Publications by authors named "Zongqi Zhang"
Importance: Per preliminary studies, Shengdi Dahuang Decoction (SDD) is potentially effective for acute intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH); however, its effectiveness has not been rigorously assessed in extensive randomised clinical trials.
Objective: To evaluate whether SDD can improve 90-day functional outcomes in patients with ICH.
Design: Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial included patients with acute ICH within 4 hours of symptom onset at five hospitals in Shanghai, China.
Introduction: Incomplete endothelialization (IDE) of left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) devices increases the risk of device-related thrombosis (DRT) and stroke. Insulin resistance (IR) may contribute to IDE by impairing endothelial function, but its role remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between IR markers and IDE and develop a predictive model for identifying high-risk patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDoes Spontaneous Echo Contrast in the Left Atrial Appendage Increase Thromboembolism Risk After Left Atrial Appendage Closure? A Retrospective Study on Its Impact on Device-Related Thrombosis and Arterial Thromboembolic Events.
Kandi Zhang
,
Hanwen Yu
,
Yihua Lu
,
Peng Zhang
,
Dongsheng Liu
,
Zongqi Zhang
,
Qingyong Zhang
,
Junfeng Zhang
Cardiovasc Ther
April 2025
Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) prevents arterial thromboembolic events (ATEs) in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF). Spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) is an independent risk factor for left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombosis; however, there is little knowledge about the relationship between preoperative SEC and the increased risk of device-related thrombosis (DRT) or ATEs in patients with AF who have undergone LAAC. This retrospective study focused on patients with nonvalvular AF who successfully underwent LAAC surgery.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of two different antithrombotic strategies, dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT, aspirin and ticagrelor) and direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC, rivaroxaban), after left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) using the LACbes occluder.
Methods And Analysis: This study is a prospective, randomised, controlled and multicentre clinical trial that will compare the clinical efficacy of antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapy after LAAC with the LACbes occluder. It is planned to enrol 296 subjects with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) who complete transcatheter closure of the left atrial appendage successfully.
Comparative Endothelialization of the Watchman Plug Device and LACBES Pacifier Occluder after Left Atrial Appendage Closure.
Rev Cardiovasc Med
December 2024
Article Synopsis
- Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) is an alternative for patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) to avoid oral anticoagulants, but issues like incomplete device endothelialization (IDE) can lead to complications.
- A study compared the endothelialization rates after implantation of two devices: the Watchman plug and the LACBES occluder, in 201 patients, using cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA).
- Results showed that the LACBES occluder had a higher IDE rate at both 3 and 6 months compared to the Watchman device, indicating that it takes longer for the LACBES to achieve complete endothelialization after LAAC.
Gamma-aminobutyric acid enhances miR-21-5p loading into adipose-derived stem cell extracellular vesicles to alleviate myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury TXNIP regulation.
Feng-Dan Wang
,
Yi Ding
,
Jian-Hong Zhou
,
En Zhou
,
Tian-Tian Zhang
,
Zong-Qi Zhang
,
Jun-Feng Zhang
World J Stem Cells
October 2024
Article Synopsis
- Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) is a major issue in heart treatment, and effective solutions are lacking.
- Research aimed to explore if extracellular vesicles (EVs) from GABA-treated adipose mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) could better reduce oxidative stress in heart cells.
- Findings showed that GABA enhances the miR-21-5p levels in EVs, leading to reduced mitochondrial stress and protection of heart cells by regulating TXNIP expression.
Physical and chemical characterization of chitin and chitosan extracted under different treatments from black soldier fly.
Int J Biol Macromol
November 2024
Article Synopsis
- The chitin extracted from the shells of the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) has significant biological potential, yet research on its applications as chitosan or oligosaccharides is limited.
- Researchers explored various extraction processes—demineralization, deproteinization, and decolorization—determining their impact on the yield and purity of chitin and chitosan.
- The optimal extraction method achieved the highest yields and purity levels, suggesting that farmed black soldier fly residues can be effectively recycled as a valuable source of chitin in biomaterials.
Article Synopsis
- Cuproptosis is highlighted as a significant factor in lung cancer, with the study identifying 129 lncRNAs related to this process and establishing a prognostic model using four key lncRNAs.
- The model categorized lung cancer patients into high- and low-risk groups, revealing notable survival differences and confirming predictive accuracy through independent analyses and ROC curve evaluations.
