1.Predicting Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Brightness Change Curves Derived From Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound Images
Ying-Ying CHEN ; Shang-Lin JIANG ; Liang-Hui HUANG ; Ya-Guang ZENG ; Xue-Hua WANG ; Wei ZHENG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(8):2163-2172
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			ObjectivePrimary liver cancer, predominantly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is a significant global health issue, ranking as the sixth most diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Accurate and early diagnosis of HCC is crucial for effective treatment, as HCC and non-HCC malignancies like intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) exhibit different prognoses and treatment responses. Traditional diagnostic methods, including liver biopsy and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), face limitations in applicability and objectivity. The primary objective of this study was to develop an advanced, light-weighted classification network capable of distinguishing HCC from other non-HCC malignancies by leveraging the automatic analysis of brightness changes in CEUS images. The ultimate goal was to create a user-friendly and cost-efficient computer-aided diagnostic tool that could assist radiologists in making more accurate and efficient clinical decisions. MethodsThis retrospective study encompassed a total of 161 patients, comprising 131 diagnosed with HCC and 30 with non-HCC malignancies. To achieve accurate tumor detection, the YOLOX network was employed to identify the region of interest (ROI) on both B-mode ultrasound and CEUS images. A custom-developed algorithm was then utilized to extract brightness change curves from the tumor and adjacent liver parenchyma regions within the CEUS images. These curves provided critical data for the subsequent analysis and classification process. To analyze the extracted brightness change curves and classify the malignancies, we developed and compared several models. These included one-dimensional convolutional neural networks (1D-ResNet, 1D-ConvNeXt, and 1D-CNN), as well as traditional machine-learning methods such as support vector machine (SVM), ensemble learning (EL), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), and decision tree (DT). The diagnostic performance of each method in distinguishing HCC from non-HCC malignancies was rigorously evaluated using four key metrics: area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC), accuracy (ACC), sensitivity (SE), and specificity (SP). ResultsThe evaluation of the machine-learning methods revealed AUC values of 0.70 for SVM, 0.56 for ensemble learning, 0.63 for KNN, and 0.72 for the decision tree. These results indicated moderate to fair performance in classifying the malignancies based on the brightness change curves. In contrast, the deep learning models demonstrated significantly higher AUCs, with 1D-ResNet achieving an AUC of 0.72, 1D-ConvNeXt reaching 0.82, and 1D-CNN obtaining the highest AUC of 0.84. Moreover, under the five-fold cross-validation scheme, the 1D-CNN model outperformed other models in both accuracy and specificity. Specifically, it achieved accuracy improvements of 3.8% to 10.0% and specificity enhancements of 6.6% to 43.3% over competing approaches. The superior performance of the 1D-CNN model highlighted its potential as a powerful tool for accurate classification. ConclusionThe 1D-CNN model proved to be the most effective in differentiating HCC from non-HCC malignancies, surpassing both traditional machine-learning methods and other deep learning models. This study successfully developed a user-friendly and cost-efficient computer-aided diagnostic solution that would significantly enhances radiologists’ diagnostic capabilities. By improving the accuracy and efficiency of clinical decision-making, this tool has the potential to positively impact patient care and outcomes. Future work may focus on further refining the model and exploring its integration with multimodal ultrasound data to maximize its accuracy and applicability. 
