongqing Hospital of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine from December 2010 to March 2022. All of them were made a definite diagnose of mesenteric torsion by the preoperative CT scan or exploratory laparotomy. The recurrence of mesenteric torsion will be prevented by taking the operation of mesenteric fan-shaped fixation. This technique is suitable for the patient who is suffering total mesenteric torsion, but enteric necrosis is excluded affirmatively. The operation is consists of the following progress: (1) Exploratory laparotomy to check for necrosis of the bowel and for lesions other than torsion. (2) Mesenteric torsion derotation.(3) Mesenteric linear fixation; the right posterior lower border of the small mesentery (terminal ileal mesentery) is intermittently sutured to the posterior peritoneum of the right lower quadrant to increase the width of the base of the small mesentery. (4) Mesenteric fan-shaped fixation, which is fan-shaped to the lower left and fixed in the posterior peritoneum, shortening the length of the mesentery and further increasing the width of the mesentery and posterior peritoneal fixation.Results:A total of 12 patients with mesenteric torsion were treated by operation for 15 times in all. Among them, 3 cases received resection of most small bowel were performed without recurrence; 3 patients received only derotation for a total of 4 times, 2 cases recurred, 1 of them recurred twice; 4 cases underwent derotation and mesenteric linear fixation,and 1 case recurred. Four patients with derotation and mesenteric fan-shaped fixation recovered well without recurrence.Conclusion:Mesenteric fan-shaped fixation may be an effective operative type to reduce or avoid postoperative recurrence of mesenteric torsion.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
4.A multicenter prospective cohort study on the prevention and treatment of hydrocephalus after acute intracerebral hemorrhage by promoting blood circulation and eliminating phlegm
Liu LUO ; Mingfei LI ; Gang HE ; Xiao LEI ; Liu SHI ; Xiaofang WAN ; Yun LU
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;47(5):603-610
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Objective We aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of promoting blood circulation and eliminating phlegm method in preventing and treating patients with hydrocephalus after acute intracerebral hemorrhage.Methods This study included 139 patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage who visited Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Guangyuan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College,Meishan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,and Xuyong Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from September 2019 to June 2023.Patients who met the exposure factors of"using the method of promoting blood circulation and eliminating phlegm"were classified into the integrated Chinese and Western medicine cohort,while those who did not meet the exposure factors were classified into the Western medicine cohort.Clinical efficacy,incidence of hydrocephalus after intracerebral hemorrhage,sum of maximum distance between the anterior horn of the lateral ventricle and the head of the caudate nucleus(Huckman value),size of the hematoma,incidence of endpoint events,National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)score,Modified Rankin Scale(mRS)score,and Barthel index score between two cohorts were compared.Results Total clinical effective rates for patients with hydrocephalus in the two cohorts were 60.0%and 75.0%,respectively.The total effective rate of the integrated Chinese and Western medicine cohort was higher than that of the Western medicine cohort(P<0.05).After 28 days of treatment,the incidence of hydrocephalus in patients in the integrated Chinese and Western medicine cohort was lower than that of the Western medicine cohort,and the Huckman value decreased compared with the Western medicine cohort(P<0.05).Compared with 24 hours after onset,both cohorts showed a reduction in hematoma size after 28 days of treatment;compared with the Western medicine cohort,patients in the integrated Chinese and Western medicine cohort had reduced hematoma size(P<0.05).After 6 months of onset,the number of deaths in the integrated Chinese and Western medicine cohort decreased compared with the Western medicine cohort(P<0.05).Compared with 28 days of treatment,the NIHSS and mRS scores of the patients in both cohorts decreased after 6 months,while the Barthel index score increased;compared with the Western medicine cohort,patients in the integrated Chinese and Western medicine cohort showed a decrease in the NIHSS and mRS scores after both 28 days of treatment and 6 months,while the Barthel index score increased(P<0.05).Conclusion Promoting blood circulation and eliminating phlegm can effectively prevent and treat hydrocephalus after intracerebral hemorrhage and does not increase the risk of bleeding within 24 hours.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