- Functional enrichment and mutation load analysis demonstrated distinct biological pathways and immune functions between these groups, emphasizing the potential of lncRNAs as biomarkers for lung cancer prognosis and treatment responses.
Article Synopsis
- * Results showed that the F-2 fractions of protein hydrolysate displayed significant hypolipidemic activity, particularly the peptides from the salt immersion stress method (SISM) that effectively inhibited cholesterol micelle solubility.
- * Five novel peptides were identified with strong in vitro and in vivo hypolipidemic effects, suggesting that P. brevitarsis has potential for development as a functional food ingredient to manage lipid levels.
Cx43 Facilitates Mesenchymal Transition of Endothelial Cells Induced by Shear Stress.
J Vasc Res
October 2023
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how Cx43 (connexin 43) affects the endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) in endothelial cells.
- Rat aorta-derived endothelial cells were manipulated using Cx43 cDNA and siRNA and exposed to different shear stress levels, revealing key changes in protein expression related to EndMT.
- Results showed that shear stress enhanced Cx43 expression, leading to increased αSMA and SM22α while decreasing CD31, suggesting Cx43's involvement in EndMT and the influence of specific signaling pathways.
Article Synopsis
- The advancement of functional materials has significantly improved comfort, reduced disease spread, alleviated environmental issues, and optimized research funding.
- The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of face masks, but traditional opaque masks can hinder communication with deaf-mute patients, creating a need for transparent options.
- Electrospinning technology can be utilized to create transparent face masks by manipulating nanofiber diameters, and this article reviews the processes, preparation methods, and potential applications of these innovative masks in public health.
Article Synopsis
- Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for about 80% of lung cancer cases, but advanced patients have a low 5-year survival rate of around 15%, highlighting the need for effective treatment models.
- Researchers collected malignant pleural effusion samples from 31 NSCLC patients to create 11 patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), confirming that these models maintain the original tumor characteristics through various analyses.
- The study concludes that NSCLC PDXs accurately reflect the molecular traits of primary tumors and can be valuable for understanding tumor biology and developing new treatments.
Article Synopsis
- Isolating two fungi, Talaromyces allahabadensis Hi-4 and Talaromyces funiculosus Hi-5, from rotten black soldier fly was key to producing chitinolytic enzymes through solid state fermentation, optimizing growth conditions in the process.
- The best carbon source found was mealworm powder, with the fungi achieving maximum enzyme production of 46.80 and 55.07 U/gds, respectively.
- Hydrolysis tests showed that these fungi effectively degraded chitinous substrates at lower temperatures, with significant production of chitin oligosaccharides notable for their potential applications in medicine and health products.
Article Synopsis
- The study compares two methods for emptying the intestines of Protaetia brevitarsis larvae to extract bioactive compounds.
- It finds that the traditional static method (TSM) with a water-ethanol solvent yields higher total flavonoids and better antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities than the salt immersion stress method (SISM).
- The research suggests that using specific pretreatment methods can enhance the extraction of valuable bioactive compounds, making them more useful for potential applications.
Article Synopsis
- Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) can effectively prevent strokes in patients with atrial fibrillation, but the variability in LAA structure complicates measurement methods.
- The study compared the accuracy of various imaging techniques (CTA, 3D CTA, 2D-TEE, DSA) in measuring LAA diameter to determine optimal occluder size.
- Results showed that 3D CTA provided the most accurate and consistent measurements for LAA size, suggesting that adding 2-4 mm to the diameter from this method can improve occluder selection for patients.
16S rRNA Gene Sequencing Reveals Specific Gut Microbes Common to Medicinal Insects.
Front Microbiol
May 2022
Article Synopsis
- Insects have historically been used in medicine due to their efficacy and lower side effects, leading to growing interest in their medicinal properties and gut microbiota.
- The study compared the gut microbiota of medicinal insects to non-medicinal ones, revealing higher microbial richness and distinct community structures in medicinal insects.
- Researchers identified specific gut microbes possibly linked to the anti-inflammatory properties of medicinal insects, suggesting new avenues for enhancing their medicinal benefits through microbial research.
Article Synopsis
- Oxidative stress and obesity are major contributors to metabolic syndrome, making the search for effective treatments important.
- A study focused on the hydro-ethanolic extract of an edible insect, identifying 60 bioactive components with high antioxidant and pancreatic lipase inhibitory activities.