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
2.Preliminary exploration of the application of the DeepSeek-V3-0324 large-scale model in medication education in pharmaceutical outpatient clinics
Fengdan QIAN ; Tingting JIA ; Die ZHANG ; Lichao ZHANG ; Ya XUE
China Pharmacy 2025;36(17):2192-2196
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			OBJECTIVE To explore a new model of intelligent medication education for pharmaceutical outpatient clinics by constructing dynamic HTML web pages through the DeepSeek-V3-0324 large-scale model. METHODS Clinical pharmacists integrated key clinical information such as patients’ basic information, medication history and medication precautions in real time, and generated a standardized medication education list through the DeepSeek-V3-0324 large-scale model and manual review. RESULTS The DeepSeek-V3-0324 large-scale model was applied in the pharmaceutical outpatient clinics to generate a personalized medication education list, which could effectively solve the disunity of pharmacy guidance caused by the lack of standardization of medication education and the difference of individualized experience of pharmacists in the traditional pharmaceutical outpatient clinics in the face of complex cases, and medication errors caused by forgetting or misremembering information among certain special patient populations after receiving medication education. CONCLUSIONS The transformation and application of artificial intelligence technology in pharmaceutical outpatient clinics is an innovation of pharmaceutical outpatient service means, which can provide patients with immediate and personalized medication education and improve the quality of pharmaceutical care. However, it is also necessary to face the lag of database update and the lack of risk management, as well as the lack of diversification of medication education lists.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
3.Promotion of Angiogenesis by Colorectal Cancer Cell LoVo Derived-exosomes Through Transferring pEGFR
Ya-Jie CHENG ; Xue-Tong ZHOU ; Rui WANG ; Jin FANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(5):1229-1240
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			ObjectiveThis study sought to investigate the impact of exosomes derived from LoVo cells (LoVo-Exos) in colorectal cancer (CRC) on tumor angiogenesis, as well as to elucidate the potential molecular mechanisms underlying their pro-angiogenic effects. MethodsLoVo-Exos were isolated via ultracentrifugation, and their internalization into recipient human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was visualized using confocal microscopy. The influence of LoVo-Exos on angiogenesis was assessed through an in vitro tube formation assay. Additionally, the pro-angiogenic effects of LoVo-Exos were evaluated in vivo using a matrix gluing assay in mice. To investigate the molecular mechanisms through which LoVo-Exos facilitate angiogenesis, Western blot analysis was employed to examine the transfer of pEGFR by LoVo-Exos into recipient cells. Both Western blot and ELISA were utilized to assess the expression levels of key signaling proteins within the EGFR-ERK pathway, as well as the expression of downstream angiogenic core molecules. Furthermore, the impact of EGFR knockdown and ERK inhibitor treatment on angiogenesis was evaluated, with subsequent analysis of the expression of downstream angiogenic core molecules following these interventions. ResultsConfocal microscopy demonstrated the internalization of LoVo-Exos into HUVECs. In vitro angiogenesis assays further indicated that LoVo-Exos significantly enhanced the formation of tubular structures in HUVECs. Additionally, macroscopic examination of subcutaneous matrix plug formation in mice revealed a substantial increase in vascular-like structures within the matrix plugs following the administration of LoVo-Exos, compared to the PBS control group. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining revealed the presence of erythrocyte-filled microvessels within the matrix plugs combined with LoVo-Exos. Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated the expression of the endothelial cell marker CD31 in these matrix plugs. The presence of CD31-positive cells in the LoVo-Exos-treated matrix plugs was associated with a significant enhancement in the formation of luminal structures. These findings suggest that LoVo-Exos facilitate the in vivo development of vascular-like structures. Subsequent investigations demonstrated that LoVo-Exos facilitated the delivery of pEGFR to HUVEC, thereby enhancing angiogenesis. Conversely, LoVo-Exos with EGFR knockdown exhibited a diminished capacity to promote angiogenesis, an effect that was further attenuated by the ERK phosphorylation inhibitor U0126. Western blot analysis assessing the activation of the EGFR-ERK signaling pathway in HUVEC indicated that LoVo-Exos augmented angiogenesis through the activation of this pathway. Furthermore, analysis of the impact of LoVo-Exos on the expression of downstream angiogenic core molecules revealed an increase in interleukin-8 (IL-8) secretion in HUVEC. The enhancement observed was diminished in LoVo-Exos following EGFR knockdown, and this reduction was counteracted by the ERK phosphorylation inhibitor U0126. ConclusionThe underlying mechanism may involve the delivery of pEGFR in LoVo-Exos to HUVECs, leading to increased IL-8 secretion via the EGFR-ERK signaling pathway, thereby enhancing the angiogenic potential of HUVECs. This finding may offer new insights into the mechanisms underlying cancer metastasis. 
