With the rapid development of mobile internet technology, mobile health application (mHealth APP) are increasingly widely used in the field of health management and have been proven to play an important role in the management of chronic diseases. Solid organ transplant recipients face complex health management needs after surgery, including postoperative follow-up, medication management, prevention and treatment of complications and comorbidities, and lifestyle adjustment. mHealth APP can provide solid organ transplant recipients with convenient self-management tools. Although some progress has been made in this field, there are still many challenges, such as insufficient user experience, technological dependence, and data security risks. Therefore, this article discusses the development process, main functions and current application status of mHealth APP, and analyzes its advantages in improving the self-management ability of solid organ transplant recipients, promoting doctor-patient communication and reducing the incidence of complications. At the same time, based on the practical experience of author’s team in developing the “TransMate” mHealth APP, we propose the directions that mHealth APPs should focus on in the future, in order to provide more effective support and services for the health management of solid organ transplant recipients.

Aconitum kusnezoffii is a perennial herbaceous medicinal plant of the family Ranunculaceae, with unique medicinal value. Damping off is one of the most important seedling diseases affecting A. kusnezoffii, occurring widely and often causing large-scale seedling death in the field. To clarify the species of the pathogen causing damping off in A. kusnezoffii and to formulate an effective control strategy, this study conducted pathogen identification, research on biological characteristics, and evaluation of fungicide inhibitory activity. Through morphological characteristics, cultural traits, and phylogenetic tree analysis, the pathogen causing damping off in A. kusnezoffii was identified as Rhizoctonia solani, belonging to the AG5 anastomosis group. The optimal temperature for mycelial growth of the pathogen was 25-30 ℃, with OA medium as the most suitable medium, pH 8 as the optimal pH, and sucrose and yeast as the best carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. The effect of light on mycelial growth was not significant. In evaluating the inhibitory activity of 45 chemical fungicides, including 30% hymexazol, and 4 biogenic fungicides, including 0.3% eugenol, it was found that 30% thifluzamide and 50% fludioxonil had significantly better inhibitory effects on R. solani than other tested agents, with EC_(50) values of 0.129 6,0.220 6 μg·mL~(-1), respectively. Among the biogenic fungicides, 0.3% eugenol also showed an ideal inhibitory effect on the pathogen, with an EC_(50) of 1.668 9 μg·mL~(-1). To prevent the development of resistance in the pathogen and to reduce the use of chemical fungicides, it is recommended that the three fungicides above be used in rotation during production. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the accurate diagnosis and effective control strategy for R. solani causing damping off in A. kusnezoffii.
Fungicides, Industrial/pharmacology* ; Plant Diseases/microbiology* ; Rhizoctonia/growth & development* ; Aconitum/microbiology* ; Phylogeny ; Mycelium/growth & development*

This study employs ultra-performance liquid chromatography(UPLC) to analyze the differences in alkaloid content of Commelina communis from various geographical origins, exploring its feasibility as a quality evaluation indicator. A total of 57 batches of C. communis samples from 23 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in China were selected. The MicroPulite HSS T3(2.1 mm×50 mm, 1.8 μm)column was used with a mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.2% phosphoric acid aqueous solution(20∶80), detection wavelength at 254 nm, and a flow rate of 0.3 mL·min~(-1) to measure the content of 1-deoxynojirimycin(DNJ) and deoxymannojirimycin(DMJ). The MicroPulite XP tC_(18)(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.7 μm)column was employed with a mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.2% phosphoric acid aqueous solution(4∶96), detection wavelength at 254 nm, and a flow rate of 0.4 mL·min~(-1) to measure the content of norharmine(NHM) and harmanme(HM). Chemometric methods were applied to study the relationships and differences among the 57 batches of C. communis. Significant differences in alkaloid content were observed among C. communis from different regions, with the average total content decreasing in the order of North China, Northeast China, Northwest China, East China, Southwest China, Central China, and South China. Cluster analysis(CA) and principal component analysis(PCA) further revealed the quality differences of C. communis from various origins, and partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) identified DNJ as a marker compound to distinguish the quality differences between different geographical sources of C. communis. It is recommended that the content limit of DNJ be set at no less than 0.055 9%, providing a reference for the quality evaluation and clinical application of C. communis medicinal materials.
Alkaloids/analysis* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chemometrics/methods* ; Quality Control