5.Synthesis of phenylacetamide derivatives and their protective effects on islet cell damage induced by palmitic acid
Ai-Yun LI ; Li GUAN ; Wan-Zhen SU ; Yang-Yang LU ; Sheng-Jie ZHANG ; Wei-Ze LI ; Xiang-Ying JIAO
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2024;40(6):1130-1136
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Aim To design and synthesize a series of phenylacetamide derivatives with different substituted phenylacetic acid as raw materials,and to investigate the protective effects of the compound on the damage of pancreatic β cells induced by palmitate acid(PA).Methods Min6 cells were cultured and divided into B blank control group,PA treatment group and PA+compounds group.The viability of Min6 cells was de-tected by CCK-8.The protein expressions of TXNIP and NLRP3 were observed by Western blot.MDA con-tent and SOD activity were detected by MDA and SOD kit.The insulin secretion of Min6 islet cells was meas-ured with insulin ELISA kit.Results A total of 10 phenylacetamide derivatives were designed and synthe-sized.Their structures were confirmed by 1H NMR and ESI-MS.Pharmacological activity study showed that most of the compounds had protective effects on islet βcells,among which LY-6 and LY-8 had stronger pro-tective effects than PA model group,with the cell via-bility of 61.4%,and LY-6 had the highest cell activi-ty,reaching to 104.9%.Compared with PA group,the protein expression of TXNIP and NLRP3 decreased in LY-6 and LY-8 groups,MDA content decreased and SOD activity increased,and insulin secretion of Min6 cell increased.Conclusions LY-6 and LY-8 inhibit TXNIP expression and decrease the activation of NL-RP3 inflammasome,and decrease the production of MDA and increase SOD activity,and thus reducing is-let β cells apoptosis and increasing insulin secretion.Therefore,the compound LY-6 could serve as a poten-tial anti-diabetic new chemical entity.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
6.Quercetin alleviates podocyte injury by inhibiting inflammation and pyroptosis through SIRT1/STAT3/GSDME
Jie-Qiong WANG ; Ge LI ; Shao-Hua WANG ; Yu WAN ; Yun LIU ; Cong-Gai HUANG ; Qu-Lian GUO ; Fang-Fang ZHONG
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2024;40(7):1279-1287
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Aim To investigate the effect of quercetin(Que)on podocyte inflammatory injury and the under-lying mechanism.Methods MPC5 cells were divided into normal glucose group(NG),mannitol group(MA),high glucose group(HG)and high glucose+quercetin group(HG+Que).Cell proliferation and apoptosis were detected by CCK-8 and flow cytometry.The expression of SIRT1,STAT3,apoptosis-related proteins(Bax,Bcl-2,caspase-3)and pyroptosis pro-tein GSDME was detected by Western blot.The ex-pression levels of inflammatory factors(IL-6,TNF-α,IL-18,IL-1β)in cell supernatants were detected by ELISA.Then small interfering RNA technology was used to knockdown SIRT1 expression.To further eval-uate the biological significance of SIRT1 in response to high glucose and Que treatment,negative control group(HG+si-NC+Que)and SIRT1 interference group(HG+si-SIRT1+Que)were added in the presence of high glucose and Que.Results Compared with the high glucose group,40 μmol·L-1 Que could alleviate the apoptosis of MPC5 cells induced by high glucose,decrease the expression of apoptosis related protein Bax and caspase-3,as well as increase the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2;ELISA results showed that Que could decrease the expression of TNF-α,IL-6,IL-1 β and IL-18 induced by high glucose.Mechanical-ly,Que could alleviate the inhibitory effect of high glu-cose on the expression of SIRT1,and further decrease the activation of STAT3 and N-GSDME,and inhibit pyroptosis.Compared with the si-NC group,si-SIRT1 group could reverse the protective effect of Que on the high glucose induced inflammatory damage of podo-cytes,the expression of apoptotic proteins Bax and caspase-3 increased,while the expression of anti-apop-totic protein Bcl-2 decreased.At the same time,the levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α,IL-6,IL-1 βand IL-18 in supernatants increased,and the expres-sion of STAT3 and N-GSDME increased.Conclusion Que could inhibit pyroptosis and relieve the inflam-matory damage of podocytes through SIRT1/STAT3/GSDME pathway.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