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
4.Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Sleep Deprivation-induced Acceleration of Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology
Si-Ru YAN ; Ming-Yang CAI ; Ya-Xuan SUN ; Qing HUO ; Xue-Ling DAI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(10):2474-2485
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Sleep deprivation (SD) has emerged as a significant modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), with mounting evidence demonstrating its multifaceted role in accelerating AD pathogenesis through diverse molecular, cellular, and systemic mechanisms. SD is refined within the broader spectrum of sleep-wake and circadian disruption, emphasizing that both acute total sleep loss and chronic sleep restriction destabilize the homeostatic and circadian processes governing glymphatic clearance of neurotoxic proteins. During normal sleep, concentrations of interstitial Aβ and tau fall as cerebrospinal fluid oscillations flush extracellular waste; SD abolishes this rhythm, causing overnight rises in soluble Aβ and tau species in rodent hippocampus and human CSF. Orexinergic neurons sustain arousal, and become hyperactive under SD, further delaying sleep onset and amplifying Aβ production. At the molecular level, SD disrupts Aβ homeostasis through multiple converging pathways, including enhanced production via beta-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) upregulation, coupled with impaired clearance mechanisms involving the glymphatic system dysfunction and reduced Aβ-degrading enzymes (neprilysin and insulin-degrading enzyme). Cellular and histological analyses revealed that these proteinopathies are significantly exacerbated by SD-induced neuroinflammatory cascades characterized by microglial overactivation, astrocyte reactivity, and sustained elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6) through NF‑κB signaling and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of neurotoxicity. The synaptic and neuronal consequences of chronic SD are particularly profound and potentially irreversible, featuring reduced expression of critical synaptic markers (PSD95, synaptophysin), impaired long-term potentiation (LTP), dendritic spine loss, and diminished neurotrophic support, especially brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) depletion, which collectively contribute to progressive cognitive decline and memory deficits. Mechanistic investigations identify three core pathways through which SD exerts its neurodegenerative effects: circadian rhythm disruption via BMAL1 suppression, orexin system hyperactivity leading to sustained wakefulness and metabolic stress, and oxidative stress accumulation through mitochondrial dysfunction and reactive oxygen species overproduction. The review critically evaluates promising therapeutic interventions including pharmacological approaches (melatonin, dual orexin receptor antagonists), metabolic strategies (ketogenic diets, and Mediterranean diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids), lifestyle modifications (targeted exercise regimens, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia), and emerging technologies (non-invasive photobiomodulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation). Current research limitations include insufficient understanding of dose-response relationships between SD duration/intensity and AD pathology progression, lack of long-term longitudinal clinical data in genetically vulnerable populations (particularly APOE ε4 carriers and those with familial AD mutations), the absence of standardized SD protocols across experimental models that accurately mimic human chronic sleep restriction patterns, and limited investigation of sex differences in SD-induced AD risk. The accumulated evidence underscores the importance of addressing sleep disturbances as part of multimodal AD prevention strategies and highlights the urgent need for clinical trials evaluating sleep-focused interventions in at-risk populations. The review proposes future directions focused on translating mechanistic insights into precision medicine approaches, emphasizing the need for biomarkers to identify SD-vulnerable individuals, chronotherapeutic strategies aligned with circadian biology, and multi-omics integration across sleep, proteostasis and immune profiles may delineate precision-medicine strategies for at-risk populations. By systematically examining these critical connections, this analysis positions sleep quality optimization as a viable strategy for AD prevention and early intervention while providing a comprehensive roadmap for future mechanistic and interventional research in this rapidly evolving field. 
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
5.Discovery of proqodine A derivatives with antitumor activity targeting NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 and nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase.
Jiangzhou SONG ; Guiqing ZOU ; Zhou ZHAO ; Ya ZHU ; Jiayu XUE ; Lanjia AO ; Huiyong SUN ; Haiping HAO ; Bo ZHANG ; Xiaowei XU
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2024;22(1):75-88
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is a flavin protease highly expressed in various cancer cells. NQO1 catalyzes a futile redox cycle in substrates, leading to substantial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. This ROS generation results in extensive DNA damage and elevated poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1)-mediated consumption of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), ultimately causing cell death. Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), the rate-limiting enzyme in the NAD+ salvage synthesis pathway, emerges as a critical target in cancer therapy. The concurrent inhibition of NQO1 and NAMPT triggers hyperactivation of PARP1 and intensive NAD+ depletion. In this study, we designed, synthesized, and assessed a novel series of proqodine A derivatives targeting both NQO1 and NAMPT. Among these, compound T8 demonstrated potent antitumor properties. Specifically, T8 selectively inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cells and induced apoptosis through mechanisms dependent on both NQO1 and NAMPT. This discovery offers a promising new molecular entity for advancing anticancer research.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        			Humans
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		                        			NAD/metabolism*
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		                        			Cell Line, Tumor
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		                        			Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism*
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		                        			Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase/metabolism*
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		                        			Cytokines/metabolism*
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		                        			Quinones
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		                        			Oxidoreductases
		                        			
		                        		
		                        	
6.Predicting the Risk of Arterial Stiffness in Coal Miners Based on Different Machine Learning Models.