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of Qingda Granule (QDG) in ameliorating hypertension-induced cardiac damage and investigate the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS: Twenty spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were used to develope a hypertension-induced cardiac damage model. Another 10 Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as normotension group. Rats were administrated intragastrically QDG [0.9 g/(kg•d)] or an equivalent volume of pure water for 8 weeks. Blood pressure, histopathological changes, cardiac function, levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory response markers were measured. Furthermore, to gain insights into the potential mechanisms underlying the protective effects of QDG against hypertension-induced cardiac injury, a network pharmacology study was conducted. Predicted results were validated by Western blot, radioimmunoassay immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. RESULTS: The administration of QDG resulted in a significant decrease in blood pressure levels in SHRs (P<0.01). Histological examinations, including hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson trichrome staining revealed that QDG effectively attenuated hypertension-induced cardiac damage. Furthermore, echocardiography demonstrated that QDG improved hypertension-associated cardiac dysfunction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and colorimetric method indicated that QDG significantly reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory response levels in both myocardial tissue and serum (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Both network pharmacology and experimental investigations confirmed that QDG exerted its beneficial effects in decreasing hypertension-induced cardiac damage by regulating the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)/angiotensin II (Ang II)/Ang II receptor type 1 axis and ACE/Ang II/Ang II receptor type 2 axis.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Hypertension/pathology* ; Renin-Angiotensin System/drug effects* ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Male ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Rats ; Inflammation/pathology*

Receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) plays an essential role in regulating the necroptosis and apoptosis in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, the regulation of RIPK1 kinase activity after cerebral I/R injury remains largely unknown. In this study, we found the downregulation of protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) was induced by cerebral I/R injury, which negatively correlated with the activation of RIPK1. Mechanistically, we proved that PRMT1 directly interacted with RIPK1 and catalyzed its asymmetric dimethylarginine, which then blocked RIPK1 homodimerization and suppressed its kinase activity. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition or genetic ablation of PRMT1 aggravated I/R injury by promoting RIPK1-mediated necroptosis and apoptosis, while PRMT1 overexpression protected against I/R injury by suppressing RIPK1 activation. Our findings revealed the molecular regulation of RIPK1 activation and demonstrated PRMT1 would be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture has shown potential therapeutic benefits for individuals with simple obesity. However, some researchers argue that some of the effectiveness of acupuncture may be due to the placebo response. OBJECTIVE: To understand the placebo response of acupuncture treatment in simple obesity, a systematic review and meta-analysis was designed based on the comparison between sham acupuncture before and after treatment. SEARCH STRATEGY: Eight databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, China Biology Medicine Database, and Chinese Scientific Journals Database) were searched from inception to August 1, 2023. The MeSH search terms comprised obesity and acupuncture. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using sham or placebo acupuncture as a control in treating obesity were enrolled. DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS: Two researchers independently extracted data, and the results were cross-checked after completion. Each RCT's detailed sham/placebo acupuncture treatment protocol was assessed according to the SHam Acupuncture REporting guidelines. The revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system were used to determine the risk of bias and quality of evidence, respectively. Body mass index (BMI) was defined as the primary outcome. Anthropometric parameters and laboratory test parameters related to obesity were defined as secondary outcomes. We used standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) to calculate treatment effects of outcomes. RESULTS: Fifteen RCTs with a total of 1250 patients were included. The BMI significantly decreased after treatment in the sham acupuncture group compared to baseline (SMD 0.37, 95% CI 0.09-0.66; I² = 81%, random model; P < 0.01). Treatment duration (P = 0.02) and other interventions significantly impacted the placebo response rate (P = 0.00). CONCLUSION The placebo response of sham acupuncture was strong in the RCTs for simple obesity, and the effect sizes differed between various outcomes. The treatment duration and other interventions emerged as potential influencing factors for the placebo response of sham acupuncture. Please cite this article as: Liu KJ, Jiao RM, Ji J, Yao WW, Han CR, Zhao XY, Zhao JJ. Placebo response in sham acupuncture therapy trials for simple obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(3): 264-273.
Humans ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Obesity/therapy* ; Placebo Effect ; Placebos ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Anti-tumor traditional Chinese medicine has a long history of clinic application, in which the star molecules have always been the hotspot of modern drug research, but they are limited by the solubility, stability, targeting, bioactivity or toxicity of the monomer components of traditional Chinese medicine anti-tumor star molecules and other pharmacokinetic problems, which hinders the traditional Chinese medicine anti-tumor star molecules for further clinical translation and application. Currently, the nanosystems prepared by supramolecular technologies such as molecular self-assembly and nanomaterial encapsulation have broader application prospects in improving the anti-tumor effect of active components of traditional Chinese medicine, which has attracted extensive attention from scholars at home and abroad. In this paper, we systematically review the research progress in preparation of supramolecular nano-systems from anti-tumor star molecule of traditional Chinese medicine, and summarize the two major categories and ten small classes of carrier-free and carrier-based supramolecular nanosystems and their research cases, and the future development direction is put forward. The purpose of this paper is to provide reference for the research and clinical transformation of using supramolecular technology to improve the clinical application of anti-tumor star molecule of traditional Chinese medicine.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a diabetic ocular complication that can lead to poor vision and blindness. This experiment aimed to investigate the ameliorative effect and its mechanism of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) eye drops on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) in rats. All experiments were approved by the Animal Research Committee of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Animal welfare and the animal experimental protocols were strictly consistent with related ethics regulations of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (No. PZSHUTCM 211115004). Diabetes mellitus was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ into rats. Two months later, PNS solution was dropped binocular twice per day at 6 h intervals at dose of 20, 40, and 80 mg·kg^-1 continuously for 1 month. The morphological structure and activation of microglia of the retina were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemical assay. The disruption of the blood-retina barrier (BRB) was conducted by the Evans blue dye leakage assay. The number of acellular capillaries in the retina was assessed by digesting and hematoxylin-eosin staining assay. The number of retinal leukocyte adhesion was observed by fluorescein isothiocyanate-coupled concanavalin A lectin labeling assay. The serum expression of inflammatory factors was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Western blot experiments were used to detect the expression of relevant proteins in retinal tissue and transcriptional activation of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB). The results revealed that PNS eye drops significantly increased the thickness of the retina, decreased the number of acellular capillaries, and up-regulated the expression of the tight junction proteins claudin-1 and occludin, thereby alleviating BRB damage. In addition, PNS eye drops were also able to significantly reduce leukocyte adhesion and microglia activation, the expression of inflammatory factors in serum, and the nuclear translocation of retinal p65 proteins, effectively inhibiting the occurrence of retinal inflammation. The above results showed that PNS eye drops played a role in improving NPDR by inhibiting the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway and reducing inflammation.