- Major polyphenols like salicylic acid and gallic acid were identified, showing potential for the extract to serve as a nutraceutical for reducing oxidative stress and managing obesity.
Article Synopsis
- Heterojunction engineering is a promising method to improve the photocatalytic performance of semiconductors, exemplified through the creation of Venus flytrap-like NiCo hydroxide nanoflowers (HNF) modified with CoSn(OH) nanocubes.
- The study shows that the surface Sn atoms from CoSn(OH) enhance the contact at the interface with NiCo HNF, significantly aiding charge migration and separation.
- Resulting in a threefold increase in photocatalytic efficiency for CO reduction, the optimized hybrid catalyst exhibits impressive performance and offers insights into designing effective non-precious catalysts for visible-light-driven reactions.
Article Synopsis
- Coronary heart disease often leads to vascular endothelial injury, with endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) being a key factor in this process.
- The study focused on miR-221 and its role in EndMT of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), using TGF-β1 to induce changes and various methods to analyze gene expression.
- Results showed that inhibiting miR-221 increased proteins associated with EndMT, while overexpression led to a decrease in these proteins, indicating that miR-221 plays a crucial regulatory role in this transition.
Recent Advances of Pervaporation Separation in DMF/HO Solutions: A Review.
Membranes (Basel)
June 2021
Article Synopsis
- N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) is a widely used solvent in industrial applications, particularly for extracting acetylene and creating polyacrylonitrile fibers.
- After usage, DMF generates 5-25% spent liquors that are challenging to recycle using traditional methods like distillation.
- The review focuses on recent advancements in membrane technologies for separating DMF solutions, highlighting their effectiveness, benefits, limitations, and potential applications in both industry and research.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the link between neutrophil count, intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS), and patient outcomes after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in people with ischemic stroke.
- The research included 221 patients, finding that 36.3% had ICAS, while over half experienced poor outcomes at 90 days.
- Results indicated that higher neutrophil counts and the presence of ICAS were associated with worse outcomes, suggesting that ICAS plays a mediating role in how neutrophil levels affect recovery post-EVT.
Article Synopsis
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common heart rhythm disorder related to changes in pulmonary vein smooth muscle cells (SMCs).
- The study explored how these synthetic SMCs influence gap junction proteins in cardiomyocytes, revealing that transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) promotes a change in SMC phenotype, affecting protein expression like Cx43, Cx40, and Cx45.
- Notably, coculturing synthetic SMCs with HL-1 cells enhanced gap junction function and altered the levels of microRNA 27b and ZFHX3, suggesting a significant relationship between SMC phenotype and intercellular communication in heart cells.
Article Synopsis
- Grifola frondosa (hen of the woods) is a mushroom known for its culinary and medicinal benefits, and the study explores the effects of adding Rhizoma gastrodiae extract to enhance its properties.
- During the fermentation process, p-hydroxylbenzaldehyde (HBA) was the most effectively utilized compound from R. gastrodiae, resulting in improved antioxidant activities in the exopolysaccharides (EPS) derived from G. frondosa when combined with the extract.
- The research found that the exopolysaccharides from the fermentation with R. gastrodiae (REPS) showed superior antioxidant and immune-boosting properties compared to standard EPS and HBA, indicating that R. gastrod
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how myoendothelial gap junctions influence the behavior of human coronary artery smooth muscle cells (HCASMCs) when they are cultured with endothelial cells under shear stress.
- Researchers found that HCASMCs maintained a contractile phenotype when co-cultured with endothelial cells, indicating a link between cell type and stability of smooth muscle characteristics.
- Shear stress altered the expression of gap junction proteins, leading to HCASMCs switching to a synthetic phenotype, which is associated with increased release of growth factors and potential promotion of atherosclerosis, highlighting the significance of intercellular communication in vascular health.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the role of L-carnitine in reducing liver inflammation in cancer cachexia, focusing on its effects on the CPT I-dependent PPARγ signaling pathway using a colon-26 tumor-bearing mouse model.
- Results showed that L-carnitine improved liver cell health by reducing damage and enhancing the expression of protective proteins while decreasing pro-inflammatory markers in the serum.
- The anti-inflammatory effects of L-carnitine were partially reversed by inhibitors of CPT I and PPAR-γ, highlighting the significance of these pathways in mediating the drug's benefits in cancer cachexia.