Qian Wei CHEN ; Xue Zan HUANG ; Yu DING ; Feng Ren ZHU ; Jia WANG ; Yuan Jie ZOU ; Yuan Zhen DU ; Ya Jun ZHANG ; Zi Wen HUI ; Feng Lin ZHU ; Min MU
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2024;37(1):108-111
7.A Meta-analysis of the Risk of Secondary Infection of Tocilizumab in the Treatment of COVID-19
Ya LUO ; Yanting YU ; Xue ZHANG ; Zhongjuan WANG
Journal of Kunming Medical University 2024;45(2):57-64
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Objective Meta-analysis was conducted to assess the risk of secondary infection caused by tocilizumab(TCZ)in the treatment of Corona Virus Disease 2019(COVID-19),in order to provide an evidence-based basis for the safety of tocilizumab in patients with COVID-19.Methods Cochrane Library,PubMed,Web of Science,CNKI,SinoMed and Wanfang databases were searched in computer to collect randomized controlled trial and cohort study of treating COVID-19 with tocilizumab from December 19,2019 to December 30,2022.A meta-analysis of the results of each study was performed using RevMan 5.4.1 software.Results A total of 1691 references were screened and eighteen studies involving 3933 patients were included.The incidence of secondary infection in the tocilizumab with the standard treatment group and standard treatment group was 19.14%(331/1729)and 12.11%(267/2204),respectively.Meta-analysis showed that the tocilizumab + standard treatment group had a higher incidence of secondary infection than the standard treatment group[RR = 1.35,95%CI(1.05,1.74),P = 0.02].The results of the subgroup analysis showed that the risk of secondary infection with different doses of tocilizumab was different.The incidence of secondary infection was significantly higher in the subgroup with doses of 400~800 mg/d tocilizumab than in the standard care group[RR = 1.48,95%CI(1.19,1.84),P = 0.0004].The incidence of secondary infection in subgroups with doses of≤400 mg/d tocilizumab was also significantly higher than that in the standard treatment group[RR = 1.87,95%CI(1.28,2.72),P = 0.001].However,there was no statistical significance between the subgroup 6~8 mg/kg tocilizumab and the standard treatment group.Conclusions Tocilizumab may increase the risk of secondary infection in patients with COVID-19 compared with standard treatment,and the benefits and risks of tocilizumab should be carefully evaluated before clinical administration.Moreover,large and high-quality studies are needed for further evaluation.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
8.The effect of esketamine on postoperative recovery in children after endoscopic adenoidectomy
Kai-Zheng CHEN ; Ya-Ming XIE ; Qi-Neng XUE ; Xia SHEN
Fudan University Journal of Medical Sciences 2024;51(1):76-80
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Objective To observe the effect of esketamine on postoperative recovery in children after endoscopic adenoidectomy.Methods Sixty pediatric patients who underwent adenoidectomy with endoscope from Jan 2022 to Jan 2023 in Eye&ENT Hospital,Fudan University were enrolled.The pediatric patients were randomly divided into hydro-morphine group(n=30)and esketamine group(n=30).Anesthesia induction:lidocaine 1.5 mg/kg,propofol 2.5 mg/kg and remifentanil 4 μg/kg were injected intravenously,and then the endotracheal tube was used for airway management.Anesthesia maintenance:remifentanil infusion was at 0.2-0.5 μg·kg-1·min-1 and the end tidal concentration of sevoflurane was at 0.7-1.0 minimum alveolar concentration(MAC).At the end of surgery,either hydromorphone 0.01 mg/kg or esketamine 0.5 mg/kg were administered for postoperative pain control.Time to resume spontaneous breathing was recorded.Other parameters included respiratory rate per minute,duration of stay in the post-anesthesia care unit,hemodynamic profiles.The adverse events including agitation and desaturation were also of note.Results Children in esketamine group resumed spontaneous breathing faster(P=0.048),had faster respiratory rate when recovery of spontaneous breathing(P=0.001)and lower concentration of end tidal CO2(P=0.005).The findings suggested that esketamine did not impair respiratory function.Compared to hydro-morphine group,children in esketamine group had shorter stay in the post-anesthesia care unit with statistical difference(P=0.020).Esketamine had no effect on heart rate and blood pressure,so there were less adverse events.Conclusion Compared with 0.01 mg/kg hydro-morphine,0.5 mg/kg esketamine does not impair respiratory function and it facilitate fast recovery in children undergoing endoscopic adenoidectomy after general anesthesia.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