7.Distribution Characteristics of Rh Phenotype and Feasibility of Compatible Blood Transfusion in Pregnant and Postpartum Women
Gui-Lin YANG ; Tao ZHANG ; Chun-Li LI ; Hong-Peng ZHANG ; Ying-Ying WU ; Sheng-Lan LI ; Kuai WAN ; Yun-Ping YANG
Journal of Experimental Hematology 2024;32(3):868-874
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Objective:To analyze the distribution characteristics of Rh phenotype in pregnant and postpartum women in Chongqing area,and to explore the clinical significance of Rh phenotype in pregnant and postpartum women and the feasibility of Rh phenotype compatible blood transfusion.Methods:The ABO blood group and Rh phenotype of 65 161 pregnant and postpartum women were detected by microcolumn gel method,and 48 122 males in the same period were taken as controls.The data were analyzed by Chi-square test.Results:There were 112 870 cases(99.64%)of RhD+in 113 283 samples.In RhD+cases,CCDee(48.39%)and CcDEe(32.88%)were the main phenotypes.The first case of D--phenotype in Chongqing area was detected.413 cases(0.36%)of RhD-were detected,with ccdee(52.78%)and Ccdee(33.41%)as the main phenotypes.Compared with RhD-group,RhD+group showed statistically significant difference in Rh phenotype distribution(P<0.01).Among 65 161 maternal samples,the positive rate of 5 antigens of Rh blood group from high to low was D>e>C>c>E,and there was no significant difference compared with male samples(P>0.05).There was no significant difference in the distribution of Rh phenotype between males and pregnant/postpartum women,as well as between pregnant/postpartum women with different ABO blood groups(P>0.05).In pregnant and postpartum women,there was no significant difference in distribution of Rh phenotype among the normal pregnancy population,the population with adverse pregnancy history,the population using human assisted reproductive technology(ART)and the population with infertility(P>0.05).There was no significant difference in the distribution of Rh phenotype between the 4 populations mentioned above and the inpatients in the local general Grade A hospitals and the blood donors(P>0.05).In RhD positive pregnant and postpartum women,the probability of finding compatible blood for CcDEe phenotype was 100%,the probability of finding compatible blood for CCDee,CcDee and CCDEe phenotypes was 45%-60%,the probability of finding compatible blood for ccDEE,ccDEe and CcDEE phenotypes was 5%-10%,and the probability of finding compatible blood for other phenotypes was lower than 0.5%.The supply of blood with CCDee and ccDEE phenotypes can meet the compatible transfusions requirements of 7 Rh phenotypes in more than 99%of patients.Conclusion:Rh phenotype detection should be carried out for pregnant and postpartum women,and it is feasible to carry out Rh phenotype-matched or compatible blood transfusion for pregnant and postpartum women who need blood transfusion.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
8.Research on Electrochemical Chemical Oxygen Demand Sensor
Shan YUN ; Lei WANG ; Li-Guo WAN ; Zhen-Yu PENG ; Hong-Chang WANG ; Jun-Feng ZHAI ; Shao-Jun DONG
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2024;52(9):1298-1306
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			An electrochemical chemical oxygen demand(COD)sensor was proposed based on a FTO/TiO2/PbO2 electrode and a thin-layer electrochemical cell.The FTO/TiO2/PbO2 electrode was characterized by X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopy(XPS),X-ray diffraction(XRD)spectroscopy and electrochemical technique,and the results indicated that the rapid decrease in the output signals of the electrochemical COD sensor could be attributed to oxidation of PbSO4 occurring on the surface of FTO/TiO2/PbO2 electrode.The PbO2 deposition time and concentration of Na2SO4 were further optimized and then the electrochemical COD sensor was challenged by real samples including laker water sample,river water sample and wastewater sample.The evolution trend of signals of the electrochemical COD sensor in response to lake and river water samples was identical with that obtained with the standard