AIM To investigate the effect of Wendan Decoction on nerve injury in a mouse model of sleep disorders and its mechanism.METHODS A mouse model of insomnia was established by the modified multiple platform sleep deprivation method.After successful modeling,the mice were randomly divided into the model group,the estazolam tablet group(0.15 mg/kg)and the low-dose and high-dose Wendan Decoction groups(12.5,50 g/kg),with 6 mice in each group,in contrast to the 6 mice of the control group.After 7 days of drug intervention,the mice had their changes of cerebral cortex,hippocampal CA1 area and hypothalamus observed by HE staining;their neuronal damage observed by Nissl staining;their levels of neurofilament light chain(NEFL),neuron-specific enolase(NSE),S100 calcium-binding protein B(S100B),tumor necrosis factor(TNF-α),interleukin-6(IL-6)and interleukin-1β(IL-1β)in brain tissue and serum detected by ELISA;their cerebral expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)detected by immunohistochemical method;and their cerebral expressions of GFAP,phosphorylated IκB kinase β(p-IKKβ)and phosphorylated nuclear transcription factor-κB(p-NF-κB)detected by Western blot.RESULTS Compared with the model group,the high-dose Wendan Decoction group displayed increased number of neurons,complete and neatly arranged structure;decreased number of neurons with nuclear shrinkage and deformation;increased Nissl bodies,decreased levels of NEFL,NSE,S100B,TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β in serum and brain tissue(P＜0.01);decreased cerebral expression of GFAP(P＜0.01);and decreased phosphorylation levels of cerebral p-IKKβ and p-NF-κB(P＜0.01).CONCLUSION Wendan Decoction can reduce the nerve damage and the expression of proinflammatory mediator in sleep disorders mice,and the mechanism may be related to the inhibited activation of IKKβ/NF-κB pathway.