9.Phenotypic evaluation of Ttc37 knockout mouse as type Ⅰ tricho-hepato-enteric syndrome model
Ming-Ya LI ; Xue-Lin WANG ; Ye WEI ; Pei-Hong YANG ; Lei SUN
Fudan University Journal of Medical Sciences 2024;51(2):249-256
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Objective To establish a mouse model of type Ⅰ tricho-hepato-enteric syndrome(THES)induced by Ttc37 deficiency.Methods Ttc37 flox strain was established by site-specifically inserted loxP sites into Ttc37 gene via CRISPR/CAS9 technology.Ubiquitously expressed CAG-Cre was introduced for all-tissue removal of Ttc37 in Ttc37flox/flox;CAG-Cre mice.The knock-out effect was confirmed by fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot.Phenotypic evaluations were conducted in 8-week-old mice including hematoxylin-eosin staining of skin,spleen,liver,bladder,and gastrointestinal tract(GI),serum enzyme activity assay of aspartate aminotransferase(AST)and alanine aminotransferase(ALT),measurement of serum hemoglobin level,and ELISA for IgG and IgM level upon antigen immunization.Results Similar to type Ⅰ THES patients,Ttc37flox/flox;CAG-Cre mice exhibited impaired development of hair shaft,epidermis,B cell and eyes,while liver,GI,bladder and serum hemoglobin level seemed normal under unstressed condition.Conclusion A novel mouse model of typeⅠ THES was constructed successfully,which was applicable for pathological study.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
10.Implementation of surveillance,prevention and control of healthcare-asso-ciated infection in maternal and child healthcare institutions:A nation-wide investigation report
Shuo LI ; Xi YAO ; Hui-Xue JIA ; Wei-Guang LI ; Xun HUANG ; Shu-Mei SUN ; Xi CHENG ; Qing-Lan MENG ; Xiang ZHANG ; Jing-Ping ZHANG ; Ya-Wei XING ; Qing-Qing JIANG ; Lian-Xuan WU ; Bing-Li ZHANG ; Xiao-Jing LIU ; Liu-Yi LI
Chinese Journal of Infection Control 2024;23(3):323-329
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Objective To investigate the implementation of surveillance,prevention and control measures for healthcare-associated infection(HAI)in maternal and child healthcare(MCH)institutions,and provide policy evi-dence for optimizing HAI prevention and control in MCH institutions.Methods Stratified sampling was conducted among the MCH institutions at provincial,municipal and county levels in 8 provinces/autonomous regions.A uni-fied questionnaire was designed and the online survey was conducted through"Questionnaire Star".Results The data from 123 MCH institutions were included in the analysis.90.24%of the MCH institutions carried out compre-hensive surveillance on HAI.The ratios of MCH institutions which implemented targeted surveillance on HAI in neonatal intensive care unit(NICU),surgical site infection,multidrug-resistant organisms(MDROs)and HAI in intensive care units(non-NICU excluded)were 89.66%,85.96%,80.77%,and 74.19%,respectively.51.22%MCH institutions adopted information surveillance system on HAI cases.94.31%MCH institutions carried out surveillance on hand hygiene compliance.Over 90%MCH institutions carried out surveillance on environment hy-giene in high-risk departments.71.54%MCH institutions conducted centralized cleaning,disinfection,sterilization and supply for reusable medical instruments in the central sterile supply department(CSSD).Over 90%MCH insti-tutions established three-level pre-examination triage systems.86.18%set up transitional wards.MCH institutions generally adopted a management model with established effective communication,full appointment visits,and sepa-rate visits for special medical groups,such as registered pregnant women,high-risk newborns,healthcare groups,and long-term rehabilitation patients.However,the ratio of institutions conducting on-line follow-up visits was less than 50%.Conclusion MCH institutions have generally carried out comprehensive and targeted surveillance on HAI.Information surveillance need to be facilitated.Hand hygiene and environmental hygiene surveillance has been popularized to a certain extent at all levels of MCH institutions.The cleaning,disinfection,sterilization,and supply processes of reusable medical devices in a few MCH institutions are not standardized.Special medical populations get effective management.On-line healthcare is to be further promoted.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
            
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