method(HJ/T399-2007,Water quality-determination of the chemical oxygen demand-fast digestion-spectrophotometric method).The electrochemical COD sensor exhibited significant increase in the signal intensity after the samples were switched from lake water to wastewater sample,and a mean value of 32.5 mg/L with relative standard deviation(RSD)of 6.8%were obtained after measuring 45 times the wastewater with COD value of 30 mg/L under a sampling interval of 400 s.The as-prepared electrochemical COD sensor possessed good promise in regular monitoring of COD,discharge of wastewater and industrial process control,with advantages such as a small sampling interval,mild reaction conditions and no requirement of toxic and harmful chemical reagents.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
9.Research Progress on Detection of New Psychoactive Substance Piperazines in vivo
Jin-Ting LIU ; Li-Ying ZHOU ; Jia-Hong XIANG ; Zi-Yi LI ; Wan-Ting XIE ; Ke-Ming YUN ; Yan SHI
Journal of Forensic Medicine 2024;40(3):276-283
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Piperazines are a class of new psychoactive substances with hallucinogenic effects that af-fect the central nervous system by affecting the level of monoamine neurotransmitters.Abuse of pipera-zines will produce stimulating and hallucinogenic effects,accompanied by headache,dizziness,anxiety,insomnia,vomiting,chest pain,tachycardia,hypertension and other adverse reactions,and may even cause cardiovascular diseases and multiple organ failure and lead to death,seriously affecting human physical and mental health and public safety.The abuse of new psychoactive substance piperazines has attracted extensive attention from the international community.The study of its pharmacological toxi-cology and analytical methods has become a research hotspot in the field of forensic medicine.This paper reviews the in vivo processes,sample treatment and analytical methods of existing piperazines,in order to provide reference for forensic identification.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
10.Acoustic Analysis of Speech Prosody in Patients after Stroke
Yiwen ZHANG ; Qin WAN ; Yuan DAI ; Ying CHEN ; Yun LI
Journal of Audiology and Speech Pathology 2024;32(6):507-511
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Objective To investigate the acoustic characteristics of speech prosody in patients after stroke and to select sensitive acoustic parameters of speech prosody.Methods A total of 30 patients after stroke(stroke group)and 30 healthy adults of similar age(control group)were collected.Both groups read short texts aloud,and each syllable and pause of all short sentences in the whole text were recorded under the spectrogram.Acoustic analysis was performed on the inter-rogative sentence"What do you want to buy for your grandson's birthday?"and the stressed sentence"I want to buy toys!"The rhythm(unnatural pause number,speech rate,articulation rate),intonation(whole sentence fundamental frequency,fundamental frequency standard deviation and fundamental frequency slope of interrogative sentences,boundary tone funda-mental frequency and fundamental frequency slope of interrogative sentences,fundamental frequency and fundamental fre-quency slope of four tones),and stress(average intensity of stressed syllables,peak intensity,and stressed syllables dura-tion)of speech prosody were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Results The unnatural pause number and the stressed syllables duration in the stroke group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group(P<0.01).The speech rate,articulation rate,whole sentence fundamental frequency standard deviation,whole sentence funda-mental frequency slope,and fourth tone fundamental frequency slope in the stroke group were significantly lower than those in the normal control group(P<0.01).The boundary tone fundamental frequency slope of interrogative sentences and the third tone fundamental frequency slope were significantly lower than those in the normal control group(P<0.05).Conclu-sion Patients after stroke have poor rhythm control,manifested as excessive pauses and slow speech rate;insufficient into-nation expression,manifested as insufficient interrogative sentence tone,and poor control ability of the third and fourth tones;compensatory expression of stress,characterized by prolonging the expression time of stressed syllables.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
            
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